The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Dominique on 14-02-2019, 10:55:42</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>14-02-2019, 10:55:42</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/sJTx1Iv.png)</div><br><hr><br><div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/9UaN6IN.jpg)</div> <br><br><div align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 13pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong><span class="bbc_u">Specifications</span></strong></span><br><br><strong>Type:</strong> Frigate<br><strong>Length:</strong> 97ft.&nbsp; <br><strong>Beam:</strong> 24 ft.<br><strong>Sail Plan:</strong> Full-rigged<br><strong>Armament:</strong> 34 cannons<br><strong>Capacity:</strong>&nbsp; 125 men or women<br><strong>Cargo Capacity:</strong> 210 bm<br></span><br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">The Ship</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/EBaN0ey.jpg)</div></div><br><br>(https://i.imgur.com/BGP4WbY.jpg)<br><br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">The Ship's Articles</div><div class="spoiler_body"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><br>Every Man Shall obey civil Command and has a vote in affairs of moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity makes rationing necessary, for the good of all.<br><br>&nbsp; Every Man shall keep his watch night and day; and at the hour of eight in the evening every one shall retire from gaming and drinking, in order to attend his respective station.<br><br>Each man is to keep their weapons and arms clean and fit for service.&nbsp; That Man who shall not keep his kit clean, fit for an engagement, or neglect his business, shall be cut off from his share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.<br><br>The lights and candles to be put out at eight o'clock at night: if any of the crew, after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they were to do it on the open deck.<br><br>&nbsp;That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoke Tobacco in the Hold, without a Cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer ten lashes<br><br>He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best weapon or arms aboard of her.<br><br>Good Quarters to be given when Craved, any member of the Grim Horizon excluded.<br><br>The fund of all payments under the articles is the stock of what is gotten by the expedition, following the same law as other pirates, that is, No prey, no pay.<br><br>The Captain and Quartermaster to receive two shares of a prize; the Carpenter, Boatswain shall have one Share and half;&nbsp; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner , one Share and one Quarter.&nbsp; After whom they draw equal parts from the highest even to the lowest mariner, the boys not being omitted. For even these draw half a share.<br><br>&nbsp;A standard compensation is provided for maimed and mutilated buccaneers. "Thus they order for the loss of a right arm six hundred pieces of eight, or six slaves ; for the loss of a left arm five hundred pieces of eight, or five slaves ; for a right leg five hundred pieces of eight, or five slaves ; for the left leg four hundred pieces of eight, or four slaves ; for an eye one hundred pieces of eight, or one slave ; for a finger of the hand the same reward as for the eye.<br><br>That no man shall go on shore till the ship is in readiness to put to sea.<br><br>Every man is to be called fairly in turn, by list, by the Quartermaster, in a space of 24 hours from the boarding of prizes and if any gold, jewels, silver, etc. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of eight and the finder does not deliver it to the Quarter Master, he shall suffer ten lashes.<br><br>Any quarrel is to be ended on shore, by sword and pistol. The quarter-master of the ship, when the parties will not come to any reconciliation, accompanies them on shore with what assistance he thinks proper, and turns the disputant back to back, at so many paces distance; at the word of command, they turn and fire immediately or else the pistol is knocked out of their hands. If both miss, they come to their cutlasses, and then he is declared the victor who draws the first blood.<br><br>If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.<br><br>He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of engagements, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.<br><br>&nbsp;He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.<br><br>He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the value of a piece of eight, shall suffer the slitting of the ears and nose, and be set on shore, not marooned, but somewhere, where he was sure to encounter hardships.</span><br></div></div><br><br><hr><br><span style="font-size: 13pt;" class="bbc_size"><span class="bbc_u"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Crew</span></strong></span></span><br><br><br><div align="center"><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Character Name</strong></td><td><strong>Played By</strong></td><td><strong>Position</strong></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423) </span></td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Dominique</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=50144)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Captain</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Liam Scott (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691424#msg14691424) </span></td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Dominique</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=50144)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">First Mate</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Marisol Jamison (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691583#msg14691583)</span></td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Gannameade</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=5882)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Quartermaster</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Nancy Goldsworth (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693317#msg14693317)</span></td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Levi</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=61690)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Cook</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Lourdes Joie</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693916#msg14693916)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">evilnerf</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=13544)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Striker</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Devon Black</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14694152#msg14694152)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Captain Whitebread</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=56976)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sailmaster</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Lifa Canary</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14696106#msg14696106)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">fienda</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=62161)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sailor</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sarah Jackson</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14699272#msg14699272)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">yobo</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=30253)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sailor</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Ryu Jinzaburo</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14699769#msg14699769)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">TheBlackThrone</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=42520)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Carpenter/Saboteur</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Lawton Townsend</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14701665#msg14701665)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">El Maligno</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=20615)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Master Gunner</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Royce O'Malley</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14702350#msg14702350)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Grizzly</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=26427)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sailor</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Finn Búistéir</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14711417#msg14711417)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Emmykins</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=49122)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Surgeon</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Nefsonne the Mute</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14712643#msg14712643)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">fienda</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=62161)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Blacksmith</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Rachel Reade</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14727115#msg14727115)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Nandy</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=65965)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Sailor</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Argus McFinnegan</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14730568#msg14730568)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Thunder Splash</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=62086)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Master Brewer/ Cooper</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Chiana Blackvail</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14737149#msg14737149)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">CurvyKitten</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=3408)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Rigger/Thief/Sailor</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Character URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Profile URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 11pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Inactive Characters</strong></span></span></td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Profile URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Alvirs Winton</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693564#msg14693564)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Blackstone</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=54410)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Bo'sun</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Esmeralda Alcantara</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14700109#msg14700109)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">PearlRuby</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=5538)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Bard/ Fortune Teller</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Penny Half-Penny</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693656#msg14693656)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Honeycrisp</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=60863)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Powder Monkey</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Edrea Burlingame</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14731523#msg14731523)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Rel Mayer</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=35476)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Lookout</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Character URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Profile URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Character URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Profile URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Character URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span> (http://Profile URL)</td><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br><div align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Post Header Code</strong></span></span></strong></span><br><div class="codeheader">Code: <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="return smfSelectText(this);" class="codeoperation">[Select]</a></div><pre style="margin: 0; padding: 0;"><code class="bbc_code">[floatleft][img height=200 padding=5][/img][/floatleft][b]Name:[/b]<br>[b]Position:[/b]<br>[b]Location:[/b] <br>[b]Time &amp; Date[/b]: <br>[b]Tagging:[/b] <br>[b]Content:[/b]<br>[hr]</code></pre><br><br><br><hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Links to Other Threads</strong></span></span></strong></span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Out of Character Thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300545.0)<br>Accepted Characters (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.0)</span><br><br><strong><span class="bbc_u">IC Threads</span></strong><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Esperanza - Top Deck (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300620.0)</span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Esperanza - Middle Deck (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300994.0)</span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Esperanza - Lower Deck (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300995.0)</span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Esperanza - Captain's Quarters (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300996.0)</span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Esperanza - Navigation Room (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300997.0)</span><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Erotic Thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=301003.0)</span><br><br></span></div></div></div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>14-02-2019, 11:04:20</strong>
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				<div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/Mw8Y2Jk.png)<br><br>(https://i.imgur.com/bFpDj7j.jpg)</div><br><br><hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Game Master</strong></span></span></div><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Captain Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | quarterdeck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | An hour past dawn<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Every single one of you!<br><strong>Content:</strong> Overseeing the arrival of her new crew<br><hr><br>It was a fortuitous day to be heading out to open sea. The skies were a pale blue with only shreds of clouds to tear up the perfect canvas and the winds were favourable, filling sails in its impatience to send another ship on its journey. Under the Jamaican morning sun it was already a hustle and bustle of people at the harbour of the infamous pirate city, Port Royal. Dawn had barely passed, but the streets leading out to the ships had been filled with fishermen, tradesmen and the more nefarious of seafolk. Everyone knew that the best fishing spots were for those who got there first, and the merchants knew better than to linger until the pirates ventured into open waters. Many of the imposing ships that had made berth were long gone, but the <em>Esperanza</em> was still proudly laying at anchor, ignoring tradition and looking all the more defiant for it. With its three masts, its polished cannons and the lovely figurehead that was its very namesake, the pirate ship patiently waited for its crew to arrive.&nbsp; <br><br>They knew so little, these brave new sailors who had pledged their allegiance to the infamous captain of the imposing vessel that so bravely hoisted the telltale black flag with the skull and bones. Whether they had been curious, desperate, or parched for adventure, each and every man or woman to board the Esperanza today had willingly committed to a life of treasure seeking, of hunting down unfortunate merchants and of braving the naval fleets of the sovereign powers that foolishly thought they had any power here on the open sea. When the Esperanza’s first mate, Liam Scott, had come searching for ambitious souls in the shady taverns of Port Royal, it was them who had written their names or drawn their crosses, and who now got their first glimpse at an unlikely ghost from the past. <br><br>The crimson vision that stood upon the quarterdeck, overlooking the arriving crew, held her arms crossed and her back proudly straight. Captain Rosette de Courtenay wore her finest pirate’s attire, with sparkling buckles to her waistcoat and dark boots that made a point of defying gravity. Her black handled scimitar hung nonchalantly from the belt that sat wrapped around her waist, and her ears and fingers were adorned with the last remnants of treasures from another lifetime. She seemed almost regal in her ways, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips as she regarded the main deck below, looking far from the haunted woman the tragic tales had described her as. Her red hair carried a wild, stringy quality due to the salty air, and her skin evenly tanned. Her attire was as polished and perfect as the ship itself, each of them belying the many moons at sea they had seen, the many battles they had fought and the monsters they had braved. The Esperanza was ready to begin its new life and, from the quiet mirth that gleamed in its captain’s eyes, so was Rose. <br><br>To the right of the woman, who had so boldly defied her tragic destiny, stood her first mate; Liam Scott held his big, calloused hands wrapped around the banisters as he regarded the results of his arduous efforts to gather a new crew for his trusted commander and the vessel she had never abandoned. Where Rose’s smile was subtle and confident, his was wide and elated. Hunched forward it was clear that he was content with his own picks, even if it had been a&nbsp; matter of accepting anyone daring enough to enlist in the first place. <br><br>“It be a fine day for new adventures, Sir,” he said jovially. Squinting his eyes against the bright sun light that scattered off the calm waves, Liam looked out towards the horizon. “And the lads and-” he paused, scraping his throat, “-lasses are, if anything, eager to be headin’ for the briny deep. Lady Luck is smilin’ down upon us today, I can feel it in me bones. Times are changing, Captain.” <br><br>She didn’t respond, not immediately, anyway. Her gaze followed the movements of people arriving, searching for their place among the others. Even the few souls that had served the Esperanza before seemed a little lost still, and all of them needed the thread to pull them together and make this a unified crew that would become the bane of the seven seas once more. <br><br>Rosette looked forward to it. <br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Honeycrisp</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 03:02:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/2/24/Token_1.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Penny (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693656#msg14693656)<br><strong>Location:</strong> On the quay / Aboard <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Larking About | Ratting<br><hr>"What is it again?" she asked, eyeing the dried bit of - well it looked like some sort of wrinkled, almost transparent skin only thinner and clearer.&nbsp; If you turned your head just so it looked like the ghostly imprint of an infant's face.&nbsp; The man who held it carefully on a moth eaten scrap of once blue velvet now gone the color of moldy cheese answered her.<br><br>"It's a caul, innit?&nbsp; Very, very rare.&nbsp; The best of luck too.&nbsp; Nary a sailor will drown wot ship's got one of these on board."&nbsp; He watched his prey, the ever credulous Penny, and thought he'd soon have all the contents of her purse for the bit of tea stained isinglass he'd molded over a doll's face then peeled off, presenting it as the real thing.&nbsp; <br><br>"A...caul?" Penny said, entirely entranced and completely sold on the magic of the talisman the man was offering her.<br><br>"A caul," he corrected her pronunciation.&nbsp; "It's the bit of the birthing sac of the mother, see?&nbsp; Only instead of being torn and tossed out by the midwife this bit was blessed by-" his lies failed him for a moment, unsure which of the many in his head to tell.<br><br>Eyes that changed from green to brown in the blink of them went wide at the word blessed.&nbsp; Penny's mouth fell open, hanging on the man's every word and her eyes searched his.&nbsp; "Blessed by...by angels?" she guessed.<br><br>"That's the thing," he seized the young girl's imagination and rode it to finish the deal.&nbsp; "Blessed by the angels themselves and laid on the baby's face as it lay in the womb, swimming in the mother's brine, right?&nbsp; And when it came out," he mimed squatting and catching a baby as if it had been squirted from between it's mother's legs, "it handed the caul off to us to bless and protect sailors.&nbsp; Very rare," he repeated.&nbsp; "Very expensive but you seem a nice lass.&nbsp; Hate to see you in harm's way."&nbsp; More like hate to see her purse walk off.&nbsp; It seemed to be quite full.&nbsp; "Let's say half of what you've in that purse and it can be yours."<br><br>"Golly!&nbsp; That's a lot," Penny said but they both knew she was going to buy it.&nbsp; Her hand went to the leather bag at her waist and tugged it loose.&nbsp; After opening it she began setting things out onto the top of the barrel they were using as a table.&nbsp; A redbird's feather, a dried mermaid's purse that everyone else said was just a dogfish egg case but she knew it was real, a heart shaped sea bean and, after a moment's agony, the magic needle on the silk thread that had brought her to the <em>Esperanza</em>.&nbsp; Penny spat in her hand and held it out to the man.<br><br><hr><br>Nursing a lump on the side of her head where the man had cuffed her, Penny lay on her belly on the gun deck, peering out one of the holes the cannon shot through.&nbsp; She'd tried to explain that her treasures, all as genuine as the caul he'd been about to sell her, were worth more than coin but he'd gotten mad and gone at her what for.&nbsp; Penny had barely been able to grab her treasures before running off.&nbsp; <br><br>She'd seen the regal figure of the Captain when she'd come aboard and had knuckled her forehead respectfully before going below.&nbsp; The Captain was a great lady, pretty and dangerous like a barracuda.&nbsp; Penny didn't dare look at her after that first glance and had been glad to get below.&nbsp; Now - now she was doing a bit of ratting, promised a quarter of a penny for each one she brought in dead.&nbsp; They liked to climb up the lines that held the ship to the dock and the bigger and more agile ones made it past the round wooden discs on the lines that were intended to confound them.&nbsp; <br><br>In her right hand she held a belaying pin, the rock maple heavy and dense and a little splattered with blood and brains.&nbsp; At her left side two big rats lay dead, the fleas abandoning ship and itching onto the girl's own skin instead.&nbsp; From time to time she scratched at them but mostly she lay still and quiet save for her eyes.&nbsp; One of the lines ran near the gun port she was looking out, near enough to offer an inviting crawl over a bit of curved hull and then right inside to go exploring and eating and making rat babies.&nbsp; Too bad it was the portal to rat Hell as the two dead ones beside her had found out.<br><br>Tiny nails clicked across wood and the girl tensed, hand tight around the belaying pin.&nbsp; She needed to wait until it got in the gun port proper before bashing it else it'd fall into the water twixt ship 'n quay and be a fortune lost to her.&nbsp; Just two more and she'd have as much money as her name!
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 05:21:41</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Rosette, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Boarding and settling in <br><hr>When Lourdes walked up the gangplank she was all smiles.&nbsp; Her dark, curly hair was bound behind her head, a green ribbon tying it behind her, barely containing the curls that bounced across her shoulders as she made her way up.&nbsp; Her long-bore musket had been repurposed and served as a staff for her bindle.&nbsp; All of her belongings in the world were tied to the muzzle and it rested on her shoulder as she stepped aboard ship.<br><br>Lourdes looked warily at the first officer, and then the captain.&nbsp; She hadn't expected to find any kind of vessels helmed by a woman and that is what had intrigued her to come aboard.&nbsp; Moreover, it had meant she'd not have to sleep with anyone she didn't choose to.&nbsp; At least she hoped that is what it meant. <br><br>"Mon Capitan."&nbsp; She said in her rough accented french.&nbsp; &nbsp;She wore a dark blue blouse with a dagger in a leather sheath on her hip.&nbsp; She moved the rifle so it fell on her shoulders.&nbsp; "A good day for sailing, yeah?&nbsp; When do we get underway?"&nbsp; <br><br>Not wanting to hold up the line though, she left the captain and went over to the rigging to find a spot to lean against and watch the others board.&nbsp; When she spied penny crawling around on the ground she couldn't help but wonder what the poor girl had done to earn such an unenviable duty... and be glad that she didn't end up in that spot herself. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>BlackStone</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 05:47:27</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/black-sails-season-3-toby-stephens-01.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Alvirs Winton (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693564#msg14693564)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Quarter Deck, <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Liam Scott, Captain, anyone in ear shot<br><strong>Content:</strong> Harsh language and vinegar <br><hr><br>The Captain and Mister Scott were not the only crew members on board the <em>Esperanza</em>.&nbsp; Alvirs Winton, the former first mate for the last four years with the Captain, now back to the role of the second mate and the crew's bo'sun, came up to the wooden rail, his hands running over the stained and varnished wood, feeling the almost glass like smoothness under the tips of his fingers.&nbsp; Alvirs had lost count the number of times the railing had been replaced over the years.&nbsp; The quarter deck was one of the most targeted areas on a ship.&nbsp; One would think a simple patch job would do, but such was not the case on the Captain's ship.&nbsp; Even if she was nearly battered to being nothing worth to salvage, as long as she could be raised, as long as she could float, the <em>Esperanza</em> would always be repaired, restore to her pristine condition.<br><br>As the first of the crew arrived, it was all Alvirs could do not to spit upon the deck.&nbsp; The woman was almost high enough to suck Alvir's cock without getting down upon her knees.&nbsp; The reason why he did not spit was because it would be disrespectful to the Captain.&nbsp; Still, there was a sour taste in his mouth, as well as an itch between his shoulder blades.&nbsp; Port Royal might be all but a pirate haven in everything but name, it still was a port of call for the Royal Navy, as well as the governor, even if he was corrupt as rat shite.&nbsp; If they had some freshly minted captain new to the West Indies looking to polish up his career by checking the letters of marque for the ships at port, things could get dicey.&nbsp; The tide for shoving off could not come quick enough for him.<br><br>Another look at the near dwarf and a sullen shake of Alvirs' head.&nbsp; Attractive enough despite her size, but Alvirs seriously doubted she was recruited to keep the crew entertained.&nbsp; There was perhaps a bit of raw potential, but she would likely be useless when it came to boarding actions.&nbsp; If this was the first recruit Mister Scott had managed to sign up, Alvirs would have his work cut out for him.&nbsp; He turned his head to the side and looked at Scott as his spoke in his rough mish-mash of accents.&nbsp; <strong>"Just what in the maelstrom am I supposed to do with 'er now, Scott?&nbsp; I ken ye didna bring her on board for me fun.&nbsp; What ish she supp'd ta do when we lock steel, stab the others in the bollocks?&nbsp; Did ye even test these sorry lot ye have coming on board ta see if they even know how ta sail, how ta fight?&nbsp; Bah!&nbsp; Captain, what am I supp'd ta do with this lot.&nbsp; Aye canna make rope from straw here.&nbsp; The'll break tha first time we come under fire."</strong>&nbsp; <br><br>Just as Alvirs said it, another lass came up, and he gave her the stern appraising eye.&nbsp; She had a swagger he liked, and cared a long bore with a familiarity she knew how to use it.&nbsp; Close quarters might be chancy for her, but Alvirs was already thinking strategy to use the lass.&nbsp; It did not me she knew shite about sailing, but at least she was a sight more promising than the first one on board.&nbsp; It still was not giving Alvirs any form of comfort.&nbsp; It was going to take work, and with the plans the Captain had, time was not a thing they had.&nbsp; Alvirs had managed in his near decade at being at sea to avoid the grim fate of being lowered into the sea, the last kiss of salt washing over his dead and ravished skin before his body sunk to the depths, and he wanted to continue to avoid the Jack of Bones till he was gray, bald, and rich.&nbsp; Time, it always came down to it.<br><br>Time...
