Staff: Search is not denied to staff members, but it is required that before a person is to become staff, that they inform the craft leadership beforehand. It is the Craft leadership's preogative to deny a staff position from this person -but highly doubtful.
J-men: Heavily discouraged, but permitted if given proper explanation that is acceptable to the Craft leadership.
Apprentices: Open.
Residents: Open.
Everyone must have been with the Seacraft at least one Search-cycle and you must inform the Craft leadership, then receive their formal okay to apply. There is no limit to the number of people who can be Searched from the Seacraft, nor Impress.
Associate: This is a casual participation with the craft. This person holds no rank nor is required to participate in any/all craft events. Some associates relations would be considered as: partner/dependants/relatives of Seacrafters, Hold Fishermen, Searched/Impressed Crafters, elsecrafters with a passing interest in Seacraft activities (lessons).
Basicly, anyone who comes currently holds a position in a Craft (apprenitce - master) or who holds a position in a Hold or Weyr, would be considered an Associate. Associates cannot have a ship *exceptions are possible but /extremely/ unlikely*. Associates cannot hold any ranking position in the Seacraft either. Associates cannot have any IC leadership postions (x1 or x2).
The highest IC position an associate in the Seacraft can aspire to is 2nd Mate on a ship. Associates who are crafted elsewhere can hold this postion, but still need to have the same requirements as a Seacraft Journeyman.
Navigator/Cartographer: This involves a specialty towards the navigation of ships, weather patterns, ensuring a safe passage through both Threadfall and the typical rigors of sailing. Cartographers work with charting maps.
Fisher: One of the more popular of the Masteries. Fishers work primarily in locating the fish, catching them, and improving upon their art.
ShipBuilder: Becoming a ShipBuilder Master is the involvement in actual shipbuilding and all the sciences about such, always working to create better, more efficient ships of various designs.
ShipCaptain: One who specializes in Captaining the ships of the craft and is well familiar with all different kinds of craft.
@lib :the library of books available by area.
@make :objects that can be made by specific areas. Ie: the Ships.
@seacraft-activity :Seacraft's personell activity.
@skills
@mentors/mentees
clist :a list of members, titles, and their posts.
cwho :what members of the Seacraft are currently connected.
rlist :the ranks of all the members of an area.
@cevents :the current planned events of your area.
@area :who is connected within the general locale you are in.
**Shipboard Commands**
@shipwho :who is on the ship.
stats :statistical reference to the ship's proportions.
scan :looking at the room the ship is currently in.
lookout to
+open/+close
+knock
+answer
**Apprentices**
IC: Day to day duties and chores, Attendance of lessons, Respect to Superiors, Live in assigned dorms or upon a ship.
OOC: Suggestions, Represent the craft at TPs, RP, etc..., Recruit, Assigned a Mentor, Sethome where indicated by staff.
**Journeymen**
IC: Begin study in a specialty, Interview prospective apprentices, Take and give lessons, became a 1st or
2nd mate on a ship, Respect to Superiors.
OOC: Represent craft at TPs, RP, etc..., Recruit, Suggestions/ideas, Log interviews and give the logs to staff.
**Masters**
IC: Practice specialty, Mentor, Interview, Give lessons, Become Administration/Leader for your given specialty or post.
OOC: Run/Aid in TPs, Recruit, Ideas/Suggestions, Hold interviews and add members to the craft, Become Craft Administraion and Staff, Aid in any day to day running of the craft.
These are not the be-all and end-all of what is expected from members, nor is everything mentioned. Exceptions are to be determined and accepted/denied by the Craft leadership.
**CabinKid to Apprentice**
--Turn the age of 13. All CabinKids must be 'fostered' by a ship captain and the number of kids that a captain can foster depends upon the size of the ship.
**Probationary Apprentice to Seaman Apprentice**
--Accomplishment of at least 1 skill and a noticed improvement in the game's theme and Moo knowledge.
**Seaman Apprentice to Able-Bodied Apprentice**
--1 skill point in each skill, except for shipwright. There must also be a noted competancy in RP, relations, and craft knowledge.
**Able-Bodied to Journeyman**
--The skills of Sail, Seamanship, and Navigation all need at least 3 skill points, and a total of 14 skill points are necessary. It is then upon the disgression of the Craft leadership to okay for the starting of a person's Journeyman project: a high competancy in Craft matters and information.
