Brainstorming Octopus Elements

[Terquem]

What kinds of pirate ships would Octopuses use?

Any ideas?

The character of Alo, in the story I am writing, is a freed prisoner from an Octopus Pirate Ship, and I am brainstorming some ideas about what sorts of sailing ships Octopuses would use.

[Rick_Smith]

Originally Posted by Terquem

What kinds of pirate ships would Octopuses use? ...

Consider a submarine. A cargo carrier, it will struggle going up current. Having seen human vessels, the Octopi build a sub, which can surface, barely, with extendable masts which pivot up. Then square rigged sails are set which can reach the wind.

In storms, it simply sinks below the waves, drops an anchor and waits the storm out.

For underwater maneuvering, there is a thick screw that runs the length of the ship. The 'twist gang' are a group of lower class Octopi who wrap their tentacles around the screw, and pull it causing the thing to turn. (Two to three arms grasp tentacle holds on the hull, the other arms pull.) Roughly 2/3 of the arms are turning the screw, while the rest are winding around it for the next pull.

The Octopi 'sinkers' (as humans derogatorily term them), are slower than human vessels. But on the other hand, they virtually never are lost providing they stay away from land or strong currents around rocks.

Warm regards, Rick.

[Terquem]

Submarines seem like an easy go to, but I've wondered

If TFT Octopuses are actually land dwelling creatures which resemble their aquatic kin and who might actually be afraid of going under water.

I love the idea of Octopus slaves turning a screw for ship propulsion

[Rick_Smith]

Originally Posted by Terquem

Submarines seem like an easy go to, but I've wondered if TFT Octopuses are actually land dwelling creatures which resemble their aquatic kin and who might actually be afraid of going under water. ...

Hi Terquem,
I've always played them as water creatures who can come out on land for a short time (say less than an hour). If you want to play them as land creatures, they would have more normal boats of course.

Warm regards, Rick.

[Shadekeep]

Originally Posted by Terquem

What kinds of pirate ships would Octopuses use?

Any ideas?

I picture them using modified Triremes and/or Galleys, something with big banks of oars that allow beings with multiple arms to use efficiently. And if they are slavers or take captives, those folk work just as well as oar-power. These ships also have sails to take advantage of the winds. There are probably some changes to the ship's rigging, given that rope ladders and webbing wouldn't be simple for Octopi to climb.

I would also imagine they have an airlock or sea-hatch in the bottom of the ship, so that they could deploy Octopi directly into the water for combat, or make their escape if the ship is lost.

[Nils_Lindeberg]

I would go with trirems as well. Octopi are sneaky and cowardly and wants treasure and human flesh. So the easy tactic would be to ram their enemy and plunder the opponent while she sinks, grabbing both sailors and treasure on the way down. And if worst comes to worst and their own ship sinks they take their valuables and swim away.

I could also see a fire tactic. With a burning enemy the sailors would jump ship while the Octopi grabs them, drowns them and plunder the ship from below.

With their strength, making a hole in the hull of enemies shouldn't be a great problem if they brought the correct tools. But I like a ship that can be wholly or partially submerged to avoid detection. Pumps? And oars can be used under water as long as you have one flat side and one wide side, like a sword blade. You can have many and very short oars and still get some ok speed I would imagine if you are eight armed strongmen to pull them.

Maybe the ship is just a base of operations that they pull after them like a dog sleigh. And when they catch a prey half of them go to left and the others right (or even under) and the ship rams their target.

If it is a base of operations that they drag around. Then the slaves could be cooks, crafters, servants, sailors, etc. That keep the cooking fire going and at the same time are a supply of food. Like the old ships that brought live animals for eating on long journeys.

[ak_aramis]

Given that, for some reason, I associate them with "Bog Octopus"... I've always assumed they were truly amphibious, much like frogs. If they dry out, they are in a world of hurt, but in a humid environment, they're fully functional...

And so, for me, they tend to use stone weapons and dugout canoes... metal working is dangerous for them, except when done by magic. Dugouts, however, can be crafted with stone adzes and a carefully controlled fire.

It's also worth noting that real world octopi have been known to go several meters through a lab, get lunch from another tank, and return to their own tank... and move at a rate of a few dozen cm per second. They can pull themselves up against 1G in air.

It's not much of a stretch to postulate that, by stiffening the body cavity with cartilage (not unlike how squid have a cartilaginous "pen" (gladii) to maintain body length), and some similar ones for the head, to make the mantle stay erect in air, and allow it to be used as a lung...

[Chris Rice]

They would of course set to sea in giant semi-organic, "squid ships" which are capable of both submersible operation and aerial flight. Surely everyone knows that 😜

[Steve Jackson]

Creator's intent - they are most comfortable in water, and in dry terrain would take a lot of water to keep hydrated. But they are dangerously graceful on land. They could, for instance, hang from a rocky ceiling and drop on you like a Slime. Then you would be in hand to hand to hand to hand to hand combat.

I wonder how they get along with the Sea Elves.