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[Napoleon53]

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

There be yer map, ye scurvy sea dogs! I'm gonna make a big, big, big version tomorrow, but it's 4:00 in the morning, and I'm going to bed.  

Ooh, and comment or I'll have TSA agents come and give you a patdown.

Here's a "brief" intro. Things may change. Pics forthcoming (hopefully.) Red vs. Blue fans I think will love this. Basically, the Redcoats defeated the Armada, and the Bluecoats defeated the Islanders, and now the bloated monarchies are in a cold war. I explain the Greencoats in this section below, and the history of the Orange Republic will be there before long.

Chapter One
What Happened at Edwinburgh

Tatatatatatatatatatatatata...

Following the drums came the trumpets. Out of the mouth of Edwinburgh Castle marched a battalion of Redcoats, the Emperor's Own, singing "Bonnie Lassie." The men, resplendently radiant in their scarlet uniforms, black shakos, and shining brass buttons, slogged in perfect unison, the striped Imperial Flag going on before them.

"I left my Bonnie Lassie
Far, far, behind me,
She cried, she weeped, she sobbed and sighed,
B' I told her 'twas my duty to fight Broadside!

"Her hair is pretty acrylonitrile butadiene styrene,
Her skin is yellow as the sun's golden sheen,
Her eyes are black as ink,
And oft of them I think,
As I leave my Bonnie Lassie
Far, far behind me!"

Admiral Woodhouse, chief military officer and prime minister of the Redcoat Empire, sat on his horse, arm raised in a salute. His left hook-hand dangled limply on his thigh, an appendage lost in service to the Emperor. Woodhouse was 75, and by far the best soldier to ever come out of the the Redcoat Empire. His red hair was now gray and his uniform baggy on his thin frame. He had killed scores of men, whether pirates, Armada, Islanders, or those dratted Bluecoats. He had led the Redcoats in the First, Second, and Third Battles of the Royal Sea. He had led the decisive victories over the Armada and the conquering of their lands, culminating in the sinking of the Armada King's galleon, El Senor, as it fled into the Luchador Sea. He had sent pirate captains Redbeard, Kragg, and Brickbeard to watery graves or hangman's nooses in that order. He had taken down thousands of small-time pirates. He set up firm alliances with the Greencoats to the south, who had broken away from the Armada, making it easier for Woodhouse to destroy the Armada. But most importantly, he had held off that damnable Gouverneur Broadside, sometimes in hand-to-hand combat, and sometimes alone, having fought to the last man. He had brought freedom and prosperity to the Empire. He was a hero.

General MacBrick sat on a horse next to Woodhouse. As the soldiers marched into town for the parade, which was occurring in celebration of Emperor Edward's 50th birthday, MacBrick spoke, "Loo' a' that, m'Lord, best soldiers in the Empire! If only we had a war to use 'em in! Those confounded Bluecoats wan' peace jus' so they c'n expand into th' Sea o' Doom. They'll get the edge on us if we don' beat 'em down ev'ry wonce in a while."

"We've shed our blood and plastic for decades, General; this five years of peace is welcome. The Bluecoats are minding their own business for once. Broadside died fighting, but his son seems much more bearable."

"Dupont Broadside is a nasty, sneaky Bluecoat bugger, I say. Nastier and sneakier than ol' Louis, too. All Bluecoats are buggers, m'lord. Eventually, we'll pound tha' runt into rubble, we will. And I still think Dupont murdered Gouverneur de Martinet to get power. De Martinet was a soldier, but Dupont is a spoilt brat, he is."

Woodhouse shrugged. Five years ago, when Broadside died, his long-time lieutenant, Marquis de Martinet, was chosen to succeed him. He had been assassinated at the royal palace and the murderer was never found, though many said it was one of Cap'n Ironhook's old men. Captain Timotheus Esteban Ironhook had been one of Broadside's kills, and his death seemingly marked the decline of piracy. After Ironhook, Brickbeard was the last pirate to achieve a name for himself. Needless to say, one of Ironhook's men would have motive. Another version had Dupont in on it, killing for power. No one knew who had done it for sure, but the Bluecoat government under Dupont sure pushed the Ironhook tale.

"Well, m'lord, I guess we should ride into town now, eh?" asked MacBrick, donning his busby and a pointing at the advancing parade. "Won't be a parade withou' th' 'ero!"

The two men were joined by about two dozen other mounted officers and nobles, bedecked in Imperial splendour, and advanced at a brisk trot into town. King Edward would soon be out in his royal coach to appear before the citizens. The crowd went wild as the Hero of the Redcoats, Woodhouse, waved. Suddenly, Woodhouse looked up and saw a heavy tile falling off a roof...

*********

Rebecca Ironhook tightened her corset, donned her hat, and buckled her belt as she left her hotel room. The wayfaring wench was the illegitimate daughter of the scurvy Captain Ironhook and niece of Charles Esteban Redbeard, Ironhook's brother, but had only a few coins to her name. She could barely afford to spend the night. Her father had told her he had buried a stash for her, but she never found it. She figured he had probably drank, ate, and wenched it away in the many taverns he frequented. In fact, she wondered if some unknown sister of hers had been told the same. She invented false names, and never really pirated anything, preferring not to have the law after her. She dropped a few coins in the hotel owner's lap. The fat, greasy, unattractive man grunted and went back to rocking on his rocking chair, which made creaking noises as if it would shatter under his weight at any time.

