Description[]
The Yawl is a strange device created by the tinker gnomes of Krynn as a vehicle for interplanetary colonization. The Yawl itself is nothing more than a a large gnomish machine designed to provide spelljamming motive force for a number of Yawl Wagons. All of the machinery of the Yawl does not actually provide the power, however, instead it converts the power of a pedalling iron golem into motive force. Without this golem, and its controlling gnomish wizard, the Yawl cannot function. The power needed to pedal the vessel is equivalent to Str 22. Although gnomes deny it, it is believed that a modified Major Helm can be found as part of the machinery converting the iron golem's physical force to spelljamming energies.
The Yawl can be found travelling between planets with gnomish colonies, trailing a string of Yawl Wagons behind it. A Yawl can pull as many as 99 Yawl Wagons, as it is limited to powering a total tonnage of 100 tons. For every 10 wagons towed, the Yawl loses one point of SR, to a minimum of SR 1.
The Yawl Wagons which are towed by the Yawl are basic transport vessels that have no power of their own. The only way that they can make it into space is behind the towing bar of a Yawl. The Wagons are remarkably simple and uncomplicated, considering that they are built by gnomes, but that is because they are essentially nothing more than boxes designed to hold all of the gear which the gnomes are carrying or, in some cases, to hold the gnomish colonists themselves. Tall fence-like protrusions line the exterior walls of the Wagons, allowing them to be piled high with cargo. All Yawl Wagons towed behind a Yawl share the same atmospheric envelope and gravity plane, allowing the gnome passengers to utilize the air surrounding Yawl Wagons that carry nothing but cargo.
Crew[]
Other than the gnomish wizard commanding the iron golem which powers the Yawl and its Wagons, a Yawl train required no crew, regardless of the number of Wagons towed. The total number of gnomes on board a Yawl train, however, will usually be roughly equal to the total tonnage of the train, meaning that a Yawl towing 50 Yawl Wagons would typically carry a total of 50 gnome colonists, in addition to the wizard in the Yawl. Since gnomes require only half the air that humans do, this means that Yawls are typically capable of quite long journeys.
Ship Uses[]
Transport: Yawls and their Wagons are ideal for transporting gnomish colonists and their equipment to new colony sites, since a single Yawl and its Wagons could potentially carry as much as 99 tons of cargo. In actual practice, less cargo than this would be carried, however. This is because Yawl Wagons housing gnome colonists typically aren't stuffed full of cargo, and will usually carry 2 gnomes and about 1/4 ton of cargo, allowing some living space for the gnomes. In addition, usually about a quarter of the Yawl Wagons will have their cargo space taken up with a single light weapon, thus providing some protection for the Yawl and the Wagons in case of an attack. It should be noted, however, that attacks on Yawls are relatively rare, since few pirates are interested in seizing gnomish gear, and few slavers are interested in capturing gnomes as slaves.
Other Configurations[]
The unusual nature of Yawls and Yawl Wagons means that no other configurations are found.