World Pirates Black Heart

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Welcome to Pirates Black Heart World Information

This section will be used to describe the current world in which the story is taking place. In addition, it is also intended to show the various NPC's (Non-player characters) that are in this world. This can be quite a complicated world to delve into and it is with the hope that this section makes that navigation a little easier.
Pirates Black Heart Story Thread​

THE WORLD



The year was 1741 (The Golden Age of Piracy) The story takes place between the great Colonial trade routes with some non-colonial trades as well. Additional information will be provided regarding this further in the description.

Significant factors contributed to the current era, and the histories of piracy are often subdivided into three different periods. 1741 was the final stage. Locations like the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, Indian Ocean states, and North America with West Africa were the focus points of most piracy. However, in this era piracy had started to expand to even longer distances and conflicts over most colonization areas that dealt with trade were beginning to rival even that of the European powers.

In this era the majority of pirates were Welsh, English, Dutch, Irish, and French though these were not limited to these descents, these were the most common among them. Terms like Buccaneeering had long past and Privateers were also starting to decline. A privateer was a licensed pirate. A man who agreed to harass and interfere with the trade for those who opposed their given lordship. For example, a Privateer would harass Spanish Trade Routes but leave all English Trade alone. This would be someone licensed by England. These types of pirates became less popular when income became harder to find. England at the time viewed them as a necessary evil, however in 1726 most were left unemployed at the end of the War for the Spanish Succession, and dealing with such individuals was considered bad form.

Some of the most popular shows which derived from Pirates did so using the years 1716 – 1726 (Black Flags) takes place in 1715 for example. Famous Pirates like Stede Bonnet, Henry Morgan, Bartholomew Roberts, all took their name from an era that was before the one this story is taking place in.

Piracy in this era was more dangerous and often lead to full military actions to clear areas known to harbor pirates and or support their activity. Pirates had become more brutal in this era as shown by the Barbary Pirates which continued until the early 19th century. Unlike most European powers because of the increased hostility in piracy, bribes were paid to avoid conflict outright until a military force could be mustered to fight back against the threat. When these bribes were not paid the results lead to situations like the Barbary War and Barbary's second War. This leads us to our next topic Slavery.



SLAVERY



Slavery is a very sensitive topic, and because of this, some changes have been made to help take some of the pressure of this topic off. This is one of the first major sections of our world that is going to heavily split from a historical outlook.

Using concepts from the Barbary Raiders, slavery has been mainstreamed. You can't really talk about pirates without including slavery as they were one and the same. Unfortunately, free men were not so quick to ignore the profit that came from one of the major trade imports and exports which was slaves.

What was done to counter this is slavery now includes all races regardless of status, color, origin, or education. The effect slavery has had on the time frame is considerable. The New York Conspiracy of 1741 for example never took place because African American's are no longer the primary source of slavery. Everything from English Soldiers to Spanish Sailors could be enslaved. It would not be uncommon to see a Caucasian male standing next to a Spanish sailor chained to an African American immigrant. All people were seen as the same in the eyes of the slaver and color was no longer a factor regarding their status.

Slave Rebellion and Revolts would still take place, especially when dealing with groups larger than 250 or in that amount. But they wouldn't be as common or as frequent as they were in history because they were not restricted to a particular culture or race of people. Instead, if an individual was unable to pay their debt they could be enslaved, if a person was captured they could be enslaved. Like history, however, slaves regardless of race were heavily monetized and documented. In short and to simplify this, Color and Culture have both been removed when dealing with pricing or dealing with slavery. These two factors do not exist. There would not be a preference over one over the other because of the color of one skin or the culture where they were from. This is just not something that is happening in the world. All slaves are slaves, that status in itself is what matters nothing else save for the gender of the slave.



TRADE ROUTES

The Majority of this story is taking place in the European Trades. It can however expand to include the Spanish and France trade routes as well. The Threat of Spain was mostly quelled after the war and more ships were being built to provide escorts than were being built for prolonged war. Shipments of silver, gold, gems, spices, and other exotic goods became popular prey to many pirates.

What is not said in these shows as it's far more mundane but just as valuable is that Lumber, furs, whale oil, iron, tobacco, sugar, fruits, textiles, and furniture were also popular trade items and far more common in the European trade. This is certainly going to be reflected in (Pirates Black Heart) Seeing a chest full of gold, looks exciting but seeing a cargo deck filled with Whale Oil and Rice will yield three times more profit. It's just not as fun to think about.

Below are a few images to show trade routes that are and were common. What is missing is information on the Pirates of the south china coast. This didn't really become a popular aspect of piracy until 1790 and is very complicated to understand. When you start delving into Asian influence with pirates you start getting into Blackbeard and other Ching Shih. So it's just easier to say that it's unlikely the story will drive that direction if it did or does, then I'll revisit this section and provide more information as needed.



THE BLOODY BONES



This is a frigate class vessel. This is the main ship used to transport the characters around the world. This vessel is extremely important and because of that, a great deal of information has been given regarding it. However, because it is not relevant to the world itself what TBB is going to focus on instead is the changes that are taking place which conflicts with Historical information.

