Candlekeep Forum
Candlekeep Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Active Polls | Members | Private Messages | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Forgotten Realms Journals
 General Forgotten Realms Chat
 Why no more Spelljammer for Forgotten Realms
 New Topic  New Poll New Poll
 Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Previous Page
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic
Page: of 3

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  19:27:30  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'll concede the point, then, though I would question why they opted to treat it like a normal ship in the comics, and not make it look or fly like a skyship.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!

Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 27 May 2020 20:18:47
Go to Top of Page

newbiedm
Acolyte

USA
17 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  19:36:26  Show Profile  Visit newbiedm's Homepage Send newbiedm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I'll concede the point, then, though I would question why they opted to treat it like a normal ship in the comics, and not make it look like a skyship.



Especally when there was an issue where a Halruaan skyship showed up, with a blimp or something elevating it, and it looked nothing like the Master. But Ed's word is final here, so the Realms Master is a skyship.

My campaign set in 5e is a continuation of the comics, I just started it, now the PCs are about to find the Realms Master floating outside Westgate's harbor as a derelict ship. Dwalimar is still alive--as a spirit living inside the damaged Astrolabe of Nimbral. Should be a fun campaign. Only other character making an appearance is Minder, although she is silent and "shut down", standing guard next to the Astrolabe.

Visit my D&D website at www.newbiedm.com
Go to Top of Page

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  20:20:16  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by newbiedm


My campaign set in 5e is a continuation of the comics, I just started it, now the PCs are about to find the Realms Master floating outside Westgate's harbor as a derelict ship. Dwalimar is still alive--as a spirit living inside the damaged Astrolabe of Nimbral. Should be a fun campaign. Only other character making an appearance is Minder, although she is silent and "shut down", standing guard next to the Astrolabe.



I like this idea! If I wasn't so firmly wed to the pre-Spellplague era, I'd contemplate doing the same thing.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
Go to Top of Page

Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  22:29:45  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Like a staff of the magi doesn’t look like another staff that is also a staff of the magi or a +1 long sword doesn’t look like another; no two skyships are going to look the same as uniquely created magic items. Just different is all.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
Go to Top of Page

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  23:11:55  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden

Like a staff of the magi doesn’t look like another staff that is also a staff of the magi or a +1 long sword doesn’t look like another; no two skyships are going to look the same as uniquely created magic items. Just different is all.



I can get that the shape may be different -- but skyships are described as having plates on the hull for lifting. We never saw that with the Realms Master. Aside from having a wizard as the figurehead, the ship's appearance was the same as any standard sailing vessel.

Between that and its notable lack of flight, there was nothing to mark it as a skyship. Especially when an artifact had to be employed just to go straight up.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!

Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 27 May 2020 23:15:20
Go to Top of Page

Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2020 :  04:19:01  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Maybe the plates were built into the hull.

Ed said it was overloaded was the reason for its poor flying.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
Go to Top of Page

Stones Finder
Acolyte

Canada
30 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2020 :  04:47:40  Show Profile Send Stones Finder a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What's really odd, IIRC, is that in the storyline where the other (?) skyship appeared, after it blew up, Omen said something to the effect of "That's why I'll never use a skyship - they're deathtaps!"

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it - Advice for the 5e design team
Go to Top of Page

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2020 :  05:00:14  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden

Maybe the plates were built into the hull.

Ed said it was overloaded was the reason for its poor flying.



It would have been one thing if it had been shown flying poorly -- but it only flew when a god forced it to. Again, it couldn't even lift itself out of the water.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
Go to Top of Page

Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 01 Jun 2020 :  20:21:05  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Frankly, I don’t understand Skyships. With magic what it is, you would think they would be more like the flying ships of Alphatia from Mystara.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
Go to Top of Page

George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 01 Jun 2020 :  22:08:25  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
They were all individual. There was no such thing as the "standard skyship". People keep thinking of Netheril as a unified, organised realm. They were nothing of the kind. They were dysfunctionally governed, paranoid and secretive about everything, the interactions between High and Low Netheril were governed by complex treaties and pacts and at their core were a disjointed magocracy. Why would you therefore think that all skyships should be top notch, A-grade, hyper efficient constructs? It's not like every car you buy is a Ferrari.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
Go to Top of Page

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 01 Jun 2020 :  22:42:03  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos

They were all individual. There was no such thing as the "standard skyship". People keep thinking of Netheril as a unified, organised realm. They were nothing of the kind. They were dysfunctionally governed, paranoid and secretive about everything, the interactions between High and Low Netheril were governed by complex treaties and pacts and at their core were a disjointed magocracy. Why would you therefore think that all skyships should be top notch, A-grade, hyper efficient constructs? It's not like every car you buy is a Ferrari.

-- George Krashos



Because we're speaking of Halruaa, and we were given more than one matching description of their skyships -- most notably, their ability to fly, which the Realms Master was never seen doing under its own power.

And I'm pretty sure no one accused Halruaan skyships of being any kind of efficient. It seems almost like they were designed to be inefficient, really.

I'm honestly wondering, at this point, if the Realms Master was originally intended to be a skyship, but then it got changed sometime before the comic first went to print.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!

Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 01 Jun 2020 22:46:28
Go to Top of Page

sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11686 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2020 :  02:10:03  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
yeah, but what basically happened was Ed wrote a dragon article about generic skyships. That talked about the whole turtle hull thing. Then when the first shining south was written, they pretty much copied the article text. Which is fine, and is why they supposedly were all similar... but we can chalk it up to a batch of writer laziness. Then pretty much every picture we're given doesn't match the description until the 3rd edition shining south (and even that I'd have to check).

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
Go to Top of Page

Storyteller Hero
Learned Scribe

USA
329 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2020 :  02:55:44  Show Profile  Visit Storyteller Hero's Homepage Send Storyteller Hero a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If it flies, it's a skyship.

If it can travel through wildspace with relative safety, it's a spelljammer.

If it can house a jacuzzi, it's a harem seeker's dream boat.





My Blog: https://www.facebook.com/Johnnys-Tabletop-RPG-Design-Blog-1697026710539149/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

My DMG Shop: http://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?x=0&y=0&author=Johnny%20Tek

Go to Top of Page
Page: of 3 Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
Previous Page
 New Topic  New Poll New Poll
 Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Candlekeep Forum © 1999-2024 Candlekeep.com Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000