One by one, blood-red pirate flags rose on the fleet's masts: white skulls on a red background, the emblem of the Bloodsail Buccaneers who dominated the South Seas in the original timeline!
Galen wasn't about to draw a yellow straw hat on the skull.
These eighty battleships, converted from armed merchant ships from Southshore, varied in design, preventing anyone from tracing their origin.
After ordering 100,000 gold worth of battleships, Galen's Heart of Origin had upgraded, providing him with a dock. Galen, thinking his investment wasted, was about to sell them, but now they were proving useful.
The Bloodsail Plan prompted him to invest another 100,000 gold, assembling this hundred-ship fleet.
The Bloodsail Buccaneers originated in Kul Tiras, founded by a capable navigator named Duke Falrevere with a strong fleet.
During the Third War, the Scourge ravaged Lordaeron, affecting Kul Tiras.
Unable to withstand the Scourge alone, Duke Falrevere joined Jaina and the Kirin Tor, commanding the Fifth Fleet of Theramore.
During a rescue operation for dwarven and gnomish towns, seeing the overwhelming Undead army, he estimated a 50/50 chance of victory, with heavy losses even if they won.
A human supremacist and racist, he abandoned the dwarves and gnomes, choosing to preserve his strength.
This abandonment violated the alliance. The Duke defected from Theramore, sailed to a South Seas island, and became a pirate, calling himself "Bloodsail."
Azeroth's version of being forced into piracy, Galen thought.
At this time, the Scourge was still over twenty years away. The first Lich King was in Shadowmoon Valley on Draenor. Duke Falrevere was still a legitimate trader in Kul Tiras.
So, using your future name is fine. You can't sue me for infringement. I registered it first!
Galen knew the Blackwater Raiders were somewhat known in the South Seas, but not yet affiliated with the Goblin Cartel. Trade Prince Rivik Gazlowe hadn't yet launched the Bay War to seize Booty Bay from the Stranglethorn Vale trolls!
Galen chose the Bloodsail Buccaneers name because his previous rogue was a Bloodsail Admiral, and because he was blacklisted from the Booty Bay auction house for a 25% handling fee!
Galen looked ahead. The morning mist was thick, and soon, waves appeared on the calm sea!
"Master! Zola is back!" Sashja reported. She would never forget Galen's power.
She and a dozen Spinefin Naga experts had tried to trick the humans with a fake surrender. But Galen had come to their camp alone. He easily countered their attack with golden light, leaving only her and Zola alive!
A wet female naga climbed onto Galen's flagship, the Black Pearl. This 42-cannon, 350-ton warship was the largest, and Galen had chosen it as his flagship.
Galen had deliberately spared Zola and Sashja. It's not because they're pretty. It's because nagas respect women, especially priestesses.
Zola twisted her tail and crawled to Galen, wiping seawater from her head. "Master, the nobles' merchant ships from Stormwind are underway. They'll be in range in half a day!"
"Very good! Keep following them, but don't attack yet. The fog will lift during the day, and visibility will be too high. We'll strike at night! This will be a big one!"
Galen was excited. Robbing degenerate, cowardly nobles? No guilt at all. I'm just helping Llane clean house. And their property is my commission. Most of it was my money anyway. I'm just taking it back!
In the bay, Galen, wearing a blood-red captain's hat, waited patiently. An excellent hunter's most basic quality. His Bloodsail Buccaneers, trained from dockworker farmers, were disciplined sailors.
The Spinefin Naga monitored the sea for miles around.
Soon, thirty-six ships appeared: twenty-five merchant ships and eleven Stormwind warships.
Galen was surprised the nobles had used Stormwind warships. Lothar must not know. The Stormwind navy only has thirty warships. They took eleven to protect their loot! He'll be furious!
Seeing the various noble flags, Galen sneered. Prepare to tremble before my cannons!
Night fell.
Visibility was poor. The Stormwind fleet slowed down. Galen's ships, with naga navigators, slipped ahead.
The Bloodsail fleet sailed in a semi-circle toward the Stormwind fleet!
On the lead warship, the lookout rubbed his eyes. A mast appeared ahead.
Stromgarde transport ships returning?
Then, he saw the blood-red pirate flag in the moonlight and gasped!
"Dang dang dang!"
The lookout sounded the alarm!
"Pirates!"
The sudden alarm spread rapidly through the assembled noble ships!
These "Benches Aristocracy," already fleeing Stormwind, were jolted awake, their faces etched with fear.
