AppendixGM Only

System Guides and Conversion Notes

Convert the pressure, not every number.

System

Mar de Oro is a setting first. D&D Fifth Edition is one implementation, not the truth beneath the world. Any rules engine can carry the Golden Sea if it can make pressure visible: faction movement, dangerous knowledge, ship failure, legal consequence, loyalty, and the cost of acting too late.

System principle

When converting, ask what the scene threatens: body, ship, reputation, secrecy, authority, source stability, or the crew's ability to choose freely.

What the system must support

Scene type	Required focus
Intrigue	Reading people, hidden motives, social leverage, favors, and clocks.
Exploration	Travel cost, weather, maps, guides, supplies, and local knowledge.
Airship action	Position, subsystem damage, command decisions, repair, altitude, and panic.
Source chamber scenes	Escalating hazard, clues before danger, partial success, and irreversible consequence.
Political fallout	Arrests, warrants, scandal, inquiry, ship seizure, and faction retaliation.

Universal conversion ladder

Use this ladder when translating the GM Guide into a rules engine that is not using the existing 5e appendix. Keep the fiction first. The numbers only express how much pressure surrounds the action.

Difficulty	What it means	D20 / 5e	Pathfinder 2e Remastered	Percentile / BRP
Routine	A trained person can do it in calm conditions.	DC 10	Trained or level DC -2	+20% or easy
Pressured	Time, weather, rank, or secrecy matters.	DC 13	Standard level DC	Standard
Dangerous	Failure causes harm, exposure, or faction movement.	DC 15	Hard level DC	Hard
Severe	Ship, chamber, life, or legal status is at risk.	DC 18	Very hard level DC	Very hard
Catastrophic	Rupture, court scandal, ship loss, massacre, or war pretext.	DC 21+	Incredibly hard or custom hazard	Extreme

Dice pool and PbtA translation

Difficulty	Dice pool	2d6 / PbtA style
Routine	1 success	No roll unless pressure exists.
Pressured	2 successes	7-9 introduces cost; 10+ full success.
Dangerous	3 successes	A miss advances a clock hard.
Severe	4 successes	Success still carries cost or exposure.
Catastrophic	5+ successes	Use a custom move or campaign clock.

Conversion rule

Scale difficulty to the table's engine, then spend failure on consequence. A failed check should move the world, not simply stop the scene.

System-neutral procedures

Procedure	Use in every system
Faction clocks	Advance when players delay, make noise, fail forward, ignore a power, accept a favor, or reveal useful information.
Éterlumin hazard states	Stable, Singing, Answering, Contradicting, Rupturing. Treat Éterlumin as responsive gas tied to Fortera conditions.
Airship subsystems	Frame, Lift, Sail, Command, Guns, Crew, Secrets. Damage one subsystem before tracking abstract destruction.
Social fallout	A failed roll can create warrants, witness removal, seized cargo, a false report, inquiry, debt, or diplomatic attention.
Rewards beyond coin	Pay out access, protection, leverage, letters, repairs, specialists, immunity, safe harbor, and crew loyalty.

Éterlumin hazard states

State	Cue	Mechanical translation
Stable	Contained, monitored, quiet pressure, normal readings.	No roll unless characters hurry, sabotage, or mistreat the system.
Singing	Hum, heat, shimmer, pressure drift, animals quiet, tools warming.	Introduce soft moves, warnings, disadvantage, threat, or minor clock ticks.
Answering	The room reacts to speech, rhythm, blood, engine stress, rite, or command.	Require careful action, group checks, or controlled position with clear costs.
Contradicting	Signals conflict. People argue. Instruments disagree. The chamber repeats the wrong answer.	Escalate position, raise DCs, increase difficulty, split consequences, or tick two clocks.
Rupturing	Space changes, ship fails, people vanish, legal and political consequences begin.	Custom hazard, scene change, major condition, injury, or campaign-level clock.

D&D 5e and Pathfinder notes

Engine	Best fit	Conversion notes
D&D 5e	Heroic crews, clear combat, recognizable DCs, monster-like hazards, and set-piece airship fights.	Use the existing 5e appendix for DCs, firearms, airship actions, hazards, and NPC templates. Keep social and legal consequences outside hit points.
Pathfinder 2e Remastered	Tactical crews, balanced hazards, tight encounter math, strong conditions, exploration activities, and degrees of success.	Use level-based DCs. Treat source chambers as hazards, haunts, or complex hazards. Use degrees of success for clean success, cost, setback, and severe complication.
Pathfinder First Edition	Detailed character builds, tactical ship boarding, prestige, and crunchy gear.	Use 5e values as narrative baselines only. Convert firearms and airships to your table's preferred subsystems, and avoid letting gear math replace faction pressure.

