The Scylla
The Scylla was a sailing vessel built on a small island off the northern coast of the Great Island of Pangu. Aegon Lacordaire, his partner, and five others built it secretly, using the remote location and a shallow cove to hide their activities.
Lacordaire was only 21 sols when he planned and designed the experimental build, taking inspiration from the ancestral Earthian Baltimore clipper.
Lacordaire and a small crew of four experimented with the craft and sailed for two days before they were spotted. The Vocation of Preservation apprehended the vessel and crew. There were three separate Calls to Counsel. Each party received sentences of different length. The two builders who declined the sail were never identified, or tried.
The Call resulted in two outcomes. First, all, except Lacordaire's partner, had to give time to the Vocation of Coordination, working to pay back the goods they stole. During this time they were also under watch, with a Watcher, to insure they committed no further crimes. A typical outcome for those who are found guilty. The Talithan system is based around restitution, not punishment.
The second outcome was a surprise for many, and controversial. Lacordaire had convinced the jury to let him keep the ship once his time was served. It wasn’t a ship that would be owned by the crew, only him.
Lacordaire serve his time, then moved himself, his small family, the Scylla, and a small crew he assembled, from Pangu to the Great City of Anunitum where he sailed as an artisan. As someone who creates their own goods or services outside of the Vocations, for many sols. He also helped the Vocations of all three great cities and, eventually, partnered with Anunitum’s Coordination Vocation to build the Lacordaire Cruise Runners.
Aegon Lacordaire starting the planning of the Scylla when he was only twenty sols. He had recently traveled from the city docks of Anunitum to the Great City of Pangu, a distance of 825 km, on a small 7 meter sailing vessel. This ship Lacordaire built using the proper channels and legally procured resources. A small three sail vessel built solely by a seventeen sol Lacordaire. He had hoped the successful trip would earn him enough respect that Pangu’s Vocation of Coordination would allow him to use their tools and shipbuilders for his next and larger ship. They, however, declined. He’d already been rejected by Anunitum’s Coordination and was frustrated. Individual Talithans didn’t own vessels that required a crew. The resources to maintain it and offer a paycheck, would be difficult for individuals. Talitha Harbor had greed laws, resources where shared with everyone, not owned by a few individuals. Not one to give up, Lacordaire carefully made connections with members of Coordination (shipbuilders),the Vocation of Preservation (resource guardians), and the Vocation of Essentials (the vocation that actually gathers the resources). It was not illegal for people to build things out of raw resources, but the small continents, or Great Islands, that the Talithans lived on were sensitive environments. The first axiom of The Ecology, the document that guided their culture and government structure, was the preservation of the planet’s environment. Lacordaire could be patient and purchase the resources he needed with credits, over several sols, or he could figure out a way to gather them illegally and much faster. During this time, he met a woman named Nestra. Once she learned about his wish to build a larger sailing vessel, she helped him make connections. They gathered unhappy members from Preservation, Essentials, and Coordination who found the idea tempting. They kept the number small. People who would spend their credits and game the system to gain the materials they needed. It was a long process, but quicker than the legal route. Lacordaire also had to be clever in his construction. They couldn’t move 20 meter lengths of wood without someone noticing. He had to come up with a design that would be structurally sound and allow them to construct it from smaller pieces. His ship, which he named after an Earthian Greek goddess and sea monster, Scylla, was crafted from a sturdy, but lightweight Talithan wood. One that had never been used for this type of construction before. The lighter wood made it easier for the small crew of builders to manage. The masts were the most difficult part. In the end they found narrow, but strong, trees that were the diameter they needed. Felling them far outside of the city where no one would notice for a long time. The key to the hull was a waterproof sap, from trees native to Pangu. This he and his crew collected on their own, ignoring the requirement to report regular raw goods collection. He sealed each individual piece and then the ship itself once they built it. They went over it three times, letting it dry between coats, to make sure it was perfectly sealed. Lacordaire and his crew stockpiled the wood, nails, and other building supplies by purchasing from all the three cities, maximizing each person’s limits. When that avenue was exhausted, he paid others to buy resources for him. It’s not known exactly how Lacordaire gained the credits he needed, or how many people donated to his cause. He earned some of his credits by collecting artisan materials and other raw resources he could sell at a premium. Some of them were resources that were not heavily managed by Preservation, others, rare plants, sea life, and arthropod byproducts were. Some species have small populations and too much gathering risks extinction. The selling of artisan products that they could track down didn’t account for the entire amount of resources used. What is known is that he spent above and beyond the greed caps of him and the six people who were helping him. All the supplies were transported, using the small sailing ship he already had, to a small island off the coast of Pangu. Once everything was there, Lacordaire carefully planned out the build process. The group would stay for a week (8 days) at a time, building what they could. They returned home, took time off, then spent another week on the island. It took them more than one complete sol cycle. By Unity Day of Téssera, sol 984, the ship was ready to sail. The group chose that day, a day in Talithan society where people came together and left their work behind for their first sail.
