Hydrogas
Contents
Hydrogas
Hydrogas is a magically produced, lighter-than-air substance that is highly flammable. Harvested from the floating islands of The Dreadfort, it is one of the most valuable commodities in the modern world, serving as the primary fuel for Airships and a vital reagent in magical experimentation.
Properties
Hydrogas appears as a translucent, shimmering vapor with a faint green tint and a metallic scent. It possesses several remarkable properties:
- Lighter than air in its raw form.
- Highly flammable when exposed to flame, spellfire, or electrical discharge.
- Magically reactive — it responds unpredictably to arcane fields and spells.
- Mildly toxic if inhaled over prolonged periods, leading to symptoms similar to altitude sickness.
Because of its magical properties, Hydrogas cannot be synthesized artificially at scale; it must be extracted naturally from shardisite deposits like those found at The Dreadfort.
Corporate Origins
The discovery and monopolization of Hydrogas are attributed to a secretive cabal known as The Ascendancy.
Operating from the shadows in the centuries following the Meteor Strike, the Ascendancy quietly accumulated shardisite reserves, arcane knowledge, and political leverage. For decades, they remained hidden, allowing rival powers to collapse while they positioned themselves for dominance.
In 1501 A.M., the Ascendancy revealed itself to the world by raising Mauna Loa into the skies — creating the The Dreadfort — and claiming exclusive control over Hydrogas production.
Today, the Ascendancy's influence is everywhere, though their true membership remains unknown. They are seen less as a company and more as an invisible aristocracy, ensuring that no major airship fleet or nation can thrive without bending a knee to their unseen hand.
Their motto: "What falls belongs to the earth. What rises belongs to us."
Hydrogas as Fuel
Hydrogas revolutionized travel across the fractured world by making airships possible. Contained within magically reinforced tanks, Hydrogas provides lift and propulsion for vessels of all sizes.
| Hydrogas Tank Sizes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tank Size | Cost to Fill | Cost to Replace | Travel Distance | Base Armor Class | Hit Points |
| Small | 250gp | 250gp | 250 miles | 18 | 25 |
| Medium | 500gp | 500gp | 500 miles | 16 | 50 |
| Large | 1000gp | 1000gp | 1000 miles | 14 | 100 |
| Huge | 20000gp | 20000gp | 2000 miles | 12 | 200 |
Airships typically mount multiple tanks, allowing for redundancy in case of puncture or sabotage. In combat, Hydrogas tanks are a primary vulnerability; a direct hit can result in catastrophic ignition if safeguards fail.
Hydrogas as a Trade Commodity
Hydrogas is among the most tightly controlled and lucrative commodities in the world. Access to Hydrogas production is monopolized by the Ascendancy, and prices are manipulated through licensing agreements, export tariffs, and privateer enforcement.
Hydrogas is typically sold in:
- Compressed containment barrels (for overland transport).
- Tankered airships (for major bulk shipments).
- Arcane stasis chambers (for delicate long-term storage).
Prices fluctuate dramatically based on political tensions, piracy risks, and shardisite supply disruptions. Warlords, pirates, and breakaway nations all seek Hydrogas as a path to power—and fortunes rise and fall by controlling its flow.
Dangers
Due to its magical volatility:
- Ships carrying large quantities of Hydrogas are at constant risk of catastrophic ignition.
- Arcane interference (especially in wild magic zones or near shard-blighted regions) can destabilize Hydrogas tanks.
- Naval powers often employ specialized sharpshooters and mages to target enemy fuel tanks during aerial engagements.
Hydrogas remains both a blessing and a curse—fueling the dreams of conquest even as it whispers the threat of annihilation.
