#hatchway

[dndtreasury]

Hatchway Buckler

[kyrl52v3bs4d9o]

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[holdingup-fallingsky]

Thinking about the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald again…. If you care…..

[thescarleteagle]

Can we talk about how in the U.S gets Constance Hatchway who is a really cool dynamic character don’t get me wrong, but, she looks like this…

Versus Disneyland Paris who gets Melanie Ravenswood who is also a really cool character that is almost the same as Constance, she but looks like this…

I WANT JUSTICE FOR CONSTANCE!!!🪓

[skepwith]

Let's talk about hatches

So I was rewatching ep 8 and I noticed this:

Could it be?

It's an opening in the deck! This may be how they get below, rather than teleporting, which was my previous theory.

So I looked it up, and turns out in ye olde ships the hatches were often covered by wooden gratings that you could lift up to access the level below. (Side note for word nerds: in heavy weather they'd be covered with tarpaulins and secured with rods called battens, thus "battening down the hatches.")

There are three gratings in the main deck—two small rectangular ones and a big square one in the middle:

The one on the right (the forward one) seems to be the one they use to go below (don't ask me where they keep the ladder).

In both photos, the camera is pointed forward, toward the square (not arched) door flanked by lanterns. The aft wall has the kitchen and the arched hallway that leads to possibly—probably—a stairway to the captain's cabin.

Some of you have probably already figured this out, and I salute you. Some of you probably recognize that trying to make sense of the Revenge is likely a futile endeavour. To you I say, Shhh. Shhh.

[degenerateshinji]

DAY 5

Stormbringer soukoku lets get it. This is a scene from page 299, ill paste it below.

Rare pic of Dazai smiling. Why're you looking at him like that, Dazai? Are you gay, Dazai?

Unrelated but I like the monotone ver of this one

-

He turned his back to Chuuya and began walking toward the hatchway, leaving Chuuya behind.

Dazai's eyes were fixed on the pocket watch. Two more minutes. Nowhere near enough time to decide how to live the rest of one's life, but that was all the time they could spare. Dazai's mind was already forming a backup plan at an incredible pace just in case Chuuya decided not to go through with this.

He walked six steps until he reached the hatchway, then began to descend. Right as he had made his way down three steps, he heard a refreshing clank from behind. It sounded like someone had just leaped off a metal plank.

The moment Dazai realized what the sound was, he looked back in surprise.

There was nobody on top of the platform anymore.

After staring in mute amazement for a brief moment, his lips eased into a smile.

"Show-off."

It was an annoyed yet relieved smile. He then promptly began giving orders into the radio.

"Everyone, prepare for battle. Chuuya is heading toward the target."

[flammabel]

I am a firm believer now that Cal is seeing the Galactic Republic logo due to his PTS once he realizes they are going to use them to get off the Lucrehulk. First time by they look normal, but after facing Dagan they've changed appearance.

I did some research and according to wookiepedia one of the Venator class ships had the cog on their escape pod entry hatchways. And there is no reason a trade federation Lucrehulk would have had the logo.

His reaction in the pod is obvious, but if the above is why I think it is, it makes the writing and storytelling and acting in this game all that more amazing. And one of the reasons I love these games so much.

Screenshot from Cal's flashback in Fallen Order just as the door closes on the escape pod.

[dracula-dictionary]

Dracula Dictionary, July 18th

Varna: a large city in Bulgaria, on the coast of the Black Sea

Whitby: a seaside town in the north of England

silver sand: a fine white sand used in gardening

Bosphorus: The Bosporus Strait, cuts through Istanbul to connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara

Backsheesh: a tip, or a bribe paid to expedite services

Dardanelles: a strait that connects the Sea of Marmara to the Mediteranean Sea

Cape Matapan: the southernmost point of Greece

larboard: the left side of a ship

eight bells: referencing the ship's bell that is rung to time watches, with eight strikes per four hour watch. likely meaning 8pm here

deck-house: a cabin on top of a ship's deck

companion-way: a stairway or ladder that leads from one deck to another

bows: the frontmost point of a ship

hatchway: an opening in the deck

allay: calm, put to rest

stem: the most forward part of the bow

stern: the backmost part of the ship

handspike: a wooden bar, typically used in a capstan to raise the anchor

helm: the ship's wheel for steering

abreast: side by side

[gumnut-logic]

John found him in module two.

His second eldest brother was sitting beside the pod, pieces of it spread around him, staring at nothing.

John leant against the hatchway and quietly watched him. From the moment Grandma had reported the avalanche, John knew he would have to come home tonight. Avalanche rescues always messed with the family, particularly Scott and Virgil. He would be lying if he said they didn’t affect him, but he wasn’t boots on ground. He didn’t have to watch that wave of white bearing down on those he loved.

