Quiddity Crew

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They were nearly all Islanders in the Pequod, Isolatoes too, I call such, not acknowledging the common continent of men, but each Isolato living on a separate continent of his own. Yet now, federated along one keel, what a set these Isolatoes were!
―Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick,” Chapter 27

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The harpooneer is the member of a boat crew who darts the harpoon at the whale. He’s also called “boatsteerer” because after he impales the whale, he switches places with the mate, taking over the steering oar while the mate kills the whale with his lance. The Quiddity has three formal harpooneers, including player characters Ulysses Dixon and Quakaloo. There’s also two harpooneers-in-training, including Joshi and Virgil Caine.

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Quentin Shaw (Joab’s Boatsteerer)

Statistics
Age: 49, Nationality: Scottish-American, Birthplace: Kingsport, Massachusetts 1795.

STR 65	CON 80	SIZ 65	DEX 70	INT 50
APP 40	POW 65	EDU 50	SAN 65	HP 14
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 13	Luck: 65

Combat

Brawl	80% (40/16), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	80% (40/16), damage 2D6+1+1D4 (Toggle gig)
Lance	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	75% (37/15), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	30% (15/6), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	60% (30/12)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 20%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 5%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 15%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 15%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 45%, Art/Craft (Scrimshaw) 50%, Art/Craft (Sing) 40%, Artillery 55%, Charm 15%, Climb 60%, Credit Rating 20%, Demolitions 20%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 25%, First Aid 60%, History 20%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 40%, Jump 35%, Kingsport Cult 10%, Law 20%, Leadership 35%, Library Use 20%, Listen 45%, Locksmith 5%, Mechanical Repair 70%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 45%, Navigate 50%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 40%, Persuade 30%, Pilot (Boat) 70%, Psychology 60%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Catholic) 10%, Renown 20%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 30%, Science (Meteorology) 15%, Seamanship 75%, Sea Lore 85%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 65%, Stealth 20%, Survival 70%, Swim 70%, Throw 75%, Track 5%, Whalecraft 85%.

Languages: Hawaiian 5%

Description
Quentin Shaw is, to put it mildly, a flinty son of a bitch who would shrivel up and die if he spent more than two consecutive months ashore. Although he’s 49 years old, he has the physique of a man in his mid-thirties, and no one questions his capabilities as a harpooneer. His weathered face bristles with grey sideburns, and he’s known for his mercurial shifts in mood: Shaw can go from raging anger to demented mirth with very little warning.

Born in Kingsport to parents from Orkney, Shaw worked on his father’s fishing boat from the age of eight. When he turned fifteen he ran away and joined the Navy. Stationed on the USS Miskatonic, Shaw fought in the War of 1812 until the Battle of Bermuda, when the Miskatonic was sunk by the HMS Phoebe. He drifted at sea for three days until being rescued. (Shaw still tells the story of the sinking of the Miskatonic, adding more hungry sharks each time he spins the yarn: “Six hundred men went into the water. The Miskatonic went down in twelve minutes. Didn’t see the first shark for about a half-hour…”) After convalescing in Kingsport, Shaw began his career in whaling, serving before the mast onboard the Anna and graduating to harpooneer in 1818. After the Anna wrecked against Ross Island in 1824, Shaw signed onto the Electra, but in 1835 he deserted in Honolulu, intending to “retire.” Quickly becoming restless, he was picked up by the Quiddity on her maiden voyage.

Shaw is fiercely loyal to the Quiddity, and is fond of telling greenhorns some variant of, “Cunty Quid is me lawfully-wedded wife. ‘Twas the sea performed the ceremony, and the sharks gave witness. Haven’t ye seen the ring on the mermaid’s flipper, boy?” Shaw suffers the Quid’s officers with a salty forbearance, and only Joab has earned his true respect—though not his fondness, as the captain is “a mite too Old Testament” for his tastes. Shaw has no desire to become an officer, and has a reputation as a loner. His only real friend is Peter Veidt, and he barely notices greenhorns. Nor is Shaw capable of having a normal conversation: he communicates almost entirely through sea stories, ironic aphorisms, and fragments of sea shanties. While some love him dearly, others consider him an obstreperous roadblock on the path to advancement. Joshi in particular despises Shaw, and eyes his position as harpooneer with open jealousy. The contempt between the two is entirely mutual, and Shaw is one of the few sailors Joshi cannot intimidate. He has no use for Whipple either, and considers Pynchon a “mean-spirited prick.” Although he suspects certain officers have ties to the Kingsport Cult, he ranks it up there with Freemasonry, Millerites, or the bloody Catholic church, for that matter.

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John Mattashunama, “Matty Shoe” (Whipple’s Boatsteerer)

Statistics
Age 24, Nationality: Wampanoag/American, Birthplace: Nantucket, 1820.

STR 90	CON 85	SIZ 80	DEX 75	INT 40
APP 60	POW 60	EDU 40	SAN 60	HP 16
DB: +1D6	Build: 2	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 60

Combat

Brawl	85% (42/17), damage 1D3+1D6
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D6
Harpoon	65% (32/13), damage 2D6+1+1D6 (Toggle gig)
Lance	40% (20/8), damage 1D8+1+1D6
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	70% (35/14)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 20%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 15%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 15%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 20%, Art/Craft (Scrimshaw) 25%, Artillery 1%, Charm 5%, Climb 75%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 50%, First Aid 50%, History 15%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 75%, Jump 55%, Law 5%, Leadership 15%, Library Use 1%, Listen 70%, Locksmith 10%, Mechanical Repair 65%, Medicine 15%, Natural World 40%, Navigate 40%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 25%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 70%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 5%, Renown 10%, Ride 25%, Science (Astronomy) 20%, Science (Meteorology) 20%, Seamanship 55%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 20%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 75%, Survival 40%, Swim 75%, Throw 65%, Track 15%, Whalecraft 60%.

Languages: Wampanoag native; English 60%

Description
Tall and muscular with a mane of wild black hair, “Matty Shoe” is a violent-tempered bully who enjoys needling officers, badmouthing idlers, and intimidating greenhorns. Although he speaks excellent English, he gets a perverse enjoyment from baffling officers with an Indian pidgin of his own invention. A member of Whipple’s gang, Matty is not well-liked by the other seamen, and he wears his abrasive personality like a badge of honor. Mattashunama believes he’s descended from a race of seafaring chieftains who immigrated to America from ancient Egypt, and claims his ancestors heroically defeated successive invasions of Vikings, Mexicans, and Englishmen. Never tiring of declaring his own racial superiority, Matty belittles Negroes as shiftless cowards, dismisses Polynesians as buffoons, and regards whites as deceitful devils. With the exception of the Seminoles, he views other Indians with contempt, and harbors a special loathing for the Iroquois. While his gang humors Matty’s muddled ideas about history—providing he remains quiet about Portagees and Lascars, of course—the rest of the Quids simply ignore “Big Chief Matty” when he starts “preaching.”

Although this is Mattashunama’s fourth whaling voyage, it’s the first time he’s signed on as boatsteerer. He learned to throw the iron from his friend and mentor, Bembo Burn, and was a member of Nathaniel Warnock’s boat crew on the Quiddity’s last voyage. After Whipple’s harpooneer was gravely injured by Mocha Dick, Matty was reassigned to Whipple’s crew as boatsteerer. As this occurred late in the voyage, Matty’s had only a few opportunities to cast his harpoon at a whale, but he keeps in practice on dolphins and sharks. He also finds their meat quite delicious! Unfortunately, Bembo Burn was killed in the Cauldron this October. This loss has placed yet another chip on Matty’s shoulder, and he sees no problem with directing his ire at Bembo’s replacement, Quakaloo. In tribute, Mattashunama has taken to wearing Bembo’s “lucky hat,” a floppy-brimmed oilskin lined with shark teeth.

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 The ship’s cooper, blacksmith, carpenter, cook, and steward are considered “idlers,” a cheerfully droll term that means they work during daylight hours and are exempt from the duty of hunting whales. The more formal term is “shipkeeper.” They are usually referred to by title alone. Player character Leland Chappell Morgan is the Quiddity’s blacksmith.

