• Graded • A Matter Of Urgensea

[Darius Baer]

Arc 722, 1st of Vhalar

Darius thanked the bailiff and watched as the man led Demba away. The Scalvorian hoped that would be the last he'd ever see of the pirate who had brought violence and death to the coast of Faldrass, confident that however the man pleaded in court, Darius' written account of their encounters - corroborated by those of several witnesses - would ensure justice would be served.

In Scalvoris Town, he had addressed the judge in court and requested clemency for those he had brought to face judgment. But he had no such merciful desire for Demba. The man had killed some who opposed him, and led others who had followed him to their own deaths.

There were fates at sea far worse than imprisonment, so Darius knew there was a risk that Demba would receive less than the Scalvorian felt he deserved. But - he reflected as he made his way towards a different part of the Element Hall - perhaps that was why the judge was a judge and Darius was not.

There was a weariness that threatened to creep into the mariner's steps. He had been almost constantly on the move since Demba's attack, only spending an extra trial in Hopetoun to deal with any urgent matters before setting sail for Almund. In fact, he hadn't taken the time to get dressed up for his visit. He wore the same travelling clothes that he usually did.

And as much as he wanted to rest, his work in the capital city was only half done. He had an appointment with Rand, the Militant, that he intended to keep.

So he pushed that fatigue down as he neared the office he'd been directed to. There would be time to enjoy rest and a quiet drink on his journey back to Faldrass. But he would need to earn both of those, and it was with that in mind that he knocked on the door and patiently waited to be let inside.

[Pegasus]

Rand had an appointment with Darius Baer. Before that appointment, Rand had taken the time to do a little reading, ask a few questions. That had always been his way, to find out what he could and this was no different. So, he was prepared when there was a knock on the door of his office in Element Hall in Almund and he called for whoever it was to be let in.

Darius, for his part, was greeted by a receptionist, offered a warm drink or cool one, depending on his preference and then asked to wait. He didn't wait long - only a few bits - and then was led to the office. The Earth Trooper who accompanied him knocked on the door and, when Rand called for them to enter, he opened the door, announced "Darius Baer for you, Sir."

Rand stood and a slight smile crossed his face. "Baron Baer, it's a pleasure." The Earth Trooper remained at the door. "That will be all, thank you Trooper." Rand didn't stand on ceremony, he gestured for Darius to sit where there were two tall-backed armchairs in front of a small drinks cabinet. "Have a seat, Baron Baer, drink?" If Darius wanted something, he'd be happy to pour it. He poured himself what looked to be like a glass of whisky, but it was difficult to tell more than that.

Once they were both settled, Rand looked at Darius and gave a slight smile. There was, Darius might notice, a parchment and quill next to where Rand was sitting. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today, Baron Baer?" That Darius was a well-respected man was well-known and Rand knew more than many that Darius had been involved in saving the island more than once. So, it was with genuine interest that he sat back and looked, waiting to see what Darius wanted to say.

[Darius Baer]

Darius thanked the receptionist and accepted the offer of a warm drink. It was the beginning of Vhalar, after all, and he'd spent a fair amount of time with the Hollow Sea's fresh breeze pressing against his face.

He didn't have to sit in the waiting room for long before he was called into Rand's office, but it was long enough to make him realise how out of place he felt. He was soon questioning his decision to not get dressed up for the occasion as each trill slowly passed him by.

Bureacracy and politics did not come naturally to him - he was much more accustomed to doing things than in having meetings about those thingsIn New Zealand, there is a common saying: "Less hui, more do-ey". The noun 'hui' is Māori for 'meeting', so this saying basically boils down to "stop sitting around talking about it and actually do something". - but he also knew that he could not expect others to act if he didn't persuade others that there was a need to take action.

And that was why he was wondering if he was in the right attire as he was guided into Rand's office. He thanked the Earth Trooper and stepped inside.

The Militant, to his credit, didn't appear to be bothered by Darius' clothing. Perhaps he was more pragmatic than the Scalvorian had assumed.

Rand offered Darius another drink, prompting the bearded blond to look down at the cup he had been given by the receptionist. A combination of the brief wait and his apparently needless fretting had resulted in the liquid remaining untouched.

"I'm still working on this one," he smiled politely at his host.

It was as he sat down in one of the offered seats that Darius began to feel nervous. There was nothing about Rand's demeanor that was unsettling to him, but seeing the parchment and quill reminded him of how important this meeting was. Lives had been lost, and he felt the weight of them as he responded to the Militant's question of the purpose of their meeting.

"I'm concerned about safety on the Hollow Sea," he said, the words almost blurting out of his mouth. "I don't know if Councillor Delroth has mentioned anything, but we discussed this earlier this era."

He realised, just a little too late, that it might have been best if he'd started with something a little more diplomatic. It was too late now, of course; he'd already cut to the chase.

"In recent times, we've seen an increase in pirate activity along the Faldrass coast," he pushed on, trying to remain calm despite the seriousness of the issue. "I have a responsibility to protect Hopetounians, but I have always tried to capture the pirates alive. That hasn't always been possible."

