The Modern Dispatch

Sea Rescue
By Charles Rice

Introduction Adventure Setup

Sea Rescue is an adventure for Modern d20 system The MV Odyssey is a privately owned passenger
games. Sea Rescue pits the PCs in a race against time liner that runs a unique passenger service. The

#27 to save a damaged ocean liner filled with college

students and requires that the PCs have access to a
Odyssey serves as a “university at sea”, taking
students on a journey to many places around
boat fast enough to intercept the foundering ocean the world to expand their knowledge, as well as
liner. This adventure is designed to best suit PCs of providing comprehensive university facilities,
between 6th and 9th levels though by adjusting the allowing the students to attend classes between ports
Content�Manager:� level of the combatants found in the adventure’s of call.
Charles�Rice,�Chris�Davis finale the adventure can accommodate a wider range
Layout:� of PC levels.
Chris�Davis

Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying

Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are

trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the
United States and other countries and are used
with permission. ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20
System’ logo are trademarks of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms
of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy
of this License can be found at www.wizards.
com/d20.

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The Modern Dispatch
The Odyssey departs from Vancouver and is slated the last engine goes the ship could be seriously blown to bring them in most cases. If the weapons are
to call on the following ports during its “semester” off course or even broach and capsize. requisitioned from an agency or the military they will
long journey: Busan, Korea; Kobe, Japan; Shanghai, Since that message attempts to hail the Odyssey only be allowed a sidearm or two, no heavy weapons
China; Hong Kong; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; have failed and a repair team (including the PCs) is (the SAW will have to stay at home sorry).
Madras, India; Mombasa, Kenya; Cape Town, South dispatched. If the PCs have privately owned heavy weapons
Africa; Salvador, Brazil; La Guaira, Venezuela and When the PCs arrive at the ship, at the height of (such as assault rifles and grenade launchers) the
finally returning the students home when it calls at the storm, they will find another vessel tethered to game master should have the master of the boat
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. the converted ocean liner. Any hopes that this second carrying the PCs to the Odyssey ask them to leave
The Odyssey’s itinerary is slated to run from mid vessel is another ship answering the Odyssey’s such “unnecessary” weapons behind. Of course if the
January to late April. distress call will be dashed as the PCs explore the PCs have their own ship and attempt the rescue as
The following information can be learned by PCs ship. Drug smugglers seeking to use it to move a private good Samaritans they should be allowed to
participating in the adventure on a Research skill large amount of their product into the United States bring whatever they wish.
check (DC 15) providing the character making the have commandeered the Odyssey.
check has access to a computer with internet access. Complicating matters further are the fact that the My kingdom for a ship
The DC is the same for a PC without a computer but students have been crammed into two of the hallways The PCs will need a ship to intercept the Odyssey
will take double the standard time for a Research under armed guard. While the students outnumber for Sea Rescue to take place. There are several
check. their kidnappers by over 10 to 1 a single spray of fire ways the game master could provide the PCs with
from the guards’ SMGs could kill dozens of students. a ship and allow them to take part in the adventure.
Physical Details: MV Odyssey As if that weren’t enough, the engine troubles are The first would be to have an organization the PCs
real. Several of the smugglers are down in the engine work for provide one. If the PCs are a member of a
The Odyssey is a German passenger liner converted room with the Odyssey’s real Captain and Engineer military or paramilitary organization this is especially
to serve her unique function as a mobile university. attempting to get one or more of the engines working appropriate.
The ship has nine fully functional classrooms, a full again. As the storm intensifies the Odyssey might Secondly a friend of the PCs that belongs to such
library, computer lab with internet access, a student suffer the fate of her distress call, of broaching to and an organization could ask the PCs for help. Perhaps
union, snack bars, two cafeterias, swimming pool, capsizing in the storm. he has no one of the proper expertise to repair the
gymnasium and a campus store. The ship also has 6 ship or suspects trouble and wants some combat-
decks of passenger space, broken up into dormitory-
style rooms containing two beds, two dressers and a
Running Sea Rescue capable backup.
As a last resort, if the game is such that any help
bathroom with shower. Sea Rescue poses some unique challenges to the from the military or coast guard would be unwelcome
The ship is 590 feet long and boasts a cruising game master, chief among them the presence of by the PCs, game masters looking to run Sea Rescue
speed of 28 knots (extremely fast for a commercial guns, the requirement for a ship and the difficulty of could place a relative or loved one of a PC on the
passenger liner of its size). mapping such a large vehicle. ship and simply encourage the characters to “borrow”
transportation.