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Joseph S. Lovecraft, Jr. (Cooper)

Statistics
Age: 32, Nationality: English, Birthplace: Newton-Abbot, England 1812.

STR 60	CON 55	SIZ 60	DEX 70	INT 85
APP 50	POW 80	EDU 70	SAN 55	HP 11
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 55

Combat

Brawl	50% (25/10), damage 1D3
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	30% (15/6)

Skills
Accounting 25%, Anthropology 20%, Appraise 15%, Archeology 10%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 20%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 50%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 70%, Art/Craft (Poetry) 50%, Art/Craft (Woodcarving) 25%, Artillery 1%, Charm 5%, Climb 45%, Credit Rating 25%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 5%, First Aid 45%, History 45%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 15%, Jump 25%, Law 10%, Leadership 15%, Library Use 50%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 10%, Mechanical Repair 60%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 35%, Navigate 35%, Occult 25%, Operate Heavy Machinery 25%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 35%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 5%, Renown 10%, Ride 15%, Science (Astronomy) 30%, Science (Meteorology) 30%, Seamanship 50%, Sea Lore 20%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 20%, Survival 25%, Swim 20%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 60%.

Languages: French 60%, Latin 50%, Greek 40%

Description
Tall and ungainly with stiff black hair, a horse-like face, and comically large ears, Seph is the son of Joseph S. Lovecraft—H.P. Lovecraft’s great-grandfather. A carpenter and cooper, Lovecraft Senior emigrated from England in 1827, passing through Ontario before settling in Rochester in 1829. During the voyage from England, fifteen-year old “Seph” fell in love with shipboard life. After a few years struggling for attention within his large family, Seph decided to make his mark on the Protean sea. Mesmerized by the idea of whales—or as he carefully calls them, Leviathans—Seph shipped out in 1834 and hasn’t looked back.

A dreamy and nervous individual, Seph is the most unusual cooper in the Kingsport fishery. He excels at his trade, but his many peculiar habits are frequently off-putting to his shipmates. These include laughing at inappropriate times, deploying precise English phraseology, and nailing unusual messages to the mastheads: “Anyone interested in forming a reading circle to explore Homer’s Odyssey please see S. Lovecraft, ship’s cooper,” or “For the sake of futurity, would the gentleman who placed a tick of black paint on my reeming-beetle please consider seeking my permission before utilizing the caulking chest.”

Although Seph’s attempts to form reading circles have mostly failed, he remains undaunted, and hopes a few brave sailors will eventually “step up for an education.” Seph has placed himself in charge of the Quiddity’s “circulating library,” a trunk of books and magazines he lends upon request, carefully noting the name of the borrower, the date and time, and the exact condition of the book. His favorites tend towards Greek and Roman classics, but he’s become excessively fond of Edgar Allan Poe, whom he calls the “God of Fiction.” Seph longs to publish a ship-board newspaper, but can’t find anyone willing to help him copy enough editions to make it worthwhile. A strict atheist, Seph is fascinated by science and engineering, and hopes one day to explore the moon, which he’s sure will be reached through aëronautical technology à la Poe’s Hans Pfaall.

While Seph has grown accustomed to a certain amount of stubbornness from his shipboard companions, there’s one soul with the power to truly unnerve him: the captain of the Quiddity himself. Seph finds Joab terribly intimidating, and is constantly flustered by the captain’s awkward attempts at civility and his impromptu visits to discuss English verse. There’s also the fact Joab occasionally makes inscrutable requests, such as the secret creation of small black casks, or when he needed some outré passage translated from the Greek. Or the time Joab approached pounding his chest and crying out, “Cooper, man; canst thou tap a bung into the keg of my heart and drain this torrent of poison?” It’s clear that such irregularities are best kept quiet, but Seph worries that Joab may be gradually losing his mind.

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Stanley Ruch (Carpenter)

Statistics
Age: 58, Nationality: German-American, Birthplace: Ruchsville, Pennsylvania 1786.

STR 65	CON 75	SIZ 70	DEX 60	INT 65
APP 45	POW 70	EDU 65	SAN 70	HP 14
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 6	MP: 14	Luck: 85

Combat

Brawl	70% (35/14), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	60% (30/12), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	60% (30/12), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	30% (15/6)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 40%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 20%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 85%, Art/Craft (Chess) 70%, Art/Craft (Cooking) 40%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 45%, Art/Craft (Gunsmith) 50%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 25%, Art/Craft (Sewing) 65%, Art/Craft (Sing) 30%, Art/Craft (Woodcarving) 80%, Artillery 25%, Charm 45%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 45%, Demolitions 5%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 25%, First Aid 50%, History 35%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 10%, Jump 20%, Law 10%, Leadership 15%, Library Use 20%, Listen 5%, Locksmith 65%, Mechanical Repair 70%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 50%, Navigate 35%, Occult 15%, Operate Heavy Machinery 45%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 30%, Psychology 25%, Read Lips 40%, Religion (Lutheran) 20%, Renown 15%, Ride 20%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 40%, Seamanship 75%, Sea Lore 35%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 10%, Survival 20%, Swim 5%, Throw 20%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 65%.

Languages: Pennsylvania Dutch 60%, German 45%

Description
Stanley Ruch is a sturdy man with wisps of graying hair surrounding a balding pate and a “Dutchy” accent that would make the Amish scratch their head in puzzlement. Born on his family’s farm in Ruchsville, Stanley was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. When he was fourteen, his father took him to Philadelphia, and for the first time the farmboy laid eyes on the sea. It was love at first sight. Two years later Stanley decided he’d rather plow the waves than his family’s cornfields, and he joined the Navy. Serving onboard the Constitution during the War of 1812, Stanley learned everything he could about shipboard carpentry, and developed a knack for gunsmithing, too. He left the Navy in 1820 and settled in Kingsport. Stanley Ruch has served on the Quiddity from its maiden voyage onwards.

A first-rate carpenter, Stanley is also an expert sail-sewer, net-maker, bone-cutter, and could probably teach Seph Lovecraft a thing or two about cooperage. Kind-hearted but occasionally irascible, Stanley inhabits a strange world of his own; a small kingdom scented by sawdust and protected by homemade hex signs, where German Bible verses are engraved into tool handles and each chicken has her own pet name. An avid chess player, Stanley carves a new chess set every voyage, his most recent pitting white chickens against black crows. He’s also a surprisingly decent tenor, enjoys Jane Austen novels, and makes the best doughnuts on the ship. (There’s also his whale-oil funnel cake.) Although Stanley hasn’t stepped foot in Pennsylvania for years, no one in his family begrudges his strange defection. Indeed, he remains surprisingly close to his distant family, and receives numerous letters from countless brothers and sisters-in-law, nephews and nieces, grand-nephews and nieces, and cousins too many to count. Never failing to write is his beloved mother Nellie, who at the age of 86 still believes her youngest son will “return home to the farm.”

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Natty Weeks (Cook)

Statistics
Age 39, Nationality: African-American, Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland 1805.

STR 65	CON 85	SIZ 65	DEX 65	INT 65
APP 70	POW 75	EDU 50	SAN 70	HP 15
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 16	Luck: 80

Combat

Brawl	55% (27/11), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	55% (27/11)

Skills
Accounting 40%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 50%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 10%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 10%, Art/Craft (Cooking) 70%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 25%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 45%, Art/Craft (Sing) 65%, Artillery 1%, Charm 70%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 15%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 45%, First Aid 45%, History 15%, Hypnosis 10%, Intimidate 15%, Jump 25%, Law 15%, Leadership 40%, Library Use 25%, Listen 60%, Locksmith 10%, Mechanical Repair 35%, Medicine 35%, Natural World 35%, Navigate 15%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 25%, Persuade 75%, Pilot (Boat) 45%, Psychology 65%, Read Lips 10%, Religion (Baptist) 80%, Renown 10%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 15%, Seamanship 50%, Sea Lore 30%, Sleight of Hand 15%, Spot Hidden 35%, Stealth 20%, Survival 55%, Swim 40%, Throw 30%, Track 15%, Whalecraft 40%.

