>>29257135

After a day’s hard earned rest after your extended time at sea, you awake from your modest home late, the sun beaming down upon you, filling you with warmth as you step out the front door onto the planking beneath your feet. You and the crew are a tad weary, and time on land will be good for the lot of you; no storms, no cannon fights, no Ainsworth, no Navy… just a nice peaceful break from it all.

With nothing but time on your hands for once in a long time, you find yourself somewhat stumped at what you actually want to do. There are no pressing matters that need your attention and everyone can take care of themselves, so you are left with quite a few options.

You can always head down to the tavern and mingle with the boys; I’m sure they could make great company for you and fill you in on anything they may have heard or seen while on your travels about the Caribbean.

Or, you could try and find Bonnet; eager to get your prying eyes into that strongbox of wealth she keeps hidden away inside her ship. But more likely than not, a good conversation is due from her, for as much as you trust her, you don’t really know about her story.

You could take a visit into the jungle and see how the builders are coming along with the warehouse you ordered nearly a month ago, and see if they need anything, or are ready to start anything else.

You could always visit Mary, dear Mary, and spend a day with her as you mill about the island. You could get her to fill you in on what had happened while you were gone, or just idly talk about whatever.

Lastly, there has been an item burning a hole in your heart for a while; the weighty box with nothing but a scrawly map inside, given to you by Stanley the wharf master. You had been so busy that you had nearly forgotten about it… but it’s not going anywhere.

>Tavern!
>Bonnet!
>Builders!
>Mary!
>Map!

(2/2)

>>29257146
>>Builders!
then
>Mary!

>Map!

>>29257146
>Builders!

>>29257146
>Builders!
How are things going

>>29257279
Oh, we should bring Bonnet along to the builders to show her what work has been done so far and see what she thinks.

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You decide that a visit to the foreman would be best to start off your day as you start heading further inland towards the dense jungle brush that sits atop the island like a great bob of wilderness. The narrow snaking path takes you past many scenic vistas and locations, but soon enough you enter the clearing, the grove in the center. Before you stands a largish building, cut from planks of wood and nailed together with expert care. Two large doors on either side would make it easy to load and receive items from. You approach with a smile on your face, this warehouse something leagues better than you were expecting from the meagre supplies you had access to.

“Ahoy there Captain!” The foreman shouts, raising his hand and jaunting over to your position. “There she is, all done. “ he proclaims.

“Magnificent work my friend!” you agree. “She’s just aching to be filled with goods.”

“Aye, good and sturdy she is; thick roof to keep the rain out, and elevated platforms within to keep the rats away as well.” The foreman adds.

You are quite impressed with the foreman and his group of builders, but the question begs, what to build next?

>Prison
>Barracks
>Manor
>Other (Write in)

>>29257357
>>Barracks

>>29257357
>Barracks
Men need a place to stay in case we need it.

After this let's show Bonnet the map.

“Truly a fantastic estimate to your skills, foreman. However… I have another task for you.” You exclaim.

The foreman raises and eyebrow and rubs his chin inquisitively; clearly intrigued.

“A Barracks for the men, should we need it. As of now, most of them sleep around the tavern, or in any home they can find themselves. A dedicated home for the men would do them a world of good.” You finish.

“A Barracks ye say… that can be done fairly easily. More time is all we need Captain.” He retorts.

You nod, trusting him to finish in however long it takes to build the structure properly and sturdily. With only minor small-talk left, you depart from the grove clearing and are once more walking about the planked outpost of Green Turtle Key. The noon sun is rapidly approaching, but your lake awakening makes it feel like it’s still morning. You mill about the piers, gazing out into the ocean as your boots made a distinctive thud across the wooden floorboards beneath you, following you around as you walk.

You see The Dodger anchored out beside The Abbey and an idea transpires in your head.

You quickly walk back to your house, lifting the weight box and taking it over to the tavern to find Bonnet mingling with her crew.

She spots you coming and yells “ ‘Hoy there Cap’n Abbot, what ‘ave ye got fer me there?”

> Open the box in front of everyone
>Take her somewhere private and look at the map together
>Take her somewhere private and give her the map to look at

>>29257556
>Take her somewhere private and look at the map together
We could just talk in a table away from other men. They'll know to give their captains their privacy.

>>29257556
>Take her somewhere private and look at the map together

“Naught much by a hefty box and parchment within.” You reply, walking closer to her. “Follow me, fair Captain.” You take her to a deserted table; the men understanding the business of Captain’s are none of their own.

“What’s all this then?” She asks inquisitively, running her hands across the lid of the box.

You open the lid and remove the parchment from within as Bonnet inspects the rest of the box for anything else it may contain, yielding no results. She stares at the parchment inquisitively, snapping it from your clutches and unrolling it.

What is expected to be a map is not quite such in the same way one would assume, but rather, this is a word map. A game of riddles, you might say.

“What’s this supposed to be?” She asks.

“Stanley gave it to me as a reward for helping with a problem of his.” You reply. “Seem’d pretty keen on assuming this be a map of some sort.”

