Mitria

The only thing that the Eirish ever did right.

— Ardenian saying

It may come as a surprise to some, but not any boat or vessel is fit to sail the ocean. Not every ship, even. The great ocean is treacherous, with its waves and storms and monsters. Sometimes, the ship is the only one that comes through, her crew fallen to the hardships of travel. A big crew or a large group of settlers needs much provisions, and an empty cargo hold spells doom on any long voyage. As for smaller crews? Well, their finance could only afford a likewise smaller vessel, making it pure madness to sail far from shore.
The solution to all these problems - albeit at a cost - came in the form of a new type of ships called Mitria. Big and bulky, slow to move and hard to control, requiring large crews and meant to house even more, their concept went against most principles of shipbuilding at the time. Sacrificing those properties and significantly strengthening the inner structure allowed to make a ship capable of enduring much, and turning it into essentially one big cargo hold. An equally important invention was mass-manufacture of ships from standartised parts, which required fewer skilled workers and significantly lowered the ship's costs. The ingenious design of Mitrias gave birth to ocean-going trade and started the Second Wave of Colonisation.

History

Knowing the problems above, it is only natural that for the longest time sailing was a business of foolhardy and reckless men, desperate ones even. Fishermen risked their lives every day, forced further from the shore by competition and sometimes never heard from again. The growing population of the Wellimbrook Archipelago made evident the need for larger, more reliable vessels which could bring back more food or find new lands for the island nation. Every shipyard was racing to come up with a solution, in hopes of presenting a new design to the royal court for which they would be richly rewarded. They were often sponsored by wealthy nobles, who saw in it a chance to improve their standing.
Among the shipwrights was a man named Carlo Mitri, an exile from the mainland Ardenian Empire. His design was deemed one of the most promising ones, in large part thanks to one of the High King's private counsellors taking patronage over Carlo. For half a year the shipwright stood at the helm of his new design's first ship, undertaking several weeks-long voyages during which she survived two strong storms. Soon after one ship turned three, then five. Within 10 years, Carlo's design was officially endorsed by the High King, his family granted nobility and estate, the soon-to-be symbol of Eirish might named after his creator - Mitria.

Used by

• Floating Circus

The Eirish? Ha! It was made by us, Kosaris!

Many people find ironic that the symbol of Eirish might and expansion was named after a man who was, in fact, not Eirish himself. It is often claimed that Carlo is of Kosari descent due to his origin, but that is not true either. The Mitri family belonged to one of many groups of Kimnans, travellers that are found all over the world. In either case, most Eirish would probably reply that the man's origin does not really matter and only serves as proof of how open their society is.