Approved Tech Netherdrive Engines

[Irratar Hemstagon]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create a theme-specific equilevant of the Hyperdrive for the Athysian League
• Image Source: Credit
• Canon Link: NA
• Permissions: NA
• Primary Source: NA

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Athysian League Hegenika Forges
• Affiliation: Athysian League
• Market Status: Closed-Market
• Model: NA
• Modularity: No
• Production: Semi-Unique
• Material: Alchemized Aluminium, Alchemized Iron, Alchemical Red Crystal (Black-Cored)

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Dark Side Infused Drive

STRENGTHS

• Ghost Ship. The Netherdrive allows the host vessel to perform interstellar travel through the Netherworld. This causes the vessel to deform in the shadow realm, becoming completely undetectable by electronic means.
• Ethereal Transmutation. The warships entering the Netherworld cannot be held back by gravity wells, or be forced out of it through ordinary systems such as EMP.

WEAKNESSES

• Pact Magic. The Netherdrive, in order to operate, requires rites and the guiding hand of Death Priests, capable to drive the ship through the Netherworld, without being lost in the black realm. If the Death Priests fail to cast the protection spells upon the crew and ship, then there is high chance that the crew and ship alike are infested by Shadows, which will create abominable mutations on both hull and flesh, rendering the whole ship a Death Ship. A cursed, irreversibly lost ship.
• Great Black Tide. The Netherdrive-powered fleets may be complely undetectible by electronic means, in opposition to a hyperdrive-powered ship, however, any Force Sensitive that is near to the planet, or the route a ship goes through or to, through the Nether, can sense an unnaturally strong darkness coming. The more the ships, the more the impact this Great Black Tide causes to the Force Sensitives, being felt as a deathly cold sensation through the Force, becoming more and more harsh against the sensor, the close the ship(s) get.
• Force Essense. The ships that utilize Netherdrive engines are travelling through arcane means, rather than actual technology. Should these ships are exposed to Force Nullifying fields, however, they are unable to jump into the Netherworld, which can effectivelly trap the ship from escaping.
• Broken Essense. Contact with Light Side energy directly at the Netherdrive causes the machine to break, which effectivelly renders the whole vessel unable to engage the Netherworld, until it is repaired. Repairing such engines takes a great deal of time.
  
  
  
  
  A cursed Death Ship emerging in realspace, tainted by the Nether's corruption. According to the Athysian Mythos, such warships operate as pirates, driven by the scent of living essense in the Nether. When catching a ship in the Nether, they engage it, forcing it to exit into realspace, before attacking, to drain all life from the crew onboard. (Credit)

DESCRIPTION
The highly superstitious peoples of Athys have long history with Pact Magic and summoning rituals. When it came to interstellar travels, the Athysians looked to the Death Gods of Athys for guidance through the thick blackness of the void. According to them, the Death Priests are summoning the guiding hand of their grim patron to guide the Athysian ships through the endless cosmic seas. With such engines in their arshenal, the Athysian Raider Fleets can sail through the deep void undetectable while they draw close to their targets.

 

[Vora Kaar]

Irratar Hemstagon

So this replacement of a hyperdrive, allows one to travel through the netherworld, and then back into real space. No form of technology such as interdictors, or equivalent can prevent it from doing so. The only weaknesses that I see that would be quantified in a PVP scenario, is the Force Suppression. Which to be completely honest, does not happen very often.

The ability to sense a "Dark Presence" is not much of a weakness as anything tied to the force can be felt. Nor is the "Pact Magic" weakness of requiring specific people to do it. As one can write that they are there and that they cannot die. Both are easily exploitable.

If you wish to keep it as it states, I will require you to reduce the production rating to Semi-Unique, and make mention that usage of "Force Light" can damage, destroy, or prevent usage.

otherwise, I am going to need a much larger rehaul of the submission to be considered for Limited production.

 

[Irratar Hemstagon]

Vora Kaar Indeed, Force Supression basically voids the entire operation, effectivelly rendering it useless.

