Hi there all, me again with another little Snippet from Maldene.

Before reaching the King’s castle-city of Thïr Glomdäitaÿor, our heroes sail into its lakeside port and get their first glimpse of the biggest walled and roofed port they had ever imagined.  Here then is a very tiny glimpse of that scene…

They came into the walled port, sailing through the mouth and into the vast structure. The ceiling overhead blocked out the mid-rise sun for a couple thousand feet around. On either side of the mouth was a tall tower, springing eight hundred feet up above the surface of the lake and almost that much wide. The walls of the towers and of the port were made of stone, both looking to be about fifty feet thick. Covered catwalks connected both towers to the main wall, the wall’s height going up almost as high as the towers. As they passed into the mouth, they could see, under the water, a large chain cloth that could be raised to block off the entrance into the docking area.

The inside of the harbor was shaped as a large horseshoe, ships docked all around its outer edge. At the back of the shore-side part of the docks could be seen a large and very busy port town, high airy roof extending back over most of the buildings beneath which a scattering of brightly-lit globes of light hovered about providing illumination. Large vents were seen at various intervals along the outer walls, that permitted cool breezes to come in from the outside. The whole area had the feel of being a combination of a port and a large outdoor promenade.

Everyone had come to the front of the ship to have a look at what strange and magnificent port that they’d sailed into. All were staring about them in amazement, Eldar concentrating, Filmar standing quiet and expressionless off to one side.

“This place looks like it could house whole navies,” said Bronto, looking a bit amazed.

Eldar looked up from his concentration to speak to Sabu.

“I was just trying out my new sense,” he said, “and I can tell you that those walls are made to reflect magic.”

Sabu nodded, “I was just noticing that myself.”

As they neared their own designated dock, they could see, situated in the central largest dock, a ship of a type that they’d never seen before. Eyes grew wide and jaws dropped as they all gathered to gaze at the golden light that reflected off of this magnificent ship. Even Starke had seen no ship like this one before.

In basic form, it looked to be like a Tirrissian Warship, but much larger. This ship was fully a thousand feet long and about two hundred feet wide, its masts soaring up to new heights. The entire ship seemed to be made out of some sort of polished pearly white rock, its numerous furled sails of spun pearl. Rock it may have been, but the large ship seemed to have no trouble staying afloat, moored there at its large dock. Its outer hull reflected a bright gold light, with occasional flashes of light streaking through the gold. On its deck were catapults, but these kind were smaller and mounted on a rotating spindle, and instead of lobbing an object out it seemed to be made to push its cargo out, much like a child’s sling but with gears and pulleys. The front of the ship narrowed into a long ramming head, its point gleaming in the reflected sunlight. A quick twinkle of light would sometimes be seen, coming as if from some unseen barrier enclosing it like a shell.