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Gondor's Navy
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The history of Gondorians at Sea is long and illustrious, and goes back to the time of Numenor. The Dunedain of the Isle of Numenor were mighty mariners, possibly the greatest that have ever been upon this Arda, and they sailed their tall ships to many places near and far. And they came to Middle-earth and taught many things to the lesser men there, and they built great havens, some of which being Pelargir and Umbar. But it was the Sea that led eventually to their demise, for they forsook the Oath of their forefathers and sailed into the West to the land of Aman, where they were forbidden to go by the Valar. In recompense, the seas arose to engulf Numenor and it was lost, but those of the Faithful who survived sailed into Middle-earth and founded the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, and they were led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anarion.
The line of the Ship-kings of Gondor did not begin until the reign of Tarannon, the twelfth king, who built great navies and extended the sway of Gondor along the coasts west and south of the Mouths of the Anduin. He took the crown of Gondor in the name of Falastur, 'Lord of the Coasts'. It was Earnil I, his nephew, who rebuilt the haven of Pelargir upon Anduin, and who laid seige to Umbar and took it. The last of the Ship-kings was Ciryaher son of Ciryandil who took the crown in the name Hyarmendacil, 'South Victor', after utterly defeating the men of Harad in battle.
Though the great Ship-kings are no more, and the city of Umbar lies now in the hands of the evil Corsairs and men of Harad, the tradition of maritime greatness continues in Gondor, and Pelargir upon Anduin is center of the mighty Navy. The ships of Gondor do not sail far in these dark times, for there is ever the threat of war with the Corsairs, the pirates of the south, but the Bay of Belfalas is their domain, straying even at times into Belegaer, the Great Sea, though they do not go far into these strange waters.
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Pelargir
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The home port for the Gondorian Navy is Pelargir upon Anduin, fourty-two leagues south of Minas Tirith. The city was built in the year 2350 of the Second Age by the men of Numenor, and it was chief of their havens upon Middle-earth, and when the darkness came to Numenor, it was chief haven of the Faithful. After the Downfall, the ships of Isildur and Anarion came to Pelargir, and there did the Faithful first come to Gondor as exiles. And yet they went north and founded the city of Osgiliath and Minas Anor, and the haven of Pelargir was, for the most part, deserted by men.
But during the reign of Earnil I, nephew of Tarannon Falastur who was first Ship-king of Gondor, the city of Pelargir was rebuilt, and a great Navy was ordered there, and the city became a strong place. When the Kin-strife came to Gondor and war was afoot, the sons of Castamir the usurper retreated with those who would follow him to Pelargir, for there it was that Castamir had purposed to bring the seat of the king's, for he cared only for the fleets. The army of Eldacar besieged Pelargir, but he had no fleets, and so the sons of Castamir escaped by sea and fled to Umbar, and Gondor was ever at war with that city.
In the year 1634, the Corsairs, led by Angamaite and Sangahyando, the sons of Castamir, attacked and ravaged the city, and Minardil the King was slain. But the city was rebuilt, and from then onwards has remained a strong place of many men and ships. Folk there are unlike the Dunedain who dwell in Belfalas and Anorien, for the blood is there mixed with the folk of Harondar in the south, where men are swarthy with dark skin. But still some of the Dunedain remain there in the south, usually men of power and high regard.
Note: Though the home port for the Navy is at Pelargir, the city is now closed to RP. This is due to a lack of people to populate the city. The ships will therefore go where the RP is, be it to Minas Tirith or Dol Amroth, so the Sailors will always have people to RP with.
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Rankings
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Rankings in the Gondorian Navy are based on a long honored tradition. Each of these men are fully trained and expected to be ready to conduct long term maritime voyages. Rankings are as follows:
Admiral - The Admiral is the Commander-in-Chief of all naval operations who is only answerable to the Steward of the Realm or one of those representing him. This position is a very powerful one and cannot be taken lightly. The traditional dress uniform for the Admiral is a dark purple vest and hat. His symbol - The Albatross.
