author: Nicole J. LeBoeuf

After long radio silence this week, what do you finally get? Updates on very overdue writing commitments? No! You get the Puzzle Pirates weekend blockade roundup! Why? Because it's Saturday!

The Emerald Ocean is where the bulk of the blockades are, three of which involving the suggestively named Bite the Pillow. Meanwhile, will Black Flag defend against the hordes of Admiral Finius? I sure hope so; overpowered brigand king attacks are where the PoE is! Meanwhile This Means War and Wait For It are up to their usual shenanigans.

On Cerulean, Carpe Noctum have stated their intent to defend Oyster Island against Azarbad the Great. Personally, I live on Oyster (when I'm logged in as Teshka) and I would vastly prefer not to have 100% taxes on my home island. So help CN out, yeah?

On Meridian, it's a similar story--Azarbad is attacking Duat. It's up to Imperial Coalition to defend the island or lose it! Meanwhile, Captholland of Blood Sweat and Beers wants to know why Chapter Three is buying out all his canonballs. Labor shortage? Nefarious blockade plans? Someone just likes big (canon) balls?

In non-blockade news, OceanMaster Aphrodite has announced that you can now use your excess subscription time to buy gold boxes. Your request to do so must be filed while gold boxes are actually available, and must be filed via the online support form. View Aphrodite's announcement in full to get all the details, including which of your details you must include for your purchase request to go through. (And no, this is not a dastardly scheme to reduce subscription time in preparation for some huge upheaval of the Cerulean Ocean. But go ahead and dream if it entertains you.)

And, of course, it is Saturday. But I am staying home from All The Things because of all that aforementioned stuff (writing and otherwise) that's overdue. Bleagh.

(Oh - and watch this space for Sunday blockade updates, if any.)

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, January 23 ***

12:00 p.m. - Duat Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: The All-Consuming Flame (2)

12:40 p.m. - Wissahickon Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Bite the Pillow
Attacker: This Means War

12:40 p.m. - Arakoua Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Bite the Pillow

12:40 p.m. - Scrimshaw Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Wait For It

12:46 p.m. - Ix Chel, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Bite the Pillow
Attacker: No Sympathy

3:00 p.m. - Manu Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Black Flag
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (9)

3:00 p.m. - Windward Vale, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Alria
Attacker: Chapter Three

4:06 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Wait For It

7:00 p.m. - Amity Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Coming In Hot
Attacker: Ready or Not

7:27 p.m. - Marlowe Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Coming In Hot
Attacker: Adventure Time

11:57 p.m. - Aimuari Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Wait For It

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, January 23 ***

12:00 p.m. - Oyster Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Carpe Noctem
Attacker: The All-Consuming Flame (5)

This weekend in blockade highlights, Knockout on the Emerald Ocean is making good on last week's promise to attack Admiral Island and job at 9,999 pieces of eight per segment (PoE/seg). Meanwhile, This Means War is looking for help defending Alkaid and Scrimshaw from a dual attack by Wait For It. TMW is also starting at a 9,999 PoE/seg job offer. Wait For It has not yet posted an offer on the Notice Board, however; currently it seems to be focusing on its other attack, that on brigand king-controlled Aimuari. But it's not yet noon Pirate Time, so anything could happen.

As always, scroll down for the full schedule. And keep in mind that this is the debut weekend for the new drop window (Sat. 10 AM to noon PT), which is still open as we speak, so check back and you may see that some Sunday blockades have been announced.

Update: Well, one Sunday blockade. See below.

Meanwhile--how do you get your Seal o' Piracy for the month of January?

Completing 10 sea battles against brigands, and 10 sea battles against barbarians.

So it's back to YPP basics with a side order of spreadsheet obsessiveness! Good luck, everyone, and have fun...

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, January 16 ***

10:31 a.m. - Accompong-Insel, Opal Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Glare
Attacker: Schwarzes Netz (1)

12:00 p.m. - Admiral Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: The Enlightened (9)
Attacker: Knockout

12:02 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Wait For It

12:02 p.m. - Scrimshaw Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Wait For It

12:07 p.m. - Aimuari Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (7)
Attacker: No Offence Intended
Attacker: This Means War

4:00 p.m. - Marlowe Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Coming In Hot
Attacker: The Jade Empire (7)

9:26 p.m. - Anegada Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Illuminatti
Attacker: Pale Element

*** Sunday, January 17 ***

11:58 a.m. - Arakoua Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: High Society
Attacker: Bite the Pillow

