The Stone Temple Pirates of Tulum [The Day After Ragnarok].

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Stone Temple Pirates of Tulum – Google Docs

 

The Stone Temple Pirates of Tulum

[The Day After Ragnarok]

 

Population: 25,000

 

The ancient Mayan city of Tulum (located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo) was long abandoned by the time of the Serpentfall.  Southern Mexico was protected from the tsunami that wrecked North America, thanks to all the Caribbean islands that took the brunt; but something crawled out of the seas there, afterward. And it attracted cultists, pirates, and other dangerous men.

Today, Tulum is a rapidly-growing amalgamation of cultist stronghold, and buccaneer haven.  The Templo de Piedra pirate brotherhoods are, to a man, devotees of the Kulkullan snake cult; they serve as the cult’s naval arm, harrying Mexican Sinarquist shipping — and, increasingly, the Mexican navy itself.  In this the brotherhoods are tacitly supported by the British and Americans. As long as the pirates leave Allied ships alone, they may otherwise do as they please to the Sinarquists.  It is widely rumored that the brotherhoods sometimes please to attack ‘friendly’ shipping when they think that they can get away with it, but nothing has yet been proved.

 

Tulum itself is broken into two parts. The old Mayan city has been excavated, cleared, and restored to something approximating its former glory; around and below it sprawls the pirate haven and docks. Outsiders are permitted in the haven, and even welcome, in a very rough-and-ready way — after all, outsiders have money, and needs — but they are absolutely forbidden to enter the Mayan portion.  It is rumored that the old fanes and images of the Descending God in the old city have been desecrated and corrupted by the new cultists, and that blood sacrifices are offered to the Serpent on auspicious days. It is also rumored that the choicest loot in the Caribbean eventually ends up on a Tulum sacred altar somewhere.

 

As noted above, the Templo de Piedra pirates go after Sinarquist ships with a particular vigor: the heavily Catholic Sinarquist regime would like to return the favor, but finds striking at Tulum itself to be suspiciously difficult.  The Mexicans have not yet resorted to hiring mercenaries to burn out this nest of snake worshipping, human sacrificing pagans, but the thought has occurred to Sinarquist officials.  Of course, smart mercenaries always insist on being paid in advance.