Tensions Boiling (Eldire, PT Semi-Closed)
Phenixica
11-11-2008, 13:58
((OOC: Only for members of Eldire rp))
King Leopold was not happy when he heard of recent tariffs imposed by the Iron Hills to the west, sea-trade was in bad shape without extra money having to be paid to a bunch of greedy Dwarves who barely use the water in the first place.
The port of Angersmith makes allot of money from being a safe haven for all ships in the black sea to stop off and get ready for further travels. Vetian fleets keep Orc raiders and other vandals at bay and these Dwarves want us to pay them for use of the water.
A letter was sent to the Iron Hills with a simple demand
To stop Tariffs on trade through the pass between the Black and Dolthiac oceans.
If you do not accept this demand your merchant vessels will receive no protection by our fleet when attacked by the Orc Raiders who pollute the Black Sea. Also your ships will be forbidden to dock at the port of Angersmith.
From his majesty,
King Leopold II of the Kingdom of Vetia.
Any threat of their own would be empty as far as the King was concerned, The king had a bigger army and his fleet was capable of a assault, if that was not enough it would be a fight of Steel and Gunpowder which even in their mountain hills they could not resist.
Terror Incognitia
12-11-2008, 13:35
Oddly enough, he was not the only one irritated.
Entirely separately, the Incognitian government had become aware of an additional impost being placed upon their merchants travelling north.
Incognitia was never keen on obstructions to trade.
Duties to trade into a specific country or port were acceptable; that was normal, and it was up to the merchants themselves to decide whether to trade at that port or attempt to obtain the goods from elsewhere.
Charging a duty to pass through a straight, on the other hand, was well beyond the norm. Charging a duty to pass a straight on the other hand was both an entirely new concept, and entirely unacceptable.
It was akin to bandits forcing anyone along a given road to give them most of their money.
The demand was thus sent, via a magical link to the part-time envoy, who wrote it out and sealed it to hand to the local government.
Continued attempts to levy this charge on Incognitian vessels will be unacceptable. We would clearly prefer that you drop attempts to levy it of your own accord.
While any previous charges can stand, all fresh charges levied from now on will be called for in reparations by the Incognitian government in settlement of the dispute.
This will be in addition to any further costs incurred by any branch of the Incognitian Government in ensuring a satisfactory resolution, including of course the Navy.
In hopes of peace and continued international harmony based on the freedom of the high seas
The Office of the High Admiral, Incognitia
By hand of the temporary emissary to the Iron Hills
The Dwarves, found this an insult, every other nation had tariffs and prices when you passed through tere waters, yet when the Dwarfs did it, everyone got angry, needless to say, they didnt much care.
Offical response to both Parties.
Like it or not, they are our sovergin waters and we are allowed to do what we will with them, we had no objections to your nation and that of any nation who imposes fees for traveling to and from there seas, we have not done it before, and now we do it.
If you do not like it, we suggest you start funding land trade routes, for if you are unable or unwilling to pay, you will be denied access.
A small chart was included with the letter.
Fee's
Sm Merchant 1 gold or 15 silver or 50 bronze
Md Merchant 3 gold or 65 silver or 150 bronze
Lrg Merchant 6 gold or 130 silver or 400 Bronze
Bronze payment not acceptable for below ships.
Sm Warship 2 Gold or 30 Silver
Md Warship 4 Gold or 60 Silver
Lrg Warship 10 Gold or 150 Silver
By Gamli, son of Gami Master of the House of Trade.
Phenixica
13-11-2008, 09:20
The king laughed, the Kingdom did not have tariffs on Trade because that is not where they make most of their money. What they do make a profit on it's the protection of fleets from orcish raiders. The Dwarves were playing a dangerous game by demanding things from a nation that can influence their entire trade with the exotic East.
A simple message was sent to the Iron Hills, it's message would be enacted as soon as a Vetian vessel had sight of a trade ship.
Unwise move Dwarf King, the Kingdom of Vetia will halt all trade coming in through the East. You see we control all sea-trade from the East and it would be unwise for you to push this further. We hold no tariffs on foreign trade and only request payment from merchants we have escorted through safe waters otherwise we only make money from trade at our own docks.
