Southwestern Continent River Barge By Imperator-Zor Watch

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The native peoples generally referred to as "Blanket Men" by colonists are in general terms come across in many ways to be primitive even when compared to the pre-Infrastructural Coldlands, in many cases with some justification. Their architecture and metalworking are both fairly rudimentary. Even so there are some areas where they are surprisingly advanced, including their development of sulfur treated latex, well developed understanding of astronomy and the construction of boats, in particular river barges which Discovery River (known to the natives as the Trunk River) and it's tributaries.



As a general rule the blanket men generally did not build buildings out of processed planks, though certain inland tribes make use of planking for external stairways and internal flooring. Regardless said methods of construction are employed for ground sloth drawn carts as well as the building of barges, though smaller boats are made of a variety of materials including hides, reeds, timber rafts and latex. These barges are made with limited use of metal, using wooden dowels to fasten things together for the main hull. The deck of the craft is usually a framework of interwoven branches. A clay hearth is usually situated in the stem of the ship for cooking nearby a small clay cabin. Most barges are between 15 and 25 meters long and have a flat hull. Propulsion is achieved by a combination of rowers/polemen and simple rectangular sails. Steering is done through a basic rudder. The hold is kept underneath a canopy and a tarp.



Among the blanket men in regards to river barges is that by custom they normally are owned by women. Merchantile enterprise is seen as feminine trade among the Blanket Men. As a general rule barges are owned by families and are passed from mother to daughter, though a man can own a barge if he is unmarried and has no adult sisters. Most barges last about 30 to 60 years before decay from borers make them unseaworthy though a few can last up to a century. Husbands serve as carpenters, longshoremen, sailors and if need be defenders. River pirates in small canoes and gosho war parties are a threat to merchant ships and as such barge crews are well antiquated with the use of axe, spear, napohjek, sling, bow and (recently) crossbow.

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