How Captain Rourke Brought the Captains Together

Months before the celebration at the Black Dragon Den, the name Bartholomew “Black Tide” Rourke began circulating among captains in the Caribbean.

Rourke was not known for reckless raids or thunderous battles.

He was known for something far more dangerous.

He planned.

Where others chased treasure, Rourke chased information—shipping routes, patrol schedules, merchant gossip.

And in time, that knowledge led him to a prize unlike any other.

A Royal Treasury ship…
The Widow’s Mercy.

Heavy with gold, taxes, and seized contraband bound for the Crown.

Too much for one ship to take.

So Rourke did what pirates rarely do.

He built an alliance.

The Captains

Rourke brought together five captains:

Captain Mirela “Sea Viper” Duvall
Patient. Calculated. Never fights without certainty.

Captain Isla “Red Knife” Serrano
Disciplined. Precise. A commander more than a pirate.

Captain Arabella “Stormcrow” Vance
Loud. Violent. A storm made flesh.

Captain Elias “Blackwake” Thorne
Young. Fast. Dangerous.
A rising captain whose reputation has grown far too quickly.

Rourke did not fully trust Elias.

But that was precisely why he invited him.

Better to keep a storm where you can see it…

Than wonder where it will strike.

A Familiar Face in the Shadows

Among the crews and moving between ships was a woman known as Red Tamsin.

Not a captain.

Not a threat.

But a familiar presence in pirate circles.

She carried messages, traded small bits of information, and kept close to those who paid her coin.

She saw much.

Understood little.

And was wise enough not to ask questions she could not afford the answers to.

The Proposal

Rourke gathered the captains and laid out his plan.

A narrow channel.
A predictable route.
A divided escort.

Strike from all sides.

Overwhelm quickly.

Take the prize before the Crown even knew what had happened.

And one rule above all:

The treasure would be divided equally.

Reluctantly, the captains agreed.

The Raid

The plan worked.

At dusk, the alliance struck.

Ships appeared from fog and shadow.
Cannons roared.
Steel met steel.

The escort frigate faltered under pressure from multiple directions.

And in the chaos…

The Widow’s Mercy was taken.

The treasure was theirs.

The Division

The haul was immense.

Gold.
Silver.
Jewels.
Goods enough to make each captain rich beyond reason.

Too much to divide in haste.

So they agreed to meet again.

Neutral ground.

Safe ground.

The Black Dragon Den

The chosen place:

Captain Scurvy’s Black Dragon Den

A haven for pirates and those who knew better than to question them.

The captains arrived one by one.

Each carrying their share.

Each watching the others carefully.

Tamsin lingered nearby, as she often did—pouring drinks, passing messages, staying out of the way.

Because when gold fills a room…

Even the wisest know to keep their heads down.

What Rourke Discovered

In the weeks after the raid, Rourke reviewed the ledger.

Something was wrong.

The treasure count had changed.

Someone had taken more than their share.

And tonight…

Rourke intended to expose them.

The Turning Point

He would raise his tankard.

Call for silence.

And name the thief before them all.

A dangerous move.

A foolish one.

Because among pirates…

Truth is often more deadly than lies.

We will learn the truth.

And before the night is over…

Someone will not leave the tavern alive.