GM: You arrive at the Redemption, she is being loaded up with cargo and there are quite a few aboard.
Anastasi: "I hope were not in trouble for missing something."
Jack: "I don't think so. Were we conscripted to load the ship?"
GM: You go up the boarding plank and are met by several crewmembers and Jaspar who looks over each of you.
Jaspar: "Did you enjoy your shore leave?"
Anastasi smiles at Jaspar "Yes we had a wonderful time."
Jaspar nods and smirks, flashing a toothy grin, "Good, for you may not see land for awhile now. So get aboard and to your posts!"
Jack nods solemnly. After dropping his clothes and items off in his section of the hold, he clambers up the rigging to the crow's nest.
Anastasi goes below deck to her bunk and secures her pack in her locker.
Jaspar: "Now, get to work ladies, we got to set sail soon!" He barks out commands as he walks along the deck.
Meyna hurries aboard, stopping to store her gear in her locker.
Anastasi returns to the deck and takes up a position near where the cargo is being loaded and observes the freight for any signs of stowaways.
GM: Jack climbs up to the crow's nest without plummeting to his death. Ana watches the cargo being loaded into the hold. Boxes of weapons, ammo and other goods.
Anastasi looks around briefly for the captain.
GM: Ana sees a pretty buff looking crew handling the cargo. The men are muscular and tanned. No sign of the captain.
Meyna goes back up to the deck after storing her gear.
GM: The view is spectacular from the crow's nest, the water is blue and the ships all moored are bustling with activity. Jack also sees a ship with black sails pass by the outermost part of the harbor.
Jack waves at Anastasi, beckoning and pointing out to where the ship passed out of the harbor. "Ana! It's the ship from your dreams! I saw it."
GM: Several members of the crew look up to see where Jack is pointing at.
Anastasi doesn't see Jack waving as she is pre-occupied.
Jaspar comes stomping over, "What is going on?" looks at Ana, then up at Jack. "What do you see?"
Anastasi looks out to the harbor for the ship.
Jack: "A ship with black sails! Just left the harbor in that direction!" He points again in the general direction.
Meyna looks where Jack is pointing.
Jaspar looks wide eyed, "Black sails? Where?" He looks around and then back at Ana.
Anastasi shrugs. "He's the one up there."
Jaspar: "What's going on here?"
Jaspar looks at Ana, "He said something about your dreams."
Jack carefully makes his way back down the rope ladder to better speak with Jaspar.
Jaspar puts his hand on his pistol.
Anastasi: "Did he. I couldn't quit make out what he was saying. Too much noise down here."
Jaspar looks at Jack, "Report."
Jack: "As sure as my eye sees you in front of me. I saw a ship with black sails pass the harbor. Twas only for a moment, but I'd stake my berth on it."
Jaspar looks at Jack and then Ana, "Alright you two, come with me."
Jack gives Jaspar a quick salute. "Aye."
Jaspar heads for mid-ship, where there is a cabin. He says, "Wait here." and he knocks.
Andrea speaks from inside, "Yes?"
Anastasi waits and looks at Jack as if to say, "what was that about."
Jaspar: "Captain, I need to talk to you, I have two of the three new mates with me."
Jack offers a quick shrug of his shoulder.
Jaspar: "Aye captain." Jaspar opens the door and gestures for you two to go first and he comes in behind, shutting the door.
Jack ushers himself into the cabin.
GM: Inside is a pretty nice cabin, with a desk, chair, sea chest, bunk and momentos and the like on the walls, including a detailed map of Five Fingers port.
Andrea stands as you all enter, looking each of you square in the eye. "What is this about?"
Anastasi looks around on the walls for a pair of tanned ears.
Jaspar gives Jack a nudge from behind.
GM: There is a pair of ears nailed to the wall behind her chair.
Anastasi snickers upon seeing the ears.
Jack motions upwards to the crow's nest. "I went up to take a look around. And off in the distance, I saw a ship with black sails. No mistake."
Anastasi: "Is that what you were yelling about Jack?" Ana says as if she didn't hear him when he first yelled down to her.
