OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION
Ship Name: Umbral Cutter
Credits: Image 1 /
Type: Seaship
Purpose: Escort Ship
Consolidation Thread: N/A
Architect: Forged by the shipwrights of the Eshkin Clans
Description: The Umbral Cutter is a sleek and sinister black hulled escort ship, its silhouette gliding low to the waterline and bearing sails as dark as storm clouds. Its design favours stealth and intimidation, with narrow decks and long, sharp prows carved into the shape of snarling sea beasts. Black banners flutter from the rigging, and its hull is reinforced with iron studs to absorb minor impacts. Though modest in size compared to war galleys, the Umbral Cutter is built for speed and coastal manoeuvrability, making it a preferred escort and raider support ship for short, violent engagements.
ATTRIBUTES
- Defence: Low
- Defensive Elements: Minimal armour plating; relies on speed and evasion. Deck shields are available for the crew during ranged attacks.
- Speed: Average
- Offence: Low
- Offensive Elements: Two ballistae mounted on either side, paired with six sets of cannons; onboard complement of archers or boarding crew.
- Durability: Low
- Scarcity: Provincial
- Verminsreach
- TvM Requirement: 4vX
STRENGTHS
Stealth and Surprise: With dark sails and a narrow profile, the Umbral Cutter is hard to spot at dusk or in fog, ideal for ambushes or nighttime raids.
Agile Design: Its lightweight build allows for tight manoeuvres in coastal waters, harbours, and around rocky shallows where larger ships struggle.
Versatile Escort Role: Functions effectively as a support vessel, protecting larger warships or raiders from flanking threats.
Terror Tactics: The appearance and sudden arrival of such ships often breaks morale before a fight begins, especially when paired with fire arrows or psychological warfare.
WEAKNESSES
Fragile in Battle: The ship cannot withstand prolonged assaults from heavier naval units; a few well-placed shots can cripple or sink it.
Limited Firepower: Lacks the heavy artillery of larger warships, making it unsuitable for frontline naval engagements.
Low Crew Capacity: Holds a small contingent of fighters enough for quick boarding actions, but vulnerable if overwhelmed.
Dependence on Weather: Performs best in calm or coastal conditions. In open sea storms, the Umbral Cutter is easily outclassed.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
First constructed in the wake of the Eshkin Clans' push to dominate key coastal routes, the Umbral Cutter was modelled after ancient records of East Erovian corsair vessels once feared across the coasts for their brutality and speed. The Eshkin shipwrights adapted these designs to suit their own raiding needs, sacrificing armour and firepower for stealth and precision. These vessels are most often seen shadowing larger raiding barges or slipping into enemy harbours under the cover of night. Several cutters have earned infamous reputations, their names whispered in dread by coastal villagers. While rarely remembered in great naval battles, their contributions in sowing fear and disorder make them an integral if underappreciated tool in the Eshkin maritime arsenal.
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