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gannameade</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 08:03:27</strong>
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				&nbsp;<br><div class="floatleft">(https://marriedbiography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Michael-Jai-White-4.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Marisol (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691583#msg14691583)<br><strong>Location:</strong> On the deck/ Aboard <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Stepping aboard<br><hr> <br>He came aboard last night.&nbsp; He hated to be late.&nbsp; He then left as silently as he had arrived.&nbsp; He found his place aboard the ship then went home to retrieve his items, he would be back in the morning.&nbsp; It was necessary for him to get away, he had his mission and his walking papers.&nbsp; He was pretty sure he would get to a port to find is quarry.&nbsp; Everyone had a plan and place, his was to remove players from the chess board for the order.&nbsp; it was something he had been both raised and trained to do.&nbsp; To him it was a calling.&nbsp; He knew how to sail, it wasn't in his blood, but it did provide a fair amount of freedom.&nbsp; He liked freedom!!<br><br>Marisol was far more educated than most realized and to them probably should have been.&nbsp; But he knew money and he had made his mark on being firm but fair.&nbsp; Now those skills were called upon again, considering they were going in the direction he needed to go in and the Captain was nice enough on the eyes for a little distraction.&nbsp; He had no choice but to go.<br><br>First thing that morning he set out on his way to the ship.&nbsp; He had his items packed and had more weapons hidden on him than he should have had.&nbsp; He had some coin a few decks of cards as he had other ways of making money as well.&nbsp; He was good with his hands, he would be considered a mage to some as he was adept with his slight of hand, but very few knew of his skills.&nbsp; Fewer still were alive to tell the tale.&nbsp; Probably because they were dead from poison.&nbsp; Being an assassin had its perks.<br><br>As he walked aboard he head the man Alvirs and his belittling nature.&nbsp; He said nothing only recognizing the Captain and the first mate with a nod.&nbsp; The woman on the deck he eyed, shaking his head at her treatment.&nbsp; The other on the edge was watching, seems this was the man's way to have someone prove their worth.&nbsp; He was neither amused or impressed, he was the bookkeeper for all practical purposes and he had a job to do.&nbsp; "I will be taking inventory sir once I drop my things off."&nbsp; He said.&nbsp; He wore his brown pants, black sure and boots.&nbsp; His silver cross on his neck told of his religious nature perhaps.&nbsp; He wore it for the order, nothing more.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheBlackThrone</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 12:19:23</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21500000/Lee-Byumg-Hun-byung-hun-lee-21573838-320-480.jpg)</div><strong>Name: </strong> Ryu "Red Dragon" Jinzaburo (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14699769#msg14699769)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Boarding the <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> <em>Observed everyone currently aboard</em>, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Silent observer<br><hr><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Leather boots thunked up the wooden gangplank toward a majestic craft. If he hadn’t been recruited by a pirate, then he would have thought the <em>Esperanza</em> was a commodore’s ship. Oval-shaped eyes ran along the ship’s flank, scrutinizing the wood and examining the sturdiness of the structure. He counted the gun doors as he took his time ascending the plank. <em>He</em> was a simple man compared to the colorful characters that had boarded the ship so far. His hair was short and black, raised in scattered, feathery blades (it was perhaps combed through by his fingers). His skin was a warm tan, his eyes slanted like a kitsune—a trait of his ethnicity—and the white tunic he wore hung off his shoulders like it was two sizes too big. Strings crisscrossed at his collar and the sleeves gathered at his elbow and wrist. His right hand was grasping the handle of an old wooden toolbox, and his left was clutching the sling of a travel sack that was stuffed like a sausage over his shoulder. His boots clung to his legs up to his shins and a pair of charcoal-black trousers strung about his hips.<br><br>When Ryu reached the deck, he took in several characters. A girl crouched like a cat with dead rats around her; a red-head peering down at him from the quarterdeck; a woman with a peculiar accent calling up to the girl—she had addressed her as captain. Ryu’s attention returned to the red-head. He wasn’t used to seeing a female captain. A dark-skinned man had informed one of the two gentlemen of his intentions. Besides the man who had hired him, Ryu listened to the other man (the Bosun) speak to him. Everyone had a funny accent to Ryu, and similarly, when they would get a chance to hear it, his accent was also unique. After taking in the faces, Ryu went straight for the steps that would take him down into the lower parts of the ship. He wanted to claim a hammock and set down his things. If they were to be setting sail soon, then he had only a few hours to build an intimate relationship with the <em>Esperanza</em>.</span>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 14:56:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Location:</strong> Boarding the ship<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Boarding the ship in a foul mood - approach with caution<br><hr><br>Sarah Jackson was in a foul mood. Her head felt like it was about to split open, and the remnants of last nights cheap rum were oozing from her every orifice. Safe to say Sarah had had better mornings as she made her way towards the <em>Esperanza</em>. Over her shoulder she had her shipping sack with all of her earthly belongings. Her weapons, daggers and a sword made for cutting people up in tiny bits, were, as usual, ready to be used as they were hanging along the side of hips. Or, as in the case of the daggers, hidden. Sarah felt naked without her weapons, you never knew when something would kick off. Or, more likely, when Sarah would kick something off.<br><br>"Will I get the chance to fight?"<br><br>That was the only question Sarah had asked Liam when he had come to recruit a new crew for the <em>Esperanza</em>. When Liam had asked what kind of position she was interested in Sarah had only stared into the bottle of cheap rum. <br><br>"I don't care."<br><br>"Just want to fight, eh?" Liam had looked at her, waiting for an answer which never came. "I'll write you down as a sailor," he had said in the end. "We'll leave port in two days. Be there."<br><br>Now Sarah was here, at the port, watching the <em>Esperanza</em>. She was a beauty, but Sarah shot the name of a dirty look. Sounded like what a Spanish captain would call his ship in the Spanish Armada. As the hot Caribbean sun burned her back Sarah boarded the ship, looking around with a grouchy look on her face. It would have been a lie claiming the ship was swarming with people, but the ones there looked like... Sarah shrugged, silently cursing herself for getting so drunk last night. Hopefully, the crew wouldn't get her killed. Although, Sarah was more worried they would get in her way or stop her from fighting. <br><br>Feeling the effect of the hot sun more and more Sarah found a spot in the shade, sitting down with her back to the railing where she intended to stay until someone told her to do something. Depending on who asked her Sarah would either follow orders or poke the rude person interrupting her rest gently with her sword until she was left alone. <br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 16:09:31</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><strong>Content:</strong> Arrival<br><hr><br>The<em> Esperanza</em>.<br><br>Signing aboard her was like signing aboard a legend, like the <em>Golden Hind </em>or <em>Flying Dutchman</em>.&nbsp; To actually see the Rose in the flesh was even better.&nbsp; She was stunning beautiful, both the ship and the captain.&nbsp; Devon stowed his sea chest and a leather map case against the gunnel, greeted the captain and first mate respectfully and began examining the ship in earnest.&nbsp; <br><br>He'd retied three lines before he'd finished his circuit of the lower deck.&nbsp; The knots hadn't been wrong, they'd just been sloppy and Devon hated sloppy.&nbsp; Wendel had hated sloppy too.<br><br>The <em>Esperanza</em> was a three masted Spanish frigate.&nbsp; A little bigger and she might have been a galleon.&nbsp; A hundred feet of wood and brass and iron.&nbsp; A mile of braided hemp rope.&nbsp; Thirty odd cannons.&nbsp; Over a hundred souls, although a handful could handle her if the seas were kind.&nbsp; Yes, she would be a good choice.<br><br>He'd already checked the ropes; the sails were next.&nbsp; The canvas didn't look new but it certainly wasn't worn.&nbsp; Bleached by sun and salt, there was little of the original colour to be seen but here and there he found traces.&nbsp; Yes, she was a fine ship.&nbsp; The crew?<br><br>The captain was a legend.&nbsp; The first mate was well seasoned.&nbsp; He'd questioned the man at length as to the ship and his duties, as much as he needed to escape Port Royal, he wanted to choose the right vessel.&nbsp; His knowledge and even temper had impressed Devon, although Wendel would not have cared for his easy nature.&nbsp; It was a good thing that it was Devon signing his name at the bottom of the ship's articles.&nbsp; He'd even read them first.<br><br>The sour looking man on the deck was likely the boatswain; Wendel had never met one who wasn't a sadist, so Devon didn't like him just on principle.<br><br>The chippy was yellow, something new to both Wendel and Devon.&nbsp; He'd seen Orientals of course but never served with one.&nbsp; They had a reputation for being hard working but cowardly.&nbsp; He'd need to see if this one fell into that category.<br><br>There was a sharp shooter aboard or at least that was what he assumed the woman was.&nbsp; Why else would she bring a long arm onto the ship.&nbsp; Wendel thought sharpshooter brought an element of dishonesty into the fight; it was hard to blame him, seeing as how he was a prime target as the helmsmen.<br><br>The fact that the Quartermaster was going to be black surprised Wendel.&nbsp; They made sturdy, obedient sailors but it had never occurred to him that they might be taught to read and write.&nbsp; With so many illiterate people in the world, why would a black man need to know to know how to read?<br><br>There was a powder monkey already hard at work ratting.&nbsp; He barely paid them any mind, except to say "Good lad," as he passed. "Don't let me catch you handing them off to the cook."<br><br>He very pointedly stepped over the hungover woman trying to stick to the last of the morning's shade.&nbsp; He brought his boot down harder than necessary, just to make a little more noise.&nbsp; The hand on her sword was a comical 'don't tread on me'.&nbsp; Should she take enough offense to his presence to draw the weapon, she would find herself outmatched.&nbsp; There was no equal to the Royal Navy's fencing masters.&nbsp; Wendel would have roused her; Devon left her to the boatswain.&nbsp; <br><br>Devon himself was unlikely to stand out in anyone's mind.&nbsp; His black hair was shoulder length and tied back with a leather thong.&nbsp; He'd shaved yesterday; Wendel would have been horrified to not shave daily.&nbsp; He wore a linen shirt over denim pants, tucked into black boots that could have used a polish, something else that would have mortified Wendel.&nbsp; The cutlass at his hip would have mortified him as well.&nbsp; It was a plain weapon, purchased second hand and unadorned by as much as a wire wrapped about the hilt.&nbsp; Wendel would never have worn anything so utilitarian.&nbsp; Wendel, Devon conceded, had been a pompous pretentious ass.&nbsp; <br><br>He approached the first mate and captain.&nbsp; His groin was being incredibly disrespectful to the captain, by producing an erection attributable entirely to the colour of her hair.&nbsp; Devon tried to ignore it.&nbsp; "Good morning, Captain.&nbsp; Good morning Mr Scott.&nbsp; Permission to inspect the helm?&nbsp; And may I inquire, what form of address does the captain prefer?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PearlRuby</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 16:31:33</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.ibb.co/D7kgDDB/esme2.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> &nbsp;Esmeralda ('Esme') Alcantara (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14700109#msg14700109)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Port Royal – Primary Upper Deck, aboard <em>The Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Background, boarding the ship, and playing the tune of <em>Yo, Ho, Ho, and a Bottle of Rum!</em> on her flute.<br><hr><br>It wasn’t the clinking of bottles that roused her, nor the heavy footsteps upon the old, wooden floorboards getting louder and louder as they approached. No, it was the unceremonious <em>jab</em> of a boot toe against the meat of her thigh, that forced her eyes to open with a jerked startle. <strong><em>“Move it yer lazy swine!”</em></strong> The burly voice of the tavern-keeper barked, and for the sake of it, he kicked her again. <strong><em>“This ain’t no bleedin’ inn. ‘less you be spendin’ coin fer the priv’ledge.”</em></strong><br><br>The taste of sweet rum mixed with bitter ale still lingered on her tongue, but it was stale now; much like the remnants of a sticky residue betwixt her thighs, beneath her crinkled skirts. Some equally hungover sailor was belching outside the tavern doors, and the sudden sound of him dry heaving, almost encouraged her to regurgitate the contents of her own, booze-quenched stomach. Instead, she groaned and waved the tavern-keeper away. <strong>“I’m <em>go</em>-ing, I’m <em>go</em>-ing.”</strong> Her Spanish accent practically sang, and she quickly shifted to avoid the determined toe of his boot. <strong>“Stop <em>kicking</em> me<em>eee</em>!”</strong><br><br>Begrudgingly, he relented to her whining, and grumbled as he moved aside to brutally wake up the next drunken louse. Pushing herself onto her knees, her woozy head spun slightly, slowing her full ascent onto unbalanced feet. After swaying and catching herself against the corner of a wooden table, she patted herself down to check that her purse and satchel of tarot cards were still present in the hidden pockets of her skirts. Satisfied that she hadn’t been robbed in the night, she staggered to the wide-open doors, but paused in the doorway to leave her parting words. <strong>“Next you see me, you’ll be <em>begging</em> for my coin, you bastardo of a poxy <em>whore</em>!”</strong> Burning her bridges at that particular tavern, she spat on the floor and quickly fled before his bulldozing wrath could catch up to her.<br><br>The evening had been rowdier than usual, thanks to the arrival of a grey-haired man openly seeking out crew members. Of all the tavern wenches, one had grasped at the opportunity to ply her trade through fortune-telling, and she soon had the men flocking to sign their name as she declared that the fates would smile upon this ‘<em>Esperanza</em>’. Eventually, she’d slipped down upon the stool opposite the recruiter and told him exactly why he’d need her presence on board. <strong>“You’ll be thanking me for my pretty ditties and sea shanties when the morale is low and the barrels are dry.”</strong> Not to mention that he might be hard-pressed to find a surgeon willing to board a ship, but she was the next best thing in terms of concocting herbal remedies to soothe the pain. <strong>“Esmeralda Alcantara is <em>very</em> useful,”</strong> she'd referred to herself in third person. <strong>“You’ll see.”</strong><br><br>Having returned to the tiny room she’d been renting in a nearby boarding house, she packed what little she had into a blanket bundle, cleaned herself down with a wet rag, and was glad to see the last of the piss-soaked alley. With her small guitar slung over her back, she'd trudged through the marketplace down to the docks, and stopped only to purchase a few essentials with what little coin she had to spare: A bar of soap – <em>no</em>, make that <em>two</em>, a new pair of woollen stockings to replace the ones with far too many holes, and a freshly baked, Zucchini bread roll to chew on for breakfast.<br><br>At the docks, all other ships were put to shame by the sight of the large frigate towering over them. 'The Esperanza' was indeed a sight to behold, but so was the sparkling, green jewel lodged between the planks of wood upon the docks, suddenly spotted by widened brown eyes. Shamelessly, she bent over to pry the gem from the crack and held it up to the sunlight as she straightened up. It was far too light to be worth anything, and she soon determined that it was nothing more than an earring made from glass. Still, <em>waste not, want not</em>, and so she wet her tongue against her thumb to clean the silver loop before slotting it through her pierced, right ear. Following and pushing through the crowds of people, the dangling, fake emerald sparkled against her bronzed neck, as she eventually gathered up her skirts and started to climb up the plank leading to the main deck of the grand ship. <br><br>Light brown eyes lifted to acknowledge the two men and the red-haired woman upon the quarterdeck, overlooking the arrivals. Esmeralda recognised the grinning grey-haired man, but as for the other two, she presumed that they were both a position of worth upon the ship. Was one of them the captain? <em>Perhaps.</em> The woman at least, was dressed finely enough, but tales of female captains were few and far between. The other man was clearly complaining, even though she couldn’t hear his words above the hustle of the gathering crew; she could see that he was unimpressed by something by his animated gestures and expressions. Another, dark-haired man was fervently checking the ship, passing along the deck far more attentively than others. Her own attention was quickly snagged then by the handful of overtly-excited, giggling whores walking behind her, and she stepped aside, both to let them pass, and to distinguish herself as <em>not one of them</em>. Even though she was dressed in a similar fashion as they were, complete with bosom-enhancing corset and brightly coloured skirts of vibrant yellow beneath a dress of blue and paler yellow fabric. Instead of mingling like those whores though, she lifted the guitar strap over her head, and rested the instrument against the side of the ship. Perching her rear against a lone barrel, she then dropped her bundle of possessions to fish through the cloth until she retrieved her wooden flute. A little music might lift the grumpy spirits and help to move people’s feet a little more quickly along the plank. Such was her thinking as she propped herself up on the barrel, crossed one leg over the other, and pursed her lips against the raised instrument. Soon enough, after a few clumsy breaths against the wood, the merry notes of <em>'Yo, Ho, Ho, and a Bottle of Rum!'</em> sweetened the air. <br><br>Even as she played though, her roaming gaze carefully acknowledged each of the crew members still walking aboard the deck, finding their place upon the ship: A woman with wild, curly dark hair tied with a more feminine green ribbon, standing with her arms folded across from her; two quiet men of varying shades venturing below deck, no doubt soon to be followed by others seeking out a space to call their own; and, back to the dark haired man from moments ago, stomping his feet loudly by a seated woman, who looked a little soured by the early hour, and the warmth of the sunrise. Smiling against her flute, it occurred to Esmeralda that she should harass the grey-haired man for her own lodgings shortly, even though the likelihood of getting what she wanted right now, was slim to none. <em>All in good time</em>, she reassured herself, and began to optimistically tap her foot to the merry tune whilst she played on.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>El Maligno</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 21:23:16</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://static.tvgcdn.net/mediabin/galleries/shows/a_f/bi_bp/black_sails/season1/black-sails-09.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lawton "Dead Eye" Townsend<br><strong>Location:</strong>The Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Everyone; Penny specifically; Open <br><strong>Content:</strong> Already making love to beautiful women (The cannons)<br><hr><br>Making his way towards the Docks Lawton checked his bag making sure that he had his cards, dice, clothing, personal weapons that were not already on his body and various other items he tossed in. He checked his purse of coin openly carried with a few scant coins, the one he knew pickpockets would go far and die when they tried and checked his real coin purse that carried a healthy amount of coin since he was not going to risk going back to his hidden cache of the spoils he'd earned. This was enough for now. He had been staying at a boarding house renting one room that he usually paid with someone else's coin taking bets. It was a nice enough place but nothing to brag about. Leaving couldn't be easier. Leather boots announced his departure to the madam that ran the place and Lawton slipped her a few extra coins and a wink as he kissed her hand, he had already paid his debts the day before not wanting to have to deal with his coin before leaving. It would be safe here where no one but he could find it. Taking one last inventory he checked the many, and boy were their many different daggers strapped to his body all of varying degrees of length, sharpness and for different uses, blades were good for many things and he had different daggers for them all with most in easy to reach places. His cutlass was at his hip, the short, thick sabre was not new but it certainly wasn't battered. His pistols were in his bag no need to carry them openly yet. Feeling confident that he wasn't missing anything he set off for a new adventure. With brown pants, black leather boots, a wide cloth and leather belt and a dark green tunic, a few rings on his fingers and leather bracers on his arms he looked very much the pirate that he was. <br><br><br>The smell of the ocean as Lawton stepped onto the <em>Esperanza</em> somehow felt stronger once he set foot on deck. He closed his eyes savoring the warm feeling within him. He was finally home. When the Captain left on her own Lawton had been thrown into a spiral of depression. He lost his shipmates, his captain and his meaning for doing anything.Where else would he find a ship as fine as the <em>Esperanza </em>? Why even her very name..nectar to the lips and where would he find a captain capable of matching Captain Courtenay and never would he find he was equally willing to follow. His loyalty was not so easily bought and Captain Courtenay had impressed him far more than any captain he had ever served under before. Being a woman she had to work two or three times more than any man, pirate or not this world was not so fond of women in power and Lawton enjoyed how his Captain simply trampled the traditional notions of the world. Opening his eyes he saw his lovely Captain with her left and right hand men at her sides. <br><br>He was glad to see some familiar faces in a sea of new comers. The Captain beautiful red hair and all commanding presence even without speaking, Liam the old hand grinning like a loon, he knew the man was elated to be back under the eyes of the Captain. Flicking over to Alvirs he saw that already something had gotten under his skin but couldn't hear what the man was saying. He saw a dark curly haired woman talking to the Captain but what took his attention was the long-bore musket she had. He shifted his bag on his shoulder as a grin spread across his face. Already there was the familiar hustle as men set to working getting ready to set sail. Boots on the deck were music to his ears though he could hear someone playing a flute somewhere trying to make the hard work bearable with a jaunty tune. Lawton hummed along with the classic Yo, Ho, Ho, and a Bottle of Rum tune being played as he watched those above with the captain. <br><br><em>Ah another sharpshooter eh? Can't wait to see what this one can do..hope she's as skilled as she is pretty and if she's even more so then...well I'll be damned...</em><br><br>His eyes roved over to the dark skinned man who announced that he would be taking inventory. He raised his eyebrows wondering where the Captain or Liam found this one but knew that the man must be good at his job if he was on this ship. In his mind if you were on the this ship you were one of three things, the best at what you do, meat shields/extra hands for sailing or you had the potential to be more than an average sailor. And that man's body alone made it clear he was not cannon fodder. Lawton grew up on the streets watching people and how they moved was necessary when you were going to rob them without them knowing it, and he could see that clearly. <br><br>And just as he was thinking there was more to the dark skinned man did another strange sight greet him. He should have seen him, Lawton should have been aware enough to notice him but the man was quiet..watching..before moving off Lawton made sure to memorize his face it wasn't one he'd seen very often. Dark black hair and oval shaped eyes he definitely felt that there was more to <em>this </em> man too. Making Lawton grin, it seemed things would be very interesting on the <em>Esperanza</em> this time around...more so than usual which meant he was in for a grand adventure!<br><br>A beautiful woman sat in the shade but had<strong> FUCK OFF</strong> written all over her face and while Lawton was never one to run away from a challenge he had some things to do, besides it seemed a young man was willing to poke the angry swordswoman. <br><br>However before he went below to the gun deck he wanted to see who was playing that tune. After following his ears and playing hot or cold for a bit he found a stunningly beautiful woman sitting perched up on a barrel dressed in a corset and brightly coloured skirts he made sure to make a mental note to thank his lucky stars at night that he was on board a ship that did not mind filling it with beautiful, beautiful women. <br><br>Gods he would hate to be stuck on a ship with nothing but men which was sometimes what he had to do but thankfully hadn't since serving under Captain Courtenay. <br><br>Making his way towards her he fished out a few coins hoping to be favored with a smile with the beautiful woman. He was a sucker for a women. Passing by her he placed the coins down on the bit of barrel space she was not taking up as he bowed his head and flashed a smile saying before moving away "A token of thanks for gracing the ship with your music and beauty. The voyage shall surely be all the more enjoyable with both of them here on this ship now. I look forward to seeing what else you can do" &nbsp;<br><br>With that he gave her a bright smile once more, he wanted nothing more than to flirt and make her laugh but he had a woman or rather several women that needed his attentions and loving. In fact he had 34 women that needed pleasing and when Lawton saw the first beauty he set his bag down running his hands along her surface. <br><br>"Ahhhh how long has it been Mary since you last had my touch? I see you Anne, and you Flora, and how could I ever forget you Charlotte? Ladies ladies...please I know I know it's been so long since you've all had my loving embrace and I promise to service and handle each one of you ladies with the care and the love you all deserve but first you know I must take care of your mistress. Yes..yes.." Lawton spoke to each of the cannons he passed by not caring what anyone over heard. He had a name for each of the 34 different cannons, all of them were different and had their own personalities at least to Lawton. Some of them were hotheads and overheated faster than the others. Some where more focused and thirsted for revenge and thus they were more accurate. But none of them, none of them could compare to his lady love. Matilda. Matlida was the best cannon of them all, accurate, powerful and by far the most reliable. She was his queen, she had been the cannon he first started with when he first joined as a boy and he learned everything from her. This was his ritual and it always worked. Their names told him what they needed and how they needed to be handled. They wanted to be cared for right, if not then the ladies got mad and accident happened. Some might find his little quirk strange but when they saw how his methods worked and saved all their lives in the middle of a navel fight well then...who was the crazy one talking to cannons now? <br><br>Gunnery was like making love to a beautiful woman. You couldn't just ram stuff in her,&nbsp; handle her roughly, and not properly work her over and expect her to fire off without a hitch. No that wouldn't do at all. A gunner was...an artist and his work should be done (when permitted of course) like a ritual or a ceremony. It was a dance, a play that ended with a big bang! <br><br>Touching the cannon that he manned he said "I am here Matilda..no don't cry...it is our enemies who should weep so..for they can not best you, The Captain and The <em>Esperanza</em>. Their gold, their very lives are now ours. We shall take everything they have to offer...see the world once more and together we shall carve our greatness into the stones of legend! When they hear that Dead-eye sails the seas once more they shall cower in fear for no man or team is better than we once we get these new men and women up to snuff. You just let ol Lawton take care of you ladies. I'll teach these lads how they should be handling all you ladies."<br><br>As he looked over Matilda he saw that he had not been alone down here in fact, there appeared to be a young boy? girl? with a belaying pin and two dead rats next to her. <br><br>She was young very young but Lawton only asked curiously "To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to youngling? And I take it you are not a stowaway unless you were trying to save those rats for later? Just curious but what role do you play here on the ship?" 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Levi</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 22:17:34</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5d/fd/fb/5dfdfbf0f964cdff8bb1ffd150fdf558.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong> Nancy Goldsworth &nbsp;(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693317#msg14693317)<br><strong> Location</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time/day</strong> Day 1/ morning<br><strong>Tagging</strong> Captain, Liam Scott, open<br><strong>Content</strong> Arrival on board and waylay the captain<br><br><hr><br>Nancy locked the door on the only home she had ever known and slipped the large brass key into the pockets of her skirts. Nancy didn't own much in the way of wordily goods, most of what she carried belonged to the captain. A bunch of letters, the key, her own papers declaring her freedom and of course the tools of her "trade".&nbsp; The black skinned woman turned away from the little house on the hill. It sat overlooking the port where Nancy could espy the Esperanza! Nancy grinned, it was slightly savage in its triumph. Finally, she could keep the promise she had made to a dying man. "I be keepin my word now master" she told the air. The hush around the house, the chirp of birds was her only answer but she felt better for saying it.<br><br>Nancy set of down the path towards the harbour, a black woman walking freely through the market always drew attention, especially a black woman who's back was covered in tattoos.. She was stopped several times. Men trying to get her in rooms, Men wanting to see her papers...the list went on and on. It annoyed the black haired beauty no end and she looked forward to true freedom upon the ship of her new mistress....Nancy shook her head <em>Captain</em> she mentally corrected herself. It had been a few years since Master de Courtenay had passed but the woman still struggled with the concept of not calling those of higher rank master or mistress.<br><br>Nancy finally made it to the harbour and she could see the many of her future crew mates were already making themselves at home aboard The Esperanza. Nancy brown boots landing confidently on the gang plank and she walked up and on to the ship. Her skirt and belt swayed with the movement of the ship. The woman stopped as she came aboard and looked around. Where did she go? Who did she report to? And more importantly where was the captain?<br><br>Her chocolate brown eyes roamed over unfamiliar faces, and she noted there were a fair few other females on board, finally Nancy spotted the man she had approached a few days before and strode towards him "Mas...Mister Scott!" she called out raising her hand over the sea of people so he could see who was calling out to him.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Honeycrisp</strong> on <strong>17-02-2019, 22:52:59</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/2/24/Token_1.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Penny (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693656#msg14693656)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Gun Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lawton | Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Ratting<br><hr>For a bit she'd come up onto the main deck and left the gloomy silence of the gun deck behind.&nbsp; Penny had laid her prizes out beside her then let the sun warm her body as she lay silent as a priest's generosity and waited for her prey to come to her.&nbsp; It turned out to be an interesting decision but ultimately a poor one.&nbsp; There were too many people, too much noise on the main deck.&nbsp; After being almost stepped over by a man, she knew it was a man from his voice and Devon's comment about her being a good lad, Penny decided to go back to where she'd found her luck.&nbsp; It was a pity, there were so many interesting people about and the lush woman making the music made Penny's voice itch to sing along and the toes on her bare feet curl with the desire to dance.&nbsp; She put one of them to use as she rolled onto her bottom, limber leg coming up across her belly and scratching at one of the fleas from the dead rats that was having a fine feast on her skin beneath her far too big for her top.&nbsp; Penny rose to her full, entirely unimpressive height, then scooped the rats off the deck and headed back below to the gun deck.<br><br>The heavy guns were well lashed to the bulkhead, not moving in the slightest in their low, heavy wheeled carriages as the hint of tide made the <em>Esperanza</em> rock at her dock as if settling sleepily into the feather bed such a fine lady deserved.&nbsp; Things creaked, noise came in from the gun ports, but it was relatively quiet so she was able to hear the man's footsteps approaching.&nbsp; Penny listened as he began talking and for a moment was confused.&nbsp; Who were all the girls he was talking to and why didn't she hear the swish of skirts, feminine giggles, or the crack of his hand across an ass?&nbsp; Who was he talking to?&nbsp; Who was he?&nbsp; As the comments continued she had to put her hand over her mouth to stop the giggles from coming out.&nbsp; Men could be so silly when they were sugar talking a girl.&nbsp; It was fun to watch and she'd learned some very interesting phrases from them.&nbsp; 'Nipples dark as wine' was one she'd found very interesting and wondered what her own pale pink ones would garner as a comment?&nbsp; Not that they were very impressive, as tiny as her breasts, but still! <br><br>Penny still didn't realize to whom Lawton's amorous comments were addressed when she felt him looking over her.&nbsp; His words sent the rat's nose she'd seen just beginning to twitch over the edge of the gun port scurrying away.&nbsp; Penny sighed then rolled to her side, fetching up half on to the man with her shoulder up against one of Matilda's wheels.&nbsp; "Fancy talk but you got a name for e'ry other girl in here but me?"&nbsp; She giggled then, the sound exploding from between her lips where her hand had kept them pushed down.&nbsp; "Me's Penny!"&nbsp; Rolling up onto her feet, she let the hand that held the belaying pin hang loose down by her side, slightly hidden by one leg as slender as a colt's.&nbsp; "And them's mine," she pointed to the dead rats with crushed skulls in pride.&nbsp; "Quarter-penny and quarter-penny make a hal' penny," she said, something clearly memorized and not a bit of math.&nbsp; That skill was far above her reach and likely always would be.&nbsp; "And once I got four I'll have a whole penny in bounty and then as much money as me name!"<br><br>"I'm a powder monkey, right?&nbsp; Being small's good for that and I can work as hard and fast as the boys who do it too.&nbsp; And I'm not careless and won't be making no spark or fire down below that'll blow this fine lady to flinders." <br><br>"I'd have had a third only you came down here making love to ladies I don't see.&nbsp; You got some whoores," she pronounced the word with a stretched o sound, "laid up in here hiding?&nbsp; I don't sees them," Penny finished with a look around then turned her hazel eyes back to Lawton's face.&nbsp; 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>18-02-2019, 00:45:32</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Boarding the Esperanza<br><hr><br>Royce walked up the gangplank with a bounce in her step that was not from the lengths of wood beneath her feet.&nbsp; Royce had been in port for a little over a week, and had been bored out of her mind.&nbsp; She'd been unable to obtain a position on a ship.&nbsp; Mates took one look at the young woman and turned her away, sometimes with a good hearty laugh.&nbsp; There was that one who offered her a position as a 'bed warmer'.&nbsp; Royce wasn't entirely sure what that was but she didn't like the way that he was eying her so she turned him down.&nbsp; <br><br>With no ship to sail on, Royce decided that it might be time for a short vacation, spend some time on land for a few days and then go look for work.&nbsp; She 'borrowed' the coin purse of some jerk who had slapped her stern end several unwanted times, and used the coin to pay for a fancy room in one of the Inns.&nbsp; She was entitled to some luxury, and a bath, after all.&nbsp; And good food.&nbsp; The bottle of wine had been a mistake and she had woken up in a very unladylike position with an inhumanly heavy head as a result.&nbsp; She was contemplating another mistake named Jack, when the First Mate of the Esperanza had come looking for crew.&nbsp; Royce hadn't even known that the ship was bound for Port Royal and its presence excited her.&nbsp; The Esperanza was legend and captained by a woman no less.&nbsp; She had to get on that ship.&nbsp; <br><br>Which brought her musings back to the gangplank that she was walking up.&nbsp; Dressed in a simple blouse and vest, trousers, and her worn in boots that came just to below her knees.&nbsp; Her remaining worldly possessions were wrapped up in a canvas bag and slung over her shoulder.&nbsp; Her long red hair was tied up in a messy braid, and covered by a bandana and wide brimmed hat.&nbsp; <br><br>"Royce O'Malley, reporting.&nbsp; Permission to come aboard, Captain." she called out formally, one foot resting on the ships gunnels.&nbsp; The Esperanza was a beauty, as was her captain, and Royce was almost bubbling over with excitement.&nbsp; Royce did not want to screw this up and when in doubt, she fell on Royal Navy procedures.&nbsp; 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>El Maligno</strong> on <strong>18-02-2019, 17:55:06</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://static.tvgcdn.net/mediabin/galleries/shows/a_f/bi_bp/black_sails/season1/black-sails-09.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lawton "Dead Eye" Townsend<br><strong>Location:</strong>The Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>Penny specifically, Open <br><strong>Content:</strong> Defending the ladies honor<br><hr><br>Lawton raised an eyebrow at the unexpected bubbly response that he got. The girl for she truly was a young one, was pretty and had all the giddy energy of a young pup. She was far smaller than him but perfect for the job she was given. He admired her jovial nature and could tell this one was going to both be a pain in his arse when he was in a foul mood and didn't want to be pulled from it but also a beacon of light if they ever found themselves fallen onto darker times. Still he had to teach this young pup here a lesson, a lesson that was all the more important because this lass was to be a powder monkey. And it would not do to have this young Penny calling his many women whores. <br><br>"Whores! Why my dear sweet Penny you must be blinder than an man with brandy in the eyes if can't see that you are there in the presence of the finest ladies in all the world." Lawton said seriously as he spread his arms indicating the cannons. <br><br>"These fine, gorgeous women deserve an apology for the likes of you to be callin them whores. No, no that won't do at all Penny...I'm Lawton Master Gunner on this here ship and I'll be damned if there's a soul on this ship that shows disrespect to these lovelies. These ladies here will save your life and your life they shall own since you are a powder monkey. Let me tell you something my young up and coming gunner. If you treat these ladies right why they will make you master of the seas they will. You handle and care for these ladies like you would a lover, why they will strike down any enemy that comes your way. You just watch, I'll show you. Each of these fine women have their own little quirks and preferences. Matilda here is the best of em," Lawton explained lovingly caressing the very cannon they were standing by. "this is my number one. She guarantees you a hit as long as you treat her right."&nbsp; <br><br>Turning back to Penny and her pretty hazel eyes Lawton held out a calloused hand, "I'll make you a deal young Penny, you follow my orders down here and watch, learn how I work these ladies and I promise these ladies will show you how formidable the wrath of 34 angry women really is." <br><br>He was in a playful mood and the whole time he talk his eyes sparkled with amusement. He could see some potential in young Penny and if he could teach his method to someone young and impressionable why then they would be all the more effective on this ship since there would be two of them with the same mindset. If he could impart his skills and knowledge it would be the bane of all who met them at sea. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>18-02-2019, 21:07:17</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><strong>Content:</strong> Arrival<br><hr><br><em>"Permission to come aboard, Captain."</em><br><br>Wendel's head swung around on Devon's shoulders, to see who would use such formal protocol on a pirate ship.&nbsp; Surely he would be the only Royal Navy sailor that had sunk so low.&nbsp; Surely the woman standing at the gang plank couldn't have served under the royal ensign.&nbsp; She was a woman and a comely one at that.&nbsp; There was no one else there but he still couldn't credit it.&nbsp; No women served in the Royal Navy.&nbsp; There were stories of girls disguised as boys but he dismissed them as simply sailor's gossip.&nbsp; <br><br>Unlike the navy, on this ship, wearing a skirt seemed the norm for a large portion of the crew, no doubt attracted by word that the captain was a woman.&nbsp; It was bound to cause problems.<br><br>With the men outnumbering the women, there would be issues, no matter what the articles spelled out.&nbsp; The women, unless they welcomed the attention, would make it clear who they wanted chasing them.&nbsp; Devon intended to do no chasing.&nbsp; Perhaps the women would seek him out, because he was not trying so desperately to bed them.<br><br>Or he might throw his hat into the hunting ring.&nbsp; He hadn't decided yet.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Honeycrisp</strong> on <strong>18-02-2019, 23:45:20</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/2/24/Token_1.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Penny (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693656#msg14693656)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Gun Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lawton | Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Ratting<br><hr>Lawton was playful but his words, no matter if the intent was to joke or to be believed, found fertile soil in Penny's ears.&nbsp; As soon as they landed in them tendrils of belief and wonder sprouted then dug greedily towards Penny's mind to root themselves as firmly as any ancient oak that would one day form the back bone of a mighty ship's keel.&nbsp; There simply was no way she wouldn't believe what he'd said as the God's own truth and her eyes were wide from more than the gloom on the gun deck as she listened.<br><br>"Cor..." she whispered and had her faith in Lawton's words reinforced by the loving way he stroked Matilda.&nbsp; It was a lover's touch, a man's touch, possessive and wondrous of the curved beauty beneath his palms but also firm and demanding that she dance to his tune.&nbsp; He might court her but when the wooing was done it's be Matilda who lay back and spread her skirts 'n limbs to receive Lawton's ramrod.&nbsp; Once charged with his potent seed she'd birth a proper gunner's bastard, a son-of-a-gun, and hurl him out to shatter the bones of any ship that looked upon her man with malice or avarice.&nbsp; <br><br>Dropping what she believed a curtsy looked like, hands spread out to the side of her pantaloons, the young girl dipped and bent her knees towards the gun that Lawton spoke about.&nbsp; "Beggin' your pardon, me lady," Penny said seriously.&nbsp; "Din't mean nuttin' by it.&nbsp; Can't help I've got no manners, right?"&nbsp; When Penny looked back at Lawton it was clear that she'd gobbled down every word he'd spoken like a school of pompano around the pier ready to gobble up a lad's hooked bit of crab.&nbsp; <br><br>"Aye, sir," she said and held out her hand, too late remembering it held the belaying pin.&nbsp; Penny juggled it to her other hand, almost dropping it on her bare toes, then put her much smaller hand, grimy nails and all, into Lawton's mitt like one.&nbsp; "I'll be right nice to Lady Matilda and, and," like many illiterates Penny's memory was better than someone who had the lazy luxury of written lists but she hadn't been paying any particular attention to Lawton's names for his guns, being more concerned about giggling over how he was talking.&nbsp; Still she remembered a few, like Anne and Mary.&nbsp; That was fitting she thought, the names both belonging to great ladies even though she most often heard them applied to drabs and whores.&nbsp; "And Lady Anne and Lady Mary," she offered.&nbsp; "Which'n are they?&nbsp; Is it her?" she pointed with the belaying pin to another cannon.&nbsp; "Or her?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>20-02-2019, 22:46:36</strong>
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				<hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Game Master</strong></span></span></div><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Captain Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | top deck<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Everyone<br><strong>Content:</strong> Introductions<br><hr><br>As people poured onto the main deck, some of them so dedicated that they applied themselves to the job they had been brought on board already, Rosette began to size up the various individuals that hustled and bustled about, so eager to set sail and leave the notorious pirate city behind. “How many are we in total, Mister Scott?” she inquired without averting her eyes. Her hand briefly reached up to adjust the hat that fit so perfectly around her scalp. It was black and carried a wide rim, much like a cavalier’s hat albeit without the signature fold. A maroon coloured feather still drifted from its back though, attached by a black-and-silver encrusted jewel. She hadn’t worn it in many years, but now the time felt right to actually look the part that she had never quite abandoned. <br><br>Her second-in-command unrolled the paper that had sat none too ceremoniously tucked into the back pocket of his trousers. He checked the list of names; Liam Scott had been a reasonably capable reader when they’d first met and, at Rose’s insistence, had become considerably more practiced in the years after. “Seventy-six in total, Miss,” she said. “Forty new ones added to the thirty-odd we picked up at Tortuga. With you Sir, me, Winton and Townsend of course-”&nbsp; He paused, his words broken up by the most lighthearted chuckle that barely seemed to fit the old sailor. Lawton Townsend had been on Liam’s good side since the day he lumbered aboard and hadn’t done a thing to change his opinion since. Even Rose, who trusted Liam Scott’s judgment of people without condition, thought highly enough of the man who was so infatuated with the ship’s cannons, that she had gone out of her way to seek him out the moment they’d arrived in Port Royal. “Yep,” Liam finally concluded in his gruff, sea addled voice, still staring at his paper. “Makes seventy-six.” <br><br>Rose crossed her arms as she stood straight, her upper body angled back in a near act of defiance. “The men of Tortuga are the working mules, Liam, the followers,” she said impatiently. Her hand left the comfort of its resting place on her opposing arm to gesture lightly towards the crowd. “<em>These</em> are the people who are going to make a difference. These folk have come because they want <em>adventure</em>, because whatever they had here on land was not bringing them any sense of fulfillment. That, or they were just bloody desperate.”&nbsp; She flashed a toothy smile at that, revealing that, while life at sea hardly demanded high standards of hygiene, the dear Captain still had all of her teeth. Her expression remained unwavering even as the one man to have never left her side, her boatswain Alvirs Winton, spoke up, giving voice to his doubts whether this ragtag group of pirates, sailors and scum-o-the-earth was going to live up to the expectations of Rose and himself. It was the one aspect to Alvirs she had always appreciated about him most, if only because it was a good counterbalance to the once boundless optimism of his captain. Not that she was going to have him sour the mood for her on this eventful day, and the sharp look she cast her bo’sun over her shoulder left no doubts that he oughta tone it down. “She might surprise you yet, the little mouse,” Rose said calmly, indicating the scrawny little female figure that had already crawled between the woodboards, seeking refuge belowdeck. “Besides, I never saw you as one to back away from a challenge.” She turned her head back to the scene below; Alvirs and her had been through Hell and back together; they would never tell each other anything except the undiluted truth and Rose was certain that he wouldn’t take offense to her words. Much, anyway. “Mister Scott,” she commanded, “Let’s put my dear Alvir’s mind at ease. Tell me about our new crew, so that-” <br><br>Her voice trailed off at the sight of a young woman, with bronzed skin and an infectious smile upon her dark coloured lips. She was the first of the newcomers to make direct eyecontact with their new captain;&nbsp; she greeted Rosette with an accent so drenched with the French drawl that it had the redhaired fury angle her head slightly towards her first mate. Liam scraped his throat. <br><br>“Ah, that be miss Joie,” he proclaimed, “native girl, one of our strikers.” <br><br>“Clearly one more suited to your expectations, Alvirs?” Rosette inquired with feigned nonchalance. She gave Lourdes a courteous nod, then watched a few more board the ship. Few did more than offer her a pirate’s salute or a laughably demure nod, if anything at all. Rosette didn’t blame them; most of these lads and lasses had seen little education in their life, never mind been taught the laws of common courtesy. Of course, she was the source of legend and ghost stories alike, making the more superstitious among these sailors a little wary of her presence to begin with. <em>She’d soon show them how alive she was.</em><br><br>A brief acknowledgement of her new quartermaster’s return took shape in a small nod. “Mister Scott,” Rose said, once again addressing him by his last name. “Please ensure that Marisol joins us for a meeting in the navigation room, let’s say two hours after we weighed anchor. Be so kind to invite our sailmaster too. That is…” she added ponderously, “If he has graced us with his presence yet?” <br><br>Liam Scott immediately searched the swarm of people with his grey eyes, which were framed by countless of fine wrinkles. Like an anthill they seemed to crawl&nbsp; around and over one another, belying any organisation of sorts. When he ultimately found the aforementioned navigator, he beckoned him over with a strong arm. Rosette curiously took in the sight of the stranger, who she would be relying on more than she was willing to admit. He had a proud stance; straight back and steady hands that she was certain could be the envy of many a surgeon. His sword was plain and unassuming; his <em>weapon</em> rather the opposite. Rosette stoically kept her gaze at eye level as he made his way up to the quarterdeck. <br><br>“Ah, mister Black,” she said, her voice a paradoxical mixture of standoffishness and warm expectation. He came bearing requests that made him at least appear dedicated. “You are at liberty to inspect any part of the Esperanza the ship entitles you to.” The ghost of a smile briefly found, then abandoned her lips. “You may address me as Sir, Captain until you have earned the right to call me by name. Privileges are given when they are duly earned. But I suspect you will not be disappointing us.” <br><br>It wasn’t so much a threat as it was Rosette’s intuition that he was going to live up to Liam - and her- expectations, and she was rarely mistaken. Though elusive, the man before her carried himself in a way that Rose appreciated; Liam had done his work well in finding Devon Black. <br><br>She hadn’t the time to linger on every single individual though, and as the line of arrivals seemed to near its conclusion, her eyes briefly met with another dark-skinned young woman, who, like Rose, had adorned their skin with black ink. Hers didn’t limit itself to a single sleeve, however, and Rose grew instantly curious about the meanings to the tattoos she couldn’t quite discern from up where she stood. <br><br>“Ah, that be our new cook,” Liam helpfully offered. <br><br>“Nancy Goldsworth,” Rose remembered. She’d made an effort to memorise the names of all the people on board, and while she was far from perfect, her mind was sharp and she dared wager that she could flawlessly name every single person who had come aboard this glorious morning once they stated their position. The girl seemed enthusiastic in her ways, and Rose could only hope that her cooking skills equalled her spirit; nothing like several weeks at open sea to make you appreciate fine cuisine (or anything that wasn’t biscuits and dried beans). Still, when chef Nancy made to approach the First Mate, Liam hurriedly waved her off, then barged down the stairs to stop her from getting up on the quarterdeck. Rose laughed softly. “Do show her the galley, Mister Scott,” she called after him. “I expect nothing but the finest meals from our new chef!” <br><br>She greeted the final of the arrivals; a young woman with a warmly glow to her hair and a politeness that seemed out of place. She gave her an appreciative nod. “Permission granted, Miss O’Malley,” Rose told the fellow redhead, addressing her in a manner that was perhaps unconventional, considering the girl’s status. But the captain was, by now, feeling particularly sprightly,&nbsp; and Rosette de Courtenay finally uncrossed her arms, taking a step back from the railing. Conspiringly she regarded Alvirs, even sparing Devon a glance as he wandered the helm. “Reckon it’s about time to get acquainted with these lovely folks,” she said, her voice kept low. Simultaneously the confident young pirate captain reached down into her boot, allowing slender fingers to wrap around the equally slender handle of the concealed dagger within. Only upon withdrawing it from its hiding spot did it become evident just what magnificent a blade she carried upon herself: a silver grip, encrusted with small jewels, and the shiniest steel with a glint that darted along the sharp edge. The weight of it was comforting, and Rose let it rest in her palm for a moment. Then, with all the matter-of-factness of one who had wielded so many blades in her years, she tossed it up into the air, only to catch it by the tip instead. Her eyes sharply cast their gaze towards the main mast, and with an agile motion she threw the magnificent blade forward. It tumbled over and over itself, the agitated <em>woosh-woosh-woosh</em> as it cleaved through the air drawing the attention of those so precariously close beneath its trajectory. A low, but satisfying thud emanated from the dagger as it bit into the wood of the sturdy mast, not seven foot from the deck up. Sailors craned their heads back to stare up at the shamelessly scintillating weapon, then to the captain who had so obviously tossed it halfway across the deck. Movements ceased, voices fell silent or dwindled to a low murmur; even the merry melody of a flute being played faded away. Captain Rosette cast Alvirs the briefest of looks, then boldly stepped down the stairwell, guiding her to the main deck. <br><br>With flair and a considerable amount of grace, Rosette raised her arm in a welcoming gesture, her high-heeled boots steadily allowing her to descend to the level of her new crewmembers. “Gentlemen!” she called out, “Fine ladies and everything in between! I am Rosette de Courtenay,” she touched down upon main deck, and her charming demeanour persisted as she reached her hand to the top of her bold looking hat, removing it from her head and giving them all a small, yet so very courteous bow. “Your captain and commander for as long as you be on the Esperanza. Now worry not!” she immediately continued, and she meandered slowly between the men and women aboard, meeting eyes with those who dared as she purposely approached the quivering dagger, embedded into the central part of her precious ship. <br><br>“I will treat you fairly. I will reward you for your hard work, your commitment and your courage. I will bring you fame, accomplishment! <em>Gold</em>,” she added, finally speaking the language that even the most dimwitted of sailors would understand. And she could see the words taking root in the hearts of these hopeful seamen and -women, their eyes aglow with dreams of riches and being part of something greater than them; something <em>legendary.</em> Rosette was content enough to even address the unlikely exception to the high-spirited crew; a young woman, propped up against the side of the ship -<em>her</em> ship- clearly still working through the aftermath of her last night’s drunken stupor. The captain slowed to a halt before her, eyes roving over the slouched figure. Toned arms, a pretty face and an arsenal of weapons enviously kept close. Such a pity this promising package came with a pisspoor attitude. Rosette crouched down, and with a careful but firm hand, took the chin of the morose feeling sailor, lifting her head to meet her captain’s gaze. <br><br>“All I ask in return,” Rose told everyone, and Sarah Jackson in particular, “Is for you to prove your worth to me. with unquestionable loyalty and hard work. You do that for me, and you’ll be gettin’ everything your heart could ever desire. <em>Sound good, aye</em>?”