Sand Scuttler

Sand Scuttlers are long range desert fairing transports, typically made from retrofitted seafaring vessels. Typical Sand Scuttlers feature masts of sails typical for their original sea-faring lives, as well as an accompaniment of newer kite-style sails which catch higher speed winds above the scuttler's height. The sails pull the scuttlers along by transfering the movement to large, and complex mechanical linkage systems attached to hundreds of ornate crab-like legs which walk along the dunes or cracked badlands. Over time Sand Scuttlers have been adapted from their orginal purpose as royal transports to innumerable uses across social classes. Though most Scuttlers are unique retro-fits, they are broadly divided up into three primary categories: the Racer Class, Crew Class, and Cargo Class.

Varieties of Sand Scuttler

Racer Class

Racers Class scuttlers are the smallest of the common classes, and despite their name were first commonly used by smugglers and desert pirates. Modern racer-class scuttlers typically use minimal mast sails, and a high number of kite sails. The kite sails are typically raised to the top of a collapsable center mast before being released to the winds. Once all the sails are deployed, the rigging transfers from the mast to the front of the scuttler and the central mast is retracted. The small size of racing scuttlers allows them to move across great expanses quickly while being operated by as little as a single crew member. Their speed and low crew requirements have also lead them to be popular options for information brokerages, messenger services, and delivery of lightweight, time sensitive packages. While Racer Class Scuttlers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most modern craft used for racing are actually much smaller than most of the scuttlers in the class.
A Racer class Sand Scuttler typically seats two to three people and has enough cargo room to carry a week's worth of rations, water, and a backpack each for its passengers. Rides are typically uncomfortable, getting worse with more passengers. These vessels are typically made from small decomissioned fishing vessels and sit between 16' and 22' in length.

Crew Class

Crew Class scuttlers are the class of scuttler most similar to the original royal transports that moders Scuttlers decend from. Crew class scuttlers are now the most common class of scuttler due to the versitility their size offers them. Traveling merchants often form caravans of these scuttlers, and offer transportation for travelers in the unused spaces. In areas where desert trade is more common, these ships are sometimes preffered by modern pirates to racer class scuttlers for their increased cargo potential. One of the biggest hurdles for crew class scuttlers is the constant battle between extra supplies, or extra cargo space. In Makereva its illegal for merchants to opperate crew class scuttlers without spare sails in their storage, and evaporation proof water tanks. For many merchants the solution has become bribery to get around such requirements. Many countries have similar laws, but success of these laws varies greatly from city to city.
Crew Class Sand Scuttlers typically seat six to twelve people and have enough cabin storage room for each person to carry a week's worth of rations, water, as well as two medium backpacks. The ship's non personal storage compartments can hold an additional 12 to 30 cubic feet of cargo depending on the ratio of cabin to cargo. Since their inception crew class scuttlers have stuggled against desert storms more than any other class; their size means they're less resilint to damage than cargo class vessels, and they're used for longer journeys than racer class ships which leads to more exposure time. As a response to sandstorm struggles modern designs have quick retract sail designs and some even feature partially retractable legs which lock into position. Most designs are made from or based on either larger commercial fishing vessels or retired messenger ships and range from 36' to 60' in length.

Cargo Class

Cargo Class scuttlers are the newest addition to scuttler design as the Crew Class has slowly pushed for more and more carrying capacity. As sizes grew, more and more adjustments had to be made and more legs have been added; vessels are now reaching 60 to 100 legs per side. As more linkages have been added, and designs have gotten more complex, many new challenges have presented themselves in the push for more capacity. Cargo Class Scuttlers are orders of magnitude more expensive that their smaller cousins due to the additional engineering costs. Material costs are also much higher due to the stress on the linkages and legs. Cargo Class Scuttlers stretch the upper limits of what can be moved without completely new technology or a total reliance on magic. These ships are typically 80' to 160' long. Cargo class ships can carry approximately 25 tons of cargo, as well as a crew of 22 to 50 and appropriate rations and water for a month's journey for the crew. Cargo Class Scuttlers are extremely rare and only opperated by the most wealthy of merchant companies. Most often they are made out of smaller cross-ocean vessels which are partially disassembled to be moved to the location the Scuttler will be rebuilt at. It is not uncommon for the crew of these ships to include a wind mage or two to ensure consistent movement even in low wind.