"Much appreciated. Come back to the Rusty Anchor anytime, ma'am."

"Aye, see you," she muttered as she flung the door open and smelled the tropical air. She went out and sat on the side of the cobble road. Townsfolk went about their daily business, buying fish, hocking hams, arranging business agreements, along with typical shadier, likely illegal, activities. She looked around a few more minutes before leaving. Becky stumbled along aimlessly before seeing a small secluded pond surrounded by trees where the town women did their laundry. She saw no one was there and tried to wash her own raggy clothes. As she sat minding her own business, a strange noise sounded behind her.

"Well, well, well," said the fellow. "Wha' have we here?" The man, obviously an old Armada trooper judging by his faded uniform, picked up her clothes and sword and tucked them under his arm, using his free hand to hold a pistol. "Now. Get dressed. Pretty li'le slave girl for the auction. An'... don't be slow, or you know what'll 'appen, lass." He cocked back the gun's hammer.

As he said that, he was unaware Becky kept a knife on her leg at all times. She quickly pulled it out and threw it at the shocked slaver. It inserted cleanly into his throat. Unfortunately, death spasms set the pistol off, firing into the air.

"Uh-oh." Rebecca hurried and put her clothes back on before fleeing the scene, buttoning her shirt as she went. This was bad. She could go to jail or worse. Killing anyone in an Imperial port was usually awarded with hanging. Self-defense was allowed, but there had to be witnesses. She already heard people screaming for the soldiers. She saw to her misfortune that a guard shack was nearby, and mounted dragoons were already galloping toward her. She thought on her feet and leaped onto a passing carriage, chucking the cursing driver off and grabbing the reigns.

A shocked, wigged nobleman peeked his head out of the carriage window. "Wha-?! Who are you?! Help! I'm being kidnapped!"

The other passenger was, again, much to her misfortune, a soldier. The Redcoat drew his sword and climbed on top of the vehicle. Becky grabbed the man by the shirt collar and threw him off, clutching his sword as it fell. She poked a hole in her shirt, forming a makeshift scabbard. She whipped the horses brutally, urging them onward. The dragoons opened fire. They missed, but it was only the first volley, and they could still move in with swords. Becky looked back and saw them hastily reloading their carbines. The Imperial Dragoons sported prototype six-shot rifles. They were inaccurate, but they gave them more chances for shooting her in the head. She turned back to the road and saw in horror that she was approaching a cliff. She was going too fast to avoid plunging off the edge. She waited for the drop.

The dragoons chased the carriage all the way to the cliff before rearing back on their horses, watching the carriage crash and tumble down into the sea.

"End o' 'er," said one Redcoat.

"And end of the nobleman, you dolt!" shrieked the dragoon captain.

Becky, unbeknownst to them, clung to a root poking out of the cliff-side. She slowly, carefully, climbed up to the top, finally getting back onto solid land.

"There she is, men! How the devil did she do tha'?! After 'er!"

Rebecca moaned and rushed to a ladder on the side of a tavern. She climbed up, narrowly missing carbine bullets whizzing past her. She sprinted and jumped onto an awning on the side of the building, using it as a trampoline to catapult her onto the next roof. As she continued this, the awestruck dragoons fired away, missing wildly, too focused on her acrobatics.

"Darn it! After 'er! We ain't gonna let some confounded busty wench get 'way from King Edward's dragoons!" ordered the captain.

The men rode up alongside the buildings and jumped onto ladders, soon catching up to Ironhook. She drew her sword and turned to face them, since they had dropped their guns in the jump. She immediately stuck one of them in the chest, sending his corpse flying off the rooftop. The others closed in, only to loose two more. The remaining three formed a wall of blade and advanced upon her, trying to overwhelm her fencing abilities. She turned and fled, much to their chagrin.

Suddenly, she slipped, and sent a loose roof tile falling to the ground...

***********

Admiral Woodhouse died instantly from the impact of the tile. The crowd of soldiers and citizens screamed as the elderly man fell dead from his horse.

"The Admiral's been killed!" screamed MacBrick, drawing his pistol and firing at the figures on the roof above. He hit his mark, and a... Redcoat... fell screaming from the roof, a bullet in his leg. "Confound it! After th' assassin!"

Dozens of troops swarmed the rooftops in seconds while more put the port town on lockdown. The soldiers fired blindly at every shadow, and others, in their eagerness, fell off the roofs.

***********

Becky Ironhook saw dozens of soldiers give chase after her. She would receive no mercy now. She would escape or go down fighting. Knowing this, she decided to victimize a guard on the street below, taking him out with a rock to the head. She grabbed his musket and shot another. She soon found herself in the vicinity of the cliff again. The Imperials had her back to the sea. She had no choice. She took a deep breath. Closed her eyes. And jumped.

She opened her eyes and tried to avoid projecting rocks during her fall. Then, she hammered into the water like a bag of cannonballs.

As the wind came back into her and she realized she was still alive, she poked her head back out of the water. A ship was nearby, non-Imperial. She tried to scream for help but couldn't muster the energy to.

Someone appeared to notice her anyway, and the ship steered in her direction. It was a Greencoat trading vessel, red-white-and-blue tricolour with yellow sun flapping in the wind, its sails bearing the logo of the G.T.C., the Greencoat Trading Company. Sailors climbed down onto the side of the ship and dragged her on board. She spluttered and coughed as she hit the deck. She, with much effort, raised her head to see Greencoat sailors surrounding her, and the door of the cabin opening. A scarred man in a captain's uniform walked out, hands behind his back. He was accompanied by his first and second mates, all gazing at her.

