A ship can be set on fire only so many times before it aquires a reputation. Such is the case with the Hell Pyre. The first time was on the ship's maiden voyage, when fireworks were set off in celebration. An errant launching tube misfired, setting the decking afire. Luckily it was quickly put out by the ship's water mage. The second time was during the battle mage's first training exercise. A rune casting gone awry smoldered the decking and masts. However, the ship remained afloat and the crew began getting ideas. Instead of lighting their own ship on fire, they would light -other- ships on fire! To this end they began to use great balls of pitch with their catapult. Before firing, they would set the pitch aflame, casting burning balls towards the enemy ships. Of course, the hazardous pitch set the Hell Pyre aflame no fewer than four seperate times before the technique was mastered by the ship's artillery crew, and the name sprang up as a result. As a secondary result, the ship has also been coated with a flame repellant liquid developed by the ducks in duck village, and the ships mages are adept at putting out fires as soon as they develop from all the practice they've had.