Volume 4, Chapter 1: Yippe Hi Yay! Get along, little Agnes!

(Yeah, still not catching up - Agnes is halfway through Cool Ranch and I ran out of pre-paid time for the account so I had to wait a while to add more time. But hey, it's all good. At least I have the pictures. You can tell I enjoy this world and it's my favorite one in Pirate101. I had a lot of fun making up dialogue for these next updates. Enjoy!)

(Added: I do intend to keep updating my three KingsIsle blogs - this one involving Pirate101 and my two Wizard101 blogs detailing the adventures of my two female wizards - Sierra Fairyfriend the Tightwad Conjurer[who has a story] and Christina Dawnblade[who does not, but she shows up in Sierra's story to replace Grace. Maybe once I have a job, I can update Grace...]. I feel like I must update Sierra's story because she is Myth and Christina is following the path Zenmaster Blue is taking - so both have a connection to Blue's walkthrough series. If you are curious check them out in the links below. For now, more Pirate101!)

The Tightwad Conjurer
The Sorcerer's Workshop

I cursed my ill luck - the Armada had claimed the piece that had been hidden under their noses. So now we both had one piece of the Map, and I had met the second of the Elite under Kane's personal circle, the jester Phule. Still, we did get a new Windstone which seemed familiar. Steed told me not to let it get to me - failure is always an option when dealing with the Armada.

I won't let that happen again, we have to get the remaining five pieces before the Armada does, I thought to myself. "Do you know of any other leads to Marco Pollo or the pieces?"

"Alas, no..." said Steed. He then paused. "Wait, I do. His first mate, Varo, would know something about the Map. Marco Pollo only let his closest crew know about the Map to El Dorado. From what I heard, Varo has become a monk in Monquista."

"Saaay," said Ratbeard, stroking his beard. "Didn't we see a unicorn in St. Bonobo's Abbey?"

Indeed we had, though I hadn't thought about it at the time when I saw the unicorn monk there. I wasn't going to risk Avernus again - it was only a thousand gold to get the Krok sage to teleport my ship to St. Bonobo's Abbey.

We returned to Monquista and no sooner did I enter the abbey when the unicorn next to me spoke.

"Marco Pollo told me he had found the fabled city of El Dorado," said Varo. "He warned me never to let it slip, he told me El Dorado must never be found for it harbors such terrible secrets, secrets that would destroy the Spiral itself if they were unleashed. Even the Song of Creation would be a mere lullaby compared to the terrors inside of the City of Gold!"

"So he told you about the map, right?" I asked, turning to him. "Do you know where it is?"

"That he did not tell me," said Varo, bowing his head. "But I know who might know..."

"You can keep your secret with me," I said, hand to my heart. "I have a destiny to find the map to El Dorado and make sure the Armada never finds it as they are searching for it now."

"Oh no," said the monk, clearly afraid. He nodded and leaned into my ear to whisper. "Christopher Clark, Marco Pollo's navigator, drew all of his maps. If anyone drew the map to El Dorado, he did. But Clark has retired and is living in..."

"Cool Ranch," I said aloud in awe. I felt like I was eight again and blushed.

"Cool Ranch?" said Gaspard in shock. "That's one of the Corners of the Spiral! It's a long trip!"

I looked down at my compass and shook my head, grinning like I was eight years old again. "No it isn't, not for us. The Blue Windstone we got from the catacombs of Granchia, just before Phule appeared, will allow us to go there from the Stormgate in Floatsam Skyway."

"How do you know?" asked Sarah.

I turned and smiled, wiping a tear from my uncovered eye. "My parents, bless their souls forever, took me to Cool Ranch for my 8th birthday, a year before they were slain. I saw the color of the Windstone they used to get us there. It was blue. Come on, we've got a hootenanny to go to!"

I felt I was young again, traveling with my parents to my birthday celebration as I saw the rustic buildings and windmills of Cool Ranch rise up before the ship as we approached the world. Unlike most of the Spiral, this world was more modern than them, having a Wild West theme to it.

