Longship



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

Characteristics
Their open, deckless, relatively light hulls are built with overlapping planks riveted together. This kind of hull lets the ship sail over the waves, instead of having to force its hull through them.

They had a length of about 80 feet and a width of 20 feet. 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.

The North
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, a warrior each one of them.

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.