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Despite historical trauma, having to revisit the site where he lost his tail, Sabu approached the Echo House. He needed to retrieve the treasure before Aurelio could get to it. Sabu spotted Aurelio in the gardens of the nearby Governor’s Mansion, conversing quietly with Erwin Sharpei, our ruthless and cunning Governor (and like the rest of the members of the council, prone to hiring pirates). Sabu told Polly he couldn’t risk entering the Echo House only to find the treasure had already been dispersed. It could have been what Aurelio and the Governor were already discussing. The gecko changed tack, somersaulted over the marble walls (his words), and climbed a tree to better hear what the two politicians were saying.
Sure enough, Aurelio had already pried open the chest stolen from the Pig’s Tale. He’d already discovered the Man treasures within, therefore also finding what the Chausies were interested in stealing. The two of them spoke of powerful weaponry that shouldn’t be in the paws of thieves and pirates. It was all Sabu could do to not shout out in frustration: the Chausies had told he and Polly the treasure had no practical application. Still, it didn’t remedy the issue of it being stolen from the Pig’s Tale, and therefore, from the Chausies. Sabu clung to that tree branch, listening to them speak, until he found out what he needed: the treasure had since been moved from the Echo House to Plastic Minnow, a new pirate ship under commission to the Luminaries. The Governor explained to Aurelio how the treasure would be making its way to Port Matthew, as nobody would guess these powerful weapons were being stored right under the noses of the Monarchies of Mau.
Sabu smiled at Polly at this point. He was going to catch Plastic Minnow before it left port, and recover their treasure.
Do you remember I mentioned a pirate code earlier? Sabu is apparently a firm adherent to the code, so he wasn’t just going to jump aboard Plastic Minnow, cut some throats, and rob their stores. He found the ship as it was being loaded and hid on board, waiting for it to depart. He was going to rob it after it had reached the Acid Sea!
This may all sound ludicrous to you, the non-pirate, but I personally find it charming and — to a degree — honorable that pirates adhere by a code. Many abide by the ship law allowing captured enemies a chance to serve on their ship. Some insist two crew members must be on deck at all times, while others believe (and this is a widely held view) that crewmembers receive equal shares of plunder. Others agree on a tithe of their plunder to the poor of Waterdog Port, or from wherever they hail. Keep in mind many pirates, no matter how ostentatious they appear or might act, come from backgrounds of poverty. They know what it is to struggle and how the children — whether cat, dog, lizard, or anything else — love it when a pirate comes to port and gives out pieces of plastic or pilfered valuables. Of course, some pirates, such as the criminals who sail the Green Plague out of the forbidding and mysterious Dalmatian Cove, spit on the idea of a pirate code.
As I mentioned earlier, there’s a difference between a criminal and a pirate. I have it on good authority from several shepherds that we learned the word “pirate” from Man-penned adventure books, though I’ve never seen one personally. The distinction is subtle, but it is there. And these two embodied that difference in their words and deeds.
Ahoy me hearties,
One final post featuring Stumpy due to come on Wednesday, when we'll hear about "honorable theft" - certainly a key concept for a pirate roleplaying game!
But tomorrow we'll have our second Backers Only preview of the Pirates of Pugmire manuscript, and we'll learn about enemies, treasure, and what lies over the Acid Sea! Sounds exciting!!
PRESS GANG
Keep recruiting new crewmates! We've still got more than 3 weeks to go, but need all hands on deck as we continue to travel toward our goal! Remember to share on your social media and in your social circles! Spread the word and let's keep this voyage going and growing!
Ahoy me hearties,
Another solid day of travels in our journey yesterday! It's a long weekend in the US, so a little bit quiet, but we've still got some wind at our backs and time before we break out the oars. Let's check the binnacle, hoist the sails, and give it the ol' heave ho!
For those curious about our voyage and our destination, we present another glimpse at the Pirates of Pugmire manuscript, which is being shared with all who join our merry crew!
