All information here is still true, but more relevant info can be found here.
Wavefarers are travelers, explorers, sailors-of-fortune, and, sometimes, "legitimate sailors of dubious occupation". They roam the endless Seas of Passion, tumult with Dreams and undiscovered Desires and Ideas. For the Wavefarers, discovery and adventure is everything, but adventure has it's price, and it's rewards - this is why they attend the Parliament, willing to trade and story tell over a tankard of grog.
Wavefarers fight an endless war with two things: One is The Beasts of The Tumult Itself, bizarre Monsters From Beneath The Id that are excited by the Wavefarers' constant questing, creatures that defy imagination or concept, more emotion and imagination than nature. One season can see Wavefarers storming the skeletal castle of a thousand undead children's dreams of the future manifested as unfinished toys; another season sees them fighting one lone kraken with your father's face.
Their other sparring partner is mundanity. Wavefarers live for excitement, not desk-jobs (Except for Puffins, who will happily file away any reports Cormorants have to haphazardly churn away after a debacle). The overbaring nature of The Dirt and Raptors have often set off the Wavefarers, but none rile the Wavefarers more than the Riverstates, whose happy little lives seem content to never leave their precious River of Consciousness. What a Shower of Bastards.
Ofcourse, if Wavefarers find themselves in insurmountable odds, they will do one of two things: Fight to the Death, or Ditch The Puffin. Munging Puffins.
Wavefarer Aeries resemble colossal flotillas, dozens of ships travelling as one; huge floating fortresses built from the debris of ruined dream ships; flying galleons, avast thanks to huge feathered wings.
5 Principles of The Wavefarers
- Adventure
- Excitement
- Stories
- Determination
- Solidarity
Wavefarer birdsong is, in my head, Sea-Shanties, Alestorm, Dirty Poems, and yet-more Battle-Metal.
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Gulls are sailors, travelers and explorers. Birds of adventure who live for The Now and never feel satisfied with their lot. Gulls often covet someone else's "Booty" with envious eyes, and will often push themselves forward to strive towards something bigger, better, shinier. All Gulls live for the day they'll own their own ship, no longer needing to simply crew, cook and guard someone else's. A Gull will fast make friends with anyone contemplating an adventure out of the ordinary, and will regale them with stories of their own extraordinary exploits. The mundane, they can do without. Landlubbers, all of them.
Gulls never back down froma fight, unless it looks boring. They are often as selfless as they are selfish - one minute defending a lone victim from daunting odds, another leaving their allies behind so they can leg-it with the treasure.
Gulls often wear sailors' regalia: shift shorts and sandals, often with a cloth cap. Some wear navy uniform. Gulls carry simple weapons - daggers, clubs, some even own pistols.
Gulls have foul, foul mouths, and are notorious for swearing almost constantly in sentences. Even Swans and Owls have to give them the benefit of the doubt in formal occasions - it seems simply impossible for a Gull to stop narting swearing. Gull swear words include Nart, Fetch, Drum, Miss, and the extraordinarily offensive Munge.
Type: Pawn.
Plumage: White / Grey
FacePaint: Yellow / Red Triangle on face
Beak: Gull
Emotion: Adventure
Oppurtunities: Sailor, Pirate, Cook, Braggart, Used-Lantern Salesman, Adventurer
Qualities: Swordsman
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Puffins
The most popular story about Puffins goes that once, right at The Beggining, a bunch of Gulls were caught imbetween the wiles of a Church of Doves (who wished them to convert to the calm of The Chorus) and a gaggle of Jays (Who wanted to attend to their, well, more base pleasures). Being an easily persuaded bunch, The Gulls were slowly converted by both the Jays and Doves, each taking turns when the other group wasn't looking, and soon enough teh Gulls' wanderlust was gone, replaced with a happy contentment with the more base aspects of adventuring: Food, Drink, Company, Song, etc. Unfortunately for the Doves', The Puffins' more hedonistic ways were abominable to them, and for the Jays, they were just not adventurous enough in their desire pursuits. Well, at least the Cormorants still liked them, eh?