Further to the Death Priests mentioned, the real weakness behind it is that due to excess Dark Side usage, should the Death Priest dies (which, although undead, he can more than certainly die by the hand of whoever manages his or her way through the decks to the temple). This means, the DEath Priest himself who suffers wounds or is broken of concentration is unable to protect ship and crew by the corruption stated. If anyone achieves disturbing the death priest, he mst either immediatelly drop the ship in real space, or the whole thing will turn rather wild.

When it comes to light side, yes i felt as if it is implied that a great power in light side would be implied to harm the system both ship and netherdrive, as it is physically based on dark side. A machine based on death, should it is exposed to light will be damaged or atleast rendered malfunctioning enough so it cannot be used.

The reality of the first weakness implies both the ablity to kill th death priest (in ship to ship battle or otherwise) as well as the exposure to excess light side, or nullifyers, renders the system effectivelly useless.

If you feel the aforementioned is not enough clauses of balancing, however, i do not mind swapping it to semi unique, allowing only flagships and such special ships to utilize it.

 

[Vora Kaar]

Irratar Hemstagon

The priest losing "focus" or connection to the system, is entirely a weakness that can be written away by a writer. The chance for abuse of this is possible. While I am not saying you would, or someone else would, its not a viable hard weakness that can be without a doubt be called. Where as Force nullification or damage from Force light is a viable weakness as its very difficult to avoid those situations. If someone were to board the ship with a nutrient frame, the deed is done. You can't just handwave it away.

That is what I am looking for in a weakness for this submission. Adding one more would do you good.

And while the idea of this is rather interesting, and with the most recent and past usage of the Netherworld, a very viable "technology" its one I am not too keen to be seen on a wider scale of Limited Production. Limited production allows for the use in many ships. Considering there are no limitations to how large a fleet size, seeing possible fleets outfitted with this is not something that would be viable for use of a Minor faction at this time.

I would like for this to be at Semi-Unique production with me notifying you, that submissions can be modified at a later date, or can be improved upon with secondary submissions later on down the line.

For now, within the context of this being used by a relatively new minor faction, It needs to be bumped down.

 

[Irratar Hemstagon]

Vora Kaar edited, added below weakness
Broken Essense. Contact with Light Side energy directly at the Netherdrive causes the machine to break, which effectivelly renders the whole vessel unable to engage the Netherworld, until it is repaired. Repairing such engines takes a great deal of time.

I feel that although there shouldnt be many ways to harm it, those that are there must be tremendously impacting the overall operation, i tend to agree with your point of view.

Also made it semi-unique. Will be limiting it to flagships and capital ship elites only (such as stations, which can engage a fleet without the need of extra ships. This balances it i believe). Bit pointless to have an entire fleet equipped with such drives as this will allow exploitation i wouldnt be able to justify not being used in character, another point you were right on second thought

lemme know if any further judging is required!

 

[Vora Kaar]

Irratar Hemstagon

Apologies for the tardiness in response to your submission, I thought I had done so a while back, but upon seeing that I had a Saved post in this thread, I realized I had not responded to you.

Thank you for all the edits you have provided. I only have one question for the weakness you recently just added.

Should force light be used on the engine when within the netherworld, would it pop them back to real space/coordinate to where it would be, or would they be stuck in the nether?

 

[Irratar Hemstagon]

Vora Kaar no worries mate no problems on my end!

WELL.... If someone manages to get to the engine and use light side energy to a a degree (A light side wave oriented from a strong force user, or more repetitive exposure from lesser users, per se. This should go by logic with the scene, IMO, What a master will slap once and will break down, a little guy will take a longer run to crack) it will officially freeze the ship in the nether.

How I have conceived the idea is that the engine kicks in once, throws you in the nether. Kicks in again, throws you in realspace. It isnt like the warp drive which tries to constantly hold you in the immaterium. So, breaking the engine will trap the ship where it currently is. Part of the reason such places onboad are heavily guarded. Killing the death priest would turn the ship to a Flying Dutchman, while killing the engine 100% blocks the ship wherever she may be at the time of breaking. As expressed above, i feel it is way too serious weapon, i think it requires hard weaknesses.

 

[Vora Kaar]

Irratar Hemstagon

I just wanted some light clarification on that since it seems like something that would be a focal point of a story plot/high priority in a pvp scenario.

Thank you for answering and all the edits provided.

Approved. Word of warning like anything else on this site. Abuse it, you lose it.