Adventure Synopsis Armed or Unarmed?

Map Quests
Sea Rescue starts out as ostensibly a repair mission.
The adventure begins with a distress call from the Player characters tend toward the paranoid (with Given the size of this adventure, a map of such a
MV Odyssey stating that the ship has run into a nasty good reason in this case) and may wish to bring large vessel as the Odyssey is not practical. This
storm while en route to Fort Lauderdale and that three weapons with them. If the characters have weapons could make running Sea Rescue a challenge. To aid
of her engines have been blown. The Captain feels if of their own, they should certainly be allowed the game master, the following tables are provided:

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Searching for a particular room Ship Critical Room: This would include the
Storm Noise: The waves buffeting the sides of the
If the PCs are looking for a specific place (the bridge, ship create a lot of noise making it difficult to hear
8 ship’s communication room, engine room or
the engine room, the classrooms) assume it takes anything happening on a different deck of the ship,
bridge.
them 2-20 minutes to find it and make their way to even gunfire. All Listen skill check DCs are increased
that location. An intelligence check (DC 15) reduces by +10. Also the difficulty of hearing something on
this time by half. If the PCs have been to the location the next deck is double that of hearing through a solid
already assume they can find their way back in 5
minutes or less (depending on how far away it is).
Episode 1: Cry in the Dark wall (+30). This means that hearing a gunfight one
deck away has a Listen skill DC of 20.
Don’t Rock the Boat:The ship underneath the
The following message will be received by the PCS
Random Search: characters is quite unstable. Each round of combat
(or played for the PCs when they are invited to assist
a character must make a Balance check (DC 15) or
the Odyssey):
d8 Location be flatfooted for that round. If a character has spent
enough time on board a ship to have “sea legs” he
Bedroom: These rooms are not safe and no This is MV Odyssey, en route to La Guaira. We have
may ignore this. While this is entirely the GM’s call
students or pirates will be found here. As ships lost three engines in heavy storm conditions and
certain feats or abilities such as a Surface Vehicle
the size of the Odyssey are stable in almost all require immediate assistance.
Operation feat or the Amphibious Warfare feat (from
conditions none of the furniture is secured and Blood and Guts) should always grant a character sea
these rooms are nightmares of sliding glass Examining the tape: Clever PCs might decide from
legs.
1-2 tables, dressers and beds. Each round a PC the beginning there is more going on in this cryptic
All the pirate and ship’s personnel NPCs are
stays in one of the bedrooms he suffers 1-6 message than meets the eye. Those who take the
considered to have their sea legs, which could put the
points of damage unless he succeeds at a Reflex time to do some research on the Odyssey’s crew will
PCs at a serious disadvantage when fighting them. If
saving throw. Search checks are impossible in find that the crew is made up of Britons (including
the PCs are having a tough go of the adventure the
these conditions as the contents of the room are the Captain), Canadians and a few Frenchmen. The
game master could have the storm lessen, reducing
continually shifting. accent of the person sending the distress call was a
the DC of the check or causing the PCs to not have to
thick Hispanic accent.
make it at all.
Cafeteria/Student Union/Library/Sundries An extremely close analysis (requiring audio
Several locations are detailed below. These
Store: Since there are only one or two each of analyzing technology or a Listen check DC 25) will
3-4 locations should figure prominently in the adventure:
these locations pick a different one each time reveal the sound of gunfire in the background.
this result is rolled.
Hostage Hallways
Hallway: Each round the PCs move down a Episode 2: Exploring the Each of these rooms is packed with the hundreds of
4-5 long ship’s hallway there is a 50% they will
Odyssey
students attending the “university at sea” cruise. One
find stairs going up or down (equal chance). hallway contains all the male students and one all
the female students. There are four guards watching
Encounter: Equal odds for encountering a When the PCs arrive at the Odyssey they will find each hallway, armed with SMGs, 2 at each end of
6 group or pirates or a group of students who another boat tethered to the ship. This might be their the students. The vast majority of these students are
have managed to evade the pirates. first clue that the adventure will not merely be a ship retching and in no condition to move, much less fight
Hostage Hallways: Each of these two hallways in distress adventure. While the PCs are on board, the and they are so closely packed together that only
7 is crammed with hundreds of students and half following special rules apply: the ones on the outside edges could even get to their
a dozen armed smugglers. captors.

