Paragon

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The Mad Ship Paragon by John Howe.

Paragon was the liveship of the Ludluck family. Paragon was build of two different wizardwood cocoons, resulting in an ongoing battle between the two dragons within himself. Paragon referred to them as the Greater and the Lesser. He quickened too soon, and had not absorbed enough human memories to be strongly centered in them, so his identity was shattered from the beginning.

Paragon has brown hair and a beard. His bare chest is muscled and has brown hair on it, as well as a large scar that resembles a seven pointed star. His arms are heavily muscled giving him the appearance of a warrior. Three large masts are on his decks.

Paragon's figurehead was later re-carved by Amber into that of a man strongly resembling Fitz. Amber also crafted Paragon an axe and engraved a charging buck on the handle, which tightens the link to Fitz as he was suited to using an axe in battle and the charging buck is the symbol given to Fitz by Verity. Amber also built a door into the floor of the captains cabin, much to the dismay of Brashen Trell and Althea Vestrit.

History

Paragon had had one previous captain before Uto Ludluck took over. Uto sailed recklessly and was accompanied by his son, Kerr. A winter storm capsized Paragon and six months later, he drifted back into the harbor at Bingtown, upside down. With that storm, the deaths of both Uto and Kerr had quickened the liveship. Setre Ludluck, Uto's wife, rushed down to the docks to the now quickened Paragon who cried out to his mother that he had come home. Setre never returned and Paragon was abandoned.

The other liveships tried to comfort Paragon, but soon the broken liveship was avoided and labelled the Pariah. After Setre's death, creditors took ownership but were persuaded in time by two Ludluck brothers, Cable and Sedge, to extend credit and fund more trading voyages. Cable, being the eldest, formed a bond, hired a crew, and took him out sailing. Seemingly rehabilitated, Cable was praised and Paragon was courteous and bashful. The next sighting of Paragon showed a wreck onboard and no sign of the crew or Cable. Sedge found no trace of what happened in the logs and then subsequently made 17 voyages with Paragon, pretending the figurehead was just inert wood. Once again, people began to believe that the streak of ill luck was broken.

The 18th voyage that Sedge took, with his son, Lucto, went poorly. The ship didn't return to the harbor for another 20 years, hull up once again. Paragon was beached, chained, and left alone after becoming an avoided blockage in the harbor. The ship had been stripped bare of all logs and belongings, and the figurehead was hacked up and blinded.

Amis Ludluck was the owner of Paragon before the purchase and refitting by Amber and Brashen.

Paragon's crew during Vivacia's rescue attempt