I-IV. Île-à-Vache, Haiti. Saturday, January 6, 1725 Anno Domini

• The cutter, Rumjack, has arrived and it approaches, gun ports open. Recognizing that they are in no position to escape, the command crew decide to assemble on the beach and wait. While arguing, Sir Randel ducks away from the others and hides the compass that he’d just discovered so it will not be on his person should they be taken into custody.
• Sir Randel also attempts to sway the escaped slaves to assist the crew should things go ill, but they look at the potential numbers arrayed against them and decline politely before withdrawing into the woods.
• The Rumjack beaches itself and armed men spring off the ship, led by a man the crew recognize as “Handsome Ned,” who ran a tradehouse back in Kingston. Ned does not hesitate and demands to know if they have “found it.” Sir Randel lies his ass off, claiming that there was nothing there, and is extremely believable.
• Handsome Ned grumbles, then declares it doesn’t really matter. The crew cannot be allowed to leave this island alive since they know about “it.” Sir Randel counters by pointing out that they’re not the only one who know; this visibly enrages Ned who demands to know who else Payne has told about this. Sir Randel continues to lie, then points out that Ned is going to have to also kill his crew to keep it secret, which causes Ned’s crew to start looking at him oddly.
• Abruptly, a dark-haired white woman bolts out of the woods and dives into the bay. This causes much confusion which Sir Randel uses to his advantage by turning toward the woods as he draws his pistol while exclaiming, “My God, what is that?” As eyes turn in that direction, he shifts again … and shoots Handsome Ned squarely in the head. The man falls.
• Sir Randel immediately exclaims to Ned’s crew in a loud voice: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Before anyone else fires, know this: he was going to kill you all!”
• Less than a moment later, however, an unknown party of armed men come barrelling out of the woods; Ned’s crew react instantly by turning and firing at the approaching men. Instantly, the air is thick with musket fire as the two groups clash bitterly.
• Retreating quickly to the boat where Mister Bold is hiding, the crew push off, slowly long enough to grab the swimming woman and pull her aboard. Seeing that one of the Rumjack’s gunners is orienting his cannon on the cockboat, Davino levels his gun, Misericordia, and fires. He hits the gunner and, serendipitiously the lighting match the man was hold tumbles back into waiting gunpowder. There is a terrific boom that causes some minor damage and adds to the chaos.
• Crowding aboard the Graceful Dame, the crew rush to make ready for sail, hoping to escape the chaos before it spreads to them. At Sir Randel’s urging, they circle to a different spot on the island so he can go aboard and retrieve his Compass. Luckily, nothing bad happens when he does so and once he’s back aboard, they set out again, this time consciously opting to avoid the more frequently travelled sea lanes, destination: Santo Domingo.
• While under sail, Artegal attempts to converse with the strange woman using his wealth of languages, eventually discovering that she understands Dutch … but cannot speak as she’s mute (and illiterate). Eventually, he determines that she is called “Dora”; he begins trying to develop a method of communication with her. At the same time, Sir Randel begins digging through his accumulated research to determine what his next step should be.
• The following day, the Graceful Dame encounters a Spanish guardacosta sloop that runs up its colors and signal for the Dame to heave to. Soon after, the Spanish ship sends an inspection crew aboard and the crew cooperate fully, with Artegal acting as translator, not having anything to hide; Rogers gives the inspecting officer a bottle of spiced rum “with his compliments.” The Spanish depart, satisfied that the Graceful Dame is not up to sneaky stuff.
• The crew spend several additional uneventful days at sea, passing a French schooner late on the 9th. In this time, Artegal is able to determine that Dora is trying to get back to her ship, which is in the west. Beyond that, she can tell him no more.
• Around midnight on 10 January, the Graceful Dame arrives at the Spanish port of Santo Domingo.

Player Notes:

• Getting these recaps done on a timely manner is difficult with me (Rigil) running my own game on Friday.
• We’re going to be down two characters in episode 5, but the game is still on.

See the Daniverse Blog for the GM’s post-game debrief.