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Posted by Alaina Seastone on May 16, 2017, 7 p.m.
Ahoy, pirates,
I apologise for the delay in getting this letter to you. You would simply not believe what I have encountered recently! It has been some time since I stepped outside my island and sailed through the Caribbean, but I fear times are desperate and require such actions. Did you know there are crabs thrice the size of men on some of these islands?! I had heard tales, but surely never thought I’d see one up close - just what has Jolly done?
Aye, seeing the effects of Jolly’s actions as of late have forced me to raise my flag once more, and throw away the cloak of secrecy that I’ve held all these years, and the position of status and power that came with it.
The purpose of this letter is to wrap up our account of history, and I will do so with a tale of my own. You must have been asking yourselves - how did the Keepers of the Code become like this?
It started when my father passed. He had maintained a reputation that was fearsome; disarming his opponents in duels with swiftness while leaving nary a drop of blood in his wake, or gruesomely marooning them with heaviness in his heart. Indeed, while he disliked the suffering of others he did what the Code commanded, down to its last letter… and then there’s me. I am nothing at all like my father was, not a master swordsman that could disarm even the fiercest of foes, nor can I wield the legendary staff in any capacity close to his. Indeed, I’m a mere shadow of my father, and the guild knew this.
Many tried to mutiny me when I took charge, and to this day many still attempt. For a while, I tried to run things as my father did. Alas, the difficulty proved too much. It did not help that I was a woman either, which caused the men to look down on me even further with every failed attempt to succeed. Eventually I took to simply keeping the mutinies at a bare minimum, and forced myself to learn the ways of the staff. It was not until I mastered my father’s signature staff ability that the guild truly listened to me.
For the first time, I felt in control. I was ready to take back the Caribbean. The only problem was that the infighting with the guild had diminished our numbers greatly. It was the work of brilliance from our remaining strategists that devised a method of rebuilding our once beloved guild: Hide in plain sight. Simple, right? Well… turns out it wasn’t so simple.
It took much trial and error, but eventually we found our places inside the taverns, blending in with the local crowds and gathering intel. It was one fateful day that I happened to find myself in a bit of a bind with the local ruffians, and was able to offer them information in exchange for my life. That’s when we realised the nature of our trade, and just how powerful these whispers from the taverns truly were.
Over the next decade, we put our plans into motion and formed a vast network all across the Caribbean of secrets and information selling. We generated gold, members, weapons… power. It was tough, grueling, and sometimes shameful work - but I managed to do as Captain Teague instructed me, and kept the guild alive and the code enforced.
However, this is where we catch up with the present dear pirates, and where I warn you plainly: Fear Jolly Roger, with all that you are, for he is the most vile and powerful pirate I have ever laid eyes upon. The might he commands with his armies is unmatched, and I fear that he has grown too strong. I must end this letter here however, as my ink is running short and I hear the shouts of men that have surely spotted land.
Goodbye, pirates. I hope you look forward to our many tales to come soon. May they offer you some motivation and comfort in these troubling times.
Fair winds,
Alaina Seastone
Guildmaster of Keepers of the Code