By Robert Hertel (items) and Gary Schevers <garysch@execpc.com>.
Copyright by them.
Ok, so you want real-world/sci-fi/adnd magic spelljamming?
1. Get rid of the crystal spheres and phlogiston. Use standard
star systems, like in real life. (although you can surely
use the oddly-shaped planets, and earth-body central systems,
like Greyhawk's)
2. All the stars in the sky are fire-body planets (stars), except
they're extremely far away. You can go to any of them, but
a few are closer to each other (like the GH, DL, and FR spheres.
3. Space is a vacuum, but magic allows wooden ships to function
(more below) That means if you fall away from your ship's air
bubble, you're screwed, unless you're a creature native to
space (like the Kindori, etc)
4. You have spelljamming speed (ludicrous/warp/hyperspace/whatever)
and you have tactical speed (impulse/whatever). Let's use Warp
as our guidepost (because I like ST, and there are different
ratings). Warp 1= light speed. Standard unit of measurement.
We'll use SR 1= warp 1. Warp 2= 2x light speed (I know it's a
sharp curve in ST, but we'll simplify). SR 2= warp 2. A vessel
can go a maximum "warp" equal to its maximum SR. This goes up
to warp 9, which is the maximum for standard warp.
While traveling at spelljamming (warp) speeds below 10, you
may encounter something, but the chances are remote, maybe a
1% chance per day (unless, of course, spelljamming is common
in the area). The spelljamming wizard or priest, with his
heightened awareness of the ship, can detect objects nearby
(within 1 day or so of the ship) and move to avoid them, or
stop and investigate.
Once you hit warp 10, you enter hyperspace (a new plane that
contains no physical matter, only things that have been brought
in magically), and won't encounter anything. planets, asteroids,
or other ships (although there could be energy-based life, or
other extremely weird phenomenon there--up to the DM). You can
continue to go past warp 10, up to the maximum of your SR.
Using this system, a DM has to decide how many days it takes
to get from one star system to another using SR 1. If it takes
30 days at SR 1, then it takes 15 at SR 2, and only 3 days at
SR 10.
For tactical speed (impulse), it's just like the way it's
presented in spelljammer. Also note that a ship may jump to
spelljamming speed inside a star system, although it's extremely
risky (decent chance of hitting something, with no time to dodge).
5. All other rules, AFAIK, remain intact.
Here are the new spelljamming magic items to go along:
(as if SJ didn't already have enough :)
Artificial Gravity Generator:
Cost: 100 gp per ton of ship/asteroid
Description: The artificial gravity generator (or "Gravitron"
as some have called it), is a short, cylindrical device crafted
of granite and shaped like a large hockey puck. They range in
size from 1 foot diameter for elven flitters, to 20 feet, for
huge asteroid stations like the Rock of Bral. The height is equal
to 1/4 the diameter. On the top of the disk is a small dial,
and an inscription giving the device's manufacturer and rating,
equal to the maximum tonnage of ship it can supply gravity for.
The device must be bolted to the floor of the lowest deck,
and is usually built under the floorboards, with a hatch for
maintenance. When the dial is first turned, it clicks slightly,
and it generates a small amount of artificial gravity for the
ship it's mounted to. If the dial is turned further (much like
the way volume is adjusted on your radio), the amount of gravity
provided increases, up to 5 G's. (a wild guess, because I have
no idea what would be reasonable--DMs, use your better judgment)
A bit of experimentation will yield a result agreeable to the
crew. The command word is then spoken, and the dial locks in the
current setting, and can only be adjusted by repeating the word
backwards.
(I'm pretty sure one of the SJ products details effects of
high and low gravity, or you can just translate effects from
other space games if you have access to one)
When the ship enters a natural gravity well like a planet's,
the gravitron automatically shuts itself off, until the ship is
again clear of the outside influence. Note that other artificial
gravity wells from other Gravitrons will not affect its operation.
