CONTENTS | TEMPLATE | BACKGROUND | RACES | CHARACTERS | SETTING | POWERS | CAMPAIGNING | APPENDIX

© 1999, 2000 by Jefferson A. Wilson | View Sidebar | Go to main RPG page.

N'FERRA™ Campaigning

Travel

There are several different means in travel in N'Ferra. Land, Water, and Air travel are discussed under powers. Travel from the surface of a planet into wildspace (called wildspace to distinguish it's different properties from our outer space), and traveling between planets is discussed in this section.

Orbital

Traveling from the surface into wildspace hasn't changed much from its inception.

The preferred means of reaching wildspace is through an orbital gate. A planetologist may find one, or a gate-master may create one, but they are still very rare and expensive.

Where an orbital gate cannot be found, a Mutant Beanstalk may serve the need. However, growing a Mutant Beanstalk to wildspace requires a great deal of time.

Levitation or Flight spells, ointments or enchantments are about equally common. They are not particularly efficient and are usually very expensive, but are, in general, the most common means of reaching wildspace.

Psionic teleportation is sometimes used, but very few teleporters of the necessary strength are available.

Cheap and easy to acquire are the few animals that can travel from surface to wildspace. These are the Asusa (pterodactyl), Trindek (moth), and Ravadak (raptor). However, such travel is slow, the animals can't carry all that much, and the maintenance cost of the animals is high.

An initiate may sometimes be able to convince a spirit to carry a load into wildspace, but such travel is subject to the whims of the spirit.

Individuals sometimes manifest meta-powers which enable them to travel up to wildspace. However, such individuals are not usually capable of carrying very much, and are typically used for emergency use only.

Every cubic foot (cf) of vehicle gives 8 cf of air. This enables one person to breathe for 1/2 hour. Pressure exists in wildspace, and gravity is a constant 1 G from all isolated bodies.

Interplanetary Travel

When the people of N'Ferra first reached Wildspace they had a variety of means for traveling between planets. While these means have mainly been replaced by helms (see below), you can still find them in use in some regions, or for specialized purposes.

Alchemists produce a Flying Ointment which may be applied to vessels.

Explosives enable technological cultures to travel with a great deal of danger. However, explosives are the only means of moving very large objects like asteroids.

Individuals sometime have Meta-powers which enable them to travel between planets.

Psionics may be used to provide acceleration to a vessel. Such acceleration acts according to "normal" physical laws. The equation to use to determine minimum travel times with this method is to the right. T is travel time in hours. W is mass of vessel in pounds. D is the distance to be covered. F is the base weight TK or Levitation can move. Most captains prefer to plot a course which doubles this time. This enables the navigator to avoid known hazards, including shipping lanes carrying slower traffic. Functionally, the "teke" is typically tied to a chair, which is strongly attached to the vessel. The navigator then points to a spot on the wall for the psionic to attempt to move towards.

Magic spells and enchantments function much more efficiently in wildspace than on a planet. Multiply all speeds by 500. Spells brought in from outside the sphere will typically NOT have this multiplier, but will usually have a multiplier of 10. It is the GM's option as to whether this multiplier is applied in other spheres.

Natural Gates are the preferred means of travel if an available one exists.

Priests have spells enabling them to travel.

The spiritualist path of travel enables spiritualists to travel between planets.

Bioships use light sails.

Harnessed animals are used on occasion.

Helms

N'Ferra helms are a bit different from the standard AD&D® helms. A helm operates by changing the shape of space around it. By doing this the distance to it's destination becomes shorter, while the distance from it's origin becomes longer. Only a third generation helm will operate in a gravity field other than it's own, otherwise, any gravity source sufficient to affect the ship causes the helm to shut off. The First Generation helms described below are the first that N'Ferra developed, but are still in common use. Second Generation helms are of fairly recent origin, and the kind most likely to be found on new ships. Third Generation helms are cutting edge equipment and are only found in the military of a very few nations.

