A system to agree on grouping with other crews.
Using the captains table on your own ship, propose a parlay. Once a majority vote occurs, one player can carry a white flag to another ship. This both stops them from picking up loot (as they are holding a flag), and acts as an indicator that they are friendly.. even though they could just drop the flag and pick up your captains chest.
Placing the white flag on the opposing ship's captains table will result in "A parlay request from the crew of the Salty Pirate" (if only ship names were available hey?).
If the majority of the opposing crew vote on the parlay request, the two crews become "green" to each other, and will show on each other's map tables. This effectively forms a group, making it safe for both groups to interact without the fear of backstabbing.
Or so you thought.. Without any notice, either crew may vote to break the parlay, resulting in much frivolity and hilarity.
I think this limited partnership would be useful for encouraging grouped experiences, while still providing a pirateey experience.
Do you blunderbuss the captain holding a white flag? Do you board another ship under the flag of truce, and try to get away with whatever you can? Do you truce for the skull fort, then all vote to break for when the key is on the line? Or, maybe you will form a fleet of sloops to harass the bigger galleons?
