Airships

At the turn of the millennium, the newly-formed Empire of Skarlos and the unified nation of Geyrvohn were engaged in a war over the control of the islands northwest of Coppervale (the area now known as the Enlightened Isles). Both nations were equally balanced in military might, both on land and sea, so the next logical step was to take to the air.
Geyrvohn made diplomatic connections with the mountaintop city-state of Aerious and began working on an airship under the direction of a sky elf artificer/enchanter, Stelya Windshear.
While Geyrvohn worked on their airship, Skarlos finished theirs first. The Gilded Phoenix was a dirigible-style ship, featuring a large balloon filled with air held aloft by elemental magic. The ship itself was small with a crew complement of ten and room for 20 passengers at most. They immediately used the ship for aerial reconnaissance to direct troops sea vessels in the island conflict.
Then, Geyvohn completed their ship, a massive war vessel known as the Dauntless which devastated Skarlos' airship in the first official aerial battle. Then they focused their weapons on the ocean vessels and quickly turned the tide of the war, leading a to a peace treaty at last.
Airships quickly became a highly sought resource for Military and Trade purposes. They are extremely expensive, but those who could afford the price had a tremendous advantage over those who didn't. Eventually, organizations began offering transport between major cities for those who could pay. Both nations have expanded their use of airships and the technology that makes them possible. Manatech and Loftwood are incorporated in all styles of ships.