Green Status Before The Mast

Blurb: 1719, West Indies, Navy and privateers fighting pyracy. Which side are you on? Sharpen your blades and raise to swashbuckling adventure, spreading death before the mast

Name of Board: Before the Mast
Link to Board: Before the Mast
Location of Mini Banner: On the sidebar marquee, under "Listed at"
Link to your staff account on the Board: Elena/ The Falcon
Directory Category: Human / Historical
Contact Details: PM here or on the board

Activity: starting – we have just opened; hopefully active
Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced; help ensured for beginners
Rating: PG-13
Types of Characters/Creatures allowed: Humans: pirates, privateers, Navy, civilians
Time of where the RP is set in: Past
Plot/Story: Welcome to "Before the Mast", a play-by-post role-playing game set in 1719 in the West Indies.

The War of the Quadruple Alliance is unfolding, and the European alliances and hostilities extend also to the colonies. The Caribbean Sea is boiling in the war. British, French and Dutch have allied their forces against the Spanish, and from Arruba to Bahamas there is no quiet place ashore or at sea. Besides the political turmoil which leads the colonies at each other's throats, pirates and privateers are on the prowl. Terror rules the trade routes, and both Spanish and British authorities swore to end piracy.

The pirate ship "The Caribbean Siren" has sent spies in Kingston, to learn about the British Navy's moves, without knowing that French Navy is also set on hunting pirates and make glory for themselves, and in Havana, where a convoy of the rich Manila Fleet is expected. They have no idea that the British privateers on "Fate's Hand" are stalking the same prey, and other surprises are bound to be revealed. Who will be fighting whom in this strange encounter, and who will find death before the mast? Whose lovers will weep somewhere ashore, and whose will party, covered in expensive gifts?

Character opportunities abound, we have 5 ships of various allegiances to crew and islands belonging to the French, Spanish and British crown to populate. Come and join any side you wish during this multi-faceted war! Sharpen your blades, load your guns, drain the last sip of rhum and raise to swashbuckling adventure, spending some time with us before the mast, on the ship of your choice!

Other notes: None yet

Skin: Custom made – credits at the bottom of the page (Moru, our cartographer - aka Neit of RPGD)
Link To Skin Origin: test page

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No Admin/Gmod Account Link.
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I checked the link. Maybe you haven't understood that we don't write on our titles in the profile "Administrator", but "Fleet Admiral", because we are an Age of Sail Board.

But even on the whole board link I provided first, on the left sidebar there are links to both administrators' profiles, Raven/ The Flying Dutchman and Elena/ The Falcon. You can see them there too. And the second link leads directly to my profile, and it is written "Fleet Admiral", because this is what our Administrators group is called.

Oh no, I understand that completely. But in the Link to your Staff Account field, you provided us with the link to your board, which is why I asked you to fix it in the first place. And while I understand that your staff may be listed in the sidebar, it's still up to you to add your account link to our form.

Thanks for making the changes, either way. :]

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<span style='font-size:9pt;line-height:100%'>Our directory staff has sorted your submission into the directory category:
Historical RPG's

Please make sure you keep to our directory requirements as your forum grows and changes--all of which can be found here--since we periodically check the directory to mark activity level and compliance with the terms.

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Six weeks of activity, 32 approved characters, 12 active members from various corners of Europe and North America (yes, there were more, but we lost some when school started). The plot has started - but we still need more crew for our ships and a few wanted ads to be fulfilled...

I also need a co-administrator skilled in coding and graphics.

At nearly three months of activity, we have 17 active members playing 23 characters and some NPCs. They are coming from various corners of the world - not only Europe and North America, but also Australia.

Our board is striving to look more professional too, progressing in direct relation with the management experience gained: a change of skin, thanks to our new "cartographer" (graphics and coding moderator), an improvement of the rules, the introduction of a Mission Statement and Staff Agreement.

