Guillaume d’Arquestone
Generally known to history as the pirate who married a mermaid.
Age: strictly speaking, about 300-and-some (fl. roughly three centuries ago)
Occupation: rebel, pirate, professional grudge-holder
Likes: inventive methods of revenge, mermaids (supposedly)
Dislikes: Chevaleresque politics, most Chevaleresque politicians
Wife: actual name unknown, most commonly referred to as Océane by historians
Son: Florian d’Arquestone
Sister: Aliénor d’Arquestone
Ancestor of: the current Darkstone family of Porthaven
Most famous for: marrying a mermaid
Still a controversy among historians: if he actually did marry a mermaid
Was always a little miffed people in Porthaven couldn’t spell: d’Arquestone
Himself a descendant of the famous Hrimfaxi warriors Helgi and Hunding who were given maritime fiefs as vassals of the Kings of Gallicantu, Guillaume d’Arquestone is the ancestor of the current Darkstone family of Porthaven and progenitor of a long line of famous pirates.
Guillaume began his own pirate career largely motivated by a potent grudge. Originally a knight from the Duchy of Chevaliers, d’Arquestone was disgraced and exiled for reasons that remain vague and poorly-understood by historians.
Whatever the exact reason, Guillaume turned renegade, raising a pirate crew and amassing several ships to take his revenge on Chevaliers by harassing its ships and leading several daring direct attacks on Chevaliers’ naval base, while famously avoiding attacking non-combatants and sparing the lives of his defeated enemies.
The ascension of a new Duke led to many of the nobles believed to be responsible for d’Arquestone’s exile in the first place losing their influence in Chevaleresque politics. The new Duke of Chevaliers was said to prefer having an audacious pirate for a friend rather than an enemy, and offered to rescind d’Arquestone’s exile in return for his exclusive service to the Chevaleresque navy, though he never actually returned to Chevaliers and instead settled in Porthaven.
It is widely believed, albeit with little definitive historical evidence, that d’Arquestone married a mermaid. Indeed, more so than any episode in a pirate career notable in its own right, d’Arquestone remains best known as the pirate who married a mermaid.
While it is established in the historical record that d’Arquestone married and had children, his wife’s identity is not entirely clear, leading to much conjecture, though many sources note her affinity for the sea.
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