Steel Skies [Recruitment/OOC]

The World

Welcome to the world of Aeneid, a world filled with secrets, magic, and technology. It is the Age of Steel. Steel and steam engines transformed the horse and buggies, the old wooden galleons, and the irrigation and flushing of cities. Man could voyage further out to sea, exploring and discovering unknown regions and cultures. To see sights that there were only sea tales about. Once man had abandoned land to return to the sea, the ocean opened like a book, presenting mysterious as vast as space.


There are creatures unusual and undiscovered; colossal, majestic, and both frightening and peculiar. There are cities within the ocean and cities within the clouds. There is much to uncover in the mystifying world.


Steampunk
noun.
A genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology.

The technology of Aeneid is not so advanced that one would confuse this for a futuristic science fiction story. It is steampunk, and our world, ultimately, is a steampunk spin on the 1800s Victorian Era and Industrial Revolution. There are trains, steam-powered ships, and clockwork mechanisms. Weaponry goes as far as gunpowder and tesla-devices. There has been some development in automatic weaponry, but such technology is not available to the public.

Fashion



Fashion is all the rage among the rich and noble. Wealthy men and women will paint their faces—do-up their hair in crazy sculptures that perhaps only an artistic mind could appreciate. They love to flaunt their wealth and style. They own ships that were customized to their enjoyment—ships that act as nightclubs, balls, or frou-frou yacht parties. They live the most comfortable and convenient of lives above the poorer folk beneath them that wallow in the smog from the various chimneys and vents that pump the air full of pollution. They can afford clean air and water. They can afford the sweetest, saltiest, and meatiest of foods. The nobles control the economy and politics, and twist both in their favor. They see the lower classes as labor, and actually…working for a Lord or Lady isn’t a bad job. A noble has been known to share his or her pleasures with a servant, but there are few and rare who do. In the world of nobility, reputation is everything.

Crime

Thieves; pirates; gangsters—whatever you want to call them, they are prevalent in this world. There are some Robin Hoods but their merrymaking is short-lived before they are captured and hanged. The nobles get away with everything. They can afford to, and so a noble possessing and abusing illegal substances is not unheard of. Drugs, low-class slaves, exotic creatures, and unusual objects from the Far Sea are in the markets of every city and town. The law officers abide to the laws of their city and town, and they are at times corrupt and influenced by the noble classes. Some territories are controlled by kings, queens, emperors, and empresses; or they will be controlled by a noble who had enough gold to buy it. Whoever owns the land is a god, and the rules are of his or her making.

Tale of the Three Gods

There are three moons that orbit Aeneid. They are simply called: The Father, The Mother, and The Daughter. When one refers to The Father, it is the second largest moon that is as blue as the sea in the day, and at night, bears an eerie blue shine. Similarly, The Mother is the largest, always pregnant as she gives birth to the magic that seeps into the world. She is red and glows such a color at nightfall. The Daughter was named such for she was purple, and astrologers found purple to be too awkward a color for a Son. The daughter is the smallest and has the most interesting characteristic. She hides. The shy planet orbits about her mother and father and will be seen peeking out from behind them before she travels around to stand before them unafraid. The Daughter’s phase of hiding is regarded as The Shy Moon, and it the phase when The Mother’s magic is most potent, and those creatures born from her waters feel their powers strongest during this time. The story goes that one night The Daughter decided to hide in her parents' bedroom, and to her surprise, her mother and father made love on the bed before her eyes. The days of The Shy Moon phase—which shyness has nothing to do with the story—count The Mother’s orgasms and the gushing of her nectar upon the world. The story has raised controversy. Some dispute that it was written by a perverted astrologist as a means to convince more people to read and buy his books. The book was titled, The Allegory of the Three Moons, and has since had numerous adult narrations and renditions in its name.

To theologians, the moons are gods. The Father, The Mother, and The Daughter are worshipped throughout Aeneid in different cultures and interpretations. The Father is portrayed as a blue man with a white beard, and his phallus is impressively huge and erect for he is always eager to penetrate The Mother. The Father keeps The Mother pregnant so that she can continue to give birth to blessings upon Aeneid. The Mother is a red woman with long wavy tresses that extend down to her shoulders. She has massive breasts with large areolas, standing nipples, and wide birthing hips. Her belly is swollen and her arms embrace it with a warm love. The Daughter is purple and no one can see her face for she hides it behind her hands. She is always seen with her head bowed and hands against her face. Her long, straight hair hangs over her shoulders and extend down to the dimples of her behind. She is tall and thin with breasts not as voluptuous as her mother.

The Mother is the most popularly worshipped. Men and women pray to her for children, better sex lives, and beauty. Men pray to The Father for his libido, viable semen, and even to one day have his penis. It is The Daughter who is prayed to for guidance. The Father is always too busy with The Mother and keeping the world filled with her magic. The Daughter is kind and generous and will protect sailors from storms and guide those who are lost. It is not unusual to see The Daughter as a popular nautical figurehead on a ship. People know it is her versus any other woman or icon for she will always hide her face with her hands. There have been sacrilegious depictions of popular musicians, actresses, and even nobles, hiding their faces like The Daughter. Such desecration doesn’t settle well with the clergy.

Greeting

If you made it this far, then I welcome you to this game. This game is steampunk and our focus will be on piracy. Although I am allowing people to go as far as they want with the geography, cities, and races; I am only accepting what I want to accept. I am very big on story versus sex, but if you read through the introduction, then you see that I do not forsake it. The reason that this role play is in ORP rather than SRP is due to the story being a little above the sex element. Having said this, do not be afraid to make your character be or feel as sexy as you want them to be. This is an adult website so there will be a lot of adult content.

I want this game to be fun, to go on for a long time, and it will have various elements of comedy because I can never have a super-serious game. That would be boring. If you still wish to go further with this game, then feel free to create a concept and toss it my way—HOWEVER—I repeat again that I will only accept who and what I want in the story.

I will not be accepting a slew of people into this game. I do not have a number in mind, but I will only accept the most creative and detailed ideas. Grammar and spelling is also a plus. The most important thing I will look for in your profile is to see if there is any love in your character. If you, the writer, was actually so excited to be in this game and so excited to play this character you put together and love. That is what I look for.

The Seven Wonders of Aeneid

There are seven wonders in Aeneid—or so the storybooks say. It is believed by theologians that there exist objects of concentrated magical power. No one knows what they look like. They can be anything, and thus they can be anywhere on the planet. It is believed though that the one who gathers the objects together will open a door to The Other Side. On The Other Side exists The Father, The Mother, and The Daughter. The creators. The Womb—the place where the dead are believed to return to. It is uncertain if The Other Side is a heaven or a hell. Why would one wish to collect the Seven Wonders and open the door? To ask the gods directly for whatever they desire. It is a mere revelation. Some believe it. Some don’t. But the clergy find those who pursue the seven wonders to be a threat for man only knows selfishness and greed. To pirates, the seven wonders mean a sea of gold.

Races

I would like for races to be mythical and sea or sky-related if you so choose to play a creature other than human. The creature will be humanoid. I am leaving this creative door open, and if I like your profile, but I don’t like your creature, I will help you alter it to an acceptable race.

Ship Occupations

Your character does not have to have a pirate background. You can give your character any background you desire, but inevitably, they will wind up on a ship, so be sure to give your character some useful skills that would make him or her a necessity to the crew. I give you the pirate ship hierarchy in greatest role of responsibility to least role of responsibility. I do not expect to fill all of these roles and I don’t plan to. There will be NPCs.

Captain: The leader and commander on the ship. (Brandt Rackham)

Quartermaster: Second-in-command who is in charge of distributing rations, artillery, duties, rewards, punishment, and of course, GROG! He or she can choose to have the crew pillage more than what the captain asks for. (Paz Vae Vaalu)

First Mate: The Quarter Master chooses a first mate to act as his or her second-in-command. (Zhou Jia)

Boatswain: In charge of the ship’s anchors, rigging, colors, deckhands, and the ship’s shoring/escape vessels. He or she is also responsible for guarding the ship when it is docked.