1st Major Change (Captain) – Unlike most pirate ships, the captain's position is indisputable. Votes, casting votes, group decisions on who takes what position all still happen, except with the captain. There are a few reasons for this the first one being that he is simply making too much money for them to ignore. Second, they are not bound to the ship. Any member can leave at any time, joining the crew they accept the oath in this case that oath includes the captain's word being unquestionable. The next major reason is that the captain himself does not become overly involved in the happenings on the ship. That's left up to the other officers. Someone did something wrong? That's the Quartermaster. Do we need more food and water? That's the First Mate. If the captain has become involved in the daily activities of things then something is seriously wrong.

2nd Major Change (1st Mate) – Most ships had a Quartermaster and TBB has one also. A Quartermaster was typically the first officer and acted in this regard. However, that's not the case on TBB here, the First Mate is basically being used here as the Voted Captain. His position is voted, his words are voted, etc. His job is to assure that majority of daily activity is being dealt with by him, not the captain himself.



NPC'S

(Non-player characters), can be controlled by any writer taking part in the story. Only some basic information is required but of course, more information can be given, especially when dealing with history and interactions that have happened in the past. For example, if a member of the crew attempted to kill another person, and this was relevant to the story then it should be added to important notes and information so it isn't forgotten when dealing with that particular NPC.

TBB officers and crew section is just a small standard list of positions, these are subject to change and the NPC's are not bound to any particular role. They may change as the story progresses. More will be added as they are introduced etc. If you are interested in what these roles do or what task they should be performing it is recommended you read the story thread as all that information can be found on the first page describing the ship itself.

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NPC's & Other Important Characters​

Ladies in Waiting (Captive)


DEAD (Suicide)
Name: Anna (Blank)
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Age:
Notes/personality: Enjoys Books and everything about them, is often called a bookworm.


FREED IN PORT
Name: Esther (Blank)
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes: Green
Hair: Redish Brown
Age:
Notes/personality: She has a weak stomach, not only for life on the sea but for all types of blood and gore. She's quick to faint and struggles to deal with things of this nature.
Judith is the bitch.


Name: Judith (Blank)
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Dirty Blond
Age:
Notes/personality: She has a very strong will, fiery, and is often referred to as an outright bitch because of how strong she can be.

Additional Captives/Slaves


Dead - Mercy Killing
Name: Jina
Ht: 5'4
Wt: 139 lbs.
Eyes: Dark Brown
Hair: Black
Age: 26
Notes/personality: Timid, fearful, Low English speaking skills, (Swahili) primary language.

 

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CREW:​

Murdered!
Name: Jones
Ht: 6'1
Wt: 200 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Gray/white
Age: 54
Notes/personality: Extremely aggressive, abusive, sexist, argumentative, dishonest, disloyal
*Openly abused one of the female captives, challenged the captain, challenged 1st Mate & Quartermaster


Murdered!
Name: Unknown (aka Skunk)
Ht: 5'7
Wt: 143 lbs (sickly thin)
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Thinning light brown/gray
Age: 43
Notes/personality: Unintellegant, Suffering from Syphilis, and nearing the end of its second stage. Complains and whines often.
*Several sores have formed around his pelvic regions and a strong rash has started to run up his stomach and across his backside. He often has a fever, headaches, noticeable weight loss, fatigue, and such things. Skunk, is a dirty person by nature but currently, he's just too tired to care about trying to scrub himself down properly.


Name: Carlos Mendez (aka Boy)
Ht: 5'9
Wt: 161 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dark Brown, near black
Age: 18
Notes/personality: almost innocent, terrified of the Captain, dedicated and proud of being a Cabin Boy (Fetcher).


Name: Wilcox Harrison (Betsy Wrights Private Guard)
Ht: 6'0
Wt: 190 lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Dark Brown - shoulder length
Age: 30
Notes/personality: His background is very underwraps as he feels the crew would view him as inferior if they knew. Wilcox was born and raised in London. Before he became a member to the Bloody Bones he worked as a brothel bully. He has high respect for women because of that position and a reason why he treats Betsy so highly not because she doesn't recieve it from anyone else or the captain. He finds Betsy attractive but she will be nothing more than just a sister to him. There is more to his story but he hasn't quite come clean with all of it just yet.


Murdered!
Name: Henry
Ht: 6'0
Wt: 198 lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Light Brown
Age: 24
Notes/personality: Little is known about Henry, He's deeply in love with Esther and the father of her child, He's threatened the crew and assaulted them in order to stop them from sleeping with her.


Murdered!
Name: Theodore Grensworth (Theo)
Ht: 6'1
Wt: 210 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dark brown
Age: 31
Notes/personality: Theo is a regular member of the crew and doesn't like to take shit from anyone. When Henry threatened to kill him for sleeping with Esther he attacked him refusing to be insulted by a fellow crew member.
Death Note: Fearing that Butcher was going to take the crew to Davy Jones on his death bed and having a small child in Nassau, Theo took it upon himself to end Butcher's life, failing he died with a gunshot to the side of his skull.

 

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THE BLOODY BONES OFFICERS/CREW​

The First Mate:

Name: Khottabych (Hota)
Ht: 5'10
Wt: 245 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Gray
Age: 43
Notes/personality: Hota is from Alaska before it was own by America. He is of Russian descent, he speaks English well but his accent can often leave people baffled. He's dedicated to his post and glad to be part of the ship.


