HOME | DD

Description

It was a fairly typical day on Brahijnok bay. Generally sunny with the occasional thunderhead rolling by, warm and humid. Not that anything less than a full typhoon would deter the mariners of Nasan Tahajemit from their established habits. Fishermen set out to chase the shoals in craft ranging from small boats to large catamarans while a variety of cargo ship came and went. The most common of these were shallow-draft lighters, linking the capital with the rest of the kingdom. After that were various Junks built with longer legs. Finally there were a few vessels from the far west. That morning a Dalisid Dhow had departed and an Oestian barque and a Venoan paddlesteamer had arrived. The first steamships had arrived more than a decade ago and while they were still the exception they were far from rare either. A few enterprising local captains had either bought foreign made steamers or had their ships fitted out with imported engines. When a fresh plume of smoke was seen on the horizon, it did not garner too much attention even if a War Junk was following it closely. When it got closer, people paid the strange ship more attention, as well as some worry. At least until it raised the Kingdom's flag.

"We still find it to be a most strange design." King Jayhamrhasa Turnukrani said, standing on a stone jetty of the the city's western naval fort as they took in the strange vessel moored off the coast for inspection. "Surely one could simply build as one had, but with armour and engines."

"Sentiment we share, your majesty." Dhavris ti'Dailath said in all honesty. He'd spent a long time at sea on his House's ships, from being a humble midshipman to skippering a sloop before his political career took off. He knew Drow warships inside and out. The new Ironclads were strange things to his eye. "And a few have been built that way. Even so, this design has it's advantages. It's lower profile is harder to hit, especially at long range and the casement's armour is angled to better resist fire."

"Even so, my Admirals have concerns about her limited freeboard and how well she'll handle in rough seas."

"Their concerns are sound and she's not optimized for the open ocean. That said, some of your raiders have a low freeboard as well as gunports higher to the water line. Use her as she's intended and this won't be a problem."

"Of course, and more importantly she can withstand a full broadside from a tower ship at point blank range going by the reports."

"Would you like a tour of the Perpalu your majesty?"

"Indeed." The monarch replied happily. "Have the barge readied and send word of our arrival." He told an attendant.

"Yes your majesty." A servant said with a polite bow. Dhavris beamed over the ocean before he followed the king to his barge. The Ironclad formally known as Rohlkisath* had a rough life, having faced several disasters that could have done her in and spent two and a half of her eight years in drydock undergoing repair and refit. Seeing an opportunity, Dhavris' father convinced the Navy of a plan: sell her to a Southeastern states to fund a newer replacement. Tahajemit managed to put forward the best offer amounting to 132,000 Scimitars for the ship and 12,000 more to pay a group of Janilonas officers to train their people to operate it. The Admiralty had more money for newer ships, Tahajemit got a formidable new weapon, relationships improved and House Xolneth (who'd built the Rohlisath) got a new customer for spare parts and not long afterwards new contracts to build Ironclads from Ilhong and Ztuhrim. All the while House Dailath's gained useful favours and influence.

It was an arrangement in which everyone won. Save of course for the areas that would be reaped, particularly Higato and Infrastructure by proxy. But they didn't count.

*Armoured Dog

From the Beginning...

Previous: Infrastructure: Part Three Hundred and Ninety Eight
Next: Infrastructure: Part Four Hundred and One

Description

It was a fairly typical day on Brahijnok bay. Generally sunny with the occasional thunderhead rolling by, warm and humid. Not that anything less than a full typhoon would deter the mariners of Nasan Tahajemit from their established habits. Fishermen set out to chase the shoals in craft ranging from small boats to large catamarans while a variety of cargo ship came and went. The most common of these were shallow-draft lighters, linking the capital with the rest of the kingdom. After that were various Junks built with longer legs. Finally there were a few vessels from the far west. That morning a Dalisid Dhow had departed and an Oestian barque and a Venoan paddlesteamer had arrived. The first steamships had arrived more than a decade ago and while they were still the exception they were far from rare either. A few enterprising local captains had either bought foreign made steamers or had their ships fitted out with imported engines. When a fresh plume of smoke was seen on the horizon, it did not garner too much attention even if a War Junk was following it closely. When it got closer, people paid the strange ship more attention, as well as some worry. At least until it raised the Kingdom's flag.

"We still find it to be a most strange design." King Jayhamrhasa Turnukrani said, standing on a stone jetty of the the city's western naval fort as they took in the strange vessel moored off the coast for inspection. "Surely one could simply build as one had, but with armour and engines."

"Sentiment we share, your majesty." Dhavris ti'Dailath said in all honesty. He'd spent a long time at sea on his House's ships, from being a humble midshipman to skippering a sloop before his political career took off. He knew Drow warships inside and out. The new Ironclads were strange things to his eye. "And a few have been built that way. Even so, this design has it's advantages. It's lower profile is harder to hit, especially at long range and the casement's armour is angled to better resist fire."

"Even so, my Admirals have concerns about her limited freeboard and how well she'll handle in rough seas."

"Their concerns are sound and she's not optimized for the open ocean. That said, some of your raiders have a low freeboard as well as gunports higher to the water line. Use her as she's intended and this won't be a problem."

"Of course, and more importantly she can withstand a full broadside from a tower ship at point blank range going by the reports."

"Would you like a tour of the Perpalu your majesty?"

"Indeed." The monarch replied happily. "Have the barge readied and send word of our arrival." He told an attendant.

"Yes your majesty." A servant said with a polite bow. Dhavris beamed over the ocean before he followed the king to his barge. The Ironclad formally known as Rohlkisath* had a rough life, having faced several disasters that could have done her in and spent two and a half of her eight years in drydock undergoing repair and refit. Seeing an opportunity, Dhavris' father convinced the Navy of a plan: sell her to a Southeastern states to fund a newer replacement. Tahajemit managed to put forward the best offer amounting to 132,000 Scimitars for the ship and 12,000 more to pay a group of Janilonas officers to train their people to operate it. The Admiralty had more money for newer ships, Tahajemit got a formidable new weapon, relationships improved and House Xolneth (who'd built the Rohlisath) got a new customer for spare parts and not long afterwards new contracts to build Ironclads from Ilhong and Ztuhrim. All the while House Dailath's gained useful favours and influence.

It was an arrangement in which everyone won. Save of course for the areas that would be reaped, particularly Higato and Infrastructure by proxy. But they didn't count.

*Armoured Dog

From the Beginning...

Previous: Infrastructure: Part Three Hundred and Ninety Eight
Next: Infrastructure: Part Four Hundred and One