We entered and I saw the herds of buffaloon bouncing across the Cooper's Rest Skyway as we arrived. The sun was in a glorious rise as we docked into Cooper's Rest. This place had changed little from my youth - it was a bustling boom town.

 

I greeted the local deputy, who directed me to the saloon. I slowly pushed aside the doors and halted the piano player as I waltzed in with my chest out and hands to my blades. Smirking, I nodded to the piano player and he continued his playing, filling the saloon with ragtime notes. It felt GREAT.

I strode over to the barmaid. "Heyyup, Jane Canary," I said.

The chickadee gasped and gave a huge grin. "Why if it ain't ol' little Agnes! You were knee-high to a scorpion when I last saw you, your parents bringing ya in with a big old cake from the bakery. How are you parents doin'?"

"You'd need a shovel to find them," I sighed.

"Sorry to hear that," said Jane.

"Wow," whispered Bonnie. "Captain knows a lot of people here."

"Don't go whispering like that, it's rude," scolded Jane. "Her parents brought her here for a couple weeks vacation to celebrate her eighth birthday, don't ya know. Her parents were well known by the law, they did 'business', but kept their noses clean. It's sad to hear they're gone."

"But enough of me," I said, laughing. "How's old Candyman?"

"Candywho?" asked Fan.

"Christopher Clark," I corrected. "I was fast friends with his son, Merriweather, while I was having my birthday vacation here in Cooper's Roost. We're childhood friends. Whenever I played at his house, his father gave us penny candy." I smiled and closed my eyes happily.

Jane shook her head. "You'd best bring a shovel if you want any more penny candy from him."

I opened my eyes and sighed, putting my hat on my heart. "Sorry to hear that he's gone too."

"He's dead?" grumbled Ratbeard. "Now what? We needed his help!"

"Is Merriweather here?" I asked Jane.

"Why yes, he's still living at his father's house," said Jane. "You can find it at the top of the hill overlook, if a tornado hasn't torn it down by now. You take care now."

I tipped my hat and put it back on.

It was nostalgic to see the place still standing, but I knew I had work to do. Old times would come later, when I held the piece of Marco Pollo's map.

"Out, I figured as much," I muttered as I saw the note nailed to the front door. "He was always leaving the house, when we played we ended up watching stars or clouds together. He's an eager meteorologist, you see."

I went with my group to the clinic and found another familiar face - Doctor Ph.D Elmoore Coop, the only doctor in Cooper's Roost. Because of that, he was a GREAT doctor - one time in my birthday vacation I had angered a swarm of bees and was stung on my hands, and Merri rushed me to him. Dr. Coop removed the poison from my hands and bandaged them - I got an earlashing from my parents (both of them, they were both very overprotective with the jobs they had) - but I remembered the face as clear as day.

"Do you know where he went?" I asked. "I need to talk to him."

"Sure, he went to Junction to visit his professor friend from Marleybone, Professor Murgatroyd," said the doctor. "I assume you know where it is."

"Yes, my mom took me there for an errand," I said.

 

Junction was a mining station in Arroyo Grande, a sky chasm rich in minerals. It wasn't hard to find Professor Murgatroyd - he was in a camp in the tunnels leading to the mine shafts. The Windlanes weaved across the air in these scorpion-laden tunnels.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"Well, he said he was going to Elder's Bluff to study some cloud patterns," he said. I gasped.

"Not Big Sky!" I said. "Big Sky is Sky Hunter territory, his father warned me NEVER to go there! The Bisons are xenophobes!"

"He said he was going to do some research at the Burial Grounds. You can catch him if you go now."

I nodded and left quickly.

The ship took forever to get to the floating island cemetery marked with totems. The Sky Hunters were a group of bison-men who worshipped nature spirits and respected the dead. This was where they were buried. No sooner did I leave the boat when I heard a blood-curdling scream from a nearby cave. "Come on!" I said, rushing inside.