If you continue with these tariffs our fleets will be ordered to 'make' a pass through your waters, we could survive without trade from the west but we prefer to not have to make sacrifices. But we all know your Dwaven Halls need allot of imported material in order to function.
This is no longer in any form a request, this is a demand. Destroy your Tariffs or we will be forced to Destroy your ability to enforce them.
from King Leopold II of Vetia
Already ships that were trading with the Iron hills were forced to go to Angersmith, the fleet was amassed to blockade the narrow pass of water just before you entered the Dwarven lands. Angry merchants did not bother the King, the Garrison at Angersmith was the best of them all. Elven Archers were ready to rain down hell on anybody who questions the authority of the King and also Orc conscripts walked the streets making their presence known.
Vetia was a dragon sleeping, but when awoken it could cause a fire that would last the ages.
Terror Incognitia
13-11-2008, 11:58
Like it or not, they are our sovergin waters and we are allowed to do what we will with them, we had no objections to your nation and that of any nation who imposes fees for traveling to and from there seas, we have not done it before, and now we do it.
If you do not like it, we suggest you start funding land trade routes, for if you are unable or unwilling to pay, you will be denied access.
"We think you have a misunderstanding of the idea of national waters. By long convention, national waters stretch to two leagues beyond your shore. The straights which you wish to impose a tariff upon are significantly broader than two leagues.
Since no country rules the High Seas, it is entirely inappropriate to charge for use of them. Unlike a port, a canal, or a turn-pike, you do not pay to maintain the High Seas.
Interfering with trade on the High Seas and demanding money with menaces is Piracy, if conducted by an individual; an Act of War if undertaken by a state.
We will warn all our traders to remain further than two leagues from your lands in passing the straights. If they are outside your waters, interference with their free passage will be casus belli. We ask you to consider this point carefully before taking any further action."
The situation was deteriorating unfortunately. The Incognitian government saw chaos and threats coming on all sides; hordes in the West against the Procans, beastmen assailing Ithilar, a descent into chaos over their northern border, and now potential war in the East.
It was quite the opposite of what they'd want, but they hadn't picked the situation...and one thing Incognitia could be guaranteed to stand up for was the Freedom of the Seas.
The scandal sheets, having had their fill of 'beastman atrocities' and the like, lapped it up, and fanned the flames with reports of 'outrages' against merchant traders.
Very few in the Assembly wanted a war, but most of the rest knew that if they did, the ships were there, the men were there, and so was the money. If it had to come, then let it come.
Even the Incognitian dwarvish community were broadly in favour of "maintaining freedom of trade" and "doing what was necessary"...they had long been more loyal to their nation than their race.
ooc: FYI i do contrl the straits, since i own both islands in them and two leauges pretty much covers the whole straight.
IC:
Reply to The Incognitian government
"If you were aware of up to date maps, these straits have been traditional Dwarven lands for the last one hundred years, and our claim over those seas are very much so near and within Two leagues, and any attemptss to circumvent the fee, will be considered and act of piracy and offending ship destroyed, we advise any ships from your nation to not try and circumvent the fee, as it is a small and out of the way fee, as that area has several forts and major military docks.
Inresponse to the various threats to Dwarven sea superioty, patrols of that area were stepped up and additional five turtle ships were sent to the straits, bolstering the number to twenty four, and the forts were going to re-manned and checked up upon within the followed days.
Phenixica
13-11-2008, 13:39
A arrow flies through the sky and hits a merchant protesting in the hand, Almerius puts his bow to the ground and looks to his group of Elves.
"I swear if I have to deal with one more Merchant trying to break into the lords manor I will murder every single one from this spot"
Angersmith was empty of local Vetian ships, the Dromons and Longboats were pretty much mobilizing for a De-Facto war. King Leopold was a general and military men did not know the meaning of negotiation.
The fleet of about 9 Dromons and 16 Longboats were preparing to make a point about this whole matter, the other fleet had allowed trade in the black sea going to the Iron Hills to either force anchor at Angersmith or if they refused they would shot a arrow that would make a blue signal that would draw attention of Orc Raiders before they could do anything about it.
