Plot:
In a rough and tumble tavern sitting squat on the docks of Port Royal, a group of old ship mates come together by chance (or not?) for a flagon or two of ale and some good rum. Whilst they boast and brag of their achievements over the past years, Captain Cutthroat recognizes an item in the possession of Yellow Side, an item from her past...
As a young woman, Cutthroat overhears the boastful chatter of a renowned seamen. Jack is his name, and he claims to have a map that leads to the Fountain of Youth. Her interest immediately perked, Cutthroat stows away on Jack's ship the next day, in the hopes that she would find this fabled map. While she is snooping around a weapons closet (under heavy lock and key, of course) she stumbles upon an ancient wooden figurine, carved into the likeness of a sea turtle. Upon its back is set a large gemstone, along with numerous archaic carvings. Cutthroat knew in an instant that it was something important, something valuable, what with all the locks and compartments that had hidden it from her. She made to hide it in her pockets, but at that moment, she was discovered by the Captain himself.
They resolved to maroon her on the next strip of land they could find, but salvation came for Cutthroat in the nick of time in the form of a heavy gale that threw the ship into the rocks, smashing it to smithereens. Cutthroat survived the initial danger, but nearly died in the frigid waters. Rescue did come, though, in the form of a British Naval ship. With sharp wits and a quick tongue she convinced them that the pirates had taken her captive, and thus her life was spared.
For a day the British sailors scavenged among the ruins of the corsair, sifting through the flotsam and wreckage for any treasures they could find. Though Cutthroat never caught sight of the turtle or the map, she knew there was a great possibility that both had survived. What with the turbulent waters they swam in, the map might be lifted to the surface, and the turtle was made of wood, and was not weighed down by frivolous gilding of gold, with only a meager gemstone as decoration. But where could they be? Cutthroat would not know for years to come...
Now, upon seeing it again, Cutthroat knows the carvings to be a clue, to what she can't rightly guess. But she can feel in her navel that it will lead to the Fountain of Youth, and to everlasting life...
She, Yellow Side, Captain Classy and the former Pirate King agree to set sail the next day, Cutthroat responsible for acquiring a ship and a crew.
****
Good so far? I think so! Here's the cast as of right now:
Moriah Leila: Captain Cutthroat. She shall be our captain, and Captain Classy will have to live under her rule!
Me: the former Pirate King. He owns the tavern where the ship mates reunited again. Since he owns the tavern, he agreed to close down his business and pay for whatever ship Cutthroat deems best in the form of barrels of ale (the rum being saved for their own stores). His recent past remains a mystery...
captain.classy: Plays Captain Classy! She covets the wooden turtle for herself, and may not appreciate taking orders from Cutthroat. She and Cutthroat will have to figure out what classy gets to do, with her main position being commandeered by another.
Durriedog: Yellow Side. Known for her foul tongue and tough skin, Yellow Side will be up in the crows nest, as she's the only one who has a head for the heights.
*****
Now, since we will need a crew, other people will be able to join, though I think we have enough female characters to last a pirate lifetim. If you're a girl and you want to join, it would be best if you made a male character to balance things out (the Pirate King is lonely!).
Character Stencil:
Name: Somethin' piratey, you bilge rat!
Age: Anything at all; keep in mind that any really young characters will be looked down upon by the crew.
Description: Hair, no hair? Eye patch? Legs?
Position: See below
History: Tell us about your pirate now, or tell us later, just make sure he has some kind of background (secrets are always cool).
Weapon preference: Pistol? Saber? Scimitar? Hooks, cudgels, clubs, cannons? Whatever happens to be in his hand at the moment?
Fighting style: Every pirate has to have a fighting style, from the barroom brawl type to the finesse of a fencer.
Other:
If there's anything you feel I should add, please tell me!
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Ship positions:
Quartermaster - Out of their distrust of dictatorial rule, pirates of the Golden Age placed a large portion of the captain's traditional role and power into the hands of an elected quartermaster who became second-in-command and almost a co-captain through his representing the best interests of the crew.
The captain watches as the quartermaster punishes as a foreman, he was in charge of maintaining order, distributing rations and supplies, delegating work, and guarding and dividing plunder. In fighting, the quartermaster decided what ships were worth it and often led any boarding party, ultimately deciding what loot to keep. When discipline or punishment was necessary, only he could give it, but even then it was with the agreement of the captain or the vote of the pirate crew.
In the worst of situations, he was a sheriff enforcing fairness in duels or a judge presiding over jury trials for serious crimes committed among the crew. For all his hard work, the quartermaster received a larger portion of any plunder and would often be asked to command any highly valued ship taken in battle.
This is an option for Captain Classy!
Boatswain (bos'n) - This position may be compared to the modern chief petty officer. A ship of any size would require the boatswain to oversee several junior officers who would share his responsibility for the crew's morale and work efficiency as well as the maintenance and repair of the hull, rigging, lines, cables, sails, and anchors.
Gunner - A gunner would be the leader of any separate group manning the artillery. His special skill would be in aiming, but he would oversee the four to six men required to take the gun through the steps of loading, aiming, firing, resetting, and swabbing for the next load. He would also work to ensure the gun crew's safety in avoiding dangerous overheating or excessive recoiling of the weapon. A master gunner would help to coordinate the timing and accuracy of the individual crews, especially when a broadside was ordered.
Powder Monkey - This term was first used in the British Navy for the very young men who made up most gun crews in the 17th century. In contrast to a pirate officer who was elected, these poor souls were forced to perform what was some of the most dangerous work on the ship. They were harshly treated and rarely paid, and if they avoided being mortally wounded in their service, desertion was probably as attractive as having very little hope of being promoted in the pirate crew.
Surgeons, Cooks - Yet another highly valued position, surgeons would often be grabbed from crews of captured ships, although they would not be ordinarily be asked to sign the articles. He would be expected to deal with colds, fevers, or sexual diseases with an assortment of mercurial medicines or other current treatments, and the carnage of battle often required amputations in hopes of saving the wounded.
Note: We don't necessarily need to fill all these positions, nor do you need to have any kind of extensive knowledge about them. It's a storybook, which means we should enjoy this!
Rules:
All YWS rules apply
Post every few days, or your character will be "disposed of." If for some reason you can't post for a while, but would like to stay in the storybook when you return, PM either me or Moriah Leila and we might be able to commandeer your position for a bit!
Obviously, swearing is allowed (we are pirates, after all!), but keep in mind that words like f**k didn't really occur back then (I think). Our language will be made up mostly of what the pirates considered curses, and probably won't make anyone uncomfortable.
We are pirates, so there will be references to "easy wenches" and the like, but I don't think any of us wants to read a detailed sex scene, thank you very much.
Try and use proper pirate grammar, and dumb down the Webster's vocabulary a bit. If you're unsure what terms to use, check out our Pirate Glossary.
Have fun, and keep this storybook going! We're hoping to finish this one! (But who doesn't hope that?)
Gender:
Points: 1639
Reviews: 261