All helms use the Spelljamming skill to activate. The power available to a helm is based on the fatigue of the helmsman and his highest skill level in the appropriate power base. Also, spells may not be cast by a helmsman, nor may he use powerstones, foci, or special components while in the helm. Drugs and similar boosters may be used before a person gets into a helm. Tactical speed is 17 miles/hour per point of Ship Rating (SR), and is automatically reached when an object approaches within 1 mile of a helm. See chart below for a description of maneuver ratings. Fatigue may not be regained by any means while a helmsman is in the helm (jamming).

First Generation Helms

Cruising speed for a Helm/1 in Wildspace is 1,000,000 mph / 465 kps (compared to 4,000,000 mph / 1860 kps for a standard AD&D® helm). Ship Rating equals (fatigue+skill)/10 - 1. As this helm cannot be used in a gravity well, there is no on-planet or planet to orbit speed. This helm requires one fatigue per hour and can affect a vessel up to 90,000 cubic feet (33 Spelljammer™ tons). The cost of a (used) Helm/1 is $100,000.

Second Generation Helms

The second generation helm was developed about 60 years ago. While allowing increased volume and speed, this helm did not represent a major revolution. Cruising speed for a Helm/2 in Wildspace is 4,000,000 mph / 1860 kps. Tactical speed is 17 mph/SR. Ship Rating equals (fatigue+skill)/6 - 2. As this helm cannot be used in a gravity well, there is no on-planet or planet to orbit speed. This helm requires one fatigue per hour, and can affect a vessel up to 135,000 cubic feet (50 Spelljammer™ tons). The cost of Helm/2 is $250,000.

Third Generation Helms

The most recent development in helms is a major departure from previous helms. Developed in Fifth Age 3, and based on Arcane helms, this helm permits maneuvers in a gravity field as well as having increased speed and volume. Cruising speed for a Helm/3 in Wildspace is 4,000,000 mph (1860 kps). Tactical speed is 17 mph/SR. Ship Rating equals (fatigue+skill)/4 - 3. This helm requires one fatigue per hour to use, and can affect a vessel up to 270,000 cubic feet (100 Spelljammer™ tons). Atmospheric speed is 8 yards per second per SR, and the time to reach orbit from the ground is the cube root of a body's diameter in miles times two minutes (40 minutes for Earth). The cost of a Helm/3 is $1,000,000. This helm is basically identical to a major helm, except that it can only be used by eithera mage or a priest, not both.

Types of Helms

Chaos Helms can only be used by a vampire or other entity with vampiric disciplines. They are usually custom made for a particular helmsman, and tend to be slightly more effective than their more normal counterparts. Very few of these helms have been discovered, and it is unknown whether they are the work of a single creator, or an organized production group.

A Chi-Helm requires Mental Strength/16 and Power Blow/15. Any Chi skill except meditation may be used as the helmsman's highest skill level.

A Life-Helms requires only that the helmsman be living. Hit Points are used rather than any skill. However, a life-helm alternates between using fatigue and using hit points for power, rather than using fatigue alone. They are very rare, but are still occasionally used.

A Mage-Helm requires Magical Aptitude/1.

A Psi-Helm requires a combined power of 10 in Psionic powers. This may be achieved through gestalt. The focus of the gestalt must be in contact with the helm.

A Priest-Helm requires Power Investiture/1.

A Meta-helm requires 50 points in meta-advantages and powers.

A Spirit-Helm requires at least Initiation/1.

A few other types of helms have been created. These include the will-helm (powered by force of will) and the charisma-helm (powered by force of personality). These helms are too inefficient for them to be more than showpieces.

Interdimensional Travel

Making Spelljammers

Design Philosophy

Standard AD&D® spelljammers contain a great deal of empty space. This design is necessitated by the need to assure the crew of needed air. In N'Ferra, however, Air Purifiers are sufficiently common and cheap that assuring enough air for a ship's crew is a relatively minor concern. This means that N'Ferran vessels tend to be built with little empty space, and have enormous crews for their size relative to the standard vessels.