“Aye, aye, that I can tell. But what does the map lead to?” She questions.

“That I have no clue, but if it’s worth is any indication of the box she lay in, it must be pretty important.” You add.

“Hmmm” Alesa responds, scratching her neck in thought.

Long moments pass as she ponders, wrinkling up her nose left and right as she attempts to use all her brain power in some way.

She slams a palm on the table and shouts; “Then it’s Settled! We begin as soon as yer able!”

>Uh, what?
>Agreed!
>Later, I have things to do
>Where do we start?

>>29257802
>Where do we start?

>>29257802
Later. I've only just got home, need some settling in before switching back to the sea legs.

>>29257802
>>Agreed!
What pirate doesn't like a mysterious map? It is a pirate's romance.

>>29257959
Not right away though, spend a few days resting in the town. Spend a day with Mary. Show Bonnet our in-work settlement. Have fun with men. etc etc.

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>>29257994

>Have fun with men

“Agreed!-” You shout back, “but after I get some more time at home.” You finish.

Her raised arms and enthusiasm replaced with a sultry pout in reaction to your decision. “Aye, ye be fair Cap’n. We just made berth, so I’s ‘sume that ye wants some time at home before headin’ out yonder once more.”

“Aye, fret not, Lass. We’ll be hittin’ high seas soon enough for ye. Maybe next time we get in a scrape, ye can actually help out?” You add, a sly bit of dry sarcasm hitting her hard enough to furrow her brow.

“I’ve told ye, me ship is meant fer runnin not fighti-“ she begins

“Aye, aye I know.” You reply, cutting her off before she begins her tirade once again.

You haul up the box and stash it away within your home once again, the past-noon sun beaming as small clouds whisp by in the brisk sea breeze. The breeze is fair today to say the least, and it would make for great sailing… but you cannot bring yourself to leave so soon. Once again you are beside yourself with options, the day making progress slowly- just the way you like it.

>Talk to Bonnet about the building
>Find Mary
>Head to the tavern
>Head to the beach

>>29258122
>Find Mary
Spend the rest of the day with Mary.

>>29258122
>Find Mary

After all your walking about and checking in on people, you decide that it’s high time to visit Ms. Brennan. You walk over to her house- only a short distance from yours- and find her not home. Puzzled, you make your way down to tavern to find it similarly empty. Alarm bells begin to ring in your head at the sudden disappearance of everyone, but you quickly realise that soft ringing isn’t coming from your imagination, but rather, just out of the lagoon!

You run down to the pier, finding the outpost populous staring out to the sea at three ships battling just a short spit away from Green Turtle Key. Cannons blaring, smoke clouding and the shouts of men drift on the stiff breeze. You spy Alesa barking orders to some of her crew as they begin boarding the longboats.

“Ho Captain! Where ye going?” You shout above the crowd, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“James! We’ve got to help the lads out there!” She shots, longing in her voice

Before you have a chance to argue or question further she jumps in a boat with her crew, all making their way down to The Dodger.

You are somewhat lost in the crowd, finding your first mate and ordering an organization of the crew. You bump into Mary at the edge of the pier, being shoved from behind by the jostling crowd. You both fall into the boat.

>Hoist her back onto the pier
>Take her with you to The Abbey

>>29258365
>Hoist her back onto the pier

>>29258365
>Give her a kiss
>Hoist her back onto the pier
She is NOT coming out into a sea battle.

The men begin scrambling about in the longboat as you pick yourself and Mary up.

“James?” she starts, but you give her no time to finish as you give the order to hoist the fair lady back onto the pier.

“James? JAMES?” She starts, the angry tone seeping through her words.

A pair of your crew assists her by the arms as she stands upright. You give her a kiss, cradling her cheek in your hand as you pull away and nod to the men, who hoist her back on top of the wooden pier.

As you begin rowing out to the anchored Abbey, you can feel her glare on the back of your head.

Once aboard, you notice The Dodger already in full sail towards the brawl; but you still cannot depict who is actually engaged in said fight.

“Hard port to Starboard men! Bring her about and get her steady after The Dodger!” you yell, your first mate repeating your words in his much louder, gravelly voice. The sails unfurl as the anchor is weighed and men get into combat positions; clutching rifle, pistol and blade.

“Load cannons!” You command, the crew quickly scurrying about to complete your request.

You catch up to The Dodger as you are just leaving the lagoon, and wade into the conflict.

>Stay wide, assess who is actually fighting
>Follow Bonnet into the thick of it, keeping an eye on her
>Wade right in and attack the closest ship

>>29258684
>Stay wide, assess who is actually fighting

>>29258684
>Stay wide, assess who is actually fighting

but damn well be quick about it. check the flags with the spy glass if possible.

>>29258684
>Stay wide, assess who is actually fighting
Bonnet can take care of herself, and we should get an adventageous position to rain cannonfire on any of them if it is necessary.

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“Cut sails, hoist the royals. We stay wide afore we dive in, lads!” You command, the mainsails being furled to facilitate harper turning. You circle the confrontation as you finally spy some identification of the ships involved.

