- JCastaway-Corporal Johan Van der Meer - Walking.jpg (178.81 KiB) Viewed 7757 times
JCastaway Legends Historical Fiction Battle Card
In the brisk spring of 1759, Corporal Johan Van der Meer kept guard atop a sturdy earthen fortification near Lake Ontario, far from the French stronghold of Fort Niagara. He rested his hefty flintlock wall gun against a weathered wooden support. The British encampment, poised as a launchpad for General Prideaux’s forthcoming campaign, hummed with the restless energy of the French and Indian War, its array of muskets and artillery signaling the imminent clash to seize the Niagara River from French control.
Johan, a lean Dutchman reluctantly serving under British orders, was tasked with operating one of the militia’s oversized wall guns—imposing blends of iron and oak, echoes of a bygone era, yet still formidable. Its heft and range were perfect for fending off French scouts or Native canoes testing the British defenses. The steel bore signs of age, marked by rust and wear from exposure, but Johan maintained it diligently, its flintlock snapping crisply each morning when he checked its readiness.
- JCastaway-British-Overlook-2.png (247.22 KiB) Viewed 7133 times
On that April dawn, with fog hugging the lake’s shore, Johan remained alert, though his mind drifted to the serene waterways of his distant Dutch homeland. Whispers of the upcoming summer siege circulated through the camp, and Johan steeled himself for the westward push. His vantage point near a swivel mount gave him a clear sweep of the coast, but the gun’s bulk made his duty a solitary one, interrupted only by the rare call of a nearby sentry.
As sunlight pierced the horizon, a young Iroquois scout named Kanago, an Onondaga aligned with the British, approached with stealth, his moccasins noiseless on the damp grass. “Brother Johan,” he murmured in careful English, “has your iron giant rested too long today—does it crave powder or quiet?” Johan grinned, easing the gun’s enormous barrel downward, its steel trigger guard catching the morning rays. “Quiet, I’d prefer, Kanago,” he answered, tapping the gun’s battered wooden stock, “but I’ll rouse it when Niagara calls.” They exchanged a brief nod, a quiet bond forged in the shadow of war, before Kanago slipped back into the trees, leaving Johan alone with his vigil.
- JCastaway-Fort-Niagara-Overlook.jpg (75.96 KiB) Viewed 7133 times
Weeks later, in July 1759, the siege erupted as British troops and their Iroquois partners stormed Fort Niagara in a brutal clash. Positioned at a seized outpost during the battle, Johan’s wall gun thundered once, its wide 1.5-inch barrel unleashing a storm of flame and shot against a French raiding party trying to breach the siege lines, stalling them long enough for the British to strengthen their hold. The fort eventually surrendered after a grueling fight, and Johan emerged unscathed, his towering weapon now a weathered testament to that decisive victory.
- JCastaway-siege-niagara-field.png (597.7 KiB) Viewed 7133 times
Fast-Facts
- Name: Corporal Johan Van der Meer, the Sentinel
- Classification: #Historical-Fiction
- Sentry and gunner of a flintlock wall gun at Fort Niagara
- Corporal in British colonial forces during the French and Indian War
- Background: Dutch immigrant, born ~1730; conscripted into British service in North America
- Age: Late 20s, active during the French and Indian War (1754–1763)
- Wiry, weathered face, no notable scars or marks, dressed in standard British colonial militia uniform (woolen coat, breeches, tricorn hat)
- Simple militia uniform, carrying no personal armor beyond a leather belt; uses the wall gun as his primary weapon
Personality: Steady, unremarkable, and dependable; neither charismatic nor abrasive, just average in demeanor
- Follows orders without question, but lacks initiative or command presence; not a natural leader
- Social Skills: Quiet and reserved, capable of polite but unexceptional conversation
- Proficient with the flintlock wall gun, but not notably skilled beyond basic training; average marksmanship and no melee expertise
- "The Sentinel" reflects his role as a vigilant but unremarkable watcher at Fort Niagara
Human Fighter (Guard) 3
- STR: 10 (+0) | Johan has average physical strength, sufficient to handle the heavy wall gun but not exceptional for a soldier.
- DEX: 10 (+0) | His reflexes and coordination are unremarkable, typical for a sentry relying on a stationary weapon.
- CON: 11 (+0) | Johan endures the rigors of frontier life and combat, but he’s neither particularly hardy nor frail.
- INT: 10 (+0) | He’s of average intelligence, following orders and maintaining his firearm, but with no strategic brilliance.
- WIS: 11 (+0) | His vigilance as a sentry shows mild wisdom, but he lacks deep insight or intuition.
- CHA: 9 (-1) | Johan is reserved and uncharismatic, neither inspiring nor off-putting, just average in social interactions.
HP: ~24 (3d10 + 3, average roll)
- AC: 12 (leather belt and militia uniform, DEX bonus)
- Flintlock Wall Gun (2d10 piercing, 100/300 ft., loading, two-handed, heavy), Bayonet (1d6 piercing, versatile, attached to wall gun for close defense)
- +2
- Lawful Neutral. Johan follows orders and upholds his duty without personal ambition or moral complexity.
