Kayaks, also known as khyeks or oumyeks,[2] were a type of small boat operated by a single person.[5] They were well suited to cold and rough waters,[6] such as rapids,[7] easy to maneuver, and could be quite quick. They were typically used for traveling short distances.[5]
Description[]
Kayaks were composed of a wooden frame, almost completely covered by some form of leather that had been waterproofed by oil.[6][5] The average kayak measured 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.7 meters) in length and 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 meters) in width. In order to be used, a body of water needed to have a depth of over 0.25 ft (0.076 m).[4]
The oiling of their cover ensured that a kayak would not fill with water when capsized.[6] The covering had a small circular opening in its top through which operators squeezed into,[6][5] their legs extending into the front section while the rest of their body protruded upwards, which all together was not quite comfortable. The operator then propelled the kayak by means of a single oar that had a paddle on each end.[5]
The Iulutiuns of the Great Glacier, along with the Ice Hunters of the Sea of Moving Ice,[2] typically constructed kayaks from seal skins that had been dried and then oiled with blubber from a seal or walrus. In addition to wood, they were known to construct frames from bones. They would seal themselves into their kayaks by stuffing the skin of a caribou or wolf around the opening.[5]
Price[]
The cost of a kayak was generally similar to that of a canoe.[8] In 1359 DR, their price was around 50 gp in the Great Glacier.[1]
History[]
The existence of kayaks on Toril dated all the way back to the days of Netheril. In the Year of Storm Currents, −377 DR, an explorer named Dienere Falconholfer became the first man to traverse the North Fira River in Netheril by kayak.[9]
Notable Users of Kayaks[]
- In the Great Glacier, kayaks were a major part of the daily lives and culture of the native Iulutiun people, being one of the few items included in the estate of the deceased in their society.[10]
- Iulutiun's learned to skillfully paddle kayaks one-handed, while simultaneously using their free hand to set fishing nets or to spear wild game.[5] They sometimes accompanied larger vessels, umiaks, on hunting expeditions as scouts. And though kayaks were generally used for short journeys, skilled operators among the Ilutiuns were known to make journeys of over a 100 miles (160,000 meters) or more.[11]
- The Ilutiun people's largest settlement in the Great Glacier, Lilinuk, was renowned for its fine kayaks and had an entire fleet of them docked in its ice-free harbor.[12]
- The settlement of Hykopgruk had skilled boatmakers that were specialized in the construction of kayaks.[13]
- In general, kayaks could be found in use among Nakulutiun settlements along the Uppuk river.[14]
- The Ice Hunters of Ice Peak were known to use kayaks.[15] Some of their kayaks were enhanced with a set of expanding leather sails, allowing them to reach higher top speeds.[16]
- Kayaks were occasionally used by people that inhabited the Underdark, with the city of Menzoberranzan being a major producer of them.[17]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave • The Rise of Tiamat
- Video Games
- Neverwinter (Storm King's Thunder)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 39. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Steve Winter, Alexander Winter, Wolfgang Baur (November 2014). The Rise of Tiamat. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 978-0786965656.
- ↑ David Cook (April 1995). Dungeon Master Guide 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 170. ISBN 978-0786903283.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kim Mohan (November 1986). Wilderness Survival Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan et al. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 44, 122. ISBN 0-88038-291-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 34. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Douglas Niles (1986). Dungeoneer's Survival Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 0-88038-272-4.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1986). Dungeoneer's Survival Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 44. ISBN 0-88038-272-4.
- ↑ Skip Williams (May 1991). “Sage Advice”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #169 (TSR, Inc.), p. 98.
- ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 71. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 37. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 64. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1992). The Great Glacier. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 1-56076-324-8.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 4. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Cryptic Studios (August 2016). Neverwinter: Storm King's Thunder. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.