Sea Trials

As the ship embarked on its journey, Captain Jack Thunder and Mary retreated to the captain's cabin, where the treasure chest, pilfered from the tribe's village, awaited examination upon the sturdy wooden table.

The chest, aged and lacking a lock, yielded no gold or prized possessions. Instead, within its confines rested a glass bottle containing yet another treasure map.

Expressing her discontent, Mary muttered, "Curse those who crafted this wretched piece."

Captain Jack chuckled and enlightened her with a piratey exclamation, "Arr, lass, be ye unfamiliar with the tales of Sea Trials?"

Confused, Mary resumed her seat.

Jack spun the yarn with a hearty pirate lingo, "Ages back, the Pirate Kings and Queens, afore they danced with the sea devils, stashed away a treasure teemin' with riches. The tale goes, they hid all their plunder and gold within that grand treasure."

Attentive, Mary listened.

The captain pressed on with a swashbucklin' tone, "They crafted sham treasures, mere maps leadin' to yet another map, unveilin' a series of trials culminatin' in the grand prize. 'Tis why they call it a Sea Trial. Only the most resilient and worthy pirates can unveil its secrets."

Observing the captain's silence, Mary skeptically remarked, "Captain, ye be too quick to believe these tales. Likely, 'tis some scurvy pirate jestin' while plantin' these cursed treasures."

Jack grinned and declared, "We be pursuin' this, lass. On our journey, we'll plunder, steal, and set sail on daring ventures, me heartie."

Arms crossed, Mary frowned, and she voiced her concern, "Captain..."

He locked eyes with her and said, "Put yer trust in me, Mary. I've always steered us to treasures. We turned into Linkers under me command."

She blinked quickly and fired back, "Only if the spirits keep flowin', HAR HAR."

Sharing in the laughter, Jack proposed, "Pour us some rum, lass."

Nodding, Mary filled two wooden cups. They downed the rum, and the cups kept multiplying – twelve in total.

Swaying with alcohol-induced effects, Jack's eyes followed the swirling patterns as he exclaimed, "Oiiiiii Maryy, check the nav-najvigation."

Responding energetically, Mary slammed her hand on the table, "AY AY CAPTAIN," leaning in closely, attempting to find the Seas map and compass.

Unable to locate it, Jack pointed out its location, teasing, "Mary, ye blind wench."

Amused, she laughed and handed him the compass. Swaying, her eyes half-closed, Mary tried to discern the compass's direction.

Abruptly standing, Jack snatched the compass from her, almost tumbling to the floor.

Swaying and reading the compass, he raised his right arm, circled around, and with a pointed left, declared, "That way."

...

After an hour of navigating the treacherous Sea of Wales, they arrived at an island firmly under the control of the Wales Navy.

It sprawled, hosting regular civilians, a gallows for executing pirates, a dungeon for imprisoning them, and a segment for the local nobility.

Despite the peril for pirates setting foot on the island, the risks were offset by the allure of various illicit missions proffered by both the island's denizens and fellow pirates.

Hidden beneath the surface, an intricate illegal pirate network operated, facilitating the recruitment of pirate crews, trade in goods, and even slave trading.

Captain Jack Thunder opted to visit this perilous haven for two reasons – to bolster his crew by recruiting more individuals and to embark on a lucrative mission.

At the main deck, Navy vessels dominated the scene, while a separate area housed trade ships a few miles to the right.

Behind the island, a deck catered primarily to ordinary citizens, though a few Navy men always lurked, ready to apprehend most pirate crews that dared approach.

Pirates often tried to blend in with the trade ships. Before nearing the island, they furl the Jolly Roger sail, though renowned pirates proudly displayed it, sailing to the deck behind the island. The Navy, fearing reprisal, refrained from attacking them.

Mary skillfully folded the main sail, obscuring the iconic Jolly Roger – a skull with flowers emerging from hollow eyes, embraced by vines – and they docked on the trade deck.

Approaching the lookout, a seasoned older man with thinning hair, inquired, "That be 2 Nords. Your name?"

Searching his leather pouch, Jack produced three Nords, wedging them between his fingers. He raised his arm and quipped, "This be enough? No need for papers and names?"

Smiling, the old man replied, "Alright, William Turner."

Winking, Jack continued forward on the wooden platform, Mary following closely behind.

...

As they strolled through the Navy island quarters, Mary glimpsed houses unlike any she had seen before. Each dwelling boasted a dark blue roof, crafted entirely from stone. Even the windows adhered to the color scheme, their wooden frames painted in matching hues.

"These Navy pigs live well, unlike us," she remarked.

He heard her comment but chose not to reply, pressing ahead in silence.

Exiting that quarter, they reached the heart of the island's town. There stood the gallows, a macabre structure for the public execution of pirates, thieves, and the like.

People gathered around, eager to witness the demise of another so-called evil pirate.

The condemned man, in his twenties but looking much younger, lacked facial hair, and his oily hair clung to a skin marked with various cuts. A noose was tightly fastened around his neck, and nearby stood the executioner—a muscular, bald figure clad in a black robe.

