Pirate Role Playing Guide

The following Pirate Role Playing Guide, originally titled "Pirates for Role Playing" was written by Jake Levin for the pirate role-players on Moon Guard server.

OOC Introduction
Hi, my name is Jake Levin. Long time pirate fan, heavy role player on WoW. Piracy in the 1700-1800s always was something that I wanted to learn more, and more about. When I got into role playing I was a big military role player. But soon into my "RP Career" I got to thinking. Pirates are in WoW, why can't their be pirate role playing guilds. Since that day. I have lead two piracy guilds that were both very great in my eyes and others. - I quit WoW not long ago.. So sadly, I had to disband them. - But.. A few weeks ago.. I came back home from chilling with friends, I was looking through some movies to watch and I came acrossed "Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End"... I watched it and said.. "Damn, why can't I do that in WoW? Pirate Code, Court, Pirate Lords..." So.. I got to thinking and I have done just that on the Moon Guard Wiki. I hope to bring Alliance and Horde pirate guilds togather under one code. I am trying to do this. I want to bring lore into pirate role play.. I want to bring pirate lords into the RP. So.. Here I go.

'''Please thank... WoWwiki, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Pirates of the Caribbean Encyclopedia, for their helpful "contribution" to this page. '''

To do list...

1. Pirata Codex (Complete)

2. Pirate Ranks (Complete)

3. Pirate Lords (Semi-Complete)

4. Pirate Lore (Debating if it is "Lore Breaking")

5. Complete Guide To The Seas Of Azeroth (Complete)

6. Complete Guide To Other Piracy Factions (Complete)

7. Complete Guide To Pirate Weapons.

8. Complete Guide To IC and OOC Ships On Azeroth (Complete)

9. All IC Guilds on Moon Guard.

10. T.B.A.

IC Introduction
''"So, you want to join the crew? Hah.. Its not an easy life, savvy? To commit piracy is a act that will be punished by death, if caught and captured that is... Still want in the crew? - Aye.- Alright first job... Go swab the deck you pathetic scallywag!" - Pirate Lord and Captain... Kalenore "The Terror of the Northsea" Northsword.''

'''((Now I know this is lore breaking in a manner, but to keep good role play going, you must sometimes create your own. But take a look at this again... Making people up is no more different that saying... "My uncle was a general..." That is making a person up.))'''

''"Pirate Lord Alden Crossfer, of the Great Sea. Pirate Lord Caraway Brune, of the Veiled Sea. Pirate Lord Dudin Ramhammer, of the Forbidden Sea. Pirate Lord Dante Flamebeard, of the Southseas. - All dead besides one... Pirate Lord Kalenore Northsword, of the North and Frozen sea. The golden age of piracy is over, but this needs to be known. The one pirate that is willing to give anythign to see the eight seas of Azeroth filled with pirates again.. Kalenore Northsword, he will arise the age of which the pirate's owned the seas. The age of when conflicts were settled by who went under first. The age of the pirate. To commit piracy is an act of which you will be punished by death, if caught that is. Remember this, if you cross paths with Kalenore and his crew he will not only ask you your name.. He will kill you if he suspects anything.. Savvy? - You think you are able to become a pirate lord? Highly doubtful, but just maybe. You have what it takes to become a pirate. - - Drink up me hearties, yo ho." ''

Pirate Codex (Real and Fake Pirate Codes)
One of the best known sets of pirate articles was set down by the famous Welsh pirate Bartholomew Roberts in 1720.

I. Every man has a vote in affairs of moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity (not an uncommon thing among them) makes it necessary, for the good of all, to vote a retrenchment.

II. Every man to be called fairly in turn, by list, on board of prizes because, (over and above their proper share) they were on these occasions allowed a shift of clothes: but if they defrauded the company to the value of a dollar in plate, jewels, or money, marooning was their punishment. If the robbery was only betwixt one another, they contented themselves with slitting the ears and nose of him that was guilty, and set him on shore, not in an uninhabited place, but somewhere, where he was sure to encounter hardships.

III. No person to game at cards or dice for money.

IV. The lights and candles to be put out at eight o'clock at night: if any of the crew, after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they were to do it on the open deck.

