You´re in Charlestown, the English colony on the island of Nevis.

You are all meeting in a tavern, the "Rusty Anchor" - not the most original choice of meeting place, but appropriate enough. Some of you are decidedly too scruffy for finer establishments, which Charlestown doesn´t have anyway; others would stick out like a sore thumb in anything less respectable than the "Rusty Anchor".

Significantly, the gentleman who invited you here has made sure you are alone - there are no other guests, the tavernkeeper is staying out of sight, and even the servers are replaced by what looks to be the gentleman´s manservant.

Besides the player characters, the gentleman (who is calling himself Master Johnson at this time) and his manservant, the only other person present is a man who appears to be a seasoned seafarer, but look a bit too well-off to be a common sailor.

At the moment, these three - Johnson, the manservant and the seafarer - are standing at the bar, conferring with each other about something you cannot make out. It is hard to tell how long they will take.

As the player characters arrive, the manservant directs them to the table nearest to the front door, where some food and ale is ready for whoever wants some.

Tom begins to eat ravenously and drink very little. He's dressed in a sailor's slops and striped maroon-and-white shirt, still damp and salt-stiff from this morning's laundering. He keeps his ears hooked for any less-prudent whispers.

Karl starts slow on the ale, spending time… at least trying to chat but depending on the reaction, he’ll quiet down. He wears the fashion that is expected of someone of no particular standing these days, colors of brown and white but well made, although his Jack of plate armor and weapons are a hint to what line of work he’s in.

He chooses a seat at the table so he’s always able to see if someone is coming or going, even while he chats. Which means, Tom Floyd is the first person he meets at the table?

He takes his seat with an easy smile, ignoring the ravenous eating and sips at his drink. "So is it very good food or you've been at sea for a while?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:37, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

"Sorry to say, I wouldn't know good food if it jumped down me throat, sir." He mops up some grease with a crust. "When you been at sea as long as this sinner here, you count food good if it lies still on the plate. I've had more maggots in me belly than barelycorns."

He gestures in midbite. "That's a fine iron coat ye wear, sir. Very fine indeed. Though are you not a bit warm in this fierce hot weather?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:28, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

“It’s not terrible. Yet. In a few moments I’ll be pouring this ale over my head instead of down my throat for a few degrees of relief, I’m sure.”  Karl chuckles and sips his drink with a hum while he thinks. “So while we’re waiting in expectation, at least one mystery can be easily solved with introductions. I’m Karl Friedrich von Bodenwerder.”

A scratchy rope-burned handshake. "Ye're blessed with names, sir. All I've got is Tom, or Tom Stripes, as some calls me."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 19:24, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

“Well, what’s in a name- mm, besides one’s reputation, maybe.” He jokes, returning the handshake. His own hand meanwhile doesn’t have the expected rough feel of a dedicated military man but more than a few nicks on his skin completes the look at least. “So in that sense, simplicity is the key to freedom. Do some-“

He pauses, cracks a smile at something, and shakes his head. “Apologies. Long day. So, why stripes?”

"Oh—you know, us jack rovers and our little names, sir. Not a one of us content with Bill or Pat or so on, not when he can be Long Bill or Old Smoke. I wouldn't look too hard for meaning in it. Not like your name, I'm sure."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

“Mm.” He hums in response into his cup, in the middle of taking a deeper drink. “Probably a lot of meaning to all of the Bodenwerder’s before me... I’ll be happy enough only being Karl. Maybe I’ll be Long Karl. What do you think?”
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:36, Sat 06 Aug 2022.

In reply to The Referee (msg # 1):

Quietly while everyone else is talking, Solana slips in the room. With a quick look around she spies a spot to sit that is secluded away in the corner. While she is quite ravenous, she decides to bypass the food and drink for now. Even though it appears that everyone in the room is occupied, since she does not know who she can trust, she decides to let the scene play out for a few minutes. To see how things go, or until her rumbling stomach outweighs her cautious nature, whichever comes first.