Birds are better known to Pugmire and the monarchies at large, partially because storytelling is so intrinsic to their culture. Even cats and dogs who haven’t ever met a bird have likely heard some of their stories, brought into the cat and dog realms via travelers and adventurers. Though many may see the stories birds tell as fabrications and fantasy, birds value truth in their stories above all else. As with most folks, though, birds also tend to see themselves as the heroes in their stories, and therefore “truth” may be up for debate at times. Whenever birds gather, from a simple duo to a huge reunion, the words flow well into the night, along with their favorite seed-wine.
Many birds’ favorite stories center on the Sky Kingdom, the closest thing birds have to a religion. The Sky Kingdom is the subject of some debate, being either a physical, real paradise from which few birds return, or more of a metaphysical plane, where all birds go when they pass on to the next life. Sparrows hold tight to the rumors of it being real, as they are the only ones who could access a place so high up, while crows and parrots tend to consider it a fanciful legend. Every bird has a story of another bird they or their friend or relative knew who returned from the Sky Kingdom with riches and wonders, but no one ever admits to having gone there themselves.
There are three different main types of birds, referred to as “nestes,” in their culture. There isn’t a particular name for a group of birds, but groups may be made up of birds from all three nestes. The nestes are sparrows, crows, and parrots. Bird culture divides the three in a hierarchy, though the nestes can and do intermingle. Sparrows are at the top of the ladder, as the ones who have the full power of flight; crows are in the middle and can glide for short distances; and parrots are seen as the lowest neste, as they are land-bound and lack any sort of wing. The ranks are influenced by each nestes’ proximity to the Sky Kingdom.
Birds dress in gaudy, colorful clothing to complement their plumage. The brighter-colored birds tend to wear one or two solid colors that show off their feathers to best advantage, while the more neutral-toned birds array themselves in a cacophony of hues and tones. This can be jarring even to the cats of the monarchies, who see birds as both overly gaudy and obnoxiously candid.
It’s a well-known fact that birds and cats don’t get along. This is mostly due to extreme cultural differences. Birds are mistrustful of cats, and believe their lack of candor and addiction to secrets can’t be good for them or anyone else. Cats, on the other paw, value secrecy, cautiousness, and putting on a good front, while birds rush in, spew information and tales at anyone who will listen, and are often loud and talkative. Because of this, birds also make excellent messengers, so long as the message doesn’t contain sensitive material.
The other thing often keeping birds and cats from being close friends is the former’s penchant for music, dance, and song. Though cats might enjoy an instrumental piece or two, the majority of them are notoriously poor singers, which is why cats (like some ministers and wanderers) who do sing well are often granted some celebrity. Most birds, however, have a natural talent for song, especially sparrows. Bands of roving bird musicians sometimes travel from dog town to Pugmire to lizard camp, making their way though the world by entertaining those around them.
Dogs tend to be friendlier toward birds, because if the Old Ones uplifted them, there was likely a reason behind it. Most of the dogs of Pugmire admire their forthrightness and loyalty to each other, if not to the Old Ones, and find their songs and dances amusing.
Birds are given their unusual-sounding names by their families, whether it’s their family of choice or their family of birth. This might mean that a bird one previously encountered as “Jozy” is “Irvine” the next time they visit. Birds don’t change their names too often, but if a chosen family is a driving force in their life, often the bird will ask, as a gesture of loyalty, to be renamed. This is always seen as a great honor, and the naming family will never do anything so crass as give them a joke name, unless appropriate to the bird in question.
The second half of a bird’s name is called their “story name,” which can also change over time. It’s usually related to an accomplishment the bird made, an adventure they went on, or a treasure they discovered, though it may also relate to a prominent physical feature. Birds choose these names themselves, based on whatever makes them most proud. Thus, the young “Jozy of the Thirteen Stripes” may become “Irvine of the Three Jewels” over time. Story names usually include a number, though not all do — when asked by outsiders for the reason why, most birds simply shrug or make up an elaborate lie.
