Siege of Haddleton

The Siege of Haddleton refers to a three-day conflict where a notorious pirate admiral, with a fleet of nearly 30 warships blockaded the port city of Haddleton, however the exact events are vague.

The story goes that a pirate admiral who had become legendary for bombarding ports until they surrendered to being pillaged, judged his fleet massive and powerful enough that it could take any port it liked. However, the port of Haddleton was even more well-known as the wealthiest city in the Wandering Isles, even though it seemed only a ramshackle collection of buildings floating in the bay. No reconnaissance could discover any appreciable fortifications, nor a massive defending fleet aside from the swarm of merchant vessels that came and went at all hours. Yet there were no records of any successful attack.

Nonetheless, the pirate admiral equipped his ship with the strongest cannons, the most seasoned seamen, and surrounded haddleton with his fleet. There we waited to discover the secret of Haddleton's defense. For three days he waited for action, but saw nothing but the trickle of merchant ships he let through the blockade. Until finally, just has he readied to bombard the harbor, a collecion of small boats with white flags began approaching each ship in the fleet. In the boat that approached the flagship was a halfling woman, believed to be an official of the city.

She came aboard the admiral offered to discuss the terms of surrender. The woman politely declined, explaining that she understood that a pirate crew shares the wealth equally, and it would be best if they were present. As she said this, the crew erupted into cheers. So the admiral agreed and the woman began laying out her ledger books. Then she began to speak of the inestimable wealth of Haddleton and began promising gold, land, and even titles, not just to the captains of the pirate fleet, but to the crew as well. By his estimation, the kind of wealth that the woman was offering could easily purchase a fleet ten times the size he posessed.

The admiral, suspicious of a deal that seemed too good to be true, said carefully that if the offer was true, then he would accept her surrender.

To which the halfling woman said "You misunderstand, that's what we are offering for your immediate surrender."

As one by one, the ships of the fleet defected to the city of Haddleton, it became evident that the odds had swung unexpectedly and completely against the pirate admiral. And so he too surrendered. After a time in prison, he was released and became the new governor of Haddleton.