The Dread Moomin Pirates AU
How Moomin Island Changed
Snufkin and Moomintroll were the first up on the top deck of the Oshun Oxtra as Moomin Island came into sight. They held paws all the way, drinking in the view as the ship pulled into the extensive, highly technologically advanced port. The Island was very large and you couldn’t take in the entire area without going on a tour around it. Snufkin was very surprised to see two other pirate ships in the docks. They were both very large wooden ships powered entirely by sails.
Moomintroll explained that the Moomin Pirates had made an alliance with the Fuzzy Pirates and Pirate Queen Mymble almost from the very beginning of their careers. The alliance was established for their mutual protection both from the international Hemulen Navy and any loss of their collected treasure to other pirate groups. Moomintroll promised that the first thing they would do after they got settled back in would be for him to show Snufkin around the pirate settlement and introduce him to the other allied pirates and take him on a tour of the community.
Snufkin did his best to be patient as the Oshun Oxtra pulled into the ship’s dock and most of the crew disembarked and began the move back into their headquarters at the heart of the settlement. The Snork and Snork Maiden stayed behind aboard ship to begin overseeing the process of completing the necessary repairs to the Oshun Oxtra.
The pirate settlement consisted of three large headquarters that reflected the three different pirate groups, a central open market, and an imposing, large, foreboding stone building with only one set of huge, very thick metal doors that were the entrance and exit to the building.
The headquarters of the Dread Moomin Pirates had clearly been designed by and built under the supervision of The Snork. It was built of steel and glass in the Brutalist style. It had high technology everything and an array of solar power panels on the roof and a battery/generator building in the back of the building. Snufkin found everything about his new home very overwhelming and impressive. Moominmama introduced him to the kitchen as soon as he was moved into Moomintroll’s room. After becoming used to the Oshun Oxtra’s galley, Snufkin at least felt comfortable there. He very much looked forward to helping her every day there.
Moomintroll took Snufkin by the paw and lead him on a tour of the market area and the other pirate headquarters. Introductions to the other pirates and their homes were brief. Snufkin did his best to remember everyone’s names. The last stop on the tour was the stone building that stood out from everything else in the settlement.
“This is our Pirate Bank.”, explained Moomintroll proudly as four large Hemulen guards opened the metal doors and they entered the bank’s lobby. There were a number of Hemulens carefully writing in ledgers at desks on either side of the central aisle of the lobby and three reinforced glass teller windows set into in the back wall operated by three Hemulens. To the left of the teller windows was another heavy solid steel door guarded by two large Hemulens.
As Moomintroll and Snufkin approached the central window, Snufkin tightened his grip on Moomintroll’s paw and whispered a burning question in Moomintroll’s ear.
“Why Hemulens? I mean, how did they get here and why are they doing this for pirates of all possible beasts?!”, he asked.
“That’s an exciting story, actually! Pirate Queen Mymble had waylaid a cargo ship that hailed from the Hemulen Republic when a sudden, terrible storm struck both ships. The cargo and the ship that carried it was lost to the storm, but Pirate Queen Mymble managed to rescue the entire crew, and was glad that she did because they helped her to escape the storm with minimal damage to her own vessel. They pledged their loyalty to the pirate groups and she immediately knew how they would be useful to all the pirates. Once you give Hemulens an assignment, no other beasts can equal their dedication and integrity. The other pirate groups readily accepted them as the guardians of our collected treasure hoards, and so we’re all able to rest easy and trust that we won’t rob each other.”, answered Moomintroll.
Under the watchful eyes of the teller and the two Hemulen guards, Moomintroll proudly showed off the Dread Moomin Pirates’ hoard in their personal vault. It was an immense, neatly organized collection of coins, gold and platinum bars and other treasure of every description. Snufkin immediately knew what the next step in his quest to corrupt the pirates to the Moominvalley way of life would be. It would start with a simple question that he would plant in Moomintroll’s head and that would spread like wildfire through the pirate community. He took a deep breath and prepared to launch his gentle attack.
To Be Continued
