Glinthawk
TODO
History
The tale of the founding of Meridian includes references to Glinthawks already roosting atop the mesas and guiding the Carja on their journey. Glinthawks in the story are portrayed as a positive and helpful presence, and not the terrors from the sky they are seen as today. Estimates put this account as approximately three centuries before the events of HZD.
Flying Speed
Glinthawk cruising speed is just under 55 mi/h (88 km/h). It loses 5 mi/h (8 km/h) for every 200 lb (180 kg) it has to carry, to a maximum carrying capacity of 600 lb (540 kg).
Like other machines, it has “run” and “sprint” variants on this speed, which are double (110 mi/h, 176 km/h) and quadruple (220 mi/h, 352 km/h) that value. These faster speeds also consume Blaze, at a rate of 2 and 5 canisters per hour, respectively. Speed losses due to weight are also doubled and quadrupled for those speeds, respectively. If forced to sustain its “sprint” speed, stresses on the engines and airframe will tear the Glinthawk apart in under 3 hours (ca. 620mi / 1000km). Its “run” speed can be sustained for up to 8 hours, at which time it will need 1 hour of repairs to continue.
Glinthawks as Mounts
Skyline modules leave it up to the Narrator to decide whether overridden Glinthawks can be mounted and flown, or if they can pick up and carry people. A Glinthawk’s cruising speed would make it very difficult for a human on its back to keep a grip without getting ripped off by the force of the wind. Being picked up and carried by the shoulders would likely (be quite painful and) have the same problem. A hang-glider setup might work better, as would being carried in a basket or a sling.
Having said all that, it’s your game: if you want to travel via Glinthawk, you go right ahead. There’s nothing in Skyline which says you can’t.