You whip out your spyglass, the first-mate taking the wheel, and you can see a French Flag aloft two of the ships, and a Jolly Roger atop the third. The French Sloops are hounding a pirate Brig- who is desperately trying to fight them off.

Alesa has waded in with The Dodger, cutting blazing broadsides as she uses her superior speed. The French sloops are decorated heavily in trophies of war, clearly these are bounty hunters.

“Bounter hunters!” You yell, the audible gritting of teeth and growling come from some men of your crew who know all too well the feeling of being chased by bounty hunters.

You position the Abbey for a maneuver, and many come to mind as you watch the tiny brig fighting off the sloops, and Alesa doing her drive-by broadsides with her few cannons.

>Move in front of the brig as a shield and unload all twenty guns
>Strafe the outer-most Sloop with a quick broadside
>Load chain and cripple the nearest French ship
>Ram and board the nearest ship

>>29258926
>Ram and board the nearest ship
We should not let any of these men live to tell a tale. They know our home now and will mark Green Turtle Key as a pirate haven.

>>29258926
>>29259093

If were going for ram and board, load the cannon with buck shot. well give them a volley of lead before men swing over.

>>29258926
>Load chain and cripple the nearest French ship
We can board after we finish the other ships.

“Load the grapeshot men, we’re givin’ em a taste of our steel!” you command.

You steer the Abbey into position as the cannons are ready, and the hefty bark of your guns firing in rapid succession parts the waves as you begin your circle inwards. The grape-shot streaks across the deck and the side of the Sloop’s hull, small shot ringing off the hull and cannons that are sticking from their ports. The men aboard the deck are decimated for a moment as some are pulverized by the swarm of angry projectiles. Some men take cover behind the iron deck guns, saving their life, but only for a few more minutes.

The Abbey comes in fast and hard, ramming the Sloop with its nose as lines are cast across the water, securing themselves in the wooden railings and deck. Your loyal crew- whipped into a frenzy- shout and taunt across the closing gap, all of them eager to get their revenge on the Bounty Hunters in some shape or form. As the hollow thud of the hulls clash side by side, a riotous war-cry is bellowed from your crew as the French sailors form their defensive ranks on their own deck. Rifle and pistol fire fills the air with smoke and fury as your men begin climbing and swinging aboard their ship.

>Swing aboard near the gallery
>Swing aboard near the bow
>Climb aboard with the large group
>Climb aboard with the smaller group

>>29259339
>Swing aboard near the bow

>>29259339
>Swing aboard near the bow
Sparrow style entrance.

You leap down the stairs of your gallery, running to the low hanging ropes left by your crew. Taking it in your hands, you wind up and kick yourself off, surging through the air above the melee taking part on the other side closest to your ship, and let go. Falling to the deck, you catch yourself, noticing others of your crew doing the same thing. From here at their bow, you can see the entire ship and the men fighting on it. You seem to have more bodies to commit, but the French Bounty Hunters seem trained and well disciplined, holding their ranks against your crew quite well. You weigh your options as some of the rope boarding crew begins to engage the formation from the rear, causing confusion.

You think this a good a time as any, draw your sabre from its home on your belt, and jog down to the Sloop’s gallery, intending on finding the Captain. As you run down the deck, the formation breaks and a free-for-all breaks out as the deck is now covered with men fighting each other.

>Start the fight here, against any man who dares to challenge you
>Continue on to the gallery, running past men to find the Captain
>Fight your way to the Captain
>Find an alternate route to the gallery

>>29259651
>Continue on to the gallery, running past men to find the Captain

>>29259651
>Fight your way to the Captain
Support men and they'll aid us on our way too.

You begin running past engagements before you are too bogged down to continue skirting past the conflict, engaging a young fellow with your sabre. The dance is to its usual rhythm, just the steps change. Swinging and deflecting, the blades dance around in the air, narrowly missing their targets. The boy has skill, and he gives you a solid run for your money, so to speak. Though, as a veteran seaman, you’ve seen more fights than this lad has probably seen years. With an elegant maneuver, you unhinge the lad’s grip on his blade, running him through quickly to the hilt. He sputters at the sudden turn of events, grasping weakly at the blade that has plunged through his midriff before you deftly pull it free, pushing him over with a deft kick. You narrowly miss a hatchet being swung at you from behind as one of your crew members tackle the assailant and plunge a dagger that lay between his teeth into his neck.

A quick tip of your hat shows your appreciation as you continue fighting towards the gallery. Soon enough, you are atop the steps, confronting the Captain.

“Vous avez enfin montrer votre visage, penale sale!” The captain shouts, drawing an elegant and thin duelling sword.
You ready your blade after wiping off the blood on your coat-tails, assuming a nimble and fast stance. The French Captain bounds towards you, his blade poised for striking.

>Side step
>Under step
>Deflect
>Back step

>>29259972
>Deflect

>>29259972
>Deflect
Brute force against his 'elegant' dueling style.

