[5e] Spell & Crossbones

[Queenie]

You've mentioned the "constitution" and the contract differently. Does the ship itself have it's own constitution?

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6781406]Unsung[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] Just letting you guys know that I posted descriptions of your custom magic items in the first post of the Rogues Gallery for convenience. You're welcome

You've mentioned the "constitution" and the contract differently. Does the ship itself have it's own constitution?

Yes! Most every pirate ship had something called the "Articles" (or sometimes referred to as the "constitution"). These set out terms for how treasure is split between crew/officers/captain, compensation for disability, grounds for discipline/punishment, special rules the captain lays down, what should happen in the event of the captain's death, and so forth. Usually they were drafted by the captain and certain officers.

 

[Queenie]

[MENTION=6781406]Unsung[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] Just letting you guys know that I posted descriptions of your custom magic items in the first post of the Rogues Gallery for convenience. You're welcome


Yes! Most every pirate ship had something called the "Articles" (or sometimes referred to as the "constitution"). These set out terms for how treasure is split between crew/officers/captain, compensation for disability, grounds for discipline/punishment, special rules the captain lays down, what should happen in the event of the captain's death, and so forth. Usually they were drafted by the captain and certain officers.

Got it! So this is something that would get written up each time a group would take on a new adventure, or more likely, a captain who owned a ship would carrying his own constitution with him. As in, you joined his crew, here are the rules.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yes, except that it is not simply the Captain that determines them. There are checks on piratical behaviour (in a way that there are not for naval vessels). The constitution is voted on, and the authority of the Captain is (as I understand it) approved from the bottom up, rather than imposed from the top down.

 

[Quickleaf]

Yes, except that it is not simply the Captain that determines them. There are checks on piratical behaviour (in a way that there are not for naval vessels). The constitution is voted on, and the authority of the Captain is (as I understand it) approved from the bottom up, rather than imposed from the top down.

Speaking strictly historically, mostly that's right, though I've read a couple instances where there were provisions in the ship's Articles like (paraphrasing) "no raping women" and "lashes for rum thieves" that strike me as the sort of TOP DOWN things an ELECTED captian might do. Anyhow, not to muddy the waters. And of course you guys can decide how to handle a lot of this on your ship!

 

[Kobold Stew]

So I never got back on this. Sorry.

1. Rituals.

taken

2. Role on Ship. So by removing Inspiring Leader, that reduces the rivalry for the captaincy and eliminates some redundancy. He has not worked with Queenie before, but can take any of a number of positions as desired. He has insight and so can serve as Quartermaster.

I think I might have misunderstood Queenie's message earlier today, or it was Katerina taking offence where Queenie took none. In any case, I didn't mean to overstep, but I really do not understand what Katerina's objection was.

3. Fortunes:

still have to be finalized.

I brought up Ben Hornigold because he's a real person, whereas the previous story was entirely from my imagination. I'm fine leaving it with that, but can change to Hornigold if anyone desires.

4. Maneuvers.

sounds like we are on the same page, so GREAT.

Thanks.

 

[Queenie]

Could someone point me to the current rotation schedule? Thank you!

 

[Quickleaf]

I brought up Ben Hornigold because he's a real person, whereas the previous story was entirely from my imagination. I'm fine leaving it with that, but can change to Hornigold if anyone desires.

Go with Benjamin Hornigold! It'll be a fun twist when you guys run across Blackbeard

Could someone point me to the current rotation schedule? Thank you!

Sure! Caveat: it's still in formation, and things are liable to change at sea. But here's what Kobold Stew, Maldavos, and Unsung shared so far (minor edits from me).

The Rotation

Morning (4:00-12:00)
Gentleman Jim (4:00-6:00): Jim rises an hour earlier than others (3:00), performs ablutions, appears promptly on deck during morning tea as supervising officer for prayer meeting, not because he is especially religious but for crew morale. (Crew)
Gentleman Jim (6:00-10:00): Attends to duties including discipline, various staffing issues, checking supplies, etc. (Quartermaster)
Gentleman Jim (10:00-12:00): Time in his cabin, attending to research and forging documents. (Researching/Forgery)
Gunner Teague (4:00-8:00): Sleeps like the dead. (finishes long rest)
Gunner Teague (8:00-12:00): Maintains the ship’s cannons, checks the powder, cleans and counts pistols and muskets, shouts up and down at the powder monkeys. Throws his back into any task calling for more than one set of arms. (Master Gunner/Crew)
Hugo Van Haan (4:00-6:00): Morning Tea. Hugo makes a still of tea and serves them from the kitchen on a first-come first-serve basis to the general crew, while taking a fine silver tea set into the captain's quarters to absorb reports from the prior night and report on any shortages. (Cook)
Hugo Van Haan (6:00-8:00): Breakfast. Hugo stores spices from every port in the Spanish Main. As a result he's often experimenting to keep things lively. If there's anyone on the ship who just wants a biscuit, for God's sake, they're probably annoyed. Hugo handles cooking, rationing, and clean-up. (Cook)
Hugo Van Haan (8:00-12:00): Rounds. Hugo checks the ships stores against a mostly-well tabulated inventory, including everything from cannonballs to crackers. (Quartermaster) ??? [MENTION=6777934]Maldavos[/MENTION] This will need to be tweaked as Hugo is no longer Quartermaster, rather Jim is. Perhaps Hugo will be studying Mandarin?

