Some of the coastal towns become nervous powder kegs, waiting for a single flame in the wrong place to cause them to explode well before they reach Grendel territory. The situation is made even more tense where Imperial Orcs have received these boons - the magic kindles each orcs natural instincts to seek out battle and conflict, in some cases to dangerous levels. Not that the soldiers are the only problem - many of the ships' crews are themselves girded with enchantments of Spring that exacerbate their own frustration at having to wait for warriors to be ready before they can unleash their fury against the Grendel. Keeping the peace between gangs of armed and armoured soldiers, their blood-lust heightened by the touch of Spring, is a challenge that tasks the resources of militia, magistrates, and local peace-keeping forces. Violence erupts more than once between soldiers filled with unaccustomed levels of potent sorcery. Remaining patient in the face of weeks-long delays as the full force of the armada gathers is more than some soldiers can take. Hundreds of soldiers enchanted with Spring magic that not only grants them increased vigour and savage strength, but also heightens their aggression. One consideration that makes the entire process more difficult is the sheer amount of magic that has been brought to bear. Arranging for over three hundred individual warbands to find ships capable of transporting them to the far side of the Bay of Catazar is a herculean task, but with the enthusiastic aid of port officials across the southern Empire, it is managed in a little over a month. The civil service does what it can but even their traditionally efficient bureaucracy is tasked near to the limit. Just shy of two-hundred-and-fifty fleet captains answered the call to take the fight to the Grendel - their ships needed to ensure berths for the thousands of soldiers flooding south to join the bold endeavour. It takes time, of course, to gather a great fleet. Yet many of the ships leaving Sarvos hug the coast, joining the fleets being gathered at other ports along the Bay of Catazar. The Senate has paid the ransom demanded by the Salt Lords, and their vast fleet of warships simply idles in the waters off the Jeweled City. Only in Sarvos is it business as usual: with the armada anchored within sight of the docks, it is deemed wiser not to draw too much attention to the gathering storm. Every Imperial nation is represented, from the Brass Coast to Varushka, from Urizen to Wintermark. From across the entire Empire they come, soldiers and ships alike. Then over the next few weeks, soldiers and warriors flood into the coastal towns ready to take the fight to the Grendel. Ships first, at ports all along the Bay of Catazar, from Siroc and Shantarim in the west to Crown's Quay and Visten in the east. The Turning Tide On the WaterfrontĪlmost immediately after the Autumn equinox, the word goes out and people begin to gather.
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