I'm on a Boat!

version 2.0, february 2014

A DUNGEON WORLD ADVENTURE

By Joe Banner | www.joebanner.co.uk
A big, blue, watery adventure!

Ive designed this adventure with the Dungeon

World rules in mind (it should work great with
World of Dungeons, too). The characters, loca-
tions and dangers might be used as an intro-
duction to a brand new campaign, a one-off
game, or as a way of moving your players to a
new setting across the sea.

One of my favourite things about Dungeon

World is that great, new content is being
published all the time - and shiver my timbers,
pirates aren't half popular! For players
wanting a more piratical character, try the
Swashbuckler compendium class by Timothy
Schroeder or The Dashing Hero playbook
by Jacob Randolph. Billy Bones by Street Rat
games should help with your loot & plunder
needs. And if you're not quite ready to make
land after this adventure, keep your eyes out
for Pirate World by James Hawthorne.
I'm on a Boat!

Getting Started
This book is designed to give you, the GM, more tools to
make your games of Dungeon World easier to manage,
memorable, and more fun.

If youve never played a game like this before, read the guide in
the Dungeon World rule book, drop me a line, and check out the
Dungeon World tavern on Google+. The groups friendly, knowl-
edgeable and happy to get people started.

You might find you need more content than this to play your
game. Its worth remembering that in Dungeon World, you play to
find out what happens and ask questions and build off the answers.
This supplement is designed to help you do that. Id love to hear
what your groups answers were - and how those answers made
your adventure totally awesome and unique!

Like what youve read?

If you enjoy this book, visit joebanner.co.uk for more of my RPG
supplements, gaming articles and useful links. You can also help
me make more by support-
ing me on patreon: visit
patreon.com/jbinc to find Do this...

out more. Read this book

Use what inspires you
Have fun, and may your Ignore what doesnt
torches burn bright in the Add your own cool stuff
darkness ahead! Have fun!

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I'm on a Boat!

Introduction
Dear adventurers, pirates and neer-do-wells...

Following a string of exciting adventures the watch insist on call-

ing crimes, you have decided it might be a good idea to leave
the country. To that end, youve secured passage across the sea.

Who booked passage on the Salty Mare?

What are you wanted for in Port Landington?
What did it cost to book safe passage?
Where are you headed? Why there?
Who else is travelling on the Salty Mare?

If you booked passage on the Salty Mare roll +CHA. On a 10+,

pick three. On a 7-9, pick two. On a 6-, pick one.
You got a fair deal
You didn't have to leave in a hurry
None of the crew saw your wanted posters
You stayed on the captains good side

Youre expected to lend a hand with the ship's duties, but are
welcome to join in the crew's meals as well - mostly hard tack,
jerky, fresh water and sour wine from the larders. The trip should
take a fortnight, luck and winds permitting.

This isnt the first time the ships taken on passengers and the
crew are generally neutral towards you. Theyll not slit your throat
while you sleep, but won't help if you fall overboard either.

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I'm on a Boat!

Port Landington
Prosperity moderate
Population growing
Defences the port watch
Trade Umberto, Nosjad, TelDerath, Khur Kibil, Espinet
Other lawless, market,
Resource kilibite ore (exotic), boats, slaves, alcohol
Guild The Boatmakers' club

Port Watchman (Group, Intelligent, Organised)

qq Anchor-halberd (d8, close, reach)
 8 HP 1 Armor
Instinct: To protect the port
Ring out the alarm bell
Hook an interloper and drag them to the cells
Keep a sharp eye out for troublemakers

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I'm on a Boat!

The Salty Mare

A battered but tough merchant vessel crewed by a
"legitimate" trader. Some of her crew are reformed criminals;
most are just trying to make an honest living.

Cast
"" Cassandra Cassius, naval officer-turned antiques dealer
"" Tim, the faithful half-orc cabin boy
"" Chuckles, the grumpy ships cook

Stakes
Where will the Salty Mare end up?
What kind of cargo is she carrying?
How did a half-orc (called Tim) become the cabin boy?

