| Aethercraft is a branch of planar magic that involves the ability to merge with an algontherine entity and manipulate an aethership. In order to learn the Aethercraft skill, you must either own a ship, or a ship owner (captain) must give you permission to use their ship's modules. There are three basic aethercraft functions which relate to the basic modules:
Command Chair: Piloting the aethercraft, including joining armadas, transverseing to other planes, and ramming other ships. The "pilot" branch of aethercraft. Empathic Grid: Healing hull damage as well as module damage. Also communicating and scans are done through the empathic grid. The "empath" branch of aethercraft. Battle Turret: The ability to use a battle turret to fight aethermonsters as well as other ships. The "combateer" branch of aethercraft. Aethercraft uses a type of learning called 'proficiencies' in relation to the three main branches of aethercraft skills (commander, empath, combateer) corresponding to the above modules. The more you use the skills corresponding with a branch of aethercraft, the more your proficiency in that branch rises. However, the more you focus on one proficiency, there is a chance that you will lose proficiency in the other branches. Thus, it is not feasible to have 100% proficiency in all three branches. SHIP PROFICIENCIES will show you where your proficiencies stand. |
| Channel | Access a ship's crew communication channel. |
| Aethercraft | Basic use of a command chair. |
| Empathy | Basic use of the empathic grid. |
| Battle | Basic use of a battle turret. |
| Offerings | Give offerings of aetheric essence to the gods. |
| Armada | Join into an armada of ships. |
| Interlink | Include non-crew on the ship channel. |
| Targeting | Attack specific modules. |
| Ram | Ram and board enemy ships. |
| Siphon | Gather power from aether vortices. |
| Modules | Directly heal damaged modules. |
| Scoop | Gather glaetherial dust. |
| Trade | Exchange goods with gnome trading ships. |
| Worldscan | Scan the worlds for signs of constructs. |
| Transverse | Travel through dimensional fissures. |
| EnergyLink | Extract energy from collectors. |
| Gliding | Glide carefree through the aethers. |
| Trail | Follow a ship without its permission. |
| Analyze | Examine other ships or aetherbeasts. |
| Distribution | Distribute power to and from modules. |
| Cadet | Midlevel piloting maneuvers. |
| Rupture | Create ruptures in aetherspace. |
| Steward | Midlevel communication skills. |
| Tunnel | Enter a vortex and jump at will. |
| Bosun | Midlevel turret attacks. |
| Astralsight | Sense other algontherine ships. |
| Purser | Midlevel empathic grid functions. |
| TurretSiphon | Siphon energy from a shieldless enemy. |
| ThirdMate | Intermediate pilot maneuvers. |
| Scan | Find all non-cloaked ships in same environment. |
| SecondMate | Advanced turret attacks. |
| Flashpoint | Create flashpoints to aid in navigation. |
| FirstMate | Advanced empathic grid functions. |
| Shock | Briefly paralyze ship or aetherbeast. |
| Captain | Advanced piloting maneuvers. |
| Spiral | Dodge all hits for a limited time. |
| Resonance | Create an aura to hide the ship from aetherbeasts. |
| Clarionblast | Blow up modules on enemy ship. |
Channel
The ability to join into an aethercraft's communications channel, using SHIPT <text>.
Aethercraft
| Syntax: |
| PILOT FUNNEL <amount> ENERGY [FROM <nexus/collectors>] PILOT LAUNCH |
| Module: Command Chair |
This skill enables the basic operations of a command module. In order for an aethercraft to survive in aetherspace, it must have power. Thus, the first responsibility of a commander is to make sure the ship is powered at all times. If the ship is low on power, the commander may FUNNEL power directly from his own reserves or, alternately, from a nexus (if the captain has permission from the city or commune) or from the energy collectors (if they have any power).
For steering a ship, note that smaller ships are able to steer faster than larger ones due to their inertia. But as a larger ship moves more and more, it will gain more and more speed. Note that a sharp turn can hurt your inertia, slowing down a large ship that has accumulated much speed.
