ASSORTED CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS
CAPTAIN WILLIAM BLIGH
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH Damage [2] 10 DEX 0 11- OCV: 3/DCV: 3 12 CON 4 11- 10 BODY 0 11- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 13- 14 EGO 8 12- ECV: 5 16 PRE 6 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 10 COM 0 11- 4 PD 2 Total: 4 PD (0 rPD) 4 ED 2 Total: 4 ED (0 rED) 4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 4 REC 0 24 END 0 21 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 48 Movement: Running: 6"/12" Leaping: 2"/4" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers & Skills 3 Observant: +1 PER with all Sense Groups Perks 15 Contact: British Navy (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Contact limited by identity), Organization Contact (x3) 11- 25 Ship's Crew: Followers 1 Ship's Captain: Fringe Benefit: Right to Marry: Can perform the marriage ceremony 4 Fringe Benefit: Captain 3 Commanding Lieutenant: Fringe Benefit: Lieutenant 5 Money: Well Off 1 Reputation: Strict Disciplinarian (A medium-sized group) 11-, +1/+1d6 Talents 11 Inspire Skills 2 AK: Pacific Ocean 11- 5 Bureaucratics 13- 7 High Society 14- 5 KS: Health & Well-Being of Sailors 14- 2 KS: Ocean Travel 11- 8 Navigation (Marine) 15- 3 Oratory 12- 3 Persuasion 12- 4 Survival (Marine Surface, Tropical Coasts/Pelagic Environments) 13- 4 TF: Large Rowed Boats, Large Wind-Powered Boats, Small Rowed Boats, Small Wind-Powered Boats 3 Tactics 12- 5 Trading 13- 2 WF: Blades, Clubs, Flintlocks Total Powers & Skill Cost: 121 Total Cost: 166 75+ Disadvantages 15 Hunted: British Royal Navy 11- (Mo Pow; NCI; Watching) 0 Normal Characteristic Maxima 10 Psychological Limitation: Callous (Common; Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Cannot Look Weak (Common; Strong) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Of Conduct: Gentleman (Common; Total) 15 Psychological Limitation: Intractable Logic (Common; Strong) 10 Reputation: Harsh Captain, 11- 20 Social Limitation: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently; Major) Total Disadvantage Points: 166
Background/History: Bligh was born in St Tudy near Bodmin in Cornwall to Cornish parents, Francis and Jane Bligh (nee Balsam). He was signed up for the Royal Navy in 1761, at the age of seven, in the same town. It was common practice to sign on a "young gentleman" simply in order to rack up the required years of service for quick promotion. In 1770, at the age of 16, he joined HMS Hunter as an able seaman, the term being used only because there was no vacancy for a midshipman. He became a midshipman early in the following year of 1771. In September 1771, Bligh was transferred to the Crescent and remained on that ship for three years.
In 1776, Bligh was selected by Captain James Cook for the position of sailing master on the Resolution and accompanied Captain Cook in July 1776 on Cook's third and fatal voyage to the Pacific. He reached England again at the end of 1780 and was able to give further details of Cook's last voyage.
Bligh married Elizabeth Betham, the daughter of a Customs Collector (stationed in Douglas, Isle of Man), on 4 February 1781, at the age of 26. The wedding took place at nearby Onchan. A few days later, he was appointed to serve on HMS Belle Poule as its master. Soon after this, in August 1781, he fought in the Battle of Dogger Bank under Admiral Parker. For the next 18 months, he was a lieutenant on various ships. He also fought with Lord Howe at Gibraltar in 1782.
Personality/Motivation: The Bounty's log shows that Bligh resorted to punishments relatively sparingly. He scolded when other captains would have whipped and whipped when other captains would have hanged. He tried (unsuccessfully) to check the spread of venereal disease among them. Prior to the mutiny only 2 members of the ship's crew had died, one seaman from infection and the ship's doctor from indolence. J. C. Beaglehole has described the chief flaw in this otherwise enlightened naval officer: "[Bligh made] dogmatic judgements which he felt himself entitled to make; he saw fools about him too easily... thin-skinned vanity was his curse through life... [Bligh] never learnt that you do not make friends of men by insulting them."
Quote: "I'll live to see you - all of you - hanging from the highest yardarm in the British fleet."
Powers/Tactics: Bligh had the moral courage to take on what he saw was wrong, but he strongly supported those he thought were right.
He was an educated man, deeply interested in science, convinced that good diet and sanitation were necessary for the welfare of his crew. He took a great interest in his crew's exercise, was very careful about the quality of their food, and insisted upon the Bounty being kept very clean.
Between 1783 and 1787, Bligh was a captain in the merchant service. In 1787, Bligh was selected as commander of the Bounty. Bligh would eventually rise to the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy.
Campaign Use: British Naval Legend. NOTE: This is the Bligh from the time he commanded the Bounty.
Captain William Bligh's Hero Designer File
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