Rapscallion is a daring pirate fantasy sport full of swashbuckling and scary sea magic that takes the gamers and GM on a wild trip by means of the World of Regulation and the huge Nice Sea. For some GMs—particularly new ones to the sport, or those that haven’t had a lot expertise with pirate fiction basically—the prospect of developing with a hook for the crew’s first journey can appear daunting. However worry not! Listed here are 5 battle-tested hooks to kickstart your piracy adventures with the very best foot ahead!

Because it’s defined within the Rapscallion Quickstart, though you’ll outline the world of your adventures in larger element alongside the remainder of the gamers, from the character creation onwards, the sport (and these hooks) assumes three options your setting:

• a place of authority (The Ironclad Fortress)
• a place of lawlessness (Forgewater)
• a place of thriller (The Gap within the World)

I’ll briefly describe every of them, as they’ll be later used within the journey hooks.

The Ironclad Fortress

That is the capital of the “civilized” world, probably the most populated place the place “regular” folks dwell as Regulation-abiding residents. It’s an oppressive place in the midst of a big landmass, far sufficient from the ocean to be effectively out of most pirates’ attain. The folks listed here are traditionalists, look down on anyone who doesn’t observe Regulation to the letter—and even their ridiculously complicated guidelines of habits—and are keen to go to excessive (and violent) lengths to defend their lifestyle.

Forgewater

The exact opposite of The Ironclad Fortress, Forgewater is the pirate “capital”, the principle port city the place most pirates go to have enjoyable, promote their spoils (and purchase different items), and get recommendations on new treasures to search out. It’s a chaotic, ever-changing place, violent, and never for the faint of coronary heart, the kind of place that’s all the time getting ready to collapse. Nonetheless, there isn’t every other metropolis or port like Forgewater a pirate may name dwelling.

The Gap within the World

This legendary place is supposedly the origin of sea magic, the top of the recognized world, and a supply of the best of all treasures, coming from worlds past this one. The one drawback? Nobody that’s gone there has ever returned… Not at the very least with any otherworldly treasures, reporting they noticed the top of actuality, or with larger magical powers. In fact, that doesn’t diminish the place’s legendary standing nor does it deter true believers nonetheless on the lookout for it.

When adapting these hooks to your personal world, be happy to alter these locales for ones that suit your setting or make every other modifications you deem essential to make them your personal.

Hook #1: Race to the Treasure

Llewellyn “Snake” Barlow (he/him), pirate extraordinaire, discovered an awesome treasure which he supposedly introduced from past The Gap within the World—or eventually that’s what he’s been blabbing about in Forgewater. Now the rumors have unfold and each pirates and the Regulation need to get their fingers on it—and your crew too! This’ll be a race towards time, fellow would-be plunderers, and the leviathans who want to maintain the treasure for themselves.

Pirate Competitors: Crews aboard The Disrespectful Princess and The Killers Knave, captained Woman Luke (she/they) and Elder “Golden-Eye” Parrish (he/him), respectively

The Lawful Villains: Servants of the Regulation aboard The Holy Trident led by captain by Kaiden Ward (they/them)

The Leviathans: Sea-Sorceress Soyaashana (she/her) and her Mer Guard (assorted sea creatures of various sizes and genders)

Attempt to make this extra about what every group will do with the treasure in the event that they get their fingers on it—the crew of your folks included! That ought to function an effective way to create some pressure and drama past mere fights, in addition to some good roleplaying, I hope!

Hook #2: Escape From The Unbreakable!

You’ve been caught by the notorious pirate hunter Triston Butler (he/him) and are actually being transported aboard The Unbreakable—the strongest pirate-hunting ship in all of the seas—in the direction of The Ironclad Fortress. You need to discover a means out of right here earlier than it’s too late as a result of, when you attain the Fortress, you’ll be past the assistance of most pirates—and within the clutches of the Regulation.

Within the case of this hook particularly (however think about this a great coverage to have basically), make sure to talk about the setup with the remainder of the gamers on the desk and see in the event that they’re fascinated with beginning their pirate adventures with their characters imprisoned and having to flee from the grip of the Regulation. And in the event that they’re not obsessed with this prospect, you’ll be able to modify the hook in such a means that they’re being hunted by Butler and the crew of The Unbreakable as a substitute, for instance.

Hook #3: Risking It All

The Marriage ceremony-Visitor (they/them), a witch leviathan, is aware of your deepest and darkest secret—and people of the remainder of your fellow crewmates as effectively! They’ve instructed you so and, in change for forgetting your secrets and techniques eternally (with out revealing them first), they’ve requested you to go to The Gap within the World to fetch an important part of a magical concoction they’re brewing.

On this case, you’ll must outline what The Marriage ceremony-Visitor needs… However you don’t have to take action by yourself as a GM! You may ask the gamers and see what they give you and perhaps create a solution collectively. We GMs—particularly once we come from non-PbtA video games—are accustomed to shouldering all of the artistic burden on our personal, as a substitute of sharing it and having fun with the cooperative artistic course of that may be had on the desk. So I say, have at it!

Within the case of the secrets and techniques, I even have a radical suggestion: have all gamers discuss what every of their character’s secret is and let’s make it clear which different crew members is aware of them within the fiction. Though this may increasingly appear counterproductive, in my expertise, having the secrets and techniques be a recognized amount for gamers creates a dramatic irony on the desk that’s scrumptious to spectate—and a really fertile floor for drama.

Hook #4: For a Pirate Queen

Garnet Silverhair (she/her), one of many best pirate queens nonetheless alive, has been captured and is at present awaiting the noose on The Ironclad Fortress! Shedding her can be an enormous blow to the pirates’ popularity in all places however, aside from that, Silverhair is meant to have a grand treasure hidden someplace. Saving her can be a win-win, however is the chance well worth the prize?

Though this hook presents two sturdy motivators for the crew, I like to recommend that you simply attempt to tie them even nearer to Silverhair. Perhaps give them a bond along with her at character creation without spending a dime, and ask them to elucidate why they’ve it (do not forget that bonds don’t should be optimistic connections, so perhaps it’s a case of “I’ll be the one to kill her!” or one thing even weirder).

This hook additionally provides you the chance to show the other of pirates and their life in all its horrid opulence and boringness. Make use of it! Present them what future awaits them in the event that they ever resolve to search for assimilation within the “civilized” lands.

Hook #5: Homicide On Forgewater

Clemmie Hades (he/him), pirate chronicler extraordinaire, has been accused of murdering a fellow pirate—the one regulation all pirates respect and abide by—by means of The Ultimate Drawback, a djinni he wrote years in the past. You’ve been charged with investigating the killing and discovering the reality. The lifetime of an awesome pirate chronicler and the soundness of the Forgewater pirate neighborhood is in your fingers!

This hook is one which begins at a port, the hub of all piracy in your world. Though it’s a homicide investigation, do not forget that it’s fantastical and a pirate one. On this case, ask your fellow gamers how they think about pirate tribunals. They’re in all probability nothing just like the excessive pomp “courts of regulation” the non-pirate folks of the world take into consideration when the phrase “justice” enters the dialog. As such, this can be a nice technique to increase your world by means of an journey, and to get to grasp the pirates’ life in a greater means.

Conclusion

Avast, we’ve reached the top, matey! 5 ready-to-be-deployed hooks to your Rapscallion adventures I’ve delivered, and I hope they serve you effectively. Even in Quickstart kind, that is already an awesome sport and, armed with the sources already out there and these hooks, you’re positive to have a good time crusing the fantastical seas of a world of pirates, magic, and treasure galore!

Helena Actual (She/her)