Pathfinder 2e Remastered quick mapping

Mar de Oro element	PF2e expression
Faction clock	Victory point track, influence subsystem, reputation track, or campaign clock outside encounter mode.
Source chamber	Complex hazard with initiative, disable actions, escalating effects, and consequences on failure.
Éterlumin pressure	Environmental hazard, affliction-like condition, or subsystem clock that changes actions and DCs.
Airship combat	Vehicle encounter using subsystems as targets: Lift, Sail, Command, Guns, Frame, Crew.
Social rank and law	Influence subsystem, reputation, circumstance bonuses, access requirements, and consequences that arrive after the scene.
Firearms	Use the table's Guns & Gears assumptions if desired. Keep reload, smoke, wet powder, and misfire tone even if the exact rules differ.

Investigation and drama engines

Engine	What to emphasize	Mar de Oro advice
Call of Cthulhu / BRP	Investigation, fear, evidence, institutional dread, dangerous knowledge, and fragile people.	Make source chambers intelligible through clues before danger. Sanity-style stress can represent awe, rupture exposure, guilt, or institutional horror.
Fate	Dramatic politics, identity, debts, oaths, ships, and cinematic airship reversals.	Make homelands, ship damage, faction reputation, oaths, and secrets into aspects. Compel class pressure, legal trouble, or Éterlumin instability.
Cortex Prime	Trait-driven crews, relationships, values, distinctions, and modular ship drama.	Build dice pools from calling, homeland, relationship, ship system, and current pressure. Use complications for legal heat, rupture risk, and faction attention.
Genesys	Mixed narrative and tactical action with threat, advantage, triumph, and despair.	Excellent fit for partial success. Spend threat on witnesses, pressure, heat, smoke, legal attention, and damaged systems.

Drama rule

In drama engines, a clean success should be rare under political pressure. Let success create a new obligation, witness, debt, or clock.

Clock-first engines

Engine	Why it fits	GM moves
Powered by the Apocalypse	Fast table drama, moral pressure, player-driven consequence, and scenes that turn on hard choices.	Use moves such as Read the Room, Call in a Debt, Push the Engine Too Far, Hold the Line, and Investigate the Chamber. A miss should advance a visible clock.
Forged in the Dark	Canula Prime, smugglers, privateers, intelligence crews, faction heat, clocks, position, and effect.	Use position for danger and effect for leverage. Track heat by port or faction. Use downtime for repairs, rumors, healing, and favors.
Blades-style ship crew	Airship, sloop, merchant brig, privateer, survey vessel, or deniable Hellerite craft as the crew sheet.	Ship upgrades are claims. Rivals are factions. Éterlumin access is supply. Legal immunity is temporary cover.

Useful clocks

Clock	Advance when
Albion identifies the crew	The players leave traces, use false papers badly, or reveal a hidden objective.
The Governor buries the incident	The party delays public proof or accepts official process.
The Church classifies the chamber	A source event becomes doctrinal before evidence becomes political.
Chamber pressure rises	The crew hurries, argues, uses force, or ignores warning cues.
Workers begin disappearing	The players ask questions without protection.

Action, survival, and precision engines

Engine	Best campaign frame	Conversion note
Savage Worlds	Pulp privateers, fast airship battles, duels, raids, escapes, and explosive set-pieces.	Keep hazards swingy. Use chases, dramatic tasks, and wounds for shipboard pressure.
Year Zero Engine	Survival voyages, harsh travel, expeditions, limited supplies, dangerous ruins, and desperate repairs.	Pushing maps well to Fortera overdraw and Éterlumin risk. Spend resource dice on powder, food, water, parts, and morale.
GURPS or simulation-heavy systems	Engineering, medicine, logistics, rank, firearms, armor, and precise ship procedures.	Use when the group enjoys detail. Keep faction clocks so precision does not freeze politics.
OSR / old-school fantasy	Exploration, dangerous rooms, procedures, faction play, treasure maps, and players solving problems without character buttons.	Make source chambers puzzle-sites. Telegraph danger clearly. Reward caution, mapping, rumor work, and retreat.
2d20	Momentum, threat, reputation, duties, and cinematic pressure.	Spend threat on faction heat, chamber response, command confusion, and weather shifts.

Choosing an engine for the campaign you want

Campaign emphasis	Strong choices
Heroic mixed action with familiar fantasy structure	D&D 5e, Pathfinder First Edition, Pathfinder 2e Remastered
Tactical depth, conditions, hazards, balanced encounters	Pathfinder 2e Remastered
Dark investigation, brittle certainty, slow dread	Call of Cthulhu / BRP
Smugglers, privateers, clocks, heat, crew upgrades	Forged in the Dark
Fast moral drama and sharp consequences	Powered by the Apocalypse
Cinematic swashbuckling and quick fights	Savage Worlds, Genesys
Survival, scarcity, hard travel, expedition failure	Year Zero Engine, OSR
Technical realism and engineering detail	GURPS or another simulation-heavy engine

Final conversion checklist

Before play, decide	Why it matters
How your system handles partial success	Mar de Oro thrives when success creates cost rather than ending pressure.
How you track faction movement	Every campaign needs clocks, fronts, heat, reputation, or another pressure track.
How ships take damage	Use subsystems before total destruction. Let repairs matter.
How social rank changes access	Nationality, faith, class, and paperwork should open and close doors.
How Éterlumin escalates	Use hazard states, not simple fuel points.

