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[Maximum Spin]

B
Anyway, notquitethere, sorry to disagree so strenuously. I'm not trying to pick fights, I just have very strong opinions about trading and it pains me to see inefficiency.

[notquitethere]

It's all good, this voyage needs all the good guiding voices it can get. I think a lot of inefficiency has come through an early unclear understanding of the trading mechanics. We're in a bit better position now.

[Haspen]

"Fine, take the Purser to ensure the money's alright."

"Thank you Captain. We will be back shortly."

10th Midwinter

Late Morning

Costas, Isle of Costas

The Purser and the Surgeon are back in few hours.

"I've procured all the supplies I have needed and then some, Captain. We're more than equipped to handle anything but a ship-wide plague."

"Good. We're off to Pointas then!"

The topmen set the sails, the navigator steers the ship out of the harbor. Soon, Santa Julia takes to the seas once more!

11th Midwinter

Early Night

Karib Sea, between Costas and Pointas

Early in your sleep, you're shaken away. First thing you see if the First Mate's face.

And then you hear it:

^{hhhoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooommm...}

"What in all devils was that?"

"A sea demon! A demon of the waves, Captain! Come see or you will not believe it!"

^{hhhyyoooOOOooOOOoooooommm...}

Wide-eyed, you put on your jacket and follow the First Mate out of your cabin, who then ducks as to not be seen.

You glance to your right, noticing silhouettes of crewmen hiding behind the starboard rails, and then you not only hear it, but also see it.

A black hump on the line between the dark waters and deep blue night sky, its silhouette illuminated by the half moon at the horizon. An elongated tentacle, a large gaping maw upon its end. Flabby fins the size of your ship, on its back, on its sides, splashing waters as the watery devil is making its way parallel to the Santa Julia.

^{hhhyyooooooOOOOOOOMmm...}

It has no eyes, for which you are thankful, but somehow you feel that it can sense the fear of your crew, and your own.

And then, with utter terror, you realize - it is getting closer.

_{"What is that thing!?"}

^{hhhooooooooooOOOOOOOooommmm...}

_{"A mermaid, Captain. Mermaid of the Karibs!"} Says the Navigator, sitting on the deck and huddling the shaft of the steering wheel.

_{"It's getting closer!"}

^{hhhyyoooOOOOOoooommm...}

_{"We know, Captain, and we dread it! If we continue on this course, we will bump against it, and then we're all dead!"} Explains the First Mate, making the sign of the goddess on his head and kissing his thumb.

<sub>"Then change course!"

"It can hear creak of steering of the rudder and furling of the sails, they say!"

"Drop the anchor, halt the ship!"

"If it can hear wood and cloth, then it will surely hear the rattle of metal chains! We're doomed anyway!"</sub>

^{hhhyoOOOOOOOOOOOMmmm...}

A) _{"Drop the anchor, we must avoid collision at all cost!!"}
B) _{"Change course, we must avoid collision at all cost!"}
C) _{"Then keep steady and pray to Goddess we miss it!"}
D) _{"Load cannons, prepare to fire! We shall scare it away!"}

[crazyabe]

D.

[Kashyyk]

B

[notquitethere]

A

Changing course ruins our plans upon which so much depends. Going ahead risks bumping headlong which seems like it would alienate the crew more than holding back and risking the thing coming to us.

D, D works...

[Fluffe9911]

D

[King Zultan]

D

[Haspen]

<sub>"Load cannons, prepare to fire! We shall scare it away!"

"Tis a terrible idea, Captain!"

"And what else we got?"

"Order was given, mayhaps it will be for the best!"</sub> The First Mate hustles over to the cover and then descends below deck to find the Gunner and some courageous seamen.

^{hhhoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooommm...}

It takes a good minute before you hear the gun ports quietly opening, and then the rolling of heavy cannons being pushed through.

^{hhhyyoooOOOOOoooommm...}

Suddenly, with thunderous roar, four cannons give shots towards the beast. You hear something that sounds like something wet, like cluster of grapes, being crushed.

