Seas of Pirates Destiny

  25 October 1720 ------------------------------------------ Babble Merchants and Clabberfarts  * Whither the Tribal Wars, part the second * Sulpher and Bones on the Seas *

 By dark of night, didst cometh to pass a spectacle from the depths of Davy Jone's wat'ry grave the All Hallows Procession of Ghastly and Ghostly ships.    Onlook'rs w're gobsmack'd and didst select King Jon of Aruba's ship, nay, Island of Doom and Hellfire as the star of the nonce.  A well des'rv'd first prize trove of loot and glory at finally having did achieve the ultimate rank.   A close second wast the ship head'd by Captain Tracy and Mercy with a crew yond hath appeared ravenous.  Th're wast some fear those gents might crasheth the party and consume all the marchpanes. Our own auth'r Master Kinch Villard didst narrowly dismount a third lodging award and we doth desire that gent is not so enchant'd by the coin he hath taken, that he ignores this coming week's assignment. Fourth wast Madam Martina Shan, with anoth'r impressive ship.  In a stroketh of valorous f'rtune, Joyce from Aruba kingdom off'r'd a purse of 10

Here I returneth aft'r meeting the two Chiefs of our neighb'ring tribes.  As expected the two recollections of the events, though agreeing on few things, couldst not be m're diff'rent.   SKETCH: THE BEAUTY AND DANGER OF THE BOUNTY REGION Chief Allie of the Poukai, tells a straight forward st'ry of Robbery and Desecration. Two black pearls were off'r'd by one of the Poukai to their Goddess Akna. The pearls did disappear and the Goddess reveal'd the name of the Coystrill as one of the Kaiabi.   Chief Terrrence of the Kaiabi admits one of their memb'rs did take something from the Poukai village on Bounty, but here is where his story doth take a diff'rent direction. SKETCH: THE KAIABI CALLING ON THE WISDOM OF THEIR ANCESTORS The loot that gent calleth "gifts" to his recollection wast w'rthless, "apples, twigs, and oth'r smelly things," and was left there to lure the Kaiabi's men. "Delusional" wast Chief Allie

Some gossip from the region. Ho! Didst thee notice, a h'rde of settl'rs and m'rchants did come to Nassau land this week to start anew.  We wish those folk felicitations and impl're the chicken thieves to beest on their most civil behavi'r.  We behold f'rward to a most wondrous market in the coming weeks. Shaketh the dust from thy shoes, strang'r.  Welcometh to thy new home. Speaking of the Flibbertigibbet, the Market continues at the Noon Hour on Sundays and farm'rs with produce art dearly needed. The simple harvests of corn and potato art greatly desired and one needeth not a king's ransom to claim a tent and off'r a basket. Seen in the realm but looking thin, and as at each moment with the most p'rfect rings of smoke man did admire.  Wast an early All Hallows apparition? Is that gent returneth 'r passing through? Bid us the gossip thee hath heard, gentle reader!

  17 October 1720 ------------------------------------------ Babble Merchants and Clabberfarts  * My Kingdom for a Horse! * The Uneasy Dead of Barbados * Curiosity About the Red House *

  THE BEST CLABBER is regarding the All Hallows festival planned for Sunday, 25 October.  If you have not been in the region long, prepare yourself for the most fetching delights. Imagine all the most advanced shipbuilders and cargo runners with festooned hulls of the fiercest witches and goblins. There is a long procession of these decorated ships through the entire region and this year starts up in Bounty. Some process with tall ships, once even a Jolly boat was sighted. The route winds through the region. OLD SALTS take note: this year the procession launches from Bounty at 11:00 (SL time). Pabo has published a pamphlet with practical advice and inspiration from past years, available at the Tavern. There is typically a Dance and Fest following, with additional rewards for outlandish and creative Fancy Dress. Must attend to collect awards. The loot gathered to reward your efforts: Ships:   1st Place: Choice of ship from Angelic + 5 Gold Coins. Wine, Rum, Whiskey   2nd Place: Choice

