Captain Genaro

Cooke is very lucky he was standing against the wall. Had he been at the door or window to figure out what the commotion is, well, I don't think it would end so well for him. Your build is nice, too. The arcade is nicely done, and I particularly like the stonework railings along the second story. A very nice build all around, and I look forward to following Cooke's adventures in the ongoing liberation of Terraversa!

Thanks for pointing that out. I probably would have overlooked that otherwise.

Great writing as always @Capt Wolf, and thank you @Bregir for all the hard work you put into preparing the results! No doubt this round was a bit more challenging, but I'm really looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

@Ross Fisher The declaration is updated with references as appropriate. Hopefully this helps. Of course not. Haven't you ever heard of a double standard?

Every word is the gospel truth. I'll add some links this evening. They are all based on events that occurred, although some of them do require some inferences (e.g. Nothing was ever published about Oldis prohibiting the prosecution of those who attacked our AMCRA/priests in Terraversa, but I think it's reasonable for Oleon to draw this inference). And while I will deny ever having said so, there may or may not but definitely is the tiniest amount of bias in the writing (but I think it does make sense IC).

Oh huzzah, huzzah, huzzah! Three cheers for the boys in blue! May their mission to rid Terraversa of the tyrant Oldis be a resounding success! And if anyone was wondering, a royal proclamation has recently gone out. We would have published it months ago, but, uh, bureaucracy and travel delays.

By His Most Sacred Majesty. A Proclamation. When a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces an absolute despotism, it is right to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of Terraversa; and such is now the necessity which allows for no other alternative than an alteration of the system of government. The history of the present oppressor, Milo Oldis is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. He has allowed his admirals to seize, without provocation, 2 ships belonging to the Royal New Terra Company, and detain their crews until such a time as a sufficient ransom could be obtained. He has unlawfully issued Letters of Marque, and released these pirates on the innocent traders of Mardier and Eslandola. He has made judges subject to his will alone, deploying thugs and brigands to roam near courthouses where those who expressed an interest contrary to his own were subject to assault. He has subjected Olean merchants to arbitrary and oppressive harbor fees that are not borne by other nations. He has directed his officers and ministers to impose clerical and administrative barriers preventing the free trade of Olean goods across Terraversa. He has abused loyal subjects of Oleon, forcing them to submit to verbal and physical assaults, in a transparent effort to garner support for his fledgling regime. He has freed his admirals, ministers, and public officials to abuse their position by extorting wealth from subjects of Oleon. He has refused to enforce laws which would ensure the fair treatment of subjects of Olean and those with whom they would engage in commerce. He has obstructed the administration of justice by refusing to allow the judiciary to prosecute those who vandalize property belonging to subjects of Oleon. He has denied security to those priests who took upon them the sacred duty of caring for the spiritual needs of the people of Terraversa, allowing them to be victimized in brutal physical attacks and to be subject to ridicule in public forums. He has invited foreign powers for the purpose of granting them free reign to terrorize domestic trade. He has refused the desperate pleas of his own people for an end to this injustice. He has erected a multitude of new taxes, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass his people, and seize their substance. He has intimidated local populations and arrested dissenters, for openly opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the Terraversan people. Therefore, His Most Sacred Majesty, King Philip the First, by the Grace of the Gods, King of Oleon and Guelph, Protector of New Terra, the True Defender of the Faith and so forth, appealing to the supreme judges for the rectitude of His intentions, by the power bestowed upon Him by Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, solemnly authorizes the Royal Council for War to take action as directed to address and rectify these numerous abuses. Be it done on the Twenty-Eighth Day of the Fourth Month of the Fourth Year of His Divine Reign. Vive le Roi! To those who are wondering, all the claims above are based on events that occurred in the game. Most of the Oleon-specific claims come from our AMCRA.

@Bregir Counsel Montoya, I am not sure how familiar you are with the purpose of the RNTC’s operations in Terraversa, but allow me to repeat that they are of a mercantile nature. Unlike your organization, our simple party does not include agents trained in espionage, and I fear our officials currently present in Terraversa simply do not have the experience to make informed decisions on matters regarding insurrection and covert actions. Normally we would simply request the necessary personnel be sent to assist us, but I trust you would agree that any nation sending agents and spies around Terraversa would be viewed with distrust. Such an action might even lead to accusations they are to blame for the troubles you detailed. Make no mistake, I am as concerned with Terraversa as you are, and would be happy to discuss the matter with you and the Eslandolan authorities at length, but I fear my lack of experience with such matters may result in much delay, especially if said inexperience means my superiors must send additional correspondence to ask questions should I fail to make the appropriate inquiry. Should you still feel such a meeting would be beneficial, I would of course be happy to discuss the matter at length. Vive le Roi! Henri Hollande Agent de la Compagnie Royale de la Nouvelle Terre