The message was simple, Vetia will increase pressure on the Iron Hills until they back down. Hopefully outright War could be avoided. Dwarf citizens in the Western mines would stay sided with Vetia but a long war would test that loyalty severely.
Terror Incognitia
13-11-2008, 13:54
ooc: FYI i do contrl the straits, since i own both islands in them and two leauges pretty much covers the whole straight.
OOC: Maybe the Black Sea strait is less than 10 leagues, but you said in the OOC thread that you were gonna put a tariff on the Inland Sea strait as well, and that's a good 50 leagues wide, minimum.
If you've decided to go for the Black Sea strait alone, you can assume my ships are going through in Silverfall waters, and that we don't care that much.
Phenixica
13-11-2008, 14:32
((OOC: Vetia simply will not except having to pay a pointless Tariff, so this will lead to something more serious.))
ooc: silvefalls coat falls under my jurisdiction :P unlessyou hug really close but anything big will risk being beached. for all intent and purposes the gap of water between silverfall and me is mine :P
IC:
The Dwarves were not afraid of no war, and if there was war they didnt really have to do much, most o the beaches had been blocked off already in these darkeneing times, so that left only the coastal ports and cities, which were heavily defended.
The other tracks led from beaches but the waters in those areas were very choppy, and dangerous to larger craft as they couldnt manouver properly inthe small beach.
Frankly, some of the Dwarves were wondering about all the fuss, other nations charged twice as much to pass through there waters, yet this simple toll generated this much fuss, most put it off to human and elf idiotcu others put it too greed, the rest shruged.
Phenixica
14-11-2008, 07:39
Vetia had prepared a army of 116,000 to attack the Iron Hills, naturally they did not have a fleet to move the army but a whole different approach could be used.
Vetia had a almost unknown passage through the south of the Goblin Confederation, their was a risk of attack but the Goblins were busy elsewhere and they could manage a attack against the Dwarves through the North. Vetia was not stupid to try a invasion from the sea when their navy was nowhere near strong enough to batter the coastal defensive into submission.
This time is was their last chance.
I have a letter on my desk which is a formal declaration of war to be sent to your Kingdom if you fail to listen to demands.
We have never put a tariff on your trade through the black sea, we lose about 300 men a year to hold back Orcish Raids and all we ask is payment to keep the Fleet functioning so another 300 men can lose their lives the next year and letters be sent to their widows or aunties.
You putting a Tariff on our trade is a insult to those who defend any ship under threat in the Black Sea, that is why this is a big deal. You charge this tariff simply for us passing through our waters, we charge because the entire trade between East and West relies on us to do our job.
My army is armed and ready, it's your move.
King Leopold II of the Kingdom of Vetia
Another reason is the tariffs could badly affect the money made through escorting, yes it was greed but if they did not get that money they could not afford to make the fleet larger which in the long run would mean they could finally destroy the Orc threat.
The Dwarves were firmly rooted in there position, they were stubborn, and the Vetianns should of known that a reply was not bothered to be sent, and people hoped it would make it clear to the Vetian government the Dwarves would not back down, for a few keys reasons they themselves thought it a small tax and it would bea cowardly move to back down.
Near the Goblin border to the north, at the Newly Christened Iron line.
General Gral, affectionally called Iron Helm due to his stubborn by Dwarf standard nature, and for the fact he led a personal facet of the army, the Iron Rangers a group of Fourty Nine ( not includingGral) Who had been the Guards of the High Earth mothers temple during the Age of Strife, known vernamently for there solid will, determination and willingness to fight to the last, common history was that the Depleted garrision of a Earth mother temple, in Norther hills had held out four fifty moons agaisnt the superioty of the House Akirin, now long banished, heance the number fifty enventually became sacred and now never more then Fifty of the Iron Guard were trained.
