Age of Skysail: Fate Core Group Game

[chaoslord29]

The Age of Skysail: A 17th Century Swashbuckling Airborne Adventure

Introduction-
As originally pitched by The Glyphstone:

Bioshock Infinite meets Pirates of the Caribbean. The Age of Sail never happened, replaced by the Age of Sky as colonialism and airship technology advanced hand-in-hand. Rather than send out expensive expeditions to colonize foreign soil, the great powers of Europe sent their air fleets to build flying towns and cities, laying claim to and exploiting the natural resources of the ground beneath them (and the primitive, land-bound natives who lived there). Control over the vast riches of Africa and the Americas depended on ownership of the floating fortresses above them, and with the dangers of long ocean voyages removed, gunboat diplomacy becomes as common as the more peaceful version.

The Year is 1620, war is brewing in Europe between the central powers and the east, as the Holy Roman Empire rips itself apart at the seams: Frederick V is backed by Spain and the Polish Confederacy, while Ferdinand II and his Bohemian supporters are backed by the Protestant Union (Bavaria, Denmark, Sweden, Saxony, etc.) and Ottoman Empire. England (and the Duke of Buckingham) fuels conflict in France by supporting Huguenot rebels, while Cardinal Richelieu schemes to secure his hold on the the young king, Louis XVIII through his Italian Catholic Mother, Marie de'Medici. All these machinations and maneuverings are fueled by the mad grab for resources across the Americas, Africa, and India, with European Skyships and Flying Fortresses allow them to carve up the less "civilized" world to their liking.

Managing these colonies and securing trade routes and supply is made possible thanks to the efforts of large joint stock companies such as the East India Company, The Dutch Colonial Venture Company, and the Franco-American Compact. These companies hold various charters and contracts with their national governments that allow them very nearly free reign abroad necessary to exploit whatever resources they can get their hands on. Pirate ships and fleets abound, competing with the private armies and navies of these massive companies, as well as the various mercenary legions whose fickle loyalty makes them little better than pirates themselves.

Amongst these multifarious factions, independence is hard to come by, but there are those who find a means by which to ply the skies with a degree of freedom; these Privateers hold letters of marque which officially sanction them to operate in the interest of the various great powers as agents, adventurers, spies, and emissaries, whilst preserving an air of "deniability".

System Information-
Fate Core Rules will serve as the base mechanics for this game.
Extras: Group Vehicle Wealth?

Application Process-
Please submit a character profile utilizing the following skeleton:

Code Select Expand

[b]Name[/b]: Your characters name (feel free to make it snazzy)
[b]High Concept[/b]: Feel free to throw out a couple different options here, remembering that your High Concept is your first Aspect
[b]Trouble[/b]: Your trouble, with a brief explanation of how you think it might apply in play
[b]Backstory[/b]: The Who, What, Where, When and How your character was born, raised, educated, trained, etc. Remember that country of origin (and religious affiliation) may affect the way NPCs and others interact with you. A couple of sentences, maybe a whole paragraph is all you need. Choose one Aspect derived from your backstory.
[b]First Adventure[/b]: Your character's introduction into the life of a privateer, whether that means officially receiving letters of mark from the monarch of your home (or another) country, or just setting out to make your fortune by any means necessary. Choose another Aspect from the adventure.

Feel free to throw out multiple potential Aspects you think would be good, and I'll be discussing them with each character individually. For a more complete picture, and to assist you in this endeavor, try to think of at least one way you would Invoke the Aspect and one way in which it could be used for a Compel against you. Include them, or pm them to me if you wish to keep some elements confidential.

[chaoslord29]

Politics
Major European Powers; Those with significant colonial interests, budding imperialist governments, and the strongest navies-
England: Virginia Colony, Plymouth Colony, Hudson Bay
France: Canada
Spain: South and Central America
The Ottoman Empire: The Barbary Coast and Near East
The Holy Roman Empire
The Dutch Republic
Portugal: Brazil

Contested Regions; Hotspots of activity where all the major players have some influence, but no major control
The Caribbean
West Africa
India
The South Pacific

Joint Stock Companies; Though (mostly) loyal to their nations of origin, these new corporations control shipping, negotiate trade agreements rights, and conduct most of the 'on the ground' business associated with exploiting the native populations and their resources. They have their own fleets and armies (and agendas), exercising a certain amount of sovereignty on foreign soil as dictated by their charters with the rulers of the European powers-
The East India Company (British)
The Dutch Colonial Venture Company
The Franco-American Compact

Technology
Day to day:
Sail Power, Muzzle Loading Firearms, Touch-hole Cannons, Coffee, Tea, Heliocentric Universe (Earth Orbits the Sun), The Spinning Wheel, Graphite Pencils, Periodicals (News Papers and Magazines)

Modern Marvels:
Flint-Lock Firearms, Compound Microscope, the Thermometer, Medicinal Tobacco, Cavorite Flight Technology, The Reflecting Telescope, Chemistry (as opposed to Alchemy), the 'Flush' Toilet, Bank Notes (Paper Money), Ice-Cream, Refracting Telescope, Logarithms,

On the horizon:
Steam Power, The Scientific Revolution, Industrial Technology, Percussion Cap Firearms, Electricity, The Mercury Barometer, Calculus, Coke Blast Furnace, Rubber, Modern Steel

Cavorite Flight Technology-
Cavorite is the particular rare and volatile mineral ore that has provided for our age of Flying ships. Aeronautical (as opposed to just nautical) vessels utilize a combination of cavorite ore which (when wet) generates an anti-grav effect allowing a ship to fly, and balloons filled with C-Gas, a byproduct of cavorite refinement. Cavorite is highly unstable in it's natural state, and will combust violently when subjected to much more than a cool, static environment: there is enough explosive power in a handful of cavorite to blow off a limb if dropped from waist height, or exposed to an open candle flame.

Experiments with cavorite as a potential military technology had disastrous consequences ever since it's discovery in the early 1500s, and it was not until the end of the century and the efforts of Alexander Mason, whose process of refinement (now known as Masonizing) rendered it into a generally stable state, with the amazing property to create lift when exposed to moisture. The byproduct of this process, cavorium trihydride, displayed similar properties and in conjunction with an iron-cavorium alloy, Mason developed the first sky faring vessels, earning himself a lord-hood and revolutionizing exploration and warfare.

C-Gas is plentiful and easier to come by, but goes inert over time and is also highly flammable.  A cost-effective solution for smaller military vessels and merchants on a budget, the necessity of a balloon takes up space that might otherwise be used for more sails, not to mention the explosive potential it represents in combat situations.

Refined Cavorite by comparison is used to some degree on almost all full-sized vessels as part of the keel or hull of a ship and water pumped from any convenient source is used to wet it and send the ship aloft. Allowed to dry out, the ship will descend slowly, but otherwise the use of rudders and planes allow for combat maneuvering. Vessels which rely solely on cavaorite can be fitted with more sails and overall canvas, making them faster and potentially more maneuverable than balloon vessels, as well as better in a drawn out fight since they have less risk of explosive combustion. Cavorite Vessels are a symbol of wealth and power, with the largest military vessels (dreadnoughts), sky-fortresses, and floating colony ships have entire hulls or else solid cores of the purest cavorite.

[chaoslord29]

Reserved: Character Profiles & Applications

Submitted-
Lieutenant Catrina Donalda Fraser, "A Life on the Ocean Wave" (Pumpkin Seeds)
East India Company Man (kckolbe)
Jean-Jacques ("Jack") Alvey, Finest Ships Cook in the Skies (Jefepato)
Huckster Chinese Mystic (Hairy Heretic)
Approved-
"Lia" Li Yan, Silver Tongued Emissary to the West (mai)
Sir Humphrey Irving Battle, Master and Commander (SGTDAN )
Bastard Prince of the Skies (The Glyphstone)

[kckolbe]

So does anyone have a role they particularly want to play?  For example, I'd like to play either a merchant captain or navigator.

[chaoslord29]

I think we should also establish if you, as the player characters would like to have your own ship which you all crew or are the crew of, or whether you'd like to leave the door open for having your own individual ships.

[kckolbe]

I am completely okay with being captain of a small ship that is part of a small fleet.  Perhaps 1 average warship (Nao-equivalent maybe?), 1 small merchant ship with minor defenses, and 1 ship with NPC captain/crew for later plot hooks?

[TheGlyphstone]

I think we should all be crewmembers of one 'PC' ship - under either a PC captain or NPC captain, to make keeping the 'party' (for lack of a better term) together easier on the GM. We can have another ship or two under NPC control as part of our 'fleet' if we like, though.

[chaoslord29]

I'm inclined to say players should feel free to have your own ship, so long as it can be accounted for in their backstory and has a related Aspect; "Captain of the Sparrow" being your High Concept for example.

From there we can determine if you as the PCs want to be crewmembers aboard that vessel, but I think any more than two or three ships would get pretty cumbersome. Assuming no one wants to take the plunge as Captain, I was already thinking of having some sort of mysterious benefactor as the impetus for your little party coming together. Such an individual could readily provide you with a ship, or else, help to outfit one you already have.

[SGTDan]

I think we should all be crewmembers of one 'PC' ship - under either a PC captain or NPC captain, to make keeping the 'party' (for lack of a better term) together easier on the GM. We can have another ship or two under NPC control as part of our 'fleet' if we like, though.

We should run it like Rogue Trader, I think if we allow people to have their own ships, it may get out of hand. Of course there is the possibility that this could be a privateer fleet where someone is the leader and sends others on missions, lets them loose etc. That's an idea at least.


Also Chaoslord, you missed a major colonial interest for England, Hudson's Bay Company in Canada.

[chaoslord29]

We should run it like Rogue Trader, I think if we allow people to have their own ships, it may get out of hand. Of course there is the possibility that this could be a privateer fleet where someone is the leader and sends others on missions, lets them loose etc. That's an idea at least.


Also Chaoslord, you missed a major colonial interest for England, Hudson's Bay Company in Canada.

I'm not familiar with Rogue Trader as a game on it's own (though I know the lore via 40k), so if you could elaborate a little, I know it would be helpful to me and likely the other potential applicants as well. I also don't want to rule out characters having their own ships if that's what they really want, though unless we're going to add in the optional rules for allies/sidekicks/minions it probably won't be anything bigger than a cutter or ketch.

Altogether, the party as a whole would be well suited to make up the crew of a sloop, brig, or schooner. If you want to be the officers of a larger ship, I'd say a brig or war or sloop of war is the best bet, and at most, a small frigate.

On the whole, I'm operating on the principle that skyships have to be smaller and lighter than their nautical historical counterparts actually were. Not to say that their aren't going to be larger vessels, just that I figure there's a much greater disparity between the smallest skyships and the biggest men'o'war.

[SGTDan]

In Rogue Trader, you all fill out the command staff of a ship. Everyone has a different jobs on the ship such a navigator,logistics etc. All decisions on tend to be a joint venture however the Rogue Trader in charge (Captain of the ship) has the final say. You basically decide what missions to do, what trade deals to broker and all that stuff as you try to strike it rich.

Rogue Traders are given a writ from the Imperium, much like a privateers, to explore beyond the boundaries of Imperial Space. This writ passes to the Trader's descendants. The Rogue Trader and his family, and the vessels they command, which can comprise a small fleet in some cases, are exempt from many Imperial laws and regulations, but is still under Imperial scrutiny. Rogue traders that dabble too heavily in alien trade, or other "heretical" practices, could still be investigated and executed by the Inquisition.

How the wiki article puts it.

Your mandate is to go beyond the borders of the Imperium, to explore the unknown reaches of space, to seek out riches beyond measure, and to risk all to gain everlasting glory or eternal damnation. You stand at the threshold of unlimited opportunity. Stake your claim.

How the official website puts it.

[TheGlyphstone]

Yup. It's basically playing the bridge crew of the Enterprise - captain, medical officer, engineer, navigator, gunner, etc., complete with away-team missions - but in the WH40K universe.

[chaoslord29]

That wouldn't be a bad way to go about it. But I wouldn't want to pigeon hole potential players into various roles. One of the draws of the Fate System after all is that you have totally freeform character creation. No classes or restrictions on the kind of character you want to build, and I'd like to preserve that as much as possible.

I think it's best if we avoid a captain-crew relationship between PCs. Let's assume that even if you're all on the same ship, you all have your own letter's of marque or contracts (or a lack thereof) with someone other than the captain of the vessel.

As of right now, is there anyone who would definitely like to play a Captain?

Edit:
After going over the Extras section in the Core rules a few readings, and a little thought on top, I'm thinking the ship should be treated very much like a character itself (as per there suggested rules for Vehicles). I can see the appeal of having a couple of different ships or a small fleet, but I think it will be more fun and dramatic if you all feel invested and have contributed to crafting a ship with Aspects, Stunts, and Skills all it's own; much like the Millennium Falcon, or the Black Pearl.

Basically, I want everyone to invest at least one Aspect (and possibly Stunt) which will be shared or mirrored by the ship itself. Depending on what that Aspect is helps shape your roll on the vessel, and suggests that the character who invests the most Aspects, Stunts, and Skills in the ship, will be the council.

Any thoughts, criticisms, complaints, suggestions?

[TheGlyphstone]

Sounds like a neat idea, If I understand it right - say, if I take the aspect 'Too Tough To Give Up', that might be reflected in the ship as 'Tough As Iron'?

[chaoslord29]

Sounds like a neat idea, If I understand it right - say, if I take the aspect 'Too Tough To Give Up', that might be reflected in the ship as 'Tough As Iron'?

That's the gist of the idea, yes, though I would say the Aspect in question should probably be a little more pertinent or directed at the ship. Too Tough to Quit is great as an Aspect goes, but it's very much a personal thing and doesn't suggest a lot about your role as a member of the crew or a relationship to the ship itself.

