((I Know its more than a mouth full guys, but please just bear with me))

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells ring;
Rise up—for you the pirate's flag is flung—but upon your head, is the ghostly crown of a KING!? ,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their dumbfounded faces turn;
Here Captain! dear King!?
This arm beneath your head,
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve risen, no longer cold and dead.

My Captain....My King.... answers, his lips are pale, no longer still,
My Captain is a King and he has a pulse and will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with another object to be won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with astounded tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lives,
As a King, no where near dead!
-------------------

[Backstory]
It is reasonable to assume that Pirates have existed since the first ships began to sail the mighty and treacherous seas of the world. Some were well known mostly as vikings, others just as you've imagined them to be. But the strange part of all of this is that its been revealed that your Captain.....was a KING. Someone who bore great riches and had great power. But how in the pits of Davy Jones Locker did such an all powerful person become adapted to ruling over the seas!? And what purpose was behind all of it, for it was not just your captain that was a king, but numerous others. Even some of the greatest pirates in history! Black Beard included! Now that you've found the truth of your Captain being a King, how far are you willing to look, how adventurous, curious, anxious are your spirits to find the the hidden truth behind the purposes of these great King Pirates? How much treachery are you willing to tread through to find the answers that poke at your minds and blow your flags in the breezes of the sea? But the hidden purpose isnt the only astounding matter of it, there be more, a lot more.

--SETTING---
This Rp takes place at both land and sea, but mostly sea. It shall be explained that the world is a lot different now that most of the land has been drowned by the oceans and seas, and now only little land still remains.
------------------

[Once a King, Twice a Captain]

A loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time ago, Kings were known to be rulers of land. As facts remain, some were great and kind leaders/rulers, and some were ruthless and daring. Kings were always ones to have great riches and fortune, and more power to use than one may think. But wouldnt you think that they would atleast get bored with the whole role of being a king? Ruling over the lands and sending wrong doers and sometimes innocence to torture chambers. Or going to battle with numerous other kings and conquering more land? Well of course they did! And it all started with King Jakovin, or better known by his pirate persona, Black Beard, who's ghost is still known to roam the seas, taking out cargo ships that took goods to other kingdoms and looting other pirate ships and looting their treasure. He was one who loved adventure, but was bound by the morales of a king. Well, until one day he just up and left on a large ship. A ship filled with over a thousand crew members and holding up to a hundred and fifty catapults, that were later replaced with a more powerful and somewhat accurate weapon, the cannons. At that time, weapons went from broad swords, to curved blades. And from there, the name "pirate" was reborn and King Jakovin was no more. Captain Black Beard was born. A man that was once a king, now a ruler of the seven seas. The specific time that this change occurred is not accurately known. It is only known that a big change was made.

--The Catastrophe--


---------

[The Power of a King Captain]

Now, it was already fascinating and mind blowing, that the fearless leaders of the seas were once king's, but what was really off the deck was the strange.....power that these king captains have. Some have a strange adventurous crown of fires that float above their heads as a sign of their former positions. Others have the ability to navigate the breezes of the sea, and some even have other strange powers/abilities. This power was known as Graceful Scurvy. Ironic, because scurvy was a common disease that some of the most recent pirates inhabited. But the name was suitable. Because those King Captains that have achieved this power have had near death experience from that very disease. It would last for a total of 3 horrible days, and can last to a total of a week long. This is also a sign to most captains of what crew members will carry on their name and legacy after they pass. Up to three crew members actually achieve this strange power because most crew members dont survive after going through this, because their bodies never recover. From what was observed, it seems that only a chosen few members of a crew would survive. It is very rare that more than 3 members survive such a sudden encounter. This power also seems to transfer memories from the the original king captains to the apprentice successors.

[Scurvy Gracelings]
The few lucky or unlucky crew members that catch wind of the Graceful Scurvy are known as Gracelings, because they have not yet became a King Captain. But that title is only held by the those who survive. Those who arent so lucky are known as Davey Jone's Shit. A disgraceful name for the ones that die. Sad really. The crew members that survive undergo 3 days of the empowering scurvy, and a extra day to recover fully from it in so little time, which would make it a total of 4 days. But of course, they just dont boom pow and become the next apprentice successor for a King Captain. They undergo a series of 3 tests, and only if they survive, will they become worthy enough.

((The Plank Trial))
The Plank Trial is what the 3 tests that the Gracelings undergo is called.

The first test, the Graceling will be placed in a barrel that has a rope tied around it, and sent down under the sea with the help of an anchor. They would stay there for a entire day, and if they are still alive after they are pulled out, then they would move on to the next test.

The second test of the Plank Trial, the Graceling will have to slay a creature of the see, and in the process, find out his/her special power/ability while in the danger of being killed by the creature.

The third test of the Plank Trial, the Graceling will have to simply.....knock the King Captain's hat from his head. Simple right? Wrong. Remember that they will be trying to do that while battling with their King Captain, which is easier said that done. But only then would the Graceling be deemed necessary. But there is a secret behind the third test.
--------------------

[Purpose of the Once Upon a Kings]

The big question still remains. What influenced kings to become captains of pirate fleets? Was it some sort of valuable treasure? Maybe. Was it a quest for more power? To gather more forces? Kind of. Yet, it is the simplest answer. Their purpose for this change was for the thrill of adventure. The thrill of battling at sea. AND in fact, to find a very distinct and legendary treasure of artifacts called Davy's Fortune that could possibly make them more than a legend. A treasure that could change the world....AGAIN. But this treasure has been impossible to find for the last hundreds of years. Even so.....the adventure is definitely worth it!!

((Three Ships of Legend))

*There are going to be three ships that this is going to revolve around, and all three are going to meet up at some point further along. These three ships are the Snap Fortuna, the Mangy Cutlass, and the Festering Rover.
-------------------

Rules and Expectations:
-Okay, so you dont have to talk like a full blown pirates, but atleast throw a little of their vocabulary in here and there. Of course I would say that this is somewhat of a modern/back then mixture.

-Of course, no godmodding. It slows progress and dulls everything.

-Try to reduce the amounts of one liners.

-Two to three characters per rper. There are going to be two or three ships that this entire thing revolves around. Please inform me if you have the idea of adding anything more.

-Uhhh.....pie? XD That is all.
-----------------
------------PIRATE BASIC VOCAB--------------

ahoy
Phrases
An interjection used to hail a ship or a person, or to attract attention.

Arr!
Phrases
An exclamation.

Avast!
Phrases
A command meaning stop or desist.

aye
Phrases
Yes; an affirmation.

Alternate:
ay
becalmed
Phrases
The state of a sailing vessel which cannot move due to a lack of wind.

belay
Phrases
(1) To secure or make fast (a rope, for example) by winding on a cleat or pin.
(2) To stop; most often used as a command.

bilged on her anchor
Phrases
A ship holed or pierced by its own anchor.

black spot
Phrases
A black smudge on a piece of paper used by pirates as a threat. A black spot is often accompanied by a written message specifying the threat. Most often a black spot represents a death threat.

Blimey!
Phrases
An exclamation of surprise.

Blow the man down
Phrases
To kill someone.

Board
Phrases
To get on or in a vessel.

Bring a spring upon her cable
Phrases
To come around in a different direction.

Careen
Phrases
To take a ship into shallower waters or out of the water altogether and remove barnacles and pests such as mollusks, shells, and plant growth from the bottom. Often a pirate needs to careen his ship to restore it to proper speed. Careening can be dangerous to pirates, as it leaves the ship inoperable while the work is being done.

Chase
Phrases
A ship being pursued.

Code of conduct
Phrases
A set of rules which govern pirate behavior on a vessel.

Come about
Phrases
To bring the ship full way around in the wind. In general, used while sailing into the wind, but also used to indicate a swing back into the enemy in combat.

Crack Jenny’s tea cup
Phrases
To spend the night in a house of ill repute.

Crimp
Phrases
To procure (sailors or soldiers) by trickery or coercion, or one who crimps.

Dance the hempen jig
Phrases
To hang.

Deadlights
Phrases
(1) Strong shutters or plates fastened over a ship’s porthole or cabin window in stormy weather.
(2) Thick windows set in a ship’s side or deck.
(3) Eyes.

Fire in the hole
Phrases
A warning issued before a cannon is fired.

Furl
Phrases
To roll up and secure, especially a ship’s sail.

Give no quarter
Phrases
The refusal to spare the lives of opponents. Pirates raise a red flag to threaten that no quarter will be given.

Alternate:
quarter
grog blossom
Phrases
A redness on the nose or face of persons who drink ardent spirits to excess.

Handsomely
Phrases
Quickly or carefully; in a shipshape style.

Hang the jib
Phrases
To pout or frown.

Haul wind
Phrases
To direct a ship into the wind.

Heave down
Phrases
To turn a vessel on its side for cleaning.

Heave to
Phrases
An interjection meaning to come to a halt.

Hempen halter
Phrases
The hangman’s noose.

Ho
Phrases
Used to express surprise or joy, to attract attention to something sighted, or to urge onward.

Hornswaggle
Phrases
To cheat.

Keelhaul
Phrases
To punish someone by dragging them under a ship, across the keel, until near-death or death. Both pirates and the Royal Navy were fond of this practice.

Letter of marque
Phrases
A document given to a sailor (privateer) giving him amnesty from piracy laws as long as the ship’s plunders are of an enemy nation. A large portion of the pirates begin as privateers with this symbol of legitimacy. The earnings of a privateer are significantly better than any of a soldier at sea. Letters of marque aren’t always honored, however, even by the government that issues them. Captain Kidd had letters of marque and his own country hanged him anyway.

Loaded to the gunwalls
Phrases
To be drunk.

Long clothes
Phrases
A style of clothing best suited to land. A pirate, or any sailor, doesn’t have the luxury of wearing anything loose that might get in the way while climbing up riggings. Landsmen, by contrast, could adorn themselves with baggy pants, coats, and stockings.

Maroon
Phrases
To abandon a person on a deserted coast or island with little in the way of supplies. It is a fairly common punishment for violation of a pirate ship’s articles or for offending her crew, because the victim’s death cannot be directly connected to his former brethren.

Marooned
Phrases
To be stranded, particularly on a desert isle.

((More Will be Added.))
--------------------

Crew Member Roles and Duties:

1st Mate

The first mate on a pirate ship is the man the Captain picks as his second in command. In the event the Captain is killed the job falls to the quartermaster. Some ships also had second, third, even forth mates creating a chain of command. Some pirate ship crews had this position as the captain's right-hand man and the one who would assume his role if he were killed in battle or could no longer perform his duties. This was often considered the job of a lieutenant in a regular navy, and on most pirate ships the quartermaster and First Mate were often the same person.

Quartermaster

The quartermaster is next in line after the captain in exercising authority over the crew. His authority on the ship takes up where the captain’s leaves off. Whenever the ship is not in chase or battle, the quartermaster makes most of the decisions regarding the day-to-day ship activities.
The Quartermasters main purpose was the distribution of things. He distributed rations, powder, work, prize, and punishment. Pirates didn't trust authority and therefore saw no reason to let all the power of a ship rest on one man. Therefore they split the power between the Captain, who led the ship in battle and navigated the ship, and the Quartermaster, who usually led the way on any boarding party, and kept custody of all prize or booty. As expected all gold, silver, or coin was taken, but beyond that, it was the quartermaster who decided what else was worth taking. He made his decisions based on time and on how much room the ship had. If the ship was already cramped, spices and exotic materials may be burned rather that stolen.

During the Golden Age of Piracy, most British and Anglo-American pirates delegated unusual amounts of authority to the Quartermaster who became almost the Captain's equal. The Captain retained unlimited authority during battle, but otherwise he was subject to the Quartermaster in many routine matters. The Quartermaster was sometimes elected by the crew to represent their interests and he received an extra share of the booty when it was divided. Above all, he protected the Seaman against each other by maintaining order, settling quarrels, and distributing food and other essentials.

The quartermaster also watched over the treasure until it was divided among the crew. The quartermaster who did the dividing, with the crew's supervision, and there was rarely a dispute about how the loot was divided. The quartermaster also settled individual quarrels and if need be, acted as a witness to any duels, to insure that duels were fair and just.

Serious crimes were tried by a jury of the crew, but the Quartermaster could punish minor offenses. Only he could flog a seaman after a vote from the Crew. The Quartermaster usually kept the records and account books for the ship. He also took part in all battles and often led the attacks by the boarding parties. If the pirates were successful, he decided what plunder to take. If the pirates decide to keep a captured ship, the Quartermaster often took over as the Captain of that ship.

Boatswain / Bos'n / Bosun

This position may be compared to the modern chief petty officer. The Boatswain supervised the maintenance of the vessel and its supply stores. He was responsible for inspecting the ship and it's sails and rigging each morning, and reporting their state to the captain. The Boatswain was also in charge of all deck activities, including weighing and dropping anchor, and the handling of the sails. A ship of any size would require the boatswain to oversee several junior officers who would share his responsibility for the crew's morale and work efficiency as well as the maintenance and repair of the hull, rigging, lines, cables, sails, and anchors.
Bosun's Mate

A Note on Mates:

On a large ship there was usually more than one Mate aboard. The Mate served as apprentice to the Ship's Master, Boatswain, Carpenter and/or Gunner. He took care of the fitting out of the vessel, and examined whether it was sufficiently provided with ropes, pulleys, sails, and all the other rigging that was necessary for the voyage. The Mate took care of hoisting the anchor, and during a voyage he checked the tackle once a day. If he observed anything amiss, he would report it to the ship's Master. Arriving at a port, the mate caused the cables and anchors to be repaired, and took care of the management of the sails, yards and mooring of the ship.

Ship Master / Sailing Master

This is the officer who is in charge of navigation and the sailing of the ship. He directs the course and looks after the maps and instruments necessary for navigation. Since the charts are often inaccurate or nonexistent, his job is a difficult one. It is said that a good navigator is worth his weight in gold. He is perhaps the most valued person aboard a ship other than the captain because so much depended upon his skill. Many Sailing Masters are forced into pirate service.

Master Carpenter

A person in this apprenticed trade worked under the direction of the ship's Master and/or Boatswain using their skill to not only repair battle damage to masts, yards, hatches, and the hull, but to keep the ship's leaky seams in check with wooden plugs and oakum fibers. He would often have separate quarters combined with a workspace. Each carpenter would usually have an assistant in apprenticeship. There could probably be no more highly regarded artisan in a pirate ship crew when your life and livelihood depended on the soundness of the wood around and beneath you.

Carpenter's Mate
See "A note on Mates" above.

Master Gunner

The Master Gunner is responsible for the ship's guns and ammunition. This includes sifting the powder to keep it dry and prevent it from separating, insuring the cannon balls were kept free of rust, and all weapons were kept in good repair. A knowledgeable Gunner is essential to the crew's safety and effective use of their weapons.

Gunners

A gunner would be the leader of any separate group manning the artillery. His special skill would be in aiming, but he would oversee the four to six men required to take the gun through the steps of loading, aiming, firing, resetting, and swabbing for the next load. He would also work to ensure the gun crew's safety in avoiding dangerous overheating or excessive recoiling of the weapon. A master gunner would help to coordinate the timing and accuracy of the individual crews, especially when a broadside was ordered.

Sailmakers

In charge of maintaining all of the fabrics and canvases of the ship. Sails, Flags, hammocks, etc.

Surgeon

Another highly valued position, surgeons would often be grabbed from crews of captured ships, although they would not be ordinarily be asked to sign the articles. He would be expected to deal with colds, fevers, or sexual diseases with an assortment of mercurial medicines or other current treatments, and the carnage of battle often required amputations in hopes of saving the wounded. In the lack of a surgeon, a carpenter or even a cook would be asked to fill in. A carpenter would be certain to have the similar tools and cutting experience, but a cook as a surgeon would be quite a stretch.

Cook

More often than not, a cook would be a disabled pirate who was allowed to stay on ship if he could make food that didn't kill crewmembers. Perhaps it was felt that if a pirate crew survived his cooking, he could make something to help heal as a stand-in surgeon.

