[Ship Information | Ship's Description new! 9/2 | Legend of the Ol' Cap'n | Crew | Ship's Charter ]
Ship Information
Other
The Dagger of Barcina is what is commonly referred to as a Corvette (a Sloop of War). However, as some enterprising carpenter decided to add a fourth deck, the ship can also be called a Brig (more commonly a merchant-ship rather than a warship). All in all, the Dagger seems to have the best features of both ships. It is quick and agile, and made to run light-crewed, but also sports a full gun-deck and more than adequate room for the storing of goods and people.
The ship is 28 feet wide and 110 feet long. There are four decks in addition to the forecastle and captain's cabin. The forecastle contains the ship's surgery, the map-room, and the officer's mess room. The captain's cabin is actually four smaller rooms, including the captain's berth, the captain's meeting room, what would usually be the first-mate's berth if the Captain hadn't installed his bodyguard there, and the closet-sized galley (where the food is cooked).
The First Deck
The first deck (from stern to bow) is sailor's quarters (four bunks to a "room". a bunk folds up during non-sleep time and attached to the wall. The room also contains storage and straps for one trunk per person to keep their personals in. These rooms are very small, containing just enough space for the two cots and a person walking sideways between them, and only a foot longer than the bunks themselves. Which is to say about five feet wide by six feet long. There are 24 of these rooms (can hold 96 sailors), so they're not completely full at the moment. Terminology-wise, the person who sleeps under or over you is your bunkmate, and the person who sleeps across from you is your way-mate. The person sleeping across from your bunkmate is your bunk's waymate. (confused yet?). This takes up about the front 1/3 of the first deck.
The middle third of the ship is taken up by the light-gun deck. The ship's complement of 4-pounders are here (16 in total). Sailors who are more anti-social, or find the tiny bunks uncomfortable, can often be found sleeping here in slings secured between the cannons.
The aft third of the ship is officer cabins and other guest quarters. There are 18 officers rooms, some shared by 2 officers, and some singles, depending on rank. These rooms are somewhat larger, 8 feet by 7 feet. In shared rooms, the cots are still stacked one over top the other and bolt to the wall during non-sleep time. This allows for more space to store gear, and in some rooms, space for a small table or desk. There are four guest quarters of the same size. These are occasionally "borrowed" by crewmembers if they are unoccupied and are sometimes the "high" stakes in dice games.
The Second Deck
The gun-deck. The entire second deck is laid out for the heavy guns (10 10-pounders and 2 20-pounders). the powder room, the shot-cabinets, and the small-arms magazine are all on this deck. Sailors who own their own gun are allowed to keep their guns with them, but must get shot and powder from the Master-at-Arms while on board. This is for safety's sake and is strictly adhered to. Anyone carrying unauthorized shot with them while aboard will be whipped. On shore, a sailor can take what shot and powder he feels he will need, up to six shots per day. During boarding maneuvers, all sailors report to the magazine to receive arms and shot.
The Third Deck
This is where all the interesting stuff is. the third deck is the supplies and storage deck. Any perishable goods (food, paper, cloth) and all the ship's food is stored here (food and drink to the front, non-edibles to the back). Water barrels are kept tied here as well as a locked storage room which contains the ship's supply of rum, and grog (ok, so grog is just watered down rum with lime juice, but it's kept separately). Only two officers have the key to the grog-room, the Third Mate and the Bosun.
The Fourth Deck
The bottom of the ship, this deck stores the non-perishable goods (iron, dirt, steel, precious metals) and any additional ballast for the ship. It also stores the majority of the rats, bilge water and other nasty things.
Appearance
The Dagger has three masts, the mizzenmast (stern), the Mainmast (middle), and the foremast (bow). (For those of you who don't know left is port, right is starboard, front is bow, back is stern or aft.)
The maidenhead is a painted carving of a red-haired woman with her hands outstretched towards the sea. Her left hand is missing. She is wearing a bright green dress that covers one breast and leaves the other bare.
