A few random items

I'm cleaning up some of my files and dug up the following items from a few random notes. Some of the spells are from a much earlier post on technology.

Staffs and Wand

Staff of the Technomancer [A]: This staff is made out of the same blueish steel material used in visitor craft and is adorned with a sapphire gem. It holds up to 30 charges and may use them to cast detect technology (as 5th level caster), disable technology (as 5th level caster), control technology (as 8th level caster) and magnetic pulse (as 12th level caster). Value: 127,500gp (8.5 spell level gives 4,250 per charge, at 30 charges).

Staff of the Artificer [D]: This bronze staff is engraved with runes of measurement and is inlaid with crystal gems in a lattice pattern on its heavy head. It holds up to 30 charges and may use them to cast detect technology (as 4th level caster), disable technology (as 6th level caster) and control technology (as 6th level caster). This staff can also be used with the same effect as a staff of striking. Value: 117,500gp (7.5 spell level (includes striking) gives 3,750 per charge, at 30 charges; +1 staff 5000).

Wand of mechanical control [A]: The wielder of this wand can take control of the programming or command functions of autonomous machines for five rounds, as detailed in the spell control machines. Refer to the spell for the effects and concentration requirements. While concentrating on controlling the machines, the wielder can move at half movement, if successfully struck in combat all concentration is lost and the control ends. One charge is expended per usage. Value: 30,000gp (3 spell level gives 1,500 per charge, at 20 charges).

Miscellaneous Magic Item

Torc of vitality: This torc is fashioned from solid silver with tyrannosaurus leather wrapping the band and exposed silver ends cast in the image of snarling dragon heads. At the start of every day it grants the wearer 10 temporary hit points for that day. The temporary hit points cannot be restored by healing and are the first lost whenever the character takes damage. Value 75,000gp (3rd level permanent effect)

Spell: Vitalise

Arcane 3

Range: touch

Duration: 1 turn per level

This spell infuses the recipient with the vitality of a tyrannosaurus. The spell grants the person touched 2d10 temporary hit points for the duration of the spell. The temporary hit points cannot be restored by healing and are the first lost whenever the character takes damage. 

Vitalise (3): Transmogrification, current form gains 2d10 hp (60), 1 living creature (x1), range touch (x0.6), duration 1 turn per level (x0.8), total cost 28.8.

The Shojon

Space giants! They are like a sci-fi fantasy TV trope right? I had to have them, and they must be green or blue. But I'm a child of the anime 80's so I'm tapping into a little Macross and Starblazers with this one as they come to mind when I think about giants in space. It sort of unfolded and evolved from there.

The Shojon

The Shojon are a race without culture, history or identity. They are an aggressive giant humanoid race, being remarkably close to human appearance, but with green to blue skin and slightly pointed ears. As giants they come in at 9' to 11' in height causing them to stoop in the average pedestrian zone.

They awoke after the crash from damaged cloning chambers across the ship. The visitors had been experimenting on them and were seeking to tap into their aggression and military potential for use as a proxy race. To facilitate this they had been tampering with the Shojon genetic code to make them more susceptible to mental influence, a trait they retain to this day. A side effect of this is that their maturity and intellect is slightly stunted compared to other races. Waking in this way they had no baseline of a culture or society and quickly grouped up into packs to seek out food. 

Unfortunately for them, both genders awoke in completely separate parts of the worldship. Slight differences in their gender pre-culture developed after awakening and physical gender differences coupled with their formative intellects led them to conclude they were different species. It didn't help that the other group caused them odd feelings they couldn't explain, nor did their aggressive tendencies. This differing species view and competing over the same sustenance sources led to conflict and segregation, a racial war that wages to this day. They also refer to themselves by different race names being the Kagion-jin for the male culture, and Madion-jin for the female. Databases unearthed have since proven that the race was known as the Shojon, though the Kagion-jin and Madion-jin consider such data heresy and believe it to be visitor lies. Additionally it has been revealed that the race was originally twice the size it is now, with visitors utilising biomass adjustment to bring them down to the current 10' average from the original 20' size.

They have since learned to operate the cloning machines found throughout the ship and use them as their only form of reproduction. As such they value biomatter fluids, energy crystals and genetic databases over all other things. Such items can be sold to them at inflated prices if negotiations can be started, which can be difficult given their hostile nature to those not of their gender species. Where they find genetic data they use it to ensure there is variety in their pseudo-clones' genetic makeup as they seek to edit out the visitor tampering. This ensures they do not all look identical, though they do ensure the gender matches their 'species'.

