Re: Gravity plane lines

Sounds like a good idea. Definately better than the one I had come up
with. I had a PC in my game who went through a massive amount of work to
get the gravity plane magically lowered in a heavily modified Whaleship.
I'll have to keep this item in mind for the next time someone wants to
do something similar.

As for actual stats, I guess that would depend on how it functions. If
the item keeps the reverse gravety decks as such, then you might have to
compare the level of the Belt's creator to the Helmsman level on the
opposing ship, or work up something based on ship sizes like a
percentage chance of failure which is based on the oposing ships' sizes.

If you chose to have a belt that does away with reverse gravity decks
you would have 2 effects. First, the gravety plane would become the
bottom of the ship and the ship would sit higher than any opposing ships
(which otherwise would have no effect on the "belted" ship gravity
plane, unless grappled). Second, if the belt function in an atmosphere
the ship would become more boyant and sit higher in the water. This
would allow it to land in shallow water, but might make the ship top
heavy at the same time (reducing it's manuverability on the open seas of
most planets)

These are just my opinions though, based on how I'd treat them in my
campaign. If you feel something else works better for you then go for
it. Thanks for the new item idea though. I can think of one Whaleship
that might get one of those devices.

John Greyhawk


Jim Kersh <tiffinki@???????.com> wrote:
Hey, Ariel,

The lead starship in my novel, at the BtM website, is a triop. It has a
"gravity stabilization belt," a Mercane magical device that I made up. This
belt is a huge ribbon of chain steel that encircles the entire vessel at its
gravity line. Its purpose is to keep the gravity the same at all times -
hence, preserving the lower areas as they are during landings. It doesn't
always work when the ship using it is closely approached by a larger
attacker, but it does have some effect there. I'm not quite sure how the
game mechanics of that would be written out, but it helps.

On some older (human) ship designs, such a belt would be all but useless,
since the gravity line is so low in the vessel, sometimes even barely above
the keel, as noted in the SJ boxed set. However, it is quite useful on other
ships; many of the more modern ones, such as triops, can certainly make use
of them.

A gravity stabilization belt would be a very difficult, though worthwhile,
treasure to take. It has to be custom-fitted to each hull, but it can be
re-sized. Removing it from its ship, however, would be difficult - not much
different from destroying the vessel, since the belt is built into the
ship's frame during original construction - for a nice extra charge, of
course. *wink*

Jim



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