The Buccaneers Bestiary

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The Buccaneer ’s Bestiary A GUIDE TO MONSTERS OF THE DARK CARIBBEAN 

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s

Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names,

and their respec󰁴ive logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.

This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is

used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

Original material in this work is copyright 2016 by Aaron Infante-Levy and published under the

Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.  

by Aaron “Quickleaf” Infante-Levy 

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Art Credits Design and Layout: Aaron “Quickleaf” Infante-Levy

Cover Art: Orc Pirate Shou󰁴 ing Orders, by Jeshields, purchased thru drivethrurpg.com. Modified by adding Pirate Flag, by wesd440, created on 6-16-2015, openclipart.org.

All interior illustra󰁴ions used in THE BUCCANEER’S BESTIARY are within the Public Domain.

Parchment Background: Chris Fiedler,pixabay.com, CC-0 Public Domain. Pirates with a Box (p. 4): by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 5-12-2015.

The Merry Monarch: (p. 5): The comic history of England, Gilbert Beckett, 1897. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 2015-07-29.

King of Death: Humorous Poems, Thomas Hood, 1893. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 7-20-2015.

Port Saint Louis (p. 7): Rambles on the Riviera by Francis Miltoun, 1906. Posted by johnny_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 2-27-2008. Dutch Ship (p. 13): The Romance of Naviga󰁴 ion, by Henry Frith, 1893. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 7-18-2015. Splat (p. 14 & 44): by li󐁦 tarn, openclipart.org, 9-92014.

Octopus Anchor (p. 16): by Rejon, openclipart.org, 2015-04-01.

Jolly Tars (p. 17): Lily’s scrapbook, by Mrs. Barker Sale, 1877. Posted by johnny_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 9-29-2007. Compass (p. 18): A black and white 3-D compass, Posted by ipurush, openclipart.org, 4-10-2008. Island of Neverland (p. 20): Posted by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 2-8-2016.

Rock Skull (p. 23): Posted by johnny_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 12-10-2006.

Old Map (p. 23): Posted by conte magnus, openclipart.org, 1-27-2013.

Anchor (p. 26): Posted by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 2-8-2016.

Sleeping Mermaid (p. 28): Songs for Little People, Norman Gale, 1896. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 1-1-2016. Treasure Chest (p. 29): Posted by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 1-10-2015.

Old Man with a Corncob Pipe (p. 34): Bisbee Daily Review, Nov. 26, 1914,  Posted by johnny_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 7-16-2014. Ship’s Wheel (p. 37): Posted by johnny_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 10-30-2007. 

Blemmyae (p. 41): Nuremberg Chronicle by Hartman Schedel, 1493. Thingtacles (p. 42): by jpneaok, openclipart.org, 10-18-2014.

Scallop Shell (p. 44): Line and Form, by Walter Crane, 1914. Posted by johnn_automa󰁴ic, openclipart.org, 10-26-2007. Fucoid (p. 44): Our Earth and its Story, by Robert Brown, 1893. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 11-4-2015. Wastrilith (p. 45): Destruc󰁴 ion of Leviathan, engraving by Gustave Doré, 1865. Squid Silhouette (p.46): Narrative of an Expedition to explore the river Zaire, James Tuckey, 1818. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, 10-22-2015. Spooky Frame (p.47): by li󐁦 tarn, openclipart.org, 8-7-2013.

Zombie (p. 48): by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 6-2-2015.

Painted Skull (p. 48): The Pygmies, by Frederick Starr, 1895. Giant Anemone (p. 50): donated by Pearson Scott Foresman to Wikimedia Commons.

Giant Anglerfish (p. 50): Popular Science Monthly, vol. 8, 1875.  Giant Eel (p. 50): donated by Pearson Scott Foresman to Wikimedia Commons.

Giant Nau󰁴 ilus (p. 52): donated by Pearson Scott Foresman to Wikimedia Commons.

GiantStarfish(p.53):The Half Hour Library of Travel, Nature and Science for young readers, by James Nisbet & Co, 1896. Posted by Firkin, openclipart.org, on 11-29-2015. Whale Upends Whalers (p. 54):The Story of Our Merchant Marine, by Willis J. Abbot, 1919. Posted by johnny_automatic, openclipart.org, on 1-12-2008. The deep sea fish eurypharynx pelecanoides (p. 55): Popular Science Monthly, vol. 23, 1883. Jenny Hanniver (p. 55): Feejee Mermaid, by P.T. Barnums, 1842. Kelpie (p. 56): Dic󰁴 ionnaire classique d’histoire naturelle (Vol. 5), 1822. Incan Dog (p. 56): by OpenClipartVectors, CC0 Public Domain, from pixabay.com.

