Marlin, Muldravian

Description

The Marlin-class battle cruiser, or "Warfish," is the standard spelljamming ship of the Muldravian empire in the sphere of Solaris. It is large and ruggedly built, resembling the marine animal for which it is named. It is built along lines similar to a Hammership, and it can be used in the same ways. In fact, the designers of the marlin derived the design from a hammership, with the objective of finding ways to carry more cargo or passengers, without making the ship bulky and clumsy, like a whale ship.

A Marlin can be used as a warship, heavy freighter, troop transport, and even as a mobile command center. As noted above, the Marlin can perform all of the tasks that a Hammership can, and in many cases it can do them better. It is unlikely that the Marlin will make the Hammership obsolete for a long time, if ever. The extensive sail system of a Marlin is vital for the ship to maintain maneuverability, and special training is required to handle them. A special proficiency is not necessary; anyone with the proficiency "Spacemanship" can learn how to handle a Marlin if an expert is consulted. Such experts are difficult to find, and when they are they are either unwilling to help (claiming military secrecy) or charge a very high price. In short, the deck crew of a Marlin is difficult and expensive to field. In these cases most people would prefer to run a simple, reliable Hammership, using a standard crew. Another problem is the cost of a Marlin's helm. A Marlin requires a cost ly major helm (or a newfangled Network helm) to operate. A Hammership can operate on a minor helm (however poorly), making it easier to afford. Those who have worked on a Marlin, however, swear by them.

Marlins in military service typically travel in "pods" of three. The Muldravian Empire has almost forty Marlins in service, and half of them are on patrol within the Solaris sphere at a given time. Occasionally, a single Marlin will leave the sphere on a specific mission. Such missions could be the pursuit of an enemy ship, espionage, exploration, or political. Outside of the Solaris sphere, a Muldravian Marlin always has a specific mission objective.

In combat, the Marlin is a formidable opponent. It is surprisingly maneuverable for a ship its size and it can withstand large amounts of damage before breaking up. It can easily defeat a single Nautaloid, pirate Squid ship, even a Mindspider, and it can usually prevail against a Hammership or Man-O-War, depending on the crew. A single Marlin with a full complement crack crew can even defeat a Dreadnought, while two or three can defeat a Deathspider, Jade Spider, or a renegade Armada. Against such opponents, however, high casualties are expected. No Marlin pods have ever engaged a Tsunami.

While the external lines of a Marlin are sleek to the point of elegance, the internal layout of a Marlin is very simple, and many find it uncomfortable. One commentator called it a "case study of efficiency over ascetics." There are many large open spaces with low ceilings, the decks are connected by ladders as opposed to stairs, and the main deck is dominated by the sailfin and shuttle cribs (see below). The large areas are provided for storing cargo, equipment, and for use as crew barracks. On combat and patrol missions, a Marlin typically carries a full complement, with several mages and priests to take turns at the helm, recharge the air envelope, and maintain food and water supplies. Solaris is an abnormally large sphere, so some missions can run as long as eight months. Espionage and politically motivated missions (such as diplomacy with another sphere) typically carry half complement. Exploration missions also carry a full complement, and sometimes the ship has additio nal rigging laced into the sailfins to increase maneuverability (topping out).

The main deck usually comes with two cribs for small shuttles, or "skiffs." They are usually stored with the mast removed, but when assembled, these small ships look like sailboats with a fish-head prow. They weigh about two tons, and can carry as many as six individuals. They are designed as landing craft only, and are powered by a device similar to a "Rudder of Propulsion." As such, they are not capable of spelljamming speeds.

Other Configurations

There are no standard variations on the Marlin design, although custom designed ships exist. Even though the Marlin originated in the Solaris sphere, the design has began to appear elsewhere, in a variety of uses.

Merchant Ship: The most common alteration is for use as a merchant vessel. With the ability to carry more cargo that even a Hammership, and with only a slightly larger crew, wealthy merchants like the Marlin. When stripped of its weapons, the Marlin can easily make the transition from warship to tradership.

Free Adventuring: Adventurers who have a lot of money sometimes refit a Marlin for their own use. Such adventurers typically need to hire some crew to help handle the ship. The Marlin is also a favorite choice of mercenary companies, who sail between the spheres selling their services where needed. One such company operates openly in Realmspace, and maintains an office in Waterdeep!

Pirates: Sadly, pirates also like the Marlin. Such groups tend to be large and well equipped, often boasting several ships. In these cases, the Marlin is used as a command ship, while smaller ships do the grind work. Such is not always the case, however. The piercing ram can make short work of a Tradesman, and many pirates have discovered this, much to their delight. If you ever see a Marlin with pirate markings, your best bet is to 'jam out of there as fast as your helm will allow.

Non-Human Crews: Though designed for Humans, the Marlin is also used by Elves, often as a supply ship. Halfling and Illusionist Gnome crews are not uncommon either. Krynnish Gnomes love the extensive gear and pulley system for the sails, and often try to "improve" it. Such ships usually end up impaled on an asteroid. Illithids and other "underworld" races dislike the ship, because of the large, open main deck. A company of Drow merchants are know to operate one, however, and they have covered the main deck with an opaque net.

Deckplans

Illustration