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CI RP: Chapter 3 - The Illuminati
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 9:57 pm    Post subject: CI RP: Chapter 3 - The Illuminati Reply with quote

I hear a lot behind this bar. I may be old and bald nowadays but my ears work great. This man Mahli Carlisle is a real pirate, for sure, but there is more to him. His wife is Spanish and is the sister of a fellow they call the Marquis de Monte Carlo or Monty-something. This Monty fellow is an EXTREMLY powerful man who rules a vast criminal empire that makes us pirates seem insignificant by comparison! They say he is part of The Illuminati, a world-wide criminal enterprise, and is one their most powerful boses. He is reputed to have a powerful hideout guarded by Indian Mercenaries and Swiss Guards.

Word has it he has other henchmen working for him as Captains of their own crews. There is a Baron that works for him a Colonel as well. These people prey on Immigrant ships and hold the passengers as ransom. They are so bold they even enter towns and capture daughters of the Governors for ransom. They sail around in War Galleons, Fast Galleons and Flag Galleons with the green flags of The Illuminati and serpents painted on the bows of their ships for figureheads. They are so powerful the Spanish Governors have to allow them to operate with impunity.

I believe Mahli Carlisle is in cahoots with this Marquis and works for him or one of his Captains. I do not believe Governor Marriott knew this when he hired Carlisle. However, it appears the Marquis sent a war galleon here and abducted Governor Marriott and left Mahli Carlisle in charge.

We still have brave men around here men like Will Scarlett and three others I will tell you about soon. These men will help find Governor Marriott and restore justice to this fine island. As of now, things have been quiet because the pirate Captains have left to prey on the cargo ships. They should be returning and things will pick up around here just as they do every year. In the meantime, this Carlisle fellow has instituted a tax on every ship that enters the port. You can bet he is sharing it with this Marquis fellow.

Now, I have to go back to work running this tavern. I will send Cassandra back to take your next drink order.......
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Captain Teague
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice! I once wrote a story based on Sid Meier's Pirates! (using the game's characters) and set in the "Assassin's Creed" Universe, and I said that Monty was the Grand Master of the Caribbean Rite of Templars. This is very similar.
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! Did you read my wind-up of Chapter 2? I put some time into it setting the stage for future story telling. I was hopping you guys would continue the story.
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Captain Teague
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nay, I didn't see it. Where is it?
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's in a Sticky above - Chapter 2 of Role Playing - The Governor's Decree

http://hookedonpirates.com/forwarder.html?http://hookedonpirates.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=92933#92933
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Captain Teague
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That link leads to the thread "Not Worth It."

Unless ye wanted me to head thar?
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go to the Circlle of Pirates menu. It is the second post from the top
CI RP Chapter 2 - THe Governor's Decree
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:06 pm    Post subject: Our story resumes after one year........ Reply with quote

We rejoin our story one year later. Our Bartender is in the Salty Dog Tavern speaking to the Hostess/Madam Lucky and Barmaid Cassandra:

Another year has passed and much has happened here on Cutlass Isle. Governor Marriott is still missing and business has declined from the Port Tax applied to all ships entering our harbor. Mahli Carlisle continues to act as Governor, despite efforts to remove him. We continue to work hard and stick together but are up against a rapidly changing landscape. It is now February 1672 and we understand much more now but there is still much to learn about the forces we are up against.

Spain is a basket case! Back in 1665, King Philip IV passed away and left a HUGE vacuum in the Spainish Hapsburg Monarchy. Both of his sons from his first marriage had passed away and the crown passed on to his son Carlos from his second marriage. The boy was only three years old at the time. A pathetic specimen, he was the product of extreme in-breeding by the Hapsburgs. Philip IV and his wife - Mariana of Austria - were Uncle and Niece as happens so often with the Hapsburgs. Carlos was born with severe physical, emotional and mental handicaps - the boy did not learn to speak until age four and walk at age eight! Since he was only a small toddler when the Crown passed on to him, his Mother Mariana was named Regent, in charge of the Government and she had a Council of Regents advising her.

Mariana had no training or aptitute in running a country and had no idea how to find someone who did. She was persuaded by her Piest Juan Everado Nithard to allow him to be the de facto ruler of Spain, called the "Valido". This man, although basically honest, had no aptitude in dealing with the complexities of Government, especially with Foreign Powers. At the time (1666), Spain was at war with France in the War of Devolution over control over the Spanish Netherlands on the North
side of France and South of the Dutch. The Portugese were also rebelling against Sapin and the Portugese Restoration War was also going on. Nithard had no real stomach for war. By 1668, he gave in to the Portugese Rebels and ceded the Crown of Portugal and all Portugese Colonies in the Treaty of Lisbon. He then signed the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, giving back a large portion of the Spanish Netherlands to Louis XIV and France.

