Dungeons the Dragoning 40k 7e campaign setting goes to heck

**Telok** · 2022-06-30, 01:36 AM (ISO 8601)

Right. I ran about a year long Dungeons the Dragoning 40k 7e game. I'm planning on restarting it with a new set of characters and some of the old players (and hopefully some new players too). This is mostly thinking out loud, but if anyone wants to chime in they're welcome to. If you have no idea what DtD40k7e is about that's OK, you can get the major overview from TVTropes or dig through that thread in my sig where I did a lets read then went and rewrote chunks of the system that didn't work well the first time through.

Mapping the universe

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Core: Sigil & mixed civilized crystal spheres
North Core: Illithid/Aboleth Coalition spheres & south side of the Great Warp Rift
East Core: Human Imperium & mixed spheres
South Core: Mixed industry spheres & Elven Imperial Navy hegemony
West Core: Mixed spheres
North Rim: North side Of Great Warp Rift & Eldarin Expanses
North East Rim: Frontier & unexplored
East Rim: Tau frontier & forgotten/hazard spheres
South East Rim: Dark Eldarin & pirate territory
South Rim: Hazard spheres & EIN-DE Militarized Zone
South West Rim: Exotic mini-sphere clusters, shattered Syrnth mega-sphere, warp storms
West Rim: Ork zone & mixed spheres
North West Rim: Danger zone, Mechanus, sealed spheres

Setting history

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History (all "dates" before 38000 very approximate, maybe +/- 1000, frankly it's a silly long anyways)
0. Golden age forerunner civilization, Syrnth, create Eldarin & Gnome servitor/slave races
10000. Syrnth war with energy beings that create Modrons to eliminate all biological life
11000. Syrnth create Dragons to fight, Dragons create Dragonborn & Orks as cannon fodder
12000. Great Warp Rift 90% cuts off north sectors of current universe. Syrnth civilization collapse & crystal sphere shattered, Abyss crystal sphere first documented. Modrons disappear & Mechanus sphere seals/sealed up, fate of energy beings unknown
14000. Dragon-Eldarin Wars, Elves & Kenku created by Eldarin, Kobolds created by Dragonborn, Bahamut/Tiamat schism
16000. General civilization collapse, dark ages, end of Dragon-Eldarin Wars, Tiamat "killed", Bahamut isolates in Celestia
21000. Several north/core spheres have suns go dim or redshift as Aboleth & Illithid emerge & conquer them
25000. The Webway is found/constructed, Loth & Vivec rise to power and split Dark Eldarin from Eldarin
28000. Rise of Celestia Order Gods & Abyss Chaos Gods, Assimar & Tiefling races created. Celestia-Abyss war begins, Gray Waste crystal sphere becomes main battleground for no apparent reason, Elven Imperial Navy organized
31000 - 34000. missing time, missing records, lotsa wars, who knows what
35000. Sigil Faction Council organized, Lucifer Insurance Agency offers public stock
36000. General recovery of civilization, significant trade restarts
37000. Cocaine Wizards Guild, & Bytopia Economic Council established
38000. Humans & Tau appear, Human-Eldarin Boer Wars
39000. Humans get Faction Council seat, general sort-of kind-of peace (except Celestia-Abyss war), tourism becomes a viable industry
39500. Ostentatious Display of Wealth is built, one of the largest modern ships in existence, luxury cruise liner, mysterious captain/owner
40000ish. Game begins

Previous game events

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Time after game start in roughly approximate months
-1 PC start as 'trouble shooters' on the Ostentatious Display of Wealth, a luxury liner so rich & famous it can hire superheroes for pest extermination. The game universe is effectively in a stable holding pattern.
0 (Core) PCs investigate a Modron sleeper base, capture a pirate ship, strike out on their own from the Ostentatious Display of Wealth
1 (Core) PCs fail to hijack a docked smuggling (molasses) ship at dock in Sigil [google "maple syrup cartel"]
2 (SCore) PCs are sentenced to a penal battalion, given bomb collars, & shipped to Carceri for exploration & lost expedition recovery
3 (S) PCs rescue a Dark Mechanus with Syrnth lost-tech (cyber-zombie nanotech), a 3-way space-kaiju vs. station vs. ship fight, PCs recover & repair a ship to escape from Carceri & penal battalion
DESTABILIZATION #1: Dark Mechanus with cyber-zombie nanotech goes off to fond a planet to conquer
4 (S) PCs travel to 7 Suns sphere & Pandemonium, shenanigans in Pandemonium
5 (S) PCs deliver dark gibberlings to Vampire Council, then travel to Ghennha for an illegal auction of shady stuff
6 (SSE) An EIN base is destroyed in a minor sphere (PCs as DE privateers to attack counterfeiters), back to Ghennha then to the Great Warp Rift following info bought at auction
DESTABILIZATION #2: Elven imperial Navy vs Vivec & Loth guerilla war that takes out whole planets
8 (N) PCs attempt the recovery of a 2km long ancient Syrne assault landing craft with bio-weapon type D&D shadows
9 (N) PCs tow the ship to Athas for "cleaning" and initiate a shadow-pocalypse, PCs release: the Athas dragon(Borys) (goes to Core), Radj(unknown entity Borys was keeping imprisoned)
DESTABILIZATION #3: Release the last(?) C'tan that nobody remembers how to fight
10 (Core) PCs tow the big ship to Sigil, release: a rogue Sorcerer-King (goes to west core & attracts followers), a daemonlord (Buer) (hijacks a patrol ship & goes to east rim), get repairs & re-crew, generally attract attention by being rich hobos with treasure & violence, investigative reporters start poking around PCs
DESTABILIZATION #4: Lets just let a major daemonlord out to play
11 (NE) PCs travel to travel to Athas and then to Horror crystal sphere (hired by Illithid to trace Gith & ensure extinction), (SW) EIN wipes Gehenna of DE civ, Vivec flees to Webways, DE moderate factions are eliminated
12 (N) PCs @ Athas again, Illithid gain shadows for apocalypse, (SCore) 7 Suns primary space station seals off a containment zone for runaway Syrnth nanotech (cyber-zombies)
DESTABILIZATION #5: Illithid have a pretty good super-terror-weapon now
13 (NE) PCs @ Horror, clockwork horrors escape the sealed sphere (Horror) & learn of spelljamming because the PCs didn't close & lock the door behind them
DESTABILIZATION #6: Clockwork Horrors get out & get FTL travel
14 (N) Illithid world coalition with access to shadow-pocalypse & taxi by PCs returns to Sigil, (SE) DE piracy incidents spike about x10
15 (Core) Sigil Syrnth nanotech infestation, 1/23rd of Sigil (about the size of London) sterilized with plasma venting, Illithid pay & press release thanking PCs for assistance, investigative reporter hired on as crew on PC ship publishes not flattering articles
16 (Core) Athas dragon arrives at Sigil, gives an interview & kickstarter for a jihad for vs "Radj", gains unanimous backing from Dragon Council, repairs completed the PCs are now persona non grata in Sigil & go exploring
17 (E) The daemonlord cathedral ship fleet is spotted near the tarrasque-world hazard sphere, (S) a DE pirate fleet glasses an elf-majority agricultural-world in a minor sphere
18 (E) PCs harass a Modron cube in a forgotten sphere, "harvest" Modron necrometal chunks & leave for Bytopia, (NCore) Illithids test the shadow-pocalypse on a rebelling slave colony
DESTABILIZATION #7: Wakey wakey Mr.Modron, time to try to exterminate all life in the universe again
19 (SCore) PCs arrive at Bytopia, bypass normal docking & traffic for Ring Zero (a semi-abandoned semi-ruin orbital ring station), EIN armade @ Bytopia on massive acquirement of torpedoes & munitions, (NW) An Eldarin frontier sphere is lost to a spelljamming clockwork horror ships attack, (various) reports of random Syrnth nano-cyber-zombie breakouts traced back to 7 Suns & the Dark Mechanus (who arrived on the PC's old ship but the connection isn't fully traced yet)
20 (N) The Great Warp Rift experiences some expansion, cutting off most of the usual passages between core & the north rim, (SE) full EIN mobilization against DE piracy starts moving
DESTABILIZATION #8: Ancient "drop chunks of the universe into the Warp" weapons activate on detecting C'tan near the "blast radius" possibly require a mass migration of Illithid & Aboleth to new worlds
-- end of game due to covid --
PCs are at Bytopia & planning to go to Acheron, they were paying for services in "clean" Modron necrometal chunks
-- planned future events at that time --
20 (SCore) A quadrone Modron is spotted on Ring Zero of Bytopia, the PC ship violently undocks from the ring & flees, seriously violating Bytopia traffic laws on a fast burn out-system, Ring Zero collapses & some bits spin off into the rest of the system
22 (WCore) Athas-style defiler mages start appearing having been taught/shown by the Sorcerer-King, (S) an Eldarin worldship & an EIN Armada ship at a neutral sphere attacked by DE pirate fleet & 3 worlds in the sphere semi-glassed
23 (SE) EIN 'clears' 4 DE claimed spheres & posts a $$$ bounty for DE spelljammer navigators, (far-E) an activated Modron death-star type ship is spotted in a officially uninhabited minor (and now lifeless) sphere
24 (core) The Vampire Council begins selling cyber-controlled dark gibberling bodyguards to vamps, (W) a minor couple million population Ork colony goes dark having been nano-zombied by the Dark Mechanus

The last game ended about month 20. I know what the old PCs were going to do next and have about another three months of that the NPCs are all doing. That takes us up to maybe month 24. The next game will start somewhere from month 24 to 36, aboard the Ostentatious Display of Wealth, with the new PCs as troubleshooters (free supplies of cheap red armor, effectively unlimited las pistols, inane &OR insane orders, and cheap recreational drugs). The ODW is a rich enough environment that it can hire teams of exalts for pest extermination. Considering the ODW's passengers and the pests in this setting that's not unbelievable. The ODW is a potential plot point but nobody has ever bothered to engage with it. The ODW will be a bit off it's normal high-end tourist-trap routes and the new PCs will be sent planet-side to round up some fodder for on-ship arena blood sports (people, animals, mimes, a 30m tall mini-kaiju or two) and investigate a 'strange sensor reading' that will turn out to be yet another Modron sleeper base that some stupid kobolds are trying to enslave and/or 'mine' but are instead waking up. Naturally everything will have a terrible outcome and the PCs will probably end up having to flee before being caught in an orbital bombardment. Next will be the traditional pirate attack where the PCs can nab themselves a spaceship if they didn't already have one. By then the players will have started something and I can just roll along with the consequences.

Previous party gets lost in time

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The previous party buggered off to Acheron, spawn point of infinite Orks, weird mining, and a crotchety old dragon running a mining claim enforcement cartel. They were going to meet a mecha-lich to have some of their necrometal purified and turned into a shield for one of the party. There was a to be an epic week-long drinking binge skill challenge, find and social-fu an ork nob into a name change (to "Bun-Bun"), defeat said ork without killing it in a 'duel' of his/her choosing, and a vision quest/spirit-heist in someone else's mining claim with halfling werewolves. Naturally at this point there are 2 rather large bounties on them (Vivec & EIN, Athas dragon will just try to kill them if crossing paths), their ship is literally a chunk of gold-plated precursor-tech, and both the Ilithid and daemonlord have publicly thanked them for their assistance. I'm just sort of assuming that they get lost in a stasis-time-warp thing that happens sometimes in Acheron because they absolutely won't have checked for local physics exceptions that are noted in most encyclopedias & nobody has the "common sense" feat.

What needs to be decided is the overall 'what are the NPCs doing' plot from month 24 onwards. Obviously everything is getting worse, and the rate & magnitude of "worse" is starting to increase. If anyond reads the books the basic game setting as presented in book 1 and alignment factions presented in book 2 are present, plus the stuff I made up (tbd later post probably).

Misc. notes

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1) The Dark Mechanus & nano-zombies (living or recently dead infected & animated with Syrnth nanotech) is actually friendly to the OLD PCs for being rescued but will still be working to take over spheres in the west, it needs capable assistants to help lead/control nano-zombies
2) Illithid are "junior" Aboleth,with maturation controlled by hormones & eating other Illithid brains (well kept secret by the Aboleth, Illithid cannibalism is culturally manipulated to be unacceptable)
3) The Illithid/Aboleth have multiple long long long term plans to rule universe w/ assorted mind control methods. They also work to ID & manipulate "exalt adventurer groups" (read clueless no-family no-friends powerful murder-hobos) as deniable assets & force multipliers. This requires there to be a universe worth conquering/ruling.
4) Borys - for stats Athas dragon is double 'young' dragon everything & caster 5(all). He was keeping "Radj" trapped in Athas via mass sacrifices & soul-power harvesting. He can slow-FTL in the astral sea. While not tech savvy (because Athas was 99.9% cut off from everything else) he learns really fast & saw the OLD PC ship doing orbital strikes. Very very people savvy & has a lich style self resurrect in a hidden astral sea fortress. Only knows SOME of what Radj is, being a hatchling at the time of imprisonment during the Syrnth civilization collapse.
5) Radj - a C'tan energy being, the last(?) survivor of great Syrnth war, it has now escaped Athas and is proceeding to a nearby inhabited crystal sphere to eat all life force & the sun & then amoeba split.
6) The Great Warp Rift grows by lost-tech Syrnth almost-AI weapons in (3 crystal spheres, TBD) on detection of C'tan/Modron activity within ??? distance of the Great Warp Rift. it will grow the rift indefinitely if the signal persists, engulfing nearby spheres in 3-5 years & Sigil in 10-15
7) The daemonlord Bauer- polar bear head, many eyes all over it's body, wears pants, one arm torn off (not by the OLD PCs, it came that way). Has a sense of humor, likes art & architecture, but way total super non-human sensibilities and not good at them itself. It's presence causes fear & madness, it gives good familiars, it summons more daemons given time. It is building a fleet of daemon cathedral ships mutated from captured people ships & farming tarasques for "assault shuttle torpedo warheads". It will get to 23 ships then begin to "spread art & culture" to the wider universe. On ships crewed by lesser daemons the officers are all greater daemons (note about 1/10 greater daemons can teleport ala a teleportarium w/out the distance limit but with conservation of momentum instead). In ship-to-ship combat: greater daemons that can teleport, run as per teleportarium ship console, count as 1 attacking 'crew' per greater daemon, max 1/4 ship crew # to go, loss in boarding action doesn't reduce daemon ship crew, assume they generally teleport back before they are defeated.
8) Nibenay - a reasonably sane Sorcerer-King bought passage out on the OLD PC ship. He is recruiting new templars & knowledge of defiling is spreading (defiling: replace warp crap rolls with damage to nearby life, one wound per +5 on the warp roll to that number of meters radius, magic energy gizzard hit that bypasses all armor & aura, if there are no sapiens within wound range the caster takes the damage, all plants auto-die, animals are wounded/killed). Nibenay will try to conquer a city/moon/colony in west or west core, build a ziggurat & go full dragon ritual (which involves sacrificing ten thousand to a hundred thousand people to power up).
9) Modron necrometal is slowly (speed by mass, more = faster) infectious to normal metal & may recombine unless sufficiently purified. That requires serious powerful magic or heating it to a gaseous state to correctly purify it. The OLD PCs have about ~600kg in ~350g blocks in sealed plastic bins on their ship & like to pay people with it (telling them it's pure/safe). The Bytopia incident happened because the OLD PCs paid someone 2kg and it got put in a square metal safe. Also self aware AIs that are near enough to any necrometal and left on long enough tend to spontaneously mentally transmogrify into Modrons & necrometal. People are aware of the effect (leave AIs on long enough = bad) but not of the necrometal link.
10) The EIN is trying to catch DE navigators to coerce into navigating to the Webways, then they'll bring in a fleet & blow all up. $$$ bounty.
11) Without Gehenna the non-Webways major DE population is disorganized piracy getting extra support from Loth now. Vivec will coalesce several pirate groups into a fleet for strikes on Elf/Eldarin worlds then disbands the group & scatters.
12) Eldarin worldship fleets south of the Great Warp Rift are now supporting the EIN vs DE pirates or trying to find a way back north.
13) Clockwork horrors are ancient Syrnth self-replicating magical war machines created to fight Modrons, they now lack all control & have discovered spelljamming. They will spread to make more of themselves unless stopped. The only limit on population is area mana levels & metal-type resources, those get used up to make more CHs. Platinum CH are genius level, gold CH are smart, electrum CH are standard human level intellect, all are tech & magi-tech & craft savvy. They were sealed in the Diskworld (t.prachett) sphere & consumed 80% of the A'tuin world turtle over the last 12000 years. There are lots and lots of them in there, and they have fleets of 'spacecraft' that are reactors, engines, etc., wrapped in 'hull' made of of layers of interlocked CH. Stats: treat them as holdings 1 & 2 steamboats (smallest spelljammer) w/fighter bays and there are lots of them, after a defeat a ship will reform 60% over a month if left alone, to full in 2 months if it can get more materials.
14) Shadows: size 1 flying(12) quasi-incorporeal (no through-walls ability) 'black blob ghost' style minions, quality & threat 2 except that they can reorganize on the fly and have no upper limit on numbers, each additional +6 shadows gives +1 threat and quality. Each one absorbs ~50% light in 1m each, and overlap extends the area & deepens the darkness, direct sunlight destroys ~33% each round (90% per minute). They sense light as 'sight' and as 'hearing' (so somewhat around corners), can tell sunlight from other light, sense (see, smell, hear) life/motion/heat/soul/breath/organic matter to about 30m & move towards it. Their touch consumes life force, kills & sterilizes, does magic energy damage, normal hit location, aura defends but armor doesn't. On consumption/killing of animating life force (a rat is enough, grasshoppers not enough unless there are locust swarm amounts) it spawns 1d5 (max = victim size, min = 1) more shadows in 1d5 rounds. They were originally a Syrnth terror weapon but won't work on Modrons. They were created for something else.

TO-DO list:
1) Decide if the Modron Quadrone or infectious necrometal survived de-orbiting from the Ring Zero collapse. If yes then it begins infecting ring debris. The locals will orbital bombard for months if it is detected. What is the chance of orbital ring destruction debris being flung out of gravity well? If it landed it will scavenge metals to convert into a couple Modrons that will begin to build an underground base on a 5 to 10 year time scale before the next action.
2) Dark Mechanus: Decide on a timeline to convert a population to cyber-zombies. Decide on the need for assistants to control/organize the CZs. Does a critical mass of nanotech achieve sapience?
3) Athas dragon (Borys): What's the next move? Success on the fleet kickstarter? A Bahamut-Tiamat-Illithid truce until the successful destruction of Radj? He doesn't know enough to get it all right, some weapons will be useless & the initial attack (if they can even find it) will likely fail spectacularly.
4) Radj/C'tan: Next location? Estimated time to arrival?
5) More random & uncontrolled Syrnth nanotech infections? There was a really good reason to do the research deep in Carceri and never let it out.
6) Illithid world coalition next move? Their interstellar council is bickering but there is a consensus about evacuating worlds near the Great Warp Rift if any more expansion is detected. That will require more ships & conquering new worlds & populations (they will not bother to evacuate non-Illithid/Aboleth). What are the next adventurer party(s) to manipulate? They have abandoned tainting universe food supply worlds & shipping with mind control drugs because they can't get enough coverage (disposed of these excess assets as payment to OLD PCs). They will continue with inserting sanity degrading & mind control enhancing subconscious messaging into pirated popular media since the OLD PCs didn't shut down the base (They killed some Illithid, missed the Aboleth, terrorized some gnome mind-slaves, shot it up a little bit, and left).
7) Eldarin spheres & worldship fleets vs clockwork horrors N of the Great Warp Rift, what happens next? They don't have a major united faction like the EIN or Terran Hegemony.
8) EIN vs DE pirates & Vivec, what happens next? Scorched earth vs guerrilla warfare?
9) The daemonlord's next move happens when? How many tarrasque-torpedoes does it need. Must stat tarrasque (use ad&d stats, pre-nerfs).
10) Modron death-star ship's next move? Modrons don't spelljam, so what form of teleportation or FTL should they use? How soon will they reach the next sleeper base? Thankfully they aren't in the Mechanus quadrant or they'd make a go at opening the sphere. Need to decide how well that's sealed up.

**Telok** · 2022-07-02, 05:50 PM (ISO 8601)

Ok got factions (general groups really), cyber-yeti bodyguards, light absorbing gibberling cloning pods, godzilla, and tarrasque.