Afternoon (12:00-20:00)
Gentleman Jim (12:00-13:00): Postprandial rest. (short rest)
Gentleman Jim (13:00-18:00): Attends to duties as above. (Quartermaster)
Gunner Teague (12:00-18:00): As above. (Master Gunner/Crew)
Hugo Van Haan (12:00-5:00): Walks the decks, makes small-talk with near every member of the crew (whether they want to see him or not). Serves the purpose of checking up on the crew's morale, but Hugo would do this if his position were Captain or deck-hand. Helps out where needed. Has a junior member of the crew handle tea time. (Crew)
Hugo Van Haan (5:00-20:00): Preps dinner, in and out of dinner with Captain, joins in on after-dinner stories to add his beguiling viola or pipe to the background. Writes up a menu for the next day. (Cook)
All Officers / PCs? (18:00-20:00): Dinner with the Captain. Also, general time to discuss plans, report on problems among crew, puzzle over maps as a group, crack jokes, etc.

Night (20:00-4:00)
Gentleman Jim (20:00-4:00): Jim goes to bed early. (long rest)
Gunner Teague (20:00-24:00): Drinks rum on deck, reciting jokes and tall tales and mangled scripture to anyone who passes by. Often falls asleep. (starts long rest)
Gunner Teague (24:00-4:00): Becomes sombre and morose, delivering ghost stories and old sea legends, and waxing poetic on the nature of the sea as a fickle goddess. Occasionally draws a crowd. (Entertainer/Lookout)
Hugo Van Haan (20:00-4:00): Takes evening tea, talks to the more depressive drunks to ensure they don't throw themselves to the sharks, sleeps. (long rest)

 

[Queenie]

Thanks! I will try to use what is already out there as a guideline for rotation

My sheet has some changes... I don't think anything too major just fixed a couple of errors / removed Skilled / Added Inspiring Leader / added equipment (this part is still in progress, I need to add my weapon stat info). I also dropped Ally and added Magical Trinkets. It's just too much fun to see all the cool things everyone else has I thought about adding Casanova as the "femme fatal" - it fits- but I'm out of spots and I think game wise what I have works better. You really made an amazing resource here.

So, for Magical Trinkets am I supposed to roll them up or do you just do that? I think it's better using your discretion.

So, I am down to needing to add my rotation and my Baboon Stats for Bella. Which, coincidentally, is my daughter's name. She's always been my little monkey

Edit: I did include cartographer's tools and also a spyglass on my sheet. If necessary it can come out of the "sparkly gem fund" which will mostly go towards ship stuff. Or maybe Kat just just buy a new hat with a matching one for her monkey. Who knows with her?

 

[Quickleaf]

My sheet has some changes... I don't think anything too major just fixed a couple of errors / removed Skilled / Added Inspiring Leader / added equipment (this part is still in progress, I need to add my weapon stat info). I also dropped Ally and added Magical Trinkets. It's just too much fun to see all the cool things everyone else has I thought about adding Casanova as the "femme fatal" - it fits- but I'm out of spots and I think game wise what I have works better. You really made an amazing resource here.

Those all sound like reasonable changes. To be clear, for Magic Trinkets you're opting not to pick your own common/uncommon magic item, and not to roll 5x on the trinkets table (like Shayuri did), but to have me come up with 2 items using my discretion (like I did for Unsung)? Can do! I'll read back over your background and see what I come up with.

So, I am down to needing to add my rotation and my Baboon Stats for Bella. Which, coincidentally, is my daughter's name. She's always been my little monkey

Aww

Edit: I did include cartographer's tools and also a spyglass on my sheet. If necessary it can come out of the "sparkly gem fund" which will mostly go towards ship stuff. Or maybe Kat just just buy a new hat with a matching one for her monkey. Who knows with her?

First, spyglass is only 45 gp in the setting. Second, the total value of your gear is in the ballpark for a Fighter/Rogue's wealth. Third, one of those may become a magic item