You raise your sabre with two hands at the last moment, upheaving the swift strike before he finishes the move. You launch yourself upwards, sending the Captain reeling backwards, but as you attempt to follow up with a lateral slice, you find that it will not be so easy, as the Captain regains his footing swiftly and thrusts from a low stance, lancing his blade towards you, narrowly missing anything important and it takes a gouge from your side and tears through your coat. You quickly back-step and ready yourself once more for combat, the Captain responds, cocky that he has drawn first blood.

You feint a thrust towards him, lunging quickly, hoping to catch him off-guard. Your feint works, as he moves to block the thrust, you twist your grip and swipe to the right, catching him across the chest with the tip of your blade. A quick flurry of strikes from the Captain forces you to back away as he clutches the wound on his chest.

>Thrust
>Feint again
>Slash from left to right
>Slash from right to left
>Attack low
>Attack high

>>29260234
>Thrust

>>29260234
>Slash from left to right
A thrust is much more easier for him to perry with a dueling sword.

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You lunge quickly, hoping to catch the captain sleeping. He quickly blocks the thrust and clubs you across the jaw with his hand-guard of his blade. You take a moment to clear your head from the blow as you narrowly miss a thrust to the collar bone, twisting out of the way in the nick of time. You spin, regaining your food and wind up for a heavy slashing blow, hoping to overpower his thin blade with your robust piece. You wind up, and as you are about to strike, the cannon fire resumes. The ship is rocked as stray cannon shot arc over the other Sloop, colliding with the one you are fighting upon. The collision makes you lose your footing as you tumble over the gallery railing and down into hold via the opened hatch with the Captain.

As you regain your senses and adjust to your new surroundings, you grasp around for your blade. It’s not until you hear the kicking of a boot do you realise the Captain has disarmed you. You spin over on your back, looking upwards to the Captain who brandishes a red-hot branding iron in his hand, the faint glow of the brazier behind him painting him in a hellish light.

“Temps de payer le prix, pirate!” He shouts lunging at you. You scream in pain as he grabs your right forearm, pushing the glowing metal onto it. The iron burns your flesh instantly and intensely. You grit your teeth as the smell of burning and the sound of sizzling meat fills the immediate area.

>Kick his legs out from under him
>Punch
>Bat iron away
>Attempt to draw pistol

>>29260563
>Kick his legs out from under him

>>29260563
>Kick his legs out from under him

I am worried about our home now. Bonnet just rushed off but now there are two ship full of pirate hunters that knows Green Turtle Key. Also, i am hoping the other pirate is trustworhy sort but still... How are we going to make sure our location is not compromised?
We need to at least make sure all of these pirate hunters are dead. I wouldn't trust them as slaves either, most of them would probably try to escape with the first piece of wood they find.

As you growl in agony you grab his wrist your free arm and kick out the Captain’s knee. He howls in pain and drops the branding iron. You bring yourself to your feet using the wall as support, sliding up until you stand on your feet. You sweep down and grab your blade, raising it to the Captain’s throat. He does not waver, but instead, stares you directly in the eye in defiance.

You hold respect for the man as narrow your eyes and slice his throat deftly.

Rising out of the hold, your face bruised, your side cut open and your arm wringing in burning pain, you emerge to find the crew surrendering to your men.

“What shall we do with them Cap’n?” One of your crew asks.

You contemplate the thought for a moment; these men are all good fighters and sailors, likely worthy additions to your crew… but they are also Bounty Hunters, you can never trust them.

“Get rid of them.” You announce. The remaining survivors surge in pleas for their life, but they are marshalled to the railing, shot, and pushed overboard to the sea floor below.

You gaze across the battleground, spying the other French sloop billowing with smoke, trying to retreat. It does not make it far before the waves shake with the impending explosion, the powder magazine catches fire.

You usher the men across to the Abbey, bringing your wounded and dead with you for treatment and burial.

>Return home
>Contact Bonnet
>Contact other Pirate (Brig)

[I need to eat, so I’ll be back in 45~, thanks for your patients. Leave your choices and I will get to them.]

>>29260854
>Contact other Pirate (Brig)
We need to know who they are, and what they were doing here.

>>29260854
>>Contact other Pirate (Brig)

Time to see who exactly we saved

>>29260854
If that french pig has branded us with the pirate mark were going to have to either brand over it or cut a section of our own skin off.

>>29260854
>>Contact Bonnet
>>Contact other Pirate (Brig)
Gathering of three captain is in order.

>>29260990
Sounds like a pretty good idea.

[Sorry about the wait, my girlfriend made baked potato soup and I had to have seconds. Thanks for your patience once again.]

As your crew begin hauling the dead and dying aboard, the gravity of the situation hits you. It was a costly maneuver, to ram and board the Sloop. Out of the 107 men you possess, only 91 remain alive, and 87 in healthy scratch.

