Ahoy matey! I be thinkin...We be needin a Mariner's Guild to guide the bloaks that wish ta call the high seas der home. Where cabin boys learn to be sailors dat stand for duty and proud traditions. Where able-bodied seamen learn to utalize the elements of Elanthia without magiks, usin wood and rope, sweat and steel.

I write dis before da ship re-write so perhaps da designin may intertwine. With da guilds likin da paths system, we would have perhaps marines, navigators, and merchants. Dat is..da muscle, da brains, and da pockets, each wit der own merits and abilities.

Da skills learnt in da marines hone a sailor fer battle, be it fer province or pirate. Der unique fightin ability make dem agile and stealthy and n'er above da use of dirty tricks. Favorin cloth armor and an array o smaller weapons is said ta be because o conditions fightin in small quarters but don believe it... It's fer not sinkin.

Navigators are trained ta know a ships workings inside and out, making his knowledge alone enough ta skuttle danger at sea. He knows da stars and da waves, da weather and
sea, as maps and charts are his weapons o choice. Dis is da pilot ya want at da wheel when yer main's toppled, yer listin crippled, da waves be o'r da rail, and ya wants ta make it back ta port with half a skeleton crew.

And der is the merchant path dat hones ones skills at da buisness end o things including cargo manifests, ships rates, overhead,, docking fees, and fines, not ta mention net fishing and whaling studies. Dey keep costs down and buisness hoppin as long as da kegs don go dry. Der best friends are traders.

Fer circlin, sailin must be involved, sos I gots ta thinkin, Guild owned rented boats fer da open sea. Des would only be rentable by mariner's of a given circle. Des ships would require a crew ta do da various labors of sailing. Dis crew could be any land lubber dat would learn ta do such work but a crew of fellow mariners would make more sence ta me, and teach dem der requirements. Da rentals in Therengia would also teach. (Seamanship?).

Larger ships need a larger crew, but dey can outrun da smaller vessles and carry more cargo, not ta mention they have more mangonels. Aye, I said mangonels. Ya see, guilded ships can sink from any number o causes includin pirates, da shore, da weather, sea creatures, and sailin off the edge o Elanthia, spillin cargo and crew into da drink fer Drogor. I spect private vessel Cap'ns ta welcome da choice of hirein an armed escort fer dos 'sensitive' missions.

Da mangonels can be readied and fired by anyone, but marinars o all types get training in dem,(engineering?), and are prolly a better shot.

Each o da Mariner's Guildhalls would be adjoined ta a guild dock usually not in sight o the public docks, forcing all ships to manuver a course to reach the guild dock. One or two may even get der own isle. Des docks would be capable of re-fitting and re-tooling 'any' vessel's needs. Sailcloth and rope, rations and rum.

Also adjoinin each guildhall is a tavern and an inn. Mariners returning from sea don like ta travel far ta spend der booty. Des taverns are not usually noted fer der elegance as rusty sailors look fer work and impatient Cap'ns look fer crew. When patronizin such establishments one must be ever watchful of bein shhang'hhaid, kidnapped in the common tongue. Folks have been known to wake up as unwillin workers on board some flighty vessels in da past.

Tanx fer hearin out dis ol salt Kill in peace

I like it! I know a few players that have played pirates, both in dress and actions.

There was a supplement book put out by one of the table top games back in the day that explained that all character classes could have an adapted role on a ship.

I agree with Leinold on this one, a player run organization for this might gain a lot of ground, needs zero development, and there are hooks everywhere to make it happen.

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Player of Diggan, Ranger & Halfing of Aesry