Prydwen is an Aleath-based nivik, or H�rnic knarr, specializing in the salt and metal trade. Operating between Kanday's main port and Thay, she trades Thardic salt for the Melderyni metal required to meet the demands of Kanday's crafters. With a length of 42', Prydwen is larger than most coastal traders but still capable of navigating H�rn's major rivers.
Length: 42' | Beam: 13' 8" | Draft: 4' 2" | Freeboard: 2' 9" | Gross Burthen: 40.3 tons |
Prydwen's longest haul is the 25-day return trip from Thay. To provide for his comfort on this long passage, the owner-captain had a small cabin designed into the ship. But rather than attempt to store nearly a month's provisions aboard, the lockers were designed to hold only 15 days of food and water. That leaves space for 25 tons of cargo but forces Prydwen to stop at Cape Horab or one of the gulf islands to take on resupply of food and water as she passes. In spite of the delay involved, both captain and crew are happy to have the fresh food and water instead of the usual fare of long-distance sailors.
Cabin: | 2 tons |
Crew Quarters: | 7 tons |
Provisions (15 days): | 2.25 tons |
Ship's Boat: | 2.2 ton |
Anchors (3): | 1.2 ton |
Spares: | 0.4 ton |
Total: | 15.05 tons |
Cargo Capacity: | 25.25 tons |
The ship's boat is a pinda, used mainly to shuttle crew and supplies when the ship is at anchor.
Position | Rating | Daily Wage |
Captain | 10d | |
Pilot | 8d | |
Appr. Pilot | 0 | |
Mate | AB | 4d |
Bosun | AB | 3d |
Deckhand (2) | AB | 2d x 2 = 4d |
Deckhand (6) | OS | 1d x 6 = 6d |
Deckhand (2) | DB | 0 |
The ship's officers (Captain and Pilot) normally do not receive wages but instead share in the ship's profits. But any share of profits that works out to less than the daily-wage rate will be considered as a loss of income. So, in calculating the ship's operating costs, we will include their daily wage rate in our calculations of costs.
Depreciation | 6.13d |
Registry | 5.83d |
Repairs | 22d |
Wages | 35d |
Provisions | 7.5d |
Total | 76.46d |
Golotha | Aleath* | Ulfshaven | Burzyn | Cherafir | Thay | Vaagal | |
Pilotage | 40d | 35d | 100d | 12d | 50d | 45d | 20d |
Wharfage | 42d | 18d | 168d | 31.5d | 84d | 42d | 84d |
Cargo handling | 18.75d | 31.25d | 75d | 25d | 37.5d | 31.25 | 25d |
Total | 100.75d | 84.25d | 343d | 68.5d | 171.5d | 118.25d | 129d |
These costs represent the expense of delivering a 25-ton cargo to the specified port -- i.e. the ship proceeds directly to the wharf upon arrival and unloads its full cargo onto the docks. The same figures apply to the case of a ship already at the docks taking on a full cargo and then departing. In the case of a ship arriving, unloading its cargo, taking on new cargo, and then departing, double the amounts shown for pilotage and cargo handling. The indicated costs reflect the discounts applicable to the ship in its port of registry. They do not include the costs incurred by delay in arranging repairs or finding buyers and new cargo (which will reflect in anchorage costs and additional pilotage fees).
Use the information above and an estimate of the passage time between ports (click here: ) to estimate the costs of the passage. Please note that these figures do not include time spent in port waiting for repairs, or the time involved in arranging the sale or acquisition of cargo.
At Aleath, Pryden takes aboard 25 tons of cargo that her client's trading partners have been accumulating in the city's warehouses. The cargo consists mostly of Thardic salt and brassware, but there are also quantities of perfumes from Shiran as well as several tons of Aleath's famed linens. All of it is bound for Thay, where the ship arrives after an 13-day passage across the Gulf of Ederwyn and around the island of Melderyn. Prydwen delivers her cargo directly to her client's Thay-based partners, who are waiting at the docks and arrange to have the entire cargo immediately placed into bond. The actual cost of transportation totals 1,197 pence ( (76.46d/day x 13days) + 84.25d + 118.25d = 1196.48d). With an assumed profit margin of 30% to the ship's owners, the ship's captain will charge 1,710 pence for the passage. (1196.48d / 0.7 = 1709.26d; note the actual price charged will have been negotiated in advance, based on the captain's estimation of the costs involved.)
The prorated cost to the mercantyler of carrying one ton of cargo from Aleath to Thay aboard Prydwen is about 69 pence.
The straight-line distance between Aleath and Thay is 205 leagues (41 hexes); the cost per hex for one ton of cargo is about 1.68d.
As the ship sails, the distance between Aleath and Thay is 415 leagues (83 hexes); the cost per hex for one ton of cargo is about 0.83d.
If the cargo had gone by land, it would have traveled 355 leagues (71 hexes); in this case, the equivalent cost per hex for one ton of cargo (for comparison with land-transportation rates only) is about 0.97d.
Once her holds are empty, Prydwen fills them with bulk ingots of lead, tin, copper, and zinc that are awaiting the return passage to Aleath. She sets sail and heads for home, arriving there 32 days later to unload her cargo on Aleath's docks. The actual cost of transportation totals 2,608 pence ( (76.46d/day x 32days) + 76.25d + 84.25d = 2607.22d; note that since Prydwen already paid for wharfage at Thay, it is not included again here). With an assumed profit margin of 30% to the ship's owners, the ship's captain will charge 3,725 pence for the passage. (2607.22d / 0.7 = 3724.6d; note the actual price charged will have been negotiated in advance, based on the captain's estimation of the costs involved.)
The prorated cost to the mercantyler of carrying one ton of cargo from Thay to Aleath aboard Prydwen is about 149 pence.
The straight-line distance between Thay and Aleath is 205 leagues (41 hexes); the cost per hex for one ton of cargo is about 3.63d.
As the ship sails, the distance between Thay and Aleath is 415 leagues (83 hexes); the cost per hex for one ton of cargo is 1.79d.
If the cargo had gone by land, it would have traveled 355 leagues (71 hexes); in this case, the equivalent cost per hex for one ton of cargo (for comparison with land-transportation rates only) is 2.09d.