I recognized the medicine chicken - Nurse Quinn had been a bit younger when she had nursed my hand back to health, but it was still her, and she was being held hostage by a Bison. I recognized the huge frame, hairy mane, and horns. He saw us. "More defilers!" he roared. "Go, destroy them!"

His fellow Hunters came at us like galleons, but we fought hard and prevailed.

"Spirits of my ancestors," chanted the head bison as the last warrior fell unconscious. "Arise and punish the defilers of your tombs!"

Ghosts of dead warriors rose up around me and I whipped out my daggers and attacked. (For some reason, this was hilarious - the enemies appeared around Agnes and the battle didn't start until she moved. I HAD to take a photo of this. ^_^)

 The ghosts fell as quickly as the living bisons. "Spirits of my ancestors' pets!" roared the bison. "Arise and punish the defilers!"

"What in blazes?" said Ratbeard as ghostly jackaloupes appeared.

"Careful, their bite is worse than their bark!" I said. Battle was joined a third time, but we finally defeated every ghost and found that the attacking Bison was gone. I sighed in relief.

Quinn came up to tell me what had happened but afterwards she saw my face. "Agnes? That you? You've grown big! You eating right?"

"I'm fine, nurse," I said. "But that's beyond the point. Where are they holding him?"

"Probably Elder's Bluff," said Quinn. "That's the Hunter's main camp and it'd be too long to take the trip to their village."

"I'll take you back to Cooper's Roost and then go after them," I said.

After delivering Nurse Quinn safely back to Dr. Coop's clinic, I took my crew and docked at Elder's Bluff, which I found easily thanks to a map Merri had given me of Cool Ranch when I was visiting last. It was drawn in charcoal but I could follow it well enough. "Sarah, you come with me. Everyone else, stay here. I don't want the Bison to get on the warpath and worsen the situation."

I found the chief's tent and entered, trying to parlay, but he wouldn't have it.

 

His two braves were met by me and Sarah and we beat them with the flats of our blades until they were on the floor, groaning in pain.

"Hmmm... you fight well, smooth ones," said the chief. "Maybe we should listen to you."

 

Just then, a hot-headed brave called Thunder Hoof challenged us... and quickly got smacked. I put the blade to his neck, then sheathed it and made a gesture.

"What's that?" asked Sarah.

"Well, remember when Bonnie Anne made parley with those crabs that we rescued Captain Gordon from long ago?" I said. "This is the Sky Hunter gesture for parley."

Seven Storms spoke about grave-robbers amongst the "claw feet", and I assumed that Merriweather was caught up in it. "I know the Claw Feet I know had nothing to do with your suffering," I said. "Please, let me speak with him."

"Very well, but if you stow him away, you will be sunk to the ether," warned Seven Storms.

I knew well he meant that - the Sky Hunters were powerful hunters and brought in tons of resources from the sky creatures, even the powerful Buffaloons.

Merriweather was older but I recognized his face. "Are you okay?" I asked in worry. "Did they hurt you at all?"

"No, they didn't hurt me, thank goodness," said the chicken. "If they aren't as honorable as I knew them to be, I'd be chicken soup now!" He then lit up. "Little Aggie! You came to save me?"

"Yes, we're still friends even when we are apart," I said, smiling. I quickly related my life since we last met. He was a bit sad that my parents were dead but he understood being an orphan now that his father was gone as well.

"Sounds like you've been on quite some adventures," he said, tipping his hat.

"Yes, and we came to you to find out about the Map," said Sarah. I shushed her.

"Map? Excuse me for not being able to remember due to my current situation!" said Merriweather, who got instantly angry.

"It's okay," I said, holding his hand. "Look, I'll get you out of this mess. Do you have any leads on who might grave-rob the Bison?" I let his hand go.

"Well," he said, rubbing his chin. "I've seen the Red Sash gang lurking about the burial grounds..."

