Leaving the Kraken Skull tavern and getting her crew up and about, Loveable Melody Morgan sailed to Puerto Mico. All she knew was to go see the Majordomo in the Governor’s Palace. Looking toward the palace she was amazed at how big Puerto Mico looked. There were merchants bustling about and tall towers among the mountains in the background. The crew was complaining about all the stair climbing they had to do! (Quest: A Diplomatic Mission)
“Ok, let’s go see this Majordomo. Looks like he is up these stairs to the right. When entering the door, Majordomo was at the bottom of the stairs and inquired, “You have business with His Excellency? I trust you have a letter of introduction. Let me see. So you are…”
Ensign Emmett whispered to the rest of the crew, “Here’s hoping the credentials Avery got you are worth the paper they’re printed on.”
Majordomo reviewed the papers, “These… credentials are fine, but I cannot let you see His Excellency, the Governor. At least, not dressed as you are.” He went on to send the crew to the tailor, Bernardo Sastre. “He’ll make sure your lack of fashion doesn’t disgrace you when you see the Governor.”
Going out the door and down the stairs to the merchant area, Melody found Bernardo standing outside his shop. He asked why they were looming over his shop. The captain did think they were oversized for the area, a palace of little monkeys and all. She answered the tailor and explained that Majordomo sent them to get an outfit to meet the Governor in.
“The Majordomo is quite right, you are dressed like a savage. I’m hesitant to even be seen talking to you, but I shall take pity on your plight. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s hardly your fault you were raised without the tiniest shred of culture or civilization.” They went into the shop and he showed them a few outfits.
The captain said, “We can’t afford that! Is there some other way we can get an outfit?”
Bernardo thought and bargained with her, “Too expensive? There is an alternative. House Guzman has an unfair monopoly on MooShu Silk. Bring me Silk from their ships, I make your suit.” (Quest: Monkey Suit)
The crew boarded their ship and checked the gear of the ship to make sure the craft was in prime condition. They went off to find the House Guzman ships.
The captain steered down the skyway until she found the first ship, the Dona Elena. It started firing on The Queen’s Dawn (Loveable Melody’s ship) and the pirates fired their iron cannons and kept the ship in repair. It wasn’t long and they had their first crate of Silk.
Melody ordered the crew to repair the ship while she finds the next craft. The Santa Maria was the next House Guzman ship they saw. Cannons were fired and the captain used her Lightning Bat Cloud to swarm the ship. They seemed to stand their ground and steal the Silk off that ship too!
The final one the pirates took to battle was Santa Angela. The battles seemed to get easier as they progressed. Using the Lightning Bats, Long Guns, and Iron Cannons, they seemed to sink that ship and grabbed their last crate of Silk.
Emmett said, “Ok, let’s get this over with and get some duds made to see the Governor!”
Melody and the crew agreed. She took the MooShu Silk to Bernardo Sastre and he said the outfit would be delivered to the Governor’s Palace. The crew stopped to shop and trade at the merchants while they were waiting.
A bit later, The Captain ordered, “Ok, time to get this meeting over with. Let’s head to the Palace.” The group trudged up all the stairs and entered the Palace.
The Majordomo remarked, “You must be here for your suit. It certainly took you long enough. Here it is. – You look… marvelous. My cousin Sastre the Tailor has done you proud. You’re ready to see Governor Medina now. You may proceed upstairs. (Quest: Complications)
Feeling silly in the outfit, the Captain asked her crew what they thought.
Ratbeard beat around the bush and said, “Well, Cap’n, you certainly look, uh, well… you look…”
Bonnie butted in, “Ridiculous Captain. You look Ridiculous. Those monkeys are making a monkey out of you!”
The Captain just sighed, shrugged her shoulders, and entered Governor Medina’s office. He was standing on the desk! Guess that is to be expected, they are kind of small.
The Governor greeted the crew and told the captain, she was very bold to come here wearing last year’s fashion. The meeting went on with a very short discussion.
Governor Medina asked, “…You’ve come all the way from… Skull Island? What are you, a pirate?”
Loveable Melody said, “ We would like you to sign a treaty.”
“A treaty? How fascinating. I shall give it all due interest and respect.” replied the Governor
The crew gave him a gift.
“You have a gift? I’m honored. This Chalice is… Very fine. I’m sure. Ah, I see now. You were expecting to see Governor Ortega. I fear he was declared a traitor to the realm and sealed in a dark pit. So Sorry. ” He then told them that Majordomo would have his answer and sent them away.
Loveable Melody thought she knew what the answer would be but the crew went back down the stairs to the foyer and talked again to the Majordomo.
“His Excellency is too polite to directly refuse, but I assure you, he will never sign your treaty. His answer is no. Your gift was an embarrassment, to say the least. But there may be something else you can offer in return for signing your treaty,” Majordomo haggled.
The captain and her crew looked at him quizzically and asked what that “something” was.
He went on to say that they were the pirates that robbed the Presidio a while back and that took some boldness and cunning. If they were to seek out Bishop Hidalgo in the Cathedral, he may have an offer that would interest them. “But for pity’s sake, don’t go dressed like that!” Majordomo finished.
Bishop Hidalgo greeted the pirates, knowing they didn’t come to pray, and got straight on to why they came. “I know your errand, and I know that it is doomed if left to formal channels. But on a more informal level…”
“Informal?” questioned Melody.
“A task must be done, vital to the crown. The demands of honor make it impossible for any Monquistador to do it, but you are no Monquistador.”
Bishop Hidalgo, at this point, told them a story to draw them in so they couldn’t say no:
“The Islands of this cluster are covered in ancient ruins, whose mysterious builders vanished long ago. Nobody knows who they were, or what they were doing, but they left a legacy inlaid in the living rock of their temples – Gold!
Monquista came to Skull Island before any of the other nations of the Spiral. The gold we pry from these ruins makes us wealthy and powerful. Bold Monquistadors let the conquest of Skull Island, but one name outshines all the rest: Gortez. Almost a year ago, Gortez embarked on his latest adventure. I am asking you to follow him, into the very heart of the Isle of Doom. Do not be afraid – the island is named after its discoverer, Baron Ferdinand von Doom, who was unfortunately devoured by a giant snake.
I hear the island is a very pleasant place, as long as you avoid the swarms of carnivorous bees, flesh-eating plants, and the savage frog tribes with poisonous skin. I have no doubt you’ll do very well there.
Gortez was drawn to the Isle of Doom by rumors of vast treasures on that shadowed island. At first, Gortez was triumphant, as always. He and his troops cut a swath into the jungle, crushing all who opposed them. Gold poured out of the jungle, more gold than ever before. But in the months that followed, disquieting rumors reached us here. Gortez, they say, had lost his way, and was doing… questionable things.
Their fate was not known until a Monquistador came staggering out of the deep jungle, raving with fever. He said Gortez had built a kingdom for himself in the jungle and ruled it like a tyrant. He had also found something wondrous; the Gold Monkey, a treasure beyond reckoning.”
Bishop Hildalgo
The Bishop continued, “You must act where our strongest cannot. Go to the Isle of Doom, find Gortez, and bring him and this “gold monkey” to the Governor. Succeed, and I will ensure the Governor signs your treaty. Go to Arroyo the outfitter. He will prepare you for your journey.” (Quest: Tales of the Gold Monkey)
Fitting through the tiny door to Arroyo’s Accoutrements was a chore. Loveable Melody struggled, “We have to stop eating snacks if we are going to be around these Monquistadors very long!” Finally, getting through the door, the crew greeted Outfitter Arroyo.
He replied, “So you go to the Isle of Doom! I hear it’s a lovely place, provided you keep clear of the Monstrous spiders.”
Bonnie Anne thought, Spiders! Who said anything about spiders!”
Continuing, Arroyo explained, “The skyways near the island have grown very dangerous. The Scurvy Dogs and hungry fish make the place too difficult for most ships to approach. When you sail there, I ask you to take these food supplies to the gold miners. They’ve been cut off for weeks and you’ll be a hero to them.”
Loveable Melody and the crew agreed to help just to get the treaty signed for Avery. It was going to take some time to prep the ship for the journey and make sure everyone had their supplies to backpack in the jungle. They did some more shopping in Puerto Mico and then rested up.
Loveable Melody ordered, “We will start our journey to the Isle of Doom in two days. Make sure you have your bug repellent and mosquito nets! We will meet here on the dock at 6 am sharp next Monday!” The crew agreed and went their way to prepare.
Stay tuned for the Isle of Doom and the adventures of Loveable Melody Morgan and her crew!
Humble Misty (aka @GmaFoley)
