Snowlift

Barley was born inside the eye of a massive storm, as waves crashed along a small sailboat. His parents were sailors who worked within a fishing group dedicated to feeding the masses during hard times, and yet they weren’t expecting Barley to be born on such short notice. Unfortunate timing just a few days later caused them to get pillaged by pirates, who had no intention to kill them, yet their retaliation forced the pirates to take action. With his parents now gone, along with the rest of those who worked on the ship, the pirates decided to take the child in and raise it on their own. This line of work was insanely profitable for them, and they were living prosperous lives on the open waters, so finding caregivers and resources to foster the child's development wasn’t difficult. He was well-raised and educated, and turned into a disciplined boy due to the captain's teachings. The captain was a hard earned warrior who’d taught Barley how to be a proper pirate. Barley grew his entire life on the open waters, with his crew by his side. He had befriended many of the men who raised him, who he considered his own family, and wasn’t aware of what they truly did. These men were the people who turned the boy into a devious man who came to surpass the men in due time. The boy was built for the water, and as he grew older started to double and triple the profits of the boat. He learned how to track the patterns of sailors, the weather cycles, how to read and write for better communication with buyers, and even started selling copious amounts of products to the mainlanders that they had stolen. It wasn’t until just a year ago that they hit the jackpot. A bankers ship had run into some trouble transporting money overseas, soon coming into contact with Barley and his crew. Since the bankers ship was armed to the brim with soldiers, a violent battle ensued, leaving many dead and injured. Barley was then cast to the waters, nearly dying, before washing ashore with little life left inside him. He was able to recover some of the money from the siege, and took that money to restart his life.. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? she begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.” ((How do you respond?)) A grin makes its way across his face, making his way further inside, "Good t' finally meet ye, lass." Taking a seat on the cushion, "Well, it all started many years ago.. within the eye o' a storm.."