@HellcowKeith Hi! I love Eberron and starting a game this weekend as a DM!
I totally understand if you don't answer Eberron questions here! I'm confused about some transport stuff of the elemental variety…

— Sarah (@SarahIsQueer) October 3, 2019

Is an airship only possible because of the Mark of Storm because the Mark of Storm has a specific quality/power or is it simply because they spent the money to develop airships and with sufficient resources could the other houses get in on airships?

— Sarah (@SarahIsQueer) October 3, 2019

All of the above. Airships aren’t locked to Lyrandar as some sort of favor to Lyrandar. Remember that Lyrandar has been using the Wheel of Wind and Water to control elemental galleons for centuries; the airship was an evolution of that existing tool. The lightning rail is an entirely different system; it’s not as though Cannith could have developed an Orien airship and just chose not to. Meanwhile, Orien is unhappy about it, but the others argue that progress is progress.

— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) October 3, 2019

ah I see! Does this mean the elementals are used in different ways for each system? Also can airships go up or down or are the ships locked in at a specific height?

Thanks for the response! I really love Eberron and it’s core themes! It’s an awesome setting. Correct, the lightning rail and an airship are entirely different. With the lightning rail the bound elemental is primarily a power source, while in an airship it’s actually moving the ship.

— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) October 3, 2019