King Brienn King of Alpa, Protector of Veyga and Vaikmaa, Lord of the Emerald Isles and Pointe Thoir
Well met, friends both old and new. On behalf of the King and Crown of Alpa I am pleased to welcome you to our Court. I wish our meeting could be under happier circumstances, however the threads of fate have dictated otherwise. You have been invited here today to discuss the pirate scourge along the South coast of Weslif which has led to the loss of several Three Crowns trade vessels, and laid waste to the Pestin colony of Eimonsbach. We have carried out an investigation to the best of our abilities, and I believe we have a lead worthy of following.
The House of Tuska in the Rav Kingdom of Soturma has implicated a former member of their household - long since disavowed - as the culprit behind the attacks. This pirate is based out of Kosinheim, a colony of Achenreich here on the Southern coast of Weslif. Alpa will be seeking justice - the head of this pirate - and recompense from the leadership of Kosinheim for lending their support to these pirates to send a clear message to anyone thinking of following in their footsteps. Let me be abundantly clear, any and all piracy is completely unacceptable and must be smothered in its cradle before it has the chance to grow. Alpa will be raising its fleet to blockade the port city while our demands are delivered. While we will send a punitive expedition on our own to this end, I request that the fleets of Siliton and Portucalense aid in this endeavor.
To the delegate of Pestin, your invite was not merely a formality, a token of friendship, nor a courtesy. I feel that justice is owed to you and your people for the atrocity at Eimonsbach. The House of Tuska implicated a foreign power in this pirate conspiracy, one far afield from our own shores but on the very precipice of your own realm. It has been claimed that an individual hailing from the realm of Achenreich directly instigated this pirate to action, a claim which is backed by the hosting of the pirate fleet in the port of Kosinhei,. The Lord of Tuska refused, however, to provide signed and sealed testimony to this effect, however we have been assured that this boils down to a cultural taboo among the Rav people rather than an outright slight. To this end, I would like to speak to our Portucalense friends as the Kingdom of Sotumra falls within your sphere. I would however like to know what course of action the Merchant Republic of Pestin will take.
Tennyson Prendergast I Emperor of Siliton;
Chancellor of the Universitas Magistrorum et Scholarium;
First General of the Imperial Legion
Well met friends, I echo the sentiments of my dear friend, King Brienn. As the Empire of Siliton has done before, we shall once again march with you and yours into battle. Our fleet is at your disposal, and the 1st Legion will begin preparations to march should they be needed.
I also bring further news. A force under the command of Admiral Adolfo Marques Vivo has engaged a pirate ship from the force at Kosinheim. From the survivors of the engagement, we have learned that the flotilla consists of at least ten additional vessels. These pirates appear to be from not only Soturma, but also surrounding kingdoms. These individuals, either press ganged or manipulated into joining, have also confirmed that a merchant within the city of Kosinheim is actively selling warships to these pirates.
Ctibor z Kamence Lord of Pestin-Grad Envoy of Duke Albers of the Merchant Republic of Pestin
Hail and well met, Your Majesties!
As of my sailing from Pestin-Grad, the Council awaited a report from the Burgrave of Pestin-Grad Citadel. Delivery of this report was not anticipated before the spring; the voyage is long and the seas rough, and any information will take time to be compiled.
I feel Duke Albers and the Council will, however, be much aggrieved by this matter. We do not have regular dealings with Achenreich. Our merchants and captains, however, do. Knowing the Duke as I do, I feel he will likely continue to pursue the path of prudence, as disruption of the trade lanes along the Yevian coast is not within our interests.
I suspect the realm will likely take this information - with Your Majesties’ permission, of course - and use it in dealings with Achenreich. These would likely have the intention of forcing them to deny or explain what has transpired, and why this individual is wielding such a free hand with these scourges of the ocean.
We are open to further dialogue on this, of course. As well as contributing. Even as I speak, two squadrons of ships of the Námořnictvo Pestinu, sent out in the wake of the sacking of the colony, prowl the waters near a strengthened Eimonsbach. I am sure one of them could surely be sent to aid in this blockade.
The old Lord of Pestin-Grad glances between the two monarchs and the still-open chair for the representative from Portucalense. He puffs his pipe while a staff wrapped in rich adornment is left to lean against the back of his chair. The minutes tick by in comfortable silence as the three men sit there. Finally, the Lord’s chair creaks as he shifts his weight.
“Would the Empire and the Kingdom prefer to see some other form of action taken by the Merchant Republic?”
Dom Rui Lourenço de Barcelos
Envoy of the Crown of Portucalense
King Brienn of Alpa,
I speak on behalf of Prince Afonso de Aviz and the Crown of Portucalense. The loss of Three Crowns vessels and the devastation of Eimonsbach are intolerable. We share your view that piracy must be extinguished before it is allowed to root itself.
Portucalense condemns piracy without exception.
The Rav Kingdom of Soturma stands under the protection of our Crown and renders men and arms in tribute. That bond carries responsibility. We have therefore begun our own inquiry into the matter raised by the House of Tuska. The individual they name is disavowed, landless, and stripped of all Rav protection. No man so cast out may claim shelter in Rav custom or under Portucalense authority.
We cannot accept that a realm be held accountable for those it has formally expelled. If piracy was given harbor, culpability rests with the port that sheltered it.
On this point, we are aligned with Alpa.
The port of Kosinheim, under Achenreich authority, stands accused of materially supporting a pirate fleet. Harboring pirates is not neutrality. It is participation.
Accordingly, Portucalense will:
Commit naval forces in support of a lawful blockade of Kosinheim.
Share intelligence gathered through our coastal and Rav networks.
Press Soturma’s houses to provide all testimony permissible under Rav custom, including sworn witness before neutral clerics.
To the Merchant Republic of Pestin: the destruction of Eimonsbach concerns us all. Portucalense stands ready to support lawful claims of restitution and urges Pestin to state clearly how justice should be pursued.
King Brienn King of Alpa, Protector of Veyga and Vaikmaa, Lord of the Emerald Isles and Pointe Thoir
Then it seems that the matter of the pirate lair is certain - the port of Kosinheim. What is uncertain is how to proceed. The harboring of brigands is unacceptable and warrants a response. I think I speak for the three Weslif realms when I say that there is little desire for open warfare with Achenreich, and a return to business as usual along our most vital trade lanes is the most desirable outcome. Balancing these two will be the key our continued prosperity. I will discuss the matter of Kosinheim with my commanders and allies, but know that a response is on the horizon, I would ask you keep this in mind when relaying this information to your duke.
Ctibor z Kamence Lord of Pestin-Grad Envoy of Duke Albers of the Merchant Republic of Pestin
Dom de Barcelos, before I sailed from Pestin-Grad I met with Duke Albers. It was his opinion that any action taken jointly, or independently, should underscore that the realms gathered in this room have absolutely no tolerance for sabotage of their commercial and mercantile interests. Because let us be clear: this was no mere act of piracy. Eimonsbach was intentionally targeted.
If the authorities in Kosinheim refuse to address matters there, we would encourage consideration of stronger measures, Your Majesty, King Brienn. Restricting Achenreich’s access to ports in Weslif, enforcing harsher tolls on what ships do call, and withdrawing protection. Perhaps even allowing private armed vessels to seize Achenreich-flagged vessels and impounding goods, as a matter of justice.
I feel Pestin will likely pursue similar measures in Yevia if our demands are not met. Duke Albers had spoken in Council of seeking compensation, punishment of responsible men, and guarantees of non-repetition, once we had more information. That seems to be the case, now.