Shipmates are ordinary sailors, the rank-and file deckhands who keep any vessel, great or small, afloat and moving. They are alert for danger and quick on their feet, weathered by wind and wave and sun, but always with an eye for what waits beyond the horizon. Shipmates can be used as low-level marines, rivermen, bargefolk, or even swamp rats living in stilt-houses. Replacing a shipmate’s Dodge feat with Athletic reduces his AC and CMD by 1, but increases his Climb and Swim skills by 2 each. Replacing his Profession (fisherman) skill with ranks in Linguistics or a Knowledge skill creates a sailor who has traveled the world and has knowledge of distant lands or languages. On board a ship, shipmates might serve as crew for a variety of characters: eight shipmates could work for an evil slaver (CR 6), a seagoing traveling merchant (CR 7), a marauding viking (CR 8), or a pirate captain and her first mate (CR 12).

Away from seagoing vessels, six shipmates could form a press gang looking for easy prey to add to a pirate ship’s crew (CR 4). A single shipmate might be found in the company of a barmaid (CR 1), or with a vagabond or storyteller (CR 2). A pair of shipmates might take up with a drunkard or prostitute while on shore leave (CR 3).