Listen to your heart
"If we turn towards the coast too soon, we risk the enemy, they're hunting every cove and inlet."
The north wind blew, pulling hard at the tail of Alejandro's tagelmust as he stood on the prow. The strong wind was welcome though, filling the sails with life and sending the Leaping Tern cutting through the waves as it sped on its way. If the captain's visitor heard or understood him, they gave no sign of it.
"But if we sail too far out, we risk being lost on the open sea... if the winds change, if a sirocco blows up a storm, we'll be swamped." The visitor gave no reply, only disappeared from sight for a moment, before returning into view.
The captain began to pace the foredeck, the signs of worry visible on his face. If he got this wrong, he would pay with the lives of his crew. It would be death by salt either way, the mines or the sea bed. It was simply impossible to know the right answer and the visitor said nothing, just keeping pace as he moved, watching him impassively.
The captain raised his lucky pendant to his lips and kissed the little figurine carved into the exact likeness of Zemress. At that precise moment, the visitor pivoted and without a care in the world cut straight across the Tern's path, angling towards the shoreline.
Without a moment's hesitation the captain leapt into life. "HARD TO STARBOARD," he yelled to the coxswain, "and don't straighten up until we can see the bottom!"
Overview
- The Grendel are threatening all Imperial fleets on the Bay of Catazar
- The Freeborn Assembly can issue a call to arms to either strike at the Grendel or protect the other nations
- The mandates presented below are competing with each other
The Grendel have been unleashed upon the Bay of Catazar. Whilst the Freeborn have been fending off raids from the Jotun, the scions of Cold Sun, and the Dry Patricians the Grendel have been waiting and preparing.
Of course the Brass Coast have not missed a single opportunity to bait the Grendel. Governor Rahab was fuming when the Freeborn Corsairs smuggled so many of the citizens of his new territory out from under his nose. But that was nothing compared to how incandescent he was when the Freeborn brazenly stole the Scorrero Nets. So angry were the Grendel about the loss, they were even prepared to risk the peace treaty by letting their Asaveans allies raze the Isle of Osseini, slaughter the justicars, and burn the corsair town of Shantarim.
The Grendel have struck back hard to make the Coast pay for these humiliations. Nobody was certain where the armada of Grendel would attack, and with Madruga burning the Grendel are eager to dominate the Bay of Catazar - fleets are being targeted and boarded by these rapacious rogues. But the words of the Freeborn Assembly have sparked a desire to take the fight back to the Grendel.
We the national assembly of the Freeborn and the Imperial Fleetmaster charge all Freeborn fleet owners to raid shipping of those enemy nations that seek to do us harm in the Bay of Catazar. "When the peace treaty ends make them remember these waters are ours!"
Martha i Guerra, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority (167-0)Focus on the Grendel
- The Freeborn Assembly can enact a mandate to call on their fleets to target Grendel ships
- The mandate would remove the penalty on fleets in the Brass Coast and create a new action for Freeborn fleets
During the Autumn Equinox 385YE Martha i Guerra of the Freeborn assembly raised a statement of principle to the National Assembly of the Brass Coast in which they called on the Freeborn to "raid the shipping of enemy nations that seek to do harm in the Bay of Catazar". The assembly upheld their words with a greater majority.
Individually, Freeborn fleets are more than a match for their counterparts from the Broken Shore; the Grendel are audacious pirates but Freeborn captains have generations of experience protecting the Bay of Catazar and dealing with the depredations of the southern orcs. The corsairs have worked to defend both Freeborn and Imperial interests at sea since the earliest days of the Brass Coast. Now, with the Coast under threat from the orcs of the Broken Shore there is an opportunity to strike back and try to reclaim the waters of the Bay.
Nothing is beyond our grasp. The Grendel grasp recklessly at the throat of the Bay of Catazar. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to encourage our corsairs to show the Salt Lords that they will never defeat us.
Synod Mandate, Freeborn Assembly
If this mandate is enacted, then corsairs will seek out their rivals all across the Bay of Catazar, slaughtering their crews, capturing their ships and plundering their cargo. It will remove the current penalty to all Freeborn fleets on the Bay of Catazar imposed by the Grendel. It will also create a new independent action Hunt the Grendel that is solely for Freeborn fleets. This action will provide three ingots of tempest jade, two mana crystals, and 42 rings in luxury goods and other loot to a starting fleet.
It is impossible to launch an effective attack on Grendel shipping without violating the terms of the offer made by the eternal Ephisis. But not accepting that deal might be a price worth paying for a chance to beard the Grendel.
During the Grendel treaty we had the time to rebuild and prepare. Now the treaty has ended we call on all citizens to route out the Grendel spies and be Vigilant of the threats that come from all around. Have Courage to oppose them when they enter our land and the Loyalty to aid our armies and feed our Corsairs who fight on our behalf with virtue.
Hembeneth i Guerra, Autumn Equinox 385YE, Vote: Greater Majority (169-0)
Protect Shipping
- The Freeborn Assembly can enact a mandate to urge their fleets to help Imperial ships avoid contact with the Grendel in the Bay of Catazar
- The mandate would remove the penalty on all fleets on the Bay of Catazar and create a new action for Freeborn fleets
Alternatively, Beatriu i Dalila i Guerra suggests that the Freeborn could instead use their years of nautical skill and experience to focus on protecting Imperial shipping on the Bay, guiding ships as they make the dangerous journey to and from distant lands, to help them avoid contact with the enemy. There would be almost no fighting - the whole point would be to help them avoid getting attacked by the Grendel - but even if they did encounter one there would be less chance of battle. The Grendel are no fools, most of the time they won't even attempt to attack a trading ship once they realise it is escorted by a sleek corsair vessel.
While that might make it a less appealing prospect, the dhomiro points out that the Brass Coast cannot hope to reclaim Madruga on their own; protecting the profits of captains from every nation, would strengthen the Empire and help to remind the other nations of why the Brass Coast is such an important part of the Empire. A few more allies in other nations arguing for more support for the Coast won't go amiss.
The Virtuous build up their fellows. We are strongest when we recognise that we are all of one Empire. We send {named priest} with 50 doses of liao to encourage the Freeborn to break the chain around the necks of the Bay and protect our allies from the ravages of the Grendel pirates.
Synod Mandate, Freeborn Assembly
If this mandate is enacted, then corsair captains will help merchant ships of every nation that operate on the Bay of Catazar without getting into battles with the Grendel. The Freeborn are the masters of the sea, they can help ships chart the best routes to avoid any encounters with the enemies. And where they can't slip past the Grendel, the corsairs will try to scare the Grendel off, or help the Imperial vessels escape. This will remove the current penalty to all fleets on the Bay of Catazar due to the Grendel. It will also unlock a new independent action Escort Imperial Shipping that is for Freeborn fleets only. This action will produce four random herbs, three random materials, and 24 rings in other trade goods for a starting fleet.