The most distinctive feature of the Dagger are the bright silk sails she hoists. Made from Cathay silk, the larger sails are deep blue and the smaller are bright yellow. When the sails are damaged too badly to be repaired, a new sail will be lifted and often is not the same color as the last one. The sailors, after a particularly good haul that damaged the sails, will often take samples of the ruined sail for sashes, headscarves, shirts and cloaks. At the moment, several sailors sport sashes of green or red, the last two sails to be replaced.
The Legend of the Ol' Cap'n as told by "Red" Pete
Begad, matey, whatcher be wantin' t'know 'bout that auld bilge fer? Wa'al, since ye ask, auld Pete'll be tellin' ya the tale o' the ship b'fer she went on th'account, like.
Her Majesty wut had tole them uppity Vat'cine folk t'scupper all them thar churchlaw wut says tha' th'ways o' the Goodly Folk were black as tar. That don' be goin' on s'well with t'good Queen, fer doncha know tha' tis only th' Glam what makes us wut we be? An' th'King o' Castille don' take to well t'bein' called the scurvy dog wut he is - beggin' the Cap'n's pardon, I be - an' he took right bad t'bein' tole tha' no man on the three kingdoms be payin' tithe to th'Church no more. So, he set handomely t'buildin' a fleet o' ships, wut this beauty be counted in.
Some says th'Fair folk took themselves a smart hand t'th'Glam o' the Avalon fleet, an' some what says tha' Castille was just sailin' by a foul wind. Wernt no dif'runt tha' I c'n see. But ye all knows tha tale, or ye shoul' if ye be no fool.
Now, I'll not be speakin' th' name of him what was Cap'n b'fer, nor th' name of th' ship wut she was called. She were lost t'sea in storms what forge'd out o'nothing like a banesidhe's meal. Th'Cap'n were lost t'th' Deep, like were t'pilot. Weren't nothin' wut cou' be done, an th'rest o' the hands batten down an wait out th' storm. When sun came 'round again, they's off the map. Ain't had no reckonin' where they was, nor how t'get back t'port.
Him wut be cap'n now, well, ye all know his tale s'well and I ain't t'be gabbin' on all shift, ye know. But when Cap'n Blackboots done change th' name of th'ship, it ain't set s'well with him tha' wuz Cap'n. An' sometime, late in th'watch, ye can jus' make 'im out, the auld Cap'n, glowin' like foxfire mist, prowlin' th'deck. Mournin' th' auld ship, savvy?
It be said wut he sometime take th'helm with hands o' ice and salt, t'steer t'summat only he ken. An' when he be in th'mood fer some o' his trickery, ain't nothin' t'be done, and best ye keep back frum him. He ain't ne'er harm no man 'board yet, but best not be makin' him change 'is mind.
Crew
Information not yet complete, NPCs will be added to list as named
Officers
Regular Crew
Others
Ship's Charter
I. Of the prize taken, half is given over to the Ship Fund. From this, all ship supply, and repairs be payed. What remains after shall be rewarded for crew under merit service. The second half is divided according to ship's agreement.
II. If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marroon'd with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm and shot.
III. If any Man shall steel any Thing in the Company to the Value of a Ten guilder, he shall be marroon'd or shot.
IV. That Man that shall strike another whilst this Charter be in force, shall receive ten lashes on the bare Back. What Man has quarrel with another shall settle by duel on land only.
V. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoak Tobacco in the Hold, without a cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the former Article.
VI. That Man that shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.
VII. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement he shall have 400 guilder; if a limb, 1,000.
VIII. Oncet the chase put up no resistence, be no Man lay harm to 'em and will be put to shore soon as may. Any Man that shall offer harm to prisoners shall suffer present death.
IX. What Man have religion or sorcery is His Own and not to be quarrel'd over. What Man speaks 'gainst another, he shall be marroon'd.