Removed from Ship
MURDERED!
Name: James Ango (No Knees)
Ht: 5'10
Wt: 182lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Gray
Age: 55
Notes/personality: Speaks in a heavy poor English accent (pirate-like) Can be very hard to understand. He is very loyal and almost as bloody as the captain himself. He can be quite stern and takes everything the captain says as gospel and refuses to let others argue with it. He is and can be very dangerous. (No Knees was murdered for attempting to kill Betsy)

Quartermaster:

Name: Gibbs
Ht: 5'10
Wt: 168
Eyes: Hazel Blue
Hair: Reddish Brown
Age: 48
Notes/personality: Pure Irish, difficult to understand, speaks quickly


Retired
Name: Halley Ross (Bugs)
Ht: 5'9
Wt: 165
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red
Age: 38
Notes/personality: Very educated, use to be a navigator, doesn't enjoy bathing, He has clear Irish descendants in his blood and fights like it also. He does what needs to be done to keep the crew in line but believes in the voting system and freedom this life includes. He works with money and the books but always thinks of the men first. His loyalty is to the crew first except when dealing with the captain.

Navigator:

Name: Edger Reese
Ht: 5'9
Wt: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Blond (typically found with wig)
Age: 44
Notes/personality: Extremely proper, Noble birth, Knowledgable, and Educated.

Master Gunner:

Name: Runic
Ht: 5'6
Wt: 310 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown/gray
Age: 38
Notes/personality: Enjoys his grog and rum, he's a heavy-set man but has no problems following orders. He's small enough to move around the gun deck without much of a problem but has never been a leader before.

Doctor/Surgeon:
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Notes/personality:

Cooper:

Name: Zechariah
Ht: 5'11
Wt: 187 lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Light Brown
Age: 39
Notes/personality: Organized, Dedicated, Hard Worker, Thick Strong Arms.

Boatswain (Several people hold this title):

Name: Cobbs Jetti
Ht: 6'3
Wt: 198 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Age: 35
Notes/personality: Thinks women are a curse on the sea, Seadog (Old Sailor/pirate), Hard history doesn't speak of it. Swahili accent mixed with pirate lingo, aggressive and dangerous with a sword.

Musicians, Whores, Dancers, Slaves, etc.:
This section is for those titles that are bound to the ship not held by it.

 

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Ports/Famous Land Marks
While some information is historically correct, this is not a historical representation of events and should not be considered such. The following is fiction and has been adjusted for the world in which it is placed.​

Nassau

Originally called Charles town, Nassau is located in the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence, and is the capital of the islands. It was burned to the ground in 1684 during an invasion by the Spanish. It was rebuilt in 1695 and the name was changed to Nassau. It was used by both the French and Spanish though neither ever made a serious attempt to colonize it.

In 1706 Nassau's population consisted of almost entirely pirate crews. One estimate says pirates outnumbered the citizens nearly 10 to 1. The pirates set up a government, which they called the Republic of Pirates. The first officials were Captain Hornigold and Captain Jennings. They were elected by popular vote and soon took to calling themselves "Governors". Legend says Blackbeard would later be voted into office and given the title "Magistrate" and allowed to rule with complete autonomy, though there is little evidence to support this. As pointed out elsewhere on these pages Blackbeard was very active and at sea for most of the later years of this time period.

One thing is clear though, Nassau became a pirate haven and home to such pirates as Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Benjamin Hornigold, Henry Jennings, and Charles Vane. The biggest names in piracy were all in one place, at least for a short time during their brief careers. The pirates ruled Nassau for about 12 years, using it as a staging ground for many of their operations in the Caribbean.

The English who were attempting to colonize the new world with their stakes in America were finding it harder to send or receive any goods overseas due to the pirate activity in the region. English Governors such as Alexander Spotswood of Virginia increasingly demanded more action from England.

Eventually, the English sent Woodes Rogers to take over as Governor in Nassau in 1718. When Rogers arrived he brought with him 3 Man of War and a very large group of soldiers. He offered a King's pardon to anyone wanting to renounce piracy. Most in Nassau resisted at first but eventually took the pardon. Those who continued pirating would now have to contend with the English navy and a Governor who would not endorse such activity. In the end, Rogers was killed.

In 1732 Woodes Rogers died a mysterious and tragic death, which resulted in chaos across the island. Its regrowth due to his presence was almost immediately set ablaze. Within the next two years, pirates of all types retook Nassau and reestablished control over it. Prolonging the struggling colonies and trade routes. While piracy was no longer what it once was it was clear that Nassau would not be ruled. After the Spanish gave up on their attacks and the British decided after losing three Man O Wars, the area was simply too dangerous to continue to assault.

This resulted in new trade routes being made, with stronger escorts being provided to trade ships in hopes of avoiding pirate raids and attacks. Once more Nassau was a stronghold to many new faces and the future of piracy seemed unending in the eyes of many who beheld the dark history of Nassau and its unclear future.

Port Charleston


In late May 1718, Charles Town was besieged by Edward Teach, commonly known as Blackbeard, for nearly a week. His pirates plundered merchant ships and seized the passengers and crew of the Crowley while demanding a chest of medicine from Governor Robert Johnson. Receiving it, they released their nearly naked hostages and sailed up the coast for North Carolina. The wreck of Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, has since been discovered and found to include a urethral syringe (used to treat syphilis), pump clysters (used to provide enemas), a porringer (possibly for bloodletting), and a brass mortar and pestle for preparing medicine.

