Editing Astral Sea Freebooters (section)

== Special Rules ==

=== Travel ===

The Astral Sea is obviously a little different than the one described in the Manual of the Planes.  The main difference is that it is very much more spread out (the planes are months of travel apart from one another) and the high quantity of "World" planes.

As such, magical travel is going to work differently in this game.  

The Linked Portal and True Portal rituals only work to travel between points on the same World Plane or Domain Plane.  They do not function in the Astral Sea beyond a range of 100 miles.  

The Planar Portal ritual will only reach up to 100 miles into the Astral Sea from the edge of the color veil from the World Plane, Astral Domain, or Elemental Chaos.  The Planar Portal spell will not reach between World Planes or Astral Domains.  Furthermore, the Planar Portal ritual will only reach a World Plane, Astral Domain, or Elemental Chaos from within 100 miles of the corresponding color veil.

However, the Plane Shift spell, when used on a vehicle with the Navigation Focus quality, will enable a vehicle to travel up to 100 miles into the Astral Sea from the edge of the color veil from a World Plane, Astral Domain, or Elemental Chaos.  Also, when used in the Astral Sea, it will instantaneously take the vehicle to the edge of the color veil of the desired plane (with some variance, depending on the corresponding Arcana skill check). 

Examples:

*Bill the Bard is on the surface of Freeport, and has upset the Smuggler's Syndicate.  Bill decides he'll meet his party on Cove Rock, Freeport's asteroid-sized moon.  Cove Rock has a Teleportation Circle, and is within 100 miles of the edge of Freeport's color veil.   Bill performs the Planar Portal ritual, using an appropriate amount of material components, and creates a portal to Cove Rock.

*Walter the Wizard is on the surface of Freeport, aboard the V.C.S. Relentless.  Rufus the Rogue has just told him that the word on the street is that the Smuggler's Syndicate is going to send some goons down to attack the party, in the hopes of drawin Bill the Bard out of hiding.  Walter, assuming that the Smuggler's Syndicate is watching the Relentless, decides use the Sextant of the Planes to cast the Plane Shift ritual, rather than showing his hand by prepping the ship for launch from the dock.  After spending ritual components, and rolling Arcana (he scored a 24), the Relentless vanishes in a rainbow flash, appearing instantly in the Astral Sea.  The course Walter had set was for Cove Rock (which was within 100 miles of Freeport's color veil), but a 24 on his skill check means he arrived 50 miles off course.  After determining their position, Walter and his crew hoist the sails and sail for Cove Rock.  At an overland flight speed 15 squares (15 miles per hour), it will take the Relentless 3 hours and 20 minutes to reach Cove Rock.

*After regrouping aboard the Relentless, Bill the Bard has convinced the crew to help him deliver some scrolls to Pincer's Island on Archipelego.  Walter the Wizard sets another course, expending ritual components for the Plane Shift ritual, and rolls a 30 on his Arcana check.  The Relentless vanishes in another streak of rainbow light, and appears just 10 miles from Pincer Island's color veil, corresponding to the point directly "above" Pincer's Island.  Not wanting to spend more ritual components, Walter decides to fly the Relentless down through the color veil.  After under an hour, the Relentless pierces the color veil and then begins to fly the 5 mile journey down from the edge of the color veil to the watery surface of Archipelego.

=== Siege Weapons ===

Many ships and fortified positions possess siege weapons.  For instance, the Relentless possesses a single light catapult on its forecastle deck.

==== Catapults ====

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/7660/481563-catapult_large.jpg

Light Catapults are a ranged weapon with the following characteristics:
*Proficiency: +0
*Damage: 2d10
*Range: 20/40 (Minimum range is 10 squares)
*Price: 300 gp
*Weight: 300 pounds (Can be fired from a stationary position)
*Group: Siege Weapon
*Properties: Load (2 standard actions -- other characters can help)

Light Catapults use the following ammunition.
*Boulders (20) (10 gp, 300 lbs)

Other advanced ammunition is available.
*Alchemist's Fire (1) (700 gp, 15 lbs) (+14 vs. Reflex, Area Burst 1, 6d6 fire damage, 1/2 on a miss)