Voidspanners

Release 1
Copyright © 2009-2016 Luigi Castellani
All Rights Reserved
A Basic Fantasy RPG Supplement Distributed under the terms of the Open
Game License version 1.0a
Basic Fantasy Website: basicfantasy.org

INTRODUCTION
This supplement provides setting and rules for playing fantasy space shawsbucklers under the Basic Fantasy Role-
Playing Game rules. If you do not already have a copy of the Basic Fantasy RPG rules, please visit the website and
download a copy. Special thanks to John Payne for editing the first draft of Voidspanners (aka Sycarion).

SKULLS, CROSSBONES AND PRACTICAL COSMOLOGY

SPELLVESSELS
The elements
Voidspanners is a new setting and rules supplement for
Basic Fantasy Role Playing. Voidspanners aims at Voidspanners adopts - with some exceptions – the
recreating the atmosphere and adventures as seen in geocentric worldview made popular by Claudius
Swashbuckling pirate movies, in Fantasy Space. Ptolomaeus and Aristotle, and the classical categorization
However this supplement will not describe outer space of elements that made its way in to modern day Role
the way modern science understands it, but the way the Playing games.
western medieval world saw it and treating this worldview The Universe of Voidspanners is made up of five
as real. elements: earth, fire, air, water and ether (or
Some changes to the Ptolemaic worldview have been quintessence).
introduced to better fit the medieval mindset to the Ether is an insubstantial element that occupies every point
trappings of the fantasy genre as portrayed in Role- in space, including within material bodies, and thus
Playing Games. overlapping with all physical reality. Magicians have
To play Voidspanners you need the following calculated that ether constitutes about 90% of the
supplements from the Download or Showcase page of physical universe of Voidspanners.
www.basicfantasy.org: Ether looks like gray fog and leaves a sticky, damp,
• The Spellcrafter class sensation to the touch. Ether can be traversed by light as
• The Druid class easily as darkness, does not burn, and is very cold.
Ether is breathable just like very thin air, and while no
The following supplements may be useful, but are not gravity exists in ether flying creatures may cross it like they
mandatory, provisions for their inclusion have been made would cross the skies.
throughout this supplement.
Classes: Basic structure of the universe
• Assassins
The Voidspanners universe is essentially a bubble of
• Barbarians swirling ether. Astrologists and sages recognize eight big
• Great Way Adepts streams of thicker ether called Spheres.
• Illusionists The most external of the Spheres is the biggest of them
• Jesters all, no one has ever crossed it -or been able to see
• Necromancers through it- called “Prime Mover”. The stars of the
• Rangers and Paladins or Divine Champions Voidspanner universe all reside in the main flow of the
Races: Prime Mover.
• Gnomes Magicians maintain that if someone could travel through
• Half-humans the Prime Mover, he or she could reach the Astral Plane
• Old Monsters as new races and all the other planes of existence.
General: The Spheres constitute definite but penetrable boundaries
• Alignment between areas of the system.
• Armor and Shields The spheres are not immobile, they all rotate clockwise at
• Combat Options slightly different speeds. The movement and friction of
• Old Monsters as new races the Spheres causes some flow of ether material to pass on
towards the center of the system and is the source of
furious etherstorms.
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

The center of the system is a rather tranquil spot – a For each Celestial body you'll find astronomical data, a
literal eye of the storm – where the main planet of the short description, the names of important political
system (Tellus) resides with its moon. organizations and personalities, a list of native creatures
and finally major imports and exports.
Celestial bodies
Many Celestial bodies dot the ether: asteroids, planets, The Eye of the Storm
comets, moons, the Sun and stars.
Celestial bodies almost never reside inside the stream of a Tellus
Sphere but rather hang in the calmer interstices between Diameter: 7,900 mi.
the Spheres themselves. Period of revolution: 365 days
To travel from one of these bodies to another is often Period of rotation: 24 hours
necessary to cut across the main stream of a Sphere, Surface temperature extremes: -54°C to +54 °C
putting ones life at risk. Atmosphere: Breathable
Planets and moons are solid spheres of matter spinning Government: Various forms
on themselves. An atmosphere of some kind may have Major imports: iron, gold, gems, art objects and historical
coalesced around a planet. The presence of planets and treasures
moons in etherspace exert a substantial gravitational pull. Major exports: firearms
Moons always rotate around a planet.
Asteroids, comets and asteroid belts are huge chunks of Tellus is a rich and varied planet, home to all kind of living
rock and metal that may be stationary -as is the case of creatures and where all material resources are readily
asteroids- or may have been set in motion by an available.
etherstorm -as is the case of comets. About two thirds of the surface is covered with salt-water
An asteroid belt is a collection of thousands of asteroid in oceans, the remainder consisting of continents and
one location. islands.
Only one Sun exists in the universe of Voidspace, a ball of Tellus is the home planet of Humans and Halflings.
flaming ether propelled across space by its own Human kingdoms hold the greatest political power on the
combustion. The Sun orbits Tellus at greater distance surface and have made their way in etherspace creating
than its moon. extra-planetary empires with footholds on other planets of
The sun is an enormous mass of elemental fire, according the system. The more clannish Halflings usually follow in
to sages the sun is an enormous gate to the elemental the steps of Humans but very few dare leave the planet.
plane of fire, a gap in the fabric of the universe created at The foremost political powers on Tellus are:
the birth of the universe.
No one has ever tested the truth behind this statement. People's Mercantile Union of of Logria
All other stars, are huge balls of burning ether. The (Ruler: General captain Lord Tremblyn
ignition of the stars has been caused by the continuous Marmaduke ): Originally a small island kingdom
friction between the Astral plane beyond and the currents inhabited by barbaric human tribes and halflings,
of thick ether of the Prime Mover. Logria quickly developed into a powerful sea-
Almost all celestial bodies have a fixed -or almost fixed- spanning kingdom annexing nearby islands and
location in etherspace. kingdoms.
The planets and their moons as well - as the asteroid belts As the king's power grew more dictatorial the
- are considered to be stationary as their relative positions aristocrats staged a revolution and forced the
inside the flux of ether are constant. On the other hand King to leave the country.
lighter celestial bodies like comets may have no fixed Logria is now a capitalistic and technocratic
location as their orbit is constantly altered by etherstorms. Oligarchy and one of the great driving forces to
The last and most peculiar kind of Celestial Body is made space colonization, with colonies all over the
up by creatures native to the ether, as these are often system.
capable of flight their position is always changing. Logria allows for free speech, has a parliament
and does not allow for racial or religious
ETHER GEOGRAPHY prejudice.
Currently the first world power, Logria is engaged
The eight Spheres are thus home to the different
in a race to etherspace with the Empire of
heavenly bodies, we will now describe the contents of
Yralmen and the Heavenly Gate of Orkhon.
each Sphere moving outward from the Eye of the storm
While hostilities have not exploded on Tellus,
at the center of the Universe.

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VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

deep space is frequently the stage of naval Due to its failing political importance, the
battles between corsair ships under the pay of Gatekeepr has allied with emperor Villek
Logria and Yralmen's or Orkhon's traders. planning to sit at the winner's table when the war
One of the most powerful organizations in all will explode hoping to trade a few thousand dead
Logria si currently the Bonaventure Ether Trade for the spoils of war.
Company, a monopolistic trade company that The Heavenly Gate is a strict religious
deals in etherspace trade under government government based on the monotheistic faith
charter. practiced in Orkhon, laws are harsh and forbid
Bonaventure ETC is almost a state in itself the use of arcane magic.
holding land grants on other planets, a vast fleet
of Voidspanners and its own military forces.
The Moon
The Great Empire of Yralmen (Ruler: Diameter: 2, 160 mi.
Emperor Villek II) The militaristic Yralmen Period of revolution: 27 1/2 days
Empire is a newborn continental power, born Period of rotation: 27'/2 days
from the unification of many independent Surface temperature extremes: -30°C to +30 °C
dukedoms and baronies. Atmosphere: Breathable
The Great Empire is a heavy handed military Major imports: Water, food, and raw materials
government, with strict social codes and a warrior Major exports: Investment capital, voidspanners
ethic.
While not as technically or magically efficient as Tellus's moon, simply known as The Moon, is a barren
Logria the Empire has an abundance of metals desrt of rock and ash with almost no natural resources or
and excellent smiths and is known to have the native life. Many magicians postulate that this is the case
most impressive heavy infantry of the system. due to ancient magical experiments gone awry.
Guns and cannons from Yralmen are highly Currently however the Moon is not completely devoid of
prized. life or activity.
Feeling surrounded by the growing power of Logria, Yralmen and Orkhon have agreed to create a
Logria, Yralmen is preparing for an all-out war free-trade zone on the Moon with independent port-cities
preaparing alliances with all sorts of minor that are governed jointly by Mercantile Unions under
powers and the Heavenly Gate of Orkhon. governative licence. Other minor powers have also
The Yralmen empire has also established very established their etherspace ports on the Moon.
good diplomatic relations with the Dwarves of Smuggling obviously abbunds on the Moon especially in
Nazamroth and is preparing to have them put an the greatest etherport of them all: Tales.
Embargo on trade with Logria. Tales is also a renowned shipyard where the best of
Voidspanners are built.
The Heavenly Gate of Orkhon (Ruler: The Moon is also home to a mysterious character simply
Gatekeeper Devrim Ertegun) The Heavenly known as the First Moon Mage, this reclusive individual is
Gate is the oldest and most traditional of the purportedly a very powerful human mage of
great world powers on Tellus. Orkhon was born indeterminate age living in a tower on the moon's dark
more than a thousand years ago when the highly side.
religious Orhok nomadic tribes established
themselves in the highlands of the Lantian First Sphere
peninsula.
Nazamroth
The nomads quickly submitted the small cultured
Diameter: 3,024 mi.
and decadent kingdoms of the Lantian Peninsula
Period of revolution: 88 days
giving rise to an energetic empire driven by
Period of rotation: 59 days
religious fervor, the newborn Heavenly Gate
Surface temperature extremes: -20°C to +70 °C
assimilated many powerful neighboring nations.
Atmosphere: Breathable
Nowadays the Heavenly gate is a decadent,
Major imports: Foodstuffs
corrupt, bureaucratic nation: refined, with a long
Major exports: Metals, raw ores, gold, silver, dwarven
history and a glorious past. Most people are more
magical technology
interested in the pleasures of life, in philosophical
Ruler: Chief Councilor and Grand Architect Dargi
studies or in a life of devout contemplation than
Quartzkey
anything else.

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A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

Major exports: drugs, animals, foods, and alchemical

Nazamroth is the homeplanet of the dwarven race. Like components
the Tellus's Moon Nazamroth was mostly a barren, stony Ruler: Arch-Druidess Irenherl Greatwillow
planet. The engineering genius of the dwarves turned the
planet in a single enormous city on may levels, with the Ivoreze is a forest planet, completely canopied by gigantic
Heart of Nazamroth, the principal magical forge of the trees and with abundant flora and fauna but absolutely
dwarves and house of the ruling council, at its core. poor in mineral resources. No mountain range higher
Nazamroth is a place of marvels with enormous gardens than 1000 meters exists and salt water is rare,
of fungi, subterranean seas and mountain ranges aviaries circumscribed to the two Twin Seas. Humidity is
and any kind of architectonical marvels. abundant and swampy forest is rather commonplace.
The dwarves are mainly merchants, traders and crafters, Magical fields are very strong on Ivoreze, for good or for
with a neutral outlook on interplanetary politics, they bad. Displacers and Blink Dogs are the native races to
however recently agreed to a treaty with Yralmen – Ivoreze and have been its rulers for thousands of years till
promising an embargo on Logria- with the aim of the advent of the fay races (elves, pixies, sprites, gnomes
containing Logrian expansion. etc..).
Dwarven traders are a common sight across all of the Native to Hanar, the fay fled the man-made Cataclysm in
system, the only places dwarves are not likely to be seen search of a new homeland and settled on Ivoreze. The fay
is Hanar, homeplanet of the goblinoid races and Hine- are ruled by a druidic matriarchy, hostile to all kinds of
ugoi, where the Ugoi reside. invasive technology: engineering, architecture, agriculture,
industry. The majority of items and objects on Ivoreze are
Kellgaund, moon of Nazamroth either naturally or magically grown from living things.
Diameter: 660 mi. Fays are hunter-gatherers living for the day, continuously
Period of revolution: 45 days moving from one place to the other.
Period of rotation: 45 days Towns are unknown on Ivoreze, but small villages exist
Surface temperature extremes: -60°C to +60 °C surrounding sacred groves and the all important Trees of
Atmosphere: Breathable Life.
Elves and other fays are a rare sight outside of Ivoreze but
Windy Kellagund, only moon of Nazamroth, is a small everybody recognizes their living Voidspanners magically
and pleasant planetoid covered with grass plains, low hills grown from the limbs of the Trees of Life.
and running streams of water. While not xenophobic the long-lived fays look at short-
While Kellagund is property of Nazamroth it has been lived races with a sort of amused contempt: traders from
rented to the Voidspanners' Brotherhood, a mutual other planets are few and are advised not to leave precise
support guild for ether travelers founded by by the areas of the planet's surface, in the same way trade of
dwarven traveler and rich entrepreneur Hrolf technological tools is strictly controlled.
Goldenbeard. A dwarven joke says that on Ivoreze you could kill
Hostels of the Brotherhood are present in all major someone and not be arrested, but you could be convicted
spaceports across the system. to twenty years of forced labor for selling a plow.
The VB also takes charge of a interplanetary postal Ivorezen airspace is heavily guarded by the fays and is
system and publishes a sort of newspaper called “The probably the hardest one to break in in all the system.
Gazette” distributed in all hostels every three months.
The VB's hostels offer medical aid, guides, interpreters, Serlar, moon of Ivoreze
maps and legal advice to its members for a yearly fee. Diameter: 1,800 mi.
The Voidspanners' brotherhood is politically neutral and a Period of revolution: 27 1/2 days
promoter of free speech and equality. Period of rotation: 27'/2 days
Surface temperature extremes: -30°C to 0°C
Second Sphere Atmosphere: Mostly poisonous
Major imports: none
Ivoreze
Major exports: poisons, alchemical components
Diameter: 7,520 mi.
This moon of Ivoreze is a rocky core and dinosaur
Period of revolution: 225 days
infested swamps stormed by a swirling mass of poisonous
Period of rotation: 243 days
gasses. Very few travelers are brave enough to come to
Surface temperature extremes: -30°C to +30 °C
Serlar and those that brave its surface are usually well
Atmosphere: Breathable
equipped with magic.
Major imports: metals, stone.

