Airship Components: R&D Contest (NA) - Entry Thread

[Grekumah]

Please post your entries for the Airship Components: Research and Development Contest in this thread.

You can find full contest details here.

This thread is for entries only. We ask that you use the Discussion Thread for entry practice or to talk about the event. All non-entry posts in this thread will be moderated.

Please remember that your entry must not exceed five hundred (500) words.

[Grekumah]

Character name: Grekumah Community
World name: Worldname
In-game Item: Scarf of Wondrous Wit

Component name: Dreadwyrm Wings


When I think of exploration voyages, all I can think of is going fast! If there's an island in the sky, going fast to get there first and stake claim is a must. What better than outfitting your ship with a pair of my finest dreadwyrm wings?

It wasn't easy getting this baby ready, and I assure you it will make your ship the fastest in the fleet.



Fighting Bahamut I almost flat-lined... I felt like my body was being cooked like a pizza in an oven while I resisted the heat of Teraflare. Upon finally slaying the dreadwyrm, I clipped him of his wings and delivered them to my free company's house.

Next I journeyed out to procure some HQ aluminum which was required to build mounts into each wing. These allow the wings to be easily attached to the hull of the ship.



Working in my nicely air conditioned basement (free from the heat of Bahamut), I went to work on assembling the final product.



Now I just have to figure out a way to get these out of the basement... (How'd I even get them down here in the first place?) I suppose if you want it you'll have to fly over to pick them up!

[DeviFoxx]

Character name: Devifoxx Artzente
World name: Hyperion
In-game Item: Bluebird Earrings

Component name: Hull of the Heavens' Ward

What's the use in traveling fast if you don't have enough range to cover multiple destinations? I believe I've come up with the best possible Hull any Airship could possibly hope to be outfitted with.

Allow me to introduce to you the Hull of the Heavens' Ward!

For me, facing King Thordan and his Knights Twelve was no joke. He was able to cut through the thick skies of Azys Lla, after all. However, in the long run, the victory I claimed was all the worthwhile. He fell by my Axe, and I claimed his Sword for my experimentation in flight dynamics back at my Free Company's workshop.



Of course, only the finest metals would work with a project like this. And the vast expanse of Thanalan's wilderness has all sorts of metals in great abundance. I needed to gather plenty of Bomb Ash in the Sagolii Desert to help bind the metal plates together. Then I traveled to Northern Thanalan for Cobalt Ore to help reinforce the Hull further.



Concentration and precision were critical during the Hull's construction. I made it a point to craft the key materials on the roof of my Free Company's house. No one was able to disturb me up there. And what's more, I could feel the movement of the winds as I crafted, and gained inspiration from the open air. Thus, I could shape the pieces of the Hull accordingly.



With a Hull like this, no destination in the Sea of Clouds will be unreachable for you!

[DevinBacon]

Character name: Devin Bacon
World name: Leviathan
In-game Item: Scarf of Wondrous Wit

Component name: Residual Channeler

Voyages can be difficult, especially when you come across a not-so-friendly monster. How about you try my new Residual Channeler?
This device will surely help make your punches pack a bit more heat.



First, I went and gathered 13 Unaspected Crystals, and 300 HQ Electrum Ore.



Next I had to craft the Residual Channeler. This is where things got messy. And not just because I forgot to bathe.



I had to defeat several adventurers on the front lines. Upon defeating each one, a bit of Aether would be sapped from their soul gems into the Residual Channeler, giving it the power it needs.
I just know this device will come in handy! Just hope it won't blow up in my face again.

[CelestialRibbon]

Character name: Cordelia Rosenkreutz
World name: Ultros
In-game Item: Bluebird Earrings

Component name: Gordian Hull

The metal from Gordias would make a hardy hull for a ship, capable of bringing back more loot than other ships. I introduce the Gordian Hull!


With my ever faithful friends by my side, we won the prize I sought- several rather heavy Gordian Sheet Metal plates. It was a tough fight!


I could begin my work to create the Gordian Hull, but I couldn't do it alone. I performed my craft under the watchful eye of guildmaster H'naanza, and she gave me some Grenade Ash to bind the plates. The Gordian Hull hasn't even taken a scratch yet!

[Nenatab]

Character Name: Elsi Vhin
World: Cactuar
Component Name: Primal Wind-Aspected Rigging
In-game item: Bluebird Earrings


Are you tired of violent turbulence and high winds telling your airship what to do? Well I have just the thing for you. Just stea- I mean gather a bunch of Garuda minions to protect your rigging. I have it on good authority a large shipment of minions are scheduled for delivery soon. My "business associate" Patches is very reliable.



Next you will need to obtain a large amount of Garuda's Feathers and infuse them with your rigging. The little guys seem to be drawn to them and will act as a natural barrier in flight.



Of course you will want to keep a supply of wind shards on hand to feed your minion crew. You do not want the roof of your house blown off when they get cranky.



Enjoy your speedy new airship!

[Beckett]

Character Name: Bekashi Arakawa
World Name: Midgardsormr
In-game Item: Ahriman Choker

Component name: Ixali Figurehead

Word of my adventures has reached the Ehcatl Nine. Upon learning of the Vanu Vanu, they wished to send a gift of friendship. Sezul Totoloc requested that I craft a replica of the figurehead I had made for the Dezul Qualan.



