General Organisation of the Order -- 10. A Quick Overview of the Navy
by Bruce HeardThe Heldannic Order operates a
traditional navy, and a force of flying ships called warbirds. On
seafaring vessels common crew are equivalent to indentured
infantry. Officers are knights, with a Knight Bachelor acting as
ship Captain (Herr Kapitän). Seafaring ships are used to haul
merchandise or military supplies, and patrol coastal waters in the
Heldannic Territories. The head of the sea fleet is a Grand Knight
with the title of Admiral (Herr Admiral). The Heldannic Knights are
not a traditional seafaring people. Their navy is likely to remain
limited in scope and ability. For combat, the Heldannic Knights
rely on warbirds.
Warbird personnel is treated differently in that all crew must have
taken their Oath of Service before being allowed onboard. Common
crew are squires trained to work on warbirds. Otherwise officers
are knights with an Abbot drawn from any of the three clerical
branches, acting as ship Captain (Herr Luftkapitän). All other
clerical crew aboard is drawn from the Hammer. The
Commander-in-Chief of the warbird force is the Grand Master of the
Order himself. Grand Knights in charge of garrisons harbouring
warbirds may commandeer these skyships.
Warbirds are used as emergency troop transports or as warships.
Some patrol the skies above Heldannic Territories and link
far-flung colonies to the capital city of Freiburg, others are a
part of important garrisons (in particular Freiburg, the Holy
Citadel, Oceansend, and Landfall).There is a fixed number of such
vessels because they draw their flying power from a magical
artifact located in the Holy Citadel. Its ability to lift and move
objects tops out at 5,000 tons anywhere on Mystara and vicinity.
The air fleet traditionally includes 28 light warbirds and two
larger, heavy warbirds.