Royal Navy of Listeneisse
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Mythical Origins
The Ship of Solomon
The first vessel of the Kingdom of Listeneisse in history was the Ship of Solomon, a vessel created by the Biblical King Solomon after conferring with his wife who had prophetic dreams. In the ship he placed his crown and the sword of King David. This ship, while not truly the property of any mortal man after it was commended to God, was used by some of the Companions of the Grail to convey themselves about the world. Later, it was used to convey the Grail Knights on their voyages during the Quest for the Holy Grail.
No one could enter the holy ship unless they were filled with faith. Anyone with less than a devout heart was plunged into the sea as if the ship was ephemeral. To those with conviction in their beliefs, the ship was quite solid, though still otherworldly.
It disappeared after the Quest, well over a millennium ago, but it is rumored that it shall return again when needed to deliver new heroes on a new quest.
The Undertunic of Josephus
The next vessel to convey Joseph of Arimathea and his followers on their exodus with the Holy Grail was the undertunic, or chemise of his son Josephus. This garment was spread over the waters after the commandment of a disembodied voice. All the followers of Joseph were accommodated (except for a few who were not righteous in their ways). "This cloth will be ship and galley and will carry them across this sea before day breaks," is what the legendary voice declared.
"No Rudder Nor Helmsman"
Another vessel used by the companions of the Grail was one which conveyed the less-pure and righteous followers of Joseph, those who had been left behind because of sin yet humbly repented, to the land where the Grail Kingdom was established. This vessel had "no rudder nor helmsman," and thus drifted "as it pleased God." But it did have a sail, which when set was powered not by wind but by the miracle of their prayer.
Because of these and other such stories relating to the foundation of the Kingdom of Listeneisse, the Royal Navy is steeped in traditions of mythical and religious journey. Prayer is common among sailors, who often live at the mercy of the elements. But prayer is probably stronger amongst the Royal Navy of Listeneisse than many other navies of the world.
The Royal Navy of Listeneisse (RNL) was the smallest and least developed of the three main branches of military service, compared to the Army or Air Force.
For the longest time, the Kingdom was an insular, isolated land, with few developed outlets to the sea, and even fewer interests going beyond its mist-shrouded coasts. There were always the Western Isles, which had historically been part of the Kingdom, but they tended to be windswept solitary places. There was not much of a Royal Navy during the age of sail. It was said that the Kingdom was protected from encroachment by the sea, except from those who had the blessing of God. Those that did sail in through the mists were welcomed as the guests of the King. There were always a few ships kept at the City of the Galleys, but since the withdrawl of the Grail Kingdom from the world, there was no great need for a massive fleet.
That all changed when the Kingdom engaged the world. While a few "armchair admirals" had been shadowing the progress of naval development for years, and while many adventurous souls had left the Kingdom on secret missions over the centuries and sailed upon the seas, suddenly there was a need to put theories into practice, and to take foreign ideas and make them national defense policy.
Corvettes for Commercial Traffic Escort and Inspection
The modern Royal Navy of Listeneisse (RNL) was enlarged dramatically. And soon it found itself engaged in shaping the policy of the Kingdom even more than the Army or the Air Force.
Corvettes and patrol ships were first built. International commerce began to flood the small Kingdom. It was the job of these vessels to inspect the comings and goings of foreign ships, and to protect the harbors from crime.
The Secret Submarines
Next, the Minister of Defense revealed something people had suspected for years: there were submarines in the fleet! Yes, they had been considered top secret for many decades during the nation's reclusive years. They had carried Knights of the Order the Temple of the Holy Grail (Grail Templars) to foreign ports on missions of vital interest to the King. They had also been used in highly secretive wars against the enemies of the Grail Kingdom, but much of that remains hidden and secret knowledge of the Royal Family, the Royal Navy and the Grail Templars.
The First Destroyer
The Kingdom finally afforded a used destroyer from another nation. It was commissioned as the RNL Castle Carbonek (DD1). Destroyers thereafter were named for fortified cities or fortifications of the Kingdom.
The Royal Marines
These men were originally the boarding parties who served on the old wooden ships that defended the nation. They also served as port security for naval bases, specializing in land-based guns to defend against encroaching enemy ships. They were often ceremonial, since there were few encroaching enemies to fire at. In the modern era, they first became a coastal defense force for the Western Isles.
Most recently, they have been the shapers of policy behind international power projection, force deployment in foreign lands, and airmobile and sealift capabilities. The King favors them more highly than their relatively small numbers would indicate. One could even say that the entire Royal Navy was built around the interests of the Royal Marines.
The Carriers
The Royal Navy entered the first tier of nations when it was finally able to put to sea a full-scale aircraft carrier along with a large amphibious assault ship capable of flying heavy helicopters, and carrying a well dock for tank-bearing hovercraft.
Now the nation operates multiple carriers and assault ships, for different missions around the world.
The Royal Navy was at first split between defending the estuary port of Galafort on the eastern coast, the more sheltered but crucial domestic ports of the western sea, and the Western Isles. The fleet typically harbored in the Castle of the Galleys on the western coast, which was more protected from other nations. This was also the only major ship-building city of the Kingdom.
Now, the fleet's role is twofold, defined as its National, International, and Universal Missions.
- National Mission: Through use of sea- and shore-based assets, to defend the coastal waters, ports, coastlines and off-shore resources of the Kingdom from enemies foreign or domestic, to keep Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) open and protect commercial shipping traveling to Listeneisse during time of international crisis.
- International Mission: Through use of sea- and shore-based assets, to defend the nation, assist our allies, and defeat our enemies during time of war, to convey the Royal Army and Royal Air Force to places of conflict via strategic sealift, to project military power to areas around the globe of national and regional interest, and to assist in international peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations for nations and regions of urgent need.
- Universal Mission: To uphold maritime and national laws, to combat piracy upon the seas, and to assist other naval and civil maritime traffic during times of distress.
Personnel
- Vice Admiral Lord Murray Oriande, Second-in-Command KLEF Naval Forces, Royal Navy of Listeneisse (RNL); MILEX VL '05: Gulf of Lyon - The Admiral had the unusual distinction of deciding to make a simulated launch of tactical nuclear weapons to preserve the fleet during the military exercises. The result was that the fleet was saved, but the exercise halted as threats to escalate to general (simulated) nuclear war were issued.
- Commander Ionn "Ion" Jones, Pilot, Commander of No. 1 Naval Fighter Squadron, RNL Parzival; MILEX VL '05: Tabernas
- Lieutenant François "Beau" Belgeste, Pilot, No. 1 Naval Fighter Squadron, RNL Parzival; MILEX VL '05: Tabernas
- Sub-Lieutenant Jacques "Drinker" Buveur, Weapon Systems Operator (WSO), No. 1 Naval Fighter Squadron, RNL Parzival; MILEX VL '05: Tabernas
- Midshipman Dorothy "Kansas" Croft, Weapon Systems Operator (WSO), No. 1 Naval Fighter Squadron, RNL Parzival; MILEX VL '05: Tabernas
| Royal Navy of Listeneisse (RNL) Ensign | |
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| Flown by all commissioned combatant ships of the Royal Navy of Listeneisse | |
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