Usefari Skyvessel
The newly developed Skyvessels, commissioned by Trade Prince Akil Tibeshu himself, come in two different classes which cover two different demands to transportation: speed and cargo capacity. The Stormsurge courier class is a fast, sleek Skyvessel, able to cross distances faster than any transportation known to mankind. The Windbridge hauler class on the other hand is a bulky, spacious vessel designed for efficiently carrying a variety of cargo to its desired location.
Both share the basic ship design of nautical vessels, even in regards to their respective function: the Stormsurge class' hull looks like a fast sailing boat whereas the Windbridge class looks like a massive cog. Both also share the same method of propulsion, their gravity suspending actuators and achenite-powered generators. And while the utilization of the manifold sails through the complex array of pulleys and ropes shares the basic functionality between the crafts, they do differ in practice though. Stormsurge Skyvessels are much more responsive and agile when it comes to steering while Skybridge haulers are able to catch the wind in their giant sails in order to save energy. Something that is not intended with the Stormsurge build. Calm and reliable are the Skybridge haulers, speedy and nimble the Stormsurge courier vessels.
The hull of the Skyvessels is fashioned out of Nkahzo wood, which is light and sturdy at the same time and thus an exceptionally fitting construction material. Developing the material for the sails though took some time and effort. The wind at the heights at which the Skyvessels fly and the velocities at which they operate, put the sails under a lot of strain. Regular sailcloth would have ripped and not been able to withstand the elements. Additionally the fabric of the sails needs to be light and flexible to carry out the precise and straining steering manoeuvres required by the crafts. A solution came in the form of utilizing a fabric developed by the Ashkhazi, Ra'dishra's native Elves. They are a nomadic race and quite literally sail the sands in their sand-skiffs called Jirassa. They have been relying on this form of transportation across the vastness of the desert for unknown ages and have passed down the knowledge of crafting their sails for generations. How Akil was able to acquire such a knowledge, let alone be allowed to deploy it, is a huge mystery. One has to wonder what he was able to offer in return. A truly curious conundrum. The Sand-Elves, as they are colloquially called by the Usefari, might be pragmatic and on occasion opportunistic, but it is unlikely that they would have parted with their precious and hereditary wisdom lightly....
by Denis Kornev
by Jaime Jones
Power Generation
The heart and soul of the newly developed Skyvessels is a crystal-powered generator. This groundbraking new technology uses artificer magic to power its systems through the use of Achenite crystals. The energistic properties of the crystals were only recently discovered and so far have proven to be a reliable, safe and clean energy source.
A block of crystal, not needing to be larger than a one kilogram chunk, is suspended in a complex fixture of infused metall, from which artifice-infused coils, channeling the energy, run towards arcane actuators. These actuators actually are what makes the Skyvessel float and their gravity suspending magic allows further artifice to propel the vessel forward. One such block of crystal will power the generator for one month of consistent use.
Propulsion
In the same way that the gravity suspending actuators allow the vessel to leave the ground, they can be used to move the vessel in any desired direction. The actuators do not need to be aligned or oriented in any way as their magic works omnidirectional. Input from the helm's controls thus steers the vessel via the actuators but the craft still relies heavily on the correct and skillful use of its lamellar sails, as these allow for much finer and precise maneuvering.
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