Patrick Hand Posted January 26, 2009 Posted January 26, 2009 This is going to be a weird rambling thread, because it will be part continuing story, part background development and information, and an online meeting place for Airship Pyrates. And if we ever do get together… A Steampunk Group, similar to the 1720 Careening Camp at PiP… where everyone is geographically separated, but when we do get together at PiP, we already have everything figured out… That’s an awful lot for one thread… We already have a name; the Columbia’s Revenge… We have a Captain… we’re just not sure if he is a ghost, or so horribly disfigured that with the aid of “Modern Medicine” he is actually a part of the Ship… (still don’t know what his name is yet…) We have a rough draft of a map showing the Countries for our alternative History… A Bombardier and a Cook…. I have a whole lot of ideas for the Columbia’s Revenge…But this isn’t just my project, we all get to be a part of the development…A Collective Steampunk Fantasy for Airship Pyrates… Some of my ideas…. Patch Monkeys: There are an unknown number of “Wild Boys” that live in the Airship’s envelope. During Battle they patch any holes in the envelope and the gasbags. Cooked food, patches, repair materials and “trinkets” are left in the envelope, but sometimes they sneak into the crew’s quarters and steal small items… But the Captain won’t let anyone hunt the Patch Monkeys (some sort of “truce”.) They are sometimes a nuisance, but very useful at keeping the Columbia’s Revenge airworthy. Steam Power: Gasoline engines do exist, but they are too fiddly for practical use. Black Powder: Smokeless powder hasn’t been invented yet. (How do you overcome the problems with “fowling” when you’re trying to invent a machine gun?) I still have to finish drawing a rough cross-section of the Columbia’s Revenge kind of showing approximately where everything is… then we can modify that… Of course I have a bunch more, but I want to let other people play also…. On Crew Positions… Just pick one, or make one up… but lets try not to get it to “Top Heavy” with a whole bunch of Officers…Yeah, I know… it’s one of my “pet peeves” when you meet three Pyrates, one is the Captain, the next is the Quartermaster and the last is the Gun Captain…. So who is doing any of the work on the Ship? Go for “Job Positions” instead of Rank… “I’m part of the Gun Crew” or one of the Gattling Gun Crews, or a Steam Engine Mechanic…or just a part of th’ Scummy Crew…. Hey, if you simply “Must be an Officer”, no problem…But we should have more Crew than Officers....
Ransom Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 I LOVE the Patch Monkeys. Sort of like House Elves, only in the air. Great idea, Patrick! ...schooners, islands, and maroons and buccaneers and buried gold... You can do everything right, strictly according to procedure, on the ocean, and it'll still kill you. But if you're a good navigator, a least you'll know where you were when you died.......From The Ship Killer by Justin Scott. "Well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful."....Captain Jack Sparrow Found in the Ruins — Unique Jewelry Found in the Ruins — Personal Blog
Jack Roberts Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 I want to be the mechanic! Is that ok? I guess I would be cursing the patch monkeys all the time yet thanking them also.
RustyNell Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) Dang I want to be a Patch Monkey!!! - how utterly cool...ooo.. Queen of the Patch Monkeys...Hey.. thats technically not an officer... its a monarch.. .... anyway lets see.. I could be the helmsman.. technically not an officer, that would be the Navigator... then again the ship could have some kind of auto pilot so the captain technically controls all the ships movements leaving no need for a helmsman...hmmm so ...I'm really kinda stuck for a job...m oh guess I should ask first... are GIRLS ok on the pirate ship??...and if so...I'm a bit of a whack job...any ideas... some kind of Kamikaze...I have a reputation to uphold ?? Oooh I just had an idea.. i could be the Captains annoying wife... I'm on board and no one really likes it but theres nothing you can do about it. After all I am the Captains wife.. and the fact that he kind of doesn't exist could make it all the stranger. Edited January 27, 2009 by RustyNell “PIRACY, n. Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.” Ambrose Bierce
Patrick Hand Posted January 27, 2009 Author Posted January 27, 2009 I figure that the Patch Monkeys rig hammocks and nests between the airbag supports where they live and play... The name is partly a reference to their swinging around on the airbag supports... the little buggers are quick.... Some of the crew have seen glimpses of them and their "nests" when on repair duty in the envelope, but the Captains orders not to interfere with the Patch Monkeys or their toys is obeyed (if you know whats good for you...) any ideas... some kind of Kamikaze... The "Boarding Parties" wearing a quick-release harness and balloons... then jumping out and onto other Airships not good enough for you ? How about duty in the observation gondola ? it's basically a chair on the end of a long cable with a telephone... dropped below the clouds for observation (if your not already crazy, you will soon be..) just dress warmly, it does get kinda cold.... i could be the Captains annoying wife... That could be kinda funny... It would take a little fiddling with to get it to work... But it would be lonely....what with the crew avoiding you, and the Captain never speaking to you.... (Of course with the Captain's Wife eating at the Officers Mess, it would also keep the number of Officers down.... ) Still need to come up with a good name for the Captain.......