Dear Consul Montoya, On behalf of His Most Sacred Majesty, we thank you for bringing this troubling matter to our attention. We view Terraversa with much the same importance as you, and it is reassuring to know your government is seeking to develop a consensus on this issue. We are no strangers to troubles in Terraversa with our own officials and property suffering much ridicule and abuse in Kings Port, but your accusations clearly go far beyond that. Our operations in Terraversa are of a mercantile nature, and we lack the developed intelligence network your operatives have been so diligent in establishing. As such, bearing this in mind, I fear we have little to add to your allegations at this time, but that is not to say we are uninterested in this matter. Rather, allow us to put before you the opportunity to meet with officials of the Most Sacred Crown of Oleon in Lavalette. It is our sincere desire you should accept this offer and use this opportunity to present your evidence and proposed actions to resolve the current situation. Vive le Roi! Henri Hollande Agent de la Compagnie Royale de la Nouvelle Terre

Those look pretty neat. How is the clutch power? Do you need glue to hold the parts in place?

It looks like your ship yards are hard at work again, Bodi. I have no idea how you find the time to keep building these great ships, but you certainly are not sacrificing quality to get it done. Clever technique to have open gunports along the upper deck. The upper deck at the rear is the poop deck. The helm is still on the quarterdeck. Most ships of the line with a poop deck placed the helm underneath, but not completely enclosed (HMS Victory is a good example). I'm sure there are a number of explanations as to why this is, but my understanding is 1) it keeps the helm on the quarterdeck and 2) it provides the helmsmen with some protection from enemy fire (I'm not sure if there were any design reasons related to making the ship too top heavy or issues with having the steering equipment running through the great cabin). And while it might impede the helmsmen's view, there would be an officer present to give orders (contrary to many films the helmsman would not decide how to steer the ship).