Cooper

If a pirate captain was fortunate enough to have a prosperous career, perhaps he could afford the services of a cooper, a barrel maker. Most everything not in a crate or canvas bag was in a barrel. Using steel hoops and strong wood, the cooper would make containers to keep gunpowder dry, food free of pests, and water and spirits from leaking into the bilge. With a changing environment and the constant shifting of the cargo, the hoops and staves of the barrels required constant upkeep to remain intact and tight.

Musicians

Those who could play drums, bagpipes, trumpets, accordions, fiddles, and other instruments were so well liked that they escaped torture if captured by pirates. With entertainment at a premium on most uneventful days at sea, they would be expected to play a jig to dance to, lead a shanty for work tempo, or provide dinner music. Musicians would usually play prior to and during a battle, blaring out martial tunes, nautical favorites, or simple loud noise to inspire the crew.

Able Seamen

The common sailor, which was the backbone of the ship, needed to know the rigging and the sails. As well as how to steer the ship and applying it to the purposes of navigation. He needed to know how to read the skies, weather, winds and most importantly the moods of his commanders.

Striker

Often overlooked, the Striker was a native of the West Indies , typically from Darien or the Mosquito Coast . They were expert hunters who trapped sea turtles and manatees; fished for sharks and other large fish; and also hunted wild game when the crew came ashore. Their knowledge of local plants aided in collecting edible fruits and vegetables as well as medicinal plants and herbs. Their expert ability at hunting and fishing earned them a spot among the crew, Their hatred of Spain assured their loyalty and ferocity in battle. They were not kept aboard for their seamanship, their job was to catch fish and kill Spaniards.

Cabin Boys/Girls

The cabin boy is typically a young boy of privileged birth who is sent to sea to learn the maritime trade. Typically the cabin boy waits upon the officers of the ship. In some instances he may act as the Captain's servant. The cabin boy will run messages and errands for the officers, prepare their uniforms, perhaps even fetch their dinners. Because he is an apprentice of sorts, he is also expected to learn all aspects of the maritime trade. The cabin boy works long hard hours. Even on pirate ships, the captain might employ a young energetic fellow as a cabin boy.

Powder Monkeys

Many powder monkeys were probably pressed into service, being kidnapped by press gangs and forced to serve aboard ship. Often the powder monkeys were young lads no more than eleven to thirteen years old. They mainly assisted the gun crews and learned most of the ships basics but were paid little (if anything), treated poorly, and were expendable. If they managed to live a few years, they might eventually make it to a position of more importance on the ship. Often, due to their harsh life, powder monkeys were quick to sign articles and desert a ship. On a pirate ship, new comers would serve the function of powder monkeys.

Swab/Swabbie

Generally the crew member that mops the decks with swabs.
----------

Crew Member Profile Sheet

Name:

Date of Birth:

Age:

Gender:

Personality:

What ship are you apart of (Snap Fortuna, Mangy Cutlass, Festering Rover)?:

Are You A Graceling or anywhere near becoming one?:
^^
If so, what are some hints of your ability/power?:
^^
Have you been through the Plank Trial yet?:

Crew Member Occupation:

--Simple Description and Info--

Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Weight:
Height:
Picture?:

How and at what age did you become a pirate?:

Extra?:


King Captain Profile Sheet

Name:

Date of Birth:

Age:

Gender:

Personality:

What ship are you a captain of?(This is if you want to create an extra ship/captain king, and ask me to do so):

What is your Graceful Scurvy?:

---*A Brief Description*---

--*Physical Description*--




Final Rule:
Have FUN!

-----------------------------------------­---­---­---­---­---­---­---­---­-

Ships and Crew Members

~Snap Fortuna~

Current King Captain- Kaptain Mehoy¡

Crew Members:

Law Schemizer (Liquidz_Flamez) --Swabbie--
Echo Valdis (BlackSparrow) --Surgeon--


~Mangy Cutlass~

Current King Captain- Captain Killian

Crew Members:

Florica (Angel_Kiss) --Musician/Dancer--
Benito de Soto (Liquidz_Flamez) --Ship Master/Sailing Master--
Ada (FanFang) --Quarter Master--

~Festering Rover~

Current King Captain: Ember Paine

Crew Members:

Margret Silhouette (Liquidz_Flamez) --1st Mate--
Derek Tait (FanFang) --Boatswain--