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Aldea de Ensenada was a beautiful trading village, sunk deep in a cove. The people were few, but rich and happy. The peaceful village, however, soon found itself being raided continuously by the feared pirate Gregory Cladwin. Though born British, he received his nickname from the Spanish, who called him La Tortuga Oscura because his ships would often lure in their prey in by hiding behind large rocks, hiding like a turtle in its shell.
Though Spanish in name, Aldea de Ensenada was an English trading post. The King commissioned the creation of a fort to protect the entrance to the cove and named it Fort Brighton.
--Fort Brighton
Fort Brighton's unique drawbridge design allowed friendly ships passage in and out of the cove, while guarding it against piratical attacks.
Even though the cove was protected, La Tortuga Oscura still attacked many ships while at sea. The King sent Captain Burress and his ship the 'Arbiter' to protect the friendly waters outside of Aldea de Ensenada.
--Captain Burress
--The Arbiter
The Arbiter, however, was too large and slow to catch "the Tortoise". Burress knew the only way to catch the pirate was to turn to piracy himself. He commission a local merchant Hoy to hunt, raid and capture all Pirate vessels near Aldea de Ensenada. Burress promoted his first officer, Bradely Certich, to command the ship. Certich named the ship 'Sienna' after a girl long left behind.
--Certich
--The Sienna
Though she didn't look like much, the Sienna raided several small pirate camps and captured two small pirate ships within weeks of her commission. The two ships, the Tesoro and the Het Avontuur were Spanish and Dutch trading vessels (never renamed) under Pirate control. Much to Certich's surprise, both were carry a heavy load of treasure.
The two vessels were recommissioned as the Fortune and the Adventure.
--The Sister Treasure Ships. Fortune and Adventure
Though successful, the Sienna had her short comings. She was poorly armed, under crewed and did not sail well against the wind. Burress, however, was happy with the success of Certich and after receiving a promotion to 'Admiral', Burress commission a new ship to replace the Sienna. The ship was an unusual design for the Caribbean using both Lateen rigged sails and oars to move in any wind conditions. The captured pirates from the Tesoro and Het Avontuur did the rowing.
--The building of the new Sienna
Unable to say good bye to his old ship and love, Certich named the new vessel 'Sienna'.
--The Sienna
The new sienna proved to be a formidable ship, destroying many vessels flying the Jolly Roger. Perhaps the largest conquest of all, however, was the capturing of El Tortuga Oscura's flagship, the 'The Dark Treasure' (El Tesoro Oscuro). Though the pirate captain was not aboard the ship when the Sienna captured her (he was raiding a fishing village on foot when the Seinna met her), Certich returned the prize to Burress, who quickly claimed the ship as his flagship and renamed it the 'Arbiter II'
--The Arbiter II
The twin Arbiters could have ruled the seas had it not been for an unfortunate sinking of the Spanish ship, the 'Espada'.
The latest edition to the royal navy, the 'Covenant' happened upon the Espada while patrolling Aldea de Ensenada. The Covenant claimed the Espada was a privateer that had opened fire on her. The Covenant sunk the Espada raising the hostility levels between the British and Spanish in the region. To appease the Spanish, the King ordered the sale of the Arbiter to the Spanish.
--The Covenant
Days after the Spanish acquired the ship, they renamed it the 'Venganza' and sunk the Covenant.
Burress declared open war on the Spanish and commission the building of the 'New Covenant' to hunt and kill the Spanish.
--The New Covenant
NOTE: This topic has been split, since the first post here, the ship was redesigned. Go here to see it completed!