A Journeyman project could be in the form of a small bit of code, a book, lesson plan, or event.
As a Journeyman, you are now okayed to have your own boat, be it a rowboat or a skiff *rowboat with a mast*. This is only 1 room with a small hull. Maybe as long as 2 men, but no more. Ie, keep it simple.
**Journeyman to 2nd Mate**
--You need to either approach or be approached by a current ship captain.
**2nd Mate to 1st Mate**
The move to 1st Mate is solely upon the discretion of the Captain you are mating under. Except for the single requirement that a 1st Mate has a Sail skill large enough to actually sail the ship. Generally, seniority, ability, and initiative are the best quailites in a 1st Mate. Activity is also required. The ship's Captain can demote a person from 1st Mate to 2nd for IC or OOC reasons. ICly, it could be a product of disiplinary actions, health, etc... OOCly could be because of activity, lack of initiative, etc...
**Journeyman to Master**
There are three main restrictions before being okayed for a Master's project: a minimum of 30 skill points, a minimum of 6 RL months as a Journeyman, and at least 18 IC turns of age. This is where you get to build your ship. You can either do it when you are okayed for your Master project or after you have become a Master. A ship of up to 8 rooms is possible *quota enlargement will be possible if requested and is agreeable*. But a basic outline of what your new ship will look like and be fore must be submitted to the leadership to be okayed for construction.
Once permitted by the Craft leadership, the Journeyman must now submit a Master's project that will relate to their specialty of choice in some way. If there is no defined specialty, then the project can be in more general terms. The project can be in the form of code, but dependant upon the complexity and need, some form of a TP/event might be required. The second choice is a Major TP that chiefly involves the Seacraft at at least 2 other areas that will be held over an extended period of time beyond 2 days. For either option, a general idea much be submitted to the seacraft's leadership. If tentatively okayed, a far more detailed outline is required: once more, pending acceptance. Following the completion of the project, the craft leadership will determine if it is acceptable and merits promotion.
sail: This skill is needed to be able to actually sail a ship. They way to get points on this skill to participate in lessons and RP that involve: rowboats, skiffs, sailing, sails and rigging, actuall sailing trips, etc...
seamanship: This skill show just now competant a seaman you are: fishing, trawling, knots, ropes, terms, general info, etc...
navigation: This skill proves how well one is at navigation and Pernese geography. Events involving: geography, weather, tides, charts, astronomy, navigation, symbols, etc...
crosscraft: When one participates in public lessons given by other areas or takes part in events sponsored by different crafts for the express purpose of education: swimming lessons, first aid, flamethrower lessons, weaving rope, etc...
ooc: This is basicly the brownie-point section. If there are lessons in Hell, roleplay or description lessons, these will work here too. But if the leadership asks for people to help with descriptions, guiding new people, and anything else the craft asks for help with in an OOC light.
@make: @make is a skill that is required in order to make a fishing rod or build a ship. You will get 1 skill point after completeing some Seacraft-style RP and keep that solitary skill point until you are able to make your own ship.
shipwright: This skill is required for making a ship. Only those who are prepared to make their skill will get this skill.
Right now, we aren't selling ships for other people to use, unless there is a plausable reason behind it. Boats cost /alot/ of marks, be them a simple rowboat or a skiff. As a loose figure, your average rowboat would cost about 20 marks and that is without the lead plating. A skiff would be at about 4 times that. Lead plating would double if not triple those figures.
We do have a coded Fishing Rod. You need to have taken at least one lesson and recieved an @make skill of 1 to be able to make one. You need to use the command '@make' to be able to make one.
Generic Rod *straight from @make): 1 mark, but you are free to haggle about it and I even prefer that instead you do a trade for something from the one who wishes to buy the rod. If the person wants some embelishments to the rod: more bait or lure messages or a better desc, then you are free to ask for more. It is at your own disgression, but fishing rods over 3 marks is a bit much. Marks should be RPed and not payed the coded way, but it is up to you if you wish to do it that way.
3. Geography: This is a discussion on the Ports of Call, landmasses, currents and trading routes that involve the Seacraft.
4. Seamanship: This is an instruction on some basic tips in how to stay out of trouble, how to conduct one's self, shipboard rules, and procedures on ship or land that every sailor needs to know.