Description
Nathaniel Sunday Weeks was born in Baltimore to a free black family with colonial roots. He worked as a cook in an English-owned tavern, where Natty developed a romantic relationship with the owner’s daughter, Virginia. The couple ignored her father’s warnings and pursued their forbidden relationship. In 1826 a group of tree-cutters discovered the couple walking hand-in-hand through the woods. The only thing that stopped Natty from being lynched was his eloquent appeal to God, which had the unexpected effect of moving the group’s leader to tears. Rather than stringing Natty from a tree, the men administered a “merciful” beating and told him to leave Baltimore by sundown. Natty signed onto a packet ship that very evening.

Before long, Natty was working as a steward onboard a New Bedford whaler. He jumped ship in Tahiti, becoming involved with a native woman named Maimiti. After his relationship went sour, he fled to the Quiddity, and has served as her cook ever since. As far as ship’s cooks go, Natty is thankfully in the upper ranks, and has easily earned the traditional title of “doctor.” He’s open-minded about shipboard cuisine, interrogates foreign sailors for fresh recipes, and guards his collection of spices as if they were gold. Although there’s not much one can do with salt-horse and hardtack, Natty has been known to produce miracles from turtles, porpoises, and raw fish. Of course, being reserved for the officers, most of these “miracles” are never seen before the mast! And while Natty is refreshingly superior to most galley cooks, his mocking sense of humor and indifference to the complaints of hungry sailors is steadfastly traditional.

Despite his fondness for rum, tobacco, and colorful language, Natty Weeks is genuinely religious, and has a clear grasp of right and wrong. He’s got the spiritual acumen of a natural-born preacher, and has committed the entire Bible to memory. Natty has a scriptural verse for every occasion, whether that occasion calls for sincere solemnity or light-hearted humor. In many ways Natty is the Quiddity’s unofficial chaplain, and he leads a small religious service every Sunday by the mainmast. One of the victims of the Fire of ’39, Natty’s back is marked by a terrible checkerboard scar, caused when flaming rigging fell upon his shoulders and smoldered into his flesh.

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Thomas Plunkett (Steward)

Statistics
Age 25, Nationality: Irish, Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland 1819.

STR 50	CON 60	SIZ 55	DEX 75	INT 45
APP 40	POW 65	EDU 50	SAN 65	HP 11
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 8	MP: 13	Luck: 50

Combat

Brawl	50% (25/10), damage 1D3
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	30% (15/6)

Skills
Accounting 45%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 80%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 25%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 25%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 25%, Art/Craft (Cooking) 40%, Artillery 1%, Charm 10%, Climb 45%, Credit Rating 20%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 50%, First Aid 60%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 15%, Jump 25%, Law 30%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 50%, Locksmith 40%, Mechanical Repair 60%, Medicine 15%, Natural World 35%, Navigate 50%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 35%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 65%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Anglican) 50%, Renown 5%, Ride 10%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 15%, Science (Pharmacy) 25%, Seamanship 50%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 65%, Stealth 20%, Survival 30%, Swim 20%, Throw 50%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 40%.

Description
A thin, officious Irishman who nearly died of smallpox in his teens, Tommy Plunkett lives in constant fear of the captain, the mates, the harpooneers, and God. Accurately described as a “jack of all trades and master of none,” Plunkett makes an excellent shipkeeper: he’s mortally afraid of whales, but can jury-rig a temporary fix on anything from a broken tackle to a leaky boat. He’s also a surprisingly good helmsman and a half-decent cook. Unfortunately, none of these talents endear him to the foremasthands, who call him “Pocky” on account of his disease-scarred face. Their cruelty is not entirely unwarranted. In the manner of petty bureaucrats from time immemorial, Plunkett treats his superiors with sniveling subservience and showers his inferiors with mean-spirited contempt. He’s particularly cruel to greenhorns, and is not above grifting, blackmail, and extortion. Plunkett is also breathtakingly racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic—he even regards his own Irishness with suspicion. Having converted to Protestantism as a young man, he regards the Irish with loathing, and rather thinks the British are fine fair fellows.

Plunkett’s prized possession is a collection of pornographic daguerreotypes he stole from a brothel in Honolulu. He charges sailors a penny to look at them; two pennies to hold them, and three pennies to borrow them in the privacy of the head.

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 The remainder of the Quiddity’s crew is listed in order of sailing experience. All of these men sleep in the forecastle.

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Peter Veidt (“Old Dutch,” “The Bosun”)

Age 46, Nationality: Dutch, Birthplace: Amsterdam, Holland 1798. Able Seaman.

STR 65	CON 70	SIZ 65	DEX 60	INT 70
APP 55	POW 60	EDU 65	SAN 55	HP 13
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 6	MP: 12	Luck: 60

Combat

Brawl	75% (37/15), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 10%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 20%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 20%, Art/Craft (Chess) 85%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 30%, Art/Craft (Scrimshaw) 80%, Art/Craft (Sing) 50%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 75%, Credit Rating 15%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 65%, First Aid 50%, History 30%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 25%, Jump 25%, Law 20%, Leadership 55%, Library Use 20%, Listen 40%, Locksmith 5%, Mechanical Repair 50%, Medicine 10%, Natural World 45%, Navigate 60%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 35%, Persuade 50%, Pilot (Boat) 70%, Psychology 35%, Read Lips 5%, Religion (Lutheran) 20%, Renown 20%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 25%, Science (Meteorology) 35%, Seamanship 80%, Sea Lore 75%, Sleight of Hand 5%, Spot Hidden 75%, Stealth 10%, Survival 30%, Swim 25%, Throw 50%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 70%.

Languages: Dutch native, English 65%, German 50%, Spanish 20%, Pidgin Chinese 10%, Portuguese 10%

Description
Covered with tattoos from head to foot, Peter Veidt is the classic tar—never aspiring to be anything other than a deckhand, he can’t imagine any other way of life. Always ready with a sea story from the Old Dutch Fishery, Veidt personally knows every famous whale by name, and there’s never a gam where Veidt doesn’t encounter an “old friend.” Veidt boasts of having two wives: Rose in Kingsport, and Romana on the Falkland Islands. Although neither is particularly faithful, neither is he; and he’s good natured about the whole situation. (In fact, he suspects both wives are aware of each other.) Renown for his sharp eyesight and powerful baritone, Veidt enjoys standing watch, and calls out whales with cheerful aplomb and an unerring attention to detail: “Three Parmaceti off the larboard bow; a cow and two calves, and I think it might by Old Mary from last month, which took away Whipple’s prize iron!” Veidt is the best chess player onboard the Quiddity. Last voyage he created his own set using shark’s teeth for pawns and sperm-whale teeth as kings, each etched with Father Neptune’s stony features. He carved the remaining pieces from whalebone: pillars of coral for rooks, seahorses for knights, cuttlefish for bishops, and mermaids as queens; Cunty Quid as white and Queen Salacia as black. Even Stanley Ruch offered his compliments, and the two frequently play during the dogwatch.

Knowledgeable but never arrogant, hard-edged but never cruel, Old Dutch mentors the younger sailors, and does his best to keep the forecastle running smoothly. This self-appointed role has earned him the nickname “Bosun,” sometimes applied respectful and sometimes mockingly, particularly by more unruly members of the crew. He enjoys his position of authority, but is careful never to question the actual chain of command. If the captain ordered him to leap overboard and dive for starfish at the bottom of the Pacific, Old Dutch would do so without question. However, said captain shouldn’t be surprised to find himself the subject of a particularly nasty ditty passed around the fishery: “Mean Cap’n Macy / Too foul for a lass / Had me divin’ for starfish / Just to look at me ass / So I dove down deep / I almost drown! / But the cap’n was happy / Me starfish was brown!”

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Owen Morrison Love (“Uncle Owen”)

Age 45, Nationality: Australian, Birthplace: Van Diemen’s Land, 1799. Able Seaman.

