The Saltwise League
Faction Color: [#76948B] (A murky, river-fog green)
Description: A neutral-port arms cabal and criminal syndicate that runs the Greywater Exchange, a floating smuggler market on the Blackwater River. They are merchant princes who profit by selling arms and relics to both Arekthon and Myrrdin.
Detailed Faction Profile
Core Identity & Philosophy:
* Identity: A criminal arms cabal and smuggler syndicate.
* Philosophy: "War is business. A stalemate is a good business. We honor neither the Spear nor the Aegis, only the coin. Let them fight—we will sell them the blades to do it. Our only nation is the river, and our only king is profit."
History & Origins:
* Founding Story: The League was founded by "merchant princes of the grey ports" who saw the Arekthon-Myrrdin conflict not as a war, but as an endless business opportunity. They established the Greywater Exchange as a movable, neutral market to profit from both sides.
* Key Events:
* The Gorgon Aegis Heist: The League's most audacious move. Operatives stole the Gorgon Aegis from Myrrdin's temple, planting "Arekthon levy badges" at the scene to frame them and push the cold war toward a hot, profitable siege.
Goals & Motivations:
* Long-Term Ambition: To maintain the Arekthon-Myrrdin conflict indefinitely, ensuring a permanent, profitable market for their arms, reagents, and stolen relics.
* Short-Term Objective: To successfully fence the stolen Gorgon Aegis at the Greywater Exchange before their false flag operation is discovered.
* Driving Force: Greed.
Methods & Tactics:
* Operational Style: Clandestine, opportunistic, and strictly for-profit.
* Preferred Strategies:
* Floating Black Market: Operating the Greywater Exchange, a market of barges that "lash together at dusk; by dawn they're gone".
* False Flag Operations: Committing acts of sabotage (like the Aegis Heist) and framing one side to escalate conflict.
* Specialized Gear: Using unique tools like "basilisk bile vials and mirrored veils" to handle dangerous magical items like the Aegis.
* Market Control: Controlling the "toll-bell barge" to manage entry to the Greywater Exchange.
Internal Structure & Culture:
* Hierarchy: Governed by the "merchant princes of the grey ports".
* Atmosphere: Opportunistic, secretive, and transactional. There is no honor, only contracts.
* Recruitment: (Inferred) The League recruits from river-folk, smugglers, and anyone willing to profit from the "grey" areas between the two great powers.
Key Members:
* Leader: The Merchant-Prince of the Greywater Exchange (Head of the Cabal).
* Prominent Member 1: "Veil" (Relic Specialist). The operative who led the Aegis Heist, an expert in handling petrifying magic using mirrored veils and basilisk bile.
* Prominent Member 2: The Toll-Keeper (Market-Master). The barge captain who controls the "toll-bell barge" and thus all access to the floating market.
* Common Archetypes: The river-smuggler, the arms-dealer, the false-flag operative, the "petrified witness" (victims of an uncovered Aegis at the market).
Relationships:
* Allies: (Clients) They are not allies, but suppliers to both The Iron Senate (Arekthon) and The Aegis of Myrrdin.
* Enemies: (Currently) The Aegis of Myrrdin, who they just robbed. (Potentially) The Iron Senate, who they framed. If their ruse is unveiled, both cities would unite to burn the League out.
Public Perception & Reputation:
* A known "smuggler market". They are the criminal underbelly of the Arekthon-Myrrdin war, a "neutral-port arms cabal" that profits from everyone.
Resources & Assets:
* Key Assets:
* The Greywater Exchange: A hidden, movable, floating black market.
* The Stolen Gorgon Aegis: A legendary relic of Athena whose uncovered gaze petrifies.
* The Blackwater River: Their territory and primary smuggling route.
* Strengths: Clandestine, mobile, and they profit from both sides. They possess specialized gear for handling dangerous relics.
* Weaknesses: They have no true allies or state protection. Their entire operation relies on secrecy. If exposed, they would be "burned".
Notable Deeds & Current Status:
* Deeds: Successfully stealing the Gorgon Aegis from Myrrdin's Aegis Spire. Framing Arekthon for the theft.
* Status: Currently at the Greywater Exchange, attempting to sell the stolen Aegis to a third party.