Good Vs. Evil (A Story Game)

[Basil Dreadflint]

This story is based more on historical fact than the last one was. Not all of it is true, but a bit of it is.

The year is 1722. The Spanish are claiming most of the new world as their own. King Philip V has levied a tax on all goods returning from the New World so that 20%, or 1/5, of all goods are paid as tax. Spanish fleets go back to Spain every year or two, heavily loaded. Some carry treasure, some carry other things. Some typical treasures are gold from Columbia. Diamonds and Emeralds from Peru and Venezuela. And Silver from Mexico. Goods are,: native artifacts, cloth, exotic fruits and foods, including Sugarcane and Rum.

The normal procedure for a fleet is for all the ships from different starting points meet up in Havana, Cuba, and travel from there together. They ride the Gulf Stream up along the coast of Florida, past the Spanish stronghold of Saint Augustine, and further up the coast, until the Gulf stream turns east. They can ride the currents most all the way back to Europe and safe haven in Spain.

At this point in time, the French and the Spanish pretty much get along. While not particularly allies, they will sometimes band together for protection. The normal time to leave the Caribbean is early Spring. The fleets want to be away from the Caribbean before hurricane season kicks in.

Our Story:

It has been 2 years since any Spanish ships have left Vera Cruz, New Spain (Mexico.) There are 4 ships there ready to set sail.
It has only been one year since any ships have left any of the other major ports. There are two ships coming from Columbia, 1 in Venezuela, 2 French warships in New Orleans, and 4 Spanish ships already in Havana. One of the ships in Havana is also a warship. All the ships are ready to leave their respective ports to meet up with the ships that are in Havana for the trip across the ocean.

The four ships in Vera Cruz are the El Cozerone, the Santa Marianna, and the Corazon, all owned by the Spanish Government, and the Utopia, a privately owned ship sailing under the Spanish flag. Their route is to leave Vera Cruz, head north along the New Spain coast, go past Padre Island, and stay close to the shore line until they get to New Orleans to meet up with the French warships. Once they all meet up, they will sail to the Dry Tortugas, along to Key West, and then to Havana. These ships have the furthest to travel to get to Havana. So they have to be the first to set sail, if they are going to make the journey before hurricane season.

The two French warships, are actually troop ships that have brought men and supplies to New Orleans. They have been laden with goods for return to France, but also contracted to supply protection to the Spanish ships from Vera Cruz until they get to Cuba, and then for the entire rest of the fleet as it crosses the ocean. They are the Fior Do Mar, and the Conceptione.

The two ships in Columbia are the San Sabastian, and the Espadarte. Their path is to sail north to what is now known as Jamaica, then go between Cuba and Haiti, and along the coast of Cuba until they get to Havana.


The ship leaving Venezuela, the Ribeira Grande, is the smallest of all the ships joining the fleet. As such, it does not carry near as many men, nor as much supplies. It's route is going to take it all along the West Indie's island chain. It will pass by, or stop at, Martinique, Guadelupe, St. Martin, and Pueto Rico before heading west to meet up in Havana. This is a long route to take, but it provides plenty of places to get supplies, and also lots of protection. This ship will have to leave in plenty of time to meet up, or it will be forced to decide to wait in Havana for another year, or to sail alone.

Of the four ships that are already at Cuba, the Cidada Velha, the Lucayan, the Maria de la Limpia have all been there for a fairly long time. They are well maintained and in good repair. The fourth ship, the Maravillas, has only just arrived a short time ago, and has only had time to do minor repair work. Her captain is hoping to get a lot done while waiting for the rest of the fleet to arrive. The Maria de la Limpia is the Spanish warship, and will be the designated Capitana (Captain's Ship, or lead vessel) in the fleet for the journey as they all leave Cuba.


It is ealry February, and the first of the ships to set sail are the four from Vera Cruz, since they have the longest voyage.


For this story, I would like to set some basic rules:
1) As the story progresses, individual ships can be captured or sunk. But you can't just post "I captured the Espadarte and took all the cargo." That makes the story too short. There will have to be prolonged battles, shifts and twists to the story. I will be the one to say if a ship is captured or sunk. As such, I won't be on either side. I will be neutral. Any postings that I make will be just to add to the story line.
2) Try to do things to enhance the story. Don't just add a line in order to change the score. Put some plot into it. If you can add something true to the period, or an actual place, that's all the better.
3) Don't just add story that involves yourself. Nature, weather, islands, other people, etc. can all play a part in it.
4) We will start at 50 again. This time the end is when we reach either 85, and the ships remaining hit port in Spain, or if the score goes to 15, and all the ships are either sunk or captured and looted.
5) I already have an outline as to which ships are carrying what type of cargo. I will "award" cargo as rewards for helping, trade, or as booty for capturing the ships.
6) At least one, if not more than one, ship has "Uncounted" or "off the books" cargo on board. This was done to "avoid" paying taxes on it, but it can also be used as trade, barter, reward for helping, or to increase the size of the booty if you capture it. Again, I already have this all written down, so I can determine if/when ayone gets any of it.


