Star League Flight Ring

Symbols have power. Some can give hope.

— Archon Fel Kur’Talak, leader of the Star League

The flight ring. This small piece of advanced technology is the most iconographic symbol of the legendary Star League organization. For generations, members of the Star League wore these rings as defenders of peace and justice across the region of space governed by the Thanagarian League.

Then came the Kryptonian Union. Their armada struck, and not even the Legionnaires of the Star League could stem the tide of destruction. In the end, the Star League was destroyed and the people they protected scattered to the solar winds. Their amazing technology? Lost.

Or so the story goes.

But a single flight ring survived with the last member of the Star League, Fel Kur’Talak. Now thawed from his long cryosleep, Fel uses his ring as a blueprint. With it, he forges new rings in a goal to revive the Star League and what it stood for.

A Marvel of Technology

These devices are one of the greatest marvels of Thanagarian innovation. A delicate balance of materials and technology that was refined 400 generations ago, each ring is a multi-function device created specifically for the Star League. The rings used today faithfully duplicate the historical invention.

These rings were designed with specific purposes in mind.

A person wearing one of these rings could fly at incredible speeds.

Telepathically speak to other Star League members.

Generate defensive force screens to give the wearer some protection against physical and energy attacks.

But despite those amazing abilities, Flight Rings have limits. They are powered by a quantum-based battery based on the Quantum Chroniton Vibration Wave Effect theory. This type of battery keeps a charge for months if the rings powers are used sparingly. Under heavy use, the charge will only last 5 standard Earth days.

However, if a ring loses its charge, the battery does not need to be replaced; it is rechargeable. The Nth-Q Battery will replenish its power if exposed to a strong ambient energy source. Intense light or electricity for sixteen minutes will restore a flight ring to full power.

Uniform But Unique

It’s only Thanagarian tech. How hard can it be to duplicate?

— General Zod-em, conquest-driven commander of the Kryptonian Military Caste

A Flight Ring looks like a plain brass-gold ring engraved with the insignia of the Star League. The size will differ based on the wearer, but to an outsider, these rings look identical. This is intentional to help obscure the inner workings and prevent counterfeit rings.

Each Flight Ring contains a unique ‘chain code’ that ties the ring to the wearer. This chain code is the circuit that connects ring to a wearer’s unique bioelectric signature. It also contains a record of each wearer and how they used the ring. This helps the ring ‘learn’ and evolve its code to better respond to its user’s telepathic commands. A chain code is also the proof against fake rings, since the code changes and adapts over time but keeps its unique Star League signature.

Editor’s Note!

But wait, True Believers!

This is the true secret of the rings! It isn’t the code that’s used to check for counterfeits. The particular algorithm used for the chain code’s evolution is the real ‘encryption’.

’Nuff said!

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Mechanics & Inner Workings

Game Mechanics

FLIGHT RING*

(Cost: 120 Hero Points; *Cannot be taken away in combat)

Body: 5, AV/EV: 7 R# 0

Powers

Flight: 6 APs

Force Field: 6 APs

Telepathy: 9 APs

Power Bonus and Limitations

Wearability

The ring can only be used by the assigned Star League member. Its powers can only be used if the ring is worn on a character's finger (or manipulator digit if a non-humanoid being). Any other attempt to 'wear' the ring (aka swallowing, etc) will automatically fail.

Flight

Power Limitation: The person wearing the ring must be conscious to activate the ring's Flight. If the user is unconscious while in flight, the ring itself will activate the Flight power at 0 AP (effectively hovering speed) to prevent the user's death from falling. But the user has no control over the power at that time.

Power Bonus: The Flight APs also acts as a "Strength" rating for the user to carry someone else.

Power Limitation: Normally a power can be 'Pushed' to double its AP value. In this case, Flight can only be 'Pushed' to 8 AP, not 12. To activate this, the user has to pay 6 Hero Points to activate this 'emergency flight speed'. If they do not fail the roll, the ring's Flight rating returns to normal after 1 turn. If they fail, the ring's Flight rating drops to 0 AP (hovering speed) until the ring can be recharged.

Story Subplot/Special Effect: Flight is due to the Nth metal of the ring being energized by the ring's power source.

Force Field

Power Limitation: Field Protects User Only: the Force Field is centered on the ring and whomever is wearing the ring. It can't be transferred to another target.

The field is for defense only, it does allow powers to work through it and won't interfere with power use.

Story Subplot/Special Effect: It has a visible effect of surrounding the wearer with a faint, blue-white energy field. This field is not a 'bubble' but conforms to the wearer's body, including their clothes.

Telepathy

This allows the wearer to communicate with other Star League ring bearers in a 1/2 mile range. It does not allow mind-reading like any other use of the Telepathy power, but would allow mind to mind combat at 4 APs with another ring bearer.

Power Limitation: This only allows telepathy between people wearing a flight ring.

