pvgttm-web/src/pages/astral/vessels.md

title	description	date_pub	section	content_type	short_code
Astral Vessels	TBD	2023-02-15T00:26:00-05:00	astral	feature	av1

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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, Water1	7 [12]	90-120
Drahki Dragonship, Sm	60,000	150,000	80'-120'	10'-15'	10	1 lg2	Y	Water	7 [12]	120-180
Drahki Dragonship, Lg	60,000	450,000	150'-200'	15'-20'	20	3 lg2	Y	Water	7 [12]	180-240

[Ship Statistics]

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.

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1. Base 50% chance of success on each landing ↩︎

2. Drahki ships always carry a Fire Cannon as one of their weapons ↩︎