As punishment for their alleged crimes against the English crown, the chieftains of each of the accused clans were offered a choice; either face the noose as an example to the other Scottish clans, or to offer their clan in service of the crown. Neither of these options were particularly appealing. However, only one offers a true opportunity to fight back against the crown’s oppression.
Many chieftains and nobles opted to offer their heir to serve the crown in their stead, hoping that in time they could use their newfound access to subvert the English conquest of the new world.
This is where our story actually begins.
One of those Scotsmen was offered by his father to serve the crown as an officer in the English Regimental Army. It’s been many years since he left his home as a young 18-year-old in 1587. His journey with the English Regiments over the past decades took him to exotic lands far different from the familiar island in the North Atlantic where his story began. Early in his service to the crown, he found himself travelling to distant lands to establish forts to secure trade routes for English merchants in the North African and Persian territories along the Mediterranean coast of the Ottoman Empire.
During those years, he felt like that once familiar land he called home became nothing more than a faded memory. However, prior to leaving his home in Scotland, his father left him with two things. The first being a small blade, a Sgian Dubh, to keep in his boot. His father told him that with each step he takes, he will feel the blade press against his leg to help remember his family and home. The second being a final bit of advice from father to son; “Although it may not feel like it now, the ending to our story has not yet been written. You now have an opportunity to write a new chapter and a new ending to the story of our family and country. Remember to keep your eyes and ears open for when that opportunity presents itself.” At the time, the young Scotsman did not fully grasp what his father was trying to tell him. But in time, the message would become clear.
In 1606, the Scotsman, now a Captain in the English Regiments, found himself in another unfamiliar landscape of the Spanish controlled territories in the Americas. The English king heard of the vast opportunities for land, trade, and wealth they were missing out on in this new land and wanted to stake his claim before the opportunity would be lost to the Spanish. The Scotsman’s assignment was straightforward; lead a company conducting reconnaissance of the Caribbean Islands to identify and secure territory of strategic importance to the crown’s interests in the area.
One evening in 1608, like most of his past two years in Florida, he found himself trying to drown out his disdain of the Florida heat, humidity, and mosquitoes in a local pub. He could do that alone with a bottle of whiskey in his quarters and avoid the drunken soldiers and sailors in the pub but he knew he was actually there to spend time with Amanda, the woman behind the bar lofting insults at rowdy sailors that are short on coin or running their mouth.
On this evening though, something else caught his attention. A boisterous group of sailors at a nearby table gambling over a dice game. It was obvious this crew was enjoying themselves, likely after a long and tiresome voyage at sea. But then he overheard one of the sailors proclaim to another patron they were but, “humble seafaring merchants.” The Scotsman immediately knew this to be a farce. Because, who else would need to provide such a specific and un-incriminating description of their activities, other than pirates. Could this be the opportunity he had been waiting for all these years?
Knowing that opportunities like this don’t come around often, he turned to the boisterous crew and asked out of which port they sailed. A member of the crew, with a clear Scottish accent again stated, “We are but humble seafaring merchants.” The Scotsman feeling the need to cut through the tension, replied, “It seems to me that we are all living one life in the light and another in the shadows. How ‘bout a round on me if I can join your game of dice?”
At first, the crew was apprehensive to allow a stranger to join their game. Afterall, he was clearly an officer of the English Crown speaking to a crew of pirates. How can he be trusted? But after a moment, the crewmember with the Scottish accent smiled and introduced himself as Darin McGrew with his red-bearded associate, Francis Barbarossa, Captain of the Damned Promise.
The Scotsman turned to Amanda and said, “these humble seafaring merchants will now have that round.” Reluctantly, Captain Red Beard and Mr. McGrew obliged on behalf of their crew. The pirates believed they found a new mark in their game of dice.
The Scotsman wasn’t familiar with the game, but he thought, it’s just a game of chance, right? More importantly, he knew he now had their attention. Red Beard then explained the rules to the stranger. The rules were at first difficult to follow but the Scotsman felt he generally understood; each player rolls three dice until they get a matching pair with the third dice as the score, or three of a kind. A roll of 1-2-3 is an immediate loss, and a 4-5-6 automatically wins. But aside from that, he assumed these pirates would be making their own rules as they go.
The first few rounds moved fast, and the Scotsman came up short each time. The crewmembers seemed to all roll either a triple or a 4-5-6 each round and it began to appear as if the game were rigged. But if he were to get the attention of Captain Red Beard, he needed to get him one-on-one and decided this is where he must make his offer. This conversation would come with great risk, and he knew he must be direct to catch the captain’s interest. But he must also avoid giving up too much and risk exposing himself to being labeled a traitor to the crown. These are pirates after all and stories of their brutality and ruthlessness are told far and wide.
He then proposed the offer to Captain Red Beard; a roll of the dice, in exchange for information leading to possibly the largest bounty of the new world to date.
