Valdemar is going to begin planning for improvements to be made to Grimhold at Grihem's Point. Primarily, this will be expanding it and fortifying it, making the walls stronger where possible and adding arrow slits, murder holes, and pots for boiling pitch. While he is at it, he would include some renovations for the purpose of comfort, but this will be secondary to making it a more secure dwelling for his family.

Ingrid has studied much of economics and with her intellect and perception, she can spot the best deals, and hopefully avoid the rips, for building materials and labor for the improvements to be made to the Grimhold at Grihem's Point. The materials should be the best they can find, while at the most affordable price considering it is a huge project. An emphasis will be made on directing more business the way of whomever deals fairly. For the labor as well, she seeks those that are honest and hardworking.

Duchess Vanora Grimhall has been highly focused on improving Grihem's Point since her husband became Duke, for just as he is the Builder of Grihem's Point she may be the muse that inspires many of the expansions and additions to the Isle. Certainly she played a key role in the Grim Seminary down to details of architectural design...and she lent her support to the Harald Grimhall Naval Academy as well, with slightly less expertise. Expansions and renovations to Grimhold are certainly in her wheelhouse. As her husband considers ways to sure up its defenses, she focuses on the appearance of the castle itself, suggesting the addition of high outer walls and turrets that lend appropriate grandeur to the Grimhall family seat. She supervises the addition of onyx from the famed Grimhall onyx mines to the columns in the great hall and the decor around the gates.

As with any building expansion project, this one requires labor and thus provides jobs for the people, and for some those jobs are the first they have as free men, thralls who are released and paid fairly for their work. Her experience at organizing large efforts of this kind, as well as her charm and diplomacy, which aim to convince the people of Grihem's Point that this endeavor is for the glory of all of them. If her speeches are moving enough, perhaps there will be donations to the cause from the noble vassals and wealthy merchants, in order to impress their Duke and his family.

Orchid is going to help Valdemar with his fortifying and renovations by suggesting changes to optimize the land and organizing the people used for renovations. She isn't really focusing on the military aspect but the more building and people oraganizing.

Iseulet uses her vast network of merchants and people that know people in order to make this a more financially viable affair for House Grimhall. She focuses on sourcing all the materials from local merchants where possible and wields the Empyrean Route to direct more materials that they need to bring in from elsewhere without incurring extra taxes/tariffs. She focuses on not sacrificing quality, just price by (gently) making the merchants compete a little for this business.

Having considerable construction experience - from helping to rebuild Darkwater after the Gyre, to building up the colony at Whitefrost, and assisting in the rebuilding efforts of Stormwall in Redrain lands - Edward is going to leverage his ability with economics and logistics to make sure that quality materials are brought to the efforts of the rebuilding that is being done by House Grimhall. In addition, given his military background and experience - particularly in his assistance with sieges from the Siege of Arx and other locations - he will advise the Duke on how to best place the defenses so as to make full use of the design of the castle at Grimheim's Point.

Fortifying a castle is no small feat; it takes time, people and money. Thankfully, the Duke of Grihem's Point has all of those things. The end result is a heavily fortified keep, complete with secret boltholes and escape routes, a reinforced curtain wall and increase defenses. The people of Grihem's Point are pleased to see that their Duke is looking out for them in these trying and dangerous times.

Valdemar is going to go on a tour of Grimhall's holdings, recruiting new sailors for the Grim Fleet. At each stop, he will give a speech about the warrior tradition of their people, their devotion to duty, and urging them to step up for the sake of the safety and security of the Mourning Isles. Meanwhile, he is also placing an order for new ships with Stormheart Shipyard, asking his protege Aella to assist with expediting the order, so that these new sailors have ships to crew.

With the construction of the Stormheart Naval yard, orders have been coming in at a steady rate, providing work and opportunities to the people of Stormheart. Aella's Patron, and donator to the naval yard, has sought assistance in bolstering the naval forces of Grihem's Point so one good deed deserves another. Aella has opened construction of the naval yard to the Grimhalls, providing them with a workforce more than willing to build ships and assist the Compact.

The Duchess-Consort will be accompanying Valdemar on his tour of the Grimhall holdings, and will do her best to assist Valdemar in recruiting new sailors for the Grim Fleet. She'll host several different events in Grihem's Point, including lavish parties for the nobility and more public speeches directed towards merchants and commoners, all of which are focused on getting as many new recruits as possible, whether through inspiring Grimhall patriotism among the masses or subtle social pressures for noble families to see that their sons have at /least/ a few years of military experience under their belts as Isles traditions would dictate.

The Grim Fleet Admiral will be making his rounds with Valdemar and Vanora on their tour of the Grimhall holdings. Offering speeches and sitting and talking with any potential recruits along the way to bolster up the Grim Fleet's numbers to fill the new ships that are being built.

Seroza is not particularly a fan of long voyages himself, so why not get others to do it for him? Or rather, a recruitment drive. That should help the family out, right? At least, thats what he thinks. So it is Seroza will take it upon himself to rouse up the public in hopes of joining the Grimhall Fleet.

Edward will travel with is Patron, the Duchess Vanora, to help with her efforts at a recruitment drive for the Grimhall military. He will be the veteran of the Gyre's War and the War of Silence, with plenty of stories to share regarding the bravery of House Grimhall and the strength of its military. He will focus on logistical facts and about how it is the merchants who provide supplies and material and the nobles who seek out recruits and opportunities that benefit all of them, that becomes the backbone of strength that makes House Grimhall the mightiest and most well trained military arm in the Mourning Isles.

Lastly, he will even speak not just of the tenacity of the Grimhall fleet - but he will speak on the strength of Duke Valdemar and how the military tradition is very strong with him at the lead. Edward will speak about heros soldiers that the House has had in the past and how every soldier is not just a part of a military but is part of a potential, a group out of many who can rise up and be the next hero recognized by House Grimhall.

The efforts to recruit new sailors and build ships for said sailors is a rousing success. Between the combined efforts of Valedmar, Vanora, Seroza, Edward and Ingvar dozens, hundreds of men report for duty to the Grimhall navy. And given Aella's shipyard, a staggering number of ships set sail for Grihem's Point. 75 Longships, 13 galleys and 2 dromonds all bearing the colors and flag of Grimhall arrive, ready to be manned by the new sailors. Grimhall's fleet nearly doubles and all feel safer for it.

The Ravenseye family have always been seafaring people while others of the North focused their attention elsewhere. It is no secret that Stormheart still relies heavily on the seas and rivers that lead to the city, and Aella has never made it a secret that she wishes more for her family since they have joined the Compact.

Grand plans for a Naval Shipyard to be build on Ravenseye land will increase productivity and income for the County while also providing the North a local ship yard to have their vessels built rather than relying on Mourning Isle families. The closer proximity should allow for Northern materials to be brought to Stormheart so each ship built is done so at a discount to the buyer.

The Naval yard will be in dedicated in honor of Mangata so that the Goddess may watch over each ship created and those who sail on them.

(The social resources are for PR. Buy Ravenseye! The north can be a difficult sell for ships, it certainly isn't their strong suit. Economic resources are for materials and trade agreements with other houses. The Military resources are reserved for protection of the ship yard, as well as making military type ships.)

Lord Arik Halfshav has some experience with development projects over the last few years so after offering his services to Countess Aella Ravenseye she finds a tidy sum of economic resources committed to the project (4000 economic resources) to entice merchants. Not only that but the Halfshav Lord helps with coordinating of caravans and timetables, reports and labor schedules. All the tedious day to day of making sure people get something done.

As the Minister of Fealty for House Redrain, Princess Elgana is more than happy to bring support to Countess Aella's grand plans of a naval yard. While Elgana only knows what she's read about sailing and shipbuilding, it isn't nearly enough to entrust such a task to her, so she leaves that to the professionals. What she does bring, however, is the aid of House Redrain in the form of Elgana working to secure the best merchant contracts possible (5,000 Economic Resources).

She'll talk up the good works of House Ravenseye with building this naval yard to various merchants. Having such independence while also being incredibly thankful for allies in Thrax, such as House Kennex for helping with maritime growth in the north, is a great thing that will bring prosperity, new trade potential, and military might to the Northlands. Who can argue with that?

Rosalind knows next to nothing about building ships, BUT, she's charismatic, gets along with well--anyone and has a really big mouth! Because she enjoys people. Geez! No really--ask around! So she's decided to talk to EVERYONE! All the people! Hey you! Do you know how to build ships? Yes?! Come home with me and build great ships and help with our naval shipyard, Stormheart is amazing, you'll love it! Oh you sail?! You're great at it you say?! Ohymygosh, we need you too! She does know just enough about boats to give out the correct information!

All of this will be spread everywhere, a smile on her face and of course a whiskey in hand. A northerner is always a northerner and alcohol seems to make even more friends!

Princess Consort Donella Redrain will make sure the diplomacy of this task is set up. She will also speak to her connections on Thrax to make sure that things are on the up and up on the basics of construct. The rest will be left up to others. She will make sure to speak to people about how this is a good move and they should support it.

Cadern isn't particularly helpfl for ship sand building but he will help in convincing people to join. This would be a mix of finding and recruiting shipbuilders and incentivizing them to join. He will happily talk up Stormheart and convince people it's THE place to be and go to and assist in recruiting able sailors as well. Cadern focuses on getting the good word out about the project.

Volcica doesn't know much about ships, building, or shipbuilding, but she does know a lot about the spirits. She'll be a guiding hand for House Ravenseye's project, helping to make sure that the spirits and the Pantheon are appeased and happy with the placement of the docks!

While Baltus doesn't know much about building a port or building ships, he does know ships. Which ones are good for which missions and tasks, the quality of one already built. He also knows sailors and knows the tides. And so he offers what help he can in offering advice and organizational assistance.

As a vassal of Crovane, House Ravenseye will receive full support from Duchess Fianna for its naval yard construction. Stormwall has recently built a new port and Fianna will use her experience to assist Ravenseye with its construction, as well as provide black lumber for supply and ships for protection during the process.

Llyr is going to help by giving darwings of design to help woith the ability to vizualize what will be built.

Infrastructure is Kaldur's avocation if not his particular area of expertise. He leads with enthusiasm and vigor for the project, venturing to the worksites as the crafters and laborers toil, unfussed about getting in and helping - particularly when anything needs done in the water. He'll be on boats helping sink pilings, swimming, diving, uncannily at home in the water, as much or more than he is in the saddle.

With his recent experience dealing with large building projects, Valdemar will focus on helping out with the design of the naval yards and the coordination of construction crews for maximum efficiency.

Countess Carita is more than happy to help those that ask her to. When Countess Aella asks her to use her building skills from Darkwaer, Grimhall's naval academy, Clearlake's docks, and numerous other areas, she's built up quite a list of names for people that know the people that get things done quickly, and efficiently. This should be cake, right? Who knows shipyards better than Darkwater?

What a magnificent shipyard it is! Such a massive undertaking increases everyone's standing for a time, and the help this necessarily provides to the Redrain fealty is much appreciated. Building ships in Stormheart is a little cheaper now, which is like to increase its importance.

For some time now, house Grimhall has been planning to build a school of theology at Grihem's Point, to teach Mourning Islanders about all of the Gods of the Pantheon and encourage more of them to become Godsworn. The time has come for construction to begin, and so Valdemar will be getting things in order to do this: finalizing the plans for the building, getting them out to construction crews, arranging for the import of any materials needed that are not produced at Grihem's Point, and so on. His focus is on building a grand structure worthy of the Gods, to inspire people to come and learn about all of them, not just Mangata. Vanora will be the face of the project, getting the word out about the school and coordinating with others who will be assisting with matters like finding instructors and support staff or once the school is open.

For more than a year the Grimhall family has been working towards building a school of theology the likes of which few places in all the Compact have ever seen. Called the Grihem Seminary and Philosophical Academy, it is even in its building stages referred to more commonly as the Grim Seminary.

Designs for the Seminary include a massive structure of locally sourced marble that gleams like a beacon from the top of a cliff providing stunning views of the sea, located just outside the bustling city of Grihem's Point that it can be seen by those in the city below. Interiors are to be beautiful and spare no expense, with large auditoriums for lectures and sermons and smaller classrooms dedicated to more discussion focused education. It includes a library that is well stocked yet still growing its collection, as well as several outbuildings such as a cathedral for religious rites and prayer, and housing for teachers, students, and other workers and their families.

For this initial groundbreaking and dedication, House Grimhall is focusing on the following:

1 Hosting Godsworn and Legates from the City of Arx in order to help design curriculum, perform the dedications when the Seminary opens for students, and in some cases to offer guest lectures and classes to the first class to begin their studies.

