██████'s Hollowed Boat
| ██████'s Hollowed Boat | |
|---|---|
 ██████'s Hollowed Boat as depicted in Wex Calder naval archives, circa 305 | |
| Type | Merchant skiff |
| Registered in | Wex Calder |
| Operational period | 302–305 |
| Fate | Intercepted and seized |
| Infamy cause | Structural hull modification for smuggling |
| Crew captain | Captain ██████ |
| Legal outcome | Execution by drowning (305) |
| Associated ban | Prohibition on internal voids >1 m³ (305–450) |
| Legacy | Precedent for maritime structural integrity law |
██████'s Hollowed Boat, a merchant skiff registered in Wex Calder, gained infamy during the late third century for a daring act of maritime smuggling that resulted in the captain's execution and a temporary legislative ban on ship construction. Departing port in 302, Captain ██████ publicly claimed to be leading an expedition to locate his grandfather's legendary lost fleet. However, his crew soon discovered that the vessel's interior had been structurally compromised to conceal a secure void within the hull. This hollowed compartment was designed to hide a chest of royal coinage belonging to the Beladorian crown, valued at approximately 40,000 crowns at the time. The scandal ended with ██████'s arrest and subsequent execution by drowning in 305, followed by a prohibition on vessels with internal voids exceeding one cubic meter that remained in force until 450. Investigation by rival captains and informants from the Beladorian crown revealed the method used to create the secret chamber. A central void was carved directly into the hull's keel and planking, a technique that required removing internal ribs and reinforcing the outer shell with extra timber. While this modification provided absolute secrecy for the illicit wealth, it reduced the vessel's buoyancy. The ship was intended as a secure container for stolen assets rather than standard cargo holds for grain and timber listed on its manifest. Suspicion arose when the skiff failed to report at scheduled coastal checkpoints for weeks beyond its expected journey, prompting a boarding party from the Wex Calder Customs Authority to intercept the vessel off the northern coast of █lmarka. █pon opening the false bulkheads, customs officials found the hollowed compartment filled with coins stamped with the Beladorian seal. ██████ was arrested immediately following the interception and tried by a special maritime tribunal in Wex Calder for embezzlement of state funds and treason against the crown. The verdict delivered in 305 ordered his execution as per standard criminal procedure for capital offenses involving naval assets. Following his death, the local assembly enacted the temporary ban on hollow vessels to prevent similar structural compromises used for smuggling. The case of ██████'s Hollowed Boat established a precedent for maritime law regarding structural integrity and cargo concealment in the region. The specific technique employed by ██████ was never successfully replicated by other captains, as the risk of detection during inspections outweighed the potential profit. Although the ban on hollow vessels was eventually lifted due to the impracticality of regulating all ship designs, the incident remained a cautionary tale in Wex Calder naval academies for centuries. The case highlighted the tension between maritime tradition and state security, serving as an early example of how criminal innovation could challenge existing legal frameworks before being curbed by strict regulation.