The commander can then LAUNCH and DOCK to or from aetherports, and steer through aetherspace.
You also have the ability to manage modules on any ship you own.
| Syntax: |
| MODULE LOCK MODULE UNLOCK |
In order to use any module, you must LOCK into it. When finished, you must UNLOCK from it. You can only LOCK into a module if you have been granted permission by the captain (owner) of the ship. If you are the ship's captain then you can use the ADD and REMOVE syntaxes to set permissions. (See HELP PERMISSIONS to learn how Lusternia's permission system works.) The CLEAR syntax will simply destroy all permission rules, making it open to anyone. Lastly, the SHOW syntax will let you see what the current permissions are for a module.
| Additional Notes: |
| Note that you can see how much proficiency you have in each kind of module using the SHIP PROFICIENCIES command. |
Empathy
| Syntax: |
| GRID MODULES GRID REPAIR HULL |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
The basic operation of the empathic grid, allows the empath to monitor the state of the modules and to repair the ship's hull.
Battle
| Syntax: |
| TURRET FIRE TURRET TARGET SHIP <ship> |
| Module: Battle Turret |
The basic operation of the turret allows targeting of other ships and creatures as well as firing a basic aetheric bolt.
Offerings
| Syntax: |
| PILOT OFFER |
| Module: Command Chair |
As your ship slays beasts of the aetherways, it can collect essence from their spiritual being. The more essence it gathers, the more the algontherine will glow. SHIP STATUS will show you how bright the algontherine is. When docked at a god's realm, you can offer this essence in devotion to that deity.
Armada
| Syntax: |
| PILOT ARMADA LIST PILOT ARMADA INVITE <ship> |
| Module: Command |
The commander may decide to lead or join an armada of aetherships. Aetherships so joined will always follow the leader. Speed will be no greater than the slowest aethership in the armada.
| Syntax: |
| SHIPTA <command> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
The only communication possible between ships in the armada is through the empath. It is the empath's duty to relay messages and coordinate among the different crews.
Interlink
| Syntax: |
| GRID JOIN <person> GRID REMOVE <person> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You can join or remove those who are non-crew (i.e., not locked into a module) to the ship channel.
Targeting
| Syntax: |
| TURRET TARGET MODULE <command|turret|grid|cloak|shield|collector> TURRET TARGET MODULE NONE |
| Module: Battle Turret |
In a battle turret, you can target specific modules of enemy ships. This will do deep damage to those modules, though relatively little to the hull.
Ram
| Syntax: |
| PILOT RAM <ship> PILOT BREAKAWAY |
| Module: Command Chair, Ramhead Power: 5 |
If you have a ramhead module on your ship, you can ram another ship until you breach its hull. This will create a hole between the two ships that can be crossed by people on either side of a ship. The breach of the ramming ship is always in the room with the ramhead, while the breach in the rammed ship can be anywhere. This is the only way to board between two ships traveling in aetherspace. Note that if the target ship has not taken enough damage then a breach might not occur.
Siphon
| Syntax: |
| SIPHON VORTEX SIPHON VORTEX EXTRA |
| Module: Energy Collector |
Energy collectors can do three things: siphon energy from a vortex, siphon energy from another ship, and siphon energy into a nexus.
Note that when siphoning from a vortex, the energy collector can try to squeeze extra energy from the vortex (the second syntax). Doing so, though carries an added risk of bring sucked into the vortex and thrown somewhere else in aetherspace.
Modules
| Syntax: |
| GRID REPAIR MODULE <module> GRID REPAIR MODULE (to repair most damaged) |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You may repair modules directly from the empathic grid.
| Additional Notes: |
| In this and other GRID commands, the module must be specified by number only. That is, GRID REPAIR MODULE CHAIR won't work, neither will GRID REPAIR MODULE CHAIR12345. The only accepted syntax is GRID REPAIR MODULE 12345. |
Scoop
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SCOOP |
If your ship is equipped with an aetherhold, you can scoop any glaetherial dust into those storage. SHIP STATUS will show how much dust is in your holds. For more information, see HELP AETHERSPACE COMMERCE.