I am neutral! Score is 50!

Let's really have some fun with this one!

[The Skirata Clan]

Evil!

Since most of the sailors that ventured to the new world were for the most part thieves and men of the sort, they were easily corrupted.

Many aboard the vessels getting ready to sail were paid to serve a different master. They have been promised riches and property if they helped with sabotage duties.

Those men and women are hidden amongst the various crews and their identities remain unknown.

A large group of natives are convinced that a mass attack on the ships leaving Vera Cruz are vulnerable and the spoils of the victory were going to be for them.

The attack only allowed for those 4 ships to depart before they were ready and all the needed supplies for the voyage were not on board completely.

- 1

Score 49

[seafox]

Good!

The crew of the Utopia have worked very hard to prepare for the arduous journey...they are well experienced in the travails of the sea route they will be on and have taken "precautions" against pirates, natives, mutinies, and precarious weather conditions...
Aboard the private vessel are a wealthy gun merchant named Meriwether and his two daughters....Meriwether was well tolerated by the Spanish as he had long been of service to them...One of his daughters, Charlotte, was secretly appalled by her fathers trade and planned to find gainful employment as a governess upon reaching New Orleans,,,while her sister, Roxanne, resembled their father in all ways...
While taking "the air" upon the deck of the Utopia while getting underway...Charlotte overhears a motley group of scruffy, mercenary sailors discussing their evil plots against their fleet....She runs to find their Captain but runs head long into the First Mate who, seeing how visibly upset she is...cajoles her into confiding in him the dastardly plans...the First Mate reports to his Captain and gathers his finest to 'round up the disloyal group of ruffians...who are clapped in the bilge hole til the next morning when a date with the "captains daughter" , as the cat o'nine tails was called...was planned for the next day...Evil plans were thwarted for the time being aboard the Utopia...

score+1
50

[william kid]

Roxanne was overcome with sadness to find her sister had turned her boyfriend into the Capt. . Yes thats right unknown to her sister Charlotte was Roxannes undying love for one of the mercenary sailors,Peter, who she had just meet a short while ago true -but who can explain love. Peter while a bit rough around the edges and low on funds promised a life of adventure that daddies money just couldn't. Hoping to keep her love from the whip she sneaks a key to Peter and sets him and the other free. The key she supplies to her Dads chest full of arms should prove even more usefull!!

-1
score 49

p.s I'm staying evil

[The Skirata Clan]

In the mix up of their early departure The Vera Cruz 4 decided to trade with a native merchant ship.

The Captain of one of the ships has a particular hatred against the natives, and kills one on board his ship because the native was pushing for a better trade.

His last words placed a curse on everyone and everything aboard The Corazon.

-1

Score 48

[Dockwrecker The Privateer]

( I am French and Good )( But I will begin with the Vera Cruz foursome fleet )

To start ,the captain of the El Cozerone (Phillip Catalonia) and the captain of the cursed Corazon (Vasco de la Casa) have been bitter enemies since childhood.Thus making those two vessels in paticular rivals in trade....However the crew of the Santa Marianna has foreseen thisimpending trouble however and has given everyone a stern warning about getting along ,backed up by the captain of the Utopia,unlil they reach Spain.

Chaos has been controlled by smart thinking.

+1

The Score now stands at 49.

[James Bladefury]

Good, as said in the above posts!

The Ribeira Grande decides to search an abandoned island and finds rare gems.

+1
The Score is now 50

[seafox]

Aboard the Utopia, Charlotte searches through her sea chest to find a sea-blue day gown fit to catch the First Mates eye.... While doing this, she finds her sister, Roxanne's, diary...and all is revealed to her about sis's perfidious nature and alliance with their enemies...not to mention the salacious details of her love for Peter, the dangerous and opportunistic sailor. She is torn with indecision...loving her sister despite her faults...she hesitates a few minutes too long.....for the cabin door is flung open and Roxanne sees her diary in Charlottes hands...a serious cat fight ensues, which draws quite a crowd of onlookers!....A claxon pierces thru the din in the small cabin and adjacent hall,,,sounding the alarm that the prisoners have escaped! The clang of steel upon steel rings loudly in confined spaces, and pistol fire cracks sharply from above decks...The sisters stare at each other in horror...one, feeling betrayed and confused...the other, dreading the outcome of the bloody pursuit above them , and for both....the possibility that their new loves had perished....
A hesitant cough from the doorway breaks their spell, as First Mate O'Connor arrives to tell them that the scourge have been "dispatched"...and none to soon, as they were caught unlocking the arms chest(which was booby-trapped by the savvy captain)....their presence was requested on deck.....blood was being swabbed away and wounded crewmen attended to , the sight of which caused Charlotte to relate to her new beau all that had transpired in a flood of words and tears....Roxanne remained stoic, even upon learning that she would be under house arrest until they ported...as for Peter,,,,well, a seaman bragged that he speared him and hoisted him over the rail....

