It's Official, tSC is *not*

See the updated banner? Notice anything different? Let's discuss.

After KingsIsle's recent opening of the proverbial floodgates for Official Fansites, I have made the conscious decision *not* to apply, and I'd like to address it here and now.

In NO way whatsoever should this be considered any kind of 'slight' to KingsIsle. Quite the contrary, having been graced previously with "Official" status with HiaG, (now rescinded), it seems inappropriate for me to take any spotlight once again. I believe *new* voices should stand up, and be heard, not "the usual suspects". I've had my time, and I gracefully expect (nay, demand) that my "dandelions" step up, and take my place. It's the Circle of Life. (Que Lion King theme)

I had my time, now it's YOUR turn.

I have stated before, as have several other fine bloggers, that the motivations for being "Official" must, by nature, be darn-near 100% "Pure". We who blog, from the heart, do not do it for "fame", nor "prizes". I want people who read tSC to be here because they share a certain affinity for my views or writing style, not because I'm "Official", or "Likely to give stuff away", or even "famous".  My blog here is for the love, and for the friends I make that share it with me. Nothing more. Nothing less.

If you're going for the "Official" nod from KI, I wish you well. Understand that you are pledging yourself for the future. Hold your blog as a committed promise, and  do it with joyful love. Sail proudly in the Kings(Isle) Fleet. Know that you represent something greater than all of us, and that is the family-friendly magic that is Our Spir@l. I salute you, and your honor to be able to hoist the KI colors. Serve those colors, and what they represent, to the very best of your abilities.

I am a Pirate, and I am free to live or die by my words. And so it shall remain. Are *you* "Simba enough" to carry the KI banner high? Let's see what you got.

tSC, your Fast Lane to the "X"..or "O"

Well, Good ol' Captain Avery ( @Pirate101_Avery ) just tweeted the following:

Seems simple enough, doesn't it? "No big deal", even...If you think that, you'd be "dead" WRONG.


An astute observer, who diligently seeks, shall find something grand, indeed:

Forget "X", "O" marks the spot on this treasure hunt.

Sure, I *could* show you more, but it's "all about the hunt", isn't it?


Fan Sites. That is all.


Happy hunting, Captains. ;)

A place to call Home.

"Turtle Island" Tortuga. "Sea Turtles, Mate."

"So, there I was", taking random potshots at @FriendlyNecro  , defending my, uh, "Good" name against slander and calumny, (whereas no crimes can, indeed, be proven in a Court of Law.) And he was kind enough to stir the bubbling pot that is my mind, and brought forth a thought. Tortuga.


Ah, Tortuga. "Turtle Island". Had Obi Wan seen it, he might have revised his statement about Mos Eisley Spaceport. In truth, they probably share many of the same qualities. A fine lot of rabble-rousers. Loud, unscrupulous,  cunning, and opportunistic. If only we had such a place! A haven, a sanctuary. A place where a pirate can feel truly welcome. Oh, but that's right, we do! Skull Island!

"Too far from the center of the Spiral for the great powers to exert much control, most of Skull Island is ruled by the Pirates themselves - crews and gangs have taken over failed colonies or built new ramshackle cities of their own: Jonah Town, Flotsam, Scrimshaw, and Skull Island itself, Captain Avery's Pirate capital."


Aaaaargh! I'll thow me a piratey temper tantrum, I will, I will! The skyways are lovely dark, and deep, but we've many weeks before we sleep.   They say "Patience is a virtue", or so I've heard. Could be just a rumor. Best not to take any chances, though.

I just only now, this past week saw Peter Pan (2003), and all I can say is "Jason Isaacs? BEST. HOOK. EVER.". Well, truth be told, the entire move was "Best.Adaptation.Ever.", of J.M. Barrie's play and novel.
So, I'll just leave it off here, then.

Lowering the boom.

Full-on broadsides. A slugging match for ships.

Ahoy there, Cap'n!

Well, we can expect a leisurely wait between Official word from KingsIsle Fleet Command, so a lot of us can only dissect the minutiae and detail any/all data found at the Official Pirate101 Website.

*sigh* Waiting is the hardest part. Funny thing is, with every "Age of Sail" Pirate game, (Like Pirates of the Burning Sea, of Pirates of the Caribbean Online), the one thing that was always *first* to rub a digital callus in my gaming brain is the actual *sailing* itself. Getting from "Point A" to "Point B". I'm certainly curious to see how P101's Skyways tackle the dilemma of "distance vs time traveled". Pirate Sailing involves countless hours of monotonous bobbing, broken up by minutes of sheer combat anxiety.

But if Wizard101 is any guidepost, I expect it won't be so bad. With Fast Currents, and Sailing maps that are separate from Land Maps, I expect a small transition when going ashore, and that's to be expected. And what about the ships, themselves? Will there be "stitching" of custom ship components, or will it be "choose function over form"? I believe ship customization will be an art unto itself, and I can't wait for my first Boarding Party. Is it all cannonballs, or is the grapeshot, and chain-shot? Will be able to *name* our ships? Piratey-type minds want to know!

