Harbor of Ben Doa
The Harbor of the City of Ben Doa is a wonder to behold. Built by an unknown race of beings thousands of years ago for purposes no one can understand for certain, it is the centerpoint of the city's trade, industry and transportation.
The Harbor is a massive circular structure made of perfectly cut and finished granite blocks each weighing at least 300 tons (some have been estimated to weigh as much as 500 tons), stacked and fit so precisely that the finest needle cannot be inserted between them. The structure is almost 700' in diameter and has an aveerage depth of more than 40'. The walls of the harbor are more than 60' thick and stand (on average) 36' above the surface of the sea. The tops of this massive circular wall have been carefully leveled with local stonework to provide a level surface upon which many carefully constructed cranes and derricks have been placed to fascilitate the loading and unloading of ships within the harbor, since the only opening into or out of the harbor is a 110' gap facing exactly due east (towards the open ocean). The bottom of the harbor is almost entirely clean sand, with only a very few known granite blocks scattered near the walls of the harbor (presumably having fallen off the walls at some earlier time).
The original purpose for the structure is completely unknown with any certainty, but since time immemorial the structure has been utilized as a very safe and convenient shelter for boats and ships of almost all sizes.
Purpose / Function
While the original purpose of the structure is unknown, in its current state it provides a safe, calm space for the loading and unloading of ships and barges of all types.
Alterations
The remains of the original walls were too uneven to provide adequate space for use, so they were leveled with carefully crafted masonry to provide a stable platform for many cranes and derricks with which the hundreds of ships a year that pass through the harbor are loaded and unloaded. A carefullly crafted wooden wharf has been built on the western interior of the harbor to fascilitate passenger traffic on and off of ships, but it does not provide enough space for the loading or unloading of cargo of any size.
Architecture
Made of massive blocks of finely cut granite, the walls of the harbor are more than 60' thick and rise to a height of as much as 40' above the high tide line. The opening to the harbor is 110' wide and is flankd by massive carved columns rising out of the sea and extending 45' high. From these columns three massive iron chains can be winched into place to block the entrance of the harbor should it ever be attacked.
Defenses
From the walls of the harbor near the entrance there are four massive ballistae, two on each side of the entrance. These machines can launch a variety of projectiles at incoming ships to a maximum range of nearly 600 yards, with accurate (man-sized) shots ranging about 400 yards max. Projectiles can be iron-tipped bolts, solid stone or iron shot, or cannister-style projectiles capable of incendiary or poisonous weapons.
RUINED STRUCTURE
Unknown
Unknown
Founding Date
Unknown
Type
Seaport
Parent Location
Owner
Owning Organization
