Anchored

You are awoken in darkness by the sound of running above you in heavy rain. Boards groan in the darkness. Your head hurts, and your bunk's motion is making you feel even worse. [[Find a lightswitch]] (set: $hasFoulies = false)

You reach your hand out in the dark, searching for a light. Your hand reaches a caged bulb, and you find the switch. The light is (text-style: "blink")[flickering], but illuminates the space around you. =><= [[Look around you.]]

You're on a bunk in a small cabin. Lowering yourself to the floor, you notice a porthole. Looking through it, you see dark water swelling past what can only be a boat. Footsteps pound down a ladder next to you, and a man opens the door. Water is pouring down the ladder behind him, the wind on the deck creates a vaccuum, whiping his long, wet hair about. "Get your foulies on! Cap needs you in the boat!" He leaves, shouting up the hatch into the wind to another person on deck. You recognized him, but your memory is (text-style: "blurrier")[fuzzy]. (text-style: "italic")[What is his name? It started with a J...(click: "J...") [James!]] ==> [[Leave without putting on your foul weather gear.]] <== [[Put on your foul weather gear.]]

You head up the ladder, into the storm. The wind whips your face, and rain comes down in sheets. You're soaked in seconds. A wave hits the hull next to you, throwing salt spray in your face. This storm is bad– the worst you've ever seen. You see crew members at the bow, but there's no sign of the captain. [[Go to the bow.]] [[Go to the stern.]]

(set: $hasFoulies to true) With your foul weather gear on, you head up the ladder to the deck. A wave hits the hull next to you, throwing salt spray in your face. (text-style: "italic") [This storm is bad– the worst I've ever seen.] You see crew members at the bow, but there's no sign of the captain. [[Go to the bow.]] ==> [[Go to the stern.]]

You walk towards the bow, but a voice behind you calls your name. You turn, and see the captain waving. He shouts over the rain, "Get back here and get in the boat! [[Turn back.]]

As you walk towards the stern, Cap appears from his cabin house. He shouts over the rain, "Get in the boat! You head back to the middle of the ship, and see the yawl boat thrashing in the water. It's lines will snap soon if you don't move it to the stern. Cap yells over the storm, "Hurry the hell up!" [[Get in the boat.]]

You head back to the middle of the ship, and see the yawl boat thrashing in the water. It's lines will snap soon if you don't move it to the stern. Cap yells over the storm, "Hurry the hell up!" [[Get in the boat.]]

The dark water slams the yawl boat into the hull as just as you get into the boat. (if: $hasFoulies is true)[Your foul weather gear allows you to keep your footing and make your way the console and You [[turn on the boat]]]. (if: $hasFoulies is false)[Without your foul weather gear, you lose your footing, hit your head on the rail of the yawlboat and [[fall overboard]]].

Your bow swings away from the boat. The sternline screams under the strain as your boat is pulled away. You turn to tell your crewmember to release the sternline, but the line parts. The line hits you in the back, knocking you off your feet. [[Get up and try to control the boat.]]

She runs back and unties your stern before undoing your bowline. You motor away from the battered hull and [[drive to the stern of the ship...]]

You maintain control of the boat, but the pain from the line is immense. Fighting through the pain, you [[drive to the stern of the ship...]]

You reach the stern, and see Cap's sullouite behind a bolt of lightning. This storm is getting worse by the minute. "Throw me your bowline," Cap calls over the wind. Your head is swimming from the pain in your back, but you scamble to yawl boat's bow and pick up the soaked bowline. [[Coil the line, then throw it.]] ==> [[Throw the line as it is.]]

Cap catches the line easily. You return to the cockpit and motor forward as Cap takes up the slack and makes the bowline fast. The yawlboat is safe. "Turn it off and get up here!" You turn off the boat as Cap throws down a rope ladder. You grab hold, and [[climb up to the deck.]]

The pile of soaked rope doesn't make it to Cap. It falls in the water between you and the stern. Cap howls in frustration! "Coil it first, God dammit!" The yawl boat is swiftly being drawn away from the schooner, into the darkness and rough water. You [[pull the line back onboard]].

As you turn the key, the boat sputters to life. Without this yawl boat, you're going to have a hard time making it out this anchorage. A crew member has appeared at the railing forward of your boat. You can make out splintered wood where the bowline has cut into the rail. She calls out to you, "Ready?" [[Signal your crewmate to toss your bowline.]] [[Signal your crewmate to release your stern line.]]

<span style='font-family: Courier'>Unconscious, in the dark water, you drown peacefully... ==> ...and make your way down to Davy Jones Locker.</span> =><= [[Try again?]]

<span style='font-family: Courier'>Just as you get the line back onboard, a wave hits you broadside. Without controlling the yawl boat, the sea has taken no mercy on you. You fall overboard, and struggle to swim in your foul weather gear, but it's too late. You and the yawl boat are pulled away from the schooner... ==> ...to perish in the storm.</span> =><= [[Try again?]]

You reach the deck and Cap takes your shoulder. Lighting flashes. "Go forward and help them get the second anchor down before we start dragging the main one!" "Yes, Cap!" You shout over the thunder. You make your way forward again, [[to the bow.]]

The rest of the crew is getting ready to set the second anchor. There seems to be a problem. A pulley system is holding the anchor up while Jane and your first mate, Roman, are trying to fix something. The first mate, Roman, turns to you, shouting over the wind. "The chain is stuck! You need to get on it before the other hook starts dragging!" You'll have to be on the anchor to reach the chain. Will you [[put on a harness]] or [[climb onto the anchor now...]]

After putting on a harness, you climb overboard onto the anchor. Working to free the chain, you don't notice line that's keeping the anchor from swinging too violently is about to snap, until [[it does.]] [anchor drops suddenly, your harness is caught, die]

Climbing on the anchor without a harness, you are able to work quickly to free the chain. As you climb on board, the line holding the anchor snaps, and letting the anchor swing wildly as a wave hits the ship broadside. The chain slips, and the anchor falls before anyone can recover. Cap calls for everyone to get belowdecks, and you [[head below with the crew.]]

As the rope creaks and snaps, you lose your balance on the anchor as it swings away from the boat. Your harness, although tied to the ship, has trapped you against the anchor... The anchor, whose chain is now free. [[Attempt to escape!]]

Wriggling in your harness, you try to undo the clasps, but it's impossible. The anchor swings wildly in the storm, with you lashed to it. A large wave hits the boat broadside, causing the chain to slip even further. Your First Mate appears in front of you. He has a knife, and is attempting to cut you free from the harness– just as [[the anchor falls.]]

Your harness, still attached to the boat, halts the descent momentarily before it snaps. The pressure rises as you fall... ...into the black depths of Davey Jones Locker. =><= [[Try again?]]

Below decks, the ship still rocks in the storm. The rain lashes on the deck above you, but you're safe now. "Good work– fine work, all of you. I'll take the rest of the watches tonight. All of you go back to your bunks. Hopefully there's no more trouble." The crew mumbles in agreement, too exhausted to speak, and you [[go back to bed.]]

You peel off your wet clothes, and put on some dry undergarments before climbing back into your bunk. Turning off the light, you lie exausted in the dark of your cabin. The storm rocks you to sleep. [[Try again?]]