Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gishsarath 03-30-05, 04:03 PM	So, I am designing an adventure for my gaming group and have decided that an "Air Pirates" theme shall be the focus of the next session ... the only problem, however, is the setting! I get the impression that the few elemental powered airships that are floatin' about are exclusively in the use of House Lyrander and their officially sanctioned Khoravar privateers. This sorta puts a damper on my adventure idea ... unless, of course, that there are alternative methods of air transport cluttering up the skies of Eberron! So, what is your take on this? Are there gyrocopters and primative zepplins bopping around the skies of Eberron? Obviously, they aren't as speedy or efficient as Khoravar Airships ... but they aren't as susceptible to Dispel Magics, now are they?
DarkWarriorKarg 03-30-05, 04:28 PM	So, what is your take on this? Are there gyrocopters and primative zepplins bopping around the skies of Eberron? Obviously, they aren't as speedy or efficient as Khoravar Airships ... but they aren't as susceptible to Dispel Magics, now are they? Nope. Just fireballs, lightning bolts, magic missiles, air elementals, summoned flying monsters and native flying monsters. Heck, the Lyrandar airships aren't such a hot idea anyway... dispel magic, charm monster, banish... Nice idea, though... I had thoughts of "Don Carnage"... unfortunately, this isn't quite the setting for it...
Gishsarath 03-30-05, 04:39 PM	Nope. Just fireballs, lightning bolts, magic missiles, air elementals, summoned flying monsters and native flying monsters. Heck, the Lyrandar airships aren't such a hot idea anyway... dispel magic, charm monster, banish... Nice idea, though... I had thoughts of "Don Carnage"... unfortunately, this isn't quite the setting for it... Yeah, there are a lot of dangers in taking to the air when things such as hippogriffs and spider-eaters are a common airborne menace. So, would this have kept various parties from developing flight technology ... even if it was highly risky?
DwarvinJedi 03-30-05, 04:42 PM	I could see a new invention being a zepplin with a air elemental bound inside it. or has been suggested before, more of a WWI fighter plane with a smaller air elemental in it. And you could always set it in the future and make any changes to the Airship that you want, maybe the gnomes found a way to let anyone control the air elemental without even the Cha checks, maybe Cannith has figured out a way to mass produce things. You can always use the seas for a pirating campaign, even though I see how much more fun Air Pirates would be, but check out "Airships" by Bastion Press, I have been tempted to buy it.
DarkWarriorKarg 03-30-05, 04:51 PM	I could see a new invention being a zepplin with a air elemental bound inside it. or has been suggested before, more of a WWI fighter plane with a smaller air elemental in it. And you could always set it in the future and make any changes to the Airship that you want, maybe the gnomes found a way to let anyone control the air elemental without even the Cha checks, maybe Cannith has figured out a way to mass produce things. True. And the airship would control the air elemental through the "Rod of Elemental Command" located just in front of the pilot. Then strap a couple of wands of fireballs to the thing... Or higher level Magic Missiles with extended range...
zambuka 03-30-05, 07:16 PM	S I get the impression that the few elemental powered airships that are floatin' about are exclusively in the use of House Lyrander and their officially sanctioned Khoravar privateers. Not quite true. Lyrander is mentioned mostly because they are the ones who have commercialised the use of the airships. The first airships were certainly exclusive to Lyrander, it says so in the History. Remember however that airships were designed by House Cannith and House Orien with aid of artificers from the Twelve (p246 ECS) and constructed in Zilargo (p124 ECS) , so these groups will also have an ariship or two. Airships were also built with air elementals (p124 again). As for privateers, there is no reason why they would need to be sanctioned by Lyrander. Remember that anyone can pilot an airship (see page 257 of the ECS for details on how to pilot an airship) so if a few private enterprises, or governments, were willing to fork over the cash for one of these there is no reason why it wouldn't be built. There is also the posibility of one being hijacked so that is another option, one that fits into your air pirates theme. House Lyrander airships are fitted with a wheel of wind and water which allows someone with the mark of storms to pilot the ship without the charisma check. There is no reason why the other houses don't have their own variant on this. Orien has one varient already for use on the lightning rail and there are certainly hints that Cannith owns one or two. One of the novels and one of the modules has airships in the hands of others. In short, you can easily have your air pirates theme without having to invent new methods of air travel for Eberron.
Roxlimn 03-30-05, 11:50 PM	Not at all! The setting is rife with ideas on how to bring about an Air Pirate campaing, though probably not with the same panache as Don Carnage. The main thing to remember here is that Lyrandar is the major player in the Airship business here, and it's to all the Houses' interests that it remain so. You could have a rogue Khoravar captain who possessed the Dragonmark yet was not allied with Lyrandar. Lyrandar hires adventurers to track down this legendary and formidable pirate as he flees through the Five Nations. Great adventure ensues. Very Eberonnic, if you ask me.