Re: What is a "conventional engine"?

On Fri, 4 Mar 2005 19:39:46 -0500, Novamaster <novamaster@??????.ca> wrote:

>A large undead could pull it (Roc, Dragon, etc). Or prehapes a stripped
>down helm. The rules for Nonmagical Engines are in the Concordance of
>Arcane Space read
>
>"Nonmagical Engines
>
>Cost: varies, but approx. 10,00 gp
>
>    There are a number of ways of moving through space-gnomish engines,
>chemical propellants, even explosive mixtures ignited in a closed space.
>These are sometimes used in space to ravel through magic-dead areas
>(called "Sargasso") as well as for lifeboats and shuttles that are too
>insignificant to merit a full-blown helm. Non-magical movement is used
>as a back-up system for larger ships when all other options fail.
>    All nonmagical engines share one feature-they are slaw compared to
>helms. Their movement is never more than 17mph and their SR is 1. At
>such rates, it would take years to read even a nearby planet.
>    Further, they cannot be used to lift off from celestial bodies
>larger than class A due to their limited power. Little research has been
>done in expanding this "weak sister"to the spelljammer helms (because
>the helms provide such a good alternative_, but there are situations
>where they are useful."


i´ve read the parapraph, but i still don´t see what kind of conventional
engine drives an elven flitter. certainly it´s no living creature drawing
the ship. if anything, only a very small minority of flitters use "flying
cart-horses". it doesn´t seem to go along with the description of the
flitters application (diplomatic vessel, etc...).

as well, i don´t see the elves equipping their beautiful ships with bulky,
dangerous and noisy gnomish engines: imagine an elven flitter landing
gracefully - with a long and foul-smelling vapor trail! :o)

...seems we are forced to make up something fitting for elven flitters, and
for good measure, we could try to come up with a couple of alternative
conventional engines (abbreviated "ce" in the following).

btw, the description of them says you couldn´t take off planets larger than
size a with ce´s. so what do the elves land in on larger planets (like
toril; they are in routine contact with evermeet & evereska)? toril is a
size e planet, after all...

i try to come up with a number of ce´s, feel free to correct me when (not
if *g*) i go over the top.

- specially designed fly-spells: cast on the ship not larger than an elven
flitter (though more powerful versions might drive larger ships, perhaps
for a shorter duration), with a duration of one day (???).

- some kind of "lesser artifurnace": it´s just powerful enough to move a
very small ship (like, say... an elven flitter or a  wreckboat). instead of
magic items, a lesser artifurnace uses spells cast on it and coonverts them
into motive force. it can take off larger planets, but awfully slow and
with the worst maneuverability. (somebody care to do the number crunching?)


>Jason Hosler wrote:
>
>>Besides the chemical engines that have been mentioned
>>before, I remember one suppliment that mention a lich
>>travelling between planets in a carriage pulled by
>>undead pegasii.  There has also been mentioned things
>>like building a large brass sphere and filling it with
>>dew, training Rocs and other giant avians to keep
>>flying up, and the ever popular magic down a comet and
>>ride it out.

i´ve read this sometime, but didn´t remember...the dew-filled brass sphere
sounds good to me, it has the same wonky feeling than the overall
spelljammer-physics. perhaps a druid has to bless (or collect) the dew, and
the brass needs to be forged by a dwarven priest of moradin, or with very
special (and, therefore, rare & expensive) metals.

i don´t like the idea of other creatures "pulling" ships. that should be
saved for emergencies or _really_ unique encounters, not for standard
procedure. but that´s just me...

Tauster