2 Spreading word of the endeavor throughout the Mourning Isles in order to drum up interest and fill the classrooms. This includes reaching out to recently freed thralls or those about to be freed, for either studying or working at the Seminary provides housing and meals to students without cost, and the same for employees in addition to a fair wage for their work.

3 Creating paying jobs not only for the construction of the school but for its ongoing maintenance, employing everything from assistant teachers and caregivers for employees children to groundskeepers and maids who keep the buildings at their best.

4 Emphasizing through outreach that the Faith is yet another of the traditional institutions that are so important to Islanders, and that Grimhall continues to invest in these that traditionalists in their holdings are able to see that though there has been great change with abolition, the Isles are not forgetting their traditions or the institutions that keep them in place.

For Vanora's part personally, she will be focused on spreading the word and emphasizing the traditions that the Seminary will be deepening Grimhall commitment to, those of the Faith. She will be traveling around Grimhall holdings as well as Grihem's Point itself to tell of the Seminary and invite students and laborers to come and be a part of it.

As the Minister of Income and Trade for Grimhall, Cassima uses her profound knowledge of economics and experience managing the finances of House Grimhall to set up a stable economic framework for building this grand school of Theology at Grihem's Point so that there is coin enough to pay for the import of building materials, the labourers and so on in this endeavour. She also drafts a financial plan for the smooth and sustainable running of the school when the time comes.

Aureth's principal position here is as a student of theology (with his mid-life career change) and as a designer of a comprehensive and thorough curriculum for the school, piggybacking upon the work of the other priests who are involved and utilizing his long experience as an educator to do so. He also dedicates his own time to the project where he can by aiding in the interview and selection of instructors "on the ground" (so to speak).

One of the things that he primarily finds it important to ensure is that new priests will be trained not only in theology but in the kinds of thing local seraphies need: basic agricultural knowledge, for example, simple economics, introductory teaching, and what training he can design in empathetic and active listening. It's super important that training for new priests take into account the actual nitty-gritty details of their jobs, not just theological questions but practical ones.

Archscholar Sina has been aware of the project to create a school of theology at Grihem's Point for quite some time, since the very early days of its inception. Therefore, she is more than willing to offer whatever aid she can when the time finally comes to set those plans into motion. Using all of the resources at her disposal as Archscholar, she will assist with providing learning materials, copies of texts, writing implements and more. She'll send a delegation of eight to ten Godsworn Scholars to Grihem's Point to begin with, so that they can help with the initial establishment of the school and remain to teach, if they wish. (Represented by 800 Social resources.)

Then, she will be journeying to Grihem's point herself, in order to give her official blessing to the School in Vellichor's name. She will also be teaching a guest lecture, which she will be calling, "Heeding the Call". During this lecture, she'll tell her own story of how she, a Mourning Islander, felt the pull to become Godsworn. She'll tell the story of her how her own mother was a thrall aboard her father's ship before it was destroyed, and how she, Sina, came to serve in the kitchens of House Thrax, and then became handmaiden to Princess Donella and then Princess Alarissa. How, during a tour of the Mourning Isles, she passed through Grihem's Point and heard the choir in the amphitheater singing praises to Mangata, of how the artists and disciples of Jayus of Escuma moved her, and how Mother Ailith inspired her throughout the journey. These things, she will tell them, are all a part of what brought her to the service of the Gods.

She'll tell them, though, that in the end everyone has a different story, and that story has, one way or another, brought them to the seminary. Whatever story has brought them here, she hopes that those choices will carry them to the service of the Gods. But if not, that's okay. To become Godsworn isn't an easy path. She will explain all that it entails, both the pros and the cons, and she will 'keep it real'. She will end by inviting anyone who wishes to ask her questions, to do so. And then she'll give her blessing and benediction over the first class of Grim Seminary hopefuls.

Vayne sets in place curricula for training new godsworn, using his considerable experience and skills to help godsworn be well-rounded servants of the Pantheon. This includes ensuring a wide range of books and other resources are available, of high quality. Lessons and education tracks are established, giving the new godsworn every opportunity to succeed. He also lends the Shrine of Tehom's considerable influence toward advertising this effort.

Sanya will be heading over to Grihem's Point for purposes of spreading word and outreach. She'll use her skill with words and her popularity among the people to encourage them (including former thralls) to study/work at the seminary as well as improve the work ethic of those working to build the school. She'll also aid in hosting the men and women of the faith that have come to help design the curriculum.

As Lilia's first major contribution to her new house, she is determined simply to help where she can. As the former Minister of Upkeep for the Telmarch, she has some experience dealing with infrastructure and public works and that plays into helping with the construction phase, organizing and keeping track of paperwork and otherwise dealing with boring, nitty, gritty details that are otherwise tiresome. As former Voice, she's used to letters and meetings and encouraging people to get with whatever program is being pushed, by whatever means necessary. At every turn she looks for ways to assist, always with the goal that the Seminary should be a triumph and a beacon of theology not just to the Mourning Isles, but to the Compact as a whole.

As an investor, Edward will be on hand to help with logistics and managing supply for the materials that are used for the school. Specifically he has helped broker deals for House Grimhall in the past and knows how the ins and outs of their merchant business dealings more than most, so will make use of that information to help get discounted goods and materials that are still of the high quality that would be expected in the construction project.

It's a massive undertaking, and the better part of a year is spent fully constructing the Grim Seminary, but it's a remarkable achievement once complete.

The response is strong, with many noble houses throughout the Isles nudging a member of the family to be among the first seminaries to study at the school, so that their houses can have another claim in support of a great institution. Of course, the response from former thralls who are struggling to return to their old lives is even stronger, and even with the massive size of the Seminary, the thousands upon thousands of responses make it difficult to sort them all into classes, but the Seminary manages. The Faith will most certainly grow, and it will make it possible to spread some of the parishes, and have better trained Seraphs that will make it less likely for there to be spiritual divisions later (with the resulting unpleasantness in heresies and crusades).

Back when Harald was still Duke, Valdemar led an expedition to the island to the south of Grihem's Point on the map. Some shavs bent the knee, and some territory was claimed (action 2315). Now Valdemar wants to return, to build a fortress there as a base for further exploration and conquest of the island. Something modest but sturdy, with a dock for unloading from ships. He also plans on leaving a small garrison (the ground troops assigned to this action) there when construction is completed, though they will be circulated out every three months (officers every six) in order to keep them fresh and alert.

Faelan will be commanding the men set to guard the builders and work crews that are building the fort. He'll be organizing patrols and guard duty shifts, as well as taking command of any land engagements that may spring up with the local shavs during the construction process.

Edward has done this before and so will lend his talents to doing so again. Using his skill at economics and logistics he will make sure that all the materials needed and personnel needed for the construction of the FOB are able to be moved on site in a timely manner with a high efficiency to cost. He will also make use of newly freed thralls to bring to the island to help with the construction, as a public benefit for House Grimhall. He will not only make sure to incorporate the base construction to be what Valdemar sees it as but will also consult with the officers who will be cycling through the island over the first year to make sure that soldier needs are incorporated as well. Above all Edward wants to make sure that these fighting men know that House Grimhall has their concerns in mind for long-term deployment.

Turo lends his considerable skills and experience in martial matters toward seeting up this forward operating base, helping select the best place for it, what defensive measures should be implemented, and helping Grimhall as their admiral in establishing the appropriate staffing and supply practices.

Erik will join the expedition to help his family settle properly in the island. Offering some help on the economics side, he will make sure that the supplies that will reach the island will be kept in a proper warehouse, safe from weather and plunder, as well as making sure everything is organized so that the guards can spring into action should the situation call for it.

The expeditionary force that Valdemar and his comrades have assembled sets out for the island south of Grihem's Point, and the bit of territory they'd previously claimed there. They set out with the intention of building a small fortress as a base of operations, and come supplied -- and staffed -- for such.

They arrive to find such a thing is probably not a bad idea; it seems that the shav'arvani who didn't bend the knee last tiem around have taken something of a dislike to those who did choose to become vassals of Grimhall. So far this hasn't progressed past simple skirmishes and encroaching on fishing grounds, but there's definitely some /tensions/ that have grown where there weren't before.

Those who did join Grimhall are generally feeling favorably towards the Grimhall delegation, particularly inasmuch as the Grimhall delegation came with a good force of men. Armed ones, at that. And so they're happy to help point out possible places for a fortress. (They're also happy to help point out which other villages they think should probably be rolled over with all the might of the Compact. Or at least have a few of their fishing boats sunk to make a point.)

In the end, the best place they can find is a place of compromises. Oh, they could pick the site high on the cliffs, with a commanding view of its surroundings, but the nearest convenient place for a dock is a good ten minutes' walk away, and would almost certainly fall outside of any reasonable fortifications that could be built. They could pick the spot in the sheltered little bay perfect for a port, but it's surrounded by cliffs that would give an enemy force a position well above the fortifications from which to launch an assault. Every site that's /perfect/ in one way is deeply flawed in another. In the end, Turo's expertise finds a solid compromise; the fortress will be at the top of a small hill -- no commanding view of the area, but the docks can be built below and enclosed within the fortifications.

The plans are relatively easily adapted to the terrain, and Edward is able to make good use of the funds and materials; Erik even gets a warehouse. In all, the project seems to be going well.

The one hiccup is with Faelan's defense of the location during construction. One of the Abandoned villages launches an attack on the project under cover of night, and unfortunately they come from two directions simultaneously: one group across land, and one quietly on fishing boats. The guards are caught by surprise, and the resulting skirmish isn't as decisively weighted in favor of Grimhall as some feel it should have been. Still, while there's some loss of men -- and some lost materials, too, as the surviving raiders make their escape with what they were able to grab -- it's not enough to hamstring the project. And so, in the end, they have a solid little fortification and a force there to hold the territory -- and, the prodigals hope, a place from which their new liege's forces will defend their villages, too.

For some time now, Valdemar has been planning to build a naval school in Grimhall territory, and he is finally ready to get started in earnest on this very important project. The Harald Grimhall Naval Academy will serve a number of purposes, though primarily it will be meant to be the best available training facility for sailors, naval officers, and shipwrights, open freely to qualified students from all over the Mourning Isles, as well as other parts of the Compact through sponsorship by the Academy of War. It is also, clearly, a tribute to Valdemar's father, will provide jobs that will be needed as thralls are freed in the coming months and years, and remind the traditionalists of Grihem's Point about traditions other than thralldom, in this case their tradition of naval excellence. The school is to have facilities for classroom as well as practical instruction, built on the western shore of the island of Grihem's Point so that there is space in the bay for naval maneuvers. His part in this will be to oversee the actual construction of the place, managing the expenses, hiring and coordinating the masons, carpenters, and other craftspeople who will be needed to get the place built.

Natalia will be reaching out through the Academy of War to assist in finding instructors for the naval school, as well as providing consultation for the logistics particular to setting up an academy. She will work with Valdemar and others he designates to meet with potential instructors to ensure they know what is expected of them, and to ensure that they are reasonably qualified in what they are supposed to be teaching. And also to ensure that they're not terrible people who will be awful teachers because (insert one of a million reasons here). All connections will be used.

Having helped not only Halfshav with their dock location and placement, not to mention the rebuilding of Darkwater, Carita is well versed now in just how to get the right people that know people for the end result being utter perfection and the highest efficiency.

Her goals aren't small, as she calls on people for:

* The site of building mapped out for the best placement.

* Buildings for new members having a place to stay, a place to eat, the barracks laid out for optimal happiness - especially if this will the the home for the soon to be freed thralls.

* A place of worship.

* An area for training and exercise, with the help and advice of Count Turo and his planned curriculum.

* Naval archives for studies and teaching.

* A central courtyard for the future site for Duke Harald Grimhall's monument, or statue.


Carita also offers some of Darkwater's economic writs, toward this adventure of House Grimhall's, to accompany the help being offered up in support of the reinforcment of naval excellence, and to encourage stronger growth that has nothing to do with thralldom.

Lucita has been told this naval school will have an impact upon the acceptance of Thrall release and ease the resistance to it, helping promote a peaceable transition. Skills and gainful employment available sooner than the distant end to debt paid off. She is in favor of stability and of assisting the effort to free the thralls so lends her abilities to Grimhall for the purpose assisting this establishment. The barring of females she is a little leery about having sailed with and having skilled sailors in her own family, but one step at a time. First education and freedom and acceptance and stability. She is skilled with propaanda, and goes about attempting to convince people with charm and reasonable logical facts, helping sooth ruffled feathers and pointing out strengths and benefits in this concept.

