Free CaptainsSource Pact Worlds pg. 170
Anyone who regularly traverses the space lanes is aware of the threat posed by space pirates, and within the Pact Worlds, no pirates are as infamous—or as successful—as the Free Captains. More a coalition of independent starship captains than an organized pirate fleet, the Free Captains primarily operate out of the myriad floating asteroids of the Diaspora, but their influence stretches out to the Veskarium, Near Space, and even the Vast. An elected council of pirate lords serves as the organization's ostensible leaders, and any Free Captain “right and true” has the right to vote for council members and to present grievances and other business before the council. However, the Pirate Council's authority over individual Free Captains depends on the strength of the pirate lords' personal influence and the might of their individual pirate fleets. What truly joins the Free Captains together is the pirate code they all share—a loose set of rules that nevertheless provides some structure to the pirates' depredations and serves as a unifying influence when the Free Captains are faced with outside threats from local and interplanetary security forces. Many of the pirate code's “rules” leave plenty of room for interpretation, however, and while one Free Captain might set prisoners free once she has relieved her captives of their valuables, another might be a cutthroat buccaneer with no compunction about taking innocent lives.
Piracy in the Pact Worlds is a serious concern for any corporation that needs to ship goods from one planet to another. While the wealthier companies are able to outfit their cargo ships with enough firepower to fend off raiders or hire mercenary escorts, smaller vessels need to be fast or stealthy to avoid the predations of space pirates. Most private citizens rely on Hellknight and Steward patrols to keep space safe, but those forces can't be everywhere at once.
Example Free Captains Three example Free Captains are presented below, along with advice on how to use them in similar NPC roles. Adaptation: Not all space pirates are members of the Free Captains, of course, and the following stat blocks and encounters can be used for buccaneers, freebooters, or pirates anywhere in the galaxy. Similarly, these stat blocks can be used to represent any hardscrabble starship crews eking out a living on the fringes of civilized space, whether smugglers, tramp traders, opportunistic scavengers, or even members of organized crime syndicates such as the Golden League. These stat blocks could also represent Starfinder Society members, if played with more interest in knowledge and exploration than raiding and plunder. They might also serve as ragtag military troops, such as a colonial militia or a frontier garrison.
Encounters Free Captains can be encountered as boarding parties sent to seize control of disabled ships or in small gangs taking shore leave in lawless pirate ports or remote outposts on the fringes of society. Larger groups serve as crews aboard pirate ships in the depths of space, while the most powerful individuals might be part of a delegation from the Free Captains' pirate council.
Boarding Party (CR 5): Four space pirates.
Pirate Crew (CR 7): Five space pirates, one Free Captain.
Pirate Council Entourage (CR 9): Three Free Captains, one pirate lord.Aliens in the "Free Captains" FamilySource Pact Worlds pg. 171Pirate Lord CR 7XP 3,200
Vesk solarian
LE Medium humanoid (vesk)
Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
DefenseHP 110
EAC 19; KAC 21
Fort +9; Ref +7; Will +8; +2 vs. fear
Resistances cold or fire 5
OffenseSpeed 30 ft.
Melee advanced doshko +17 (2d12+12 P) or unarmed strike +17 (1d3+15 B)
Ranged red star plasma pistol +14 (1d8+7 E & F; critical burn 1d8)
Offensive Abilities flashing strikes, natural weapons, stellar revelations (black hole [25-ft. radius, pull 15 ft., DC 15], gravity surge [+17], stellar rush [3d6 F, DC 15], supernova [10-ft. radius, 8d6 F, DC 15])StatisticsSTR +5; DEX +4; CON +2; INT +0; WIS +1; CHA +2
Skills Athletics +14, Intimidate +14, Mysticism +14, Piloting +19
Languages Common, Sarcesian, Vesk
Other Abilities armor savant, solar manifestation (armor), stellar alignment
Gear silver AbadarCorp travel suit, advanced doshko, red star plasma pistol with 4 batteries (20 charges each)DescriptionThe Pirate Council of Broken Rock provides what little leadership and direction the pirates of the Diaspora will accept, but only the most infamous and successful Free Captains are considered pirate lords and nominated for positions on the council. This political process is fraught with backstabbing and betrayal, as the current members of the Pirate Council are often reluctant to share their power with those whom they consider newcomers.
Each pirate lord commands a fleet of starships and controls one of the innumerable asteroid bases, hidden dockyards, and pirate ports in the Diaspora. A few pirate lords own gaudy mansions on Broken Rock and spend a lot of their time lounging within them, delegating control of their fleets to trusted underlings. Other pirate lords tend to scoff at these hands-off pirate lords.
Adaptation: A pirate lord could be a flashy warlord commanding a personal fleet of starships or an organized crime boss. Alternatively, a pirate lord could be a famous pirate hunter, fearlessly tracking down wanted pirates and bringing them to justice.
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