Factions

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FACTIONS - to which contacts & allies belong
Planetary or Crystal Sphere Government or Military (a bit limited but nominally the absolute power in it's sphere)
Cult of a Major Deity or Alignment (includes the alignment sub-groups in Book 2)
Sigil Council Faction (so much infighting they don't get off Sigil but amazing information collecting ability)
Werewolf or Vampire Clan (needs clan asset)
Great Wheel Order of Trade & Tariffs
Commorragha Cabal (self-governing socio-economic paramilitaries/city-states of the Webway)
Elven Imperial Navy (self sustaining elf-only space navy & protection racket)
Imperial Legions of Humanitas (human-worlds racial purity empire military)
Interworld Mercenary Bonding Authority (a type of heavily armed insurance company)
Assassins Guild (an official affiliate of the IMBA)
Hammer's Slammers (a successful & respectable mercenary company with below average bonding costs)
Dragon/Vampire/Druid Council(s) (multi-sphere powerful people cooperation councils(like little racist U.N.s))
Aztecnology (vampire council backed mega-corporation for magitech stuff)
Wild Hunt (werewolf multi-clan lycan law enforcement & unbonded mercenary organization)
Lord Dragon (any of the assorted leaders on the Dragon Council)
Eldarin World-Ship Fleet
Cocaine Wizards Guild
Inquisition L.L.C. (magic user testing & apostate hunting limited liability corporation)
Mind Flayer Diplomatic Mission (a massive public relations enterprise)
Lucifer Insurance Company
Halfling Mafia Family
Domigo Pete's Pizzeria & Spaghetti House (massive universal restaurant chain & halfling mafia front)
ComStar, AKA Communication System for Astropathic Relations & Universal Banking (also has mecha bill collectors)
Infoweb (semi-secret computer hacker & technophile network piggy-backed on all major digital information services)
Space Pirates of Infinity (an extremely loose & messy co-op style group for piracy & smuggling)

Tarrasques are ok. Tough, 15m long, throw a minivan 80-100 meters, about a 50% chance to pick up & throw a main battle tank 20m. A tough fight for a young dragon without resorting to technology (because, ya know, flight plus a big enough gun). Gets rofl-stomped by 125m tall godzilla. A tough fight for pcs of low level or low smarts.

**Telok** · 2022-07-08, 12:44 PM (ISO 8601)

Yee haw, we're snagging from apocalypse/dungeon world. Actually its specifically from a ShadowRun hack for AW/DW that I'm... well... re-hacking? Anyways this frees me from hard timelines and makes it easier for me to track & feed news stories to the PCs.

RULES: Each session roll a d10 to see which major section advances, 8-0 roll twice ignoring doubles (because we have 18 different doom bars going at the start). Roll to see which doom bar advances, on a 0 roll twice ignoring doubles, ignoring rolls where the party is directly engaging with that doom bar (those depend on adventure outcomes). Section doom rolls: 1 = automatic, 2 & 4 = 1-8 select & 9-0 roll twice, 3 = 1-9 select & on 0 roll twice, 5+ 1-0 selects normally.

Each tick on a doom bar creates a newsworthy event sometime in the past (potential travel lag from places without ComStar & survivors of space/warp encounters). When the PCs first engage with a doom bar add one tick to represent travel time. At 5 ticks the event is set for the climax, the doom is ready to happen. Items specifying the number of entities "in an adventure" only refer to adventures occurring in that set of related dooms.

Hmm... maybe should run some simulations to see how fast dooms pile up if ignored. Ooh, and I forgot one. Have to add in the Athasan sorcerer_king spreading defiling magic.

STARTING NEWS:

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Several minor ork colonies in a western sector have sent distress calls then gone dark. Elven polities under the EIN demand retribution on the dark eldarin polity(s) for the increase in piracy & unprovoked attacks on worlds. The SemiDecAnnual Orklympics is happening in SIgil & Fazz Bazz the Leggy is favored to win the ork baby punting competition this year, plus the Circum-Sigil Motorbike 8000 Race has officially banned guided missiles for the third time in a century [request rules updates & entry forms from ComStar account 321858.675692.627424.729585]. A fast moving nebula with strange energy readings was reported by a deep space explorer near the east end of the Great Warp Rift, a scientists guild is planning an expedition with support from the Cocaine Wizards Guild. In other Great Warp Rift news the borders of the rift are still unusually unstable after the recent .37 LY expansion, caution is advised in all rift corridor transits. A large spelljammer of unusual design was spotted near _____FIND_NEAR_FALX_ON_MAP_____ by a small time explorer, reportedly it looks like a strange fractal version of a Vectron cathedral, several Vectron profits have spontaneously appeared and declared miracles or pilgrimages [send inquiries & money to ComStar group account 928537.573928.298572.840374]. A convoy of small strange spelljammers unknown design were reported seen in the warp during transit between _____FIND_NW_SECTOR_ELDARIN_SPHERES_ON_MAP_____, they failed to respond to hailing and did not appear to be aggressive, is it potentially the newest major spelljamming species since the arrival of humanity? A large lone spelljammer like an eldarin world-ship was spotted at the ____FIND_LAST_MODRON_SPHERE_LOCATION_FROM_OLD_NOTE S____ crystal sphere, eldarin representatives claim no knowledge of such a world-ship noting the lack of support vessels. The super-luxury liner Ostentatious Display of Wealth is off of it's normal route of first rate tourist destinations and is going on a 5-year tour of safari themed wilderness excursions [request information & tickets from ComStar account 000985.008195.027153.426028]. Mega-star Bezroop Hag-Waggler has canceled all currently scheduled performances in ____PICK_SOMEWHERE____ due to a sudden nervous breakdown supposedly brought on by binge watching several bootlegged children's shows from her childhood on ____FIND_PLACE_IN_SOUTH_SECTORS____, she is expected to make a full recovery in 2 to 5 years.

SECTIONS & DOOMS

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1. dark mechanus with cyber-zombie tech
A. convert more orks into cyber-zombies & get ships - SPECIAL: continues to tick up to 6+, each tick a new sphere
i. isolated ork outposts are safe to take but slow, several minor colonies send distress calls then go dark
ii. non-orks are more available but weaker, a non-ork large colony goes out with maybe some escapees
iii. hijacks a small shipping convoy with a fake distress call
iv. conquers a serious shipbuilding sphere
v. create a cyber-zombie ork whaaguh by taking an actual significant mainly ork world
DOOM: 1 -> devolves the entire sector into massive random spreading ork cyber-zombie attacks

B. deal with nascent intelligence in nanites, cat and mouse as it learns to hide and wait for the right moment
i. cyber-zombies intentionally gang up on people
ii. they pick up any guns that are dropped
iii. suppressing fire or advance by teams with over-watch
iv. flanking and feinting, also may (2/10 per round) turn on hereteks
v. decent normal tactics & all have at least common guns
DOOM: 0 -> nanites go hive mind & no longer need controllers to direct them, hereteks and dark mechanus become temporary allies of those involved to survive, no other changes, if they escape alive continue C.i until there is a dark mechanus and then duplicate this whole section from zeroes

C. the dark mechanus creates controller assistants, does not generate news events
i. make code-slaved hereteks, square of the ticks for the number of hereteks in the adventure
DOOM: 1 -> create another dark mechanus and reset this counter, hereteks stay maxxed out at 25

2. EIN v DE: gritty horror space opera fantasy ****ing Vietnam
A. DE raid the elves
i. DE spies caught
ii. uptick in piracy in teh sector
iii. all travel to the sphere involves a pirate attack
iv. a major pirate fleet forms up under Vivec somewhere nearby
v. feint attack on a different sphere using a bunch of escorts with cruise torpedoes
DOOM: 0 -> glass an elf world

B. EIN glass a DE world (running out of them fast)
i. the polity demands retribution even if its not controlled by DE or is unaligned
ii. pirate ship caught & tortured & executed
iii. EIN assembles task force & gears up
iv. large pirate attack thwarted
v. task force launches for a sphere (feint)
DOOM: 1 -> glass a DE world, if out of DE worlds/polities then someone aligned or just a 25%+ DE population

C. EIN get into webways & begin glassing everything, on ending create vivec & lolth sections, bytopia shutdown will remove 1 tick if at 4 or less
i. trying to get DE or other navigators who can get to the webways
ii. got navigators or something, interact with mind-flayers to extract info
iii. do some scouting using expendable assets (adventurers nearby or stupid looking)
iv. build up the fleet & amass weapons for the invasion of the webways
v. launch the fleet
DOOM: 1 -> fleet enters the webways and begin exterminating everything

3. c'tan - all ticks go to A first before the rest of them can advance
A. borys leads a fleet of bahamut cult assimar space marines + dragonborn AND tiamat cult tiefling chaos marines + dragonborn + assists from a few dragon lords + minor assists from the dragon council = 42 ships (5 battle, 8 cruiser, 12 frigate, 18 escort) on search & destroy
i. reports come back that ships were lost to a strange nebula
ii. reports come back the fleet has formed up to attack the nebula
iii. a few of the faster ships come back with data for their respective patrons
iv. patrons do a spasm of investigation & dragon council goes all in on support
v. major patronage for investigating syrnth ruins in & around the rift or the broken sphere
DOOM: 0 -> all mentors & allies direct party to ultimate danger zones with corresponding loss or unavailability of supporting backgrounds as the players refuse or everyone else's resources are redirected.

B. c'tan eats a sphere & splits
i. ashed sphere reported by trade ship that arrives late
ii. ramp up to lightspeed, fast moving nebula reported by deep space explorer
iii. down from lightspeed, if inhabited & connected sphere then weird science report
iv. enter sphere, begin distress signals
v. E=MC^2, converting matter in sphere spikes distress signals
DOOM: 2 -> destroyed sphere, distress signals end, and <worry> no refugees made it out

C. syrnth rift weapon expands the rift to try and get the c'tan, add a tick each time B ticks 4+ or else as indicated - pro tip: wobbilies are more nearer the c'tan and the rift will expand towards the c'tan current location on ticks 3-5 -- NOTE: the great warp rift where the warp & astral space overlap is essentially a Sargasso in the warp cutting warp speed down to regular sub-light & requiring Geller field generators undamaged & functioning at all times
i. unstable borders
ii. bigger wobblies
iii. begins expansion
iv. more than half way to the sphere(s) -- tick up mind flayer section 5.C
v. begins to engulf spheres -- tick up mind flayer section 5.C
DOOM 1 -> permanently engulfs some nearby spheres, set to zero if c'tan is destroyed or moves more than 4 sectors from the rift

4. daemonlord
A. gain tarrasque torpedoes, does not generate news events. Falx Sphere, Venus-like hell world, avg temp 65C, normal windspeed 100-300kph, zero water, high CO2 = more fatigue, does not generate news events
DOOM: 1 -> each tick is cubed to find the ultimate number of T-torps available, cannot exceed B ticks

B. gain ships & crew & assault shuttles to use for T-torps
i. wanders around Falx sphere sector a bit, spotted by small explorer/prospector
ii. raids a small trade convoy, several ships escape to report
iii. raids a planet/colony for mass sacrifices to warp in daemons & daemon possess population
iv. raids a ship building sphere & takes lots of shuttles & small craft, plus a few more ships
v. takes out a major convoy & headed towards larger population centers
DOOM: 1 -> ticks squared are the number of ships

C. spread art & terror, begin these only after A & B complete, resets on completion, uses up 2d10 T-torps
i. goes to new sphere & attacks
ii. eliminates space based opposition
iii. mass refugee event as terraforming & mutating begins, maybe 1% of total population escapes
iv. last ship escapes with news of mass daemon possession & mutation of all remaining population
v visiting r'hyleh causes SAN loss and the local mutants aren't any better
DOOM: 0 -> success with new "art" world(s) that will begin to fall into the warp, rinse and repeat

5. illithid world consortium
A. find more sets of adventurers to use as pawns, will repeat three times
i. an NPC adventuring group accomplishes something important nearby
ii. the NPC group starts exploring near the rift where the border is unstable
iii. the NPC group gets something cool + fame from successful exploration
iv. mind flayers fund NPCs expedition to specific sphere
v. NPCs super-fame for finding a syrnth rift expansion weapon & mind flayers get popularity boost
DOOM: 0 -> another exalt party vs PCs enters the current adventure

B. manipulating the PCs into being pawns
i. hard move against the PCs with memory altered pawns & illithid nearby has the exact thing they need
ii. hard move against the PCs with memory altered pawns & illithid nearby has the exact thing they need
iii. hard move against the PCs with memory altered pawns & illithid nearby has the exact thing they need
iv. mind flayers contact party for a mission with exceptional pay/rewards
v. IF B.4 = yes: mind flayers issue a press release & pay the PCs with incriminating stuff
ELSE repeat B.4
DOOM: 0 -> mind flayers attempt to blackmail PCs into helping A or C, fake evidence if needed

C. seek out and discover strange new worlds, we come in peace and shoot to kill, will repeat
i. memory altered sleepers discovered in some sphere, no actual connection or evidence to illithid
ii. rift expansion/wobbilies mean evacuate the old system, but not the slaves, will take a while
iii. target sphere suddenly devolves into chaos & civil war & general socio-economic collapse
iv. illithid refugees show up offering assistance for a place to refugee camp
v. civil war goes nuts & decapitates local military & politics, illithid take over
DOOM: 0 -> 1% population worth of refugees escape & spread civil unrest & possible calamity to nearby systems, lots die on the way, anyone who didn't make it out is mind-slaved or underground rebellion, illithid have a new sphere

6. clockwork horrors
A. expand into eldarin territory & consume worlds -- first time reports are of small strange spelljammers that never respond to hailing
i. CH fleet spotted leaving a sphere
ii. CH fleet spotted in the warp
iii. a distress signal from the sphere if applicable, otherwise a prospector/explorer escapes
iv. syrnth portals & installations are taken over as are astral space defense stations, all ships attacked on sight, some CH ships spread & break to seed the system while the rest engage local defenses
v. CH engage and consume all sources of processed metals
DOOM: 2 -> if sapient population then 4% refugees at 2%-1%-.5%-.25%-.25% each month, restart this at 1, sphere contents will be consumed over thousands of years but processed metal 90% converted to more clockwork horrors within about 6 months, restart this counter at 0 AND add another instance at 0, modulation of the signals of syrnth beacons at the sphere change & get weird

B. eldarin unite to defeat CH, start after the first time A.iii completes & tick at A completing
i. news of attacks on eldarin home-worlds by unknown forces cause all eldarin factions to go on alert & contact agents to go get more news
ii. multi world-ship fleet emergency conclave @ somewhere near PCs, all eldarin factions send a world-ship
iii. emergency conclave ends, world-ship fleets officially stop all squabbling & covert ops on each other
iv. delegates return to factions, world-ship fleets REALLY stop all squabbling & covert ops on each other
v. emergency call goes out to all eldarin & eldarin ships in good standing, adjust paths towards home spheres
DOOM: 0 -> eldarin world-ships & fleets immediately abandon all sectors south of the rift to defend spheres north of the rift

C. some CH to end-run around the great rift & head south -- pick two minor spheres & add a non-functional syrnth warp beacon to one of them
i. strange ship reported in astral space near a minor sphere in west sector near rift
ii. strange ship reported in a different minor sphere in west sector near rift
iii. the small colony is wiped out in one of the previous spheres, escapees report marauding robots
iv. convoy attacked in the warp near the spheres, small strange ships rammed into the convoy & "melted into" the targets instead of crashing, targets reported reported boarding actions by "robot bugs" & no survivors of rammed ships
v. the non-functional old syrnth warp beacon goes live but with unknown & strange modulation
DOOM: 0 -> clockwork horrors took a sphere & got more metal plus more Geller fields & spaceship parts, start an instance of A except in the west sectors starting near the rift, this does not generate a news event

7. modrons
A. survivor of ring zero collapse is burrowing & converting fallen ring zero scrap to more modrons in bytopia
i. bytopia detects & directs local elements to it
ii. bytopia interdicts planet & 99% of extra-planetary debris located
iii. bytopia nukes it from orbit, except of course something got out
iv. bytopia is no longer exporting capital weapon armaments because they need them here
v. bytopia quarantines as modrons are located on several other ships & stations
DOOM: 0 -> the biggest arms & spelljammer manufacturing sphere stops dead & seals up, outcome TBD

B. death-sphere or modron cubes go to a new sphere & awakens sleeper base & exterminates all life
i. spotted leaving a sphere
ii. spotted by a mis-jumped ship
iii. spotted by a hidden outpost (**** info though because 'hidden')
iv. a distress signal from the sphere if applicable, otherwise a prospector/explorer escapes
v. syrnth portals & installations are destroyed as are astral space defense stations, makes FTL travel harder
DOOM: 1 -> if sapient population start an instance of C else restart this at 1

C. we don't like the new neighbors, if a sleeper base exists in the system it awakens else the attacking modrons does the work, if the sleeper base does the work then immediately start another instance of B at 0
i. suddenly, modrons! everyone in the sphere panics as an initial attack takes out a large population center or the biggest defense installation, begin some early & rich refugees
ii. monoliths & cubes/death-sphere teleport to point blank range of support installations & supply, actual troops & defense installations are avoided, smart refugees leave
iii. military actions against modrons fail without the supply lines & because the suckers teleport out a lot
iv. local military on defense as modrons attack everywhere at once, mass exodus as much as local spelljamming capacity can handle (about 1% total population)
v. no functional military presence is left, begin cleansing planets of all life & chasing down refugees
DOOM: 0 -> add another instance of B, if this was from a sleeper base then it creates 1d5 modron cubes else a sleeper base is set up & cities begin to get converted into necrometal + more modrons, if there are 8 modron cubes they all converge on the next system & combine into another modron death-sphere

**Telok** · 2022-07-09, 10:49 PM (ISO 8601)

Cha, figured out what I'm going to do about the sorcerer king. Take him off the table as a doom section.

He'll be a background, mentor 2 or 3 (he's not big enough yet to be a 4 or 5) lets you take a new defiling feat instead of the tested feat. The mentor comes with a mandatory Hunted hinderance from the Inquisition, so +100 starting xp there to use. At some point he'll call on the relationship for help ascending to full dragon-hood. That'll upgrade him in mentor power but require participation in a mass sacrifice of a few ten thousand or so innocents.

Defiling as the alternative to testing. Being tested cuts the numbers added to warpy bad crap rolls in half, from +10s per die exploded/pushed to +5s. As it's percentile and 91+ is doubles or kicking up to the next level of danger (I have 4 custom tables with over 300 effects instead of the original 2 tables with about 70 effects) doing something like pushing 2 more casting dice and getting 3 10s on a cast is the diff of +50 vs +25. Since defiling is zero warps its a massive boost, and thus needs an insidious downside. Hmm... may want to add spell level back into the numbers too.

Originally, when I was just winging it, it was 1 hp damage & 5m radius per exploded/pushed die. If no animals or sapients were in radius the caster took the damage. Either way the plants & microbes all died instantly in the area. Probably keep that, adding... 1 sanity point damage to all affected?

Hmm... sessile plants auto-die. 2 wound per die for animals, insects, non-sapiens... 1 wound per die to sapiens... without sapiens in the area caster loses 1 wound & 1 sanity per die. Degeneration? Hmm... track defiling damage and every... 100? Points call for an alignment check? Those can be bought off for xp, so that's ok. Its just 250 xp from 5 back up to 6. Annoying but not incapacitating... but not quite what I want. I'd like it to be a choice between... ah, how about every 10 sanity from defiling the caster gets a degeneration instead of a temporary insanity. Caster gets an alignment check (once) to remove it when they next kill a sapient with defiling damage.

Insanity can be reduced with months of therapy, so that's cool. Its a slow process but as long as you aren't accruing more insanity you can get therapy in parallel with adventuring.

Since basic npc humans have 4 hp (if they aren't already on the board as minions) thats pretty decent. From previous experience on Athas PCs like trying to use defiling as extra damage against NPCs. Which is fine, it just makes

**Telok** · 2022-07-16, 06:36 PM (ISO 8601)

Player facing character options.

ALTERNATE STARTING GEAR

SUM TO 5 & all AVG quality best in show
3 FREE UBI/VCOM=0 revolver+knife+clothing
INCLUSIVE MAX 2 UBI WEAPONS
(example: club+knife+clothes or knife+clothes+charm or clothes+food+book)
ARMOR (max Rare, LT or MED)
RARE LT/MED=3 mesh vest
MED OTHER=2 flak jacket/plastic man
LIGHT OTHER=1 heavy leathers
WEAPONS (max Uncommon)
VCOM/COM=1 lasgun/3 frag grenades
UNCOM=2 great weapon/pulse rifle
STUFF
COM/UCOM=1 auspex/medkit/voidsuit
RARE=3 multikey

lasgun, heavy leathers, torch, knife, clothes, medkit, vacsuit, 3 stun grenades
lasgun, plastic man armor, com-bead, climbing kit, clothes, chrono, torch
unreliable grenade launcher, flail, shield, clothing, charm, torch
flak jacket, flak helmet, hand cannon, clothing, book, food
revolver, brass knuckles, clothing, auspex, combi-tool, magoculars, med-kit, void suit

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NON-LETHAL WEAPONS

From the core books the only options for non-lethal weapons are brawling in melee, needle guns loaded with tranquilizers, and webbers. You can get a bit more mileage through the sword schools and gun katas with options to add fatigue, stunning, not doing damage, and other effects. But there are very few overall physical tools for not murderously slaughtering your way through the local population. Here are some options.

