DM-Nastics #103: Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away With Us!

Huge thanks to Tony for the help on this one! 

While we’ve all been making strides towards fleshing out Dayeimbe, we think we could spend time pushing the envelope of known space. A preacher once said, “A captain's goal was simple: find a crew, find a job, keep flying.”

We're going to keep this one fairly simple., and collaboratively build a ship together. Grab ONE of the options below and give your take on it, but remember only ONE so that others can have a shot at building out everything together.

Here is a picture of the ship:


1. How does the ship function?
The underbelly of the ship is composed of an alloy of ferromagnetic material distilled from lodestones and mithril (very light) amplified by powerful magics. With precise shaping of the pectoral plates and magical modulation of the powerful electromagnetic fields produced by the hull, the ship effectively levitates by pushing against the magnetic fields of Dayeimbe. With directional steering of the fields, the ship can reach great speeds. At these speeds, the various fins and sails can be used as control surfaces for aerodynamic steering, at least in atmosphere. This aerodynamic steering is more responsive than the magnetic fields at high speeds.

The fields are powerful enough, in theory, to break out of the atmosphere and astronomers are watching the moons for an opportunity for a vessel using this technology to make a trip to one of them. Given the thinness of atmosphere at the heights these vessels fly, they are often equipped with an enchantment not unlike a water breathing spell that maintains a bubble of rich, breathable air over the open deck of the the ship. Perhaps someday this bubble will be tested against the hard vacuum of space on a journey to one of the moons.

The mighty fields beneath the vessel make weapons below the ship ineffective, so ballistae and catapults on the dorsal side are the primary form of armament. This means that in ship-to-ship combat the ship that can get slightly below the other can get clean shots without being in danger of being shot themselves. In a skilled crew, however, the pilot may be able to roll the ship a little toward the target to get shots for the fire teams. This is a dangerous maneuver and many such ships have plummeted from the sky when a pilot rolled it too far and inertial had its way with it. Quick thinking pilots can salvage such a disaster by reversing the fields inward to levitate upside down, but hold on and look out for flying metal attracted to the pectoral hull. The most skilled of pilots are rumored to be able to reliably roll the ship all the way around, but realists recognize that the risk of lost crew and the impossibility of acquiring a target during such a fast roll make the maneuver little more than showmanship. Attacks on ground targets are nearly impossible, perhaps limited to strafing runs using the front and rear catapults for shots at range which are difficult to aim. - rorrick

2. Name the ship. 'Voracious Skies, now that is an appropriate name for the most terrifying ship I've ever seen' , the young painter said in awe of the ferousious vessel before him.

Behind him, an older gnomish gentleman interjected, 'Ah, but did you know that the name has two meanings? After five years of crafting the ship the master shipbuilder still had no idea what he was going to name this monstrosity. So he invited Captain Skyscreamer to have dinner with him to get a better feel of him. During the meal, the Captain said something that just stuck.

'For all my life, I knew I was meant to fly. The sky has always called me.'
- dmcaleb

That is when the name came to him. Yes it could mean that the sky wish to devour you, which is very ominous and a good name for hunters. But also could also mean the sky desperately yearns for you.'

'That is an interesting tale' ,the painter said thick with doubt. 'But why would you know that story?'

The little gnome pushes up his glasses and furrow his brow at the young man. 'Because I'm the Master Shipbuilder, obviously...'

3. Names/race/classes/descriptions for the following crew:
    a. Captain Gorth Skyscreamer; Half-orc; Battlemaster fighter with a dip of a level or two into bard to keep up moral and inspire the crew

Description:

Gorth Skyscreamer from a young age knew he was meant to fly. Most orcs are comfortable on the ground but Gorth dreamed of striking down his foes using the Sun as a distraction much like the greatest hunting birds of the sky.

In his teens he spent some time sailing on normal ships as his first "real" job but he was mostly there to look intimidating and guard the cargo. During his time at sea as a hired guard, Gorth noted that even in the waters predators use the sun in clear waters to sneak up on prey from above just like the birds of the sky. Again he mused that attacking from above is the only way to ensure success.

When Gorth, in his later years, was appointed as Captain of this hammerheaded sky-ship he took the Surname he had been brooding over for so long; Skyscreamer.

Since then, he's run a tight ship and has gained much Honor and Glory for himself and his crew as they are always on the hunt for Abberations.

