William Brand

I forgot to mention that the fort forge does not have a great many tools, so anyone wishing to donate a few hammers, tongs, or other tools to the forge may send them directly to Harry at the fort.

I spoke with Harry Smid over a week ago and we discussed the use of the fort's blacksmith shop. The forge is located just outside of the fort proper on the little rise of a hill between the fort and the restrooms. It is an open pavilion with the forge at one end. Harry will be supplying coal and some steel for the festival, so the forge will be active. Harry has agreed to let Jonah Greene, aka Captain Midnight, to set up his Greene Knight Forge there for the event. Mister Greene will be making flint strikers and other small sundries, so stop by the shop while you are there. We are very excited that the ring of the anvil will be heard during the festival. The added atmosphere of a little coal smoke and the report of the hammer will be a welcome addition. Anyone wishing to learn a little smithy work, or anyone with broad blacksmithing experience who would like to work at the forge, please send me a PM. We would gladly have a few more lads and lasses at the forge. Here are a few pictures of the forge as it is now.

August 1, 1704 - On the Cul de Sac Royal The journey to the Watch Dog was one of the worst William could remember. The Cul de Sac Royal's once charming, almost picturesque seascape, was now a boiling cauldron of chop and white caps. The downpour was so severe that while half of the men rowed, the other half bailed, and yet, not a single man aboard the small boats complained or showed any sign that they were troubled. They fell into the old habits of the sea as easily as dropping into bed. Every man did his part to bring them safely across the short distance to where the Watch Dog lay at anchor. "There she is men!" William shouted out over the weather. "Every one of you will come aboard the 'Dog for a time until I've had a word with Captain Lasseter about which of you is to join him on the Heron! She's that very able looking cutter there!" He pointed to the Heron which was bright with several lanterns, even in the rain. "Those of you who are to go to he Heron will find Captain Lasseter as capable and fair a man as you could ever hope to serve under. He's good to the men that give him a day's work and a finer Quartermaster I have never met." The passed near enough to the Navarra that they were hailed and William took a chance to stand a little in the boat and tip his hat. A man in heavy oilskins that might have been the Lieutenant signaled back. "Ahoy the Watch Dog!" William called, as they crossed that imaginary border that surrounds all vessels at anchor. "Ahoy, Cap'n!" Miss Tudor Smith's strong, but feminine voice carried back and this raised a few of the recruits from their bent places at the oars. William noted that Oliver Randall smiled, and William shook his head, already certain that if he kept that man on the 'Dog he'd be dead within the week. The women might just gather in secret to be rid of him. "New recuits, Miss Smith! Have Mister Woodington and Mister Hingerty meet me amidships!" "Aye, aye, sah!" ~Larboard Watches on Duty~

You have the general public position pegged. The attackers range all over the park.

Just to be on the safe side can a moderator find out if someone used the Royalist login and password to smear Royallist by posing as him. This seems decidely out of character.

The specific part that you circled is not accessible to the public. You cannot approach the outermost edge of the wall on that side, and mores the pitty. Some day when the fort is fully restored it might be possible.

August 1, 1704 - Martinique It took some time to find a shop large enough to supply their needs. When they did finally locate a place that could see every recruit outfitted, it was easy to see at once that many of the hammocks there had already put to sea at least once before. "They may not look pretty, gentlemen, but they've seen and survived the life." William pondered on the task of testing these worn hand-me-downs and he looked about the room. His eyes settled on Jonah Greene, a man that had also 'seen and survived the life'. Since the man had been a captain once before it was likely that he had a good judgment for hammocks and this might make the task at hand pass quicker, so William motioned for him to step forward. It didn't hurt that the man was also tall and wide in the shoulders. William asked Jonah over to test his weight and opinion on each hammock. Marinus was also employed to test a hammock or two and the two men took turns sitting in every other one. Some of The hammocks survived the scrutiny, but some of them failed. Marinus went right through one and Jonah caught himself as yet another gave out. "Have you a tailor on board, Captain?" Jonah asked as he climbed free of a torn, patched bit of canvas. "Aye." William returned, and Jonah nodded. Between Marinus, William and Jonah they managed some forty-five hammocks to be used for the recruits there and those that would come after. William allowed Jonah first pick and so on down the line until every man had a hammock wrapped neatly about his shoulders. William also managed some seventeen oilskins which he said would be shared until more could be found. With this accomplished, he bustled them out into the foul weather and down to the docks to cross over to the Watch Dog. Three bells of the First Dog Watch ~Larboard Watches on Duty~

Round two begins in a few hours, so get yourselves up and about people.

