Ameder Trade Canoe
When the ancestors of the Ameders migrated from Ela'k Forest to Kanix Forest along the northern coastline of Dragonía, they were forced to alter and even abandon millennia old customs and traditions in order to survive in the often harsh boreal land, chief of which the ancient taboo on seafood and rowing out on the sea.
Although they had brought with them knowledge of making dugout canoes, these vessels were made with rivers and lakes in mind, and while similar ones are still used by fishermen in fresh- and saltwater in some city-states, their small size limits the amount of goods and people that can be transported along the coast. It wasn't until the Ameders expanded into Þaln'út, the eastern part of Kanix Forest where trees similar to our world's redwoods grow, that they could carve larger vessels which eventually evolved into what is now commonly known as the Ameder trade canoe.
These boats not only allow for fast transport throughout the Ameder realm, including their colonies on the western edge of the Plain of Spirits, but form an important part of a trade network which connects western and eastern Dragonía, reaching indirectly as far as the Minotaurs around Ymn Lake at the heart of the Southern Desert on one hand and the reptilian Kroks on Vorran Peninsula on the other.
Similar vessels are also used by Ameder warriors to patrol the Ahigian coast to keep pirates at bay.
The canoes are invariably carved or painted with abstract designs or animal imagery, with certain designs or colour combinations being associated with specific city-states. For example, white wolves and red birds are painted on canoes from Klaarþ and Etnexí, respectively, while solar symbols adorn boats from the easternmost city-states.
Although they had brought with them knowledge of making dugout canoes, these vessels were made with rivers and lakes in mind, and while similar ones are still used by fishermen in fresh- and saltwater in some city-states, their small size limits the amount of goods and people that can be transported along the coast. It wasn't until the Ameders expanded into Þaln'út, the eastern part of Kanix Forest where trees similar to our world's redwoods grow, that they could carve larger vessels which eventually evolved into what is now commonly known as the Ameder trade canoe.
These boats not only allow for fast transport throughout the Ameder realm, including their colonies on the western edge of the Plain of Spirits, but form an important part of a trade network which connects western and eastern Dragonía, reaching indirectly as far as the Minotaurs around Ymn Lake at the heart of the Southern Desert on one hand and the reptilian Kroks on Vorran Peninsula on the other.
Similar vessels are also used by Ameder warriors to patrol the Ahigian coast to keep pirates at bay.
Construction
Ameder trade canoes are made using similar methods as those among the Útels to the west and Mörkels to the east; each is carved from a redwood log, then filled with boiling water and stones while covered by mats. The heat of the water and weight of the stones causes the boat's midsection to widen and the ends to rise, after which the vessel is emptied and the thwarts and steering oar added to it.The canoes are invariably carved or painted with abstract designs or animal imagery, with certain designs or colour combinations being associated with specific city-states. For example, white wolves and red birds are painted on canoes from Klaarþ and Etnexí, respectively, while solar symbols adorn boats from the easternmost city-states.
Ameder trade canoe near Ilaakon by Lappalingur
Rarity
Ubiquitous among Ameders, relatively common among coastal Mörkels
Length
~15 meters
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