User blog:Ilniaj/Monster Pirates

An undeniable truth of the world is that the monsters have an all but uncontested control over the oceans of the world. With the Goddess of the Sea on their side and many monster races able to breathe underwater and live under the waves as easily as humans live on land has made the oceans a hostile place for those faithful to the Chief God. People avoid travelling far out to sea, using slower land transport and investing much in teleportation networks. If anything, the transition to the current age has made the seas more dangerous instead of less. While some of the more dangerous monsters have shrunk in size, the monsters as a whole have become more aggressive, organized and well-equipped. While they were once able to focus on building their own societies beneath the waves and the lack of ability to interact with land dwelling humans means there was rarely conflict between the dwellers of the sea and dwellers of the land, the fact that they now need human men to reproduce means that conflict is inevitable and Poseidon's blessings that temporarily grant them human legs allows them to interact with the land dwellers like never before.

An ever-present danger for coastal settlements and those willing to risk plying the waves are pirates. While some of these pirate crews are formed from land dwellers and have the job in the interest of looting and raiding, the majority are formed from monsters and any loot aboard the ship is of secondary concern compared to the crew itself, a means for the monsters to continue their bloodlines. Human settlements on the coasts are constantly at risk of monster attack and while sea travel is possible for humans, they must keep a good supply of weapons, a good crew and avoiding excessive risks whenever possible.

Despite not needing them to live on the sea, ships are an important resource to monsters, while many things can be stored underwater, there are also many goods that cannot resist the corrosive effects of salt water and ships provide an effective means of storing these goods. Ships will also provide a means to attack other ships and coastal settlements, acting as mobile bases of operation, platforms for heavy guns and storage for supplies. When ships are monster aligned, the part visible above the waves can be expected to be only the tip of their might, with much more hidden beneath the sea. No navy formed by land-dwelling nations can match the monster navy on the oceans, their ability to live self-sufficiently on the seas and the amount of ships they possess out of necessity provides an insurmountable navy that few nations can muster the resources to oppose and fewer still have likelihood to gain from doing so.

While the navies of land nations prefer to keep their enemies at bay and decimate them with as much firepower as they can muster the navies of land monsters prefer to overwhelm their foes through boarding actions and encirclement tactics, the better to spare the lives of the crew. Boarding planks and pikes are prepared, pirates swing from the rigging onto the target ship and swimmers dive into the water to rappel aboard the ship. Cannons are loaded with grapeshot to clear the deck and marksmen snipe important targets. While pirate marines have a lot of ranged firepower at their disposal and clever means to surround their foes they are ultimately a fragile army. Lack of armor or light armor that it's possible to swim in makes pirate forces easy to slay and if the odds turn against them, the pirate forces are liable to retreat and regroup.

Each ship has a captain in command and each fleet has an admiral and the monster pirates are no different. Most are already married but have not tired of life on a ship, continuing to sail in search of profit and adventure, through both legitimate and illegitimate means. On a sea-going vessel, the captains word is law. The most important thing about being a captain is running the ship. They must know every detail of their ship and be able to do any job any of their crew can do, be able to quickly judge who can replace a fallen member, enforce order but lastly must be fair, delivering on their promises and not acting random or arbitrary. Only the roughest and toughest can rise to captain a ship.

Like nearly all military forces of the world, monster pirates will call upon magicians and sorcerers to bolster their forces albeit slightly grudgingly due to the tendency towards being superstitious that sailors posses. For the vast majority of ships, a sorcerer provides magical support in skirmishes. Sailors tend to give sorcerers a large berth, making them ostracized from the rest of the crew but in battle, they will do all they can to protect the magic users from harm, knowing that magic support can mean the difference between victory and swinging from a gibbet. The majority of sorcerers aboard a ship are considered officers, but will rarely assume traditional positions of authority. Instead, they are considered advisors and living weapons for powers like the ability to locate treasure or change the directions of the winds are highly prized so they can always expect a good chunk of the spoils.

