I.


Welcome to Bygone Sands, where Pirates of the past are reborn again as, well... smaller pirates. XD Sounds weird, but read on if you're interested!

II.



10/24/07: Thread is being set up. Open soon!
3/20/08: Due to lack of interest it's doubtful more will be done with this shop.

III.


The storm came upon our ship without warning, a hail-infused squall with a gale with supernatural force. It made mincemeat of our masts, our sails, our hull. Our crew. The ship I'd had seemingly forever, that I'd captained most of that time, that'd survived enemy ships and storms for years, was naught but a toy boat to this one.

Everything had been battened down, all non-essential crew belowdecks, the rest of us working feverishly to plug holes and bail water, for all the good it was doing. I was watching my crew's number slowly diminish, good men I'd laughed with, drank with, and fought beside either being washed overboard by giant waves to drown, or dying instantly from being impaled by splinters from the masts and spars. We tried to save who we could, but it was becoming obviously futile to try and fight this tempest. It was as if the gods of the seas themselves were against us, and were trying to tell us to give up.

The first mate and bo'sun were yelling orders, directing the deckhands in what needed attention, and trying to get everyone to tie themselves to avoid being tossed overboard. Sometimes even that didn't work; giant splinters were just as good at slicing rope as they were slicing a body, and more and more men were disappearing over the rail. I forsook my own line as I tried to reach a fellow crewmember who was hanging onto the side for dear life - ignoring the yells of protest from the rest of the crew. Everyone was important, yes, but to them, I was the most important. Huh, as if the poor sod hanging on for dear life was less worthy than I. If I could have given my life to save everyone else aboard, I would have done so in an instant.

As I made my way towards the railing, the ship listed sharply, so that I was suddenly sliding across the wet deck, now angling downwards. With no rope to grasp, I slammed into the side of the ship hard, just below where the crewman's hands were slowly losing their grip. Shaking the stars from my vision, I had enough sense to get up and brace my feet, grasping his wrists in order to haul him over the rail. I gave it all my strength I had, and thankfully, the ship righted itself at that moment, doing the levering work for me. I fell back, and the crewman was pulled back onto the deck as well. Although he was near passed out from exhaustion, he had the sense of mind to at least partially get up and crawl over to waiting hands to tie him more securely.

Catching my breath, I finally rose as well, trying to get my footing. The Bo'sun's voice could be heard over all others who were calling to me to hurry and have the same done to me. I saw the tumultuous seas around us, the lightning in the sky and the signs that this storm wasn't going to end any time soon.

What I didn't see, was the spar that had come loose, and was swinging right towards me. As I finally turned to make my way toward the rest of the crew, I realized one of the calls was one of warning -- too late. The swinging pole caught me full force in the chest, and I was suddenly in the air. Time slowed as my one good eye widened and the breath was stolen from me. I could see my mates reaching for me in vain, my own hands stretched out as if it were possible to be saved. I realized the hopelessness of my situation, and time returned to normal as I disappeared from their sight. The last thing I was aware of was my body splashing into the churning waters at the same time as my head slammed into a section of mast that had preceded me overboard. I knew no more.

-------------------

Amazingly enough, I didn't drown. I awoke sometime later in calmer seas, slumped over a spar - probably the same one I bashed my head on, as it still ached horribly - with the sun beating down mercilessly upon my exposed back. Dizzily I tried to lift my head, with moderate success, as my eyes blurrily scanned the horizon. There was no sign of my ship, just ocean, ocean, and more ocean. All this water, and unfortunately, not the type I could drink. Licking my dry lips I attempted to rise enough to turn to look behind me, but my whole body protested in pain and exhaustion, and I slumped back down again, groaning. The effort was apparently too much, for it wasn't long until my eyes lost what little focus they had and blackness claimed me again.

-------------------


The next time consciousness blessed me with its presence, the gods know how much later, I was no longer afloat in the ocean, although it was pointing out its proximity as waves crashed over my legs. This time, I was spread eagle on my back on a beach. Sand is not a pleasant sensation on a sunburned back, I must tell you, and I strained to roll over, much to the protest of my body, when a shadow fell over my face. I paused, looking up to see a wrinkled, swarthy-skinned mug peering down at me with a smirk. "Well, aren't you just a rare thing," the stranger drawled. I tried to respond, but my throat was too parched, and the old man just shook his head. "We best get some water down that gullet before talking further. Maybe you'd better come with me."

I was wondering how he was going to manage that, as I was obviously in no condition to walk (and I really hoped he wasn't going to drag me with my sunburnt back),when he called to someone behind him. "Keel, get yer boys over here with somethin' to carry our guest back with." Ah, good, he wasn't alone. Normally I wasn't the type to trust someone so implicitly, but it wasn't as if I had much of a choice in the matter in my current condition. I decided to close my eyes and rest while being carried to wherever, but it wasn't long before I was out like a light again.


