Airship adventures [Archive] - Wizards Community

Airship adventures [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DMDaddy
11-27-07, 12:35 PM The PCs have acquired an airship and have been in a few sessions with it. They love it and the managing of the crew and resources. So I'm going to start focusing adventures around the airship and its travels. What works and what does not work for good adventuring in an airship?

Some things they came up with for the airship: PIMP this ride?

Cloaking device (i'm not sure they will get this)

Armband of featherfall/levitation - only works under specific airship for boarding and deboarding.

Sending stone in airship and a house Sivis member with a portable sending stone so they can send a party out and communicate with the ship.

These are some of the goodies they are using or trying to obtain.
Nerdicus
11-27-07, 01:02 PM I have been kicking around an idea that involves a new form of life that exists entirely within magical fields. these sentient entities are a new form of life tied into the mourning that can wreak havoc on things run by magic like airships. I don't have any specifics on them, but thought that they would add some very interesting twist to traveling on an airship.

I envision these things being like AI from sci-fi. A sentient being created through happenstance due to the use of arcane magic.

Hmmm....I think I may have to make a thread for these things in the appropriate forum.....
Ashlock
11-27-07, 01:51 PM Ohh, a portable Sivis speaking stone? Wow, very nice. What I would do is make that expensive and highly sought-after, to better show its value. In fact, is the rest of House Sivis okay with this? Seems like a slippery slope to allow it. If they're not, then that can be part of the adventures...eluding their attention. Even if not them, lots of people would want that kind of ability. Make them attack the ship now and then. :)
Nerdicus
11-27-07, 02:58 PM If you have an Artificer in the group you can make the creation of the thing a big part for him.
CannibalSmith
11-27-07, 03:12 PM Cloaking device (i'm not sure they will get this) Cover the underbelly of the ship with shiftweave so that it always matches the color of the sky above. If I was them, I'd invest in Protection from Elements and such so that I could fly at altitudes no other flyer could reach easily. Oh, and it's a fire elemental - good luck hiding him.

Sending stone in airship and a house Sivis member with a portable sending stone so they can send a party out and communicate with the ship. Sivis use speaking stones. Sending stones are a magic item in Magic Item Compendium. Sending stones are as the Sending spell, can be used by anyone, and are dirt cheap, but can be used only once per day. Anyway, if I was them, I'd stock on Rings of Communication instead. While limited in range (1 mile), they provide reliable, instant many-to-many communication. The main problem with Sivis is that the heir will not want to fly with adventurers.
DMDaddy
11-27-07, 03:52 PM Sorry, its a speaking stone from ECS. I can't find anywhere in the description as to its size. I assume it is big and non portable. The house Sivis gnome (crew member) could be a renegade of sorts who stole the idea of a portable speaking stone. This would be interesting having house sivis after the party, also, good since the Tiefling in the party chooses Zilargo as his home nation and knows much of the gnomes. Many small scenarios could come out of this.

[quote=Nerdicus]I have been kicking around an idea that involves a new form of life that exists entirely within magical fields. these sentient entities are a new form of life tied into the mourning that can wreak havoc on things run by magic like airships. I don't have any specifics on them, but thought that they would add some very interesting twist to traveling on an airship.

I envision these things being like AI from sci-fi. A sentient being created through happenstance due to the use of arcane magic.[quote/]

This is interesting. The AI could take control of the ship a fly toward the mournland in search of a Dragon Warforge, unbeknownst to the party. Maybe a crew member is controled as a spokes person for the AI and the party must recover a few items to complete the Dragon WF. Could be fun for the party.
Belkar
11-27-07, 04:04 PM Oh... my friend... you have a world of possiblities here!

As for the cloaking device... meh. If they've got a fire elemental bound to the ship - no way. Nope. If it's an air elemental... then its feasible to have shiftweave or a magical paintjob that can mimic the color of a night sky, or a blue sky, or clouds.

