Kat Truewalker

'The Life and Times of Kat Truewalker' 
Welcome! 
Kat Truewalker was born in Portsmouth, England, the daughter of a family of merchant seafarers. Sadly, her father fought and died in the War of the Spanish Succession and to avoid her brother being press ganged into the Navy, her mother sold their remaining land and possessions and they set sail for the Caribbean. They were hoping for a life free from crippling taxes and oppression.
On arrival at Port Royal, Kat (disguised as a boy) was enrolled at the Port Royal Naval Academy, in Fort Charles. Her brother, George, bought a small ship and began trading with the outlying islands.  For a few years life was good for the family, the climate and the freedom suited them well. Then things changed. 
With the arrival of Lord Cutler Beckett, George was approached by the EITC, who were seeking payments for the use of the trading ports that George frequented. The charges were crippling and George worked harder and sailed more often in order to meet the payments, even sailing as far as the dread Raven's Cove in search of business. Kat left the Academy and joined her brother on the High Seas and together they formed a formidable crew. 
Kat applied her learning and became a proficient Quartermaster, and the pair began to plunder EITC and Navy ships, French, Spanish and British alike to supplement their income, always lone ships, always on quiet seas. Kat was able to hone her skills and the pair were successful but they both knew it couldn't last, their illegal sideline was sure to be discovered. 
Disaster then struck once again when George succumbed to one of the many dread diseases found in the Caribbean. He was ill for many weeks and Kat spent the time searching for a cure, even visiting tribal shamans for help.  Eventually she was led to Tia Dalma in the jungles of Cuba, who told her of the dreaded Jolly Roger and his endless striving to find and defeat Jack Sparrow. It was this visit that led to her meeting Sparrow in the Faithful Bride on Tortuga. She needed gold and rare ingredients for a potion that Tia had hinted might cure George as well as pledging her aid in the fight against Jolly. Kat had heard rumours that Sparrow was a wily and cunning pirate, who might help for a price. Sparrow suggested that she embrace piracy and fight alongside the Brethren Court to defeat the loathed and dreaded EITC. In return he would give her the location of these rare and powerful ingredients that she needed to cure George.  He persuaded her with these words; 
'One word, love. Curiosity. You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do because you want it. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like. One day, you won't be able to resist.'
Kat considered carefully what he said, keen to throw off their obligations and mounting debts she agreed.  She also needed a mentor and while exploring the inlets of the South American coast, found one; a notorious Captain, willing to plunder any enemy for the right price.  Under his tutelage, Kat became a confident and daring pirate, facing the worst weather and the most treacherous enemies and succeeding. She learned the secrets of Caribbean lore, those beyond common knowledge and unwritten in any book.  She discovered how to exploit the many plants, fruits and herbs found on the islands and became a frequent visitor to each one, delighting in the animals and creatures she found there.
Since her mother died, Kat now roams the Caribbean on board the Dark-water Witch.  She is tempted to explore further afield - eastwards towards the Orient or west into the Pacific,  having heard stories of mysterious regions and lands yet to be discovered.  But her goal is to still to find a cure for her brother, who languishes below decks suffering bouts of the horrifying malady which ails him, and sail on, plundering at will and in defiance against those who would curb her freedom.  
Category:POTCO