RustyNell Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) Oh as the Captains wife you could hate me all you want, and talk behind my back but, God forbid i know it... I could make your like hell... He does love me... after all I'm his honey bunny!! LOL I could always be curious about different jobs, and end up always sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong and making things difficult on all of you. Of course in the Captains eyes I do no wrong.... I kind of like that character... it could be fun. ... and yeah... a name.. the Captain needs a really interesting and authoritative sounding name. Commander Maxwell Ulysses Dempsy... his name is m.u.d then I could just be something like... Dotia Ursula Dempsy---that would make me d.u.d LOL Ok I'm just throwing things out for the heck of it to see if they stick. DON'T hold me to anything yet. Edited January 27, 2009 by RustyNell “PIRACY, n. Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.” Ambrose Bierce
Mary Diamond Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 then I could just be something like... Dotia Ursula Dempsy---that would make me d.u.d LOL Ah, yes, Dottie Duds is up to it again... Oooh, shiny!
Patrick Hand Posted January 27, 2009 Author Posted January 27, 2009 The Captain ... how about Commander Mortimer Ulysses Dudley Spelling out M.U.D. might work, but we'll need to work on the name to come up with something a little more "heroic"..... Patrick,How much of the world around us have you already worked out? Why are we pirates, are me on a mission, privateers? What are the worlds treasures, i.e. what's our cargo? Are we technology thieves? Are there major shortages in the world and we're kind of Robin Hood like pirates? I like the idea of spreading the wealth amidst an Armageddon. Basically the simple version.... the Confederacy wins the American Civil War and secedes from the Union..Texas then secedes from the Confederacy, and California from the Union...There is no Transcontinental Railroad, so everything is shipped by air... I have to re-do the map (a better version) this is the rough draft without the changes to French Canada... Trade routes and what the cargoes being shipped would be very helpful for the story, The Confederacy grows and ships cotton and tobacco, raw goods to and from the factorys in the Union... There wasn't an "Armageddon.", just a different History... most of the Countrys in North America are doing rather well for themselves, but the fragmentation makes a good, working setting for Airship Pyrates.... Are there beings from other planets on earth?Not exactly, but this does bring up and interesting point... How can you have Vampire or Werewolf Hunters without "monsters".... Not something that happens everyday (this isn't D&D..) , but a little (very little) of the unknown does add some spice to the setting...
RustyNell Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 My thought exactly... I thought there was a certain sci-fi element to Steam Punk...I guess its all a matter of how far into the future we decide to go ...after we alter the past of course. We do need an enemy... otherwise why are we pirates...without a proper enemy we are nothing more than common criminals... though I like crime shows and am happy to play the bad guy I prefer being the good guy in disguise. Just something to think about... curious why no trans continental?? Did someone destroy it or it never existed. I can see it never existing increasing air traffic. on a side note: I have actually been entertaining the thought of putting together a band... to make even more use of the costuming...the theme... well I was thinking of a kind of futuristic steam punk female Jesse James - gothic cowboy punk jazz ... Circe Link meets Bauhaus “PIRACY, n. Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.” Ambrose Bierce
Capt. Bo of the WTF co. Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) Hope I ain't intruding, but on black-powder machine guns think Gatlin Gun-i.e. multiple barrels. For a hand held version, maybe just four? Cartriges are already being used during the period, so multiple shot cylynders or even Thomson style drums would be OK I would think. Some sort of steam cleaning device that could be accessed from the ariship? Carried on a backpack? Just some random "brain droppings" for your consideration. Bo Edited January 27, 2009 by Capt. Bo of the WTF co.
