am'nýer—a'
T
VARIOUS WAYS OF GETTING AROUND
SHIPS
There are a multitude of ships and ship styles dotting Tam'nýer—a''n waters. Each type of vessel denoting various specific uses such as fishing, and harvesting natural goods, as well as denoting cultures.
Püertagœn Single/Double Occupancy Sail Boats
Despite Püertagœ being a melting pot metropolis of all races, although primarily
Human & Khah', Püertagœ does have it's own certain flair when it comes to its
architecture and ships. And this is clear even if the vessel's construction was
commissioned and made in the Sky-Coral Sea (Uwhang).
When it comes to having freedom to move and live on the sea, it is vital, especially
for those who live on selling merchandise. Whether you carry a big name, like the
Sum’nër’ family, or are a one-man business, shelter and room to house your goods
is important. That's where the beauty of Püertagœn styled vessels come in. Rather
than be designed for the transport of animals, such as the Z'sa'Ză-'Bäa Catamarans,
or ZàÞçian boats which primarily are for mere day trips, Püertagœ vessels are made
to be lived on.
This single/double occupancy yacht pictured is the main Püertagœn composition for such vessels of this size. They have a distinct multi-sail design in order to catch more wind, and be more manoeuvrable, with a cabin, as the seas can always be treacherous. They are usually not brightly coloured, instead embracing the colour of the wood itself. However, there is also a reason for this; by simply looking at the ship you can tell what wood it is made out of. This will tell the buyer the potential quality of the ship, as some woods last longer, and therefore add a more varied price range for those trying to break out on their own.
Z'sa'Ză-'Bäa Catamarans
Catamarans specifically used by the Z'sa'Ză-'Bäa for their bi-monthly trades with the Ãoni are built with hoods to protect the Wôrdiţ they supply to them. These vessels are meant to carry much, both to and from, and catch the wind well with their sails. Not only that, but they cut through the oceanic water swiftly with the aid of their design calling on the ancient power of rowing. After all, manpower is the most reliable.
The ship permits maneuverability, and shelter during storms, the summer suns and winds, even with the rocky terrains as their home and their destination are primarily mountains. Over the years, they've been improved as well, by lumber the Ãoni provide them with, even more solidifying their bond as amicable trade partners.
PüertagœN NAVAL SHIP PARAMTERES
ZàÞçan Fishing Boats
As you approach the inlet of Trótskarr known as ZàÞça, you might
catch sight of quite a few of these local traditional boats in port
often. Fishing boats are a staple, as this provides a source of food
and employment. Unlike the image, (which shows the design of
the fishing boats), these boats tend to be painted in vibrant
colours. The colours don't necessarily hold any importance, but it
does act as a good signal to other ships, (including pirates), that
the boat is merely for fishing.
Inadvertently, when the fishermen set out in the wee morning
hours, the sight is akin to seeing a very colourful parade. The
amount of boats also increases when it is high season, of course,
because the population booms. It is even safe to say that during
the high season that fishermen travel from different parts of Tam'nýer—a' to make extra P'ee K'äh. Of course, this time of year not only is a prosperous time for the fishermen, but the opportunity of sightseeing ships in general, as more merchant vessels fill the inlet as well, delivering goods to support the burgeoning city.
Full Non-Naval Regulations for Ships
• 28 guns maximum
• 14 guns broadside
• Plain spherical shots, grape shot (contained in canvas bags) and canister shots now permitted.
However, there is a limit of 10 grape shot and 14 canister shot to be stowed on board.
• Guns now of culverin, as well as carriage-mounted cannons.
• Culverin max range of 299-413m (980-1355ft) and cannons 225m (740ft)
These rules must be followed, even if you are wanting to make a pirate ship. Yes, you can sneak extra types of shot or cannons, but not many more. These are to be a guideline for the law & non-law abiding. Remember, if you are caught by the Püertagœn Navy, you must accept the consequences. The main reason why even as a pirate you cannot bend the rules of number of cannons by much is because despite B'hărăbû being a city-state and full of dark no-good characters is because the land is actually owned by Püertagœ. Püertagœ gets money on the sly from B'hărăbû (Boris), and vice versa. However, the amount of shot can never be solidified unless boarded so have at if you are a pirate.
