The patrol boats on the Styx were the first to sound the alarm.
The objects churning in the water sunk and surfaced intermittently, moving at an astonishing speed and approaching the great bridge after skimming past the small boats.
The bridge had no fear of the barbarian fire ships—this was the unanimous conclusion reached by the bridge-building headquarters.
"Thinking of using fire ships?" Colonel Haug mocked at the meeting. "The barbarians need to have ships first!"
Building ships generally requires wood, nails, adhesives, and sealants, with the composition of sealants varying by local products.
Venetians often use tar, while the United Provincials prefer grass ash tung oil.
Materials might be easy enough to obtain, but skilled craftsmen don't fall from the sky.
Even the seemingly simplest canoes, which do not require glue or nails, still demand high craftsmanship and consume a surprising amount of labor time.
Who cannot wield a sword and hack at people?