Red Beard had reservations in continuing a conversation of this nature with the stranger but for the time being, he would put that aside and attempt to drain his coin pouch over a few more rounds.
During this tense moment, a crewmember, a Spaniard named Antonio, muttered, “We know not with whom we sail. Without a story, he’s a stranger in our midst.” The Scotsman looked directly at the Spaniard and replied, “You can have my name and story, or you can hear my offer. But at this time, you can’t have both.”
With the nod of approval from Captain Redbeard, the next round of the game began, this time without any coin. Red Beard and the Scotsman locked eyes as they rattled the dice in their cups and slammed them on the pub table. Each slowly lifted their cup as the crew let out an audible gasp. Neither the Scotsman nor Red Beard would break their contact with the other’s eyes as the crew erupted into a combination of cheers and groans. As the crew calmed, the Scotsman looked down and saw a 4-5-6 on his dice lying on the table.
Knowing his winning bet secured the captain’s attention, the Scotsman leaned in to explain his offer. He described to Red Beard that earlier in the day, he was informed of an English ship recently marooned on a shallow reef in nearby waters. He was provided with an assignment to gather his troops and depart with a ship in a few days’ time to offload an unknown cargo. The name of the stranded ship was not provided with the assignment but is rumored to be the Triumph, carrying a cargo that was shrouded in secrecy. Captain Red Beard, like most sailors in these waters, already knew this flagship in the English Royal Fleet. They also knew that it likely carried a significant cargo as its location and travels are closely guarded secrets to the Royal Navy.
As the Scotsman’s plot unfolded, Red Beard grew more apprehensive. If the information were true, this opportunity clearly has the possibility of a great reward, but a mission of this nature also inherently carries great risk.
Sensing Red Beard’s apprehension, the Scotsman said, “I can’t guarantee the size of the bounty nor success of the mission. But I’m certain an opportunity to inscribe your legacy in history books may never again present itself. Ignore this opportunity and be lost to history. Or trust me and roll the dice for a chance at everlasting glory.”
At the time, the Scotsman thought he had succeeded in pushing the right button to motivate Red Beard. He thought he had a proper read on the pirate captain and that offering a chance at glory and etching the name Captain Francis Barbarossa of The Damned Promise in the history books would appeal most to the pirate sitting before him. Even though he was wrong, this pirate happened to be a man of his word, and a bet is a bet. Red Beard owed it to the Scotsman to at least hear him out. After the tense exchange, Captain Red Beard decided to roll the dice, as he did a few moments earlier that evening.
Red Beard knew the conversation was no longer appropriate for the open ears of a pub setting and opted to continue the conversation in a more private setting, onboard The Damned Promise.
Once onboard the ship, the Scotsman laid out the details of the unfortunate circumstances of the Triumph of the English fleet. The Scotsman explained that he was provided information that while sailing across the Gulf from the Spanish territories of the Americas, the Triumph ran aground on a reef just off one of the Florida Keys. Now, the Scotsman did not have direct knowledge of the treasures held within the cargo of the Triumph, but he did understand the significance of this ship. He also knew the ship had the best officers and navigators and made the journey through this passage many times without issue. This means the ship likely struck the reef due to being overloaded with a heavy cargo. Additionally, the level of secrecy the English chain of command maintained in regard to this incident, could only mean that the rumors of a great treasure in the cargo hold must be true.
Red Beard sensing this could be a trap set for an infamous pirate and his crew, interrupted the Scotsman and simply asked, “Why would an officer of the crown readily provide information on such a valuable bounty? And if what you have to say is true, how can we trust a man that would turn against the oath he swore to the crown?”
The Scotsman was caught off guard with Red Beard’s questions. Had he misjudged this pirate? Weren’t all pirates motivated by wealth, greed, and fame? If that is not what would catch this pirate’s attention, what else could be said that is intriguing enough? All that was left to say is the truth and to finally tell his story; that he, like the crew, held a deep disdain for the crown and he waited a lifetime for the opportunity to turn the tides on the injustices imposed on his family and country by the crown. The Scotsman went on to explain how all those years prior, he, like many other young Scots, was forced to decide between leaving home to serve the crown or watch the King hang his father for the family’s perceived crimes. Red Beard and the Scotsman finally found they had common ground, vengeance.
With a nod of approval from Red Beard, the Scotsman continued with his story of the Triumph’s unfortunate circumstances. He explained that the stranded 60-gun galleon currently has minimal crew and defenses. The raid must be done with urgency as the defenses would be reinforced and cargo offloaded in the coming days.
The Scotsman also explained that any association with “pirates” would be detrimental to his ongoing efforts to undermine the crown from within its ranks and requested Red Beard’s discretion. Red Beard provided his assurance he would protect the source of information leading to this valuable prize in exchange for information on future “economic opportunities”.
