User blog:ElizaCreststeel/A Hidden Gathering

Posted by Wade McCallister

March 20, 2018, 10 p.m.



Ahoy, my dear brethren of the Caribbean! I hope my letter finds you well. I've received word that you have learned of the area we discovered recently in the infamous Isla Tormenta. A lot of you know of my prowess at the helm of a ship, BUT what you haven't heard is I also lead most of our land expeditions. Captain Roberts and the Navy taught me many, many things during my time, and the Keepers have only honed those skills further. I've practiced many different arts, especially after Alaina saved me during our first encounter.

The matter at hand is more pressing of course than explaining what I can do, this is more about what the evil forces all around us have been up to. I'm sure everyone is aware of Jolly Roger's recent attacks on Port Royal. I believe those were more of a distraction to what his forces are really up to. We had received word that there were stronger enemies than what he has sent to the various ends of the Caribbean, but until recently things had been very quiet. It seems there be a restlessness about the Caribbean, the likes of which we have yet to see.

Over the past few moon cycles, I'm sure you have noticed more bosses have come to the front lines throughout our homelands of varying size and strength. It would seem Jolly isn't impressed with the dead army he created and is making examples of the officers. This concerned the Keepers greatly and only more troubled us when Lady Grace uncovered word of a possible meeting between Jolly and his highest-ranking officers. Things I just brushed off as drunk ol' wives tales to be honest. I assure you though something of a mix between myth and reality is upon us. Word even travels that Davy Jones himself is taking part in these meetings.

Upon landing at Isla Tormenta, even the tide couldn’t cover the amount of foot traffic that had been on the beaches. I reminded the mates that this was not a raid and that I would be entering alone as we did not yet know what we were dealing with, but to be prepared if the fight was brought to us. I'm not usually one for tiptoeing around, nothing about me is very quiet, to be honest. I walked the usual path through Tormenta, the usual Thrall Captain here, the usual Spineskull there, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. As I rounded a corner something new caught my eye behind a corner. As it always does, curiosity got the best of me and I ventured into the cave mouth. I've wandered these cold, damp halls many times mates, and never have I felt the cold run this deep.

As I entered the cavern I could hear many, many voices. I climbed up to a higher vantage point near the top of the shallows to stay out of sight and get a better grasp on just who I was hearing. Mate's believe me when I say, I've never seen such a gathering, and I was at the battles for the Islands all those years ago. Two of the voices cut through the noise, silencing all in attendance. Hard to believe anything that evil gets scared, but I saw a few of them shiver, I'm sure of it. As I listened to the anger and hate that was being spread over the masses, I realized it was Jolly Roger and someone else just out of view. I couldn’t be sure who it was, but their voices thundered through the halls of Tormenta as they plotted and berated their legions.

Everyone seemed to have their attention firmly on their master. So, I decided to have myself a look around. The area was massive, moving quietly through it brought almost a nostalgic déjà vu to mind... like I had been here before. I wandered mesmerized by the gold stashes, pools and broken boats that were as far as the eye could see. I looked around for my original vantage point far above me from the lower entrance and decided to get back up in case I missed anything that would help us later. A few of the lower ranks had returned to their places in the cave, but I no longer could see Jolly or his generals. I feared the worst for my men outside, and in my haste to leave unlodged some rather large rocks down to the waters below me.

The black powder was out of the cannon at that point, everyone knew I was here. "PIRATEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" rang out loudly, and I could feel Jolly peering straight through my back into my very soul. It was as if the whole island was shaking with his anger, lightning bolts pierced the cave wall on all sides as I ran. The last thing I saw as I rounded back into the cursed halls from the new cave was the walls crumbling around me blocking them in, and myself out.

I'm not sure how much rock is between us and this new place, but I will be returning with greater forces to unblock these caves soon mates. The time to fight is upon us, and I humbly ask that you raise your cutlasses once again to let Jolly know, that nowhere is safe from us. I know that some of you will try to do this alone, and I praise your willingness to the cause. Please heed my warning when I say, that you will need your brethren in this fight, there are a few hiding places, but the forces come in numbers, and the strength of the generals is nothing to be taken lightly. The Forsaken Shallows as we have come to call them, is not a place of Ego and Pride of the army of one, but a collaborative effort to stomp out Jolly's forces together.

Until next time mates I hope you hear my words and they ring true, the time to fight is upon us, and the cursed army is the only form of prisoners he's in the business of taking.

Wade McCallister

First Mate, Keepers of the Code