Death Count: 0
Overview
Location: The Caribbean
Time Frame: 1719
Rp Tags: Historical, Supernatural, Pirates, Character Driven, Adventure, Action, Slice-Of-Life, High Casual, Advanced, Large Group, Fantasy, Survival
Type Of RP: This RP follows pirates and their encounters with the supernatural. While it is not a mystery RP in itself, there will be twists and turns, clues and hints, and a complicated storyline driving us forward. Characters are not immortal--they can and will die.
Goal Of RP: Raid, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer your weasely black guts out. In other words, serve your own selfish interests. However, there is an end goal, of course -- to complete the job for Mr. Alucard and collect that cursed flask...And even more importantly, survive that task. Decide what to do with the flask.
Age Requirements: Minimal age for characters is 15; maximum age for characters is 42. Life expectancy for pirates and those in the Caribbean wasn't too great.
Premise
The Golden Age of Piracy, primarily dating from 1716-1726, was a lawless time. With 2400 active pirates sailing the seven seas, Europe was too busy fighting its own wars to do much to regulate the pirates. Spain was on the decline as a military power, France was attempting to expand its territory, and England was slowly rising as a new power. However, with the need to keep the colonies secure, in order to reap the benefits of imperialism, nations began to station more and more troops in the Caribbean, such as the British navy at Port Royal.
Traditional pirate haunts were beginning to vanish, with 124 Royal navy vessels stationed in the Caribbean. It had appeared that piracy would be extinguished, had it not been for the increase of the slave trade, and more warfare between European nations. The War of Spanish Succession allowed piracy to increase, and when that war ceased, the veteran sailors needed a source of income, and began to fly the Jolly Roger.
Yet this is where perhaps your history texts may fail you. Captain Avery Swale, a British naval officer gone rogue, accepted a job from an unknown man of fortune. Mr. Alucard is the only known alias of the man, but that matters not. What's more important is what Captain Swale was asked to do--he was to sail into strange tides, deep within the Devil's Triangle, and locate a cursed potion flask. The reward would be enough to make any man rich, if performed successfully.
Captain Swale, a pirate at heart, pocketed the flask. He was found dead, drowned on dry land, three weeks later. All suspected Mr. Alucard, but the flask remains missing. Mr. Alucard has given the job to another, certain that the flask had made its way home in one way or another. The job has been given to Harlianne James, Captain of the Bellona.
But others search for the flask as well. The English, although their soldiers will never admit to this, are seeking to use the flask as a weapon against the French, in order to gain control over the Caribbean waters. There are whispers that the flask's curse is essence of a pure power, one that boggles the mind and the senses. Many have attempted since to take the flask--and all have ended dead.
The sea is calling, lads. It's time to hoist the colors and set sail into these strange new waters...
Characters
Active:
- Harlianne James
Deceased:
- Captain Avery Swale - ???
Known NPCs:
- Mr. Alucard
The Caribbean
- Tortuga: This island was a haven for pirates and considered one of the most dangerous places in the Caribbean.
- Havanna: Called the capital of the New World, trade with countries other than Spain was prohibited here. All shipping had to be done with Spanish ships. Before returning to Europe, most ships would arrive at Havanna for food and water, and then head northward via the Gulf Stream. It was a strategic location, naval base, and center of communication, subjecting it to frequent attack by European sea powers.
- The Devil's Triangle: Also called the Bermuda Triangle, it is a mystical and deadly location in the Atlantic Ocean. Its waters are rumored to be the only depths that even Davy Jones would be too afraid to sail across.
- Port Royal: A prosperous town, it is a safe port for pirates to dock at, despite Jamaica outlawing piracy in 1687. This is largely due to corrupt customs officials, who allow pirates to dock in exchange for a share of the cargo.
- Naussau: Formerly a safe port for pirates, Naussau had its pirates hunted down and expelled in 1718 by Woodes Rogers. Rogers then called for the arrest of Calico Jack, Anne Bonney, and Mary Reade--some of the most well known pirates in the Caribbean.
Social Class
All nations have varying systems of social class. Outlined here are the basics for the main three nations -- England, France, and Spain. If you wish to portray a character of a different nationality, you will need to do a bit of research into the social class system there. Additionally, not all nations were seafaring, and some nations will have prejudices against others. You have been warned.
Members of the military have not been included in this system, since the military is unique. Officers will be assumed to be on the level of peers, while common sailors and soldiers will be on the level of the upper-middle class.
