Eberron airship operating principles

[XCorvis]

This has always kind of bugged me. Aren't elementals intelligent beings? And doesn't harnassing them amount to a form of slavery?

How does the campaign setting deal with/address this question? (I'm assuming it doesn't :\ )

It doesn't address it at all. I never really thought of elementals as intelligent, but I guess you're right. Sounds like an interesting twist to throw at the players. They could become Elemental Rights activists.

 

[tarchon]

This has always kind of bugged me. Aren't elementals intelligent beings? And doesn't harnassing them amount to a form of slavery?

How does the campaign setting deal with/address this question? (I'm assuming it doesn't :\ )

Maybe they're hired? Probably make the ships rather expensive to operate though. "Sacrifice another virgin! We need to pick up speed!"

Something really creepy would be undead airships that capture good souls and use their buoyance to float.