Female Pirate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Female Pirate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tillie_the_Pirate
01-29-06, 11:49 AM I've been thinking about the conditions in which a female human might become a pirate. Pirates are classically understood, at least in our world, to be a male profession, even in fantasy. I think this is because of the unfortunate male domination in the world (seriously, though, women still have virtually no rights in some countries), and in the hardy life of a Pirate, women were only objects.

In Dungeons and Dragons, however, the genders are supposedly equal, if not in rights then in capabilities. The actual rammifications of this are a little mind-boggling, mostly because this has never truly existed in the world that we know. So in D&D, we have a mock-equality - no real explanation of the equality, yet a general understanding of it.

My general question, this all understood, is as follows:

Would a female pirate be unusual to exist, thusly resulting in a complicated backstory and intricate set of circumstances allowing one to exist, or is it just cazh whatev?

Thanks for any feedback, I really want to actually play a pirate named Tillie.
JulesCARV
01-29-06, 12:06 PM There have been a few female (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonney) pirates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Read), though it is, indeed, primarily a man's game.

A female pirate might be less unusual in D&D than in reality, but perhaps a general question would be: why would ANYONE become a pirate? You live at sea, running the constant risk of death from diseases and combat. Why? Do you want to get rich? Are you a patriot who takes pride in crippling enemy commerce? Is it just what your dad did, and you were raised doing it?
Vapthorne
01-29-06, 12:09 PM Having a female pirate is not a hard strecth, even in a world where the genders are not equal. The simpliest explaination in the backstory is to say that the said female dressed up like a man to become a pirate. Something like that is common enough in history and literature.

However, unless the campaign setting specifcally deals with gender roles and inequality, then I wouldn't worry about it. In D&D, the genders are supposedly equal and I don't see it as mind-boggling. Without going too much into detail, I'd settle for the "it just is" line.
erbmjw
01-29-06, 12:31 PM One of the greatest pirates in the world was a Chinese woman who amassed a fleet so large and powerful that the govenrment bought her off with immunity for all and official control of a signifigant piece of territory for her son.

She was the wife of a sucessful pirate that passed away and then moved from minor partner to major controller. She also increased the welath and power of her former husband's pirate band.
Tillie_the_Pirate
01-29-06, 12:53 PM ...but perhaps a general question would be: why would ANYONE become a pirate? You live at sea, running the constant risk of death from diseases and combat.

Aye, this is also something I've been trying to think up. Perhaps the character's father or mother was mixed up in some kind of medieval political mafia, and the land is not a very safe place to be. She would live on the sea and land only in remote land areas. I think that this would also provide the DM with reasonable encounters when on mainland areas, along with really cool role-playing for me under these heated circumstances involving my family members.

The simpliest explaination in the backstory is to say that the said female dressed up like a man to become a pirate. Something like that is common enough in history and literature.

This is actually a really good idea. Thanks, Vapthorne! Never occured to me before to have a cross-dressed pirate, but it makes a lot of sense.
Che
01-29-06, 02:03 PM Throughout history, woman have traditionally dressed as men in order to become pirates, as a result of the myth that women were bad luck to have on a ship. However, as D&D is traditionally set in a less sexually biased world, so cross dressing wouldn't be necesary. I think a female in dungeons and dragons would only need the same motivations or opportunities as a male to become a pirate.

As an aside, it's interesting to note that the illustration for the swashbuckler class (Complete Warrior) is a woman pirate. Apparently, it's not that rare.
Fox Lee
01-29-06, 06:33 PM I've been thinking about the conditions in which a female human might become a pirate. Pirates are classically understood, at least in our world, to be a male profession, even in fantasy. I think this is because of the unfortunate male domination in the world (seriously, though, women still have virtually no rights in some countries), and in the hardy life of a Pirate, women were only objects.
To my way of thinking, an inherently sexist society makes the free-wheeling life of a pirate only more appealing.

Would a female pirate be unusual to exist, thusly resulting in a complicated backstory and intricate set of circumstances allowing one to exist, or is it just cazh whatev?
Only if a male pirate would :p

The fact of it is, gender makes precisely zero difference to anything in D&D, unless your specific group or campaign or setting changes that fact. So long as your character concept/background/story/build is good for one gender, it's fine for the other. If the setting you're looking at playing in imposes gender-based roles for flavour or whatever, then sure - your backstory might need to be more intricate or whatever. But in D& by default, a female pirate is no less likely -and therefore no more unique or special of complicated - than a male one.

Personally, I delight in making uncomplicated non-traditional female characters. A woman doesn't need an intricately woven web of childhood trauma and gender identity issues to want to be a stoic bodyguard/gritty streetfighter/feral barbarian/womanising pimp - at least, no moreso than her brother does.
Morka
01-31-06, 11:09 AM As an aside, it's interesting to note that the illustration for the swashbuckler class (Complete Warrior) is a woman pirate. Apparently, it's not that rare.

And in Shipreck, the D&D Book of Pirates, the Dread Pirate picture is a woman.

Take a look on Elfwood, a great site for fantasy art. There's many tours (http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/s/a/sande/pirate.jpg.html) about pirates, and many of them are women pirates.