Cabin Boy/Girl: The ship’s squire. The person in this role is usually a privileged one from birth. He or she waits upon the officers of the ship, acts as the Captain’s servant (at times), runs messages and errands, prepares the uniforms, and fetches dinner. He or she is not just a servant but an apprentice and is expected to learn maritime trade and other skills.

Helmsman: Bears the title of “Master.” He or she is the navigator and the driver of the ship. The Helmsman is required to know the ship’s draught, width, and how sharply the ship can turn. They are expert guides and the best can guide a ship through a storm and the arctic. (Mack)

Carpenter/Engineer: He or she keeps the ship afloat, making necessary repairs, filling holes, and sealing leaks. This is one of the most valuable occupations on a ship. (Rudyard Faraday)

Gunner: Bearing the title of “Master” at times, the gunners aim the ships guns. The Master Gunner oversees the training of the gunmen, giving them orders and telling them where to aim the cannons. The gunners who aren’t the Master Gunner are called “Powder Monkeys.”

Doctor: The ship's healer either using either magic, medicinal herbs, or surgical techniques, the doctor keeps the crew healthy and together (as far as body parts). He or she plays multiple roles such as keeping up-to-date with medicine and the doctor can also prescribe medicine to the crew. (Gideon Wolfheart the Third)

Sea Artist: The sea artist paints seascapes to be used as maps or charts. They are experts at reading and correcting charts and using navigational tools. They can also read the stars and the moons. The sea artist can read the ocean, being able to define a shallow depth, hidden reefs, and if a storm was drawing near.

Steward: Similar duties as the cook, the steward directs, instructs, and assigns personnel performing such functions as preparing and serving meals. Moreover, the steward oversees cleaning and maintaining officers' quarters and steward department areas; and receiving, issuing, and inventorying stores. The steward plans menus, compiles supply, overtime, and cost control records. The steward may also requisition or purchase stores and equipment. See the steward mostly as an Accountant Manager and Bookkeeper.

Cook: The chef is everything on a ship. Their meals can fuel the energy on a ship and prevent illnesses. Chefs know what is edible and what isn’t. They know how to remove the poison glands of certain creatures, and prepare various meals safe for consumption. A chef is one of the most valued occupations on a ship. (Vallice the First)

Deckhands: Your basic worker; sailor; marine. They perform various duties about the ship and no matter how low their rank is, they do the ship a service.

Character Sheet

Name: This is the name of your character.
Alias: If your character has a nickname, renowned name, etc.
Rank: This will be your occupation on the ship. (Firstmate, Quartermaster, etc.)
Age: If your character lives as long as the sea turtle, then you can just write an "Appears to be" age unless you really want to throw down some three digits.
Gender:
Race: Refer to the “Races” section.
Height:
Weight:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Physical Description: This is where you go all out with your character’s details—tattoos, scars, earrings, lip rings, nose rings, missing limbs, etc.
Visual Description: Not a requirement but if you have a picture, then that’s fine.
Sexuality:
Religious: Basically, yes or no. This is in regards to believing in The Three Gods or not. So I'm asking, is your character religious?
Personality: You don’t have to go too detailed with this because I know writers develop their personalities as they go. However, a writer who is in love with their character would be able to dump their creative guts all over this section. We don’t need to know every aspect about them. Just a summary.
Superstition: Is your character superstitious? What are some quirks that he or she has.
Likes:
Dislikes:
Character Ons: These are sexual ons for your character.
Character Offs: These are sexual offs.

Background: Here’s the story. The more detailed, the more creative, the more likely I’m going to accept you. This section is what will mostly tell me how eager you are to play this character. You do not have to write a novel, but if it turns out that way, then whatever lol. If you don't feel as though you wrote enough, just submit it any way and see what happens. If everything else looks good or I get the general idea, then you'll be fine. I'm not that big of a hard-ass.

Weapon(s): I don’t want people using every weapon known to man. Pick a “Primary.” Pick a “Secondary.” And be done with it. If I see you with a thousand weapons, then I know you didn’t read this. You give me any indication that your Reading Comprehension is poor, then I most assuredly won’t accept you.

Skills: If you are playing a character that isn’t human, you can add magical abilities or abilities in relation to that race you created. Otherwise, this section is for handy skills: cooking, cleaning, artistic, navigation, etc. If you go Mary Sue all over this, then I won't accept you. I do not like Mary Sue.

Rules

1. OOC. Do not OOC in the IC. We have an OOC for a reason. This recruitment thread is the OOC.
2. No drama. Some of you will get disappointed or upset when I refuse your character. Get over it. If you make a big whiny scene in this thread, then I will tell you to “Get over it,” and ask you to leave. If you persist to remain to cause trouble, then I will report you for harassment. Simple.
3. Fairness. I do my best to be fair. I even will talk it out with you. If you don’t like my GM decision, then just either suck it up or leave.
4. Literacy. Grammar, reading comprehension, spelling, details, transitions, descriptions; you do not have to be immaculate for no one is perfect, but you have to be decent. If you fail at any of these, then you won’t be in this game or even in this game long. Don't worry; I can tell just from analyzing your character sheet.
5. 300 word limit. No one should be one-lining in this game. No one. I do not like posts that look like the writer didn’t even try to write it. I’m not going to check your post to see if you hit 300 words+ exactly. I won’t do it, but I shouldn’t be able to look at your post and just know that you half-assed it. No go. I make exceptions to this for dialog between characters.
6. Third Person. First person is not welcome here. Sorry. It is very annoying to read in role play. It is fine in storybooks, but it isn’t fine here. Just no.

Update!

I added Doctor to the ship positions. I don't know how I forgot it, but I did.

Update!

I added Superstition to the Character Sheet.

Update!

I added Age to the CS because I forgot it.

Also, I know people want to ask me a million questions about their profile. I do not mind questions concerning basic concepts or ideas, however, I will not help you create your character. So just make the whole thing. There is no hurry. I'm expecting a few character sheets already, and I'm even writing up my own. Not even I am rushing this CS because a character turns out best with patience and time to muse on its creation. Just make the CS and we'll see if we need to tweak it.

Update!

I added Steward to the ship under positions.

The Master Chef - Vallice the First

Name: Vallice the First
Alias: Toad (which is also common slang for those of his race)
Rank: Cook
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Race: Nagakadru - When the Naga, great sea serpents, spawn of their 10,000 offspring most are murlocks, 100 are Nagakadru, and if they are lucky 1 will be born a true Naga. Murlocks are beastial fish-toad hybrids that live short lives and cause much bloodshed. The Nagakadru are toad-human hybrids, as amphibians they straddle both the worlds of earth and sea. The true Naga are great and terrible sea serpents, dragons, or leviathans depending on the tale.

Height: 6' 6"
Weight: 280
Hair Color: Bald.
Eye Color: Toad eye, horizontal black slit otherwise filled with iridescent copper coloring that is broken up with tendrils of black extending from the pupil's slit.

Physical Description: His head is broad with a wide mouth below a snout which has two small nostrils. There are small, razor teeth like the blades of a saw. His bulbous, protruding eyes have copper colored irises with horizontal slit-shaped pupils. Just behind the eyes are two bulging regions, the paratoid glands. They contain a noxious substance which he can secrete into a cloud around his body.

His head joins his body without a noticeable neck. His body is broad and squat like a keg of ale. His arms are short with large fingers that end in suction cups. His legs are gangly with long, webbed toes that he can use with the same dexterity as his fingers. His toes are stronger then his fingers and end in hooked claws. They allow him to swim fast through water, but make for slow, jerky movements on land. He's sturdy, but he moves more in spurts. He preference is to make short jumps, which his legs excel at. He is capable of eight foot jumps from a standing position.

The skin on his back is a turbulent gray mixed with olive green in a splotchy mess. Whereas the skin on his belly and underarms is a dusky yellow-orange. The skin under his neck area inflates. He can expel the air in a burst of croaking sound in a forward directional cone that can deafen and disoriented. Or he can use the bladder while swimming under the water for up to 20 minutes. It makes swimming under water harder, but he is strong enough to compensate. It does make floating trivial. He makes a great floatation device in the event of an emergency.

The skin is dry and covered with thickened, hardened calloused lumps. The texture of his skin isn't scaly, but it feels rough and tough. It is more resistant to injury than a human's skin.