Captain Pogue Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 There can be a lot of sci-fi in it. There were airships, but not quite the technological wonders of the Columbia's Revenge. All sorts of people would be out to get the pirates, I'm sure there isn't NAFTA... The steam powered wagons can only smuggle so much black market goods past the border guards without paying the embargos. California produces a large amount of produce, can you imagine what that produce would look like after a ten hour drive in a steam powered wagon over rought terrain without benefit of modern tires. Steam powered suits of armor and tanks make ground travel pretty difficult. Oh, lets not forget all of the independent business men in the wild lands that have to keep paying off the Injuns that have been forced into the wildlands by the governments. I'm sure the current state of affairs is a breeding ground for megalomanics with tendencies to develop over complicated plans for global domination. Mad scientists would love the arms build up between the North and the South. The North ain't just gonna give up and say, ok you won, it would probably be like our Cold War. Sure they trade between each other, gold i gold and it always provide cover for spies. A lot of people like their Steampunk with a bit of horror mixed in, a lot of classic horror was written during the turn of the century Stoker, Lovecraft, and more. Lovecraft even had some Steampunk elements in his stories. Plus the occult was very popular as well, ghosts, mediums, and anything else spooky. It can be in there, it just looses it's impact if there is a monster of the week or your always bumping into a supernatural creature. There are far worse out there than vampyres... Conceptual Simplicity, Structural Complexity, Achieves a Greater State of humanity.
Patrick Hand Posted January 27, 2009 Author Posted January 27, 2009 curious why no trans continental?? Did someone destroy it or it never existed. It never got built... Why would the Union of the United States want to spend the money to build a railway line through the Wild Lands to the Republic of California? Also, the Union of the United States and the Republic of California are having a squabbling match over whaling in the Pacific... but on black-powder machine guns think Gatlin Gun-i.e. multiple barrels. For a hand held version, maybe just four? That's kind of along the line of what I'm thinking... Because of fowling, "Blow-back" wouldn't work as well.. so you would have to resort to mechanical means to get an automatic weapon to work.... Wind-up/hand crank/pump sub-machine guns just have more of a Steampunk look to them.....
Patrick Hand Posted January 27, 2009 Author Posted January 27, 2009 The North ain't just gonna give up and say, ok you won, it would probably be like our Cold War. I kinda think of the Berlin Wall... You can travel between the North and South, but the trench systems are very impressive on both sides.... (Passports from the different Countrys would be a fun "Future Project" ) It can be in there, it just looses it's impact if there is a monster of the week Yeah... everyone knows about Bigfoot, you just don't see them very often (Well no one really believes anything Ol' Charley at the saloon says anyway....) The Stories exist about monsters in the Wild Lands.... but any contact with monsters should be a very rare thing... Oh yeah.... and we already have our Captain who may be a ghost, or may so disfigured that he is a part of the ship.... That's a good sized helping of Sci-Fi right there.....
Animal Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Oh as the Captains wife you could hate me all you want, and talk behind my back but, God forbid i know it... I could make your like hell... He does love me... after all I'm his honey bunny!! LOL I could always be curious about different jobs, and end up always sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong and making things difficult on all of you. Of course in the Captains eyes I do no wrong.... I kind of like that character... it could be fun. ... and yeah... a name.. the Captain needs a really interesting and authoritative sounding name. Commander Maxwell Ulysses Dempsy... his name is m.u.d then I could just be something like... Dotia Ursula Dempsy---that would make me d.u.d LOL Ok I'm just throwing things out for the heck of it to see if they stick. DON'T hold me to anything yet. From the sound of it, not far from your regular personality Jest kidding sweetie, I love yer quirky ways and loves yer for them. Me, I think I would fit in to the Patch Monkey mold. Kinda fits my general character. God help ya if ya mess wit me stuff Animal Buccaneer - Services to the highest bidder!!!
Patrick Hand Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 Me, I think I would fit in to the Patch Monkey mold Nah... your too old to be a Patch Monkey... they are just young "Wild" boys....Once they reach puberty and their voice changes, they either sneak off the Airship, or join-up with the crew.... But ex-Powder Monkeys will never tell anyone, anything about how they live... some sort of secret oath.... But for real fun, join the Boarding Crew..... strap yourself into a quick release harness with hydrogen balloons and jump over to the other (target) Airship...... (Now I have to do a drawing of what that would look like........)
