Ashen Stars
Core RulebookCore Mechanic
Ordinary tests roll a d6 plus ability-pool points spent before rolling, succeeding by meeting or beating the difficulty. Investigative abilities work differently: a core clue is simply given when the right ability is used, no roll needed, with point spends buying extra benefits.
Best For
Groups who want episodic space mysteries with a shared ship and recurring personal subplots. Cases put the crew's pursuit of justice in tension with its need to earn a living.
Highlights
Automatic core clues keep missed information rolls from blocking a case. Reputation changes the wait between contracts, connecting ethical choices to the crew's upkeep bill. Ship combat assigns different attack modes to crew stations, spreading decisive actions across specialists.
Considerations
Investigative pools normally refresh only when a case ends, making extra benefits a case-long budget. The rules assume a working Laser crew; fugitive campaigns require changes to that framework. Ship battles use abstract goal-point races rather than positional movement on a tactical map.
Third-Party Publishing
Original Ashen Stars supplements may use rules and setting material from the program's listed books. Publish through GUMSHOE Community on DriveThruRPG only; reference official text rather than copying it outright. Pelgrane art is limited to the program's released assets; commissioned or otherwise licensed art is allowed. Comics, standalone fiction, software, conversions of other copyrighted works, and crowdfunded content are excluded.
Required program branding, credits, and a linked core-book requirement apply; creators receive 50% of sales. The separate Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported GUMSHOE SRD license does not open the Ashen Stars core book or setting. Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.