This is for 's pirate contest.
-This is also my first piece done start to finish on the computer, no scan.

Name: Jess
(surname unknown)
Age: 22
Hair: Dirty Blond/Golden (waist-length)
Eyes: Same as hair color
Height: 5’ 9”

Outfit Notes:
Usually seen with no shoes on (unless necessary)
If shoes are necessary she has a steel-toed pair
Changes her necklace according to mood
Uses an extra hairtie when concentrating of fighting
Wears a metal ring on the pinky of her left hand
Her Pistols as well as a basic set of tools are concealed in her skirt. [link] TO SEE HER PISTOLS!

Position: Armorer

Skills:
Ability to understand, master and improve new and foreign weaponry
Dead shot with a pistol (Her favorite pair is modified by her and are similar to 17th Century Italian Triple Barrel Flintlock Pistols)
Great singer and dancer, does this to cheer up the crew (occasionally she’ll play her shakuhachi, a bamboo flute the crew found on their travels)

Random fact:
She doesn’t cook but she does excel at baking delicious pies and pastries (A skill very rarely exhibited on a pirate ship)

Her Story:
(please insert pirate accent when necessary)
Jess grew up in a small village known for its artisans, the daughter of an expert carpenter. Because of her father’s influence she always loved to create things, taking old tools and finding ways to improve them. Her best friend since she was a child, Bran, was the son of a gunsmith. He was learning his father’s trade and would occasionaly consult with Jess using both their talents to improve tools and guns even more. They grew up together and as Jess grew older she came to fully realize how much she loved him. However, on the night of her 16th birthday, Bran disappeared. Jess was shocked. Nobody knew why or where he went. The only thing left for her, by him, was a small metal ring with unfamiliar writing etched into it.

Hoping to find a clue as to what the writing meant, she left her home and visitied many villages in search of someone, anyone, who could decipher the strange writing. Unsuccessful, she decided to take an apprenticeship in a port village where she could interact with the many travelers the frequented the area, hoping to find the one person who could help her. She had been training under her master for about two and a half years and during this time she became very skilled with weaponry and became famous for her ability to understand and master new and foreign weapons.

One overcast day while she was visiting the inn in search of new visitors, she stumbled upon a group of pirates arguing over a piece of parchment. When she looked closer she could see writing on it that looked exactly like the etchings on her ring. When she inquired as to where they had aquired it, they turned towards the voice and glared. When they saw it was a woman their expressions brightened.
“Well, hello barmaid, don’t you worry about little things like this. You just bring yourself on over her and you can have the pleasure of entertaining us” The man who looked like the captain slapped his lap as if to guide her to him. Jess’ eyebrows raised. A few of the locals were holding their breath. Sighing, Jess repeated her inquiry. The pirates were heckling now. When the captain reached over to grab her arm and bring her to him by force, he quite suddenly found a pair of pistols aimed at his head. No one had even seen her pull them out, but the moment they realized their captain was in trouble they all pulled out their firearms, knives and swords.

The barkeep finally spoke up “You don’t want to messing with our Jess, she may look sweet and innocent but you’ll all be dead before you can take two steps” The captain looked at her with questioning eyes.
“A woman? I doubt it, I trust my first mate has ten times the skill”
Jess’ face broke into a full bright smile. This caused a stir, the pirates were now looking at her with a mix of captivation and fear.
“Let’s have a test, nothing fatal mind you, but I don’t mind showing up your man” Jess suggested

They decided on something simple, a target was set up down the road. The captain spoke “Shoot three times, the fastest and the most accurate will have their position on my ship secured” At this he winked at Jess, his eyes laughing at the very thought of a woman on his ship. She startled him by winking back.

The sound of a bosun’s whistle began the competition. Before anyone could blink, Jess had fired three consecutive shot into her target. Each shot had flown dead straight into the bulleye.
“How’s that?” she whispered as the first mate was still loading his second bullet.

“How did you bloody do that?” “How…?” he stammered.
“I modified it myself, though it only takes three rounds” Jess was now reloading her strange gun.
“Oh, Yeah, I’ll take you up on that offer as well” Jess had run into a rare opportunity to join their ship and she fully intended to use them in finding Bran. Being able to visit the wide variety of ports that only pirates frequented would be the best chance of finding information.
The captain scoffed nervously “What offer?”
Jess glared at him, caused him to shiver.
“Oh, that offer…”

She had joined the ship, not as first mate but as the armorer. She would have free reign on the ship if she would just lend her services towards maintaining, repairing, and in many cases improving their weaponry. No sensible man dared flirt with her after she gave one of the Bosun’s a shot in his left arm for doing just that. It wasn’t a grave injury, it was shallow and her precise aim had avoided more serious damage. The few who still tried to hit on her found a familiar pair of pistols aimed at their gut.

Concerning the parchment, to her dismay, they didn’t know what it meant either. Only that it was valuable and supposedley led to endless riches. Jess figured that that’s just what they hoped. They did have a similar aim though, both intent on deciphering the language and together they visited many unusual ports hoping to discover the secret.

3 Years Later

*She has been sailing with them for about three years and has only found a little vague information here and there. However, new rumors spread across the sea and Jess and the Ship’s crew are heading East towards a strange island with a very strange language…