St. Philips Episcopal Church, Charleston's oldest and most noted church, was built on the southeast corner in 1752. The following year, the capitol of the colony was erected across the square. Because of its prominent position within the city and its elegant architecture, the building signaled to Charleston's citizens and visitors its importance within the British colonies. Provincial court met on the ground floor while the Commons House of Assembly and the Royal Governor's Council Chamber met on the second floor.

By 1750, Charleston had become a bustling trade center, the hub of the Atlantic trade for the southern colonies, and the wealthiest and largest city south of Philadelphia. By 1770, it was the fourth largest port in the colonies, after only Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, with a population of 11,000, slightly more than half of that slaves. Cotton, rice and indigo were successfully cultivated by Gullah people who survived the Middle Passage as enslaved planters. They were captured from the Congo-Angola border and rice-producing regions of West Africa, like the "Rice Coast," the "Windward Coast," the "Gambia," and "Sierra-Leon", and forced to work in the surrounding coastal low-country. The South Carolina and Georgia colonists ultimately adopted a system of rice cultivation that drew heavily on the labor patterns and technical knowledge of their African slaves. Cotton, rice, indigo and naval stores were exported in an extremely profitable shipping industry. It was the cultural and economic center of the South. As time went on, they developed a creolized Gullah language and culture, retaining many elements from West Africa.

On Monday, May 4, 1761, a large tornado temporarily emptied the Ashley River and sank five warships lying offshore.

While the earliest settlers primarily came from England, colonial Charleston was also home to a mixture of ethnic and religious groups. In colonial times, Boston, Massachusetts, and Charleston were sister cities, and people of means spent summers in Boston and winters in Charleston. There was a great deal of trade with Bermuda and the Caribbean, and some people came to live in Charleston from these areas. French, Scots-Irish, Scottish, Irish, and Germans migrated to the developing seacoast town, representing numerous Protestant denominations, as well as Roman Catholicism and Judaism.

Slaves also comprised a major portion of the population, and were active in the city's religious community. Free black Charlestonians and slaves helped establish the Old Bethel United Methodist Church in 1797, and the congregation of the Emanuel A.M.E. Church stems from a religious group organized solely by African Americans, free and slave, in 1791. It is the oldest A.M.E. church in the south, and the second oldest A.M.E. church in the country. The first American museum opened to the public on January 12, 1773 in Charleston.

Port Tortuga


The island of Tortuga was initially settled by a small group of Spanish colonists coming over from the Spanish settlement of Santo Domingo on the island of Hispaniola.

However, after the sack of Saint Caroline and massacre of the French by the Spanish from the settlement of Saint Augustine, the French were forced to flee and colonize elsewhere. Along with some English they established a colony at Saint Christopher in 1625 on what would later become Saint Kitts. From Saint Christopher they decided to colonize elsewhere in the region and after finding Hispaniola more populated by the Spanish they ended up landing at Tortuga off the north coast.

There were still a few Spanish colonists on the island at this time but the French settlers started building plantations anyways and were soon joined by buccaneers from around the West Indies. This drew he attention of the Spanish and in 1629 they were attacked by a contingent of Spanish soldiers under the command of Don Fadrique de Toledo.

The Spanish defeated the buccaneers and they were forced to flee into the interior and over to the mainland of Hispaniola. Toledo built fortifications on Tortuga before returning back to Hispaniola to chase down the rest of the buccaneers.

However, the absence of the Spanish soldiers attracted the buccaneers once again and they returned to the island the following year in 1630. The buccaneers defeated the small Spanish garrison left behind on the island and began work on expanding the fortifications the Spanish built.

After 1630 the pirate haven of Tortuga was open for business for French and English sailors who wanted to use it as their base for buccaneering as long as they defended it as well. During this time the English and French co-existed were allied through their mutual hatred and enemy of the Spanish but there were many disagreements and arguments that did occur.

Many of English colonists did not return and instead settled on the island of Nevis. A few did however, and the Providence Island Company built a colony on Tortuga under Anthony Hilton in 1631.

The British called the island Association Island during this time. Anthony Hilton would later be replaced as governor by Nicholas Riskinner who arrived at Tortuga in 1635. Riskinner died shortly after his arrival on the island.

The French sent a request to the governor of Saint Christopher to send Tortuga a governor and some soldiers and the island would begin to be used to launch larger attacks on Spanish ships. The French would eventually send Jean la Vasseur but this would take a few years.

For now the buccaneers and colonists were left to fend for themselves and resorted to full scale piracy and buccaneering. Later that year the island of Tortuga was viewed as more important than Saint Christopher so the seat of the Governor-General was transferred to the new territory.

In 1633 the first slaves to the island were imported and the French began to develop the territory economically. However, slavery would only last on the island until 1635 because the colonists did not know how to manage them. There may have been slave revolts and the slaves were reported as out of control. The social unrest on the island is what eventually led the Spanish to reconquer it for a second time.

Overall the pirate haven of Tortuga slipped into decline that corresponded with the decline of the buccaneering era as a whole. The pirates that chose to ply their trade were mostly doing the Pirate Round in the Indian Ocean and this led to the development of a pirate haven at Madagascar right at the turn of the 18th century.

