Unreviewed Wayfinder Beacons

[Braze]

Wayfinder Beacons​

Out of Character Information​

Intent	To create an open-market, decentralized distress-and-guidance communications protocol that allows Jedi and allied responders to broadcast short, reliable calls for help, navigation cues, and rendezvous confirmations across common comms hardware, without reliance on a single temple, order, or archive.
Image Source	N/A
Canon Link	N/A
Permissions	N/A
Primary Source	Original concept.

Production Information​

Manufacturer	Star Bazaar : Emporium of Everything | Spec Tech Innovations | Braze
Affiliation	Generally Jedi | Star Bazaar : Emporium of Everything | Also, Open-Market (Any character may purchase, install, or reference Wayfinder Beacon functionality in rp.)
Market Status	Open-Market
Model	WBP-1 “Wayfinder Beacon Package”
Modularity	Yes. Offered as a software package for ship comm arrays, datapads, commlinks, droids, and relay buoys; optional add-ons include encryption layers, automated repeaters, and “Cant” phrase libraries. Provided as a transmission protocol that uses frequencies rather than relying on a single fixed channel. Wayfinder traffic can migrate between common distress bands, rotating responder channels, or direct peer links as conditions require.
Production	Mass-Produced. Distributed as a low-cost consumer and institutional communications upgrade; physical repeater-buoy kits sold separately for remote regions. Can be installed on most civilian and military starships, shuttlecraft, stations, ground vehicles, portable field transmitters, comm towers, datapads, astromechs, and dedicated relay drones with minimal modification, often achievable with common tools and standard firmware access.
Material	Software. Hardware varies by platform (standard comm arrays, portable transmitters, relay beacons, astromech uplinks).

Special Features​

Universal Distress Burst: A short standardized packet containing location, urgency tier, and request type, designed for weak-signal environments. Wayfinder “Cant” Library: Optional phrasebook that sounds like ordinary spacer chatter while conveying pre-agreed meanings to trained listeners. Relay-Friendly: Any receiver may repeat the signal without needing to interpret it, allowing ad-hoc mesh coverage during disasters. Low Bandwidth Mode: Can be transmitted in fragments, repeated, and reassembled; practical when comms are damaged or power is limited. Rendezvous Confirmation: A simple challenge/response handshake to reduce confusion at pickup points without requiring heavy encryption. Old Jedi Trade Cant Open-Speech Cipher Phrase Meaning Requesting a chart correction. Danger; come ready. Weather is looking bad. Hostiles approaching. Carrying passengers. Civilians present. Need a longer road. Extraction required. We can host. We can come help / aid. We picked a busy hour. Enemy within range. Our charts won't carry us much farther. Cannot remain. Cargo shifted. Injuries. Something broke in transit. Severe injuries. Enjoying the quiet on the drift. Discretion required. Let's keep this routine. Maintain cover. We see your wake. Position confirmed. Match our drift. Rally on us. The weather cleared up. Area secure. We took a wrong turn somewhere. Situation deteriorating. The lane feels crowded. Hostiles nearby. Running warmer than we like. Pressure increasing. We'll be late to port. Delayed / slowed. Our lights are dimming. Civilians panicking / morale failing. We miscounted the crates. More enemies than expected. We may need tug assistance. Unable to escape alone. We're light on cooks today. Short-handed. The paperwork got complicated. Political or legal risk. We should not stay long. Prepare withdrawal. We'll drift a moment. Holding position. Mind the paintwork. Avoid escalation. We'll follow standard approach. Continue current plan. We're through the rough. Immediate threat passed. Origin / Authority Identifiers Identifier Meaning Alpha Civilian origin Beta Local or ground element Gamma Jedi Knight authority Delta Jedi Master authority Epsilon Temple or administrative origin Zeta Automated / network source Eta Identity uncertain Theta Recognized command authority Iota Elevated operational authority Omega Final authority / overrides all others Severity Markers Marker Meaning Tooka Routine Loth-cat Mild concern Nuna Assistance requested Bantha Time sensitive Reek Urgent Acklay Emergency Nexu Life at risk Rancor Catastrophic Mythosaur Order priority Krayt Absolute priority Instruction & Status Codes Code Meaning 1 What is your frequency? 2 Shift frequency. 3 Confirm channel. 4 Channel unstable. 5 Channel compromised. 6 What is your signal strength? 7 Your signal is weak. 8 Increase transmission power. 9 Reduce transmission power. 10 Interference present. 11 Active jamming suspected. 12 Natural distortion. 13 Repeat last message. 14 Say again slowly. 15 Message received. 16 Message unclear. 17 Standby for traffic. 18 Pause transmissions. 19 Resume transmissions. 20 Relay for me. 21 Relaying now. 22 Relay complete. 23 What is your position? 24 Sending coordinates. 25 Coordinates received. 26 Request approach vector. 27 Approach vector sent. 28 Hold current course. 29 Adjust heading. 30 Obstruction ahead. 31 Hyperspace calculations in progress. 32 Unable to jump. 33 Jumping now. 34 Exited hyperspace. 35 Docking request. 36 Cleared to dock. 37 Abort docking. 38 Life support concern. 39 Engineering issue. 40 Require immediate landing.

Strengths​

No Single Point of Failure: Works as long as even one node is listening and willing to repeat. Accessible: Designed to run on common civilian and shipboard comms without exotic components. Fast to Deploy: Minimal setup; can be activated in minutes on most platforms. Scales Cleanly: Useful for lone wanderers, relief crews, or fleets coordinating a chaotic response. Distributed Coverage: Pre-seeded and privately deployable micro-buoys extend reception and repeat capability far beyond major infrastructure.

Weaknesses​

Spoof Risk: A false beacon call is possible; the system relies on corroboration, local judgment, and optional handshake checks. Jamming & Denial: Powerful signal suppression or localized interference can still prevent transmission. Volunteer Dependent: It can ask for help, but it cannot force anyone to answer.

Description​

Instead of building another archive or trusting a central tower that could be seized, censored, or destroyed, the Wayfinder Beacon relies on smaller, stubborn measures: short messages, repeatable signals, habits carried by people. A freighter's worn comm array, a medic's datapad, an astromech with a cracked dome, or even a buoy turning in cold orbit; each can host the same protocol. When one node goes dark, another answers and the chain continues. At its most basic, a Wayfinder Beacon sends three things: location, urgency, and what kind of help is needed. It is designed to function during panic and through heavy interference, even when power reserves are collapsing. Messages can be broken, repeated, and reconstructed by anyone equipped to receive them. Even degraded, the format remains recognizable as a distress call. Multiple sectors contain pre-deployed Wayfinder nodes. These are very small, compact buoy units equipped with transceivers, position storage, and automatic repeat capability. They remain in low-power listening states and activate when they detect Wayfinder-formatted traffic or recognized emergency bands. Additional units are commercially available and may be deployed by private parties to expand coverage within a region of space. Power is provided by long-life internal cells supported by environmental recharge methods such as solar absorption and radiation harvesting. Operational lifespans can reach years or decades without maintenance. The units are durable but can be disabled, destroyed, or degrade over time.