Harks Quartz

Elemental Airship Crewing Rules

6 min read

Watches

  • The below rules refer to 4hr periods, but onboard these would be called watches
    • First Watch: 20:00–00:00
    • Middle Watch: 00:00–04:00
    • Morning Watch: 04:00–08:00
    • Forenoon Watch: 08:00–12:00
    • Afternoon Watch: 12:00–16:00
    • Dog Watch: 16:00–20:00
    • Each watch is separated by bells rung every half hour (1st bell at 30m past start)

Control Checks

  • Each Crew Station requires Control Checks at the start of each watch to ensure the smooth running of the Airship.
    • Failing these checks have lasting consequences for the Airship and its Crew
  • Unless otherwise Stated Control Checks are made oncer per Watch
  • Additional Control Checks may also be triggered during a watch in certain circumstances
  • All Control Checks have a base DC of 10, which can increase depending on circumstances.
  • Note that Calming Stations effectively remove the need for these checks while on major routes, for Pilots with the Mark of Storms

Crew Requirements

  • Crew cannot rest while manning a Crew Station.
  • Normally a Crew Member may only manage a single Crew Station during a Watch.
    • If required a Crew member can manage 2 Crew Stations during a Watch, but will suffer 1 Level of Exhaustion for each Watch they do so.
  • If multiple Crew Members are required to manage a Crew Station, they each make the Control Check.
    • Crew members not manning a Crew Station may assist others in their checks granting advantage

The Navigator checks the Ships Course.

Control Check: Wisdom

  • Navigation duties can either be taken by a dedicated crew member or performed by the Pilot while helming.
    • If the Navigator is also the Pilot, apply +1 to the Navigation Control Check due to the difficulty of multitasking.
    • If the Navigator is not the Pilot they may make their Control Check inside
  • If no crew member takes the Navigation Control Check, it automatically fails.
  • Having a map of the area you are flying in reduces the DC of this check by 2
  • Using Navigators Tools with a Air Vehicles Proficiency gives advantage on this check

On a failure:

  • The ship becomes lost (unbeknownst to the crew).
    • Roll 1d10: on a 1–4 the ship veers left, 5–6 maintains heading, 7–10 veers right.
    • A new Navigation check may be made every hex travelled to realize the ship is lost.
    • Correcting course counts as a course change and triggers new Control Checks.

Helm

Airships are controlled by the pilot via the Wheel of Wind and Water which allows a bonded character to commune with the ships bound elemental and the Wind Wards. This allows them to steer and maintain the flight of the Airship.

Control Check: Charisma or Intimidation Frequency: 4 times per watch if the Pilot does not bear the Mark of Storm

  • Without a Pilot at the Helm an Airship will loose all vertical momentum and come to a stop.
  • The Wheel of Wind and Water is usual externally mounted on the deck of an Airship
  • Bonding with the Wheel of Wind and Water uses a character attunement slot, but does not follow the usual rules of attunement
  • If the Pilot is also acting as Navigator, apply +1 to Helm Control Checks.
  • Any change made to the Speed, Altitude or Direction of the Airship outside of maintain course triggers all Crew Stations to remake their Control Checks for the change.

On a failure:

  • Elemental gains 1 Level of Elemental Exhaustion if the check was made using Charisma, and 2 if it was made using Intimidation
  • If the Pilot does not bear the Mark of Storm, they also gain 1 Level of Exhaustion if the check was made using Charisma, and 2 if it was made using Intimidation

Core Arcanist

An Arcanist is required to perform maintenance on the Elemental Core while in flight. They check the status of the core, apply Residuum and report to the Captain/Pilot as needed.

Control Check: Arcana

  • For each crew member under the Crewing requirement the Base DC of all Control Checks increases by 5 per Core Arcanist missing

On a Failure:

  • All Crew in the Elemental Core compartment suffers 5d10 Radiant damage from exposure to the core

Wind Ward Node Riggers

Wind ward nodes require constant maintenance and replacement to continue function. In normal operation 2 crew members are required to Maintain the Wind Wards during flight.

Control Check: Athletics or Acrobatics

  • Wind wards nodes are all externally mounted
  • While docked it takes 4hrs for 2 crew members to fully overhaul a ships Wind Wards, resetting the unmaintained count
  • For each crew member under the Crewing requirement the Base DC of all Control Checks increases by 2 per Wind Ward Rigger missing

On a failure:

  • On a Failure the Wind Wards are unmaintained for this watch
  • All crew working outside the ship (Helm & Riggers) take 2d10 cold damage for each Rigging Check failed since the Wind Wards were last overhauled.
  • The Helm may prevent this damage by dropping below 1500ft and reducing speed below 10mph
    • Doing so is a course change and will trigger new checks if done immediately.

Elemental Exhaustion

Level 1 - Unstable Core

  • Core Arcanist checks are made at disadvantage as the elemental grows more volatile.

Level 2 - Wind Ward Nodes surges

  • Wind Ward checks are made at disadvantage due to erratic node behaviour.

Level 3 - Increased Maintenance

  • Wind Wards require 4 crew members to manage it.
  • Core Arcanist requires 2 crew members to manage it.

Level 4 - Wind Wards begin to fail

  • If above 1500ft
    • Wind Ward nodes begin to fail seemingly at random. Any external crew must make a DC 14 Dexterity save or take 4d10 Cold damage (in addition to any damage taken from unmaintained Wind Ward Nodes). Half on success
  • If Below 1500ft
    • Speed is reduced to 10mph

Level 5 - Wind Wards Burn out

  • Crew are confined to the core compartment.
  • Maximum altitude is 2,000 ft, max speed is 10 mph.
    • If above 1500ft
      • External crew and those in the core must endure extreme cold:
        • If temperature is at or below 0°F, creatures must make a DC 10 Constitution save at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion.
        • Cold-resistant/immune creatures, or those with cold-weather gear, automatically succeed.
    • If Below 1500ft
      • speed reduced further to 5mph

Level 6 - Emergency Confinement

  • The elemental is automatically confined to the core by emergency systems.
  • The ship slowly descends and will likely sustain damage to the elemental ring and hull upon impact.

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