Due to the buccaneers success in establishing Tortuga the French were also able to establish a major sugar plantation and slave colony at Saint-Domingue that occupied a third of the island of Hispaniola while the Spanish were able to retain their 2/3 as the colony of Santo Domingo.

 

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Ship information​

The following thumbnails are just to quickly aid in small descriptions of various parts of a ship and the styles used regarding them. For further information, it's best if that is looked up where much more research was done regarding this. These are just quick references.

Careening​

It was the bottom of the ship, the proper name for the task was "careening," and doing so took quite a lot of work. First, a safe harbor had to be found, far from the prying eyes of the authorities, because the pirates would be effectively helpless for the duration. Fortunately, the Caribbean offers many uninhabited islands, and anyplace off the regular ship lanes would do. A spot with freshwater, fruit trees and wild game was ideal.

Next, the vessel had to be lightened. This was done by putting everything in it, piece by piece, into the longboat, and rowing it to shore. There it was unloaded, so the boat could go back for more. Soon the island's shore would be stacked with crates and barrels. This was where it was handy to have water nearby, because the pirate ship's water supply, usually several tons in weight, could simply be emptied into the ocean.

Then long, heavy ropes were run from the ship to the land, and the pirates went to work. Using nothing more than the strength of human bodies, they dragged their entire ship onto dry land.

Of course, this was very difficult, but they had a few tricks to aid them. For one thing, a beach with a long, gentle slope would have been selected. For another, the work would be done at high tide, with the ocean to help. Then, as the water retreated at low tide, more of the boat would be out of the water.

Cannonball types​

ROUND SHOT
The standard iron cannonball. They were made in several common sizes but because of production quality, no two were exactly the same. These relatively loose-fitting balls were not very accurate at long distances. But they could travel farther than other types of shots, making them a popular round at medium to long ranges anyway, especially in a defensive role. The cannonball would have been used at close range for its overall destructive effects. Damaging enemy cannons, crew, masts, and particularly a ship's hull in an attempt to sink it. They were also used against shore fortifications.

BAR & CHAIN SHOT
These odd-looking shots consisted of two cannonballs or two halves of a ball attached together either by iron bars or chains. They were designed specifically to damage ships rigging and sails. These shots could cause major damage, wrapping around masts and reducing them to splinters, or taking out whole sails by simply ripping them to shreds. This type of shot was generally not very effective against a ship's hull and did not have the range of a standard cannonball.

GRAPE & CANISTER SHOT
Small iron balls about three-quarters of an inch in diameter were packed in bags and used as grapeshot. The bag disintegrated when the powder ignited releasing a cluster of balls in a wide shot pattern. This load was very deadly against crewmen at extremely close range and often used to repel boarders. Canister shot had a large metal container that was filled with gravel, nails, or musket balls. The container would burst when fired and scatter its lethal contents similar to grapeshot. The canister was more effective than grapeshot at closer ranges and began to replace it during the 1800s.

EXPLOSIVE SHELLS & HOT IRON SHOT
These two specialty rounds came into use at the height of the great age of sail. An explosive hollow cannonball fitted with a crude fuse that was lit just before it was fired. The intent was for the shell to explode when it reached the enemy ship. The timing was critically important to be effective, and also do not have it blow up in one�s face. The hot iron shot was heated to a red hot condition just before being fired. The purpose of using this shot was to set the victim's ship on fire. This type of round could also be extremely dangerous to a gun crew, as the heat of the shot inside the cannon could cause the gunpowder to ignite prematurely. They should have coined the phrase "Don't try this at home" with these rounds.

Punishments on the ship!​

1 – Flogging
Flogging with a cat o' nine tails (with a rope's end) was perhaps the most common form of punishment for mild indiscretions upon ships, although it was less common on pirate ships because it was associated with the discipline enforced on board naval vessels.

2 – Dunking
More of a tradition than punishment when crossing the equator. A pirate was attached to a wooden beam and dunked into the water repeatedly. When performed during a ceremony, this was seen as an honor, when performed as a punishment, you would be sure that the dunking was a lot harder and deeper.

3 – Tied to the Mast
A typical pirate punishment was to tie the perpetrator to the pirate ship's mast for a set length of time. Sometimes, a misbehaving pirate or enemy was tied to the mast while being flogged.

4 – Walking the Plank
Made famous by books and movies about pirates, walking the plank remains one of the most commonly named pirate punishments when in fact it was a very infrequent occurrence.

5 – Sold as Slaves
A typical punishment for pirates who had breached the pirate code or trust was to be sold into slavery. There were many slave plantations in the Caribbean and on the Eastern Coast of the Americas where slave trading was a legitimate economic activity.

6 – Marooning
Being marooned on a desert island meant certain death for pirates and sailors alike, unless rescued. Pirate offenders were left to die without water and food on uninhabitable islands. Pirates were given, however, the means to commit suicide, being left with a knife or pistol to put an end to the torture of marooning.

7 – Keelhauling
Worse, perhaps than being marooned, the torturous death brought about by Keelhauling was a fate no pirate wanted to experience. A rope was tied beneath the belly of the ship and the offending pirate would be tied to the rope and hauled underwater, dragging underneath the pirate ship. The ship's hull, covered in sharp barnacles, would cut like razors making for a very slow and painful death.

