Chapter 3: The Sea Snake

-Excerpt from 'The Sea Snake', the biography of Corlys Velaryon, Abridged Edition.

Corlys Velaryon. A name that inspires many to this day, and all who know his story can only be amazed and awed at how he singlehandedly brought House Velaryon to the height of its power. It is truly incredible how much he accomplished, but all great men have to start somewhere, and Corlys was no exception.

He was born in 53 AC to Ser Corwyn Velaryon, the eldest son of Lord Daemon Velaryon. From the moment of his birth, the young Corlys had a pedigreed lineage, descending from many Targaryens, with blood considered to be almost as pure as those of the Targaryens. Indeed, for House Velaryon was so close to the Targaryens, that often, when lacking in sisters or brothers for their sons and daughters to take as spouse, the house would turn to the Velaryons.

Corlys's own grandfather Daemon was the elder brother of Queen Alyssa Velaryon, the wife of King Aenys, and the mother of King Jaehaerys the Conciliator and Queen Alysanne the Good. This kinship with the royals could explain somewhat, the favour Corlys would later gain in their court, but his many accomplishments could never have been achieved by favouritism alone.

Young Corlys was notably gifted, being claimed to be a natural sailor since his first voyage at six years old. He was intelligent and proved apt as a young shipwright, daydreaming and doodling ships during his Maester's lessons. Somehow, he was always able to keep track of what was being taught as well. However, Corlys's prodigious intelligence only truly began to express itself more clearly after he almost died of an illness.

In 59-60 AC, the Shivers swept across Westeros and Driftmark was not spared the disease. Corlys's father Corwyn, three aunts, and half of House Velaryon and the people of Driftmark succumbed to the disease. It was immeasurably disastrous for the Velaryons. For a time as well, Corlys looked to succumb to the disease as well, but as fate would have it, he survived and lived to attain greatness.

At just eight years old, the young Corlys, inspired by the designs of lateen sails on fishing boats he had seen outside the window of his classrooms with the Maester, designed a ship he deemed a caravel and that ship was a truly revolutionary design, it differed from other ships of the era in a number of ways.

Firstly, caravels were carvel-built, not clinker. Most ships at the time in Westeros were built using the clinker method, wherein the edges of the hull planks overlapped each other. The caravel utilised the carvel method where the planks were placed edge to edge, streamlining the boat and increasing its speed. Unfortunately, carvel-built ships had a tendency to leak over time due to saltwater corroding the caulking required to seal the gaps between the planks.

Although prohibitively costly, the problem of caulking corrosion and corrosion in general, was solved by the use of copper to sheath the entirety of the hull. As expected, such a process was incredibly expensive, often times doubling the cost of the ship. Copper sheathing would not become widespread on Driftmark until Corlys became lord, and even after would remain uncommon, though many of his other ideas and innovations, both directly conceived or inspired by him, would continue to be adopted and used with regularity.

That being said, the caravel was not a completely unique ship as ships of a similar design had been used for decades in Essos and the Summer Islands. To the Westerosi however, only one ship of a similar design preceded the invention of Corlys Velaryon, the Braavosi-built Sunchaser of the infamous Elissa Farman (which is believed to have itself revolutionized and advanced ships of its type in Essos.)

The young Corlys would go on to develop and innovate quite a few other ideas and devices such as various new kinds of mathematics, such as advanced algebra and calculus, building on pre-existing mathematics, and accounting methods such as double-entry bookkeeping.

Corlys of course was but one man, a boy really at this time, and so obviously could not truly advance the sciences, mathematics, and technologies of Driftmark alone. With money flowing into the coffers of House Velaryon from his new caravels greatly promoting trade, the young Corlys worked alongside his grandfather to hire many artisans, maesters, scholars, halfmaesters, engineers, and alchemists, from both Essos and Westeros. Organisations like the Alchemist's Guild found themselves sponsored by the Velaryons and relocated their operations to Driftmark.

Fancying himself a second Peremore the Twisted, Corlys began joining the varied and diverse group, and learned much from them while they learned much from him as well. Indeed, Maester Desmond of Driftmark, perhaps the first member of the new group that Corlys had created, remarked that despite his youth and lack of experience and knowledge in many fields, the young Corlys was remarkable simply because he thought differently and could raise questions and give solutions to topics and problems those around him had never even considered.

