A Brief History of Shaldern, the Turtle and Shaldern, the Turtle-Fort
Written: The Honourable Doctor Sir Cornelius V. Morell, PhD, M.D., B.A., Esq., resident historian of Shaldern, the Turtle
Edited: Mark Hall, resident historian of Shaldern, the Turtle-Fort

I am The Honourable Doctor Sir Cornelius V. Morell. For those readers who don’t know me, I have been a Royal Cartographer, Captain of the Seacraft and Aircraft Shaldern, the turtle, and am currently resident historian of Shaldern, the turtle. This position is not to be confused with that of the resident historian of Shaldern, the fort, that sits atop Shaldern, the giant flying sea turtle. Shaldern’s resident historian has no idea what he’s doing. [1] I hope that you, curious but unenlightened reader, will find yourself edified by my perfectly accurate description of the events that led Shaldern to arise from humble origins to become the most intelligent, powerful, and famous [2] giant flying turtle in the world (much like yours truly, I might add [3]). It is truly a grand tale of wonder, love, military derring-do, and the triumph of the human (and turtle) spirit.

Shaldern’s adventures begins in the strange and wondrous days of yore, when the world was filled with magic [4] and our great kingdom was still making a name for itself. On a barren, lonely, desolate beach, a single young sea turtle hatched, the only one of his siblings to do so. Despite the odds stacked against him, he tried gamely to reach the sea. But alas! The fates conspired against him, and he was set upon on all sides by birds, dogs, wolves, hyenas, and lions. He would surely have perished in a valiant but pointless struggle were it not for the intervention of yours truly! I saw the great potential this seemingly small creature held, and so I fought off the beasts that assailed him with nothing but my trusty pocket knife! Vowing to always remember the spirit shown by the young and very cute turtle, I led him to the sea and watched as he left to face his destiny!

Editor’s Note: I swore when I took on the project of publishing Cornelius’s history that I wouldn’t call him out for his fantasies, but it’s just too much fun not to. He’s lying, of course: no one knows where Shaldern was hatched, or indeed if he hatched from an egg at all. Also, the chance of a single sea turtle attracting the attention of such a menagerie of predators is basically zero. Lions aren’t even native to the Midland coastlines where sea turtles live.

It is at this point, sadly, that the mists of time begin to shroud the truth5. I wasn’t there to witness many of Shaldern’s lost years in the open ocean, but, as fate intended, our paths crossed on several momentous occasions. I remember the first quite clearly; I was acting as a cartographer for the king’s navy as they explored the strange and exotic Southlands Sea (You can read a more thorough account of my travels in my memoir Cannibals, Canaries, and Crises in the Southlands Sea).

Editor’s Note: If you want to know what actually happened during the Navy’s exploration of the Southlands, I highly recommend The Southlands Expedition: An Overview. Strange things did happen, but none of them had to do with cannibals or canaries.

Following our narrow escape from a heavily-armed Southland Army, the expeditionary force continued exploring the Southlands coast (heading in the opposite direction the army had, of course) and hoping to find a more hospitable government6 to help us reach the fabled riches of the continent’s interior. Along the way, we encountered a strange sight: A pirate ship was travelling at full sail and blasting the water with cannonballs in pursuit of an unseen quarry. It was too late to avoid confrontation, so the Captain ordered us to prepare for battle.

Let me say, the battle was quite a fierce one! The pirate ship was armed to the teeth and carried far larger guns than our diplomatic and exploratory craft. Both ships were nearly destroyed in the fighting, but the battle turned out in our favor because an unseen force constantly pushed the pirate ship in the worst possible direction. After we had won the battle, and while the crew members were taking every coin and gemstone the pirates possessed in the name of cultural research, I saw an adorable face peering up through the murky seawater. It was Shaldern, already grown to almost half the size of our ship! With dismay, I saw the wounds he had suffered from the pirates’ cannons and resolved to once more be his savior. Had I known then of his unparalleled resilience and remarkable curative abilities, I wouldn’t have been nearly so concerned. As it was, I carefully removed the harpoon from his back and convinced the captain to lead him safely back to shore. After he had recovered, we swore to keep Shaldern’s existence a secret to protect him from future treasure hunters.

While I did cross Shaldern’s path many more times, there is only so much ink in the world to devote to recounting our great deeds8, so I will provide but one more stunning example of our bravery.

Being the excellent cartographer that I am, I was naturally invited on another of the King’s exploratory missions the very next year; this one brought me to the wild, untamed, and bitterly cold Northlands. After leaving our ship at the last friendly port, we began trekking north over the wind-scarred plains, hoping to find the mountains of gemstones that legends claimed existed in its barbarian9 kingdoms. Our brave expedition persevered through biting cold, screaming winds, and sadly unavoidable conflicts with the local nobles, but in the end, our heroic efforts were not enough. Our food gone, we wrote down as much of what we had learned as possible and prepared to die nobly in the grandest human pursuit of all: exploration and discovery.

