Demo Module

Credits
S&S Designers: Benjamin Quiggins, Audrey Stolze

Module Author: Benjamin Quiggins

Beta Readers: Steve Mellifont, Audrey Stolze

Interior Illustrators: Kurt Ian Ferrer, Brigita Martin,
Audrey Stolze
Character Sheet Designer: Aaron Stolze

Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)

 Introduction

T his is a special demo of Spaceships and

Starwyrms meant to take place in a single
four hour session and to showcase the basic
mechanics and feel of S&S.
Background
This single-session adventure is a small part of a larger
tale. The party are members of various factions in the
Nacora Galaxy that are working together under the Galactic
Running This Adventure Coalition banner against an invading force of the Veerux
Empire.
Before you begin the adventure, each of your players should
The players start on a ship that is theirs (the ship’s
choose one of the included pregenerated characters, or
character sheet is supplied with this demo, but a unique
build their own. When each player has a character sheet,
ship could be generated using funds equalling 30,000 cc).
a named character, and is familiar with their character’s
In their vessel, they are flying in to assist in the
abilities, you can begin.
destruction of a Veerux battle cruiser that is wreaking havoc
Be sure to ask each player if they have played 5th
among their allied forces. The battlefield is rife with danger
edition or another d20 system in the past. Players with 5th
and they will have to navigate their way through deadly
edition experience will be most familiar with the rules and
space and Veerux fighter ships to forcibly board the cruiser.
mechanics of Spaceships and Starwyrms. At the beginning
Once aboard, they will make their way to the primary
of each part of this adventure, you will need to lay out some
engine of the ship and sabotage its power systems. Then
of the specific rules of the game. The less familiar your
they have to escape from the now-helpless ship before their
players are with 5e, the more you will have to explain as you
allies decimate it or their foes fix it.
go.
Though the adventure takes place over a single session,
You should have a pool of community dice with you so
it does have three distinct parts. In part one, the party flies
that players who do not have the appropriate dice will be
through the battlefield and boards the enemy vessel. In part
able to play.
two, they explore the vessel and find their target. In part
three, they destroy their target and escape.
For your ease, each of the parts has a few facets that
you can use or ignore depending on the time you have left
and how quickly your party of players is moving through
As you reach the later parts of this module, you will the adventure.
notice that there are no drawn maps. This module,
originally written for demo purposes, is intended
to take place in the theater of the mind, and the
descriptions of the rooms on the Veerux ship should
suffice for any instances of combat. However, if you
feel a physical map would be more effective for your
table, feel free to sketch one based on the room layout
described in Part Two of this module.

Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)

 Adventure Hook
Each of the players, regardless of alignment, background,
or faction, are a part of a galactic effort to push back the
Veerux Empire.
Who are the Veerux? When you lay out the conflict,
focus on the enemies as well as what is happening. Be
concise and make sure you explain the following:
• The Veerux hail from a galaxy beyond the Nacora
and if they gain a foothold here, it will cause untold
terror and death for the native peoples.
• They are a fanatical religious empire of humans
that cannibalize non-human sentient species as part of
their religious culture.
A Team of Unique Individuals. The party is a
group of people from different factions within the allied
forces. They have been chosen by their various factions
to come together on a single ship for this mission: fly into
turbulent space, board the Veerux Command Cruiser, and
sabotage it before escaping.
Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)
The Nacora Galaxy
Just like a movie or book, this adventure is set in the larger
universe of the Nacora Galaxy. The evil Veerux Empire and
their invasions are just a small part of this massive place.
The Nacora Galaxy is the base setting for Spaceships
and Starwyrms. With a few name changes, this adventure
could take place in any science fiction setting that involves
space travel. It could be one you personally created or one
from popular media, but it is most likely a setting that has
both magic and technology in spades.
Across the galaxy are many galactic powers, each of
which look after their own sectors of core and frontier
space. Beyond the frontier of the galaxy lies the Outer
Reaches. It is speculated that this region of space is home to
the Veerux, along with other untold horrors.
While most citizens of the galaxy go about their
lives in a routine on their planet or space station, there
are adventures lurking around every corner. Untamed
wilderness, lost cities, private laboratories, winding
cityscapes, and the unexplored void all are ripe for
adventure.
 Part One: Space Battlefield

