THE WIND BETWEEN US
CAST OF PIRATES (35 TOTAL):
1. Captain Roghar the Red – Pirate Captain
Fierce, wise, fiery red beard, has seen every ocean and beast. Leads with fear and love. Sings battle hymns like lullabies.
FIRST MATES & OFFICERS
2. Black Murdoch – First Mate / Enforcer
Brutal, grumbles threats, breaks barrels with his fists. Keeps order among the crew.
3. Borrik Nosebite – Second Mate / Brawler
Lost part of his nose in a fight—he bit first. Loud, proud, always the first to laugh at danger.
4. Tanka Twin-Axe – Weapons Master
Dual-wields axes, braided beard, trains the crew. Grunts instead of talking.
5. Gargo Flinch-Eye – Navigator
One twitchy eye, always peering at the map. Knows the seas like he was born in them.
DECK CREW & SPECIALISTS
6. Loopin the Limp – Powder Monkey Captain
Limp from a cannon blast, but fast with fuses. Loves blowing things up.
7. Zarko Bellybump – Cook / Morale Officer
Always eating, belly jiggles before a storm. Sings loudly while stirring stew.
8. Fizzetooth – Cannon Engineer
Explosive smile—literally. Teeth fizzed off in a powder accident. Talks fast.
9. Big Mako – Deck Muscle / Lifter of Heavy Things
Speaks in short phrases. Can lift two grown men with one arm.
10. Smudgeface Pete – Chimney Sweep / Smoke Signal Specialist
Always dirty, face like a smudged cloud. Speaks in riddles.
BATTLE PIRATES
11. Crooked Jay – Blade Duelist
Bent spine, crooked blade, fights like a dancing eel.
12. Hookfinger Dan – Grappling Master
Has hooks on fingers, climbs and lassos like a spider monkey.
13. Stubbs the Tall – Lookout
Ironically short. Called "Tall" because he lies about his height.
14. Iron-Tongue Billy – Shouter / War Crier
Tongue is plated with iron. Can scream over a storm.
15. Snotnose Gregor – Cabin Kid Handler
Constantly sniffing. Looks after young deckhands… poorly.
ODDBALLS AND QUIRKY PIRATES
16. Grunt – Silent Enforcer
Only grunts. No one knows his real name. Terrifying in battle.
17. Whisperin' Jeb – Spy / Eavesdropper
Talks in whispers, hears everything. Probably knows your secrets.
18. Three-Toes Tammy – Survivalist / Tracker
Only has three toes, barefoot always. Can track rats by scent.
19. Bonecrack Charlie – Bone Collector / Superstitious Guard
Cracks bones before sleep. Keeps bones for luck.
20. Plankwalker Jill – Interrogator / Threat Specialist
Sweet voice, deadly threats. Makes prisoners walk the plank with style.
MID-LEVEL CREW
21. Rusty Ned – Anchor Master
Smells like iron. Swears the anchor is haunted.
22. Whalebeard Joe – Harpooner
Beard looks like whale blubber. Harpooned a whale… once.
23. Slimy Nick – Rat Catcher / Below Deck Manager
Always slimy. Rats love him. You probably won't.
24. Eyeless Rae – Blind Sharpshooter
Can shoot a cannon by sound. Terrifying accuracy.
25. Wiggly Mitch – Rope Dancer / Mast Monkey
Never stands still. Ties knots with his toes.
COMIC RELIEF & SUPPORT PIRATES
26. Jellybelly Ben – Belly Drum Performer
Uses his stomach as a war drum. Loud, laughable, lovable.
27. Doomshanks – Doom Prophet
Always predicting death… always wrong.
28. Scurvy Tom – Fruit Guard / Medic
Paranoid about lemons. Forces others to eat oranges.
29. Razor Lizzy – Blade Polisher / Smile Assassin
Grins while sharpening. Quiet and lethal.
30. Old Crank – Complainer-in-Chief
Complains about everything. Still gets the job done.
YOUNGER PIRATES & NEW BLOOD
31. Thumpin' Wren – Drummer Boy (Girl)
Beats war drums with reckless joy. Energetic and loud.
32. Fish-Face Drew – Spear Fisher
Smells of the sea. Face always wet. Laughs like a dolphin.
33. Bubbles the Mad – Ship's Clown / Crazy Prophet
Talks to bubbles. Sometimes predicts attacks by burping.
34. Sharkbait Leon – Recruit Trainer
Once thrown to sharks as punishment—he survived. Teaches fearlessness.
35. Clammy Jake – Deck Mopper / Slippery Sneak
Always clammy. Slips around like an eel. Somehow always survives.
