Re: WCC rules

>        I like your explanation, but I am not sure of your campaign's
>EIN.  It appears that the EIN uses plenty of mages.  Or are they
>multi-classed?  I don't like multis because the players tend to get crazy
>with them as PCs, and its not fair if NPCs can be multi while players cannot.

I've never had much of a problem with multiclass PCs re:game balance.  I
think the best way to describe my version on the IEN is to present the
'Elentari again for those interested, that info appears at the bottom of
this post:)

>        I like the idea of the boltmen used in the Princess Ark
>articles.  While these were also mages one could simply give them wands
>usable by any class.  In this manner an elvish crew could be armed to the
>teeth magically without being multi or having an ungodly number of mages
>as crew.
>John McCloud

I liked that Boltman concept also, especially because they were not "full
powered" wands.  Some day I'll have to convert that ship over into SJ terms
so we can see how she compares:)  Also, anyone know if there was a map of
the PRINCESS ARK pre-melding with the sky-wyrm? ie a floorplan of the
original vessel?  From the pictures that would make for a great SJ
floorplan:)

The "'Elentari"
        The "'Elantari" (translation:Star-Queen) is a standard Imperial
Elven Navy Man-o-War.  Fully crewed,  she is equipped to undertake longterm
individual patrols.  The 'Elantari is currently assigned to the Realmspace
fleet under Admiral Icarus,  after serving for a long period with the fleet
in Bralspace (aka Spiralspace).  Built originally on the planet Greela in
Greyspace,  the 'Elantari is one of the "Emerald Monarch" class Men-o-War,
the sort most commonly seen in Wildspace today (and the vessel depicted on
the Man-o-War card in the SJ boxed set).  She was provided with all the
standard Elven magics,  making her more then a match for the pirate,  neogi
and slave vessels she usually encounters.

"'Elantari"
Imperial Elven Navy Man-o-War
Tonnage:60 tons
Hull Points: 60 (45 if using my Hullpoint by material and size system)
Crew:10/60
Maneuverability Class:C
Landing;Land:No
Landing;Water:No
AR:5 (Armored Figurehead +2(WCCp78))
Saves As:Ceramic
Power Type:Major helm
Ship's Rating:Per spelljammer
Armament
        2 Med. Ballistae +1 (FP,FS)
                Crew:2 each
        1 Med Catapult (360)
                Crew:3
        1 Med Jettison (A)
                Crew:3
Cargo: 20 tons (10 used on Mosquito berthing)
Keel Length:200'
Beam Length:20'

Crew:
Captain Alduya Menelya  (CG ef F9/M7 Corsair Kit(CSpHB) HP 67 D16 I15 Ch16)
AC 4 (Bracers of Defence AC6 plus dex)
Sample prof:navigation (wildspace and flow),  spelljamming,  spacemanship,
heraldry
Alduya is a native of the planet Greela in Greyspace.  A high elf,  she was
fascinated with wildspace from childhood and shipped out at her first
opportunity aboard an elven trader.  She has spent the past two centuries
following her passion,  first aboard merchants vessels,  and then as a
member of the IEN.  She enjoys her current assignment because her immediate
superior,  Admiral Icarus,  understands the independent nature of elves and
gives his captains as much latitude as possible in the performance of their
duties.  She is a bitter, ruthless opponent of the scro,  who destroyed her
brothers vessel.  She is normally a cautious,  but inquisitive commander
who takes her duties very seriously.  Currently unattached it is known that
in the past she had a relationship with the elven rogue Elrohir Amroth.
Though multiclass she far prefers her fighting skills,  seeing her magic as
a means to an end (spelljamming).
Magic items:Bracers of defence AC6,  Longbow +2,  Eyes of the eagle,
Talisman of Memorization

First Mate Earendil  (CG em F9 Archer kit (CEHB) HP 76 D19 C18)
AC 3 (Ring Prot +3 plus dex)
Earendil is a silver or moon elf of Toril.  Born on the Evermeet,  it is
unknown why he left that fair land to join the IEN a century ago.  As
taciturn as the dwarven stereotype,  he is even more closedmouth about his
past.  He serves Alduya well as first mate,  stalking silently among the
crew he sends them to fix deficiencies with just a glance. In battle he
uses many magical arrows enchanted for him by the ship's mages,  firing
arrows that explode into fireballs or webs on impact.
Magic items:Boots of Star Striding(Dr159),  Ring of protection +3,  1d6
Major Arrows of Pyros (Dr237),  1d4 Emerald-tipped arrows(Dragon 237)

