The Burning of Armada Breakaway

Armada Breakaway and Commander Vernden Jervil.
Photograph by Junie Ginsberg

As the coming weekend ends, so will Armada Breakaway. It is an Armadan tradition to burn when you go, and already the floating city is hot with the growing flames.  They will reach their peak this weekend, and then the city will vanish to smoke and ember, but hopefully will live on in everyone's dreams and memories.

Amongst the citizens of Armada is a small, unruly faction known as the Scoundrel Fleet. These notorious pirates have secured an island in the Blake Sea (or they may have possibly thrown the previous inhabitants to the sharks). This island will provide a safe (?) haven to continue our traditional "Tall Tales and Outright Lies" story nights, as well as ironclad practice and general mayhem at "Chaos!"

You are cordially invited to help give Armada Breakaway a proper sendoff. Mark these events on your calendar, and we will see you there!

Dance While Armada Burns
Saturday, January 26th, 6-9pm slt
The Sovereign, Armada Breakaway
Come celebrate Armada Breakaway while you can!  First we have the Armada Sirens dance troupe.  Then, Ahnyanka Delphin DJ's as we party while the floating city burns. This is literally your last chance to see, as Sunday the Lindens cast their net and tow it in.

February 17, 2013: 6:30 till ? slt
Tall Tales and Outright Lies
Collaborative story - The Exodus from Armada
Scoundrel Fleet Headquarters, Blake Bay


On February 17rd starting at 6:30pm slt, We will be having a Tall Tales special event, telling the story of the fleet's flight from Armada on the spot. All are welcome to watch or participate in the event. Currently we are looking at doing the story in 3 sections:

Part 1: The Fire
A number of fires started on Armada for various and unrelated reasons at the same time. Participants are encouraged to tell how they saw one of the fires starting, or how they heard a fire started. Or how they saw a fire and are sure it is Bob's fault. Once we have a good blaze going...

Part 2: The Escape
The actual flight from the floating city. Grab what you can and run in boats, warships, rafts, or whatever else you can find and make for the remote island that the Scoundrel fleet discovered. I am told they may have been people living there that needed to be evicted as we moved in, method left up to the individual storyteller.

Part 3: A New Home
The Scoundrel Fleet's first days in their new home. Setting up the beginnings of a base camp, scouring for resources. Erecting the first structures. Then taking to first steps to regain our position as the terror of the seas.

A few notes for people who are not part of Armada or the fleet and may wish to contribute:

You are still more then welcome to come participate in the story, or just watch it unfold. The two ideas that first come to my mind is that you just happened to visit the city on the wrong day and have to escape the fire with everone else. Alternately, if you want to adopt a new persona for the night just to participate, we will not mind at all. You could even redshirt such an individual if you feel the tale needs some tragedy. Of course any other ideas are also welcome.

As a last note, feel free to come with material prepared, but be ready to adjust it in process if it doesn't quite fit what is going on. I hope to see you all there!

A Skull-Rattling Armada Halloween Party

AHOY!  By direct order of Commander Vernden Jervil, Armadans and their friends will gather on The Sovereign in Armada Breakaway this Saturday, October 27th from 9pm to 11pm slt.
Sredni Eel of Avatar Bizarre will join us to play a mix of Pirate, Steampunk, Halloween and New Wave music.

Furthermore, it is requested that you arrive in costume. The sillier, the better.  (Our commander is quite fond of Silly Stuff.)  If ever there was a time to dig that mutant star goat costume out of your closet, this would be the night!

PS:  FREE RUM!

Before getting silly, you are highly encouraged to attend the 5th Annual Masquerade Ball at Piermont Landing  in New Babbage (prizes for the best dressed!) from 6pm to 9m slt.

Armada Sings a Siren Song, Calling You Home

Photograph by Victor1st Mornington

Armada Breakaway is a floating steampunk pirate city in Second Life, scrapped together from the bones of old boats and swarming with brigands of all types and creeds.

Armada Breakaway is inspired by China Mieville novel, "The Scar." And you can become a part of our story. If you thrive in bracing ocean air (or ocean water, if you happen to be a mer), why not consider joining this close-knit community?

There is no land whatsoever in Armada, which makes for some creative living quarters. Residents live on boats, or airships moored above, or diving bells below. Exploring the city is a constant adventure, as there are no 'roads'. You'll learn how to scramble about as you get your sea legs. It's not such a harsh life, though. We have a thriving nightlife, pirate antics, a surprising array of shops, a coffee house, fine dining and special events. Armada is not far from New Babbage, and a sister city to Mondrago.