He has a nose ring of blue jade.

As for clothes, he prefers brown tweed suits and a cap. His very fond of his pocket watch, which he received from his first patron, Ser Harmond Hendricks. That was before Ser Hendricks died in a hunting accident. Ser Hendrick's son, Jamus Hendricks, didn't see the value in the culinary arts and was very suspicious of a Nagakadru in his household. Jamus proceeded to piss away his inheritance on drugs and whores. Then Jamus grew fixated on reclaiming his father's pocket watch and jade ring, both of which are valuable.

Visual Description: Mr. Toad

Sexuality: Due to his ugly appearance unless he's paying for it, the best Toad has gotten was being allowed to give oral to a female. He's down for most anything.

Religious: Yes, he is very religious. He is an orthodox follower of the Mother. He offers his seed up to her on every Shy Moon, when he plays the part of the Father. It is one of his deepest regrets that he wasn't born female so he could play the part of the Mother during such rites. He knows some men do, but that is an unorthodox practice.

Personality: Toad spent his youth as a tadpole in the Western Courts of Naga Janamejaya, a great king and conquerer of the depths. He was groomed to bear the Mother's Gift, commanding her magics in service of Janamejaya. However, upon his Ascension, he was found to only command a semblance of his promise. The greater mysteries and rites of the Mother were lost to him. If anything, it has made him more devout and driven.

He doesn't give up, but he has a gentle soul. He loves transitions, transmutation, and metamorphosis such as to be found in butterflies and cooking.

Toad's fascination with transmutation lead him to the human art of cooking. He has a knack and obsession with taking raw, ugly things and elevating them to beauty. He lacks the intelligence for the chemistry of baking, rather he has the artistic flare and intuition to be a master chef.

Hunting and fishing are things he excels at, but he looks upon the ultimate transformation from life to death as the most solemn of rituals. He undertakes it with religious zeal when called upon to do either.

He is subservient, as his race is intended to serve the Naga. He can't help but abase himself to people of power. Often he compulsively licks their boats or feet clean.

Superstition: Intensely. Semen is sacred to him, so he will not masterbate unless he can do so within the water or within a women. He does use whores in ports, and if he can find anyone on board willing to swallow. Life is sacred. He makes offerings to the Mother. He is pious and humble. He views things that embody transformation and metamorphosis as sacred. This coupled with his own birthing from an egg, results in him refusing to use eggs in his cooking. He also views eating caviar akin to eating a human baby. Humans wouldn't eat aborted fetuses, and he refuses to do the same with eggs.

Likes: Cooking, Transformations (butterflies, birds, ships, etc), the Mother, worshipful sex
Dislikes: Hurting whales, sacrilege, bullies

Character Ons: Sex during the Sly Moon. Having his semen swallowed or watching others worship the Mother appropriately. Sex in the water toady-style. He loves worshiping feet.

Character Offs: Wasting semen. Pain. Non-consent.

Background: He began as one glittering sphere among a vast ribbon of life upon the sea floor. There, his sire Janamejaya spawned the generational horde. Of his generation, he was the only Nagakadru. There were no naga. The rest were all murlocks. The scriptures foretell that this is a happy event, for a Nagakadru born alone into the world is one destined to bring great power and fortune to its sire. Alas, Vallice did not live up these expectations. He was good at the harpoon and Shutka, but not possessed of the excellence necessary to become a Weaponmaster let alone a Grandmaster.

Despite this disappointment, his sire was happy, because this had to mean that Vallice would be a great Druid. There hadn't been a new Hierophant born of the hordes in over a century. The circle of Hierophants serving Janamejaya were aging. The entire court was filled with optimism and hope to match their sire's. The lesser Naga, retainers to Janamejaya, courted Vallice in anticipation of his ascension to vast power and influence. Vallice could make no more than a small wave in the ocean. Despite years of effort, he could progress no more. Great sacrifices were offered to the Mother and even the Daughter, but none could fathom why he could only command a meager amount of the Mother's attention.

In despair, Janamejaya sought to make Vallice into a great emissary and spy amongst the surface races. They tried to train Vallice in the ways of stealth and charisma, but Vallice only made middling progress in those arts as well. By this point Janamejaya became convinced that Vallice was deliberately sabotaging his destiny, and by extension trying to make Janamejaya look weak. There were rumors amongst the lesser Naga that Janamejaya was too old to sire a proper horde, that the great Janamejaya was becoming infertile.

Vallice fled before he could be imprisoned or executed. Crimes against Janamejaya always ended in either one. The outcome just depended on if Janamejaya was in a killing mood or not. Vallice had sufficient skills and novelty to win a place in a knight's household, Ser Harmond Hendricks. With the minor magicks and hunting skills, Vallice was something of a useful curiosity. It was only when Vallice was allowed into the kitchen that his true calling became apparent. Vallice was an alchemist of food, a master chef! He could transform week old beef, moldy bread, and winter apples into a succulent shepherd's pie. It was a lovely time for Vallice. The Nagakadru do not have a concept of parents and familial love, rather they are taught devotion to the Naga and servitude to ones betters. However, Vallice caught a glimpse of what family meant, and it made him happy.

On Vallice's 21st birthday, Ser Harmond Hendricks gave Vallice a tailored, brown tweed suit plus a steel and platinum clockwork pocket watch. Vallice cried for the love and adoration to his lord and friend. On Vallice's 22nd birthday, Ser Harmond Hendricks was skewed by a wild boar while hunting with his son Jamus Hendricks. Ser Harmond left Vallice a blue jade ring. Jamus wanted both the ring and watch back, in exchange for staying on as the household cook.
Sensing a repeat of inevitable decline to either imprisonment or death depending on the mood Jamus was in, Vallice disappeared into the night. Jamus was sure to tell the constable that Vallice had stolen two family heirlooms. A considerable price was put on Vallice head.

Vallice found his way to port and from their fled aboard the ship going the furthest away. A vast whaling vessels was setting out for the frozen north on a year long voyage. Vallice was taken on as a cook when he served up the best french toast the captain had ever tasted. Captain Ah'ab was a crazy man bent on killing whales. The fact that profit could be made was only a side consideration. The ship got hit by a horrible squall months out at sea. Many were lost. Food was running out, when they caught sight a vast blue whale. They only had one harpoon left, and if they didn't kill the whale everyone would die of starvation or scurvy. Vallice revealed his prowess with the harpoon and the fate of the entire ship rested upon his shoulders. So Vallice did what he'd never done before. He used the Mother's blessing to harmonize with the whale, lulling it into a false sense of security. The giant behemoth floated next to them as if they were mates. When the creature was even with the ship, Vallice hurled the harpoon into the creature's eye. It was tethered to the ship, and so it could not escape. It took three days for the whale to die. Vallice felt every agonizing moment of those three days; the phantom pains still haunt him to this day.

After that, the captain was overjoyed to find a spade amongst his crew. Vallice was to become the ships Dragoon, or chief harpooner. The captain was willing to pay Vallice huge sums to keep doing what he'd done. Vallice was faced with the prospect of life in a nightmare or desertion. He took desertion. Vallice was given the Broken Ship brand upon his left shoulder and forced to walk the plank. For a human that would be death in the near arctic waters where the whales were found. Lucky for Vallice it was during the Shy Moon, and the Mother's blessings were at their peak. While Vallice can float forever, getting proper water and surviving storms was another matter. Plus, the biting cold of the water could leech life in hours. The Mother answered his pleas. She blunted the worst of the cold. He befriended a whale, which carried him for days through the worst of the ocean. He made the rest of the way to a small tribal village that viewed him as something of a minor deity. They helped nurse him back to health, and he stayed with them for several months.

He bounced from port to port in a slow, shambling progress back to the south. He was looking for warmer waters. No ship would touch him because of his brand, but he found ample work in taverns and bars. That was until the day a pirate captain grew intrigued after eating the most succulent pork chop of his life. The captain took the time to hear Vallice's story. A deal was struck. Vallice would swear his loyalty to the captain and crew, so long as he wasn't called upon to kill anything unless it was dire. The captain agreed to keep his story a secret.

