1) Why fire elementals, arguably the LAST thing you want around wood? Sure, I get the physics of heated air rising and all that, but I'm not sure how scientifically accurate we need to be in an elf game -- an air elemental would be able to manage the same thing, I'd think, of lifting the ship. Air elemental also seems more in line with a Lyrandar's command of air and wind.
2) Why is the ring lateral to the ship's axis, as opposed to longitudinal? Seems to me that you'd have guidance masts for the ring on the stern, amidships, the bow, and the keel -- runs along the entire ship and enables the lift force all around it. Dunno why, but it just makes more sense to me for the ring to run *along* the axis of the ship, as opposed to around the ship (which, from an art point of view, still looks cool).
1) Airships are powered by either bound fire elementals OR air elementals, and in some extravagant cases, both. You’re right to be suspicious of too much scientific attention in an elf game, but it’s more about propulsion than lifting.
2) Again, it’s not lift but propulsion. The ring is around the ship because the ship needs to move forward. Also if the ring were parallel to the ground, it would look really stupid.
From a structural point of view, it's much easier to take down an airship with the perpindicular axis -- all you gotta do is break one ring guide mast and BOOM! Whereas if the ring is along the axis, it is much harder to do that.
But as you point out, it simply wouldn't look as cool. :-)
The Airship itself is made from a special wood from Aerenal see the Airship section of Travel in Rising:
"Suppression. Although the elemental bound to the airship is essential for propulsion, the vessel’s soarwood hull provides its lighter-than-air buoyancy. When the elemental is suppressed, the ship remains aloft but can’t move. The pilot always suppresses the elemental before docking, then uses ropes to maneuver the vessel into position."
The Airship itself is made from a special wood from Aerenal see the Airship section of Travel in Rising:
"Suppression. Although the elemental bound to the airship is essential for propulsion, the vessel’s soarwood hull provides its lighter-than-air buoyancy. When the elemental is suppressed, the ship remains aloft but can’t move. The pilot always suppresses the elemental before docking, then uses ropes to maneuver the vessel into position."
Which doesn’t explain why airships can still plummet dramatically to the earth when the ring is destroyed, but oh well. Drama über allen, I suppose.
Yep, the only thing I can think of is the bound elemental trying break free or to reach the ground to burn/blow over more stuff.
That'd be the reason.
Remember, these aren't cooperative elementals working with people, these are enslaved beings forces into shards and used as engines. When you damage the ring the elemental is free and angry.
I've crashed one before. It sucked. I rolled three 1's in a row. 3!!!!!!!! The worst day in my D&D playing life. I almost quit playing forever. lol Killed everyone on board, destroyed the ship, ended our awesome campaign. :(((((
But yeah, the wood is resistant to the fiery flames. Also, it does stay afloat with Aerenal specialty wood as stated above. The fire ring I think looks cool so they built it around that idea...maybe? Idk, but those are good musings. lol
Also, did you know that House Lyrandar does not bind the elementals? The gnomes of Zilargo do. And it is a closely guarded secret.
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
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Some thoughts I've had about airships in Eberron:
1) Why fire elementals, arguably the LAST thing you want around wood? Sure, I get the physics of heated air rising and all that, but I'm not sure how scientifically accurate we need to be in an elf game -- an air elemental would be able to manage the same thing, I'd think, of lifting the ship. Air elemental also seems more in line with a Lyrandar's command of air and wind.
2) Why is the ring lateral to the ship's axis, as opposed to longitudinal? Seems to me that you'd have guidance masts for the ring on the stern, amidships, the bow, and the keel -- runs along the entire ship and enables the lift force all around it. Dunno why, but it just makes more sense to me for the ring to run *along* the axis of the ship, as opposed to around the ship (which, from an art point of view, still looks cool).
Tom O'Bedlam
1) Airships are powered by either bound fire elementals OR air elementals, and in some extravagant cases, both. You’re right to be suspicious of too much scientific attention in an elf game, but it’s more about propulsion than lifting.
2) Again, it’s not lift but propulsion. The ring is around the ship because the ship needs to move forward. Also if the ring were parallel to the ground, it would look really stupid.
From a structural point of view, it's much easier to take down an airship with the perpindicular axis -- all you gotta do is break one ring guide mast and BOOM! Whereas if the ring is along the axis, it is much harder to do that.
But as you point out, it simply wouldn't look as cool. :-)
The Airship itself is made from a special wood from Aerenal see the Airship section of Travel in Rising:
"Suppression. Although the elemental bound to the airship is essential for propulsion, the vessel’s soarwood hull provides its lighter-than-air buoyancy. When the elemental is suppressed, the ship remains aloft but can’t move. The pilot always suppresses the elemental before docking, then uses ropes to maneuver the vessel into position."
Which doesn’t explain why airships can still plummet dramatically to the earth when the ring is destroyed, but oh well. Drama über allen, I suppose.
Yep, the only thing I can think of is the bound elemental trying break free or to reach the ground to burn/blow over more stuff.
That'd be the reason.
Remember, these aren't cooperative elementals working with people, these are enslaved beings forces into shards and used as engines. When you damage the ring the elemental is free and angry.
I've crashed one before. It sucked. I rolled three 1's in a row. 3!!!!!!!! The worst day in my D&D playing life. I almost quit playing forever. lol Killed everyone on board, destroyed the ship, ended our awesome campaign. :(((((
But yeah, the wood is resistant to the fiery flames. Also, it does stay afloat with Aerenal specialty wood as stated above. The fire ring I think looks cool so they built it around that idea...maybe? Idk, but those are good musings. lol
Also, did you know that House Lyrandar does not bind the elementals? The gnomes of Zilargo do. And it is a closely guarded secret.
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest