Cutlass, Sail, and Cannon
In essence, this is a forum RP set in the Caribbean during 1657. As one might tell from the title, it's primarily centered around the golden age of piracy that occurs around this time. Britain had just taken Jamaica, Tortuga pirates were being based out of Port Royal, and letters of marque were being handed out like candy.
As a participant, you have hundreds of options as to what you can play as. For example, one might roleplay a press-ganged drunk in a small Spanish town, or the surgeon aboard a pirate brigantine. Players are allowed to RP as pirate or navy captains - However, permission must be requested from myself. Obviously we can't have everybody running around with their own ship.
It is very important that you read up on the canon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Piracy)before participating.
You may not RP as a monarch, but, if you request permission, you may be able to play as a governor. We probably won't have another governor, though, unless we get more players.
It is encouraged that you play as pirates, merchants, or naval lads. Townsmen don't drive RP as much, but can still help quite a bit.
New vessels require authorization - We don't want everybody running around on their own ship.
For those who have read this far, but are still clueless about what forum RP is: In essence, you write a story centered around a character in a certain age. The main differences between forumRP and serverRP are the graphics and writing quality. When roleplaying on a forum, one must be much more descriptive in his or her sentences, and possess much more creativity overall. You're expected, on this thread, to make posts of about 400-500 words at a time; you won't have another player butting in to help drive the plotline.
To define some terms:
'Non Player Characters': are just that - A character that isn't directly controlled by one of the players as if it were his or her main. An example of this would be of a player's crew, when he acts as the captain. If there are players serving underneath that captain, they would not be considered NPCs.
'Power gaming': occurs when you force major actions upon another player's character in one of your posts. For example, if Player A and Player B were involved in a laser battle with some NPCs, Player A would not be permitted to roleplay Player B getting killed. Your character is your own, and you must permission from the other player before making a major commitment for them.
It is *NOT* powergaming to force actions upon NPCs.
'PTL - Playing To Lose': is, as you know, a vital concept in all role plays. This comes into particular effect when going up against another player. For example, Player A and Player B are in a sea battle aboard opposing ships. Player B, with the inferior ship, should roleplay losing the battle; vis-a-vis, Player A, the superior, should not completely annihilate Player B and his or her vessel.
'God Modeing': consists of tanking through dozens of NPCs under improbable odds, or else refusing to PTL when interacting with another player. Essentially the opposite of PTL.
Roleplay Expectations:
- Posts must be at least 350 words long. The recommended range is 400-500, although you're encouraged to write more if you so choose.
- Do not powergame or god mode.
- All characters must be registered in the information thread before you can use them. Each character you register must have a thought-out backstory (ie. profession, birth place, general upbringing, etcetera.)
- Each story post you make must be titled. Titling format is '[character name], [location], [profession]. [optional: activity]'. Eg 'Ernest Cumberbatch, Port Royal, Governor. Embarking on a Voyage to Guadeloupe.
- Post at least once every two weeks for each character, or it can be killed by another player without your consent. This standard may be raised or lowered.
- Do not take on more characters than you can maintain.
- Follow major aspects of canon, but feel free to slightly alter it to suit the betterment of RP.
- If you choose to become a captain, first get approval, and then fill out the ship registration template.
Character Registration
Pirates
Antigua: John Gatsby, Surgeon aboard the brigantine Brimstone --Globey
Samana, San Domingo: Santiago Drake, Mercenary Captain aboard the caravel The Morbid Eel of the Seven Seas --EmperorDisaster
Tortuga, 'Haiti': Fenix Watson, Unemployed 'Captain.' -- The Joke
Navy
SPANISH
Havana, Cuba: Renaldo Benito, Captain aboard the sixth rate Felicia --hockeygoalie5
Havana, Cuba: Enrico de Madrid, Lieutenant aboard the sixth rate Felicia --Hazard Time
Townsmen
JAMAICA
Port Royal: Ernest Cumberbatch, Governor. -- Globey
Port Royal: San-Maria Esqueno, Prostitute. --Nick
Port Royal: Gorbechev 'Rum' Tavern, Bartender. --Tyler
Port Royal: Linara Trefferson, Thief. --Challenge of death sex<3
FLORIDA:
Cayo De Marquis: Enrico de Madrid, Trade Magnate --cfitz22- lolwat
Merchants
Nassau: Jonathan Langley, captain --Globey
Character name:
Character profession:
Character affiliation:
Character location:
Character nationality:
I have read the expectations, and promise to follow them:
Character backstory (Summary in ~100words):
We may be getting a separate story thread, and be using this as the OOC information thread. In any case, RP won't occur until we have at least 6 different people.
Ship name:
Ship type:
Ship affiliation:
Captain:
Player controlled crew:
Number of NPC crew:
Number of guns:
Ship location:
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service):
Ship types: http://piratemaster.wetpaint.com/page/Types+of+Ships
General knowledge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Piracy
Alternate, inferior ship list: http://www.thepirateking.com/ships/ship_types.htm
Ship prefixes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_prefix
Modern map of the Caribbean (Kingston = Port Royal): http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/CIA_map_Central_America_%26_Caribbean.png
Older, better map of the Carribean: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/Hauntsofthebrethren.jpg
Galleon information: http://www.cindyvallar.com/galleons.html
Registered Vessels
Ship name: Felicia (ESPS Felicia to non-Spanish; Spain does not use prefixes internally)
Ship type: 6th Rate Ship of the Line
Ship affiliation: Spanish Navy
Captain: Captain Renaldo Benito
Player controlled crew: Lieutenant Lorenzo Moreño (need: 1 more lieutenant, maybe surgeon, less maybe marine lieutenant)
Number of NPC crew: 162 (including 19 officers and 23 marines)
Number of guns: 28, and 4 swivel.
