| “ | "Do you believe in ghosts and curses, captain? I shook my fist at the gods once, paid the price..." | „ |
| ~ Asnah Yatim -- Ballard of Bloody Bones investigation |
The Ashen Corsair is a legendary pirate ship which has passed through many hands and is rumored to be cursed by a former captain. Word is that whoever helms this ship attains great power and wealth... but at great cost. The ship and it's previous captain, Bloody Bones, are the subject of the Ashen Corsair and Bloody Bones' Legacy investigations respectfully; the former only available in the premium edition of Skull and Bone.
History[]
| “ | "When I was a young girl, Ma would scare me at night, saying Bloody Bones would force silver down my throat if I didn't finish every grain of rice." | „ |
| ~ Asnah Yatim -- Ballard of Bloody Bones investigation |
In 1665, the Ashen Corsair and its Captain, Bloody Bones, plagued French shipping in the Indian Ocean. It is also inferred that the female Captain is of Sea People descent.
After capturing a ship, the Captain would line up survivors and force silver coins down their throat as part of some ritual. Special attention is drawn to the words like "gasping for air", "raspy and unearthly breathing" etc.
On Oct 31st (Halloween), the Ashen was captured by the Compagnie Royale Brigantine Le Paradis, but only the Captain was aboard the Corsair. No other crew members were found. She was executed in December on counts of heresy and witchcraft; and by slaughtering crews by way of suffocation. Last words were ritualistic words of some kind.
In the Ashen Corsair follow-up, the cursed ship, the aforementioned Ashen Corsair, is stolen from a harbor and the crew that have stolen go on a rampage. The new Captain becomes fixated on the acquisition of silver over everything else, including food and to sail to a specific destination. Cursed silver for a cursed crew.
In the "I knew it!" entry, it can be interpreted that either a hallucination or an apparition of the previous captain reappeared, whereby Bloody Bones has been resurrected to the ship causing the crew to go mad, turn to cannibalism.
The Ashen Corsair is now truly a ghost ship...
Archive Entries[]
Bloody Bones' Legacy #1[]
| “ | Dear Papa, Thank you so much for the "lamba" you sent us. Such a peculiar garment, I truly treasure it! All is well here. Mama misses you so and Grandma Charlotte finally recovered from that ghastly flu. And you'll never guess what she told me! She claims Bloody Bones was her sister! Is that the flu talking, or is she having a laugh? You must have heard of Bloody Bones! I read her tale in "Indian Ocean's Most Infamous Pirates". She never stole from her victims, but rather, stuffed all their silver and rubies and pearls down their throats. How particularly gruesome! But Grandma Charlotte says Bloody Bones had a secret, she would always keep the sapphires. Intriguing, isn't it? Unless she's pulling my leg. In any case, I did some digging for you Papa! The book says she once took down a mighty French frigate, and the wreck is still untouched to this day. Near "Hovohovo" they say. Funny name that! Maybe you'll be the one to find her sapphires and I can read about you in the next edition of "Most Infamous Pirates"! Love, Daphne |
„ |
| ~ To papa -- Legacy of Bloody Bones Investigation |
Bloody Bones' Legacy #2[]
| “ | I leave this account here, should I not survive the journey home to tell my tale. Her ship lurched like a demon out of the fog... Bloody Bones. I'd heard the stories, I knew what fate awaited us. So I hid among the cattle like a coward. If the stories were true, she wasn't here for those. I saw it all. She had her men open our paltry coffers. She lined up the survivors... I looked away. But I heard it all. My friends gasping for air. The belching, the retching as she pushed coin after coin down their throats. An eternity. Finally, I caught her voice, raspy and unearthly, as she addressed her crew. Said their journey was coming to an end. They would visit Fort Louis one last time and let Le Paradis take her. Did she mean the patrolling warship or heaven itself? Bah, even hell wouldn't take that fiend! For all our sakes, I pray our noble countrymen put an end to her hellish attacks. May Le Paradis strike true and send that cursed witch to the stake! |
„ |
| ~ Letter salvaged from a shipwreck near Hovohovo settlement -- Legacy of Bloody Bones investigation |
Bloody Bones' Legacy #3[]
