Shadowrun, BattleTech, and Crimson Skies creator Jordan Weisman has revealed his new video game, Sea Of Legends, a deck-building, open-world, computer role-playing game in which the player charts a course of infamy developing their character from scallywag to pirate king in the Caribbean contested by the Crowns of Europe, the denizens of the deep, the undead, and worse.

Sea of Legends is being created by a team formed by seasoned adventure game storytellers and game developers including; Andrew McIntosh, Lead Writer of BATTLETECH, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and Shadowrun: Hong Kong, Jeffery Campbell, Narrative Designer on Darkest Dungeon, Dead Rising 4, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Kate Cruz, Senior Concept artist on Ubisoft’s Skull & Bones, Justin Gray, Design Consultant, and designer of Ascension, and Jordan Weisman himself. This is the first-ever video game based on the popular tabletop franchise that successfully crowdfunded two projects. 

Players’ pirate adventures will span the Caribbean Sea as they seek ships to plunder, towns to raid, ancient treasures to discover, lovers to woo, and nemesis to vanquish. Their character development and the crew they recruit will develop the card decks that drive naval combat, boarding actions, bar fights, deadly duels, and tactical combat against other pirates, Royal Navies, and the unnatural creatures they have aligned with.

Jordan Weisman’s Sea of Legends has almost reached its funding goal on Kickstarter. The lighthearted pirate open-world CRPG designed by the Shadowrun, BattleTech, and Crimson Skies creator launched its Sea Of Legends Kickstarter campaign this October, quickly gathering support from over 1,000 backers, and surpassing  80,000 USD so far.

To celebrate the ongoing campaign, the developer has launched the Sea of Legends Spooktacular Kickstarter Update, with a new video revealing gameplay details. The studio has also announced new Halloween player character skins will be added to all backer tiers of Gunner and above.

We’re excited to introduce the first two playable pirate captains ye’ll be commanding in Sea of Legends! As ye start yer first game, ye’ll choose between two storied figures: Captain Blood or Captain Jack. Once ye make yer choice, ye’ll be playin’ as that captain for the entire playthrough, crafting their story as ye sail the seas. But fear not — these two are just the beginning!

As ye sail around the Caribbean, ye'll encounter legendary captains, powerful & feared masters of the open seas. Defeat one of these legends in combat, and ye’ll unlock them as playable characters for future playthroughs, each bringin’ their own unique strengths and abilities to the table. There are six legendary captains in the game, and more captains ye conquer, the more choices ye’ll have on yer future voyages!

Now, let’s talk about somethin’ extra stylish! Announcing the Powder Monkey+ Skins Pack, included for backers at the Powder Monkey tier and above. This pack includes eight new skins–one for each captain–so ye can change up their look and strike fear into yer enemies. 

In honor of Halloween, we’re revealing the first two spooky skins:

• Captain Blood gets a ghostly makeover, takin’ on the eerie visage of a cursed pirate.
• Captain Jack embraces her deathly side with a vampiric transformation, fangs and all, ready to drain more than just treasure!

If ye want these eerie new looks to strike terror into the hearts of yer foes, make sure ye’re backin’ at the Powder Monkey tier or above to claim the Powder Monkey+ Skins Pack. And if ye’re already sailin’ at the Powder Monkey level or higher, congratulations — ye’ll be gettin’ all this content for free as part of yer reward!

There be six legendary pirate captains awaitin’ their reveal, but here’s the best part: you will get to vote on which captains make the cut for launch! In future updates, we’ll introduce these notorious figures, and ye’ll have the chance to decide which of them becomes playable from day one. So keep yer eyes peeled–we’ll be asking for yer input on which pirates make the cut very soon.

And remember — if ye got yer hands on the skins pack, each unlocked captain comes with their own custom skin, so whichever one ye set sail with, they’ll be decked out in their own fearsome gear!

Choosing a captain for your journey is more than just pickin’ a pretty face — it’s about craftin’ your legend. Each captain’s backstory not only shapes their abilities, but also determines the crew attracted to them, and some existing relationships, giving ye unique tactical options as ye set sail. How ye start the adventure will be driven by the captain ye choose, but the rest of their story? That’s entirely in yer hands.

Let’s learn more about the two captains who will lead yer first adventure:

• Captain Blood: Once a skilled country surgeon, Peter Blood was wrongly convicted of treason and sentenced to hard labor. But with a clever mind and a knack for strategy, he escaped and turned to piracy, rising to infamy. Blood favors precision and tactical planning, with a disciplined crew to match. His story be one of cold calculation — though some say it reads like a novel, there are still chapters yet to be written.
• Captain Jack: Born into privilege, Jacqueline Baptiste lost everything when her family was slaughtered in a brutal raid. Now, vengeance fuels her every move. Jack’s fiery passion drives her to take bold risks and charge headfirst into danger, leading a crew of fierce misfits who thrive on chaos. With her, the seas are as wild as her heart, and her journey is one of swashbuckling and raw determination.

Yer captain’s backstory will shape their initial abilities and the crew they lead, setting the stage for how ye’ll tackle the challenges ahead. Will ye play with ruthless precision or reckless daring? The choice is yers as ye set sail on yer quest to become a legend!

Community members can now back Sea of Legends starting at $25 with the “Sailor” tier which includes a digital copy of the game or go deeper with tiers such as “Powder Monkey” which includes the game, soundtrack, 4 Digital Wallpapers, and the Art of Sea of Legends PDF book, or “Gunner”, which includes all previous rewards, Beta Access to Sea of Legends, and access to Adventure Forge.

For those that want to “get physical” the “Sailing Master” tier includes a bluffing / gambling game with 72 metal coins in an embroidered bag and an old school PC game box, or the “Quartermaster” tier which includes a set of 5 custom 35mm miniatures and a printed copy of the Art of Sea of Legends book.

If players really want to get into the game the “Pirate Captain” lets you create the name and likeness of an NPC, and the “Pirate King” tier lets you work with the design team to create a major NPC for the game.

The open-world deck-building CRPG is powered by Adventure Forge, the accessible, no-code video game authoring platform that aims to empower game masters, storytellers, authors, and artists to create their own narrative-rich video games. After three years of development and a successful closed beta, the platform will be available on Early Access via Steam this year, including assets and in-depth free guides and video tutorials to help game creators in their journey. 

Key Features:

• Navigate the deadly politics waters, currying either favor or earning the wrath of the Kings and Queens of Europe.
• Sail the waters of the Caribbean engaging in sea battles and boarding actions. 
• Canvas the taverns of port towns for crew, rumors, gambling, and maybe romance. 
• Raid towns for loot and information
• Woo Lovers and defeat Nemeses 
• Fight one-on-one duels of honor 
• And beware of strange tides which bring all manner of strange creatures, ancient curses, and angry gods to the surface!

Sea Of Legends is in development for PC.