Well, it seems I have been summoned from what ever seedy den I was in, pulled from the depths of a massive rum and gleam hangover, and have been pressed to discuss what makes a pirate.

As to the help scroll and offers of safe passage, the move away from contractual, protacted protection contracts and to a more case-by-case basis was one that was publicly announced during a time that we did not have an active patron and our help scroll has not be updated since. I think you'll find that while, not all pirates focus on plundering, some do. Likewise, not all will take payment to look the other way, yet some will.

So what makes a pirate? Is it plundering? Every navy does so, as I've seen. Is it a style? Is it debauchery? I'd think not.

Pirates are sailors who sail for fun and for profit. They're sailors who don't need a banner or cause to take to the sea. They don't hide behind some delusions of innocence or claim to be the "good guys." They just love the sea air, a good bottle of rum, and sailing on their own terms.

I reckon that's all that makes a pirate.

Being a Pirate of Meropis is a bit more than that, it is the recognition of your peers as someone worthy of flying the Skull and Bones. It's the camaraderie of those who want to do more than just a simple plunder, who want to take on the hard fights, and who will run headlong into a kraken without blinking. It's not for everyone.

Lastly, if perceived changes in ethics from outsiders is enough for any organization to lose legitimacy, I'd think you'd be remiss to find any "legitimate" organisation in Achaea, divine or municipal. If you think we don't receive enough scrutiny of the divine as a high clan, forward complaints to our Matron's complaint department, Pirate Lord Kinilan.

Now, who's hid my bottle?

-Pirate King Jinsun


Penned by my hand on the 22nd of Scarlatan, in the year 848 AF.