[color=00aeef][b]Name[/b][/color] – James Kenway

[color=00aeef][b]Age[/b] [/color]– 43

[color=00aeef][b]Gender[/b][/color] – Male

[color=00aeef][b]Faction[/b][/color] - Pirate Lords. 

[color=00aeef][b]Appearance[/b][/color] – James stands at 6’0 with medium-length dirty blonde hair to compliment his rugged, handsome visage. With a short beard – one hardly noticeable due to the color matching the tone of his face – what appeared the most about his face was the alluring, bright sapphires that were his eyes. Incredibly distinguished by them, one would think that they were hypnotic in nature. They were also physical proof of a lineage once entirely lost to him. When you first lay an eye on him, the eyes are what many would always look upon first. 

He has an athletic body type forged after years and years of pursuing and fleeing, as well as brawling. His getup consists of a sleek and predominately white set of robes -- complete with hood -- that part below the waist, where flaps rest in front and behind his legs. Grey pants join together with strong, well-worn brown boots that rise to just below his knee. Customizing the standard outfit, James has adorned his outfit with leather for increased protection and style. Brown leather pieces of armor were attached to his shoulders, forearms, and wrist with an additional set attached to his pants, starting at the top of his thighs and only stopping just above the knee. 

James is generally regarded as very handsome. In spite of the age he truly is and what he tells people, he does not appear physically older than a man in his mid-twenties. 

[color=00aeef][b]Personality[/b][/color] – A charming rogue with no love for orders he doesn’t give, James has always sought to take control of his own destiny since the earliest days of his life. With a strong voice and a strong fist, his method taking what he desired often came with force and fury that earned envy and respect of his peers. He is full of confidence and daring when it comes to his own abilities and his own risk, yet does not choose to weigh lives of people he grows to love and care for against the promise of treasure or trinket. A risk for him is nothing – a risk for the people he cares about is everything. Somehow, James always seeks to find a way to continue fighting for what he likes, and protect what is his. Those he views as comrades are welcome with open arms to work with him at any time, so long as they don’t partake in questionable and otherwise despicable activities that makes his stomach turn. 

Not a stranger to theft and murder, James has always managed to make friends and enemies with some of the best and the worst the world has had to offer. He takes pride in himself as well as his people, and is often too competitive to turn down a challenge if the time and wager are perfectly aligned. Often he is judgmental and takes the first impression of a man quite seriously. Word of mouth and personal introductions often differ, yet he’d believe himself a fool to not consider the worst of a man or woman just as much as the best of them. How you treat your comrades and present yourself is often one of the best ways he judges someone’s character. 

With an unyielding heart and a strong body to compliment it, you will rarely find a man with the physical and mental fortitude to last as long as him in the most grueling of situations. 

[color=00aeef][b]Weaponry[/b][/color] – James has wielded an extensive array of weaponry in his time, but has his preferences. 

[color=00aeef][i]Scimitar[/i][/color] – James keeps at his side a scimitar with a red-leathered handle and a short white guard. The blade itself is grey and tended to frequently to keep its condition as fine as possible. Whether he purchased, crafted, or stole this weapon is unknown.

[color=00aeef][i]Flintlock Pistols [/i][/color]– Strapped to his chest are four flintlock pistols, followed by one strapped to his right thigh. They have brown handles with white barrels, each custom-made with a bird talon imprinted onto its side. 

[color=00aeef][i]Knives[/i][/color] –  Concealed short knives are on him: Two in his boots, another strapped to his right underarm, and the final one – intentionally visible – is strapped to the his left thigh and is noticeably larger than the others. 

[color=00aeef][i]Fists[/i][/color] – They hurt more than you think…

[color=00aeef][b]Abilities/Powers/Talents[/b] [/color]– 

[color=00aeef][i]Act Quickly[/i][/color] – He can talk his way out of almost anything, and convince people his lies were truthful. Likewise, he has a good idea of when someone is being dishonest themselves. His experience allows him to create false presentations and lure people into a false sense of security. 

[color=00aeef][i]One-handed Sword Proficiency[/i][/color] – James is immensely skilled at armed combat, preferring to wield one blade and allow his free hand to do more than remain idle. 

[color=00aeef][i]Pistoleer[/i][/color] – Experienced with handling pistols, James is capable of taking well-placed shots at critical locations, whether they be the knee of a foe or an empty bottle of rum at a reasonable distance. 

[color=00aeef][i]Unarmed Combat Proficiency[/i][/color] – James is no stranger to a fist fight – often he prefers it when it comes to really settling disputes. 

[color=00aeef][i]Endurance[/i][/color] – He excels in long engagements of any sort, able to outlast common foes with relative ease. Withstanding intense physical blows is also a natural gift; James is able to avoid being easily knocked out by simply being able to take it. A high pain-threshold aids him with this gift.

[color=00aeef][i]Shadow Step[/i][/color] – Unnaturally quiet despite his size and stature, James maintains a natural ability of being incredibly silent when he chooses to employ it. His balance – after many years at sea – is also easily maintained aboard any vessel in fair weather conditions.

[color=00aeef][i]Jumpstart/Free Run[/i][/color] – He can accelerate from a walking pace to a full-sprint very quickly. In environments that are clear of obstacles he is difficult to outrun or catch, and in crowded environments loaded with obstacles this is increased even more. In his youth he honed his ability to outpace anyone who would come after him for any reason, taking advantage of crowds and obstructions on a path and quickly working his way past them while the likely inexperienced would struggle. It is extremely difficult to evade him if he is after you. ‘Shadow Step’ persists if he chooses it during using this trait. 

[color=00aeef][i]The Opportune Moment[/i][/color] – James is a master of patience. Taking all available information in mind, he might often hesitate in his strike if he can afford it to see as much as he can about the chance of success for a profit. This can come to irritate some of his less-than-patient comrades, yet it is rare that his hesitation does not pay off in the long run. Where most would run ahead without waiting and suffer a loss, he’d come out of a conquest with double the profit and none of the casualties depending on the score. He watches, he waits, he listens – and he listens exceptionally well. Able to pick apart chatter in the loudest of bars, gathering useful information is child’s play.

[color=00aeef][i]Forewarn [/i][/color]– A natural sense that triggers when something threatens him, James can often feel the presence of danger just before it comes. This can trigger from nearby traps, someone aiming their pistol at him, or simply a foul bottle of rum. Those who faced him suggest they he knew the direction of their attack a moment before they themselves had decided on it, but this is just a debate of those who have survived the encounter. His senses are tuned to outside interference in his course. 

[color=00aeef][i]Inspire[/i][/color] – With a commanding voice and the charm of ten fine men in one handsome package, James can inspire those who follow him to take great risks and accomplish difficult tasks. Those close to him and who believe in him tend to have greater luck in battle, avoiding life-threatening wounds with some measure of luck, as well as fighting with contained savagery. His charisma is as threatening as his abilities in combat. Those who answer to his call have temporarily gained a share of his ‘Endurance’ and Jumpstart/Free Run’ talents, as well as ‘Forewarn’, making him a deadly enemy commander. 

[color=00aeef][b]The Ship – “The Epitaph’s Ascent.”[/b][/color]

James commands a brig that has gone by two names: “The Ascent” and “The Epitaph”, but is mostly known for the latter. In his early years of pirating, James had only sought glory through treasures once thought lost to the world. But in time he realized that there was no respecting a pirate who didn’t frequently show his mettle to his allies and enemies. His ship had changed names over a dark period where he left a very violent mark on the world. The targets were calculated and always well-armed, never picking lighter targets for the sole intention of proving to every pirate and civilian in the Caribbean that he could be as dangerous as he was approachable. He had personally boarded some of the largest vessels in the British Navy and took them for himself, only to boldly take what he wanted from their stores – Ammunition, food, and various goods of a valuable nature. He then, in a strange event that survivors of his encounters mention to this day, released the prisoners and offered a warning to the surviving crew: “Sail home. Tell everyone who will listen what happened here. Remember who bested you, as well as spared you. Remember my name.” 

Not a single surviving crew ever turned their guns on him once he departed. 

After the several years of bringing fear to both fierce pirate crews and the men of the Royal Navy, his “Ascent” had been considered the “Epitaph”, as it was the last thing enemies of James Kenway would ever see were they to engage him in combat.  It has been affectionately referred to as “The Epitaph’s Ascent” by James, but others may call it one or the other. 

It has a reinforced dark brown hull with a balanced set of cannons. Five on both sides above deck, and five below, adding to an even amount of twenty cannons for a balanced armament. The sails are red in color, with a raised flag of a white background, but a black bird’s talon as the ship’s chosen emblem. 

Complete with swivel guns, always stocked with ammunition and full food stores, a ram at the front of the vessel, and of course a healthy supply of rum, The Epitaph’s Ascent has managed to earn a fearsome reputation not only for its strength, but for the courage and daring of each member that crewed it. 

[color=00aeef][b]Crew [/b][/color]– 

Crewed by about thirty men (and one woman), James had acquired a few from various parts of the world to join him. 

[color=00aeef][i][b]Noah[/b][/i][/color] – An African liberated from a slave plantation near Madagascar, Noah had requested to join James crew in thanks for what he had done for him and his people. Bearing the scars of a life once in chains, Noah is often bare-chested with a harshly scarred back and torso. He has shaved his head bald and has deep brown eyes, surprisingly soft for the 6’4 giant. He wears ragged dark pants and boots, and in battle prefers to wield a machete – the same machete he had used to butcher the one who often bled his back profusely during his time as a slave. 

