Dragon Ships

Dragon Ships was the name given to the ships built by Lycene that plied the waters of the Serpente Sea from Y310 - 1020 AE. Built for speed with a symmetrical design build along a long length compared to waist, these ships were built for speed. Their shallow draft made them difficult to handle in stormy weather, but allowed even the largest to navigate the rivers, fjords, and inlets common on the shoreline.

Early Years

The first Dragon Ships appeared in Y310. It was an open-topped skin boat with a wooden or whalebone frame pegged and lashed together. Whale oil was used to seal the seams. Normally they would be 9-12 meters (30 - 40 feet) in length, while the largest ever built was 18 m (60 ft) long. The prow would traditionally have dragon head with an open mouth. When hunting the Lycene would put fresh meat into the dragon's mouth. If raiding along the coast they would place something valuable instead.

These ships are light enough for several men to carry. They would travel up and down the coast of the sea, only venturing out of sight from the land during the calmer summer months. Without a true keel they could capsize in heavy seas.

Sea Raiders

The most fearsome and well-remembered ships were those built starting in Y520. These ships were larger than previous designs; although maintained a slender waist. As with previous designs they had symmetrical ends, but included a true keel. They were a lapstrake design with overlapping boards replacing stretched skin. The early dragon head prow grew larger and more pronounced with designs varying by builder.

As with earlier designs most of the Sea Raiders built had shallow drafts, but in Y730 a larger design with a wider beam was introduced. Most of these ships averaged 18 m (60 ft) in length with a beam of 5 m (16 ft). The hull was capable of carrying 125 tons of goods. These larger vessels depended on sail-power, using oars only during dead wind.