Multi-national Pirate Crew in "Out of My Port, Frog!"

AZ_Dawn

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I have a humungous research fail. I've been so focused on the little things, like period names, sailor's life, child discipline, etc., that I missed a real big thing. I don't know how much of it spilled over into the Caribbean, but it puts me in a sticky situation.

Most of my cheesy little tales take place roughly in the very early 1700s. The two largest nationalities in the crew are English and French. The big thing I missed is the War of Spanish Succession (I'll have to read up on it, won't I). Guess who was involved in that war, other than Spain.

My pirates don't care; if they had any pretentions of patriotism, they would've been privateers. Neither does their home base (a made-up island), unless you do something blatant, like yell "#$^% France!" in the French areas or "Je &#$%^ sur le roi d'Angleterre!*" in the English areas. However, there are other real life ports my pirates may need to got to. True, they're probably limited to pirate-friendly ports in the first place, but shore leave might still be awkward for pirates of the wrong nationality. Cheese does not give me free license to completely ignore history and logic.

I'm not sure what I'm asking for here, but advice, chiding, and sympathy are all acceptable.

Thanks!

* Pardon my online-translator French.
 

Puma

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Early in the 1700's - before, during, or after the war? (And don't forget to look at Queen Anne's War too.)

I don't know, to me it sounds like that provides some opportunity for some very interesting relationships and situations among the crew.

And, I thought there were several places, Tortuga for one, that were pirate strongholds and not aligned with any specific nation. If they have to visit someplace for provisions or whatever, I'd think it would be pirate tolerant islands unless there was a need for emergency repairs.

That's my initial thinking. Puma
 

BAY

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Easy AZ dawn, its Friday.
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Time to let go and release your scutum. (See the new SYW thread. It's designed for pouting.)

Even the most diligent researcher can cross a fact. The good news is you're looking to fix it. Don't throw me overboard but, hey, can't they sneak up on a favorite, less populated coastline, and walk to a lesser known town? Weren't there lawless ports in the storm? Can't they change out of their bizarre clothes (thinking Capt Jack Black here) into something more appropriate?

Worse comes to worse, have women row out to them for a party. Don't worry after a walk in the forest, you'll work it out.
 

pdr

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You know what to do.

Make it work.

Give us a reason why this crew will work together, find some outlandish situation they were both in which bonds beyond nationality.

Okay.

And I doubt if a pirate ship would go anywhere to port except those known to be pirate friendly and they weren't interested in nationality either!
 

RichardB

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If these guys cared so much about their countries they would be in their countries' navies -- not aboard a pirate ship primed for plunder.

I do love a good research fail. I wrote a whole chapter about Pope Gregory IV taking place in November 827, then found out he wasn't elected until December or actively wielding power until the following March.
 

angeliz2k

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Onboard, I don't think anyone would give a flying you know what about the war. As Captain Jack would say: "Pirate!"

There might be a little bit of tension even in a pirate port if Englishmen started annoying Frenchmen or vice versa; but then, since when have they EVER liked each other? I have a feeling national feeling could spark an argument, war or no war. At a non-pirate port, couldn't they just send Englishmen or Frenchmen ashore as needed? The others could stay aboard or stay out of the way or pretend to be mute.

Exactly what need do the pirates have of non-pirate ports? Can't they get what they need/want at a purate port? The pirate-friendly places are bound to be more fun for them and less dangerous.

ETA: I see pdr had the same thought about going to regular, non-pirate ports. Great minds, pdr, haha.
 
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Puma

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Or, if they were nationalists, they'd be privateers working for their country.

The only reasons I can see for a need to go to a non pirate port would be an emergency as I suggested above - someone gravely ill and in need of a doctor, a broken something on the ship, out of fresh water because they'd been blown off course by a storm - something like that. Pirates didn't go into non friendly ports because they'd be arrested and hanged. Puma
 

Inarticulate Babbler

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Pirates were criminals, bound by a different creed than country. If the characters are true to most historical pirates, they raid their own ships, too. I can't think of any reason an international crew wouldn't work. They just might have to adjust when resupplying--have the Frenchmen not speak in English ports and vice versa.
 

Inarticulate Babbler

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As far as reasons non-pirate ports: resuppling, food, fresh water, spars, sailcloth, ransoms...

Pirate ports were much like the crew, an unruly bunch who could not be trusted. They didn't have stores that could be regularly resupplied. Pirate ports were more haven from the law than actual ports.
 

RichardB

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You could have some juicy clashes over culture; "you garlic-eating snail-sucking..." , "vous Anglas, with your 'biftec'... disgusteeeng!" Just as long as no one waves a flag you could work a lot of great cultural animus into the story.
 

AZ_Dawn

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Thanks, guys! Very good ideas here. This really helps.

Puma said:
Early in the 1700's - before, during, or after the war? (And don't forget to look at Queen Anne's War too.)
There's no specific year, but I figured it would be during the first decade; there's not a lot of that time that wasn't during the war. I did take a brief look at the Wikipeda entry for Queen Anne's War and saw the words Port Royal. Unfortunately, it was Port Royal, Nova Scotia, so it didn't tell me much about events in the Caribbean.

BAY said:
Easy AZ dawn, its Friday.
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Time to let go and release your scutum. (See the new SYW thread. It's designed for pouting.)
A pouting thread? Sounds interesting.

pdr said:
Make it work.

Give us a reason why this crew will work together, find some outlandish situation they were both in which bonds beyond nationality.
I don't think it has to be too outlandish. Many of them were working together before the war, and easy money's a great motivator, too. ;)

RichardB said:
I do love a good research fail. I wrote a whole chapter about Pope Gregory IV taking place in November 827, then found out he wasn't elected until December or actively wielding power until the following March.
I'm not alone!

angeliz2k said:
There might be a little bit of tension even in a pirate port if Englishmen started annoying Frenchmen or vice versa; but then, since when have they EVER liked each other?
Well, Morgan managed to gather a fleet on English and French pirates to sack Panama. Then again, he left some of the Frenchmen to fend for themselves after they complained about the loot division, so...

angeliz2k said:
At a non-pirate port, couldn't they just send Englishmen or Frenchmen ashore as needed? The others could stay aboard or stay out of the way or pretend to be mute.
Inarticulate Babbler said:
They just might have to adjust when resupplying--have the Frenchmen not speak in English ports and vice versa.
Never thought of the mute act. I've got at least one pirate who'd be better off doing that in every port.

Puma said:
Or, if they were nationalists, they'd be privateers working for their country.
But then they'd have to share part of the spoils with the government. What pirate wants to do that? :tongue