@Hynieth Great thread!
Mine is a tale of loss and revenge. T'was a dark and stormy night when my galleon, the Raven Queen's Blessing, was lost to a worthy brig opponent. We had spent the night doing back to back Gilded Athena's voyages, so our hull was heavy with loot. We had been hounded by the brig all night, who was on an Athena's of their own. On our way to the outpost we engaged them again, and while we fought a glorious battle, the storm crept through the night, encasing both our vessels in a chaotic struggle. A well placed cannonball and my hands were torn from the wheel. I could only watch from tempestuous waters as our ship was driven time and again against the rocks south or Sailor's Bounty. The brig was on us in seconds, and they made short work of my panicked crew.
My heart sank as I watched our ship go down. The Raven Queen giveth and she taketh away. I was hurrying toward the loot, now floating up to the surface, when I heard an unexpected noise among the crashing waves and cheers of our foes. Could it be?
A rowboat pulled up along side me, my crewmate at the oars, nothing but a single keg in his possession. "Hop in," he tells me. "I know where they're going."
Our other crewmates are on the other side of the map, working furiously to get the ship back to us. We watch the brig to make sure our plan was sound. This brig was good. They sailed masterfully, their sword and gunplay unmatched. Where you or might have sailed straight for an outpost, these sea dogs carried on their way to their next and final destination.
Our hope was restored. My crewmate had seen their map table, where the lone circle had given them away. Once we were sure they were headed to Smuggler's Bay we rowed furiously. Our muscles ached but we pressed on. Carefully we parked the rowboat beside the skeleton throne to the west, and I dove into the sea with the keg.
I reached the shore just as they were finishing. "Go now!," I tell my crewmate, and he begins to row toward the island. I can see the Raven Queen's Blessing in the distance, a beautiful sight to behold in such a moment.
The brig drops sail, in a hurry to exit the bay as I dash up the rock slope. One shot zings over my head as I reach the wooden plank on the top. They were too late. The fuse was already lit, already counting down. I time the drop just right. The keg lands right on their stair, rests for a beat, then blows. With my eye of reach I eliminate a survivor before diving down beside their sinking ship.
As I climb up the ladder, I have barely time enough to see a shadow above before a gunshot rings out and the shadow turns green and dies. I reach the top to find my mate from the rowboat with his pistol still smoking.
We feasted that night on grog and gold.
