[Sombre]

You didn't save anyone from Avernum, you invaded them seeking gains along with two other nations. They hardly stood much of a chance. Claiming you did it for anyone other than yourself would be like me claiming I defeated Ulm to end their threat to neighbouring nations. The fact that they chose to direct their last bit of strength against you I would guess stems from their estimation that you were the most powerful enemy attacking them.

This is the same situation - you're trying to threaten and coerce people into doing what you want while pretending it's their only option. You don't see Kharam Dzu doing that - we've offered fair diplomatic relations to everyone we've met, including you. If you show some power in the sea that makes us think you can back up your earlier offer of 'come no further' then we'll return to the negotiating table. It's rather insulting for you to try and dictate terms to us when as far as we're aware, we hold all the cards. We aren't interested in a long draining war, just in some profit and plunder. I'd also like to point out that we can't even build forts underwater and have very limited aquatic forces, so unlike Haida we have no chance of creating a sea territory that is essentially impossible to ever invade.

We also aren't near 'critical mass' in my estimation, because we still have multiple neighbours who are getting stronger, not weaker, and are poised to take huge swathes of valuable landmass that we can't even get to.