[i][center][h1][color=0072bc]Avan's Cove[/color][/h1][/center][img]http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/720930/14315663/1316841918227/BhelSea_final_v2.jpg?token=CNSHXvF09ZciyN9jQwLH9Ov%2FksI%3D[/img]

[color=a36209]One day in the small port city of Courtshore a Page walks the halls of the courthouse. They pass by the Judge’s office door which has been left ajar. They pause and overhear a correspondence between said Judge and a person accused of piracy. The Accused attempts to bribe the Judge to avoid their hanging for the next day.

Their offer?

Treasures of mass proportions stashed on an uncharted island by an elusive yet successful Pirate, Captain Jalil Avan of Persia. There are no maps to this island but the Accused promises that they could navigate any ship to the treasure. The Judge would simply fund the expedition. As Captain of the ship, the Accused would ensure that the Judge was paid for his/her mercy. The Judge considers this offer. Finally they make their demand: Unless they provide a map before morning, the Accused is to be hung for piracy.

The Pirate is escorted to their cell and the young Page slips off unnoticed. At dusk, the Page is instructed to retrieve a parchment of utmost importance from the Jailer to be delivered to the Naval Captain. The Page, bored with their lowly job and eager for adventure, contemplates their actions upon retrieving the parchment. They could run off with the map and lead the next big discovery of the century!

After much consideration, the Page dismisses their dream as foolish and hands the parchment to the Naval Captain with a heavy heart. As soon as the Head of Navy feasts his eyes upon the parchment, he swears loudly and throws the parchment to the floor. He then tells the Page that the map is useless. Written in a code by the illiterate knave. Stunned at the news, the Page quickly retrieves the parchment before racing off to deliver the news to the Judge. 

The Naval Captain is crestfallen. The Judge is under scrutiny. The Pirate is hung the next morning. The Page leaves town that night carrying with them the map to Avan's Cove.

The Page would be bound to a more infamous port city to the north of Courtshore. The City of Bastion.
This city was heavily populated and crime ridden. Crooks of all sorts could be seen in the streets, young and old, rich or poor. Bastion is where most major pirate expeditions known to the region had been assembled. It is in this city, on a humid summer night, that the Page sought refuge. Too young to drink, too poor for a meal, and staggering from exhaustion, the Page made their way into a dimly lit Inn. This is where the real adventure begins.[/color][/i]

[color=0076a3]Notes:[/color]
[hider][color=a36209][list]
[*]The plot would be mainly free-form; the actions of our characters would advance the plot. 
[*]Plenty of OOC plotting 
[*]Inclusive to those who are more comfortable with Casual. 
[*]The Page’s arch could go one of two ways:
    [list]
    [*] The Page is plunged into the world of Piracy. They manage to join an assembling crew and then join the subsequent expedition.
    [*] The Page is robbed of the map (maybe killed in the struggle) and the role-play begins with the scramble of actual pirates to amass a crew.[/list]
[/list][/color][/hider]
[color=0076a3]Welcome to the City of Bastion[/color]
[hider][color=a36209]Citizens: 11216 
Total Guard: 203

Pirates can be found in the South and South-Eastern villages of Bastion.  They are biding their time. Anxiously awaiting the announcement of the next big expedition so they can hop on board. Others wait for the next cargo ship to come to port, offering them a chance to work at sea. Few secure positions as blacksmiths, carpenters, or fishmongers. Many more simply resort to crime to stay occupied. 

Piracy is punishable by death. Proud as they are, Pirates can still be found carrying any paraphernalia, ornaments or showing off tattoos that wordlessly tell of their time at sea. Tension between the Naval Officers and Pirates swells with each confrontation or hanging.

Anyone found with a custom musket that has not been issued by the Government is suspected of Piracy and subsequently hassled. While Naval Guards occupy the ports in large numbers, there are a handful of Pirate Only establishments that Naval Officers would never set foot in.[/color][/hider]

[color=0076a3]Pirate Haunts[/color]
[hider][color=a36209]‘Thee Exalted Jack’ Tavern in East Bay
[list]
[*] Here you will find all the latest news in the underworld, so to speak. 
[*] Use caution. One must pass The Royal Guard and Naval Base reach it. 
[/list]
‘The One-Eyed Troll’ Apothecary on Russet Alley
[list]
[*] Run by an aged Witch Doctor who will ease your ailments and bring hell upon your enemies
[*] Farther inland. Low Naval threat.
[/list]
‘Bent Dagger’ Weapon-smith
[list]
[*]Buy your next top of the line weapon without question. Better yet? Comission a custom blade through us. Any local Blacksmith will gladly take on the task. For a few more doubloons they might even keep their mouths shut.
[*]Located in the South. Blacksmiths may turn in a criminal if paid off by the Royal Guard. Medium threat[/list]
 ‘Inn at the Edge of the World’ 
[list]
[*]This Inn has a small Tavern and is frequented by weary travelers and the destitute. The owner, Mrs. Moore, is a widow who married one of the more famed pirates to sail out of Bastion. She is partial to the pirates who frequent her establishment and will often act as an informant for Captains who are recruiting.
[*]Located by the South Village docks. No Naval Threat
[/list] 
 'The Naughty Nymph' Whorehouse
[list]
[*]Take a wild stab in the dark with your pork sword about this one, lads. (The prostitution serves as a cover-up. The owner is an aged Seadog who charges pirates and aspiring Captains to conspire/recruit in the cellar beneath The Naughty Nymph.) [/list][/color][/hider]

[color=0076a3]Character Sheet[/color]
[hider][color=a36209]
*PM CS to Coastal for approval*
Basic Info:
[list]
[*] Name: their legal/documented name
[*] Title: what your character likes to be called/what they introduce themselves as
[*] Age:
[*] Height:
[*] Appearance: Clothing, other important physical descriptions. Photos & Realistic illustrations allowed [NO ANIME]
[*] Weapons: Self explanatory [ONLY MELEE]
[*] Db: Doubloons (0-7)
 [/list]

Each player can have up to three characters but only one character per crew
If the mandatory positions are filled, any of the secondary positions not secured by a player can be perfunctory* since they won’t have heavy plot relevance.
Mandatory Characters (depending on the plot relevance of the crew) must make an appearance at least once a week.

