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Three weeks ago a Royal Navy ship holding Jack Sparrow returned him to Port Royal to await punishment.

Fifteen days ago, with the aid of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, he escaped.

One week ago, he returned to the Isla de la Muerta to find that the cursed Aztec Gold was gone...

But to where? And to what end?



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Captain Jack Sparrow
Topic Started: Jan 24 2011, 09:49 AM (1,727 Views)
Jack Sparrow
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(Okay, I already messed up. I didn't realize until after I created the account that I wasn't supposed to use the character's name. Change it if you like. Just let me know what the new name is. ("Monkey" would work fine.))

OOC Info

Username: Jack Sparrow
How did you find out about AG Dichotomy: A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told me the whole story.
Have you read the rules and agree to abide by them? Yes


Character Biography

Given Name(s): Jonathan
Surname: Sparrow
Nickname: Jack, Jackie when he was young.
Age: 41
Sex: Male
Ethnicity: British and French is all he’s certain of. He never asked his father about his background.
Country of Birth: India
Current Whereabouts: If not sailing the Caribbean, then probably in Tortuga. Sometimes he’s hard to track down.
Occupation: Pirate
Former Occupation(s): Merchant Sailor for the East India Trading Company
Parents: Martha Sparrow and Teague (no one dares ask him if that’s his first or last name, not even Jack.)
Siblings: He has three older sisters by his mother. Jack has heard mention of a few siblings by his father, but he has never met any of them.
Children: None that he’s claiming.

Avatar: Johnny Depp

Description:
He has brown eyes and medium skin tone, which may have more to do with the amount of time spent in the sun than genetics. His mother was English and French, but no one is certain about his father. Although he’s not a slight man, he’s also not particularly tall or muscular.

His hair is dark brown, very long and thick, and in it’s natural state, it would be fairly straight, but he has chosen to keep much of it in dreadlocks, beads and braids. He constantly wears a bandana around his head, and he also loves to wear his favorite tricorn hat. There are several trinkets and small mementos tied into his hair. He has always had a difficult time growing a full beard, but the hair on his chin can grow fairly long and he keeps it in two braids with beads on them. He has worn a moustache since he was old enough to grow one, even before he became a pirate.

His clothing style has stayed consistent over the years. He generally wears some sort of long coat, a white-ish, long-sleeve shirt, a vest, breeches and boots. He favors colors in the gray/blue range, although he also likes brown. On the more practical side, he always wears a belt, baldric, and sash, and he lines his eyes in black kohl to keep the glare of the sun away from them. On the less practical side, he wears rings on all his fingers, mostly taken from past lovers, and any beloved trinket or memento that’s too big to tie into his hair ends up tied to his belt.

Distinguishing marks on his person include several tattoos, but the one that’s best known is the “sparrow” on his right arm. He also has a pirate brand on the same arm. And finally, another interesting feature is Jack’s gold teeth. He has several throughout his mouth.

Strengths & Weaknesses:
One of Jack’s strengths is that his mind is always on the go. Even in adverse situations, he’ll let on like he knows exactly what he’s doing while his mind is racing to come up with his next move. He likes to have a plan whenever possible, but if there isn’t one, or if the one he has doesn’t work out, he’s quick to improvise with whatever is available. He can sum up a situation and figure out what his advantages and disadvantages are. He can also do this with people. He’s very good at seeing what it is that motivates them and turning it to his favor. And if he still can’t find a way to get out of a sticky situation, he’ll play along until that changes, then make his next move at “the Opportune Moment.”

Where this becomes a weakness is that it has allowed Jack to come out on top in a bad situation so often that he genuinely believes sometimes he can achieve virtually anything. It creates a sense of pride in him, and it also helps to make him stubborn. He is so certain he will achieve his goals, that even when it appears all is lost, he’ll keep going, because he never truly loses hope. There has to be another way, and he’ll find it, because he’s Captain Jack Sparrow. This has created some very sticky situations for him.

Another strength is that there is always an air about him that’s a little less than serious. He often comes across as a dim-witted drunkard and others usually mistake this for his weakness. Jack is well aware of this perception of himself and uses it to his advantage, even playing it up at times. It causes people to let their guard down around him as he seems like less of a threat. This makes it easier for him to work with (or even against) them. This only becomes a weakness when Jack is genuinely trying to be serious or straight-forward about something, because few people expect that from him. He has a difficult time convincing them that he knows what he’s talking about or can be trusted.