Vanora will assist her husband and build up anticipation and interest in the military school. Her charms will be used to convince several of the Grim Fleet’s most promising young commanders to consider a stint of teaching at the Academy. She will also help spread word throughout the fealty in order to recruit teachers and also students. Her focused attention will be on ensuring that the school is a grand success and that everyone hopes to send sons there to study warcraft, sailing, and shipbuilding.

Katya is good with words, and she's willing to talk to get things done. When it reaches her attention that the family is working on getting a naval academy set up she pitches in her help. You want to have the best, that means that you need the best, and she starts sending out word to people, trying to get them to sign on to come teach at the academy. She talks, she woes, she tries every trick in the book to get people to sign on the dotted line to come teach.

Being familiar with construction projects and having helped on a great many, Edward will be there to help the logistics of the project. He will ensure that all of the money is accounted for economically and that materials used by those hired to construct the project are of good quality. In addition to helping set up the school, Edward will gladly volunteer to be an outreach instructor - taking on a select few chosen by the school to learn directly with him. Edward himself was taught naval warfare and tactics by the great Duke Harald Grimhall himself and so will be more than happy to pass on those teachings to other eager learners.

Turo lends his considerable skill and experience toward this end. He not only sets himself to creating curricula that will inform, challenge, and prepare the students of the academy, but also enlists the aid of his own captains to make the academy a success for generations to come.

Erik has a deep passion for the pursuit of knowledge and the opportunity presented by The Harald Grimhall Naval Academy fits him like a glove. To help incentivate others to join the Academy, he will host some of the initial classes and invite some of his crew at the Grimhall fleet to join him there. He should also be able to host some wargaming sessions to test the commanding skills of the new students.

The Harald Grimhall Naval Academy is established to uphold the naval traditions at Grihem's Point. It's a strong reminder of the man once called the Grim Duke, and it couldn't come at a better time for Grimhall. Duke Valdemar, son of Harald, spearheads the planning, and focuses on emphasizing how there are many traditions in the Isles. Oh sure, thralldom is at the forefront, but Duke Valdemar is very particularly emphasizing the proud tradition of naval excellence. Grimhall traditions are why Duke Harald was once a Voice of Thrax. Grimhall naval traditions are why Duke Harald once served as the Admiral of the Thrax Navy. These traditions are strong and proud, and now Duke Valdemar son of Harald means to remind the Isles of this tradition in the best way - and to ensure that it's carried on to next generations.

The execution of it is flawless. He hires Natalia Whisper to work with the Academy of War, hiring instructors that understand Grimhall Traditions and are excellent teachers. Countess Carita and Baron Edward work to make sure they get the most for their money, and that the placement of the school is ideal. Baroness Lucita gives aid too, helping establish programs where freed thralls can be used as workers, but also where they can learn the proud traditions of Grimhall.

Admiral Turo helps create curricula, and Lord Erik Grimhall hosts some of the very first classes. Throughout, Duchess Vanora continues to emphasize how great the Academy will be, and how it will continue to uphold those proud traditions of Grihem's Point. It's an obvious move to support Grimhall traditions.

Traditionalists across all of Thrax are uncomfortable and unhappy these days, and it should be noted that each of the Duchies of Thrax are traditionalists in truth. With murmurs of the end of thralldom, it's hard for these people, who set such store by tradition, to look at the future with anything but the grim certainty of war. And yet this naval academy reminds them, Duke Valdemar emphasizes again, that there are many proud traditions of Thrax - and the focused support of one of their greatest traditions wins praise for everyone involved.

House Grimhall will be touring Grihem's Point on a mission of celebration, diplomacy, and showing their availability to the people. Organized by Duchess-Consort Vanora Grimhall, those diplomats and other Grimhall allies accompanying on the trip are offering their assistance typically in one of three ways.

1) Rousing speeches are given to the men of the Grim fleet and Grim Legion, with praise on all of their recent work and propaganda about how important it is to be a part of one of the strongest naval powers in the seas. Citizens will be encouraged to join the Fleet or the Legion in order to show their devotion, reminded that though we have had successes, the battles 'our race' must win are only beginning.

2) The Duke and Duchess Grimhall, their family, and their visiting allies will spread the message of stability across Grimhall holdings. While the Grim Duke was much admired (if not always loved) he is succeeded by his son, and his grandsons will succeed after that, a line of succession cast strong through the males of Grimhall that should keep the holding stable for some time. The chaos of Euginie and then Dmitry's brief rules is in the past, and the era of prosperity and power that Duke Harald ushered in is now continued by his son. To demonstrate this, the new dromonde named after Harald and now used as Grimhall's flagship will be displayed in the harbor to much fanfare. The twins, Arkyn and Anthony, will be brought before the crowds that the generations of Grimhall rule have been secured for years to come.

3) The last mission of the Grimhall party in this visit and tour of Grihem's Point is to take the temperature of the people, after a fashion. Whether it Valdemar joking with soldiers and generals over drinks or Vanora visiting young families with her own children in tow, the Grimhall family will attempt to find out how their people are feeling about their lives and the current situation in the Isles. Are traditionalists afraid that more will be lost, and what is it they fear for? Are some of those of Grihem's Point beginning to have a more progressive outlook? What issues do they feel impact them the most, and what do they hope their rulers will accomplish for them?

Vanora has assisted Sanya in organizing this several pronged mission of diplomacy, and will play her part in executing it as well. She will be at her husband's side when the new Duke addresses his people, playing the expected role of traditional Islander wife while also serving as a reminder of the potential for progress as generations change. She will show off all three of her sons, including little Harald the Younger, that the citizens of Grihem's Point can see the strong line of succession. She will also focus on taking the temperature of the people. With the sweeping reforms that have changed the Isles in the last few years under Victus' leadership to the potential for the Compact allying with Brass and the practice of thralldom being abolished completely, she wants to ensure that the people House Grimhall is charged with leading are feeling heard, and that the Grimhalls know what their primary concerns are. This information will be used to guide upcoming decisions that impact Grihem's Point, with the goal being to avoid civil strife and loss of faith in Grimhall leadership.

Valdemar will do his best to make sure the speeches to the military are rousing, telling the Grim Legion and the Grim Fleet that they need to remain a force to be reckoned with. That his father would be proud of what they've become, but that there is still a lot of work to be done to be ready for the new order of the Mourning Isles.

He will also be helping to drive home the message of stability, showing off his twin sons and speaking of the importance of tradition to house Grimhall. Talking of how Arkyn and Anthony will learn about their roots in the same way that he did himself, so that they can be informed by those traditions as they face the future and rulee Grihem's Point just as he is.

During the smaller talks, he will spend plenty of time with the soldiers, officers, and other important men of Grihem's Point. Though he will do his best to keep them on topic, he will otherwise mainly listen to what they have to say, offering reassurance at times that they seem too agitated by some particular topic.

If there's anything Iseulet is good at, it's rousing speeches and improving morale, so she will assist in Vanora's recruitment drive! She encourages those in Grihem's point to join in their efforts. Between speeches, she too will be getting to know some of the people and aid in the hosting of meetings to get to know the concerns of the citizens.

Joining House Grimhall on their tour is a no brainer for Edward, who will represent House Stormbreak in speaking highly of the new Duke and Duchess. A big part of this will be using stories and gilded talk to step Valdemar outside of the shadow of Duke Harald Grimhall to highlight the new Duke on his own but also equate the two men together as being of the same sort - that Valdemar was a son that Harald was proud of both publicly and privately, and is more than worthy of stepping into the role of Duke. And for those who have doubts and dissent Edward will speak with further - levying his place of trust with the old Duke to provide him leverage and insights - he will do everything he can to reassure those who stand opposed or on the fence, that Valdemar carries every ounce of strength that his father had and more.

Karina will emerge from her on-again, off-again artist cocoon, join the expedition, and actually be social, offering to do a handful of free portraits for a mixed bag of nobility and commonfolk. Most importantly, she'll chat them up (temperature-taking) while she paints them, their magnificent holdings, their adorable and not at all messy and annoying babies, and/or their favorite lapdogs. And while they chat, Karina might just throw in a word or two about how rock-solid (message of stability) her FuzzyCuz AKA the New Duke is and will be.

Baroness Skye Blackshore will craft a wooden door awning to go in front of the entrance of Grihem's Point, giving homage to the what has come before through Harold's reign, showing off some of his deeds and military victories. With the former Duke clasping the hands of Valdemar, showing off the military might and capability of the new duke who has taken over. A reminder that Grimhall's history and traditions will be remembered even as Valdemar takes them into the next piece of the journey.

The baroness will also play a part in the diplomatic envoy by speaking to those vassals about her own experiences, giving them comfort that they are in good hands. It's clear that House Blackshore supports House Grimhall in words and actions.

The tour is a wild success, in terms of raising the profile of the leaders and winning the approval of the people of Grihem's Point. In terms of what they want, the people under House Grimhall are VERY traditional. Most strongly disapprove of things like men doing women's work by going into law or scholarly work even moreso than female soldiers and sailors, and some of them ask that male lawyers and judges be denied the right to practice law in Grimhall lands, due to distrusting their experience. A majority would rather than female soldiers be denied on Grimhall lands, and at the very least they should not serve in the Grimhall military. And most see removing thralldom as an assault on Islander way of life, and strongly disapprove of destroying the institution, as they see it as justice.

Valdemar is going to compare the notes and maps recovered from his own mission in defense of the Lodge of Petrichor (action 2747) with those he received copies of from Sparte (clue 1212), looking for similarities, as well as mention of any places in or around Grihem's Point or spots marked on the maps in that same area. He is then going to grab some people to help him organize a search using that information, to have the Grim Legion scour the island in search of what the minions of the Horned God, those of Reveka Tyde, or both, might be in search of. Or else signs of either group. The Grim Legion would have orders to capture the enemy where possible for questioning later.

Exploration seems to be the key of the day and Edward will answer a call from House Grimhall. Suited up Edward will join the Duke in his explorations with a ready arm for combat and an eye towards logistics. His primary task will be to ensure that the forces going out have proper logistical support and supplies to complete their task. He will also make sure that any needed supply lines are set up and provide little chance for graft.

There is a call to arms to secure Sparte's maternal ancestral home against cultists. So of course Sparte answers, adding his own knowledge of maps and resources to Valdemar's study of the cultist's targets and potential activity. Then his arm and staff to efforts meant to ensure the island is secure.

As the Admiral for the Grim Fleet, Turo sets his skill and talents toward the surveys being done, as well as any mop-up duties might be required. He'd pass on the orders to capture not kill anyone they happen to encounter. Where needed, he'd be available for land-based duty, applying his significant skill in warfare and tactics to lend support to whatever else is going on.

The first surprise are the cultists in robes decorated with a symbol of a giant mass of centipedes apparently praying at an abandoned grove. Truthfully, no one really expected to find anything- the villagers saying that some people had been acting weird and talking in strange ways, as if pairs of people would speak for each other and get confused about who was speaking, and acting very odd, and how these odd fellows would visit town and leave. And then some people disappearing without a trace for no reason. That warranted investigation, after all, for this isolated part of Grihem's Point in a grove a few hundred yards across that has no specific name.

The second surprise is the robed individuals all shrieking when discovered, with a loud skittering sound that sounds like the beating of a million insect wings, as they all shout together, "THEY ARE INTERRUPTING THE RITUAL, WE HAVE NOT FREED OUR SLAVES, SLAY THEM ALL!" Fortunately, really, there's thirteen cultists, and dozens of soldiers, so it wouldn't be much of a fight.

Except for the second surprise, when they all turn into masses of thousands of centipedes.

Three different Grimhall soldiers are devoured alive, but in the end with copious amount of torches and many, many hacking swords and spears, the bugs are dead. It's a hard one to discuss and tell their families how they died, but there is something going on, and something about that grove with no name.

Valdemar will be leading Luis, Salvatore, Vanora, Rosalie and Harald into the caves surrounding the Lodge of Petrichor. They make up one of many teams of Mirrorguard and Explorers that will be making similar expeditions, coordinated by Princess Lou Grayson. By way of preparation, Valdemar will be ensuring that they are carrying ample mundane supplies: rope, torches, grappling hooks, chalk (if it is thematic, if not then some sort of white paint), food and water. In addition, he will see how much blessed water he can get his hands on. As they progress into the tunnels, the idea will be to keep in a rough formation of three ranks of two, with Valdemar and Luis leading the way, followed by Vanora and Rosalie, with Salvatore and Harald guarding our backs. Where the caves become too narrow for this, we will adjust.

Vanora will be there in case knowledge of the occult is necessary, there has been talk of magical traps and the like and she wants to do her part. She will be doing her best to avoid contact with anything dangerous, as she's blessed with the physical prowess of cooked pasta, and likely be keeping close to Harald and Valdemar. It's not expected that diplomacy will be useful in this particular engagement, but should whatever is in those tunnels want to talk, she'll be there to keep them open to persuasion.

Rosalie will be accompanying the Mirrorguard group into the caverns. She is along to represent the Society of Explorers, and to offer her expertise in any number of intellectual matters! While certainly not a combatant, she can occasionally find a good place to hide and wait out fights, otherwise she tends to place herself behind a better fighter and tries to just stay out of the way. Mostly though, she's along to help decipher clues, riddles, puzzles, and traps!

Luis will aid in the simple way that he can as a soldier and as someone familiar with the nuances of warfare. Should it require the simple wielding of a blade, then he shall do that and do it with gusto, though should it require something more of the capabilities of a leader, then he shall offer his charismatic services and knowledge of such things as well. It is possible that the team will require a large variety of skills and should additional fighting men and women be required, Luis shall offer a personal squad of soldiers to aid in the defense and efforts of reclaiming the Lodge.

Salvatore will be on hand to offer his services as backup. Mostly he'll focus on guarding the backs of the others and doing what he can to not let them get surprised. He'll carry supplies and a big stick in the cave exploration.

Harald will join as part of the back row, spear in hand given the likelihood of limited fighting space. His primary purpose will be to guard the others, particularly the non-combatant types, though he will reserve the right to turn more offensive should the necessity arise.

They managed to stop reinforcements from joining their compatriots in... the Isles? They came away with maps and write-ups on various places around the Isles, which is worrisome enough. Worse though, this was a strong, well-trained unit they killed. So who's already in the Isles? Are they all strong like this? It came at a price too - The Grim Duke gave his life in the battle, stabbed by an extremely lucky shot as the last man fell. Next will be a time of regrouping - but in the meantime, what exactly is going on in the Isles, and why are the Horned God's forces involved?

After hearing from High Lord Victus that Jakric Hullman has been spotted around Grihem's Point with pirates flying what seems to be Reveka Tyde's flag, after our own intelligence pointed at a large number of pirates flocking to that same flag, house Grimhall has decided to go pirate hunting. Valdemar will be taking the Grim Fleet out to try to thin out the pirates around his home, along with other key military commanders. They will be trying to capture as many pirates and ships as possible, though the emphasis will be on allowing as few as possible to escape. Valdemar will be looking at maps of trade routes that pass through or near Grihem's Point, including the new one set up by Iseulet Blackshore's group, so that he can find the best places to patrol and set up ambushes for the pirates. He will be focusing mostly on the strategic aspects of the expedition, allowing others who are along to take immediate tactical command when the enemy is actually engaged. Though he will take part in the fighting, of course, wielding Grimhowl when that time comes.

Logistics. That is what will make a fleet run successful even before and after all the fighting is done. And Edward is going to apply his talents at making sure that the fleet has proper logistics for going on a lengthy pirate hunt. In addition he is the one responsible for making sure the Captains of the various ships and command ships are lined up, they know whom they are answering to and which flag ships they take primary orders from. This will free up Lord Valdemar and Count Turo to focus on other primary fleet maneuvers without worrying about ships getting out of formation. In addition, Edward will be flying his own flag, so to speak, from the dromond of the Isles Canines so that he can ensure that fleet integration between the Grimhall ships and the mercenaries goes well - while Commodore Dycard Blackshore as the one giving official commands to the mercenary elements.

As Commodore of the Isles Canines fleet - that is, the man acting as go-between between the forces of Grimhall, Navegant and the mercenary fleet they've hired - Dycard is using the Canines Dromond as his flagship and chief bait, and relaying orders as necessary to keep the Pack working with rather than against the Grimhalls and their allies. Dycard is also making sure that communications flow freely, and that no noble hackles get raised by the Canines' less-orthodox tactics. He's been hired to hunt pirates - this time at least - but the goodwill value of happy customers can't be overestimated.

Pirates! Turo is all in for pirates. The fleet - the ones that are free, anyway - are mobilised to become a part of the effort to sweep them all up. He applies himself fully to the effort, too. Whether it's in planning the attacks, strategising how to get the most bang for their buck, so to speak, or planning specific engagements, Turo is 100% in on this. While he's not going to swashbuckle his way to the enemy decks, he'll be there for the fighting, commanding ships to maximise their effectiveness.

Princess Marian Redrain brings the Redrain navy to the aid of Grimhall. With the help of her naval commanders, she uses her war strategy and fighting skills to drive the pirates into the sea. While she'll leave the sailing to the experts, Marian will help in whatever other ways that she can.

Being the commanding officer of the Navegant Marine forces, Regla Navegant is not going to let her Brother off to fight pirates alone. She, on the other hand, will be there for swashbuckling her way on to enemy decks via boarding operations, landing operations, search and destroy, all that cool military ground stuff.

Pirates! Adventure! Trying not to fall overboard! Orelia will be accompanying, having been requested to chronicle the venture. Though she's not hired as a soldier, she's more than willing to defend herself if necessary and will be using Siren Song should the situation arise. The escapades of those involved she will be putting to verse and performing until it 'catches on', embodying all the thrill and swashbuckling drama that audiences are certain to adore.

Jakric Hullman is a hard man to find. But Valdemar Grimhall has every intention of finding him nonetheless. With the aid of Baron Edward and Lord Dycard and the Isles Canines, they pin him down at last. And though there's some who think there's no way it could be easy, Dycard certainly makes it look that way. Somehow he just knows - they are biding their time and planning to attack just before dawn, but Dycard presses on forward, attacking in the late afternoon instead, earlier than expected.

It catches Hullman off guard, and they catch his fleet as the sailors are preparing to sail with the tide. With Count Turo and Lady Regla, Princess Marian, Lord Valdemar and Baron Edward and Lord Dycard - there's not much getting out of it. Buckles are swashed and the fighting is intense - but very brief, and in the end there are two captive galleys and a handful of pirates that Valdemar has every intention of sending through the court system to enthrall or punish.

And Hullman? Hullman is captured for questioning. And there are so many questions.

On Valdemar's last trip to Grihem's Point, he and his scouts checked out the shoreline of a modest-sized island just south of his home. Now house Grimhall is looking to explore that island, to see if it is worth settling, or if there is anything of interest or value to be found there. No coastal settlements were noted last time, but as this expedition moves further inland, they will be on the lookout for Abandoned who might live there. They will be offered the opportunity to bend the knee and become Prodigals, but if they refuse, survivors will be taken thrall according to Islander tradition. According to the new laws of Grimhall, however, orphans will be taken in to be raised and taught alongside child thralls who have been freed already.

Vanora isn't much of a scout, but she is a skilled diplomat and has been training in Isles Shav too. She plans to blend those skills and try to convince groups of shavs to bend the knee to Grimhall, The Mourning Isles, and the Compact. She'll co-ordinate and lead a group of similar diplomatic types to work with, and will try to stay out of the way if anything more violent threatens to occur. She will also bring along trinkets (or just silver) that the shavs might enjoy to be offered as gifts should they agree to join the Compact.

Harald will be working side-by-side with Valdemar to scout the island for signs of life. Should any Abandoned be found occupying the island, he will use the fearsome reputation of Grimhall to convince them to bend the knee to the Grimhall, Thrax, and the Compact.

Ingvar has been asked to take charge of the scouts and head out and start surveying the island searching for any signs of habitation by the Abandoned, or any signs of past habitation in general. In addition he will be bringing back information about what he finds that may suggest natural resources or other landmarks of interest to allow the others of the expedition to make better assessments of the island. He is not going to engage any locals in hostilities, just observe, and retreat back to the main force if any hostilities begin.

Being the veteran explorer on the team, Edward will give an idea of how many potential Shavs could live on the island based on its size and location - using the same methods that Harald used the first time to know the general size of the population of Whitefrost's Shav population before they were dealt with. Edward will also use Ingvar's information from the scouting trip to help estimate the value of the resources on the island and give exerpience based information on how habitable the island is - having done this with Whitefrost he's learned about how long it can take a colony to hit self sufficiency based on the islands resources that it is known to have. Besides information, Edward will also be ready to help either fighting teams or diplomacy teams. He can recommend some of the more appealing trade items to Vanora that Isles Shavs might be interested in.

Ingrid will turn to old maps and chronicles to see if there are any historical accounts documenting the layout and possible resources that may be found on the island. She is trying to determine whether the amount of resources found on the island is worth the risk of trying to settle it. What she is seeking is locations of potential farmlands, mines and any sightings of grazing animals or anything else of interest.

Cold winter months are not well known as good months to be on the water, but that doesn't stop the delegation from Grihem's Point at all. Under Lord Valdemar Grimhall, heir to Grimhall, a group sails forth to look at a smaller island south of Grihem's Point. Unclaimed and unbothered by the Compact in years past, now Grim attention turns toward it.

Advised by Baron Edward, who did something similar in his own holdings, they first sail around to take stock of it. It's not a huge island, certainly not big enough for a large holding in its own right, but it's not small either. They find a good place to land the ships and the group goes ashore, complete with their armies.

Lady Ingrid has poured over maps for months now, trying to find the most likely places that would hold good resources and good opportunity. Lord Ingvar scouts ahead, looking for potential problems or opportunities as his sister directs. Some of they places he scouts seem to be abandoned, as though the shav there saw them coming.

Others though welcome them. News of the recent events in Darkwater and Setarco have reached even the shav here, and those who stay to hear what Lady Vanora, their diplomat has to say. Though some are fractious, Duke Harald's glower calms them down and they listen.

In the end, several villages worth of shav bend the knee, and a small toehold is established on this nameless island.

With her recent marriage to Lord Valdemar Grimhall creating such a scandal in its wake, Vanora is determined to do all she can to ensure that the newly forged bonds between Pravus and Grimhall remain strong. As such, she and her new husband are making pilgramage to all of the Shrines within Arx as well as the Great Cathedral. They offer up specific vows to each of the gods, and a sizable donation in the form of 100k silver to the temple of Limerance in particular, set aside for educating the masses on the importance of vows and subsidizing costs for those who wish to travel through Arvum spreading Limerance's message. (100k silver, 150 social res, 150 economic res)

They also spend a good deal of time writing letters to the common citizens and the peerage of Grihem's Point and surrounding Grimhall territories. These come from Valdemar directly, sealed with the official seal of House Grimhall. A few even come from Duke Harald himself. All express to their recipients this new marriage, despite the scandal attached, occurred with Duke Harald's blessing. They cite how hard Vanora worked for Kennex and Stormward and express confidence that the skills she employed in working for Stormward will be utilized for Grimhall to the House's benefit. (They do not expressly refer to her role in the abolishment of thralldom, but do mention that work she does for Grimhall will be in service to Grimhall, in the hopes of calming any citizens who might be concerned that she will attempt to bring the 'progress' of other Islander houses into Grihem's Point) (150 social res)

Lastly Vanora again reaches out to Orazio's Sentinels (Though Orazio keeps insisting they should not call themselves that, not even Vanora has had any success in persuading them otherwise) In that letter Vanora explains that though she is no longer Marquessa of Kennex she has not forgotten them or the promises that she made, and that the construction of a new temple to the Pantheon in Stormward will remain as scheduled, funded jointly by herself and Marquis Kennex. (100 social res)

Harald will focus on communicating with Grimhall and the vassals and citizens of Grihem's Point. His letters will be strongly worded declarations that the match between Vanora and Valdemar was his desire and that it was best for Grimhall. The implication will be clear...Lady Vanora is a Grimhall and he expects her to be treated as such, and deriding the match and questioning his judgment would be unwise.

Valdemar will write the letters that Vanora mentioned, to the nobility and commoners of Grihem's Point, emphasizing the loyalty and hard work she gave house Grimhall and the people it governs well before she was even divorced, assuring them that her skills will be used to further their cause, and that the match was not a reckless love match but a wish of Duke Harald's and supported by Duchess Belladonna, and comes with a strong alliance between these houses on which the marriage now rides. That he understands that broken oaths are an offense to the Gods but reassures that the appropriate efforts are being made to atone, and that the contract formalizing the marriage is ironclad.