Final rule

The best system for Mar de Oro is the one that makes players ask what their success cost, who saw it, and which power moves next.

D&D 5e conversion pack

These are D&D Fifth Edition stat references only, not the full rules. Use them as baselines and re-calibrate to your table's dice economy. All listed vessels are immune to small-arms fire; only cannon, siege weapons, Fortera workings, and other ships threaten them.

Airship stat lines

Ship	Origin	Class	AC	HP	Speed	Broadside
Cruzado	Valdegracia	Heavy Frigate	16	300	25 kt	28d10
Banshee-class	Albion	Cruiser-Frigate	17	580	36 kt	28d12
Spectre	Albion	Disruption Frigate	16	280	35 kt	20d12
Wright	Albion	Alpha Striker	15	250	40 kt	16d10
Wight	Albion	Scout / Raider	14	160	45 kt	8d8
Aurora Ventus	Duchy of Heller	Command Frigate	16	340	30 kt	24d10
Cazador	Duchy of Heller	Interceptor	16	230	40 kt	14d10
La Estrella Veloz	Duchy of Heller	Frigate (pursuit role)	17	220	40 kt	10d10
Santo-class	Duchy of Heller	Escort Sloop	15	180	35 kt	8d8
Helios Tender	Duchy of Heller	Support Vessel	15	280	20 kt	2d6

Subsystem split (called shots)

Subsystem	Share of HP	If destroyed
Hull integrity	35%	Core structure; if lost, the ship fails.
Engines / lift	20%	Movement, Éterlumin drive, speed bonuses.
Weapons	20%	Broadside cannon and volley systems.
Rigging / steering	15%	Turning radius and evasive actions.
Bridge / command	10%	Orders, leadership, initiative bonuses.

Volley fire, at a glance

Rule	Detail
Damage	1d10 per two muskets (round down). Minimum three muskets to volley.
Size caps	Small 5d10, Medium 8d10, Large 10d10, Huge 14d10, Gargantuan 16d10.
Damage save	DEX, DC 12 + 1 per 5 shooters (max 18). Success halves.
Suppression save	WIS, same DC. Fail = half move + disadvantage to end of next turn.
Morale	Lose over half remaining HP to one volley: WIS DC 12 or break.

Fortera overdraw

Severity	Tiers over	Strain	Ripple	Settling
Mild	1	1d10	x1.5	Weakened field, 1d4 rounds
Moderate	2	2d8	x2	Depleted field, 1d6 minutes
Severe	3	4d8	x3	Dead zone, 1d6 hours
Overload	4+	6d8	x4	Collapse zone, 1d6 days or more

Save DC equals 10 + (2 x tiers over capacity). Success takes half strain; failure takes full and escalates one step. Strain is taken as Exhaustion HP, ignoring armor and resistances.

Moon multiplier

Remember the lunar rules: a two-moon alignment (deep breath) should nudge every overdraw and instability roll one step worse; a three-moon God's Breath makes source chambers actively dangerous even undisturbed.

Running Mar de Oro in Fifth Edition

Conversion principles

Principle	How to rule it at the table
Pressure before numbers	Establish what changes if the characters fail, then call for the roll.
Advantage is doctrine	Use advantage when a faction fights in its preferred style; use disadvantage when forced outside doctrine.
Clocks beat repeat rolls	For extended danger, use 4, 6, or 8 segment clocks instead of asking for the same check again.
Success creates leverage	A success should give position, information, time, or authority, not just permission to continue.
Failure moves the world	Advance a faction, worsen a hazard, spend a resource, or reveal a cost.

Default DC ladder

DC	Use it for	Example
10	Routine under pressure	Read a common harbor signal through smoke.
12	Trained but risky	Reload a musket while moving through boarding chaos.
14	Hard professional work	Stabilize a damaged valve before pressure rises.
16	Elite work under threat	Hold formation during a cloud ambush.
18	Heroic or desperate	Translate a chamber rhythm while the floor begins to sing.
20+	Nearly impossible	Talk a faction commander out of a red-line order already given.

GM rule

When in doubt, pick DC 14. Lower it if the character has the right tool, role, or preparation. Raise it if time, smoke, weather, panic, or Fortera instability is working against them.

Firearms in Post Sundering

Flintlocks in Post Sundering are powerful, smoky, temperamental, and slow. They change the meaning of courage, but they do not remove the need for steel, formation, and timing.

Weapon	Damage	Range	Reload	Notes
Pistol	1d10 piercing	30/90	1 action	Can be fired in melee at disadvantage unless braced.
Carbine	1d10 piercing	60/180	1 action	Favored by sailors, guides, and airship crews.
Musket	1d12 piercing	80/240	1 action	Best in formation or open ground. Awkward in jungle.
Boarding gun	2d8 piercing	20/60	1 action	At close range, ignores light cover from bodies and rails.
Swivel gun	4d10 piercing	120/360	2 crew	Crew-served. Threatens boats, decks, and light structures.

