Leandros (/ Li:andros /)
The Leandros is a modern oceangoing sailing vessel specifically optimized for carrying large quantities of cargo or people under the conditions of the Tealestrian Sea, and Eastern Yulan Ocean. The Leandros is exceptionally large, and examples of this type of ship are some of the largest currently operating sailing vessels. The Leandros is relatively rare, being recent, fairly expensive, and only produced in a few shipyards. As a result, it is largely in possession of a handful of larger shipping companies, and, less frequently in the fleets of major Tealestrian sea powers. Most Leandroi are built to relatively similar specifications with almost all Leandroi on the ocean displacing around 750 tonnes with cargo holds rated to about 500 tonnes capacity. Leandroi are effective bulk cargo haulers, and almost all Leandroi in service are flagship cargo ships for major shipping companies. A few enterprising merchants however, have adapted the interior of Leandroi into some of the most comfortable passenger carriers in the known world.
The general plan of a Leandros calls for a long narrow ship with a no proper forecastle, and a relatively small sterncastle. The possess three discreet decks, not counting the sterncastle. The top deck, known as the gun deck is the primary deck for the ship's main guns. The central, main deck serves as the primary quarters for crew members and many of the ship's service and utility areas. The lower deck, the hold is the primary cargo space for the ship and includes multiple distinct cargo compartments including a fairly sizable dedicated strongroom. Some captains convert some of these spaces into quarters for passengers on the ship, though this modification is fairly rare. The Leandros has all the major features of a modern sailing ship, cargo cranes, launches and limited, but powerful armament. The Leandros, due to its large size and relative abundance on available space offers room for additional luxuries including dedicated privies, and multiple strongrooms.
The only major builders of Leandroi are the major shipbuilders in the Republic of Nikea, Exarchate of Korentis, and, recently the Dotharan Alliance, as the large, well developed industrial shipyards and the numerous skilled shipwrights of those states have the capacity to build Leandroi properly. Technique has not significantly diverged over time and styles of Leandros are fairly rare, limited primarily individual modifications. The most common alternate Leandroi are those modified to serve as passenger ships.
Propulsion
The Leandros is a sailing ship and is therefore propelled by its sails almost exclusively. These ships are almost exclusively square rigged, though some Feloran examples do have Lanteen rigged. Leandroi possess four masts two main masts, a mizzenmast, and a foremast. The mizzenmast is anchored into the Quarterdeck and the stern of the ship, and is usually ketch rigged. The mainmasts are the larges being approximately equal in height, or with the sternmost mainmast being slightly taller than the one closer to the bow, these two are square rigged generally. The foremast is anchored towards the bow of the ship, and holds in place both the mast's own sails, and the bowsprit sails. The Leandros is steered by a rudder attached to the stern of the ship. Leandroi are surprisingly fast for their size, being capable of outrunning even smaller vessels in ideal conditions.
Weapons & Armament
At the pinnacle of modern ship design, the Leandros is a gun armed ship, and almost all of its offensive potential is expected to come from guns. It is relatively modestly armed with only ten guns unless modified to carry more. Eight of those guns however, are heavy duty cannon, as opposed to culverins, and therefore the Leandros possesses a surprising amount of firepower for the size of its gun battery. Most Leandroi also have smaller swivel guns that are used primarily to kill the crew members of hostile ships, or for the purposes of shooting warning shoots in an attempt to scare away would be attackers.
Armor and defense
Leandroi are despite not being warships, surprisingly hardy with reinforced wooden hulls. A Leandros can take several volleys from culverins, or a few from cannon before becoming compromised. This means that they can take severe punishment from anything short of larger dedicated warships, allowing it to escape from anything it cannot outgun. Leandroi due to their size, and construction have multiple compartments that help resist flooding to a certain extent, allowing them to remain afloat even under hostile conditions, or having taken damage in combat. Magical reinforcement is relatively rare, as is the case with most ships, though their purchasers are much more likely to spend money on reinforcing these ships over others meaning a higher proportion of Leandroi are reinforced than many other classes of ship.
Price
115,000 Gold Coin
Rarity
Rare
Related Technologies
Width
Usually 10m (30ft)
Length
Usually 170m (560ft), discounting bowsprit
Height
Usually 53m (175ft)
Weight
Usually 750 tonnes (827 short tons)
Speed
Generally capable of 10kn under moderate conditions
Complement / Crew
75-100
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
Usually 500 tonnes (551 short tons)
