Name: James Nathaniel Monroe
Age: 26
Occupation: Captain
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 180lbs
Appearance: James likes to hang loose clothing over his long and muscular frame. Better to be unassuming than show off the dense muscles years of work and fighting have sculpted for him. He has long curly uncombed hair, and a scruffy beard. Otherwise he looks like any other handsome bugger in England.
James is a drifter like the rest of them. At fifteen he became a cabin boy in a privateering ship. Then, when the privateer work died off and so many of those ships became pirate ships, the choice to transition into the life was made for him. Life at sea, specifically stealing and killing, has been all he's ever known. Now at 26 it seems rather impossible to him to pick up a trade, apprentice under a blacksmith or leather worker. No, what would be the point?
Instead he'll stay on this path until he reaches the horizon. Maybe whatever's there will be worth it. Maybe his life will be cut short. One thing he's always known: it's the ocean he loves. It was what attracted him to the job in the first place. The chance to go anywhere except the old port of Liverpool. A ship is a ticket to freedom. Every sailor feels this and knows it. Since he first set foot in one the wooden planks have felt more welcoming than any cobblestone street or forest path.
For a time James stayed on his original ship. Under a man named Jefferson. One day they lost a proper sea battle to Veronica's own ship of which she was already captain. It was unclear why they had attacked, but before they all knew it they were being given the choice. Join today or sail away with their lives but no loot. James chose to join after seeing Veronica's supernatural prowess. This was before she demanded a religious commitment from her crew, and James enjoyed his time there at least as much as he enjoyed his first job. Veronica even informed him he had occult talent. He had apparently inherited druidic blood on his mother's side. Which made sense considering she was Irish. This led to his development in Biomancy. Though he uses it in certain gruesome ways specialized for combat, that portion of magic is actually of the Life Domain.
Now, Captain Kidd has gifted him with a sloop of his own. It was Kidd who taught him what piracy really is. Really, piracy is a rebellion. Against the government, against the gods, against one's own life circumstances. It is not only a means to make money, though it can be quite good at that if you're clever, piracy is what a person does when the whole world has fucked them over and they want to tell it right back to go fuck itself.
So with this spirit he's recruiting. James doesn't necessarily believe himself to be a "captain-ly," individual. He doesn't believe he particularly deserves the job. He does, however have the experience. Really, he learned from Kidd, a Captain's job should be to lead the crew in battle and mediate disagreements. Maybe come up with a good plan or two to decide who to rob. Other than that, the whole crew should be equal.
Kidd is a bit more sympathetic, but James believes the way Veronica and Blackbeard do piracy gives them all a bad name. The English papers can call them all cold blooded murderers because of their body counts. James sees himself and the Republic as the greatest band of thieves ever assembled. He intends to make sure the world knows that one day.
Instead he'll stay on this path until he reaches the horizon. Maybe whatever's there will be worth it. Maybe his life will be cut short. One thing he's always known: it's the ocean he loves. It was what attracted him to the job in the first place. The chance to go anywhere except the old port of Liverpool. A ship is a ticket to freedom. Every sailor feels this and knows it. Since he first set foot in one the wooden planks have felt more welcoming than any cobblestone street or forest path.
For a time James stayed on his original ship. Under a man named Jefferson. One day they lost a proper sea battle to Veronica's own ship of which she was already captain. It was unclear why they had attacked, but before they all knew it they were being given the choice. Join today or sail away with their lives but no loot. James chose to join after seeing Veronica's supernatural prowess. This was before she demanded a religious commitment from her crew, and James enjoyed his time there at least as much as he enjoyed his first job. Veronica even informed him he had occult talent. He had apparently inherited druidic blood on his mother's side. Which made sense considering she was Irish. This led to his development in Biomancy. Though he uses it in certain gruesome ways specialized for combat, that portion of magic is actually of the Life Domain.
Now, Captain Kidd has gifted him with a sloop of his own. It was Kidd who taught him what piracy really is. Really, piracy is a rebellion. Against the government, against the gods, against one's own life circumstances. It is not only a means to make money, though it can be quite good at that if you're clever, piracy is what a person does when the whole world has fucked them over and they want to tell it right back to go fuck itself.
So with this spirit he's recruiting. James doesn't necessarily believe himself to be a "captain-ly," individual. He doesn't believe he particularly deserves the job. He does, however have the experience. Really, he learned from Kidd, a Captain's job should be to lead the crew in battle and mediate disagreements. Maybe come up with a good plan or two to decide who to rob. Other than that, the whole crew should be equal.
Kidd is a bit more sympathetic, but James believes the way Veronica and Blackbeard do piracy gives them all a bad name. The English papers can call them all cold blooded murderers because of their body counts. James sees himself and the Republic as the greatest band of thieves ever assembled. He intends to make sure the world knows that one day.
James is a balance between strength, speed, and technique. He hits hard enough to do serious damage to a bigger opponent, is fast enough to keep up with a smaller one, and talented enough to take on smarter or more versatile enemies. This of course means he'll never win a straight contest against a specialist. He must choose which skill to apply to which situation in order to succeed.
He likes to train with many different kinds of weaponry, really any he can get his hands on. In this way he has become a true jack of all trades. He is proficient with rifles, pistols, blunderbuss, large and small cutlasses, batons, daggers, and has even spent some time fencing. Every once in a while a French sailor makes their way onto a pirate deck.
