Date of birth: August 12th, 1692
Faceclaim: Jessica Parker Kennedy
+ helpful, determined, charismatic
- doubtful, meddling, presumptuous
What rank is your character trying to be? Are they looking to be captain of their own ship, first mate, or will they take what they can get? Do they have any special skills that relate to seafaring?
Meri knows better than anyone else how to diffuse a situation. She grew up around bar fights and tussles and understands that a lack of communication is at the core of most misunderstandings. She knows how to talk people down and come to a satisfying agreement. And on top of that, if they donât listen s he can always pull out her cutlass and resolve the situation with a good old fashioned duel.Â
Why does your character go to sea? What are they looking to find?
Meri has not been to sea yet. But if she did it would be to find a world outside of Tortuga, the place sheâs called home all of her life. To escape from the stifling filth and noise and go somewhere that feels less chaotic. Sheâd like to go somewhere where she doesnât have to be on edge all the time. and if it takes a pirate ship to get her there sheâs fine with that.
Meri was born into a life of piracy and has never known anything else. In fact, she was born in Tortuga to a barmaid and a captain. Although she, and her father, would never know this fact. Her mother never spoke of him and only the whispers of who he was and his fearsome reputation reached Meri. Instead, Meri was always told not to ask questions. And while curiosity ate at her mind she knew better than to talk back. She grew up being collectively raised by the tavern staff and by the time she was old enough to talk she was helping.
Living at a tavern in Tortuga meant that Meri had no concept of civilized society. The nights were loud and filled with drunken men jeering and laughing, sometimes at her. But she was quick in more ways than one and could always think of an excuse to retreat to safety - slipping through the crowd with ease and grace. And on the nights that it became too overwhelming sheâd slink to the docks and sit among the boats hearing them creak as the tide went out.
She never truly fathomed a life outside of Tortuga. She couldnât picture herself anywhere on the map. She felt tied to her mother and to the people who raised her but she did not want to spend her life serving grog and dodging handsy drunks. Her fatherâs absence sat in her chess like a void and because she did not know who he really was she did not know how to walk in his footsteps. She could not emulate the man she never knew, so she could not know if that missing piece could be fulfilled by imitating him.Â
Stuck in this limbo, Meri made it through her teen years at the tavern with lots of long nights and drawn out sighs. She carried a knife in her garter and had cause to use it a few times in order to defend herself. And as patrons began to view her as an adult they got more willing to confront her. Meri, despite her trained patience, grew tired of having to skirt away with a shy smile and she began to train herself with a stolen cutlass. After losing many fights and gaining many scars she became a talented swordsman.Â
Still Meri does not think much about being a pirate, her patrons have always existed on the other side of the bar - a barrier that she does not feel like she can jump. But sometimes she dreams of the sea and of living out the tales that people tell. Although it is not so appealing to her to spend so much time stuck on a boat with smelly and dirty scalawags she thinks anything would be better than being stuck in a small dimly lit tavern with those same people. So if she were to be offered a chance to escape, sheâd take it. And maybe she could sail to a world where people have manners.