A s you begin, explain to your players the

ins and outs of their new spaceship. It is
important to describe arcs as the unit of
travel for spaceships. You should ask each player about
their individual skills and where each of them wishes to be
aboard the ship.
It is important to make sure players understand
each part of the spaceship character sheet, as well as
the potential actions each character can accomplish in
spaceship combat, given their skills and where they are on
the spaceship. and the pilot of the larger vessel has to initiate the boarding
Once that is settled, set the scene with by reading the
following passage or with a description of your own.
border. For 3 players remove 1 fighter. The associated stat
blocks are included on the following page for easy of use
during the spaceship combat.
Each player rolls their initiative and combat begins.
As the round progresses, stress to the players that they’re
constantly moving toward their target even while they do
battle with the nearby ships.
If all the enemy ships are destroyed or 2 rounds of
combat pass, then the players have reached their target.
The pilots of the fighters have to land back in the main ship
process.

Space is usually an eerily serene void, but as you stare

out the forward viewing ports of your spaceship, it’s hard
to remember that. Flashes of light tear across the blackness
as various vessels blast deadly plasma at each other in a Veerux Fighter
dance of war. You know your destination lies at the center Tiny fighter

of that chaos. Base HP: 20 Base AC: 12 (Mark 0)

The screens pop up and you see video of the massive Body: 1 BP: 10
red and gold spaceship with giant boarding spikes and a Speed: 12 arc (+6 handling)
horde of fighter ships swarming around it. If it reaches Turn Value: 1 arc
the front line, the battle will turn against the Galactic Saving Throws: Dex +4, Int +3
Coalition. Skills: Piloting +10 (handling modified)
You can’t let that happen. Yours is a small vessel, but a Weapons (3): Shield Buster x2, Swivel Gun
powerful one. It can push through the thinnest part of the
Actions: 1 each turn
battle into enemy space. It’s a carefully thought out plan,
Attack with Shield Buster. Ranged Weapon
but terrifying nonetheless.
Attack; range 7 arc, one target, hit +4. 9 (1d12 + 2)
plasma damage (Deals double damage to barriers and
Before beginning the combat, describe the players’ can only attack barriers).
approach into enemy space. They can see the ship in the Attack with Swivel Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack;
distance, some 200 arc ahead of them. Their goal is to fly range 7 arc, one target, hit +4, 9 (1d12 + 2 plasma
the full 200 arc to the other side. Reaching that distance damage.
triggers the end of the spaceship combat.
This battlefield includes 4 Veerux Fighters, 1 Veerux
Border, and 1 Veerux Pioneer. For 6 players, add another
border. For 8 or more, add two additional fighters and the

Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)

 Veerux Pioneer
Medium pioneer

Base HP: 40 Base AC: 15 (Mark III)

Body: 5 BP: 50
Speed: 8 arc (+0 handling)
Turn Value: 4 arc
Veerux Border
Small border Saving Throws: Dex +5, Int +5
Skills: Computers +5, Mechanics +5, Piloting +5
Base HP: 25 Base AC: 13 (Mark I)
(handling modified)
Body: 3 BP: 25
Speed: 6 arc (+4 handling) Developments (8): AI Core (16 INT), Brig, Cargo
Turn Value: 3 arc Hold, Meditation Chapel, Cryogenic Chamber,
Hangar Bay, Medical Bay
Saving Throws: Dex +4, Int +4
Weapons (4): Longshot x3, Void Missile
Skills: Computers +4, Piloting +8 (handling
modified) Actions
Developments (1): Brig Multiattack. The ship can fire three Longshots in
Weapons (2): EMP Pulser one turn or fire a single Void Missile.
Longshot. Ranged Weapon Attack; range 30 arc
Actions: 1 each turn
(disadvantage within 7 arc), one target, hit +5. 10
Boarding Spikes. The ship can make a piloting
(1d12+3) plasma damage.
check against the target’s piloting check. If it has a
Compact Void Missile (1/day). Ranged Weapon
higher check, then it attaches to the target ship and
Attack; range 30 arc, one target, hit +5, 23 (3d12+3)
begins cutting a hole to initiate boarding. The hole
force damage (has no effect on barriers or ships with
is complete in 2 rounds. The ship can be hacked to
active energy barriers).
stop the spikes or can be removed by colliding with
another ship (taking 10 hull damage and dealing 10
to the border and other ship in the process, DC 15
Dexterity (Piloting) check).
EMP Pulser. The ship fires a 5 arc cone. Other ships
caught in in the pulse have their electrical systems
stop working for 3 rounds. This means the engines
and weapons of the ship stop working. The barriers
remain active. When a ship is first affected, if the ship
has a creature with the Mechanics skill, that creature
can make a Wisdom (Mechanics) check against a DC
of 12. If they succeed, their ship ignores this effect. At
the end of each of the affected ship’s turn, a member
of the affected crew can attempt a mechanics skill
check against the DC to end the effect.

Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)

 Part Two: Espionage
O nce the players’ ship is safely attached and
cloaked, the players can enter the enemy ship
through the sliced hull. They will be near their
target, but not quite there. Read the following to them
before continuing.
From inside the ship you can feel the constant impact
of plasma against the outer barriers. Otherwise it is silent.
Around you are metal crates in varying sizes, each marked
with the Veeruxian language. The air is chilly and you
realize that this must be a food storage space for the crew
of the vessel.
Beyond that, the silver walls are covered in a deep red
pattern. On the far end from your ship is the golden bronze
door and a computer terminal.
There are two possible tasks they can attempt to accomplish
in this location depending on how much time you have in
the session. This part of the adventure culminates in the
sabotage and a battle in the engine block which is described
in Part Three.
Before delving fully into the ship dungeon, describe
some of the new rules options, like the updated cover
system and the Hack action. The party will need to take
advantage of these rules to be as successful as they can.
As they enter, you should make their object clear. If
they have additional time, you can layer on extra objectives.
• Main Objective: Reach the engines and disable them,
then escape.
• Optional Objective: Break into the security room and
disable automated defenses for the engine block.
When you begin this area, inform the players
that they have a special magical artifact from the
Hanadarian Republic with them. This will allow them
to complete a short rest in a single minute as opposed
to an hour!
Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)
The Ship Map
The following is a room by room description of the area
of the ship that the players may explore. Rooms and areas
marked with a * are not required for the adventure, but can
be added as time allows. Each optional room is connected
to the additional objective the party can take.
1. Supply Room
This is the area where the players’ boarding ship has cut
through. It is a quiet room where food and supplies have
been stored. The party can investigate the area and crates,
in which they will find rations and basic supplies for space
living. Nothing of particular value or interest is in this room
except a small terminal. If this terminal is hacked with an
Intelligence (Computers) check DC 10, players can acquire
a local map of the ship showing them exactly how far away
the engine room is. If you have made the optional objective
available, they will also be able to spot where that target
room lies.
There is only one door that exists this room. It
leads to the main hall. It is locked and sealed, but a
DC 5 Intelligence (Computers) check, DC 10 Wisdom
(Mechanics) check, or DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check will
open the door.
2. Corridor
When they emerge into the long hallway, the party can look
down both ends. They are aware that the right branch will
lead toward the engine block.
The hallway itself is bare and sterile. Some distance
down toward the engine block, the party will run afoul of a
series of sensors. A 20 foot long by 15 foot wide section of
hallway has 4 sensors on alternating sides of the walls. If
the sensors are not disabled, they will alert the traps in this
area. This includes the 20 foot long and 15 foot wide shock
panel floor and two automated gun turrets that will
unfold from the ceiling.
The wall sensors, turret stat block, and shock
panel stat block are included at the end of this part.
When the turrets unfold, have everyone roll initiative. The
 area the party is in has two piles of boxes that can provide
cover, should they wish to take it. It should be kept in mind
that the shock panels run beneath that cover.
At the beginning of each round, one shock panel turns
on and another turns off. Two panels are on at any given
time. Creatures stepping onto a panel or caught on a panel
as it turns on take damage. The sensors and turrets can
be hacked via the Hack action, but the shock panels can
only be disabled through a Wisdom (Mechanics) check or
Intelligence (Thieves’ Tools) check.
Past the trapped area is a second forking path. Here,
the path splits in two directions. Heading left will take them
to the security room where the optional objective is located.
Going right will take them to the engine room with their
final encounter.
3. Security Office Door*
This fork of the path is an optional area. It includes
a security office for the engine block in this area. The
hallway itself is not dangerous, but the door to the security
office is difficult to open. It requires a DC 10 Intelligence
(Computers) or Wisdom (Mechanics) check to open via the
panel, or a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to physically
open. If the door is forced open in any way (including via
the panel), a plasma discharge will burst outward from the
door.
Creatures within 15 feet of the door will need to make
a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 plasma damage
on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. The
trap can be found with a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check and disabled with a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)
check. If the check to disable it fails by 5 or more, the trap
triggers.
4. Security Office*
Inside the security offices, two Drones and a Veerux
Soldier have been deployed because the door was forced
open. They recognize the invaders as non-humans and
attack. This combat should prioritize cover and clever
tactics to confuse the drones. The office within has much
in the way of cover: furniture, shelves, and other general
office equipment. The drones, overwhelmed, will pick their
targets at first at random and then focused on whichever
character most recently damaged them.
Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)
Once the drones are destroyed, the party can use
the computers in here to disable the additional security
protocols in the engine block. They can also watch a
security feed of the engine room and note that there are
four Veerux Engineers and two Watchers there that they
will still have to deal with.
5. Engineering
This is the primary engineering area of the ship. It has
numerous pieces of large machinery that make for excellent
cover. It is protected by a mix of robotic protectors and
Veerux soldiers who double as engineers. If the optional
objective is completed before arriving here, the robotic
protectors are not a part of this combat. Otherwise, there
