The Governor's Chronicle

The courier came in under a black-lined sail, which would once have been theatre. It was not theatre. The sail lowered correctly, the dispatch was filed correctly, and the courier asked for hot broth.

THE WARNING

A week before the sails arrived, watchmen on the coast reported black masts massing beyond the charts. Scholars at the chapter-house disagreed on what to make of it. One, who refused to give his name, observed that in the old records the Black Tide does not announce itself, and therefore a warning of its arrival was either a mistake or a new thing. He has since returned to his books.

SIX HARBOURS AT DUSK

At dusk on the twenty-third, the sails arrived on schedule. Six anchorages across the archipelago, namely Plague Maw, Plague Fang, Plague Claw, Plague Howl, Plague Rot, and Plague Fathom, were found flying unheralded colours and turning away couriers at the mole. The owners, when asked, gave the name The Black Tide and no further word.

The Tide struck first. Fleets without trumpet or lantern broke Darren at Mini Nova, kelti at BubbleMarlin Rock, betterThanMax at FogJelly Landing, BobTheabuilder at a holding listed only as 013, and Ezthuel at TideCannon Quay. Six further approaches failed at the pier. Volatile Vermillion’s archers at FogSquid Port fired without waiting for order. Boss held JollyGalley Harbor with fewer men than the attacker expected. Outcast Osprey threw the black off PicklePike Haven, and afterward sent a boy to ask who exactly he had just fought. The boy was told to go home.

BROKEN BY THE FOLLOWING DUSK

Darren struck back before the night watch turned. Plague Rot fell, then Plague Fang, then Plague Maw. Pytale broke the garrison at Plague Fathom with one clean wave. BigChris lost a wave at Plague Howl, returned sharper, and took it the second time. Windy Walrus, whose fleet has not been short of work, sailed up the line in order and closed the ledger on Plague Claw this afternoon. By the following dusk no harbour in the archipelago was flying the black.

WHAT THE SCHOLARS SAY

The older readings, where they are legible, describe the Tide as a warden. A discipline pressed into the sea long ago by priests sworn to Varkos, Tharos, and Nyxen, to hold something down that has not been named aloud in common records. The texts use the phrase the first hunger. They do not elaborate. What sailors remember is simpler: the Tide takes anchorage in silence, keeps its ledgers in the dark, and answers force with force. That it took anchorage at all is worth a mark in the book. That it was driven off within a day will be worth another.

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“I was told we had repelled the Black Tide. I was then told the Black Tide is not a court, not an alliance, and not available for correspondence. I would like to formally object to fighting things I cannot write to.” — Governor Volatile Vermillion, FogSquid Port

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OTHER BUSINESS

Dread Lord logged more attacks than any other ship this week and has not commented on the Tide. Hannah’s alliance has grown by one. Dominion leads the rolls. The goat was reported at two separate harbours on the same afternoon. The Harbor Board has requested clarification and expects none.

Whatever the Tide was keeping down, the scholars would like a word with whoever kept the records. The records have been moved to a lower shelf.

Filed from the Harbor Board, Founders World.