Weapon(s):
Primary: Harpoon. He was trained in the use of harpoons by the Nagakadru Weapon masters, as the harpoon works excellent on land and in water. It can inflect terrible damage at range and serves well in close quarters fighting above and below water. However, ever since his traumatic experience aboard the whaling vessel, Toad has kept this a secret. He really doesn't want to be forced to use a harpoon on a whale, and he's afraid if people knew how good he was, that they'd force him to. Toad doesn't own a harpoon.

Secondary: Shutka. ((Video)) This is another weapon that the young tadpoles are trained in by the Nagakadru Weapon Masters. It's the first weapon they are instructed in. Instruction begins three weeks after emerging from their birth egg when the hands have just started to form. Shutka is used to hunt and as archery in warfare. It is a sling like a rubber band held in one hand, while the other loads thick needles. The needles can go quite far, 30 feet underwater and twice that above water. It's also very quiet. As its a sacred weapon of his homeland, Toad is hesitant to use or allow others to see him use it. The Nagakadru are obsessive with their secrets. He has a special tube case made from sharkskin he keeps them in. They are usually stowed near him in an old leather satchel. Each needle is 1.5 feet long with about 1/4" diameter. He owns 9 needles, but they aren't that hard to buy from a blacksmith.

Tertiary: Giant Meat Cleaver. ((Picture)) Toad has a giant meat cleaver that he can wield with fabulous precision when deboning meat. It works well to intimidate others on the ship and in port. He has it attached to his belt in a custom sheath. He isn't very skilled with it in combat, beyond what he can do when cooking. He knows where to strike to make someone bleed and what to avoid so it doesn't get caught in a bone. Toad is opposed to violence, so he likes the weapon for its intimidation factor. Humans aren't very familiar with the Shutka and find it too "whimpy" in most pirate havens. A giant meat cleaver, on the other hand, people fear. When he's dressed in formal wear, which he delights in, he will stow his prized cleaver "Cookie" in his small, leather satchel.

Cookie weighs 8 pounds. It's four times bigger and heavier than a normal, human meat cleaver. Extended, Cookie is a 3 foot squarish, chopping blade with serrated, saw teeth along its back. A bit of clockwork wizardry allows it fold back over the haft, which makes it much easier to secure in his satchel. The 2 foot haft is a thick chunk of steel wrapped in shark's skin. It's long enough that he can wield it in both hands if he needs to chop through bone, or hold in one hand to hack off haunches of meat. He has a bunch of old sharkskin and leather that he'll wrap the whole thing in if he'll be carrying it in the satchel for any length of time.

Skills:
Racial - Nagakadru, common abilities

• Poison Cloud - A five foot, radial cloud of bufotoxins, secreted from the two paratoid glands (bulging areas) behind his eyes. It works well in the air and water. Causes crying, nausea, dizziness, and drooling. It's unlikely to do worse unless someone is already weak or vulnerable. Used as an escape mechanism when he feels threatened.
• Jumping - He can jump up to 8 feet horizontally and 3 feet vertically from a standing position It's his preferred way of moving.
• Swimming - He can swim at around 6 knots (7mph or twice what a navy seal / trained human can do). He can hold his breath for up to 10 minutes without inflating his neck or up to 20 minutes with his neck inflated (but his underwater speed is cut in half). With his neck inflated, he can float indefinitely.
• Strength - He can clean around 500 lbs (from ground to overhead), except his arms are too small to actually do that. He can squat 1,000lbs. He's as strong as an olympic weight lifter.

Racial - Nagakadru, magical abilities
Note, Nagakadru can be great influencers of the elements. In some cases, they can incite hurricanes, tidal waves, or summon a glacier. However, while Vallice was groomed to become a great druid, it just never happened. He learned the basic mysteries of an initiate, but nothing beyond that.

• Calm Animal - If the Mother wills it, he can project a calming aura that not only soothes himself but whatever animal he has eye contact with. It only works on sub-human intelligent creatures. This spell establishes empathy between himself and the animal, so it is very difficult and painful if that creature gets hurt or dies. It'd be like watching your best friend or child get injured. He doesn't like to use this ability as a result.
• Detect Animals - If the Mother wills it, he can get a sense of where a group of a certain type of animals is. Such as the nearest school of fish or if a shark is nearby.
• Endure Elements - If the Mother wills it, he can make his body inured against either great heat or cold. This is used when diving into the depths of the ocean to help protect against the cold, or if he needs to swim near a volcanic vent in the ocean. It's applications on land are the same, but he's never used it on land. It's possible it wouldn't work.
• Obscuring Mist - If the Mother wills it, he can make a fog rise up. It's works most often if done where the water and sky touch. It is a 20 foot cloud of misty vapor. It's stationary once created. It's hard to see more than 5 feet into the cloud.
• Plant Growth - If the Mother wills it, he can supplement the nutrient and solar requirements with magic. If the Mother is swollen with magic, he can even increase the size and health of a plant. This is his most useful spell while onboard a ship, as it allows him to maintain a small garden.
• Manipulate Water - This was as far as he got. He can manipulate a 10 foot volume of water, causing it to move as as a wave, create a depression, or rise up like a mound. If he concentrates, he can maintain the affect. The longest he's ever done is 10 minutes. Using this ability, a hierophant could hurl a tidal wave. Alas, he lacked such power.

Normal

• Cooking - Vallice's supreme skill. He is awesome as making dishes with limited ingredients. Using Plat Growth, he is sometimes even able to make food taste better then it otherwise would (e.g. dried fruit back into a whole apple).
• Plant Lore - Vallice was trained by the Nagakadru Hierophant in the ways of horticulture and plant lore. It means he is good at growing plants, identifying them, and using them in creative ways. This manifests in his cooking ability more so than in any capacity for medicine. He could be a resource for a ship's doctor to bounce ideas off of, but the human anatomy is too foreign for Vallice to treat with any degree of accuracy. Other Nagakadru, he could care for basic herbal or pharmacological needs.
• Appraisal - Vallice is good at appraising anything edible. He can assess how edible it would be, how it's taste would affect other things, and the worth of it. He's helped with sales of spice and salt. Or when picking through booty to determine the trade-offs between this or that thing.
• Survival - He was trained to hunt and survive off the land. He's much better in amphibious environments or water-based areas. He would do okay in hills, plains, or forest. Mountains and desert he'd be clueless.
• Intimidate - Vallice has learned how to be intimidating. Most humans are instinctively fearful of the Nagakadru, because they are foreign and large. Vallice doesn't like violence, so he's worked how to hold himself, look at people, and use props (like his cleaver Cookie) to make people think twice about messing with him or to just make them run away.
• Diplomacy - Nagakadru are trained to be emissaries, diplomats, and spies. Vallice failed at these roles, because his passion is for cooking. Also, he is too honest and caring. However, he retains some of these skills, especially languages and etiquette around nobles and other power roles. He knows how to dress well and act the part if called upon to serve at a Lord's Birthday or Ball.

Isn't this taking "Kiss a Frog" too far? You only get warts and poison for kissing Toads. =P

Is that from personal experience?

Vailyn said:

Isn't this taking "Kiss a Frog" too far? You only get warts and poison for kissing Toads. =P

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All I have left is my character's background, and then I'll get his profile up soon. We have several more who will be joining us, and we'll patiently wait for their approved submissions.

Cool. I'm excited for some steampunk goodness.

HotCider said:

All I have left is my character's background, and then I'll get his profile up soon. We have several more who will be joining us, and we'll patiently wait for their approved submissions.

Click to expand...

Name: Brandt Rackham –Born a bastard, Brandt adopted the last name of his mentor.
Alias: Captain Kraken, The Grog King, Demon-Eye Jack, and Brandy (if you want to die.).
Rank: Captain
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Height: 6’3” (190cm)
Weight: 195 lbs (88kg)
Hair Color: Stark-white
Eye Color: Ocean-blue

Physical Description: The captain is tall and muscular with hair that has prematurely lost its pigment. His hair is short and feathered, and the sides smooth. His skin is tanned from spending many hours roasting under the sun’s glare. Strapped about his head is a leather and steel eyepatch with a faux-gold clockwork mechanism and key. Brandt has been known to turn the key when he wishes to time himself or a situation. One full clockwise turn of the key will cause the mechanism to rapidly click. One full rotation is one minute, and when the mechanism starts to countdown, a soft ticking can be heard. Once the timer is finished, there is no bell, chime, or siren. There is only a heavy silence.

Beneath his patch is not a missing eye. The eye is there, but it is much different than its twin. It bears no pupil or iris, and it resembles glass in appearance. It is dark, clear, and bewitched. Without his patch, Brandt will normally have one eye open for his other eye allows him to see things most can’t. He can see pathways, the dead and other strange things, and it bothers him. Thus, he only opens his right eye when he needs to use its power. There is a sea tale behind the eye, but Brandt only tells the tale when he wants to. Not even his crew knows the full story and they have their own versions of how he acquired it.

Inked across the expanse of the captain’s muscled back is a large mural of a blue giant squid with numerous ships snagged within its tentacles. The art has a style similar to what we would call Oriental with arching waves, dark swirling clouds, and hatched lines to depict a nightmarish storm. The ships in the mural are believed to be ships the captain has sunk during his seafaring lifetime.

His body is scarred, and each scar tells a story. He’s been cut by blade, shot by gun, lashed by whip, and burned. His left arm from his shoulder down to the back of his hand is covered with melted and rippling scar tissue.

Brandt doesn’t dress like a captain, and it’s for obvious reasons. The captain is the main target on any ship and he would rather blend in with his lackeys. He does have a fancy-smancy captain’s coat and hat that he’ll occasionally wear. They are keepsakes of his old mentor, the original Captain Rackham. The coat is heavy and black. The left side bears a steel shoulder-board molded into the head of a sea serpent and the right lined with thick, brown fur. The hat is similarly black with skulls made of tin embedded along the sides. A white edge circles the hat just beneath the trim and a white feather is tucked in the folded crease. The uniform is for serious situations and it is kept hidden in a secret compartment in the Captain’s Cabin.

When Brandt is without his captain’s uniform, he mostly doesn’t wear a shirt, but if he does it isn’t anything that would make a noble blush—basic white tunic. He wears faded-black trousers and calf-high boots. The boots are reinforced with a steel toe for when he needs to make someone scream, and the heels are a pressure device that when activated cause four-inch knives to protrude from the toes. His half-dressed appearance is meant to be misleading for any who dare challenge him. He appears vulnerable, but the captain is very dangerous to any a man (or woman) who would dare fight him solo.

Visual Description: [1] [2] [3]

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Religious: No

Personality: If one actually manages to understand what he says, then they’ll learn that he’s quite vulgar and laid-back doing it. He isn’t one to raise his voice, and a carefree smile is frequently on his face. It’s as though the man is always high without being on any grass. His threats are usually never taken seriously because he always says them in an “Ay might do this” or “Ay might do that” or “You might catch tha’ business end ov’ me knife.” Hardly threatening to a stranger, but to those who know him, it would be no different than a devil’s tongue lashing.

Brandt loves beautiful women but not as much as his beer. He can get in quite a bit of trouble chasing tail either by the lady’s husband or from the lady herself. He is pretty smooth. He believes that it’s not just his handsome looks but his distinct voice. Women love the accent.

Beer could be a problem. If it wasn’t for it needing to be pillaged all the time, the captain would probably need a keg just for himself. On shore, he can’t be trusted with money because he will blow it all on grog and wenches. He would then have to be returned to the ship in a wagon if the crew don’t find him lying in the gutter somewhere. Maybe he needs an intervention or maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he just loves the stuff.

Now, there’s a side to him that no one would expect from a notorious pirate captain. Brandt likes to sing. Now, he doesn’t have the voice of a professional minstrel or the voice of an angel. He has the voice of an entertainer and chanties are his favorite. He loves a good sea tale and a good chantey so it isn’t unusual whether drunk or sober to hear the captain singing. Everyone loves his voice and songs for if they didn’t, he would sing and sing and sing until they would want to kill him. So enjoy the music or be tortured.

Brandt’s mannerisms apply to his combat style. He is patient, calm, and fluid with his movements. His one good eye is always studying the moves of his opponent and seeking out his or her weakness. He is ruthless in combat—hardly afraid to murder and will apologize after. He has a twisted and often fucked-up sense of humor.

As far as his intelligence…well…as long as the person is speaking clearly and not using any big words, then he’ll get you. He will kill any enemy who dares to monologue to him in a heartbeat for as patient as he is in combat, he doesn’t have any patience for the Shakespeareans. Shut up, and die already.

Superstition: Brandt doesn’t like ghosts and he has this strange belief that he can erect a ghost-repellant barrier using salt and white candles. If a circle is drawn with the salt around the person and candles, then the ghosts will be unable to penetrate the barrier. He feels that he has a repellant for almost every creature. Sea vampires—garlic. Sea Serpents…well…a good cannon to the face or a virgin’s voice (where to find that?). Ugly wenches—a paper bag. He’s also superstitious about vaginas. Like, he knows just by looking at one if he’ll get the crotch-itch or not.

Likes: Grog, women, knives, delicious food, and booty (interpret that however).
Dislikes: Seagulls or any similarly annoying birds (pigeons), authoritarians, nobles, and those holier than thou types. Drought—again, interpret that how you will!
Character Ons: Bondage, scratching, wrastlin’ (or fighting for the top), giving spankings, cunnilingus, titty fucking, large breasts (preferably but don’t matter), 69, giving finger fucks, giving cum showers, dirty talk, foreplay, hair-pulling, and man-handling.
Character Offs: If it belongs in a toilet, then it needs to go there. No blood play. No hardcore bondage.

Background:

Son of a whore! You Sir, would be correct. Brandt Rackham was born to a whore named Carmilla who worked the streets of an industrial port-side town called Red Gull. If it wasn’t already obvious, the town was known for the rare species of red sea gull that plagued the skies, trash cans, and vendor shops. Carmilla had been working a corner and yanking back her skirts when a gentleman stopped to accept her services for a bag of gold. He thought she was beautiful with her fiery-red tresses and her freckled skin and tits as pink as taffy. He made love to her in the back of his steam-powered car, depositing his seed and dumping her back into the streets. Even when pregnant, Carmilla had to eat and she worked the streets until she couldn’t no more. With the aid from a sympathetic passerby, she gave birth to Brandt in an alley and when he came of working age, she sold him to a nobleman for gold. Brandt grew up shoveling coal with other boys his age to power the boiler of the nobleman’s ship. He was whipped constantly and not always for slacking on the job. One day Brandt angry and tired of being whipped, picked up a hard piece of coal and lobbed it at the overseers head. The coal had struck him dead-on, leaving a humorous smudge on his forehead (as though it were Ash Wednesday). In a rage, the overseer knocked the boy into the boiler and its blazing-red exterior badly scalded him. Traumatized by the burn he received, Brandt one night fled the nobleman’s vessel by jumping ship out of desperation.
Brandt awoke in a ship and thought fearfully that the nobleman might have captured him again. But when he saw his bandaged arm, he figured otherwise. He was wrapped in a blanket and lying on a cot in The Brig of a naval ship. In a cell next to his own was the grimmest looking pirate he had ever seen. Thick black beard and brows, cow-licked hair as though his head had made love with his pillow. The man eerily sat facing his cell as though he had been waiting for him to awaken. The prisoner told him that he was captured by the Royal Capricorn Navy and as soon as the ship returned to shore that they were both going to be hanged. His reason for being a notorious sea captain by the name of Captain Jace Rackham. Brandt’s reason as unfair as it was for being a stowaway. The sailors were strict law-abiders. Unless they both wanted to live, Brandt would have to help him escape. The guards were much kinder to Brandt because he was just a boy, and taking advantage of their kindness, Captain Rackham taught him how to pilfer the keys from them. Once the captain escaped, Brandt didn’t see him again. The Navy began investigating how the captain could have disappeared and figured that it had to have been Brandt to let him go. The Navy was prepared to tie a block to Brandt’s feet and make him sink when a pirate ship attacked.