Misfire, smoke, and wet powder

Condition	Rule
Wet powder	Attacks with firearms are made at disadvantage until the weapon is dried or powder is replaced.
Poor powder or rain	On a natural 1, the shot misfires. Clearing it costs an action.
Heavy smoke	After two or more volleys in the same area, ranged attacks beyond 30 feet are at disadvantage until wind, movement, or elevation clears the smoke.
Point blank	Within 10 feet, a firearm hit against an unarmored or unaware target adds +2 damage.

Volley procedure

Step	Rule
1. Form	Minimum three shooters. A volley requires a round to prepare unless the unit is already drilled and waiting.
2. Fire	Damage is 1d10 per two muskets, round down. Apply the size caps from the quick-stat page.
3. Save	Targets make a DEX save, DC 12 + 1 per five shooters, maximum 18. Success halves damage.
4. Suppress	Targets also make a WIS save against the same DC. Failure means half movement and disadvantage until the end of their next turn.

Airship combat procedure

Airship combat is a scene with rules, not a miniature wargame. Each round should change one spatial fact, one ship condition, or one command fact. If nothing changes, advance smoke, weather, fire, morale, or a faction clock.

Airship combat round

Step	Who acts	What happens
1. Establish the sky	GM	Name altitude, weather, visibility, range band, and terrain below.
2. Declare intent	Captains	Each side states its doctrine: close, hold line, break contact, board, dive, climb, or vanish.
3. Contest position	Pilots	Opposed piloting check, usually DEX or vehicle proficiency. Winner changes range, angle, altitude, or cover.
4. Resolve fire	Gunnery	Broadsides, called shots, volleys, or special weapons. Smoke and angle matter.
5. Damage control	Engineers	Repair, vent, cut pressure, reroute lift, or keep weapons firing.
6. Command check	Signal officers	Maintain orders, relay to allies, spoof signals, or recover from bridge hits.
7. Advance clocks	GM	Move fire, smoke, panic, Fortera instability, weather, and faction clocks.

Range bands

Band	Meaning	Rules cue
Contact	Boarding hooks, pistols, grenades, pikes.	Melee, morale, and bridge panic dominate.
Close	Musket, swivel, and accurate cannon fire.	Called shots possible at normal difficulty.
Battle	Main broadsides and maneuver.	Most airship engagements begin here.
Long	Harassing fire, signal deception, pursuit.	Called shots at disadvantage unless doctrine or optics help.
Cloud	Contact uncertain.	Pilot or signal check needed before accurate fire.

Angle matters

A frontal strike favors fast ships with bow guns. A broadside favors heavy line vessels. An attack from cloud gives advantage on the first positioning check unless the target has scouts, signals, or warning.

Role actions

Role	Core action	Useful checks
Captain	Set doctrine, rally crew, choose target priority, accept or refuse risk.	Persuasion, Intimidation, Insight, history of naval war.
Pilot	Change range, altitude, bearing, cover, and exposure to weather.	Vehicles, Acrobatics, Survival, Perception.
Gunnery officer	Coordinate broadside, called shot, reload rhythm, or ammunition choice.	Attack roll, Investigation, Perception, Intimidation.
Engineer	Vent, stabilize, repair, reroute lift, or sacrifice a subsystem to save the ship.	Arcana, Investigation, Tinker tools, vehicles.
Signal officer	Relay orders, jam enemy signals, read flags, maintain fleet cohesion.	Investigation, Deception, Performance, Perception.
Surgeon	Control casualties and panic; keep specialists alive.	Medicine, Insight, Persuasion.
Marine officer	Repel boarders, lead boarding party, guard prisoners or secure key rooms.	Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, attack rolls.

Role actions by difficulty

Action	DC	Result on success
Emergency turn through smoke	14	Change one range band or deny enemy advantage.
Keep guns firing after weapon damage	14	Ignore one weapons penalty this round.
Cut pressure before rupture	16	Reduce Éterlumin hazard clock by 1.
Read false flag or signal spoof	15	Identify the lie before it costs position.
Rally crew after bridge hit	16	Cancel command confusion for one exchange.
Board through hostile fire	17	Reach enemy deck with half casualties or less.

Shared spotlight

In a major battle, ask each player what station they take. Give every station one meaningful decision before the next broadside lands.

Ships fail by subsystem

Subsystem	At half HP	At zero HP
Hull	Leaks, frame groans, crew works under falling spars.	Ship fails unless immediately stabilized.
Engines and lift	Speed drops, altitude control worsens.	Controlled movement ends; descent, drift, or rupture clock begins.
Weapons	Reload rhythm falters, one battery goes silent.	Broadside reduced to scattered deck weapons.
Rigging and steering	Turning worsens, evasive action at disadvantage.	Cannot change bearing without emergency work.
Bridge and command	Orders delay or contradict.	Command confusion until a new officer takes control.

Emergency repairs

Task	Check	Time	Effect
Patch hull tear	DC 14 tools	1 round	Stop one damage-over-time effect.
Reroute lift pressure	DC 16 Arcana or tools	1 round	Restore one movement option for one exchange.
Cut fouled rigging	DC 13 Athletics	1 round	Remove steering disadvantage, lose a sail.
Restart signal deck	DC 15 Investigation	1 round	Allied ships receive current orders again.
Contain Éterlumin leak	DC 16 tools	2 rounds	Pause rupture clock. Failure advances it.

