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It is a time of high adventure, of danger and intrigue, of crashing waves and singing steel. The island colonies on the Antillean Archipelago have become a hotbed of intrigue and opportunity, as the distant kingdoms of the Old World struggle for a grip on the New World, while a rising tide of revolutionaries vie for independence. Commodities like sugar, cotton, and gold have led to huge industries of exploitation in the Archipelago, and artifacts from the Old Empire are irresistible lures for explorers and treasure hunters. And wild rumors of ancient ruins, strange monsters in the waters and jungles, and treasures with supernatural powers draw in the curious, the bold, the ambitious, and the mad.

In the middle of all this is the sprawling city of Free Sail, a haven for spirited adventurers and bloodthirsty pirates. In theory, it is a neutral port of fair trade for all of the Old World kingdoms and their colonies. In practice, it is where political agents go to hire mercenaries, spies, saboteurs, and assassins; where buccaneers and explorers go for rumors of the strange and the valuable; where marauders of the dreaded Black Fleet come to spend the spoils of their plunder and look for their next prey.

In such a time and place, the only true law is the steel at your side. More conflicts are settled by duels than by judges, and master swordsmen can carry the authority of a king or queen, at least until another duelist comes to claim their title. No matter the allegiance, the golden rule of the Archipelago is “it's only yours if you can fight for it,” a rule that applies to everything from treasures, to lovers, to your very life.

The city of Free Sail has no end of opportunities to be found. Wealth. Power. Treasures beyond the imagination…

…but only if you can fight for it.

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Setting: The city of Free Sail, in the heart of the Antillean Archipelago (a fictionalized version of the Caribben Sea).
Time Frame: Roughly the Age of Sail (1600s-1700s), but with anachronisms ranging from the Vikings to the Napoleonic Wars.
Technology Level: Pre-Industrial Revolution; gunpowder is available, but guns are limited to single-shot flintlock pistols and muskets. Far and away, the more common weapons of the day are sabres, rapiers, cutlasses, and daggers.
Starting Season: Late spring, with seas deceptively calm but with the risk of sudden massive storms at any tjme.
Magic Availability: There is no innate spellcasting, but there are artifacts and treasures rumored to have supernatural powers. You can't cast a lightning bolt, for example, but you might find a jewel or a crown that lets you control the weather.
Tone and Vibe: This RP is meant to be focused around dashing heroes, flashing blades, and acts of derring-do. I'm less interested in gritty realism or sneering cynics, and more interested in gallant sailors fighting off cut-throat pirates, colorful masked vigilantes fighting for the oppressed and the downtrodden, scoundrels with hearts of gold. At any given moment, someone should be able to swing from a chandelier without it feeling out of place.
Inspirations:
Classic adventure films like The Sea Hawk and The Crimson Pirate
Treasure Island (any version, pick your favorite)
The Princess Bride
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Three Musketeers
The Mask of Zorro
The 7th Sea role-playing game

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I'll provide a world primer with factions and whatnot if there's sufficient interest.

Potentially interested!

I am impossibly interested in this RP and would like to sign the papers to join the crew.

Potentially

Interested

@AndyC, considering it.

Edit: Hmm, would a father-and-son duo work out?

Kinda Interested, but watching for now.

I think that's enough interest to justify moving ahead with the OOC. I'll start working on the world primer, but to get people thinking about character and story ideas, here's a quick outline:

Main Factions in Free Sail:

The Freebooters: A confederation of mercenary crews loyal only to each other. A fledgling democracy without a centralized leader, decisions among the Freebooters are made by a Council of ship captains. All are welcome to join, provided they adhere to the Freebooters' Code. Despite the independent and egalitarian nature of the Freebooters, politicking and treachery is still common, and some of the more ruthless crews pride themselves on finding loopholes in the Code to benefit themselves.

Los Vigilantes: An organization of masked outlaws arising from the tyrannical rule of the Castillian governors, Los Vigilantes hold themselves up as defenders of the oppressed and fighters against injustice. Members of the organization keep their identities a secret even from each other, relying on garish masks and outlandish personalities to cause sensation and inspire the downtrodden. Not every member of Los Vigilantes is as altruistic as they should be, however, as some are more interested merely in causing mayhem than in helping the poor.

The Exchange: Officially the Exchange is a conglomerate of bankers, merchants, and shipping magnates all with a vested interest in developing the Antillean colonies. In practice, however, the Exchange is the largest criminal syndicate in the New World, overseeing the trade of everything from stolen goods to illicit drugs to captive people. All of the Old World kingdoms know what the Exchange really is, but all of them are willing to turn a blind eye to their dealings as long as they make a tidy profit from it.

The Order of the Spyglass: An organization founded by rich scholars, the Order of the Spyglass is dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of the New World. Comprised mostly of treasure hunters, explorers, navigators, and pathfinders, members of the Order are notorious for being insatiably curious in their hunt to find lost knowledge and unseen civilizations...provided, of course, that they get their share of the fortune and fame.

Les Fréres de Fer: Formerly the bodyguards of the late king of Vallé D'Or, the musketeers of Les Fréres de Fer are sworn to uphold the virtues of Justice, Honor, and Love. Musketeers are often hired as protectors of small villages and towns, bodyguards for the well-to-do, and bounty hunters to track down criminals and pirates. While Les Fréres are generally well-regarded, their Order is also highly secretive, and many believe their true intent is not merely to inspire the local population, but to build an army in exile and reclaim their homeland.

