Eric Kattaisson - Gentleman of Fortune - Erpheron / Avennorian

[Eric Kattaisson]

Name - Eric Kattaisson

Sex - Male

Age - 35

Race - Human

Tribe - Erpheronian mother and Avennorian father

Job - Pirate of the high seas.

Title - Gentleman of Fortune

There now follows a brief description of the villainous pirate captain known as Eric Kattaisson:

Eric Kattaisson stands somewhere between one and a half and two peds.  His body shape is quite unremarkable.  His muscles are as toned and firm as any other seaman's, but his frame would have to be described as overwhelmingly 'average'.

He has short, adlemerine hair that curls tightly.  He wears a full faced beard that is generally kept well trimmed.  Piercing, vontramarine eyes peer out from a weather beaten, tanned face.

Like any other sailor, his hands are rough and calloused.  One distinguishing feature to note, however, is that he always wears a ring on every finger of both hands.  Each ring is almost identical, differing only in size. They are fashioned from gold and set with a fine pearl.  His thumbs are left unadorned.

This rogue's love of jewellery is also apparent in the small pair of plain golden ear rings that he wears.

A unique, red coral necklace hangs around his neck.  The beads are small and uneven in dimensions.  As a centrepiece, this necklace is set with a large, black cowrie shell that rests against his breast.

If he smiles or otherwise opens his mouth, it is readily apparent that he has used some of his ill gotten gains to cap most of his teeth with gold.  We can only speculate that this is because of serious decay; though it may also have been intended as a status symbol.

His bare back is covered in scars from the numerous floggings that it has received; the skin is thick and very rough.

Moving on to dress, it has been noted that he almost always wears waterproof, whale skin boots.  The rest of his clothing depends on the climate that he is in.  In balmy climes he has been known to wear only a loose fitting shirt and pants.  In most accounts, however, he has been recorded as wearing a nul'tum skin jacket and breeches.  Whatever the weather, a small, battered tricorn hat sits atop his head.

He seems to favour black and white colour combinations.  His coat and hat are invariably black.  His shirts are usually white, red or blue.  His breeches are always either black or white.  For protection it would appear that he wears leather vambraces on his forearms.  When entering combat he also dons leather gauntlets and covers his face with a scarf, in an attempt to hide his identity.

Twin cutlasses adorn his waist, hanging in leather scabbards from his belt.  These instruments of murder have whale bone handles and shiny brass guards.  Matching daggers are also kept on his belt.

He is usually accompanied by a small, cinnabrown Makaka ape known as 'Willie'.

Please Take Note!

If any loyal subject of the King sees a man fitting the above description, they are hereby advised to keep their distance from said personage, and to inform the local law keepers as quickly as they are able.

Do not be fooled by his seemingly friendly nature and flamboyant personality!!
Eric Kattaisson is known to be armed and highly dangerous!!!
He is wanted on the twin charges of piracy and murder most foul!!!!
Any information that leads to the apprehension and successful trial of this scoundrel will be well rewarded.!

History :

Eric Kattaisson knew neither his father nor his mother.  The former was more than likely a man of the sea and the latter died during childbirth in the house of ill repute where she had worked most of her short life.

Fortunately for the baby Eric, the other women who had worked alongside his mother decided to raise him as their own.  They also named him.  His surname is simply the name of his mother, Kattai, plus "sson", meaning "the son of".

Of course, a brothel isn't the most fitting of environments for a young child to grow up in, but that was the fate that had been laid out for Eric.

He spent most of his younger years roaming the streets and engaging in petty theft.  His natural charm and forceful personality soon made him a popular child with the other ruffians of Ciosa.

It should be noted, however, that he did receive a rudimentary education.  This was provided by a charitable organisation known as the White Knights.  He attended a school on a voluntary basis and proved to be quite intelligent.  Of course, his manners and self control were problematic, but academically he picked things up quite quickly.

Perhaps, under different circumstances, the young Eric might have gone on to be a scholar or some other noble occupation.  Regrettably, this was not to be the case.

At about the age of eight, a patron of the brothel where Eric lived happened to take a liking to him.  The man turned out to be a captain in the Avennorian navy, and after speaking with the brothel madam, it was decided that Eric's future lay out at sea.  More specifically, on this particular captain's boat, which was called the "Fantome".

Of course, Eric had very little say in this matter, and soon found himself being taken aboard a strange ship by a strange man and having to leave his home, friends, teachers and 'mothers' behind.

It was no doubt a shocking time in the young boy's life; but it was also the starting point of his future life.

The captain made Eric 'cabin boy' and set him to various tasks about the ship.  Of course, he saw to it that Eric was taught how to swim, tie knots and a hundred or so other such essential skills for any able seaman.

Life on board ship was difficult.  The conditions were austere, the work hard and the captain strict.  Still, the resourceful Eric made himself useful and soon became a favourite with the other sailors.

From cabin boy he moved on to more general sailing duties and eventually, due to his sharp intellect and interest in the subject, he became an apprentice navigator.

He proved to be an excellent student, for by this time his manners had improved, (the result of the captain's harsh discipline), and he seemed destined to be a navigator himself in the future.  Indeed, in his eighteenth year, he achieved this goal.

For the next five years Eric proved his competence as a navigator and sailor.  To all intents and purposes, he was pleased with his disciplined life at sea and his hell raising one in the ports.  The only real thorn in his side was one which he shared with the other crewmen.  The captain had grown increasingly severe in his old age.  Disciplines were given out more frequently and the quartermaster's cat-o-nine tails was in almost daily use.  It was becoming almost unbearable for the crew, and Eric could feel mutiny in the air.