He hadn’t been the one there on that fateful day.

Virgil wore a frown as if he was glaring at something or someone John couldn’t see.

John had already checked in on Scott...on the other side of the Island and still moving. He’d be out running for a while and likely would come back and give the gym a work out.

Virgil was more subtle. He tended to pound the piano or vanish into his studio. On the rare occasion he could be found beside Scott either pummelling a sandbag or his brother on the spar mat. To find him here was a little odd.

“I’m okay, John.” Those eyes were suddenly fixed on the astronaut. “How’s Gordon?”

He pushed himself off the hatchway and entered the module. His spacesuited feet hardly made a sound. “He’s as well as can be expected. He’s with Alan.” A few more silent footsteps and John sat down quietly beside his brother. “What are you doing?”

His brother reached down and picked up a piece of pod mechanics. “Just checking the system after today’s rescue.”

John eyed exactly what Virgil had pulled apart. He was pretty sure it was the side of the module that hadn’t been used...and the same he and Scott had finished maintenance on that morning.

Busywork?

“I’m okay, John. You don’t need to worry.”

“Worry is my business.”

Brown eyes glanced up at him. “I thought that was in Scott’s portfolio.”

“Different perspective.”

Virgil arched an eyebrow before picking up another piece of pod and shoving it into the storage case. Several more pieces followed with no further attempt at conversation.

“Alan said you were grumpy for most of the day.”

That did it. His usually quiet brother flared up like a snake prodded with a hot poker. “He did, did he? Did he also tell you that he has turned Max into his personal slave so he can sit on his butt and watch videos while the rest of us work our asses off?”

“Not in so many words, no.” Calm and considered.

It succeeded. Virgil deflated. “No, he wouldn’t.” His brother returned to shifting around mechanical parts.

“How is Scott?”

His brother froze. “How do you think he is. Alan was nearly buried in an avalanche. I expect to be repairing gym equipment tomorrow.” Virgil stood up and put his back into moving the equipment into the locker.

“No one was injured. We’re all safe.”

“Yes, we are.” A chunk of pod landed on the module floor with a massive clang and Virgil swore.

Reaching down, John picked up the piece of machinery and, standing, held it out to his brother. Virgil looked at him with sad eyes. “Thank you.” It was taken from his hand and stashed beside its siblings.

“Gordon was very impressed.”

Virgil paused a moment, but then returned to shifting equipment. “With what?”

“With you.”

That was enough to stop him. “Gordon?”

John struggled to hold back a smile. “In his words...’Oh my god, yeeeah! Go Virg!’”

Virgil blinked at him and John could no longer hold back the grin. “Can’t say I wasn’t impressed myself.”

He watched his brother fight the urge to smile. “The new grapple gun performed well.”

John rolled his eyes. “You performed well, Virgil. There is no harm in taking credit where it is due.”

“I’m just glad I got Alan off the side of that mountain.” And the glum was back.

John sighed to himself as Virgil shut the equipment locker. “What is it, Virgil? What’s bugging you? Because all I can see is a successful rescue with a great outcome.”

His brother rounded on him. “It was pure chance, John. So damn close and it shouldn’t have been!” Virgil’s eyes flared at him in anger, but not at John, but...

At himself.

“How?”

Virgil’s brows knotted even more. “I knew that mountain was coming down. I had sensors on it. I was sitting there waiting with nothing else to do but stare at the damn thing, and it still caught me by surprise!” Virgil shoved the locker against the wall with a bang. John blinked at the strength his brother wielded. “There shouldn’t have been a dramatic rescue, I should have been there already!” Virgil turned away. “Alan and Brandon could have died because I wasn’t on the ball.”

John stared at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

The glare Virgil shot him was enough to flay him alive. “Do I look like I have a sense of humour right now?”

“Virgil-“

But his brother wasn’t finished. “We can have all the equipment in the world and it won’t mean jack shit if I’m not good enough to deploy it in time.”

“Virgil-“

“And Alan. We could have lost Alan. I-I can’t...not like Mom, please not like Mom.”

John’s eyes widened. “Virgil, take a breath. He’s okay. We’re all okay.”

Brown eyes stared up at him. “I fucked up so bad.”

John reached over and took his brother by his shoulders. “Virgil! How can you possibly say that? Did you see what you did?”

“I saw exactly what I did. Why wasn’t I airborne sooner? Why did I wait until the vibration sensor was in MOTION before making a move? It was seconds, John, seconds. I didn’t think I was going to make it. They could have been buried alive.” Like Mom.

That last might as well have been shouted with the rest.

“But they weren’t”

“Pure luck.”

“No! Virgil Tracy! You were on the scene. You were there. There was no way anything was going to happen to either of them with you in play, Virgil. You know this. I know this. I have seen you face far more than a falling mountain. It didn’t stand a chance.”