are two Watchers and four Veerux Engineers (it may
be necessary to increase these numbers if the party is more
than 5 people. Alternate between adding an engineer and a
watcher).
The party can attempt to be stealthy. Their goal isn’t
necessarily to defeat the people and robots here, but rather
to reach the power cell chamber of the engine block and
set explosives there on a timer. If the party can do that and
safely leave without being noticed, they do not need to fight.
The watchers, however, make this particularly difficult.
Once combat is met, they will have to defeat all the
foes in the room, as neither the Veerux nor the watchers
will run from a fight. If the party set the time before they
were discovered, pump up the urgency of the fight, as they
only have 10 minutes (each of which is 10 rounds) before
the engine blows. Mention that getting back to their ship,
starting it, and escaping will require at least 5 minutes
of their time. They can choose to set the timer to be less
than 10 minutes or even sacrifice themselves if that is
their choice. As long as the bomb goes off the mission is a
success.
6. Engineering Power Cells
This area of the engine block contains the power cells where
the explosives need to be set. The party will have to open
these doors either by using an engineer’s key card (stolen or
looted from one of the engineers in this room) or by force.
The door requires a DC 15 Intelligence (Computers) or
Wisdom (Mechanics) check to open via the panel or a DC
25 Strength (Athletics) check to pry open.
 Drone, Robot
Medium construct, unaligned
Hit Points: 48 (6d8 +12) [10 barrier points]
Armor Class: 13
Speed: 0 ft., Fly 50 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws: Int +4
Skills: Perception +2
Vulnerable to thunder damage
Damage Resistances: necrotic, radiant
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses: infrared vision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages: Understands any languages programmed
into it
Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
Immutable Form. The robot is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Network Connected. In order to operate, the robot
Watcher, Robot
Small construct, unaligned
Hit Points: 21 (3d8 +3)
Armor Class: 12
Speed: 0 ft., Fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws: Int +7
Skills: Perception +7
Vulnerable to thunder damage
Damage Resistances: necrotic, radiant
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses: infrared vision 120 ft., x-ray vision 40 ft.,
passive Perception 17
Languages: Understands any languages programmed
into it
Challenge: 1 (200 XP)
Immutable Form. The robot is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)
must be connected to a public or private network. For
the purposes of the Hack action, this robot has engines,
a plasma spear, a plasma cannon, and a plasma gun that
can be affected.
Active Barrier. The robot has 10 barrier points that
absorb only ballistic and plasma damage. If depleted, this
barrier will restore itself after 1 minute.
Flyby. The robot doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity
when it flies out of an enemy’s reach and doesn’t suffer
from disadvantage for making ranged attacks while in
melee.
Actions
Multiattack. The robot makes two plasma spear or two
plasma shot attacks.
Plasma Spear. Melee Weapon Attack; +5 to hit, reach
10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 +3) plasma damage.
Plasma Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack; +5 to hit, range
80 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 +3) plasma damage.
Plasma Cannon (Recharge 6). Ranged Weapon
Attack; +5 to hit, range 120 ft., two targets. Hit: 15 (3d6
+3) plasma damage.
Network Connected. In order to operate, the robot
must be connected to a public or private network. For the
purposes of the Hack action, this robot has engines, video
feed, alarm system, a plasma spear, and a plasma gun
that can be affected.
Constant Video Feed. The robot is always recording
every sound and sight that it obtains as it patrols. These
records get backed up on the network and also in its
internal files.
Undesirables Database. The robot has a feature
that allows it to store a large number of facial and vocal
details for determining undesirables on a premises.
Actions
Plasma Spear. Melee Weapon Attack; +4 to hit, reach
10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 +2) plasma damage.
Plasma Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack; +4 to hit, reach
80 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 +2) plasma damage.
Alarm. As a bonus action, the robot can set off any
alarms that share a network with it as well as making a
loud and visibly potent alarm sequence that can be heard
from hundreds of feet away.
 Soldier, Veerux
Medium humanoid, lawful evil
Engineer, Veerux Hit Points: 33 (5d8 +5) [10 barrier points]
Medium humanoid, lawful evil
Armor Class: 16
Hit Points: 33 (5d8 +5) [10 barrier points] Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 12
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Speed: 30 ft.
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Skills: Perception +4
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
Senses: passive Perception 14
Saving Throws: Str +4, Dex +6, Con +6 Languages: Veeruxian
Skills: Computers +6, Insight +4, Perception +4 Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
Senses: passive Perception 14
Languages: Veeruxian
Actions
Multiattack. The soldier can make two attacks on its
Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
turn.
Inventions. The engineer is a 5th level inventor. Their
Plasma Rifle. Ranged Weapon Attack; +6 to hit,
invention ability is Intelligence (Spell save DC 13, +5 to
range 180 ft./540 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12+4) plasma
hit with inventions). The engineer has 9 battery charges,
damage.
any 3 of which can be used before requiring a recharge
Plasma Bayonet. Melee Weapon Attack; +6 to hit,
(at least 1 minute of time). All inventions used mimic
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 +4) plasma damage.
the named spell as though cast with a 3rd level slot. The
engineer also has four gadgets prepared.
Gadgets: mending, message, poison spray, shocking
grasp
Inventions: burning hands, darkness, lesser
restoration, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shatter,
slow, vampiric touch
Actions
Custom Plasma Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack; +5
to hit, range 60 ft./180 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3)
plasma damage plus 8 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)