I sneered. "You mean them no-good varmints who would sell their mothers' souls for a penny?" Merriweather and Christopher had told me stories of the various bandits crawling the skyways. Cool Ranch was well known for its lawlessness and banditry. "I'll hunt down every boat that flies the Red Sash banner until we find the charms."

"Please hurry," said Merriweather, a bit panicked. "I don't know how long these Bison will wait!"

I hurried and those foul bandit ships were brought into pieces... though they kept boarding us. Sadly, the Rosa Francesca was starting to show its weakness - the ships here were much stronger than the Armada vessels prowling the Aragorn Skies. No wonder my parents stayed near the Windlanes when we traveled between Cooper's Roost and Junction!

On one side note, I was glad to see Prospector Zeke here. I was sure this was where he was born and raised. One of his friends asked him to look for little chickadees called the Dixie Chicks and I agreed to help him out. (Really, KI? You going into COUNTRY musicians now? 9_9)

[To be continued...]

Progress: Agnes is now Level 22. Monquista and Valencia don't really give great EXP. But by the time we get to Mooshu, she'll be Level 33. Trust me, this place is loaded for bear.

Volume 3, Part 3: Valencia

We arrived into the world and the clockwork machine before us was even more awe-inspiring close up. I saw fleets of ships manned by metal men - Armada Ships. I shuddered as I recalled the time I had been locked up in Deacon's brig. At that time I thought I was going to Marleybone because I knew they dealt with clockworks... but now I knew that I had been wrong, this cold storm-wracked world would be where I would have been taken... and now I was here willingly to locate another piece of the Map.

"Land ho!" cried Bonnie Anne from the crow's nest, and I spotted it - a small mansion on an island adrift in the middle of the coldness. I ordered the boat to dock - I saw the telltale life fountain so I knew this was a safe haven.

Indeed, this place looked like a rich person's home and was more at home in Monquista than here in this cold place, that was my first thought. I noticed a unicorn man and approached.

"Are you Steed?" I asked. I pulled out the talisman Hooktail gave to me. His reaction answered my question. "I need your help to find a..."

"So, you have come to talk to the Resistance, have you not?" he asked, interrupting me. I nodded. "I'm afraid it is too late, the Armada have completely taken over. Any feeble attempts at resistance are futile. I am sorry you came so far for nothing."

I sighed. "I am here looking for information about Marco Pollo."

He looked quizzically at me. "The famous explorer." He sighed. "Alas, the only place you could find any information about Marco Pollo is in the library at Sivella, and the Armada have that place on lock-down. From the way your ship looks, you must be a pirate from Skull Island and snuck in through Avernus. Very foolish... but still, I will try to help. You will need a disguise to sneak into Sivella. Go hunt down Armada ships and bring back pieces of the clockwork soldiers, and we should be able to craft a suitable costume to hide your identity."

It was easier said than done - the Armada ships were quite tough, and even the Rosa Francisco was outmatched. When two ships converged, I quickly booked the sihp and hide from them so they didn't gang up on us. But in the end, I managed to acquire the parts of a clockwork soldier which I presented to Steed.

He fashioned a disguise around my body. "Perfect, you look like them. It won't scrutinize well if you get too close to the real thing but you should be able to fool them from far away."

The suit was stuffy and suffocating - I wish he had put in a mouth hole for me to breathe, but I knew it would destroy the efficiency of the disguise. Still, what felt like full plate armor made me walk jerkily, so the Armada soldiers we met - I had to pass off my companions as 'prisoners' to keep the soldiers from getting suspicious - didn't question my identity.

I was surprised to find Prospector Zeke here as well as a Krokotopian Transportal. I guess the Armadans knew they would benefit from tourism. Zeke asked me to find some seagulls, but all I saw were mechanical birds. (This was later something I helped some of the non-mechanical residents study.)

 

This side-quest's completion unlocks the unicorn fencer as a companion in the Crown Shop

We explored Sivella closely and even helped a unicorn prince, Rodelfo Capello, escape from the library after silencing some Armada guards. Steed's hopes were rekindled when he saw that one of the leaders of the Resistance was alive and well.