When not traveling, birds prefer to live communally in large buildings, which they call “cages,” a word translated from Old Ones’ writings to mean “bird house.” Having everyone in one central space means it’s easier to flit from story to story and group to group. Though the large, wooden cages do have small rooms branching off for privacy when needed, most birds stay in the large, spacious main area until they need to sleep. The cages are usually multiple stories tall and are decorated with things the birds bring back from their adventures, from bits of cloth and shining baubles to artifacts of the Old Ones and precious gems.
Birds don’t place too much emphasis on the value of items, preferring instead to hold the story as the most important thing they get from any excursion. Thus, items the cats or dogs would find precious beyond belief are often used as simple décor or as the proof a tale is true. This would cause strife if the cats and dogs knew about the habit, but only birds and their most trusted allies are permitted to enter their cages. Old superstitions die hard, and the one about cages protecting birds from all other creatures is among the oldest in bird culture.
The second of the new species playable in Pugmire games, Birds can further divided into three types: crows, parrots, and sparrows! Of course, you couldn't have a classic pirate-themed game without parrots!! Just ask our first mate!
Kickstarter Question o' the Day: So, which of our backers has a bird for a family pet? And what is your bird's name?
Growing up, my grandparents had a series of budgies all named Petey. When the second one came, we started with "new Petey" or "Petey 2" but that didn't last long and they just became another Petey. I think there were 4 in total over the years.
And if you don't have a bird of your own, let's hear your clever, cool, or piratey name suggestions!
Click <HERE> for our previous installment.
Ah, the Echo House. You may have heard of it. A fabled building that seems to travel in and out of Waterdog Port with the foggy sea mist. This revelation took Polly aback. Her tail feathers knocked my bar stool enough times to compel the parrot to turn around and apologize for the disturbance. I told her “think nothing of it,” and went back to listening. What did the Echo House have to do with the plundering of their ship and why did it perturb Polly — by all accounts a valiant ship’s first mate and rimer — so much?
Sabu drove his right fist into the open palm of his left paw and reassured his first mate she wouldn’t need to visit the house. From what I could glean, the mysterious Echo House changes both form and function each time it appears, and on one such occasion in the past it housed a two-headed giant named Ulf, a pirate of ill repute. It was this two-headed giant who brought down the axe that severed our gecko hero’s tail! Did Ulf have something to do with the crime, perhaps looking to perpetrate a second wave of grief against Sabu, what with giantish tendencies to practice two measures of everything?
No, as it turns out. While connected to this story, Ulf was not behind the robbery. We’ll get back to him. Rather, Brutus explained he and many of the other thieves of Waterdog Port had been hired by the acclaimed rat actor, Aurelio, to loot the Pig’s Tale and bring its chests back to Echo House! A scandal! Aurelio is, if my information is correct, one of the members of the Council of Luminaries — the governing council of Waterdog Port, no less — and for him to be commissioning thefts from safely docked ships would strike many pirates as a capital offence.
Certainly, Polly felt this way. When Sabu announced this revelation, his parrot companion stood bolt upright and hissed from within her beak “I’m going to cut that rodent from bow to stern,” before Sabu pushed his enraged rimer bird companion back into her seat. This wasn’t the end of the tale.
It transpired Sabu had pulled in some favors earlier today to find out why a member of the council might be hiring thieves. He has another friend on the council — Luna Tabby — and asked her for the why of it all. Luna is, after all, head of the port security. Surprisingly, Tabby came clean to Sabu. She explained the council had received high payment from a source to permit this robbery, as a treasure named the Flask of Bobby Golden was believed to be in a chest on the Pig’s Tale. Polly guffawed at this claim, apparently having heard of this flask. She pointed out, drilling a nail into the table, that if they had such a valuable treasure, they wouldn’t have left it on a ship with no crew. Sabu agreed. And this is where things took a turn.
See, the council is a pirate’s way of finding work, taking on the role of “pirate under commission” for a respective Luminary, or the Governor themselves. They run the city in the loosest terms, but there are worse governments. In this case, the issue wasn’t with what the council wanted — a group ostensibly driven by enlightened self-interest and free of political influence — but what they would have found. They may have plundered the ship for a flask Sabu and Polly didn’t possess, but what they unintentionally stole was a chest of valuables stolen by the pirates for a third person, Eveline von Chausie! But Eveline von Chausie is not on the council!
