D&D 4E From the 4e MM preview: Astraljamming?!

[doctorhook]

Yeah probably, but damn... I want to figure out some way to bring Astral Bells or Astral Helmets/Suits.

Perhaps to explore underneath the Astral Sea, those can be used. I just think it be fun to bring in the old, Diving Helmets

lol OK, I see where you're coming from, now. How about, "To risk unprotected exposure to 'astral vapour' is to risk madness or possession by 'inhaling' the souls of dead,"? Or maybe poisonous hell-gas surrounding certain astral dominions.

I think I prefer the first one.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Well, considering that anything beyond a small carrack would be extremely anachronistic, a sloop-of-war would be way out of line. I find it strange that people complain about guns/magictech or whatever other anachronisms get into the game, yet have no problems adding naval vessels that would not look out of line sailing into Charleston Harbour during the American Revolution.

Take a look in the equipment section of the PHB again. They're mixing tools and devices from the classical period to the rennaisance. Romans built grain ships that topped 1000 tons, the Chinese built 400 foot long Junks with eight masts, the greeks built quinquiremes with a crew of more than a thousand.

Lets assume we do stick to the lower end of the spectrum and use your 80ft carrack as an example. An 80-90 foot barque carried as a fighting ship by the Royal Navy had a crew of just under a hundred. A merchant ship of the same size and rig could get away with roughly 20 but that's still far more than "the party and an NPC or two." Far worse than the ship sizes in previous editions have been the tiny crews and absurd deckplans.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Your speech of madness intrigues me and makes me think of something else... Ghost Astral Vessels!!!

I can just imagine it, at the Astral Docks of Sigil rumours spread of a Astral Vessel manned by the long-dead crazed spirits of its crew. After the seals of their hatchets broke, the vapours slowly crept inside turning the crew into raving maniacs who slaughtered eachother.

Perhaps too, we could have nomadic, insane crews who man ships without protection from the Astral Sea. They are all bat- insane, and as such are known to torture and cannibalize those they come across

 

[Enkhidu]

This thread reminds me of the classic pulpy spaceship design of the githyanki cruiser in Fedifensor.

 

[Klaus]

Actually talk of chariots and such, makes me wonder. Is there oxygen/atmosphere in the Astral Sea, one can assume that a atmosphere is formed within a Dominion but what about in the empty seas?

To quote Morpheus:

"Do you think it's air you're breathing?"

 

[GeorgeFields]

Personally, I had really hoped we had seen the last of the Forgotten Realms. Worst ever. After Eberron. IMO ofc

FIFY

 

[Rex Blunder]

oh, thanks for fixing that for jack99! It's helpful when people fix things.

 

[Piratecat]

I have one word for this picture.

That word is "yes".

Hijack: Hey RE, I tried to return your kind email a few months ago, and the email address in your EN World profile is old. If you have a chance, shoot me another email with your new address.

Thanks!

[/hijack]

 

[Sojorn]

Your speech of madness intrigues me and makes me think of something else... Ghost Astral Vessels!!!

I can just imagine it, at the Astral Docks of Sigil rumours spread of a Astral Vessel manned by the long-dead crazed spirits of its crew. After the seals of their hatchets broke, the vapours slowly crept inside turning the crew into raving maniacs who slaughtered eachother.

Perhaps too, we could have nomadic, insane crews who man ships without protection from the Astral Sea. They are all bat- insane, and as such are known to torture and cannibalize those they come across

Saving this post so my players know why they're playing Firefly when they realize it.

 

[Mighty Veil]

Maybe that'll be the 2010 campaign: Astral Jamming, a mix of SJ and Planescape. I'll avoid it if so ;-) (if they want a real winner campaign that won't sell, they could add Ghost Walk to the mix). Not my cup of tea but I bet some people would like it. I just don't think it has a large enough audience.