FrivYeti/WyldspanExpansions
Back to the Wyldspan
Extra Wyldfarer Systems =
In addition to the basic construction of Wyldfarers, a number of specialized systems exist that can be integrated into a Wyldfarer. These systems take the form of a variety of Artifacts that alter the way in which the systems of the Wyldfarer function, and are purchased and maintained seperately from the main ship.
Non-Harmonized Parts
Currently, Wyldfarers are constructed on one of three basic systems, but some Wyldfarers mix and match systems from the dominant designs of the Wyld. In particular, mixing the styles of the New Realm and the Scarlet Imperium is quite common, although it tends to lead to weaker or more difficult to manage ships.
In order to determine the base type of the ship, determine the construction points spent on the ship’s Anti-Wyld Field, Shielding, Engines, and integrated Weapons. All Jade parts should be totalled, as should those parts used from the Celestial design and those parts used from the Soulsteel design. Because a Jade Frame is used in all designs, it is not included in the totals. Whichever total is highest is the default for the ship. All other types are cross-design ships. They increase their Essence costs by half again (rounding up), and increase the difficulty of Maintenance rolls for the ship by 1. Despite this, many scavenger ships have one cross-type part because they cannot find complete ships.
Fivefold Harmonic Resonators (Artifact 1, Wonders of the Lost Age) may be used to attune the ship. They increase the Frame’s Essence cost by 2 per day.
Wyldfarer Special Systems
Essence Battery (Artifact 0 or 00): Hearthstones remain a rare and valuable commodity in the Third Age, especially with the thousands of Wyldfarers in operation. If each used a Hearthstone, few would have any to spare. Instead, most Wyldfarers make do with an Essence Battery, a specialized Essence-containing device. Essence Batteries have a set amount of Essence within them, and can power any magitech device. Most Essence batteries (Artifact 1) have a pool of 50 motes. Rarer are the impressive (Artifact 00) ones with 100 motes in their pool. Any Essence-wielder can spend 1 Willpower in order to fill an Essence battery. Every three motes spent in addition to the base cost adds one mote to the battery's pool; refueling in this manner is highly inefficient. In addition, Hearthstones can refuel batteries, providing their rating in motes each hour. Finally, an Essence Battery brought into a manse regains double the Manse's rating in motes per hour - this is the most common means of refueling in the Third Age, and most docks have manses that can be used for refueling for a modest fee.
In general, assume that magitech devices use 25 motes per day per level of Hearthstone required for them.
Navigation System (Artifact 0 or 00): While most ships make do with simple knowledge of trade routes and follow established beacons that any ship can track, many of the exploration vessels involved in charting the Span make use of advanced Wyld navigation systems, capable of charting the motions of the Wyld. Normal Wyld Navigation systems provide one automatic success to all rolls to navigate the Wyld, and provide detailed information about any waypoints up to two waypoints away from the character; they have such knowledge as though they were in the waypoint in question. More powerful systems exist, but are much more rare; they provide detailed information at a range of 5 waypoints, and add two successes to all rolls to navigate the Wyld. Navigation systems use a number of motes per day equal to their rating.
Jade Compass (Artifact 0): The Mountain Folk equip their scouting ships with this specially-designed artifact, which only they so far know how to produce. The compass can hook into a ship’s systems, using 2 motes of Essence per day. The ship’s sensors can detect any unattuned jade, including the jade eggs of the Jadeborn, that are within the same waypoint. If equipped on a ship with a Navigation System, the Compass extends over all waypoints that the system can scan. A non-Jadeborn character must have Allies (Mountain Folk) in order to purchase this device, and any attempt to distribute them would earn the anger of the Mountain Folk for stealing their technology.
Maneuvering Thrusters (Artifact 0): Sometimes, the basic speed and maneuverability offered by a Wyldship is not sufficient for a determined user. Such pilots can install a special set of thrusters across the hull of a ship that allow it to spin in place, or turn on a dime. Thrusters may be activated at a cost of 2 motes per scene, and provide the ship with a +3 manuevering bonus. Large Wyldfarers apply their Maneuver penalty to this system in addition to their engines.
Remote Guidance System (Artifact 0): Using this artifact, a character can quickly and easily pilot their ship at range. While using a Remote Guidance system applies a +1 difficulty penalty to all rolls to pilot the ship, but it can be piloted from anywhere in the same waypoint (1 mile in Creation). While active, a guidance system drains 1 mote per scene from the ship’s Hearthstone or battery. A remote guidance system is generally guarded by a cipher that is difficult to break if the codes are not known (Intelligence + Larceny, difficulty 5).
Stealth Baffling (Artifact 0): Some Wyldfarers have reason to pass unseen through the depths of the Wyld. Stealth Baffling hooks onto a ship’s Anti-Wyld Grid, increasing its cost by 2 motes per day when active. It increases the difficulty of all attempts to spot the ship so protected by 2 by shifting the edges of the shield to blend into the Wyld.
Clockwork Navigator (Artifact 0 to 00000): Sometimes, a ship needs more crew than it can easily handle. At other times, a person simply wants more than a ship can give them, especially if they travel the Wyld alone. The Clockwork Navigator is the solution to this dilemma. At its most basic, it is a simple A.I. hooked into the frame of a Wyldfarer that helps to fly it. At its most advanced, it is a valuable member of the crew.
Clockwork Navigators normally have no bodies; instead, their circutry is integrated into that of the ship, increasing its cost by its (Artifact rating x2). Navigators in such a state can fly the ship, aid the pilot or gunner, or take any role for themselves. A navigator can either take on the task of piloting or gunnery, or can Aid the operator of such, providing a +1 die bonus. A navigator’s statistics are based on its rating – all navigators possess the Abilities Archery, Crafts (Magitech), Integrity, and Sail as Primary Abilities and Investigation, Lore, Occult and Survival, as Secondary Abilities. Primary Abilities are treated as Favoured.
For an additional Artifact dot, an automaton can have a physical body. Physical automatons have Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, and choose one of the following as a Primary Ability and three as Secondary: Martial Arts, Melee, Thrown, Resistance, Athletics, Larceny, Stealth, and Ride. Automatons are in perfect contact with the ship provided that they remain within the same waypoint as it (1 mile in Creation), but operating the automaton takes the full attention of a position of the Navigator. If the automaton is taken outside that range, it becomes essentially nonfuctional, losing all non-physical Attributes and Abilities and responding only to direct commands. It also loses all communication with the main ship.
For an additional Artifact dot, an automation can have 12 extra bonus points that can be spent anywhere.
0 – Can only operate a single crew position at a time. Non-sentient – never fails Valor, never succeeds others, Willpower 10 (0 against its owner). All Mental Attributes 3, all Social Attributes at 1, all Primary Abilities 3 and Secondary Abilities 1. No bonus points.
00 – Can operate up to three crew positions at a time without penalty. May be sentient or non-sentient; if sentient, receives 6 dots of automaton Virtues (plus 1 free in each Virtue) and Willpower 7. All Mental Attributes 3, all Social Attributes 1 (2 if sentient), all Primary Abilities 4 and Secondary Abilities 2. Receives 6 bonus points, which cannot raise Abilities to 5 or purchase more than one Specialty per Ability, but can purchase new Abilities.
000 – Can operate up to six crew positions at once without penalty. Must be sentient; receives 8 dots of automaton Virtues and Willpower 8. All Mental Attributes 4, all Social Attributes 3, all Primary Abilities 5 and Secondary Abilities 3. Receives 12 bonus points, which cannot raise Abilities to 5 that aren’t already there or purchase more than two Specialties per Ability, but can purchase new Abilities.
