Junk (ship)

Design

Junks are a type of ship most common off the coasts of the Blessed Isle, with hulls curving from bow down then up to high keels, sides narrowing as they rise from the waterline, though those built for river service have straighter sides and no keel. The sail plan of a junk employs battened sails with limited rigging, that are able to turn as needed so the vessel can both catch the wind and sail into it, though the sails themselves tend to be heavier than unbattened canvas, which raises the vessel’s center of gravity and can be a danger for some ships when unladen. The number of masts is variable, from one to six depending on the vessel’s size and specific design, with one or two typical for smaller fishing and coastal vessels, three or more for blue-water ships and the war junks of the Imperial Navy. Junks feature stern-mounted rudders, and systems of caulked internal compartments, limiting flooding in the even the outer hull is breached. Junks designed for war will often have a bank of oars to provide bursts of speed, and may cover their decks in armoured plates (with even civilian vessels using deck tents to shelter crews from inclement weather). Junks serving in combat or stormy seas also often use leather or even metal-plated cases for their folded battened sails, lowering and securing them in combat or stormwinds so they can remain protected. A few junk ships employ paddlewheels for additional propulsion.

Built with good wood (such as Teak, Redwood, Coastal Conifer, and Oak), junks are long-lived ships, and can last even longer with the proper alchemical treatments and regular maintenance, with some ships serving for centuries before they must be retired.

Reputation

Junks are perhaps not the fastest ships on the oceans, but their design makes them speedy, hardy, and more easily handled than many other ship designs. Some in the West see this as meaning Blessed Isle crews are less skilled than their Western counterparts, but others might call this an error: for every ounce of effort not expended mastering her ship, an Isle sailor can instead master their blade, their catapult, or (as Isle sailors will often tell the youths of Western islands) their lovemaking skills.

War Junks

As the common design of ship on the Blessed Isle, junks make up the bulk of the Imperial Navy’s thousands of vessels, as well as serving in smaller naval forces along the Inner Sea. Junks built for trade might have an artillery piece or two to deter pirates, but those constructed specifically for war are more heavily armed, with ramparts along the edges of the decks (often covered with treated hides to resist flaming arrows and firedust weaponry. Such War Junks include Hawk Ships, Bear Ships, Horse Ships, and Dragon Ships.

Paddlewheel Junks

Some junk-style vessels are constructed with Paddlewheels, manned by the crew, either one on each side of the hull or a single wheel at the stern of the vessel. This design is particularly common amongst War Junks, which seek speed and maneuver in naval battle, and by vessels traveling on rivers where a larger crew can be more easily supplied, but it remains relatively rare.