I have had those pics of the Indiscreet for some time now, but I never got inside it and did with that what I used to do with buildings in Nanth.
Until now.
Want to take a walk around with me?
Notice; I've done some research, but I am not an expert. All of this stuff is based on sources, not real experience, so I'm open to correction on anything I got wrong!First of all, another view of that model I base the Indiscreet on;
http://s424.beta.photobucket.com/user/T ... ort=3&o=41Sexy beast, ain't she?
No Figurehead, so we occasionally tie naked people up there when entering port, just to give a good impression.
Now, a couple of things; that ship is larger than the Cherube, so I had to change a couple of things. Those golden portals along the side are for the oars, which are conveniently shown lashed to the side of the ship at the back end. Other little changes are only one staircase and a minor change in proportions.
However, it is impossible to make this thing just 50 feet long, there just isn't enough 'there' there. This one is 65' along the waterline, and if you are interested, I can show you why this is still within the official guidelines for all practical purposes.
Here is the cutaway drawing I made (all to quickly) of Phaing's ship;
http://s424.beta.photobucket.com/user/T ... sort=3&o=0 It is drawn in 3/32 scale, draws 8 feet of water, meaning the distance from the bottom of the keel to the waterline (dotted line).
Lets' start at the Bow (that's the pointy end
) with the view from above. That's the deck-plan.
That thing that looks like a wagon-wheel is actually the capstan. Remember that thing they were walking around in Pirates of the Caribbean? Aside from pulleys, this is the only mechanical advantage the crew has to get things done on a ship. The push-bars can be removed, but using it takes a lot of deck-space. So, to save some space, this capstan is wrapped around the for-mast.
Just past that is the Ballistae, on a slightly raised grating to give the people manning it some traction. More on that later.
There is also room for a boat, but only a 12' skiff. This is a problem, but again, more on this later.
The rectangular thing that is 6' x 12 is the hatch. Just a wooden covering that your winch out of the way to load things in the Hold. Only one, but it's big enough to lower a War-Horse down.
Past that are stairs, on covered set going down to the hold, another leading up to the poop-deck (I didn't name it). Nothing special there, but you will see that there is no ship's wheel. Instead, this has a tiller, a simple bar used to steer the rudder and can be lashed in place to hold a certain setting. Works about as well, and is easier to repair.
At the very rear is the spell-caster's platform, up and out of the way of everyone else working the ship, with the best view you can get from the Deck.
The cutaway shows the ship from the side. At each end are spaces marked SS, or Ship's Stores. That's where ropes, sails, paint and the like are stowed away. The big part in the center is the Hold, where you put cargo. The galley is where the cook does his cooking. The major element is a brazier mounted on a gimbals-ring. The fuel for the fire would not spill even if the ship capsized, in theory...
Phaing knows that fresh food is a problem at sea, and has a novel answer for that; a Baker.
Wheat-berries are stored, ready to be ground in to fresh flour, and all sorts of baked goods are prepared while under way.
Now, for whats in the rooms under the poop deck (stern-castle?)
The first thing you will find is the booth where half a dozen people can eat at a time. Next to it is a ladder down with a platform that can be raised and lowered with a rope. Across the way is the chartroom; really just a large set of shelves from maps and books with a table and chair. This is where you chart your course.
Going aft, you find the sleeping quarters.
Unique to this ship, this is a pillow-pit similar to what you would see in the Temple of Ishtar. On most ships, the crew would sack-out wherever they could find space, normally down in that dank hold. Phaing hated that idea, so instead of a Captain's cabin she had this common sleeping area installed. Kept clean by spells, this has a good effect on the crew's morale' (and not just because Phaing sleeps in the raw
). Not only does the Captain sleep in the same, egalitarian conditions as the crew, but eats the same food and shares all the rest of the hardships.
At the very back is the one place reserved for the Captain; a closet for her and her alone. Never poke your nose in there or a flogging is your reward.
The crew is armed with 6 x Longbows, 6 x Halbreds, 6 x Battleaxes and 18 x throwing axes, with 360 arrows.
The 18 men are divided into 3 shifts, rather than the usual 2. One shift is sleeping, one is working the rigging and the deck, and the other is either tending to their own gear or standing ready to help the shift working. Meals are served at shift-changing times.
The fine embellishments on the woodwork is as you see in the pictures, paid Kuromaku a few hundred mhl to make sure of that.
Okay, that's enough for one post, and covers the Indy (indiscreet) in brief.
More will follow...