Post by Admin on Sept 22, 2014 17:42:23 GMT
Here's a thread about Marine Encounters for 1E, by atherton. (Say HI to him in the Dragonsfoot Lounge).
He's always looking for new ideas, so if you have any new ideas for Marine Encounters, please post them here.
Random Encounters
Coastal Waters (Waters east of the barrier reef)
1 - 10% Giant Moray Eel. An exclamation from one of the sailors will bring the rest of the crew crowding to line the gunwales at spectacle of hundreds (if not thousands) of giant moray eels migrating to their spawning grounds deep in the Sargasso Sea.
11- 20% Carnivorous Flying Fish - Yao Yi (Biting Wing). Flying fish schools are common in the sheltered back waters of the reef. These fish, known locally as the Yao Yi or Biting Wing, are a vicious sea going relative of the piranha. They hunt in large schools, indiscriminately targeting surface travellers ranging from low flying sea birds through to aquatic dragons and ships. Each school is typically between 20-200 fish. They attack for 1-2 hp damage due to their oversized jaws, and due to their aggression they are 1-2 hp apiece, attacking as 1 hit die creatures and are AC 7. They are greatly feared by the local sailors, being reputed to strip a ship's crew to the bone in a matter of minutes. Most ships hang nets over the gunwales of their boats as protection against the Yao Yi. As the Yao Yi are a water breathing fish, they will attack for only a single melee round before they will attempt to flip themselves back into the ocean using their muscular tails. Fish trapped onboard will asphyxiate in 2-5 rounds.
21-30% Mermaids. Early one morning the ship will no longer answer to the helm much to the mystification of the captain and crew. When a diver is sent down, the badly rotted corpse of a mermaid will be found jamming the rudder. The mermaid will come abruptly (and unexpectedly to life) trying to rip the sailors throat out with 2" long talons (undead mermaid AC 8 HD 3 hp 13 Att 2 1-3/1-3). Within 2 melee rounds she will be joined by 5 more mermaids (hp 14, 15, 15, 12, 17), who will attempt to rend the hapless sailor limb from limb. Should they succeed they will retire from the ship devour the sailors remains in a gory feast in full view of the crew. If killed, a further inspection of the rudder will reveal that it has been extensively damaged. The damage if not repaired will result in the ship drifting aimlessly. By nightfall a further 20-30 of the undead mermaids will be trailing the ship. They will attack at night, attempting to pierce the hull.
31-35% Box jellyfish. A vast swarm of jellyfish will encompass the ship, slowing its
progress. So long as the party don't enter the water they will be safe. Anyone foolish enough to enter the water will receive dozens, and potentially hundreds of stings (save vs poison or die from in 2-8 hours).
36-40% Floating corpse.
41-60% Fishermen. 2-8 Fishing boats will be encountered. The fishermen are friendly and if questioned, have as 50% base chance of knowing what else is in the vicinity (roll a another random encounter).
61-70% Smugglers. 1-2 sloops will be encountered each crewed by 10-20 sailors. The crews are a disparate lot including in their number fishermen, pirates and even merchants.
71-80% Merchant ships. A single ship or a convoy of up to six ungainly carracks burdened with merchandise
81-90% Pirates/buccaneers
91-95% Drifting flotsam. An overturned dinghy is encountered. If the boat is uprighted a lacedon (hp 15) will emerge from beneath and attempt to paralysis the closest person. If successful it will attempt to drag its hapless victim to the bottom of the ocean.
96-98% Dismasted ship.
99 % Giant sea eagle.
100% Flock of giant seagulls. These huge gulls will descend on the ship, settling in the rigging. They will behave aggressively is approached too closely, rising up and buffeting the intruder with their wings while pecking at their faces. They will swarm at the sight of any food and defecate on the sails and decks unless driven off. They are AC 10 HP 1-2.
Barrier Reef
1- 10% Sea lions: About a dozen of these mammals will be observed sunning themselves on a pair of small sandy islets. They will be unaggressive unless approached too closely, in which event, the largest males will plunge into the ocean and attempt to scare the ship into reversing course, by surrounding it and roaring loudly. They will attack any small boats
put down into the water 4x large males hp 34, 32, 30, 30
11-15% Giant sea slug (treat as giant slug as per MM).
