Spelljammer Slang and Terminology

How to talk like a citizen of Trisurus and a crew member of The Argent Threshold

Overview

Every culture has its own jargon, idioms, and slang. Trisurus—a civilization built on spelljamming—has vocabulary that reflects life among the stars. This guide helps you speak authentically as your character.

Core Terminology

Spelljamming Basics

Spelljamming: Magical space travel using enchanted helms

• "We've been spelljamming for three weeks straight."

Helm / The Chair: The spelljamming throne that powers a ship

• "Who's taking the helm for night watch?"
• "Get to the chair, we need emergency acceleration!"

Helmsman / Pilot: The person operating the spelljamming helm

• Gender-neutral term preferred in modern era
• "Our helmsman has 10 years' experience."

SR (Spelljamming Rating): A ship's speed rating

• "This ship's SR 13—she's fast."
• "We're only making SR 4 with the damaged helm."

Wildspace: The airless void inside a crystal sphere where planets exist

• "We'll reach the planet once we cross wildspace."

The Flow / Astral Sea: The rainbow-hued medium between crystal spheres

• "Navigation is trickier in the Flow."
• "We're entering the Astral Sea—check the air envelope."

Crystal Sphere / Sphere: The giant shell enclosing a solar system

• "What sphere are we in?"
• "This sphere has two habitable worlds."

Air Envelope / Air Bubble: The breathable atmosphere around a ship

• "The air envelope's getting stale—open the lower hatches."
• "Don't waste the air!"

Gravity Plane: The two-directional gravity field around a ship

• "Watch the gravity plane transition when boarding."
• "I still get dizzy crossing gravity planes."

Trisuran Slang

General Terms

Groundling: Someone who's never left their planet (mildly derogatory)

• "The ambassador's a groundling—never been to space."

Landlubber: Someone inexperienced with space travel (more derogatory)

• "Stop wobbling like a landlubber!"

Sphereborn: Someone born in space rather than on a planet (badge of pride)

• "I'm sphereborn—grew up on a trading vessel."

Dockrat: Someone who works the orbital docks (neutral or affectionate)

• "Ask the dockrats where to find ship parts."

Star-blessed: Lucky, fortunate

• "That's the third time you've dodged a scavver—you're star-blessed."

Void-touched: Unlucky, cursed, or affected by the darkness of space

• "That ship's void-touched—three failed voyages."

Shell-shocked: Disoriented by entering a new crystal sphere (literal and metaphorical)

• "I'm still shell-shocked from the time differences."

Gyre-mad: Insane, irrational, touched by cosmic horror

• "The captain went Gyre-mad staring into the Flow too long."

Measurements and Distances

Standard Day: 24-hour Trisurus Prime day (universal time reference)

• "It's been three standard days since we left port."

Ship-lengths: Distance measured in multiples of your vessel's length

• "Keep two ship-lengths between us and that debris."

Horizon Distance: The distance you can see in wildspace (varies)

• "Contact at horizon distance—identify vessel."

Jump Distance: How far a ship can travel before needing to rest the helmsman

• "We're four jumps from the crystal sphere portal."

Shipboard Life

Ship Roles and Ranks

Skipper: Affectionate term for ship's captain

• "The Skipper wants us on deck."

First: Short for First Mate

• "First says we're making port tomorrow."

Swab / Deckhand: Junior crew member

• "I started as a swab 10 years ago."

Bosun: Crew chief (pronunciation: "bo-sun")

• "The bosun will have you scrubbing decks for that."

The Doc / Sawbones: Ship's surgeon/doctor

• "Get to the Doc, that cut needs stitches."

Wrench / Gearhead: Affectionate term for engineers

• "Get the wrench—something's wrong with the air recycler."

Stargazer: Navigator or astronomer

• "Ask the stargazer where we are."

Gunner: Weapons specialist

• "Our gunner can hit a target at three ship-lengths."

Daily Routines

Watch: Shift rotation aboard ship

• Dawn Watch, Day Watch, Night Watch
• "I'm on night watch tonight."

All Hands: Everyone is needed urgently

• "All hands on deck! Emergency maneuvers!"

Eight Bells: End of a four-hour watch shift (nautical tradition)

• "Wake me at eight bells."

Mess: Common eating area

• "I'll meet you in the mess for midday meal."

Hammock Time: Sleep, rest period

• "I need some hammock time—exhausted from double watch."

Shore Leave: Time off the ship at port

• "Can't wait for shore leave at the next port."

Ship Conditions

Shipshape: Everything in good order

• "Get this deck shipshape before the captain sees it."

By-the-book: Following regulations precisely

• "This captain runs everything by-the-book."

Jury-rigged: Temporary repair or improvised solution

• "The air recycler's jury-rigged—won't last long."

Dead in the water / Dead in the void: Ship immobilized

• "Helm failure—we're dead in the void."

Running dark: Ship with all lights extinguished (stealth or emergency)

• "Go running dark—don't let them spot us."

Battened down: Secured for emergency or rough conditions

• "Batten down all cargo—we're entering turbulent Flow."

Navigation and Space

Directions

Helm-side / Port-side: Left side of ship (when facing forward)

Weapon-side / Starboard: Right side of ship

Bow / Forward: Front of ship

Stern / Aft: Rear of ship

Top-deck / Bottom-hull: Upper and lower surfaces

Spinward / Trailing: Direction of sphere rotation

Sphereward / Void-ward: Toward center of sphere or away from it

Space Hazards

Scavvers: Predatory shark-like space creatures

• "Watch for scavvers—this area's known for them."

Derelict: Abandoned ship

• "That derelict might have salvage. Or ghosts."

Space Debris / Flotsam: Wreckage, asteroids, junk in space

• "Debris field ahead—reduce speed."

Anomaly: Spatial distortion or magical irregularity

• "Sensors detect an anomaly—steer clear."

The Black: Empty space, the void

• "Nothing but black for a million miles."

Uncharted Space: Region without navigational maps

• "We're in uncharted space—proceed carefully."

Travel Conditions

Clear sailing: Easy, uneventful journey

• "Should be clear sailing from here to the portal."

Rough space: Turbulent or dangerous conditions

• "Rough space ahead—secure yourselves."

Fair winds: Good fortune, safe travels (traditional blessing)

• "Fair winds and following seas." (sea/space hybrid saying)

Following currents: Traveling with the Flow currents (faster)

• "We've got following currents—should arrive early."

Against the tide: Traveling against Flow currents (slower)

• "We're against the tide—add two days to the journey."

Combat and Danger

Battle Terms

Action stations: Everyone to combat positions

• "Action stations! Hostile vessel approaching!"

Contact: Another ship detected

• "Contact at bow, two ship-lengths!"

Hostile / Bogey: Enemy vessel

• "Bogey coming in fast—weapons crew ready!"

Friendly: Allied vessel

• "Relax, she's a friendly."

Evasive: Dodging maneuvers

• "Helm, evasive maneuvers!"

Ramming speed: Full acceleration toward collision

• "Captain called for ramming speed—brace for impact!"

Broadsides: Firing all weapons on one side of ship

• "Ready the port broadsides!"

Boarding action: Close combat between ships

• "Marines ready for boarding action!"

Splash: Successfully hitting/destroying target

• "Splash! Direct hit on their helm!"

Retreat / Disengage: Fleeing combat

• "We're taking too much damage—disengage!"

Emergency Calls

All hands: Everyone needed immediately

Hull breach: Ship's hull damaged, air escaping

Fire in the hold: Fire aboard ship (very dangerous)

Man overboard / Crew overboard: Someone fell off the ship

Collision warning: About to hit something

Helm failure: Spelljamming helm not responding

Pirate and Raider Terms

Pirate: Self-explanatory

Corsair: Privateer with government sanction

Raider: Ship that attacks others

Prize: Captured ship or cargo

Parley: Negotiation before combat (traditional)

Quarter: Mercy shown to defeated enemies

Trisuran Cultural Expressions

Idioms and Sayings

"Stars witness": I swear, I promise (mild oath)

• "Stars witness, I didn't touch your rations."

"By the spheres": Expression of surprise or frustration

• "By the spheres, that was close!"

"Void take you": Go to hell (strong insult)

• "Void take you and your orders!"

"From the phlogiston": Appears from nowhere (old-fashioned)

• "That ship came out of the phlogiston with no warning."

"Clear as wildspace": Obviously, very clear

• "The answer's clear as wildspace."

"Lost in the Flow": Confused, disoriented

• "After that explanation, I'm lost in the Flow."

"Three spheres out": Very far away, extremely distant

• "His understanding is three spheres out from reality."

"Gravity-bound": Stuck in one place, narrow-minded

• "Don't be so gravity-bound in your thinking."

"Sailing by starlight": Operating on hope and luck

• "We're sailing by starlight here—no idea what we're doing."

"Reading the spheres": Understanding the situation

• "I can't read the spheres on this deal—something's off."

"Between the black and the bright": Caught between two bad options

• "We're between the black and the bright—either choice is bad."

"May your helm never fail": Good luck, goodbye

• "May your helm never fail, friend."

"Till the spheres crack": Forever, eternally

• "I'll remember this till the spheres crack."

Trisuran Blessings and Curses

Blessings

• "Fair winds and following currents"
• "May the stars guide you home"
• "Clear sailing to you"
• "May your air stay fresh and your helm stay true"
• "Spheres protect you"

Curses (Mild to Strong)

• "May your air go stale" (mild)
• "Helm failure take you" (moderate)
• "May you drift forever in the black" (strong)
• "Void take your soul" (very strong)
• "May the Gyre have you" (apocalyptic-level curse)

Time References

Past

Ages ago: Very long time

Cycles past: Some time ago (cycle = 10-day week)

Last port: Previous location/time

Before we shipped out: Before this voyage

Future

Next port: Soon, next destination

A few jumps away: A while from now

Down the Flow: In the future

When we make port: Eventually

Present

Right now: This moment

This watch: Current shift

While the helm's hot: While the ship is active

Food and Drink

Rations: Standard fabricator food (boring but nutritious)

Fresh provisions: Real food from planets (prized)

Ship's biscuit: Hard preserved bread (traditional, still used)

The grog: Diluted alcohol ration (traditional naval)

Mess rations: Whatever the cook is serving

Trisuran Note: Most Trisurans prefer fabricator food to what locals here eat (too bland, too simple). But they'll learn to appreciate "real" food.

Shipboard Superstitions

Lucky

• Launching on a full moon
• Having a cat aboard ship
• Whistling up a wind (traditional)
• Finding a silver coin on deck
• Seeing kindori (space whales)

Unlucky

• Launching on Ruan's full moon (blood moon)
• Renaming a ship
• Killing a kindori
• Whistling in the Flow (different from atmosphere)
• Red sky in the morning

The Gyre

• Never speak its name without reason
• Never stare too long into the Flow
• Never question why you survived when others didn't
• Always honor the dead
• Trust your instincts about spatial anomalies

Character Voice Tips

Professional Crew

Use more nautical terms:

• "Aye, captain"
• "All hands on deck"
• "Shipshape and ready"
• Precise technical language

Scholars

Use more academic terms:

• "Planar theory suggests…"
• "According to my calculations…"
• "The data indicates…"
• Formal speech patterns

Casual Crew

Use more slang:

• "By the spheres!"
• "That's void-touched for sure"
• "Clear as wildspace"
• Informal contractions

Refugees

Mix terms from your original sphere:

• Might have different slang
• Might not know Trisuran idioms
• Might use old-fashioned terms

Putting It All Together

Example Dialogue 1: Shipboard Life

"Morning watch was rough—helm needed constant correction. First says we're running against the tide, adding two days to the voyage. By the spheres, I'll be glad to make port."

Example Dialogue 2: Combat

"Contact! Hostile vessel, three ship-lengths to starboard! All hands to action stations! Gunners, ready broadsides! Helm, evasive maneuvers!"

Final Notes

When to Use Technical Terms

Among yourselves (crew): Use full spelljamming terminology

With educated locals: Simplify but don't hide what you are

With common folk: Avoid or translate

When to Drop Trisuran Slang

Your character will naturally use familiar expressions. Let it happen. Then watch locals react with confusion. This creates authentic moments and opportunities for roleplay.

Creating Your Own

Feel free to invent Trisuran slang that fits the pattern:

• Space/star/sphere-based metaphors
• Navigation/sailing terminology
• References to multi-sphere culture
• Tech-integrated expressions

Work with your DM to make it official!

"Language is how we carry home with us. Every time we say 'by the spheres' or 'fair winds,' we're keeping Trisurus alive. Don't lose that. But don't let it isolate you either. Learn to speak both languages—the one we brought, and the one we're learning. That's how we survive."

— First Mate Kaelen Stormwatch

For More Information:

• Listen to how NPCs speak and imitate
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes in character
• Let your speech evolve as you adapt to your new surroundings
• Work with DM to develop authentic voice