"I can see the sea!"
- —Marian Zelman, Optimistic Reiklander Sailor.[2a]
Ruthless Imperial Sailor.
From the mighty Greatships to small merchant sloops, the boats of the Old World are all crewed by Seamen, also known as Sailors.[2a]
Overview[]
"Call me Marian. I know better than most that the ocean is perilous and the storm terrible, but I have never found such dangers sufficient reason for remaining aport, particularly if that port is Brionne."
- —Marian Zelman, Seaman.[3a]
Most Imperial seamen come from the province of Nordland, which has a long stretch of coast on the Sea of Claws.[1a] However, many also come from the Reikland. Although it has no coastline, it borders a significant stretch of the River Reik navigable to sea-going vessels.[2a] Elven sailors can be found in the Old World as well, particularly those engaged by their great Merchant Houses.[1a]
The Nordlander seamen of the Second Fleet crew Greatships, Wolfships, and Wargalleys and patrol the perilous Sea of Claws, protecting the Empire from Norse longships, Bretonnian buccaneers, and the dreaded fleets of Chaos. Hardened seamen one and all, their civilian compatriots sail merchantmen, pirate vessels, and other privately owned craft.[1a]
Along the Reikland border, from Altdorf to the Wasteland, the Reik is miles wide and easily navigable by sea-going vessels. It is patrolled by the Reikish sailors of the Imperial First Fleet. "Missions," dormitory buildings for members of the Imperial Navy, also line the banks of the Reik.[2a]
However, the seamen of the First Fleet rarely see the open sea, because they are separated from it by Marienburg.[2a] The city is the greatest port of the Old World, it gained its independence from the Empire years ago,[1a][2a] and now charges exorbitant levies on any naval vessels that wish to pass through.[2a] It is a mercantile centre, and the maritime activity of both the Reik and Sea of Claws revolves around it. Although Marienburg itself is neutral territory, the Sea of Claws is the site of daily clashes. On blood-soaked decks, Seamen earn their rum ration and their booty.[1a]
Beyond the Empire and the Wasteland are numerous other marine locations for seamen to sail: the Great Ocean, the exotic Thousand Islands, the Southern Sea, and the Black Gulf.[2a]
Sailors from the Old World[]
Estalian Sailors[]
The sailors of the southern realms are often cited as some of the best in the Old World. The Estalians in particular are noted as being particularly zealous in their hatred and prosecution of pirates.[3a]
Many Estalian seamen have served on the blockade of the seas around the Bay of Quietude and trading port of Magritta, and have fought against smuggling crews and buccaneers. They make consummate sailors and are often chosen to lead boarding parties. They command high prices to serve on foreign ships, for whilst the Estalian kingdoms are fractious and disorganised, the natives of the country are noted for having a great deal of loyalty to their land and neighbours.[3a]
Tilean Sailors[]
Tilean sailors, in comparison, share many of the values held by the numerous mercenary companies who originate from that land. They are often found among the crews of foreign vessels and some have even risen to prominence as captains of Bretonnian ships. They have a great rivalry with the sailors of Estalia and many Tileans take a lax view of piracy, seeing little difference between the life of the mercenary and the life of the pirate.[3a]
It is sometimes said in the northern realms that all Tilean sailors are pirates, but this is only true of those from Sartosa. It ought to be noted that whilst many Tileans are unconcerned about piracy, the sailors of Luccini and Remas are as set against it as those of Magritta.[3a]
Bretonnian Sailors[]
The Bretonnians also boast of a fine naval tradition. Their mighty galleons are on the cutting edge of naval technology, and the aversion to military innovation that has become enshrined elsewhere in the Bretonnian armed forces does not seem present on board its vessels. The Bretonnian Grand Admiralty is as hidebound as the rest of the kingdom’s institutions, however, being a club for gentlemen officers who rarely concern themselves with the welfare of the common sailor.[3a]
The majestic vessels of the fleet are often bolstered by a number of small aiding boats, crewed and captained by private adventurers given licence to act as they please upon the waves so long as they leave Bretonnian shipping unmolested. The Bretonnians call these captains privateers, though the captains of other nations see them as nothing less than pirates.[3a]
Imperial Sailors[]
The Empire does not have a grand tradition of seafaring. Emperor Hasso instituted the first of the Sea Lords in 632 IC, but the navy they oversaw was not a great fleet capable of exploration and conquest. It was a defensive force employed to protect the people of the Empire’s northern shore from Norse raiding. In later years, the development of the Empire’s navy was stymied by the protracted periods of civil strife and disunity between the provinces, and later the growth of an effective fleet was checked by the independence of Marienburg, which saw the greatest of the Empire’s naval forces confined to its rivers.[3a]