closed | the pros and cons of privateering

[hassaran]

WHO: Yseult, Darras, Flint, Byerly
WHAT: Antivan intel prompts a discussion of strategy
WHEN: Now
WHERE: the Gallows
NOTES: n/a

[ Yseult has called the meeting, so it's her office they're in, the chairs before the (cold) hearth turned to face the sofa against the wall to make room for all four. Yseult has claimed the corner of that sofa nearest the window, where the occasional breeze can be felt. Everyone's here, everyone has a drink from her excellent-by-Riftwatch-standards bar cabinet, so she swallows a sip of rum and begins. ]

I have intelligence that the Antivan Merchant Prince Bonaiuto Cellini has two ships soon departing bound for Val Chevin. I think it's time we revisited the question of using the ships at our disposal for privateering.

Comments

[bouchonne]

In the lack of firm knowledge, then, a conservative path is likely advised. No risks. Let the mage loose on the ships, and keep our people safe.

[ He rubs his chin. ]

Capture would likely mean handing over the spoils anyway, no? Antiva would likely [ and here, in a decent Antivan accent - ] protest most strongly that they were not paid taxes on the shipment of these goods by Cellini [ and, back to normal ] and want to be cut in. Risk with little reward.

[staysail]

[The accent gets a grin out of him, which he drowns in his rum (even though Yseult has probably already seen).]

If we want to be friends with Antiva, aye. But the cut is as traditional as the raiding.

Still, if don't know what defenses we might be met with, and we've a guarantee that we can attack from a distance and take the day, seems that our answer is clear.

[katabasis]

Congratulations, by the power of committee we've dealt with two ships out of a nation of them.

[He tips his glass, a last beat of derisive humor.]

The question, if I'm interpreting our Scoutmaster's meaning correctly, is what we do about the rest of them. Regardless of how permissive the Viscount might be convinced to be, if we mean to make any impact on trade on the Waking Sea then it can't just be Riftwatch in pursuit.

[hassaran]

[ The shifting angle of Yseult's head is part confirmatory nod and part questioning tilt. ] We may plan to conceal our involvement but we must assume this will somehow come out. And when it does, everyone else will take it as a statement of purpose, so we should be sure that it is one.

[bouchonne]

And we should be sure, in truth, that it does come out.

[ A shrug. ]

Should we even conceal it, I wonder? Or should we make a grand statement the moment their prows slip into the deeps? We should not want to seem ashamed.

[staysail]

[Surprising to probably no one--]

I like grand statements. Always better to get out ahead and claim the credit first.

[katabasis]

Grand statements to who? The Orlesian Navy, Antiva, every merchant ship captain who might be persuaded that there's easier money in sport than trade? Llomerryn pirates?

[Unpeeling himself from the chair back to lean slightly forward—]

Forget Cellini's ships for the moment. The statement we should be preparing is that Waking Sea privateering - legally enacted and regulated, the profit from which is in part split between an allied force - is the preferable method of stifling trade to the enemy in Orlais when compared with a half dozen more extreme measures which might be arranged just as easily.

[bouchonne]

[ A shrug. ]

Or we show them one of those extreme measures.

[staysail]

[He shoots Byerly a glance, not even close to looking around at Yseult.]

Too extreme, and we risk losing the ground to be high and mighty over our legal privateering. If that's a risk Riftwatch is willing to take.

[Somewhat a question, even if it lacks the cadence.]

Sinking ships isn't extreme enough?

[bouchonne]

[ Oh. ]

I thought sinking ships was the extreme option. Did you have something more in mind?

[katabasis]

[Darras might not look to Yseult, but he does - sliding from him to her, then finally flickering over to Byerly. He takes a drink.]

For starters, we could be petitioning the Viscount to raise the chain and close the main passage altogether.

—Which we can't do, by the way, unless we also want to cripple the likes of Cumberland for the winter. But we don't need to say that part.

[hassaran]

The slight dip in Yseult's brows marks her as unconvinced by this suggestion. "Even a threat of the chain carries risks. Perrin Threnhold isn't company we want Riftwatch's name keeping."

[bouchonne]

Some consider Threnhold a freedom fighter who defended Kirkwall and the Free Marches against other nations' excesses.

[ He's not advocating for it, but: ]

There might be ways to make that work to our advantage.

[hassaran]

So now we're fighting for Kirkwall's freedom from Orlesian influence? We seem to be straying rather far from the question of Antivan ships.

[bouchonne]

Certainly not.

[ C'mon. ]

I'm merely pointing out that there are narratives that we can place ourselves within. I'd not recommend it, but if that's a choice that must be made, it can be dealt with.

[staysail]

Narratives are your business, I'd say. Businesses, [to the room at large, as he raises his glass to them each in turn. Yseult last.] Me, I'm but simple and so for myself, I can only say that I'm not here for Kirkwall. Riftwatch has some ships and some opportunity to make a statement with 'em. And while we're doing that, we might get ourselves some supplies, which, if I'm not mistaken, we need, and wound our enemies. Before we start raising chains and getting called despotic, I'd see us start there.

We wreck these two ships, show some power. Next time, maybe we take 'em instead.