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Radio Shack
This room contains the ship’s radio (destroyed) as Combat Options: Crossfire
well as the body of one of the pirates (the person who
made the distress call). In an adventure like Sea Rescue with so many hostages in between warring parties, the fate of those
hostages when the bullets start flying should become a serious issue. The following optional rule is
Bridge presented from Blood and Guts to make the PCs lives a little more difficult (ok a lot more). For the battles
This room contains the smugglers’ second in in the hallway, where there will be dozens of hostages within one range increment kind GMs may decree
command and 3 other smugglers, watching over the that only 1 NPC per round be subjected to crossfire (if you’re one of those nice GMs).
Odyssey’s first officer (who is currently piloting the
ship). The first officer knows that the captain and the This rule is designed to make combat a little dicer for the PCs, and a lot dicer for Ordinaries. Thus, this
leader of the smugglers are down in the engine room rule makes hostage rescue operations particularly difficult. This rule is based on an unfortunate reality of
attempting to get the damaged engines working once modern combat: modern firearms have so much power, that even when they hit, they pass through targets,
again. ricochet off objects, pass through walls, and so forth.
Any Ordinary within one range increment of a firefight (based on the shortest range of any weapon
being used) has to make a Reflex save every round to avoid taking 1d12 Crossfire damage (this damage
Engine Room represents that bullets can lose velocity, strike at odd angles, or that the character is being hit by a shell
This room contains the leader of the smugglers, the casing or chunk of debris). The DC of this save is determined by the conditions of the battle, as shown on
ship’s captain, 6 standard smugglers as well as the the table below.
body of the ship’s chief engineer. The chief engineer
refused to repair the engines in an attempt to force the
smugglers off the ship and has paid for his heroism Battle Conditions Reflex DC
with his life. Two sides involved in firefight 10
Three sides involved in firefight 15
NPCs Four or more sides involved in firefight 20
Each attack that misses its target this round +1
Eduardo Escobar Each attack that is a Natural 1 this round +5
Eduardo Escobar is an up and coming figure in the
South American drug trade. He only needs one big
score for his small “gang” to qualify as a full-fledged Init +2; Spd 25 ft; Defense 23, touch 17, flatfooted 21 Knowledge (Business) +7, Knowledge (Streetwise)
Cartel and he sees the Odyssey as his ticket to taking (+0 size, +2 Dex, +5 class, +6 equipment); BAB +6; +7, Knowledge (Tactics) +10, Survival +2
that step into the big time. He is a man of enormous Grap +6; Atk +7 melee (1d6+2/19-20, Machete), or Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Archaic
ambition who sees himself being a ruler behind the +9 ranged (2d4+2, Skorpion); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 Weapons Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light),
scenes in Venezuela and eventually all of South ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2; AP 4; Armor Proficiency (medium), Combat Martial Arts,
America, picking judges, police captains and even Rep +-1; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha Exotic Firearms Proficiency (grenade launchers),
presidents. 14. Low Profile, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Weapon
Occupation: Criminal (Forgery, Knowledge Focus (Machete)
Eduardo Escobar (Strong Hero 3/Charismatic [Streetwise]) Talents (Strong Hero): Melee Smash, Improved
Hero 3/Soldier 3) CR 9; Medium-size humanoid; Skills: Bluff +8, Climb +1, Demolitions +7, Melee Smash
HD 3d8+3 plus 3d6+3 plus 3d10+3; HP 51; Mas 13; Diplomacy +8, Drive +8, Forgery +10, Intimidate +8, Talents (Charismatic Hero): Coordinate,