V. To keep their piece, pistols, and cutlass clean and fit for service.

VI. No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man were to be found seducing any of the latter sex, and carried her to sea, disguised, he was to suffer death; (so that when any fell into their hands, as it chanced in the Onslow, they put a sentinel immediately over her to prevent ill consequences from so dangerous an instrument of division and quarrel; but then here lies the roguery; they contend who shall be sentinel, which happens generally to one of the greatest bullies, who, to secure the lady's virtue, will let none lie with her but himself.)

VII. To desert the ship or their quarters in battle, was punished with death or marooning.

VIII. No striking one another on board, but every man's quarrels to be ended on shore, at sword and pistol. (The quarter-master of the ship, when the parties will not come to any reconciliation, accompanies them on shore with what assistance he thinks proper, and turns the disputant back to back, at so many paces distance; at the word of command, they turn and fire immediately, (or else the piece is knocked out of their hands). If both miss, they come to their cutlasses, and then he is declared the victor who draws the first blood.)

IX. No man to talk of breaking up their way of living, till each had shared one thousand pounds. If in order to this, any man should lose a limb, or become a cripple in their service, he was to have eight hundred dollars, out of the public stock, and for lesser hurts, proportionately.

X. The captain and quartermaster to receive two shares of a prize: the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and other officers one and quarter.

XI. The musicians to have rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six days and nights, none without special favour.

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Captain John Phillips, captain of the Revenge, also set a code for his men in 1724:

I. Every Man Shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full Share and a half of all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter.

II. If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.

III. If any Man shall steal any Thing in the Company, or game, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marooned or shot.

IV. If any time we shall meet another Marooner that Man shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.

V. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Moses’s Law (that is, 40 Stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.

VI. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoke Tobacco in the Hold, without a Cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the former Article.

VII. That Man shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.

VIII. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement, shall have 400 Pieces of Eight ; if a Limb, 800.

IX. If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.

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The articles listed below are attributed by the Boston News-Letter to Captain Edward Low. The first eight of these articles are essentially identical to those attributed to pirate captain George Lowther by Charles Johnson. Since Lowther and Low are known to have sailed together from about New Year's to May 28, 1722, it is probable that both reports are correct and that Low and Lowther shared the same articles, with Low's two extra articles being an ordinance, or amendment, adopted after the two crews separated.

I. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Quartermaster is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter.

II. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawful Weapon on Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall see fit.

III. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of engagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

IV. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

V. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the value of a Royal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

VI. He that shall have the Misfortune to lose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.

VII. Good Quarters to be given when Craved.

VIII. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.

IX. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.

X. No snapping of Guns in the Hold.

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A set of articles written in John Gow's own hand was found aboard his ship, the Revenge (ex-George), in 1729.[6] Article IV's reference to no going ashore "till the ship is off the ground" suggests that the Revenge was already grounded when the articles were written, only days before Gow and his men were captured. The code states as follows.

I. That every man shall obey his commander in all respects, as if the ship was his own, and as if he received monthly wages.

'''II. '''That no man shall give, or dispose of, the ship's provisions; but every one shall have an equal share.

III. That no man shall open, or declare to any person or persons, who they are, or what designs they are upon; and any persons so offending shall be punished with immediate death.

IV. That no man shall go on shore till the ship is off the ground, and in readiness to put to sea.

V. That every man shall keep his watch night and day; and at the hour of eight in the evening every one shall retire from gaming and drinking, in order to attend his respective station.

VI. Every person who shall offend against any of these articles shall be punished with death, or in such other manner as the ship's company shall think proper.

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(IC) Pirate Code by Kalenore Northsword:

1. He who breaks the pirate code will be punished by death. (Master code)

II. The captain takes two full shares of the booty, the first mate takes one full share and a half. Spotter, Gunner, Loader, Raider shall get one full share to a half a share.

'''III. '''Weapons shall be held, cleaned and ready for battle at all times.

'''IV. '''You are a pirate you have commited piracy, none shall act differently while on the ship.

V. He who falls behind, is left behind.

VI. Take what you can, give nothing back.

'''VII. '''Drunks while on duty, will be punished by death, marooning and or beat down.

'''VIII. '''He that is sick will be tossed over board

'''IX. '''Those who help, the royal navy will be punished by death.

X. Those who break this code will be hung by the neck until dead.

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Make your own here. (MG guilds only for Piracy.)