The Black Fleet: Unapologetic in their brutality and cruelty, the Black Fleet have no pretense about being anything but pirates. While they are often seen in Free Sail spending their plunder, their true home is the dreaded Isla del Miedo somewhere in the maelstrom of the Triangulo de la Muerte. The pirates of the Black Fleet are infamous for their treachery even among their own, with their only uniting quality being their allegiance to the pirate king Edward Wrathbourne. Legends say that in exchange for obedience, Wrathbourne gives his captains treasures and weapons that grant them supernatural power, and that monsters and dead men walk among their crews. How much of that is true, and how much is spread by the Black Fleet themselves to build their fearsome reputation, remains to be seen.

Old World Kingdoms:

Castille: (aka Not Spain) The dominant power in the Antillean Sea, Castillian forts dot many of the islands and ports of the Archipelago. However, recent military losses back on the continent have greatly reduced their presence, allowing other kingdoms and factions to rise. Castillians are famed for having hot tempers, and for placing a great deal on family lineage and bloodlines. Their duelists are some of the most feared in the world, and though they are rare, the massive hulking Castillian galleons can devastate whole fleets by themselves.

Albion: (aka Not England) Once an enchanted island where history and fairy tale were the same, Albion has since become a rising empire at sea, and the main rival of Castille for control of the New World. While most of their colonies are far north on the mainland continent, Albion has taken several islands in the Antillean recently, and the sight of Albion Redcoats has become more and more common in ports and cities. A culture deeply divided between commoners and aristocracy, the Albion nobility have a deep sense of propriety and need for law and order, while the common people rally around tricksters and outlaws. Albion sailors pride themselves on their superiority at sea.

Vallé D'Or: (aka Not France) once the cultural center of the Old World, Vallé D'Or has undergone incredible turmoil in recent years. Revolutionaries deposed their king and slaughtered the aristocracy, and in the ensuing chaos arose the mad conqueror Leon de Corsique, who now wages war across the continent. Vallé D'Or only has a single colony in the New World, the Château de Rêves, where the last surviving nobles and their Musketeers hold out in the hopes of returning some day. Vallé D'Orans are known for being romantics at heart, and for their innate sense of superiority.

Medicia: (aka Not Italy) A collection of city-states rather than a unified nation, Medicia has no land holds in the New World, but still carries tremendous influence. Medician galleys are considered the fastest and best-made ships in the world, and thus Medician merchants wield great power in the shipping industries. While it is rarely mentioned in polite company, it is well known that many prominent Medician families are deeply involved in the Exchange, and are said to have networks of spies and assassins ready at all times. Medicians are often shrewd, suspicious to the point of paranoia, and keen for useful information.

(More to come)

Black Fleet, here I come!!

Some other bits to consider, which will also be lumped into the world primer:

Points of Contention:

Treasure: The most obvious prize sought after by distant nations, local factions, and ambitious individuals is the fabulous riches found in the Antillean region. Several of the islands have rich veins of gold and precious gemstones in their mountains. There are rumors of even greater wealth in the mainland, even a Golden City deep in the jungles of the southern continent, but the dangerous wildlife and contentious relations with the mainland natives makes seeking these treasures a risky venture.

Artifacts of the Old Empire: A thousand years ago, the Empire of Aeternum spanned the Old World. Its collapse resulted in a centuries-long dark age where volumes of ancient knowledge were tragically lost. Recently, ruins of Aeternian colonies have been found in the New World, including artifacts of lost technology. These ancient mechanisms are not only worth a fortune, but can potentially provide tremendous technological advantages to anyone who can decipher their workings.

Treasure of the Lost World: Aeternian scrolls contain myths of a lost world even more ancient than the Old Empire, people who wielded magical powers beyond understanding. Curiously, the natives of the New World also tell legends of old gods and demons that lived in lost cities in the sea. Some of the more wild rumors suggest that relics from this mythical Lost World still exist, and that they can bestow power to the wielders.

Class and Oppression: Not everyone is interested in hunting long-lost riches, but are instead fighting against the injustices that occur every day in the New World. The aristocracy of the Old World kingdoms all exploit the poor, subjugate the natives, and keep slaves to toil under intolerable conditions. The divide between rich and poor is wide, and while many of noble blood see this as the natural order, many more have begun to fight against this exploitation.

Dueling Schools: In a time and place where so much is settled by the sword, it's only natural that masters of the blade would set up their own schools, and that these schools would develop intense rivalries. These schools adorn their prized students' blades with a Mark to show their excellence and advertise their master's pedigree. The four Dueling Schools in the New World are Flynn (specializing in Albion sabre, Mark of the Hawk), Dumas (specializing in Vallé D'Or epée, Mark of the Lion), Montoya (specializing in Castillian rapier, Mark of the Wolf), and Garibaldi (specializing in the Medician spada de lato, Mark of the Serpent). Swordsmen with a school's Mark are often extremely proud of their school, and will fight other Marked duelists on sight purely as a matter of pride.

Are all factions open to players?

I'm going to be honest, this shit is so cool. I have no idea where to start

Im going to be dishonest. We are both guarding a door....

I adore the lore so far!

A number of character concepts come to mind and intrigue me even at this early hour.

However, I am eager to see what others have in mind so that I might adapt accordingly.

Ive already shown my CS to OP heh heh heh

Not sure what is and isn’t allowed but atm I’m thinking of some sort of troubleshooter for the Exchange. Could go any which way though

Hmm, any minimum and maximum age for OCs?