Rynel/ExaltedInSpaceNotes
Setting Notes
Creation got real big in this one. Its a galaxy, with the Wyld starting quite a long distance outside of it. The Blessed Isle is its own planet, a wide stretch of heavily patrolled space (as far as 'wide' in space goes) between it and everything else. Theres the Scavenger Systems, black holes leading to the Underworld, gates to the even more enormous paradise of Yu-Shan scattered through both known and unknown space (and not all of them on planets), and the Elemental Poles influencing the climates on planets more than the distance to stars.
Oh, and Gem is a volcanic world, highly unstable, and could erupt and be destroyed at any moment. ---
Voidship Aesthetics
There is a great deal of variety in how voidships look, and several distinct styles. Most voidships can easily be described as belonging to a certain era, based on the aesthetics used for them.
Dragon-Kings</B>: The voidships of the Dragon Kings were marvels of their vegatative and crystaline technology, glittering edifices of crystal and plants, powered by little more than starlight and prayers to the Unconquered Sun. Very few examples of Dragon King voidships survived into the Age of Sorrows. What few do remain have likely been picked over by Scavenger Lords and looters, or lay undistrubed because of the uncivilized Dragon King young roaming the area. The voidships of the Dragon Kings are beautiful in an alien way, the most beautiful examples of them bringing men to their knees weeping for the beauty of the craft. These craft are also described as being 'Prehuman'.
<i>The Mountain Folk: The Mountain Folk no longer build voidships, but they did in the past before the Great Geas was levied. Their ships are often mistaken for the most advanced ships of the First Age when they are uncovered, and with good reason. Many of the technologies the Jadeborn employed in their ships were recreated by Sorcerer-Engineers during the First Age. The voidships of the Mountain Folk are graceful but functional in appearance.
The First Age: The voidships of the First Age vary wildly in their appearance, as aesthetics went in and out of style. The harmonizing factor is the sheer grace with which they ply the essence streams. The First Age voidships often employ graceful lines and sleek hull stylings, especially towards the end of the Age. (Roughly equivalent in sophistication and appearance to the Andromeda Ascendant)
The Shogunate: With the loss of the Solars' genius, voidship designs in this era were not very pretty, but they were functional. And that is what was important to the Dragon-Blooded. Most of these designs resemble mutant versions of ordinary sailing ships (Think WWII era for aesthetics). Lookshy has at least one Shogunate-era Factory-Cathedral Moon that does nothing but produce voidships for the Seventh Legion's use. In the area of voidships, Lookshy has retained a Shogunate level of sophistication.
Age of Sorrows: Most artificed voidships built in the Age of Sorrows are simply magical versions of existing seafaring vessels, and look like it. There are voidships which don't use artifice to operate, and these are little more than sailing vessels enchanted and treated to endure the rigors of void-travel. Weaponry is often non-magical in nature, employing firedust cannons and warstrider-scaled crossbows. Smaller voidships are often built by the Realm according to Shogunate-era techniques, but require years to complete due to the resources and red-tape involved (The Empress did not want her minions to be building private armadas). These voidships generally resemble the ships used in the late 19th century, with WWI ships being the most sophisticated looking ones. Although Lookshy has more sophisticated voidships, the Realm has numbers, meaning the two navies are roughly equal in capability.
The Autochthonians: Autochthonian voidships follow one cardinal rule in their design and appearance- Form follows Function. There is very little decoration put into an Autochthonian voidship. Creation natives think that Autochthonian ships are supremely ugly. The Alchemicals who can transform into a Voidship, however, do not follow this rule, since their transport form's appearance is largely determined by the Alchemical himself. Generally speaking, Alchemical voidship forms resemble the First Age designs.
The Lintha The Lintha are unique in their voidships in that they don't use proper voidships. What is usually done is that a large howdah is constructed and fastened to the back of some void-faring creature of sufficient size.
The Fair Folk: The Fair Folk will voidships of gossamer into existance when they want to impress somebody. These are often of impossible beauty, much like everything else the Fair Folk make.
The Dead: As can be expected, the voidships of the dead are very macabre in design, often resembling massive funerary barges. The Deathlords design their voidships to evoke fear into those who see them, and the ships are terrible to behold.
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