STR 50	CON 70	SIZ 60	DEX 65	INT 60
APP 65	POW 70	EDU 60	SAN 70	HP 13
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 7	MP: 14	Luck: 70

Combat

Brawl	60% (30/12), damage 1D3
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 15%, Anthropology 20%, Appraise 15%, Archeology 10%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 20%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 50%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 25%, Art/Craft (Chess) 25%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 65%, Art/Craft (Sing) 75%, Artillery 1%, Charm 65%, Climb 50%, Credit Rating 15%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 65%, First Aid 45%, History 15%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 25%, Law 10%, Leadership 15%, Library Use 20%, Listen 45%, Locksmith 50%, Mechanical Repair 65%, Medicine 15%, Natural World 45%, Navigate 50%, Occult 10%, Operate Heavy Machinery 60%, Persuade 25%, Pilot (Boat) 65%, Psychology 15%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 5%, Renown 10%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 35%, Seamanship 75%, Sea Lore 40%, Sleight of Hand 65%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 45%, Survival 35%, Swim 25%, Throw 60%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 55%.

Languages: Hawaiian 10%

Description
Born in Tasmania to a transplanted Cape Cod whaleman, Owen Love is a salty old rogue with an incredible breadth of knowledge and an eccentric and rambling disposition. Shipping from Port Jackson at the age of fifteen, Owen settled into a routine working the new Wright, Thompson, Marshall, & Thompson Line between New York and Liverpool. Rising to the position of mate, he was disrated in 1835 for perpetual drunkenness—a situation made worse when he was found stealing liquor from the captain’s cabin. Tossed ashore at Liverpool, he made his way to Adelaide, where he married Miss Nancy Blair and found work building the docks. After Nancy “fired a pistol at my drunken arse,” Owen fled South Australia on a British whaler. On his second whaling voyage, he jumped ship in Lahaina to dally with a pair of Hawaiian sisters. Discovering that polygamous domesticity didn’t live up to his expectations—“Two fillies, aye, but twice the nagging! Am I bloody right, Dutch?”—he joined the crew of the Quiddity in 1842.

White-haired and prematurely aged by the sea, Owen Love is nevertheless ruggedly handsome, and is quite popular among the crew. If Peter Veidt is the charismatic father keeping the whelps in line, Owen is the kindly old uncle—easily fuddled, but filled with useful information and helpful suggestions. As he’s done on more voyages than he remembers, “Uncle Owen” acts as the Quiddity’s shantyman—during periods of work, he makes up for his lack of strength in body with a vigor of voice. He knows every song ever sung at sea, and makes sure the Quids have an education in regional shanties far exceeding most Yankee whalers. He’s also written a few of his own, and has been tickled pink that his capstan shanty “Rolling King” has begun to “catch on.”

---

Henry Swain

Age 35, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Nantucket, 1809. Able Seaman.

STR 85	CON 80	SIZ 60	DEX 65	INT 40
APP 55	POW 45	EDU 35	SAN 45	HP 14
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 9	Luck: 45

Combat

Brawl	60% (30/12), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills  
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 5%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 5%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 10%, Art/Craft (Concertina) 45%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 5%, Art/Craft (Sing) 45%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 65%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 50%, First Aid 40%, History 10%, Hypnosis 40%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 45%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Library Use 20%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 20%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 30%, Navigate 15%, Occult 20%, Operate Heavy Machinery 20%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 25%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Superstition) 75%, Renown 1%, Ride 20%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 10%, Seamanship 35%, Sea Lore 50%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 45%, Stealth 20%, Survival 50%, Swim 60%, Throw 40%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 40%.

Description
A crusty Nantucketer from a family of whalers, Henry Swain is a blocky, middle-aged man whose bald pate is marred by a terrible scar. Taciturn and grumpy, Swain minds his business, and expects you to mind yours—and that includes not asking about his scar! Nevertheless, older hands are always ready to tell the story for him, whether Swain likes it or not. Henry Swain’s first whaling voyage was upon the infamous Grampus, the Nantucket whaler that fell victim to a savage mutiny in 1827. Led by a motley crew that included the mate, two harpooneers, and Seymour the cook, the mutineers intended to transform the Grampus into a pirate ship. The result was a bloodbath. Rather than trust the common sailors, they were imprisoned in the forecastle and brought forth one-by-one to be executed. When it was Swain’s turn, he was dragged to the side of the ship, where Seymour awaited with an axe. Fortunately for Swain, the cook’s muscles were fatigued from smashing over a dozen heads. The blow glanced off Swain’s skull and tore through his scalp. The cook raised the axe for a second swing, but slipped on brains and gore, toppling into Swain and knocking him overboard. Swain survived by clinging to a piece of wreckage, and was rescued two days later. Perhaps even more miraculous, Swain continued whaling!

Swain is among the Quiddity’s most superstitious sailors, and never passes up an opportunity to invoke some obscure folk remedy or old wives’ tale. He wears a wren’s feather in his hat, carries a four-leaf clover, and has the words “GOOD LUCK” tattooed across his knuckles. He claims to have “psychical powers” on account of his head wound, and says he can “read the future” in the motions of the rigging. Lately he’s been learning mesmerism, which he practices on willing greenhorns using a broken pocket watch.

---

Pig Bodine

Statistics
Age 26, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Long Island, New York 1818. Able Seaman.

STR 85	CON 85	SIZ 80	DEX 45	INT 50
APP 55	POW 75	EDU 50	SAN 75	HP 16
DB: +1D6	Build: 2	Move: 8	MP: 15	Luck: 85

Combat

Brawl	80% (40/16), damage 1D3+1D6
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D6
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D6 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D6
Pistol	50% (25/10), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	50% (25/10), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 45%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 10%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 15%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 20%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 65%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 45%, Art/Craft (Sing) 45%, Artillery 1%, Charm 55%, Climb 55%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 15%, Disguise 15%, Fast Talk 65%, First Aid 45%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 70%, Jump 45%, Law 5%, Leadership 15%, Library Use 10%, Listen 25%, Locksmith 75%, Mechanical Repair 75%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 25%, Navigate 20%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 50%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 60%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 10%, Renown 10%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 15%, Seamanship 65%, Sea Lore 60%, Sleight of Hand 60%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 65%, Survival 30%, Swim 10%, Throw 45%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 35%.

Description
When mothers and fathers worry about the chastity of their girls in port towns, it’s sailors like Pig Bodine who loom in their minds: big, brawny, full of piss and vinegar, ready with a hearty laugh or a reckless fist, certain to end up drunk in jail or dead in a gutter. A larger-than-life character with an heroic tolerance for spirits, Pig Bodine—no one knows his Christian name—is always up for drinking, gambling, whoring, sodomy, desertion, and occasionally a little whaling. Despite this, he’s not really such a bad guy, and has a sentimental side that comes out after a few cups of grog. And he’ll always buy a friend a drink. Unless he happens to be drunk in jail or dead in a gutter.

Normally sailors don’t like to say the word “pig” out loud, and many foremasthands refer to Bodine by his last name only. Pig and his friends think this is hilarious, and obtain a perverse pleasure in using his nickname loudly and often. It’s just one more thing that sets Whipple’s gang apart from the others.

---

Suresh Joshi

Age 28, Nationality: Indian, Birthplace: Surat, India 1816. Able Seaman.

STR 80	CON 75	SIZ 75	DEX 75	INT 70
APP 60	POW 65	EDU 50	SAN 65	HP 15
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 65

Combat

Brawl	75% (37/15), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	50% (25/10), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	55% (27/11), damage 2D6+1+1D4 (Toggle gig)
Lance	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	60% (30/12)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 10%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 15%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 15%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 10%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 55%, Art/Craft (Scrimshaw) 35%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 70%, Credit Rating 20%, Cthulhu Mythos 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 25%, First Aid 45%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 50%, Jump 40%, Law 5%, Leadership 25%, Library Use 20%, Listen 40%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 60%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 35%, Navigate 20%, Occult 35%, Operate Heavy Machinery 25%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 60%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Hindu) 25%, Renown 10%, Ride 10%, Science (Astronomy) 20%, Science (Meteorology) 15%, Science (Pharmacy) 30%, Seamanship 70%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 60%, Survival 60%, Swim 55%, Throw 75%, Track 15%, Whalecraft 45%.