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VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Arilar, moon of Ivoreze basic elven stock to serve the masters.

Diameter: 2, 160 mi. But the evil nature of the goblinoids brought the downfall
Period of revolution: 34 days of the Hanar culture: a rebellion of the goblinoids forced
Period of rotation: 34 days the few remaining elves that renounced their evil ways to
Surface temperature extremes: -30°C to +30 °C flee hanar while the rest where enslaved and absorbed by
Atmosphere: Breathable the new lords of the planet.
Major imports: technology The new empire of Hanar was cruel, magnificent and evil
Major exports: animals, foods, water as no other kingdom has been since then.
Peaceful Arilar is home to the largest Logrian colony in Yet the continual internal strife and warring of the clans
the system, rented by the Logrian government and under caused the goblinoid empire to collapse and laid the
control of an elven guardian druid. Inhabitants of the planet to waste after a fifty years long war in which all
colony are mostly human farmers and herders but a possible weapons were used.
halfling community is also present. Nowadays Hanar is a planet with almost no water, dry,
covered with a yellowish savannah. Huge canyons now
Voonlar, moon of Ivoreze stand where once there were seas or lakes. The
Diameter: 360 mi. goblinoids have split in thousands of clans and tribes in
Period of revolution: 12 days perpetual war with one another and have deserted the
Period of rotation: 12 days many cities of the planet.
Surface temperature: 18 °C All kinds of creatures and magical wonders can be found
Atmosphere: Breathable in those ancient ruins if one is brave enough.
Major imports: none
Major exports: none While the Solar Concordate subscribed by all the powers
Voonlar is the personal garden of another mysterious (Logria, Orkhon, Yralmen, Nazamroth) explicitly forbids
magician known as the Second Moon Mage. This the selling of Voidspanners and firearms to the goblinoids,
individual (purportedly of elven race) is as elusive as its all of them have colonies on Hanar, both to keep trade
human colleague. with Hanar under control and to stage archaeological
missions searching for ancient secrets.
Third Sphere The Yralmen are known to sell non-forbidden weapons to
the goblinoids or hire them as mercenary cannon fodder.
Hanar
Ugoi also have established contact with the Hanarians in
Diameter: 7,900 mi.
hope of enrolling them against other sentient races.
Period of revolution: 365 days
Period of rotation: 24 hours
All kinds of smuggling and slavery go on behind the backs
Surface temperature extremes: -130°F to + 140°F / -54°C
of the great powers, mostly under the control of the
to +54 °C
pirates of the Black Company.
Atmosphere: Breathable
Major imports: Weapons, metals, water, food
Since traders to and from Hanar are very frequently
Major exports: Slaves
ambushed by pirates or corsairs, and given the volatile
situation on-planet, the Voidspanners' Brotherhood has
Hanar was once a beautiful and green planet, covered
advised its members to avoid it in their travels.
with forests and seas home to the elven race.
The elves in those days were very different from the
Iron Bands of Hanar
druidic people of today.
The Iron bands of Hanar is what remains of Hanar's only
Always a curious race the hanarian elves researched the
moon, a tight ring of asteroid and debris. The Iron Bands
secrets of nature in all possible ways, mixing magic and
are very dangerous to Voidspanners due to the damage
technology they developed a great and powerful culture.
easily caused by floating debris and the raiding parties of
But no matter how much they discovered their appetite
native gargoyles.
for knowledge was never satiated, in a rather short time
The largest asteroid in the Iron bands is called the Tower
by elven standard they became callous and jaded.
of the Third or Tower of the One to Come, few have seen
All kinds of experiments were tried for the sake of
it and even less have tried to brave it. Sages hold that it
knowledge and soon a breeding program was started:
was home to a third Moon Mage and that a prophecy
new races and subraces were created to serve the elven
exists about the coming of a Third Moon Mage of
race.
goblinoid race.
Orcs, hobgoblins, goblins, bugbears where bred from the

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Fourth Sphere Black Company.

The sixth sphere is the place of choice for void dragons
Hine-ugoi to build their dens.
Diameter: 89,000 mi.
Period of revolution: 3337 days Seventh Sphere
Period of rotation: 14 hrs.
Atmosphere: Poisonous Azooc's belt
Major imports: Slaves Commonly known as “The Belt”, Azooc's belt is a vast
Major exports: Slaves asteroid belt encircling all of the system. The Belt takes its
name from Azooc Barlindon, a human etherfarer that
To most living creatures Hine-ugoi is a nightmare. This discovered it and charted most of it. Originally the
huge planet is covered by stormy clouds of poisonous settlement of Yralmen colony in outer space -soon
gasses, almost all of its fauna and flora is poisonous to all followed by colonies of Logria and Orkhon- today
intelligent races save one: the Ugoi. Azooc's belt is a veritable Tortue of the ether. At first
The Ugoi aim for interplanetary conquest, their pirates acted as corsairs for one nation or the other, till
motivations are simple: hunger and reproduction, they they became more powerful as a political entity than the
crave for brains to eat or impregnate. nations they where fighting for.
Hine-ugoi is home to all kind of horrid aberrations: oozes, They soon declared the Belt to be independent and
puddings, rot grubs and similar creatures are native to declared the birth of the Black Company.
Hine-ugoi. The Black Company is a sort of democratic system
governed by the great Captains of the fleet. Each ship is
Fifth Sphere an independent democracy: both the captain and the
quartermaster are elected by the crew; they, in turn,
Arcane Concordate of the Watchers appoint the other ship's officers.
The Arcane Concordate of the Watchers is a not so secret Pirates share whatever they seize from their victims;
society of self styled guardians of interplanetary peace. pirates injured in battle might be afforded special
The Concordate is not tied to a single planetary power compensation similar to medical or disability insurance.
and just like the Voidspanners' Brotherhood strives to The Company readily accepts any kind of outcasts. It is
maintain political neutrality. reputed that about 40% of any pirate vessels' crew are
Membership is for life and traitorous or rogue Watchers prisoners and slaves liberated from captured slavers or
are hunted down and brought in front of a tribunal of prison ships.
peers, treason is usually paid with death. Do not forget however that Company members are
Its principal activity is to fight piracy and - most of all- the absolutely mercenary and will ally with or against
Ugoi from Hine-ugoi. anybody, committing any kind of crime. The Black
The Watchers accept good willed people of all races and Company is, for example, well known for selling
professions as members, but magic users and clerics are unransomed prisoners of war as slaves to the Ugoi.
the majority. Ships of the Company usually raise the Company's Flag
No planet or moon exists in the Fifth Sphere, the ACW just prior to boarding: a red and black banner with skulls
uses instead a gigantic Voidspanner vessel (capable of and crossbones called “Happy Robert”.
holding three or four hundred voidspanners) as a moving Happy Robert takes its name from Robert Vane, founder
base. of the Company who was arrested and burned at the
stake by the Ylarmen navy.
Sixth Sphere
Rules on board a pirate ship are rather simple:
The sixth Sphere is mostly empty and seems to attract all • Every crew member has the right to
debris floating in the system. A sort of space Sargasso Sea express his vote, the right to food and
full of dead Voidspanner vessels, floating junk and liquor
corpses. Scavengers and pirates (independent or of the • Gambling is not allowed on board
Black Company) frequently come here looking for things • At 8 p.m. all lights on board must be
to salvage. turned off
The Sixth Sphere is also a popular hideout for Etherdogs • Weapons must always be ready and
(a term used to tag criminals sentenced to exile or just clean
plain vagabonds of the ether) and a favorite spot of the • Every crew member is responsible of his
Black Company to maroon fellow pirates that have been own hygiene
judged guilty of non capital crimes against the ship or the • Members of the opposite sex are not

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VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

allowed on board (The Company runs Etehrfarers have not had the chance to discover the truth
only same-sex crews) as almost all that tried died at the hands of the brutish
• Deserters are punished by death or creatures living on its surface.
marooning
The main port of the Company is a huge carved asteroid The Red tear comet: It takes 20 years for this Comet to
called the Castle of Symphonies due to the musical make a complete round trip of the system from the Prime
sounds caused by the ether winds passing through its Mover to the Eye of the storm and back.
corridors. The Red tear comet is considered a notorious ill omen
The Castle is a real city-fortress with an estimated 2 throughout the system.
million people population, probably the largest city in the
whole system, about half of which is directly connected to
the Black Company and Piracy (the rest being slaves, CHARACTERS: RACES AND CLASSES
children, prostitutes and the elderly). IN VOIDSPANNERS
The council of captains elects a Governor for a three
All standard character races are available to players in the
years term, there is no limit to the number of terms one
Voidspanners setting, of these only Dwarves, Elves and
can serve as governor.
Humans have mastered voidspanning magical
Famous pirates and pirate ships include:
technology. Halflings, native to Tellus just like the
• Gouvanon Ilwindel the Red Corsair,
Humans, are generally found traveling the ether on
Captain of the Hidden Prince (Elf male)
human or dwarven ships.
• Morgan Bonnet, Captain of the Devil's
Among NPC races only the Hine-Ugoi are a voidspanning
Dishonor (Logrian Human male) race.
Current Governor The most powerful voidspanning fleet is the dwarven one,
• Darri Tak “Ironbeard”, Captain of the with the divided humans coming second. Elves, due to
Icon of Tears (Dwarf male), the most their reclusive nature tend to defend their own etherspace
feared and cruel of pirates of the but rarely venture deeper in the system.
Company. Relationship between the voidspanning races are
• Caliyat Raji, Captain of the Vain Hope generally neutral, with the exception of the Ugoi
(Orkhon Human male) considered to be enemies by all other sentients with the
• Annette “Bonny Anne” Lowhill, Captain exception of Hanarian goblinoids and the Black company
of the Manta (Halfling female) who are ready to deal with the Ugoi.
• Resiel “Red Mary” Mariassir, Captain of The Arcane Concordate of the Watchers is generally well
the Northwind (half-elf female) seen by the main voidspanning powers with the exception
of Ugoi and the conservative Orkhon who do not like the
Prime Mover watchers easiness with magic.
The Prime mover is completely and utterly empty, comets Hanarians are treated by other sentients with caution, the
and falling stars all have their birth here. way a savage and barbaric neighbor is.