The grizzled captain spoke. "Welcome aboard the R.S. El Artesano. What happened, señora?"

"Uh, I... Uh, I was looking at the sea when I slipped and fell," she lied.

"I see. You should be more careful. That's not known as Dead Man's Cliff for nothing, señora. First Mate Garcia, show her to a cabin and give her what she needs. We have a guest on board. I expect ship-shape behavior."

The bearded Garcia saluted and clicked his heels. "Sí, capitán! ¡Ahora mismo!" The rigidly-trained first mate took Becky's hand and practically dragged her to a cabin.

Ironhook was given one of the dresses in the hold where the trade items were held. She put it on and went to inquire about where the vessel was going. The captain replied it was going to the Orange Republic, at "the other end of the world." As far as Becky was concerned, that was just fine.

Chapter Two
What Happened in the Straits of Luchador

Captain Maxwell Fields walked up the gangplank of his sloop, the Redbeard, with his pirate scalawags. He had just dug up one of Cap'n Redbeard's treasure stashes. Over 500 doubloons had been recovered, along with a coffin containing a gold bedecked pirate skeleton. It wasn't Redbeard, as his body had been hung in chains in Kingston. It might have been his first mate, Rummy. They ripped the gold out and left the skeleton to rot in the cave. This wasn't the first time Forbidden Island had made Fields and his men wealthier; they had found several stores of gunpowder and silver before, along with a ruby. He went to his cabin as his men put the loot in the hold. It was trading season, and as he looked at the map on his cabin desk, he knew the G.T.C. would have ships in the Straits of Luchador. That would be his best chance to capture a prize; he needed another ship before plundering more loot. Plus, if he was going to be a successful pirate in seas loaded with military vessels with death warrants, he needed more firepower than a sloop. He used a pencil and marked a good place to attack before taking the chart up to the helm on the poop deck to follow the route.

*************

Rebecca hadn't told the G.T.C. men her name was Ironhook. Ironhook had plagued the Greencoats for years before the Bluecoats moved in for the kill. She alone stood on the aft observation deck, scouting the horizon and pondering her troubles.

A black flag.

No sooner had she seen the pirate vessel in the distance before she heard G.T.C. sailors scrambling on deck. A loud boom was followed by a cannonball whipping past the Greencoat flag hanging from the spanker yard.

"Senor Garcia, batten down the hatches and prepare for battle!" calmly instructed the captain from the helm. Sailors rammed the guns out the gunports and passed out weapons to use against the pirates. Loud whistles sounded all over the ship as the pirate sloop neared. Another cannonball pummeled into the top of the mainmast, striking down the G.T.C. flag. Another struck over the deck, beheading a sailor before falling into the sea. Then, it was the El Artesano's turn. A solid volley of shot smashed into the pirate vessel, killing several men and disabling a gun. The pirates returned fire and struck down mizzenmast of the El Artesano. The two severely damaged ships closed in on each other.

"Arrgh, deploy the lines, mates!" growled a pirate officer. Before long, the two ships were tangled together and a boarding ramp was lowered. The blood-thirsty buccaneers charged across with swords and axes to engage the G.T.C. men. Blood flowed as the brutal fighting got personal. The Greencoat captain charged into the fray and downed a pirate with his pistol before drawing his rapier. Becky watched out the window of the cabin. She took a dragoon rifle that was mounted on the wall down and loaded it and ducked behind a desk, waiting to see who would win.

At last, the Greencoats were all killed. Garcia was the last to go down. The remaining pirates bashed down the cabin door. Becky stood up and pointed the rifle at them, warning, "Stop! I'm Cap'n Ironhook's daughter, and if you know what's good for you, you'll leave me alone!"

The pirates looked on in horror as she had them trapped. With that rifle, she could mow down six pirates before someone got her. However, while she focused on the men in the doorway, a buccaneer came in behind from the cabin door leading to the the aft observation deck. Becky felt a sword on her neck.

"Well, if you are Ironhook's daughter, welcome to the crew. I assume these G.T.C. dastards didn't know. You're safer with us."

"Ships ahoy, Cap'n Fields!" alerted a sailor on the bloody, corpse-ridden deck. "Greencoat frigates out on patrol! We best get out o' here, cap'n!"

Fields smacked Becky in the head with his cutlass hilt, knocking her out. "Hurry, mates! Back to the Redbeard! This ship needs repaired too much. Handsomely now!"

The brigands dashed back to their sloop and set sail, with Ironhook's daughter tied up in the cabin. Things were about to get interesting.


(I have the El Artesano built, Greencoats and all, and I'm working on the Redbeard. )

Edited by Napoleon53, 07 January 2012 - 11:55 AM.

[Tomcat RIO]

You are a good story teller you are! Nice map too!

[Napoleon53]

Thank you, sir!

[TalonCard]

Interesting idea for a story!  I've always wanted to see a continuation of the original Pirate storyline.  I liked that you incorporated names from the comic and the Plus Four sets.  I think your map may need some tweaking, though.  Have you seen the map of the Tropical Sea from the Pirate storybooks?  It lays out a pretty definitive geography for the Pirate world.  It's honestly hard to tell if you used it as a starting point or not, but it does provide names for a lot of the islands, which is cool.  In any case, it's definitely blog-worthy!



Look for it to be blogged in the next couple of weeks--incentive to finish the next part of the story!