*Prefuncts can literally only show up when needed then fuck off in lurksville for all i care
[/color][/hider]
[color=0076a3]Record: Give brief answers.[/color]
[hider]
[color=a36209][list]
[*] Have they ever been out to sea?
[*] If so, how long ago?
[*] What does your character do to get cash?
[*] Have they had run ins with the law?
[*] Favorite haunt?
[*] Why are they in Bastion?[/list][/color][/hider]

[color=0076a3]Playable Pirate Ranks:[/color]

[hider]
[color=a36209][list]
 Mandatory**
 At least one* [/list]
[list]	[*]Captain**:
	[*]Quarter Master**:
	[*]Navigator**:
	[*]Boatswain:
	[*]Carpenter/Surgeon*:
	[*]Master Gunner:
	[*]Mate:
	[*]A.B.S.*:
	[*]Rigger:
	[*]Powder Monkey:
	[*]Swab/Swabbie(s)*:[/list]
Rank Descriptions:[/color] http://www.thepirateking.com/historical/ship_roles.htm[/hider]


[color=0072bc]Pirate Crew Info: (For now)[/color]

[hider][color=a36209][list][*]Crews will be developed in game and posted once solidified  

[*]Ranks are earned through:[list] [*] Election (e.g. Captain)
    [*]  Appointment (e.g. Quarter Master appoints First Mate)
    [*]  Demonstration (e.g. Swabbie shows expertise in reading cloud cover, promoted to A.B.S)[/list]
[*] No character can begin with a ship or crew
[*]Characters can have experience at sea
[*]Every character begins with one melee weapon and anywhere between 0-7 Doubloons 
(1 Db = $16 6.25 Db = $100)[/list][/color][/hider]

[color=0072bc]Current Ships[/color]
[hider][color=a36209]
Ship Name: The Oracle
Previous Captain(s): N/A
Current Captain: None

Ship Stats: 12 Points (max for all local ships)

Speed: 6
Durability: 1
Capacity: 5
Aesthetic: 0

History: This ship was beached after the Navy seized it. It is currently wasting away on the stretch of beach the Navy occupies. It would be a mission of utmost difficulty to retrieve it.


Ship Name: The Duchess
Previous Captain: N/A
Current Captain: None

Ship Stats:
Speed: 4
Durability: 2
Capacity: 3
Aesthetic:3

History: Regal and of modest condition, this mid sized trading ship is only in port for a short while. It is immensely under-guarded in the mornings. A crew of 6 or more could easily make off with this vessel if they are prepared to making a speedy getaway.[/color][/hider]

[color=0072bc]Current Plot Info[/color]
[hider][color=a36209][list]
[*]The map is coded. Meaning it is not easily deciphered and was probably written this way by Cap’n Avan’s navigator or by the Captain himself. With that being said, time spent searching for anyone from that original expedition -or anyone who can read it immediately- will be futile.

[*]The map was essentially confidential intel acquired by the Navy. If anyone in local Government caught wind of the maps existence -as well as its growing importance to pirates- it could be traced back to its origins. It would then be declared stolen government information. Naturally, I’m sure the Naval Captain would be pissed. They did pretty much have a potentially amazing opportunity slip through their fingers. There would be a contract out on the Page as well as the entire crew once they’ve assembled. A fleet on their heels far more equipped for battle than they are could cause some real noise in the pirate commune. More on that shortly.

[*]Captain Avan is MIA for now. Not too sure if I want to make him an NPC and have him serve a role similar to that Captain Barbossa. Or if he can be a playable character that adds to the adversaries. Hell, he could be the Boss for all I know. Right now it’s waaaay to early to start bringing him up in the roleplay and if he has any role it’s not pertinent to the plot just yet. *Lets save the Big Bad for later, shall we?

[*]There can be more than one crew after this treasure. Having crews (The Navy notwithstanding)tailing those in possession of the map can make it all the more interesting and offer some choice battle opportunities. (Maybe some intermingling and double-crossing? Power struggles and overthrows?) I’ll hold a poll to solidify the cap on the amount of crews. But for now lets say its two.

[*]Davy Jones? He’s a Big Bad. *(Refer back to Point 3)

[*]Cryptozoology? Occult? Witchcraft? I’m down either way. This is fantasy after all. Pirate adventures and the supernatural typically go hand in hand, anyway.

[*]There will be plenty of cool places that these ships can visit maybe even side-quests? But this is not my world. Its ours. I’d love to have some input on what each port city or pit stop has to offer. We can brainstorm to create some really unique settings for our characters to get wrapped up in while they decipher the map and get closer to their riches.[/list]

Keep in mind that all the while the crew that has the map must keep their plans on the down low. Imagine each crew of pirates as sharks. They smell blood in the waves there’d be a frenzy. We don’t want that, now do we? (Of course we fuckin do)[/color][/hider]