The Seven Seas
The waves crash upon the beachhead like thunder... Awaken ye' do, on the beach of a god-forsaken island. Behind ye', an ocean as far as the eye can see, and as blue as the bluest of skies. You, my scallywag friend, have washed ashore.
Welcome to adventures on the Seven Seas, landlubber!
In this book you will find a guide to a magical world inspired by the likes of some of the author's favorite pirate adventure franchises, games, and media. In the Seven Seas, you will explore a world shrouded in mystery and wonder. What undiscovered lands await beyond the horizon is up to you and your imagination! But before you set sail, there are a few tips that will serve helpful on your adventures.
The Rules of History.... They're mostly like guidelines
Much of the world of the Seven Seas adventure is inspired by the historical era marked as the "golden age of piracy" which is anywhere between the 17th and mid-18th centuries (1600-1750). In this sourcebook, much of the world uses historically semi-accurate location, names, and political happenings. This gives this world a unique look at what life (in some ways) could have been during these time periods.
Sessions of gameplay in The Seven Seas could begin with a small history lesson telling about some of the real history that was used as inspiration for a particular adventure, which some parties could find to be compelling and enjoyable!
While historical accuracy can be a great way to engage with your players and provide great connections to the in-game world, the authors would like to acknowledge that artistic works glorifying past ages of history often overlook or even attempt to whitewash the crueler parts of the time. The 17th and 18th centuries included many unspeakable acts upon humanity, awful living conditions, rampant disease, and slavery amongst them. It is the responsibility of every gamemaster to carefully consider the implications of their game, and have an open conversation with their players about what to and what not to represent in the in-game world the party will be playing in. For this reason, the more detailed elements of history have not been included in the sourcebook- but readers are free to fill in gaps however they please.
A World of Magic, Wonder, and Drunken Sailors
At the heart of The Seven Seas is the big blue beauty herself, the ocean. In the time period this sourcebook is based upon, much of this "new world" was undiscovered, and filled with folklore and mystery. The West Indies represented freedom and opportunity for eager-eyed explorers looking to make a name from themselves beyond the crushing social dynamics of the west. The folklore surrounding the magical nature of these waters was just as compelling as the freedom from society, and tales ran rampant of sea-creatures, mythical monsters, and heathen gods undisturbed.
As such, we discover a world in which magic is rare and mysterious. In the Seven Seas, magic is hard to find, not well understood, and almost completely seen as a dangerous thing. Tread carefully, finger wagging scallywags!
The most powerful and dangerous of magics come from the sea itself. Monsters, ghouls, and mythical beings from the uncolonized regions of the worlds provide all the nightmare fuel and adventurelust a pirate could want- and they make for great tavern stories too!
What you'll find in this book on this treasure map
In this here treasure map you will find the lay of the land that be known to the Pirates of the Caribbean. From well-documented and structured cities to grottos and caves filled with treasure but shrouded in mystery. Rest assured that much of the world of the Seven Seas lays unexplored to the everyday individual, and what lies beyond these worn pages is anyone's best guess.
The cities and other points of interest, along with the organizations of this adventure book, serve only as a loosely historically based backbone for any adventure in a POTC-themed adventure. They're placed this way based on the author's idea of what that type of adventure would look like, but rest assured that what looks like a manatee to one may be a mermaid to another. As always- the code is more like guidelines- do what you will with the world at your fingertips!
So have another grog, make sure your compass is pointed the right way, and go chase that horizon.
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