Offical Piracy Ranks. (IC)
(From lowest to highest)

Pirate Ship Ranks:

1. Slave, Prisoner.

2. Swab, Stowaway.

3. Deckhand

'''4. Lookout, Spotter. '''

5. Cannon loader, Gunner, Ammo Runner.

6. Raider, Pirate, Boatsmen.

7. Buccaneer.

'''8. Corsair, Privateer. (Optional)'''

9. First mate, Second mate, Quartermaster.

10. Captain.

'''11. Pirate Lord. '''(This rank can also be called captain, and will mostly be referred to while on their ship.) (Meaning this Pirate is a Lord in the "Order".)

'''12. Pirate King. (N/A)'''

(This ranking system was givin' by myself, ranks may be taken away, added. But please keep this up.)

Merc Ship Ranks:

1. Orphan, Trainee, Urchin.

2. Pickpocket, Cut Purse.

3. Thug, Hired Hand, Mugger.

4. Extortionist, Blackmailer.

'''5. Master - Shadow, Smoke, Posion, Weapons, Fighting, Executions. (And more, use as many)'''

6. Assassin, Merc.

7. Master Assassin, Master Merc.

8. Grand Master, Master of the Ship.

(Below are misc. ranks that I did not put in the offical ranking. Below are all ranks some may be offical others are not.)

Misc. Piracy Ranks:

1. Swashbuckler.

2. Seahag, Sea Hag, Sea-hag.

3. Sea King.

4. Piracy Admiral.

5. Marooner.

6. Shot Gunner.

7. Cargo Captain.

8. Navy Spy.

9. King of Fleet.

10. Plank Walker.

11. Whipman.

12. Cook, Ship's Cook.

13. Old Man.

14. Treasure Hunter.

15. Helmsmen.

16. Hijacker.

17. Boatwain.

18. Boatwain's Mate.

19. Cannon Loader, Loader.

20. Numbers Runner, Runner.

21. Navigator.

22. Freebooter.

(The ranks above were not put in order.)

(I will add more, hopefully others will add more ranks aswell.)

(Reason for no female ranks such as "Pirate Queen" or "Helmswomen"... Most pirates thought it was bad luck to bring a women on board a ship. But I will add women ranks below.)

Women's Piracy Ranks.

1. Cabin Girl.

2. Helmswomen.

'''3. Treasure Huntress. '''

'''4. Mistress. '''

'''5. Pirate Queen. (N/A)'''

(Please add more if you know more.)

Pirate Slang.
Black Spot - a death threat among pirates made of a black spot or mark on a scrap of paper with more specific detail sometimes written on the other side, referred to in the story, Treasure Island.

All Hands Hoay! - "All Hands on Deck!", everyone on the ship called to the deck, usually for action.

Avast - "Avast Ye!" from the Dutch term for 'hold fast' and means "Stop and pay attention.", like, "Get a load of this.".

Dance the Hempen Jig - To hang, (rope was often made of hemp fibers).

Dungbie - Rear end.

Hempen Halter - The hangman's noose.

Hornswaggle - To cheat or defraud, often of money or belongings, Yosemite Sam knows a lot about it

Go on Account -a tongue-in-cheek description pirates used that compared the act of becoming a pirate to going into business.

Shiver me timbers! - akin to "Blow me down!", an expression of shock or disbelief, believed to come from the sound the ship made when 'shocked' by running aground or hit by a cannon blast.

Parlay - Is a french based word. If a pirate is captured by an enemy, he has the right to declare parlay, or temporary protection, until he may have an audience with the enemy captain.At this point, he cannot be harmed. Parlay is not considered concluded until said captives and captains have completed negotiations. (Myth)

Savvy - Can mean "Understand?" "Understanding" "Canny" "Informed".

Bring me that horizon - Sail to the horizon, which is impossible. Stateing sail as long as we can till port, island, where we need to go.

Davy Jones's Locker - the imaginary place at the ocean bottom that holds dead sailors and pirates...a reference to death. Davy Jones was said to be an evil spirit lurking at sea, waiting to escort dead sailors or pirates to his place or locker at the bottom of the waters.

To be in Davy's Grip: To be close to death, or frightened.

To have the Davies or the Joneseys: To be frightened

To see you to Davy Jones: To threaten to kill some one

(Some of the words may be myth and some may be real.) (Please add more if you know more.) (I will add more, due to a screw up on wiki, the ones I had up there were lost.)