The naval vessel was caught off-guard by the swift-moving ship that went by the name “The Kraken.” It bombarded the ship until it could sail in close and rammed into its flank. Pirates stormed the deck and Captain Rackham personally boarded the vessel to slash Brandt’s ropes and set him free. Since that day, Brandt had become The Kraken’s cabin boy.
Brandt grew into his adolescent years under the mentorship of the captain. He and Rackham became very close like father and son and some members of the crew were not happy. The Quartermaster Mansel Bosco desired to be captain after Rackham passed, but he suspected the captain planned on handing his title over to the cabin boy. The Quartermaster secretly tried to plan a mutiny that Brandt secretly overheard. Before he could run to tell the captain, he was captured, tied up, and hidden away in a barrel in the galley that they were going to dump later.

In the morning, the captain immediately suspected that something was wrong for Brandt normally punctual about his duties was slacking. He tried to command his crew to search for the boy, but the Quartermaster stepped forth disobediently. He told the captain that they had thrown the boy overboard to sink to the bottom of the ocean for he had made him weak. Before the Quartermaster could go on, Captain Rackham drew his flintlock and shot him. Loyal and enraged pirates of Bosco started to attack Captain Rackham and he cut down as many as he could before they overwhelmed and killed him, stabbing his belly full of swords. Brandt had spent all night loosening his bindings until his wrists and flesh were raw. By the time he escaped to inform the captain of the mutiny, he came across his corpse tied to the mast amidst singing and dancing pirates. With no captain they had broken into the storage and started eating and drinking their fill of rations and grog.

The sight of his father-figure murdered by his own crew triggered something in Brandt’s consciousness and he was no longer the same again. While the crew partied, Brandt quietly went about the ship collecting every knife he could find. When his pockets and hands were full of them, he walked over to stand before the merry men and announced that he was going to be the new captain of The Kraken. The men drunk and carefree only laughed at the youth. When Brandt asked who would object, the first man to voice his objection received a blade that had split his skull so quick that it made several crewmembers spit their beer. One after another, objectors tried to charge him and fell to the ground dead before they could even reach him. Gradually, Brandt collected Captain Rackham’s coat and hat and adorned them both until all that remained were cowards and the loyal members of the Rackham crew.

Brandt had Captain Rackham’s body taken down, laid across a sail to be adorned with all of his possessions, wrapped up in it and placed in a shore boat. The boat was doused in oil and cast out to sea to burn as the crew of The Kraken watched.


Weapon(s):

Throwing Knives: Brandt’s primary weapons are a fan of throwing knives that he feels are just as effective as any gun. They are four-inches in length and are easy to conceal like a folded fan. It is uncertain how many he carries on his person for a single fan holds twelve. Interesting enough, each knife has a message etched into the sides because Brandt thought that it would be hilarious to give his foes some dying words. The knives have simple phrases such as: “Hello!” “Goodbye!” or “With Love!” Sometimes they even carry other phrases: “Backstabbed!” “Stab!” or “Still alive?” He loves retrieving his knives and finding out what message the dead person got.

Pins & Needles: They are his most stealthy of weapons and he usually uses them to paralyze an enemy. Brandt has a keen eye, and he will sink those needles into the joints, meninges, and arteries of his opponents.

Skills:

Leadership: He’s a captain for a reason. He has spent most of his life on the sea and under the tutelage of Captain Rackham his old mentor. He still references his words of wisdom to this day.

Tact: Yeah, he may be an alcoholic and may have a hard time understanding the technical mumbo-jumbo, but he was gifted with common sense. He has a Huckleberry wit that makes him quite the unique tactician.

Guide: Beneath his eyepatch is his mysterious eye that allows him to see imaginary lines that he calls Ley Lines. The captain follows these lines for at the end of each of them he believes exists wondrous treasures.

Impeccable Knife-play: Brandt is able to wield his knives with extraordinary skill. He can perform stunts with them that one would find impossible to connect, but he always does. He rarely misses. A miss to his understanding is if he himself missed due to lack of skill and not when the enemy dodges or blocks his attempts.

Agile Knife Fighter: Most folks are used to a captain wielding a classic cutlass and flintlock. Most captains do to perfectly fit the stereotype, but Brandt? Nah. He uses his knives and he’ll get in uncomfortably close to land fatal strikes on his enemies. This requires him to be just as quick as his opponent, and with his light clothing, it gives him the speed he needs to stay ahead. His fighting style can get very acrobatic with backhand springs, aerials, and bending in a flexible manner. There’s a sword dancer, and then there’s a knife dancer. Brandt would argue that he’s the best around.

Jack-Of-All-Trades: He was a cabin boy for most of his life. He knows how to perform the shittiest (literally) duties on the ship or aid in the kitchen. It’s why his clothes always look wrinkle-free! Since becoming captain, most of those skills have faded, but nothing a good refresher couldn’t fix.

Drinking Champ: Oh-ho-ho-ho! Do not go challenging The Grog King without knowing that you’ll be sick after. He has a liver of steel! He’s been drinking his whole life and he doesn’t think he’ll ever lose!

I like that first picture. It's awesome. Cool character. It'll be fun to go pirating with you.

I will gladly be his Quartermaster...I mean...my character. Yeah...

Yeah, he's going to be pretty fun/interesting to play.

Name: Zhou Jia

Alias: Zhou, Dragon Woman, Jia to the very few who know her well

Rank: First Mate

Gender: Female

Race: Shuilong "Water Dragon" (human)

Age: 23

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 130 lbs

Hair Color: Dirty Blonde

Eye Color: Dark Brown

Superstitions: A lucky Shuilong coin hangs around her throat on a leather cord. Zhou has believed that it has given her luck ever since she earned it as a young woman.

Physical Description: Zhou's skin is tanned from days in the sun and her hair bleached blonde by the salty water that is a constant in her life. The wind and sun has tanned her skin to a healthy golden brown, hiding the fact that her natural skin tone is much paler. Her dark brown eyes are serious and sharp, often showing what she is thinking and feeling even though she is normally stoic and silent. Her body is slight, muscles defined by hard work and swimming, and proportionate to her small frame. She is one of the few Shuilong that has set foot on dry land, but she is not above diving into the water to help in case of an emergency.

Tall, unimposing, Zhou is a woman of simple tastes. She dresses in the traditional garb of the Shuilong, brocade silk robes with dragon scaled leather armor. Silk robes are the many trade of the Shuilong, made from the silk gathered from worms that live on a floating barge that is littered with sweet berry trees. Her clothing is normally black or red with white stitched designs. Her dragon scaled leather armor is more for show than for practicality. Belted around the waist, a thick band of leather is studded with metal discs, each with an inscription to the Gods. Two pieces, each with individual pieces of leather shaped like dragon scales, fall over the hips and halfway down the legs. It does provide some form of protection while in battle, but the Shuilong have long been known as a peaceful people.

Her ears are pierced, but rarely does she wear jewelry. The only piece of jewelry that she wears regularly is a Shuilong coin around her throat, a disc with a stamped golden dragon on the surface. It is a piece of currency, the first coin that she earned as a young woman on her own. She keeps it as a good luck charm.

A large dragon tattoo marks the right side of Zhou's ribcage. Starting at her hip bone and ending around her breast, the dragon is done in blacks and blues with golden highlights. The scales shine in the light, almost as if it is swimming under the water. It is a sacred tattoo, one that many people do not get to see. She was given the tattoo when she was 13, shortly around the time that she had her first vision. Tattoos of this nature are normally reserved for the religious leaders of the Shuilong. She is revered among her people, but she is often embarrassed by this attention.

Visual Description: http://images.fanpop.com/images/ima...orld-s-End-keira-knightley-112705_399_530.jpg

Sexuality: Straight

Religious: Yes. Zhou is a religious woman but not overtly so. She prefers to practice quietly and alone.

Personality: Zhou is a woman of few words. Stoicism is an art which she has cultivated over many years. A look is all she needs to have her orders done. Normally very serious, Zhou does know how to loosen up when around other crew members and drink with the best of them.

Zhou is a person who is intensely loyal to those that have earned it. If she does not think that you deserve her time, she will ignore you. Once you are ignored by her, it will take a very long time to earn her trust again. She loves fiercely and will work hard to protect those that she adores. Her family is very important to her, even if she rarely sees or talks to them.