+1
Score is 51

[The Skirata Clan]

The men of the cursed Corazon think strange things are happening because the strange alliance between enemies such as Spain and France and Catalonia and The Captain. They have decided to sent a messenger bird asking for advice to The Occultist and Inquisitor, the feared Torquemada.

What they don't know is that Torquemada has a strange alliance with both Jolly Roger and Davy Jones.

-1

Score 50

[swordshot]

evil!

messenger bird comes back with a note for the spanish crew. it says
*Join a evill empire to help bring your word domination easier
from,
?????
-1
total 49

[william kid]

The hole in Peters chest from the spear was bleeding badly but it had missed his heart. Of little matter thought Peter the sharks shall soon find me and make a snack of this rogue. He laid there bobbing on the waves unwilling to roll over and finish what that seaman had started. It wasn't long before the first fin broke the surface and signaled his end had arrived. The sharks circled in a ever decreasing pattern and Peter was sure he would be going to ol Davey Jones soon when a shadow fell across him. He lapsed into sleep and was unaware of the rough sea hands that pulled him from the waves. Twas none other than the Merchants Misfortune crew the worst bunch of cutthroats in the sea. The Captain , Paul , was glad to see his brother , Peter, was stil alive but sad to see the plans had gone so wrong. No matter he thought "Run up the sails" he barked to his crew "we have a ship to catch and my brother will be wanting revenge". The cannons layed below deck ready for the battle to come.

-1

total 48

[The Skirata Clan]

Torquemada appeared at the Corazon. His magical appearance amazed all of the crew. He has told the Captain that in order for the ship to be cleansed they needed to bring aboard and kill Captain Catalonia.

-1

Score 47

[Basil Dreadflint]

Yowza, this is getting interesting. Nice posts, y'all.

Ok, the Vera Cruz 4 are about a week into their voyage. They have cleared the narrows and are now out into the open of the Gulf of Mexico. Still within site of land, they start their northward journey along the New Spain coastline. Their meeting with the French warships still planned and on schedule.

Even with the ill fortune that has befallen them, they may actually be slightly ahead of schedule, since they were forced to leave early.


The Ribiera Grande is nex to set sail. Her smaller size dictates that they follow the West Indies route northward, then West to the rendezvous in Havana. The captain and crew have been together for almost 3 full years, and are all loyal to each other, and to Spain.

It is now the second week of February, and the Ribiera Grande is about to embark from Port in Venezuela. On the dock is a small delegation of local authorities, including 2 representatives from the Governor. One of the representatives takes the Capitan aside and delivers 3 scrolls of messages from the Governor to be delivered to the King immediately upon arrival in Spain. According to the Governor's men, this is the most important cargo on board the ship.

Since the Venezualan port is so remote, and the route that they are taking is well out of norm, the Capitan expects that it will be long weeks before he even sights another ship, or land.


The score holds at 47, since I am still neutral.
Hey "good" side, What's up here?

[The Skirata Clan]

Torquemada has told the men aboard Corazon that the French are planning to attack them upon arrival to New Orleans. "Why else will they have warships waiting for us?" is a common rumor among the men aboard Corazon. A rumor that has reached the other 3 vessels heading that way.

The captain and crew of the Utopia don't want to engage in a war with France. Amongst themselves they have decided that if an attack occurs they will bail out.

The Santa Maraianna have swore to act and will stand behind the acts of the Corazon.

The Cozerone's crew is starting to divide creating differences among that believe Captain Catalonia and those that believe Torquemada.

-1

Score 46

[william kid]

As the sun settles into the sea in the west the Merchant Misfortune catches sight of the white sails of the Utopia. With all sails set the lighter pirate vessel is gaining on the heavy merchant ship at a fast pace. "We shall overcome her tonight" the Capt. yells to his blood thirsty crew "leave the lanterns unlit so they won't see us coming". Paul had to smile, Peters plan may not have worked but the fighting had slowed the ship to the point that the other ships where far ahead. By the time the other ships noticed what was happening (if they noticed) they would be unable to help. The sun was now sinking below the horizon its light all gone. The lights on the deck of the Utopia as good as any X on any pirate map ever dreamed of.

-1

score 45