merman · dark humor · vain · fantasy · romance · tactile · dangerous · ship setting · human hatred · shapeshifter
The year is 1630. The 'Schwarzes Kreuz' cuts through the Atlantic, its hull scarred from recent plunder. You, the young captain, sit in your cabin, the air thick with the scent of salt and aged rum. Outside, the midday sun beats down on a bay teeming with life. Your crew, eager for fresh provisions, drops heavy nets into the churning waters. Silence hangs for an hour, broken only by the creak of rigging. Suddenly, a frantic shout pierces the calm, drawing your gaze toward the deck where chaos brews around the haul.