@Raineh: Yes, your hands are free, thanks to your assassin-monk training and manual dexterity.
The gauge of the heavy chain is fairly thick, somewhere around 0.5 cm or 0.25 in. The chain is looped through manacles binding your feet, though the chain between your legs isn't particularly short or restrictive in length. They probably figure it's enough restraint combined with all the other security measures that their prisoners wouldn't risk drowning.
@bhu: Your boat is probably about 15 feet from the ship, connected by the thick rope. If you could get free, there are ways you could get to the ship and enact your attack plan, but you'd have trouble doing so silently without the assistance of your fellow captives. Even then, as Raineh mentioned, you're still chained to everyone else as well. I would still like to see you choke the guy out with the chain.
The reason I opened this way was to see how you guys think or act individually and/or as a group, and how creative you will get to solve your problem. There are a number of ways to get free, though you could just as easily stay in chains and wait to see what happens naturally. I have no interest in railroading you guys, though there will obviously be certain circumstances and obstacles depending on what you guys do. I am absolutely pleased to alter my plans on the fly and adapt to how you guys choose to approach things, sandbox style. While I know what events are happening in the background, it could be that your characters choose to go their separate ways and become dairy farmers or bankers or something, though that might not make for the most exciting adventures.
