Description
The Amber Flotilla serves as the Order of Truth‘s expeditionary branch. Officially, the vessels of the flotilla act as a sort of mobile Durkhal, allowing the Amber Papacy to exert its power on the open ocean. In actuality, assignment to the flotilla has been a time-honored way of getting rid of priests whose eccentricities or philosophies clash with those of their colleagues in Qi.
The flotilla itself consists of a number of vessels that have been constructed, salvaged, or gifted to the Order by the seagoing kingdoms of the Steadfast. Granted a “Warrant of Exploration” by the Amber Pope the captains of the flotilla are licensed to carry out the mission of the Order of Truth as they see fit. While the total number of ships in the flotilla vary there are a number that regularly travel together:
Calaval’s Revenge
Lead by Captain Nemnos, the Calaval’s Revenge serves as the impromptu flagship of the flotilla. Originally a merchant vessel built in the shipyards of Ghan, it has been refitted with a number of technological wonders discovered by the crew. The original canvas sails have been replaced with synth sheeting that converts sunlight and the force exerted by the wind into electrical current, the cargo hold extends far beyond the dimensions of the ship, and there is a partial copy of the Durkhal’s archives within the captain’s study.
Conflagration
Captained by Brother Ignatius, the Conflagration serves as a floating alchemy lab. The ship draws its name from the strange compound produced in its bilge compartment. The keel and other lower sections of the hull were constructed from synthsteel from an ancient void ship. Unknown to the builders, the material was covered in the residue of an ancient self-replicating fuel source. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but the cocktail of bilge-water and the strange reagents from the ship’s clave provide the components needed for the residue to turn the waste into a volatile fluid. The crew of the Conflagration have taken advantage of their predicament and have adapted the fuel source into an offensive weapon.
Through a series of pumps and atomizers, the fluid can be piped into banks of tubes that line the sides of the vessel’s upper decks. These tubes are loaded with spheres made of steel, synth, or any other available materials, once the fluid has entered the tube it is ignited and the resulting explosion propels the projectile towards its target.
Firm Grasp
A salvage vessel, the Firm Grasp’s defining feature is the massive arm mounted to its deck. Possessed of corded muscles made of synth and bones of stronglass, the end of the salvage arm is tipped with a large three-fingered hand. The machine is controlled via an arm-length adamant silk glove worn by Captain Manus. In battle the arm has been seen pitching casks of the explosive fluid pumped out of the Conflagration’s bilge.
Details
- Rulers:
- Council of Captains
- Population:
- 1,000 crew members split between the various vessels.
- Capital:
- Calaval's Revenge
- Region:
- Other
- The Amber Flotilla Hearsay:
The City of Synth
The crew members of the Calaval’s Revenge claim that Captain Nemnos is in possession of a map that leads to an ancient city that survived the fall of the previous world unscathed. The map itself would be extremely valuable, but there’s no telling what discoveries lie within.
The Interlopers
The Conflagration has been tossing explosive casks overboard for the past few weeks. Scuttlebutt among the crew says that a submerengine from the Redfleets is tailing the flotilla for some unknown reason.
- The Weird of The Amber Flotilla:
Bilgefire
The alchemists aboard the Conflagration distill a potent beverage from the self-replicating fuel from the bilge compartment. Oddly enough, the final product can convert brackish or salt water into potable alcohol.
Stowhaven
The expansive holds of the Calaval’s Revenge go on for hundreds if not thousands of miles. Stowaways and crewmembers who have gotten lost over the years have constructed small settlements such as Stowhaven. Here, travelers can trade for goods and items long thought to be lost by the ship’s clave.