Hazards
Hazards come in two basic types: environmental hazards, such as asteroid fields, and other events, such as a fire aboard the TEV or a plague outbreak. Hazards that can last for days and demand a crew’s attention.
Each day a TEV spends involved in a hazard requires the officers to each make a special ability check, as shown on the Hazard Checks table. This check takes the place of any other activities that the officer might undertake and represents the officer’s contribution to keeping the TEV afloat.
| Hazard | Checks |
|---|
| Pilot |
Dexterity(space vehicles) |
| Captain |
Charisma (Intimidation) |
| Engineer |
Strength (carpenter's/smith's tools) |
| Navigator |
Wisdom (Nature) |
| Medic |
Intelligence (Medicine) |
| Cook |
Constitution (cook's/brewer's utensils) |
If there is no one available to make a check, treat the result as a 0.
Finally, roll a d20 for the crew, using its quality score as a modifier to the roll. Add up all of these checks and then refer to the Hazard Check Results table. That table shows if the TEV has met with disaster or success in surviving that day of the hazard.
Hazard Check Results
| Check Total | Result |
|---|
| 140+ |
Great Success. The crew’s quality score increases by 1 for 1d4 days. |
| 105-139 |
Success. The TEV survives unscathed. |
| 70-104 |
Partial Disaster. Each component takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage. The crew’s quality score is reduced by 1. The TEV struggles, moving at half speed that day. |
| 0-69 |
Disaster. The TEV’s components each take 10d10 bludgeoning damage. The crew’s quality score drops by 2, as several members of the crew are washed overboard and lost. The TEV is blown off course and struggles to recover its bearings, failing to cover any distance that day. |
If you want to add variety to hazards, consider including some interesting complications. You can also add or subtract to the success thresholds in the Hazard Check Results table to reflect a hazard’s danger. If you decide to do so, increase or decrease a threshold by 35.
Other Events
In addition to rough seas and daunting weather, a TEV might face a number of other threats.
The hazards below serve as examples of what can go wrong on a TEV. Each one requires a different officer to spend a day dealing with the hazard instead of engaging in other activity. As a rule of thumb, there is a 10 percent chance each day that one of the following events occurs.
Emergency Maneuvers. The crew must react quickly to avoid a sudden threat. The
Pilot must make a DC 15 Dexterity (space vehicles) check. On a failed check, the TEV’s hull takes 8d10 bludgeoning damage from the collision. On a successful check, the captain’s quick direction keeps the TEV out of harm.
Conflict. Life aboard a TEV is a mixture of monotony, hard work, and sudden moments of terror. The stress can wear on the stoutest sailor.
Sometimes, that stress turns into conflict among the crew. If dissension spreads in the ranks, the
Captain’s activity that day must be spent making a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check to control the crew. On a failed check, the crew’s quality score decreases by 1d4.
Unexpected Obstacle. The plotted course runs the TEV into an astral storm, asteroid field, or course of a meteor. The
Navigator must succeed a DC 15 Wisdom (navigator's tools) check to find a way to avoid the obstacle. On a failed check, the TEV's Arcane Engine is put under unneccesary stress, and takes twice the time to charge on it's next use.
Fire. A fire can render a TEV unable to function. Pick a random component. It takes 4d10 fire damage unless the
Engineer succeeds on a DC 15 Strength (carpenter’s/smith's tools) check.
Plague. An illness sweeps through the ranks, perhaps caused by rats or insects that made their way aboard. The
Medic must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a failed check, the crew’s quality score decreases by 5 for 1d6 days.
Infestation. Beetles, rats, or other pests infest the TEV, threatening its food stores. The
Cook must make a DC 15 Constitution (brewer’s/cook's supplies) check to save what food they can. On a failed check, the crew has disadvantage on any checks involving its quality score until the TEV has a chance to restock supplies.
