Airship Docking Tower

The airship docking port is a single room that occupies the entire top floor of Lyrandar Tower. The walls of this massive chamber are 30 feet high, and the domed ceiling rises to dizzying heights. Four lifts located in the center of the room allow easy access to the docking port from the levels below. Two massive, 20-foot-high doors pierce each of the four walls. Each door opens inward to reveal a balcony from which hangs a massive, fork-shaped dock.

The balcony doors are normally kept open, regardless of the weather. A permanent magical field keeps out the chill wind while allowing passengers to enter and exit their ships. The doors are closed only in the rare instances when the city is under attack. 

Each balcony is equipped with a powerful light housed in a compact light station (lighthouse). Powered by a lead sphere bearing a permanent daylight spell, the light is backed by a concave mirror that reflects the light outward. The operator of each small light station scans the sky for approaching airships. When its dock is available, the station acknowledges a ship by maintaining the light on its sails for several seconds. Upon receiving this signal, the airship glides in beside the balcony from which the signal originated. After tying the ship into place, the attendants drop a ramp from its deck so that passengers can embark or disembark. The ship remains airborne at all times, even while docked. The ring of fire encircling the airship is safely beyond the reach of the dock, so it poses no hazard to people standing there, or to the structure itself.

In addition, each balcony is equipped for skycoach docking. Skycoaches often approach the balconies when their drivers see approaching airships, then wait there for disembarking passengers who want a quick ride to another part of the city. Such convenience usually costs up to double the going rate for such services.

Although the tower has eight docking ports, no more than four are typically in use at any given time—two for arrivals and two for departures. The other ports are reserved for periods of heavy traffic or emergency dockings. Occasionally a damaged ship puts in here for repairs and has to stay for an extended period, blocking off the dock where it is moored at great expense to its owner. Ships owned by House Lyrandar, however, can stay in port indefinitely at no charge.

At any time, hundreds of shuffling people—most of them standing in long lines—are waiting to board the next airship. Along the north and south walls are two large areas filled with chairs. Together, these lounges provide seating for more than five hundred people. House Lyrandar provides refreshments, such as fruits and water, free of charge to the waiting travelers.

The safety of the airship passengers using this docking port is of paramount concern to House Lyrandar. No fewer than fifty guards (primarily 3rd- to 5th-level fighters and 3rd- to 5th-level wizards and clerics with typical arms and armor) patrol this room at all times. Two fighters wearing armor under their robes and a wizard wearing austere gray robes and goggles of detect magic are stationed at each airship gate. This group is charged with spotting any dangerous magic devices that embarking passengers are attempting to bring aboard the ship. Ranged and melee weapons of low and moderate strength are allowed on board with the passenger, provided that each such weapon is secured in its sheath with a peaceknot.

Passengers embarking on one of House Lyrandar’s ships must undergo strict security checks. Any magic items that the wizards on the inspection teams cannot identify or that they deem overly dangerous are confiscated and placed in one of the ship’s locked cargo holds, then returned to their owners upon reaching the destination. A few airships owned by other houses do not employ such stringent safeguards, but their passenger lists are normally much more exclusive.

The airship docking port is normally a peaceful place, although unexpected violence does occur here occasionally. Passengers with hidden agendas are commonplace, and some of them can be quite dangerous if their identities are discovered. The following adventure hooks can be used to draw PCs into some action here.

• The PCs must take an airship to the area of a lost ruin they intend to explore in Xen’drik or parts beyond. A band of mercenaries from a competing house has been charged with slowing the PCs down in any way possible. They may attempt to prevent the airship’s departure, or they may try to delay the PCs, forcing them to catch a later flight. In either case, the characters should have a chance to spot their adversaries before they make their move.
• One of the approaching airships is seized by hostile forces during docking maneuvers. The pilot is badly injured at a critical moment, and the airship slams into the dock. Then damaged ship, which has not yet been secured to the dock, begins to drift away. The PCs have the last clear chance to retake it before it drifts off into one of the towers, killing innocent passengers as well as hundreds of Sharn’s residents.
• A political opponent from Valenar has embarked upon a mission to reduce House Lyrandar’s profits by undermining its airship operations. One of her agents is currently in the docking port waiting for an airship to arrive. The PCs have received vital clues that point to the agent’s presence, but they must find him among the crowd in order to interfere with his plans.