Full Name

Judas Layre Pritchard

Also infamously known as 'Blackmane'

Nickname(s)

Jude, Pritch, Layre, Pritchard

Age

23 years

Sex

Male

Orientation

Heterosexual

Occupation

Pirate / Thief

Crew

Dark Waters

Rank

Quartermaster and Gunner

Personality

Judas for the most part could be considered fairly carefree, often going with the flow of whatever situation he finds himself in. As Quartermaster, he is well respected among the Dark Waters crew, and has taken the place of the Captian in absences before.

He is known most for his intelligence, wit, charm, and promiscuity, often able to get exactly what he wants through those traits. He is loyal to those he deems his friends, and will go to great lengths to protect or stand up for them. His aggression is mostly kept at bay, however he is not one to shy away from bouts of intense violence if provoked. While he usually tends to not start fights, he has been known to easily finish them, leaving his opponent battered and bloody...or dead.

An adventurous and nomadic soul, Jude does not like sticking in one place for very long, his goals and vices often shifting on the dime. He is also known to be quite closed off to most of his emotions; particularly ones of deeper meaning. He doesn't open up or trust easily, guarded and cold. He often twists his words, saying one thing to someone and another to someone else, keeping his true secrets safe.

Appearance

Pritchard's stature is tall, standing in at a striking 6'5. His body is toned with lean muscle; his biceps, chest, and shoulders slightly more defined. His facial structure is quite defined and slender, and his eyes are a warm molten amber in color. His skin is a warm tan, goldened by long days in the sun. Freckles splatter lightly along his cheeks and over his shoulders.

His brows are arched and dark, his left brow split in three places due to old scars. Another prominent scar marks across the bridge of his nose, one along his upper right lip, and one slashed across the left side of his neck. His skin is branded with ink along his right arm, neck and chest.

His hair is jet black in color, naturally wavy and falling in length past his shoulders, granting him the infamous 'Blackmane' title. His fingers are always decorated with various rings of silver, obsidian, or gold, and dark earrings dangle from both of his ears. His body naturally does not sport much hair on his chest, but a pleasing happy trail runs down the lower half of his torso.

Any clothing he may wear is usually always dark in color. He can be seen most often in black/gold, black/red, or black/silver.

Drawn by me

The sounds of the ocean lapping at the shore were long behind him, for he'd successfully found his way into the heart of the kingdom, his mind set on the duty he'd come for. Most people took one look and avoided him, wary of his presence but unbothered to discover just who he may be. His jewelry told many that he must hold some sort of wealth, and therefore power. Judas breezed through the crowded merchant streets, his amber gaze scanning every corner. He wore a loose white undershirt the collar unbuttoned to reveal his chest, the sleeves flowing and light. Over that he wore a black vest, his torso strapped with a worn bandolier that held extra bullets, and a brown leather satchel. His bottom half was covered with black pants, and a pair of worn yet impressive black boots. A slick black leather belt strapped around his waist, a singular pistol sitting idley in its holster. His other side bore a sheathed sword, clinking softly against him as he moved breezily through the streets.

Judas walked with an air of confidence and determiniation, his jaw set and his expression one of warning. It would be unwise to interrupt his mission. His dark waves of hair were braided in some places, enwtined with strings of beads and jewels. A deep red bandanna covered his forehead, keeping the rest of his hair from falling into his face, and thick black eyeliner accentuated his bright molten gaze. The streets were clamoring with vendors, merchants, peasants, and children, the noise slowly becoming too much for him.

You've not got far left, just keep on going. His thoughts pushed him forward, nimbly avoiding bumping into the crowds of people. Finally, he came upon the castle gates. Lifting his chin, he surveyed his surroundings. Guards were plenty, and he was sure there were more inside the walls. His crew was still behind, clamoring throughout in different parts of the city all aiming for the castle. One of their own was stationed here, imprisoned within its walls. Not just anyone however; the Captain's son. Silently, the young pirate turned away, quickly moving within the shadows, searching for an alternate way inside. There was no way he was getting within the main gate, not without being spotted directly.

It wasn't long before he found a lesser secured gap in the walls, slipping through unnoticed. It would appear that he'd been the first of the crew to arrive here, unless they had somehow not been seen yet either. He made his way around the shadowed parts, left mostly unguarded. It didn't take long to hook his hands within the nooks of the stone, climbing upwards into the first open window he could find. He found himself slipping into a dark room, lit only by the sun that seeped through the window he'd come in. As his eyes adjusted, he could see large wooden barrel kegs stashed in one corner, and wooden crates lined along the walls with various items and perishables. It would seem he had stumbled into one of the lower floor storage rooms. He took a few careful steps through the room, his gaze scanning over as many items as he could see. He grabbed a few loose trinkets and stashed them away inside his satchel for later. They weren't worth much, but they could come in useful.

