Story
The Blue Marlin first saw the Prowler at sunset, a dark shape rising out of a bank of copper colored mist. The crew held their breath as the pale lanterns lit along its rails, one by one, like the eyes of something waking. Vexar Bloodwake stood at the prow with both hands resting on the bone carved rail, unmoving, a statue carved from old storms. He did not shout. He did not raise a weapon. He simply watched the Blue Marlin draw away from him, the distance widening with every gust of wind.
He spoke only once, his voice carrying over the water in a calm that chilled more than any threat.
"Next time."
The Blue Marlin escaped that night. It would not escape his memory.
Weeks later they met again in the pirate haven of Blackbone Pier. The tavern was loud with drunken wagers when Bloodwake stepped through the door. The noise died in a slow ripple. His coat was soaked with rain, his silvered hair clung to his brow, and his eyes swept the room until they settled on the crew of the Blue Marlin. He walked toward them with the steady rhythm of a man who has already decided how the evening will end.
Captain Scarnax rose to meet him, hand hovering near his belt. Bloodwake stopped an arm's length away. "You cut across my hunt. You took a prize that was marked for me."
Scarnax replied that the ship they saved had families aboard. Bloodwake considered that for a moment, then nodded.
"So you chose mercy. Admirable. Irrelevant."
He turned to leave, but not before placing a small iron charm on their table. A broken spearhead, worn smooth by seawater.
"Return what you cost me," he said, "or return the honor you took. I do not forget."
From that moment a quiet war began. Whenever the Blue Marlin entered a port, they would hear rumors that Bloodwake had passed through only a day earlier, asking questions. Whenever they chased a lead, they found signs that Bloodwake had crossed their path with the patience of a man winding a long rope around his hand.
The sea itself seemed to carry his presence. Once they found a buoy adrift, bearing a white painted message.
"Still next time."
Months later the Blue Marlin fled into a storm to lose the Prowler. Lightning split the sky. Rain hammered the deck. For a moment the world was only black waves and roaring wind. Then a flash lit the horizon and revealed the Prowler cutting through the storm like a blade. Its lanterns glowed faintly in the chaos, steady as stars.
Scarnax shouted for more sail. Bloodwake did not shout anything. He stood at the prow again, soaked to the bone, face unreadable. Thunder swallowed the distance between the two ships as if the sea wanted them to collide.
The Blue Marlin slipped free into the night, battered but alive.
The next morning the horizon was empty.
But on the deck, tied to the rail with a strip of wet leather, they found another iron charm. This one shaped like a clenched fist.
Vexar Bloodwake never spoke of it. He did not have to.
Some grudges did not burn hot. Some burned slow, like a fuse set beneath the waterline, waiting for the right moment to ignite.

Overview

The Prowler is a long sleek pirate brigantine known across the southern seas as one of the most feared ships afloat. Its hull is painted in shifting streaks of black and storm blue, creating the illusion of shadow moving over water. It sails under a tattered flag bearing the clawed mark of its captain, Vexar Bloodwake. Merchant crews whisper that the Prowler appears out of low mist like a hunting cat and vanishes just as quickly, leaving only wreckage and survivors too shaken to speak clearly. The Blue Marlin can outrun it with skill but can never ignore it.

Appearance

The Prowler is built for speed and shock. Its twin masts carry dark sails lined with bone white stitching. Iron spikes reinforce its prow and sides. The ship carries grappling engines, heavy boarding nets and a row of swivel ballistae that have harpooned many hulls. At night the crew strings lanterns of pale glass along the rails which cast an eerie cold light that makes the ship resemble a drifting phantom.

Captain Vexar Bloodwake

Vexar Bloodwake is a tall, sinewed man with hair like silvered ash and eyes the color of deep water. He carries scars along his arms that he claims came from a leviathan he once hunted. Whether that story is true depends on which night he tells it. Bloodwake dresses in rough leather layered with metal charms taken from the ships he has plundered. He wears no jewelry of his own, saying that pirates should carry only trophies taken by hand.

Personality

Bloodwake is calm to the point of unnerving. He speaks softly, without anger, even when delivering threats. He believes survival belongs to the cunning and the ruthless, and he prides himself on outthinking his opponents rather than overpowering them. He has no hatred for merchants or travelers. He simply sees them as part of the food chain. He respects courage, despises cowardice and never forgets a slight. Once someone earns his grudge he treats it as a duty to settle.

Reputation

The Prowler has a long record of brutal raids on major routes all around the central oceans. Its crew leaves nothing behind but stripped hulls and terrified survivors. Some crews claim Bloodwake will spare a ship if its captain impresses him. Others swear he once drowned an entire crew after they surrendered too quickly. Rumor paints him as both tyrant and gentleman, and the truth sits somewhere between.

Relationship with the Blue Marlin

Vexar clashed with Scarnax during his parate years, and still carries a grudge.

At sea the Prowler is a threat but not an unavoidable one. The Blue Marlin is fast enough to slip away when Vexar begins pursuit. He finds this amusing rather than insulting. In pirate ports the situation changes. Tense negotiations, drunken arguments or a simple misunderstanding can spark conflict between Bloodwake and the crew. Once offended he will carry the grudge for years, turning chance encounters into confrontations. His willingness to escalate depends entirely on how the Blue Marlin handles the first clash.

Uses in the Campaign

Recurring Sea Threat

The Prowler can appear on any major route to force a chase, blockade a harbor or raid a convoy the Blue Marlin hoped to protect.

Pirate Politics

When the crew enters pirate havens they may find Bloodwake negotiating with other captains, selling stolen goods or settling scores. His presence can trigger brawls, betray alliances or create uneasy truces.

Personal Grudge

If the Blue Marlin crosses him, insults him or outsmarts him too openly, Bloodwake will treat it as a matter of honor. He may begin to hunt them with serious intent.

Rare Ally

In unusual situations, Bloodwake may be unintentionally useful. For example, he might see a fight between the Blue Marlin and an Imperial ship, and go for the Imperial ship, considering it wounded prey. He will never act out of anything but self interest.

Continuity Anchor

The Prowler moves relentlessly along the busiest sea lanes, weaving in and out of the Blue Marlin’s journey. Its presence marks the dangers of the open ocean and reminds the crew that some enemies are too proud and too persistent to forget a single encounter.

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