Maroon Camp

Maroon Camp
Continent	North America
Location	Maroon Island, Bahamas
Notable inhabitants	Maroon Queen Madi
Population	Maroon men, women and children Pirates
Affiliation	Maroons

The Maroon Camp is the large camp home to over a thousand men, women and children on the Maroon Island. It is ruled by the Maroon Queen. It is located deep in the jungle on the riverbank. 

Layout

The camp is located deep in the jungle of the Maroon Island near a large river. The buildings are constructed of wood with  thatched roofs. The camp is defended by a wooden palisade. The largest building is located in the center of the camp, and it serves as a meeting hall. In its center is a religious shrine. A large lookout tower rises above the camp, with rope bridges connecting it to other buildingsp. The Maroon Queen and Mr. Scott have their own hut, as does Madi, who has a large selection of books in hers. The Maroons use pirogues to ferry men across the shore. Inside the camp, there is a large underground cave hidden behind a trapdoor. The non combatants retreat there when the camp is under attack. There are also large cages capable of holding dozens of men near the main gate. 

History

Background

Before the Rosario Raids, there were rumors that Spain wished to retaliate against Richard Guthrie. Scott did not want for his wife and daughter to be left in harms way, so he secured them passage to the Maroon Camp. The camp was small and disorganized back then, but it was far more remote than other camps like it and therefore safer. No one disbelieved Scott when he said his family was among the hundreds of slaves killed by the Spanish. Scott became the manager of Richard's business after Guthrie retired to Harbour Island. However, the scrutiny of wearing the crown made travel to the camp almost impossible. He encouraged Eleanor Guthrie to take her father's place. That way, he could manage the safety of both places outside the scrutiny of either. Scott used his position in Nassau to send the camp vital supplies that they cannot produce on the island. 

The Maroon Queen rules the camp, and has the final word on all decisions. The camp accepts other runaway slaves into its ranks. To maintain secrecy, and as revenge for past injustices, they force any White men who come across their shores to do hard labor, the cruel and violent kinds they had been subjected to in the past. Eventually, this kills them. Ben Gunn and a crew of thirteen tried careening their slaver on the windward coast of the island. They were captured by the Maroons and imprisoned in the camp and forced to hard labor. One day, the crew attempted to escape. Half of the men were shot before reaching the treeline. The rest died in the forest because of the traps. Ben made it a full two days before being recaptured, having been unable to find a way out. 

Season Three

After the Walrus lands on the shores of the island, her crew is brought to the camp, rowed across the river in canoes and piraguas. They are questioned by the Maroon Queen, who seems to react at Flint’s name after asking for the captain to step forward. She then asks for the quartermaster. After confirming he speaks for his men, she asks how they arrived at their shores.  Silver explains how they ended up on the island and assures her no one else knows the location. Silver gives her his word that there was no design in how they arrived at the island. The Queen asks him if he were in charge of all her people, would he trust the word of a pirate.  The pirates are imprisoned while the Queen corroborates the story, by torturing four of the crew to death. In the cell with them is another man, Ben Gunn, the last survivor of a slave trader crew captured before the Walrus. 

Billy Bones, Silver and Flint all deal with the direness of their plight in their own way. For Billy, he wants to escape through the trap laden forest with Gunn’s help. For Silver, he’ll talk his way out of it, believing they can find a sympathetic ear. And Flint, he doesn’t know if he has any more fights left in him. At night, Silver is taken to see the young daughter of the Queen, Madi. He tries to convince her that they have similar hatred toward England. It seems to no avail, but she goes to her mother and voices her concerns. The Queen rebuffs her, but Madi insists on talking to her father, the ‘away’ Maroon King.

The next day, Captain Flint is still in the cages on the Maroon Island, being woken by a noise from another dream of Miranda Barlow. The escaped fort slaves, and the wounded “away” King, Mr. Scott, have arrived from Nassau. Flint is granted a private audience with the gravely injured Mr. Scott, and learns that Nassau has fallen in Flint’s absence. Mr. Scott is in favour of a partnership with Flint, now that they cannot be supplied from Nassau. However, the Maroon Queen has the final say. Before leaving, Flint discreetly pockets a small knife that was being used to cut up medicinal herbs. 

Flint explains to his men in the cages that he will make his appeal to the Maroon Queen. If she refuses, he will take her hostage and threaten to kill her. The Maroons would listen to his demands to avoid being left without a leader, for Scott's wound will soon kill him. He will demand that his crew be safely led to the beach and seen safely aboard their ship. Silver points out that Flint will surely die. 

Scott and the Queen argue about listening to Flint's appeal. The Queen says she promised she would hear Flint, but Scott emphasizes she needs to listen to him. The Queen asks if Scott trusts her decision and he says he does. After the Queen leaves, Madi visits her father and asks if her mother listened to him. Scott tells his daughter that she did not. Madi tells Scott that she removed Silver from his cage the previous night and spoke with him. Scott asks her why, and she explains that while he is her father and she loves him, she does not know him. She wanted to know about his life. Scott promises that he will be alright. 

