I made a kraken a central figure in my books, even named the world after him. The Kraken’s Caribbean. Yup, his world, his territory. He is the big kahuna, the sheriff, the pope of this world. But he isn’t really a hands on…errr, tentacles on sort of beast. He’ll take direct action when needed, but he prefers to jet about under the water, minding his own business.
Now and then, well he takes an interest in specific people.
He’s well aware of the portals to other worlds and times which litter Tortuga. In fact, it’s rumored he can travel those portals himself. He certainly makes use of them when he wants to.
I know the kraken seems an odd choice for a heroic sort of beast. Why not a dragon? Or a unicorn or… Wait, I write piratepunk, of course it had to be a kraken! Not to mention, well, cephalopods are incredibly clever and more and more science is showing how intelligent they can be.
And they like to garden. I find that really charming!
I always felt the kraken in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies got a bit shortchanged. Barbossa came back from the dead! So did Jack Sparrow! But not the Kraken. All he did was follow orders from Davy Jones, and I’m sure once Turner took over the Dutchmen, he would have used the Kraken for good…but no! He stayed rotting on that beach. (Maybe he wanted a bigger role. Who knows?)
For my world, I also figured all those tentacles could come in handy for multi-tasking and since the Great Albino Kraken is the big guy he could use them. So…one of them occasionally handles Cupid’s bow…or two of them, I suppose… It’s just part of who the big guy is.
Flexible, a deep thinker, and yes, he’s an albino. Like humans, who turn grey as they age, the older and bigger the kraken gets, the whiter he gets. He’s so big, showing up without camouflage isn’t a danger to him. His young are able to change color, hence Nemo, the on Emily befriends, is orange.
Now, I have a fabulous kraken ornament I’m giving away on my blog…and it’s orange. Want a chance to win it? Comment here or on my blog at maureenobetita.com.
I’m selecting a winner on the 21st!
(Yeah, for US only, if someone else wins, they get a gift certificate.)
The Kraken, a mythological beast, some say descended from the ominous Cthulhu, or perhaps from another world… I don’t care. He’s my guardian beastie and I love him! He’s very involved in Tortuga and likes to see the city growing and thriving.
Rumor has it, he’s started a newspaper. And has opened a Chambarrrr of Commerce. Always looking for new businesses to take a spot on the street.
What would you like to see open in Tortuga? The sky is the limit!
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