(Third-person perspective)
The people of the Three Sisters are known for their unique duality. To outsiders, they appear as devout lords and Lady of the Seven, behaving with noble elegance. Dressed impeccably, devoted to the Faith of the Seven, and impeccably courteous, they seem to be paragons of virtue. An untrained person might mistake these islands for an idyllic society ruled by an upright lord.
However, beneath their noble exteriors lies a different truth. In reality, almost every lord of the Three Sisters is a two-faced villain. They wear magnificent cloaks and jeweled ornaments, like masks, concealing their true nature. Generation after generation, they have perfected the art of deception.
They shut themselves away, hiding from the mainlanders' prying eyes, living a double life. They reveled in the dark and treacherous aspects of their culture. Their men were loyal and fierce warriors, launching daring raids as ruthless pirates against ships in White Harbor and coastal settlements to the North. These sea raiders left no evidence, no trace, that could be traced back to their lord's palace.
For a long time, the culture of the Three Sisters people has flourished through this clandestine piracy, an open secret among them. It is a twisted source of pride and power that allows them to maintain a luxurious lifestyle.
The lords of the Three Sisters were shrewd; they knew that the powerful House Stark ruled Winterfell, and that as long as they hid well and acted discreetly, they would not be able to do anything about these clandestine activities. As long as they acted cautiously, they could obtain the protection of the Vale lords.
However, the cunning Aermir the Druid from the North saw an opportunity in this culture of deception. He realized that the duality of the Three Sisters people could be both their strength and their weakness. As they believed themselves to be invincible in their clandestine piracy, they began to gloat, convinced that their secret operations would never be punished because they never left any eyewitnesses.
Aermir was determined to use this culture against them. For a year, he manipulated a web of lies and deception, constantly pulling at its threads until the entire structure of the Three Sisters society crumbled. Aermir's instigation and provocation were fruitful; those lords who had once reveled in their duplicitousness found themselves entangled in their own web of betrayal. He knew that sooner or later, these two-faced villains would attack his ships.
Aermir found himself with 15 merchant ships, a necessary acquisition given the Manderly lord's unwillingness to relinquish any of them. To obtain these valuable ships, Aermir dispatched Torrhen Reed and Jory Flint on a long voyage to Braavos.
The 15 ships he purchased were all medium-sized vessels, each with a deadweight tonnage of approximately 400 tons. However, these ships were better suited for short-haul trade routes than for the arduous journeys of the high seas. Their range was limited to as far as Lys, thus restricting Aermir's trading activities to relatively nearby ports. Of course, they could be resupplyed and sailed further along the coastline, but their size and speed were insufficient to make such long-haul voyages as profitable as short-haul ones.
Each ship was quite expensive—5,000 gold dragons. Although these ships served their purpose, Aermir was still considering purchasing larger, sturdier vessels for long ocean voyages. These ships cost much more, each weighing 10,000 gold dragons.
Aermir found himself in financial straits. While he harbored ambitions to strengthen his fleet and promote broader trade, his current resources were stretched thin. Most of his funds were allocated to projects aimed at boosting agriculture and other productive activities. Balancing these investments and managing the national treasury was crucial in dealing with complex issues of administration and economic growth.
Beneath the tranquil waters surrounding the Three Sisters lies a brewing storm, triggered by Aermir's cunning intervention. For months, the people of the Three Sisters have been watching the merchant ships departing from the bustling Moon drift port, laden with priceless goods, heading towards distant shores. Their desires and frustrations have been building up, their yearning for wealth and prestige remaining unfulfilled.
For months, Aermir had been sowing discord and creating discontent among the Three Sisters. He used cunning tactics, disguising himself and manipulating their emotions.
Sometimes, he would masquerade as a shipwrecked victim, fabricating tragic and persecuted stories. He vividly depicted the unjust oppression of the North believers by the mystical Druid. These whispered narratives were intended to evoke sympathy, stir the listener's heartstrings, and ignite righteous indignation.
On other occasions, Aermir played the role of a bard, using the power of his songs to incite anger and resentment towards the Druid. His verses were carefully crafted to portray the Druid as a threat to the Systerman way of life, Usurper of their freedom and traditions. But Aermir knew that for hypocrites like the Lord of the Three Sisters, the greatest temptation was wealth. The Moon drift port, and the allure of the Manderly merchant ships.
In the shadows, shunning prying eyes, these influential figures secretly convened. Crowded in a dimly lit room, they discussed in hushed voices their long-brewing, audacious plot. Lured by unimaginable wealth, they believed they had found a way to change their fate and elevate their status within the Three Sisters. The fleet and wealth of the new lord of Moat Cailin were growing daily; as members of the Three Sisters, they too deserved a share.
This was the first time they had attacked someone so openly and boldly. Their plan was daring, and they understood the risks involved. If caught, they needed a perfect cover, a reason for their actions. So, they devised a false reason so as not to lose the support of the Vale lords. They claimed that they attacked Lord Drasil's ships because of his superior, the Emre the Druid, since Lord Drasil was the commander of the Druid Temple forces. This pretext could serve as a shield, diverting suspicion from their true intentions and drawing the Vale lords' attention to the tyrannical Druid himself.
With this pretext, their resolve became even stronger. The promise of wealth and glory, coupled with their desire for revenge against their oppressors, solidified their determination.
The various factions of the Three Sisters united, pooling their resources and strength to form a powerful commando force. This alliance consisted of 25 warships designed and equipped specifically for naval warfare, along with approximately 100 smaller raiding vessels and pirate ships. Their sheer number and determination made them a formidable threat.
The House Manderly was a renowned maritime power in the region, possessing a large fleet of approximately 150 ships. However, their fleet consisted mostly of small and medium-sized merchant vessels, unsuitable for direct naval warfare. Furthermore, the majority of their ships were currently operating on trade routes in the Narrow Sea. In reality, they only had about 20 warships.
Although Aermir lacked his own naval power, he possessed an ace specifically acquired for this purpose. He fully trusted this mysterious asset, believing that once the time was right, it could tip the scales in his favor, but he couldn't use it until they attacked his own shores. A crucial conflict was brewing.
On a significant morning, bathed in golden sunlight, a fleet set sail from a secluded bay. These ships carried the determined Three Sisters, their ambitions fueled by the success envisioned by their lord. As the first merchant ship departed Moon drift port, the Three Sisters were oblivious to the impending danger—or so they thought. But in reality, everything was proceeding according to Aermir's plan.
The year-long plan has finally come to fruition. Under the watchful eyes of Erebus and his retinue, the fleet is en route to Moon drift port. Thanks to the help of Wannian and Jilim, every step of the Three Sisters ' plan has been observed by Aermir. If the battle ends as Aermir has predicted, then the fate of the Three Sisters will stand at a crossroads, teetering on the brink of chaos and destruction.