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Aether and Flux

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Dragonhelm
Aug 14, 2003 12:53:50 (cross-posted on the Spelljammer-L mailing list)

Hi, all. I got my copy of Aether and Flux in the mail the other day. I've had only a brief amount of time to look it over due to a hectic family schedule, but I will give some initial thoughts. For anyone else who bought the book, feel free to chime in.

First, I'll go into some basic concepts. Space in general is referred to as the Traverse. Within the Traverse is the Aether, which comes across to me as "solar wind". Aether seems to be everywhere, although it is thinner in some places and thicker in others. Normally, you can't see the Aether, save for the area surrounding solar systems. This is called the Pale Aether, or the Pale for short. The Aether is what propels a ship.

Two things influence the Aether in order to have it propel ships. The first is arcane magic. Note that divine magic does not power ships. The second is something called the Flux, which is similar to lightning. It's artificially created, and is a non-spellcasting alternative to arcane space travel. I think the alternative is nice, although I find it a bit hokey that the Flux and Arcane energies affect the Aether in the same way.

Ships - There is a limited selection of ships, but the good part is that they have the look of classic Spelljammer vessels. Being in B&W is a minus, although it is good to have some new designs. Nothing that really stands out, though.

Races - Basically, PHB races and a monster race called the Ravin. They're an insectoid race, and are described as being similar to ticks. I was disappointed that they didn't have a bunch of new races.

Classes and Prestige Classes - Nada, zero, zilch. This was a HUGE disappointment for me. I was hoping for some setting-specific PrCs, such as stellar mariners, Ravin hunters, etc.

Feats - There are a few, although they're relatively unremarkable.

There is a section I haven't had time to tackle yet about 3 eras of space travel. The concept is one I could see applying to a SJ setting.

Anyway, I am far from done looking at this book, but I thought I would pass along my initial thoughts. Aether and Flux certainly isn't a replacement for Spelljammer by any means. However, one might be able to use it as an additional resource.
#2
zombiegleemax
Aug 15, 2003 0:35:53
Ships - There is a limited selection of ships, but the good part is that they have the look of classic Spelljammer vessels. Being in B&W is a minus, although it is good to have some new designs. Nothing that really stands out, though.

Well from your review I would say only the ships would interest me and I really doubt I would buy the product for b/w ship pics that have no deckplans. A real disappointment. While I have created deckplans for ships in the past, I do so only for those ships that interest me.

I on the other hand rather see more effort for those that like the spelljamming setting to create more material for the setting.

As for myself I just finished creating a converson for the Courier (a kit from The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook. Little by little I keep gnawing away at conversions for the spelljamming setting.
#3
Dragonhelm
Aug 15, 2003 9:22:22
Originally posted by Danastes
Well from your review I would say only the ships would interest me and I really doubt I would buy the product for b/w ship pics that have no deckplans. A real disappointment. While I have created deckplans for ships in the past, I do so only for those ships that interest me.

No, they do have deckplans! In that regard, they are very much like classic SJ.
#4
zombiegleemax
Aug 15, 2003 9:45:45 How many ships do they have in the product and how much did the produce cost?
#5
Dragonhelm
Aug 15, 2003 11:28:28 Aether and Flux cost $21.95.

I want to say it has about 10-15 ships. I'm not sure if all the ships listed on their site made it into the product. Here's the link:

Aether and Flux
#6
zombiegleemax
Aug 16, 2003 10:32:23 Hello, my name is Steven Grover and you will find it on the front of the Aether * Flux Sourcebook.

Aether * Flux is a 96 page softbound sourcebook, it inherently cannot compare on sheer volume with the boxed version of SpellJammer and was not meant to do so.

It is designed to provide a source for new methods of moving a campaign into space or at least provide the possibility of that occuring. The main focus is to get the players involved in taking over a ship and making it the prize, not just waiting for the hull to be blown apart so they can go for a magical chair. It allows your mages and priests to be more than the magical battery for thier ship.

The enviroment has more factors of reality in regards to air and gravity. The DM has more control of the travel times so that his adventures aren't regulated by the time it takes to travel between locales of his adventure. One time it might be a fast trip as the Aether is thinner and provides more push, the next it could take much longer as the ship hits a doldrums effect and must fight for every bit of speed.

The combat system is D20 based around the siege weapon rules and ships are designed with section thickness, material, hitpoints, hardness and break DCs as decribed in the DMG. Within a few weeks stats based on these rules for the original SpellJammer ships will be provide at the Darkfuries website in PDF format.