"HYOOOOOOOOOOOOM"

The beast rolls to its side and then makes a big splash into the sea.

Moments, tense and terrible, pass as the bubbling on the surface of the water continues on, until it abruptly ends.

Your crewmembers poke their heads out from safety of the woodwork and scan the surroundings.

"It had actually worked, Captain?" Asks the First Mate.

It seems that it has, considering you do not see the Karib Mermaid again that night. Sailors, however, murmur that this was grave insult against Ouronos, and that soon enough a greater calamity of his godly revenge might befall you.

14th Midwinter

Noon

Pointas, Coast of Columbia

Wages:
2 Ducats per Sailor a Day for 136 Sailors over 5 Days (1 day overstayed at Costas) from Costas to Pointas: 1.360 Ducats

Divine retribution fails to manifest, however.

The Santa Julia docks at the harbor of Pointas. You can already see the smoke of furnaces and smelters in the back of the colony, black columns rising into the air.

Other than that, it looks pretty nondescript - houses, workshops and taverns lined against streets leading out of the harbor and deeper into the settlement.

"Ready as you are, Captain." Says the Purser, arriving with his ledger in his hands, and the First Mate in tow.

"Ought we visit the Company Man, or the market? We've been seldom in Pointas, so he is the best source of information we might be getting around these parts."

A) "Let's go to the Company Man!"
B) "Let's go to the market!"
C) Consult the Ledger.

[Maximum Spin]

A

[notquitethere]

A

[King Zultan]

A

[brewer bob]

A

[Haspen]

"Let's go to the Company Man!" And the three of you go to the Company's office.

Indeed, your officers haven't been in Pointas a lot, for they have to ask a passing sailor for the directions to the office. Once there, you find the building rather decrepit, or perhaps it is the timber used?

Entering the office, at least the interior is much better kept, if the usual: bookshelves, ledgers, and other documents flanking a man seated at the desk. He is tall, middle-aged, and has short, neatly trimmed beard.

"Hello, welcome to Lusitanian Western Trade Company office, how may I be of service?" His voice is soft, if a bit raspy.

"Greetings. We're of the Company as well, sailing on board Santa Julia. This is Captain Scott Finley, our Purser, Xavier d'Albaret, and I'm the First Mate, Luis de Panama." The bearded man stands up, as your First Mate introduces you, to shake your and your officers' hands one by one.

"Pleasure to meet you. Please, be seated. I'm Leon de Caravela, this colony's Company Man. I would assume you seek information about this place and around it?" You and your two officers seat on small, wooden, and very uncomfortable, stools.

"Correct."

"Well, where to begin? There's been strong, warm winds lately, and older sailors believe that there might be storm coming from the direction of Columbian inland. But from the other side, there's the Blackjaw, or as he was once called, Helmut Bergmann. This wretched pirate has sunk a local trade dinghy, and escaped a confrontation with two of our Galleons."

"What kind of ship does that Blackjaw have?" The First Mate asks with concern in his voice.

"A 40-load Ship." The Purser furrows his brows.

"And he escaped a pair of Galleons?" Leon shrugs.

"He has some devil's luck. He was a soldier and navigator since he was a young lad, the story goes, so he is as crafty as he is dangerous. His ship was damaged, of course, and he fled to northwest. I would advise caution if you are considering sailing to Nuova Lusia or Aridias."

"How about the market?" The Company Man hums.

"The local industry is booming, thanks to deposits of iron ore being found. We've also had great harvest of Blackspice and Puffcloth this Autumn, and it still should be aplenty and moderately cheap as few ships visited us in last few weeks."

"Anything else?"

"No, I do not think so? Unless you've had something specific on mind...?"

A) "Yes, I wanted to ask about... (insert topic here)"
B) "That would be all. We shall visit the marketplace now."

[notquitethere]

A- Is there much demand for silver, textiles or alcohol?