Out of desperations the Mayedans invented windships in the year 397, after noticing the floating properties of some objects in the Yellow Lands. When they traded their knowledge for resources both the Pontari and Hoshen also gained the craft. Today, all the Lovrinn (races of men), Zirtese and even the Azor-Naraza know the art of building windships. The Prang have no interest is such craft -- favoring their ridge rakes -- and the the Zu'ar aren't a builder culture. Despite all being called windships, each culture has brought something to the Mayedan's original creation.
The Mayedans primarily build fast ships that are able to cut the treacherous wind currents above and below the Yellow Lands as well as the Eversea. Their sand-encrusted sleek hulls are sparkling, often painted in one color with may hues. Most larger Mayedans ships have abandoned traditional sails in favor of Pontari catchsails, but stick with traditional sails on their smaller vessels. Mayedan ships are notoriously short on cargo space, but often mix crew and cargo in a pinch.
The Pontari learned to build large vessels designed for large trade and people/animal transport. Their ships are generally slow, but durable. They're often ornately painted with exquisite colors to help hide their bulbous shape. Because their vessels were so so ponderous, the Pontari invented a better wind-catching sail they called the Catchsail, which helps dramatically speed up their slow ships. The trade-off is that catchsails isn't as easy to maneuver.
Unconventionally, Hoshen ships are less rounded and soft, and typically have right angles in the form of squares and rectangles. Many see their ships had ugly, but Hoshens think otherwise. They lacquer their hulls, much like their weapons, armors and buildings. Not surprisingly, the Hoshen contribution to windship technolgies was in the form of weapons and defenses, not speed or other functionality. Of key importance, the Hoshens invented skyfire (a burning resin akin to napalm), net walls (for use against Prang), deck cages, etc.
The Zirtese invented their own unique flyers called Boskyn flyers -- made from the Boskyn pods -- but have adapted some of their creations to benefit windships as well. The Zirtese discovered a type of tree that if trained at an early age, can move and flex itself upon touch -- even after harvesting retain this ability. They call poles created from these trees flexpoles. On windships, flexpoles are a optimal way to affix sails instead of traditial poles, because they work better than traditional riggings and require fewer crew to operate.
Mayedan Corsair
The Sword of the
Solodan represents a classic breed of Mayedan
merchant/pirate vessels intended for quick maneuvering and small
cargo runs that need to duke it out with true warships. While some
are legit, most ply the skies for easy plunder.
FRAME: 20x10, 200
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Windship, 192'x24'. Speed: Very fast.
Handling: Extreme. Stability:
Poor. Armor: Good. Armaments: 3
light stingers, 1 heavy stinger, 4 skyfire chutes.
Accommodations: 8 crew, 10 passengers, medium
cargo.
Mayedan Watership
The Mayasa is one of
the few remaining original windships the Mayedan's built to
desperately acquire water from the Eversea. As water collectors,
the 118' waterships take to the skies rather poorly, but are
watersound enough to land in water and store large volumes of
water. They are by no means fast or maneuverable, but waterships
are sound, strong vessels -- if a bit antiquated.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Windship,118'x33'. Speed: Slow.
Handling: Poor. Stability:
Excellent. Armor: Good.
Armaments: 2 light stingers.
Accommodations: 7 crew, 5 passengers, large
cargo.
Mayedan Runner
The Kalibaz is a
elegant Mayedan Runner. At 60' long, it's not a massive ship, but
it's strong 'catch-sail' and large steer-sail give it exemplary
performance need for fast travel, trade or raiding. Mayedan
Runner's come in numerous variations, but basic performance is
similar.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Small
Windship, 66'x18'. Speed: Excellent.
Handling: Excellent. Stability:
Good. Armor: Fair. Armaments: 2
light stingers. Accommodations: 4 crew, 6
passengers, small cargo.
Mayedan Hunter
The Shrike is as popular
Mayedan Hunter boat design that has proven exceptionally rugged and
perfectly suited for coastal, inland and underside travel around
the Yellow Lands. While sound for open sky flight, its lack of a
cabin, save for a cargo hold, it's 31' hull makes it cramped and
dangerous for long duties during bad weather. However, its
wing-sail does offer good protection from exposure to the dual suns
of Rhunyen, and rain. Hunters are employed for many practical
(hunting/travel) and illicit duties. Many Mayedan Hunters are towed
(or stored) by larger ships as both launches and lifeboats.
[RizerGS STATS]
Frame: Large Flitter, 31'x11'. Speed: Fair.
Handling: Good. Stability:
Excellent. Armor: Excellent.
Armaments: none. Accommodations:
1 crew, 1 passenger, tiny ton cargo.