We have a special Halloween event ongoing, where 11 characters are already participating (and hoping to get a few more in over the Halloween week-end), monthly chronicles with both OOC and IC features, including also interviews with the spotlighted characters and their players. Our plot is also going on nicely, and sea battles will start the next month, but we still need more crew for our ships... Come and join the fun!

We need more privateers, and more pirates... given that pirates have always the most action. Plunder opportunities don’t lack, and the parties in Tortuga are always fun.

Join the swashbuckling adventures!

The January issue of the monthly "Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies" is on.

The winter holidays contests have just ended. Some people had fun posting IC gifts or funny carols, others had fun reading them… Only four characters achieved the 20 IC posts required for winning a prize in the post contest. The prizes have already been sent to the winners. We also had a Twelfth Night's ball, exactly how it was customary in those times, with the election of a king and a queen.

We have some sea battles ongoing, all kinds of intrigues and secrets... Needing more crew for all the 5 ships, for this purpose. Join us and change the Caribbean history! I am also still in need of a co-administrator skilled in graphics and coding...

PLOT|| RULES|| FACE CLAIM|| NEWBIE GUIDE

On“Before the Mast“ we try to relive the life of the men – and of course the women – whose adventures we read about in the books of Walter Scott, Raphael Sabbattini, Patrick O’Brien, Alexandre Dumas and others, in a realistic and historically accurate setting. Sea fights, duels, romance, love, hate, intrigues and betrayal are woven in intriguing plots and it is easy for new members to find their spot to shine.

The board has no canon in any way, your imagination and the historical facts are the limit, as you can see in our crew lists. We are looking forwards to see you and your character on our board, be it as a common sailor, a fishmonger, a pirate, a slave, a navy officer or any other time-appropriate individual. We have 4 ships of various allegiances to crew and 4 island capitals to populate.

What we aren't:

We strive for original content and realism, so it's no „Pirate of the Caribbean†site. We do not allow magic, neither special powers, basically we are a real life site within a historical setting.

The site is rated PG-13 (L2-S2-V2), so it is not really limiting, excepting explicit scenes (fade to black required).

What we offer:

- A friendly writing community, without OOC drama or cliques, with friendly and dedicated staff, in a game which has won RPG-D and RPG-U Forum of the Fortnight/ respectively Month awards.

- Help with character applications and quick approval

- Extensive information regarding the historical facts – no more torturing the poor Google on your own!

- A wild variety of plots and subplots where everybody can find something to his or her liking

- Special community events and a monthly newsletter focusing on plots, characters and players. (The March issue of the "Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies is up, too, including the winners of the Valentine's Day events and some special interviews.)

What we are looking for:

Dedicated and interested players. While we understand that real life comes first, it is also true, that a roleplaying game is a community project and other players might desperately wait for you to post. Therefore, we do have activity checks and we would like to find players, who are willing and able to post regularly.

We don't expect you to be a history professor or anything, just to be willing to learn and to keep your character true to the historical circumstances.

We need more males, especially aboard the ships – the privateers, British Navy and pirates getting the most action and needing the largest crew. Sharpen your blades, load your guns, drain the last sip of rhum and rise to swashbuckling adventure, spending some time with us "BEFORE THE MAST", on the ship of your choice!

“Before the Mast” is eight months old and going strong.

The April issue of the „Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies” is up, highlighting our progress.

We need more privateers, because a mutiny will blow out soon aboard „Fate’s Hand”, and more pirates... given that pirates have always the most action. Plunder opportunities don’t lack, and the parties in Tortuga are always fun.

Join the swashbuckling adventures!

“Before the Mast” is nine months old and going strong.

The May issue of the „Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies” is up, telling about our most recent statistics and adventures.

We need more privateers to join the mutineers who have comandeered the prize brig "Swallow", and now are choosing their captain and their path in life.

We also need more pirates for the swashbuckling adventures ahead. Following a flogging aboard, some people are bound to enter into trouble, and they will need a friendly help...

