Thank you again to Shadowood for the opportunity to be a captain. To my fellow captains, thank you for the well played rounds. You put up a good fight, and I see the invidivual skills and consideration in selecting your team members round after round. Each round was especially difficult, as I have had to exclude some of the most talented players and those who I have personally liked the best. It was the only thing that made me feel bad about the draft, and seeing them snapped up by the other captains.


In selecting my team members, I have made my choices by considering both a player's individual strengths, and the collective power of the team if they made up a guild.

Sir Henry Morgan - Excellent leadership and training skills. Has been guild leader of one of the most successful guilds in the game. Sovereign of one of the most powerful nations in Avonmora. 30,814,984 fame points (ranked 4th), 202,450,269 influence points (second only to PhoenixKnight). He was the King of Barbados, one of the most powerful nations in the game, ever. He plays fair, but if provoked, any instigator will be sorry. Has managed to stay away from country drama, and is a friend to all.

DTT - Has been the ruler of three powerful nations: Midway Islands, Egypt, and St. Kitts and Nevis, and as now a Governor serving St. Kitts, is one of the most active council members of the wealthiest nation in Avonmora. Leader of the legendary guild "The Pirate Kings". 3,429,719 fame and 81,311,893 influence points. A talented fighter, he has the time, the voodoo, and the will to crush all enemies that threaten his fleets and his guild. This is not the pirate to cross.

Banger - Current King of Albania. While relatively new to the game, he has the level of diplomacy skills that will get him far in the game. Being part of The Brethren (VUDU) guild, he adheres to the code of loyalty, and fundamental pirate principles. 9,112,133 fame and 4,264,519 influence. Very active and visible in the tavern. He has his ears to the ground, and has knowledge of the comings and goings of everyone behind the scenes, while keeping a low profile for himself.

Pulpop - Another prominent member of the nation of Tokelau, Pulpop has also previously been the King of the Isle of Man and the King of Spain. He has also made a name for himself as guildmaster of the mercenary guild T'zak Ryn (Merc). 6,035,271 fame points and 80,964,032 influence points. He is 5th in rank in influence points.

The Pirate King - Previously going by the name Majesty, this pirate has been both a witness and a participant to historic events and battles in the game. Indeed, he even may or may not have started and ended a few wars. Longtime leader of the guild that bears his name, he has trained countless recruits. For the longest time, he has the second largest buried treasure around. It is necessary to note that this treasure has been amassed through purely pirating activities, and before the plunder stats were started. Do not bother trying to look for his buried treasure unless you like frustration.

Ben Scarlett - Founder of the Merchant Adventurers guild, Ben Scarlett has had a colorful history in different guilds as an established trader. He has 37,231,129 influence points and 40,573,298 fame points, making him second only in the rankings as the most notorious player in avonmora. He is currently the king of the United Kingdom, and has powerful and loyal friends who will defend any and all attacks on him and his country.

Dozer White Beard - King of the powerful and friendly nation of Bermuda, and one of the respected leaders of the Sunscreen & Shorts Training Guild (SSTG). 4,964,076 fame points and 17,884,661 influence points. Ready and able to come to the aid of his followers and allies.

Graythorn - A respected member of the nobility of the great country of Spain. 3,248,250 fame points and 2,499,485 influence points. He is one of the most well established traders around with his fleets constantly being in the most profitable fleet statistics. Like many of our team mates, he has been in Avonmora for years. His experience in trading and familiarity with the mechanics of the game make him a valuable asset to Team Trixikilikili.

LordAv - Once reigning as King of the USA, he is now still a prominent nobleman of the USA country and Commander in Chief of the USA guild. He is the person with the lowest player number in the team (#3519!!!). He has remained a constant fixture during the highs and lows of the game, and still came out as one of the most notorious (20,720,772 fame points) players around.

