Wake Ships are classified not solely by size, but by the amount of story they can carry without losing coherence. Larger ships do not merely occupy more space—they exert greater narrative presence within the Storywake, attracting both opportunity and risk.
Each size class reflects a different relationship between crew, purpose, and motion.
Personal Wake Craft
Skiff-class ships are small, agile vessels designed for one to three occupants. They are the most common Wake Ships among newly established Anchors and solo travelers.
Characteristics:
Minimal crew requirements
Highly responsive to individual intent
Limited component capacity
Short-to-medium range travel
Skiffs are ideal for exploration, courier work, or quick response missions. However, they are vulnerable to prolonged Wake exposure and lack redundancy. A Skiff that loses alignment has no buffer.
Narrative Weight: Light
Risk Profile: High if misused
Common Use: Solo journeys, scouting, personal travel
Small Crew Vessels
Cutter-class ships support small teams, typically three to six crew members. They offer greater stability and customization while remaining relatively agile.
Characteristics:
Balanced propulsion and stabilization
Moderate component flexibility
Capable of extended travel
Requires cooperative crew alignment
Cutters thrive on teamwork. They are resilient enough to weather mild Wake turbulence but still sensitive to crew discord.
Narrative Weight: Moderate
Risk Profile: Balanced
Common Use: Party travel, escort, light trade
Multi-Role Wake Ships
Frigate-class ships are the backbone of long-range Wake travel. Designed for sustained journeys, they support larger crews and diverse mission profiles.
Characteristics:
Robust stabilization systems
Multiple redundant components
Capable of limited confrontation or defense
Significant customization options
These ships carry enough narrative mass to influence local Wake currents. They are harder to destabilize—but when they fail, the consequences are severe.
Narrative Weight: Heavy
Risk Profile: Moderate to Low (until it isn’t)
Common Use: Exploration fleets, long campaigns, transport
Story-Bearing Vessels
Cruiser-class ships carry not just crews, but communities. They are capable of sustaining long-term habitation and often become mobile loci of story.
Characteristics:
Extensive habitation and support systems
High narrative gravity
Slower response to change
Requires strong Core alignment
Cruisers are resistant to the Unwritten through sheer narrative density—but are vulnerable to stagnation if their purpose becomes unclear.
Narrative Weight: Very Heavy
Risk Profile: Low short-term, high long-term
Common Use: Migration, long-term operations, mobile hubs
Legacy Ships
Ark-class Wake Ships are rare and often legendary. They are designed to carry entire populations, archives, or Core Stories across the Storywake.
Characteristics:
Massive stabilization infrastructure
Multiple Cores or layered Core systems
Near-immovable once fully committed
Extremely difficult to redirect
Arks do not travel lightly. Once they choose a path, they impose it. The Storywake reacts strongly to their presence, sometimes forming permanent routes in their wake.
Narrative Weight: Monumental
Risk Profile: Low in motion, catastrophic if misaligned
Common Use: Preservation, exodus, myth-scale journeys
Outliers and Exceptions
Some Wake Ships do not fit any standard size class.
Examples include:
Ships that expand or contract dynamically
Vessels tied to a single Anchor’s identity
Fragments of larger ships that still function
Ships sustained entirely by Continuance or denial
These vessels are unpredictable. Their size may not reflect their narrative mass—or vice versa.
Narrative Weight: Variable
Risk Profile: Unstable
Common Use: Unknown
Larger Wake Ships are not better.
They are heavier.
A Skiff can change direction instantly.
A Cruiser must be convinced.
An Ark reshapes the Wake around it.
Choose a ship not for what you want to carry—but for how much story you are prepared to be responsible for.