| Back to actions |
| Action Id: 3903 | Crisis: | Participants: Dio, Peri, Appolonia, Salvador, Segrid and Imogene | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: Feb. 24, 2020, 10:26 a.m. | Public: True | GM: Tenebry |
|
Economic Resources: 1000 Military Resources: 2000 Social Resources: 150 |
|||
Action by Dio
After successfully instigating a slave rebellion on the Isle al'Aswaq, and acquiring the blessing of Archduchess Belladonna Pravus, Dio leads a fleet of Seraceni ships along with allies to establish a port and fortress on the island. His goal is to acquire a lucrative trading center to export goods from the Pravus-ruled parts of the Saffron Chain, as well as a staging ground for further military expansion of House Seraceni into the Chain.
The Marquis's strategy involves rather wide formation of ships to scout out the island, and be sure it has not fallen under the control of a force too large to engage. If an enemy force has attempted to exert control over the island in the interval since the rebellion, Dio and his allies will engage, unless the enemy should have vastly superior numbers, in which case the Seraceni fleet will be ordered to return to Ischia rather than risk an extremely disadvantageous battle.
If they are able to land on the island, Dio, his crew, family and allies set about rebuilding and expanding the crumbling fortifications of the slavers who had previously ruled the island, as well as creating a port capable of receiving merchant ships, along with all of the necessary buildings to bring Seraceni law and trade opportunities to the people who choose to live on the Isle al'Aswaq.
Action by Imogene
Any project of this scale is going to require careful management and planning, particularly where the finances are involved. It's Imogene's task to make sure that each part of the plan headed up by the other members of the family is well funded and that the house's income is stretched in such a way that all the necessary expenses are adequately covered. Ships, men, arms, provisions, and even information are things that all have to be paid for somehow, and the marquessa will be put to it to use all her clever skill with number-juggling to do it. Luckily after having spent her first marriage as part of an extravagant household of limited means, she's used to having to use all her ingenuity to stretch a budget as far as it will go.
Whenever she can spare some time away from number crunching, she'll also be assisting Appolonia to promote the project with any people who can be persuaded to show an interest in it, and perhaps even pick up a few additional financial backers along the way.
Action by Segrid
Segrid will go ashore and get information on who is currently in a position of leadership whether official or unofficial. once she finds out who, she will ingratiate herself with that person until she can use seduction to influence them to accept Seraceni assistance, or to undermine any enemy forces that are setting up in the isles. In essence she wants to get the local leadership to see the benefits of cooperation with Seraceni.
Action by Peri
Peri was there when the Isle al'Aswaq was liberated. Many slaves were welcomed into Pearlspire and other parts of the compact, but some stayed behind to start free lives on the island. It is her duty to help these people continue to have the freedom they deserve.
In order to prevent slavers from regaining the island, Peri joins the Marquis by commanding a fleet of ships to scout the island and engage with enemy forces unless their forces are too vast.
Action by Appolonia
Appolonia brings several things to bear in aid of Dio's plans. The first is her natural charm and wit, which she applies to encourage their sailors and - assuming they make it to al'Aswaq - to the people of the island itself. If there are surviving petty nobles, good folk, etc. she attempts to make rounds and be a properly noble face for Seraceni and Pravus. She attempts to use what she knows of Eurusi customs and ways, including the language, to try and make things easier on everyone involved. (This includes intimations of the many economic advantages of linking into Pravus, and the Compact's, networks of trade. Wealth beyond measure, outlander.)
Action by Salvador
While others have the fighting and killing well in hand, Sal will put himself to work in other areas. On arrival, Salvador will lead the Seraceni workmen in restoring the docks and fortifications, preparing the new holding to stand against invasion as best it can. Always the keen schemer, Sal will look to incorporate some hasty improvements in favor of the defenders wherever possible; special little surprises like apparent corridors that lead to murder holes full of people poking spears and arrows at you or perhaps even dumping hot oil at you.
Result
Obtaining a foothold is a tricky manuever. Obtaining more than a foothold will take time. Dio and Peri scout and study the isle and finds that the situation is chaotic and fraught, that the rebellion has diluted and distracted the enemy without utterly defeating them, that the fighting is still pitched and bloody. He also judges that fleet can land, and that a contingent of men should be able to hold the ruins along the coast. Imogene helps with the logistics and funding of extending scouting to action.
So they skirmish with a small fleet of slaver ships and drive them off. They land. Peri's landing is swift and strategic. The troops disembark. The land battle is fervid, but short. The slavers who still believe they own the island fall back, possibly hoping for reinforcements, and Dio's team has a breather in which to fortify. And a breather in which their foothold can serve as a gathering point for slaves in rebellion. Segrid helps pinpoint and persuade figures in the ex-slave army who are in positions of influence; they are happy to accept help. Appolonia works on making economic connections, fragile as they must be while the situation is fragile, with those who might have goods and skills. She and Imogene also promote outside help from the Compact at large.
And Salvador does a truly, truly remarkable job of making sure that this foothold holds, creating sturdy fortifications from ruins, and ensuring the docks can accommodate fleet traffic. No one can call this foothold even a town yet, but it's certainly too formidable for the existing slaver forces to accost at this time. And its very presence gives hope and additional structure to the rebellion. The Seraceni also see an influx of fleeing noncombatants.