“John-“

“You listen to me. I know you. I watch you day in and day out. I may be twenty-two thousand kilometres away, but I am with you every step every rescue and, goddamnit, Virgil, those seconds may well have been hours for all they mattered.” He glared at his brother. “How many times have you sat back in a situation, watching, only to step in and save the day when it most counts? You sit there quietly, calculating, planning, knowing exactly when to intervene. You are our rock, Virgil. Solid, dependable and inevitable. And god forbid anything gets in your way once you get moving.”

John’s lips were tight and his heart thudding. Virgil stood staring at him, eyes wide.

Quietly. “When I’m so far above and someone is screaming, you are the hands I reach out to catch them with. I trust those hands with so many lives, Virgil. So many people calling for help and I have no need for faith because I KNOW you will do everything you can. Just like you did today.” A breath. “Don’t doubt yourself. I never have.”

He let his brother go and straightened.

Virgil was still staring at him. It wasn’t often John put so much into words, but the self-doubt in his brother’s eyes just demanded it. Perhaps it would have enough impact to sink in.

In the meantime, back to basics.

“Have you eaten?”

Virgil blinked. “What?”

Obviously not.

“Food, Virgil. Fuel for your engine.”

“Oh, uh...”

“I didn’t think so. C’mon, big brother, sustenance will help change your perspective.” John grabbed Virgil’s arm and nudged him in the direction of the module hatchway. Still staring, Virgil did as he was told.

“I’m the big brother, John.”

“Yeah? Well, sometimes big brothers need corralling as much as younger brothers. I thought you’d understand that with Scott on your radar so much.”

Virgil blinked. “I see your point.”

John held onto Virgil the entire elevator ride up to the residential levels. He didn’t let go until his brother was seated at the kitchen table. The acquisition of a simple sandwich and John plopped both the food and himself down in front of Virgil. “Now eat.”

“Are you going to watch my every bite?” A definite frown was forming like a storm cell on his brother’s brow.

“No, I’m just going to sit here and enjoy your company.” A thought. “Might even have a beer. You want one?” He stood up again and rummaged in the fridge.

Another blink. “Aren’t you going back up tonight? Doesn’t Brains need you?”

“No, I have more important things to attend to down here.” Ooh, some of Scott’s boutique beer. He eyed the label. Expensive boutique beer. It would do the job. Two bottles landed on the table.

“You know they are Scott’s.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Your funeral, I guess.”

“He’ll survive. Eat your sandwich.”

Virgil was staring at him again.

John sighed. “Is it really so shocking that I care about you?”

“No! It’s just...” Virgil’s shoulders settled a little. “Thank you, John.”

“No thanks needed, just trust yourself a little more.” He pinned his brother with his eyes. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now eat your sandwich.”

John held back a smile when Virgil immediately bit into his bread.

-o-o-o-

[transmechanicus]

Considering the premium on positioning and opening hatchways i think in boarding actions Every Army should play like genestealer cults where you use numbered tokens instead of models and only reveal what it is (truthfully) when an enemy has direct line of sight on it.

POV you thought you had the drop on that line of radar blips moving through the corridor parallel to yours and you opened the hatchway to find the 3rd unit from the front, right next to the hatchway has the riot shield and heavy shot cannon.

[optiwashere]

Shadowheart/Nocturne, A9? I know i'm giving a fluff prompt and I'm gonna get angst in return but tbh no problem with that lol

Lol, this is a good way to ensure that I don't just angst bomb everyone again. Thanks for requesting this one! Can I even write fluff for them...

You can send a prompt from this list + a ship or platonic pair, and I'll write a ficlet!

--- A9. Celebrating one character's firstmorn (birthday!)

The heavy bag at Shadowheart's hip flopped against her as she ran through the streets of Baldur's Gate. Darkness guided her way as always, the only light in the Lower at this hour the scarce candlelight peeking through windows. Luckily, her darkvision covered the spots where that feeble light failed her. Her face stung a little, but she was too focused on her escape to care all too much.

She turned the last corner to safety and slipped through the hatchway nestled in berry bushes at the rear of the House of Grief. She descended the ladder slowly, making sure the patchwork bag at her side didn't pop open and pour its precious contents down the shaft.

When she pushed past the sentries questioning where she'd gone, Shadowheart made her way to the slats in one corner of the cloister. It was easy for one her size to get through without anyone noticing.

In their spot within the hideaway grotto, Nocturne sat and waited. Waited with her knees tucked under her and her hands clasped together in prayer.

Shadowheart sat behind her without saying a word. She unfastened the flap of the bag and withdrew her prize. It sat on a plate alongside several candles. She settled the candles into the soft surface, whispering a word of power to scatter flames across their short wicks.