Ship's weapons are of three distinct types: Stone Ballistae, Black Powder Cannon, and Nitro-Powder Cannon. Ships intended for use solely within N'Ferra or the Dark Sphere mount Nitro-Cannon almost exclusively. Unfortunately, nitro-powder does not work beyond the Dark Sphere, so it's use is primarily confined to fortifications and customs ships. Black Powder Cannon are not nearly as effective as Nitro-Cannon, but will work (when loaded with smoke powder) in the spheres beyond the phlogisten. Stone Ballistae come a poor third in effectiveness, but will operate even in the phlogisten. Experiments are being performed to make Stone Ballistae even more effective, but, currently, these factors mean that most ships mount a combination of Stone Ballistae and Black Powder Cannon.

GURPS Vehicles Update

Each helm installed in a vessel requires a crew station.

A vessel's Spelljammer™ maneuver rating is equal to: (HT - 5) / 2 with a minimum of 0.25.

The more sail a spelljammer has, the easier it is to control. How easy depends on the ratio between the sail and surface area of the vessel. If the ratio is at least 2:1 the ship has a +1 control roll, 7:3 is +2, 8:3 is +3, 3:1 is +4, 3.25:1 is +5, 3.5:1 is +6 (the maximum). The sails can be either standard or aerial rigged. Of course, the sails must be manned.

Special Substances

Minerals: icerock (amp Chi), orichalcum, slowstone (amp Magic & earth), glowstone (amp mutations), seer water, fire salt.

Admantium is a supernatural substance with metallic properties. Difficult to work, it is capable of being formed into the equivalent of monowire. Some metas have used it as a focus for their meta-powers.

Fire Pearls are opaque spherical nodules occasionally found in fire bodies. They appear to be immune to heat and are 50% harder than diamond. If a fire pearl is broken it will reshape itself after no more than a month until each piece is spherical again. Fire Pearls typically weight 1 ounce, but pearls up to 6 ounces and down to 1/100 ounce have been found. There are several different colors of fire pearls, each with it's own special properties. (red=light, white=starbolt, black=sense, yellow=increase con, blue=amplify Alchemy) Mixed colors also exist with the properties of all the mixed colors.

Irat is a clear mineral that exists in two different forms. Amorphous Iratis 125% harder than steel (80% harder than diamond) and melts at 12000 degrees farenheight. When irat cools below this temperature, it forms Crystalline Irat. Crystalline Irat is twice as hard as steel and has the unusual property of melting a second time at -80 degrees farenheight. This liquid turns to amorphous irat at -320 degrees farenheight, and reforms into crystalline irat if the temperature is raised. Once amorphous Irat is formed, it will only melt at 12000 degrees F. Crystalline Irat accepts enchantments readily (although it cannot be used for powerstones), while amorphous irat tends to turn spells away. Irat is readily tinted, and can take on any hue. Crystalline Irat is the only form found naturally.

Mithril is a Magic al nickel-silver alloy. It is particularly useful when used in enchanted items, reducing the fatigue cost required in enchantments.

Psistone is a transparent, very light yellow mineral 90% harder than diamond, and with one-third the density of steel. It has the special property of being able to amplify Psionics when processed into single unflawed crystals. Unfortunately, material means cannot be used to shape the stone, and most powers suffer penalties to do so. The user must have the crystal touching his skin, and make a successful meditation roll to gain this amplification for a single skill use. The crystal will amplify psionic power levels by one for every 5 carats (1 gram) of the stone. Psistones are unaffected by the Powerstone spell.

Stygiems are deep blue-black stones 100% harder than diamond, with two-fifths the density of steel. They seem to be related to Psistones, but do not have the property of amplifying Psionics. When any manipulation of these stones is attempted they remain unaffected, but start to show a white spark in their depths. The more energy that was used on them, the brighter the spark.

Plants: armorgae, Flying Needle, Glowmoss, Heal Berry, Mage Tree, strength bark, sweetvine, tessebush, (Amp senses. Add: intelligence, constitution. hibernation, sleep substitute, haste)

Air Fern is a plant commonly found on high mountains and asteroids. When alive the fern acts to purify the air in its immediate vicinity. When chewed, it's roots permit any individual to survive for an hour without breathing. Using the roots for more than two straight hours will result in the loss of the involuntary breathing reflex for 24 hours. This typically results in the death of the user.

