Light

[knnn]

Has anyone seen references to how the various habbles get light?  After all, the habbles are like these big shopping malls with no windows.  There's either got to be lampposts everywhere or light in the ceiling or something.  Note that all this goes doubly for habble Landing, since that middle level means extra non-spirerock material.

[Second Aristh]

It was mentioned somewhere that there were translucent versions of spirerock.  Beyond that, I expect crystals glow pretty well for artificial light.

Yeah, here it is:

She could see a burning orb, outlined in the mist.  The sun.  She had never seen it like this, without it being filtered and diffused through the translucent sections of spirestone around the habble.  It burned like no candle or crystal she had ever seen.

[knnn]

It was mentioned somewhere that there were translucent versions of spirerock.  Beyond that, I expect crystals glow pretty well for artificial light.

Yeah, here it is:

hmmm.   I suppose that might be enough for the edges, but what about the center of a habble?  Do we think that enough light would be "translucentized" to middle? 

[Second Aristh]

It might not be bright, but it's probably enough to walk with.  Candles and crystal light does the trick for anything detailed.

[knnn]

It might not be bright, but it's probably enough to walk with.  Candles and crystal light does the trick for anything detailed.

So you're saying they are in 24 hour twilight?

[Tarion]

I imagine there could be veins of crystal through the Spire rock, carrying light through the Spire.  Essentially, built in lighting strips.

But there's no textual evidence for it (yet).

Someone needs to ask Jim 

[knnn]

I imagine there could be veins of crystal through the Spire rock, carrying light through the Spire.  Essentially, built in lighting strips.

But there's no textual evidence for it (yet).

It would have to be pretty efficient, but I suppose it could work.  Still, even this would have weird secondary effects.  As an example, diffuse lighting through the habble means very few true shadows to hide in.  Everything would like the interior of a shopping mall -- just soft shadows everywhere.  Also, you've got habble Landing.  With extra roof they built in the middle, the lower level wouldn't have access to this lighting.  It would make for a very dark place unless you've got artificial light.

As second issue could be radiation.  Living indoors would mean that nobody ever got a tan, giving everyone (except for sailors) a very pale complexion. 

[knnn]

It would have to be pretty efficient, but I suppose it could work.  Still, even this would have weird secondary effects.  As an example, diffuse lighting through the habble means very few true shadows to hide in.  Everything would like the interior of a shopping mall -- just soft shadows everywhere.  Also, you've got habble Landing.  With extra roof they built in the middle, the lower level wouldn't have access to this lighting.  It would make for a very dark place unless you've got artificial light.

As second issue could be radiation.  Living indoors would mean that nobody ever got a tan, giving everyone (except for sailors) a very pale complexion.  Heck, unless specifically added to the diet, everyone should be suffering from vitamin D deficiency.

[Second Aristh]

So you're saying they are in 24 hour twilight?

Well, twelve-ish hours at most.  Going back to Priscellie's map, the geometric patterns of Habble Morning should help a lot with getting good lighting to interior portions of the spire, not to mention the roof of the spire may be completely translucent for that particular habble.  Like you said, Habble Landing is probably darker overall, but that helps with its atmosphere of being a place of shady deals.

[Phaeton Seraph]

I expect they have lighting powered on the same power the airships get from the mists with their nets.  At least for the common areas.

[knnn]

Well, twelve-ish hours at most.  Going back to Priscellie's map, the geometric patterns of Habble Morning should help a lot with getting good lighting to interior portions of the spire, not to mention the roof of the spire may be completely translucent for that particular habble.

Yeah, but that's one habble out of 250.  Remember also that there's all those clouds and murk outside.  The lower levels have got to be getting less sunlight no matter what.

[Brightbane]

They came to a dim section of largely unused tunnel, where the lumin crystals were spaced widely apart

Well that seems a rather decisive answer

[knnn]

Well that seems a rather decisive answer

Good quote!

That said, this is in the tunnels, so it's not completely solved for the main habble.  Consider also that light crystals apparently eventually run down, so more maintenance is potentially required.  On the other hand, if maintenance is required, it begs the question of why bother keeping the tunnels lit 24/7 when nobody goes there.

[Phaeton Seraph]

Good quote!

That said, this is in the tunnels, so it's not completely solved for the main habble.  Consider also that light crystals apparently eventually run down, so more maintenance is potentially required.  On the other hand, if maintenance is required, it begs the question of why bother keeping the tunnels lit 24/7 when nobody goes there.

As I suggested earlier, they are probably powered by the mists or ether, or whatever it is the web on an airship collects to power the ship. 
The spire is exposed to it.  It would probably be simple enough to engineer it so that it gathers a small amount of energy, at least equivalent to our emergency lighting in public buildings.

[Trebek]

I'd imagine it is rather dim in the spire.  Isn't that the reason that they all wear goggles on the airship?  I thought that when they went outside one of the characters forgets and is stunned by how bright everything is.