(NEWS) Governor of Vesper Commits Act of Treason!

[Andrasta]

I, Governor of New Magincia coming off the success of the very lucrative Tariff decreed by the King himself, met with Governor Khaleesi and my Customs Officer Brendan to discuss orders for Magincia's Finest Golden Honey Rum and a few shiploads of that swill we secretly buy from Trinsic and relabel called Succulent Rum.

It was agreed that the very first drums of Golden Honey Rum which are always the best as the Magincia Bees are more vigorous in Spring be included in the negotiations.

The Governor of Vesper and I decided terms of delivery and other details but can not agree on the final price and thus the final amount of the new tariff.

We decided to discuss the final price over a few pints in the King's Alehouse. Brendan has a previous engagement so we meet Lord Quacklebush there. No doubt they thought a few pints might make me a bit more pliable but I poured my pints into the spittoons when they were singing pirate songs and not paying attention.

Her roguish looking Lord Quacklebush can apparently hold his alcohol and after a few whispers in her ear out she comes with a trade embargo of all things! New Magincia needs these new funds desperately to rebuild. The people have suffered for years and want only to have homes and shops like other cities have obviously taken for granted. They can simply charge the Pirates they sell it to for double. They are just pirates after all.

I am shocked at their audacity and tell them what I think. The King will not stand for this! I must return to Magincia at once and send a missive to him.

The treacherous deed is done. All seafaring routes are blockaded including my Flag Ship which I am just now noticing is not very impressive. I had wondered why they had come for the meeting with so many ships and now I know but I also remember the bit of conversation which might just turn the tides for me. Fortunately all wood tastes the same.

 

[QMSoar]

Swill....? SWILL!?

Our shipments to New Magincia were filled with neither swill, nor rum. The orders dispatched from our distilleries to your island were for cheap and nasty corn whiskey as per the order dockets signed by your office.
Such spirits are only produced by our apprentice distillers in their training years before they are let anywhere near our export quality vats. We were hesitant to sell this product to you as we usually pass it on to alchemists, or jar it as armor polish. It's no wonder you thought it swill if you were reselling it as "rum".

Still, I would like to thank you for pointing out your clientele to us, and in the same motion extend my hand in friendship and good trade to my new acquaintances, who are now without supply for their demand. I invite our needy new friends from Vesper, and indeed other cities, to come visit us in Trinsic, where you may tour our distilleries and sample our quality product. It seems for too long you have been tricked into consuming inferior spirits.

Ask us about our rare imports from far away lands. Ask us about our wide range of double proof liquors. Ask us about smuggling services and tariff avoidance, so that we may strongly recommend you to steer clear of such things...
But ask us about it anyways!

We look forward to your company.

Warm Regards
- Soar
Minister of Trade, Trinsic.

P.S. Would you be requiring another shipment of corn whiskey? We have just turned out a top shelf batch and can offer you a discount. I know you must be strapped this month, what with the embargo and all. Anything we can do to help our island neighbors is our pleasure.

 

[Lady Khaleesi]

Pirate Advisory!​

​

As King Blackthorn has decreed Piracy an Act of Treason, Vesper much go on record to inform travelers of the difference in Piracy and Privateers!

“Piracy is the act of seizing a ship or its cargo from its lawful owners or their agents and has been endemic to maritime nations ever since man first set sail upon the high. “

“A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by “letters of marque” to attack foreign shipping during wartime.” Vesper’s Commerce and Fishing Industry relies heavily upon the legitimate protection these contractors provide.

[

Please extend every courtesy to our newest privateering comrades, Michaelango and his lovely wife, Niamh. They will assist Marshall in the Import/Exportation process on the Vesper docks. A letter of Marque has been issued and a copy filed in the Governor’s Office should anyone wish to read it.



If you do see any suspicious activity, please contact a member of the Vesper Council.

Alward is patrolling the streets of Vesper, day and night, reporting anything that seems unusual. His reports will be available to the public in the Justicar Citadel, which is just over the west bridge as you walk to the Ironwood Inn.

 

[Priestess Niamh]

Dear Governor Khaleesi,
I am checking with you to see how you are feeling. When we left yesterday you were feeling a bit woozy.
My husband Michelangelo and I are about ready to set sail.