Finally, let me say that I enjoyed SpellJammer and ran a continuous 5 year campaign around the Scro adventure series. The material you have for Spell Jammer will work with Aether * Flux and if you want to continue using Helms then it will mesh with the technical aspects of movement in the Traverse.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please do post them as I will be checking back regularly.

Steven "Maelfactor" Grover
Aether * Flux
Darkfuries Publishing
BlaqueJaque Studios

#7
old_sage
Nov 07, 2003 7:46:39 I'm curious, how exactly does the propulsion system work?. What can you tell me about this Flux/Lightning system and the effects it has on the Aether?. Also, how does arcane magic propel the ship?.
#8
zombiegleemax
Nov 07, 2003 15:46:15 Quote from the Introduction of Aether*Flux

"Aether

It is invisible; it is intangible. It fills the expanse of the Traverse. Yet like so many things that cannot be felt or seen, it exists. And it is the driving force for the massive vessels that ply the distances between worlds. Some claim it can be seen like a ripple upon water, or as heat rising from desert sands. Most that have uttered such outlandish words have learned to either still their tongues, or accept the ridicule and laughter that accompanies their assertions. Others ignore the scoffing, and happily accept the brimming tankards passed to them by laughing listeners.

Aether is a tremendous power not easily harnessed, even by those who have sought its secrets. It is most appropriately compared to a gas, as its erratically changing density can be neither explained nor predicted with any degree of accuracy. There are, however, several characteristics of aether that are known to be true and constant:

1. It is densest around a planetary body.
2. It is thinly dispersed throughout the space of a star system.
3. It “collects” into a visible, curtain-like sphere at the edge of star systems.
4. It is sparsest outside of a star system.
5. Its density is indirectly proportional to the potential it possesses.
6. It reacts to flux and arcane magic.

When aether comes into direct contact with flux or arcane magic, it produces a reaction that can be seen and felt. Simply put, aether pushes against flux or arcane magic, though it is unknown if it is actually drawn to either. No matter how strong the push, however, it cannot normally be perceived because it pushes equally against every point of a flux or arcane magical surface that it touches, leaving no telltale trace of its existence or effect. Before aether could be harnessed, it was first necessary to fashion magical or flux items that would not be pushed by aether on all sides. The solution was simple: As magical and flux emanations are easily blocked by almost any substance, thin coverings could be placed on one side of a magical or flux object, leaving the other sides exposed to the push."

With this effect the sails of the ships have two layers like an onion. The layer facing aft is magical or threaded with a lattice of copper wire attached to a flux source. The layer facing the bow is normal and so blocks the magic emanation or flux field so that the 'Push' only occurs against the aft surface of the layered sail. With a wind that no one can see or feel the sails billow forward and the vessel moves through the Traverse.

Thank you for the question and if you have any others please do ask them.

Steven "Maelfactor" Grover
Aether*Flux
Darkfuries Publishing
BlaqueJaque Studios
#9
Dragonhelm
Nov 07, 2003 17:15:00 Maelfactor, you said (on the Spelljammer mailing list?) something about posting some Spelljammer ships using the Aether and Flux rules on the Darkfuries site recently.

Is this still in the works? Did WotC give the okay?

Thanks!
#10
old_sage
Nov 08, 2003 9:14:52 I appreciate the effort Maelfactor, thank you.

I am now thinking about purchasing this tome. My 2e SJ game needs some solid inspiration, and this tome sounds like it can provide some interesting ideas.

;)
#11
zombiegleemax
Nov 10, 2003 20:00:45 Dragonhelm,

Currently Darkfuries is hard at work finishing off Urban Designs: New Glory Naval Base, when my part is done I will be starting work on the Conversion PDF. This conversion of the Spelljammer ships to Aether*Flux will appear as a free PDF to be downloaded from www.darkfuries.com. It will consist of the statistics blocks for the ships from the first boxed set initially, along with any other rules needed to support them. This conversion is being done under the ESD Conversion Agreement.

If you need the original deckplans they are still available at the wizards website at this URL
3rd Edition Downloads. They are about 2/3rds the way down the page.