These devices are always well hidden onboard the ship, and are
often disguised by illusion if a ship-mage is available, as a
boarder may cause total chaos if he knows the item's command word.
They should also be placed onto the critical hit table, listed
as a "Gravitron Struck" critical. If this happens, the gravity
is changed randomly, until the system automatically corrects
itself 1d4 rounds later.
A Gravitron may be removed and replaced onboard any ship, al-
though if two are mounted, only the larger will function. If a
Gravitron is mounted on a ship that is greater than its rating
allows, the device will function, but will only produce a small
amount of gravity, with effects determined by the DM.
Permanent versions are currently built only by the Arcane,
as usual, but other wizards may create temporary versions with
the 4th-level spell "Gary's Lesser Gravitron" or the 7th-level
spell "Gary's Greater Gravitron"
Please note that the Gravitron also acts as an inertial damp-
ener, so that when the ship enters spelljamming speed, all the
crew doesn't turn into (in the words of the ST technical manual),
"chunky salsa." ;)
Atmospheric Retainer:
Cost: Spelljammer's keel length x beam length, in gp.
Description: The atmospheric retainer is an extremely important
device which generates an atmospheric bubble for spacebound
objects. (Note that this device is built into most known types
of helms and functions automatically, even when the helm is
unoccupied. The device creates an ovoid bubble the same as the
standard air bubble described in the Spelljammer Books.
The atmospheric retainer cannot refresh the air inside the
bubble, and the air can easily be tainted by contact with the
air bubbles of other ships. Entry into any planetary atmosphere
will completely replace any stale or fatal air with fresh air.
These are also built by the arcane, but no wizard spells are
yet known which can reproduce the effects.
There is also a personal version, which is typically fashioned
in the form of a ring, bracelet, earring, or other type of
jewelry. This will provide air for any creature up to size L
that can wear it. These cost much less, usually around 1000 gp.
Atmospheric Refresher:
Cost: 75,000 gp.
Description: This extremely useful device quickly regenerates
the air supply of spelljamming vessels, using a small, controlled
1-way gate from the elemental plane of air. Operating at the
normal maximum crew capacity, a vessel equipped with such a
device will never have to refresh its air supply. If a vessel's
air bubble becomes tainted from contact with another ship, the
air will become fresh again after 1 turn passes for every ton
the ship weighs. Deadly air is upgraded to tainted after 1 hour
passes for every ton of the ship.
These devices have drawbacks, however. Once per month, there is
a 5% noncumulative chance that an elemental or other creature on
the plane of air is sucked through the gate. Needless to say, the
creature will probably not be pleased. The DM should decide what
creature appears, and how hostile it is (if at all).
Once per month, there is also a 1% noncumulative chance that
the gate drifts towards the borders of the Paraelemental planes
of Smoke or Steam. If this happens, effects remain for 1d4 days:
Steam: Hot, thick, foggy air comes billowing through the device,
completely filling the air bubble in 10 minutes per ton of ship.
Anyone standing 5' or closer to the device takes 1 HP damage per
round from the scalding air. The ship is totally obscured, and
it looks like an ovoid cloud to observers. Vision is reduced to
10 feet, and everything becomes thoroughly damp (definitely bad
for spellbooks, scrolls, and maps).
Smoke: thick, sooty, smoke similar to that of coal-powered steam
locomotives billows out of the device. The ship's air becomes
tainted in 1 turn, deadly in 1 hour. When tainted, visibility is
reduced to 10 feet, and 1 foot when deadly. Aside from the air and
visibility, the smoke deposits soot on everything, making the
entire ship extremely messy. Entering an atmosphere will clean the
air, but won't remove this soot.
Celestial Scope of Sighting
Cost: 10,000 gp
Description: This device is a magically enchanted telescope,
usually made from brass. When using the scope to gaze upon a
distant star, a character with the space navigation proficiency
(no more wildspace or crystal spheres) can determine the
approximate distance between it and his location. He can then
decide how many days it would take, based on the SR of his ship.
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