Moving celestial Bodies Dwarves: Dwarves in voidspanners are usually

native to either Nazmaroth or Kellagund, a few
Two comets are known to cross the system: the Blue star are born in Azooc's belt or -more rarely- to Tellus
Comet and the Red Tear or Hanar. Dwarves have access to a new class,
the Spellcrafter, and may take the
The Blue star comet: It takes 30 years for this Comet to Spellcrafter/Fighter Combination class.
make a complete round trip of the system from the Prime
Mover to the Eye of the storm and back. If other supplements are used, dwarves may
The Blue star comet is the largest of the two Comets and become Assassin, Barbarians and Paladins.
almost a planetoid, with a breathable atmosphere Dwarves in Voidspanners are usually Lawful
although icy cold and swiped by deadly winds. Neutral.
Many rumors surround the Comet, some maintain that
the Comet is in fact a moving moon inhabited by a Elves: All Elves in voidspanners are native to
powerful wizard, other rumors hold that the Comet is a Ivoreze, with no exception. Elves follow the
Prison for demonic creatures or traitorous Arcane standard BFRPG rules for elves with the
watchers. following exceptions: elves have access to the

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new Spellcrafter class and can not take the Combination classes
Magic-user Combination classes. They may
instead become Fighter/Druids or Thief/Druids. Fighter or Thief/Druid: Must meet the requirements for
both Druid and Fighter or Thief. These characters may
If other supplements are used, elves may become both fight and cast divine spells. They may use any kind
Rangers or Druids. of weapon allowed to the non Druidic class. Fighter or
Elves in Voidspanners are usually True Neutral. Thief/ Druids are not allowed to cast druid spells while
wearing metal armor. A Fighter or Thief/Druid must gain
Humans: Humans are usually native to Tellus, experience equal to the combined requirements of both
the Belt or Hanar and Ivoreze. Humans may take base classes. Fighter or Thief/Druids roll six sided dice
the new Spellcrafter class or any other class. (d6) for hit points.

Humans in Voidspanners are usually some kind Fighter/Spellcrafter: Must meet the requirements for
of Neutral. both Spellcrafter and Fighter. These characters may both
fight and use Spellcrafter spells. Furthermore they are
Halflings: Halflings are usually native to Tellus, allowed to cast magic spells while wearing metal armor. A
the Belt or Hanar and Ivoreze. Fighter/Spellcrafter must gain experience equal to the
combined requirements of both base classes.
If other supplements are used, halflings may Fighter/Spellcrafters roll six sided dice (d6) for hit points.
become Rangers, Jesters or Druids.
Languages
Halflings in Voidspanners are usually Chaotic
Neutral. Dwarfish is the tradespeech of all the ether, so Common
in Voidspanners is based on dwarfish and not a human
Gnomes: Just like elves, gnomes are native to language.
Ivoreze. Gnomes may become Spellcrafters.
RELIGIONS OF THE VOIDSPANNERS
If other supplements are used, gnomes become SETTING
Rangers, Jesters, Illusionists and combination
class Thief/Illusionist. Choice of religion is a matter principally connected to the
Gnomes in Voidspanners are usually Chaotic character's race (and alignment if you are using this
Neutral. optional rule). Rarely will a person take on a religion of
another race, but some ether travelers have done so.
Half-elves: Half-elves are typically native to
Ivoreze, Tellus or Azooc's Belt. Half-elves may Ancestor worship: The religion of dwarves is based on
become Spellcrafters. Like elves half-elves may reverence of the ancients, the belief that family members
become Fighter/Druids instead of Fighter/Magic- have a continued existence beyond death and the ability
users. to influence events in the living world. Dwarven religion
seeks both the continued well being of ancestors in the
If other supplements are used, half-elves may overworld and assistance to the living by those same
become Assassins, Rangers, Paladins, Illusionists, ancestors. Family loyalty and kinship ties are particularly
Druids. stressed values. While a main temple exists on Nazmaroth
Half-elves in Voidspanners are usually True where important community members are innumed the
Neutral. idea of temple or church is rather weird for dwarves. Each
dwarven family has some sort of shrine with images of
Half-Ogres and Half-Orcs: Members of these revered dead and dwarves typically are named after
races are only native to Hanar or the Belt. famous relatives in hope of giving them their ancestor's
virtues.
If other supplements are used, Half-goblinoids
may become Barbarians and Half-orcs may Animism: Animism is the main religion of the Hanar
become Assassins as well. Occasionally Half-orcs goblinoids, the belief that souls or spirits exist not only in
become Necromancers. humans but also in other animals, plants, rocks, natural
Half-goblinoids in Voidspanners are usually of phenomena such as thunder, geographic features such as
some Neutral or Evil alignment. mountains or rivers, or other entities of the natural
environment. While potentially similar to Druidism,

8
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

animism does not delegate to faeries a specific role and existing secular powers. Reformed Kismet sees religious
does not incarnate nature as a whole in a single deity. tennets more as a message to believers, a personal path
Animism is at the same time more personal (the river near to follow to reach spiritual perfection, rather than as
your house is a deity, as is the hill behind it) and less precisely defined rules to be enforced by society.
(animism is not anthropomorphic) believing in the virtues
of natural spirits but not in their being named and sentient Both traditional and reformed kismet hold in high esteem
individuals. Thunder, Darkness and Silence are the Prophet and the prophets that came after him. Clerics
considered the most powerful of spirits in Hanarian of Kismet are expected to follow in the steps of prophets,
Animism. spreading the teachings to non- believers and acting as
spiritual guides of the community.
Druidism: The religion of the fay of Ivoreze is a cult Kismet temples are simple and elegant, usually built in
based on worship of nature and promotes harmony with white marble and with a high tower.
all living beings and things. Invasive technology is seen as
an aberration and actively fought, arcane magic while Melekism: melekism could be considered a derivative of
accepted as a natural force is not used widely as is by kismet, or rather its anthisesis. Melekists believe that the
humans. Druidism has a particular view of fay creatures Abyss is not a metaphysical emptiness but a deity in its
as expression of nature's own will and life-force, in own right, a deity that favors the strong and the brave and
Druidism nature is incarnated in a female deity called Cel. ready to grant power and richness on its followers.

Druids do not build temples but rather gather in sacred Melekists are evil and dangerous individuals welcome
groves, the majority of rites are held on full moon nights nowhere and acting as a sort of secret society, no official
and are connected to fertility, healing and protection. temples of melekism exist and cult members usually meet
Sacred Trees of life can frequently be found in the -masked- at night in underground caves.
greatest groves and fairy creatures of any kind, as well as
animals, typically search comfort in the groves and the Melekist rites usually mock Kismet rites and Melekist
druids in case of need. clerics try very hard to put their hands on kismet holy
symbols to use and defile in their meetings.
Some humans also follow druidism, especially in Logria.
The Heavenly gate of Orkhon puts melekists to death by
stoning, other countries and nations may allow for
Kismet: The main monotheistic religion of Tellus and freedom of thought or belief as long as no crime is
humans, Kismet (literally: fate or destiny), was born in the committed. Many members of the Black Company boast
desert provinces of the Orkhon empire and has spread to Melekist beliefs.
all nations of Tellus. Kismet is a revealed religion, a
message of god given to the Prophet and written in A BRIEF TIMELINE OF THE
sacred texts. VOIDSPANNERS SETTING
Kismet preaches meekness, piety, generosity, and Year Events
equality of all believers who submit to the will of god
0 The dawn of creation, pure spirits inhabit the Void
(called the Source) and opposes a generic force of evil on top of the Abyss.
named the Abyss. Kismet teachings describe the Abyss as The most powerful of them all, the Maker (known
an "absence of god" rather than as a positive entity. as Source to kismetites), creates the physical
Kismet maintains that believers true to its teachings will world,balancing it over the Abyss. Many spirits
live beyond death in the light of god while sinners will adopt physical bodies inhabiting the Creation.
tumble in the Abyss and be forever dead. 1-1200s Golden age of myth: spirits and the Maker walk the
earth.
Kismet has fractured since its birth: At the end of this age the Moon mages take their
Traditionalist Kismet is more harsh in its application of places and the Maker retreats from Creation.
religious creed and laws and is exemplified by the
1200s First Dwarven culture
Theocracy of Orkhon where the birth of temporal and
religious happened at the same time . 1300's Ugois first reach the Void spreading terror across the
Reformed Kismet has spread to all other nations of Tellus system
and is more liberal in its approach, especially since the 1500's Birth of Hanarian culture
power of religious leaders was held in check by already

9
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

1650's Birth of the Prophet on Tellus

Other races have no use for calendars, if necessary they
1850's Death of the Prophet, spread of Kismet
use the calendar of dwarves as voidsailors and pirates do.
2100's Dwarven Spellcrafters invent Voidspanning engines
and ethersails. EQUIPMENT
Orhoks enter Lantian Peninsula
2200's Arcane Concordate of the Watchers is born Firearms
First Gatekeeper of the Heavenly gate of Orkhon
takes power In voidspanners wheel-lock, smooth-bore, front-loading,
2300's Voidspanners Brotherhood is born single shot weapons are quite common.
Melekist Witch hunt burns across Tellus Firearms are rare and delicate objects, exposition to water
requires the weapon to be cleaned and dried for one full
2400's Azooc's belt is discovered turn before it may be used. Also exposition to water of
2500's Hanarian start experimenting with dark magic gun powder makes it useless till dried for one full turn.
2600's Schism in Kismet, Reformed Kismet is born. Firearms need to be cleaned regularly by a proficient user
Druidism and animism become minority religions on every ten shots fired. An unclean firearm will explode on
Tellus. a natural roll of 1 inflicting regular firearm damage to the
The Black Company is born user and becoming irreparably wasted.
2700's Hanar's moon is destroyed, diaspora of the
doppelgangers If the rules for Critical hits from the Combat Options
Rise of Logria and Yralmen as planetary powers, supplement are used, firearms deal triple damage on a
beginning of downfall for Yralmen critical hit.
2800's Birth of goblinoid races
Three kinds of personal firearms exist: pistol, musket and
2900's Downfall of Hanar, flight to Ivoreze blunderbuss. Pistols and muskets are single target
Solar Concordate is signed by Humans, dwarves weapons while the blunderbuss is an area effect weapon
and elven refugees. firing a load of shrapnel.
3000's Logria and Yralmen start a space program All basic firearms need one round to reload, and can thuis
shoot once every two rounds.
3100's Colonies from Tellus spread across the system,
humans become the most widespread and powerfull
Pistols and muskets are fired normally against an enemy's
race in the system. AC while blunderbusses are fired against a general area
Bonaventure ETC is born to administer Logrian you want to cover rolling against AC11.
interests in space. Blunderbuss and musket require two hands to be fired.
If the attack roll is successful all characters within a cone
3168 Now
60 feet long and 10 feet wide facing as selected by the
attacker are hit if their AC is lower than the attack roll and
Dwarves have a calendar that starts with the first dwarven suffer damage. Modifiers for range are applied to the
society, they take 1201 as year 0. attack roll separately against each target (i.e.: a target at
long range compares its ac against the attack roll -2,
Humans and halflings adopt the kismetite calendar that targets at short range compare it against the attack roll +1)
takes year 1553 (the year the Prophet was born) as year If the attack roll fails check the rules for grenade missiles
0. All dates are counted from that year as Before Prophet to determine where the area effect of the blunderbuss is
and After Prophet. aimed at.
Dwarves, halflings and gnomes have no trouble with
Elves have their own calendar with 2848 as year 0 of the using pistols or blunderbusses, GMs may chose to impart
Flight, all dates are counted from that year as Before penalties for using a musket though.
Flight and After Flight.
Gunpowder kegs: Kegs full of gunpowder can be
Druids have a particular calendar based on seasonal detonated and used as demolition charges.
cycles, it starts from year 0 of the creation. Kegs are activated by using lighting a fuse, short or long.
Once set on fire the keg will explode within 1d4-1 rounds
Dragons have their own very complicated calendar that on a short fuse and in 1d8-1 rounds on a long one.
lesser races can not understand. A result of 0 means that the keg explodes as soon as the
fuse is lighted.

