William Brand

Oh it's shiny. It's the money the studio is dumping into Black Sails.

It's been awhile, but a lot of us are still here. Any pirate news from you part of the world?

I don't think that it's in decline, but it may have plateaued. One such culprit to the perceived demise of the hobby is the merger of many pirate events with other events. Rather than patiently allow a good pirate event to grow to what it can be, which often takes years, some events are impatiently merging with others and deluding their events in the process. I had several events on my calendar for next year, only to learn that they joined up with other science fiction and fantasy groups to such a degree that the 'pirate' presence is almost non-existent. I recommend that you play your own music when logged on. Even the most subtle music can be annoying to someone after awhile, unless their in the mod for it, and it can be a surprise to people logging on and not prepared for it. We actually had a chat room for the writers on the Watch Dog project that had the sound of a boat rocking and creaking gently on the water.

Aboard the Watch Dog Andrew Light presented himself to the Captain in short order, but William was involved in conversation across the waters with the Lucy, so that Andrew hesitated to make himself known. He did this long enough that William called for him again. "Send for Mister Li…!" William began, turning to find the man at his elbow. "Cap'n!" "Mister Light, you are promoted to Bosun. Get these men under control." Andrew Light blinked twice in quick succession and returned only a questioning, 'Sah?', quickly followed upon by a sharp, 'Sah!', collecting himself immediately. Within seconds he was louder, brisker and commanding as he turned upon the rabble. William was certain that the man straightened his posture enough to gain half a foot as he went. Andrew threw himself into the role the way that men do on fields or seas, taking up responsibility at once. William followed his course across the deck for only a moment before returning to his own surroundings. The rain was coming on again, hard. They'd soon be as wet through as anyone lost.

I blame Mission and the absence of live tavern music.

Okay, that's passing strange, because I almost posted this image last night instead. Chocolate French Toast...

Speaking of kites, it is believed that they were brought to Europe by sailors from Japan and Malaysia in the 16th and 17th century. While first regarded as curiosities, they were used as vehicles for scientific experiments throughout the 18th century.

The best part of any good conversation with friends and fellow pirates, and friends who ARE fellow pirates, and pirate friends who aren't fellows at all, is the moment when you first divide from the topic at hand to those tangents that lead one or many willy nilly down every road of thought and every segue of distraction to places both funny, revealing, tragic and to uncomfortable pauses only filled with observation about uncomfortable pauses. Thus is life and good conversation. We don't see enough of it here. Not like we once did.

I know it's been over a year since I bothered, but I'm hungrier than I expected to be, at nearly one in the morning, and this looked very good. Morrocan Lamb bites with preserved lemon chutney and roasted garlic hummus.

He looks great in uniform. Actually, either uniform. The best to you and yours!

Some threads just need to be bumped from time to time. Mister Ohlandt has a great example of sailor's kit. https://www.facebook.com/cranohlandt/media_set?set=a.544267254075.2067643.217401146&type=3

Welcome aboard! I'm from the States.

Did any member of the crew actually attend the Fort de Chartres: 43rd Rendezvous event? I shouldn't list it if it wasn't attended by anyone of us.

Glad to have you aboard!

Actually, I think I'm less right, because you see such "minor defenses, fortifications, built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached" on drawings of warships sometimes. If you've ever seen a warship with its weather decks covered in what looks like walkways and extra walls, but built above the working deck, I think those are what they mean. I've seen what they're talking about, but I can't find a picture at the moment.

I've always understood 'outworks' as any significant structure used for protection, safety or defense, such as bulwarks, taffrails, and any number of solid wall enclosures used for protection on the weather decks, but I'd love to know if I'm anywhere near the mark on this.

I'm glad it sold. I really, really wanted it, but I've no float money at the moment. I will own one eventually.

The St. Louis Renaissance Faire is ongoing and Put-in-Bay is coming up quickly. There are also some new events posted to the community calendar on the Pub, for anyone seeking something new in their neck of the woods. St. Louis Renaissance Faire - May 18th-June 9th ~ St. Louis, Missouri Put-in-Bay - June 28th-July1st ~ Put-in-Bay, Ohio

Fantastic find! I'm already archiving it. Thank you!

"GOODNIGHT, CAPTAIN STERLING!"

I have found no period reference to walnut ink. Oak Gall Ink, Soot Ink, & Carbon Ink were used in Europe, but European walnuts have less tannin, so walnut ink is a product of the New World and the Orient. The North American Walnut was used to produce ink for writing and the printing press, but the question remains. How early was it used?

speakeasy (n.) "unlicensed saloon," 1889 (in New York "Voice"), from speak + easy; so called from the practice of speaking quietly about such a place in public, or when inside it, so as not to alert the police and neighbors. The word gained wide currency in U.S. during Prohibition (1920-1932). In early 19c. Irish and British dialect, a speak softly shop meant "smuggler's den.""