Ship-buying ceremony and tradition

[dayriff]

My players are going to sign the mortgage documents and buy their own ship when we play this Sunday. I've decided I want to make a big deal about it. I don't want to wave a hand and advance to the next day.

I'm thinking that they recieve an invitation to dine at the local TAS base (even though none of them are members) where they get bought a round of drinks and get a chance to hear stories from old spacers and get caught up on the subsector gossip. (This will also give the players a chance to see the benefits that come from TAS membership if they ever want to purchase it.)

Maybe they get ceremonially presented with a ship's cat?

I'm looking for cool bits to toss in and make them feel like they're joining a brotherhood of shipowners and small traders. If it's based off real life traditions from navies or merchant marines or real cargo vessels, then so much the better.

Any ideas?

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Think about the pomp and circumstance that goes into launching a ship today. Purchasing a ship could have variations of that. After all, the ship is getting a new name right?

 

[GypsyComet]

At the same time, there are some who consider it bad luck to change the name of a ship without a major refit to go with.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

That's just an old Spacers Tale.

Sure there was the Magnolia Blossum that got hit by the freak meteor shower off of Trin and the Krispy Kritter that had that weird drive failure trying to land on Trexalon. It was just coincidence that those accidents happened on the first flight after the ships were renamed... :twisted:

 

[dmccoy1693]

Confetti. Always use confetti. Remember that confetti in the future dissolves once it touches the ground so no one has to clean it up. Also play the song "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. Because in the future people still play that song. It never dies.

Seriously though. Here are some ideas off the top of my head.

• Tradition for the new owners to give a tour of their ship to local politicians, business men and other local persons of influence, allowing them to make business contacts. Serve Champaign and Strawberries.
  
• Naming Ceremony. All owners must stand in a circle with a local priest or holy one. Everyone in the circle must be barefoot and out side the ship. They call out the name of the new ship together in one shout and the covering hiding the name falls away. Then they walk inside one by one, giving a kiss to some part of the ship.

All I can think of in a few moments. Hope this helps.

 

[AndrewW]

You could have a variation of the crossing the line ceremony (equator) for their first jump.

Something where they each become a part of the ship (small drop of blood perhaps).

 

[Twin Agate Dragons]

Maybe they get ceremonially presented with a ship's cat?

 

[Cyphr]

Maybe they get ceremonially presented with a ship's cat?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Or maybe they get an Aslani. Your choice of a gunner/pilot (male) or engineer/administrator (female).

Of course does the ship's life support properly handle furballs that's a good engineering question. :wink:


One Terra tradition that may survive into space is to lay coins in the hull for good luck. This was first an offering to Poseidon.

 

[saundby]

The mortgage holder duns them for the first payment. :twisted:

Aircraft delivery ceremonies that merit it get a lot of folks together for rubber chicken and champaign. Note that this usually occurs well after a rolling out ceremony. There'll be an aircraft on static display at the dinner (inert of course--the things in the movies where somebody starts up the aircraft and all the suits and gown go leaping about as it starts to roll are nonsense. Besides, who wants to be smelling jet fuel while trying to subdue their chunk of chicken?)

There are many dry speeches where everyone talks about what a fine sign for the future this first aircraft is, even though the papers to cut future production are already sitting, signed, in their desk drawer back at the office.

http://blog.flightstory.net/344/a380-delivery-ceremony-on-monday/
http://www.f-16.net/news_article3321.html

Folks who do homebuilt aircraft sometimes have a little celebration either when they get their restricted airworthiness certificate or later when they get a permanent airworthiness certificate. It's usually pretty spare since they're usually already strapped for cash. Those at the party who fly celebrate while those who don't wonder how long it'll be before they auger in.

Often the purpose of the party is to thank those who've assisted in the process, even if that assistance was resisting the urge to kill the builder.