In addition, he will be joining Vanora as she visits the shrines, showing his own contrition for the scandal that has taken place, and helping to deliver the donation from house Grimhall and the personal funds of both himself and his wife.

Lady Carita Darkwater has been asked to provide assistance in this matter by her friend, Lady Vanora Grimhall, and so she steps in to aid. Not within her role as Darkwater's Voice, no, but within her scope of influence as a former Whisper and expertly trained courtier in diplomatic matters.

Where Vanora and Valdemar are, Carita follows.

The quiet murmur when the Lady and Lord Grimhall are the clarion presence and sincere voice that passes to assure the citizens and the peerage - she is the one that emphasizes those assurances, soothes worries, and makes sure to speak highly of those that have employed her service.

Vayne works to reassure his fellow members of the Faith that Vanora has been a loyal servant of the Shrine of the Thirteenth, and has acted with integrity and selflessness during the time he's known her. He has lists of examples of her hard work and diligence. He also reassures people that the Faith takes Oathbreaking seriously, even if it is for a good reason, and points to the donations being made in Limerance's honour as examples of Vanora's sense that this is not done frivolously.

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the marriage of Valdemar and Vanora Grimhall, the couple and their supporters take action.

First, they show their reverence to the Gods, visiting shrines and making offerings and prayers. Lady Vanora reaches out to Orazio's Sentinels (who seem to refuse being called anything else despite his injunction) and reminds them that she has not forgotten her promise, and that a shrine to the Pantheon will be built in Stormward. Apparently her ties to Marquis Ford remain strong, as she indicates that Kennex and Grimhall will be working together on the establishment thereof.

Lord Valdemar and Duke Harald are not sitting idly by either. They reach out to their vassals, to the notables among their lands, and even to some of the common citizens. Vanora, they say, will be working directly for Grimhall and to Grimhall purposes. The implication here is that she isn't instituting a platform of reform, not among these traditionalists.

Lady Carita Darkwater throws her support behind the new couple as well, quietly adding her voice and reassurance to the people that this is a strong marriage meant to last, and that they're working to the benefit of Grimhall. And Archlector Vayne also adds his voice, pointing to the donations in Limerance's honor made to the shrines, and reminding people of Lady Vanora's reverence for the Pantheon.

They work hard to soothe potentially ruffled feathers, and it works fairly well. Oh, Vanora still gets some side-eye, but overall their vassals are mollified.

In the relative calm that has fallen over Arx since the Gyre's defeat, Valdemar has decided that a trip home, of sorts, is a good idea. He is going to take a number of Grimhall's longships out to thoroughly scout Grihem's Point and the surrounding waters. With the enemy fleets from Setarco and Darkwater Watch dispersed but not entirely destoryed, he wants to make certain that his home has no nasty surprises lurking about. Once done, he will also pay his family's acestral home a visit, though there isn't a specific purpose to that other than to see his mother and siblings before returning to Arx.

Sameera, as per usual for her, is prioritizing helping a Grimhall. Though, in this case it is Valdemar instead of Harald. She is using her investigative knowledge and skills to help him sniff out any possible threats that might be lurkign in Grimhall lands. She, as is her usual duty as a member of the Grimhall's people assuring the longships are set up with the proper supplies and the people are organized as they should be for the plans. Basically, her usual duties.

Having extensively studied the trade routes and set up most of Grimhall's trading himself as his time working for the Duke, Edward will provide Valdemar with the proper charts and coursings to patrol first to search for pirates that might still be flying under the banner of the Gyre or the remnants of his fleet. In addition, he will provide Valdemar with places near Grimheim's Point that were revealed as places of hiding for the Gyre's men and naval forces, this information created from prior investigations into House Darkwater and its illicit tradings with Abandoned and Venta Darkwater's continued trade with Port Defiance and its pirates. Making these places of interest for Valdemar to search for Gyre's men and forces in hiding.

Lady Vanora Pravus will focus on gathering information through contacts in the Isles in order to cover more ground. Any leads that she hears via friends in Stormward or surrounding territories will be passed on to Valdemar so that he and Grimhall can follow up. In addition to attempting to suss out any groups of Gyre loyalists or pirate enclaves that Grimhall may need to demonstrate shows of force to, she will also be seeking information on territories close to Grihem's Point still populated by shavs and Abandoned. She is well aware that economic struggle may be a factor in the Isles for some time, so any potential territories rich in natural resources or ideally located for trade she will hope to hear something of and share with the scouting team. She will attend physically but remain well protected on the ships unless there is reason where diplomacy might be of immediate benefit, at which time she would be more than willing to use charm in order to encourage cooperation and see that the fact-finding mission is a successful one.

The trip home goes well. Everyone is glad to see him, and glad too that he survived. Proud of his accomplishments in Setarco - this pride and joy is well communicated - his mother, he can see, almost smiled. -_-

The rest of Grihem's Point seems to be doing well - safe from the attacks that leveled Darkwater and Stormwall, the Grimhall home has weathered the storm admirably. Even as they return to more mundane concerns (is abolitionism going to take hold in Grimhall too, or are they safe from these dangerous, newfangled political messes?!) there are still pirates to contend with. Reports have them unable to triangulate a base of operations, but predations of pirates on coastal towns and merchant vessels continues as it ever has.

Though now the reports are they fly a different flag - no longer the flag of Marin, some pirates have taken to flying the Tyde flag on a background of red. It's not enough to set fear in their hearts yet, but there are already rumblings about what they call "the Tyde problem." Some praise Donrai for attempting to cull them completely. A few say he didn't go far enough. Others curse that Victus undid a great deal of his good works by marrying Dagon to Margot. And some - notably those who were at Setarco themselves - urge caution. This is not the Tyde we know. This is someone different, and her rage is as deep as the ocean.

Of the small island to the south of Grihem's point, there is no sign of settlement or civilization. What is there remains to be seen, but from the water there are no docks nor ports nor cities in evidence. If the pirates have set up a base of operations, their ships make port somewhere hidden and undiscovered.

Harald is gathering heralds and bards of the Isles to the Hall of Fallen Heroes in Grihem's Point. He will declare the summoning of all banners, and charge them with carrying his words to all lords and captains in the Grimhall chain of fealty: the war their race was born to fight is at hand. Mortal glory, immortal fame, and great wealth await those who answer, while scorn and terrible retribution will fall upon those who shrink from the battles ahead.

Vanora will be attempting to catch with honey any bannermen that Harald's fear and vinegar method does not work for completely. The Marquessa Kennex will use her charm and diplomatic skills to gently persuade those Harald calls upon to heed that call. She will be dong this via post for the most part as well as through persuading allies and friends among the Grimhall holdings to do so in person. She will be engaging with Kennex and vassals therein as well, for though the diplomatic endeavor that Octavia and Catalana will be undertaking when Kennex's own banners are called has not yet begun, she wants those she has sway over within Kennex to be ready when that summons appears. In addition among the Kennex lands still populated by new 'freedmen' she will be exercising her influence to encourage all recently freed thralls with any skills at sailing (or others useful in similar undertakings, such a ship and sail repair, ropeworks, etc) to join into this upcoming challenge faced by the Compact. These once-thralls will be reminded that they serve the Gods well and show thanks to those who cared for them when the step out to defend their homes. As well as reminded that unlike in many other trades, the widows and children of soldiers and sailors who lose their lives in battle are well care ford by the lieges.

A few particular persuasive letters will be sent in the direction of the zealot population settled into Stormward, reminding those among them that the upcoming battles are not strictly those of war but have legends implying it is a 'holy' clash as well, between the beloved gods of the Pantheon and the Heralds and Archfiends who would destroy what the Compact has built. These Orazians will be asked not only to consider offering their service to the vassals of Kennex and Grimhall, but also to use their preaching and engaging while in Stormward to mobilize freedmen to do the same.

With Edward I will use his Propaganda skill to gather as many combatants to the banners as possible. His Barony is so new it probably does not have any. So he will help others.

Turo sets about rallying the captains and soliders and sailors he knows with absolutely no hand-holding, nor discussion of future glory. Instead, he mixes a combination of straight-up ordering people to get to work, along with some mention of duty and whatnot. There's not a lot of yelling per se, but he's not really letting anyone give any excuses about why they couldn't possibly be involved in the upcoming war. He focusses on everyone doing their duty, whatever it might be, from the sailor to the captain to the ropemaker.

Faelan will be taking sailors and ships and going out to spread the word, and recruit every able bodied man he can convince to come aid in the coming battles. He'll be focusing on Navegant lands, but will also help out with Grimhall lands if it's needed. He'll mostly be relying on the soldier's fame earned during his previous battles in the ongoing war to help him draw men to the cause.

Ivarr will be grabbing his reavers and going out to press captains and vassals of Grimhall into rallying the banners. He will include pirate acquaintances he has met in this if they swear fealty. His angle: Leave the women to making laws and doing hard math, grab your axes, and come grab glory that will make your ancestors jealous . He is promising great glory, honour, fame, and the best deaths anyone could ask for. As extra incentive, he will burn down the hall of and crucify anyone left over from the first group to refuse the call to rally, using that as leverage against any captains that do not want to rally afterward.

Sameera, as per usual for her, is organizing the people and goods that will be going with the Grimhall fleets. She'll be rallying the Coldrains that wish to fight to do as such. She is assuring food, supplies, weaponry, etc, is all directed to where they need to be so they are most efficiently done. Those under her command are given orders on what they are to do, where they are to be, and clear procceedures on what they are to do.

Also, even if just rallying, Sameera IS assuring Grimhalls and THrax Family members are not at risk (AKA in a getting dead place).

Ian will go and do some drunken carousing with friends he has among the more martial noble NPCs among Harald's vassals. He'll regale them with some of the best Brothers Kennex stories (like the time Aethan decided to sneak up on a faster ship over open waters by hiding behind the swells, and everyone thought he was crazy, but then they did it, and you should have seen the LOOKS on the pirates' faces!) and listen to their battle stories as well. As a note: He will only be going to vassals of Grimhall, not vassals of Kennex. Ford has yet, as far as Ian knows, to mobilize his vassals, and Ian doesn't want to step on Ford's toes.

Wash will pick at least one outlying vassal with a limited naval force and sail out with the repopulated Kennex fleet. He'll invite them to participate in maneuvers, and share his knowledge of the enemy and sailing with them.

Darrow Darkwater visits the nobles and captains comprising both the Darkwater vassalage, and those of Grimhall and Kennex he's known from the many manuevers and actions in the past few years. He's known amongst them for not losing his head, and its this angle he will press - to firm the resolve of the armies to rally to the Darkwater Redoubt.

Though not a bard, Caspian will still answer the call to action as a bard, seeking audiences with those within the Grimhall chain of fealty to perform songs and poetry for them. These songs and poetry are meant to inspire courage, honor, and a desire for heroism while mocking those who hide away or do the bare minium as their brothers and sisters give it their all for glory.

Baroness Skye Blackshore answers the summons, offering to help even though she has no men to call to her banners. The brave young woman who looks like she can barely stand up in a fierce wind offers to command a ship against the Gyre, citing her sailing skills are her best talent. Hmmm, perhaps other vassals will be shamed by being upstaged by a petite little lady and answer Duke Grimhall's call.

Ember will have a frank talk with her military lieutenants rallying them to join the fight that is coming. She'll give a bold speech, telling her army that the might of Redreef is needed to help with the upcoming battles. There will be a lot of yelling and posturing, but the tiny woman is adept at getting her point across. Once her lieutenants and sailors are on board to fight, she'll pass that information along to the Thrax family, letting them know that Redreef will be present and geared and ready to fight.

Valdemar will be sending letters to Grimhall's vassals, making liberal use of terms like "honor", "duty", "loyalty" and so on in an attempt to fire them up for the fight to come against the Gyre and his minions.

Duke Harald calls the Grimhall banners with a decidedly less-gentle touch. Mortal glory, immortal fame, and great wealth await those who answer, while scorn and terrible retribution will fall upon those who shrink from the battles ahead. You cowards. Lord Valdemar Grimhall also assists, making liberal use of terms like "honor", "duty", and "loyalty" in an attempt to fire vassals up for the fight to come. Marquessa Vanora also lends her softer skills, persuasion and diplomacy her watchwords to convince even the hardest of hearts and the yellowest of cowards to join the join this holy war. Grimhall and its vassals respond surprisingly well to this three-pronged exhortation.

Baron Edward Stormbreak, needing little urging, follows suit, calling his banners to fame and glory. Count Turo Navegant doesn't ask so much as order, but he leads the way in preparing for war with Lord Faelan at his side. They are clearly expecting those well-accustomed to Turo's leadership to follow suit.