EXPERIMENTAL = poor quality, adds the unreliable trait, cannot be improved in quality
INACCURATE = does not benefit from aiming
INDIRECT = lob it like a grenade or bounce it like a rubber ball, also inaccurate & does not benefit from weapon focus type abilities & feats
SNARE = DEX save vs the to-hit roll or be immobilized
CONE = dodge 5x DEX or ballistics in a cone with a base half as wide as it is long, also inaccurate
TOXIC(fatigue) = if the hit gets past armor then save CON vs 15 or gain a level of fatigue
TOXIC(normal) = if the attack does a wound then save CON vs 15 for take another wound to the gizzards
toxic weapons that use actual drugs & poisons can be switched back and forth by getting new toxins, the energy effect type weapons get the effect set when they're built and cannot usually be changed without an awful lot of tinkering and rebuilding
SHOCKING = on being hit save CON vs 15 or be stunned for one round

ORDINARY(basic & ranged 1)
glue bullet storm (attack everyone in a 30m cone with a five round burst of snare)
very rare experimental heavy gun: CONE nonlethal I p2 -/5 30m 5a 2f + snare + unreliable
primitive under barrel net launcher (a one-shot net tossing gun attachment)
common under-barrel mounted pistol: nonlethal I p0 s/- 30m 1a 2f + snare + indirect + reliable

FLAME (ranged 2)
electric arc blaster (minimum damage but really good range)
uncommon pistol: CONE 1k1 E p0 s/- 3a 60m + shocking
tangle rope shooter (stick it to everyone in a 20 meter cone, they only roll DEX vs the TN once)
rare rifle: CONE no damage I 20m 3a 1f + snare
neural neutralizer (everyone makes two CON saves vs being screwed)
rare rifle: CONE no damage E p0 20m 6a 1f + TN 15s toxic(fatigue) & shocking

"Exotic"(ranged 1)
smart-rocket stun-grenade launcher (pick someone within 30m, if they fail to dodge they have to make 2 CON saves)
very rare launcher pistol: dodge TN 15 nonlethal X 30m s/- 1a 1f + shocking + toxic(fatigue) + unreliable + blast(5)
gravity concussion cannon (see those guys over there? **** them all with suppressing fire)
rare heavy launcher: 1k1 p2 -/10 X 60m 20a 2f + recharge + blast(5) + shocking + motion predict(+1k0 to hit)
compressed-air glue rifle (its a full-auto glue rifle, what do ya want?)
uncommon exotic rifle: nonlethal I 40m s/3 12a 2f + recharge + snare
holdout taser (+10 TN for people searching you for it, just a bit short ranged)
common exotic pistol: nonlethal p0 E 5m s/- 6a 1f + compact + shocking + toxic(fatigue)
sonic pulse pistol (they get two CON saves against each stun, but it fires six shots)
rare experimental launcher pistol: CON vs TN 15 nonlethal X p0 s/6 5m 6a 1f + shocking + blast(5)

Melee weapons
shock glove (a minimum damage punching enhancement)
very common unarmed melee 1k0 I p0 + shocking
lightning buckler (offense and defense in one package)
uncommon syrnth melee 0k0(1d10-1) E p3 + shocking + flexible + defensive(-1k0 attack & +2k0 parry)
exotic particle knife (9/10 times it does a wound and forces a CON save)
uncommon syrnth melee 0k0(1d10-1) X p6 + toxic(normal) + tearing + razor sharp(if hit by > 10 points its pen-12)

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CONTACTS LIST & PLACE/GOAL LIST - for general use when they are not otherwise defined.

CONATCTS & MENTORS & ALLIES - loyal, safe, helpful, never screw with or hurt you, & have general plot semi-immunity

Contact Ranks
1 @ Butler, Janitor, Pest Exterminator, Secretary, Sargent
2 @ Apprentice, Initiate, Clerk, Policeman, Lieutenant, Scientist
3 @ Mage, Cleric, Member At Large, Major, Lead Engineer, Head Doctor
4 @ Troubleshooter, Spy, Chief Clerk, Judge, Colonel, CEO
5 @ High Sorcerer, Archbishop, General, Grand Chancellor, Mega-Corp CEO

Availability x Access x Response Time @ 1s + (1.5 x rating)
Availability: one sphere or place -> most crystal spheres nearby -> nearly everywhere & almost anytime
Access: private but unprotected data or common stuff-> very rare gear & discreet semi-legal services -> state secrets & major resources
Response Time: in about two weeks -> in a week -> today

Contact Examples:
1 = 1,2,1 = Traveling Pest Exterminator, Several secure areas at night, Week after next
= 1,1,2 = Planetary President's Butler, Can put in a good word for you, Has some time for you in 10 days
2 = 2,3,1 = Astral Space Station Traffic Clerk, Confidential documents at their job, In about 12-14 days
= 4,1,1 = Infoweb Backdoor Access, You can post questions on all illegal networks, Takes 2 weeks to get replies
3 = 1,3,3 = Head doctor of a research institute, Very rare lab stuff & access & connections, 5-7 day delivery
= 2,4,1 = Cocaine Wizard Chapter Head, Has the good stuff and apprentices, Busy schedule will call back 'soon'
4 = 4,3,2 = Elven Imperial Navy Task Force Commander, Won't seriously risk his ships, Be there by next week
= 1,4,4 = Crystal Sphere Navy Rear-Admiral, Has battleships patrolling the sphere, Ship will arrive in 2-4 days
5 = 2,5,3 = Lucifer Insurance Sub-Sector CEO, Make/fake a contract, Will return your phone call by Friday
= 4,1,5 = ComStar Lord High Dispatcher, Will change message priority, As soon as a message gets to her

Ally Exalt Power Levels
1 @ L1 & 4/5 free availability
2 @ L2 & 3/5 free availability
3 @ L3 & 2/5 free availability
4 @ L4 & 1/5 free availability
5 @ L5 & 0/5 free availability

Availability:
Free availability is no strings attached, short of whatever happens triggering a Hunted or Enemy for them.
Un-free indicates that there is either a significant time pressure, they need your help for something, or one of their Enemy/Hunted type problems will crop up.
Roll 1d10 if can't come up with anything.
1-3: The time to contact them and for them to arrive is long enough to maybe make it hard for them to get to you in time to help unless you can significantly assist them in getting to you in some way. They will get there, just not a soon as you'd like.
4-6: They have something they absolutely have to do and they need to leave really soon, like soon soon. Unless you can do something to help them get there much faster or make it so they don't need to go.
7: They can help, but they need your help in return.
8-0: Trigger one of their Enemy/Hunted type problems.

Ally Examples
1: hyper drug-addled fur ball of rage and mad tech skills (level 1 character stub)
halfling werewolf illusionist technophile : intolerance(luddites & primitives) & enemy(halfling mafia) & hunted(drug cartel) & a nuisance drug addiction & looks like a stung out druggie
2: Wild Hunt Enforcer (level 2 NPC)
werewolf were-law enforcement : gets missions to capture or kill rogue werewolves & expected not to break too many local laws & grim servant of death & enemy(the psycho were-shark that got away)
3: ugly bounty hunter of criminals with a flamethrower
kobold daemonhost (ovate-savage-constable build +xp) : impulsive & intolerance(criminal types) & law of the stars(scrupulous) & tendency towards collateral damage when raging
4: commodore of the fleet
chosen of khorne (merc->commodore +xp) : law of stars(principled) & enemy(chosen of tzeench) & high falutin' & vengeful & belongs to a military that might be on maneuvers or fighting
5: Adult Dragon
a powerful dragon member-at-(very)large of the dragon council : enemy(another dragon) & enemy faction(bahamut or tiamat cults) & spy network(contacts & mentor) & dragonfire adept commandos(followers) & impulsive young dragon agents that need babysitting

Mentors

Mentors are a combination of contact plus ally. The relationship is not quite the quid pro quo of a contact and not quite like the relationship of equals with an ally. You are sort of like the lower power contact/ally that gets called on for stuff. They are always level 4 or 5 NPCs (examples like Ally at +1 or +2), can be expected to call you every 4-5 sessions, and always have rivals & enemies. On the plus side they also generally have a lot of skill, power, resources, and prestige they can bring to bear on problems. Like you would help an ally that you called in for a favor they'll be able to help you out if they need something from you. Rescuing you is a thing they are probably able to do. They can often provide gear, information, training, and helpful warm bodies or at least point you to someone who can and put in a good word for you.

Example Mentor: MENTOR-3 (Nibenay, an ex-Athasian Sorcerer-King, no gnomes). This chap is a recent escapee from the Athas crystal sphere from shortly before it was swallowed up by the Great Warp Rift. While his personal magical power is quite significant and he has a number of strong & loyal followers he does not yet have a widespread network of allies, contacts, or spies. He uses defiling life-force draining magic instead of Warp base magic, has some sort of long term immortality plan that does not involve becoming a lich, and is currently looking for a permanent home with a population to rule. As a relative newcomer to the power politics scene he has yet to make any significant enemies.

Level 5 master sorcerer base, availability: medium, access: middling, response time: fast for information and advice but slow for physical intervention. Notable traits: secretive, hates gnomes, all female templars (warrior-mages). Notable abilities: scrying, teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, weather control, summoning. Resources: super-loyal warrior-mages, soldier & priest followers, great arcana & forbidden lore, magical secrets.

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NIBENAY human(mixed squat)+dragonblood(4-air[rp= +8 def] & unnatural exaltation = ritual to increase power stat then another mass slaughter ritual to go full permanent dragon) & size 6, bard1/sorcerer2-5, fast sand sturdy educated, degenerations: skin affliction + dark heart + paranoia + obsession(dragon magic) (FEL = 0 & COMP max 3 & -2k0 social during paranoia attack), HUNTED dragon council but quietly.
INT WIL CHA 5, WIS CON 4, DEX 3, CMP STR 2, FEL 0, LEVEL 5, SIZE 5, INIT +5
5 academic arcana forbidden politic, 4 scrutiny command intimidate, 3 common percept brawl, 2 weap deceive persuade, 1 craft ball medic.
size 5, fatigue 5, hp 18, resil 7(8), ap 8 scales (10 PA), aura 4, def 21(15), dodge 3k3, spd 6/42(6/36) & fly 12, mdef 15, rsv 7, rp 13 @ sleep/big meal, hero 3, claw 8k3 @ 3k2 R p0 +1k0 parry, breath @ 1rp = 3k2 E p4 10m*5m cone dodge 15 & fire 15 & +1rp = +2p & 20m*10m cone, power fist built into armor 8k3 @ 5k3 I p4 POWER, 1 rp = -2 energy wounds, tell 2+ = opponents -4 melee atk & parry, tell 4+ fear(1) 20m, tell 6+ fear(4) local area, optional extra light ($MR anti-grav weight reduction & 1/2 fall distance) power armor w/ built in power fist on CALL ITEM.
luck(1/day reroll), JOAT(all skills basic), peer(templars), melee2, danger sense(no surprise), languages(6), SF(TRANS[+5]), GSF(DIV[+10]), strong mind(1/scene reroll will vs spell), DEFILING, SF(academic+forbidden), great spell pen(-10 saves), mental fortress(auto-fool mind reading), spell master(reroll casts of AURA spell), archmage(hero = free recast next turn @ same result), decadence(drugs/booze no effect), fearless(cool), true grit(halve crit wounds round up), aura=8 to sont on ABJ spell cast, pen 4 AURA with evoke spell damage, *after full CONJ spell next turn full conj spell = half action, squat ap prof & none tougher.
ABJ-3[8k5+4[44] & aura 8 SONT]: aura endureElement globeInvuln. CONJ-4[9k5+4[48] & wizTrad*]: callItem blink greaterSumm* teleport*. DIV-5[9k4+4[39] & +10 raised & -10 save]: detectThoughts luck legendLore foresee scry commune mindNet. ENCH-3[8k5+4[44] & -10 save]: shock&awe stun awe. EVOK-4[9k5+4[46] & -10 save & pen 4 aura]: batteringRam defenestrate lightningRing telekinesis. ILL-2[7k5+4[41]]: disguise invis. TRANS-4[8k4+4[39] @ +5 raised]: swiftChange animalPower(free reroll) embodySpirit transformation weatherControl.
COMBO SPELLS: #1 call item(free action no-combo) + swift change + shock + awe (VS ench self Full 7k4+4(defile 5 dice = 10k5+4 93%) v 35: summon & swap into armor + notSelf in 20m get -5 init + notSelf in 30m COMP v stun spell). #2 stun + greater summon + battering ram (VSM conj* Full 8k5+4(defile 4 dice = 10k6+4 90%) v 40: 1 target 30m STR v 2m+2m/check pull & if pull > speed fall prone + 1 target 10m COMP v Stun & -1 half action per check + summon 8k4 beast adjacent). #3 lightning ring + transform(VSM trans/evok Full self scene 8k4+4(defile 4 dice = 10k5+4 80%) v 40: lizardy wolf/bat form +2dex -1size [+8 def] 2xquad/flight speed + melee dmg aura @ end turn 5+raisesK2 & half act shoot 40m 5k3 bolt atk_or_dex_save & -1k0 aura dmg).
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FACTIONS - to which contacts & allies belong and may be sources of backing

Planetary or Crystal Sphere Government or Military (a bit limited but nominally the absolute power in it's sphere)
Cult of a Major Deity or Alignment (options include the alignment sub-groups in Book 2)
Sigil Council Faction (so much infighting that they don't get off Sigil much, but amazing information collecting ability, can get pretty much anything and can (eventually) send stuff nearly anywhere)
Werewolf or Vampire Clan (needs a clan/tribe asset)
Great Wheel Order of Trade & Tariffs (has investigators & agents more than trouble shooters, needs some social & analytical skills)
Commorragha Cabal (the self-governing socio-economic paramilitaries/city-states of the Webway, 75% dark eldarin & slavery is common)
Elven Imperial Navy (a self sustaining elf-only space navy & protection racket)
Imperial Legions of Humanitas (the human home-worlds racial purity empire military)
Interworld Mercenary Bonding Authority (a type of heavily armed insurance company)
Assassins Guild (an official affiliate of the IMBA)
Hammer's Slammers (a successful, respectable, and expensive mercenary company with below average bonding costs)
Dragon/Vampire/Druid Council(s) (multi-sphere powerful people cooperation councils (like little racist U.N.s))
Aztecnology (a Vampire Council backed mega-corporation for magitech stuff)
Wild Hunt (werewolf multi-tribe lycan unwritten-law enforcement & unbonded mercenary organization)
Lord Dragon (any of the assorted leaders on the Dragon Council)
Eldarin World-Ship Fleet (95% eldarin, a fleet is typically 3-7 world-ships plus twice that many battleships plus three times that many support ships)
Cocaine Wizards Guild (drugs plus magic, requires casting to advance beyond the lowest ranks)
Inquisition L.L.C. (a magic user testing & apostate hunting limited liability corporation)
Mind Flayer Diplomatic Mission (a massive public relations enterprise)
Lucifer Insurance Company (like Lloyds of London but the payout doesn't have to be money and there's no upper limit)
Halfling Mafia Family (really only about 70% halflings but non-halfling Dons are pretty rare)
Domigo Pete's Pizzeria & Spaghetti House (a massive universal restaurant chain & halfling mafia front)
ComStar, AKA Communication System for Astropathic Relations & Universal Banking (also has mecha bill collecting battalions)
Infoweb (semi-secret computer hacker & technophile network piggy-backed on all major digital information services)
Space Pirates of Infinity (an extremely loose & messy co-op style group for piracy & smuggling, often not taken seriously due to a lack of effective organization and a really stupid tribble mascot)

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CYBER-YETI JUICER BODYGUARD

Very Rare monthly WEALTH test or a HOLDINGS 2[3 w/Power Fist](may not be supported with FOLLOWERS) or a ALLY 1[2 w/Power Fist] & Uncommon (twice per month or call) WEALTH test for drugs.

STR 5(r1 on pull someone from danger), CON 4(+2k0 vs inhaled), WIS & WILL 3s, ELSE 2, LEVEL 2, INIT +5

brawling 5k3, perception 5k3(9k3 hearing), athletic 5k3(NO SWIM & +1k0 lift/push/grasp), stealth 4k2, ballistic 3k1 (use full-auto), medicae 4k3, intimidate 5k2, scrutiny 4k2, YETI don't have vocal chords, languages: yeti sign/clap/snap & trade sign & hear+R/W trade

WEALTH 2, BACKING 1(Assassins Guild or Lucifer Insurance Company), CONTACT 2(other yeti juicer bodyguards & an employment service)

Active Stuff: Danger Sense (never surprised), GUARDIAN (parry a melee attack aimed at another & take the hit if the parry fails), Sturdy, Power Attack (-2k0 to hit & +2k0 to dmg), Weapon Prof(Basic), Armor Prof(Light), Jaded(immune to normal fear), Blind Fighting, Furious Assault (on hit & wound with an All Out Attack then repeat the attack once), Cyber Arms, Cyber Legs, Injector Rig (HALF ACTION & 1 each Detox Slaught Stimm), Machinator Array, Bionic Respiratory System, Augmented Cyber-Ears.

Gear: Leather Vest, Com-Bead, 3x Detox (end drug effects & reduce withdrawal by 1), 3x Slaught (Rare), 4x Stimm, 2x Autopistol (FAB 5k2 @ 2k2 I p0 30m -/6 12a 1f), Brawling weapon [good cestus OR standard Power Fist], fanny pack, cheap book (mystery or spy novel), text & sign-language-to-speech Data-Slate.

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DARK GIBBERLINGS (a vampire HOLDINGS option)

Individuals (weak): STR DEX CON 2s, ELSE 1s, LEVEL 1, INIT +3
Absorb 3m light from radio/micro up through IR, visible, & UV. DARKSIGHT, Fast
brawling 2k1, perception w/cyber 1k1, athletic 3k2, Blind Fighting, Special Trance (2 days inert at full perception & instant snap out of it OR 2 weeks at no perception with 1 minute to wake up, plus they need a meal after that before repeating it).

Minion Squads: Up to 20 DG per squad at 10 DG per control unit, quality 2, threat 1. Absorb 3m radius + 1m/additional DG in the radius. Absorb radius @20= 22m, @16= 18m, @12= 14m, @8= 10m, @4= 6m, @1=3m

HOLDINGS & WEALTH or BACKING plus FOLLOWERS: Holding 1 for 1 pod at Wealth 1 + Followers 1, Holding 3 at Wealth 2 + Followers 1, Holding 4 at Wealth 2 + Followers 2 or Wealth 3 + Followers 1, Holding 5 at Wealth 4 + Followers 1 or Wealth 3 + Followers 2.

For vampires with the backgrounds BACKING(Vampire Council) or CONTACT(Ventrue) dark gibberlings are a HOLDINGS background requiring FOLLOWERS + WEALTH/BACKING equal to the HOLDINGS, with a minimums of 1 dot in FOLLOWERS & half the rest of the dots (minimum 1 dot) as WEALTH or BACKING. Each HOLDINGS dot is a set of fast-grow cloning pods with poor quality cyber eyes & ears & data-jack automated installation during clone growth. This results in a 3 minions every 2 weeks (give or take a day & they die in about 6 weeks though from clone cancer & organ failure), giving a constant effective 8 minion, 2 quality, 1 threat, minion squad assuming no combat losses. Stats for 1 squad of 8: 8k2 rolls, dmg 5+5/raise, absorb light radius @8= 10m, @4= 6m, @1=3m. They require 1 controller per 10 minions & can be combined into a maximum size 20 minion squad (20=10k7, 18=10k6, 16=10k5, 14=10k4, 12=10k3, 10=10k2). The unit comes with 1 master controller and 1/HOLDING dot sub-controller. Controllers are magical(divination) OR sonic(choose ultra-sonic or sub-sonic or musical code) OR x-ray (like radio but more powerful, choose broadcast or wide beam or narrow beam). There is NO requirement of magical ability or technical training to use any of the controllers. They pretty much work like a T.V. remote control. Controllers are designed to look like jewelry, a fancy watch, or various consumer electronics. The form can be changed with Tech-Use + intelligence & Craft + Wisdom rolls of TN 15 & 2 hours per controller, assuming appropriate supplies & tools are available. It is typically a TN 20 test (defaults to Tech-Use + Wisdom) to identify it as a controller for something from casual inspection, TN 15 from a basic auspex or security scanning, and TN 10 with a specialized bug/transmitter scanner.

The IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) function works via a sensory editor to make the primary vampire & anyone else loaded into the memory of the cyber-eyes & cyber-ears to look & sound like other gibberlings or just not be there. The primary vampire is hardwired into the gear and cannot be mistaken short of disguises or significant body alterations (like both arms & a leg or a total melted-off face rebuild). Data is uploaded on an individual basis through the data-jack from a computer (built into the cloning pods) or MIU (with a Tech-Use vs TN 15 test). The remote toggles between the gibberlings seeing & hearing:
#1 nobody/nothing that isn't effectively terrain,
#2 the uploaded people scans are edited out of the gibberling's perceptions,
#3 everyone/everything that isn't static objects or terrain is seen as gibberlings,
#4 the uploaded people scans are seen as other gibberlings,
#5 no editing of the gibberling's perceptions except for the primary vampire who is not perceived.
(#1 & #3 and #2 & #4 are usually identical in function except that occasionally with #2 & #4 a gibberling might try to pick lice off someone)

Gibberlings automatically frenzy attack anything people/animal/insect/robot that isn't another gibberling. The master control can get all linked gibberlings or any clump assigned to one sub-controller. Sub-controllers can only control their 10 gibberlings. Remote IFF updating is available as a master controller add-on, but it is not suggested as the data transfer rate is crap and takes over an hour per person (more if there is interference). The IFF image data is generated with regular high-resolution full body audio-visual auspex scans & either custom software (built into & included with he cloning pod unit) or converted with a TN 20 Tech-Use and a computer (TN 25 if you try to use a Data-Slate). Scanning, data generation, conversion, and uploading only takes about 15 minutes per person if everything is already set up (as it is with the cloning pod unit). Control units of the same type will not interfere with each other unless someone has hacked & altered them.