 

Unfortunately, we were a bit too late - the Armada had ripped the library from limb to limb and confiscated everything connected to the famous explorer.

"There were a few crates with books that was shipped to a nearby fortress," said the head librarian. "If you hurry, you might be able to take them back and find out, if not Marco Pollo's archives, at least where the Armada has taken them."

Fan had gained her first promotion, thus the feather in her cap. I paid her gold and she trained a lot and grew stronger.

 

We invaded the fortress and dealt with the small regiment of clockwork guards stationed there. We scoured the entire tower and found a letter written in code which we took back to Sivella and got decoded.

"It says the lot were taken to Cizah," I said.

The head librarian grew terrified and sighed in despair. "The books are lost. Cizah is Kane's seat of power."

I gasped. "You mean, where he lives?"

"Yes," said the librarian. "If the books are there, getting them is impossible. The security here is nothing compared to what is in Cizah."

I began to cuss. The Armada probably had...

"Perhaps not," said another unicorn librarian. "Pirate, have you perhaps heard of Granchia?"

"Granchia!" said the head librarian. "Yes! That is where Marco Pollo lived when he was not traveling and where his remains were buried! It is said some of his works were buried with him. If you are seeking something of his, maybe it is buried in his tomb in Granchia."

Granchia was a small village not far from Sivella, but already we seemed to be late - the Armada had the jump on us and were destroying the town. One scholar told me that they were tearing the city apart to feed their Machine with the rubble. (It is VERY easy to get pulled into battle here, so be careful where you walk. You need to talk to the scholar near the life fountain, then examine the tomb door, talk to the scholar again and find the entrance to the catacombs. I just altered the story a bit. If you read my Wizard101 blog, The Tightwad Conjurer, you might recognize the mysterious ally.)

I rescued some works of art and gave them to Steed, and the scholar who asked me to save them profusely thanked me. His disciple, a crab hermit, asked to join my crew and I gladly accepted him into my fold. (Yes, Agnes got this crab hermit as a companion for completing the sidequest. I think only swashbucklers get this guy just like only Swashbucklers could get the Frogfather's nephew, Tricky Vinny, who I have never used. The next part is my own writing - this doesn't happen in game.)

Sadly, the Armada's attacks had destroyed the front door to the tomb, making it impossible to break in. Just then, a dark-skinned woman my age in a hooded cloak stepped in front of me. "Do not worry, Mma Thatcher. I am here to help you."

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

She pulled the hood away to reveal amber eyes. "I am a Diviner from Wizard City, my name is Grace Rainsmith, and I am a practitioner of Storm magic. I am here on behalf of Rra Ambrose to help you investigate the Armada."

Ratbeard grew hostile. "A freaking wizard! Keelhaul her, Captain! Wizards be nothing but trouble!"

"Aye, Captain my Captain," warned Old Scratch. "Wizards practice strange magic... I am surprised the Armada did not kill her. The Armada seeks to crush all magic users."

I turned to them and shook my head. "No, let her speak." I turned to the woman, Grac.e "Look, I am a bit wary of your magical skills, but I am more curious as to why the headmaster of Ravenwood School of Magical Arts is interested in the Armada and send of his students to risk her life in an anti-magic society like Valencia."

"I admit that Rra Ambrose warned me that you pirates are not fond of our... powers," said Grace softly. "And yes, I am risking my life being here amidst these clockworks - I was told they hate magic. But I am not a private detective for nothing. I was raised amidst the people of Zafaria and learned to be discreet and stealthy. At least let me direct you to a hidden entrance into the tombs of Marco Pollo. Rra Ambrose has figured out about Avery's quest to find the map of El Dorado and your hand in it, and wishes to help you out."

"Yes?" I said.

"It's true," said a tiny voice. A little mermaid emerged from behind the girl. "Ambrose and Avery agree on one thing - if the Armada invade the City of Gold, it will be bad news for both pirates AND wizards, no? But we aren't going to get in your way."