Typical Rules on Pirate Ship​

1. Rock the Vote
"Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity makes it necessary for the common good that a retrenchment may be voted."

2. Be Smart: Don't Steal from Pirates
"Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels, or money, they shall be marooned. If any man robs another, he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships."

3. Gambling's for Landlubbers
"None shall game for money, either with dice or cards."

4. Mind the Curfew
"The lights and candles shall be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights."

5. Keep Battle-Ready
"Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass, and pistols, at all times clean and ready for action."

6. Never Bring Your Date Home
"No boy or woman [shall] be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing one of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise, he shall suffer death."

7. Stand by Your Hearties
"He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in the time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning."

8. Settle Disputes Onshore (with Pistols & Cutlasses, of Course)
"None shall strike another on board the ship, but every man's quarrel shall be ended on shore by sword or pistol in this manner: at the word of command from the Quartermaster, each man being previously placed back to back, shall turn and fire immediately. If any man does not, the Quartermaster shall knock the piece out of his hand. If both miss their aim, they shall take to their cutlasses, and he that draws first blood shall be declared the victor."

9. Lose a Limb, Get Worker's Comp
"Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have eight hundred pieces of eight from the common stock, and for lesser hurts proportionately."

10. Remember: Rank Has its Privileges
"The Captain and the Quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, Master Gunner and Boatswain, one and one-half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentlemen of fortune one share each."

11. Give the Band a Break
"The musicians shall have rest on the Sabbath Day only, by right, on all other days, by favor only."

Image/provided by Ipsie, (Click for fullsize to read rules)

 

[Redfren]

NPC's​

Name: Garret Lance (Dock Master - Nassau)
Ht: 5'11
Wt: 187 lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: Gray/black
Age: 53
Notes/personality: Very Business focused, Always travels with two guards, straight to the point and unfriendly otherwise.


Name: Draper Huxley (Tavern owner Broken Bucket)
Ht: 5'7
Wt: 192 lbs
Eyes: Brown (1 eye only - other is missing)
Hair: Gray (Long and tangled near dreadlock in style with metal hooks and clasp hanging from it)
Age: 61
Notes/personality: Friendly but untrustworthy, Always plotting and planning, Cares more about money and coin than anything else, and would betray or do just about anything for profit.


Name: Abby
Ht: 5'4
Wt: 130 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dark Brown (Long)
Age: 31
Notes/personality: New tavern wench at Broken Bucket. Slightly flirtatious but forced, speaks with a higher tone of voice.


MURDERED!
Name: Wytte Crowley
Ht: 5'11
Wt: 180 lbs
Eyes: Brown (always keep one eye covered but both are present)
Hair: Brown (Often uses a large hat)
Age: 37
Notes/personality: Overly Proud to a point of arrogance, Aggressive, Trying to chain ship with The Bloody Bones.
This person died a horrid death by Butcher after he kidnapped Betsy.


Name: Sarah Hearting (Free Slave and Labor Foreman)
Ht: 5'4
Wt: 150 lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: Light Brown
Age: 26
Notes/personality: Hearting runs the local Labor force. She takes free slaves or men and introduces them to working captains or other odd jobs on the island of Nassau. She is all about business and focuses almost completely on how she can improve the lives of others. She does not tolerate aggression and has more than a few guards around to assure it doesn't happen in her establishment.


Name: The Hood
Ht: 5'10
Wt: 389 lbs
Eyes: Unknown
Hair: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Notes/personality: Quiet and sadistic, The Hood is known by reputation as a torturer and executioner who specializes in the removal of body parts. He is used by the Britsh Military to extract information.


Name: Oliver Pikemen
Ht: 5'9
Wt: 198lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Gray
Age: 51
Notes/personality: Captain in the British Military, Loyal and dedicated to his cause, very sadistic and very cruel. Oliver is known to speak calmly at all times and keep his hands behind his back with his chest puffed outward proudly when he walks.


Name: Alfred Wright (Betsy's father)
Ht: 5'11
Wt: 198 lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: Light Brown
Age: 56
Notes/personality: Very proper and well mannered but beneath this facade he truly is a wicked man. He has never loved Betsy only viewed her as a pawn he could use to get what he truly desired which is power.


Name: Abigale Wright (Betsy's mother)
Ht: 5'8
Wt: 160 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Age: 53
Notes/personality: Very proper and a well mannered woman as well since it is expected of her to be. She's the polar opposite to her husband. She's kind and caring. Timid at times. Afraid of Alfred as she knows what he is capable of and been a victim to his torment on more then one occasion but has never spoken about it. Betsy was her only child and she loves her with every fiber of her being. If Betsy is happy she is happy

 

[Redfren]

Scarlets of The Bloody Bones
The following is a fictional guide for a new position created on The Bloody Bones, specific to the active story. This section is to be used as a reference to women and their guards and the new group created for them. These are fictional situations that do not reflect historical behaviors onboard pirate ships.​

Boatswain in charge = Betsy Wright

All personal matters regarding The Scarlets or their guards are to be addressed directly by the Boatswain or their given chain of command and only escalated upward after the issue is reviewed by the standing Quartermaster.

Expected duty of all Scarlets on Board.
1. Cleaning their cabin, including swabbing decks, beds, etc.
2. Cooking - The new cook position will be handled by Scarlets, they are to cook the first meal for the Captain followed by Officers, then the men which include the Cabin Boy. Once everyone has eaten then and only then are Scarlets allowed to eat.
3. Bathing - Aside from bathing themselves, with a rotation of girls, they are to bathe the men on the ship. Using filtered seawater that they themselves filter with cloth or boil.
4. Wash/Laundry - Using excess bathwater, those not working are to wash clothing as needed.
5. Laying with the men - Each Scarlet regardless of position is expected to lay with the men of the ship also having a rotation.

Conduct
1. No blades or pistols are permitted in the room with Scarlets.
2. No man is to lay with a Scarlet more than twice in a week.
3. Any man found to have fallen in love with a Scarlet, will be treated as if they have stolen from the crew.
4. Any Scarlet fallen pregnant is to report to the Boatswain for kicking or dunking.
5. Scarlet Guards are to receive half a share of the plunder and are permitted to become aggressive when needed to assure the safety of their charges.
6. Scarlets are to receive full shares of plunder as any other man on the ship and are considered full members of the crew.
7. No, underhanded brothel behaviors are accepted. Any Scarlet behaving as she would in a brothel is to be punished by the Boatswain. This includes selling information, manipulating crew members, or encouraging mutinus behaviors.
8. Any man/woman found violating, assaulting, or mistreating Scarlets will be treated the same as if they had done this to a regular crew member.
9. All Scarlets and their guards are considered crew members and under the same rules and regulations that govern other crew.
10. Scarlets that choose not to learn to fight in battle may instead choose entertainment as non-essential crew including dancing and singing.

Current Scarlets
Below will be a list of all NPC Scarlets brought on the ship.

Current Scarlet Guards

Name: Caspian
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes:
Hair:
Age:
Notes/personality:


Name: Johann
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes:
Hair:
Age:
Notes/personality:


Name: Thane
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes:
Hair:
Age:
Notes/personality:


Name: Max
Ht:
Wt:
Eyes:
Hair:
Age:
Notes/personality: Stayed hidden as a male on board Bloody Bones, Has a husband on ship, keeps this hidden and is known to be a strong fighter. Trust Betsy completely.

 

[Redfren]

Current Scarlets


MURDERED!
Name: Izzy Marks
Ht: 5'6
Wt: 142 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond
Age: 33
Notes/personality: Flirty, Sultry, Scandalous - Used to work at the Broken Bucket until Betsy ask she join Butcher's crew since she had been begging to join. Is sexually interested in Butcher.


Name: Molly
Ht: 5'4"
Wt: 132lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Auburn
Age: 26
Notes/personality: Educated, loyal and reliable individual. She will perform any task regardless of what it is. She would never say no unless it was something that conflicts with her personality.


Name: Prudence
Ht: 5'5"
Wt: 145lbs
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Dark Brown
Age: 28
Notes/personality: Unfriendly and quite snobby. However, she does strive her best to impress Betsy. Wishes to gain her trust and become a favorite. She often comes off as the "know it all". This one could be trouble.


Name: Anastasia
Ht: 5'6"
Wt: 150lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Age: 30
Notes/personality: She's bold, unashamed, street-smart and funny. She knows just how to swoon a man, mostly with her jokes.


Name: Myra
Ht: 5'3"
Wt: 126lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Age: 20
Notes/personality: Looks like an angel but she's actually tough as old boots. She is also quite spirited. She has the most beautiful singing voice.


Name: Rose
Ht: 5'4"
Wt: 130lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Age: 22
Notes/personality: Shy and timid but not when it comes to whoring. She prefers her own company and mostly keeps to herself when she isn't working. She will be found mostly reading or writing in her off times.

 

[Redfren]

Random Information​

TOOLS USED TO REMOVE BUTCHERS EYE



The Iron Maiden
The mechanism of operating the Iron Maiden was quite simple. Once inside, the doors were shut on the victim and the spikes would pierce several organs of the body. The spikes were supposedly short and positioned so that the victim wouldn't die quickly.

This meant that they would only result in relatively small wounds and the victim would bleed to death over the course of several hours. To add to the abject horror of it all, two spikes were positioned specifically to penetrate the eyes.


Torture Rack
Rack, a bed-like open frame suspended above the ground that was used as a torture device. The victim's ankles and wrists were secured by ropes that passed around axles near the head and the foot of the rack. When the axles were turned slowly by poles inserted into sockets, the victim's hip, knee, shoulder, and elbow joints would be dislocated.


The Stocks/Pillory
The stocks were particularly favored for any torture of the feet. For example, roasting the victim's feet in front of a fire, and the bastinado (beating the soles of the feet). More subtlety, Chinese torturers would put their victims in the stocks and tickle their feet continually until they confessed.

Stocks sometimes formed part of a torture instrument, for example, to immobilize the victim's ankles while he or she was being stretched on the rack. Here are some illustrations of other instruments of torture that incorporated stocks.


Thumbscrew
The thumbscrew is a torture instrument that was first used in early modern Europe. It is a simple vice, sometimes with protruding studs on the interior surfaces. Victims' thumbs, fingers, or toes were placed in the vice and slowly crushed. The thumbscrew was also applied to crush prisoners' big toes. The crushing bars were sometimes lined with sharp metal points to puncture the thumbnails and inflict particularly savage pain in the desperately sensitive flesh of the nail beds. Larger, heavier devices based on the same design principle, such as the boot, were applied to crush the foot.


