Sunday, March 1st, year of our Lord 1671 - Turn 1

The Empress and her prize had made slow progress, but had managed to raise Basse Terre without any trouble. It was as if everyone in the Caribbean had given them all a wide berth, allowing them to drag the Spanish Manowar closer to a port where Nicholson had sway.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:52, Sun 19 June 2022.

Nicholson wasn’t happy with the slow progress they had made with their catch, however a Manowar wasn’t a prize to be discarded lightly. He knew he’d never be forgiven by the Spanish Crown for taking a warship from them, but he had long accepted his fate. He had been in too deep, even if he could convince the English crown to pardon him, he’d still be a wanted man simply for having done his part in the French expansionist war.

Indeed, what to do with a Manowar..? They were slow — much slower than the Empress — and had much less room to stow cargo. That said, how much trading would he be doing given the fact that the Spanish would not forgive? How much more trading could one do as a wanted man? He had to admit the more prudent action would be to take the manowar for the extra fire power it represented. If people feared him with a Galleon, imagine the threat they’d see him as behind the wheel of a warship like this one. He was half tempted to sell it haul and all to the English, but that would force them to take sides against the Spanish.

Suddenly, retirement didn’t seem so bad.

“I could always open a small shop in St. Maartens,” he said aloud, not realizing that his first mate was standing next to him.

“What would be the fun in that?”

Nicholson shifted unconfortably, “I was thinking Lily might visit, as well as her husband.”

Combes shook his head, “I’m sure she would. Ahh, but that was a pretty lass, but I think what’s really bothering you is that you really didn’t think we’d win against De Lezo and win that hulk of a ship, did you?”

Nicholson’s silence was telling, but he managed to slowly nod. Finally he said:  “I could fix up that Spanish cow, bear as many guns as I can on anyone that comes chasing me, Combes… but when do we stop running after that? Are we doomed to die at the end of the hangman’s noose?”

“Aww, mate. Don’t let the lads hear you speak like that, they adore you. Right now, we might be the most reviled crew out in the seven seas, but look at how we shaped the Caribbean! Who else can boast as much? We’re not quite done, and if God has given us a Manowar, we can use our weight to tip the scales for the good of all.”

Nicholson didn’t seem convinced, but he told his first mate to head for St. John, St. Maartens could wait.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Sun 19 June 2022.

The Empress continued its slow progress to St. John’s, unmolested so far. However as the crew dragged its prize behind them, Mr. Van Dyke, hollered that he saw several sails in the distance. Both of them were captained by Frenchman, which relieved Nicholson somewhat, but he kept his cannons ready when he heard that one of the captains was dressed flamboyantly like a noble out to a ball. That could only mean that Lefanu was sailing the waters, and he carefully kept watch on the ship as it continued its ways southward.

Sighing a collective sigh of relief, the crew pressed on towards St. John under the watchful gaze of Des Marais’ Perle. Had it been anyone else in these waters, Nicholson would have been nervous, but the French had benefited greatly from his crew’s assistance. The two ships saluted one another, some cheering coming from the French vessel as it noticed the prize they carried to harbour.

The time for reflexion was over. Seeing the price of textiles and knowing that he could sell a full hold of five crates in St. Maartens, Nicholson seemed relieved. "We'll sell that rotting piece of Spaniard wood and keep our beloved Empress! We'll even have her retrofitted with chasers, by God..!" He hands Combes a set of things he wants from the local merchants and walks off towards his cabin.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:57, Tue 21 June 2022.

MATH:

2/5-3Cargo Capacity: [2]0/3-3Cannon Mounts: [4]2/5-3Base Sell Price:15gp (Manowar)Modifications:—Damage:-9Price Offered:6gp

OOC: Forgot to add armaments, we might need more.

MORE MATH:
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:19, Sun 26 June 2022.