Size: Colossal (L125ft, W40ft, D16ft).
Propulsion: 7 large sails, 6 medium sails, 6 small sails.
Speed: 235ft (sails), 320 miles.
Crew: 180 normal, 1,000 maximum.
Cargo: 380 tonnes (120 tonnes provisions).
Hull: AC 5, Hardness 7, HP 50.
Deck: AC 5, Hardness 7, HP 25.
Mast: AC 5, Hardness 5, HP 350.
Castles: AC 5, Hardness 5, HP 50.
Weapons: 92 slots, most of which consists of ballistae on the two gun decks, with heavy swivelling catapults on the quarter deck, and a sprinkling of repeating crossbows and light ballistae.
Ship Qualities: Oceanworthy, Tough Old Girl, Built to Last, Reinforced Sails, Wave Rider.
Cost and Construction Time: 66,850gp, and 1yr, 8mos, 1wk.

The original Rattler was commissioned on Vor the 2nd, 1313 Avard -- built in the city of Teras by Gideon Enterprises (three years prior to the founding of Rakore).  The Rattler was one of a score of light galleons commissioned that year by the then-owners of Gideon Enterprises, as part of an economic incentive program for Teras.  The year of 1313 saw nearly a dozen of the 'snake' ships built, such as the Rattler, the Viper, and the Mamba.  While considered an older design, the Snake Class of galleon was built of relatively high-quality wood, and had precision craftsmanship.

The original Rattler itself saw considerable service as a warship during the War of the Undead, but was converted into a merchantman at the completion of the war.  In 1324, she was converted back into a warship, and used to patrol the Gideon Enterprises merchant lanes between Al Fahim and Rakore.  In the aftermath of the destruction of Tulish (by rogue Quitzara from the Church of Lul) in 1328, the original Rattler was pressed into service for Gideon Enterprise's special operations division, Firestorm.  The ship was then reassigned to Captain Seamus Yarbus Stonehelm in 1329 for 'services rendered', as well as special missions for the Duke of Hallis Island, and the King of Rakore.

During the War of the Four Winds, Captain Seamus was promoted to Commodore, and given command of the next available skate-class ship off the docks of Thayer's Rock. It was originally intended to be named the Rider and given to Captain Vailid; unfortunately, Vailid died during the war, and his crew was similarly slaughtered by the Kur Maens. The ship drifted for several weeks on the high seas, before getting stuck in the mud near Hammer Isle. Since that time, the Rattler has been considered the flagship of the Rakoran navy. The ship's wheel has been replaced with a master wheel (from the Complete Seafarer's Handbook) that doubles the ship's movement when under sails; the wheel was a transfer from the original Rattler.

The Crew
Seamus has attracted a faithful and loyal crew, led by the former Vridaran Imperial officer Vladimir Kushkin when his team is away from the ship. His first and foremost follower is Gheledon Daneir, his Chief Bosun. There are two caulkers, two carpenters, three cooks, and two sail-makers.

Seamus Yarbus (Captain):  male sylvan elf bard, fighter, and cleric of Habrem.

Cleo (Captain's Bodyguard): female human, partial fiend, and rogue.

Vladimir Kushkin (First Mate): male slate human; Exp3, ex-Clr(Olorin)3; Size M (5'10", 160lbs); HD 3d6 + 3d8 + 18; HP 53; AC 10; Attack +5 melee, or +4 ranged; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +10; AL NG; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 13. Languages Spoken: Vridaran, Common, Sholin. Skills and feats: Balance +3, Climb +4, Diplomacy +4, Gather Information +4, Heal +7, Intuit Direction +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (religion) +7, Listen +4, Profession (boater) +5, Profession (fisher) +5, Profession (sailor) +5, Profession (siege engineer) +13, Spot +4; Alertness; Iron Will, Leadership, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (profession - siege engineer).
Former imperial naval gunner, and former cleric of Olorin -- he's not about to become a former sailor of Captain Seamus'.

Iosef Katakamchka (First Mate's Bodyguard): male slate human; Mnk3; CR 3; Size M (6'1", 210lbs); HD 3d8; hp 21; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 10; Attack +2 melee, or +2 monk, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3; AL LG; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. Languages Spoken: Vridaran, Common. Skills and feats: Concentration +5, Disable device +2, Hide +0, Jump +2, Listen +0, Move silently +6, Perform +3, Profession (sailor) +5, Spot +0, Tumble +5; Blind-fight, [Deflect arrows], [Improved unarmed strike], [Stunning fist], Toughness, Track.
Quiet and soft-spoken, his thick Vridaran accent masks a slow, if good mind.

