While other kingdoms experimented with ships of more exotic designs and constructions, the Old Empire never strayed far from its original galèra (galleys). Since the Late Empire most galèra have been replaced with orgar (lateen xebecs) and môrógar (pinks), with the bol órgar (polacre-style) being introduced in the 12th century HK. The rivers of Panæð, Lanàdus, Jadð and coasts of Æzàlar remain resplendent with the smaller but colorfully sailed sar órgar (feluccas); known along the Run Sulūð as sorájar.

Types

Orgar

The workhorse of the Dekàli city-states, the orgar are versatile ships used for commerce, war and often a combination of the two. The orgar are characterized by the lateen sails (the foremast being tilting forward, i.e. raked) and an overhanging stern. Some orgar had a ram attached above the waterline of the bow to form a prow. Old Empire statistics for the orgar fall average:

• Length: 90 ft.
• Beam: 24 ft.
• Depth: 10 ft.
• Crew: 20 (skeleton); 25 (moderate); 50 (complete)
• Speed: 10 (sail)
• Cargo: 60 tons
• Transport: 200

Fast and maneuverable, the orgar are swift under sail and able to employ 10-20 oars when the wind dies. The orgar of the First Acèntyri-Dekàli War were renown for being able to sail circles around heavily laden Vulmùri merchant ships, and easily escape Acèntyri naval vessels.

Môrógar

The most common merchant ship of the Dekàli Empire, the Môrògar served as the workhorses of the Old Empire for many centuries. In recent years, some môrógar have been replaced by the bol órgar but there remain many harbors that continue to use the môrógar because they are cheaper to build and require a smaller crews. A smaller crew is possible due to the size of the ship and the fewer number of sails. Presently, the ships are most commonly used by small merchant companies and pirates while larger companies and guilds employ the bol órgar.

• Length: 65 ft.
• Beam: 17 ft.
• Depth: 11 ft.
• Crew: 6 (skeleton); 9 (moderate); 12 (complete)
• Speed: 8 (sail)
• Cargo: 50 tons
• Transport: 20

Similar to the orgar, the môrógar have a more spacious hull and a less pronounced bow and stern. Unlike the bol órgar (see below), all the sails of the môrógar are lateen, again with the foremast raked (like the orgar). Most môrógar were smaller ships (relative to orgar) with the characteristic narrow stern of its ancestor. Today, the môrógar remains the numerous merchant ship and can be seen in the waters near every city-state of the Old Empire.

Bol Orgar

A frigate variation of the orgar used by merchants, the bol órgar is characterized by a more full hull and square sails of its main and sometimes mizzenmast. Bol órgar have lateen foremasts.

• Length: 65 ft.
• Beam: 17 ft.
• Depth: 11 ft.
• Crew: 6 (skeleton); 9 (moderate); 12 (complete)
• Speed: 8 (sail)
• Cargo: 50 tons
• Transport: 20

The bol órgar are believed to have appeared in the first century DR and were used for moving agricultural produce between the Fertile Coast of Kændal and Panæð. They are credited with establishing communications and trade between the isolated city-states following the Occupation.

Rul Orgar

A preceding design for the bol órgar were the rul órgar (warship) used by the Dekàli navy during the Second Acèntyri-Dekàli war to little avail. The rul órgar were equipped with three to twelve bombards, a development that would have made a much larger difference if employed in a different style of war. Only a handful of these ships were ever made, and most were burned by invading Eylfāe armies. A single rul órgar remains, painstakingly maintained in fighting condition within the port of Terázya, a few miles north of Ōddon, where a number of the ships were originally built).

Galèra

The oldest of ships used in the Old Empire, galèra are mostly unchanged since the time of King Anðús Terrud two millennia ago. Early Dekàlyr used standard galèra but by the Middle Empire brāgàl (biremes) began to appear across Mar Dèkali. The Empire never developed triremes though their use in eastern Tassèrus was noted by Æzàlari scholars as early as the third century HK.

Royal galèra of the Late Empire were constructed without masts. These largely featureless ships were used to transport important goods and persons between the city-states. The tireless precision with which the ships were oared led many of the time to believe that the ships were mechanical. Their unerring navigation of turbulent waters and dangerous passages led still others to surmise that their power and control was magic. Few suspected the use of young mar ēyrad. The mar ēyrad were children born on ships at sea that were blinded at birth and used as guides for long voyages or for safe passage through treacherous waters. The ritual blinding gave the children a ken for navigation. The practice of using mar ēyrad was abandoned in the Middle Empire, when it was determined that no Yrūn might be enslaved within the Empire without a contract for freedom.