Something like Iron Willed Master at Arms (as a High Concept) or "Don't Give up the Ship!" would be more of what I was thinking, since those pertain directly to the vessel, and might have accompanying aspects like Ole' Ironsides, Reinforced Hull or "This Ship Can't Sink"

So the ship should wind up having at least as many Aspects as there are PCs, possibly more if some characters want to invest more Aspects related to their ship. I'll give you guys a handful of extra Stunts as well or else allow some more regular stunts to grant specific boons to the ship.

The other issue is how to handle any crew besides yourselves, which to me suggests the Leadership skill should be available to anyone who wants to be an officer, perhaps with the Skill's rating applying to relative rank on board the vessel. So if you have Leadership at Great or Good, you outrank anyone else with a Leadership rating of Average or lower. The only reason I'm hesitant on this one is that PCs being able to give other PCs orders can become a sticky situation real quick.

[TheGlyphstone]

Since we're dealing with airships, what phlembotium are we employing to allow flight? Maybe a fictional mineral/gas that can be mined and converted into airship fuel, giving the colonial powers one more valuable thing to explore for and fight over? I.e. Cavorite

[chaoslord29]

Since we're dealing with airships, what phlembotium are we employing to allow flight? Maybe a fictional mineral/gas that can be mined and converted into airship fuel, giving the colonial powers one more valuable thing to explore for and fight over? I.e. Cavorite

I wasn't going to bring up the potential for phlembotium until someone else did, particularly as part of their character concept or idea. I'm a big believer in the idea that character creation is the first step in fleshing out the world that's being created simultaneously. To that end, I pretty much just assumed that things were exactly like they would be historically, except seafaring = skyfaring. I'm willing to say that the exact mechanism for that is ambiguous and wholly behind the scenes (reduced gravity, subtle changes to lighter than air physics, the omni-utility of quantum indeterminacy, etc).

Basically, unless you want some sort of phlembotium substance to factor into your character concept or creation, don't worry about it. That said, if you have a cool character concept, let's say the equivalent of 17th century 'Mad Scientist' (Philosopher), and that requires some creative substances, technology, or the like, then go for it!

Considering that the part of the appeal of any sort of 'punk' setting is the use of technology that is ahead of it's time and more creative, I'm thinking we should also implement a system akin to Spirit of the Centuries allowing for Futurization and the like. That means answering the question of how much we want a sci-fi element to play a role in our setting.

[TheGlyphstone]

Huh....you know, I'm going to do exactly that. Dibs!

Aaaand I've got it. The illegitimate grandson of the man who first discovered the lighter-than-air properties of __STUFF__ (I'll name it later), locked out of the family entitlements and forced to seek his own fortunes. High concept of 'Bastard Prince of the Skies', referencing his grandfather's nickname of 'King of the Skies'. Could be Invoked to remember some unusual property of ___STUFF___ that he read in Grandpa's notes or papers. Could be Compelled by someone who thinks he might have more wealth than he does or some secret knowledge about ___STUFF__.

Am I doing it right? It could be paired up against Black Sheep of the Family - the Family despises him for being a living reminder of infidelity in their lineage, and most go out of their way to make his life unpleasant when it's not too much effort...but blood is blood, in the end, and some of them will stand by him when something really serious comes up (and if he's willing to pay the price for crawling to his equally despised relatives).

[Jefepato]

I'm tentatively thinking of making a character who's the ship's surgeon (and possibly also cook -- my sources tell me those two roles were often filled by the same person, disturbing as that might be).  If I'm reading correctly, medical treatment is something you need a Lore stunt to do, right?

[chaoslord29]

Huh....you know, I'm going to do exactly that. Dibs!

Aaaand I've got it. The illegitimate grandson of the man who first discovered the lighter-than-air properties of __STUFF__ (I'll name it later), locked out of the family entitlements and forced to seek his own fortunes. High concept of 'Bastard Prince of the Skies', referencing his grandfather's nickname of 'King of the Skies'. Could be Invoked to remember some unusual property of ___STUFF___ that he read in Grandpa's notes or papers. Could be Compelled by someone who thinks he might have more wealth than he does or some secret knowledge about ___STUFF__.

Am I doing it right?

Ta da! You're doing it exactly right! You may want another Aspect related to the __STUFF__ to better reflect any actual education or professional or practical experience you have with the stuff, and giving us an excuse to flesh out more about what it is.

I'm tentatively thinking of making a character who's the ship's surgeon (and possibly also cook -- my sources tell me those two roles were often filled by the same person, disturbing as that might be).  If I'm reading correctly, medical treatment is something you need a Lore stunt to do, right?

Yeah, but we're probably going to re-skin lore as the Philosophy or Academics skill. At this point in history, Science isn't science. The term hasn't even really been invented yet, everyone is still operating on the neo-classical basis for learning, which is the doctor/philosopher (which is incedentally where the modern concept of the PHD or philosophiae doctor).

Ships' surgeons however rarely had such formal training. The role of ship's doctor actually having any kind of medical expertise doesn't become a thing until the 19th century if memory serves. The surgeon is usually either the cook or the carpenter, depending on whether you need some knife work done, or something sawed through  :o

[Jefepato]

Okay, ship's cook with a side order of stitching wounds it is, then.  I'll think a bit about background.

Incidentally, is there a skill for defining how many languages a character speaks?  I think the Dresden Files version had one, but I don't see it in Fate Core.

[SGTDan]

Hmm thinking of a concept, maybe a British Naval officer trying his hand at privateer business?

I can take Captain

[TheGlyphstone]

So how many Aspects should we have by the end? The character block has High Concept, Trouble, Backstory, and First Adventure - should one of those also be the 'Ship' Aspect you want people to have? Or is the 'Ship' aspect a freebie?

[kckolbe]

So thus far we have

- British Naval Officer (which I will tentatively refer to as "Admiral" in case we have more than one ship)
- Bastard Prince of the Skies (shipwright?)
- Surgeon/Cook
- Merchant type (Me)

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Tore between going with a Steampunk soldier type or with a social type that makes connections and works contacts.

[TheGlyphstone]

So thus far we have

- British Naval Officer (which I will tentatively refer to as "Admiral" in case we have more than one ship)
- Bastard Prince of the Skies (shipwright?)
- Surgeon/Cook
- Merchant type (Me)

Actually, I'm probably going to go closer towards a 'master gunner' than shipwright...his expertise is in the mineral that gives ships their lifting capability, not building ship hulls themselves...and I've decided that the stuff in its raw form is rather volatile. :D

[kckolbe]

A master gunner is even better!

[SGTDan]

I would either be Captain if one vessel or Commodore if under command of many.

;D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzN8iHiLjq8
SING WITH ME!

[mai]

This looks like a fun game, I'm including a preliminary character below, let me know what you all think about her? I'm pretty new at the FATE system so let me know if I've messed something up. (e: already forgot an aspect from the backstory, but I added one in now)

edit: leaving this here for reference, final version of this character sheet can be found here

Name: "Lia" Li Yan (Li being her family name, Yan her given name, and "Lia" a westernized name she adopted for dealing with foreigners unable or unwilling to pronounce her real one)

here's a picture, although she wouldn't be dressed up so formally most of the time

High Concept: Shrewd, smooth-tongued diplomat

Trouble: Loyal to the Empire - Li Yan is tied to her homeland in many ways, most of which aren't exactly an asset in the far West. Some treat her with suspicion, after all, she's openly the agent of a foreign power. Other times, people with previous relationships to the Empire or its enemies will expect things of her or oppose her on the basis of her affiliation.

Backstory: The daughter of a minor noble functionary from the city of Shenyang, Li Yan accompanied her father as part of the retinue of an embassy sent West by the Wanli Emperor. Although she's a young woman now, she hasn't seen her homeland since she was a young teenager. She still remembers it fondly, if not terribly clearly after many years. On the trip, Li Yan distinguished herself by showing a keen eye for observation and a quick facility with languages. However, not all has been at peace since they left. The death of the Emperor and the capture of Shenyang by rebel forces has left the embassy on shaky ground, and so the ambassador has decided to hedge his bets by extending his stay in the West indefinitely and shrinking the size of his retinue (by, for example, hiring out his functionaries' children to privateer ships). Secretly, he plans to gather as much valuable information on the rapidly expanding West as he can, so as to have something of value to present to the Emperor (whoever that ends up being) when he returns. Aspect: Not from around here.

First Adventure: Li Yan hires on to a French ship, bound for the American colonies with the hope of taking a valuable artifact uncovered by an English expedition. Unfortunately, another privateer got to it first, and Li Yan is sent to negotiate with him in order to arrange a purchase and/or theft of the artifact. She manages to talk him into a drinking contest, wagering the ship (which wasn't hers to lose) against the find. Although Li Yan somehow manages to emerge victorious, she also comes away from the ordeal with a dangerous new affinity for the bottle. Aspect: Holds her liquor, as often as possible.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

guessing I will be going for a soldier then.

[SGTDan]

Name: Sir Humphrey Irving Battle
High Concept: Master and Commander
Trouble: Your Faithful & Obedient Servant, Sir
Backstory: My Bonnie Lass
First Adventure: The King's Secret Navy

Those are my aspects, have no fear I will flesh them out tomorrow.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Name: Lieutenant Catrina Donalda Fraser
High Concept: "A Life on the Ocean Wave"

Life began among the hard fought lands of the highlands where an existence eked out of the farmlands was a battle each day.  Born the unwanted only daughter to an aged farmer, Catrina Donalda Fraser came into this world as her mother left.  Though a burden to bear among so many, her father had never shied away from the hard labors.  He took her on as he did most things, with a swig of his whiskey and a call to the Heavens.  At one time he had been a man of Queen and Country, his land paid for with service wearing the black tartan and blood of his kinsmen slain at his side.  Such stories decorated the mind of the young girl as she grew at his fireside and worked the small kitchen of their home.  Yet dreams those stories invoked of distant lands and far off places.  Her Fate was already sealed when her father took his last breath and her hair was slashed short with his old bayonet.

The Royal Marines were not eager for a woman among their ranks, but times were tough and bullets knew not the difference the recruiting officer said.  So she was shoved to the front of the line figuring she’d be the first out the door.  To much surprise she laid low any man standing in front of her and the same for any woman that raised a fuss for her being there.  When concern was raised over having a woman aboard they were dissuaded with her level hand when the battle begun and her ferocity when the charge was made to board.  Catrina embraced the tenets of the Royal Marines as if she were born to them and so secured her place aboard a sky ship while fighting the Spanish Armada.

A young officer to be had taken a shine to her during these years.  At first he whispered to her as he walked the deck for night watch, typically taking a warning finger to his ribs for the effort.  Friendly banter soon replaced flirting, but the tension remained between the pair.  Yet as he moved up along his ladder so too did she move with him from ship to ship.  A matron and a terror, she kept the men in line while they also exchanged letters back and forth.  Even on shore leave they always seemed to be near each other as she leapt to his defense as he meet with children of his past.  His low birth kept a secret between her lips as she saw now need to shake the rafters of his career with gossip.

The posting aboard a frigate was not glorious, but was the best she could hope for so early in her career.  Most of the men were young and inexperienced, requiring a motherly reassurance and a swift boot to the rear.  Catrina found herself well placed to offer both until the fateful day when her ship pulled alongside the flagship of the Spanish.  Quick to the rigging she was first to pepper the deck of the opposing ship, looking from her perch as the young officer called for the charge.  Fire rose in her veins at the call and she was soon amongst her brothers-in-arms, shoulder to shoulder with this officer to bring steel and shot against the enemies of her country.  Long after the adrenaline had cooled was she still fighting forward, ensuring that the ship would never cause trouble for her brothers again.

Invoke – The High Concept can be invoked whenever Catrina is performing a stunt of daredevil bravery in the service of the Royal Marines.  This could include leaping from the rigging of a ship, charging across the decks of a ship or spitting whiskey into the face of someone questioning the honor of her Corp.

Compel – The High Concept can be compelled to have her leave safety and security, to put herself in harm’s way when all she might want to do is lay warm beside the fire or next to her lover.  Catrina will take to her love of the skies and sea above any other.


Trouble: “Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die”

Love is an evil thing and love without restraint more evil still.  A single night of passion was promised after the battle of the Spanish Armada.  This was not a promise of words, but of whiskey and flesh.  Brought together without thought or reason, she wanted to believe for a moment that their future together could be sealed.  That night would confirm her fears as another officer stumbled into their room just as her hands undid the lacings of her bodice.  Rumors were quick to fly, fires that lit up the decks of ships and the banquet halls of proper gentleman and officers.  Catrina was soon brought in to answer questions and she knew well what they wanted to hear.  She knew that her answers could well bring down the career of the young Battle, but could also sink her own if she were not careful.  A soldier to the last, she stood tall and confessed to the crimes of seducing her commanding officer.

Men and women were both taken back by the scandal she confessed to, but once the words were spoken she could not take them back.  Once more the hand of Fate worked to take her from her home, pushing her now back toward her father’s farm instead of toward the skies above.  A last glimpse of he and her both in uniform was given as she was walked out under guard from the chambers.  Soon he would be the talk of the town, a testament to English civility and stoicism against the wild nature of a woman.  Catrina did not regret taking the bullet for him, but she felt the weight of her sacrifice as she was stripped of rank and pushed out of service.  Work was hard to find and she was ill at home to work her father’s lands.  Sword and pistol were all she knew, but just as her father before her she shouldered the burden.

Invoke – Catrina can invoke this aspect to place herself in danger for another she views as a brother-in-arms or a commanding officer.  She will toughen out the pain her orders demand and press on to complete her task.

Compel – Catrina can be compelled to leap in front of danger for her comrades and superiors, despite good sense to avoid doing so.  She will rush to their defense, take the blame and be their martyr so that they can continue on without her.

