Setting

Style

Quasi-realistic, Pulp-style Action, with a bit of Monster Hunters flavoring. "Mystery-Thriller," not "Investigation."

• Style: Heroic Realism (ATE2 p. 49)
• Morality: Heroes Wanted (ATE2 p. 50)

Theme

Discovering the Forbidden: Some secrets should remain hidden?

Central Tension

Since the end of the War of the Quadruple Alliance in 1720, relations between Britain and Spain remain strained to the point of near-conflict, and will, once again, tip over into "limited" warfare in 1727. Or, at least, this would appear to be the Central Tension in the region, to the unaware…

Expectations

• Expect to encounter wildly-improbable underground "puzzle" architecture.
• Expect to encounter "real" supernatural creatures and events, both friendly and hostile.
• Expect to occasionally face opponents you can't possibly defeat in combat, and must outrun or outwit.
• Expect that you might have to surrender and be captured, due to the previous point.
• Expect to occasionally have to operate outside your existing skills and gear.
• Expect campaign rewards to come with strings attached.
• Expect some naval combat (though probably not until you have a better ship).
• Expect your ship to potentially be commandeered/pressed at some point by His Majesty's Navy.
• Expect to upgrade the ship at least once.
• Expect to be caught up in wars and rumors of wars.

Intended Features

• Skill Challenges
• Simplified voyage logistics, possibly using Action2 "Mission Planning"
• Investigations using MH2 "The Hunt"
• Sailing moments: day-in-the-life; mega-storms; racing; others…
• Action! moments: coach chase, others…
• Aggressive negotiations
• Jungle survival treks
• High-stakes scavenger hunting
• Going (more) mad

Tropes

Stiff Upper Lip; Wooden Ships and Iron Men

Reference

• Reference Language: English
• Reference Culture: Western

Government

Typically CR:4 (Corruption -1)

Economy

See Prices (Sea Dogs)

Historical Information

Rulers

• King George I of England
• Louis XV (The Beloved) of France
• William IV, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the United Provinces
• Philip V of Spain
• Pope Benedict XIII (Italian)

Measurements

• Fourteen pounds to the stone.
• Eight stone to the hundredweight [or cannonweight] (which thus is 112 lbs.).
• Twenty hundredweight to the ton (which thus is 2,240 lbs.).
• 252 gallons (of Bordeaux wine) = 1 ton burthen (burden).