Mutant Beanstalks are a bio-engineered species which uses meta-powers and Magic. They grow from the surface of a planet to the edge of the gravity envelope when full growing, growing to a diameter of 100 to 200 yards. Stairs, ladders, and ramps may be attached to the beanstalk to permit access to wildspace.

Sh'zai is a very rare mushroom, that only grows in certain very limited areas. Each mushroom is eight inches tall and weighs around three pounds. Within the areas that they grow, Sh'zai grow year-round, taking a full year to reach maturity. They only remain potent for a week after being picked. When a Sh'zai mushroom is eaten raw by an individual without either psionic skills or psionic powers, that person gains Telepathy/3, Telekinesis/3, and ESP/3 for one hour. If another mushroom is eaten before 24 hours have passed (12 hours for Ch'vrr and Gennen, and 36 hours for Lon), the consumer will gain the appropriate powers, but will also receive 40 points of mental disadvantages (typically amplifications of existing mental traits) for the times listed above.

If a mushroom is eaten by a person with both psionic powers and training the effect is much different. Such psionics receive 9 points of fatigue which may only be used for psionic affects. If not used, this fatigue wears off after one hour. If the extra fatigue is used for extra effort or repeated attempts, no skill penalties will be gained. For each mushroom eaten past the first in a 24 hour period (see racial adjustments above), the psionic must make a will roll. If the will roll is failed, the psionic gains 5 points of mental disadvantages for every point the roll was failed by. A psionic may never have more added fatigue from Sh'zai than he has natural fatigue.

Four Sh'zai mushrooms may be processed into a teaspoon of liquid (called psisa) that retains its potence indefinitely. It has the same affects and side-affects as the regular mushroom. This liquid has the additional affect of supplying one fatigue if used in casting any spell of the Communication and Empathy or Knowledge colleges. Psisa is available 10% of the time at a cost of $100 per dose.

Through further distillation, some alchemists have reduced the psisa down to a compound they call "True Psi." (True Psi is .01% of the volume of psisa.) To date no use has been found for this substance. Anyone who ingests any amount of this substance will immediately gain 150 points in mental disadvantages, and shortly thereafter destroy themselves in a messy psionic disaster. For magical purposes, true psi is 10 times as potent as psisa. Getting some True Psi is an adventure in itself.

Monsters & Animals

Monsters: Chaos Beasts, Dryads, Giant Serpents, Giant Spiders, Gremlins, Gryphons, Hydras, Illusion Thorn, Jellies, Keui, Manticores, Mists, Mouthbeasts, Mouthplants, Mutant Cats, Noosebush, Parasites, Phantoms, Phase Grass, Pin Cushions, Plagues, Shockers, Tentacle Beasts, Unicorns, Vampires (1 1st, 3 2nd, 15 3rd), Wyrms,

Job Table

Starting Wealth in N'Ferra is $1,000. The job table assumes a 40 hour work week (approximately 25% of available hours).

Status and Cost of Living

The cost to support a family of two adults and two children increases cost of living by 50%. Inconvenient Size and Increased Life Support increase cost of living by 25% per rank.

Books range in price from $0.10 (Dime Novels) to $20 (weighty limited run technical works). Magical and psionic "pocket primers" are available for $1.50. Primers teach up to 5 skills, spells, or maneuvers at the 1/2 point level and provide an introduction to the general area involved.