When Flint is called before the Queen, he leaves the knife behind. It is found by Dr. Howell, who alerts Billy. Flint is called before the Maroon Queen to discuss the proposed partnership. With Silver’s help, Flint polishes up his sliver tongue, and speaks honestly. He tells her that they can take things back together from England, which has taken so much from all of them. They will start with Nassau, and then move across the rest of the New World, freeing slaves from bondage. The next morning, Flint and the crew are released, much to their surprise. Step one in their plan, find Charles Vane, and step two, retake Nassau.

Silver is left behind to continue solidifying the alliance with the Maroons. A healing ceremony is held for Mr. Scott, and Madi asks Udo where Silver is. When Silver fails to attend the healing ceremony for Mr. Scott, Madi discovers Silver’s leg has gotten worse and he is plagued with a fever. Silver insists “it will pass,” Madi insists on fetching Fremah, the medicine woman, and as she leaves, Silver grabs her wrist in protest. Immediately, Udo draws his knife and holds it to Silver’s neck. He then looks to her for instruction, and sheathes his blade per her request. Silver insists that he cannot show weakness in front of Madi’s people and must endure the pain. Madi who has been groomed to follow in her mother’s footsteps can understand and relate. She convinces Silver to receive some medical treatment for his leg, and the two bond during his painful treatment.

James Flint discusses his new plan with the Maroon Queen, since he failed to secure Blackbeard’s fleet. He will go to Nassau, and find Rackham and Bonny and the cache. He suggests they use the cache to lure Rogers' forces to an undesireable battlefield that will work in the Maroon's and pirates' advantage. Kofi asks what battlefield Flint has in mind, and Flint says the Maroon Island. Kofi and the Queen are incredulous, and the Queen orders everyone out. She refuses to endanger her people and risk everything they have on uncertainties. Flint is able to persuade her that while their chances of winning are not certain, this is their best chance. They agree to a plan. While in Nassau, John Silver will recruit new men by revealing that Flint is still alive. The Queen insists that Madi will accompany them to retrieve a store of guns hidden by Mr. Scott. Furthermore, while it is customary for a captain to have the sole authority in battle, Flint's and Madi's word will govern in consort or not at all. 

After the Orion retreats from chasing the Walrus, which has successfully rescued Rackham and the gems at the cost of Charles Vane, the cache is brought to the camp. Flint informs the Queen that they have maybe a week before Rogers' forces arrive at the island. She replies that they have much preparation and little time. 

This is not the only concern at the moment. Mr. Scott is dying. As they wait for the inevitable, Flint discusses Silver’s recent actions. Flint recognizes a darkness boiling up inside Silver and warns him of its costly effects if it is allowed to remain unchecked. Mr. Scott soon passes away peacefully and the entire community mourns his death. Kofi announces Scott's death by blowing his horn. Silver approaches Madi to offer her some sort of condolence and the two embrace as Madi cries.

Kofi announces Mr. Scott's passing

As they observe the community’s funeral for Mr. Scott, Rackham asks Flint to command the Walrus during the battle. Rackham will strive to meet Vane’s own ideals and avenge his name. The cache of gems is later buried in a secret location known only to Silver, Flint and Rackham. 

The pirates are pushed back from their defenses on the beach. At the camp, Madi brings a small child to the underground cave where the women and children are hiding. The Queen notices that Madi wants to lead the men outside on the walls. After a brief discussion, Madi joins Silver on the ramparts, taking a musket. Silver and Madi discuss how the Queen knows that Madi will likely take her place after this battle as ruler of the Maroons. Silver remarks that her mother could do far worse for a successor. Kofi then spots the approaching Redcoats and alerts the garrison. 

The Redcoats are led to the camp by Dobbs, who betrayed the pirates after being punished for beating a Maroon. He tells them that there only 100 men left to defend the camp, and the one who knows where teh gems are (Silver), cannot run away. The Redcoats assault the camp with mortars and musketfire, and Benjamin Hornigold tells Major Rollins they will have a beachhead established within the hour. However, Dobbs only pretended to betray the pirates, and actually led the Redcoats into an ambush. Flint leads the pirates and Maroons in attacking the Redcoats from the brush. Hornigold is killed and his force routed.

After the battle, Madi, Flint, Silver, Rackham and Teach convene in the meeting hall to discuss Nassau's future and their plans on taking it back from Woodes Rogers. 

Season Four

The pirate invasion of Nassau fails, but eventually they are able to take Nassau Town. Eleanor makes a deal with Flint to evacuate the island in exchange for the cache of gems. Flint accepts and agrees to remain in Eleanor's custody as collateral. Kofi is sent in a ketch to retrieve the gems. Rogers does not agree to the deal, and has the Spanish launch an invasion of Nassau, burning the beach and damaging the structures in town as they did in the Rosario Raids years before. Among the killed are Eleanor and Madi. Flint leads Silver, their remaining men and Julius' people to the Maroon Island. En route, Jack Rackham sails north instead of south, seemingly abandoning them. At the island, they are shocked to find dozens of ships anchored off the coast, and learn that pirates and Maroons from all over the New World gathered at the camp after learning that Nassau fell. The queen tells Flint that the war he promised is underway.