Confused yet?
Eveline von Chausie could very well be the wealthiest cat in Waterdog Port. The Chausie family practically own the entire Sunset Quarter of the city. They’re also a family of inveterate criminals, and run the worst part of the underworld for the city. If the Pig’s Tale was commissioned to steal something for von Chausie? Well, losing that property to the Sea Lord Council would be a big problem. Not only did they owe von Chausie, it meant one or more of the Luminaries might have become aware of something the highly corrupt von Chausie sought. And, to clarify where we’ve got to, the thieves who stole the stolen treasure from the Pig’s Tale had delivered said stolen treasure to the Echo House so Aurelio could claim it — despite Aurelio not even wanting this treasure!
As excited as I was to hear of all this, it didn’t sound much like piracy. Dockland thefts with intrigue attached are interesting, but they don’t make for the thrilling tales I turn into my award-winning Acid Sea piracy tales. Thankfully, things perked up when Sabu went on to explain what happened next.
Hello to our seafaring crew and interested observers!
We learn more about the Pirates of Pugmire as we learn more about Stumpy. We'll hear tales of the Governor's Mansion in our next installment...
If you'd like to hear another tale of pirates in the Realms of Pugmire, check out this brand new Actual Play session, featuring Travis Legge as the Guide for our adventurous band of swashbucklers! This is a great opportunity to see the Pirates of Pugmire in action - they're using the very same manuscript that we're previewing in Backer Updates each week.
Our crew is now more than 400 strong, and still growing! We've caught some strong winds over the past days to carry us further on our voyage, but the middle weeks of a Kickstarter Campaign always require us to break out the oars and row toward our destination, so we'll need more strong backs to help carry us forward!
Keep recruiting! Spread the word on your social media and in your social circles! We've got lots of dogs and cats helping out, let's add some birds and lizards!
Speaking of birds, we'll spotlight that new species tomorrow! So, if you've had a pet bird in your family, get ready to tell us about it!
Ahoy me hearties,
Many backers have already checked out the two new species included in Pirates of Pugmire, presented in our first manuscript preview. But, if you're a curious onlooker thinking about joining in on our merry voyage, or a busy sailor who hasn't yet had an opportunity to dig it, here's a brief intro to get your imagination going...
The lizard families are still elusive and mysterious to most dogs and cats from Pugmire and the monarchies. They tend to live in nomadic bands, traversing the more arid regions of the world, though a pawful can be found scattered throughout any major city, and their caravans stop in border cities and settlements with some frequency to trade supplies, goods, information, and messages. Lizards rarely settle down in one place, and those that do are referred to by other members of their species as “hibernal.” Though it’s not common, it’s also not looked down upon, and lizards will often visit their hibernal family members when they come to town or the few small, permanent lizard settlements to trade, bringing tales of their travels since the family was last together.
Lizards are consummate storytellers. In their low-pitched, pleasantly articulate tones, they spin tales about places and wonders of which the most imaginative cat might only dream. It’s not uncommon for a young dog or cat to choose to lead a life of adventure after hearing a lizard storyteller speak of far-off destinations and ruins filled with plastic. Finding those ruins based on the embellished yarns of a traveling lizard, however, is often a much harder proposition than they expect.
Though most denizens of Pugmire and the monarchies think of the lizards as belonging to “tribes,” that’s a term they applied out of ignorance of lizard culture. Lizards themselves refer to their bands as “families,” regardless of what kinds of lizards are in the family, and whether they are related. Many lizard families comprise all three types of lizard — geckos, turtles, and serpents — and they all look quite different. Often, a cat or dog seeing a lizard family for the first time is struck with confusion over the fact that its members look drastically different from one another, even more so than most groups of cats, dogs, or rats and mice.
