YHS Ironoath

The steel clad ship carved across the waves. Steam pumping through iron veins, as two dark shadows followed in its wake. The Captain, a bald man with a glorious moustache raised a coffee cup to his lips as the crew watched him with wide eyes and trembling lips.   “Captain, I do not mean to offend but now is not the time for coffee. The pirates are all over us.”   The Captain inhaled the earthy texture of his drink. His left hand lay idle in his pocket, as he moved up to the window. Sipping from the cup as he looked at the cannons. “I am aware my boy. I am aware.”   “Sir, they have us completely surrounded. We need orders now!” The fancy barbered man yawned. Raising his wrist as he pulled back his sleeve. The sound of his clock ticking through a crushing silence. “No, I am still on break.”   The faces of the crew paled. The men shuffling in place, some raising their voices to shout and others throwing themselves behind whatever cover they could find - as the thundering roars of firing cannons cleaved through the protests.   The ship rocked. Not a single man fell over and a lone drop of coffee spilled onto the floor, as the captain looked at the stain. A light grunt escaped from him, as he twirled his moustache. “Alright lads, break time is over. Set the cannons and wait for my orders!”   The men could only stare in silence, as their captain tapped his foot against the floor. “I said cannons!” He then turned back to the window. His lips crooked into a grin as he chuckled.   “Cannons ready sir! On your mark.”   “I don’t think it will be necessary my friends.” The humoured old officer bragged - as he pointed at the rising white flags. “I think we are due another coffee break.”

    Expensive as hell but worth every dubbloon. The YHS Ironoath is one of the first heavy warships to have been made and stands firmly as the Golden Empire’s flagships. Being impervious to outdated cannons and ballistics, they serve as perfect combat and transport vessels. Harassing pirates out of their charts with nary a volley fired and a welcome committee of humoured sailors and gleeful soldiers awaiting the inevitable surrender.   For three decades, YHS Ironoath’s dominated the Golden Sea until eventually being pushed back against by a most unexpected threat. Magic. While they are still the kings of their seacharts, recent pirate kingdoms have become cocky and managed to capture a couple of them.     Ironoaths take the classic structure of the Golden Empire’s older vessels and make them significantly wider for buoyancy. These four floor ships, fully clad in steel plating, are run by an odd combination of three sails and two massive coalburners of factory size. The sails barely do anything but symbolism and sending signals to ships outside of their own radio comms.   The decks are otherwise mostly empty, especially in combat. Sailors now hide beneath deck, operating steam engines and cannons - or serve as sanitation crews to keep the floors hygienic and the machinery unclogged.   Beneath its sides and stern, large wheels bellow the vessel forth. Massive pistons chug, causing thumping sounds to be heard from seamiles away before the horn blares light a nightmarish call from the beyond.     Many pirates to this day, still instantly lay down arms and surrender when they catch a glimpse of an Ironoath - unless they can outpace it. Sixty cannons on each side of the ship, three mortars that can fire relatively precise shots from miles out of thick mist - and a pair of gatling guns on the very front of the mechanical monstrosity.   To hoist the white flag is not cowardice, it is wisdom. Oftentimes, the Ironoath crews will just sit through enemy barrages without manning their own guns. Making the surrender easier on the minds of their foes as pride bounces off with every volley. Other times, a gatling hail carving down the sails will make even the proudest freebooters rethink their actions.