Commerce on the High Seas, Part 1

“My soul is full of longing

for the secret of the sea,

and the heart of the great ocean

sends a thrilling pulse through me.”

― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

“If money go before, 

all ways do lie open.”

—Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 2 Scene 2    

“If money go before, all ways do lie open.”

It’s fun perusing old Dragon issues. You never know what you might find. Those dusty old volumes are chock full of wisdom, where sages of campaigns past dealt with subject matter Mr. Gygax might not have thought about, or deemed too esoteric to be included in the original DMG. There was only so much that could be crammed into it, after all.

This is not to say that there is not a lot in the DMG; because there is. Sometimes I wonder whether there was too much in it to be fully absorbed. It’s a wonder of inclusivity; all you might think a DM might need, including such minute as dungeon dressings and herbal lists, randomized sights and sounds, air currents and odors, even container contents…ad nausea.

That said, there is nothing within it about trade and commerce. Or any edition, for that matter. There is a great deal of talk about trade, but nothing about its application. What it does cover is combat, magic, and magic items. And more; so much more.

There are descriptions of watercraft, and their potential speed; there are tables to generate wind speed and direction, and when crew exhaustion might set in. There are rules to adjudicate the possibility of damage to watercraft inflicted by wind, from fires; rules on ramming; and how quickly a vessel will capsize and sink.

These are all important, especially if the PCs are aboard.

Less so, if they are not.

If they are not, the PCs will likely only want to know their return on investment.

 

I thought, “What about the Wilderness Survival Guide?”

I should have realized that the title might hint at its contents.

The Wilderness Survival Guide goes into even more detail about movement and weather. Excruciating detail: There are even tables concerning vehicular encumbrance.

It even has a passage concerning the use of a capsized vessel:

Because of the natural buoyancy of the materials from which they are made, most vessels can remain “afloat” just beneath the surface of the water even after they are capsized or after they have suffered hull damage. However, this is true only of vessels that are carrying no passengers and not more than 10% of their listed maximum cargo capacity. For example, if characters in a small rowboat that is foundering can get out of it and toss overboard all but 200 gp worth of their cargo or gear, the craft will sink to slightly beneath the surface of the water and remain there. It is then possible for characters to cling to the sides of the craft and use it as a flotation device, as long as their weight is evenly distributed. A capsized craft will support a number of characters equal to twice its normal capacity; that is, up to eight characters can cluster around the sides of a large rowboat and use it to keep from going under themselves. If this weight limit is exceeded, or if the weight is not evenly distributed, the craft will sink too far below the surface to be usable in this fashion. [Wilderness Survival Guide – 46]

It defines each type of terrain and body:

Seacoast

Simply put, practically any place that is a short distance from an ocean is seacoast terrain.

Swamp

In game terms, a swamp is any place where a character’s feet hit standing water shortly before hitting the ground. Swamps are always located at low elevation or on flat or slightly depressed land at the edge of a river or lake. […]

The depth of the standing water in a swamp can vary from practically zero (where the ground is merely spongy) to several feet, and sometimes goes from shallow to deep in the space of just a few steps if the underlying terrain is irregular. Movement through a swamp can be very difficult, if not actually dangerous, and a swamp is not a good place to take mounts or pack animals. If the shortest distance between two points would take characters on a path through a swamp, they would be well advised to circumvent the soggy area and spend a few more steps to get where they’re going. But if their destination is inside the swamp…well, even if the adventure isn’t wild, it will certainly be wet.

Bodies of Water

In a typical campaign world, rivers and lakes serve at least two important purposes: They provide a ready source of water, and their presence requires a party of adventurers to be more versatile. A body of water is both an opportunity and a challenge. Travel on the surface of a lake or river is often faster, easier, and safer than negotiating the surrounding terrain on foot—but only if characters have access to a boat or a barge and someone in the group has the skill to handle the craft expertly. Swimming across a deep, wide river, instead of following the shoreline and looking for a place to ford, can save hours or even days of travel time—but only if characters have the ability to swim in the first place. [WSG – 9]

I’d have thought that each was self-explanatory, but there are those DMs who like things spelled out.