10
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

If the fuse is quenched before the time is out the charge So the classes not allowed to use firearms have been
will not explode and a new fuse must be set. chosen not on a skill-based criteria but on a "cultural"
The GM should not inform the players of the number of one. And, after all, what is a fantasy game of pirates and
rounds it will take a keg to detonate. galleons without blazing muskets?
Once a keg explodes it will inflict 1d6 points of damage
within 5 feet per pound of gunpowder (i.e.: 10d6 of Ship and siege weapons
damage within 50 feet for a ten pounds keg). Victims of
See th BFRPG core rulebook for details on handling this
the explosion may Save versus Breath Weapon for half
kind of weapons.
damage.
Cannons: This weapon fires balls of lead with flat
Grenades: Grenades are small loads of gunpowder and
trajectory, it is usually mounted on wheels and may be
nails, treat these as grenade like missiles inflicting 1d6
mounted on a ship. Cannons require a Crew of three.
damage within a 5 feet radius.
Gunpowder and ball to shoot a light cannon once costs
On a natural roll of 1 roll 1d6: on a result of 1-4 the
15 gp and weighs and weighs 2 pounds.
grenade is a dud and will not explode, on a 5-6 the
Gunpowder and ball to shoot a Heavy cannon once costs
grenade explodes in the hands of the thrower.
30 gp and weighs and weighs 3 pounds.
Weapon Cost Size Weight Dmg. Culverine: Culverines are ultra light cannons that can be
Pistol 80 gp S 5 1d8 manned by a single person, culverines are very light
Blunderbuss 120 gp M 15 1d6 compared to other cannons and are usually mounted on
Musket 200 gp M 15 1d10 a swivel allowing for 360° arc of fire. A culverine is too
Grenade 5gp S 1 1d6 heavy to be handled and fired by any creature -except
Powder and ball 1 gp NA 0.2 - maybe a giant- without a mount.
for one shot Gunpowder and ball to shoot the culverin once costs 10
Powder and silver 20 gp NA 0.2 - gp and weighs 1 pound.
ball for one shot
Gunpwder, 1 5gp NA 1 1d6 in 5' Cannons and Culverines need to be cleaned regularly by
pound radius an artillerist every ten shots fired. An unclean gun will
explode on a natural roll of 1 inflicting its regular damage
Missile Weapon Ranges to all within a 5’ radius and becoming irreparably wasted.
Weapon Short (+1) Medium (0) Long (-2)
Culverines and cannons can be charged with nails just
Pistol 60 120 180
like a blunderbuss, if that is the case, damage dealt is
Blunderbuss 20 30 60 reduced to d6 (2,3 or 4) and range is halved. The area
Musket 100 200 300 effect cone is as long as the reduced weapon range, its
Grenade 10 20 30 width is 20 feet for culverines and 30 feet for cannons.

Class and firearms: Druids, clerics, jesters, barbarians If the rules for Critical hits from the Combat Options
should not be allowed to use firearms. supplement are used, cannons and culverines deal triple
Druids and Clerics should not be allowed to use grenades damage on a critical hit.
either.
The rationale behind this rule is that firearms are
comparatively easy to use than say a crossbow or
longbow.

Weapon Cost Wt Rof Attack Plty Dmg SR MR LR

Culverine 500gp 100 1/3 -1 2d12 30' 90' 180'
Lt. Cannon 2000 gp 1000 1/3 -2 3d12 40’ 120’ 240’
Hvy. Cannon 5000 gp 2000 1/3 -3 4d12 70' 210' 420'

11
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

Voidspanners and Spellvessels Elven Tree-magic: Elven tree ships are marvels of
Druidic magic, and very rare. Elven tree ships are
Voidspanners come in the same general categories as basically live creatures. An elven tree ship is slower but
regular ships, Game masters can thus expect more maneuverable: its speed is decreased by 10' but its
Voidspanners to have the same characteristics and of the turning distance is reduced by 5'.
following ship types: Elven tree ships have one additional ability: they heal
from damage at a rate of 1d4 Hull points per day.
Caravel Elven tree ships however need a Druid to keep them
Carrack active and moving, for each spell level sacrificed to the
Galley,Small tree-ship the ship can fly for 4 hours.
Galley,Large
Riverboat Tree-ships can fly in reverse at half their speed and can
Sailboat Hover in place. Elven Tree-ships can not be repaired but
can be affected by cure spells.
Voidspanners are not inherently magical, but fly due to a
magical propulsion system. Please take note that simply An elven tree ship cost is based on its type:
strapping one of these on a regular ship does not turn it in
Ship model Cost
a Voidspanner nor can Voidspanners usually sail the seas.
If a character wants to buy an amphibian Voidspanner Galley,Large 65,000gp
capable of sailing both sea and void, the base cost of the
Galley,Small 50,000gp
ship is increased by 20%.
Voidspanners move by flight and have the same Carrack 42,000gp
movement rates per round as a ship of their type, each
Caravel 34,000gp
voidspanner is powered by one of the following three
propulsion systems: Riverboat 25,000gp
Sailboat 17,000gp
Void engines: Void engines are massive magical items
connected to the ship's rudder and helm. A voidspanners travel speed is about five times its base
Void engines are activated by a magical wand inserted in encounter speed in miles every 24 hours, granted that the
the ship's helm. Void engines are heavy, encumbering crew takes turns.
and grant the ship average flying speed and So at a speed of 20' per round a voidspanner travels up
maneuverability. to 100 miles in a day.
The ship's base speed and turning distance do not
change. A voidspanner powered by a void engine can fly What about Lifeboats?
in reverse at a its standard speed and can Hover in place.
Voidspanner vessels usually have lifeboats of
Void Engines add to the ship's cost 15,000 gp and somesort, most are unpowered vessels barely more
subtract about 5 tons of cargo. than a shelter to hang on if the main spellship is
destroyed. A few, rare lifeboats are actually
Ether sails: Ether sails are magical sails capable of taking voidspanning vessels: rowboats, canoes and barges
the etherwinds, they allow for greater speed but at the can be fitted with either ethersails or shaped by elven
cost of lower maneuvrability. Ether sails need not be druidic magic into a tree-ship. Ether engines are too
activated by magic wands and do not take cargo space. big to fit on these ships.
The ship's base speed increases by 10' and its turning
distance increases by 5, ether sails however are less Mounting Siege weapons: the following weapons can
efficient inside an atmosphere as the presence of air be built on a ship: Onager, ballista, trebuchet, culverin,
partially blocks etherwinds: in this case the speed bonus is light cannon and heavy cannon, rams.
lost but maneuverability is still adversely affected.
A voidspanner driven by ethersails can not fly in reverse There is almost no limit to the number of culverins a ship
nor hover in place. can mount: about 1 for each 5 feet of space on the ship,
Ether sails add to the ship's cost 15,000 gp and do not culverins have a 360° arc of fire.
take cargo space.

12
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Light Cannons, ballistas and onagers require about 10 Targets more than 50 yards away are considered as
feet of space and subtract 1 ton each from the ship's having partial concealment (-1 to hit for ranged attacks),
cargo capacity. All these weapons have a 60° arc of fire. add one degree of concealment (an additional -1 to hit for
ranged attacks) for every 50 yards. Anything more than
Heavy cannons require 10' feet of space and subtract 2 250 yards away is practically invisible.
tons from cargo space and have a 60° arc of fire.
Trebuchets require 15' feet of space and subtract 2 tons Fires and sources of lights can be seen from up to one
from cargo space and have a 60° arc of fire. mile away.
Rams do not have any effect on the ship's cargo capacity Darkvision is useless in the ether.
and do not require extra space.
Gravity and movement
Example: A Large galley (120x20) could thus mount
No Gravity exists in the ether, and all objects are basically
up to 24 Larg cannons, 12 on each side. This would
inert, this makes movement impossible for any creature
take up 24 tons from the cargo capacity of the
or vehicle without the gift of flight.
Voidspanner.
A character that drops from a voidspanning vessel will
Otherwise, by mounting 5 large cannons per side (for
simply lay immobile in the ether forever unless he is
20 tons of cargo space), the same galley could mount
rescued or he can fly.
4 culverins on the aft, and 4 on the prow.
This does not mean that the character can do nothing, it
simply means that all his or her struggling for movement is
Armoring: voidspanners can be armored, for a 10% to no avail.
extra on the base cost the ship can have its Hardness As soon as a character makes physical contact with a
increased by 1, however this lowers its base speed by 5'. surface (any surface: a ship, an asteroid) he 'll be able to
Elven tree ships can not be armored. walk or dig or swim on that surface, but in pure ether
flightless creatures can't move unless shaken around by
Thickening: voidspanners can be built with thicker the etherwinds.
boards, planks etc... for a 10% increase on its base cost.
This increases the ship's Hull Points by 20%, but lowers Voidwaste
its cargo capacity by 20%.
Voidwaste is a dangerous malady, quite diffused among
Extra Cargo: some voidspanner prefer their ships to be Voidspanning travelers. Prolonged exposion to the Ether
less sturdy and have more cargo: for a 10% extra cost the is harmful to living creatures not accustomed to it.
voidspanner has 20% more cargo and 20% less Hull
Points. Constructs, incorporeal creatures and undead are
immune to voidwaste.
Cabins: A cabin costs 500 gp and takes up 1 ton of cargo
space. Each cabin can hold up to three passengers. A ship No Constitution points can be regained by resting while in
without cabins can not have First or second class the ether, in addition for each week of continuous living in
passengers. the ether a character must make a Saving Throw against
Death Ray.
ADVENTURING AND ENCOUNTERS Failure at the saving Throw means loss of one temporary
Constitution point.
Breathing The spell restore health will restore temporary
Constitution points lost due to Voidwaste.
As has already been stated the Ether is a breathable
medium, much similar to air. Creatures capable of If a character is reduced to a Constitution of 0 he dies and
breathing air can breathe the ether, water-breathing raises as a Wraith within 2d8 hours. Dispel evil cast on
creatures may need magical aid to breath in the ether. the corpse will avoid a character's return as undead.
Amphibious creatures have no problem.
As soon as a character returns to a planet or moon
(asteroids and comets are exposed to the Void), he or she
Lights and Vision starts recovering Constitution points as for the BFRPG
rules page 51.
The ether can be described as a swirling, grey fog. Vision
is somewhat limited.

13
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

Characters without a Constitution score -such as A Gale also affects the use of magic, the strong etheric
monsters- are considered as having a Con of 9 plus the currents have weird effects on spellcasting. When a spell
number of full HD, creatures with less than half Hd are is cast during a gale roll 1d20:
considered as having a Con of 8. d20 effect
1 Spell fails, slot is lost
Etherwinds and etherstorms 2-5 Spell effectiveness (range, duration, area of
effect, damage,etc.) is halved
The ether itself however is not inert, heavy etheric winds
scourge the spacelanes. 6-8 Spell appears to fail when cast, but occurs 1-4
rounds later
Etherwinds affect both movement of voidspanners and 9-12 Spell functions
creatures and spellcasting.
13-15 Spell does not grant any saving Throw and
For each day of travel the GM must roll for direction and breaches Anti-magic shells or immunities.
strength of wind, if the traveling vessel (or creature) 16-18 Spell is cast and memory of spell is retained
crosses a Sphere for that day add 4 to the strength roll.
19 Spell effect lasts for 1d10 rounds, or has 20'
d4 Wind Direction radius of area effect (cumulative with base
duration or area effect).
1 rimward
20 Spell effectiveness (range, duration, area of
2 coreward
effect, damage,etc.) is doubled
3 trailing
4 spinward Becoming Lost
Void travelers that do not make use of compass or star
d20 Wind Strength charts may become lost. Secretly roll a save vs. Death
1-2 Becalmed Ray, adjusted by the Wisdom of the party leader (i.e.,
3-8 Light Winds whichever player character seems to be leading).
9-12 Average Winds (Alternately, an Ability Roll against Wisdom may be
rolled, if that optional rule is in use.) The GM must
13-18 Strong Winds determine the effects of a failed roll.
19-20 Gale
Very Long distance travel
Effects of the etherwind:
The distance from tellus of the various celestial Bodies is
Becalmed: ships moving by ethersail can not move,
listed in the following table.
other voidspanners and flying creatures have no effect on
their movement. Distance from Tellus (mi)
Light Winds: ships moving by ethersail move at half
Eye of the Storm 0
speed, other voidspanners and flying creatures have no
effect on their movement. Moon 238,857
Average Winds: ships moving by ethersail move at half Sun 13,943,383
speed if moving against the wind, other voidspanners and 1st Sphere 36,252,796
flying creatures have no effect on their movement.
Strong Winds: ships moving by ethersail move at double Nazamroth 55,773,533
speed if moving with the wind and can not move against Kellgaund 56,145,356
the direction of the wind. Other voidspanners and flying 2nd Sphere 66,928,239
creatures move at half speed if moving against the wind.
Ivoreze 78,082,946
Gale: ships moving by ethersail or flying creatures must
move with the wind at triple speed, other ships must Serlar 78,110,832
move with the wind at double speed or can move against Arilar 79,105,460
the wind at one third of their speed. All ships exposed to
Voonlar 81,243,446
a gale have their pilot make a Saving throw against death
Ray or the vehicle takes 2d8 damage points. Flying 3rd Sphere 99,462,800
creatures must make a saving throw or take that much Hanar 118,983,536
damage.