"What's all the fuss? We have eleven warships and three thousand Stormwind Navy escorts! What do we have to fear from some petty pirates?!" A noble lord shouted, kicking a panicked servant. As the de facto leader of this group, he had been rather pleased with himself.
Though exiled and having lost some Stormwind property, these nobles still possessed vast fortunes accumulated over generations!
As long as that wealth remained, they could rebuild. With their "noble bloodlines," they could settle in any northern kingdom, buy manors, become new lords, build merchant fleets, and continue to accumulate wealth!
United, these dozen noble families could wield considerable influence!
This particular noble even planned to use his distant relatives in Hillsbrad to connect with King Aiden of Alterac. With enough investment, Aiden would welcome them!
If only Galen knew these nobles were planning to cause trouble in Alterac, he might have spared them.
When this noble lord reached the bow, the moonlight revealed the dense pirate fleet ahead!
"This... this is impossible!" he shrieked, his voice cracking.
Only the Blackwater Raiders in Stranglethorn Vale had a hundred ships. This lord, who owned merchant ships, had even colluded with them to attack rivals. He knew their flag!
Were the Stromgarde navy taking advantage of our misfortune?
It wasn't impossible. A kingdom that could build a thousand transport ships could spare a hundred for piracy!
Or... are the northern nobles robbing us? After the riffraff arrived in Hillsbrad and leaked our plans?
The Stromgarde ships were all uniformly designed, which he'd carefully noted in Stormwind Harbor. Besides, Stromgarde was straightforward, like its warrior prince, not this insidious.
These hundred pirate ships were converted merchant vessels, mostly in the Lordaeron style! A northern noble alliance, trying to prevent southern migration and extort us?
It was the most likely scenario. Don't think nobles are just pleasure-seekers. They're quite cunning when it comes to politics and money!
Other nobles joined him on deck, their faces pale with fear.
They decided to flee before the pirates could surround them.
"Turn back to Stormwind! Now!"
"Hurry! Run!"
They didn't care about facing the orcish army. At least they wouldn't die instantly. Pirates would, at best, strip them of everything, and at worst, kill them!
They'd only set sail that afternoon. They had to hurry back. The tens of thousands of troops in Stormwind would provide some safety, and a Kul Tiras fleet patrolled the outer sea. They might escape and be rescued!
The Kul Tiras navy was still a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Kingdoms!
The merchant ships began to turn slowly.
"Faster! Turn faster!" the noble lord yelled, grabbing the captain's collar. At this rate, the pirates would surround them before they could even change course.
"I can't, my lord! The ships are overloaded. We can't move any faster!" the captain explained. The nobles had brought all their wealth, even skimping on water and food, just to carry more gold!
"Dump half the cargo! Especially the gold!"
The order caused an uproar. The gold? No!
"Your lives are more important! Your families need you alive! We'll come back for the gold later!"
That convinced them. Life was more valuable than money, and they could always return for it!
Crates were thrown overboard, flashing gold in the moonlight.
Galen smiled. They think they can outrun me by lightening the load? Do they think my naga are useless?
"Remember the location. After the battle, salvage everything they drop."
"Tell the underwater naga to attack!"
Boom!
Galen fired the first shot!
It fell short, landing a dozen meters behind the enemy stern.
But it was the signal to attack!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Cannons roared!
Galen's eighty armed merchant ships were, at best, two-masted brigantine gunships, not true battleships. Galen's "Heart of Origin" shipyard produced entry-level three-masted brigantine warships with at least sixty-two cannons.
The Stormwind warships were entry-level, two-decked battleships, and they turned to provide a rearguard, firing back at Galen's fleet!
But it was futile. Galen's modified ships were lighter, faster, and better suited for attacking merchant ships, reconnaissance, and pursuit.
The owner of Southshore isn't so innocent either, modifying ships like this. They're either pirates themselves or connected to them!
The roar of cannons filled the night. With eighty warships firing, accuracy was poor. But Galen's fleet had more guns, suppressing the nobles' sailors and destroying two of their ships!
If only the Heart of Origin shipyard had produced some proper fleet commanders!
The Stormwind warships lacked stern cannons. Under the captain's orders, they lowered half their sails and used oars to turn broadside, returning fire.
Unfortunately, these warships were manned by the nobles' private armies, not the Stormwind Navy, and their combat effectiveness was poor.
