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Post by Nemt on May 13, 2007 13:48:53 GMT -5
(OOC: How is maritime navigation done in nae? Are there similar tools to real life sextants (I know they would be anachronistic) and astrolabes?)
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Post by Gamemaster on May 13, 2007 17:21:07 GMT -5
(OOC: Sextants are, of course, unknown. So far as your character knows, nobody has anything like an astrolabe, either. That could be why they are afraid to venture out of sight of land. As your character well knows, the main method of navigation is by use of maps and recognition of landmarks and distinctive landforms as the ship passes along the coast. Of course, this method only works within sight of land. You do not know what method of navigation is being used by the sailors who cross the open sea and you get the impression that it is a secret not even known to the Imperial Navy. It is also possible that even these guys are not using any advanced navigation technique but merely strike out boldly across the sea, hold to their best guess at a steady bearing and hope for the best. You have seen the helmsman paying close attention to the stars at night, but he had no instrument that you could see.)
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Post by Gamemaster on May 13, 2007 17:33:02 GMT -5
Nemt notices that the ship is nearly out of fresh water. The men are already on very small water rations and even so, the remaining water will probably not last the rest of this day.
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Post by Nemt on May 13, 2007 18:57:08 GMT -5
I mention it to Srenger as soon as he's available.
(OOC: I assume the seawater in nae is salt water, like on earth?)
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Post by Gamemaster on May 14, 2007 1:25:52 GMT -5
(OOC: I'm glad you're paying attention to your assumptions enough to realize that the seas might not be salt water, but they are.)
When you mention it to him, Srenger says, "I know. Landfall soon. Maybe tomorrow. We get water, then go Zekran."
Despite his confident tone, Srenger is standing on the bow of the ship peering ahead into the horizon where there is no sign of land whatsoever.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 5, 2007 2:52:13 GMT -5
Aboard the ship "Shoolen Divi" In the Lish Folonesh (Western Sea) tenth day out from the port of Osim
Oron 17, Salgan 1, Adonsik 41 Vylor Cledman VI
Fresh water supplies aboard the ship have now completely run out. The last water was drunk by the crew around midafternoon.
Srenger slows the ship until two other ships in the convoy approach to within hailing distance. Srenger speaks to the ship masters of the other ships.
After he is finished talking to the ship masters, some Zekresh soldiers come up on deck of one of the other ships.
Ekanor Garon is one of them and calls out to Ulor Nemt, "Gurikan! We must reach land soon. There is no fresh water aboard since yesterday and the men are terrified that we will not find land in time. Some of them are already made desperate by the thirst. Have you any water aboard? The other ships have also run out!"
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Post by Nemt on Jun 5, 2007 11:31:14 GMT -5
Nemt calls back to to Garon, "I know. Assure the men on your ship we will be within sight of land tomorrow, and promise them a day of rest as we resupply in port before headed out again to the capital. Be sure to note the fresh water tomorrow will be of much higher quality than any from the wells and streams of the desert. Most should know I would not lie. Do your best to isolate anyone acting irrationally, we can't afford to harm the sailors or each other." Nemt hopes for the sake of the mission his words are true.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 12, 2007 18:36:40 GMT -5
Aboard the ship "Shoolen Divi" In the Lish Folonesh (Western Sea) Eleventh day out from the port of Osim
Oron 18, Salgan 1, Adonsik 41 Vylor Cledman VI
It is still dark in the Western Sea. Dawn has not yet come but is not far away. Only two members of the crew are awake, the watchman and the helmsman. Suddenly, the watchman cries out an alarm.
Ulor Nemt is awakened by loud voices shouting in a foreign language. As he is getting out of bed, he hears more shouting and then, the roar of dozens of men shouting at once and the clamour of the troops from below decks rushing up the steep stairs and climbing up ropes to reach the top deck.
Nemt clutches at his sword and goes to investigate. The first thing he sees is that the deck is swarming with shouting soldiers, some carrying weapons, others unarmed and barely dressed as though they just got out of bed.
He is even more alarmed to see three other ships very close to the Shoolen Divi.
Nemt is ready to draw his sword, but he ascertains quickly that no one is fighting. None of the other ships are close enough to be sending boarding parties onto the Shoolen Divi, at least, not yet. All the armour and weapons that he sees are Imperial Army style. He can't see everyone in the darkness, but the ones he can see clearly are all his own men.
More soldiers are rushing up behind Nemt
One shouts, "What's going on?"
Another asks, "Is it an attack?"
Then these soldiers and Nemt hear clearly that some of the men near the bow of the ship are shouting "DUMAN!"
(OOC: Duman means "land" in Zekresn)
The soldiers behind Nemt lower their weapons and one sinks to his knees and says, "Oh, mercy from the Gods!"
Another soldier nods and says, "Salganit has freed us from her grasp at last."
