--- title: Astral Vessels description: TBD date_pub: 2023-02-15T00:26:00-05:00 section: astral content_type: feature short_code: av1 --- [[toc]] ### Astral Consoles - Allow the ship to ride along the naturally occurring astral currents. - Often shaped like a high-backed chair. - Controlled by a **Pilot**. - It takes one round to activate a console, and one round to deactivate a console. - While active: - The pilot can sense the astral currents that surround the ship. - The pilot may move the ship in any direction at individual flight / "falling" speed (INT \* 30') - can see currents and (subtly) move ship between them (although you can't turn the ship without using the sails) - viewpoint is the front of the ship (as if standing on the bow), but can be turned 90 degrees left or right (so behind can be seen, but not well) - The only movement capable via a standard astral console is forward (at - It can take up to 1 turn to find a suitable current to ride at "traveling speed" - Once a console has been installed on a vessel, it cannot be forcibly removed (without using the "release" word) until the integrity of the vessel itself has been compromised. - The pilot can be any character class. - Piloting a ship via a console requires concentration, and shouldn't be done for more than 8 hours in a row. - Piloting beyond 8 hours runs the risk of incurring exhaustion. - The pilot is not incapacitated while piloting the ship - instead, they can choose whether to focus on the ship's POV or their own, while still being peripherally aware of both. - They have limited ability to move, -4 to all attacks, and can't cast spells, use psionics, or do anything else that would break their concentration. - If the pilot is pulled or thrown from the console, their connection to the ship is immediately broken, and the ship instantly stops moving. #### Multiple Consoles - A ship can have multiple consoles attached to it, but only one may be active at a time. - If two (or one and a different type of engine) are both active at the same time on the same vessel, perform a check as follows: - For two consoles (or similar devices), make a contested CHA check between the two pilots, with the loser being locked-out of controlling the ship. - For one console and an inert device (like a Fire Engine), the pilot should make a CHA check to override the device and take control of the vessel. #### Other Types of Engines - **Fire Engines** - A large thruster, built (and usually controlled) by Dwarves, and powered by elemental fire. Rumored to be capable of propelling even the largest vessels at traveling speeds. - **Life Engines** - Some evil-aligned races use the life energy from slaves and captives to power their vessels. - **Mind Engines** - Some psychic races use their psychic energy to power and control their vessels. - **Orbipods (Tyrant Ships)** - Eye Tyrant ships are powered by one or more orbi (singular orbus), a mutant eye tyrant bred solely for this purpose. #### Engine Speed - **Console** = Pilot's INT x 30 yards / round - **Orbipod** = 300 yards / round for a single one, each additional adds a 20% (60 yards / round) boost - 2 orbipods = 360 yards / round - 3 orbipods = 420 yards / round ### Roles Party members can fulfill various roles aboard astral vessels. - **Pilot** - the character who flies the ship, typically via an astral console. - **Gunner** - a character who mans a ship-board weapon (ex: a ballista). - **Boatswain** - a character who helps maintain (and potentially improve) the various components of the ship. - **First Mate** - the charcter who leads the rest of the crew in their duties. - **Navigator** - a character with experience reading astral maps and plotting courses by them. - **Surgeon** - a character who heals the wounded members of the crew, be it through magic or medicine (or both). #### Bonuses for Roles During each round of pursuit or combat, PCs occupying these roles may attempt to improve the ship's tactical movement as follows: - In lieu of an attack, each of the following roles may make the indicated check: - **Pilot**: May make their choice of an INT or WIS check. - **First Mate**: May make a CHA check. - **Boatswain**: May make their choice of an INT or DEX check. - **Bonus effects**: Choose one of the following for each successful check: - +1 level (30' / round) to pursuit / evasion speed. - +1 AC to the ship _AND_ all creatures on board until the end of the round. - +1 to all attack rolls made by the ship _AND_ all creatures on board until end of the round. - **Performing bonus checks**: _Must_ be declared before initiative is rolled, occurs at the start of the party's side of combat (just before the "fire missiles" combat phase while the party's side has initiative). ### Ship Statistics
