# Topic: Air Ships **Air ships** are rare, magical vessels that represent the pinnacle of luxury transportation on Gryth, accessible only at specific aeroports in major cities. ## Overview There are only airships on Gryth in very specific locations. The exclusivity and luxury of travel makes them a bit inaccessible for common people. Private ownership of an airship is incredibly rare, and perhaps only a handful of airships exist outside of organizations and trading companies. ## Availability & Locations Air ships operate from only **five locations** across the world of Gryth: - **Kamistad** in [[Continent - Ganath]] - **Durdany** in [[Continent - Auken]] - **Scavania** in [[Continent - Edaria]] - **The Starpoint** in [[Continent - Iros]] - **Ivoryn** in [[Continent - Iros]] ## Mooring Infrastructure There are two types of mooring locations for air ships: ### Skydocks - Simple tether towers - Handle single occupants or small groups - Service smaller trade vessels - More basic facilities ### Aeroports - Large, sophisticated facilities - Handle large, lavish groups - Service big trade vessels - Full amenities and services ## Passenger Travel Costs The exclusivity and luxury of air ship travel makes it largely inaccessible to common people. ### Standard Cabin (Luxury) - **Cross-country travel:** 50-75 gp - **Cross-continent travel:** 150-200 gp - High-quality accommodation expected by wealthy merchants or nobles - Includes private room, fine meals, and ship amenities - For a commoner, this costs over 100 days' wages ### Opulent Suite (First Class) - **Cross-country travel:** 200-300 gp - **Cross-continent travel:** 500-1,000 gp - For the fabulously wealthy, city leaders, or members of ancient houses - Spacious suite of rooms, possibly with private balcony - Personal stewards and finest food and wine available ### Passage in Steerage - **Cross-country travel:** 15-20 gp - **Cross-continent travel:** 30-40 gp - Not always available (may diminish vessel's exclusive reputation) - Not a cabin - bunk in converted cargo area - For those who desperately need speed but cannot afford comfort - Examples: King's messenger on urgent mission, adventurer with more gold than sense - Still much more expensive than boat or overland carriage (but quicker) ## Charter Costs Hiring an entire air ship vessel is an act of immense power and wealth, something only governments, the most powerful guilds, or perhaps high-level adventuring parties could afford. ### Daily Charter Rate - **Cost:** 400-800 gp per day - Price covers crew, magical energy for levitation and propulsion, provisions, and hefty profit for owners - Fluctuates based on ship's size, speed, and amenities - Smaller, faster courier skiff at lower end - Grand luxury liner at higher end ### Week-Long Charter - **Cost:** Approximately 3,000-4,000 gp - For specific, planned journeys - Example: Taking a noble's retinue from [[Continent - Edaria]] to a summit in [[Region - High Vel'Nora]]'s vicinity - Note: Ships cannot land in High Vel'Nora itself ### Month-Long Expedition - **Cost:** 10,000-15,000+ gp - For major undertakings - Examples: Research expedition to treacherous cliffs of [[Continent - Ganath]], diplomatic mission to remote islands of [[Continent - Q'Shar]] - Higher price due to hazard pay for crew and increased navigation difficulty ## Purchase Costs Private ownership of an air ship is incredibly rare. Perhaps only a handful of air ships exist outside of organizations and trading companies. ### Requirements for Purchase - Immense wealth - Incredible connections within worldwide trade systems - A name trusted across the company - Private skyport to moor it, or rented tower (incredibly expensive) ### Courier Skiff (Tiny) - **Cost:** 12,000 gp - **Capacity:** No more than 5 people - **Purpose:** Fast courier tasks or family travel - Cannot hold large cargo, unsuitable for trading - No crew required - manned by travellers themselves ### Expedition Skiff (Small) - **Cost:** 18,000 gp - **Crew cost:** 20+ gp per day - **Capacity:** Maybe 8 people, with crew of one or two - Slightly larger and hardier than courier vessel - Used for travel to remote locations - Very small hold with room for personal provisions and 1-2 medium cargo items ### Trader Brigantine (Medium) - **Cost:** 40,000 gp - **Crew cost:** 60+ gp per day - **Capacity:** Around 20 people with sizeable cargo hold - Workhorse of sky-faring merchant class - Designed to be operated for profit - Most common vessel type for transporting valuable goods between continents - Requires professional crew: captain, navigators, engineers (magical drive maintenance), deckhands ### Merchant Galleon (Large) - **Cost:** 110,000 gp - **Crew cost:** 100+ gp per day - **Capacity:** Up to 50 travellers on passenger liner variant - Massive vessel serving as bulk cargo hauler or luxury passenger liner - Multiple decks, private cabins, grand dining hall - Reinforced magical shielding for smooth journey - Ownership is sign of immense wealth - Belongs only to most powerful merchant guilds or noble houses ### Military Frigate (Huge) - **Cost:** 250,000 gp - **Crew cost:** 300+ gp per day - Dedicated warship - Sacrifices cargo space and comfort for speed, armour, and firepower - Magically reinforced hull - Bristles with arcane cannons, heavy ballistae, and launch bays for smaller vessels - **Not for sale on any open market** - Built and maintained only by most powerful sovereign nations - Used to project power and defend territories ### Imperial Flagship (Gargantuan) - **Cost:** Over 1,000,000 gp - **Crew cost:** 500+ gp per day - Less a ship, more a flying fortress - Symbol of an entire empire's might - Likely only two or three such vessels in the entire world - Functions as mobile palace and military command centre - Houses hundreds of crew and soldiers - Own internal support systems - Immensely powerful weaponry - Most advanced magical engines conceivable - Can only be constructed through total economic output of major nation over several years ## Cargo Transportation - **Cost:** As high as 10-20 gp per kilogram for high-priority journey - Only items of incredible value or urgency transported by air - Examples: Rare magical reagents, vital intelligence, ransom payments ## Insurance - Wealthy passengers likely offered insurance policies - **Cost:** 5-10% of ticket price - Protects against (admittedly small) risk of sky-pirates, magical failure, or dragon attack ## Hazardous Routes All prices above assume travel between established, safe aeroports. - Chartered trip into frozen wastes of [[Continent - Norn]] or deserts of [[Continent - Iros]] (where no skydocks exist) could easily cost **double or triple** the standard rate - Premium charged for danger and lack of infrastructure