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Inspiration Typical Smuggler Muscle (Strong Ordinary 3) Captain Ron Higgenbotham (Fast Ordinary 1/
Talents (Soldier): Weapon Focus (Skorpion), CR 3; Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8+6; HP Smart Ordinary 1) CR 2; Medium-size humanoid;
Weapon Specialization (Skorpion) 20; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch HD 1d8+0 plus 1d6+0; HP 9; Mas 10; Init +1; Spd
Possessions: Tactical Vest, Machete, Skorpion 13, flatfooted 14 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +2 class, +2 30 ft; Defense 14, touch 14, flatfooted 13 (+0 size,
equipment); BAB +3; Grap +5; Atk +6 melee +1 Dex, +3 class); BAB +0; Grap -1; Atk -1 melee
Esteban Escobar (1d6+2/19-20, Machete), or +4 ranged (2d4+0, (1d6+-1, weapon), or +1 ranged (1d6+0, weapon);
Eduardo’s quiet, younger brother, Esteban provides Skorpion); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Fort +0,
his brother with reliable, effect muscle. Completely SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2; AP 1; Rep +0; Str 15, Ref +2, Will +1; AP 1; Rep +1; Str 8, Dex 13, Con
devoted to his brother, Esteban is, if anything even Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10. 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12.
more ruthless. Occupation: Criminal (Gamble, Knowledge Occupation: Blue Collar (Craft [mechanical],
[Streetwise]) Drive, Repair)
Esteban Escobar (Strong Hero 3/Soldier 3) CR 6; Skills: Climb +4, Craft (structural) +2, Knowledge Skills: Computer Use +3, Craft (mechanical) +4,
Medium-size humanoid; HD 3d8+3 plus 3d10+3; (Streetwise) +2, Knowledge (Tactics) +2 Drive +6, Knowledge (Technology) +3, Navigate +4,
HP 37; Mas 13; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor Profession +4, Repair +4
touch 15, flatfooted 17 (+0 size, +1 Dex, +4 class, Proficiency (light), Personal Firearms Proficiency, Feats: Surface Vehicle Operation (Powerboat),
+3 equipment); BAB +5; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee Weapon Focus Surface Vehicle Operation (Ship)
(1d6+2/19-20, Machete), or +7 ranged (2d8+2, AK- Talents (Strong Ordinary):
47); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Possessions: Pull-up Pouch Vest, Machete,
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +3; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 10, Dex Skorpion
12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Occupation: Adventurer (Drive, Pilot) First Officer (Fast Ordinary 1) CR 1; Medium-size
Skills: Craft (structural) +8, Demolitions +5, Drive humanoid; HD 1d8+0; HP 5; Mas 10; Init +1; Spd 30
+10, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (Streetwise) +8, ft; Defense 14, touch 14, flatfooted 13 (+0 size, +1
Knowledge (Tactics) +11, Navigate +8, Pilot +7, Dex, +3 class); BAB +0; Grap -1; Atk -1 melee (by
Survival +4 weapon -1), or +1 ranged (by weapon); FS 5 ft by
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Aircraft 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Fort +0, Ref +2,
Operation (Helicopters), Archaic Weapons Will +0; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 10,
Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light), Helicopter Wis 10, Cha 12.
Vehicle Weapons, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Occupation: Blue Collar (Craft [mechanical],
Surface Vehicle Operation (Powerboat) Drive, Repair)
Talents (Strong Hero): Melee Smash, Improved Skills: Craft (mechanical) +4, Drive +5, Navigate
Melee Smash +2, Profession +4, Repair +4
Talents (Soldier): Weapon Focus, Weapon Feats: Surface Vehicle Operation (Powerboat),
Specialization Surface Vehicle Operation (Ship)
Possessions: Undercover Vest, Machete, AK-47

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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
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Sea�Rescue Page 6