Voidships and Void Travel

Voidship Statistics

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Ship Skill Test

Certain tests will be made against ship stats of Maneuverability and Detection. {placeholder}

Ship Security

Three stats: Vigilance, Access, and Enforcement. Vigilance is the ability to detect and identify internal threats. Access is the ability to stymie attempts of rebellions, infiltrators, and traitors from getting access to critical information or systems. Rated from 0 to 6. Add Master of Whispers Notice skill to Vigilance, High Factotum's Administer skill to Access, and Chief Bosun's Lead skill to Enforcement.

Intra-System Travel

Travelling through a star system (outside of battle) is measured in the number of days it takes to travel from one System Element (planet, gas giant, asteroid field, Warp transition point, etc.) to another. By default, traveling between two system elements in the same zone takes 16 days divided by the Speed of the voidship (round remainders to the nearest hour if that matters.) Travelling between an element in one zone to another zone takes 16 weeks divided by the Speed of the starship, rounded to the nearest day. Travelling to or from a Dominant zone doubles the time, travelling to or from a Weak zone halves the time.

Travelling from a System Element to its Orbital Features (moons, asteroids, etc.) or vice-versa takes 8 days divided by the Speed of the voidship.

Stellar Zones

Star systems have three Zones:

• Inner Cauldron: The area adjacent to the star, filled with hot worlds, solar flares, and radiation.
• Primary Biosphere: The area where life-bearing planets are most likely to occur.
• Outer Reaches: The extant reaches of the star system, filled with cold worlds and little else.

Stellar Hazards

Certain stellar hazards can manifest in a system. When travelling from one element to another, roll 1d6. If the number is equal or less than the number of hazards in the zone, a random hazard is encountered. When travelling from one zone to another, sum the number of hazards in both zones, and randomly roll from both zones.

Radiation Bursts and Solar Flares can occur even while a ship is in orbit or stationary. Whenever a ship is in the Inner Cauldron, at any system element, roll a 1d6. If the number is equal or less than the total of the Radiation Bursts or Solar Flares, the entire zone will be affected by that hazard in 1d8 days. Voidships or other sensors can detect the build up on a successful Notice/WIS or Cogitomancy/INT test against a difficulty of Detection. If the hazard is detected, the effects can only be avoided by sheltering behind a planet or gas giant, or by leaving the Zone.

Asteroid Cluster

Passing through an Asteroid Cluster requires a Pilot/DEX or Pilot/WIS test against a difficulty of 2+Maneuverability.

On a failure, the ship takes 1d4+1 damage times the difference between the roll and the difficulty. E.g. failing by three would cause the ship to take 3d4+3 damage. The damage ignores void shields.

Tests using a ship's auger arrays in an asteroid cluster increase their difficulty by 1.

Typically Asteroid clusters are relatively concentrated and easy to avoid; if the voidship is navigating to an asteroid cluster it doesn't count as a hazard, and if it appears as a hazard, on a 1-3 on 1d6, the voidship bypasses the asteroid cluster without delay.

Asteroid Belt

An asteroid belt is treated as an asteroid cluster. However, the test to pass through is made against 1+Maneuverability.

Avoiding an asteroid belt adds 4 days to the transit, as the voidship leaves the plane of the system.

Dust Cloud

Dust clouds confuse sensors and make holding a proper course more difficult.

Passing through a dust cloud on a proper course requires a Navigate/INT test against a difficulty of 1+Detection. On a failure, add a number of days equal to the difference between the roll and the difficulty.

Tests using a ship's auger arrays in an asteroid cluster increase their difficulty by 3.

Gravity Riptide

Gravity Riptides can only be identified with a Notice/WIS or Cogitomancy/INT against a difficulty of 2+Detection.

If detected, they can be avoided by a Pilot/DEX test against a difficulty of Maneuverability. The voidship's helmsman can also attempt to "ride the tide" with a Pilot/DEX test against a difficulty of 2+Maneuverability. If successful, subtract a number of days from travel time equal to the difference between the roll and the difficulty.

On a failure on any of these tests, the voidship is caught in the riptide. The ship takes 1d5 damage, ignoring shields and armor. The helsman makes a Pilot/DEX test against a difficulty of 2+Maneuverability. On a success, it escapes the riptide; on a failure it takes another 1d5 and is still caught. This is repeated until the ship is free (or destroyed.)

Radiation Burst

When a radiation burst occurs, an affected voidship suffers the Sensors Damaged critical result. Affected voidships and stations cannot send or receive vox transmissions.

Solar Flare

When a Solar Flare occurs, the voidship suffers 1d5 hits from a Macrobattery weapon with damage of 1d10+3 and no crit rating.

System Surveying and Scanning

• Uses Detection as the main stat
• System Scan takes 1d6 hours by default

Warp Travel

Warp Routes

Every Warp Route goes from one star system to another - it is difficult, dangerous, and often pointless to attempt a route to a spot in "open space" between the stars.