You flag down Bonnet, who is busy facilitating her own wounded crew with the Brig anchored next to the Dodger. You let the ebb of the current draw you closer as you leave the empty sloop anchored where it lay outside the lagoon. Upon docking with The Dodger, you hobble aboard, your injuries finally taking their mental and physical toll on you once the adrenaline subsided. Alesa seems to have maken out quite well after the battle, no crew dead, just wounded. The mystery Captain stands beside her, his arms close to his chest like that of a meek mouse.

You wait for your men to pull the gangway across; you won’t be rope swinging any time soon. Once the thud of the wooden bridge crosses the ships, you take your time, leaning heavily on the rope railings of the gangway. Upon jumping down to the deck of the Dodger, you wince in pain upon impact.

>Be angry with Bonnet
>Be calm with Bonnet
>Be aggressive with Bonnet

>>29262231
>Be calm with Bonnet

It was our choice to engage in a melee, no need to be a dick about it.

>>29262231
>Be calm with Bonnet

>>29262231
>Be calm but stern with Bonnet
Stern part is important.

>>29262321
The reason was because first she rushed off the port and then she rushed into the middle of the fight.
Also our life and our men's lives were endangered and now our home's location is in danger.

>>29262440
Boarding the ship was our decision, tough.

>>29260854
New ship!

Someone's been playing Black Flag, huh?

>>29262231
>>Be calm with Bonnet

As you approach the two captains, Alesa quickly darts to your side, propping you up as you walk, almost bent over.

“James, James! Are you alright?” She asks, concern ringing through her voice. She tenderly grabs your wrist, trying to stabilize you as you recoil in pain, her grip brushing with the seared flesh that lay underneath the sleeve. She gingerly rolls up your sleeve to produce the perfect “P” that now makes its home on top of your forearm, the skin burns away leaving a white, third degree burn in its place. She recoils her hand and draws it to her chest for a moment, before helping you stand up straight.

“James… I’m sorry. I know you put yourself in harm’s way for me and my family, and I am indebted to you.” She squeaks.

You are about to reply with some snappy retort when you stop and say “Family?”

Alesa sweeps her arm backwards, beckoning the captain of the Brig forwards. “This is my younger brother, Oscar.”

You blink, drinking in the information as you look at the two siblings. They sure do look alike, but where Alesa is thin and lithe, with dark tanned skin and fine, straight hair, Oscar is rotund, pale in comparison and has a curly mop flowing from the crown of his head.

“He is the reason I risked my crew’s life and my home?” You ask plainly, not breaking eye contact with Oscar, who is shrinking under your intense gaze.

“What would you have me do James!” Alesa retorts. “He is my brother! Would you have me watch him captured, only to know that he would be tortured and imprisioned… and, and possibly hanged?!”

(1/2)

>>29262664

“I understand Alesa, but you cannot be doing things like that without informing, yeah? I would have gladly helped you, but ye cannot go headlong into a fight you cannot win.” You reply. “I’ll put ‘er plainly. As long as you live in my home, you do what you can to make sure she stays safe.”

“…Aye.”

You raise a hand to Oscar’s, the “P” proudly bearing as you shake his hand firmly. Oscar looks down at his feet in return, drawing his hand back and rubbing them together.

>Get everyone home
>Deal with Bonnet and Oscar there
>Roll D20

Rolled 6

>>29262681
>Get everyone home
Lets go and patch everyone up. We'll talk in the morning.

Rolled 11

>>29262681
>Get everyone home

Rolled 9

>>29262681
what are we rolling for?

Oh by the way, we got a new ship of our own, after some repairs, we need a crew to men it though.
bring the ship too, of course.
it is not too damaged just with a few shots and a ramming, right?

“Alright… let’s get everyone home…” You begin, breathing a bit laboured.

The ships are sailed into the lagoon, with the empty French Sloop being towed and berthed within, so prying eyes cannot spy on it so easily. The wreckage of the exploded ship has long since sunk below the water’s edge.

Moving around gets harder and harder as does thinking straight, and soon, momentary lapses of acute awareness briskly appear, for you cannot remember how you got from your cabin aboard the longboats that were being rowed ashore. You crack open your eyes a little wider as you pry your hand off of your side, blood permeating through your clothes and in between your fingers.

Everyone gets out of the boat onto the pier as Mary comes running down to greet you. You remain seated. She stares down at you, smile beaming from her face, her hair loose and wild about her shoulders. Things feel slow as her smile fades and drops, her arms draw in and her eyes get slowly wider. Bonnet leans over and turns for what seems like a century. Sound starts to fade, like you are trying to hear through a woolen jacket. Mary opens her mouth wide, but cannot hear what she says. Everyone around her begins to panic as your crew jump into the water around you and begin tearing through the water to where you sit. Your eyelids feel rather heavy as you think to yourself

“Maybe it’s deeper than I thought.”

(1/2)

>>29262977

There is a heavy blanket of sorrow since that fateful day. The storms have gathered as the rain season starts, appropriate to how the Key is feeling. No one talks about you, as they don’t want to bring it up. Mary hasn’t been seen for days, and Bonnet doesn’t leave her ship.

