Basham, the Whale

A low, deep call came from the other ship. A jet of water exploded nearby. And, after one minute of silence, something hit the shell and made the whole ship tremble violently.
"Captain!" said one of the sailors. "What was that? Did they really call a--"
But the following bump answered the question.
Well, thought Rezeem. This will be a hard fight.

— Pirate Tales, vol. 1.

Summary

Basham, the Whale, is the name of a pirate who lived in the beggining of the Expansion Era. He is said to be the a cruel raider, attacking villages and small settlements with no mercy and being the main rival of Rezeem Tongless.
But, more than that, strange powers are attributed to him: he is said to have a peculiar connection to whales, that would follow him wherever he went; plus, he is said to be able to communicate with them and give them orders, like hitting enemy ships.

Historical Basis

There was a Basham, who used the whale as his flag. He also lived in the same time of Rezeem, and there is no reason to think they didn't meet each other. However, just like what happens to Rezeem, Basham's reputation is more than the reality.
First of all, he didn't do as many attacks as many claim. Maybe half of them. Plus, there is no evidence that he communicated with whales, and less that he could control them.
However, it is true that he was a cruel man, with cruel methods.

Spread

The myth is more known in the western coast of Talung and the islands in that region of the sea. Every place has its own tales about Basham, stories of cruelty, raids and death. More than one talks about his death, that until today is a mistery.

In Literature

Basham appears in several books, including the series Pirate Tales. A few of them try to tell the true history, while the most only makes the myth wider.