Shipmasters are members of the Dwarf Engineers Guild who specialize in the construction, maintenance, and operation of a Dwarf gunboat, warship, or submersible. Shipmasters usually work in crews of 2 to 4, depending upon the type of vessel they operate. All shipmasters are trained for life on water (whether sea or river) by their elders or senior Dwarf crewmen – a prospect that most Dwarfs view with horror.[1a]
Like pilots, shipmasters are almost exclusively attached to holds. The vast majority are based in Barak Varr, although there are a handful in Marienburg. Both they and their vessels are closely controlled by their superiors in the Engineers' Guild.[1a]