Question about Airships - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Question about Airships

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
KrashKow
Dec 19, 2009 4:59:12 A quick question about airships: Does House Lyrandar own and operate all the elemental airships on Khorvaire, or are there privately owned and operated ones. In particular, cargo or passenger haulers? I know in Sharn there are the local air ships that seem to be private, but I'm referring to the elementally powered airships that can criss-cross the continent, not just float in Sharn's special magical zone.
#2
Talae
Dec 19, 2009 9:54:59 I know little of the Gnomes, but for some reason think that they have something similar going on.
#3
Alex_
Dec 19, 2009 12:51:19
A quick question about airships: Does House Lyrandar own and operate all the elemental airships on Khorvaire, or are there privately owned and operated ones. In particular, cargo or passenger haulers? I know in Sharn there are the local air ships that seem to be private, but I'm referring to the elementally powered airships that can criss-cross the continent, not just float in Sharn's special magical zone.

   From what I can tell, Lyrandar operates all "legal" airships. However, they tend to give their members a lot of freedom, so there exist many captains who make their way taking on more dangerous or unconventional missions than others. In the end, it's how much money and business they bring to the house that matters.

   Then there are good ol' fashioned pirates and privateers. They acquired skyships through questionable means and if they were caught, would probably suffer some kind of punishment. But they don't get caught.

I'd imagine that you'd see these guys operating out of the less lawful regions of Khorvaire and beyond.
#4
RedRider
Dec 19, 2009 14:04:30 Back in the 3.5 campaign setting book, only Half-Elves with the Mark of Storms could reliably control the elemental powered airships. Also it was established elementally bound airships were a technology only about ten years old. (The possibility of flying ships made with other, presumably more expensive, magic was not raised.)

As time went on, other books in the series were written and they tended to be somewhat inconsistant on the issue. From non-Khorvar airship pilots to a seemingly major proliferation in airship ownership. (Enough for there to be more than a few air-pirates around.)
One adventure featured "The world's largest airship" which was a quarter of the size of one featured in another book which some dude won in a card game.

So really, the writers weren't terribly consistant about the whole thing.

A few concepts to bear in mind.
-Since the Mark of Storms is needed to reliably control an airship, most pilots are going to be half-elves of the Lyandar line. As mentioned, they are given a lot of autonomy by the house. However you could find the odd bastard child or heir who left the house who'd be willing and able to fly for other interests.
-Airships are pretty expensive, so only the richest patrons are usually able to afford to own one.
-The construction of elemental airships requires Zilargo's elemental binding technology, which is a national treasure to the Zil Gnomes. (One which they are implied to have swiped off the Xen'Drik firebinder drow and improved upon.) Even without the assistance of House Cannith or Lyandar, you're not going to get far without someone to bind the elemental for you. While the Zil wouldn't nescessarily refuse to bind one for you, they're probably not keen to annoy their main customers in the dragonmarked houses. If you find a way to do it yourself, you'll be mostly fine unless Lyrandar or the Zil government decide you're a threat to their respective monopolies.
-Airship travel is a recent invention, so a lot of the infrastructure that supports stuff like the lightning rail just isn't there for Airships. While major cities may have airship towers, most towns will not. While this isn't much of a problem for passengers (a good rope ladder or featherfall effect will suffice for disembarking) it is a major problem for cargo. (Unless you can chuck it over the side of course.)
-Regarding overland cargo and travel, House Orien's got that handled. The long-established Lightning Rail and their network of roads handles most of the land-based cargo. Though with Cyre destroyed and White Arch bridge sundered, travel between east and west Khorvaire is a bit more difficult than it was a hundred years ago. Remember also house Lyrandar also operate in the seabourne transport market. They even have their elemental galleons for fast travel overseas.
Really airships are best used for fast travel (going as the crow flies beats out the lightning rail), transport to inaccessable locations and smaller but time-urgent cargoes which won't fit into Kundrak's dimensional vaults, which can teleport items from one end of the continent to the other.
-Given that airships are expensive and still a developing technology, airship piracy will be rare and is more likely to come in the form of ambush by other flight methods rather than another airship. One or two ex-Lyrandar pirate captains would be plausible enoug though.

