[start your tale here!]

The Oracle made its way out of the East River and into open water, moving slow but silent to what was called the "Rum Line" - the 12 mile limit where larger ships waited with Rum, Whiskey and other spirits waited to sell their wares to Rum Runners like Roman who would buy and bring the illicit cargo to shore and sell it to waiting buyers for a significant mark-up.

He looked at his pocket watch and saw it was after 1am - he would have enough time to find a
his seller on Rum Row - the line of cargo vessels anchored along the Rum Line - to supply the small Speakeasies he made deals with in Port Morris & Hunts Point. Once he had the cargo, it was run back into the East River and dealing with the Coast Guard patrols and make it to the safety of the Bronx River and its shallow waters where they couldn't follow.

Some of the ships were yachts and Roman could see the partiers on the deck drinking and having a good old time but Roman had eyes on one ship for his supplies - an old Baltic Freighter called the El Cuervo De Tempestad. Roman found the ship and surrounded by other Rum Runners who were buying for their respective suppliers - the few rich that survived the Crash of 29, well connected city officials & the Mob.

Roman steered the Oracle into line with other ships waiting to pull to the side of the freighter and off in the distance Roman could hear Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" from one of the closer Yachts.

The exchange goes off like clockwork. On one of the yachts a massive bald fellow stands on deck watching you. He’s dressed to nines and sips a martini as you help lower the crates down. A more average sized man in less lavish suit stand next to him, sipping his drink nervously.

One of the ropes snaps and a crate goes tumbling towards your hull. Instinctively you catch it with both arms. You boat makes a large splash as it takes the sudden extra weight. Only as you carefully set the crate down and smell for broken bottles do you realize that a crate that heavy would have killed a normal man.

The large man watches the ripple jolt his yacht.

”Look out Steve!” he laughs casually as he reaches for the other man’s shoulder. There’s a short scream as the man falls into the drink head first.

The man winks at you and puts his finger to his lips before he waddles back into the yacht’s cabin.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:48, Mon 07 Aug 2023.

Roman heard the line snap and the crate came falling and on instinct, he caught it lest he lose the precious spirits. He set the box down as he saw the large man on the Yacht see it all despite the darkness.

Roman's face became grim as the man gestured silence and went back to his party as they fished his man that had fallen back to the Yacht. A man looked over the cargo ship after the crate had fallen - the captain of the ship.

"Are you okay, Joven?" Captain Alvarez yelled over the side, using the Spanish word for youngster.

"I am alright - it landed on some netting down here", Roman yelled back as he opened the crate to see if there was any damage to the bottles. As he scrutinized the contents, he saw a discrepancy.

"I asked for 50 bottles of Canadian whisky", Roman yelled up. "There are only 20 here."

"Im sorry - price went up for those - but i gave you an extra rum to cover the loss", Alvarez yelled back.

Roman saw it coming - demand for Rum was starting to decline as drinkers started to like the spirits from the north of the border causing rum to decrease in demand and price - he would have to adjust accordingly.

A basket with a rope was lowered to Roman and he placed the payment for the spirits in it. In the time they had done business, Alvarez gave him the merchandise first before asking for payment - a rare gesture he accorded only to his most valued clients - but his men stilled manned the machine guns targeting his boat should Cpt. Alvarez's kindness be viewed as weakness.

"Until next time, Capitan", Roman said waving and went to the Oracle's wheel.

"Adios Joven - always a pleasure doing business with one of my best customer", Alvarez yelled back and gestured for the next Rum Runner in line to approach.

Roman steered Oracle away from the Cuervo de Tempestad and giving one last glace to that Yacht with the large man, headed back to the East River, a slow, lightless journey only using the lights of the stars and the glow of the city ahead to guide him. Now he would have to watch for coast guard and New York City patrol boats.

It was bound to happen, he thought to himself on the large man seeing him catch the crate.

Would anyone believe him?