Flying Fox - This "rookie" has demonstrated a prodigious ability in the game. His movements are calculated, and with a high degree of knowledge of the nuances of Avonmora and those who sail in it. There is a lot of activity growth behind the scenes. Definitely one to keep an eye on.


Of the ten players listed, 4 players are current rulers of their respected countries, and almost all have been a ruler of a powerful country at some point in time. Almost all hold or have held ranks in the nobility of several nations. The current rulers control 7 out of 21 ports in the map right now, and bring in tax for about 2 billion citizens. That's just for the ones that are currently reigning as kings.

Each of the players in Team Trix is a skilled fighter as well. DTT and The Pirate King were purely pirates before, but have been playing using a hybrid style. I know for a fact that if called upon, and if it is a worthy cause, they can take off their merchant hat and don a pirate's hat once again. DTT, Dozer, and myself are in the top 10 number of ships list. While each one in the team can readily defend their fleets by themselves, extra protection is given by the collective voodoo chest and turn count of the whole, and the fighting skills of each player.

We have several leaders in their respected guilds. They have a proven track record of being able to train new players to be productive sailors of avonmora, and repeatedly are being voted "most helpful". They are able to provide something for everyone, no matter the playing style that they choose.

Finally, it is important for there for all time zones to be covered. Without giving anything away, all time zones are represented by members of the team. We have those who play from the eastern third of a world map (mostly asia), the center third (europe and africa), and the western third (north and south america). Map control for the avonmora ports are also likewise evenly spread out, with control of prominent trade routes. We are powerful enough to be able to fend off or weather any and all manner of attacks. We can decimate entire fleets should we choose, but we wont.


There you have it. For your consideration, I give you: Team Trix.

On the shoulders of giants one can glimpse very far. And there are giants here. The trait d’union is the building of a team of mainly traders but who can stand and defend themselves and their opinions, both verbally and literally, with the solidity of the silence of the hard worker, each one in his/her field, or that peculiar sarcastic vein of the wordsmiths, and even some sane going frenzy attitude when provoked. Irony and sarcasm or efficient use of a solid silence, like in one of those old bitter songs, like being Nico among the Velvet Underground. No need to point out who could represent Lou Reed or Andy Warhol and who the other players could be. I know these players by observing the game (my Guildmates could tell how many things I use to track) so I wholly trust these Teammates would soon find their synchronism as in a perfect clockwork. This team wouldn’t work? What exciting challenge instead would be!

Someone was asking, what kind of crew members female captains want?
To be honest, I don’t know! I just know what kind of people I wanted to see in my own crew – the best of the best! Strong personalities who will cooperate and strive for the same goals: equality, solidarity, democratic decision-making, fair division of the shares .... and booty, then booty… and booty, of course. Captain of this team isn't an undisputed leader, she is just the first among the equals.

Certainly, some of other’s chosen ones were very good picks and gone before I had a chance to pick them first (fortunately, they are pretty good divided between all others crews), still, I am so delighted I managed to form this great golden team!

First of all, let's go see our ship!
‘’Lady of the Rocks’’ is waiting us in a small hidden bay, close to… Have you really thought I would be so naive to reveal our secret place?

She is a beautiful frigate! Yeah… I know what you think, but she just needs a little make up, to be the gorgeous one.
Don’t worry guys, our carpenter Kart will do a touch-up and she will look like a real lady. And he has a special relationship with frigates, just like our muster gunner Skyhawk, who will decorate her with cannonballs, so, she is going to be deadly gorgeous lady, believe me!
He knows how to do everything right: the placement of the shot, the powder, the fuse... and then he will aim the cannons. Where? Someone’s asking…

Nelson, our navigator has already few targets, maps and spy reports on the table. He is a driving force of our crew, full of new ideas… new targets! But, we will decide later, together, when the rest of our crew come, who is going to be our next prey.

Anomander Rake is doing his job already, as our cupper, he inspects storage barrels to be sure that food, water and other necessities be safely preserved. Everything must be ready for battle and nothing will be missed.