Grace pushed a map of Granchia into my hands with an x marked on it. "The x marks the secret entrance to the tombs," she said as she turned to leave. "I used my magic to deal with most of the guards." And then she was gone.

"Well, let's check it out," I said. "And don't worry, I can handle a trap."

We found the hole in the ground and entered it. Sure enough, there was a pile of smoking scrap which looked like humanoids. It was like a powerful lightning attack that destroyed them. I sighed and nodded. Maybe it would be good to have a wizard ally. But I didn't press my luck - chances are more of the clockworks would investigate the sudden demise of their last patrol.

We hurried up the stairs on the other side and found ourselves in the tower itself. I saw a casket with a statue and bowed in respect. This was probably the coffin of Marco Pollo himself. Just then, I felt a spirit possess me.

I sense you are an adventurer and are searching for my map... the City of Gold is a curse that should never be discovered... but I entrust you with the location of the Stormgate... take this Windstone and use it to continue your quest...

I felt my hands touch the casket and a small compartment opened, revealing a blue Windstone. My hands went to it and installed it into my compass. I was stunned. Marco Pollo's ghost had spoken to me! Clearly he knew the danger ahead...

Just then, an army of clockworks stormed the tower, lead by a jester. "Who are you?" I asked.
"I am Phule, one of Kane's confidants," said the jester clockwork. "I know what you are looking for, little Agnes."

"You heard about me from Deacon, didn't you," I said.

"True," said Phule, stroking his chin. "A pity that fat captain rescued you before we could find out the location of the piece of Marco Pollo's map that your family had, but we had a feeling you'd come here eventually, looking for the Map... you're too late! We already have the map piece that was here!"

I was angry as I heard his voice speaking from either side of his face - first his white happy smiling face and then his black angry face. I felt like I was being mocked. I wasn't going to believe that Marco Pollo had gifted a piece of the map to El Dorado to my parents, even though I remembered their spirits speaking to me back in the Valley of the Gold Monkey. "Give that piece to me!"

"Kane has it now, you will need to ask him," chuckled the creature. "You know, I am tempted to let you go... you could prove a thorn in the sides of Deacon... Bishop... even Kane himself."

Then he frowned. "Seize them!" He fled and the clockworks advanced to attack.

We kept fighting the clockworks for a while until a familiar voice shouted from above. "Agnes! Destroy the leaders! As long as they stand, they will keep summoning clockworks!"

I saw Grace witnessing the battle from a higher window and nodded. "Do as she says!" I commanded. "Destroy the leaders!"

The battle was long and tiring, but Grace had saved us by pointing out the army's weakness - when the two Severus clockworks were destroyed, the rest deactivated. I wiped my brow and turned to see that the wizard girl had left.

"Blast," said Ratbeard. "We lost that piece of the map!"

I sighed and shook my head. "The Armada has one piece, we have one piece... we must not let them get any more pieces..." I looked back up to the window where Grace had sat... and then looked down at the blue windstone now embedded in my compass. A very familiar childhood feeling pulsed through it and I knew it would lead me to new adventures... but right now I wanted to go home.

[To be continued...]

(There was actually a lot of stuff that Agnes did but it's all side-quests... the main story here is the shortest story quest line in the game next to Monquista, but at least that world had a bunch of dungeons to fill itself out - Aragorn Skyway has a lot to be desired. I apologize for not uploading many screenshots but it's getting harder and harder to type in my blog as my keyboard is getting sticky and sometimes messes up and trying to put together updates is liking pulling teeth. I promise, Cool Ranch will have a ton of updates - that world is HUGE.)

Volume 3, Part 2: Avernus

(Happy 4th of July, everyone! I am bringing the next update as a gift to all you Americans. [If you aren't living in the USA, I wish you a good day anyways.] The next few parts are short because the Valencia storyline is pretty short as well. I'm already halfway through Cool Ranch with Agnes so I want to try to catch this blog up to her present day situation. Enjoy! ^_^)

Captain Avery told me that Hooktail(not the dragon, but a monkey sailor in Puerto Mico) would know how to get to Valencia. I went back there and found the monkey with a bronze hook in place of his tail and relayed Avery's message. He was not amused by Avery's apology(I didn't question as to what Avery was apologizing to Hooktail for) or my desire to visit the home of the Armada.

"If you want my help," he said. "You will destroy the wharf rats who took off with my tail!"

"No problem," I said, smirking. "We'll be back in two shakes of a... well, you get the idea."

It actually took twenty shakes as the wharf rafts took FOREVER to defeat - their ships were far superior to ours. I began cussing at the lack of a better vessel and apologizing to my dead parents for berating the fine gift they gave me from the grave. (Also, the game began glitching like crazy and some of the people who joined in broadside battles ended up glitching under the ship.)



Eventually, we returned triumphantly and reported our success to Hooktail, who was still not amused. "You would have to go through the Avernus Skyway and that, my friends is death. Even if you could survive, you can't go through - the Armada has blockaded all Stormgates to Avernus..."

"There is one way," said his friend.

"No! Not that!" gasped Hooktail.

"You could go through Monquista!" said the friend. "You will need papers though, our people have blockaded the Stormgate there..."

"No prob," said Fan, polishing her blade with a smirk. "We 'ave friends in high places, right Cap'n?"

I smiled and nodded. Queen Eleanor would be able to pull some strings.

"Very well," said the friend. "You will need an Indigo Windstone. There is said to be one hidden in the Scurvy Dog hideout near the Monquistan Stormgate."
 

We headed to the last place we had yet to visit in Skull Island. We located a smelly pile of bananas and marked the spot then reported back to Marquis Mark, who rewarded us handsomely. "The bananas may be nothing but fertilizer now," he said. "But at least I can salvage my profit. Say hi to your mother for me, okay?"

I was a little stunned - did he know my parents? Probably, from my childhood I knew they dealt with trade for all sorts of worlds, so Monquista probably wasn't exempt from their smuggling racket.

(If you don't know what that "say hi to your mother" references, you were before the late '80s. ^_^)

We returned to the Scurvy Dog Hideout and beat up some of the, well, scurvy dogs until we got a key which opened a door in the hull of the wrecked ship in the center of the island...

And ran into trouble. Big jaws of sharp teeth trouble. Yep, REAL sharks were scary. But a glimmering purple-blue crystal behind that shark was our goal and I silently led the group in an attack on the shark and his kin.

(El Tiburon, the shark... he's not that tough if you are at least Level 16 and have good skills. Agnes has been using her Practice Points to invest in Privateer skills so she can get Elusive 2 at Level 32. She's also got a Sneak Attack and Weapon Mastery from the Shrimpy Garnet necklace she got from the Master long ago. I'm still trying to see if anything is worth replacing it, but no luck so far.)

Once the shark was dead, we dug up the Windstone and installed it to my compass. We could now use the Skylane to Avernus. "Well, I guess it is okay," muttered Hooktail.

"Thank you my friend," said the other Monquistan. "You will be able to go to Avernus with that Windstone. By the way, your current ship will be no match for the Armada vessels in Valencia. Take mine, the Rosa Florentia."

I gasped. "Are you okay with giving away your ship?"

The Monquistan smiled. "I can acquire another ship, but I've seen the damage your vessel has suffered. It's a fine ship but the Armada will eat you alive with it. I have sailed the Rosa through many a storm in that world and it has not failed me yet. Consider it a thank-you gift for helping my people sort out their political differences." He winked.

I was in awe at the mighty vessel I had acquired, flying my flag. Silent Roberto's crew had done their part to fit my flag to the sails. I shook my head and whispered a thank you, then ported onto the ship. It was time to move out and head back to Monquista.

