Serilliant
04-16-06, 01:41 PM
The sea breeze was uncharacteristically crisp for the changing of the season. Winter was ending, and it meant a smoother voyage for the ocean traveling fare, and it also meant that the nation's shipbuilders would be showing their latest works. The sale of such navel marvels was sluggish during the colder seasons when the sea became far more difficult to navigate, but the market was ripe on days like today, and Serilliant joined a mass of nobleman interested in acquiring a vessel.
One ship had already tickled his fancy. It was a large galleon, equipped full with canon and siege mortar. Its sails were massive and hull impressively elongated. It seemed strangely excessive, however; a criticism atypical from the lavishly dressed aristocrat. Another sailor was looking at the same ship, and Serilliant found his presence repelling. He excused himself and continued looking.
At a further end was a lonely ship that no one seemed to be interested in. These days, it was the large war galleons that was the hot item. It was this vessel, a smaller carrack, that caught Serilliant's eye. It was four-masted and equipped with a lower forecastle and smaller aftcastle than were typical. He inquired into the peculiarities of the design by asking a passing sailor who looked respectable enough. As it seems, lowering the forecastle allows for a speedier voyage and increased mobility while a more narrow aftcastle decreased the risk of toppling in a strong wind. The sailor had just shook his head, though, as he commented that such modifications would not be worth the risk. More massive superstructures is what should be the focal point, he said, not those silly modifications. He wandered away to look at another galleon, mumbling about novice shipbuilders as he went.
Serilliant wasn't dissuaded, though. The build of the ship was highly interesting. After all, he was merely looking for a transport vessel that could hold a respectable number of passengers and cargo. Save for some roaming gangs of pirates, the Althanian seas were safe enough and protection rarely needed to raise beyond the level of a fairly fortified forecastle. It was the smaller, unprotected caravels that the pirates wanted, not anything that could put up even a modest fight.
Serilliant began to explore the ship more. The forecastle was indeed surprisingly low, a feature even more obvious when standing aboard the vessel. It was constructed almost entirely of oak, and featured an extravagant bowspirit that jutted from the prow like a lance. The entire ship was smaller than was apparently typical, and with the modifications that the sailor had pointed out, apparently unpopular in the eyes of the other customers that day. But Serilliant enjoyed it, cannon-less as it may be.
He dismounted the vessel and searched for the owner of the dock who would be handling all transactions that day. When he found the correct party, he pointed out the ship he had just boarded and asked, "that one there, no one seems to be interested in it. How much are you asking?"
One ship had already tickled his fancy. It was a large galleon, equipped full with canon and siege mortar. Its sails were massive and hull impressively elongated. It seemed strangely excessive, however; a criticism atypical from the lavishly dressed aristocrat. Another sailor was looking at the same ship, and Serilliant found his presence repelling. He excused himself and continued looking.
At a further end was a lonely ship that no one seemed to be interested in. These days, it was the large war galleons that was the hot item. It was this vessel, a smaller carrack, that caught Serilliant's eye. It was four-masted and equipped with a lower forecastle and smaller aftcastle than were typical. He inquired into the peculiarities of the design by asking a passing sailor who looked respectable enough. As it seems, lowering the forecastle allows for a speedier voyage and increased mobility while a more narrow aftcastle decreased the risk of toppling in a strong wind. The sailor had just shook his head, though, as he commented that such modifications would not be worth the risk. More massive superstructures is what should be the focal point, he said, not those silly modifications. He wandered away to look at another galleon, mumbling about novice shipbuilders as he went.
Serilliant wasn't dissuaded, though. The build of the ship was highly interesting. After all, he was merely looking for a transport vessel that could hold a respectable number of passengers and cargo. Save for some roaming gangs of pirates, the Althanian seas were safe enough and protection rarely needed to raise beyond the level of a fairly fortified forecastle. It was the smaller, unprotected caravels that the pirates wanted, not anything that could put up even a modest fight.
Serilliant began to explore the ship more. The forecastle was indeed surprisingly low, a feature even more obvious when standing aboard the vessel. It was constructed almost entirely of oak, and featured an extravagant bowspirit that jutted from the prow like a lance. The entire ship was smaller than was apparently typical, and with the modifications that the sailor had pointed out, apparently unpopular in the eyes of the other customers that day. But Serilliant enjoyed it, cannon-less as it may be.
He dismounted the vessel and searched for the owner of the dock who would be handling all transactions that day. When he found the correct party, he pointed out the ship he had just boarded and asked, "that one there, no one seems to be interested in it. How much are you asking?"