Steven "Maelfactor" Grover
Aether*Flux
Darkfuries Publishing
BlaqueJaque Studios
#12
bigmac
Sep 28, 2015 12:19:17
This topic has now been archived at the Spelljammer forum at The Piazza. No further posts in this topic will be archived. Please archive other topics at The Piazza, before WotC deletes this forum.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Dragonhelm Aug 14, 2003 12:53:50	(cross-posted on the Spelljammer-L mailing list) Hi, all. I got my copy of Aether and Flux in the mail the other day. I've had only a brief amount of time to look it over due to a hectic family schedule, but I will give some initial thoughts. For anyone else who bought the book, feel free to chime in. First, I'll go into some basic concepts. Space in general is referred to as the Traverse. Within the Traverse is the Aether, which comes across to me as "solar wind". Aether seems to be everywhere, although it is thinner in some places and thicker in others. Normally, you can't see the Aether, save for the area surrounding solar systems. This is called the Pale Aether, or the Pale for short. The Aether is what propels a ship. Two things influence the Aether in order to have it propel ships. The first is arcane magic. Note that divine magic does not power ships. The second is something called the Flux, which is similar to lightning. It's artificially created, and is a non-spellcasting alternative to arcane space travel. I think the alternative is nice, although I find it a bit hokey that the Flux and Arcane energies affect the Aether in the same way. Ships - There is a limited selection of ships, but the good part is that they have the look of classic Spelljammer vessels. Being in B&W is a minus, although it is good to have some new designs. Nothing that really stands out, though. Races - Basically, PHB races and a monster race called the Ravin. They're an insectoid race, and are described as being similar to ticks. I was disappointed that they didn't have a bunch of new races. Classes and Prestige Classes - Nada, zero, zilch. This was a HUGE disappointment for me. I was hoping for some setting-specific PrCs, such as stellar mariners, Ravin hunters, etc. Feats - There are a few, although they're relatively unremarkable. There is a section I haven't had time to tackle yet about 3 eras of space travel. The concept is one I could see applying to a SJ setting. Anyway, I am far from done looking at this book, but I thought I would pass along my initial thoughts. Aether and Flux certainly isn't a replacement for Spelljammer by any means. However, one might be able to use it as an additional resource.
#2 zombiegleemax Aug 15, 2003 0:35:53	Ships - There is a limited selection of ships, but the good part is that they have the look of classic Spelljammer vessels. Being in B&W is a minus, although it is good to have some new designs. Nothing that really stands out, though. Well from your review I would say only the ships would interest me and I really doubt I would buy the product for b/w ship pics that have no deckplans. A real disappointment. While I have created deckplans for ships in the past, I do so only for those ships that interest me. I on the other hand rather see more effort for those that like the spelljamming setting to create more material for the setting. As for myself I just finished creating a converson for the Courier (a kit from The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook. Little by little I keep gnawing away at conversions for the spelljamming setting.
#3 Dragonhelm Aug 15, 2003 9:22:22	Originally posted by Danastes Well from your review I would say only the ships would interest me and I really doubt I would buy the product for b/w ship pics that have no deckplans. A real disappointment. While I have created deckplans for ships in the past, I do so only for those ships that interest me. No, they do have deckplans! In that regard, they are very much like classic SJ.
#4 zombiegleemax Aug 15, 2003 9:45:45	How many ships do they have in the product and how much did the produce cost?
#5 Dragonhelm Aug 15, 2003 11:28:28	Aether and Flux cost $21.95. I want to say it has about 10-15 ships. I'm not sure if all the ships listed on their site made it into the product. Here's the link: Aether and Flux
#6 zombiegleemax Aug 16, 2003 10:32:23	Hello, my name is Steven Grover and you will find it on the front of the Aether * Flux Sourcebook. Aether * Flux is a 96 page softbound sourcebook, it inherently cannot compare on sheer volume with the boxed version of SpellJammer and was not meant to do so. It is designed to provide a source for new methods of moving a campaign into space or at least provide the possibility of that occuring. The main focus is to get the players involved in taking over a ship and making it the prize, not just waiting for the hull to be blown apart so they can go for a magical chair. It allows your mages and priests to be more than the magical battery for thier ship. The enviroment has more factors of reality in regards to air and gravity. The DM has more control of the travel times so that his adventures aren't regulated by the time it takes to travel between locales of his adventure. One time it might be a fast trip as the Aether is thinner and provides more push, the next it could take much longer as the ship hits a doldrums effect and must fight for every bit of speed. The combat system is D20 based around the siege weapon rules and ships are designed with section thickness, material, hitpoints, hardness and break DCs as decribed in the DMG. Within a few weeks stats based on these rules for the original SpellJammer ships will be provide at the Darkfuries website in PDF format. Finally, let me say that I enjoyed SpellJammer and ran a continuous 5 year campaign around the Scro adventure series. The material you have for Spell Jammer will work with Aether * Flux and if you want to continue using Helms then it will mesh with the technical aspects of movement in the Traverse. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please do post them as I will be checking back regularly. Steven "Maelfactor" Grover Aether * Flux Darkfuries Publishing BlaqueJaque Studios
#7 old_sage Nov 07, 2003 7:46:39	I'm curious, how exactly does the propulsion system work?. What can you tell me about this Flux/Lightning system and the effects it has on the Aether?. Also, how does arcane magic propel the ship?.
#8 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 15:46:15	Quote from the Introduction of AetherFlux "Aether It is invisible; it is intangible. It fills the expanse of the Traverse. Yet like so many things that cannot be felt or seen, it exists. And it is the driving force for the massive vessels that ply the distances between worlds. Some claim it can be seen like a ripple upon water, or as heat rising from desert sands. Most that have uttered such outlandish words have learned to either still their tongues, or accept the ridicule and laughter that accompanies their assertions. Others ignore the scoffing, and happily accept the brimming tankards passed to them by laughing listeners. Aether is a tremendous power not easily harnessed, even by those who have sought its secrets. It is most appropriately compared to a gas, as its erratically changing density can be neither explained nor predicted with any degree of accuracy. There are, however, several characteristics of aether that are known to be true and constant: 1. It is densest around a planetary body. 2. It is thinly dispersed throughout the space of a star system. 3. It “collects” into a visible, curtain-like sphere at the edge of star systems. 4. It is sparsest outside of a star system. 5. Its density is indirectly proportional to the potential it possesses. 6. It reacts to flux and arcane magic. When aether comes into direct contact with flux or arcane magic, it produces a reaction that can be seen and felt. Simply put, aether pushes against flux or arcane magic, though it is unknown if it is actually drawn to either. No matter how strong the push, however, it cannot normally be perceived because it pushes equally against every point of a flux or arcane magical surface that it touches, leaving no telltale trace of its existence or effect. Before aether could be harnessed, it was first necessary to fashion magical or flux items that would not be pushed by aether on all sides. The solution was simple: As magical and flux emanations are easily blocked by almost any substance, thin coverings could be placed on one side of a magical or flux object, leaving the other sides exposed to the push." With this effect the sails of the ships have two layers like an onion. The layer facing aft is magical or threaded with a lattice of copper wire attached to a flux source. The layer facing the bow is normal and so blocks the magic emanation or flux field so that the 'Push' only occurs against the aft surface of the layered sail. With a wind that no one can see or feel the sails billow forward and the vessel moves through the Traverse. Thank you for the question and if you have any others please do ask them. Steven "Maelfactor" Grover AetherFlux Darkfuries Publishing BlaqueJaque Studios
#9 Dragonhelm Nov 07, 2003 17:15:00	Maelfactor, you said (on the Spelljammer mailing list?) something about posting some Spelljammer ships using the Aether and Flux rules on the Darkfuries site recently. Is this still in the works? Did WotC give the okay? Thanks!
#10 old_sage Nov 08, 2003 9:14:52	I appreciate the effort Maelfactor, thank you. I am now thinking about purchasing this tome. My 2e SJ game needs some solid inspiration, and this tome sounds like it can provide some interesting ideas. ;)
#11 zombiegleemax Nov 10, 2003 20:00:45	Dragonhelm, Currently Darkfuries is hard at work finishing off Urban Designs: New Glory Naval Base, when my part is done I will be starting work on the Conversion PDF. This conversion of the Spelljammer ships to AetherFlux will appear as a free PDF to be downloaded from www.darkfuries.com. It will consist of the statistics blocks for the ships from the first boxed set initially, along with any other rules needed to support them. This conversion is being done under the ESD Conversion Agreement. If you need the original deckplans they are still available at the wizards website at this URL 3rd Edition Downloads. They are about 2/3rds the way down the page. Steven "Maelfactor" Grover AetherFlux Darkfuries Publishing BlaqueJaque Studios
#12 bigmac Sep 28, 2015 12:19:17	This topic has now been archived at the Spelljammer forum at The Piazza. No further posts in this topic will be archived. Please archive other topics at The Piazza, before WotC deletes this forum.