Backstory: Not the Marrying Kind

Discharged and humiliated there wasn’t much work to be had for a former member of the royal marines with a sullied reputation.  Those few merchant companies willing to open their doors to her had heard of her performance and discharge, some seeing her as a disgrace while others desired a protector to sleep between their sheets.  Catrina would have none of either and so returned to her father’s lands with little to show for her time gone.  Money had been sent home during those times, money that had paid for the lands but could little be relied upon now to till the fields and feeds the hands.  There simply wouldn’t be enough to continue with this existence for long.  So with her head hung low she turned to merchants outside of her homeland, to those of the Eastern lands.

Riches poured through the fingertips of Eastern lords and wealthy houses based in those lands.  Enough riches that the men had need of a woman fighter, one to watch over their mistresses and daughters.  Catrina, with her prowess on deck and proud history, was a near perfect candidate.  Many of the mistresses were even pleased to see a woman that had a sullied reputation as this meant she might not stare down her nose at them.  There would be little glory here and little honor, but the money was far better than she had before and so she could keep her father’s farm afloat.  The added benefit was that her love, still a thorn to her heart, was long away on his own voyage away from her.

Invoke: Can be invoked whenever temptation arises via seduction or the promise of riches.  As a woman of means and a woman used to turning aside the advances of others, she is well positioned to resist.

Compel: This aspect can be compeled to sully her name and bring about harsh reactions from those around her.  The honor of the Royal Marines on her chest has been tarnished and there are few that don’t know what she has done.

First Adventure: Second Chances

Will improve and work on them as they go, but this is largely what I have thus far.  Also, sorry Dan but stole your setup there.

[kckolbe]

This looks like a fun game, I'm including a preliminary character below, let me know what you all think about her?

She looks lovely, and I love the alternate version of her name for the less worldly types, definitely going to have my char make use of it.

First Adventure: Li Yan hires on to a French ship, bound for the American colonies with the hope of harrying British merchant traffic, only to find that its captain has lost the ship in a hand of cards. In a somewhat impetuous move, she challenges the new owner in order to win back the ship. He chooses a drinking contest, and although Li Yan somehow manages to hold her own, she comes away from the ordeal with a dangerous new affinity for the bottle. Aspect: Holds her liquor, as often as possible.

This part did confuse me a bit.  Did she win?  What did she wager in return?

[mai]

This part did confuse me a bit.  Did she win?  What did she wager in return?

Yeah, that part's not as good as it could be, I think. I was thinking that she won, and probably didn't so much wager anything in return as imply insult to his manhood if he couldn't beat her.

e: I'm considering reworking quite a bit, actually, I'm thinking that polyglot might make a better skill than aspect, with the aspect from her backstory being something about being always away from home, or perhaps about just being notably "other" or exotic (so something like "at home on the road" or "not from around here"). The first adventure could probably make a bit more sense, also, I kind of started with the aspect I wanted and then worked back from there, and I'm not sure how I feel about how that went. Thoughts?

[kckolbe]

So she has her own ship as a diplomat?  How does she keep it sailing?  She'd need a significant source of income.

[mai]

So she has her own ship as a diplomat?  How does she keep it sailing?  She'd need a significant source of income.

No, she doesn't have her own ship, she's a hired hand on privateer ships. The embassy has several of its own ships, but they're not going anywhere anytime soon, and she's not on them. The ship she "won" isn't hers, it belongs to the privateer she was working for.

e: she's not the ambassador, or even someone remotely important in the embassy, she's the daughter of a minor functionary who has a knack for languages, which is why she was basically cut loose when they decided to start cutting costs in order to extend their stay

[kckolbe]

Oh, I see now. 

[mai]

I actually made some changes, hopefully the new adventure makes a bit more sense and is a bit more plausible (quoted below for reference). I also changed the aspect from her backstory.

Backstory: [...] Aspect: Not from around here.

First Adventure: Li Yan hires on to a French ship, bound for the American colonies with the hope of taking a valuable artifact uncovered by an English expedition. Unfortunately, another privateer got to it first, and Li Yan is sent to negotiate with him in order to arrange a purchase and/or theft of the artifact. She manages to talk him into a drinking contest, wagering the ship (which wasn't hers to lose) against the find. Although Li Yan somehow manages to emerge victorious, she also comes away from the ordeal with a dangerous new affinity for the bottle. Aspect: Holds her liquor, as often as possible.

[chaoslord29]

I actually made some changes, hopefully the new adventure makes a bit more sense and is a bit more plausible (quoted below for reference). I also changed the aspect from her backstory.

Mai, waking up to your character submission was quite a treat, let me tell you. Loved tracking through the revisions and as a finished concept your character's backstory and adventure are a shining example of more of what I'd like to see. The only thing I would suggest is that your High Concept lacks a little punch or flavor that makes a good Aspect. Don't get me wrong, as a means of defining who and what your character is/does, it's great (concise is the word that comes most readily to my mind). However, it also doesn't readily suggest any particularly dramatic invocations, or especially, how I might compel it.

May I suggest something like "Silver-Tongued Emissary of the East" or if you want in to keep 'shrewd' in there, or throw 'mystique' or 'orient' in the mix, feel free to get creative and knock it up a notch (Bam!)

Name: Sir Humphrey Irving Battle
High Concept: Master and Commander
Trouble: King's Servant
Backstory: My Bonnie Lass
First Adventure: The King's Secret Navy

Those are my aspects, have no fear I will flesh them out tomorrow.

Name: Lieutenant Catrina Donalda Fraser
High Concept: A Life on the Ocean Wave
Trouble: “Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die”
Backstory: Not the Marrying Kind
First Adventure: Second Chances

Will improve and work on them as they go, but this is largely what I have thus far.  Also, sorry Dan but stole your setup there.

Okay, I like what I see, but I'm a little off-put here by what I don't see. Generally, creating Aspects and then filling in the background to make them work is discouraged in Fate, and I personally see it as going about things a little bit backwards. That said, I do really like a lot of those Aspects, and am very much interested to see how you make them work with your characters story and first adventure.

@SgtDan
I'm a tad miffed you went with Master & Commander rather than my personal favorite Napoleonic Era nautical adventure series (The Hornblower Novels by CS Forester; I highly recommend them if you're already a fan of M&C), but that said I'm not about to fault you for drawing on at the very least the visual inspiration  ;D

High Concept and Trouble look great, though you may consider changing up the Trouble to "Your Faithful & Obedient Servant, Sir" (or some variation thereof) which is the traditional valediction of dispatches for the Royal Navy.

@Pumpkin Seeds
I rather like the Trouble you have there (however anachronistic) and can't wait to see what sort of backstory lead to Catrina being Not the Marrying Kind. Your High Concept however I think needs a little work, or else, I'd appreciate if you explained more of what you mean by it. I'm ambivalent at this point to your final Aspect until I've seen the Adventure from which you derive it.


To the assembled players, I would prefer that Aspects always be bolded and in italics, for the purpose of distinguishing them both OOC and during play. They need only be put in quotations if they are in fact meant to be a quote by or about your character (i.e. "I am not Really Left-Handed!")

[mai]

May I suggest something like "Silver-Tongued Emissary of the East" or if you want in to keep 'shrewd' in there, or throw 'mystique' or 'orient' in the mix, feel free to get creative and knock it up a notch (Bam!)

I really like this idea! I'd like to keep it centered on her homeland though, since she wouldn't have thought of herself as "from the East", rather that she'd traveled to the West. Maybe something like "Silver-tongued Emissary to the West" instead?

[kckolbe]

Regardless of how she identifies, she does stand out.  Perhaps "A Most Memorable Emissary" or something similar?

[mai]

Regardless of how she identifies, she does stand out.  Perhaps "A Most Memorable Emissary" or something similar?

The standing out and "exotic" sort of thing was what I was going for with "Not from around here", I'd rather keep the high concept focused on her skill with words/diplomacy and her connection to her homeland.

[chaoslord29]

I really like this idea! I'd like to keep it centered on her homeland though, since she wouldn't have thought of herself as "from the East", rather that she'd traveled to the West. Maybe something like "Silver-tongued Emissary to the West" instead?

That's perfect! Allows for invocations any time you want to smooth talk your way through some 'diplomatic niceties' (Should I wink? I'll hold off in case you don't want it to be that suggestive). Allows me to compel any potential naivete she might have towards Western etiquette, traditions, etc., plus anyone whose going to potentially be prejudiced against the duplicitous heathen foreigner.

I'm looking at your Background Aspect again and thinking it may need a little work. It looks ripe for some compels, but I'm not sure how exactly you'd invoke it. Also, your story seems to suggest that she's somehow beholden to report to the ambassador proper (the bit about him wanting to gather information) but also being more or less on her own what with the lack of support from back home or the diplomat. So far you don't have any Aspects which portray her (minor) noble heritage, or her facility with language, so you may want to consider that as well. Loyal to the Empire covers that she's a foreigner, plain and simple, and expressly loyal to a foreign power, but what about the Ambassador himself? Maybe you'd like to include an Aspect here about her relationship with him? Or her father, the functionary? Food for thought.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

A Life on the Ocean Wave is the song of the Royal Marines which was derived from a poem. 

A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep,
Where the scattered waters rave,
And the winds their revels keep!
Like an eagle caged, I pine
On this dull, unchanging shore:
Oh! give me the flashing brine,
The spray and the tempest's roar!

Once more on the deck I stand
Of my own swift-gliding craft:
Set sail! farewell to the land!
The gale follows fair abaft.
We shoot through the sparkling foam
Like an ocean-bird set free; -
Like the ocean-bird, our home
We'll find far out on the sea.

The land is no longer in view,
The clouds have begun to frown;
But with a stout vessel and crew,
We'll say, Let the storm come down!
And the song of our hearts shall be,
While the winds and the waters rave,
A home on the rolling sea!
A life on the ocean wave!
Epes Sargent


The poem probably explains what I was going for more there.

[chaoslord29]

A Life on the Ocean Wave is the song of the Royal Marines which was derived from a poem. 

A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep,
Where the scattered waters rave,
And the winds their revels keep!
Like an eagle caged, I pine
On this dull, unchanging shore:
Oh! give me the flashing brine,
The spray and the tempest's roar!

Once more on the deck I stand
Of my own swift-gliding craft:
Set sail! farewell to the land!
The gale follows fair abaft.
We shoot through the sparkling foam
Like an ocean-bird set free; -
Like the ocean-bird, our home
We'll find far out on the sea.

The land is no longer in view,
The clouds have begun to frown;
But with a stout vessel and crew,
We'll say, Let the storm come down!
And the song of our hearts shall be,
While the winds and the waters rave,
A home on the rolling sea!
A life on the ocean wave!
Epes Sargent


The poem probably explains what I was going for more there.

Excellent, excellent, mind putting that in quotations for me so I remember it's significance? Looking forward to the actual story there, how your character comes to the Royal Marines and how her gender factors into it.

[mai]

That's perfect! Allows for invocations any time you want to smooth talk your way through some 'diplomatic niceties' (Should I wink? I'll hold off in case you don't want it to be that suggestive). Allows me to compel any potential naivete she might have towards Western etiquette, traditions, etc., plus anyone whose going to potentially be prejudiced against the duplicitous heathen foreigner.

That works, let's keep it as "Silver-tongued Emissary to the West", then.

I'm looking at your Background Aspect again and thinking it may need a little work. It looks ripe for some compels, but I'm not sure how exactly you'd invoke it. Also, your story seems to suggest that she's somehow beholden to report to the ambassador proper (the bit about him wanting to gather information) but also being more or less on her own what with the lack of support from back home or the diplomat. So far you don't have any Aspects which portray her (minor) noble heritage, or her facility with language, so you may want to consider that as well. Loyal to the Empire covers that she's a foreigner, plain and simple, and expressly loyal to a foreign power, but what about the Ambassador himself? Maybe you'd like to include an Aspect here about her relationship with him? Or her father, the functionary? Food for thought.

As for invocations, I was thinking that it'd be useful to her in that because she's strange and unusual, she tends to draw interest. She might be able to invoke it in order to get people to talk to her when they otherwise might not, to avoid certain etiquette rules (since, after all, how could a foreigner possibly have known?), or something like that. Basically any time that not being bound up in European society and social norms might help.

Originally I'd had the aspect from her background be "Polyglot", but I changed it because I thought that might work better as a skill than an aspect (or are we not doing skills? Just mechanically speaking it seemed to be suitable more for a skill than an aspect, since I'm at a loss as to how it could be used in a compel).

I do like the idea of having it be an aspect that is more specific about her relationship with the Emperor or her family, but the issue there is that things are very tenuous in that department. The Emperor who dispatched the embassy is dead, and the empire itself is firmly in decline (the Ming dynasty was more or less gone except for a few remnants by the 1640s). The political turmoil means that everyone in the embassy is a little bit unsure of what their status with relationship to the Empire is (or even if they'll be allowed to keep their heads if and when they return home). I didn't really want to make an aspect that focuses too much on that, since this game is about European politics rather than Chinese ones, but it does complicate a more straightforward sort of aspect like "the Emperor's favor" or "Heaven Guides Us". Maybe something about filial duty? That would cover her relationship towards her father and family (and a bit of religion also, since duty to one's family is a significant part of Confucian thought), and by extension the rest of the Imperial hierarchy, but it also perhaps makes them more a part of the game than I really wanted them to be (my idea was that they'd just sort of sent her out to look for something). Perhaps something like "spy in plain sight" to refer to how she's always looking for something that will allow her family to re-enter the Empire in good standing (or maybe "the Emperor's eyes and ears")?

[kckolbe]

Concepts: Man of the East India Company
Trouble: This is Not What I Signed Up For
Adventure Aspect: Gold is the Answer
Backstory Aspect: Raised With the Perks of a Noble

Name is still pending.  The idea is the son of a wealthy merchant.  He is still very much a commoner, both in culture and title, but he is well-educated, a man of resources, and some connections.  I was thinking he would belong to the East India Company, though would still be subject to Royal Whim.  Given what impact gold has had on his life, he places more than considerable value on it, both coveting it and relying on it.  He is not stingy, though, if there is something he wants, but gold is his primary motivation. 

The Trouble is something I am not sure of, as I am not yet sure what the focus of our game will be.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Did you want us to have separate aspects toward other player characters?

[chaoslord29]

Concepts: Man of the East India Company
Trouble: This is Not What I Signed Up For
Adventure Aspect: Gold is the Answer
Backstory Aspect: Raised With the Perks of a Noble

Name is still pending.  The idea is the son of a wealthy merchant.  He is still very much a commoner, both in culture and title, but he is well-educated, a man of resources, and some connections.  I was thinking he would belong to the East India Company, though would still be subject to Royal Whim.  Given what impact gold has had on his life, he places more than considerable value on it, both coveting it and relying on it.  He is not stingy, though, if there is something he wants, but gold is his primary motivation. 

The Trouble is something I am not sure of, as I am not yet sure what the focus of our game will be.

Again, I'd like to reiterate that I prefer to see the backstory and adventure written before Aspects are pitched, but since the prevailing trend seems to be the opposite, I'm just going to roll with it haha.

As it happens, your Trouble is the Aspect I like most in your character, though (Gold is the Answer is a close second; you may want to add an 'Always' in there for good measure). It all seems to suggest that your character is something of a pretty boy or a tad poncy; of excellent breeding, and well educated of course, but unfortunately without a title. The East India Company is a logical choice for such a personage of course, and I might suggest just shifting around your High Concept to be East India Company Man, since that's actually the origin of the modern phrase "Company Man".

I can see a lot of potential compels for your Trouble, as anytime things progress pass civilized negotiations and business dealings your character seems likely to be out of their element. In fact, it makes me picture something in your First Adventure where your character is exceedingly accomplished where business dealings are concerned, but his talent and ambition wind up netting him some rivals or enemies within the company who force him or see to it that he receives an unfavorable assignment working on this particular vessel as an agent of the Company (fully expecting he'll get himself killed sooner or later).

Your Backstory Aspect lacks a certain panache, and given that you're looking to play a Noble, that's hardly going to do. Maybe something more like Fortunate Son, or Silver Spoon.

Did you want us to have separate aspects toward other player characters?

That will be conducted next as each of you will take a turn guest starring in two of your fellow players First Adventures. This is why it's important that you actually flesh out said Adventure into at least a couple of sentences explaining what went on, because the guest stars will then add another sentence or two detailing their involvement and providing a mechanism for how you all know each other (at least indirectly). You then derive another Aspect from your role as a guest star, and then everyone trades dance partners and everyone has two more Aspects which help relate them to the other characters.

I'll be conducting this phase of character creation after I've made the decision however on how many PCs their will be and who makes the cut. Another reason to get on fleshing out those Backstories and First Adventures.

[kckolbe]

Again, I'd like to reiterate that I prefer to see the backstory and adventure written before Aspects are pitched, but since the prevailing trend seems to be the opposite, I'm just going to roll with it haha.

As it happens, your Trouble is the Aspect I like most in your character, though (Gold is the Answer is a close second; you may want to add an 'Always' in there for good measure). It all seems to suggest that your character is something of a pretty boy or a tad poncy; of excellent breeding, and well educated of course, but unfortunately without a title. The East India Company is a logical choice for such a personage of course, and I might suggest just shifting around your High Concept to be East India Company Man, since that's actually the origin of the modern phrase "Company Man".

I can see a lot of potential compels for your Trouble, as anytime things progress pass civilized negotiations and business dealings your character seems likely to be out of their element. In fact, it makes me picture something in your First Adventure where your character is exceedingly accomplished where business dealings are concerned, but his talent and ambition wind up netting him some rivals or enemies within the company who force him or see to it that he receives an unfavorable assignment working on this particular vessel as an agent of the Company (fully expecting he'll get himself killed sooner or later).

Your Backstory Aspect lacks a certain panache, and given that you're looking to play a Noble, that's hardly going to do. Maybe something more like Fortunate Son, or Silver Spoon.

I'll gladly add in the "always" and tweak the Concept wording as you suggested.  As for the Backstory Aspect, I didn't intend for him to be a Noble, just having had a family able to buy many of the advantages available to one.  I was hoping the Aspect would represent the knowledge one would expect of a noble (for invocations), but with the obvious signs that he is no noble (for compelling). 

I see him as being well educated in the ways important to a merchant, being good with sums, navigation, language, and knowledge of what commodities are found where and for how much.  His knowledge on art, music, and fashion, however...not so much.

[TheGlyphstone]

This is shaping up to be a great set of players. Pumpkin Seeds's aspects scream a 'Sweet Polly Oliver' story to me. Kckolbe's guy will get along 'great' with my disenfranchised bastard highborn, and I was already planning to have my First Adventure be A Little Trouble In Big China or something similar, reflecting his journey to the exotic Orient to try and learn their long-held secrets of things that go BOOM, which gives lots of openings for a pre-game connection to Mai's character.

[kckolbe]

Interesting, Glyph, our chars are nearly opposite in status.

[SGTDan]

Okay, I like what I see, but I'm a little off-put here by what I don't see. Generally, creating Aspects and then filling in the background to make them work is discouraged in Fate, and I personally see it as going about things a little bit backwards. That said, I do really like a lot of those Aspects, and am very much interested to see how you make them work with your characters story and first adventure.

@SgtDan
I'm a tad miffed you went with Master & Commander rather than my personal favorite Napoleonic Era nautical adventure series (The Hornblower Novels by CS Forester; I highly recommend them if you're already a fan of M&C), but that said I'm not about to fault you for drawing on at the very least the visual inspiration  ;D

High Concept and Trouble look great, though you may consider changing up the Trouble to "Your Faithful & Obedient Servant, Sir" (or some variation thereof) which is the traditional valediction of dispatches for the Royal Navy.

@Pumpkin Seeds
I rather like the Trouble you have there (however anachronistic) and can't wait to see what sort of backstory lead to Catrina being Not the Marrying Kind. Your High Concept however I think needs a little work, or else, I'd appreciate if you explained more of what you mean by it. I'm ambivalent at this point to your final Aspect until I've seen the Adventure from which you derive it.

I have played Fate before and I know you should always put backstory before you chose the Aspect. However in this case I didn't have the time to write what I had in mind and what Aspect I wanted.

As for the Master and Commander bit, it's the only decent photo I could find of a Royal Naval officer. I'm normally not the man who uses actors as pictures since it's hard to not unsee an actor. Through the lack of any good results I was forced to use him.  If it is any consolation I love the Hornblower novels and would of used the movie if it had came to my mind sooner. I like your trouble Aspect as it fits the times, thank you for reminding me Chaos.

[chaoslord29]

I'll gladly add in the "always" and tweak the Concept wording as you suggested.  As for the Backstory Aspect, I didn't intend for him to be a Noble, just having had a family able to buy many of the advantages available to one.  I was hoping the Aspect would represent the knowledge one would expect of a noble (for invocations), but with the obvious signs that he is no noble (for compelling). 

I see him as being well educated in the ways important to a merchant, being good with sums, navigation, language, and knowledge of what commodities are found where and for how much.  His knowledge on art, music, and fashion, however...not so much.

Ah, I see what you're going for there, and I should have included a "Playing at being a noble" there rather than what it says verbatim. In that case, I think Silver Spoon definitely captures well what you're going for, and creates a sort of precious metals theme which is all the more suited to someone good with commodities and the finer points of trade. If you're still working on a name, why not include Sterling as his given or surname and then plug that into the Aspect for Sterling Silver Spoon.

This is shaping up to be a great set of players. Pumpkin Seeds's aspects scream a 'Sweet Polly Oliver' story to me. Kckolbe's guy will get along 'great' with my disenfranchised bastard highborn, and I was already planning to have my First Adventure be A Little Trouble In Big China or something similar, reflecting his journey to the exotic Orient to try and learn their long-held secrets of things that go BOOM, which gives lots of openings for a pre-game connection to Mai's character.

I was thinking the same thing on both counts

I have played Fate before and I know you should always put backstory before you chose the Aspect. However in this case I didn't have the time to write what I had in mind and what Aspect I wanted.

As for the Master and Commander bit, it's the only decent photo I could find of a Royal Naval officer. I'm normally not the man who uses actors as pictures since it's hard to not unsee an actor. Through the lack of any good results I was forced to use him.  If it is any consolation I love the Hornblower novels and would of used the movie if it had came to my mind sooner. I like your trouble Aspect as it fits the times, thank you for reminding me Chaos.

Ah, I understand then, though it set a somewhat unfortunate precedent in the subsequent submissions. No worries, hasn't stemmed the momentum of great character submissions.

Glad to have another Hornblower fan about! Though this RP is taking place a few hundred years prior to those events. I wanted to make sure everyone is on the same page where that is concerned, and if anyone would prefer to start in the latter half of the 17th or even the beginning of the 18th century. I would prefer we keep things Pre-American Revolution though who knows, maybe the circumstances will spell a very different story for that particular region.

[mai]

Glad to have another Hornblower fan about! Though this RP is taking place a few hundred years prior to those events. I wanted to make sure everyone is on the same page where that is concerned, and if anyone would prefer to start in the latter half of the 17th or even the beginning of the 18th century. I would prefer we keep things Pre-American Revolution though who knows, maybe the circumstances will spell a very different story for that particular region.

I wouldn't be opposed necessarily to a later start, but if that's the case I'll need to rework my character a bit, since a pretty substantial part of her backstory has to do with early 1600s Chinese politics, and that would need to be updated for a different era.

[kckolbe]

I definitely prefer 17th century, as the colonies were smaller and separate from each other.

[TheGlyphstone]

I'm happy with 17th century as well.

[SGTDan]

The British Navy didn't standardize uniforms,ranks and such till about mid 1700's nor did the rating system they used in ship building. I mean I am fine with the current setting, just it's difficult for me because I do not know much on the period. Also I do apologize about the precedent was not my intention but I should of foreseen it.

Oh! Speaking of rating, what rate could I start with? I was thinking a 74 Gun Third Rate since those were quite popular.

[chaoslord29]

The British Navy didn't standardize uniforms,ranks and such till about mid 1700's nor did the rating system they used in ship building. I mean I am fine with the current setting, just it's difficult for me because I do not know much on the period. Also I do apologize about the precedent was not my intention but I should of foreseen it.

Oh! Speaking of rating, what rate could I start with? I was thinking a 74 Gun Third Rate since those were quite popular.

I'm going to utilize a gm fiat here and just retcon the standardization of uniforms and ratings across the british (and everyone else's) navy taking place much, much sooner, due to the demands presented by maintaining order in the skies. I mean, the system they came up with had to incorporate plenty of older vessels, and I'm not such an expert on the period anyway to be able to tell the difference, let alone be bothered by it.

As for the vessel itself, I think you might be a little ambitious there friend. Third Rates aren't likely to be found anywhere outside national navies or company fleets, and I was still on the idea of ya'll playing an intrepid crew of dashing privateers. That lends itself much more I think to a smaller vessel better suited for swift pursuits and hasty retreats, crewed by yourselves and maybe a handful of NPC extras. A Third Rate requires a crew of between 200 & 300 and several thousand tonnes of supplies (powder, sail, timber, pitch, food, water, ammunition, etc.) to keep aloft.

I'm not taking the use or acquisition of such a vessel off the table of course, but I will say this: Leave some room to grow. The 74 Gun Ship of the line is more or less the pinnacle of naval warfare for the mid 18th Century. Even if you don't want to wait in the RP until you can afford to purchase or trade-up to such a vessel, a scene in which you commandeer such a vessel, makes for a much better setup than simply starting the game with one.

Start small, figure on having a brig, sloop, or maybe at most a frigate.

[mai]

Ok, here's the final version of my character sheet.


Name: "Lia" Li Yan (Li being her family name, Yan her given name, and "Lia" a westernized name she adopted for dealing with foreigners unable or unwilling to pronounce her real one)

Here's an image, although she wouldn't be dressed so formally most of the time

High Concept: Silver-tongued Emissary to the West - Li Yan is skilled as a diplomat, she has a way of talking to people, learning their language and earning their trust. However, she is still aware of her heritage, her loyalties and affiliations, and how obvious it is that she serves a foreign (and, in her mind, greater) power.

Trouble: Plum Blossom Amongst Weeds - Li Yan is tied to her homeland in many ways, most of which aren't exactly an asset in the far West. Some treat her with suspicion, after all, she's openly the agent of a foreign power. Other times, people with previous relationships to the Empire or its enemies will expect things of her or oppose her on the basis of her affiliation. And not only that, her appearance and manners mark her as something Other, an exotic treasure in the midst of her foreign companions, or, metaphorically speaking, a plum blossom, strong in the midst of adversity. The plum blossom is of particular significance, since her mother gave her a pressed flower in a pendant as a reminder of who she is when they first left the Middle Kingdom.

Backstory: The daughter of a minor noble functionary from the city of Shenyang, Li Yan accompanied her father as part of the retinue of an embassy sent West by the Wanli Emperor. Although she's a young woman now, she hasn't seen her homeland since she was a young teenager. She still remembers it fondly, if not terribly clearly after many years. On the trip, Li Yan distinguished herself by showing a keen eye for observation and a quick facility with languages. However, not all has been at peace since they left. The death of the Emperor and the capture of Shenyang by rebel forces has left the embassy on shaky ground, and so Zhong Wei, the ambassador, has decided to hedge his bets by extending his stay in the West indefinitely and shrinking the size of his retinue (by, for example, hiring out his functionaries' children to privateer ships). Secretly, he plans to gather as much valuable information on the rapidly expanding West as he can, so as to have something of value to present to the Emperor (whoever that ends up being) when he returns. Aspect: Zhong Wei's Eyes in the Sky

First Adventure: Li Yan hires on to a French ship, bound for the American colonies with the hope of taking a valuable artifact uncovered by an English expedition. Unfortunately, another privateer got to it first, and Li Yan is sent to negotiate with him in order to arrange a purchase and/or theft of the artifact. She manages to talk him into a drinking contest, wagering the ship (which wasn't hers to lose) against the find. Although Li Yan somehow manages to emerge victorious, she also comes away from the ordeal with a dangerous new affinity for the bottle. Aspect: Holds her liquor, as often as possible.

[SGTDan]

So maybe a Fifth or Sixth Rate then, I admit to be a tad ambitious with a 3rd Rate. However when I was taught to bargain, you start high and go from there. Fifth was often used as scouts or independent cruisers while Sixth Rates were often used for smaller duties. As for the fiat I appreciate it, relieves much of the headache I had finding information. My experience is 1700's and 1800's when it comes to naval history.

I suppose if we go with a Sith Rate then we can use the  HMS Rose, the one used in Master and Commander. She had about 20 nine ponders, carried about 160 men. Not to mention there's plenty of photos of her. There's also the HMS Surprise which was had  24 32-pounder carronades, 10 32-pounder carronades, 2  4-pounder guns as chasers and about 240 crew.

Also I rather start with a ship and keep the ship, it's a thing to become attached to your ships.

[chaoslord29]

So maybe a Fifth or Sixth Rate then, I admit to be a tad ambitious with a 3rd Rate. However when I was taught to bargain, you start high and go from there. Fifth was often used as scouts or independent cruisers while Sixth Rates were often used for smaller duties. As for the fiat I appreciate it, relieves much of the headache I had finding information. My experience is 1700's and 1800's when it comes to naval history.

I suppose if we go with a Sith Rate then we can use the  HMS Rose, the one used in Master and Commander. She had about 20 nine ponders, carried about 160 men. Not to mention there's plenty of photos of her. There's also the HMS Surprise which was had  24 32-pounder carronades, 10 32-pounder carronades, 2  4-pounder guns as chasers and about 240 crew.

Also I rather start with a ship and keep the ship, it's a thing to become attached to your ships.

I'm going to need you to sell me on that a little more. Is there any reason you would be wholly unsatisfied with something smaller than a strictly military vessel? After all, given the other characters who'll be making up the crew, you're not always going to be in need of a military vessel, or at least as I see it, you're going to need something capable of smuggling and subtlety on at least as many occasions. Smaller crew means less people who might need to keep a secret, smaller ship means more likely to be underestimated, and easier to maintain, supply, and less likely to be singled out by port authorities and governments.

Think about it this way, unless everyone's agreed that the focus of the game will be on military action, ship-to-ship engagements, and taking up arms in some international conflict (I included the 30 Years War as sort of a teaser or plot hook, didn't intend for it to be the focus), you're going to need a ship that can fulfill a lot of different roles, rather than something devoted solely to blowing enemy vessels out of the air. At the end of the day, Privateers aren't soldiers. They make their living preying on merchant vessels of their patron's nations enemies, so really they only have to be stronger than most merchant vessels, and fast enough to outrun anyone they can't beat in a straight fight. You're more like international men and women of mystery, and so instead of a tank or battleship, you need a super slick spy car.

I think the nautical (aeronautical?) equivalent of that is going to be a brig. Brigs are fast, maneuverable, and during the Age of Sail popular as both merchant and military vessels (especially during the early to mid 18th Century). It's tougher and more sea-worthy (storm-worthy) than a sloop or barque or smaller merchant vessel, but it's every bit as fast with the added advantage of being faster before the wind (thanks to it's square rigging). In the early 17th century, possessing a freshly commissioned and fully furbished brig is like having next year's high-end sports car before everyone else on the block; it's fast, it's sleek, it's sexy, and it incorporates the newest ship-building techniques and technology.  Many famous historical and fictional pirates lead successful careers aboard brigs, from Jean Lafitte to Captain Hook. Though sporting less guns than a 5th or 6th rate, brigs can mount heavier guns and offer a broadside of comparable weight to any single decker ship, but require a minimun crew of 12-16 to sail.

[mai]

I definitely agree, our crew doesn't seem terribly suited to facing up head-on against warships, and really that's not what privateers do anyway. Of course, we could always execute some daring raids on ships in harbor, or take prizes if we want bigger ships to play with for a time later on, but I think our main ship should be something small (also that way we won't have hundreds of NPC characters just sort of "around" all the time)

e: on second thought I guess it depends on how peoples' characters shape up. We've definitely got a couple military folks (a commander and a marine), and another if Glyph plays up the weapons-master element of his character. So maybe a more combat focused thing could work (although kckolbe and I will certainly be a bit out of place in that scenario, I think).

[chaoslord29]

I definitely agree, our crew doesn't seem terribly suited to facing up head-on against warships, and really that's not what privateers do anyway. Of course, we could always execute some daring raids on ships in harbor, or take prizes if we want bigger ships to play with for a time later on, but I think our main ship should be something small (also that way we won't have hundreds of NPC characters just sort of "around" all the time)

e: on second thought I guess it depends on how peoples' characters shape up. We've definitely got a couple military folks (a commander and a marine), and another if Glyph plays up the weapons-master element of his character. So maybe a more combat focused thing could work (although kckolbe and I will certainly be a bit out of place in that scenario, I think).

I think the point remains that if we play a campaign with potential for the more subtle and refined elements of privateering, then between preying on merchant vessels, ambushing larger warships, and engaging in high stakes diplomacy and spycraft, then everyone gets a chance to shine. A military focused campaign is necessarily less multi-dimensional.

[SGTDan]

I was simply going with the breadth of information there is on the Sixth rate, which was the main draw for me. It's not really a matter of wanting something to blow everything out of water. A sixth rate is a really tiny vessel all things considered among the most common two deckers. She's light,fast and often used as scouts. For me it's similar to a brig but better designed for comfort at sea.

As for the roles, I'm not looking for a solely military object. With modifications such as removing some guns and lessening the amount of powder and ammo you need to store, you can convert that space to cargo. My main concern was not firepower but crew comfort for longer voyages out at sea.  I'm not stopping you from going lower I won't mind, just putting cargo,comfort and other concerns into mind for a balance. My examples are military because that is the information that is readily available. Many explorers used converted fifth and sixth rates. 

As for brigs, 12 to 16 to sail but you combine everyone else you have a crew of roughly 155. Total guns would range to the same as the 20 gun Sixth Rate I showed you. Sixth rates and Brigs have the same firepower, one is just far more comfortable for long voyages. That was my only reason really was while yes it was larger, it's cannons were inboard,crew had a mess, wardroom for officers and guests plus with plenty of room to handle large amounts of cargo.

[chaoslord29]

I was simply going with the breadth of information there is on the Sixth rate, which was the main draw for me. It's not really a matter of wanting something to blow everything out of water. A sixth rate is a really tiny vessel all things considered among the most common two deckers. She's light, fast and often used as scouts. For me it's similar to a brig but better designed for comfort at sea.

As for the roles, I'm not looking for a solely military object. With modifications such as removing some guns and lessening the amount of powder and ammo you need to store, you can convert that space to cargo. My main concern was not firepower but crew comfort for longer voyages out at sea.  I'm not stopping you from going lower I won't mind, just putting cargo,comfort and other concerns into mind for a balance. My examples are military because that is the information that is readily available. Many explorers used converted fifth and sixth rates. 

As for brigs, 12 to 16 to sail but you combine everyone else you have a crew of roughly 155. Total guns would range to the same as the 20 gun Sixth Rate I showed you. Sixth rates and Brigs have the same firepower, one is just far more comfortable for long voyages. That was my only reason really was while yes it was larger, it's cannons were inboard,crew had a mess, wardroom for officers and guests plus with plenty of room to handle large amounts of cargo.

That's a good point about Frigates being converted for voyages of exploration, so if that's something you as a party would like to focus on I'd definitely take it into consideration. Can't help but think of the various brigs that were used for surveying, especially along coast lines, and then there's the famous voyage of the HMS Beagle (a brig) and Charles Darwin. Overall, I just took for granted that you guys would be in and out of ports between scenes and jobs (much like Shadowrunners get down time in between runs) since Fate doesn't lend itself to extended 'survival' themed adventures.  That said, I think it makes it all the more dramatic if an extended voyage is going to be all the more perilous in a brig, just means more chances for your characters to prove how exceptional they (and their ship) are!

I am confused however by the disparity in crew sizes that seems to exist in the material I'm researching. Some show brigs with crews of over 100, but the HMS Niagara, one of the most famous brigs in history had a crew of only 42. Overall, I don't want to get too hung up on these kinds of details, since Fate is a rules light system anyway. Having more or less crew might factor in when you want to board an enemy vessel or get boarded and there's now a situation Aspect of Outnumbered on the scene. Likewise a having the handier or better armed vessel is only going to make a difference when you want to use that to create and Advantage and apply aspects like 'Outgunned' or 'Flying circles round em' on the scene.

[mai]

well as far as the crew disparities goes, that's not terribly mysterious. A ship could be crewed with much fewer people than usually there were, and privateer ships especially tended to run with especially large crews (so as to crew ships that they captured).

[TheGlyphstone]

Indeed...from what I understand, a big part of the large crew sizes for military/naval vessels was cold-hearted casualty calculation; they built in enough 'spare' crew members that the survivors could still control the ship and keep it above water after a major battle. And as said, privateers often ran on a surplus to ensure they had prize crews available for captures.

[chaoslord29]

well as far as the crew disparities goes, that's not terribly mysterious. A ship could be crewed with much fewer people than usually there were, and privateer ships especially tended to run with especially large crews (so as to crew ships that they captured).

Indeed...from what I understand, a big part of the large crew sizes for military/naval vessels was cold-hearted casualty calculation; they built in enough 'spare' crew members that the survivors could still control the ship and keep it above water after a major battle. And as said, privateers often ran on a surplus to ensure they had prize crews available for captures.

Ah, that makes sense and actually lends itself well to our purposes. Mechanically, I'll allow you to decide the complement of crew you'll be taking on (and any resources that'll cost you), and you can use the usual minion rules for Quantity and Quality to determine how good the Crew will be any time you're not directly taking action yourselves.

Will we be wanting to use the Wealth optional rules and a Wealth Stress Track? Does anyone have an alternative system they'd like to pitch?

[mai]

I'm not familiar with the wealth optional rules, but I think given the variety of socioeconomic backgrounds our characters have, wealth as a skill might make sense? The folks with noble backgrounds or powerful backers could have a high wealth skill representing their ability to draw on those resources, while characters with less to go on might have a low skill, representing that they have a much harder time affording large purchases.

[chaoslord29]

I'm not familiar with the wealth optional rules, but I think given the variety of socioeconomic backgrounds our characters have, wealth as a skill might make sense? The folks with noble backgrounds or powerful backers could have a high wealth skill representing their ability to draw on those resources, while characters with less to go on might have a low skill, representing that they have a much harder time affording large purchases.

Resources is the Core skill, representing a character's ability to martial material wealth and it works almost exactly the way you described.

The addition of a Wealth Stress Track allows a character to 'spend' a certain amount in-character allowing time in between scenes for it to recover, or else taking Wealth related Consequences such as 'Strapped for Coin', 'Flat Broke', or 'Bankrupt'. Characters would start with one box on their Stress Track, and a high Resources Skill will add one or two more boxes to be checked off in exactly the same way Physique affects Physical Stress and Will affects Mental Stress.

[SGTDan]

Well I will offer some examples of what I was looking at, for review and discussion CL and party.

Best Brig example I could find, it's 18 guns on the main deck and one deck below for crew,ammo and such. Not terribly comfortable but what I think CL is thinking of. If you are wondering how cramped conditions are look at this and just add a few feet for non slaving ships.

What I was thinking of, much more comfortable for crew, remember morale is as big as money.This particular example has more guns then I was thinking. In my head the modified one we'd be using would be close to 14 guns on the upper deck making room for more cargo space or guest quarters while removing the cannons on the main deck to appear less threatening.. A side section with deck plans can be seen here. Another look was I thinking of while pondering it would be something like this.

Finally for size if anyone is curious about how a sixth rate sits in the water.

[mai]

something like this.

I like this one, it's got style.

[chaoslord29]

Well I will offer some examples of what I was looking at, for review and discussion CL and party.

Best Brig example I could find, it's 18 guns on the main deck and one deck below for crew,ammo and such. Not terribly comfortable but what I think CL is thinking of. If you are wondering how cramped conditions are look at this and just add a few feet for non slaving ships.

What I was thinking of, much more comfortable for crew, remember morale is as big as money.This particular example has more guns then I was thinking. In my head the modified one we'd be using would be close to 14 guns on the upper deck making room for more cargo space or guest quarters while removing the cannons on the main deck to appear less threatening.. A side section with deck plans can be seen here. Another look was I thinking of while pondering it would be something like this.

Finally for size if anyone is curious about how a sixth rate sits in the water.

Good on you SGT Dan, the more visual examples we have to go on the better. Keeping in mind of course that if we want to make some non-historical changes to any and all of these, well, this is a game about flying sail ships after all. One big difference of course is that weight is going to be a premium aboard any airborne vessel in order to remain aloft. Any given airship is probably going to be a bit lighter, smaller, and put crew size and weight of iron at a premium, but with the mechanism for flight Glyphstone and I have developed, maybe not in all cases. Here's a Cross section of the HMS Beagle, a retrofitted brig used as a survey vessel by the famous Charles Darwin. It had only six guns and a small crew but represents a lot of the potential represented by such a vessel. For comparison, here's the USS Niagara, a brig of war with a crew of 155 and 20 Guns. Brig or Frigate, I figure your vessel will probably fit somewhere neatly in between.

"Cavorite" is the particular brand of phlebotium that has provided for our age of Flying ships. Aeronautical (as opposed to just nautical) will fly using a combination of cavorite ore which (when wet) generates an anti-grav effect allowing a ship to fly, and C-Gas Balloons, which is a byproduct of refining cavorite from it's highly (HIGHLY) unstable state into usable material.

C-Gas is plentiful and easier to come by, but goes inert over time and is also highly flammable (as our stand in for hydrogen). C-Gas is a cost-effective solution for smaller military vessels and merchants on a budget, but a balloon takes up space that might otherwise be used for more sails, not to mention the explosive potential it represents in combat situations.

Refined Cavorite by comparison is used to some degree on almost all full-sized vessels as part of the keel or hull of a ship and water pumped from any convenient source is used to wet it and send the ship aloft. Allowed to dry out, the ship will descend slowly, but otherwise the use of rudders and planes allow for combat maneuvering. Vessels which rely solely on cavaorite can be fitted with more sails and overall canvas, making them faster and potentially more maneuverable than balloon vessels, as well as better in a drawn out fight since they have less risk of explosive combustion. Cavorite Vessels are a symbol of wealth and power, with the largest military vessels (dreadnoughts), sky-fortresses, and floating colony ships have entire hulls or else solid cores of the purest cavorite.

[TheGlyphstone]

'Pure' being a relative term, at least in my vision - the darn stuff is so expensive and difficult to mine that it's almost always smelted into an alloy with iron for plates of any non-novelty size...but the ratio of cavorite to iron in the alloy affects how much it can lift per area unit.

[chaoslord29]

'Pure' being a relative term, at least in my vision - the darn stuff is so expensive and difficult to mine that it's almost always smelted into an alloy with iron for plates of any non-novelty size...but the ratio of cavorite to iron in the alloy affects how much it can lift per area unit.

Got it, so we're using 'pure' in the same sense it applies to gold, which is doubly apt as a comparison given it's scarcity and value.

[TheGlyphstone]

Yeah, except gold doesn't have a chance to blow itself (and you) up while you're mining it out of the ground.

[Jefepato]

Okay, I'm giving this a shot because the thread is moving fast.  It could probably use some more work -- there's not much detail currently, and I'm a bit tired.

Name: Jean-Jacques ("Jack") Alvey
High Concept: The Finest Ship's Cook You'll Ever See
Trouble: My Father's Family Wants My Head
Backstory: Jean-Jacques is the son of a Frenchwoman who worked in the kitchens of a wealthy British family, and he learned well from her.  (The fact that he was also the bastard grandson of the venerable Lord Alvey was an open secret among the family and household staff.)  It would have been a pretty good life if things hadn't gone horribly wrong.  (Aspect: I Can Make Anything Edible)
First Adventure: Unfortunately, tragedy struck: Jean-Jacques's father, Orson Alvey, was murdered, and suspicion immediately fell on his mother, who'd discovered the body.  He still doesn't know who the killer was, but Lord Alvey's wrath quickly turned an awkward situation into a manhunt.  Jean-Jacques's mother was killed, and the teenager was forced to flee after managing (against all odds) to dig a musket ball out of his own arm and stitch the wound one-handed.  Fortunately, they'd lived near a port, and he was able to talk his way onto a ship that was short on crew and get out of the country before anyone caught up with him.  Things just escalated from there, but even if he has no real leadership experience, it's a rare privateer who doesn't appreciate having a halfway competent cook on board.  (Aspect: To Hell With The Nobility, or possibly Surgeon Before My Time)

[TheGlyphstone]

Here we go:

Name: Aldritch Griffin

Image: To be determined

High Concept: Bastard Prince Of The Skies - Lord Alexander Mason, the eccentric genius who discovered how to stabilize raw cavorite and ushered in the birth of the airship, was never really a people person, preferring to putter around in his laboratory. He did manage to find a wife and have a family, though, and his son (also named Alexander) grew up showered in the wealth and fame from being the son of the 'King of the Skies', and he was definitely a people person. Too much of a people person, as it turned out - one of his liaisons on the side, before he settled down and married a proper British lady of his own- left the girl he was dallying with pregnant. When this indiscretion was discovered, the Mason family reacted as any proper aristocratic family would, by disowning any official relation or connection to the penniless girl and her infant. This was how Aldritch grew up, constantly under the shadow of the great Masons whose blood filled half his veins but whose vast fortunes he could never so much as lay a finger on.

Trouble: Black Sheep of The Family - Despite the public line that there existed no illegal scions of the Mason line, Aldritch's existence as the sole living proof of his father's indescretions was a mostly unspoken truth within the family, and the cause of a great deal of anger. Most of his patrilineal family despises him, and he cordially detests them in return, but they have the wealth and influence to make his life unpleasant whenever the opportunity arises and it's not too much effort to do so, in the way only 'royalty' can. Not all of them agreed with the decision to bar him from their ranks, though - particularly among some of the second or third cousins standing to inherit as much of the family fortunes as he is - and sympathy for him does exist here and there. Blood is blood, in the end, and he can sometimes find a relative willing to help him if he's willing to swallow his pride and ask.

Backstory: Forced to make his own way in the world while taking care of his unmarried mother, Aldritch had no time for formal schooling or education. Where he was cut out of inheriting family wealth, though, he inherited his grandfather's alchemical expertise in full measure, along with a few faded journals that belonged to Alexander I describing some of the more obscure properties of cavorite. Aldritch believes, with enough time, he can develop a procedure of his own that will also stabilize cavorite - on its own many times more powerful than black powder - without removing its explosive properties, and be the inventor of a weapon as world-changing as his grandfather's discovery was. He's learned a lot about alchemy in his experiments towards that end, though all of it is self-taught through trial and frequently spectacular error, making him a Back Alley Alchemist.

First Adventure: A Little Trouble In Big China Some of the earliest weaponized explosives were developed in ancient China, and so Aldritch set out to the exotic Orient in search of its secrets, taking passage on an East India Tea Company airship as a common airman. Hilarity ensues, and he ends up hunted by the prefecture, fleeing the country in disguise with a set of ancient Chinese scrolls bearing a failed recipe for 'devil's breath', gunpowder mixed with cavorite dust.


---------

For at least one of my stunts, I want to have A Little Something To Remember Me By: Gain a +2 bonus when using Alchemy to escape pursuing enemies.

[kckolbe]

Wow, missed a lot while I was asleep.  I did want to comment on focus/starting ship.  It was, after all, my intention to have a separate ship (though for RP purposes I may allow a mate to captain it so I can be on the main ship as a trade adviser).  I don't mind combat taking the lion's share of activity, between pirating, wars, and trouble on the ground in unstable colonies, the opportunities are significant.  While it is true that my char is not suited for such a life, I did kinda ask for that with his Trouble. 

As for the ship I wanted, I am more familiar with 16th century ships (so feel free to convert), but I was thinking something along the line of a Bergantin for my character (one step up from the smallest trade ships, about 25 crew) and a Nao (smallest dedicated warship, about 60 crew) for SGTDan's.  His ship would be far more suited to war and just generally a more impressive ship, but mine would at least be my ship, the result of an impressive young career at trade. 

[SGTDan]

Sir Humphrey Irving Battle
High Concept:
Captain Battle of the Royal Navy is an accomplished and decorated naval officer. His years of service has seen Elizabeth I give way to James I but his loyalties have never changed. For Britain he would give his life in her service. His accomplishments during the Queen's reign began when as a young boy saw him take part in numerous skirmishes with pirates protecting British trade lanes. Eventually working his way to a posting aboard a small frigate Battle proved his mastery of aeronautical combat leading when the Spanish Armada tested the Royal Navy again. Alone his ship found it's self side to side with the mighty Spanish flagship, El Impoluto. It was a ship that the Spanish prided itself on, one of the largest man o' wars to ply the skies.

It had harried English merchants and sunk nearly every Royal ship that had tried to stop her. The El Impoluto had sunk the Relentless killing Lord Hornblower of the Admiralty board during the last time the two navies clashed. Every English sailor knew and understood aboard his frigate that they had to stop the terror of the skies. Without thinking he ordered his Marines into battle while he challenged the Spaniard Admiral to a duel with a cry of "Sink the Impoluto!" that echoed out of every English sailor. Through the smoke and sounds of dying men his men fought heavily outnumbered. They pushed hard against the odds knowing Britain was relying on them. On his sword the dirty Spanish fleet broke with no leadership and it's flagship under English control. Following the legends defeat he found himself leading the chase as the Armada fled back to home. There Battle finally smashed the cowering foe into Spain's shores.
Master and Commander

Trouble:
Due to his very strong patriotic origins Battle tends to look ill at Spaniards or Frenchmen. His sourness for such men being grown through his service to the Crown. Being the man who would in his deep baritone voice from the railing of the poop deck cheer his men on with songs of battle even as shells hissed overhead, Battle commands the same amount of respect from his fellow Englishmen as his hatred for Britain's foes. As such, he finds it difficult to be in the company of some of his island nation's longest rivals without challenging them to a test of martial prowess, but equally difficult to bring harm to fellow countryman. This makes Battle a great drinking buddy if you're English but terrible company of your home country is one of Britain's bitter rivals.

When it comes to his service if the King decrees it then it must be done. Battle has never disobeyed an direct order nor does he intend to. Throughout his service he has become as close friend of the King himself, being a trusted officer to the Admiralty board and adviser when the King needs a honest opinion. To break the trust the Crown has placed in him would be unthinkable to the Battle and worse then death.  The highest insult anyone can say to his face would be to question his loyalty to the Crown which has only happened once. After a short duel Battle proved that he is more then willing to risk his life for the King.
Your Faithful & Obedient Servant, Sir

Backstory:
Battle spent his childhood on the streets of London before being taken under a Commodore's wing and enlisting in the Navy. Aboard the HMS Whistler young Battle spent much of teenage years learning off of the various sailors on board from gunning to commanding. He met the love of his live, Catrina, while he climbed both ropes and ranks. Given a name by the Commodore, the young boy became known as Humphrey Battle.  After his commission to a junior officer he transferred to another ship. Even in separation the two kept in touch even as it became taboo. One night after a massive battle with the Spanish they were caught, she took the fall and he continued in his career. Even as he patrolled the skies of the Americas Battle's heart stayed in Scotland lamenting the fact that an gentlemen like him could never be with a working girl. Always the hero he began to question his place in life.

Ever since then the Captain found himself among the head of every fleet. Always the first to be seen leading the line as two fleets clashed, Battle became a hero in England. Every battle he participated in, win or lose, Battle was categorized as never taking a step back. Always steady even under the scream of flying shell or hiss of splinter he saw his mission through. Eventually he worked himself up to the head of a might fleet aboard a large man o' war where he plied the skies and protected the various colonies from vicious scoundrels. Across the skies in the America his name was synonymous with "one who is master of the skies" and pirates began to fear the silhouette of his ship coming over the horizon.
My Bonnie Lass

First Adventure:
When Battle was called into audience with the King, he was surprised to say the least. Duke of Buckingham had approached the Crown with an ambitious and daring plan to goad the French into war. A number of the Duke's agent would be part of this plot but the James wants someone he can trust. Trust to be steadfast and sturdy when the chips are down, Battle was that man. The plot would mean that Battle along with the Duke's agents given Letters of Marque to become privateers complete with new identities. Still they would work for the England but harry the French and Spanish merchant lanes to goad either power into getting too aggressive. Then once they overstep the bounds the privateers would be called to raise their true colors along with whatever resources they amassed in that time. This would not only allow England to rightfully go to war against France, but greatly increase the strength of the Royal Navy without doing it openly during peacetime.

Agreeing for his King, he was given his letter along with a contact in the Americas who would set him up with a ship. Along with that the contact would be the one to pass orders from English Crown. Asking the King directly, who wasn't aware of the scandal between the two, Battle wanted one condition. He could bring a recommissioned Catrina as a trusted officer at his side. Without much fuss the King signed the paper reinstating her with orders to meet Battle at the London dock. Thanking the King Battle, now Ward Tanner a ex naval officer looking to strike it rich, headed out to get ready for his adventure of piracy.
The King's Secret Navy

[Pumpkin Seeds]

seems like there could be quite a lot of meet and greet on a trip to the Orient.  Before I write the next aspect, I could have her sign on as a mercenary for a bit which would go with her "Not the Marrying Kind" portion of her life.

[HairyHeretic]

I have an idea, but I'm not entirely sure how well it'd fit. I'm thinking a sort of wandering con artist / fang shi (Chinese exorcist) . He would have come from China via the East India company, and wandered his way across 2/3s of the world at this point. If you're read any of Raymond E Feists stuff, he'd be a bit like Nakor.

Would something like that work, or would I be better off coming up with a different character?

[chaoslord29]

Okay, I'm giving this a shot because the thread is moving fast.  It could probably use some more work -- there's not much detail currently, and I'm a bit tired.

Name: Jean-Jacques ("Jack") Alvey
High Concept: The Finest Ship's Cook You'll Ever See
Trouble: My Father's Family Wants My Head
Backstory: Jean-Jacques is the son of a Frenchwoman who worked in the kitchens of a wealthy British family, and he learned well from her.  (The fact that he was also the bastard grandson of the venerable Lord Alvey was an open secret among the family and household staff.)  It would have been a pretty good life if things hadn't gone horribly wrong.  (Aspect: I Can Make Anything Edible)
First Adventure: Unfortunately, tragedy struck: Jean-Jacques's father, Orson Alvey, was murdered, and suspicion immediately fell on his mother, who'd discovered the body.  He still doesn't know who the killer was, but Lord Alvey's wrath quickly turned an awkward situation into a manhunt.  Jean-Jacques's mother was killed, and the teenager was forced to flee after managing (against all odds) to dig a musket ball out of his own arm and stitch the wound one-handed.  Fortunately, they'd lived near a port, and he was able to talk his way onto a ship that was short on crew and get out of the country before anyone caught up with him.  Things just escalated from there, but even if he has no real leadership experience, it's a rare privateer who doesn't appreciate having a halfway competent cook on board.  (Aspect: To Hell With The Nobility, or possibly Surgeon Before My Time)

Definitely looks good to me their Jefepato. A couple of paragraphs total is more than enough, and it definitely conveys the feel of (yet another XD) bastard noble scion. May I suggest that you might play up the potential for split French-British loyalties. Rather than a French chef, why not have your father re-marry a French woman and when killed, have her forced out along with yourself.