The Scaly Fishman (p. 59): The Animal Book, by Pietro Candido Decembrio, 1460. Seal (p. 63): Posted by yves_guillou, openclipart.org, 10-24-2014.

Woman’s Eyes (p. 63): Posted by molumen, openclipart.org, 10-19-2006.

The Laughing Gull (p. 64): US Fish and Wildlife Service, by Bob Hines. Posted by ryanlerch, openclipart.org, 12-14-2006. The Siren (p. 65):

The Siren, oil on canvas , by Edward Armitage, 1888.

Transparent Mermaid Silhouette (p. 65): by GDJ, openclipart.org, 2-16-2016.

Dancing Skeletons (p. 66): by johnny_automatic, openclipart.org, 10-29-2007.

Fiddler Crabs (p. 66): When Life is Young, by Mary Dodge, 1894. Skum (p. 67): Krewe of Proteus Costume, New Orleans Mardi Gras, by Bror Anders Wikstrom, 1907. Monkey Rides a Jellyfish (p. 68): Posted by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 6-22-2015.

Glitch Frog (p. 69): Posted by Lazur URH, openclipart.org, 7-24-2015.

Castle (p. 70): Old French Fairy Tales, by Comtesse De Segur, 1920. Posted by johnny_automatic, openclipart.org, 9-26-2007. Real Sea Monster (p. 71): by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 3-18-2012.

Grim Reaper Waits for No One (p. 72): by j4p4n, openclipart.org, 9-4-2011. 

Dr. Death (p. 73): by liftarn, traced from old Dr. Death comic, openclipart.org, 12-25-2015.  Skull & Crossbones (p. 74): from the Pieces of Eight free font, by Steve Ferrera.  

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 2

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Table of Contents

THE  D ARK  CARI BBEAN  . . . . . . . . . 4

THE  E  NCOUNTER  TABLES . . . . . . . . . 6 Port Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Port Encounter Table 6 Pirate Ports 7

Neutral Ports 7

Hos󰁴ile Ports 7

Port Beas󰁴ies 9

Sea Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sea Encounter Table 12

Ship Tables 13

Sea Beas󰁴ies 15

Crew Con󰁦  licts 18

Naviga󰁴ion Hazards 19

Special Encounter 20

Island Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Island Features 21 Island Beas󰁴ies 24

Undersea Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Undersea Encounter Table 28

Kelp Beds 29

Sunken Shipwrecks 29

Special Encounters 29

Abyss Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Abyssal Features

Abyssal Beas󰁴ies

 N   P

C S  (C

REW ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Sailor (CR 1/8) 34

Old Salt (CR 1/4) 34

Buccaneer (CR 1/2) 35

Midshipman (CR 1/2) 35

Pirate (CR 1/2) 36

Royal Marine (CR 1/2) 36

 N  PCS (OFFICERS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Warrant O􀁦 ficer (CR 1/2) 37

Lieutenant (CR 1) 38

Naval Captain (CR 2) 38

Pirate Captain (CR 2) 39

Commodore (CR 3) 39

 N  PCS (S PELLCASTERS) . . . . . . . . . . 40 Bokor (CR 2) 40

Houngan/Mambo (CR 2) 40

Shantyman (CR 2) 41

Ship Mage (CR 2) 41

 BEASTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Blemmyae (CR 1/2) 42

Caller from the Deeps (CR 8) 43

Carnivorous Scallop (CR 1) 44

Coelenite (CR 1/2) 44 Deepspawn (CR 8) 45

Demon, Wastrilith (CR 14) 46

Dire Squid (CR 6) 47

Douen (CR 1) 48

Dread Zombie (CR 1) 49

Giant Anglerfish (CR 4) 50

Giant Anemone (CR 5) 50

Giant Eel (CR 3) 52

Giant Nau󰁴ilus (CR 13) 52

Giant Sea Urchin (CR 1) 53

Giant Starfish, Sunstar (CR 3) 53 Giant Whale, Leviathan (CR 9) 54 Gulper (CR 1) 55

Jenny Hanniver (CR 1/8) 55

Kelpie — hazard 56

Lycanthrope, Seawolf (CR 3 & CR 7) 57

Morkoth (CR 4) 58

Seaclaimed Creature — template 59

Seaclaimed Warrior (CR 3) 63

Selkie (CR 1/2) 63

Sinister Seagull (CR 1/8) 64

Siren (CR 3) 65 Skeleton, Dry Bones — template 66

Skull Cra