Overall both humans and visitors tend to give the Shojon a wide berth, they are territorial and aggressive making any relations with them extremely different. Their own language of Shojon is known by some but relations are often used to deflect their aggression rather than make peace. 

Shojon (Large Giants)

	Kagion-jin	Madion-jin
% In Lair: Dungeon Enc: Wilderness Enc: Treasure Type / XP:	25% Gang (2d4) / Outpost (2d8) Band (2d8) / Camp (4d8) O, L / 600	35% Gang (2d4) / Outpost (2d8) Band (2d8) / Camp (4d8) Q / 600
Hit Dice: Armor Class: Save: Special Def.:	8 6 (leather) F8 Susceptibility (charm)	8 9 (scale, shield) F8 Armor specialists,  Susceptibility (charm)
Movement: Attacks: Morale: Special Off.:	120’ (40’) 1 two-handed weapon (3+, 2d10)  or crossbow (3+, 2d8, 5' line, 200') or throw spear (3+, 2d8, 40') +1 (+4) Battle fury (+2 melee hit, +4 moral)	120’ (40’) 1 weapon (3+, 2d8)  or crossbow (3+, 2d8, 5' line) or throw spear (3+, 2d8, 40') +1 None

All Shojon, regardless of gender, appear as giant humans with pointed ears and blue to green skin pigments. Their hair colour is extremely varied including vivid greens, blues and violets amongst the more regular human colors. They stand 9' to 11' tall and weigh about 1,200lb. Visitor tampering with their genetic makeup has left them susceptible to mental influence, their charm save duration is one month (the lowest rate). They are territorial and aggressive leading to most encounters with them resulting in conflict.

Shojon carry crossbows that, in their hands, are effectively medium ballistas. These weapons do 2d8 damage in a 5' line (damaging two targets if they are in a line) at a range of 200'. They may also hurl massive spears with a range increment of 40' that do 2d8 damage.

Kagion-jin: Male Shojon refer to themselves as Kagion-jin. They equipped themselves with dinosaur leather armor and wielding massive great axes, two-handed swords or polearms suited to their size. Whenever they engage in melee combat the Kagion-jin are engulfed in a battle fury. When enraged they gain +2 to their melee attack value, and they battle fearlessly until killed (+4 morale). 

Madion-jin: Female Shojon refer to themselves as Madion-jin. They wear elaborate dinosaur scale armor which they adorn with feathers and elaborate plumage. In battle they wield swords or spears one handed along with shields. They are armor specialists, having trained to optimise their use of shields and armor in combat granting them a bonus of +1 to armor class compared to their male counterparts (factored into their AC in the stat block).

New Item - Biomass Adjustment Chamber

This device is similar in nature to the cloning and regeneration vats, though it is significantly larger. It consists of a 25' long cylindrical chamber that is 12' in diameter lying on a large metallic slab containing various tubes that connect into either end of the cylinder. Only an arcane Spellcaster, or equivalent, can understand the alien interfaces required to operate the biomass adjustment chamber and determine its key function. The chamber is used to increase or decrease the size of the person placed within.

Enlarging the subject placed within increases both size and mass by cloning existing cells within the host and inserting them between current cellular matter. This subjects the recipient to the permanent effects of the growth spell (player's companion). 

Reducing the subject placed within selectively adjusts or replaces cellular material to be smaller and lighter, they retain the same number of cells, just more efficiently packed. This subjects the recipient to the permanent effects of the reduce spell (below).

Such transitions may only be applied once to any subject, though it may be reversed using the alternative process to the one taken. For the purposes of stacking this procedure should be treated as having the relevant spells cast permanently (permeance rules in ACKs page 120) though this effect cannot be dispelled. Shojon have been exposed to such effects at a genetic level but still use these chambers to become human sized (leading to many stories of Shojon infiltrators) or be restored to their full ancestral size.

Enlargement requires significant addition of mass drawing on a large amount of organic materials (costing 20,000gp) and 10 energy crystals. Reduction requires refinement of cellular material only and as such draws on less organic material (costing 5,000gp) but draws on the same 10 energy crystals. Regardless of the procedure undertaken all materials required are consumed through the process. The process takes 2d6 days to complete during which the subject is unconscious within a tank of biofluid. 

New spell: Reduce 

Arcane 3

Range: touch

Duration: 2 hours

The recipient of this spell and all their equipment halves in size. The reduction also halves their mass but they maintain similar muscle density and suffer no negative impacts to their strength. The size reduction grants them +1 AC. Being smaller than their normal form they also see the world differently and gain a bonus of +2 to move silently and hide in shadows checks. If the recipient lacks these abilities they may escape detection with a proficiency throw of 14+ on 1d20 by remaining motionless and quiet in cover.