  It was not the most fortuitious day for young Kimana, the new Bakery shopkeep, but she kept her chin up to talk with us about her life here in Nassau. Her recent journey began in a public house in the Kingdom of Philip of Anjou. A scaly fellow offered her passage to 'the West' and she boarded the ship not knowing where exactly the 'West' was located. "There were rats on the ship," Kimana explained, "and not much food and then, ahm, then, ah, there were these women, they always wanted me to bring something." With relief she stepped onto the Docks of Nassau to begin anew and found a job at the Bakery. "I have worked my whole life and getting a job was nothing extraordinary for me, but in a way it was." At the Bakery her job is selling cakes and pies. "I can say I am really good at it. I sell more cake than anyone!" Which brings us to her present day conundrum. Kimana believes she is haunted by "two or three Witches." Cak

  On Barbados North you can visit the Chase Family haunted graveyard. A wealthy and mean-spirited family who for generations lived in Barbados, they were particularly abusive to their servants and neighbors. For a time, and then, the bad luck began. They chose a beautiful seaside hill to build a family crypt. After a few were interred, pandemonium broke out amongst the coffins. Heavy stones had been moved and sarcophaguses upended. Workers would straighten the crypt but at the next family death, again, it was as though the coffins had been dancing.   Was it retribution for lives poorly lived or the young girl Dorcas' spirit moving the stones? It remains a mystery to be solved. The local people believe you can talk to the ancestors in this place. They sneak in at midnight looking for a few coins dropped or guidance from a crystal ball or candle. The blue lapis vault door is open through All Saints Day, when the spirits finally rest.

  Overheard was a rumor that on the Island of Montserrat North, that the building known by the locals as The Red House was indeed a Bawdy House. This was so scandalous we send out our intrepid author to chase down their story. There are some half dozen women who provide rum and entertainments to sailors and pirates in the warmly appointed rooms. They assured us there are no Naval Officers or Enlisted Men amongst their customers. There is a rumor that the owner, who operates another such business in the far South, was recently charged with keeping a married man in a disorderly house. The disorderly house charge was dismissed, but she was fined 500 pounds of tobacco for the local parish. Montserrat's Red House is managed Madam Lili and the ladies work for board wages, the cost of their room and some food. We did look around for signs of the Blue Ruin (Gin), which has taken favor by the less well bred as the drink of choice because of its economy, but we found only the most premium ru

  10 October 1720 Whither the Civil War amongst the Region's Natives Check their ankles Man Cannot Live by Drink Alone A Most Fright-Inducing Parade of Ships

 It was the old story of a man who heard the siren song of a beautiful woman, and followed her to enchantment. Today we introduce you to the Plunder Bay Meat Market on Montserrat and its proprietors Capt. Sinjin Alester and his wife Mistress, nee Captain, Surreal Alester. Born in the region, she caught the eye of the Captain who left his life to follow her and establish a Cargo Business and a Meat Market. Now, lest you have before heard the refrain, "freshest to be had," be advised this is not Hyperbole! "We have a very nice herd of cattle and some hogs here, so we can rightly claim our meats to be of finest and high quality," said our gracious proprietors, "and we do trade for what we do not have." Being a full service meat market means they offer only meats and seafood and game. They even have the option of choosing your own cattle and having it dressed, or even dressing your own carcass for those with exceptional knife skills.   They bring items to the

"Expect nothing and you'll always be surprised," - Daniel Defoe In preparing for our All Hallows Eve festivities, we spoke with the King of Aruba, Sir Jon, about the rumors of his many second place awards. "Yes." he chuckled, "me getting second place has become something of a tradition, in fact I think I would be disappointed if I actually won!" The celebratory procession of ships begins Sunday, 25th October at 11 AM SLT in the Bounty region. Some folks festoon their ships with all matter of frivolity, but Sir Jon builds an entire new structure, keeping those in his Shipyards in good coin for the season. "Navigation is a problem, weighed down with so many outsized planks, the builds are hard to steer and very slow. I am usually inside the hold and just seeing out is a problem," he added. Waters between islands churn and roil, and many a contestant has met with a watery end trying to complete the course. Inspite of his reduced vantage point,