To be continued...

IV.


Here's where I'll try to answer any questions you may have. Is your question not here? Just ask in the thread and I'll answer them as best I can.

Q. How can I get one?
A. Wait for a flatsale, or just see if there's a custom slot open.

Q. Do I have to RP my pirate?
A. Nope, RP is completely optional.

Q. How much do they cost?
A. 150g for Deckhands and Fighters, 200g for Captains. Customs are still being determined.

Q. Will you accept items of equal value instead?
A. I might, it depends on the item. Just ask me, but don't complain if I say no.

Q. I don't like your prices! Change it!
A. I don't like your attitude. Change it. >P

Q. Will you accept a pet trade?
A. At this point in time, I will have to say no. However, this may change once I'm more settled with running my shop.

Q. Can I quote some part of your front page?
A. No, as it's completely unnecessary. If you want more gold, just talk more. XD

Q. How did so-and-so get one?
A. Since it's my art/shop, I have the right to gift a pirate to friends, at any time. If you have a problem with that, I'm sorry. :]

Q. Should I ever hide rum from the pirates?
A. No, as they won't simply sit there asking why it's gone, they're more likely to carve answers out of you. :)

V.


Although I'm still learning a bit about how these mysterious pirates come to be, I'll at least be able to tell you a little.

Hourglass:
The most important part of the process, each hourglass is hand-made. Wood is collected from the island's interior forests, glass is blown and cooled, and both are painted (More on this later). Sand collected from the beach infused with the essence of a bygone pirate is then poured into it, and the hourglass is then sealed.

When the hourglass is turned over, the reincarnation process begins. As the sand slowly filters downwards, it is believed it picks up the properties of the wood, decorations, and colors painted on the hourglass.

Miraculously, the sand will never hit the bottom of the hourglass, but instead turns into ethereal vapors as it falls. It's unknown how the vapors escape, but they do, and what is at first a ghostly image of the pirate's new self, eventually solidifies.

NEW: Based on the newest pirates to appear, here's what we know based off the colors and wood of the hourglass.

Hourglass: Wood, like the human hair, has an array of natural colors, from the paleness of birch to the deep darkness of cherry. It's been found that painting the wood of the hourglass can also effect the end result of the pirate's hair, rather like dye.

Flame carvings: Eyes are windows to the soul, it's said, and the flames are painted to signify the fires of the pirates' souls, and the hue of their eyes.

Skull carvings: Aside from the natural parts of the pirate, there's also decoration and a manufactured side. The skulls generally signify any bone or metal (jewelry, etc) the pirate may have on their person.

Painted glass: Here's where the true artistic side comes through with each individual hourglass. As the sand falls through the glass it picks up the colors painted on the bottom glass portion. These swirls of color may look fancy, but mayhaps the pirates' new clothes will look just as colorful.

Sand: Finally, the sand itself that's poured into the glass comes from all lengths of the Island's beaches and varies from the purest white to the darker shades, resembling soil more than sand. As sand becomes flesh in the process, the sand also reflects the pirate's skin-color.

Pirates:
After solidifying, there is a period of confusion, which is to be expected. Newly reborn pirates will be disoriented and frequently get brief flashes of their past. This can be a very trying and depressing period of time, and in rare cases they can get violent, so it's best to give them some room and solitude.

Eventually, they remember everything that happened to them, and then there's just the matter of explaining just why they're...not exactly the way they used to be. >D

Most of them lose any resentment there may be after getting used to their new stature. It's a brand new life for them, and that's better than eternal darkness in Davy Jones' Locker, at any rate!

There are three types (ranks if you will) of pirates known about so far: Deckhands, Fighters, and Captains (shown respectively, above). Maybe more will show themselves in the future?

It all depends on how things go.

VI.


General Rules:

1. Have fun! This is meant to be a fun atmosphere to talk and hang out in.
2. Please don't bring attitudes, bad moods, or arguments in here. Any problems you might be having should be left to PM, or other forums. In other words, NO DRAMA.
3. Please do not quote any part of the front page - even if it's related to a question or comment. To me, that's simply a sign of someone caring more about earning gold than getting an answer to their post. ;)
4. No spamming. Bumps are not necessary, nor are posts with nothing but emoticons. This will get you a warning, followed by a grey or blacklisting if it continues.
5. Follow the site's TOS and this forum's rules.
6. More if needed.

Flatsales:

1. Wait until I post GO in large green text before attempting to claim an hourglass or pirate.
2. No drama. Be polite to everyone, and do not whine if you do not get the one you wanted.
3. You may only claim one for yourself per flatsale.
4. You may buy one for a friend, as well. It must be in a separate post if you also claim one for yourself, however.
5. Payment is due ASAP after I have confirmed you won a pirate. If you do not pay within 24 hours the hourglass will go back up for sale.
6. Again, Captains cost 200g, Deckhands and Fighters cost 150g (this will usually be noted in the actual FS itself).