5. Swimming: A lesson careof the *dolphincrafters*. This is where you learn the basic strokes and rescue procedures should a man-overboard situation occur.
7. Rowboats/Skiffs: An introduction to the parts of a rowboat, review how to row. Discuss capsizing in dingy-size ship, practice recovery.
8. Ship_Terminology: A lesson on the parts of a ship. This includes the directions, parts of the deck/hull and belowdecks. The movements of a ship are also discussed.
9. Sails_and_Rigging: This give apprentices information on the kinds and uses of sails, along with the anatomy of a sail. Rigging is also introduced, with instruction on how it is used.
10. Fishing/Trawling: Learn one of the main aspects of the Seacraft including the different ways to use ships to trawl for fish and kinds of nets used. Learn how to fish with a pole using hooks, lures, and bait...or other methods.
11. Basic_Sailing: A basic RP instruction during favorable conditions on a simple sloop close to shore where the apprentice will learn how leave dock, sail with the wind, turning about, and beat against the wind.
13. Pernese_Astronomy: Introduction to Pern's skies, preferably taught by a *starcrafter* on how the stars change with the seasons, time of day, etc. An instruction on how to use a distanceviewer might be included.
14. Navigation: Explanation of navigational ways -the use of sextants, distanceviewers, calculating speed and depth. Sailing by landmark, celestial, and chart.
** Quite often there will be posts to the *Seacraft mailer about upcoming TPs, this is where you can rack up points for these 'lessons'. Just make sure to let the staff know about your interest/participation in such events.
** Quite often there will be posts to the *Seacraft mailer about upcoming TPs, this is where you can rack up points for these 'lessons'. Just make sure to let the staff know about your interest/participation in such events.
ADDING SAILS.
Type '@addsails' to add a sail or two. You will be presented with a menu. At this point you have no sails on the ship, so lets add the mainsail.
Type '1' to add a sail.
Enter the name of the sail, in this case 'mainsail'.
Next you will be asked to enter a series of messages associated with this particular sail. You will be told what the default message is and be given the chance to enter your own message. Simply pressing return will install the default message.
Type '1' to enter another sail, or '5' if you are finished.
Now take a 'look' and see that you have the sails.
If this ship has more than one sail, there are two messages you should be aware of. The multisailup and multisaildown messages. These messages are displayed if more than one sail is up or down at once. You may wish to modify them to suit your particular ship's configuration.
ADDING ANCHORS
Type '@addanchors' to add a sail or two. You will be presented with a menu. At this point you have no anchors on the ship, so lets add the port anchor.
Type '1' to add an anchor.
Enter the name of the anchor, in this case 'port anchor'.
Next you will be asked to enter a series of messages associated with this particular anchor. You will be told what the default message is and be given the chance to enter your own message. Simply pressing return will install the default message.
Type '1' to enter another anchor, or '5' if you are finished.
Now take a 'look' and see that you have the anchors.
The other options in the @addsails menu and @addanchors should be self explanitory.
NOTE: There is no limit to the number of sails you can have on a ship, but we expect common sense to prevail. A small 5 foot skiff would not have 20 sails. Take for example the various ship types. Skiffs have generally one sail, a simple triangular style sail. There are no spinnakers on pern. They are JUST too big. Now, a schooner like the Blue Nose (Nova Scotian ship from the mid 1800s) only had 8 sails, and two masts! Her sails were triangular in style, yet the USS Constitution is square rigged and has 12 sails (4 per mast). The more sails the more masts, the bigger the ship.
The BIGGER the ship the more anchors. Generally there are no more than two.
At this point, you have effectively built a skiff. If that was your objective, stop right here. You are done. If you intended to build a larger vessel, continue on.
Remember you must have the shipwright skill to build additional rooms in a ship.
To make the room an inside room, or one below decks, you would issue the command '@set here.outside_room to 0'.
Use the '@listrooms' command to see the rooms or parts of the ship you have created and whether they are outside rooms or not.
CONNECTING ROOMS
To connect rooms you use the standard dig command. 'help dig' will give you theinformation required. You will be asked in addition to anything in 'help dig' whether this exit is a window. I.e. only firelizards can use it if it is opened.
