The Captain

The Captain
"Come along."
Origin	Flesh
Titles	The Pathmaker The Maw-Within The Zephyr
Names	The Maned Man
Aspects
Date of arrival	Ascended several hundred years after the Gilded Insect ...something important happened to him right before the Wassail (despite him not being alive then)
Owner(s)	PerishedFraud

The Captain is highly neutral and simple Hour, having almost no secrets to his origin, nature, or goals Mansus-wise, though some other hours know more about his ascension than even himself. He is the hour of discovery, also associated with wisdom and calm/peace to lesser degrees. The Captain's signature ability is being able to travel anywhere and anywhen. Personality-wise, this Hour is fond of complex plans and prestige and follows exclusively his own moral code. He loves nothing more than a grandiose presentation and a positive outcome. He is a pacifist and does not oppose or work against any being, with perhaps one exception. No matter who you are, how the Captain views you depends entirely on his own judgement, but you have nothing to fear from this Hour, who refuses to fight, or even strike back if assailed. The Captain is always considerate and willing to assist those who ask. You might find the Captain offering advice, doing favors, serving other influential Hours, or perhaps pulling the strings of something grander, though he's probably doing it for your own good.

Description

History

A simple journey, thought the man, not knowing that his life had been cast away to a scuttling deceiver. The waters became endless and the continents shifted every day. One morning, he would disembark on a new world - the next, he would be back on his vessel, no choice but to venture once more. Under the eyes of Hours unknown, it took the man decades to realize the supernatural nature of his toil. His unhinged dedication to breaking free lead to unparalleled exploration and mastery of the unseen laws and unspoken stories of the universe, especially those of the Glory-Light. After a hundred lifetimes, there came a day when the man simply dove into the ocean, only to emerge from a pool in the Mansus.

The Pathmaker has been to the most wonderful and most inhospitable of places, caring very little about obstacles or laws, but also not hindering anyone. Since his ascension, he has spent an immeasurable amount of time gazing and intruding into the past, and is thus technically one of the oldest Hours. Going by time spent in the present, however, he is among the newest.

After the From-Stones died, he explored every nook and cranny that was opened by their deaths, even trying to venture into their minds, although he found them strangely empty of memories.

Tales of strange places overseas are quite common in all Histories, and plenty of those tales can be traced to the Captain’s influence or personal endeavors. Just how many legends did he conceive?

Appearance

An aged sailor, bearing a grey mane. When not journeying, he wears a striking purple uniform and a rather elegant bicorne hat. His skin ripples like water, his steps leave a trail of salt, and the wind rustles around him forevermore. He may also take the form of a Gerridae if the occasion beckons it. Equal parts jolly and calm - only an unseen sight or untold secret may pique the Captain’s interest, and trying to tempt him with anything else is a fool’s errand, though he’d most likely play along if your intentions are good.

Principles

• The Hour of Discovery - Having run out of places to visit - he now subtly intrudes the dreams of those with otherworldly fantasies, reveling in their newly-created mindscapes and wandering them himself to sate his endless hunger for knowledge and adventure. He enjoys telling tales of his travels, but only to fellow Mansus-dwellers, as he deems others unworthy.
• The Guide - When the divine ones and their servants travel far and wide, the Captain is one of the curators they may choose. Mortals may instead call upon his Names, who tend to appear as sailors or, rarely, pirates; these followers know the world and its secrets like the palms of their hands, though they lack the Pathmaker’s utter mastery of travel.
• The Seeker - He treads across all waters - that of time, space, and of reality itself - as such, he can reach just about anywhere. This freedom is not tolerated by all, and combined with the Captain’s deep hatred of secrets, it’s not hard to see why he got to be where he is now.

Worship

Cult

The Captain does not, in fact, have a cult. Those who venerate him are solitary individuals. They might form groups but they never form organizations. Such folks might look up to or aspire to be like the Captain, but ceremonial worship is forbidden. Since his followers are constantly on the move, having something to organize would prove nigh-impossible. Lower initiates of other cults, especially those of the light, sometimes defect to the Captain.

Offerings are made in the form of pilgrimages, and particularly vivid dreams may be devoted to the Captain for later exploration. Murderers are to confess their actions in their dreams and plead to be judged, lest they lose the Pathmaker's favor. The Captain issues punishments through his names, but they are never deadly or overdone.

