[Raven Bloodmoon]

In a parallel thread about having each race from a seperate planet, I found myself wondering, "Can magic bridge the stars?" Now I don't mean the epic sort of magic that deities toss about like pocket change. I mean the down-to-earth magic of sorcerers and wizard.

Does anyone think that relying almost solely on magic a person could create a vessel to travel from one planet to another? If so, how? Please no references to Spelljammer or Dragonstar. I am trying to see if we can find a unique path to the heavens that has a good feel, lots of openings for options, and something fairly creative.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Well, there is magitech. I suppose you could outfit a fairly basic craft with a pretty strong levitate spell and use it to get to space, and you could probably use a necklace of adaptation spinoff to provide them with a space suit of sorts. Just look at the magic items in D&D and you can come up with most things

[Raven Bloodmoon]

This was sort of triggered by an idea Rin posted on another thread trying to help me sort out where different races come from. I can certainly see where a necklace of adaptation, levitate spells, and the like can make for rather effective suborbital; orbital; and even possibly interplanetary craft, but in your opinion, do you think that such a craft could be made to travel the light-years between stars? That's one heck of a teleport without error spell. By the way, I do mean this for non-epic level characters. Otherwise, such craft would never come into common use.

Now this magetech....I've not read about this. Perhaps you could direct me to some information on it? I've seen a few references on here and it looks interesting.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Basically, looking into the Arm Blades of Grimdolf topic will pretty much define what magitech is at it's limits. Essentially, magitech is the combination of magic spells and abilities with almost modern day technology. With it, you could make a space shuttle that had working stasis chambers etc. I often use it for the more advanced and relic-ky forms of technology, like stasis pods (temporal stasis inside of a protective casing to prevent de-activation)

[Ssri-Tel-Quessir Hitokiri]

Well using current magic in the DnD books (using only the PHB), what you would need are alter self, overland flight or fly, Otiluke's resilient sphere, protection from energy or fire shield, and maybe a permancy or two. Here is the reasoning for the preceding spells:

Alter self: this is the spell used for the Necklace of Adaptation so I would assume that it would work the same for the air on this ship.

Overland flight or fly: well the use of these spells are obvious. Because it seems that you move at a speed of 60 no matter what, I would then assume that gravity doesn't affect you so you should be able to escape with no problems.

Otiluke's resilient sphere: I chose this spell over Forcecage because it is a lower level spell but does all that you need it to. Only reason this is here is to make sure no baddies can get to the ship. Not necessary but is a nice addition. Only problem is getting over the entire not being able to move part.

Protection from energy or fire shield: well if you plan on exiting through the atmosphere then this would be what is needed to take care of the heat from the friction.

Permancy: guess...

I am not sure if any other spells may be needed but those are the most pertinent ones in my opinion.

On the topic of light speed travel, if you look at the description for teleport, greater (teleport w/o error), you will find that it says that "there is no range limit." The only condition is that you must remain on the same plane. Taking into consideration that all of your planets are on one material plane, take this as you will.

[Raven Bloodmoon]

Ssri-Tel-Quessir Hitokiri, on May 27 2005, 11:45 AM, said:

On the topic of light speed travel, if you look at the description for teleport, greater (teleport w/o error), you will find that it says that "there is no range limit."  The only condition is that you must remain on the same plane.  Taking into consideration that all of your planets are on one material plane, take this as you will.

Uh, I just checked the text and it says:

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This spell functions like teleport, except that there is no range limit and there is no chance you arrive off target.  In addition, you need not have seen teh destination...

so far so good...

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...but in that case you must have at least a reliable description of hte palce to which you are teleporting (such as a detailed description from someone else or a particularly precise map).  If you attempt to teleport with insufficient information (or wth misleading information), you disappear and simply reappear in your original location.

That's problem number one for explorers. How would you have a detailed description of a place you've never been? Does anyone here think that it would be acceptible to allow a statement like, "Take us four light-years THAT way."?

