Consulate Admiralty

Structure

The Consulate Admiralty is divided into four admirals administering different segments of the Consulate military. These positions are the Deep Admiral, Shoal Admiral, Shore Admiral, and Loch Admiral. They each handle administrative zones of the oceans, islands, coast, and waterways of the consulate respectively. While it is not defined as such in the Consulate Constitution, the Admiralty falls into a hierarchy with the Deep Admiral considered the most prestigious and the Shore Admiral the lowest. The Deep Admiral often has broad understood authority over the actions of the other three admirals, only answering to the Consuls and the Consulate Parliament. Each Admiral has direct control over their respective zones.

Deep Admiral - Incumbent: Lorgon

The Deep Admiral is in command of the Open Seas Fleet, and unofficially the head of the Consulate military. The Open Seas Fleet primarily has jurisdiction of all the waters along the outside of the Stargash Crater. This zone is considered the most treacherous part of Consulate territory as it is far more likely to be infested with pirates and privateers. The western side of the region is dominated by Crag pirates while the east is home to domestically-grown pirate gangs. Additionally, the Deep Admiral and their fleet are usually the primary fighting force during open warfare, being the most experienced in engaging directly with enemy forces. The work of the Deep Admiral is never done as the highly commercial nature of the Consulate attracts pirates no matter how many are cut down. The Open Seas Fleet is usually made up of heavy frigates, interceptors, and a plethora of support ships, headed by the Deep Admiral's flagship, the DCS Sea Stalker. The Deep Admiral is the convener of the Admiralty Council and sets its agendas. Famous Deep Admirals include Emmett Grint the Butcher of Gardenport, and Kir Lagosha, Piratesbane. Holding the position is considered a representation of a lifetime of work in the service of the Consulate military.
Deep Admiral Lorgon took the position in 9037 after a long career as a Roil Captain, fighting pirates along the fringes of the Consulate. He is known for his hotheaded nature and no-nonsense way of dealing with problems. Despite his reputation of having a short temper, his track record was considered impeccable by the Parliament when considering his application to the position. The highlight of his career was his command of the attack wing of Roil Captain Harper's rescue fleet in 9035, in which he obliterated a massive pirate band in control of the region near Tidewatch in order to rescue then-Deep Admiral Koloth. During Lorgon's tenure as Deep Admiral, the Open Seas Fleet has been massively consolidated. Dozens of support ships have been decommissioned in favor of nimble interceptor-class ships and heavily-armed flagships. The overhaul of the fleet has resulted in a significant decrease in piracy on the outer ocean, however his men often complain about their regular food shortages with no way to take advantage of the Consulate's robust supply network.

Shoal Admiral - Incumbent: Keth'leen Harper

The Shoal Admiral is the commanding officer of the Archipelago Fleet, and is responsible for the majority of the logistical operations of the entire Consulate military. The Shoal Admiral, while less prestigious than the Deep Admiral, is by far the most strategically and operationally important positions in the entire military. The Archipelago Fleet's primary duties are Consulate Intelligence, the defense of civilian trade, policing of smugglers, and maintenance of supply lines, and thusly is made up of support ships and armed escort vessels along with the Shoal Admiral's flagship, the aging DCS Bridge Builder. Virtually every decision on operations comes across the Shoal Admiral's desk at one point. Their office is based on the island fortress of Crater's Rim, the heart of the Consulate military. From this island, the Shoal Admiral directs fleet movements, ship construction, and military research & development. Despite their importance to internal operations, few remember Shoal Admirals by name. However, on occasion, a Shoal Admiral gains great prestige, such as Shoal Admiral Kira Linseed, who equipped her supply line ships with state-of-the-art weapons during the Third Wine War. This move resulted in the Archipelago Fleet obliterating an attempted Cord Ea Turin Trade Alliance invasion force before they ever reached a single island.
The current Shoal Admiral is Keth'leen Harper, a centaur from Smalldock. Her former career in the Open Sea Fleet under Deep Admiral Koloth is well-known as she single-handedly organized an emergency rescue fleet to back up Koloth after a failed intelligence underestimated enemy numbers that resulted in the death of Shoal Admiral Tenneth and the the near-total destruction of the Archipelago Fleet. Her forces smashed through a pirate-established perimeter near the abandoned fleet academy at Tidewatch, allowing rescue ships to save nearly 2,000 sailors on sinking ships or struggling to survive swimming in the rough seas. After this, Harper was promoted to Shoal Admiral in 9036 to bring that ingenuity to good use and was given significant leeway in rebuilding the Archipelago Fleet. Since then, Harper has risen to the challenge and established the strongest and most efficient Archipelago Fleet in living memory. After incorporating many of the ships that Deep Admiral Lorgon decommissioned from the Open Seas Fleet, Harper has been able to rebuild the Archipelago Fleet to is largest size in history. Her keen mind for logistics have led to a rebirth of the entire Consulate military, the only exception being the Open Seas Fleet rejecting the need for logistical vessels. She has also not shied away from the use of contracted labor for specialized operations, which has freed up permanent sailors and military engineers for more essential domestic operations.