The light and sound alerted Nocturne, who turned. Her horns glittered against the flames and her harsh, purple eyes scanned the cake in front of her.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice small.

Shadowheart sat up on her knees. "Happy firstmorn, Nocturne."

"How did you—?" Nocturne lifted her head, her eyes widening when she saw Shadowheart. "Gods, what happened to you?"

"Oh, this?" Shadowheart touched the bruise that bled and stung under her eye. "Could've been worse."

"Could've been...? Shadowheart," Nocturne whispered. She leaned over and touched Shadowheart's face, a smile growing on her own. "Did you steal this cake?"

"Of course."

"For me?"

"Who else?"

Nocturne's palm on her cheek felt better than any healing word, any tincture-soaked sponge. Her thumb graced Shadowheart's face for a moment.

"It's beautiful." Nocturne didn't look away from Shadowheart while she spoke. "If a bit crushed."

Shadowheart smiled. She whispered, "Did you want anything else? Any other gift?"

Nocturne nodded in answer. Her hand didn't leave Shadowheart's face. The sounds of the cavern spring trickled alongside distant murmurs of Sharrans in the cloister.

Hesitating for a moment, Shadowheart tried her best to remember what she'd done for all of Nocturne's other firstmorns. All those days she deserved. There was nothing there, though. All of it given as a gift to Lady Shar, now lost.

So she did what she thought made the most sense.

She leaned over the cake, accidentally smashing it with her knee, and pressed her lips against Nocturne's. Felt Nocturne giggle against her.

She kissed her and Nocturne kissed her back.

This was supposed to be her gift. Not mine.

Yet Shadowheart could not stop kissing her.

[thecursedprince]

Haunted Mansion "Bride" Limited Edition Doll 🪓

Edition Size: 6,000

Our to-die-for collectible captures Constance Hatchway's immortal beauty in exquisite detail. Available July 10, 8AM PT.

Constance Hatchaway, better known as The Black Widow Bride, is one of the most infamous residents of Disney's Haunted Mansion. This limited-edition Bride doll captures the immortal beauty in exquisite detail, from her ghostly features to the sparkling jewels she wears and the skulls embroidered on her shimmering veil. Legend has it that Constance outlived five husbands and walks the mansion's dark halls, with a candle in one hand and a hatchet in the other, looking (hunting?) for number six. Truth is she'll live on as a v-eerie special part of your collection.

Magic in the details

Limited Edition of 6,000*

Certificate of Authenticity

Beautifully sculpted and highly detailed

Vintage-inspired blue-tinted hair style and make-up

Translucent hands

Finely detailed white satin wedding gown with blue mesh fishtail hem

Silver and blue brocade detail

Blue satin collar, cuffs and waistband

Colorful gem accents

Lace copped jacket with skull details

Mesh veil with skull embroidery

Simulated pearl necklace

Simulated ruby mirror brooch

Includes candle, hatchet, headband with veil, necklace, brooch and boots

Doll stand

Fully poseable

Inspired by Disney's Haunted Mansion (2023)

*Please note: Not a toy. Intended for adult collectors.

The bare necessities

Ages 6+

PVC / POM / ABS / PP

40.6cm H

Imported

Item No. 416147287073

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-• -•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-

#constancehatchaway #hauntedmansion #limitededition #Instadolls #Disney

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[ltwilliammowett]

Sail Rooms

Ships carried an enormous amount of sailcloth. A 74 gun ship of 1773 had nearly 8229.6 meters of canvas, 61cm wide, made up to 27 sails and spares. A first rate like HMS Victory carried 37 sails and 59 in spares. Much of this was kept aloft when the ship was at sea, but taken down when she was in harbour for a long period. Some sails, such as the studding sails, were inly taken out when needed. There were also many spare sails, so that stronger canvas could be used in the higher winds. One of the great dangers to sails was mildewm which was cased by damp. Sails had to be dried before they were stowed away, and then carefully folded to save space.

Main Sail room aboard HMS Victory (x)

The rooms where they were stowed were on the orlopm carefully chosen to avoid damp and also to allow them some airing. One traditional site was in the bows, near the boatswain's store room and just aft of the gunner's store room. On larger ships, there were also sail rooms behind the warrant officer's stores. this area was not always entirely satisfactory. The wings did not always kepp the sails far enough from the sides to prevent damp, and the rooms were not close to any of the large hatchways, so it must have been difficult to get a large sail out onto the deck. In the early years of the 18th century further sail rooms were added to two and three deckers, down the centre line of the orlop, between the pump well and the store rooms forward. These were well clear of the bilges and the sides of the ship.