Work is her life and she does not shy away from difficult tasks. Punishment is part of life on the sea and she had given out her fair share. She likes to think that she has a strong sense of right and wrong, using her best judgement most of the time when it comes to the crimes that take place on ships. Her firm belief is that everyone in the crew must be willing to pull their own weight or risk being cut free when they least expect it. She is not above filling a dingy and cutting the line to clear out the dead weight.

Among the Shuilong, Zhou is known as a shili. A shili is one who has visions. Her visions come unexpectedly, leaving her weak and feverish for a day or two. She has no control over them and often has a hard time coming to grips with the fact that they happen at all. It is not something that she advertises publicly, but her superiors do know that they occur.

Likes: Dragons, salt water, sunlight, cats.

Dislikes: Visions, overly loud people.

Character Ons: A strong partner. The sky's the limit.

Character Offs: Bathroom things belong in the bathroom. Brutality.

Background:

The Shiulong have long considered the water as sacred and have drifted on the waves living on their floating city of boats and barges. Many of the Shuilong will never set foot on dry land, being born and dying on the waves. Zhou Weilong has ruled the Shuilong since he was 18, taking over from his father, who was a brutal pirate captain. Weilong, a pirate himself in his youth, settled with age and focused his attentions on trade, which has made the Shuilong a wealthy people.

Zhou Jia never knew her birth parents. Her mother died in childbirth on the floating city of Qingpiao, a woman that few knew beyond her name of Nadia. She had joined the Shuilong shortly before Zhou's birth and kept mostly to herself. The rumor that persisted after her is that Nadia was running from a very bad man, someone who wanted to do her and the baby she carried great harm. She felt safe among the Shuilong and they treated her as one of their own.

After the death of her mother, Zhou was adopted by Weilong and his wife, Ai. Weilong would always say that he felt an instant connection with the dark eyed, blonde headed baby girl and both he and his wife doted on Zhou. She had a happy childhood, even if she were very serious as a little girl.

When she was 13, Zhou had her first vision. While working with the worms, she dropped to the ground in convulsions, murmuring gibberish about the great black fish that would destroy the city. It was a concerning statement which came true a week later when a school of blackfish with sharp teeth appeared and did great damage to Qingpiao. Zhou was suddenly treated as a shili, a person of honor among her people. It is a title that she hates, embarrassed by the attention that it draws. She has gone through great lengths since that vision to hide the others as they come.

When she turned 18, she decided the time had come to see what the world held. She got her first job on a ship with her father's blessing and worked as a cabin girl to learn the inner workings of a ship. A quick study, she soon began work as a first mate on many merchant ships which crossed the ocean. She uses her time in the cities to sell her father's goods, making contracts with merchants to carry Shuilong silks, leather goods, and fish.

Weapon(s):

Primary Weapon: Jian sword.
The Jian sword is the primary weapon for many Shuilong. When a person comes of age, the father will present the child with their sword. Zhou's sword is duel edge, sharp, and always polished to a brilliant shine. Her sword has a dragon churning the ocean waves on the hilt, which is gold in color. A tassel of blue silk hangs from the hilt, signifying her family colors.

Secondary Weapon: Flintlock powder pistol
A simple flintlock powder pistol. Zhou is trained with black powder, but prefers the feeling of steel in her hand. She carries her pistol on her hip, but rarely uses it.

Skills:

Visions: Zhou has visions which she cannot explain. Some come true, others have never come to be. She does not understand where the visions come from or how to stop them. After spending years as a revered member of the Shuilong, she prefers to keep quiet about them now. Visions will take her out of commission for a day, leaving her feverish and disoriented. When a vision presents itself, she will either convulse or have the "thousand yard" stare.

Navigation: Many years spent on the ocean means that Zhou is a top notch navigator. She uses the stars, the wind speed, and any landmarks to gauge where a ship is at any given time. Her sense of direction is top notch.

Negotiator: Her years spent as a trade negotiator for her father has given her the skills needed to negotiate tense situations. She can close a trade deal or talk down a violent individual, something that has come in handy a time or two when a drunken crew member goes a little too far.

Name: Paz Vae Vaaulu
Alias: The Butterfly
Rank: Quartermaster
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Race: Sahuagin
Height: 6'1”
Hair Color: Metallic red
Eye Color: amber iris black sclera
Physical Description: Paz had a tall, powerfully build frame. Her muscles were well-defined, especially prominent in her limbs. Her skin was a dusky brown, which seemed unaffected by the suns rays. Despite her powerful physique, her feminine qualities were well porpotioned for her size. She was moderately endowed with ample breasts, a tapering waist and sleek hips. Her flesh was marked by her tribal tattoos, several prominent ones adoring her shoulders and back. She typically wore clothing that covered very little, leaving her marks exposed for all to see.

Her hair was red with a brilliant metallic sheen to it, cropped short with a spiky, untameable aspect to it. Her face could be considered beautiful, though her features were always adorned with a severe, if not down right angry look. Her intense gaze, with black sclera and brilliant amber irises, along with the perpetual scowl on her lips, served as a constant reminder she was not one to be trifled with.

Visual Description: Picture 1
Sexuality: Bisexual
Religious: No.
Personality: Stern and stoic. Says little, only when it's important and even then it's short and to the point. Typically level headed but once she gets into a fight the beast is unleashed.
It’s hard to get a good read on just what is going on in Paz’s head. She has one hell of a poker face, stern and stoic with just a hint of disdain. She never uses two words when she could use one. Rarely does she feel the need to talk, but when she does its important, even then it’s always blunt and to the point. Paz doesn’t mince words.

She’s typically pretty level headed, cool under pressure and confident in her abilities. In battle, she is a totally different person, like a woman possessed. Like all Sahuagin she has learned to tap into her Blood Frenzy, becoming a near unstoppable juggernaut. Despite the whole gnashing of razor sharp teeth and ripping people limb from limb, she still displays a level of cunning that can surprise her foes. Otherwise, she’s a shrew tactician when the moment calls for it and she is a capable leader.

Other than when coupling, fighting is one of the few times she outwardly shows emotion. Paz hates cowardice and does not let failure slide easily. She expects everyone around her to live up to her expecting standards, few do. She believes in structure and knowing ones place. Those that don’t soon get on her ‘grumpy’ side.
Inwardly, Paz is a very passionate person. She feels emotions as intensely as any Sahuagin. She has a great love of the written word and is obsessed with flying things, butterflies in particular. Paz has a common habit of collecting trophies from battle and every port that she goes to.

Superstition: For a six foot tall ‘Shark’ person, Paz has a great distrust of anything magical. This includes most fantastical races and people. She has no understanding of modern technology either, lumping it in with what she calls ‘magical crap’.

Before engaging in a big battle Paz will perform the Sahuagin war dance, called the Haka. It helps focus and prepare oneself before the fight.

Likes: Food, sleeping, fighting, butterflies, the surf, collecting trophies from foes bested in battle
Dislikes: Cowardice, lack of discipline, big cities, anything green (food related)
Character Ons: Rough sex, being on the top, fighting for the top, oral, dirty talk, confident partners, biting, scratching, the occasional choking (giving and receiving).
Character Offs: Overly submissive partners, blood, gore, scat, piss, non-humanoid creatures, and anything pink.

Background: Like every Sahuagin, Paz’s fate was decided for her on the day she was born. When a Sahuagin was born the elders of their tribe gathered and decided which of the great ancestors the newborn would bond with. From that point on each Sahuagin was honored bound to emulate that ancestor, doing their best to live up to their standards and surpass them.
Paz’s ancestral bond was to Ruaumoko. Legends of Ruaumoko tell of his prowess in battle and obsession with seeking out and defeating new and worthy foes. He roamed the world searching for new challenges, seeking out those of exceptional martial skill. After each win Ruaumoko would take from his bested foe their most prized possession: their weapon. Soon Ruaumoko turned his attention to the weapons themselves and sought out those that carried so called ‘blades of legend’, or The Seven Wonders of Aeneid. It was said that he found several of the Wonders himself, though just what they were was never revealed. Ruaumoko died on his quest, leaving a heavy burden for those that followed him. Having him as a Spirit Ancestor was seen by some to be a curse, as there was no way that one could truly emulate, let alone surpass his achievements. To others, it was a sign that the young Sahuagin was meant for great things. The Elders of Paz’s tribe were of the latter group and as such prepared the young woman for the greatness that was to follow her.