EXT. PIRATE SHIP DECK – SUNSET
The wind hummed gently through the rigging. Waves crashed below in rhythm. Varnok stood alone at the edge of the ship, silhouetted by the setting sun. A scruffy pigeon perched on his arm, pecking at his beard like it was nesting material. He gently stroked its head.
INT. PIRATE QUARTERS – CONTINUOUS
Inside, the pirates were in full swing. Stubbs the Tall strummed a broken banjo while Jellybelly Ben slapped rhythms onto his belly. Black Murdoch was mid-arm wrestle with Tanka Twin-Axe. Gargo Flinch-Eye spun a wild tale while waving a turkey leg.
PIRATES (singing faintly):
"Yo-ho, beware the tide, where legends live and sailors died…"
Akio pushed open the heavy wooden door. His cheeks were flushed from the chaos inside. Holding a half-eaten biscuit, clearly gifted by one of the kinder pirates, he walked slowly across the deck toward his father.
"Dad...?" he called. "What are you doing?"
Varnok didn't turn. He was focused, tying a tiny scroll to the pigeon's leg.
"Sending your mother a letter," he said. "I need her to know you're with me… and safe. She made me promise — every mile away."
Akio blinked. "Mom did…?" He shivered dramatically. "Ooh, I can imagine her face… like when I broke her favorite bowl... but worse… way worse."
He hugged himself like he'd seen a ghost. Varnok chuckled quietly.
Akio squinted at the pigeon. "So… uh… why the pirates? I thought you were one of the king's men? Right?"
Varnok nodded slowly. "I was. But I spoke with the village chief."
FLASHBACK — INT. CHIEF'S HALL — NIGHT
The village chief sat by a glowing fire. His voice was low, cautious.
"These aren't just pirates. They're the only crew mad enough to go where the king's men won't. I handpicked 'em for you, Varnok. Those knights are up to something. I can feel it."
He handed Varnok a scroll sealed with pirate insignia.
BACK ON DECK
Varnok finished tying the scroll and held the pigeon high.
Akio raised an eyebrow. "How do you even know it's not just gonna fly off and never come back?"
Varnok shrugged. "I don't. I'm unfamiliar with pigeons."
He glanced at Akio, half-smiling. "Let's just pray it doesn't deliver it to the wrong wife."
Akio's jaw dropped. "Wha—?!"
He realized it was a joke too late, groaning as the pigeon flapped clumsily and nearly dropped a gift on his shoulder. Then it soared into the golden sky, circling once before flying toward the horizon.
They watched it go.
"So… what are you familiar with, Dad?" Akio asked quietly.
Varnok said nothing. He simply turned, smiled, and began to walk away. The wind brushed his hair back.
"Dad?" Akio called. "Dad—hey! Come on!"
He chased after him, biscuit still in hand, his voice echoing behind him.
EXT. WIDE MONTAGE – BIRD'S JOURNEY
The pigeon flew over crashing waves… a jungle where monkeys reached out mid-air… over snow-peaked mountains, pausing on a goat's horn… through deserts, sipping from a traveler's canteen...
INT. MIZUKI'S HOME – EARLY MORNING
A candle flickered beside the window. Mizuki stood near it in silence. The pigeon fluttered to the sill and pecked softly.
She opened the window slowly.
Her eyes widened. She gasped as she lifted the bird gently into her hands.
"You found me…" she whispered.
She unrolled the tiny scroll. As she read, her lips parted in relief. Her hand touched her chest.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She held the letter to her heart and bowed her head. A soft prayer rose from her lips as the candle flickered like a warm beacon of hope.
She kissed the parchment and tucked it into a chest, then closed the lid slowly... lovingly.
The pigeon cooed once… and flew again.
[LETTER FROM VARNOK TO MIZUKI]
My Love,
If this letter reaches you, then the bird has done better than I feared—and perhaps the seas are not as wild as they once were.
Akio is with me. Safe. A little shaken from the voyage, a little stubborn, he gets that from you, but he's alive and stronger than he knows. I promised you I'd write every mile away… so here I am, writing from the deck of a ship that creaks like an old man's knees and smells like fish and gunpowder.
The crew… is colorful. Not the king's men, no. But they're the kind you want beside you in a storm—or a tavern brawl. They may drink like pirates, sing like fools, and curse like devils, but some part of me believes they'd lay down their lives for each other. I'm learning that sometimes, the right crew isn't the cleanest one. Just the most loyal.
I've told Akio bits and pieces—enough to keep him steady, not enough to burden him. He's asking questions. About me. About who I am. I don't have all the answers. But I'll find them.
I miss you.
If the wind is kind, I'll write again soon. Watch the skies. If you see a pigeon flying in circles like it's confused… it's mine.
With all my love,
Varnok