Anatomy of a Syndrayan Pirate Crew
I’m sure that most people are aware of many of the roles of a traditional crew aboard a sailing ship. I’ve used much of that structure in building my pirate crews for the Legend of the Grimoire series. However, there are some differences, so I’ve laid out a typical top-down crew hierarchy below.
Captain
Not much surprise here. The captain’s the boss. Responsible for every person on the crew, the overall condition of the ship, and general leadership duties, the law begins and ends with the captain. Decisions on navigation, treasure-hunting, and battle tactics are all in the captain’s realm of expertise as well.
There are a couple of instances where I mention the higher rank of admiral. An active-duty admiral has several ships under their command and is responsible for all of them.
Quartermaster
I use this rank in my series in a departure from its modern-day significance. During the Golden Age of Piracy (late 17th – early 18th centuries), the rank of quartermaster was elevated well beyond the typical role of supplies oversight (please see this reference). It is this heightened power that I’ve ascribed to my pirate quartermasters as well.
The quartermaster’s responsibilities include navigation, leadership in the captain’s absence, disciplinary oversight, rationing out shares of treasure, and the more traditional duty of supply inventory. Second only to the captain in authority, the quartermaster is nearly equal in rank and holds the same amount of power over the rest of the crew.
Boatswain
The boatswain’s primary responsibility is the maintenance and oversight of the vital moving parts of the ship–sails, rigging, lines, anchors, yards, etc. They are also responsible for all deck crew and deck activities. While the quartermaster is ultimately responsible for disciplinary actions, it is the boatswain who has custody of the punitive implements themselves.
Sailing Master
Most of my pirate crews don’t have a sailing master, as this role is typically fulfilled by the quartermaster. However, I do use it at least once. The sailing master is the navigator of the ship, and that is their primary responsibility. It’s a vital role aboard a sailing ship. They maintain and update the ship’s charts, plots courses, and has custody of the ship’s navigational instruments.
Helmsman
The helmsman of the ship is the one at the wheel. They are responsible for the actual steering of the ship.
Mate/Apprentice
A ship’s mate is an apprentice to the officer to whom they're assigned. On my pirate crews, a mate is typically an apprentice training to take the officer’s place at some point. The only supervisory positions for which there aren’t mates (or at least for which I don’t use them) are captain and quartermaster.
Master Carpenter
The ship’s carpenter is a highly-skilled craftsman responsible for the overall soundness of the ship’s structure. They repair damage, fix leaks, keep seams watertight, and serve as an all-around handyman. They have their own workshop, with attached quarters, and an assistant or apprentice to help with the expectedly heavy workload.
Master Gunner
Another vital role aboard a fighting ship is the master gunner. They are responsible for keeping all of the ship’s weapons and ammunition maintained and in top condition. They also coordinate the crews manning the cannons during a battle, ensuring that attacks are well-aimed and as efficient as possible.
Gunner
The gunner’s primary duty is to aim and coordinate the preparation and firing of the guns during battle. They typically oversee around 4-6 crew members and they work one cannon as a team. Gunners will also inspect munitions for wear and damage and sift powder to keep it dry.
Doctor
As one can imagine, the ship’s doctor is a very necessary, though overworked, position. They run the ship’s infirmary, treat wounds during and after a fight, and keep the ship well-stocked with medicines and pain tonics. A doctor serving one of my pirate crews is a master of healing magic as well as physical medicine.
Cook
All pirate crews need to eat. A good cook is a highly-respected member of the crew and all measures are taken to ensure that they are happy, healthy, and kept aboard for as long as possible. The ship’s cook has sole custody of the entire supply of communal alcohol, so staying on their good side is a very high priority for the crew.
Cabin Boy
Underappreciated and sometimes mistreated, the cabin boy does pretty much whatever the officers need him to do. He runs errands, does odd jobs, and relays messages. He is also expected to learn as much as he can about all possible crew positions, in preparation for an apprenticeship.
