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The sounds of the cheering crowd floated along the tropical breeze for miles, carrying with it the smell of salt water transfused with the sweet fruits of the island. The tournament would soon begin, and the hype would reach both contestants and spectators alike.

Elias Hawthorne's senses rushed as the invigorating roar descended to his ears. He had been afraid that, after being shipwrecked here on this deserted island, he would be rendered incapable of participating in the competition he had dreamed of throughout his childhood; the driving force behind all of his work as a swashbuckling cabin boy.

Hawthorne was a pirate, a world-renowned pirate. His famous sieges had earned him a legendary bounty that would make the world's nations envious at a glimpse. He had been driven to prove his name, "Hellsbane Hawthorne", after the hard work he had put forth under the command of the previous captain, Death Pirate Nolan. His most recent venture had yielded him the largest bounty of them all, the weight, in fact, pulled his ship so low that it scraped the reefs surrounding the island he now found himself on.

The crash was horrendous. It sent crew members over the bannister, equipment topsy-turvey, and Elias himself into a makeshift cradle, comprised of the main sail and some lucky knotting. This encompassing canvas was Hawthorne's guardian; the only thing that saved him from the nautical doom his shipmates now shared.

After the crash, Elias awoke to find himself with a rugged beard and an empty stomach. He wondered how long he could have been unconcious to cause this seemingly immediate change in appearance, but needed to act using his basic survival skills.

For months, Elias Hawthorne survived on that which he could provide for himself: fruits from the tropical jungle which enumerated the small island, and the small life he could catch both in the water and on land. Throughout time, the sea returned much of his latest loot to him, although it had now become largely unimportant, a fact which sent Hellsbane Hawthorne through an epiphany all its own.

Now, as he sat and contemplated both the events of the past, and the up-and-coming Elemental Championship, Elias found himself filled with an encouraging fire. He laughed hysterically as he pranced about. The inspirational fire pushed Elias to try and escape the island once again. He had been completely discouraged after countless attempts to evade the various reefs, whirlpools, and wildlife which had inspired an awe of the Sea into the once rebelious scallywag but now seemed miniscule in his eyes.

Hawthorne raced into the jungle and gathered various supplies. He collected coconuts, bamboo shoots, vines, leaves, mud, and other useful supplies. Once he had collected a sufficient amount of components, he set to building his ferry to freedom. He tied bamboo shoots together with vines, bound coconuts around to add buoyancy, and created a floor of leaves and mud to keep water below him.

The project took days as he continued to perfect his raft. Finally, it was time to test it out. With a crazed shout he pulled the hulking craft into the receeding waves. As the water overtook the sandy beach, Elias watched as his floor of dried mud and leaves successfully bulwarked the seas impossible grasp.

With this hopeful sign, he swiftly jumped aboard and watched as the waves carried him out a ways before bringing him back to the island. The waves' cycle had not surprised him, nor had his boat's endurance. Nay, better. Never had he created a finer escape raft, perhaps this was to be the successful voyage.

He set about to making his equipment. Using the loot which now cluttered the beach, Elias melted down the gold and combined it with crabs claws, turtle shells, coconuts, rocks, and other local agents as he began to craft his battle attire.

Before setting off, he gathered a shrine he had created to the water beings and mounted it atop his ship. He now set off in the direction of the cheers. Perhaps now, he would have the nautical ones' blessings and he would find safe passage to civilization. Elemental Championship, prepare yourself for Elias "Hellsbane" Hawthorne...

Name: Elias "Hellsbane" Hawthorne
Element: Water
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Occupation/Rank: Pirate Captain
Equipment: King Crabhammer Sword, Terrapin Plate, Fishskin Greaves, Thorned Seaweed Whip, Seashell Crest.
Personality: Conflicted nature. Once bloodthirsty, but  now doubts necessity for bloodshed (outside of the Championship, of course.)