Bryn Shander
07-01-2005, 07:31
One by one, the mighty trees came down. With a loud crash, thousands of bounds of wood fell, downed by the heavy swing of an enchanted axe. As the massive trunk settled to the ground, thick ropes were wrapped around it, secured by strong knots. The tree was dragged through the thick forest towards the shore, wildlife scattering away from the activity. In the distance, another tree fell. On the rocky beach, more trees were already being processed, their trunks being cut into huge beams. This new tree would be cut into planks. Minutes later, another tree was dragged onto the beach. This one too would become planks. Throughout the day, the work continued, massive ironwood trees transforming into beams and planks.
The next day, the beams were put into use. Crude outlines of hulls took shape, the beams connected with steel joints and bolts. Over the next few days, the crude outlines became completed frames. Next came the hull. Day after day, more planks were nailed to the wooden skeletons. Slowly, the hulls took shape. As the final planks were laid on the hulls, pitch and tar were spread across the finished sections to ensure that the hull stays watertight. When the pitch and tar had hardened, the hulls were lifted and rolled upright. To ensure stability in the coming weeks, braces were put into place along the hulls.
Next came the masts and decks. After that, the forecastles and aftcastles. Over the months since the first tree was felled, the ships had taken shape with astonishing speed. Spars and rigging were in place, as were the rudders and anchors. After two and a half months, the ships were complete. The next day at high tide, the ships were launched, seven in all. The ships were temporarily crewed by their shipwrights, students of naval history at Ocanthus University. For weeks they sailed from the wilderness of Forodren Cormandor, west to the city of Khalas in Forodren Annon.
At Khalas, the ships, four sloops of war, two brigantines, and a frigate, were loaded with food, guns, powder, and various types of iron shot, ranging from iron balls to chainshot and grapeshot. The students returned to Ocanthus, where they received their grade. To replace them, new crews made up of death row inmates, were bussed in from all over the principality. The next week, the small fleet set sail.
The seven ships sailed south, escorted through regional waters at a distance by a deployment of seven modern ships from Forodren Annon's navy, a Shadovar class cruiser, a pair of Brigantine class destroyers, and four Excel class frigates. Though the official reason given for the deployment was ironically, to help stop piracy, the real reason was to keep the inmates from breaking their agreement and straying from their course. As the New Haven Socialist Republic drew near, the ships turned west. Instead of traveling through the NHSR, the sailing ships would bypass the USR entirely, cutting through the national waters of the Democratic State Assembly of Pilot on their journey south. Two hundred kilometers from the coast, the seven naval ships turned north east, stopping in Forodren Cormandor before returning home. The sailing ships however, turned south.
The next day, the beams were put into use. Crude outlines of hulls took shape, the beams connected with steel joints and bolts. Over the next few days, the crude outlines became completed frames. Next came the hull. Day after day, more planks were nailed to the wooden skeletons. Slowly, the hulls took shape. As the final planks were laid on the hulls, pitch and tar were spread across the finished sections to ensure that the hull stays watertight. When the pitch and tar had hardened, the hulls were lifted and rolled upright. To ensure stability in the coming weeks, braces were put into place along the hulls.
Next came the masts and decks. After that, the forecastles and aftcastles. Over the months since the first tree was felled, the ships had taken shape with astonishing speed. Spars and rigging were in place, as were the rudders and anchors. After two and a half months, the ships were complete. The next day at high tide, the ships were launched, seven in all. The ships were temporarily crewed by their shipwrights, students of naval history at Ocanthus University. For weeks they sailed from the wilderness of Forodren Cormandor, west to the city of Khalas in Forodren Annon.
At Khalas, the ships, four sloops of war, two brigantines, and a frigate, were loaded with food, guns, powder, and various types of iron shot, ranging from iron balls to chainshot and grapeshot. The students returned to Ocanthus, where they received their grade. To replace them, new crews made up of death row inmates, were bussed in from all over the principality. The next week, the small fleet set sail.
The seven ships sailed south, escorted through regional waters at a distance by a deployment of seven modern ships from Forodren Annon's navy, a Shadovar class cruiser, a pair of Brigantine class destroyers, and four Excel class frigates. Though the official reason given for the deployment was ironically, to help stop piracy, the real reason was to keep the inmates from breaking their agreement and straying from their course. As the New Haven Socialist Republic drew near, the ships turned west. Instead of traveling through the NHSR, the sailing ships would bypass the USR entirely, cutting through the national waters of the Democratic State Assembly of Pilot on their journey south. Two hundred kilometers from the coast, the seven naval ships turned north east, stopping in Forodren Cormandor before returning home. The sailing ships however, turned south.