Now, as fate would have it, Eric never did see the foreshadowed mutiny.  In fact, none of the crew did.  For in Eric's twenty third year, during a routine patrol off the Mithral Coast, the Fantome engaged with a pirate fleet that was in the process of plundering a merchant ship.

It should be mentioned at this point that as a member of the navy, Eric had been trained in the noble arts of fighting at sea.  More specifically, he had been trained in unarmed combat as well as the use of double cutlasses and the dagger.  This had by no means been only a theoretical training.  Apart from the daily drills and sparring that he participated in, he had also been in 'live' fights on numerous occasions before; whether with drunken louts in seedy ports or indeed with other pirate crews.

On the whole, Eric had proved to be a competent fighter.  He was certainly brave and his skill quite considerable.  Indeed, he engaged fully in this particular battle, but eventually, the pirate crew gained the upper hand and, to be brief, the captain of the Fantome surrendered.  It seems almost certain that if he had known what was to happen after his surrender, then he would have fought to the death.

The leader of the pirate fleet, and the captain of its flagship, the "Sea Rose", looked dimly on those that dared to resist him.  As he pointed out to the crew of the Fantome; before they had arrived, everything was going smoothly.  The cargo of whalebone had been "liberated" from the greedy merchant, and not a drop of blood had been shed; nor was it going to be, because the merchant captain had surrendered without a fight.  In such instances, the pirate explained, it was his manner and custom to take the cargo and let the plundered vessel go free, undamaged but considerably lighter.

"But then!" he continued, "Ya meddling swine had to come along and ruin it!"  Now he not only had a number of lacerations to tend, he also had to find a new, competent, (but not necessarily willing), navigator to replace his previous one who had fallen during the battle.

It was around this point in time that Eric noticed the rest of his shipmates looking in his direction.  It seemed as though he was to have a change of life direction again.

The pirate captain strode over to him and asked him if he was the Fantome's navigator.  After replying in the affirmative, Eric was informed that he was wrong; he was actually the navigator of the Sea Rose!

Now, it's never wise to argue with a group of armed men, and Eric once again found fate dealing him a new hand.  He and a few other members of the Fantome's crew were transferred over to The Sea Rose.  Then they watched as their former captain was keel hauled, naked, under his own ship.  Such a sight is never pleasant, but Eric felt that some kind of divine justice was in operation.  This was by no means the first time he had witnessed such an act.  The captain of the Fantome had used it on numerous occasions himself...on his own crew!

To say that Eric was experiencing mixed feelings is an understatement.  Here was the man who had given him a path to follow; a teacher and a guide; being tortured and humiliated by a group of strangers.  And yet, Eric couldn't help but remember the lashings, beatings, keel haulings and the myriad of other punishments that this man had meted out to his own crew.  And of course, the times when Eric was alone with him in the captain's cabin when he was a young teenager, and the captain's idea of "friendship" went a bit too far, also swam back into his mind.

Should he love this man or loathe him?  Should he celebrate his utter destruction or weep?  These questions continued to haunt Eric for years after the event.  But, at the time, things proceeded, no matter what he thought.

When the captain finally emerged on the other side of the boat, his back was a mass of open wounds, shredded by the razor sharp barnacles that made their home on the hull.  Quite understandably, he was screaming in agony.  Whether or not the pirate leader intended to execute the captain or not remains unclear.  Before he could make the decision, the unfortunate man was attacked by sharks and eaten alive.

What is clear is that this pirate wasn't a blood thirsty savage like some of the others.  After watching the late captain become a meal, he turned his attention to the rest of the Fantome's crew.  His speech went something like this,

"Now I see by the looks on some of ya faces that ya late captain won't be missed too bad.  It's nothing to be ashamed of!  I bet he was a mean man and a brute to boot!  To be sure there ain't a swab among ya who never 'ad a taste of his daughter!  And for what?  A measly wage and a few shiny buttons on ya coats!  Why!  Ya dirty bilge rats meks me sick!  To bow and cower afore a man like that!  So I offers yer a choice, seeing as I'm a fair man.  Either join ya cap'n in Querprurs' embrace now; or gives me yer word that ya won't come a chasing for me in the future!  If yers does, then I'll set yer down on a strip o' land just over yonder, and tell the first ship I sees to pick yers up and tek yer back to land!  So, ya lubbers!  What does yer says to that?!?"

Of course, most of the crew chose to be set down on the spit of land, and, true to his word, that's exactly what the pirate captain did.  He also told the first ship that he saw, another merchant vessel, about their plight, and helped further by emptying the merchant ship's cargo; thus making room for the extra sailors!  He also took the Fantome as a prize and manned it with a skeleton crew until they could find some more recruits.

But to come back to Eric and the few others that had been chosen to join the pirate ranks.  The captain also gave them a choice.  They could either go and visit the sharks for dinner, or they could join his crew by signing a copy of his articles.

It was the custom of this particular pirate group that all new members would have to sign the articles.  These were a document that detailed a code of conduct and rules for the ship.  They also contained rules for the division of booty.  The articles were a binding agreement and helped give much needed order and unity to the pirates.  They also had the unfortunate role of proving the signatories criminal intentions.  If the navy ever captured this pirate group, then all those with their names on the articles would certainly find themselves doing the hempen jig at the end of a hangman's rope.

But, given the choice and the circumstances, Eric signed his name and thus changed from a respected navy man into an outlaw.  In actual fact, Eric was only slightly reluctant to sign the articles.  This new turn of events promised to give him a freedom that he hadn't experience since he had been pressed into the navy.