Silver brings the news to the Maroon Queen that Madi is dead. While she grieves, Silver tells her that he loved Madi, and she was a free spirit not meant to be hidden from the world. The Queen admits that he knew her well. Silver then leaves to the war council, which is being held in the meeting hall. The New England Pirate Captain and the Jamaican Maroon Chief are discussing a possible first strike on St. Ann's Bay, and both of them have been through there in recent months. The Chief tells the assembled Maroon and pirate leaders that there are two ten-pound guns on the beach and at least 80, but no more than 100 men-at-arms. Flint is surprised, having thought there were twice as many. The New England Pirate Captain tells them that if they take Saint Ann's, they'll starve Bridgetown, who would not last a month. The Jamaican Maroon Chief then adds that Barbados has fallen after a slave rebellion. Flint asks another Maroon Chief how many men he could recruit with Bridgetown as a staging ground. The Chief says 700, maybe eight. Flint theorizes that if they could recruit one slave in three in Barbados, they would have 1,200 men they could land anywhere they chose, with ships to support the landing. He adds that it might be enough to sack Boston. Julius replies that they are all fools if they think this will lead to what Flint says it will. Silver invites Julius to leave if he does not want to be a part of the war. Julius replies that he saved Silver and his men from a fight they started but could not finish. The Maroon Queen then asks Julius to speak with her. 

Outside, Julius, Ruth and the Queen discuss the war. Julius argues that they should protect themselves on the island, purchasing what they need with the gems, not seek out more conflict. The Queen admits that she used to think like that, but there is no lasting peace that way. Julius argues that months and years are meaningful. The Queen says that no one has ever been this close to changing the world. Julius argues that they cannot change the world so quickly, the world is too strong. 

Rogers sends a message stating that Madi is alive and demands the cache in exchange for her release. Silver argues in favor of accepting the deal, but Flint and the Queen are against it. The alliance is too fragile to risk something like that. Silver is outraged, reminding Flint that a week ago, he was willing to trade that money for Fort Nassau. Flint argues that they will get Madi back, but by force, not using the cache. When the Walrus departs the island, it is revealed that Silver ordered the cache dug up and stored in the hold of the ship, with Kofi and Obi guarding it.

In a flashback to shortly before the Invasion of Nassau, Silver and Madi eat together while Silver tells Madi that Flint is not invested in him out of utility, necessity or dependency. He understands that she fears a false motive, but it is clear to Silver that he has earned Flint's respect. And after all the tragedies Flint has suffered, Silver has earned his trust and friendship, and pledges that Flint will have his, and as long as that is true, he cannot imagine what is possible. Silver recalls this as he watches the Burning of the Walrus.

In his pursuit of Flint, Rackham stops at the camp and learns that he has the cache and plans on trading it for Madi's life. When he rescues the Walrus survivors at Skeleton Island, he, Flint and Silver meet privately in the cabin of the Lion. Flint says that after they defeat Rogers and rescue Madi, they will dig up the cache and return to the camp, where they will resume the war effort.

After Rogers is defeated, Flint is sent to James Oglethorpe's estate outside Savannah, where he is reunited with Thomas Hamilton. At the camp, Silver reads Rogers' treaty to the Maroons and pirates, who agree to surrender in exchange for their freedom, and are allowed to settle in Nassau. The Maroons and pirates are told that Flint retired. Madi remains in the camp, furious at this turn of events. She argues with Silver, who explains that Flint's war would only lead to death and destruction. Silver tells her that Flint did not retire and nor did Silver kill him, but that Flint was delivered to Oglethorpe's estate. Madi orders Silver to leave her. Before he does, he says that she may think what she wants of him, but he is glad she is alive to think it. The Maroon chiefs and pirate crews leave the island shortly thereafter. The camp is left with few, if any inhabitants after this. 

Residents & Guests

Maroons

• Mr. Scott, the "Away King"
• The Maroon Queen
• Madi
• Kofi
• Fremah
• Udo
• Chidi
• Obi
• Zaki
• Julius
• Ruth
• Maroon Chief
• Jamaican Maroon Chief

Pirates

• James Flint
• John Silver
• Billy Bones (briefly)
• De Groot
• Dooley
• Joji
• Dobbs
• Wayne
• Dr. Howell
• Colin
• Ben Gunn (former captive)
• Adams
• Williamson
• Edward Teach
• Charles Vane
• Jack Rackham
• Anne Bonny
• Ellers
• Reuben
• Israel Hands
• New England Pirate Captain

Gallery

Appearances

Season Three

XIX.	XX.	XXI.	XXII.	XXIII.
XXIV.	XXV.	XXVI.	XXVII.	XXVIII.

Season Four

XXIX.	XXX.	XXXI.	XXXII.	XXXIII.
XXXIV.	XXXV.	XXXVI.	XXXVII.	XXXVIII.