The Port of Hambeck
Book I – The Founding
A Medieval Adventure in Minecraft
By Benjamin Asmussen
Copyright 2015 Benjamin Asmussen
Minecraft is a registered trademark of Mojang AB, Sweden
Preface
In 2009 a fascinating new piece of game technology by the name of Minecraft was released, created by the Swedish programmer Marcus Persson. This creative game inspired many people and instantly became a succes that only grew with the full version of the game becoming available in 2011.
At first glance Minecraft seems like a simple and somewhat ugly computer game. The game is seen from a first person perspective and begins on a sunny morning in a brand new world. The world is huge, about eight times the size of Earth, so there are plenty of areas to explore. During the 10-minute day, the world is peaceful with animals around the countryside, but at night everything changes. When darkness falls, monsters appear and hopefully you have managed to build a shelter for the night.
Your ability to interact with this world is amazing. You can build tools, cut down trees, dig holes, carve your way through mountains with your pick and build anything you imagine from the resources of the earth. It gives a special kind of satisfaction to look at a house or stronghold knowing that you created all the tools necessary for the construction, dug out all the stone from your mine, melted all the glass from sand collected at beaches and burnt bricks from clay obtained in swamps.
In 2011 a new creative mode was added to the game. Here all blocks in the game are available in never-ending numbers so one’s imagination can run wild. For those of us that still remember our childhood addiction to LEGO blocks, it’s like a dream. Imagine having an eternal supply of LEGOs! This new mode turned the game of Minecraft into a easy-to-use 3D editor where those without 3D-modelling skills can make their dreams come alive.
This book is the result of the inspiration of a great game as well as an attempt to tell stories using the graphics of the game as illustrations. At the same time this story is an experiment of a historian interpreting northern European early Medieval city history in another way than a normal textbook would. The development of the settlement is inspired by the historic cities such as Copenhagen, Lübeck, Hamburg and Stockholm.
Welcome to the fictive, but hopefully realistic Port of Hambeck!
Chapter I – Searching for a new home
The eyes of the young Lord Occam moved along the passing countryside from his small ship. He was looking for the perfect spot to found a town – a new port. He wanted to increase the trade in his lands which in turn would lead to new prosperity and wealth for his subjects and himself.
Near the mouth of the river Sarum, he found the perfect spot to attract new settlers. The river runs deep within the hinterland, providing easy access for smaller ships. Where the river meets the Baltica Ocean, a swampy lowland presented itself, surrounded by forested hills on both sides. This meant an ample supply of good timber was available, and the hills might be able to be mined for iron and precious metals.
To provide security for the settlers and their trading, Lord Occam decreed that a castle should first be built on the small island of Holm in the bay. A hall for gatherings was the first to be built, followed by a small gate tower leading to a small ship bridge connecting the island of Holm with the Hambeck mainland.
Finally a large tower for the lord was constructed. This centerpiece of the castle was built with walls more than three meters thick, enabling internal staircases to be hidden from view. The massive tower provided the soldiers of the castle with a clear view of the surrounding area.
The lower floor contained workshops and storage, the middle floor the dining hall and sleeping quarters, while the large hall at the top floor held the lord's library and chapel.
As a safety measure for the future, the large tower contained a dungeon below, and its mere presence in the cold and damp basement ensures the obedience of Lord Occam’s staff.
The castle followed the contours of the island of Holm, but despite the restricted area Lady Occam insisted on a small garden being added to the otherwise rather grim fortress.
After the completion of the castle, the Lord moved in with his family and servants, confident that the fertile lands of Hambeck will attract a large number of settlers. The area of Hambeck lies at the edge of the huge ocean of Baltica, at the mouth of the river Sarum that divides two large forest, providing plenty of constructing material for the settlers.
The town of Hambeck will be able to enjoy the relatively deep waters close to shore, where large ships can unload their valuable cargoes. Hopefully the safe area will also attract clerics, who will construct magnificent churches and monasteries. The hill on the left would be a splendid area for a large cathedral.
Not long after the castle had been completed, Lord Occam was very pleased to see the first trader moving in, quickly followed by another, beginning the transformation of the wet lowlands into a magnificient city.
The first merchant in Hambeck, Kaufmann Schimdt, attracted customers from far beyond the river Sarum. Much to the joy of Lord Occam the new merchant seemed to be doing well and expanded his presence in the small town with another warehouse for all the goods coming from the hinterland.
But with citizens come complaints. The river of Sarum connecting Hambeck with the interior is beginning to clog up, disturbing the traffic of small riverboats. Therefore Lord Occam has commanded several of his troops to work on cleaning debris and dirt from the river, so traffic and income may flow as before.
The increase in trade also leads to new possibilities for Lord Occam. In order to ensure the correct (and rather high!) taxation of the people bringing goods in and out of Hambeck, a new tax office has been constructed at the mouth of the river Sarum. Hopefully this will bring an end to the wide-spread smuggling on the river.
The challenges for the new settlers of Hambeck are many. The wet lowlands means much work has do be done before construction. The risk of disease in the settlement is also growing.
This has fortunately not stopped another new merchant, the wealthy Herr Cordtz, from settling in Hambeck. He has constructed a house from a material never seen before in the region, namely bricks made of burnt clay. The combined living quarters and warehouse of the merchant it the largest building yet in Hambeck.
All in all, Lord Occam is satisfied with the growth of the new trading port, even though much work remains to be done in order to expand the tiny town and transform it to a bustling metropolis.
Not long after the second wealthy merchant had settled in Hambeck, a ship supply store opens its doors. To be able to supply the increasing amount of boats and small ships frequenting Hambeck, the new shop is set up by Herr Krabbe & sons. A new well is digged right outside the shop near the quayside so fresh water can be provided.
The influx of new inhabitants in Hambeck continues. Three private houses are constructed near the inner quay to the right.
The wealthy merchants of Hambeck decide to increase their coorporation and build a large meeting hall. Lord Occam is concerned that the power of the merchants eventually might grow too big, but for now he enjoys the grand new building in a completely new style.
The gathering hall even has a basement, the first building in Hambeck to feature this. The old people of Hambeck shake their heads and complain about all the fancy new ideas...
It was a rainy, dark and stormy night when the large cargo ship Lowenorn finally approached the town of Hambeck after a long journey
from the far side of Baltica ocean.
Lord Occam was most thrilled to see the large trading vessel, bristling with new goods for trade. Never before had such a large ship been seen in Hambeck...
The growth of the town of Hambeck seemed to know no boundaries. Next to the tax office a new merchant, Herr Tillman, had build a two-story townhouse with rooms for all his employees, and would most likely soon be building a large warehouse close by.
Despite the growth of the town, the citizens had begun to whisper about the danger of a settlement this large without a church. Was Lord Occam mocking God, endangering the otherwise thriving community? Something had to be done!