I-V. Santo Domingo, Hispaniola. Wednesday, January 10, 1725 Anno Domini

• Having reached Santo Domingo at midnight, the crew of the Graceful Dames wait until the sun comes up before venturing to the shore, some with more plans that others. Sir Randel disappears like smoke in the wind, Artegal and Hayden intend to restock supplies and perhaps seek out some cargo, while Davino wishes to seek additional work for some pocket money and Rogers hangs around on the docks to keep an eye out. Dora indicates to Artegal that she is also eager to go ashore to wash her hair and her clothes, to which Thomas Furlong jumps in: he’s been here before and knows an excellent place for that very thing; he suggests everyone meet there when they are done with their tasks.
• Upon reaching the dock, the crew note that there are a considerable amount of Spanish soldiers poking around for unknown reasons.
• After getting the ball rolling for restock, Artegal and Hayden run into a fellow Englishman, Captain James Button of the Fortune, who is happy to encounter men who speak a ‘civilized tongue.’ Button and Hayden get along marvelously, and in the course of their discussion, Hayden references his missing son and the ship he was sailing on, to which he’s surprised that Button has heard some things. Information is exchanged.
• While this conversation is ongoing, Artegal wanders off and, in the process, encounters a strange man who introduces himself as Damian Rush and speaks with an odd accent that the absent-minded doctor cannot quite place. They have tea, provided by the stranger, and chat without actually saying anything (as Artegal has a strange suspicion that he is speaking with one of the Fair Folk.) The stranger hints at knowing about Artegal’s obsession, but their conversation is interrupted by a woman asking Artegal who he is speaking to: the stranger is gone, as if he was never there…
• Davino gets paid with some walking around money after a long day moving cargo, and he joins Rogers as they head toward the Cola de Sirena (Mermaid’s Tail), a pub set in the owner’s home; Artegal and Hayden have also rejoined and are en route where they find Furlong relaxing. Dora is present, looking much cleaner with her hair still wet. The crew join Furlong for an excellent meal.
• “Mamacita”, the free black proprietor of the Mermaid’s Tail and an old friend of Furlong’s, indicates that Thomas left some things here that she wishes removed “as quickly as possible”; when he investigates, he is surprised to discover an old “associate” of his that he introduces as Shifty. Evidently, Shifty has only just escaped from a hangman’s noose which suddenly explains the preponderance of soldiers in the street. Shifty, who was arrested for banditry, is desperate to escape Santo Domingo and begs for Furlong’s aid, implying that Thomas owes him for events in the past. The sound of Spanish soldiers outside gives them little time to react and Hayden, who has automatically fallen into the leadership role, orders Furlong to conceal the man.
• After the Spanish soldiers enter and fail to find their man, they reveal that there is a 20 peso reward for bringing the bandit and his gang to justice. Once they depart, Furlong leads Shifty back into the pub and reveals that he owes the escaped bandit for past times so he must assist; after some debate, the crew opt to assist as well, though only due to loyalty to Thomas. Dora is left behind at the pub with Mamacita who is satisfied at the young woman’s friendliness (though perhaps a bit wrong-footed by her silence.)
• Rogers comes up with the plan – they will smuggle Shifty out of the area by pretending he is a thoroughly drunk sailor who must be supported by his crewmembers. Artegal intercedes when several Spanish soldiers glances their way by spinning the tale, while Hayden glowers like a proper captain pissed off at his errant crew. Davino rows like a madman, getting clear before anyone can actually stop them.
• Once clear of Santo Domingo, the crew hike toward the camp that Shifty’s compatriots are hiding out at. Once they get there, though, they discover that the other bandits are not pleased at Shifty’s escape; evidently, they sold him out to the Spanish because … well … none of them really liked him anyway. This breaks Shifty who produces a knife and springs forward in a berserk rage to tackle the bandit leader to the ground. This immediately leads to a short but fierce skirmish. The bandits find themselves woefully outmatched and are soon felled or captured … save their leader who Shifty is still stabbing madly.
• Spanish soldiers are detected on approach, and Shifty, who is utterly broken over the betrayal of his “family”, tells Furlong to turn him in for the reward but to get some of that money to his wife. The crew are willing to try and smuggle the bandit away but one look at poor Shifty reveals that he’s just given up on life. Sadly, Furlong agrees, and with Artegal acting as translator, the crew turn over the bandits to the Spanish who grudgingly pay out the reward.
• The following day, a crowd gathers to watch Shifty hang and the crew solemnly attend. After his crimes are read out, the broken bandit places his head in the noose and steps off the wagon … but does not break his neck. Rather than watch his old friend die in a slow, agonizing way, Thomas steps forward to pull Shifty down so the end comes more quickly.
• Intentionally not watching the actual hanging, Artegal instead looks at the crowd … and observes Damian Rush staring intently at the spectacle. The crowd shifts slightly … and Mister Rush has vanished once more…

Player Notes:

• CommJunkee was out for this session; we’d originally though that Herodian was going to be out as well, but he surprised us by showing up.
• We’re going to be down two characters in episode 5, but the game is still on.
• I jokingly comments that this was a “loyalty” mission ala the Mass Effect franchise. I also suggested that, like ME2, the GM should discreetly change via PhotoShop the clothes that Furlong is wearing in the images.
• I’m just guessing that Rush is Fae or, for that matter, supernatural; the GM has (wisely) neither confirmed nor denied.
• We also joked that we should begin next week with a half-naked Sir Randel desperately fleeing from the governor’s mansion, having enjoyed some time with the governor’s daughter. Which could then lead to a Chase. We’ll see what the GM comes up with…

See the Daniverse Blog for the GM’s post-game debrief once he publishes it.