I also liked your interpretation of the soldiers and Imperial Guards as the forces of fictional powers, rather than, say, the British or the French.  I'll be honest, though, I don't much care for naming their respective nations the Bluecoats and Redcoats...it's just too fanish.  The idea that they are rival factions is also unsupported by the official material--during the years in which both were on the shelves, the soldier sets were sold under the Imperial Guards banner in the catalogs, and the leader of both has always been Broadside in the US, even though the faces change.  The logical conclusion is that they're different divisions of the same military.

Also, the soldiers have been portrayed as forces of an explicitly European nation protecting settlers and colonists in the comics and on the boxes...like the real-life 18th century colonies in the Caribbean, it doesn't seem likely they're anywhere near the homeland.

TC

Edited by TalonCard, 08 January 2012 - 01:22 AM.

[Napoleon53]

Oh, wow! Thanks so much, TC!  

I actually looked for that storybook map forever, but couldn't find it. If anyone could scan it or direct me to one already scanned, I'd appreciate it. I was already going to make a fancier map anyway.

As for the names: I originally had names like "Zanzitania," etc, but I wasn't sure if people would like it, or think I was messing with things too much...


As for Red vs. Blue: I reaallyy wanted to have it based on that Classic-Pirates stereotype about them being hated enemies. (aka Tournaments of Retribution) I originally thought of them as being "marines and soldiers," but it's just more fun to me to have them be enemies.

Who knows? Maybe they had a civil war? Prequel anyone?   

Cheers!  

Edited by Napoleon53, 08 January 2012 - 04:33 AM.

[Hiawatha]

I really like the map with the battles included.

Edited by Hiawatha, 08 January 2012 - 05:04 AM.

[Napoleon53]

Hiawatha, on 08 January 2012 - 05:03 AM, said:

I really like the map with the battles included.

Danke, mein herr! 'Twas fun to make. There'll be more battles on the new version.  

[Napoleon53]

Woops! Please delete. My computer glitched and I double posted.  

Edited by Napoleon53, 09 January 2012 - 10:22 AM.

[Napoleon53]

Chapter 3
A Flashback 20 Years to the Last Great War

Tatatatatatatatatat...

"Men of the Redcoat Empire, fire first!" declared Gouveneur Broadside, raising a glass of wine in a toast.

Woodhouse nodded from up on the hill. "Redcoats! 1st rank, fire! 1st rank, kneel! 2nd rank, fire!"

The Bluecoats charged into Cannon Cove, taking huge casualties as the Redcoats blasted away. Broadside and Lieutenant de Martinet slogged over the sand, leading their troops. Taking Cannon Cove and the surrounding islnd was vital in assuring Bluecoat dominance in the Royal Sea. At the spearhead of this assault were the Sabre Island Guards, under General Murat St. Bleu, a young man of 20 with an extremely successful career. The Sabre Island Guards were the forlorn hope battle group of the Cannon Cove assault.

"Forward, men! For the crown!" St. Bleu pointed his cutlass toward the main Redcoat fortification, a large white bunker with 20 guns mounted on the top. St. Bleu and his men had grappling hooks in their backpacks to scale the cliff, but the fire was so intense those who tried to deploy them were killed. St. Bleu ordered the men to fall back, blowing a bugle over the din of the battle. The slaughter continued as the Redcoats shot them in the back.

Broadside and de Martinet charged forth under the flag of the White Cross. Broadside flogged the retreating Sabre Islanders with a riding crop. "What are you doing? Get back back to zee battle! I'll have you all shot! St. Bleu! Over here at once!"

St. Bleu put a bandage over his bleeding left arm and saluted Broadside, "My lord, we must pull back! We cannot penetrate their defenses!"

"Get zee men back into the fight! I will not tolerate deserters!"

"Sir! We must pull back now! We will lose hundreds upon hundreds of-"

"I don't care! We must capture this island! Get them back to the front. Are backs are to the sea, and a boarding of our ships will also be disastrously bloody."

"That's why I objected to this landing in the first place, my lord! We are going to all die!"

"May zee Sea God damn you to Davy Jones's locker, you coward! I hereby strip you of your rank!" Broadside reached down on his horse and ripped the sleeve insignia from St. Bleu's arm. "Get out of here!"

St. Bleu cursed Broadside out before running with the Guards into the jungle foliage. St. Bleu ducked in a dark, cobweb-covered cave and sat down, narrowly avoiding the explosion from a stray cannonball. He pulled out his flask and took a big gulp of rum before using his bandana to wipe the sweat from his face. He heard the sound of screaming Bluecoats on the attack, and the Redcoat guns blasting away. The Bluecoat ships were trying to provide fire support, but they risked hitting their own men. After half an hour, the noise stopped, and a deadly quiet hung over the island. St. Bleu poked his head out and gasped at what he saw: thousands of casualties strewn over a beach turned to glass. Fire consumed huge areas of jungle, and medics walked from body to body. Most of all, the White Cross flew over the Redcoat bunker.

***************

Ten years later, the disgraced Murat St. Bleu had become a hard-drinking, wench-wooing, rapscallion frequenting the taverns of the high seas, getting into fights and duels and making many enemies. Eventually, he landed a job as second mate on the pirate ship Unicorn. The captain went by the name of Marcus Studson. Studson was a hated tyrant aboard ship, and mutinous thoughts soon spread amongst the crew member's minds. At last, the day came, and St. Bleu made a choice to join the coup. He killed Studson and was elected captain. For ten years, he roamed the seas committing small-time piratical crimes. Thanks to his civilized upbringing, he remained neat and outwardly kind, despite his alcoholic habits, earning him the nickname "The Gentleman Pirate." He always managed to avoid capture, and rarely attacked military targets, remembering he was once one of them.