I've used sending stones - and they were hand-held in my campaign. Sending once per day... big wahoo. It's not game breaking or anything like that... ;)

Life Rings are already available in both Magic of Ebb and MiC - and allow a group of 4 to feather fall off the ship - but they're one-time/emergency use items. Crafting a levitation item is entirely reasonable - and not difficult to come up with, considering the item creation rules.

My favorite thing to do with airships is ship-to-ship combat. Throw some magical ballistas on that thing! :D Or soarsleds that use a big man-powered fan mounted on the back to "ferry" itself to another ship. Catapults! Harpoon Guns!
CannibalSmith
11-27-07, 04:24 PM Sorry, its a speaking stone from ECS. I can't find anywhere in the description as to its size. I assume it is big and non portable. There's a spell in one of the Eberron books that turns a pair of ordinary fist-sized rocks into single use speaking stones. Still, I'm sure the stones at the message stations are made big and immobile for security reasons. :)
BlackDragon71425
11-27-07, 04:26 PM As for "Pimping the ride", check out Stormwrack. If you want to go for style, get a red, brass or gold dragon living figurehead if your airship is run by a fire elemental, I wasn't sure since you didn't say what kind of elemental, mine uses a storm elemental personally. You may also what to consider, Secure Lines. They basically are animated ropes that catch any designated crew member should they fall from the ship or the rigging, if you have it. You could also want to add a battering ram or some other kind of metal device to the front of the ship to ram other airships or large flying creatures.
CannibalSmith
11-27-07, 05:15 PM You could also want to add a battering ram or some other kind of metal device to the front of the ship to ram other airships or large flying creatures. You want to keep your precious airship as far from combat as possible. Soarwood is flammable, expensive, and rare. A couple of fireballs or flame strikes are enough to tear an airship in half.
eehamburg
11-27-07, 05:42 PM mine uses a storm elemental
If you don't mind, please explain this one. How does it use a storm elemental? What does a storm elemental do differently and do differently for the ship?
skrap-san
11-27-07, 06:05 PM well in my head it looks cooler...
Edymnion
11-27-07, 07:36 PM For adventure ideas, I actually recommend that you watch Star Trek.
Think about it, the entire premise for TOS and TNG are ship based adventures. The main characters just so happened to be an adventurer party sized group of people on a ship that visits new locations each week, with the occassional ship to ship combat.
BlackDragon71425
11-27-07, 07:58 PM You want to keep your precious airship as far from combat as possible. Soarwood is flammable, expensive, and rare. A couple of fireballs or flame strikes are enough to tear an airship in half.

Well yeah, if you wanted to do that you could, but I like ship to ship battles a lot, plus, if you take another ship down, you can scavange soarwood from it.

From:eehamburg
Quote:If you don't mind, please explain this one. How does it use a storm elemental? What does a storm elemental do differently and do differently for the ship?

Basically it operates just like any other elemental, powering the ship and all, but I've added a couple other things. Since a storm elementals body is made up of lightning and cloud stuff, when activated, it makes the ship look like it is sailing on top of storm clouds. Just a cool visual effect I liked, plus it gives partial concealment from below. Also, a friend and I came up with a way to use the Elementals energy as a weapon system. Basically, the ship uses the elementals lightning to electromagnetically charge two metal rails on either side of the under side of the ship. Once charged, specially made metal discs are mechanically kicked into the rails and are shot forward. We called it a railgun. And just to let you know it is not way overpowered. It takes a full round to load, and another round to fire. The discs only do 2d6 damage, but can be augmented I suppose. It's mainly used in ship chasing ship fights, with an accurate range of 200ft and can only be shot straight forward.
I know no other ships are like this in Eberron, but I just thought it sounded cooler than ballistas and catapults.:D
Lord_Tirian
11-27-07, 08:15 PM Crafting a levitation item is entirely reasonable - and not difficult to come up with, considering the item creation rules.
I'd steal the Sharn lifts... and make some kind of anchor, so you can throw the end down, anchoring your ship as well as providing a start/end-point for the lift.

And thus you get your "land" everywhere airship without dangerous manoeuvres (like jumping from the airship from a low altitude - yes, my players have done this!).