As a boatswain CDV oversee dropping and weighing the anchor, setting the sails and keeping the deck clean, what swabber Fenris is doing right now. This little guy absorbs every word told by that old sea dog, while doing his job.

Wolfie, the boat chef,who equally uses cutlass and cooking spoon, has prepared seafood chowder, crispy calamari and salmon salad and some beefsteaks for TLT (Hudson), just to be sure our musician and entertainer will be in good mood and so all of us!
What TLT is doing when others are swimming in the sweat? He sings and jokes and cheer up our mates, of course, but don’t think he only does that… just wait for battle to start!

Quartermaster Stan, captain’s right hand and someone with great diplomatic skills, respected by all crew, handles the day-to-day management of the ship and fairly divide the share up among the crew.

Cutpurse, our surgeon, fortunately doesn’t have work to do (our crew is healthy and strong), but he helps others to finish tidying up of our ‘’Lady of the Rock’’ to be prepared for the next task.

Now everything is in its place… we are sitting around the table while our navigator presents maps. We talk, we vote and decide together what to do next. (Seafood chowder was great Wolfie!)

That legendary Avonmoran’s galleon, full of doubloons (I heard some tales about more than 400M worthy) seems to be a real shot!
Arrrrrrrrrrr… we unanimously decided, she must be ours to share!

Capt Lana

When it came to building my team I prioritized 3 vital traits. I wanted players who I felt knew how to work with others as a team, and who I personally felt I could trust to watch my back and the rest of the teams. My second priority was players who I felt knew how to handle themselves in conflicts, who would be able to fight efficiently, and protect and help the rest of the team in a conflict. And my third priority was for the players to have the resources needed to accomplish any goal my team decided to pursue. I feel I built a exceptional team that meets these traits. PK is a excellent diplomat and has plenty of experience in battle and resources to help the team, he will be a great help in keeping the team together and solving any minor disputes, the MERC and VUDU players I picked are all very experienced in working as a team, have plenty of battle experience, and have a fair amount of resources, and Jim Hawkins, being the giant he is and being around as long as he has, has plenty of resources to help the team and plenty of experience in combat.
When it comes down to it, I feel my team is the best because we can work together seamlessly, have the knowledge and skill to handle any problems, and the resources to pursue any goal we set for ourselves.

We had all heard the rumors for quite some time. They had been dominating the conversations in the taverns of every port in Avonmora. "How could such a thing come to pass?" Nightly the mega-traders in Avonmora could be seen stumbling out of the taverns of every port mumbling to themselves. "What in the name of the Karaken can we do?" "It may be time to retire."

The rumors were true. It seems that some of the greatest and most feared Pirates and Privateers had come together for a common cause. But, who in Avonmora could pull this off? Surely it could only happen under the leadership of some of the greatest and most legendary Captains in all of Avonmora.But NO!! The rumors were that this impossible feat was pulled off by a relative young lass. xXMontyXx? Who is this brash young Captain? How could she organize a group of such bold and overwhelming personalities and get them to work together.

It is said she comes from harbours and ports of Eastern Australia. She first learned her craft under the leadership and guidance of some of the greatest teachers in Avonmora. She first sailed under the banner of The Iron Helm. There she learned the basics of seamanship. From there she moved onto TNP where she learned the history , both good and bad, of Avonmora . She was schooled in the art of Voodoo and advanced seamanship under the leadership of one of the most feared, hated, but respected sailors in Avonmora. It was also there that she found her calling. Her next, and probably last stop was VUDU. There she perfected her craft.There, she put everything she had learned into practice. There she was allowed to earn her keep as she deemed necessary, without restriction. There she learned the stories behind some of the greatest to ever sail the seas of Avonmora.

First things first. Thanks to Shadowood once again for putting this together. Also, a huge thank you to my fellow captains. This has been exciting, educational, frustrating at times, and a lot harder than I expected it would be. Thanks to all the sponsor as well. Without the donations, I concede I may not have put so much effort into this.

