The Wares
— each article guaranteed authentic, mostly legal, and entirely deadly —
The Kraken's Eye Spyglass
Forged in the fires of Tortuga by the blind optician Malachar Finn, this brass spyglass extends to reveal lenses ground from sea glass salvaged off the wreck of the Santa Compañía. Through its cursed glass, distant storms appear as clear as noon — and the dead appear plainly aboard ghost ships three leagues out.
Corsair's Cartography Kit
Fourteen sheets of finest calfskin vellum, three goose-quill pens sharpened to lethal points, two iron-gall inks (one invisible to any eye not born under a blood moon), a brass compass rose calibrated to magnetic north AND to treasure north, and a leather satchel stitched with the hide of a sea serpent.
The Black Spot Ink & Quill Set
Mixed from lampblack, iron sulfate, and the bitter tears of a betrayed quartermaster, this ink does not fade. Once the Black Spot is written, the recipient has forty-eight hours before fate closes in. Includes one raven-feather quill, one cracked obsidian inkwell with silver lid, and one sheet of aged parchment pre-stained with rum.
The Devil's Ledger — Captain's Edition
Bound in blackened sharkskin, clasped with a skull-and-crossbones lock (key included), and pre-ruled with columns for plunder tallies, crew debts, and grudges outstanding. 312 pages of heavy cream stock that resists water, fire, and the prying eyes of admiralty courts. A ship's financials, kept honest or otherwise.
Sworn Oaths & Testimonials
— given freely under no duress (that we shall admit) —
The Kraken's Eye saw through three leagues of fog and spotted the treasure galleon before any man in my crew. Worth every piece of eight and a fair measure more.
Blackwater's cartography kit saved my life when the admiralty burned my charts. Drew a new route from memory on that vellum — held up in saltwater for six days.
Wrote a Black Spot in the provided ink. Recipient surrendered his post within thirty-seven hours. No further questions will be entertained.
The SuperXCentric Code
- Article 1:Every article sold is guaranteed authentic or your doubloons returned — no questions, no witnesses.
- Article 2:We do not deal with the admiralty, crown agents, or tax collectors. Not for any price.
- Article 3:Discretion is the first article of our code. Your purchases leave no record that courts recognize.
- Article 4:All items are provisioned for use on the high seas. What you do in territorial waters is your affair.
- Article 5:We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone flying the English flag. Nothing personal.