Embedded Files
Act IV: Run in with the Royal Fortune
Act IV: Run in with the Royal Fortune
With bright smiles, the crew swiftly retreats to the ship with the valuable haul of treasure. The crew celebrates as the Captain and Quartermaster, both looking pleased, discussed how to divvy up the loot. Unfortunately, the celebration doesn't last long. "Captain! Sail, Ho!" shouts the cabin boy.
You watch the entire crew freeze. Looking toward the port beam, you see a large naval galleon fifty knots out. The Quartermaster curses, "Filthy bilge rats! Cap'n, it's Roberts!"
You watch the Captain scowl. "Belay ur carousin! All hands on deck!"
The entire ship instantly becomes chaotic as the crew prepare for confrontation. You are unsure of exactly what's happening but constant cries of rage and fear provide information.
"Roberts?" You ask, watching everyone run around. The Quartermaster pauses long enough to provide instructions as the galleon reaches 30 knots out from impact.
"Bartholomew Roberts, the gentleman he is," the pirate said sarcastically, "has captured and robbed nearly every ship in these waters. With Royal Fortune heading our way, it's obvious we're next."
Seconds later, BOOM! The Quartermaster grabs your shoulder, steadying you. The Royal Fortune's warning shot rocks the ship vigorously. "Hurry up and head to these three places. Those areas need the most help! Hopefully, you can find something."
According to the Quartermaster, Bartholomew Roberts and his crew have captured hundreds of ships to amass a fortune of gold and fine clothing.
The fine material is exactly what he wears as his ship pulls alongside your own.
Nervous, you scan the deck and discover that each of your crew mates are frantically searching the deck for something.
Noticing your confusion, one of your mates explains, "Ol' Roberts be quick t' take gifts fer ye life, but he’s hard t' impress. "
Moments later, as Royal Fortune settles, all of the crew line up holding something shiny, golden, or otherwise valuable.
Roberts hops aboard the ship and makes his way down the line with an arrogant smile, scoffing and laughing at each of the crew members’ offerings.
Then, it occurs to you. What about your compass?
Bartholomew Roberts was a Welsh pirate that operated between 1719 -1722. Roberts captured and raided an estimated 400 vessels along the Americas and West Africa .
Act V: The Seas Be Tempered
Act V: The Seas Be Tempered
Thunder Clap Sound Effect HD (Best Thunder Quality).mp3The activity on both ship halted as the rumbling sound of thunder echoed through the formerly pure blue sky.
A storm? You glance at the ocean water that looks calm and still. The sky looks equally clear if not darkening fast.
However, everyone else has begun to react. Especially Roberts and his men.
With a sharp order, Bartholomew rips the compass from your hand while his men quickly snatch what they can from the other pirates. The crew of Royal Fortune quickly retreats as the Cap'n and Quartermaster begins shouting orders.
You realize that this time the atmosphere is different than before. Roberts' arrival brought resignation and dread. The air was thick with terror.
A "Sea Devil" as depicted by Conrad Gessner in Historia Animalium, 2nd ed, 1604. (Smithsonian Biodiversity Heritage Library
The Captain listens intently to the sounds of thunder in the distance, growing louder as the moments pass. But the sky remains clear. He reluctantly peers down into the water, confirming his suspicions "Sea Devils!"
And you thought your first sea experience was frightening. You see a full school of what the crew calls 'Sea Devils,' and realize your nightmare is only beginning.
The cabin boy quickly urges you toward the coxswain, who appears to be struggling with the steering wheel. "Come on! Help him navigate!"
"Help him? Doesn't he know how?" If the coxswain couldn't even navigate, why was he steering the ship?
"He got no sense of direction. Can barely tell up and down! Only thing he knows is celestial navigation. I don't!"
"What do we do?"
"I'll give ye a direction! But ye need a star map to find the constellation."
You remember the star chart you found when searching the ship earlier... Good thing you held onto that.
Enter the coordinates (latitude/longitude) and date (Sept. 18, 2022) into the star chart below. Make sure the time reads 00:00, midnight!
Only by following directions can you find the right constellations.
And then, you are thrust back into reality by your frenzied crew mates swarming around you, wincing and desperately trying to drown out the sounds.
It occurs to you that these beautiful, singing women have a more nefarious agenda than you previously thought. These weren’t your typical run-of-the-mill mermaids; these were Sirens. You follow suit and cover your ears, retreating to the back of the ship. You notice your shipmates becoming more relaxed, removing their hands from their heads and bearing intoxicated grins. Two men have already jumped ship. You rush to the captain’s quarters to find the captain in an entranced, dream-like state, smiling and humming along with the captivating tune. Worse yet, he is steering the boat directly towards the inlet where the creatures reside.
As a last resort, you scramble to find the quarter master. When you find him, he looks totally un-phased by the nefarious chanting. How could that be? He calmly tells you to handle the crew members, and he’ll handle the captain. You’ve got to think fast, before you end up like the rest of your crew. You rack your brain for any information regarding Sirens... You’re sure you studied them at some point in your Greek Mythology class. You remember that Odysseus and his crew escaped the Sirens’ song... but how did they do that, again? You quickly rush to the ship’s bookshelf, hoping to find more information.
Act VI: Wrath of the Sirens
Act VI: Wrath of the Sirens
Our crew hears a faint humming in the distance... is it the wind in the sails? No... as the boat approaches a nearby inlet, the tune becomes louder, and the creatures perched upon the island begin to take the shape of women. You are immediately overcome with a captivating eagerness, a longing so strong that your knees feel weak.
Holding onto to your last moments at rational thought, you remember the vial of wax recovered from the shipwreck.
You find the vial on the captain desk, pop it open, and shove wax into your ears. As the dreamy urge to jump ship to swim to the beautiful sirens recedes, near panic rushes in to replace it.
You bolt out the door to help your fellow sailors.
By the time you’ve reached the powder monkey, his hand is already on the rail. You wrap one arm around his neck and plug his ears with wax with the other.
The powder monkey stops resisting and turns to you and speaks, but you just hear your blood beating in your ear. You grab his hand, slap some wax on his palm, point to your ears and point to the other crew members.
You manage to keep the rest of your crew on board including the captain, but you look out to see several unlucky sailors already in the water.
The quartermaster appears next to you and hands you note that reads: “I have a plan! Get my songbook from the captain’s quarter and I’ll get my ocarina!”
The quartermaster runs below deck to her quarters while you scour the captain’s bookshelf. You spot one with an odd insignia on the front, open it, and find her sheet music.
When you find the quartermaster she’s already started playing a song. Through your earplugs, you hear her pause mid-note. She's forgotten the rest of it!
Based on the first four measures she had already played, you look through her book to find the right song.
The ocarina is an ancient wind musical instrument with an enclosed space, four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body.
Ocarinas can be made from clay, ceramic, bone, wood, metal, and plastic.
Ocarinas can be made from clay, ceramic, bone, wood, metal, and plastic.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse