William Brand

I slaughtered a goat in the old fashion and spoke words in the old ways and did libations to gods long forgotten... Actually, I just hoped you'd be there.

I'd love a ditty bag to start. We should discuss a trade.

You're assuming that she is charging money. A lot of trades happen at PIP. It's a pirate swap meet!

They don't all have to be the same snapsack or wallet. I'm just looking for a broad item everyone can us in their kit. In fact, even if Lily makes them all the same, I would still encourage people to modify them according to their own taste and needs.

Whatever you would be willing to make, actually. Any effort on you part would be appreciated by all, I'm sure. I think a sailor's bag, snapsack or townsman wallet would serve. Any one of these would improve our kits and help create a crew identity.

Thank you for bumping the thread or I might have missed it. I'll gladly attend to support CoDA. Any opportunity to meet pirates in my sparse neck of the woods.

With PIP not to far off yet, from a projects point of view, should we consider any large scale additions to the camp? Shall we pool our resources again and have some lamps built just for the crew? We could do a run of sailor bags with the wings of the Mercury emblazoned on them. We might do matching small arms. We could have some crockery made. Is there any group item we might all carry in a personl kits that some of you would like to see at this year's PIP?

If you are ever in Logan, I'll take you to a fine Italian place here in town and change your minds about gorganzola.

6 out of 10.

Ahhh...loyalty in life. Real and imagined.

Some excellent new additions to this thread. Very nice.

It's understandable that some events require fees for rentals, staff and other forms of support, but I've only ever been to PIP, and PIP is free. I pay for my travel to and from the fort of course. I pay for food and extra needs, but the camping and attendence end to end cost me nothing. In many ways I'm rewarded through trades with other re-enactors. I would probably still attend if fees were small, but everyone at the park is generous, recognizing the contributions we make to be there.

August 4, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog "Explained all to Captain Lasseter." William repeated slowly, and his face changed in a way that was not at all pleasant. "Miss McDonough." William said as he went out. His departure was sudden and absolute with no added warnings or revelations voiced. However, he did make a point of threatening, by way of instruction to John McGinty, any would-be-fool stupid enough to speak with Murin. "No one is to speak with the prisoner." "Aye, Sah." "Should I hear of any words shared, I shall for my part be most unsatisfied." "Aye, Sah." John agreed. "None shall speak ta her, Sah." "Thank you, Mister McGinty." William returned to the weatherdecks, where he found Richard Tollervy returned from his errands ashore, along with Christophe Lefevre, Thomas Crips and Alain Roux. Each man carried with him the evidence of their recent trip ashore. Thomas sported a fine fiddle; worn, well oiled and of a good make. Alain bore several parcels containing clothing and personal effects, along with a hammock. Monsieur Lefevre carried with him a dog-eared bible which had seen much use and would know more at this hands. And Richard, an accipitrary from another life, was bent over admiring three very fat pigeons and two large corvids housed in separate, poorly fashioned cages. "It pleases me to see my orders accomplished so absolutely." William said, his voice tired. "What have we found, Mister Tollervy." "Some good small birds, Captain...for messages if they can be made to do the work." Richard explained. "And some African birds which might be put to use." he said, pointing to the black and white ravens. Very good, Mister Tollervy." William agreed, and he smiled to see the familiar species. "Sah...?" "Yes, Mister Tollervy." "Might I have the carpenter make a proper place to keep the birds, Sah?" "Aye, Mister Tollervy. See to it that Mister Gree..." William began, but he was interrupted by the arrival of a letter which came by messenger to Paul Mooney at the gang plank and on upwards to William. "To your posts, Gentlemen." William said as he took the letter aside to read it at the taff trail. William noted that the letter was worn as if worried by long travel or fretful hands. He turned it over and was delighted to see that the paper was affixed with the familiar seal of the Chasse de Mer. William smiled as he broke the wax and opened it with a sense of familiarity that might have gone a long way to improving his mood, but for the contents. William was certain that the letter would cheer him up, but from the first sentence on he was mistaken. Every sentence was a blow, and like so many coffin nails, he tired as each one drove home. Afterwards, he stood some several minutes in silence, his eyes closed and his face turned to the sun. Jim Warren, noting that the heat of Sol did nothing to chase the shadow from William's face, made an effort to ask after him, but William gave the deck over to the Ship's Master and went below without another word. News of the death of Jean Micheale Fournier had finally arrived at William's door. Five bells of the Afternoon Watch

William asked no more questions of her regarding John Sterling. Whether he had come to a decision or not, he made no mention of it to her, but he lingered. This lingering lasted some time and this made for an uncomfortable scene. He seemed to be waiting for something more, but then quite suddenly he altered the course of the conversation. "Why is Miss Ashcombe in flight, and from whom?"

"Will John Sterling come against me and mine?"

Drat, the apples have gone bad...

Have you ever had a good gorganzola sauce over a prime cut of beef...?

Lady B. A singular woman, who by reputation has earned the constant accolades of friend and fellow pirate, as pronounced time and time again by men and women the world over. A very happy birthday, lass.

Also...beef with gorganzola sauce.

Today's special is blackberries. Oh yes.

No...your house, job, wife, friends, and crew are all in Florida. This explains why you don't live in California.

Welcome aboard, Miss Fearghaill.

Those are very nice. Would that I could afford them by the crate.

August 4, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog With two hours of the Afternoon Watch gone, William grew impatient. He had never had such a conversation as this. It was like reading the dialogue from two separate plays written by the same author. While they were similar in style, and seemed to approach the same subject at times, the content of Captain's dialogue was utterly different in plot than the Tailor's. "Allow me to present the whole weight of the matter to you, that the gravity of it might leave an impression more lasting than my opinion alone. We are at war with England. We are given a boon of France to live and to live well if such a life can be maintained. You have met with the enemy of France in France as it exists here in this latitude. Should the French learn of this, they will first ask me why you have done this. If I do not immediately betray you to them, they will ask me a question or more further as touching my part regarding the secret of this English interloper. This will in turn bring great danger to myself and some eight score men and women. If the French do not come, I will have to explain myself to the Whole Company, why I denied them the opportunity to take an English prize. This may spread mutinous thoughts where none existed before. I may, in the end, be trading one fragile alliance for another, because you, casually as you might think, spent the morning in the company of a harmless, old acquaintance." William paused, but it wasn't so much a pause as a purposeful silence of as much weight as the words. "I have preserved you in the fore lastage, unmolested, fed and kept. For this I have asked for silence, which takes ony the effort of not speaking. To this preservation I have added my own silence regarding your English friend. You have in turn answered my keeping with words too many, for any word was too many. The glass is not turned to mark the hour and you have spoken." William shook his head to think of himself explaining this, and was at a loss for further words. When words did come, they were brief. "I don't know what to do with you, Miss McDonough. You will tell me the name of the Captain, his ship and any other information that you can, for if I am to keep this secret, I will keep it all, not in portions."

It is an amazing book. Tracy got it for me awhile back, but I can't seem to fit it in to my schedule long enough to read it.