OOC: A big thank you to @Bregir for his excellent build and joint authorship of this part of the adventure (everything in red). I know it took a bit longer than any of us would have liked, but it was a real pleasure getting to work with him, and creating crossover between both our characters in this story. The militia officer was amazed at his fortune, and didn't waste a moment. He immediately ordered the guards to detain Cooke and he was taken to a small cell in the gatehouse. A small, damp room, Cooke was kept here while two militiamen watched him from the door. A short while later, another officer appeared and barked new orders at the guards who quickly made it clear to Cooke that he was to follow the officer. Cooke exited the cell, and noticed two new guards, not dressed in the black militia jackets, but wearing blue tunics, white gloves, and some sort of plate armor. Closely followed by several different guards, Cooke followed the officer through the streets of Nola Mar until they reached an administrative building. Upon entering the building the officer lead Cooke to a closed door, knocked on the door, and without waiting for a reply proceeded to open the door and motion for Cooke to enter. There were several people already in the room, several men gathered around one table in a corner, clearly clerks or scribes of some sort, and one man sitting at a lone table scribbling notes on parchment. All the men spoke Marderian, and as Cooke entered the scribes looked up, but the man at the lone table simply continued writing. The guards motioned for Cooke to empty his pockets, to which Cooke scowled and begrudgingly complied placing his sword, commission, pass from L'Olius, and purse on the table. After Cooke had done, the man at the desk motioned for Cooke to sit, and after making a final note on his parchment he looked up. “Please state your name and purpose in Nola Mar.” Interrogation in Nola Mar by Christian West, on Flickr With a small sigh, Cooke spoke up in reasonable, but accented Mardierian. "As I have already told your guards, and as my papers will state..." he said with a frown, nodding towards his papers on the table: "I am Captain Jonathan Cooke of the HMS Greyhound frigate of Her Royal Majesty's Navy. I am here on a survey mission for Corrington, and I have permission to travel Terraversa from the authorities in Westface." After a short pause. "Who are you, and are you in charge here?" The official reviewed Cooke's papers as the captain spoke. "Yes, that appears to be in order, Captain Cooke. And to answer your question, yes, I am in charge of this questioning and I certainly hope we can resolve this whole matter without too much trouble." Narrowing his eyes for a moment, he replied with a hint of restrained anger. "I believe it must be due to my Mardierian... or yours..." He added in a low mumble, before continuing. "...that I have not made myself clear. Are you the authority in this settlement, and if so, in what capacity?" "For the intents and purposes of your time here, yes, I am the authority here. I believe that should be a sufficient reply" the official coolly replied while making it clear he would not discuss this matter further. He made a few notes on a sheet of paper, copied something from the commission, and then returned the commission to Cooke but left L'Olius' pass and the sword on the table. "I must confess, sir, that I am no expert in Corrish naval customs, but is it not customary for officers, especially a ship's captain, to be in uniform when traveling ashore on official business? At least, my experience has been that officers are most proud of their uniform and always report to the local authorities (not some militia sergeant) shortly after coming ashore." Cooke gave a stern glare at the deflection, looking less than pleased. "Suffering the questioning of a mere clerk..." he mumbled under his breath before continuing. "As to the matter of my uniform, Corrington does not make a habit of flaunting her military power on sovereign lands before making sure that it will give rise to no misunderstandings. And as you may remember, the harbour master rejected me, making it quite hard to 'report' to the local authorities." "I would have thought it clear after docking in Kings Port and Westface that your presence would be welcomed here, not to mention that, according to you" the official continued, putting a hint of emphasis on the "you" "this expedition was specifically requested by L'Olius. Given those, ah, statements, I find it hard to reconcile those with any notion of flaunting military power." And the harbor master rejected your permission to dock at that pier, but clearly you did not interpret this rejection to serve as a prohibition on your entering the town. And based on the harbor master's statements it does not appear anything so offense was said as to prohibit you from approaching him from dry land. And even then this building's location and purpose are hardly a secret. Surely a few inquiries would have given you the information you needed." "That I was initially rejected and now subject to this... interview does seem to suggest that I was indeed right to be cautious. Whether or not I took the best approach may be debateable, but my concern was warranted." “We can debate that point another time, but for now I would be most interested in knowing how you happened to arrive in Nola Mar?” "I contracted with a local fisherman to take me ashore from my frigate and have come alone. The harbour master gave no reason for denying me access, so I asked to be landed at an unattended fishing pier nearby." With a wry smile he added. "By coincidence, it had turned dusk by then, and no one there stopped me..." "You found adequate lodging for the night I trust" the official replied without looking up from his notes. Flashing a barely perceptible smile, he added with a glance to his muddy boots. "Yes, quite adequate, thank you. I am afraid I have quite forgotten the name of the fisherman. But a