However, the members of the Councils and in particular Carlos' illegitimate half-brother, the popular military commander Juan José, started intriguing to overthrow the queen-regent's favorite. In February 1669, a military revolt in Aragon and Catalonia led by Juan José, who then proceeded to march toward Madrid, brought about Nithard's dismissal.

The next two years were filled with intrigue and jostling amoungst the inept leaders of Spain. Mariana of Austria was fending off Juan José. Although Spain was not offically at war with any other country, France, England and the Dutch Republic were all issuing Letters of Marque, allowing pirates to raid the Spanish Trade and Treasure ships and share the booty with the foreign governments. This was seen as an important source of income for the competing countries.

Meanwhile, in England, events were also very tumultuous. Charles II, their King had more than enough fights of his own going on. Charles II's father - Charles I was executed in Whitehall on January 30, 1649 at the climax of the English Civil War. The overall outcome of the war was threefold: the trial and execution of Charles I; the exile of his son, Charles II; and the replacement of English monarchy with, at first, the Commonwealth of England (1649–53) and then the Protectorate (1653–59) under Oliver Cromwell's personal rule. The monopoly of the Church of England on Christian worship in England ended with the victors consolidating the established Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland.

The political crisis that followed the death of Cromwell in 1658 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy, and Charles was invited to return to Britain. On 29 May 1660, his 30th birthday, he was received in London to public acclaim. After 1660, all legal documents were dated as if he had succeeded his father as king in 1649.
Charles's English parliament enacted laws known as the Clarendon Code, designed to shore up the position of the re-established Church of England. Charles acquiesced

to the Clarendon Code even though he favoured a policy of religious tolerance. The major foreign policy issue of his early reign was the Second Anglo-Dutch War, large-scale warfare between England the the Dutch Republic over control over sea routes, especially in the Caribbean. This war lasted until 1667. England and the Dutch now saw France as a threat to their territory and trade routes. England teamed up with the Dutch and Sweden and formed the Triple Alliance to fight back against French Expansion. Although no land battles were fought, this is what prompted France to accept the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle with Spain.

The end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War was only a political move by Charles II to cause France to stop their rapid advance in the Spanish Netherlands and again become an enemy with the Dutch. Once this happened, his real concern was the Dutch Trade influence. In 1670, Charles II and Louis XIV of France - who are First Cousins - signed a SECRET Treaty of Dover. This called for England helping France in thir war against the Dutch and in return France would help Charles II fight back against the religous reformers and return England to the Roman Catholic Church. These events will certainly set off conflict between the English and Dutch and between Charles II and his English Parliment.

Spain is still very much threatened by France in their quest for the Spanish Netherlands. Now with England on their side they are threatened by them. Both nations are preying of Spanish shipping and Spain is retaliating against them. Our own Governor Marriott is English and has the authority to issue Letters of Marque. The

Spanish know this.

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Continued next post ............................................


Last edited by Salty Dog on Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now, back to Spain. Mariana of Austria is still in charge and Juan José is fighting her for control of the Council of Regents. Both are very powerful people of great influence. Mariana is the daughter of King Ferdinand III of Austria and very loyal to the Hapsburg Family. Juan José is hungry for power and knows he must do something extraordinary to take power from Mariana.

A number of years ago in Bavaria, a secret group of men broke off from the Freemasons and called themselves the Illuminatti. The society's goals are to oppose superstition, obscurantism, religious influence over public life and abuses of state power. "The order of the day," they wrote in their general statutes, "is to put an end to the machinations of the purveyors of injustice, to control them without dominating them. As such, they oppose the authoritarian rule of the Hapsburgs. We have found that the Marquis Montalbahn has been accepted into their society and has started his own Chapter in Spain. Montalbahn, however, has done so only for the
purpose of making powerful friends who work behind the scenes. His most powerful friend is Juan José!

The Marquis is not the idealistic person the Illuminati stand for. He is a ruthless criminal who makes his living through human trafficking. He has recruited Baron Raymondo and Colonel Mendoza as his Captains and roams the Spanish Main without fear.

In 1670, one our most most important Captains - Duke Roland - married Governor Marriott's Daughter Esmeralda and set sail for their Honeymoon in Barbados aboard his flagship Veillantif. During his month-long honeymood, Spain did declare war with England and France. Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on this situation, the Marquis Mantalbahn sent one of his Captains - Colnel Mendoza - to kidnap Esmeralda and force Governor Marriott to cease issuing Letters of Marque and pay him a ransom. However, when Mendoza arrived at night and entered the Governor's Mansion, he discovered Esmeralda was on her honeymoon. At this point, Mendoza captured Marriott Himself and forced Marriott to sign a letter handing over control of Cutlass Isle to Mahli Carlisle. He also insisted that Carlisle would impose a tax on all ships entering Cutlass Isle or the Spanish would invade our island with 4000 soldiers.

During this past year(1671), Mariana of Austria has protected her control of the Spanish Government and appointed a new Valido to replace Juan Everado Nithard. The new Valido is Fernando de Valenzuela and Juan José is actively fighting against him for control of the Court.

In order for us to survive here on Cutlass Isle, we need to fight back against Marquis Montalbahn by exposing his allegiance to The Illuminatti and convince Fernando de Valenzuela to break up his criminal empire. We also need to rescure Governor Marriott.

We have many resources to draw on. Although Captain Will Scarlett is no longer here we have other powerful Captains. The first, obviously, is Duke Roland himself. He has been very influential in obtaining much of the information I have told you. He possesses such great wit and charm that he is allowed to trade in all Cities of all Nations and protects his standing by occasional pirate hunting and escort missions. He certainly has the motivation to rescue his Father-in-Law Governor Marriott.

Another powerful resource we have is Captain Teague. He is a veteran of many years sailing and pirating. He is a pirate of opportunity who preys on valuable cargos and ships. He captured and sold me an excellent Ship of the Line he captured from the French! I use it to import goods here to Cutlass Isle. I have a crew man the ship while I run my Tavern here. Teague is fast and daring, great for any mission.

Another Captain is called Rusty Edge. He goes after the Spanish with a vengence! He follows the Spanish Treasure Fleet each year and makes LOTS of money off them! The guy is a winner! He was here a little while ago, sailed here from Tortuga.

Then there is another Captain who visits us who is so secretive we only know him by his code name "Sparticus". He is a true thief in the night, always has lots of money and is very tight-lipped about it. He has very loyal sailors and has no trouble recruiting new men. This guy is so smooth he evades paying the port tax!

Rusty Edge told me of a new Captain heading our way. Said he met him in Tortuga. Goes by the name Red Rabbitt. This fellow is on the way here from South Africa. Rusty tells me Rabbit recovered a log book from a Spainsh Captain and apparently it has information about the Illuminatti that could help expose their members and intentions. He may even have some idea where Colonel Mendoza took our Governor Marriott.
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THE DOOR TO THE TAVERN OPENS.... A new man walks in .................

You must be Red Rabbitt! I heard you were coming, Captain Rusty Edge told me about you. Now you know that Cutlass Isle is located four days sail north of Tortuga. We are surrounded by other, uninhabited, islands and have remained a secret for several years. However, Colonel Mendoza foud us so we are no longer much of a secret! What news have you brought us?
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Two years have now passed since we last updated our story……………….. The year is now 1673. During the past two years we met a new friend named Phillipe Gerard, the Captain of the Guards at Port de Paix. We also met a Captain named Red Rabbit and found from him that when capturing a Spanish Galleon off the coast of Africa he also captured a ship’s log with valuable information. The log mentioned the appointed Governor of Cutlass Isle – Mahli Carlisle and we know he is under the influence of a powerful Spanish Lord.

Reports from Philippe Gerard have informed us Mahli Carlisle is making payments to a German speaking captain named Albert, and that Albert apparently takes the payments to a Stronghold on the south-east tip of Cuba run by a man named Rodriguez.

No sign of Governor Marriott since he was captured five years ago by Colonel Mendoza, who found Cutlass Isle and was here to kidnap Marriott’s daughter Esmeralda.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We return to the Salty Dog Tavern. The Proprietor is speaking to his Hostess Lucky (daughter of the Governor of Barbados and the Proprietor of the Bordello upstairs in the Tavern). …..
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Lucky, we have heard nothing since Phillipe left us for Port de Paix. This fellow Carlisle is still in charge here but we never see him and we have heard nothing from the English Lord who set up Governor Marriott so many years ago. For all we know, Marriott was forced to sign the letter that established Mahli Carlisle and set up that terrible ship tax that is still being charged on all ships docking here. We have captains and sailors come and go here but no good information on Marriott’s whereabouts in a long time.

Suddenly another man enters the Tavern….

Oh my God! It’s Phillipe! We have not seen him in a long time!!!!
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Annoying Captain
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome Salty and Lucky! I finally got time off for some much needed leave and when I heard a Pirate Ship was coming this way I asked to come aboard. I brought you some good Jamaican Rum for your Tavern!

The Captain who brought me here will be joining us soon. He goes by the name of Lord Flash Fire and has been an active pirate, preying on Spanish ships in the area.

I kept checking the reports of a Stronghold on the eastern tip of Cuba and have been talking to Captains and Sailors in the Dancing Horse Saloon in Port de Paix, We used to think those ships were on the way to and from Santiago. Now, we believe there is another port they visit as well. Not only are Trade Galleons seen in the area, but Mail Runners flying different flags, War Galleons and even Flag Galleons are seen in the area. Sure enough, something is up.

I was also able to confirm the Stronghold is owned by a man named Rodriguez.

So, Lucky, it's been a while. How about you and me doing some business upstairs? I brought a LOT of Francs with me!

Phillipe and Lucky disappear upstairs...

Next, the front door of the Tavern opens and a new Captain walks into the Tavern.............................
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