You were sent as an explorer to the Caribbean during the "Golden Age of Piracy." By order of the king, you were to explore the Mayan ruins near Nassau. Pirates were trying to build their world there. Everyone on the spanish galleon assumed they wouldn't board the research vessel, as they had nothing valuable.

In the context of the role-playing game, you're just a researcher with the order "Explore this part of the Mayan pyramid complex," but that's not so important since you're a hostag now.