<br><br>She raised her voice significantly for those last words, and Rosette sprung back into a standing pose, pointing with great emphasis at the costly dagger. “As for this little beauty here, that be a special reward that each and any of ye can earn. The first man or woman to spot the Grim Horizon will be wielding that costly blade for the rest of their days!” <br><br>Rosette paused, adding to the weighted nature of the challenge she had set. Not all would be versed in the backstory of their new Captain, and sure enough, most only felt the greed of becoming wealthy beyond their imagination over so seemingly trivial a task. <br><br>“You reckon you can do that for me?” she asked, and Rosette turned around. Her voice was commanding now, rousing, <em>full of energy.</em> “Will you work hard? Will you show the devotion that we’ll be needin’ to get the best of treasures, the most infamous of victories?"<br><br>Rosette flashed them all a bright smile, raising her fist high in the air. "<strong>Will you be <em>pirates</em> with me?!</strong>” she shouted . <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>20-02-2019, 23:54:02</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><strong>Content:</strong> Arrival<br><hr><br>"Aye, Captain," Devon said, almost snapping her a salute.&nbsp; "Give me a day to learn her secrets and I'll make your lady dance across the waves."<br><br>He didn't force his way past her but moved to the other stairs.&nbsp; There was a smile on his face as he wrapped his hands around the wheel.&nbsp; <em>Sixteen spoke double wheel.&nbsp; Too right I can make her dance.&nbsp; Large enough to give me leverage and small enough for a helmsman to handle alone.&nbsp; Ample places to tether the wheel.&nbsp; I'll wager a month's pay that she hasn't got more than a hand's span of slack.</em><br><br>Satisfied, he moved back to the rail just as the captain let fly with her dagger.&nbsp; Devon grinned.&nbsp; He'd seen similar from other captains but nothing so dramatic, nothing with so much flair.&nbsp; He listened as she spoke, watching the crew eyeing the dagger with avarice.&nbsp; He had some chance of winning it; his post was not ideal for spotting sails but he had a high vantage point and it was his job to keep an eye on the waves before them.&nbsp; It was something else he needed to decide to what extent he would search the horizon for the ship she hated so much.&nbsp; He'd need to get her to describe it in detail, so he would recognize the ship on sight.<br><br>He waited as she asked her questions.&nbsp; He knew what was coming.&nbsp; Finally she asked it, her ultimate question.<br><br><div align="center"><strong>"Will you be pirates with me?!”</strong> </div><br>When she did, Devon was ready to reply.<br><br><span style="font-size: 18pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong><em>"AYE, CAPTAIN!"</em></strong></span> he bellowed at the top of his lungs, in a voice that could be heard through a driving gale.&nbsp; His wasn't the only voice that cried out.&nbsp; Seventy-odd throats let loose with the same answer.<br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>El Maligno</strong> on <strong>21-02-2019, 01:58:14</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://static.tvgcdn.net/mediabin/galleries/shows/a_f/bi_bp/black_sails/season1/black-sails-09.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lawton "Dead Eye" Townsend<br><strong>Location:</strong>The Esperanza, Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>Penny specifically, Open <br><strong>Content:</strong> Master and Commander <br><hr><br>Lawton liked the change he saw within the young female before him seeing that his words took hold in the youngling's mind. <br><br><em>This one will do nicely</em><br><br>"Once we set sail and are out at the open seas, I'll make sure to teach you each and every one of these fine ladies' names, and how they need to be cared for. For now remember and burn these into your memory my young sea pup! You know this one here is Matilda. Mary is the first cannon other there closest to the stairs leading to the upper decks. She's a 24 pounder that she is and across from her is her sister Anne also a 24 pounder. Matilda here is a 32 pounder. You treat these ladies right, you take care of them and ol' "Dead-eye" Lawton will take care you." He said with a slightly flirtatious wink and tapping her on her nose before looking back down at Matilda. <br><br>"Working down here these cannons will be your life, same as the ship. The Captain is our Master, our Commander in battle both on land and seas and if she so asked it of me I would follow her to ends of the world and into the next that I would if only to see the adventure's end. I do love me a challenge and the call of adventure is music to my ears. For greatness awaits out there on the high seas and just you wait the Captain will lead up to it and snatch it we will. Work hard and you too shall rise up, songs and legends in your name, more titles and names than you can imagine, Penny the Fierce they'll say or Penny The Dreadful, or even Penny The Enchantress, just you wait the opportunity of Immortality is out there, your name living longer than the children of your grandchildren over tenfold and once you find it..Take it! It's yours!" <br>Lawton waxed hamming it up as the showman in him got carried away. <br><br>When he finished he cocked his head as he heard the familiar voice of his lovely Captain talking to the others above. <br><br>"That be the Captain. Let's go poke our faces up above and catch a glimpse of that greatness awaiting us."&nbsp; &nbsp;Lawton said beckoning Penny to follow him. <br><br>As he was leaving he walked backwards bowing low "And those of you sweet ladies that have yet to feel my loving embrace I apologize and I promise to give each and every one of yous some sweet sweet lovin' once duty permits but for now this is goodbye." Lawton finished with a wave and kiss to the cannons down below. Taking the stairs two at a time he stopped short of the upper deck and just listened to Captain Courtenay speak moving to the side to let Penny have a chance to either stay on the steps with him or to move onto the upper deck. His pride in the Captain swelled within him and when she asked for them he shouted with the rest of them at the top of his lungs. <br><br><strong>"AYE! CAPTAIN!"</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>21-02-2019, 03:22:57</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Boarding the Esperanza<br><hr><br>Royce, a wide grin splitting her face, stepped onto the deck of the Esperanza.&nbsp; There had been a few odd looks sent her way after she called out to the Captain, and Royce suddenly found herself blushing lightly at the attention.&nbsp; Bloody hell, she was not going to be made to feel like she'd been a fool.&nbsp; "What?&nbsp; Have ye never seen respect shown to a woman captain before?" The light Irish lilt in her voice had a slight edge to it as she chastised the nearest crewman who had given her the odd look.&nbsp; <br><br>She adjusted her hat to better shade her face against the sun and settled against the railing of the ship.&nbsp; Royce was in a good position to see the Captain throw her dagger, and the bright smile reappeared on her face.&nbsp; She listened as the Captain spoke, eagerly drinking in each word.<br><br><em>Ah, Robby</em>.&nbsp; She thought, mentally composing a letter to one of her old cremates from her Royal Navy days.&nbsp; <em>If ye could see how Captain Rosette is inspiring these men, strutting around confidently with the grace God gave angels, ye'd believe beyond a doubt that a woman can command a ship.</em><br><br><strong>"Will you be pirates with me?!”</strong> The Captain called out.&nbsp; <br><br>"AYE!" Royce shouted back, her voice drowned out by the cacophony of agreement, but her enthusiastic jumping up an down, a fist pumping in the air, could not be missed.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>21-02-2019, 06:17:47</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Rosette, Sarah Jackson, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Captain flirting, questions<br><hr><br>Lourdes got swept up in the excitement of the rousing speech as much as anyone.&nbsp; As much as she liked to pretend she was cool and above it all, the words were pitch perfect to make one's blood boil in excitement.&nbsp; She found herself staring at the captain's lips and wondering just how much they may taste.&nbsp; When their eyes met, she gazed back with a hungry gaze.&nbsp; She'd do everything the captain asked... and much much more. <br><br>After the speech though, she had more questions then most.&nbsp; She wasn't a pirate by trade like most of these salty folk' so she determined to ask one of them.&nbsp; &nbsp;She spotted Sarah Jackson in the shade nearby, and decided she looked the sort who might have an idea.&nbsp; <br><br>She stepped over to her and rested her hands on her hip and spoke in her Haitian french accent.&nbsp; "Allo, mon ami. What do you think about this business with the Grim Horizon?&nbsp; Do you think there will be enough treasure to go around?&nbsp; Not to gainsay our dear captain, of course... just trying to understand the chances of walking out of this with a pocket full of gold."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gannameade</strong> on <strong>21-02-2019, 17:41:42</strong>
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				&nbsp;<br><div class="floatleft">(https://marriedbiography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Michael-Jai-White-4.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Marisol (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691583#msg14691583)<br><strong>Location:</strong> On the deck/ Aboard <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> inventory<br><hr> <br>Marisol was not particular on Captain's he did what was required of him.&nbsp; Most saw him as the simple bookkeeper, but if he didn't do his job he would be blamed for damn near everything...well not navigating the ship of course but everything else.&nbsp; He made sure others were as comfortable as possible, he tended to needs, he wasn't the doctor, but pretty close.&nbsp; Provisions, rations, fresh water, it was all under his influence and control, he kept a cat on board, it kept the mice population down as he didn't want that to go because they had stowaways.&nbsp; He could only hope no one was allergic, then some of his chemical combinations kept the mold population down as well so most items would stay fresh even the perishable ones.&nbsp; He would meet the cooks soon as it fell to him to made sure they had all they needed as well.&nbsp; Then he would have to deal with the gunners and those were people he made sure to keep happy even as eccentric as some of them were.&nbsp; If they weren't happy, the group would be defenseless at a distance taking on cannon fire.&nbsp; <br><br>So he was marveling at the Lady Rosette and that she trusted him with her ship and her crew.&nbsp; He would make it a point to know that her trust was well founded in him, he went over his mental checklists and made scribbles in his notebook which was his own personal shorthand as he finished his chicken count and continued to move around the lower deck.&nbsp; His keen hearing allowed him to hear the captain's opening speech to cast them off.&nbsp; He smiled as she was motivational at least, nice on the eyes too.&nbsp; But he was sure she knew that already and was well aware of the use of her feminine charms to get what she wants out of everyone...including him.&nbsp; <br><br>He moved around the middle checking on the cargo.&nbsp; He did a final check for his own personal weapons on his body.&nbsp; <br><br><strong>"Will you be pirates with me?!”</strong> The Captain called out.&nbsp; He chuckled.&nbsp; "if I didn't want that...I wouldn't be here!"&nbsp; He said allowed.&nbsp; "Aye Aye!"&nbsp; He was not as loud as the other but given the close quarters, it would have been heard by anyone down here.&nbsp; &nbsp;He still remembered his own mission but he was so looking forward to that sea wind already and he would be visiting the crows nest when it wasn't being used as he had a thing for stars and the clear night sky over the sea.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PearlRuby</strong> on <strong>22-02-2019, 21:07:00</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.ibb.co/D7kgDDB/esme2.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> &nbsp;Esmeralda ('Esme') Alcantara (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14700109#msg14700109)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Port Royal – Primary Upper Deck, aboard <em>The Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lawton, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Flirting and escaping to the Middle Deck, in search of the Infirmary.<br><hr><br>The rhythm of the music was expertly undisturbed, whilst caramel brown eyes regarded the approach of a sailor with shoulder length hair, and a distinctively long nose. Esme made a point of recalling faces based on characteristic features, especially before she could associate them to a more specific name. With so many crew members on board the large vessel, it was going to be possible and likely, but more so, entirely relevant for her to defy the odds by learning the names of each and every one of them. Certain faces however, deserved a measure of more dedicated familiarity. She watched as he discarded two coins onto the space upon the barrel, dangerously close to her thigh, but she continued to tap her foot to the rhythm she played against. Blatantly, she was unaffected by the intrusion to her personal space, but her lingering eye contact also proved that he’d caught her attention. Within those precious three seconds, her first impression of him was formulated, and she concluded that he was little more than a flirt. Was he worth her time? The gift of a smirk rather than a smile, lilted the notes of her song. Though she couldn’t speak right now, without disrupting her music, she did make a point of uncrossing her leg, to re-cross with her other leg instead. The vary subtle shifting under her skirts placed her other foot dangerously close to <em>his</em> thigh now, and she started to tap the toe of her buckled shoe to the tune again whilst she brandished him with the far more suggestive quirk of her eyebrows. In the blink of an eye though, her attentions discarded him, and she cast her gaze out to the rest of the ship once more. Perhaps, the long-nosed sailor would be useful, perhaps he wouldn’t. She wouldn’t know for certain though, unless she indulged him a little first.<br><br>Watching the last bundle of sailors walk on board, it didn’t escape Esme’s notice how many women were employed. Not whores, but <em>pirates</em>, brandishing their own weapons of the trade. There was something both intriguing and empowering about a ship that was unafraid of bringing the curse of women aboard. Her gaze flicked back up to the raised quarterdeck, and the more extravagantly dressed red-haired woman, who was not only avidly conversing with the two men to her left and right, but also going as far as to greet the handful of individuals who stepped up to her. Could it be that she was the captain after all? The clues were certainly pointing more in her direction, but it wasn’t until her voice rang out across the ship, that the answer was made clear. Esme respectfully lowered her flute to her lap, and licked her slightly parched lips once before settling her gaze intently upon the bellowing redhead. <br><br><em>'Well well,'</em> she mused with a lopsided smirk. <em>'This one knows who to rile up the crowd.'</em> The speech immediately lifted morale, and though she didn’t join in with the various cheers, Esme was nonetheless excited by both the identity and the content of the captain’s speech, along with the reactions of her gathered crew. Her spirits likewise lifted by the promise of gold, but more than one opportunity was revealed to her now. So, whilst the crew cheered for their captain, Esme gathered up her things, and slinked towards the doorway leading into the bowels of the ship, carefully and stealthily brushing past various bodies along the way. She’d need to become <em>very</em> familiar with the Esperanza's more intimate layout, and stake her claim over a hammock in a good position, if there were no spare rooms available, which she ultimately feared might be the case. First though, she had reason to check the stocks of the infirmary. Part of her selling point to the infamous ‘Mr. Scott’, other than her knack for entertaining the crew and raising low spirits, had been her knowledge of plants and their medicinal uses. Not every ship could afford the luxury of a dedicated physician, and surgeons were even rarer out at sea, so she was keen to see if she might in fact be able to stake her claim over the infirmary for her lodgings. So whilst the crowd were distracted by the captain’s orders, Esme cunningly disappeared below deck in an effort to gain an advantage over the ship’s inner layout.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>fienda</strong> on <strong>23-02-2019, 04:12:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/de/Imageedit_16_6798356439.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/8e/C25bahk.jpg)</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Name:</strong> Nefsonne the Mute (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14712643#msg14712643)</div><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Name:</strong> Lifa Canary (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14696106#msg14696106)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Position:</strong> Blacksmith</div><div style="text-align: right;"><strong>Position:</strong> Seaman</div><div align="center"><strong>Location:</strong> Tavern &gt; Esperanza, Top Deck</div><div align="center"><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1| Morning</div><div align="center"><strong>Tagging:</strong> Liam Scott, Open</div><div align="center"><strong>Content:</strong> Lifa and Nef finally gain employment</div><br><hr><div style="text-align: left;">Lifa and Nefsonne sat together in a relatively quiet corner of a less than reputable tavern in Port Royal. Each had the hoods of their tattered, worn-looking cloaks pulled low over their heads in an effort to obscure their faces. But since necessity had dictated that both of the garments be obtained hurriedly and dishonestly, there was little room to fuss over such details as appropriate sizing. The result then, was that Lifa’s slight body was swimming in hers while, contrarily, Nefsonne looked like he had long since outgrown his. Beneath the ill-fitting and ill-begotten cloaks, their sparse clothing was bedraggled, dirty and torn. This was especially the case for Lifa, whose white coat and trousers were no longer white at all, but varying shades of grimy, filth-streaked gray. Nefsonne, whose usual attire was minimal anyway, was by far better off than his companion. His simple, red-dyed linen shorts were ragged at the hems and his white, linen shirt, which was intentionally torn at the shoulders to better accommodate his bulging biceps, was merely yellowed from sweat. The shirt had also been stolen.&nbsp; His enormous leather boots seemed to remain in decent enough repair, the right one still concealing the knife for which he was named. Aside from Nefsonne’s knife, Lifa’s beloved thin-bladed sword, a treasured gift from her late husband, and a stolen coin purse, the two had no possessions to speak of. Their stomachs were taut with hunger and their only thoughts for the past week had been consumed by the single, instinctual drive to survive until the next sunrise. Well, in Lifa’s case, she had been equally consumed by, and hungry for, one other thing. Revenge. As if she had formed an additional function for life, her need to breathe and eat had now been joined by her need for vengeance, and she felt it in her very bones. This hunger that she bore hung about her like a dark cloud. So, needless to say, Lifa’s usual cheery disposition was rather stormy at present. <br><br>Hunched in the simple wooden chair across from Nefsonne, Lifa’s delicate features were drawn in a scowl. Her brooding demeanor, of course, failed to impress Nefsonne, who found her even more charming than usual. He thought her bad humor made her look like a petulant child more than anything and found himself amused by it. He turned his attention away from her to carefully and subtly survey the room. Their continued survival was a credit to his persistent diligence, since Lifa, though very bright, was not well educated in the ways of life here at the very dregs of society. If not for him, she would have died days ago. Or else would have found herself working in a brothel. The thought to sell her off to a Madame had occurred to him, and he felt no remorse in such thoughts, despite his mild affection for the woman, but alas he had not yet decided to walk that path. It was true that, with the death of Frederick, Nefsonne was no longer beholden to his Captain's orders. In his mind, his duty as Lifa's bodyguard had therefore been forfeited, along with Fred’s life. Yet, he continued to protect her. To what end? He wasn't sure. Introspection and self-reflection were not particular vices that he often, if ever, indulged in. As a matter of fact, he scarcely indulged in any vice, though he had taken notice of some of the women in the tavern. Paying for a good time with one of them was a luxury he could not afford at the moment, not when his primary concern was keeping them both alive.<br><br>While Lifa was distracted by her own moody thoughts, Nefsonne took note of a new arrival in the tavern, a blond haired Officer dressed in the uniform of the Royal Navy. Wordlessly, Nefsonne gained Lifa’s attention, as if the two shared a psychic connection and when she rose a surly eyebrow at him, he gestured vaguely at the man who was already rearing up to make himself heard over the steady murmur of mingled conversations. Lifa did not immediately recognize the face of this particular officer, but if she found out his name, she might know him by reputation. Due to her standing in society as a Duchess, she was familiar with many high-ranking officials. Some, she knew in person and had met. Others, she knew of through gossip, rumor or report. She endeavored to make out the man, but failed to recall anyone neither of that countenance nor bearing. <br><br>Suddenly she turned to Nefsonne and brightened, “Perhaps he can help us in our efforts,” she said eagerly, “If I don’t know him, chances are good that he did not know Fred. And if he didn’t know Fred, he’s not likely to be the one responsible. But perhaps if I explain myself, and tell him who I am, he will be sympathetic to our cause and may even escort us back to the Valverde. Naturally, I could always persuade him with payment… once we get back home I’ll have access to Frederick’s financial assets. I must speak with him.”<br><br>Lifa and Nefsonne listened closely as the man introduced himself and explained his intentions. And afterwards, they patiently waited until the last person, who had been tempted by his offer to enlist and crew his ship, had swaggered away, none the wiser about their likely fate as canon fodder. As the Officer readied himself to depart the tavern, doubtless eager to remove himself from such unbecoming surroundings, Lifa purposefully got to her feet. She had scarcely taken a step when she was suddenly jerked back. Looking sharply over her shoulder, she saw that Nefsonne had placed a large hand around her wrist, the thick fingers circling and overlapping around her forearm. He had not purposefully meant to be so rough, but the sheer momentum of her movement was so completely halted by his strength that it jarred her, setting her teeth on edge. She swiveled fully around and said in a low, irritated whisper, “What, Nef? What?”<br><br>The giant man slowly shook his head. <br><br>“No, what, Nef?” she spat impatiently.<br><br>He released his grip and brought a finger to his temple, tapping it slowly.<br><br>“You’re right,” she conceded, rubbing her wrist absently, “I have to play my hand carefully.” <br><br>She came in close, sat girlishly in his lap and whispered in his ear, “I’ll go and speak with him, you stay here and keep a sharp eye out for me, just in case. If I can secure us a spot on this ship,” she brought a hand to her mouth contemplatively, “We may be able to turn the tide of our misfortune and bring us a step closer to discovering who was responsible for orchestrating Fred’s death.”<br><br>Speaking her husband’s name caused Lifa’s voice to waver momentarily, but she quickly shook the mist from her eyes, replacing the hurt with hate. She turned to look upon Nefsonne’s stoic face, beseeching his approval. He looked down for a moment, considering her words, then nodded gently. She stood up from him and walked, this time a little more measuredly, towards the quartermaster.<br><br>“Sir?” she addressed him politely, “Might I have a moment of your time?”<br><br>The Officer looked up distractedly from the papers he was gathering into a leather ledger and his face contorted with disgust the moment he took in the miserable sight of Lifa standing there before him. <br><br>“My time is too valuable to waste on a wretch like you. I’m not here in search of whores, and if I were, I’d prefer one who understood what a bar of soap was. Off with you now! The <em>Ares</em> has no use for the likes of you!”<br><br>His words were as venomous as they were dismissive, and he did not bother to stay long enough to hear Lifa’s reply. With his ledger in hand, he turned sharply and made a swift exit. <br><br>Lifa felt her cheeks flush at having been spurned so flagrantly. She was absolutely dumb-founded, but could feel her temper rising. She could also feel Nefsonne's gaze on her back. And this was the only thing stopping her from doing anything particularly rash. In that moment of hesitation, however, she felt the smoldering flames of her anger suddenly turn cold in her chest, as she was overcome with a strange feeling that she could not yet name. After a moment, she realized that was just standing there, quietly looming over the empty table the Officer had vacated. When she finally moved, it was like watching a statue come to life. She turned and retreated to her table, resuming her seat quietly. She could not bring herself to look at Nefsonne's face, even though she knew already that his placid, grim expression barely ever altered. Her eyes bore into the chipped and water stained wooden table as she whispered the words ‘The Ares’, without offering Nefsonne any further explanation. <br><br>If she had in that moment been looking at his face, however, she would have seen the rare occurrence of emotion crossing the man’s features. His eyebrows raised and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. For the first time, he saw a genuine darkness in Lifa and he was at the same time impressed, dismayed and even the tiniest bit afraid. He knew that Lifa had moved from a general anger to a more calculating hatred towards the people who crossed her. And he knew that that particular Officer had just been added to her mental kill list, in addition to the mutineers aboard the Crescent Lark and the mysterious person who had arranged it. He knew that, in her eyes, they were all marked for death by her hands. And he knew that Lifa, the innocent, jovial, light-hearted Lifa that had wormed her way into his good graces, was no more. In her place was this new Lifa, who was filled with wrath and brimming with bloodlust. He was certain now, more than ever, that neglecting to sell her off to the first brothel he came across, taking his payment and walking away, would likely prove to have been a wise decision. He was not a man who scared easily, and truthfully his feelings about the prospect of his own death were lukewarm at best since he considered it foolish to fear the inevitable, but this vengeful viper that had coiled up inside of Lifa sent a mild chill down his spine. He did not envy those men and women whom Lifa had marked and, looking upon her now, he knew that they were all as good as ghosts already. <br><br>While Lifa had been engaging with the Officer, Nefsonne had diligently kept one eye on her and the other on the rest of the patrons within the tavern. He had noticed a man off to one side, near the fireplace, casually smoking a pipe. Remembering this, he looked again to make certain the man was still there then tapped a knuckle on the table to gain Lifa’s attention. She looked up and he directed her gaze towards the man with the pipe. <br><br>“Again?” she asked flatly, turning to look at Nefsonne finally. The dismay on her face proved she already knew the answer to her question. <br><br>He dipped his chin and raised his index finger, his attempt to placate the crest-fallen, brooding woman. <br><br>“Very well, but I'm ready to go after this. Let's use the last bit of coin for a room in the tavern. I'm tired of sleeping outside. And tomorrow, if it comes to it, I’ll sell the Jewel,” she patted the hilt of the sword at her hip remorsefully.<br><br>He silently conceded. She got up and headed towards the man. He watched her avidly, and was a little surprised to find himself hoping that she had better luck this time.