Spelljammer Helms

Spelljammer Helms
A Spelljammer helm, also known as a spelljamming helm or simply a helm, is a device that converts energy - be it magical, psionic, or the very life force of a living creature - into motive force which propels a ship (known as a spelljammer) at great speed through the void of wildspace or the phlogiston (known as spelljamming). Specifics vary from race to race, but in general, a helm resembles a large ornate chair upon which a mage or priest (known as the helmsman) will sit and act as a living engine, providing the magical power to propel the ship through wildspace, as well as perform some basic maneuvering as well. Various helms convert alternative sources of energy into motive force, but, in general, the more powerful the magic, the faster and further a ship can move.
Spelljamming helms are the easiest way to get a ship moving, but are hardly the only way. The dwarves use their forges to propel their great stone citadels, while the beholders use a mutated version of their own species, called an orbus, to provide the necessary power. The mind flayers, who have spell-like abilities, use specially designed helms in series to power their ships.
Most helms and other related 'magical engines' have a limitation on how large or how small a mass they are capable of moving. This, in turn, sets a limit on the size of most vessels. There are enormous citadels carved out of asteroids, but they are not actually mobile: for they most part they drift through space, with occasional (and expensive) mid-course corrections.
Helms can be acquired through various means, including raiding enemy ships or building them at great expense, but are most commonly purchased from the Arcane, the premiere merchant race in wildspace, who deal in helms, spelljammers, and other necessary magical and non-magical equipment.
Operating a Helm

A spelljammer helm typically takes the form of a great chair with supports or recesses for the head, arms and feet of the person using it. The styles of helms range from simplistic and functional, to ornate and gothic. Whatever the form, the helm is designed to pull magical energy from the user and convert it into fully fledged spelljamming power to propel and maneuver a spaceborne vessel.
A helm can be operated by any person or creature capable of casting spells. Helmsmen are typically wizards or priests, but may include high level rangers and paladins, or creatures with a natural spell-casting ability. A spellcaster needs to be well rested to function at their best; if they have cast any spells before activating a spelljamming helm, the ship's rating will be negatively affected. Operating a helm even for a short period negates the operators ability to cast spells until they have rested long enough to recover their spells.
The helmsman operating a spelljamming helm find their consciousness greatly expanded, and finds themselves operating at two levels of perception at once. First, the helmsman remains conscious of the normal sensations of their physical body, and is fully aware of what is occurring around them. Although they cannot move or cast spells without breaking contact with the helm, they are able to converse freely with those around them.
On the second level, the helmsman feels the ship as an extension of their own body. The ship, to the limits of its gravity plane, as well as the surrounding air envelope, all feel like a bubble under the helmsman's direct control. Many helmsmen have described the sensation of being merged with a ship, like that of personally flying among the stars.
Moving through wildspace or the phlogiston entails nothing more than mentally visualizing the distance and direction the ship needs to move (usually determined by the navigator, based on their star charts) and willing the ship to move as needed. The feeling of movement has been compared to moving a limb that has fallen asleep - a pins-and-needles sensation, though much less painful than the term usually suggests. The expanded consciousness of the helmsman makes them aware of the actions of the crew as though they were standing on the aft deck (or the equivalent of the specific ship), but their actions do not register directly unless the helmsman is paying special attention to them.
The helmsman can maneuver the ship sluggishly, but any real maneuver - like a turn - decreases the ship speed to tactical speed. In combat, the helmsman is limited by the feel of the hull and its capabilities, and cannot maneuver the ship beyond this capacity without additional magical aid.. On most ships, true maneuverability requires the attentions of a full crew. During combat, the helmsman is aware of damage to the hull as bright flashes of pain, but these are usually not severe enough to cause the helmsman to lose control, except for those critical attacks that cause spelljammer shock and can incapacitate the helmsman.
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Types of Helms