As before, I used the crafting facilities in the Fallgourd Float to craft a figurehead of the highest quality.

I traveled to Ok' Zundu and presented the gift to Sonu Vanu. He was thrilled, and wished me to convey his most sincere thanks.



I returned to the Ixali to report my success. When I arrived, Sezul thanked me for my efforts and presented me with a figurehead of my own.

It may not seem to serve a purpose, but perhaps this figurehead will bring me extra luck in my voyages.

[Atoli]

Character name: Meo Cailin
World name: Ragnarok
In-game Item: I don't think I'm illegible to win anything
Component name: Allagan Library

Recently my FC began packing for our voyage to unknown lands in the sky! It all went very well at first, we gathered all the important supplies...



...but soon I realized there was one problem we hadn't thought of: our crazy amount of books!



Now, I had always known I'd need at least 20 books just to entertain myself during our traveling time, but who'd have thought everyone else wanted to bring theirs, too?!
SCHs wanting to bring medical books to treat unknown illnesses we may encounter, our botanists actually planning to look up new herbs we may find on those sky islands? The nerve..!

There was just no way our airship could accomodate 8 FC members AND all those books, so a quick solution was in dire need.
After some thinking, I remembered how effortlessly the Allagans were able to store huge amounts of data without taking up a lot of room. I called Cid through the linkpearl, after all he was the only one who had any idea how that ancient technology worked, and got a little crash course from him.
Finding the raw materials wasn't any trouble - tomestones basically fall from the sky wherever I go, and a compatible output device was "borrowed" from Azys La



But how could I transfer the vast knowledge hidden in those books into the tomestones..? I couldn't just type them in myself, obviously! More then one sleepless night went by like that...



...but finally, I had found the solution! The scanners in T8 could easily scan even the smallest thing moving through their tunnels!



So with a little tweaking, it was a cinch to scan the book's contents with the parts I brought home
Now we are all ready to take on new sights and experiences, armed with all the knowledge in the world!
Although we might start fighting over who gets to use the output panel first...I guess I should split it up into several small ones all over the airship..*sigh*
I just don't get any rest with this FC...

[Pison]

Character name: Xian Meng
World name: Ultros
In-game Item: Scarf of Wondrous Wit
Component name: Putrid Maw

It was early one morning as I returned from an adventure deep into the bowels of Haukke Manor, expelling the voidsent held within back to the eternal blackness of the Void, when I stumbled across something even more terrifying lurking in the swamps nearby - the mighty Halitostroper.



For many long moments I hid within the bushes, monitoring the monstrosities with a careful and well-hidden gaze, I quickly noted how the local fauna gave a wide berth to their putrid and slimy bathing hole. Perhaps they were terrified by the creatures mighty size. Perhaps even the menacing lines of sharp, arm-length teeth kept unhidden in their massive, gaping maw. Or perhaps because of the unforgettable stench of what seemed like rotting mudpuppy flesh, sweltering boar dung and Goblin herbs.

It was with these realizations that I came up with a brilliant idea (Although in hindsight, the world 'brilliant' could be highly debated upon) due to an discussion with some comrades within my Linkshell about the possibility of aerial exploration. Imagine, outfitting the forecastle of an airship with the likeness of a morbol's mighty jaw! Such an intimidating presence would likely keep all manner of aerial enemies at bay that would want to do harm to it's crew. Not to mention, it'd look horrifyingly amazing.

So it was to be, with my bow in hand, that I engaged the Halitostroper in combat. I figured if I could procure some of it's tentacles and teeth, my crafter friends would be able to use it in some way to create my plan. Although it went well for the first few moments, events soon turned sour the moment the creatures maw belched the most repulsive, putrid thing I had ever had the ill fortune of smelling.



Immediately all strength had left my body, as I fell to my knees and began to feel the contents of my Pipira Pira resurfacing to grace the world with it's partially dissolved presence. Disoriented and gasping for anything resembling fresh air, my eyes focused long enough to find the Halitostroper's cavernous maw aiming to devour me whole! Grabbing my bow, I fire as straight a shot as anyone could call it at the moment, before regaining what little strength I had to repel myself away whilst landing a few quick shots to stall the beast. Gaining some distance from the creature, I begin to turn and run, deciding it be best to return at a later date with a few friends (as well as a change of clothes) to finish the job. Perhaps I'll bring something to help me alleviate the stench ... perhaps a cloth or scarf to cover my mouth. With copious amounts of perfumes and herbal sprays.

In the meantime, I'll be spending a few moons bathing here in the nearby waters of the Everschade. Yes, there may be the occasional slug in these waters ... but anything is better than the smell currently stained in the pores of my skin from that encounter.

[Taerune]

Character name: Taerune Niflgar
World name: Goblin
In-game Item: Bluebird Earrings
Component name: Airship Covering

Airship maintenance can be costly. With the airship covering, you add a protective layer to your airship's exterior - shielding it from water, heat, and cold damage, as well as repelling uninvited guests.
To create this, I first needed to obtain the materials to make it durable. I chose the chimera, as it is tough, and the secretion from it's serpent head makes a natural repellent.


Next, I needed to fish up some waterproof cotton. I chose to fish from the Sagolii Desert so we had protection from both water and heat.


Lastly, I sought help from the Ul'Dahs weaver's guild. The task required more than one person, and they helped tremendously.


Did I mention it's completely dyeable? So you can add your crest and fly in style!