very helpful chap. A credit to the hospitality of the people of Terraversa." “I’m pleased to hear it. But I must say, sir, your claim of a frigate nearby is most interesting as we have received no such reports. And no doubt you could describe the local fishing vessel and the men which delivered you?" the official asked. "But another thing which troubles me, is I always see officers, Garvan, Eslandolan, and Corrish, arriving on their boat, forgive me for I don't know the proper name, but one rowed by many ships men. I have never heard of an officer taking such a simple form of transportation, one clearly below your station." "I find it interesting that local authorities in a minor settlement here should even concern themselves with neutral shipping." Cooke shot back with a hint of sharpness. "And I am quite surprised you should have any experience with Corlander naval officers, as to the best of my knowledge, I am the first one to call here." Continuing with a less sharp tone, Cooke continued "And as I have said before, I had to ascertain first that a Corlander military visit would not result in any misgivings. Last reports from here was a settlement in lock down, taking measures against smugglers, and with no news in months, I decided for a more neutral, a more careful approach. Not to stir up trouble, you see." Ignoring the first portion of Cooke's reply the official focused strictly on Cooke's second points. "If you had an official document from L'Olius, why would you have any reason to expect trouble? And even then, if you did expect trouble why arrive in such a clandestine, you must pardon me, sir, but I think we can agree even a neutral observer would find you actions here to be unexpected to say the least." Pausing to sip from his glass, he reviewed his notes before continuing. "The name of a mere fisherman, easy thing to forget. But perhaps, sir, some other items did not go unnoticed. Surely an experienced sailor such as yourself would be able to identify the vessel, or at the very least describe it? And surely you recall how many men brought you ashore? Perhaps they mentioned something in conversation that would help in identifying them? Oh, even if it seems trivial, I'd be most interested in knowing about it." Sighing impatiently, Cooke replied: "I had no reason to expect trouble, so colour me surprised that I am now sitting here. I fail to see how my visit here can be interpreted as 'clandestine', and why you are so concerned." Pausing for effect, he then added. "Unless you have something to hide here, of course..." entirely ignoring the matter of the fishermen. The official shook his head. “Nothing to hide, those are your words, Captain, not mine. Though I must confess your inability to answer a basic question about fishermen leaves me with the distinct impression that perhaps one of us does in fact have something to hide.” Cooke sat there, declining to respond to the official’s remark, so the man continued with another line of questioning. “And as for this survey you speak of," he said, gesturing to the items on the table "I do not see your charts for Sillitholina. I trust you did not lose them?" With the best version of a winning smile his weather beaten and battle-scarred face could muster, he added: "Silitholina? Hmm, I shall have to check my charts, but I believe it is next on our survey..." "I am sure we are honored to be the first location you chose to survey, or perhaps it was merely the convenience of our location as you survey the entire coast," the official said in an offhanded remark. “I trust you did not lose your equipment, too?” "I was not referring to a full hydrographical survey, yet. Corrington, in support to Grand Admiral L'Olius, is surveying the capacity of Terraversan ports to shelter and service merchant and naval vessels." Raising an eyebrow, he added "One would have thought that local authorities could readily supply charts and soundings... Otherwise, further hydrographical survey could be next, of course." He paused for a moment and continued. "In terms of the practicalities of our survey... I shall spare you of the naval details, but a full survey of sandbanks, reefs, anchorage, harbour facilities and so forth requires presence. Obviously, I will be bringing in parts of my crew to conduct the survey, once we can be sure of our welcome..." "Already prepared for a surveying crew," tutted the man dismissively. "Just a moment ago you were saying this mission merely required a trip to collect some charts. Now it's a full surveying crew?" "Allow me to spell it out for even the merest minds." he said impatiently, shooting a glance at the official. "I was to land to establish contact and coordinate, after which the survey crew would join. Simple as that." "I believe I am beginning to notice a theme, Captain. Once again an interesting explanation, but one that leaves me with more questions than answers" the official replied with a frown. "We have heard nothing from Oldis regarding hydrographical surveys, and I must question why L'Olius would send a Corrish naval officer, a full captain, to perform such a simple task. Surely L'Olius has his own men, and surely even a midshipman could perform a task as mundane as carrying charts between settlements? "Besides," the man continued, "assuming there are no decent charts in all of Westface, or at least no charts that include Nola Mar, wouldn't the prudent course of action be to seek the official charts from the admiralty in Kings Port?" "L'Olius has heard nothing from Nola Mar concerning the crackdown on smuggling. Nor of anything else for a long time, in fact." Cooke returned the frown, the scar on his eyebrow glowing red. "The Royal Navy has offered its assistance, which has been accepted. I believe recovering from the war of independence still leaves many tasks undone for this fine young nation." Looking at the guards he added. "We do not make a habit of sending in junior officers to contact foreign authorities. And as is abundantly