Makoru
I became a captain against the wishes of the Trade Guild Council. To lead a Kalguuran ship, you must pass a test. I was given a makeshift crew and tasked with sailing a course in a certain amount of time. At the most dangerous point of the course, between two shallow reefs on a moonless night, our cargo of refined Verisium caught fire. It was set to explode at any moment.
Warrior
What an ordeal. How did you handle it?
Witch
Gripping! Go on.
Sorceress
What an adventure! Please, continue.
Ranger
Well clearly you didn’t explode. What did you do?
Huntress
Oh, my… This puts me off the water even more.
Monk
I suppose your leadership was tested in that moment.
Mercenary
Blimey. What a predicament.
Druid
Tough spot for any captain. What did ye do?
Makoru
I was faced with a choice: abandon ship, or order some of the crew into the lethal smoke to put out the fire… … At the cost of their own lives, no less. They say it’s a rather horrible death, gasping for breath with burning lungs that no longer work. So I chose to put out the fire myself. That’s just how I was raised.
Warrior
Yet here you stand.
Witch
Hmm… are you dead?
Sorceress
But you lived?
Ranger
You lived to tell the tale though, it seems.
Huntress
Such bravery! How’d you survive?
Monk
And yet, you live.
Mercenary
Alright. I gotta know. How’d you make it out?
Druid
Faced the fire yerself… and lived to tell it.
Makoru
Well luckily for me, it was all fake. It was the main part of the test. The truth of it is, the candidate passes or fails depending on the votes of the crew aboard. I earned their loyalty by my choice, and many of them still follow me to this day, here on this ship. The Council does not aid me in any way, but they also leave me to it. It’s the best situation for now, until I show some true profit!