There are a couple of other functions to control the gibberlings by making them see & hear stuff. A control unit can signal it's gibberlings to follow it or come to it by making them think they hear other gibberlings 'calling'. You can make the gibberlings stay in one spot, though they'll typically curl up and go to sleep there in a couple minutes (see the special trance ability). There's a "come over here for food" function. There is a "deep sleep" function that can put them in a trance for a couple days or up to two weeks, but it takes about 5 minutes for them to fully settle down and they'll claw a little burrow into any loose gravel or upholstered furniture in the room. If they're fighting and you need to call them off there's a slightly risky command that will cause them to see everything as other gibberlings but put an big image of a bacon-person standing next to the controller, plus there's some chittering & gibberling sounds they'll hear to trigger an specific type of fight response. That will make them break off their current targets, run over next to the controller, and generally attack empty space for a few seconds. But if they bump into anyone on the way they'll take a swipe as they rush past and anyone standing where the image is (this is the risky bit as the image only exists in the gibberling's own vision) will be piranha swarmed until they're eaten to the bones.

Special Trance: Up to 2 days inert at full perception and may instantly snap out of it. Up to 2 weeks at no perception and taking 1 minute per tranced day snap out of it, unless you're shining a bright light at them then it's half that amount of time. They need a meal and a normal rest after trancing before repeating the trance if they were under for more than a day.

Note: Any meat-like thing the gibberlings eat (they'll try to eat anything organic and often nibble everything else to see if it can be food) will have it's bones/carapace stacked in a neat little pyramid pile with the skull on top. They eat each other too, but their "bones" are actually a cartilage type thing so they don't leave anything to stack. They apparently have an infinite ability to eat, even if they are given unlimited food for months they will never stop eating and never gain weight or defecate. We figure its just some sort of weird magic effect.

Replacement Rate: The DG background is defined in such a way that you can just start with a number of 8 "man" squads equal to the background, and replace combat losses at the following rate: 1 HOLDING dot = 3 every 2 weeks, 2 HOLDING dots = 3 a week, 3 HOLDING dots = 4 a week, 4 HOLDING dots = 6 a week, 5 HOLDING dots = 8 a week. You can keep the dark gibberlings about half grown in the cloning tanks for around 3 months, no worries since they die in about 6 weeks. Don't worry too much about the extras or corpses, just dump them into the grinder hopper on the back of the cloning unit and throw in some extra sewage or compost. That's all assuming you want to keep a regular replacement schedule going to replace the ones that keel over at random. You can screw with your cloning schedule all you like but you'll have to keep track of which clone pods are at which point in the process, how many of your current DGs are up and healthy, and when they'll kick the bucket from 'natural causes' (34+1d10 days lifespan per DG). Technically you have from 6 to 12 per 3 cloning pods at any one time and the actual average per 3 cloning pods is 8.25, the 10 day floating [max : min : average] is [9.3 : 6.6 : 8.25] (math and simulations were done).

These rules are not intended as strict, unalterable, inflexible, absolutes. They form the basis and general ground rules for adjudicating Dark Gibberling minion squads. Things that fit within the theme and scope of these rules are good to go. It is not expected that the player will constantly reference and track the exact replacement rate of minions or the precise control device options. Simply declaring that the minions group up at one spot, go to sleep for a while, or start attacking everything that isn't uploaded as an ally, those are all just fine.

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DEFILING

Defiling is old hat on Athas but new to the rest of the universe. It's the process of opting to draw magical power from surrounding life-forces rather than from the Warp. Trick is, it's kind of a life changing, or rather soul altering, decision to go all in on it. People who have been to Athas or encountered and studied defiling magic can, if they are untested apostates, emulate it when pushing spells by making an Arcana + Magic School test versus the Focus Power TN of the spell. It should be noted that using defiling magic is an easy way to lose friends and gain enemies. Once a person takes the Tested feat they can no longer use defiling style magic outside of Athas. Unless...

If a character has MENTOR-3 (Nibenay, an ex-Athasian Sorcerer-King) then they make take the version Defiling version of the Tested feat. This replaces all rolls for Perils of the Warp with the following rules:
[Note: "die" refers to pushed dice and kept exploded dice]

0) The radius of the effect is 5m per die and radiated out from the spell caster. The TN of any rolls is 5 + 5 per die. Critical hits count as energy typed magical damage and go to the gizzards, bypassing all armor, aura, resistances, immunities, and these wounds cannot be regenerated by living creatures. Defilers may push up to 5 dice.

1) Within the radius all living sessile plants wilt, wither, rot, die, and are otherwise ruined forever. The ground becomes barren and will no longer provide sufficient nutrients to grow and plant life more significant than mold or lichen. In addition, about 80% of all exposed bacteria and other single celled creatures die (for example: a person's gut bacteria are not considered exposed).

2) Within the radius all other plants and non-sapient animals gain 1 level of Fatigue and take 2 Wounds per die. Modrons do not qualify for this effect, living vehicles without A.I.s are affected but they take 1 wound per die.

3) If sapient living creatures are present in the radius they gain 1 level of Fatigue and take 1 Wound per die. They may* test Level + Constitution vs the TN to convert the Wounds into Insanity Points at a rate of 1 Wound to 2 Insanity. If they take critical damage they also lose Sanity equal to twice the amount of critical damage that they take. Modrons do not qualify for this effect, living vehicles with A.I.s take the hit point damage.

4) If non-living sapient creatures are present in the radius they gain 1 level of Fatigue and 1 point of Insanity per die. Modrons, berserker A.I.s, and basic 'expert system' type A.I.s do not qualify for this effect.

5) If there are no sapient creatures within the radius and not enough animals are harmed by the defiling damage then the spell caster takes the appropriate damage and must make a Level + Magic School check vs the TN+5 or gain a permanent Degeneration.

6) Depending on the spell caster's alignment they may need to make an Alignment check as well**.

Note: For more precision on the level of "sufficient" creatures in the defiling area a general rule of thumb is; a number of animals/plant-creatures equal to the spells' level plus the number of pushed or exploded dice, or a single animal of a level equal to or greater than the spells' level and with sufficient hit points when alive (assuming a normal specimen) to potentially survive the required damage (eg: a a 4 die -> 8 wound defiling from a level 2 spell would require a 2nd level 4 HP creature because it could theoretically survive a Crit-4 effect).

QUICK & DIRTY VERSION
1) regular plants die in 5m per die
2) animals & plant-creatures in the area take 2 wounds per die
3) living people in the area take 1 fatigue plus 1 wound per die & Level+CON save to convert wounds to insanity points at 1:2, crit damage adds 1 insanity per crit level
4) unliving people take 1 fatigue plus 1 insanity point per die
5) if 2, 3, & 4 don't get enough victims the caster gets it and checks Level+Magic or take a degeneration

* Normal adult human-type people have 4 or 5 wounds and more than 80 sanity. As uninteresting & nameless NPCs they are typically considered bleeding out or simply dead at zero wounds. For them the 10% to 30% chance to gain 8 points of insanity is much more attractive than dying.

** Typically the totally unaligned and worshippers of Lolth(7), OmniMessiah(6), Sigmar(5), Malal, or followers of the ideals of Chaos Undivided, are going to be the people who do not make Alignment tests when screwing around with defiling. Of course it gets harder to qualify for Alignment tests as your Devotion score goes down, the number in parentheses after an Alignment is the level of Devotion below which you can stop making Alignment checks for using defiling magic.

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GENERIC VETERAN DRAWBACK

This is used when a character doesn't have any backstory or hunted/intolerance/backing type assets or hinderances to base anything off of.

The VETERAN asset adds 1 stat & 1 skill, sum the dots of the stat & skill:
3-5: -1k0 with faction members _OR_ a minor mostly cosmetic mutation
6-7: -1k0 with faction members & [dice don't explode on a skill _OR_ a permanent random phobia]
8: -1k0 with faction members & [dice don't explode on a attribute _OR_ permanent poor quality cybernetic]
9: -2k0 with faction members _OR_ half dice on a serious roll type (ex: pinning, fear checks, con saves, addiction, etc.)
10+: a permanent phobia or mild mental disorder plus #8 from above

All drawbacks must be active in play, no -2k0 with a faction on Sigil if your game is set totally in Commorragha, no auto-failing Charm skill checks for a Fellowship 1 Promethian. Pick a faction one of the other PCs has backing & Peer with, have at least 4 dice for a half dice or auto-fail choice, a phobia or derangement trigger should go off about every other session, no optional use or straight boost poor quality cybernetics like MIUs, voidskins, machinator arrays, or injector rigs.

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THE GREAT WARP RIFT

The GWR on the crystal sphere map indicates a region of the Astral Sea where the Warp intrudes into normal space, or maybe that area of the Astral Sea is slipping into the Warp, its the same difference either way. This has two effects: First, spelljamming through the Warp in this region is slowed down to sub-light speeds instead of its usual "get there in less than two decades" Warp speed, this makes it take about 8-16 years to cross the Rift at Astral Sea speeds with time for a whole host of random Warp encounters. Second, stuff can enter and exit the Warp without needing a Syrnth Warp gate, spelljamming helm, or other devices. Happily, most Warp entities don't have unlimited patience and reactionless space drives to get anywhere if they stumble out into the Astral Sea.

There are some reasonably stable charted passages of normal space through the GWR. Spelljamming through the Warp through those passages works as normal, although it is slightly more tricky navigating and plotting the course then through the usual vast empty reaches of the Astral Sea. This is a little insane, but that's Warp travel for you. Since the crystal spheres on the other side are almost exclusively Eldarin, sealed, or contain some form of death-world they aren't actually used all that much except by regular patrols from the nearest Eldarin spheres and some traders. But if you need to go from one side of the GWR to the other it's faster to beg, buy, borrow, or steal the latest navigation data from some Eldarin or someone and go through one of those passages than to quintuple the distance you're traveling by going around the GWR.

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REACTIONS & OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS

IMPORTANT: The default reactions in the combat section of the book are not the only possible reactions a character can take.

Reactions are simple, single things that can be done quickly. The default reactions are: dodge, parry, and a few spells. The player decides what to react to and what to do. Diving for cover (fling yourself half your speed in meters to end up face-down on the floor basically taking a moving dodge in exchange for ending up prone), falling over, dropping something, most free actions, taking a grenade blast for the person next to you, and extra opportunity attacks are all things that can be done as a reaction. For example; if a character has quickdraw and an easily accessible one-handed melee weapon then you could use your Reaction Action to draw the weapon as a reaction to something happening. Of course you have to perceive something happening in order to react to it and it should generally be something nearby and that you are involved in. Any possible movement is typically limited to about half your speed.

As usual, everyone starts with one reaction as long as they aren't surprised and are aware of something to react to. Exalts can spend Resource Points to get additional reactions. If a reaction is meant to avert tragedy or harm it happens simultaneously with the triggering event, most often with half of the result of a test added to some characteristic (like a dodge or parry does) or with a target number set by the opposing action (like with the Dispel spell).

The wording of the Opportunity Attack action on page 247 of the main book is interpreted thus: "a special free action that you can use once per turn, during any character's turn" means that you can take an opportunity attack once per creature's turn. For example; if 20 zombies (defense 11, resilience 4, hp 4) try to shamble past a chain-axe wielding myrmidon (4k4 power attack & 7k3 damage) there's about a .99 hit rate x .98 16+ damage rate = 97% chance that each one will be destroyed by an opportunity attack (thus 74% that 10 or more are destroyed & 54% that all 20 are destroyed). If something takes more than one opportunity attack provoking action then if you have a Reaction Action available (or spend a Resource Point to get another one) you can take multiple opportunity attacks.

Example: A Sabbat Prince (third level vampire NPC, book 1, page 340) who is in melee uses three Resource points to have 5 half actions on its turn. If those actions are used to stand up from prone, ready a weapon, make an attack, reload, and then move away; four of those actions provoke opportunity attacks. A character in that melee may take their free opportunity attack when the vampire stands up, use a reaction to get another opportunity attack when it pulls out a gun, and then have the opportunity to spend resource points to gain additional Reaction Actions to use for more opportunity attacks when the vampire reloads and tries to casually wslk away.

**Telok** · 2022-09-03, 11:40 PM (ISO 8601)

Woot. Progress, and in under the thread necro limit too. Heh. So, I have the rough of the first adventure for the next game. Plus a standard template for describing new planets/spheres. Really thats just a list of items to write a sentence or two on. I had a good idea though, the "laws PCs care about" section. Ya know, vehicular weaponry, explosives, cops & robbers, bringing along your toxic spore spewing Nurgle half-daemon "animal companion", drugs, the usual stuff.

Spoiler

Show

ODW STUFF @ START

ODW freely issues or replaces a las pistol, 2 energy clips, and red plastic-man armor to any troubleshooter employee who requests it.

ODW: magna-float racing bikes
race track has an induced magnetic field while power is on & bikes both get power from & float on top of the field
Size:6, Price:Very Rare, HP:3, Resilience:6, Length:~3m
Defense @ M=0:0, @ M=1-5:20, @ M=6-9:32, @ M=10+:44, Maneuver:10, Acceleration:4, Speed:14, Speed:70m/momentum, 25.2 kph/momentum, Drive: Hover (x5) Not slowed by difficult terrain; may drive over water; any time it takes damage the driver must make a control test with a TN of the damage rolled or go Out of Control. Ramming: TN:19+mom, Damage:6k(mom) +19
Other Stuff: Control System: Pilot Seat. Composite Frame. Open Top, People can shoot in to & out of the vehicle. Partial Wing: -4 speed penalty to maneuver. XL Engine 2. Flaws: Fragile & Hanger Queen & External Power: Requires extra repair and reload time & Reliant on outside power TN 15 to not lose the connection then 1d10 turns of power left unless reconnection (change: TN 0 while on the track & TN 10 next to it & auto-fail @ 10+ meters). Feature: Inertial damper field (the driver takes half damage from any crashes & impact damage weapons while on the bike & when knocked off, at least as long as the bike is turned on & working)

ODW: racing loop challenge mecha
draws power from the racing loop & has only non-lethal weapons, function: someone remote controls them out to a position on the loop & relinquishes control to the AI that has a visual sensor limiter making it only perceive the bikes & riders and the loop. the AI TWF shoots/stabs at the bikes and moves around a little bit, but not much, if it gets too far from the assigned position the remote control is turned back on and its moved back into position.
Size:9, Price:Uncommon, HP:12, Resilience:9, Length:~4.5m
Defense @ M=0:0, @ M=1-5:1, @ M=6-9:2, @ M=10+:3, Maneuver:-7, Acceleration:1, Speed:1, Speed:4m/momentum, 1.44 kph/momentum, Drive: Walker (x4) Treats impassible terrain as if it were merely difficult; if flipped over or knocked down it may stand back up as a half action. Ramming: TN:5+mom, Damage:9k(mom) +5
Other Stuff: Control System: Berserker AI System & Remote control System: Runs a 6k3 killbot AI if the pilot is disabled or missing & Remote control is shut down by ECM. Reinforced Frame. Hexagrammatic Wards: 5 Aura vs magic. Manipulator Arms (Strength 6). 4x Arm Mounted Weapons (shoot any direction). Medium Standard Armor (10 AP). Flaws: Controls Feedback & Hanger Queen & Overheats & Unstable & External Power: When damaged the vehicle may inflict fatigue on the pilots & Requires extra repair and reload time & Takes damage at momentum 6+ & Double the maneuver penalty for momentum & TN 15 to not lose the connection then 1d10 turns of power (change: TN 0 while on the track & TN 10 next to it & auto-fail @ 10+ meters).

4x Personnel Weapons on arm mounts, one of each weapon L & R arms.
2x best quality stun lances: AI 7k3(TWF 4k3) @ 6k0 = 1d10+1 E pen6 +shocking(on dmg through armor) +reach(3m)
{common, syrnth, 0k0 E p6 +shocking +reach][good quality +1k0 to hit, best quality +2 damage]
2x Heavy Webbers: AI 6k3(TWF 3k3) @ no-damage 30m s/- 1ammo 1fullReload +blast[5] +snare(dex save vs attack then TN 15 str/dex half action to escape & failure loses your other half action)
Note: Webber hits on a bike, if not dodged, cause a roll on the out-of-control table & the character gets a dex save at +10 (windshield) to not have their arms/controls webbed (d10: 1-2 Larm, 3-4 Rarm, 5 both arms, 6 controls, 7 head=blinded, 8 body/legs & no real effect except you're stuck to the bike until the race is over). A miss may turn that spot in the track into hazardous terrain, roll a d10: on a 5+ the shot leaves webber strands hanging down in the area, everyone has to make a TN 20 control test going through again until 3 people have hit it, hitting it works just like taking the webber hit(TN 15 for whatever is needed)

***************************************

Trip to a jungle & swamp world for a live critter for the gladiatorial arena. Its a nature preserve world co-owned by the local ork & elf colonies (orks administrate, elves enforce the laws). Pretty flat, max maybe 500m above sea level. All freshwater, no saltwater, frequent earthquakes, thin atmosphere, 27 standard hour days, no moons, mild but often wet & foggy weather. The local economy is minor tourism, some science research & support, modest bio-chemical farming, and limited hunting. There are no major cities, population is under a million people, the local government is a merit-based bureaucratic pseudo-military autocracy.

Requirements: Large (3+ meters), dangerous, the weirder the better, nothing that flies or is likely to climb/jump out of the arena too easily. You have 22 days.

Local laws important to PCs: No lethal ranged vehicular weaponry. No explosives. Permits are required to import/export more than a few liters of chemicals, hunt or export any animals, and everything about heavy weapons. Importing animals & plants requires a 2 day quarantine, a vet check, and an official possible ecological impact assessment. No sonic booms are allowed under 20km of altitude. Outside of towns law enforcement has a free fire shoot to kill policy. In towns law enforcement has a strictly nonlethal policy unless the perp uses lethal force. Dueling, registered bounty hunting, and non-enchantment magic use are allowed. There are only local town jails, criminal punishment is fines, property loss, & exile unless you intentionally critically injured or killed people (then its just in-court death). No large scale farming, harvesting, or destruction of habitat is allowed. Environmental disasters & industrial accidents will incur a death mark bounty unless you fully pay for the clean-up and rehabilitation. Only Common drugs, bio-foam, & tranq are legal to purchase, possess, or transport.

Don't tell them the shuttle they've been assigned is named "The Minnow".