Navigator Thessalon (CG em M12 War Mage kit(CSpHB) HP35 I18)
AC 5 (White Robe of the Archmagi 5% MR also)
Spellbook (incomplete):Wizard Lock,  Conduit(CEHB),  Lightening Bolt,
Enhance Rating(CoAS),  Create Minor Helm(CoAS),  many others.
Thessalon,  a grey elf from Darnanon,  is the most racist of the elves on
board.  Firmly convinced of the superiority of elves and elven culture,  he
treats those of other races he meets in a cold,  polite,  but distant
manner. He is secretly in love with Captain Alduya,  but finds he cannot
stomach her more tolerant views and so is unable to express his feelings.
He spends a great deal of time in his quarters creating scrolls of spells,
especially _Lightening Bolt_ and _Create Minor Helm_.  Captain Alduya is a
great believer in preparedness,  so she makes it a point to procure the
need materials at each stop,  so a supply of such scrolls is always on
hand.
Magic Items:1-6 scrolls,  Robe of the Archmagi(white),  Wand of Fire

Battlepoet Rinthilon (NG ef F6/M6 Bladesinger kit(CEHB) HP45 S16 D17 I15)
AC1 (Elvenchain +1, plus dex)
A member of the famed _Kintiara_,  IEN Marines,  Rinthilon leads the
contingent stationed aboard the 'Elantari.  A fierce,  powerful looking
Torilian Gold elf,  she is a stickler for training,  leading her troops
daily in sworddances.  She also takes her inspirational and entertainment
duties seriously,  using her fine singing voice and skill with the harp to
keep morale up during long voyages. She is nearly as xenophobic as
Thessalon,  but better able to hide her hostility to non-elves she meets.
She is thus often chosen by Captain Alduya to lead boarding and inspection
missions to encountered vessels.  Born in the Elven Court,  near fabled
Myth Drannor on Toril she is well aquinted with the legends and politics of
that region.
Magic items: Gemsword,  Elven chain +1,  Brooch of Shielding,  Boots of Jumping.

Other Crew:
Helmsmen: 4 Mages,  levels 2-5
Priests: 4 Priests,  levels 2-5 (Correlon Larethian)
Kintiara (Marines) 16 F/M levels 2-4 in each
30 Crewman Fighters level 2
All except mages wear Elven Chain (AC5) and carry the following weapons:
Kintiara: longswords; Priests:Shortswords;  Crew:Shortswords and longbows
Note that each of the mages will have 1-4 scrolls (usually at least 1
Lightening bolt).  Other crewmembers may very well have minor magic items
as well.

Ship's Key (from standard man-o-war map)
All rooms are lit by hooded lamps with Cont light spells on them.
Maindeck:
1 Jettison-A look out is posted here at all times,  the jettison shot is
stored here as well,  and garbage is also exited from the vessel here.
3 Cargo and Detention area-The lower half of the area has been modified to
carry a std Mosquito class landing craft.  A pair of large double doors
operated by winches allow the vessel to enter and leave its berth.  The
mosquito is helmless,  Create Minor helm scrolls are used when it is
needed.
4 Crew cabin-15 elves share this small space,  sleeping in bunks stacked 4
high.  the walls are decorated with beautiful woodland scenes which,
thanks to a permanent illusion cast when the vessel was built,  are ever
changing.
5 Crew Cabins-  similiar to room #4,  this is the quarters of the Kintiara.
6 Galley- Cooking is done here,  most supplies are kept in the hold,  of
course.  The stove is small and made of bricks.
7 Spelljammer's Cabin- The ship's helmsmen and priests share this cabin.
This room also houses a _Sanctuary Icon_ dedicated to Correlon Larethian,
and a small alchemical laboratory.  The bunks in this room are four high,
as in the crew quarters,  to grant this room for study and research.  there
are likely to be 1d6-1 potions in this room availoable to its inhabitents,
as well as 1d4 mage scrolls.
8 Chart and Navigation Command-On the 'Elantari this room has been
converted into crew quarters,  with bunks stacked 4 high.  It is similar to
rooms #4 & 5
9 Ballista Pit- besides serving in battle as a weapon station,  this room
generally acts as the messhall for the ship.  Benches and tables (which can
be quickly folded away for battle) provide a congenial location for the
crew to take their meals or pass their free time.  Chessboards,  cards,
and other amusements are available from compartments in the walls,  and the
view through the ship's "eyes" is spectacular.  Poetry readings and musical
performances are also sometimes performed here,  somewhat incongroeus
though they are with the squat,  dangereous looking shapes of the two
medium ballistae +1.  Besides storing thirty or so normal bolts for these
weapons,  Captain Alduya usually has 1d3 helmseekers available as well.

