Ark of the Radiant Dawn

The Ark of the Radiant Dawn is the pride of the Sun Cult's navy. A great, twin-hulled galley, it is a symbol of the military might of the Sun Cult, and a testament to the fanatical veneration the members of the Sun Cult extol.

The Ark is bedecked in flowing pennants emblazoned with Sun Cult imagery and verse, as well as strings of mirrors to catch and reflect the sun's rays. At the center of the vessel, a tower capped with a twisted black iron cage contains an imprisoned Tame-Sun, which must be kept under close watch lest its furious heat catch the Ark on fire. This tower is used as the focus for the prayers of the Ark's complement of Sun Cult believers when they are far afield from Sun Cult lands.

Propulsion

The vast bulk of the Ark is hauled through the waters by a team of 800 oarsmen manning 260 oars, split into a lower rack of 80 and an upper rack of 50 on the outer side of each hull. Four masts with sails patterned after Sun Cult imagery provide power when the Ark ventures out into open water

Weapons & Armament

Ballistae are mounted at the fore of each hull on rotating platforms, and can be used to launch both standard bolts and rope-tethered harpoons. Whilst these were originally intended to haul in struck enemy ships to facilitate boarding actions, they have also proved effective as hunting tools for large sea creatures, reducing the Ark's reliance on resupply vessels.
The Ark also carries a deck-mounted trebuchet, able to engage enemy ships from a tremendous distance.

Manufacturer

Kingdom of Enkur

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Enkur

Rarity

Unique

Beam

50ft

Length

180ft

Speed

5 knots (cruising)
7 knots (sprinting)

Complement / Crew

800 oarsmen
50 additional crew

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

200 soldiers or marines
cargo space for 1 months rations