Her brother has stayed with her at the Key, feeling guilt ridden and at fault for what happened. It has been unearthly quiet as your crew sit in the tavern, no one talking, no one drinking, just sitting, and waiting.

Your house hasn’t been opened in a while, no one dares go inside to touch your affects or move your things; the time just isn’t right. Maybe there will be hope for Green Turtle Key in the future, but as it goes, the future is not bright.

The rain pours down from the gray overcast skies, gentle thunder rolls across the lagoon as a raging storm far away ravishes an island with wind and fury, angry at nothing.

>Awake
>Dream, you like the dreams

>>29263182
>Awake

>>29263182
>Awake
I'd like to dream but we need to put things in order.

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You awake with a start, and a splitting headache. The room you are in is dark, and the bed feels warm, very warm. You must have been sleeping for quite some time. The rain patters on the roof and the window beside you. You try to sit upright, leaning on your elbows, but dizziness takes over and plummets you back to the cosy blankets. You feel your stomach gurgle in a way that you haven’t felt since your days as a beggar boy in England and you can feel bandaging wrapping a large portion of your torso.

You try and roll, but the pain stops you. You try and turn over, but the searing heat emanating from your bandaged arm protests. So you lay there, you lay there as you see clothes frumpled and disposed of on the floor. Some yours, some not yours. They don’t look like they’ve been disturbed in days. With nothing else to do, your eyes wander around the room until they come from to the small side table beside the bed. A small object with a chain lay beside a doused candle as you reach for it in the darkness. The smooth exterior of the object and the fine chance that intertwines with your fingers gives it away as the locket that you gave Mary, as you open it, you find your scrawly writing on the paper still there. The ink looks sodden and has bled through the fibers of the paper, as if it had gotten wet repeatedly. A silence in the rain lets you listen to a softer, more hiccupping rain that falls to a kitchen table in the room beyond the door.

>Call out
>Remain silent

>>29263431
>Remain silent
Listen for a minute before you call out.

>>29263431
"Im not dead yet"

>>29263431
>Call out
Are we dying?

>>29263431
>Call out

>>29263431
"Rum."

The stuttering sobs that permeate through the door twinge your heart as it beats faster and faster in your chest. You listen quietly, hearing the slow, methodic crying happen for a few more moments before you gather all of your strength and call out.

“I’m not dead, yet.”

It croaks from your dry throat as you do your best to let your voice carry out of the room. The sobbing stops instantly and is replaced with a deathly silence before the scraping of wooden chair legs on wooden floors faintly echoes through the room. The soft pads of bare footsteps coming to the door and a tiny crack as it opens ever so slowly fill your ears. A shining eye surrounded by puffy eyelids and strands of fiery red hair spill into the room as you hold up the locket and smile, repeating

“I’m not dead, yet.”

The door flies open as Mary leaps to your side, throwing herself to her knees as she kneels down beside you, clasping your hand holding the locket as tears stream down from her face.

“James, I thought I lost you, I thought I lost you…” she begins through her tears, bringing your hand to her cheek.

You feel the warmth of her skin as the tears roll across your skin, you gently turn your hand and stroke her chin. She closes her mouth and does her best to hold back the tears as you say

“I promised I would always come back, didn’t I?”

Mary nods slowly, the tears making a comeback as she is unable to hold them within. You shush her, saying that you will be fine.

>I need something to drink
>I need something to eat
>I need to stand up

>>29263810
>I need something to drink

>>29263810
Drink. That's the important bit for now.

"What'd my crew. My ship? Ships now I suppose"

>>29263810
>I need something to drink
Wet the throath so we can talk.

>>29263810
>I need something to drink
>I need something to eat
>I need to stand up

>>29263810
Drink, then food.
Don't ask about others, right now she is our concern. when we can sit up unaided then we can ask.

>>29263810
Drink,eat, and stand up!

Before you can even manage the request, Mary leaps up and returns in a flash, a tin pitcher of water in her hands. She slowly brings it to your lips as you let the water enter your mouth and swirl around, hydrating the draw folds of your mouth. You slowly swallow, and with the first bit of water that enters your stomach, finally realize just how thirsty you are, and drink hungrily.

Once you have satiated your thirst, you ask Mary to help lean you upright against the backboard of the bed. Once upright, you take a look at Mary.

She is so dishevelled; her fair lies in knots and tumbles around wildly and without order, her clothes are dingy and clingy, like she hasn’t changed them in a week. Her eyes are puffy and red from crying, and she looks a tad gaunt.

“Mary I…” you begin.

“Yes? Yes? What do you need, James? Anything, anything!” She frantically replies.

“I.. don’t suppose I could trouble you for something to eat?” You reply, your voice sounding more normal now that you have drank your fill of fresh water.

“Of course, of course! W-What can I make you? She stammers, her tongue tripping over her own words as she gets ahead of herself.

“Just some bread, maybe dried meat… something to fill my stomach.” You add, not wanting to trouble her.

“Oh I’ll make you something good James, just you wait!” She says, and eagerly gets up and trots into the kitchen.