Critical hit table (d6)

d6	Critical
1	Deck splinters. Random exposed crew take 2d6 piercing.
2	Smoke blinds the battery. Next broadside at disadvantage.
3	Signal confusion. Enemy may force one delayed order.
4	Pressure spike. Start or advance an Éterlumin hazard clock.
5	Magazine threatened. Choose guns or safety this round.
6	Officer down. Immediate command check or doctrine collapses.

Éterlumin gas states and hazards

Use these rules when Éterlumin becomes an active danger: damaged tanks, source chambers, experiments, overdraw, sabotage, ship combat, or careless storage.

Hazard clocks

Hazard	Clock	Trigger	When full
Leaking tank	4	Fire, sparks, rough handling, failed repair.	Flash burn, panic, and loss of stored gas.
Pressure climb	6	Overfill, trapped vent, damaged regulator.	Rupture, lift loss, or explosive vent.
Semi-state resonance	6	Rite, engine rhythm, bell, song, source chamber.	Fortera response, hallucination, or subsystem failure.
Source contradiction	8	Two commands, two rituals, or hostile pulses.	Gas state transitions.

Gas state transitions

From	To	What causes it	GM consequence
Inert	Semi-state	Heat, pressure, active field, nearby chamber.	Start resonance signs and raise DCs by 2.
Semi-state	Active	Engine draw, lift command, weaponized vent.	Gain lift or effect, start volatility risk.
Active	Semi-state	Emergency damping, cold vent, loss of command.	Effect weakens, but resonance may linger.
Any	Rupture	Contradiction, trapped pressure, violent impact.	Resolve hazard clock, damage, and faction reaction.

Venting rule

A safe system has an upward path to vent. A sealed system with no high vent is a bomb, a prayer, or both. Let engineers see this before the dice hit the table.

Player-facing warnings

Warning	Meaning
Sweating brass	Pressure is climbing faster than the regulator can bleed it.
Blue-white flicker	Gas has entered semi-state or active state.
Needle stutter	The field is responding unevenly.
Tone below speech	A chamber, engine, or rite has found a resonance.

Fortera overdraw procedure

Fortera overdraw occurs when a working asks more from the local field than the area can restore safely. It is not poison damage. It is strain, depletion, contradiction, and recovery time.

Severity	Tiers over	Strain	Ripple	Settling
Mild	1	1d10	x1.5	Weakened field, 1d4 rounds.
Moderate	2	2d8	x2	Depleted field, 1d6 minutes.
Severe	3	4d8	x3	Dead zone, 1d6 hours.
Overload	4+	6d8	x4	Collapse zone, 1d6 days or more.

Save DC equals 10 + 2 per tier over capacity. A success takes half strain. A failure takes full strain and escalates one step. Strain is Exhaustion HP, ignoring armor and resistance.

Moon pressure

Moon state	GM effect
Ordinary night	Use normal thresholds. Weirdness requires a cause.
One strong moon	Increase sensory signs. Clocks do not worsen automatically.
Two-moon alignment	Every overdraw or instability roll nudges one step worse.
Three-moon God's Breath	Source chambers become dangerous even undisturbed. Begin chamber scenes with a clock already active.

Containment choices

Choice	Cost	Benefit
Vent gas	Lose supply or lift.	Reduce pressure clock by 2.
Ground the working	Lose current effect.	Stop overdraw escalation.
Accept strain	Character takes Exhaustion HP.	Complete the effect now.
Break the pattern	Risk backlash.	End resonance if the correct rhythm is found.

Faction doctrine in play

Advantage and disadvantage by faction

Faction	When they gain advantage	When they suffer disadvantage
Valdegracia	Holding line, disciplined broadsides, resisting damage, formal authority.	Rapid improvisation, broken command chain, deniable operations.
Albion	Cloud approach, false flags, speed, disruption, signal attacks.	Static line battle, prolonged attrition, loss of propulsion.
Duchy of Heller	Improvisation, concealed movement, command coordination, black sloop support.	Captured paperwork, public exposure, fighting by another power's rules.
Stroomdijk	Contracts, cargo, legal ambiguity, insurance, deniable logistics.	Open heroics, costly honor, uncompensated risk.
Church assets	Sanctuary, containment, crisis command, moral pressure.	Technical improvisation beyond doctrine, rushed classification.
Pirates	Ambush, boarding, ransom, terrain knowledge, false distress.	Formal fleet battle, prolonged pursuit, lawful scrutiny.

Doctrine moves

Move	Use when
Valdegracian pressure	The line holds. Each round the target stays engaged, damage increases by one die step.
Albion break	A fast ship disengages. If it wins position, it exits range and returns from cloud later.
Heller black hand	A hidden ally grants a reroll, a false credential, or a sudden escape route.
Stroomdijk paper wall	The enemy wins by contract, debt, insurance, or seizure rather than force.
Church writ	A legal or sacred claim changes who may act without becoming the villain.

Running doctrine

Doctrine is not a bonus every round. It is a statement of preferred conditions. Give the bonus when the faction made the battlefield resemble its theory of war.

Travel, signals, and quick clocks

Travel complications

Travel complication	What it means at the table
Fast storm	Change route, lose time, spend supplies, or trust a local pilot.
Wrong chart name	Official map and local knowledge disagree. The local name is probably the useful one.
Water shortage	A survival problem becomes a social problem: who knows the spring and what do they want?
Powder damp	Firearms are unreliable until dried; enemies who know this press close.
Éterlumin permit check	Paperwork becomes a scene: bribe, delay, forgery, or inspection.

Signals and documents

Hook	GM use
Delayed relay	A faction acts on yesterday's order. Players can exploit or suffer the delay.
Wrong seal	The document is valid, but not for the cargo it travels with.
Flag contradiction	A ship flies one allegiance, signals another, and behaves like a third.
Ledger gap	A page is missing, stuck, rewritten, or too clean. Someone paid for the silence.
Harbor rumor	The truth arrives attached to a drunk, a child, a priest, or a rival.

Quick travel clocks

Clock	Segments	Advance when full
Weather closes	4	Safe route disappears. Choose danger or delay.
Supplies thin	6	Spend money, lose morale, hunt, bargain, or turn back.
Pursuit gains	6	Enemy reaches same scene before the players finish.
Signal failure	4	Allies act on old information.

NPC and ship templates

Quick NPC templates

Template	AC / HP	Primary use
Harbor guard	AC 14 / HP 11	Routine authority, patrol, checkpoint pressure.
Naval marine	AC 15 / HP 22	Boarding, formation fire, ship security.
Faction agent	AC 14 / HP 27	Spies, blackmail, pursuit, social knives.
Engineer	AC 12 / HP 18	Repairs, sabotage, diagnostics, hazardous knowledge.
Solaris escort	AC 17 / HP 45	Sacred protection, containment, moral force.
Pirate captain	AC 15 / HP 52	Boarding leader, ransom, opportunistic retreat.
Chamber-touched	AC 13 / HP 31	Knows impossible things, triggers weirdness when cornered.

Quick ship templates

Ship	AC / HP	Use
Launch or cutter	AC 13 / HP 45	Harbor chase, boarding approach, smuggling.
Sloop	AC 14 / HP 160	Scout, courier, patrol, pirate threat.
Light frigate	AC 15 / HP 230	Fast strike, escort, deniable action.
Heavy frigate	AC 16 / HP 300	Serious military threat, convoy escort.
Ship of the line	AC 17 / HP 1000+	Set-piece battle, political presence, terror weapon.

Fast morale saves

Trigger	Save
Lose officer or signal deck	WIS DC 14 or command confusion.
Take half remaining HP in one hit	WIS DC 12 or break formation.
See Éterlumin rupture nearby	WIS DC 15 or panic unless trained.

Template rule

Do not overbuild every enemy. Give them a motive, one strong move, one fear, and one thing they do when cornered. That is usually enough.

Pathfinder 2e Remastered crunch pack

Use this pack when the table wants Pathfinder 2e Remastered structure without turning Mar de Oro into a catalogue of build options. Keep the fiction first. Pathfinder gives you tight encounter math, clear conditions, and strong hazard procedure; Mar de Oro gives those rules political and material consequences.

PF2e GM principle

Use level-based DCs for precision, then spend the result on pressure. A critical success should create leverage. A success should solve the immediate action. A failure should advance a clock. A critical failure should change the scene.

Pathfinder handles danger best when it is explicit. Name the active pressure before the roll: smoke, law, panic, weather, command delay, chamber resonance, hostile fire, or faction exposure.

Core translation table

Mar de Oro pressure	PF2e expression	GM use
Faction pressure	Influence subsystem, reputation track, campaign clock	Review credible off-screen moves between sessions; advance only when an established trigger occurs, including consequences of social scenes or accepted favors.
Battlefield danger	Complex hazard, troop support, or victory point track	Do not roll every soldier. Track cohesion, pressure, and position.
Éterlumin instability	Environmental hazard, complex hazard, affliction-like condition	Warn first, give disable actions, then escalate.
Source chamber	Complex hazard with initiative and disable actions	Every round should reveal a pattern, cost, or new rule.
Airship battle	Vehicle encounter with targetable subsystems	Treat Lift, Sail, Command, Guns, Frame, and Crew as systems.
Legal pressure	Influence, reputation, access requirement, downtime consequence	The seal can be lawful and still dangerous.

Baseline DCs

Difficulty	Baseline DC	Use it for
Routine	14	A trained character acting under mild pressure: read a flag, reload in smoke, inspect a legal seal.
Pressured	17	Weather, crowding, pursuit, time pressure, or someone watching.
Dangerous	20	Failure causes harm, exposure, clock movement, or loss of access.
Severe	23	Ship, source chamber, reputation, or life is at risk.
Catastrophic	26+	Rupture, court scandal, ship loss, massacre, or war pretext.

