Astronautical exploration.-From the library of the White Mages.

The study of the sky and the planets is called astronomy, the study of the more mystical aspect of the sky is called astrology, a person who goes up into the Space, is called a spheronauts, stemming from the belief that the Space is a sphere. All these fields are referred to as astronautical studies, and are a great interest to the Than people. The first astronomers were Fairies, but when they died off, many of their texts were lost, but Elves, then Gnomes took up the science. The Elvish astronomy and astrology is more centered about studying the movements of the sun and moon (Lirea and Alsthrin, in elven) and reading the stars to predict the future and understand the past. The Gnomes are interested with studying all the celestial bodies, and wonder whether the stars are great balls of white fire, or are a cosmic race, they also have telescopes that can see the moon. Later, the Thans started looking up and making telescopes, and a famous Than astronomer, Lord Tha-Elsidd XI, discovered the eighth planet, Tha-Elsidd, named after himself. The eight planets being: Athean, Bulseri, Lyrwin, Ulen, Gnoln, Gnelwyr, Gelm. and Tha-Elsidd. The Thans started to become interested in the idea of traveling to the Space above our world, so their magicians found underground mana drafts; thermal, magical winds that come from the Core, so the Thans made light, metal spherical pods, connected to the ground by magical cords and the pods are lifted by the mana drafts. And so the first spheronauts, Asi, and Tha-Urd, went eleven miles above the surface of Eilendor, later, the Thans had pods going sixty miles high. Some Gnomes and Thans dream of going to the moon, though this would require a very long rope, but mana drafts can travel through the Space, and some people even dream of going to the planets, or the stars. The way that astropods are constructed is this: First, the bronze pod is constructed, usually only able to hold two men, then they put a magic recording astrolabe in the center and two seats next to each other, facing the astrolabe and a big window on the opposite wall of the pod. A silver canister is attached to the outside, containing an air elemental, to supply the astropod with an infinite amount of air, also on the outside are three gliding wings. The spheronauts wear padding armor, since the pods only have a little insulation, for the Space is very cold. The mana drafts can lift the pods all the way to the Ether, but the magic ropes are only so long, and to get down, a massive group of slaves pulls the rope, which is anchored to the ground and vessel via magic, and pull the pod against the mana drafts down to earth. Ideas about the shape of our world has not yet been answered, but most spheronauts agree that the world is flat, but many argue it is spherical, though people say that there must be an area where people walk upside down, so most say it is flat. But if it is flat, scientists think there must be some type of support, they call the Monolith of Earth. So that covers the basics of of astronautical exploration.

From the library of the White Mages, in Graystorm, Gelldor. To learn more about spheronauts and astropods, read A Guide to Spheronautical Travel.