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bmerrill

[SR-FB] Introducing Captain Raskin Bowyer

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Previously posted in the Sea Rat introduction and sign-up thread, one of the new player guides suggested that an introduction should be posted as a free build into its own thread, so here we go:

Raskin Bowyer never thought he’d take to the sea. Having learned the family business crafting fine bows and impeccably fletched arrows, Raskin expected that he would continue in the trade. When business began to slow as he reached his teenage years, he heeded his mother’s advice and trained to serve in the town’s defense force. Having graduated from the academy at the top of his class, Raskin expected that he was on his way to a reputable career in civil defense. Unfortunately, technological advances and budget cuts found him out of work with no prospects of gainful employment.   

 

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One day while walking along the seashore, Raskin came across Cap’n. No one knew Cap’n’s full story, or any name for him beyond Cap’n, but everyone knew better than to ask. He washed ashore years ago, and with his ship damaged on the rocky coast he seemed content to be left alone. Those who happened by noted Cap’n could regularly be seen reclined against his beached ship, nervously staring out to sea, as though he expected to see a fleet crossing the horizon in search of him. This day, however, he approached Raskin with a proposal. In exchange for a small sum of gold or a few gems, a bottle of rum, and help building a shelter, he’d share his knowledge of the sea with Raskin and guide him in repairing the ship. Then once the ship was seaworthy, Raskin would have the option to purchase it for use in finding his future. Raskin agreed and they set to work. The cracked hull was repaired and resealed. The ship was then repainted in what Cap’n reassured Raskin were neutral colors that wouldn’t put him at odds with anyone whom he encountered along the way. 

 

In a few months time, the ship was repaired and Raskin, having attended to Cap’n’s instructions with the same diligence he had applied to his craft and studies, felt confident in his ability to pilot the ship. During this time, the defense forces proved that with reduced numbers, they could still deter the marauding dragon, even if they were unable to slay it. Raskin appealed to the town leaders to be reinstated, but there was “no room in the budget” and the current course of events was “good enough for government work.” So it was during the dragon’s next raid on the town that Raskin made his move.

 

Having said his goodbyes to his parents and gathered a few similarly disposed comrades for his crew, Raskin made his way to the entrance to the dragon’s lair, making sure to stay upwind so that the dragon wouldn’t catch wind of his scent. As the dragon took flight, Raskin stealthily crept into the cavern and quickly filled several bags with gems and other trinkets. 

 

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Once his packs were crammed, Raskin carefully made his way through the woods to the ship, circling back on his path and wading in the stream along the way to make sure any scent of him that the dragon might detect would be difficult to follow. Upon reaching the dock, he paid Cap’n for the agreed upon price and stored the other treasures in the hold with the provisions that were packed for the voyage.

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He bade Cap’n farewell and set sail hoping to become a respectable merchant. He dreamed of returning home with a force great enough to help him slay the dragon, liberate his hometown from its terror, and claim the remainder of the dragon’s hoard for himself and his crew.

 

Raskin found the sailing easy and was able to carefully chart his course for the first week. As Cap’n had instructed, he headed north-northwest, and as expected he saw neither ship nor land. 

 

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On the 8th day, however, his fortunes turned. With the skies darkening he ordered the crew to secure the ship so that it wouldn’t sustain damage or loss. The storm that enveloped the ship turned the skies black and hid the stars. As the winds swirled, Raskin had no choice but to allow the ship to be driven by the waves and force of the storm, lest he capsize trying to hold course. After three days and nights of unrelenting wind and rain, the skies cleared and Raskin and his crew found themselves adrift in a calm sea. With no winds to drive his ship and no land or ships in sight, they were grateful for the chance to rest. Night fell and brought an unfamiliar sky. While he was certain of the charts he had created before the storm, Raskin had no reference to align them to his present position. Not knowing where they were, when morning broke with a calm wind, Raskin ordered the sail be raised and they resumed their previous bearing, hoping to find one of the ports of which Cap’n had spoken.

 

Weeks later, land was finally spotted off the starboard bow. Upon drawing closer to the island, Raskin choose to circle the it counterclockwise. As they made their east around the island, Raskin and his crew found themselves at the port of Bastion, and not wanting to sail under any flag but their own they aligned themselves with the Sea Rats.

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Welcome to BoBS @bmerrill! Great builds, and I can't wait to see what you come up with. I would like to see more of that ship, however. 

Your story is well written, though I feel I should to critique it a little. BoBS does not have dragons, or anything truely fantastical. At best we have the mysterious kraken. We're like a more scientific version of Pirates of the Caribbean. :classic: Also, your story does not feature your captain's place of origin really. We've worked hard to make a whole world in BoBS full of nations that can be adapted into many stories. I'd love to see you use one of them. Take some time to read the obscene amounts of Lore, and I'm sure you can make a great backstory for your character. :classic: Just my two cents.

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Excellent story ! And the anachronical built was perfect to satirize political/economical skirmish which let Raskin with the choice to join the Rats !

 

Well done ! :thumbup:

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@Mesabi and @LM71Blackbird thank you for your comments. In all honesty, I spent several months reading through the various history posts, backstories, and into/“start here” threads before joining the game. Having done that I felt it was best for Captain Raskin to sail in from the uncharted seas to the south with no memory of how to get back than accidentally offend someone trying to maintain a national identity that they had created that I didn’t fully understand. Perhaps one day Captain Raskin will go adventuring down there and be able to provide you with the proper name for his place of origin. 

On September 18, 2017 in the Era II intro thread Maxim I posted, “The only thing we agreed on since the beginning is not to include slavery in BOBS.” (That was right around a conversation regarding invading India.) Thus I figured there could be one last dragon on a remote island to the south. I don’t think this is the right venue for discussing r/K selection theory, climate change and uncertainties of ancient history, but maybe dragons aren’t so mythical that they couldn’t appear in a world in which kraken swim an ocean. 

But maybe all that was just the rum talking.

I sorry if the backstory violated the structure of the game. I expect future builds to be more in keeping overall milieu of BOBS.

@Professor Thaum Thank you.

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20 hours ago, bmerrill said:

But maybe all that was just the rum talking

Lol. I can go with that! You made the right decision about not trying to do something that you weren't super familiar with. Your story was well written, we just usually try and steer clear of fantasy things like dragons and such. We do include sea monsters but that's because of the time period. Dragons and such are more of a middle ages kind of thing.

Looking forward to how your story progresses now that you're in charted waters!

Edited by LM71Blackbird

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