>Take a moment to examine yourself
>Rest your eyes till food comes
>Ask Mary to come back

>>29264120
>Take a moment to examine yourself

>>29264120
>Take a moment to examine yourself
>Shout and ask how long have we been out

>>29264120
>>Take a moment to examine yourself

File: 1388801961728.jpg-(329 KB, 1600x1200, photo-1.jpg)

329 KB JPG

You take the time alone to examine yourself. Flipping the blankets off of you, you get a good sense of how you fare. Stripped down to your skibbies, you sit upright in the bed, a large length of bandage crossing your chest and a wad of cottony-like batting stuffed on one side of you. You can’t quite remember what happened as you look elsewhere. Numerous bruises and cuts, but nothing out of the ordinary as you trace around your body with your eyes. Your right arm itches as you instinctively reach to scratch it, recoiling at the sudden pain. Your eyes dart to the door and quickly back at your arm as you check to see if Mary was close. You find the bandages end and slowly begin to unravel the length that covers your arm, stopping as yellowy puss sticks to the underside of the innermost layer and pulls at whatever wound lay underneath. As you push yourself to tug the last bit of the bandage covering your arm, you reveal to yourself the wound that flushes back your whole memory.

The perfect branding of a “P”, scarring over with pearlescent white scar tissue. The Pirate’s brand. Anyone caught with said mark is to be immediately tried and imprisoned by the English Navy. You scowl at the thought of the Frenchman who did it to you, letting up your hatred as you remember slicing open his neck.

“Justice.” You think to yourself.

Carefully wrapping the wound back up in case Mary returned, an intoxicating smell wafts through the door as the sound of sizzling and frying catches your ears.

You shout out “Mary, how long have I been asleep?”

Mary pokes her head around the corner of the doorway, smiling and beaming. “About six day, love.” And returns to her cooking.

“Six days…” you think to yourself. Quite a long time to doze off.

The smell of food brings your stomach growling to a fever pitch as Mary rounds the corner with an iron skillet. She stands in the doorway.

>Eat in bed
>Ask to be helped to the table, walking would be good

>>29264482
>Ask to be helped to the table, walking would be good

We got to stretch out legs.

>>29264482
>Ask to be helped to the table, walking would be good

>>29264482
>Ask to be helped to the table, walking would be good
Yeah, stretch our legs.

Mary gives you a look and sets the cast iron skillet on the table, then quickly turns back to help you out of bed. You wince as everything inside of you begins to settle into its natural position after being horizontal for six days. You stand up, knees bent out as you attempt to right yourself. Mary has a hand on your lower back and a hand on your chest, helping you to steady yourself. You slowly make the walk to the table, likely not more than twenty steps, but it feels like a mile to you. As you exit through the doorway, you raise a hand in passing, placing it against the wall and pushing off of it gently as Mary guides you to the chair she likely spent the last six days crying in.

Before you lies a steaming pile of boiled potatoes that had been fried in the fat of two porkchops. The smell makes you dizzy with desire as you begin to devour the food. Mary seats herself on the edge of the table, one leg raised to rest her weight on one of her thighs. She gently runs her fingers through your hair as pack away the delicious meal.

The feeling of food in your stomach invigorates you, you push back, and stand up, stretching your back, and raising your arms beside your head. The stretching feels good until you feel a tugging at your side, which startles the breath out of you and Mary jumps to her feet and scolds you.

“You must’nt do that yet, James. Your flank is still ‘ealin’ from that sword wound, you don’t want ‘te open it up again. It took me an hour to stitch you shut!” she warns, wagging a finger in your face.

You lower your arms to your sides, letting them drop loosely as Mary slips hers around your waist.

“They told me what happened, your men did. You were so brave and courageous to charge in like that… fightin’ that Captain all by yer lonesome…” Mary coos.

You feel flushed in your face as you peer down at her head resting on your shoulder.

>Thank her, go for a walk
>Thank her, more food
>Thank her, go see Bonnet & Oscar

>>29265042
>Thank her, go for a walk

Together with Mary.

>>29265042
>Thank her, go for a walk
Lets go to town with her. Greet the men, it should raise their morale a bit. After that we can have a talk with Bonnet and Oscar.

“Come Mary; let’s go see the boys, eh?” You offer as Mary gently nuzzles herself into your neck.

“Aye, that sounds like a fine idea.” She responds, her face that of one who just regained her love, literally.

You proceed down the boardwalks and walkways arm in arm with Mary. Leaning on her for support when needed as your arm wraps around her side. The rain had stopped, but it was soon enough for the smell of the rain to have yet to depart. That Fresh smell of lush foliage was coming from the interior of the island. As you walked by people on the street, some had to do a double take as you passed, not believing their eyes. Some of the shop owners and peddlers ran to your side, shaking your hand and welcoming you back to the land of the living.

Upon making it to the Tavern, you and Mary enter from the main entrance as everyone looks up to see you. Your crew look stunned for a moment, unsure what to say. You raise your left arm up in a shrug, not sure what to say yourself, and your crew explodes with cheers. Some men clamber over their very tables to see you as you pass by them all, shaking hands and giving acknowledging waves to your crewmembers. Sitting down, Mary goes to the tavern keeper and returns promptly. She carries a small tin cup and a large wooden mug in her hand. You reach up to take the mug from her as she sets the small tin cup in front of you.