Mark

1. Temptation: Discovery: I've begun to consider exploring what I can of the world.
2. Dedication: Discovery: I will see all that there is to see in this beautiful existence.
3. Ascension: The Earth: I have found the first mark. I feel uneasy without movement. My sleep is vivid.
4. Ascension: The Seas: I have found the second mark. My dreams tell me of things to see, places to be at..
5. Ascension: The Stars: I have found the third mark. I cannot be still. I do not grow tired. The world awaits.
6. Ascension: The Mind: I have found the fourth mark. I am blind, yet I see all that I have seen.

Servants

The Maned Man

Origin

A renowned brigand,, or so he claims. This mysterious fellow was in service of the From-Stone of Edge, but went rogue after his old master fell; this is most likely where his tales come from. That said, something in the man changed over the ages, and he found himself pledging to serve the more pacifistic Captain after many a free year. He’ll tell you about his life of pillaging and slaughter, but also about the crew he cared for like family, and of his adventures at sea. He will not tell you any names, not even his own, and refuses to speak of his old master.

Abilities

The Maned Man wields a blade of glory-light and his long hair and beard are that of living flame. This, other than the blade being a reciever for The Eye, hides his true powers. If he were to put out the flames and sheathe the sword, an abyss of darkness would emerge all around him, full of bottom dwellers, both literal and figurative. The Maned Man terrifies the unfortunate opposition with their greatest fears, fears they never knew they had, and with an almost palpable nothingness. He is the bodyguard who refuses to kill, and he doesn't need to.

Duty

The Maned Man takes you where you desire to go. While he can act as a guide to any place, he specializes in dealing with the most dangerous and inhospitable, all without ending a single life.

Locations

The Mansus

The Ocean of Regret

The Captain dwells on his trusty ship, which is an old Galleon that sails on its own. The ship, in turn, wells in the Ocean of Regret - a small lake of warm tea when viewed from the outside, but endless from within. Luckily, the ship is always close to shore. The Ocean is located in one of the lower chambers of the Mansus, and was originally a watery prison until revisions were made.

Anyone is allowed to visit at any time.

The Histories

FNORD

Items

Tools

FNORD

Ingredients

FNORD

Influences

FNORD

Books

FNORD

Rites

FNORD

About the Wassail

How He Feels About It

“They got exactly what they deserved...but some more than others.”

Who He Blames

“There’s far more than one culprit, but I could tell you who I think is most responsible - The Hill-Queen and the Golden Insect, those bags of lard..."

What He Hides

The Captain does not show off, he does not seek power or demonstrate it. However, his mastery over time itself is, simply put, not something an hour of flesh could command. Such abilities are eerily similar to those of a certain bygone hour, who could affect the histories from her abode instead of relying on direct actions.

Relationships

• The Weft & The Warp: He is quite loyal to the two, believing they did the right thing. Though he doesn’t serve them directly, favors are not unheard of.
• The Eye: He’s passed some of its harrowing trials in the past. Approves of the tests it gives those it gazes upon, perhaps out of nostalgia...
• The Piper: Views him as a kindred spirit - a friend and a rival he’s proud to have. Though he feels differently about the Wassail, he sets this aside and embraces the Piper as someone he can talk to freely.
• The Solemn: The Captain is a silent supporter and occasional helper.
• The Millions-Upon-Millions: Everything that the Stillwater isn’t. One of the Zephyr’s most-respected hours.
• The Sockpuppet: Eager students are welcomed and very appreciated. Horrible stories of coming-to-be will be put aside.
• The Hill-Queen: “I’ll know the atrocities you’re hiding, one day.”
• The Gilded Insect: Harbors an intense, murderous rage towards him, and thus avoids him, because he refuses to even consider such violence. Very peculiar for someone as peaceful as the Captain.
• The Stillwater: The Captain had to resist the Stillwater's calling in order to finally ascend. He has a deep hatred towards it, but also respects it slightly.
• The Dongolopticon: “I cannot lust for another ever again.”
• The Firstborn: “I know your secrets and your dreams, and yet, I will not lay a hand on you, for you will smite yourself. Take my words a warning, birthed from concern more than anything else.”
• The World-Carver: “Your endeavor is foolhardy, but I wish you good luck and hope for the best.”
• The Skinner Box: “Watch where you tread, and call if you need me.”
• The Unended Fate: Incredibly interesting, disturbingly interesting.
• The Blight-Abiding: “Misunderstood and unsociable. Time heals all wounds. Surely time spent with good company will heal the Aubade.”