Pilot, Ship Class Gathering Flow was born to a long line of Startouched of the Sects of Divinity, and showed an aptitude for communing with and drawing power from the Ship Hearts from her youth. But as she grew, she felt more of a calling to do something a little more active and direct with her abilities, and learned instead to fly, first personal transports, then shuttles, and later whole ships, and in time, felt that the Sects of Divinity didn’t reflect her understanding, or lack of understanding, of how Ship Hearts and their Personalities interact with technology and the world.
So, when she attained her majority, she left her Sect, and moved away to the Sects of the Mechanical, principally the Fjenix Academy, where she took up work alternating between piloting for the shipyards, and studying how the Ship Hearts interacted with technology, and with sapient beings. But her abilities were in much more demand than that, as she developed a closer affinity to the Ship Hearts, and with it her ability to faultlessly navigate even in unfamiliar space and on novel planets.
This saw her taking up a role on a research and exploration ship, the Endeavour as it roved the Borderlands, seeking out potential planets for the Cooperation’s continued expansion, and the secrets of the Ship Hearts - and found herself stranded, with the ship and Hearts knew how many others in the Keter system.
She has contacts therefore from several Mystic Sects, principally the Mechanical and the Fjenix Academy, the Zeitgeist Research Department, and is a member of the Guild of Spacefarers.
Class abilities
Rank 1: Ship Heart Affinity
Startouched are inherently linked to Ship Hearts, and as such are capable of using that link to power their impressive abilities. Startouched power up their abilities by opening that connection to amass power before unleashing it in the form they prefer. Further nurturing this connection has reportedly presented opportunities to Startouched - as well as being a possible source of destruction.
Startouched have a base 5 hits.
Startouched power their abilities using a single empty hand (unless you have abilities that allow otherwise) in a specific gesture throughout and accumulating power for a number of seconds before the ability is ready.
For accessibility you may choose to forgo the gesture. However, you must still choose which ability you are charging ahead of time. Where possible, still keep one hand empty and visible, such that others can see you are charging an ability.
They can only power up one ability at a time in this way.
Charging up the ability is broken if:
The Startouched is subject to DRAIN
The hand being used to charge the ability is subject to BREAK
The Startouched chooses to stop
Rank 1: Solar Barrier
You are capable of manifesting a protective energy barrier of 4 Hits.
Any damage you take will come off your solar barrier before you lose Hit Points.
This barrier may be restored with 5 minutes of concentration between encounters.
This barrier is not restored by healing.
Rank 3: Intervention
Once per Mission you may perform an improbable feat when out of combat by loudly proselytising the values of your Mystic Sect or associated Ship Heart.
Discuss with the GM what feat you would like to perform and they will determine what effect occurs.
Multiple Startouched can combine their Interventions to achieve greater effects.
Rank 5: Deus Ex Machina
Gain an additional use of Intervention.
You may perform an Intervention mid-combat. Call TIME FREEZE when this happens, and explain (quickly) to the GM what Intervention you wish to receive.
You may take Severe Injuries to use additional Interventions during a Mission (once per Severe Injury).
Background abilities
I'll Drive - Utility Ability
You are capable of piloting or driving a functioning transport.
You can use this in uptime or downtime and means you don't need to find or employ a pilot for a vehicle you may have access to.
Discuss with the GM when this would be relevant to provide an advantage to you and your party in the Mission.
Talisman - Utility Ability
You have a small intricate object which you can use to determine the level of Decay influence on an area. (a small bottle, on a chain, with a working miniature of the Endeavour in it
Inform the GM of this, and when you check it - you can use this to be prewarned of entering Decaying areas or Decay-heavy encounters.
Channel abilities
Airblast
15 seconds
Gesture: Clenched fist held to your side
You create a wall of force to push your enemies away.
Call YOU: PUSH against a target within 5m.
Concussion Bolt
Repairing Barrier
10 seconds
Gesture: Hold hand flat to chest
You imbue your barrier with more power.
You restore 1 hit to your Solar Barrier.
Restoring Barrier
15 seconds
Gesture: both hands over chest
You must be uninterrupted during this time.
Your barrier completely repairs itself, regaining all its hits.
Mind Blade
Damage Control
Starlight Fade
Instant
Gesture: snap your fingers
Once per Mission you may call MONSTERS: CURSE
You may take Severe Injuries to use Starlight Fade additional times during a Mission (once per Severe Injury).
If successfully used twice on the same Monsters within the same encounter, the full effect of Curse will cause Monsters to slowly fade from existence.
This Ability cannot be modified by Overload nor granted with Meditate or Guidance
Heartbeat
10 seconds
Gesture: Hand outstretched in the direction of your target
You focus on your connection to a Ship Heart to restore your allies.
Call HEAL to a target within reach.
Utility abilities
Starfinder - Utility Ability
You have an inherent sense of direction and can always find your way to a destination you have had described to you.