If a creature under the effect of a growth spell is subject to reduce or diminution, or vice versa, both spells are cancelled. If a creature under the effect of a reduce or diminution spell is subject to either spell again the most recently cast one applies.

Notes

Shojon: Yes, I know I could have just written them up as one monster but it brings it home giving them two stat blocks. In the end it's only a slight difference. I left the throw ability in from other giants but there are no rocks lying around on the world ship so made it spears and doubled the spear range increment, I dropped its damage a notch and added in the ballista as well, not worth a special as they are really just ranged attacks. Potions of giant strength would use this spear rule in my setting. The proficiency equivalent is not worth a special, similar to the barbarian. The treasure split reflects their nature somewhat, the males are raider and the raider tables have more chance at having magic weapons which suit them.

BAC: I somehow got carried away with this one, I think it might be something to do with micro sized Shojon love stories… I benchmarked the fluids on double and half a clone vat in BCK respectively.

Reduce: Price check was that protection gives +1 AC for 5 and granting a proficiency is 20 (it effectively grants the skulking proficiency). The spell itself is supposed to be a positive size reduction effect so I went a little the ant man route of maintaining density, under normal reductions it would have shed four times more the mass. As it is it has some utility for thieves that would be seen as a bonus and some situational advantages that could be nice to have.

Reduce (3): Transmogrification, current form shrinks to half size (25), 1 living creature (x1), range touch (x0.6), duration 12 turns (x2), total cost 30.

Traveling through the worldship

For convenience I am representing the main level of the worldship as a hex map. But this is not a flat land like other campaigns, it has height and width more akin to an underdark map. So on the six mile hex map, what are those hexes and how do you cross them?

Types of hexes and travel times

Being in the main unnatural terrain, I have represented certain key zones using standard map symbols. Below is the updated map showing all the current blog post updates (and a few to come).

Hab cylinder zones (equivalent of plains/grassland/forest)

Hab, (Habitat) cylinders are represented with the appropriate centre hex and a thick grey outer wall. These zones are six mile diameter open spaces with large expanses of normal “earthly” terrain in the middle. The space inside is open to a six mile high virtual sky. At about the two-three mile point natural clouds form, though there is little wind. The ceiling is covered in sun lights that produce the illumination equivalent to a normal sun. Some have a day night cycle, though the hours may vary, others may have only day, or damaged ones may be totally dark. Overall, these form the food basins of the various inhabitants of the world ship and are relatively easy to traverse at ground level. Some have networks of sky bridges crossing the 6 mile expanse, the good ones have handrails.

Machinery hexes (equivalent of mountains/forest)

The guts of the worldship, these hexes are shown as plain grey hexes. These six mile high and six mile wide zones filled with technological wonders such as miles upon hundreds of miles of piping, power conduits, water, transport systems, offices and labs. Any transport systems have long been shut down. The visitors deliberately have not powered them as, in their reduced capacity, it would make holding their territory harder. 

Damaged zones (equivalent of mountains)

Damaged zones use the grey rough symbol. These zones have fallen into massive disrepair or structural damage. In general, they were previously another hex type but are now cluttered with debris, flooded, mouldy and difficult to traverse. It is impossible to cross between damaged hexes.

Special zones (equivalent of plains or special terrain)

They are represented by light grey hexes or other distinct zones (such as the Arboretum Jungles). Used for the spine, hangers and power systems, these zones are special features and have discrete rules for travel listed (in the blog post relevant to each zone). The hangers are treated as hab cylinders. 

Travel times and navigation

Aside from distance, the players must still make navigation tests as they move through the ship using the rules on p.94 of ACKs. This test represents their overall location awareness on the ship, rather than just finding a passageway in the maze of possibilities on the worldship as examined n the next section below.

Movement summary table

Hex type	Movement Multiplier	Navigation Test
Hab cylinder	x1	4+
Machinery hexes	x2/3	7+
Damaged zones	x1/2	11+

Moving between hexes

All hexes are effectively 6 mile high and wide, the key thing is they are very vertical, and not flat. You can find yourself having to travel up and over as much as around or through. As such there are three modes, defined as passages of travel: Mainlines, Subways and Walkways.

