Click Here for a Master Index of “The Forge” and “Vault”!

The advanced races amidst the stars have embraced technological enhancements that provide a bevy of abilities. Use the 20 ideas for Powers as supplemental abilities, combat round codes to bolster or afflict adventurers, or custom Loot, plugged into the Card Creator for your Future Forays.

_Synthesis_ (#Synthesis) A synth technology for absorbing damaged units into the collective. *The highest Tier foe absorbs the lowest’s health and passive defense. Remove the lowest Tier foe from the Encounter and update the Tier Sum.
_Networked Offense_ (#Networked) They act in terrifying concert. *Deal the adventurer with the highest health +1 damage for each Synth Encounter type in play.
_Power Surge_ (#Surge) A burst of energy allows a second surge. *One Encounter card in play surges again during round 4.
_Networked Defense_ (#Defense) Your foes move in concert to defend each other. *No Encounter card can go below 1 health while any other Encounter card is above 2 health.
_Assimilation_ (#Assimilation) The cutting edge of Quantum computing just changed the game on the ground. *If an ability fails this round, attach it to the foe with the highest tier Encounter card. Next round play it against the adventurers [you still roll to see if it is a success].
_Adaptation_ (#Adaptation) An algorithm modulates armor and shields to resist attacks. *Whenever any ability type is used twice or more, reduce the damage the Encounter card suffers by 1.
_Mimicry_ (#Mimicry) An alogorithm enables mimicry of a recently used skill. *After a skill is burned by an Adventurer, attach it to the highest Tier Encounter card. Use the skill next round against the adventurers at a rating equal to the Encounter’s Tier level.
_Shields Up!_ (#Shields) A nimbus of energy flares briefly around the foe. *After an Encounter card takes damage for the first time, all subsequent rounds it takes -1 damage.
_Damage Control_ (#DControl) Repair systems activate. *All Encounter cards not damaged this round heal 1 health per their Tier.
_Analyze Foe_ (#Analyze) A light pans across you, top to bottom. *Next round the adventurer with the highest health suffers damage equal to the Tier of the highest Encounter card.
_Inhibitor Field_ (#Inhib) A hum emanates from your gear…and it fails to work. *Loot cannot be used this round.
_Quantum Distortion_ (#Distortion) Space bends about the foe. *No attacks of the “Ranged” type work this round unless the user rolls a 20.
_Teleportation_ (#Teleportation) The foe leaps across space. *No attacks of the “Melee” type work this round unless the user rolls a 20.
_Null Field_ (#Null) A fizzle and sparks fill the air where magic should be. *No attacks of the “Magic” ability type work this round unless the user rolls a 20.
_Counter Wave_ (#Wave) A harmonic wave meant to cancel any Song. *No attacks of the “Music” ability type work this round unless the user rolls a 20.
_Psychological Warfare_ (#Psych) The enemy knows how to get inside your head. *No attacks of the “Influence” ability type work this round unless the user rolls a 20.
_Counterstrike_ (#Counter) The enemy’s riposte is perfectly timed. *Each successful attacker also takes damage equal to the Encounter card’s tier.
_Kinetic Absorption_ (#KAb) The attack is less than effective. *Melee ability attacks restore health this round to Encounter targets instead of causing them damage.
_Energy Vampire_ (#EVampire) A chill fills the air as batteries are drained. *Magic ability attacks restore health this round to Encounter targets instead of causing them damage.
_Psychic Leech_ (#Leech) It defies known psy phenomenon… *Influence ability attacks restore health this round to Encounter targets instead of causing damage.

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Click Here for a Master Index of “The Forge” and “Vault”!

In this edition of The Vault we bring you 20 locations for your forays into the Future. We recommend skill checks be used to “unlock”/ascertain the answers to some of the questions or potential plot paths offered below. We’ve provided some ideas for Skill resolution in some of the entries. For groups comfortable with advanced role-playing, a Game Master might allow the player who succeeded at a Skill check to direct the course of the shared fiction, providing the answer to the potential plot directions.

