Dark Tides:Ship

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The Rover is a light and nimble 70 ton Jamaican sloop, able to navigate shallow waters and fast enough to outrun any Royal Navy vessel.

The Rover does not have cannons mounted to broadsides. It only has chase guns. Three four-pounder guns aft, and another two fore.

The Rover regularly sails from Port Tobacco to New Orleans with black market cargo, mostly tobacco, and then with sugar, rum and cotton back to Maryland.

Masts	Passengers	Minimum Crew	Cargo Spaces	Guns	Sea Worthy	Hull Points	Repair Bonus	Miles per Day	Combat Move
1	6	3	4	5	13	6	5	72	7

Positive Trait

Low Draft

The ship has been built with a hull and keel that allows it to sail into areas many would think too shallow. Ships with this trait gains a +1 TN to avoid running aground. In addition, the ship is able to sail up rivers, on lakes, and berth at shallow ports.

Negative Trait

Under Armed

Either on purpose or due to the shipwright’s negligence, the ship is unable to carry as many cannons as similar ships of this type is able too. As such the ship has half the guns it can carry. The ship is able to mount more, but it requires cargo space to be given up.

NPC Crew

Sailing Master: Charlotte

Charlotte is her entire name, she has no family name to call her own. A bastard daughter of a widowed plantation owner and one of his house slaves. She would probably have been left for her mother to raise, but the woman died giving birth to her.

Charlotte’s father had his flaws, but he was not a completely heartless man. When Charlotte’s mother died, he took the baby girl to live in his house. She was not allowed to leave the plantation for she was a mark of shame on her father, but the estate was large so she did not feel confined as a child. Her father taught her letters, and introduced her to his hobby. He was interested in both astronomy and astrology, and had a private observatory on his plantation. He taught Charlotte the names of stars and constellations, explaining how to find her way by them. He also taught her how to craft a horoscope, divine information by studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects, and how the Maya people far to the south had developed elaborate systems for predicting terrestrial events from celestial observations.

Charlotte also had free access to the plantation’s private library, but most books were related to her father’s interests. The stars. From various historical documents about the beliefs related to them through star charts to navigation manuals.

Charlotte grew into a young woman on the plantation, but then old age claimed her father. Her older half brother had never come to accept his half sister, and after the old man’s death, he threw her out of the house. Charlotte walked into Port Tobacco with just the clothes on her back, but with a valuable skill – what she had learned at the plantation had made her a passable navigator.

Charlotte is a young woman with dark curls hanging to her shoulders. Her complexion is fair enough that in the right circumstances or with make-up she could pass for a white person, but she does not like to pretend anything.

Sailor/ Lookout/ Sailing Master’s Mate: Madeline Harrison “Little Maddie”

A spitfire at the ripe old age of 17 “Little Maddie” clings to Charlotte’s side. While her background may preclude an honorable childhood, born as a bastard to a prostitute and British tax officer, she grew up in the slums of Jamaica. Yet she's also intelligent, tolerant and open, but they're in shorter supply, especially considering they're mixed with being negativistic as well. Her honor though, is what she's loved for.

Maddie has a share of darker sides to deal with too. Her arrogant nature, ‘born to royalty’, and negativity risk ruining pleasant moods and make things uncomfortable to say the least.

Quartermaster: Nixon Fletcher

Nixon Fletcher is adventurous and intelligent. A close friend to Captain Blackburn, he's also objective, ambitious and orderly. Yet those qualities are tainted by and mixed with habits of being extreme as well.

His adventurous nature is what he is known for. There are many times when the Captain relies on this and his sympathetic nature whenever the crew finds themselves in a tight spot.

Nixon has plenty of character faults too. His vindictive nature and impatience sour the mood many a time, much to the annoyance of others.

Bo’Sun: Clayborn Vertect

Few know the true Clayborn Vertect, but the two traits most people enjoy the most are that he's open and focused. Of course he's also independent, romantic and stable, but these are in a way balanced by being greedy as well. His openness though, is his forte’. The crew regularly count on this.

Nobody's perfect of course and Clayborn has plenty of less favorable traits too. His craziness and pedantic nature top the list. Whenever Mister Vertect shows up someone will make money and someone will lose it. “Clay” nearly always wins. The list of losers is a who’s who of powerful New Orleans personalities.

Cook/ Surgeon: Sweet Dollie

Only known as Sweet Dollie, well, at the very least she's sociable and sweet. She's also dutiful, forgiving and considerate, but they're often slightly tainted by a mindset of being neglectful as well. Sweet Dollie has let the meat go rancid more than once an opportune occasion.

Her sociable nature though, this is what she's pretty much loved for. The crew frequently count on this caring nature in times of need.

Nobody's perfect of course and Dollie has plenty of less favorable characteristics too. Her anger isn’t exactly fun to experience and beyond what people are willing to deal with.

Fortunately her sweet nature usually softens the worst of it.

Master Gunner: Isaiah Tanner

A whole lot can be said about Isaiah Tanner, but the fact he's disconcerting and insensitive is just the tip of the iceberg. That's without even stating he's also predatory, cruel and disturbing, but at least they only show in smaller doses and mixed with behaviors of being reflective as well.

But focus on him as this is what he's purposely avoided for. There's a great deal of pain left on all sides because of this and his neglectful nature, but that may just be the nature of the beast.

Fair is fair though, Mister Tanner has better sides too. He's independent and individualistic at the very least, there is still some hope yet.

Unfortunately his insensitivity often pops up fast enough to ruin the chances of something good.

Sailor: Edwin Samuel

It takes a while to get to know Edwin Samuel, but the two traits most people enjoy the most are that he's curious and dutiful. Of course he's also rational, good-natured and stable, but they're often slightly tainted by a mindset of being difficult as well.

His curiosity though, this is what he's often admired for. Friends frequently count on this and his independence whenever they need help.

Edwin has plenty of less desired characteristics too. His morbid nature and perversions cause plenty of grievances on often personal levels.

Yet, his dutiful nature helps prevent most of these grievances.

Sailor: Mabry Allerton

She's amoral and agonizing that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To make matters worse she's also difficult, disorderly and obsessive, but in an odd way they're balanced by habits of being modest as well.

But focus on her as this is what she's often despised for. Multiple enemies have been made because of this and her insensitivity, but there's not much you can really do about it.

Fair is fair though, Mabry does give some redeeming qualities. She's responsive and idealistic among true friends, there is still some hope yet.