The Captain however, has bad-eyes, and sometimes commands the crew to attack a vessel that may not be an enemy, but strays too close to Gorth's battle-ship.

"I'll fill the Sky with Screams until the day I die" - Gorth Skyscreamer - dmexitium
    b. First Mate Uilos Raen, AKA Evergrin

Half-Elf Brawler/Unarmed Fighter

Raised as a hobgoblin slave, Evergrin spend most of his days in the mines and most of his nights in a cage developing a personalized combat style. He had no access to weapons, so he turned his body into a weapon. His wrists were always shackled together, so he learned to fight without his hands. His so-called masters tried to break his spirit, so he mocked them to their faces out of spite.

One day, one of the so-called masters decided to teach the slaves a lesson. Taking the most rebellious slave, he declared that if the slave liked jokes so much, then he should always have a smile on his face. With the blade of his knife, he sliced open Evergrin's cheeks from lip to ear. A small amount of magical healing was permitted so that the slave would live, but would forever be scarred.

Later that night, the newly named Evergrin escaped his cage, snuck into the so-called master's bed chambers, and slit the hobgoblin's throat. Escaping to more welcoming lands, Evergrin signed onto an airship for basic labor and rose through the ranks. His skill in combat aided in the ship's defense against pirates and raiders on more than one occasion, and his crude sense of humor has improved the morale of the crew.

"When I become captain o' m' own ship, I'm goin't make the fig're'ead an 'rect d**k. So any pirates can 'walk m' d**k!'" - meribson
    c. Helmsman
    d. Navigator - Kit's father never told him about where he came from, all he needed to know was this was his family. His name comes from a coin he had, most of the letters were tarnished, but kit remained. Kit grew up with a human family, and helped his father with his work as a fisherman. He had a fascination with the skies at a young age, and learned to navigate the fishing boat using the location of the moons with a sextant given to him by his father. When his father died from disease, he continued to work as a fisherman until running into Gorth. When Gorth told Kit his vessel was one in the sky, and he could use his skills, he simply couldn't resist. He sold his fishing rig, and joined Gorth's crew with his coin, his sextant, and his ambition.

(Kit is a githyanki, though he doesn't know that. If the lore is accepted in Dayeimbe, the scratched out name on the coin is actually Vlaakith. If not becomes strong enough in his adventures, she will come for the crew). - dmdanielsan
    e. Engineering
    f. Medical
    g. Armory - Harn Thunderroar

blue dragonborn wild sorcerer/monk (way of the Kensei)

due to the origin of his unshackled, uncontrolled magic, he was cast out of his home. Finding refuge in strange monastery, he learned to bend the power within himself and of various weaponry as well. Before he could formally join the monastery though, he was betrayed by other disciples who envied his rapid success. They sold him to the pirates of [insert name]. For a time he slaved obediently but after a time he, Gorth and few others rebelled and overthrew former crew. Gorth was appointed captain and Harn took to the armory, the thing he knew so well.

He also operates the giant balista (to which he added a minor enchantment, so that when it shoots, a roar of thunder can be heard - thus earning himself the name)

"Thunder, feel the thunder. Lightning and a thunder."

He's also had not just a few disagreements with helmsman because it almost seems as if he's avoiding all the thunders. - orinen
    h. notable Red Shirts and civilians. Whispering Waves (Whispy) of clan Twisting Paths

Whispy is a curious young tabaxi. She is a ranger hunter and she has quite unhealthy obsession with aberrations and their anatomy. She likes to shoot them down with her bow and than slice them open with her sharp claws and take a good look at their entrails. And occasionally, very very rarely she finds something interesting and even less often, something useful. For example the grain of thought in aboleth brain. With some experimentation, up to 3 people attuned to it can share a psychic link through which thoughts can be transmitted. But there is a drawback. Should person attuned to the grain of thought be close to another living aboleth, all saves made against its abilities are in disadvantage.

Also Whispy likes small birds and the big ones too, she just.. struggles a bit expressing her affection.

Gorth didn't really want her in the crew, but after finding out that she was hiding on the ship for two months, he finally let her join.

She's always been a bit afraid of Uilos because of his scarred face.

