Re: SJ=>ST, Re: Motive Force

At 15.00 12/01/97 -0500, you wrote:
>It seems obvious to me that you're not going to be able to generate
>the motive force neccessary with a classic SJ helm, so devise a new
>one.  For instance (this taken from a write up by yours truly on
>ST=>SJ):
>
>AD&D Spelljammer Considerations
>
>Life-Antilife Engines:
>Zephram Chocran and his other-species contemporaries first created
>the Jamming helm, the standard fast movement magical device used
>aboard all Spelljammers.  It wasn't until the discovery of Dicryshal
>that allowed the opening of small, portable gates to the Positive and
>Negative Energy planes, even in the Phlogiston, that allowed for FTL
>movement.  This doubles the speed of any spelljammer in Wildspace,
>and can increase the speed of the spelljammer up to nine times normal
>cruising speed in the Phlogiston.  It also allows for much larger
>ships to be moved at normal Jamming speeds, even in Wildspace
>The unique magical reaction of Positive and Negative energy is known
>as a P-N explosion.
>
>Dicryshal:
>Dicryshal is magically treated crystal shell material.  It's special,
>nearly indestructible nature makes it the perfect conduit for the
>energies that result from a P-N explosion.  Due to the rarity of a
>crystal shell completely devoid of life, full scale mining can only
>be legally done in a few areas of space.
>
Yeahm that's intriguing, and i suppose everyone has his own version of
the Matter-Anti Matter engine. Mine comes in 2 versions, the old one and
the advanced one (depending on the spells available):
1) Disintegration engine: a chamber enchanted with a permanent
Disintegrate spell. When something is put into it, the energy released
upon its disintegration is channeled to another chamber where a conjured
Air Elemental is trapped, beginning to slowly consume him so to release
his motive enenrgy (high pressured air) throughout ducts that are opened
and closed to maneuver the ship (a sort of powered hovercraft).
Depending on the value of the item or creature disintegrated, the ship
has a different SR: 100 to 1000 gp (or xp) SR of 1, 1001 to 2000 SR of
2, 2001+ SR of 3. The item provides energy for a month's length, then
another air elemental must be conjured and another object destroyed. It
is not very fast, but it is an alternative to Spelljamming helms and a
device that can be constructed even by races that do not know how to
fabricate a Spelljammiog Helm.
2) Anti-Matter engine: a chamber enchanted with a permanent Anti-Matter
spell (my own creation) which is able to channel the energy created by
the collision of Matter and Anti Matter dimensions (or if you prefer
Positive and Negative planes) to provide motive power via technical
machinery installed in the ship (gnomes' work). You do not need a
spelljamming helm and its SR is 1 every 2 levels of the caster who
enchanted the chamber (up to a SR of 10!): unfortunately it can be
dispelled if the entire engine chamber is covered with Dispel spells
(thus stranding the ship for 1d10 turns until the spell returns), it is
difficult to repair and it is very unstable (every 20% of Hull points
lost there is a cumulative 20% that the enginereach a critical overload
and the containment field collapses, thus freing the Anti-Matter field
which destroyes everything touched (no save) - this way the entire ship
could be engulfed and destroyed.
A rather personal version, but amusing.DM

"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" Tacitus, 'Agricola'
(That which is not known is enchanting)