 Automated Turret
Tiny object
AC: 15
HP: 30
Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic
A swiveling turret that is small enough to hang from the
ceiling or a wall. It fires plasma at targets it deems to be
intruders or hostiles. Its Hack action DC is 10. It fires one
plasma shot each round.
Plasma Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack; +5 to hit,
range 100 ft./400 ft., one target, Hit: 12 (2d10) plasma
damage.
Shock Panel
Large object
AC: 15
HP: 50
Damage Immunities: Lightning, Plasma, Poison,
Psychic
Each panel is five feet wide and 15 feet long. There are four
them covering the hallway floor. Only two are active at a
given time. Another at random turns on and one that is on
turns off. Each panel separately can be disabled with a DC
10 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. They will also shut off
after 1 minute if all the wall sensors have been destroyed or
hacked.
Electric Shock. Creatures that touch a panel must
succeed a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8)
lightning damage on a failed save or half as much on a
successful one.
Charlie Fulla (Order #38739924)
Wall Sensor
Tiny object
AC: 12
HP: 10
Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic
This basic motion sensor has a radius area of 10 feet around
it with which it can sense vibrational disturbances in the
air. It automatically succeeds at sensing these motion based
vibrations. It is nearly impossible to see directly. Its Hack
action and Thieves’ Tools DC is 10.
Part Three:
Escape
More than anything else, this part of the adventure is
narrative. The party describes their jaunt back to their
ship. Once inside, their ship will start up and you mention
that the enemy vessel has made a lot of progress since they
boarded. From the ship’s sensors they can tell that it has
made it to the front line of the battlefield. Fortunately,
your plan is complete and the party will make off from the
enemy ship as the explosion happens, disabling it. As they
make their way back into friendly space they will watch the
giant cruiser bombarded by Galactic Coalition forces and
destroyed.
At this juncture thank your players for playing. Remind
them where they can purchase Spaceships and Starwyrms
as well as its upcoming modules. They can keep the
character sheets they chose as part of the adventure.
10