For the next ten years, Eric sailed as a pirate with the same group.  He soon realised that although the life was hard, it was also exciting.  There was always a new challenge to be met and dealt with.  The pirates sailed to many new and exotic locations.  His skills as a navigator were pushed to the limit and he found himself in all manner of unusual ports and climates.  It felt like a breath of fresh air had blown through his life and renewed his passion for sailing.  And, the more he thought about it, the more he realised just how miserable life on board a navy vessel had been.  So many useless orders to follow and having to tread on eggshells around an egotistical maniac of a captain.  Sure, the Sea Rose had discipline, too, but it was given out much more fairly and reasonably than on the Fantome.  It was during these adventures that Eric obtained his Makaka ape, Willie.

Willie was originally the pet of the late smuggler, "cock-eyed Sam"; an unfortunate man who was apprehended and hung at the port of Marduran.

Willie managed to escape and lived in the port area as a stray for a while.  His brief life of freedom was brought to an end by Eric, who had seen the wayward ape and decided that such a creature would make a fine pet.

Eric used a cunning method to catch the greedy ape.  One day he left a hollow coconut on the pier where Willie often scavenged for food.  Inside he placed some fresh fruit.  The coconut was tied to a post and the fruit could be accessed through a hole at the top.

To begin with, the hole was fairly large, and Willie had no problems removing and eating the delicious fruit.

However, on subsequent days, Eric used coconuts with smaller holes.  Eventually, the hole was of such a size that Willie could squeeze his paw in when empty, but couldn't pull it back out when it was clenched in a fist around the fruit.

Now, Willie, being a greedy ape, refused to let go of the tasty fruit, even though he couldn't remove it from the coconut.  Of course, it was then no trouble at all for Eric to capture him and to take him on board the Sea Rose.

Initially Willie was despondent and sometimes aggressive towards his new master.  However, when it became apparent that Eric was an excellent source of good food, Willie changed his attitude and became more controllable.

Over the years Eric has developed a good relationship with Willie and has also trained him well.

The group that Eric sailed with tended to keep a low profile.  They had no great designs and were happy to take small prizes and stay clear of the hangman's noose.  The preferred outcome of a raid was that the captain would give up his cargo without a fight.  That way no blood would have to be spilt and the operation could be completed quickly.  However, it didn't always happen like that, and all too often a fight of some kind would break out.  In this way, Eric continued to improve and evolve his fighting style.

By his thirty third year, Eric had learnt a lot about piracy.  Not only had his fighting style evolved, he had also learnt which ships to attack, which prizes to take and where to fence the liberated goods.  His knowledge of naval strategy in battles had also increased to an acceptable level.  It was at this time that the pirate captain awarded Eric his own ship.

In many ways, this was the happiest day of Eric's life.  To be made captain of his own ship had long been his dream.  The ship given to him had been taken as a prize.  It was a shapely cutter and able to carry about sixty men.  This ship was called the "Rainbow Runner" and lived up to its name.  It was fast and agile; ideally suited to hit and run attacks and, because of its shallow draught, able to hide in small coves where bigger ships would be hard pressed to go.

With the ship came a pair of fine cutlasses and daggers.  These had belonged to the previous captain, who had been foolish enough to resist the attack.  After having his ship, cargo and blades taken, this unfortunate fellow had been marooned on a small sandbar in the middle of the Adanian sea.  Out of a twisted kind of mercy, he had been given a long dagger, just in case the misery of being stranded on a desolate bar of sand in the burning sun with no food, drink or shelter got too much to bare...

Well, one man's misfortune is another's gain, and in this case it was Eric who came out on top.  He was still to sail with the same pirate group, but now he was in charge of his own vessel and commanded his own crew.  He currently continues to raid merchants along the Mithral Coast.

Strengths :

A good brawler; he can throw solid punches and kicks as well as being able to grapple.  When it comes to weapons, he is skilled with daggers and cutlasses.  He often wields two weapons at the same time; either a cutlass and dagger or two cutlasses.  Eric can also use a boarding spear and axe, though these aren't his favoured weapons.  Most of his fighting experiences have taken place on board a ship or in bars.  As such he is particularly skilled at fighting in confined areas or at sea.  Eric can hold his own in most unarmed battles or sword fights, though against an experienced knight or a well trained fighter he would be outclassed and would have to rely on dirty tricks to secure a victory.

A strong swimmer.  Eric can swim long distances in calm waters or shorter distances in rougher conditions.  He is also able to rescue others who have fallen into the sea.  He can swim whilst wearing light clothing, but he isn't capable of swimming against strong currents.

Excellent navigator and seaman.  Eric has a very thorough understanding of the technical aspects of sailing a vessel.  He can also read the weather.  On clear nights he can navigate using the stars.  On clear days he uses a sextant.  In overcast conditions he tends to rely on a nautical compass.  When sailing close to the coast Eric draws on his knowledge of the area and his extensive collection of charts and maps.  When sailing on the open sea Eric relies on dead reckoning.  His many years of study and practice in this technique means that his calculations are highly accurate.

A savvy naval tactician.  Eric has observed and taken part in many naval battles.  He understands how to choose targets and how to execute efficient and effective attacks.  His strategies vary according to the exact situation.  He does, however, have a typical mode of operation, (see 'Fighting Tactics' below).

His flamboyant and confident personality make him a good leader.  Eric is capable of motivating his crew with fiery words and daring deeds.  He can also persuade people to do things that he wants them to do.

The Rainbow Runner and its crew - (see possessions section)  This cutter gives Eric freedom of movement as well as a source of income.  His crew are fairly loyal and will help him in any reasonable request.

