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It’s a thing of legend, the Inferno . Not only is it the name of a particularly hellish piece o’ classic literature, it’s the name of a particularly hellish pirate ship.
A ship that supposedly went up in flames 500 years ago but neither sank nor burned up. A ship that appears out of mysterious fog or particularly heavy rain. A ship on which any sailers who lay eye become part of the burning crew. A ship that only prowles a certain strip of ocean ‘round the Northumberlands that modern captains stray away from in fear.
Pure myth. I been cap’n long enough ta know better. I piloted these very waters and know there’s nothing funny happening in them, much less a giant pirate ship that’s permanently aflame.
If I weren’t in polite company, I’d call it bull-.
Er. Right. Sorry.
Stories? I don’t know too much. Just the bar gossip.
Heheh, you wanna know?
Curious mind, yours. I like it. Just, ah, don’t go fillin’ it with so many tall tales ya get yerself all skittish, ‘kay?
Good. Then listen close.
The Inferno’ s a classic three-mast-er. Sails unfurled, burned through, but still pullin’ the ship along. The cap’n’s a mean one. Fiery, ya get me? Awful temper. Any ship ‘e finds ‘e claims the crew, then burns the vessel. The burnin’ crew o’ that ship boards their target, then sets aflame anyone they touch. Once their skin gets all crispy and melts off their bones, the poor mates join their new cap’n.
Way ta survive? Depends who ya ask. Some of ‘em say that if you get touched, yer a lost cause. Not even jumpin’ inta the drink is enough to cool them flames. Others say, so long as ya don’t look them suckas in da eye, you’ll be jus’ peachy. Might end up wit some burns, but you’ll be alive. But even then, you’d have ta ‘scape them scuttlin’ the ship. An’ if yer out in open ocean, yer cause’s good as lost. Even without a haunted ship, these waters’re rough.
Eh, one sec, kiddo. Lookout’s callin’.
Welp, we’re hittin’ some thick fog. Better scram to the deck and keep yer eye out.
Huh? Nah, that’s not fire. Jus’... jus’ the reflection o’ the ship lights.
…
On second thought, kid, get below deck.
That’s an order!