Shopping:
Weapons: neelders, webbers, hunting rifles, shotguns, lasguns, assorted pistols, flamers, non-lethals from new options text, generic hand & great weapons.
Armor: light & plastic man, flack with mil/law contacts.
Drugs: Commons, bio-foam, & tranq all normally available. Tranq is double doses or good quality at normal TN. Drug precursors are two steps cheaper than drugs, all legal, and pretty good quality, but bulk orders will be scrutinized.
Vehicles: All regular civilian vehicles, although hover & walker modes are more common than wheels. Vans & Cargo Lorries are available in all modes. Speeder bikes, AT-ST(reduced arms), sentry guns(weapon not included), air-rafts are popular, 4 zombie bug APCs are available for rent from local Cocaine Wizard Guild branch office (no purchasing & requires membership or +5 TN), used (add junker & 6hp & common) golem horses from a fad about 30 years ago (no rentals). Rentals are @ buy-5 TN per week or no-roll credit check @ wealth/backing:TN -> 2:5(vc), 3:10(c), 4:15(uc), 5:20(rare), increase rental price by 1 step for no-fault insurance otherwise on serious damage/total destruction the PC has to buy it as a used vehicle (TN-5) test that always succeeds but if the roll failed they lose 1 wealth/backing.
Nets & cages: Nets are escape TN = attack roll & break TN = [vc 10, c 12, uc 15, r 17, vr 25] & each net gives a free raise & check to grappling tests. Cages that are portable in most vehicles are break TN = [vc 15, c 20, uc 25, r 30, vr 35], generally each try inflicts fatigue.
Services: Good medical with a little magical healing available (+2hp/day @ $Rare/week, with a regen limb thrown in). Moderate cargo & shipping ($v.com per ton container). Decent spacecraft & small spelljammer repair (normal & no torps). Hunting/exploring guides & tours of all prices [random species, guard stats, hunting rifle, net, rope, hv.leather, knife, social=animal ken, $unc = average then +/-1 skill/rarity & +/- wis @ $vc & $vr]. Good analytical science of chemistry, magical, biology, and zoology ($common/week or $uncommon for a 3 day rush job). Moderate small batch & high purity bio-chemical industry(see drugs below). No weather control. ~2 m^2. resolution commercial satellite imaging in visual & IR ($v.com for 1 km^2 detailed or 500 km^2 low res)[1-5-25-125-625].
Pets (properly purchased pets come with appropriate paperwork & health checks & permits for export): $VR tamed large predators (tiger/dolphin), $Rare tame med predators(pterosaur), $Unc exotic wild small predators("giant" 70cm dragonfly), $Com normal domesticated med predators(dogs). Herbivores two steps cheaper & domesticated large land ones are available(horses). $VR magic & very exotic small predators [fast+toxic+fly+stepAside (poison hawk), stealth+blob+arms+ironJaw (tree squid), aquatic+cast:stun+stepAside (stun-eel), climb+quad+cast:web+dangerSense (uber-spider), shell+crawl+regen+backstab (centipede/skink)]. $R ($VR if tamed) magic & very exotic small herbivores [tough+caster:ram (whallopby), fly+blob (bulop), daemonic+aquatic (devil-fish), toxic+caster:blink+crawl (bamf snake)]

*1. Get a hunting permit from the Ork planetary administration. On-site pay-now-or-nope fees increase at each step.

a. Social-fu/politics the initial clerk (3k2 opposed) to get to a manager because no authority to speed up the 3-week processing time (three boxes on desk: in, out, marinate. application goes in 'marinate' box), fee TN 15, bribery TN 10.

b. Argue with/bribe the manager (opposed 4k3), fee +5 per failure, bribery TN 20 to get the permit right now, may be talked into first blood combat challenge with TN 15, still have to pay the permitting fee but it's back to TN 10 if combat.
sz 5, L3, phy cmp 3, else 2, init +5, ath acro 5k3, perception 3k2, weapon 6k3, shoot scrut intim command 3k2
hp 7, resil 5, ap 0, def 15, dodge 5k3, speed 6/36, mdef 20, resolve 5, dev 6, great wp 6k3 @ 6k3 R p2 -1k0 parry

c. B&E: Each test takes ~2.5 minutes. Tropical offices are rather open & lots of shutters-not-glass windows, larceny 10 to get into offices, [stealth or darksight] plus [larceny or search(keys)] 15 to get into locked fireproof security cabinets for the form, then tech use 15 to access a computer (+10 if hooking in your own data-slate to the wired network), politics/wisdom 10/15 to locate the correct database, politics 5 to know & stealth 10 & larceny 10 (15s if they have to use the big copier in the hall that likes to jam) to access other offices and plant copies. Each failure brings a roving guard that needs a TN 15 anything to distract or each person has to hide vs a 2k2 distracted perception. Use ork cop stats w/stun gun & stun baton(1k2 club +stun) & panic button. Will fight (one stun shot then melee) unless ganged up on 3:1 or at 1-2 HP left, then panic button & flee. Panic button brings a radio call & 4 more regular gear ork cops in a squad car in 10 minutes or 5 minutes without a radio answer. If any regular cop hits a panic button a 6 elf SWAT team in air-raft arrives in another 5 minutes.

d. Hacking: Each test takes about 5 minutes. Tech: TN 15 to start access & 7 Resolve network to gain control, politics 15 to figure who all needs hardcopy & ID their printers. Anti-hack is running 4k2 against TN PC rolls, it will trigger alarms when it gets 3 successes then 15 minutes until a 3k2 technician logs in and joins in to start tracing, successful trace when technician+anti-hack get total 8 successes then 20 minutes until squad car of 4 ork cops arrive and the technician will begin trying to access the PC's comps (typical data-slate hack TN 10 & 5 resolve).

e. Forgery: Acquire a copy from someone else TN 15. Fake it Larceny+Wisdom TN 10. Then easier/faster B&E or 5 resolve worth of hacking to set up the electronic & printer copies.

*2. Government minders: 1d5 elf agents
sz 4, L1, int wis 3, else 2, init+4, common forbidden percep 4k3 stealth 5k2 deceive forbidden scrutiny 3k2
hp 4, resilience 4, ap 0, def 17, dodge 4k2, speed 4/24, mdef 15, resolve 4, devotion 6, brawl 1d10-1
gear: clothes, chrono, comm-bead, data slate, credit card, writing, hand cannon 3k2 @ 3k2 I p3 35m s/- 6a 2f

TN 30 bribe if only one, else -5 TN each additional minder but you have to bribe all of them. If everything is legal no problems they're just along for the ride and making sure you don't kill anything you aren't supposed to (read: nothing except your declared target unless it's also killing them).

a. IFF failed bribe (fines if checks wealth TN 5+5/check) AND didn't pull off getting permit copies into the computer system THEN they call in support to hit the PCs right after successful hunt. Agents have tranquilizer needle rifles, support is 4x as follows with basic jet-packs off an air-raft.

b. On a PC win if they jammed coms or took out all the elves before they radio for help then no action until late tomorrow or early on the day after. The shuttle will be impounded & locked, the pilot arrested for questioning. Typically PCs will set off alarms at check-in at the spaceport or after one day in town. If the law is alerted to the PCs presence then halve reaction time & double troops used. Use a Traveller spaceport from one of the books. Several hundred meters of of open tarmac to Shuttle. Outside 4 ork cops, on call 4 more in 6 minutes + 4 elf SWAT & 8 more of each in 14 minutes. Shuttle has an anti-tamper explosive lock on the controls (craft/tech TN 20 & 10 minutes & optional +10 for 5 minutes or spaceport administrator eyeball scan, 5k4 X pen12 blast[1] PLUS 5k4 E pen8 blast[3]). Illegal take-off will have one homing missile shot at them as soon as they clear the 500m minimum range & trouble + fines when they get back to the ODW.
Defense turret: sz 20=15m, ap 10, def 0, spd 0, $rare, pilot & basic & env seal, std +5 sensor, external power & inefficient controls & feedback, dual turret: hv punisher[7k4 @ 4k3+10 I p5 -/8 80m 17-bursts], Missile [7k3 @ 7k4+35 X p20 s/- 500m 3-missiles accurate & homing & minimum range], gunner: shoot 5k3, athletic 4k3, init+5.

c. On a NPC win then just a bunch of fines, everything confiscated, couple nights in jail, and sent back empty handed.

*3. Hunt down a "depps" (direum platypusius sucidae, DPS). Oops, it's a mated pair. Air & boat travel are quiet.

Level 4, size 12, str con 5, int 1, else 2, init+4, sense 4k2, athletic 10k6, brawl 7k3, hp 10, resil 9, ap 4, def 1, dodge 2k2, speed 9/60 & swim 11/80 (no roll), clocked at land speed 24kph for extended durations, mdef 15, resolve 4, dev 10, spurs 7k3 @ 8k3+2 R pen3 +specialToxic, iron jaw: con vs 10+5/round stun ignore, fearless:angry -immune all fear & pinning, toxin: by hit location con v 15 @limbs= paralysis @body/head= +2 fatigue @giz= +1 wound & random limb paralysis.

a. There's a nice not-Amazon river about 12 hours[2100 km] air-raft flight(20kpm) or 1 day boat(10kpm) where DPS are known to hunt. Starting day 3 a lair is TN 20 1/day wis+(percept/animal ken) & hunters specialty reroll 1s, +5 for low res satellite scans or +10 for high res IFF the right area is auto-chosen after a low res scan, +5 if stopping often to watch the area if close(3/10). Critter auto spotted out of water & clear LoS @ 400m TN & past is 5 +5/50m to 600m then +5/100m, -4k0 if mostly/shallowly submerged. TN 25 to spot the not-piranha chainsaw fish swarms [minion animals 20k1>>10k6 dmg:0+5/r init+1 spd:3(swim)]. Mate is 500m upstream foraging the river bottom. Spotting is 50/50 the lair or the DPS lounging on the bank.

b. Will dive under & call mate at first attack or if boat/PCs are noticed within 100m. Mate arrives on turn 5 to attack on turn 6. Will fight in partial water & retreat into 3-lobe lair if 5/10 wounded, poisoned, or 3/5 fatigue & flee if 8/10 wounded. Will not flee if mate killed. Will pursue if mate killed or less than 5/10 wounded or 3/5 fatigue. Will attack boat if people are out of reach.

c. If blood in the water chainsaw fish minion squads arrive 1 every 4th round. Otherwise chainsaw fish only aggro on something falling into the water with a decent splash @ <=40m or exposed meat in the water @ <=20m. 3 squads at DPS lair. At random river section 1d5-2 squads.

d. Overland travel to the area. 2100km of mixed difficult/impassible(70/30) terrain jungles. 1/day encounter. #1: 7 small climber herbivores hit & run once at night. #2: small predator climb+quad+cast:web+dangerSense (uber-spider) as soon as someone exits a stopped vehicle, flees when hurt. #3: Nothing. #4: large herbivore shell+tough looks like a rock & leaves. #5-6: Nothing. #7: 12 shell+crawl+regen+backstab (centipede/skink) attack until near-dead then return if regenned. #8: Several dozen medium herbivore herd. #9: Nothing. #10: giant tree sloth (use t-rex stats adding auto-climb & 1/2 speed & bite -> claws) jumps down on something smaller than itself.

4. (assuming a successful hunt) Crate it and head home. You need an export license. Want to bet they didn't get one when they were here the first time?

a. Social-fu/politics the initial clerk again (3k2 opposed) to get to a manager because no authority to speed up the 3-week processing time (three boxes on desk: in, out, marinate. application goes in 'marinate' box), fee TN 15, bribery TN 10.

b. Argue with/bribe the manager again (opposed 4k3), fee +5 per failure, bribery TN 20 to get the OK right now, may be talked into first blood combat challenge with TN 15, still have to pay the permitting fee but it's back to TN 10 if combat.

c. Permit check during processing of the permit fee. 3k2 vs any paper forgeries & auto success/fail on the electronic copy depending on the PCs doing it at all. If they did the forgery but missed filing it in the right places then come back tomorrow after they find the missing paperwork. Obviously no problems if the went all above board. Bad/forged export paperwork is just a fine, TN 15 & +5 per check on the forgery. Fine pay failure is confiscation of the animals & retry in 3 days at +5 TN, keep it up until 3 fails then animals are taken back & released. If B&E to nab animals from impound warehouse is 2 ork rent-a-cops and one larceny/alarm bypass check TN 15 followed by TN 15 bribe/intimidate spaceport nighttime gate guards if they didn't tranquilize & re-crate the animals. Note there's no export fees for stuff like raw plant material & cloth. Possible common sense/luck check to KO animals, re-crate, and pile stuff on top for customs inspection.

d. IFF no trouble at the spaceport then the critters try to escape mid-flight. Get shuttle map & ask who is in back with the cargo for the three hour tour... I mean trip. 5k5 str vs cages, help each other for +5s if in same cage or one got out without combat. 3 tries each (4k4 after initial because fatigue taking -1k0). Then just the usual combat stuff in an ultra confined space. If the fight in the shuttle goes insanely badly & a DPS gets into the cockpit (likely killing the pilots [sz 4, L1, int wis 3, else 2, init +4, pilot 5k3, hp 4, resil 4, ap 0, def 17, dodge 2k2, speed 4/24, mdef 15, resolve 4, dev 6, brawl 1d10-1 @ 2k1 I p0 +fatigue]) then see about perhaps crashing them on a small tropical island.

5. Inevitable silly pirate attack to enable the PCs having a ship if they need one.

a. Dark Eldarin Environmental Bankruptcy Lawyer Entrepreneur Ship = DEEBLES Roving Accountancy

b. except not so silly as its cultists and actual daemons

c. Last of 4 surviving ships = minion crew [6k2, dmg:5+5/r melee R & ranged 30m I, init+2, speed4/20 JADED], heretics for officers, cult leader DEFILER for captain (link to DS sorc-king in encrypted databank & grimorie in capt. quarters)

------------------SHIP Hippy Dippy-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 50, Price: Holdings 1
Shields: Resilient Mk I (immune to disruption) (80 points & 7 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 2, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 6, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x Light Anti-Meson Array, Rng 20, Arc normal, Acc +5, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +1, Crit -1, $each 5.
radius +200m, dmg +1k2 +0p
1x Anti-Meson Gun Turret, Rng 10, Arc all, Acc +0, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +2, Crit +0, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 200m, dmg 6k6
-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 1/0, Command 0/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 0/0, Universal 1/2, Total 2/2.
Ancient Spelljamming Helm: Arcana, Halve travel time and add +2 to Warp Encounters, $cost 10.
Partial Wing: Universal, Wing or antigrav plus landing gear allows ship to land without crashing, $cost 10.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 100 people.

------------------SHIP Purple Nurple-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 50, Price: Holdings 1
Shields: Covariant Mk III (165 points & 10 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 2, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 6, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x AFT Anti-Meson Gun Turret, Rng 10, Arc all, Acc +0, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +2, Crit +0, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 200m, dmg 6k6
1x FORE Light Orgone Array, Rng 10, Arc normal, Acc +10, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +5, Crit -3, $each 5.
radius +200m, dmg +1k2 +4p
-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 0/0, Command 1/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 1/0, Universal 0/2, Total 2/2.
Assault Shuttles: Tactical, May make Boarding Actions at 3 VU, $cost 5.
Library Computer: Command, Gain +1k1 to Lore tests and make them untrained when using it, $cost 5.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 100 people.

------------------SHIP Argle Bargle-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 55, Price: Holdings 2
Shields: Standard Mk II (105 points & 15 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 2, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 6, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x AFT Anti-Meson Gun Turret, Rng 10, Arc all, Acc +0, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +2, Crit +0, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 200m, dmg 6k6
1x FORE Light Las Array, Rng 10, Arc normal, Acc +5, Dmg 3k2, Disrupt +2, Crit -1, $each 10.
radius +300m, dmg +2k2 +1p
-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 0/0, Command 1/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 0/0, Universal 1/2, Total 2/2.
Diplomatic Quarters: Command, Gain +1k0 to all Social rolls with visitors, $cost 5.
Extended Supply Vaults: Universal, May do Extended Repairs twice between resupply and undertake extended missions, $cost 10.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 100 people

----------------- SHIP Bazzy Fazzy-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 55, Price: Holdings 2
Shields: Standard Mk II (105 points & 15 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 2, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 6, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x AFT Orgone Gun Turret, Rng 5, Arc all, Acc +5, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +6, Crit -2, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 200m, dmg 6k6
1x FORE Light Anti-Meson Cannon, Rng 20, Arc normal, Acc -5, Dmg 3k3, Disrupt +3, Crit +2, $each 10.
crater 150m, blast 300m, 9k9
-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 0/0, Command 1/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 0/0, Universal 1/2, Total 2/2.
Self Destruct: Command, Delay from zero to 24 hours explode for 4k4 damage to all within 5 VU and half damage to 10 VU, $cost 5.
Extended Supply Vaults: Universal, May do Extended Repairs twice between resupply and undertake extended missions, $cost 10.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 100 people.

5. Another modron sleeper base, why does the mysterious captain of the ODW seem to have an obsession with them and keeps finding them so regularly and easily?

a. The ODW will swing by an extra mountainous but otherwise generically temperate world with no actual oceans just really large lakes. The PCs are <x>tossed off<\x> dispatched in a shuttle to go investigate some "odd sensor readings". Aboard the ODW they have about 2 weeks downtime after #4, or up to a month if they have their own ship now. The ODW will return in 3 weeks for pickup & cleaning up. Next destination will be out-system (2 more weeks, small sphere & max accel) to warp & [33% 12 days, 50% 5 weeks, 16% 10 weeks] to Sigil.

With 2 small & close moons the tides are high and the coasts are largely storm lashed & uninhabitable. Inland past the large & numerous mountain ranges the weather is normally calm. The days are 22 standard hours long. The planet has three 10km tall arcologies far apart in different mountain ranges. Total population is over 80 million and gnome-primary (36%) around with an 8% yeti population that mainly works as hunting & skiing tour guides in the deep mountains. The rest is ork/elf 26% each & misc. 2%. Farming is 90% automated giant processor vehicles on tracks through farmland while aquaculture is giant processing plants on islands with super long tubes out to fishing grounds. Each local city government is a 17 person mercantile-industrial democratic council elected by local business leaders, with a 5 person technocratic world council having limited non-emergency powers appointed by the grand council of all the city governments.

Local laws important to PCs: No lethal ranged vehicular weaponry, but heavy personnel weapons on vehicles are OK outside of the arcologies. No explosives. Permits are required to import and export advanced electronics, power level 3+ magical devices, any animals (plus a 3 day quarantine & vet check for importing), and heavy or vehicular weapons. No sonic booms are allowed under 10km altitude, rising to 50km in mountainous areas. Outside of the arcologies law enforcement has a "3 warnings then the shooting starts" rule and must accept surrender (they are allowed to strip the perps & hog-tie them the whole way back) but medical attention is optional. In the arcologies law enforcement has a "starts with nonlethal" policy unless the perp has a gun, power weapon, or great weapon. Dueling is legal, as is nonlethal bounty hunting. Accredited magic users are free to use all non-harmful magics except illusions (with the exception of use within the entertainment industry), and apostates are kill-on-sight with no legal repercussions. Cities have one jail each, punishment is short term imprisonment and fines, scaling up to "disassembly" for healthy parts at the local hospital if you can't pay your fine. Farming & harvesting is monopolized by the planetary government. Environmental disasters & industrial accidents will incur a death mark bounty unless if they happen in or near a food production zone. Only Common drugs, bio-foam, & tranq are legal to purchase, possess, or transport without permits.

Shopping:
Weapons: neelders, hunting rifles, shotguns, lasguns, assorted pistols, generic hand & great weapons, syrnth stuff.
Armor: light through extreme. Cold weather proofed available at +2 TN.
Drugs: Commons, bio-foam, & tranq all normally available.
Vehicles: All regular civilian vehicles. Motorcycles & compacts are available in all modes. Helicopters are popular & -2 purchase TN, 4 magic carpets are available for rent from local Cocaine Wizard Guild branch office (no purchasing & requires membership or +5 TN), used (add junker & -2hp & $common) law enforcement droids from a fad about 10 years ago (no rentals). Rentals are @ buy-5 TN per week or no-roll credit check @ wealth/backing:TN -> 2:5($vc), 3:10($c), 4:15($uc), 5:20($rare), increase rental price by 1 step for no-fault insurance otherwise on serious damage/total destruction the PC has to buy it as a used vehicle (TN-5) test that always succeeds but if the roll failed they lose 1 wealth/backing.
Services: Good cybernetics & organ replacement via transplants. Excellent but expensive data crunching & computer modelling. Moderate cargo & shipping ($v.com per ton container). Decent spacecraft & small spelljammer repair (normal + 20 micro/proton torps). Hunting/exploring guides & tours of all prices [random species, guard stats, hunting rifle, net, rope, hv.leather, knife, social=animal ken, $unc = average then +/-1 skill/rarity & +/- wis @ $vc & $vr]. Satellite based weather control for temperate farm regions & the huge lakes, it's difficult convincing control to change areas & not to great effect elsewhere, but it may used when search & rescue in the mountains are involved. Orbital scans of ~4 m^2 resolution from one of six mercenary orbital defense stations imaging in visual & IR ($v.com wealth test for 5 km^2 detailed or 500 km^2 low res)[5-25-125-625-3125]. One small ComStar FTL comms installation at arcology #2 linked to _3_other_systems_nearby_, and with bill collection subcontracted to the defense satellites & mercenaries.
Pets: cybernetic versions of the typical stuff, no real live animal trafficking except some pretty and/or weird fish.

b. The sensor readings are "that mountain", encompassing about 445sq.km, a ~24km diameter circle, in the middle of a mountain range 1500km from the nearest arcology (#3). We assume flight & scanning with a high winds piloting TN 25 vs trouble or you abort that run. On 20- start rolling on the out of control table. An orbital scan of TN 30 or a (1/4 area per $Unc or 100% at $Rare) amount of scanning will locate several cave & glacier possible entrances. A flying scan of TN 25 finds the same. Hiring a local yeti hunting/skiing guide(s) of $Unc or better from the nearest city 1500km away is an auto-success finding the caves are because the big local wildlife for hunting likes that sort of place to lair. There are large carnivores in caves #2, #4, and #6. A lost & died hunting party (no yeti) in cave #3 (big game slug thrower rifles + ammo, cold weather gear). Cave #7 on 3rd+ roll (or just the 3rd cave if a 7 was rolled on the first two tries) goes further down after a 90% blocking rockslide. After a 5km caving climb going 2km down it ends in a 3m thick ice plugged nice round hole & past that is a sloping smooth tunnel at a 20% grade for another 50km (used to go to the surface but 20000 years ago part of the mountain fell down).

