You sailed on an airship vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, flying monsters, and those who wanted to seize or crash your craft. Your first love is the sweeping winds and soaring through the clouds, but the time has come to try your hand at something new.
Discuss the nature of the airship you previously sailed with your Dungeon Master. Was it a merchant ship or a ship of discovery? How famous (or infamous) is it? Is it widely traveled? Is it still sailing, or is it missing and presumed lost with all hands?
What were your duties on board—boatswain, captain, navigator, cook, or some other position? Who were the captain and first mate? Did you leave your ship on good terms with your fellows, or on the run?
- Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, plus one from Arcana, Perception or Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s tools, vehicles (air)
- Equipment: A belaying pin (club), 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
When you need to, you can secure a passage on an airship for yourself and your adventuring companions for half the cost. You might sail on the ship you served on, or another ship you have good relations with (perhaps one captained by a former crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route that will meet your every need. Your Dungeon Master will determine how long it takes to get where you need to go. In return for your cheaper passage, you and your companions are expected to assist the crew during the voyage.
Suggested Characteristics
Airmen can be a rough lot, but the responsibilities of life on an airship make them generally reliable as well. Life aboard an airship shapes their outlook and forms their most important attachments.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what. |
| 2 | I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done. |
| 3 | I enjoy flying into new skyports and making new friends over a flagon of ale. |
| 4 | I stretch the truth for the sake of a good story. |
| 5 | To me, a tavern brawl is a nice way to get to know a new city. |
| 6 | I never pass up a friendly wager. |
| 7 | My language is as foul as an otyugh nest. |
| 8 | I like a job well done, especially if I can convince someone else to do it. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. The thing that keeps a ship together is mutual respect between captain and crew. (Good) |
| 2 | Fairness. We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. The sky is freedom—the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Mastery. I’m a predator, and the other airships in the skies are my prey. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I’m committed to my crewmates, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. Someday I’ll own my own airship and chart my own destiny. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m loyal to my captain first, everything else second. |
| 2 | The ship is most important—crewmates and captains come and go. |
| 3 | I’ll always remember my first ship. |
| 4 | In a skyport town, I have a paramour whose eyes nearly stole me from the skies. |
| 5 | I was cheated out of my fair share of the profits, and I want to get my due. |
| 6 | Ruthless pirates murdered my captain and crewmates, plundered our ship, and left me to die. Vengeance will be mine. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I follow orders, even if I think they’re wrong. |
| 2 | I’ll say anything to avoid having to do extra work. |
| 3 | Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. |
| 4 | Once I start drinking, it’s hard for me to stop. |
| 5 | I can’t help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets I come across. |
| 6 | My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
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