by Tom Verreault
Pirates have been a part of the Star Frontiers setting since the beginning. The Red Devil pirate and his band was a prominent feature of the first Star Frontiers campaign. Later, Hatzk Naar made his appearance as the most significant pirate in the setting’s history – being the catalyst for the First Common Muster. One of the most famous individuals, though possibly not really a pirate himself, was the Malthar. An important crime lord and supporter of pirates, the Malthar was the antagonist of the Dramune Run module.
Just as they have been there from the beginning, pirates will no doubt remain a fixture in the Frontier sector for as long as the game is played. To facilitate referees using pirates in their games the following lists are provided for inspiration and reference. Included is a list of the names of pirates in the Frontier, a list of real world pirates and their ships, a d100 list of random pirate ship names, and finally a d100 list of names for individual pirates. Now a referee has no excuse for using, “pirate number 5” as a non-player character name in his game.
While up to now we have been focused on Star Frontiers, most of the resources provided below are not limited to that setting. The ship names contain no references to the Star Frontiers setting and could be used anywhere. In fact, after rolling on the tables, you could customize the names further by changing place names from the table for names of places in your setting. Thus you might use the "Bloody Gold of the South" name but change "the South" to the name of one of your worlds (or cities if playing on a smaller scale). The same can be done with the pirate names. In this way the tables actually provide more than just a hundred possible names. All it takes is a little more customization.
We hope that these tables will help to provide you with additional inspiration and flavor for your campaign setting.
These names come from various published modules and articles published by TSR. The list includes the pirate's name, the pirate organization he belongs to, and the reference for the pirate's information.
|
Frontier Pirate |
Pirate Band |
Source |
|
Captain Slag |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-0 Crash on Volturnus |
|
Phalen the Black |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-0 Crash on Volturnus |
|
Swag Raston |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Willy Malone |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Kurt Sandovar |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Joey Wilson |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Wally Jones |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Captain Straub |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Blackie O'dell |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Peal Jones |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
"Goldtooth" |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Smokie Jo |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Rummie Bill |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Bull Blackman |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Mister "M" |
Red Devil Pirates |
SF-1 Volturnus Planet of Mystery |
|
Red Devil |
Red Devil Pirates |
"Volturnus Connection" Dragon #98 |
|
Dablak the Enforcer |
Malthar's |
SFKH-1 Dramune Run |
|
The Malthar |
Malthar's |
SFKH-1 Dramune Run |
|
Hatzk Narr |
Hatzk Narr |
Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space |
The following table lists many real pirates from Earth's history along with the pirate's gender, nationality, and the name of their ships. You can use this table as inspiration for names of your own or as a reference if you have a setting that includes Earth.
|
Real World Pirate |
Gender |
Nationality |
Ship |
|
Alvilda |
F |
|
|
|
Anne Bonney (Anne Cormac) |
F |
Irish |
The William |
|
Barbarossa Brothers (Aruj and Khayrad'din) |
M |
Turkish |
|
|
Bartolomeo (El Portugués) |
M |
Portuguese |
|
|
Benito de Soto |
M |
Portuguese |
|
|
Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts) |
M |
Welsh |
Royal Fortune, Great Ranger & Great Fortune |
|
Black Beard (Edward Drummond - Teach or Thatch) |
M |
English |
|
|
Black Bellamy (Samuel Bellamy) |
M |
English |
|
|
Black Caesar |
M |
African |
|
|
Calico Jack (Jack Rackham) |
M |
English |
The William |
|
Captain Benjamin Hornigold |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Charles Vane |
M |
English |
The Ranger |
|
Captain Christopher Mings |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Edward England |
M |
English |
Victory, Pearl, & Fancy |
|
Captain Enrique Brower |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Captain George Booth |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain George Lowther |
M |
English |
Delivery |
|
Captain Henry Every (Avery) |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Hook (fictional) |
M |
English |
Jolly Roger |
|
Captain Ignatius Pell |
M |
|
Royal James |
|
Captain Jack Sparrow (fictional) |
M |
|
Black Pearl |
|
Captain Jackman |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain James Kelley |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Jan de Bouff |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Captain John Bowen |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain John Calles (Callis) |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain John Gow |
M |
|
The Revenge |
|
Captain John Morris |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain John Nutt |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain John Ward (Yussuf Rais) |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Lawrence Prince |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Captain Manuel Pardel Rivero |
M |
Portuguese |
|
|
Captain Nathaniel Butler |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Peter Easton |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Richard Worley |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Simon Simonson - der Tantzer (The Dancer) |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Captain Thomas Anstis |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Thomas Paine |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain Thomas Tew |
M |
English |
Liberty and the Amity |
|
Captain Tobias Bridge |
M |
English |
|
|
Captain William Kidd |
M |
Scottish |
Adventure Galley |
|
Captain William Moody |
M |
|
The Rising Sun |
|
Charlotte de Berry |
F |
English |
|
|
Ching Shih (commanded 1800 ships and about 80,000 pirates) |
F |
Chinese |
|
|
Count Maurycy Beniowski (Baron Maurice de Benyowski) |
M |
Polish |
|
|
David Marteen |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Diabolitio (Little Devil) |
M |
Cuban |
|
|
M |
French |
|
|
|
Grace OMalley |
M |
Irish |
|
|
Henriques the Englishman (Henry Johnson) |
M |
Irish |
|
|
Howell Davis |
M |
Welsh |
|
|
Jane de Belleville (French noblewoman turned pirate) |
F |
French |
|
|
Long John Silver (fictional) |
M |
|
|
|
Mary Read |
F |
English |
The William |
|
M |
French |
|
|
|
Rachel Wall (wife of George Wall) |
F |
American |
|
|
Red Legs Greaves |
M |
Scottish/Irish |
|
|
Redbeard (Barbarossa) |
M |
Greek/Turkish |
|
|
Roberto Cofresi (Roberto Cofresí y Ramírez de Arellano) |
M |
Puerto Rican |
|
|
Roche Brasiliano |
M |
Dutch |
|
|
Samuel Burgess |
M |
|
Margaret, Jacob & Neptune |
|
Sir Henry Morgan |
M |
Welsh |
|
|
Stede Bonnet |
M |
American |
|
|
William Dampier |
M |
English |
|
Roll d100 and consult to following table for a random pirate ship name.
