[#_INTRO_DISCLAIMERS]

Disclaimers

[#_INTRO_VERSION]

Alpha Edition, v7.0.2α

[#_INTRO_COPYRIGHT]

©Shattered World Publishing, Lansing, MI, LLC

Email: thor.teague@gmail.com

©1989-2025 Thorin Teague. All rights reserved. Excluding any fair dealing for the purpose of private in-game uses, private study, research, criticism, education, or review, no part of this publication may not be reproduced, in part or in whole, except with the express written permission of the author. This publication may not be redistributed by any entity other than the publisher in any form, including but not limited to, electronic transmission, facsimile, recording, storage in an electronic retrieval network, or seeding in peer to peer networks. Inquiries can be addressed to the publisher.

ISBN 1 00000 000 0

[#_INTRO_CREDITS]

Author: Thorin Teague

Editors: J.J. Anthony

Contributing Artists:

© Jason Harvey

© Meditating Munky, https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/155/meditating-munky

© Gabriel Pickard, https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/64/gabriel-pickard

© Dan DiPietro, Dungeons By Dan LLC, www.dungeonsbydan.net

DMS Creations, Twitter: @DMSCreations, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21192351, Roll20: https://app.roll20.net/users/313928/dms-creations

© Brass Badger Workshop LLC, www.brassbadgerworkshop.com

Additional Contributions: Mark Roberts, Matt Roberts, Mike Birch, Dave Crispin

Thank you: Mark Roberts, Matt Roberts, Mike Birch, Dave Smithkey, Terry Byrne, Simon Swegles, Dave Crispin, Philip Morey, David Nora, Jae Walker

[#_INTRO_DEDICATION]

Dedication

For my Players,

Who all contributed in their own way.

For Jean,

Who is my inspiration even though she thinks I'm a dork.

For Audrey,

Who I can't get to play... yet. (Update 06/04/2021: She's reconsidering it afresh upon learning she can play a ninja riding a unicorn.) (Update: 05/14/2023: Still working on it—so far I’ve gotten her to play My Little Pony Tails of Equestria.)

[#_ADVENTURING]

Adventuring, Movement, Time, Vision, and Encumbrance

When adventure calls, your characters will often find themselves setting forth on a quest to distant lands brimming with exotic locales. Whether traversing the wilderness of a forgotten continent or charting a course through the vast expanse of space, the journey itself is a fundamental part of the game.

Duty and adventure await. Go forth and conquer!

Finding Bloodstones

You will know when you are near a Bloodstone. Its presence and effects are felt, at first generally, then acutely as you get closer. Your character will want to find and collect Bloodstones whether or not they use them for their magic: they have value to all.

Finding Old World Technology

Another large part of your adventuring will be the location, procurement, activation, and/or extraction of old world technology. This is basically any technology left behind by the Devas. They will not emit any particular power or radiation. Rather, they will be found through investigation of clues and research. Your character will want to find and collect old world technology whether or not they can directly use it: it has value to all.

Movement

Characters have a base move speed. Typically this starts at either 6, 12, or 18 units and is determined by species. The Shattered World game does not commit to any particular in-universe distance scale.

The outer world is recommended to be explored by hex grids at a rate of a number of hexes equal to your character’s movement speed, per day. However, to keep the party together, everyone will have to travel at the lowest speed in the group, or arrange vehicles or riding animals. Indoor locales are explored by square grids at a rate equal to your character’s movement speed.

The hex grid is not a necessity, if group preference moves elsewhere.

Movement Speed

Every character and monster has a speed, which is the distance in Units that the character or monster can walk in 1 round. This number assumes short bursts of energetic movement in the midst of a life- threatening situation.

The following rules determine how far a character or monster can move in a minute, an hour, or a day.

[#_ADVENTURING_UNITS]

Units

There are three basic scales of movement: Tactical, Overland, and Void.

Shattered World is uncommitted to any particular in-universe measurement system, by design. Tactical scale is the “zoomed in” the most of the three. Void, being outer space, is “zoomed out” the most. Overland is in between.

A default Tactical assumption of 5’ per grid square, or 10’ per grid square, is baked into the game. The gameplay does not change according to different in-universe grid sizes, though.

A default Overland assumption of 1 mile per grid hex is baked into the game. All Adventuring, Movement, and Time functions on a wider scale. The gameplay does not change according to different in-universe grid sizes, though. This is the typical “outdoor,” “long travel” type situation.

A default Void assumption is that the in-universe hex sizes simply do not matter. Void movement is treated almost identically to Tactical Movement.

Q: So does that mean if we’re calling it 5’, my character jumps 10’, and if we’re calling it 10’, my character jumps 20’?! Oh noes! My delicate sensibilities!