The holiday blockade break is over, and the flags of the Emerald Ocean are making up for lost time. It's utter chaos all day long! This Means War are attacking just about every island Qlimax Telecom currently own--except the one where a brigand king beat them to it. They posted an "intent video" to the forum, but apparently the only information contained in the video is that the attacking flag has seriously questionable taste. Not that QT inhabit the moral high ground or anything. Personally, I'd job for whoever's opposing them; since they are opposing each other, it's just as well I'll be skating in a roller derby tournament all day and won't have time to play. *disgusted emoticon*

Anyway, TMW also appear to be attacking Black Flag, Order of the Jolly Roger, and Coming in Hot. They're just, y'know, attacking. Indiscriminately.

Meanwhile, speaking of that brigand king attack, Knockout intend to drop a war chest on whoever winds up winning Admiral Ocean this weekend. Pay will be right at the maximum, 9,999 PoE/seg. Action'll be on January 16 at noon. Mark your calendars.

And speaking of next weekend--feedback on the new blockade structure was taken into account, and the Ocean Masters have seen fit to give us back Sunday blockades! Quoth Aphrodite,

Starting with the blockade window opening Friday, January 15, we're adding a drop window on Saturdays, 10am - noon Pirate Time. This will allow flags to schedule blockades to occur on Sundays. The Friday drop window will not be changed.

Where were we... yes! Blockades this weekend. On Cerulean, there's just this one, where Babylon will attempt to liberate Conglin Island from the evil clutches of Barnabas the Pale. Pew pew!

And on Meridian--speaking of liberating islands--there's a whole bunch of Blood Sweat and Beers attacking brigand kings, and they aren't the only ones. Scroll down to see the full schedule so as to better plan your FUN TIMES this weekend!

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, January 9 ***

10:04 a.m. - Doyle-Insel, Opal Ocean
Defender: Dark Nightmare
Attacker: Forcas Armadas

12:00 p.m. - Armstrong Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War
Attacker: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Illusion

12:00 p.m. - Isla Ventress, Jade Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: CORSARIOS DE POSEIDÓN
Attacker: La Llama que todo lo consume (1)

12:00 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War
Attacker: The Crazy Department
Undeclared: Illusion

12:00 p.m. - Bowditch Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War
Attacker: Black Flag

12:02 p.m. - Sayers Rock, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War
Attacker: Illuminatti

12:29 p.m. - Zuyua Mist, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (2)
Attacker: Coming Soon

1:33 p.m. - Isle of Kent, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Black Flag
Attacker: This Means War

1:54 p.m. - Garden Cradle, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (5)
Attacker: Blood Sweat and Beers

3:17 p.m. - Acanthaster Spits, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (3)
Attacker: Blood Sweat and Beers

3:29 p.m. - Blackthorpe Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Order of the Jolly Roger
Attacker: This Means War
Attacker: Keep the Peace

4:43 p.m. - Scrimshaw Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Coming In Hot
Attacker: This Means War

5:29 p.m. - Basset Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Midknight Sun
Attacker: The All-Consuming Flame (7)

6:01 p.m. - Fugu Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (4)
Attacker: Argosy

7:00 p.m. - Tumult Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: The Explorers Guild
Attacker: Black Dawn Brigade

8:00 p.m. - Moab Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (2)
Attacker: Moonshine

*** Sunday, January 10 ***

12:00 a.m. - Drogeo Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Barely Dressed
Attacker: The All-Consuming Flame (4)

12:00 a.m. - Admiral Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: The Enlightened (16)

12:00 a.m. - Aimuari Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: Chthonic Horde (11)

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, January 9 ***

12:00 p.m. - Conglin Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (4)
Attacker: Babylon

Guess what? There are no PVP blockades this weekend--or the next. It's the regularly scheduled holiday closure, and Oceanmaster Demeter has confirmed that the blockade closure dates they penciled in some time earlier are for reals.

That doesn't mean there's nothing going on at all; a couple of event blockades are scheduled for tomorrow, one each on Emerald and Meridian. If that's your thing, you'll want to be right on time, because they're both just one round long.

Meanwhile, the Yetis are out in force this holiday season, with an increased incidence of expeditions available to have your portrait painted with these reclusive beasties. Alas, if you have the curse of the pengmonk upon you, you'll have to turn of seasonal effects in your Options: General panel before you can pose for a picture. I guess no one coded in any portrait artwork for swashbuckling penguins.

