Longship

Norrians is known for many things, but they can produce such fines ships, showing that they are not simple minds as most people would believe. - Tower Guard

Longships are the most common form of ship found on the Continent of Norria and are used for multiple tasks ranging from trading to raiding. Due to their design, they can reach long distances much faster and withstand harsher weather at sea. These ships are constantly being improved with ship-building methods brought back from foreign lands to make them more capable at sea.

Beyond the Horizon

The Longship was the first attempt to allow the Norrians to leave their continent since their ancestors first made their home thousands of years ago. While these ships were not the best, they did their job and managed to reach foreign shores, forever changing their culture. In the times since then, these ships would be the primary means of travel across the oceans to seek trade and plunder where ever the crew wanted to go. As the designs of these ships improved, so did their capabilities to travel further to many different parts of the world. Making it not uncommon for longships to be found halfway around the globe or survive harsh weather that would sink most ships.

Brilliant Design

What makes these ships interesting is their design, from the hull structure to the wood it uses that makes this great ship. These ships are the work of generations of improved techniques and design updates that genuinely make them highly capable when used. It can maintain its speed even in the roughest waters and can travel through shallow waters without the danger of being stuck or damaged. It all goes down to the shape of the ship itself. While it does not allow for good maneuverability when reaching high speeds, it makes up for it by being able to go in reverse without turning due to it being double-ended. It allows it to avoid obstacles without hitting them as the oars that help move the ship make it easier to move when needed. But the fascinating feat achieved with this ship is that it can be picked up and carried across the land to reach another waterway as long as it has enough crew to take it. Making a ship that has been tested allows people to travel across the world without obstacles.

Master of Waters

The true power of the Longship is that it can go through waters that most ships can't. It can land on shores and launch off of them like they were a rowboat with ease. Along with being able to travel through rivers and waterways that large ships cannot sail through. It is one of many reasons the Norrians are feared, as their boats can come out of nowhere and raid a settlement before anyone realizes it and leave as quickly as they came. But it also means that traders could use these ships to trade further inland without traveling across the land, leaving their boats behind. One of the many reasons that these ships are used by them today is that no matter if they are at sea or near the shores, the longboat will always ensure that they know where they are going.

Propulsion

Sails: The large sail covering the ship's mast ranges from thirty-five to forty feet across and is as tall as it. The mast itself is around fifty-two feet tall. The boat can quickly achieve incredible speeds as its narrow design allows it to maintain momentum even in rough waters.
Oars: When not using sails, oars are used by the crew onboard to maintain a steady speed or to go faster while the sails have the wind in them. Oars are used primarily for traveling near the shore or going up rivers, and the size of the longboat also defines the speed it can reach as it can only hold specific amounts of crews and oars to use them.

Armor and defense

Sturdy Hulls: Using a clicker method, a construction method of overlapping planks and nailing them together make the ships sturdy and more substantial to withstand the rough waters they may come across. It is also watertight, using wool tar and animal furs to ensure no water could get into them.

Additional & auxiliary systems

Steering Oar: A oar at the back of the ship would be used to help steer the boat in a specific direction.

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Norria

Price

30 - 500 gold pieces

Rarity

Common

Beam

8 ft - 10 ft

Length

45 ft - 75 ft

Height

12 ft - 14 ft,

Weight

10 - 20 tons

Speed

30 -35 mph

Complement / Crew

10 - 130

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

10 tons, 5 - 100 people

Sending Off the Dead

Bonfire of the Vanities by Oliver Guiney

Due to the importance of these to Norrians, they have also been used as a means of honoring the dead as well. While some may find it strange to honor someone who has died, this practice is mainly used on famed warriors and leaders that have proven themselves to earn this right. Own a ship is a sign of wealth, and according to their beliefs, only those worthy are allowed to sail to the highest reach of the afterlife and achieve their rewards. The methods differ from burning the ship with the body or burying it underground as a tomb, but both achieve their purpose.

Decorative Heads

Dragons roam here! by Jamie McCaffrey

A key feature on most longboats is a wooden carving on the front of the ship. This often wooden figurehead in the shape of a monster, often being a Dragon. While it is debated by outsiders if this is used just for decoration or to intimidate enemies remains uncertain, it does allow the ship to be distinguished more.