Airship Moorings? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Airship Moorings? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Caul
09-07-04, 02:49 PM Am I correct in my understanding that an airship, particularly a Lyrandar vessel, cannot simply "land" wherever it pleases. It is so big that it needs special moorings that only major cities provide?

If this is the case, does anyone know, or have an estimate, on which major cities have such skyhooks and the travel time between them by Lyrandar airship (20 mph right?)
scaryfroman
09-07-04, 03:00 PM I'd probably say Sharn, Flamekeep, Wroat, Fairhaven, Stormhome, Starilaskur, Rekkenmark, Karrlakton, Korth, Krona Peak, Gatherhold, Taer Valaestas, Somewhere in the blade desert, Trolanport, Korranberg, Zolanberg. As for speed, I don't know. Somebody is probably working on one though.
Master of shaarat'khesh
09-07-04, 03:18 PM I believe I read somewhere that major cities have the appropriate mooring equiptment.

I also think that the open plains of Valenar are used as testing grounds for new ships. This leads me to believe that they can land "on the ground", but I think it would only be done if an emergency landing were required. I would bet that such an unexpected landing on an open plain or field would pretty much be a last resort and the ship would not be very salvageable after.
Wolfspirit4W
09-07-04, 11:16 PM Well, there are several major issues to "landing" an air ship without the proper moors. For one thing, the design seems to be more towards being aerodynamic than a sturdy base for landing at this point, another, the bound Fire Elemental ring probably wouldn't be good for whatever it landed on. I could see a three fin
design meant to compensate for this in the works.

On the other hand, it would be possible to load / offload passengers and some minor cargo without actually "landing" Offloading livestock or heavy goods would be tough though.
UltimaGabe
09-08-04, 12:06 AM As for landing an airship, keep in mind that they have poor maneuverability. They aren't exactly going to be able to hover and touch down, or even slow down without falling some distance.
Kaverael
09-08-04, 11:40 AM The airship on the Dunjinni site shows a small docking bay with a skiff that can decend down to the surface. Maybe it has a smaller elemental.
The airship I am working on does not have the elemental ring. Instead it has an "engine" room that is crystal lined with the shard binding the elemental in the center. The crystals magnify the energy and control forward propulsion. The Crystal Room is connected to the crystal lined keel that channels the elemental energy along the keel, controlling lift.
As for poor maneuverability, it all depends on the skill of the person at the helm. A skilled dragonmarked heir with the greater mark of storm should have no problems putting the ship anywhere he/she wants.
MarkB
09-08-04, 01:14 PM As for landing an airship, keep in mind that they have poor maneuverability. They aren't exactly going to be able to hover and touch down, or even slow down without falling some distance.
That's true for default Poor manoueverability, but bear in mind that airships don't rely on aerodynamics for lift, so there's no reason they can't come to a halt in mid-air, or move slowly straight up and down.
atanhel
09-08-04, 02:56 PM Furthermore... ever seen that picture of a airgally in the ECS?
how is that this supposted to land with a huge ring surounding... practically everyting?

I think that those shipyards are high in the sky ( say 30 m at least), and thet thing has a fitting dock! furthermore, maybe there is a ropelader to get in?
( remeber, that's just how I picture it, I might be wrong!)
Edymnion
09-08-04, 03:06 PM Not really having anything to do with this topic, but something you should find interesting non-the-less.

You know how the Empire State Building in New York has that really tall spire on the top of it? When the skyscraper was built, it was intended to be a docking spire for blimbs. There's a landing pad up there with doorways into the building leading to what used to be some exceptionally exquisit rooms. Only one blimb ever docked there though, because it was found that the wind shot up the sides of the building causing terrible turbulance. But still, a very cool, little known fact that I just felt the urge to toss in :D
Elendur
09-08-04, 03:22 PM Are blimbs blimp propelled bombs? No wonder they didn't dock them there, that sounds dangersous. :)
Edymnion
09-08-04, 03:43 PM Are blimbs blimp propelled bombs? No wonder they didn't dock them there, that sounds dangersous. :)Dude, one word, Hindenburg :P
Nightshade
09-08-04, 04:47 PM Not really having anything to do with this topic, but something you should find interesting non-the-less.

You know how the Empire State Building in New York has that really tall spire on the top of it? When the skyscraper was built, it was intended to be a docking spire for blimbs. There's a landing pad up there with doorways into the building leading to what used to be some exceptionally exquisit rooms. Only one blimb ever docked there though, because it was found that the wind shot up the sides of the building causing terrible turbulance. But still, a very cool, little known fact that I just felt the urge to toss in :D

Shoot! I was hoping you knew that because you lived in NYC, as I do. I checked your profile. No such luck. I need some people to play Eberron with.

Is there a forum to find local gamers on these boards?
JohnSnow
09-08-04, 06:33 PM Almost totally true about the Empire State Building, except that it was a docking point for dirigibles/zeppelins, not blimps. ;-)

What's the difference, you ask? Zeppelins are rigid frame airships with gas-filled lifting tanks, not giant gas filled balloons. Oh, and Hindenberg wasn't the only airship to go up (down?) in flames (check out the records on the helium-filled USS Macon).