Cheers, LT.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DMDaddy 11-27-07, 12:35 PM	The PCs have acquired an airship and have been in a few sessions with it. They love it and the managing of the crew and resources. So I'm going to start focusing adventures around the airship and its travels. What works and what does not work for good adventuring in an airship? Some things they came up with for the airship: PIMP this ride? Cloaking device (i'm not sure they will get this) Armband of featherfall/levitation - only works under specific airship for boarding and deboarding. Sending stone in airship and a house Sivis member with a portable sending stone so they can send a party out and communicate with the ship. These are some of the goodies they are using or trying to obtain.
Nerdicus 11-27-07, 01:02 PM	I have been kicking around an idea that involves a new form of life that exists entirely within magical fields. these sentient entities are a new form of life tied into the mourning that can wreak havoc on things run by magic like airships. I don't have any specifics on them, but thought that they would add some very interesting twist to traveling on an airship. I envision these things being like AI from sci-fi. A sentient being created through happenstance due to the use of arcane magic. Hmmm....I think I may have to make a thread for these things in the appropriate forum.....
Ashlock 11-27-07, 01:51 PM	Ohh, a portable Sivis speaking stone? Wow, very nice. What I would do is make that expensive and highly sought-after, to better show its value. In fact, is the rest of House Sivis okay with this? Seems like a slippery slope to allow it. If they're not, then that can be part of the adventures...eluding their attention. Even if not them, lots of people would want that kind of ability. Make them attack the ship now and then. :)
Nerdicus 11-27-07, 02:58 PM	If you have an Artificer in the group you can make the creation of the thing a big part for him.
CannibalSmith 11-27-07, 03:12 PM	Cloaking device (i'm not sure they will get this) Cover the underbelly of the ship with shiftweave so that it always matches the color of the sky above. If I was them, I'd invest in Protection from Elements and such so that I could fly at altitudes no other flyer could reach easily. Oh, and it's a fire elemental - good luck hiding him. Sending stone in airship and a house Sivis member with a portable sending stone so they can send a party out and communicate with the ship. Sivis use speaking stones. Sending stones are a magic item in Magic Item Compendium. Sending stones are as the Sending spell, can be used by anyone, and are dirt cheap, but can be used only once per day. Anyway, if I was them, I'd stock on Rings of Communication instead. While limited in range (1 mile), they provide reliable, instant many-to-many communication. The main problem with Sivis is that the heir will not want to fly with adventurers.
DMDaddy 11-27-07, 03:52 PM	Sorry, its a speaking stone from ECS. I can't find anywhere in the description as to its size. I assume it is big and non portable. The house Sivis gnome (crew member) could be a renegade of sorts who stole the idea of a portable speaking stone. This would be interesting having house sivis after the party, also, good since the Tiefling in the party chooses Zilargo as his home nation and knows much of the gnomes. Many small scenarios could come out of this. [quote=Nerdicus]I have been kicking around an idea that involves a new form of life that exists entirely within magical fields. these sentient entities are a new form of life tied into the mourning that can wreak havoc on things run by magic like airships. I don't have any specifics on them, but thought that they would add some very interesting twist to traveling on an airship. I envision these things being like AI from sci-fi. A sentient being created through happenstance due to the use of arcane magic.[quote/] This is interesting. The AI could take control of the ship a fly toward the mournland in search of a Dragon Warforge, unbeknownst to the party. Maybe a crew member is controled as a spokes person for the AI and the party must recover a few items to complete the Dragon WF. Could be fun for the party.