Players must both navigate in terms of overall map location as well as test to cross a hex due to smaller scale passageway dead ends or cross backs. When traversing any single hex to another, the players must state the type of passage used to travel.  On any hex crossing they expend the time required for the hex they are in as per above, they must roll on the following table to determine if they are able to cross successfully into the new hex. Failure indicates they hit a dead end, (or crossed back) and remain in the same hex and must try again.  Additionally, this counts as re-entering the hex for random encounter purposes.

Traverse summary table

Hex type	Crossing test failure	Encounters
Mainlines	6+	Difficult (d20+10)
Subways	5+	Hard (d20+5)
Walkways	4+	Normal (d20)

Mainlines are huge open conduits with massive blast doors designed to allow battleships and abductors to traverse the ship. As such they are huge affairs, and more importantly very direct and straight. Mainlines represent the fastest way to travel, but everyone knows this, making them also the most dangerous. Failure to traverse a mainline is infrequent and often represents closed bulkheads that force the players to back track to another mainline.

Mainlines are so large you can fly a saucer through them

Subways are a compromise, being in the main 20 to 30 foot wide to allow for hover rail to traverse.  They remain relatively direct, but also not as large or risky as the mainlines. They tended to follow the ancient needs of the visitors and can take indirect courses following some ritualistic path of the original inhabitants that was important to their daily rituals. Failure to traverse a subway can be as a result of collapsed lines or ancient destroyed hover trains that block the path forcing the players to back track and find another line.

Subways are large enough for smaller vehicles to traverse them

Walkways are everywhere, they are the common hallways and passages of the ship. Millions of miles weave and cross the ship and they are generously apportioned to allow creatures of up to 10 foot to walk in style. They are the most difficult passages to navigate over long distances ending in old buildings or structures not connected to a common destination.  As such they are a slow way to travel, but their prevalence makes them the safest. Failure to traverse is easy in walkways, often being as a result of unfavourable paths that lead the players away from their destination toward some other path whose priority is faded to time.

Encounter Table

I'm still working on this aspect but have provided a draft table below (I’m still working on some of the monsters). In general, the easier it is to cross, the bigger and nastier the threat rolling on the traverse summary table above on the table below. The intent here is to still allow some lower level groups the ability to travel, but they can't get as far as fast as higher level groups.

Roll	Encounter	Lair	Encountered	Book
1	Bee, giant killer	35%	5d6	ACK
2	Thief birds (Velociraptor)	10%	4d6/6d6	BCK *
3	Fire beetle	40%	2d6/4d6	ACK
4	Grick	35%	1d4	BCK
5	Rogue ironwright	None	2d6	Blog
6	Rogue spider ballista	None	2d8	Blog
7	Ant, giant	10%	4d6	ACK
8	Security bot	None	1d3	Blog
9	Ogre	20%	3d6/1d10x3d6	ACK
10	Grin lizards (Timurlengia)	None	1d2	BCK
11	Smiaceans	10%	2d8/4d8	Blog
12	Lythancrope, wereboar	20%	2d4	ACK
13	Keythong	10%	2d8	Blog
14	Balroach	50%	1d3/1d6	BCK *
15	Warbot	None	2d8	BCK
16	Terrorbird	25%	1d3	BCK
17	Manticore	20%	1d4	ACK
18	Animal (1d10; 1- Cattle, 2- Boar, 3- Panther, 4- Horse, 5- Cave Bear, 6- Owl, 7- Bat, 8- Crab Spider, 9- Gecko, 10- Dog)	Varies	Varies	ACK
19	Humanoid Race (1d6; 1- Brigands, 2- Barbarians, 3- Endjinn, 4- Bugmen, 5- Bog'ans, 6- Visitors)	Varies	Varies	ACK/BCK
20	NPC Party *	None	Varies	ACK
21	Sword-tooth (Carnotaurus)	None	1d2	BCK
22	Shojon (1d6; 1 to 3 - Kagion-jin, 4 to 6 - Madion-jin)	25%/35%	2d8/4d8	Blog
23	Flying Saucer, Scout	None	1d6	BCK
24	Reticuloid walker	None	2d6	Blog
25	Tendriculos	100%	1d4	BCK
26	Tyranosaurus	None	1d2	BCK
27	Giganotosaurus	None	1	BCK
28	Rogue Combatacon	50%	1+minions	Blog
29	Flying Saucer, Abductor	None	1d2	BCK
30	Flying Saucer, Battleship	None	1	BCK

Notes

The overall intent of this rule is to make my little 6 miles hex map feel bigger. I'm going for a bit of an Underhive/Necromunda feel here. Describing hitting a dead end makes it feel a little larger and forces some travel choices along the way. The encounter table deliberately places the bigger enemies further down reflecting this travel restriction.