The DMG was more useful in this regard:

Lake assumes a large body of water, at least two to three miles broad and several times as long, minimum.

Marsh assumes a shallow body of water overgrown with aquatic vegetation but with considerable open channels; this does not include a bog but does include swamps.

River assumes a body of water at least three times as wide as the vessel afloat upon it is long (that is, the smallest river is at least 40' wide) and navigable to the vessel considered, usually because of familiarity and/or piloting. For current effect, subtract its speed times eight (C X 8) from movement when moving upriver, adding this same factor to movement for downriver traffic unless navigational hazards disallow—in which case adjust to a multiplier of two or four times current accordingly.

Sea (and ocean) movement assumes generally favorable conditions. It is not possible to herein chart ocean currents, prevailing winds, calms, or storms, for these factors are peculiar to each milieu. Currents will move vessels along their route at their speed. Prevailing winds will add or subtract from movement somewhat (10% to 30%) depending on direction of travel as compared to winds. Calms will slow sailed movement to virtually nil. Storms will have a likelihood "f destroying vessels according to the strength of the storm and the type and size of the vessel. To simulate these effects during long voyages, reduce the movement rates shown by a variable of 5% to 20% (d4, 1 = 5%, 2 = 10%. etc.).

Stream assumes a body of water under 40' width. The effects of currents are the same as for river movement.

[DMG 1e - 58]

Did I mention that I would include all water borne transport in this piece? Trade is trade, regardless whether it’s shipped upriver or down the coast. 

For the most part the Wilderness Survival Guide concerns itself with…wilderness, and not the Deep Blue Sea. The DMG is more helpful. Not only does it defines the roles of the crew onboard, it also suggests what each earns.

Ship Crew:

As with a captain, crewmen must be of the sort needed for the vessel and the waters it is to sojourn in. That is, the crew must be sailors, oarsmen, or mates of either fresh water vessels or salt water vessels. Furthermore, they must be either galley-trained or sailing-vessel trained. Sailors cost the same as heavy infantry soldiers (2 g.p. per month) and fight as light infantry. They never wear armor but will use almost ony sort of weapon furnished. Oarsmen are considered to be non-slave types and primarily sailor-soldiers; they cost 5 g.p. per month, wear any sort of armor furnished, and use shields and all sorts of weapons. Marines are simply soldiers aboard ship; they cost 3 g.p. per month and otherwise have armor and weapons of heavy foot as furnished. Mates are sailor [sergeants] who have special duties aboard the vessel. They conform to specifications of serjeants and cost 30 g.p. per month. [DMG 1e – 33]

Ship Master:

This profession covers a broad category of individuals able to operate a vessel. The likelihood of encountering any given type depends on the surroundings and must be determined by the referee. Types are:

    River Vessel Master

    Lake Vessel Master

    Sea-Coastal Vessel Captain

    Galley Captain

    Ocean-going Vessel Captain

The latter sort should be very rare in a medieval-based technology milieu. Note that each master or captain will have at least one lieutenant and several mates. These sailors correspond to mercenary soldier lieutenants and [sergeants] in all respects. For every 20 crewmen (sailors or oarsmen) there must be 1 lieutenant and 2 mates. Sailing any vessel will be progressively more hazardous without master or captain, lieutenants, and mates. […] The proper type of master or captain must be obtained to operate whatever sort of vessel is applicable in the waters indicated. Cost for masters, captains and lieutenants is 100 g.p. per month per level of experience. They also are entitled to a share of any prize or treasure taken at sea or on land in their presence. The master captain gets 25%, each lieutenant gets 5%, each mate 1%, and the crewmen share between them 5%. The remainder goes to the player character, of course. [DMG 1e – 33,34]

It defines what each vessel is.

