Hyperborian Civilization and Unpowered Flight
11/03/1998
©1998 Michael Scott

Hyperborian civilization possesses mage-controlled and powered craft, but 
there is a substantial technology of unpowered, heavier-than-air flight.

This technology grew out of the craft of kite-making and flying.  Hyperboria 
has made a great sport of kites with elaborate competitions of style, art, 
and combat.  It was inevitable that man-carrying kits would be created and 
such devices became popular for sport and, when towed behind a ship, for 
spotting schools of fish or other vessels.

It was only a matter of time before an accident would occur.  While most 
man-carrying kite accidents were fatal, some fortunate aerialists managed 
to glide safely to the surface. This led to experiments where kites were 
deliberately released to see how far they could be made to fly and how 
difficult it would be to control them.

These experiments led to the gliders used today.  Elaborately decorated in 
the manner of birds, these graceful one and two-man machines are often seen 
soaring over the countryside. They fly along silently over the landscape and, 
while flying gliders is a great sport, these machines have proven quite 
useful in scouting for the fishing fleets and as aerial reconnaissance 
in wartime.

Gliders are made of light fabric stretched over light wooden or aluminum 
frameworks. They have open cockpits with simple hand and foot controls 
operating the wing-warp and tail movements that allow for soaring flight 
similar to that of the larger raptors. Most gliders are brightly painted 
after the plumage of birds, including those machines used by the military. 
The structure of a glider is far too flimsy to carry much more than one or 
two passengers, so they have little utility as bombers or fighters.

Gliders are launched by steam or counterweight catapult, towed behind a ship 
or mage-born flyer, or launched off the convenient steep hill or cliff. The 
best glider operators have the advantages of Agility and Pilot, and if they 
seek employment it would be a good idea for them to have the Boon or Ability 
of Keen Eyes linked with Perception.  Gliders range from Average to Above 
Average cost and are Heavy items.  Many glider pilots construct their own 
machines and have one or two helpers to operate the catapult and recover the 
glider after flight.