Oh, and the minature airships in Sharn are powered by the ambient energy of Syrania. They don't work outside the city. They are privately owned, and you can easily imagine them as a sort of air-taxi.
#5
Hideous_Phidias
Dec 19, 2009 20:11:43 Simple answer to your question is no, House Lyrandar does not have control to all the air ships.   They control a majority of them and have the control over the shiping lanes. But many Nations have their own fleet of of airships as do my of the Houses.   Remember that it is not house Lyrandar that makes these ships but House Cannith and the Gnome elemental binder of Zilargo.   It is only nature that they make a few for them selves and House cannith will sell almost anything to anyone as long they can make money off it.    In 3.5 there were a number of ways for non- Lyrandars to control the airships.   In the books based on the setting there were a number of non-Lyrander airships the two book triligies that come to mind are the Heirs of Ash and The Lost MArk. In Heirs of Ash there were three ships owned by house Cannith and in The Lost Mark the group od adventures finds a lost forgotten airship in the Mournland.
#6
Gilo
Dec 19, 2009 21:21:31 House Lyrandar does own the Windwrights guild. airship captains need to be members of the guild (and pay fees) because:

a. the clients supplying the cargo/passenger delivery contracts work through the guild, so merchent captains need the guild to get work.
b. they want to use the airship towers own by house Lyrandar
c. they want to to pay customs (a ship that transport cargo without customs papers are considered smugglers?)
d. captain that work outside the guild are rumored to suffer 'accidents' (usually related to bad weather)

So the majority of airships are not owned or operataed directly by house Lyrandar but they are members of the Windwrights guild.
Some airship captains (like military ships or Lhazaar Principalitie pirates) don't care above the above benefits and are not members of the guild.
#7
Sacrament
Dec 19, 2009 23:57:55 The 3.5 ECS states that "a few airships found their ways in the hand of privateers".
#8
KrashKow
Dec 20, 2009 1:18:50 Thanks for the replies all. Good stuff all around.

-Since the Mark of Storms is needed to reliably control an airship, most pilots are going to be half-elves of the Lyandar line. As mentioned, they are given a lot of autonomy by the house. However you could find the odd bastard child or heir who left the house who'd be willing and able to fly for other interests.

Oddly enough, the reason I'm asking is because I have a character in my current campaign who is a Dragonmarked member of House Lyrandar and a airship captain who has been excoriated from the house. My DM and I are trying to pin down just what exactly she might have been doing since her excoriation. It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether.
#9
RedRider
Dec 20, 2009 4:54:41
It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether.

Exoriation is a most severe punishment, so if Lyrandar owned her ship (and considering how expensive they are, they probably did) then she probably lost both command and her ship.

Outside interests willing and able to get their own airship could include:

-Independent merchants who chafe at Lyrandar's monopoly on air travel.
-National Militaries, who would be willing to risk annoying Lyrandar a little if it meant having a loyal airship captain. (This could be a great way to justify an airship in your game at heroic levels, if your pilot was a captain for Cyre and held onto the ship after The Mourning.)
-National spy agencies. (Though again, loyalty is a factor.)
-Exploration organisations such as the Wayfarers Foundation and Morgrave University. (Plot hook: A Morgrave University explorer has discovered something troubling in Xen'Drik and needs an airship pilot whose loyalty the dragonmarked houses isn't going to trump a sworn oath of secrecy regarding the find.)

That's mostly-legitimate interests done. A few more shady options.

-The Aurum are rich enough to get their hands on an airship and while they're usually more subtle in their operations, they may see some use in an airship to deliver agents or hold clandestine meetings aboard.
-The Order of the Emerald Claw has the financial backing, but can't operate openly. The pilot may be hired without knowledge of her employer's true interests.
-The Riderians, operating out of Q'Barra, may have an interest in getting someone to fly an airship for them. This wouldn't even need to involve the Dreaming Dark, since the Inspired need to fly just like anyone else.
-The Chamber or other draconic interests, masquerading as one of the other options.
-As suggested, there are a couple of Air Pirates around. One book even suggested a relative of Kind Boranel's was a notorious air pirate, though this veers into the severe airship proliferation issue mentioned above.
#10
Alex_
Dec 21, 2009 1:36:35
Thanks for the replies all. Good stuff all around.

Oddly enough, the reason I'm asking is because I have a character in my current campaign who is a Dragonmarked member of House Lyrandar and a airship captain who has been excoriated from the house. My DM and I are trying to pin down just what exactly she might have been doing since her excoriation. It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether.

If she's still operating an airship, she's very likely doing so illegally as a privateer. Staying a step ahead of the officials, operating out of places where the authorities and clients don't ask too many questions, and probably going through some effort to not stand out.

