Succession of the First Sea Lord

Life, Death

Sea Lord Drac dies and is succeeded by Captain Cromey. A period of growth and crises follows.

Captain Drac quickly consolidated his power over the city. He declared himself the (sole) Sea Lord of Freeport and moved against his remaining enemies before they could organize any resistance. Some of the remaining pirate captains left Freeport rather than serve Drac. They blamed him for the ruination of the pirate code and for the betrayal of Francisco. The majority of the captains, however, seeing which way the salty wind was blowing, chose to remain in Freeport and ride out the storm.   As it turned out, Captain Drac’s rule was considerably less bloody than anyone had believed possible. Drac was not joking about going legitimate. He set up trade routes with former enemies, cracked down on rogue pirates, and organized a Captains’ Council for the governance of the city. Drac’s word was still law, but the Captains’ Council was in charge of the day-to-day affairs of the city and also advised Drac on matters of import.   Captain Drac ruled Freeport with a firm hand for the next 30 years. In that time, he succeeded in turning a pirate haven into a trading hub of substantial importance. Freeport had always enjoyed a fortuitous position, and Drac made the most of it. Merchants used Freeport as a base for trade with distant islands, and brave captains explored their savage coasts. Gold, spices, and exotica flowed through Freeport, and Drac made sure the city got its cut.   One question above all others haunted Drac as the end of his reign neared. Could Freeport carry on after his death, or would civil war tear the city apart? Freeport meant money, and money made people crazy. Drac knew he had to take steps to safeguard the city’s future. While Drac fancied himself a king, he resisted the urge to take that title. He knew the people of Freeport would not submit to a monarch. It was too contrary to their nature. Similarly, he knew he could not found a dynasty: The rough and ready men of the Captains’ Council would not submit to Drac’s son. The boy lacked the experience of the salty dogs of the council.   So Captain Drac chose another old hand, Captain Cromey, to be his successor. He even set it into law that the Sea Lord’s successor had to be approved by the Captains’ Council. Thus he ensured the survival of Freeport as an independent city-state. At the end of his life, he chose the interests of the city over his own glory, and for this, he is remembered as one of the great men of Freeport.   The next hundred years were profitable ones for the Crossroads of the World. The city continued to grow, which necessitated the building of a newer and larger city wall. Merchants opened trade routes to the east, making Freeport even more important in the maritime world. When wars broke out on the continent, Freeport was largely able to stay out of them, though the city did cement alliances with several important powers. All in all, it was a period of stability and growth, with a succession of competent Sea Lords assuring the continued importance of the city. However, over the following years, several incidents would threaten Freeport’s future.   The first crisis began 32 years after Drac’s death. The city—which had almost doubled in size by then—was in danger. A war raged on the continent, disrupting trade and drawing away much of the city’s navy. Freeport was in turmoil as food and other essential supplies became scarce, and angry riots were common. The Sea Lord Corliss, Cromey’s successor, could barely keep order in the streets, even with the complete cooperation of the Captains’ Council.   An ambitious and popular councilor named Antonio Grossette used this opportunity to increase the power and influence of the council. He outmaneuvered Sea Lord Corliss politically and was able to expand the size of the Captains’ Council to twelve members. Corliss realized he had no choice but to agree to Grossette’s plan if he wanted the councilors’ help in stabilizing the city, but he insisted on personally choosing the men who would be added to the Captains’ Council. Since this incident, the size of the council has remained at twelve.