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- Character Biography
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The Fortune’s End was perhaps the most legendary frigate within the Anirian Navy. It’s long streak of successful missions, lack of any deaths or serious injuries among the crew, and it’s long stretch of time in service had caused many Anirians, and even foreigners, to believe the ship had some sort of divine hand guiding it.
So, when Aisling Weiroon was appointed to the role of Second Officer, third in command on the ship, for this brief mission she immediately accepted. It was rather simple, they had booked passage for several dreadlords, nobles, and others within Vel Anir and were overseeing their safe arrival from the port in Vel Anir to a diplomatic summit in Alliria. Straightforward, easy, and probably not requiring the mighty frigate other than to use it as a display of strength to the people of Alliria.
Aisling knew that her appointment to Second Officer was likely political. That the navy had calculated that dreadlords and nobles would feel more at ease with a high born noble of a Great House in a position of command. But she wasn’t about to let that fact sully her achievement. This was the most prestigious posting of her career thus far.
Unfortunately, there were already some… complications. As she was learning from the boatswain himself as the two rushed across the deck of the ship towards the captain’s quarters. “Ma’am, Captain Gaius, he’s in real bad shape,” the ragged voice of the lifelong sailor conveyed to the corsair of House Weiroon.
”And the first officer? Where is he?” she questioned. First Officer Julian had been in service with Captain Gaius for two decades. They had shared command of the Fortune’s End throughout its storied history. In fact, the boatswain, the bosun, and much of the rest of the crew had been serving aboard the ship for the entire time it had been in service. A bit unusual, but she had never really thought about it before.
“No one can uh,” the boatswain looked around before lowering his voice and as he narrowed his eyes and whispered to her in a panicked tone, “no one can find him, ma’am.”
After two decades of unrivaled success, not a single death among the crew, there was now a situation brewing in which the captain of the ship was in critical condition and his ever loyal First Officer was missing. This had passed beyond merely an unusual coincidence and was beginning to appear like something far more ominous. Or, at least, that’s how the crew would view it. The dreadlords wouldn’t care and Aisling wasn’t the superstitious type. But seven years of service on the high seas had taught the noblewoman of one ever present truth.
Sailors had faith in omens the way regular folk believed the sun would rise in the morning.
And it was immediately apparent that their omens may not be entirely based on irrationality. As she flung open the door to the captain’s quarters it was obvious that he was beyond just ill and looked to be on death’s door. Blood poured out of his nostrils as he coughed up a vile green fluid. Aisling moved to his side cautiously and blurted out her immediate reaction, ”sir! We must call the ship’s healer!”
To her and the boatswain’s astonishment the captain shook his head. His grizzled face and reddened eyes stared back at the young woman. “Nay, he can’t help me. ‘Tis my lot in life to die right here, right now.” More bile spewed from his lips, causing the Weiroon noble to take a quick step backwards. “I made a mistake. On our maiden voyage. Now it’s time to pay up.”
A mistake? Was the captain delirious?
“We found a group of savages on some island out in the Akiva sea. The boys wanted a bit o’ fun so we let ‘em have it. I ain’t proud of what I done lass. I ain’t proud.” He raised a trembling finger towards Aisling and continued, “but you listen here. Had I known what would happen, had I known the price to play their little game… what they meant by an eternal curse... I ne’er would’ve anchored at that remote little island.” A brief silence cut through the cramped quarters like a knife as he offered his final piece of advice, “nothing lasts forever girl. God always gets his due.”
Captain Gaius breathed his last breath. Which would’ve been alarming enough but what was far more alarming was that his body vanished. Just, gone. One second it’s there on the bed, lifeless, and the next second there's nothing at all. Just empty sheets.
Aisling Weiroon inhaled a steady flow of air to try and calm her nerves before looking directly at the boatswain and barking out, ”assemble the dreadlords we brought along for the voyage. Ask them to meet me in the galley.”
She spun on her heel and twisted back fast enough to turn her straw-colored ponytail into a whip before adding, ”and find out where the hell the First Officer went.”
“Aye, ma’am,” was all she heard as she rushed towards the galley.