A: So call it 5’ then.

Q: Wait, so does that mean if we’re calling it 1 yard, my character jumps 2 yards?

A: Yes, it means that.

Q: Wait, so does that mean if we’re calling it 1 mile, my character jumps 2 miles?

A: Yes, it means that.

Q: Wait, so does that mean if we’re calling it 1 astronomical unit, my character jumps 2 astronomical units?

A: Now come on, there’s a limit. Let’s not go overboard.

Morgan Freeman: But he did go overboard, because he’s what we call a “Bad Actor,” a player abusing the system in bad faith to gain advantage over others. They make me sick.

Gameplay as Intended: You cannot actually jump across a 1-Mile ravine just because the GM zoomed out the map for a larger scale, overland exploration. If negotiating more specific obstacles, enemies, or otherwise stressful/risky situations, this is the game design telling you to zoom in and take a closer [Tactical] look.

Speed

A creature has a Speed, which indicates the number of tactical Units the creature can cover when it moves on its turn. See also “Climbing,” “Crawling,” “Flying,” “Jumping,” “Swimming” and “Combat”.

Speeds have types (untyped Speed means a basic walking speed), such as a Burrow Speed, Climb Speed, Fly Speed, or Swim Speed. If you have more than one speed, choose which one to use when you move; you can switch between the speeds during your move. Whenever you switch, subtract the distance already moved from the new speed. The result determines how much farther you can move. If the result is 0 or less, you can’t use the new speed during the current move. For example, if you have a Speed of 6 and a Fly Speed of 8, you could fly 2 Units, walk 2 Units, and leap into the air to fly 4 more Units.

If an effect increases or  decreases your Speed for a time, any special speed you have increases or decreases by an equal amount for the same duration. For example, if your Speed is reduced to 0 and you have a Climb Speed, your Climb Speed is also reduced to 0. Similarly, if your Speed is halved and you have a Fly Speed, your Fly Speed is also halved.

Time

Since the planet has shattered, consistent time tracking is much trickier. Those who use a chronometer can have an accurate picture of time, but others will feel time localized their shard. Some will spin faster than others, giving the impression of days being more or less than 24 hours. Some will orbit others, giving rise to erratic seasons and weather. There is simply no reliable way to track time correctly without the use of a chronometer.

If a player owns a chronometer, or consults somebody who does, they will learn that the days are 24 hours long and there are 350 in a year. Each hour is 60 minutes long.

Game rounds are arbitrary and can be whatever length you want, but outside of combat they are generally 1 minute each. Combat rounds, excepting mass/army combat, generally go faster than 1 minute each.

In situations where keeping track of the passage of time is important, the GM determines the time a task requires. The GM might use a different time scale depending on the context of the situation at hand. Usually in an indoor environment, the adventurers’ movement happens on a scale of minutes. It takes them about a minute to creep down a long hallway, another minute to check for traps on the door at the end of the hall, and a good ten minutes to search the chamber beyond for anything interesting or valuable.

In an outdoor city or wilderness, a scale of hours is often more appropriate. Adventurers eager to reach the lonely tower at the heart of the forest hurry across those fifteen miles in just under four hours’ time.

For long journeys, a scale of days works best. During exploration, time will usually pass as “scenes,” so to speak. Characters can act whenever they want to, or the GM can prompt them. A strict turn (initiative) order is usually not necessary, unless that is your play style.

Following the road from Los Ashton to Doncaster, the adventurers spend four uneventful days before a goblin ambush interrupts their journey.

In combat and other fast-paced situations, the game relies on rounds, a shorter (usually), arbitrary span of time. Probably a few (6-15ish) seconds of frantic action.

[#_ADVENTURING_ENCUMBERANCE]

Encumbrance

You have an inventory of 16 pack slots (that’s coming from the assumed backpack in your starter gear), plus body equipped/at the ready equipment and weapons. A typical item or 100 coins or gems per pack slot. Exceptions are just common sense, but will be marked as [BULKY]. Examples include things like carrying a donkey, wagon, or life-sized statue.

[#_ADVENTURING_EXHAUSTION]

Exhaustion

Characters can become exhausted in several ways. One is simply not getting enough rest. Another is harsh, severe environmental hazards. Also high level techno, magic, and toxins can sometimes cause exhaustion.

Exhaustion is measured in six cumulative levels. There are exhaustion effects on each level, each adding to the next. The exhaustion levels and their effects are:

1. DV+1 to all d20 rolls
2. DV+1 to all d20 rolls; -2 to all di(c)e rolls; speed halved
3. DV+1 to all d20 rolls; -2 to all di(c)e rolls;  HP maximum halved
4. DV+1 to all d20 rolls; -2 to all di(c)e rolls;
5. -5 to all rolls, speed reduced to 0, cannot earn XP or recover HP
6. Make a Body Shock roll. Failure: gain the [DEAD] condition. Success: gain the [COMATOSE] condition.