HMS Victory (x)

The wed cables were stowed on each side of them, and though the water from these was expected to drain into the bilges, it must have tended to raise the moisture level in the area of the orlop. Usually two sail rooms were fitted in the cable tier of a ship of the line, between the fore and main hatches. Later, frigates had one. The sail room in the bows was retained, but it probably served more as a store for spare rolls of canvas, and a workshop for the sailmaker.

[commander-quack-to-the-bridge]

I am sobbing. Jim is so in love with and impressed by Spock in every universe it's disgusting (affectionate)

Excerpted from More Beautiful Than Death by David Mack

--------

Kirk pointed his flashlight slightly away from the face of the young woman squinting up at him from inside the lift. He recognized her as Ensign Dehler from the sciences division. "C'mon, let's get you out of there." He aimed the light at her unconscious lift mate, an enlisted security guard named Katumbe. "Him first."

Kirk moved to climb down into the turbo lift, but Spock stopped him with a gentle touch on the shoulder. "I should go, Captain. It will be easier for me to lift the crewman up to you then it would be for you to lift him to me."

Taking his first officer's advice as a matter of simple fact, Kirk gestured for Spock to proceed. "Okay, go."

Spock put away his flashlight, detached to safety line, and lowered himself with speed and agility through the narrow portal to the top of the lift. The Vulcan quickly hefted the unconscious Katumbe over his shoulder.

Then, to Kirk's surprise, his slightly built first officer squatted and leapt straight up. With this free hand, Spock grasp to the edge of the hatchway and - despite bearing the burden of another person's deadweight - did a one-armed pull-up that brought the stunned security guard within Kirk's reach.

Kirk grabbed Katumbe under his armpits, pulled him out of the turbolift, and laid him down on top of it. Then he helped Dehler, who had received a helpful boost from Spock. As Kirk had expected, Spock needed no help to climb out of the stalled conveyance. Reunited it's helped the lift, they each faced each other. "Good work, Spock. Let's get these people to safety."

----------

OMFG just say I love you and kiss already I'm DEAD

[vickyvicarious]

There were two lines in particular that stood out to me today, and made me wonder just how long the Captain has suspected the first mate of being the cause of all these disappearances. They are as follows:

Just as I was beginning to hope that the mate would come out calmer—for I heard him knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good for him—there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled scream, which made my blood run cold, and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun—a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. [...] I suppose I know the secret too, now. It was this madman who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has followed them himself.

August 2

There are two main things going on here. First, the mate is a violent madman; secondly, the Captain knows that work will calm him down. This latter implies that the Captain has taken pains to manage the mate's temper in the past. And in doing so, it adds an extra facet of guilt to his assumption that the mate was the killer all along, because he knew at least a little bit, and he thought he'd been handling it. He thought he understood just how far the mate would go, and how to stop him, and it turns out now that he was blind all along. I imagine he feels responsible for failing to protect the rest of his crew. The familiarity implied by the Captain knowing how to manage the mate also suggests that even if he started suspecting him a while ago, he might not have wanted to admit to it, even to himself.

I decided to look back over the previous entries with the Captain's perspective of the mate in mind, and honestly... I can definitely see where his suspicions would have grown. There are also several little moments of him trying to 'manage' the mate, as well as some insight into the mate's own character and the reasons for his reactions. But it does involve a fair bit of quoting, so I'm sticking it under a cut for length.

Mate could not make out what was wrong; they only told him there was something, and crossed themselves. Mate lost temper with one of them that day and struck him. Expected fierce quarrel, but all was quiet.

14 July

This is the first mention of the mate. He is immediately linked with violence. From the Captain's perspective, he gets furious with the crew's superstitions and is very quick to resort to violence. The Captain expects things to escalate (possibly due to knowing the mate, possibly due to the crew reacting badly to one of them being hit) but is pleasantly surprised when they don't.

With later context, it seems apparent that the reason the mate is so furious is specifically because of the something that doesn't get named. Perhaps he thinks he knows what the worst 'something' is and that it can't be here; perhaps he just is angry that they won't elaborate. But the superstition is what makes him cross over from anger into outright violence, in what seems like an unplanned and heat-of-the-moment reaction.

Men more downcast than ever. All said they expected something of the kind, but would not say more than there was something aboard. Mate getting very impatient with them; feared some trouble ahead.

16 July

It's the same thing here. The Captain is outright wary of the mate's reaction to the crew, and is paying close attention, likely with an intention to manage the situation when tensions build too much. But the mate is once again bothered most by the vague fear of something supernatural. Again I wonder if it's more about them considering it being here at all (he knows It can't follow him onto the water) or with them refusing to name their fear to him (maybe he knows of other things as well).

