William Brand

A very happy birthday.

We've seen many a good tankard, onion bottle and rum cup, so bring on the drinking games. We've sold pirate art, shirts, slops, bags, and all manner of clothing. Any little items will do. Just imagine any of the goods that a sailor might keep in his sea chest, such as a sailor's knife, pistol, Bone combs, stockings, monmouth caps, fids, jewelry, mirror, utensils, bowls, books, dice, cards, candles, scarves, baldrics, belts, tricorns, haversacks, needles, draughts, scissors, tools, charts, maps, buttons, coins, shoes, weskits, cutlass, flags, shaving knife, lead line, ponce, writing implements, quadrant, spyglass, compass, ditty bag, townsman wallet, lantern, bosun's whistle, etc.

With the Fort Taylor Pyrate Invasion but weeks away, it falls to me this year to conduct the solemn business of auctioning a fellow sailor's goods before the mast. Will I endeavor to do perform the necessities of said office with the proper amount of respect, dignity, decorum, gravity, sublimity, stateliness, poise, hauteur, elevation, significance, prestige and appetency? Aye. Will it still degenerate into a raucous, clamorous, stentorian, vehement, fulminating, obstreperous, lusty, bawdy, emphatic, tumultuous, rambunctious, blaring, pealing, cacophony of pyrate revelry...? Aye. Most likely. Still, the cause is just (if not the audience) and the poor lad's goods must be purchased ere we send his soul to climbs high or caverns deep, so please come with goods in hand to be added to the dead man's chest. Those unfamiliar with the custom should know that we ask for objects of a personal, functional, pyratey nature to be sold to the participants and guests of the fort at auction. These goods are sold off to the highest bidder to raise money for the coffers of the ship (or in this case, the Fort). It is a long standing tradition to sell the belongings of a fallen sailor 'before the mast' and we do so to raise money for Fort Zachary Taylor, long may it stand. It's also terribly, terribly silly fun. Soooo...you rum-rank adz dubbers, you lee-lurching, lash-laden lads of the leech-lines, you sea-sodden and scurvy scavelmen, you jack-dusty-jack-o'coins-jack-tars fresh freed from the jack-ketch, you...you...you other folk... ...join us for a night of well meaning, well played, well spent spending at the 2010 Dead Man's Chest Auction at the Fort Taylor Pyrate Invasion on Friday night at 7:30 PM in the fort. Please feel free to contact me, donate early and ship goods to Fayma for the auction in advance. Yours in service and not too few words, -William Brand Excommunicated Clergyman, Once Captain, Quartermaster of the Mercury, Purveyor of Fyne Goods, Auctioneer, Expatriated Pyrate and sometimes Puppeteer.

Here, here! I look forward to seeing you again.

Having so recently read Robinson Crusoe for the first time, I'm wishing I could have a sit down with Robert and ask him a few questions.

And I will appoint some random, lazy and worthless fellow to be flogged out of camp for no fault of his own.

You are soooo hanged.

Good news about the night meals and the shorter watches. I look forward to the first battle.

It works very well. I've used it twice this week and found it very helpful for chatting about PIP and planning.

I'm not certain how it's possible that I never posted to this thread. Not once. I simply thought that I had and then not returned, so I'd like to throw my opinions on the table. There are no fixed rules, but when asked for my advice on the subject of names over the years I have leaned toward the familiar and the historical, mostly because I find that traditional family names and good solid local names tend to 'ring true' in a way that feels natural. For example, I kept my first name William when I began my foray into the pirate hobby, mostly because I find it more natural to answer to my given name, and because it's a period name by default. For my last name I chose a surname from a family line stemming back to Denmark. Brand. It also has the virtue of sounding solid and even sinister under the right circumstances, without being overtly dramatic. William Brand. Short. To the point. I've even found a number of Brands in early records, though that was just a lucky bonus. I actually find that most people have a period name already without even trying. I once met a John Barnes. A good, solid English name. I tried to convince the fellow that he need not change the name at all to have a good pirate name. Using your middle name is a good idea as well, especially if it's a family name with strong overtones of origin. Most pirates had very simple names. Henry Avery, William Kidd, Edward Teach. Short, simple names. Even nicknames are fine and fitting too, and if you already have a good nickname (given to you by friends in jest or as a compliment) then use it. I have a friend called 'Big Mike'. I perfect pirate nickname. I also have a friend 'Johny 9', because he lost a finger years ago. He could be 'Nine fingers' or 'Nine John'. I think my best advice when taking on a name is to take that name which feels as well fitted as a good weskit. Something that will wear and weather well. Something that will begin to take on it's own weight as your reputation grows. IT's not the complexity of the name, but rather the complexity of the person. And...don't be afraid to try out name ideas on people. Get some feedback.

A very happy birthday, my friend. May it be surprising in its scope, free of complaint and soaked in your choice of beverages. Raise a glass lads!

Thank you for the photo. It's nice to see the colors represented in so many ways at so many events.

Welcome aboard!

Jim is added.

Drat. I had hoped not to lose anyone in the final weeks before the event. I'm sorry that you can't make it, but I hope that you have a great time at the event.

It can be infectious, creating a place all your own. You want to write about every little corner of it. You want to know what happened there, even if it never happened at all. I get more emails and messages about the Ransom project than any other projects. I need to get back to it.

Invited. Signed aboard. Press ganged. However you wish to explain it to others, its the same. Hugh (Callenish Gunner) is one of ours (as much as anyone can be in the Mercury crew) and he's a right, good fellow, found under the most spacious of tents.

Welcome, aboard.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know, but I have seen the term applied to several articles of clothing, including 'trousers'. Each time I've seen it referenced it's been in conjunction with the military at sea, so it may be another way of saying 'navy trousers' or a 'navy jacket'. I look forward to any answer with more information.

Aye. It does at that. I would love to see this in a dark bronze. And the buckle suits the coat very well.

"We're gathering on her now." Jim observed, and in a voice that was not the shout of before, for the tempest had begun to die off a little. William nodded, his eyes moving between the cutter and sky and back again. "Edge in as you may, Mister Warren." The Watch Dog continued to wrestle winds that weathered them in their progress and frustrated the bosuns both. The wind was sometimes gone completely and in a moment as contrary again as it had been since nightfall. Badger proved tenacious as that animal that shared his name. He was abrupt, direct, and absolute in all things, while Roberts was everywhere at once. Though decidedly different in form and personality, they made a good team. Melody and countermelody. William removed himself to the waist of the ship and paced off a short run back and forth along a line. The Lucy resolved herself and details could now clearly be seen each time she rose from a trough. She was a ship of lights and calls, and gratefully, not a ship of spreading fires and screams. Whatever was happening aboard her now, there was an order to it. William caught Jack at the elbow as he passed. "Bring me a speaking trumpet." "Aye, sah."

CaptJ asked me to post his new vehicle and the colors that it sports. Note that the vehicle is a Rogue. So very fitting.

It's not going to be alright, John. You might get shot at by pirate hunters, or taken prisoner by redcoats. You could find yourself standing around in a tent encampment during a tornado warning. You might have to eat with your fingers... ...wait...those are all good things. PIP is like a huge party with the most laid back people on the planet. If you can't have a good time, you are trying not to. You'll have so much fun you'll consider moving there. Ask Fayma.

Thanks for the timely updates. It's nice to know well in advance of the event the how, who, where, what and when of everything.