Remember, not all occupations have been listed. If you are uncertain as to where an occupation fits in with the social class scheme, just ask!
- The Royal Family
- Peers
- Gentry
- Baronet/Baroness (English only): Consider this as a pseudo-peerage. While it comes with a title and has to be granted by the Royal Family, that is about all. They are looked down upon by the rest of the peers, hence their placement here.
- Knight: This title is granted due to service to the crown. It can be passed down through the male line, only in service to the crown is sworn by the next in line. Females cannot hold such a title, unfortunately, for at least another century.
- Gentleman: These are those of 'new money.' They own property, such as lands or ships, and have become so wealthy as to be considered no longer a part of the middle class. Most of the children of gentlemen marry the poorer peers, in order to gain a title and gain a seat in the House of Lords.
- Upper Middle Class
- Clergy
- Physicians
- Lawyers
- Educators
- Merchants
- Manufacturers
- Shop Keepers
- Lower Middle Class
- Inn Keepers
- Artists
- Craftsman
- Laborers
- House Staff
- Lower Class
- Paupers
- Gypsies
- Thieves
- Prostitutes
- Pirates
Piracy
The life of a pirate is more complex than simply plundering and pillaging everything in sight. In history and in fictional portrayals, pirates operated by a code (although some regarded it as more akin to guidelines). There were systems in place to allow ships to function, as well as common superstitions and traditions. Included below are some of the basics. Any questions, just ask.
The Pirate's Code
- Befriend others wisely.
- A captured pirate cannot be harmed if they request to a crew member of the other ship to be taken to meet with said ship's captain.
- Any man who falls behind is left behind.
- Any person who refuses to serve aboard a pirate's ship shall vacate that ship instantly; that is to say, they shall die.
- Each crew member has an equal say.
“Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity makes it necessary for the common good that a retrenchment may be voted.” - No member of the crew shall rob another member.
“Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels, or money, they shall be marooned. If any man rob another, he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.” - Always be ready for combat.
“Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass and pistols, at all times clean and ready for action.” - Do not bring those who give you pleasure aboard.
“No boy or woman shall be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing one of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise, he shall suffer death.” - Do not desert.
“He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in the time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning.” - Shares of the treasure are not equal and are distributed according to rank.
“The Captain and the Quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the Master Gunner and Boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentlemen of fortune one share each.” - Those who are lose limbs shall be appropriately compensated.
"Thus they order for the loss of a right arm six hundred pieces of eight; for the loss of a left arm five hundred pieces of eight; for a right leg five hundred pieces of eight; for the left leg four hundred pieces of eight; for an eye one hundred pieces of eight; for a finger of the hand the same reward as for the eye." - Mum's the word.
"That no man shall open, or declare to any person or persons, who they are, or what designs they are upon; and any persons so offending shall be punished with immediate death."
Crew Positions
- Captain - an elected position. needs to be daring and decisive, as well as inspiring. in chase or battle the captain's powers are absolute, can discipline anyone who disobeys. Life and death power over prisoners. Generally skilled in navigation and seamanship.
- Quartermaster - next in line in authority after the captain. makes decisions and has authority over routine, day-to-day matters. elected by the crew and supposed to represent their interests, compensated with extra share of treasure. jobs are to maintain order, settle fights, and distribute food. keeps account books for the ship. can punish the crew for disobedience. usually leads boarding actions, decides the plunder to take. becomes captain of any captured ship.
- Sailing Master - in charge of piloting, navigation, and actual sailing. sometimes has been forced into piracy. determines the course, looks after navigation instruments.
- Boatswain - supervise maintenance of ship and naval provisions. Inspects the ship, sail and rigging each day, reports on conditions. In charge of all deck activities, such as weighing/dropping anchor, handling of sails.
- Carpenter - maintenance and repair of the wooden hull, masts and yards. Checks the hull regularly. Reports to the boatswain. Has no authority, but usually receives slightly larger portion of the share.
- Master Gunner - accountable for the ship's guns and ammunition. includes sifting the gunpowder, keeping it dry and prevent it from separating. ensuring cannons are free of rust. General good condition of all weapons.
- Mate - apprentice to sailing master, boatswain, carpenter and gunner. Jack of all trades type.
- Surgeon - responsible for the fitness of the crew. Often pressed into service. Sometimes prohibited from leaving the vessel until the crew has disbanded.
- Sailor - knows the rigging and the sails. understands how to maneuver the ship and sail under different conditions. discern weather patterns, read stars, anticipate desires of the commanders.
