Chapter 39: Scallywags of the Seas

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“Yo, 'o. Yo, 'o. It’s a pirate’s life fer me.”

Captain Benedict, Th’ best of th’ best

Year 1028

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--POV: Benedict M’ladd—

--Place: The Azbach Sea/ Time: 06:23—

*Squoo Squoo*

Th’ sound o' seagulls tell the beginin' o' a fine mornin' on these waves.

Gentlemen o' fortune be wonderin' these waves in search o' treasures.

Whether them treasures be taken from ships 'oistin' produce or a quest to find treasures that 'as sank to the bottom o' this sea 'ere.

O' course, there be some o' them gentlemen dyin' cause o' some bad luck.

However, th’ weather be fine, suitable indeed.

A jolly time to raid some coasts. Coasts belongin' to nations be goin' to warrr.

If them Hansa to be believed, Baharuth be goin' to warrr with Avalon.

Th' Hansa are a sneaky bunch, but thar information are strangely accurate.

Hansa, a nation t' th' southern border o' Avalon, said t' be one o’ th' wealthiest nation o' th' bunch.

Tiny in land size, controlled by a few rich elites known as Th' Hanseatic League. They be havin' spies everywhere. By golly, spies o' th' Hansa could be on this mighty ship!

Th' reason sucha tiny nation be havin' so much doubloons, be 'cause o' thar location, 'n low taxes.

Wit' sucha low taxes, 'n a great location fer trade, It'sa no wonder why all th' nations be tradin' in th' Hansa.

Those same Hansa, be employin' us, th' scallywags o' th' seas.

While the Hansa have diplomatically pledged their stance of neutrality, they be anything but neutral.

While th' Hansa 'ave diplomatically pledged thar stance o' neutrality, they be anythin' but neutral.

When Nation A 'n Nation B be tradin' in th' Hansa, Hansa would loot bribes from one o' them 2 nations, t' favor th' bribin' nation o'er th' other.

T' protect them trade.

Thar be no real needs fer them protection as th' only danger be pirates.

So th' Hansa be tellin' us: "Attack these certain nations produce, 'n leave th' produce o' this other nation alone."

Th' Hansa be tellin' us t' attack th' ship o' th' nation who didn' bribe th' Hansa.

In return, o' course. Th' Hansa be givin' us a piece o' them hefty bribes. Makin' both th' Bribin' nation 'n th' nation who didn' bribe be scammed.

Th' Hansa can nah do this dirty work themselves, as that would break thar stance on neutrality.

So they gotta tell us who attack 'n who nah t', 'n hide thar reputation from bein' slandered, by usin' pirates ‘n th' black Jolly Roger as th' reason them produce be sunk t' th' bottom o' th' sea.

Nah 'cause o' th' Hansa's bribes.

Plus, th' Hansa be allowin' us t' be lootin' all th' produce we be attackin’.

O' course, th' Hansa also won't pay us fer any damages we receive while attackin' enemy ships.

'tis a win win, plus even though we be gettin' a tiny piece o' them bribes, th' bribes be huge.

Givin' us a lot o' doubloons.

Th' Hansa be sayin' that aft Baharuth 'n Avalon be goin' t' war.

That we should attack both Avalon 'n Baharuth. "Loot as much as possible" they said.

They even offered t' pay us t' loot Baharuth 'n Avalon ships. Plus we keep th' produce we loot!

By golly, th' Hansa must really hate 'tis northern neighbours!

Suddenly, th' door from th' lower deck opened as Hark boards th' highest deck o' th' ship, nigh th' helm o' th' ship.

"Cap’n! We be nearin' th' coast o' Gala, Baharuth. We need orders, cap'n!"

I grab th' spyglass from Hark 'n be lookin' fer any ships in sight.

"Ye seen anythin' suspicious, Hark? Any sign o' th' Baharuth fleet?"

“Nothin’ of the like, cap’n!”

“Round th' lads up, then!” I shout at th' top o' me lungs. "We be raidin' a lot o' loot today, ya scallywags!!!”