Willie, his Makaka ape.  Willie is probably Eric's best friend.  He has helped Eric before in combat, by attacking his opponents.  Willie is very intelligent and Eric sometimes uses him to send written messages to others.

Weaknesses :

Eric can appear arrogant at times.  This is because he is used to commanding a crew and finds it hard to stop acting in the role of 'captain'.  Many find this overbearing personality too much and it has often lead to verbal battles or physical altercations.

Wary of those in authority, because of his line of work.  This wariness is based on good reason.  Eric is a wanted man in numerous ports and his description, (see above), has been widely circulated.  Because of this Eric is restricted in areas that he can openly visit.  He also has to be very cautious when dealing with others as they may just turn him in!

Superstitious.  This can be used against him by intelligent opponents.  He is especially cautious when around magic.  Eric's fear of magic and unusual things have lead to his abandoning raids in the past.  He tends to avoid attacking or otherwise molesting magic users.
 
Paranoid.  This is the inevitable result of a superstitious man living in a cut throat world.  He is paranoid of just about everyone to some degree; not just the port authorities!  Eric therefore finds it very difficult to make lasting friendships.  He is usually tense and anxious.  This tension sometimes causes him severe headaches and muscle pain.  On occasion he has been known to suffer from anxiety attacks which leave him breathless and dizzy.

Suffers from persecutory delusions.  Over the years, Eric has developed the (unfounded) belief that he is being victimised by one Admiral Jack Jones of the Black Marlin.  These delusions often lead to irrational comments and behaviour.  These delusions make it even more difficult for Eric to keep close personal relationships.  Most people are happy to steer clear of him and his insane ways.  Sometimes Eric has ruined useful or beneficial relationships because of these delusions.  When people have actually been trying to help him, he has wrongly believed that they are trying to hurt him.

Too fond of drink when not on board his ship.  When Eric is under the grog he tends to act in an even more boisterous and provocative manner.  This has often led to drunken altercations and accidents.  Unfortunately, as well as boosting his ego, the drink also lessens his ability.  When fighting drunk, Eric is slower and makes more mistakes.

Eric finds it difficult to get used to the unfamiliar feeling of standing on solid ground.  One result of this is that when fighting on land he finds it more difficult to balance and therefore suffers from a disadvantage.

The rebellious nature of a pirate crew.  Usually, his crew is a definite strength for Eric.  They are, however, extremely fickle and the danger of a mutiny is always in the air.  Eric has to be careful to keep his crew happy to avoid such a possibility.  Sometimes this means that Eric has to do things that he personally objects to or considers dangerous.

Also, because Eric has spent almost all of his life either at sea or within close proximity to it, he finds it difficult to stay on land for extended periods.  He experiences what could be termed 'withdrawal symptoms' when he has been around land lubbers for too long.  He tends to start feeling anxious and uncomfortable.  He also feels confused and threatened, which in turn aggravates his paranoia.

Personality :

Eric is a confident and outgoing man.  He loves to live life to the fullest and is willing to tackle most challenges.

He has a love of gold and riches and especially enjoys showing off his wealth.  But along with his wealth comes generosity.  It is rumoured that he gives a proportion of his profits to charitable organisations.  This compassion is probably rooted in his own troubled childhood and the kindness that was shown to him by the White Knights.

Generally he is kind and if he can help somebody, then he will do so.  Some would say that he is too kind to be a pirate captain...but they are the ones who don't know him well...

...for he undoubtedly has a cold, cruel side.   He has been known to torture his enemies, and certainly he has marooned or keelhauled offenders in the past. He is unforgiving of those that cross him or are of an immoral nature, from his point of view.  As an example, Eric would consider the man who abuses a woman or child to be of an 'immoral' character and would have no qualms about violently attacking and possibly killing such a person.  Even though he is a pirate, he has a strict moral code of his own.

In battle he is shrewd, and in one on one combat, ferocious.  He is certainly a brave, daring man.

He is, however, a deeply superstitious person.  He has acquired all manner of strange beliefs and ideas during his many years at sea.  These superstitions influence not only his mind, but his actions also. Eric has had very little experience with magic and when confronted with it he tends to feel very uncomfortable.
 
This superstitious nature, combined with the tense, back biting environment that he lives in, has made Eric somewhat paranoid.  He is often quite defensive and tends to see wrongs being done to him that exist only in his mind.  As such, he has been known to kill or violently attack people who had done him no harm at all.  Because of this, many people find it hard to be around him for long periods of time, lest the gentleman pirate turns into a savage sea monster!  His mood can change as quickly as Baveras herself.

Many have noted that Eric is, indeed, insane...though never to his face.  This observation is based on the various allusions Eric makes to Admiral Jack Jones or his ship, the Black Marlin.

Nobody has ever met Jack Jones.  Indeed, nobody has ever seen the Black Marlin.  Despite this, however, Eric fully believes that Jack Jones is out to get him, and sees the Admiral's handiwork in just about anything unfortunate that befalls him.

A bar refuses to serve Eric?  Well, the owner must be in league with Jack.

There's a bad storm coming?  Ah, then 'ol Jonesy must have prayed to Baveras to cause it.

A crew member falls terribly sick?  "Why, damn tha' blasted Jack Jones ter th' bottum o' th' sea!  Tha' dirty lubber's a poisoned our water, so 'e 'as!!!"

Eric, like most people who suffer from such delusions, is fiercely defensive of his elaborate fantasies and has, on more than one occasion, killed men for expressing doubts over the actual existence of his much hated nemesis, Admiral Jack Jones!