As per our conversation yesterday since you are so busy I will bring back a maiden for you. I have one in particular in mind. I will be searching for the best. Please let me know if you continue to feel no better. If need be I will send something to help you make it through the days so you can continue your work.
Safe journeys,
Niamh
(signed in red ink with Cursive writing)

 

[Lady Khaleesi]

Dear Niamh,

I want to thank you for sending Natalia to support me in my new responsibilities as governor. She has a delightful personality and knows her way around the kitchen. And yes, she does do the work of fifteen, the citadel has never looked better. Since her arrival I have been feeling better, [the morning potion seems to revive me some, but by nightfall the head aches persist]. As to the order you placed, I believe it is to be loaded at the dock early next week. Will you and Mich be in port for the Consiel du Rio? I pray this letter finds you both safe and well.

Godspeed,
Khaleesi, Governor of Vesper

*stamped with a seal of a fire-breathing dragon*

 

[Andrasta]

I, The Governor of New Magincia have decided to accept your invitation to visit the City of Trinsic to see for myself your fictitious Liquor Industry and to complain loudly to the "Business" person who represented your products so erroneously. I do admire your long clean well paved streets but can find no sign of a large distillery and no sign of the Minister of Trade named Soar so I go into to see Edward at the Keg and Anchor where the original papers were signed.

Edward is his usual rude brusque self and claims that he was too drunk the day the papers were signed to read them. I look around and am amazed this establishment is still in business. Everyone is drunk in here! Edward says there will be no refund because he has given the gold to Jack the Loan Shark at the Docks for payment on a loan to keep his sketchy swill house open. Undaunted and disgusted I take my leave of the Keg and Anchor and seek out a new owner for the last of my cases of Trinsic Swill.

Carson is much more personable than Edward and takes the "Armor Polish" off my hands for 1390 gold per keg more than I originally paid for them. He says that he is grateful for a supply of Armor Polish that is 30 percent cheaper than he normally gets it. I wonder what kind of fallacious operation sells him Armor Polish on a regular basis.

Earlier I didn't mention to Edward that I knew exactly who Jack the Loan Shark was. I didn't mention the large loan that I have taken out to pay for improvements for New Magincia. I didn't mention that it must be used now for ships & men to break the blockade set up by the Governor of Vesper who has seemly gone mad. The Lady was all for our plan to charge the Pirates & Thieves double before we met with the King.

Jack who might have been a handsome man had not his raptorius greed not twisted his soul laughed at me when I suggested a lower rate of interest. He cares not what I will spend the gold on as long as his extortion gold is returned with a very high profit. Someone should really put a stop to this. Perhaps a sword would fix Jack and a Trinsic swill keg would hide his body. I'll have to seriously think about that if the Trinsic Authorities don't shut him down soon. With a firm plan now established to escape his math, I don't mention to Jack the large amount of gold that I carry from his fellow citizen Carson.

With my business concluded for now in Trinsic I travel to all the well known Blacksmith shops of the lands and make up a story about Armor Polish smuggling and warn them about the duplicity of the Amour Polish shipments they have been receiving. That will keep the Minister of Trade for Trinsic busy for a while explaining his rare imports from far away lands.

I smile as I leave a note on the most famous Blacksmith shop in Britain so that the Feluccians are also warned. I remember bringing my broken weapons to this shop to see Zym Dragon in my youth. Grandmaster Blacksmiths of this caliber are hard to find these days.

 

[Andrasta]

I, The Governor of New Magincia, decide to visit other Governors to seek support of men & ships to break the blockade. The first Governor that I visit is Sunwolf of Yew. He insists on a drink after we have walked around Yew and talked about his hopes and dreams for new Docks to make Yew a seafaring city. We head to the Ye Old Winery.

The Winery is well known the world over for the delicious Wine & Liquor that it produces each year. The Festival of the Harvest Grape is held here in the fall much to the delight of the tourists. The Monks are also known for their work with the poor. No Order is more pious and kind. Governor Sunwolf assures me there is nothing going on in Yew that might be illegal.

Governor Sunwolf looks a little shocked at my next question and we both head for the back room at the same time.

Lew the Governor of Trinsic stammers when confronted and tries to think of a plausible answer quickly.

I think this is very strange behavior for a Governor especially one who is so esteemed and honest. What forces are at work here?

