This was the earliest Jeshal could remember ever intentionally getting to a job. It wasn't far from the ketch he had been sleeping on to commute to the imposing figure of the BlackShip, but he had wanted to see her in the pre-dawn shadows, to feel her gunwales under his paw, to listen to her creak and the lap of the waves before the majority of her crew arrived. Never had he been in command of so many beasts. The Hide in his day had been run by practically a skeleton crew. Here there were hundreds already enlisted, soon to be falling in from the taverns and their homes, with more crew bound to sign up today. He had done his best to vet every single one of his crew and he planned on finding out every last thing about them, within his limits of course. Doubtless the Ministries would have installed some of their spies aboard. They'd be fools not to, considering the fact the Imperium was handing one of its finest warships into the paws of a once-treasonous ex-pirate and confessed smuggler. If he sniffed too close to anyone the higher-ups didn't want him to, they would find ways, hopefully not fatal ones, to encourage him to back off.
He breathed the salt-air and smiled. He couldn't believe it. Though he had first come to these shores with vengeance in his heart, there had been a spark of wonder at the sight of this vessel when he had first seen her. Jeshal had longed for the BlackShip to be his. Instead, he had come to love the Golden Hide and find family, to make it on far shores from Bully. Threads of nostalgia wove through his heart as he imagined Zilaco walking these boards, a todd he might almost have called friend. Fair weather ter ye, Ol' Zil, wherever ye be.
As he made his way toward his cabin, he grimaced at a twinge in his side. This one he could not blame on age, a still-healing injury from the opera house attack. He was lucky to have got away with only minor burns and cuts, most of which were barely noticeable now. It wouldn't look good to be bleeding all over the paperwork. What did look good was his new coat his daughter had finished for him. It was nigh identical to his old one save for not being tatty and this cut did not have the unfortunate effect of making him look a bit portly. He wasn't exactly the same shape so many decades later. Running a ship this size would help with that. After finding out so much history that had brought them grief, it was a blessing that Jeshal could share this achievement with his wife. Like old times, and nothing like them at all.
Tot of whiskey poured, he enjoyed the rise of the dawn out of the stern windows. Once he was ready, he fixed the cabin doors open and bid his acting bo'sun Frogear direct the first batch of hopefuls aboard.
Captain Jeshal the Ironclaw sat at his desk, papers and ink at paw.
"Come on in and make y'self known, haharr!"
((Welcome to the BlackShip! Setting the ball rolling by taking in up to 5 writers on this thread for now. You can come talk to Jesh one at a time and explore the ship/chat to other beasts while you wait your turn, or he can see 2-3 in one go if agreed between you. If you're applying to be a regular ratings job, you can skip bothering with a signup if you want to and can start your own thread assuming your character has already signed on, but I'm absolutely happy to enjoy an introduction with anyone who wants it. If you want to sign up directly but 5 people are already writing here, hit me up on the Discord or DM me on the VI and I can either make a new thread with another round of signups or we can see how things settle here for adding any more
))
He breathed the salt-air and smiled. He couldn't believe it. Though he had first come to these shores with vengeance in his heart, there had been a spark of wonder at the sight of this vessel when he had first seen her. Jeshal had longed for the BlackShip to be his. Instead, he had come to love the Golden Hide and find family, to make it on far shores from Bully. Threads of nostalgia wove through his heart as he imagined Zilaco walking these boards, a todd he might almost have called friend. Fair weather ter ye, Ol' Zil, wherever ye be.
As he made his way toward his cabin, he grimaced at a twinge in his side. This one he could not blame on age, a still-healing injury from the opera house attack. He was lucky to have got away with only minor burns and cuts, most of which were barely noticeable now. It wouldn't look good to be bleeding all over the paperwork. What did look good was his new coat his daughter had finished for him. It was nigh identical to his old one save for not being tatty and this cut did not have the unfortunate effect of making him look a bit portly. He wasn't exactly the same shape so many decades later. Running a ship this size would help with that. After finding out so much history that had brought them grief, it was a blessing that Jeshal could share this achievement with his wife. Like old times, and nothing like them at all.
Tot of whiskey poured, he enjoyed the rise of the dawn out of the stern windows. Once he was ready, he fixed the cabin doors open and bid his acting bo'sun Frogear direct the first batch of hopefuls aboard.
Captain Jeshal the Ironclaw sat at his desk, papers and ink at paw.
"Come on in and make y'self known, haharr!"
((Welcome to the BlackShip! Setting the ball rolling by taking in up to 5 writers on this thread for now. You can come talk to Jesh one at a time and explore the ship/chat to other beasts while you wait your turn, or he can see 2-3 in one go if agreed between you. If you're applying to be a regular ratings job, you can skip bothering with a signup if you want to and can start your own thread assuming your character has already signed on, but I'm absolutely happy to enjoy an introduction with anyone who wants it. If you want to sign up directly but 5 people are already writing here, hit me up on the Discord or DM me on the VI and I can either make a new thread with another round of signups or we can see how things settle here for adding any more