Degrees of success

Result	Battlefield / source chamber meaning
Critical success	Gain the objective and reduce a clock, improve position, or create a safe route.
Success	Gain the objective, but the pressure remains.
Failure	Choose: advance a clock, take a condition, lose time, reveal position, or worsen footing.
Critical failure	The scene changes: reinforcements arrive, a hazard enters initiative, command breaks, or the chamber answers.

Useful conditions

Condition	Use in Mar de Oro
Fatigued	Long watches, forced march, smoke inhalation, damp powder work, repair exhaustion.
Frightened	Cavalry pressure, airship terror, rupture signs, command collapse, moral shock.
Clumsy	Rolling deck, falling rigging, mud, broken streets, pressure tremor.
Sickened	Powder smoke, heat, chamber resonance, panic in confined compartments.
Drained	Fortera overdraw, source contact, dangerous ritual strain, lunar pressure.
Doomed	Only for severe source chamber exposure, three-moon events, or campaign-level spiritual consequence.

Formations as hazards

Formation	PF2e table expression	How players change it
Line	Troop support or volley hazard covering a fire zone	Smoke it, flank it, break command, force it to move.
Column	Moving hazard or pressure clock	Ambush, block road, target officers, attack before deployment.
Square	Defensive hazard against cavalry; weak to artillery	Bring guns, create panic, exploit terrain, force movement.
Skirmish order	Difficult terrain plus ranged harassment	Out-scout, isolate, threaten cavalry, seize cover.
Battery	Complex hazard with reload rhythm	Disable crew, spike guns, cut limbers, smoke sight line.

Muskets and volley fire as a simple hazard

Hazard	Level	Trigger	Effect	Disable
Drilled volley line	Party level +1	Characters cross open fire zone or assault a prepared line	Basic Reflex save; piercing damage by level. Failure also makes target Frightened 1 or slowed by suppression for 1 round.	Smoke, cover, officer disruption, flanking, or successful command/deception action.
Battery canister	Party level +2	Characters enter close artillery lane	High Reflex basic save, severe piercing damage, knockdown on critical failure.	Silence crew, spoil line of sight, reach dead ground, or capture limber.
Breaking formation	Party level	Friendly troops under pressure	Will save or formation loses 1 cohesion segment.	Rally, visible flag, officer action, music, or heroic example.

Battlefield rule

A player action that changes cohesion, pressure, or position is more important than ordinary damage. Reward smart battlefield play with circumstance bonuses, reduced DCs, or clock movement.

Airship subsystems in PF2e

Subsystem	PF2e expression	Critical effect
Lift	Vehicle movement subsystem, complex hazard, or shared HP pool	Altitude control worsens; start descent or rupture clock.
Sail / rigging	Vehicle maneuver system	Turning and weather checks take penalties.
Command	Influence / command subsystem	Allied actions delay or follow old orders.
Guns	Siege weapons or ship battery hazard	Broadside reduced, reload slows, misfire risk rises.
Frame	Vehicle HP and Hardness	Collision, structural failure, forced landing.
Crew	Morale / troop condition	Repair and gunnery actions take penalties until rallied.

Source chamber complex hazard template

Stage	Initiative cue	Effect	Disable actions
Listening	Hum repeats after six heartbeats	Characters gain signs; no damage yet.	Perception, Occultism, Engineering Lore, Religion, or local knowledge to identify rhythm.
Answering	Room reacts to voice, bell, engine, oath, or blood	Hazard enters initiative; raises DCs and advances a pressure clock.	Stabilize one signal, quiet the room, vent safely, separate contradictory sources.
Contradicting	Two systems answer different commands	Damage, conditions, faction consequences, or rupture clock.	One decisive rule must be established: shut down, align, vent, or evacuate.
Rupturing	Space, pressure, heat, and memory misbehave	Scene changes. Use custom hazard or campaign clock.	Survive, save witnesses, preserve proof, accept partial loss.

PF2e safety valve

Give every source chamber at least three disable approaches: technical, social/spiritual, and environmental. The players should not need one specific skill to avoid disaster.

Blades / Forged in the Dark crunch pack

Forged in the Dark is an excellent engine for Mar de Oro because the setting already thinks in clocks, faction heat, crews, downtime, stress, trauma, and consequences. Do not add tactical complexity. Make pressure visible and let the crew choose what they are willing to risk.

Blades principle

Use position for danger and effect for leverage. A desperate roll does not mean certain death. It means the world is ready to take something: secrecy, ship condition, legal standing, crew trust, or a witness.

Core translation table

Mar de Oro pressure	Forged expression	GM use
Faction movement	Faction clocks, heat by port, status changes	Advance after scores, downtime, public violence, or exposed secrets.
Ship and crew	Crew sheet, claims, upgrades, cohorts	The ship is the crew home, tool, debt, and vulnerability.
Éterlumin access	Supply, claim, special ability, dangerous asset	Useful, traceable, unstable, and never free.
Source chamber	Score site with linked clocks	Treat it like a haunted machine, not a dungeon.
Airship conflict	Linked clocks and position/effect	The question is who controls angle, command, and escape.
Law and empire	Heat, wanted level, entanglements	The empire often arrives as paper before guns.

