Editing Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/realms/athervon (section)

=== Naval Forces ===

Athervon possesses a large and formidable navy (Le Marine).  

Hailing back even before the First Line of Kings, the people of what is now Athervon has been a sea-faring nation, with goods that flow across the land bridge between Tras Veniri and Avis Inia being loaded onto ships, from there to make landfall at ports from Anida and the Isles of the Sea Lords to the more civilized city-states of the Forbidden Isles to the ancient and exotic lands of Issyria and Jhon and beyond.  This trade is a great source of wealth, and the realm learned early on that they needed to be able to protect it.

Athervon’s naval fleet builds on the ancient Athernian shipbuilding skills.  Their military vessels tend to be long and sleek, fit with broad sails, and armed with an array of heavy weaponry including ballistae and catapults on the larger vessels.  Athernian naval vessels are known throughout the Black Sea and the oceans beyond for their speed and stout construction, and one-to-one are a match for any of Athervon’s peers, with the possible exception of the Veniri – a contest that there is no record of due to the fact that the fleets ply such distinct waters.

The Athernian Marine is commanded by the ''Grand Amiral Royal'', who reports directly to the King, and who holds station equivalent to that of the Ducs and the Marquis.  Below the Grand Amiral Royal are the ''Seigneur Amirals'', each of whom commands a fleet and is assigned with the protection of a particular geographic region.  

Each vessel in these fleets will be commanded by a ''Capitaine'' and a group of officers.  

With very few historical exceptions, the Grand Amiral Royal and the Seigneur Amirals, are drawn from the landed nobility ranks.  Naval service is considered a highly honorable and sought-after profession for second sons within these circles, with the potential to expand the family estate through service or even spawn a second landed arm of the family.

Capitaines are more often than not also from the landed nobility, but there are a significant number that hail from the Ecuyer ranks.  Indeed, proving oneself via extraordinarily distinguished naval service as a Capitaine in the naval service is considered one of the more reliable ways to move from being an Ecuyer to a Chevaliere.

The bulk of the ship’s crew (''Equipage'') are either voluntarily enlisted, conscripts, indentured servants, debtors working off their balance sheets through service, or criminals serving their sentence.  Given this mix, one might expect that the discipline, experience, and skill of the Athernian navy would be poor.  But on the contrary, the naval tradition is held generally in high regard by the Kingdom, the vessels are run strictly but professionally (with a few notable historical exceptions), and there are enough voluntary crew on most vessels who view their service as a proper profession to more than balance out those who might otherwise have negative tendencies.  Indeed, it is not uncommon for conscripts, debtors, and criminals who have completed their appointed service terms to re-enlist, having found meaning, purpose, and stability in their lives.