Shagibbing Thop (shah-GEEB-ing thope)

I have met people who use airplanes for leisure, but never imagined a world where they might be a necessary means of travel. The Huxoth, on the other hand, have been using planes since long before the conception of the modern transport station.

— Cosmo Warren, traveler and scholar

The shagibbing thop, sometimes called a shagibbing ship or shagibbing plane, is a small vehicle powered by wind magic. It is one of two primary means of travel for the Huxoth people, the other being the donkey.

Structure and Building Process

As wood is scarce in the desert, it is used to build shaggibings, and little else. A representative council of Huxoth meet every year in one of the cities on the Rippling River, where the majority of the trees grow. This council determines how many trees they will cut that year, and to which villages they will go.
When a village receives wood for a shagibbing, the plane is constructed communally every step of the way. First, they cut the trees to make a small platform, which usually has a box underneath for storage. The standing platform usually holds two people, but can be big enough to hold three or small enough to hole one. To the sides, they attach large wings, made of reeds and fabric. These wings are part of what allows a shagibbing to gain air and to soar.
The most important part of a shagibbing, however, is the birdhead, a conical piece made of feathers, which goes on the front of the shagibbing. This part is detachable, meaning that while a single community has a limited number of shagibbings, more or less every adult has their own birdhead.
To create a birdhead, the community gathers feathers from the many hawks and other birds that freely roam their cities. These feathers are usually brought to one person, often a religious leader, who inspects them for flaws. If there is anything wrong with the feathers in any way, they will not be useful. When they have gathered enough feathers, a group of people come together to form the feathers into a flat headed, conical shape, 2-3 feet in diameter. They are usually layered over a frame of stretched hide, reeds, or sometimes wire. The feathers are attached in a pattern that facilitates the harnessing of wind magic. Finally, using the Joyal to pool magical strength, they infuse the birdhead with wind magic.
Though many outsiders don't know it, it is the birdhead which allows the shagibbing to fly. Therefore, the Huxoth are most concerned about damage to this part of the plane, and least concerned about damage to the wings, which can be easily replaced. (In fact, the shaggibing can fly without wings, though these stabalize the plane, and reduce reliance on wind magic.) To fly a shagibbing, the pilot harnesses the wind magic in the shagibbing, but also harnesses the wind with their own magic during flight, so the best pilots are very adept at wind magic, whether or not it is their natural gift.

Cultural Significance and Usage

While shagibbings are the fastest mode of transport across the desert, they are not always the preferred method. First of all, the number of shagibbings in a single village is limited, so they are a communal resource, not always available for use. Community leaders help monitor usage, so they are available for the most necessary journeys. Shagibbings are also small, only fitting 1-3 people on a single plane, so the Huxoth prefer donkeys when a journey requires a lot of people are supplies. Furthermore, while shagibbings are appropriate for long distance travel, the energy is required for take off and landing makes them unsuitable for short trips or a journey that will require frequent stops. For both of these reasons, the Huxoth usually prefer to ride donkeys when hunting (as well as the fact that donkeys have better maneuverability, especially when one wants to change direction quickly.) Finally, some Huxoth prefer to travel by donkey because they do not like air travel or do not feel confident about their piloting skills.
Shagibbings are mostly seen as the mode of transport for young people, who are expected to take frequent journeys to different villages in the desert while in search of a spouse. The first time a person pilots a shagibbing, they do so solo, at the age of twelve, as part of the Huxoth coming of age ritual. This is probably where the shagibbing thop--literally "migration vehicle" gets its name.  The primary use of a shagibbing is for a single person or small group to to travel a long distance. Therefore, they are used when a journey is considered far (more than a day to two by donkey) or is particularly time sensitive. The Huxoth also use shagibbings for people of import. For example, representatives to the annual assembly. Furthermore, while goods are usually hauled by donkeys, trees are an exception. Instead, trees are carried to villages by two shagibbings with two people each--one to pilot and one to transport the tree using wind magic.
Because they do not usually share their magic with outsiders, the Huxoth rarely guide outsiders through the desert on a shagibbing, no matter how small the party. If an outsider is allowed to ride on a shagibbing, they are generally a person of great importance or a trusted friend. Of course, some outsiders who have had the opportunity prefer to ride donkeys, as an unaccustomed rider can easily topple off the open back of a Huxoth plane.

Though shagibbings are often referred to as planes because they resemble leisure aircraft, unlike this aircraft, they do not go higher than 30 feet in the air.

Nickname

Huxoth Plane, Desert Plane

Owning Organization

Huxoth Religion

Current location

Great Northern Desert

Dimensions

Standing Platform

3-4 feet wide 4-6 feet long

Storage Box

1-2 feet deep

Wings

3-5 feet long (each) 3-4 feet wide

Birdhead

2-3 feet in diameter

"What is the hardest part of flying a shagibbing?"
"Staying on!"

— Interview with Huxoth pilot