History:
Jack was born in Bombay, India to a wealthy family who worked very closely with the East India Trading Company. His mother, Martha, became a widow at the age of twenty-four when her husband died of a “weak heart.” She was left with three daughters, Priscilla (9), Dorothy (6), and Catherine (2). She moved back in with her parents just outside of the city after this so that she could remain under her father’s care as was customary. However, it only took a couple of years before she became restless and began to sneak away by herself to the city where there was more to see and do.

Jack’s father, Captain Teague, was a pirate who used to make port often in that city. He wasn’t extremely handsome, and he certainly had a shady disposition. When he saw a lovely, upper-class lady wandering in a Bombay marketplace by herself, he was intrigued, if not a little impressed. He made it a point to make small talk with her on their “chance” meetings, and even flirted with her in ways that the average woman in her position would be offended by. But Martha was not easily offended. Her family worked with sailors often, and although she rarely interacted with them personally, she was well aware of their ways. Besides, there was always a gleam in Teague’s eye that told her that this was only his way of being friendly, and he never meant her any harm. She didn’t initially enjoy their encounters together, but eventually he did grow on her.

Several months later, she had to break the news to her father that she was going to bear another child. Her father decided that they would hide her away until she gave birth, then give the child up to an orphanage and pretend it never happened. But when the child was born, her first and only son, Martha couldn’t give him up. She begged her father to let her keep him until he gave in. She named him Jonathan and told others he was an adopted orphan who the family would charitably raise as one of their own. However, she had always told Jonathan (or Jackie, as most began to call him) the truth about his father, and she would even take him to see his father once in a while when he visited Bombay. It was their little secret.

When Jack was very young, Teague frightened him a little, but his father always had fascinating things to show him from around the world and an interesting story to tell. Usually, they went onboard his ship where he was the captain’s son, and everyone treated him with respect. Jack liked this kind of respect and decided that one day, he would command a ship just like his father. Eventually, Jack grew to respect his father and learned that he had nothing to fear from him. He also learned to take advantage of the fact that others had quite a lot to fear from him. On the ship, he had the advantage.

While at home, Jack never wanted for anything. He had tutors who taught him history, swordplay, French, and music. He was taught to be cultured and how to behave in a formal setting. All of this was to be expected of a boy who was raised in a family like his. There was one problem, though. Regardless of how much the family insisted that Jackie was an adopted orphan, the truth was still well known, even if not spoken of in public. Jack was always perceived as a second-rate member of the family. His eldest sister, Priscilla, who had fully understood what happened to her mother, was particularly harsh with him. Fortunately, she had married and moved out of the home not long after his birth. But she visited often and treated him like a worthless brat when she was there. Even her children (who were more like cousins to him than nieces and nephews) did the same. So, rather than disappoint his beloved sister, he behaved just as she expected while she was around. His other sisters weren’t as bad. Dorothy never had much to do with him one way or the other. She also married and moved away, but she didn’t visit nearly as often as Priscilla, and Jack never got to know her very well. However, he and his youngest sister, Catherine, spent many years together. Jack was a typical irritating little brother...times two. But Catherine had a spark of mischief in her as well, and the two of them had some interesting times. Usually they worked against each other, but occasionally they worked together. It wasn’t long before the servants learned to be wary of them when they seemed to be getting along.

By the time Jack was ten, it was common knowledge that he was Martha’s son, although still, no one would mention it in front of the family. It was having an impact on the family’s social standing. Jack also became aware of people’s attitudes toward him and his mother, which only caused him to want to rebel. Why would he want to behave like these people? It wasn’t as though they would accept him if he did. He had become a little bit of a trouble-maker, which only caused more gossip and rumors. Some suggested to his grandfather that he force Martha to give him up. The local church orphanage knew how to chase the devil out of ornery little boys like him, after all. It wasn’t an easy decision but he managed to convince Martha that a church would be the best place for Jack. Martha forced herself to be strong while she explained to Jack what was going to become of him. “You’re going to join the Church,” she told him in no uncertain terms. “They are in need of choir boys there, and your grandfather told Father Jefferson that you would be a wonderful addition. You’ll leave at the end of this week.”

“A choir boy?” Jack exclaimed. “But I don’t know nothing of singing.”