Execution Dock IC.
"Execution Dock" is located on the Thames in the Wrapping area of London, England, United Kingdom. It was used for more than 400 years (as late as 1830) to hand pirates,smugglers and mutinners that had been sentenced to death by Admiralty Courts.

(We need something like this IC, pirate RP is not good with out people getting hanged right? - I am in the process of finding one. There is a hangman's noose in Ratchet which will be pending, but sadly is far away from any Alliance City, besides, Theramore.)

Pirate Lords
Pirate lord of the Northsea and Frozen Sea - Kalenore Northsword. (Ex-Lord of the Great Sea)

Ship(s) - The Frozen Gauntlet (Modified Icebreaker), Rime (Frigate), The Frozen Lady (Galleon), The Northsword (Sunk).

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Pirate Lord of the Southsea - Roronoa Ant'Zul

Ship - The Evergreen Maiden (Icebreaker)

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Pirate Lord of the Veiled Sea - TBA

Ship - TBA

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Pirate Lord of the Forbidden Sea - TBA

Ship - TBA

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Pirate Lord of the Great Sea - TBA

Ship - TBA

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Pirate Friendly Areas
Booty Bay will act as the main "Hang" for all pirates, besides the Bloodsail due to the fact they are at war with the Blackwater Raiders. Ratchet will also be a smaller "Hang". Menethil Harbor may also be a port for a "Quick Stop"... Gadgetzan may also be a stop due to it being close to the Southseas and a goblin owned town. Theramore will mostly be a death stop.

Known Seas
In lore there is eight seas in Azeroth.
 * 1) The North Sea (Located around the coasts of Northrend.) (A.K.A. Northsea)
 * 2) The South Seas (Surrounds the southern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.) (A.K.A. Southseas)
 * 3) The Forbidden Sea (Is a largely unexplored and uncharted sea along the eastern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms.) ("Merges" with the Veiled Sea.)
 * 4) The Blood Sea (Maelstrom)
 * 5) The Great Sea (Makes up the deep waters between the continents of Azeroth. Every single sea in the world connects to it.)
 * 6) The Veiled Sea (Is the name of the vast sea that lies to the northwest of Kalimdor.)
 * 7) The Frozen Sea (Is the large body of water on the southern coast of Northrend.)
 * 8) The Coral Sea (Is a shallow sea near Azshara.)

Known Lore Piracy Organization

 * Southsea Freebooters - The Southsea Freebooters, a small fleet of pirates, have no landward home — at least none that authorities have found — but are a common sight along the coast of the Barrens and in the free port of Ratchet. These scoundrels are just one of a number of pirates who roam the trade routes from Darkshore to Theramore in search of fortune and plunder. It is unclear if they have a connection to the Southsea Pirates or Northsea Freebooters.


 * Southsea Pirates - The Southsea Pirates is a small criminal pirate organization located mainly in southern Kalimdor. They have been sighted as far south as the coast of Tanaris and reportedly have a hidden base in the Lost Rigger Cove. The Southsea Pirates are made up of a combination of dark iron dwarves, goblins, humans, gnolls, and trolls. Its unclear if they have a connection to the Southsea Freebooters or not. The nearby goblins of Gadgetzan have tasked adventurers with thinning the ranks of the pirates and killing their leader, Andre Firebeard.


 * Southshore Privateer Fleet (Privateer Piracy) - Southshore's small privateer fleet keeps the waterways clear, allowing ships to dock at the town’s harbor and keep the economy strong.


 * Northsea Freebooters - The Northsea Freebooters are a group of pirates that arrived in Howling Fjord and set up a port at Scalawag Point. Under the leadership of Jonah Sterling, they began looting from graves and fighting both the Alliance and the Horde whilst at the same time waging a war against the tuskarr to sell as slaves to other lands (whom die just days after leaving their climate). They have a severe dislike of the Southsea Freebooters, from which they mostly likely branched off from.


 * Bloodsail Buccaneers - Duke Falrevere runs the Bloodsail Buccaneers and is usually sailing the seas on his flagship, the Devil Shark. Four commodores assist him, each of whom is in charge of about a dozen pirate ships. Fleet masters command smaller groups of ships, captains command individual ships, and their first mates take over when they fall. Most of the Bloodsail elites are former members of Falrevere’s estate — knights, reeves and the like who joined him in his exile.


