Hoist the Colors Introduction
An introduction to Hoist the Colors, and just what it's all about
At the stroke of midnight on October 31, 1712, the world came to an end.
It wasn’t done in by blood or war, fire or famine. No, nothing of the kind.
The world ended when a green comet flashed across the full blood moon that night, chased by a haunting, thin laugh. As the comet passed, the laugh faded and took our world with it. The world that we knew.
On that night, the myth of magic turned all too real. It came back in force, no matter whether or not anyone was ready.
That was ten years ago. Since then, the world has never been the same. Lands of myth crashed into Earth, creatures of legend now walk the streets, and the forgotten arts of magic have new practitioners. A new world has risen from the old.
And there’s no turning back…
Well now, my friend. Is that treasure in your eye? Or are you just happy to see me?
- Diego “The Black” Salvador, Captain of the Last Doubloon
Ah, now, who do we have we here?
Where do you hail from? Oh, never you mind that. That’s not why you’re here, is it?
I can see you’re curious about Hoist the Colors. You’ve looked around and wondered just what is all this? Well, let me help you out with that.
You see, whatever you guess you’ve figured out… you know what? You’re mostly right! And… you’re also wrong. But that’s quite fine because you’re still right in my book!
Hoist the Colors is a roleplaying game setting inspired by the Forged in the Dark rules. But it’s not just any game. It’s one of intrigue, death-defying adventure, and so much more.
Here we play to find that adventure. To see just how your crew not only survives, but thrives in a world of warring trading companies, scheming empires, powerful bloodthirsty pirates, and lost relics of another time and place. All while navigating their own interests, quirks, and vices.
The setting is Earth, of course. But not quite how you remember it. The year was 1712. At the stroke of midnight on October 31st, a green comet flared in the sky and cut across the night’s blood moon. Quite the sight, if you ask me.
Everyone saw it. Not a soul from the Americas, to England, India and beyond missed it. How could you? Then there was this laugh. It chased that comet that night until it flashed out of sight.
Some say that laugh was haunting. Others swear it was the laugh of a young man busy with a game where only he knew the rules. No one knows for sure. Once that comet left, so did the laugh.
The whole thing was called the Crossing’s Fall.
But then, the real trouble began.
Magic, and I mean the real thing, turned out to be as real as you or I. That wasn’t all. Seems whatever that comet was, it broke something important. A bridge I’ve heard between Earth and a place called Otherworld.
Not heard of it? That’s all right, most hadn’t … at least, not then.
That same night, the remnants of Otherworld were thrown to Earth. New islands and lands melted into place. Some in the mid-Atlantic, others to the west of Japan. Then there were places in Greenland, jungles of South America, ah … you get the idea.
Along with that came their people. Turns out our myths? They were right! But also… not quite. Pixies appeared, but they didn’t look like we’d been told about. They prefer the name ‘thaye’ thank you so much.
Gruff ‘dwarves’ with their gift for metalwork, turned out to be called ‘grimlings’ and are so much more than we ever knew.
Then there are the raven-folk called the morasu. Some called them ‘nightclaws’, but they don’t like that very much. In fact, they’re not fond of much at all. See, this brutal lot lost their empire back on Otherworld, so they feel quite intent on setting up a new one here. No matter if we like it or not!
But then darker things came from the Otherworld. Creatures, beasts and things that should have stayed a myth. Things in the dark and the deep ocean that don’t have a single love for the light.
This is an Earth learning to live with itself ten years after that fateful night in 1712. Now, in 1722, the great nations in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere squabble over the new lands that have appeared. In the Americas, the natives had quite enough and are using magic to their own best interests. In the Pacific, life struggles against a constant war that never seems to quite end.
But where do you come in?
Quite anywhere, thank you kindly! You could be a young human blacksmith bound for adventure, whether he knows it or not. A young thayan lass, student of history, that is bound and determine to recover lost relics here on Earth from the Otherworld, and a few human ones too now that magic works again.
Perhaps you’re a grimling who has taken up service for Queen or King and country. Maybe a life working for one of the powerful merchant fleets strikes your fancy. Oh, you could be a young morasu noble, looking to prove yourself among the skulduggery and intrigue of rival noble houses, not to mention the human ones from the Old World!
Ah, wait. There’s that grin. That twinkle in the eye. I’d know it anywhere.
You’ve seen the sunset over the water set the sky on fire. Heard the songs of Calypso over the waves. Tunes that call you to dance. That old journal with that weathered map in your coat tells it all, doesn’t it?
Not so much the fish out of water, are you, Privateer?
For you, it’s the taste of adventure. Lure of treasure. Taking the jobs for the highest bidder to earn a good coin, and maybe… just perhaps… show this old world what a true free spirit can do.
Because you already know if you want something, a thing that’s right and just, you have to be ready to fight for it. To dig in and use that elbow grease, some heart, and maybe a bit of magic. Living your life on your own terms with the wind in your sails.
After all, living is the best adventure of all, isn’t it? Of course, with a touch of mystery thrown in for a bit of fun!
… and after all, a bit of mystery is the spice of life, is it not?
- Doctor Pedro Sangre de Alejandro del Rio
Rules to live by, eh? Oh, well, maybe not ‘rules’. Perhaps it’s better to say they’re more like guidelines.
So! Now! Go catch that horizon!
ALL HANDS!
As you might can tell, with Hoist the Colors, the treasure you’ll find here is game design for a roleplaying game, worldbuilding and more. In fact, buried in all that are the seeds of fiction. Most likely web serial fiction in this rolling bundle of alternate history, flintlock-punk, and magical setting!
So, with that, climb aboard! What have you got to lose, eh? If you’re wanting a deep dive, well leap on over to the World Anvil world / wiki for Hoist the Colors here!
For all the rest, stroll on over to the posts here!
Hoist the Colors is a work of pure, unabashed fiction. Actually, when it's not swinging off the rigging, or shivering some timbers, it's rather shy and retiring. Did I mention it enjoys baking? Names of characters, places, events, organizations and locations are all creations of the author’s imagination for this fictitious setting. So he really is all to blame here.
Any resemblance to persons living, dead, shoved overboard, or reanimated is coincidental. The opinions expressed are those of the characters and should not be confused with the author's, since the characters and the author tend to disagree a lot.