Exhaustion is fully cumulative. Those Disadvantage dice add up. At level 5 Exhaustion you’re rolling at DV+4 (5d20) at a -11 penalty!!!

If an exhausted creature triggers or is inflicted with a condition that imposes another level of exhaustion, it increases. The exhaustion effects do not end in a few rounds, they are only stopped with magic and certain special items, or, an 8 hour rest period preceded by a hearty meal and plenty of water. One level of Exhaustion can be dropped during a Short Rest, excepting the 1st level of Exhaustion which can not.

A night of exhausted sleep (any level above zero) does not recover any hit points or pools (excepting that 0 or less HP becomes 1), it only removes the exhaustion. Hit points and pools can only be recovered the night [cycle] after this is already done.

The Attrition Clock

Gameplay as intended: Exhaustion is not a minor inconvenience; it is the primary way the environment kills you. Unlike legacy systems where a single night of sleep resets your penalties, Exhaustion Level 2+ prevents you from recovering Stat Pools or Hit Points. You must clear the Exhaustion first. If you enter the Void while exhausted, you are already halfway to the grave.

[#_ADVENTURING_TERRAIN]

Terrain & Movement

Swimming across a rushing river, sneaking down a dungeon corridor, scaling a treacherous mountain slope-all sorts of movement play a key role in fantasy gaming adventures.

The adventurers should establish a marching order while they travel, whether indoors or outdoors. A marching order makes it easier to determine which characters are affected by traps, which ones can spot hidden enemies, and which ones are the closest to those enemies if a fight breaks out. You can change your marching order outside combat and record the order any way you like: write it down, for example, or arrange miniatures to show it.

The GM can summarize the adventurers’ movement without calculating exact distances or travel times: “You travel through the forest and find the dungeon entrance late in the evening of the third day.” Even in a dungeon, particularly a large dungeon or a cave network, the GM can summarize movement between encounters: “After killing the guardian at the entrance to the ancient dwarven stronghold, you consult your map, which leads you through miles of echoing corridors to a chasm bridged by a narrow stone arch.”

Sometimes it’s important, though, to know how long it takes to get from one spot to another, whether the answer is in days, hours, or minutes. The rules for determining travel time depend on two factors: the speed and travel pace of the creatures moving and the terrain they’re moving over.

Overland Distances

As with Tactical Movement, the much larger distances and longer travel times are still measured in Units. As before, Overland Units do not commit to any particular measure of distance.

The recommended way to represent Overland Units is by overlaying a transparent hex grid on your map.

You can cover a number of Overland Units equal to your movement speed ×2 in a normal 8 hour walk. This is assumed to be a day of normal travel. While Overland Units do not commit to any particular distance, a default choice of 1 hex equaling 1 mile can be a good default. Huge scales (such as 1 hex equaling 100 miles) and characters are not likely to walk, they’re more likely to employ vehicles or other, faster methods of transportation.

Speed

Every character and monster has a speed, which is the distance in units that the character or monster can walk in 1 round. This number assumes short bursts of energetic movement in the midst of a life-threatening situation. This is also the number of hexes the character can cross in a wide-scale map. This assumes an 8 hour march/hike with a one hour break in the middle. Proper food and water intake are critical or exhaustion will occur.

The following rules determine how far a character or monster can move in a minute, an hour, or a day.

Overland Travel Pace

While traveling long distances, a group of adventurers can move at a normal, fast, or slow pace, as shown on the Travel Pace table. The table states how far the party can move in a period of time and whether the pace has any effect. A fast pace makes characters less perceptive, while a slow pace makes it possible to sneak around and to search an area more carefully.

Forced March

The Travel Pace table assumes that characters travel for 8 hours in a day. They can push on beyond that limit, at the risk of exhaustion.

For each additional two hours of travel beyond 8 hours, the characters can cover 25% of distance indicated, and each character must make an Endurance check at the end of those two hours. The DC is 15 + 1 for each hour past 8 hours. On a failed check, a character suffers one level of exhaustion.

For each additional two hours of travel beyond 8 hours, the characters can cover 25% of distance indicated, and each character must make an Endurance check at the end of those two hours. The DC is 15 + 1 for each two hours past 8 hours. On a failed check, a character suffers one level of exhaustion. (Note that proficient users of the Resist Exhaustion (EN) skill get a special Saving Throw with Advantage at this point—see Skills).