All that said, I'm gonna be putting an ESB equivalent into Sharn (if Keith & Co. haven't done so already in "City of Towers") with a tower mooring for airships that works. :cool:
Elendur
09-09-04, 01:48 AM Here's a picture of a failed dirigible docking attempt at the ESB:

http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/structures/timeline/timeline_04.html

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Caul 09-07-04, 02:49 PM	Am I correct in my understanding that an airship, particularly a Lyrandar vessel, cannot simply "land" wherever it pleases. It is so big that it needs special moorings that only major cities provide? If this is the case, does anyone know, or have an estimate, on which major cities have such skyhooks and the travel time between them by Lyrandar airship (20 mph right?)
scaryfroman 09-07-04, 03:00 PM	I'd probably say Sharn, Flamekeep, Wroat, Fairhaven, Stormhome, Starilaskur, Rekkenmark, Karrlakton, Korth, Krona Peak, Gatherhold, Taer Valaestas, Somewhere in the blade desert, Trolanport, Korranberg, Zolanberg. As for speed, I don't know. Somebody is probably working on one though.
Master of shaarat'khesh 09-07-04, 03:18 PM	I believe I read somewhere that major cities have the appropriate mooring equiptment. I also think that the open plains of Valenar are used as testing grounds for new ships. This leads me to believe that they can land "on the ground", but I think it would only be done if an emergency landing were required. I would bet that such an unexpected landing on an open plain or field would pretty much be a last resort and the ship would not be very salvageable after.
Wolfspirit4W 09-07-04, 11:16 PM	Well, there are several major issues to "landing" an air ship without the proper moors. For one thing, the design seems to be more towards being aerodynamic than a sturdy base for landing at this point, another, the bound Fire Elemental ring probably wouldn't be good for whatever it landed on. I could see a three fin design meant to compensate for this in the works. On the other hand, it would be possible to load / offload passengers and some minor cargo without actually "landing" Offloading livestock or heavy goods would be tough though.
UltimaGabe 09-08-04, 12:06 AM	As for landing an airship, keep in mind that they have poor maneuverability. They aren't exactly going to be able to hover and touch down, or even slow down without falling some distance.
Kaverael 09-08-04, 11:40 AM	The airship on the Dunjinni site shows a small docking bay with a skiff that can decend down to the surface. Maybe it has a smaller elemental. The airship I am working on does not have the elemental ring. Instead it has an "engine" room that is crystal lined with the shard binding the elemental in the center. The crystals magnify the energy and control forward propulsion. The Crystal Room is connected to the crystal lined keel that channels the elemental energy along the keel, controlling lift. As for poor maneuverability, it all depends on the skill of the person at the helm. A skilled dragonmarked heir with the greater mark of storm should have no problems putting the ship anywhere he/she wants.
MarkB 09-08-04, 01:14 PM	As for landing an airship, keep in mind that they have poor maneuverability. They aren't exactly going to be able to hover and touch down, or even slow down without falling some distance. That's true for default Poor manoueverability, but bear in mind that airships don't rely on aerodynamics for lift, so there's no reason they can't come to a halt in mid-air, or move slowly straight up and down.
atanhel 09-08-04, 02:56 PM	Furthermore... ever seen that picture of a airgally in the ECS? how is that this supposted to land with a huge ring surounding... practically everyting? I think that those shipyards are high in the sky ( say 30 m at least), and thet thing has a fitting dock! furthermore, maybe there is a ropelader to get in? ( remeber, that's just how I picture it, I might be wrong!)
Edymnion 09-08-04, 03:06 PM	Not really having anything to do with this topic, but something you should find interesting non-the-less. You know how the Empire State Building in New York has that really tall spire on the top of it? When the skyscraper was built, it was intended to be a docking spire for blimbs. There's a landing pad up there with doorways into the building leading to what used to be some exceptionally exquisit rooms. Only one blimb ever docked there though, because it was found that the wind shot up the sides of the building causing terrible turbulance. But still, a very cool, little known fact that I just felt the urge to toss in :D
Elendur 09-08-04, 03:22 PM	Are blimbs blimp propelled bombs? No wonder they didn't dock them there, that sounds dangersous. :)
Edymnion 09-08-04, 03:43 PM	Are blimbs blimp propelled bombs? No wonder they didn't dock them there, that sounds dangersous. :)Dude, one word, Hindenburg :P
Nightshade 09-08-04, 04:47 PM	Not really having anything to do with this topic, but something you should find interesting non-the-less. You know how the Empire State Building in New York has that really tall spire on the top of it? When the skyscraper was built, it was intended to be a docking spire for blimbs. There's a landing pad up there with doorways into the building leading to what used to be some exceptionally exquisit rooms. Only one blimb ever docked there though, because it was found that the wind shot up the sides of the building causing terrible turbulance. But still, a very cool, little known fact that I just felt the urge to toss in :D Shoot! I was hoping you knew that because you lived in NYC, as I do. I checked your profile. No such luck. I need some people to play Eberron with. Is there a forum to find local gamers on these boards?
JohnSnow 09-08-04, 06:33 PM	Almost totally true about the Empire State Building, except that it was a docking point for dirigibles/zeppelins, not blimps. ;-) What's the difference, you ask? Zeppelins are rigid frame airships with gas-filled lifting tanks, not giant gas filled balloons. Oh, and Hindenberg wasn't the only airship to go up (down?) in flames (check out the records on the helium-filled USS Macon). All that said, I'm gonna be putting an ESB equivalent into Sharn (if Keith & Co. haven't done so already in "City of Towers") with a tower mooring for airships that works. :cool:
Elendur 09-09-04, 01:48 AM	Here's a picture of a failed dirigible docking attempt at the ESB: http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/structures/timeline/timeline_04.html