Governor Sunwolf takes Governor Lew at his word and takes his leave quickly as there is some sort of disturbance south of the Abbey or so he says.

I am not so easily dismissed and go back out to speak with Leon the Barkeeper again. Leon is a virtuous steadfast man and tells me what I suspected all along. Surely this strange goings on must be brought to the attention of the King.

Thankfully the next Royal Council meeting is tomorrow night. Perhaps the King will grant me soldiers & ships to break the blockade. Perhaps he will reward me with funds for one of my grandiose plans for New Magincia. Anything is possible!

 

[Lady Khaleesi]

"Going Home"​

Though his tenure had been quite brief to that point, Lord Tazar of Moonglow was the next to be called upon. His only concern at the time was the pirates of their coastlines. King Blackthorn mentioned an idea that had been brought up previously, concerning Privateers. It was then Raven’s turn to address the council with an issue. After a bit of rambling, Raven finally told the council that some taverns had started watering down their alcohol for fear of running out due to the shortages. The King’s reaction was one of near outrage at this news. “Watered Down Alchohol?! Not in Britannia!” When asked of the cause for the shortages, Raven speculated that the blockade might be the issue.



“Governors, Ladies and Lords… Ill not get involved in this blockade and tariff business right now... However, I will stress that we work through our differences. Healthy competition between cities, spurs economic growth and prosperity. But too much, stifles us all. And I hereby issue this decree. Any bartender caught watering down drinks... Shall be fined 10 gold per glass. Payable to the town treasury. Labels of course should be honest and true. 100 gold fine per bottle mislabeled purposefully.”



The King then addressed Lady Andrasta of New Magincia, giving her the floor to speak. Standing up, Lady Andrasta unfurled a long scroll and began to read.



“Good Evening My Liege, Lords & Ladies, Guests & Citizens. The City of Magincia has fallen on hard times... Tonight it grieves me to formally file an official complaint against a dear friend, Lady Khaleesi who currently serves as the Governor of Vesper. On her orders a fleet of Privateer Ships has blockaded New Magincia ports and strangled our trade with other cities, most illegally I might add.”



She proceeded to remind the King that he had approved the 50% tariff on New Magincia Rum, and claimed that without their trade lines open, the city would suffer greatly.



“As I mentioned during the first meeting my goal is to bring to your attention the plight of the citizens of New Haven whose new arrivals suffer greatly.”




The King attempted to have the two negotiate on a lower tariff. Lady Khaleesi offered 25%, claiming that to be a fair price; however Lady Andrasta was not to be swayed so easily, and only reduced her offer to 40%. Dur
ing this negotiation, Lady Andrasta was challenged by a citizen in the audience. “And what good is a governor who doesn't ask her citizens and business owners first?” To respond to the citizen’s challenge, Lady Andrasta turned her back on the King, evoking his response:




“In light of Lady Andrasta turning her back on the King... I hereby declare her Tarriff lowered to 20%. And the blockade of New Magincia done with. Are we understood?”

 

[Andrasta]

I, The Governor of New Magincia, standing the deck of my newly commissioned Flag Ship, watch with relief as the Privateers from Vesper sail away. I am grateful that the King has resolved our dispute and very satisfied with the new 20% Tariff that I still have to fund my Grandiose Plans for New Magincia. My citizens will hopefully be pleased with the lifting of the Blockade and will go on to make this Island prosperous once again.

I am impressed with my new ship and order Norman the Captain to outfit it with the best that we can afford including wood bevil protection. Who knows when Pirates and Privateers will visit again and as long as I am Governor, we will be prepared.

I have one last bit of business in Trinsic with Jack the Loan Shark and no one will be the wiser about my loan. I bet many of the Citizens of Trinsic will be glad as well. No one will hardly miss this greedy cold hearted man.

With my Trinsic business taken care of satisfactorily, I return to my office and take stock of my supplies. There is much work to be done before the next Council Meeting.

On my way to do some shopping I stop for an Ale at the Modest Damsel. The Inn is busier than it has been for weeks and Henrietta has some Ale from Zento stashed away for me as always.

I ponder the Grandiose Plans that I have proposed to the King and hope beyond hope that even one will come to fruition and that we have great things to look forward for our town, New Magincia.


Andrasta,
Governor of New Magincia

 

[Quacklebush]