Broken Shore Bounty
Overview
The Broken Shore Bounty is technically located near Cazar in the territory of Feroz. Custodianship of the Broken Shore Bounty grants an Imperial title; a seat on the Imperial Bourse; and a seasonal bounty of valuable ilium.
The Resource
The Grendel represent a powerful threat to the Empire, and there are always a few groups of disgruntled criminals or barbarian orcs who view Imperial boats and ships as easy prey. Only constant vigilance by Imperial fleet owners, especially those among the corsair families of the Brass Coast, protect the livelihoods and lives of Imperial boat people and fisherfolk. Without an armed presence in the Bay of Catazar, coastal settlements and foreign trade alike would be endangered by opportunistic pirates. The Broken Shore Bounty is intended to reward the Freeborn ship captains who commit themselves to the defence of local waters, rather than to trade with distant nations.
The ilium that the Seat provides is claimed from the fishing nets of the boats that ply their trades along the coast of the Bay of Catazar; a portion of all such finds are claimed by the Broken Shore Bounty. While some fisherfolk resent the claim, the majority appreciate that the Freeborn are instrumental in helping to keep opportunistic raiders out of Imperial waters - that a portion of any ilium found is a minor loss compared to the complete loss of catch, ship, livelihood, and liberty that an encounter with a Grendel raiding vessel would represent.
The seat comes with a well-protected villa in the port-town of Cazar, in Feroz. The corsairs families of the Brass Coast see it as a point of honour to control the Broken Shore Bounty. The ilium is collected and overseen by members of the i Orieni i Riqueza family, who have extensive ties with fishing families and mercantile ship owners throughout the Brass Coast, and the southern territories of the League, Highguard, and Urizen. The current dhomiro of the i Orien family is named Riguel.
Every time a citizen of the Brass Coast chooses the privateering action for their fleet they receive votes. A typical fleet provides 10 votes, plus an extra 2 votes for each time it has been upgraded. Any enchantment that directly increases the effectiveness of a privateering fleet will grant additional votes. When the seat is allocated (usually during the Spring Equinox), the number of votes each citizen has accrued over the previous year is tallied. The owner of the fleet records which Freeborn character they wish to support, and the one who receives the most votes takes the Seat. Votes are recorded in private in conjunction with the civil servants who support the Bourse.
While privateering does not have a direct effect on the outcome of military campaigns, it does has an in-character effect on the setting. The actions of the Freeborn Corsairs and others protects the people and settlements around the bay of Catazar. Privateering keeps the coastal waters of the Empire clear of pirates and other maritime dangers. It does not have a mechanical effect on the Grendel military, but attacking enemy shipping in the Bay does have a narrative effect, without it, Grendel raiders and pirates alike would be free to attack civilians.