On board ship he is quite strict and doesn't tolerate infractions of the rules.  When on land he tends to be more laid back and easygoing.  As an example, alcohol is strictly rationed on board his ship, and sailors who fall under the influence whilst at sea will be punished.  And yet, as soon as he steps onto dry land, Eric himself will often go on a drinking spree.

Possessions :

Two fine cutlasses.  They are a matching pair.  The steel blades are strong and sharp.  The handles are made from whale bone and the guards are brass.

Two long daggers.  These are simple and effective.  Double edged steel blades are set in whale bone handles.  The guards are brass.

Clothes as detailed in the appearance section.  Eric is a prosperous man and keeps most of his wealth on board his ship.  When on land he carries a fair amount of money in a number of hidden pockets and purses.

The Rainbow Runner is a single masted cutter.  It is 20 peds long and 6.5 peds wide.  It's shallow draught of 3 peds allows it to access areas that larger ships cannot go.  The "Runner", (as it's commonly known), is fast and agile.  It is well suited to sailing close-hauled and can point high into the wind.  It is equipped with fourteen catapults.  Five run along the stern to port and an equal number to starboard.  The remaining four are located aft to port, aft to starboard, fore to port and fore to starboard.  The ship itself has no distinguishing features other than its name, which is often covered over with sacks or other material.  Eric flies different flags according to different situations.  The Runner keeps a crew of about sixty men.

The Rainbow Runner isn't really in Eric's possession; more his care.  The ship belongs to the whole pirate group of which he is a part.

A variety of flags.  These have been acquired by Eric and his crew over their many years sailing.  The Rainbow Runner's own flag is a white skull on a black background.  A pair of white cutlasses cradle the skull.

On board the Runner, located in Eric's sea chest in his private cabin, can be found his most prized possessions.  These are the extensive navigational charts and notes that he has either made, been given or 'acquired' over the years.  Eric also keeps a nautical compass and a sextant in his private cabin.

Fighting Tactics :

The pirate group that Eric sails with often attack with several ships at the same time.  In this way, larger, better armed vessels can be subdued by sheer numbers.  This is their most effective strategy, swarming their victims like so many angry bees.  Apart from the Runner the group has two sloops and two schooners.  The flag ship is the Sea Rose, a brigantine.  They also possess the ex-navy brig, the Fantome.
 
Their usual hunting ground is along the Mithral Coast.  Eric has a thorough knowledge of this area and uses this to plan ambushes.  It is rumoured that they use the small islands of the Nightfog cliffs as a base.

Eric has used and continues to use a number of different strategies when taking prizes.  The following is only a general outline of his typical modus operandi.

The Runner often approaches its target from the leeward side.  Typically she will be flying false colours or none at all.  Only when in range will she raise her own flag and reveal her true intentions by firing a warning shot.  This gives the opposing crew an opportunity to surrender without a bloody battle.

If they don't strike their flag, Eric will engage them in battle, first of all focussing on destroying their rigging.  This is achieved by firing shots on the upward role of the Runner.  This is aided by being on the leeward side, as the wind naturally heels the ship upwards.  Chain-shot is Eric's favoured ammunition to destroy his opponent's rigging.  This is simply two halves of an iron ball connected by a chain.  This is fired from the catapults and causes massive damage to sails and masts.

Some of Eric's crew will also use bows and arrows if the weather isn't too windy.  They pick off individual sailors in this way.  Eric then uses the superior maneuverability of his ship to close with his victim.  When close enough the crew use gangplanks to board.  Spears are often employed in the boarding process.  Once on board, however, the cutlass or axe is the favoured weapon.

Familiars :

A Makaka ape called 'Willie'.

Appearance - Willie has rich, luxuriant, cinnabrown fur, which thins out and lightens in colour along his belly.  His deep set, dark brown eyes glint with a mischevious shine.  He is fairly average in size, being about 1 fore tall and 1.5 hebs in weight.

Character - Willie is intelligent, mischievous and enjoys playing tricks on people.  He is also loyal to Eric and his crew.  Having spent his whole life at sea, Willie loves to swim and has, rather unusually, developed a taste for fish.  Even though he prefers cooler climates, Eric has been known to dress him in clothes when conditions get too cold.  Willie has a "wardrobe" all of his own, made of tailor made garments.

Willie isn't violent in nature, but he is fiercly protective of those that he considers a part of his troop.  If Eric or a member of his crew is threatened and Willie is close by, the ape will bare his fangs and utter a shrill warning cry.  If a fight breaks out then Willie will do his best to help.

Eric has also managed to train Willie to deliver messages for him.  These messages are written down and given to Willie, who will take them to the intended recipient.  It can therefore be assumed that Willie can understand the differences between familiar names.

[Eric Kattaisson]

Okay, I hope that this ends the confusion!  This is Eric's CD, posted on Eric's account.

Damn!  I feel like I'm going schizophrenic here 

Oh, comments are very welcome, thankyou! 

[Azhira Styralias]

Aye, Captain Eric! Ye 'ave a mighty fine CD 'ere, I'll say. I'm lovin' the bit 'o history, I do, as well as the personality. Most excellent!

A short comment about your S&W. You seem overpowered to me. Your strengths are quite nice but the weaknesses don't quite balance them out (this is my humble opinion and, of course, a moderator is welcome to disagree). Between his weapons skills and seaman skills, he is quite the powerful individual..not to mention his own ship and crew!

Is it allowed to have your own ship and crew?  I'll leave that to the moderators to decide. Seems like a huge advantage to me to have sixty men to do your bidding.

Anyhow, I do like the history you put forth. I do wonder how such a pirate (or pyrite...never seen that spelling before) who grew up rough could be so moral and high minded as an adult. You'd think Eric wouldn't have changed that much. But maybe so. I do like how he grew up in a brothel and was educated by the White Knights. Not your standard background so it was unique.

