[The Mori's Exchange]

[tenias]

Following the pillaging of Port Fortune conducted by the Sunken Order, a special occurrence would be noticed by all denizens of Port Fortune

Per every minute, a child wandered into the streets singing out a poem that functioned as a message.

The children have all been identified to share traits among each other such as:

- Non Magi

- Under the age of 14

- All noted to have crimson eyes

- All noted to have come into contact with Port Fortune's crew

- All noted to be showcasing extreme emotions of rage, dread, sadness, happiness, and the likes while speaking out the message

Over the next few hours, they would begin to rotate around the city to continue spreading the message

Faint residue of Black Magic can be sensed for the experienced and most keen

The poem had since been transcribed and heard as:

The time of grief has come! The Heralds bring a message: A trade! a trade!

Woe unto you, those who still take to the battlefield, woe unto you, those who still take up the blade!

Courtesy is in order! The Leviathan watches from all over the border!

Dauntless! Dauntless! They charge a price for one precious, but they have no qualms that you can afford her!

The transaction is simple, an eye for an eye!

Break apart your plans, scheme no longer!

Cut off a head, the hydra will only ever grow stronger!

Fail to give us your captive, the sirenian will die!

Yog-Saroth for Yndi! Our patience grows thinner!

Send him free, lest you seek more trouble!

How could one love a sinner?

Bite the hand that feeds you, the historians will only find rubble.

The offer for a prisoner exchange has been made.

Yndi for Yog-Saroth

The Heralds of the Deep await a reply.

[Detective100]

It has been a difficult year for Port Fortune.

Buildings damaged, destroyed in the attack. citizen lives, hurt and wounded in the crossfire.

There was no immediate answer to the message delivered by the kids. All that was done to elevate the situation at that time was to gather all the children in a safehouse and treat them with reed bowls at doses appropriate for the young ones.

Days passed, then months with no answer. A silence that lowered the morale of those living in the port. A dour atmosphere as the people began to rebuild, slowly restoring what they have lost brick by brick, lumber by lumber.

Live carried on in Port Fortune, until the sound of gunfire was heard shot up to the sky to garner the populace's attention. To make them all gather up for an announcement by Stede Vane, first mate of the Southern Sea Company:

---

"Citizens of Port Fortune. It is high time we'll speak up to relief any concerns or suspicions about the coming future.

First, let me assure you of this: The one we captured, the cultist who acted as their leader during their attack?

He'll get his just dues. As per the agreement we had with the sirenians among us and Dal'thaia, his execution shall be in the coming year, and let me assure you,

He won't die peacefully.

And Yndi, the one they desperately attempted to use as a bargaining chip against us?

She's already been converted. The cultists tried to trick us with an exchange that'll end with us gaining nothing.

They attempted to make us look like fools, only for us to call their bluff and find out the truth for ourselves.

The cultists won't win. We shall rebuild. We'll bounce back better than ever, while they shall perish one by one.

Fortune is in our name, and we shall make it so!

Lastly, since I am certain my words will reach the cultists sooner or later? I'll pass forth a warning to them.

Our children, our future? Are not to be touched ever again.

Because if they do? Then I'll know which doors to knock."

-Stede Vane 'the first'. First-mate of the Southern Sea Company.

---

Copies of Stede Vane's statement would eventually make their way to any settlement or kingdom in Meranthe that are in neutral to good relations with Port Fortune, pinned papers attached to any available post boards. Thanks to Port Fortune maintaining its neutrality with most of Meranthe? The written word is able to reach far and wide to anyone able to pass through those settlements and kingdoms.

Sooner or later, the cultists shall get their much awaited reply.