Caldecott
From BelegarthWiki
Title: Former Captain of The Cerberus
Aliases: Calico
Race: Human
Realm: Galahad
Weapons of Choice: Florentine Cutlasses
Fighting Since: 2013
Events Attended: Wolfpack Opener 2014, Oktfest 2014, Wolfpack Opener 2015, Spring Wars 2015
William (Liam) Patrick Caldecott was born on March 3, 1693 in Belfast, Ireland to Thomas Caldecot, a wealthy English nobleman and sugar merchant, and Anne Caldecott née Butler, an Irish woman of noble birth. His father, having coveted a military career but hampered by a club foot, set Liam on a path of military service from a young age. At the age of six, he began fencing lessons in rapier, rapier and dagger, small sword, sabre, and hanger (cutlass) as well as studies in Latin, Spanish, French, and Italian (though it appears only the Italian stuck). At 11, he was made cabin boy aboard one of his father’s ships; sailing from the ports of Belfast to Kingston Harbor, then to the Mediterranean to trade sugar and rum in Athens, Palermo, and Naples. He continued this trade until 1710 when, at 16, his father’s wealth and influence earned him a position as midshipman upon the HMS Pembroke. Naval life and discipline did not suit Liam and he received several reprimands and punishments for various small infractions (questioning orders, disobedience, and poor discipline), however he was able to prove himself a hard worker, fierce fighter, and clever tactician; showing great skill and daring in the Battle of Syracuse (1710) when the ship was set upon and eventually taken by the French. When it was clear that the battle was lost, Midshipman Caldecott organized the evacuation of the ship, saving over 150 men from becoming prisoners of the French. For his actions, he was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the HMS Cerberus under the command of Captain Edward Lawrence. Capt. Lawrence and Lt. Caldecott immediately met with a clash of personality: Lawrence’s desire for pomp. circumstance, and tradition at odds with Caldecott’s pragmatic nature. While at port in Cornwall, Lawrence’s 14 year old daughter became smitten with Caldecott, though he rebuffed her advances. Spurned, she went to her father claiming that she and Caldecott had slept together and planned to elope. Incensed, Captain Lawrence had Caldecott brought back to the ship in chains and locked in the brig with the intention of marooning him in the Caribbean. Through means unknown, Caldecott gained command of the ship, landing her in Key West, Florida in search of a crew. There, a drunkard named Gawain, having little understanding of nuanced pronunciation of surnames, began to call Liam by the name Calico and the name stuck. Once news of his turn to piracy reached home, his father immediately disowned him.
Heraldry
The coat of arms features an erminois field crossed by azure waved barries and a chief of azure at the top, containing three sanguine escallops. The entire field standard is crossed by an argent bend sinister (obscuring the third escallop). The erminois denotes dignity and station while the waved barries symbolize the ocean and the family's seafaring heritage. The chief denotes leadership, it's azure color denotes loyalty and the escallops show both the travelling spirit of Thomas and the victorious naval command of his son, William. Their color denotes great patience and victory in battle. The argent bend sinister, normally a sign of bastardy, was added to William's coat of arms when his father disowned and denounced him as a pirate.
The mantle of the standard includes the helmet of a Chevalier wearing a Naval crown. The Caldecott motto, meaning "We Weather The Storm", is seen above.
As a pirate and under the pseudonym of "Calico," William Caldecott flew a flag of black with a skull and crossed cutlasses flanked by a Trinacria, to symbolize his naval gallantry at Syracuse, and a Celtic Harp, signifying his Irish heritage. Across the top were three, red, 6 pointed stars, symbolizing The Iron Forest, his main port of call.