[Eric Kattaisson]

Ahoy, there, me luvver!  Thanks for ee words o' kindness!

Aye, you'd think a crew o' 60 men would be workin' in I favour; but t' own the truth, they only works I woe!  Gah!  Such a motley lot o' idlers n scallys like they yer ain't never a met!

Now to the best o' me knowledge there be some other scurvy capn's on board this ere site that be owning ships, so I don't see why it should be different fer I.  Unless o' course the modz by 'ere be agenst me, like.

Why!  The very thought o' it mekz me sick!  Ter persecute and abuse I just fer nor reason!  I'll fight they dirty lubbers to the death ter keeps me Runner!!!

But I'z gettin all 'ot n angry agen!  An I don't wanna get on the wrong side o they yet!

So forgives I fer the outburst...I promise I'll be'ave meself in the stories...

...Pyrate's honour!  I swear!

An thank ee fer saying that I'z a moral man.  Seems like ee can recognise nobility o' spirit when ee seez it!  Not like some o' em!  They sez I'z a thief n a villain!  Just coz I robz a few ships an tortures n killz a few folk!  Why, they be the real villains and thiefs!

Anyway, letz jus' wait and see what the modz be thinking...

[Celebriän Véneanár]

english please for the obove post.

We also need your hair color,eye color,height ,and weight in santharian measurments

[Eric Kattaisson]

Hi Celebrian,

Maybe I need to explain something.  The post I made that seems to be causing you some confusion was written "in character".  As such, it reflects my concept of how 'Eric' would speak and react.

The general framework of it is based on the West Country dialect of English, which in turn is a descendent of Late West Saxon, which was one of the four main dialects of Old English.

I don't think you can get more 'English' than that.

It is my humble attempt to add some colour and life to the character of 'Eric'.  It may not be 100% authentic, because I myself am not a native of the West Country.  In fact, I come from Mordor, (the Black Country), and to the best of my knowledge, not many pirates had their origins in that part of England, for rather obvious reasons.

So, no, I won't be changing my post to 'English'.  * Doffs hat respectfully *

And I think that you'll find all required physical attributes in the description section of the CD, if you would only take the time to read it before making comments.

Thank you.

[Eric Kattaisson]

Okay, have added more detail re. Eric's paranoid delusions.  Have also elaborated on a couple of weaknesses.  All edits are in yellow.

Thank you! 

[Torscha]

I'm a bit concerned about the spelling of 'pirate'. As far as I can tell there's little historical precedent for spelling it as "pyrate", although I'll grant you that the idea of standardised spelling is a relatively modern one. My major concern is what Azhira unwittingly brought up: "pyrate" is etymologically similar to "pyrite", which is a kind of mineral, and it elicits a wince from me whenever I encounter it. I understand this objection is purely idiosyncratic, though, so feel free to ignore me.

It just strikes me as "trying too hard". The rest of your "in character" accent is fine, since there's been an attempt to render dialect phonetically. But "pyrate" and "pirate" as phonetically identical, and as such the de-familiarised spelling of "pyrate" seems merely a feeble attempt at distinction, much like someone would name herself "Ravynhair Moonswallow the Thyrd" or something.

If it is intentionally stylistic, then forgive me my pedantry. If it isn't, well, I humbly beg you to reconsider amending at least that one part of the CD.

As I've said, the dialect is fine. Obtuse and obscure, but fine. I have a problem when people attempt to type in dialect as opposed to simply mentioning it, but it's good for verisimilitude, even if sometimes you have to read it out loud to understand what someone's saying.

tl;dr: "Pyrate" doesn't add anything in terms of quality or texture, while increasing the obscurity of the already-obtuse language. Cut it if possible.

[Rookie Brownbark]

As I've said, the dialect is fine. Obtuse and obscure, but fine.

tl;dr: "Pyrate" doesn't add anything in terms of quality or texture, while increasing the obscurity of the already-obtuse language. Cut it if possible.

I think a great Hey! is needed on behalf of my home county's dialect! 

But I have to agree on the pyrate thing, most people would pronounce it the same as pirate.  A closer aproxiamation to the accent would be "poyrate" I think, with that long rounded vowel sound.  Also, if you're really going for it I would personally take the last constanent off the end of more of the words, as no proper West Coun'ry ma' is gonna pronounce 'em.  Then again, you did say "based on" so ignore that if you like.

[Eric Kattaisson]

Okay, Torscha and Rookie, I've just changed the pyrate spelling to pirate.

And yes, I have to stick up for the West Country dialect, too.  I don't think that it's obtuse or obscure.  Pretty much everybody in the UK has attempted to imitate it, (usually in a very inaccurate and offensive way  ), at some point in their lives!

Anyway, be thankful that I didn't create a character who speaks in the black country dialect!  Reading that would be like trying to wade through Chaucer!

@ Rookie - Thanks for the advice!  Like I already wrote, I'm not from that part of the world and so my attempts to recreate it are probably off.  That's why I say 'based on'. lol!

I also intend on mixing in some nautical terminology and, obviously, Santharian terms.  So I guess Eric's way of speaking will be a little different to your average farmer from Devon!

Still, if anybody else is interested in dialects of English, they might want to check out this link, which I regard as a softer version of Eric's own voice:

http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?UID=021SED00C908S29U00005C01

Anyway, thanks for the advice! 

Still open for comments...

[Azhira Styralias]

Did I say pyrite? I meant pyrate...

I still like the use of pyrate, though. I love that old English dialect and spelling. Being American, it brings to mind old pirate movies and images of Jack Sparrow. I say keep the pyrate spelling...but oh well.

[Eric Kattaisson]

Yeah, Azhira, I like the pyrate spelling, too!  Still, I don't want people to think that Eric is actually a mineral!

[Argon Glasstar]

Good pirate, I have read through an excellent CD. I have seen but 2 areas of concern, they would be the area of strengthes and weaknesses. I would request that the strengthes be explained out more thoroughly, some of them are merely touched upon lightly, and it is those that I would request you expand more information on these, may be how adept he really is at them, save with the crew, because I see you did devote a whole section to them. The only other concern I have is balance, I am unsure if he is a balanced. I am concerned the crew makes him a bit overstrong, but I do not have suggestions as how to balance him and would probably leave that in your capable hands and the hands of our capable moderators.

[Pikel Thunderstone]

Hello! I'm Pikel! I comment in LIME!

Name - Eric Kattaisson

Sex - Male

Age - 35

Race - Human

Tribe - Erpheronian mother and Avennorian father

Job - Pirate of the high seas.

Title - ???


There now follows a brief description of the villainous pirate captain known as Eric Kattaisson:

Eric Kattaisson stands at a little over 1.75 peds. We try to stay away from decimals around here. Try to use the different measurements, or perhaps say "is about halfway between one and a half and two peds tall" or some such thing. His body shape is quite unremarkable.  His muscles are as toned and firm as any other seaman's, but his frame would have to be described as overwhelmingly 'average'.

He has short, adlemerine hair that curls tightly.  He wears a full faced beard that is generally kept well trimmed.  Piercing, vontramarine eyes peer out from a weather beaten, tanned face.

Like any other sailor, his hands are rough and calloused.  One distinguishing feature to note, however, is that he always wears a ring on every finger of both hands.  Each ring is almost identical, being fashioned from gold and set with a fine pearl. You say "ALMOST" identical. What are the differences? His thumbs are left unadorned.

This rogue's love of jewelry is also apparent in the small pair of golden ear rings what do they look like?that he wears, (though some witnesses to his crimes have stated that these items are in fact silver, the majority believe them to be gold).

A unique, red coral necklace hangs around his neck.  The beads are small and uneven in dimensions.  As a centerpiece, this necklace is set with a large, black cowrie shell that rests against his breast.

If he smiles or otherwise opens his mouth, it is readily apparent that he has used some of his ill gotten gains to cap most of his teeth with gold.  We can only speculate that this is because of serious decay; though it may also have been intended as a status symbol.

It is rumoured that his back is covered in scars from numerous floggings, but this has not been confirmed. I appreciate you trying to shake up the way your CD is written to keep it interesting, but remember that it is always written in omnicent. you know whether or not he has scars, and should put down clearly if he does or not.

Moving on to dress, it has been noted that he almost always wears waterproof, whale skin boots.  The rest of his clothing depends on the climate that he is in.  In balmy climes he has been known to wear only a loose fitting shirt and pants.  In most accounts, however, he has been recorded as wearing a nul'tum skin jacket and breeches.  Whatever the weather, a small, battered tricorn hat sits atop his head.

He seems to favour black and white colour combinations.  His coat and hat are invariably black.  His shirts are usually white, red or blue.  His breeches are always either black or white.  For protection it would appear that he wears leather vambraces on his forearms.  When entering combat he also dons leather gauntlets and covers his face with a scarf, in an attempt to hide his identity.

Twin cutlasses adorn his waist, hanging in leather scabbards from his belt.  These instruments of murder have whale bone handles and shiny brass guards.  Matching daggers are also kept on his belt.

He is usually accompanied by a small, cinnabrown Makaka ape known as 'Willie'.


PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

If any loyal subject of the King sees a man fitting the above description, they are hereby advised to keep their distance from said personage, and to inform the local law keepers as quickly as they are able.

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY HIS SEEMINGLY FRIENDLY NATURE AND FLAMBOYANT PERSONALITY!
ERIC KATTAISSON IS KNOWN TO BE ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!
HE IS WANTED ON THE TWIN CHARGES OF PYRACY AND MURDER MOST FOUL!
ANY INFORMATION LEADING TO THE APPREHENSION AND SUCCESSFUL TRIAL OF THIS SCOUNDREL WILL BE  WELL REWARDED! Again. I appreciate the Unique way that your CD is written, but a massive amount of capital letters is in nice words "hard to read" and in not nice words "Obnoxious". I'd suggest just taking of caps lock for this.

HISTORY:

History seemed PRETTY MUCH fine. I'd suggest going through it with a grammar and punctuation stick and fixing it here and there. However, I'd love a pretty in depth story as to how you got the ape.

Strengths :

A good brawler; he can throw solid punches and kicks as well as being able to grapple.

When it comes to weapons, he is skilled with daggers and cutlasses.  He often wields two weapons at the same time; either a cutlass and dagger or two cutlasses.
 
Eric can also use a boarding spear and axe, though these aren't his favoured weapons.

Most of his fighting experiences have taken place on board a ship or in bars.  As such he is particularly skilled at fighting in confined areas or at sea.

The above four strengths can all be put into one Strength, detailing his abilities in combat. However, please define HOW GOOD HE IS a bit better

A strong swimmer. How strong? Give us an idea

Excellent navigator and seaman. Explain

A savvy naval tactician. Explain

His flamboyant and confident personality make him a good leader. Explain

The Rainbow Runner and its crew - (see possessions section) Explain

Weaknesses :

Eric can appear arrogant at times.  This is because he is used to commanding a crew and finds it hard to stop acting in the role of 'captain'. How does this hurt?

