Created 09 May 2024, Published 09 May 2024, Last modified 01 Jan 2026 16:12
The Golden Eagle is a large, triple-masted seagoing vessel owned and operated by House Swan of Caplo. Built for long voyages across open water, the ship balances durability, speed, and comfort, making it well suited to both trade and extended travel.
Its hull is broad-beamed and reinforced for rough seas, allowing it to ride heavy swells without excessive roll. The rigging supports a full spread of sails, giving the ship strong performance in favourable winds while remaining manageable during storms. Even under reduced sail, the Golden Eagle is capable of steady forward motion.
The deck is laid out with practicality in mind. Wide walkways allow crew to move quickly during emergencies, and fittings are secured to withstand violent weather. Safety lines and attachment points can be rigged along the deck when seas turn dangerous, a feature that has saved lives during severe storms.
Below deck, the Golden Eagle is arranged with clear separation between cargo, crew, and command spaces. The cargo hold is deep and spacious, designed to carry provisions and goods for long journeys. Crew quarters are compact but orderly, emphasizing efficiency and discipline. The captain’s cabin is notably larger than the others, featuring a bolted desk, secured seating, wide windows for light and air, and a cushioned window bench overlooking the stern. All furnishings are fixed to the ship to prevent movement in rough seas.
The ship is commanded by Lord Gregory Swan, whose leadership style emphasizes discipline, preparedness, and mutual respect between captain and crew. Under his command, the Golden Eagle operates less like a hired vessel and more like a tightly knit household at sea.
Among sailors, the Golden Eagle has earned a reputation as a dependable ship—one that may not be ostentatious, but is trusted to survive storms, protect its crew, and carry them home.
Among sailors of Caplo and the wider Areian Sea, the Golden Eagle is spoken of with quiet respect rather than boastful awe. She is known as a ship that endures—one that does not seek glory, but survives when others fail.
Veteran seamen tell stories of the Golden Eagle riding out storms that shattered lesser vessels, her masts bent but unbroken and her hull holding fast when the sea seemed determined to tear her apart. It is said that she answers a steady hand better than brute force, rewarding discipline and preparation with survival.
Other captains are known to overload their cargo holds in pursuit of quick profit, pushing their ships beyond safe limits to gain a single lucrative voyage. The Golden Eagle follows a different philosophy. Her masters believe that a ship that survives will sail again and again, and that steady, reliable journeys earn far more gold over time than reckless risk. This approach has allowed the Golden Eagle to outlast many rivals whose ships were lost to greed and poor judgment.
The ship’s reputation is closely tied to her crew. Those who serve aboard the Golden Eagle are known for loyalty and cohesion, and desertion from her decks is rare. Sailors believe the ship “knows her people,” and that those who respect her will be carried safely through even the worst weather.
In ports along the Areian Sea, her arrival is often noted by dockmasters and merchants alike. While she is not feared as a warship, nor flaunted as a grand flagship, captains recognize her as a vessel that can be trusted with difficult journeys, valuable cargo, and important passengers.
There is a common saying among sailors:
“If the Golden Eagle sails, the sea listens.”
Whether this reputation stems from sound construction, skilled command, or something less easily explained, few who have sailed aboard her doubt that the Golden Eagle is more than timber and sail.