Pedro Menéndez de Avilés’ Patache

Origin
From old heritage, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés enlisted to beat back the French corsairs from the Spanish mainland. He decided to build a patache, a two-mast sailing ship, after returning home to patrol the shore, entering maverick encounters and chasing off any unfriendly warship in nearby waters. His surveying and military experience, granted him an audience with the royalty to act as their agent. Placed in charge of the royal treasure fleet, Avilés sailed across the Spanish Empire buying spices, lumber, ores, anything of rarity in Spain.

It was on this mission that King Philip II tasked Pedro to deal with the pesky French settlements beginning to pop up near their trade routes in the West Indies. When Avilés first landed, he christened the area as St. Augustine, making it one of the first permanent American cities founded by Europeans. The crew set about devastating the nearby Fort Caroline, killing most of the men as Lutheran heretics rather than state enemies. The few left alive were skilled tradesmen who could provide services to the colony’s growth.

Effects
Sailing near settlements and other vessels causes it to directly latch on to the largest target, collecting all valuable resources and people for the captain. Destroys whatever it does not find useful, especially vengeful against French goods.