For every two hours spent at a “Fast” pace, the characters cover 25% of the distance indicated, and each character must make an Endurance check at the end of those two hours at Disadvantage. The DC is 15 + 1 for each hour traveling at a “Fast” pace. On a failed check, a character suffers one level of exhaustion. (Note that proficient users of the Resist Exhaustion (EN) skill get a special Saving Throw with Advantage at this point—see Skills). Creatures or characters with 2 or more levels of Exhaustion cannot travel overland at a Fast Pace for any length of time.

Mounts and Vehicles. For short spans of time (up to an hour), many animals move much faster than humanoids. A mounted character can ride at a gallop for about an hour, covering twice the usual distance for a fast pace. If fresh mounts are available every 2 units, characters can cover larger distances at this pace, but this optimal circumstance is rare.

Characters in wagons, carriages, or other land vehicles choose a pace as normal. Characters in a waterborne vessel are limited to the speed of the vessel, and they don’t suffer penalties for a fast pace or gain benefits from a slow pace. Depending on the vessel and the size of the crew, ships might be able to travel for up to 24 hours per day.

Certain special mounts, such as a pegasus or griffon, or special vehicles, [FUTURE POST-ALPHA EXPANSION: DEFINE MORE VEHICLES] allow you to travel more swiftly.

Difficult Terrain

Anything that is a hindrance to travel across is called “difficult terrain.” This can differ according to the method of travel.

On foot, most anything that is not relatively flat, dry ground is difficult terrain, which is what these movement values are assuming. Very dense forests, mountains, knee deep mud, and slippery ice are all difficult terrain.

Being on mounts or in vehicles can sometimes change what is and is not considered difficult terrain.

Throughout the Shattered World, your character can potentially encounter unfamiliar gravities. Movement through a higher or lower gravity area (×0.5 or lower, ×1.5 or higher) counts as difficult terrain, excepting Zero-G which is special (see below).

Every unit of movement in Difficult Terrain costs double (2 units).

Special Types of Movement

If your character is able to use different types of movement, such as swimming and flying, these will be noted under speed, with the normal numeric notation indicating how many units they can move.

If there is no notation indicating this type of movement, that does not mean a character is incapable of trying. However, they will only move at half their normal rate of speed.

Climbing and Crawling

At the GM’s option, climbing a slippery vertical surface or one with few handholds requires a successful Physical Fitness (Athletics) check. Similarly, gaining any distance in rough water might require a successful Physical Fitness (Athletics) check, followed by an Endurance check.

Jumping

Your Physical Fitness determines how far you can jump.

Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of Units up to your Physical Fitness modifier if you run at least 2 units on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing long jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, the distance traversed by the jump costs that distance in movement.

This rule assumes that the height of your jump doesn’t matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your GM’s option, you must succeed on a DC 15 Physical Fitness (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump’s distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it.

When you land in difficult terrain, you must succeed on a DC 15 Perception check to land on your feet. If you have the Fine Balance skill, you may take a Standard Success. Otherwise, you land prone.

High Jump. When you make a high jump, you leap into the air a number of Units equal to your Physical Fitness modifier if you move at least 2 units on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing high jump, you can jump only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement. In some circumstances, your GM might allow you to make a Jump (PF) check to jump higher than you normally can.

You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during the jump. Thus, you can reach above you a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1½ times your height.

Zero-G Movement

A character suspended in a Zero-G situation cannot move using the normal movement rules. Characters move by pushing off other surfaces. They move in a continuous straight line, infinitely, until another object or force stops them. Creatures, characters, and objects float in the air (hopefully there’s air!) until acted upon by another force.

Zero-G environments are still treated as difficult terrain and characters move at half their normal Movement Speed. Having a Flying speed does not help, but some (rare) creatures do actually have a 0G Move speed which gives them the ability to move normally in zero gravity.

A user trained in Zero-G maneuvers can use their normal movement speed as if the terrain were not difficult. Note that EVA suits are designed with Void survival in mind, they generally come with at least a minimal air supply and magnetic gravity boots that grab purchase on any ship hull (also often including Breadcrumbs, Optics, and possibly other features). See Equipment.

Combat in Zero-G

Slashing and bludgeoning attacks attack with disadvantage. Initiative is rolled with Disadvantage.

A user trained in Zero-G combat ignores all these penalties.

[#_ADVENTURING_ENVIRONMENT]

The Environment

By its nature, adventuring involves delving into places that are dark, dangerous, and full of mysteries to be explored. The rules in this section cover some of the most important ways in which adventurers interact with the environment in such places.

Falling

A fall from a great height is one of the most common hazards facing an adventurer. At the end of a fall, a creature takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage for every 2 units it fell, to a maximum of 30d4. The creature lands [PRONE], unless it avoids taking damage from the fall.

Suffocating

A creature can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 5+ its Endurance modifier.

