The Caravan

Sandship

A massive boat/trade guild that cruises through the Shiara Desert

No stealing, no fighting, etc.

Shops have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason (save racism, sexism, etc.)

Items may only be reserved for those who give at least 1 day's notice.

The Caravaneer is always right (except when the Caravaness is).

Lollygagging, slacking off, shooting the breeze, and any other such forms of procrastination and unproductivity will be met with a pay dock and having to sleep on the sleds.

Drinking is only permitted when your superiors get a taste, too.

Absolutely NO prostitutes, dancers, or harem workers are to be with the staff.

If you're not buying anything, then you better be planning on it! (Joke rule)

Keep the outhouse seat down, per order of the Caravaness.

No gambling on board.

مع المال تأتي السلطة
mae almal tati alsulta

With money comes power

Gold, Silver, Bronze, Zenny (exclusive currency used for large or secret transactions)

Common, Desert, Thievescant

~100 crew members, 50 hunters, 15 Hunters Guild liaisons, 5 head officers, 1 Caravaneer, 1 Caravaness, hundreds of customers and passers-by

Arm wrestling, Billiards, Board games

Hot and dry during the day, freezing cold at night. Rain comes in at the outskirts, every season is the dry season.

Vast desert

Cacti, agave, okra, peppers, melon, pomegranate, rosemary, basil

Within the Shiara Desert

The Caravaneer and Caravaness, newly married, decided to try their hand at business using their combined fortune and an ancient ship found buried in the middle of the Shiara Desert. They had it restored and rebuilt, and set about sailing the Desert (and occasionally the sea, for that was what the ship was originally intended for) to create a trade network in and outside of the continent.

The Great Wyvern War

The Caravan itself is a massive ship, 5 stories tall and with a wide-bottomed hull for scooting across the sand.

The bottom deck is storage, holding extra food and water while also keeping the ship balanced.

The living quarters is the floor above that for the crew, hunters, and Caravaneers, with each dorm having a hammock, wardrobe, and storage for armor and weapons. There is a fully-stocked kitchen and taproom for long voyages, and a recreational space with billiard tables, dartboards, and a barrel with some stools around it for arm wrestling.

The middle deck is for shop owners to peddle their wares, including a variety for whatever town or city they stop at. Openings occasionally give those without the money or space to rent a block out for the day, and rent is 5% of whatever profits the proprietor makes. Many of the crew are permanent merchants who use their connections to sell wares throughout the year.

The upper deck is also used for merchants, though many of the temporary ones set up there so as not to encroach on the more permanent ones. Garden boxes also provide local food for the ship and are off-limits to the riffraff.

The ship is able to sail on both land and sea, and multiple defense systems keep the Caravan safe during attacks from Wyverns, Dragons, and pirates. Cannons line every deck, and ballistae on the top deck are outfitted with standard shots and grappling shots that pierce scales. On the prow beneath the golden lion is a Dragonator, a massive pneumatic spear that is made for spearing large threats or completely splintering other ships. It's heavy, however, and takes about ten minutes to fully "recharge."

Hunters provide defense from monsters and pirates using whatever gear they make in towns and can take quests and other jobs from the liaisons on board. They mostly handle their own affairs.

The sleds are towed behind the ship during fights in the desert, meant as something for hunters who fall off the ship to grab onto and pull themselves back. The shifting sands make it difficult to walk, and some hunters have drowned in the sand when they fell off other sandships. The sleds are basic wooden boards with metal handles bolted to the sides. They are built so that they can be towed easily, but they kick up sand while doing so. This can be great for creating a dust cloud to lose pursuers, but awful if you're sent there to sleep for the night. Sand always gets into those cracks, doesn't it?

No electricity to speak of, most light comes from candles and torches during the night. Coal and wood-burning stoves cook the food, and irrigation systems have to be manually operated.

The farms are irrigated using water they get when they stop at nearby towns. Water is paid for, and smaller villages have higher prices due to the small amount that they already have.