Great Fleet

The Enduring power of the High Eeries is based on its air fleet; not a naval power, but a great flotilla of mercantile and courier vessels by which it maintains its influence over the World. Through the deployment of the Great Fleet, the Sonvada control trade and communication between points too isolated or too far separated for effective land or ocean routes. As a result, the sonvas of the Eeries enjoy a widespread diplomatic status which in turn allows them to act as intermediaries and so further extend then influence.
The Great Fleet contains ships of three kinds. Skycutters are fast courier vessels, used for carrying messages and small packages, including diplomatic containers. Although small, they have high status, their captains granted significant diplomatic rank. To board and search a skycutter is tantamount to a declaration of war against the Eeries. The only act more offensive would be to fly a false flag and attempt to hide behind the sonvada's good name. The captain and crew take responsibility for everything they carry.
Cloudhaulers are the fleet's cargo carriers. This are large and ponderous, but faster than any maritime vessel and defended by ballistae and aerialists, sonvada troops trained to fight both on Skyships and on the wing. The Grand Fleet's Aerial Corps is a prestigious fighting force, its officers drawn from the best families and its troops the most promising recruits of the Eerian Military.
Stormjammers are the Great Fleet's military assets. Mostly escort ships, their role is to defend important cargoes and the borders of Eerie territory. In addition, three much larger vessels: Golden Sunrise, Silver Noontide and Crimson Sunset carry major diplomatic missions and project power across the dome.