The Sindiath Line
The Sindiath Line is an elven trading group that specializes in transportation and boats for hire. Adventurers without a ship may find the Sindiath Line useful, either as passengers or as crewmen.
Symbol: A gold S on a white field.
Headquarters: On one of the larger portions of the cluster-world of Greela in Greyspace.
Purpose: The Sindiath Line was established by one of the heroes of the first CInhuman War. Upon the defeat of the goblinoid races, the elves policed the spacelanes for a time, and their huge fleets were among the most powerful in the Known Spheres. However, the other spacefaring races, already sensitive to elvish haughtiness, soon chafed under elvish control. At the same time, the elves were unwilling to abandon their huge fleets, perceiving them as necessary to the security of the elven nations. Tensions increased, and a demihuman war pitting elves against men and dwarves loomed. Sindiath, an admiral of the elven Fleet, proposed a compromise. He offered to retire from the Fleet and to take a large portion of its ships into a private concern, the Sindiath Line, that would provide regular passenger service among the Known Spheres. The Line would still be spread throughout the Known Spheres, under elven control, but it would be a commercial presence, not a military one.
To the Council of Admirals, Sindiath pointed out the value of the Line for espionage. With ships in every sphere, the Line would be able to inform the Council of any issue that could affect the Elven Nations. After the usual period of elven reflection, the Council agreed. The Sindiath Line now has over 300 men-o-war, supplemented with 115 hammerships and dozens of tradesmen. Few are aware of how large the Sindiath Line's fleet really is, although its ships are ubiquitous throughout the Known Spheres. (By comparison, it is estimated that 500 elven armadas and 2,000 men-o-war survived the second CInhuman War—the Sindiath Line is roughly one-eighth the size of the elven Imperial Fleet.) Sindiath himself is still alive and oversees the growth of new ships on Greela. Sindiath vessels are invariably commanded by elves, although they often have human and hadozee crews. Passengers may be of any race friendly to the elves (no neogi or beholders), and Sindiath vessels have a reputation for superior accommodations—at a corresponding price.
Allies: The Sindiath Line's greatest ally is the elven Imperial Fleet itself. Every ship of the Line is actually part of the Fleet and may be called back to duty on a moment's notice. However, since no Sindiath vessel has been recalled (except for the occasional short-term emergency) since the Line was founded, most people don't worry about their ship being commandeered in mid-voyage. The alliance between the elven Fleet and the Sindiath Line is actually more powerful in reverse. Pirates who regularly prey on Sindiath Line vessels may find themselves visited by an elven armada-ship or two, armed to the teeth on a pirate-hunting mission.
Enemies: The enemies of the Sindiath Line tend to confine their opposition to occasional grumbling rather than directly battling the powerful elven Imperial Fleet. The Trading Company dislikes the Line because it refuses to transport mercenary companies (a regulation imposed by the Council of Admirals). The elves are bitterly opposed to slavers, so they aggressively fight the Chainmen. Finally, the Xenos, as might well be expected, despise the powerful line because it insists on using inferior elves for its commanders rather than obviously superior humans, while still employing humans in subservient roles.
Joining: To be a captain in the Sindiath Line, you must have been a commander in the elven Imperial Fleet (minimum 9th level). For obvious reasons, this is restricted to elves only. Crewmen commonly include elves, humans and hadozee, but lizard men, hurwaeti, centaurs, giff, grommams, and even gnomes (but not minoi) and halflings have been hired. Dwarves find the gossamer ships of the elves too flimsy for comfort, and the elves will not tolerate minoi.
Benefits: The primary benefit of the Sindiath Line is its breadth. With ships and routes throughout the Known Spheres, a Sindiath Line vessel can go anywhere, and its crew receives "working passage" with pay superior to that of most other lines.
Patient elven characters may foresee another benefit; the commanders of the era immediately following the first (Unhuman War are growing very old and are leaving their places in the leadership of the Line. In some cases, the Sindiath Line has chosen to promote a loyal crewman to the captaincy rather than recruiting an officer from the Fleet, and this practice seems to be on the increase.
Obligations: The primary obligations of a member of the Sindiath Line is to keep the elven Council of Admirals informed of any activity that may be of interest to them. This is accomplished by exchanging dispatches with any Sindiath Line vessel encountered, and by delivering all accumulated dispatches to the next Fleet ship found.
All Sindiath Line vessels are still subject to the command of the Council of Admirals. In time of war or in an emergency, Fleet personnel can commandeer the ships and crews of the Sindiath Line into service. On a short mission, nonelves will be pressed' into service; on longer missions or in time of war, they will be put ashore at the nearest convenient port. Only hadozee may remain on board.