Despite his past, Noah is a well-mannered addition to the crew of the Epitaph, as well as the muscle. After many years of working together and becoming acquainted with the seas, Noah had proven himself time and time again working under James. He is currently serving as the [color=00aeef][i][b]First Mate.[/b][/i][/color] 

Respectable, intimidating, competent. 

[color=00aeef][i][b]Chen[/b][/i][/color] – Sometime in the past during a visit to Singapore, a stowaway has made their way onto the Epitaph and attempted to claim James’ life. The order was made by a Pirate Lord, Sao Feng, as retribution for catching him ‘sampling the women’ with nothing more than a gaze at their direction. Considered a complete lack of respect to him personally, Chen was ordered to deal with him. The two dueled on the deck of the ship, hardly giving the other an inch. The duel seemed to last for an eternity until Chen had grown worn from the constant action while James remained at good health. Eventually disarming her, Chen had asked for an honorable death. Instead, James had given her an offer: Join him, and leave Sao Feng behind. Intrigued by James’ and growing appreciative of his warmth in the face of a foe, Chen had chosen to leave Sao Feng behind and become a part of his crew, something Sao Feng had despised him – and Chen especially – for later. 

Chen is the youngest of the crew in age, being only twenty four. She is an exceptional duelist who wields two cutlass and carries with her an ornate dagger once given to her by her father, who had gone on a voyage under Sao Feng and had never returned. She never asked what happened, only swore to become a great pirate and leave her own mark on the world. James was the key to it. Although she is loyal to him and a trusted friend, she still wears the dark garments of a Chinese cutthroat as well as maintains the bun hairstyle, choosing never to forget where she’s from. James had taught her everything he could and through it she had become a valued part of this crew, especially for conflicts. Chen acts as James’[color=00aeef][b][i] Scout[/i][/b][/color]. 

Silent, watchful, deadly.

[color=00aeef][i][b]Finn[/b][/i][/color] – Picked up from a bar in Tortuga after being the last man standing in a bar fight he ensued, James would have simply left and found a drink elsewhere until the Irishman had called him out. Not one to back down, James and Finn began to fist fight for a few short minutes. Somehow, Finn kept picking himself back up, until he had chosen to pause and take a swig of rum and pass out from what was surely more than his fair share of drink. By the next morning, James had gone to find him again and ask what other talents he might have had. As it turned out, Finn was a disgraced part of the British navy and was released from duty for excessive boozing. Telling of his nickname, ‘Firearm Finn’, James tested the supposed skill of an expert firearm handler. Whether James got him a musket or a pistol, Finn could hit just about anything whether sober or drunk, an unusual but valuable skill to have. 

He was a short one, no taller than 5’6 with long, thick arms that almost made him seem comical. Well in his early 40’s, he sported a full beard and unkempt brown hair. What he appeared as made him no different, but he sought to become a part of something that promised him all the rum he wanted and the thrill of a life both short and fulfilling. James welcomed him aboard his ship sometime later, quickly discovering that he had a keen eye for a casual drunk. Armed with two pistols strapped at his sides and a bottle of rum usually in his coat, Finn valued himself as a spotter for the ship, as well as its resident booze tester – quality mattered, he told the crew. Within his possession is a ‘Fool’s Gambit’, a nickname he gave his pistol. It fires like a pistol and sounds like one, yet it never fires a live round. Able to hold his own in any fight be it close or long range, Finn had become both respected and enjoyed after a short amount of time, earning the role of[color=00aeef] [i][b]Spotter[/b][/i][/color] and [color=00aeef][i][b]Sniper[/b][/i][/color] for the crew long term.

Quick-tempered, cheerful, carefree.

[color=00aeef][i][b]The Rest[/b][/i][/color] – From different walks of life, the crew of the Epitaph’s Ascent obey James without question and would follow him into hell were he to ask. Handpicked from different parts of the world, they would enjoy the life of piracy much less under any other man. James Kenway is loyal to them as they are to him. Neither would do anything to shame the other. 

[i][color=00aeef][b]Miscellaneous[/b][/color][/i] -

- Shares a lineage with Rika [color=00aeef][i][b]Masaki[/b][/i][/color], and is a descendent of a legendary pirate who existed hundreds of years ago with the same surname.

- Has a wife and a son; the former is his previous First Mate, and the latter is currently 17 years old with a foul mouth and an excellent swinging arm.

- Is currently acting as the [color=00aeef][i][b]Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea [/b][/i][/color]in place of Jack Sparrow.