From DQWiki

Stone Aeir Skiff

Vessel looks like a giant, stone, flat-bottomed horse-trough (8'-9' long; 6-7' wide; 6'high), with a slightly angled front from which two sturdy stone "flying buttresses" extending forward a further 6'-7'. Each buttress functions like a bowsprit to which is tethered the forward point of a triangular canvas wing extending the length of the skiff. The far-point of each wing is kept up to 10' away from the hull by an adjustable wood & titan-metal boom. Thus a skiff in action casts a shadow somewhat resembling a manta-ray. There is also a single small dhow-like sail, about 7'x3' attached to a stubby mast. The primary form of steerage is a slight difference between the port & starboard pairs of cavorite blades which, in combination with extended wings, means the skiff turns as it banks. Alternatively, a cautious pilot can turn the ship slowly using the dhow sail as a rudder.

Although the hull of the skiff is 6' high, only the top 3' is the "dug-out" cavity open for passengers to sit, goods to be stored, etc. The remaining 3' is structural, including the 4 tubes holding the cavorite blades that supply various amounts of vertical lift: from none [i.e. 1-g down] up to half-a-g falling upwards. Note that there are NO solar cavorite blades.

In the "dug-out" section: the side walls are 4-6 inches thick solid; there are 6 titan-metal rings to which goods or passengers may be tethered. Each ring will take up to several tons strain before either snapping or being pulled out of the body of the skiff.

Natural speed is 7+[Navigator Rank-2] mph using gentle sinusoidal rising & falling. The skill can be safely sailed by 1 pilot & 1 crew [at least Rank-0 sailor] with only mild exertion effort. The pilot may sail alone, but that requires more caution, vigilance & physical effort.

The Pilot must have at least Rank 0 navigator OR Rank 4 sailor/seaman ["Artisan" skill] OR Rank 10 flying skill; AND have at least half-a-day's supervised instruction from a competent air-pilot (one with Experience & who is Rank 4+ Navigator or Airman).

Rather than using their Navigator Rank, the pilot may use their AIRMANSHIP skill. One's initial rank is 1 per three full ranks of Flying; Plus up to 2 ranks more for other appropriate skills (e.g. master Mechanician specialising in flying devices; master Philosopher in appropriate fields; many months experience as a gliding bird in appropriately similar terrain) Subsequent ranking may be gained like any other adventuring skill, at the usual cost & requirements.

GM

Michael Parkinson

Adventure

The War on Horror: Ares

Fidelia’s Granite Slab of Vision

Dark grey granite slab ½” by 1’ by 1’; Weight 10 lb
Range: 125 Miles
Duration: 18 Minutes, once per day

A slab of granite that has been enchanted with Crystal of Vision, it shows things that are warmer than the ambient air temperature in varying shades. It does NOT show things that are colder than the ambient air.

Can see through material less substantial than an inch of solid wood or a couple of inches of soft flesh, no matter how hot; although metal is quite visible if thicker than a penny.

For example: It can look down through the foliage of the forest but not through the branches seeing a very hot pot and warm cook but not the fire heating both.

The colours range from lukewarm porridge through hobbit through hot chocolate up to hot-plate with shades in between. Indiscernible the first few times someone sees it, but very clear to someone who has used the slab several times.

GM

Michael Parkinson

Adventure

The War on Horror: Ares - 21/03/07.