Later in the day I got together the whole crew, and told them, as they evidently thought there was some one in the ship, we would search from stem to stern. First mate angry; said it was folly, and to yield to such foolish ideas would demoralise the men; said he would engage to keep them out of trouble with a handspike. I let him take the helm, while the rest began thorough search, all keeping abreast, with lanterns: we left no corner unsearched. As there were only the big wooden boxes, there were no odd corners where a man could hide. Men much relieved when search over, and went back to work cheerfully. First mate scowled, but said nothing.

17 July

The Captain's willingness to capitulate to the crew's fears angers the mate. Knowing this, we see the Captain give the mate a job to do to keep him occupied while everyone else gets involved in the search. From his POV, this seems to work to keep him calm/stop him from realizing his threat, and it allows the Captain to calm everyone else: a win-win. But I think the mate's objections reveal much more about himself than they do the crew. He is the one who would be demoralized, who is trying so hard not to yield to such foolish ideas. He's rejecting everything to do with the idea of a monster on board, because he knows/fears it to well to handle himself. If he lets himself acknowledge the possibility there's no way he could keep it together, so he lashes out instead. By being left in charge of the helm, he gets to avoid feeding his own fears, and meanwhile everyone else's reassured reaction probably reassures whatever part of himself knows the truth.

Rough weather last three days, and all hands busy with sails—no time to be frightened. Men seem to have forgotten their dread. Mate cheerful again, and all on good terms.

22 July

This entry is dual-purpose. First, the mate has also been extremely busy, and this is a good distraction for him from his fear. Secondly, the crew being so busy means that they haven't been bringing up their suspicions, and so it's easier for him to ignore his own. While they have only forgotten their dread, he's described as cheerful. Possibly that's just in contrast to his prior anger, but it might also hint that he is outright happy at things seeming normal again/the ability to shove all suspicion down.

Men all in a panic of fear; sent a round robin, asking to have double watch, as they fear to be alone. Mate angry. Fear there will be some trouble, as either he or the men will do some violence.

24 July

The Captain's worry for the crew is more likely to be mutiny due to their fear; he worries that the mate will lose control of his temper and try to beat them down in order to shut them up. What he's missing is that the mate's reaction is also related to fear. Giving in to a double watch is as much as saying there is something to be afraid of, which he desperately does not want to do.

Honorary mention for the lack of mention of the mate in the 28 July entry as well - once again, they've been working endlessly, and there isn't any mention of the mate. You might expect someone's temper to get shorter when they're sleep-deprived. But the mate is calmed by being busy and by not having to listen to the crew's fears.

Are now without second mate, and crew in a panic. Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth and wait for any sign of cause.

29 July

This line applies to all three. The Captain allowing the mate to go armed may seem to be an odd way to manage his temper, but I think it comes down to giving him more of a job to do. Working calms him down. Having the ability and responsibility to do something will reassure him. And of course, as first mate it's simply his job to be one of the two men making these decisions and keeping their heads cool when everyone else is panicking. On the other hand, at least in retrospect, this moment must contribute to making him look suspicious later. He now has an excuse to be armed at all times and suddenly things start getting worse much faster, almost like he doesn't need to wait for an opportunity like before.

And finally, from the mate's POV, this moment marks him finally capitulating of his own accord to his fears. He's no longer able to ignore the situation, or grumpily follow the orders of others who are being foolish. No, now he is involved in the choice to stay armed, and by taking action himself he's started to open the door to his own fears.

Retired worn out; slept soundly; awaked by mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing. 

30 July

Except for the first man who went missing, it has often been unclear who discovers the missing people. But now we get the mate being the one to deliver the news. At least in hindsight, this can't help but make him seem more suspicious. Right after the Captain agrees that both of them should be armed and ready, the mate delivers news that two men have gone missing at once. If he is the one who did it, then surely this timing suggests that he found it easier to kill them. That's not to say it would have been impossibly for him to just pick up a weapon earlier, but in the Captain's frame of mind this timing probably makes him more suspicious.

We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom. Mate now more demoralised than either of men. His stronger nature seems to have worked inwardly against himself. Men are beyond fear, working stolidly and patiently, with minds made up to worst. They are Russian, he Roumanian.

1 August

After his discovery of the two missing crewmembers, the mate is miserable. Here the readers finally get the reveal of his nationality, suggesting that he's known of vampires all along. And he's miserable and afraid. Likely repeating to himself again and again that it's impossible, they can't cross running water, etc. Since the ship is drifting, he can't even throw himself into his work in the same way, and this forced inaction makes everything worse for him. Meanwhile the Captain sees the mate's condition and views it as his stronger nature turned inwardly to his detriment. This phrasing is a little confusing but I think could definitely contribute to seeing him as suspicious, in that his mental stability is suffering.

Woke up from few minutes' sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog. Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us! Mate says we must be past Straits of Dover, as in a moment of fog lifting he saw North Foreland, just as he heard the man cry out.