Unarmed, James quite likes wrestling the way the Greeks and Romans did it. He finds it useful for incapacitating and restraining an opponent, so that they can no longer hit you.
He likes to train with many different kinds of weaponry, really any he can get his hands on. In this way he has become a true jack of all trades. He is proficient with rifles, pistols, blunderbuss, large and small cutlasses, batons, daggers, and has even spent some time fencing. Every once in a while a French sailor makes their way onto a pirate deck.
Unarmed, James quite likes wrestling the way the Greeks and Romans did it. He finds it useful for incapacitating and restraining an opponent, so that they can no longer hit you.
Flintlock Pistol × 2: slightly extended barrel for accuracy and range. Sanded grip for comfort.
Light single handed Cutlass. Standard cup hand guard. 3.5 foot blade.
Light single handed Cutlass. Standard cup hand guard. 3.5 foot blade.
Magic Type: Biomancy
Basic Effects: James's spell work allows him to absorb and produce organic material at will. This could be weapons or other intricate shape made of bone, extra limbs, even copying the organs of other living creatures. Both magical and natural. Poison sacs, gills, jagged teeth, night vision, anything nature has created is at his disposal. When it comes to magical beasts, he must first come into contact with said animal before he can reproduce it's anatomy.
The cost to casting spells in this style is the organic material must come from somewhere. Plant material will do in a pinch, but animals (and people) do much better for when large mass is needed. A bit of blood won't do, either. To create a venom sack and fangs in his mouth, he would need to absorb an entire rat, for example. He can store an amount of organic material within his body equivalent to his own body weight, and usually does so at all times to be ready for an engagement.
Advanced Spells:
Touch of Entropy: though this is technically a basic effect of his powers, it can be quite effective in combat. Touching an enemy begins absorbing their flesh at the point of combat. It takes only moments of grabbing a wrist for his fingers to reach bone. Best to pull away one's hand immediately.
Nature's Tax: a healing spell of sorts. This ability allows James to regenerate his flesh and organs as long as he has the organic material to replace what was lost. He cannot use this power if his brain or heart stop working, or if he loses consciousness.
Osseus Platemail: James generates a suit of armored plates made from bone. Of course it is not seamless to allow for movement, and is very similar to Knight's armor in many respects. The difference being to get out of it it must be reabsorbed. The gaps in the armor can be taken advantage of the same with a thin sword. This ability would use all of James's reserves if there is no other organic material around. It is strong enough to block musket fire, and maybe one canon ball without shattering.
Beast Form: inspired by a werewolf crew mate he once knew, James designed his own beast form using his powers of generation. It is a creature the size of a Clydesdale. This of course means it takes much more organic material than the Osseus armor. It is semi-bipedal, with massive claws and fangs. The piles of muscle it has can snap a mast in half if it charged at it. The bony spines on its back are pointed and sharp. Even it's senses are superb. The nose of a hounded, ears of a bat, and the thing even has sets of gills and lungs. The only thing it can't do is regenerate since so much energy is used in it's creation, James is left exhausted afterwards.
(All of James's abilities use mana in addition to the organic material cost)
Basic Effects: James's spell work allows him to absorb and produce organic material at will. This could be weapons or other intricate shape made of bone, extra limbs, even copying the organs of other living creatures. Both magical and natural. Poison sacs, gills, jagged teeth, night vision, anything nature has created is at his disposal. When it comes to magical beasts, he must first come into contact with said animal before he can reproduce it's anatomy.
The cost to casting spells in this style is the organic material must come from somewhere. Plant material will do in a pinch, but animals (and people) do much better for when large mass is needed. A bit of blood won't do, either. To create a venom sack and fangs in his mouth, he would need to absorb an entire rat, for example. He can store an amount of organic material within his body equivalent to his own body weight, and usually does so at all times to be ready for an engagement.
Advanced Spells:
Touch of Entropy: though this is technically a basic effect of his powers, it can be quite effective in combat. Touching an enemy begins absorbing their flesh at the point of combat. It takes only moments of grabbing a wrist for his fingers to reach bone. Best to pull away one's hand immediately.
Nature's Tax: a healing spell of sorts. This ability allows James to regenerate his flesh and organs as long as he has the organic material to replace what was lost. He cannot use this power if his brain or heart stop working, or if he loses consciousness.
Osseus Platemail: James generates a suit of armored plates made from bone. Of course it is not seamless to allow for movement, and is very similar to Knight's armor in many respects. The difference being to get out of it it must be reabsorbed. The gaps in the armor can be taken advantage of the same with a thin sword. This ability would use all of James's reserves if there is no other organic material around. It is strong enough to block musket fire, and maybe one canon ball without shattering.
Beast Form: inspired by a werewolf crew mate he once knew, James designed his own beast form using his powers of generation. It is a creature the size of a Clydesdale. This of course means it takes much more organic material than the Osseus armor. It is semi-bipedal, with massive claws and fangs. The piles of muscle it has can snap a mast in half if it charged at it. The bony spines on its back are pointed and sharp. Even it's senses are superb. The nose of a hounded, ears of a bat, and the thing even has sets of gills and lungs. The only thing it can't do is regenerate since so much energy is used in it's creation, James is left exhausted afterwards.
(All of James's abilities use mana in addition to the organic material cost)