But then! Across a massive expanse of flat ice, I saw the still-adorable head of the now very large Shaldern. We all tried to walk to him, but were too weak and collapsed before we could cross the ice. Oh, to have salvation so close and yet so far! Imagine our surprise, then, when Shaldern began to rise out of the frigid water, hovering in the air before flying, flying to save us! We rode on Shaldern’s back across miles of frozen wasteland to return home to the midlands, and I swore that day to do all I could to help the adorable turtle that had saved my life.

Editor’s Note: Ok, Cornelius doesn’t seem to know the difference between a history and a memoir, so it seems it falls to me explain the most likely theories about Shaldern’s life prior to his service in the royal navy.

Cornelius’s first story is totally uncorroborated. The temporary oath of secrecy that he and all his crewmates swore is quite a convenient way to ensure that we will never know the answer with certainty.

Shaldern was first seen when he rescued the crew of a merchant ship that had been ransacked by pirates, although he didn’t return to the Midlands afterwards. No one is sure where Shaldern lived prior to this, although most speculate that he lived off the coast of Midland like most sea turtles do. The fact that Shaldern grew so quickly and became so resilient suggests that he could have lived almost anywhere in between sightings, from the coldest Northland Sea to the Southland Tropics.

Soon after his first sightings, the royal navy began closely following the movements of this strange and benevolent creature, although the public wasn’t told about it until years afterward. It was no accident that the Northlands expedition knew where they would find Shaldern when their supplies were almost gone. Cornelius’s description of that specific event wasn’t exaggerated at all, for once in his life.

No one knows why Shaldern can fly. The Royal engineers and scientists can’t explain it with science, leaving magic as the only explanation. Unfortunately, no one understands how magic works, so it may be years before Shaldern’s flight is fully understood.

Well, I stayed true to my word, and brought Shaldern back with me when I10 returned to the Royal Navy’s headquarters. The scene when I returned was incredible; the people of the midlands came in out grand style to welcome the returning hero (yours truly) and his magnificent steed. My description of Shaldern’s heroism was so eloquent and laudatory11 that Shaldern was instituted as an agent of the Royal Navy mere hours after I spoke with Harold12.

I spent the next decade working as the Royal Cartographer on board Shaldern, who carried a crew of thirty to fifty soldiers and sailors13. We went on many grand adventures during this time, both of wondrous exploration and brutal conquest.

Shaldern fought with distinction in the third and fourth Midland-Southland wars; the single greatest example of Shaldern’s heroism was certainly the hard-fought Battle of Jagged Fjord. The Royal Navy had been forced to dock in the Fjord for repairs when we were suddenly set upon by an incalculably large14 group of Southlands ships bristling with guns. We were cornered and facing utter destruction until I led Shaldern in a desperate attack to break through the enemy’s lines. Even though Shaldern was peppered with cannonballs, he charged forward unscathed and smashed several ships with his armored head while his cannons fired upon the others. What was supposed to be an ambush turned into a rout15, and the day was won because Shaldern’s (and my) bravery.

Sadly, though, Shaldern was rarely able to fly during this time. Despite my encouragement and constant practice, he wasn’t yet strong enough to carry weapons of war into the sky. That would have to wait for later, and the present stage of Shaldern’s long and illustrious career.

Editor’s Note: I’m impressed; Cornelius occasionally strays close to the truth with his account of Shaldern’s past service. Shaldern did serve as a vessel of both war and peace in the Royal Navy, and Cornelius held the post of head navigator during this time. He very quickly returns to exaggeration, however: while Shaldern did fight bravely, it was the timely arrival of reinforcements that prevented a crushing defeat. Also, it took Shaldern almost a month to recover from his injuries after the battle. His invulnerability is a myth spread by Midlands Navy; I expected more of Cornelius than to perpetuate it, but I suppose I’m not surprised.

What Cornelius neglected to mention in his excitement about military history was the ingenuity required to outfit Shaldern for use as a seagoing vessel at all. The primary challenge that had to be dealt with was how to attached anything permanently to his shell without injuring him; the solution that was eventually found was to simply build a platform that wrapped around Shaldern’s shell and floated on the water to be pulled by him. A system of ropes was used to direct him (much as reins are used to direct horses), and he was strong enough to move quickly even when carrying a heavy load of cargo (or guns, depending on the situation). The amount of effort the King’s engineers spent on Shaldern is a testament to his power as a tool of propaganda.

It is now that I have the honor and privilege of providing for you, dear reader, a firsthand account of Shaldern’s last and permanent [16] ascent into the clouds above. It was truly a magnificent and momentous moment in this nation’s history, and truly could only be properly appreciated when experienced in person; no other wonder of this earth, no other event ever witnessed by mortal eyes could compare to its awe-inspiring, sublime glory. [17]

I remember the day quite clearly. The weather was perfect; a strong tailwind and clear skies meant takeoff would be as easy as possible, even nature herself approved of Shaldern’s ascendency. Shaldern’s decks had been redesigned to be as light as possible, and I was the only crew member on board. [18] With great shouts, cheering crowds lined the shore to watch Shaldern’s first airborne voyage. Finally, when the time was right, Shaldern swam as fast as he could and lifted himself and his cargo into the air with one great stroke of his fins; he never stopped flying until after he had returned from the Northlands with almost a hundred thousand pounds [19] of diamonds.