Both sides exchanged cannon fire. Galen's ships took some hits, but their numerical advantage allowed them to cripple several enemy vessels, which then turned and hid behind the main force.
After a messy sea battle, Galen's fleet, as expected, won the cannon duel due to sheer numbers. Half the Stormwind warships raised white flags.
The rest fled, catching up with the merchant ships.
The noble merchant ships had already stopped, not by choice. Naga brutes had ambushed them, breaching the hulls and infiltrating the interiors.
In the confined spaces, the human guards were no match for the strong, durable naga. With resistance eliminated, only defenseless nobles remained, and the merchant ships were paralyzed.
The fleeing warships were quickly overtaken and boarded!
The naga Zola led the charge, wielding weapons in all four hands. Her upper hands slashed with scimitars, while her tail swept away scores of private soldiers. Her lower hands fired a hand cannon and reloaded it.
Multiple hands are amazing!
Half an hour later, the battle was over.
This long-planned naval battle ended swiftly. Galen's numerical advantage barely compensated for the incompetence of the noble privateers.
Galen decided to find proper commanders for his two naval forces, both the overt navy and the covert pirate fleet. Their "zerg rush" tactic was embarrassing. A good encirclement turned into a messy brawl!
He issued orders: the mobile ships would be crewed, the immobile ones towed, all living Stormwind personnel taken prisoner, and the dead buried at sea. Sashja would direct the salvage of the dropped gold, and Zola would handle the prisoners.
The captured nobles were brought to the Black Pearl. Galen used a disguise spell and emerged.
Red belt, red captain's hat, white shirt, swaggering out of the cabin with a sly grin, revealing a gold tooth!
And that face!
Jack Sparrow! How shameless!
"Don't kill me! I'm valuable! I'll pay a ransom!"
The noble, who had been planning a power play hours ago, was now groveling like a stray dog.
"Oh? I thought these ships were your entire fortune?" Galen smiled. "You have more money to offer?"
"Yes! Yes! We're legitimate nobles! Once the orcs are defeated, we'll still own land. Keep us alive, and a dozen noble territories will pay you taxes!"
The noble, finally realizing his worth, invoked his "noble bloodline." The kingdom needs us. Only we can rule the commoners!
Tsk tsk, Stormwind breeds good parasites, Galen thought.
Every kingdom has corrupt nobles. I purged many in Stromgarde by exposing their collusion with trolls. The loyalists profited, and I gained eastern Arathi. But were all the purged truly guilty?
Galen doubted his father would tolerate such exploitation.
"Very well. I'll give you a chance to persuade your friends to offer the same. Then, I'll let you live. What's your name?"
"Crispin Ference, a Count!"
Galen, suddenly inspired, changed his mind. "Take him away and imprison him with the others! Don't starve them. They're the Bloodsail Buccaneers' future cash cows!"
Two naga brutes hauled Crispin away. Galen noted that the Earl was likely a mid-level warrior, but no match for Zola and Sashja, and probably too pampered to fight effectively.
Galen reviewed the list of captured nobles: Earl Crispin Ference, Earl Robin Darris, Countess Catriona von Indie, Countess Dorothee Millstede, Countess Jila Byrebark, Baron Rafer Dugall.
Look at that. The first layer of the Bloodsail Buccaneers' origins! Corrupt nobles forming a pirate fleet to plunder and terrorize. Perfect scapegoats! When my hidden operations are exposed, I'll just throw these nobles to the wolves. I'm such a villain!
The noble alliance for scapegoating is now online! Heh heh hic!
Galen chuckled maniacally.
The twenty-five merchant ships held a fortune. These nobles from Elwynn Forest and Sunnyglade had accumulated wealth for millennia, and Galen was about to become incredibly rich.
Looking at the hundreds of gold-filled crates, Galen drooled.
"Hahaha! We're rich!"
After approaching Kul Tiras, Galen rounded up the captured nobles, loaded them onto a repaired merchant ship, and dumped them in the Sea Kingdom's territorial waters.
He included a box of gold, of course. They were his future scapegoat alliance, after all. He considered it an advance payment.
As for whether they'd dare disobey?
Galen had eliminated any chance of that.Meanwhile, Medivh, in Kalimdor, sent him a magical rune to control subordinates, unbreakable unless their strength surpassed his!
Mortals surpassing the former Guardian Medivh? I've never seen it, Galen thought.
Thus, the "Life and Death Talisman" was born in Azeroth!