Chapter 4
An Important Meeting

Becky sat tied up in Fields' cabin waiting for someone to untie her. At last, fields walked in.

"Well, lass, I know someone int'rested in meetin' you! Cap'n Murat St. Bleu just arrived at our camp on Survival Island on board the Unicorn. Told 'im 'bout you. He wants to ask you a few... questions... concerning your old man. C'mon!" He pulled out a dagger and cut her ropes. She had no choice but to follow him and accompanied him down the gangplank to the shore. Fields led her to a cabin just off the beach. Inside were a few furnishings and a middle-aged man in a Bluecoat uniform.

"Bonjour, Madame Ironhook. Take a seat," said the fellow politely. His powdered wig contrasted greatly with his red face and dark eyebrows.

"So, you're the infamous Gentleman Pirate, eh?" asked Becky, pretending not to be interested.

"In the plastic. By thunder it's good to meet you, madame. Let's get down to brass tacks, shall we? I'm a treasure hunter, and I've been after Ironhook's stashes for decades now. Did you find it?"

"No, unfortunately. He never left a clue as to where the loot is."

"Isn't that wonderful? Well, before anything else, am I correct in thinking it was you who killed Woodhouse?"

"How'd you know?"

"Never mind, but well done. That man killed some of my closest friends."

"It was an accident."

"Nevertheless, it was you who killed him! Now, I have a proposal."

"Which is?"

"The taking back of the Kahuka Islands. The Bluecoats are moving in on the last bits of pirate land using that as a launching point. We need to overthrow the colonial government there and resume our domination of the seas. I don't generally like fighting soldiers, you see, but these men are different. They're... tyrants. They operate under the direct control of Dupont Broadside, our illustrious Gouveneur, and without the authorization of the the Royale le Congrès. They're known as the Blackcloaks. Mercenaries in every sense. They don't have a standing army, but rather groups of thugs who go from town to town scaring people into line. They're not soldiers, they're devils. The atrocities they committed during the Fall of Kahuka... Let's just say there are not a lot of Native Islanders left."

"So you just want to do this out of the goodness of your heart? Right," said Becky sarcastically.

"Oui... Well, as a matter of fact, there is something I want. Somewhere in the Kahuka Islands, supposedly on Forbidden Island, is an Islander artifact of incredible power. A golden statue. This statue, if found, supposedly grants one wish. It only grants three before the voodoo wears off. It's been used twice, both times immaturely. Once by Brickbeard. He wished for an infinite amount of gold for the rest of his life. He, of course, was captured and hanged by Woodhouse a month later. Soldiers reported gold kept spontaneously appearing in his cell. The other time was by a fellow named Oliver Boniface. He wished for eternal life. That was old well and good, but that didn't mean he didn't age. When he was 300 years old, he felt it. He killed himself. So, one more wish is all that is left. One. If we wish for the right thing, unlike the other two men, we can change the world. I think it's time Ironhook's daughter had her coming of age. Men will flock to the the old Red and Black flag if you choose to raise it as the direct successor to Redbeard and Ironhook and might overthrow the Blackcloaks on their own. What say you?"

"Well, I don't have much of anything else to do, do I? I'm in. How do we get the other pirates to stop squabbling and unite against the Bluecoats?"

"Simple. We spread the word the Esteban Pirate Clan is back. And... You do realize what the Redcoats are going to do, don't you?"

"What?"

"MacBrick will be the new prime minister. He'll say Broadside assassinated Woodhouse. There will be war. There will be blood. Voila! The Bluecoats won't be able to defend or supply the Kahuka Islands. We win."

"Very clever, that," complimented Becky, grinning wickedly.

"Aye, that's pretty brilliant," spoke Fields.

"So, then, I believe we have a pact. Now, Captain Rebecca Esteban Ironhook, time to make you a pirate lord."

****************

Chapter 5
Bleuville Castle, Capitol of the Kingdom

Dupont Broadside, Gouveneur of the Bluecoat armed forces and son of Louis Broadside I, the Great, sat at his desk, going through his reports. Rumors were spreading that old Admiral Woodhouse, his father's mortal enemy, had died. If this was true, chances were high that the next Redcoat prime minister would blame Dupont. Dupont was already mustering his fleet in case the Reds came up with any bright ideas. The king, Charles IX, would go along with anything Dupont said; he was nothing but a puppet, and had been so since the days of Louis Broadside. Dupont took a sip of his coffee. He didn't want war. What he wanted was to chart and colonize the Sea of Doom. Despite the legends, there was evidence of entire continents just out of reach. If the Bluecoats could conquer those lands, the Redcoats would automatically become a backwater. However, the Redcoats were in a race of their own to chart the Vast North, the freezing lands where ships and crews routinely disappeared. He didn't want to have these advances postponed by a meaningless war of revanchist countries. Plus, it would likely spread and become entirely more gruesome than it when the war began, possibly sucking up the Orange Republic, the Greencoat Republic, the city-states to the east, and the pirates and privateers.

The sound of heels clicking behind him disturbed his concentration. It was his lovely sister Camilla.