_Time Scar/Singularity_ (#TScar) A quantum distortion in spacetime. *Any ability with “Phase” or “Teleport” in the name is played as a 1 (on failure) or 20 (on rolled success).
_Derelict Dyson Sphere_ (#DDyson) Remnant of a superior galactic empire. What caused it to be uninhabitated? Does it function still? Are those humanoid bats hanging in hibernation “above” you?! Oh god….* Adventurers must make a Persona check of 10 or above or lose 1 Persona.
_Space Slug_ (#SSlug) It scours asteroids and small moons clean, and it hitched a ride to your home system. The slug may be a location all in itself, with an infestation of parasites the adventurers may have to battle.
_Solar Sail_ (#Sail) This vast solar sail is a hundred times bigger than any ship in the fleet, and it’s towing something. What is it? How do you change its course? *A Knowledge skill check of 8 or above may yield the answer to one of those questions. A “20” might yield two such answers, of a more specific nature.
_Crystalline Obelisk_ (#Obelisk) Something as big as a space station or dreadnought seems trapped inside. None of your instruments registers any readings from it at all. Did an eye larger than your shuttle just blink? * Adventurers make a Charisma skill check of 10 or above or provoke a “response” from the obelisk that causes 3 damage to any who failed.
_Asteroid Field_ (#AField) When the mining crews cracked that methane giant, they may have doomed the system. Now huge gouts and plumes of fire arc between the deadly debris. Can you save the survivors? Stop the field dispersion? * An Athletics skill check of 12 allows you to save the survivors OR stop the degradation of the field.
_Living Planet_ (#LPlanet) You hear it in your mind…It knows all your fears and dreams. * Make a Persona check of 10 or more or lose 1 skill level.
_Space Prison_ (#SPrison) The icy penal colony of Rura Pente is feared across the galaxy. What did you do to earn imprisonment here? Will you escape or rule it from within? * A Charisma skill check of 7 or above saves you from the ritualistic gang-beating given to all newcomers. Failure costs you 4 health.
_Transdimensional Rift_ (#TRift) Quantum pioneers think it might be a new universe being birthed at the edge of our own. Dark Matter engineers fear it could be a weapon experiment of terrifying power. * Make a Knowledge check to discern a safe approach to the Rift. Failure results in destruction of 1 Loot item per failed check.
_Omega Station_ (#OStation) In orbit perilously near two soon-to-collide black holes, it seems set to harvest the imminent gamma burst. But what could such power be used for, and what structure could withstand such a blast?! The only certainty is that all the galactic governments want it for themselves.
_Helium 3 Refinery_ (#H3) A prize of pirates, the spigot of galactic trade, and the first target in intergalactic conflict.
_Scorched Terra_ (#Terra) A former M class planet blasted clean by a civilization’s nuclear suicide. Are there survivors down there? Tech to be scavenged? * A Knowledge skill check of 10 or above allows you to locate usable tech. Draw a Tier 1 Loot (Tier 2 if you rolled 18 or above).
_Rimworld_ (#Rim) A colony at the edge of known space. Why’d you come here? What is your role? The threats and wonders?
_Numena Nebula_ (#Nebula) Every ship that’s entered it has severed Comms with High Command. They’ve been observed working on something, but what is it?
_Forbidden System_ (#FSystem) A solar system placed on the Galactic Council’s Interdict List long before humans achieved spaceflight. What brought you here against your better judgment?
_Aeon Gate_ (#AGate) Cryptography doesn’t know if the structure allows one to leap across the light-years or through time itself.
_The Planetkiller_ (#TPK) An asteroid inbound to your planet. Only landing on the surface will tell if it’s path is one of accident or design. The clock is ticking…* A successful Athletics skill check of 9 or above will allow you to execute a perfect landing. Failure results in everyone being roughed up (take 2 damage).
_Uncharted Moon_ (#UMoon) It’s not supposed to be here. Wait…that’s no moon!
_Plague Fleet_ (#PFleet) They vanished twenty years ago. You’ve found them, but what could drive a hundred different crews to insanity or death at once? Luckily, you’ll get a vast salvage bounty…if you survive.
_Necro World_ (#NWorld) Communications ceased at 07:34 Galactic Standard Time. What killed this world? What if it happens again? * Require periodic skill checks to resist the effects of whatever killed this world. Rotate through the three different skills. Failure on Athletics results in 2 damage for each failed check. Charisma failure lowers Persona by 1. Failure on a Knowledge skill check causes players to lose a Loot.

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Powers That Be (Vault #33)

Forays into "The Future": Locations (Vault #32)