Captain - Captains are commanders of single ocean going vessels. Vessels can range in size and power though it is commonly held that the Alcarondas is the Capital ship of the Gondorian Navy. The Captain of that vessal therefore is held in high esteem. Duties of the Captain entail the keeping of the log and the overall security and disposition of the particular mission of the ship. The traditional dress uniform for the Captain is a navy blue jacket with purple trim. His symbol of rank is the Osprey.
Master - The holder of this rank is second-in-command of a single ocean going vessel. Duties include the inspecting the ship, maintaining discipline in the crew, and work assignments. The Master's traditional dress unfirom is a navy shirt with white trim and pleated breeches of the same colour. His symbol of rank is the Dolphin.
The Pilot - The Pilot is third in command of the sea going vessel and is in charge of navigation of the ship. His duties entail being fully familiar with the course in question providing himself with the necessary journals, logs and ruttiers to accomplish the trip. In addition, the Pilot cannot be forced to sail into passes or otherwise other waters that may put the ship in danger. The traditional dress uniform of the Pilot is a purple buttoned shirt with billowing sleaves and white pants. His symbol of rank is the Silver Seahorse.
Mate - The Mate is fourth in command of the Ocean-Going Vessel though while the pilot may precede him in rank, the chief mate is to take the place of the Master under sickness/absence. The Mate is in charge of provisions to the crew, checking the riggings and hull and the frame of the vessel. The Mate may have under him a squad to carry out these orders. The traditional dress uniform of the Mate is a maroon buttoned shirt with white pleated pants. The symbol of rank for the Mate is the Crab.
Yeoman - The Yeoman is the common seaman on the Ocean Going vessel. Duties include the daily maintenance of the Ocean going vessel and all duties therein that may be delegated by his commanders. The traditional uniform of the yeoman is a white buttoned shirt with matching cap and pleated black pants. The yeoman's symbol of rank is the Little Gull.
OOC Note: New members of the Gondorian Navy will be enlisted at the Rank of Yeoman. Promotions to higher positions will be based upon contribution to the culture in such areas as Role-play quality, connect time, helping new players and contributions to any TP's.
Marine Lieutenant - The holder of this rank is second only to the Captain of the vessel upon which he rides. He commands and cares for the marines under him and is responsible for helping the captain plan assaults on land objectives, raids, or attacks on other ships. He leads the marines when they go into combat as well. He doubles also as Quartermaster assisting the Mate in his duties when at sea. His uniform is similar to a Masters. A Navy shirt with whit trim and pleated breeches of the same colour. His rank symbol is a sword crossed behind a Dolphin.
Marine Sergeant - Next in command beneath the Lieutenant, the Sergeant is glue of a Marine unit. Gruff and tough he is in charge of discpline of the Marines and oversees the carrying out of the Lieutenants Orders. Selected for their skill with weapons as well as leadership ability, the Sergeants are also responsible for overseeing the training of the Marines during the long sea voyages. He also makes sure all equipment is ready before any action and assists the Lieutenant during battle in commanding the Marines. His uniform is a maroon shirt and white pleated pants. His symbol is a sword crossed beneath a crab.
Marine - The Marines serve as Pelagir's first line of defense. Hard bitten men the Marines are both crew and fighters aboard the Navy's ships. Serving to allow the vessels to enact raids, beach landings and ship to ship combat, the marines are specially taught fighting techniques for sea fighting. Typically the marines make up about half the crew of any Naval vessel and spend their time between action as sailors and in keeping their equipment in good repair. Their uniform is a white buttoned shirt and pleated black pants. Their symbol is a sword crossed by a Gull.
All Marines wear knee high black boots that are kept in good repair, unlike many of the sailors. The soles give excellent traction on decks and protect the Marines from the worst of the oceans ravages.
These rankings are non-military in nature but it is common for all ocean going vessals to have them:
Cook - The Cooks duties entail the provisioning of men with food. Maintaining victual and water supplies as well as keeping a journal of money spent on food and rations. The traditional dress uniform of the Ships Cook is a purple apron with black pants. The symbol of the Cooks office is the Flounder.
Surgeon - The Ships Surgeon is the healer. Duties of the surgeon entail providing adequate care for the ships personnel as well as maintaining an adequate supply of all medicines and other leachcraft. The traditional dress uniform of the Surgeon is a light blue vest. The symbol of office is the Seal.
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