Major and Minor Helm
Cost: 100,000gp (Minor), 250,000gp (Major)
Both major and minor helms work in the same way - by converting magical energy into movement. It allows the individual seated upon the helm to move large amounts of mass through space, by directly channeling spell energy into the helm. While this provides movement, it is primarily used to push the ship forward; maneuvering is primarily accomplished through use of the ship's sails and oars.
Because the motive power of the ship comes from the conversion of spell energy, only mages and clerics are able to power this type of helm. Additionally, powering the helm prohibits the mage from any spell use within a 24 hour period of powering the helm.
A minor helm will provide 1 point of Ship's Rating per three levels of experience of the mage. A major helm provides 1 point per two levels. An individual mage can power the helm for a period of up to 12 hours, after which the Ship's Rating drops by 1 point per hour of additional use.
The use of this type of helm does not prevent the mage from speaking and acting as normal. Many helmsmen describe a feeling akin to being submerged to the neck in warm water when they are using the helm, and the ability to see things as if he were standing on the deck.
A minor helm can move a ship up to 50 tons, while a major helm can move up to 100 tons. Both helms can move a minimum of 1 ton. Only one helm can be used at a time, but smart captains are advised to keep another helm onboard as backup.
Beacon Helm
Cost: 300,000gp (including a single beacon ring +60,000gp (per additional ring)
A beacon helm is a major helm paired with one or more rings, known as alarm beacons or beacon rings. When a beacon helm is in use, the distance and (very roughly) the direction of the helm becomes apparent to the person holding or wearing the ring. Each ring is fashioned at the same time as the helm it is paired with, and cannot be linked to an existing helm. The ring must be fashioned from adamantite, and is fitted with a single large blue carbuncle. If the gem is shattered or removed, the ring immediately ceases to function as an alarm beacon.
When the beacon helm is in operation, the linked alarm beacon remains totally silent; however, the ring's gem begins to flash and pulse visibly and can be felt by the ring's wearer. At such time, the ring's bearer cannot cast any spells, but is free to imbibe a potion, read a spell from a scroll, or activate a magic item.
Wearing multiple alarm beacons allows the user to discern between up to three different helms, but wearing additional rings beyond three merely causes all rings to cease functioning until the extraneous ring is removed. Alarm beacons can be worn next to the skin anywhere on the body, and will continue to function normally.

Series Helm
Cost: 75,000gp (per linked helm)
These helms, invented by the Mindflayers, have been adapted for use by many other races with natural spell-like abilities. They resemble major and minor helms, but their primary difference is that they can be linked together, increasing their overall power, and can be used by non-mages, provided they have natural spell-like abilities available to them.
For each helm in the series that is currently being manned, the ship has a Ship's Rating of 1. Generally, series helms contain between three and five active helms at any one time.
Series helms can move a ship between 5 and 50 tons.
Pool Helm
Cost: 500,000gp (Mindflayers only)
Another development of the Mindflayers, the pool helm uses the natural life-pool of the mindflayers to power the ship, rather than the individual mindflayers themselves.
These helms have an automatic Ship's Rating of 5. It is not known, currently, what the maximum tonnage of ship that can be moved by this helm is, but rumors hold it to be 200 tons.
Orbus
Cost: 300,000gp (Beholders only)
Despite their natural spell-like abilities, the Beholders do not use Series Helms to power their ships. Instead, the Beholders have come up with their own unique solution: the Orbus.
The Orbus is a living being that functions in a fashion similar to the Series Helms. For each Orbus onboard the Beholder ship, the Ship's Rating is 1, to a maximum of 5 Orbi at any one time.
A single Orbus can power a ship of up to 20 tons, two can power up to 40 tons and three or more can power a maximum of 60 tons.
There is some discussion that the Orbus could also be used by ships crewed by races other than the Beholders, but the Beholders would rather destroy their own Orbus than see them in the hands of other races.
Forge
Cost: 500,000gp (initially) + 100,000gp/year
Dwarves, long known for being one of the least-magical races in the void, power their ships through magical engines known as Forges. The Forge is found in a large foundry room, generally in the base of the ship, where Dwarves work around the clock, crafting and forging.
Instead of using magical energy to create motive force, the Forge uses the creative energy of the Dwarves working within it.
For every 100 dwarves working in the foundry, the ship has a Ship's Rating of 1, so generally speaking, the faster the ship, the more space it has given up to the Forge.
The Forge can power a ship with a minimum tonnage of 100 tons, and a maximum of 700 tons, although these are exceptionally rare.
Attempts to replicate this technology on ships of other races has failed miserably thus far.
As a side effect of the crafting and forging taking place in the foundry of ships powered by this type of helm, they are home to a huge amount of trade goods, and an even larger armoury.
Gnomish Helm
Cost: 50,000gp
As with so many things created by the Gnomes, by all logic, Gnomish helms should not be able to function, as they defy the very laws of nature. Of course, they work anyway, generally because the design includes a minor helm hidden away somewhere within.
As with most other Gnomish creations, they include an incredibly large number of moving parts, bells and whistles, that create much commotion, but do very little.
They are the object of scorn and ridicule among the larger spacer population, and often at the epicenter of some of the void's most legendary pranks.
Bardic Helm
Cost: 200,000gp
A bardic helm is found primarily on an Iambus, a type of vessel used by travelling bards, and typically incorporates a musical instrument in its design. As long as the bard plays the musical instrument, the bardic helm functions as a major helm. Any bard, or individual with the necessary musical proficiency to play the particular instrument, may provide power to the ship, propelling it through wildspace. Often, an Iambus will incorporate a strange or exotic musical instrument in the design of its helm, negating the possibility of the vessel being stolen.
Grand Helm
Cost: 1,000,000gp
A grand helm allows up to four mages or priests to collectively power a ship. The caster levels of the four helmsmen are added together and divided by four, rounding all fractions up. The resulting number is the vessels SR.
Furnace
Cost: 100,000gp
The furnace is an early form of spelljamming helm that still sees occasional use. Instead of taking magical energy directly from living beings, the Furnace takes it from magical items that are fed into it and subsequently destroyed.
Generally, for every 1,000xp an item is worth, the furnace will function for one week at Ship's Rating 2. This, naturally, can very quickly become an expensive way of powering a ship. Adding a second item simultaneously can increase the Ship's Rating to 3, but risks exploding the Furnace (25% chance), causing 10-100 points of damage in a 30ft radius.
Most Furnaces are found on ghost ships and crashed hulks. As a result of the fire of the furnace, they can be used only within Crystal Spheres. Used in the Phlogiston, they will explode, catastrophically. There is rumor that they may have been developed by the Arcane.
Artifurnace
Cost: Priceless
The modern-day descendant of the Furnace, the Artifurnace is the ultimate development of the old Furnaces. These helms draw their power from a magical artifact, and each one is custom-made for the artifact it will use. Since artifacts are nearly eternal, the Artifurnace is as well.
Once installed the Artifurnace provides a Ship's Rating of 5. They are extremely rare, and extremely sought after, and if it becomes known that a particular ship carries one, that ship will be pursued by many who want to take the Artifurnace.
Lifejammer
Cost: 80,000gp
Favored by the Neogi and other evil races of spacefarers, this type of spelljamming helm feeds off of the life energies of an individual within (who is, more often than not, there against their will).
Every day of operation sucks 1d8 hit points from the creature within, and requires a saving throw versus death. These hit points cannot be regenerated while the creature remains within the helm. A failed saving throw, or the reduction of hit points to zero kills the helmsman.
The Ship's Rating can be calculated by assuming that the creature within was a wizard using a minor helm, at that creature's current level. For example: a 6th level thief will operate as though he were a 6th level mage.

