Adapted from Grimdark Future Lore - One-Page Rules and Starfinder Playtest
The Mechanical Heart of the Rift
The Rift-Space is the backbone of travel, magic, and existential risk in the Starfall Galaxy. Unlike conventional science fiction, nothing outruns the speed of light here—every leap between worlds slips through the unpredictable depth of the Rift, a psycho-reactive dimension that distorts distance, time, and even fate itself. Interstellar travel and spellcasting tap into the same volatile source, making every journey and magical act a gamble. The setting's economy revolves around survival, with time (measured in “Yoms”) acting as coin, and devotion replacing traditional alignment in favor of values inspired by Magic: The Gathering’s Color Pie. Navigating, surviving, and thriving in this galaxy means engaging directly with the peril and wonder that is Rift-Space.
Rift-Space, the Galaxy’s Twisted Heart
The Rift isn’t a theory, nor simply a shortcut through the stars; it’s the galaxy’s own seething undercurrent—a raw dimension swirling below the thin skin of reality, its energies roaring like a billion tempests beneath your hull. Venture through the Rift, and you risk everything. Here, the laws of physics stutter and snap, and the air itself shivers with the promise of power and annihilation.
Origin and Role
Before the dawn of history, it was the Rift’s energy that spilled forth and became the seed of every living thing in the Starfall Galaxy. Every conscious mind, every irrational hope, sends ripples through its currents. All magic reaches back into the Rift, drawing raw force for spells, psychic phenomena, and the Rift-drives that power starships. But the Rift is no safe conduit. It is dangerous, mutable, hungry—feeding off emotion, thought, and devotion. Only the psychically attuned, called Navigators, can chart the hazardous flows that lace between stable Rift-gates and unpredictable wild currents.
Magic, Devotion, and Surviving the Maelstrom
The Rift is the wellspring of all supernatural power. Those who channel its energies risk permanent Rift-Taint—a corruption of body, mind, and machine. The horrors of the Maelstrom, planar bleed, and psychic storms make travel a constant gamble. Magic and advanced technology, in turn, are double-edged: every spell or device may yield boons or trigger wild mutagenic effects. All devotion, whether faith, ideology, or raw emotion, is measured on a spectrum, tying a character’s powers and values to their unique mix of devotion.
Economy: Time as Currency
Survival means bargaining in days, not credits. Every “Yom” spent on fuel, gear, passage, or supply is traded for another day against the void. The instability of Rift-Spaces disrupts logistics, making the Chronologists Guild —a guild dedicated to timekeeping—the linchpin of trade and prosperity. A transaction isn’t for gold, but for the promise of continued existence amid the storm.
Societies Amid Chaos
Certain pockets, “Rift-Burgs,” anchor themselves in the Maelstrom, islands of relative stability where commerce, military clashes, and desperate alliances play out. Control of Rift-Gates and navigation routes defines galactic power structures, and factions vie for dominance with devotion, cunning, and force—whether through negotiation, sabotage, or arcane ritual. The threat of planar bleed, where entire worlds may be lost to the Rift, infuses every political struggle with urgency. Societies adapt or perish, redefining what it means to survive and to belong.
Game Application: Bringing the Rift to Life
For Game Masters, the Rift is a toolbox for magic, nightmares, and narrative complication. From zones of unstable physics to abilities gained at terrible cost, every passage through Rift-Space builds tension and story. Travel requires resource expenditures (Yoms), psychic navigation checks, and crisis management when things inevitably go wrong. Encounters with Rift-Taint, ancient artifacts, and cosmic entities offer both risk and reward. Integrate survival mechanics, devotion-driven alignment, and the constant threat of displacement or mutation to flavor every session.
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