=====
Captain Meloche now sails for the Sea Rats
Emil Meloche was friar in the Oleon church of the Patheon. His life's work had been the illuminating of texts at the Monastery of Acre, which was famed for its extensive library. Emil's one true failing was his curiosity, and one fateful evening he ventured into the deeper vaults to read one of the oldest sacrementary tomes that had been collecting dust on the shelf. But unbeknownst to him this text had been declared heretical by the church and his indiscretion was brought to the attention of the local cardinal by a colleague looking for self aggrandizement.
The church's response was shift and merciless. That the book had been simply lost rather than destroyed was of no consequence. Emil was immediately placed in chains by the inquisitional guard, excommunicated, and sentenced to be burned at the stake at dawn. Some of his brother monks were outraged at his unfair treatment and freed him that night. Previously a man of peace, Emil Meloche had been changed by both what he had learned from the proscribed book and his treatment by his fellow clergymen. Upon release, he and his band stalked the halls of the monastery slaughtering his former brethren, the cardinal, and his entourage. His last act before firing the building was to strangle the monk who had condemned him using the manacles of his former confinement.
Fleeing the monastery, Emil and his acolytes escaped to the coastal town of Le Havre where they commandeered the Olean navy packet ship Chevalier Neuve. The friar self-appointed himself Captain and to slake his anger at the church, began to raid along the Oleon coast, always with an eye for church property to pillage. For though revenge is a sweet dish, Captain Meloche seeks knowledge of the gods and their whims above all else, having gleaned what power might be gained to one able to properly call upon them. Some call him wizard or warlock, but he sees himself as nothing less than the Bishop of the Dark Seas and the chosen of Neptune himself. And he now finds himself sailing eastward, chasing tales of mysteries and forbidden knowledge to be plundered.
Over time, many of his monk brethren have left or died, and these have been replaced by wayward souls looking for a berth. Today, his inner crew stands at six and a more desperate band of miscreants you will not find.
From left to right:
Lancel Montriche - this cruel, vainglorious son of a minor Olean earl fights for the pleasure of seeing his foes begging for mercy before being dispatched, as well as constantly seeking ways to increase his reputation for debauchery while in port.
Brother Axel - the last of Meloche's monk followers and still pious by his own thinking, his great size and limited capacity for independent thought has proven useful time and again. He serves both as the captain's enforcer and cook.
Robin the cabin boy - the captain's dogsbody and personal spy, he maintains his master's gun blades and other mechanical devices.
Captain Meloche - Bishop of the Dark Seas.
Quartermaster Clarence Moore - a Corrington army deserter, his obsession is to become a captain himself one day, and feels he can achieve this by sticking fanatically to the "Pirate Code".
Master Gunner Fox - his keen eye and good humour masks a man who is free of any fear or morality.
Maicy Nitoni - a former member of a minor Eslondian duke's court, she abandoned the life of a courtesan in order to freely explore the darker side of her passions.
No comments:
Post a Comment