On the 19th of Téssera, the Scylla was spotted sailing off the coast of Pangu. The sailing ships owned by the Vocation of Coordination used square sails for their larger transport ships. Word spread through the news forums of a sailing ship with triangular sails and Protection was sent to investigate. Protection apprehended the crew, subjected them to digital watch, and equipped them with wristbands they couldn’t remove, which would track their location. The bands remained until their Call to Council could take place. Nestra was tried first and received a sentence of six months under watch with a Watcher. She lived in her home with a Watcher there at all times and could only leave for necessities. Her crime, since she didn’t actively build, was not reporting the large resource theft. The second trial was a joint trial with the three builders. They received two sol cycles of service to Coordination. A sentence in which they worked normal hours, but were left to fulfill duties Coordination deemed necessary and without pay. They were also put on watch with a Watcher for one sol cycle. Each stayed in their own home and had their own watchers. All Talithans receive basic necessities, so no pay wouldn’t cause the builders to starve, but they wouldn’t receive credits which allow them to purchase things at will, buy artisan goods, etc. Credits are for choice and small luxuries. They also can not live in a Tier’d home if they didn’t have a way to pay the credits required, but there are chipless homes available to all. Aegon Lacordaire received the longest sentence. It was, however, one that was too lenient in the eyes of many. He was told to give Coordination three sols of service, transporting goods with Scylla. Coordination provided a crew, and he could manage them as he saw fit, as long as he didn’t retaliate against them for his sentence. Coordination had also wanted the Scylla to join their fleet and become the property of the vocation. However, during his trial, Aegon convinced the jury that allowing that part of his sentence would set a precedence where the vocations could take what they want from anyone. He also argued that destroying the vessel, so it was no-one’s property, was a waste of all of those resources. In the end, Coordination got the three sols of work out of Lacordaire that they wanted, but he could keep the Scylla when his time was up. Lacordaire also had to stay under watch with a Watcher during his entire three sols. They assign three Watchers to each guilty party who work on a rotation. Lacordaire’s Watchers also had to go underway with him, which was a very unusual setup. However, Protection had no difficulties assigning Watchers who were happy to add sailing trips to their duties. There were claims, among the strongest supporters of Preservation and resource protection, that Lacordaire’s outcome would lead to many Talithans simply taking what they wanted. After all, they would only have to put in some time at a vocation, then they would be free to keep their stolen goods. However, there’s been no strong indication of this. Resource smuggling is a crime that’s been around for generations. Lacordaire’s crime didn’t start it, nor did it seem to encourage resource conscious Talithans to suddenly give up their morals.
Construction
Aegon Lacordaire starting the planning of the Scylla when he was only twenty sols. He had recently traveled from the city docks of Anunitum to the Great City of Pangu, a distance of 825 km, on a small 7 meter sailing vessel. This ship Lacordaire built using the proper channels and legally procured resources. A small three sail vessel built solely by a seventeen sol Lacordaire. He had hoped the successful trip would earn him enough respect that Pangu’s Vocation of Coordination would allow him to use their tools and shipbuilders for his next and larger ship. They, however, declined. He’d already been rejected by Anunitum’s Coordination and was frustrated. Individual Talithans didn’t own vessels that required a crew. The resources to maintain it and offer a paycheck, would be difficult for individuals. Talitha Harbor had greed laws, resources where shared with everyone, not owned by a few individuals. Not one to give up, Lacordaire carefully made connections with members of Coordination (shipbuilders),the Vocation of Preservation (resource guardians), and the Vocation of Essentials (the vocation that actually gathers the resources). It was not illegal for people to build things out of raw resources, but the small continents, or Great Islands, that the Talithans lived on were sensitive environments. The first axiom of The Ecology, the document that guided their culture and government structure, was the preservation of the planet’s environment. Lacordaire could be patient and purchase the resources he needed with credits, over several sols, or he could figure out a way to gather them illegally and much faster. During this time, he met a woman named Nestra. Once she learned about his wish to build a larger sailing vessel, she helped him make connections. They gathered unhappy members from Preservation, Essentials, and Coordination who found the idea tempting. They kept the number small. People who would spend their credits and game the system to gain the materials they needed. It was a long process, but quicker than the legal route. Lacordaire also had to be clever in his construction. They couldn’t move 20 meter lengths of wood without someone noticing. He had to come up with a design that would be structurally sound and allow them to construct it from smaller pieces. His ship, which he named after an Earthian Greek goddess and sea monster, Scylla, was crafted from a sturdy, but