Sameera Coldrain works hard to get supplies organized for everyone, and make sure that as they're preparing for war they're doing so with ships well-stocked and mended, and enough provisions for all. Ivarr goes looking for pirates, who give him the finger and sail off, shouting about how they're not going to fight for him now when Thrax is openly going up against pirates, dammit. Don't they know The Code?

Lord Ian Kennex goes drinking - as Ian is wont to do - but uses this time to swap drinking stories with buddies in the Ebb and Flow. He regales them with stories and reminds them of the fun to be had on the open seas, even when times are Grim. Lord Wash Kennex for his part sails to train others in the Navy, hoping to coordinate ship maneuvers with them and encourage them to set sail.

Lord Darrow Darkwater also calls his banners, even as his people begin a mass evacuation. Here Caspian Wild plys his skills, using songs and poetry to inspire people to answer the call to arms and subtly shame those who don't.

And not to be left out, Baroness Ember Redreef and Baroness Skye Blackshore talk to the various troops, challenging them by their size and gender alone to prove they can fighter better than a couple of women. It's maybe not the most effective tactic, but it's not the least effective tactic either.

Grimhall and their vassals sail to war. -_-

The Marquessa Kennex has put a great deal of time and effort towards ensuring the continued security and economic viability of Stormward since the freeing of the thralls. She has divided her attention across three different areas with the expectation that each will play a part in contributing to Stormward's success.

Economic Issues: First and foremost Vanora is focusing on the economic issues that face Stormward and other Kennex holdings as they transition from using free labor to paying their workers. To this end the Marquessa has communicated by post with prominent businesses and trades in the Kennex territories. Every effort is made to encourage business to keep their former thralls in their employ, especially in cases where the thralls were trained extensively in their area of trade. Economic incentives in the form of contributions of silver and the promise of eventual tax breaks for these businesses will be offered in order to see that industry remains in Stormward. (10000 silver put towards the cause as well as 50 economic resources.)

Diplomatic Outreach: Marquessa Vanora has also put effort into diplomacy with House Kennex vassals in order to persuade them to do all that they can to support former thralls settle into their new lives. Vanora will ask the (NPC) vassals of Kennex to work with House Kennex itself in creating infastructure to support these newly freed laborers, such as housing, appropriate medical care, and schools both for the children of former thralls and the former thralls themselves as they work to learn a trade. There will be particular effort made to see former thralls trained as shipwrights, sailors, and warriors in order to protect Stormward and serve the Mourning Isles when the call sounds to summon banners. (50 Social)

Specific Diplomatic Outreach to Zealots: Lastly the Marquessa will communicate with leaders among the once Orazians and now Sentinels, asking for their support in convincing freed thralls to remain in Kennex and their support in providing housing, education, and jobs to freedmen. Vanora will also share with them that there are plans to build several temples to various Gods of the Pantheon in Stormward once the crisis of Darkwater Deeps has passed. Freedmen will be invited to find paid work in building and maintaining these temples, and the Zealots will be asked to help bring these freedmen to appreciation of the Gods.

Other members of House Kennex and allies of the House may provide assistance in any of these three areas as the foundation is laid for Stormward not merely to survive, but to thrive as a progressive house.

Ford's assistance of Vanora's The Trouble with Thralldom action;

Economic Issues: Ford works closely with his wife to find a good balance between profitability and stability. He accompanies her to any meetings with nobility in Arx, and only speaks when directly spoken to, reinforcing the Co-Rulership. Ford also reaches out to smaller businesses, especially the ones that hired thralls after the Unchaining, to see if a collaboration of brands couldn't benefit profits for the smaller businesses. Spice merchants and produce sellers are put in touch with key personnel from Oseyan, the Kennex Vodka brand. (Command+Leadership)

Diplomatic Outreach: In this instance, Ford takes a proverbial backseat, this is where he feels it's best Vanora take the wheel in terms of further solidifying the Co-Rulership. He feels that if Kennex Vassals deal directly with Vanora on key issues it will ease the transition and culture shock. However, if there is resistance to that, he'll be there to affirm that this is Vanora's plan and what she says goes. (Composure+Diplomacy OR Command+Intimidation if there's some resistance)

Side Note OOC: I'm not sure if I'm allowed to have more than one check on an action. So I tossed in a few just in case, but if I cannot, then Command+Leadership should work fairly well for both of those assistanceseses.

Naomi will provide Lady Vanora with all of her Corsair contacts in order to better facilitate the retraining of former thralls into sailors and soldiers.

Catalana will spend her time meeting with her various contacts in her orgs to assure that spending time with the ex thralls to help retrain them will not only help the ex thralls but to the community at large.

Valdemar will be helping out by providing security in the form of mercenaries, and providing them with strict written orders, so that the people there to perform outreach can concentrate on what they are doing.

Wash will make room available on vessels for ex-thralls to find employment. He will establish through example that they are not to be treated differently from other freedmen.

Ian will use the experience that he's gotten training Duke Grimhall's new recruits to help train any new recruits Kennex takes on in fighting, sailing, strategy, and general discipline. In addition, he'll sail with the Saffron Fleet in any operations they undertake to provide security for the more diplomatic side of this @action.

Marquessa Vanora Kennex has not been idle. While others prepare for war, Vanora focuses on the immediate need for peace amongst the Kennex. This is not the best time to be at odds, and she has worked tirelessly to reach out and help set the domain she co-rules with her husband Ford to rights.

She works with businesses within Kennex to retain former thralls, particularly well-trained ones, at a fair wage. She sponsors necessary infrastructure projects - schools, medicine, housing - to make sure that everyone is properly housed and cared for. She pays particular attention to the thralls who work with ships - as sailors and shipwrights and everything in between - to make sure that their naval strength is as steady as possible with the upcoming crisis in the east.

She even reaches out to Orazio's Sentinels (who stubbornly insist upon referring to themselves as that, even though Orazio himself asked them politely to stop) and assures them that proper care is being taken to see to the religious education of the former thralls - that temples are being built not just to Mangata but to the entirety of the Pantheon. Freedmen are being asked to help work on the temples once the issue to the east is settled, and the zealots have been asked by the Marquessa to keep an eye on things and make sure that the gods are properly honored. It speaks to their zealot hearts it does, and they agree gladly. Of course, this means zealots will be in and out of the temples but right now they're at least walking with Kennex, not marching against.

Marquis Ford is not absent from these negotiations. He is present for all of them, presenting a united front but letting Vanora take the lead. He reinforces her authority as needed, if a particular vassal gets too fractious about it - and in general seems to agree with everything she is doing and saying. The united front is well received it seems, particularly as Vanora is doing what even the most traditional of Thrax know women are best at - cementing alliances, handling diplomatic matters, and keeping things well organized and well run.

Lady Catalana Kennex, recently returned from a sojourn in Stormward, wastes no time in helping the Marquessa, reaching out to everyone she knows to help smooth the diplomatic path. Naomi Cutter does the same, providing valuable contacts among the more common sailors so that when Vanora starts encouraging people to hire ex-thralls - the boots on the ground (decks) are already primed to do it. Lord Wash Kennex likewise orders the Captains of ships in the Kennex fleet to start hiring ex-thralls, and has been heard talking about this new path for Kennex most enthusiastically.

Lord Ian Kennex and Lord Valdemar Grimhall, interestingly, both provide security - Lord Ian by training men and coming along to ensure the Marquessa's safe passage, Lord Valdemar by hiring mercenaries to protect the Marquis and Marquessa on their diplomatic travels.

All in all, it's a united front that Kennex provides. Rumors of squabbling between the various members of the family seem to be just that - whatever happens between them in private, together they're providing a united front of strength and forward-looking goals to Stormward and to the rest of the Compact.

Graysons, take note.

Watchwords are circulated to allies, to be given when any Isles warship approaches. Allies are also encouraged to group their merchants into convoys for ease of protection and inspection. One week later, to allow this new policy to spread, Mourning Isles patrols will begin challenging all ships in Kennex waters. If the watchword is wrong, the ship in question will be boarded and inspected, to be confiscated if evidence of smuggling or piracy is found (inaccurate ship's ledger suggesting smuggling, illegal cargo, goods suggesting trade with Abandoned, etc.)

The warships of the Grim Fleet will spread into smaller squadrons of 2-3, in order to patrol more widely among the thousands of merchant ships coming and going from Stormward.

Yet again, The Grim Duke calls, and yet again, House Navegant answers. As voice, the lady navegant will mobilize her forces in suport of the dukes actions. The Navegant fleet, instead of protecting it's own traders, will instead be forming a picket and defense line of patrolling vessles. This new "Mourning Watch" will dedicate itself to full spectrum maritime patrol operations. This includes, escort, anti-piracy actions, rescue operations if needed, and Watchword questioning with Visting, board, search, and seizure operations as needed. To see the boarding operations in case of a failure to utter the correct watchword, Regla has detached Navegant Marines with each warship.

Victus will be committing the full might of the Thrax Fleet to hunting down these smugglers and false flag pirates. Ensuring to learn of the proper watchwords and pass them through the crew. Much like in dealing with the Thralls and Mutineers, Victus will be personally there for this. However he will not be bringing the Red Serpent, as to not immediately reveal that the High Lord of the Mourning Isles has re-entered Kennex waters. Rather he'll be taking more of a backseat role, standing in as a Lord to ensure no international incidents are going to happen if one or two vessels ends up forgetting their watchwords. Or even if the smugglers may learn of one themselves.

Edward will accompany boarding crews that are to inspect ships for smuggling to check manifests and other ships documentation for signs of deception or malfeasance. In addition, given this was part of his job for House Redreef he will apply his know how to searching ships for hidden compartments and where cargo may commonly be stashed - as well as the types of tricks that smugglers may use. Such as towing, barreling, keel riding and so on.

Sameera is doing as she normally does on missions Harald undertakes: She is managing inventory, keeping track of the people and organzing things on the ship to run as smoothly as possible. She has the added duty of checking ship ledgers and trying to find any suspicious activity. Anything that might give cause for concern is reported to Harald. As per normal for her all other duties are disregarded if a Thrax or Grimhalll family member is at risk (AKA has a potential of dying or running off to do something dangerous alone) and she will put her life on the line to protect them.

Faelan is going to be leading one of the longship squadrons in the hunt for more pirates and smugglers.

So, not much into the sneaky stuff. But as soon as one of these pirates gets caught?  I’m gonna axe him a question.

Ian, hopefully along with Wash, Porter and Aethan, will be setting up a small task force that adds actual hunting and deterrence to Harald's strategy of pirate isolation. They'll be setting up a 'bait' ship, ie a ship that seems like a lone merchant ship or trader, a plum target for pirates. The 'merchant sailors' of course will be Kennex pirate hunters, and any pirate who takes the bait and tries to board the 'merchant ship' will live (or not live, as the case may be) to regret it.

Porter will be accompanying Ian on a task force to attempt to bait the pirates into attacking them, and then fight back! Porter will be laying in weight with the ambush crowd.

Aethan will be taking part in the pirate hunting expdition with his brothers and Wash.

Duchess General Calypso works closely with Harald Grimhall and his fleet to support this new policy. Her captains have been given the Watchwords and been instructed to cast out any pirates, smugglers or otherwise undocumented and unwanted travelers on her ships. This only pertains to the fleet she had originally sent out in to Kennex waters.

Titania will be supporting Harald in this and leanding aid in whatever way she can with both Kennex Soldiers and Ships. She will be making sure that all work with Harald so that the situation in Kennex is not taken advantage of and Smuggling and Piracy will be stopped and dealt with.

Lark has forwarded the watchwords to her vassals to use as needed. So as not to confuse the issue, however, she has reduced Grayson naval footprint in Stormward waters to nilch, and suggested that her vassals similarly reduce their traffic there while Grimhall deals with pirates and criminals.

Wash will disguise himself and his personal vessel as a merchant ship, load it down with armed sailors from other Kennex vessels and attempt to lure the pirates into a raid. He will spread word through the lower boroughs (through proxies) of the wealth the ship is bringing to Stormward. Wash will be in command of the vessel, despite his usual disinclination toward hand to hand combat.

Darrow joins the efforts in the Stormward March with his marines and ship, the Reaper, to sail in the efforts of Harald Grimhall. He himself and a squadron of the Lament marines place themselves on the bait ship, knowing that it is likely to draw the most interest of pirates, smugglers, or any other submarine forces that might be lurking. This bait will not be easy prey with Darrow on its deck.