Andrea looks at Jack, holding her gaze as he speaks about seeing the black sailed ship. She doesn't look surprised, nor does she react so. She simply says, "So you've seen it, very good, you shall make a fine spotter, better than that last lying sack of dung that said he could see beyond the horizon." Andrea looks at Ana, "Now what does this have to do with you both?"
Jaspar: "Jack said something about the ship being in Ana's dreams captain."
Jack: "I feel…that what you saw, Ana…was no dream."
Andrea quirks an eyebrow, "Did you now?"
Jack: "At least…a part of it wasn't."
Anastasi: "It was well…. more of a nightmare as I saw the ship break apart in the storm with my father on it."
Andrea: "Aye, several ships with black sails have gone down in storms at sea. Your father now, who was he?"
Anastasi: "Dego Belcari. He wa….. Is Captain of the Salted Lady."
Andrea nods, "I've heard of him, but I don't think we ever met. Jaspar have you heard of Captain Belcari?"
Jaspar: "I don't recall captain, I do remember hearing of several Drego's in the islands."
Andrea: "so you believe he is dead then?"
Anastasi: "I don't…. No." she says firmly.
Jack: "She is most assured in that."
Jaspar: "Well, both actually a Drego and a Dego, might have them mixed up, I've served under several captains before joining the Redemption."
Andrea smiles, "Well, I might have to find this Dego, if his daughter is as lovely as you are. I'm sure he's most handsome indeed. And if he survived a black ship, then he's worth having on my crew. You do know what a black ship represents usually right?"
Anastasi: "I've heard a bit."
Andrea: "Typically a ship of the dead or damned, but if he was alive and not dead, someone or something might have put him aboard it as a prisoner. The ship you likely saw wasn't one of the ghost ships, but more likely one of the pirate vessels that operate in these isles. They like to act like the ghost ships to scare and intimidate their prey."
Anastasi: "but what if that ship is destroyed? Any meaning in that like in my dream?"
Andrea: "Ghost ships don't sink Ana, so it might be he was on a pirate ship that was acting like a ghost ship. That could mean he's alive or dead… If alive he might be stranded somewhere or the like."
Anastasi: "I see, well that is good news then."
Andrea muses, "This is most interesting though."
Anastasi: "Oh, how so Captain?"
Andrea smiles, "Pirate ships that sink, often have plunder to be had. Although going down into the depths can be very dangerous indeed. Anything else you wish to tell me?"
Jack: "I can't think of anything more, Captain. I will keep my eyes open for those sails."
Andrea: "Very good, keep a sharp eye out Jack." Andrea lets Jack go as she awaits Ana.
Anastasi: "That's all I had."
Andrea: "Alright then, you may go, we'll be parting with the changing of the tides."
Anastasi: "Very good." Ana departs.
Jack salutes the Captain, then Jaspar, and quickly leaves. "Aye, Captain. Will do."
Jaspar escorts you both back to the main deck.
Anastasi goes back to her post by the loading cargo and resumes watch.
Jaspar barks orders at the crew as he finds some slacking off. He pulls his cutlass, slapping a few with the side of the heavy steel.
Jack slowly clambers back up into the crow's nest, taking out his spyglass and scanning the horizon.
GM: The crew is busy like ants loading up supplies and cargo. Ana sees ammo for cannons and the like moved from the hold to be closer to the guns on either side of the Redemptions hull. There are a few smaller guns mounted on spots on the upper deck railing and main deck railing.
GM: This shallow-draft, two-mast brigand's ship provided great maneuverability and speed from its various square and fore/aft-rigged sail possibilities. It was valued in the Mediterranean, where its earlier versions sometimes included oars that were better for diminished winds. Longer, heavier, roomier, and better manned than the smaller sloops and schooners, it was usually the first choice for prolonged battles instead of quick hits. A larger cargo area combined with moderate firepower meant the versatile brigantine also saw widespread use as a trade ship.70-80 foot length, 125-150 tons, 100+ men, 12 guns… she's got 18 guns, with 14 in the hull, 7 either side and the 4 small ones on the upper/main deck.
Anastasi will glance up at the crow's nest to see what Jack is up to.
Jack is earnestly scanning the skyline for anything of interest.