And of what travel distance it is capable, very useful when figuring out how long a voyage might take:

Rowboat:

Small boats, with or without a sail, which are rowed by oars or paddled, fall into this category. A ship's longboats, dugout canoes, skiffs and punts ore likewise considered rowboats. A normal crew for a rowboat can be from one to ten or more men depending on its size. Rowboats do not come equipped with armament and don't function well in breezes above 19 miles per hour.

Barges/Rafts:

These are long, somewhat rectangular craft designed primarily for river transportation. A few larger and sturdier types are used for lake and coastal duties. Barges generally have a shallow draft, as do rafts—the former having a bow and side freeboard, with the latter having neither. The Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut's obelisk barge is a prime example of a working barge. Crafts constructed of fagots bound together, or made of stretched hides, such as the umiak, are considered barges in most cases. The same is true of sampans and jangadas. Normal crew for a barge varies between 20 and 100 or more men, depending on the size of the ship and its purpose. If the barge is a working vessel, such as Queen Hatshepsut's, it is conceivable that it could require as many as 100 men, if not more, to man such a mammoth barge. Sampans and jangadas, on the other hand, do not require a great crew to man them. Sampans need only three to ten men while jangadas require as few as one. Barges and rafts don't usually come with armament, but can be so equipped if desired. These types of vessels do not function well in winds above moderate breezes.

Galleys:

These are long, slim oared ships. Some of the earlier types of galleys are the Greek and Roman biremes, triremes and quadriremes. These galleys have 2, 3, and 4 banks of oars. The type most commonly used in AD&D is the drakkar, the Viking Dragon Ship. This is a square-sailed, oared ship having a single mast that can be unstepped. She is the easiest to maneuver in choppy waters because the planks are overlapped and riveted together (clinker built). This gives her the ability to move with the waves instead of forcing her hull through them. Crew for galleys depend on their size. Some can have as few as 30 men manning the oars while others have been known to have 200 or more. Most galleys, because of the need of space for the men at the oars, do not venture for from land. The general construction is such that even though she is seaworthy it is more comfortable to be near land or sail the rivers and make camp on the shore. Armament on galleys ranges from a ram to ballistae. Some of the larger ones may even sport o catapult.

Merchant Ships:

This type of ship is most commonly a small wide-hulled vessel having a single mast and a lateen sail. She is not only favored by merchants, but pirates as well. She can be moved by sweeps at rowboat speed. Cogs, carracks and caravels of the 13th and 14th centuries are considered to be excellent merchant ships because of their sturdiness and the few sailors required to man them. Most ships of this type con feasibly carry a hundred or more men, but because of on-board conditions and money, ships are manned by a minimal crew of at least 10 men, including the officers. Pirates are the exception when manning ships. They will fill the ship with men, sailing up and down the coast for about a week, plunder if they can, and then put into port. Typical armament for this kind of ship includes ballistae and perhaps a catapult.

DMG 1e – 53

Naval transports and their commercial counterparts were slow, unwieldy, and nearly defenseless. As such, they were always escorted. Navies used them to carry troops, horses, supplies, weapons, and ammunition. Commercial transports carried bulky and heavy cargoes: grain, cattle, stone, ore, metal ingots, etc.

Cutters, sloops, and schooners were used mostly for fishing, trade, and carrying passengers. The fastest commercial ship was the clipper, which carried passengers and cargo that required great speed. Passage on a clipper often ran high (500 gp would be reasonable in AD&D game terms), and cargo rated up to 25% of the assessed value for bulky loads. The second fastest were the packets, which usually carried passengers or mail. In times of war, many navies commissioned packets to carry military mail and dispatches. The small, medium, and large cargo ships were generic merchant ships of the 16th to mid-19th centuries.

