Captain Oliver Reileigh
Captain Oliver Reileigh (Born 18th June 1564) was a Vaherian naval captain and favourite of the Queen. Setting sail from Vaheria in 1583, he is credited with the discovery of and founding of Vaheria's first colony, the city of Fugmoor. To his credit the city still stands to this day, despite the mysterious disappearance of his original settlement.
Character[]
A brave and noble hero, highly romanticized by the media in Vaheria, Captain O. Reileigh was adored nationwide. He had many many many affairs and many of his lovers were female. It is believed that even the Queen was intimate with the dashing young captain on multiple occasions, however nothing can be proved and this is merely speculation by historians. Due to his relationships with multiple people in high places, Reileigh began to act like a pirate, seizing ships carrying Sokharian gold and sinking 'enemy' vessels in the name of the Queen. Proceeds from which he donated to Her Majesty's treasury, which did nothing to dissuade him from her favour.
Exploration[]
Captain Reileigh loved to travel and explored much of the world on board his ship 'The Golden Rind'.
'The Golden Mermaid sets sail for the New World' - Artist Unknown
Tales of his numerous travels taken directly from his ship's log were published in 1824, and the sexually explicit, adventurous and erotic tales involving Sirens, groups of muscly tribespeople and bathing naked on the beach whilst drinking from a coconut, inspired many people to start buying package holidays to the islands featured in the tales.
The Founding of Fugmoor[]
After months at sea, the lookout in the crow's nest shouted to those on deck: "Land ho!"
"Whatchu call me?" was the swift reply from Tamika Brown, the sea-wench the sailors had brought onboard to do to pass the time, however Tamika was thrown overboard and drowned, as at his moment the ship plowed into the rocks off the coast of Brown's Bay - named after Tamika in her honour. Seeing the somewhat desolate and misty moor along the coastline, Captain O Reileigh was said to claim: "It's fucking ugly." This Fucking Ugly Moor was eventually shortened to Fugmoor as it was shorter and easier to fit on the signs. As most of the crew were illiterate they needed things simplified for them.
Captain O Reileigh decided not to stay in such a desolate spot with most of his crew, instead choosing to return to the nearby tropical island of Hurdurlulu in Kawaii, a favourite haunt of his as he claimed "the rum is cheap and the booty plentiful".
Disappearance of the Colony[]
Captain Reileigh's original colony mysteriously vanished in 1571. Dwindling supplies and resources led the occupants of the settlement to send their mayor, Jerome Braveheart, back to Vaheria to petition the Crown for more resources in August 1570.
A drawing of 'The Row & Oake' tavern circa 1590
Bad weather forced him to stay in Vaheria until October 1571, upon his return Braveheart discovered the settlement abandoned. The only clue he found was the word 'rowanoak' carved into the pillory post in the town square.
Death[]
Captain Oliver Reileigh was never again to reach Hurdurlulu, as the astrolabe he had been using to navigate was left with the settlers in the town. Instead of returning to shore to pick it up, the Captain commanded the minimal crew to sail onwards, choosing to navigate using the stars. Rather successful in this endeavor, the Golden Mermaid managed to sail all the way to the islands of Kawaii, but instead of landing at the friendly Hurdurlulu the ship beached itself down the coast on the beach of Kealanikekua Bay where he was set upon by rabid natives, who killed him in a mad frenzy.
Leaving all but one dead, when asked by the remaining crew why they had killed the captain, the native said: "You can't have looks and brains, he was the most beautiful man we had ever seen so we had to cut open his head and eat his brains." This last native was taken captive aboard the ship, where he was tied to a rock and forced to walk the plank. He broke both his legs when he landed on the sand (as the ship was beached) and then died when they dropped the rock onto his head.
Aftermath[]
Captain Reileigh's body was placed in a barrel of brandy and was sent back to Vaheria, where amongst mass public mourning he was laid to rest in the Cathedral of St. Medhue, in Lindon. The Queen was said to be so distraught at the loss of this twenty year old man that she refused to come out of her rooms for three weeks, eventually only doing so to order the Golden Rind be destroyed.
The Golden Rind was subsequently broken up and sold for parts, the figurehead entering a private collection, eventually becoming the ornament atop the Mermaidian Opera House in Meshmoor Heights, not far from the city of Fugmoor that Reileigh founded.
Other decorative pieces such as a door frame or part of the paneling from the captain's cabin can be seen on display in the Fugmoor Museum of Maritime History.
The Queen herselph kept a solid gold statue of the ship, which she had given to the Captain as a birthday present. It is on display in the state apartments at Vaher Castle.