Price Lists

Drinking Water (Dark Sphere): $0.005/gallon, $0.0015/lb., $12.5/cubic yard, $.02/liter or kg
Essential Water: 15 times dark sphere drinking water price
Soil/Compost (Dark Sphere): $0.045/cubic yard

Services (Baths, entertainment, etc): $1.00+/hour

Bicycle: $25.50
Tandem Bicycle: $45.00

Ammunition: Priced per Vehicles p108
TL/5 ammo uses black powder (~$0.20/lb.)
TL/6 ammo uses nitro powder (~$0.50/lb.)
Smoke Powder ammo has a Tl=0.5 (~$4.00/lb.)
Wildspace Mine, LE (6dx185 Exp), 9" dia, 190 lb, 3.8cf, $3800

The Star Gun uses an exclusive 10 point powerstone to power a white fire pearl. It may only be used by a mage. It can only fire one shot every second, but can use any amount of "shots" from the powerstone when it does so, doing 2d damage per "shot" expended. The powerstone recharges at the normal rate. (1 shot every 8 hours in a normal mana zone.)

Alchemic Objects

Labs are available with a +0 bonus for $50, +1 for $500, +2 for $4,000, +3 for 30,000. Labs may be enchanted to earn a +1 bonus for $20,000. Basic Alchemy Lab (+0 skill): $50
Standard Alchemy Lab (+1 skill): $500
Advanced Alchemy Lab (+2 skill): $4,000
Enchanted Advanced Alchemy Lab (+3 skill): $24,000
Enchanted Superb Alchemy Lab (+4 skill): $50,000

Blue Goo: This substance does 150 HP of damage for each hex covered. DR only slows down it's operation. Multiply DR by 1 second to determine the amount of time Blue Goo takes to do 1 HP of damage. This is a military-only CHEM round that bursts into Blue Goo when its two component materials are mixed. It's priced as any other CHEM round.

Elixirs

Many new elixers are available in N'Ferra. Please " ?>write the author for details

Bio-Devices

Living Life Support: (875lb+350lb/person, 26.5cf+28cf/person, $575+$800/person) is a bioengineered creature theoretically capable of providing life support for an unlimited time. In practice, it only lives for a month before becoming ill and requiring psionic or magical tending.

Enchanted Items

See the Magic Items Sidebar for a discussion of magic items.

• Air Golem Rod: $1,283 metal rod, generates ? kW power
• Air Purifier: $25 metal button, 1 to activate. Empowered (continuous) versions are available as a $3,200 pipe.
• Air Sphere: $800 metal button, 2 to activate, 1 per minute after first. Creates a globe of pure air around the wearer for as long as she cares to maintain the area.
• Armor: $25 DR/1, $250 DR/2, $4,750 DR/3. $100 PD/1, $1,750 PD/2. 3/4 weight = $100, 1/2 weight = $1,600.
• Aura: $200 jewelry, mage only, 3 to activate
• Clean: $100 wand, 2 to activate
• Continual Light: $300 dim globe, $1,400 bright globe, $2,600 bright shatterproof globe, $3,375 glaring globe, $4,500 glaring shatterproof globe
• Create Earth: $2,500 wooden rod, 4/hex to activate
• Ethereal Warning: $83 jewelry, +$100 each for detecting ethereal body, spirits, and astral projection.
• False Aura: $900 ?, 4 to activate, 2 per 10 hours
• Find Weakness: $100 jewelry, 1 to activate
• Flying Carpet: $48,000 4 hex rug,
• Hawk Vision: $2,000 goggles, 4 to activate, 2 per minute
• Healing Slumber: $10,125 rod,
• Lend Strength: $50 wood or bone rod, 1/fatigue transferred
• Magic Resistance: $3,600 per point jewelry, 1 per MR per minute for mages, 2 per MR per minute for non-mages.
• Missile Shield: $2,400 jewelry, 5 to activate, 2 per minute
• Nightingale: $250 1 hex rug
• Pathfinder: $20,000 wand, 4 to activate
• Plant Growth: $900 staff, 3 per radius to activate, 2 per radius per minute
• Preserve Food: $100 small (5#) box, $400 medium (10#) chest, $1,600 large (20#) chest
• Purify Water: $25 crystal, 1 per gallon to activate
• Scrywall: $625 per hex of carpet
• Teleport Shield: $25 per hex of carpet
• Umbrella: $100 jewelry, 1 to activate plus 1 per 10 minutes
• Wall of Silence: $100 1 hex rug; $900 3 hex table
• Weapon, Meelee: $625 +1 skill or +1 damage, $7 mage's staff
• Weapon, Missile: $6 +1 skill or +1 damage, $113 +2 skill or +2 damage
• Weapon, Ranged: $625 +1 skill, $2,500 +1 damage