Languages: Marathi native; English 65%, Tamil 50%, Malay 45%, Hindi 40%, Portuguese 20%, Spanish 15%

Description
Suresh Talank Joshi was born in India to a Bombay sepoy and a half-Tamil mother from Nepal. A large, beefy man with hooded eyes and an enigmatic smile, Joshi went to sea at the age of fourteen, employed as a Lascar sailor by the East India Company. After a decade with the East India, Joshi made his way to America, where he signed the articles of the Quiddity just in time for her ill-fated third voyage. Assigned to Whipple’s boat, Joshi and the third mate soon became fast friends. This relationship intensified when they were cast adrift after encountering Mocha Dick. The two men spent 29 days surviving in a whaleboat, and the experience has forged an unbreakable bond between them. Indeed, Joshi has set his sights on becoming a boatsteerer. Under the mentorship of Mattashunama, he’s developed an excellent throwing arm by skewering unlucky porpoises, dolphins, and sharks.

Like most of Whipple’s crew, Joshi has a hard edge, a tense hostility that never quite erupts into open conflict. Up until Joseph Coffin was appointed second mate, Joshi believed he’d be sailing under Whipple as his harpooneer. Forced to remain “before the mast,” Joshi takes out his frustrations on the seamen he’d hoped to leave behind, treating his fellow foremasthands with thinly-veiled contempt. Although Joshi could have switched ships, both he and Whipple seem incapable of leaving the Quiddity. In his darker moments, Joshi wonders if she’s part of their terrible secret, a wooden goddess who demands unwavering devotion. He once shared his apprehensions with Whipple, who cursed his “mad heathen brain.” Nevertheless, from that point on, Joshi noticed that Whipple always managed to spill a little grog onto the deck before drinking it himself.

Joshi has some Mythos knowledge, mostly centering around sea-cults and South Pacific folklore. He’s heard the stories of Walakea’s Island, and suspects that the Marshes of Innsmouth and the Tuttles of Kingsport are involved in something much stranger than “witchcraft.” While Joshi finds this undeniably intriguing, it’s also cause for alarm—there are ancient forces in the universe that should not be disturbed. Just ask Elijah Watts.

---

Ricardo Reis (“Spider”)

Age 25, Nationality: Portuguese, Birthplace: Lisbon, Portugal 1819. Able Seaman.

STR 75	CON 65	SIZ 55	DEX 90	INT 75
APP 80	POW 80	EDU 60	SAN 80	HP 12
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 9	MP: 16	Luck: 75

Combat

Brawl	60% (30/12), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	20% (10/4), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	80% (40/16)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 15%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 10%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 15%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 25%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 40%, Art/Craft (Poetry) 60%, Artillery 1%, Charm 75%, Climb 85%, Credit Rating 15%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 80%, First Aid 35%, History 40%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 65%, Law 5%, Leadership 20%, Library Use 20%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 40%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 45%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 30%, Persuade 70%, Pilot (Boat) 45%, Psychology 55%, Read Lips 80%, Religion (Catholic) 55%, Renown 5%, Ride 15%, Science (Astronomy) 15%, Science (Meteorology) 25%, Seamanship 60%, Sea Lore 75%, Sleight of Hand 65%, Spot Hidden 55%, Stealth 45%, Survival 25%, Swim 20%, Throw 40%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 55%.

Languages: Portuguese native; Spanish 50%, English 45%

Description
A Portagee from the Azores, Ricardo Reis made his first whaling voyage onboard the Illsley whaler Old Windsor before transferring to the Quiddity in 1841. He hasn’t quite made up his mind about whaling: the pay is lousy, the work is excruciating, and the whales themselves are pretty goddamn dangerous. But there’s something undeniably romantic about the venture, and he’s decided that maybe third time’s the charm! A handsome, athletic man, Ricardo is an excellent writer, keeping several journals filled with stories and poetic verse. His favorite place on ship is the foremast lookout—he’s the most adroit climber onboard the Quiddity, hence the nickname “Spider.” He claims to get his best ideas while aloft, and may often be heard reciting Portuguese stanzas to the wind and waves. Though most of the crew can’t understand his poetry, all are mesmerized by his stories, most of them wildly improbable yarns involving a sailor named José: “And one day José found a village where everyone was struck by sudden blindness! This was before Portugal broke off from Spain and carried him to sea, of course…”

---

Ao’nalu (“Oonaloo” or “Lou Kanaka”)

Age 20, Nationality: Hawaiian, Birthplace: Sandwich Islands, 1824. Able Seaman

STR 75	CON 65	SIZ 80	DEX 55	INT 65
APP 50	POW 60	EDU 30	SAN 60	HP 14
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 60

Combat

Brawl	70% (35/14), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	40% (20/8), damage 1D8+1+DB
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	30% (15/6)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 5%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 5%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 10%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 5%, Art/Craft (Miscellaneous) 50%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 10%, Cthulhu Mythos 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 20%, First Aid 40%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 20%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Library Use 20%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 25%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 30%, Navigate 20%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 20%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 20%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 5%, Renown 1%, Ride 5%, Science (Astronomy) 40%, Science (Meteorology) 10%, Seamanship 20%, Sea Lore 15%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 20%, Survival 25%, Swim 80%, Throw 60%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 50%.

Languages: Hawaiian native; English 15%

Description
Ao’nalu (“Dawn Surf”) is a hefty Hawaiian with a scarred face and a perpetual squint. Although this is only his second whaling voyage, Ao’nalu has a weird fondness for chopping blubber, and is easily the best spademan aboard the ship—although he’s missing two of his toes, chopped off by accident on the blubber room floor. Ao’nalu is friendly and perpetually cheerful; with a roaring, full-bodied laugh and a desire to make friends, he’s one of the most well-regarded sailors in the forecastle. Although most of the crew calls him “Oonaloo,” which is the best they can pronounce his Polynesian name, he’s listed in the records as “Lou Kanaka.” He’s been trying to improve his English, practicing with his friend Israel Reed as they work the blubber room. One of his favorite pastimes is lounging in a whaleboat smoking hemp, pointing out Hawaiian constellations to his American friends and inventing stories about fictional Polynesian gods and heroes.

---

Virgil Caine (“Cowboy”)

Age 27, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Hatter’s Hollow, Kentucky 1817. Ordinary Seaman.

STR 75	CON 65	SIZ 70	DEX 70	INT 55
APP 75	POW 70	EDU 50	SAN 70	HP 13
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 14	Luck: 70

Combat

Brawl	75% (37/15), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	50% (25/10), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	75% (37/15), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	65% (32/13), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	60% (30/12)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 5%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Banjo) 55%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 5%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 10%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 10%, Art/Craft (Guitar) 65%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 60%, Art/Craft (Roping) 70%, Art/Craft (Sing) 65%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 55%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 20%, First Aid 45%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 50%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Library Use 20%, Listen 40%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 15%, Medicine 20%, Natural World 30%, Navigate 20%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 20%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Renown 1%, Ride 70%, Science (Astronomy) 10%, Science (Meteorology) 10%, Seamanship 20%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 20%, Survival 30%, Swim 20%, Throw 80%, Track 55%, Whalecraft 40%.

Languages: Spanish 20%

Description
Nicknamed “Cowboy” by the crew, Virgil Caine is a Kentucky native who drifted southwest, working at various ranches and farms until he was caught robbing a Texas rancher. Running from the law, he made it to New Orleans before shipping to Boston. Upon hearing that his Kentucky homestead had burned down with all souls perished in the fire, the bereaved outlaw decided to try his hand at wrangling an entirely different sort of beast, and signed on the Quiddity. Although the last voyage gave him more adventure than he was expecting, he rather enjoyed the life. Virgil has set his sights on becoming a harpooneer, and plans to spend the voyage harassing Ulysses Dixon about throwing the iron.

Cowboy is well-liked, which is hardly surprising. He has an easygoing manner and a sense of good humor; although perceptive crewmates notice a hidden sadness in him, a melancholy that occasionally comes out when he plays his battered guitar. He’s an excellent singer, and his guitar adds an unusual element to forecastle merriment, especially when he adapts sea-songs to the strumming melodies of his beloved heartland. Cowboy is also a master of the lariat, and enjoys demonstrating his rope-skills to astonished seamen. The fascination is mutual, and Cowboy never tires of learning more about “Yankee” seamanship, although the relative freedom of Negroes and Indians makes him somewhat uncomfortable. Especially that Matty Shoe, who reminds him a bit of the Comanches.

---

Zimri Folger

Age 22, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Nantucket, 1821. Ordinary Seaman.