August 1, 1704 - Martinique The clothier proved a fair man, if not a generous one. The volume of clothes for the men was such that he made a good profit that day, so he set the clothing at market price that was as good as William might have found anywhere else. Besides, the clothes were new and well made, so William paid the store keeper and moved the recruits to the next shop on his list. The men were surprised to find themselves under the dripping eaves of a cobbler's shop. By now it was after 3:30 of the afternoon. The day was quickly going and William meant to have the men aboard before nightfall. He left them under the leaning porch and went in to speak with the proprietor. Once William and the wiry Frenchmen had come to an arrangement, he sent the men into the shop in pairs to be measured and fitted with good working shoes. "Noah vóór de Bak." Marinus said to no one in particular. "Pardon...?" Pascal asked, sounding very French in a single word. "I believe he said 'Noah before the Ark'...or words after that kind." William explained in a humorless tone as he squinted into the rain. It showed no signs of slowing and he muttered something that neither of them could understand. In the end, the task of fitting the men with shoes went on until it had consumed the better part of an hour. It was a dirty affair, for while the men were washed, they had tramped about in the mud a great deal the last few hours. By the time they were finished the shop floor was covered in muddy footprints and William was obliged to pay the shopkeeper an added sum to have a cleaning woman put the shop right when the weather cleared. It went a long way to improving the shopkeeper's mood. Now the recruits stood all together in a makeshift line and William liked what he saw. I few of them looked to be a little frail for the present, but they were a determined looking bunch and well dressed for the life aboard ship. "Oilskins will come later, lads, I am sorry to say. We'll make our way to a coffee house along the docks and I'll see what can be done in the way of hammocks and coats." They went with him and they seemed to be in good spirits for so many half-drowned cats...or in this case...Dogs. ~Larboard Watches on Duty~

William steps from the pandemonium to check the kitchen. So many steaming pots and bubbling dishes.

Hugh will have powder available.

"Mind the tables! Three points to Starboard!"

In 2005 I didn't see one mosquito. I saw one house fly and dozens of dragonflies.

Of the new people who join, what is the ratio of spammers to actual pirates. It seems like we get about ten or more new spammers a week to every one new pirate.

"End of the room! Come about!"

William joins in. "Hard to Larboard!"

Put down that prybar and step away. That's the capstan and it stays.

Mind the candles!

August 1, 1704 - Martinique Louis, Pascal and Marinus Olyslaeger arrived at La Cuvette even as William had determined he could wait no longer for them. William dismissed Louis and Owen to whatever debaucheries awaited them, and even paid them for their meal and drinks at 'The Trough'. They left in good spirits and Owen even managed a smile. It was as bent a thing as he was. "Three minutes, Gentlemen." William, Pascal and Marinus waited those few minutes under the eves outside, watching a rain which made Martinique anyplace and everyplace on Earth. Pascal was thinking of Marce, France. Marinus was thinking of Tiburg. It was easest for William. the downpour made Martinque look like Palestine during the former rains, what with the palm trees and the almost Mediterranean style architecture. All of their thoughts were interrupted by a brutish man that came out of the alleyway kicking a three-legged dog. He did not seem to like the attention of the three onlookers and said as much in so many French curses. Pascal said nothing and William only raised an eyebrow, but Marinus saluted the many with an obscene gesture that crossed all cultural barriers. The man was not amused, but he went away just the same. "That was not the Particular Governor." William said as an afterthought, and Pascal snorted. Less than an hour later William was surrounded by half clad men climbing into or out of new clothes. The recruits tried on shirts, slops and waistcoats in an ongoing parade of sizing. There were piles of clothes everywhere and the shopkeeper and his assistants were made to move about fetching and carrying. Most of the men were thin from their time in the prison, but William understood that many of them would fill in again once they had a fill of good food and work, so he reminded the shopkeeper to be mindful that every man was given clothes that could be tailored at sea without too much trouble. Most of the men were gracious about the whole business, but Oliver Randall actually took the time to admire every article of clothing in the shop's long mirror, turning this way and that to see how each piece flattered him. He plucked at the collar and cuffs of one very plain shirt as if it were made of silk. Francis Roundtree shook his head and scolded, "One day out o' the cage an' already the peacock." "Captain says there are women aboard." Oliver returned knowingly, unaware that William was almost at his elbow. "That may be so, Mister Randall." William said at once, a gentle warning in his tone "...but mind yourself. These are clothes for the working day." Oliver flushed. "Sorry, sah. Meant no harm, sah." "That will do, Mister Randall." William said, dismissing the conversation at once, though he laughed a little inside to think of Oliver courting any of the women on the 'Dog. Most of them would probably laugh at the idea, for the man was no prize to look at. Pascal leaned in to William then and suggested that some of the men might be overdue a little female companionship. William nodded, but said nothing and Pascal made no more mention of it. The shopkeeper signaled to William and he went over to assess the cost of all this recruiting.

Bugbar...? No. You were muttering something about a Hessian with one arm and a dog with only three legs. The rest was difficult to understand.

Some bad weather down in Syren's neck of the woods has kept her away tonight, so we're going all week and into the weekend. And more pinatas!

I couldn't find a genuine Mariachi Band in these parts, so I made one... Kind of creepy.

WELCOME! This is the glorious day when people the world over celebrate the birth of our very own Miss Tribbiani. Known throughout these parts as Syren. She's been called delightful, charming, beautiful and a joy to know. Raise a glass to my very dear friend, Treasure. Salud.

Perhaps I haven't been clear. You have been relieved of duty. You are to report to that comfy looking chair near the window for the purpose of eating curly fries and relaxing until such time as we can warm up a bath in the tent near the lagoon and find a mariachi band.

Aye. You can help by sitting in front of a warm fire near an airy window while eating curly fries. Save yourself for dancing later.