clear, that was the right decision, seeing the situation we have here..." Upon hearing of Corrington's increased involvement a look of surprise or possibly fear flashed over the official. He turned, motioned with his fingers for one of the scribes to approach, and they began a quick discussion in hushed tones. After a few back and forth comments, the scribe returned to his seat and began scribbling rapidly upon a new piece of paper while the official returned to Cooke. "We have received no word of such involvement, and to be quite frank we cannot authorize any cooperation with such activity without proper approval from the authorities in Kings Port. I'm sure you, as a naval man, can appreciate that we require proper approvals before assisting in any such operations. As for L'Olius' ignorance of the current situation" the man went on, shrugging his shoulders "I fear that is a question you must put before him." "And I shall convey to the Grand Admiral that the authorities in Nola Mar will not commit to cooperation without word from Kings Port. May I take your name and title so that his staff can contact you?" “Yes, the Grand Admiral, another point I wish to discuss” the official replied, once again ignoring Cooke’s question in favor of asking his own. “Why are you working with L’Olius instead of Oldis? Why is your pass from the Grand Admiral and not the Archduke?” "Does it make a difference?" he asked pointedly, the official’s avoidance of the earlier question clearly annoying Cooke. "The mainstay of the Corlander mission to Terraversa is currently in Westface cooperating with L'Olius, who is also the instigator of our survey..." "Wouldn't you find it odd if someone on an official mission for Corrington avoided Belson and instead got orders and passes from an admiral in another city" the official interrupted "especially if that person had first visited Belson? And no doubt you are aware that many view L'Olius as a challenger to Oldis' rule. One could easily view these actions as being in support of this upstart over the legitimate government." Feigning surprise he replied: "Not at all. In Corrington, any local authority can issue passports." And raising an eyebrow, he said in something like disbelief. "Are you suggesting there are competing factions for the rule of Terraversa? Pray share your thoughts!" Sending the official an inquisitive glance, he continued: "I take it Nola Mar is loyal to the rule of Arch-duke Oldis? Just like Grand Admiral L'Olius of the Terraversan Navy is." "Any official you say, I shall be certain to remember that," the official said in a tone that conveyed he had no intention of remembering that (nor would he have to with the scribes recording every word). "As for the politics in Terraversa" he held out his hands as if helpless "what would a mere servant of this backwater town know? Surely in your travels to Kings Port and Westface you've heard the rumors of L'Olius' goals and the tension between those two men? I'd certainly be surprised if your intelligence" using a translation that could refer either to Cooke personally or the Corrish intelligence service "would have failed to note something that is common knowledge even among the peasantry." "I was not aware. I am a naval officer, not a politician." he replied blank-faced before continuing. "As is perfectly natural, for our naval cooperation, we are in contact with the Terraversan Admiralty under the Grand Admiral?.." Cooke gave a lopsided smile and added with veiled disdain: "Or perhaps the... mayor?.. of this minor settlement thinks to correct his superiors in Westface and Kings Port?" "You know I think you're right," grinned the official "I think it would be in our best interests to contact my authorities in Kingsport before proceeding further. But I would hate for such a delay to result in you missing your rendezvous with your ship and this vital surveying mission, and so I fear I must make decisions without their guidance. Afterall, the delay you’ve already endured after surrendering to the guards…" "Surrender? Am I a prisoner?" Cooke replied with a slight snarl. "As I realised the local authorities were looking for me, I assumed it was to rectify the error of not initially welcoming me and answering my questions..." The guards tensed at Cooke's reaction, and the official was slightly taken back, but he almost immediately regained his composure. "Forgive me, sir, but usually if one is looking for authorities they start by looking for the administrative building," he said gesturing about before continuing with a hint of sarcasm. "I have found it very uncommon that hydrological surveys are maintained in gatehouses leading out of the city. Furthermore, sir, I have found it to be the visitor's duty to make a point of seeking out their hosts, and not the host's duty to go searching a city for visitors who fail to report with the local authorities." At this point a servant brought some refreshments in the form of wine (Chateau Richemont, 616), cheeses, and meats. A few fruits were also on the tray. The official offered them to Cooke before proceeding to indulge himself. "I figured the gate was the best place to find a guard to take me to... you?.." he said, accepting a glass of wine and some food, sipping sparingly. "Pardon me for my lack of familiarity with the settlement, but after being refused by the harbour master, I was quite at a loss as to whom to go to. And I will stress again that while the survey is the main purpose of my mission, first I had to establish contact." "So the many patrols and heavy guard at the gates are not for my benefit? I had the distinct impression you were looking for me." "This whole affair, this whole discussion… I must say I find it all very unusual" the official said staring intently into Cooke's eyes, more intently than he had been this whole conversation. "The harbor master refuses you permission to dock, so you find an empty pier to use. Conveniently when it is late and no one notices. Yet despite