Akadia

Ports of call

Spelljamming ships and ports are very common on Akadia. Most cities of note offer at least a type C port and many a step or two better. Hundreds of freeman ports exist scattered across the planets surface or in orbit around the planet. To even list the names of all of the available ports would occupy this scribe a decade or more. Thus, only the shining stars and deepest pits are listed here.

Caer Deyeren: Few nations bother with the time consuming and expensive process of enchanting ships weaponry, yet the Dwarven priests of Caer Deyeren believe that no craft deserves to be ignored. The many Forge-temples dedicated to the cities God beneath the mountain, Celádor Hil-Gadin, labor tirelessly to produce items of truly superior quality. As would be expected, the fruits of such labor is weighed heavily in coin, but for those who have enough of it, not weapon is too exotic or difficult to produce. One of the most popular (and less expensive) creations of the Gadinarus priests are their ammunition of thundering. See Appendix I: Magical items, for details.

Chenu: "Decadence breeds insanity". This was the first ever recorded comment to the announcement of the Chenu carnival of carnage. Once every Akadian year Chenu hosts the most unusual contest ever imagined, a grand melee designed strictly for Spelljamming ships. Captains from all over Akadia come to either participate or wager on the battles. The cities shipwrights earn more in the contests two weeks than they do the rest of the year as they feverantlywork on last minute alterations and repairs. As a result, the quality of their work is a step or two better than the average shipwright. Prizes vary from year to year, but are on average valuable enough for hundreds of captains to throw their ships into battle in hopes of possessing them. Spectators usually arrive a week or more before the carnival begins, as do hoards of merchants and entertainers and once the carnival has ended a three day celebration followed by a grand parade rounds off the experience.

Kasiril: The crimson spires of Kasiril can be seen from far above the clouds and at night they are lit with shimmering orange and yellow lights. The grand city of Kasiril is the hereditary home of Lona-Libryn and her main seat of power. Also know to many as the city of resplendence, or to the rich as the city of delights, Kasiril is a swirling sprawl of fragrant gardens, elegant buildings and shimmering pools and wellsprings. Some of the swiftest and most beautiful ships constructed come from Kasiril, or better said the artisans docks, where master artisans labor to emboss, embellish and enhance the ships in their charge. The grand bazaars of Kasiril are well known for their great variety of goods, and it is quite possible to see prices vary widely from market to market. A common phrase on Akadia says "as swift as a coins life in Kasiril", which is usually used to refer to money easily won or lost.

Minchar : Minchar is the home port of the Akadian Spacers Guild and the power seat of Shu So'dan, Star-king of Merchants and guilds. Spelljammer who set to port here can expect only the best, for a price. The expensive docking prices of 1sp per ton per week are compensated by the impeccable security and the guilds free hull cleaning service. Akadian space traders are expected to be guild members, though there are no "legal" drawbacks of not being a member, though some may note that "accidents" do tend to be more frequent by those who are not members of the guild. Outworlders are only allowed to trade here after going through an arduous registration process which usually takes at least a month and half a glade of trees in paper. Afterwards said traders can buy, sell and transport what they wish with a flat 15% import/export tax on all goods and services. Despite the steep taxes an crafty outworlder could still make a decent profit off world. The docks of Minchar have enough space for over 200 ships and an almost endless sea of warehouses surround them. Whole sailing crews can be bought by the score, or even entire fleets for the right coin. More than one mercenary or adventuring band advertises their presence on the docs or at the Grand square, a massive garden of exotic flowers with tiny streams and statues of prominent guild members.

Monan: Nestled in a distant mountain range lies the mountain fortress of Monan. The crater of a now extinct volcano serves as a massive star dock for those who would normally be turned back by most other port cities. None other than the brutally crafty Gorag Huk, Bugbear Earth-god of strife and malice, calls this fortified mountain home. Monan has, over the centuries, become the central gathering point for many of Akadia's Orkish and goblinoid mercenary companies. Prominent among them is the Templar fleet of Gorag's fist, a heavily armed force of holy warriors bent on destruction in the name of their god. Many Akadian nations would love to see the mountain fortress burn to the ground, but those few who have tried have felt the weight of gold in the form of hired swords which invertible crushed them.

