Arr, so ye wish to unfurl the sails for the Spice Islands and the ports of the Orient? The Southeast Asia permit be a prize worth having, but it's not handed out with a friendly wave. Mark this well: it's an Imperial Quest, a task set by the crown that pays in Patriot Awards, not simple coin.
What Be Required?
Ye cannot simply sail east and ask politely. To even be considered for this venture, ye must first prove yer mettle across the known world. The harbormasters demand to see ye hold permits for nearly every sea lane:
- From the chill waters of the Northern Europe and North Atlantic...
- To the sun-drenched coasts of the West and East Mediterranean...
- Down the treacherous shores of West Africa and the South Atlantic...
- And all the way 'round the Cape to the East African, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Caribbean ports.
And as a final test, ye must already possess the East Coast of Latin America permit. Only then will the Consul in Calicut even look yer way.
The Lay of the Land
Yer journey begins not in a tavern, but at the seat of power. Seek out yer nation's Consul in Calicut—he'll be loitering near the harbor, a man with the king's business on his mind. He'll offer ye a choice of tasks, but a wise captain knows to pick the simplest path.
Why Bother, Matey?
Truth be told, the permit itself grants no extra benefit to yer ledger. Its value is the freedom it represents! It's the key that unlocks the final stretch of the East, a testament that ye've sailed every charted sea. The real treasure is the glory of having done it.
A Captain's Counsel
When the Consul gives ye options, take the one called "Instruction for supply delivery." It's a simple matter of hauling 50 barrels of beer from Europe to a lonely coast in Sumatra. A straightforward cargo run, far simpler than the alternative, which has ye running messages all 'round India and dodging pirates the whole way.
Remember, the Suez passage may be guarded, so a clever disguise might be needed for the return trip to Europe to claim yer prize.
If ye hunger for the full chart—where to find the wheat for the beer, the exact spot to drop anchor in Sumatra, and how to talk yer way past the Ottomans—then make way to the complete log. I'll show ye how to seize this prize proper, with nary a scratch on yer hull.
The French Imperial quest "Signpost to the spice islands" only requires Search 4, Archaeology 6, and does not require one to have prepared in advance to bring a bundle of delivery supplies. Thus it was the easiest quest for me.
ReplyDelete