Symbol: A gold S on a white field.
Headquarters: On one of the larger portions of the cluster-world of Greela in Greyspace.
Purpose: The Sindiath Line was established by one of the heroes of the first CInhuman War. Upon the defeat of the goblinoid races, the elves policed the spacelanes for a time, and their huge fleets were among the most powerful in the Known Spheres. However, the other spacefaring races, already sensitive to elvish haughtiness, soon chafed under elvish control. At the same time, the elves were unwilling to abandon their huge fleets, perceiving them as necessary to the security of the elven nations. Tensions increased, and a demihuman war pitting elves against men and dwarves loomed. Sindiath, an admiral of the elven Fleet, proposed a compromise. He offered to retire from the Fleet and to take a large portion of its ships into a private concern, the Sindiath Line, that would provide regular passenger service among the Known Spheres. The Line would still be spread throughout the Known Spheres, under elven control, but it would be a commercial presence, not a military one.
To the Council of Admirals, Sindiath pointed out the value of the Line for espionage. With ships in every sphere, the Line would be able to inform the Council of any issue that could affect the Elven Nations. After the usual period of elven reflection, the Council agreed. The Sindiath Line now has over 300 men-o-war, supplemented with 115 hammerships and dozens of tradesmen. Few are aware of how large the Sindiath Line's fleet really is, although its ships are ubiquitous throughout the Known Spheres. (By comparison, it is estimated that 500 elven armadas and 2,000 men-o-war survived the second CInhuman War—the Sindiath Line is roughly one-eighth the size of the elven Imperial Fleet.) Sindiath himself is still alive and oversees the growth of new ships on Greela. Sindiath vessels are invariably commanded by elves, although they often have human and hadozee crews. Passengers may be of any race friendly to the elves (no neogi or beholders), and Sindiath vessels have a reputation for superior accommodations—at a corresponding price.
Allies: The Sindiath Line's greatest ally is the elven Imperial Fleet itself. Every ship of the Line is actually part of the Fleet and may be called back to duty on a moment's notice. However, since no Sindiath vessel has been recalled (except for the occasional short-term emergency) since the Line was founded, most people don't worry about their ship being commandeered in mid-voyage. The alliance between the elven Fleet and the Sindiath Line is actually more powerful in reverse. Pirates who regularly prey on Sindiath Line vessels may find themselves visited by an elven armada-ship or two, armed to the teeth on a pirate-hunting mission.
Enemies: The enemies of the Sindiath Line tend to confine their opposition to occasional grumbling rather than directly battling the powerful elven Imperial Fleet. The Trading Company dislikes the Line because it refuses to transport mercenary companies (a regulation imposed by the Council of Admirals). The elves are bitterly opposed to slavers, so they aggressively fight the Chainmen. Finally, the Xenos, as might well be expected, despise the powerful line because it insists on using inferior elves for its commanders rather than obviously superior humans, while still employing humans in subservient roles.
Joining: To be a captain in the Sindiath Line, you must have been a commander in the elven Imperial Fleet (minimum 9th level). For obvious reasons, this is restricted to elves only. Crewmen commonly include elves, humans and hadozee, but lizard men, hurwaeti, centaurs, giff, grommams, and even gnomes (but not minoi) and halflings have been hired. Dwarves find the gossamer ships of the elves too flimsy for comfort, and the elves will not tolerate minoi.
Benefits: The primary benefit of the Sindiath Line is its breadth. With ships and routes throughout the Known Spheres, a Sindiath Line vessel can go anywhere, and its crew receives "working passage" with pay superior to that of most other lines.
Patient elven characters may foresee another benefit; the commanders of the era immediately following the first (Unhuman War are growing very old and are leaving their places in the leadership of the Line. In some cases, the Sindiath Line has chosen to promote a loyal crewman to the captaincy rather than recruiting an officer from the Fleet, and this practice seems to be on the increase.
Obligations: The primary obligations of a member of the Sindiath Line is to keep the elven Council of Admirals informed of any activity that may be of interest to them. This is accomplished by exchanging dispatches with any Sindiath Line vessel encountered, and by delivering all accumulated dispatches to the next Fleet ship found.
All Sindiath Line vessels are still subject to the command of the Council of Admirals. In time of war or in an emergency, Fleet personnel can commandeer the ships and crews of the Sindiath Line into service. On a short mission, nonelves will be pressed' into service; on longer missions or in time of war, they will be put ashore at the nearest convenient port. Only hadozee may remain on board.
Neighboring Nations
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments