The interesting thing about maritime law is that it can remain unaltered for centuries. The situation changes and it no longer gets applied to the real world, but it's still on the books. Waiting for some enterprising lawyer to wake it up again — as evidenced in 2003 when the Bush administration broke up a Greenpeace protest using a hundred-year old law against sailor-mongering!
Six ancient maritime laws the adventurers didn't expect to be applied in the current day:
1. Pressganging
The port they're approaching has reactivated an old law that lets them take 10% of a ship's crew to serve a tour in its navy. The adventurers look fit enough to serve.
2. Seizure
The nation that owns the nearby coast is confiscating a particular cargo as a form of economic war against a neighbour. They intend to confiscate the adventurers' cargo, or pilfer it while taking legitimate plunder.
3. Privateers
Legal pirates are working out of a nearby port. The adventurers' ship is flying the wrong flag to pass without being stopped. Maybe they'll be lucky and the privateers will only charge a steep toll.
4. Your kind
Centuries ago, one adventurer's entire race were declared to be pirates and subject to the consequences thereof. That law is being enforced again, for some reason.
5. Farewell
The country is rounding up undesirables and commandeering ships to dump them in exile on an island. The adventurers find their ship conscripted and laden with two dozen bewildered men, women and children who aren't sure what they've done wrong. Their provisions might just be enough, if the weather is fair the whole trip.
6. Eyes of the law
Port agents are boarding every ship before allowing disembarkation, claiming the right to check cards, dice and other gambling equipment for honest operation. They're clearly searching for something else as well, though. The adventurers have caught their interest.
