The Bleeding Rose

## ***Number of Decks: 3***

*The Rose* is a truly unique ship because she is an experimental type of frigate built with a 3rd deck bearing oars. The bottom deck that holds the oars has 28 total oarlocks that can be sealed when the seas are rough and they are occasionally underwater to prevent the ship from taking on too much of the sea. The gun deck holds the 30 - 12 pounders of the main battery. The top deck bears the forecastle, the quarter-deck, and the poop deck. On the top deck, there are the additional 8 guns of the arsenal. Crewmates sleep in hammocks while officers have more private quarters with their own beds. The captain’s quarters are exceptionally private with glass windows and ornate French furniture.

## ***Armaments: 38 guns in total***

* 30 twelve-pounder long guns that make up the battery of *The Rose*
* 6 six-pounder guns are situated on the quarter deck and forecastle
* 2 eight-pounder chaser guns are situated on the bow. Usually loaded with chain shot to destroy the rigging of enemy ships.

## ***Early Career:***

*The Rose* was originally named *Précieuse,* a French Magicienne class frigate launched in 1778. *Précieuse* was taken out of service in 1804 and according to the official records was broken up in 1816. However, it was secretly being refitted and rebuilt into a pirate hunter and was given the name *Chasseuse* to celebrate its new duties. It was an attempt by the highest ranking in the French military to solve the reemerging issue of piracy in the Caribbean that was becoming problematic for French interests. *Chasseuse* was the death of many a pirate and none ever lived to tell the tale. It was held in utmost secrecy to keep this new threat to the idea of a free ocean hidden. For the majority of its early career, it was captained by the Frenchman, Jacque Bouchard. Captain Bouchard was a long time sailor and had fought in naval conflicts all over the globe for decades. He had even worked as a mercenary trainer of naval officers for many years before returning to his homeland.

## ***Commandeering:***

*Chasseuse*, captained by Jacque Bouchard, was pursuing a pirate brig when a deckhand spotted a pirate outpost on an island that the pursued ship was bearing a course to. Bouchard had a reputation to uphold and had thus far been successful at keeping the ship a secret so he knew he would have to end all the pirates himself. He decided to bombard the harbor of the isle with cannon fire from his 12 pounders. The guns wreaked havoc and the pirates were almost broken and ready to surrender. But there was a visitor by the name of Sea Snake Snapper at the outpost to recruit able-bodied men for the crew of *The Gutless Goon*. Snapper decided that something had to be done about *Chasseuse* before they were all dead so he concocted a plan. Snapper convinced the pirates to make a big show of running to the other side of the island as if they had an escape and then keep running and hiding in the palm trees to distract the French. The bait was taken and the French pirate killer rounded the edge of the island in pursuit. Snapper rowed a dinghy halfway out to meet them as their focus was on the pirates and swam the rest of the way to ensure he wasn't seen. He cut the rudder of the ship, disabling its movement, and then snuck aboard. He hid in the shadows of the ship and slowly killed off officers and deckhands as they came within striking distance. He kept moving and sneaking and hiding in barrels wearing the uniform of an officer he had killed.

Eventually, he felt confident enough with the terror he had caused. The crew was in total disarray after his killing spree. He made his way above deck and in the chaos was barely noticed. He walked into the captain’s quarters confidently and engaged the old Frenchman in a duel. The young pirate was nimble and though Captain Bouchard was incredibly experienced, he could not keep up with the ferocity and strange fighting style of the scallywag. It was not too long before the old man was lying on the floor in his blood and Snapper was resting in his chair. By this point, the majority of the cannoneers of *Chasseuse* had abandoned their posts in fear and began to search for the silent killer aboard their ship or flat out abandoned their vessel. A band of pirates was able to row their way to the ship and cut their way through the crew with relative ease. When they made it to the captain’s quarters expecting a fight, they were surprised to find Sea Snake Snapper sipping his signature grog at Jacque Bouchard’s table. A crew of the best pirates from the outpost helped Snapper bring the ship to Puerto Dorado to the great surprise of its residents. Snapper renamed *Chasseuse The Bleeding Rose* in honor of a Barmaid named Rosie he once knew from Kingston Harbour who had saved his life long ago, and added the 2 - 8 pound guns to the bow of the vessel, gave it a new paint job, and added a figurehead of a French maiden.