The skies fortold the war brewing underneath the choppy and vociferous surface of the high seass. Beneath the tempestuous waves above the Atlantian "safe zone" - which was about to be shattered in its peaceful recollection by the grim fist of war, three massive mechanisms of destruction are release into the borders of the Atlantian waters...
The "Siege" class Ironclad submarine was the latest monumental achievement of the Son of Ether-dominated corps of Umbral Engineers that created the balanced weapons of discordiant magick and arcane technology which fueled Venway's war machine, and the new daggers of a navy in need of serious aid and cripled by several staggering tactics of attrition on the part of the Warlock Order. Of course, the M.A.'s submarine fleet, although dwarfed by the marauding U-Boat armada of the Order, was the only part of the navy left generally untouched by the sickening vicissitudes of Odindrust.
There were at least three of the new "Siege" class now haunting the edges of the Atlantian waters, guarded by scores of hunter-killers modefied for this new type of warfare - one expected to be waged primarily beneath the waves instead of on top of them. The "Sieges" - Overseer, Sea Devil, and Tempest, were submersible iron fortresses in their own right - powered not by mundane petrol, but by a host of intricate steam-fueled machinary. The mages on board used this Hydro-etheric energy to power a host of machinary with out the need for mundane electronics or more easily sabotaged petrolium fuel tanks. All that these new submersed rooks truly needed to run was the ocean water in which they traveled.
They patrol the outskirts of Atlantian waters, seemingly waiting for now. These are the proverbial "flagships" of Venway's tactic against their newfound enemy. Blockade.
Besides these three jugernauts are, again, a host of other submersible vessels, ordered to destroy any unfiendly ships exitting or entering the noose which the Mutiny Alliance is attempting to tie around Atlantis.
* * *
Prime Minister Van Dresden stood before the podium within the Grand Amphitheatre of Venway City's fortress-like Capitol Building. His middle-aged features were potently and sharply refined, as was the crisp but drab suit he wore to this meeting. The glint of electric lights from the outhanging surface of his silverish watchchain exiting the pocket of his elegant vest. He sighs, quietly, darkened brown eyes staring out over the Hermetic's audiance reservedly, as he delivers his speech that will broaden this war and its scope of death and destruction to yet another theatre. The burden shoveled upon his shoulders by Cypress Dreadslay's demand that Atlantis be blockaded is not a light one. How many of Venway's youth will go into the high seas and never be seen again? This is not a war that the Mutiny Alliance has to fight...
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Venway Parliament. Almost two weeks ago, it was, when the navies of the Great Alliance suffered an unwarrented, unprovoked, and unscrupulous attack by the submersed kingdom of Atlantis. The Royal government, headed by the megalomaniacal and authoritarian autocrat - Trystan Denasco is guilty of the murder of hundreds of sailors from the naval services of the Venway Confederation and her allies. This act of war, despite its destructive capabilities, was highly one of diversion - meant to slow down the fleets of the Great Alliance. Why? I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, why hinder the enemies of Warlock Order. Neutral nations have nothing to gain from this? Then again, Atlantis has proven itself not to be a neutral nation.
"Co-conspirator of the Warlock Order and accomplice to their campaigns of murder, aggression, slavery, and outright genocide - Atlantis stands now to be punished by the righteous. Failing to meet the just demands of Cypress Dreadslay's ultimatum - which merely asked for a publicized apology for their blatant actions and an assurance that it never would occure again, and promised 7 days before hostilities would commence. Well, my friends, if anything then the leader of our Mutiny Alliance has been too lenient upon the Atlantians. For today, 12 days after the crisis began, ladies and gentlemen, the Venway Confederation will declare war upon the kingdom of Atlantis.
"The Royal Government of Atlantis are cowards. While falling into the pockets of a desperate and beleaguered Warlock Order dictatorship, these foolish, shortsighted enemies of freedom will sell the blood of their people to an enemy who never wished for hostilities. But shall we falter in our dedication to the defense of our people and our allies. Shall we falter in the responsibility that we have for the youth of our own lands and our allies' who are serving in the military mechanisms charged to be the world's saviors? Shall we allow the Warlock Order's pawns to murder and terrorize them and then let them justify it with weak, filthy propaganda demonizing Cypress Dreadslay and Archos Godslayers just so that Trystan Denasco can go on covetting their achievements?
No! No! And thrice, no! We will not. Let us extinguish the shadowy villains who hide within the light. For Atlantis will learn not to test the sharpest swords of freedom in the world..."
Van Dresden bows his head, after murmering "thank you" into his microphone, and steps away from the shadowy expanse of the amphitheatre's great stage. Those gathered within the capitol building rise to their feet, cheering and shouting the political battlecries of "Venway" and "Dresden" ... music to the politician's soul. But at what cost had he demonized a king and sent two nationalities against one another?
Ah well, that is how the scythe fell. Atlantis should never have pushed Cypress Dreadslay's ego-button...
((Okay. This is the best I could do right now. The Siege-Sea Devil, Siege-Overseer, and Siege-Tempest can both be played by either Darren or myself as need be. Otherwise, the Mutiny alliance's hunter-killer submarines will be under the main control of Darren as they are part of his navy. The tactic here is obvious. Ships exitting or entering Atlantis are going to be attacked without mercy. The war amounts to a naval blockade for now, and nothing more... Due to the powers of level-one sensory magick I'm going to have to request that so-called "cloaked" ships still RP out their evasion of the Mutiny Alliance submarines))
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