Dirigible

While most Welkin Gnomes are accustomed to flying using small gliders, those planning to make longer journeys rely on a larger, more complex craft known as a dirigible. Dirigibles vary widely in complexity, being distinguished from the simpler glider by a magical device that converts magical energy into mass - not matter, but the property that determines the force with which gravity pulls upon the vessel. This allows dirigibles a much greater range of operating elevations than the use of Gossamer Oak wood alone. The simplest of dirigibles are harvest ships, used by the gnomes who fly down near the surface of the Goldenweed Wastes to harvest Gossamer Oak and Goldenweed, but many would argue that these harvesters are only a dirigible in the most technical sense, reserving the term for the more complex vessels designed for transport between cities or beyond the Wastes on trade expeditions to other peoples.

Core Mechanics

The core mechanisms of a dirigible are divided into 3 main components: the oaken core, the gravity crystal, and the impeller.
The oaken core provides buoyancy - while the structure of a dirigible is often also made of gossamer oak, most craft are built around a large, solid oak structure. Not only does this provide the kind of structural rigidity most seafaring peoples could only dream of, but because of the unique properties of Gossamer Oak, it causes the whole craft to float, and the larger the core, the higher the dirigible can fly. Because of this, the difficulty in designing a a dirigible is in ensuring that it can fly sufficiently low to be practical, not getting it off the ground as one might expect.
Usually mounted atop the core of a finished dirigible is a device known as a gravity crystal - a term derived from the early days of dirigible design when all of the craft used an enchantment suspended in the crystal lattice of some large gem or crystal to achieve the desired effect. While these days, the enchantment is far more commonly maintained through the power of a Mana Core, the overall enchantment is functionally the same: allowing a pilot to adjust an enhancement of the mass of one or more objects built into the structure of the vessel. Critical to the design is the fact that this enhancement must be applied to something other than the Gossamer Oak the Welkin Gnomes typically build with. The magic has no effect on the gravity reversing effect of the wood, so the mass enhancement would amplify the height at which the dirigible tends to float at, rather than granting it the ability to dive. One of the biggest design difficulties in creating a dirigible is balancing the enormous force a gravity crystal exerts on specific points of the vehicle's structure - even positioning the device atop the large oaken core is only enough to make such a design manageable.
Finally, the impeller allows for control in the horizontal plane. The complexity of this system varies dramatically, and has the greatest effect on the shape of the dirigible as a whole. The most advanced dirigibles use another magical construct, harvesting energy from the winds at all times, allowing it to be released in a desired direction upon the pilot's command, but the more evocative design to most surface dwellers is the relatively simple lateen sail rigging. This form of dirigible looks like a state of the art sailing vessel sailing through the sky.

Accomodations

Most dirigibles are designed to allow passengers and crew to travel upwards of a week in comfort, and some designs, typically trade vessels, can handle substantially longer voyages. Thus, they feature a well stocked galley, sleeping quarters, and some highly variable options for leisure activities both to keep passengers occupied and to allow off duty crew a chance to unwind. (On some vessels, this might be a library, or a hobby workshop, viewing ports, etc. Most people on a dirigible will spend their voyage in an enclosed network of cabins, as there is rarely a reason to go up on deck except to adjust the sails if a vessel uses them.