Okay so I wanna ramble a bit about a character from my fantasy pirate story "South Of The Sun". (If ive rambled to you about him before and that info contradicts this info in any sort of way... then consider the contradicted parts to be outdated. This post is the revised and updated info about him).
He is Captain Loch Lionheart (otherwise known as "Moonbeard", in similar vein to whitebeard and blackbeard in pirate stories).
Hes a pirate captain who is bound to his ship whom he named "Miss Mistery" (haha...... get it? Mist-ery... not Mystery...? Okay i'll leave-), like... magically. He can technically leave his ship, but if he ever does, he will immediately die. For as long as he stays aboard, and for as long as the ship is not destroyed somehow (hard to do, since its magically hex'd, but not an impossible task) he will live eternally - and he cannot be killed via injury or illness (though he can still feel pain and be harmed and get sick of course, they just wont ever do him in).
The same, however, is not for the rest of his crew ("the jolly seadogs"). They arent bound to the ship and can leave it freely, but they also age normally and thus all eventually die (either by older age or in battle or of illness, etc). So Loch will dock at certain locations and have his living crew go on shore to scout out new members whenever the crews' numbers get too low (or when someone like their chef or medic dies- those are especially a priority scouting hunts. Captain cant go on with just eating yucky hardtack!).
Loch; while only looking like he is about 40 or so; has been around for quite a long time, much longer then an average human lifespan (especially for this time period, even if its a fantasy setting). Historical sources often argue as to exactly how long hes been around... whether decades or centuries- no one is certain, and he isnt keen on telling. There is also some who refuse to believe he is truely "immortal", and they instead think the title of moonbeard is smth passed down from each generation of captain of the crew; or smth akin to that. This has lead him to be quite a mystery amongst fellow pirates and those ashore, even garnering a sea shanty about himself (which he learned via his crew when they went ashore to a tavern a few years back).
He is also the adoptive father of the protag of the story (Gwaredd), and they have a sweet bond- with him first entering the captains life unexpectedly as a child (details of how he was found are still being worked out). Since they have the name eye color, they often lie and say they are blood related cuz they find it funny to see people so confused (even if everything else about their appearances dont match in any conceivable way). But like, whos gonna fight an immortal pirate with no impulse control and a 7 ft tall half lion with blood magic about if their tale about being related is true? Yeah, no. Only the dumbest would - and a few dumb ones have, but never lived to tell the tale of that battle.
Tiny tidbit: the hex'd ship they sail on, Miss Mystery, is - technically sentient. Sort of like the magdrigals' house. And Loch often bickers with it a lot like their an old married couple (cuz honestly they kind of are even if not in a normal sense, considering how long they've known eachother/been bound together, and how strong the emotional attachment and trust bond is at this point), which the crew often playfully teases the captain for with kissy faces and anniversary/or honeymoon comments. (Loch rarely wins those bickering sessions with Miss Mistery, btw). Gwaredd views Miss Mistery as his mother due to this, and the ship cares about him a lot in return. Though she maybe coddles/spoils him a little too much like helping him sneak cookies from the kitchen at night or making sure he doesnt fall overboard when hes drunk. She cares for the whole crew of course, but, those two are her favorites. And she isnt shy about the fact she plays favorites, lol.
Only Loch and Gwaredd are able to fluently understand Miss Mistery, even if she cant actually speak (not like Gwaredd could hear her if she did, since hes deaf). Boats make all kinds of sounds, like creaking or groaning for example- so its sort of like her version of speaking or perhaps charades? When she isnt slamming doors or uprooting planks, at least. Its like its own language almost. Again, think of the magdrigals' house for examples and visuals of what im trying to explain/describe here with her. Its essentially the same exact premise, just a different vessel being used (a boat instead of a house, ykyk).
This is sort of how I imagine him to look like - though the picrew wouldnt let me add the scattered patches/streaks of gray hair that he has in his beard and locks (and no pirate had options either... but that was more expected cuz those hats arent easy to find on this site)
Fun fact! His first name, Loch, that i keep using- its not the full version his name. The full version of his name is Lochlainn (the name is taken from the Irish & Scottish word Loch meaning "Lake"). Though he generally prefers to be called the shortened version of his name, just "Loch", since it was used as a nickname for him most of his life so hes more comfortable with it. He only uses his full name with like signing documents and other such more like- formal things. Only a small % of people even know his full name, or even his real name at all. He is mostly known by Moonbeard, and only his small tightknit crew really even call him Captain Lionheart or even just Loch in general. Which he doesnt mind. Keeping idenities safe is important, especially when you have family (his adopted son) ans a lot of enemies over your very long time in the job. Enemies who would wanna know any and all possible personal connections you have; in order to hurt you for revenge and whatnot. But, such is the life of one of the most wanted and feared pirates in all of the seething seas.
Another a fun fact- he's intersex :3 In what way? Well, must like a lot of stuff about him, such as his past/backstory/childhood .... thats quite the mystery, my dear reader ;) hes had a tiring and winding journey to find peace with his body and idenity, not just with dealing with discrimination and alienation with it (from other people ans his own dark thoughts) but also even finding the correct words to even use for any of it to begin with was a struggle for quite a while (yes, "modern" gender and sexuality related terms do indeed exist in my fantasy world, deal with it haters β¨οΈ)
