Populate a 17th century galleon

[lensman]

Help fill a Galleon of the high seas with crew, passengers, guests, secrets, spirits, cargo, companions. The age is that of 17th century earth with an undercurrent of mystic menace.

So far...
A baby Kraken in a jar.

The Cook

A one eyed, one legged, swarthy man with bad teeth. Able to produce edible food from just about any ingredient no matter how badly it was preserved. Also has unspecified combat skills and an agenda of his own.

The Vampire in the Hold - He's traveling in a wooden crate. By day he remains inert (appearing dead to anyone who happened to discover him). By night he turns to mist to escape the crate and wander the ship, snacking on the occasional unwary sailor or passenger.

The Ship's Cat

The figurehead isn't. Its place was taken by something else, now in disguise.
The Rat On A Stick Vendor would make a great deal of money in late stages of a long voyage.

An exotic Turkish princess on the run from something, incognito. dressed as a sailor.

[alexraccoon]

http://www.greatgridlock.net/Sqrigg/galleon.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hind

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/the-golden-hind-ship.htm

THE GOLDEN HINDE
Length 37m
Hull 31m
Waterline 23m
Displacement 300tons
Speed 8Knots=14kph
SHIP WEAPONS
Poop Deck x2 Petras (small cannon)
Fore Deck x2 Petras
Focsle x2 Falcon (Two Pound shot cannon)
Stern x2 Falcon
Gun Deck x14 Minion (Four Pound shot cannon)
Personal weapons Armoury
Crossbows,Long Bows,Polearms,
Swords,Daggers,
Muskets(Arquebuse)
Crew 16th century
x20 gentlemen officers
40 to 60 crew members

[Vestnik]

A baby Kraken in a jar. Its mother wants to know where it is...

[Curufea]

The Cook
A one eyed, one legged, swarthy man with bad teeth. Able to produce edible food from just about any ingredient no matter how badly it was preserved. Also has unspecified combat skills and an agenda of his own.

[sinanju]

The Vampire in the Hold - He's traveling in a wooden crate. By day he remains inert (appearing dead to anyone who happened to discover him). By night he turns to mist to escape the crate and wander the ship, snacking on the occasional unwary sailor or passenger.

[teh bunneh]

The Ship's Cat (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1198857&postcount=52)

[L. Marcus]

. . . The figurehead isn't. Its place was taken by something else, now in disguise.

[Vestnik]

O am getting a distinct Edward Gorey feel here.

[Cancer]

The Rat On A Stick Vendor would make a great deal of money in late stages of a long voyage. :D

[Vestnik]

Cabin Boy on a stick!

[L. Marcus]

Ooo ooo! The captain is a big-bearded, legless maniac!

What? Has that been done already?

Well, shoot . . .

[Beast]

large and scared whale is following the ship

[Curufea]

large and scared whale is following the ship
As well as a ticking crocodile of huge size.
And a kraken missing a couple of tentacles.


BTW - this looks like a similar deal to Populate a Creepy Hotel (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38795) over in the Dark Champions forum (and on my wiki were I wrote a random hotel populator) - it's a great idea.

[Vestnik]

An exotic Turkish princess on the run from something, incognito. dressed as a sailor.

[Susano]

. . . The figurehead isn't. Its place was taken by something else, now in disguise.

Heh...

I found this miniature over on the Reaver website.

http://www.reapermini.com/albums/mercenaries/DarkMaiden_ds.jpg

I'm not sure of the figure's real history, but I am working on a character sheet for it, based on what I see and some ideas of my own. The figurehead is from a ship built by a sorcerer-adventuerer. He used it to travel and trade among many lands but eventually was ambushed by pirates. His crew dead, his ship in flames, and mortally wounded, the sorcerer put the rest of his magical energy and life force in the figurehead, willing it to life. The figurehead tore itself free from the ship and then slaughtered the pirates to a man, eventually hacking the bottom out of the ship and sending it to the bottom.

I am developing the stats and such for the figurehead, but am wondering about ship's timbers on her "back". Ablative armor? Extra BODY that doesn't "recover"? Extra "limbs"? Stretching? The rough basis for the character will be the Wood Golem in the HERO Bestiary.

[Susano]

Jonathan Roberts, esq. A gentlemen sorcerer.

http://surbrook.devermore.net/original/fantasy/jonroberts.html

[Spence]

Heh...

I found this miniature over on the Reaver website.

http://www.reapermini.com/albums/mercenaries/DarkMaiden_ds.jpg

I'm not sure of the figure's real history, but I am working on a character sheet for it, based on what I see and some ideas of my own. The figurehead is from a ship built by a sorcerer-adventuerer. He used it to travel and trade among many lands but eventually was ambushed by pirates. His crew dead, his ship in flames, and mortally wounded, the sorcerer put the rest of his magical energy and life force in the figurehead, willing it to life. The figurehead tore itself free from the ship and then slaughtered the pirates to a man, eventually hacking the bottom out of the ship and sending it to the bottom.

I am developing the stats and such for the figurehead, but am wondering about ship's timbers on her "back". Ablative armor? Extra BODY that doesn't "recover"? Extra "limbs"? Stretching? The rough basis for the character will be the Wood Golem in the HERO Bestiary.


The figurehead was happy until the Captain ditched her for a "newer" ship. Now she is pissed. Hell hath no fury and all that :D

[teh bunneh]

I got a 3rd prize win at Gencon for that figure! :celebrate

PS: I've always interpreted the timbers on her back as "wings." If you see the figure in person I think you'd see what I mean. :)

[Susano]

I got a 3rd prize win at Gencon for that figure! :celebrate

PS: I've always interpreted the timbers on her back as "wings." If you see the figure in person I think you'd see what I mean. :)

Oooh... there's an idea. I was thinking no Running, some Swimming (sinks into the ocean), lots of Surface Only Swimming, and now... Flight! (explains how she gets to the decks of ships!). Also, Two Weapon Fighting, and two long swords. Also, typical Golem powers.

Good thing I have a three day weekend!

[Susano]

The figurehead was happy until the Captain ditched her for a "newer" ship. Now she is pissed. Hell hath no fury and all that :D

Is that history for the original figure?

[Spence]

The figurehead was happy until the Captain ditched her for a "newer" ship. Now she is pissed. Hell hath no fury and all that :D

Is that history for the original figure?

didn't mean to give the impression I knew more than I did. It just sounded good to me. Good plot hook.:D

[Susano]

didn't mean to give the impression I knew more than I did. It just sounded good to me. Good plot hook.:D

Ahhh... okay. I'm going to go with what I posted, as it makes for a good origin story.

[Spence]

The Harn supplement "Pilots Almanac" is fantastic for RPG sailing ship details. Just indepth enough to have a great feel and color, but simple enough to be useful in a game. Worth a look.

[Curufea]

I've generally found most Harn products to be worth a look :)
Lots of great stuff (and lots of resources on the internet worth looking at too)

[Steve]

Hmmm... is this an English galleon or a Spanish galleon? The people on board would tend to reflect nation of origin.

[lensman]

I see the ship as a confederacy of nautical rogues who answer to no one except the Capt. and their own dark natures.

Great ideas, will start writing some up and posting the results here.

[Curufea]

If it's a man of war - it could have a thousand crew.
http://website.lineone.net/~d.bolton/Ships/menofwar.htm

But a galleon, like the Black Pearl in PotC would have from one to six hundred (if it were transporting troops)
http://www.kipar.org/piratical-resources/potc-black-pearl.html

[lensman]

Then it HAS to be a Manof War.

[Steve]

Wow! I never knew that a ship of that era could hold so many people. I was thinking a hundred to two hundred or so.

[Susano]

Wow! I never knew that a ship of that era could hold so many people. I was thinking a hundred to two hundred or so.

Two words: "cramped quarters"

[Curufea]

First class ships of the line during the Napoleonic wars had many decks, and over a hundred cannons.
There is a great book which shows a cutaway diagram of one fo these massive sailling ships and shows the jobs of all the crew.
http://www.amazon.ca/Stephen-Biestys-Cross-Sections-Man-War/dp/156458321X

[L. Marcus]

. . . Sing Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum . . . !

[Admiral C]

. . . Sing Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum . . . !

But why is the rum burning!? :D

[Susano]

How can I forget Captain Jack Sparrow?

http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptionsmovie/jacksparrow.html

[Spence]

First class ships of the line during the Napoleonic wars had many decks, and over a hundred cannons.
There is a great book which shows a cutaway diagram of one fo these massive sailling ships and shows the jobs of all the crew.
http://www.amazon.ca/Stephen-Biestys-Cross-Sections-Man-War/dp/156458321X

Yes, but they were not Galleons. They came after. The biggest Galleon I can find record of was ~1000 tons, with most being less. The Ark Royal of 1588 against the Spanish Armada was 800 tons with a total of ~450 crew to include officers, gunners, sailors and soldiers. I am probably off, but is was after James I and during Charles I reign that they adopted the "rate" system. A 1st rate (1745 reckoning) of ~100 guns had an establishment of 780 crew ~1706-1719 and jumps to 850 crew through 1783. A large 74 crewed form 640-650 while a common 74 crewed 590-650.

Of course there was a tendency to vary greatly from "establishment" depending on the Captain and his resources.

For myself using the smaller Galleon of the 1500's (or a small frigate in the 16-1700's) is a lot more useful choice for a RPG campaign. A major ship of the line won't have any flexibility. It would be tied to the "fleet" under an admiral or sealord unlike a small ship that could act independently. Of course a Galleon in the 1500's IS the major man of war. If you want a ship with operational flexibility but still smaller, try a Sloop of War, a Brig or perhaps a small Frigate.

[Badger]

How about a sailor with an eye patch, hook hand, and pegleg name Lucky. :D

[Curufea]

What was the name of his other leg?

[L. Marcus]

A small, rodent-y sailor, who's the devil at climbing, really likes hard cheese and won't let anyone see him without his pants on.

