Shorewall Military
Common Knowledge
Headquartered on in its namesake town on Seaspray Island, the Shorewall Military is the only naval power in the Blacksea. Once intended to wrestle with The City of Marble's seafaring fleet, it now serves as a means to keep the northern coastline and Graystone River delta clear of floating Unfallen and Unfallen Whales.Structure
Branches of Power
The core of military and government are broken up into five subsections, dubbed as “Masts,” which oversee most aspects of living in Shorewall. Though separate in name, each mast is interconnected with the others, and on its own couldn’t continue to function.- The Mast of Fleet Command is the most notable and esteemed, with their range of influence controlling day to day affairs of the navy, maintaining patrol routes through the Blacksea, Graystone River delta and the like. This is generally what is thought of by non-natives when they think of the Shorewall navy.
- The Mast of Regiments oversees the training and welfare of the navy’s personnel, including conscription in Shorewall and recruitment in Shardholm. It also serves as a defacto judicial center for the town, commonly dealing with disputes of townsfolk or businesses, but also with crimes or outstanding insubordination among the ranks.
- The Masts of Administration is broken into two separate but deeply connected entities: The Mast of Military Administration and the Mast of Civilian Administration. Military Admin. is the smaller of the two, and deals with resource, both material and financial, appropriation and distribution for the navy specifically. Civilian Admin. manages similar aspects but for the civilian population of the town of Shorewall, collecting taxes and working with the local Fishmonger’s Guild to maintain fair agreements with the navy. It also oversees, in conjunction with Fleet Command, a small standing militia that doubles as town guards. Together, the Masts of Administration mainly deal with any overlap between their respective jurisdictions, as well as organizing and negotiating monthly taxes to be sent to Seawatch.
- The Mast of Engineering manages construction and maintenance of both the navy’s fleet of caravels, as well as standing fortifications and developed areas, such as the Docks and the lighthouse. Many in this mast are sent to Seawatch as a part of their training to learn construction techniques, while also keeping up-to-date with Seawatch’s advancements. Often the Mast of Engineering will be contracted out by citizens of Shorewall for minor maintenance and repairs to civilian structures, such as homes, places of business, or privately-owned vessels.
Commanding Bloodlines
Since its inception, the navy of Shorewall is lead by a select familial hierarchy, whose ties run back to the initial push of explorers from Seawatch to colonize the island and establish their military power over the Blacksea. Though this doesn’t mean that in that time the navy has remained that way; it instead quickly became a fierce meritocracy, allowing anyone who distinguished themselves in service to rise. Currently the navy is lead by a number of those original families’ third or fourth generation members, though not exclusively. Elitism of these original bloodlines does still exist in the lower ranks, along with grooming of young sailors to occupy higher positions, notably after they prove their worth. Currently, the leader of the navy is Fleet Commandant Sylas H. Jenssen, a descendant of a Solemite familial line that initially came to Shorewall during its colonization and establishment, however not a line that initially held any high command. His father, Antwich, rose to prominence via distinguished service in the last thirty years, and was replaced by his son after stepping down to fill an advisory position. Aryn Finkhel holds command of the Mast of Regiments under her title of Master of Personnel. Known primarily for her unwavering demeanor under pressure and blunt rigidity, the Verdite distinguished herself working through the lower ranks to eventually become captain of a fleet ship. Her vessel became quickly recognized for its almost-mechanical efficiency and lack of subordination without sacrificing the morale of her crew, which placed her in a position for promotion. Geoffry Buehl holds the position of Master of the Guard as head of the Mast of Civilian Administration. The son of a fishmonger and a Shorewall native, his intimate knowledge of the town is unparalleled, coupled with his upbringing in the civilian financial center. Master Gyles Schenhaar, likewise, oversees Military Administration. The Master of Resource is the only current head that is of a direct bloodline whose name originally held any stature in Seawatch prior to Shorewall’s founding, and these personal connections from the Schenhaar name help to maintain fair taxation for the island settlement. Originally born in Seawatch, Maluchi Chapine serves as Master Architect, and also holds strong familial ties to those who founded Shorewall. He personally never performed any feats of valor or garnered recognition like most other sailors strive for, however his mind for artifice is beyond exceptional, and achieved his rank through his tinkering and modification to the fleet overall, most prominently the flagship Risen Starbuck which allows the navy to have a better control of the Blacksea overall.Enlistment & Conscription
About a quarter of the navy is made up of persons who aren’t native to Shorewall, people enlisted from their outpost in Shardholm. Few of those aren’t native residents to the capital join as well, wishing to escape the blights of the land or feel some sense of service with a direction other than joining the Gravehunters. The rest are conscripted born residents of Shardholm, seeking a way to help protect their home from the dangers lurking or drifting within the waters.
Type
Military, Navy
Training Level
Professional
