Re: Random encounters...in wildspace?!?

On Feb 20, 2007, at 3:01 PM, SUBSCRIBE REALMS-L tauster wrote:

>
> Also, there are no "canon" tales about groundlings observing  
> spelljamming
> ships between Selune, her tears and Toril - so we can deduce that  
> they are
> most of the time(!) not even visible at such a short distance.
>
> Of course I know that arguing like that (i.e. using "missing" canon
> references) is not "fair" because there's just not much canon.  
> Think about
> the following "logic": if Spelljammers were easily visible from the  
> ground,
> knowledge of it would be far more widespread. ...and Halruaan mages  
> would
> wonder what all those ships want at barren Moon. *grin*


Well, groundlings don't observe spelljamming ships in orbit or beyond  
because they're looking with the naked eye, through an atmosphere.   
In my original post, I noted that the moons of Jupiter were visible  
from Earth with a Renaissance-era telescope - but you do have to have  
the telescope.  Most fantasy societies (to the extent that that  
phrase has even a shred of meaning) don't have optics at all - thus,  
spelljamming vessels are not "easily visible from the ground".  But I  
think that, so to speak, a spelljamming vessel in orbit around the  
Earth could see one in orbit around the Moon, if one were looking  
hard with a telescope (i.e. trying hard to find a ship to attack).

Besides, "widespread knowledge" is a very awkward concept in a pre- 
modern society, especially one with magic:

HALRUAAN ASTROLOGER:  You wouldn't believe the weird things I've seen  
in the heavens.
HALRUAAN NOBLEMAN:  Yes, I know.  You keep telling me that.  It's  
your job.
HALRUAAN COMMONER:  Of course there are weird things in the heavens.   
My cousin saw a wyvern once, he said.

-- Benjamin Winkler