16-20% Crabmen
21-25% The Grotto of the Siren. As the ship approaches a sandy atoll a mermaid will be spotted on its beach, her gleaming silver trunk and tail caught in the wash of the incoming tide. A crown of sea weed adorns her head which is turned away. Above the boom of the distant surf, a mesmerising song drifts out across the water, causing sailors to stop what they are doing and to listen in silence. However it will be clear that they are not under any enchantment as they will respond to any orders or questions normally. Should the characters instruct the captain to have ship bear off, then nothing further will eventuate, otherwise the captain, entranced by the song despite himself, will allow the ship slowly drift past. As the ship passes the closest point of the island, the mermaid will smoothly turn, the tendrils of seaweed transforming themselves into a writhing nest of vipers. The medusa will rake the ship with her gaze. Medusa hp 30.
26-30% Selennic dragon (see new monster section). Fearful shouts erupt from the crow's nest and tracking pointed fingers the party will see an aquamarine coloured dragon skimming the waves about a mile distant. The dragon will move closer, circling the ship.
31-35% stonefish/toad fish
46-40% Pirates
41-55% Fishermen. 1-6 fishing boats will be encountered. The fishermen
56-60% cone shell
61-70% sea worms
71-75% large barracuda
76-80% swordfish
81-90% octopus, giant
91-95% Green tea smoker (see new monster section)
96-98% Giant Sea serpent.
99-100 % whirlpool
Deep Ocean Encounters
1- 10% Pod of whales. As a hail from the larboard sounds, excited crewmen rush to the
Gunwales as plumes of spray erupt alongside as the grey grey beasts broach the choppy swell. The whales are right whales, the pod consisting of five adults and two sub-adults. The adults have 30 hit die, hp 145, 135, 130, and the two calves, 10 hit die hp 30, 45.
Unless attacked, the pod will parallel the ship keeping pace with it for a time before swimming off into the distance. The sailors will take the sighting as a good omen, unless the party attempts to attack the whales (a move the captain will strictly forbid if he is aware of
the characters intentions).
11-20% Hippocampus frolic in the ocean waves. These shy creatures will shadow the ship at a distance. It is unlikely that they will come into range of the ship and unless the party attempts to contact them they will eventually drift astern. They have hp 24, 20,20, 22, 18
21-25% Storm. Winds of strengths equivalent to force 10 on Beaufort scale lash the ship from the lee side for hours on end. The ship suffers minor structural damage (delayed by 1-6 hours) and characters will become violently sea sick if they fail a saving throw vs poison.
26-30% Masses of drifting kelp encountered.
31-35% A pack of great white sharks track the ship. Unless anyone is foolish enough to encounter the water the sharks will eventually lose interest and swim off. They have hp
41-49% Rogue wave
50% Dragon Turtle.
51-60 % Sea turtles. These vast creatures have shells the size of dinner tables. Typically
there will be 1-20 migrating to the beaches to spawn. They are HD 5, AC 5 (9 out of the water).
61-70% Eye of the deep
71-75% Wandering Albatross. A great albatross begins to follow the ship. If it is killed (AC 9 Hp 2) all rolls will to hit will be a -1 until offerings of contrition are made at the Temple of Immeria at Cyanara. If shot at there is a 1 in 20 chance that the arrow or bolt will fall back to the ship's deck striking a crewmember.
76-80% Life raft containing half a dozen men and two women. All of them are dirty and ragged. They claim to be the survivors of a pirate attack.
81 -85% Marie Celeste. A weather beaten hulk, its masts stripped of sails will be encountered
drifting without direction. If the ship is boarded, it is found to be deserted. There is nothing to suggest the reason for the crew's disappearance; even the ships boats remain securely stored. The hold is packed with huge leathery eggs of unknown origin. If the eggs are held up against sunlight or magical light will be
86-88% Plague ship.
86-90% Water spout
91-94% Ghost Ship. Frantic sailors will report the appearance of a ghostly vessel about midnight. If the party rushes on deck they will see the spectral outlines of a ghostly vessel (including ghostly figures racing around its deck) bearing down on them. Just as collision seems inevitable, it will vanish.