When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Endurance modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.

For example, a creature with a Endurance of 14 can hold its breath for 5 rounds (probably 30 seconds). If it starts suffocating, it has 1 round to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points.

Vision and Light

The most fundamental tasks of adventuring—noticing danger, finding hidden objects, hitting an enemy in combat, and targeting a spell, to name just a few—rely heavily on a character’s ability to see. Darkness and other effects that obscure vision can prove a significant hindrance.

Obscured Areas

An area might be Lightly or Heavily Obscured. In a Lightly Obscured area—such as an area with Dim Light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage—you have Disadvantage Perception checks or Saving Throws that rely on sight.

A heavily obscured area-such as darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage-blocks vision entirely. A creature is functionally [BLIND] when trying to see something in that area. See Conditions under Combat.

The presence or absence of light in an environment creates three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light, and darkness, as defined below.

Bright light lets most creatures see normally. Even gloomy days provide bright light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius. In almost any case where lighting is not explicitly mentioned, bright light is assumed per GM adjudication.

Dim light, also called shadows, creates a lightly obscured area. An area of dim light is often a boundary between a source of bright light, such as a torch, and surrounding darkness. The soft light of twilight and dawn also counts as dim light. A particularly brilliant full moon might bathe the land in dim light.

Darkness creates a heavily obscured area.

Characters face darkness outdoors at night (even most moonlit nights), in the Void, within the confines of an unlit dungeon or a subterranean vault, or in an area of magical darkness.

Special Senses

Some creatures have special senses that help them perceive things in certain situations. “Rules Glossary” defines the following special senses:

Blindsight: If you have Blindsight, you can see within a specific range without relying on visual sight. Within that range, you can see anything that isn’t behind Total Cover even if you have the [BLINDED] condition or are in Darkness. Moreover, in that range, you can see things that are Invisible.

Darkvision: If you have Darkvision, you can see in Dim Light within a specified range as if it were Bright Light and in Darkness within that range as if it were Dim Light. You discern colors in that Darkness only as shades of gray.

Infravision: You see heat spectra in Darkness only as if it were Bright light. Something that emits no heat would appear Invisible. See Common Species.

Tremorsense: A creature with Tremorsense can pinpoint the location of creatures and moving objects within a specific range, provided that the creature with Tremorsense and anything it is detecting are both in contact with the same surface (such as the ground, a wall, or a ceiling) or the same liquid.

Tremorsense can’t detect creatures or objects in the air, and it doesn’t count as a form of sight.

Truesight: If you have Truesight, your vision is enhanced within a specified range. Within that range, your vision pierces through the following:

Darkness. You can see in normal and magical Darkness.

Invisibility. You see creatures and objects that are Invisible.

Visual Illusions. Visual illusions appear transparent to you, and you automatically succeed on saving throws against them.

Transformations. You discern the true form of any creature or object you see that has been transformed or polymorphed by magic.

Ethereal Plane. You see into the Ethereal Plane.

Food and Water

Characters who don’t eat or drink suffer the effects of exhaustion. Exhaustion caused by lack of food or water can’t be removed until the character eats and drinks the full required amount.

Food

A character needs one pound of food per day and can make food last longer by subsisting on half rations. Eating half a pound of food in a day counts as half a day without food.

A character can go without food for a number of days equal to 3+ his or her Endurance modifier (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically suffers one level of exhaustion.

A normal day of eating resets the count of days without food to zero.

Water

A character needs one half gallon of water per day, or one gallon per day if the weather is hot. A character who drinks only half that much water must succeed on an Endurance (Body Shock) roll or suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. A character with access to even less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the day.

If the character already has one or more levels of exhaustion, the character takes two levels in either case.

Interacting with Objects

A character’s interaction with objects in an environment is often simple to resolve in the game. The player tells the GM that his or her character is doing something, such as moving a lever, and the GM describes what, if anything, happens.

For example, a character might decide to pull a lever, which might, in turn, raise a gate, cause a room to flood with water, or open a secret door in a nearby wall. If the lever is rusted in position, though, a character might need to force it. In such a situation, the GM might call for a Physical Fitness check to see whether the character can wrench the lever into place. The GM sets the DC for any such check based on the difficulty of the task.

Characters can also damage objects with their weapons and spells. Objects are immune to poison, but otherwise they can be affected by physical and magical attacks much like creatures can. The GM determines an object’s Armor Rating and hit points, and might decide that certain objects have resistance or immunity to certain kinds of attacks. (It’s hard to cut a rope with a club, for example.) When an object drops to 0 hit points, it breaks.

A character can also attempt a Physical Fitness check to break an object. The GM sets the DC for any such check.

Space Travel

Cloud of planetoids and debris can be difficult and dangerous to navigate.

1. Leave atmosphere
2. Navigate Debris Field
3. Move beyond system, if desired

Planetoids range in size from pebbles to a few continents. The smallest habitable planetoid is about the size of a desert island.

Void Units

Once again, distance in deep space is measured in Units, uncommitted to any particular distances. These are once again arbitrary, but whatever feels logical to the GM is fine.

A void map can be traversed by overlaying a transparent hex grid. Your Movement Speed is indicated on the ship you have. See equipment.

The Nature of the Void

Space in Shattered World is a vast, airless ocean known as The Void. This void is a vacuum lacking breathable air, and will be almost instantly fatal due to pressure, extreme cold, and lack of oxygen, each of which are deadly without protection. This is an entirely different beast than the suffocation rule above; do not conflate the two.

Immediately upon unprotected exposure to the Void, a creature or character gains a level of Exhaustion and takes 1d6 damage (exceptions will be noted). Each round of exposure inflicts 1d6 damage and there is a cumulative 10% chance per round that the exposed Creature or character will gain another level of exhaustion. Creatures and characters must make Environment (EN) saves every round. Failure indicates that a Body Shock roll is required. If the Body Shock roll is successful, the character is comatose (albeit still floating helplessly in the Void). If it fails, the creature or character has died.

The Air Envelope Any object of sufficient mass drags a bubble of air with it when it leaves a planet's atmosphere.

Capacity: A typical ship with a basic carries enough air for its standard crew to breathe comfortably for 120 Days.

Depletion: If the ship is crewed at double capacity, the time halves. When the air becomes "Foul" (after the listed time expires), all aboard gain Exhaustion Level 1. Trained users of Control Respiration (EN) can ignore this effect. When it becomes "Deadly" (after another 50% duration), characters must make Environment (EN) saves every hour Trained users of Control Respiration enjoy Advantage on this saving throw. Failure to save indicates that a Body Shock roll is required. If the Body Shock roll is successful, the character is comatose. If it fails, the creature or character has died.

Gravity Planes

Gravity in the Void is subjective. All ships generate a local Gravity Plane—an invisible horizontal line running through the center of the ship’s hull.

Orientation: "Down" is always toward the plane. On the top deck, down is beneath your feet. On the bottom of the hull, down is "up" toward the keel.

Combat Implication: You can walk on the bottom of a ship as easily as the deck. Boarding actions often involve jumping from one Gravity Plane to another, causing the boarder to "flip" orientation in mid-air.

When a creature or character “flips,” she or he must make a Fine Balance (PF) skill check. Failure indicates disorientation (DV+1 for one round) and the character has fallen [PRONE].

If one travels a short distance away from any ship, one will quickly leave its Gravity Plane and enter Zero-G. This can be weaponized during combat by creatures or characters with grapple and fling capabilities, such as a giant’s ability to fling opponents away.

Void Propulsion: The Helm

Ships do not use sails to catch wind; they use Void Helms (Magical) or Void Engines (Technological) to push against the fabric of the Void.

Tactical Speed: Used in combat (measured in Units). Determined by the Pilot's Spacefaring (MA) skill.

Void Speed: Determined by the engine’s capabilities. Used for long-distance travel. This is extremely fast (millions of miles per day). Combat is impossible at Void Speed.

[#_ADVENTURING_DOWNTIME]

Downtime Activities

Between adventures, the GM might ask you what your character is doing during his or her downtime. Periods of downtime can vary in duration, but each downtime activity requires a certain number of days to complete before you gain any benefit, and at least 8 hours of each day must be spent on the downtime activity for the day to count. The days do not need to be consecutive. If you have more than the minimum amount of days to spend, you can keep doing the same thing for a longer period of time, or switch to a new downtime activity.

Downtime activities other than the ones presented below are possible. If you want your character to spend his or her downtime performing an activity not covered here, discuss it with your GM.

Resting

Heroic though they might be, adventurers can’t spend every hour of the day in the thick of exploration, social interaction, and combat. They need rest-time to sleep and eat, tend their wounds, refresh their minds and spirits for spellcasting, and brace themselves for further adventure. Rest is defined as extremely limited physical activity, no more strenuous than playing darts. It should involve a minimum of 7 hours of sleep.

During this time, the stat pools are replenished and the character’s hit points recover an amount equal to their Physical Fitness modifier, or Endurance modifier, whichever is greater. Again, if exhausted at any level above 1, the night of rest provides nothing more than removing the exhaustion.

Long Rest

A Long Rest is a period of extended downtime—at least 8 hours—available to any creature. During a Long Rest, you sleep for at least 6 hours and perform no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch.