Choose a crew premise

Crew premise	Best crew type	Special pressure
Privateers with a letter of marque	Smugglers, Bravos, or custom Privateers	Prize law, prisoners, neutral ports, and revoked legitimacy.
Hellerite survey vessel	Smugglers or Hawkers	Hidden orders, source maps, black sloop support, and ducal exposure.
Church inquiry team	Cult, Hawkers, or custom Inquisitors	Doctrine, sanctuary, public legitimacy, and dangerous truth.
Reformers and witnesses	Shadows or Hawkers	Printed proof, fugitives, public hearings, and retaliation.
Deniable Albion cell	Shadows or Assassins	False flags, sabotage, heat, and orders that may never be admitted.

Suggested crew upgrades and claims

Upgrade / claim	What it means
Hidden Éterlumin locker	You can start a score with one dangerous lift or signal asset. On use, tick an instability clock.
Black sloop contact	Once per arc, escape, smuggle, or relay through an unacknowledged route.
Harbor chapel sanctuary	Reduce immediate heat, but create Church attention.
Reliable engineer cohort	Repair and source actions gain potency, but the cohort attracts recruitment and kidnapping attempts.
Forged registry papers	Improve effect on customs and travel until exposed. Exposure raises heat by port.
Crew code	When the crew protects a witness at real cost, clear 1 stress or reduce heat by 1 through reputation.

Score types and clocks

Score type	Engagement question	Typical clocks
Harbor infiltration	Who saw the papers before the crew arrived?	Customs attention, witness removed, patrol closes, proof secured.
Battlefield mission	What part of the battle can the crew actually reach?	Friendly cohesion, enemy pressure, smoke, airship threat, command breakdown.
Source chamber entry	What sign did the chamber give before the door opened?	Pressure climb, listening room, faction arrival, proof lost.
Airship action	Who has angle, altitude, and command?	Gain bearing, lift failure, guns reloaded, signal confusion, boarding window.
Political exposure	Who benefits if this becomes public?	Scandal breaks, official denial, witness protection, legal retaliation.

Battlefield position and effect

Situation	Position	Effect note
Crossing open ground under volley fire	Desperate	Limited unless smoke, cover, or distraction exists.
Carrying orders through powder smoke	Risky	Standard; great effect if the order changes a battle clock.
Rallying a wavering company	Risky or desperate	Effect depends on rank, flag, reputation, or visible courage.
Silencing a battery from dead ground	Risky	Great effect if the crew reaches crew or limber unseen.
Boarding during airship chaos	Desperate	Standard or great if command and angle are already compromised.

Clock rule

Use 4-segment clocks for immediate tactical pressure, 6-segment clocks for scene-level danger, and 8-segment clocks for campaign consequences.

Devil's bargains

Bargain	Cost
The tank gives one more burst of lift.	Tick Éterlumin instability or mark damage to Lift.
The chamber answers the question clearly.	It also learns the speaker's voice, oath, blood, or fear.
The signal reaches the allied ship.	An enemy listener also receives part of it.
The crowd believes the crew.	A named authority now knows exactly who to blame.
The weapon fires clean in wet weather.	Powder stores are spent, spoiled, or visibly illegal.
A faction contact opens the right door.	Improve faction status now, owe a favor during downtime.

Consequences and harm

Consequence	Use it for
Reduced effect	Smoke, poor angle, legal ambiguity, bad papers, partial translation.
Complication	Witness moved, clock ticked, patrol alerted, rival faction arrives.
Lost opportunity	The convoy sails, the door locks, the hearing starts, the signal window closes.
Worse position	The room starts listening, the line wavers, the ship loses altitude, the scene becomes public.
Harm	Burned, smoke-sick, rattled, marked by resonance, wounded by splinter, wanted by name.

Downtime actions

Downtime action	Mar de Oro version
Recover	Surgeon, priest, quiet room, opium tincture, confession, or time away from cannon smoke.
Reduce heat	Bribes, legal writs, false names, public charity, burned papers, or a scapegoat.
Acquire asset	Pilot, engineer, Solaris escort, forged seal, pressure gauge, hidden tank, black sloop.
Long-term project	Translate a chamber label, refit a keel, expose a ledger, build a port contact network.
Train	Drill with marines, study signals, learn local language, practice source safety.

Mar de Oro entanglements (d6)

d6	Entanglement
1	Customs seizure. A lawful office blocks departure or impounds one resource.
2	Witness pressure. Someone the crew protected is bought, threatened, moved, or arrested.
3	Faction favor called in. The job is small, polite, and dangerous to refuse.
4	Source echo. A past Éterlumin action creates a new sign, dream, leak, or investigation.
5	Paper war. A warrant, inquiry, debt, or forged accusation changes what is safe in port.
6	Ship trouble. A repair fails, a crew member deserts, or an upgrade reveals hidden damage.

Final FitD rule

After every score, ask who controls information, who controls access, and who controls the source. Change at least one answer before the next session begins.