“There be treasure for the takin”

At long last... It all makes sense!
The family heirloom me father kept hidden all them years!
That dusty old treasure map of the Crows!

It was no easy task.

Me journey took me to all the known libraries of the world.
And even to Grána, where I donned a pair of pointy fake ears so as not to be detected by the locals.
But I was, and thought me heart would burst when the Acher were interrogating me.  
Me fake ears havin’ fallen off earlier in a scuffle with gargoyles, you see.
Then there be the time I looted a merchant ship headed to the Land of the Morning Calm, never in me wildest dreams did I think I'd get me hands on a clue to unravelin’ the Three-Legged Crow's mystery!

I don’t take after me father. Never have.
Me mother... well, she passed not long after I was born.
Aye, was many the day people would stare and whisper between themselves.
But me father, he loved me dearly, and I him.
Every time he set sail to sell his wares, there I was at his side.
And every time I was filled with excitement at the thought of what new place and what new people I’d see next...

And yet, while pretty words would oft tumble from me father’s mouth, I can tell ye now he was quite the calculating man, and had planned out me future right down to the last detail.
At fifteen summers old, I was to enter the Holy College of Calpheon.
‘Cause in doing so I’d be worthy of marrying into a fine household, and thereby being of some use to me family.
Not wanting to disappoint me father, I said aye to all his plans.

The day before I’d pack me bags and leave for Port Epheria, just happened to be me birthday.
And when I slept that night I heard in me dreams a sweet and gentle melody.
Drawin’ me towards the vast seas of Margoria, I suddenly found myself by its sandy shores.
It was then I realized…

I...
I be not me father!
I yearned to be free!
I was a romantic, wishin’ to be at sea!

In the wee hours of the morn, I cast aside me once rich and promisin’ future and fled from the isle.
Helpin’ meself to me father’s treasure map while I was at it.
Since then, the legends of me exploits have begun writin’ themselves!

First, I subdued and took charge of an unassumin’ band of pirates known as the Slippery Scallywags. That was easy.
I remembered those rogues from me father’s voyages through Velia. They were always plottin’ and schemin’.
Either way, they’re my loyal-to-a-fault crew now.
Hmm, had I not sought me freedom on the high seas...
I’d probably be wed into House Encarotia or the Nesser royal family, no? Haha!

Anyways!
Me long hard adventure be nearin’ its end.
Me father had always said the family heirloom would be mine the day I reached adulthood.
And spoke often of the unbelievable things it’d have in store for me.
Well, I make the rules, and I’ll choose when I become an adult!

“Wait for me, world! For I’m about to claim ye as me own! Hahahaha!”

◈ Beloved Captain of the Slippery Scallywags

“It isn’t easy protecting your loved ones, you know.
I don’t want you suffering the same sadness I experienced.”

When I were but a wee lass, I was playin’ ‘bout me father’s treasures and just so happened to stumble upon a right fine weapon!
Twirlin’ it about, like a right fool, I tapped on the trigger and sent its harpoon sailin’.
‘Course at that moment me father just had to be comin’ to check on his treasure, didn’t he?
Aye, the memory still pains me to recall.
It was the harpoon piercing through me father’s side…
I ran and wrapped me arms around him, blood-soaked though he was, and bawled me eyes out.
But me father just gave me head a quiet pat, never once hurlin’ blame.

“To hold a weapon in your hand is to say you’re ready to harm another.
If you don’t wish to harm others, you mustn’t hold a weapon.
But know that you won’t be able to protect the ones you love.”

I be just a child then, and too young to understand those words.
Ye see, I was more on the side of bein’ protected rather than doin’ the protectin’ back then.
But still, it did shock me to know that I had caused me father harm with me very own hands.

Even at fifteen, after striking out on me own, I didn’t yet savvy me father’s words.
Loved ones? Ones I wanted to protect? I had nothing of the sort.
I just me own self to look out for. That’s all.
And me treasure, of course. And me ship.

And then, life threw ‘em at me feet.
The ones who took me whole life, me whole code, and flipped ‘em on its head.
Louder than Oquilla’s seagulls, I spotted ‘em fearlessly raidin’ a Crow’s merchant ship.
Aye, enemies indeed they be...yet, something kept me lookin’ on.

Next our paths crossed, they were “working out disagreements” with another pirate crew.
I listened to ‘em angrily queekin’ from across the water, defending their mistreated matey.
I watched ‘em rush in with reckless abandon, outnumbered though they be.
It left me feelin’ quite strange.
And even after bein’ beaten black and blue, they retreated with a “Just you wait! Yer faces will be twice as beaten as ours next time!”

Deep in thought, I set anchor near their base and uncasked a pint of grog beneath the moonlight to aid me mind along.
Just why couldn’t I take me eyes off 'em?
I knew they were gonna lose, but maybe I couldn’t help but be taken in by how they kept fightin’ for their fellow crewmates.

Me mind wandered, wondering if such a crew would ever fight for me that way.
After passing the night that way, me mind was set.
I’ll make ‘em me maties!

At sun-up, I drew anchor and made me way toward their base.
‘Twould be a lie to say me heart weren’t thunderin’ against me chest.
‘Twas the first I could recall askin’ someone to be me crewmate.
I wet my lips and hollered out.

'Maties! I’m coming aboard!'

Me nerves got the best of me, and I accidentally beached the ship...
Somethin’ about me act must’ve impressed ‘em, as they excitedly climbed aboard and named me cap’n.
Haha, they were as endearin’ as imagined.

10 years apart now, and their love and loyalty be unwavering still.
I hadn’t ever had such devoted affection from me own kin.
Now I savvy me father’s words from back then, I think.
I’d take up any weapon to protect you all.
‘Course, you’ll be me maties through thick and thin forever, aye?

“Me beloved crew!
Follow me lead, open fire!”