Lots of Piratey Goodness

This has been a good week for gamer/pirate enthusiasts. After long periods of waiting, three different elements combined for a perfect storm.

1. On Tuesday, the adventure Dark Deeds in Freeport was released. This was one of the first crowd-funded projects that I ever supported, and my gaming group helped playtest the scenario a while back. We had fun, and I've been waiting to see the final product since then. Check it out on RPGNow.com.

Dark Deeds in Freeport


2. On Thursday, after more protracted waiting, a second crowd-funded project came to fruition: I was given the rough-cut PDF for the new Pathfinder-oriented Freeport sourcebook. In the past I've mentioned that the Freeport adventures, which were published back when Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition premiered, are what led me to start reading about pirates and, ultimately, to start this blog. I am excited to see a book detailing the setting and tying it into Pathfinder, but I'll be more excited when the hardcover copy comes in the mail.


3. Yesterday (Friday) brought the premiere of the NBC series Crossbones. I've been waiting for this for some time, and it didn't disappoint. While the ship-to-ship combat scenes were not as grandiose as those of Black Sails (reviewed previously), the focus on intriguing characters was more notable. In addition to Blackbeard (played by the always enjoyable John Malkovich), there's an intriguing protagonist (Tom Lowe, played by Richard Coyle) along with a host of other curious individuals. Perhaps my favorite is Fletch (the loblolly boy, played by Chris Perfetti), who is completely over his head as a prisoner on a pirate island. All in all, this show has introduced some interesting characters and conflicts, with the backdrop of a gorgeous island setting, and I'm eager to see the next episode.

Crossbones

-Nate

Space Fantasy Magical Items

Back in 1989, my twin brother and I bought our first roleplaying game books from a buddy; they were the 2^nd Edition AD&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide. Shortly thereafter we dropped the cash on our first new product, the Spelljammer boxed set. That led us into what was probably the most epic RPG campaign in which I've ever played, one that saw our characters save the known galaxy from the predations of the Vodani horde.

Some ten years later, the familiar and much-loved 2^nd Edition was replaced by something startling and new. The 3^rd Edition of D&D introduced some notable changes to it, not the least of which was an Open Game License. For someone who had long dreamed of publishing an adventure or article in Dungeon or Dragon magazines, this provided a golden opportunity. After all, many different fledgling companies could now publish material for the biggest RPG of them all, and there were lots of open calls for submissions. Even so, although the OGL created all kinds of niche products for any imaginable campaign setting, space fantasy was still lacking. It is true that Polyhedron published a Spelljammer mini-setting, Shadow of the Spider Moon, but the rules and campaign information contained therein were not open content. It was a solid product, but it didn't provide the same kind of opportunity that material from other publishers presented.

Since then, the shift from D&D's 3^rd Edition to its fourth incarnation has given rise to a new phenomenon—Pathfinder. With it there is now a ruleset that is even more open than the material published by Wizards of the Coast, but there are still no rules for running space fantasy scenarios. Clockwork Gnome Publishing took a run at Kickstarting a rulebook, Sailing the Starlit Sea; sadly, although they had lots of good ideas, they ultimately proved unsuccessful. That is why I've been kicking around ideas for a new set of rules, one that is available free of charge and open for the general public to use and modify. I call them Aetherial Adventures.

Hopefully this supplement can do the same thing for other games that the Spelljammer rules did for us, opening up the possibility of traveling from world to world, and thereby creating a truly unlimited vista to serve as a backdrop for fantastic adventures.

-Nate

The Discovery of Aetherships

The first group to discover the possibility of aetherial flight was a band of adventurers. They made their discovery beneath a pyramid in the middle of a harsh desert; that was where they found the first of three necessary components. It was a solar vessel, a sailing craft engraved with symbols and incantations sacred to the God of the Sun. In the liturgy of that faith, they represented the movement of the world's primary star through the heavens. In more practical terms, however, it was enchanted with the power of levitation.

Of course, that alone wasn't enough to break the barrier of the planet's atmosphere. Sensing that they had a powerful opportunity, the adventurers sought a means of using the newfound vessel. To that end they sought out two local specialists. One was a wizard and weaver, a person who knew how to create a flying carpet. In this case, however, they hired him to imbue that magic into canvas—flying sails. They also found a sea witch. She had long demonstrated the ability to harness the power of the winds in a knotted cord. By increasing the scale, she crafted rigging for the vessel. With all of these elements combined, the aethership could really fly.

Required Items

These are the magical items without which aetherial travel is not possible.

Solar Vessel

Aura strong transmutation; CL 3rd

Slot NA; Price* 50,000 gp; Weight NA

Description

Each of these vessels looks similar to other craft of their size, except that they are engraved with symbols and incantations sacred to the God of the Sun. They come in different sizes, such as the small dhow or fishing boat, the medium sloop, the large junk and the huge galleon or merchantman. In addition to being able to levitate, they exude a comfortable warmth that protects against the cold of the aether. Additionally, each is connected magically to an orb that the pilot uses to steer the vessel.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item; continual flame, levitate; Cost* 25,000 gp

Flying Sails

Aura strong transmutation; CL 5th

Slot NA; Price* 25,000 gp; Weight NA

Description

These canvas sheets are imbued with the same magical energies as are flying carpets, except that they are designed to be carried by ships. They provide one half of the locomotive force for the aethership, along with impetus for maneuvering.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item; fly; Cost* 12,500 gp

Wind Cordage

Aura strong transmutation; CL 9th

Slot NA; Price* 25,000 gp; Weight NA

Description

These ropes, connected to the aethership's sails, are tied with knots that harness the power of the winds. In addition to contributing to the vessel's mobility, they provide a fresh supply of air to those traveling aboard it.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item; control winds; Cost* 12,500 gp

Orb of Control

Aura strong transmutation; CL 11th

Slot NA; Price* 12,500 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

Description

This small sphere, crafted from the same wood as the ship with which it is connected, allows its wielder to steer the movements of that vessel. It is sized to fit into the captain's hand, but grows or shrinks to fit the individual.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item; animate object; Cost* 6,250 gp

*Note that these items are purchased together; it is not effective to purchase three or fewer of the four requisites when attempting aetherial travel.