Trade
| Syntax: |
| GRID TRADE |
If your ship is equipped with an aetherhold that has any glaetherial dust inside, you can trade with any gnome merchant trade ships. SHIP STATUS will show how much dust is in your holds as well as what gnomish commodities are in those holds. If you sell gnomish commodities to the gnomes, the gold will be deposited into your inventory. For more information, see HELP AETHERSPACE COMMERCE.
| Additional Notes: |
| Use GRID TRADE WARES to see what's available. The simplest form of trading consists of buying commodities with dust (GRID TRADE BUY <number> <commodity>), then immediately reselling them for gold (GRID TRADE SELL <number> <commodity>), in which case, dividing the selling price by the buying price will show which give the highest yield. Substantially better returns can be had by buying from one gnome merchant and selling to another, but may require a lot of flying back and forth to find the gnomes and compare their prices. |
Worldscan
| Syntax: |
| SHIP WORLDSCAN |
While aboard any ship, you can scan a world for any constructs or signs of life (though an algontherine can only detect those Lusternians who have passed through the Portal of Fate). This is possible while docked with the world or while launched if your ship is in the same location as the dock portal.
| Additional Notes: |
| Worldscan will set off aethersight. |
Transverse
| Syntax: |
| PILOT TRANSVERSE |
| Module: Command Chair |
Upon encountering dimensional rifts, the commander can transverse through and enter other planes.
EnergyLink
| Syntax: |
| SIPHON <amount> ENERGY INTO ME |
| Module: Energy Collector |
You can now use an energy collector to siphon energy for your own use.
Gliding
| Syntax: |
| PILOT GLIDE <direction>
PILOT GLIDE STOP |
A skilled pilot can direct their ship to traverse easily through the Aetherways, maintaining a steady course in the specified direction until it is able to move no further. The course may be corrected whenever necessary.
Trail
| Syntax: |
| PILOT TRAIL <ship> PILOT TRAIL NOTHING |
| Module: Command Chair |
When you trail a ship, you will join its armada without needing prior permission.
Analyze
| Syntax: |
| GRID ANALYZE SHIP <ship> GRID ANALYZE CREATURE <creature> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You can scan ships and creatures on the aetherways to gain information about their current state.
Distribution
| Syntax: |
| GRID DISTRIBUTE <power> FROM <module> TO <module> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You can transfer power from one module to another. Bringing a module below 100% power will make it behave as if it has suffered physical damage. Conversely, giving it extra power can compensate for damage taken. Furthermore, boosting a module over 100% power can actually make it perform better than normal if it has not taken much damage. For example, a command chair will pilot the ship faster, a battle turret will do more damage, and an empathic grid will have superior healing. You can distribute power between all three of those types of modules and also a shield module.
| Additional Notes: |
| Typically you will distribute power from unused modules to the most important ones, usually the grid and command chair first and foremost. |
Cadet
A cadet is able to do a variety of basic piloting maneuvers.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT EVADE |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 1 |
This maneuver will cause your ship to shake loose any other ships that are trailing her.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT ROLL START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 3 |
At the expense of the accuracy of your own ship's turrets, you will make your ship harder to attack by other ships and the beasts that roam the aetherways.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SLUICE <direction> | <direction> | [<direction>] | [<direction>] | [<direction>] |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 2 per movement |
With a swift boost of power, you can boost your ship to brief levels of extreme speed, moving several locations nearly instantaneously.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SPIN START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 3 |
At the cost of reduced speed, spinning a ship will make it harder for a ram attack to even hit.
