[b]In response to ogres [/b]
It took little more than a week for news of the ogres' embargo to spread. Not just from Shark Gin Retreat, but through the entire confederation. It was the talking point in every alehouse, merchants started hoarding supplies for when the shortages would start coming.

It wasn't long before people started gathering on the docks, demanding for action to be taken. Many of them had been alive during the famines of the past, and they did not want such a thing to happen again. Garcia was quick to consult with his closer allies, and it was agreed he would be representative of them all in addressing the public.

Now, the eslean captain stood before the masses. He knew that if he picked the wrong words now they likely wouldn't hesitate to drag him to the gallows. It was his fraternizing with the chaos dwarves that had caused this whole situation, and the masses knew this.

“People, please calm down. Yes, it is a fact that I maintain good relations with the dwarves, but should my personal contacts be a reason for all of you to starve? No, I say. For do our laws not state we all reserve the freedom to believe whatever we want? Sure, it may conflict with what the pirate code states, but does that same code not also give anyone the right to protest nonviolently?”

Quite a few people in the crowd were not impressed by Garcia's appeal. “You've been sabotaging the code ever since it was written. You're only saying all that because the code happens to benefit you right now.” The voice in the crowd shouted loudly. The impromptu counterargument found support from other members of the crowd.

Garcia was quite tense now. “Yes, of course I disagree with some parts of the code. But does that mean I disagree with the idea of laws in their entirety? You are exaggerating my opposition to the code sir!

The dissident did not take long to present another counterargument. “Sure, you may place the blame on the ogres all you want, but it is because of your antagonizing them that we are in danger of starving again.”

This small detail gave Garcia the weakness he needed. “My friend, do you know when the worst of the famine was? Not when we were free and sovereign, no, back then we could indulge in all the riches of these lands. It was only when teach began spouting his drivel that we began starving. And his solution was to make us all the ogres lapdogs. I have never stood for that, and now perhaps it is time we all do something about it!”

The dissident had shut up after this. However, another voice in the crowd now stood up to speak of its own grievances. An elderly undine of native descent. “This time of plenty you speak of was not for everyone, sir. It was only a time of plenty for those with the strength to take what they wanted from those weaker than themselves. I can name many present here today that would loathe to return to such barbaric times.”

The eslean just laughed at the arguments. “We are pirates are we not? Taking what we consider ours is what we do. And pretending we are better than that is plain hypocritical. If I made the laws here, we wouldn't be bowing our knees to those brutes that don't know a caravel from a galleon. But yes, if you want to see how this place slowly buckles to the influence of the ogres, be my guest. Believe me, from what I've heard paying tribute every now and again will sound favorable compared to how ogres treat their subjects.”

After this exchange, there was some more back-and-forth. But the main argument had been covered. The people were not supportive of Garcia right now. But it would only be a matter of time before the seeds of doubt he had sown right now would take root. It wouldn't be long before he would have the crowd rallying against Teach instead of himself.