Mayedan Flitter
The Renee is a
quintessential Mayedan Flitters. Flitters are employed mainly as
travel boats in and around inhabited regions for the purpose of
recreation as well as transportation. At 22', the Renee is a
simple, reliable vessel that because of is flexpole sail is easily
piloted by just one person. Flitters are fairly stable, but their
hulls are very flimsy.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Flitter, 22'x8'. Speed: Good.
Handling: Good. Stability: Fair.
Armor: Poor. Armaments: none.
Accommodations: 1 crew, 1 passenger, tiny
cargo.
Pontari Merchant Lord
The Azul, is a Pontari
Merchant Lord, which represents the mainstay of the Pontari
merchant fleets. Spanning 210' Merchant Lords are an exceptional
merchant vessels: big, rugged and capable of hauling passengers and
cargo anywhere, as well as defending themselves admirably. Though
they lack maneurablity, they are tremendously stable and with a
massive catch-sail can attain excellent speeds.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Large
Windship, 210'x55'. Speed: Good.
Handling: Poor. Stability:
Excellent. Armor: Good.
Armaments: 2 light stingers, 2 heavy stingers.
Accommodations: 10 crew, 18 passengers, massive
cargo.
Pontari Windwar
The Bakt is a
well-known Pontari Windwar that has patrolled the Potari skies for
decades. At 151' long, it's distinctive open midsection is designed
to accommodate a wide-range of repositionable deck weapons or large
groups are archers; it also has 2 skyfire chutes (underside). The
Windwar's unique design gives it great flexibility in bombarding
ground targets with massive damage or broadsiding other
windships.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Large
Windship, 151'x32'. Speed: Good.
Handling: Fair. Stability: Good.
Armor: Excellent. Armaments: 2
light stingers, 2 heavy stingers, 1 net thrower, 4 skyfire chutes.
Accommodations: 12 crew, 10 passengers, light
cargo.
Pontari Freetrader
The Tyr-tareen is a
common Pontari Freetrader with an uncountable number of similar
ships. While a mere 49', Freetraders are nonetheless a very sound
design with a modest sized hold that's easily crewed by 2 people.
It's fanned sail design gives it excellent climb/decent speed, but
poor underside visibility.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Small
Windship, 49'x16' . Speed: Good.
Handling: Good. Stability: Good.
Armor: Poor. Armaments: none.
Accommodations: 2 crew, 2 passengers, light
cargo.
Pontari Tri-sail
The Randiri is a
Pontari Tri-sail, which employs an antiquated tri-sail design.
Despite this, Tri-sails are still popular amongst the Pontari
nobility and as passenger ships. Tri-sails are just 55' long but
are quick turning (due to its folding tri-sail), very stable and
attain good speeds in most wind conditions. Their one flaw is that
the tri-sail arrangement requires double the crew of other sail
designs.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Windship, 85'x29' . Speed: Good.
Handling: Excellent. Stability:
Excellent. Armor: Poor.
Armaments: 1 light stinger.
Accommodations: 8 crew, 13 passengers, medium
cargo.
Pontari Shard
The Shard of Annon is
an fairly unremarkable and common Pontari Shard -- a 1-person boat.
While only 16' long, it's 100% watersound making it very handy for
romantic interludes on Pontari's many natural ponds and contructed
canals.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Small
Flitter, 16'x7'. Speed: Fair.
Handling: Good. Stability: Fair.
Armor: Poor. Armaments: none.
Accommodations: 1 crew, tiny cargo.
Hoshen Reaper
The Black Wind is a
legendary Hoshen Reaper that has patrolled, er I mean terrorized,
the skies for decades. She has even partaken in the
Pontari-sponsored Windship Regatta and won 3 times. Reapers were
built as fast escorts for the slow, pondering Troopers and
devastating Skyhammers, and coastal patrol ships. Spanning 128' and
attaining astounding airspeeds (employing a catch-sail design), the
Black Wind is a sight to behold.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Windship, 128'x19' . Speed: Phenomenal.
Handling: Excellent. Stability:
Fair. Armor: Good. Armaments: 2
light stingers, 2 swarmers, 1 net thrower.
Accommodations: 8 crew, 3 passengers, light
cargo.
Hoshen Blade
The Soul of Khul is a
small Hoshen Blade, which are extremely fast and notoriously
dangerous to fly . Being only 6' wide (deckside), they offer little
in the way of stability or deck, however their inherent design
gives Blades phenomenal performance in the hands of a skilled
pilot.
[RizerGS STATS] Frame: Medium
Flitter, 26'x6. Speed: Excellent.
Handling: Good. Stability: Poor.
Armor: Poor. Armaments: none.
Accommodations: 1 crew, tiny cargo.
