from the introduction
The Pirates of Dark Water is filled with elements of classic myth that give it a universal appeal. The motif of the hero's journey, out of a known environment, to undertake a task that leads to the source of life, has been elemental part of storytelling for centuries. However the ingredients that allow Dark Water to soar beyond the realm of the conventional tale quest are humor and creativity.
To help you fully understand this unique world, we have provided you with a number of aids, the first being this, the World Book. Within these pages are descriptions of the lands, inhabitants, special characters and everything else needed to role-play on this fantastic world.
The next aid is the World of Mer Map, which shows all of the land masses and places of interest that existed at the time of the map's creation.
The last aid consists of over 100 new creatures on three hole punched sheets so that they may be organized with other similar monster sheets.