STR 55	CON 65	SIZ 60	DEX 80	INT 70
APP 75	POW 50	EDU 60	SAN 50	HP 12
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 8	MP: 10	Luck: 50

Combat

Brawl	40% (20/8), damage 1D3
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	80% (40/16)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 5%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Acting) 40%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 5%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 40%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 30%, Art/Craft (Sing) 40%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 80%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 50%, Fast Talk 20%, First Aid 35%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 20%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Library Use 20%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 70%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 30%, Navigate 25%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 20%, Persuade 20%, Pilot (Boat) 50%, Psychology 30%, Read Lips 45%, Religion 20%, Renown 1%, Ride 50%, Science (Astronomy) 15%, Science (Meteorology) 10%, Seamanship 35%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 55%, Stealth 45%, Survival 10%, Swim 60%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 40%.

Description
The son of a Brant Point shipwright, “Zim” Folger fostered aspirations of becoming an actor—a desire that perplexed his family from the time he was a child, when he’d memorize Biblical verses and perform passion plays in full costume. Trained by his father as a carpenter, Zim ran off to New York at the age of fifteen, where he tried to earn a living performing Shakespeare. Though he wasn’t half-bad, he was only half-good, and he became disgruntled by his lack of success. One night in the Bowery he conceived a half-baked plan: he would sign onto a whaling ship, earn a ton of money, then return to Nantucket and claim he’d found his fortune on the stage. Zim traveled to Kingsport and shipped out on the Ganymede. Things didn’t go quite according to plan, and he returned actually in debt—confused by the lay system, Zim also made liberal use of the slop chest. There were also certain gambling losses… After foolishly borrowing money from the Powderhouse Ghouls, Zim hastily signed the articles of the next departing whaleship—the Quiddity.

Zimri Folger is a bright young man, but easily disappointed and prone to making bad decisions. Despite his many setbacks, his sense of romanticism has not yet soured into cynicism. Lacking upper-body strength, Zim compensates by his remarkable agility, and only Spider is more nimble in the rigging. His skills in carpentry have also proved valuable, and Stanley Ruch and Seph Lovecraft share Zimri as an unofficial assistant. Zim especially likes Lovecraft, who not only tolerates his theatrical mannerisms, but sees him as something of a protégé, and a willing partner in—who knows? Perhaps forming a Tempest study circle, or even founding a shipboard theatrical company? In any event, if Zim decides to go whaling again, it will certainly be as a carpenter or cooper. The steerage section seems like heaven compared with the forecastle!

---

Israel Reed (“Guppy”)

Age 20, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Hobb’s End, New Hampshire 1824. Ordinary Seaman.

STR 65	CON 85	SIZ 55	DEX 75	INT 65
APP 85	POW 65	EDU 35	SAN 65	HP 14
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 9	MP: 13	Luck: 65

Combat

Brawl	55% (27/11), damage 1D3
Sword	30% (15/6), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	45% (22/9)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 5%, Appraise 55%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Blacksmith) 5%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 10%, Art/Craft (Cooking) 25%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 5%, Art/Craft (Grafitti) 60%, Art/Craft (Sing) 50%, Artillery 1%, Charm 80%, Climb 50%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 75%, First Aid 40%, History 10%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 55%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Library Use 20%, Listen 45%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 15%, Medicine 5%, Natural World 30%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 20%, Persuade 65%, Pilot (Boat) 45%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Renown 1%, Ride 30%, Science (Astronomy) 15%, Science (Meteorology) 10%, Seamanship 30%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 80%, Stealth 35%, Survival 20%, Swim 5%, Throw 35%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 45%.

Description
A dashing young man with a bright smile and a quick wit, Israel Reed is Ao’nalu’s pike-and-gaff man. During the times he’s not occupied in the blubber room, he may be found manning a lookout—Reed takes great pleasure in standing watch, and his eyesight is unmatched among the crew. He also enjoys assisting Natty Weeks in the galley. A bit of a dandy, Reed never misses a chance to restock his wardrobe in port. He’s also something of a ladies’ man, and is famous in the fo’c’s’le for his tales of sexual misconduct. Despite Reed’s lack of education, he has a deft command of the English language, whether in poetry, song, or just plain bullshitting. He loves reading, especially gothic tales and erotica, and no one—perhaps save Joab—can deliver an insult or a compliment with such verbal dexterity.

Natty Weeks bestowed young Reed with his nickname on the previous voyage—“Boy, you’ll eat anything, like some damn guppy, just gup-gup-gup an’ down the hatch it goes!” The doctor wasn’t lying. Reed will eagerly consume anything that won’t kill a man outright: fish-heads, whale-brain pudding, porpoise milk, oil-fried seagull, living minnows; all are shoveled cheerfully into his cast-iron stomach. Occasionally the crew offers Reed a challenge, each man ponying up a dollar if he’ll consume something truly horrific: worms, cockroaches, rat stew, goat eyeballs, that sort of thing. Most recently, Reed won $25 consuming a still-living octopus, its tentacles fighting him all the way down!

---

Tisquantum (“Tom Redman”)

Age 19, Nationality: Wampanoag/American, Birthplace: Martha’s Vineyard 1825. Ordinary Seaman.

STR 75	CON 60	SIZ 75	DEX 50	INT 55
APP 70	POW 60	EDU 40	SAN 60	HP 13
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 75

Combat

Brawl	75% (37/15), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 1%, Appraise 20%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 10%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 35%, Art/Craft (Knotwork) 50%, Art/Craft (Sing) 45%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 65%, Credit Rating 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 15%, Fast Talk 55%, First Aid 40%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 45%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 25%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 70%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 25%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 25%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 50%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Ride 25%, Seamanship 40%, Sea Lore 40%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 55%, Stealth 60%, Survival 60%, Swim 20%, Throw 40%, Track 25%, Whalecraft 30%.

Languages: Wampanoag native; English 45%

Description
A muscular Gay-Head Indian, Tisquantum comes from a long line of whalers, and most of his family have shipped out with white men all across New England. This is his first Pacific voyage, however, and he’s excited by the adventure. He has a pleasantly affable nature, speaking articulate but accented English, and has few political leanings—Tisquantum feels neither oppressed nor angry at his lot, and judges everyone based on how they treat the people around them. He selected the name “Tom” himself, an homage to a friend of his father’s, a tracker from New London. An excellent fisherman, Tisquantum has a diverse array of other talents. He loves to sing, play cards, and putter about with rope. He’s also a gifted mechanic, and has an innate understanding of how machines are put together—there’s very little Tom can’t repair!

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Duke Nelson (“Jubilee”)

Age 23, Nationality: African-American, Birthplace: Boston. Greenhorn.

STR 65	CON 60	SIZ 55	DEX 70	INT 65
APP 80	POW 75	EDU 50	SAN 70	HP 11
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 9	MP: 17	Luck: 75

Combat

Brawl	60% (30/12), damage 1D3
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 1%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Carpentry) 5%, Art/Craft (Banjo) 65%, Art/Craft (Barbering) 70%, Art/Craft (Sing) 60%, Artillery 1%, Charm 20%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 10%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 10%, First Aid 30%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 20%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 20%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 25%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 30%, Occult 10%, Operate Heavy Machinery 15%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Millerism) 75%, Ride 20%, Seamanship 15%, Sea Lore 5%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 20%, Survival 25%, Swim 20%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 5%.

Description
Born to a working-class family on Belknap Street in the black neighborhood of Beacon Hill, Duke Nelson worked as a barber; but his brother was a sailor, and Duke was always fascinated by Boston’s maritime trade. Devout members of the First African Baptist Church, the Nelsons became increasingly obsessed with the doctrine of Millerism, the Adventist belief that the return of Christ was imminent. Soon the family was traveling the country to hear Millerite prophets speak, and Duke’s father became active in circulating copies of the Sign of the Times. Falling under the sway of Reverend George Black and the visionary prophet William Foy, the entire Nelson family became convinced that Jesus Christ would return on October 22, 1844.

