Re: Spelljamming the planes?

Ben Harris wrote:
>
> Howdy all :)
>
> I recently pulled out my wallet and decided it was time to invest in
> one of the new TSR campaign settings.  I got myself all the
> planescape gear and generally I'm happy with it.  I have an old copy of
> the manual of the planes but i feel that this is a bit out of date
> now and the new gear brings it up to speed, at least in practical
> gaming terms.
>
	I myself have found several planescape books to be excellent sources of
information.  Many are general enough to be used without owning a
planescape boxed set.

> One thing I was wondering about, though, was whether anyone had given
> spelljamming in the planes any thought?  It seems like the ideal mode
> of travel anywhere to my mind :)  Naturally a ship wouldn't fit
> through most of the planescape portals but I can't see why
> spelljamming wouldn't work as well in the Air Elemental Plane as in
> the Prime.
>
	I played with this idea for a short while.  If I remember correctly, I
was in the process of creating a small kingdom of genies which had large
numbers of non-genies as civilians.  This kingdom was defined by stable
air currents.  Travel was accomplished through use of small,
spelljammer-like ships (10 tons was pretty big for them).  Ships had no
real power source; only sails to steer it.  It kinda fell apart due to
lack of players.

> I'd be interested to hear your views.  I know that this may change
> the flavour of a spelljammer campaign but that can sometimes be
> useful for a bunch of world weary ultra-experienced characters :)
>
> And also, dont worry, I'm not proposing that we give spelljamming the
> flick.  In fact - I'm trying to think of an innovative way that we
> can make it survive :)

	There is no reason why "flying ships" cannot be expanded to other
settings.  Planescape would be a prime target of the Arcane.  Virtually
any of the elemental planes could use flying ships (except earth and the
ajoining planes; that would be a bit of a streatch), and several outer
planes would consider flying ships.  Simply because, think of the cargo
hauling capabilities!  Portals are not always reliable, and if you want
to ships goods to a city 5000 miles away, and the local portal
collapses, then a flying ship is the only way to go (unless you want
send a caravan on a year-long quest, you're out of luck).  And always,
the fiends of the lower planes would find use of such ships as war
barges and other war engines.

Night Druid