Source GM Core pg. 95
Constructed floors in Starfall are the “default safe surface” of civilization—until age, neglect, or Rift damage turns them into treacherous patches of uneven ground.
Across the Starfall Galaxy, “floor” usually means deck plates or ferrocrete—the literal ground people stand on inside the metal bubbles that keep them alive. Inner Sphere towers have polished composite tiles over shock‑mounted subfloors; Outer Sphere rigs and Frontier outposts get mismatched plating welded straight to girders, with gaps where you can see maintenance tunnels or the dark between levels.
Most of the time, these surfaces feel solid: mag‑boots click, grav‑fields hum, and people forget there’s anything between them and open sky or vacuum. But age, poor maintenance, and Rift scars change that. Rusted bolts, subsidence, or old explosion damage leave places where plates bow or crack; in older ecumenopolis strata, quakes and repeated retrofits produce whole neighborhoods of warped corridors and sagging mezzanines.
In the worst sections—collapsed war decks, derelict hulls, or Rift‑warped shrines—the “floor” may be a suggestion: tilted panels, patch‑work grating, or calcified alien growths that shift underfoot. Locals know which colored stripe not to cross; outsiders find out by falling.
Class and upkeep: Smooth, level composites with embedded lighting and noise‑dampeners signal money and central authority; rattling plates, exposed welds, and frequent creaks mark neglected or contested spaces.
Clues and forensics: Scrape marks, gouged plating, or sagging sections hint at heavy past use (tanks, mechs, large fauna) or concealed infrastructure below—useful for investigation scenes.
Stealth and tension: Some terrain may be mechanically normal but narratively creaky; in risky zones, a GM can pair uneven ground patches with Stealth penalties or Perception bonuses to nearby guards when PCs step on loose panels.