Puffins are beings of Bliss and Contentment rather than adventure, happy with their lot but willing to help their allies and crew, often with a slap on the back, a song, a tankard of Grog or maybe a tumble in the sheets. They wear simple clothes with flashes of hedonistic character - a jaunty hat here, a sequinned dress there. Puffins barely notice being scapegoats - whatever lets them continue with their cheery, happy lives. Most Puffins feel no need for weaponry, but on the behest of the few Gulls who actually do like them, some pack pistols or knives.
Type: Pawn.
Plumage: Black
FacePaint: White Face / Red Nose
Beak: Small Hooked
Emotion: Bliss
Oppurtunities: Clerk, Ship's Doctor, Cook, Dogsbody, Runner, Ever-Present-Happy-Guy, Whore, Barlady
Qualities: Hardy, Hardier, Barbrisier
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Razorbills
If a Kestrel is born too near The Green, it is born a Kite.
If a Puffin is born too near The Green... well...
Razorbills like the company of other Razorbills, Puffins (Who they forgive for being total wussy anchors), and Skuas (Whose Violent Streaks match their own).
They wear simple clothes with flashes of hedonistic character - a jaunty hat here, a sequinned dress there. Razorbills do not take kindly to themselves or other Puffins being teased or stepped on, responding with anger, violence and Knives.
Type: Pawn.
Plumage: Black
FacePaint: White Face / Red Nose
Beak: Small Hooked
Emotion: Bliss
Oppurtunities: Pressganger, Ganger, Chav, Sadist
Qualities: Hardy, Hardier, Knifesman
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Wrecked
When an Eyrie goes to War, sometimes there are stragglers, either
lone survivors or stranded without hope. When lost and alone, you
either give up, or you fight against the world, determined to find
something worth striving for. In the Tumult, these Survivors are the
EyrieWrecked, and are Winged from all over who have been rescued by
Wavefarers, or fought for a reputation big enough to warrant
investigation.
Some Wrecked are more civilized than others, and
some truly buy in for the whole pirate mentality, while others are
merely survivors and adventurers. Most hate their previous Cotery for
being too weak, or abandoning them, although some long to re-make
contact. Others simply don't care, willing to build a new life above and
below the Tumult.Wrecked usually get on extremely with Puffins, who as Ship's Doctors are often the first to offer a friendly hand.
Type: Pawn
Plumage: (Based on Previous Winged)
MakeUp: (Based on Previous Winged)
Beak: (Based on Previous Winged)
Emotion: Adventure
Qualities: Swordsman, Hardy, One more based on previous Winged
The Phys-repping for Wrecked is based on the kind of Wrecked bird you are, and which Coterie you fled from. Please ask and think sensibly about which kind of Wrecked Winged you can play.
Cormorants (Sailor, Hero, Admiral)
Cormorant Sailors
Cormorant Hero
Cormorant Admiral
Cormorants have better navigational skills than Gulls, and thus are natural Captains, navigators and Leaders for the Gulls on a ship to look up to (or throw overboard). A Cormorant is considered good company, and they are very good at keeping good morale during hard times.
As Albatross, the Wavefarers natural leaders, are so rare (and like their privacy, away from other Albatross), a particularly powerful Albatross may promote a Cormorant from a Mate to a Captain, and a Captain to an Admiral to rule a Coterie alongside him. These Cormorant Admirals are highly respected by all for their good judgements and impeccably calm heads, as well as their masterful offensive-combat plans. Captains ares een as reckless heroes, jumping from ship to target, or throwing themselves laughing into the maws of great beasts with only a pistol and a crazy one-in-a-million plan.
Cormorants wear Navy regalia, complete with epaulettes and fancy hat. Some, less honest, Cormorants wear clothing more typical of a rich pirate. Cormorants often carry a pistol and an officer's blade - a cutlass or sabre.
Cormorants are natural singers, excelling as Chorusses describing their next, exhilirating adventure.
Cormorants are very superstitious, often calling the stars' omens, and even still considering the company of female Cormorants on adventures (including attending dangerous Parliaments) a bad omen. Ofcourse, they also exhibit a "Don't Ask / Don't Tell" mentality, with many Admirals revealed to be honestly shocking ladies on their death beds.
Type: Pawn/Knight/King.
Plumage: White / Grey / Black / Brown
Face-Paint: Yellow / Red "T" below eyes.