Darius frowned. He hadn't prepared any kind of speech. He was just saying what was front of mind.

"We've killed pirates and they've killed settlers. But we've also been able to get a few into a courtroom. I've just come from there now. But I fear there will be more."

A sigh followed.

"Hopetoun is fortunate. We can defend ourselves. We have ships and trained fighters. But there are many merchants and fisherfolk who are not so fortunate."

There was a pause as Darius finally took a sip of his drink. After a brief moment, he continued.

"I can't help but wonder if the eruption might have something to do with people turning to piracy," he speculated. "That isn't to say that people are not responsible for their choices, but...many were left homeless, or they lost family members who were providing an income...desperate people do desperate things."

He followed that up with a shrug, because it was clear that he was only speculating.

"I also have concerns about Watch being unmanned. There was a suggestion that it might not be in an ideal place for watching over the Hollow Sea, but it also poses a hazard for ships, particularly at night."

Darius forced himself to stop, realising there was a risk that he might overwhelm the Militant with too much information. Any hope of gently broaching the topic had been dashed against the diplomatic rocks. Perhaps he should have prepared a speech, after all.

[Pegasus]

Rand didn't hide the smile on his face at Darius' words. Far from being offended, he seemed to be very happy to talk directly. It was his reputation, after all.

He listened to what Darius said and then, only when Darius was done, did he speak. "Firstly, I agree. We need to build up our navy. Sadly that's a long and slow process and not something that happens as quickly as we'd like. In terms of Faldrass, I'm not sure that we're going to get any more ships there this side of next arc," he said. "I've seen the minutes of that meeting - and the points you make are correct. Let me tell you my concerns, though," he said and settled into his own chair, ready to discuss it.

"We need the right people in the job. That means training our people, making sure that they are competent navigators, sailors and able to engage any ships. Those people need training and we don't have a lot of spare personnel. Scalvoris is a small place and we have a small navy." He gestured out there, somewhere, "And the legacy of the Pirate Lords still makes people wary, Darius. If they become part of the Water Elements, if they protect the waters, then they may end up falling foul of the Pirate Lords and, frankly, there's still a lot of folks who think that those pirate lords will be back."

As for the second point? Well, that was a touch more frustrating. "Watch is a bloody nightmare, quite honestly. The way it's been dealt with historically, the one person being there? It doesn't work. But no one wants to travel there, either. I'll see what I can do, I'll have a push and see if we can get a volunteer. If not, I'll try and get some more permanent light source there at least?"

The third thing, though, that was the big one. "People turning to piracy worries me. There's more unrest and that coincides with less people signing up for the Elements, too. It's a double-whammy, so to speak. I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to get two ships commissioned, for patrolling Faldrass and around that area. I can't staff them, Darius. If I provide the ships, can you and your settlers, and those in your Barony develop the skills we need to patrol in them? I can give you the resources, and as new recruits come in I can add to the people there, but I just don't have the manpower to crew them."

It wasn't ideal, but it was something. Of course, building the ships would take timewhich conveniently explains why they weren't there when the pirate lords attacked!, but Rand knew that something was better than nothing. So, sitting back he looked at Darius and waited to hear the Baron's thoughts on this.

[Darius Baer]

Darius was relieved to see how relaxed Rand was about speaking directly. The Militant had a reputation for such conversations, but it was only by meeting with him and discussing the issues facing Scalvoris that the Councillor's willingness to cut to the heart of the matter had been revealed.

His responses were a mixed bag, with the best intentions and even some good plans, but no immediate solutions.

On the issue of the navy, Rand agreed that one was needed. Scalvoris may have been a large island, but it was still an island all the same. And Faldrass, Ishallr, and other locations like Watch, were mostly accessed by the water. It made sense to make that water as safe as possible, even if it might take time.

"Aye, I do understand that building a navy is no easy task," he acknowledged, "but I'm glad you see the importance of it. I'm sure the council can think of ways to incentivise people to join, and I'm sure there would be plenty of mariners who are prepared to help teach them how to sail. Hopetoun would certainly pull its own weight in that regard."

The issue of Watch was not so easily solved.

"Having only one person manning Watch seems risky," Darius observed. "What if they fall asleep, or get drunk, or fall into the sea? Loneliness and boredom can do strange things to a person's mind."

He paused for a moment, before thinking aloud once more.

"How many people could Watch accommodate, theoretically? Even a small, ongoing patrol of three or four recruits might help it function much more effectively. But a light source, as you suggest, could certainly be helpful."

And then what was potentially the underlying issue to the dangers of the Hollow Sea was discussed: the uptake in piracy. The situation was an uncertain one, which was nothing new to Darius' ears, but one thing the Militant said did come as a surprise.

"People think the Pirate Lords will return?" he exclaimed.

But then he realised he'd heard similar rumours before, even if they'd proven fruitless at the time.

"Anything is possible, I suppose, although I suppose it doesn't matter if it isn't true, if people think it is. That could be enough to impact recruitment, I imagine."

But at Rand's request, there was no hesitation or confusion.