Anything. You don’t know anything of singing,” she corrected him. “You don’t need to know anything of singing. They’ll teach it to you. And if you sing well enough, they might even make you a eunuch. Then you can sing like an angel for the rest of your days.”

“What’s a eunuch?” Jack asked. His mother explained it to him, and Jack’s eyes grew to twice their size. “But I don’t want to be a eunuch!” he cried.

“Then, don’t sing well!” she said and left the room before she became too upset.

That night, Jack packed up some of his belongings and put them in a small chest. He had decided to run away. He had no idea where he was going, but the last thing in the world he wanted was to become a eunuch. However, before he even reached the foyer, he was met by his mother. Martha had heard the noise from his room in the middle of the night and guessed what he was trying to do. “Where are you going?” she asked.

Jack smiled sweetly at his mother and said, “Nowhere. I wasn’t going no-, I mean, anywhere. I was just tidying up me nursery and carrying out some old toys. It was a surprise...for you.”

She hardly reacted to his farce. Instead she said, “Give me your hand.” Jack expected her to swat it, but instead, she dropped some coins into it. “Your father’s ship just docked in Bombay yesterday. Go see him. He’ll take care of you.” Jack did as he was told, and just as his mother said, Teague was there. He told Teague what had happened, and he agreed to take Jack onboard.

Jack sailed and learned all the ways of piracy including drinking, fighting, plundering and the merits of pleasurable company. They had returned to Bombay several times, but it took three years before Martha met them again. “Teague, I want my boy,” she said.

Teague motioned with his head for Jack to go with her. Thirteen-year-old Jack looked at his mother, wrinkled his nose at her and said, “I’m not leaving with this woman. I’m a pirate now. I have no interest in high society snobbery.”

The next thing Jack knew, his father’s hand had struck him to the ground. “You’ll go, and you’ll respect your mother,” was all he said, and he left.

Jack lived with his mother again and soon fell back into step with society’s ways. Except now, he was the one sneaking away to the city for a little amusement. One evening, Jack and a group of young friends were arrested for “Public Drunkenness and Disturbing the Peace.” Jack’s grandfather was able to get him out of jail, but he decided that the boy had become too restless. It was time for him to learn a trade. Building on Jack’s sailing experience, his grandfather sent him to the New World with a cartographer in the EITC to help him map its coastline. Jack was intrigued with the New World, but he didn’t want to map it, he wanted to explore it. He became less interested in his lessons and began to work his way into the regular crew, until finally, his mentor went ashore on their return trip to India while Jack sailed on.

Jack was able to work his way up through the ranks of the crew. By his early twenties, he had become the captain of the EITC merchant ship, the Wicked Wench (named for his dear sister, Priscilla, he used to say) For once, he had made his family proud. He had even earned the recognition of a very important man in the Company named Cutler Beckett. Beckett often touted young Jack’s achievements, and as a way of showing his appreciation for all of his hard work, he offered him a stake in the profitable and coveted slave trade after only sailing a short time. Jack had heard stories about the horrific conditions on those ships. But the money was attractive, so he saw no harm in having a few goes at it to fatten his purse. However, once he had picked up his first load of human cargo and took off for the Caribbean, he realized the stories didn’t come close to the reality of it. Instead of arriving where he was supposed to, he went to another island and secretly freed the slaves there. He worked with one of the slaves, Tia Dalma, to make it look like the situation was out of his control. She gave Jack a special gift for his kindness, a compass that pointed to whatever it was his heart desired most.

Beckett soon learned about this and called for Jack immediately. Jack tried to tell him that the slaves had taken over the ship, but it didn’t work. There were witnesses who turned on him. He was promptly branded a pirate and forced to watch his ship burn and sink into the ocean. Jack couldn’t return to his once proud family now, the EITC would have nothing to do with him, and no merchant captain would have anything to do with him with a pirate brand on his arm. As he sat on the beach and lamented his situation, Davy Jones showed up, curious to find a crewless sunken ship in the ocean and its captain sitting just onshore. Jones went to investigate.