He assumed that wherever the captain's son would be imprisoned, he would surely be being held on the lower floors as most dungeons or basements were used for. His steps were light and calculated as he made his way to the door, lightly swinging it open to reveal the large and hollow basement. It was chilly down here, most of the sun's rays not able to reach enough of the space to warm it. A large and loud clamoring suddenly erupted from somewhere above, voices echoing from outside.

"Pirates!" He heard someone yell. His skin pricked with worry, knowing now that he would be limited on time. One or more of the crew must've finally found their way here. Grateful for at least some sort of distraction, Judas swiftly began exploring the depths of the castle dungeon. It wasn't long before he found the other young pirate, held within one of a few empty cells.

"Pritchard! Thank the gods you've found me, please get me out!" He called quietly, rising to his feet and grasping the metal bars.

"Hang tight you needy bloke," Jude remarked, grabbing a sturdy wooden bench and leveraging it onto the iron hinges. "In case something happens to me, there's a room down that way and around the corner," He explained hurriedly. "Once you're freed from the cell, run there and out the window. It's how I got in. It's unguarded and so is the area outside around it. Got it, boy?" He swiftly popped the hinges loose, the cell door lifting free and falling aside with a loud crash!

"Run boy, go!" Jude yelled gruffly, shooing him ahead. The boy sprinted in the direction he'd been told, disappearing around the corner. He began to run after him, aiming for freedom and praying to whatever gods my be that they would make it out safely.

Judas whipped around the corner, halting abruptly in his tracks upon seeing the scene in front of him. Gage, the captain's boy, trapped in the arms of an armed woman, dagger to his throat. The young boy was no older than eighteen, his eyes wide with terror and a pleading look plastered on his expression as he eyed his fellow pirate, silently begging to be saved once more. Jude slowly unsheathed his blade, holding it still and steady as he eyed the strange woman.

"Release him, I beg of you." He said, his voice steady and determined, confident and unyielding. "He's just a boy." Gage remained painfully still other than his chest rising and falling in rapid breaths, a silent signal of panic. "There needs not to be a fuss, and I don't fancy killing a woman, regardless if she wields a blade or not." Pritchard tried to be a fair man most of the time, always willing to offer peace before acting on violence. However, their time was running short here, and if he returned empty handed he didn't know what kind of fate would await him. The Captain of the Black Dahlia would not take too kindly to the death of her only child. She was a fierce and noble leader to the crew, but she'd already lost her husband to the noose, and if she lost her son too all aboard the crew would likely suffer for it. As well as the kingdom who'd taken him from her.

"Please," Gage sputtered, his voice tense and just above a whisper. "Please let me live." Judas stared intently at the woman, his sword still drawn and pointed lowly at her. He could hear the sounds of bootsteps above, bringing his heart to a racing pace, the situation growing more dire.

"Please madam, we haven't got all day, and I'm intent on this boy surviving." He said more intensely, sweat beginning to bead along his slender face. "Attempt to kill me if you must, but the boy has no business dying here. His mother will not take kindly to her son's demise, and I can assure you this kingdom will suffer greatly for it." He took a small and light, cautious step towards them, holding up his free hand in a sign of peace. He would not reach for the gun strapped to his waist, so long as she made no swift movements. He was willing to negotiate nearly anything for this boys life, even his own if it came to it. He stood far enough away that neither of them could reach out and touch him, but close enough that if he or she swung their sword it would certainly make contact with flesh.

He had to commend her, if only to himself, for her stealth and bravery. He hadn't even heard her come down the steps. He knew both he and the boy had been taken by surprise, which was proving to be more and more fatal as the seconds passed. They were pirates. Infamous ones at that. Even if this woman did not recognize them by their faces, she would certainly recognize them by their names. Or at least...his name.

Blackmane was what most kingdoms and common folk knew him as, and what other pirates spoke of him as in story. He was most known for his high amounts of treason and thievery, as well as high rates of slaughter on the seas. He didn't often kill people who lived among the land, but in dire situations such as this he could be persuaded.

