Dragon’s Blood

Dragon's Blood (Rebuilt)

Ship Type: Race-built Galleon

Length: 88'

Breadth: 26'

Depth: 14'

Tons: 415

Hull: Wood

Built: 1579

Speed: 10-13 Knots Unburdened / 8-10 Knots Fully Loaded

Crew: Up to 150 men, consisting of 18 Officers, 70+ Deck Seamen, and 20-30Marines

Cost: 4100 pounds ( approx. 260,000 pounds was the yearly revenue for the Crown)

Shipwright: Master Matthew Baker

Arms:

2 Demi-Cannons (32 Pounders / Point Blank Range: 350 Paces / Max Range: 1700 paces)

4 Cannon-Perriers (10" Stone Shot / Point Blank Range: 200 Paces / Max Range: 500 Paces)

10 Culverins (19 Pounders/ Point Blank Range : 420 Paces / Max Range: 2100 Paces)

6 Demi-Culverins (12 Pounders / Point Blank Range: 380 Paces / Max Range: 1800 Paces)

10 Sakers (6 Pounders / Point Blank Range: 200 Paces / Max Range: 1500 Paces)

2 Falcons (2 Pounders / Point Blank Range: 260 Paces / Max Range: 1200 Paces)

2 Portpieces or "Murderers" (Swivel Gun / Point Blank Range: 100 Paces / Max Range: 560 Paces)

6 Bases (1/3 Pounder / Point Blank Range: 100 Paces / Max Range: 560 Paces)

The birth of the current ship

In an sad attempt to procure the Dragon's Blood, an unnamed pirate stole into the captains chamber in the dead of night and looted a chest full of precious gems and coin along with the ships papers. Showing them to the harbormaster said thief made it on board the ship and made her ready to sail. At the same time the captain Arthus de Winterton had awoke feeling something was very wrong. Seeing his chamber askew and various items, including the ship's papers, gone, he raced to the harbor to see his ship leaving the dock under full sail. Knowing the harbormaster well he called for cannon fire on his own ship. Better to see it sunk then used by a worthless criminal. The gun crews, some of which being his own crew, fired the guns true and the ship was hobbled. Taking on water and without most of the sails intact, the poor pirate opted to abandon ship and he tucked tail and fled as the Dragon's Blood crew rowed out to see what the full damage to their ship looked like. She was almost destroyed but there was still life left in her!

She was decommissioned and the crew worked tirelessly to rebuild her. Lord Arthus de Winterton saw promise in a crew member and with his mind made up to accept a promotion to admiral of the Castillian Fleet he gave the command of the ship to one Tristan O'Shea. The newly appointed captain chose to hire Shipwright Matthew Baker to oversee the entire rebuilding process. The fore and aft castles were lowered and the keel shortened. Her depth was altered and she was made more streamlined, hugging the waterline. Some of her firepower was taken ashore to make her lighter and faster in the water. She became a sleeker, more deadly version of her former self. The crew could not wait to get back out to sea and find out what she could do. The Dragon's Blood has been rebuilt as a race-built galleon (older ships with tall castles were cut of their excess bulk, i.e."razed", thus the name "race-built"), taking on a perfect combination of beauty, speed and deadly force.

Rebuilt from the original in 1579 by the famed master shipwright Matthew Baker, well know draftsman and builder of the HMS Revenge, the world famous ship that fought the battle of 53 and 1. Also, in his book, "Fragments Of Ancient Shipwrightry" he drew up plans for a 700 ton galleon along the same lines as the Revenge and the Dragon's Blood!

Her fore and aft castles have been dropped lower for speed and reinforced to carry slightly larger guns. Like her predecessor, it carries a narrow length-to-beam ratio, a lower free board, and a square stern. This configuration makes her faster and far more maneuverable that the fatter, Spanish style galleons of the day. Usually fitted with 3 masts, she can, on occasion, carry a fourth, or bonaventura mizzen mast. Her upper works are painted with a black and white harlequin pattern and her hull woodwork, decks and railings are made of teak, mahogany, oak and blood wood. The oak bow has been stained a blood red due to contact with a vintage port used to christen the craft... or at least that is the story the crew tells.

Her crew trains regularly with the shipboard guns to avoid close combat and having her fitted with longer range culverins, the crew can hit a target 300 yards out with ease. The crew can "beat to quarters" and have the guns ready to fire in well under a quarter hour.

But do not mistake, they are also very skilled with bow, half pike, rapier and pistol should the need for boarding, or repelling boarders, arise.

Do not take this ship as an easy target or you will be sadly destined for a quick trip to the crushing black oblivion.

The Dragon's Blood is the ONLY ship in the Kingdom of An Tir to have a Letter of Marque from a king (King Ulfr)[1] listed on the Order and Precendece page. [2] It was awarded to the ship and her captain on Jun 15, 2013 (AS XLVIII). Captain Tristan O'Shea [3]is highly active in the Kingdom of An Tir, in the barony of Glymm Mere. "The captain hails from Ireland where the lasses be so fair and the crew, from Spain or France or every hill and haunt" as they say...

Current Crew

Captain Tristan O'Shea

Lord Karl von Miltenberg, First Mate

Baroness Francisca de Montoya, Scribe/Historian

Lady Sarah Huntsman, Purser

Patrick Fletcher, Musician

HL Besseta Wallace, Deck Hand

HL Klüs Hebenstraub Derr Hess, Deck Hand

Lord Roderick Greatwood, Deck Hand

Lady Amelia Bennett, Deck Hand

Lord Axxel Eisenkopf, Deck Hand

Lady Asa Vedisdottir, Deck Hand