Being a pirate/smuggler/deserter basically.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 KrashKow Dec 19, 2009 4:59:12	A quick question about airships: Does House Lyrandar own and operate all the elemental airships on Khorvaire, or are there privately owned and operated ones. In particular, cargo or passenger haulers? I know in Sharn there are the local air ships that seem to be private, but I'm referring to the elementally powered airships that can criss-cross the continent, not just float in Sharn's special magical zone.
#2 Talae Dec 19, 2009 9:54:59	I know little of the Gnomes, but for some reason think that they have something similar going on.
#3 Alex_ Dec 19, 2009 12:51:19	A quick question about airships: Does House Lyrandar own and operate all the elemental airships on Khorvaire, or are there privately owned and operated ones. In particular, cargo or passenger haulers? I know in Sharn there are the local air ships that seem to be private, but I'm referring to the elementally powered airships that can criss-cross the continent, not just float in Sharn's special magical zone. From what I can tell, Lyrandar operates all "legal" airships. However, they tend to give their members a lot of freedom, so there exist many captains who make their way taking on more dangerous or unconventional missions than others. In the end, it's how much money and business they bring to the house that matters. Then there are good ol' fashioned pirates and privateers. They acquired skyships through questionable means and if they were caught, would probably suffer some kind of punishment. But they don't get caught. I'd imagine that you'd see these guys operating out of the less lawful regions of Khorvaire and beyond.
#4 RedRider Dec 19, 2009 14:04:30	Back in the 3.5 campaign setting book, only Half-Elves with the Mark of Storms could reliably control the elemental powered airships. Also it was established elementally bound airships were a technology only about ten years old. (The possibility of flying ships made with other, presumably more expensive, magic was not raised.) As time went on, other books in the series were written and they tended to be somewhat inconsistant on the issue. From non-Khorvar airship pilots to a seemingly major proliferation in airship ownership. (Enough for there to be more than a few air-pirates around.) One adventure featured "The world's largest airship" which was a quarter of the size of one featured in another book which some dude won in a card game. So really, the writers weren't terribly consistant about the whole thing. A few concepts to bear in mind. -Since the Mark of Storms is needed to reliably control an airship, most pilots are going to be half-elves of the Lyandar line. As mentioned, they are given a lot of autonomy by the house. However you could find the odd bastard child or heir who left the house who'd be willing and able to fly for other interests. -Airships are pretty expensive, so only the richest patrons are usually able to afford to own one. -The construction of elemental airships requires Zilargo's elemental binding technology, which is a national treasure to the Zil Gnomes. (One which they are implied to have swiped off the Xen'Drik firebinder drow and improved upon.) Even without the assistance of House Cannith or Lyandar, you're not going to get far without someone to bind the elemental for you. While the Zil wouldn't nescessarily refuse to bind one for you, they're probably not keen to annoy their main customers in the dragonmarked houses. If you find a way to do it yourself, you'll be mostly fine unless Lyrandar or the Zil government decide you're a threat to their respective monopolies. -Airship travel is a recent invention, so a lot of the infrastructure that supports stuff like the lightning rail just isn't there for Airships. While major cities may have airship towers, most towns will not. While this isn't much of a problem for passengers (a good rope ladder or featherfall effect will suffice for disembarking) it is a major problem for cargo. (Unless you can chuck it over the side of course.) -Regarding overland cargo and travel, House Orien's got that handled. The long-established Lightning Rail and their network of roads handles most of the land-based cargo. Though with Cyre destroyed and White Arch bridge sundered, travel between east and west Khorvaire is a bit more difficult than it was a hundred years ago. Remember also house Lyrandar also operate in the seabourne transport market. They even have their elemental galleons for fast travel overseas. Really airships are best used for fast travel (going as the crow flies beats out the lightning rail), transport to inaccessable locations and smaller but time-urgent cargoes which won't fit into Kundrak's dimensional vaults, which can teleport items from one end of the continent to the other. -Given that airships are expensive and still a developing technology, airship piracy will be rare and is more likely to come in the form of ambush by other flight methods rather than another airship. One or two ex-Lyrandar pirate captains would be plausible enoug though. Oh, and the minature airships in Sharn are powered by the ambient energy of Syrania. They don't work outside the city. They are privately owned, and you can easily imagine them as a sort of air-taxi.