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Sunday, December 27 ***

12:00 p.m. - Dendrite Island, Meridian Ocean
Event: 1 round, nonsinking
Hosted by: Radioactive

3:00 p.m. - Blackthorpe Island, Emerald Ocean
Event: 1 round, nonsinking
Hosted by: Order of the Jolly Roger

You guys, I cannot even with the forum posts today. My ability to even has been reduced to nothing. Mind you, I'm in a noisy taproom having lunch and a rather high ABV beer, so that could have something to do with it. But there's nothing really informative in the forums that I can see, just people sniping at each other in a way that might be related to this weekend's blockade schedule. They have even gone back to arguing about the tree on Aimuari. The tree, you guys!

Look, there are blockades. There are a lot of blockades. On Meridian, Imperial Coalition did a lot of scuttling (which got them accused of cowardice because enticing a Brigand King to attack your island is an effective means of preventing player flags from doing the same), as did Alria (ditto), and now there are a billion Brigand King attacks going on which hopefully means a lot of PoE for jobbers. On Emerald, it just looks like a lot of simultaneous drops from This Means War, Order of the Jolly Roger, and Naughtiest Naughtiness. By contrast, Cerulean is quiet, and so is Jade and Opal, each of them with one or two blockades or so.

Anyway, this isn't even the interesting thing this weekend. Not hardly! This weekend, the Sealpocalypse has been unleashed upon the Oceans! You may have noticed.

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 19 ***

9:27 a.m. - Accompong-Insel, Opal Ocean
Defender: Glare
Attacker: Schatten-Reich
Attacker: Dark Nightmare

9:27 a.m. - Paihia-Insel, Opal Ocean
Defender: Glare
Attacker: Schatten-Reich

11:03 a.m. - Hubbles Auge, Opal Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Alianca da Aguia
Attacker: Chthonische Horden (1)

12:00 p.m. - Arco Ascalón, Jade Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Courage
Attacker: Prole de los Dragones de Hielo (1)

12:00 p.m. - Stormy Fell, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (3)

12:00 p.m. - Zuyua Mist, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Chthonic Horde (3)

12:00 p.m. - Swampfen Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: United We Stand
Attacker: Cream Pie

12:00 p.m. - Moab Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Alria
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (3)

12:00 p.m. - Labyrinth Moors, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Fellowship of Friends
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (5)
Undeclared: Glub Glub Glub
Undeclared: Heisenberg's Uncertainty

1:00 p.m. - Tigerleaf Mountain, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (5)

1:47 p.m. - Ansel Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cannabis Nation
Attacker: Blood Sweat and Beers

2:00 p.m. - Napi Peak, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (5)

3:00 p.m. - Hadrian Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Alria
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (4)

3:06 p.m. - Blackthorpe Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Keep the Peace
Attacker: Order of the Jolly Roger

4:00 p.m. - Scrimshaw Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Loose Lips Sink Ships
Attacker: Coming In Hot

4:05 p.m. - Ashkelon Arch, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Midknight Sun
Attacker: Order of the Jolly Roger

4:06 p.m. - Kashgar Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Midknight Sun
Attacker: Order of the Jolly Roger

4:29 p.m. - Windward Vale, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Alria
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (6)

6:00 p.m. - Admiral Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War

7:00 p.m. - The Lowland Hundred, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Illuminatti
Attacker: Order of the Jolly Roger

7:00 p.m. - Fugu Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (6)

8:54 p.m. - Aimuari Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War

9:06 p.m. - Raven's Roost, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Blood Sweat and Beers
Attacker: Chapter Three

9:06 p.m. - Havoc Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Blood Sweat and Beers
Attacker: Chapter Three

9:31 p.m. - Wissahickon Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Naughtiest Naughtiness

9:37 p.m. - Ix Chel, Emerald Ocean
Defender: This Means War
Attacker: Naughtiest Naughtiness

9:38 p.m. - Armstrong Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War

9:39 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Qlimax Telecom
Attacker: This Means War

10:20 p.m. - Corona Reef, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Dragon Lords
Attacker: Infamous

11:14 p.m. - Cochineal Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Dragon Lords
Attacker: Infamous

*** Sunday, December 20 ***

12:00 a.m. - Acanthaster Spits, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Chthonic Horde (5)

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 19 ***

12:00 p.m. - Spring Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Dies Irae
Attacker: Jinx (6)

Meridian flag Barely Dressed decided there wasn't enough action on the ocean, so they dropped a war chest on Napi Peak just to shake things up. Defending flag Imperial Coalition promptly counterdropped on Stormy Fell. This means war! But hopefully a fair and fun one.