Captain Cassius (Solitary, Intelligent, Organised)

qq Salt-stained cutlass (d10, close)
 16 HP 2 Armor
Instinct: To make good time and good money
Lead from the front
Go down with the ship

Tim the cabin boy (Solitary, Intelligent)

qq Copper staff (w[d10], close)
 21 HP 0 Armor
Instinct: To make the captain's life easier
Special qualities: Blessings of the deep blue sea
Deliver an important message
Ensure the journey goes as swiftly as possible
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I'm on a Boat!

Upper deck, From left to right:

Quarterdeck; Fo'c'sle

Lower deck, From left to right:

Captain's quarters; Guest quarters; Mess hall; Cargo hold 1

Main hold, from left to right:

Cargo hold 2, Cargo hold 3, Cargo hold 4

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I'm on a Boat!

Cargo Manifest
When you prise open the lid of a cargo box, you find...

1. An alarm bell that won't stop ringing

2. Glass vials containing a rainbow-coloured liquid

3. A skeleton and it's personal effects

4. A children's stuffed animal toy

5. A live snake, as big as an ogre's arm

6. A tiny replica of a wizard's manse in a snowglobe

7. Several bottles of fine and very powerful liquor

8. A bloody aurochs' horn

9. An old pair of boots, muddy and well-worn

10. Captain Cassius' favourite dress

11. A bronze statue with beautiful ruby eyes

12. A bound manuscript signed by Ibn Al-Nadim himself

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I'm on a Boat!

When you set the sails, roll +STR. On a 10+, you set the sails true
and they catch the wind. On a 7-9, the sails are fixed well enough,
but might not hold up to heavy weather or close scrutiny.

When you take the helm, roll +DEX. On a 10+, its clear sky and
blue seas. On a 7-9, theres trouble ahead, but you can give the
crew enough time to react.

When you take part in a drinking contest, roll +CON. On a 10+,

you drink everyone under the table. On a 7-9, you either win, but
pass out for the next few hours; or come second to a particularly
obnoxious opponent (your choice). On a miss, you fail spectacu-
larly and let slip a fact you really shouldnt have.

When you chart a course, roll +INT. On a 10+, you avoid a catas-
trophe and earn the captains respect. On a 7-9, your route is safe
enough but narrowly avoids an obvious danger (rocks, whirlpools,
sirens or rivals for example.)

When you take watch in the crows nest, roll +WIS. On a 10+
ask the GM 3 questions from the list below. On a 7-9, ask 1. Take
+1 forward when acting on the answers.
Who or what is on the horizon?
What looks strange about the sky or ocean?
Wheres the nearest body of land?

When you boost the crews morale (spice up a meal, sing a

nautical song, organise a card game) roll +CHA. On a 10+, the
crew have your back. On a 7-9, most of the crew like you - but tell
the GM which person you managed to annoy (the first mate or
the captains pet monkey for example).
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I'm on a Boat!

Outbreak!
Its dinnertime on the Salty Mare, but the mood is tense.
The slop on offer smells even worse than usual and the
last guy who complained got a bowl dumped on his head!
Somethings got Chuckles the chef more riled up than
usual...

Are you infected? (If yes, mark XP. If no, how have you
avoided infection?)
When do the infected first start showing symptoms?
What infected Chuckles in the first place?
Whats the (alleged) cure for rotwhisker? Where on the
ship might some still be found?

Front
horde / Humanoid vermin
Impulse: to breed, multiply and consume

Grim Portents
]]A very unpleasant dinner
Infected sailors spread the disease
Almost all the supplies are tainted
The vermins nest covers more than half the ship
All the ships officers are infected or eaten
Doom: Chaos The rats are out for your flesh abandon ship!

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I'm on a Boat!