<br><br><hr><br>Luck, it seemed, was on their side. Lifa had managed to convince the quartermaster, Scott Liam, that both she and Nefsonne would make fine additions to the <em>Esperanza’s</em> crew. She had secured them each a position onboard with Nefsonne as the ship’s blacksmith and herself as an ordinary seaman. She did not wish to let on that she could prove much more useful as an attaché of the navigational team because she feared doing so might lead to questions that she did not care to answer. She preferred to keep her parentage and powers they afforded her, a secret. Her reasons for doing this were many, least of which being that she was acutely aware of the unreliability of her powers. It would be better to keep that ace card up her sleeve for the time being, at any rate, along with the power of her title as a Duchess. This information could perhaps be shared down the line. For now, she only promised that she would make a good, hard working seaman who would not shy away from swordplay. That seemed enough to satisfy this quartermaster, though Lifa was fairly certain he was primarily accepting her as a necessary tag along to Nefsonne, who was the more tangibly and visibly valuable one of the pair. Just as well.<br><br>As Lifa shuffled along the <em>Esperanza’s</em> gangway, blending in with the throng of new crewmembers, she could feel her heart fluttering with excitement in her chest. The moment that she set foot on the deck, and her body felt the familiar swaying sensation of a ship being rocked rhythmically by the tide, she realized how even a few days on land had been like a thousand year drought to her soul. Back on a ship, back a sea, she could feel her parched soul drinking it all in. While Lifa was able to easily slip unnoticed through the crowds of bustling sailors, some of which already engaging in their respective tasks, others waiting around in anticipation for the Captain to address them, Nefsonne was less fortunate. Lifa had chosen to remain cloaked, but Nefsonne, who had discarded his comically small cloak and could no more blend into a crowd than an ox could blend in at a dog show, drew many sideways glances. Lifa watched, silently amused as one man bumped into Nef. The man had bristled and seemed ready to blame the accident on Nefsonne, but as he turned to see only a chest where he expected a face, he hesitated. Then Lifa did a poor job choking back a snicker as the man stupidly craned his neck up, and up so that he could look at Nef in the face before sputtering an apology and hurrying off in entirely the opposite direction. Both remained unmolested after that, though it was for entirely different reasons, and found places to stand in the rear of the crowd while the Captain proceeded to give a rousing speech. <br><br>When the sauntering, red haired Captain called out her question, and was met with the roaring surge of voices, cheering and whistling shrilly, there were two who did not shout along with them. One was mute. The other, well, the other was too busy weeping silent, mournful tears as her mind listened to Captain Rose’s words but heard them spoken in Frederick’s cheerful, vivacious, lilting voice. </div></div>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Emmykins</strong> on <strong>23-02-2019, 11:12:19</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://pre00.deviantart.net/c13a/th/pre/i/2014/320/d/0/hazardous_docks_by_haryarti-d86m32q.jpg)</div><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Name:</strong> Finn Búistéir<br><strong>Position:</strong> <del>Distinguished psychopath.</del> Surgeon<br><strong>Location:</strong> Awaking &gt; Tea &gt; Shopping &gt; Esperanza, Top Deck.<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning | Running late, but not too late.<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Whomever, but no-one specifically. Open.<br><strong>Content Warnings:</strong> drug use, language, deathy-things</span><br><hr><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><br>It'd not been but a few minutes past the sun's top peak crested the sky before Finn awoke, letting out the softest of murmurs and stretching as her lithe body uncurled beneath the covers. Toes curled, fingers wiggled, and slowly she sat up. Immediately, the tint of a hangover crept into the forefront of her mind - the warning sign of an impending migraine - as her vision pulsed gently with the throbbing ache behind her eyes. The room was dim, and disheveled - not just the bed, but the entire living space. A table tipped, papers strewn, drawers and cabinets left wide open, everything beneath the bed had been thrown unceremoniously about the area. Truly, it looked <em>ransacked</em> - and that's because it had been. By her.<br><br>"Morn', ole' chum," she said flatly with only the lightest tinge of cheer to her voice, as she peered over her shoulder at the hulking man-corpse beside her, still naked from their fatal encounter. The sex had been.. mediocre, but the poppy tea the man had drank had been <em>strong</em>. At first, she'd mostly planned to just rob the idiot, but... at some point, as she had wrapped up packing up anything of value, that... <em>impulse</em> had struck her again. In reality, it often did when she knew she'd be leaving port - or town. Every place she visited deserved a keepsake of her visit, right? And, well, as peculiar as a grisly murder may be of a keepsake.. well. It was one people tended to remember, and Finn <em>needed</em> to be remembered. Feared. Just like she - occasionally - needed to see the light die off in someone's eyes to stay partially functional. Sometimes that need found itself sated through work alone, but that was more like itching a never-ending scratch. There was always something special to her, something she felt deep down inside, when the deed was done purposefully. <br><br>"Notta' word to say, eh?" she asked simply, giving the body a shove, enough to cause it to edge closer to falling on the floor. " 'Tis sailin' day, mate. Been a lifetime, it feels. N' yer a rude shat in sheets." In truth, it had not been a lifetime. Six months, maybe, at most. Again she shoved - this time even harder, as she grew tired of looking at the oaf's face - and with a thud him, along with most of the bed's fixings, rolled off the side in a bloody heap. With little to no emotion whatsoever crossing her features, she simply got dressed in both corset and blouse, followed by the rest of her entirely black and dark attire (much like pictured.) The final touches were the most important to her, though, and firstly came her boots. Magnificent, nearly knee-high and sturdy enough to stop a blade, as several signs of a cutlasses bite would prove. But - even more importantly - was her belt. On each side hung a holster for her beloved pistols, and even better were the slots for her <em>tools</em>. Four scalpels, neatly tucked into a small lid-less leather pouch, and holstered right next to it hung a butcher's cleaver - sharp enough to catch the sparse light filtering into the room on its' razor-sharp edge (sharpened so to allow the small woman a clean cut with less force, of course.)<br><br>Slinging the courier's bag over her shoulder, and then the modified, worn, leather saddle-bag turned backpack over that, she set off out of the man's abode, or, well, she'd call it a <em>shat-hole</em>. Every step brought with it the jingling of coin and jewelry, a sound punctuated by the soft fall of her delicate feet in heavy boots. There was no cautiousness in her exit, despite the fact that the street outside was absolutely packed, and alive with activity. You see, Finn had found that when it came to this.. particular hobby of hers, mostly all that mattered was having the confidence to exude that she'd done nothing wrong, and that was something that came naturally. Mostly because she didn't feel like she'd done anything wrong, and with that mindset meant there was no weight. No guilt. No emotional hang-ups or otherwise.<br><br>A short walk brought her to the market, where she promptly strode down an alley and into a tucked-away tea shop. Behind the counter stood a short man with greasy hair and a grin, his head raising in recognition of a regular customer. "Ya'kno what I want," she said plainly, flat words soaked in her Irish accent, all the while plopping currency on the counter and letting it fall where it may, tip included. That was pretty rare for Finn - tipping - or paying a damn dime over what she thought something was worth. Here though? It meant extra strong poppy tea, and - she was wagering - she'd need to be atleast partially sedated to deal with an entire frigate full of loud-mouthed seafarers who've no idea who they will be allowing upon their ship.<br><br>It didn't take long for her tea to arrive, and it didn't take her long to throw it back like a normal sailor may rum. <em>This</em> put alcohol to shame, even if she was a common user of both. Empty cup in hand and a scorched tongue rubbing gently against the back of her teeth, she returned to the counter and proceeded to buy what she considered <em>ample</em> dried poppy seeds and pods, enough to both relax after a long day's worth of headaches and idiots, plus plenty to sedate anyone being too [i[unruly[/i] that she wasn't allowed to kill off. There were a few other stops on her way as well - specifically to buy a few extra tools and medical necessities that she'd prefer to have handy, and not be second-hand or partially used. This brought her bags to be outright stuffed - and heavy - but manageable when one was entirely dead inside and enjoyed pain. Which, of course, left only one stop: The Esperanza, her new places of residence and occupation.<br><br>Finn heard the cheering and otherwise on her approach along the dock, her nerves entirely unruffled by the staring of the sweaty men on her way there - let alone the fact she was running late. Confident strides brought her aboard the ship, where most everyone was gathered, and to say she paid them any attention whatsoever was.. well, an outright lie. A cursory, cold, and empty glance of nearly-black brown eyes was all she afforded any of them as her eyes raked across them all as a group, with little attention paid to much else. Immediately she spotted the Captain, and those she'd stumbled into in town to end up aboard the ship at all, but beyond taking them all in for a brief moment in passing, she continued right past - and through, if necessary - all of them. <br><br>Experience told her that the Infirmary - and thus her room - would be on the middle deck, and she was no stranger to the layout of any frigate or ship. In fact, she knew them intimately, and anything she didn't know, she knew she was equipped to figure out on her own without any issue. It felt like, to her, she had all the time in the world to decide if she cared enough to get acquainted with anyone here, and for now, she was far more interested in re-arranging and settling into the infirmary. Nothing pissed her off more than essential supplies or tools being someplace she wasn't familiar with, and that meant she'd be inventorying and re-organizing every bit of supplies.<br><br>So, with no more pomp and circumstance beyond the jingling of her bracelets, the loot in her bags, and the heavy cleaver upon her belt accented by the fall of her feet, she disappeared into the ship proper to explore her new space, which meant: The doctor was <em>officially</em> in. For better, or for worse. Time would tell.</span>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>24-02-2019, 11:20:20</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name: Sarah Jackson</strong><br><strong>Position:</strong> Hung over sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> Leaning against the rails<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 - the captain's big speech<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Rose, Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Content:</strong> Meeting new people<br><hr><br>The captain's gaze was burning, and Sarah found herself unable to look away. This annoyed the young girl greatly, as she felt like the pretty captain was the dominant one in this interchange and Sarah hated not being the dominant one. Well, there were a few exceptions to that rule, but neither of them involved much clothing. The touch of the captain's warm and soft hands, the close proximity to those beautiful eyes with that burning stare made Sarah come up with all kinds of scenarios where clothing was optional. The things she wanted to do to the captain...<br><br>"Aye!" Sarah heard herself call out, not doing her pounding head any favour. She would be a pirate with the captain. "You'll have my loyalty once you prove yourself worthy of it," she added in a low voice. Whether or not the captain heard it or not didn't matter to her, the words were more of a reminder to herself. Sarah's loyalty always had to be earned, but once someone had earned it Sarah stayed fiercely loyal to them.<br><br>Sarah looked up at the girl talking in a French accent. Sarah felt no love for the French as a general rule, but they did fight the Spanish so Sarah had decided that she would have an open mind to any French relations. Of course, the girl being pretty was always a big plus in Sarah's book. <br><br>"I have no idea about the gold," Sarah said, looking up at the girl. "I was promised the chance to fight, that's why I'm here." Not wanting to be at a disadvantage should something kick off Sarah got up and faced the girl. "I don't need a pocket full of gold," Sarah continued. "I'm just looking to get my blades wet with blood." <br><br>"Is the promise of treasure why you signed up?" Sarah asked the girl, who she didn't even know the name of, but her shipmates' motivation for signing up was always good information to have. "I'm Sarah by the way. But you can call me Sarah." <br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>26-02-2019, 17:22:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Sarah Jackson, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> question answering <br><hr><br>"Lourdes."&nbsp; She offered her hand to Sarah.&nbsp; "A fight is all you're after then?&nbsp; &nbsp;Seems like this is the right crew for you.&nbsp; Lots of hard scrabble types here."&nbsp; She leaned against the ropes holding up the mast.&nbsp; Her brown hands wrapped around the hem in an effort to hold herself steady as the ship began it's journey out to sea.<br><br>"You and I are very different folk', I suppose.&nbsp; I'm just in it for the gold.&nbsp; Plan on returning back to Haiti with enough gold to live like a queen."&nbsp; Lourdes' smile was dazzling.&nbsp; She had big ambitions and bigger plans.&nbsp; "It's a pleasure to meet you, 'Sarah but I can call you Sarah.'&nbsp; Hope you're able to find the fight you're looking for."<br><br>One of the crew members cried that someone needed to tie a yard arm down in order to move the ship to full speed.&nbsp; Lourdes quickly snapped into action and began climbing up the ropes.&nbsp; She was quick as a whip.&nbsp; Her rifle had been left on one corner of the ship as she scrambled up the ropes.<br><br>Lourdes' fit body carried her all the way to the arm and she quickly set about tying the ropes together to make sure they'd stay.&nbsp; She was no expert at sailor's knots and it showed.&nbsp; The rope kept coming loose.&nbsp; She cursed in the tongue of her family's tribe and tried again.&nbsp; She got it this time and soon returned to Sarah's side.<br><br>She wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve and smiled at her.&nbsp; "I suppose this isnt going to be a pleasure cruise after all!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>27-02-2019, 00:35:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, leaving Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes<br><strong>Content:</strong> Calling a sailor onto he carpet<br><hr><br>The anchor had been raised and the ship was making her way out of the harbour.&nbsp; They had the last of the morning tide to take them out of Port Royal but he wanted the <em>Esperanza</em> under sail. From his post at the helm, Devon was calling out orders.&nbsp; He wanted to see what the frigate could do.&nbsp; Equally, he wanted the captain and first mate to see what he could do.&nbsp; He called out orders to unleash the canvas.&nbsp; <br><br>When a yard arm came loose, he called for it to be secured.&nbsp; He watched as the sailor leapt to obey his order.&nbsp; She was fast in getting aloft but fumbled in securing the yard arm.&nbsp; He frowned.&nbsp; Even from the helm, the knot looked sloppy.&nbsp; <br><br>"You there!&nbsp; The one who tied the yard arm!&nbsp; Front and centre!&nbsp; Who taught you to tie a knot?&nbsp; A blind man might be happy to see it but I'm not and you can bet your rum that the Captain won't neither.&nbsp; I've seen better work from an old man with a hook.&nbsp; Fetch a piece of rope and if you can't tie a proper knot by nightfall, the boatswain might have a better use for that rope."<br><br>A sailor would know what the bosun would do use the rope for; splitting it into a cat-o-nine tails and using it on the sailor's back.&nbsp; Devon had no fear that he'd need to turn the nimble woman over to the ship's disciplinarian; he could teach a monkey to tie knots in the time he'd given.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>27-02-2019, 06:02:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Devon<br><strong>Content:</strong> Getting her sea legs<br><hr><br>Royce busied herself with tightening up the sail lines on the deck as the Esperanza set sail.&nbsp; She was an old hand at this.&nbsp; Her knots were tight and quick, and she was not at all afraid of swinging out on the ratlines.&nbsp; This is what she had grown to love, in spite of the harsh discipline of the Navy.&nbsp; The streets of London were cramped and dirty, but a ship was only slightly less cramped but with a much better view.&nbsp; A&nbsp; tall ship under sail was indeed a magnificent thing.&nbsp; <br><br>The redhead watched the crew moving about the sail tops.&nbsp; There were quite a few new hands up there, ones that stood out to a trained eye.&nbsp; They moved a little less sure of themselves, on unsteady feet, and with fumbling hands.&nbsp; Not that Royce could blame them.&nbsp; Not every ship was as disciplined as the ones that she had learned on.&nbsp; It was not hopeless, they could learn.<br><br>Royce took a moment to listen to the sounds of the ship, the voices of the department heads as they called out their orders.&nbsp; She looked back at the ships wheel and the man holding on to it.&nbsp; He wasn't a bad looking man, she decided.&nbsp; At least not at first glance.&nbsp; There would be enough time to see just what kind of man he was, and how he treated the crew.<br><br>She listened to him castigate a sailor about her knots.&nbsp; There was going to be a lot of that, what with a whole new crew trying to figure out how to work together.&nbsp; Royce made her way to the mans side.&nbsp; "There's some fresh swabs up there what don't know knots from nuts." she said, indicating the sails.&nbsp; "Ye're going to need a good right hand up top to help keep things straight.&nbsp; That'll be me, if'n ye give me a chance.&nbsp; I might not look it but I know me way around sails and ships wheels.&nbsp; M'names O'Malley."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>28-02-2019, 00:18:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Game Master</strong></span></span></div><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Captain Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | top deck<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Alvirs | Devon | Sarah | Nefsonne | Lifa<br><hr><br>The Esperanza practically soared out of Port Royal, and Rose’s spirits seemed to soar along with the beautiful ship. If anyone had ever dared to pull into question her love for the ocean and all the mysteries it held, then it took but a single glance at the notorious captain for any and all doubts to be dispelled instantaneously. From the proud stance to the winning smile and the sparkle in her eyes, that seemed to solely exist to rival the way the sunlight glittered upon the heads of the cobalt blue waves; all of it embodied a barely contained excitement to be <em>out here</em> again, where the world was their oyster, filled with boundless adventures and limitless possibilities, and where grief was but one of many hardships best left ashore, forgotten until the next time they set foot on land. <br><br>From her previous perch upon the higher deck she addressed her bosun, although her attention remained on the people below. “Aren’t they amazing, Alvirs?” she exclaimed, elated as she stood there, rocking lightly on the heels of her feet. It was a slightly too girlish habit and one only visible to those who stood near her. “Some hardened pirates, some fallen heroes, some who barely set foot upon a ship before. Our dear Liam sure knows how to pick them, eh?”&nbsp; A teasing glance was sent to her longest-lasting companion, and for a fraction of a second too long her eyes lingered on the expression that littered his features. <br><br>Alvirs was an exception in so many ways, and for better or for worse, Rosette could not think him away from the Esperanza again. A pirate through and through, and one who had proven his loyalty in ways that she couldn’t imagine she’d ever allow anyone to even try anymore. He had been there when she’d abandoned her old crew, when she’d set sail for dark and ominous shores. He’d&nbsp; been by her side while she quietly grieved, not a word spoken about the lives lost to the Captain that had always been her nemesis, but since then become the very bane to her existence. He’d wordlessly remained loyal even when her motives and actions became questionable, and endured until Rosette de Courtenay had found her <em>joie de vivre</em> once more. <br><br>“It’s high time I meet these brave souls in person,” she decided, “Make sure our navigator keeps a steady course north-west. He has a sharp eye and a steady hand, but a man’s loyalty lies not in his skill.” Her gaze briefly rose to the helmsman, whose focus and dedication to the position he’d been given - or rather, had earned - were admirable, before making her way down the wooden steps. She was noticed immediately, and where people had been hesitant, almost wary of as much as glancing her way, already it appeared that their hearts were warming to the spirited captain, as nods and hummed greetings were sent her way. With her head held high, she traversed the deck with confident, steady bootfalls that confirmed the many hours Rosette de Courtenay had spent out on open water. Port Royal was still a looming shadow behind them, but already the waves were more alive, the sails billowing with the steady seawind that blessed this new crew’s maiden voyage. Rose took in faces already gaining a first hint of familiarity, allowing her attention to rest briefly on the considerably less hungover looking girl. She had found the will to pull herself to her feet, and although she would get just that delightful bit of extra attention from the captain’s right- and left hand due to her initial less-than-proactive attitude, Rose had high hopes that this one wasn’t going to be more trouble than she was worth. <br><br>Sarah Jackson wasn’t the reason why she had deigned to return to the main deck, anyway; in the commotion of the Captain’s speech, there were a few others who had stood out, albeit in different ways. One by her belated, and hurriedly covert, arrival, but it seemed that the dark-haired young woman who had almost missed her call, had already disappeared belowdeck. Rosette had decided that she would let her be Liam’s concern for the time being, which left but two who warranted at least a brief moment of her undivided attention. A pair, it seemed, who had remained stoically unaffected by Rose’s call for loyalty to the Esperanza and to <em>her</em>, and who even now seemed to be hiding near the bow in what could only be assumed was an attempt to stay out of the captain’s -or anyone’s- way. Which only piqued Rose’s intrigue all the more. <br><br>Unfortunately for the girl of the pair, the man was genetically unequipped to go unnoticed. By size alone the hulking man stood out, and if it wasn’t sheer bulk, then his watchful eyes or at least the dull shine of his hairless scalp would have drawn some attention to his person. Rose appreciated having a bit of raw strength aboard, and it wasn’t him that she was concerned about. No, it was the figure who remained mostly concealed by the mantle she wore, standing just beyond the foremast,&nbsp; that had Rose questioning whether this was the inevitable plus one they had to suffer for the giant’s pledge, or if there was more to the unassuming figure behind him. <br><br>She looked up at the man before passing him, unafraid and unyielding despite being a good head and a half shorter. Rose noticed that his focus on the young woman intensified, unable to miss the protective nature of the look in his eyes. From his nonverbal communication alone she deduced that the odds of her being an asset to the Esperanza were rapidly diminishing, but she paced up to this, still hooded, aspiring pirate, with an aire of expectation. Rose feared no man nor woman, and the girl was a far less intimidating sight than her companion to begin with, so when she inevitably closed the distance between them, her approach a little akin to one attempting to corner an animal and keep it from fleeing, she searched for the sailor’s eyes. <br><br>Her lips parted as if to speak, although the words stuck in her throat for the time it took for Rose’s heart to contract a single time. Her attention was drawn to several things at once, only one of which was the outlandish beauty that went concealed both by the shadow of the rimmed hood she’d pulled over her head and the fine layer of grime that smudged her delicate features. And when Rose quietly described it as outlandish, perhaps <em>otherworldly</em> would be more accurate, as the surreal nature of it made her briefly question the accuracy of what her eyes were perceiving. It almost distracted her entirely from the more disquieting rivulets of tears that ran down her cheeks, silent testimony to a distress of which Rose didn’t know the origin. <br><br>Rose did not feel pity for the girl, nor any form of genuine sympathy. They had not yet braved any storms together, not fought any enemies nor faced any form of adversity that would earn this nameless girl the right to her compassion. All it elicited was a need to learn the cause for the sadness of this stranger, and she clasped her hands together at the small of her back, drawing to a halt only when she was level with this unconventional sailor. <br><br>“Good morning,” she said, calm in a way that belied the myriad thoughts that had flooded her mind since her short trek across her ship. “My name is Rose, although you might come to know me as your Captain. It seems that I have missed your initial introduction, so it only seemed courteous to come greet you in person.” Rose smiled in a manner that offered both warning and opportunity; a chance to tip the scales to a more favourable end for this passive stranger. Rose began to walk again, the manner in which she slowly strode past, nearing the bow, a clear indication that she wished for the girl to follow. Only when they had made their way to the front of the agile vessel that was Rosette’s most treasured position did she halt, and Rose took her place near the railing, letting her lower arms rest casually on the polished wooden surface. Overlooking the vividly coloured ocean she made pretense of smalltalk, even if they both knew better than to mistake this for being a trivial conversation. “What is your name, girl?” she inquired, and, to this, turned just enough to offer her a cursory glance. “And what has brought you here, aboard my ship?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>28-02-2019, 01:24:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, leaving Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Royce &amp; Lourdes<br><strong>Content:</strong> Credit where it is due<br><hr><br>"It will be for the captain to make that call, O'Malley," Devon answered.&nbsp; "If it was mine to make, the job would be yours.&nbsp; I saw you on the lines.&nbsp; If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd served on a ship of the line.&nbsp; They have a way about them, navy men but unless you're stuffing that shirt, you're no navy man."<br><br>He chuckled.&nbsp; "Not may Irish in the navy either, for that matter.&nbsp; I'll tell you what, O'Malley.&nbsp; You help me teach that tar to tie her knots and I'll put a word in the captain's ear, not that she's likely to listen to me right out of the harbour.&nbsp; Of course if she has a good weather eye on her, she'll have seen it before I have a chance to tell her."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>28-02-2019, 12:20:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Position:</strong> Hungover sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 - leaving port<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Talking to Lourdes<br><hr><br>"Depends on your definition of pleasure, I suppose," Sarah said Lourdes returned. The girl had been fast up the rope, and Sarah had decided she would catch her if she fell down to the deck. Or, you know, step aside and get something to look after her. Climbing ropes and hoisting sails weren't what Sarah had signed up for, and unless someone ordered her directly to do something she wasn't going to volunteer for anything that didn't involve fighting or killing. <br><br>"Yeah, we are very different folks it seems," Sarah agreed, continuing on what Lourdes had said before she went up the ropes. "I will piss away any gold I get my hands on anyway," Sarah shrugged. "Fighting is what I'm best at. Fighting and killing." <br><br>"How much gold do you need to live like a queen on Haiti?" Sarah enquired. Lourdes was good company, and the whole living like a queen had a certain ring to it. Not something Sarah would enjoy, but definitely something a less bloodthirsty gal would be all over for sure. "I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Haiti yet," Sarah continued. "One of the few islands around here I haven't been on yet." Sarah cracked her neck, the fresh sea air was helping her hangover quite a bit. "Tell you what. A queen needs someone to do her dirty work, maybe I would be interested in such a position. I have a natural talent for doing anything dirty..." <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>28-02-2019, 15:43:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Sarah Jackson, Devon Black<br><strong>Content:</strong> Cut off and called out<br><hr>Lourdes gave Sarah an easy smile.