Judas' eyes never left the woman, his grip on his sword tight and solid. Although he was nervous, he kept his composure, silently pleading to the gods that she'd listen to reason. He slowly began to lower his sword as he noticed her grip on her dagger loosen. The bootsteps were rapidly approaching, and at first he panicked, mentally trying to figure out a quick escape. However his worry quickly subsided when he noticed Gage stiffen, his eyes drifting up towards the stairs. A small yet achingly familiar hitch in one of the steps confirmed everything he needed to know. Acting as if he recognized nothing, Judas sheathed his sword, raising his hands and taking a step back as she released the boy, as if offering himself for arrest in his place.

"Thank you," He spoke calmly. Gage darted up the staircase, a few moments pause of silence before five men slowly descended into the basement. Judas calmly reached down, pulling his pistol from its holster, cocking the gun and pointing it at the strange woman. The group of men fanned out, creating a small circle around himself and her. Two of them stood blocking the stairs, daggers and guns drawn. The familiar hitching of steps sounded once more, a sixth man making his way down to the last few steps of the staircase, his emerald gaze landing upon the woman.

"Well now, Blackmane, what have we got here?" The man said, his voice low and rumbling, intimidating to say the least. His hair was also dark, but not nearly as long or wavy as Judas' own. A fairly thick beard had begun to grow along his face, and he wore a heavy black coat and large boots. His left leg had been mangled in an accident at sea long ago, leaving him with a pronounced hitch in his step. "A new mistress to serve the crew?" The group of men chuckled, all except for Jude, who held a somewhat confident smirk, his gaze still pinned on her.

"No, no much better than that." He rumbled, letting out a soft breath of amusement. "We've got ourselves a lady in arms here, adament on slitting the throat of Ms Cronwell's boy." Gage stood atop the stairs, peering out to watch for guards, but looked back at the mention of his last name.

"I see..." The large man said with a grin, looking around at his group of men. "Well in that case, I say we best get her to our devout Captain, shall we?" The surrounding men agreed, pushing in the circle slightly, one of them snagging the dagger from her hand. Judas stepped close to her, his gun still pointed.

"Don't worry darling, you'll get your dagger back." He crooned, his tone a bit haughty and sarcastic, yet laced with a charming and flirtatious lilt. "I'm afraid I can't trust you just yet with it though, and we both know I'm right in that regard now don't we?" One of the other men pulled a small rope from their satchel as he talked, binding her wrists for now. "I'd suggest you come without a fuss, or things might just get a little more nasty for you." He rumbled quietly. "Welcome to the Dark Waters crew, love."

He flashed her a wink, sleazy in nature but more so out of haughtiness. He crept breezily behind her, placing a firm hand on her shoulder and pressing the cool metal of the barrel underneath her jaw. Tossing his chin in a small command, the men quietly began their ascention up the stairs. The large man allowed Judas and the woman through first, lumbering behind them in case she tried to free herself from the young pirate's grasp. It was surprisingly easy to exit from the castle. There were a few guards here and there, but most had already been slaughtered on the way in, their bodies littering the hall and yard out back. Judas didn't make it an easy walk for her, keeping them moving at a rather rapid pace.

The crew led them through a back way, making their way easily down to shore, where a large black ship sat not too far out. The area here was sheltered, providing a decent hideaway spot that would give them time to move out before the navy could set sail after them. "Up you go, miss," Jude pushed, walking her up to the ship's deck. Only whe everyone was on board did he lower his gun from her, putting it back in his holster. There were more men aboard that had stayed instead of going into the kingdom, all together making a crew of around 75. It was fairly small crew aboard this large ship, but this was not the only ship within the Dark Water crew's fleet. It was simply the main and most well known...the Head Captain's ship.

"Welcome aboard the Black Dahlia, madam." Judas said, releasing his grip from her and her ties. He circled around to face her once more, his amber gaze taking in each of her features. He had to admit she was pretty, and he noted the tattoo he could see that adorned her arm and hand.

Unique. Easily recognizeable. He thought, a little concerned. If she was anyone of significance, it wouldn't be hard for someone to recognize her. Oh well, he wasn't certain what plans awaited her.

"Why is another woman aboard my ship?" A strong voice called out from above. A slender woman dressed in red looked down upon the crew, her hat black with a white feather. "I said no more maidens shall be used for your vices, so pray tell, why is she here?" The large man from earlier bowed slightly, his voice carrying up to her from below.

"You have young Pritchard to thank for it, Captain," He said. "For the woman aboard is the woman who nearly ripped poor Gage of his life mere moments ago."