- "I am content to remain unremarkable, but I fear I’ll be forgotten."
- His duty to Fort Niagara and the British colonial forces, though he feels no deep loyalty beyond necessity.
- "Duty is my purpose—nothing more, nothing less."
- Strength (STR): 10
Johan’s physical strength is average, sufficient to manage the massive 65.5-inch flintlock wall gun and perform sentry duties, but he’s not a powerhouse or particularly athletic. His wiry frame reflects a typical soldier’s build, but nothing stands out.
- Dexterity (DEX): 10
His coordination and reflexes are unremarkable, fitting for a sentry who relies on the stationary wall gun rather than agile combat. He can load and fire the flintlock with competence, but lacks speed or precision beyond what’s expected.
- Constitution (CON): 11
Johan withstands the harsh conditions of Fort Niagara—long watches, rough weather, and occasional combat—but he’s neither exceptionally tough nor fragile. His survival of the 1759 siege reflects average resilience for a soldier of his time.
- Intelligence (INT): 10
Johan’s intellect is average, allowing him to follow orders, maintain his firearm, and understand basic tactics. He’s not a strategist or problem-solver, just a reliable grunt with no notable cunning.
- Wisdom (WIS): 11
His role as a sentinel requires some vigilance and judgment, but Johan lacks deep insight or intuition. His quiet exchange with Kanago shows mild awareness, but he’s not particularly perceptive or wise beyond his duty.
- Charisma (CHA): 9
Johan is neither charming nor abrasive, just quietly present. His interaction with Kanago is polite but unremarkable, reflecting his average social presence and lack of standout personality traits.
- Class and Level: Human Fighter (Guard) 3
- Johan’s profile aligns with a Fighter class, specifically the Guard archetype (from the Dungeon Master’s Guide or Player’s Handbook variant), emphasizing his role as a defensive sentry and gunner. The Guard archetype fits his focus on vigilance, basic combat training, and stationary defense with the wall gun.
- Level: 3 - As a late-20s corporal with limited combat experience (firing his wall gun only once during the siege), Johan is a seasoned but unexceptional soldier. Level 3 grants him Fighter proficiencies, a Fighting Style (likely Defense for +1 AC with his uniform), and Second Wind, reflecting his average endurance and combat ability without making him a standout warrior.
- Reasoning: Levels 1–4 represent skilled but unremarkable soldiers or guards. Level 3 gives Johan basic Fighter features (e.g., Second Wind for recovery, Action Surge for a burst of effort) without elevating him to a heroic or legendary status, fitting his “average” nature.
Skills:
- Athletics (+2, STR-based): For handling the heavy wall gun and physical tasks as a sentry.
- Perception (+2, WIS-based): Vigilance as a sentinel, though tempered by average Wisdom.
- Survival (+2, WIS-based): Navigating the frontier and enduring long watches.
- Saving Throws: STR and CON (Fighter proficiencies), reflecting physical resilience.
- Weapons: Proficiency with martial weapons (flintlock wall gun, bayonet); treated as a heavy, two-handed firearm (2d10 piercing, 100/300 ft. range, loading property) and a versatile melee weapon (bayonet, 1d6 piercing).
- Armor: Light armor proficiency (leather belt and militia uniform).
- Fighting Style: Defense: +1 bonus to AC when wearing armor, reflecting his defensive sentry role.
- Second Wind: Regain 1d10 + 3 HP once per short rest, showing his average endurance.
Flintlock Wall Gun:
Description: A massive, antique flintlock wall or swivel gun, circa 1740–1760, likely of Dutch manufacture. Measuring 65.5" overall with a 45.25" smoothbore octagon-to-round barrel (1.5" wide), it features a fixed swivel post mount, an 8 6/8" wide flintlock mechanism, and steel components showing pitting and oxidization. No butt plate or ramrod, with a solid wooden stock bearing typical wear.
- Use: Used for long-range defense from fortifications like Fort Niagara, firing a large projectile to repel enemy forces. Johan fired it once during the 1759 siege, halting a French raiding party.
- Historical Context: Wall guns were common in the 18th century for defensive positions during the French and Indian War, transitioning to less use by the American Revolutionary War as cannon technology advanced.
- jcastaway-swivel-gun-1.jpg (39.73 KiB) Viewed 7777 times
British Colonial Militia Spontoon Knife
- A simple, single-edged utility knife or spontoon knife, also known as a "hanger" or "hunting knife," common among 18th-century British colonial militia and infantry.
- Length: Approximately 6–10 inches, with a straight or slightly curved blade, single-edged for slashing and utility tasks.
- Material: Forged iron or low-grade steel, with a wooden or bone handle wrapped in leather or rawhide for grip. The blade would be sturdy but not ornate, reflecting Johan’s unremarkable status and practical needs.
- Design: A broad, flat blade with a pointed tip, designed for cutting, skinning, or light combat. It might have a simple cross-guard or no guard at all, prioritizing functionality over elegance. The sheath would be leather or wood, worn on a belt or strap at his side.
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