On Cerulean, Babylon is attacking Sushicide on Namath Island. There is the usual stick figure intent art for you to enjoy.

And on Emerald, Coming in Hot is doing just that, attacking Black Flag on Kiwara Island. "Not bells or whistles - just a plain old intent." Admirable restraint!

Those were the highlights; here comes the complete schedule. Enjoy! (And did you get your Seal o' Piracy for December 2015 yet? My current hypothesis is that it takes three leagues for a session on station to count--does that match your experience?)

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 12 ***

11:30 a.m. - Edgars Wahl, Opal Ocean
Defender: Strawhats
Attacker: Top Down Bottom Up

12:00 p.m. - Garden Cradle, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Dragon Lords
Attacker: Chthonic Horde (9)

12:00 p.m. - Napi Peak, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Barely Dressed

12:00 p.m. - Iocane Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Rebound
Attacker: Jinx (7)

12:01 p.m. - Stormy Fell, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Barely Dressed
Attacker: Imperial Coalition

1:09 p.m. - Amity Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Loose Lips Sink Ships
Attacker: Started from the Bottom

2:06 p.m. - Carmine Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Cream Pie

2:06 p.m. - Harmattan Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Cream Pie

5:00 p.m. - Spectre Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Alria
Attacker: Malicious Intent

5:41 p.m. - Hadrian Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Barely Dressed
Attacker: Alria

6:01 p.m. - Kiwara Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Black Flag
Attacker: Coming In Hot

8:03 p.m. - Tigerleaf Mountain, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Imperial Coalition
Attacker: Cream Pie

*** Sunday, December 13 ***

5:00 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Event: 3 rounds, nonsinking
Hosted by: Qlimax Telecom

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 12 ***

11:44 p.m. - Namath Island, Cerulean Ocean
Defender: Sushicide
Attacker: Babylon

Blockades! Let's talk about Cormorant Island on the Cerulean Ocean. Flag Super Awesomeness asserts that Babylon won the island away from them by choosing, quite underhandedly, to make their drop while everyone was out trick-or-treating. They will not let this offense stand! Blockade is underway as I write, having started at noon; pay had risen to 2000 PoE/seg at the time I took a look.

On the Meridian Ocean, Blood Sweat and Beers intends to attack outpost islands held by "sleeping" giants and "make these islands, if won, into a blockade pond." This weekend they've chosen their first target, which will be Polaris Point.

And on Emerald, there appears to be a gun-toting tabby cat riding a fire-snorting unicorn. No, really. LOOK AT THE INTENT ART.

I was told to find a cat riding a horse, but this just seemed so much more awesome.

Yes. Yes, it is. ANYway, it's flag Cunning Stunts (I know, I know) attacking The Crazy Department on Armstrong Island. There's a bunch of other PvP blockades on Emerald, but, honestly, which one has a gun-toting cat riding a unicorn? Exactly.

Meanwhile, it's a new month, so we've got a new Seal o' Piracy to win. This month, the task is simple. You get that limited edition trophy by...

Completing non-Navy sessions of five (5) different duty puzzles. (Bilging, Carpentry, Sailing, Patching, Rigging, Gunning, Navigation)

Easy enough to do over the course of a single blockade - just switch stations between the five different puzzles open to jobbers without special permission. Might as well seek out the Battered Hat trophy at the same time.

I seem to recall from a previous month with a similar task that it was enough to enter the puzzle and leave it again, without even making a single move--I'll test that theory out next time I'm running a solo trade mission or something. Update: This is absolutely not the case. You do have to puzzle at the station for some unspecified amount of time before it will count.

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 5 ***

2:34 p.m. - Wissahickon Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Naughtiest Naughtiness
Attacker: This Means War

3:00 p.m. - Polaris Point, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Velt's Boiyz
Attacker: Blood Sweat and Beers

7:00 p.m. - Doyle Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Truth or Dare
Attacker: High Society

9:00 p.m. - Armstrong Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Cunning Stunts

*** Sunday, December 6 ***

3:00 p.m. - Alkaid Island, Emerald Ocean
Event: 3 rounds, nonsinking
Hosted by: Qlimax Telecom

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, December 5 ***

12:03 p.m. - Cormorant Island, Cerulean Ocean
Defender: Babylon
Attacker: Super Awesomeness

Good morning, Puzzling Pirates everywhere! It is Saturday. The blockade window opens in just a few minutes. There's... not a heck of a lot of them. Just one on Meridian, two event 'kades on Cerulean, nothing at all on Opal and Jade.

