Corsair - Player Characters and some world expansion

I've heard back from a couple of the players, with some fun backgrounds, so I'll share here what is public about them, and my updated map now that we have the Anvil Aerie range of islands, and somewhere nearby a floating island with fishing and a large mountain (the scale of the map won't show a lot of that level of detail, and I'll try & refrain from mapping a floating island with the Keloth Mountain range and fishing lake. I may not succeed).

Ylervan Runehammer

Ylervan Runehammer. I am an Ironbound, a Dwarf of the Sky Realm of Anvil Aerie. 

I dress in the royal blues and browns of my clan, Clan Runehammer. I have a distinctive blue swirling tattoo that begins on the right side of my face and extends down my left arm, covering it to the knuckles on my hand. I wear leather work gloves of Dwarf make (as if there were others worth having) and a wide belt with my hammers and spanners on it. I helmet is tied there as well, just in case work gets to messy (oil or blood).

 

We've established there are Dwarves in Corsairs and now placed them to the north in a small realm of their own, the Anvil Aerie. At a guess there are several factions, one being the Ironbound. Or is Ironbound the local name they use for themselves?  I've a feeling that is their own name for themselves, so will roll with that. We also know that are clans within the factions and they have specific colors and even tattoos. People from the north would probably recognize most Dwarves with a Lore roll. Farther south there may be an additional difficulty die or more. As I placed the Aerie just east of the Alderil Empire but outside it, there may be no love lost between the much smaller realm and the Empire. Could be on-going feuds, mining rights or anything. Or nothing - perhaps the Anvil Aerie is too small to bother with.

We have another character, a more rough character from another island to the north. At least a name I can pronounce (I have a hard time with a lot of the names, barely able to even speak English sometimes it seems!)

Ordo

I am Ordo.
I come from small fish village on one of the northern islands near tall Keloth Mountains.
Born to family of "fish squeezers" in the small town of Korba.
Korba is small, but I am big there...

There was a bit more that looks to be a lot of fun to play with. He has siblings that, while not playing a role in the introductory game, could be plot points later. And I do like "fish squeezing" though pretty sure it has nothing to do with:

He hales from an island with a thriving fishing industry in the north. I've established a few more islands next to the Aerie so any of those will do. His family and clan have dealt with the Dwarves before, and perhaps he and Ylervan have even crewed together previously. There were several old Russian images included, giving the feel for a somewhat poor upbringing but full of family and village friendships.  He has also indicated he wants to be the master gunner. Meaning we need to define a few things from the game, as they will be getting a ship (which I still need to name - I am wide open to suggestions. Though I am thinking it will be from Heimlich who is also a northern Dwarf, who is from another clan). 

Ship roles and the players attached. To be updated as we are a friendly bunch of players and open to changing things around. As long as we have fun!

Captain

The Captain is responsible for breaking any tied decisions when it comes to setting a course or what action to take and may also give Rousing Speeches during boarding actions (see Boarding, below).

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster is a powerful position on a ship. The Quartermaster may give Rousing Speeches during a boarding action and is usually the one to decide how Booty is spent (see below).

Sailing Master

The Sailing Master is responsible for charting and setting a course, and is usually the one to roll Sailing during the Chase stage of Sailing the Skies. The Sailing Master may be the one to roll Sailing during Ship to Ship Combat.

Master Gunner - Ordo

The Master Gunner is responsible for making any Crackshot tests required during Ship to Ship Combat.

So that is half of the players (and I'll admit I may have missed an email and will check later). We now have established where they are from, and we can get an inkling of why they may want to help with the vaguely planned adventure.

I actually have a notebook where I am writing down the character info so I have it readily available, and I will also do character sheets for the NPCs that they will be interacting with.  What is cool about the character sheets is the health status is there at the bottom. Player characters and the high-end NPC have basically the same hit points. The chart gives you that info, the game effect, and the healing (which is pseudo-magical but I am okay with that). NPCs have fewer blocks so get killed with fewer "draft" hits. I think combat will be fun once we do it a couple of times and get used to those mechanics. 

I will do another Solo Traveller post soon, as well as a beasts of Corsairs. The rules only outline 2 beasts, and I've already added sky whales, large dragons that eat the sky whales, and cresters from the Windward game that will show up at some point (and that game will be great if we get to play face to face again, cause it has flying ship minis!)