95-96% 10' large floating glass sphere. The sphere is an escape pod from an alien spacecraft.
There is no sign of an occupant, and indeed no evidence of a door. If broken into (400 hp damage to create a 1" diameter hole) it will be found to be filled with air, which tastes slightly musky but is otherwise breathable. Shortly afterwards however, a number of inexplicable events will occur around the ship.
97-98% A bound, naked and unconscious man will be found floating in a bath tub. If rescued he will found to suffering extensively from exposure. He will remain in a semi conscious state for much of the next two days, fitfully waking up. Occasionally he will be lucid, other times raving. On the third day he will recover fully, but will have no recollection of his name
or how he came to be in the tub. It will become almost immediately evident that he is a magician of some considerable powers (10th level magic user AC 10 S 10 I 17 W 9 D 11 C 12 Ch 13 hp 23).
99-100% Typhoon.
New Monsters
Green Tea Smoker (by Ettin)
Green tea smokers are a subaquatic plant found in shallow tropical seas the world over. They
are ambush predators which hunt by anchoring themselves to the ocean bottom (usually in coral reefs) and wait motionlessly for prey to pass by. On detecting nearby movement they will emit a vast cloud of green toxic gas. Any person caught in the cloud who fails a save vs
poison will die almost instantaneously (1-2 melee rounds). The dead body will float to ocean floor where its decomposition will supply the smoker with nutrients. The length of time required for the cloud to dissipate depends on water conditions, but in an entirely static
column of water, may persist for up to half an hour. The smokers can emit the cloud up to 3 times in a 24 hour period, but at least 4 hours must elapse between emissions. In appearance green smokers closely resemble a tree stump. They have roots that burrow into the
ooze of the sea floor. These roots are mobile, allowing the smoker to change position, but are ineffective for attacking. A slit filled with bristling spines serves as a mouth.
SELENNIC DRAGON
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOUR CLASS: 3
MOVE:
HIT DICE: 8
% IN LAIR: 10%
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK
SPECIAL ATTACKS: breathe weapon
SPECIAL DEFENCES:
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
He's always looking for new ideas, so if you have any new ideas for Marine Encounters, please post them here.
Random Encounters
Coastal Waters (Waters east of the barrier reef)
1 - 10% Giant Moray Eel. An exclamation from one of the sailors will bring the rest of the crew crowding to line the gunwales at spectacle of hundreds (if not thousands) of giant moray eels migrating to their spawning grounds deep in the Sargasso Sea.
11- 20% Carnivorous Flying Fish - Yao Yi (Biting Wing). Flying fish schools are common in the sheltered back waters of the reef. These fish, known locally as the Yao Yi or Biting Wing, are a vicious sea going relative of the piranha. They hunt in large schools, indiscriminately targeting surface travellers ranging from low flying sea birds through to aquatic dragons and ships. Each school is typically between 20-200 fish. They attack for 1-2 hp damage due to their oversized jaws, and due to their aggression they are 1-2 hp apiece, attacking as 1 hit die creatures and are AC 7. They are greatly feared by the local sailors, being reputed to strip a ship's crew to the bone in a matter of minutes. Most ships hang nets over the gunwales of their boats as protection against the Yao Yi. As the Yao Yi are a water breathing fish, they will attack for only a single melee round before they will attempt to flip themselves back into the ocean using their muscular tails. Fish trapped onboard will asphyxiate in 2-5 rounds.
21-30% Mermaids. Early one morning the ship will no longer answer to the helm much to the mystification of the captain and crew. When a diver is sent down, the badly rotted corpse of a mermaid will be found jamming the rudder. The mermaid will come abruptly (and unexpectedly to life) trying to rip the sailors throat out with 2" long talons (undead mermaid AC 8 HD 3 hp 13 Att 2 1-3/1-3). Within 2 melee rounds she will be joined by 5 more mermaids (hp 14, 15, 15, 12, 17), who will attempt to rend the hapless sailor limb from limb. Should they succeed they will retire from the ship devour the sailors remains in a gory feast in full view of the crew. If killed, a further inspection of the rudder will reveal that it has been extensively damaged. The damage if not repaired will result in the ship drifting aimlessly. By nightfall a further 20-30 of the undead mermaids will be trailing the ship. They will attack at night, attempting to pierce the hull.
31-35% Box jellyfish. A vast swarm of jellyfish will encompass the ship, slowing its
progress. So long as the party don't enter the water they will be safe. Anyone foolish enough to enter the water will receive dozens, and potentially hundreds of stings (save vs poison or die from in 2-8 hours).
36-40% Floating corpse.
41-60% Fishermen. 2-8 Fishing boats will be encountered. The fishermen are friendly and if questioned, have as 50% base chance of knowing what else is in the vicinity (roll a another random encounter).
61-70% Smugglers. 1-2 sloops will be encountered each crewed by 10-20 sailors. The crews are a disparate lot including in their number fishermen, pirates and even merchants.
71-80% Merchant ships. A single ship or a convoy of up to six ungainly carracks burdened with merchandise
81-90% Pirates/buccaneers
91-95% Drifting flotsam. An overturned dinghy is encountered. If the boat is uprighted a lacedon (hp 15) will emerge from beneath and attempt to paralysis the closest person. If successful it will attempt to drag its hapless victim to the bottom of the ocean.
96-98% Dismasted ship.
99 % Giant sea eagle.
100% Flock of giant seagulls. These huge gulls will descend on the ship, settling in the rigging. They will behave aggressively is approached too closely, rising up and buffeting the intruder with their wings while pecking at their faces. They will swarm at the sight of any food and defecate on the sails and decks unless driven off. They are AC 10 HP 1-2.
Barrier Reef
1- 10% Sea lions: About a dozen of these mammals will be observed sunning themselves on a pair of small sandy islets. They will be unaggressive unless approached too closely, in which event, the largest males will plunge into the ocean and attempt to scare the ship into reversing course, by surrounding it and roaring loudly. They will attack any small boats
put down into the water 4x large males hp 34, 32, 30, 30
11-15% Giant sea slug (treat as giant slug as per MM).
16-20% Crabmen
21-25% The Grotto of the Siren. As the ship approaches a sandy atoll a mermaid will be spotted on its beach, her gleaming silver trunk and tail caught in the wash of the incoming tide. A crown of sea weed adorns her head which is turned away. Above the boom of the distant surf, a mesmerising song drifts out across the water, causing sailors to stop what they are doing and to listen in silence. However it will be clear that they are not under any enchantment as they will respond to any orders or questions normally. Should the characters instruct the captain to have ship bear off, then nothing further will eventuate, otherwise the captain, entranced by the song despite himself, will allow the ship slowly drift past. As the ship passes the closest point of the island, the mermaid will smoothly turn, the tendrils of seaweed transforming themselves into a writhing nest of vipers. The medusa will rake the ship with her gaze. Medusa hp 30.
26-30% Selennic dragon (see new monster section). Fearful shouts erupt from the crow's nest and tracking pointed fingers the party will see an aquamarine coloured dragon skimming the waves about a mile distant. The dragon will move closer, circling the ship.
31-35% stonefish/toad fish
46-40% Pirates
41-55% Fishermen. 1-6 fishing boats will be encountered. The fishermen
56-60% cone shell
61-70% sea worms
71-75% large barracuda
76-80% swordfish
81-90% octopus, giant
91-95% Green tea smoker (see new monster section)
96-98% Giant Sea serpent.
99-100 % whirlpool
Deep Ocean Encounters
1- 10% Pod of whales. As a hail from the larboard sounds, excited crewmen rush to the
Gunwales as plumes of spray erupt alongside as the grey grey beasts broach the choppy swell. The whales are right whales, the pod consisting of five adults and two sub-adults. The adults have 30 hit die, hp 145, 135, 130, and the two calves, 10 hit die hp 30, 45.
Unless attacked, the pod will parallel the ship keeping pace with it for a time before swimming off into the distance. The sailors will take the sighting as a good omen, unless the party attempts to attack the whales (a move the captain will strictly forbid if he is aware of
the characters intentions).
11-20% Hippocampus frolic in the ocean waves. These shy creatures will shadow the ship at a distance. It is unlikely that they will come into range of the ship and unless the party attempts to contact them they will eventually drift astern. They have hp 24, 20,20, 22, 18
21-25% Storm. Winds of strengths equivalent to force 10 on Beaufort scale lash the ship from the lee side for hours on end. The ship suffers minor structural damage (delayed by 1-6 hours) and characters will become violently sea sick if they fail a saving throw vs poison.
26-30% Masses of drifting kelp encountered.
31-35% A pack of great white sharks track the ship. Unless anyone is foolish enough to encounter the water the sharks will eventually lose interest and swim off. They have hp
41-49% Rogue wave
50% Dragon Turtle.
51-60 % Sea turtles. These vast creatures have shells the size of dinner tables. Typically
there will be 1-20 migrating to the beaches to spawn. They are HD 5, AC 5 (9 out of the water).
61-70% Eye of the deep
71-75% Wandering Albatross. A great albatross begins to follow the ship. If it is killed (AC 9 Hp 2) all rolls will to hit will be a -1 until offerings of contrition are made at the Temple of Immeria at Cyanara. If shot at there is a 1 in 20 chance that the arrow or bolt will fall back to the ship's deck striking a crewmember.
76-80% Life raft containing half a dozen men and two women. All of them are dirty and ragged. They claim to be the survivors of a pirate attack.
81 -85% Marie Celeste. A weather beaten hulk, its masts stripped of sails will be encountered
drifting without direction. If the ship is boarded, it is found to be deserted. There is nothing to suggest the reason for the crew's disappearance; even the ships boats remain securely stored. The hold is packed with huge leathery eggs of unknown origin. If the eggs are held up against sunlight or magical light will be
86-88% Plague ship.
86-90% Water spout
91-94% Ghost Ship. Frantic sailors will report the appearance of a ghostly vessel about midnight. If the party rushes on deck they will see the spectral outlines of a ghostly vessel (including ghostly figures racing around its deck) bearing down on them. Just as collision seems inevitable, it will vanish.
95-96% 10' large floating glass sphere. The sphere is an escape pod from an alien spacecraft.
There is no sign of an occupant, and indeed no evidence of a door. If broken into (400 hp damage to create a 1" diameter hole) it will be found to be filled with air, which tastes slightly musky but is otherwise breathable. Shortly afterwards however, a number of inexplicable events will occur around the ship.
97-98% A bound, naked and unconscious man will be found floating in a bath tub. If rescued he will found to suffering extensively from exposure. He will remain in a semi conscious state for much of the next two days, fitfully waking up. Occasionally he will be lucid, other times raving. On the third day he will recover fully, but will have no recollection of his name
or how he came to be in the tub. It will become almost immediately evident that he is a magician of some considerable powers (10th level magic user AC 10 S 10 I 17 W 9 D 11 C 12 Ch 13 hp 23).
99-100% Typhoon.
New Monsters
Green Tea Smoker (by Ettin)
Green tea smokers are a subaquatic plant found in shallow tropical seas the world over. They
are ambush predators which hunt by anchoring themselves to the ocean bottom (usually in coral reefs) and wait motionlessly for prey to pass by. On detecting nearby movement they will emit a vast cloud of green toxic gas. Any person caught in the cloud who fails a save vs
poison will die almost instantaneously (1-2 melee rounds). The dead body will float to ocean floor where its decomposition will supply the smoker with nutrients. The length of time required for the cloud to dissipate depends on water conditions, but in an entirely static
column of water, may persist for up to half an hour. The smokers can emit the cloud up to 3 times in a 24 hour period, but at least 4 hours must elapse between emissions. In appearance green smokers closely resemble a tree stump. They have roots that burrow into the
ooze of the sea floor. These roots are mobile, allowing the smoker to change position, but are ineffective for attacking. A slit filled with bristling spines serves as a mouth.
SELENNIC DRAGON
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOUR CLASS: 3
MOVE:
HIT DICE: 8
% IN LAIR: 10%
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK
SPECIAL ATTACKS: breathe weapon
SPECIAL DEFENCES:
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
