[Thundarr Thursday] Notorious NPCs: Capt. Kordon, Queen of the River Pirates

Captain Kordon - Queen of the River Pirates
9th Level Pure Human

STR: 12 --- INT: 15
DEX: 18 --- WIL: 13
CON: 10 --- CHA: 16
HPs: 58 --- AC: 7
Mutations: none

Described by Thundarr thusly: "As evil as she is beautiful." Captain Kordon is an old-world pirate in a new world. Known as the Queen of the River Pirates, Kordon does not patrol the oceans and seas, rather sailing and pillaging up and down the widest rivers of the ruined earth. (In the Thundarr universe, it is hinted that she terrorizes the Ancient river once called the Mississippi.) In the truest sense, she is a deadly opponent who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Captain Kordon has trained herself in the ways of swordfighting and fencing, seeing it as the "true" way of fighting as her pirate ancestors did. When fighting with her rapier, Kordon receives a +2 damage bonus when she strikes. She is also incredibly dexterous and fast, making two attacks per melee round.

Kordon has had a very successful career as a pirate thanks to her ruthlessness and cunning. She sails the rivers on a modified craft created from parts from a naval shipyard. An aircraft carrier platform and towers have been mounted to a wooden log frame. Her ship is propelled by the wind only (25 MPH max speed). This huge craft has a battery of firearms and primitive weapons available to the crew, but the real arms lie in the six "fire lances" she has at her disposal - Ancient surface-to-air missiles that can be launched via catapult. But rather than waste these valuable destructive weapons, Kordon prefers to use the catapults to fire large hives with mutant killer wasps as well as flaming barrels of oil at her enemies.

To run her ship and to do her bidding, Capt. Kordon has a small army of 50 minions. Many of these pirate lackeys dress in a skindiver's rubber suit with a large stylized skull and crossbones painted on the chest. Others dress in a stereotypical pirate fashion. These minions are mostly pure humans (though there could be some mutants working for her). They have very basic fighting skills, preferring instead to overpower a foe in sheer numbers. They are not particularly loyal to Kordon and will break and run if a battle is turning against them. However, while on board the ship, they are fearless as the craft is the largest, most powerful water vessel known.

Captain Kordon is always pillaging for Ancient weaponry with which to strengthen her ship and her standing as the most dangerous force on the water. If a party encounters Captain Kordon, they'd better be prepared to face a clever tactician, a master swordsman, many armed minions, and the most powerful ship they will likely ever encounter.

NOTE: This villain was inspired by the episode "Treasure of the Moks" from the classic Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned each week for "Thundarr Thursday"!