CAVE #3 LOOT - 3x frozen corpses, 1x used up propane stove & pot, 1x scattered bones, 4x cold weather gear, 6x climbing gear, 8x knives, 1x magoculars, 1x med-kit, 1x pict recorder(digital memory half full), 2x solid state thremocouple flashlights(heat->cold = light), 3x backpacks, 2x ordinary heavy rifle ($R) 2k2 I p2 60m s/- a10 1f proven(3) & 6x clips, 1x primitive heavy rifle ($U) 3k3 I p4 240m s/- a1 4f +accurate +reliable & 10x rounds, 4x chrono, 1x Vectron charm on the corpse showing signs of cannibalism.

c. Build a syrnth deep defense installation w/90% busted interior defenses. It has occasional battle damage concentrated in dead-ends and choke points. There is a magic power source based on tapping a nexus of deep earth ley-lines but its offline from some moderate damage, TN 15 repair. Have a not-straight path through the base & all defenses along that path are dead. The path goes through the power plant & ends in entrance to a modron sleeper base. The modrons will awaken if they are fooled with, their power source is fooled with, or the syrnth base is powered back up. IF syrnth base powers up THEN activate 16 monodrones to random-walk through the syrnth base& one tri-drone to half-speed follow the path back to the power plant. The tri-drone will investigate any monodrone going offline without curiosity & then return to pathing towards the power plant. The tri-drone will inflict the minimum amount of damage to offline the syrnth power plant and then wait there for several hours as monodrones random walk the base. It will investigate offline monodrones as usual, staying where it stops investigating until another monodrone goes offline. If the power plant is repaired a second time the tri-drone will return at full speed and take it down it again, then camp nearby (with LoS but sort of hidden-ish) for 16 days. It will stop investigating any monodrones going down during that time. If the tri-drone enters combat with the PCs and it fails to take down at least one target every three turns then it sends the wake-up signal to the whole modron base. On wake-up signal a cube worth of modrons begins activating, mono in 1 minute, duo in 2, tri in 3, etc., with 1 tri + 8 duo + 64 mono heading out from the modron base entrance into syrnth base for a full cleansing sweep in 5 minutes.

d. On either base activating energy readings will spike. The orbitals notice it on TN 10 if looking for something (like the PCs radioed something in and managed to talk to someone important or they had their ship start moving in for possible orbital bombardment) and 20 if not, check every 4 hours after the initial start-up, magical readings for the syrnth base & weird power readings for the modrons. This is T-0 hours. The orbitals start deep scanning and trying to contact the party (under a mountain = hard & unlikely, 1%/10 minutes unless they set something up like relays in the tunnel then its cumulative 10%/minute until successful, auto if the PCs are in contavt with a ship and authorities can just call the ship for a signal relay). If they contact the party and there is no modron energy or at T+2 hours they send a search party from arcology #2. 6 heavy gear elite soldiers w/bolters +1 rocket launcher(4 frag & 2 krak) +1 heavy flamer, 2 yeti hunters, 4 scientists, will be dropped in 2 air-rafts from an anotov cargo plane arrive at T+7 hours. The search party has radio relays and will get to the syrnth base as fast as the PCs made the trip. They will find the modrons within 1 hour if the PCs are not encountered. ASAP once modrons are identified is to report, then bug out, then we start the orbital strikes.

e. If the authorities know the modrons exist they will want to start excavation via orbital bombardment in 2d10x10 minutes and the PCs may have to escape through it. The tunnel/cave will be collapsed near the base if there have been 5+ direct hits or further down the tunnel if a miss drifted within range or up-slope of the cave, check scatter & if it's at 35-55 km it has a 1/10 chance of being in the correct direction to collapse the upper tunnel/cave. The base is under 30 km of rock so figure a heavy anti-meson cannon crater depth of 100m for first 5 km then half that is about ~600 shots to blast through. They will hold off bombardment as long as there is contact from someone inside and no modrons appear anywhere. The modron base, if activated, will begin counter scanning at T+11 hours (or as soon as it gets fully awakened) & T+11.5 simultaneously attack all major targets with 1/8th or 1/4th force each (1/8th will do all 6 defense satellites and the arcologies get 1/4th each). Thus all arcologies & space stations will be under attack at once. The modron monoliths will deploy to arcology #2 because of the FTL comm relay. At T+12 hours defense satellites will stop functioning as installations (combat is ongoing but badly for defenders). At T+14 hours the defense satellites & shipyard will be empty & self destruct, allowing the modrons to begin probing of shielded ships and attacks on unshielded ships. Any capable NPC ships will bug out at T+13 hours (teh decision is made by T+12 but they will try to gather any loose crew from the ground) unless something else is happening to keep them there.

Note: Teleportation does not normally work through up shields (& only to 5 VU ~30,000 km) but damn modrons can TP from their base/ship through shields if they are at 2 VU or less (this replaces boarding shuttles in spaceship combat). Ships can escape if they get out to 3+ VU & keep their shields up. Ship teleportariums can teleport out with shields up (because synchronization) but can't get people back in without dropping shields for a minute or so during the teleport. There will be a 1/10 chance (which requires continually dedicating a teleportarium to attempts to enter but the modrons are bastards) per shield drop of [1 tri + 8 duo + 64 mono _or_ 4k4 & a partial KO of the shields if 2+ raises & total KO of the shields if 4+ raises] boarding action if the ship is within 5 VU of the planet _and_ the modron base is not being directly attacked at that time. The chance drops to 1% if the ship successfully scans the hostile force's teleport source & times the shield drops for between probing attempts.

BATTLE CUBE POPULATION: 1 penta, 8 quad, 64 tri, 512 duo, 4096 mono, 2 monoliths
1/8th force = 1 quad, 8 tri, 64 duo, 512 mono (1 tri + 8 duo + 64 mono as the smallest combat group)
MAJOR TARGETS: 6 orbital defense stations(1/8) + 1 orbital shipyard(1/8) + 3 arcologies(2/8 each)
STEEL PIMPLE POPULATION: ~70 crew + officers [L3 captain, 5 L2 officers, 15 L2 specialists, 60 L1 troops]
3 other ships (1 small-med & 2 small cargo) + a possible PC ship
1 VU = 6.000 km = ~Earth diameter
LEO: 800-2000 km & period 90-120 minutes & <1-1 VU, intermediate (GPS sats) 20.000 km & period 12 hours & 2-4 VU, stationary/synchronous 36.000 km & 6 VU, earth-moon 380.000 km & 13 VU.
Defense stations @ 1 VU & 2 hour period, shipyard @ 5 VU, most ships ~1.5 VU initially. The reason for ships in low orbits is that shuttles max out at ~2 VU for round trips & prefer ~1 VU max for safety margins. Shooting at planetary targets is low contrast (30w lightbulb in front of a big bonfire) unless cruise torpedoes are used. Halve attack roll results & double the scatter of planetary bombardment shots for each VU>=1.

If the modrons are not stopped (they must destroy the modron base & monoliths & possibly any arcologies the modrons can't be cleared out of) advance the appropriate DOOM CLOCKs as required to eliminate sapient life & generate a modron battle cube spaceship in about 2-3 months.

If the PCs don't have a ship and things get bad have one of the NPC ship's captain & senior officers ground side. If the PCs can get to a shuttle they can escape. If they can get to a traffic control station they can call & convince for a pick-up (make them roll stuff until a roll of 20+). If they need a pick-up from an arcology under attack (since that's where shuttles and traffic control stations are) have them chased by or fight through some modron squads.

Exploding the modron base: If the PCs think of it they can just drag/teleport two dozen proton torpedoes down to the entrance and set them all off at once. That one just works.
If the base is left sleeping the authorities can be convinced (TN 15) to wait for the ODW to get back (emergency burn returns them in about ~8 days) which can help. An additional day (convince TN 10) will let the ODW stop at the shipyard & swap out for proton torpedoes. The bombing runs will add about another hit every hour with mini-torps or 2/hour with proton torpedoes. Maybe the PCs started with their own ship? Run this as 600 hits at 1 hit per about roughly something estimated like-ish 200m crater or 800m array radius. Try convincing the NPC ships at TNs #1=20, #2=15, #3=10 up until the modrons start attacking them. IFF the Pc's ship has atmospheric capability they can pound out whatever weapons they've got at the rate of about 4 effective times an hour but nobody else except the ODW will be daring to shoot into the area for fear of hitting the ship.

Orbitals: crew 10, quality 2, HAM(1) 66% = 2/h & scatter 2-15-150
ODW: crew 30, quality 3, high 2x LAM(0.5) @ 4/h: 65% = 2.6/h & scatter 2-20-180
3 NPC ships nearby. = #1 =+.4/h, #2 =+.1/h, #3 =+.8/h & scatter 2-25-180

2(sats)+2.6(ODW)+.5(ships 1&2)+.8(ship 3)=~6/h == 100 hours of bombardment

On the 100th hour the modron base is breached(B) and will take 6 more value=1 hits to destroy. Run in 15 minute increments to match the RoF of the ships in high orbit. Have the defense sats fire 3/4 turns. You may assume the captains are all successfully Picard Speech-ifying their crews all the time or all the shooting has let them refine their aim to the same effect (+0k1 over regular shooting). Sats 1/turn for 3/4 turns @ 10k3-10 heavy anti-meson cannon (x1), ODW @ (10k4 /2)+5 with two light anti-meson arrays (x.5 each), ship 1 @ (10k3 /2) orgone turret (x.5), ship 2 @ (10k4 /2)-5 light las cannon (x.75), ship 3 @ (10k5 /2)+5 mass driver turret (x.5). Turn B+0 modrons activate & anyone scanning will notice on a TN 10. Turn B+1 modrons counter scan, this is automatically detected by everyone. Turn B+2, as the sats are ~2000 km away & the ships will be 2 VU out, the modrons will launch boarding attacks on all the defense satellites at 5k5 each. Turns B+3 and later they will 4k4 deep scan one firing shielded ship within 2 VU randomly (no repeats) each turn and on a 15+ the boarding parties on that ship will target the shield generators, disabling them if they get 3 raises over the defenders. The modrons have functionally 30 "crew" (the scanning is free because of the base), can teleport board to 5 VU from the planet if the target is unshielded, up to 2 VU through shields, and will auto-triage v 15 for 1+1/raise regenerated crew at: >22=5k5, 22-18=4k4, 17-13=3k3, 12-8=2k2, <=7=1k1. After the first boarding party all NPC ships will retreat to 7-8 VU, stopping shooting to triage wounded & do emergency speed. Successful TN 20 PC calls can get retreating ships to resume shooting if they still have shields. If a NPC ship hasn't been hit they'll also retreat to 7-8 VU and bombard with longer range weapons, but they won't stop firing at any point or divert crew to engineering/piloting for speed boosts.

Once the base is destroyed any modrons on ships or stations are marooned there and will keep fighting as 'boarding actions' until they run out of crew.

------------------SHIP 1-----------------
Type: Endurance (Support), Class: Escort, Cost: 80, Price: Holdings 2
Shields: Resilient Mk I (immune to disruption) (80 points & 7 regeneration), Hull Points: 66
Crew Count: 14, Crew Quality: 2, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +10, Speed: 9 VU, Static Defense: 3, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+10, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS---------------------- crash 1%
1x Heavy Positron Cannon, Rng 32, Arc narrow, Acc -15, Dmg 6k4, Disrupt +7, Crit +4, $each 25.
crater 200m, blast 600m, dmg 10k10+30 [1/h]
1x Orgone Gun Turret, Rng 5, Arc all, Acc +5, Dmg 2k2, Disrupt +6, Crit -2, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 200m, dmg 6k6 [0.5/h]

high OGT(0.5) @ 4/h: 19% == .4/h

-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 0/0, Command 0/0, Engineering 1/2, Tactical 0/0, Universal 1/1, Total 2/3.
Large Engine Core: Engineering, +2 totalSpeed & +5 totalAcc, $cost 15.
Cargo Bays: Universal, Big open spaces to ship lots of stuff, $cost 5.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 47 = about 155 m. Crew Number: about 172 people.

------------------SHIP 2-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 105, Price: Holdings 3
Shields: Multipahsic Mk II (4xLayers) (20 points & 10 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 3, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 12, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x Light Las Cannon, Rng 10, Arc normal, Acc -5, Dmg 4k3, Disrupt +4, Crit +2, $each 15.
crater 150m, radius 400m, dmg 10k10 [.75/h]
1x Heavy Plasma Cannon, Rng 20, Arc narrow, Acc -15, Dmg 7k4, Disrupt +3, Crit +5, $each 25.
crater 200m, blast 700m, dmg 10k10+40 [1/h]

high LLC(0.75) @ 4/h: 4% = 4*.04*.75 = .1/h

-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 0/0, Command 0/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 1/0, Universal 1/2, Total 2/2.
Ramming Prow: Tactical, Gain +1k1 damage when ramming ships and do not take self critical and enemy critical is at +2, $cost 10.
Hidden Cargo Bays: Universal, Concealed spaces to ship illegal stuff, $cost 10.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 160 people.

------------------SHIP 3-----------------
Type: Steamboat (Multipurpose), Class: Escort, Cost: 100, Price: Holdings 3
Shields: Covariant Mk III (165 points & 10 regeneration), Hull Points: 40
Crew Count: 12, Crew Quality: 4, Fore Guns: 1, Aft Guns: 1
Initiative: +0, Speed: 6 VU, Static Defense: 12, Maneuver: +0, Acceleration+0, Sensors+0
-----------------WEAPONS----------------------
1x Mass Driver Gun Turret, Rng 4, Arc all, Acc +5, Dmg 3k2, Disrupt +1, Crit +0, $each 5.
crater 100m, blast 300m, dmg 9k6 [0.5/h]
1x Heavy Mass Driver Cannon, Rng 16, Arc narrow, Acc -5, Dmg 6k4, Disrupt +3, Crit +3, $each 15
crater 200m, blast 600m, dmg 10k10+30 [1/h]

high MDT(0.5) @ 4/h: 42% = 4*.5*.42 = .8/h

-----------------CONSOLES----------------------
Arcana 1/0, Command 0/0, Engineering 0/0, Tactical 0/0, Universal 1/2, Total 2/2.
Teleportarium: Arcana, Boarding Actions at 5 VU if there are no shields, $cost 20.
Cargo Bays: Universal, Big open spaces to ship lots of stuff, $cost 5.
-----------------OTHER----------------------
Ship Size: 45 = about 135 m. Crew Number: about 160 people.

Following the initial themes of the first adventure of the last campaign. Starts with the PCs as troubleshooters on the suler luxury cruiser ODW with a bit of time on ship in case they need to do last minute/week shopping or planning before going on their mission. Then some socializing or possible stealth & larceny with local authorities. Hunt a dumb but dangerous critter with some potential NPC backup or complications, this time with more silliness in its name. Get attacked by almost competent pirates with a humorous name. Have a chance to get a spelljamming ship. Check some "weird" sensor readings that turn out to be a modron sleeper base.

New this time are the DEEBLES, or Dark Eldarin Environmental Bankruptcy Lawyer Entrepreneur Ships. Yep, those are the pirates. And the DPS, or direum platypusius sucidae a 6m hairless platypus with poison spurs, they're hunting. Plus a plan in case they manage to totally **** up and awaken the base.

**Laserlight** · 2022-09-10, 03:49 AM (ISO 8601)

I would love to play in that game. Although perhaps not with your players, given the disasters they seems to be so lightheartedly causing. :-)

"Boys will be boys!" chuckles Admiral Naismith, as London burns behind him.

**Telok** · 2022-09-10, 03:06 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Laserlight

as London burns behind him.

They did that too.

But as it was Tyr on Athas it was, over all, a moot point.

Mostly they just show up to do something and then leave, never intending to return or meet those people again... Which of course has consequenced when stuff that is explicitly in the setting and that I have NPCs talk about in fairly clear terms has the ability to travel just like they do. Even more so when it can, wants to, and will be able to accrue power.

I think its that they just don't think long term about anything in the game. Most other rpgs they play do mainly the short arcs with neat tie ups & no consequences stuff like you see in modules. And of course module writers can't really re-use NPCs or previous module events either.

With my continuing setting & NPCs who have plans that accrue power slowly over years... they just don't have the mindset to see past the next stop on their trip. Of course its when travel takes weeks & months that long term NPC plans can actually start really happening in a way they can see them instead of just tripping over isolated events.

Related, I'm near completing the ODW map. Once that's done I want to make a random sci-fi news generator. I found an example (no code, alas) of someone taking a news site rss feed and doing some word swaps. So I'll be working on that next. I also want to test some race runs around the track. May need to work on or clarify some vehicle movement stuff, or work up a different racing bike.

**Telok** · 2022-09-30, 09:52 PM (ISO 8601)

Wootles. Got a default "for players" planet info set up. Found a couple ad&d spelljammer sphere & planet generators. Saved those as html files and I'm editing them into a more DtD40k7e style. Slow going as family stuff cuts off computer time, but that'll probably be for another 2-3 years or so.

Here's the pkanet info templat

Spoiler

Show

don't include the numbers, just write a sentence for each one, two sentences if you really have to.

Descriptive blurb:
1. general first impression info: An extra mountainous but otherwise generically temperate world with no actual oceans just really large lakes.
2. specific terrain weather moons: With 2 small & close moons tides are high and the coasts are largely storm lashed & uninhabitable. Inland past the mountains the weather is normally calm.
3. length of day kept to 24+/-5 hours:
4. population, density, breakdowns: The planet has 3 arcology cities that are gnome-primary (36%) 10km tall arcologies far apart around with a 8% yeti population that mainly works as hunting & skiing tour guides in the deep mountains. The rest is ork/elf 26% each & misc. 2%. Total population is over 80 million.
5. notable food & mineral production: Farming is 90% automated giant processor vehicles on tracks through farmland while aquaculture is giant processing plants on islands with super long tubes out to fishing grounds.
6. notable special industry:
7. government type (weird but plausible is best): Each local city government is a 17 person mercantile-industrial democratic council elected by a body of self-selected local business leaders, with a 5 person technocratic world council having limited non-emergency powers appointed by the grand council of all the city governments.

Local laws & customs important to player characters:
1. vehicular weaponry: No lethal ranged vehicular weaponry but heavy personnel weapons on vehicles are OK.
2. personal weapons: No heavy weapons or power weapons in personal possession or use. Storage is OK.
3. explosives: No explosives.
4. permits required: Permits are required for carrying weapons in populated areas. No restrictions in the wilderness.
5. armor wearing in public: Heavy+ armor wearing ticketed with a minor fine three times, then confiscated.
6. animals (import/export & quarantine): No restrictions except megafauna & bioweapons are banned.
7. law enforcement style: In cities & towns law enforcement has a strictly nonlethal policy unless the perp uses lethal force.
8. dueling, bounty hunting, assassination, magic use restrictions: Accredited magic users are free to use all non-harmful magics except illusions (with the exception of use within the entertainment industry), and apostates are kill-on-sight with no legal repercussions.
9. punishment style: Local jails only, punishment is fines, property loss, & exile unless you intentionally critically injured or killed people then its death.
10. drugs: Only Common drugs, bio-foam, & tranq are legal to purchase, possess, or transport.
11. special local: Environmental disasters & pollution carries a death mark bounty.

Shopping:
1. Weapons: neelders, hunting rifles, shotguns, lasguns, assorted pistols, generic hand & great weapons, syrnth stuff.
2. Armor: light through extreme. Cold weather proofed available at +2 TN.
3. Drugs: Commons, bio-foam, & tranq all normally available.
4. Vehicles:
4.1. All regular civilian vehicles.
4.2. Vans & Cargo Lorries are available in all modes/only tracked wheeled and walkers.
4.3. _______ are popular,
4.4. 2/4/6 ______ are available for rent from local [Cocaine Wizard Guild, someone else] branch office (no 4.5. purchasing & requires membership or +5 TN),
4.6. used (add junker & -2hp & -5 buy TN) ______ from a fad about 10/20/30 _____ years ago (no rentals).
4.7. Rentals are @ buy-5 TN per week or no-roll credit check @ wealth/backing:TN -> 2:5(vc), 3:10(c), 4:15(uc), 5:20(rare), increase rental price by 1 step for no-fault insurance otherwise on serious damage/total destruction the PC has to buy it as a used vehicle (TN-5) test that always succeeds but if the roll failed they lose 1 wealth/backing.
5. Services:
5.1. Good/No ___________. cybernetics, pharmaceuticals, mil-tech, space stuff, medical, magical, etc.
5.2. space cargo: Moderate cargo & shipping (v.com per ton container).
5.3. general spaceship: Decent spacecraft & small spelljammer repair (normal + 20 micro/proton torps).
5.3. local specialty: Hunting/exploring guides & tours of all prices [random species, guard stats, hunting rifle, net, rope, hv.leather, knife, social=animal ken, unc=avg then +/-1 skill/rarity & +/- wis @ vc & vr].
5.4. weather control: Satellite based weather control for temperate farm regions & huge lakes, difficult convincing to change & not great effects elsewhere but used when search & rescue involved.
5.5. orbitals may be commercial military mercenary private government, satellites stations ships weirdness etc.
5.6. from orbit monitoring: ~2 m^2. resolution commercial satellite imaging in visual & IR (v.com for 1 km^2 detailed or 500 km^2 low res)[1-5-25-125-625].
5.7. ComStar FTL installation: large w/mecha battalion, med w/mecha lance, small w/tanks
5.8. Pets: cybernetic versions of typical stuff, no real live animal trafficking except some pretty/weird fish.
5.9. Transport: Public busses & trams in high density urban areas. Small personal wheeled vehicles are common. Transit between arcologies is normally by high speed monorail or airplane, there are no connecting roads. Water travel activity is minimal.

