Re: Pirates - Was: Places: Dragon Rock Map

>In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Wed 02 Mar, David Shepheard wrote:
>>  > From: "SUBSCRIBE REALMS-L tauster" <chefseehund@???.de>
>>  > Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] Places: Dragon Rock Map
>
>If I recall the references properly, real world pirate ships
>often had far more people on board than was required to crew the
>ship, generally at least twice, maybe even three times or more.

This is basically true...  piracy is actually a rather varied
phenomenon.  In the Ancient world whole communities were often
'pirates' and they only attacked vessels nearby.  Caesar was captured
by such a group and held for ransom as a young man. Many famous
pirates were actually privateers, the 'classic' pirate of 'Treasure
Island' and 'Long John Silver' lore is more of a literary device then
a historical type.  I think that makes them more playable, especially
for Spelljammer.

Still, some research in the local library, use keywords like
'piracy', 'pirates', and 'privateers'  would be good.  Also, consider
looking at the career of real life pirates like Jean Lafitte.

Spelljammer economics are extremely skewed by helms, to be honest,
they throw everything into turmoil.
--
"...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?!"
"As he has ever judged," said Aragorn "Good and evil have not changed
since yesteryear..."
J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer@????????.net