When trying to figure out the type of team I would put together, I decided on a “counter-culture” approach. There were several paths I could have chosen. I could have picked some of thee most popular players in the largest guilds and largest nations in the hopes of garnering votes. I could have tried a balanced approach to appeal to all types of players. These approaches don’t fit me and don’t fit my style. The team I put together is a team that I would happy to have by my side sailing the seas of Avonmora. The team I put together is comprised of my teachers
, my mates, and some of the most iconic figures in all of Pirates Glory. I respect each and every one of them for different reasons. It is my honor to have each and everyone of them on my team.

In my own opinion the team I put together is comprised of the players that put the balance into Pirates Glory. These are the players that make defensive voodoo a must. These are the players that, time and time again, demonstrate a thorough understanding of all areas of gameplay and mechanics and have learned to use them to their advantage. These players may not be the most popular, they may not be liked, and in some cases they are reviled and hated. But to a person, they are respected. These are the players that make Pirates Glory one of the most addicting games I have played.

Teamed together in a single guild, this team could lay waste to the traders of Avonmora. Teamed together, these players would strike fear into the heart of even the most seasoned captains. It many cases, just seeing a Spy Report cast upon you by one of these players can cause you to change your whole setup.

I have seen comments in the forum that these players would not be able to work together. Their egos would not allow it. I can attest that almost all, will and have worked together at one time or another. If you are skeptical of how well this team could work together, perhaps a practical demonstration could be arranged.

A good leader is one that knows and plays to the strength of their team. This team is what it is and there are no apologies for it. If you doubt their ability or willingness to work together read the following.

“The others may have some larger traders, but that's just more for us to plunder. No other team has the battle experience that yours does and their empires would crumble under the force we could all impose together.” - Charles Vane

“It's a very warfare team. Unparalleled survivability. Skillful war abilities. Inexhaustible voodoo. Most can solo and all have proven their ability to cooperate. It's a team made for war.” - Black Sparrow

“You have really picked the winning team. Most of the team players have been in war with each other - which is very good. Each and every one of the players have shown respect and decent gameplay towards each other. Each and every one of the players on the list that I know of is very strong tacticians, very strong team players, any frictions will be put aside for a common goal.” “Every one of them I know is extreme fighters, master tacticians, can turn the enemy's weapons against them, really assess how current events may influence in the future and so on.” “Each one can support and take over the roles of the other team players and each one has unique skills that is invaluable. You have more strength in the team than the other teams combined.” - Valor Morghulis

“This team is built with some of the most iconic players in Avonmora. I have worked side by side with over half at one time or another, and I have also gone up against some at one time or another. Most are the very reason this game is called Pirates Glory. I would go into battle with each and everyone of them and be almost certain to come out on top.” - Feniks

I will not beg for your vote because it is not in my nature. I will not campaign or regale you with stories of their past accomplishments. There are names are known and respected and I simply stand on the merit of the names.

Regardless of the vote, and regardless of who comes out on top, this was never about winning for me. This was about me paying homage to the players I respect.

I will end on this note. Win lose or draw, we will get our “prize money” one way or another.

Humbly Submitted,

Monty

Domina Nostra of The Brethren

Shadowood wrote:
For me of course I love TEAM MONTY and my vote goes there for so many reasons.

TEAM Meliva would be my second place vote as I think this is a very well rounded team

All the teams are sooo good it is hard to choose.

1. Admiral Nelson
2. CDV
3. Sir Henry Hudson (TLT)
4. Stan Rogers
5. Cutpurse
6. Skyhawk
7. Anomander Rake
8. "Evil" Kart
9. Dark Wolfie
10. Fenris Wolf

Dmanwuzhere wrote: My next donation for this event will include a donation to the blurb portion and I would like to see a vote possibly for the best blurb next draft because honestly, it was the best part for me.