I have some questions about The Astral Sea as it has changed a bit from Spelljammer of previous editions and isn’t explained as well in my opinion.
Is it like an actual sea, as in there is a sort of water level that ships float on and the bubbles of wildspace realms (formerly crystal spheres) float in as well?
If not and it is full 3-dimensional movement is the silvery-ness like a fog that is difficult to see through? I ask because in one part of the sourcebook it mentions fishing – which doesn’t make sense to me if its full 3-dimensional and clear, why use a rod you could just steer the ship so the fish were floating at deck level and grab them with your hands.
I envision it like sailing in an ocean where the ocean is like silvery clouds- if you go into it your still fine but its more like astral projection at that point with your body remaining on the surface.
My understanding is that it’s three-dimensional: it’s more like swimming underwater, but with no surface. Spelljammer ships are more like submarines than conventional ships.
As for fishing, I assume that astral fish avoid coming too close to a vessel, lest they get entangled with its gravity effects, so you need to cast a fishing line out of the gravity pocket to reach them. However, rather than dropping, the line will settle along the gravity plane, so essentially your fishing line will extend nearly horizontally from you.
I've always gone with all planes being fully 3d - in the same way that the real world is - and that travel between them is like ... outer space, or like flying at any rate. But I do like the idea of a 2d astral sea, although if it were me, I'd lean towards a sort of moebius strip 2d. Like, 'your primitive mortal cerebrum cannot fathom the astral, so your brain packs it into a format you can work with - in this case, a sea of clouds.' 'There are dimensions here you cannot see or perceive, but you can still travel them. You just need an astral compas, and the proper heading, bearing, spin and position eigenstate. Oh, and someone with the proper number of appendages to man the controls.'
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
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I have some questions about The Astral Sea as it has changed a bit from Spelljammer of previous editions and isn’t explained as well in my opinion.
I envision it like sailing in an ocean where the ocean is like silvery clouds- if you go into it your still fine but its more like astral projection at that point with your body remaining on the surface.
My understanding is that it’s three-dimensional: it’s more like swimming underwater, but with no surface. Spelljammer ships are more like submarines than conventional ships.
As for fishing, I assume that astral fish avoid coming too close to a vessel, lest they get entangled with its gravity effects, so you need to cast a fishing line out of the gravity pocket to reach them. However, rather than dropping, the line will settle along the gravity plane, so essentially your fishing line will extend nearly horizontally from you.
I've always gone with all planes being fully 3d - in the same way that the real world is - and that travel between them is like ... outer space, or like flying at any rate. But I do like the idea of a 2d astral sea, although if it were me, I'd lean towards a sort of moebius strip 2d. Like, 'your primitive mortal cerebrum cannot fathom the astral, so your brain packs it into a format you can work with - in this case, a sea of clouds.' 'There are dimensions here you cannot see or perceive, but you can still travel them. You just need an astral compas, and the proper heading, bearing, spin and position eigenstate. Oh, and someone with the proper number of appendages to man the controls.'
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.