**Telok** · 2022-10-01, 08:45 PM (ISO 8601)

The ship is done. I can finally get on to some other stuff.

Ostentatious_Display_of_Wealth.png is a 10mb file for a ship 1.7 km long by around 400m wide.

**Telok** · 2022-11-07, 10:42 PM (ISO 8601)

Finished 2nd draft of local galaxy map. Rand-gen and cleanup on prrviously un-detailed systems...

-1,-3 Wehr
System Type: Planets orbit clockwise around Primary
Wehrsun: ● Spherical Fire Body, Size E (8,000 km dia), bright yellow sun-like object
Sphere has no stars and is approximately 600 million km across (100 kVU, 33 LM)
Spelljammer Activity: Major trading port for Gandisha sector and all adjacent sectors.
Sphere Admiral : Lady Chihail of the Silver Stars Homeguard & Mercenary Navy
Syrnth Warp Gate: The warp gate is operated by the local government and protected by several cruisers. The governemtn operates and maintains the gate as a free service to all trade and exploration ships that use it.

Grey: ‡ Belt Earth World
Clockwise orbit: 40 million kilometers (7 kVU, 2 light minutes)
Characteristics: Dust ring

Akhat: ● Spherical Earth World - Size E (7000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 70 million kilometers (12 kVU, 4 light minutes)
Characteristics: dead world, thin toxic atmosphere, carbon dioxide ice caps, 3 m/s gravity, severe dust storms
Satellites: cluster of asteroids

Wehrld: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (6000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 100 million kilometers (17 kVU, 6 light minutes)
Groundlings: primitive civilizations of assorted species [t1c2]
Characteristics: mild weather, magical world, power local spirits/godlings, moderate navigational hazard
Satellite:
Agrak: ● Spherical Earth World - Size C (1100 km dia)

Approaching within about half a million kilometers (80 VU) of Wehrld is dangerous as several of the most powerful local spirits of that world are likely to notice any normal spelljammer and attempt to destroy it by doing such things as turning half of the hull into twenty thousand angry daemons. Exploration by several master conjurers indicate that the world is one of those silly places with powerful spirits acting as gods to retard technological and cultural development by constantly interfering with local civilizations, starting wars or plagues, and occasionally dropping a small comet on the inhabitants. The rare locals who do escape into the wider universe is usually powerful sorcerers or exalts and their power should be respected even if they are ignorant backwater rubes.

Lister's Rock: ● Disk Earth World - Size E (12,000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 140 million kilometers (23 kVU, 8 light minutes)
Groundlings: squats & gnomes [220 million, t5c3]
Characteristics: tidally locked temperate world, major starport & asteroid bases
Satellites: cluster of asteroids with scattered mining & metal refining bases.

Lister's Rock is a notable, absolutely neutral, trading port maintained by a heavily armed Squat colony. The planet itself is a mildly unstable spinning disk approximately 800 km thick, that occasionally loses mountains off the edge. These lost rocks make up the asteroid ring that orbits the planet and provide the raw materials for the local non-mercantile economy. A large transshipping space station and space elevator called "The Pin" extends from the center of Lister's Rock to well outside the localized gravity well and atmosphere (they only extend about 110 km above the surface) to provide docking for those spelljammers that cannot make landfall at the planetary port. On the day-side, outside of the starport and a few nearby mega-farms there are only scattered households and wilderness. On the night-side there is no ecology because it snows carbon dioxide.

Fersoon: ● Spherical Earth World - Size E (9500 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 200 million kilometers (33 kVU, 11 light minutes)
Groundlings: degenerate lizard-man tribes [t1c1]
Characteristics: Lava world, 16 m/s gravity

Fersoon does not receive sufficient light from the system's star to warm the surface, but it makes up for that by having a very large core of heavy metals that give it unusually strong magnetic and gravitational fields. This also maes it excessively volcanic to the point that the entire surface is effectively 're-paved' every 150 years or so. There are some primitive and hardy lifeforms, primarily floating plants & rat-sized lizard/bat-like things, and a series of savage lizard people tribes who might be degenerate mutant dragonborn if you squint hard enough. It is unknown if they evolved naturally, were transplanted from somewhere, or are devolved and mutated survivors of a crashed dragonborn spelljammer in the distant past.

Aphigor: ● Spherical Air World - Size I (1,900,000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 250 million kilometers (42 kVU, 14 light minutes)
Characteristics: Radioactive Mist Gas Giant, minor navigational hazard
Satellite:
Agrak: ● Spherical Live World - Size E (11,000 km dia)
Groundlings: deranged Vampire
Characteristics: temperate world, 4 km long toes, carnivorous plant life

Aphigor is a large methane gas giant with permanent storms, powerful electromagnetic fields, unstable magical flux levels, and lots of ionizing radiation. It has several dozen small (15-150 km diameter) moons made of ice or rock, but nothing interesting or notable except for a Agrak, a titanic flesh-ball infested with mobile carnivorous fungus creatures. Random toes from 500 meters to 4 kilometers grow from the surface, forming sorts of "forests" and "hills" for the fungus creatures to grow and hunt each other in. the mad pirate captain vampire elder <NAME> is was confirmed to be to be marooned somewhere on Agrak after triggering the self-destruct of his battlecruiser during a nearby battle with the local defense forces some standard 300 years ago. The fact that <NAME> survived the blast, re-entry, and the landing, is a testament to how personally tough and dangerous he was. The atmosphere of Agrak is best described as "festering rotting flesh and diseased pus".

**Telok** · 2022-11-17, 08:36 PM (ISO 8601)

Odds & ends from building a setting. About 50/300 crystal spheres done.

Dryad cultist of Khorne retirement home.

Mecha-titan planet-in-a-box.

Toe moon with mad vampire pirate captain.

Giant tentacle-kangaroo daemon.

**Telok** · 2022-11-21, 12:30 PM (ISO 8601)

Woo hoo! I made more work for myself.

At one piint (point? Pint? Its been a while, could have been drinking) I went through a major Traveller wiki's image files and scraped all the icons for companies & starlines & some military groups. Threw in a comstar icon too.

Then, last night, stumbled across a libreoffice calc add-in calked "links to images". Had to update libreoffice but it worked. I now have an almost 600 row spreadsheet of 3cm x 3cm icons to slap category, home system, size, and notes onto.

To do: adding aztechnology icon, another 1 or 2 battletech group icons, and finding icons to use for the cocaine wizards guild & book 2 alignment groups. Might be able to nick something generic off open clip art, should try trawling some wh & wh40k wiki image files.

**Telok** · 2022-12-20, 03:20 AM (ISO 8601)

Jade, a sphere I did not randomly generate but did need to create some details for.

Spoiler

Show

0,3 Jade
System Type: Planets orbit both clockwise & counter-clockwise around Primary
Orbus: ▴ Regular Torus Fire World, Size G (80,000 km dia)
Satellites: Sun Cluster: ❖ Cluster Earth World - a few dozen Size B chunks (15-150 km dia), Asteroid Cluster in the center of Orbus
Stars are the shimmering life forces of the sphere's dead flying on the interior of the crystal sphere
Sphere is approximately 1800 million kilometers across (301 kVU, 99 LM)
The Traveller's Aid Society unofficially classifies Jade as an overall Class 1 "could the locals please clean up their mess" danger/nuisance sphere due to a higher than average proportion of places that are not nice to visit.
Traveller's Aid Society Official Danger Level Ratings
A. Combat Hazard Class 2: Titan has a interdiction and containment policy enforced by the local navy.
B. Combat Hazard Class 1: Oigopina is crawling with summoned chaos spawn, call ahead if you want to visit.
C. Mental Hazard Class 1: Alladix has stupid local laws to enslave visitors.
D. Navigational Hazard Class 2: Godfury has high levels of magical radiation and a powerful angry spirit.
E. Navigational Hazard Class 2: StarLancus is an artifact world but has apparently intelligence chunks of neutronium orbiting it that consume and starships that come close.
F. Navigational Hazard Class 2: The Jade Haze is a grey cloud apparently impenetrable to all sensing technologies that no ship ever returns from.
G. Combat Hazard Class 1: Bobi has several autonomous orbital* siege tanks that shoot at unauthorized spacecraft.

* Editor's Note: The tanks are ground based, they are designed to shoot at stuff in orbit.

Parla: ● Spherical Earth/Fire World - Size D (2500 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 20 million kilometers (3 kVU, 1 light minutes)
Characteristics: airless blasted hot melty ball of rock

Hem: ● Spherical Water World - Size D (4500 km dia)
Counter-clockwise orbit: 40 million kilometers (7 kVU, 2 light minutes)
Characteristics: extreme temperature variations, elemental vermin swarms
Satellites: dust ring

Hem is a ball of water close enough to Orbus to be heated almost to the boiling point, it normally has a atmosphere is scalding hot steam. The dust ring surrounding Hem is extremely thick and wide, blocking over 90% of the light from the sun and dropping the surface temperature of Hem to near freezing when it passes over. The only life on the planet are elemental spirits in the form of giant carnivorous screaming eels. The eels aren't truly carnivores, they just rip anything to shreds that they can get their jaws on.

Titan: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (3500 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 120 million kilometers (20 kVU, 7 light minutes)
Groundlings: religious human empire (4 million, t3c2), hideous lycanthrope hordes
Characteristics: temperate surface, orbit tidally-locked -- planet has light and dark side
Satellites:
Ithrorhea: ● Spherical Earth World - Size C (1500 km dia)
Groundlings: mutant swarms (<10,000, t1c-), tyrannical Vampire

The terribly mis-named planet Titan is home to two interesting factions: a sect of religious zealots worshipping the human empire's emperor as a living god, and the body-stealing doppelganger were-ticks who call themselves chris-a-lids. The humans are spread across the otherwise fairly nice light-side/dark-side planet in several heavily armed fortress monasteries in their, so far 600 year long, war to exterminate the were-ticks. The were-ticks are endemic to the local human population and are generally indistinguishable from normal humans short of a violent evisceration. The local military fleet has a strong interdiction and containment policy that involves blowing up anything that tries to get off the planet. The little low-gravity forest moon Ithrorhea is ruled by an ancient vampire called <NAME>, who rules over some primitive inbred deformed anthropomorphic armadillo-people with an iron fist. The navy includes them in the interdiction just because there might be some of the were-ticks in the populace and you can't tell without cutting open absolutely everyone and who want to go through all that bother?

Merk: 0 Elliptical Earth World - Size F (22,000 length by equatorial 51,000 km diameter)
Clockwise orbit: 140 million kilometers (23 kVU, 8 light minutes)
Groundlings: gnomes enslaved by eldarins (250,000, t6c2), lycanthrope army training camp (82,000, t4c0)
Characteristics: furnace world, frequent wildfires fueled by unchecked infinity vine growth
Satellites:
Jionod's Nugget: ❖ Cluster Earth World - Size E (6500 km dia)
Groundlings: primitive squat cultists (<500, t1c2)
Alladix: 0 Elliptical Water World - Size E (7700 km dia)
Groundlings: human caste system (500,000, t4c3)
Jurgist: ◗ Flat Earth World - Size E (6800 km dia)
Groundlings: autocratic dragonborn nation (880,000, t4c2), dominating Paragon ork
Segradot: ● Spherical Fire World - Size E (7200 km dia)
Characteristics: self-sustaining elemental flame

Merk is a sort of oval spindle shape that rotates fairly rapidly, giving it slightly less than a 13 standard hour day. It's four moons are evenly spaced along a single orbit and move retrograde to the planet's rotation, meaning each one rises every 130 minutes. As the sphere's primary sun, Orbus, is too small and far away to provide significant light the Merk's fire moon, Segradot defines the local day/night cycle. The Get of Fenris werewolf tribe maintains, with a very expensive lease, a military style training camp to take advantage of the frequent moonrises. There is also a medium-large eldarin colony near the south pole of the planet. They are excavating, or exploring, or rebuilding some large Syrnth edifice. The entire operation is very secretive and has several spelljammer cloaking devices covering it. The workforce is almost entirely gnomes who are under some sort of mental influence, from either the thing being worked on or something the eldarin are doing, that makes them act like selfless workaholics who forget everything as soon as they're removed form the area. The <NAME> Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Gnomes has a substantial bounty for concrete information about what's going on or any non-mind wiped gnomes rescued from the project.

The moons of Merk, other than Segradot, are all inhabited. Jionod's Nugget has a clan of degenerate squats who fell into Tezeenchian mine-crafting cultism and are now probably impossible to remove from the literally infinite maze of time-space bending tunnels they've carved in/out of/to their several moonlets. Alladix is an elongated water droplet with a minor human colony involved with deuterium mining exports. Their ultra capitalist government has bound over 70% of their population into varying forms of indentured debit servitude. Visitation is not recommended as the spaceship docking fees are sufficient to bankrupt most owners and plunge the crews into inescapable debit. Jurgist was a typical coin-shaped moon with a quiet hereditary nobles kingdom populated mostly by dragonborn. However it has been involved in a peasants revolt civil war for the last fifteen standard years lead by a charismatic ork speed metal drummer named <NAME>.

Rainuss: ▴ Torus Live World - Size E (15,000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 200 million kilometers (33 kVU, 11 light minutes)
Groundlings: feral minotaurs (?40 million?, t1c1), tyrannical Promethian
Characteristics: temperate climate
Satellites: ice rings
Oigopina: ❖ Cluster Earth World - Size D (3300 km dia)
Groundlings: troglodyte enclave (2 to 20 million?, t3c3)
Ak: ◗ Flat Earth World - Size D (1800 km dia)
Groundlings: militaristic troglodytes (8000, t3c3), influential ancient white dragon, chaos creatures

Rainuss is a ring world created from a single titanic infinity vine. The vine's life cycle has slowed as it size has increased, it now only increases the diameter of the world by about 2 km per standard year. Experts estimate that the planet will form into a disk shaped flat world in between another 10 to 13 thousand years. Detailed study of the planet is hampered by large tribes of violent xenophobic feral shaggy yak-headed humanoids led by a ruthless bull-headed brass golem known as "Mr. Shiny Axe". The moons Oigopina and Ak are uninhabitable on the surfaces (airless, hard radiation, extreme micro-gravity), but a small civilization of blind reptilian light-allergic humanoids was recently discovered inside them when they launched an sort-of interplanetary invasion from Oigopina to Ak in primitive chemical rockets. Ak is a sort of thin wedge shape with many geode caverns in it and s the home of the dragon <NAME>, famous for it's significant interests in several major banking firms. <NAME> has also turned out to be a powerful conjurer as it is single handedly fighting off the invaders from Oigopina by summoning chaos spawn to assault their base with. Lucifer Inc. is currently offering 4 to 3 odds in favor of <NAME> winning quote "whenever it frikkin' wants to", and the Traveller's Aid Society has issued a 'Don't Land' advisory for Oigopina until such time as there aren't random chaos spawn crawling across the surface.

Delk: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (5900 km dia)
Counter-clockwise orbit: 250 million kilometers (42 kVU, 14 light minutes)
Groundlings: giant troglodyte nation (47,958, t1c1), numerous mutants
Characteristics: cold climate
Satellites:
Kiradalia: ● Spherical Earth World - Size C (800 km dia)
Groundlings: nation-building humans (3 million, t5c3)
Flanulugist: ● Spherical Water World - Size C (750 km dia)
Groundlings: militaristic humans (40,000, t5t3), numerous mutants
Aftortasia: ● Spherical Earth World - Size B (150 km dia)
Groundlings: insectare empire (?billions?, t1c4), vermin swarms

Delk is a small ice world with deep caverns inhabited by 8 meter tall reptile people. However their cold blooded nature and the cool climate have given them a metabolism of about 1/220th that of the major species of the Great Wheel. A "day" for one of them spans slightly over six standard months. Their word for "Hello" takes around seven minutes and is only audible in the deep subsonic range. The Delks have a rather flexible genome that makes them all technically mutants. This generally manifests in an apparently random number of limbs, anywhere from three to seventeen. It is believed that they have reached their current level of technological development over the last 30 million years, and that they might be able to discover basic chemical reactions in another 1 to 5 million years.

The three moons of Delk are much more interesting. Kiradalia is an airless ball of rock with a very profitable human mining nation-state that feeds raw materials to the local military industry. Flanulugist is a ball of water laced with heavy radioactive elements, the decay of which keep it warm enough to remain liquid liquid. the humans from Kiradalia have established a military/mining base there but have problems with frequent mutations that also tend to turn the unfortunate victims into semi-aquatic cannibal monsters. Aftortasia is a tiny world inhabited by a tiny empire of countless crystalline insects, about 1.3 cm tall on average, struggling against swarms of small crystalline locusts.

Junda Cluster: ❖ Cluster Earth World - outermost "moon" orbit is approximately 14,000 km dia
Counter-clockwise orbit: 300 million kilometers (50 kVU, 17 light minutes)
Characteristics: 17 Moons in regular moon orbits but without a planet
Major Moons/Rocks:
Oaston: ◗ Flat Earth World - Size D (3100 km dia)
Groundlings: agrarian human city (48,000, t3c3), rogue A.Is and robots
Attamellia: ● Spherical Water World - Size D (2500 km dia)
Groundlings: mind flayer enclave (8000, t5c2)
Umiboloka: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (3500 km dia)
Groundlings: master craftsmen humans (23,000, t5c2)
Ane'jabe: ● Spherical Fire World - Size E (6600 km dia)

The Junda Cluster is a group of rocks and icebergs orbiting a stable gravity fluctuation. Three of the largest objects are inhabited, and the fourth is a fireball that provides head and light sufficient to replace the lack of light and heat from the sphere's primary sun at this distance. Oaston hosts a farming community that has been plagued by rogue A.I. pest control robots for much of it's history. As the robots are only strong enough to harm small insects the locals have never bothered to figure out the reason for the aberrant behavior. Attamellia is a water/ice slush ball that was sold to a group of mind flayers who have created an advanced technology research installation and maintain their financial viability by providing high quality data interpretation services and extremely accurate long range local weather reports. Umiboloka is the site of a human military research outpost involved with cutting edge starship proton cannon production and keeping Attamellia "under the gun" so to speak.

Godfury: ‡ Belt Earth World - Size H (12,000,000 km spread)
Clockwise orbit: 350 million kilometers (58 kVU, 19 light minutes)
Groundlings: ruins of dragonborn civilization, probably just one powerful spirit
Characteristics: Asteroid Belt, only covers about 2° of the orbit, thickest in the middle, high levels of magical radiation

Godfury is the remains of a large terrestrial planet that was exploded about 12,000 standard years ago. Evidence of a civilization, tentatively identified as draconic or dragonborn, exists in the form of apparently indestructible ziggurats and a few attached ruined buildings. Investigation of the ruins is prohibited by the existence of a powerful spirit entity that jealously protects and screens the ruins. High levels of magical radiation are present and make detecting the asteroid field extremely easy as well as providing a warm glow of immanent mutation or death for anyone entering it. The original name of Godfury is unknown, magically erased from all time and existence when the planet exploded.

Warance: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (5300 km dia)
Counter-clockwise orbit: 400 million kilometers (67 kVU, 22 light minutes)
Groundlings: agrarian yeti colony (2 million, t1c0/5), ghost kingdoms
Characteristics: arctic climate
Satellites:
Bobi: ◗ Flat Earth World - Size C (1100 km dia)
Groundlings: religious human lycanthrope tribe <NAME>
Frulm: ● Spherical Fire World - Size C (900 km dia)

Warance and Bobi are chill ice worlds warmed up to habitable temperatures by the moon Frulm. The surface of Warance is covered in ice-locked ruins of ancient cities inhabited by the ghosts of a typically primitive knights-in-shining-armor type civilization. Their ghost castles are pretty to look at and the ghosts are either unable or unwilling to perceive and interact with living creatures. Other than the nice castles and silently questing ghost-knights the only thing of note about them is that everyone sees the ghosts as members of their own species. Under the ice there is a modest community of yeti farmers, mostly involved in silk-moss and ice-shroom cultivation. While they appear to have abandoned most forms of technology they do exhibit what several philosophies describe as "enlightenment". There is some very minor tourism resulting from various small cult groups occasionally visiting to ask them questions but, while they do show signs of knowing about events far away or that will happen in the future, they have an annoying tendency to phrase things in vague riddle pun poem aphorisms. Expert cynics think this is proof that enlightenment makes people insufferable jerks. Bobi is a kite-shaped world that keeps close enough to Frulm to be covered in subarctic forests. A tribe of lycanthropes affiliated with the human Imperium space marines uses it as a sort of exclusive camp or retreat. While the moon isn't always occupied there are several autonomous orbital siege tanks which will shoot at unauthorized spacecraft that get too close.

UsSpey: ● Spherical Earth World - Size D (6500 km dia)
Counter-clockwise orbit: 550 million kilometers (92 kVU, 31 light minutes)
Groundlings: empire building humans (26 million, t5c3)
Characteristics: Major Imperium military base, icy airless rock

UsSpey is covered in military installations and shipyards. The Imperium experiments, builds, trains, and manufactures significant amount of militaria in the habitation domes and deep underground bunkers.

