Ship types used in Takshendal

There are several types of sea going vessels to be found in Takshendal;

Búza, (Buss).
The Búza is the primary sea going vessel of the northern people's, and is found in large quantities in Takshendal due to its proximity to Skavvia. Búza are flush decked, with two masts and a bowsprit and can be any where from eighteen to twenty four metres in length. They are typically stronger than other coastal traders, and designed to withstand ice filled northern waters. Skavvian merchants ships are typically crewed by nomadic merchant familes.


Caravel.
A development of the dhow, caravel's are the primary coastal trading ship type in northern waters. Small and highly maneuverable they are perfect for the many small seas which make up the known world. Caravel's come in a variety of sizes but most are twin masted, lateen rigged and without a bowsprit. Sizes vary greatly with tonnage ranging from 50 to 200 tons. The average caravel might have a length of thirty metres and a beam of six metres. Some larger caravels have three or four masts, but these are not common.


Carrack.
Designed for longer voyages than the coastal trading caravels, carracks are the heaviest trading vessels available and are designed around the concept of defence. Evolved from the cog, the carrack has fore and aft castles, two, three or even four masts and a bowsprit. They are usually armoured and often carry a compliment of soldiers to resist boarders. A typical large carack may be twenty five to thirty five metres long, eight to ten metres broad and weigh upwards of seven or eight hundred tons. Ship's complements range from forty to one hundred men.


Galley.
Most fighting vessels are galleys, and consequently there are a number of sizes and variants. In Takshendal, these are named by the conventions of Serrenisma which is largely regarded as the birth place of the modern war galley. Galleys built in the south are regarded as superior in design and speed, where as those built in Takshendal are usually regarded as superior in strength and enduarnce. The ship yards of Takshendal have access to the great forests of the north and experienced ship wrights from the south and this has meant the city has become a centre of warship construction.

Bergantine.
10-15 oars per side. A slim, fast vessel used for a variety of inshore tasks. Bergantines are circa sixteen metres long and two metres wide and may carry 10-20 soldiers.

Fusta.
10-15 oars per side, with two rowers per oar. This is the smallest class of sea going galley. Fustas are small, sleek vessels used primarily for raiding. They are generally twenty to twenty two metres long, usually have no masts nor forecastle and generally carry 30-40 soldiers.

Galiot.
16-20 oars per side with two rowers per oar. Typically twenty seven metres long and three metres wide, the galiot is a smaller variant of the galia sottila and is favoured as a fighting vessel due to its size and relative costs. Most galiots carry a single mast, and some have a forecastle capable of carrying an engine of war. They may carry as many as 60 soldiers over a limited range.

Galia sottila.
25-28 oars per side with three rowers per oar. The primary warship design. Galia sottila are the main fighting vessels of any significant navy. They are usually forty to fifty metres long, four to six metres wide, bear one or sometimes two masts and carry two engines of war in a forecastle. In battle, a galia sottila may carry as many as 100 soldiers.

Lanterna.
28+ oars per side with as many as six rowers per oar. Lanterna are generally flagship vessels used to command fleets. They get their name from large lanterns on the poop deck which they carry for signalling to the fleet. Lanterna are usually fifty to fifty five metres long, six to eight metres wide, bear two masts and carry as many as six engines of war on their forecastle. In battle, a Lanterna will carry from 250 to 350 soldiers.


There are also several lesser other types of vessel used in lesser quantities. These include;

Cog.
Older trading vessels, known as cogs can still be seen in northern waters in a variety of types. In former times, cogs were used for most all coastal trade in northern waters, but with the development of caravels, larger cogs have become rare. Smaller cogs, used for local trading, fishing and carrying passengers are still plentiful.

Galia grosse.
A trading variant of the galley. These are usually forty to forty five metres long and six to eight metres wide.


Dhow.
The primary trading vessel of Turskur and the Sabaean Sea region, the dhow is a dependable, old and conservative design that has proven its worth as a trading ship for centuries. Dhows come in a variety of sizes, and have one or two lateen rigged masts and a bowsprit. Caravels are a northern variant of the dhow.

Baghlah.
A larger and more luxurious version of the dhow, though with much the same basic design and rigging, a baghlah is a sea going vessel, typically used by Turskurian princes. King Phelonius of Takshendal owns a baghlah named Royal Swan, which was presented to him by Bey of Sorgun the on the event of his coronation.

Felucca.
Although rare in northern waters, some felucca's, usually fishing boats from Turskur or small traders sometimes travel north and stop in Takshendal to resupply or sell their wares. Felucca's are small, broad vessels, with one or two lateen rigged masts, usually capable of transporting eight to ten people.

Chapter one completed

Tonights session (26th January) finished the first chapter as the first mystery has more or less been solved. There are details yet to be clarified, but this doesn't matter too much as the three chapters are interwoven and things will doubtless become clearer as time progresses.

Robert Ladlevane

Tall, handsome, unpolished; something of a local celebrity with the ladies at the Red Fox. Ladlevane is a middle aged batchelor who lives alone in his carpenters shop. During the day he works hard making all manner of artefacts to order and is seldom approachable for his work consumes him, but during the evenings, he can be found in one of the many local taverns, inns or cat houses where he becomes festive, rowdy and humorous. Ladlevane is a country man who came to the city in his early adulthood. He speaks with a broad country accent, and wears his rural character like a garment. Of an occaision he can be seen here and there, mending houses but the rumour is, he services other mens wives more often than their homes.

