A collection of random things posted on Google Plus:

An item for the ACKS spacefaring campaign:

Patchcloth: When combat pokes holes in a ship, it begins to lose air. In Pythagorian space, the air escapes quickly, but not with enough pressure to throw sailors out into the aether. When the crew has enough time to work on repairs, the first order of business is covering these holes.

Pathcloth is stored as rolled bundles of cloth measuring about 20 feet high and at least 200 feet in length. The cloth is densely woven and fairly sturdy. It is cut to fit any holes.

Pilots

For spacefaring in ACKS, I figure Thieves have class specific proficiencies that allow for greater maneuverability and/or tactical speed. Other classes can stack the general proficiencies to become better at evasive maneuvers and things like that, but the "rogues" of the world can eek out that extra speed/dexterity to do impossible stuff.

The pilot uses a "wheel" to drive the ship. This is a device with three handles attached to a sphere. One handle affects the pitch, the second the yaw, the third the roll of the ship. Each handle is twisted clockwise or counter-clockwise to affect the ship.

This device can come with a ship, but master pilots always bring their own.

Ship Construction

1. Build a regular boat - carrack, nao, Galley, etc.
2. Attach a device that makes the ship air tight:
- This device is basically a permanent Mend spell. The effect is to close any gaps in the ship, especially the really small ones. If someone forgets a plank, the device will not work. It doesn't stay with the finished ship, it is only used in construction and the final step of repairs at a repair dock.
3. Attach the engine. Again, this is the thing that makes the ship travel a million miles a day at cruising speed.
4. Attach the air system.
- This device is basically a Create Air engine multiplied in effect for up to 128 people that operates once an hour.
5. Attach the weapon systems.

Using my own interpretation of the Magic Item creation system for a Spelljammer helm:

Cost: 125,000 gp

The standard prices in 2e were 100,000 gp for a minor helm. 250,000 for a major helm.

The effects used to calculate this are strictly to move an object approximately 1 million miles in a day. It is a permanent effect usable once a day. The spell level used is calculated based on the number of times the Fly spell has its effect doubled to reach a million miles in a 24 hour period.

Of course, anyone with the formula can crank these out at half price...

Class Templates

In my setting based on Pythagorean ideas - anyone of Neutral alignment will be treated as Chaotic by a Pythagorean.

The Pythgorean template can be applied to the basic classes cleric, magic-user and fighter. Alignment must be Lawful. Provides bonuses to general and class proficiencies based on their "enlightenment" through Pythagorean knowledge.

For example, the magic-user, knowing that all things are composed of numbers, could get bonuses to alchemy, Summoning spells and/or item creation.

Cosmology

From Pythagoras, the center of the universe (a la the solar system) is the Hearth of the Gods. Being a link to the gods' dwelling place, it is comprised of the most important element, fire.

My antibiotics-addled mind: The Hearth is an entrance to the outer planes.

Pythagoras wasn't much different from other Greek philosophers in assigning four elements to the universe.

My antibiotics-addled mind: So there really are Inner planes (Fire, Air, Water, Earth)

Pythagoras assigned the platonic solids to each of the elements. Tetrahedron (d4) - Fire. Octahedron (d8) - Air. Icosahedron (d20) - Water. Cube (d6) - Earth.

My antibiotics-addled mind: Plane of fire is a pyramid.

My antibiotics-addled mind: Each face of plane of fire borders another plane. One face connects to the solar system (and thus to the other planets rotating around it). Another face connects to plane of Air. The triangular face on the border between two planes is the same size. The same is true on a third face that borders the plane of Water. The last face borders a cube. The length of a side of the pyramid is the same as the length of a side of the cube. This means a small triangle-shaped piece of the plane of Fire does not touch the plane of Earth.

Pythagoras assigned the d12 (name escapes me) as the shape of the universe.

My antibiotics-addled mind: The above mentioned combination of planes is all contained in a dodecahedron. Where faces of dodecahedrons connect, there is an alternate universe.

The path to the Outer Planes lies in the center of the plane of Fire.