Of course this didn’t happen; a non-event that shook the Millerite community to its core. But despite his personal disappointment, that night Duke had a powerful dream. A flaming angel appeared to him—a real Biblical angel; terrifying with its multiple heads and many-eyed wings—and bestowed Duke with the Truth. Everyone was wrong: William Miller, Samuel Snow, Joshua Himes, Reverend Black. The Rapture’s true date was June 22, 1846. But—and here’s the kicker—it would only occur if Duke himself were present to bear witness. And where exactly would this take place? Why, thousands of miles across the ocean…

Duke awoke to find himself in a dreamy state of compliance. Following an instinct he barely understood, he boarded the Eastern Railroad from Boston to Arkham, then traveled to Kingsport and signed the articles of the Quiddity. The moment he did so, the feeling abandoned him, leaving Duke scared and confused. After a night spent wrestling with his conscience, Duke decided to see his burden through. He would sail to meet the Rapture.

A generally upbeat but slightly eccentric young man, Duke has a fashion sense all his own. He wears a paisley scarf purchased from an Indian merchant in Boston, a purple yelek given to him by a Turk, and a Basque beret with a distinct raspberry color. His experience hanging around the Harbor gives him more sailing knowledge than the average greenhorn, and he’s well-liked by the crew. While they tease Duke for his exotic taste in clothing, his talk of the Midnight Cry and the Year of Jubilee is a different matter, amusing some sailors and unnerving others. Soon after the voyage begins, Veidt gives him the nickname “Jubilee.” Duke takes the crew’s teasing with good humor; but inside he’s actually a bit distressed: where did that feeling of certainty go? And will the angel ever come back?

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Patrick All-Saints Garcia (“Paddy”)

Age 19, Nationality: Irish/Mexican American, Birthplace: Red Hook, Brooklyn 1825. Greenhorn.

STR 85	CON 65	SIZ 65	DEX 85	INT 45
APP 60	POW 45	EDU 50	SAN 45	HP 13
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 9	MP: 9	Luck: 95

Combat

Brawl	80% (40/16), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	50% (25/10), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	80% (40/16)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 1%, Appraise 20%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 50%, Art/Craft (Sing) 60%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 50%, Credit Rating 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 40%, Fast Talk 40%, First Aid 50%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 60%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 10%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 15%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion (Catholic) 60%, Ride 5%, Seamanship 15%, Sea Lore 1%, Sleight of Hand 70%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 70%, Survival 30%, Swim 5%, Throw 50%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 10%.

Description
A young boxer from the Five Points, Patrick All-Saints Garcia is an awkward but reasonably handsome lad with rust-colored hair and coal black eyes. Taut and wiry, he seems like a spring always ready to snap. Unfortunately, his attitude is similar to his bearing. Paddy is always spoiling for a fight. Although he doesn’t have any particular reason to bear the world such ill-will, he welcomes any chance at confrontation, and takes immediate offense at the smallest perceived slight. Despite this lack of Christian charity, Paddy is intensely devout, his Catholicism a strange blend of his mother’s shanty Irish and his father’s Mexican hoodoo: a large tattoo of Saint Patrick graces his back, one hand clutching a flintlock pistol and the other strangling a serpent. Paddy fled New York for reasons of sheer survival—he failed to throw a fight as instructed, and thus incurred the wrath of William Poole, the head of the Washington Street Gang. A few years at sea should give everyone a chance to cool down, right?

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Isaac Townshend (“The Professor”)

Age 22, Nationality: African-American, Birthplace: New York City 1822. Greenhorn.

STR 50	CON 70	SIZ 60	DEX 80	INT 85
APP 70	POW 75	EDU 60	SAN 75	HP 13
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 8	MP: 15	Luck: 25

Combat

Brawl	55% (27/11), damage 1D3
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	35% (17/7)

Skills
Accounting 35%, Anthropology 15%, Appraise 30%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Concertina) 75%, Art/Craft (Composition) 60%, Art/Craft (Piano) 85%, Art/Craft (Sing) 70%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 10%, First Aid 30%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 35%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 90%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 10%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 15%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Renown 10%, Ride 50%, Seamanship 15%, Sea Lore 25%, Sleight of Hand 70%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 40%, Survival 25%, Swim 20%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 20%.

Languages: French 35%

Description
Hailing from a well-to-do family of Negro artists, writers, and abolitionists, Isaac Townshend is a natural genius of the piano, possessing a gift for improvisation that might have led to a fascinating career in New York City had he been white. Unfortunately for the musical avant-garde, one of Townshend’s recent gigs was playing the piano for Jonah’s Amazing Whaling Panorama. After a few weeks listening to the exciting—and certainly exaggerated—exploits of whaling on the high seas, Townshend foolishly decided to try it out for himself. Leaving his touring company in the lurch, he deserted his keyboard for ivories of an entirely different kind, and signed onto the Quiddity.

It won’t take long for Townshend to realize the enormity of his mistake: life in the forecastle is thoroughly miserable, and shipboard duties have blighted his talented hands with unsightly callouses. Also: whales are fucking terrifying in person. Still, he made his bed and must now lie in it, and it’s not in his nature to complain. Having said that, Townshend naturally gravitates to anyone with some modicum of culture, and maintains his connection to the Muse by playing the concertina. He’s also accepted the inevitable nickname “Professor,” even though he’s never played piano in a brothel. Well…maybe one or two.

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James Cabot (“Little Jimmy”)

Age 17, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Kingsport, Massachusetts 1827. Greenhorn.

STR 50	CON 65	SIZ 55	DEX 75	INT 50
APP 80	POW 50	EDU 20	SAN 50	HP 13
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 8	MP: 10	Luck: 50

Combat

Brawl	55% (27/11), damage 1D3
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	35% (17/7)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 1%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Sketching) 60%, Art/Craft (Woodcarving) 25%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 50%, Credit Rating 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 5%, Fast Talk 15%, First Aid 35%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 30%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 10%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 15%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Ride 20%, Seamanship 20%, Sea Lore 5%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 30%, Survival 10%, Swim 20%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 10%.

Description
James Cabot is a quiet, serious boy from the same Kingsport family that produced Mayor Sherwood and Biter the Powderhouse Ghoul. Making his very first outing at sea, “Little Jimmy” hopes to distinguish himself in any way possible—after all, one day he’ll be captain of his own ship! Other than this adolescent belief in his own destiny, Jimmy is a fairly modest lad, and rather girlishly attractive. This sense of “delicacy” is underlined by his sole hobby: Jimmy is a very talented artist, and he spends his idle hours sketching by the bowsprit. His subjects are mostly shipboard life; but after receiving some mockery from the crew, he’s learned to hide away his favorite sketches. It’s not Jimmy’s fault his comrades can’t see the beauty of their labors; beads of sweat glistening on their naked backs as they haul on the windlass, bulging muscles clearly defined by his charcoal…

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William Crow (“Penguin Bill”)

Age 16, Nationality: African-American, Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia 1828. Greenhorn.

STR 80	CON 90	SIZ 75	DEX 60	INT 55
APP 45	POW 60	EDU 20	SAN 50	HP 16
DB: +1D4	Build: 1	Move: 8	MP: 12	Luck: 35

Combat

Brawl	70% (35/14), damage 1D3+1D4
Sword	20% (10/4), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Harpoon	15% (7/3), damage 1D10+1+1D4 (Two-flued)
Lance	15% (7/3), damage 1D8+1+1D4
Pistol	30% (15/6), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	25% (12/5), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	35% (17/7)

Skills
Accounting 5%, Anthropology 1%, Appraise 5%, Archeology 1%, Art/Craft (Miscellaneous) 35%, Artillery 1%, Charm 15%, Climb 40%, Credit Rating 5%, Demolitions 1%, Disguise 45%, Fast Talk 65%, First Aid 30%, History 5%, Hypnosis 1%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 20%, Law 5%, Leadership 5%, Library Use 20%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 45%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 20%, Navigate 30%, Occult 5%, Operate Heavy Machinery 15%, Persuade 10%, Pilot (Boat) 45%, Psychology 10%, Read Lips 1%, Religion 20%, Renown 2%, Ride 65%, Seamanship 15%, Sea Lore 1%, Sleight of Hand 10%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 65%, Survival 45%, Swim 5%, Throw 30%, Track 35%, Whalecraft 15%.