&nbsp; "Woah, woah, there.&nbsp; Don't go putting a crown on my head just yet.&nbsp; I'm not lookin' to become queen.&nbsp; My people just threw off the yoke of one king.&nbsp; I don't think they have it in 'em for another one just yet."&nbsp; She said.&nbsp; "Even if she is beau-"&nbsp; <br><br>When Devon began yelling in her direction, she looked over at him and listened to him barking orders.&nbsp; "Aye sir."&nbsp; She said, not knowing the man's rank, she knew none the less when someone spoke with authority.&nbsp; &nbsp;As soon as he turned away from her to to speak with Royce though, she flipped her salute into a rude gesture with her raised middle finger.&nbsp; It only existed for a flash though and she quickly lowered it and went back to climbing the mast to fix the knot. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>01-03-2019, 06:00:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Devon and Lourdes<br><strong>Content:</strong> Getting her sea legs<br><hr><br>"Would it surprise you that I learned me sea trade on a Royal Navy frigate?" Royce said with a soft laugh.&nbsp; She tugged a finger at the neckline of her blouse as if to emphasize her modest bust.&nbsp; "That was before they learned I was no boy."<br><br>Royce gave Devon a more scrutinized looking over, before turning to look over at Lourdes.&nbsp; "Don't think that I'm the only Navy man on board either, sir.&nbsp; Maybe we should swap stories over a drink sometime, but first I think that I need to help out the swab with her rope work."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>01-03-2019, 06:24:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, leaving Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Talking to Royce &amp; mentioning Lourdes<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making a friend<br><hr>"So you shipped out pretending to be a boy," Devon echoed.&nbsp; He frowned.&nbsp; "Were they rough on you when they found out or did you get out in time?"&nbsp; There were few things that roused his righteous anger like rape and there were men who were willing to slake their lust with a cabin boy, willing or not.&nbsp; To find a woman disguised as a man would be a dream come true for them, especially if they were the only one to know.&nbsp; Blackmail could force desperate women to do many things.<br><br>"It will take more than one drink to get that story out of me,"&nbsp; Devon said with a chuckle.&nbsp; "In the meantime, yes, go aloft and see if you can get the yard tied down before it breaks loose and tosses her overboard.&nbsp; You might want to tell her that if she wants to learn the ropes to do it before the boatswain realizes she's got eagerness but no skill.&nbsp; I'll teach her right but she'll need to listen."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>02-03-2019, 06:42:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Devon, Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends<br><hr><br>Royces expression darkened and her jaw tightened.&nbsp; Her bright eyes narrowed as she replied.&nbsp; "There were them that were none too pleased and a few that were overly so.&nbsp; We came to an...understanding...after one of the crew found me a might more thorn than rose."&nbsp; There was the hint of pain and menace in her words, washing over memories of the past.&nbsp; "The gutters of London were me teacher long before the Royal Navy."<br><br>She gave a tired sigh.&nbsp; "This is conversation more appropriate over ale than a ships wheel.&nbsp; I'd best get myself aloft and get them sails up proper."&nbsp; She tapped a finger to her forehead and turned towards the deck.<br><br>Royce made her way along the ships railing towards where Lourdes and Sarah were standing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nandy</strong> on <strong>02-03-2019, 10:26:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://static.wixstatic.com/media/991d95_7e5995834db34bc29318b575a3189d9d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_632,h_812,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/991d95_7e5995834db34bc29318b575a3189d9d~mv2.webp)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rachel Reade<br><strong>Position:</strong> Able seaman<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza / Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><strong>Content:</strong>&nbsp; Arrival, settling in, preparing to make way.<br><hr>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;It had been six years since the passing of her mother.&nbsp; Her father, quite married, had seen fit that she'd been educated, but as an officer in the Royal Navy, he'd never quite been around before her mother died, and she butted heads with him often on those occasions when he showed up after that event.&nbsp; The occasional visits gave Rachel the vague idea of what her father was like, but that was about it, and she blamed her father for the passing of her mum.&nbsp; &nbsp;That anger and resentment of a mourning child turned into a slow, simmering rage as she grew up.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;She struck out two years ago, in as much of a <em>fuck you</em> to her father as it was anything else, she'd met a man by the name of Rackham and had allowed herself to be swept away by his charms.&nbsp; During the course of their time together, she'd learned a great deal, had become equally adept at both sword and pistol and had taken to sailing as if born to it.&nbsp; Sooner or later, she knew,&nbsp; she would come across her father.&nbsp; God help him when that day came.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Now, she made her way along the docks of Port Royal to the <em>Esperanza</em>.&nbsp; &nbsp;She was a fine ship, and Rachel took a long moment, seabag slung over her shoulder,&nbsp; to admire her.&nbsp; Her hair was pulled back, and braided, hanging down the center of her back, and if it were not for the angle of her features and the slight swell of her breasts beneath her coat, one could easily mistake the figure in boots and breeches for a young lad.&nbsp; <br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;One particular vagrant about the docks took note of the fact that she wasn't, in actuality, a boy and decided to test just how feminine her curves were.&nbsp; What he got for his trouble was her dagger in his groin, and the lift of a finely arched brow as she judged him - and found him lacking.&nbsp; The two circled each other slowly, Rachel's hand not easing up the pressure to his manly bits until he was backing his way back up the dock.&nbsp; &nbsp;A softly muttered "Bastard," followed his departure and she sheathed her blade as she turned back to the ship.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Stepping up the gangplank, she dropped to the deck and sought out the officer on duty to report to.&nbsp; Her gaze swept over the deck, a nod given here and there to her fellow crewmen.&nbsp; The fact that there were numerous women aboard was surprising.&nbsp; &nbsp;More surprising was the fact that some were in dresses.&nbsp; &nbsp;Rachel could barely remember a time when she wore a dress.<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheBlackThrone</strong> on <strong>02-03-2019, 11:53:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21500000/Lee-Byumg-Hun-byung-hun-lee-21573838-320-480.jpg)</div><strong>Name: </strong> Ryu "Red Dragon" Jinzaburo (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14699769#msg14699769)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Concludes on the top deck walking the ship<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Musings<br><hr><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">The Captain’s voice rang above deck. Majority of those below began to rally around her, flowing through the stairwells like the ship sprung a leak. Ryu remained in his claimed area of the living quarters. He had tied his hammock to two beams and sat on his knees beneath it with his tools at his right and his travel sack before him. He removed his clothing, which were folded neatly, and stacked them to his left. Grabbing his saw, he took a moment to stare at the tool’s teeth as the cries of a patient once upon a time rang throughout his conscious. He had once assisted a surgeon, pinning a sailor down and having to saw through his mangled leg. He wondered how many more he would have to cut on this trip. There were always casualties, often during raids and sea battles, and even more from boredom at sea.<br><br>Ryu lowered the saw and began cutting through the boards while the pirates above roared and cheered at the captain’s rousing. He cut a small rectangular section in the boards and lifted the lid he had created to reveal a hole beneath. He placed his empty sack into the hole to act as a mat and then started to store his other things beneath—other things that hadn’t been seen on his boarding. Checking discreetly over his shoulders, and his left and right lines of sight, he stored a few circular sacks, kunai, tantos, cord, vials, and a black uniform. He wrapped a chain about a sickle and placed that beneath the boards before closing the lid. Pausing to listen to the excited ruckus up top, he waited once more until the volume rose and sawed a narrow slot where he placed a katana. Closing the lid, Ryu laid out a blanket upon the floor beneath his hammock and re-situated his clothes stacks and tool box upon it. Once finished, he rose on the balls of his feet into a full stand without support and went about walking the innards of the ship not only to inspect the structure as his duty dictated, but to learn and memorize certain details about it. He jumped and grabbed one of the rafter beams and smoothly lifted and lowered himself in two pull ups before he dropped down.<br><br>The Esperanza strangely was in good condition despite having been out at sea for who knew how long before it had docked in Port Royal? There were more women aboard than he had ever seen in his carpentry career. Amusingly, he thought how there were going to be several kids and pregnant bellies leaving the ship next time it docked. Boredom was a curse, and if the captain didn’t keep the crew busy, then the crew would busy themselves and it may not be in a productive manner. Every captain promised gold, glory, and adventure, but they often forgot that their crew was human, and some humans were prone to insanity. Ryu had seen many good ships fall to mutiny and chaos caused only by <em>boredom</em>. Long months at sea with no action or more deaths than glory. Perhaps having more women aboard would keep the morale raised?<br><br>After wandering the mid and lower decks, Ryu surfaced onto the top deck and saw a woman climbing the mast, and some merely lollygagging about. The quiet man walked the ship full circle--bow to stern, tugging on a few ropes and peering over the sides as the ocean lapped against her belly. He was sailing again…maybe he would find a place to settle down this time.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Captain Whitebread</strong> on <strong>02-03-2019, 16:16:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JuEU6%2B-lL._SX466_.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Devon Black<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, leaving Port Royal<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Talking to Royce<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making a friend<br><hr><br>Devon nodded.&nbsp; "We'll find out if the Royal Navy taught you to drink," he said.&nbsp; "And we'll find out if they made you fit to handle a watch on the wheel."<br><br>For Wendell to offer up the helm to someone was rare but there was something about Royce O'Malley that made him think that he could trust her with her hands on the wheel spokes.&nbsp; He didn't want to bed her, not as his primary interest.&nbsp; No, he actually wanted to get to know her.&nbsp; He grinned to himself.&nbsp; He wanted her as a friend.&nbsp; Of course given the way she'd headed back the place where several comely wenches were gathering, including his knotless wonder, she might not be the bedable kind.&nbsp; <br><br>It didn't make her a bad person.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>03-03-2019, 13:19:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Position:</strong> Hungover sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> The deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 - on the open sea<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes and Royce<br><strong>Content:</strong><br><hr><br>Unlike Lourdes Sarah didn't spring to attention, instead, she watched the future very beautiful queen of Haiti climb the mast to fix a knot. "Your beauty will have all the princes and princesses come to your castle," Sarah called out after Lourdes with a grin on her face. Lourdes seemed to be a fun one, and Sarah was thinking she would get along with Lourdes just fine. Especially if Lourdes kept doing all the work while she was taking it easy on the deck saving her energy for more important matters. <br><br>The pretty redhead making her way toward her caught Sarah's attention. Sarah looked her over, trying to decide if she was coming over to put Sarah to work or not, and deciding that she hopefully wasn't going to do such a horrendous thing towards a pretty girl like herself. <br><br>"Hi there, what is a girl like you doing on a ship like this?" Sarah joked, feeling in a much better mood now that her hangover wasn't quite as brutal. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>03-03-2019, 23:55:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends<br><hr><br>Royce had been trying to keep an eye on Lourdes, to see what the other woman was doing as she moved about the tall masts but the sun in her eyes was making things difficult.&nbsp; Sarah had picked a good spot on the railing, well shaded against the bright sun of the day, and Royce walked over to the rail beside her.<br><br>"Hi there, what is a girl like you doing on a ship like this?"&nbsp; Sarah had said in greeting as Royce approached.&nbsp; The tone was a little surprising at first, given how many of the crew, mostly the men, seemed to enjoy a good growl in their tone and a sneerish curl on the lips.&nbsp; Royce looked the woman over as she leaned against the rail side her.&nbsp; Sarah was sitting with her back against the railing in a relaxed manner, distancing herself from the hustle and bustle of the crew around her.&nbsp; She was well armed, a dagger and sword visible on her hip, and there was also the light scent of a night spent drinking that fought the sea breeze for dominance, but that would hardly stand out with this crew, not after just leaving Port Royal.&nbsp; Long dark hair spilled over bared shoulders in an attractive cascade.&nbsp; <br><br>"A nice girl like me, you mean?" Royce replied with a smile.&nbsp; "Someone in a pub lured me away from my promising career as a barfly with promises of plunder and adventure.&nbsp; How about you?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>04-03-2019, 04:45:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Sarah Jackson, Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Content:</strong> introductions.<br><hr>Lourdes put her fists back on her hip and stood strong. Her long hair bounced against her shoulders as she turned from one woman to the next.&nbsp; "Lourdes.&nbsp; Lourdes Joie."&nbsp; She said in her french accent.&nbsp; The last name wasn't real, but that was nobody's business but her own.&nbsp; <br><br>"Oh, oui?"&nbsp; She said with a laugh, "Quite the rough and tumble crew we have here I suppose. Proper pirates." She saw her rifle which she'd left against the bulkhead and grabbed it and held it like a walking stick, leaning over the muzzle with both hands gripping it.&nbsp; "I'm no sailor.&nbsp; I'm a striker.&nbsp; More comfortable on land then boats I think, but I know these islands and what is found on them.&nbsp; I'll be useful enough, I think."<br><br>She winked at Royce, "Even if someone has to second guess my knotwork."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>04-03-2019, 19:32:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Position:</strong> Slightly less hungover sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> The deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day one - sailing out of port<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes Joie and Royce O'Malley <br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends... or enemies?<br><hr><br>"Not too much to ask at all," Sarah agreed, finding the tiny caress rather welcome. "Everybody should have enough to keep their family fed," she added. The way Lourdes kept climbing up and down made Sarah dizzy, and she sat down again enjoying the shadow protecting her from the hot sun.<br><br>"I never said you were a nice girl," Sarah smirked at the cute redhead. "In fact, I would never dare to propose such a horrendous claim," Sarah continued with a smile on her face. "Barfly is a very rewarding career, must have been a good offer for you to say yes. Me?" Sarah let her fingers caress the hilt of her sword. "I was promised the chance to fight and kill, so here I am." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>fienda</strong> on <strong>04-03-2019, 19:51:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/8e/C25bahk.jpg)</div><br><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Name:</strong> Lifa Canary (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14696106#msg14696106)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Position:</strong> Seaman</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Top Deck</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1| Morning</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Tagging:</strong> Captain Rose, Open</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Content:</strong> Lifa pulls herself together</div><hr>As the sails of the Esperanza blossomed with the warm Caribbean breeze, Lifa turned her eyes away from the already shrinking Jamaican coastline and toward the yawning horizon ahead. The deep, chestnut hue of her irises caught the sunlight that refracted from the cresting blue waters below, causing them to flash a vibrant amber, just as her gaze fell upon the approaching Captain. Abruptly, Lifa turned away, swiping at the tears searing her cheeks with the palm of her hand. Bleary eyed and sniffling slightly, she spoke in a voice that was melodious but hoarse with emotion.<br><br>“Good morning, Captain,” she addressed the woman formally, still obscuring herself from view. Lifa took a few moments more to gather herself before facing, and speaking to, Rose directly. <br><br>“I’m honored you would come to greet me like this,” she dipped her head demurely. Raising her head again, her shining eyes sparkled as she took in Rosette’s features. The tattooed adornments of her skin, the regal bearing in her posture, and the steadfast seaworthiness of her stance all combined to portray the confidence and self assuredness that any sailor could appreciate in their captain. Lifa felt an immediate respect for the woman, and was comforted by the thought of being under the command of such a leader. Time would tell, of course, if Lifa’s initial impression of Rosette de Courtenay was at all accurate, but for now she was of the opinion that things were certainly not off to a bad start. At least, not on the Captain’s end. She was aware that her behavior thus far was sub par at best, and downright failing in proper decorum at worst, but could see no alternative. Not until she could rest assured that those individuals who might still seek to do her harm were either definitely not on board the Esperanza, or were dead, would she be able to drop her guard. Lifa noticed that the thought of having to potentially kill a fellow shipmate in order to maintain her anonymity, her secrets or her life did not disturb her as much as she might have guessed. It was as if she had become adrift and was slowly being carried further and further away from her previous self, a mysterious current tugging her out into untested waters. While she mused and soaked in the beatific sight of the open sea before her, the perfect line of the horizon broken intermittently by the white caps of sails in the far distance, she noticed the Captain swagger away invitingly. Lifa followed, head bowed slightly in deference. While Rose chose a more relaxed posture, leaning against the most forward railing, Lifa decided to remain at attention. She kept her arms folded at the small of her back, her feet apart and her knees loose, allowing her to bob easily with the motion of the vessel. <br><br>“I am…” she hesitated very briefly, fighting back the habit of introducing herself by her title, “Lifa, at your service, Captain. And I’m here to do just that, ma’am, to serve you in my best capacity and do my duty. There’s the gold, of course, but I know there is much to do yet in order to achieve that end. And,” Lifa treaded carefully here, “I understand there’s some other <em>grim</em> business that needs attending to. It’s my intention to aid you in that endeavor as well.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Thunder Splash</strong> on <strong>04-03-2019, 20:53:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/sivThwe.jpg)</div><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Name:</strong> Argus McFinnegan<br><strong>Position:</strong> Master Brewer &amp; Cooper<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, cargo hold &gt; main deck &gt; mid deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1... I think... 2?... what year is it?<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Whoever can hear him<br><strong>Content:</strong> Waking up to discover an old foe... sort of.</span><br><hr><br>A loud snoring could be heard coming from below deck. The source of the sound was a 6’ 6”, broad chested, shaggy bearded, hairy armed, hulk of an Irishman. With a naggin of whiskey in one hand and drool dripping into his thick bushy beard.The man laid atop a pile of barrels, with one of the barrels bellow him strapped to his back. The thundering of his snores nearly shook the rigging as its occupant slept sounder than the dead. At least until he didn’t. There was a great cheer that rose up from the deck above, and with a sudden snort the sound from below devolved into a hacking and coughing. <strong>”Gah... ah hah!! Wazat whoosere?!”</strong> he shouted as he roused himself from his slumber. With a jerking lunge Argus McFinnegan sat bolt upright, bringing his hand up quickly to fight... something. Where was he? And how had he gotten here again. Letting out a yawn and scratching the messy rats nest that he called his hair Argus tried to take in his surroundings. <em>”Where am I? Think Argus, what di yah do before ye woke up down here?”</em> he wondered to himself. Argus remembered stumbling his way into Port Royal. He had gone to one of his usual taverns and had a pint or six to pass away the day. And then he’d run into... someone. Someone familiar, someone he had met before. He was older? Yeah, with a white beard...and a pipe. Wait, a pipe? That’s it! He’d run into Liam Scott that old salty bastard! And he was searching for something. A stew? A Stu? No no no, a crew? A Crew! He was looking for a new crew to sail with him. And something else important... <strong>”Ca’pm Courtenay! Ha HAA!”</strong> he shouted out triumphantly. Though as he had been peicing this information together slowly in his mind Argus has also been muttering some of the words aloud as the alcohol greased hears in his head turned vigorously. He had signed on with the captain again for another great adventure. So that was why this cargo hold looked so familiar, he was back on the <em>Esperanza</em>. He remembered making his way up the gang plank, greeting the captain and Scott, making his way into the deck and... immediately tripping and falling into the cargo hatch, just like old times. Argus looked up above and sure enough there was the old hatch that he had fallen through so many times before he’d lost count. So many times in fact that the old crew had a term for taking the shortcut of jumping/ falling off of a high structure such as that, ‘taking the McFinnegan stairs’. <strong>”Ah gravity, me old foe. So we meet again?!”</strong> Stabding up and dusting himself off Argus brought the bottle in his hand to his lips and took a nice long pull. <strong>”So ye think ye can best ol’ Argus eh? Well not today old friend!”</strong> With a defiant yell Argus squatted&nbsp; down and leapt with all his might. He cleared the opening and caught the top deck with his hands, hoisting himself out from the hold and onto the main deck of the ship. <br><br>He cleared the opening a little too forcefully however, and as such performed an expert belly flop on to the main deck, almost cartoonishly stopping his decent with his face. He lay there for only a moment before lifting only his free hand, pointer finger extended. <strong>”Auch, you take this round gravity, but I’ll be gettin’ ye next time!”</strong> he said, finishing his statement with a defiant shake of his fist. After laying there for a moment longer so the world would stop spinning Argus finally moved to get up. Swaying and staggering a bit as he tried to stand on drunken feet with a keg lashed to his back to throw off his balance. But finally the man managed to get himself upright and take in the crowd around him. Looking past them Argus could see Port Royal shrinking into the distance as the <em>Esperanza</em> had taken to sea. With the buzz about all the people on deck and seeing the captain among her crew Argus figured he’d missed something important. Oh well. Taking another pull from his bottle Argus made his way through the crowd, bumping into folks here and there as he towered over all their heads. Eventually Argus made his way towards the actual stairs down to the mid deck. As brew master he needed to check what all the captain had for him to work his magic on. Both figuratively and, known only to the captain and her first mate, literally.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>05-03-2019, 05:08:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends<br><hr><br>Royce shielded her eyes with a hand and watched Lourdes work on her knot work in the sails as she continued to speak with Sarah.&nbsp; "A chance to fight and kill, yeah?&nbsp; I think that you've come to the right ship for that.&nbsp; As for me, it were not a tough decision.&nbsp; More adventure and plunder at sea than in the bottom of an ale mug.&nbsp; &nbsp;And a chance to sail under the Captain, who could pass that up?&nbsp; Where did you learn the swords anyway?"&nbsp; She gave Lourdes a thumbs up after her latest knot actually held.&nbsp; "Your girls a fast learner.&nbsp; A lot of bounce in her step too.&nbsp; It's nice to see."<br><br>When Lourdes returned to the deck, Royce gave her a big grin.&nbsp; "That was great.&nbsp; You'll be dancing among the sails in no time, and giving the Masters no reason to turn their growling on you.&nbsp; If you have any questions or need a hand, let me know.&nbsp; I know my way around a ship better than I look.&nbsp; That goes for both of you ladies, though I suspect that I'm no as good with a blade as...what was your...Ah, where's my head?&nbsp; I forgot to give you my name.&nbsp; I'm Royce, Royce O'Malley."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>05-03-2019, 13:30:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Game Master</strong></span></span></div><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Captain Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | top deck<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>&nbsp; Lifa | Open<br><hr><br>Her answers were perfectly courteous, and everything that Rosette could hope to expect from a newly arrived sailor. Why her suspicions not entirely abated was a matter of intuition alone, and she contemplated in silence just how the little pieces of information that Lifa so hesitantly gave her, explained why she had been crying. Another flance was afforded to the silent giant that had accompanied the girl, but he made Rose none the wiser and she was left feeling equal parts curious and wary. <br><br>“Well, Lifa,” she replied, and she hunched a little further forward, only further assuring the rest of the crew that this is where she was at ease; this was exactly the place where Rosetter de Courtenay belonged. It was food for thought, as well, as it had Rose muse about how it seemed to be just where Lifa, the solemn looking sailor, belonged as well. <br><br>“I’m glad your heart is in the right place, Lifa. And you’re right, of course; there will be gold at the end of the rainbow, but we’ll go to hell and back to find it.” Rose was weighing every word on a silver platter, remaining polite while attempting to figure out one’s true nature. There was an air of mystery surrounding this Lifa, and that extended to the impossible to overlook sidekick who stood watching them from a distance, even now. Asking direct questions was not going to work, Rose feared, and the girl seemed too intelligent to fall for simple mindtricks. Her very words suggested a level of education, of upbringing that very few people on board, herself included, had enjoyed, something that sharply contradicted the tattered mantle that fit the girl twice over. <br><br>“I seem to recall that you arrived with the man standing ten paces behind us right now,” Rose said, steering the conversation away from Lifa’s person and towards her companion. “He has not been very forthcoming in manners of introduction, either. I don’t need to tell you that keeping secrets makes people wonder - even makes Captains wonder,” Rose added meaningfully. “Perhaps, to avoid wonder turning into concern, you would share a bit more?” <br><br>She gauged her reaction then, although her expectations were low. Ultimately, Rose turned around and let her back lean against the railing instead so she could eye Lifa properly. “Where are you from, Lifa,” she inquired, starting simple. “And where did you learn to sail?”