The year is 1776 and the North American continent is in a state of turmoil. A Declaration of Independence absolving all allegiances to the British Crown is expected imminently from the United States Patriots, the huge consequences of which will be felt far and wide, now and in to the future. One place already feeling the effects is the nearby Caribbean, where a fragile truce between rival pirate warlords is on the verge of collapse, as existing loyalties are strained and new rivalries emerge. These and other problems, are set to  be addressed at this year's Pirate Council Annual General Meeting, which is due to be held, as always, at the Jolly Roger Inn, in Port Royal, Jamaica.
However, on the eve of the meeting, as the ships arrive in port, the town is stunned by the murder of Captain William Kidd, a leading Caribbean warlord and Pirate Council member, who is found with his throat cut, on the steps of George III House, the Governor of Jamaica’s official residence.

That initial shock is soon replaced by bewilderment, when Jeremiah Hatchet, Captain Kidd’s attorney, calls an urgent meeting of those named as beneficiaries to Kidd’s estate. However, in order to be eligible for a share in the fortune, each of the invited guests must first agree to a most unusual proposal; one specifically designed to catch the Captain's killer!