While there are those who would call me hero by this tale I stand before you, Captain 'Charcoal' Jack Hatter, to confess my shame.
I was asleep below deck, me mate and occasional business partner had the helm which was enough to keep me from resting soundly. We had fought the dead and dug up our fill but he wanted more and my gut knew it. I heard his footsteps approach and he shook me. He had found what he wanted...
My eyes adjusted to the days light to be greeted by a cursed skull fort...only the omen clouds were fading and a lone sloop sat docked to it. It was a good day for them. My mate eagerly gestured me to the helm and he loaded the cannons. I hesitated but knew better than to show it so plotted a round about course to give me time to persuade him to reconsider but he wasn't having it. Soon we would part ways as we often do but he wouldn't have our time together end without this prize. So I agreed...
We gave chase for some time. One of theirs attempted to board us. Spotted him in the clear seas and kicked him free of our ladders but by mermaids luck and the rougher seas of the Wilds he returned. Kicked our anchor loose and gave us a hell of a dance. Even with us slowed the fools didn't bother outrunning us and instead docked at Daggers Tooth which was right before us...didn't even try to hide their ship. At this point I had no choice but to be committed so I sailed us in as they tried once more to flee but this time it's too late. We open fire clearing the deck and the ship drifts around to the back of the island unmanned. Excitement fills me thinking we had done it and the wreckage would be ours...cept the blasted thing wedged itself between the rocks and beach and would never sink...we had given them a fortress on land to repel us...
A storm hit as if the god's insisted on not witnessing our deeds. I shouted over the pouring torrent to continue firing at all costs and I slip beneath the waves and around the rocks to the beach. I climb aboard to see one man busy with the cannons and no sign of the other. I leave my mate to this pointless battle and start throwing loot to the sands the sounds masked by thunder and cannons. I stash half of what I seen aboard in the bushes and rocks before one of theirs spots me on the sands with a trinket in hand. I toss it aside and we dance. I barely get away with a few new scars.
At this point they have reboarded their vessel and unwedged her back into the waters. I knew my mate would never be able to handle the ship alone...but I take the time to move the loot to better hiding places. He flees while our ship still floats and our targets dock up front to sell off what I had left them. One of their's comes to scout the back beach but I had already finished my task. We cross steel but the dog pulled a loaded blunderbuss on me. I run him through but I might as well have been dead. I dragged myself off from the skirmish and hid myself away with some of the loot with pistol in hand. No point backing down now. It was mine or no ones.
My ship returns as the sloop flees back out to open seas clearly wishing to be done with us. We get me bandaged up as I instruct my mate where everything was stashed. I rest by a campfire on the backside of the island as he runs about collecting what I had hid. He returns and proudly tosses me my share. Some 2 thousand pieces...not bad but hardly worth the hell. He slaps me on the back cheerfully, remarks how 'that is how you end a night' and leaves me to my thoughts. It would be some time before we gathered to sail together again.
I looked at the gold glinting in the firelight. I was a smuggler. No stranger to raising the black from time to time...happily be called pirate but...this? This wasn't the pirate I wanted to be. A man who would wage war for another's hard work? And for what? A handful of gold I could have more easily earned my way...
I'll shoot a man who cheats me at dice...I'll do what needs done in a business deal gone sour...I'll run a man through who boards my ship uninvited and take whatever was his as compensation...but this...
...I was a smuggler...
