The story of Pirates Peril begins with the Dreaded Pirate Lord Putnam Darkwalker. Putnam started his career as a regular Arcalean Merchant Captain, until one day he took on board a strange passenger on one of his voyages. Details are sparse and the subject of many tavern tales, but after this voyage he abandoned his duty and became known as the Pirate Putnam Darkwalker.
Few pirates set sail after dusk, let alone strike at heavy vessels, but Darkwalker made his name striking in deepest night and escaping by dawn with spoils enough to buy a kingdom. In the years that followed his reputation grew along with his fleet, and many dark stories followed his attacks. After a while he was no longer just a Pirate Captain, but a King among Pirates, or, as he became known, the Dreaded Pirate Lord.
Indeed, so many other pirate captains were drawn by his success that towns and harbours sprang up all across the Archipelago, striking from there at shipping routes between Vetia, Taphria and Silexia. In those times, all feared for Tartaga’s growing strength, for even it was on the verge of becoming its own nation with Putnam as Pirate King.
Yet all that is won is not always golden, for at the peak of their might on the eve of their annual revel, a disaster struck. From the depths of the Shattered Sea came a storm unlike any seen for over a century. Some say the magic that birthed it made it impossible for weather readers and mystics to predict. Others claim the jealous Dark Gods themselves sent it as punishment for the collective sins of Tartaga. Whatever the reason, with the storm came the Great Wave, a tsunami that crashed down upon the Archipelago like a new Skyhammer.
When the waters ebbed away and light returned, everything had changed. Tartaga had become a cemetery for pirates and ships alike. Throughout the islands and islets, wrecks litter beaches and coves, with some half buried in the sands along with their amassed hordes. Now, a handful of years later, rumours of treasures, and the chance to claim some of the splendor of Darkwalker’s empire, are drawing new pirates and rogues to Tartaga.
Among these devastated towns, beaches, harbors and shipwrecks can be found the new wave of brave pirates, sneaking buccaneers and vicious marauders; Clashing and fighting as each seeks their share of the gold and glory, and to survive the Pirate’s Peril.
Pirate’s Peril is at its core is a simplified version of the basic The 9th Age: Fantasy Battles ruleset, but with 2 major changes.
First, the focus has been moved from fighting massive battles between armies, into a small skirmish game, where bands of different kinds of pirates and buccaneers fight in the streets of the deserted archipelago of Tartaga, looking to claim treasure left there.
The second big change is that the main rules have been simplified to create a game that is easy to pick up for younger or new players, and is there for a great introduction game for them. The focus is on fast, fun, and furious gameplay that we hope you and your opponent will enjoy!
Visit the official download page here!
by Jan Willem “Blonde Beer” Veenhof @ The 9th Age Team
