High Captain Edward 'Ironbraids' Tullimac

Though the tattooing of his head may at first sound silly, it is a sight that needs to be be witnessed, complete with the three braids of black beard, glinting with the polished bits of razor wire twisted within them. Those lengths of wire each represent someone of at least equal rank, rank in this case simply being 'Captain', and skill who's life he has taken, someone he deems worthy of remembering. He has eighteen such strands currently, six in each braid. The reason he weaves them into his braids is also a show of his cunning. For he learned to fight without rules or codes of honor, and grabbing someone's hair or beard as a means to grapple them is a valid tactic. The razor wire insures any such attempt is in for a bloody and nasty surprise.

He is covered in tattoos, a living monument to his explorations, his body a checkboard of maps, naval charts and ports marked upon them that he has frequented. He has many scars, which get added to this tapestry as waves, whirlpools and more, for what is a good naval chart without such bits of random illustration that half the time means nothing?

Oft wearing but simple brown leather trousers with a deep red vest and naught much else, with two bandoliers worn over his torso and a heavy belt upon which he keeps a revolver holstered on his left hip with a boarding axe, a short brutal weapon, hooked through a belt loop on his right hip. In the bandolier he has no less than six single shot pistols, all fully loaded and primed when he expects a fight

Naturally he has a full suite of charts, navigation tools and other instruments upon his own vessel, the Salt-Queen.

Edward Tullimac is an interesting figure who's history is more or less what he sold it to be. The dwarf's early years, born at sea, growing up poor amongst the docklands of Tortuga, is not well known. Sometime around his sixtieth birthday to hear him tell it, he found his way into the 'care' such as it is, of the Brazen Buccaneers. In the early days, Mora was still finding her identity as a nation, and was more rival pirate and corsair gangs, just as likely to raid each other as merchant vessels. This played a large part in Edward's youth, having 'direct hands' on his own family's struggles with poverty. He climbed the ranks swiftly in the templar order, doing so in proper sea dog fashion. Battle, blood, booze and bullets. Eventually, a little over a century ago, his reputation was such that he was the logical candidate to become the next High Captain when the previous one caught a bad case of lead poisoning in a rum fueled argument.

It was in this time frame that Ironbraids would be born. He would shave his head, tattooing it in such a way and pattern to look like an orca, the deep black flowing down his head and neck, with the white 'eye' splotches present above the ears. The orca you see is a divine animal to the faith of Captain Jeremiah, the true wolves of the sea, those whom take what they want, with none to oppose them.

Over the next three decades, Ironbraids as he would soon become known, set about subduing and 'reminding' the various fleets and so called 'First Captains' of the agreements they signed and the obligations they and their fore-bearers all agreed to before setting up shop amidst the islands of Mora. For some, it merely required a token show of force, a small fleet, a few volleys of cannon fire, and entering into a more complex oath. For others, well they would eventually cease to be, and Ironbraids would add another twist of razor wire to his braids.

What would follow those decades of conflict and battle is a new Mora, a new nation, one that Edward had always pictured the so called Freebooter's Republic functioning like. Defensive co-operation, centralized faith and obligation, but with a ruthless culture tied to piracy of the high seas. The nation as an organization, outwardly presents as naught but piracy to the uninformed or uneducated on the region and its dangers. However others know better yet still come they do.

High Captain Edward Tullimac is responsible for the nation of Mora as it has become known today and continues to be so. He has lifted the faith of the Sea Lord, the Highest of Captains, Black Jeremiah, and turned Mora into a strange duopoly of confederation and religious state. The various First Captains all control their dominions and fleets, yet each hold court under the good will of the Sea Lord's Church now. Tullimac more or less commands the faith, he is the highest ranking member of either Steel or Clergy, looked to in a complete leadership role. His fleet of vessels is the largest in the island chain, numbering some three dozen, fully manned and crewed with battle hardened pirates, corsairs and many of his fellow Brazen Buccaneers under his command. He holds respect as the 'Voice of the Sea, hence the title High Captain. He has brought Mora from what was a sort of loosely defined state of chaotic 'parley' with periods of raiding and warfare between the various corsair groups and city states, into something more resembling a structured naval power run by coalition. He does not rule as an autocrat but instead guides, like the stern backhand of a hard father, the sort of stiff guidance and leadership corsairs and brigands need.

Tullimac is heavily motivated by the principles and his deep devotion to the God of the Sea. He believes heavily in the concept of a Freebooter's Republic, believing it merely needs a stern guiding force. So much so he has actually taken under his wing his likely successor, training a youngster whom joined the church that he sees promise in. The youth is currently just a swab, a deckhand, not even a full fledged crewman aboard the Salt-Queen, yet the Tantur youth shows great promise.