An important thing to note is that the majority of lumber comes from the Sky-Coral Sea, as it is a dense jungle and they have the upper hand when it comes to trees. This also means that many ships are commissioned to be made by the Khah'. In fact most of the Püertagœn Naval Fleet was made in the docks of the Sky-Coral Sea.
CITY
TRANSPORTATION
Cities in Tam'nýer—a' tend to be vast, sprawling things, so getting from one end to another in a hurry can be quite a challenge, especially if your main form of transportation is the one you were born with - your feet. This is generally why it is a common sight to see beasts of burden being used as transportation, regardless of whether you're a merchant burdened with your many wares or just passing through. Getting from your house to a friend's, you can opt to get there on Wôrdiţ-back, so long as you have the means to do so. Stables throughout places like Püertagœ for example are common-place, but of course cost varying levels of money. For instance, if you brush and feed your beast yourself, you only pay for the shelter or the ability to tie-up, or you can pay for the stablehand to do all that extra work for you, but we're digressing.
Another common form of transportation in city-life are rickshaws. Getting someone else to do the work for you is not only nice and care-free, but a big flex of your status. It speaks that you have money to "throw around" to a degree, and you keep your clothes cleaner for longer as your hems don't get muddy.
Some cities, like Fawzia-Kedet, thanks to its close tie to the Z'sa'Ză-'Bäa, are embracing the creative and industrial race's ingenuity by ways of incorporating pulley systems, along with water systems to make elevators. However, these elevators are outside of the buildings, as opposed to our modern day indoor elevators. Built on the sides, they can be powered by waterwheels, weight-pulley system or by people, which in turn also creates jobs. But whatever the case, when you want to get to the 5th storey of a building, you no longer need to deal with all those stairs, especially if you're carrying home your groceries.
BEASTS OF BURDEN
Ãokv'kele (aow-kiv-keh-lay)
The Ãokv'kele are a bulky, meaty lizard-like creature. They are the main beast of burden and form of transportation through the deserts of Trótskarr. Ãokv'kele are extremely staunch animals, and can get very attached either to their task or to a rider they carry often. Though if they do get attached to a person, they can get quite demanding and affectionate. Taking a nap with your beloved ride can do wonders for this bond, and the Ãokv'kele tend to reciprocate with extremely good behaviour when traveling, patience, or a willingness to stay at a higher speed upon demand.
These animals vary in colour but usually appear a dark green or dark red with a beige coloured belly, to keep itself cool in the heat, whilst the topside colouration attracts sun to keep it hot so that it can function properly.
Ãokv'kele have 4 stomachs, 2 for food, and 2 for water, meaning that it can store up on food and drink and last a long journey without stopping. It takes approximately an entire Tam'nýer—a''n day for an Ãokv'kele to digest its food. A fundamental point concerning digestion is that the more the animal stays in movement, the slower it digests, perpetually burning the food or “fuel” in this case, but slowly as a natural precaution to not starve.
On top of having 4 stomachs, the Ãokv'kele tend to weigh anywhere between 680-1,000 kilograms (1,500-2,200 lbs) depending upon sex and size. Needless to say, you wouldn't want one to roll on you. A distinction between the sexes are two very notable facts; the females tend to have tusks and a more hunkered-down body type, while males ‘stand taller’ and have much smoother faces.
Cusur'galli (koo-soo-rr-gah-lee)
Cusur'galli are majestic docile creatures in personality, but can invoke fear due to their size (relateable to a bull elephant; 12-14 feet at the shoulder). For every foot in height that a Cusur'galli reaches is equivalent to 1,000lbs. With multiple eyes and control over each one, they can see in many directions other than behind them clearly. It is their main weakness, and an unfortunate fact as they are over hunted.
Cusur'galli are hunted for multiple reasons and are as follows:
-
On their feet and legs, Inva' crystallizes and forms naturally. These are assumed to form with age as a sort of calcification, and copious small bodies of water that they traverse though.
-
The leather from their face and ears is the most durable in all of Tam'nýer—a'.
-
Capture; as they make the best pack animals on land, and can survive high altitudes well. Cusur'galli have no issue travelling mountains if there is a path for them to walk along.
Due to this poaching however, Cusur'galli are becoming a creature of the past. They are now a rare find in the wild, and because of this they tend to be viewed as the highest sign of prosperity and luck. You are most likely to find them in the northern tip of the Sky-Coral Sea, the Emerald Isles and Rīdhaūñaī. It is said that if you want to be guaranteed to see one in your lifetime, the Temple of VüƑ keeps one as a pet
Nîcrraß (knee-crass)
If you weren't brought up in an area that has Nîcrraß, upon first seeing them you might be intrigued and minorly horrified. Nîcrraß are brightly pastel coloured in order to mimic the sun reflecting off the snow and other environments during sunsets in particular as a form of odd technicolour camoflauge. They have hundreds of legs, all seemingly fragile, but move like no other whether it be up or down mountains and across burning hot desert sand as their feet move swiftly and never seem to get burned.
Nîcrraß are roughly 3.35m to 4.25m (11-14ft) in length, and are anywhere from 1.22m-1.8m (4-6ft) high off the ground, they move incredibly fast.. They also have odd faces with fly-like eyes that eat up seventy-five percent of their face. Though they do tend to be quite chattery creatures through clicks, they can also try and take breaks if their riders aren't strict enough, to clean their antennae leisurely. Nîcrraß also survive in all climates, although will be differently coloured dependent upon the species of the genus and which temperature it lives in.
Quirks aside, their size, and speed make them perfect mass pack animals for terrains deemed difficult. They can also transport multiple people, although going above three is not recommended as the Nîcrraß might get agitated and begin to act up, or in a worst case scenario lash out.
Þ'l (faw-p-aw-l)
Þ'l are a tremendously beautiful creature living in the depths of the ocean with the Sk'älik. While those on land have the Wôrdiţ, the Sk'älik have the Þ'l. Fluid, dynamic movement and speeds in the water, the Þ'l are a wonder to be seen in action. Looking more akin to a sentient bunch of seaweed, they are masters at camouflage. However, they can emit a blue bioluminescence which they can turn off and on at will. It is also assumed that they communicate with one another with the flashing of this luminescence, but what certain patterns means requires more studies on them.
While the Sk'älik are known to ride them insular to insular, most Þ'l are found to be pets when youngsters, and subsequently raised with Sk'älik children side-by-side. The children are usually the ones who become the Þ'l's rider when they grow up, as the creatures must have a strong bond in order to be willing to carry a rider.
.png){kind=small}
Wôrdiţ (w-uh-a-r-dee-tz)
The Wôrdiţ is a deer-like species sporting reddish brown hides and four spindly legs that are good for galloping at fast speeds. Unlike most species on Earth, both the Males and Females of the Wôrdiţ grow horns. An example of this can be seen below.
They can measure anywhere from 4.5 - 7.75 feet in length and weigh 243 - 677 lbs.
The species prefer to eat reeds as they provide a high protein count and therefore must eat less in a shorter amount of time to become full. This also makes them grazers as they must feed throughout the day in order to stay healthy. When it comes to hydration, however, the Wôrdiţ are exceptionally equipped to handle droughts as their throats are lined with glands which naturally absorb some of the water that they drink to save it for later. Due to this, a Wôrdiţ can last 4-6 days without water intake.
Males become sexually mature anywhere during the period of being 3 to 4 years of age, while the Females of the species can become pregnant any time after their first year. There is no specific breeding season for the Wôrdiţ, however, with a recent study it has been found that they are more likely to copulate during the ever changing raining seasons. We can only assume that this is due to the prosperity of lush grasslands supplying an ample amount of food for them. Unfortunately, while potentially being coerced by nature's rain to breed, the gestation period is 6 months, when the rains may have stopped entirely.
This precarious risk is exploited by the Humans as they can keep track of multiple families and when the creature is in need with a new calf, they can take them in and begin the domestication process. It is true that over a third of the creature population is domesticated and used for trading, farming, and transportation, but without these animals, civilization would be tested. It should be noted however that the Wôrdiţ, while used as working animals by most of civilization, the Ãoni feel an affinity for the Wôrdiţ, treating them as though they were pets as well as a working part of the family. Though with the Ãoni living cliffside, they will have a small herd of Wôrdiţ per colony, permitting them the reign of the land to graze as they please, whilst keeping them in a pen during the night under supervision to keep them safe. A Wôrdiţ in the wild, their life expectancy is up to 10 years, while life in captivity is roughly 14.
Uklara (you-clara)
Uklara are an odd sort of fuzzy lizard. They can travel long distances, snacking on insects as they walk by, requiring only to stop in order to drink. Their spines are reinforced, as they carry a double-spine naturally. This is assumed to be a physical defense developed over the years as they are solely a jungle dwelling animal, and felled trees are nature's way of clearing out the old to make room for the new.
Uklara are ground dwelling animals, but have claws in order to climb trees to escape larger predators. The claws also help them for gaining traction on the jungle floor when running. This is also emphasized by the long legs that can help them crouch low to the ground when necessary, and keep the brush from injuring their bellies.
These beautiful creatures are the main beasts of burden and transportation to the Khah' peoples.
Káñonbahár (kaah-nyon-ba-haah-r)
Upon first seeing them you may think that they are a human standing in the distance as the heat screws up your vision, or that they are merely a boulder. In actuality, they are the most useful commodity to the Dëymosþan, being their beasts of burden and main mode of transportation, aside from walking that is.
Káñonbahár are animals that, whilst horned like the Wôrdiţ, but are much more slender. Káñonbahár have spindly legs, but they are pure muscle, tendon and bone, so their speed, and ability to run through the sand is impeccable. Their main body is shelled in a natural strong carapace that resembles a mere grey-white boulder. This carapace offers protection from the heat of the sun and the detriment of sand if caught in the wind.
These beautiful creatures as also equipped with a long neck helping them get as big a view of the landscape as possible, and their noses can pick up scents from miles away (especially on the wind). Some who form great bonds with their riders, will even signal to their counterpart when they smell people or death, meaning a possibility for gain. It creates a loving symbiotic relationship. This bond goes further because while it is common place for the Dëymosþan men to race their Káñonbahár to assert dominance and sometimes gain breeding rights, the Káñonbahár have begun to view this race as a similar thing, not solely going off of their fins
Nyu'Kai (n-you-k-eye)
Nyu'Kai are hefty creatures that have a lot of strength. Growing up to 7-8 feet (2.13-2.43 meters) and weighing a ton on average, it might be surprising that they can live up to 480 Earth years (16 T. years). Mostly living in swamp-like areas or places that have a lot of water and humidity, they are creatures that can live on land or even in the sea. Able to transport heavy loads through deep water swamps, they have a large water bladder that keeps them easily afloat and can breathe underwater with the gills that are placed on their neck and sides of their torso. These animals are more amphibious than anything and require the ability to access water at all times as to not dry out. Drying out won't kill them, but it is very uncomfortable for them and can make them agitated.
Mostly found in the Legs, Ribs and Arms continents, they are very helpful for the transportation of goods as well as being animals used for farming, so much so that some villages choose to capture them and domesticate them. Their webbed feet assist them in moving unhindered in deep water.
With their amphibious and aquatic nature, they have soft, but tough skin that holds moisture well and they are normally hard to miss. Their colors can go from a wide range of blues and purples, to yellows and greens and often have fin like additions that are brightly colored. The males have large horns atop their heads to attract mates and have bio-luminescence in patterns along their whole body. Females on the other hand might have small horns that bump out of their skull by a few inches, and do not have any bio-luminescent spots. Instead, the females tend to have slightly more dull colors and more anemone like fur on their forms, mostly along their back. This lack of luminescence is also good when the female is pregnant or leading her babes in the waters or dense jungle.
Their diet consists of mostly rocks and coral, able to crush them down fine with their strong molars and can absorb the nutrients and minerals in them. They are grazing animals, but rarely eat normal flora as a full meal.