In addition you can use the following commands on a ship:'+window
You can use '@messages
ADDING DOLPHIN BELLS:
To add a bell to your ship, that dolphins can ring or that you can ring to call the dolphins use '@set
In this case #7333 is the hull of the Lady Rose, while #6559, the room containing the bell referenced by #1660 is the Bow of the ship which is inside the hull, #7333. I could also have issued the command, '@set here.location.bell to #1660'
SETTING THE START ROOM
You can change the start room, i.e. the one you enter when boarding by issuing the command '@setstart to
ADDING SAILORS AND CREW
There are two types of seacrafters upon a ship. The first type is a sailor, a sailor can do everything, raise and lower anchors, rowboats, and sails, as well as sail the ship, i.e. move the ship from one location to another. The secondtype is a crewmember. A crewmember can raise and lower anchors, rowboarts, and sails. Of course they need enough 'skill' to do so, but they can not sail the vessel.
Use the '@addcrew
When onboard a ship issue the 'help here' command to find more commands.
ADDING STATISTICS
Sometimes it is nice to know the dimensions of the ship. You can use the command '@notedit
CAN THIS SHIP HOLD CARGO?
If you can put runners and pets on this ship you need to mark the ship as able to haul cargo. Use '@set
ADDING GANGPLANKS
If you desire to add a gangplank you must do the following: @set
ADDING TIME BASED DESCRIPTIONS
See 'help #2454' for help on doing this.
Single masted ships:
A sloop is any single masted vessel. This vessel will normally have two sails. The mainsail and the headsail.
A cutter is any single masted vessels with more than one headsail. This vessel will normally have three sails.
Dual masted ships:
The number of sails varies drastically, even within ships of the same class. So I will limit the definitions to teh mast configurations.
A Ketch has a tall mast amidships and a short mast aft. The shorter mast is located forward of the helm.
A Yawl has a tall mast amidships and a short mast aft. The shorter mast is located aft of the helm.
A Schooner has a tall mast amidships and a short mast forward of the mainmast.
Adding a third or more masts makes the classification of ships even more difficult, and even the shipbuilders disagree on exactly what constitutes a certain class sometimes. So I'll leave it up to you to explore and research those vessels.
A ship of three rooms or less is too small to have pumps installed, so their decks cannot be flooded in the event of thread.
Although this book is intended for the amateur crafter, it is also a useful reference book for the more advanced.
Because manila fibres are of limited, as opposed to continuous, length they are known as 'staple' fibres, and in order for them to be formed into rope they have to be twisted tightly together to grip by friction. To make a right-laid rope, small bundles of these manila fibres are twisted together to make right-laid yarns; these should then be twisted together in the opposite direction to make left-hand strands, which in turn should be laid up to form right-laid rope. It is the alternate direction of the twists which holds the rope together and provides it with strength. The strongest of these ropes is one which has been laid with three strands of manila.
When storing rope, it should always be coiled neatly, by making the loops of equal size and, as you add each new loop, put a half twist into it. This will ensure that the coil lies neatly without kinking, it also means that it will be immediately accessible and untangled when needed. Before rope is coiled, however, you should ensure that it is dry through to the center. If it has been in sea water it should be rinsed with fresh water upon arrival at the shore, so as to remove any deposits of salt.
Finally, remember that tying knots requires practice. You must be able to tie them quickly and easily when you are at sea and the only way to gain the necessary skill and confidence is to practise each knot over and over again until the steps become automatic and you do not need to think about them. It is a good idea to carry a small piece of rope with you at all times, and whenever an idle moment arrives, bring it out and practice tying! Who knows, one day the life of you and your companions could count on you tying a knot in the middle of a storm, where you will not have time to sit and think about which knot you need and how to tie it!
_________________(\)_____
_1______2_____3__(/)4___5_
1 = The STANDING END is a short region at the end of the standing part.
2 = The STANDING PART is the whole of the rest of the rope (ie-the part not used in tying the knot).
3 = The BIGHT is the region extending all the way from the standing end to the running end. Thus a knot which is tied 'in the bight' is one which is tied without the use of either end.
4 = A KNOT is anything deliberately tied in the rope.
5 = The WORKING END or RUNNING END of a rope is the part used in tying the knot.
OVERHAND KNOT - This is the knot that forms the basis of most other knots. It is formed by taking the end of the rope across and around the rope itself, then passing it through the bight. It is sometimes tied in reef points on either side of the sail, or on foot ropes to give a grip. This however, is not widely used by SeaCrafters as it is difficult to untie when wet and if used on a large rope has a tendency to damage the fibres.