Pirates are the epitome of the chaotic alignment. They could spend months at sea, and when they touch ground, they look for more-or-less hookers and spend a few nights with them. The usual result is a baby 9 months later. How would you raise a baby on a pirate ship? Yeah. That's why there's no women on pirate ships. That is true life. :banghead: D&D is fantasy. Turn the switch off about true life, and it won't happen, and any woman could have fun sailing freely from island to island.
Ace the Dead
02-01-06, 06:01 PM I've had a few female pirates (including a dread pirate) NPCs. Several of their stories go along the lines of, abused and neglected as a child for being female or an orc, or even just having an uncaring mother. The child grows up to take delight in the hurting others and taking their treasured possessions, and what life better than that of a pirate for pillage and burning?

The other interesting story that I have used is that of an elven woman whose mother lost a large sum of money on gambling with humnas. She sold her daughter into slavery in the islands to the south called the Pirate Isles, where she was bought by a pirate captain because he wanted someone to watch over him when he slept (elves need so little sleep). He showed her what his crew was like, and how she would be much better off if he stayed alive, then left her in his room. Over the years she picked up the skills to be a great pirate in her own right, although the PCs destroyed her ship while she was only a first mate.
Che
02-06-06, 11:10 AM And in Shipreck, the D&D Book of Pirates, the Dread Pirate picture is a woman.

Take a look on Elfwood, a great site for fantasy art. There's many tours (http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/s/a/sande/pirate.jpg.html) about pirates, and many of them are women pirates.

Pirates are the epitome of the chaotic alignment. They could spend months at sea, and when they touch ground, they look for more-or-less hookers and spend a few nights with them. The usual result is a baby 9 months later. How would you raise a baby on a pirate ship? Yeah. That's why there's no women on pirate ships. That is true life. :banghead: D&D is fantasy. Turn the switch off about true life, and it won't happen, and any woman could have fun sailing freely from island to island.

Actually, the real reason that women weren't allowed on pirate ships (historically) was that one women amidst a dozen or so eager pirates generally ended badly. The few pirate ships that allowed women as crew all ended badly, with either infighting amongst the potential "suitors" or sexual abuse of the female crewmembers. These bouts of jealousy and "madness" led to the legend that a woman on a pirate vessel was a bad omen. Captains Bartholomew Roberts and John Phillips codified the rule when they wrote the now-infamous "Pirate's Code".