Captain Pogue Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 She just thinks she's the Captain's wife, of course nobody broaches the subject with the captain. Can you imagine, "Beg'n the Captain's pardon... It's your wife again sir... The crew are get'n a plank ready sir..." Probably confuse the hell out of the old man. I like the idea of trenches, it does kinda parallel the Berlin wall... I like the boarding crew idea too. Not the most sane job on the ship... Conceptual Simplicity, Structural Complexity, Achieves a Greater State of humanity.
Animal Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah you're probably right. I was thinking more of a elder Patch Monkey, keeping them in line and teaching the new ones. Kinda like a Godfather Patch Monkey. Hmmm, quick release harness and hydrogen ballons??? That could be fun!!! Animal Buccaneer - Services to the highest bidder!!!
Patrick Hand Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 She just thinks she's the Captain's wife, of course nobody broaches the subject with the captain. WOW....THAT's EVEN BETTER.........I like that idea....
Kate Souris Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 I have to re-do the map (a better version) this is the rough draft without the changes to French Canada... So uhm....French Mexico..... I am morbidly curious about what THOSE accents sound like.
Patrick Hand Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 I'd never though of that.... France controls Mexico. The Presidente in exile and many Independent Mexicans moved North into New Mexico... Anyone want to supply a revolution? Also, the Confederacy of the United States and French Mexico are having some interesting squabbles over some of the islands in the Caribbean... (Fun place for some Steampunk sea going Pyracy...)
Ransom Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 In French Mexico, would they speak Franish? Be kind of a fun dialect to invent. Sorta like the Portugreek in the movie Water World? BTW, it would be fun if Nell "thought" she was the Captain's wife, but since no one knows where the captain is, or ever sees him, she could be constantly looking for him, and when she hears his voice, runs off, yelling something like "I know your in here somewhere, you scoundrel!" She could accuse us all of hiding him from her. However, she would have to have some job on the Columbia, otherwise, we'd get tired of her and just toss her overboard (as we hovered low over some town, naturally. We're pyrates, not heartless brutes). ...schooners, islands, and maroons and buccaneers and buried gold... You can do everything right, strictly according to procedure, on the ocean, and it'll still kill you. But if you're a good navigator, a least you'll know where you were when you died.......From The Ship Killer by Justin Scott. "Well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful."....Captain Jack Sparrow Found in the Ruins — Unique Jewelry Found in the Ruins — Personal Blog
Patrick Hand Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 In French Mexico, would they speak Franish? I figure the "rulers" would speak French, and are trying to force the language on the population.... That's why there is a New Mexico...
Ransom Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Shucks, I was looking forward to using words like...croisanritto, chapeauraro, refried harricots... ...schooners, islands, and maroons and buccaneers and buried gold... You can do everything right, strictly according to procedure, on the ocean, and it'll still kill you. But if you're a good navigator, a least you'll know where you were when you died.......From The Ship Killer by Justin Scott. "Well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful."....Captain Jack Sparrow Found in the Ruins — Unique Jewelry Found in the Ruins — Personal Blog
RustyNell Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) Regarding my role as the captains suspect wife...I love that idea! I think you should all be suspicious as to whether I'm his wife. Of course no one will broach the subject with the captain its too uncomfortable a subject, because there's too much evidence. Also, rather than running off looking for him, I often disappear for periods of time, plus I seem to know bits of information that I shouldn't, so there is some evidence that I might actually be his wife, part and parcel to why everyones afraid to broach the subject. OHHHH great idea!!! What if the captain dies at some point? Since he's been hidden for so long, and I have no where else to go, I have found a mechanism to disguise my voice and record commands so no one will know. Knowing the troubles I've caused I fear if everyone knowing he's dead, a new captain will be voted in and I'll be dumped. i love the crew and piracy desperately and want to stay with you so I do whatever necessary to keep my secret. This could also attest to why I'm always spying and butting in... I need to consult with the crew so i can ghost captain properly. I would have to work real hard to cover my tracks too, because you'd all hang me if you found out. This could explain why your all suspect that I'm his wife as well, perhaps I occasionally go too far trying to cover my tracks. Hey eventually when we get tired of that story line you can just kill me off and elect a captain, and I can start a whole new character. Edited January 29, 2009 by RustyNell “PIRACY, n. Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.” Ambrose Bierce
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