During sleep, you have the Unconscious condition. After you finish a Long Rest, you must wait at least 16 hours before starting another one.

Benefits of the Rest. To start a Long Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point. When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

Regain All HP. You regain all lost Hit Points and all spent Hit Point Dice. If your Hit Point maximum was reduced, it returns to normal.

Ability Scores Restored. If any of your ability scores were reduced, they return to normal.

Special Feature. Some features are recharged by a Long Rest. If you have such a feature, it recharges in the way specified in its description.

Exhaustion Removed. If you had the Exhaustion condition, it’s gone. If you started your Long Rest with an Exhaustion Level of 1 or less, you gain the above benefits as described. If you started the Long Rest with an Exhaustion Level of 2 or more, you gain none of the above benefits—the Long Rest only removes the Exhaustion.

Interrupting the Rest. A Long Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:

• Rolling Initiative
• Casting a spell other than a cantrip
• Taking any damage
• 1 hour of walking or other physical exertion

If you rested at least 1 hour before the interruption, you gain the benefits of a Short Rest. See also “Short Rest.”

You can resume a Long Rest immediately after an interruption. If you do so, the rest requires 1 additional hour per interruption to finish.

Short Rest

A Short Rest is a 1-hour period of downtime, during which a creature does nothing more strenuous than reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. To start a Short Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point.

When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

You regain Hit Points equal to your Total Character Level plus Endurance modifier (minimum of 1 Hit Point).

Some features are recharged by a Short Rest. If you have such a feature, it recharges in the way specified in its description.

Interrupting the Rest. A Short Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:

• Rolling Initiative
• Casting a spell other than a cantrip
• Taking any damage

An interrupted Short Rest confers no benefits.

Between Adventures

Between trips to dungeons and battles against ancient evils, adventurers need time to rest, recuperate, and prepare for their next adventure. Many adventurers also use this time to perform other tasks, such as crafting arms and armor, performing research, or spending their hard-earned Solaurei.

In some cases, the passage of time is something that occurs with little fanfare or description. When starting a new adventure, the GM might simply declare that a certain amount of time has passed and allow you to describe in general terms what your character has been doing. At other times, the GM might want to keep track of just how much time is passing as events beyond your perception stay in motion.

Lifestyle Expenses

Between adventures, you choose a particular quality of life and pay the cost of maintaining that lifestyle.

Living a particular lifestyle doesn’t have a huge effect on your character, but your lifestyle can affect the way other individuals and groups react to you. For example, when you lead an aristocratic lifestyle, it might be easier for you to influence the nobles of the city than if you live in poverty.

Crafting

You can craft nonmagical objects, including adventuring equipment and works of art. You must be proficient with tools related to the object you are trying to create (typically artisan’s tools). You might also need access to special materials or locations necessary to create it. For example, someone proficient with smith’s tools needs a forge in order to craft a sword or suit of armor.

For every day of downtime you spend crafting, you can craft one or more items with a total market value not exceeding 5 so, and you must expend raw materials worth half the total market value. If something you want to craft has a market value greater than 5 so, you make progress every day in 5 so increments until you reach the market value of the item. For example, a suit of plate armor (market value 1,500 so) takes 300 days to craft by yourself.

Multiple characters can combine their efforts toward the crafting of a single item, provided that the characters all have proficiency with the requisite tools and are working together in the same place. Each character contributes 5 so worth of effort for every day spent helping to craft the item. For example, three characters with the requisite tool proficiency and the proper facilities can craft a suit of plate armor in 100 days, at a total cost of 750 so.

While crafting, you can maintain a modest lifestyle without having to pay 1 so per day, or a comfortable lifestyle at half the normal cost.

Practicing a Profession

You can work between adventures, allowing you to maintain a modest lifestyle without having to pay 1 so per day. This benefit lasts as long you continue to practice your profession.

If you are a member of an organization that can provide gainful employment, such as a temple or a thieves’ guild, you earn enough to support a comfortable lifestyle instead.

If you have proficiency in the Performance skill and put your performance skill to use during your downtime, you earn enough to support a wealthy lifestyle instead.

Recuperating

You can use downtime between adventures to recover from a debilitating injury, disease, or poison.

After three days of downtime spent recuperating, you can make a DC 15 Endurance check. On a successful check, you can choose one of the following results:

End one effect on you that prevents you from regaining hit points.

For the next 24 hours, enjoy a +5 bonus against one disease or poison currently affecting you.

Researching

The time between adventures is a great chance to perform research, gaining insight into mysteries that have unfurled over the course of the campaign. Research can include poring over dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls in a library or buying drinks for the locals to pry rumors and gossip from their lips.

