Bjorkus' speech turns a few heads, though many still have doubt on their minds.
"I completely agree with Bjorkus. I feel that we've already undergone our own proving time and have a string of impressive accomplishments to our names now."
Opal also turns heads, though not just because of her speech as some lewd whistles would attest to.
"What she said. We've taken down demonic harpies, lazy treants, and genocided an entire cyclops tribe. Does anyone really want to get in our way? Or do you want to be on our side?"
Kal clears his throat. "It's all true. We've more than proven ourselves."
Luthor's fiery speech gets some of the more violence respecting pirates nodding their heads.
Everyone casts their votes...
And the ayes have it at a vote of 12 to 4! A full share of the last tithe is being delivered to the party's ships immediately.
Bjorkus nods and thanks those that sided with the party for their votes.
Zirul will thank those that sided with intelligence, hiding the curiosity on his face about the others.
Kal raises one eyebrow at those that voted against the party.
The next item on the agenda is the use of Sargavan tithes for public works. The bulk of the funds from the Sargavan Tithe are supposed to go toward the improvement and port defense of Port Peril, as well as upgrading the Shackles’ fleet, but Cerise Bloodmourn, ever eager to curry favor, pushes instead to have a large amount of the funds go toward the creation of towering statues in all of the Shackles’ major ports in honor of the Hurricane King. "By placing the visage of our tremendous leader in every port, our infamy will only grow!" She argues. The only one opposing her is the Master of the Master of the Gales (the only pirate who’s not afraid enough of the Hurricane King to openly point out how ridiculous a waste of money such a venture would be).
"That is completely pointless, we do not need something as frivolous as that." He argues to a unfriendly crowd.
Bjorkus climbs to his hooves again and slams his tankard on the table.
”Are we a bunch of taldan ponces with our heads so far up each other’s asses we can’t tell which way the wind’s blowin’? Bonefist is a great pirate, maybe a legend in our own time, but we don’t need to spend good coin that’s supposed to be used for defense on building his image. War is coming to the Shackles and we’re gunna need every copper we can scrape up if she’s gunna stay free.”
Kal nods at the bull's words, scratches his stubbled chin thoughtfully, and raises his other hand partway for silence. "Do we want a silent, still image, which does not live or breathe or incite talk? That's what statues are. Or do we want an image which lives and speaks for itself, and grows and becomes the stuff of legend? An image of deeds, not words or the meaningless 'art' of which other governments are so fond. We're not like them — do we really want to be?"
"Yes, we can have statues, that show one man, one individual. Or we can arm the people that make up our world, our seas. If Cheliax is on the horizon, no statue of stone will even cause them to give a second glance. A canon ball through their sails or rudders will send a much stronger message. Do we want them to walk all over us, steal our ships, slaughter our crews, take our plunder for their own? Or are we going to show them why the only thing more fierce than the Shackles is the Eye itself?"
This seems to be a very passionate subject for the half-elf.
"I seriously doubt that any statue would do adequate justice to the Hurricane King anyway, so would prefer to not insult him with a poor representation of himself. Instead, I would argue that we use the money for its intended purpose of upgrading the defenses and ships of the Shackles to continue to ensure that no nation tries to force its laws upon us."
"You put up a statue and guys like me will break it. Hell, I'll do it myself. Don't waste your money. Use the money for something worth it, ya dumb sods."
Zirul's and Kal's speeches both help Opal's bid and Bjorkus' words seems to make sense to the room. But Luthor's simple threats are met with glaring silence.
And it seems like it's dead even, 8 to 8! That is until, a little green hand is raised. "I voteses we don't make a statue of Bonefist! If anyone get statue, it be me!" Chubs stands up with one leg on a chair in his vintage Captain Morgan style.
So the nays have it.
The next issue is the declaration of rights of salvage for the Isle of the Black Tower. With all the whispering and stories being told of the Isle of the Black Tower and the magical sword Aiger’s Kiss that is said to be lost inside, Avner Sorrinash wants Ollo to be granted salvage rights over the island and its waters, as Ollo is the closest significant settlement to the isle in question.
"It's next to Ollo so it should rightfully belong to me!" The were-wolf angrily shouts.
Standing against him is a man named Jolis Raffles. "I made a similar bid last meeting and you all voted me down. So why would it be right to grant this dog his request?" The two men glare at each other.
The rest of the council seems split down the middle.
"Sorry pup, I don't see why Ollo should be granted special privileges. If you want the loot on the Isle, you should gather up your pack go get it yourself", Bjorkus declares.
The bull puts on a bovine smirk.
"I hear Taldor's big on collecting tithes. You should head that way, I'm sure they could find a nice wig for you."
Avner turns to Bjorkus and growls. "You wanna see how wolves take down cattle?" He bares his fangs and balls his fists.
Bjorkus laughs.
"Cool down fuzzy. If you want to go another round we can work something out after the meeting. The point is, there's no reason why you should be getting paid for other crew's hard work."
Kal stares silently at Avner for a full half-minute before addressing the rest of the council. "He seems to lack confidence that his own men can handle the challenges of salvaging the island, and wants us to guarantee that he can fail as many times as he'd like. But we don't countenance failure, do we? Let him have some healthy competition!"