<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nandy</strong> on <strong>05-03-2019, 17:27:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://static.wixstatic.com/media/991d95_7e5995834db34bc29318b575a3189d9d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_632,h_812,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/991d95_7e5995834db34bc29318b575a3189d9d~mv2.webp)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rachel Reade<br><strong>Position:</strong> Able seaman<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza / Departing port<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><strong>Content:</strong>&nbsp; Maindeck, Quarterdeck<br><hr><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Having stowed her gear below, Rachel made her way back up to the main deck just in time to see Argus make his appearance from the hold.&nbsp; &nbsp;A shake of her head was given and a low chuckle before she went about making sure the lines were stowed and everything on deck was secured.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From there she headed for the quarterdeck, making herself busy as she listened in for where they may be going.&nbsp; &nbsp; She was eager to get to work, with something more than ship maintenance.&nbsp; Rachel's gaze moved to where the captain stood in conversation, watching the pair a moment before she went back to work.&nbsp; &nbsp;It seemed she was always and forever in the wrong place at the right time to overhear anything interesting.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Rel Mayer</strong> on <strong>06-03-2019, 03:38:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/UvHmFnP.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Edrea<br><strong>Position:</strong> Lookout<br><strong>Location:</strong> Crow's Nest &gt; Main Desk<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> OPEN<br><strong>Content:</strong> Descending from the Crow's Nest &gt; Looking for some rum and smokin'<br><hr><br>The sweet smell of tobacco swirled through the air as the boat began to set off into the ocean. The sounds of the sails whipping in the air around her were music to her ears, and the wind was so utterly strong from this height in the Crow's Nest. The salty sea made her thirsty for adventure as it swirled into her nostrils, but the sweet taste of tobacco from her small self-rolled cigar masked it away completely. She was alone in the Crow's Nest, as she was the only Lookout, but she utterly enjoyed this. It was a chance for her to store her rum bottles freshly filled at port up at the top. Secretly hiding them away so no one would partake in her extra supplies. All of this made Edrea smirk with a cocky grin to the side of her face. Her light brown hair whipping against her tan skin from the high winds. Nothing but pure blue sea in front of her. <br><br>And Edrea was lucky. They had allowed her on the great Esperanza. It was hope.... hope for a new beginning and this time not beings tuck with a rag tag group that got off cutting out tongues and mutilating anyone along the way. The good news of that was that Edrea could spot out ships like that a mile away. Maybe that's why they decided to keep her, even if most of her satchel was cigars and rum bottles. One change of clothes and some weapons. That's it. <br><br>Edrea was decently fashionable. She had golden hoops for earrings and a slender waist that complimented the tight black corset she wore on the outside. Her arms were strong, from her years and years of climbing up to the crow's nest. A tattoo marking her as an old member of her precious crew spanned down the side of her arm until it met the golden bangles of her wrist. She often wore tight leather pants that tucked into her long black boots. The type of boots that made a clicking noise on the wooden floorboards every time she walked. It was a shame to keep a woman with a pretty face so high up in the air and away from everyone, but it seemed that this entire crew was full of pretty and handsome faces.<br><br>She wouldn't deny that she spent most of her time peering down and looking at the top's of people's heads. She could not hear them, but she could look at their lithe bodies, toned muscles, and boisterous attitude. A smile came across her face as the side of her cheek bit into her cigar. She had the feeling she was going to really like this bunch. <br><br>There was nothing but sea ahead of them and she knew that it was time to finally meet this new crew. Her hands quickly went to a rope that's sole purpose was to allow Edrea a clean descent down to the Main Deck. Quickly unraveling the knot she gripped hard on the tight rope and quickly descended downward. "Watccchh outt!!" she shouted from the top of the Crow's Nest as she quickly made her descent. Whipping through the air with a smile on her face. The cigar still in her mouth as her teeth clutched on the precious dried plant with all might. It wasn't until she landed and let go of the rope that was unraveling behind her. That same smirk on her face as she pulled the cigar from her mouth and blew a large smoke cloud in front of her. <br><br>There wasn't anyone directly around her, but she looked to the Top Deck and the Captain having some sort of conversation. She was quite the lovely Captain. Then she looked and saw other loud folks doing their own thing. Another heading for the quarterdeck who looked like she was looking for something. Edrea just shrugged and tapped the end of her cigar a few times to ash on the floor beneath her. "Anyone know where the rum is?" Edrea said with a chipper grin to anyone out who would listen. It was cliche, she knew, but in truth it's what she currently wanted. She needed to celebrate with the new crew to make new friends! 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gannameade</strong> on <strong>06-03-2019, 04:33:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				&nbsp;<br><div class="floatleft">(https://marriedbiography.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Michael-Jai-White-4.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Marisol (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691583#msg14691583)<br><strong>Location:</strong> On the deck/ Aboard <em>Esperanza</em><br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Edrea, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Flying people<br><hr>&nbsp; <br>He was coming up from below, his makeshift clipboard in hand.&nbsp; He was looking up his eyes adjusting quickly from being below.&nbsp; He looked around seeing the hustle and bustle of those about.&nbsp; The ship was slicing through the water now with a decent wind, but they were not out into open water yet.&nbsp; &nbsp; He took a deep breath as that is what he actually came up for.&nbsp; He examined his surroundings then closed his eyes and focused on names faces, he made it a point to try to know and memorized those around him.&nbsp; It helped to keep his mind focused and his senses sharp.&nbsp; He knew where everyone was he opened his eyes only a few had moved, he now continued along the deck he made it a point to look up from time to time as that is where he would be if he were attacking.&nbsp; Very few people looked up, he frowned as he had to squint to see the person in the crow's nest.&nbsp; He continued to move as he knew the person was there from the looks of it,..it..was a her..female from this distance she was of a particular shape...interesting.&nbsp; Most of the women aboard this boat were...interesting.&nbsp; He would save his judgment for later when she was up close.<br><br>It was then that she seemed to want to leave the crow's nest on a rope with the 'Watch out!'&nbsp; The smile was nice, the cigar was interesting as she came close and descended practically in front of him, a ways off.&nbsp; He lifted an eyebrow.&nbsp; The smoke moved around her and to the left of her along with the wind.&nbsp; He continued to move forward, the closer he came the more interesting she became.&nbsp; He moved towards her.&nbsp; "Be careful of the cigar, this is a wooden boat after all.&nbsp; Rum is in bottles downstairs left of the barrels, third shelf.&nbsp; It is for the consumption of all don't get carried away."&nbsp; He said seeking to move past her, yet found himself giving her an admiring once over even for him, it was slightly out of character, but she did get his attention.<br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>08-03-2019, 05:09:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Sarah Jackson, Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Content:</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp;Pirate Chatting.<br><hr>Lourdes pretty face suddenly turned into a snarl quicker then a candle being blown out.&nbsp; "Masters?"&nbsp; She says loudly.&nbsp; "I'd just like to see them try.&nbsp; I'll rip out their eyeballs and stick them between my toes while I dance around their flaming carcass if they dare try to lay a hand on me.&nbsp; Just you watch!"&nbsp; Her skirt swayed in the wind as her feet arched arched and she lunched forward to jab her finger right in Royce's chest.<br><br>She quickly withdrew her finger though and bit down on her lip to maintain her fuming.&nbsp; Her arms crossed in front of her and she turned to stood proud and defiant.&nbsp; "I was told this was a Freewoman's ship.&nbsp; If it is not, then I'll just have to have a kind word with the captain."&nbsp; The way her voice curved like a saber tip implied that the word wouldn't be so kind after all. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>fienda</strong> on <strong>09-03-2019, 06:33:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/8e/C25bahk.jpg)</div><br><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Name:</strong> Lifa Canary (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14696106#msg14696106)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Position:</strong> Seaman</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Top Deck</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1| Morning</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Tagging:</strong> Captain Rose, Open</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Content:</strong> Lifa pulls herself together</div><hr><br>As the Captain spoke, the Duchess spared a glance about her, taking in the bustling forms of her new shipmates who were busy in their respective tasks. She could feel the pull of her old self, yearning to form bonds with all these new comrades. But would it be possible? Could she put her trust in them? Would she be able to? <br><br>Ultimately, Lifa was well aware that a certain level of mutual trust was as essential to the smooth operation of a ship as was the condition of the ship itself. But her recent trauma aboard the Crescent Lark had strained her capacity for clemency and had shrouded her in suspicion. It would be difficult to traverse the fine line between her old and new inclinations. However, she concluded that it would be crucial to do so. She had to be on good terms with this new crew, and, of course, her new captain, if she had any expectation of success in the future. She would have to be able to count on them, and she needed for them to come to know that she, too, could be counted on during times of strife. Lifa held back a mirthless snicker at Rosette’s choice of words. <br><br>‘<em>My heart?</em>’ she thought bitterly, seeing the blood streaked face of her dear husband in her mind’s eye. ‘<em>My heart is at the bottom of the sea. There’s nothing behind my ribs now but a glowing ember of wrath.</em>’<br><br>Lifa cast her eyes toward the giant mute, who stood looming behind them placidly scanning the deck with his dull, meticulous gaze. She lingered on him a moment, wondering, not for the first time, what he might be thinking, before returning her attention to Rose.<br><br>“Of course, Captain,” she replied almost apologetically. <br><br>“My companion is unable to speak,” she explained, “But he goes by the name Nefsonne. We’ve crewed together in the past. He’s a very capable smith and has a gift for forging bladed weaponry." <br><br>"He’s no stranger to hard labor either," she added unnecessarily.<br><br>Lifa debated how to answer Captain Courtenay’s next few questions. She wanted to be honest, but remained fearful of hidden enemies. She chose to answer truthfully, but vaguely enough to satisfy her need to be clandestine. <br><br>“I was born in a small fishing village on an island off the southwestern coast of Greece. My father was a humble fisherman,” she smiled softly, “You might say that my cradle was rocked by the tides and the sea breeze sang me lullabies. I’ve always been close to the ocean. But I learned to sail aboard a privateering ship with a homeport in the largest of a cluster of islands, north of Spain. I spent just a few years shy of a decade on that ship and learned a great deal in that time.”<br><br>Lifa shuffled her feet, uncertainty flooding her thoughts. Had she divulged too much? She wondered just how much she would be willing to share with the captain. As Lifa observed Rose’s carefully nonchalant posture, and the purposeful ease of her mannerisms, she wondered if perhaps there was more to Rose than meets the eye. There was an undercurrent there, but of what, Lifa could not tell.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Reia</strong> on <strong>10-03-2019, 06:57:44</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/a/a4/Reia-Weston_003.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Weston "Wes" Beauchamp (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14739202#msg14739202)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Linguist/Historian<br><strong>Location:</strong> Top Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Early Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Rosette de Courtenay, Lifa Canary, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Obliviousness, Overwhelmed<br><hr><br><em>The Esperanza</em> was a handsome ship, a frigate that looked well taken care of and newer than the damned naval ship that had brought him here in the first place; for the first time in over a year, Wes felt a bit of hope. As he made his way onto the clean deck, his meager cargo was brought aboard by some rather questionable deckhands and taken down into the depths under the top deck. Aside from the three chests full of books and papers and the one smaller chest dedicated to his clothing that had just been taken away, Wes kept on his person a large leather satchel that held his most important papers. He also had a smaller leather saddle bag, one that had belonged to his father, that held his personal papers and what little money he had left. In his hand were three long rolls of yellowing paper and some loose sheets of parchment that he kept glancing at as he made his way to a corner of the deck.<br><br>Wes’ glasses kept slipping off his nose and he absentmindedly pushed then up as he found an alcove to hide in. His mind focused on what he read, his graphite smudging as he made notes on the parchment, he did not pay attention to the goings on around him. The language of the ancient writing he had come across was fascinating in its own right and he wanted nothing more than to solve it and understand it. He would need the books in the heaviest of the chests, but hopefully he would be properly set up in some rooms soon.<br><br>A bit of music filtered by and he blinked a bit in confusion before glancing up.<br><br>Across the deck a dark skinned woman was playing an instrument, a bawdry sounding tune he didn't recognize. Others had joined the chaos on the deck since he had hidden himself away and as he took in the sort of <em>people</em> he would have to socialize with, he began to question his decision of joining the crew of <em>The Esperanza</em>.<br><br>Last night when he had spoken with Mr. Scott, he had convinced both himself and the First Mate that he was the most logical choice. Fortunately Mr. Scott had seen some benefit of having a gentleman onboard and had told him to be at the docks early in the morning. After a rather uneventful start to his day, he was ready to meet with the captain and see about getting his cabin opened up. But he did not recognize any man that could be classed as captain, non of the men and women he saw were of the kind that one would not associate with the captaining for a ship of the <em>The Esperanza</em>’s caliber.<br><br>A loud whooshing in the air caught his attention and he saw a blade fly straight into the mast, embedding itself rather deeply. Moments later a beautiful woman walked down onto the deck and started a rousing speech that quickly had most of the souls on board shouting their agreement. <em>Ah, so it seems the captain is a woman.</em> It was an odd sight and one that played with Wes’ view of the proper order of the world. Even as part of him struggled to believe that a mere woman could <em>captain</em> a ship, his mother's strong voice echoed in his head and he had to shake his head. If she had even a hint of what he was thinking, she would have boxed his ears mightily. Bastard son of an Earl or not.<br><br>Wes waited for the crowd to die down as deckhands scurried to work and he gathered his things. It was a bit of work to make his way to where the red headed captain was, the deck still bustling with activity as the frigate started to pull away from port. His first trip across the deep waters of the Atlantic had taught him how to properly walk on a surface that was constantly in motion. Even so, he stumbled a bit, his arms automatically clutching all his papers to his body.<br><br>“Ah, Captain de Courtenay, finally.” Wes pushed his way to right in front of the woman and gave her a quick smile and pushed his glasses back up his nose. “Mr. Scott hinted at your needing a scholar when I spoke with him last night. I need to know what my accommodations are to be and how soon I can get to work.”<br><br>He didn't glance at the other people the captain had been speaking to, for him they were inconsequential and therefore beneath his notice.<br><br>Wes was dressed as was proper for a young man of his age; although slightly worn from a year's worth of travel, his garments were well made and of the fashion that had been seen in London just last fall. His coat was a deep brown velvet with wide open collars and it sat long to right past his knees. His waistcoat was gold and black, fitted tightly to his torso, and the silk shirt underneath and the cravat made from the same cream color. The sleeves of his blouse peeked past the wrists, the frills still fluffed and well maintained. The silk stockings he wore had seen better days, but they were clean and unstained, the leather shoes adorning his feet shining against the pale fabric. Wes no longer wore a wig, his had been stolen early in his foray out into the world, but his tricorne sat proudly on his head covering his shockingly short hair.<br><br>“I would rather get settled in as soon as possible, Captain de Courtenay. I have plenty that needs to be done.” His accent was cultured, his voice soft and somewhat impatient - a man used to getting what he wanted without even having to ask for it. Wes stuck out from the crowd on the ship like a trollop would in presenting herself to the King, the slight reddening of his cheeks giving away that he was well aware of the fact.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>CurvyKitten</strong> on <strong>10-03-2019, 10:16:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.5lMNSpLoNt1MPQpoVAGwfAHaJ4&amp;o=5&amp;pid=1.7)</div><strong>Name: Chiana Blackvail</strong><br><strong>Position:</strong> A.B.S., Rigger, Master thief and general entertainer <br><strong>Location:</strong> Port &gt; top deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> OPEN<br><strong>Content:</strong>Misbehavin' Maidens - Twiddle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAvWu6pILKk)<br><br><hr>Chiana's voice could be heard even over the drudging busy work of the port. The tone was smooth and playful as she moved with a sense of ease back towards The Esperanza. Her boots kicked up the dust on the cobblestone streets she crossed, Oh you hear a lot of stories 'bout the sailors and their sport.<br>About how every sailor has a girl in every port. But if you added 2 and 2 you'd figure out right quick.<br>It's just because the girls all have a lad on every ship." she sang out the feel of the rhythm filling her voice and flowing through her body as she moved. No doubt it was the combination of both that drew what eyes she did. Not that any of it seemed to bother her, in fact, Chiana moved as if she didn't have a single care in the world.<br><br>"And it's Twiddle ee ai dee ai dee ai, twiddle ee ai dee ei. It's often times a man will leave you broken with dismay. And it's Twiddle ee ai dee ai dee ai, twiddle ee ai dee ei. There's other things to twiddle when the men have sailed away. " she paused for only a moment before a stall of fresh fruit and grabbed up one apple, and then a second as she juggled the two in her one free hand. The other clutched the brim of a sack she'd had draped over her shoulder. A little collection of goodies to add to her personal stash. Sure enough, the crew would have access to what was on board the ship. But there were some things she just enjoyed having all to herself.<br><br>"OIY...you going to pay for that!" the man at the stall called out as Chiana gave him a wink and quickly darted away into the thick crowds that filled the docks. The man's yelling was easily ignored, even when he started to curse at the children that took the opening to steal some fruit for themselves. Was it all part of the plan...perhaps? She smiled and continued to sing as her boots started to work over the wooden planks that led to the ship she called home for now. "Lucky Annie was a lady who'd been pleased by many men. They all would sail away but then they'd come right back again. But if they never sailed her way, she really didn't care. Cause I know that you don't need a man to twiddle under there." she laughed and walked up onto the main deck.<br><br>It seemed that things were just about ready to get underway. Which probably meant she was running a bit late. No doubt she'd missed the captains epic speech to the new brood on board. Chiana bit down into one of her apples and slipped the other in her pocket. The juicy bite brought forth a soft sound of approval from her lips. The sweet stain of it remained on her lips as she looked around her. There were so many new faces around her, all of which were welcomed. Anyone with an actual personality was welcomed when it came to the crew. The walking lack of personalities she'd been stuck with for weeks had quickly become old. So she was ready for the change, "Well look here, seems like we have a good batch of additions to the crew." she called out and lean against one of the barrels still on the top deck. <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nandy</strong> on <strong>10-03-2019, 12:07:41</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<br><div class="floatleft">(https://static.wixstatic.com/media/991d95_d5b290e3ba10452f8900623d6a1648b3~mv2.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rachel Reade<br><strong>Position:</strong> Able seaman<br><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza / Quarter Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date:</strong> Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Content/Mentions:</strong> Captain, Lifa, Beauchamp<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> All<br><hr>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;As she hung about the quarterdeck, making herself busy, Rachel cast another glance toward the Captain and those she was in conversation with, before she sidled up to the helm.&nbsp; A&nbsp; quick glance at the compass showed their heading, but the lack of a chart in the chart table was rather disappointing.&nbsp; &nbsp;Rachel went back to polishing the brass, her gaze straying from time to time as her mind wandered.&nbsp; Sunlight glinted off the water, catching her eye and she watched as it broke across the surface like shattered glass.&nbsp; It was rather mesmerizing, but Rachel pulled her gaze away and looked about the deck once more.&nbsp; &nbsp;It was then that she noticed the finely attired gentleman in his approach to the captain and it seemed he was intent on interrupting her conversation with Lifa.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Curious, she moved to where she could get a better view, watching as the exchange took place, she slipped from the quarterdeck to the maindeck, moving forward toward the trio, adjusting a line here, pausing to help a powder monkey stack ball on a brass monkey there... All the while she worked her way closer to see if she could listen in on the conversation taking place, curiosity getting the better of her as to why a fine, upstanding gentleman would be throwing his lot in with them.&nbsp; As she passed the lot of them, she tipped her hat to the captain and continued to the fo'c'sle.&nbsp; &nbsp; Once there, she climbed to the rail, one hand in the rigging, as she overlooked the bowsprit to the horizon.&nbsp; &nbsp;Taking in a deep breath, she held it a moment, then let it out slowly, a smile curving her lips.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>14-03-2019, 04:50:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making <del>friends</del><br><hr><br><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300620.msg14741049#msg14741049">Quote from: evilnerf on 08-03-2019, 05:09:13</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">She quickly withdrew her finger though and bit down on her lip to maintain her fuming.&nbsp; Her arms crossed in front of her and she turned to stood proud and defiant.&nbsp; "I was told this was a Freewoman's ship.&nbsp; If it is not, then I'll just have to have a kind word with the captain."&nbsp; The way her voice curved like a saber tip implied that the word wouldn't be so kind after all. <br></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br>Royces smile disappeared as Lourdes jabbed a finger into her chest, and her expression grew more stoney.&nbsp; "Have a history with Masters do you?" she said evenly.&nbsp; "Best you remember that many ships officers are called Masters, as part of their position.&nbsp; That swab what was manning the wheel?&nbsp; He's know as the Sailing Master.&nbsp; The Captain?&nbsp; She could be referred to as the Ships Master.&nbsp; If you are going to be getting your hackles up over every mention of Master, then you may not find this voyage enjoyable.&nbsp; Let it go, girl.&nbsp; You're a free woman on a free ship.&nbsp; Whatever past you have, it cannae reach you out here.&nbsp; And if it does, you have folks who will come to your aid.&nbsp; I suspect Sarah would most enthusiastically."<br><br>Royce put a hand on her hip.&nbsp; "Are we good?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>15-03-2019, 14:34:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<hr><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Game Master</strong></span></span></div><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Captain<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | top deck → Captain’s Quarters<br><strong>Time &amp; Date:</strong> Day 1, Morning, close to Noon<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>&nbsp; Lifa | Rachel | Weston | Chiana<br><strong>Content:</strong> Addressing several crewmembers, moving to her private quarters<br><hr><br>She listened intently to Lifa’s brief introduction of her companion. But more, she watched the subtle evolution of expressions, some isolated solely to the confines of her pale blue irises, that betrayed more of what went on inside the mind of the enigmatic new recruit. Despite all that Lifa was telling her, Rose was left with a feeling of unsatisfaction. Her intuition offered no reason to think the girl was lying to her, but it also, in its perceptive and undeniably spot-on way, suggested to Rose that it was a plain truth. Merely a surface barely being scratched at all. <br><br>Rose’s attention was briefly drawn by the sight of a girl approaching, her eyes ever so often resting on the captain and her present company. Her eyes followed Rachel’s movements as she passed, her gaze fixating on the nubile sailor if just for a moment. Even Rosette had to admit that she wasn’t used to having such a plentitude of women aboard; so far it seemed to be working out well though. Whether this would be true once they’d been at sea for several weeks was a thing that remained to be seen.&nbsp; She audibly exhaled through the nose, and Rose’s posture relaxed, then tensed once more as she pushed herself away from the ship’s bow and, in such, distancing herself from Lifa by a good few feet. <br><br>“Your experience will serve us well,” Rose said, with a lightly strained air of diplomacy laced into her words. “Perhaps taking you on as a mere sailor was an inaccuracy on Master Scott’s part.” She angled her head to the side in thought, then, on the heels of her leatherclad boots, spun coyly back to the dark-haired fisherman’s daughter. “I expect much from you, Lifa,” Rosette told her, the words vibrant with barely hidden mischief. “Tomorrow I’ll gladly see your true worth. If your skill is true to the claims you’ve made, then I expect you at the front line. After that…” she continued, and her attention was drawn to the approach of a man who had gone remarkably unnoticed thusfar. A man in whom she had a very special interest. “After that, we will truly talk!” she promised in a conspiring tone.<br><br>It would seem that the high-born looking newcomer had no qualm with interrupting the captain in her conversation, but Rose met Weston Beauchamp with open arms - although not quite literally. His attire was everything that Liam had made it out to be, and she could only wonder how he had made it this long aboard the Esperanza unscathed; her fresh crew was of a different calibre, all right, not pouncing the extravagant looking stranger at first chance. He stuck out like a sore thumb, and his speech did nothing to lessen that feeling. Rose found herself listening to Weston’s words with a gradually widening grin; he was going to suit her needs just fine, for sure. <br><br>“Weston Beauchamp, yes?”