D&D Character Backstories

Character 1: Isla (AKA Star) Part 2

Once inside the dimly lit tavern, I spotted the captain almost immediately. She was sitting alone in a corner, away from the rest of the patrons. As I made my way over to her, I recognized several of the men from her crew. I smiled to myself. It really was good to see them all again.

The captain smiled as I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. She slid a glass in front of me, and I lifted it and took a sip. It was weak, but definitely alcoholic.

"I already ordered you a salad, too," she said with a proud grin.

I smiled back. "Are you sure you're ready to have a vegetarian on your ship again? It was always pretty difficult to find me food out on the open sea."

She laughed. "To tell you the truth, I've picked up a bit of a habit of hoarding vegetarian goods since you left. A bit useless now, but the boys will eat it, so at least it isn't going to waste."

I nodded. Kind of her to finally learn how to care for me after I've grown up and moved on.

Her face turned serious. "Isla, you do know you're so much more to me than just my shipwright, don't you? I've raised you. You're like the child I never had. Honestly, I'm having second thoughts on my request to bring you along."

I stared at her, stunned. Lowering my voice, I asked, "Is it really that dangerous?"

She nodded, then took a long swig of her ale. "It is. Many beasts live out in those waters. Elementals, sea dragons, sirens... I was hoping that if you tagged along and we got in a rough spot, you'd be able to talk to them, convince them to let us go. You're the only person I know who can speak to sea life."

I stared down at the glass in my hands.

She continued. "But I really don't want to risk you getting hurt. I put you through enough danger as you were growing up. You deserve to settle down and live your life."

I glanced back up at her. "If it's so dangerous, then why go at all? I mean, I know you and your crew are strong, but why take the risk if you're so worried?"

She smiled, and her gaze suddenly changed, and I knew she wasn't here anymore. She was remembering her childhood. She'd never shared it before, but that's what she always said when she came back to the present.

"I've never really told anyone this before. Only my parents when I decided to become a pirate, and they both thought I'd gone mad."

I held my cup tighter, feeling my curiosity take over as I moved closer, sitting on the edge of my seat.

Her expression came back. Her smile fell a little, now more sad than before. "I've always wanted to see the world, Isla. There's so much of it that I have yet to explore, and a lot of it is beyond those waters."

"There's no safer way around?" I asked.

The captain shook her head. "Unfortunately not. Believe me, I've done my research. If there was a safer way to get there, I'd take it."

"Then why go now? Why can't you wait and get stronger before facing them? Surely there's more on this side of the world you haven't seen yet?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, our food was placed before us. Captain gave a polite thank you, only to get a grunt in return, before she turned back to me and continued, not even looking at the plate before her. "I'm not getting any younger, girl. I need to go while these bones can still fight."

I almost choked on the first bite of my salad, genuinely shocked by her words. "What are you talking about? You're not old! You're an elf! You've at least another 300-400 years in you, right?"

She smiled. "You're kind to think so. I'd just like to see everything before I can't, and still have time to live out the rest of my days peacefully."

"But if you go on this adventure..." I started, my food forgotten.

"Some risks are worth taking, Isla. But the risk of you getting hurt out there-"

I stood, interrupting her. "If you really think for one second that I'm going to let the woman who raised me and taught me everything I know about being a great pirate go out on a deadly quest without me to protect her, you've lost your mind."

She quickly stood as well. "Isla, I-"

"No." I told her. "I'm not letting you go without me. Like you said, I'm the only person you know who can speak Aquan. I could be useful."

She raised her arms as she sighed in defeat. "Alright, girl. You win. I'll take you with us," she said as she lowered herself back into her chair. "But if things go south, you are to swim yourself to the nearest shore until things settle down. Hell, swim back home if you can."

I stared down at her. Clearly, I didn't like this idea. How could she expect me to run away and wait out the attack? She was never this worried about me as I was growing up on her ship, so why now? Was she really that worried she wasn't going to survive?

I slowly sat back down in my seat. "I can only promise you that I'll do my best to help you. If things go so bad that I know I'll only be in the way of the more experienced crew, then I'll leave. But if it is within my power, I'll be helping you all. I will not desert my family."

The captain's eyes sparkled as she smiled. "That's my girl. I knew I didn't raise a coward. If those are your terms, dear, I'll graciously accept them."

I gave her a small smile, and we both returned to our meals in a comfortable silence.