Extraction Module (v2)

A resource-gathering subsystem for solo TTRPG play, inspired by Ironsworn: Starforged pacing, rebuilt around theme-specific challenge spreads and queued complications.

(To be linked properly)

• Orbitfall Extraction Module (Publishable PDF)
• Orbitfall Extraction Module (LaTeX Source)

Each action should answer three things at once:

• Did you succeed right now?
• Which risk axis did you fail to control?
• How far in the future does that failure surface?

The system uses two challenge dice as two chosen themes. You may beat one and lose one (weak hit), producing a delayed, themed complication you can prepare for.

Dice:

• 1d6 Action Die
• 2d10 Challenge Dice (CH1, CH2)
• 1d8 Orbit Die (optional narrative color)

Character stats (assign +1, +1, +2, +2, +3):

• Survey
• Breach
• Process
• Haul
• Nerve

Core tracks:

• Momentum (start +2)
• Pressure (start 1)
• Sparks (start 0)
• Prep by theme (start 0 each)

Pressure penalty to Action Score:

• Pressure 0-4: 0
• Pressure 5-7: -1
• Pressure 8-10: -2

For every action, the player picks exactly two relevant themes and assigns one challenge die to each.

Example declaration:

• “I Fracture the Vein with themes Extraction (CH1) and External (CH2).”

This makes every roll explicitly two-dimensional.

Build Action Score:

• A = d6 + stat + assets + spent Sparks - Pressure penalty

Roll CH1 and CH2 (d10 each), tied to your chosen themes.

Hit bands:

• Strong Hit: A > CH1 and A > CH2
• Weak Hit: A > one challenge die only
• Miss: A ⇐ CH1 and A ⇐ CH2
• Ties are not wins

Record signed spreads for both challenge dice:

S1 = A - CH1
S2 = A - CH2

Interpretation:

• Positive spread: you controlled that theme
• Negative spread: that theme controlled you
• Magnitude is “distance” from control

On a weak hit, define:

• W = winning spread magnitude (positive side)
• L = losing spread magnitude (absolute value of negative side)

Key property:

• Yes, L can be much larger than W.
• Example: A=5, CH1=1, CH2=10 → S1=+4, S2=-5.
• You succeeded, but your failure on the losing theme is bigger than your success on the winning theme.

This asymmetry drives delayed complications.

Every weak hit creates one queued complication on the losing theme.

Queue item fields:

• Theme (the losing challenge die theme)
• Severity S (from L)
• Fuse F (from W)
• Origin CH (the losing challenge die value; used during dampening)
• Visibility state (how known the effect is before reveal)

Predictability rule (as requested):

• Smaller challenge spread (small W) → more immediate and more predictable
• Larger challenge spread (large W) → farther reveal and less detail known early

Visibility by fuse:

• Fuse 1: theme + severity + effect family known now
• Fuse 2: theme + severity known, exact effect family revealed at Fuse 1
• Fuse 3: theme known, severity estimate known, effect family hidden until reveal

A miss creates two queued items (one per theme) and +1 Pressure now. For each losing theme i:

• Severity from Li (same table as above)
• Fuse from Li:
  • 1-2 → F1
  • 3-5 → F2
  • 6+ → F3

This keeps misses dangerous now while preserving delayed uncertainty.

Each turn:

1. Resolve any queued items already at Fuse 0 (from prior turns).
2. Take one action (extraction, prep, haul, contract, etc.).
3. End phase: reduce Fuse by 1 for queued items that existed before this turn.
4. Items created this turn are //fresh// and do not tick until the next turn.

This cadence means a Fuse 2 warning gives two full future actions to prepare before it resolves.

Prep is stored by theme:

• Prep[Extraction], Prep[External], Prep[Human], Prep[Systems], Prep[Void]
• Max 4 per theme

Prep is spent when a queued event resolves to dampen impact.

Choose one theme to prepare.

• Strong Hit: +2 Prep on chosen theme and reveal one hidden effect family
• Weak Hit: +1 Prep on chosen theme
• Miss: no Prep, +1 Pressure

Choose Extraction or Systems.

• Strong Hit: +2 Prep on chosen theme and -1 Instability
• Weak Hit: +1 Prep on chosen theme
• Miss: no Prep, +1 Instability

Choose External or Human.

• Strong Hit: +2 Prep on chosen theme and -1 Exposure
• Weak Hit: +1 Prep on chosen theme, then choose +1 Exposure or -1 Momentum
• Miss: no Prep, +1 Exposure

When Fuse reaches 0, resolve each revealed queued item:

1) Optional dampening attempt:

• Spend 0-3 Prep from the matching theme (consumed)
• Roll Dampen Score:

D = d6 + relevant stat + Prep spent - Pressure penalty

• Challenge values for dampening:
  • CHa = 4 + current Severity (max 10)
  • CHb = Origin CH (stored when queued)

• Dampening outcome:
  • Strong Hit: reduce Severity by 2 (minimum 0)
  • Weak Hit: reduce Severity by 1
  • Miss: no reduction and +1 Pressure

2) Apply remaining Severity with fiction-first consequence selection.