"Aye, we could certainly help to bolster the crews while you're recruiting," the settlement leader nodded. "We have some sailing expertise among our people, but I would hope that in the fullness of time, the ships will be manned by the Elements, and not dependent on Hopetoun or Smooglenuff Barony. It should be independent of us, ideally."

Darius then joined Rand in sitting back, and he took a long, slow sip of his slowly cooling drink as he waited for his host to respond.

[Pig Boy]

Rand seemed slightly uncomfortable around the issue of the Watch. "I understand you're something of a mariner yourself, Baron Baer." Rand said, slowly. "As such, you know how superstitious and peculiar sailors can be about rumors that are handed down through the generations, and about bad luck in particular. There are rumors, that the Watch is cursed." Rand scoffed, to make it clear he didn't put much stock in the idea. "That in itself doesn't trouble me, but as a leader you know that the beliefs a man holds can affect their morale, their overall functioning, and their decision making to a point."

"The truth is, we've kept Watch Lightly manned for all those reasons and more. Usually some poor sot who has nothing left to lose, and wishes just to remove himself from polite society can be found who will meander through the duties required of one on the Watch."

"There are two issues there, as I see it. The Watch wasn't built for a sizeable garrison, there's not enough infrastructure to support even a squad of a dozen. Two, having that much traffic going in and out of the Watch on a regular basis draws attention to it, and draws a target on it."

"I can compromise with a rotating watch of one or two men or women who would man the Watch, but the idea of making anything more of it invites trouble. A permanent light source sounds like a good idea, however. If one could be devised that wouldn't be liable to be disabled by invading pirates."

He sighed, and leant back in his chair, taking another drink. "Yes people think the Pirate Lords will return." Rand said, and frowned, "As you know, they disappeared during the Shadow Beast invasion. They were not heard of from then on, and the lack of bodies has more or less confirmed in the minds of the public that they must return. This has led to some troubling political hangnails, that seem to refuse to accept that Scalvoris is a different place than it was before."

He eyed Darius, wondering which side of that issue the Baron fell on, knowing that he was as much a dyed in the wool Scalvorian as any of the Phoenix or Crafter goons. It was even well known that he'd turned down marks and magic, although his reasons weren't well publicized. So Rand had to wonder.

He set down his glass, on his desk, and addressed the Baron's willingness to recruit for the ships that would patrol. "That's good then, and settled. I expect to have a gunship fully equipped and ready for deployment in an arc's time. They should be ready by next Vhalar. Unarmed ships are easy enough to throw togetehr in a few cycles, but gunships? Those require a slightly different process, and not all of it related to the actual construction of them." There were permissions that needed to be acquired from the government, reams of red tape to sort through,, and of course people who were alarmed if the Elements so much as stood up from their chairs too fast, let alone building two warships.

"Now, was there anything else?"

[Darius Baer]

Darius frowned, finding himself unable to conceal his disappointment at Rand's refusal to station more troops on Watch. It wasn't so much that the Militant was wrong that bothered him, but that he was right. Mariners had a reputation for being superstitious - something Darius and Astra themselves had not been immune to - and Watch was there to reassure sailors, not spook them.

"Aye," he acknowledged Rand's compromise with a slow nod as he returned his drink to Rand's desk. "Even having a couple of people there would make it more effective, I feel. Even just one additional set of eyes would help with the boredom, I'm sure."

He still couldn't quite fathom how Brandel had managed to last the twenty or so arcs on Watch without losing his mind.

The discussion of the Pirate Lords hardly filled Darius with hope, either. He hadn't had an inkling that the recent pirate activity was related to the Pirate Lords themselves, but if it continued unchecked, it might show them that Scalvoris was vulnerable - if, indeed, they still lived.

"I don't know if the Pirate Lords will come back," Darius admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "I used to think the idea was foolish, but if they could vanish without warning, maybe they could return just as quickly? All I know is there are other pirates here now that we need to deal to, if we can."

But it was not all bad news. Regardless of whether or not the Pirate Lords were returning, Rand was willing to arrange the construction of a gunship to protect the Hollow Sea.

"No, that is all," he smiled as he thanked his host. "Thank you for your time."

He collected the drink, and took one final sip before rising to his feet and offering Rand a handshake. It had been a productive meeting, and Darius hoped that cannons would make pirates - Lords, Ladies, or otherwise - think twice before attacking Scalvoris.

[Pig Boy]

Darius Baer

Feedback

Darius is a level-headed leader, with always a good head for tactics, logistics, and what is best for the people around him. A real paladini of the sea for lack of a better term.

I think he handled himself well in this encounter, showing some tactical chops even if he wasn't equipped with all the facts, ala the Watch.

Still, this was a productive meeting if for no other reason than Faldrass gets a patrol of two very important warships.

Great writing!

Rewards

• Renown: 5
• XP: 15

Knowledges

• Logistics: x2
• Tactics: x2
• Socialization: x1
• Leadership: x1
• Etiquette: x3

Consequences

• in the mid-trials period of Vhalar of 723, a pair of gunships is sent along to Faldrass, to Hopetoun Harbor where the sailors and marines are expected to be given a tutorial on patrolling Faldrass' waters, and this task is handed to Darius Baer personally.