This group of learned men eventually formally joined together to form the University of Driftmark, building their first campus and library near the Velaryon shipyards in the town that would later become Hull. Though focused on matters such as shipbuilding, navigation, commerce, and mercantilism at first, it would slowly but surely diversify in time.

The university professors and members pioneered research and innovations and produced many remarkable new inventions and ideas, many of whom are suspected to have originated in the genius mind of Corlys himself, providing the initial inspiration and idea. Revolutionary new navigational tools such as compasses and sextants made navigation easier than ever before, at least for Driftmark's ships.

Of particular note was the relatively easy invention of the small-eye, derived from the far-eye. Operating on similar principles of magnification, the small-eye enabled Driftmark scientists and scholars to see organisms smaller than the naked eye, so called 'microrganisms', from which is derived the much less common name of the small-eye, microscope. Small-eyes led to the understanding that all living things were composed of cells, basic biological units. Smaller than these cells, were germs which caused disease.

Germ theory was not entirely new. It had been theorised before by some Maesters of the Citadel and it was the reason why common medical practice was to sterilize wounds with boiling wine. The invention of the small-eye however dramatically increased germ theory's likeliness of being true. The news spread like wildfire across Westeros, even catching the attention of King Jaehaerys, who had lost a daughter to disease. Pioneered by Driftmark, what followed in the coming decades was massive advances in sanitation practices and devices, including the use of copper pipes in plumbing for sewers, the boiling of almost all liquids used for food and medicine (velarisation) and even the invention of the flushing toilet and eventually a simple shower with pressure from a water tower.

Another question that might be asked is why the sudden rapid increase in learned mem and the advancement of the sciences? After all, though Driftmark's university was the first of its kind to truly be able to rival the Citadel, it would certainly not be the last, with similar universities and schools forming all over Westeros. The key reason, is the printing press.

Accompanied by advancements in ink and papermaking processes, the printing press allowed for knowledge and information to easily spread. The literacy rates on Driftmark shot up quickly and by the end of Corlys's reign, the people on Driftmark itself were extremely well educated, having learned from a young age in schools for children divided according to their ages and level of learning and then studied further in the university.

The invention of the press did threaten the livelihoods of many which was why cunning and politically apt Lord Daemon proceeded to negotiate special deals with stakeholders like the scribe guild, papermaking guild, and the Faith of the Seven, earning House Velaryon much prestige and reputation with the Faith and laying the seeds for bigger and greater plans.

In all of their new methods and inventions which they pioneered, Driftmark was first, with mainland Westeros taking much longer to adapt. Almost every subject imaginable was advanced. Biology and medicine advanced rapidly with the development of germ theory and sanitary practices making surgeries safer while binomial nomenclature and other methods of classification along with the microscope allowed scientists to study and classify living things like never before.

Mathematics, engineering, and physics, were all advanced with new formulas and entire new fields of study. Concrete for example, discovered by chemists, was of great use to engineers building Driftmark's new buildings. Chemistry, derived from alchemy, flourished with the beginnings of the first periodic table and the understanding of what elements were. Even other subjects like astronomy flourished. A standard metric system of measurements and units was developed based on decimals of ten with specified prefixes, greatly aiding experimentation, calculation, and innovation.

In but three decades, the Velaryons had created an institution to rival, and mayhaps even surpass the Citadel. Universities and schools modelled after Driftmark began developing all over Westeros, in towns and cities like King's Landing, Duskendale, Maidenpool, Seagard, Lannisport, Gulltown, Barrowton, and White Harbor. Though none of these could truly rival Driftmark simply due to the edge and head start of the latter, Corlys was rather pleased by the development of new institutions of learning, famously saying 'monopolisation leads to stagnation.'

In the midst of all of this advancement, what was Corlys himself doing? It has already been established that he helped found and inspire the University of Driftmark and its creations. However, Corlys himself was little involved in the actual running of Driftmark or its university during this time. Such duties were entrusted to his grandfather and Maester Desmond, the chosen Dean of Driftmark University.

The young lad had much less experience or actual desire to take up such duties at the time. Instead, when not experimenting with his scholars at the university, or learning the art of stewardship and the traditional lordly education at his grandfather's foot, Corlys dedicated himself to his true passion. Seafaring.

Working closely with shipwrights at Hull, he developed a superior and larger version of the caravel, which he would deem the carrack. Carracks solved the primary weakness of caravels, which was the lack of cargo space. Despite this, they were considerably more expensive then caravels and so Driftmark would continue to use both ship designs for many decades.

During this time as well, Corlys greatly streamlined the shipbuilding processes used by his shipwrights and taking inspiration from Braavos, began teaching them techniques like the division of labour and specialisation to form an assembly line and potentially mass produce ships. It would be many years indeed before the Arsenal of Hull could rival its namesake in Braavos, but at least it would prove to have no shortage of wood with the Velaryon domains and vassals in Massey's Hook and Wendwater supplying the shipyards along with Lord Daemon's negotiations with the Stormlands and North for wood.

By the time he was sixteen, Corlys would have his own ship as captain, and by the time he was twenty, he would have visited every port in Westeros, the Narrow Sea, and even ventured Beyond the Wall to Skagos and Hardhome. Accompanying him on his every voyage in his new carracks were the new tools of navigation he developed, the compass and sextant, as well as maps and charts of geography and constellations made with new techniques.

Corlys however desired much more. He was full of wanderlust and wished to see the world and get rich while he was at it. As ambitious as he was adventurous, he thought to be the first Westerosi to visit every port in the Known World, and even push the boundaries of that known world. To push the boundaries of shipbuilding, navigation, seafaring, and exploration, Corlys had founded and headed a subsidiary school of the University of Driftmark, known as the Driftmark Maritime and Naval Academy to train sailors, captains, and navigators. He even formed a guild of fellow explorers known as the Guild of Venturers to sail with him when he departed, and continue his work when the time came for him to assume the rule of Driftmark.

It was here that he met his greatest obstacle. For Corlys was much beloved to his grandfather Daemon, being the closest to the old lord and highly favoured. Corlys was no doubt very important to the future of House Velaryon, both as a capable heir and also a very intelligent and learned individual who constantly theorised new ideas which revolutionised the world. Lord Daemon greatly feared losing his 'perfect' heir in a faraway expedition be it to a storm at sea or some other misfortune and was loath to give his blessing for Corlys's planned great voyages to Essos.

Many arguments the two would have over the matter. Where once their strong personal friendship and familial affection had resolved many minor disputes, now their tempers flared. Both were stubborn, proud individuals, neither willing to compromise or concede. Finally, after a whole two years of arguments and disputes over the matter, Lord Daemon finally gave in to allow his grandson one voyage, with Daemon giving his approval for future voyages based on the results.

So it was that in 75 AC, at the young and ripe age of twenty and two, Corlys set out from Hull on his first great voyage with seven ships, including his personal carrack, the Sea Snake. That ship would famously become the moniker of Corlys and he would bear the name with pride.

With his fleet, Corlys ventured far east, sailing past the Jade Gates of Qarth to the untapped riches of the Jade Sea, trading with the various island nations and with the Golden Empire of Yi Ti and Asshai. He returned with cargos laden with spices, silks, and other exotic and luxurious goods like cocoa and coffee. In just a single voyage, Corlys had doubled the wealth of House Velaryon.

With his grandfather's grudging approval, Corlys would continue his voyages, of which he made nine in total, venturing to Volantis, Slaver's Bay, New Ghis, Qarth, Lhazar, Yi Ti, Leng, Marahai, Asshai, the Basilisk Isles, Summer Isles, Naath, Lorath, Saath, Ibben, Nefer and the Thousand Isles. Every single notable location one could think of, the Sea Snake went, and his Venturers followed behind him, eventually establishing a system of trade fleets to keep on bringing wealth to House Velaryon without Corlys's direct leadership which included a trading outpost and waystation in the ruined city of Velos on the Isle of Cedars, around halfway between Westeros and Yi Ti.

By his sixth voyage, Corlys was already in the history books, and by the end of his ninth, he had made himself a legend. Every Westerosi-born explorer and sailor who came after him looked to his example, and with the Guild of Venturers and the Maritime Academy that he founded along with his personal invention and pioneering of revolutionary new ship designs and navigational tools, he gained another moniker. Corlys the Navigator.

By the end of his ninth voyage, Corlys Velaryon had earned eternal glory and fame for himself, but most importantly perhaps, enormous wealth for House Velaryon. With the founding of the Driftmark East Trading Company to conduct regular expeditions east, a seemingly endless flow of money began flowing into the coffers of House Velaryon. It was especially helped that Corlys brought back to Driftmark from his expeditions not only exotic goods, but their origins. And indeed, products like tea, cocoa, coffee, and silk would do much for the coffers of House Velaryon.

All of that wealth was not hoarded, but invested back into Driftmark. The guilds of the island were reorganised under Velaryon leadership to promote competition and mercantilism. The vast treasures brought back by Corlys were put to good use building a new and luxurious seat for his house, High Tide, built from pale stone, the same material used in the Eyrie. Its slender towers were crowned with roofs of beaten silver which shone in the sun. When the waters of Blackwater Bay were at high tide, the castle was connected to the island of Driftmark by only a mere causeway.

High Tide stood from then on as a symbol of Velaryon power and wealth. In its shadow was built the product of that wealth, the city of Spicetown. Named for the spices traded by the Velaryons, the city grew rapidly, soon beginning to command trade in the Narrow Sea. By the time Corlys became lord, the nascent city had a population rivalling Gulltown at 50,000, and it had much more room to grow.

Unlike King's Landing, stinking and rotten, the Velaryons had hired many famed architects to design Spicetown to be beautiful. With great arches and domed buildings. The University of Driftmark's main body would be relocated to a new campus in Spicetown (and subsequently renamed for that town) while the Maritime Academy remained in Hull which had also grown significantly, boasting an Arsenal to rival Braavos.

The Velaryons had done much to build their wealth and preserve it, even founding a bank, the Velaryon Bank, which had new and innovative methods of operating. The bank kept records with a new system of double-entry bookkeeping, greatly reducing mistakes, inefficiency, and corruption. Furthermore, deposits in the bank's accounts were guaranteed against the wealth of House Velaryon so merchants need not fear that they would lose their hard-earned wealth. As a result, the bank soon became trusted by its creditors and rose to prominence and with it the Velaryons wielded a great deal of capital and influence, controlling guilds, companies, commerce, artisans, and trade routes.

With so much wealth, the Velaryons soon became patrons of the arts, funding many painters, sculptors, poets, writers, musicians, and other artists, with there even being a school for the fine arts founded. Spicetown and Driftmark were not just wealthy and advanced technologically, but also very culturally enlightened with great works of art, music, and writing, and fine architecture dotting the landscape of a clean, well-kept city.

Many a visitor to Driftmark in this time called it the gateway between Westeros and Essos and it was there that the finest combinations and the best of both worlds could be found. In many ways, Spicetown and Driftmark became as powerful as a Free City in their own right, boasting much wealth and influence. Their wealth allowed them to hire mercenaries, and their professional war fleet was the largest in Westeros and competed with the Braavosi for supremacy in the Narrow Sea.

All of this in just under thirty years. And Driftmark had much more to grow indeed before it reached the height of its wealth, splendour, and power.

Yet tragedy would hit the island in 86 AC when it's aged lord, Daemon Velaryon, passed away at the ripe old age of eighty-eight. His grandson now found himself with full power and responsibility over House Velaryon's newfound wealth and power.

Corlys would have little time to make the adjustment from commanding a fleet to ruling an island before a raven came from King's Landing offering him the position of Master of Ships in the Small Council. One chapter of his life had come to a close, another was just beginning, and Corlys had to be ready for the intricacies of court.

His exploits and efforts had not gone unnoticed, his own personal renown was legendary and the newfound wealth and power of House Velaryon had alarmed many of Corlys's peers and made them turn green with envy. By raising his house fortunes so quickly, Corlys had drawn much attention and now many took note of House Velaryon and some even plotted to cast them down. House Velaryon and its legendary lord had become a player in the game, and when you play the game of thrones, you win, or you die.