Beak: Gull
Emotion: Adventure
Oppurtunities: Whistling Deck Mopper, Ship Captain, Pirate Captain, Press-Ganger, Quartermaster, Another Cook
Pawn Cormorant Qualities: Swordsman
Knight Cormorant
King Cormorant Qualities: Fancy, Swordsman, Orator
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Parakeets
Parrots in training, Research assistants, librarians, students and narrative scholars without a book to their name (yet).
Parakeets are much the same as their more intellectual (and thus, higher-ranking) cousins, only with more excitement, more willingness to explore, get their hands dirty, and ask many, many questions in awkward, dangerous situations. Parakeets find knowledge (and Song) attractive, in both a studious and emotional way. Their new place in the Wavefarers is natural to them, sailing the mysterious tumult ("Exactly how deep is this?"), accompanying nefarious Gulls & Frigates ("So... does that technically belong to you now?"), being waited on by Puffins ("Exactly how much endurance do you have, on a scale of 1 to More?") and encountering mind-boggling Krakens ("Would you describe your appearance as Maddening? Yes or Yes?").
Parakeets are always looking to uncover a full story never before recorded - Start, Middle and End - so they can pass their thesis on to the Golden Libraries and achieve the Title of Full Parrot.
Through a strange turn of events, Parakeets have found themselves Ambassadors to the Wavefarers.
Type: Pawn
Plumage: Red
Face-Paint: Bright Red
Beak: Hooked
Emotion: Love
Qualities: Swordsman, Fancy, Energist
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Penguins
Penguins are seafarers and Ice-Desert survivalists from The Cerulean Deeps, White-Encrusted endless oceans of Exuberance. They believe in Exuberance and Excitement as a form of life, pushing them forward to greater achievements. Rumours of them having connections to Great Beasts from the Infernal Depths are unfounded...
Type: Pawn
Plumage: Blue
Face-Paint: Bright Blue
Beak: Small Pointed
Emotion: Love OR Hate
Qualities: Knifesman, Hardy, Energist
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Information on the Lost Great Auks can be found here, on their own page.
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Pelicans
Pelicans have seen it all, and it shows - After all, who else can carry the Braod Arrow with such Pride? No matter how old a Pelican actually is, they certainly sound like they've been there and done that, and have the knowledge and tall tales to prove it. Pelicans are stout and hardy, thriving in the harshest weather when even the most hardy Gull has run for cover. Pelicans live for exploration, discovery, and bragging about it afterwards. Drinking competitions against Pelicans never go smoothly. Many Pelicans are "artists" - rabble rousers and shanty-singers, who get the whole ship worked into an emotional tirade of song, drink and laughter. Pelicans are respected and admired as tattooists and often teach their trade skills to Gulls to keep the ancient art of blood and ink alive.
Pelicans like to wear simple clothing that shows off their girth - open waistcoats, bandanas, shifts and sashes tied around their waists. Some wear dribs and drabs of Xenos clothing - old momentos, always partnered with a long tale. Lady Pelicans wear old, sensible dresses, often with leather britches under and water proofs over. Pelicans favour Spears and other polearms - anything that at least feels like the Harpoon they once speared that Kraken with...
Type: Bishop
Plumage: White / Grey
FacePaint: Gold/Red Broad Arrow on Face / Tattoos
Beak: Pelican
Emotion: Adventure
Oppurtunities: Navigator, First Mate, Cook, Cartographer, Monster Hunter, Professional Old Guy
Qualities: Hardy,
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The "Scientific" cousins of the Cormorants, Loons have a natural predilection to curiosity. Curiosity & tinkering. In their makeshift diving transports, kibbled together from previous failures, Loons dive deep under the Tumult to poke and inquire at the strange Id beings beneath. Loons also love to play and with human idea technology, fascinated by newer and shinier "toys".
Loons get on well with Cormorants and their discipline, and love to waffle endlessly at a Puffin audience. They find that relations with Gulls and Pelicans are strange... why don't the other Wavefarers want to hear about Gizmos and Thingamybobs?
Loons dress in eccentric garb: tweed, waistcoats, hats.
