Cloudcutters

While the Piercing Spire is one of the most advanced marvels of Aethitek from a military and historical standpoint, the creation of the Cloudcutter is just about as significant to the civilian sector. A recently developed technology, Cloudcutters are somewhat monolithic in their design, making their utility and convenience even more remarkable.
Cloudcutters resemble dirigibles with large sea-faring vessels connected to their lift balloons, though construction is more like a single piece than a separate zeppelin balloon lashed to a ship's hull. The entire balloon that holds the vessel aloft is covered by a carefully crafted hull of steel. These "lift shields" often carry the most distinctive filigree on a Cloudcutter, with plenty of empty space to put any number of embellishments, from stylized cloud wisps to bird wings to draconic scales. Most of this decoration is kept to the sides of the lift shield, however, in order to reduce wind resistance that blows over top of the vehicle when it moves.
Just below the lower curve of the lift shield is the hull of the Cloudcutter. These hulls are generally about as tall as a large galleon, standing approximately three decks high, not including the bridge section and operational decks. Most of the central decks are for creature comforts, including accommodations for passengers, sitting rooms, dining halls, and in the case of some of the larger Cloudcutters, small theaters or other entertainment offerings. None of these features are exposed to the open air, as air travel is often a tumultuous experience outside.
Above the passenger decks, situated at the bow of the ship, is the bridge, where the captain and their crew navigate the Cloudcutter through their destination. Air travel, though slowly becoming a common occurrence, is not a terribly streamlined matter, so the bridge crew is usually a large group of about 10 or 12 people handling matters including steering, navigation, ship power and lookout duties.
Below decks are the servants' quarters and the engine rooms. These areas are often cramped, usually to make way for any luggage to be brought aboard or for vital engine components. The engine rooms themselves are about the most spacious, taking up approximately a third of the stern section below decks.
Propulsion is also handled at about this point of the ship as well. Three immense fans sit on the back of the Cloudcutter: one on each lower side, and a third situated on a scooped-out section near the bottom where a normal ship's rudder system might be. The two side fans are each powered and set to spinning at high speed by Aetherium batteries. These fans intake air and blow it across two large Aetherium stones, which are anchored to the sides of the ship by immense moorings. The wind blown across these Aetherium stones is charged and expelled out of the back with multiplied force, causing the forward pushing power of the Cloudcutter.
The third engine located at the bottom works in much the same way, but the fan itself is not powered by an Aethitek battery but by the force of already-achieved forward wind. This turns the fan, blows wind into the Aetherium stone and provides additional thrust. This intake system is surrounded by a reinforced steel hood to protect the intake components and is often used as the backup propulsion system should anything happen to the two primary side engines. For this reason, this third engine is called a "dummy engine" or a "dewclaw" for its perceived uselessness.
Steering of the Cloudcutter is handled by large metal sleeves that sit over the Aetherium propulsion stones on the sides of the ship. When the helm inputs a direction on the steering wheel, a system of machinery pulls this sleeve in such a way that the propulsion wind is directed to cause the Cloudcutter to change its flight trajectory.
Because of its ponderous size, the Cloudcutter cannot be confused for a blazing fast method of travel, with a turning radius that's not much better than most tall ships in the ocean and a speed that's only slightly faster to match. That said, advances in Cloudcutter tech are just beginning to be mapped out by the Teknikari, with the hopes that air travel will become just as common a commodity as horse travel or wagon travel.