Valery is researching how to improve her smoke bombs, adding pigments so the smoke will come in different colors. (Action 1435) She's been told that could be used for signals!
She's handing Harald a few of these experiments, 3 of three different colors (red, yellow and blue) and another 3 white, making a total of 12.
(Added ap and resources for their cost)

Once watchwords are distributed, the Valardin navy will offer aid in light of increased piracy to escort and defend merchant vessels that are confirmed to be pirate free in the spirit of protecting and bolstering trade while giving the small and growing navy some opportunity to hone it's teeth on pirate vessels.

Watchwords are better than nothing, but actionable intelligence is what Halsim deals with. While everyone else is handling naval issues, Halsim goes pro-active and consults with informants across the Isles about pirates and probable false flaggers, sending any serious leads to Harald for him to actively hunt down. Narrowing the wide net to actual problems.

is going to take a different approach to the smuggling issue. Most lords think the problem is at the sea, that boarding will solve the problems, and often they're right. However, the Crimson giant and his men will be at the ports, stopping anything that they can that falls through the cracks. If contraband is spotted, he will threaten and beat his way to the source, and in turn he will turn over those hiding spots to the boarding parties, as not to let them be tricked twice.

201 ships participate in the massive pickets surrounding Kennex waters. The watchwords catch a number of smugglers off guard, and at least in the initial weeks, 4 longships and 2 galleys are captured running false flags, with their crews turned over to House Grimhall and the ships confiscated. Piracy dies down overnight, and if there were more than that they are definitely avoiding Kennex waters at present.

Harald is committing the Grim Fleet to the support of Kennex in the following ways: first, in hunting down the renegade Kennex longships which newly freed thralls took over, as well as cracking down on any other pirates looking to exploit the chaos. He will lead this effort personally. If found, the leaders of the mutineers will be publicly crucified as traitors in Grihem's Point, and the crews returned to thralldom under Grimhall.

Second, the fleet will escort any Kennex Freedmen who accept passage from Stormward March to Grihem's Point, where they will be considered free serfs. They won't be paid much, but they'll have work, shelter, and food for their families. Harald rejects Aleksei's placement of Churchmen aboard his vessels in this relocation.

Third, the fleet will provide escort to any mainland ships bringing aid to Stormward March, to ensure pirates do not prey on idiot mainlanders who announce they are transporting loads of silver and supplies.

Lastly, the Grim Legion is being prepared against the possibility that Stormward March falls into open revolt. Should this happen, Harald is prepared to land his troops together with Thrax to prevent a lengthy civil war and impose an overlord's order on the March. Should this be necessary, the army will bring supplies and silver to encourage cooperation, so that there is a carrot to go with the stick.

Ian will be going along with the grim fleet (hopefully together with Aethan and Porter). He's not just there to lend his blade to the fight, but also his expertise; Ian sailed Kennex waters for years, and if it comes to fighting pirates, it's a fair bet that they'll be pirates who became thralls after a ship Ian was on caught them in the first place. He knows the tactics that pirates in that area use, where they like to hide, etc. More personally, he's spent a lot of time with the grim legion, and also wants to go because he feels a certain obligation to dive into trouble alongside them. As an aside, it may or may not be worthy of remark that the Brothers Kennex, who used to have a reputation as pirate hunters, at least in their own House if not on the Isles as a whole, are together again on a reunion tour of sorts, and together under Grimhall's banner. Given the tension between Ford and Harald, it might set tongues wagging.

Aethan is joining his brothers in sailing with Harald to hunt former thralls turned pirate.

Faelan is going to come along with Harald to fight and hunt down the renegade Kennex freedmen. He is also going to bring Navegant soldiers with to help.

Traveling with the Grimhall Fleet, Edward will go as someone to meet with traditionalists and progressive who are concerned over their loss of thralls and provide financial and economic advice on how to spend the monies they should expect and demand of House Kennex and the Compact to help with the transition, recommending wage prices for thralls who want to stay and how to incentivize them to not leave on the great fleets that come to pick them up to take them away. This will include conversations to confused and lost thralls who do not know what to do, encouraging them to stay and continue their trade and craft - with examples of how wealthy a crafter in the Compact can become. And for those who still desire to escape their Kennex cages an encouragement to resettle inside Thrax instead of without - his focus then on places like Navegant and Whitefrost.

Melinda will be using her skills in Propaganda to help her father keep morale amongst his crew and his ships. She is also getting Artorius to lend more ships to her fathers cause.

Sameera, being more of an organazier, it set on keeping track of the inventory of the Grimhall fleet as well as organzing those on reserve for occupation Kennex, should it come to it. She is heeding any change of orders that Harald might give her or acting on any ill actions done by those following the Grimhall Duke. As a note, if Harald or a Grimhall, especially Harald, is in a situation of risk she will, absolutely disregard the orders Harald gives her to keep them safe. She will also attempt to try getting former thralls to follow her command, using her status as a former thrall, to draw them in and convince them to cease and then swear themselves to Grimhall. She will be nudign Torstein to join her, under her command.

Torstein will be assisting and playing bodyguard (babysitter) to Sameera.

Let's get some pirates! And probably do some other helpful and boring stuff, too. But mostly catching some pirates!

The High Lord is providing Thrax's own marine forces to assist Harald in combating piracy and aid in whatever other military campaigns that the Duke sees fit. By Victus' order, they will be led under Harald's command until order has been restored to Stormward and the mutineers are brought to swift justice.

Piracy? In our waters? Against our people? No. That will not stand. The Lady Regla Navegant, alongside the Marines and Navegant fleet will assist in anti-piracy and escort operations.

Two things go extremely well, from the standpoint of the Isles. First, no revolt happens under the watchful eyes of Isles' military might, which in turn stops the flow of blood due to anarchy and help stabilize the freefall of Kennex's economy. Most of the traditionalists are happy about that, even if they are disinclined to put their own money forward to buy old thrall debts that have now been abrogated by Ford's actions. Secondly, two renegade longships have been run down by their forces and destroyed. They were flying Kennex colors, but the flayed crucified bodies of their former commanders on decks made it not very ambiguous about whether they were legitimate Kennex vessels or not. Those ships were run down, cornered, and slaughtered with the surrendering survivors brought back to Grihem's Point to be presented to the sea. The overwhelming force combined with the vastly more disciplined soldiers made them extraordinarily one sided, with only three Grimhall men dying for 78 former thralls being slain in combat, and one of the deaths was from a man named Rolf trying to leap from a boarding plank, hitting the side of a longboat, and then drowning.

As a result of the show of force, a small amount of refugees choose to settle on Grihem's Point, Escuma, Whitefrost and Maelstrom. They all see a modest boost in their labor forces as a result.

It's not a complete success, but that is largely out of their control and their forces wish for more clarification on how to proceed, since they are crossing into some dangerous waters (a pun which they all argue is not intended). The problem is there are now hundreds of ships of the Compact's houses in Kenenx waters helping with relief efforts. While the morons on the two renegade longships were easily dealt with because they got carried away, more professional pirates and smugglers are much less stupid, and are taking advantage of the chaos by flying false flags. This is a predicament because many of the other ships are ducal houses from the Lyceum, Grayson, and the Oathlands at least. And some suspect that some pirates are flying Thrax colors as well, and this creates issues as asking any other ship to stop to be boarded could provoke some extremely ugly incidents- particularly since most would expect Kennex to be the ones doing this by law, and they aren't here. Grimhall could argue they have the rigths for this, as the liege of Kennex and it being a problem, but some of the craftier pirates might be flying Grimhall flags. It's very hard to tell how many are out there, but there was at least 3 attacks on isolated ships after the two longships of Kennex mutineers were killed, meaning -someone- at least is still in the business of piracy, and those ones are being extremely careful. Most of the large fleets of the Compact are traveling in far to big detachments for pirates to risk, but for smaller groups of refugees fleeing, it's a serious concern.

A joint Grimhall-Navegant campaign is being launched to subjugate one of the abandoned northern Isles near Escuma.  The island must be large enough to eventually support a stable barony. The combined fleets of both houses under Turo will secure the coasts, deliver warriors and supplies to support the armies ashore. The Grim Legion (Army #91) under Harald will land on the western shore, establishing a base of operations on the coast, where a palisade and ditch will be raised for defense, while Navegant warriors under Lady Regla (Quirin’s Army #105) will land and begin their sweep from the south coast.  Merida and Valdemar will also be with the army.

This fortified camp is intended to grow into a town after the campaign, once settlers are brought in. Initially, the camp will support a lengthy and thorough sweep of the island by the armies.  Organization of the camp will be entrusted to Sameera Coldrain, who will also direct initial construction while the military operation is underway, with an eye toward the settlement to follow.

Diplomats (Melinda, Titania, Edward) will travel with the armies to handle negotiation with any tribes of Abandoned who are encountered. Their aim is to avoid the massacre and enthralling of any Abandoned  tribes by persuading them to turn Prodigal. Titania speaks Island Shav, and will be primary translator. Shavs who resist before surrendering will become thralls, Tribes who kneel peacefully will become free subjects. (Rolf will not be allowed anywhere near negotiations. Fucking Rolf.) The diplomats will have the secondary task of inquiring after any rumors of magic, or sorcery among the Abandoned.  Gifts of steel, mead, and furs will be offered, to sweeten the offer.

Should the island be pacified, the final phase of the campaign is long term settlement. Refugees from the Silence have been promised land through Lady Caelis Malvici, who has agreed to re-settle any fisherfolk, farmers, woodworkers, or any folk willing to learn those trades, starting at the fortified coastal camp.  Combined with any Prodigals, this should provide the island with a self sufficient population base after a few successful growing seasons.  With Navegant's approval, governance of the island will be entrusted to Edward Stormbreak, in vassalage to Navegant.

Made all the roles, made ALL the posts, and the adjustments, opened up the new dominion too. Congratulations! You have colonized an island!

The Thraxians are joining Calyspo's strike against one of the columns of Brand's army. Victus will have command over their forces, with Dagon and Harald as subcommanders for the Grimhall and Tyde forces respectively. This is the same third of the Thrax strength that is waging war here on the Silence theater in defense of the Compact.

Victus is also putting pressure the Thraxian merchant marine that can be reached close to Arx, and with ships capable of ferrying troops, to assist in ferrying Compact men and women upriver to pack in as many extra soldiers as possible for the battle, and trying to set the stage for an ambush situation.

For the battle itself, Victus is actively looking to make the best use of terrain and tactics for the Thraxians. He's wielding the Tyde. Since Calypso has overall battle command, he feels free to let loose and join the thick of the fighting if he sees a chance to make a big impact, rather than sit in the back and roar orders.

Harald will lead the Grimhall longships and warriors under Victus and Calypso’s command (half of House Grimhall's total strength).  Should the battle take place near a river, their archers will fire from the ships, with the rest of the Grimhall warriors forming a shield wall once ashore.  If deeper inland, archers will form up behind the advancing shield wall.

The Grims will anchor one end of the Thrax battle line, keeping pace with the center to ensure their Highlord does not get his gallant ass flanked and surrounded.  Harald will be fighting in the front and center of the shield wall with a diamondplate axe.

The longships will stand by to achieve a swift withdrawal of forces back to Arx, afterward.

Prince Dominic Thrax will sail alongside Victus with a pack of Silence eating, hungry war dogs and cover the highlord's six as they move into battle together.

Hold my ale.

Jasher's going to be using his ships to support the action against the first strike on Brand's army. He can help ferry troops then patrol along the coast and deeper rivers if any, landing soldiers for quick sortees or harassing them from the ship with their archers. He'll also make sure no reinforcements reach them via sea.

This is a logistical challenge the type of which Castiel enjoys; he already had caravels waiting at the docs to be loaded with provisions for the upcoming battles against the Gyre, so he'll go himself with them this time to make sure the time-sensitive upcoming tasks check out; the objective is to carry troops with a skeleton crew so he can fit more soldiers in his fleet, ferry them over to the pre-determined locations then rush them back so they can be funneled into the supply chain.

Prince Remi is lending assistance through reaching out to contacts made during his time where he was believed to be dead to gain more ships for ferrying Compact Forces up river for the battle and through seeking out the less reputable sorts within the Lower Boroughs by way of Pirates and Bucaneers found within some of the establishments. Seeking out the outlaws to fight on land alongside Compact Forces to help divide the forces coming towards the city.
     The man's own ship the Storm Reaper will be used to help ferry forces as well up river. Allowing archers to remain onboard if needed for distant engagement while his own men will serve to back up Victus in the battle.

