Sky Sweeps

Sky sweeps are vehicles powered by Lift Crystals, using the forces generated to propel them forward and into the air at great speeds. Most sky sweeps use crystals located either at the front or back of the sweep to actuate forward force, with sails and screws used to steer and orient the sweep.
Smaller sweeps use front-mounted Lift Crystals to drag the sweep forward and are often known as sled ships, and can drastically change the orientation of their crystal to change the direction of force, with quality sweeps being able to perform complicated maneuvers. Sled ships often have a crew of less than four, with the largest ships holding up to ten crew members, and are built for speed and maneuverability over capacity and survivability. As sled ships do not have any downward-facing crystals, they must either land on skids, lower themselves into water, or be arrested before crashing.
The larger variant of sweep uses both a front and rear mounted lift crystal on rotating mounts, and are commonly known as sky sloops. The lift crystal can be rotated to face downwards, but unlike Sky Ships, cannot hover or gain altitude, rather being entirely focused on slowing descent. Sky sloops rely on sails, screws, and small wings to both provide lift and auxiliary thrust when crystals are rotated; piloting one is a daunting task prone to error, and sloop pilots must be highly trained to avoid calamity. While a fraction of a true sky ship's cost, sloops are severely limited by using multiple, smaller Lift Crystals, with the largest sloops reaching no more than 25 meters.

Propulsion

Sled ships are entirely propelled by a lift crystal placed in the front of the craft, typically connected by a set of beams to the main structure. The temperature is controlled with a lever that uses fire and water Eleth to heat and cool the crystal uniformly. The pilot also controls a set of wings or screws that can orient the craft and provide auxiliary lift. Due to the small size and intentional instability of the craft, low quality Lift Crystals may be used, with directional thrust imperfections being corrected by screw or sails.
Sloops are constructed with a lift crystal at each end of the ship, as well as a number of wings, screws, and a canopy of sail that acts as a parachute. Some sloops also use secondary Lift Crystals that can be used to quickly orient the ship, but this places additional strain on the already onerous task of piloting a sloop. A sloop pilot must take into account forces from wings, screws, rotating Lift Crystals, and canopy to avoid capsizing the sloop, and piloting is more an art unique to each sloop's intricacies.

Weapons & Armament

Most sled ships are unarmed, but military variants commonly carry front-mounted ballistas and swivel crossbows to harass enemy forces. It is also common for sled ships to carry rocks and other droppable ordinance to rain down on the heads and decks of hostiles forces. Sloops carry differing weaponry depending on their size, but even civilian variants carry swivel crossbows to ward off sky beasts and the occasional pirates. Military variants are commonly armed with ballista or Laursen Cannons.

 

Nickname

Sled Ships, Sky Sloops

Rarity

Uncommon

Width

5-13m

Length

10-25m

Height

10m-50m

Weight

5-1,500 tons

Speed

Up to 80 knots.

Complement / Crew

2-250