|
d100 |
Ship Name |
d100 |
Ship Name |
d100 |
Ship Name |
|
1 |
Davy Jones' Gale |
35 |
Hades' Trident |
68 |
Murderer's Slave |
|
2 |
Pirate's Raider |
36 |
Plunderer's Fear |
69 |
Sea's Death |
|
3 |
The Damned Murderer |
37 |
The Deceitful Buccaneer |
70 |
The Dreaming Buccaneer |
|
4 |
The Vile Privateer |
38 |
The Awful Whore |
71 |
The Bloody Sword |
|
5 |
The Dark Cutlass of the Seven Seas |
39 |
The Dreaming Mermaid of the Sargasso Sea |
72 |
The Damned Mystery of the South |
|
6 |
The Deceit of the South |
40 |
The Greedy Knave |
73 |
The Greedy Slave |
|
7 |
The Howl of the Eel |
41 |
The Morbid Cruelty |
74 |
The Pride of the Wolf |
|
8 |
The Rage of the Pirate |
42 |
The Red Dishonor |
75 |
The Vile Mermaid |
|
9 |
The Wandering Murderer |
43 |
Captain's Hate |
76 |
Captain's Nightmare |
|
10 |
Devil's Secret |
44 |
Devil's Shameful Saber |
77 |
Dragon's Evil Night |
|
11 |
Night's Coral |
45 |
Night's Dishonor |
78 |
Ocean's Hell-born Treasure |
|
12 |
Pirate's Whore |
46 |
Plunderer's Cruelty |
79 |
Sea's Scream |
|
13 |
The Dirty Devil |
47 |
The Greedy Captain |
80 |
The Bloody Hate |
|
14 |
The Coral Damnation |
48 |
The Disgraceful Dream |
81 |
The Disgraceful Slave |
|
15 |
The Dishonor of the East |
49 |
The Fallen Barnacle |
82 |
The Dreaming Mermaid |
|
16 |
The Poison Lightning of the Sargasso Sea |
50 |
The Foul Pirate of the Seven Seas |
83 |
The Morbid Saber of the Ocean |
|
17 |
The Vile Jewel |
51 |
The Wandering Doom |
84 |
Buccaneer's Dishonor |
|
18 |
Devil's Strumpet |
52 |
Dragon's Gold Skull |
85 |
Dragon's Treasure |
|
19 |
Killer's Executioner |
53 |
Pirate's Insanity |
86 |
Pirate's Jewel |
|
20 |
Plunderer's Executioner |
54 |
Plunderer's Horror |
87 |
Privateer's Serpent |
|
21 |
Sea's Lightning |
55 |
The Angry Servant |
88 |
The Cruel Servant |
|
22 |
The Cry of the Seven Seas |
56 |
The Cursed Mermaid |
89 |
The Cursed Thunder |
|
23 |
The Death of the Sea |
57 |
The Deceitful Raider |
90 |
The Disgraceful Lightning |
|
24 |
The Dishonor of the Corsair |
58 |
The Greed of the Devil |
91 |
The Hate of the North |
|
25 |
The Evil Cutlass of the Sea |
59 |
The Shameful Damnation |
92 |
The Vile Doom |
|
26 |
Buccaneer's Storm |
60 |
Buccaneer's Trident |
93 |
Calypso's Coral |
|
27 |
Devil's Anger |
61 |
Hades' Horrid Mystery |
94 |
Ocean's Raider |
|
28 |
Poseidon's Damned Pearl |
62 |
Privateer's Barnacle |
95 |
The Hateful Demon |
|
29 |
The Morbid Murderer |
63 |
The Screaming Demon |
96 |
The Cursed Cruelty |
|
30 |
The Bloody Gold of the South |
64 |
The Vile Mermaid of the Caribbean |
97 |
The Damned Poison of the Sargasso Sea |
|
31 |
The Deceitful Whore |
65 |
The Dirty Killer |
98 |
The Disgraceful Thunder |
|
32 |
The Dishonorable Barnacle |
66 |
The Hellish Murderer of Hell |
99 |
The Rage of Atlantis |
|
33 |
The Rage of the Shark |
67 |
The Scream of the Shark |
100 |
The Foul Storm of Atlantis |
|
34 |
The Wandering Grail |
|
|
|
|
Roll d100 and consult to following table for a random pirate name.
