Royal Navy

"*Great is the might of the sea*"

The Royal Navy is the maritime might of the Empire of Akino. While it has a poor origin and never seemed to enjoy much prestige underneath the rule of the Fire Daimyo, the royal navy started to gain more resources as prestige with the interest of Empress Kiyomi in the possibilities that were presented to her. While it has a long path before it can contend with the likes of other powerful maritime nations, it is clear that the Akinians are most eager to take a spot in the world with a strong naval force.

## History

The origin of the royal fleet of the Fire daimyo was never a large point of interest. Not much is known where the ships that pre-dated the Great War but the main ports that were used seemed to be spread over port cities that had access to the Matoya Bay. With little support in terms of finances, resources and manpower, the royal fleet was in a pathetic state. Its seaworthy vessels that could be somewhat effective in combat were donated longships or other vessels, which were not as competent in naval warfare as the vessels of war like those from the Wind or Water country.

At the time of the Great War, it is of no surprise that the royal fleet couldn't contribute anything meaningful. The much larger and modern navies from the Wind and Water were able to outmatch and outnumber the royal fleet during the entire war. Yet that didn't stop the royal fleet and her personnel to pick fights with their more dangerous, foreign counterparts. Several talented commanders having fought and even managing to capture or sink ships from both the Wind or Water country. Though these stories are worthy of song and praise, they were overshadowed by the prominence of the warfare on land - which held more deciding factors to end the Great War.

The surviving officers and high staff of the royal fleet were hoping that they could coerce the daimyo and his advisors of the importance of having a strong fleet. But even the daring naval invasion on the Water country didn't do much to see the situation changed after the Great War. This led to many within the royal fleet to become disheartened and disappointed. Those disgruntled with the literal decaying naval force of the Fire daimyo decided to wage their chances elsewhere or cling desperately to the naval force, hoping that they would see their beloved navy to rise from the sorry state.

### The Imperial Interest

Some call it an ironic twist of fate while others simply thank all kind of Gods for the change that came in the year of 476 ADS. The dawn of the Akinian Empire and her first empress, Kiyomi Homura, started to herald many changes. The economy and military would become managed in a different way, with more attention spent on improving various fields and sectors handled by the crown. With the founding of the War Council, the likes of Nozaki Miyazato as Bradán Yamanaka were invited. Both having earned the respect of the small naval force with their almost legendary achievements, would be the ones to convince Kiyomi to invest in the navy.

The investment of the Empress saw an explosion of growth for the royal navy. With suddenly much more resources and financial support, the royal fleet started to invest in setting up the requirements to expand the royal fleet. To see the desperate dreams of the seasoned officers and leaders of the once small naval force becoming reality.

## Hierarchy

The royal navy works much different in terms of hierarchy than the other military branches within the Empire. It tends to be aimed to be flexible and efficient, tending to those with the right mindset and skill to arise rather than to pick those with important lineages or prestige. Following the rank of Lord Admiral comes a few seats that are segregating the various sections of the Royal Navy.

### The Lord Admiral

The most powerful and prestigious rank within the royal fleet. The Lord Admiral bears the entire responsibility of the royal navy's successes, as its defeats. The office is held by the most experienced, respected and knowledgeable leader within the navy. The main task of the Lord Admiral is to direct the royal navy. This is done by managing and passing instructions to the high ranked staff while attending to various meetings. Furthermore, the Lord Admiral attends to meetings and is bound to the War Council, to inform the Crown about the state of the navy.

Another reason what makes the seat of Lord Admiral a most prestigious one is because they are responsible for tutoring the Crown on maritime matters. This is only not the case when the Lord Admiral is unable, being required to fully devote their focus on the royal navy - during times of conflict, for example.

### First Commandant

As many suspect, the First Commandant is the highest-ranking officer within the navy - excluding the Lord Admiral. Responsible as the second in command of the Lord Admiral, the First Commandant are to be men or women of experience with the navy. They bear the responsibility for the management of the esteemed royal marines as having a seat in the War Council. This also extends with the First Commandant being possible requested to plan, discuss and tutoring members of the royal family about maritime affairs. Furthermore, the First Commandant only follows the command of the Lord Admiral and the Crown.

### The Commandant of Peace

The Commandant that is responsible for the small garrisons and guards that guard and watch over the sites being used by the Royal Navy, from simple supply depots to ports that are being used by the Royal Navy. The Commandant of Peace is also in charge of making sure that the intelligence and secrets of the Royal Navy are safeguarded. This means that the Commandant of Peace has the largest amount of shinobi, in the navy, working on his behalf.

### The Commandant of Supplies

The Commandant that is responsible for the logistics as well as responsible for safeguarding these supplies. The protection of the supplies goes both over land and seas, making many confuse those who serve underneath the Commandant of Supplies with the marines of the First Commandant. Another important matter of the Commandant of Supplies and his officers is that they are responsible for trading with various clans and parties for the required supplies to sustain and expand the Royal Navy.