Once the terms were agreed, the Scotsman provided Red Beard with the coordinates of the stranded ship, 24°31.5′ N latitude and 82°20.0′ W longitude. Understanding the urgency to act, Captain Red Beard ordered the journey to the Triumph to begin at once.
In the early hours of the morning as the Damned Promise approached the target, the waters were calm, but the crew’s nerves were as if they were sailing directly into a tropical storm for this fight ahead. The crew knew they were experienced and battle tested but this fight was different. This fight had just as great a chance to be a trap as it did to be an easy victory. However, the crew did not know the Scotsman felt that same anxiety. Although he did his best to appear confident, he knew that failure of this raid meant he would fail twice. He would fail the crew as well as his family and country.
As The Damned Promise sailed West toward the bounty, the sun began to crest over the horizon from behind the ship, providing just enough light to identify a silhouette of a ship on the horizon ahead. Captain Red Beard was sure to use this to his advantage. As The Damned Promise closed in on the stranded ship, the captain ordered his crew to battle positions. The blinding light of the rising sun behind them in the East provided sufficient cover for his ship’s approach. As Captain Red Beard yelled, “Fire!” to prompt the start of the battle, it was too late for the Triumph to attempt any more than a meager defense with the minimal crew available.
The ensuing battle was short but chaotic. As the pirate crew boarded the ship, the sailors of the Triumph attempted a spirited but disorganized defense. But after the brief clash, it was clear that ship now belonged to Captain Red Beard and his crew.
Captain Red Beard boarded his prize and approached the captain of the Triumph, Sir Robert Barlow, to negotiate a surrender. Captain Barlow offered his quarters for the negotiation. As the Captain’s negotiated the terms of the surrender, the Scotsman remained in the background hoping to avoid identification by a fellow English officer. Unfortunately, that is difficult in the confinement of the captain’s quarters and Captain Barlow, looking around sizing up the crew that bested him, suddenly locked eyes with the Scotsman. In that moment, he knew he was made. The captain of the Triumph with a look of rage on his face, lunged across the room to confront the Scotsman. With little time to formulate a more reasonable plan against this encroachment, the Scotsman, already clutching his Sgian Dubh in his hand, drove the small blade into Captain Barlow’s neck and slowly assisted him to the ground. This was not how the Scotsman wished for the negotiation to end but it was necessary to conceal his identity from the Triumph’s surviving crew and ultimately achieved Red Beard’s desired result anyway.
In that moment, the Scotsman knew he was now a pirate and bonded to this crew, whether he wanted to be or not. If word of this act extended beyond the confines of Captain Barlow’s quarters, he would certainly be a wanted man. But this same act must have surely proven his commitment to the crew with whom he now found himself. He wiped his small blade clean, quietly slipped it back into his boot, and glanced over at Red Beard silently watching from the table in the dark room where negotiations were to occur.
Negotiations now “complete,” Captain Red Beard gave an order for his crew to search the holds and quarters of the Triumph. During the search, the crew secured several items of interest and value. The most intriguing of which was a large wooden chest, filled with coins, each marked with the English crown. The crew immediately knew this was the prize they sought. The chests and other bounty were quickly secured and moved aboard the Damned Promise.
As the captain and his officers stepped out of Barlow’s quarters and onto the deck of the Triumph, Red Beard gave a nod to his faithful Quartermaster, Tornigard the Viking, who knew it was now time to address the captured sailors, “Captain Red Beard and the crew of the Damned Promise offer you a choice; stay with what remains of the Triumph and any consequences imposed by your king for failing to secure this precious cargo or join the ships of the Atlantic Raiders Coalition and share in the bounty won this day and those to inevitably come in the future.”
The prisoners appeared hesitant as the imposing Viking standing before them spoke, for it was just a few brief moments prior, when they witnessed this same Viking board their ship and take down several of their best sailors with a few swings of his axe.
The Scotsman, surveying the group while Toringard spoke, recognized at least one familiar face. At first, he thought it might have been from his time in the English Regiments, but he soon realized it was actually an old acquaintance, Jakob, from his childhood back home in Scotland. It had been many years and the child he knew back home found himself in a similar situation that led to him serving as the navigator for this English ship. He suddenly knew he was not alone in the fight to subvert the King’s oppression of the Scots. He approached the prisoner, leaned in and spoke softly enough for only the two to hear, simply telling Jakob he should accept the offer, from an old friend. Finally recognizing who was standing before him, Jakob smirked and said, “Is this crew in need of a good navigator?” The Scotsman replied, “Why? Do you know where we can find one?” The two shared a laugh as they turned and stepped back toward the crew.
With the bounty secure and the crew of the ARC back onboard The Damned Promise, Red Beard stepped off the Triumph and tossed a lit torch onto the crumpled sails lying on the deck.
As the crew of The Damned Promise sailed off to open sea with their prize while leaving the burning husk of the Triumph behind them, the Scotsman and his new crew didn’t say a word. Only a quiet nod from Captain Red Beard let him know he was now a member of the crew.