The logistical assistance by House Thrax is vital to the preparation of the Compact forces striking at the Bringer column advancing from the river, and will continue to be critical in making sure the Compact is not starved out should the city fall under siege.

The battle against the Bringer column was live GM'd, any characters not present factored in from their crisis actions.

Docks & Lower Boroughs Defense

There are two halves to this defense:
1: protecting commerce during the siege, and 2: military defense of the waterfront and Lower Boroughs. Initial reports suggest Brand's army will focus its attack against the city walls, but the waterfront and Lower Boroughs are being prepared to repel a heavy assault, just in case.  This defense is focused on approaches to the Graveyard.

Part I: Protecting Commerce
-Iron Guard as harbormasters, overseeing typical daily business.
-3 companies of Crimson Blades as on-call muscle/enforcers for IG.
-Isles warriors on land kept in reserve for combat situations, to minimize tensions with Crownsworn.
-Mourning Isles longships will patrol the adjacent coast in squadrons no smaller than 6, to escort incoming merchants, disrupt enemies along the shore outside the city, and intercept any seagoing Shavs before they reach harbor, or at least give advance warning if a large enemy attack is inbound from the water.

Part 2: Military defense (tl;dr: if there's no attack planned for the Lower Boroughs, you can skip this stuff)
-Fortifications: barricades, wagons with blocked wheels as gates, etc., able to quickly block all approaches to the Graveyard, with heaviest defenses prepared along the River's Edge/Crows Lane and Rivers Mouth/Commons Square routes.
-Stacks of large stones and bags of arrows stashed on rooftops overlooking approach to main barricades.  Fresh shields, bandages, drink, and rare vials of holy water at resupply points falling back on the Graveyard, in the event the waterfront defense fails.  A large reserve force of Grimhall warriors will be kept in Commons Square under Harald's personal command.
-Regarding Tolamar Brand: if an ominous evil figure in black armor that ISN'T Thraxian is spotted, standing orders are to thin out his escorts as much as possible and send word to the Five Paladins. Some will inevitably take doomed shots at Brand, if he appears.  It's a Mourning Isles thing.

Assisting at the Docks:

Part 1) Calaudrin will join the Iron Guard overseeing daily business in the harbor. His goal will be to maintain order despite the on-going tension of the siege. He'll insist (as politely as he can manage) on thorough inspections of the boats and any cargo that's unloaded into Arx. Despite his not always sunny disposition, he'll make an honest effort to put the citizens of Arx at ease and to feel supported by the Iron Guard. Everyone will be encouraged to be extra alert and stay together in groups or at the least pairs, lest a bringer or shav attack unfold by surprise or in the ugly event of a riot.

Part 2) In the event of an attack, Calaudrin is drilling a team of experienced archers to race to the top of the barricades and make surgical shots. Their goal won't be merely raining arrows down on the enemy but to make precise shots in order to cover those fighting on the ground.
Part 3) Additionally, Calaudrin will be venturing amongst the refugees and other lower boroughs residents to offer aid from the Iron Guard and attempt to recruit those who are willing to join and fight. He is to turn over those he recruits to Serafine for training.

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Captain Lady Merida has a ship and a fearsome crew and is cruising for danger with both swords, baby! WOO! She’s patrolling the harbor and coasts, escorting merchant ships into port, and keeping watch for Shav vessels and landing parties trying to enter the harbor. WITH TWO SWORDS!

Being a former Thrall Sameera is a little wary about the seige and so she is spending idle time seeing if she can find a stable way to get out of the city via underground passages. She is using her investigative skills to do this and a lot of talking to her shells (because that is what Sameera does). She is also keeping an eye out for passages that can be altered once passed through so they can be changed should it need to be done. She will definitely be watching for anything that could be considered a ritual, just in case it is a threat, or sometihng of the occult variety. She'll be a little more focused in Thrax areas for these things but she will also be looking in other places. Anything she finds she will report to Harald, since he is in charge of defense stuff. Esepcially if it is something that poses a risk.

Prince Dominic Thrax is returning his dogs from the battles with the bringers up the river to the gates of Arx to assist Lord Harald Grimhall in not only identifying them, as the dogs have developed a taste for bringers and have been trained to spot bringers in disguised. Lord Harald will get Prince Dominic as a Houndmaster alongside the prince's own houndmaster to operate dogs at the waterfront and lower borough.



Prince Dominic Thrax is ordering his dogs to deploy from the field back to Arx to support Lord Harald Grimhall's operation in the docks and lower borough. The dogs have been trained to detect bringers in disguised and have developed a taste for the creatures. As a result, they were instrumental in Dominic's assaults and can be used as accessories to patrol security or as an offensive move to flush them out. The dogs come with houndmasters separated into "packs", they respond to Prince Dominic Thrax who in turn reports to Lord Harald Grimhall.

Lady Lianne Pravus, as Voice of the Stormborn, is routing half of Nilanza's fleet from their return to the home waters toward Arx instead to assist with defense of the shore and waterways, including assisting with the regular patrols and escorts for merchant ships. Wheresoever they're needed, they'll follow orders well, deferring to the leadership and judgment of their liege's admiral Alrec Magaldi should there ever be questions or conflict about orders.

The third of Setarco's fleet that was retained for defense during the Gyre action is summoned to Arx; they have not thus far seen conflict. As well, a number of the ships that were previously heading home will instead be diverted to Arx's defense, bringing the total to half of Setarco's fleet, arriving in two waves. Vassals will be instructed to participate, as well, though it is not insisted that they send their ships before the rest of their fleet reaches home. They will be placed in Admiral Alrec Magaldi's command, and he has been placed in Harald Grimhall's command. The command structure as is will be respected; Alrec will be responsible for the assignments given to her fleet.

Alrec has once more taken over his role of the Admiral of Pravus' naval forces. As such, Belladonna has put him in charge of the Setarco fleet at her command; her captains are reporting to him and he, in turn, will be reporting to Lord Harald Grimhall. His contribution on this is rather simple. First and foremost -- and truthfully there should be an ease given his pirating history to do this -- he will be intercepting all merchant ships approaching the Arx. They will be inspected, the cargo examined, the history of them and name of buyers sought. His ships will carry enough mirrors so that he can try to find any Bringers aboard. Security detail. Secondly, he will be scouting the coasts as he can, looking for movement of Brand's army. Any news would be swiftly relayed to his liege. Finally, any other commands that Harald offers forth, within reason and not counter to Belladonna's own interests, will be complied to without delay.

After coming across some brigands in a tunnel near the Dockyard, Thena shares details of the tunnel and of the map that one of the brigands dropped. The map itself was delivered to Commander Silas, but Thena was able to get a good look at it and can offer some insights on where the tunnels lead, aiding in identifying defense points in the event of an attack.

Mae will be working alongside the Iron Guard, and focusing on providing intelligence and covert assistance. She doesn't look Iron Guard, and very few people know she's working with them, so she will hopefully be able to pick up intel the others can't, and get into places the others can't, and ultimately root out Brand's infiltrators.

Orathy is working side by side with Lord Harald to rig up the Lower Boroughs and the Upper Boroughs with the second round of defenses, going over thorough plans of the slums and pointing out weaknesses and vantage points, and tactical strong holds. Like the first time rolling out gurellia tactics, traps will be set. Thraxian fire will be used for the supply that Grimhall gets. Pinch points will be better manned by a combination of Lowers men and Grimhall Soldiers. Working cooperatively offers a better advantage over any threat that breaks through the lines. Orathy will be acting as the point man for the Lowers fighting force, once again, preparing 'squads' for sabotage against the enemy and readying them to deploy in the strategems in which Harald and Orathy have worked out.

Valdemar will command a squadron of six longships on patrol off the adjacent coast. The six ships and their men have been with the Compact's army since Pridehall (none of these are the ships that sailed with Valdemar to battle the servants of the Gyre). The squadron will carry out the duties listed in the first half of the defense: Part I: Protecting Commerce. They will also rain down unholy hell, arrows and some really stinging insults on any unknown vessels, enemies, monsters, or beasties that attempt to pass them and approach the docks and Lower Boroughs.

The Iron Guard has now been given the authority by the Court to arrest any ship captain who refuses inspection under suspicion of smuggling, and to seize their assets until the siege is lifted. Those who wish entry into the city are required to obey all lawful orders from their escorts and the harbor masters.

Max is assisting in the efforts by keeping commerce flowing. Using Black Mountain convoy defense and elements of the Darkwater fleet for scouting possible threats, he works to make sure that food and supplies keep flowing from across Arvum into arx. Cooperating with the harbor master, efforts are made to keep ships in a berth the very least amount of time possible, with bonuses paid for the roustabout crew that unloads tonnage the fastest.

Ulfric will remain close to his liege and their vessels to provide additional organization of commerce-based defenses. He will happily offer assistance to any retinue preparing for voyage or move on board himself, as well as directing vessels and advice in strategizing patrols. He will stay hands-on for whatever else he may be needed for, at the Darkwater's beck and call.

As requested by Lord Harald Grimhall, Carita will use her outstanding Lower Boroughs connections that she had as Carita Brightshore (as the youngest in a family of seven - this means there is a lot of extended family) to persuade the common folk that the Thrax are indeed there to offer aid. With those connections (hand in velvet glove), she uses the diplomacy and persuavie refinement learned as a courtesan to make sure that those she speaks with are truly motived for their shared cause.

Archene is supplying some healing supplies to one of the caches placed through the defenses. He is also standing by in case he is needed to administer such supplies.

Seva will be placing healing supplies in the various caches that have been set up, and standing ready as a healer herself, if needed. Her own charity based shop will be offering it’s wares to those involved for free during the time of crisis.

Leta is going to be assisting the Iron Guard by tagging along with Serafine in the Lower Boroughs. She's a local so she knows her way around, more or less, and a shortcut or two, so they can rush to any hot spots as needed. Also, she can fight and not much more, so that's what she'll be doing. In case of Bringers, she'll mostly focus on the Shavs or help prove distractions for Serafine to do the stabbing with her fancy sword. Also, Leta has composed some rude folk songs making fun of Brand, and these will surely help with morale!

Serafine and Leta are a great team; Leta knows the boroughs even better than Serafine who patrols them, Leta having lived there her whole life. It means that when it comes to defending the boroughs, Serafine is the muscle and speed and silent attacker, and Leta takes her to all the best places to hide, scout, sneak, and strike.

While it's not a huge response, it's bound to be an effective one; both women have experience working together, both have been in combat situations together, and both have fought Bringers and their Shavs successfully. And both are devoted to the well-being and honor of the other.

Unless given orders otherwise, Serafine would continue to patrol the lowers as is her peace-time duty, defending should the need arise with Leta patroling with her. So with Serafine wielding a diamondplate sword, she's the one taking point and attacking the Bringers and defending those citizens that need it, trusting her Leta to take out the Shavs that might linger about. They use their combined knowledge of the area together to find the best spots to attack from, hide, and so on.

Tagging along with her are the recruited guards Calaudrin and Silas have given her to train, Serafine teaching what she can with the aid of Leta, and then helping them learn on the fly as they patrol the city. This starts as soon as she gets them and will continue on into what battles and invasions that happen, defending them as need be but mostly as support to help them learn through experience; the best kind of teacher. After Leta, of course.

Donella and her shield-laddies (guards) are manning a section of the interior walls between the boroughs and the Thrax ward, acting as a sort of crow's nest with spyglass in hand. From such a raised vantage, she hopes to be able to observe the fighting, and COMMAND a reserve force of Thrax men-at-arms, broken up as needed, to reinforce the most vulnerable areas (200 mil resources), and/or deliver word of critical developments-- like a sighting of Brand or spotting the necessary opening the city is waiting for, to the powers that be, in the name of her high lord. And herself, of course.

Dagon will lend his military might and strategic command to the conflict at hand. He heavily relies on his military advisor Harald for direction. Seemingly distracted by something. However he does provide the troops a rousing speech and a keen sense of command.

The preparations for the defense of the harbor and Lower Boroughs go well. While there are some attempted attacks upon commerce, the Grimhall, Darkwater, and Nilzana vessels never truly are challenged significantly, and under Admiral Alrec's guidance there doesn't seem to be a whiff of bringers slipping into the city by boat or much losses dockside. There's no repeat of the harbor attack before the siege began, in large part due to all their efforts. The tunnel entrances to the Lower Boroughs are guarded, and the lower city is well patrolled and prepared for any attack in the coming battle.

((The battle will be live GMing, and the AP and resources factored into reduced difficulty for all involved. All contributions will be factored into the coming fight, whether characters are physically present or not.))