### The Commandant of Construction

The Commandant that carries the responsibility for the building as maintenance of the ships, which are docked at the Royal Navy used ports. This part of the Royal Navy is the least invested in military use as the sole focus lies on constructing and expanding the numbers of the Royal Fleet, with the instructions of the Lord Admiral.

## Naval Force

The naval force can be split into various sectors, much like the high ranked commandants that are active underneath the leadership of the Lord Admiral.

### Ships

Currently, the Royal Navy is expanding the amounts of seaworthy vessels. The main type of vessels is focused on triremes which have proven their competence before. However, the Royal Navy is incorporating different types of vessels - borrowing the idea of the sleek and fast Chonobi longships for quick transport as well using large and less mobile (and less combat efficient) cargo ships to keep supplying both forces of the Royal navy as the Imperial land force.

### Rowers

Though many don't see much glory in the aspect of being a rower aboard a ship, they are an essential part of the Royal navy's might. Trained as hard, if not harder, than many other components within the Royal Navy, the rowers receive a decent payment for their work. They are the literally engines that propel the Royal Navy as serve as a secondary fighting force - if the need arises, such during boarding engagements or defending a port they are stationed at.

### Marines

The more esteemed fighting force of the Royal Navy. They are somewhat similarly equipped as most soldiers within the Imperial army. The main difference is that the marines are more specialised in how to deal with situations they will come across. Boarding is much different than fighting in a skirmish on land. For this reason, the marines are also somewhat different equipped - to be able to be a lethal force up close as able to deliver attacks from range, using a variety of weapons such as bladed weapons to javelins and darts. Furthermore, marines are trained to be specialised and equipped for various amphibious scenarios. Such as launching rapid attacks on coastal regions or setting up a raid on a target area.

### Royal Marines

The elite fighting force of the Royal Navy. The most experienced and seasoned veterans present within the Royal Navy. Though many assume that only the marines can be recruited into the royal marines, this is actually not true. Rowers that have proven their worth are on occasion recruited into being trained as a royal marine. The largest difference between the marines and royal marines isn't just the quality of their competence or equipment. But the fact that the royal marines are charged more often with dangerous tasks as well serving as guard for the various high ranked officials within the Royal Navy.

### Navy Guards

The Navy guards are a specialised police force that is responsible for safeguarding the security of the possessions of the Royal Navy. They are tasked with guarding supply depots, preventing foreign and rival agents acquiring intelligence about the Royal Navy as keeping order within the ports that the Royal Navy uses. This component within the Royal Navy has the largest amount of shinobi-esque trained personel.

## Bases of Operations

The royal navy once needed to be pleased with having its vessels spread over various ports - given shelter from decay by some clans. But now, with its growth and support, the royal navy is expanding across the southern empire - even already forming plans of expanding its bases of operations.

### The port of Chinami

> - *Chinami, meaning: one-thousand waves*
>
>

The current headquarters of the Royal Navy. Set at the coast of Matoya Bay, the port is barely one or two day's march from the large Imperial fort and garrison of Night's Grove. With the port being build into a large bay, it is further enjoying the presence of a large, stout wall being erected - complimented by various towers and other additions to the defences on land. The shipwrights in Chinami are designed to be larger than many other existing ones in the Empire of Akino. While the site is still largely under construction, by estimation of the blueprints, it will be able to construct large vessels of naval warfare by half a dozen at a time - if the number of supplies and workforce are gathered. What further cement the port as the headquarters of the Royal fleet is the fact that it will be the site of the future Royal Academy, a place where talented as aspiring men and women will be tutored into becoming the next fine officers of the Royal Navy.

The current location also provides a strategic position as it can allow its fleet to rapidly deploy and set sail towards the Wind Country - which poses the largest threat to the coastal areas of the Empire in the south. With having a relative good access and routes towards other important port-cities (which are all located in the south of the Fire province and River province), the Royal Navy is able to maintain fast communication with shipwrights of the Yakimara, River and Cho clan - allowing the Royal Navy to expand its options to build more vessels in less time.

The port city also sports the headquarters for the royal marine as large facilities to train various forces that are trained and used within the Royal navy. Furthermore, a large armoury is being constructed that will further allow the Royal Navy to arm itself and be ready for the future tasks it will face.

## Trivia

* The ironic part of the Empress of Akino deciding to invest in the royal navy is because of her heritage: once the Chonobi were the masters of the seas and waves, with their longships. With the introduction of the triremes from the southern seas, the Chonobi longships became a less potent force on the waters. Together with many of the Chonobi - excluding the Sanosuke - clans to abandon largely their naval roots, it is considered an interesting and somewhat ironic turn of events that a Hon (or Chonobi) monarch invests into a maritime force.
* The Royal Navy draws inspiration from other sources of fantasy as history. Such as the naval force of Pelagir and shows resemblance with the Romans starting to become more affiliated naval warfare.
	+ The Romans didn't have a potent naval force during their struggle with their Carthagian rivals in the First Punic War. Only after acquiring a Carthagian ship did they start to build up a more competent navy. This is somewhat similar to the royal navy managing to capture various triremes during the Great War, from both the Wind and Water country.
	+ The images about the marines and some equipment are inspired works from the Lord of the Rings lore.
* Wip!