But, as to the ship-to-ship battles, I'm curious as to just how involved it's going to be. Will there be a "wind direction"?. I'm going to guess "probably not". (If you want to experience the *joy* of being enslaved to wind direction (which all ships of sail are), might I recommend this free online simulator from The Pirate King. While you're there, please do take some time to browse the entire, (and impressively comprehensive) site on "All thing Pirate", including a list of "every pirate movie ever made", (to which I challenge Cap'n Heather Raven to match lists) . Honestly, (and without fingers crossed behind me' back), I can say that The Pirate King is guaranteed to teach you something you didn't know before.

Valparaiso (Sting) From Master and Commander

Is there a Doctor in the house?

Which doctor, why Witchdoctor, of course! Which Witchdoctor? The one with the Power of Hoodoo! Who do? YOU do! Do what? Wanna play a Witchdoctor.

Witchdoctor is one of the 5 playable character Classes in Pirate101. Of Course, there's also Buccaneer,(That's $2.00 for both ears), Musketeer (more than 3 available), Privateer (The last of the  "eer" classes), and Swashbuckler (you know, if you're into buckling swashes).

"But Autumn, I mean, 'Captain', why Witchdoctor?"

So glad you asked.
Really, for anyone that knows me, or has read HiaG at all, there could really *be* no other choice.  Why, even in the description it says "Masters of the Dark Arts". As a Necromantress of (questionable) repute, I can only quote Tia Dalma with "It's in my nature". (And c'mon, really, who *wouldn't* want Epic Power like hers, amirite?). The ability to learn Mournsong, "which summons spirits to drain the health of their enemies.", sounds like it was *made* for me.Mmm..Vampire Pirates.....Johnny Depp has been *both*, now...but I digress.

With Friendly still on the loose, running amok  in Our Spir@l, It's my inclination, nay, my DUTY to match him class for class, world for world, as a *proper* Frenemy. (For those of you who are new to me, know that I have the greatest respect for Thomas, and we have played at this game-within-a-game for a very long time, now.).

Once his Legal (NDA) shackles fall off, I have no doubt that The Friendly Witchdoctor will, as is proper, be the stalwart hub of our out-of-game Community...and he's earned that. I doubt that any of my Old Skool Peers would contest that, given the many Pillars of Community we have among us.

Until that time, however, when The Colors are *Officially* Hoisted, I will be the ever brooding, plotting, and subversive little nemesis I can be. Sure, I won't win "in the end", but that's part of the job description.
Also, I have a lingering residue of duty and obligation to KingsIsle, and it's awesome fan community, to "Keep the troops rallied", as it were, in perpetual repayment of the joy and entertainment that both have bequeathed to me.A KingsIsle Game is akin to a Dinner Table, and all who come to it are Family..

Wow, look at me, all rambling on, going off-topic like that. "Just like the old days". I think I'll cut my losses and leave you with a "Be well", until next time.

Be Thee Well...and enjoy some classic Labyrinth:

Calling all Captains!

Well, it's well known that the KingsIsle Fan Community is, without doubt, THE best in any gaming spiral. The explosive growth of fanblogging for games like Wizard101 is a technological leap forward.

I do believe that Pirate101 will be no exception to this, and I'm sending out a Call to all blog-legged Captains that plan of plying the skyways of Our Spir@l.

Simply put, I'm asking for blogroll submissions. I know that *some* people are restricted by NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), and I'm not looking for blogs that aren't ready for publication. What I'm looking for are those digital scallywags that are unbound by legal constraints, and have set their blogs afloat in the here-and-now.

Why so early? Let Wizard101 answer that for you. We'll all soon be awash in blogs, but for that to happen, we have to know where to look, so I say "Hoist The Colors", and let the (blog)Roll Call begin! Simply comment your blog's URL, and away we go!

Be Well, and may your sails be full!

Fun with advanced theorycrafting

 From Bloomberg

"With "Pirate101," the company is following the template of its influences, like Pixar's line of hit movies and the "Star Wars" series, which has had a big impact on the company's storytelling. In describing the difference between "Wizard" and "Pirate," Coleman said that while the story of a chosen hero from the first game is akin to the story of Luke Skywalker, "Pirate101" is "the Han Solo story," about a rogue adventurer who learns to be a hero.
Players of the game will pilot airships and explore lands unexplored in "Wizard101" while building a crew. They'll choose from among five kinds of characters: Buccaneer, Witchdoctor, Privateer, Swashbuckler or Musketeer, building up an unsavory crew against an evil robot Armada."

Let us not forget, Han Shot First.Remake, or not.;)
I likes me a scoundrel.

Robot Armada? Sounds like Clockwork, to me, and *that* sounds like Valencia. 
(Ah, I tell you, it's good to be back, and I'm definitely looking forwards to some theorycrafting. For the moment, however, I'm gonna play my cards close to the vest, until the time is right.)

 The Legacy of Kane, our new Malistaire?

Pose any threat? Destroy us?! Let's start a Riot! Sounds like a powerplay, to me, one in which we won't profit. This "Grand Design" does not bode well. Akin tho the East India Trading Company, the rich and powerful seem to never be content with what they have. However, what they don't have, is US. Let's stand, shoulder-to-shoulder, and keep our freedom!
(If anything else, this prelude offers me oh-so-many opportunities to pull out all the stops to over-use any/all POTC references, lol. "Sorry, in advance")

Let's start a riot!

Be Well