Main Deck
Rules

Below, you'll find some information we hope will be useful to you while you're creating your Pirate Island character. To create your character in our character database, click here for access to our online character creator. If you have not accessed the character creator before, you will need to click the 'Request a Login' link on the login page, and one will be set up for you.

Creating Your Pirate
To create a character for Pirate Island, please follow these easy steps:

  1. Decide what kind of pirate you'd like to play.
  2. Review the Headers and Skills section of the Game Book, to see which skills most closely resemble the type of character you'd like to play.
  3. Decide if you'd like to be on a crew (see below for details).
  4. Write a character history for you character (see below for details).
  5. Register with the Online Character Generator (see below for details).
  6. Calculate your starting Character Points (see below for details).
  7. Raid your wardrobe and nearby costume stores for a Pirate costume.
  8. Start practicing your Pirate slang!

Character Classes
Brief descriptions of our Pirate Island skill headers are available on our Rules page. (For more information on "headers", please see our Game Book, coming soon). You may play a pirate with just one header, or multiple headers. Beginning in January 2009, our online character generator will be available for character creation.

Character Histories
We encourage all players to submit a short character history. This will help you get a "feel" for your character, and help the staff create storylines and adventures that you will enjoy. At Pirate Island, we feel that the character history gives you a good point of departure - it lets you figure out who your character has been and what they've been up to, prior to arriving on Dead Man's Isle. However, the real story begins once you arrive for your first event, and that's where the campaign committee will be focusing their efforts.

If you submit a character history, you can also earn Character Points (CP). You will receive 2 CP for submitting your character history at least two weeks before your first event. You are welcome to submit them at any time after that, but if you want the 2 CP, please send it two weeks before your first event.

To submit a character history, please email a Word document (or similar document) to Pirate_Island@comcast.net and please be sure to include your full out-of-game name and contact info with your submission (so we know it's safe to open the attachment).

Rule of Etiquette: Game World Exclusions
Accelerant rules specifically prohibit abusive or derogatory language or actions, whether they are in-game or out-of-game. You may not include in your character history, nor make reference in-game, to any of the following:

  • Explicit sexual behavior or concepts, particularly violent ones
  • Racial bigotry, hatred or intolerance of any kind
  • Religious bigotry, hatred, or intolerance of any kind
  • Gender hatred or intolerance of any kind
  • Any other language or behavior deemed abusive or derogatory
Although Pirate Island is theoretically set in an earlier time period, it is not to be inferred that commonly-held derogatory beliefs of the time are in any way included in the game. These things simply do not exist in our game world, regardless of "real world history." Violating these rules may result in immediate "disinvitation" from the game.

Pirate Crews
All players have the choice of joining a pirate crew. You may start the game as a member of a crew that you and your friends have created. You may also come as a solitary pirate, or a pirate who is "between crews". Also, there will be in-game opportunities to join crews that are captained by staff members.

If you are creating your own pirate crew, we ask that you do the following:

  1. Name your ship. All pirates who are members of a crew have that ship's name as a trait (for more info on "traits", please see the Rules section of the Game Book, coming soon).
  2. Pick a ship's flag and a ship's song. We are allowing both of these on a first-come, first-served basis, so that we do not have two pirate crews with the same pirate flag or song. These will be posted on our Pirate Island players email list once they are chosen by a crew. For more information about flags and crew songs, please read our Game Book (coming soon).
  3. Send us a crew character history. This does not need to be overly long, but should include the names of all players on your crew, who the captain is, and any other pertinent information (i.e.: your ship has been terrorizing the eastern portion of the Mediterranean Sea for the last five years and you've earned some enemies along the way).

Starting Character Points (CP)
Note: This section only discusses the CP you can use to create a starting character. For more information about earning CP as you play the game, see the Logistics section of the Game Book (coming soon).

The amount of CP a starting character receives is still being determined, as the Pirate Island staff works out the details of the game's skill system. The Pirate Island staff will make an announcement when these details are available.

Players can earn up to 2 Character History CP for turning in a character history. 1 CP is awarded for turning in your character history at least 2 weeks before any event. 2 CP are awarded for turning it in at least 2 weeks before your first event.

Players can also earn Additional CP by donating or making props, donating time to help us with game-related tasks, and through various other means, including staffing these fine Accelerant Games:

Special Offer
For those who have staffed Radiant Dragon or Prophecy II, we are offering the following special CP bonus. If you staffed the September 2008 event for either game, you may earn a 1.5 starting CP bonus. If you staff the October 2008 game (finale game), you may earn another 1.5 CP bonus. If you staff both these events, for either game, you will earn an additional 1 CP bonus, for a total of 4 bonus CP. These CP may be applied to your starting character, during character creation.

Opportunities to earn CP will also be posted on the Pirate Island player email list.

Costuming
Our game is set in a time where pirates are at the height of their power, roaming the seas with skill and flair, hounded by the British Navy and the East India Trading Company. Guns are available, but are all single-shot and cutlasses and daggers are still the most common weapons available.

Costuming should reflect this romanticized and somewhat fictional time-period. The best examples are available in classic pirate movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean. Please note that your pirate can be from anywhere in the world and your costuming may reflect that, as long as it fits the flavor of our fictional time-period (i.e.: no jeans or t-shirt, and heavy metal armor only if you want to sink).

If you're looking to purchase some pirate costuming or props, please check out the excellent merchants listed on our Resources page. Some of them even offer discounts to players and staff of Pirate Island!

Weapons
You can fight with a variety of weapons at Pirate Island, including melee and thrown boffer weapons, ActionBall spring guns, and packets for spells. All weapons must meet Pirate Island safety and size requirements and will be safety-inspected at Check-In. Some weapons you might have used in other games, particularly games that use Accelerant rules, will match our safety and size requirements, so be sure to check your weapons stock before making new ones.

All normal weapons, such as boffer weapons, spring guns, and throwing weapons, do not need to be purchased or found in-game - you may have as many of these items as you have physical representations. However, keep in mind that you must purchase a skill to use some kinds of weapons and fighting styles.

Skill-Related Gear
Some character skills, such as medical and armor- and weapon-repair skills, require you to use appropriate props while performing the skill. It is up to you to choose items that suit your role-playing. We encourage you to be creative with these props, provided they fit the flavor of our game. However, you may not use any item that might cause physical injury to another person, such as sharp medical instruments. Before they are used, all tools and instruments must be approved by a member of the Pirate Island staff. Bring your items to Check-In for safety approval.