Every ship has a crew, its backbone formed from a variety of backgrounds and drawn together by the lure of the sea and the opportunity for plunder. Travel along the seas is a lot faster than along land so human sailors can be from as far east as the lands of Cathay and Zipangu or as far north as the cold lands of Norsca. The freedom of life on a boat appeals to many people despite the harsh discipline aboard a ship, so much so that even those impressed against their will can be swept up in sailing traditions. Though each must endure a tedious period as a lowly swabbie, some make their mark and become respected mates. The veterans are an invaluable link and keep every ship functioning. Sailors who exhibit ambition and courage can earn the sweet rewards of ample spoils. A well-run vessel can plunder a king's ransom in a relatively short time, earning its crew a bounty far exceeding what they might see toiling in fields, hauling fishing nets, or engaging in other "honest" labour. A vessel intended to be used for boarding actions will often have three times as many crew as what's needed, which makes for life on a pirate vessel a bit dull but is appreciated when the time to attack a vessel is nigh and the numbers aid in overwhelming the target. When launching an attack on a port or vessal, the crew are armed with a variety of weapons, bucklers or oriental longswords allow them to defend themselves in the crush of melee, pistols with blades for a combination of ranged and melee, or boarding axes or pikes for when sheer force is needed. Those not using a pistol might carry Throwing Knives.

A large ship is a complex entity, akin to a floating village with many different roles needed to operate. The Masters and Idlers are crew members who possess more specialized knowledge needed to operate the ship. All ships will have one of each type and those Masters and Idlers will themselves have aides known as Mates, who will both assist them and replace them should they be lost. Boatswains are responsible for the upkeep of the rigging of the vessal rigging, the hundreds of lines and cables throughout the ship which keep the sails operating properly. They are experts at moving throughout the ship’s maze of ropes, swinging from one yardarm to another to ensure the overall soundness of the rigging. As an officer, they also tend to be given the unsavory responsibility of the floggings on the ship. The Look-Out of a ship is an attentive crew member who is stationed in the crow's nest. Their job is to watch the seas and report every important event such as the changing of the weather, a sighting of land or sail or mighty sea creatures. Master Gunners train the cannon crew, make sure the guns are maintained and rationing the store of gunpowder. The last of these is the Navigator, with the critically important task of making sure the ship gets where it's supposed to go, using charts, the sun and the stars to navigate. Navigators are, by necessity, cartographers, charting the course of their voyages so that they may retrace them or that others may follow their route.

Gunners tend to the artillery and ammunition of the ship, their keen knowledge of black powder essential to preventing a potential disaster of a cannon bursting, overheating or recoiling out of control. Any pirate can handle a pistol but accurate gunners are prized for their ability to lay down fire at twice the distance. Shots from atop a crow's nest or prow can pick off enemy officers and defenders before boarding. Some of the gunners will boast at being crack shots but in truth they have little training and rely on delivering a concentrated barrage from as many guns as possible. Captains know the deadly potential of gunfire but such guns are scarce aboard ships so it falls to individual crew to buy and maintain their rifle or blunderbuss. Though each gunner owns and maintains their weapon, quartermasters are frugal with the powder in storage. Most is reserved for the cannons and can't be wasted on passing sea birds or sharks. Gunners caught firing haphazardly can expect a thorough keelhauling.

Some of the more experienced gunners construct smaller and lighter versions of the swivel guns mounted on a ship's railings or sides. Quite a bit larger than rifles, and therefore, must be held up by a wooden support, are cumbersome and prone to failure due to imperfect castings or poorly mixed blackpowder but there are few gunners who would disagree that these swivel guns make up for it in sheer firepower. Deck Gunners are known to be among the bravest of pirates, given their close proximity to blackpowder weapons, but even among themselves they stand in awe of any Gunner who takes a Swivel Gun into battle. Usually they stand in awe quite far away from him – even they can’t be sure when one might blow!

Out in the open sea, there are worse things to fear than black-sailed corsairs or the weather. The waters are deep, deeper than most souls can imagine and hold strange and terrible creatures. These creatures, collectively known as Leviathans, surface from time to time and countless ships have been sunk by them by accident or by malice. Some sailors fear these beasts while others such as Harpooners seek them out! Harpooning is a primitive operation thanks to the dangers surrounding the endeavor. They typically attempt to kill any Leviathans with cannon volleys or harpoon launchers while accurately thrown javelins are used to slay smaller and less dangerous beasts. When these brave hunters accompany a raid, they prefer to seek out the beasts and monsters used by the enemy. Skilled and hardened by countless encounters on the sea with creatures that range from a 10th of the size of a giant to making a giant look dimunitive, the harpooners have a steady aim and know where to hit with their weapon of choice. The rest of the lot is always happy that these warriors take on the biggest threats in enemy armies. Harpooners from the eastern lands are atypical, tending to use bows instead of javelins to hunt.