Story Subplot/Special Effects:

If the wearer is in danger and needs help, they can twist the emblem on the ring. This emits a telepathic emergency distress beacon that is a homing signal, current vital signs, and current environment around the wearer in danger.

If the wearer falls unconscious, the ring will sense this and activate the beacon on its own.

Users can create a 'mind meld' or 'communication network' between each other for communication purposes. But this is only for communication, one wearer cannot use this to activate powers of another wearer's ring.

Limited Charge: Loss Vulnerability, Power

A Flight Ring contains a limited amount of power. Each ring contains 17 APs of charge (equivalent to 5 days of time in APs). Under heavy use, it will exhaust that power in 5 standard Earth days. "Heavy Use" is when a user rolls to activate a power, and fails to do so, then 1 AP of charge is expended.

Once this charge is expended, the Flight Ring's powers drop to 0, excluding the use of:

Emergency Telepathic Beacon

Flight 0 AP / Hovering

As the above are for the safety of the ring user. Once the charge has been expended, the ring must be recharged. This restores 1 AP to all of the ring's powers every 8 seconds (2 combat phases/1 AP of time).

Miscellaneous Limitation: Internal Security System

Each ring has an internal processing system, represented by the AV/EV score. This is not an artificial intelligence and cannot be directly used by the player but is an advanced computing system. It monitors the wearer's environment, their vitals, and confirms if the user is allowed to access the ring's powers.

To perform the check, the Game Master rolls this check using the ring's AV/EV against the potential wearer's INT/WILL score (it cannot be boosted/altered by Hero Point expenditure). A successful check means the ring has identified if the wearer is allowed to access the powers or not.

Note this does not prevent a wearer from asking the ring for advice, and so on. But, it's the ring's choice as to whether it can or will help.

Gadget Creation Notes!

Some notes on the items above with regards to Gadget creation!

Requires 'Genius' advantage to create

Flight: Power Limitation: Wearer must be conscious to use and Flight: Flight APs also acts as a "Strength" cancel each other out for Gadgetry creation, so a net 0 Factor Cost adjustment.

Flight: Power Limitation: Can 'Push' power to 8 AP, not 12 is a - 2 Factor Cost adjustment.

Force Field: Power Limitation: Field Protects User Only is a -2 Factor Cost adjustment.

Telepathy: Power Limitation: Only between ring users is a -1 Factor Cost adjustment.

Miscellaneous Limitation: Internal Security System is a 0 point advantage/drawback as it is a Special Effect for story purposes only and under Game Master control during play.

Miscellaneous Limitation: AV/EV rating is a -1 Factor Cost Adjustment to the Action Value and Effect Value to represent the internal processor of the ring.

Limited Charge: Loss Vulnerability (all powers) is a very modified version of Loss Vulnerability Drawback (all powers) at 0 AP range, per the standard Loss Vulnerability drawback taken at -1/2 what it would normally would be against Gadget final cost.

This little item is directly inspired by the Legion of Super Heroes from DC Comics, and the Lensman novels by E.E. "Doc" Smith ( which the LSH also takes its own inspiration from ). The "Star League" is of course a nod to the movie "The Last Starfighter", Hanna Barbara's "Teen Force" from their Space Stars, and more as said here under "Star League"!

Star League Flight Ring by CB Ash

Alternate Names

League Ring, Flight Ring

Item type

Miscellaneous

Manufacturer

Star League

Related Technologies

• Quantum Chroniton Vibration Wave Effect

Owning Organization

Star League

Rarity

These rings are rare as they are a lost technology. Only the fabrication systems aboard the Enduupar still have the means to make new ones. It is possible fabrication printers could still be found in the ruins on the planet Thanagar, but that has yet to be proven.

Dimensions

Varies by ring bearer's finger/manipulator digit

Base Price

Not for Sale

Raw materials & Components

The primary material used in the rings is the Thanagarian Nth metal alloy. This same metal is a key component of most Thanagarian technology for its durability and gravity negation properties.

Other components are Thanagarian Tri-comm circuits, an Nth-Q Battery, and a hard light generator.

Significance

The flight ring serves as 'uniform' and 'symbol' for the Star League, as well as a means of transportation and communication for members. These rings were used during the height of the ancient Thanagarian League before it was crushed by the might of the Kryptonian Union.

Quest For the Rings

The original Star League fell over a hundred generations ago, but their legend lived on. So did the interest in their miraculous technology.

Treasure hunters from Qward to Krypton, and even Matumaini, look for lost Star League records. Many hope to find one of the lost rings, but only a rare few ever find one. So far, none of the handful recovered still work.

Editor' Note!

Don't be so sure, True Believers!

Legend has it that there is a safeguard coded into the rings. One that allows the ring to determine if the person holding it is 'worthy'. If not worthy? Well, then the ring would stay dormant and only look useless!

So the story goes anyway!

'Nuff said!