Type: Bishop
Plumage: Brown / Grey
FacePaint: Brown speckles in bands on face
Beak: Gull
Emotion: Adventure
Oppurtunities: Inventor, Submariner, Tinkerer, Scavenger
Qualities:
Frigates
Frigates are often seen as just bigger, more greedy Gulls. And that's pretty much correct. Frigates are Gulls who have achieved their dreams of attainment and luxury, but are still not happy. They will stop at nothing to defeat a foe, survive a mind-boggling adventure, or even trick an ally on their quest for "Booty" - wether that be Stuff, Emotion, or just a really, really big ship.
Type: Knight
Plumage: White / Grey
FacePaint: Large Yellow / Red Triangle On Nose
Beak: Gull
Oppurtunities: Pirate, Corsair, Swashbuckler
Qualities: Fancy, Quick, Pistolsman, Swordsman, Pistolero
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Sometimes a Gull just wants to be an Albatross, so they run away and become a Skua.
Skuas have given up on their crews, and run away to become a merciless barbarian consumed by oceans of rage. Reunited only at Parliaments and other social gatherings, they enjoy being angry loners, searching for Quests only their anger can solve.
Skuas are mean, cruel and vicious. They get on only with the Albatrosses they admire, and the Razorbills they tolerate. All other Wavefarers are fair-game.
Skuas wear furs and armour, in decreasing amounts.
Type: Knight
Plumage: White / Black
FacePaint: Large Yellow / Red Triangle On Face
Beak: Gull
Oppurtunities: Pirate, Corsair, Barbarian, Reaver
Qualities: Fearful, Berzerkerist, Armoured, Swordsman, Sabruer
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Albatross
Albatross are simple creatures - huge, powerful, imposing, loud, bred for adventure and really wild things. Known as the Warrior Kings, Albatross love a good fight, and will as often leave a scrap laughing, one wing over their opponents shoulder as leaving the combat soaked in gore, the last one standing. Albatross are simple, but they aren't dumb, paying heed to a Pelican's sage stories or a Cormorant's learned navigation plans. Albatross love their privacy, and will often desire to be alone - this is never more true when confronted with another Albatross, as the two will outright refuse to be in the other's company. This has led to the destruction of many Wavefarer Aeries, torn apart by enraged Albatross. An Albatross emotions can often be compared to the weather around it: a storm shows a fury, a deluge a great sadness, sunshine happiness and a gale a great excitement. Albatross love tests of Strength and Courage, and never back down from a challenge.
Albatross wear very little - boots, the more educated ones leather trousers, the less loin cloths and furs. Some wear leather armour and heavy furs to keep out the cold. Many Albatross have tattoos they love to show the world, and the oldest, hardest Albatross are totally covered in ink. An Albatross is never seen without Weapons - Often Two Axes, or a huge Battleaxe, or two Cutlasses.
Killing an Albatross is a bad omen. However, it's also not very easy.
Albatross like swearing almost as much as Gulls do, especially enjoying portmanteuxing swearwords into new and creative collages of profanity, e.g "FUCKOLLOCKS", "DECKPUFFIN", "TWUNT", "COLOSSAL SHITTING DICKWANGER", "CLUNGEPIGEON", "DECKING WOMBPUFFINS!", "CRABSTICLES!", "KRAKENTITS!" "GORGEPLUMS!" and "DECKNUTS!". They also like using "DECK!" as a stand-in for "Fuck", "Dick" or "Heck".
They like to blame things on the Puffins. Bloody Puffins. Free-Loading Bastards.
Type: King
Plumage: Grey / White
Emotion: Adventure
Beak: Gull
Inspirations: Young Ernest Hemmingway, Conan The Adventurer, Doc Savage, Blackbeard, Beowulf, Sinbad
Qualities: Axesman, Armoured, Reaperist
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Auks
Sometimes, a Wavefarer House settles down. There are many reasons this can happen, but one popular reason is that it gets bogged down by too many Puffins. When a lot of Puffins outweigh the more Adventurous Wavefarers, the boat stops sailing. Several times this has happened, and every time a Puffin has come out on top, turning this static nothingness into a resort or centre for Good Times.
Type: King
Plumage: Black
Emotion: Bliss
Beak: Large Hooked
Qualities: Hardy, Hardier, Fancy
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