Pirates & Seafaring

PENNY DRAGON GAMES

 Guest Feature:
Guest Feature:Ginny
?????? Di

Songs 3. The sound design is beautiful. You can tell that a lot of
thought went into every instrument. Obviously, the themes
of sea, sailing, and water run strong through these songs.
But you can really hear it in the instrumentation. If you close

to Drown
your eyes, you can almost smell and feel the water. “I Am
the Undertow” features sharp popping synths like dripping
water and reverberating drones that make me envision
ripples in some dark underwater lake. “Come In” has these

Sailors To
long lilting string draws that sound like wind, which works
so nicely as the backdrop to the poetic lyrics. In “Jolly Sailor
Bold”, the use of sharp plucking strings panning between
left and right channels gives the feeling of the sinister sea
moving all around. The xylophone in “Seafarer’s Lullaby”
feels like rain and the sudden swishing symbols sound like
waves splashing against the bow of a ship. And I’m just
1. Singing is just one of many arrows in your quiver. I’m sure touching the surface here. How did you manage to pack so
you get this a lot, but it seems like there is no end to your much feeling into the music?
talents! There’s a lot of strength and control in your singing.
Have you taken lessons? I have to give most of the credit for that to Blake Smith, who did
all the arranging and instrumentation for the tracks (and Autumn
Thank you so much!! I did a fair amount of formal vocal training Orange, who arranged “I Am the Undertow”!) One of the reasons
in high school and college, both in private lessons and in choirs and I love working with Blake and why we've been creating music
vocal groups. And trust me, there are plenty of things I'm terrible together for so many years now is that I can say something to him
at—I just don't put them online! like, "I want this track to feel really open and echo-y, and have water
sound effects in it that sound almost like they're in a cave," and he'll
2. I’ve been listening to the preview to Songs to Drown Sailors take that and run with it, and create something that feels complex
To on a loop. You’ve created quite the array of styles from and complete. Usually, the main direction I'm giving him is feeling;
upbeat sea shanties to dark laments to foreboding fairy-tale- he's the one who translates those feelings into music.
esque lullabies. What does your creative process look like
when it comes to creating such a rich tapestry? He plays so many instruments and even does most of his own sound
effects, so when you hear that "creaking ship" sound in “Jolly Sailor
While there have certainly been times that I've themed music Bold”, for example, he created those sounds himself by running
around a style or a sound, this album was themed more around a drumstick over the outside edge of a crash cymbal. He's just
the narrative of the mermaid than around a specific style. Because unbelievably creative! I'm so lucky to get to work with him.
of that, I was able to approach that same story from a number of
different perspectives. 4. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

For that reason, my process definitely began with the stories. I So many places! Obviously, I listen to a lot of music, and I find
usually came to my writing sessions with my musical partner, Blake, myself inspired by all sorts of different musicians and genres (you
with a concept or a feeling. We then worked to turn that concept should see my Spotify playlists... they're all over the map.) But I also
into a song. Sometimes I would already have lyrics or a melody in have always been a person who's inspired by stories and characters,
mind, and other times I would just say "Hey, I want to write a song which is why I went into cosplay in the first place. For this album, I
that invokes that terrifying feeling of not knowing what's in the dark was tapping into a lifelong love of mermaids as a folkloric concept,
water around you when you're in a huge body of water." And then in particular my attraction to the idea of a mermaid being a
we would start spitballing about what that feeling is like, and what frightening and powerful beast that people take for granted due to
that kind of song would sound like. her appearance.

The sea shanty, "The Wave-Soaked Maiden," is a story with a moral, I'm both a physically harmless person and a very anxious person, so
whereas "Seafarer's Lullaby" is a more heartfelt song from a mother the idea of a creature that looks helpless but is actually immensely
to her child, warning him of the dangers of the sea, and then you dangerous and in control has always been very appealing to me. It's
have a song like "Come In," which is sort of hypnotizing and comes empowering to get to slip into the skin of a creature that is truly the
from the mouth of the monster herself. I loved how trying out all most dangerous thing in the ocean, and just live inside that power
these different types of songs allowed me to write the mermaid from for a while. The mermaids that I've created for this album aren't
every angle. scared of anything.
 Guest Feature:
Guest Feature:Ginny
?????? Di

5. You worked with various artists on some of the tracks. 7. Piggy backing off that, does any song in particular stand
One of my favourite things about creating art is getting to out to you? If so, why that song in particular?
work with other creators. How did collaborating with other
artists compare to recording solo tracks? This is such a hard question for me because I have strong feelings
and thoughts about pretty much every song! I could talk about each
The collaborative nature of this album was absolutely my favorite one in depth - in fact, I did a Patron-exclusive livestreamed listening
part of making it! Getting to work with Blake to write all the party where I did just that. Each song has its own importance to me,
songs was a total blast - we just got together and spent whole days and its own backstory of creation, and I find it very difficult to pick
hanging out on the couch with a guitar, pulling music out of thin air a favorite. Which I suppose is good because it means that none of
together. As someone who usually works almost entirely alone (often these songs are throwaways! I know listeners will have favorites, but
bringing Blake fully written songs and just asking for him to fill in each one means something different to me and I'm glad I created
the instrumentation), it was a rare delight to get to create together. each of them.