Belkar 11-27-07, 04:04 PM	Oh... my friend... you have a world of possiblities here! As for the cloaking device... meh. If they've got a fire elemental bound to the ship - no way. Nope. If it's an air elemental... then its feasible to have shiftweave or a magical paintjob that can mimic the color of a night sky, or a blue sky, or clouds. I've used sending stones - and they were hand-held in my campaign. Sending once per day... big wahoo. It's not game breaking or anything like that... ;) Life Rings are already available in both Magic of Ebb and MiC - and allow a group of 4 to feather fall off the ship - but they're one-time/emergency use items. Crafting a levitation item is entirely reasonable - and not difficult to come up with, considering the item creation rules. My favorite thing to do with airships is ship-to-ship combat. Throw some magical ballistas on that thing! :D Or soarsleds that use a big man-powered fan mounted on the back to "ferry" itself to another ship. Catapults! Harpoon Guns!
CannibalSmith 11-27-07, 04:24 PM	Sorry, its a speaking stone from ECS. I can't find anywhere in the description as to its size. I assume it is big and non portable. There's a spell in one of the Eberron books that turns a pair of ordinary fist-sized rocks into single use speaking stones. Still, I'm sure the stones at the message stations are made big and immobile for security reasons. :)
BlackDragon71425 11-27-07, 04:26 PM	As for "Pimping the ride", check out Stormwrack. If you want to go for style, get a red, brass or gold dragon living figurehead if your airship is run by a fire elemental, I wasn't sure since you didn't say what kind of elemental, mine uses a storm elemental personally. You may also what to consider, Secure Lines. They basically are animated ropes that catch any designated crew member should they fall from the ship or the rigging, if you have it. You could also want to add a battering ram or some other kind of metal device to the front of the ship to ram other airships or large flying creatures.
CannibalSmith 11-27-07, 05:15 PM	You could also want to add a battering ram or some other kind of metal device to the front of the ship to ram other airships or large flying creatures. You want to keep your precious airship as far from combat as possible. Soarwood is flammable, expensive, and rare. A couple of fireballs or flame strikes are enough to tear an airship in half.
eehamburg 11-27-07, 05:42 PM	mine uses a storm elemental If you don't mind, please explain this one. How does it use a storm elemental? What does a storm elemental do differently and do differently for the ship?
skrap-san 11-27-07, 06:05 PM	well in my head it looks cooler...
Edymnion 11-27-07, 07:36 PM	For adventure ideas, I actually recommend that you watch Star Trek. Think about it, the entire premise for TOS and TNG are ship based adventures. The main characters just so happened to be an adventurer party sized group of people on a ship that visits new locations each week, with the occassional ship to ship combat.
BlackDragon71425 11-27-07, 07:58 PM	You want to keep your precious airship as far from combat as possible. Soarwood is flammable, expensive, and rare. A couple of fireballs or flame strikes are enough to tear an airship in half. Well yeah, if you wanted to do that you could, but I like ship to ship battles a lot, plus, if you take another ship down, you can scavange soarwood from it. From:eehamburg Quote:If you don't mind, please explain this one. How does it use a storm elemental? What does a storm elemental do differently and do differently for the ship? Basically it operates just like any other elemental, powering the ship and all, but I've added a couple other things. Since a storm elementals body is made up of lightning and cloud stuff, when activated, it makes the ship look like it is sailing on top of storm clouds. Just a cool visual effect I liked, plus it gives partial concealment from below. Also, a friend and I came up with a way to use the Elementals energy as a weapon system. Basically, the ship uses the elementals lightning to electromagnetically charge two metal rails on either side of the under side of the ship. Once charged, specially made metal discs are mechanically kicked into the rails and are shot forward. We called it a railgun. And just to let you know it is not way overpowered. It takes a full round to load, and another round to fire. The discs only do 2d6 damage, but can be augmented I suppose. It's mainly used in ship chasing ship fights, with an accurate range of 200ft and can only be shot straight forward. I know no other ships are like this in Eberron, but I just thought it sounded cooler than ballistas and catapults.:D
Lord_Tirian 11-27-07, 08:15 PM	Crafting a levitation item is entirely reasonable - and not difficult to come up with, considering the item creation rules. I'd steal the Sharn lifts... and make some kind of anchor, so you can throw the end down, anchoring your ship as well as providing a start/end-point for the lift. And thus you get your "land" everywhere airship without dangerous manoeuvres (like jumping from the airship from a low altitude - yes, my players have done this!). Cheers, LT.