The British Navy needs help to fight the pirates, too...

The June issue of the „Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies” is up, telling about our most recent statistics and adventures.

The pirate captain got caught and is awaiting trial - who'll try to save him? The new privateer ship is going to Nassau, to seek a letter of marque and more crewmen...

We need more privateers, more British Navy... maybe some pirates and 1-2 girls in the towns, too... Join the swashbuckling adventures!

The July issue of the „Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies” is up, telling about our most recent statistics and adventures.

Saint John's festival is going on in Port de Paix, with the allied British forces invited too. Pirates come to crash the party, as they want to set free their captain that night. The privateers are hiring, and they came to the party too...

That night of La fete de la Saint Jean d'ete is meant to bring all kind of unexpected developments, from an engagement and an impersonation of nobility to blackmail and a daring entrance into the fort...

Join the swashbuckling adventures!

In a world where many such places have a lifespan of a handful of months, we have survived one year already, and six full months in our story (January - June 1719). The August (anniversary) issue of the "Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies" is on! It has new gossips and contests, and it also highlights the site's achievements during this year.

Up to now, we have written 169 threads, out of which 129 are already completed and 19 are ongoing. It is remarkable that we have only 12.5% unfinished (abandoned) threads in one year of activity.

We have now 13 active members, with 23 male active characters and 11 female, as follows:

Pirates = 7
Privateers = 4
English Navy = 6
French Navy = 5
Civilians = 12

We have also a youtube movie. Join us and next time your characters will be featured too!

http://z7.invisionfree.com/BeforeTheMast/index.php?showtopic=1820 - The October issue of the "Monthly Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies" is up, with new interviews, gossips and stories! Join us and be featured! We are 14 months old and going strong!

The November issue of the "Chronicles of the West Indies" is up, with new gossips and announcements! Join us and your character’s story will be featured too.

Moreover, I got an interview about social media in RPG in the RPG blog “Ongoing Worlds”.

Our story is going along – it is July 1719 and the pirates have attacked a merchant ship having aboard the Duke of St Albans, because his wife wanted him killed. Will they succeed and keep the looted goods? Join us and learn the answer!

More Navy men and privateers needed....

I saw three ships aboard the site
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”
I saw three ships ready to fight
In the West Indies at war time.

And who was in those ships all three,
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
And who was in those ships all three,
According to their prior agreement?

Captain Crawford and Raoul were there,
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
And Sharky with his privateers,
In the West Indies at war time.

Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
In the West Indies at war time?

O they sailed into the straight
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
Wanting the pirate ship to fight,
In the West Indies at war time.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
That gunned down the “Siren” sank,
In the West Indies at war time.
.
Then let us all rejoice again,
“Before the Mast”, “Before the Mast”,
That those we love did survive,
In the West Indies at war time.



BEFORE THE MAST is sixteen months old and going strong!

Our December issue of the "Monthly Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies" is up, with new gossips and contests!

Join us (we have a character request for both Navies here) and next time you'll be featured too - or you can as well win one of our prizes!

Yes, BEFORE THE MAST wants YOU!

PLOT|| CREW LIST|| FACE CLAIM|| NEWBIE GUIDE

It's 1719 in the West Indies. War time, and pirates are also on the prowl. Sea fights, duels, plenty of swashbuckling adventures, intrigues of all kinds, mutiny, romance, betrayal - Before the Mast brings to live the Age of Sail like none before. Be ye a pirate, a naval officer, a slave or a lady, you will find a place aboard one of our four ships or live on a paradise island.

There is no Sparrow here, mate. Enjoy our gritty, realistic historical setting if you like learning about those times while getting immersed in weaving our original story.

Come live with us BEFORE THE MAST! Sharpen your blades, load your guns, drain that last sip of rhum and join our adventures!

Thanks to Fluff for the idea of this advertisement... and, for those interested, our January issue of the "Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies" is up, with new gossips and the results of contests!