Lorrance Ohm

Lorrance Ohm

Name:	Lorrance Ohm
Location:	The Nautilus
Rank:	Captain
Guilds:	None
Step Name:	Huggy Bear

Noted Favors and Awards

2008 Rummy Award

2007 Rummy Award

2006 Rummy Award

Tassles from Captain Moon (2), Commodore Hawk (1), Madam Cricket (1), Captain Amon (1)

Biography

Chapter 1

My name is Lorrance. In reality, that is all I know of my true self. Oh, indeed, I go by several names, depending on the company I keep. To my closest friends, I am simply Lo. To the simple-minded, I am the Dread Rogue Lorrance. To the wenches, I oft not share my name, so that they may properly address me as m’lord. And in formal company, I am Lord Lorrance of Morehead Abbey, to give the appearance of propriety, myself knowing all too well that I am neither lord nor proper.

I’ve now seen forty summers. At least that is my best guess. My mother and father were killed in an attack by roadside bandits, so says the troupe of gypsies that found me near the wreckage of the overturned and burning carriage my family was apparently traveling in. My small body was thrown from the carriage during the attack, and is apparently the reason I survived. The bodies of my parents were found when the flames subsided, their identities unknown.

The gypsies thought me to be of three summers only, making my birth year 1660, as I could speak, and knew my given name of Lorrance. I knew not my family name nor from where I hailed. When I was discovered, I had with me a small woolen blanket, the corner of which had sewn on it a small crest, containing a flying hawk on a scarlet and yellow shield, with a small script letter “P” in the upper left corner. I still carry the small crest with me, worn and tattered though it may be. To this day, this only clue as to my heritage has led me no closer to understanding who I was or who I should have been today. But my search continues ever on, and shall ‘til the end of my years. It is this quest that has largely shaped my existence, for good and for bad.

The gypsies took me in as one of their own. All in all, there were near two score of them, wandering and traveling the countryside, living simple, though not entirely respectable lives. All of the “big folk”, as I thought of them then, were women. The children were all of varying ages. The rule of the troupe did not allow men – those that reached 15 summers – to stay with the troupe. They were caste off to seek their own destiny in whatever village was closest to them at the time they came of age. In all my days, I’ve crossed paths with but one man who grew up with the troupe as a lad. His fate was not favorable, as he was no better than a wretched drunkard – with no coin, no woman, no land, no home, and no future. All others I’d known during my childhood have been unheard from, their fates unknown.

Three of the gypsies from the troupe, Ophelia, Helena, and Magdalene, were largely responsible for my upbringing as a lad. The good news was that the choice was with them – I was not forced upon them. All were kind-hearted women, though two were more wench-like than gypsy. And the third, Magdalene, was in charge of “acquisitions”, making her the lead thief of the troupe. She always ensured that I had what I needed, and would steal anything that I may be lacking. All three were my mother, sometimes together, sometimes as individuals – doting on me as if I were their own child.

It is from their names that I’ve adopted my “family” name of Ohm – taking the first letter of each of their names as my own. But it’s also from them that I’ve learned to be a master at thievery, deception, and survival. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve gone by many names in the thirty some years since I’ve left the troupe, depending upon the company I kept and how desperate I was for money. I’ve played the con and all the roles – prince and pauper, lord, knight, and servant. The last role, back in 1702, became the source of the price that still rests upon my head – 1000 gold coin, dead or alive! Apparently Lord Lasko, who took me into his confidences as housemaster, did not take kindly to discovering that I had bedded his two young daughters – at the same time!!

Not wishing to personally experience Lasko’s wrath, or be discovered by the quickly gathering contingent of bounty hunters, I carefully found my way to the docks, seeking passage across the sea. It was there that I eyed the beautiful lady that I later learned to be Captain Tink. After an evening of drink, and a night of lust, she offered me safety aboard her ship; a 24-gun Royal Navy 5th rate still carrying the name HMS Boner (she said it was "quaint"), in exchange for my services as her Master Gunner, an offer that I eagerly accepted. In the first few months of service as a privateer, I become known amongst my crewmates as “Rammit” Ohm, an obvious reference to my superior cannoneer skills, or so they tell me.

Chapter 2

Eighteen months had passed when, finding that a life at sea in a less-than-honorable profession agreed with me, I signed onto the crew of another ship, the Rising, led by the venerable Captain Full Moon. My skills at persuasion and thievery allowed me to rise quickly among the ranks, from crewman, to Quartermaster, and then to First Mate, all within 2 years. As Captain Tink and Captain Moon were friends, they agreed to share my services, neither wishing to give up a mate as valuable to them as I was. Since the Rising spent the majority of its time in port, due in large part to a run of extremely profitable raids on a series of ships and ports, such a “shared” arrangement allowed me to sail the open seas as frequently as I chose with the HMS Boner, but also provided the comforts of port when such amenities as drink and women were desired (as they frequently were!).

In August of 1708, Captain Moon announced to the world that he was retiring from the life of piracy, after 16 long years. In the standing tradition of pirate crews, my mates aboard the Rising elected me to serve as their Captain. I immediately selected the ship's beautiful Bosun, Miss Daphne TartNSweet, as my First Mate.

One year later, in August of 1709, Quartermaster DD of the Rising reported that the Ship's hold was growing empty after over 15 years in port. I therefore was forced to order the crew to prepare the ship again for sail, to leave port in late December of that year, for another round of pillaging to replenish our stores. After languishing in port for so long, she was not seaworthy, her sails torn, her rigging frayed, and her masts rotted near through. Sufficient plunder remained to pay the local artisans and carpenters for a complete restoration, and I placed my First Mate in charge of the effort. She had 4 months to make ready the ship, and I had every confidence that she would rise to the challenge.

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Epilogue

So this is my story, as brief as I can make it. I’m a rogue by nature and a pirate by need, but I’m surely a scoundrel by choice, as it is my favorite hobby.

I look forward to the adventure which lies ahead, sailing the open seas with my own ship beneath my feet, partaking of fine drink and women, comfortable in riches, and sharing it all with my superior crew – rogues, through and through.