"Come on you lazy son of a human!" He yelled as he walked up and down the fortworks, which had been under construct for almost a Full revolution(year), since those higher above Gral's position fortold that of a impending storm, several things had been done namely the construction of a fortified border between the Northern Hills and the lands of the vile goblins, with the task set to stop goblins many extra precatuions had been taken and the fort, sat above nearing half a meter of stone floors, one of out the proposed 5 forts that would cordern off this small landpass had been built 2 more underconstruction at almost halfway, the last two had yet to recive the go ahead.
"Keep building, in the name of the earth mother!"
The Garrision at the border, stood at Four hundred Dwarfs, several seige companys with various weapons of war such as the Dwarfshot, cannon ballista and other gooides.
Phenixica
14-11-2008, 09:41
A column formation marches through the Goblin Confederation and it was under the control of Lord Jacob of Lorein, who was leader of the Standing Army. This was a professionally trained army, also it's technological innovations like Cannons and other forms of gunpowder weaponry would make them a fierce opponent. It also had a boast with reserve forces from the countryside, not as well trained but they are good fighters.
"My Lord what are we to do when we reach the Iron Hills?"
"Our cannons can smash through any fortress they try and stop us with, our archers and Crossbowmen are the best in the region compared to Dwarves and our Infantry is more then capable of fighting theirs. Also our benefit of Orc Conscripts is just another benefit to us"
They were going to separate the army into two when they reached the border, then with planning attack the Dwarves and force their small army to either engage one while the other rampages through the land or try and halt both with making two armies of their own.
Gunpowder should render most fortifications useless, also the main advantage with the Vetian Army is the fact it was not only human but a mix of different races using their skills together to make the perfect war machine.
Cannons, agaisnt any oher fort would of been effective, but the Dwarves had considered this therefort although high had large packed earth ramps leading from the top of the battlements down towards the ground, so to someone marching at it, it would appear to be a slightly sloaped hill but if a careless army rushed over they would fall a few meters of four to there doom.
With the advent of war on the horision, several more Regiments were dispatched from neighboring regions sent to bolster the defenes an extra fifteen thousand soilders bolstered the very small stretch of land, and soon the area was teeeming with Dwarfs, where the forts were cannons were being prepared, weapons loaded were forts werent... Pallisades were being built shabby watch towers erected and general they clogged the area, all the pathways were being blocked with overturned carts, stones and even collapsing bridges and sinking ferrys, till only three ways across remained, one was by sea which was being patrooled the other was by a small pass, which was relativly undefended by it would take anywhile to get an army through, or through the main road, wich the main dwarf force rested in.
If the Vetians wanted to go into Dwarf territory, they had to bypass the Iron line, and that would be no mean feat, Dwarfs fought there wars by way of the Iron Code, which the main philosphy was " Let thy enemy break themselves upon they sheilds, let them exhast there bodies and break there wills andi n there time of rest batter them down"
Tho it did mean all the dwarves did was work twice as hard, and erect as many foritifcations as they could, prepare defenses and organise supply lines reinforcements and retreat points stretching back to the nearest town, which was on the other side of the landbridge, which traditionally was the orignal choke point.
Gral stood atop his battlements and smilled, obscured by the walls next to him lay tubs of oils, and fire whichcould be heated up or lit and poured down the sloping ramp of packed earth lighting any poor army charging on fire, or burning there feat and ankles.
ooc: ill be posting general pics of the Dwarven forts soonish.
Phenixica
15-11-2008, 12:25
After days of marching they had finally reached the border, they had entered the Realm of the Iron Hills.
"Good thing the Goblins have been quiet lately, back in the old days that would of been impossible" Jacob said
The army knew there would be a good defence but they hoped sheer numbers and superior technology would win the day. Bombard cannons could attack any fort and also be used as mortars for high rises fortresses.
They had about 600 cannons all together, if they could batter defenses enough they could with hope destroy and fortress that threaten their authority. They were ordered to me merciful to the citizens but destroy any army they came across. If they killed civilians a backlash could arrive in the Dwarf community which dominated the mining industry.
((Give me the layout, be reasonable :P)
ooc: yup, lemme draw it up.. heh hard with paint *fumes* i drew it with pencil but no scanner!!