The Mates serve as seconds in command on a vessel, answering directly to the captain. They are responsible for determining that the captains orders are carried out, which can be a trying task for even the most professional of crews. Each ship has several Mates to serve under the captain and ensure their orders are carried out properly. The Mates are often also Masters and Idlers as well but not always. Mates are equipped in the same manner as Pirate Crew and Deck Gunners, carrying a melee weapon and/or ranged weapon of choice. They are also one of the few pirate units to wear armor, albeit very light so that it's possible to easily swing and sail in.

The First Mate is often considered the "true" captain of a vessel in many a sailor's eyes, the First Mate often has a broader grasp of the ship's operations than the captain. To do the job effectively, they need a thorough knowledge of every component of the ship and be able to provide the captain with immediate information regarding the ship at all times. They are also in charge of distributing the crew's pay after a successful voyage. A First Mate is the captain's go-between with the crew so they must be well acquainted with all of the crew. However, the First Mate does not hold the same authority as the captain so does not always know the ship's course or the true purpose of each voyage.

Many lands are plundered for men and the cold north of Norsca is no exception. While the majority of the Norscans are aligned with The Order and the pantheon headed by the Chief God, there are some who align themselves with monsters, and are considered valuable lovers for the strength they bring to a monster's bloodline. Norscan Reavers that are part of a monster pirate crew are often husband to at least one monster onboard. These married men (and sometimes monsterized women) work themselves into a frenzy right when the fight starts and hurl themselves at the foe.

Sometimes, Dark Elf corsairs of the western continent find themselves employed in the crew of a monster ship, most often for the same reason as the rest of the crew. These daring women (and occasional human men fighting alongside his wife) dual wielding swords or wield a sword and repeater handbow, using impressive agility and speed to jump from mast to mast or roof to roof when raiding a coastal town. They do not use shields, considering them to be too cumbersome, preferring to rely on light armor and cloaks made of sea serpent scales for protection.

The standard deck cannon used by a pirate vessel is a dangerous and sometimes unpredictable weapon. When they work, they can shatter the most determined enemy, toppling walls, bringing down monsters and slamming into formations. However, cannons can go wrong, spectacularly wrong, at best failing to ignite and at worst exploding. Though the cannons used by the monsters of the sea are not as devastating as the Great Cannons used by The Empire these deck cannons are still capable of decimating enemy troops before a boarding action or when defending against one. Young deck cannon crew often start as powder monkeys, running powder between the upper and lower decks in the heat of battle. Many swabs prefer such a duty, as it allows them to stay out of the front line. While Deck Cannons can be used to fire round shot, monster pirates have invented some clever other forms of ammunition. They have created Chain Shot and Heat Shot for use. Chain shot is when the cannon fires a length of chain and linked metal made of demon realm silver. Chain Shot is less damaging than round shot but can disable the masts and rigging of ships, causing enemies to be unable to run. Heat Shot is where the cannon ball is wrapped in tar and oil, setting it ablaze when fired. This makes firing the cannon more risky unfortunately.

The Karchariathrope or as they are more commonly known as, the Daughters (and Sons) of Poseidon are monsters and men who have been blessed by Poseidon with the ability to transform into giant humanoid sharks, mimicking Poseidon's form when she is embodying the furious and unbridled wrath of the sea. Karchariathropes are monstrously strong, able to tear through the armor worn by men so that themselves or others can sate themselves on the flesh within. They wield tridents, blunderbusses and rifles, their size allowing them to wield those firearms like humans wield pistols.

Tales of large Sea Serpents have colored the accounts of those from the sea since the first ship sailed beyond sight of land. While much of the tales of Sea Serpents are superstition, such as a sighting of one being an omen or them having mystical powers, they do indeed exist and are impressively fast beasts, able to move on land as well as water and capable of launching themselves out of the water onto a ship. It takes a brave (or perhaps crazy) man or monster to train and ride such a creature but the results speak for themselves as such units are impressive shock troops, descending upon the foe with snapping jaws dripping with venom and scattering foes with a whip of their tails. The riders wield Boarding Pikes and sometimes pistols.