Murta: The motto of the Murtanian navy is "bigger is better" and indeed the industrious nation of Murta boasts the largest dry dock of Akadia, literally. Murtirions (Murtanian marines) find no end of boasting over their nations "War moon" armada ships. These monstrous, and ponderous, beasts of military burden sport from 300 to 500 tons, so large that only Manasails can carry their weight. For that reason Murta is one of the best ports to get Manasails of all shapes, sizes and colors. A special craftsman niche exists along the dock, often called "the dockside tailors" by locals, dedicated to the manufacture, repair and fitting of Manasails. The quality is superb and best of all Manasails for 20 tons of ship cost on average from 1.500 to 1.800 gp instead of the standard 2.000 gp, a real bargain for the thrifty adventurer.

Panoren: Most ships make a wide detour around Panoren, despite the cities lack of walls and its constant, open invitation. What truly worries the average captain is the favored weapon and pastime of the cities dominant population, the Giff. These bipedal humanoids have heads resembling a hippopotamus and all share a common love of firearms and cannons. In fact, no other weapons are used or sold here besides those that make use of smokepowder. The cities defensive towers sport gigantic, turreted bombards, rumoured to be enchanted with all manner of nasty spell. Those captains not afraid of an explosion or two on the docks or in search of a few cannons themselves will find that the service and goods are functional, of good quality, and above all cheap.

Thast: The only known construct deity, Vuran Tesur, has monopolised a market untapped before him, namely the sale of intelligent and semi-intelligent constructs as crew members. Though the idea is definitely not new, Vuran Tesur was and is still the first to have invested in the facilities to make "clockwork crewmen" on a grand scale. All manner of construct can be bough and sold, many by free willed constructs themselves. The artificial nature of the cities populace is evident in such establishments as "The oil can" and "Ratchet's cog emporium", tailored to the needs of "Animate citizens". See Appendix II : Beastiary, for details and prices.

Xane: On a warm day the smokestacks of Xane blot out the sky with a thick carpet of orange and grey fog, on hot days a mans identity can be washed away in the same colors. As legend would have it a great war was fought between the mightiest of the gnomish kings (though it is commonly disputed as to who that actually may be) and the craftiest goblin matron (again matters of identity are a bit uncertain here) which lasted over a hundred years. Both parties finally decided to end the war with personal combat fought between the champions of each race. Tales are told of the battle lasting from days to months and even years, but they all end in the spectators becoming bored and deciding to make camp. Camps turned into trade posts and as the battle drug on the two races slowly, and unknowingly, began to build a common community. Though not quite believable, this is the only tale that exists over the birth of a unified Gnome/Goblin city. Over time Gnomes and Goblins found ways to compliment each other in ways unimagined and soon Xane became a Mecca of learning and technological advancement. The rarest of cities also produces the rarest of ships, namely a much more refined version of the gnomish Side-wheeler. Though the non-magical engines are not capable of Spelljamming speeds they can propel ships at astounding tactical speeds. The joint creation is named the "Gobgnomin thrusters", though many refer to them as torches. Gobgnomin thrusters require a secret variant of Alchemical fire to function, consuming one flask per engine per hour of travel. Each thrusters costs an average of 5.000 gp and is capable of propelling 10 tons of ship each at a speed of 1, with and additional point of speed added for every three thrusters. Thus a 60 ton ship would require 6 thrusters, and would have a speed of 3. A single thrusters takes up about 2 tons of space, which includes a small tank designed to store Gobgnomin fuel. To date the fastest known ship powered by Gobgnomin thrusters is the Shooting star IV (1 to 3 gave the fourth its current name), which is a 40 ton ship outfitted with 18 thrusters designed to be controlled by a single pilot and a small rigging crew. This devils creation can reach a speed of 20 (about 340 mph), but can only be flown in a straight line at such a velocity.

Resources/Trade

Akadia is a rich world, with a surplus of everything from raw materials to finished goods. The abundance of almost any imaginable product makes Akadia a prime world from which to buy trade goods. Unfortunately the Akadian spacers guild and the military forces of a large number of nations prevent outworlders from buying or selling goods in large amounts. Smugglers from Malstrom, the Jewelled rings and even Agari are relatively common as each of these worlds wishes to make their own profits. Smugglers be forewarned however, if caught and found guilty a captain can find himself and his crew sentenced to death and his ships and cargo "impounded" by the authorities.

Satellites