 * Blackwater Raiders (Loosly on Piracy) - Headed by Baron Revilgaz, the Blackwater Raiders are a loose affiliation of pirates, privateers, and traders that operate out of Booty Bay. They are closely tied to the Goblin Steamwheedle Cartel and handle most of their trade. The Blackwater Raiders are arch-rivals of the Bloodsail Buccaneers, another pirate group that vies for control of Stranglethorn Vale. They have sometimes been known to attack villages, which have been forced to defend themselves to protect the settlement.Faldir's Cove, as it is called, is a small area also held by the Blackwater Raiders. Though little more than a docked ship and a tent, this small port is home to a few crew members of the pirate organization. They also control Edj on Kezan.


 * Dread Corsairs - The Dread Corsairs are the pirates under Dread Captain DeMeza. 


 * The Defias Brotherhood (Loosly a pirate organization) - The Defias Brotherhood is an evil group of assassins, thieves, and pirates that are hostile to the Alliance. They dwell in the rural areas of the Kingdom of Stormwind, mostly that of Elwynn and Westfall — both of these are areas not easily protected by the Stormwind Army.

Slavers! Slave Ship Owners!
Slavers! Sailing on the "Eight" seas of Azeroth. Selling their slaves to pirates and any other person of the sea that wants them...

Slave Ship Ranks:

(Lowest to highest)

1. Slave.

2. Free Thinker.

3. Deckhand, Slaver.

'''4. Capturer. '''

5. Whipman.

6. Navigator.

7. 1st Mate.

8. Captain.

9. Slave Lord, Slave King, Master Slaver.

Types of Ships.
There are a few ship types in Azeroth. Such as...

1. Sloop.

2. Row Boat.

4. Galleon.

5. Icebreaker.

6. Passanger Ship.

'''7. Frigate. '''

Pick your poison.

Master Pirate Codex (Pirata Code)
''"They who small commit the act of piracy is a pirate of Azeroth. They who sails the seas of Azeroth in search of plunder, ships and war is a pirate of Azeroth. They who are pirates shall follow this code." - Pirate Lord Kalenore Northsword ''

''0. Rule one, befreind others wisely. (Rule 0 acts as Rule One)''

''1. He who commits piracy is a pirate of Azeroth. You shall act no different.

2. He who disrespects this code shall be punished in the liking of their captain.

''3. He who speaks the word of "Parlay" shall be taken to the crew's captain aboard their ship or land for "Negotiations" - Thy person who speaks "Parlay" Shall not be harmed until the parlay is complete. ''

4. Captains shall set their own code for their ship but still are sworn down to this code.

''5. Any pirate is sworn to this code. He who breaks the code will be punished by death.''

''6. He who falls behind, is left behind. This applys to the captain, crew and any others sworn to this code. ''

''7. If any "Pirate" works with the.. Royal Navy of the Alliance. The Kul Tiras and or any Horde Fleet... Thy shall be hung by the neck until dead as the Navy would have done to us. This applys to they who works with them not in a "Parlay" but in a working partnership that would cause killing of pirates.''

''8. None shall start a war without the knowing of all Pirate Kings. (If there is a full roster). This does not apply to attacking a ship. (All out war is where it stands.)''

9. Take what you can, give nothing back.

10. The musicians to have rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six days and nights, none without special favour.

11. To desert the ship or their quarters in battle, was punished with death or marooning.

12. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.

''13. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Quartermaster is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter. (Make your own.)''

''14. None shall steal from their captain's ship. If a crew memeber does... The punishment is up to the captain.''

''15. An act of fireing on a pirate lord's ship under this code is an act that will be punished by death. If you sink a pirate lord's ship. You shall be noted. And hunted.''

16. Rum and port are the offical drink of pirates.

''17. He you sinks another ship shall mark it as a ship sunk, this will go down on record. ''

18. They who snap guns in the hold shall be punished by the captain in a punishment of his liking.

19. Shall respect "Pirate day"...

''20. If the captain is mutiny-ed. The 1st mate, or he that commited the the mutiny shall become captain.''

21. No prey, no pay.

22. That no man shall give, or dispose of, the ship's provisions; but every one shall have an equal share.

''23. He that dies aboard their captain's ship during a fight shall be buried accordling. ''

24. The master code shall not be tampered with, but shall be looked over and slowly added to by the Pirate King.