&nbsp; Rosette said, and perhaps the look of amusement that inevitably accompanied the somewhat redundant question was a little patronising. She pushed the sentiment away, brushing past him just enough to force the man to turn around if he wanted to continue this conversation. “An actual scholar aboard my ship. Are you going to put me to shame, being so <em>learn</em>ed? Follow me, would you.” <br><br>She set off with a confident gait, her hips revealing a natural laidback, yet so alluring, sway that no landlubber could ever hope to rival. Rose set a steady course for her own quarters, and it was clear she was leaving Wes little choice but to follow. “No need to fret, Mister Beauchamp,” she said, “You will find your accommodations satisfactory, I’m sure. It has all the amenities you could possibly wish for, and if you should request anything else, just come to me and I’ll be <em>so</em> happy to accommodate you.” <br><br>Rose wasn’t certain that Weston would pick up on the sarcastic edge to her words. Spoiled aristocrat sons had a sense of self-worth that often bordered on the delusional. From what she could tell so far, their new <em>scholar</em> could very well be counted among them. It made her wonder how long he would last aboard this ship, but as long as she was able to keep him around for the time it would take him to aid her in her quest of finding a treasure so invaluable, few people had even heard of it, Rosette de Courtenay had no reason to be concerned. <br><br>As they walked, she noticed Chiana standing near the barrels. Rose could not help the light sense of relief, although she should probably have felt the contrary. The girl was a wildcard, a liability as well, though for reasons she was probably blissfully unaware of. When she had been caught adrift in stormy waters, not four weeks ago, Rose’s first inclination had been to leave her. Mercy had found the Captain only when she saw the struggling girl, clutching bravely to driftwood, through the eye of her spyglass. The vast sea that surrounded had enhanced a sense of innocence, of helplessness that surrounded the small figure, and while Rose was not one to take pity easily… <em>there had just been something about her that made it impossible to look away.</em> So Chiana had been dragged aboard the Esperanza, and despite soon learning that the girl wasn’t innocent <em>or</em> helpless in the slightest, Rose had taken a shine to her. Enough to let her stay even when they made anchor at Tortuga, or when they arrived at Port Royal not two days ago. If anything, Rosette found that she’d worried the girl wouldn’t return on time - or at all.<br><br>She met eyes with the young woman from across the deck, but more than that single moment of acknowledgement was all they shared before Rose returned her attention to Weston. “First, I will be showing you the task I have set out for you though,” she told him, and there was a serious undertone to her words now. They reached the door, and Rose retrieved her key from a place where no pirate would dare reach for it. As she unlocked the door to her private quarters, she paused a moment before pushing it open. “What I’m going to show you does not leave my room. And while you’re working on it, neither do you. Understood?” <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>16-03-2019, 05:06:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Royce O'Malley, Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Content:</strong>&nbsp; More yappin'<br><hr>Lourdes Royce up and down, holding hear head up a little as she took Royce's measure, trying to decide if she was being straight with her.&nbsp; Appearantly she decided she was as she leaned forward again and offered her hand, "Bon." She said with a nod.<br><br>She put her hands on her hips and looked over the workers as they scurried around the ship.&nbsp; "Not much of a sailor, me."&nbsp; She admitted, sounding a little bit apologetic for her lack of knowledge.&nbsp; "Mostly know the jungles and the islands."&nbsp; She poked her thumb at her chest and smiled a little smugly.&nbsp; She was rather proud of her skills.<br><br>"I don't think it's must of a risky bet to put down some coin that you're not from the islands.&nbsp; C'est vrai?" She tangled her arms in the the ropes behind her in a bored fashion.&nbsp; Her black curls pressed up against the ropes as she rested the back of her head against the hemp. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheBlackThrone</strong> on <strong>16-03-2019, 14:00:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21500000/Lee-Byumg-Hun-byung-hun-lee-21573838-320-480.jpg)</div><strong>Name: </strong> Ryu "Red Dragon" Jinzaburo (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14699769#msg14699769)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Poop Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Noon<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Meditating<br><strong>Mood Music:</strong> Frederick Rousseau - La Fille De Pekin (https://youtu.be/TH4xqt4vJIE)<br><hr><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">He sat cross-legged upon the poop deck. As the breeze caressed his cheeks and rustled his black hair, the gentle aroma of salt filled his nostrils, coalescing with the hiss and <em>thoom</em> of the open ocean. He breathed—in and out deeply—and the ocean breathed. The sun at its peak made The Esperanza glow like bronze as the expanse of the ship extended before him like a blade cutting through the water. The flap of the sails coupled with the distant squeak of the gulls. This was sailing; and this was peace as brief as it was.<br><br>Ryu relished the moment. His eyes were closed as the wind passed through his loose tunic, cooling his warm skin. Physically, he was there on The Esperanza, but mentally and maybe even spiritually, he was in Japan.<br><br><span style="font-family: palatino linotype;" class="bbc_font"><em>A samurai officer held up a scroll before a group of Iga warriors. He announced the lord’s decree, demanding that all non-samurai surrender their swords. The Iga looked left and right at each other, and made no motion to surrender their blades. The lord’s samurai stepped forward with their hands upon the hilt of their blades. Behind them, more samurai circled blocking the doors out of the palace.<br><br>“There need not be bloodshed. Surrender your swords,” the officer demanded.<br><br>“You’re asking us to surrender our lives,” an Iga warrior, Ryu remembered, Ieji, replied.<br><br>“You can still serve our lord. He has not forgotten your service.”<br><br>“He has forgotten that we are Iga! Our blades have been passed down from our fathers. They are not just weapons. They are heirlooms. The lord wishes to take our treasures!”<br><br><em>CRACK!</em><br><br>The sudden shot from a matchlock caused several warriors to jump in startle. A scarlet ribbon of blood descended from Ieji’s chest. The Iga warrior peered down wide-eyed at the seeping hole as his legs became weak. He sank to his knees, his hands grasping the wound. An enraged scream followed. One of the samurai drew his sword and started to attack. An Iga warrior rushed to Ieji’s side to claim his sword as the warrior collapsed to his death. The court became a bloodbath as Iga fought samurai, warriors were sniped and sometimes the intended target were missed. They had to escape! They had to get out!</em></span><br><br>A squeak passed through his conscious. Ryu’s brows crashed together and his left hand swiftly reached out, fingers splaying before they closed about the downy, white neck of a curious gull. With his hand locked firmly about its throat, the bird squeaked in panic and flapped its wings wildly. The carpenter opened his eyes and gazed at the trapped creature. His hand was so tight with emotion as it near strangled it. Ryu’s hand shook as it seemed to take some will for his fist to suddenly open like a trap. The gull flapped and stumbled away from the meditating warrior in fear as it fled for the edge of the boat in its pathetic attempt to flee into the sky.<br><br>Inhaling, a deep-sea breath was taken into his diaphragm and his lips parted as he released the air and energy on an irritable hiss. It seemed that no matter how far away he sailed. His dreams always returned to Japan.</span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Reia</strong> on <strong>18-03-2019, 05:35:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/a/a4/Reia-Weston_003.png)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Weston "Wes" Beauchamp (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14739202#msg14739202)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Linguist/Historian<br><strong>Location:</strong> Top Deck → Captain's Quarters<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning, Close to Noon<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Rosette de Courtenay, Lifa Canary, Open<br><strong>Content:</strong> Confused, Following the Captain<br><hr><br>"An actual scholar aboard my ship. Are you going to put me to shame, being so learned? Follow me, would you."<br><br>Captain de Courtenay's tone was sarcastic, he knew that much. But why she would behave in such a manner when they had just met, he did not know. He frowned after her, eyes following the almost hypnotic movement of her hips for a moment, before realizing she was actually walking away.<br><br>"Captain! Wait!" Wes tightened the hold he had on his belongings before setting off after the captain. The woman moved with ease of time onboard a ship, deftly maneuvering around the supplies and people littering the deck. By the time he caught up with her she was at a large wooden door, obviously heavy and meant to block anything unwanted out. He caught her words, his interest piqued at hearing her say <em>task</em>. "Captain?"<br><br>"What I'm going to show you does not leave my room. And while you're working on it, neither do you. Understood?"<br><br>A secret. His interest was more than just teased. Wes had been caught, hook, line, and sinker. Without a word and an excited nod, he followed the captain into her quarters.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>18-03-2019, 18:09:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Position:</strong> Slightly less hungover sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> The deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day one - sailing out of port<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes Joie and Royce O'Malley <br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends... or enemies?<br><hr><br>"Awww, you're not going to fight?" Sarah said a bit sadly. She had been looking forward to some action, and now the two girls seemed to have made up. Sarah frowned as fleeting images of the two pleasantly looking ladies fighting crossed her eyes. That would have been sexy to watch.<br><br>"You two are such teases," Sarah continued with a mischievous smile on her face. "Getting me all excited about a fight like that," Sarah pouted. "You are right though," Sarah said to Royce. "I'm always enthusiastic about a bit of a shuffle. Really wakes you up, ya know." Sarah looked over at Lourdes. "Any time you wanna put them so-called masters in their place let me know. I have... ideas..." <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>19-03-2019, 06:14:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends<br><hr><br>Royce eagerly took Lourdes outstretched hand and her grin reappeared.&nbsp; "Friends then.&nbsp; And don't you worry, you'll get the hang of sailing, I'll help you out.&nbsp; We'll start with knots."&nbsp; Royce glanced around quickly to see where the watch officers attentions were.&nbsp; "And it'd be best if we at least looked busy."&nbsp; She hunted around for a length of rope and started to demonstrate how to do some of the more common knots.&nbsp; <br><br>At Lourdes question about where she was from, Royce chuckled.&nbsp; "Nah.&nbsp; I'm not.&nbsp; Well, only if ye consider England an island.&nbsp; You?"&nbsp; <br><br><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300620.msg14762197#msg14762197">Quote from: yobo on 18-03-2019, 18:09:27</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"You two are such teases," Sarah continued with a mischievous smile on her face. "Getting me all excited about a fight like that," Sarah pouted. "You are right though," Sarah said to Royce. "I'm always enthusiastic about a bit of a shuffle. Really wakes you up, ya know." Sarah looked over at Lourdes. "Any time you wanna put them so-called masters in their place let me know. I have... ideas..." <br></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br>Royce looked over at Sarah and chuckled again.&nbsp; "Like that, do you?&nbsp; If you'd told us, then maybe we could have done something, a little hair pulling, clothes tearing.&nbsp; Maybe next time.&nbsp; Maybe we'll be lucky and run across a nice juicy merchantman on our way."<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>evilnerf</strong> on <strong>23-03-2019, 03:28:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/472018719456100362/545318329728893048/ae65ccc835e994bbb2e2b97efd5564c0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Lourdes Joie<br><strong>Location:</strong> Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1 | Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Royce O'Malley, Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Content:</strong>&nbsp; More yappin<br><hr>"Oh, is england an Ireland? I assume you all came from the same place." Lourdes said with a shrug, acting like it didn't bother her so much that she knew so little about the world outside of her home and her little ship. "I come from Haiti." She wasn't sure if the girl had ever heard of it, "French colony, but no more. We fought off the bastards and it's our island now." She said proudly.<br><br>Lourdes scoffed a little at Sarah and laughed, "Oh don't you' worry, I know just what to do with their kind." She gave a smile that could cut sail cloth as she rocked back and forth on her heels. Lourdes seemed fine with lollygagging on the deck. Ship seemed to be sailing just fine without her. "Killed my fair share of Europeans. More, even."<br><br>"I'm here because I know these islands. Cap'n hired me as a striker. I'm a good shot and a better sneak." She said. "What good are the two of you, I wonder?" She asked curiously glancing between Royce and Sarah.&nbsp; "Surely ya don't just tie knots all day."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Grizzly</strong> on <strong>30-03-2019, 06:32:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/grizzly/Royce-Closeup.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Royce O'Malley<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Main Deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1, Morning<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes, Sarah<br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends<br><hr><br>"I'm a sailor, through and through, so I love me some knots."&nbsp; Royce said with a grin.&nbsp; "I might have come about it a little late in my life but the siren call of the sea is like an angels harp for me, drawing me across half the world to sail upon the blue.&nbsp; I was a little bit more of a troublemaker before, ran afoul of the law and the lawless both, so there wasn't much incentive needed to get me away from England.&nbsp; I like my head right where it is, thank you very much."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>yobo</strong> on <strong>01-04-2019, 21:12:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/02/85/c8/0285c851c21a8d6382e748884b2b0bd5--pirate-art-pirate-queen.jpg?b=t)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Jackson<br><strong>Position:</strong> Slightly less hungover sailor<br><strong>Location:</strong> The deck<br><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day one - sailing out of port<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Lourdes Joie and Royce O'Malley <br><strong>Content:</strong> Making friends... or enemies? Probably both...<br><hr><br>"I'm here because I make this ship look good," Sarah grinned, obviously maybe joking. "Other than that I'm just here to fight. The captain seemed to need somebody more interested in fighting than treasure, so here I am." Sarah turned towards Lourdes. "So, what are the chance we will run into some Spanish soldiers? I especially love killing Spaniards..." <br><br>"You know," Sarah said, turning her attention towards Royce. "I can think of a few places I wouldn't mind seeing your head." Sarah looked over at Lourdes, wiggling her eyebrows lewdly. "Am I right, or am I right?" Sarah grinned, punching Lourdes in the arm because Sarah liked punching people as a sign of affection. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>02-04-2019, 12:04:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<hr><br><div align="center"><span style="font-family: courier;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 36pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>DAY 2</strong></span></span></div><br><hr><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Captain<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza, Port Royal | top&nbsp; deck <br><strong>Time &amp; Date:</strong> Day 2, 11 AM<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>&nbsp; Devon | Everyone<br><strong>Content:</strong> The start of a new day, exciting things are about to happen.<br><hr><br>The maiden voyage of the Esperanza's new crew began as well as could be expected. There were some minot troubles here and there, a few struggles, but above all a lot of eagerness, excitement and goodwill. Rose had gotten her chance to seek out some but not by far all of the crew members, and she intended to correct that as soon as she was able. For now, she rested assured that while far from all of them were experienced sailors, they were <em>willing</em>, and she had no doubt that they would go the extra mile to get where she wanted to go. <br><br>Her new officers were absolute gems, it seems, and already Rose had commended Liam for having found so many exceptionally talented individuals. That Devon Black knew the sea, the ship and the stars was beyond question; that Marisol Jamison would perform his duties with precision, dedicated and firm control was something he had displayed in a single day alone. But today the real test would prove who was cut out for this work, and who would, perhaps, have to be left behind. <em>Today would mark every single one of them a pirate forevermore.</em><br><br>Rose stood at the quarterdeck along with her navigator. She enjoyed being at the wheel like nothing else; that she felt no objection to Devon steering her beloving Esperanza spoke volumes. Hiding at the crook of the Turks Island Pass there was little to do but wait for the sought after merchant vessel to appear. <br><br><br><div align="center"><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><span style="font-size: 18pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>Start of Event 1: Taking the Cipher</strong></span></span><br><hr><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Please continue In the Event Thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=302780.0) until the event is concluded</strong></span><br></div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Levi</strong> on <strong>06-04-2019, 11:55:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5d/fd/fb/5dfdfbf0f964cdff8bb1ffd150fdf558.jpg)</div><strong>Name</strong> Nancy Goldsworth &nbsp;(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14693317#msg14693317)<br><strong> Location</strong> The Esperanza, Moving from the galley to main deck<br><strong>Time/day</strong> Day 1/ 9pm<br><strong>Tagging</strong> Captain<br><strong>Content</strong> End of a long first day<br><br><hr><br>It had been a very long day for the new cook, even with the extra hands in the kitchen Nancy had still tried to do just about everything herself. This plan had worked for all of about one meal, by the second meal the female felt she was loosing her mind. Nancy had allowed some of her underlings to do menial tasks like peel potatoes and such. The dark skinned female stretched in the tiny space, looking around at the piles of washing she concluded that meal time for day was finally over. Making the executive decision that washing up was defiantly not her job, Nancy vacated the galley as quickly as possible.<br><br>Good natured grumbling of her team followed her out onto the deck and then Nancy was climbing back up to the main deck. She planted her feet firmly on the slightly swaying main deck and made a beeline for the ships port side. Gazing out over the dark sea, the town of Port Royal now firmly behind them. Nancy took a deep cleansing breath of cool night air. Raising her eyes she took in the beauty of the night. The sky was clear of cloud and the soft twinkle of stars made things almost magical. She sighed allowing her eyes to close and enjoy the cool breeze after the boiling heat of the kitchen.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dominique</strong> on <strong>06-04-2019, 22:24:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FsSwBxR.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Rosette de Courtenay (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14691423#msg14691423)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Captain<br><strong>Location:</strong> The Esperanza | top&nbsp; deck <br><strong>Time &amp; Date:</strong> Day 1 | 9 PM<br><strong>Tagging:</strong>&nbsp; Nancy<br><strong>Content:</strong> Hiding in the calm of night<br><hr><br>She would never admit it to anyone around her, not even Liam, but Rosette had to get used to this again. The sound of people around her, of sailors everywhere at any hour of the day or night. There was singing and shouting, chatter and banter all over, and belowdeck there would be the rumble of people moving in the belly of her beloved Esperanza. It was like a warm bath, a feeling of pleasant nostalgia to have a real crew again once more and not the dead-eyed men who had been present aboard her vessel these past few years. She felt like a captain again, and it had been exactly what she wanted. And yet, simultaneously, it felt overwhelming, to the point where she had fleeting moments of wanting to hide in her cabin, or to command Devon to turn the ship around and make for the first port so Rose could do what she had done four years ago: leave her men behind and go it alone. But that was the panic talking, and Rose knew the sentiments of unease would pass. She never should have isolated herself back then... and she sure as hell wasn't going to do it again. <br><br>So she went outside. <br><br>Though it was late in the evening, and many of the crewmen and -women had turned in for the night, there were always a few still strutting about. The ship needed to be steered and the sails adjusted. A lookout was as important at night as it was during the day, perhaps even moreso, and once you left your cabin you were never truly alone. Rose knew eyes would follow her, but she, in turn, felt at liberty to regard whoever was still up at this hour, too. <br><br>There were a few lost souls about; people not quite pirates, perhaps not even sailors, either. They wandered the main deck, staring out over the oily black, lost in their own thoughts, or quietly talking amongst one another. Some looked up with a hint of nervousness at their Captain's presence, unsure of how to react, unsure of whether they were even allowed to be here. Rose mostly ignored them, cast an absent smile at one and then moved to a figure she did recognise. A woman who had been attempting to speak with her earlier and, if she recalled correctly, the new chef to the Esperanza's modest galley. Rose didn't know much about her, although she found her interest undeniably piqued by the tattoos she bore, which were different from, but not entirely unlike her own. There was a roughness and yet a brightness to the girl that were slightly paradoxal but not mutually exclusive. Rose had come up here to let the sound of the waves soothe her, but now found herself approaching Nancy Goldsworth, her actions driven by intuition alone. <br><br>At first she said little, and when Rosette leaned her elbows on the railing she merely looked out over the sea, enjoying the pale reflection of the moon in the sea below. It wasn't long before her interest deviated to the newly appointed cook, however, and she hung her head to one side, quietly studying the delicate expression of the girl, who stood with closed eyes, enjoying the early night. <br><br>"One day at sea, and you already seem to look like you belong." <br><br>Rose, who quirked the smallest of smiles, leaned over a little further, her hands loosely folded together. "How many times did you sail before, Nancy?" she asked, her voice low as to not disturb the tranquility of the dark that surrounded them. "You must have done before, or else my Esperanza is treating you with extraordinary kindness for you to bear such a fond expression."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Captain's Secret - The Esperanza [Main IC- Top Deck]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>fienda</strong> on <strong>11-04-2019, 00:50:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/8e/C25bahk.jpg)</div><br><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Name:</strong> Lifa Canary (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300519.msg14696106#msg14696106)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Position:</strong> Seaman</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Location:</strong> Esperanza, Top Deck</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Time &amp; Date</strong>: Day 1| Morning</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Tagging:</strong> Captain Rose, Weston "Wes" Beauchamp, Nefsonne, Open</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Content:</strong> Lifa takes her leave</div><hr><br>At the interruption, the muscles of Lifa’s jaw twitched as she reflexively bit back her irritation. Though the conversation was stilted, due to her inability to disclose the more intimate details of her life, she was pleased to be in the company of the Captain and indeed, through conversing, felt a mild reprieve from her depressed state. Lifa found Rose’s poise and shrewdness admirable, and it dawned on her that this conversation was one of the firsts in some time where she was not the only one talking. There was a pang of guilt at that revelation. She knew she could not fault Nef for his lack in verbal stimulation, the poor man was mute, but still, she missed speaking and being spoken to in return. She also found that she rather missed the company of other women, though in all honesty, Lifa was accustomed to being ostracized by them, especially those of her own station. Of course, being used to her solitude and her outlier status did little to thwart the natural feeling of loneliness that ensued. She now wondered why that same loneliness, which in the past had been a very dull and infrequent ache, suddenly seemed like a cold, sharp pain in her heart. Her conclusion was that Frederick must have acted as a salve against it in the past, and with him gone, she was vulnerable. That would not do. Inwardly, she began to force the memory of his death upon herself, coating that lonesome longing with the cold balm of anger and vengeance. Her jaw clenched further, eliciting a twang of pain, which she also used to shore away any wisps of melancholy.<br><br>As the young man rudely interposed, Lifa coldly eyed him. She was used to this kind of self important and dismissive behavior from the men of a certain breeding, just as she was used to being shunned by the women. The difference was, in both cases, she was also used to being able to throw the weight of her rank around. Such was no longer the case. Not until she managed to restore her position and weed out the traitors in her duchy, would she be able to resume her title. Her enemies would rue that day. Until then, she had to continue playing this subservient role, which chafed against her pride so. <br><br>Lifa tilted her head, taking a half step back. She spoke, her words light and her voice as mellifluous as ever, despite the dark thoughts in her head. <br><br>“Yes, Captain. I shan’t let you down. And,” she allowed a small break in character and looked Rosette de Courtenay directly in the eye, “I look forward to it.”<br><br>With that she took a respectful step backwards, before turning and resuming her position alongside her mute brute, who had awaited her patiently. She realized that without her, there was little he could do. Not yet at least. She was his mouth until the crew could grow accustomed to his silence enough for him to get on without her intervention. She faced him, craning her neck to be heard more easily over the noisy open deck, and said, “Let’s be off Nefsonne. I’m sure you are wanting to find the forge.”<br><br>She brought a hand up to her jaw, which ached slightly and she noticed for the first time that there was a pain in her mouth. It must have been there for a day or two, but she surmised she must only now be aware of it because the basics of food, water and shelter had finally been covered. She could finally start thinking beyond her belly and her emotional pain and could start to take into account the physical ailments she might be suffering from. She also was keenly aware that she could use with a good wash and that her clothes were probably best retired, but alas until she found new garments, she would have to make do. She made a note to visit with the ship’s surgeon after she assisted Nefsonne in finding his forge and accompanying tools. She also made a point to check the posted Watch, Station and Quarter Bill to verify her watch hours and various duties. 
			</dd>
		</dl>
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