14
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Iron Bands 119,002,127 In the same way a shifting vessel is absolutely blind and
4th Sphere 126,420,007
deaf to what happens outside of the vessel without the
help of magic, only immensely huge and immobile things
Hine-ugoi 158,954,568 such as planetoids will be visible while Shifting.
5th Sphere 176,616,186
A vessel will be automatically bumped out of Astral Shift if
From 177,000,000 to
Concodrate on its course it ever comes within one mile of a mass
200,000,000
greater than 10 tons or it enters the echosphere of a
6th Sphere 224,023,689 celestial body.
7th Sphere 260,276,485
This rarely happens if the navigator is a skilled voidsailor,
Azooc's Belt 276,078,986 less than 1% of the times. Unskilled Navigators may be
Prime Mover 330,922,960 required to make Saving throw versus death Ray to avoid
being bumped out of Astral Shift.

As the Spheres' rotation more or less sinchronous the A ship that is bumped out of Astral Shift does so after
actual distance between celestial bodies varies by (1d10- 1d100% of the intended distance has been covered.
1d10)% (from +9% to -9%). The GM should calculate this
variation as soon as a voidvessel is set on its course. Ecospheres
You'll see that no matter how fast a voidspanner can Most celestial bodies have an ecosphere, a force field
move it would take thousands of days for a Voidspanner generated by a mix of its gravitational pull, atmosphere
to reach any of the planets no matter how fast a vessel is. and the effect of life forces living on it. No Voidspanner
The real difference between a real voidspanner and a can enter Astral Shift if within the limits of an Ecosphere,
common flying ship is the ability of voidspanners to also Voidwaste can not be contracted within an
execute what voidsailors call an Astral Shift. Ecosphere and Constitution points lost to Voidwaste can
be recovered.
An Astral Shift is an ultra fast speed that can be reached A body's Echosphere extends for 1/100 of its diameter
only by Voidspanning vehicles. beyond its surface.
To reach astral shift velocity a vessel must meet all • Any celestial body with a diameter above 1,000
following requirements: miles has an Ecosphere if it meets the following
requirments:
The vessel must be outside of a celestial body
• At least 50% of its surface is inhabited by living
Echosphere, in deep ether.
creatures or plants.
The vessel must be at least one mile from any • It has been inhabited by at least 1,000 creatures
mass greater than 10 tons. for no less than three generations.
The vessel must accelerate in straight line at its Specialists
maximum encounter speed for three consecutive
turns. Engineers and Ship crews trained to work on
voidspanners are more expensive than regular ones: their
Once Astral Shift is engaged the voidspanner reaches a rate is 50% higher than the base rate. All kinds of
speed of about 10,000 times its regular speed: a Specialists (such as a Savant or an Animal Trainer capable
voidspanner capable of reaching a 100 miles per day can, of taming creatures native to the ether) are available in
on Astral shift, travel 1,000,000 miles per day. the etherports throughout the system.
Shifting ships and their passengers do not ignore the Siege weapons mounted on a Voidspanner require
effects of etherwinds and storms, also time passes at the trained artillerists to use, the cost of such specialist is 100
usual pace for them. gp per month.
Vessels in Astral Shift travel in a straight line and can not
maneuver. Navigators typically set the course of a ship Ports
before engaging Astral Shift.
Many cities in the voidspanner settings have established
It is to be noted that Shifting vessels are so quick to be an etherport: a facility designed to handle takeoffs and
completely invisible to the naked eye. landings of voidspanning vessels.

15
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

A large etherport usually has several dozen docking bays, personal equipment, tools.
Most planets, moons, and major asteroids have one or A cabin can hold up to one first class traveler or up to
more etherports of different qualities. Etherports are three second class travelers.
graded in three ranks. Third class travelers take up one quarter of a ton of cargo
First rank ports are bustling nests of activity with facilities space.
for building modifying and repairing all types of ships. Crew members must either be put in cabins or they take
Security is usually quite tight in these ports. up cargo space as third class travelers.
There are usually markets, inns and taverns within easy So, to calculate how much cargo space is available to the
reach of the port. ship, remember to first deal with crew, passengers,
Second rank ports are smaller capable of holding a dozen weapon reloads, weapons, food, water, and personal
or so voidspanners. Engineers and materials for repair are possessions.
available about 75% of the times or can be ordered within
1d6 days. No ship building facilities are available and Investments
security is guaranteed by a few militia men.
At some point the player characters may want to invest
Taverns, markets and the such may be available within a
money with a bank, this kind of investments usually
few miles of the port.
require huge amounts of money starting from a minimum
Third rank ports have no ship building or repair facilities,
of 2,000 gp.
security is left to each ship's commander.
Each week of game play the referee should check the
They are usually isolated open-field areas surrounded by
following table to check how the investments are going.
barracks.
Roll 3d6 and add the character's Intelligence modifier (Int
Port fees and facilities of 3= -3, 4-5=-2, 6-8=-1, 9-12= no modifier, 13-
15=+1,16-17=+2,18=+3).
Most ports have docking charges: third rank ports cost Banks will usually grant the characters to cash in on their
about 2 gp per day, second rank ports cost 5 gp per day, investments with one week's notice for up to 50% of the
first rank ports cost 10 gp per day. value and two weeks for the full investment value.
Many kinds of services available in a port: 3d6 roll Investment gain/loss Next week's roll
• Towing to and from repair sites (10gp modifier
per hour) 2 or less -20% -4
• Transportation to nearby inns, towns and 3 -15% -3
markets ( 1 gp per mile). 4-5 -10% -2
• Lodging (2-10 gp per night). 6-8 -5% -1
• Meal 1-4 gp.
9-12 0 0
First class passage costs 15 gold piece per day of travel
13-15 +5% +1
and allows for good food, a personal cabin and up to a
half ton of cargo. 16-17 +10% +2
Second class passage costs 10 gold piece per day of travel 18 +15% +3
and allows for good food, a shared cabin and up to one 19 or more +20% +4
quarter of a ton of cargo.
Third class passage costs 5 gold piece per day of travel Salvage and Plunder
and allows for meager food, a bunk in the common room
and up to a 50 pounds of cargo. Extra cargo space can be It sometimes happens to free traders and mercenary
bought at the cost of 100 gp per 500lbs. captains to come in possession of a voidspanner.
In the case of a ship that has not been legally claimed, the
In First and second rank ports crews may be available for contents may be either plundered or salvaged.
hire, more peculiar specialists may be available only in Plundering a ship is taking from it what is needed
first rank ports. (weapons, supplies, and etc.) or wanted (valuables, cargo,
prisoners, and etc.) and then either leaving it, destroying
First rank ports will also be host to many banks. it, or setting it adrift.
Salvaging is making a legal claiming at ownership, towing
Cargo and Supplies the ship back to a port and selling it.
If the ship has been claimed any act of appropriation will
One week of dry rations and water for one man cost 10 be considered piracy.
gp and weight 20lbs, taking up a lot of cargo space.
Cargo space is also taken up by reloads for weapons,

16
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Earning a living Example of space trade: After a couple of days of

information hustling, thanks to an old contact and a
To earn a living most Voidspanners engage in trade, good roll, Filk Starbuck manages to find a lot of 25
transport or communications. tons of valuable herbs on Ivoreze.
Other venues of living are mercenary escort and piracy. The base cost of rare herbs is 350gp per ton and
So, to make money with a voidspanner you must either herbs are a major export of Ivoreze: we roll the dice
find goods, mail, passengers or an escort contract. (1d6+3) and get a total of 6. So Filk buys the 25 tons
In 1d8 days of work (modified by your broker's Charisma of herbs at (25x350x60)/100= 5,250gp.
modifier) a ship's captain can find the following quantity Filk organizes its small trader ship (50 tons, 6
of goods, escort contracts OR passengers: persons crew) for the trip to Nazmaroth where herbs
and vegetable products are highly valued.
Port rank Goods Escort Passengers After six days of travel Filk and his crew manage to
contracts reach Nazmaroth unscathed, here the lot is evaluated
I 4d20 tons 1d3 1d6-1/2d6-2/1d3-1 again with a 1d6+9 roll that results in a 13, so the
II 2d20 tons 1d3-1 1d3-1/1d6-1/1d3-1 herbs are sold at (25x350x130)/100=11,375gp.
Nazmaroth has very low taxes, just 10% for a sale
III 1d20 tons 1d2-1 0/1d3-1/1d6-1 value (11,375-1,137)=10,238gp. This makes for a net
profit of 4,988gp.
Passengers are divided in first class/second class/third Obviously Filk Starbuck has to add expenses:
class travelers: these groups are looking forward to reach docking at the ports, food for the crew and ship,
a destination 2d6x10 travel days away. lodgings...so the actual net profit may actually be
Standard fares for passengers can be found above, lower.
people trying to escape law enforcement representatives
may be willing to pay up to three times the basic fare. Let's see the numbers: food for six for six days
The captain is charged with paying for food for the makes(6x10)=600gp. So just for the travel Filk has
passengers. had 600gp of expenses. We can expect to add docking
for an average four days (2 to find the cargo and two
Escort contracts involve either escorting a trade ship in the to sell them) for 20gp.
role of combat ship or moving goods for third party The total is (4,988-620) =4,368gp for ten days of
merchants: Escort contracts usually pay 50gp per day for work to be shared among the six crew members.
each crew member plus one half the trade ship's tonnage
a day. Expenses are usually not covered by escort service Option: Charisma matters:
employers, nor are expenses for repairing eventual At the GM's option the prices given for trading,
damage to the ship. Moving illegal goods for third parties escorting and passengers should be changed by 5%
(aka: smuggling) usually is worth twice as much. per point of Charisma modifier. At the player's favor
if the Charisma modifier is positive, at his or her
Goods, whatever the type (weapons, gems, food, logs) disfavor if the modifier is negative.
have a base price of 350 gp per ton.
Illegal goods have a basic value of 700 gp per ton. The COMBAT
effective cost of goods is actually (1d6+6)x10%, add 3 to
Aerial combat is resolved just like regular combat as per
the roll if the kind of goods you are buying are Major
Imports of the world you are on, subtract 3 if they are the standard BFRPG rules.
Some exceptions and clarifications are needed however
Major Exports.
The market cost of the goods must be evaluated twice: and are listed below:
first when the merchant buys them and once when the Moving
goods are sold. Furthermore each sale is taxed from 10 to
20% at each port. Usually a merchant needs another 1d4 Maneuverability: The BFRPG rulebook states that all
days to find a prospective buyer. vehicles of various sorts have a turning distance. This is
given as a distance in feet in parentheses after their
At the GM's judgment effective role-playing may raise or movement rate, and it determines how far they must
lower all of the above prices and fees by 10% in the move between facing changes when moving about in
player's favor, while bad role-playing may alter the prices combat.
by 10% in the player's disfavor. Magical flyers can turn up to to 90º (a right-angle turn); as
a facing change, other flyers and vessels can turn only up

17
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

to 45° per facing change ethersails can gain up to 10' of altitude after moving
forward by the distance shown for their maneuverability
There are a few exceptions to this rule: class, and can dive (lose altitude in a controlled fashion)
Vessels that do not move away from their starting position at up to twice the normal movement rate.
during the combat round may make as many facing In the ether such flyers don not have problems of stalling
changes as desired (though circumstances, such as trying but in an atmosphere they will be forced to dive at
to turn a horse around in a narrow corridor, may prevent maximum rate for one round if they do not move
this). horizontally by at least one-third their normal speed.
Incorporeal flying creatures, such as spectres, can turn
freely at any point while moving. Floating creatures or vehicles (balloons, fly spell, flying
Creatures which are running (moving at double speed) carpets, ships moved by Voidspanning engines etc.) can
may not make facing changes of more than 45º, and their climb vertically without horizontal motion up to half the
turning distance increases by 10' (or, if it is 5' normally, it normal movement rate, but such “floaters” can only
increases to 10'). descend at the normal movement rate, unless they have
Also, most creatures can shift one space laterally while lost the ability to float entirely.
preserving their facing (this is called “sidestepping”), but
this may only be done when moving at normal Running: Flying creatures are allowed to "run" just like all
(“walking”) speed, not at fast (“running”) speed. “One other creatures. Characters may choose to run; a running
space” means either 5' or 10', depending on the map or character is not normally allowed to attack (but see
board being used. Charging, below).
Running characters can move at double their normal
Acceleration and Decelartion: A vehicle or flyer can encounter movement rate. Characters are allowed to run
increase its speed by up to its turning rate each round a number of rounds equal to 2 times the character's
before moving or reduce it by three times its turning rate, Constitution, after which they are exhausted and may
always before moving. only
walk (at the normal encounter rate).
Hovering: All flying creatures and voidspanners powered For monsters not having a given Constitution, allow the
by engines or elven druidic magic can hover on the spot, monster to run for 24 rounds. Exhausted characters or
this means they may remain static. creatures must rest for at least a turn before running
Vessels moved by ethersails must move forward a number again.
of feet at least equal to their turning distance each round. Ships of any kind can not run.