Creatures
Infected sailor (Horde, Terrifying)
qq Virulent claws (d6, close)
 3 HP 1 Armor
Jones, youve been acting devilishly strange tonight. What the deuce
do you mean, feed-feed man-flesh? Instinct: To spoil
Infect with a bite or scratch
Stop to feed

Chuckles, the infected cook (Solitary, Terrifying)

qq Bile-soaked cleaver (d8, close)
 18 HP 1 Armor
Instinct: To spread the infection
Infect with a bite or scratch, or by vomiting yellow bile
Lash out with a whip-like tail
Summon more rats

When you feel a scratching in your gut, roll +CON. On a hit, you
spend the next few minutes helpless, retching on the ground. On
a 7-9, you also feel sick (-1 CON). On a 6-, in addition to the above
one of the following symptoms manifests right now:
Your teeth and nails grow sharper
Your eyes glow blood red
Fur is sprouting in new and scary places
Its getting hard to think... (youre confused, -1 WIS)
You lash out at the closest meat

If you show no symptoms after a day or so, the infection has

not taken hold - this time. The more symptoms you acquire, the
harder the infection will be to cure.

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I'm on a Boat!

The Black Flag Rises

For the attention of your captain: hand over your treasure
now, or we will take your lives. (And your treasure.) Sincerely,
Captain Ballista Flagg.

Grim Portents
A ship flying black colours is spotted on the horizon
Ominous rumours about piracy spread across the ship
A seagull delivers an ultimatum
The Black Flag attacks in the night
Doom: Destruction The ship is sunk, its treasures plundered!

Creatures
Scurvy Pirate (Horde, Organised)
qq Chipped cutlass (d6+1, close)
 3HP, 1 Armour
Instinct: To loot and plunder
Make a daring advance or escape
Get drunk and misbehave

Master of Gulls (Solitary, Intelligent, Arcane)

qq Magic missile (b[d10], near, far)
 12HP, 2 Armour
Its said this old one sold out his village in return for a place on the
Black Flag. His sorcery and the captains leadership have proven a
fearsome combination. Instinct: to see terror on the open seas
See through the eyes of a bird
Distract and overwhelm with a sudden flock
Create a curse of storms and terror
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I'm on a Boat!

Captain Ballista Flagg (Solitary, Intelligent, Organised)

qq Halberd (D6+2 damage, 1 Piercing)
 16 HP 2 Armour
Captain of the Black Flag, scourge of the Shrouded Sea. Polite to a
fault. Instinct: To rule the open seas
Order her crew with an iron fist
Make arrogant threats
Disarm and unbalance opponent
Disappear in a flock of seagulls

The map of gulls (1 weight)

This old parchment outlines the migratory habits of seafar-
ing birds, that being a route safest from storms - take +1
ongoing to navigate the seas when using this map. However,
if you ever fail a roll when using this map, the routes are
proven to be outdated and the bonus no longer applies.

The Reefmonger's Keystone (1 weight)

An oddly-shaped piece of coral, said to have originated from
the islands of the Calderan sea. As long as the keystone is in
your possession, you dream of tentacled titans beneath the
waves and the secrets of their deep cities. When you spout
lore, you may choose to use half-remembered knowledge
from your dreams instead of your INT. If you do, you auto-
matically pass (as if you rolled a 10+) and the GM holds 1.
The GM may spend their hold at any time to describe an
involuntary action your character makes (perhaps speak-
ing in tongues or making an alien gesture). This action will
draw the attention of - and inspire fear, anger or nausea
from - any other intelligent beings nearby.
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I'm on a Boat!

Credits
With the exceptions listed below, this document is written
and designed by Joe Banner. The text (but not the design)
is free to reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) license.

Artwork, Fonts & Design

All artwork from the British Library public domain collection
(flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/). Fonts used are PT Serif, Open
Sans & FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1).

Dungeon World
Dungeon World created by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel.

Thank you to...

My playtesters, who all take +1 ongoing to being awesome.
Everyone at the G+ Dungeon World Tavern.

Comments & Questions?

Send me an email! [email protected]

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