[Dragon #166 – 15] 

MOVEMENT AFLOAT, OARED OR SCULLED IN MILES/DAY

Vessel Type	Lake	Marsh	River	Sea	Stream
Raft	15	5	15	x	10
Boat, small	30	15	35	x	25
Barge	20	5	20	x	x
Galley, small	40	5	40	30	x
Galley, large	30	x	30	30	x
Merchant, small	10	x	15	20	x
Merchant, large	10	x	10	15	x
Warship	10	x	10	20	x

MOVEMENT AFLOAT, SAILED IN MILES/DAY

Vessel Type	Lake	Marsh	River	Sea	Stream
Raft	30	10	30	X	15
Boat, small	80	20	60	X	40
Barge	50	10	40	X	X
Galley, small	70-80	X	60	50	X
Galley, large	50-60	X	50	50	X
Merchant, small	50-60	X	50	50	X
Merchant, large	25-35	X	35	35	X
Warship	40-50	X	40	50	X

DMG 1e – 58 

There’s even a glossary of terms to be had:

General Naval Terminology:

Aft- the rear part of a ship.

Corvice - a bridge with a long spike in its end used by the Romans for grappling and boarding.

Devil - the longest seam on the bottom of a wooden ship.

Devil to pay - chalking the seam of the same name. When this job is assigned, it is given to the ship's goof-off and thus comes the expression "You will have the devil to pay".

Fore - the forward part of a ship.

Fore Castle - a fortified wooden enclosure resembling a castle in the fore Hoist Sails- to raise the sails. Lower the sails- to let the sails down.

Port - the left side of a ship; also a city or town where ships may take refuge or load and unload cargo.

Shearing off oars - accidentally or intentionally breaking oars of one or more ships when attempting to board or cripple the ship if it did not retract its oars of a ship.

Starboard - the right side of a ship.

Step- to put the mast up.

Stern - a section of the aft of a ship.

Stern Castle - the same as a fore castle except that it is in the stern of the ship.

Stroke- the drummer and the beat he sets for the oarsmen on a galley.

Top Castle - a fortified structure on the mast.

Unstep- to take down the mast.

Weigh Anchor - means the anchor is clear of the bottom.

[DMG 1e - 55] 

The Of Ships and the Sea (2e) supplement goes into greater detail. So does Ghosts of Saltmarsh for 5e. Stormwrack (3e) goes into even greater detail. These are all good books, but the best early resource is the Martimes Adventures article, “High Seas,” by Margaret Foy, in Dragon #116. If you have it, great; if you do not, you should get your hands on it. All other resources pale, by comparison.

I would also suggest using the mariner NPC from DRAGON® Magazine issue #107 (“For Sail: One New NPC,” by Scott Bennie). The mariner will not be of much use while in port, but it’s a potential must-have while at sea.

If you are curious, I’ve added some of the detail from “High Seas” to the end of this piece.

All these resources are terribly useful, but none of them deals with the prospect of commerce upon the high seas.

Yes, I’m getting that that.

I did find an article in the early issues of Dragon magazine, by Ronald C. Spencer, Jr, titled, “SEA TRADE IN D&D CAMPAIGNS,” that was useful. What follows is and excerpt from his article in Dragon #6, April 1977.

The trading system below gives the player/merchant the opportunity to take risks in hope of greater reward and also recreates the feeling of insecurity present at seeing your heavily-laden large merchant sail away, not knowing just how long it will be gone, or if it will return at all. When a player/merchant decides to accompany the [vessel] on its voyage the “Wilderness Adventure” rules of Dungeons & Dragons are used. The rules presented below are intended to cover a trade business carried on in the absence of the player/merchant under whatever orders he gives to his ship captain. 

SEA TRADE

1. Assumptions — No specific cargo is required; rather, it is assumed that a cargo can be purchased in any port and that it will be saleable in any other port. The maximum cargo capacity of a small merchant is 10,000 G.P. in value; that of a large merchant, 50,000 G.P. It is not necessary that the maximum be carried if the player/merchant decides otherwise.

2. Fees and Taxes — There is a pilot fee for all ports except the merchant’s home port. This fee is 500 G.P. for a small merchant and 2500 G.P. for a large merchant. All countries have a 5% import tax, based on the sale value of the cargo-in the receiving port.

3. Profit/Loss — [The] amount of profit or loss taken on the trip is determined by the number of ports bypassed and a die roll. The more ports bypassed, the greater the possible profit (or loss!) and the greater the chance of the vessel being lost due to storms, pirates, sea monsters, etc.

4. Procedure — The player/merchant “purchases” a cargo with his on-hand funds and writes a set of sailing orders for the captain. These should specify what ports to stop at, what profit margin to accept, how much cargo to buy, and possibly a maximum time to be gone. All this is delivered to the D/M who will then determine the actual results of the journey according to the “sailing orders” given him. Note that the player/merchant will have no knowledge of the results until the ship returns or word Beaches him of its loss. One important item is that the player/merchant is not required to sell a cargo at a loss. If he so states in his sailing orders, a port where a loss would be incurred can be departed and sale attempted at another port. Note that if this option is chosen, the port departed counts as a port bypassed. If no specific directions are given to the captain, the cargo will be sold at whatever profit/loss determined from the Profit/Loss Table.

5. Profit/Loss Determination — Given the sailing orders, the D/M then rolls the percentile dice, cross-references with the appropriate “Ports Bypassed” column, and determines the amount of the sale. Appropriate deductions are made for the pilot fee, taxes, and possibly cost of a new cargo, and the profit/loss for the port call determined. The D/M then rolls for the amount of delay there will be before getting underway (due to repairs, liberty, haggling over prices, etc.) and continue the trip to the next port as specified by the sailing orders. This procedure continues until the ship returns to its home port or is lost at sea. If lost at sea, the delay in reporting it to the player/merchant is rolled for. If the ship returns to its home port, it is simply a matter of notifying the player/merchant when he and the ship arrive at the same point in game time.

PROFIT/LOSS TABLE

Percentages expressed as percent of cargo value

%DICE	PORTS BYPASSED
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6+
01-05	85%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%
06-10	90%	85%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%
11-15	95%	90%	85%	80%	70%	60%	50%
16-20	100%	95%	90%	85%	80%	70%	60%
21-25	105%	100%	95%	90%	90%	85%	80%
26-30	105%	105%	110%	115%	115%	120%	120%
31-35	110%	110%	115%	120%	125%	140%	150%
36-40	110%	115%	120%	130%	135%	160%	200%
41-60	110%	120%	130%	140%	150%	200%	300%
61-75	115%	125%	150%	160%	200%	300%	500%
66-70	120%	130%	160%	180%	250%	400%	X
71-75	125%	135%	180%	200%	350%	X	X
76-80	130%	140%	200%	300%	X	X	X
81-85	140%	150%	250%	X	X	X	X
86-90	150%	200%	X	X	X	X	X
91-00	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

X=ship lost, owner notified 3-8 weeks later.

A ship will be delayed 1-4 weeks at each port (other than its home port). Example of Table: A ship carrying a 10000 G.P. cargo bypasses one port and the dice are 62. Sale value is 11500 G.P., less 5% tax and the pilot fee.

[Dragon #6 - 6] 

It’s a simple and easy chart. Very useful, I’d say.

It does not cover how ships might be lost; but I think we all know the answer to that: misfortune, sea monsters, storms. Ships are becalmed on occasion, and the crew might starve, or succumb to water shortage. Or disease.

Ships in distress can suffer a lack of water or food, or a loss of materials for repairs. They can also be lost or under attack. If a shipwreck is rolled, it can be beached, shoaled, or shored on a reef or rocks, with or without survivors. (And are they really survivors or are they dreaded lacedons?) Alternately, the ship could have already sunk, and the encounter is with survivors in the water, boats, or rafts. An abandoned ship could be unharmed, a la Marie Celeste. [Dragon #166 – 26 ]

Let’s not forget piracy.