Reverse movement: Flying creatures that move using Daring maneuvers: The above rules refer to regular
wings and vessels powered by ether sails can not fly in movement.
reverse, creatures with magical flight ability may move in Sometimes creatures and voidspanning ships will try
reverse with a maximum speed equal to their standard something a little more hazardous: flying at full speed in a
maximum speed. metoer field, executing a Himmelman maneuver or come
Elven tree- ships can move in reverse with a speed of up to a full stop while moving at full speed.
to one half of their maximum speed. In this case the GM should ask for a Saving Throw versus
Vessels powered by voidpsanning engines may move in Wands (modified by Dexterity) or a Dexterity Ability
reverse with a maximum speed equal to their standard check.
maximum speed. The GM may impart additional modifiers to the roll based
Any vessel or creature capable of reverse flight must have on speed, size and maneuverability of the vehicle.
a forward speed of 0 before they can start any reverse Failure on such a Saving Throw means that the
movement. hazardous maneuver failed, the effect of which should be
judged on a case by case situation. Failure in the Saving
Climbing and Diving: Each creature or vehicle has an Throw while flying through meteor fields will damage the
altitude. Altitude can be considered as having an infinite ship or creature while in other cases a the maneuver will
negative minimum and an infinte positive maximum. have failed and the helmsman will have lost control.
Consider ships to travel usually at an height of 0, equal to A Saving throw may be required if the helmsman is
Tellus position in the solar system. knocked out.
To randomly generate altitudes for ships during
encounters roll 1d100 and subtract 50. If secondary skills or options are used, a void piloting
A winged flier and elven tree-ships or a ship powered by skill may exist and be used in place of the Saving

18
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Throw. Ramming and collisions

If a lose secondary skills sytem is used, the
appropriate secondary skill might be required to pilot A vehicle or flyer can try to ram another vehicle or simply
a spellvessel in the first place or simply grant a +4 to end up colliding with it.
ST made to resolve hazardous maneuvers. To execute an intentional ramming attack, the attacker
must move in a straight line for at least the second half of
Losing control: If a ship or flying creature loses control, its movement and must move at full speed.
move it up to half its current speed as desired, then move Once in contact with the target, the helmsman, must roll
the remaining speed in a random direction. This may an attack against an AC of 11.
cause a collision with other flyers. The base damage inflicted by the ramming attack of aship
is calculated below:
Take off, landing: Take off and landing are not
particularly delicate maneuvers usually, but in some cases Base cargo tonnage of the vessel or Damage dice
the GM might decide they are and resolve them as Daring Hit Dice of the creature
maneuvers (above). A voidspanner is considered as being 10-20 1d8
completely in the ether and no more inside of a celestial 21-40 2d8
body's atmosphere when it has reached a distance equal 41-80 3d8
to the body's diameter. In the same way a vehicle or 81-160 4d8
creature near a celestial body and within a distance equal 161-320 5d8
to its diameter will be considered as having left the ether
321+ 6d8
and be inside its atmosphere.

Encumbered ships: Any ship carrying more than half its Add the following dices of damage basing yourself on the
maximum Cargo load, has its encounter speed reduced vehicle's speed:
by 10' (and its traveling speed is reduced comparatively)
and inflicts a -2 penalty on all rolls for Daring maneuvers Creature's or Vessel's speed Damage dice
made by the helmsman. 10+ +0
20+ +1d8
Attacking a Vehicle 30+ +2d8
Attacks against vehicles are made against Armor Class 11. 40+ +3d8
Each vehicle has listed Hardness and Hit Point values. 50+ +4d8
Roll damage against the vehicle, and then reduce that 60+ +5d8
damage by the Hardness value. Any excess damage is
applied to the vehicle. Ships equipped with a ram add the ram's base damage of
If the vehicle takes damage equal to or greater than the 2d8 to this.
listed HP on one side, it is reduced to half speed due to The attacking vehicle however takes damage itself,
rigging or engine damage; if it takes this much again, it is calculate how much damage the target would inflict on a
immobilized, and this much damage will "sink" a ship. ramming attack and halve it, the target of the ramming
Immobilized ships will start falling if inside an atmosphere, attack does not get to include damage dice for its eventual
immobilized ships in the ether will simply drift in the ram.
etherwinds.
A sunk ship has its power source completely destroyed Involontary collisions: If a vehicle or creature collides
and is beyond repair. with another item calculate damage as for a ramming
attack and halve it for both victims of the collision. Ignore
Firing arcs damage dice for rams.
Remeber that cannons, ballistas, onagers and trebuchets
all have a 60° arc of fire, while culverines have a 360° Shearing and sideswipes: In some cases a direct
degree arc of fire-and can thus be used to fire ON the collision is not what a ship captain's wants or can achieve.
ship itself. Damage by sideswiping is calculated as for Ramming, but
d4s are used and no damage dice for rams is added.
A ship can not target with siege weapons an enemy vessel
whose vertical distance from itself is higher than the A vessel or creature that is part of a collision or ramming
horizontal distance. attempt has its speed reduced by the damage received, in

19
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

addition, all involved Helmsman must pass a Saving Excellent crews have a +1 to morale, attack and
Throw as for Daring maneuvers or lose the next round maneuver rolls but cost twice the standard price for ship
regaining control of the ship. crews. Excellent crews represent extremely experienced
sailors.
Effects of ramming on crew or passengers: all crew
members and passengers that have not braced for impact Standard crews have no modifiers and cost the usual
must roll a Saving Throw versus Breath weapons or take price.
1d6 damage points and lose next round. Standard crews are normally trained sailors.
Bracing for impact takes the whole round, no other action
or movement is possible while bracing. A ship crew's morale should be checked when the crew
first encounters opposition, and again when the crew is
Grappling ships reduced to half strength (by number of members and
again by ship's Hit points). For this purpose, crew
A ship can attack a nearby ship (either a rammed or
members incapacitated by sleep, charm, or hold magic
ramming one or simply a ship within range) with
are counted as if dead.
grappling hooks by the crew.
A crew that fails a Morale check will generally attempt to
Grappling hooks have a range of 20/40/60.
flee or may attempt to surrender, if the GM so desires.
Crew using the hooks can not be employed in the use of
siege weapons or ship maneuvers.
A crew's efficiency rank is considered to be the rank of its
As long as two -or more- ships are connected by
highest number of members.
grappling hooks they move together.
Ships are considered to be grappled by as long as there is
A crew member's efficiency will pass from Poor to
at least a number of lines connecting them equal to 1 line
Standard in three months of travel and work and from
for every 10 tons of cargo space of the smallest ship.
Standard to Excellent after an additional year of
Two grappled vessels are immobile unless one tries to tow
experience.
the other.
If within movement range of the respective crews, Repairing a Voidspanner
grappled ships can be boarded the round following a
grapple has been declared. Damage done to a voidspanner may be restored at a rate
A ship can try to move while grappled thus effectively of 1d4 hit points per crew member per hour of labor.
towing the other, simply add the towed ships Cargo space However, a vessel can only be restored to 90% of its
to the towing ship's carried weight to see if -and how fast- maximum hit points by field repairs; a damaged ship must
it can move (see Encumbrance above). be put into dock and repaired by a shipwright and his
The towed ship can try to resist towing by subtracting one crew to completely repair them or magic must be used.
half of its speed from the other ship's speed, granted that Costs of such repairs are left to the Game Master to
its Cargo space is at least one half that of the towing ship. decide but should be no less than 2 gps per Hit point
repaired.
Crews, quality and morale Elven tree-ships can not be repaired in any way and will
generally heal from damage or be cured by healing
Crews are rated as Poor, Standard and Excellent.
magic.
A crew's quality affects its pay, its morale and its combat
efficiency. Boarding and mass combat
A crew's morale is calculated as for Retainers: it starts at 7
plus Charisma modifiers and may change in time. You'll realize that it would take a very long time to resolve
Crews usually Fight and save as Common man and have a battle when 60 Yralmen men at arms board a pirate
1d6 hit points. ship with a crew of 50 armed pirates.
Take note that loss of crew members will affect a ship's The following are guidelines to speed up such encounters
performance as siege weapons require specific numbers without getting bogged up with too much detail.
of artillerymen and the ship itself requires a specific
number of crew members to move. Divide the opposing forces into groups of 10.
If there is an odd number of troops, make one group
Poor crews cost one half the standard rate, and have a -1 shorthanded.
penalty to Morale, attack rolls and maneuver rolls. Poor For example, a group of 25 creatures could be divided
crews are usually unskilled sailors. into two groups of 10 and one group of five.
Keep groups of similar creatures together.

20
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

For each group use the statistics for the basic creature GM can declare the other ship unreachable.
type, thus a group of Gnolls will have the movement If the fleeing ship is at least one mile from the other ship,
speed, AC, Save and all abilities of a standard gnoll, while it can start the procedure to engage Astral Shift.
a group of third level warriors in shield and chain will It is possible for a ship to pursue even a Shifting vessel,
have the abilities of third level fighting man in shield and however, if the pursuer's Navigator is capable of seeing
chain. the ship even if it is farther than one mile and can see it at
Surprise for Mass combat is determined as usual, allowing the moment it is engaging Astral Shift.
one free round of action to the surprising group. In this case the Navigator may -if he is a skilled Voidsailor,
All the rules for movement and combat apply as usual but and in this case only- calculate the course to take with the
treat each group as a single character. ship and engage Astral Shift following the same route on
When an attack roll from a group succeeds, it will inflict a successful Save versus Death Ray (or Intelligence Ability
one Hit Die loss for every 8 points-or fraction- of damage check or skill check).
for each creature in the attacking group. The Navigator will not be able to tell if he or she
If the attack was a melee one, count only attacking calculated precisely, engaging astral shift at this point will
creatures that can make contact with the enemy group. be very hazardous.
Twenty defenders at mouth of a cave can easily stave off Also the choice to pursue must be very fast: if the
larger units. navigator waits for more than one turn, the fleeing ship is
Mark off enough casualties in wounded groups to account hopelessly lost.
for all the Hit Dice inflicted, leaving only one wounded If the ship is pursuing, it will be bumped out of Astral shift
defender. as soon as the pursued vessel exits Astral Shift, exactly
For example, if a group of 10 orcs successfully attacks 10 within one mile of the pursued vessel.
bugbears, for 45 hit points of damage the bugbears lose 5 A vessel that suspects that it is being followed in astral
HD: one bugbear is killed and one loses two Hit Dice. Shift may jettison cargo -of at least 10 tons- to bump
Apply subsequent leftover hits to wounded creatures first. pursuers out of Astral Shift. As Astral Shift speed is to fast
Repeat this procedure until one side is killed or breaks for humans to control a ship will be bumped out of Astral
morale. Shift by jettison 90% of the time.
Spells are more difficult to apply, they usually cause 1 Hit
Dice of damage per dice of damage they inflict or can MONSTERS
heal one Hit Dice per dice of damage they heal.
This chapter will briefly tackle with distribution of
Arbitration of spells is up to the GM, the spell's description
Monsters and NPC races across the system and provide
will usually help in this as range, duration and area effect
eventual additional information peculiar to the
remain unchanged. As a rule of thumb a spell rarely
Voidspanner setting. In addition a couple of new monsters
affects more than a 10 creatures unit.
are described.
Evasion and Pursuit
Beasts of burden and common animals (mammals
Sometimes a vessel will want nothing more than to avoid and birds): This kind of creatures can be found across all
an enemy ship or a fleet of enemy ships. If one group is the system wherever a suitable ecological niche exists.
surprised, and the other is not, the unsurprised group Antelopes will thus be found on Hanar and Tellus (both
may have savannah), but never on Nazmaroth Kellagund or
be able to escape automatically (unless something Ivoreze with the exceptions of animals imported as exotic.
prevents them from making an exit). Giant animals will usually be found only on Ivoreze.
Otherwise, the ship wanting to flee begin doing so on Almost all normal animal species on Nazmaroth are
their Initiative numbers. imported.
The GM may easily play out the pursuit, following along However remember that intelligent races will bring many
on his or her map (note that the players can't draw maps tamed animals along with them in colonies as workforce
while they run headlong through the dungeon or or company.
wilderness area).
Any time a ship is fast enough to get out of sight Plant creatures (any): These are typically found only on
(remember that Ether affects the line of sight)., the GM Tellus, Ivoreze and its forested moons or in magician's
may require a saving throw vs. Death Ray on the other laboratories or exotic gardens. Icy planets or dead planets
ship's helmsman part. (like Hanar) will never host such creatures. Treants can
If the save is failed, the pursuer has lost contact with the only be found on Ivoreze and Tellus.
ship and has only one round to get it in sight before the

