The Escalation

After learning that Captain Travers is seeking the location of the 'Caroline' -- the true name of the Black Freighter -- the heroes take ship, rushing to try to get to New Carleon ahead of Travers' ship. In so doing, they spurn an offer from Queen Bonny to acquire guns that she needs from the Castillian port of Aragosta; instead, they rely on the goodwill of the crew (and Long Ned's now isolation among them) to speed after Captain Travers.

New Carleon

New Carleon is a small Avalon colony of less than 500 people, famed especially for its tortoises -- it was colonized by the Castillians as a provisioning island, but was taken by Avalon privateers in the wake of the Castillian Armada.   The town is small, defended by a basic round tower fort made of coral - Fort Richard - that is chronically under-supplied, but so far the Castillians have been unwilling to press the issue.

The Banshee arrives at New Carleon in twilight; the city is in flames, its fort collapsed, but Axel is able to see a sail on the horizon, heading away. The city is in bad shape -- flames lick around the houses, ships are on fire, and Fort Richard, the small coral tower that protects the city, is in in shambles.

There is some talk about going ashore, but instead the Banshee turns to the pursuit, trying to catch up to the ship they see on the horizon.

The Chase

At dawn, the Banshee sights the ship ahead of them, a pirate vessel of similar size and class to the Banshee herself. She is named Revenge, and is sailing with all possible sail at a ship lost in some mist ahead of them. The crew can't really make out the ship in the far lead; it seems to be shrouded in mist, and overnight it ran no running lights.

A decision is made to give chase; the Banshee will fire chasers at Revenge, hoping to take it out of the pursuit, and with Jenny's careful aiming they are successful, knocking away a spar and forcing them to drop out of the chase just before nightfall. The Heroes decide that the Banshee should continue, though, as they wager that the mystery ship must be Captain Travers'.

The Black Freighter

As night falls, the Banshee continues to chase the mystery ship. It runs with no lights, so Doctor Orlando improvises a flare system using cannons that gives a brief, periodic illumination to the scene. At first it seems as if the mystery ship is drawing away from them, but then -- after midnight -- a flare shows it suddenly turning, heading in their direction.

As they look at it, they see that the ship seems to be made of as much bone as wood and that the sails are in tatters. More than that, it is sailing straight for them, heedless of cannon shot, suggesting that the captain is a madmen -- or a man who does not fear death. The Heroes conclude that this must be the Black Freighter, and realize that they are now in dire straits.

The Parlay

Jenny convinces Captain Malcolm that the best course is to try to Parlay; the Banshee lets the Black Freighter get close, and then Jenny calls out to the Devil Jonah to parlay. He comes to the rail, and she tells him that they will kill Captain Travers for him if he gives her back her soul. The crew is somewhat shocked at this whole exchange, but a bargain is struck -- the souls of Captain Travers and all those who sail with him in exchange for weapons from the Devil Jonah to arm them.

The Devil Jonah's undead crew load cannons and swords and the like onto the Banshee, and then sail away.

Return to New Carleon

The Banshee returns to New Carleon, where they learn the story of what happened. The Black Freighter and the Devil Jonah attacked the town, murdering its inhabitants and burning the town, and the Devil Jonah himself assaulted the Governor's Mansion. He was about to take Governor Arthur's daughter, Madeleine, after defeating the Governor in a duel when the Revenge, led by Captain Travers, arrived, and Captain Travers burst into the mansion.

As soon as he saw Travers, Jonah lept out the second floor balcony and he and his men fled, pursued by Travers and the Revenge.

The Heroes learn some other things -- several of the Revenge's men are from a town call Boscastle, a seaside village in Avalon that was destroyed 15 years ago, probably also by the Black Freighter. Also, Madeleine, the Devil Jonah's target, seems to have some magic in her blood.

Many of the crew, however, leave at New Carleon, and Captain Malcolm has been sequestered in his cabin since the deal was made with the Devil Jonah -- superstition runs high, and there are many now who fear the Banshee's ultimate course.

Persons of Note

• Governor John Arthur -- Governor of New Carleon, he is an Avalon diplomat who married a (now deceased) Montaigne noblewoman. He was wounded by the Devil Jonah defending his daughter.
• Madeleine Arthur -- Daughter of the Governor of New Carleon, she was the Devil Jonah's apparent target when he raided the town.
• Captain Jeremiah Travers -- Captain of the Revenge, he has perpetrated several occult massacres - including the death of Jenny's husband and old crew -- and is pursuing the Devil Jonah.
• The Devil Jonah -- Captain of the Black Freighter, he is a terrifying undead creature who bargains with the living for their very souls. He seems to be afraid of Captain Travers.