Strappado Torture Device
The strappado, also known as corda, is a form of torture wherein the victim's hands are tied behind their back and suspended by a rope attached to the wrists, typically resulting in dislocated shoulders. Weights may be added to the body to intensify the effect and increase the pain. This kind of torture would generally not last more than an hour without rest, as it would likely result in death

 

[Redfren]

DAVY JONES​

It is unclear when the Davy Jones stories took place, but it was probably around the 1500s when people started trading and fighting at sea more and more. The earliest known written reference was in the Four Years Voyage of Captain George Roberts by Daniel Defoe, 1726. However, there was only a short mentioning of the saying "to be sent to Davy Jones' locker". Among the different stories, some depict him as the devil, while some say he is the evil god of the seas. In some tales, he is a murderer or captain of a ghost ship.

Pub owner: In one of the stories, Davy Jones was the owner of a British pub and would get sailors intoxicated and lock them in his ale locker. He also locked their unconscious bodies in ships that were passing through the harbor. The story also tells us that his pub went bankrupt, which made him decide to become a pirate. He stole a ship from the harbor, and, supposedly, sailed the Atlantic Ocean, hijacking other ships and decapitating or keelhauling most of the crew from other ships. The surviving crew would be locked in the ship and the ship would be sunk. The story also tells of this pub owner selling his soul to the devil.

Captain of the "Flying Dutchman": In some stories, Davy Jones is the captain of the "Flying Dutchman." The "Flying Dutchman" was supposedly a ghost ship that wandered the seas forever because it could not make port. The story goes that Jones hailed out to the sky on a trip from Holland to Batavia. Legend quotes him as saying, "God or Devil... I will sail around the Cape, even if it means sailing towards our last judgment." Then the Devil took control of the ship, and, as a price, the ship had to sail the seas forever, with the dead crew working for eternity without saying a word ever again.

The Jonah theory: In the Bible, Jonah became the "devil of the seas" when his crew found out that he was being punished by God for his disobedience. The crew cast him overboard. Some say that Davy Jones came from "Devil Jonah." Sailors believed that any wicked sailor would "go to Davy Jones' locker."

David Jones: There once was an actual pirate captain by the name of David Jones who sailed the seas around the 1630s. But, this pirate captain wasn't that well-known and most historians do not think he could have gathered such worldwide fame.

Satan: Some believe it is simply another name for Satan, made up by sailors.

CAPTAIN KIDD​

He is thought to have been born in Scotland's Greenock or the Dundee area in about 1645.
He was appointed by the Crown to tackle piracy and capture enemy French ships, but turned to piracy himself.
In 1698, he looted the Armenian ship the Quedagh Merchant, which was apparently sailing under a French pass.

The Quedagh Merchant had been carrying satins, muslins, gold and silver.
Unfortunately for Kidd, the captain of the ship was an Englishman, and it is thought that a large amount of the cargo belonged to the British East India Company.
Capt Kidd was captured and brought back to London. He was found guilt of piracy and the murder of one of his crewmen during a row in 1697, and sentenced to death.
During his execution in Wapping in 1701, the first rope put around his neck broke, so he was strung up a second time. That rope also snapped, but the third one held.
Afterwards, his body was dipped in tar and hung by chains along the River Thames to serve as a warning to would-be pirates.
Legend had it that Capt Kidd hid much of his loot, which has prompted numerous treasure hunts around the world and inspired author Robert Louis Stevenson when writing Treasure Island.



Underwater explorers in Madagascar say they have discovered treasure belonging to the notorious 17th-Century Scottish pirate William Kidd.

A 50kg (7st 9lb) silver bar was brought to shore on Thursday on the island of Sainte Marie, from what is thought to be the wreck of the Adventure Galley.
The bar was presented to Madagascar's president at a special ceremony.
US explorer Barry Clifford says he believes there are many more such bars still in the wreck.
Capt Kidd was first appointed by the British authorities to tackle piracy but later became a ruthless criminal and was executed in 1701.

"Captain's Kidd's treasure is the stuff of legends. People have been looking for it for 300 years. To literally have it hit me on the head - I thought what the heck just happened to me. I really didn't expect this," Mr Clifford said.

"There's more down there. I know the whole bottom of the cavity where I found the silver bar is filled with metal. It's too murky down there to see what metal, but my metal detector tells me there is metal on all sides."

The team believes the bar, marked with what appears to be a letter S and a letter T, has its origins in 17th-Century Bolivia.
It believes the ship it has found was built in England. However, there is bound to be scepticism and calls for more evidence that the bar was linked to Capt Kidd, our reporter says.

One option would be to take samples of wood from the ship to analyse, he says.
The location of the ship, thought to have sunk in 1698, has been known about for many years but the silver bar was only discovered earlier this week.

Mr Clifford said that while diving in the wreck, his metal detector picked up signals but it was too muddy for him to see anything.
UK ambassador to Madagascar Timothy Smart, who attended the ceremony, said he hoped that Mr Clifford's latest discovery would raise Madagascar's profile as a tourist destination.
The plan is to exhibit the bars in a museum.