2 August

Sure, there's no one else to do it. But it must feel suspicious that suddenly the mate is the one delivering all information. Once again, he's the one delivering news of another death he's been just too late to prevent. He's the only one who knows where they are in the fog, and the news he delivers isn't welcome. If the Captain has been harboring any suspicions at all, or even if he's just beginning to do so, all of this timing can be recontextualized to make the mate seem very suspicious.

Of course, we readers know that his story must be the truth. The mate has finally admitted what must be going on to himself, and yet he doesn't understand how, nor has he been able to do anything at all to prevent it. The futility and fear is driving him mad. Which brings us back to today...

I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds he rushed up on deck in his flannels. He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. [...] He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear: "It is here; I know it, now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out. I crept behind It, and gave It my knife; but the knife went through It, empty as the air." And as he spoke he took his knife and drove it savagely into space. Then he went on: "But It is here, and I'll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I'll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm." [...] "Save me! save me!" he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog. His horror turned to despair, and in a steady voice he said: "You had better come too, captain, before it is too late. He is there. I know the secret now. The sea will save me from Him, and it is all that is left!"

3 August

The Captain finally openly admits his suspicions. That, or perhaps he was denying them to himself all along, and only after seeing the mate's latest reaction did he think back over the earlier journey. He's got time to do so while stuck at the helm, after all. Even now he still hopes that the exertion will calm the mate down to a point where he can be reasoned with, until finally his return from the hold - and immediate suicide - put paid to that notion. And yet, the guilt must be even stronger because even lost in his violent delusion (as the Captain sees it), the mate never tries to hurt the Captain, and even tries to tell him how to 'save' himself. It suggests a kind of connection, maybe a friendship, that makes the Captain's conclusion about the mate's guilt all the sadder. Not only is it his responsibility as the captain to protect his crew, but as the only person who the mate doesn't want to hurt/possibly who really knew him he should have been able to see what was going on and stop it. None of that is reasonable really, he's absolutely been doing his best, but I think it could be how he might feel about it.

Meanwhile, we see that the mate tried to kill the vampire once already. In reading back over these entries, I think I've realized something. The mate has internally admitted the possibility of a vampire for several days now, though he hasn't spoken to anyone else. He saw it the last night, and was unable to stop it in time to save his crewmate, but finally was determined to act against it at all costs. It, still. He crept up from behind, he didn't get a good look. It's not until today that he finally 'knows the secret'. It's not until today that he understands "He is there." I think the final straw for the mate may have been his discovery, when unscrewing the boxes, that this isn't just any vampire. This is Count Dracula. It's Him. The vampire. And the mate screams, flees in fear, despairs, gives up on any plan of fighting at all - knowing that this is not a fight he could ever win. Instead he flings himself into the water. After all, in its depths a man can sleep -- as a man.

[skepwith]

More Parts of the Revenge for OFMD Fans

Part of a series: Revenge Master Post.

This post is about stuff in the body of the ship, going more or less from top to bottom. I’m saving the sails and rigging for my next post. If you want to know more basic terms like fore and aft and bow and stern, look for “Parts of the Revenge” in my master post.

Obviously, using these terms is entirely optional, since David Jenkins et al. are free and easy with the ol' historical accuracy. This list is for pedants like me and people who like historical and specialized language. Enjoy!

Main Deck

The low “walls” on the sides of the open decks were called the bulwarks—they were to keep people from falling overboard. On the Revenge, the bulwarks are topped by a rail (railing).

A gap in the bulwark, together with a set of rungs on the hull, was called an entry port. It allowed people to climb aboard from a dinghy.

The top edge of the bulwark was the gunwale, pronounced gunnel. The expression “loaded to the gunwales” is still used to mean very full. The top edges of a dinghy are also called gunwales.

An opening in the deck is called a hatchway. I wrote about hatches a while ago, but what I didn’t realize was that the hatch is the part that covers the hatchway. The wooden grid that lets light and air through is called the grating.

In the bow, the curving rail that goes from the figurehead to the hull is called the head rail, which would’ve been really helpful to know for my toilet post. Oh well.

Stede’s journal could at a stretch be called a logbook (or log). This was a book in which an officer noted details of the ship’s daily progress and journey. Probably a bit less fanciful than Stede’s version.

Weaponry

The Revenge has guns (the word used for cannons) on her main deck and her gun deck. Before a gun was fired, the barrel was cleared with the sponge, then loaded with gunpowder and shot and wads of cloth, all of which was tamped down with the rammer. There were different types of shot, or ammunition; cannonballs were called round shot.

