[center][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/2FVeOVU.png[/IMG][/center] [center][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/05wTzwa.png[/IMG][/center] --- The galleon [i]Madre Santisima[/i] rode lightly at her moorings, the early morning sun of Veracruz already making her decks sticky with loosened pitch. Despite the swelter, the ship was covered with seamen and dock-laborers, all working to make the galleon secure for her journey to Havana, and then Cádiz beyond. In addition to the tons of food, livestock, lumber, rope, and sail required for such a voyage, the [i]Madre Santisima[/i] was also being laden with its most precious cargo; the sealed sea-chests of treasure bound for the coffers of King Charles II. This cargo was loaded under the watchful eye of Captain Gonzalo Martin, as well as the local garrison commander, Luis Gutierrez. Both men personally oversaw the transfer of each chest from the carriages on land, and into the purpose-built lockers below decks. Working without respite, the loading of the chests was completed just hours before dusk, and Captain Martin chained, locked, and sealed the lockers with a silent efficiency that belied his fatigue . The locks that secured each length of chain were dipped in yellow wax, and the royal seal of Charles II was stamped above the key hole. Only the regional governors and the Viceroys of the Audiencias held such seals in the New World, and if the lockers reached Cádiz without the seal intact, then there would be hell to pay. Even with the treasure securely locked away, Captain Martin did not avail himself of the feeling of comfort, and indeed it wasn’t until the [i]Madre Santisima[/i], and her sister ships, sailed the following morning that he at last breathed a private sigh of relief. With the galleon’s sails pulled taught with a favorable west wind, and the port of Veracruz now diminishing to a green smudge along the horizon behind him, Captain Martin relinquished command of his vessel to the helmsman. Retreating to the relative quiet of his cabin, the captain pulled off his boots, and lay heavily upon his bed before falling instantly into much deserved sleep. Captain Martin’s sleep was not a restful one however, and as he lay tossing and turning, his mind became tormented by strange visions and flashes of horrific images of death and destruction. Despite his nightmares, sleep did not relinquish its hold upon the captain, and he was trapped by its clutches for several hours before it at last relinquished its grasp. Sitting up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat, Captain Martin tried to force the thought out of his still reeling mind that his dreams had been nothing more than nightmares, and not an omen of what was to befall his ship in the weeks to come... --- [hider=The World] The year is 1667, and the golden age of piracy is upon the Caribbean. The riches of the New World call to the powers of Europe, and the developed nations descend upon it, hungry for the bounty. The French, Dutch, and English all vie for a piece of the frontier, but none are as successful in conquering the Caribbean like the Spanish. From California to Mexico, the Floridas, the West Indies, and south to Columbia, the crown of Spain holds a near undisputed dominion over it all. New Spain bullion and raw goods flow from the flourishing economic hubs of Veracruz, Porto Bello, and Cartagena, through Havana, and on to its destination in Cádiz, Spain. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are filled with Spanish merchantman, slavers, and warships, all working to maintain the priceless sea-lanes of King Charles II. For those not beneath the Court of Charles, the Spanish Main is a dangerous place. In spite of the dangers, many answer the call of the New World’s untold riches, determined to deny Spain sole dominion. Far from the nodes of power in their home countries, all manner of rogue and villain descend into the Caribbean, eager to pluck the fat off of the bloated Spanish colonies and shipping lanes. This strange New World that greets these opportunistic buccaneers is one of mystery and intrigue. Ethereal forces of nature, extraordinary creatures, and deities unheard of in Europe quickly cull those ill-suited for life across the Line. From the small English colony of Jamaica, and her capital, Port Royal, a group of privateers fights for their slice of the New World’s bounty, knowing that in spite of the dangers, fortune favors the bold. [/hider] [hider=The Dusk Skate] [center][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/BJgVRKa.png[/IMG][/center] [center][i]The Dusk Skate's banner[/i][/center] [center][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/bWlEX8t.png[/IMG][/center] The [i]Dusk Skate[/i] began her life as a Dutch frigate used for the escort of trade ships from Aruba. During her maiden voyage to the New World, her inexperienced captain became disoriented in a storm, and set out for the nearest visible island. The island turned out to be the English colony of St. Kitts, and also the home port of the notorious pirate known simply as Lightfoot. As the Dutch vessel laid anchor just off the coast of the island, Lightfoot and his crew managed to use the cover of a new moon to swim to the ship, sneak aboard, and take the vessel. Lightfoot traded the larger, faster, and newer ship for his own sloop. The Dutch captain, disgraced and afraid accepted the offer at the point of a pistol barrel, and left St. Kitts without a single member of his crew coming to harm. Lightfoot renamed the vessel [i]Dusk Skate[/i] after the dark colored stingrays that inhabited the waters around the Caribbean islands. The [i]Skate[/i] is a two-masted vessel, sporting twenty-six sails and forty cannon, including two swivel guns, and two pairs of chaser cannon. Though armed heavily for a pirate vessel, the ship’s true strength lies in her speed and shallow draft. She can run closer to the wind than other larger warships, and her draft depth allows her to escape into shoal waters otherwise impassable for her bigger cousins. [/hider] [hider=Character Sheet] [b]Name:[/b] [b]Age:[/b] [b]Appearance:[/b] [b]Crew Position:[/b] [b]Background:[/b] [/hider] --- [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/KDObE2A.png[/IMG] [b]tirgesfu[/b]-Jozua Arie Xander (Jax) [b]Lillian Thorne[/b]-Nicolette Beauchamp [b]Igraine[/b]-Antonia [b]AmongHeroes[/b]-Thomas Lightfoot