An airship question - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

An airship question

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Xorial
Feb 10, 2012 18:10:29 I know that there aren't any hard numbers, but I would like to know if anybody has any good guesses for the number of airships that might be flying around. Sort of a demographics like question, as to which factions have them & such. Large world shaking campaign & it will be kinda important for it.
#2
m4kitsu
Feb 13, 2012 6:02:22 The official answer is "as many as you need for your game".

I can run a game where airships are rare and powerful things that only the rich elite can afford to use. You can run a game where airships are commonplace and not having served aboard one is considered strange. And the best part is, we're both completely right in our intepretations.
#3
Xorial
Feb 14, 2012 0:23:31 That is what I expected. The thing is I am using Spelljammer in Eberron. Running a full campaign based off of the old SJ module, Under the Dark Fist. The Vodoni are invading & I am using the Gith Incursion stuff from Dragon and Dungeon from a couple of years back as a template. When the full invasion kicks off, I need to come up with a good guess at the amount of ariel resitance Eberron may muster. I plan that they will be outclassed & out numbered. I can live without anybody having any guesses. I just figure that the majority of the airships will actually belong to House Lythander. I figure that most military spending on airships is little to non-existant. Do most people agree with that idea?
#4
darkwarlock
Feb 14, 2012 9:40:05 I agree with your basic premise, Xorial, but it does depend on how one defines "most." In "Seekers of the Ashen Crown," for example, there is an airship in the employ of goblins from Darguun. If a rebel faction within a goblin nation has access to a freelance airship, they should probably be a bit more common than your plans suggest. I wouldn't be surprised if several noble families, for example, have access to personal airships.
#5
Lugnut171
Feb 14, 2012 11:11:14
That is what I expected. The thing is I am using Spelljammer in Eberron. Running a full campaign based off of the old SJ module, Under the Dark Fist. The Vodoni are invading & I am using the Gith Incursion stuff from Dragon and Dungeon from a couple of years back as a template. When the full invasion kicks off, I need to come up with a good guess at the amount of ariel resitance Eberron may muster. I plan that they will be outclassed & out numbered. I can live without anybody having any guesses. I just figure that the majority of the airships will actually belong to House Lythander. I figure that most military spending on airships is little to non-existant. Do most people agree with that idea?

Lythander does sell airships, there are a couple countries and individuals do own them, but I agree the majority will be with House Lythander.
#6
Xorial
Feb 14, 2012 13:18:52 My thinking is 70% of all ariships belong exclusively to House Lythander. The may lease some of those out to others. The rest would be private and national owners. With discriptions of national spending in most books I read suggesting the number of private owners actually outnumber the one owned by any government.
#7
DoctorBadWolf
Feb 28, 2012 17:55:05 House Lyrander will, IMO, tend to have the best Airship crews, and some magic based advantages when using airships (due to weather control and the like). However, I don't think it would be out of line to expect House Cannith to have their own fleet, as well as at least a few run by Breland (I'd guess a small mini fleet of sorts) and Aundair. The other two major kingdoms I'm not as sure, but who knows.

Then, of course you have Zilargo. We love them for their spies, but they also craft some amazing stuff, and I think Airships are among them.

I'd also expect at least a few pirate vessels.

IIRC, Cannith makes the airships, and sells them to Lyrander. So I don't really expect Lyrander to have anything close to a monopoly on them. They're just a bit better at using them. And by a bit, I mean quite a bit, in most cases.
#8
PJammaGod
Mar 09, 2012 1:11:03 It really depends on how you integrate the Dragonmarked houses into your concept of Airships. By my own reckoning the only people who can (sensibly) pilot an Airship are those with a Mark of Storms. They are the best suited to directing the Bound Elemental that provides the forward motion (Soarwood provides the actual levitation for the most part). This makes Airships a lucrative business for House Lyrander. It would also make them certainly rarer than most other conveyances, since each would require a fully trained (and marked) Captain.

Of course someone with a strong enough will can attempt to utilise the airship, but they better have nerves of steal because a bound air or storm elemental is difficult business.

Of course you can reverse the concept and have it that anybody with enough salt-water in their veins can pilot an Airship and as such there are more in the air and certainly cheaper. Money is the only bar so they are more common than the previous paragraph. Go with what your campaign demands ;) .