Battledeck
1 Bridge- This is the nerve center of the ship.  the vessel's Major Helm is
here in the center,  as is the Planetary Locator,  Portal locator,  and
Passage device.  A large,  sturdy table serves as the ship's navigation
center as well.  Speaking tubes link this room with each of the weapons'
pits.
2 Forwarddeck- Accessible only through a hatch from the main deck,  this is
a popular spot to "get away" for the crew,  as there is often only the std
forward lookout up here.
5 Storage-Captain Alduya prefers to keep munitions either near the weapon,
in sturdy iorn boxes,  or in the hold.  This room has been turned into the
ship's library.  In fact,  it is relatively complete and represents a
wizards research library valued at about 5,000 gp.  It holds a wide variety
of works,  though elven language material predominates,  of course.
Increasing this libraries size and scope is one of the captain's pet
projects.
7 Captain's Quarters-Thinking the large captain's cabin could be put to
better use,  Captain Alduya has taken this cabin as her own instead.  She
keeps it fairly well furnished,  though it is often in disarray with start
charts and reports scattered about.  The captain's spellbooks are here,  of
course,  as well as 1d4 potions and scrolls.  The most importnat item in
the room is the Captain's issued Cyrstal Ball with Telepathy,  which allows
her to maintain communications with Admiral Icarus.
8 Officers' Quarters-  This room is now shared by the Firstmate,
Navigator,  and Battlepoet.  They have used thin wooden partitions to
divide the room into four,  roughly equal sections.  they each use one such
section for their quarters,  and the fourth holds a table and benches.  It
is used as a wardroom,  a place the officers can meet as a group with the
captain or each other to discuss operations.

Castle Deck
1 Lookoutstation and Flight deck- besides its most common use as a lookout
station,  this broad area is used for ceremonies involving the full ship's
crew.  Additionally,  occasional plays are put on here to help pass the
time on long patrols.  When the mosquito is ferrying passengers and cargo,
this pad is used instead of the more complicated cargo berth.  This is
especially useful when ferrying back and forth from intercepted vessels,
since it is a far easier location to defend from unexpected boarders.
2 Catapult turret- This location holds the ships main battery,  but it also
holds (in wizardlocked,  warded iron chests) the magical munitions of the
ship.  1d2 rounds of Snow-shot(WCC),  1d3 rounds of Ringing Shot(WCC),  and
1d10 rounds of skunk shot (Dr159).  Finally,  a seperate bound iron box,
warded against fire,  holds 20 smokepowder bombs.  Each of these large,
hollow stone balls holds 10 charges of smokepowder stoppered by wax and a
fuze.  Designed to be hurled by a medium catapult after being lit,  they
have standard ranges but causes 1d10 hull points and 3-30 hit points of
damage.  There is a 25% chance per use that the fuze will go out in flight
or explode early,  causing no damage.

Tactics:  Captain Alduya believes strongly in using tactics appropriate to
the situation.  She has spent a great deal of time study the various
spacefaring races and their weaknesses and strengths.  In general,  she
prefers to swoop past a vessel several times,  pounding it with explosive
spells and arrows from her crew before sending a boarding party aboard the
Mosquito to investigate the disabled wreck.  Unless facing obvious foes
such as Neogi or Scro she gives encountered vessels a chance to show
peaceful intent.  She does insist on inspecting most vessels encountered,
however,  as she is determined to eradicate slavery in Realmspace.

"Human life without knowledge of history is nothing other than a perpetual
childhood, nay, a permanent obscurity and darkness." Philip Melanchthon
westermeyer.3@???.edu
Paul Westermeyer
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State University
Adjunct Faculty, Humanities Department, Columbus State Community College