(Yep, you get your third free ship now, the Monquistan Frigate. Ships have a designation and you can only equip some ship items to a ship of that designation. Agnes can buy and equip Monquistan ship parts to the Rosa Floretina. It also has twice as much fuel reserves as the Amber Rainbow and twice as much health, meaning the boats on Tradeswind Skyway are no longer a big threat to us.)

Needless to say, the trip back was as easy as pie as we were already near the Stormgate to Monquista. Queen Eleanor bowed. "When I saw the frigate with the Monquistan design, I was worried that the Royal Army was arriving to suppress us, but then I saw the crescent moon flag and smiled, as I knew it was you my friend. I wish I could converse with you, but sadly my duties in helping stage the coup keep me from making pleasant acquaintance with you. Please speak to Gortez, he will handle any affairs you wish to address."

I bowed back to her. "Of course, your Majesty. I know you are not yet on the throne so you need to focus on overthrowing the current tyrant."

Gortez was civil. I was surprised how civil he was considering how his time in the Isle of Doom had changed him, but he was returning to his former glory as a Monquistador finely.

"Thank you for helping, senor Gortez," I said. My father warned me that the Monquistans were very accustomed to their language and addressing them in the correct title would get me brownie points. "Is there a way you can convince her Majesty to pull strings for travel papers through Avernus?"

"That is no problem, she will definitely do this for you, even though Avernus is no place for a sane man." He chuckled. "But then again, you are neither sane nor a man, so I won't discourage you. However, those papers will take some time, considering how many things she has to do."

"I see," I muttered. "Oh well, I guess I could explore the land some more, take in the culture..."

"Blow up some ships?" asked Gortez. "Forgive me for inquiring this, Agnes, but we could use your aid. We have the military thanks to La Mancha's banana hoard and status thanks to your efforts to secure the Monkey's Paw, but sadly our navy is lacking..."

"And you need someone to even the odds by taking out half of the Royal Navy, eh?" I said, cracking my knuckles with an evil smile. "A friend of a friend of Avery's gave me that shiny new Monkey Ship, and you gave me a great excuse to break it in into broadside combat. Just make sure you have the papers ready when I return, si?"

And we blew some ships up. I was on Cloud 9 as the former Navy ships which we fled from long ago were putty in our hands with this! I made sure to upgrade her parts with the stuff that was sold at St. Bonobo's Abbey so she could save us a lot of boarding incidents. I wasn't reckless, though - when a second Navy Ship came forward to challenge us at one point, I turned tail and fled.

Queen Eleanor had the papers for us when we returned after destroying our quota of navy ships. "I owe you much again," she said, smiling. "Now that their numbers are reduced, the Royal Navy will have to regroup at the city, and that will be our time to move and overthrow the Aristocracy! You will always be welcomed here in Monquista."

"Thanks, but I have places to be, maps to find," I said, smiling as I shook her hand. "Later."

She tried to warn me away from Avernus, but there was no stopping this ship. The naval guards looked over the papers and let us through, muttering about our doom...

And I saw why. Avernus Skyway was in Dragonspyre. I heard tales of that accursed place, about a mad warlock who tried to awaken the Dragon Titan there. It was a dead world filled with undead abominations and draconian horrors. I shook my head. No wonder us pirates hated magic - the things it did to people was unforgivable at times.

I ordered the ship to stay on the Windlane until we reached the Stormgate to Valencia. There was no point in picking on the undead dragons that swarmed the skyway - as long as we remained in the lane, they dare not attack us. The place was terrifying to be sure, but it had a dark beauty about it.

We eventually sailed through the Stormgate and left that cursed world behind as I saw the clockwork world ahead. I knew in my heart that this was Valencia... we were entering the lion's den, so to speak, and we had to be VERY careful - even with my new ship, there was no telling what could happen and one reckless move could mean I would be joining my parents in death. I made sure that wasn't going to happen. "Onward," I said into the dark aether of the Outer Lanes of the Spiral.

(To be continued...)