Miscellaneous
- East India Trading Company: A semi-military organization with the goal of monopolizing trade in the Caribbean and East Indies.
- "Pirate" Accent Generators - Here and here. These are good for helping with a more generic accent gained from years at sea. Basic.
- Great Britain and Ireland Accent Generators - here. This site has a collection of accent generators, which can help with writing dialogue for the English, the Irish, and the Scots.
- Naval Terminology: A collection of common words and jargon used when it comes to ships and open waters.
- Courtesy Titles: A brief guide on proper manners of address for those in the Peerage system.
- Example Skills: These should give you an idea for filling out your CS's, though this list is not all that is possible. Just an idea to get you going.
- Combat:
- Acrobatics
- Archery
- Athletics
- Axe (includes throwing and melee)
- Brawling
- Climbing
- Cutlass
- Daggers
- Dueling
- Fencing
- Flexibility
- Gymnastics
- Hand to Hand
- House
- Martial Arts (state which type)
- Musket and Bayonet
- Pistol
- Running
- Stamina
- General:
- Acting
- Ambidextrous
- Ballroom Dancing
- Barge or Raft
- Bartending
- Bluff
- Breaking and Entering
- Bribery
- Bribing
- Carriage Driving
- City Knowledge
- Class Knowledge
- Composure
- Concentration
- Cooking
- Country Knowledge
- Court Etiquette
- Culture Knowledge
- Deception
- Decipher Script (state which script)
- Deduction
- Diplomacy
- Disguise
- Escape Artist
- Field dressing
- Fishing
- Fletching
- Foraging
- Forgery
- Galley
- Gambling
- Geography
- Heraldry
- History
- Horseback Riding
- Hunting
- Induction
- Instrument
- Intuition
- Island Knowledge
- Keelboat
- Languages
- Leadership
- Linguistics
- Lock Picks
- Longship
- Lying
- Maintenance and Repair
- Masonry
- Mathematics
- Memorization
- Military Knowledge
- Mythos (state the mythos)
- Navigation
- Negotiations
- Observation
- Organization
- Pattern Analysis
- Perception
- Pick Pocketing
- Planning
- Reading/Writing
- Religion (state religion)
- Rowboat
- Sailing Ship
- Science (Astronomy)
- Science (Biological)
- Science (Chemistry/Physics)
- Sculpture
- Seamanship
- Seduction (High Class)
- Seduction (Street)
- Sewing
- Sign Language (state type)
- Singing
- Sketching
- Sleight of Hand
- Smithing
- Smuggling
- Stealth
- Street-Smarts
- Survival
- Swimming
- Tribal Dancing (specify the tribe)
- Warship
- Weakness Identification
- Combat:
The Lore
This list will be updated as information is revealed. Much of the information below is told by word of mouth, believed only by those who have sailed the seas for years and years. There is still more yet to be discovered...
- Davy Jones - the condemned captain of the Flying Dutchman, legend has it that this man rules the Seven Seas. There are stories of men who strike bargains with him, yet none appear to be credible. Still, there are those who believe.
- The Kraken - a legendary sea monster that preys upon ships. Many blame the kraken as the source of the deaths caused in the Devil's Triangle and some will even attempt to sell you the tooth of a kraken...Whether they are to be believed, of course, is up for debate.
- Witchcraft - those who practice magic are said to have made pacts with the devil. They are vulnerable to iron, but possess elongated lifespans. Most of them use long and complicated rituals to use their magic.
Rules
- Gm Is Goddess
- Gm has final say on all matters
- Gm does check on posting and log in habits
- If you are holding up the RP and joining other Rp's you will be called on it
- CS Sheet Provided Must Be Used
- Use code provided below
- Do not submit WIP's - Final CS's only
- Post CS for approval in OOC
- Only GM approved CS's allowed in CS Tab
- Change color code to one not in use
- If you have problems with changing out the color code or any of the coding, just pm it to me and I will take care of it for you.
- May not use default CS color, any colors currently in use by active characters or that are close to another characters color
- This is a slice of life rp
- Real Life cause and effect will be in place
- Realistic Character Sheets Only
- Things like jobs and skills must fit with characters back story
- Don't go overboard - seriously, enjoy not knowing things and learning as you go.
- Language - No Filters
- Gore - No Filters - This will get gross
- Taboo subjects will be crossed but will be maintained to fade to black if needed
- Romance is allowed but this is NOT a Romance RP - Pg-13, then fade to black
- Follow All Forum Rules
- Communication is Key
- The world is controlled by the GM - All NPC's, weather, what you see, what you find, what happens, everything. So if it isn't in my post, it didn't happens
- If you wish your character to have "connections" please run it by the GM first to ensure it is acceptable and isn't already being done by another.
- Randomization and LLA are used in this RP - Please refer to Lady Amalthea's tutorial for a description if you are new to this concept
- Posting Habits
- Minimal of 2 well developed paragraphs per post
- Must IC post once every 7 days (It is your job to keep up with when you need to post. Your last post hits Day 8 and I remove you from the RP.)
- I do not accept no inspiration as a reason not to post
- Keep up with all IC and OOC posts
- No word in IC or OOC after 7 days is grounds for removal from the RP.
- If you need additional time to post you must notify the Gm by day 5 of your counter. Extensions will not be granted after that.
- No spamming OOC
- Under Extras in the CS mention your favorite pirate so I know you at least skimmed this...
- Minimal 2 posts between your last
- There is no additional time granted due to forum glitches unless the forum is fully down. A week to post is plenty of time even if the forum glitches a day or two
- Collabs may not be started after your day 5 counter
- If you are collabing and your partner vanishes or does not reply, you must finish the collab and post it before the timer runs out
- If your collab partner vanishes you are granted temporary minimal bunnying privileges to complete the collab
- If your collab partner vanishes, you need to make the Gm aware so it does not count against you
- Know your personal posting limitations before applying to join
- If you cannot post, you must contact the GM and make me aware, you will be granted extra time to post (do not take advantage of this) - I realize real life comes first but you know your schedule better than anyone, if you join it is your responsibility to keep up and not hold up the rest of the Rpers. I will work with you, just let me know what's going on
- Spots are not first come first serve
- Gm will review completed CS first
- Gm will review previous Rp's and posting habits
- Gm will then notify you if you are approved
- Character deaths will happen, no one is safe - it will be randomized and you will be notified when your death approaches. (This does not mean you are out of the RP, it will mean however you need to make a new character should you wish to continue - I recommend having Back Up Characters Ready)
- I am looking for long term highly dedicated Rpers. This RP is within the same universe as Abandoned Hope, which finished after eight months.
- Once Cs's are approved, relation sheet will go up and must be completed and added to CS
- Rules and Cs sheet will be added to and changed as need be depending on problems or points that come up.
- Under Extras in your CS please post a link to a post you have done in the past to show you have read the rules. If You submit a CS without this it may be declined.
- Special - To New Comers To The Guild - Pm The Gm for a tid bit to add under extras instead
Character Sheet
Below is the character sheet required for the RP. Those of you from Abandoned Hope will notice that I've been generous when it comes to the amount of skills you can have. Please do not take advantage of this, and keep things realistic. The increased number of skills is designed to accommodate for knowledge sets required to survive in the Carribean.
Relation Sheet
You will record your thoughts and opinions on other characters. To start the RP, you are required to have one relation to start with. If you're having trouble coming up with one, let me know and I can sort it out for you. There'll be periodic moments throughout the RP where I ask that you update these.
There is also a space included for your observations. Clues and points of interest can be placed there, in order to help you follow the story as it progresses. This is for your own benefit, as while this is not a mystery RP, things will build on each other.
Sound Track
- Hoist the Colors by Hans Zimmer - Strange New Waters Theme
- Save My Soul by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Harlianne's Theme
Quick Note
Please do remember that there are some historical prejudices. Women may have had more opportunities as pirates, for example, but life still wasn't perfect for them. Sexism, classism, and racism were all active and dominant forces. People were (and still are today) prejudiced over a large amount of things. Think about nationality, sexuality, self expression, religion...That will all come up in this RP. Hell, slavery was legal back in 1719. And while we will stay accurate to the times, I really want to drive this point across:
There is a difference between writing a character who has prejudices and writing a scene prejudicially. The use of racial slurs will NOT be tolerated and will mean an automatic removal from the RP. (Seriously, don't even try me >.>).
Additionally, please do note that there will be some factual errors with this RP when it comes to history. The class system depicted above is a good example, as it has been modified slightly in order to work for our purposes better. Either things will be simplified for comprehension or they will be altered to better fit the storyline. I will try my best to keep this historically accurate, but any arguments about the historical accuracy of the RP will not be tolerated. This is a world I've helped to create for you--it won't be perfect. It is the way it is.
