_{De Volle Maen}

Introduction

Hello stranger, we are about to depart. If you want to come aboard, then be quick! The fleet of Valador is sailing out today.

_{De Volle Maen at night}

_{De Volle Maen bottom view}

_{Bottom view at night}

The ship you are standing on right now is almost a century old and the pride of the Valadorian navy. It is well over 150 meters long, a height almost equal to that and over 30 meters wide. It has withstood every single one of its battles, being the cause of a great deal of victories on the naval frontlines. It is usually referred to as 'The Mothership' or 'The Indestructable', but its official name is De Volle Maen. The name stems from when the old Dutch explorers came here to trade, and means 'The Full Moon'.

_{Volle Maen front view}

_{Front view at night}

The Warship

Just saying the name of the ship alone strikes fear in the hearts of the enemies of the Empire of Valador. Its reputation is no single bit exaggerated. With close to eighty cannons the ship has more firepower than most castles, let alone other ships.

_{View of the cannons in front}

_{Valadorian cannon}

_{Top cannons from inside}

_{Cannons in the hold}

The ship can reach over 30 knots (55 km/h or 34 mph), making it about twice as fast as other ships of its time. Even the British do not have a ship that can match such speeds. Hence the British colony of Dorota is situated inland of the sea, being supplied over land rather than the waters which are patrolled by Valador.

_{Top-down view of the ship}

_{Top-down view at night}

The ship has three masts, each fitted with its own crow's nest, so enemies can be spotted easily and from afar. The backside of the ship has huge windows, so sneaking up from behind is also not going to work.

_{Backside of the ship}

_{Backside at night}

Below deck

De Volle Maen does not operate as just a warship. It can carry up to five hundred tons of cargo. When filled up the top speed is a 'mere' 20 knots, but it is almost never filled up all the way, especially not when patrolling.

_{The cargo deck in the hold}

_{Cargo that Volle Maen is carrying}

The sleeping quarters are a deck above the storage deck, and below the cannon deck. This area of the ship is usually packed with beds, but seen as this is an escorted patrol of the fleet, the ship does not need a large crew to man all canons. There are currently enough beds for over seventy crew members.

_{Sleeping quarters}

The Captain's Cabin

Of course the captain also needs a place to stay. On De Volle Maen the captain is usually not the highest rank on the ship, with that title going to the emperor or admiral, but is still in charge of the ship's course and navigation.

On top of the cabin, on the steering platform, there is a crown-like decoration, making the ship clearly recognisable. From outside the cabin is decorated with the Valadorian V's and the national bird and coat of arms, the Ulixescondor, which is also displayed on the bow of the ship.

_{Cabin decoration}

_{Cabin decoration at night}

Inside of the cabin a large throne immediately displays the wealth of the Empire. A chandelier hangs over your head as you walk in on the silk carpet. A very expensive and detailed map of the world is placed on a table of the world's finest dark oak wood. This is the place where the captain retreats to with his superiors and other officers aboard the ship to plan and strategise attacks and routes. The sleeping quarters of the captain are also located in here, being accessed to the left of the screen.

_{Captain's cabin from inside}

_{Captain's cabin at night}

Cast off! We're sailing out!

I hope you found it interesting to learn about The Mothership, but now we really do need to leave. We will return, and when we do, you are always welcome aboard!
Ahoy, traveller.