User blog:Harold Burned-Mane/Beneath the Black Flag - Setting

This blog is about setting the scene for the next Burned-Mane Canon RP, Beneath the Black Flag. It will be centered around the Decade of Piracy following the execution of the late Pirate King Basil Goldeye. To help people familiarize themselves with the lore that will play a part in the RP, here is this blog.

The Legend of Basil Goldeye
For almost 30 years he has plagued Tamriel through the course of his carrier. Along that time he amassed quite the following, creating alliances with other strong pirate crew and completely absorbing weaker crews into his numbers. The larger his fleet of ships grew, the more ambitious and greedy the wicked Redguard became. He went from sacking coastal villages and trade ships, to large towns and Imperial convoys. Before long he grew bold enough to attack the stronghold on Stros M'Kai and earned himself the ire of the Imperial Navy. It was during this attack that he lost his right eye and subsequently had it replaced with a gold one, earning himself the nickname "Goldeye".

Being one of the most wanted men in all of Tamriel only emboldened the pirate and allowed him to earn more followers. Within a few years he had a fleet that rivaled those of many kingdoms across Tamriel. The seas became too dangerous to traverse without heavy Imperial escort and even then many convoys fell before his Pirate Fleet.

Wanting to out do any pirate before him, Basil Goldeye set his eye on the prized jewel of the Empire, the Imperial City itself. Whether through skill or luck, probably both, Basil was able to maneuver his ships through the Niben Bay before the Imperial Navy knew what hit them. He crushed the opposition and made it to the Imperial Isle before reinforcements could be called from Bravil and Leyawiin. Basil had planned this meticulously and had men already in the Imperial sewers before they arrived, to open the way into the city. While his fleet attacked the harbor, keeping the Imperials' attention, the bold Captain Basil led his best men through the sewers and into Green Emperor Way. Eye witnesses say the fight was bloody, but the pirates prevailed and made it inside the White-Gold Tower. The Blades fought them tooth and nail and in the end only Basil made it out of there alive...but not without his prize. He had made it to the old Emperor and stole the amulet from his neck. The pirate fleet retreated, only managing to raid a few warehouses in the harbor, but Basil's actions earned him eternal infamy and the title of King of the Pirates.

For 3 years the Imperial Navy hunted the Pirate King, sparing no expense in their tireless pursuit. The Battle at Hunding Bay proved the end of Basil's luck as his allies and subordinates abandoned him and he was captured. Much of his fleet, however, remained at large as did his flagship, the Yokudan Ghost. He was brought back to the Imperial City and on the 9th of Sun's Height, 4E 240 he was executed.

None of his accumulated treasure was recovered, not even the Emperor's Amulet. Basil had managed to hide it all from the Imperial Navy and he boldly declared at his execution that he had obtained everything the world had to offer and challenged everyone to try to find it and claim his wealth and infamy for themselves. These last words had the effect of sparking a continent wide surge of piracy.

The Goldeye Pirates
The personal crew of the late Basil "Goldeye", King of the Pirates up until his execution in 4E 240. The crew has been active since at least 4E 219, when it began to get infamous, but it may have been created before then. The crew had many ships, but the flagship of Basil himself was the Yokudan Ghost. After the death of their captain, the fate of the crew is unknown.

Through the course of its history, the Goldeye Pirates absorbed and/or allied with numerous other pirate crews, including: the Iceborn Pirates, the Dread Pirates, etc. Together, they formed the infamous Allied Pirate Fleet that plagued the continent from north to south, east to west. Basil was the leader of the Fleet, serving as its Admiral, and under him were the 4 Cardinal Commanders that controlled all the pirate crews in their territory. Only Basil was captured by the Imperial Navy, the fate of the Cardinal Commanders is unknown.

The crew is thought by some as the most infamous pirate crew of all time, rivaling even the Abacean Pirates of legend. They amassed quite the fortune from their plundering, the crown jewel being the Emperor's Amulet of the Nine. The current whereabouts of this fortune is unknown, as is the exact scale of it.

Members

 * {Basil Goldeye}: The late King of the Pirates, Captain of the Yokudan Ghost and the infamous pirate that led the sacking of the Imperial City. Was the most wanted man in all of Tamriel up until his execution in 4E 240 and sparked the Decade of Piracy with his bold last words.