Death Helm (Deathjammer)
Cost: 50,000
A death helm is a rare type of spelljamming helm that resembles most other helms in that it takes the form of a seat of some kind. A death helm drains the lifeforce of the being using it in the same fashion as a lifejammer. However, it has one horrible refinement: any intelligent being sitting in the helm has a chance of being charmed as per the charm person spell. The powerful charm makes the user enjoy the feeling of spelljamming intensely and regard the helm as a place of comfort and safety. Charmed helmsmen act normally in all respects, except that they resist all attempts to remove them from the helm. The helm's magic prevents them from feeling any weakness or other ill effects as they waste away.
Spellcasters seated in a death helm have been known to fight comrades trying to remove them — soldiering on at the helm until they suddenly crumple and die as the last of their lifeforce is drained away. Any being who successfully saves against the initial charm of a death helm senses something is wrong or dangerous about the seat, and will remain distrustful of the device from then on.
A death helm's charm does not extend beyond the seat itself, and is not detectable separate from the spelljamming power of the helm itself. In spelljamming performance, it is identical to a lifejammer, except that it can move spacecraft as a major helm.
The death helm is not a creation of the Arcane, and was likely invented by the Neogi as a more powerful analogue to the Lifejammer. The Xorn have discovered a way to operate these helms in series, moving their 300 ton stoneships while doing 4d6 damage to any creatures entering the helm instead of the usual 1d8, necessitating a large supply of captives to sacrifice for propulsion.
Pump Helm
Cost: 600,000
The Pump is a spelljamming helm that must be fed material in order to create SR. The type of material placed in The Pump will determine the SR that this spelljamming engine generates (see the following table). Simply stated, one pound of material ( 10 coins or gems) can move a spelljamming ship of up to 100 tons for one hour. After that, absolutely nothing is left of the material placed in the helm. (If the fuel used was flesh, there is nothing left to resurrect.)
The Pump cannot digest magical items at all. Spell books, enchanted swords, and artifacts that are placed in The Pump are never metabolized. They are ejected from the ship after being in the helm for over 24 hours.
A particularly gruesome contraption, The Pump is a creation of the unhumans; basically for the goblins and goblinkin races. Since the latest Unhuman Wars began, The Pump has increased in potency as well as popularity. Now, every captain in the goblin fleets wants one for his ship.
Non-magical Engines
Cost: Varies, but approx. 10,000gp is common
Not every engine uses magic. There are other alternatives available, from chemical propellants to explosive mixtures ignited in a closed space.
Most non-magical engines are used in lifeboats, or as backups for the main helm of a ship to be used if the helm is disabled, or in dead magic areas.
The maximum Ship's Rating for any non-magical engine is never more than 1, and they cannot be used to lift off from celestial bodies larger than Class A.