A great read for any players wanting to make a pirate heavy campaign is "Under the Black Flag". It is a historical perspective on many of the pirate myths that abound today, and is one of the best books I've read on the subject.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tillie_the_Pirate 01-29-06, 11:49 AM	I've been thinking about the conditions in which a female human might become a pirate. Pirates are classically understood, at least in our world, to be a male profession, even in fantasy. I think this is because of the unfortunate male domination in the world (seriously, though, women still have virtually no rights in some countries), and in the hardy life of a Pirate, women were only objects. In Dungeons and Dragons, however, the genders are supposedly equal, if not in rights then in capabilities. The actual rammifications of this are a little mind-boggling, mostly because this has never truly existed in the world that we know. So in D&D, we have a mock-equality - no real explanation of the equality, yet a general understanding of it. My general question, this all understood, is as follows: Would a female pirate be unusual to exist, thusly resulting in a complicated backstory and intricate set of circumstances allowing one to exist, or is it just cazh whatev? Thanks for any feedback, I really want to actually play a pirate named Tillie.
JulesCARV 01-29-06, 12:06 PM	There have been a few female (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonney) pirates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Read), though it is, indeed, primarily a man's game. A female pirate might be less unusual in D&D than in reality, but perhaps a general question would be: why would ANYONE become a pirate? You live at sea, running the constant risk of death from diseases and combat. Why? Do you want to get rich? Are you a patriot who takes pride in crippling enemy commerce? Is it just what your dad did, and you were raised doing it?
Vapthorne 01-29-06, 12:09 PM	Having a female pirate is not a hard strecth, even in a world where the genders are not equal. The simpliest explaination in the backstory is to say that the said female dressed up like a man to become a pirate. Something like that is common enough in history and literature. However, unless the campaign setting specifcally deals with gender roles and inequality, then I wouldn't worry about it. In D&D, the genders are supposedly equal and I don't see it as mind-boggling. Without going too much into detail, I'd settle for the "it just is" line.
erbmjw 01-29-06, 12:31 PM	One of the greatest pirates in the world was a Chinese woman who amassed a fleet so large and powerful that the govenrment bought her off with immunity for all and official control of a signifigant piece of territory for her son. She was the wife of a sucessful pirate that passed away and then moved from minor partner to major controller. She also increased the welath and power of her former husband's pirate band.
Tillie_the_Pirate 01-29-06, 12:53 PM	...but perhaps a general question would be: why would ANYONE become a pirate? You live at sea, running the constant risk of death from diseases and combat. Aye, this is also something I've been trying to think up. Perhaps the character's father or mother was mixed up in some kind of medieval political mafia, and the land is not a very safe place to be. She would live on the sea and land only in remote land areas. I think that this would also provide the DM with reasonable encounters when on mainland areas, along with really cool role-playing for me under these heated circumstances involving my family members. The simpliest explaination in the backstory is to say that the said female dressed up like a man to become a pirate. Something like that is common enough in history and literature. This is actually a really good idea. Thanks, Vapthorne! Never occured to me before to have a cross-dressed pirate, but it makes a lot of sense.
Che 01-29-06, 02:03 PM	Throughout history, woman have traditionally dressed as men in order to become pirates, as a result of the myth that women were bad luck to have on a ship. However, as D&D is traditionally set in a less sexually biased world, so cross dressing wouldn't be necesary. I think a female in dungeons and dragons would only need the same motivations or opportunities as a male to become a pirate. As an aside, it's interesting to note that the illustration for the swashbuckler class (Complete Warrior) is a woman pirate. Apparently, it's not that rare.
Fox Lee 01-29-06, 06:33 PM	I've been thinking about the conditions in which a female human might become a pirate. Pirates are classically understood, at least in our world, to be a male profession, even in fantasy. I think this is because of the unfortunate male domination in the world (seriously, though, women still have virtually no rights in some countries), and in the hardy life of a Pirate, women were only objects. To my way of thinking, an inherently sexist society makes the free-wheeling life of a pirate only more appealing. Would a female pirate be unusual to exist, thusly resulting in a complicated backstory and intricate set of circumstances allowing one to exist, or is it just cazh whatev? Only if a male pirate would :p The fact of it is, gender makes precisely zero difference to anything in D&D, unless your specific group or campaign or setting changes that fact. So long as your character concept/background/story/build is good for one gender, it's fine for the other. If the setting you're looking at playing in imposes gender-based roles for flavour or whatever, then sure - your backstory might need to be more intricate or whatever. But in D& by default, a female pirate is no less likely -and therefore no more unique or special of complicated - than a male one. Personally, I delight in making uncomplicated non-traditional female characters. A woman doesn't need an intricately woven web of childhood trauma and gender identity issues to want to be a stoic bodyguard/gritty streetfighter/feral barbarian/womanising pimp - at least, no moreso than her brother does.
Morka 01-31-06, 11:09 AM	As an aside, it's interesting to note that the illustration for the swashbuckler class (Complete Warrior) is a woman pirate. Apparently, it's not that rare. And in Shipreck, the D&D Book of Pirates, the Dread Pirate picture is a woman. Take a look on Elfwood, a great site for fantasy art. There's many tours (http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/s/a/sande/pirate.jpg.html) about pirates, and many of them are women pirates. Pirates are the epitome of the chaotic alignment. They could spend months at sea, and when they touch ground, they look for more-or-less hookers and spend a few nights with them. The usual result is a baby 9 months later. How would you raise a baby on a pirate ship? Yeah. That's why there's no women on pirate ships. That is true life. :banghead: D&D is fantasy. Turn the switch off about true life, and it won't happen, and any woman could have fun sailing freely from island to island.
Ace the Dead 02-01-06, 06:01 PM	I've had a few female pirates (including a dread pirate) NPCs. Several of their stories go along the lines of, abused and neglected as a child for being female or an orc, or even just having an uncaring mother. The child grows up to take delight in the hurting others and taking their treasured possessions, and what life better than that of a pirate for pillage and burning? The other interesting story that I have used is that of an elven woman whose mother lost a large sum of money on gambling with humnas. She sold her daughter into slavery in the islands to the south called the Pirate Isles, where she was bought by a pirate captain because he wanted someone to watch over him when he slept (elves need so little sleep). He showed her what his crew was like, and how she would be much better off if he stayed alive, then left her in his room. Over the years she picked up the skills to be a great pirate in her own right, although the PCs destroyed her ship while she was only a first mate.
Che 02-06-06, 11:10 AM	And in Shipreck, the D&D Book of Pirates, the Dread Pirate picture is a woman. Take a look on Elfwood, a great site for fantasy art. There's many tours (http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/s/a/sande/pirate.jpg.html) about pirates, and many of them are women pirates. Pirates are the epitome of the chaotic alignment. They could spend months at sea, and when they touch ground, they look for more-or-less hookers and spend a few nights with them. The usual result is a baby 9 months later. How would you raise a baby on a pirate ship? Yeah. That's why there's no women on pirate ships. That is true life. :banghead: D&D is fantasy. Turn the switch off about true life, and it won't happen, and any woman could have fun sailing freely from island to island. Actually, the real reason that women weren't allowed on pirate ships (historically) was that one women amidst a dozen or so eager pirates generally ended badly. The few pirate ships that allowed women as crew all ended badly, with either infighting amongst the potential "suitors" or sexual abuse of the female crewmembers. These bouts of jealousy and "madness" led to the legend that a woman on a pirate vessel was a bad omen. Captains Bartholomew Roberts and John Phillips codified the rule when they wrote the now-infamous "Pirate's Code". A great read for any players wanting to make a pirate heavy campaign is "Under the Black Flag". It is a historical perspective on many of the pirate myths that abound today, and is one of the best books I've read on the subject.