When you begin your research, the GM determines whether the information is available, how many days of downtime it will take to find it, and whether there are any restrictions on your research (such as needing to seek out a specific individual, tome, or location). The GM might also require you to make one or more ability checks, such as an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find clues pointing toward the information you seek, or a Charisma (Persuasion) check to secure someone’s aid. Once those conditions are met, you learn the information if it is available.

For each day of research, you must spend 1 so to cover your expenses. This cost is in addition to your normal lifestyle expenses.

Roleplaying

Roleplaying is, literally, the act of playing out a role. In this case, it’s you as a player determining how your character thinks, acts, and talks. Roleplaying is part of every aspect of the game, and it comes to the fore during social interactions.

As you roleplay, consider whether you prefer an active approach or a descriptive approach.

The GM uses an NPC’s personality and your character’s actions and attitudes to determine how an NPC reacts. A cowardly bandit might buckle under threats of imprisonment. A stubborn merchant refuses to help if the characters badger her. A vain dragon laps up flattery.

When interacting with an NPC, pay attention to the GM’s portrayal of the NPC’s personality. You might be able to learn an NPC’s goals and then use that information to influence the NPC.

If you offer NPCs something they want or play on their sympathies, fears, or goals, you can form friendships, ward off violence, or learn a key piece of information. On the other hand, if you insult a proud warrior or speak ill of a noble’s allies, your efforts to convince or deceive will likely fail.

Social Interaction

During their adventures, player characters meet many different people and face some monsters that would rather talk than fight. In those situations, it’s time for social interaction, which takes many forms. For example, you might try to convince a burglar to confess to wrongdoing or try to flatter a guard. The Game Master assumes the roles of any nonplayer characters who are participating.

An NPC’s attitude toward your character is Friendly, Indifferent, or Hostile. Friendly NPCs are predisposed to help, and Hostile ones are inclined to hinder or even attack.

Social interactions progress in two ways: through roleplaying and ability checks.

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Encounters and Experience

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Achievements and Experience

Nearly every action your character takes can potentially earn her or him Achievements and Experience Points, the acquisition of which results in ever rising levels of overall power for your character. Achievements come from many sources, including but not limited to, performing skills, roleplaying, combat, disarming traps, diplomacy, and more. Your character will earn achievements in ways you might not expect, also—for example, losing at combat—that’s an experience.

Achievements are categorized under two major umbrellas: Feats and Milestones. Each individual Achievement categorized as a Milestone can be collected once only in your character’s lifetime. Experience from Feats can be collected repeatedly throughout the character’s lifetime. Achievements will be found under Universal, Special (see Species), and Field Role (see Field Roles) categories. Certain Species have experiences particular to them, and only that Species will have such a Milestone or Feat as the case may be. Each Field Role has its own set of responsibilities and experiences, and as such will have a list of Milestones and Feats unique to it. After which, each Subrole will again have its own responsibilities and experiences.

You can earn Feats and Milestones from the universal category, your own Special, your own Field Role category, and, your own Subrole category. These are all subdivided into either Milestones (again, once only), and Feats (∞). Secondary field roles that you’ve purchased abilities from (see Buy-Ins below) qualify your character to earn Milestones and Feats from that secondary Field Role, and again with tertiary.

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Universal Achievements

Universal Achievements, as the name implies, are for everybody regardless of Species or Field Role.

Planned encounter on a map key

Random encounters

There are seven essential types of encounters: combat, trap, dilemma, obstacle, diplomacy, puzzle/secret, and event. Only combat encounters lead to fighting, but any of these can lead to treasure and/or experience awards. CR’s for successfully dealing with any of these encounters are sometimes obvious, the CR of the NPC, monster, or trap, makes an appropriate award. In others, I will give ad hoc awards according to the guidelines set out here. The rule of thumb is, the more of these conditions are met, the higher the reward for any given encounter will be. Definitions the seven types:

Combat

An encounter which leads to fighting. Killing an opponent that is not aggressive, i.e. actively seeking to cause harm, damage, death, etc. to the PC’s, is ALWAYS, UNDER EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, WORTH ZERO EXPERIENCE. Performing a coup de gras on incapacitated combatants is not what this rule is referring to, this is referring to attacking non-combatants.

Trap

An encounter with a device that could damage, kill, poison, trigger spells, unleash enemies/beasts, physically change access points to a space, or sound alarms. Or any combination thereof.

Obstacle

An encounter with a situation or physical thing that needs to be overcome or circumvented to continue. (Could also be called problem).

Dilemma

An encounter where one of two or more choices must be made and none appear to be a clear best choice.

Diplomacy

An encounter involving attempted persuasion of individuals.

Puzzle/Secret

An encounter with any secret or puzzling situation, i.e. riddles & secret doors.

Event

Something that happens external to and regardless of PC action or inaction.