Even the term “lizard” is not truly correct. Much like the nomenclature of the “badger tribes,” which include weasels and all polecats, “lizard” is a blanket term that most species in the world use to mean “smooth-skinned one.” The term is even occasionally used to bully young kittens who are naturally hairless, though if any adult hears the taunting, they will almost always cuff the young one gently on the ear and remind them that being different isn’t a bad thing. Smooth-skinned, furred, or feathered, everyone looks the way they are supposed to.
On the inside, lizard culture is as rich and full of history as the cat and dog kingdoms. Though there has never been a true lizard ruler or ruling council, each family has a matriarch to whom they turn to settle disputes and lead the way. Whenever more than one lizard family gathers in the same place, the matriarchs will meet in private over the course of one to several evenings, swapping information, secrets, and news that need to be spread across all the lizard families. This whisper network ensures all lizards are up to date on the doings of each family, and know who to watch out for, which places to go and which to avoid, and if there are any families that require aid.
Though they can appear standoffish, lizards are anything but. They merely have a culture that depends quite heavily on their ancestral rituals and customs. Their ways may seem odd or mysterious to strangers, but most of their greetings and offers of hospitality are simple at their root. If a cat or dog approaches a colorful lizard encampment or caravan, they will be offered a small dish of salt, which is very important to lizards. The cat or dog is expected to taste the salt, and the lizard will do the same. Once this ritual is completed, and various niceties are exchanged, the visitor will be treated after as an honored guest unless they commit a terrible faux pas. Lizards eat communally as well and expect guests to at least sample each dish placed before them, even if it is a food with which they are unfamiliar. It is perfectly fine to decline after the initial taste, but trying the food indicates trust among the lizards, and if their guest doesn’t trust them, why should they trust their guest?
Salt is important to lizards for a few reasons. Most families make pilgrimages every few months to the salt pan ruins to restock, for the mineral is used as a seasoning, a means of water retention in the arid climes, and as a component of both their religious rites and their alkalists’ magic. If a family falls on hard times, they are said to have “run out of salt,” and other families will do their best to assist.
Naming conventions among lizard families are also fairly easy to understand. A lizard’s parent gives them a first name but when they come of age, they choose their own first name. Their surname is always the name of their mother with “childe” attached to the end, so a lizard named Kaitha who is the daughter of Ranu will be Kaitha Ranuchilde. If she has offspring, their last name will be Kaithachilde. Lizards use the term “clutchmate” to refer to a lizard to whom they are blood related, whether sibling, mother, or great-uncle. This can cause confusion among other species, but lizards don’t place as much stock in lineage as some do — the enjoyment they get from confusing outsiders is purely secondary.
Lizards do not generally think much about the Old Ones. The main thing they worship is the sun, as it gives them energy and makes the plants grow. Lizards are not very religious in any case, and their sun worship is more spiritual than theological. They are known to sit on stones and meditate when the sun is at its zenith, soaking in the warmth and clearing their minds. Pirate lizards may be found in clear spots of deck at this time, but they won’t be overly irritated if they are disturbed. Lizards are calm, though if they get agitated, they can be as quick to rouse as anyone else.
As far as dress, lizards wear whatever best suits the climate. In warm or tropical places, they are usually found in flowing, comfortable garments in white and other light colors, and in colder area they prefer furred hats and greatcoats. They usually keep their faces covered outside of their own communities, mostly because of their own hospitality rules. Most hibernal lizards, and many pirates, forgo this custom in favor of blending in.
How great is that, huh? And so much more to them in the manuscript, including three different types of lizards: geckos, serpents, and turtles!!
Kickstarter Question o' the Day: Do any of our backers have a lizard/reptile pet? What kind of lizard is it, and what's it's name? Share in the comments!
(And, if you don't have a lizard pet, please suggest some good lizard pet names!)
Ahoy to all the new crewmembers who joined our voyage in the past day! We're more than 50% funded in our third day of the campaign, with many more days to go in this long voyage! But we're always looking to grow our crew - remember to share on your social media and in your social circles! It's an excuse to talk like a pirate!