Post by Xxsuperheroxx on Feb 28, 2023 4:19:05 GMT -6
Adventures in the Air
To be able to fly is one of mankind's oldest and strongest fantasies. In the world of AD&D, this wish can often be fulfilled. However, travel and combat in the air is often much different from that which takes place in the two-dimensional realm of the earthbound, so much so that it mustneeds have a special section devoted to it.
Aerial Travel
Long-distance aerial travel can be accomplished by use of either magical or device or flying mount. Certain magic items (such as a broom or carpet of flying) do not have limited duration of use, and thus are the most efficient forms of such travel (though a broom of flying may not be very comfortable to use for hours on end).
Your players may want to know how far they can go in a day on a flying carpet (or other similar device). For the purposes of long-distance aerial travel, assume every 3" of speed quals one mile per hour. Thus, a broom of flying, with a speed of 30", can fly long distances at an average speed of 10 m.p.h., and can cover about 100 miles in a day (assuming ten hours of semi-continuous travel during daylight). the above formula does not necessarily apply to short-distance travel.
If your players are unimpressed by these kinds of distances, remind them that in a pre-technological civilization they are little short of miraculous. Some of your players may have walked as far as twenty miles in one day. Ask them to remember how far it was.
Flying mounts:
Most flying mounts will be either griffons, hippogriffs or pegasi. All of these should be very difficult to acquire, and harder to train. None of these types will mix with the others (griffons will eat pegasi or hippogriffs if given a chance, and hippogriffs confined with pegasi will bully-rag them whenever possible).
Griffons are often nasty and bad-tempered. If captured when very young and trained, however, they can become fiercely loyal mounts. Their loyalty is non-transferable once fixed, so they must be disciplined and trained solely by the intended rider. The griffon must be trained and exercised by its owner on a fairly regular basis while it is a fledgling (up to age six months) in order to accustom it to his or her presence and the bridle, blanket, saddle, etc. When the griffon is half-grown a period of intensive training must begin, which will last at least four months. The daily routine must never be broken for more than two days, or the griffon's wild nature will assert itself and all progress will be lost. After two months of this intensive training, it will be possible to begin to fly the griffon. This will be a period of training for mount and owner alike, as the rider must learn how to deal with a new dimension, and he will probably have no teacher but himself. imagine the confusing tumult of giant wings, the rush of air, the sudden changes in altitude, and you will realize why an inexperienced rider absolutely cannot handle a flying mount.
Griffons, like all large flying creatures, eat enormous amounts of food, especially after prolonged aviation. Moreover, they are carnivores, and thus very expensive to feed. care and keeping of a griffon will be a constant strain on the largest treasure hoard. Costs will probably run in the area of 300-600 g.p. per month. It will require special quarters, at least three grooms and keepers, and occasionally an entire horse for dinner (diet will differ, but similar arrangements must be made for all flying mounts).
Hippogriffs are not so difficult to train as griffons, but neither are they as dependable in a pinch. A training process basically similar to that previously described will be necessary, though occasionally an animal trainer can substitute for the master for short periods if he or she is tied up elsewhere. Once broken, hippogriffs may possibly serve more than one master. They are omnivores, and thus somewhat less expensive to feed than griffons.
Pegasi are greatly valued for their speed, which makes them virtually the fastest things in the air, their training is a long process similar in many respects to that of the griffon. They will serve only one good character - all others will find them totally intractable. Like griffons, their loyalty is given to only one master in a lifetime.
All flying mounts must rest one hour for every three they fly, and they can never fly more than nine hours a day. During their rest periods they will eat as if famished: this means meat for griffons or hippogriffs, and green living plants, preferably of a succulent nature, or fine hay and oats, for pegasi.
Use of more exotic types of flying mounts will generally require some form of spell control (such as charm monster), though the more intelligent ones may possibly give their permission and cooperation in certain circumstances. This does not ensure ease of handling and stability on the part of the rider, however. likewise, griffons, hippogriffs and pegasi can be charmed and ridden.
To be able to fight while flying any aerial mount requires considerable practice. To become adept at aerial archery entails at least two months of continual practice (cf. AERIAL COMBAT, Aerial Missile Fire).
