Longship

A longship was a square-sailed, oared ship with a single mast that could be removed.

Description
The longship was similar to the drakkar but much smaller. Typically 75 to 80 ft (23 to 24 m) along the keel and 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m) across the beam. With 20 oars on each side, the minimum crew size was 40 and could carry a maximum of 200 including rowers. Longships could sail, assuming moderate, favorable winds and calm seas, at a maximum speed of 16 nautical miles per hour with sail and 10 while propelled by oars.

Longships were capable of plying the open seas. Their open, aphract (without deck or armor), relatively light hulls were built with overlapping planks held together by rivets. This kind of hull allowed the ship to sail over the waves, instead of having to force its way through them, but was in danger of being swamped by high seas.

Normally, longships carried no weapons, but some versions apparently mounted one large weapon (such as a catapult or ballista) or a ram.

Regional differences

 * Gundarlun Island: Their figureheads depicted fish (usually marlins or swordfish) and predatory birds (such as ernes and ospreys).


 * Tuern: They used longships big enough to support Fire giants, with figureheads that depicted fierce warriors.


 * Ruathym and Luskan: Their figureheads and sails favored red and white dragons.


 * Purple Rocks: Their longships usually had squid-like figureheads.

History
Longships were used extensively in the Savage Frontier by the Northmen. Also called dragon ships for the carved figureheads they usually had mounted, they were appreciated by true Northmen beyond other property or family, and were never used as anything but a warship. Longships were the fastest ships along the Sword Coast in most weather, and were crewed by 40 men, each one a warrior.