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Chapter 321: The Blueprint of the Moonlit Reaper
Chapter 321: The Blueprint of the Moonlit Reaper
The sun had barely risen over Raven Island when Seraphis returned to her workshop, a secluded space near the cliffs overlooking the churning sea. The salty wind swept through the open windows as she unrolled a massive sheet of parchment across the wide, polished worktable. This was to be the birthplace of another legendary warship, one tailored for the unrelenting warfare of the open sea—the Moonlit Reaper.
With precision tools, enchanted drafting compasses, and a mind sharpened by countless designs, she set about crafting the first stage of the vessel: its blueprint.
1. The Vision Takes Shape
Seraphis dipped her quill into a silver-infused ink, the enchanted liquid shimmering faintly as she began sketching the ship's hull structure.
120 feet long. 30 feet wide.
The Moonlit Reaper had to be both fast and deadly, so its hull would be constructed from a fusion of dark reinforced woods and a lightweight magical metal alloy. This would make the ship both resilient and unnaturally swift, allowing it to maneuver through rough waters and dangerous battlefields with unparalleled grace.
Every line, every curve of the design had to be perfect.
2. The Foundation: The Hull’s Strength
She meticulously mapped out the ship’s framework, ensuring that its keel—the backbone of the vessel—was reinforced with magical metal plating. This provided both structural integrity and an innate resistance to impacts, whether from collisions, cannon fire, or magical attacks.
To further fortify the hull, she added a unique feature:
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Retractable spike-lined plating along the sides, capable of emerging like razor-sharp teeth to tear into enemy hulls during ramming maneuvers.
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These spikes would retract seamlessly, preventing unnecessary drag on the water.
Seraphis made sure to reinforce these features with warding runes, ensuring they wouldn’t be easily disabled.
3. The Deadly Arsenal: Weapons Layout
Next, she began sketching the weapon stations across the ship’s deck.
The Moonlit Reaper would be a fortress on water, boasting:
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20 ballistae, strategically positioned along the ship’s sides for long-range precision strikes.
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10 catapults, mounted toward the stern and bow, designed for launching firebombs, magical projectiles, and alchemical explosives.
Each of these weapons would be infused with minor enchantments, giving them improved accuracy and penetration power against even enchanted enemy hulls.
She also reserved space for quick-access weapon racks, allowing the crew to grab enchanted swords, bows, and throwing weapons at a moment’s notice.
4. The Lower Deck: The Army Below
Beneath the deck, she designed a space large enough to accommodate 50 archers and 100 marines—a mobile fighting force ready to board enemy vessels or defend their own.
The archers’ stations would be positioned at narrow arrow slits, allowing them to fire without being easily targeted in return.
The marines would have access to rapid deployment ladders, hooks, and grappling lines, ensuring that the Moonlit Reaper could swiftly overtake enemy ships in close combat.
5. Defensive Enchantments & Arcane Protection
A warship wasn’t just about firepower—it needed defense as well.
Seraphis began inscribing the locations of arcane warding runes, designed to protect against:
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Enemy spells attempting to disable the ship.
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Illusion-based ambush tactics, ensuring the crew always saw through deception.
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Elemental attacks such as fireballs or ice storms.
She placed a special focus on the Moonlit Reaper’s helm, where she designed a ring of glowing ethereal orbs—a captain’s arcane command system.
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These orbs would amplify the captain’s magical abilities, allowing them to enhance the ship’s speed, fortify defenses, or manipulate ocean currents in battle.
This would give the Moonlit Reaper an edge against even the most skilled naval adversaries.
6. The Iconic Symbol: The Prow’s Scythe
The final flourish to the ship’s deadly aesthetic was the prow—a curved, scythe-shaped figurehead.
Seraphis knew this was more than just an artistic touch. It was a weapon and a symbol.
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The prow’s razor-sharp edge would allow the Moonlit Reaper to slice through enemy hulls with terrifying efficiency.
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Its enchanted composition would allow it to absorb magic and release it in devastating bursts upon impact.
With this prow, the Moonlit Reaper would become a harbinger of destruction upon the waves.
7. The Final Adjustments & Calculations
For hours, Seraphis meticulously double-checked her calculations—weight distribution, wind resistance, hydrodynamic efficiency.
Each line of the blueprint was refined, each notation precisely marked, ensuring that when construction began, every craftsman and enchanter would know exactly what to do.
By the time she finally sat back and examined her work, the Moonlit Reaper was no longer just an idea.
It was a future legend, waiting to be built.
8. Presenting the Design
Seraphis carefully rolled up the completed blueprint and secured it with a raven-shaped seal.