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As I consider branching out into other Windemere stories, I’ve been thinking about a variety of things. Will another series work out? How is it that I still have very little idea what I’m doing? What was I . . . Might be getting off topic here and I haven’t even really started. So, I’m really going to talk about some of the forces that may come into play over the course of other series. Some have made appearances like guards, mercenaries, pirates, etc. So, I’ll be dividing the weeks into 3 groups of sea then land and then air. Just to have some fun flushing out the world.
Now, the first one I want to go over are the various navies that are scattered about Windemere. The reason they’re so wide spread is that each kingdom has one or neighbors share. This gets really messy when you look into the Cerascent Islands, which is where you will find most of the naval muscle in the world. Not because they have large armadas that can be sent out with a single call. The region is composed of thousands of islands, which means you have all of these small navies and a network of treaties that makes you wonder why they aren’t in an eternal war.
Unlike the armies and air power of the world, the navies of Windemere aren’t very different from what we have. The biggest difference is technology, which is closer to the Age of Exploration than modern times. Although, there are no cannons and the biggest non-magical weapons tend to be ballistas and catapults. Most naval combats are done through boarding parties and using specialized gear to catch ships. This covers planks that fuse to enemy ships and your own, unbreakable grappling hooks, various battering rams, or simply archers aiming at the sails.
One thing with Windemere navies is that they don’t always wear strict uniforms outside of formal affairs. Some may have identifying armbands or tattoos. With piracy being a problem, navy vessels depend more on their flags to tell someone if they are friendly or not. A trick that pirates once used was to disguise themselves as navy vessels and attack when they get close. So the sailors stopped making that an option and it’s actually made the pirates a little more cautious. Hard to go careening into battle when you don’t know if it’s a merchant ship with a navy flag or really a navy ship.
To be honest, I don’t have many plans for this force. Most ocean adventures will be with pirates, merchants, adventurers, and other non-affiliated groups. The navies of Windemere may come into play during big battles or evacuations, but they don’t get involved in big events that often. A reason for this is because there hasn’t been a global war on Windemere in hundreds of years. Only a few skirmishes and other wars that remain within a single continent.
Legends of Windemere 
Grapnel, (sorry teasing). I’d love to write an epic sea adventure. It’s been in the back of my mind for a long time, but never enough to actually outline one. Maybe a good idea will hit me one day.
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Interchangeable term as long as it gets the point across from what I read. 😛 I have a few sea adventures set up for future series and I was thinking of a pirate one some day. The challenge is learning more about ships because people expect the terminology.
I’m actually doing Pirates and Mappers this week too. Figured I’d touch on the 3 forces of Sea, Land, and Air in Windemere.
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I think grapple has become common enough usage to pass. Just having fun with you. This sounds like a fun blog series.
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Funny thing is that I started editing Ichabod Brooks, which starts with the Starwind Eagles. Should I be looking for a camera?
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Keep an eye over your shoulder. I’ve been swarmed with gremlins recently.
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*looks at what movie he put on TV* This is just getting creepy now.
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Do the naval officers or the other sailors have magic? Have you ever read the Master and Commander series by Patrick O’Brian? I can’t help thinking of those books when I think of the navy/
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I saw the movie, which was cool. As far as magic goes, some do and some don’t. Magic isn’t a requirement in Windemere. Some people may get magical weapons or safety gear. Many ships have at least minor enchantments. Really depends on the person.
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In such a land suffused with magic, I wondered what part magic played in the navy.
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It’s not always a specific thing with Windemere. I’m sure the navies are more standard and similar with their enchantments than pirates and freelancers.
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Also an organized navy has to have stuffy rules which your pirate class usually ignores.
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Also, an organized navy has to have stuffy rules which the pirate class can ignore.
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Usually. Depends on the city and race when it comes to fantasy. Humans are rather tight while halflings are much more easygoing. Dwarves are just twitchy.
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Thanks. 😁
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My pleasure
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