[Rintaran]

No, I don't think that would work well at all (because they have no idea what a light-year is in the first place). I think your best way around it would be to find an ancient scroll or something telling of this other world. Or it can be a fresh scroll dropped off by a friendly interplanetary deity complete with directions. The likelihood of that happening is pretty rare.

However...

A couple of fireballs (directed so that they blast out of the back of the ship) could provide enough force to move it easily. If the two planets were at lagrange points on the same orbital path, it would be possible for a ship to travel between the two worlds.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Wouldn't work Rin, since fireball doesn't create any pressure it wouldn't give off any actual physical force. For this reason, levitate is the better option.

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Or it can be a fresh scroll dropped off by a friendly interplanetary deity complete with directions.

I think you've been reading the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

[Dthclaw]

Really, there's no way to build a magical starship without a lot of powerful magic involved. Some sort of permanent reverse gravity underneath the hull, which can be varied somehow, just to get it off the ground. A higher-level, permanent and variable levitate for engines, various shaping spells for an airtight hull, creation spells for the long, LONG voyage (unless you do some sort of epic levitate/teleport FTL system). Continual flame or permanent light/daylight spells for lights (fire on starship BAD), a form of stasis (for STL or not-very-FTL trips)... I could keep going on, but no matter what you're going to wind up using a few 9+ level spells.

[WoeTheSinner]

Hmmm ok lets review

No "Stargates" thats been done.

Infinite range teleport works best but where is the fun in that?

In my humble opinion I say you do it with pack animals!

Building a sturdy magical ship is no problem...well magicaly speaking. With adaptations of force cage and such you can basicaly be riding in a forcefield impervious to all atack. Get yourself a bottle of air or 3, a few bottles of infinite water, a couple of nifty bowls that never run out of gruel and Mord's little space shanty and your Space traveling Magicians are good to go! Now we turn to the problem of navigation and propultion.

For propultion I say you do it with creatures created or mutated by magics to "hop" through space. Basicaly a jacked up version of Teleport that they could cast at will, note i said Teleport not teleport without error. Lets call these creatures Leviathans ::cough cough:: totaly original I promise ::cough cough::

These creatures would need to be controlled and guided by a powerful mage who is telepathicaly linked tot he creatures, concentration checks animal handling checks knowledge checks proffession checks (leviathan pilot) etc to see if you screw up the teleport...the creatures could pull a vehicle through space much like very large oxen. Making short hops and needing periods of rest and recooperation. If you watched Farscape I think you know the inspiration for this.

I think in this way you can have pretty fast but not instantaneous travel. Now the knowledge of star charts and such...I say you kick in telepathy, one wizard mind links with another and "Rides the beam of though" tot he other planet...otherwise you can be easily lost...adventure hook anyone?

Space is BIG...REALLY REALLY REALLY BIG! However big you think it is, its bigger!



-Woe

[Dthclaw]

Alternatively, a hyper-advanced, nonmagical vessel could exist somewhere in your campaign, the product perhaps of a long-dead civilization (mind flayers, maybe?). That's not a whole lot better than the epic-magic using one, and will invariably lead to questions of: Where'd this come from? Anything else we can salvage from them? Why aren't they ruling us? If you've read much of the Future Weaponry thread, you know I tend to mix magic and tech in my campaigns, and I can say that it would lead to hairiness of a degree most won't want to tackle. Other than that, I really don't see any other way than a high-magic vessel.

[Dthclaw]

Ack, Woe interrupted me post-train!

[Raven Bloodmoon]

Hmm...funny woe should mention Star..Hopping...yeah... since one of the PCs is named Kryton....just kidding. No, you are right. Using a leviathan-esque ship could cut a lot of corners that would otherwise require high magic. I do think I will keep it in mind, but I certainly also like the idea of mixing technology with magic. I have often wondered what would happen if you had both evolve in parallel, influencing each other and the like. I think the results would be quite intriguing, if not frightening as all hell.... ~thinks of the Citadel of the Son mentioned on another thread~

[Shadowkami]

Well, since every action has an equal and opposite reaction, just fire stuff ouy the back and you're sorted.

[Lyinginbedmon]

As long as such stuff can actually apply force, unlike the fireball spell