Rupture
| Syntax: |
| TURRET RUPTURE |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 3 |
Upon creating a rupture in aetherspace, any ship or aether beast that encounters the rupture will suffer damage.
| Additional Notes: |
| When fleeing from aethercreatures that are too much to handle, the turrets can be used to keep shooting, but if they get out of range dropping ruptures is a good way to discourage the pursuing creatures since the people on the turrets really can't do anything else anyway. |
Steward
A steward is able to do a variety of advanced forms of communication.
| Syntax: |
| GRID HAIL <ship> GRID CHANNEL OPEN <ship> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
Hailing a ship indicates you wish to talk with that ship. You can open a communication channel with any ship that has hailed you with the OPEN syntax. Once the channel is open, you can use the TALK syntax to talk with the other ship's empath.
| Syntax: |
| GRID DISSONANCE |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 3 |
Dissonance will create a very large communication jamming field.
| Syntax: |
| GRID SCREECH ON
GRID SCREECH OFF |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
By turning on screech, your ship will damage any other ships which attempt to locate her.
| Syntax: |
| GRID SONG |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 3 |
The Algontherine Song will send out a hail of distress to other empaths that may be within reach of you.
Tunnel
| Syntax: |
| PILOT TUNNEL |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 3 |
When by an energy vortex, you can cause your ship to tunnel into where ever it may lead you.
Bosun
A bosun is able to do a variety of advanced combat moves.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET MURKLE |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 1 |
For the ship module you are targeting, afflicting it with murkle will cause it to malfunction at random times.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET REPULSE |
| Module: Battle Turret |
For whatever ship or aether beast you are targeting, you will blast it into a nearby location. You cannot repulse a ship that is in the process of bombarding or sealing a location.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET SLUDGE |
| Module: Battle Turret |
Covering a ship with sludge will cause it to slow.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET STRIP |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 3 |
For whichever ship you are targeting, you will cause her shields to fall apart.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET WORBLE |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 1 |
Cause a targeted module to respond slowly to its commands.
Astralsight
| Syntax: |
| GRID ASTRALSENSE <ship shortname> |
Reaching through your ship's algontherine entity, you can extend the reach of your senses to incredible limits and attempt to locate other ships sailing the aetherways.
Purser
A purser is able to perform advanced repairs to the ship.
| Syntax: |
| GRID CLARITY <module> |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
Clarity will clear several problems on a module, including shock, murkle, and worble.
| Syntax: |
| GRID FLUSH |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 10 |
This will flush all modules on the ship of most malfunctions, including shock, sludge, murkle, and worble.
| Syntax: |
| GRID REGENERATE <module> |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 5 |
Regenerating a module will revive a module that has been completely blown up.
TurretSiphon
| Syntax: |
| TURRET SIPHON |
| Module: Battle Turret |
You can now use a battle turret to siphon energy from a targeted ship, provided its shields do not interfere.
ThirdMate
A third mate is able to perform advanced piloting maneuvers.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT FARHORIZON START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair |
At the expense of speed, you can increase the distance of your scanner. This will increase the range at which your ship is able to target other ships and aether monsters.
| Additional Notes: |
| This does stack with the antennae diamonut. |
| Syntax: |
| PILOT MANEUVER <direction> |
| Module: Command Chair |
With careful guidance, you can move past a shadowing ship.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SHADOW <ship> PILOT SHADOW NOTHING |
| Module: Command Chair |
By shadowing a ship, you can quickly move to prevent her from sailing away.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SILENTRUN START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair |
By moving quietly and slowly, you can make your ship less noticeable from a distance by the monsters that inhabit the aetherways.
Scan
| Syntax: |
| GRID SCAN |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You can use your empathic grid to detect the presence of other ships in the same aether environment your ship is in.