Here we go:

*Snip*

---------

For at least one of my stunts, I want to have A Little Something To Remember Me By: Gain a +2 bonus when using Alchemy to escape pursuing enemies.

Character looks good there, we've already talked a little over PMs, but it brings up an important question/issue as to whether we want to make a separate skill for Alchemy/Chemistry rather than Lore which I was already going to reskin as Philosophy.

I'm thinking you should probably take Born Alchemist as a Stunt representing a natural talent with chemicals, especially since as it stands it doesn't seem like you'll be taking a high Academics/Lore/Philosophy rank.

[TheGlyphstone]

I looked at the Fate core skills and figured Alchemy would be a Crafts skill, not a Lore skill - Lore/Academics/Philosophy/(Science), by the description, seemed like a 'know things' skill, while Crafts is the 'make things' skill, and I'd be using Alchemy to Make Things. Usually boomy things.

[chaoslord29]

I looked at the Fate core skills and figured Alchemy would be a Crafts skill, not a Lore skill - Lore/Academics/Philosophy/(Science), by the description, seemed like a 'know things' skill, while Crafts is the 'make things' skill, and I'd be using Alchemy to Make Things. Usually boomy things.

Ahhh, I see what you're saying and that does make sense. However, I'm still thinking Alchemy (or Alchemist) should be Stunt applied to the Crafts skill. Fate is very kind where Skills are concerned, advising that skills should be kept very much general unless some sort of practical purpose is served by having a bunch of different re-skins of the same Knowledge or Craft Skill.

If Philosophy is going to take the place of our Lore skill (representing academic and scientific knowledge) then perhaps something along the lines of Engineering should serve as the Craft skill. Anyone have a more Colonial Era sounding name for Crafts/Engineering?

[TheGlyphstone]

Maybe have Crafts be set to one 'default' area of expertise, and allow Stunts to apply a character's Crafts rating to other areas of expertise? I.e., I could have Crafts-Alchemy, but with the stunt 'Controlled Demolitions' I can use my Crafts for, say, Engineering.

Also, I think 'Artisan' sounds like a good Colonial name for the Crafts skill.

[Jefepato]

'Crafts' sounds colonial enough to me, but I do like 'Artisan.'

Definitely looks good to me their Jefepato. A couple of paragraphs total is more than enough, and it definitely conveys the feel of (yet another XD) bastard noble scion. May I suggest that you might play up the potential for split French-British loyalties. Rather than a French chef, why not have your father re-marry a French woman and when killed, have her forced out along with yourself.

I freely admit that I only went with the bastard-noble thing because I was low on ideas for a trouble aspect and went with my first random idea for why a rich family hates my character.  I'll give your ideas some thought; I don't see my character as much of a patriot, but given the tensions between England and France people might well treat him like he has split loyalties even if he doesn't actually care that much.  (Probably not enough to turn that into a trouble aspect on its own, though.)

Did you see my previous question about how knowing multiple languages works in Fate Core?  I don't remember seeing anything about languages under the default skills listed...

[kckolbe]

I believe it was under academics.

[chaoslord29]

Language is pretty much handwaved in Fate. You can use the Lore skill to see if you speak the language, which makes sense in this setting since most philosophers are going to speak at least their native language and Latin. I suggest that it be handled either through Aspects or Stunts.

If you want to be able to speak two or three languages, just invoke whatever Aspect of your character makes sense for it. Otherwise, mai and I already discussed a Polyglot Stunt which can be used to grant a bonus whenever speaking the native tongue might be advantageous.

Maybe have Crafts be set to one 'default' area of expertise, and allow Stunts to apply a character's Crafts rating to other areas of expertise? I.e., I could have Crafts-Alchemy, but with the stunt 'Controlled Demolitions' I can use my Crafts for, say, Engineering.

Also, I think 'Artisan' sounds like a good Colonial name for the Crafts skill.

I think we're going to stick with Crafts as a singular Skill, and allow players to specialize using Stunts. To be clear, that means Crafts makes you good any time you have to use your hands to build or create something, and a Stunt representing a specialty (For example Alchemy, or Shipwright) will grant a bonus to specific situations. I may rule in play that not having the appropriate specialty may impose a penalty when trying to perform more specialized tasks (say Jewelry Making, or Clockwork) but for the most part, were going to keep it simple.

May use Artisan though, that's pretty good.

[TheGlyphstone]

Alrighty...instead of Back Alley Alchemist, then, I'll change it to Shock and Awe - he hasn't succeeded in his quest yet, but he's learned a lot about making things go boom and how to distract people. But he's also prone to going with the flashier and louder of two options, even if being subtle would work better.

Back Alley Alchemy can be a Stunt, letting me use Crafts to whip up improvised alchemical concoctions or devices as needed.

[SGTDan]

So now that my character has been cleared, I was curious what people would like to see from the ships we'll have.

My mind has begun to wonder to what we should do for it.

Have we decided how we're going to work it? I do like the idea that everyone has an aspect that reflects their relationship with her.

[kckolbe]

Going to withdraw.  I guess FATE just doesn't appeal to me.  Best of luck.

[chaoslord29]

Alrighty...instead of Back Alley Alchemist, then, I'll change it to Shock and Awe - he hasn't succeeded in his quest yet, but he's learned a lot about making things go boom and how to distract people. But he's also prone to going with the flashier and louder of two options, even if being subtle would work better.

Back Alley Alchemy can be a Stunt, letting me use Crafts to whip up improvised alchemical concoctions or devices as needed.

Sounds good to me Glyphstone. I wanted to check in though on your First Adventure. Is 'Little Trouble in Big China' (can't not picture Aldritch being played by Kurt Russel now) the Aspect or just the Title for the Adventure? If it is the Aspect, how do you anticipate that being invoked/compelled?

So now that my character has been cleared, I was curious what people would like to see from the ships we'll have.

My mind has begun to wonder to what we should do for it.

Have we decided how we're going to work it? I do like the idea that everyone has an aspect that reflects their relationship with her.

Just need to finalize sheets for Pumpkin Seeds, Jefepato, and Glyphstone and then we can advance to the Crossing Paths phase, everyone can pick up two more Aspects, and then everyone can pick a 7th Aspect directly related to what they bring to a ship and crew.

Also, I was thinking that rather than just starting with a ship, how would everyone feel about making the first Scene of the Campaign stealing the ship which will serve you in the rest of your adventures?

[TheGlyphstone]

Title and Aspect. I could see it being Invoked if he needed to dredge up some memories of how to speak broken Chinese, a trick for hiding from pursuing authority figures, or a bonus on Athletics for a harrowing rooftop-to-rooftop chase scene. Compels would bring that misadventure back to haunt him...he's still a wanted man in China for his theft of the scroll, probably with some sort of bounty on his head. For extra bonus fun time, let's say he got shot during his escape, and while he survived, the wound occasionally flares up and discomforts him.

[chaoslord29]

Title and Aspect. I could see it being Invoked if he needed to dredge up some memories of how to speak broken Chinese, or a bonus on Athletics for a harrowing rooftop-to-rooftop chase scene. Compels would bring that misadventure back to haunt him...he's still a wanted man in China for his theft of the scroll, probably with some sort of bounty on his head. For extra bonus fun time, let's say he got shot during his escape, and while he survived, the wound occasionally flares up and discomforts him.

Rooftop chases is a bit of a stretch and an old wound that flares up is material for an Aspect all it's own, but invoking it for some knowledge of Chinese culture, language, and whatever secrets he managed to steal are all good. Furthermore, I'm liking this idea of a price on his head, both with the Chinese, and the East India Company, as I'm assuming he's technically guilty of desertion having enlisted as a company airman only on the pretense of getting to China in the first place.

I'm also thinking that with so many people referencing China, Southeast Asia may be the best place to set our Campaign, letting your privateers get entangled in the colonial politics of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, New Guinea, etc. Would anyone be opposed to that? I'm particularly looking at mai, since much of her character was based on being abroad in the West rather than so close to home.

[TheGlyphstone]

Definitely a deserter, yeah. Under a false name, of course, but he didn't disguise himself, so someone might recognize him...he hadn't intended on the desertion, but everything went kablooie to where he needed to get out of the country right then and there, without waiting for his ship to leave.

[mai]

I'm also thinking that with so many people referencing China, Southeast Asia may be the best place to set our Campaign, letting your privateers get entangled in the colonial politics of Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, New Guinea, etc. Would anyone be opposed to that? I'm particularly looking at mai, since much of her character was based on being abroad in the West rather than so close to home.

Well, her backstory would still work even if they then sailed back east, and European privateers are probably going to be, at least ostensibly, based in Europe or one of the colonies anyway, so it wouldn't be too much of a disruption. I'm not especially opposed to the idea, and if it's something everyone's interested in I'm willing to rework a couple things about the character if necessary (although I don't think it's necessary, and anyway she's from Shenyang, which is a city in the northeast, so she'll still be a bit out-of-place in the south).

[chaoslord29]

Definitely a deserter, yeah. Under a false name, of course, but he didn't disguise himself, so someone might recognize him...he hadn't intended on the desertion, but everything went kablooie to where he needed to get out of the country right then and there, without waiting for his ship to leave.

Perfect, so feel free to invoke that whenever you feel like a little Chinese lore, culture, familiarity, fireworks would be useful to Aldritch, and I'll compel it whenever his on-the-outs status with that particular prefecture and the EIC would be a complicating and dramatic factor.

Well, her backstory would still work even if they then sailed back east, and European privateers are probably going to be, at least ostensibly, based in Europe or one of the colonies anyway, so it wouldn't be too much of a disruption. I'm not especially opposed to the idea, and if it's something everyone's interested in I'm willing to rework a couple things about the character if necessary (although I don't think it's necessary, and anyway she's from Shenyang, which is a city in the northeast, so she'll still be a bit out-of-place in the south).

Glad to hear it mai! Given what little I know of racial and national tensions in the modern age between Southeast Asia and mainland China, I can only imagine things would be amped up a couple notches with Western colonial powers manipulating, exploiting, and fighting proxy wars amongst them. So not only will Lia be out of place among the Western Barbarians, but the less civilized Southerners as well.


@All
Currently up for discussion:

• Stealing a ship of your own for the first Scenario & Scene
• Having the campaign set (initially) in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, etc.

[/list]

[mai]

Glad to hear it mai! Given what little I know of racial and national tensions in the modern age between Southeast Asia and mainland China, I can only imagine things would be amped up a couple notches with Western colonial powers manipulating, exploiting, and fighting proxy wars amongst them. So not only will Lia be out of place among the Western Barbarians, but the less civilized Southerners as well.

I'm a little worried about that, actually, since my conception of Li Yan wasn't so much that she had "conflicted" loyalties as that she had "clear loyalties that aren't to the rest of the party", so if they ever find themselves set against the Ming emperor, that would be a place where I'd feel obligated to play her against the rest of the party, which isn't something I especially like to do in group games. Maybe we can change things such that most of the Emperor's attention is focused on the rebellions in the north and also at claiming large Cavorite deposits in Siberia and Manchuria, leaving the southeast more vulnerable to be fought over by regional powers and Western colonists?

Currently up for discussion:

• Stealing a ship of your own for the first Scenario & Scene

Stealing a ship might be fun, I'd be down for it.

[TheGlyphstone]

As long as our Crossing Paths establishes us with solid enough relationships that we'd trust each other to help steal a ship, I'm all for it..

[SGTDan]

@All
Currently up for discussion:

• Stealing a ship of your own for the first Scenario & Scene
• Having the campaign set (initially) in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, etc.

Stealing a ship? I suppose if you want me to work for me ship I can do that. I was thinking Battle would have one set up for him when he got to wherever he's going. I do get this funny image of the contact leading him to the dock where his ship is moored to find it gone.

As for location, I images of palm trees and toucans dancing in my head. If the rest of the party wants Aisa I'll go along with it.

[mai]

We also don't necessarily have to stay in one place the whole time, there's plenty of room for us to piss off a colonial governor or something and end up having to get the heck out of the West Indies, or something

[chaoslord29]

I'm a little worried about that, actually, since my conception of Li Yan wasn't so much that she had "conflicted" loyalties as that she had "clear loyalties that aren't to the rest of the party", so if they ever find themselves set against the Ming emperor, that would be a place where I'd feel obligated to play her against the rest of the party, which isn't something I especially like to do in group games. Maybe we can change things such that most of the Emperor's attention is focused on the rebellions in the north and also at claiming large Cavorite deposits in Siberia and Manchuria, leaving the southeast more vulnerable to be fought over by regional powers and Western colonists?

If that's your biggest concern, I can address it during play in such a way that it won't wholly split loyalties and cause the game to devolve into a PvP conflict. Trust me, as a GM I've had more than a little experience unifying diverse agendas and causes.

As long as our Crossing Paths establishes us with solid enough relationships that we'd trust each other to help steal a ship, I'm all for it..

The purpose of crossing paths is to establish just such a rapport, or at the very least make sure that there's someone else in the party who will vouch for anyone else you might not otherwise trust. What's more, I'll be establishing a mutual contact for you all, somewhat enigmatic but with a reputation as being trusted by multiple governments and factions as a 'fixer'. He'll be providing you with the opportunity to initially steal the ship and serve thereafter as someone you can call on or might come to you if you're ever at a loss for jobs or info.

Very true also that we don't have to stay in one place, and the best part about Advancement in Fate is that it's derived at least partially through the acquisition of new Aspects, related to the adventures you have participated in. So wherever you wind up, you'll be able to develop new Aspects to suit your needs.

[mai]

If that's your biggest concern, I can address it during play in such a way that it won't wholly split loyalties and cause the game to devolve into a PvP conflict. Trust me, as a GM I've had more than a little experience unifying diverse agendas and causes.

That's great then, I'll trust you.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Well was mainly holding out on filling in the last two aspects so that I could tie that part with someone else.

