Ships of the Dark Ages and Medieval Period

[mayapuppies]

Hello all,

The first part of the campaign will be on a ship as it is arriving in the Port of Marsten and I wanted to give a proper nautical feel to the experience. Something I am very unfamiliar with, unfortunately. So I have a couple of questions on this topic:

1. What kind of ships were available after the fall of Rome and into the crusades era? I have a gap in my knowledge that begins with Triremes and then leaps to "pirate" ships.

2. What would be a "proper" docking procedure for a newly arrived merchant ship? I read somewhere that a small rowboat would be sent to the incoming ship (which would anchor in bay) that contained the Port Master and he would speak to the Captain about his cargo and then determine his order of docking...does that sound about right?

[Old Man]

Roundships and galleys (and dromonds) were the standard up until about the 13th century.

http://traumwerk.stanford.edu/projec...aelShanks/1450
http://www.ageofsail.net/aostermi.asp

[gojira]

2. What would be a "proper" docking procedure for a newly arrived merchant ship? I read somewhere that a small rowboat would be sent to the incoming ship (which would anchor in bay) that contained the Port Master and he would speak to the Captain about his cargo and then determine his order of docking...does that sound about right?

If I were a captain in a new port I'd be more worried about running aground on some unseen obstacle than "docking order." I'd send a small rowboat ahead to take soundings (depth with a string and weight), just to make sure. If the harbormaster wants to come out, bully for him. A local fisherman in a small boat looking to make some extra coin is more likely.

I think it would also depend on how controlled the port was. Really well defended ports would have a huge chain across the opening to deny invaders and lawbreakers easy access. Something like a Freeport would probably have no controls and docking order would be "tie up where you like."

[mayapuppies]

Very cool! Thanks

[mayapuppies]

If I were a captain in a new port I'd be more worried about running aground on some unseen obstacle than "docking order." I'd send a small rowboat ahead to take soundings (depth with a string and weight), just to make sure. If the harbormaster wants to come out, bully for him. A local fisherman in a small boat looking to make some extra coin is more likely.

I think it would also depend on how controlled the port was. Really well defended ports would have a huge chain across the opening to deny invaders and lawbreakers easy access. Something like a Freeport would probably have no controls and docking order would be "tie up where you like."

The port is the ex-capital of the Igaridan Confederacy and is a major trading center, well-known throughout southern Aleron and on some of the nearer continents. I'm trying to find a Roman city that I can equate it to, actually. But traffick is very well controlled and "orderly".

[gojira]

I don't think the harbormaster himself should come out, maybe a minor functionary.

There should be a fee for the assissted docking by the functionary. Maybe a fisherman would do it cheaper but the port officials might take offense at missing their payment.

The boat should wait for advice, and favourable tides and winds. The functionary should have local knowlege about tides and weather to help. In a pinch (no wind at all), it can be towed in by a couple of it's own boats. In rough weather (storms, etc.) the boat should run for open water, as being too close to shore is a good way to wreck.

Ship captains who visit frequently should have special arrangements, discount rates, etc.

Just my 2 nickles...

[keithcurtis]

The harbor master or an agent would need to inspect any ship before it docks so that they can assess the need for and amount of any tariff, taxes or other control upon the cargo. At the very least, a slip/dock/wharf needs to be assigned. A ship can't just sail up to any open dock and start unloading slaves, guns or alcohol.

If you have Valdorian Age, there's some very good stuff in there about harbor inspectors, the potential for graft and other corruption, story ideas, etc.

Keith "Valdorian Pimp" Curtis

[gojira]

Here's a quick link to a page I just posted on Christopher Columbus. There's some info on navigation, types of ships, ship speed, crew size, etc. Note that here they seem to indentify ship size by volume (toneladas) of capacity, not weight. This is of course late medieval and early Renaissance, not strictly medieval.

http://www.columbusnavigation.com/

[gojira]

Note to self: a one ton cask of water (2000 lb) would be 32 cubic feet, or 3' x 3' x 4.5' or so. A 2000 lb cask of wine seems much more realistic than I thought.

[LordGhee]

Delos became the biggest port under the romans, The romans gave them the license not to pay tax, so thier port rates where the cheapest and this casuse the fall of rhodes, the commerical center of the ageian for a thousand years and generly unfriendly to Rome. delos became the center for the slave trade which feed the roman hunger for slaves.
a quick google and this on frist page.

http://www.culture.gr/2/21/211/21121a/e211ua06.html

Lord Ghee.

[Teflon Billy]

The port is the ex-capital of the Igaridan Confederacy and is a major trading center, well-known throughout southern Aleron and on some of the nearer continents. I'm trying to find a Roman city that I can equate it to, actually. But traffick is very well controlled and "orderly".

Something like Constantinople, maybe?

TB

[Thia Halmades]

Don't confuse liquid tonnes with solid tons. They're two different units of measurement, IIRC.

this is a touch out of my league - I focus on Man o' War and Ships o' th' Line, since my campaign is set during the Age of Sail. But iif you need to know about cannon ball weight, I'd be happy to help.

[Curufea]

Something like Constantinople, maybe?

TB

Also Ostia

[Lumbering Ox]

I was on a replication ship in Bonivista IIRC. Based on one that crossed the Atlantic back in the 1490's early 1500's

One comment.

Damn it was small. You never would have thunk it. Always assumed those early sea going boats were bigger.

[Talon]

I read somewhere that a small rowboat would be sent to the incoming ship (which would anchor in bay) that contained the Port Master and he would speak to the Captain about his cargo and then determine his order of docking...does that sound about right?

Sounds reminiscent of the pilot procedure used today -- a local pilot comes out and steers the ship into port (since local pilots will be much more familiar with the harbor than travellers, and a sunk/damaged ship hurts the port).

I would say you have the main factors identified: assessment of cargo for taxation, assigning a location for docking, safely navigating the harbor. Come up with whatever procedure suits your fancy, and if the PCs complain that it wasn't done that way, remind them that this is a fantasy world not Earth.