Crossing the Galaxy

Fuel consumption for a journey between planets in a star system is negligible. Fuel is used only for acceleration and deceleration whereas no fuel is consumed while drifting at velocity through a frictionaless vacuum. Thus, fuel is primarily used to make the jump into the Current or the Strand, as shown in the Interstellar Fuel Requirements table below.

Interstellar Fuel Requirements

Waypoint stellar stations punch tunnels into the Strand for starships to travel through. Because Waypoints are the only way for many to travel large galactic distances (across hundreds of star systems), they are extremely valuable. In wartime, they become popular blockade targets. In times of peace, they become thriving societies with hundreds of shops, restaurants, homes, and more.

Using a Waypoint

Waypoint stations all have an important feature called a Needle, a 500-foot long, 15-foot diameter structure that pierces into the Strand. Some stellar stations simply extend this spire outwards from the core, while others build elaborate habitable rings to enclose it. Once active, a Needle pulses with dim light and allows for travel into the Strand.

To cross into the demiplane, a pilot must fly the starship within 500 feet of the NEedle and take the Interstellar Leap starship action, spending an appropriate amount of fuel based on its ship class. The starship cannot move as it charges its engines over the course of 1 minute, after which it vanishes into the Strand in a burst of light. If the process is interrupted, the fuel is consumed, but the starship remains in the Material Plane.

From the Strand, the Needle appears as a ghostly beacon of light, and any starship preparing to jump into the Strand also takes on this ghostly visage. Objects gradually fall towards the Needle like a punctured vortex.

To return to the Material Plane, starships must simply fly within 200 feet of a destination Needle and wait for 1 minute, after which it exits the Strand.

Traveling through the Strand

The time required to travel through the Strand between Waypoint Needles constantly fluctuates. Crossing the distance from a Waypoint to the nearest Waypoint takes between a week to a month, and pilots are advised to make multiple Waypoint stops when crossing long distances.

While inside the Strand, pilots must take care to avoid debris of stranded ships, lost asteroids, or planar dangers. Crew members also avoid exiting the ship, as the intense distortion and radiation of the demiplane can be harmful. For every hour an unaccustomed creature spends in the Strand without proper protection, it must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or decrease its maximum hit points by 2d6.

Starships use the Current to travel between star systems that are close but not connected by a Waypoint.

To leap into the Current, a starship must have a Current Skimmer installed. This allows a pilot to take the Interstellar Leap station action. After a minute of charging up, the starship is assimilated into the Current and zips off. The engine must be powered on for the duration, and starships can still move normally. If the process is interrupted (e.g. a weapon disables the engines), the fuel is consumed and the process must be repeated again.

Traveling with the Current

While skimming the Current, a starship still exists in the Material Plane but is transformed into a barely visible beam of energy. A starship must take care to avoid colliding with large objects such as asteroids, stellar stations, or even planets. If the ship hits such an object, the ship takes 10d10 force damage and is shunted into the Material Plane. Before skimming the Current, crew members can carefully chart a safe path through the Current by succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom check using navigator's tools.

Starships travel through the Current at roughly 1 light year per hour. This speed is not exact but provides a useful estimate for GMs to determine travel times. The typical distance between star systems ranges from 10 to 40 light years, requiring 1 to 2 days to traverse.

More experimental methods of travel exist for crews willing to try them. Some of these methods are extremely powerful artifacts and may be the centerpiece of a cosmic campaign.

Cosmic Gate

This stellar station is cosmically linked to another cosmic gate in another part of the universe. While no longer active, this station can be a wonderful source of knowledge. No one knows where the other gate currently is, but scholars theorize it leads to an unexplored part of the galaxy.

Recursion Circle

The exact details for casting a recursion circle spell is unknown and may be discovered in an ancient archive. This experimental spell involves drawing a series of teleportation circles within another teleportation circle. If used properly, the teleportation distance is theoretically compounded, allowing the caster to target a circle far outside the influence of their planet's deities or arcane source.

When casting this spell, there is a 5% chance the caster instead arrives at an ancient recursion circle from a forgotten race.

No expedition is without setbacks or danger. The Cosmic Travel Encounters table suggests a few problems that may arise while journeying among the stars.