To be able to fly is one of mankind's oldest and strongest fantasies. In the world of AD&D, this wish can often be fulfilled. However, travel and combat in the air is often much different from that which takes place in the two-dimensional realm of the earthbound, so much so that it must
Aerial Travel
Long-distance aerial travel can be accomplished by use of either magical or device or flying mount. Certain magic items (such as a broom or carpet of flying) do not have limited duration of use, and thus are the most efficient forms of such travel (though a broom of flying may not be very comfortable to use for hours on end).
Your players may want to know how far they can go in a day on a flying carpet (or other similar device). For the purposes of long-distance aerial travel, assume every 3" of speed quals one mile per hour. Thus, a broom of flying, with a speed of 30", can fly long distances at an average speed of 10 m.p.h., and can cover about 100 miles in a day (assuming ten hours of semi-continuous travel during daylight). the above formula does not necessarily apply to short-distance travel.
If your players are unimpressed by these kinds of distances, remind them that in a pre-technological civilization they are little short of miraculous. Some of your players may have walked as far as twenty miles in one day. Ask them to remember how far it was.
Flying mounts:
Most flying mounts will be either griffons, hippogriffs or pegasi. All of these should be very difficult to acquire, and harder to train. None of these types will mix with the others (griffons will eat pegasi or hippogriffs if given a chance, and hippogriffs confined with pegasi will bully-rag them whenever possible).
Griffons are often nasty and bad-tempered. If captured when very young and trained, however, they can become fiercely loyal mounts. Their loyalty is non-transferable once fixed, so they must be disciplined and trained solely by the intended rider. The griffon must be trained and exercised by its owner on a fairly regular basis while it is a fledgling (up to age six months) in order to accustom it to his or her presence and the bridle, blanket, saddle, etc. When the griffon is half-grown a period of intensive training must begin, which will last at least four months. The daily routine must never be broken for more than two days, or the griffon's wild nature will assert itself and all progress will be lost. After two months of this intensive training, it will be possible to begin to fly the griffon. This will be a period of training for mount and owner alike, as the rider must learn how to deal with a new dimension, and he will probably have no teacher but himself. imagine the confusing tumult of giant wings, the rush of air, the sudden changes in altitude, and you will realize why an inexperienced rider absolutely cannot handle a flying mount.
Griffons, like all large flying creatures, eat enormous amounts of food, especially after prolonged aviation. Moreover, they are carnivores, and thus very expensive to feed. care and keeping of a griffon will be a constant strain on the largest treasure hoard. Costs will probably run in the area of 300-600 g.p. per month. It will require special quarters, at least three grooms and keepers, and occasionally an entire horse for dinner (diet will differ, but similar arrangements must be made for all flying mounts).
Hippogriffs are not so difficult to train as griffons, but neither are they as dependable in a pinch. A training process basically similar to that previously described will be necessary, though occasionally an animal trainer can substitute for the master for short periods if he or she is tied up elsewhere. Once broken, hippogriffs may possibly serve more than one master. They are omnivores, and thus somewhat less expensive to feed than griffons.
Pegasi are greatly valued for their speed, which makes them virtually the fastest things in the air, their training is a long process similar in many respects to that of the griffon. They will serve only one good character - all others will find them totally intractable. Like griffons, their loyalty is given to only one master in a lifetime.
All flying mounts must rest one hour for every three they fly, and they can never fly more than nine hours a day. During their rest periods they will eat as if famished: this means meat for griffons or hippogriffs, and green living plants, preferably of a succulent nature, or fine hay and oats, for pegasi.
Use of more exotic types of flying mounts will generally require some form of spell control (such as charm monster), though the more intelligent ones may possibly give their permission and cooperation in certain circumstances. This does not ensure ease of handling and stability on the part of the rider, however. likewise, griffons, hippogriffs and pegasi can be charmed and ridden.
To be able to fight while flying any aerial mount requires considerable practice. To become adept at aerial archery entails at least two months of continual practice (cf. AERIAL COMBAT, Aerial Missile Fire).