A Year Later

January 20, 1695.

The Kingdom of Elysea had spent the last year laying the groundwork for its first steps beyond its borders. Through careful diplomacy, calculated trade expansion, and a steady naval buildup, Elysea had begun to insert itself into the Black Continent's economy without direct conflict. Now, after months of careful negotiations, Elysea had been granted permission to establish an official trade delegation in the city of Carthage, one of the most important coastal hubs of the Empire of Tunis.

It was not yet conquest, but it was the first official military and political presence of Elysea in foreign lands.

The convoy had set sail from Elysea's naval port at La Rochelle two weeks earlier. The fleet was modest—five warships and three heavily laden merchant vessels, carrying diplomats, merchants, and trade goods. However, it was the military escort that set this voyage apart from any other before it.