Void and Portal Mechanics

SystemRPG: Void and Portal Mechanics


1. Void and Transit

  • Primary Role: The Void is the “between” of the Tapestry. Most portal, teleportation, and space-folding abilities open brief passages through voidal insulation.
  • Risk Factor: Using the Void as a corridor draws attention. The act of opening a way through negation is like striking a flare in absolute darkness.
  • System Overlay: Forks like Tek or Aether wrap Void-jumps in stabilizing rulesets, but these are still permissions, not safety guarantees.

2. Risks of Void Travel

  • Void Response:
    • Transit Attacks — voidborn predation while en route.
    • Chasers — entities slipping in behind the traveler, emerging at the destination.
  • Corruption Hazards: Prolonged or repeated exposure can shift Resonances (OD, CV, AL) toward voidal traits: erosion of body, fraying of causality, ethical drift.
  • System Safeguards: Admin-coded rituals, tokens, or devices exist, but none can eliminate risk—only reduce probability.

3. Not All Space-Warping is Void

  • Void-Transit (majority):
    • Teleportation, gate-making, subspace folds.
    • Nearly all long-range or true instant travel.
  • Non-Void Spatial Powers (minority):
    • Aetheric Astral Steps — AP and CV manipulation, “walking astral layers” without piercing insulation.
    • Cultivation Shifts — local TG/CV distortions to shorten distance without crossing insulation.
    • Tek Slipways — engineered hyperspace corridors; built on LR rigidity and beacon chains, bypassing direct voidal channels.
  • Distinction: Safer methods tend to require greater preparation, energy, or infrastructure. Void access is easier, faster, but always carries risk.

4. Narrative Hooks

  • Void Stalkers: Predators specialized in trailing frequent teleporters.
  • Echo Wounds: Locations where repeated void-gates tore holes, producing permanent bleed zones.
  • System Warnings: Players see quest prompts: “Void Exposure Threshold Near — Stabilize or Risk Pursuit.”
  • Admin Directives: Some Admins monitor void traffic, tasking users to close unsafe gates or hunt voidborn incursions.

5. Gameplay Mechanics

  • Teleportation Roll: Success = arrival. Partial = arrive + pursued. Failure = void attack in transit.
  • Resonance Check: Body(OD) and Logos(LR) resist erosion. Fate(AP/TG) influences pursuit odds.
  • System Buffers: Items/rituals reduce risk by one tier but never to zero.
  • High-Tier Admin Travel: Direct edits to local coordinates (no Void crossing). Reserved for system-level privileges.

Majority of portal/teleport abilities = Void pathways (fast but dangerous).
Alternative travel = costly, rare, and usually locked to higher forks or Admins.