Come visit us.Wander about, explore, be surprised, say 'Ahoy!' to others you meet. If you think you'd like to make your home in Armada Breakaway, drop by our Welcome Center for rental information, or contact Vernden Jervil, Commodore of Armada.

Photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

LOOT! A Celebration of Stealing Stuff! (and Happy Anniversary, Armada!)

An aging parrot careens onto the deck of your ship, bashing his beak soundly against your rum cup. He seems to snort in annoyance as he drops a scrolled message next to your drink, shakes the ruffles out of his feathers and takes to the skies again, vanishing in the clouds. You pick up the scroll and read:

Right! It's time to celebrate another successful year for Armada and the Scoundrels. Now success can be measured in many ways. Around here, it's by the quality and quantity of our stolen treasures. There is no better way to scrutinize ones collected “Loot” than to steer towards warm water and break out what amounts to a stolen makeshift beach and have a party.

So it's a party we're having to honor our skill, our cunning, our thievery and our survival. This past year we have stolen some spectacular treasures and oddities. Some of them deserve high praise, some a bit of shame. To sort this out, a contest will be held to bestow bragging rights to the pirate with the best stolen prize. Also, as is our custom, there will be a daring battle game to test your wits and spill some blood for sport. Right.

Er ...um, some of you might recognize some of your possessions as you glance around. Never you mind, we’ll take good care of them and thanks for your contribution.

Sincerely,
Captain Static

How to find us! Set course for Scar's Edge - If the sim is full, head for the overflow area at Armada Breakaway.

Armada Breakaway Harvest Dinner

The Feast takes place at Fort Livingston, Armada Breakaway!

Armada Burning

Armada before the Catastrophe: Photo by Mr PJ Trenton

Alarming Reports have reached us of a Catastrophe that has claimed the stunningly beautiful region of Armada Breakaway, the city built on ships. We have received the attached film from Miss Koshari Mahana and a report from Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander, of the Consulate of Europa Wulfenbach.

Film Supplied by Miss Koshari Mahana

It had been reported that a storm was approaching Armada. Despite this, citizens of the Steamlands were invited to participate in a social event ... (the editor must remark, in passing, how often, in the face of disaster, the inhabitants of the Steamlands choose to dance ... ).

Dancing Before the Disaster
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Let the Baron take up the story:

The Vice Consul (Frau Annechen Lowey) and I arrived around 1pm that afternoon to help with possible storm damage. It was as powerful a hurricane as I'd ever seen, but the eye was both curiously stable and stationary -- we never even saw rain.

Armada before the Catastrophe:The Eye of the Storm
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

After some time, this mysterious trio of storm dragons appeared from the waters below the city.

The Dragons Attack
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The fires they set were too extensive and too fast-spreading for the few of us to fight efficiently.

The Dragons Attack
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The only equipment to hand were some fire extinguishers, as all the water-pumps and even larger bilge pumps had been salvaged away from possible storm loss.

Fire Extinguishers Utilised Against the Conflagration
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Even some of our more reality-fluid companions, who were able to shapeshift into dragons themselves, were not able to hamper the flames using ice-breath.

A Draconic Attempt at Defence

Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

One of the most touching views as the buildings collapsed around our floating platform was spying through a glass the New Babbage Embassy, little flag still waving proudly as the decking collapsed beneath it. Somehow it remained balanced on unseen supports until the very end.

The Gallant New Babbage Embassy
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

After some time of watching the destruction around us, it became almost numbing to watch one hull after another disintegrate and sink beneath the waves.

Armada Burning
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Fraulein Okeanos Magic, a relative of some of my staff, braved the debris field at the bottom of the sea to see the remains first-hand.

Flames beneath the Waves
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The spirits of the survivors remained surprisingly high all during the collapse of Armada - they danced in the face of disaster.

Dawn brings a More Beneficent Dragon
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Finally, the storm dissolved around us as dawn broke over a clear and very bare ocean.The Aftermath

Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

I commend the Thursdays, Herr Weka, Herr Icthus, the missing Herr Streeter and of course Fraulein Trafalgar for not only creating a fascinating place initially, but for bravery in the face of disaster and courageous leadership through storm and flame alike.