The captured private soldiers were also "inoculated" with the Talisman. After all, nine Stormwind warships were still usable.
So, on the first day of the Bloodsail Buccaneers' existence:
Snap!
They got stronger!
Galen, as the Bloodsail Admiral, was pleased.
The fighting was done for the day. The Bloodsail needed a base. In the original timeline, Duke Falrevere started with twelve merchant ships and twenty-four warships. After rebelling against Kul Tiras, he sought an island in the South Seas and found Plunder Isle.
But the Bloodsail were a minor force until Galen's arrival. They tangled with the Blackwater Raiders and offered a set of gear to grind, but no major quests. Galen didn't know where Plunder Isle was!
He'd settle somewhere temporarily and find a suitable island later.
Galen studied the map of the Eastern Kingdoms, tapping Booty Bay. Should I take the goblins' future territory?
He decided against it. He didn't want to provoke the jungle trolls of Stranglethorn Vale. Millions of trolls were a serious threat.
Stranglethorn Vale was still a primitive jungle, dominated by the powerful jungle trolls.
Before the Hot Sands Cartel and Blackwater Raiders launched the Bay War and lost Booty Bay, before border conflicts with a rebuilt Stormwind drove them to Zul'Gurub, and before the New Horde seized the west coast...
Why provoke such a strong force? Azeroth's history is all about fighting trolls, but timing is everything.
Galen focused on the eastern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms.
The ocean between the Eastern and Western Kingdoms, the Great Sea, was once the center of the continent. The Great Sundering created it. Thanks to Kul Tiras and the goblins, this was a bustling trade route.
The sea east of the Eastern Kingdoms, the Forbidden Sea, was undeveloped and dangerous, hence its name. Human cities were on the west coast, so this area was largely ignored.
Its sparse population and lack of ships made it ideal for Galen.
The southern Eastern Kingdoms!
Northeast of the Swamp of Sorrows!
A chain of islands there was perfect for the Bloodsail Buccaneers.
The orcs were focused on Stormwind, and after its fall, they'd target the northern kingdoms. A detachment from the Bleeding Hollow clan was already clashing with Ironforge's dwarves.
Their rear, the Swamp of Sorrows, had only Stonard and its garrison. Galen remembered that some draenei who had escaped the orcs were camped north of Stonard, sniping lone orcs!
Galen decided to establish the Bloodsail's base near the Reed Sea Coast, northeast of the Swamp of Sorrows.
The Reed Sea Coast could host a kingdom's outpost as a cover. In the original timeline, goblins built a small port there: Bogpaddle!
With Stromgarde Keep in Arathi Highlands, Nethergarde Keep, Dun Modr, and Andorhal in Hillsbrad, Light's Hope Chapel in the Eastern Plaguelands, an outpost in the Swamp of Sorrows, and the hidden Bloodsail stronghold, his Forbidden Sea defense chain would be nearly complete.
So, the Bloodsail fleet, flying Stromgarde flags, sailed northeast into Balor's Bay, passing through the Thandol Span. Galen took the looted treasures and stayed in Stromgarde Keep.
The fleet, guided by the Spinefin Naga, sailed south along the coastline and disappeared.
The next day, in Stromgarde, Whitepeak, Southshore, and the towns of Duke Falrevere's territory in northern Kul Tiras, an official announcement appeared:
"The Stromgarde royal family is forming a new naval fleet and seeks experienced sailing captains. Talent is the only requirement, regardless of origin!
The newly built fleet has two hundred third-rate battleships. We offer many opportunities and limited positions. Don't miss out!"
The announcement listed attractive salaries and the promise of nobility for meritorious service.
This seemingly unremarkable announcement drew many sailors from Balor's Bay. The salaries were tempting, and the chance to become a noble lord was irresistible.
With 400,000 Stormwind refugees flooding Southshore, many former Stormwind Harbor workers were eager to find new employment.
The Stromgarde navy's recruitment became a hot topic. Two hundred battleships? Stromgarde will rival Lordaeron's navy and become the second-largest after Kul Tiras!
Galen had paid a price for his father's approval: fifty battleships, a quarter of the fleet.
Compared to the news of Stormwind nobles being robbed by the new "Bloodsail Buccaneers," this was insignificant, circulating only in the Eastern Kingdoms' underworld.
Duke Falrevere, hearing about a force comparable to the Blackwater Raiders, felt a sense of loss. Like I've lost something important!