Powder Monkey
Perhaps the least appreciated–and most definitely the least desirable–position on a ship is powder monkey. Powder monkeys are young sailors with virtually no experience whose job is to assist the gun crews. They work hard for little pay, are typically poorly treated, and are considered expendable.
Captain
Not much surprise here. The captain’s the boss. Responsible for every person on the crew, the overall condition of the ship, and general leadership duties, the law begins and ends with the captain. Decisions on navigation, treasure-hunting, and battle tactics are all in the captain’s realm of expertise as well.
There are a couple of instances where I mention the higher rank of admiral. An active-duty admiral has several ships under their command and is responsible for all of them.
Quartermaster
I use this rank in my series in a departure from its modern-day significance. During the Golden Age of Piracy (late 17th – early 18th centuries), the rank of quartermaster was elevated well beyond the typical role of supplies oversight (please see this reference). It is this heightened power that I’ve ascribed to my pirate quartermasters as well.
The quartermaster’s responsibilities include navigation, leadership in the captain’s absence, disciplinary oversight, rationing out shares of treasure, and the more traditional duty of supply inventory. Second only to the captain in authority, the quartermaster is nearly equal in rank and holds the same amount of power over the rest of the crew.
Boatswain
The boatswain’s primary responsibility is the maintenance and oversight of the vital moving parts of the ship–sails, rigging, lines, anchors, yards, etc. They are also responsible for all deck crew and deck activities. While the quartermaster is ultimately responsible for disciplinary actions, it is the boatswain who has custody of the punitive implements themselves.
Sailing Master
Most of my pirate crews don’t have a sailing master, as this role is typically fulfilled by the quartermaster. However, I do use it at least once. The sailing master is the navigator of the ship, and that is their primary responsibility. It’s a vital role aboard a sailing ship. They maintain and update the ship’s charts, plots courses, and has custody of the ship’s navigational instruments.
Helmsman
The helmsman of the ship is the one at the wheel. They are responsible for the actual steering of the ship.
Mate/Apprentice
A ship’s mate is an apprentice to the officer to whom they're assigned. On my pirate crews, a mate is typically an apprentice training to take the officer’s place at some point. The only supervisory positions for which there aren’t mates (or at least for which I don’t use them) are captain and quartermaster.
Master Carpenter
The ship’s carpenter is a highly-skilled craftsman responsible for the overall soundness of the ship’s structure. They repair damage, fix leaks, keep seams watertight, and serve as an all-around handyman. They have their own workshop, with attached quarters, and an assistant or apprentice to help with the expectedly heavy workload.
Master Gunner
Another vital role aboard a fighting ship is the master gunner. They are responsible for keeping all of the ship’s weapons and ammunition maintained and in top condition. They also coordinate the crews manning the cannons during a battle, ensuring that attacks are well-aimed and as efficient as possible.
Gunner
The gunner’s primary duty is to aim and coordinate the preparation and firing of the guns during battle. They typically oversee around 4-6 crew members and they work one cannon as a team. Gunners will also inspect munitions for wear and damage and sift powder to keep it dry.
Doctor
As one can imagine, the ship’s doctor is a very necessary, though overworked, position. They run the ship’s infirmary, treat wounds during and after a fight, and keep the ship well-stocked with medicines and pain tonics. A doctor serving one of my pirate crews is a master of healing magic as well as physical medicine.
Cook
All pirate crews need to eat. A good cook is a highly-respected member of the crew and all measures are taken to ensure that they are happy, healthy, and kept aboard for as long as possible. The ship’s cook has sole custody of the entire supply of communal alcohol, so staying on their good side is a very high priority for the crew.
Cabin Boy
Underappreciated and sometimes mistreated, the cabin boy does pretty much whatever the officers need him to do. He runs errands, does odd jobs, and relays messages. He is also expected to learn as much as he can about all possible crew positions, in preparation for an apprenticeship.
Powder Monkey
Perhaps the least appreciated–and most definitely the least desirable–position on a ship is powder monkey. Powder monkeys are young sailors with virtually no experience whose job is to assist the gun crews. They work hard for little pay, are typically poorly treated, and are considered expendable.
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