| Red Legs Greaves’ Ramrod | |
|---|---|
|
Origin |
Red Legs Greaves |
|
Type |
Ramrod |
|
Effects |
Enforces hospitable conditions for prisoners / dependents |
|
Downsides |
Focuses a personalized quake upon offending officers |
|
Activation |
Possession in a group |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 11 |
|
Section |
|
|
Date of Collection |
December 2, 1764 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
"Red Legs" Greaves was allegedly a Scottish buccaneer active in the Caribbean and the West Indies during the 1670s. His nickname came from the term Redlegs used to refer to the class of poor whites who lived on colonial Barbados.
After being discovered on board, Greaves was given the option of signing with the crew "offering the articles on a platter along with a pistol". Although reluctant to join the crew under force, Greaves showed promise and quickly gained a reputation as a capable and efficient sailor. However, he grew to resent Captain Hawkins, both for being forced into his crew as for his distaste for brutality towards captured prisoners. The two eventually fought a duel, often claimed to be over the torture of a prisoner, although it is more likely Hawkins attacked Greaves for failing to obey his orders. During the fight, Greaves killed Hawkins and was elected by the crew to succeed Hawkins as captain.
Accepting their request, Greaves rewrote the Ship's Articles, specifically prohibiting the mistreatment of prisoners and allowing the surrender of merchant captains during battle. Throughout the decade, Greaves found great success as well as gaining a reputation as an honorable captain widely known for his humane treatment of prisoners and never participating in the raiding of poor coastal villages. Although considered a successful pirate during his alleged career, most notably his raid of Margarita Island in the mid-1670s, he is best known for his escape from prison during an earthquake.
After the raid, Greaves retired but was recognized by one of his former victims. Greaves was found guilty of piracy, and despite his reputation, no leniency was shown towards him. While imprisoned in the prison dungeon to await his execution, the town was submerged by an earthquake. Greaves was one of the few survivors and was eventually picked up by a whaling ship. His story does not appear in historical records of the era and he may have been fictional.
Effects[]
Conditions subject to behave properly towards captives, enemies, civilians, the injured, anyone ranking under their jurisdiction with limited power. They will attempt to provide for any basic necessities such as food and safety, and dissuade others from abusing their power. Entering a fistfight when a colleague behaves outside this golden rule is common.
Causes a local quake on offending parties, even own user when they fail to meet their own expectations. The person will shake so much they lose orientation, allowing them to be gang-pressed into submission by their superiors or collaborators. For the operator themselves, it summons a little column of pressurized water to fling them several hundred feet away to knock some sense into them.