lightweight Talithan wood. One that had never been used for this type of construction before. The lighter wood made it easier for the small crew of builders to manage. The masts were the most difficult part. In the end they found narrow, but strong, trees that were the diameter they needed. Felling them far outside of the city where no one would notice for a long time. The key to the hull was a waterproof sap, from trees native to Pangu. This he and his crew collected on their own, ignoring the requirement to report regular raw goods collection. He sealed each individual piece and then the ship itself once they built it. They went over it three times, letting it dry between coats, to make sure it was perfectly sealed. Lacordaire and his crew stockpiled the wood, nails, and other building supplies by purchasing from all the three cities, maximizing each person’s limits. When that avenue was exhausted, he paid others to buy resources for him. It’s not known exactly how Lacordaire gained the credits he needed, or how many people donated to his cause. He earned some of his credits by collecting artisan materials and other raw resources he could sell at a premium. Some of them were resources that were not heavily managed by Preservation, others, rare plants, sea life, and arthropod byproducts were. Some species have small populations and too much gathering risks extinction. The selling of artisan products that they could track down didn’t account for the entire amount of resources used. What is known is that he spent above and beyond the greed caps of him and the six people who were helping him. All the supplies were transported, using the small sailing ship he already had, to a small island off the coast of Pangu. Once everything was there, Lacordaire carefully planned out the build process. The group would stay for a week (8 days) at a time, building what they could. They returned home, took time off, then spent another week on the island. It took them more than one complete sol cycle. By Unity Day of Téssera, sol 984, the ship was ready to sail. The group chose that day, a day in Talithan society where people came together and left their work behind for their first sail.
The Trials and Beyond
On the 19th of Téssera, the Scylla was spotted sailing off the coast of Pangu. The sailing ships owned by the Vocation of Coordination used square sails for their larger transport ships. Word spread through the news forums of a sailing ship with triangular sails and Protection was sent to investigate. Protection apprehended the crew, subjected them to digital watch, and equipped them with wristbands they couldn’t remove, which would track their location. The bands remained until their Call to Council could take place. Nestra was tried first and received a sentence of six months under watch with a Watcher. She lived in her home with a Watcher there at all times and could only leave for necessities. Her crime, since she didn’t actively build, was not reporting the large resource theft. The second trial was a joint trial with the three builders. They received two sol cycles of service to Coordination. A sentence in which they worked normal hours, but were left to fulfill duties Coordination deemed necessary and without pay. They were also put on watch with a Watcher for one sol cycle. Each stayed in their own home and had their own watchers. All Talithans receive basic necessities, so no pay wouldn’t cause the builders to starve, but they wouldn’t receive credits which allow them to purchase things at will, buy artisan goods, etc. Credits are for choice and small luxuries. They also can not live in a Tier’d home if they didn’t have a way to pay the credits required, but there are chipless homes available to all. Aegon Lacordaire received the longest sentence. It was, however, one that was too lenient in the eyes of many. He was told to give Coordination three sols of service, transporting goods with Scylla. Coordination provided a crew, and he could manage them as he saw fit, as long as he didn’t retaliate against them for his sentence. Coordination had also wanted the Scylla to join their fleet and become the property of the vocation. However, during his trial, Aegon convinced the jury that allowing that part of his sentence would set a precedence where the vocations could take what they want from anyone. He also argued that destroying the vessel, so it was no-one’s property, was a waste of all of those resources. In the end, Coordination got the three sols of work out of Lacordaire that they wanted, but he could keep the Scylla when his time was up. Lacordaire also had to stay under watch with a Watcher during his entire three sols. They assign three Watchers to each guilty party who work on a rotation. Lacordaire’s Watchers also had to go underway with him, which was a very unusual setup. However, Protection had no difficulties assigning Watchers who were happy to add sailing trips to their duties. There were claims, among the strongest supporters of Preservation and resource protection, that Lacordaire’s outcome would lead to many Talithans simply taking what they wanted. After all, they would only have to put in some time at a vocation, then they would be free to keep their stolen goods. However, there’s been no strong indication of this. Resource smuggling is a crime that’s been around for generations. Lacordaire’s crime didn’t start it, nor did it seem to encourage resource conscious Talithans to suddenly give up their morals.
Designation
The Scylla
Creation Date
984 Téssera 17
Owning Organization
Current location
Rarity
It's the only one of it's kind
Width
5.1 m
Length
20 m
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