Maui (Ship's Cleric and Captain's Bodyguard):  male sholin ranger and cleric of Olorin.

Ke'yel al Hirak (Gunnery Officer):  male slate human.

Gheledon Daneir (Chief Bosun): male Amaran human; Ftr1; CR 1; Size M (6 ft., 2 in. tall); HD 1d10+2; hp 15; Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 leather armor); Attack +3 melee (scimitar, 1d6+2, crit18-20x2), or +2 ranged (composite shortbow, 1d6+2, crit20x3, RI70ft); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1; AL LN; Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14. Languages Spoken: Common, Gnoll. Skills and feats: Handle Animal +6, Hide +2, Listen +1, Move Silently +1, Profession (sailor) +4, Sense motive +2, Spot +2, Swim +4; Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (scimitar). Possessions: scimitar, leather armor, composite short bow, 20 arrows.
Gheledon is a deep-voiced work-a-holic that's happiest when working -- even if it means bloody mayhem.

Angus (Chief Marine):  male mountain dwarven fighter.

Tor (Marine): male minotaur barbarian -- and shock trooper.

Bjarne Bearstrider (Marine): male half-earth elemental human barbarian, and night stalker.

Hrothgar (Marine): male ferile gnoll, capeable of holding his breath underwater for incredible periods of time.

Visik (Marine): male blood tomanth; Ftr 1; CR 2; Size M (4'5" tall, 5'10" long); HD 1d10+4; hp 14; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 10ft, swim 50ft, aboreal 20ft; AC 20 (+4 natural armor, +2 Dex, +5 chainmail); Atk +2 melee (bite, 1d6+disease, crit20x2) and +2/+2 melee (claws, 1d4+1, crit20x2); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; AL CG; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8. Languages Spoken: Tomanth, Common. Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Listen +2, Spot +6, Speak Language +2, Swim +0, Alertness, Toughness. Possessions: chainmail shirt.
Visik can barely add two and two, but he's got a good heart and takes directions pretty well.

Brian Stell (1st Shift Leader):  male slate commoner.

Diana Letarno (2nd Shift Leader):  female slate commoner.

Crew (45): humans; Com1; CR 1; Size M; HD 1d4; hp 7; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +0 melee (short sword, 1d6, crit19-20x2), or +0 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2, RI10ft); SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; AL LE; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Climb +2, Profession (sailor) +6, Spot +0, Swim +3, Use Rope +2; Skill focus (profession), Toughness.
The crew are mainly veterans that have sailed the Rattler before, but they like Captain Seamus.

Crew (100): humans; Com1; CR 1; Size M; HD 1d4; hp 7; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +0 melee (short sword, 1d6, crit19-20x2), or +0 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2, RI10ft); SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; AL LE; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Climb +2, Profession (sailor) +6, Spot +0, Swim +3, Use Rope +2; Skill focus (profession), Toughness.
They are various criminals and scum that have been assigned to Captain Seamus in a bid for debt repayment and freedom.

Design
The four crow's nests are often platforms nearly fifteen feet on a side, allowing for a large number of archers, spotters, and crossbowmen to rain a deadly hail of missiles onto enemy decks. The snipers in the crow's nests target officers or important-looking persons.

A permenantly attached step-and-ladder hookup is attached to both sides of the vessel, even with the cargo-holds. Because of the draft, the Rattler can rarely actually dock -- and must therefore use her longboats, or other vessels, to transport her cargo to and from land.

1. Main Deck: The main deck sports the massive cargo hatches, with two longboats stored and stowed atop them. Stairwells allow easy access up to the fore and aft castles. The holds contains the chain lockers for the port and starboard anchors, as well as additional supplies and provisions. Cabins in the rear give additional space to more elite sailors. The main masts have well-made crane systems that allow for larger objects to be transported below-decks and off-ship.

2. Chain Locker: Located on the main deck, beneath the forecastle, the chain locker holds the two massive chains for the port and starboard anchors. It also serves as the additional supplies locker, with extra sails and materiel.