Ship location: Docked off of Havana, Cuba
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service):
Lt. Renaldo was in Havana with his Captain when he was promoted. Offered a smaller frigate, he refused, and purchased a larger Sixth Rate. The ship has not seen any service, and is waiting for its crew off of Havana.
Ship name: Brimstone
Ship type: Brigantine
Ship affiliation: Pirate
Captain: Peter Morton
Player controlled crew: Globey - Surgeon.
Number of NPC crew: 18
Number of guns: 10 fixed.
Ship location: Antigua
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service):
Originally made in Bristol, the Valiant was dedicated to transporting high profile cargo and passengers along trans-Atlantic voyages. One one such trip, a severe navigation blunder was made by the Captain. Concerned for their own lives, the crew committed mutiny, tossed the captain overboard, and installed a new one. Eventually, the ship drifted into Havana, where it was hastily renamed to the Brimstone. Not yet officially charged with an offense, the crew prowls the waters, looking for a plump target.
Ship name: The Morbid Eel of the Seven Seas
Ship type: Caravel
Ship affiliation: Pirate, Spanish
Captain: Captain Santiago Drake
Player controlled crew: N/A
Number of NPC crew: 10 men, 5 fighters.
Number of guns: 3.
Ship location: Stationed in Samana docks.
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service): The ugly little ship was built by tradesmen for 5 years with thoughts of trading in mind, but the ship's design was so crude that none had bought it. That was until Santiago bought it for 500 gold pieces, asking for it to be equipped with three cannons for just 50 pieces a gun. The merchant agreed, so long as Santiago was able to keep it safe. Somehow, in the years it was abandoned, it had grown on him. The ship was redesigned with a new flag, had his men wash down the deck and filled it with his supplies bought from merchants. He estimated that if he charged 100 pieces a job, and spent 50 on supplies, he could work around gaining profit from his work. Still, the ship was now his, and although tiny, it was ready for almost any senario... ALMOST.
Ship name: Barco de Arrenez
Ship type: Light Frigate
Ship affiliation: PFTC
Captain: Juan Vasquez (Formerly commanded by Enrico de Madrid)
Player controlled crew: 0
Number of NPC crew: 20
Number of weapons: 3 cannons (each side), 15 rifles, 10 pistols (flintlock), 20 cutlasses
Ship location: (Location will vary, trade ship)
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service): This ship was made in Pascua Florida. It only had one owner. It is commanded by Juan Vasquez. It now trades with many factions all around the Carribean.
Ship name: Friend of Sherman
Ship type: Medium Galleon
Ship affiliation: PFTC
Captain: Sherman Abernathy
Player controlled crew: 0
Number of NPC crew: 20
Number of guns: 20 (per side)
Ship location: (Trade ship, location varies)
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service): The Friend of Sherman is an old ship. It was made before Columbus sailed to the Americas. It was sailed to Florida and abandoned after Pirates attacked. But the British Royal Navy recovered it and brought it back to port. It was then taken command of by Sherman Abernathy who in turn, joined the PFTC.
Ship name: The Black Widow
Ship type: Medium Frigate
Ship affiliation: PFTC
Captain: James Quincy
Player controlled crew: 0
Number of NPC crew: 30
Number of guns: 4 (per side)
Ship location: (Trade ship, location varies)
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service): The Black Widow was originally named by a Pirate. But when he retired from his work, he sold the ship. James Quincy later purchased it and sailed it everywhere. He later joined the PFTC and now trades as one of them.
Ship name: Lord Simon
Ship type: Man-O-War (Yes... Read the backstory of it and understand.)
Ship affiliation: PFTC
Captain: Jackson Hake
Player controlled crew: 0
Number of NPC crew: 40
Number of guns: 15 (per side[used to be 20 per side])
Ship location: (Trade ship, location varies)
Ship backstory (Where it was made, brief record of its service): This massive beast was built in Port Royal by the British Navy. Ten years of service passed until the British sold it for having major issues with the masts. But Jackson Hake's crew came along and fixed it up and sailed it. They later joined the PFTC and removed 10 of the guns so that they could hold cargo.
Character name: Ernest Cumberbatch
Character profession: Governor, Port Royal
Character affiliation: Townsmen
Character location: Port Royal
Character nationality: British
I have read the expectations, and promise to follow them: Yush
Character backstory (Summary in ~100words): A British governor installed after the recent invasion of Port Royal. He was born in England to a rather incohesive family, and was well educated throughout his youth. What he lacks for in physical skills, he makes up for in financial prowess. His father, a British noble, came to a major disagreement with Ernest; the choice became to take a post as the governor of a rowdy, unkempt town, or face political squalor. While many men would leap at the chance, Ernest quailed. Nevertheless, the consequences if he didn't leave were too much to bear. Ernest gathered a retinue and chartered a ship to Port Royal, where he has since remained.
Character name: Harry Langley
Character profession: Merchant Captain.
Character affiliation: Merchant
Character location: Nassau
Character nationality: British
I have read the expectations, and promise to follow them: Yes
Character backstory (Summary in ~100words): Harry Langley is a sailor born and raised. He was born in Grand Bahama, and lived there until the age of six. From then on, he started to serve aboard navy and merchant ships, either as a powder monkey or cabin boy. He quickly became adored by all of the crews he worked with, whether military or civilian. After seeing what a cannon ball could do to a man at close range, he decided to start serving only on merchant ships. Come the age of 20, and you would find Harry serving as a helmsmen. By 22, a lieutenant - By the age of 28, he was the captain of his own ship.