Grabentod open for expansion?

[Lee]

I'm kicking around ideas for a future game. Since in the given timeline, the King of Grabentod has been a Mudenite prisoner for years, has anyone thought that Muden, or someone else, should take advantage of this? I could see Muden trying it, on the grounds that securing it would permanently shut down the pirates' nest there, and control half of the mouth of the Great Bay.
On the other hand, Brecht countries seem less willing to embark on expansionist policies, and it would likely be opposed by the neighbors, namely Danigau, the Hag and who knows who else.
Thoughts?

Lee.

[kgauck]

Given the considerations above, find a claimant to the throne who embodies traditional Brecht values and intervene on his behalf. Allow or encourage the pretender to shop himself around building support for his cause and asking for assistance. Clear out the pirates and go home leaving your guy in charge. Once he's in place, compel investiture from the old king, and then kill him. Plots will plague the new guy until the old guy is dead. Then don't antagonize your neighbors and let the new guy run his own country. Resolving this issue and eliminating the pirates is benefit enough. On the other hand if you want to antagonize your neighbors, be more haevy handed.

[AndrewTall]

The issue is what Grabentod will do without piracy - its the main income source.

Basically you are taking on guilds, temples, and other vested interests.

The Hag will also likely intervene if you start to turn the realm around.

Getting sponsored (by Danigau or Muden possibly) to clear out the pirates is one way - you may have to pillage the capital but the survivors will know better than to complain...

Of course if you want to run Grabentod as a pirate realm taking over is easy - Albrecht can't interfere and the rest will either welcome the lifting of restrictions on raiding Danigau's and Muden's ships or encouraged to suffer unfortunate accidents... This method would be easiest if you already had a reputation as a fierce pirate of course.

[Lee]

Well, I have a group that is not interested in ruling themselves, so I guess I'm looking for a candidate to be backed by Muden and/or Danigau to clean it out and make it not a pirate realm.
Or, more likely, what I should do is build up someone from inside Grabentod, who threatens to take over and restore the days of the reavers, and let the PCs deal with it.

Lee.