The real action is on Emerald. There will be a couple 3Ps at noon, both of them primarily attacks by The Crazy Department on Cunning Stunts (i c wut u did ther). Art of War will be attacking Black Flag shortly thereafter on the island of Kiwara. Will Black Flag defend? Looks like they are going to--but then they have their own attack on brigand king Admiral Finius on Penobscot Island at 2:00 PM. 2:01 PM. Something like that.

It's also worth mentioning that the Tropic Class Sloop will only be available for a couple more days. I acquired one of these pretty shippies on Cerulean recently. Its layout is unique, with a triple-layered main deck stair-stepping up from fore to aft and all its carpentry, gunning, and bilge stations indoors. It's not a bad place to host a party, what with its huge tiki bar on the gun deck. It is, however, a somewhat long walk from the nav wheel to the hold. Anyway, it's available in shipyards through November 30, 2015 so if you want one you'd better act now.

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 28 ***

12:02 p.m. - Kakraphoon Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Cunning Stunts
Attacker: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Keep the Peace

12:03 p.m. - Arakoua Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Cunning Stunts
Attacker: The Crazy Department
Attacker: High Society

12:12 p.m. - Kiwara Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: Black Flag
Attacker: Art of War

2:01 p.m. - Penobscot Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (6)
Attacker: Black Flag

6:00 p.m. - Surtsey Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Trap House
Attacker: Chthonic Horde (3)

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 28 ***

11:25 a.m. - Remora Island, Cerulean Ocean
Event: 5 rounds, nonsinking
Hosted by: The Phoenix Rises

3:01 p.m. - Cnossos Island, Cerulean Ocean
Event: 7 rounds, nonsinking
Hosted by: Riding High

This weekend, as usual, several islands across the English-speaking oceans are up for grabs. That's what the weekend blockade scene is all about. On the forums, only Cerulean Parley is particularly talkative about it: here's Babylon's blockade intent for Cnossos, Riding High's intent to defend Cnossos, and Dragon Quest's announcement that they're not defending Tinga from Madame Yu Jian's fleet. Meanwhile, there's a couple blockades today on Emerald and Meridian each, and an event on Meridian's Garden Cradle scheduled for noon on Sunday.

Before we scroll it down to the complete and detailed blockade schedule, let's talk a moment about the November 2015 Seal o' Piracy, before it's not November anymore.

Don't be worried that it's so late in the month. This one's easy. You get it just by...

Completing two (2) sessions of foraging.

Everything normal counts. That is, you don't earn it in the Cursed Isles, but you earn it just about any other way you get to that puzzle. You can job with a crew that's foraging for fruit, and perform your labor dutifully. You can participate enthusiastically in a couple Buried Treasure expeditions (a couple, rather than one, because generally the expo only gives you one session at the puzzle). You can even forage for empty boxes on Tuesday, when the foraging puzzle is available even to those without subscriptions or labor badges.

Now, freeplay foraging is a little tricky. Although the puzzle becomes available to those without credentials, the "Apply" button next to any "Foraging with a Crew" job offers does not. So you'll have to finagle your way aboard a ship docked at an uninhabited, unbuilt island by some other strategy. (Sending a polite request via /tell to the jobbing officer has been known to yield favorable results.) Once you do, those practice foraging sessions do indeed count toward your Seal. I have verified this with Millefleur on the Meridian Ocean.

But that's much less fun than actually foraging valuable commodities, isn't it? The subscription/badge is totally worth it, especially since you can then take foraging jobs all the time, or sign on to work a crafting job at your crew's Distilling Stall or the like. Still, good to know you can get this badge without spending money. The holiday season is coming up, after all, making spirits bright but budgets somewhat tight.

Anyway, scroll on for the blockade schedule. Have fun out there!

