Thalassopoúli (θa.las.soˈpu.li)
"I swear, the ship lifted out of the water and just flew above it like a bird!" - an astonished sailor after first seeing one of the Thalassopoúli in action.
When Ídhi transformed the humans of Nisi into the winged Aethry, he did not expect that their new-found ability of flight would lead to a revolution in ship design. And at first, it did not appear that it would. Early Aethry believed that their wings would remove the need for any other vehicles at all, as they could travel from place to place without needing any additional assistance. However, practical considerations soon proved that while individual Aethry might fly from island to island, ferrying cargo by hand was not reasonable. Also, trips that took longer than an Aethry could fly in a single day required some place to sleep and rest. Thus, ships remained a major part of Aethry life and culture, and they continued to design and build sea-going vessels.
Daidalon's Ship
Flight gave the Aethry insight into the way air moved and how wings moved through the air. In the year 3928, a shipbuilder named Daidalon Aiolídes realized that water and air adhered to the same principals. He speculated that wings in the water might be able to lift a ship from the surface. After years of experimentation, he built the first Thalassopoúli ship, naming it for the seabirds that flew over the water.
At first glance, a Thalassopoúli resembles any other small sailing vessel. But when the wind filled its sails and it came up to speed, the whole ship lifted up out of the water on wings mounted beneath the hull. As the Thalassopoúli rose, it was freed of the ocean's grip and began to move faster, which caused it to rise even further. When the hull was completely clear of the waves, the vessel moved as fast as the wind - more than three times the rate of ship of the same size.
Utility
While the base design is simple enough, the additional costs in construction and maintenance are not trivial. Thalassopoúli are limited in size and cargo capacity, and are typically used for lightweight cargo that requires the speed these ships can offer, and are valuable enough to warrant the expense. Most often, they are used to transport messages and perishables, and have made certain kinds of fresh produce much more widely available than previously.
Once the Kingdom of Nisi realized the potential of the Thalassopoúli, they moved to protect it. The exact designs and details of how it works are kept secret, and they do not allow them to be purchased. Gaining passage on a Thalassopoúli is expensive, and even then foreigners are not allowed on deck while the ship flies. The Kendari Couriers have a long-standing contract with Nisi for the transport of letters and packages, but only Aethry couriers are usually allowed to accompany them. Whenever possible, the sailors limit who witnesses the ship's rise, and rumors abound about what makes them so fast.
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
It makes sense they would be secretive about their methods of crafting these ships. They give them a major advantage, I would think.
Explore Etrea | March of 31 Tales
It does indeed. They make a lot of money from having these small fast ships.