Confederation Marines typically wear a lamellar corselet of advanced metal, boiled leather vambraces and leggings, and leather gloves and boots. A 'coal-scuttle' helm completes the ensemble. The armor is enchanted (DR/2, PD/1, and 3/4 weight). $250; 13 lbs.; PD/5 DR/12 9-11 17 & 18 front only, PD/5 DR/6 3-4, PD/3 DR/4 everywhere else but face (5) which is unprotected.

NPC's

Immortals

The Dark Lady (whose proper name is Verlanna) is a Gennen female who can shapeshift to the forms of any of the other races of N'Ferra. Before breaking with Ferris, she sought out and diablerized the 1st generation vampire. She has changed the 18 vampire tribes into truly evil forces. She in known in the sphere as "Queen of the Undead." She inhabits a small black asteroid which she moves around the sphere at her whim. The asteroid is contained in a black cloud which nullifies everything except primal energy. She has a complete understanding of time travel, and has managing to survive by placing herself in Ferris's "temporal shadow."

Mortals

Admiral Flb'Shrrr is in charge of all N'Ferra military forces and actions in the Dark Sphere. His office is in the naval section of Base N'Ferra. Flb'Shrrr is a Bine with an amazing grasp of the Psychology of the different races. Though not able to stand up to boarding, he well known as an artillerist, strategist, and tactician. He has worked well with Crystaling.

Crystaling is the Mayor of Base N'Ferra. Young for a light Lon, at 98 she is well known as a successful merchant captain with a fleet of nine spelljammers. She put a great of effort and money into the civilian section of Base N'Ferra, but was still surprised when elected mayor. Though she would rather be in space, she fulfills her duties to the best of her abilities (which are very good). Her major problem is a tendency to treat everyone living on Base N'Ferra as members of her hoard. (Something some find endearing, and others find annoying.) She has at least three children, all of whom are being raised by their male parent, and is fairly promiscuous. She has worked well with Admiral Flb'Shrrr.

Adventure Seeds

On an advanced world, a group is captured attempting to steal information. Accepting an offer from the intruders to show where they came from, the PC's are taken to N'Ferra.

A group of PC's from N'Ferra explore an unknown world, proselytizing Ferris along the way.

N'Ferra has discovered the realm that the Gennen originally came from. The Gennen have established a base (mostly Gennen, but a few members each of the other races) to convert their brethren. Suddenly the base is cut off.

A group of time travelers from the future is trying to assure that a particular group does not get access to time travel when it is discovered. The PC's are caught in the middle.

Another realm with opposing beliefs has discovered N'Ferra. The Dark Sphere becomes a battleground.

Someone has hired an alchemist to make him some true psi. The PC's somehow need to find and buy the boatloads of psisa required, and get it to the alchemist. They will have to deal with marauders after the valuable cargo, individuals who desperately need to use some psisa, cargo inspectors, and any other difficulties the GM wants to throw at them. Then, once they've finished delivering the psisa, they can deal with a totally insane psionic of vastly increased power, and the results of that mess.

A powerful adventurer has stolen a book from the Society of Watchers. The Watchers want the character party to recover the book, but insist that one of their own be sent along to observe. Does the observer just sit and let the party get beat up, or does he help in a more active manner than just self-defense?

While engaged in a conference aboard a N'Ferran vessel, a well- meaning individual stumbles across a pretty, unconscious woman who has been tied down. Thinking she is being abused, the well-meaning individual "rescues" her. The woman, however, turns out to be a powerful psychokinetic who had been operating as the "backup drive" of the conference vessel.

(If any of these seeds are used, please inform me of the results so I can update the timelines. If any games are run in or about N'Ferra I would appreciate knowing what you ran and what happened. Thanks.)

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