A is for Airships

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/044/e/3/Pirate_Airship__Zephyrus_by_Apeliotus.png

I believe my love for airships started with Abney Park. I mean, I have this feeling that there was something about airships before that, in my life, but I can’t remember anything before hearing the wonder that is ‘Airship Pirate’.

Now, the first thing you need to know is that the best airships are basically old, wooden pirate ships. But with balloons attached. The first time I tried to work out how airships worked, I based it on hot air balloons. Since that didn’t seem like a way to maneuver a ship that would possibly be battling midair with other ships, there are now propellers and engines and things… somewhere.

I’ve also decided that the ships can land in the water, deflate the balloons, and put up sails. I tried to think of how that would physically work, but I’ll just say Rule of Cool. Or magic. Magic is a great answer for everything.

A few of the ships in my story:

The Ariya: The ship that will be the biggest part of the story. Captained by Malik Krylyav, with his son Silniev on the crew. Sokola’s on the ship as well, along with a few other characters I haven’t completely decided on. Named after the love of Malik’s life, Ariya. She’s not sure if he thinks she or the ship is sexier. Its standard is a wolf run through with a sword.

Volk Vremya: Raizha’s ship. It is said to be impossible to sink. It is the most ostentatious of any ship run by the Wolves, and only goes out to sail when Raizha is on it. There is a secret room hidden on the ship where her son sometimes stays. The standard is a wolf howling at a moon with a clock face on it.

The Nox: A ship captained by Malik’s ex-wife, Reka. It’s armed to the teeth with cannons and formidable in battle. It’s standard is a horned skull with crossed guns beneath it.