This file is a hacked version of part of the space fantasy campaign I began designing after Spelljamming hit the FRPG universe. While I liked the spelljamming idea, the execution of that idea left something to be desired. I freely admit I stole ideas left and right from a variety of sources, including books, other game systems, other people's games, etc.
First, the Universe was created. Any way it happened, the creation of Everything That Exists caused a disturbance in the space-time continuum we call home. Vibrations created by the Big Bang reverberate throughout the universe, unceasingly. Most of these vibrations form a standing wave, a steady state that permeates all. Magical spaceflight is possible if a ship can attune itself to this standing wave, and somehow merge with the wave. This merging allows the ship to travel at velocities exceeding the speed of light. Theoretically, any ship capable of totally merging with the standing wave would be able to travel the length and breadth of the universe instantaneously. Since this is beyond the ability of any known ship, space travel takes time.
This vibration is the basis of magic. A magician, when casting a spell, alters the vibration in an area to conform to a certain pattern.
The one thing about spaceflight that shouldn't surprise people is that it requires a lot of magic. More magic than can be controlled by one mage even with the help of magic items. Simple yet powerful magic, runestones can take the place entirely of the multiple magic items otherwise needed for spaceflight. These runestones are self-powered, lacking only control. Runestones of this sort range in size from 1"-10", depending on the size of the ship, and the specific spells on them.
Each ship has a control room (bridge, cockpit, etc) where the rune stones are kept. Specific arrangement of the pilots chair (which normally houses the runestones) and control instruments differs according to race, culture, religion, etc.
Rich ships will carry an extra set of runestones (the favorite fare of pirates) for emergencies. Since the vibrations of these runestones interact unfavorably with the primary runestones, spares are stored in special boxes enchanted to temporarily nullify their vibrations. A side effect of this enchantment is that these boxes are difficult to detect with magic, making them easier to hide.
Rich shipmasters with extra runestones can also customize the conditions on their ships. For instance, a gravity runestone in the hold set for less than half gravity makes moving large crates a lot simpler. Large ships might have room for exercise or weapons practice. Imagine setting a gravity runestone there for more than one gravity. There's nothing like doing push-ups in 1.5 gravities to build muscles!
Any mage using a runestone must first sink himself into a meditative trance before opening his mind up to the awesome power of the runestone. Once he has gained control of the stone, he make relax his concentration somewhat, and is able to interact with those around him. While this act doesn't require the mage to actually cast any spells himself, the powerful vibrations from the runestone will disrupt his own personal vibration for several hours at least, thus preventing him from spellcasting during that time. All but the most powerful of mages need to stay in physical contact with the runestones for them to control them. And until some form of autopilot is devised, the mage must stay in contact, controlling the runestones, for as long as the ship is flying. Of course, other mages can take turns flying the ship. The gravity and air runestones work without direction, it is only the flight runestones that need conscious control.
When runestones are first activated onboard a ship (including spares), they must spend a period of time becoming attuned to the ship. This period varies according to the size and complexity of the ship, at least one whole day for a small sailing ship.
The basic flight spell is capable, by itself, of supporting one human-sized individual and a reasonable amount of extra weight. Something the size of a ship needs some many flight spells, that no mage could control them. Thus, the runestones. The normal flight runestone works in and out of gravity wells, allows the ship to hover, and can attain speeds of up to 20 mph. More powerful runestones are faster, with a top speed of overe 100 mph. Of couse, ship flying faster than that will take damage from air turbulence if in an atmosphere.
Interestingly enough, the flight runestones are limited to these speeds only while in planetary gravity wells. Once away from planets, flight runestones can achieve speeds of (4-200) millions of miles per hour! Unfortunately, the distances between stars makes even this speed too slow. What was needed was a faster flight spell, or some way of shortening the distances.
Teleportation spells were adapted for runestone use, but don't work precisely as expected. While they don't work at all in a solar gravity well (effectively the entire solar system), they do work somewhat in deep space. Once past the disturbances in the universal vibration caused by the solar system, the teleportation runestones transport the ship into some other "plane". The runestone can also transfer the ship out of this plane, but provides no other motive power. Instead, the original flight runestone is able to fly the ship in that other plane. Incredibly, flying only a few miles in the other plane equals several million miles back on our plane!
Air runestones are weaker than flight runestones simply because air spells were never used as much as flight spells. Therefore, research and development on air spells lags quite a bit behind flight. Air runestones constantly recycle and cleanse the air onboard a ship, but need periodic refreshening with fresh air. Otherwise, the recycled air will become de-oxygenated and stale. For the present, air runestones are restricted to filtering air, since what air they do produce is miniscule compared to the demand.
Air runestones have been modified to heat the air they recycle. Since this is a slow process, ships leaving a planet must does so slowly, so that the air runestone has time to heat the cold air coming in. This is mandatory, to combat the cold of space.
Air runestones have further been modified with a combination of force field and air spells that "hardens" just outside the ship. Unfortunately, force field spells are too energy-intensive to be expanded to ship size. The best the "hardened air" can do is screen out dust and small, light objects. This shield also holds in the ship's air, prolonging the time it can stay in space.