|
d100 |
Pirate Name |
d100 |
Pirate Name |
d100 |
Pirate Name |
|
1 |
Dastardly Dick |
35 |
Evil Jack |
68 |
Hackin Daryl Hawkins |
|
2 |
Black Star Killer |
36 |
Huge Gus Smythe |
69 |
Captain Blue Blob |
|
3 |
Captain Wade Two Toes |
37 |
Dirty Vic |
70 |
John Dawkins |
|
4 |
Drownin’ Marilyn Cutty |
38 |
Smugglin’ Marcy Jones |
71 |
Space Monkey Radley |
|
5 |
Smilin’ Ron Scabbs |
39 |
Cap’n Bud Cutthroat |
72 |
Cap’n Kate Shrew |
|
6 |
Black Diehl |
40 |
Mad Kyle Brien |
73 |
Space Wolf |
|
7 |
Privateer Joseph Salty |
41 |
Queen Anne de Burgess |
74 |
Admiral Mad Tongue |
|
8 |
Dame Jennifer the Rough |
42 |
Lackey Short Fuse |
75 |
Bombing Bart |
|
9 |
Cap’n Don the Dancer |
43 |
Saber Sam |
76 |
Krik Eye Kevin |
|
10 |
One-Legged Rand Vallo |
44 |
Freejack Foreman |
77 |
Voidbait Hampton |
|
11 |
Baron Kegsteeler |
45 |
John Gallo |
78 |
Orca Avery |
|
12 |
Captain Jamal Jinkins |
46 |
Old Bill Yeager |
79 |
Toothless Bill McFilthy |
|
13 |
Captain Van Horne |
47 |
Cutthroat Schmidt |
80 |
Lady Cassan McGee |
|
14 |
Double Cross Anne Gumbo |
48 |
Consuelo Vallo |
81 |
Two-Shot Sn’k |
|
15 |
Jody Ward |
49 |
Evil-Eye Henry McKenzie |
82 |
Space Dog Rollo |
|
16 |
Red Leg Williams |
50 |
Three Leg Droll |
83 |
Savage Monkey |
|
17 |
Raging Hetz |
51 |
Space Wyvole |
84 |
Captain Voor |
|
18 |
Killjoy Bob |
52 |
Poopdeck Pete Condent |
85 |
Captain Deathbringer |
|
19 |
Cap’n Ram |
53 |
Scar Face Segal |
86 |
Christopher Grogmaster |
|
20 |
One Hand Anderson |
54 |
Patches McSnee |
87 |
Quint Blum |
|
21 |
Fishlips Threefingers |
55 |
Matey Seba |
88 |
Old Swab |
|
22 |
Captain Scragbeard |
56 |
Captain Fancy |
89 |
Count Paisley Holiday |
|
23 |
Cannon Master Swit |
57 |
Mister Smith |
90 |
Zorn of Dramune |
|
24 |
Craterface Cummings |
58 |
Andrew Staples |
91 |
One Tooth Freeman |
|
25 |
Boatswain Billings |
59 |
Andrew Sword Dancer |
92 |
Freejack Vargus |
|
26 |
Gus Gold Hook |
60 |
Cap’n McKracken |
93 |
Bloody Chruchill |
|
27 |
Cap’n Black |
61 |
Old Red Eye |
94 |
Grace Heyley |
|
28 |
Carol the Cannon Gruda |
62 |
Marilyn Musket-Mouth |
95 |
Racy Lacy Rib-Cutter |
|
29 |
Cap’n Richards |
63 |
Golden Glenda |
96 |
Jody Black |
|
30 |
Lanky Nibs Dixon |
64 |
Scurvy Legs Lensman |
97 |
Leather Hide |
|
31 |
Tennison Two-in-the-Back |
65 |
Javi Kenzick |
98 |
Molly Miss-Jump |
|
32 |
Silent Sid |
66 |
Butt-Ugly Bradford Dread |
99 |
Deis of Kitza |
|
33 |
Tommy Tattoo |
67 |
Ion Iggy |
100 |
Plank Monkey Glynnis |
|
34 |
Zs’k Swiftknife |
|
|
|
|
Links
[1] http://www.piratenames.net/meaning-of-fran?ois%20le%20clerc%20-%20jambe%20de%20bois.html
[2] http://www.piratenames.net/meaning-of-oliver%20le%20bouch?%20-%20la%20bous%20or%20la%20buse.html