  As told by the natives of the region, our ongoing series of the top ten much feared duppy or creatures of the night on the islands of the Caribbean. May you never meet up with them, beloveds.  I am feared to tell you this tale. Is over up in Bounty. They call her La Diablesse. Now they say she came north from Trini, but I do not know. You think she is most beautiful and pure looking woman wearing a long dress. I look at my legs, you can see. But La Diablesse, she have one leg is cow. But you no see until too late. She wear hat to hide her face but she smell so sweet of flowers you think she is just shy. Men they follow the woman to the forest, they hope to dance with her and court this beauty creature. But it is too late when they feel her hoof kicking and her nails draw blood as she try to drown man in the sea. She is devil woman and come out on full moon nights. Mostly she haunt the mountain roads, but sometimes even show in middle of day. Young man heard laughs like the bird

  Our Intrepid Senior Author offers the First in his series of finding the story and how it might affect our Beloved Readers. The poor savage lost soules who roameth these islands when Our Lord blesseth them with His Word, art now apparently going to war against each other. We witness this, concerned for our families, our crops, and businesses, not knowing the outcome and consequences of this tribal clash. What do we know of the tribes that live among us? Aside from some scattered fugitives roaming our lands, two tribes can be defined as "native" and apparently sedentary. Here is what we know about them. The Poukai of Bounty, like their homeland, are secluded and shy. Hard to reach, they live almost invisible to civilized people. Nonetheless their society seems structured and relatively advanced, as are their religious beliefs and rituals. The Poukai appear to have a matriarchal society, the highest position being held by women. Skillful warriors, they seem to disregard agric

3 October 1720 ...... Welcome Dear Readers to our first Published Edition of The Nassau Tatler recounting the comings and goings of the famous and infamous in the Pirates Destiny regions. You can pick up the latest edition at Pabo and Fluer's Tavern on Nassau Docks. We hope to offer our Discerning Readers wholesome Entertainments and mostly True retelling of the wonder to be found on these Islands. Our Collection of Esteemed Authors gather stories and I publish them on the finest Printing Press in the region, located at the Tatler House on Nassau Hill. There you may leave requests for features, introductions to you or your enthusiasms, or request one of our Esteemed Authors to document your opening or event.  With kindest regards, Capt. Isaac Bickerstaff, ret.       TOWNE CRIER . Important information from the governing councils and details on upcoming events.   BABBLE-MERCHANTS and CLABBERFARTS . A few blind items of gossip overheard but not yet investigated.   FEATURES   DESTINY

Recently overheard , there was a major trade of beeswax in the region. A trader infamous for blackmarket sales and finding the impossible, for a price, did locate several stores of the precious wax and is thought to have sold them to a successful landowner and possible cheese monger. Speaking of bees , the beekeepers of the region both maintain their hives are healthy and producing at a good rate. There should be no shortages of honey in the islands. They remind you to contact them for sales, and if you are squeamish about being around the bees, they may deliver for a slight additional charge. Beekeepers are Jon of Aruba and Chief Terrrence Kaiabi on Barbados. Nassau bakery also sells a limited quantity of wax, rennet, and honey. Have you tried the cheese? A few residents of the stingy sort did try to use milk so old the curds had hardened to stone and the makers could not process them. The Dairy reminds you to use fresh milk. It is healthier and will make the best buckets of curds. S