“I need this more than you do, love.” She states, slugging back a large helping of the rum in one gulp. With a sigh she finishes “It’s been a long six days without you.”

You stare down at the tin up and take a sip. The rum burns your mouth and your stomach as it goes down; your body unused to such things.

The atmosphere is pure levity as the crew sings and drinks, a small band plays in the corner of the tavern.

>Go find the Bonnets alone
>Go find the Bonnets with Mary
>Stay in the Tavern with the men

>>29265575
>Stay in the Tavern with the men

>>29265575
>Go find the Bonnets alone
We need to talk. If Mary wants to come, i dont see why not. But we don't need a reason to drag her with us.

>>29265575
>Stay in the Tavern with the men

Maybe we can send someone to go "invite" them to the tavern.

You stay in the tavern as the band plays jaunty tunes and everyone has a good time. Mary slows down after nearly finish that entire mug of rum as you slowly sip on the small cup you were given. Answering questions and acknowledging greetings the entire time. The time grows late, and the party begins to die down; the band has left and it’s lit by candle light.

You turn to Mary, who, even though she drank nearly an eighth of a cask, seems relatively clear headed. She leans on you, resting her head on your shoulder as you finish your little cup, and wave for the barkeep to send another over. The door opens once again, but instead of another reveller come to pay respects to the dead man, you spot Alesa’s tanned skin and tall figure through the crowd, with her brother in close tow.

You stand up, using your arms for support and alert them to your presence. Alesa marches over to you solemnly as you exit your chair, setting Mary’s head on her own arm to rest atop the table. You stand in front of her, square faced. She looks at you up and down and steps into you, wrapping her arms around you in a tight hug.

“I thought ye were dead, James. We all did.” She whispers.

“Aye, so I’ve heard.” You reply.

She draws you back to arm’s length and plants a kiss on your cheek. “ My brother has something to ‘te say to you.”

Oscar comes forward, his hands nervously clasped together.

“Sir, I- I would like to formally apologise for what happened to you on my account, I- I-“ He began.

>Roll eyes, forgive the poor lad
>Accept apology
>Deny apology

>>29266041
>Accept apology

Maybe say we will accept if he sits and have a drink with us. We can ask if anything exciting has happened while we were out. ect.

>>29266041
>Accept apology
The one who should be apologizing is Alessa for rushing off without telling anything. It wasn't the boys fault really, if anything he can thank us for coming to rescue.

>>29266041
>Accept apology
But make sure he understands he fucked up by bringing pirate hunters here.

“That’s enough, lad. You don’t need to say anymore.” You say as you cut him off. “Yer a young lad, far younger than I when I became a captain.”

The younger Bonnet smiles and his hands drop, no longer nervously wringing each other.

“Alesa, I know what you did was for your family, and I understand, but ye gotta think lass. I know yer not just a pretty face, ye gots a good brain betwixed yer ears.” You add.

“Aye, James. For that, I’m truly sorry. I wasn’t thinkin’ right.” She agrees.

“Now, let’s all have a seat, shall we?” you inquire.

They both nod and sit down with you, staring as you take a few more seconds to actually plunk yourself down in the chair.

“Now, I noticed ye got yerself a nice little Brig there, lad.” You question as the barkeep hands you another small cup of rum.

“Yessir, I do. “ he adds.

“… well? Where’d ya get it?” you ask, laughing.

Oscar nervously twitches his fingers before saying “… I stole it. F-From the French Nav” very quietly, as if afraid someone would hear.

“Oh? That why them Bounty Hunters were comin’ after ye?” you ask, sipping the rum.

“Oh, uh, yessir. See, I was doing business from French Hispaniola, smuggling to and from Tortuga.” He finishes.

“And how’d you know to come here?”

“Well, actually, I didn’t sir. I just was going where’r the strongest winds took me so I could escape.” He replies.

You reach out and pat the boy on the shoulder, the bandages on your arm long since taken off to let the wound breathe. The “P” in stark contrast to your bronzy tan. “Spoken like a true pirate.”

[Alright! Another arc done. Thanks a bunch for participating once again guys. I’m starting up classes again on Monday, so the quest running time will likely be a later start. Any C&C for this story? What did you like, what didn't you like, etc?]

>>29266593
All I have to say is thanks once again for running this!

It's good to be the captain.

>>29266593
Thanks for the run. Seeing as we are in winter and wounded, will we be staying in land till spring? We will probably set sail wherever that map takes us sometime soon but i am wondering how we can man the other ship we got. We can have the workers repair it through the winter and the crew can help too.

>>29266818

We could, but the Abbey is understaffed now as well with the current casualties we have taken. While the French Sloop sits in the lagoon, we don't have enough men to currently man the thing.

Also, winter in the Caribbean just means more rain, that's about it!