Airpower has taken on a much greater significance in a naval context than on land, as it can be used to seek out the enemy fleet and pinpoint their movements. The battle plan of an admiral will depend on such reports as the information they convey can give a huge tactical advantage. The flying galley is a small, armoured hull or "gondola" suspended below a gasbag filled with hydrogen. It is propelled by a steam driven propeller, can ascend or descend by altering the amount of gas in the gasbag, and steers by means of rudder flaps. Flying Galleys leave smokey exhaust trails as they punch their way through the clouds, their swivel guns spitting fire and iron. Most Flying Galleys are built and bought from Dwarves and Gremlins, and are bought by nearly everyone who can afford one.

Among the most powerful artillery in the world is the Hellhammer, so large that five crewmen are needed to load and fire it. They are a considerable investment as very large cannonballs are needed and require considerable black powder with each firing. Their biggest drawback is the risk of a misfire and event that can cripple or sink the ship it is mounted on. On the plus side, even with such limitations, the destructive power of a Hellhammer is truly awesome; easily rending holes in enemy ships and sinking vessels in a single shot. There is not a single captain who would not eagerly have a Hellhammer on their ship. Hellhammers have three variants, the Hellhammer Cannon, the Ironfist Mortar and the Triple Barrel Cannon. The Hellhammer Cannon fires a single round shot of prodigious size filling a similar tactical role to a cannon but with increased range and power. The Ironfist Mortar is a huge mortar, it's squat muzzle pointed ominously skywards. Able to launch massive bombs over the tallest of fortifications makes it an excellent anti-personnel weapon. The Triple Barreled Cannon combines three smaller cannon barrels together in order to release a volley of cannon balls in quick succession. Anyone or anything unfortunate enough to stay in its firing arc are most likely obliterated in a hail of fire. An additional downside is that loading the three barrels takes considerable time, only allowing it to fire half as often as a normal cannon.

One of the rarest and mightiest of monsters is the Turtigon, a creature of mystery and legend. Stories of a two-headed, fire breathing turtle the size of a man-o-war seemed like a tall tale, even among Leviathan hunters. Recently, stories of attacks by young Turtigons have cropped up everywhere. Maybe they are becoming less a legend and more a creature of fact. Turtigons do not take care of their young, abandoning the egg and baby to the elements. This makes it possible to take the egg and train it when it hatches. When some of the larger fleets set sail, they do so accompanied by Turtigons with platforms equipped with a deck cannon built on their back from which the controlling crew can ride from relative safety. They are mainly controlled by a crew member holding out a long pole with a piece of meat on it to steer the creature in the right direction. Each of the Turtigon’s maws is a massively sharp, iron-hard beak that can easily slice through the thickest armour as if it were made of paper.

Among the Leviathans of the deep are the Sea Giants, most often found in the deepest depths of the sea where they make their dwellings in the cones of long dead undersea volcanoes. Sea Giants have power over the forces of the sea and are a living embodiment of its bounty and destructive wrath. They seldom come into contact with surface dwellers but have been known to exact bounties from coastal cities to ensure the safety of its navies and merchant vessels. These huge beings have bluish green skin and eyes reflecting light like two silvery moons. Rippling with muscle, this creature rises from the depths with a crash of waves on rocks. They are not as slow as their land-dwelling counterparts though they can hardly be called clever. Sea Giants sometimes emerge from the depths to join up with pirates to go on raids on the mainland. As long as their bounty is paid, they are more than happy to help out in battle before disappearing into the depths once more.

Otohime are kin to the dragons and thus can return to the massive forms they had in the previous age. An Otohime in the form of the previous age possesses a long, almost serpentine and sinuous body, covered in scales and corded with muscle, with four stubby limbs each tipped with razorsharp claws. The wings they possess are not capable of flight in the air but are capable of propelling them through the water at great speed. Their tail is also a powerful appendage, providing a large amount of its speed in the water as well as being able to break the bones of mighty beasts and shatter walls. Otohime regenerate from wounds at a tremendous rate, damage to their bodies able to knit itself clean at such a rate that it can be watched. Lastly, their jaws have a deadly venom and a transformed Otohime is one of the only sapient willing to hunt deadly Leviathans on their own. Otohime in their inhuman form come in three typical sizes. Young Otohime are the weakest with smaller bodies and weaker scales, but still formidable, "Standard" Otohimes are middling in capability and Great Otohimes are the oldest and mightiest among them.