History

Scuttlers first came into use in 3516 ADE, when a craftsman named Artheo Jurenson had fallen behind on his tax payments to the Sultan of Makereva, and invented the vessels in a scheme to have his debt forgiven. Within fifteen years nearly every noble in Makereva had placed one or more orders for some of the vessels. The original vessel is mechanically simple compared to modern designs, and made from desert worn planks, decorated with once vibrant paints, and whose internal embelishments are merely a few silk cushions. Designs in the years following would get progressively more lavish, with masterful carvings and garish insides, fitted with more pillows and finery than a room at a Pleasure Palace . Despite the luxury of newer models, historical records show that Sultan Abdir Makereva heavily favored the use of the original for personal transport until the day he died.
By 3570 ADE several additional craftsmen had begun to make models of their own. Their lack of resources didn't allow them to import the larger sea-fairing vessels for modification, giving birth to the unofficial Racer Class. Initially sales for the smaller models were poor due to their percieved limited use. Racer class vessels got their big break in 3583 ADE when opportunists realized they were the perfect size for highly maneuverable pirate-craft. Shortly after becoming popular for illegal activity, laws were passed which required all scuttlers to be registered with a merchant's guild, and to have state issued identification numbers etched into each side of the bow. Despite many attempts to control and regulate illegal activity in the crafts, the lack of need for a port and the ability of a craft to enter a city from any point has made enforcement of regulations a herculean task.
In 3652 ADE the first Cargo Class Scuttler was made. It was a custom job carried out by Jurenson's descendants for a merchant desperate to marry a noble maiden whose father would give her to no man (see: The Merchant and The Maiden ). By today's standards the original Cargo Class Scuttler would be considered on the larger end of Crew Class vessels, but for its time the scuttler was considered a marvel of engineering. Many of the linkage systems of modern vessels are derrivative of the designs developed for this vessel. The next Cargo Class Scuttler wouldn't be created until 3690 ADE, after which several more would be made, and a short time later their design was well understood enough to make them available for any who could afford them.
In 3721 the first siege carried out by Scuttler came to pass when a wealthy merchant fancied himself a king and captured the city of Manjem Jawhara . The Scuttlers had been fitted with canons and ballistae (fitted with harpoons with rope affixed to the haft) which helped the mercenaries overcome the city's walls in a matter of only a few hours. Once the city was taken infighting among the mercenary army about how to split the spoils, and a quick assassination of the merchant by a servant girl, served to undermine the new control of the city. By the time the Royal Army of Makereva showed up they had little to do besides cleaning up, and rescuing pesants taken from the city.

Legend of Origin

Artheo Jurenson had fallen behind on his taxes to the Sultan. The amount owed is said to have been piling up for several years following Artheo's immigration to Makereva. Artheo originally worked as a wheelright, though his origin country is not known. The lack of natural forests around Makereva made wood prohibitively expensive, and the ineffectiveness of wooden wheels in the dunes surrounding Makereva made his business very hard to run. Its not known why Artheo chose to immigrate to Makereva given his skillset, and is one of the things that scholars find most perplexing about this story.
Knowing that he was running out of time before the tax collector's patience for his debt ran out, and with the threat of debt slavery looming over his head, Artheo came up with a plan. He believed that if he could create a grand carriage for the şehzade Sultan (the crown prince,) that could travel across the dunes, that his debt would be forgiven, and with enough luck, it would also bring success to his business. The Prince loved to take trips out of Makereva to the surrounding villages, but the extravagant expense to do so lead to the Sultan heavily controlling the frequency and timing of these trips. At the time most desert faring vessels had wide flat bottoms, and small sails to skid across the desert with the winds, but the dunes made this method of travel slow, and the low wind force meant that travel was near impossible without someone with magic to control the winds. Nearly all travel without a wind-mage had to be done with a large and costly train of beasts to carry goods.
With a plan of action in his mind Artheo Jurenson locked himself in his drawing shed with nothing but a jug of water for two weeks declaring that he would not come out until he had completed the plans for his grand invention. Artheo was finally released from his shed by one of his neighbors who grew concerned for him when he had not reemerged. He was found in a delerious state, clutching a papyrus scroll. Once recovered from his delerium Artheo wept to his neighbor, he had the plans, but the materials would cost more than his debt amounted to. He resigned himself to die in his bed, and refused his neighbor's attempts to nurse him back to health.
Curious one night, the neighbor peaked at the papyrus scroll that laid beside Artheo. Without speaking a word to anyone, they set out into the desert on their own and returned the next morning with a hand scribbled map. Accounts say that the Neighbor had seen an ancient ship out in the desert (though this point is contetious among scholars) and went back out to find it again. Once Artheo was informed of his Neighbor's plan, he began to recover quickly, and the two very carefully unearthed the ancient ship, brought it back into town, and began the process of integrating Artheo's invention into it. It wasn't the grand desert carriage Artheo had imagined, but it was the only source of wood available to him. They spent months testing and tweaking before the craft was finished.
Once the craft was complete they requested an audience with the şehzade Sultan to present him with a gift. The şehzade was enamored when he saw how it moved, gracefully floating across the gound, its legs rolling and bending like wheels, while able to climb, and adjust to the desert terrain. The şehzade immediately asked to purchase a fleet of seven more, and having planned for this; Artheo responded by lamenting that he would if he could, "but this is to be my last creation, for before the full moon the tax collector will come to take me away for the heavy debt I owe." The şehzade promised to resolve the debt on the spot, and after some negotiating for supply costs and help importing the ships, the two came to an agreement. From there Artheo's new business became very successful, and grew rapidly as demand from noble families across Mekereva rose, and the scuttlers became the primay method of transport for anyone of social status.

Nickname

Scuttler