"Brother! Sir Jacques positively insulted me today!" she whimpered, pointing downstairs to the main court.

"What did he do now?" Dupont moaned.

"Why, he gave me this red ruby ring, when I told him I wanted a burgundy one!" she shouted angrily, holding out her delicate ringed hand.

"That looks burgundy to me." Dupont hated when his sister railed.  

"No, it's red! He gave it to me deliberately in the wrong color to spite me."

"Oh, will you shut it! That thing is a dark shade of red, and cost Sir Jacques a merchant ship of fruits from the Outpost Islands. Be thankful for once, why don't you?!" Dupont threw his mug on the floor, shattering it in fury.

Camilla gasped and left the room.

Another person entered. It was Lady Anette, one of the slickest operators in the royal court. "Hello, 'Gouveneur Broadside.' How do you fare?"

"Horribly, my dear lady. However, I am glad for your company." He gave her a kiss.

"Why horribly?"

"War," he replied flatly. "War. With the Redcoats. It's almost certain. Woodhouse is dead, and they blame us. I'm already preparing the army and navy for any event."

"I have an idea."

"What might that be?"

Anette walked over to a map on the wall. "I heard a story once about the Kahuka Islands. There's a legend about a savage artifact possessed with voodoo power. It can grant a wish. One wish. Originally, it was three wishes, but it's been used twice already. If the Kingdom can procure that object... You probably see where I'm going."

Broadside was stunned. "Where exactly is this artifact?"

"Here, according to the story I heard," she pointed at Forbidden Island. "To save manpower, upon your approval I and my personal fleet will sail south and search high and low on the island." Anette could make good on this, too, considering the fact that she had inherited her deceased father's shipping company.

"Oui, I approve. And I shall tell the Blackcloaks to assist you as much as possible."

"Good. Farewell, my love."

"See you again soon"



See where I'm taking this, guys?   

I personally like this idea of pitting the female Ironhook against the female Lady Anette and her East India Company-esque navy. Plus, there's still traditional male pirate captains. Mixes it up and avoids stereotypes of piratical leaders.  

Edited by Napoleon53, 09 January 2012 - 10:20 AM.

[TalonCard]

Napoleon53, on 08 January 2012 - 04:32 AM, said:

I actually looked for that storybook map forever, but couldn't find it. If anyone could scan it or direct me to one already scanned, I'd appreciate it. I was already going to make a fancier map anyway.

Here you go!  It would also be interesting to see the islands from the treasure map tile incorporated as well...

TC

[Napoleon53]

TalonCard, on 09 January 2012 - 01:45 AM, said:

Here you go!  It would also be interesting to see the islands from the treasure map tile incorporated as well...

TC

Thanks! I've been dying to see that for a good while. I might have to incorporate the Ironram as the flagship of the Bluecoat Armada.

That's a brilliant idea with the tiles. I'll definitely look at zoomed-in pics of it. I have a few maps, but not the oldest ones.

You guys might notice I mentioned the "Eastern City-States;" they'll just be some nautical regions with small navies. Not actual countries. I mainly invented them so I could do a few MOCs and try my hand at inventing new factions.

Edited by Napoleon53, 09 January 2012 - 02:08 AM.

[Captainmorgan]

It is like a movie, and  a damn good one too.
It is interesting that the story is set when the heroes are old and battles over,keep it up!



P.S. You should write book on this!

Edited by Captainmorgan, 10 January 2012 - 01:55 AM.

[Napoleon53]

Captainmorgan, on 09 January 2012 - 04:11 AM, said:

It is like a movie, ando a damn good one too.
It is interesting that the story is set when the heroes are old and battles over,keep it up!



P.S. You should write book on this!

Thanks a lot!  

Edited by Napoleon53, 09 January 2012 - 10:23 AM.

[Napoleon53]

Okay, guys, I got pictures of the Artesano and the main characters, plus about 30 decaled pirate/soldier figs, including the Sabre Island Guards. I'll be trying to post them tomorrow. I'm still working on the Redbeard. It'll essentially be the pirate flagship for the story, so I've got to make it with as few pieces as possible so I can build beaches, ports, etc later at the same time.

BTW, I'm making progress on that giant map! It gets kind of laggy because it's so big, so it's taking a while.  

Anyway, here ya go:

Chapter 5
The Adventure Begins

Becky Ironhook held on to the spritsail topmast as the Redbeard cut through the sea toward Ironhook Island, the most populous pirate-held landmass. She held on to her hat as the wind picked up, moving the ship faster and faster. As she looked out to see with her spyglass, she struggled to see the island that could possibly decide her fate. There it was, sure enough. "Land ho! It's Ironhook Island!"

"Huzzah!" cried members of the crew. At that moment, a flag signal was sent to the Unicorn, which was a short ways behind the Redbeard. Soon, both ships had dropped anchor and the crew disembarked.

Fields red hair stuck to his face with sweat. It was at least 90 degrees on the beach. "Well, Cap'n Ironhook, what next?" he asked.

Becky shrugged. "Well, I guess we try to find the other pirates here. There's supposed to be that town in the dormant volcano, one of the most defensible positions in the world. I hear there are still Islanders here, though, so watch out." Becky was puzzled as to where the Ironhook Island pirates kept their ships, as no docks or ports were visible. Still, pirates were known for being clever, so they might have an amazing technique for camouflage. She and the huge mob of pirates drew their swords and started hacking into the jungle.