#5 Hideous_Phidias Dec 19, 2009 20:11:43	Simple answer to your question is no, House Lyrandar does not have control to all the air ships. They control a majority of them and have the control over the shiping lanes. But many Nations have their own fleet of of airships as do my of the Houses. Remember that it is not house Lyrandar that makes these ships but House Cannith and the Gnome elemental binder of Zilargo. It is only nature that they make a few for them selves and House cannith will sell almost anything to anyone as long they can make money off it. In 3.5 there were a number of ways for non- Lyrandars to control the airships. In the books based on the setting there were a number of non-Lyrander airships the two book triligies that come to mind are the Heirs of Ash and The Lost MArk. In Heirs of Ash there were three ships owned by house Cannith and in The Lost Mark the group od adventures finds a lost forgotten airship in the Mournland.
#6 Gilo Dec 19, 2009 21:21:31	House Lyrandar does own the Windwrights guild. airship captains need to be members of the guild (and pay fees) because: a. the clients supplying the cargo/passenger delivery contracts work through the guild, so merchent captains need the guild to get work. b. they want to use the airship towers own by house Lyrandar c. they want to to pay customs (a ship that transport cargo without customs papers are considered smugglers?) d. captain that work outside the guild are rumored to suffer 'accidents' (usually related to bad weather) So the majority of airships are not owned or operataed directly by house Lyrandar but they are members of the Windwrights guild. Some airship captains (like military ships or Lhazaar Principalitie pirates) don't care above the above benefits and are not members of the guild.
#7 Sacrament Dec 19, 2009 23:57:55	The 3.5 ECS states that "a few airships found their ways in the hand of privateers".
#8 KrashKow Dec 20, 2009 1:18:50	Thanks for the replies all. Good stuff all around. -Since the Mark of Storms is needed to reliably control an airship, most pilots are going to be half-elves of the Lyandar line. As mentioned, they are given a lot of autonomy by the house. However you could find the odd bastard child or heir who left the house who'd be willing and able to fly for other interests. Oddly enough, the reason I'm asking is because I have a character in my current campaign who is a Dragonmarked member of House Lyrandar and a airship captain who has been excoriated from the house. My DM and I are trying to pin down just what exactly she might have been doing since her excoriation. It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether.
#9 RedRider Dec 20, 2009 4:54:41	It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether. Exoriation is a most severe punishment, so if Lyrandar owned her ship (and considering how expensive they are, they probably did) then she probably lost both command and her ship. Outside interests willing and able to get their own airship could include: -Independent merchants who chafe at Lyrandar's monopoly on air travel. -National Militaries, who would be willing to risk annoying Lyrandar a little if it meant having a loyal airship captain. (This could be a great way to justify an airship in your game at heroic levels, if your pilot was a captain for Cyre and held onto the ship after The Mourning.) -National spy agencies. (Though again, loyalty is a factor.) -Exploration organisations such as the Wayfarers Foundation and Morgrave University. (Plot hook: A Morgrave University explorer has discovered something troubling in Xen'Drik and needs an airship pilot whose loyalty the dragonmarked houses isn't going to trump a sworn oath of secrecy regarding the find.) That's mostly-legitimate interests done. A few more shady options. -The Aurum are rich enough to get their hands on an airship and while they're usually more subtle in their operations, they may see some use in an airship to deliver agents or hold clandestine meetings aboard. -The Order of the Emerald Claw has the financial backing, but can't operate openly. The pilot may be hired without knowledge of her employer's true interests. -The Riderians, operating out of Q'Barra, may have an interest in getting someone to fly an airship for them. This wouldn't even need to involve the Dreaming Dark, since the Inspired need to fly just like anyone else. -The Chamber or other draconic interests, masquerading as one of the other options. -As suggested, there are a couple of Air Pirates around. One book even suggested a relative of Kind Boranel's was a notorious air pirate, though this veers into the severe airship proliferation issue mentioned above.
#10 Alex_ Dec 21, 2009 1:36:35	Thanks for the replies all. Good stuff all around. Oddly enough, the reason I'm asking is because I have a character in my current campaign who is a Dragonmarked member of House Lyrandar and a airship captain who has been excoriated from the house. My DM and I are trying to pin down just what exactly she might have been doing since her excoriation. It seems certain that she'd be stripped of her formal command and cast out of the house. I'm trying to determine if she might be air captaining elsewhere, perhaps clandestinely, or f she'd more or less be out of the ship piloting business altogether. If she's still operating an airship, she's very likely doing so illegally as a privateer. Staying a step ahead of the officials, operating out of places where the authorities and clients don't ask too many questions, and probably going through some effort to not stand out. Being a pirate/smuggler/deserter basically.