Airship

Airships are vessels, much like ocean-going vessels, which are capable of flight and travel through the air. They are relatively rare, and mostly owned by larger organizations and governments around Aeramis. Airships can be constructed as warships, cargo ships, or cruising ships depending on their needs. Most, besides privately owned vessels, have some kind of defensive weapons such as cannons or ballistae. All known airships are powered by a bound fire elemental, though a few rare ones are specially designed with an air elemental instead.
An airship achieves flight through two primary components; a bound fire elemental, and a set of specially designed sails. An airship must also be made of soarwood.
When not in use, the elemental is bound within a magical hold in the center of the ship. A hatch in the hold is opened when the ship wants to take off, allowing the elemental to travel outwards and through the four binding struts to form a circle of fire outside the stern of the ship. Once formed into this elemental ring, the elemental powers the airship's flight in two ways:

1. The heated air generated by the elemental fills and lifts the sails, which lifts the ship.
2. The circular motion of the elemental creates turbine-like propulsion to push the ship forward. Speed can be changed by flying into or with the wind, and reducing the size of the hole in the hatch which slows the elemental's movement through the ring and thus creates less heat and propulsion. An airship has a minimum speed, and going lower than this will cause the airship to stall and fall.

Fire elementals are the most common elemental bound to an airship due to their predictability; their destructive natures mean that it is extremely easy to coax one into the movement needed to power the ship. Simply opening the hatch and giving them an outlet is usually enough to get one moving. Despite their destructive nature, most airships tend not to be concerned about a fire breaking out; as long as the hold and binding struts are in place and functioning, the elemental cannot break free and cause damage. Even passengers standing outside near the elemental ring do not feel much heat thanks to the magic binding the elemental in place, unless of course one makes the mistake of touching the ring directly. Losing even one strut can potentially be devastating, however; giving the elemental the opportunity to try and break free. Losing two or more struts usually guarantees it.
Air elementals can also be used in an airship, and function in much the same way as fire elementals (filling the sails and providing propulsion). An airship powered by an air elemental also has the added benefit of being much more stealthy, as they do not generate light the way a fire elemental does. However, almost counter-intuitively, air elementals are much more difficult to control. Because it does not have quite the same destructive nature as a fire elemental, an air elemental is more difficult to coax into creating an elemental ring. Airships which are powered by an air elemental tend to require a powerful spellcaster who can exert their will over the elemental and force it into moving.
Thanks to the magic and presence of a bound elemental, and the soarwood which compromises an airship's hull, an airship floats freely in the air; just high enough that the lowest binding strut floats about five feet off the ground. The elemental is needed to create changes in altitude. If the hatch of the holding cell fully closed while in flight and the elemental contained, the airship will slowly descend as though under the power of a *featherfall* spell until it reaches its buoyant height. If the elemental is killed or freed of its binding, the airship will begin to fall. Residual elemental energies may allow the ship to float downward slower than usual, but the weight and momentum of the ship will not prevent it from crashing into the ground.