| “ | Capture - October 31st, 1665. Criminal known as Bloody Bones apprehended aboard her ship, the Ashen Corsair, near Fort Louis. Offered no resistance. No other soul found on board, crew likely deserted. Ashen Corsair seized and searched thoroughly. Only a few personal effects found, including the sketch of a grave, of apparent sentimental value. Couldn't ascertain its location. Prisoner refused to talk, crew reluctant to press further. Ashen Corsair sailed back to Sainte Amélie with prisoner on board. Frequent storms prompted more unease and irrational fear among the crew. Public Execution - Death by burning - December 4th, 1665. Criminal sentenced for the following charges: heresy, witchcraft, unlawful boarding of 13 Compagnie Royale trading ships, slaughter of their crews by suffocation. In her final moments, the criminal engaged in sinister chanting in an unidentified tongue, a primitive ritual of some sort. Crowd dispersed hastily, many fearing a spell or a curse. |
„ |
| ~ An account of notble executions, found on Le Paradis -- Legacy of Bloody Bones investigation |
Bloody Bones' Legacy #4[]
| “ | My dear Manganirina, I still remember the spring you died. You were 10, I was 12. Remember the land owner, Charlotte's father? He gave us a handful of sugar once. I thought he was so nice. Until he caught you with that sapphire ring you found, the one you loved so much. "No food for a month!", he chose as your punishment. I wasn't allowed to share my meals with you, even as your cheeks hollowed into rotting sores. The farmer revolt happened and they fled back to France. Charlotte promised we'd always be "sisters", but she wouldn't help me bury you. I've been hunting them down all these years, feeding them their oh-so-precious gems and silver when they wouldn't even feed you bread! But the sapphires, the sapphires were all for you, my beautiful little sister. Now I'm the one dying, growing weaker by the day. I can't fight them anymore, but I can make sure they never forget us. I will let them take me to the heart of the obscene city they built on our backs and curse them all for eternity. Your Sister. |
„ |
| ~ Bloody Bones' Last Note -- Legacy of Bloody Bones investigation |
Ashen Corsair #1[]
| “ | The Ashen Corsair Uncaged! Michael Daria Brothers and sisters rejoice! The beautiful, black brigantine that once conquered the seas has finally been stolen and is now on a fucking rampage! As you recall, the Compagnie bastards fear the ship, yet they still docked it in their harbor for years. Why, you ask? It's the 'curse'. Indeed, my cullies. I too find the Compagnie a bunch of brainless idiots. Haunted they say. Cursed they say. Even their own Privateers refused to sail it but you know what I say? Those fuckers can fear spirits and ghosts all day long while we delight in the carnage that is the Ashen Corsair. Curse? The curse was keeping this warship caged. Look what it can do now. Three merchant ships sunk in one week. All that cargo and silver gobbled up and oh they're not done yet! Clearly, ships are no longer enough for her. They were last seen plundering Guérande and at this rate, they'll be richer than Scurlock in a month! (Don't tell him I said that.) |
„ |
| ~ The Pyrate Herald -- Ashen Corsair Investigation |
Ashen Corsair #2[]
| “ | I left France to follow my husband to build a new merchant port for the Compagnie. Nothing but misfortune in Guérande. Pirates. Every. Day. This morning a black warship fired over and over and over. They sunk so many ships. The sea flooded with cargo and silver - my silver! They sailed right up to loot my beautiful town. So close I could see their eyes. "More! More! She said it's not enough!" Who? Why was that Captain yelling at me? He couldn't fit all the silver onboard so he started throwing out wine and meat. Some crew tried to hold him back, said something about their voyage north? Not enough provisions to make it to the Western Basin? I couldn't hear because that Captain screamed and shot the man who argued back! His body fell right in front of me. The other crew cheered! Camille, please I cannot take this anymore. This world is filled with madmen. First, my husband, and now this 'Captain of the Ashen Corsair'. Please send a ship and take me far away from here. |
„ |
| ~ Carole Saunier, 1695 -- Ashen Corsair investigation clue gained from Guérande |
Ashen Corsair #3[]
Ashen Corsair #4[]
Gallery[]
Concept art of the Ashen Corsair
Screen Shot of the Ashen Corsair
Ballad of Bloody Bones (skull and bones artbook)
