Toggle Theme

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Starfinder RPG Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition)

Mechs | Terrestrial Vehicles | Starships | Vehicle Modifications

Starship Examples

Armor | Armor (Bulkheads) | Armor (Hulls) | Base Frames | Computers | Crew Quarters | Defensive Countermeasures | Drift Engines | Expansion Bays | Interstellar Drives | Manufacturers | Other Systems | Power Cores | Security | Sensors | Shields | Special Materials | Thrusters | Weapons | Weapon Properties

Starhive

Source Starship Operations Manual pg. 75
Standing Against The Swarm
Manufacturing Centers: Akiton, Nchak
Specialties: Shirren fighting ships
Famous Models: Drone, Raptor, Vespiar

Starhive formed about a hundred years after shirrens first arrived in the Pact Worlds, splitting away from Hivonyx Industries because of a fundamental difference of philosophy. Many shirrens feared the Swarm would find its way to the Pact Worlds, and they wanted to be ready for armed resistance. They felt that unarmed starships were fine for merchants and explorers, but that it would take heavy weaponry to stop the Swarm. But Hivonyx leaders maintained the company’s pacifist stance, so a large group of shirren employees split off to form Starhive and make battle-ready starships. The first Starhive shipyard was founded on Akiton, though the company almost went under before establishing its own supply chain on the planet. Akitonian businesses aren’t always friendly to competitors, and existing starship manufacturers leaned hard on their suppliers not to sell to the new company. A few supply chain managers at Hivonyx— sympathetic to the Starhive cause—helped out their former employees with contacts on other planets. This proved more expensive than shopping local, but Starhive was able to get started and began building shirren battleships.

Sixty years later, company leaders began negotiating with the trox of Nchak, a Liavaran moon. Even as devout Hylaxians, the trox took the threat of the Swarm seriously and agreed on the need for warships capable of fighting it. Starhive added a second location on Nchak to coordinate with trox engineers on new starship technology. The company eventually expanded beyond warships to freighters and passenger vehicles, starting with the Drone Mk 1, which quickly became Starhive’s best-selling ship. Starhive ships are insectile in appearance, much like Hivonyx’s, but Starhive designs are immediately recognizable for their aggressive shapes, including heavy shells, stinger-like tails, and frills of spikes. The company is also known for impressive paint jobs, using proprietary iridescent paint that mimics an insect’s shell. Starhive ensures that no two ships have an identical appearance, even in its best-selling lines.

Starhive has come under scrutiny lately; several Hivonyx ships have been discovered outfitted with heavy weaponry, and evidence suggests Starhive is responsible for these conversions. Hivonyx is furious at this apparent subversion of its peaceful mission, but Starhive insists it is being framed and is working to prove its innocence before Hivonyx seeks legal recourse. This complicated scheme has all the markings of corporate sabotage, probably masterminded by one of Starhive’s Akitonian rivals, such as Sanjaval Spaceflight Systems.

Manufacturer Perk: Starhive designers know the importance of sufficient power on a warship. Starhive starships can install a power core housing for a second power core for only 8 BP instead of 10.