They made brisk progress at first, but soon, it became dangerous and thick with vines. Temperatures soared as men feverishly drank from canteens and rum bottles. They all gave thanks to the Sea God when they found a stream. However, the first sips immediately were bitter and terrible, and they spat it out with disgust.

"Something's infected the water," explained St. Bleu, exhaustion and thirst on his face.

They all stripped to the waist and slogged on. Finally, they found a dead deer in the creek ahead, it's bloating body contaminating the water. As they debated on what had killed it, another animal stepped slowly out of the jungle. A gorilla. No, several gorillas. They were massive.

"Men, fire!" screamed Fields. The pirates fired wildly at the beasts, only making them angry. One of St. Bleu's men was picked up and torn in two in a gruesome scene of blood and plastic.

Becky leveled her blunderbuss and fired, shooting the head off one of the animals, while Fields threw an axe at another, crippling it. A pirate then rushed up and shot it with a musket. The last gorilla pounded its chest and leaped at Becky, grabbing her by the leg and starting off into the jungle.

"After that creature! Now!" ordered St. Bleu. The horde of sailors sprinted through the jungle after the animal and its prisoner.

Becky tried to escape the ape's vice-like grip, but couldn't manage it. She had lost her sword and she couldn't reload her pistol. She thought she was going to die as the creature went closer and closer to a cave at the base of the volcano. Finally, though, a shot rang out, and the gorilla went down. Several sailors stepped out of the bushes and patted each other on the back. Becky pried the dead fingers from leg and stood up. "Well, that was... interesting," she grinned as one of the pirates handed her her hat. She put it back on and waited for the others to catch up.

Fields appeared from the trees. He pointed up, saying, "There it is, Ironhook Mountain. We just need to get up there. C'mon."

The way up was tough, but soon they found a worn path which made it much easier. At last they were at the top. Inside the volcano was an entire city of huts, log buildings, and shanties. Taverns, residences, houses of ill repute, armories, everything. A pirate's dream.

They followed a neat cobbled road down the inside of the volcano until they finally reached solid land. Becky and the others collapsed in exhaustion in some grass. At last, they stood back up and dusted themselves off. Becky then went with Fields and St. Bleu to a tavern called the Admiral's Tankard.

"Listen up, dogs!" Fields addressed the tavern patrons as the three burst into the building. "We got Cap'n Ironhook's daughter, here, we do! The Esteban Pirate Clan has returned! We sea mates ha' been abused by those Bluecoats long enough, and we're gonna take back th' Kahuka Isles under the Red and Black flag of Ironhook; what say you?"

The ruffians looked at Becky, Fields, and St. Bleu for a moment, silently. One drew his sword and approached, his moth-eaten Redcoat uniform covering a tattooed body, and a grim expression on his bearded face. "I served with Ironhook, I did," he said. "And I'll do it again! Long live Ironhook!" He waved his sword.

"Ironhook! Ironhook! Ironhook! Ironhook! Ironhook!" chanted the buccaneers, pounding their tankards against the rickety tables. Several pirates hoisted Becky up on their shoulders and carried her out into the street. As the cheering continued, men, women, and children poured out of buildings to see what the cheering was about. When told, most of them joined in. Soon, Bluecoat flags were brought out and burned in the town square and pirates danced around the fire. Guns were fired off in the air and a carnival-like atmosphere ensued.

The next morning, Ironhook and her fellow captains were led to the secret port under the volcano, and after a week of preparation, the sails were lowered and the flags unfurled as the inhabitants of Ironhook Island took to sea, leaving only a few men and a couple sloops to stand guard. The Great Pirate Fleet had been assembled.

Becky grinned and told Fields, "You know, if I had known I had this much influence, I wouldn't have grown up as an alley rat stealing pies from windowsills."

Fields nodded. "Aye, I didn't expect the whole town was this passionate about taking back the Kahuka Islands."

Chapter 6
Forbidden Island

Lady Anette watched her mercenaries disembark at the Islander village. Some of them were Bluecoats, but the majority were from the Eastern City-States. They immediately looted and pillaged supplies from the Islanders and stole their animals. Anette stood in the water just off the beach to monitor and direct her men. Captain Jean Bastille stood beside her in his splendid blue uniform with sash.

"My lady, why don't you come out of the water, you'll ruin your dress!" advised Bastille.

"You think I care? To the underworld with the dress! I'm the leader here, and I'm doing my job."

"Yes, my lady. Private! Give the lady your jackboots!" Bastille hollered at a young mercenary. The marine rolled his eyes and sat down and removed his boots, dropping them in front of Anette. She slipped out of her heeled, buckled shoes and into the boots. She wore a hussar jacket over her top, and a feathered tricorne. The militaristic noble continued to monitor the landing as more and more troops sloshed through the seawater and into the village.

Lieutenant de Tyrol jogged over and reported the scavenging of the village was complete.

"Good," answered Anette, walking onto dry land with her hands behind her back. "Now, kill them all."

"My lady?" said a shocked Bastille, his wig almost falling over his eyes. Even he was shocked by her brutality. "Er... you heard Lady Anette! Kill them all, immediately!"

"Sir... Oui, it shall be done," obeyed de Tyrol.

Anette drew her sword and cut her palm. Bastille winced. She then rubbed the blood over half her face and tossed the hussar jacket and hat at Bastille. She proceeded to enter a hut and massacre the inhabitants. Shots rang out as the mercenaries all over the village followed orders.