[Curufea]

Bill of the Crows Nest.

He never leaves and always has his meals brought up to him. The only reason the captain humours him is his superb eyesight and the rest of the crew regard him as lucky. There is much speculation about how he goes to the toilet.

[Badger]

What was the name of his other leg?

:rolleyes:

[LordGhee]

national geographic had an article on the trade between the Philippines and Mexico with a great cut away of a galleon a few years back

Lord Ghee

[Badger]

An exotic Turkish princess on the run from something, incognito. dressed as a sailor.

Given the time period easy to guess either A) horrible arranged marriage B) possibly converted tho Christianity.


Could be the ship is being chased by Turkish ships, perhaps.

[Badger]

Bill of the Crows Nest.

He never leaves and always has his meals brought up to him. The only reason the captain humours his is his superb eyesight and the rest of the crew regard him as lucky. There is much speculation about how he goes to the toilet.


Gives new meaning to the term "poop deck" :D

[AlHazred]

"Squinty" Pete Milligan

"Squinty Pete's been sailin' wi' the Captain since the beginnin', and says 'e was wi' the previous Captain as well. 'E survives attrition by bein' a valuable member of the crew: a healer. Not a doctor, though 'e can cauterize and sew wi' the best o' 'em, and 'is long years servin' aboard ship has taught 'im the value of a good diet. No, they say Pete has the mojo, some power 'e learned from a shaman on an island somewhere.

"They say, in 'is youth (which must 'ave been a hunnert years ago - Pete looks ancient, always squintin' 'is left eye shut) Pete's ship was in a scrap wi' a privateer. Cast adrift on a couple o' planks, 'e came ashore on an uncharted island in the deep ocean. There, 'e befriended a tribe of natives, learnt their language and even married into their tribe. But the Sea was always in 'is blood, and years later when another ship was sighted, Pete rowed out to it and signed on wi' a new captain.

"Anyway, whether or not it's true, Pete's got the Touch. Seamen come in wi' burns, and Pete sings the hurtin' out o' 'em wi' a strange tune. Sometimes when 'e drums on the gunwale durin' a storm, the thunder seems to keep time wi' 'im; some say 'e could drum up a gale that way. The strangest is the glass jars 'e keeps in his locker. They've got teeth in 'em, danglin' from the lids wi' twine. Sometimes, at night, sailors ha' seen Pete take 'em out and sing to 'em - they say it sounds like the jars sing along with 'im!

"There 'e is! Don't look at 'im funny - they say, if 'e takes umbrage at ye, 'e opens 'is left eye, and puts the evil eye on yer! Ye don't live long with that hangin' over yer head..."

[Midas]

Nice, Al Hazred. Wonder where you came up with that idea. ;D

Since we're on the subject: The First Mate has always had a strange look about him, bulging eyes, receeding chin and hairline and such. Now he has taken to his quarters, keeps himself comepletely covered and hooded when out, and has constant nightmares. The rest of the crew can only understand one word "IA!"

Midas

[Blue Jogger]

The young maiden

There is a rumor that there is a young maiden onboard the ship. She is only seen when one is alone in pale moonlight, but it is obvious that she is wet and shivering. If one should see the young maiden, do not approach her, for rumor has it that she was unjustly thrown overboard on the maiden voyage of the ship. And if you are held by her when the light of the sun touches her, you too will share her fate as your soul will also be dragged to the bottom of the ocean, leaving your empty corpse behind.

The truth of the matter is left up to the GM to decide. But here's a couple different directions to take it.
1) It is someone who looks fairly ugly by day, but by night can appear as a beautiful maiden. (+10 COM, only in low light levels).
2) It's the princess, the rumor allows her to play the young maiden but have a good reason for disappearing before daylight.
3) The vampire could be female.
4) An NPC stowaway.
5) The rumor is true, she surrives by feasting on men's souls, she only needs one every few weeks or so..

[CraterMaker]

The Bad Apple

Scruffy and skinny, and perpetually cringeing along with anyone stronger and meaner than he is, Darro the Scarecrow is constantly muttering about how unfair everyone is to him. He complains that the sun gives him headaches, the night makes his teeth hurt, the rain makes his bunyons act up, and that his ice cream is too cold to eat. He'll go on for hours on his various bellyaches and grudges untill someone slaps him around a little, and then he'll sulk for hours afterwards, sneaking murderous glares when he thinks no one sees him.

His peers tolerate him because he has a nose for trouble - More n' once, the bastich has somehow sensed ambushes when foraging inland for supplies, and he has a knack for avoiding troublesome spots. And the first time he saw your character, he fell into an open cargo hatch trying to get away from you... Now he's been heard darkly muttering to his "friends" about curses and doom, all the while keeping a sharp, murderous eye on... you.

-CraterMaker

[L. Marcus]

Dan, the captain's cabin boy -- a skinny little fellow, not even thirteen years old. He never says anything, but to the captain. Folks who have overheard him speak, says he has a surprisingly deep voice -- and that the captain asks Dan for councel.