[chaoslord29]

Well was mainly holding out on filling in the last two aspects so that I could tie that part with someone else.

You can still do that, but just know there's a part of character creation devoted to that specifically. Also I still need to see the actual content of your background and first adventure. Just a couple of sentences each will do.

Edit: Strike that, didn't realize you'd already updated the content.

[SGTDan]

So here is my ship idea, I thought I would show off my hard work. I changed a little CL, just added water tanks for the cavorite and made the pumps function as filling rather then damage control.

Bonnie Lass

Armament:
12x 12 Pound Cannons
2x Nine Pound Chasers

Boats:
2x 32' cutters with a 25' quarterboat and 28' gig carried atop them.

Crew:
Sailors: 135
Marines: 25

Detailed disposition

Sailors
Captain 1
Lieutenants 2
Warrant Officers 6
-Sailing Master
-Purser
-Surgeon
-Carpenter
-Gunner
-Boatswain
Midshipmen & Mates 6
1st Class Petty Officers 14
-Master at Arms
-Carpenter's mate
-Caulkers
-Ropemakers
-Armorer
2nd Class Petty Officers 12
-Yeoman of the Sheets
-Coxswain
-Quartermasters
-Armorer's mate
-Gunner's mate
-Yeoman of the Powder Room
- Boatwain's mate
- Sailmaker
-Caulker's mate
-Master at Arm's corporal
-Cook
-Cooper
Other Rates 90 (30 on each 3 watches)
Boys 3
Widows’ Men 1

Marines:
Officers 1
Sergeants 1
Corporals  2
Enlisted 21

Total Complement: 160

Flags:
This is the flag Battle had made for his ship, sails from the masthead
British Ensign from the ensign staff
Decks:

Quarterdeck and Foredeck

Look from the helm
Image of the boats and skids

Quarterdeck and Forecastle Details

Forecastle: A short deck in the fore-part of the ship, above the upper deck.

Cathead:  A short timber projecting out from the bow, used for hoisting the anchor.  The ends were frequently decorated with carved or cast lions' heads.

Boomkin or Bumkin or Bumpkin:  A short boom projecting from the bow, used to extend the lower corner of the foresail to windward.

Head: That area alongside the bowsprit used for the seamen's lavatory. Pipes lead to a tank along the keel, dumped when over the sea.

9-pound Chaser: The bow-chasers were selected for accuracy and were situated to fire directly ahead while chasing an enemy vessel. Installed after she was brought from being mothballed to help her catch fleeing merchants.

32-pound Carronade: In the Bonnie Lass's time in the merchant navy, all her 32 pound carronades were removed to save on weight and allow for more cargo.

Chains or Channels: There were three pairs of such chains, one pair associated with each mast.

Foremast: The most forward of the three masts.

Galley Stove Cowl: The chimney of the galley stove located on the upper deck penetrated up through the forecastle.  The top was protected from wind and water by a metal cowl.

Belfrey: The bell located on the forecastle was the regulator of the ship's routine.  It was struck every half-hour, one bell marking one half-hour into the watch, two bells an hour, three bells an hour-and-a-half, and so forth.  Eight bells marks the end of a four-hour watch.

Gangways: The walkways connecting the quarterdeck to the forecastle.

Skid-Beams: Lateral beams crossing the open space between the gangways.  Used for the storage of boats (when not being towed behind the ship) and of booms.

Main Hatch:  A hatch is the cover over a hatchway, and the main hatchway was the stack of deck openings in the middle of the ship, allowing direct access to the hold for loading heavy stores and barrels.

Accommodation-ladder: Steps up the side of the ship from the waterline to the gangway.  The starboard accommodation-ladder was used for formal occasions, the starboard ladder when no ceremony was desired.

Mainmast: The center, and tallest, of the ship's three masts. When she was acquired by the merchant navy they installed a larger main mast then would be on a ship of her size. This larger main mast makes the Bonnie Lass have a unique silhouette. 

Capstan: A cylindrical rotating mechanism mounted vertically so that a cable may be wound around its barrel, principally used in weighing anchor.  The Bonnie Lass's capstan is double-height so that crew members on both the quarterdeck and upper deck could push on the capstan-bars to apply force.

Binnacle: A case which contains a compass and a light, so the compass may be seen at night.

Wheel: The device with barrel and spokes, attached by ropes to the tiller and rudder, so that the ship may be steered.  Also known as the "helm"

Stern Lantern: A pair of lanterns were hung from the stern.  They were useful in convoying vessels so that the ship could be seen and followed at night.

Quarterdeck: The uppermost deck, behind the mainmast.  Usually, the sailing of the ship is controlled by officers here.  The quarterdeck was reserved for the use of officers and guests, with the windward portion of the quarterdeck for the exclusive use of the captain when he was present.

Mizzenmast: The aftmost and smallest of the three masts of the ship.

Upperdeck

View from the Great Cabin door
Inside the Great CabinGun deck in battle

Upper Deck Description
Manger: A small area at the bow used to prevent water entering through the hawse-holes from washing back along the deck.  This space is also used to keep animals.

Bitts: An oak frame to which to secure the cables when at anchor.

Foremast: The forwardmost of the three masts.

Galley Stove: The kitchen of the ship, where the main stove for cooking victuals sat.

Main Hatch: A hatch is the cover over a hatchway, and the main hatchway was the stack of deck openings in the middle of the ship, allowing direct access to the hold for loading heavy stores and barrels.

12-pounder Guns: The main battery of the Bonnie Lass consisted of long cannons firing a 12-pound ball. Only twelve remain from her original twenty two compliment, they are centered in the middle of the ship. The extra space is often used for more cargo or extra passengers depending whats needed.

Mainmast: The center and tallest of the three masts.

Pumps: There were numerous pumps aboard the ship, but the largest ones were clustered about the mainmast where they ran down to the bottom of the hold. One set pumps water into the water tanks and the other set pumps water across the cavorite plates in battle to regulate height.

Capstan: A cylindrical rotating mechanism mounted vertically so that a cable may be wound around its barrel, principally used in weighing anchor. The Bonnie Lass's capstan is double-height so that crew members on both the quarterdeck and upper deck could push on the capstan-bars to apply force.

Coach: A cabin just in front of the Great Cabin.  It could be used for the captain's dining when alone or with only a guest or two.

Captain's Bed Place: The captain's sleeping quarters.

Great Cabin: The captain's main cabin.  If an important guest was being carried aboard, the captain would usually relinquish use of the great cabin to the visitor for the duration of the voyage.

Quarter-Gallery: A small closed-in balcony serving as the captain's privy.  Also useful for keeping things.

Rudderhead Cover: The head of the ship's rudder ended in the great cabin, and it was usually enclosed with a decorative cover to preserve the compartment's appearance.

Mizzenmast:The aftmost and smallest of the three masts.

Lower Deck

View from the prow
View from the Gun Room

Lower Deck Descriptions

Gunroom/Wardrooms: Here the junior officers eat and sleep, also used for the higher class passengers.
-Political Adviser Cabin: "Lia" Li Yan
-Gunner Cabin: Aldritch Griffin
-Marine Officer Cabin: Lieutenant Catrina Donalda Fraser

Sick-Bay: The sick-bay was where the surgeon and his assistants looked after the sick and hurt.  The loblolly boy was the regular attendant.

Dispensary: The surgeon's office where he would examine crew reporting sick.

Foremast: The mast closest to the bow.

Crew Berth Deck: In this large open area the crew would sleep in their hammocks, with Marines closest to the officers' quarters and petty officers in the outboard positions.

Main Hatch: A hatch is the cover over a hatchway, and the main hatchway was the stack of deck openings in the middle of the ship, allowing direct access to the hold for loading heavy stores and barrels.

Pump Room: Through this space about the mainmast pass the principal pumps to draw water from the sea.

Mainmast: The middle and tallest of the three masts.

Captain's and Officers' Pantries: The captain had a separate pantry from that of the officers of the gunroom. In these compartments were kept the dishes and other tableware used in the formal dinners frequently given.

Scuttle: Any opening in the deck or hull to provide access was termed a scuttle, but this scuttle in the gunroom was of particular importance, as it opened down to the ladder to the magazine.

Mizzenmast: The hindmost of the three masts.

House of Ease: As a frigate, the Bonnie Lass was too small to have an actual quarter-gallery to serve as the officers' privy.

Bread Bins: In these compartments was kept the "bread" (most usually hardtack) for the officers.

Orlop Deck

Image of the Orlop deck

Orlop Descriptions:

Foremast: The most forward of the ship's three masts.

Bosun's Store Room: The storage area for sail cloth, cordage and associated materials.

Gunner's Store Room: Except for powder and ammunition, the materials needed for maintenance of the ship's armament.

Carpenter's Store Room: Extra timber and nails needed by the carpenter for repairs of the hull, yards and masts.

Sail Room: Storage of sails not in use.

Pitch and Tar Room: Stores of pitch, tar and paint.

Scuttles: These deck openings gave access to the coal storage area below the fore platform.

Orlop: The orlop deck was comprised of the platforms laid directly on the hold beams, generally divided into fore and aft platforms. The orlop was used as an emergency medical station during battle as it lay below the waterline and was thus protected from enemy cannon fire.

Main Hold: Under supervision of the master, ballast was laid down in the bottom of the hold and then bulky stores such as casks of water and barrels of salted beef and pork carefully stacked above.

Shot Lockers: These held the balls fired by the ship's guns and carronades.  Being very heavy, this ammunition was stored low in the center of the ship, adjacent to the mainmast.

Mainmast: The center and tallest of the three masts.

Well: An open area around the base of the mainmast where the main pumps could draw out any accumulated water into the main tanks for wetting the cavorite.

Slop Room: Storage for crew clothing to be issued by the purser.

Steward's Room: The purser's steward kept charge of the ship's provisions stored here.

Officers' Stores: Personal property of the officers other than the captain.

Captain's Stores: Personal property of the captain, including wine and food required for long voyages.

Magazine: The storage area for gunpowder.  No open flames were permitted in this area and slippers worn for fear of a shoenail striking a spark.  There was a second magazine but the merchant navy refitted her to carry more and removed it.

Filling Room: The cartridge bags required for loading the cannons were filled here and then carried up through the scuttle to the gunroom and above.

Light Room: As no flames were allowed in the magazine or filling room, lamps in the light room shone through sealed windows into the filling room.

Passage: This small room was the only access between the magazine/filling room and the rest of the vessel.

Pillar for Mizzenmast:  While the foremast and mainmast were stepped directly on to the ship's keel, the mizzenmast ended one deck higher, so support was provided by a pillar reaching down to the keel.

Bread Room: The crew's "bread" (mostly hardtack) was kept in this tin-lined area to protect it from water and rats.

Coals: Storage for coal used in stoves.

Spirit Room: Storage for rum, wine and other alcohol.

Fish Room: Traditionally used for storage of salted- or stock-fish, also used for other stores, including wine and spirits.

Water tanks: Not pictured but in the main hold are two water tanks that gravity feed the cavorite plates water to keep the Bonnie Lass aloft. They hold enough water for a few days before the Bonnie Lass must set down in water to refill them.

[chaoslord29]

That's quite a bit of detail SGTDAn, I trust everyone is as grateful for the extra mile you've gone in trawling through the details of historical nautical warfare to provide us with more context and an immersive feel for the RP.

On the mechanical side, I've determined that we'll be treating the ship as a sort of Character in it's own right, with it's own Aspects, Stunts, Stress Tracks (for Crew and Hull) and Consequences.

Wanted to check in too, see if anyone/everyone is ready to advance to the Cross Paths stage of character creation?

[SGTDan]

I am

[mai]

I'm ready when y'all are.

[TheGlyphstone]

Let's Do This Thang.

[chaoslord29]

Okay, I just need to hear back from Hairy Heretic or Jefepato (Pumpkin Seeds contacted me via PM).

Now in the FATE Core rules, it calls for players to randomly determine who crosses paths with who, but seeing as it's conducted in two rounds, I'm thinking I'll let you all pick the first round, then I'll pick the second round in order to make sure everyone is well acquainted with everyone else (at least indirectly).

So, if there's someone(s) first adventure you'd like to guest star in, give me your top 3 choices and any you leave blank or don't have a preference for I will determine randomly.

[SGTDan]

Here are my choices;

1.) Glypthstone
2.) Mai
3.) - (Given there are two other players...at the moment)

[TheGlyphstone]

Only 2? What happened to Hairy, Jefepato, and Pumpkin Seeds?

[SGTDan]

Only 2? What happened to Hairy, Jefepato, and Pumpkin Seeds?

2 Accepted, correction

[TheGlyphstone]

Then I guess my two picks are

1) Mai
2) Jefepato
3) HairyHeretic

[Jefepato]

Sorry, I've had an awkward few days and I need to do some reading before I figure this out.  Sorry to hold people up.

You could just put me with someone at actual random if you need to keep things moving.

[mai]

I don't have any particular preferences.

[HairyHeretic]

I've been a bit busy is all. Will try and work on character today.

Edit - character draft sent via PM. Waiting to see if it needs any changes before posting here.

[chaoslord29]

All hands on deck! This is a spot inspection! Who's still on board for this game?

[mai]

I'm still in.

[TheGlyphstone]

Still here.

[chaoslord29]

I need either Pumpkin Seeds or Hairy Heretic to complete the group before we get this moving.

[HairyHeretic]

I'm still about, refining the character atm.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Sorry, just finished a 5 day 12 hours each stretch.  Will get this wrapped up and done for you.

[chaoslord29]

Sorry, just finished a 5 day 12 hours each stretch.  Will get this wrapped up and done for you.

Between that and our continued struggle against the rabid pro-death side of that political debate totally understandable. Just wanted to make sure everyone's still on track to see if we can get this thing kicked off before the week is out.

[Jefepato]

Sorry, I'm still here.  I'll try to get you a revision tonight per our PM discussion so we can move on.

[TheGlyphstone]

Blaaaargh?