*********************

Anette unstuck her throwing axe from the native's skull and thrust back in her sash. She stepped over the body. It was the last one. The mercenaries followed her, frightened by her stoic massacre. It was like she was possessed, and it made them fear and obey her even more.

Bastille had deliberately missed all his targets, but he knew not to make it obvious. This type of massacre never occurred in the official army. He wished he hadn't gotten stuck on this voyage.

"Where to, next, my lady?" he asked, full of dread.

"Further inland, to King Kahuka's throne. There are supposed to be old scrolls there. Best chance for finding the location of this golden statue."

"Oh, oui, my lady." Bastille thought it frightening how her blue eyes contrasted with the blood "war paint" on her face. He knew something about this legend, and rather than let her wish come true, he thought about killing her at the last moment. He itched to do it right now. He fingered his flintlock... and obeyed his orders.

A day's march later, they arrived at Kahuka's throne. The seat of the great Islander leader before he was killed. The old village seemed totally abandoned, and cobwebs covered everything not covered in vines. Anette dusted off the old throne and sat down, almost as if she was trying to spit in the dead king's face. "In the morning, we'll use the daylight to explore. Until then, make camp."

"Ouis, my lady!" Bastille then had the men pitch their tents. An eerie quiet hung over the old battlefield as the mercenaries drifted off to sleep.

Anette had a special portable cabin for herself, complete with a door and a mosquito net roof. She took off her blood-stained clothes and went to bed, sleeping as if nothing had happened.

******************

Bastille woke to the sound of cries of battle. He immediately put his boots and coat on over his long johns and grabbed his pistol. Over at the other end of the camp, a roaring fire was blazing, and mercenaries were in battle with tribal warriors. He joined up with his officers and raced to the scene. It was Anette's tent on fire. Bastille was almost happy.

A wounded soldier raced up. "Sir! We have reports that Lady Anette was taken prisoner by the natives. How the devil there are this many left on the island is beyond me. Must've been breeding like roaches under a rock."

Bastille was tempted to order the men to abandon Anette to her fate, but knew a court martial would result. He rubbed his yellow hand though his messy hair and ordered the men to kill the natives. For the rest of the night, the mercenaries fought to regain Kahuka's Throne and the surrounding area. At last, they won, and the Islanders retreated.

Bastille quickly, but reluctantly, ordered a forced march to rescue Anette. His men, having suffered severe casualties against the natives, were exhausted and worn-down, but they went anyway. Reinforcements from Blackcloak strongholds to the east were not available due to the vast distance. It puzzled him why they would leave Kahuka's Throne unguarded. That question was answered when they stumbled across a small cabin filled with massacred and scalped Blackcloaks.

Early in the morning, the mercenaries found the Islander village. Bastille used his spyglass to scout it out from the cover of the jungle. "I see about 50 warriors. Hmmmm... I see a chief talking to a witch doctor. Aha! I see her! She's... in a... pot. By the sea god, they're going to eat her!"

"Egads!" shrieked de Tyrol. "We must do something, sir! Should I tell the men to attack?"

"Have 10 or 15 attack over by the king and witch doctor. You'll lead them. I'll take the main force and fight our way through to Lady Anette. Clear?"

"Absolutely! Right away!" de Tyrol saluted.

Bastille drew his rapier and lined up his men behind him. Finally, he shouted a battle cry and he and the mercenaries flooded out of the jungle, firing their muskets. Islanders fell like flies, too shocked to brace themselves. The chief and witch doctor tried to escape from the rear, but de Tyrol and his firing squad killed them.

Bastille and his men bashed through to the center of the village where the cannibalistic feast was set to occur. Anette was tied up in the pot and the mercenaries quickly freed her. Bastille gave her his coat and sent her to the rear as he attended to the battle. The natives were crushed in minutes.

****************

Bastille stomped his foot in rage as he entered Anette's new tent. "My lady, this expedition has been a disaster! We started with 800 men, and now we have 300, not counting the 200 we left to guard the ships at anchor, heaven's miracle if they aren't dead now, too!"

Anette was back in aristocrat dress and looking like her old self. "You don't understand, captain. We're talking about the fate of the world. The Bluecoats can dominate forever if that's the wish made!"

"Ugh! 'If?' I see what's going to happen here! You're going to wish yourself overlord of the world! You traitor!" Bastille had been pushed far enough. He drew his pistol and fired.

Bastille saw another smoking gun. Hers. He dropped dead on the ground, blood pouring out of his chest.

Anette grinned in satisfaction. She had thought he was suspicious. She then noticed Bastille's aim had been almost true; a bullet hole in the tent was just two inches from her head.

De Tyrol heard what had happened, and quickly spread the word. Before long, most of the mercenaries were leaving. De Tyrol joined them and began the march back to the ships, to spread the word to Gouveneur Broadside about the treachery. Clearly, with war about to break out, this was a horrible situation.

Anette managed to convince a few mercenaries to stay, which prevented de Tyrol from just shooting her dead, and she for all practical purposes became a pirate and outlaw.


Kinda dark, but hey, I think it fits.  

Edited by Napoleon53, 10 January 2012 - 11:15 AM.

[Tomcat RIO]

Dark aye indeed, this Anette. Can't wait to read the next installment.

[Napoleon53]

Sorry guys, I've had nothing but computer problems the past two months. I'm gonna try to borrow my father's computer tomorrow to write a new chapter and upload all the photos I took, including the Artesano ship, my biggest ship ever. I can't even turn my computer on.

Sorry guys.