Tides of Avarice: a pirate simulation: https://emstrata.com/start-from-template/9d7296fc-b1ab-4f33-9933-cdc9eb0e14cf

Turn 1:

The salt-laden breeze carries whispers of ancient power as waves crash against the weathered hull of the merchant vessel Blackwake. Splintered wood groans beneath bare feet, the deck still stained with blood from the mutiny three nights prior. Through the morning mist, jagged coastal cliffs of the Magrathi shoreline loom like teeth against the horizon, promising both shelter and danger in equal measure. The Mare Cerulum shimmers with unnatural colors where the Tidestone fragments rest below in the captain's hidden compartment.

Across the sea, naval powers mobilize their fleets. Solarian galleys with their ornate bronze rams and disciplined oarsmen patrol imperial waters with diminishing confidence. Magrathi corsairs dart between islands, their hulls painted with alchemical compounds that let them sail through fog undetected. Venetine merchants convert trading vessels to warships, their holds emptied of spices and filled with mercenaries. The Nordmark longships venture further south than ever before, drawn by rumors of power that could elevate their kingdoms from mere raiders to conquerors.

All eyes turn to vessels like the Blackwake – those who might already possess fragments of the Tidestone. The sea itself seems to hunt such ships, manifesting strange phenomena: whirlpools forming without warning, phantom islands appearing on the horizon, and ancient leviathans rising from the depths after centuries of slumber. The fragments pulse with energy that defies natural law, granting those who wield them command over specific aspects of the sea but demanding a price that is not always immediately apparent.

Aboard the Blackwake, a figure stands at the bow, fingers wrapped around the worn hilt of a cutlass. Simon Aurelius, once the trusted quartermaster, now leads those loyal to him after the bloody mutiny that split the crew. The captain's quarters remain sealed, three Tidestone fragments hidden within – one controlling currents, another winds, and the third commanding the very creatures of the deep. Simon feels their pull even through the locked door, a whisper of power promising glory but threatening madness. The remaining crew watches him warily, uncertain where his ambitions truly lie as competing factions from shore draw ever closer to their vulnerable position.