Use Pay the Price logic:

• First choose the consequence that best fits the fiction.
• If uncertain, roll on the relevant theme table.

Severity budget:

• S1: apply 1 minor consequence
• S2: apply 2 minor or 1 major consequence
• S3: apply 1 major + 1 minor

Minor:

• -1 Cargo
• +1 Instability
• -1 Quality
• Next Breach roll -1

Major:

• -2 Cargo
• +2 Instability
• Breach asset disabled until repaired
• Reserve -1 with no gain

Minor:

• +1 Exposure
• New obligation tag
• Price haircut (-10 percent on next sale)
• Rival clock +1

Major:

• +2 Exposure
• Forced hostile clause in contract
• Immediate interdiction scene
• Lose 1 faction favor

Minor:

• Crew tension +1
• -1 Momentum
• +1 Pressure
• Task handoff delay (lose one action option next turn)

Major:

• Crew split or refusal scene
• +2 Pressure
• Relationship fracture with named NPC

Minor:

• +1 Pressure
• Sensor blackout (next Survey -1)
• Power reroute (cannot use one asset next turn)
• Minor hull stress (+1 repair cost later)

Major:

• Asset offline until repair
• Reactor instability (+2 Pressure)
• Forced emergency burn (lose 1 Cargo)

Minor:

• +1 Legacy
• Route drift (+1 travel risk next haul)
• Strange echo (future event gains +1 Severity)
• Temporal delay (one queue item does not tick down this turn)

Major:

• Anomaly incursion scene now
• +1 Legacy and +1 Instability
• Environmental lockout (must perform prep before extraction)

Prospector: Sera Kade, tug Pilgrim Finch.

Start:

• Pressure 2, Exposure 1, Instability 1
• Prep all themes at 0

Chosen themes:

• CH1 → Extraction
• CH2 → External

Roll:

• A = 5
• CH1 = 1 (Extraction), CH2 = 10 (External)
• Spreads: S1=+4, S2=-5 → Weak Hit

From weak hit spreads:

• Winning spread W=4 → Fuse 2
• Losing spread L=5 → Severity S3

Queue created:

• Q1 = [Theme External, Severity 3, Fuse 2, Origin CH 10]

Interpretation:

• Success now (you got ore), but a severe External consequence is inbound in two turns.

Goal: build Prep[External] before Q1 reveals.

Roll result: Strong Hit.

• Gain +2 Prep[External]
• Reduce Exposure by 1

Queue tick at start of next turn:

• Q1 Fuse: 2 → 1

Goal: add more external prep.

Roll result: Weak Hit.

• Gain +1 Prep[External]

Prep status:

• Prep[External] = 3

Queue tick at start of next turn:

• Q1 Fuse: 1 → 0 (resolve now)

Incoming event:

• Theme External
• Severity 3
• Origin CH 10

Spend Prep:

• Spend 3 Prep[External]

Dampen roll:

• D = d6(4) + Nerve(2) + Prep(3) - penalty(0) = 9
• CHa = 4 + Severity = 7
• CHb = Origin CH = 10
• 9 beats 7 but not 10 → Weak Hit

Dampening effect:

• Severity 3 reduced by 1 → remaining Severity 2

Apply S2 External consequences (choose fiction-first):

• Major consequence selected: “Forced hostile clause in contract”

Narrative result:

• Sera avoids catastrophic seizure of cargo, but signs a predatory exclusivity clause.

This demonstrates the planning loop:

• detect future risk from spread math
• spend turns accumulating relevant prep
• roll to dampen impact at reveal
• convert remaining severity into theme-consistent consequences

• Two chosen themes per action make each roll explicit and interpretable.
• Signed spreads preserve success/failure asymmetry.
• Winning spread controls time-to-reveal (fuse).
• Losing spread controls impact size (severity).
• Prep adds meaningful forward planning instead of pure reaction.
• Ironsworn-style consequence resolution keeps outcomes fiction-first.

This is a short narrative solo session showing queue timing, prep planning, and fiction-first consequences.

Sera Kade pilots the Pilgrim Finch into a dead freight lane called Hymn Belt-9. Her engineer Juno keeps one hand on the reactor safeties while broker Ilex Vorn pushes contract messages into the cockpit at bad moments.

Rumor: an asteroid known as Black Choir Rock contains high-grade osmium and a buried monastic relay core.

Starting state:

• Pressure 2, Exposure 2, Instability 1
• Cargo 0, Quality 1, Momentum +2
• Prep all themes = 0
• Queue = empty

Themes selected:

• CH1 → Extraction
• CH2 → Void

Roll:

• A = 7
• CH1 = 5, CH2 = 8
• S1 = +2, S2 = -1 → Weak Hit

Weak-hit queue outcome:

• Losing theme Void, L=1 → Severity S1
• Winning spread W=2 → Fuse 1
• Queue item Q1 = [Void, S1, F1, Origin CH 8]

Move result:

• Gain 1 Leverage
• Choose +1 Instability (now 2)

Story: The scanner paints an ore seam, but the return signal carries a harmonic tone like distant voices. Juno calls it static. Sera does not answer.

End phase:

• Q1 is fresh; no tick this turn.

Action result:

• Strong Hit on Forecast Risk
• +2 Prep[Void]
• Reveal hidden effect family on Q1: \“Shard storm in rotating tunnel\”

Story: Sera runs predictive drift maps and sees why old rigs died here. The tunnel mouth she planned to use is a knife spiral of metallic splinters.

End phase:

• Q1: F1 → F0

At turn start, Q1 resolves.

Dampen attempt for Q1:

• Spend 2 Prep[Void]
• D = 9 versus CHa=5 and CHb=8 → Strong Hit
• Severity 1 reduced to 0 (no consequence applied)

Story: The storm still comes, but Sera times a lateral burst and rides the dead zone between shard bands.

Now action: Fracture the Vein with themes Extraction + External.

Roll:

• A = 5
• CH1 = 1 (Extraction), CH2 = 10 (External)
• S1 = +4, S2 = -5 → Weak Hit

Queue created:

• Q2 = [External, S3, F2, Origin CH 10]

Move result:

• On weak Breach, choose +2 Cargo (now 2)
• +1 Instability from weak Breach (now 3)

Story: The cut is perfect. Dense ore breaks free in glittering slabs. A corporate beacon wakes in the dust and tags her claim as \“contested property.\”

End phase:

• Q2 is fresh; no tick.

Action result:

• Strong Hit on Shape Stakeholders
• +2 Prep[External]
• -1 Exposure (2 → 1)

Story: Sera opens a narrowcast to Ilex Vorn and trades future margin for immediate legal cover. Ilex buys her exactly one line of deniability.

End phase:

• Q2: F2 → F1

Action result:

• Weak Hit on Forecast Risk
• +1 Prep[External] (total now 3)

Story: New traffic appears: patrol cutter Canticle Needle and two contract drones. They are not here to negotiate. They are here to inventory.

End phase:

• Q2: F1 → F0

At turn start, Q2 resolves.

Dampen attempt for Q2:

• Spend 3 Prep[External]
• D = 9 versus CHa=7 and CHb=10 → Weak Hit
• Severity 3 reduced to Severity 2

Apply S2 External consequence (fiction-first):

• Major: Forced hostile clause
• Fiction: escrow lock + mandatory inspection corridor

Story: Sera prevents total seizure of the haul, but signs a predatory transfer clause. Every crate is now visible to the same people hunting her.

Action: Ride the Transfer Window with themes External + Systems.

Roll:

• A = 4
• CH1 = 6 (External), CH2 = 2 (Systems)
• S1 = -2, S2 = +2 → Weak Hit

Queue created:

• Q3 = [External, S1, F1, Origin CH 6]

Move result:

• Delivery succeeds on weak hit
• Choose +1 Exposure (1 → 2)

Story: The Finch clears the debris cone, but inspection pings trail her burn. The Canticle marks her wake with jurisdiction tags.

End phase:

• Q3 is fresh; no tick.

Action result:

• Weak Hit on Shape Stakeholders
• +1 Prep[External]
• Choose +1 Exposure (2 → 3)

Story: Ilex can suppress one warrant or one rumor, not both. Sera chooses the warrant. The rumor spreads.

End phase:

• Q3: F1 → F0

At turn start, Q3 resolves.

Dampen attempt for Q3:

• Spend 1 Prep[External]
• D = 5 versus CHa=5 and CHb=6 → Miss
• No severity reduction; +1 Pressure (2 → 3)

Apply S1 External consequence:

• Minor: Rival clock +1

Story: The Canticle Needle receives an automated bounty ping containing Sera's hull profile and cargo signature.

Final action: Close the Contract with themes External + Human.

Roll:

• A = 8
• CH1 = 7, CH2 = 5
• Strong Hit

Outcome:

• Sale closes at full value under bad terms
• Sera gains enough credits to keep flying, but exits the belt with a rival hunter on her trail and a hostile clause still attached.

Session-end fiction hook: Juno asks whether this was worth it. Sera replays the harmonic recording from Black Choir Rock. Under the noise, someone says her name.