World Threads
The political, naval, trade and intrigue currents running through the setting.
The wiki mixes real history with the invented world of Free Nassau. Historical figures and dates are noted as such; invented characters, places and events belong to the game’s setting.
Historical and political pressures
| Thread | Setting material |
|---|---|
| The Phoenix Comes In | HMS Phoenix arrives in Nassau to read the King’s proclamation and collect signatures for the pardon. Historically, Captain Vincent Pearse brought the proclamation in February 1718; many Nassau pirates accepted, while hard-line crews resisted. |
| Hornigold the Hunter | A veteran captain accepts the pardon and later returns with a commission to hunt pirates. Historically, Hornigold served Woodes Rogers and helped capture pirates later hanged at Nassau. |
| The Governor’s Squadron | A Royal Governor arrives with naval escorts, forcing the pirate community to choose between fighting, flight and negotiation. Woodes Rogers arrived in July 1718; Charles Vane’s escape by fire ship is part of the historical backdrop. |
| Blackbeard’s Price | Edward Teach’s blockade of Charles Town raises the stakes for any captain seeking a powerful ally. Historically, Teach blockaded the town in May 1718 and demanded medicine for hostages. |
| War with Spain | Britain’s war with Spain makes privateering attractive to colonial governors and raises the risk of a Spanish counter-raid on Nassau. Britain declared war in December 1718; Spain attempted an attack on Nassau in 1720. |
| The King Over the Water | A Jacobite agent offers recognition and Spanish support in exchange for service to the Stuart cause, testing whether a pirate haven can stay independent of every European crown. Historically, Spain backed a small Jacobite landing in Scotland in 1719. |
| Whispers from Harbour Island | Settlers and fishermen carry news between the out-islands and colonial officials. Letters about Nassau’s strength, fortifications and shipping can become a danger or a source of leverage. |
Expeditions and trade
| Thread | Setting material |
|---|---|
| Silver Under the Shoals | A former diver claims to know a 1715 wreck missed by Spanish salvors. Guns, shot and perhaps coin may remain beneath the sand, while Spanish guard boats patrol the coast. |
| Pines of Andros | A timber expedition into Andros’s forests could supply building, fort repair and ship maintenance. Fever, storms, hidden camps and rival crews complicate the work. |
| Silk for Powder | French silks can be traded through a northern colonial merchant for powder and canvas. A buyer’s letter suggests that trade networks may know more about Nassau than they should. |
| Salt and Turtles | A voyage to the Exuma and Turks salt ponds could secure provisions against a blockade. Bermudian salt rakers are armed and wary, but trade may benefit both sides. |
| The Windward Passage & the French Snow | Reports of a heavily laden French snow create a naval opportunity, but patrols, weather and competing intelligence make the target uncertain. See the briefing. |
| The Rest of the Devil’s Teeth | Several wrecks remain in the reef area, including rumours of Spanish plate ships lost in a storm, against the backdrop of the 1715 Plate Fleet. |
| The Dutch Survivors & the Dutch Captain | Survivors from a captured Dutch vessel may reach port and describe the encounter; the captain’s fate is open. Recognition, rescue and the treatment of prisoners can shape future relations. |
| The Finest Men | A growing port needs experienced hands for more than one vessel. Recruitment brings skilled sailors, but also divided loyalties, old grudges, and questions about articles and shares. |
| Men in Chains | The capture of a slaver forces a crew and a port to decide what freedom means in practice. Historical pirate crews included Black sailors serving as full members, and some pirate flagships had themselves been slaving vessels. |
Nassau’s continuing challenges
- A city that can endure: warehouses, a common chest, a council, written port rules and reliable food stores can turn a temporary refuge into a working settlement.
- The free captains: some welcome shared defence and trade; others suspect that rules and fortifications will become a new government.
- The Crown’s pardon: each captain’s decision affects the strength of the harbour and the balance of power.
- Spanish reprisal: raids on the 1715 salvage camps, treasure cargoes and the guarda costas keep the Spanish threat present.
- Informers and commerce: out-island letters, tavern talk, merchant traffic and the survivors of captured vessels all move information through the region.