If you wish to apply this knowledge, talk to the GM and describe how you would like to use your innate ability to help your party.
This may result in a bonus to an upcoming encounter, or enable progress past difficulties.
You may also always tell the direction to the nearest Ship Heart within range.
Vessel
Utility Ability
Twice per Mission you may connect to your Ship Heart and its power on a deeper level.
You may ask your Ship Heart two questions relevant to your current Mission. It will answer to the best of its ability.
The GM will tell you this answer OC and you should then IC roleplay the delivery of this as your character is temporarily used as a vessel for the Ship Heart's answer.
Guidelines for GMs:
Ship Hearts have personalities and interests of their own. If you are comfortable, deliver an answer that would fit this.
At minimum, if asked a question relevant to the Mission you are running, provide an answer that will give some hint to the players - maybe of something that may occur in a future encounter. They should always get something.
If you are asked a question that is not relevant to the Mission, tell the player that the Ship Heart cannot answer and that they may use this ability again after the next Encounter has passed.
Reality Check
Utility Skill
You have an uncanny sense for what is physically as it seems.
You may apply this to see through holographic ruses, or to determine once per an encounter when someone is lying to you.
When you wish to apply this sense, talk to the GM.
Versatile Barrier
Utility Ability
Requires: Granted Barrier
You may use your Barrier as a mobile structure in a freeform manner.
Out of combat, discuss with the GM what you would like to achieve with it, and you may use your barrier as a floating disk that can support up to 5 people's weight for that purpose.
You may apply this in advance for combat use if you so wish, the GM should provide an appropriate buff.
Non-channel combat abilities
Visionary
Solid Barrier
Impenetrable Barrier
Your Barrier increases in strength by another 2 hits.
While your Barrier has hits remaining in it, you may spend 1 hit of it to PING effects that strike it in melee.
Dimensional Gradient
Overload
If you use two hands while preparing a Startouched Ability that normally only requires one hand, you may make the YOU call as a YOU LOT call.
e.g. holding both hands together above your head for Concussion Bolt you would call YOU LOT: STRIKEDOWN instead of YOU: STRIKEDOWN.
Duality
Star Pact
Once Ever Downtime Ability
You foster a deeper connection with your Ship Heart which grants you additional powers and an insight into its motivations.
Discuss what sort of pact you're looking for with the Ref Team - you will gain a per encounter ability, and an Agenda from your Ship Heart.
3x PING DRAIN/Encounter
Star Pact Gift
Requires: Star Pact
Once Ever Downtime Ability
Your Ship Heart manifests for you a powerful item. This will be a weapon, armour, or a shield.
Effect:
Armour - 3x PING DRAIN/encounter
Emergency space manouevring pack - 1x WARP per encounter, repositioning within 10s, flight.
Granted Barrier
Outside of combat you may grant your Solar Barrier to another character.
Explain how it works to them (Commandos do not spend hits from the Solar Barrier to use Abilities, it is strictly a shield for them).
You may use Repairing or Restoring Barrier to call YOU GAIN X BARRIER HITS to maintain the barrier for the grantee.
You may call YOU EFFECT: LOSE BARRIER to reclaim it at any point.
You may not use abilities that require you to have a Solar Barrier with hits on yourself while it is granted (such as Reactive Barrier or Solar Flare)
You may only grant your barrier once per encounter.
Reincarnation
Upon suffering your final Severe Injury, you vanish in a blinding flash of light.
Your character will survive this Injury, but will undergo changes.
They will not be playable for the rest of the Mission.
Speak to the Ref Team about what happens.
Reactive Barrier
Tough tree
Space Between Space
5 seconds
Gesture: remaining stationary, waving through the air around you
You blur the light around you to hide yourself.
Call WARP.
You may not move, prepare abilities, or make calls, but remain hidden until you choose to reappear or are subject to a YOU LOT or MASS call.
What We Do In The Shadows
Requires: Space Between Space
You may move while hidden using Space Between Space.
You are aware of what you perceive while you move.
You can only come out of Space Between Space by returning to the position where you activated the ability.
If you are unable to return to the position (due to being broken out by YOU LOT or MASS, or due to the position no longer existing), take a BREAK ALL LIMBS when you reappear.
Rank 2 - Puzzlemaster
Utility Ability
You are very good at puzzles - logic puzzles, riddles, jigsaws: these all bow before you.
Out of combat, with discussion with the Ref you may three times per Mission ask for a Hint to a Puzzle.
Rank 3 - Eureka!
Downtime / Utility Ability
During the briefing for each Mission you are on, you may declare to the Ref a topic that you're going to be mulling over in the back of your mind during the Mission.
At a relevant point out of combat picked by the Ref you will have a stroke of genius as you come to a realisation about your topic that is relevant to what you're doing. The Ref will explain what you have realised.
If you don't have your Eureka! moment by the end of the Mission, you may attempt to have it in Downtime. If what you're trying to work out requires more direct effort and research, the Ref will give you a hint as to how you might find out.