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 21 ***

12:00 p.m. - Admiral Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (7)
Attacker: Qlimax

12:00 p.m. - Prolix Purlieu, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: The Enlightened (7)
Attacker: Velt's Boiyz

12:00 p.m. - Penobscot Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Adventure Time
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (7)

2:47 p.m. - Ansel Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Sea Wolves
Defender: The Jade Empire (1)
Attacker: Cannabis Nation

*** Sunday, November 22 ***

12:00 p.m. - Garden Cradle, Meridian Ocean
Event: 7 rounds, sinking!
Hosted by: Dragon Lords

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 21 ***

12:00 p.m. - Tinga Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Dragon's Quest
Attacker: The Jade Empire (5)

5:00 p.m. - Harmattan Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Adept Warriors
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (3)

7:00 p.m. - Cnossos Island, Cerulean Ocean
Defender: Riding High
Attacker: Babylon

This is the first weekend featuring the recent changes to the blockade schedule. It's probably too early to tell what effect these changes are having on the blockade scene, but I can tell you this much: Over on the Meridian Ocean, everybody and their gunpuppy is attacking Cream Pie. I don't know if this is because CP are known to be asleep around noon Pirate Time, or because there's some sort of oceanwide grudge against that flag--no one's talking about it on the forums that I can see. But these are all high-paying blockades; I was seeing jobbing offers ranging from 5K to 75 PoE/seg. If you're looking to replenish your doubloon supply, Meridian Ocean looks to be the place.

None of the other oceans are quite as blockade-infatuated today as the Meridian Ocean, but there's something to do everywhere except for Jade. (The Jade Ocean is saving its energy for next week, when Azarbad attacks Spaniel.) On Cerulean, Cold Steel is defending Guava Island from Madame Yu Jian; in a recruitment effort for this they have produced some of the most fantastic intent art I have ever seen. Opal's hosting a scuffle between Strawhats and that ocean's own version of Azarbad the Great over Doyle-Insel. And Emerald Ocean features four blockades, one of them a midnight defense against Admiral Finius and his 19-strong fleet.

Nineteen! I could be wrong, though. I had a very hard time counting those little red shippies on the blockade schedule, so many they were and so crowded close together. I had to move my little mouse cursor over the little red shippies and tell people not to talk to me while I counted.

You know what to do--get out there, get jobbed, puzzle hard, have fun. If you need me, I'll be on the Meridian Ocean. I mean, writing. I'm totally going to be writing. (On the Meridian Ocean.)

Standard reminders: Schedule is given in Pirate Time, or U.S. Pacific. Player flags link to Yoweb information pages; Brigand King Flags link to Yppedia Brigand King pages. BK amassed power given in parenthetical numbers, like so: (14). For more info about jobbing contacts, jobber pay, and Event Blockade battle board configuration, check the Blockade tab of your ocean's Notice Board. To get hired, apply under the Voyages tab.

Doubloon Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 7 ***

10:08 a.m. - Doyle-Insel, Opal Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Das alles verzehrende Feuer (1)
Attacker: Strawhats

12:00 p.m. - Tigerleaf Mountain, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Imperial Coalition

12:00 p.m. - Terra Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Coming Soon

12:00 p.m. - Hadrian Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Barely Dressed
Attacker: Blood Sweat and Beers

12:00 p.m. - Fintan Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Radioactive

12:00 p.m. - Kirin Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Coming Soon
Undeclared: Heaven's Army

12:00 p.m. - Napi Peak, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Cream Pie
Attacker: Imperial Coalition

1:00 p.m. - Dendrite Island, Meridian Ocean
Defender: Radioactive
Attacker: Cannabis Nation

2:00 p.m. - Prolix Purlieu, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Velt's Boiyz
Attacker: The Enlightened (13)

4:00 p.m. - Basset Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Midknight Sun
Attacker: The All-Consuming Flame (6)

5:00 p.m. - Arakoua Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Cunning Stunts

5:29 p.m. - Labyrinth Moors, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Chthonic Horde (4)
Attacker: The Secret Service

7:32 p.m. - Surtsey Island, Meridian Ocean
Brigand King holds the island!
Defender: Black Veil (2)
Attacker: Per Angusta Ad Augusta
Attacker: Licence to Kill

10:31 p.m. - Kakraphoon Island, Emerald Ocean
Defender: The Crazy Department
Attacker: Cunning Stunts

*** Sunday, November 8 ***

12:00 a.m. - Admiral Island, Emerald Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Gunslingers
Attacker: Fleet of his Imperial Scaled Highness (19)

Subscription Ocean Blockades

*** Saturday, November 7 ***

12:00 p.m. - Guava Island, Cerulean Ocean
Brigand King attack!
Defender: Cold Steel
Attacker: The Jade Empire (4)