21
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

Insect creatures and vermin: Normal insect creatures Many ships carrying undead sailors roam the void, and
and vermin are common in all space, even in Azooc's many intelligent undead seek refuge in the Belt.
Belt.
Giant insects will be found only on Nazmaroth, Hanar, Constructs: Like undead, constructs are a product of
Hine Ugoi and Ivoreze, while weirder insect creatures (like specific magic. Golems and the like exist wherever high
ankhegs and araneas) will usually be found only on level magic is used. Golems and living statues are very
Nazmaroth, Hanar and Hine Ugoi. popular with dwarven spellcrafters and nazmaroth houses
quite a few of them. Yralmen military wizards also
Humanoids: Orcs, cavemen, goblins, kobolds, appreciate constructs very much.
hobgoblins, bugbear, gnolls, trolls, ettins and ogres are
native to Hanar, though a few can be found across the Dungeon creatures: Creatures connected to darkness,
system. dungeons and underground settings, like the cloaker the
stalag or the rust monster, are all natives to Nazmaroth.
Molds, oozes, puddings, slimes, jellies: These
disgusting creatures can be found on Nazmaroth and Monstrous creatures: This catch all category includes
Hine Ugoi. wyverns, basilisks, harpies, bulettes, behirs and all other
monsters that do not really fit anywhere else.
Dragons, giants, salamanders and elementally linked Any mix-and-match monster (like harpies, medusa or
creatures: These can be found anywhere in the system a manticores) fit in this category.
suitable niche exists for them. To make some examples These are usually the byproduct of forbidden magical
green dragons are found on Ivoreze and blue ones on experiments of Hanar's past and can be found on Hanar
Hanar, while Tellus hosts all kinds of dragons. or in the Iron Bands.
In the same way Frost Giants are at home on Kellagund
and tellus but no Giants have been sighted on Ivoreze. Displacers and Blink Dogs: These creatures are native
to Ivoreze and can be found only here or in some rich
Fay: Nixies, pixies, sea hags, mermaids, centaurs, elves, mage's menagerie.
satyrs, sprites and all folks of the faerie court reside on
Ivoreze. A few fays exist also on Tellus, but no elves Thulids: Thulids are not present in the Voidspanner
reside on the planet ruled by humans. In the Voidspanner system.
setting Gnomes are considered Fay.
Dopplegangers: Doppelgangers have a sad history, full
Dinosaurs, reptiles, primitive and dire animals: These of hatred, blood and desire for vengeance. The
are found only on the Ivorezean moon of Serlar. doppelgangers were once part of the fay folk living on the
Lizardmen and troglodytes thrive on Serlar. now destroyed Moon of Hanar, destroyed by Hanarian
elves in order to subjugate them.
Extraplanar creatures: Creatures like efreets, invisible Due to their morphic abilities doppelgangers played a
stalkers, elementals and djinni are not native to the central role in the breeding programs that led to the
system and will appear everywhere they are summoned. development of goblinoids.
Doppelgangers look with contempt on the goblinoids of
Magic animals: creatures like griffins, roc, pegasi, Hanar, whom they see as a caricature of themselves.
hypogrifs and unicorns can be found wherever the fay Today the doppelgangers are a homeless, broken people
exist, thus only on Tellus and Ivoreze. that do not constitute a nation.
Doppelgangers are driven by a blind hatred of other fays
Lycanthropes: Lycanthropy being a human disease, -whom they consider responsible for the destruction of
lycanthropes can be found wherever humans are. The their homeland- and will go to any length to destroy
Belt is a popular hideout for lycanthropes on the run. Ivoreze.
To this end they have created a huge network of spies
Undead: Undead are can be found wherever everywhere trying to foster animosity towards the elves
necromantic magic is used. and their kin.
Undead are very common in the depths of space and The Arcane Concordate of the Watchers plays a huge role
Hanar, mostly as a result of Voidwaste in the first case and in keeping the Doppelgangers at bay.
due to unholy alliances in the second one.
Tellus also has a small undead “population” while undead
are practically unheard of on Ivoreze and Nazmaroth.

22
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

New monsters king % % % % %

Dragon, Void Spells by Level
Armor Class: 22 Level 1 - 1 2 3 4 5 6
Hit Dice: 12*** (+10) Level 2 - - 1 2 3 4 5
No. of Attacks: 2 claws/1 bite or breath/1 tail Level 3 - - - 1 2 3 4
Damage: 1d10/1d10/4d10 or breath/1d10
Movement: 30' Fly 80' (20') Level 4 - - - - 1 2 3
No. Appearing: 1, Wild 1, Lair 1d4 Level 5 - - - - - 1 2
Save As: Fighter: 12 (as Hit Dice) Level 6 - - - - - - 1
Morale: 10 Claw 1d6 1d8 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d12 1d12
Treasure Type: H
XP: 2,175 Bite 2d8 3d8 4d8 4d10 5d10 5d10 6d10
Alignment: True Neutral Tail 1d6 1d8 1d8 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d12

At first sight a Void dragon might look like a big Black Tree of life
dragon. Armor Class: 20
But once you notice the swirling smoky scales and the Hit Dice: 10**(+9)
bright, intelligent, golden eyes such impression is quickly No. of Attacks: 2 fists
dispelled. Damage: 1d10/1d10
Void dragons have a proud bearing and are never cruel Movement: 10'
for sport, they are wise -if detached- creatures: the first No. Appearing: 1, Lair 1
creatures born when the Maker built the universe and Save As: Fighter: 10
from whom all dragons descend. Morale: 11
They are said to remember the birth of the world and to Treasure Type: None
have invented language. XP: 1480
Today most void dragons are heremitic recluses, Alignment: True Neutral
pondering on the universe and studying astrology and
astronomy. Trees of life are immensely old and wise treants, so huge
Void dragons live in space, they are semi-nomadic, and ponderous they could be described as senile but with
roaming the space for very long times before coming back such a profound connection to the forces of Nature to
to their asteroid dens. alter the cycle of life around themselves.
Void dragons are naturally capable of executing Astral The appareance of a Tree of life is such as it existed in
Shifts at will and are immune to Voidwaste. perpetual spring: their bark is always a deep brownish-
A void dragon can see through the mists of ether for up to grey with faint silvery sheen and leaves of deep green.
5 miles. A tree of life is about 60 feet tall with a trunk about 8 feet
In Ether Void dragons are capable of surprising enemies in diameter, the weight of a Tree of life is about 10 tons.
on a roll of 1-3 on 1d6 and are usrprised on a roll of 1 on
1d6. Being old and almost abstracted from the world around
Void dragons are immune to normal cold, and suffer only themselves Trees of life rarely -if ever- move or speak
half damage from magical cold attacks. although they know the languages of elves, treants, and
all the fay folks .
Void Dragon Age Table
Age 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Trees of life are at the heart of every elven nation, they
Category are the center of all religious ceremonies held by elven
Hit Dice 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 druids and act as spiritual counselors to the elven druid-
queens and druid-kings
Attack +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11
Bonus Trees of Life can animate trees within 180' at will,
Breath Weapon Cold (Cone) controlling up to six trees at a time. It takes one round for
Length - 70' 80' 90' 95' 100' 110' a normal tree to uproot itself. Thereafter it moves at a
Width - 30' 35' 45' 50' 55' 60' speed of 10' and fights as a treant in all respects. Such
trees lose their ability to move if the treant that animated
Chance/Tal 50% 95% 100 100 100 100 100 them is incapacitated or moves out of range.

23
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

know, the reverse is also true.

Trees of life have all the abilities -and restrictions- of 12 th A Mindnode can use its powers at will, as long as it exists,
level druids, they can cast spells and have access to the one power per combat round.
Animal Affinity power. Mindnodes can not be targeted by spells or attacks,
however incapacitating or killing single Ugois wil weaken
Elven Tree-ships are grown from pieces of bark taken or destroy the node.
from treants and trees of life. The powers of the mindnode depend on the Ugois that
take part to the Mindnode.
Ugoi A Mindnode also affects the Morale of its members and
The Ugoi are a malevolent alien race from the planet of their combat efficency.
Hine Ugoi, a huge planet wreathed in clouds of A Mindnode has all the powers due to its level and those
poisonous gasses. of all previous levels.
Ugois are a race whose sexes are highly specialized.
Males look like a crossbreed of lobster and wasp as tall as Ugois Node powers
a human whose carapace is a sickly pink-grey. Their head 1-2 Node not active
is a tangle of wriggling feelers.
3-4 Morale 10, surprised only on a 1 on 1d6
Males are responsible for food gathering and defence of
territory. 5-6 +1 to all attack rolls, Cause Fear
Females are similar to males, but bloated and enormous 7-9 Command
in size with small wings. 10-12 Morale 11, Charm Person
Females guard the eggs (they are capable of producing 13-15 +1 to initiative, ESP
thousands of eggs each per year), build and mantain 16-18 Morale 12, Clairvoyance/Clairaudiance
hives and transport colonies. 19+ Feeblemind
Ugoi eggs are planted by females inside captive creatures,
as soon as the egg hatches the hatchlings eat the victim
Ugoi, male
from inside out.
Armor Class: 14
Ugois are an intelligent race whose social organization is
Hit Dice: 2***
based on the Hive, Hives are ruled by Mindnodes.
No. of Attacks: 2 pincers or stinger
Mindnodes are the collective mind of all ugois that make
Damage: 1d6/1d6 or 1d4+paralytic poison
up a Hive, male or female.
Movement: 20', Fly 40' (5')
Ugois do not build the way other races do, using tools,
No. Appearing: 1d4, Lair 2d100
they instead "grow" their Hives from a mixture of female
Save As: Fighter: 2
organic tissues and chewed organic material, much like
Morale: 9
bees or earthly insects.
Treasure Type: None
Ugois speak their own language but can learn other
XP: 125
languages, although they speak with a distinctive buziong
Alignment: Lawful Evil
sound.
All Ugois have different mental schemes from humans
Male ugois can attack with a sting, the target must save
and other sentient races.
versus Poison or be paralyzed for 1d6 turns.
If a Ugoi is subject to ESP or any mind reading power, the
spell fails and the mind reader must save versus spell or
Ugoi, female
be stunned and incapable of action for 1d4 rounds.
Armor Class: 14
Due to their different biochemistry Ugois are immune to
Hit Dice: 7***
all inhaled poisons and Voidwaste.
No. of Attacks: 2 pincers or stinger
Damage: 1d6/1d6 or 1d4+lay eggs
Mindnodes: If more than two Ugois of either sex are
Movement: 10', Fly 30' (10')
within 60 feet of each other their minds unite
No. Appearing: 1d3, Lair 1d100
automatically to create a Mindnode.
Save As: Fighter: 7
If two or more different Mindnodes come within activation
Morale: 9
range of one another, they merge into a single Minnode.
Treasure Type: None
A Mindnode is vastly more intelligent than a singular
XP: 865
Ugoi, and acts on its own initiative number as if it were a
Alignment: Lawful Evil
different creature than the Ugois making it up.
A Mindnode knows and sees everything its members