Availability:

-- none --

VII.


#/Name/Owner/Link
1. Keel/Sinbari/ [x]
2. DiMarco/Chieko/ [x]
3. ??/??/ [x]
4. ??/??/ [x]
5. ??/??/ [x]

VIII.


Pickups and Growings!

IX.


Not too keen on the hourglasses you see, or are there no FS ones available? That's what customs are for! Check to see if customs are available (a big green OPEN as opposed to a big red CLOSED is your clue XD), and if they are, just request a slot in the thread. Once I confirm, send a donation for the appropriate amount, then fill out the appropriate form and PM it to me. ^_^

I have two kinds of customs, Basic, and Extra. Basic Customs cost 100g more than the Flatsale price (that means deckhands and fighters would be 250g, and captains 300g. With this option, you get to choose your own colors/patterns for your pirate, but no edits.

Extra Customs cost 500g for each type of pirate. Why so much? Well, there's a few reasons. First, obviously because you can pick your own colors/designs for your pirate, but ALSO, because I will allow edits (up to a point). This will include both additions, AND subtractions.

For example, if you want a deckhand, but you want him to have a hook like the fighters, or if you want a captain without an eyepatch, or if you want more scars on a fighter, then Extra customs are for you!

For now I'll only be allowing simple edits for these, and there will be restrictions. You can't get a frock coat for a deckhand or fighter, for example, (they do so much work they probably wouldn't want it anyway), and for the moment, weapons won't be available.

That said, I'll allow pretty much anything else - tattoos, jewelry, scars, hats, etc.

Basic Customs are currently CLOSED.
Extra Customs are currently CLOSED.

Forms:
Here's the forms to use for when customs are open! They're separated by Basic and Extra, and also each pirate has his own form! When giving me colors to use, I would prefer if you could give me a hex code. If you are not able to do this, at least try and be descriptive. For example, don't just put "Red" for a shirt, try to be specific, like say, "Dark red", "Light red", or "Bright red".

The sky is the limit color-wise. Want the hair to have tips or streaks (best for deckhand, who actually shows a bunch of hair... XD)? Want the shirt to be completely eye-rape bright with crazy designs or text? That's up to you :)

Basic Custom Forms:

Remember: Deckhand and fighters are 250g and Captains are 300g for Basic customs.

Deckhand
Owner:
Name:
Personality:
Hair:
Eyes:
Bandanna:
Earring:
Shirt:
Pants:
Rope Belt:
Starting stage: (Hourglass or Pirate)

Fighter
Owner:
Name:
Personality:
Hair:
Eyes:
Bandanna:
Eye Patch:
Necklace:
Shirt:
Pants:
Belt/Buckle:
Hook:
Boots:
Starting stage: (Hourglass or Pirate)

Captain
Owner:
Name:
Personality:
Hair:
Eye:
Earrings:
Hat main:
Hat trim:
Hat skull:
Coat main:
Coat trim:
Neckcloth:
Pants:
Sash:
Boots/buckles:
Starting stage: (Hourglass or Pirate)


Extra Customs (500g):

Type: (Deckhand, Fighter, Captain)
Additions: (stuff you want that's not normally included in the type you picked)
Subtractions: (stuff you DON'T want)
Accessories: (tattoos, scars, etc)
Colors: (Feel free to use the appropriate form from the Basic customs section and edit according to what you added/subtracted on your pirate)

X.


White List:
My friends who stroked my ego enough to make me attempt to open this shop. >D You know who you are!

Grey List:
Nobody - let's keep it that way!

Black List:
Nobody - let's keep it that way!

XI.


Want to affiliate? Just post your request and code for your banner in the thread. ^^

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

Hmm, I think that should be enough. >D
Posting is allowed now - I'll be setting up more in the morning, methinks. *goes to adjust subject*

Originally Posted by sinbari

XV.

Happy Birthday dude 8)

LOL, thanks, although there was not really any reason to quote my reserved banner to say that. XD

*Meanders around, updating things*

I have to say that the silolettes look awesome I would love to see a fully coloured pirate, as I'm sure many others would.

It's not my thing. And I'm still hashing out details with Jynk about my custom beat.

Well there's an idea of the coloring in the banner in the first post, if nothing else.

And I should have the hourglasses up for sale soon - which will show the coloring style more.

Originally Posted by sinbari

Well there's an idea of the coloring in the banner in the first post, if nothing else.

And I should have the hourglasses up for sale soon - which will show the coloring style more.

I would like to see a fully grown up pirate cert. Just to get an idea of what they would look like.

*shurgs* But then again that's me. It also might help with interest in your shop.

Hay thar, a pirate I see! *stalks Sinbari*

Hey there, Sy-face. ^_^

*peeeeks in, then glomps her favorite pirate of all* <3