MULTIPLE OVERHAND KNOT - Sailors use this knot as a stopper, though it is also difficult to untie when wet. It is created by passing the rope around itself three times, then the running end is passed through the bight, creating two overhand knots in such close conjunction that they merge together, creating a heavy knot at the end of a line. When it is tied, you should keep the loop open and slack, then pull gently on each end of the line simultaneously, twisting the two ends in opposite directions as you do so.
HEAVING LINE KNOT - SeaCrafters find this knot useful when a heavy line is to be thrown ashore or aboard another boat. It is attatched to a heaving line - a lighter rope - which can be thrown ahead so that the heavier line can be pulled across the gap. Th knot is tied to the end of the lighter line to give it the necesary additional weight. It is tied by making a long loop in the bight, and passing the working end around the two parallel pieces of bight several times. The working end is then passed through the loop, and the standing end is pulled, leaving a long bight to the standing end, and about a finger length of working end visible, and no loop remains.
FIGURE-OF-EIGHT KNOT - This knot is made in the end of a line, by taking the end around the standing part, under its own part and through the bight. It is generally used in running rigging.
The sheepshank is a true SeaCrafters knot: it does not chafe, it unties easily and it has a good jamming action. It is an easily tied knot which holds under tension. The number of hitches can vary from three to five, and that number determines both the firmness of the grip and the length by which the rope is shortened. It is created i the following way: A prtion of rope is looped back on itself so that each loop end is taken around the standing part in a half hitch.
BLOODFISH:
Desc: Parasitic fish with long, thin suckers that attatch to open wounds (primarily on dolphins).
Known Location: All the seas.
BORDO:
Desc: Grey-striped fish as long as a man's forearm. Thin with bulging eyes (a relative to the packtail).
Known Location: Colder waters, Western Sea, Tillek Area.
Edible: Yes
DOLPHIN:
Desc: Bottle-nosed mammal, with skin of silver, grey, or blue, and are about the size of a man. They have a single crescent-shaped blowhole on the top of their head. Aka: Shipfish.
Known Location: All the Seas, some of the rivers.
Use: Affiliated with the DolphinCraft. They report where schools of fish are, weather conditions, where ships or other man-made things are, how to avoid obsticles at sea, etc...
FINGERTAIL:
Desc: Small carp-like fish with a whippy tail.
Known Location: Along the Coast of the Northern Continent, Nerat Bay.
Edible: Yes
PACKTAIL:
Desc: Looks like a Terran monkfish. Sharp spines, dangerously barbed. Mostly head with an oily slime over its scales that is quite potent and can harm skin.
Known Location: Nerat Bay, Eastern Sea.
Edible: Yes -a delicacy.
(?) = Not known for sure, but can be guessed at.
REDFIN:
Desc: Forearm length or longer fish with red fins.
Known Location: Southern Sea, Great Southern Current.
Edible: Yes.
SHELLFISH:
Desc: A 'catchall' term for aquatic animals not considered a fish, including spiderclaws.
Known Location: All the seas, Coastal Beaches, Coast of the Southern Continent.
SHIPFISH:
-See Dolphin.
SILVERFISH:
Desc: Silver-colored fish (?). Smaller than a man's forearm.
Known Location: Nerat Bay, Big Bay.
Edible: Yes
SNAKE:
Desc: Turtlelike faces, poisonous, an dcan grow up to elephantine size.
Known Location: Rivers and Seas.
Edible: No.
SPIDERCLAW:
Desc: 'Crab-like' animal with many pairs of jointed legs. About the size of a person's open palm.
Known Location: Coastal Beaches
Edible: Yes.
TUNNEL SNAKE:
Desc: Water-dwelling kinds. The bite is venemous and very dangerous. 2 to 4 feet in length. Closely resemebles the more common breeds of tunnel snakes.
Known Location: All waters
Edible: No (?)
WHITEFISH:
Desc: White-colored fish (?)
Known Location: Southern Sea -they run in the springtime.
Edible: Yes -a rare delicacy.
YELLOWFISH:
Desc: Yellow-colored fish (?), Small sized.
Known Location: Warmer Waters.
Edible: Yes.
(?) = not known for sure, but can be guessed at.