Starsworn - Mechanics

Starsworn is based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition mechanics. However, many things are different or new within Starsworn. For example, almost all NPC's, the background, and many of the elements PC's will be able to make use of are all different. While these differences may not ultimately result in mechanical changes or additions, they are worth noting in the mechanics section regardless in case they do.

Magic and Psionics

Magic is an interpretation of psionics. It is a different way of manipulating the same energy. Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, and psionic-related abilities can all interact with each other to an extent. What matters most is the disciplines involved.

Mentalists vs Mages

A wizard or a mage typically uses energy that has been stored or prepared. A mentalist, or a psionicist, uses active energy conjured and prepared on the spot.

Until I go through the spells and make major changes to classes, or if I do, I'll handle these interactions on a case by case basis as they appear.

Concepts, Concept Elements

The world of Apex is home to two kinds of elements. Genuine Elements, like Iron, Copper, Tin, and Midnight, and Concept Elements, such as Fire, Ice, and Water. Through this distinction we expose one of the most important parts of Apex's inner workings - Concepts.

Concept Elements are psionically vindicated, meaning "fire damage" can be encompassing and drawn from a wide variety of potential sources, including sources that are not actually fire. This terminology is used elsewhere to similar effect.

Concepts and the concept of concepts are employed liberally in Apex. For example, Mistborn are Concept Life, or life given actuation through a means that wasn't entirely alive in itself. For most reasonings this distinction is not enough to result in mechanical abstraction, but pay attention to the definitions nonetheless - some creatures and abilities will behave differently depending if the subject matter they deal with are genuine or concept.

Cosmic Actions

Cosmic Actions are creature-only special actions. Typically, a Cosmic Action can only be taken once per round no matter how many actions that creature may have access to normally. Also, a Cosmic Action cannot be used as a Legendary Action. Some special abilities may allow further access to Cosmic Actions in a round, and some Cosmic Actions can be taken as a reaction under specific circumstances.

If the creature performs a Critical Hit in a turn, it gains access to a bonus Cosmic Action for that round.

I will be dealing with Cosmic Actions on a case-by-case basis, but the distinction is mostly to separate super-powerful signature abilities from standard abilities. For example, an Archer may have special actions to manipulate his arrows, and a Cosmic Action that provokes all of those actions at once, but he can only use the Cosmic Action once during his two turns from Haste.

Make note that the rules for Cosmic Actions are not entirely set in stone, and may change over time.

Creature Types

These are the modified/new Creature Types for Starsworn.

Aberrations are utterly alien beings. In D&D they are commonly associated with psychic entities, but in Starsworn they are typically associated with True Elemental Creatures, special constructs such as Blood and Greenborn, and special types of Demons. Mistborn fall under this category because most Mistborn do not share attributes after they malleate, as their attributes are very largely determined by whatever conjured them. The only attributes they share are the innate attributes of being manifested of the Veil, but the Veil leaves very few genetic markers, and ones extremely few would be able to find much less identify.
Beasts are naturally-occurring fauna, usually. Not much different than D&D here.
True Elementals are demonkin/dragonkin Primals and Originals. Kitsune fall under this category, as do special characters like Jazera.
Constructs remain similar to D&D but the distinction here is genuinely living machines. Necropolis and some Iron Devils fall under this category, as do many things from the Dream Era. Gundams, ships, and other things constitute as machines or structures.
Dragonkin are elemental entities associated with a known Dragon's blood, such as Black or Red. This does not encompass their Primals or Originals, or exclusive entities, which are like to constitute as Aberrations. Incidentally, some creatures that appear like Dragons but are structurally distinct, like Greenborn and Nightborn, are not true Dragonkin (both of these factions do however possess true dragons). Such distinctions have to be investigated to be defined by an involved party.
Demonkin are elemental entities similar to Dragonkin but structurally distinct. Which is to say certain key elements of their genetics define Dragons from Demons. All demons, regardless of origination, share these distinct markers, even if genetically they are otherwise incomparable, such as Fireborn from Iceborn.
Greyfallen are specifically creatures under the influence of the Grey. When a creature is absorbed by Sethis its type becomes Greyfallen.
Nightfallen are special demonkin with utterly alien genetic markers.
Bloodfallen are creatures fabricated by the Starlight Driver and its spawn. Their science, though superficially simple, evaded the Cosmic Era's finest.
Plants are basically the same as D&D. Many Greenborn constitute as Plants despite being shaped like aught else.
Undead are superficially similar to D&D but tend to be also associated with other types, especially Construct. They are far more rare of a thing in the world of Apex, because most Undead are...
Echoes. Psionic imprints resembling living creatures but entirely unliving. Most commonly associated with the Fracture, Echoes are comprised of memories, usually associated with their last moments, and relive those last moments over and over until they lose potency and disperse. It is usually impossible to interact with an Echo through physical means.
Phantoms are similar to Echoes, but are sentient, and physically manifest. Unlike many similar constructs, Phantoms are not immune to the effects of mind control and other charm spells, because they are psionic imprints with sentience but without substance. They still do not constitute as true living creatures, and tend to have the ability to shift between realspace and subspace like demons do - though it may not be voluntary.
Ghosts are the remains of living creatures whose psionic essence retains potency after their physical body as been destroyed. They are more like elementals than Undead, and share more similarities with demons than they do Phantoms or Echoes, even though they are superficially similar to the latter.
Humanoids remain the same as their D&D counterpart. Most demons constitute as humanoids.

Skill Checks as Ability Saves

Starsworn features a vast quantity of custom abilities for both NPC's and PC's alike. As opposed to developing entirely new systems that granulate their effects, I am opting to defer to Skill checks where it makes sense. For example, an ability that analyzes your physical attributes and attempts to read your stance to exploit you and add Advantage to an attack against you doesn't make sense to roll against any of the existing Ability saves. In such an example, you may be asked to roll Deception, Performance, or Stealth - a granulation of how well you hide your technique from observant eyes. In often cases you are rolling against a DC, but you may also make a contested roll, depending on what the ability being used you asks for.

In such cases, any currently active abilities or effects you have that effect those Skill Checks apply to these special saves. However, unless such an effect can be used as a Reaction, you can't manipulate your skills prior to rolling your response to such a check.

For special abilities that may be used as a response to a traditional Ability Save, you may use them on the respective Skill save.

Languages

These are the languages available for Starsworn, and which eras they belong to.

Cosmic Era

Tretes Common - While very similar to Common seen in Dream and Modern, some words hold special meaning, and naming tends to be more fluid.

Tretes Noblesse - A flowery language similar to Common but loaded with anime wording and prose that can make it impossible for the uninitiated to follow. It rose in conjunction with the Pact of the Honor Blade as many foreign empires saw wordcraft as an expression of sophistication.

Vyoken - Middle age language deprecated during the age of the stars when its founders died out. Still sometimes used by foreign factions and Beastkin as a form of flattery, or mockery, depending who you ask.

Moduluu - The tongue of Mooru Beastkin. Unknown to all but the most scholarly foreigners.

Xafelesse - The tongue of the Xahili. Foreign craftsmen or merchants may pick this up, as Xahili tended to be less likely to kill you on sight than many Mooru.

Iron Code - The encrypted machine language the Iron Emperor used to transmit potentially unsecured information between drone networks. The encryption changed often, making the language difficult to keep up with for spies. The Iron Emperor shared its most recent incarnation with Baku during the final hours of their lives, making it possible for genetic chain descendants of Baku or his command staff to be passingly familiar with it. This code is notoriously ineffecient for computers to process, as it is loaded with superfluous and meaningless words, letters, and passages, that only render themselves meaningless once the body is translated.

Dream Era

All languages from the Cosmic Era existed in the Dream Era, in addition to >

Nipponesse - Anime. Its use was mostly limited to the realm of Osaka during the early ages. When Osaka was obliterated by Captain Planet the language died with it. At least, until the events of CPGA...

Bloodspeak - A language used to describe the psionic interpretations of Jjantarukk. It is a language of expression and not words, often used alongside words of another tongue. Its study was the lifework of some demonkin who tried to "read the stars" to discover aught of the Outlands.

Modern Era

In the Modern Era, Adam's Realm contains all of the languages traditionally spoken in Real Life Earth, at least in historic texts. Current languages in use throughout the entire realm include >

Algestes Common - The language of the Starborn, hailing from their forebearers in Algaste. It is spoken with exuberance in many cases, like winding poems, to enounciate certain passages. In many ways it is similar to Japanese, its scripture hieroglyphic and flowery.

Old Era Common - The name for the language of the Prime Realm Humans that predated the Starborn subjugation. The language vanished with the sentience of its masters, and today very few individuals, mostly demonkin and Starborn scholars, are even passingly familiar with it. It is not unlike Swedish in Adam's Realm.

Meru Common - A language known to all Demonkin. It is similarly flowery to Algestes but is spoken in brief passages.

Byokenspeak - An encrypted language developed between certain Primal demonkin to hide their information from Earthborn crusaders and Starborn alike. Its passages are short and guttural, intended to be obnoxiously difficult to identify without having seen an individual's facial expressions when they are uttered.

Maye - The language of Elemental Scripture. Developed for Addavok's reseach by Adam, most of its secrets died with him, but scattered texts regarding his research lead to a few individuals attempting to decode it.

Mayessey - Although superficially similar to Adam's scripture, like the names suggest, this ancient dialect originates from Algaste and its secrets are privy to only the fewest individuals, including Odin. Some Starborn believe it was Vazael who designed the language, which may have been why Adam's own script is similar in some respects. Mayessey is written in a circular motion, with each paragraph effectivelly resembling a disc-like spiral of hieroglyphs. The outtermost ring contains the most relevant words and the innermost contains enounciations.