Dracos: ● Spherical Water World - Size F (49,000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 600 million kilometers (100 kVU, 33 light minutes)
Groundlings: nation-building humans (2 billion, t5c3), conquering Werewolf
Characteristics: cold climate, severe weather
Satellites:
Ariake: ● Spherical Water World - Size C (1400 km dia)
Groundlings: hidden ork cultists (300, t1c1), mutant anthropomorphic penguins (millions, t1c1)
Fudot: ❖ Cluster Earth World - Size D (5400 km dia)
Groundlings: ferocious squat miners (470,000, t4c2)
Idiliseo's Trident: ‡ Belt Fire World - Size C (1000 km dia)
Bothouk: ● Spherical Earth World - Size C (900 km dia)
Groundlings: barbaric aasimars (400, t1c1)

Dracos is a large water world with deep oceans and a rock/ice core. It supports a large population on many semi-independent floating cities and exports major amounts of fish proteins and algae derived foodstuffs. One of the smaller cities, <NAME>, recently had some crime issues that resulted in a partial collapse of the local government. The werewolf hero <NAME> has taken control by simply killing all suspected criminals and government leaders, many personally, and declaring herself "Lord Mayor Elected". The city is currently being reorganized as a pseudo-military security state with all law enforcement being the "shoot on sight" type, and has imported sufficient weapons over the last year to arm 40% of it's population.

Dracos has twelve moons and three ring systems. The notable moons & ring of Dracos are: Idiliseo's Trident, a magical fire ring that surrounds the planet and keeps it from freezing. Fudot, a cluster of metal rich moonlets created by zealous overmining and a small claim jumping squabble among the squat mining clans that are definitely not still in a blood feud and occasionally shooting at each other's moonlets. Bothouk, a small desert moon with some shipwrecked assimar that have turned into primitive desert nomads to survive the last six centuries. and Ariake, the outermost ice moon inhabited by millions of mutant anthropomorphic penguins (mostly about 50 cm tall) and the descendants of a crashed ork spelljammer that originally contained several dozen Slannesh ork Noise Marines on their way to a concert. Nobody seems to be worried about them because they appear to have been perfectly happy fighting the penguins over which sort of pressed fish oil tastes worse, for the better part of 80 years now.

Arcanius: ▴ Regular Pyramid Live World - Size A (12 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 650 million kilometers (109 kVU, 36 light minutes)
Groundlings: thri-kreen corporation (40 million, t5c4), carnivorous plant life
Characteristics: passive clam kaiju, mist covered haze

Arcanius is a four sided pyramidal space station crafted from a mollusk-type kaiju, specifically a clam. The <NAME> corporation, primarily a thri-kreen enterprise, has shaped it's growth over the last two centuries by using melta guns as construction-style cutting torches. Only about a quarter of the interior is habitable, but at about a hundred cubic kilometers it's not exactly cramped. <NAME> corporation uses it as their headquarters, complete with their signature of having all the office planets and landscaping being carnivorous. The haze is just mating spores form the clam, and visitors are advised to perform regular decontamination during and after visits.

Thannes: ◗ Flat Earth World - Size D (5500 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 700 million kilometers (117 kVU, 39 light minutes)
Groundlings: declining human magocracy (42 million, t4c3)
Characteristics: Dual Planets, Hollow on the inside

Thannes is a large artificial habitat created and maintained by magic. It's form is two hemispheres, like coconut shells, connected by a cable in the middle that has a ring of open-cycle magical fusion reactors around the mid point. The reactors provide the light heat and contra-gravity that make the interior of the planet habitable, the one hundred and eighty kilometer thick steel cable in the middle keeps the whole thing from flying apart. An interesting side effect of the reactor's contra-gravity is that the apparent gravity increases as you approach the rims of the bowls, this effect also helps keep the atmospheres in. Thannes was once a center of magical learning but has been on a slow decline for a couple of centuries now. The local birth rate doesn't provide enough magically adept students to replace those who die or move away. This has resulted in a steadily declining number of miniatous mages who cast the tricky and dangerous, but not very glamourous or well paying, spells to detect and repair stress fractures in the central cable or to maintain the reactors. The planet's university still maintains a deep and expansive magical library, but it is no longer at the forefront of research spells and magical theory.

StarLancus: ▴ Regular Polyhedron Earth World - Size C (600 km dia)
Counter-clockwise orbit: 750 million kilometers (125 kVU, 42 light minutes)
Groundlings: stranded kenku (22, t?c-)
Characteristics: presumed insane geography
Satellites:
Bobot: ❖ Cluster Earth World - Size A (13 km dia)
Characteristics: dangerous neutronium death traps

StarLancus is a seventeen sided perfect polyhedron of an unknown metal. The manner in which a solid can have 17 flat regular sides all of the same size and shape is unknown. Like many other things about StarLancus it will probably remain unknown because there are six and a half neutronium golems orbiting it that ensure nobody ever gets a good look. The space-time distortions caused by the rapidly orbiting neutronium masses makes accurate counts of their precise number, orbits, and shapes, unreliable. Six and a half is the average of all the reliable counts. Also unknown are: how the elite kenku pilots survived an attempt three decades ago to evade the golems and scan the StarLancus, what they're doing still alive down there, the manner in which they manage to keep up with current news events, and why their distress calls keep cropping up on karaoke machines throughout the sphere.

Jade Haze: * Amorphous Air World - Size G (120,000 km dia)
Clockwise orbit: 800 million kilometers (134 kVU, 44 light minutes)
Characteristics: Grey Cloud that blocks sensors and electromagnetic waves

The Jade Haze is a grey cloud that is apparently impenetrable to all sensing technologies, and which no ship that enters ever returns from. It's just an annoying enigma that the navy has stationed several navigational warning beacons near.

**Telok** · 2023-07-10, 11:23 AM (ISO 8601)

Still going. Last count was about 100 systems marked DONE, about 80 or 90 marked "DETAILS" and about 70 or 80 marked "MAJOR TODO". Also, the Star Trek and WH40k wikis & etc. are **** for planet descriptions.

Scraped the Dr. Who & Traveller wikis, still going through the Star Wars wiki (done through M). Still haven't found any great planet generators but I need to revisit ChatGPT as that had promise.

Nobody, but nobody has space station write ups worth crap. And I still either need to watch Krull or bother someone into writing that up as a crystal sphere.

Current links:

Opposed orbit spreadsheet docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mKuJRk_eFPgOLiFjzQMqENH0Kr3BX-vy/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=107086059897970295339&rtpof =true&sd=true
Helper file. Does conjunctions, gravity calcs, torchship distance calcs, etc. Has a game system monster converter and sortable list of spheres with completion status.

Icons fixed spreadsheet drive.google.com/file/d/1VMGFmopFXypcU7D71eTKmzGRJtJM8ofE/view?usp=drivesdk
Has list of corps, groups, religions, mercs, pirates, govts, etc. Don't know if actual icons show up outside my comp since they're through a plugin, but they may be in the sheet itself. About one third converted into DtD40k7e speak.

The spheres drive.google.com/file/d/1RDdo2n2lqmJojh-7ysoSFgmCNjgxKKBP/view?usp=drivesdk
A 2 mb text file. The meat of the project.

The map drive.google.com/file/d/1REG7UEJWjwsuE3KsVWp25qx9IeknoZwa/view?usp=drivesdk
A map. Yellow is major trade routes.

The copy/paste text drive.google.com/file/d/1RC2sOC077rZomkksj7Qpt8yZYA7ZbbNE/view?usp=drivesdk
A set of text and notes I keep open during writing because its useful.

**Telok** · 2023-07-13, 10:13 PM (ISO 8601)

97 spheres with stuff to still fill in. Then it'll just be details and changing stuff scraped off wikis into DtD40k terms.

Particularly happy with the Wreck and Arth systems. Pearl coming along well. Still need to watch Krull or bribe someone write it as a SJ sphere. Used Star Wars wiki through O and Renegade Legion through T. Star Trek wiki was junk. Dr Who very limited use. Battletech wiki surprisingly unhelpful except for like 3 space stations.

List of everything still to be created, one row per system.

Spoiler

Show

needs:
[[moon]] [[asteroid trade base]] [[police asteroid belt station]]
[[2 mini-planets]] [[giant ice planet with pirates and mil bases]] [[conflict]]
[[asteroids]] [[navy base]] [[scout base]]
[[artifact planets sword & helm]] [[asteroid mining]]
[[3x liveworld asteroid belts]] [[live/tree planet]] [[comet halo]] [[navy base]]
[[2 asteroid belts]] [[asteroid base]] [[2 ice balls]]
[[military asteroid base]]
[[3x asteroids]] [[conflict]] [[pirates]]
[[asteroids inhabited]] [[space station anti-pirate]]
[[uninhabited but interesting asteroids]]
[[wrecked world]] [[live world]]
[[research space station]]
[[artifact station/planet at center of solar system]]
[[asteroids]]
[[dragon fief]]
[[pirates]] [[conflict]]
[[possessed anthropomorphic whales on cube planet]] [[planets no move affixed how???]]
[[magic dead/reduced planet && trapped anthro snake sorcerer civ]]
[[4x space danger gas giant moons]]
[[pirates]]
[[3x gas giant moons]]
[[dragon-run space station]]
[[gas giant & moons]]
[[asteroids]] [[daemons]] [[ruins]] [[sealed sphere]]
[[4x asteroids]] [[pirates]] [[space station]]
[[cube planet]] [[2x gas giant moons]]
[[anthropomorphic starfish trade-guilds & neutral spaceport]] [[vacuum world & science base]] [[singularity at center of system]]
[[small flat star & toasted asteroids]]
[[4x daemon/hell planets & space danger]]
[[daemon/hell all of: planet + 3 moons + space danger]]
[[daemon/hell all of: liveworld + 3 planets + space danger]]
[[asteroid or planet]]
[[very remote]] [[moon]] [[weird eldarin tourist/pilgrim moon]] [[draconic fief moon]]
[[celestial/assimar space station + navy base]]
[[cubic gas giant with illithids]]
[[gas giant + moon]] [[planet]]
[[space station]] [[2 planets]]
[[autocratic elf pirate base planet of vampire kingdom]]
[[water planet]] [[space station]]
[[planet]] [[space station]] [[navy base]]
[[2x planet with moon]]
[[planets]] [[space station]] [[moons]]
[[asteroid belt]]
[[gas giant & 2 moons]]
[[gas giant moons 2-4]]
[[planet of daemons]] [[space hazard(s) and/or dangers]]
[[gas giant]] [[planet]] [[moon]]
[[planets]] [[water giant]] [[moons]]
[[asteroids]] [[gas giant]]
[[asteroids]] [[gas giant moons]]
[[major trade & markets]] [[planets]] [[gas giant]] [[space station]]
[[asteroid base or deep space station]]
[[3x planets]] [[asteroids]]
[[3x planets]] [[gas giant moons]] [[pirates]] [[fixed planet positions & detail why/how]]
[[3 planets]] [[space station]] [[trade heavy]]
[[space station]] [ship graveyard]]
[[gas giant]] [[moons]] [[giant flat world]]
[[2 planets]] [[4 moons]]
[[asteroids]] [[gas giant]]
[[2 planets]]
[[asteroids]] [[planet]]
[[3 planet & 2 space stations or planets]]
[[planets]] [[[gas giant & 2-4 moons]]
[[moons]]
[[planet]]
[[about 12 gas giants moons]]
[[moons]]
[[space station EIN & trade heavy]]
[[2 flat planets]]
[[planets]]
[[2 trade space stations]]
[[asteroid belts]] [[space station]] [[asteroid research base]]
[[planet]] [[moons]] [[asteroid mining/navy base]]
[[planet]]
[[planet]] [[moons]]
[[planet & moons]] [[gas giant/cluster]]
[[3-4 magic & radioactive contaminated planets]] [[3-6 planets/moons]]
[[moons]] [[space port]] [[ruins]]
[[planet]] [[7 dragon fief moons]] [[dragons]] [[moon of elf slaves & insane Vampire dragon]]
[[gas giant & moons]] [[agriworld]]
[[gas giant moons]] [[navy base]]
[[navy base space stations around a gas giant]]
[[ice planet]] [[asteroid navy base]] [[asteroids]]
[[gas giant liveworld moon plague-ridden githzerai ruins & undead armies]] [[planet of anthropomorphic cheeseburger hallucinations]] [[gas giant moons with one draconic fief]]
[[violent mutant anthropomorphic daemonhost geese deathworld & space marine live fire training ground]]
[[water world with gigantic flying cathedrals]] [[moons]]
[[[navy base & planet]]
[[abandoned space station]] [[rumored pirate base]]
[[gas giant moons]]
[[2 water planets]] [[moons]]
[[2 moons]] [[navy base]]
[[moons]] [[navy base]]
[[liveworld peace-loving dark eldarin pirate bases -- local jokers, ask if they can pillage and plunder, take no for an answer]] [[moons]] [[navy base]]
[[2 planets with haunted/dangerous waters]] [[fanatical dryad enclave + powerful dryad lich space station]] [[ancient prehistory space station]]

**Telok** · 2023-07-25, 11:34 PM (ISO 8601)

Still needs writing, alternate format, no idea if the spacing will work

Code:

needs:

0,-1         Char             2-4 moons, beacon

-3,-2         Bloodstar         navy base/planet

-2,0         Fjord             planet with gigantic flying cathedrals

2,5         Olotala             planet, dragon fief

-2,6         Steam            2 asteroid belts

0,3         Solice            2 asteroid belts, asteroid research base

1,0         Redeyes            2 asteroid belts, conflict, optional pirates

1,1         Giant            2 asteroid belts, no adding law enforcement, shell portal, huge sphere

0,-1        Sword            2 asteroids with mining, 2 starbeast details, 2 artifact world details, key(2,-3 Othomumatho)

0,1         Flat            2 flat planets

-2,3         Imperial        2 moons, major human empire navy base

-3,2        Korv            2 moons, Port Kazdey's, Ice Port asteroid space station

-1,7         Avidarel        2 planets haunted/dange water, fanatic dryad enclave + power dryad lich space station, ancient prehistory space station

-4,-3        Nandaziak        2 planets with moons, pearl cluster

1,1         Dreadmind        2 planets, 4 moons, shell portal

0,3         Ytherik            2 trade space stations, shell portal

-1,6         Malhavoc        2-3 asteroids belts

-4,-3        Dumedian        3 planets, 2 moons, pearl cluster

2-4         Ametsuchi        3 planets, space station, major trade, shell portal, warp gate

1,0         Nachten            3 planets, space station, trade heavy, warp gate

-2,2        Thorn            3x liveworld asteroid belts, liveworld, comet halo, navy base

-4,2         Taul            3x magic & radioactive contaminated planets, 3-6 moons/planets

-4,-2        Bumic            4-6 moons, leshy cluster

0,-1         Cloud            8 gas giant moons

-2,7         Anki            abandoned space station, gas giant, beacon

-4,0         Fairuhamn        anthropomorphic snake space station, 2 optional moons

0,-3         Card'istef        artifact space station

-3,5        Web                asteroid belt, 2 ice ball worlds, danger stuff

2,1         Umbra            asteroid belt, beacon, 2 planets

-2,-2        Squirrn            asteroid belts, EIN navy base, details, stars, shell portal, danger level

0,2         Falyn            asteroids or planet

-1,3         Oe'gatoca        asteroids, optional moon/fire moon

0,-3         Hoyo System        beacon, details, warlike anthropomorphic unicorn communities

2,-2        Golot            beacon, eldarin asteroid navy base

0,1         Mirror            beacon, optional asteroids

0,3         A'lantean        beacon, planet, moon

-4,-2         Thriahe            CLOWN DAEMONS THREAT LEVEL 4, planets are basically done

1,1            Abvala            cubic gas giant with illithids

-4,-3         Quistigh        daemon/hell all of:  liveworld + 3 planets + space danger, extremely remote

-4,-3         Nthia's         daemon/hell all of: planet + 3 moons + space danger, extremely remote

-3,-4         Rhylaber        daemon/hell planet & moon, dead world, daemons, extremely remote

-3,-3         Gisest System    details,  pirates

1,5         Spinara            details,  shell portal, museum/theme park "Hell-Hole Heaven"

-3,0         Tup'amate's Eye    details, 2 optional moons

-1,6         Dust System        details, conflict, danger zone

-4,-2        Auzimiana         details, danger, leshy cluster

1,6            Mildilt            details, dragon enclave/fief

0,0         Hatho System    details, dragon fief, tourisim?

3,3         Torus            details, feathered dinosaur people civ/econ

1,1         Agra            details, fireworld or sun

-3,8        Enessa            details, one planet physical desc

-3,6        Blue            details, optional 1-3 moons

2,5         Forcelia        details, optional fire world, beacon

2,3         Lamun            details, optional moon/station, low law level

2,3         Jow's Heaven    details, optional recently discovered planet with illusionary ore deposits

-3,6         Cold            details, pirates, conflict

0,-3           Eidan's Sphere    details, sorcerer & colonists, danger sphere

1,6         Astaliho        details, species: diplomatic sapient chili pepper plants

-1,6         Titan            details, the titan holding everything up

0,-1         Taur-Utu        details, warp gate, dragon fief

-2,5         Garden            details, water planet physical desc only

-3,8         Aregrulilia        dragon fief moon

0,-2         Gonisa            dragon fiefdom

-3,-1         Jathilel        dragon space station

-3,2         Celenares        gas giant & moons, agriworld, interdiction moon, corporate owned moon

-4,-2        Grada's Sphere    gas giant & moons, leshy cluster

-2,6         Flame            gas giant moons

2,2         Squarm            gas giant with 4 moons, illithid, starbeasts

-4,-2        Anadrapo        gas giant, 2 moons, leshy cluster

-3,-1         Thylok            gas giant, has space-time anomolies being studied

1,0         Kanis            gas giant, moons, giant flat world

2,0         Sunless            gas giant, planet, moon

2,-1         Plata            inhabited asteroids, anti-pirate space station

-4,3         S'Sirenth        large planet & 2-4 moons, 2-4 moons, warp gate, tau city/stations on sphere shell

-3,0         Rock            magic planet, elven commune w/ undead king 5km liveworld, asteroid mining+navy base, beacon

0,-3         Fronamap        magic-wielding anthropomorphic snake world, shell portal

-3,1         Dubattabed        MAJOR TODO

-3,6        Hamster            MAJOR TODO

3,4         Krull            MAJOR TODO

-4,-1         Nandabari        moon, weird eldarin tourist/pilgrim moon, draconic fief moon, remote

0,-1        S'suw            moons

-3,-2         Ignia            moons, spaceport, ruins, optional 1-3 fire worlds

-2,2         Viasatha        moons. Navy base

-3,2         Cy'pren            navy base stations around gas giant, shell portal

-3,2         Twin            navy base, up to 10 gas giant moons

-4,-3        Eathian            neutral space station, pearl cluster

2,6         Zelluc            neutral spaceport, singularity at center of system, inverted low magic sphere

-2,2        Pearl            one small flat planet, one giant ice planet dead starbeast whale, conflict

-4,3         Noamuth            planet & moons, gas giant or cluster planet, beacon

-2,6        Cracked            planet (Rifts Coalition Earth) & 2 moons

-4,-2        Esterpira        planet of daemons, space hazard(s) and/or dangers, leshy cluster

-3,3         Wyrm            planet, 7 dragon fief moons, dragons, moon of elf slaves & insane Vampire dragon

1,0         Ilsisine        planet, moon, fixed planet positions & detail why/how

-1,-1         Glowrings        planet, moons

-4,4         Kaldric            planet, moons, minor sphere

-4,-3        Pout's Treasure    planet, pearl cluster

-4,-3        Tenibeldor        planet, space station, navy base, beacon, pearl cluster

0,-2         Cloak            planet, uninhabited planet w/ ruins, moons

0,-3         Dukagsh            planets, space station(s)

1,1         Charge            planets, warp gate, dragon fief

1,0            Steel            planet

2,1         Cthon            planets, water giant planet, moons, optional fireworld, optional asteroids

2,1         Uramir            possessed anthropomorphic whales on cube planet, add more daemons, shell portal

-4,0         Amnzia's Sword    sealed threat level 4 sphere, add daemons, kaiju breeding, ship graveyard

-3,-3         Odium            shell portal, 4x space danger gas giant moons

-3,-3         Atta'blavu        shell portal, danger zone, daemons

2,-1         Vodonika        shipyards, warp beacon

3,5         Gh'izisa         small flat star & toasted asteroids, optional other planets

-4,1         Myssafuf         space station, 2 planets

-2,-1         Abebl            space station, navy base

1,0         Storm            spaceship graveyard

1,6         Archaeus        stars, beacon, major trade space station

-1,7         Pyre            stars, hazards, details

1,4         Gard's Sphere    sun, fire moon

3,0         Thasia            arid planet industry & culture

Also: think about Flash, Krull, & what other movies/media as planets/spheres

Thread: Dungeons the Dragoning 40k 7e campaign setting goes to heck

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