For her part, Paz did not disappoint. She was a quick study, learning from her mistakes and displaying a knack for tactics and leadership. Once they were old enough, young Sahuagin were put through a rigorous training regime that would separate the strong from the weak. The strong would go onto to become the legendary and feared warriors the Sahuagin were known for. The weak would be given other jobs that offered little prestige and respect, but were still necessary for survival. It was a turning point for all Sahuagin and Paz stood amongst her peers ready to prove herself. True to her legendary ancestor, Paz passed all tests set before her with exemplary skill. She gained much prestige along the way and earned her first tattoos. She was now a proud Sahuagin Warrior, but she was far from done proving herself worthy of the title.
Yet for all her success Paz felt herself lacking. She did have her faults, no one was perfect and Paz was well aware of her own. All Sahuagin were passionate creatures, though they learned to temper their hotheadedness into fuel for their Blood Frenzy. Paz always had a temper; her bouts of rage were as legendary as her Spirit Ancestor. But with time and training she should have learned to channel it, focus it and use it appropriately. It was something she had only moderate success in, which was a dangerous prospect. Losing control while in the midst of Blood Frenzy was a terrifying thing to behold, as the user would devolve into a mindless fury unable to distinguish friend from foe. It was the greatest of shames to do such, even more than betraying ones tribe. It was always in the back of her mind, that her lack of discipline might someday be her downfall.

After fighting in several battles and winning herself more prestige and glory, it was time to decide just what Paz was to do. All Sahuagin had a choice once they established themselves, remain with the tribe and fight for the honor of kin and ancestor or go out and explore the world at large. Many chose the latter, seeing it as a way to seek out challenges worthy of their Spirit Ancestors name. Paz choose to set out for adventure, intent to find some way of channeling her anger properly. She wasn’t going to find one of the Seven Wonders lying around in the surf near her tribal home, either.

Like many of her kind that set out in the great wide world beyond the Shargon’s Teeth, the ancestral home of the Sahuagin and a dangerous place to sail in general, Paz turned to mercenary work. People were willing to pay great sums of shiny coins to have a few Shark Men on their side of a skirmish. While the pay was good (though the concept of money and paying for goods and services was confusing at first) Paz detested taking orders from lesser creatures. Humans in general were almost below contempt. She hated cowardice and to take orders from a coward stained her proud ancestors honor. After one particularly vicious battle aboard a privateer ship, Paz witnessed the man that had hired her ducking behind a few barrels, cowering like a frightened child. Something inside her snapped and before she knew it, Paz had the man by the throat, hoisting him up into the air as if he weighted nothing. She snapped his neck before he could protest, eagerly watching the life fade from his eyes as he gave his final gargling breaths. She tossed him overboard and finished the battle, slaying her foes and winning herself more prestige. After the battle, the crew of the ship were in shock to realize what had happened. Some wanted to keelhaul her right then and there, while others saw her as the new Captain of the ship. None dare assault her, none were brave enough to test their mettle against the Shark Woman with the steely gaze.

Paz didn’t want anything to do with these pathetic humans, though she took control of the ship and ordered them into port regardless. Once there she gathered her things, took her share of the hard earned loot and disappeared into the crowded streets…as well as a six foot tall dusky skinned woman with shiny red hair could.

She learned much from her journeys, picking up new techniques to add to her arsenal. There was always room for someone like her on a ship, though to many people’s surprise Paz was more than just brawn. She had a head for numbers, finding that she actually enjoyed keeping things in order, especially all those shiny little coins and baubles. It was a useful skill, one that Paz used to her full advantage. There were few vessels out there that couldn’t stand some help with shoring up their rank and file. There was little difference between a ship and a tribe to Paz. Everyone knew their place and those that didn’t were bound to have an unfortunate experience.


Weapon(s): Paz is trained in all typical Sahuagin weaponry. She is exceptional with a spear or trident or any small bludgeoning weapon. She carries a knife on her person but rarely uses it in combat. She prefers to get up close and personal, with her hands and teeth.

Skills:

Racial:

Superior Endurance and strength - Sahaugins were a strong, hardy lot, use to hardship and the extreme, volatile nature of the sea. Even the weakest of their kind was comparable with the strongest human. Paz could easily dominate someone through sheer physical might alone, lift a heavy load and hold it for hours, even go days without food or water before she began to feel the effects. Just don't ask her to aim one of those stupid magical firesticks.

Breath Control - Lending itself from their supieror endurance, Sahuagin are able to hold their breath for an extended period of time. It depends on the individual, but some have been known to hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. Paz herself hasn't bested that record, with the ability to hold it for 10 minutes at the maximum.

Superior Sense of Smell - Sahaugin have an exceptional sense of smell. Their keen nose can recall specific scents and can easily follow them. The one thing they can smell above all else is blood. The sharp, metallic odor can be instantly recognized, even with the ability to narrow down a person by their scent alone. Once a Sahaugin gets your scent, they will rarely forget, especially your blood.

Blood Frenzy – This is both a racial ability and a form of martial arts known only to the Sahaugin. The racial ability is known to most people as Blood Frenzy, the one thing above all else that they are known for. It is a form of beserker rage, the Sahaugin gives into their passion and rage, letting it churn and boil to the surface. As they frenzy, their skin hardens and takes on the texture of sharkskin. They become resistant to most forms of physical damage (they can take a beating but are not immune to it - pain on the other hand). Their teeth sharpen and extend, taking on the appearance of shark teeth, along with their ability to shred and rend flesh. Sahaugin have been known to tear men in half under the influence of Blood Frenzy.

Only through strict, rigorous training in the martial arts can a Sahuagin learn to focus their Blood Frenzy into controllable bouts. This allows them brief moments of tremendous fighting ability, along with the self restraint to stop when they need to. The longer they rage, the harder it is to reel themselves in. There is always a chance that Blood Frenzy will activate even against the Sahaugin's will. The scent of blood, lots of it, sustaining wounds and intense combat have been known to send Sahaugin into Blood Frenzy against their will.


Normal:

Hand to Hand Combat – Paz is a master martial artist. Her Sahuagin techniques focus on grappling and lockdowns, preferring swift and brutal force. She has picked up other fighting styles over her journeys but still prefers overwhelming force.

Intimidation – Just look at that face? Glowering and being a hulking brute come second nature to her, especially around the smaller races. It also works well at poker games.

Organization/Discipline – Paz naturally gravitates towards keeping things neat and organized. Everything has a place and should know that place. This includes her personal belongings as well as the social structure around her. On the ship she keeps things running and people in their place, one way or another.

Immediately after reading this, I imagined the first time she and Brandt ever meet will be in combat. Mostly because I imagine him, groping her boob so casually.

But welcome aboard! We almost have everyone. I'm waiting on two more people.

So we got a two humans, a frog, and a shark. Quite a colorful crew.

Fast little fucker quick with his hands. Good times.

KattDclaw said:

Fast little fucker quick with his hands. Good times.

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She better not ever tell him her title. I think he'll get a cramp from laughing so hard. Ah, I see them being the perfect personalities to clash.

HotCider said:

She better not ever tell him her title. I think he'll get a cramp from laughing so hard. Ah, I see them being the perfect personalities to clash.

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"I like butterflies. What?"

Smash.

You guys are going to love our engineer. He just sent me a teaser preview.

HotCider said:

You guys are going to love our engineer. He just sent me a teaser preview.

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Where's our teaser preview? Yer such a cock tease.

This engineer?

Let me guess...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7xbr6UCpn8/UBFFX0gWw0I/AAAAAAAAAZg/J9wahIFbqDI/s1600/Kaylee+Firefly.jpg

Hahah

You guys will just have to wait and see.

kizkiz said:

Let me guess...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7xbr6UCpn8/UBFFX0gWw0I/AAAAAAAAAZg/J9wahIFbqDI/s1600/Kaylee+Firefly.jpg

Hahah

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If only...