"beauty really isn't IN the eye of beholder. It's actually about two inches behind it." - orinen
I'm going to pillage an idea I had from Episode #99 and say that Skip "Skippy" Tenderhorn, the Minotaur Cleric whose horns broke off in battle not long before joining the crew, first found a home as a civilian aboard this ship as the ship's cook. He lost his taste for battle, but was able to live vicariously through the crew by hearing the tales when serving up his specialties. He found a way to use his divine connection to enhance his meals, making the content and flavor more pure than otherwise possible, which really cemented his place among the crew.

h2. It is aboard this ship that Skippy accidentally discovered a sweet dish that the crew started to love. He was getting prepped to create a delicious nut salad when the ship lurched to one side, spilling his tub of sugar and a vial of salt onto the pile of nuts that were to be chopped and added to the top of the meat on the salad. A good combination of nutrition that the crew really did enjoy, even though they complained each time. ("Salad again, Skippy!?") Once the ship righted itself, Skippy became enraged at the spill and grabbed his tenderizer and began slamming it into the pile, over and over, repeating under his breath all of the curses he's picked up over the years in every language he could remember. When he was done, he collected himself and saw the creamy mush he had created. With a sigh, he licked some of it from his finger and his eyes widened with delight. Skippy's Creamed Peanuts became the talk of the ship and he went to work trying to figure out what else he could do with this new concoction. - lord neptune

4. What kind of jobs do they find?
It is told that there is a ship out there that looks like a hammerhead shark. It is fitting that such a creature should represent the crew, for they are real predators.

They are big game hunters who track down the horrors of oblivion, rip their heads off as evidence, and twists the arm of the king until they get paid. For the king would rather pay their insane prices than have some abberation destroy several merchant ships.

Now should you ever see the hammerhead ship off the bow, turn and flee. For as terrifying as running into their target would be, it is far far worse to get in the way of the predator during its hunt. - dmcaleb

5. What kinds of alien life forms have they met?
The first two races they would have met that come to mind are Githyanki in their astral sailing ships and Illithid in their Nautiloids. I have not seen or heard of many campigns/settings featuring either of these established races and their ability to travel in these unique vessels, so it could be cool to see that in Dayimbe.

For a more alien idea, the ship could end up popping through portals in the sky into a version of Dayimbe that is in the Ethereal or in a plane slightly out of phase. Here they would encounter the Brumegeist- a race of incorporeal beings who inhabit this version of the world. The crew could find them hostile or helpful, or they could find that these beings have machinations of expanding their territory to include a part of the Prime plane of Dayimbe. Tada- plot hook! - finallyfoundahobby

6. What enemies have they made? 
The old little gnome mused to himself and his grand-gnomes, recalling the days he spent designing and building the ship, speaking to the young painter and meeting the crew. It had been years since those days, and now the Voracious Skies had a reputation as large as the ships name suggests. The old shipbuilder recalls the last time he's seen the crew of the Voracious Skies, years before they led the charges in the Mind-Flayer Invasion, slayed an Aboleth tyrant and raided the Githyanki (by accident).

"I don't recall the old orc having eyes quite that bad, but surely he can't be blind? Why else would the Voracious Skies attack the Githyanki without being provoked?"

"Gorth and his crew have never been known to be the most subtle of sky-ships. As a matter of fact, several kingdoms and countries that the Voracious Skies have aided in the past are too terrified of the trouble that follows the ship to call them for help. This included the kingdom that conscripted me to build the Voracious Skies in the first place!"

The grand-gnomes begin clamoring for answers;

"Why you ask? Well, my dear little emeralds and rubies, the Hive-Mind and Elder Brain that controls the Mind-Flayers have marked Gorth and the Voracious Skies for destruction. Their fleets will track and hunt Gorth and his crew until they are destroyed. The Githyanki have not forgiven the mistake Gorth made when his crew raided one of their ships and now they too will no longer treat with, or aid anyone who does business with the Voracious Skies. Everywhere the Voracious Skies goes these days, the Mind-Flayers are sure to follow."

One of the grand-gnomes pipes up saying "But Gorth, Harn, Kit, Uilos, and the rest of the crew are the greatest Mind-Flayer slayers of all time! They'll protect us when they come, right grand-pop?"

"I wish it were so my little gem, but even legendary warriors like Harn, Kit and Uilos can only do so much. They spend their time focusing on slaying the enemy, and not protecting the innocent and the weak. For this reason, and the shadow of a Mind-Flayer threat, does no sane leader treat with the Voracious Skies." - dmexitiu

Have at and have fun!