A History of Naval Discoveries
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- Chapter 1: The Dawn of SailingIt was the Simaros who first made use of the winds in the Second Age, exploring faraway lands across the sea. Yes, even before their great empire they were sailors: likeminded hearts gathered aboard great vessels to chart the unknown. Pioneers of the trade! Then, if you can believe it or not, the second race to make use of ships was none other than the Thrunk! You may think I've had just a bit too much grog, but it's all too true! The little fellas snuck aboard Simaros ships, causing all manner of mischief as they hopped from island to island, gradually spreading from their tropical home to the mainland. Of course, wherever there are sailors, there are men like myself who seek to make use of our various "skills" to earn a living on the open sea. Yes, I'm talking about Pirates! Ships of all shapes and sizes soon took to arming themselves with scores of cannons for both attack and defense, and the seas quickly became the dangerous place we recognize it as today.
- Chapter 2: GwaamuuntiiIn 874 of the Second Age, an unusual race appeared briefly in the history books, one that seldom makes their mark in history's grand tale. An elusive race of insect-folk, the Gwaamuuntii, appeared before the Simaros, seeking claim to their land. Supposedly they were in search of a new homeland, some say after they destroyed their own, but who can really vet the truth from the tales of seamen deep in their cups? Either way, what is known truth is that the Simaros had at this point mastered their use of ships, and swiftly repelled them from the mainland. Throughout the age, the Simaros built up trade routes and traded and solidified their territory by sea, eventually settling their capital on an island near the center of the continent they named Amperus.
- Chapter 3: DethronedNo king can rule forever, and just after 1900 of the Second Age, humanity rose to challenge their vast naval holdings with ships of their own. The upstarts quickly carved out a shockingly effective bid for the sea, as the small, scrappy craft of the humans could outmaneuver and take down the larger Simaros craft, despite being outgunned. No longer did other races have to sail in fear of the Simaros, and new trade routes were established within what was previously Simaros waters. The Simaros attempted to put a stop to this in 2148 with a naval blockade, but the Pirates of the time showed them up by speeding right on through, delivering goods to the people on both sides like the heroes they were!
- Chapter 4: WarOver the next thousand years the blockade weakened, yet in 3095 the Simaros returned in force, making a desperate bid to regain control of the waters. War broke out, and sailors and pirates alike joined forces to fight off their tyranny over the waves! For nearly 400 years this war raged, and many notable battles were fought over our beloved sea in the Third Age, such as the skirmishes leading up to the human migration to the north in the year 51... ...the failed Simaros raid on the Northern Steppe in which firebombs were flown from sails like kites in 89, and the climactic finale to the war with the arrival of the Gwaamuuntii floating fortress in 388.
- Chapter 5: FreedomThe end of the Third Age also saw the collapse of the Simaros Empire, and by 392 we saw a great boom of piracy! The Simaros went off looking for a new homeland, and men and women of the sea saw fit to relieve them of some of their valuables on their way out, enterprising individuals that they were! Throughout the fourth age, both sailors and pirates have enjoyed freedom on the open ocean, with plentiful professions, new lands to chart, and tons of ships to raid. What a time to be alive! With luck, this age will last many a lifetime, with great names going down in history... or sunk beneath the waves!