Hyperspace Is A Scary Place

Basic Information

Hyperspace may provide handy corner-cutting and relativity-dodging space travel but it's not always a place that you want to go to. It could just be the fact that it's just mind-blowingly infinite (more infinite than realspace?) or there could be things that lurk there; things you don't want to meet. So of course to show the players how dangerous it is, a scary encounter would be de rigeur.

Sources

TV Tropes

Game and Story Use

• A handy excuse for an NPC to go a bit loopy; they've seen too much and it has given them some sort of mental problem. This means anyone could loose it, as long as they've been through hyperspace
• The beasts lurking there could be the sort of thing that could invade or infiltrate a ship. Or they could be enormous Lovercraftian monstrosities. Which is nice!
• Hyperspace is still space. Perhaps the characters could be hired for a hyperspace mapping expedition, on the principle that mapped space is safer. Although not for the mapping expedition of course.
• Or perhaps the non-euclidian nature of Hyperspace just feels wrong! This can manifest itself in several ways.
  • On the more subtle end of the scale, it could cause psychological stresses. Certain character disadvantages, like bad temper or paranoia, might be intensified. Don't tell the PCs what is happening, of course, unless they are veteran hyperspace-travellers; just try creating an atmosphere of increasing tension.
  • There might be physiological reactions in the body to the unnatural state of hyperspace, like intense headaches.
    • Or the classic nausea. "Everybody barfs their first trip through hyperspace!"