The crowd's shouts merged into an indiscernible cacophony, arms raised in anticipation of the man's impending demise.

Jack and Mary stood as spectators, witnessing a fellow pirate's cruel fate, fortifying their resolve to avoid capture at all costs.

The executioner delivered a forceful blow to the small circular table beneath the man's feet, initiating the gruesome strangulation.

Jack leaned in, whispering to Mary, "Lass, let's go."

She nodded, and he led the way to a nearby tavern.

"Oi Jack, long time no see!" greeted a man as soon as he came in.

Jack grinned nervously, deftly moving the man's hand from his shoulder, and said, "Clark, me hearty, how's Martina faring?"

Clark, a fellow pirate with short black hair, dark eyes, and a well-groomed mustache, replied, "Jack, how dare ye mention her."

Jack laughed heartily, pressing his hands on the man's shoulders, and said, "Aii come on now, matey, 'twas only one night. No harm done."

Clark, fueled by a mix of pride and irritation, shoved Jack, drew his cutlass, and pointed it at Jack's face, "Ye be playin' a dangerous game here."

Mary, a spectator until now, joined in, "OI, move that blade away from the Captain."

Clark, confusion drawing lines on his rugged face, queried, "Captain? HAR HAR, no way he be a captain. Not too long ago, he was a swab on me ship."

Jack, unfazed, seized the blade with his bare hands, cutting himself in the process, "How 'bout we be friends now and forget all that happened? Let's have a drink or two; I'll pay."

Clark, caught in a moment of contemplation, ultimately succumbed, withdrawing the cutlass back to its place.

They seated themselves near the tavern counter, Clark ordering eight cups of rum for himself.

"I said drink or two, not eight, ye damn scoundrel," Jack protested.

After thirty minutes of spirited imbibing, he had spent all his Nord coins, or did he?

With Mary by his side, he entered through a door in the tavern and then through another door that had a ladder descending down to the clandestine network of pirates.

Jack's pockets bulged with Nords he had deftly stolen from Captain Clark, leaving him with a parting gift – a leaf.

Anticipating Clark's imminent pursuit, Jack hastened with Mary.

In the underground tunnels, where dirt embraced every surface, and the air was just enough to breathe, they navigated through the intricate passages.

Entering a vast cavern, they found pirates and other denizens gathered, scrutinizing slaves. Some bartered, others sought to purchase.

Mostly brawny men with sinewy muscles and a sprinkling of women, all bound by chains to their legs, arms, and necks, connected to a robust wooden plank.

Intent on passing through, Jack's attention got captured by one of the captive girls.

He came to an abrupt stop, approaching a restrained damsel.

The woman, aged around 18, in chains, surprisingly adorned in a superior dress. Her eyes gleamed yellow, and her blonde hair cascaded down.

Attempting to lift her head for a closer look, Jack faced resistance. She turned feisty, attempting to land a hit on Jack, yet he adeptly caught her hands.

Leaning in closer, Jack whispered, "Are ye from nobility or gentry?"

In response, the woman spat defiantly on Jack's face. He wiped it away with a smile, then stood up and made his way to the woman's owner.

"I want her, how much?" Jack inquired.

"She costs 5 gold coins, whether ye be lookin' for a bedmate or wish to have her scrub the decks of yer ship," the seller declared.

Jack, after a moment of contemplation, handed over 5 gold coins. The man proceeded to unshackle the woman.

Jack seized her by the arm, continuing to walk, leaving the expansive area behind and entering another dimly lit tunnel.

"Captain, why'd ye spend so much on a single wench, and she's a feisty one, by the looks of it," Mary remarked.

Jack grinned, holding the woman firmly by the arm, "Let me enlighten me clueless crewmate about who and what ye are."

The woman, once again attempting to resist, prompted Jack to tighten his grip around her waist.

"I've little time, lass. That scallywag from earlier will soon be on me tail. Now, be a good girl and share yer name and status," Jack urged.

With her head lowered, she answered, "My name be Lady Eleanor Stirling, a noble."

While Mary expressed surprise, Jack had already anticipated such a response.

Removing his hands from her waist, Jack brushed her hair, saying, "Here's the plan, love. I'll release ye shortly, and ye can return home. But, I'll be needing gold coins, as much as ye can gather."

He continued, "I expect a pouch by sunrise tomorrow near the tavern Yorkan."

Her head lifted, hope in her eyes, as she whispered, "Thank you. And who might you be?"

Ceasing to brush her hair, Jack replied, "Captain Jack Thunder."

Navigating through the underground passages, Jack sought out potential missions. Eventually, he settled on a particularly challenging one, promising a handsome reward.

The task was to infiltrate the heavily guarded Navy dungeon and liberate a man named Tesco.

Given the mission's difficulty, the offered price stood at a tempting 10 gold coins. It entailed breaching a dungeon fortified like a fortress, with multiple Navy men on guard.

Having accepted the mission, Jack and Mary emerged from the underground tunnels, finding themselves in yet another tavern. There, he bid farewell to Lady Eleanor.