Bes Navy

The Bes Navy is the most powerful navy in the world of Kivria. The navy belongs to the government of the island nation of Bes. The majority of Bes Navy Sailors and others aboard their ships are citizens of Bes who must serve for a minimum of five seasons. The navy also recruits some foreign sailors, who are awarded citizenship upon completion of twenty seasons or retirement age, whichever comes first.

Mission

There are two main missions within the Bes Navy:

1. To protect the nation of Bes, its people, and its environment from harm, and
2. To keep all seas safe from those who would harm it or the people who sail upon it

In order to achieve both missions, the Bes Navy has divided itself into two overlapping units, one dedicated to national security and the other dedicated to international affairs.

Mission One: Bes

The unit of the Bes Navy which adheres to mission one is called the Bes National Guard. They defend Bes from potential hazards, whether those hazards come from internal or external forces. Citizens of Bes associate the Bes National Guard with the Bes Islands Sea Service, a collaborative organization staffed by Bes Navy Sailors and regular civilians alike. They also look up to the Storm Corps, a group of expert water manipulators who protect lives and property from floods during severe weather.
Since the waters which surround the Bes Island Chain are usually peaceful, the Bes National Guard is usually staffed with those who are unsuited for combat, those who cannot leave Bes waters, and those who are otherwise too valuable at home. Examples include the Bes Nereids, a species unable to leave the water, and Bes Water Children, minors who are sponsored by the government.

Mission Two: Kivrian Seas

Where the seas of Kivria are the subject, there is no matter great or small that the Bes Navy doesn't believe itself to be the authority. This facet of the Bes Navy functions largely independently from their nation, traveling far and wide in the name of protecting the seas. As part of their mission, they often stick themselves into the middle of conflicts they weren't involved in. For example, if two nations are at war and one attempts a blockade, the Bes Navy will destroy it without prompting.
Some communities, such as Oseka, view the Bes Navy as a righteous force, protecting them from sea-bound aggressors. Many other governments view them as pirates who stick their noses into places they do not rightfully belong. The Bes Navy rewards the former and ignores the whining of latter, safe in the knowledge that their fleet is without match.

Capabilities

"Captain?" Eve prods, nervously eyeing the approaching enemy ships. "Is it true that our navy has never lost a ship?"
"Yes, and the streak ain't ending now. Watch and learn, water child."

So long as they remain aboard their ships and on the water, the Bes Navy's offensive and defensive capabilities are off the charts compared to any other navy in history. Every ship that belongs to the Bes Navy is protected by watertight energy barriers, or wards which deflect any and all attempts to harm the ship or its inhabitants. If the attack is strong enough, the barriers may even reverberate the attack back at the offending party.
The sailors are plenty proficient as well. The first danger from a Bes Navy Sailor is their ability to manipulate water. Although they are taught to use this ability in moderation and without malice, they may use it to great effect in self defense. When they use water manipulation collectively, they may even bend the very ocean around them to their will. They don't need magic to fight or defend themselves, either - they are well trained in regular combat.
Sailors in the Bes Navy are at their most vulnerable when they leave their ships, such as when they board an enemy vessel or spend time on land.

"I'm not a water child, Captain! I'm a Sailor, now."
"Oh, right. Time flies." Maran side-eyes the the baby-faced, white-feathered youngster. "Eh, hardly. Go below decks."
"Hey! No, please, how else am I supposed to gain experience?!"
"Fine, then, Sailor," Maran mocks. "Stay beside me and don't do anything stupid. If you get hurt, your mother will have my head on a pike."

External Perception

"A pirate is a pirate, regardless of any so-called moral compasses."

Although many governments dislike dealing with the Bes Navy because they view it as an attack on their independence by "pirates," few dare to argue.

"I don't much care if they're good or evil or whatever. That stupid ship is ruining my view!"

— Grouchy old woman on her balcony overlooking a harbor

The Bes Navy has operated for a few thousand years now. Most governments, and by extension most people, are used to the Bes Navy assisting or interfering in their lives if they live near the ocean. Even in the technological era that dominates the Kivrian landscape today, the majority of people view them as some sort of magical and/or supernatural force. As certain societies discover the potentials of spiritual energy, the mystique around the Bes Navy and other instances of its liberal use has gradually lessened even if the awe (or terror) is still present.

Type

Military, Navy

Leader

Maran Vela

Ruling Organization

Bes

Leader Title

Commander of the Bes Navy

Founders

• Maran Vela
• Pio

Location

Kivria

Related Species

• Yashelin