It was the evening of the 10th of April, and the Drunken Hunter had swiftly departed from Dagger Tooth Outpost, her crew of one (yours truly) ready to search for a merchant ship that had gone missing while en route to New Golden Sands. I was plotting the route to follow at the map table when I saw a Grade 1 Reaper at Shipwreck Bay. I think nothing of it and go on my merry way, ready to find what had become of the poor merchant ship.

Alas, birds are on the horizon. I raise sail but dare not anchor with a Reaper on the map. By the time I stop, that Reaper, now level 4, is bearing down on me. I quickly dive into the water, grab the clue that will tell me of the merchant's whereabouts, and just before I get back aboard my vessel, I see it. A glimmer in the water among the debris. The key to the captain's cabin. I bring it aboard my ship and see the Reaper, a sloop bearing no name, just off my stern.

A thought occurs to me, and I decide to react not out of fear but out of passiveness. I have no loot, and if they get the key, they will not know where it goes to. I raise an alliance flag, sit on my ship, and play the banjo. "WE'RE FRIENDLY" screams one of them over and over again. "LET'S FORM AN ALLIANCE," yells the other, also repetitive. Far from the truth, they bring their guns to bear and fire upon me.

They fire the first shot, a cannonball missing its mark. I take my leave and drop sail, the Drunken Hunter setting off away from danger. The second shot, a pirate. I see them land off my port bow, prompting me to come to starboard, dodging the boarder quickly. The third shot, another boarder. This time, they make it aboard, and despite my best efforts, landing a couple of sword slashes on them, their two guns both hitting their mark and sending me to the Ferryman.

I know the Drunken Hunter is now anchored, and as I awaken, the toll of the ship sinking sounds. Again, having lost nothing but my ship, I stand on the deck and play banjo, planning to go down with my ship in merriment. I call upon the Reapers to play with me, and the one who had boarded me slowly walks up to me... and fires a blast of grapeshot, swiftly ending my adventure.

Perhaps Reapers don't like the banjo or simple sailors like me.