Each warp route has three aspects that affect travel: the route's Stability, the current Occultation of the Astronomicon, and the Duration of Passage (in days).

If the route has been mapped/is well known, using the indicated Stability and Duration of Passage shown in that record.

However, if the route is unknown, the GM must determine these factors in secret ahead of time.

First, the GM rolls 1d10 to determine Route Stability.

Then roll 1d8 to Determine the Base Duration. Add +1 if the locations are in adjacent regions, and +2 if they are in non-adjacent regions.

Modify Base Duration by Route Structure to get the Duration of Passage.

The Occultation of the Astronomicon is determined by the region of the Koronus Expanse, unless the GM has decided that events or stellography occults the Astronomicon. The GM secretly rolls a 1d10; if the regions Astronomicon rating is met, the Astronomicon is occulted and hidden.

Warp Travel Procedure

Step 1: Read the Auguries of Fate

Navigator reads the auguries to estimate how long the trip will take at decent speed and how clear the Astronomicon is. Auguries are most important for an unknown route. For a known route, augeries are important to discover the clarity of the Astronomicon.

The Navigator makes a Pray/WIS or Know Forbidden/INT skill roll against difficulty 8. Basic charts add +1 and Detailed charts add +2. On a success, there is good tidings, GM tells them the Duration of Passage and whether the Astronomicon is obscured. On a failure, Navigator has misread the auguries in some way or the auguries are just plain bad. the GM secretly rolls on the following chart (separately for the Duration Estimate and the Astronomicon Occultation):

For an unknown or uncharted route, the GM reports whether the tidings are good or ill, the Estimated Duration (though calling it the Duration of Passage), and how clear the Navigator believes the Astronomicon to be. The Re-Entry effect will be used in Step 5, but is not told to the players. For known routes where successful auguries have been previously read, the GM will not report a new Estimated Duration, but will report the tidings and the clarity of the Astronomicon, and secretly record which Re-Entry effect to use in Step 5.

A Navigator can attempt to divine new, better auguries after 1d4 days.

If the Navigator rolls an unmodified 2 or 12, a Warp Storm is brewing nearby. The captain can choose to prepare the vessel and take 1d4 to purify the hull with alchemical unguents. If they choose not to (or cannot), they translate into a Warp Storm during Step 2.

Step 2: Translation

Translation into and out of the Warp always occurs in a system's Outer Reaches. Attempting to translate from further in results in disaster. The ship must travel to an empty zone in the Outer Reaches of a system to translate out of a system and enter the Warp.

The actual translation itself can be performed without a Navigator and in about ten minutes. However, at least one hour must be spent by the captain and senior officers to ward off ill tidings and bad luck prior to the translation, while nothing else may be done (e.g. firing weapons, maneuvering.) If this warding is not undertaken, a Navigator fails any skill test where they roll a 4 for the duration of the voyage.

Translations are usually uneventful themselves, but have two possible effects:

• Omen. Roll a 1d100. If the result is greater than the Crew Morale, the negative emotions of the crew attract entities of the Warp. A terrible omen is seen throughout the ship.
  • The senior officers must choose a stratagem to counteract the ill-omen. This may allow for a test (typically at difficulty 8-10) or may bypass the test entirely, if the crew has something sufficiently inspiring and symbolic. As a default, the senior officers can choose two options. The Lord-Captain can address the entire ship with a stirring or scolding speech, making a Lead/STR, Lead/INT, or Lead/CHA test against difficulty 9. Alternatively, the Ship's Confessor or any Missionary may lead a great prayer or symbolic castigation, making a Pray/WIS or Pray/CHA test against difficulty 9. On a success, the omen is negated.
  • If the omen is not negated or the officers' stratagem failed, any roll of doubles on the Warp Travel Encounter table result in a Psychic Predators encounter, in addition the the encounter rolled.
• Hallucinations. A character that is Frail, recovering from Mortal Wounds, or has used up more than half their System Strain must make a Mental saving throw with a +4 bonus. If they fail, they suffer from a Hallucination. Any time an "All's Well" Warp Encounter is rolled, the character may roll an additional Mental saving throw to shake off the effect.

If a warp storm is brewing in the Warp and precautions were not taken in Step 1, the voidship immediately suffers the Warp Storm Warp Encounter after translating without any chance to avoid it.

Step 3: Locating the Astronomicon

Once translated, the Navigator must quickly locate the Astronomicon before the ship is swept off-course by the tides of time and fate.

The Navigator makes a Navigate/INT skill test, with a difficult determined by the route's aspects:

If the test is failed, the Astronomicon is not found, and the Navigator suffers a -2 to all tests for the duration of the journey.

If the "All's Well" Warp Encounter is rolled, the Navigator can attempt to locate the Astronomicon again.

