Airships

Airships are among the rarest vehicles in Endros. They use Air Aether to levitate and Fire Aether for greatly improved propulsion during the day. With a strong wind they reach 30 to 40 kilometers per hour, and fire propulsion adds roughly 50 more while the sun is up, though against headwinds they manage only 2 to 5, so pilots change altitude to find favorable winds. Air Aether above the canopy keeps them aloft at night, but without fire propulsion they rely on the wind alone. Each requires years of work from the few Masters who specialize in their construction, and nearly all of them are built by Skyforge. There are twenty-one Airships currently in operation, with more under construction or repair. Most serve the military, and only a few have earned names and reputations of their own. The Airships below are the most legendary of these, distinguished by their unique designs and purposes.

Airships are based at Skyports, which can only be built where Air Aether is sufficiently strong. Most of the fleet serves the military and is concentrated toward the eastern warfront, while the rest serve the Adventurer's Guild, Skyforge, and wealthy charters. The Aerie flies from Stormcrest, the principal base of the Guild's Sky Wing, while the Thunderhead stays near Titania so it can deploy wherever Tempest fights. The Harrier works from whichever Skyport lies closest to the territory it scouts, and the Starlit Grand returns to Skyforge Works in Stormcrest between tours.

The Aerie

The Aerie is a rapid-deployment carrier designed to deliver elite strike teams wherever they are needed most. It carries up to twenty-six elite combatants, typically a contingent of Sky Knights alongside elite ground units, with the exact composition depending on the mission. Cities and the Adventurer's Guild call upon it for planned assaults against demonic strongholds as well as emergencies along the front.

Sky Knights launch directly from its decks at altitude to secure the skies, after which ground teams are lowered into position by reinforced cable cradles. The same cradles extract teams once the mission is complete. A windfield column at the center of the ship generates a powerful updraft, allowing Sky Knights to land, recover, and launch again without returning to a Skyport.

The Thunderhead

The Thunderhead is a warship designed by Skyforge to fight alongside Tempest, God of Air. In battle, Tempest releases enormous amounts of air and electric Aether, which the Thunderhead draws in through the collector spires along its spine and channels through its lightning lances and pressure cannons, magnifying their destructive force well beyond any other airship. Its hull is also shaped to ride within Tempest's wake, allowing it to keep pace with him across the battlefield.

Without Tempest, the Thunderhead remains a capable and well-armed airship, and still faster than most, though only about half as fast as it travels in his wake. Since electric energy cannot be stored, its amplified weapons must discharge what they absorb almost immediately, making it most devastating in the heart of battle at Tempest's side. It deploys wherever Tempest fights, which is most often the eastern warfront near Titania.

The Harrier

The Harrier is a small reconnaissance airship built for scouting dangerous territory. Its light frame allows it to travel quietly on wind alone, and at night, when Fire propulsion would otherwise be inactive, it becomes nearly silent. It carries a small crew of scouts who can rappel or glide down to investigate, along with Fairies who sense demonic presence long before it can be seen. Its findings are relayed to the nearest Comm Tower, giving commanders early knowledge of demonic movements and fortifications.

The Starlit Grand

The Starlit Grand is a luxury airship owned by Skyforge, offering a level of comfort and prestige unmatched by any other vessel in Endros. It features an observation gallery, garden terraces beneath its domed upper decks, elegant salons, and a Mindscape theater, and is typically reserved for VIPs, Maidens, and Skyforge's wealthiest benefactors. Maidens often host aboard, and some agreements have been formally signed in the skies above Endros.

For roughly one week each month, the Starlit Grand embarks on tour, operating much like a touring company of its own. It visits cities across Endros, offering local nobles and wealthy patrons the opportunity to fly aboard it and become sponsors of Skyforge. These tours have become one of Skyforge's most important sources of income, helping fund the construction of its military airships.