The Battle of Tynamore Reef

Military action

The Battle of Tynamore Reef was a naval exchange between the Cerulean Empire and the Hold of the Sea Princes, and it marked a change in fortunes for both sides.

It was some fifty years after the Great Pelagic War had ended, and the new Emperor, Ogerius Jehen, inspired by the actions of his ancestor Teraknian Jehen, had once again turned his mind towards expansion.   It was early days of the new policy, and the Emperor was still wary. Many of the populace of Keymouth still remembered that day when the elven fleet had been at the fringes of the city walls and all had seemed doomed. Ogerius Jehen knew however that a quick, decisive victory could help rally their morale and encourage them to support a new expansion.   He chose the Sea Pirate stronghold of The Styes in Tynamore Reef as the place the Imperial Navy would make their first strike. The reef, a long chain of sub-tropical islands, had long been a historical part of the Empire, and was relatively close to its waters. It was also far from Monmurg and the Hold of the Sea Princes seat of power.   The Sea Princes had moved in after the elven navy had pushed the Imperial fleet back in the great war, and since then, without the navy patrols that used to cruise the waters of the reef, the Sea Princes had grown strong and great in number. The Styes had become a great town, full of carousers and anarchy, and a useful base from which to raid the western shores of The Azure Sea.   Determined to expel the pirates, the Emperor ordered war veteran Admiral Jacob Tabor to take his small, but well-trained, battle fleet to expunge the intruder settlement. Tabor appeared off The Styes with his flagship The Blue Shark and 11 other Imperial vessels. The expedition bore a total of 500 sailors and 1000 soldiers.   The attackers were stymied by the broad reefs around the stronghold however, and spent several days searching for a safe landing place. On Wealsun 20 the Blue Shark struck an outcropping and was severely damaged. Consequently it had to retire back to Keymouth, taking 270 troops with it. Tabor eventually decided to make a thrust directly into the main harbour at dawn on 24 Wealsun with 800 men, hoping to catch his enemy off-guard.   The gamble paid off. Imperial troops waded through the surf and stormed the intricate system of pirate trenches and parapets with cold steel, whilst the fleet backed them up with ballista fire.. The defenders were driven back within the town, and despite a brief battle at sea with four Sea Prince galleons that had rounded the coast, the Imperial fleet managed to set up artillery pieces into new emplacements to open up a close-range bombardment.   At this point, The Styes residents sent out two flags of truce, requesting terms. The next day (25 Wealsun), Jacob Tabor accepted the surrender of the town, along with 40 ballistas, 380 slaves, and all stolen Imperial goods on the island. The 770 inhabitants surrendered on the understanding they would be repatriated to the Cerulean Empire.   Tabor installed a new garrison and then prepared to weigh. Unfortunately three of the Imperial ships had fallen prey to pirate saboteurs that had sneaked onboard during the battle, and they were sunk off the reef. Furious, Tabor ordered the three captains killed and their bodies displayed on the twisted wreckage as a warning to others.   Despite this, the victorious Imperial admiral was accorded a hero’s welcome at Keymouth and awarded a knighthood.   Tynamore Reef was back in Imperial control once again, but the defeat had only been a sharp check to the plans of the Hold of the Sea Princes. As a result they changed their approach over the next few years, with some of the wiser pirate captains abandoning their criminal life and turning to trade. Others however plotted, and moved onto more sinister dealings as the practice of slavery began to grow again.