Step 4: Navigating the Warp

Finally, the Navigator must steer the voidship through the Warp. The Navigators aboard a ship are the only ones capable of peering out into the aether and seeing the dangers and paths ahead.

The Navigator makes a Navigate/INT skill test against difficulty 9, including any modifiers from prior steps. Basic charts decrease the difficulty to 8, and Detailed charts decrease the difficulty to 7. Subtract the Difficulty from the Navigator's modified roll, and compare the difference on the chart below:

The Actual Duration of Passage is the number of days (from the voidship's perspective) that it spends in the Warp. It also determines how many Warp Encounters will occur during the passage. Certain Warp Encounters can increase the Actual Duration of Passage.

If this roll is failed, the Re-Entry Accuracy from Step 1 is worsened by 1 step (On Target to Slightly Off-Course, Slightly Off-Course to Significantly Off-Course.)

Step 5: Re-Entry

The effects of re-entry are initially determined by the Re-Entry Accuracy, as determined in Step 1 and modified in Step 4. If the Navigator successfully read the auguries and succeeded in Navigating the Warp, then they are On Target. If they were forced to exit the Warp early for any reason, they are Severely Off-Course.

If the additional travel time from Warp Travel Encounters is more than 50% the Duration of Passage, the Re-Entry Accuracy is worsened by 1 step.

The Re-Entry Accuracy is further modified depending on whether the Astronomicon was located in Step 3. If the Re-Entry Accuracy is On Target, but the Astronomicon still has not been located, the Navigator makes one final attempt to locate the Astronomicon. If they fail, they become Slightly Off-Course. If the Re-Entry Accuracy is Slightly Off-Course or Severely Off-Course, but the Astronomicon has been spotted by the Navigator, they can make on last attempt to steer themselves closer. They may make a Navigate/INT test against Difficulty 10, with their Re-Entry Accuracy improving by one step if they succeed.

The results of the Re-Entry Accuracy are as follows:

• On Target. The voidship has successfully arrived, typically thanks to the Navigator's steady hand. The number of days in realspace that have passed is the Actual Duration of Passage * 2d6.
• Slightly Off-Course. The voidship has failed to ply a safe route, and now may arrive in a dangerous location or the wrong location entirely. Roll on the Inaccurate Re-Entry table to determine where the ship ends up. The number of days in realspace that have passed is the Actual Duration of Passage * 4d6.
• Severely Off-Course. The voidship has become extremely lost, and is headed far from its intended destination. Roll on the Inaccurate Re-Entry table with a +40 modifier to determine where the ship ends up. The number of days in realspace that have passed is the Actual Duration of Passage * 6d6.

Inaccurate Re-Entry

Charting Routes

After a ship has reentered realspace, the Navigator or the Carto-Artifex can attempt to chart the route. Only routes which are reasonably stable can be charted. The mapper makes a Navigate/INT test against difficulty 8, 10, or 12, if the Re-Entry was On-Target, Slightly Off-Course, or Severely Off-Course, respectively. If the test is passed, the mapper makes Detailed charts. If the test is failed by 2 or less, the mapper makes Basic charts.

These charts must immediately be presented by the Navigator to their House. Detailed Charts increase the party's Profit Factor by 1, with an additional 1 for every 180 days of passage duration.

Warp Encounters

Every eight days of warp travel, the GM rolls to determine the Warp Encounters. If the ship has a Warpsbane hull, she rolls twice and lets the Navigator choose the result.

There are three types of Warp Encounters: Internal, Psychic, and Physical. Each encounter type has a different manifestation and impact, and can be handled in different ways.

Internal

Warp Incursions

When a Warp Incursion occurs, the GM rolls a 1d10 and modifies by the Gellar Field's activity: -3 if the Gellar Field is functional, and +3 if it is offline. {table}

Avoiding Warp Encounters

To avoid a physical encounter that has been detected, the Navigator must succeed at a Navigate/INT test against difficulty 8. If they succeed, they press their powers and arcane navigation cogitators to their limits, finding a way through in time, and communicating that to the helm and engineerium. Then, the helmsman can make a Pilot/DEX test against difficulty 8 to avoid the hazard. Alternatively, a senior officer in the engineerium may make a Fix/INT or Know Forbidden/INT test against Difficulty 8 to overclock the Warp engine and power past the obstacle.

To avoid a psychic encounter, the Navigator must begin a Trial of the Soul. During a Trial of the Soul, the character will be tested by visions from the Warp, cast in the Navigator's conception of the warp. If they succeed in their Trial of the Soul, the encounter is avoided. If the character fails, the encounter manifests, and any damage or injuries taken during the trial manifest in reality. Additionally, the character must make a Mental Save or gain 1 Corruption point.

The Navigator need not attempt these tests, for using the wyrding of their Third Eye, they may direct the visions to other player characters aboard the ship, who must face the Trial of the Soul themselves. The Navigator's player has the final say on who must face the Trial of the Soul.