After this first voyage, Shaldern’s primary role became that of an airship. He carried the most valuable goods and people (including once the King himself) to destinations across the continent and beyond. As he grew larger and stronger, Shaldern was eventually able to outfitted with specially-made cannons, and fought in the sixth Midland-Southland war as an airship with great success. The battle that best demonstrates Shaldern’s raw power (and the tactical brilliance of his head navigator) was certainly the Battle of Broken Ridge. While an enemy army watched helplessly from below, Shaldern’s troops assailed them with all manner of projectiles, eventually forcing their retreat and showing them the sheer hopelessness of their cause. Shaldern emerged without a scratch, and yours truly was promoted to the role of Shaldern’s Captain.

Editor’s Note: Even as an airship, Shaldern wasn’t invincible. Whatever Cornelius wants you to believe about his bravery, Shaldern’s decks were nearly set on fire several times during the battle. If they had burned, neither Shaldern nor his crew would have fared well.

Also, Cornelius has once again neglected the most important parts of Shaldern’s history in favor of tales of military glory. Far more notable than Shaldern’s military achievements was his role as an inspiration for today’s airships, which have revolutionized travel in the Midlands. In addition, studying Shaldern’s flight has yielded revelation after revelation on the nature of magic and how it manifests. Indeed, some predict that we may soon be able to harness magic for our own purposes. Sadly, though, the exact mechanisms of how he flies remain a mystery.

All of these wonders, and Cornelius still only talks about Shaldern’s military career. I really don’t understand him.

It was really a simple transition from Shaldern’s role as an airship to that of a mobile fortress. All it took was time; Shaldern continued to grow as the years went on, and the decks built atop him grew as he did. Once it was obvious that he was no mere airship, I petitioned Mercer20 to have his status officially changed. He was more than willing21 to oblige in light of Shaldern’s history of service to the Midlands, and the building atop Shaldern, the turtle was christened Shaldern, the turtle-fort22. Over time, it has been painstakingly built and rebuilt into a grand and nearly indestructible fortress of iron, and remains the only mobile fort in the world.

With Shaldern’s official transition from airship to fortress, I decided it was time I retired and wrote about the grand adventures I’ve had over the years. And thus, here we are. If you want a more complete picture of Shaldern’s life and service, I highly suggest my soon-to-be released The Complete History of Shaldern: Turtle, Ship, Airship, Fortress, and Beyond.

Editor’s Note: Only read Cornelius’s account if you enjoy historical fiction.

As much as Cornelius exaggerates, Shaldern is a grand fortress. It houses a full-time garrison and crew of almost 5,000 people, and carries its own fleet of airships (Shaldern the Turtle has trouble landing on the ground, necessitating the use of smaller airships to move people and supplies onboard while over land.) At almost 700 feet long, Shaldern is truly a sight to behold and a demonstration of the power of magic. If you wish to learn more, I highly recommend a visit. Shaldern stops at almost every major city in the Midlands at some point or another, and frequently serves as a marketplace for goods from all around the world.

So, in conclusion, believe nothing Cornelius writes without further verification, because he seems to think the goal of historical writing is simply to extol his own virtues and the virtues of Shaldern.

Footnotes:

1. He certainly doesn’t—Eds.

2. Also the only—Eds.

3. Cornelius isn’t actually a sea turtle, whatever his writing may imply—Eds.

4. It still is, though. Sea turtle can’t fly without magic—Eds.

5. The mists of time aren’t the only thing obscuring the truth—Eds.

6. They were quite hospitable until the captain decided to resolve a diplomatic impasse with swords—Eds.

7. If I know anything about the captain, it probably wasn’t—Eds.

8. Thankfully for my sanity—Eds.

9. Translation: Speak a language different from ours—Eds.

10. Forgot about the rest of the crew, hm?—Eds.

11. I was nearly sick of adjectives by the time he finished speaking—Eds.

12. You don’t need to flaunt the fact that you’re on a first-name basis with the admiral—Eds.

13. This statistic is accurate—Eds.

14. By which he means 10 ships—Eds.

15. It was still an ambush, just a failed one—Eds.

16. Except for the part where he served as a ship again during the fifth Midland-Southland war—Eds.

17. Dramatic much?—Eds.

18. Actually, there were others, but they were all below deck—Eds.

19. Even if he was able to carry that much, all of the cut diamonds in the Northlands aren’t more than ten thousand pounds—Eds.

20. The current admiral—Eds.

21. It took 5 years of asking, a petition from the public, approval by parliament, and intervention by the king to make it happen—Eds.

22. Cornelius was almost bodily thrown from Shaldern because of how he named the fort—Eds.

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