Jack saw the “man” sail up in a dinghy and knew who it was. He had heard stories. Jack feigned confidence and met Jones in his boat, where they discussed the situation. Jones wanted a captain to join his crew, but he couldn’t take Jack because he was still alive. Jack wanted his ship back. A bargain was struck and Jack would be captain of his ship for thirteen more years in exchange for 100 years with Jones. Jack had no intentions of keeping his part of the bargain, but he had thirteen years to find a way out of it. His ship was raised whole but still black due to the burning, and he rechristened it the Black Pearl. He hired a crew and took off to his favorite region of the world, the Caribbean. He pirated the seas successfully there with his faster than average ship and earned recognition for his unusual ways, and after a while, his rather unusual look.

Jack soon learned about a local legend concerning the Stone Chest of Cortéz. Using his compass, he set off to find it. But there was supposed to be a curse on this chest, and although Jack didn’t believe in such things, many of his crew did. Jack had to go to Tortuga to find new recruits to replace many of them. After trying unsuccessfully all day in a local tavern, a man who looked like he had been sailing the seas a long time approached him. He offered not only himself, but several other men if Jack would only allow him to be first mate. His name was Hector Barbossa. Jack knew that his current first mate, William (Bootstrap) Turner wouldn’t be happy about it, but if Jack explained the situation, perhaps he could get used to the idea, just this one trip. But the venture lasted more than two years due to complications. During that time, Barbossa turned his crew against him undetected. One day, Jack was mutinied upon and left to die on a deserted island with nothing but a pistol and one shot. He was rescued three days later by a ship of rumrunners, but he spent the next ten years chasing down the Pearl and its now cursed crew (Oh, they found the chest, but it turned out, the curse was real). During that time, Jack sailed with other crews, built on his personal legend, and befriended a former sailor of the British Royal Navy named Joshamee Gibbs. He was the only true friend Jack had since Bootstrap’s unfortunate fate for sticking up for him at the mutiny. During that time, Jack also learned that his father wasn’t just any pirate, but a Pirate Lord. And when the Brethren Court designated Teague to be the Keeper of the Code, he passed his piece of eight on to the only son he had ever truly gotten to know.

[For the sake of time and space, and the love of mercy, insert CotBP canon here.]


Sample/Past Roleplay: (If it’s too short, let me know. I’ll try to find something better, maybe from another character. I don’t have a lot for Jack’s character. Besides, this makes up for the crazy long history.)

[Excerpt from previous post for context. Elizabeth: "I think we've taken advantage of your hospitality long enough, Captain Sparrow." She wasn't sure why she was being so formal - perhaps because she was returning to her new life again, a life that didn't include fraternising with pirates. "We should go home." She turned to Jack, staring him in the eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.]

When Jack heard Elizabeth's voice behind him, its new coldness told him everything he needed to know about the way she was feeling. He put the telescope away and turned around to find both Turners looking understandably disappointed. The look in Liz's eyes made even his heart sink a little, although he would never show it. He smiled and let out a bit of a laugh as though nothing was wrong and the whole situation was really rather ridiculous. He approached them saying, "Just a simple miscalculation, is all. Completely understandable, what with Pope meddling with the calendars and all. I think returning home would be an excellent idea. It's getting dark and Little Turner here looks absolutely exhausted." With that he tousled the boy's hair again, amused by how much it bothered him. "I'll even walk you home," he said while holding an elbow out for Elizabeth to hang onto. Afterall, if she wanted to be formal again, he could play along with that. It would only last until he could get her to a bottle of rum. He was sure of it.

"Then we can send the lad to his bed for the evening. And meanwhile," he leaned a little closer to Liz so she wouldn't take offense to the topic around the boy, "you and I can have a bottle of rum or two just to," he coughed while he tried to come up with an acceptable excuse, "ease your worries a bit." Of course, Jack had other hopes, but it would do no good to bring that up now. The situation would require a little bit of finesse.

He turned toward the few men who were still hanging around on deck and shouted, "Men! Bring me two... no, three bottles of rum. Tout de suite!"

Code: Ablative absolutes in the Navy?

Answer here if you give permission for a link to exist on the website to your bio: Yes
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Alia-Hildwyn
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:D Accepted, no need to change the name.

And you know you have true friends when you all get busted for "Public Drunkenness and Disturbing the Peace." ;)
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Jack Sparrow
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I miss those blokes! Those were some of the best times I never remembered.

*shoves Monkey in the muse box and tapes it shut*
*sits on top of it with a bottle of rum*

I can get used to this.
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Alia-Hildwyn
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Quote:
 
Those were some of the best times I never remembered.
I hope that one of you remembered events, otherwise, who told the stories? ;)
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