Description
A brawny young man whose skin is mottled by a sprawling ivory birthmark, William Crow escaped slavery in Virginia and arrived in Kingsport as a stowaway. The Quiddity was the next ship heading to sea, so he signed the articles and kept a low profile in the Cauldron until she departed. Surely nobody will look for him a-whaling? Earnest and determined, Crow is a hard worker, happy to do his share if it means he’ll be accepted as a “free man.” Although the men joke that his birthmark makes his resemble a penguin, he doesn’t take himself too seriously, and accepts their ribbing with good cheer—he’s even learned to do a penguin imitation that puts the forecastle in stitches. He does, however, have the air of a man troubled by some event in his past; and he never, ever discusses his escape from bondage.

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Cabin Boy

The cabin boy’s job is to serve the captain by assisting the steward. Basically a “gopher,” the cabin boy washes dishes, fetches supplies, and runs general errands. He also assists in the steerage section. Universally called “boy” by the crew, he’s expected to learn the general ins-and-outs of seamanship as well. On most ships, the cabin boy lives in the forecastle, but is not assigned to any specific watch, and doesn’t lower for whales. These factors vary according to local tradition, the size of the ship, and the inclinations of the captain.

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Benjamin Coffin Warnock (“Boy”)

Age 12, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Kingsport, Massachusetts 1832. Greenhorn.

STR 60	CON 65	SIZ 45	DEX 70	INT 80
APP 70	POW 80	EDU 35	SAN 80	HP 11
DB: 0	Build: 0	Move: 9	MP: 16	Luck: 80

Combat

Brawl	50% (25/10), damage 1D3
Sword	10% (5/2), damage 1D8+1
Harpoon	10% (5/2), damage 1D10+1 (Two-flued)
Lance	10% (5/2), damage 1D8+1
Pistol	10% (5/2), damage 1D8 (Average; depends on caliber)
Musket	10% (5/2), damage 1D10 (Average; depends on caliber)
Dodge	50% (25/10)

Skills
Accounting 15%, Art/Craft (Chess) 40%, Charm 25%, Climb 50%, Credit Rating 40%, Fast Talk 30%, First Aid 5%, Intimidate 5%, Jump 40%, Law 10%, Leadership 1%, Library Use 5%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 1%, Mechanical Repair 5%, Medicine 1%, Natural World 10%, Navigate 10%, Occult 1%, Operate Heavy Machinery 5%, Persuade 5%, Pilot (Boat) 10%, Psychology 1%, Read Lips 1%, Renown 1%, Ride 20%, Seamanship 10%, Sea Lore 5%, Sleight of Hand 60%, Spot Hidden 40%, Stealth 65%, Survival 5%, Swim 5%, Throw 20%, Whalecraft 5%.

Description
The son of Captain Nathaniel Coffin Warnock and Asphodel Sleet, young Ben counts both Seth Warnock and Gideon Sleet as his grandfathers, so it’s hardly surprising to find him going to sea at the age of 12. A lean lad with his Uncle Addison’s sharkish eyes, his elfin appearance is somewhat tempered by the Coffin good looks and open-faced cheer. While he’s an agreeable boy and sharp as a tack, there’s something odd about young Ben that tends to unsettle men several times his age, and the way he seems to grasp adult situations can be most unnerving. After this voyage, Ben will join his father on the Aldebaranand learn to throw the iron.

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Animals

The Quiddity has a few “named” animals onboard—aside from Ruch’s chickens, of course.

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Loki (Parrot)

Age 22, Species: Red-Fronted Parrot, Birthplace: Congo, 1822.

STR 08	CON 25	SIZ 03	DEX 20	INT 15
APP n/a	POW 70	EDU n/a	SAN 05	HP 03
DB: 0	Build: –3	Move: 10	MP: n/a	Luck: 80

Combat
Attacks per round: 1 (bite)
A parrot generally attacks by delivering a savage bite. This can easily draw blood; and if delivered to the hands, can reach bone. A critical hit may also pluck out an eye!

Bite	70% (35/14), damage 1D3–1
Dodge	80% (40/16)

Skills
Art/Craft (Mimicry) 25%, Charm 50%, Climb 90%, Intimidate 30%, Listen 30%, Spot Hidden 15%, Squawk and Flap 85%, Stealth 05%, Survival 65%

Description
Acquired by Captain Seth Warnock during a gam in 1835, Loki is a red-fronted parrot from the Congo: a medium-sized bird with green feathers and orange patches on her head and wings. (Today these birds are known as Jardine’s parrots.) She lives on a perch alongside the captain’s desk, but is allowed free range of the cabin. Her vocabulary is limited to a few phrases—“Hello!” and “Come in!” are her favorites—but she has a broad vocabulary of hoots and whistles, and can do perfect imitations of the door creaking, the ship’s bell patterns, and the sound of a cocking musket. Sometime during the current voyage, Loki learns to mimic the sound of the captain’s ivory leg pacing the floor. While Joab has no great fondness for the “ill-named” creature, her presence reminds him of his departed friend, so he tolerates her spirited high-jinks.

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Faust (Cat)

Age 5, Birthplace: Dunwich, 1839.

STR 11	CON 35	SIZ 05	DEX 95	INT 10
APP n/a	POW 65	EDU n/a	SAN n/a	HP 04
DB: –2	Build: –2	Move: 10	MP: n/a	Luck: 95

Combat
Attacks per round: 3 (bite, claw)
If both claw attacks hit, the cat hangs on and continues to bite and scratch, using its hind legs to rake. A person may attempt to throw off a clinging cat with an Extreme Dexterity roll, and has no other allowable actions while under attack.

Claw	30% (15/6), damage  1D4–2
Bite	30% (15/6), damage  1D4–2
Dodge	80% (40/16)

Skills
Art/Craft (Mouser) 80%, Climb 90%, Jump 50%, Listen 80%, Make Mysterious Transitions 95%, Night Vision 80%, Spot Hidden 80%, Stealth 90%, Survival 75%, Swim 01%

Description
Faust is a black tomcat with six toes on each paw—a lucky trait in a shipboard cat. He slipped onboard the Quiddity before leaving Kingsport in 1841, and quickly earned his keep by catching rats. His name was bestowed by Seph Lovecraft, who shoulders the responsibilities of caring for the animal. (“Faust” was not Lovecraft’s first choice of name, but Natty Weeks threatened to starve the cooper unless he reconsidered his original appellation.) Faust is surprisingly friendly for a previously feral cat, and moves about the ship at will—although the sailors joke that Faust seems to mysteriously appear and disappear without making any observable transitions. Quentin Shaw claims to have found the cat standing watch at the mainmast lookout; and once Faust emerged from a whaleboat lantern keg during a hunt. The fact the crew harpooned a 70-barrel whale gave ample testimony to his powers as a lucky mascotte!

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Izzy (Goat)

Age 1, Birthplace: Arkham, 1844.

STR 70	CON 95	SIZ 60	DEX 85	INT 05
APP n/a	POW 30	EDU n/a	SAN n/a	HP 15
DB:+1D4	Build: 1	Move: 9	MP: n/a	Luck: 20

Combat
Attacks per round: 3 (kick, butt, bite)
A goat may kick, butt with its head, or bite. Being a female goat, Izzy’s butt is fairly innocuous.

 

Kick	60% (30/12), damage 1D4
Butt	50% (25/10), damage 1D4–2
Bite	25% (12/5), damage 1D4–2
Dodge	70% (35/14)

Skills
Climb 45%, Give Milk 75%, Intimidate 20%, Jump 30%, Listen 30%, Look Like Satan In a Certain Light 66.6%, Spot Hidden 35%, Stealth 5%, Survival 5%, Swim 50%

Description
A night-black goat with the stubborn temperament common to her species, Izzy was purchased from Shubael Gardner’s farm outside of Arkham shortly after she gave birth. She’ll produce milk for nearly two years, providing she’s milked frequently and offered a decent diet. Once she dries up, she’ll be butchered for the captain’s table. While Izzy roams the deck freely, during heavy weather she’s kept chained to the afterhouse. She’s also restrained when the crew is hunting and boiling. Stanley Ruch named her after his most surly aunt; but some of the sailors have taken to calling her “Lucy,” after “Lucifer.”

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White Leviathan > NPC Profiles
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Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 16 June 2023
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]