Airships

The trick in making an airship is to use materials that are light. If you make it too heavy, the levitation glyphs wont function and you'll never be able to get the ship to move.

Master Sisslepop

Airships are a prominent part of the economy of northern Tangearin. They are mostly associated with Tvintiir, City of Spores, and the The Second Stonebrook Dynasty. There have been numerous types of airships used over the years.

History

Few could deny that airships have changed the very way that trade networks in the north operate. We need to evolve or become obsolete.

Memo from the Caravaner's Guild

The modern version of the airship was first conceived in Tvintiir. Powered by Coal-Gems these devices were capable of levitating entire ships. They were then steered using wind and magic. These devices were capable of short flights due to how the coal-gems were drained and needed replacing or recharging.

The coal-gem powered ships were later replaced by Spore Engines. These ones, given the proper care, were much more sturdy and longer ranged. The first ship, The Spore, was designed in 2334 AC in the City of Spores and made its maiden journey to Blackport. Although it had a small malfunction enroute it managed to safely complete its journey and begin to bring airships back to the north.

by Arimel using Midjourney

Despite these being proclaimed as the earliest airships, there are ancient historical records that hint at earlier designs. Cave drawings and similar artistic representations show a flying ship that is suspected to date back to the Alliges Dominion and one of the earlier escape attempts. The ship is much more mechanical and possibly even more advanced than the current designs which has intrigued many archaeologists and engineers through the years. The veracity of these images is debated though and the story has never been completely verified.

Expense

Although the expense of these vehicles is great, the rewards are even greater...

Master Evestar

The materials needed to create an airship are very specialist, ranging from the highest quality light-weight timbers to very finely weaved cloth sails. The very nature of the ship requires quality to allow it to both respond well and to conduct the power that is coursed into it. As such, only the rich could afford an airship to begin with. The earliest Coal-Gem ships were all owned by the Library of Technological Advances which restricted their access to other empires (although several did go 'missing' and, as such, similar styles have been breached in other regions). Spore Engine airships are a bit more accessible but the owners still need to be on good terms with the City of Spores to be able to get a fuller understanding on how to best exploit their ship in a sustainable manner.

Uses in War

In war, everything is used.

Proverbs of the Wise

The earliest account of an airship battle is the Battle for Tvintiir. The litch, Garlo Greenblood levitated several Sandships to wage war against Tvintiir's air defenses. Despite the Sandpack successfully taking the city, their entire airship armada was destroyed, largely due to a heroic effort of Gregory the Brave teleporting the Coal Crushers in the center of the flagship which was used as a platform to destroy the rest. This battle instigated future warships being warded against teleportation magic to prevent similar occurrences.

More recent battles have occurred but they are largely avoided, with airships being more used as deterrent and transports than weapons. the sheer cost, financially and in life, makes such battles worth avoiding because everything in the air and on the ground is at risk.

Creation Date

2334 AC

Current location

Tangearin

Price

Expensive

Rarity

Rare

Complement / Crew

Varies

Propulsion Methods
Spore Engines
Coal-Gems
Wind

The Spore

This was the first airship that was fueled using a Spore Engine. It left huge plumes of purple spores behind it and could be seen for miles. It eventually wrecked into the side of Tvintiir Mountain in 2347 AC in a major storm that rushed through the region.