Our story starts with the ruthless pirate, the Chavalier de Grammont. At the end of August, 1685, Grammont had taken the port of Campache, and demanded a ransom from the Governor or else the town would burn. The governor replied that the pirates could burn it down since the Spanish were rich enough to rebuild it.

In anger, Grammont paraded the Campache hostages to the main square and began hanging them one by one. A few prominent citizens, including the fair Astrea Valentine, begged Grammont to have mercy on the rest of the captives. In exchange these citizens would live the rest of their lives as slaves to him. Grammont agreed to their plea.

Grammont was ruthless to his enemies, but to his crew he was generous and fair. Astrea worked diligently for her new Captain and in short time became a valued member of the crew.

In her first days on the ship, Astrea could see that many of the crew were suffering from scurvy. She had learned from Spanish sailors a remedy involving citrus, and quickly concocted a brew in secret of Root Beer, Guarana Berries and Oranges and offered it to the crew during a stop in Haiti.

She told the crew the drink was ancient VooDoo that she had learned on the island. The superstitious crew took her at her word, and drank heavily. The scurvy disappeared.

The crew, now convinced that Astrea was imbued with VooDoo magic, dared not anger her for fear of the repercussions.

In September of 1685, Grammont's ship and one commanded by Nicolas Brigaut made their way up the Atlantic coast of Florida in an attempt to attack St. Augustine. Brigaut went inshore and his ship sank while caught in a storm.

Grammont directed his ship in, and hit the same bad weather. The ship was rocked by wind and waves. Astrea seized an opportunity and pushed Grammont over the side during a nasty list. He was never seen again.

Astrea wasted no time in taking control of the vessel. The fearful crew asked no questions.

Captain Astrea Valentine renamed her ship the Matanza, and set sail. While she would turn to piracy as the opportunities arrived, she found that there was profit to be made in the Triangle of Trade: Sugar Cane for Oranges for Wenches.

Captain Valentine would ruthlessly defend her ship and her crew, but she also found other pirates were more interested in trade in order to get their hands on the VooDoo elixir, now known as RootJack by many, that kept the sailors in such good spirits.