To fire a gun, a lit fuse (usually a slow match) was brought in contact with the vent at the top of the gun—called the touchhole—to ignite the gunpowder. (The wick added in OFMD isn’t accurate. Shocking, I know.) The slow match was usually held with a staff called a linstock, tucked into a notch on the end. You didn’t want to be right next to the cannon when it went off, because there was a non-zero chance it would misfire and explode in your face.

Despite what you see in movies, cannons didn’t produce a lot of fire and smoke; the cannonball did damage by going unstoppably through hulls, masts, and people—often many at a time—like a deadly Energizer bunny.

The gunpowder was kept in kegs in a small room called the powder magazine. (A magazine is an ammunition storage area.) This room was in the hull of the ship, below the water line, to minimize the chances of a stray spark sending the whole ship up in flames. The shot was kept in the shot-locker, a small room in the hold (though this word wasn’t recorded till 1805). As we know, Stede calls this the ball room.

Besides the regular cannons, the Revenge also has swivel guns, small cannons mounted on swivels. These were too small to damage another ship; they were there to fire at boarders and approaching boats. Or, you know, to set off fireworks.

To take an enemy ship, sailors might use a grapnel (or grappling hook). These were attached to a rope and thrown at enemy bulwarks or rigging so the ships could be pulled together for boarding.

The Gun Deck

Everything on a ship had to have a special name: stairs were always called ladders; the floor was called the deck; and a wall or partition inside the hull was called a bulkhead.

Some of you may know that a ship’s kitchen is called a galley. However, this usage wasn’t recorded until 1750; the earlier word was cook-room.

Likewise, the mess is where you eat on a ship, but this sense wasn’t recorded until the late 1800s. In OFMD’s time, mess meant “a group of people who eat together,” like officers of the same rank or sailors on the same watch.

You might know a berth as a shelf or box to sleep on, like Stede’s (and Ed’s) bed, but this usage wasn’t recorded until the 1790s. The earlier meaning, used from at least 1706, is “a room where a particular group (such as officers or midshipmen) eats and sleeps.” So you might call Jim’s room a berth—except that it changes hands, and its name has been firmly established as the Room.

A berth is also a place in a port or harbour where you can moor (park) a vessel, and thirdly, the safety margin around another vessel or object, which gives us the phrase “to give [it] a wide berth.”

Finally, the area where the animals (remember them?) were kept was a small triangular area in the bow called the manger. This seems to be where the Revenge’s en suite is, at least as far as I can figure, but if you want to include the animals for whatever reason, they’d probably live somewhere around there.

Storage

Some of the stuff on board was stored in casks, a.k.a. barrels. These could be any size, but a large cask was also called a butt. A scuttlebutt was a butt full of water attached to the deck for sailors to drink from. Unfortunately, the word wasn’t recorded before 1800, and the “gossip” meaning not till a century after that. But it’s a great word and you should use it anyway.

A keg was a small cask, usually less than ten gallons, used for things like gunpowder or rum.

A sea chest was a wooden box used to store an officer’s personal effects—or to confine a nosy hombrecito.

The Ship’s Bottom

(As it were.)

In several of my posts and diagrams I said the lower decks of the Revenge were the gun deck, the orlop, and the hold. But my friends, I made a grievous error: the Revenge has no orlop. I know!

In season 2, for the first time we get to see what’s below the gun deck. When Frenchie opens the secret passage in the kitchen, he reveals a set of stairs—sorry, a ladder—down to a grim, damp space. The kitchen is on the gun deck, so this is the deck immediately below it, and while on most ships that would’ve been the orlop, in this case it’s the hold.

The hold was the lowest compartment of the ship, used for storage and cargo. It also sometimes held the ballast—heavy stuff (e.g., pig iron, gravel, stones, lead) put there to improve the ship’s balance. The lowest part of the hold itself was called the bilge or bilges—the area where bilgewater collected and had to be pumped out.

Episode 3 shows the water on the floor—sorry, deck—making it pretty clear we’re in the bilges of the hold. On top of that, an Instagram post by crewmember Will Giles (shared on Tumblr by @ourflagmeansbts) mentioned repurposing the “bilge set.”

Which all proves that the Revenge’s hold is immediately below the gun deck, with no orlop in between.

The keel is the structural piece that runs lengthwise along the middle of the hull’s bottom. Keel-hauling was to drag someone along the outside of the keel, underwater, as a punishment—very nasty, often fatal.

Also underwater, at the stern, is the rudder, whose movement makes the ship turn. On a dinghy you steer by moving the tiller, a horizontal bar attached to the rudder post. On a ship like the Revenge, you turn the ship’s wheel, which is attached to the tiller via cables, and that moves the rudder.

That’s all for now! Coming next: sails and rigging, in port, and more sailing lingo.

Sources: Wikipedia, historicnavalfiction [dot] com, Oxford English Dictionary