fatal

Chapter 9: Equipment
Deceres: A descendant of the quinquereme
and septireme, the deceres is the largest vessel in
the water. A deceres measures 145 feet long, with a
maximum beam or width of about 20 feet, and a
draft of 6-7 feet. The deceres is powered by 572
oarsmen. The oars are 48 feet long and arranged in
3 decks. As a compliment, the crew also consists of
15-30 sailors and 200-250 warriors. A deceres has 2
fighting towers and 2-6 catapults. If the vessel must
flee, the fighting towers are jettisoned over the side.
However, with the fighting towers, it is possible to
fire arrows down upon an adjacent vessel or invaders.
War galleys follow the coasts and put into harbor
every night, where the crew enjoys a shore-based
meal and a night’s sleep in a stable bed. BCT is 1
year for a shipwright.
Fishing Boat: This vessel measures 12 feet
long, with a maximum beam or width of 5 feet. A
fishing boat has 2 oars per side, and 2 oarsmen. A
fishing boat may function to ferry characters across
a river. However, the most popular use is to fish.
BCT is 1 month for a shipwright.
Karve: A smaller relative of the knarr, a
karve is a workship that measures 45 feet long, with
a maximum beam or width of about 10 feet. A
karve has a carrying capacity of about 10 tons. This
vessel is made from oak. A karve has 7 oars per
side, with 1 oarsman per oar. 14 oarsmen power a
karve. The front of the vessel is beached. BCT is 2
months for a shipwright.
Knarr: This trading vessel measures about
55 feet long, with a maximum beam or width of
about 15 feet, and a draft ranging from 2 to 4 feet
depending on whether it is empty or fully loaded.
This vessel displaces 34 tons and has a cargo carrying
capacity between 20-25 tons. A knarr has only 2
oars per side, 1 oarsman per oar. Therefore, 4 oarsmen
are required. Otherwise, a commander or sailor
manipulates the sail. A crew for a knarr ranges from
5 to 8. The knarr is primarily a sailing vessel, and
has a single mast with a large sail amidships. The
average speed of a knarr is 5-6 knots, and the maximum
speed is 13 knots. A knarr is constructed of
massive pine planks, and the rest is built from oak
and lime. It has decks fore and aft, while amidships
is an open cargo compartment. BCT is 6 months
for a shipwright.
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Log: While arguably a tree was the first
waterborne vessel, since trees and craftsmen are
readily available, and since a tree and a log do not
substantially differ as a vessel, a log is presented. The
measurements of a log may vary, but they are typically
10 feet long, 2-3 feet wide, and have a draft of
1-2 feet. A portion of a large log can be carved
away so that a character may sit inside. These are
known as dug-outs. BCT is 1 day for a carpenter.
Longship: Arguably this is the most popular
warship. The longship measures about 75-120
feet long, with a maximum beam or width of about
24 feet, and has a shallow draft. Due to the shallow
draft, a longship may be beached easily. Longships
are often called dragons, and most have a dragon’s
head carved on the front of it. They are made of
northern oak and pine. Longships may have 30 rowing
benches aboard. Up to 60 oarsmen may be
aboard, 1 per oar. Because of the extreme narrowness
of the vessel, it may achieve great speeds and
penetrate many narrow waterways, allowing warriors
aboard to invade nearly anywhere. Unfortunately, it
is limited as a warship because it does not have a
battering ram. In warfare, a longship must run alongside
an enemy vessel, grapple, and board. A large,
square sail hangs from a single mast amidships. A
single side rudder on the starboard quarter is used
for steering. Horses may be brought aboard. This
ship is deemed unseaworthy if it needs bailing thrice
in 2 days. A longship is constructed of overlapping
planks, forced together with iron nails and caulked
with tarred rope. BCT is 6 months for a shipwright.