The discussion in the guns topic prompted me to post this topic. How difficult will it be to move Savage Tide to a low-tech setting?
It appears most are anticipating a golden age of piracy campaign. I'd like to run it, if possible, in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, which is ancient to dark ages in technology. Does this campaign depend on access to caravels and greatships, a la default greyhawk, or can one easily make do with drakkar, triremes, knarr and cogs?
The "lower tech" ships you mentioned are perfectly capable for Savage Tide (in fact, it would be very cool). The caravel ship design was pioneered by Prince Henry (the Navigator) of Portugal when he knew that in order to secure a steady income of Oriental goods, he needed reliable ocean-going vessels. While knorrs and similar viking longships are sufficient, you may want to introduce the caravel design as "the latest and greatest" ocean-going ship. Heck, having the caravel plans stolen might be an excellent side quest, with the reward being a ship built for your PCs.
For reference to this idea, see the Master & Commander movie, where they discuss the design of the enemy ship.
Interesting idea re: stealing caravel plans. One of the City States in the Wilderlands, Rallu, is chaotic evil and has, actually, secretly developed the caravel. So your idea actually fits the setting I want to run this in perfectly.
However, that would give the characters a supreme advantage, technologically, over their adversaries. Unless their adversaries were all sponsored by Rallu.
Thanks for the idea.