In response to the formation of the Republic of Valantia , and its repudiation of the payments to the Infernal-Draconic Ascendancy as a result of the treaty which ended the War of the Waves, the Ascendancy began the formation of the Second Armanda. The Second Armanda itself was made up of a significant number of Valantine ships sent to Ascendancy as a result of the peace of 403:Contempt, as well as another 80 Ascendancy ships, which made the Second Armada larger than the First at about 140 ships. The Armada set sail in 445:Contempt, and its voyage seemed cursed from the outset. Early on the Armada was caught in storms which pushed it further east than anticipated into the Sea of Storms, there the Armada was scattered and a dozen ships lost. After the Armada reassembled it was forced to sail through the Outlaw Isles and were caught up in the The Wolf’s Prowl at Sea a conflict between the Kingdom of Thaxnoria and the pirates of the Outlaw Isles . Amidst the war ships within the Armada were captured, damaged, or ship wrecked, by the time the Armada sailed into the Seuibe River they numbered less than 100. After they passed through the mouth of the Seuibe River , many sailors in the Armada suffered strange illnesses and mania; the most afflicted underwent physical changes: a mucus layer formed on their skin, webbed toes and hands, and some unconfirmed reports existed of crewmates that formed gills. After the illnesses took hold mutinies began, by the time they were brought under control only less than half the Armada, as mutineers fled with ships; however, illness no longer troubled the Armada. The Armada then arrived of the coast of Valantia, instead of a unprepared, weak, and disordered state they found a well organised Republic with a large fleet to meet them; the Battle of Baia Smaraldo led to a humiliating defeat for the Ascendancy with what remained of the Armada forced to flee, few than twenty ships from the Armada returned to the Ascendancy in 447:Contempt.