Wary of those in authority, because of his line of work.  This wariness is based on good reason.  Eric is a wanted man in numerous ports and his description, (see above), has been widely circulated. How does this hurt?

Superstitious.  This can be used against him by intelligent opponents.  He is especially cautious when around magic. How does this hurt?
 
Paranoid.  This is the inevitable result of a superstitious man living in a cut throat world.  He is paranoid of just about everyone to some degree; not just the port authorities! How does this hurt?

Suffers from persecutory delusions.  Over the years, Eric has developed the (unfounded) belief that he is being victimised by one Admiral Jack Jones of the Black Marlin.  These delusions often lead to irrational comments and behaviour.
How does this hurt?

Too fond of drink when not on board his ship.  When Eric is under the grog he tends to act in an even more boisterous and provocative manner.  This has often led to drunken altercations and accidents.  Unfortunately, as well as boosting his ego, the drink also lessens his ability.  When fighting drunk, Eric is slower and makes more mistakes.

When fighting on land he suffers from a disadvantage as he is used to fighting on board a ship.

Also, because Eric has spent almost all of his life either at sea or within close proximity to it, he finds it difficult to stay on land for extended periods.  He experiences what could be termed 'withdrawal symptoms' when he has been around land lubbers for too long.  He tends to start feeling anxious and uncomfortable.  He also feels confused and threatened, which in turn aggravates his paranoia.

Your character has the potential to be overpowered. However, expand upon the weaknesses and strengths you have, and it should be fine.

Personality:

Seems pretty good

Possessions :

Two fine cutlasses.  They are a matching pair.  The steel blades are strong and sharp.  The handles are made from whale bone and the guards are brass.

Two long daggers.  These are simple and effective.  Double edged steel blades are set in whale bone handles.  The guards are brass.

Clothes as detailed in the appearance section.  Eric is a prosperous man and keeps most of his wealth on board his ship.  When on land he carries a fair amount of money in a number of hidden pockets and purses.

The Rainbow Runner is a single masted cutter.  It is 20 peds long and 6.5 peds wide.  It's shallow draught of 3 peds allows it to access areas that larger ships cannot go.  The "Runner", (as it's commonly known), is fast and agile.  It is well suited to sailing close-hauled and can point high into the wind.  It is equipped with fourteen catapults.  Five run along the stern to port and an equal number to starboard.  The remaining four are located aft to port, aft to starboard, fore to port and fore to starboard.  The ship itself has no distinguishing features other than its name, which is often covered over with sacks or other material.  Eric flies different flags according to different situations.  The Runner keeps a crew of about sixty men.

A variety of flags.  These have been acquired by Eric and his crew over their many years sailing.  The Rainbow Runner's own flag is a white skull on a black background.  A pair of white cutlasses cradle the skull.

The Rainbow Runner isn't really in Eric's possession; more his care.  The ship belongs to the whole pirate group of which he is a part.

On board the Runner, located in Eric's sea chest in his private cabin, can be found his most prized possessions.  These are the extensive navigational charts and notes that he has either made, been given or 'acquired' over the years.

Fighting Tactics :

The pirate group that Eric sails with often attack with several ships at the same time.  In this way, larger, better armed vessels can be subdued by sheer numbers.  This is their most effective strategy, swarming their victims like so many angry bees. How many ships does this group have....?
 
Their usual hunting ground is along the Mithral Coast.  Eric has a thorough knowledge of this area and uses this to plan ambushes.  It is rumoured that they use the small islands of the Nightfog cliffs as a base.

Eric has used and continues to use a number of different strategies when taking prizes.  The following is only a general outline of his typical modus operandi.

The Runner often approaches its target from the leeward side.  Typically she will be flying false colours or none at all.  Only when in range will she raise her own flag and reveal her true intentions by firing a warning shot.  This gives the opposing crew an opportunity to surrender without a bloody battle.

If they don't strike their flag, Eric will engage them in battle, first of all focussing on destroying their rigging.  This is achieved by firing shots on the upward role of the Runner.  This is aided by being on the leeward side, as the wind naturally heels the ship upwards.  Chain-shot is Eric's favoured ammunition to destroy his opponent's rigging.  This is simply two halves of an iron ball connected by a chain.  This is fired from the catapults and causes massive damage to sails and masts.

Some of Eric's crew will also use bows and arrows if the weather isn't too windy.  They pick off individual sailors in this way.  Eric then uses the superior maneuverability of his ship to close with his victim.  When close enough the crew use gangplanks to board.  Spears are often employed in the boarding process.  Once on board, however, the cutlass or axe is the favoured weapon.

Familiars :

A Makaka ape called 'Willie'.  Willie has rich, luxuriant, cinnabrown fur.  He is fairly average in size, being about 1 fore tall and 1.5 hebs in weight.  He is intelligent, mischievous and enjoys playing tricks on people.  He is also loyal to Eric and his crew.  Willie, having spent his whole life at sea, loves to swim and has, rather unusually, developed a taste for fish.  Even though Willie prefers cooler climates, Eric has been known to dress him in clothes when conditions get too cold.  Willie has a "wardrobe" all of his own, made of tailor made garments

I'd like to see an in depth section on appearance, personality, and how this creature came into Your character's possession. Also add it to your character's strengths, for i don't remember it being there.

A good CD I would follow my comments and you will be well on your way to a first approval . I'm changing your posticon until edits are done

[Eric Kattaisson]

Okay, Argon and Pikel, thanks a lot for the comments!   

Just one thing...

...can I assume that compasses and sextants exist in the world of Santharia?  Because if they don't, then I'm going to be stumped when it comes to explaining Eric's navigational ability!

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