Loch Admiral - Incumbent: Beckons the Storm

Commanding the Reservoir Fleet is the Loch Admiral. The duties of this position are far more niche than the Deep Admiral or Shoal Admiral, as it has jurisdiction over all fresh water bodies in the Consulate, which exist almost exclusively in the lowland territory north of the Stargash Crater. The Reservoir Fleet operates out of Union Reservoir and regularly conducts joint operations with its counterpart of the Final Kingdom, the King's Dredgers. Loch Admirals mainly serve in commanding the Reservoir Fleet in the escort of commercial vessels moving in and out of the mainland, as well as levying proper taxes on imports and exports flowing through the rivers. The Reservoir Fleet is composed of small combat support vessels and logistical vessels that house small offices and vaults for the collection of taxes. Loch Admirals, while providing essential services to the Consulate, rarely gain notoriety. The most well-known Loch Admiral was Hellam of Tax, the founder of the modern financial system of the Consulate who transformed the Reservoir Fleet from a small collection of escort vessels into a steady regulating force in the otherwise-distant north of the Consulate. The Loch Admiral until early 9048 was Pontar Yaruga, a quiet soft-spoken military accountant appointed during a time of particular prosperity in 9031. His appointment was meant to maintain the economic status quo, but this has led to complacency. After the onset of the famine in the Final Kingdom, a great deal of incoming trade dried up and tariff income with it. Yaruga struggled to make up for this loss and was viewed by many as incompetent and wrong for the job. There were whispers late in his tenure that Consul Merchant wished to replace him. However, in Rekindling 9048 Yaruga launched a coup on the island of Tax while the Taxmaster was off the island using a mercenary army of Lorthr'ten exiles, leaving the Reservoir Fleet behind. This coup was quashed by the joint Open Seas Fleet and Archipelago fleet, led by Lorgon's flagship the DCS Sea Stalker. Yaruga was arrested by the Partycrashers under the employ of the Consulate Intelligence Directorate. In Low Tide 9048, Taxmaster Beckons the Storm was appointed to the position after an emergency session of Parliament. Beckons the Storm, having served as Loch Admiral prior to the most recent appointment, was well known for his effectiveness in the position. The appointment coincided with a rapid redeployment of the Reservoir Fleet to collect taxes from various corporations along the shores of Union Reservoir. After collections were complete, he set sail with two thirds of the Reservoir fleet up the Kellenwa River to escort essential relief supplies to the Duchy of Sindar, now under invasion by the Crag.

Shore Admiral - Incumbent: Jenna Hagan

The Shore Admiral is in command of the Craterguard Fleet and is responsible for all operations related to mainland coastal operations, namely timber acquisition, bridge maintenance, and the comparatively limited army of the Consulate. The position is jokingly referred to as the Land-legged Admiral because it has very few operating armed military vessels. In years past, the Craterguard Fleet had duties related to domestic defense, however many of these duties have been absorbed by the Archipelago Fleet due to their greater access to resources and the fact that few enemy vessels attempt to raid mainland locations. While it is does not hold the same prestige as its other positions, the Shore Admiral still fulfills essential functions that keep the oft-neglected mainland of the Consulate. From an office based out of Firstbridge, the Shore Admiral directs their forces by developing logistical networks and maintaining land-based supply chains. The office building is often referred to as the Unsinkable Flagship.
Jenna Hagan is the Shore Admiral at present, who leads the Craterguard Fleet with great dignity. She is often vocal in her belief that the fleet serves a vital service in the Consulate and is regularly lobbying for additional support from Parliament. Her career before becoming Shore Admiral was civilian in nature, a native of Victus' Fall and elected official in charge of infrastructure management. She rose to prominence when she planned a forestation program for the northern outer slopes of the Stargash Crater in order to reduce Consulate dependence on foreign timber. Through her efforts, there is a burgeoning industry of lumberjacks in the north mainland where there had previously been poverty and resentment toward the Consulate. In her tenure as Shore Admiral, Hagan has expanded this project, bringing the mainland regions into a more unified Consulate than has been seen in the past. Her Craterguard Fleet is small, but intensely loyal to her as she makes regular visits to each ship in the fleet, which has boosted morale significantly.