24
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Female ugois can attack with a sting, the target must save voidspanner's tactical speed or maneuverability.
versus Poson or be injected with eggs, if the eggs are not A sacrificed spell will increase the ship's speed or reduce
removed by a Cure Disease or Heal spell they will hatch the ship's maneuverability, not but not both, for one
within one week killing the target. round.
Newly hatched ugois have 1 hit dice and are not mature Spell level Speed Maneuverability
enough to be part of a Mindnode, fly or use their stinger. (to a minimum of 0)
Female Ugois are naturally capable of executing a Astral 1 +10' -5'
Shift, much like Void Dragons. 2-3 +20' -5'
Raiding parties of Ugois usually consist of two to three 4-5 +30' -10'
females carrying three to four males each on their back.
6-7 +40' -15'
MAGIC ITEMS AND TREASAURES
Crystal of warning: This crystal is about one feet wide
Armors and alerts the helmsman of a ship traveling in astral shift
when it is approaching an ecosphere or mass sufficient to
Dwarven Voidarmor: This magic armor is especially bump it out of Astral shift.
appreciated by voidsailors. A Voidarmor is a +1 Plate The crystal turns a bright red and emits a keening sound if
armor with some additional powers especially aimed at this is the case, the helmsman is not informed of what is
interaction with the Void. altering its course and has one round to correct its route.
A Voidarmor has 5d10 charges when found, as long as The new route will increase the distance to be covered by
the armor has charges the user can fly (as per the MU 1d10 million miles.
spell) at will in the Ether (but not within an ecosphere) The crystal has 3d10 charges, one charge is used up for
and is immune to Voidwaste. each warning.
Charges can be spent in the following ways: Ether Spyglass: A character looking through this spyglass
• one charge sustains the wearer as if he had can see through the ether for up to 5 miles with no
received full nourishment for one day. reduction to visibility.
• one charge renders the wearer immune to all Figurehead of warning: This magical figurehead
inhaled poisons and gases for one turn mentally warns the helmsman if a ship is within one mile
• one charge gives the wearer water breathing of his voidspanner.
ability for one turn Figurehead of hiding: This magical figurehead hides the
• one charge grants the wearer darkvision for one ship from magical detection and scrying. No spell will be
turn able to locate and see the ship that bears this figurehead.
• two charges allow the wearer to engage Astral However effects that register the ship's presence without
Shift speed for one day. locating it (as the figurehead of warning does) wil be
The armor can be recharged. triggered.
Helm of maneuverability: This is helm must be installed
Miscellaneous items on a voidspanning ship. Once installed it grants a bonus
to Saving Trows (or Ability/skill checks) for daring
Beacon of pursuing: This item looks like a three feet tall
maneuvers.
lantern, it can be used to follow ships in the ether.
Roll 1d10 to find the bonus imparted: 1-5, +1; 6-8, +2; 9-
By activating the beacon the user designates a ship he can
10, +3.
see. From that moment the beacon will emit a ray of
Portable planetarium: This item is a small metal replica
green light that always points in the direction of the
of the whole system, about six feet wide. The movements
designated ship, no matter the distance, for the next 24
of all celestial bodies are closely mirrored by the brass
hours.
cogs and wheels of the item. A ship with the Portable
The Beacon can be used once per day.
planetarium never gets lost.
Once the beacon is activated, a pursued ship can never
Talisman of the Void: As long as this talisman is worn,
have the enemy lose its trail (see evasion and pursuit), i
the wearer is immune to Voidwaste.
addition a helmsman rolls at +3 all Saving Throws (or
ability checks) to pursue ships in Astral shift. GAME MASTER INFORMATION
Circlet of arcane maneuvering: This golden circlet
inscribed with dwarven runes allows magic-users to
enhance the performance of a Voidspanner's engine. Space Encounters
By sacrificing a memorized spell, the caster can increase a
Each day of space travel can bring new events in play.

25
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

The GM can have days spent traveling aboard a sovereign state or political entity) stop the player's
Voidspanner elapse in a few seconds of game time or Voidspanner for inspections.
become an adventure in themselves. Roll 1d10 for each ship:
Encounters check are rolled differently if the the travelers 1-3Caravel
are in Astral Shift or out of it. 4-7Carrack
Tactical speed travel:to check for space encounters the 8-9Galley,Small
GM rolls 1d10 for each in-game day spent traveling inside 10Galley,Large
the first four spheres and 1d20 for days of travel in the 17 Salvage: The characters find the hull of an
fifth and sixth sphere. abandoned Voidspanner. The hit points of each
Astral Shift travel: roll 1d100 for each in-game spent are reduced to (1d100)% its original total.
traveling. Roll 1d10
On any result of 1 an event occurs that day, its up to the 1-3Caravel
referee to chose when during the day. 4-7Carrack
If an event happens roll 1d20 on the following table or 8Galley,Small
chose a result: 9Galley,Large
1d20 Event 10 Riverboat
roll
18 Traders: A convoy of 1d6/2 trader ships.
1-3 Ether Storm: The Storm lasts 1d10 hours Roll 1d10
affecting magic as usual. 1-3Caravel
4 Shadows 4-7Carrack
5 Wraiths 8Galley,Small
9Galley,Large
6 Undead ship: Roll 1d10 for ship:
10 Riverboat
1-3Caravel
There is an 1 in 6 chance they will be escorted by
4-7Carrack
1d3 ships, roll 1d10 for each escort ship:
8Galley,Small
Roll 1d10
9Galley,Large
1-3Caravel
10 Riverboat
4-7Carrack
7-8 Asteroid Belt / Meteor Shower:Have the pilot roll 8-9Galley,Small
as for execution of a Daring Maneuver. 10Galley,Large
Natural 1: Voidspanner takes 6d10
19 Void Dragon 1d3-1 (minimum 1) 50% in space
damage points.
Lair
Failure : Voidspanner takes 4d10
damage points. 20 Ugoi Raiding party: 1d4 females carrying 1d6
Success: Voidspanner takes 2d10 males each.
damage
Natural 20: Voidspanner takes no Planet-side encounters
damage. Planet-side encounters are resolved as for standard
9 Distress call:The Voidspanner receives a distress BFRPG rules, depending on which planet the player
call from a Voidspanner in trouble (out of characters are at the moment, the GM may have to adjust
food,damaged by pirates or asteroids...) the encounter tables to better fit the setting.
1d100x1000 miles away or meets a Voidspanner As an example almost all encounters on Ivoreze will be
in trouble. rolled on the Woods or Forest encounter table, but no
10-11 Pirates: 1d6/2 pirate ships ambush the player's orcs or Ogres exist on Ivoreze. In this case the GM should
ship. change orcs to pixies and Ogres to a npc party of elves.
Roll 1d10 for each ship:
1-3Caravel Encounter descriptions
4-7Carrack Inspection crews and Mercenary escorts will be mostly
8Galley,Small 1st level Fighters, a 2nd to 4th level bosun. The first officer
9Galley,Large will be a spellcaster (appropriate to the race of the crew)
10 Riverboat from 3nd through 6th level while the Captain will be a 3 rd
to 6th level fighter.
12-16 Inspection: 1d4 Voidspanners (from the nearest
Military or mercenary crews are either unarmored or

26
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

leather armored and fight with swords. already have been rolled for the NPCs); the treasure may
Boarding parties and marine-type fighters will sport better not be aboard the ship, however, as pirates often prefer to
armament: typically chain mail, shield, swords and pistols. bury their treasures on isolated asteroid dens. In such a
Military and mercenary ships will usually have been case, the Captain or one of his mates will have a treasure
modified for combat (Armored and/or Thickened), and map leading to the location of the treasure.
most of them will be powered by Voidspanning engines.
Typical armament will include light or heavy cannons and Undead ships
at least a couple of culverins. Roll 1d10 to find out an undead ship's crew:
They will confront “suspicious looking” crews, but 1d10 Crew
generally will need a good reason before they attempt to 1-5 Skeletons
arrest or otherwise interfere with player characters. 6-8 Zombies
9 Ghouls
Merchants are a often encountered in the void
0 Ghasts
performing any sort of business. Merchants may offer jobs
to interesting player characters, particularly those with .
good reputations. Such ships are usually commanded by some kind of
Merchant parties will consist of either one single wealthy powerful undead like Vampires or by evil high level (9 th -
merchant or less wealthy merchants who have banded 12th level) Magic Users and Clerics (Necromancers also
together for their own safety. apply as Undead ship captains if you are using the Grave
Greedy merchants will often change their ship to have Masters supplement).
more cargo space. Determine treasure as usual for the monsters and NPCs
Merchant crews are composed by normal men sailors, involved with the encounter.
usually unarmored and armed with a dagger or
shortsword. Demi-Human Parties
Mercenary escort ships are often employed by space It is assumed above that NPC parties will be Human, or
traders as are parties of adventurers boarded as predominantly so; but the Game Master may choose to
mercenary guards (see creating NPC parties in the present parties of Elves, Dwarves, or any other space
BFRPG rulebook). traveling race.
A merchant ship carries trade goods for a total percentage Elven parties will usually be armored in padded, leather
of its maximum cargo value equal to 4d20+20, and/or up or ring mail armor and will employ bows as ranged
to 1d8 passengers. weapons, all elven ships board druids to activate the Tree
In addition such a party will also have a type A treasure, ship. No firearms are usually found on elven ships. Elven
with magic items omitted; it may be in one chest, or pirates may differ from this.
spread out among the ships. Dwarves instead make ample use of firearms and all the
crewmembers will wear at least Ring mail, with officers
Buccaneers and Pirates sporting chain or even plate mail. Dwarven spellcasters
The difference between buccaneers and pirates is largely will be either Clerics or Spellcrafters.
a question of what they wish to be called; whatever you Halfling military ships are practically non-existent,
call them, they attack other ships or raid isolated colonies merchant ships will usually be equipped like human ships.
for plunder and prisoners to either sell as slave or ransom. Halfling spellcasters can only be Druids or Clerics.
A buccaneer crew will consist of 1st level Fighters, led by
MAGICAL RESEARCH ADDITIONS
a Fighter of 3rd to 6th level (1d4+2) and 1d3 Fighters of
2nd to 5th level.
There is a 1 in 6 chance that one of the officers is instead Recharging items
a spellcaster of the type appropriate to the pirates' race.
All will be experienced at handling voidspanning ships, of No rules are given for recharging magic items in the
course. BFRPG rules, here is an optional rule.
They will be unarmored or armored only in leather, and Spellcasters can recharge magic items like wands and
will be armed with swords and bows, crossbows and staffs, this requires an appropriate working space like a
some rare firearms. laboratory for a magic user or spellcrafter, a temple for a
Generate magic items for leaders only as described in the cleric or sacred grove for a Druid.
BFRPG rulebook. No item may be recharged beyond its maximum charge
A shipload of pirates or buccaneers will have a type A (20 for wands and 30 for staffs for example)
treasure, with magic items omitted (since magic items will The spellcaster must be of at least 9th level.

27
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

Restoring a charge takes two days of work and an Voidspanners usually sail the seas.
expenditure of 100gp. The base cost of such a voidspanner is equal to the cost
The spellcaster makes a magical research roll with a of a ship of the same type, specialized shipwrights must
penalty based on the actual charge level of the item: work on the hull. The process takes about one month for
smaller ships, two months for larger ones.
Charge Level Chance If a character wants to buy an amphibian Voidspanner
0 +5% capable of sailing both sea and void, the base cost of the
ship is increased by 20%.
1 +0%
2-3 - 5% Creating a Voidspaning engine or ethersails requires a 9 th
4-7 - 10% level magic user or 7th level Spellcrafter a laboratory to
8-20 - 20% work in.
The process is similar to that of creating a 4 th level
21-30 - 30% permanent magic item: 10,000 gp, 75 days of work and
31+ -40% success in a Magic research roll at -60%.
Special components for ethersails include a spider spun
If the roll is failed, the money is spent, the time wasted web exposed to starlight in the depths of the Ether.
and the item is not recharged. Special components for Voidspanning engines include
stargems mined from a comet, falling star or asteroid.
Making golems
Ethersails can be activated simply by manning them like
No specific rules are given for creating golems or
normal sails are used.
constructs in the BFRPG rules, given the presence of
spellcrafters and the prominence of "magical technology"
Voidpsanning engines must be activated by inserting the
in Voidspanners, we offer some clarifications on Magical
activation wand in the helm, turning it on. One activation
research rules that allows for creating golems.
wand is created while creating the engine. Wands are tied
Golems are treated like Permanent Magic Items.
to the engine they are created for and will not work on
Golems may only be created by 9th level Magic users,
different engines.
Clerics (Druids, Illusionists can not create golems of any
kind, Necromancers can create Bone and Flesh golems),
Duplicating an activation wand is like creating a 1 st level
and Spellcrafters of 7th level or higher.
permanent item: it takes 35 days, 2,500 gp and a magic
Golem creation is a hard, costly and difficult process: add
Research check at -45%.
together the number of Hit Dice and asterisks of the
Golem type to be created.
Tree-ships can only be created by Druids of 9 th level or
This is used as the Golem's spell level.
higher working in a sacred grove.
The cost of animating a golem is 2500 gp per spell level;
Pre-existing hulls can not be turned in Tree-ships, as these
time required is five weeks plus ten days per level.
spellvessels must be completely grown form Tree-of-Life
The chance of success is reduced (40+(5 per spell level))
or Treant bark, shaped and treated with special spells
%.
throughout its growing process.
An Amber golem would be considered an 11th level
Treat the creation of Tree-ships as the creation of a 9 th
spell costing 27500gp and inflicting a -95% penalty to
level permanent magic item: a magic research roll is
the research roll.
required at -85%, 115 days of work and 22,500gp.
Trying to build such a golem would take 145 days of
Time and money requirements are multiplied by the type
work.
of ship the Druid is trying to grow:
Making Voidspanners Ship Type Time to grow
Galley,Large x2
Voidspanners can be categorized on the base of their
powering system: ethersails, tree-ships and voidspanning Galley,Small x1.5
engines. Carrack x1.25
Caravel x1
Ethersail or engine driven voidspanners are not inherently
Riverboat x0.75
magical, but fly due to a magical propulsion system.
Please take note that simply strapping one of these on a Sailboat x0.5
regular ship does not turn it in a Voidspanner nor can

28
VOIDSPANNERS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

29
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT VOIDSPANNERS

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30