Doctor Giffshank

An elderly scholar, cantankerous, insular, unkempt. Giffshank lives in the attic apartment of Mrs Crimpstock's house (he is Misteline's neighbour) with his twin sister Edna, who recently moved in. Well read, and very intellient, Doctor Giffshank suffers from a variety of social disabilities, most of obvious of which is his short temper and lack of empathy. If given half a chance he will talk at tedious length on the subject of cataloguing stars, a personal project which he has been undertaking for the past forty years.

Edna Shufflewick

The twin sister of Doctor Giffshank. A strange, elderly woman with unusually heavy shoulders, a great golden blonde head of hair and a stern countenance. Brusque. Loud. Opiniated. Edna Shufflewick was recently widowed, and for the last several weeks has been living with with her brother Doctor Giffshank. There is something of the dramatist about Edna, a strange over dressed flamboyance which sits at odds with her heavy jawed features and piercing eyes. Since moving in with her brother she has been seen having trouble with the local children who seem to take great delight in pulling at her clothing and laughing at her discomfort.

Update

Captain Fouquet will begin 3rd December. So far, Oleg, Palle, Goeg and Rasmus have expressed a desire to participate. Thus the player characters in the game will be;

Misteline. An artist of great standing and popularity.

Rufus. A fencing instructor, and sometime accomplice to Misteline.

Marmaduke. A cabinet maker and neighbour to Misteline and Rufus.

Silas. A former captain of the militia and current owner of The Lotus Flower gambling house.

Progress report

With the death of my father and the subsequent upheaval in my life, everything got put on hold and preperation for this campaign has been suspended until I can find the time needed to finish it.

Captain Fouquet has been shunted until after Operation Herald, and may possibly not be begun until 2011.

Progress report

I'm not sure what the time frame will be, but I'm guessing we won't be able to play Captain Fouquet until after August at the earliest. I have to build four more house models first and only one is begun. These models will be; a medium sized town house in four levels (already begun), two small, generic, square based town houses (similar to the two I already have) and one large companion building based on, but not entirely identical to the inn. This latter model may take quite a while to build.

I also need to draw several more character pictures and post the information on the remaining inhabitants of the table top, but this is coming along nicely and shouldn't take too long. Bear in mind that the posts on this blog are not posted in any order. They get blogged once the images are drawn and the order the images are drawn depends on which face I decide to draw.

Most of the plot is mapped out, though chapter 3 is still sketchy, and I've done about half 0f the background material. I'll do combat stats and new character sheets last.

Chronology of events

Updates to the chronology can be found in the pages menu at the top of the page

31st Mae. 1623. The Battle of Gripen. Pretender to the throne of Takshendal; Baron Bohemond Dashfern is killed by Sir Adley De Ives. Misteline witnesses the battle.
2nd Jún. 1623. Misteline is commissioned by Sir Adley De Ives to paint his victory at the Battle of Gripen.
7th Jún. 1623. Niccoló Sigismundo surrenders at Overmore castle.
13th Augusta. 1623. Misteline finishes a study in oils of Sir Adley De Ives holding aloft the head of Sir Bohemond Dashfern. The painting is quickly purchased by Sir Adley De Ives.
25th Septemus. 1623. The last rebels are defeated at Keresfan by Sir Roger Flor.
21st Aprila. 1624. The Death of Grand Arch Duke Ranulph Jarvis Underhock, fourth Arch-duke of the City of Takshendal.
23rd Aprila. 1624. Thirty six Aprican mercenaries storm the Citadel and kill several high standing city officials and numerous Militia Guards. Captain Leander Quartermoon retakes the Citadel several hours later. All the mercenaries are killed. The reason for the attack is unclear but appears to be an ill-begotten attempt at gaining control of Takshendal.
31st Mae. 1624. The Coronation of King Phelonius I.
1st Jún. 1624. In recognition of his having rescued Phelonius Grambeline, Drake is made Knight of Saffron Hall with 200 Acres of land, grazing rights in the Marches and the right to equip twenty men-at-arms. Henceforth he is known as Sir Drake Saffron.
8th Jula. 1624. Misteline finishes Sir Adley De Ives commision for his victory at the Battle of Gripen. The finished work is a large oil on canvas vista of the battle at its height with Sir Adley at the fore. The painting is hung in the Cathedral for one year for public viewing.
14th Jula. 1624. Misteline is commissioned to build an equestrian statue of the King trampling the Dragon of Halkyn Mire underfoot. The statue is to be at least twice the size of Misteline’s previous great equestrian statue; that of Alesandrox Wormpole. Misteline accepts the commision but warns such an undertaken will take time and a bronze statue of such proportions may not even be possible. He begins work on sketches at once.
12th Septembre. 1624. Anton Fouquet purchases the Friars Gate Property then moves from his previous home, a town house on Sparrow Hawk Street, into the Friars Gate gatehouse tower.
9th Marts. 1625. Late in the evening (roughly 23:30) Molly Cutlerstub is burned to death.

Marmaduke Gurdlecat

Tall, lean, suspicious. Prone to watching other people with unsympathetic eyes. Marmaduke Gurdlecat dresses in practical working clothes and carries a pouch of small tools on his belt. He lives with his aging mother Ivy, in a building which is both the family house and their shop; 'Gurdlecat and Sons; Cabinets and Viola's'. A strong man, but clever with his hands, Maramduke appears sombre, sometimes confused and slightly slow to react, but this is largely a front for the devious mind of a cunning man. He is literate, well read, composes music when he thinks no one is listening and is a crack shot with his crossbow.

Still a bachelor in middle age, Marmaduke has had no time for a wife and no apparent interest in paying good money for dubious pleasures. He prefers to labour alone in his workshop, creating beautifully formed musical instruments and exclusive furniture and occaisionally getting drunk and firing his crossbow out the window at the pigeons which congregate on the roof tops.

This is Goeg's Player Character.