Galleon (Ship)

## Galleon

The Galleon is a spelljamming ship built and used by groundling humans.

## Description

Not designed for use in space, the Galleon is the best of the craft used by groundlings who first discover space travel and acquire a spelljamming helm. While more suitable for space travel than other groundling ships, the Galleon suffers from some of the same drawbacks as most groundling ships taken into space, but to a lesser extent. The Galleon has poor maneuverability and armour, although it can comfortably carry more than enough men to fully crew it while in space, and it carries what is generally considered to be adequate weaponry.

## Crew

When used as a spelljamming vessel, the number of crew required to operate the Galleon is significantly lower than the crew required to operate it as a sailing ship. Whereas a seafaring Galleon will usually have a crew of about 130 men, and may even carry as many as 500 men including passengers, a Galleon which carries this number of men into space will quickly foul its air envelope. Most spelljamming Galleons carry a full crew of 30 men, sufficient to handle the ship and its weaponry, while allowing some spare crew to help out as needed.

## Ship Uses

*Trader:* Galleons make adequate trading vessels in space, and are the ships of choice for many of the more thoughtful groundling nations which dabble in spelljamming. While the Galleon does not perform as well in space as ships specifically designed for spelljamming, it is nevertheless an adequate ship, and has the advantage that it can easily trade with groundling nations without attracting much attention. The cargo holds of the Galleon are large enough that the ship can carry a significant amount of trade goods to and from foreign worlds. Most Galleons in space remain on well-travelled trade routes within a single sphere, where their chances of running into trouble are relatively low.

*Explorer:* Some groundling nations use a handful of Galleons as exploration vessels. These ships will generally be royally chartered, and are expected to explore and bring back wonders and riches from the cosmos, as well as tales that will enhance the prestige of the royal house. Because each Galleon represents a significant investment, and its safe return is so important, the ship will usually be manned by the best and brightest heroes that the country can gather together. As a result, pirates attacking a royal explorer often find that once they attempt to board the ship, they are badly outclassed by the Galleon's crew.

## Other Configurations

*Gunship:* Some of the more technologically advanced groundling nations prefer this version of the Galleon, which they use primarily as a vessel of war. In this configuration the ballistas and catapult are stripped out. In their place the Gunship mounts an impressive 10 bombards, two in the forecastle (one is able to fire forward or to port, while the other can fire forward or to starboard), two in the stern castle (one able to fire aft or to port, and the other able to fire aft or to starboard), and six on the main deck (three facing port, and three facing starboard). Cargo space on the Gunship shrinks to a mere 5 tons. These ships require a full 50 men to operate the ship and her weaponry at peak efficiency, but usually carry about twice that. Gunship Galleons are short-range craft, but are feared in the spheres in which they are known, since they can deliver a truly devastating broadside. The giff are particularly impressed by this configuration of the Galleon. The Gunship Galleon design has led to the recent development of the Clipper vessel by an advanced groundling culture using giff mercenaries.