the late hour you still manage to find suitable lodging. And all this time you manage to avoid noticing any of the patrols who could have directed you to this building, avoid asking any civilians for the appropriate authority figure, and clearly assume that a gate leading out of town is the best place to look. "As do I this interrogation, sir!" Cooke said sharply and rose, his large stature now showing. "I believe I have nothing more to add and should wish to return to my ship. I bid you farewell and thank you for your... hospitality." he added and motioned for his belongings and papers. At Cooke's sudden movement the guards at the door took a few steps towards him, one moving his hand to his hanger while the other shifted his musket for a quick strike (if the need arose). The scribes froze, one failing to notice drops of ink falling off his quill, and the official, though outwardly stunned at Cooke's response was secretly pleased at the progress he had made. "How do you intend to return to your ship if you do not even remember the name of the men who delivered you here? And from what I see" he said glancing at Cooke's belongings "you certainly don't have any funds to hire a new vessel." Cooke eyed the guards with subdued draconian satisfaction before returning his attention to the official. "Am I to take it you will detain me by force? An officer of the Royal Navy carrying papers from the Grand Admiral?.." he asked, then changed his tone to a more cordial one. "Or am I free to leave? I can assure you, you need not worry yourself with how I shall return. I have enough gold in my purse to hire a boat, and I am certain a number of them will be available at the docks." he added, motioning first to his purse on the table, then towards the port The official shook his head "I doubt that very much, Captain. This gold is clearly the illicit gains from a smuggling operation. Or perhaps bribes to support treason against the true ruler of Terraversa. Whichever it is I doubt very much that any of our honest" he said placing emphasis on the word "sailors would dare take your corrupted doubloons." Cooke stood rigid with rage, furrowed brow and the official continued. "Captain Cooke, I don't know what to believe. All I know if your answers were evasive or nonexistent. When you did answer, you left me with a story comprised of unlikely, in some cases fantastically unlikely, explanations. Normally, sir, I would turn you over the Kings Port for the authorities to determine what to do with you, but I fear given your alliance with the treacherous L'Olius such a course of action is simply too risky. No, no you must be detained here until the authorities from Kings Port can be brought here" at which an expression of concern ran across the face of almost everyone in the room. "You shall be detained, and provided you do not attempt to escape this detention shall be as comfortable as a man of your rank should expect." Cooke's eyes shot a furious glance back, but was that a hint of smugness mixing with the rage? "So I am to consider myself a prisoner? So be it. I shall remember your face, if not your name, and your accusations, good sir." he said venomously. "I require a receipt for the 'confiscated' funds and other belongings, and shall desire you to take me to my cell." "Consider yourself whatever you like," the official dismissed as he reviewed a listing of Cooke's affects. "One naval sword, one pass from L'Olius, dated 620 and giving Captain Jonathan Cooke the right to travel about Terraversa, no official approval from Kings Port on the document" the official continued "and a purse containing five golden Corrish crowns two Marderian doubloons for some illicit activity. Is that all, yes, I already returned your commission to you. Now then, if you'd be so kind as to sign these, I think you will find everything in order," concluded the official sliding the identical lists and a quill towards Cooke.  "And Captain, if you can give me your word as an officer and a gentleman representing the esteemed crown of Corrington that you shall not make any violence or make any effort to escape until the officials from Kings Port arrive to resolve this matter I shall see to it that your quarters are as comfortable as we can reasonably provide." Crossing out any mention of illicit activity, Cooke signed both documents and pocketed the one. He then said, "As is customary, will I be allowed freedom of movement within the settlement if I give my parole, or will I be confined to quarters?.." The official considered Cooke's request before shaking his head in denial. "I am not overly familiar with naval customs, sir, but my understanding is such a privilege is only extended to prisoners of war. As your detention is based on the civil statutes and not a state of war your request for free movement must be denied at this time. However" he continued before Cooke could respond "we shall consider various means of providing you with outdoors recreation, and we are willing to reconsider this restriction in the future." A short, almost imperceptible look of dismay ran across Cooke's features at the hint of long imprisonment, but swiftly this changed. With the narrowed eyes of anger and a distinct impression of disdain, he leaned in over the table and said with a low snarl: "You dare ask me, as an officer and gentleman, to give you..." he almost spat out the word. "...who have not even risen to questions of name nor station... my word of honour?" Fixing the eyes of the official, he continued sharply, interrupting the official just before he could reply. "And this under unspecified 'civil statutes' with no explanation whatsoever? With no assurances as to the conditions of my... incarceration. You give me no reason to expect that such will respected honourably in return." He drew in breath sharply. "This, 'sir', I neither can nor will do!" He withdrew with a dark smile and threw up his hands. "This will have consequences... Now, if you please. Take me to my cell..."

Well done with this build, Brandon. In my opinion this is your best build so far, and it's great to see so much improvement over your earlier builds. Each building has some unique aspects to it, and the texturing is well done. Other details (e.g. black bricks behind the windows) are easily overlooked, but serve a very important purpose.

KB, really nice job. Your build does an excellent job capturing a pagoda, and while I am only familiar with the square versions in real life, the polygon design is a unique touch. Overall the build is nice and clean with some very nice detailing around the base.

Thank you all for the kind words, and I'm glad you are all enjoying (or at least purporting to enjoy) the story so far. Must be a Corrish model.

P1130685 by Capt. Genaro, on Flickr Lord Pierre Lavalette Genaro, Duke and Peer of the Realm (and so forth) was unaccustomed to waiting, and increasingly this was causing him to become agitated. The steady mechanical ticking of the grandfather clock seemed to mock him, each tick a stabbing reminder of the delay. For a man second to only to kings and princes, a man accustomed to the blind obedience of millions, the wait was almost too much to bear. But bear it he did for it was only through patience (a nearly intolerable patience) that his objectives would be accomplished. “Well” a voice suddenly demanded as if out of thin air itself. Pierre would have paused for a moment, a desire to shudder befell him the second he heard that cold, heartless voice. But he would not grant his nemesis the pleasure, no instead he continued to stare ahead, seemingly ignoring the newcomer. “I have need of the Clerics of Hades” Pierre declared without warning. Then turning to face Lord Calida (for that was the other man in the room) he went on. “I will need several assassins, those who are masters of clandestine activity, and several who have experience with, ah, spreading political discontent.” P1130679 by Capt. Genaro, on Flickr Calida simply stared at Pierre, refusing to reply so the duke continued. “As you no doubt are aware the situation in Terraversa has taken an unfortunate turn, and while my agents are capable the Clerics are without a doubt the quintessence of clandestine activity.” “And what makes you think I am prepared to acquiesce to your request?” Calida hissed with only the most minimal movements of his mouth.” “You misunderstand me, Lord Chancellor” Pierre replied in steady tone with only a slight hint of amusement in his voice. “I am not requesting the use of the Clerics, I am conveying to you the commands of the King.” “How low His Majesty must have stooped to find you to serve as his errand boy, delivering his messages throughout the land” Calida mocked. “Though I suppose for one so accustomed to licking the royal boots this must be quite the promotion.” “Envy does not become you, Calida” Pierre went on. Hardly a decisive recovery, but one which would allow him to come out on top and continue on with the main point. “But putting our quarrel aside for a moment, I know you could ultimately hinder, possibly fatally, my designs.” “I thought these were the King’s order?” Calida mocked. “It truly is a wonder just how similar our designs are.” “Almost as if you fed him every word.” Pierre waived his hand. “Details, details. But the King has approved this plan so follow it we shall. Whatever our objections. But as I was saying, you could still find ways to hinder these designs, so I must ask what you desire in return for your cooperation.” “The Quiver.” “No.” Calida almost smirked. He had expected such a response, and as such his second offer was already prepared. “Perhaps this then,” he replied as he handed a sheet of parchment over to the duke. The duke read it and re-read it before replying. “Plutus would blush at making such a request. I thought you Clerics of Zeus decried greed.” Calida shrugged, or more precisely raised and lowered his shoulders by a measure almost imperceptible to an observer. “I was never a particularly good student.” Pierre stared at Calida for a moment. “I shall give you a third now, and a third once my mission is brought to fruition. Is that acceptable?” P1130689 by Capt. Genaro, on Flickr Nola Mar was a dull assignment, even by RNTC standards. All the proper documentation ensured there was little to no risk and all the major decisions were being made by superiors elsewhere. Delivery of supplies were overseen by the merchantman’s captain, and the loyalists were, for the time being, organizing their own defenses autonomously. Still, there were opportunities to profit, and it was these very opportunities the company official was pondering when a breathless loyalist suddenly dashed up the path. “Sir, sir” the man cried out. “Sir!” Concerned the official turned to the sailor, one of the few left behind in Nola Mar, and waived in acknowledgement, puzzled and slightly concerned at the man’s obvious worry. P1130693 by Capt. Genaro, on Flickr “Calm yourself, man. Breathe easy now, that’s better. Here” he said offering a flask of water. “Now” he continued once the sailor had somewhat recovered. “What’s all the commotion?” “Harbor Master’s compliments, sir, but there was a foreign gent who done tried to come ashore here.” “Who, what!” the official replied sharply. “Not sure, sir. Apparently some fishing boat done tried to dock which the master was okay with, but as soon as it got to the matter of the fee this foreign gent pulls out a pass from the L’Olius fellow and that’s when he got suspicious. The harbor master that is, sir, the harbor master got suspicious, but the foreign gent done got up and left before the patrol could get him.” “Are you certain?” “Well, begging your pardon sir, but that’s all they’s told me. And seeing as they’s our friends and a fine gentleman, sir, I don’t think he’s gone and lied to me.” “Yes, yes, I see.” The official replied, a slight concern in his voice. “Did he say anything else about the man?” “Foreign gent, sir, but couldn’t place the accent. Seemed to think the pass was the word of Zeus he did. Some divine gift granting him access to the whole world.” “But what of the man?” “Don’t know sir. Oh, wait, well the harbor master did say he had a red beard or something, yea, that’s it, because he said the red beard and green cloak. You see I remembered red and green and since the beard can’t be green it must be the cloak that’s green, see.” The official stood there silently for a moment. A foreign man trying to visit Nola Mar with a pass from L’Olius suggested trouble. “Fishing vessels do not dock in Nola Mar,” the official said half to himself and half to the sailor. “They go to Kings Port or Westface. There are too many other places to water, places where you don’t pay harbor fees, and if they had urgent need for supplies they would not have left so easily.” The sailor stood there, fumbling with his hat in his hands. “Begging your pardon, sir, but if they aren’t real fishermen, then what are they? Smugglers?” The official shook his head. “Unlikely. If they were local smugglers they would not have been frightened off, and if they were foreign smugglers they would not be so rash as to pull up to the docks in broad daylight. No, a foreigner who quickly fled when challenged suggests a far more serious threat.” Turning to the sailor, the official continued. “Quick, we haven’t a moment to lose. Run to the town and tell the captain of the guard to deploy patrols immediately. Send men to warn the pickets and roadblocks of a potential spy. Anyone, even those claiming to be Olean or Marderian, is to be detained until I can question them.” “But if he’s already gone and fled, sir? What if that’s happened?” The official thought quickly before replying. “A rider can cross the interior faster than any ship can reach Kings Port. With the local roads under our control and loyalists surrounding the town he can only move at night and off the main roads. No, even if he escapes our message shall reach Oldis first, and after all,” he said patting the pocket which concealed a forged seal “Oldis would have no reason to question a message coming from his own agents.” P1130688 by Capt. Genaro, on Flickr

The October 2019-February 2020 account summary is now available.

With the nature of my real job, I'm unavailable right now and will be unavailable until mid-February (there are only so many spreadsheets I can look at in one day before going insane). If there are updates that need to be made please make a note of them here. I will ensure they are addressed as soon as possible and as Capt. Wolf said we will hopefully have some other hands promoted to able-body so delays like this will be avoided (or at least lessened) in the future.

The belts look great. A huge improvement that should also help to differentiate between the officers and enlisted men. I'm not sure to what degree you're looking for historical accuracy, but a few points you might consider (based on the coats, I assume you're going for a pre-1800 look). 1) The Queen's American Rangers wore caps, not tricorns (while the opposite would be true for most British line infantry up to 1800). You might consider switching the hats between the two minifigs. 2) Officers usually had one belt (like the ranger currently has) while enlisted men had two (one for the bayonet and the other for their cartage box). I believe this was also true of rangers, and you may consider giving your soldier the second belt. 3) If you're ambitious, you may consider painting some lace on the brim of the tricorns. I most enlisted men had white lace while I believe officers (and sergeants?) had a silver lace. Best of luck with this project, and I hope you continue to impress.

A unique approach, and one that I think holds a lot of promise. The possibility to create proper, regimental-specific uniforms is a great advantage over standard Lego as well as the fact that you can create a proper coat that goes below the waist. You may consider experimenting are ways to get the proper cross belts as this is such an integral part of the enlisted soldier's uniform. One thing that looks off is the collar. Maybe I'm just too used to seeing it included on the torso, but here it reminds me of a noir detective's trench coat with the collar up more so than a colonial uniform. I think it may be that the edge gets a little too close to the mouth with makes the collar look too tall, but this may just be a compromise one has to make when working with Lego. I do hope that you continue to work with these and further hone your technique.

This is a very impressive introduction to BOBS. The build on its own is great, and I really like how you incorporated certain parts in uncommon ways (the bars across the windows, for example). The architectural style you used really captures the colonial Spanish design, and I’m particularly fond of the courtyard. Well done, and I look forward to seeing where Senor Orellana ends up in BOBS.

A very nice ship with a good classic Lego feel to it. Your use of the curved and sloped parts to create the brick-built hull is a little blocky, but still very good given the parts you are using. The detailed decks are very nice, and remind me of the playability features on Lego’s official pirate ships. While the ship is largely Lego, it does look like you are using some non-Lego string for the rigging as well as unofficial sails. These are great features, and I would encourage you to continue experimenting with these as they can add lots of details without the need to spend lots of money on new Lego bricks.

That's a nice little build, Bodi, and I can certainly see the Classic Pirates inspiration in the design. One area that you might consider revisiting on future designs is the roof as it seems rather plain. Perhaps some more detailing around the edge would help, or giving it a slight slope. Regardless, it's still very nice.

This is a very nice ship, Bregir. I like that you chose a lesser-known rig to build, and that you did such a fine job implementing it. It appears that you included many of the important details (including a pump, between the 1 and 2 guns if I’m not mistaken), and your action shot of gunnery practice was a great way to introduce us to her. While I am not sure if you are basing this on a particular model, it does appear to me that the bow is rather squat and not as pointed as I would expect to see on a ship. It looks more like the bow of a larger, heavier ship than of a fast privateer. But that could just be a result of the ship’s actual design or a limitation of building with Lego.

We could use some GM input for the Travels to Terraversa AMCRA. At this point we are waiting to see what the NPC reactions will be.