Broken Shore Bounty

The corsair families Pride themselves on keeping the Bay of Catazar
free of Grendel.

Overview

The Broken Shore Bounty is technically located near Cazar in the territory of Feroz. Custodianship of the Broken Shore Bounty grants an Imperial title; a seat on the Imperial Bourse; and a seasonal bounty of valuable ilium.

The Resource

The Grendel represent a powerful threat to the Empire, and there are always a few groups of disgruntled criminals or barbarian orcs who view Imperial boats and ships as easy prey. Only constant vigilance by Imperial fleet owners, especially those among the corsair families of the Brass Coast, protect the livelihoods and lives of Imperial boat people and fisherfolk. Without an armed presence in the Bay of Catazar, coastal settlements and foreign trade alike would be endangered by opportunistic pirates. The Broken Shore Bounty is intended to reward the Freeborn ship captains who commit themselves to the defence of local waters, rather than to trade with distant nations.

The ilium that the Seat provides is claimed from the fishing nets of the boats that ply their trades along the coast of the Bay of Catazar; a portion of all such finds are claimed by the Broken Shore Bounty. While some fisherfolk resent the claim, the majority appreciate that the Freeborn are instrumental in helping to keep opportunistic raiders out of Imperial waters - that a portion of any ilium found is a minor loss compared to the complete loss of catch, ship, livelihood, and liberty that an encounter with a Grendel raiding vessel would represent.

The seat comes with a well-protected villa in the port-town of Cazar, in Feroz. The corsairs families of the Brass Coast see it as a point of honour to control the Broken Shore Bounty. The ilium is collected and overseen by members of the i Orieni i Riqueza family, who have extensive ties with fishing families and mercantile ship owners throughout the Brass Coast, and the southern territories of the League, Highguard, and Urizen. The current dhomiro of the i Orien family is named Riguel.

Appointing the Seat

Every time a citizen of the Brass Coast chooses the privateering action for their fleet they receive votes. A typical fleet provides 10 votes, plus an extra 2 votes for each time it has been upgraded. Any enchantment that directly increases the effectiveness of a privateering fleet will grant additional votes. When the seat is allocated (usually during the Spring Equinox), the number of votes each citizen has accrued over the previous year is tallied. The owner of the fleet records which Freeborn character they wish to support, and the one who receives the most votes takes the Seat. Votes are recorded in private in conjunction with the civil servants who support the Bourse.

While privateering does not have a direct effect on the outcome of military campaigns, it does has an in-character effect on the setting. The actions of the Freeborn Corsairs and others protects the people and settlements around the bay of Catazar. Privateering keeps the coastal waters of the Empire clear of pirates and other maritime dangers. It does not have a mechanical effect on the Grendel military, but attacking enemy shipping in the Bay does have a narrative effect, without it, Grendel raiders and pirates alike would be free to attack civilians.

Karlos i Shartha i Riqueza of the New Promise Cartel.

The Bourse Seat

Responsibilities

The Seat has no particular responsibilities; they simply receive a bounty of ilium which is theirs to do with as they will. If the Broken Shore Bounty were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Seat to deal with those threats. Likewise, if any particular opportunity were to arise related to the Broken Shore Bounty, the Seat would expect to be consulted as to how that opportunity might be resolved.

Powers

Seat on the Bourse

Custodianship of the Broken Shore Bounty comes with a seat on the Imperial Bourse. For the most part, this Seat comes with no additional responsibilities. It is an Imperial title that grants the right to participate on the rare occasion when the Imperial Bourse as a body is required to make a decision.

Bounty of ilium

The Seat has control of a source of ilium which they receive directly. They can dispense this resource as they choose. Production is 7 rings of ilium every season.

Appointment

As with all ilium Bourse seats, the holder of the title is determined during the Spring Equinox. Control of the Broken Shore Bounty is assigned to whichever Brass Coast candidate receives the most support from Brass Coast fleet owners that have earned votes over the past year by privateering. Votes are recorded in private in conjunction with the civil servants who support the Bourse.

Custodianship of the Broken Shore Bounty is retained for a year, or until the citizen holding the seat dies, or steps down. An Imperial Bourse seat cannot berevoked by the Imperial Synod.