Re: SPELLJAMMER-L Digest - 31 Aug 2005 to 1 Sep 2005 (#2005-162)

Charles Sykora wrote:
> I like the Boat helm a lot.  It fills a very necessary niche
> requirement.  However, what about a version that just does tactical
> speeds for a lander?  (It always bothered me when the original SJ books
> referred to 'conventional engines' and never bothered to explain how or
> what those were and how they worked).  The economics of SJ has really
> never made that much sense.  No one could afford to spend 20K on a
> lifeboat helm.
Well, *some* people could afford to spend 20,000 on a lifeboat helm, but
they would sure be few and far between ;-) For very small craft moving
at tactical speeds the Rudder of Propulsion is an option, if you can
find a way to get your hands on one (Wa considers them a state secret),
but otherwise you're pretty much stuck with the poorly-described
conventional engines aren't you? As far as the conventional engines go,
I would tend to think that the way they work differently for different
ships. For example, a common type might have a gnomish-type propeller
system. Any ship such as a Mosquito or Dragonfly might have an engine
that made the wings flap.
Maybe a Lesser Boat Helm that works exactly the same as a regular Boat
Helm, but costs 5,000 gp and is limited to tactical speeds? Hmm, now
that I think about it, I seem to remember an Internal Conjuration Engine
from the Champions of Mystara set. I don't remember exactly how it
worked, but IIRC it consumed potions to make a ship fly through the air.
Maybe a version of that would make a good tactical engine. I'll have to
go back and read up on it.
> I like your Series Major Helm description.  It fills in a lot of holes
> and I think is in keeping with SJ philosophy.
>
> The scavver saddle is just fantastic.
Thanks!
> Holes I still see:  What are the mechanics of how dwarven forges work?
This is one that bothered me for a while too. At least until I read Paul
Westermeyer's great write-up on dwarven Citadels and Forges on Beyond
the Moons:
http://spelljammer.org/npcs/dwarves/Citadel.html

> --Dale--
Thanks for the feedback Dale!
-Ben