Ship's Capture:

The capturing of a ship occurs when all the crew aboard one ship have died, surrendered, or are rendered helpless and unable to fight (trapped in the hold, far example). To determine if surrender will take place, compare the crews of both sides. If one side is greater by 3 to 1, surrender is inevitable by the side that is outnumbered. The captain of the losing side may refuse to surrender and order his men to continue fighting (a roll of 1 on a d6 indicates that his men will obey). Surrender does not apply to player characters. They decide whether or not they want to surrender.

[DMG 1e – 55]

Melee:

Human-like vs. human-like: On-board combat will be as normal melee combat in a dungeon. Sahuagin, lacedon (ghouls), kopoacinth (gargoyles), koalinth (hobgoblins) and men (buccaneers and pirates) will attempt to board the ship. Other human-like creatures such as nixies, aquatic elves, tritons, sea hags and mermen cannot or will not try to board.

Human-like VS. non-human: The men on a ship will be at a disadvantage fighting monsters in the water. A squid will try to encircle the ship with its tentacles and sink it. Other sea monsters may be just as dangerous.

[DMG 1e – 55]

As to those other misfortune, refer to sea encounter charts, and weather charts found in both the DMG1e and the Wilderness Survival guide. 

All that said, if your PCs wish to travel with their cargo, all the better; all many of things may happen on the voyage. Roll on the table, and use that as a starting point for however they wish to negotiate.

 

 

From “High Seas”:

On masts and sails:

In order from fore to aft, the masts on a sailing ship are called the fore, main, and mizzen masts; on a two-master, they are the main and mizzen masts; and, on a four-master, they are the fore, main, third, and mizzen masts. A square rig has square or rectangular sails hanging from the crosspieces on the masts (the crosspieces are called yards or yardarms). On a fore-and-aft rig, the sails are shaped like a right triangle. One apex of the triangle is attached to the mast and another to a traverse beam from the lower mast called a boom. A lateen rig uses very large sails shaped like a right triangle. The hypotenuse side of a lateen rigs sail hangs from a very wide yard, and the sail is loose-footed — that is, without a boom at the bottom. A square rig gives a vessel quite a bit of power, but requires many sailors to operate. The fore-and-aft rig requires fewer sailors and is more maneuverable, but delivers less power to the ship. The lateen rig is midway between the two, both in terms of power and number of sailors required to handle it. The masts are braced by sets of heavy cables called the standing rigging, while the ropes used to manipulate the sails, yards, and booms are called the running rigging.

[Dragon #166 – 10] 

On Ships:

If the campaign has an ancient flavor, then use the ancient galleys for warships, pirates, and privateers, and the cog as a merchant ship. Medieval settings should use the cog, caravel, carrack, and galleon. Barbarians, especially the ones patterned after the Vikings, should use the longship. The more advanced types of commercial small and medium ships are suitable for larger civilized nations that are noted for their nautical skills.

[Dragon #166 – 26] 

Glossary:

Able-bodied sailor (AB): With one year training. ABs can make repairs and splice ropes, and know all the knots; in short, they now “know the ropes.” On a galley, they are also the lead rowers, whose actions give the cues to the ordinary sailors.

Aft:  Rear half of a vessel, the stern.

Bosun (or boatswain): In charge of various odd supplies and the ship’s daily maintenance.

Chief Petty Officer:  reports to the captain; POs report to him.

Decks:  Above the orlop deck are the lower, middle, and upper decks. The crew sling their hammocks on the lower and middle decks, and on the orlop deck when the ship is very crowded.

Fore:  Front half of a vessel, the bow.

Forecastle:  Fore of the foremast, over the upper deck, where the rest of the petty officers sleep and mess.

Galley:  Any vessel that is rowed and sailed.