| Vessel | Cost (gp) | Cargo Capacity (coins) | Length | Beam | Crew | Weapons | Ram | Landing Types | AC | HP | | --------------------- | :-------: | :--------------------: | :-------: | :-------: | :--: | :------: | :-: | :-------------: | :---------: | :-----: | | Caravel | 10,000 | 100,000 | 60'-80' | 20'-30' | 10 | 1 | N | Water | 8 [11] | 60-90 | | Galleon | 20,000 | 300,000 | 100'-150' | 25'-30' | 20 | 3 | N | Water | 7 [12] | 120-180 | | Warship, Sm | 6,600 | 100,000 | 60'-80' | 20'-30' | 10 | 1/2 | Y | Water | 8 [11] | 60-90 | | Warship, Lg | 26,600 | 300,000 | 100'-150' | 25'-30' | 20 | 2/4 | Y | Water | 7 [12] | 150-210 | | Ghyffan Corvette | 15,000 | 250,000 | 100'-150' | 25'-35' | 10 | 1/2 | N | Water | 7 [12] | 90-150 | | Ghyffan Battlecruiser | 45,000 | 450,000 | 220'-280' | 20'-30' | 24 | 3/4 | Y | None | 7 [12] | 180-240 | | Stral Destroyer | 40,000 | 350,000 | 150'-200' | 25'-35' | 10 | 5 lg | Y | None | 7 [12] | 150-210 | | Stral Dreadnought | 50,000 | 600,000 | 220'-280' | 20'-30' | 24 | 3 lg | Y | None | 7 [12] | 180-240 | | Dwarven Fortress | 100,000 | 3,000,000 | 200'-300' | 150'-250' | 10 | 10 lg | Y | Land | 7 [12] | 360-720 | | Gnomish SteamJammer | 40,000 | 300,000 | 100'-150' | 20'-30' | 20 | 1 lg | N | Land, Water[^1] | 7 [12] | 90-120 | | Drahki Dragonship, Sm | 60,000 | 150,000 | 80'-120' | 10'-15' | 10 | 1 lg[^2] | Y | Water | 7 [12] | 120-180 | | Drahki Dragonship, Lg | 60,000 | 450,000 | 150'-200' | 15'-20' | 20 | 3 lg[^2] | Y | Water | 7 [12] | 180-240 | [Ship Statistics]
[^1]: Base 50% chance of success on each landing [^2]: Drahki ships always carry a Fire Cannon as one of their weapons ### Weapons #### Ballistae Fire large bolts (arrows) of wood and iron. **Cargo Space**: A medium ballista plus twenty bolts requires 6,000 coins of cargo space, and a heavy ballista plus twenty bolts occupies 12,000 coins worth (both subtracted from the ship’s cargo allowance). **Attack modifiers**: May be applied for environmental conditions, manoeuvrability, etc. ##### Medium Ballista **Range**: 1,500 yards. **Attack rolls and rate of fire**: Depend on the number of crew manning the ballista: - 2 crew (minimum): Attacks with THAC0 15 [+4]. Fires every 3 rounds. - 3 crew (maximum): Attacks with THAC0 14 [+5]. Fires every 2 rounds. **Damage**: 3d6 hit points or 3d2 hull points. ##### Heavy Ballista **Range**: 1,000 yards. **Attack rolls and rate of fire**: Depend on the number of crew manning the ballista: - 4 crew (minimum): Attacks with THAC0 15 [+4]. Fires every 4 rounds. - 5 crew (maximum): Attacks with THAC0 14 [+5]. Fires every 3 rounds. **Damage**: 3d10 hit points or 3d6 hull points. #### Bombards (Cannons) Fire magically-propelled large balls of iron. **Cargo Space**: A bombard plus twenty cannonballs requires 10,000 coins of cargo space (subtracted from the ship’s cargo allowance). **Range**: 1,000 yards. **Attack modifiers**: May be applied for environmental conditions, manoeuvrability, etc. **Attack rolls and rate of fire**: Depend on the number of crew manning the bombards: - 3 crew (minimum): Attacks with THAC0 17 [+2]. Fires every 3 rounds. - 4 crew (maximum): Attacks with THAC0 16 [+3]. Fires every 2 rounds. **Damage**: 2d10 hit points or hull points. #### Drahki Fire Cannons Fire dragon's flame. Can be tuned to fire in a cloud, cone, or line. Requires a specialist gunner (one trained in the weapon's use) to use. **Cargo Space**: A fire cannon plus twenty globes of elemental fire requires 10,000 coins of cargo space (subtracted from the ship’s cargo allowance). **Range**: Depends on settings - Cloud: 500 yards cubed. - Cone: 2 yards diameter at start, widens to 500 yard wide at 1000 yards distance. - Line: 2 yards in diameter, extends 1,500 yards. **Attack rolls and rate of fire**: Depend on the number of crew manning the cannons: - 2 crew (minimum): Attacks with THAC0 15 [+4]. Fires every 2 rounds. - 3 crew (maximum): Attacks with THAC0 14 [+5]. Fires each round. **Damage**: 1d6+5 x 10 hit points or 1d6+5 x 5 hull points #### Rams Can be used against ships or giant monsters. Small individuals cannot be targeted. **Attack rolls**: Are made using a THAC0 of 19 [0] and occur at the same point in the combat sequence as missile fire. **Attack modifiers**: May be applied for environmental conditions, manoeuvrability, etc. **Large ships**: Deals 1d6+5 x 10 hull points damage against ships and 6d6 hit points damage against monsters. **Small ships**: Deals 1d4+4 x 10 hull points damage against ships and 3d8 hit points damage against monsters.