SecondMate
A second mate is able to perform masterful combat moves.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET DEADEN |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 8 |
By leaving void energies in a location, you will create deadspace. This deadspace will stifle communications, ruin shields, and make the location difficult to view. It also will cause armadas to break apart.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET JINSUNJOLT |
By attacking a dock in your immediate location, you can cause damage to many docked ships and cause some to break free into the aetherways.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET MARMUCKLE |
| Power: 5 |
This attack give murkle to all modules on the targeted ship.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET MARWURBLE |
| Power: 5 |
This attack gives worble to all modules on the targeted ship.
Flashpoint
| Syntax: |
| PILOT FLASHPOINT NAME <name> PILOT FLASHPOINT RECALL |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 10 to name |
By creating a flashpoint, you can cause your ship to recall locations in the aetherways. Upon asking your ship to recall the flashpoints, you will be given the general direction to travel to return to those locations. A ship can remember no more than three flashpoints.
FirstMate
A first mate is able to utilize masterful functions of the empathic grid.
| Syntax: |
| GRID COVEY |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
By forming a covey, everyone on your ship's crew will be able to maintain ship channel communication even while off the ship, provided they are on the same plane the ship is docked with.
| Syntax: |
| GRID DEEPBOND <person> |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 10 |
Giving someone a deepbond will cause him to conglutinate to your ship if he dies on the ship or any plane at which the ship is docked, except for the Prime Material Plane.
| Syntax: |
| GRID PARASITE <ship> |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 10 |
The parasite will let you synchronize with a ship against the will of its crew, breaking any other synchronizations it may have had. (See below for details on synchronization.)
| Syntax: |
| GRID PLANARBOND |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
Forming a planar bond through your ship, you may attune yourself and any other passengers to distant aetherwaves so long as the ship remains sailing.
| Syntax: |
| GRID SYNCHRONIZE SHIP <ship> GRID SYNCHRONIZE NONE |
| Module: Empathic Grid |
You can request synchronization with another ship. If that ship returns the synchronization request, you will be fully synchronized. This will open up an additional communication channel. This channel will stay open even over very large distances.
Shock
There are two forms of the shock attack: a standard targeted shock and the more powerful shockwave.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET SHOCK |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 1 |
A shock blast will cause your targeted ship or aether creature to be stunned into brief immobility.
| Syntax: |
| TURRET SHOCKWAVE |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 8 |
Leaving behind shockwave energy, any ship or creature that encounters it will be briefly stunned.
Captain
A captain is able to perform the most advanced piloting maneuvers.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT FUSE FLASHPOINT <flashpoint name> PILOT FUSE SHIP <ship> |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 10 |
Fusing with the presence of a flashpoint or with a ship that your empath has synchronized with will cause your ship to travel to that flashpoint or ship.
| Additional Notes: |
| There is a delay before a fuse completes, during which the ship can't do anything without interrupting the movement. That includes being attacked, so make sure you're free of any pursuers before starting the fuse. Fusing cannot cross from one plane to another. |
| Syntax: |
| PILOT IMMERSE START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 5 |
By immersing your ship in the eye of an energy vortex, you can safely siphon energy from it without risk of being sucked into its inter-dimensional portal. In addition, your ship will no longer be visible on the scanners of other ships.
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SEAL START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 5 |
You can move your ship to prevent people from leaving your location via a dock or rift, although ships will still be able to pass through them towards your location.
Spiral
| Syntax: |
| PILOT SPIRAL START/STOP |
| Module: Command Chair Power: 10 |
By sending your ship into a spiral flight, you can make her perfectly dodge all incoming attacks - giving your crew a welcome chance to recover. However, she will be unable to sail while spiraling, lest the spiral be disrupted.
Resonance
| Syntax: |
| GRID RESONANCE |
| Module: Empathic Grid Power: 10 |
You can now create an aura that surrounds the ship for a brief time, making her undetectable by the dangerous creatures that inhabit the aetherways.
Clarionblast
| Syntax: |
| TURRET CLARIONBLAST |
| Module: Battle Turret Power: 10 |
Completely blow up a module.
| Additional Notes: |
| The module can only be repaired with the Regenerate skill. |