In the next few minutes, the soldiers begin to celebrate, but Nemt notices that the sailors are running around shouting to each other in their own language as if there is some danger. Some of them are running along the edge of the ship near the bow, looking down into the water.
Srenger is there giving orders. Then he runs to the stern and shouts to another ship. Nemt notices several things at once. The sails are loose and the Shoolen Divi is dead in the water. The nearest ship is passing the Shoolen Divi. One of the two ships coming up from behind is on a collision course with the Shoolen Divi.
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Post by Nemt on Jun 13, 2007 13:51:04 GMT -5
Thinking it best not to distract Srenger or the crew in this intense time, Ulor Nemt relates to any apprehensive soldiers nearby: "The ship is notable for its speed..Srenger the crew would not allow it to sit idle were enemy danger present. Nevertheless..be prepared for anything."
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 15, 2007 20:00:23 GMT -5
Srenger shouts to the other ship until the other ship begins to veer off, but Srenger continues to watch intently until the other ship has turned far enough that it will not hit the Shoolen Divi.
The other ship then sails by, making a very close pass. Srenger shouts out something to the crew of the other ship as they pass.
One of the other ships nearby has already passed the Shoolen Divi and another is coming up close behind, but not on a collision course.
Some of the crew of the Shoolen Divi now haul out a large stone with a rope tied around it. It is the ship's anchor. They pitch it over the side and it makes a loud splash.
With the immediate danger seeming to have passed and the crowd of men on the deck starting to disperse, Nemt can finally get a good look at what lies ahead of the ship. There is indeed a dark shape on the horizon. In the darkness it is hard to be certain, but it does look like land. It could also be a could bank as far as Nemt can tell.
Soon, the other ships have also stuck their sails and dropped anchor.
Srenger then seeks out Nemt and says to him, "See land. Wait for day. I think yig."
(OOC: I didn't translate "Yig" because in this context its meaning may not be clear. It could be that Srenger is using a word from his own language that sounds like that, but "yig" is also a Zekresh word meaning "clam" or "oyster". It also is used as a slang term for a woman's private parts, but it would seem highly unlikely to Nemt that this is what Srenger means by it.)
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Post by Nemt on Jun 16, 2007 0:27:46 GMT -5
Not wishing to confuse Srenger, Ulor Nemt replies simply "Thank you Srenger." nods, and leaves to inform the men of imminent landfall.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 16, 2007 16:37:46 GMT -5
There is an interminable wait until dawn. Dawn erases all doubt. What was seen is not a cloud bank or a mirage or a shadow. It is land, not more than about five or ten talong distant. When it is fully light, Srenger and the navigator scrutinize a map and compare it to the appearance of the land in the distance.
After he is satisfied, Srenger gives orders to his crew and they hoist the anchor and tighten the ropes on the sails slightly. The ship barely drifts forward at a slow pace. Srenger and three other crewmen position themselves at the bow of the ship looking ahead and down into the water.
A lot of soldiers are lounging around on deck. Even though they are suffering from thirst, their mood is celebratory.
The Shoolen Divi approaches closer to land until it is possible to see individual trees and rocks on the shore. Srenger takes the ship south along the coast. Boats are visible in that direction out at sea.
The other ships in the convoy also pull up anchor and follow the Shoolen Divi.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 16, 2007 17:22:09 GMT -5
The ship comes to a place where there is a fishing village on the coast. The village has three piers for tying up boats, but there are no boats there at the moment. The helmsman steers the ship towards one of the piers and the crew lets the wind out of the sails. In a testament to the skill of the crew, the ship bumps gently up against the pier without much of a jolt to the passengers. Crewmen jump onto the pier and loop mooring lines around two of the posts of the pier, but they don't tie them, they just stand there, holding them. Srenger and another crewman climb down to the pier and head towards the village. An old man from the village comes out to meet them.
After a very brief conversation, Srenger waves to the crewmen on the ship to come on. The crewmen on the pier quickly tie off the mooring lines while crewmen on board toss over two more mooring lines for them to tie to the pier. Then the crewmen start carrying barrels ashore.
Another ship from the convoy now bumps up against the pier on the other side much harder than the Shoolen Divi did, but not hard enough to do damage. The crew of the other ship has crewmen leap to the pier to moor the ship.
"Can we go ashore, gurikan?" one of the soldiers asks Nemt.
Srenger comes back to the pier and seeks out Ulor Nemt's face among the soldiers lining side of the ship. Seeing him, he calls out, "Nemt! Water here! You soldiers carry water, yes?"
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Post by Nemt on Jun 17, 2007 0:16:33 GMT -5
Nemt calls back "Yes!" to Srenger, and instructs his men to follow him ashore to load supplies.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jun 24, 2007 5:06:18 GMT -5
On Nemt's order, the soldiers go ashore and are given barrels of water to carry back to the ship.
Soon, Srenger seems to be preparing to set sail again, but Nemt has promised the men a day ashore before continuing the voyage.
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