  Peaches is the 3-yr-old daughter of Tavern Proprietors Pabo and Fluer Chun. She barely remembers her birth family of mer, and a traumatic event with a big net. "One day a big net come down deep in de wader and mine mommy and daddy wit tails try to get away from it but den day were all gone. day neber come back."  Alone in the seas, Peaches learned to stay alive eating oysters.  "I learn berry fast how to get oysters out of dee shells so i neber beez hungry. and you knowz wot der were pearls in some dem oysters so i kept collecting them. i gotz several hundred black ones and gold ones and pink ones and white ones. when i find gold ingotz in de mounds i make jewelery. i wears black pearls always and foreber." Peaches was not defeated. "it no use beez sad and sit on mine special rock so i swimy and swimy and swimy. i kept hear about a chest in dee ocean so i go on a quest to find it. i had do yots of sings and collect sings to be able to find dat yiddle

* Ye may have noted the Towne Hall Meeting weekly has changed from Sundays to Saturdays at the same appointed hour of eleven o'clock in Pabo and Fluer's Tavern on Nassau Docks. Your scrupulous editors have not yet learned of the reason but it is rumored the Majority of the Towne has been drinking of the excellent Rum to great excess on Saturdays. Soon we will learn if the morn is more sober or the Friday night is just as wild. * An Olde Tradition in these parts is to celebrate the All Hallow's Eve with a large parade of festooned tall ships and boats, with plenty of ghosts and goblins to scare the whole region to a more righteous path. We celebrate again this year on Sunday, 25th October at 11 AM SLT. The parade starting point is in Bounty. The town folk will again vote favorites and many prizes will be awarded at a great feast to follow. Strict rules this year mean you should read them all or get disqualified. Pick up yer rules at the Nassau Tavern. 3 October 1720 Beloved

You be in Jamaica Forest and see all the hills and it is beauty. But you look sharp and you listen even sharper. You hear clanking of chains in distance. I hope you have rice. There be Rolling-Cow in Jamaica. Man say he ghost of cruel butcher them lived nearby. You see large bull with eye sockets spewing fire and dragging chains behind him. He roll down the hills. Cow sometime look like dark human pitch black with hooves. You throw handful of rice and Rolling-Cow have to stop and count each grain. Some say there be good Rolling-Cow that keep the drunks safe when they roll back to home after too much rum. I not see these yet, but i no drink rum. All duppies be afraid of light mostly, they come out in night. Rolling-Cow do not like full moon. Some say rolling cow is jus a cow get loose. Some say is duppy who was slave who die when escape. I see a momma with her babies they out play pick up sticks and it late and get dark. Ching-ching. Ching-ching, they hear chains coming near. “Ru

Traders on Barbados always get paid. You see them with their wares and they look so confident trading with the crafty pirates, but you see no weapons. And you think, why they look so assured? They keep Bacoo. Is very small man this Bacoo. He eat fruit and drink milk. Large amounts. Bacoo has an empty tummy and must be fed all the time. As long as he have full belly is fine. Is dangerous game these Bajan merchants play with the Bacoo. If his belly is empty he makes all kinds of mischief. But Bacoo is most loyal. You feed him always and he do bad things to people who no pay when they say they pay. Bacoo is said to be baby who died before he got his name. Bacoo means little brother. When Bacoo is mad he rain stones on your house and make you crazy moving all things around each night. Bacoo very hard to get rid of. You got two choices. Feed him lots of milk and fruit. Or catch him in a bottle and take it to deep sea for a proper burial.

  If you are in this region very long, you hear the stories of strange goings on, Items gone missing, People scared white as death, even of those that meet an Untimely End. The natives believe it is due to the "duppy dem live here," Ghosts, Spirits, Demons. As a publick service to you our Dear Readers, we offer the top ten Haunts in this region, to be avoided, but to be avoided on All Hallow's Eve especially. You grow up on dis island and you learn dem duppy names and where you walk fast. I tell you about some and hope you never find them. 10. Always keep the bag o' salt by your bed.  You ever see that ball of light on Trinidad? I know you did, you just never tell anyone. Is like a large fireball and make it way through the island and forest. You ever see it under your door, be a warned and run way fast. She is the Soucouyant. You mebbe think she is old nice woman in daytime, sweeping the path, but she watching you. At night she shed her skin like her old sleeping shi