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Xorial Feb 10, 2012 18:10:29	I know that there aren't any hard numbers, but I would like to know if anybody has any good guesses for the number of airships that might be flying around. Sort of a demographics like question, as to which factions have them & such. Large world shaking campaign & it will be kinda important for it.
#2 m4kitsu Feb 13, 2012 6:02:22	The official answer is "as many as you need for your game". I can run a game where airships are rare and powerful things that only the rich elite can afford to use. You can run a game where airships are commonplace and not having served aboard one is considered strange. And the best part is, we're both completely right in our intepretations.
#3 Xorial Feb 14, 2012 0:23:31	That is what I expected. The thing is I am using Spelljammer in Eberron. Running a full campaign based off of the old SJ module, Under the Dark Fist. The Vodoni are invading & I am using the Gith Incursion stuff from Dragon and Dungeon from a couple of years back as a template. When the full invasion kicks off, I need to come up with a good guess at the amount of ariel resitance Eberron may muster. I plan that they will be outclassed & out numbered. I can live without anybody having any guesses. I just figure that the majority of the airships will actually belong to House Lythander. I figure that most military spending on airships is little to non-existant. Do most people agree with that idea?
#4 darkwarlock Feb 14, 2012 9:40:05	I agree with your basic premise, Xorial, but it does depend on how one defines "most." In "Seekers of the Ashen Crown," for example, there is an airship in the employ of goblins from Darguun. If a rebel faction within a goblin nation has access to a freelance airship, they should probably be a bit more common than your plans suggest. I wouldn't be surprised if several noble families, for example, have access to personal airships.
#5 Lugnut171 Feb 14, 2012 11:11:14	That is what I expected. The thing is I am using Spelljammer in Eberron. Running a full campaign based off of the old SJ module, Under the Dark Fist. The Vodoni are invading & I am using the Gith Incursion stuff from Dragon and Dungeon from a couple of years back as a template. When the full invasion kicks off, I need to come up with a good guess at the amount of ariel resitance Eberron may muster. I plan that they will be outclassed & out numbered. I can live without anybody having any guesses. I just figure that the majority of the airships will actually belong to House Lythander. I figure that most military spending on airships is little to non-existant. Do most people agree with that idea? Lythander does sell airships, there are a couple countries and individuals do own them, but I agree the majority will be with House Lythander.
#6 Xorial Feb 14, 2012 13:18:52	My thinking is 70% of all ariships belong exclusively to House Lythander. The may lease some of those out to others. The rest would be private and national owners. With discriptions of national spending in most books I read suggesting the number of private owners actually outnumber the one owned by any government.
#7 DoctorBadWolf Feb 28, 2012 17:55:05	House Lyrander will, IMO, tend to have the best Airship crews, and some magic based advantages when using airships (due to weather control and the like). However, I don't think it would be out of line to expect House Cannith to have their own fleet, as well as at least a few run by Breland (I'd guess a small mini fleet of sorts) and Aundair. The other two major kingdoms I'm not as sure, but who knows. Then, of course you have Zilargo. We love them for their spies, but they also craft some amazing stuff, and I think Airships are among them. I'd also expect at least a few pirate vessels. IIRC, Cannith makes the airships, and sells them to Lyrander. So I don't really expect Lyrander to have anything close to a monopoly on them. They're just a bit better at using them. And by a bit, I mean quite a bit, in most cases.
#8 PJammaGod Mar 09, 2012 1:11:03	It really depends on how you integrate the Dragonmarked houses into your concept of Airships. By my own reckoning the only people who can (sensibly) pilot an Airship are those with a Mark of Storms. They are the best suited to directing the Bound Elemental that provides the forward motion (Soarwood provides the actual levitation for the most part). This makes Airships a lucrative business for House Lyrander. It would also make them certainly rarer than most other conveyances, since each would require a fully trained (and marked) Captain. Of course someone with a strong enough will can attempt to utilise the airship, but they better have nerves of steal because a bound air or storm elemental is difficult business. Of course you can reverse the concept and have it that anybody with enough salt-water in their veins can pilot an Airship and as such there are more in the air and certainly cheaper. Money is the only bar so they are more common than the previous paragraph. Go with what your campaign demands ;) .