Hold:  Lowest space inside the ship, where the cargo and supplies are stored.

Landlubber:  No nautical experience; trainees with less than one-year experience.

Master-at-arms (PO):  Has charge of the ship’s weapons locker, training the crew in combat and administering discipline.

Mates:  Assistants to petty officers. ABs who have special skills.

Midshipmen (middies):  Petty officers in training to become lieutenants.

Ordinary sailor:  No special skills, but can go aloft in the rigging to handle the sails, and on a galley he can be trusted to follow most commands.

Orlop deck:  Above the hold, where there are more supplies, the hearth, and the crews mess tables; it is also where the wounded are put during battle.

Petty Officer (PO):  Special skills.

Quarterdeck:  Aft of the mizzen mast, over the upper deck, which roofs over the space where the officers and some petty officers have their quarters.

Quartermaster (PO):  Junior master’s mate who takes the wheel and steers the ship.

Sailing master (PO):  Navigates the ship and teaches navigation to the master’s mates and the middies.

Ship:  A sailing vessel, pure and simple.

Small Poop:  Over the quarterdeck. Royal Poop: smaller deck over the small poop.

Waist:  Between the two partial decks, in which the ship’s boats are stored. 

The Chain of Command (CoC):

Admiral: commands larger squadrons or fleets, but never a vessel. Even an admiral’s flagship is commanded by its own captain.

Commodore: the captain of his own ship and commands a squadron of two to eight vessels.

Captain: Regardless of actual rank, the person commanding a vessel is called Captain.

Commander: rank above a lieutenant, usually commanding a caravel, brig, or corvette.

Lieutenants: lowest-ranking commissioned officer is the lieutenant. Petty officers report to the first lieutenant except for the sailing master, who reports directly to the captain. Lieutenants frequently command cogs, cutters, or brigs.

Middies

Sailing Master

Master’s mates

Quartermasters

Bosun

Master-at-arms

If the master-at-arms dies or is incapacitated, the COC is exhausted and the command is up for grabs (and so is the vessel, usually). [Dragon #166 – 11] 

POs not in CoC:

Carpenter

Cook

Cooper

Cook

Purser

Sailmaker 

Marines have their own officers and command structure. Their highest officer reports to the captain of the vessel. Their use on vessels is twofold. Firstly, they provide small missile fire from the decks or fighting tops (the small platforms at the top of the masts). Secondly, they fight boarding battles. The crew and petty officers of the vessel load and fire the artillery engines. [Dragon #166 – 11]

Inspirational reading:

Baker, William A. The Lore of Sail. (1983)

Blackburn, Graham. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ships, Boats, Vessels and Other Water-Borne Craft. (1978)

Casson, Lionel. Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World. (1971)

Cucari, Attilio. Sailing Ships (1976)

Forester, C.S. The Hornblower series.

Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, Omoo, Typee, and (of course) Moby Dick.

[Dragon #166 – 27]

 

So, are you inspired to invest in a fleet? 

 

One must always give credit where credit is due. This History is made possible primarily by the Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard Lakofka among them.

Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.

 

The Art:

Ghosts of Saltmarsh Illustration (page 8), 2019

Wilderness Survival Guide Illustration detail (page 46), 1986

The Rime of the Ancient Sea Mariner Illustrations, by Gustave Dore

Crew Illustration, by John Snyder, from Of Ships and Sea (page 35), 1997

Ship and Direction Illustrations, from Dragon #116 (pages 11,12,13,14), 1986

Galley Illustration, from Dragon #6 (page 6), 1977

Shipwreck Illustration, from Dungeon #141 (page 16), 2006

Turtle Dragon Illustration, by Chris Appel, from Stormwrack (page 200), 2005

Sources:

Dragon Magazine 6,107,166

2011A Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979

2020 Wilderness Survival Guide, 1986

2170 Of Ships and the Sea, 1997

Stormwrack, 2005

Ghosts of Saltmarsh, 2019