An Esthetic is a living ship created by the reigar in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1]
Overview[]
An esthetic is a living biological, symbiotic creature created by the reigar as a home as well as a means of transportation. It is essentially a living spelljamming vessel that is self-sustaining for an indefinite time. The creature has no intelligence of its own, and is totally reliant on its creator for instructions.[1]
Description[]
Each esthetic is unique - a direct reflection of the personality of its creator. The only commonality is the extremely ornate nature of each vessel. Esthetics may be bilaterally symmetrical (two halves matching, like a human body divided from head to foot), radially symmetrical (like a starfish), or they may have no discernible symmetry at all.[1]
Personality[]
An esthetic has no intelligence of its own and is completely dependent on its creator for direction. Should a reigar die, go insane, sink into depression, or otherwise lose their normal mental acuity, the esthetic reflects this change in mental state by physically altering its appearance (e.g., rotting, developing spiked flanges, blades, etc.) and quite often developing a stronger personality of its own.[1]
Combat[]
Because of the individual nature of each esthetic, their tactics in battle tend to vary, but the standard procedure is to immobilize its target (or prey) using a jammerscream attack (a spell-like ability innate to each esthetic). The esthetic then closes with its victim, grappling with any appropriate appendages, and then driving a hollow boarding spike into the hapless victim's body. In the case of a living creature, the spike can be used to inject a digestive enzyme that breaks down the creature's tissues for use by the esthetic. This attack can also be used against ships, in which case the spike opens to disgorge boarding parties of helots and lakshu shock troops.
A jammerscream attack has a range of 2,500 yards (5 hexes) and affects one target at a time. The jammerscream appears to be designed to neutralize the energy flow necessary for spelljamming. In the case of a living target, either a spacefaring creature or a ship's helmsman, the effects of the jammerscream range from a severe migraine (resulting in the temporary cessation of any spelljamming ability for up to an hour) to cerebral hemorrhage (resulting in death or at least permanent brain damage). When used against a non-living target, for example a citadel powered by a dwarven forge, a successful attack causes the forge's flames to expire and the attending dwarven craftsmen to writhe on the floor, grasping their heads in pain.
Society[]
Esthetics have served as mobile homes for the reigar ever since they destroyed their own homeworld in the Master Stroke. Instead of colonising a whole new planet, the reigar leaped at the opportunity to combine their pursuit of artistic perfection. their desire for ultimate personal expression, and their need for a new home. Centuries of experimentation eventually led to the creation of the esthetics.
An esthetic protects itself from boarding actions by concealing all doors or hatches. Entry is gained by means of permeable membranes in and around the esthetic's body. Since the reigar and its creation are in a symbiotic relationship, the reigar can always enter or leave at will. However, non-reigar accompanying its creator may not be allowed this freedom, unless the reigar specifically grants it. If the reigar is off-ship for long periods, the esthetic operates according to a set of instructions given to it by its creator.[1]
Travel through wildspace[]
An esthetic can travel through wildspace at an SR of 7 - which is about as fast as the fastest vessel known. The source of this motive force is unknown, but is believed to be at least partially provided by the conscious actions of the esthetic itself. However, an esthetic cannot travel through the phlogiston, effectively stranding the reigar within their current crystal sphere.[1] The ether (or phlogiston) causes the living vessel to enter a deep hibernation cycle, from which it can only be awaked once it has been returned to wildspace. Over the centuries the reigar have devised various strategies to circumvent this limitation. The most common strategy is to secure the services of a powerful ship to tow the esthetic from sphere to sphere. Since most reigar are almost aggressively independent, many consider this a most undignified way to travel, leading to the invention of the talisman of the spheres, a powerful magical item which effectively allows an esthetic to teleport from sphere to sphere.[2]
Notable Esthetics[]
- The reigar Cholana had created a truly unique vessel, even for a member of her idiosyncratic race. Her esthetic featured a conventional wooden hull with a deep keel, while the main deck featured a small forest and a stretch of green meadow. A tree-shrouded mountain rose abruptly from the stern, with a stream cascading down into a pond filled with bright fish and surrounded by flowers. The entire beautiful sylvan scene, including the singing birds, the fish and other woodland creatures, were all magically grown from a multi-colored crystal. Each plant appeared incredibly realistic, even swaying in the magical breeze, but the whole scene had an intensity of color and sheen that could never be found in nature, not even on the most magical of elven worlds. A small sun-like globe orbited the outer edge of the vessel's atmosphere, creating the illusion of day and night even in the midst of wildspace. At the bow of the ship was a small retractable platform upon which the sun-globe would come to a rest when the helm was powered down, which itself was located aft on the bridge at the top of the mountain.[3]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Esthetic article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
- Esthetic article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Karen Boomgarden, Newton Ewell, MC7 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Esthetic entry
- ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 11
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Prologue, pages 1-2