Actual gravity runestones proved to be impossible due to technical difficulties with gravity focus, mass displacement, and other oddities.
Creative hacking of telekinesis spells provided an agreeable substitution, however. "Gravity" runestones provide an up/down orientation, pull "down" with the same force real gravity does, and avoids the problems that gravity has with mass and physical objects.
Unless the mage/pilot sits on the top deck, he can't see where he is flying. At high speed, this is suicidal. For combat purposes, the pilot never works on the top deck. Crystal ball enchantments were modified to work on runestones, and modified to change their capabilities. Sensor runestones allow the pilot to see the surface of the ship, and to sense physical objects within a certain distance of the ship. Range depends on the power of the runestone.
Normal fantasy space is cold and airless, and full of dust. Fortunately, the air shield protects against all these problems. Space is also full of unseen and unfelt vibrations, the source of magic, and the offspring of the Big Bang. Physical objects, like planets and suns, make disturbances in this vibration. These disturbances, to a certain degree, interfere with spaceflight. Solar disturbances prevent the functioning of the teleportation runestones while planetary turbulence precludes the high speeds of the flight runestones.
Strangely enough, these vibrations are not even across space. Instead, there are definite areas where they are stronger, and where the flight and teleportation runestones work best. Within these areas, these "currents" of space, spaceflight is made easier and quicker. Consider these the tides or jetstreams of space. These currents are event manifested in the other plane.
The "other plane" that the teleportation runestones bring the ship to is a strange place. While it has no gravity of its own, it does support human life, having breathable (cold) air. Ships low on air can replenish here, but will need to warm the air as it is as cold as winter air.
Wave Space is featureless to the casual observer. To anyone using the sensor runestone, this space is filled with the ghosts of the real universe. All physical objects in the real universe of significant size are represented. For all practical purposes, this applies only to astronomical bodies of sufficient size and density; planets, stars, big asteroids, gas nebulas, etc.
Wildspace is not another or parallel dimension. Ships in wildspace are still part of the normal, or real, universe. These ships are partially merged with the standing wave that fills the universe.
The disturbances in the universal vibration caused by solar systems extends out past the farthest planet of that system, out past the Oort Cloud and Comet Shell. At some point past these, the disturbances turn upon themselves, creating an unseen shell around the entire solar system. This shell can actually be felt by spaceships as an invisible speed-bump, a turbulence that shakes the ship when crossing through the shell. Most ships go through a "crossing-over" ritual where everything on the ship is tied down and inspected before crossing over. It is usual for ships to hang in space, at rest, while doing this.
In my campaign, the Ancients were a pre-cursor humanoid race who had first discovered the power of the runestones. Their magic system is related to, but different from, any other magic system devised since their time. The Ancients are gone now, no one knows where. Many people assume the Ancients to be gods, for it is certain that they are responsible for many incredible feats.
The Devahayn System is an artificial solar system claimed by the Dwarves. The four Devahyan planets, all heavy gravity worlds, are filthy rich with metallic ores and gemstones. They are also all in the same orbital track, positioned at the four points of a diamond, with the sun at the center.
There are rumors of a giant bird-like ship occasionally glimpsed in Wave Space. No one has ever succeeded on contacting this ship, but stories say that it contains an entire city's worth of people, and a multitude of magic items created by the Ancients.
There are a huge variety of plants and animals throughout Known Space that sages are convinced are artificial in origin. The giant skytrees which the Kalendii elves use as orbital stations are miles in length, and feed off the ice comets and small asteroids the elves place in their roots. Nothing like them has ever been found on or near any other planet. Neither can analogues be found for the various species of animals that can survive in the cold vacuum of space in certain solar systems.
It is certain that the Ancients must have had something to do with the development of the human race and all its cousins (elves, dwarves, orcs, etc). Humanity is found throughout the universe, and for the most part is identical in all important ways. It has been proven that even seemingly identical worlds have their differnt flora and fauna, but humanity is the same wherever it is found. Humans on hundreds of worlds have the same physical features, psychology, and many of the same customs. Yet, until they achieved spaceflight, none of these worlds had any contact with the others.
Additionally, all of the non-human "alien" races are humanoids that are very similar to humans, often able to eat the same food and breathe the same air. While sages are certain that the cat-people of Trosti and the lizard-people of Yes'mii evolved on their respective worlds, they are both roughly the same size as humans, and can live comfortably on human worlds.
The major races of space are those that dominate at least 3 worlds, and possess a high enough technolgy to independently build spaceships. Minor races dominate at least one world (usually their homeworld), and can build spaceships with only a few imports. Petty races either do not dominate any worlds, or do not possess the technology to build spaceships even with help.
RACE STATUS NOTES Human Major 50+ planets Elf Major 6 planets Dwarf Major 4 planets Felinoids Minor 2 planets Goblinoids Minor 1 planet Lizardmen Minor 1 planet, many asteroids Insectoids Minor 0 plants, but lots of asteroids Wolfoids Petty an emerging race