3. Bosun's Cabin: The bosun's cabin is located aft and port, and just ahead of the first mate's cabin. The bosun is the captain's personal body guard, leader of the marines, and generally in charge of the crew. Comfortable by ship's standards, it is located just across from the main arms room.

4. Arms Room: Most of the additional personnel weapons and ammunition are stored here, as well as the coffers to maintain the ship's pay.

5. Cleric's Cabin: Reserved for the primary cleric on board, it houses his personal shrines, and provides relatively close comfort for sailors in need of faith on a more personal level.

6. Marines' Cabin: Located aft and port, this is where the marines of the ship stay. Dedicated to guarding the officers, and eliminating enemy officers on the high seas, it is a slightly cramped place of highest discipline.

7. First Mate's Cabin: The first mate's cabin is luxurious -- and it needs to be, considering it houses duplicates of all the navigational charts, as well as the ship's library.

8. Forward Balcony: The forward balcony allows access to the main guest cabin. It also allows for higher ground that benefits archers in close-quarters combat aboard the main deck.

9. Access Corridor: This access corridor leads to the chain locker, and also serves as a supply and tools wall.

10. The Secondary Gun Deck: Like the primary gun deck, it supports four starboard and four port facing heavy ballistae, as well as light ballistae around the cargo hatches. Another heavy ballistae faces aft, with swivel-mounted repeating crossbows to flank it. An ammunition locker lies to the fore.

11. Secondary Ammunition Locker: Like the name implies, it supplies ammunition for the secondary gun deck, as well as raw parts for the various weapons of the deck. A tiny smithy, machine-lathe, and more helps turn out necessary parts for the refurbishment of the weapons, and all the ship.

12. The Primary Gun Deck: Like the secondary gun deck, it supports four starboard and four port facing heavy ballistae, as well as light ballistae around the cargo hatches. Another heavy ballistae faces aft, with swivel-mounted repeating crossbows to flank it. An ammunition locker lies to the fore.

13. Primary Ammunition Locker: Like the name implies, it supplies ammunition for the primary gun deck, as well as raw parts for the various weapons of the deck. A tiny smithy, machine-lathe, and more helps turn out necessary parts for the refurbishment of the weapons, and all the ship.

14. Main Hold: The primary cargo hold can store massive objects, and usually has a reinforced decking (AC 5, Hardness 5, HP 35).

15. Secondary Hold: The secondary cargo hold can store smaller objects, and is used only occasionally -- when privateering or on special missions. When not in use, the crew use it to string hammocks and play cards.

16. Crew Quarters: Because the vessel is such a large, dedicated vessel, there is room enough for the crew to have dedicated quarters just for them. Hammocks, small tables, and provisions dominate, but it is a place the crew can call their own. It also serves as their dining room, and its cleanliness is strictly enforced by the bosun.

17. Galley: Home of the cook and his men, the galley also stores the rest of the provisions for the crew. The kitchens and the like vent up onto the gun decks, and fires are closely monitored.

18. Provisional Hold: The majority of the ship's provisions are stored here, with tons of food and water in various states.

19. Guest Cabin: When not in use by visiting dignitaries or ambassadors, or by special forces for Rakore, the guest cabin stays on a rotating lottery basis for the crew.

20. Captain's Balcony: Armed with two repeating crossbows, the captain's balcony is an easily defended high ground from which sailors can rain down on enemy boarding parties -- or a mutinying crew. He can also address the crew from there, and usually has a small table and several chairs from which he can direct the ship.

21. Captain's Quarters: Luxurious by any standards, with permanently-mounted furniture and a large bunk, the captain's quarters are the heart of the ship. From here, he can hold officer meetings, tactical considerations, and special dinners. It also serves as the ship's primary nautical repository, and houses his personal library.

22. Fore Deck: The top of the foreward castle -- the fore deck -- houses a swivelling light ballista, and two repeating crossbows. Oddly enough, all three weapons can also be spun around to rake the main deck.

23. Quarter Deck: The top of the aft castle -- the quarter deck -- has the wheel, two repeating crossbows, and two heavy catapults. The swivelling catapults provide the longest-ranged weapons on the ship, but are usually stowed beneath tarps and locked into place. Ammunition for the catapults is arrayed along the aft rail (26 conventional shots), although special firepower, such as fire bombs and acid bombs.