Some Envoys lead by inspiration. Some lead by fear. And some lead by refusing—absolutely, categorically—letting no one under their command fall.
Through Desperate Times, Envoys are forged in trauma. They're the survivors of Rift-storm evacuations where every second counted, the veterans of boarding actions where medics died first, the captains who held dying crewmates in their arms and swore never again. They've seen what happens when hope runs out, when injuries stack up faster than aid can arrive, when panic spreads through a crew like wildfire. And they decided, somewhere deep in their core, that as long as they're standing, no one else dies today.
These Envoys don't have the luxury of distance. They're in the thick of it—wrapping field dressings under fire, shouting encouragements over the screams of wounded, making snap triage decisions that haunt them later. Their crews learn to recognize the pattern: the Envoy's voice gets calmer as the situation gets worse. When everything's on fire and the odds are impossible, that's when the Through Desperate Times Envoy is most focused, most present, most dangerous.
Chronologist field teams prize these Envoys for their ability to stabilize paradox-wounded researchers in the middle of temporal anomalies. Commission trauma squads recognize them as the difference between evacuation and catastrophe. Viridian Ascent bio-coordinators value their holistic approach to healing—treating both physical wounds and psychological trauma as interconnected systems.
The directive Keep on Keeping On! isn't just a tactical call—it's a promise. It's the Envoy telling their crew, "I see you. I know you're hurt. And we're going to get through this together." It's the voice that cuts through pain and fear, the hands that steady when everything shakes, the presence that says you can make it.
The best Through Desperate Times Envoys develop a reputation. Crews beg for them. Factions headhunt them. Because when you're bleeding out in a hull breach or pinned down in a Rift anomaly, there's no one else you'd rather have at your side than the Envoy who's seen hell, walked through it, and brought everyone home alive.
Through Desperate Times is an Envoy Leadership Style
that transforms the Envoy into a frontline medic and morale anchor. While other styles focus on tactical positioning or offensive coordination, Through Desperate Times specializes in keeping allies in the fight through healing, resilience, and sheer stubbornness in refusing to let anyone fall.
This style synergizes perfectly with Starfall's survival-focused gameplay, where medical resources may be scarce, missions are far from safe zones, and crews depend on their Envoy to patch them up and push forward.
Through Desperate Times Leadership Style
Source Player Core pg. 105
You step up to lead during difficult times. You might have experienced a traumatic event, perhaps escaping a pirate ship during a mutiny, or you fought in some notorious battle. Your allies trust your instincts, knowing you’ll keep them safe.
Leadership Skill Medicine
Leadership Perk: You gain Battle Medicine as a bonus feat.
Leadership Directive: Keep on Keeping On!
Roleplaying Through Desperate Times
Character Hooks
Trauma Survivor: You survived a disaster where you watched allies die. Now you refuse to let it happen again.
Former Medic: You served in a military or guild medical corps and saw the worst casualties. Leadership is your way of preventing them.
Guilt-Driven: You failed to save someone important. Now you overcompensate by keeping everyone alive at any cost.
Natural Protector: You've always been the one who steps up when things go wrong. It's not trauma—it's just who you are.
Voice and Mannerisms
Calm Under Pressure: Your voice gets quieter and steadier as danger increases
Gallows Humor: "You're not dying on my watch. I have paperwork for that."
Blunt Honesty: "This is going to hurt. But you'll live. Probably."
Constant Assessment: Always scanning allies for injuries, even mid-conversation
Conclusion
Through Desperate Times is the leadership style for Envoys who lead by refusal—refusal to accept casualties, refusal to let allies fall, refusal to give up even when the odds are impossible. It transforms the Envoy into a frontline medic, morale anchor, and the voice that says keep going when everything falls apart.
Whether you're holding a crew together through a Rift-storm evacuation, patching up wounded in a firefight, or simply refusing to let anyone die on your watch, Through Desperate Times gives you the tools to make that promise a reality.
"Keep on keeping on." It's not just a directive. It's a way of life.
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