Of course, working with Autumn Orange was amazing! We've 8. I only just got my hands on the EP, and I already want the
worked together once before, when they remixed my Melee Range next one! You released The Bard Songs and other works in
song, and I've always said that they make me seem so much cooler the past and now Songs to Drown Sailors To. Where do you
than I actually am, haha! Unlike working with Blake, which is a see your music career going in the future? What’s next for
very collaborative and hands-on process, I just basically sent off my singer/songwriter Ginny Di?
vocals to Autumn Orange and then received back a fully formed,
absolutely incredible track! They certainly would've been open to Up until this point, my usual method was to produce a single and
my critiques, but I just didn't have any! It was like getting a gift—all make a music video alongside it, releasing songs one at a time. In
their instincts were spot on, and I loved every single thing they did. fact, it's funny that you mention The Bard Songs, because that was
technically my first album, although Songs to Drown Sailors To is
Finally, getting to team up with other singers for “The Wave-Soaked my first original album - since the Bard Songs was a full album of
Maiden” was wonderful!! I really, really miss singing in choirs and covers! It actually didn't perform very well and for a while I thought
groups, so getting to just be in studio with other singers and hear it was a sign that I should stick to singles. But now that Songs to
how all the voices sounded together was such a joy. Drown Sailors To is being so well-received (and since I enjoyed
making it so much!!) I'm definitely thinking bigger now. In fact,
6. Your lyrics drip with poetry. Every song tells a story and I have a plan for a full-length original album that I'd like to create
music can be a powerful way to communicate something next spring... so stay tuned!
without saying it outright. Are any of the lyrics allegorical?
Or do you prefer to allow listeners to interpret the meaning
of lyrics for themselves?

There's definitely plenty in my lyrics that I understand the meaning

of, but don't necessarily expect anyone else to. Many of these songs
have double meanings, implications, and internal canon that I
haven't revealed explicitly. I do believe, from reading comments
and talking with Patrons about the songs, that some people are
accurately grasping my intended meaning, but I've also seen
plenty of comments from people who are definitely reading things
differently than I meant them! There are also times when people
read something really beautiful or clever into my lyrics that I didn't
even intend! In the end, all I can do is express myself as best I can
and hope that the heart of the music is reaching people in a way
that they can connect with, even if that way isn't exactly the way I
intended it.
 Guest Feature: Avenue Studios

Pie-Rat Scrapper
Small Humanoid, Chaotic Neutral

Armor Class 13 (Leather)

Hit Points 33 (6d8+6)

Speed 30 ft, Swim 15 ft

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

9 (-1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)

Saving Throws Dex +4

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4

Senses Passive Perception 13

Languages Common

Challenge 1 (200xp) Proficiency Bonus +2

Sea legs. The Pie-Rat Scrapper has advantage on ability checks

and saving throws to resist being knocked prone.

Keen smell. The Pie-Rat Scrapper has advantage on Wisdom

(Perception) checks that rely on smell.

ACTIONS
Avenue Studios invites you to join our nerdy family and use silly
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. voices and exploding dice to tell a good story.
Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage.
In our family, it's more than playing a game; it's about living our
Pie Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft, one lives so that our stories come together. Avenue Studios is a group
target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) slashing damage. of friends, family and neighbors located on an Avenue in Western,
NY who have been playing tabletop RPGs for decades. We share
Pie Launcher. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 15/60 our games, stories and discussions with you through YouTube
ft, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage. On a and Podcast mediums and want to invite you into our family and
successful hit, roll 1d4 to determine the pie and its effect from our adventures!
the list below.
We all have a story, whether or not we are telling it. Bring your
1. Poison Berry Pie. Target must make a DC 11 storytelling, bring your talent, bring your creativity and see what
Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. happens when sharing it makes it stronger. Every life has a narrative,
every life needs a community and this family needs you! Come
2. Narco Berry Pie. Target must make a DC 11
gather with us to tell your stories, hear ours, weave them together
Constitution saving throw or become unconscious as the
and take this campaign beyond the Avenue.
pie filling absorbs into your skin.
3. Spoiled Meat Pie. Target is stunned because of the stench. Visit our Youtube channel.
4. Sticky Pie. The target is covered in an unknown sticky
substance. The target moves at half speed until they use an
CLICK HERE
action to wipe off the substance.
Special
Thanks
I want to thank our amazing Kickstarter backers, our awesome playtest
team, and our incredible community for making this happen. Mag of
Holding is yours for it would not exist without your ongoing support!

And a big thanks to Sharon Jones, Joshua Lapple, and Penny Pells for
being outstanding captains and helping us steer this ship!

5
Pirates & Seafaring
Yaaargh, me hearties! Welcome aboard Mag of Holding – Pirates & Seafaring. Thank you for being part of our tiny, yet
mighty, community! In this installment, we present to thee a pirate queen’s treasure, boasting wonderous items, dangerous
encounters, ferocious creatures, frightening lore, and more. We hope you enjoy these pages as much as we enjoyed creating them.
May the wind fill your sails! May your voyage be brief, your passage dry, and may you arrive alive on the other side - Paddy Finn

Publishing Executives Contents

Sharon Jones
Letter from the Editor 7
Joshua Lapple
Penny Pells Shipping Around the World 8

Creative Team Encounters of the Deep Kind 13

Paddy Finn: Editor in Chief & Lead Writer
Deep Devocean 32
Kyle Gray: Managing Editor & Lead Game Designer
Peter Hunter: Art Director & Illustrator Granya O'Malley 36
Piotr Albrecht: Graphic Designer & Illustrator
The Tide of Life 38
Chris Black: Writer
Cori Brownlee: Proofreader
Sea Spells 39
Chris Cartin: Game Designer
Ben Doherty: Editor Life’s a Gamble 42
Henrique DLD: Illustrator
A Bard at Sea 44
Liam Hammond: Illustrator
Dave Leek: Game Designer Gizcog’s Wandering Emporium: At Sea 46
Lucas Luniere: Illustrator
Darren Millar: Illustrator Kayleigh’s Cauldron 58
Macealach McBride: Game Designer
War of Worldcraft 64
Kayleigh McLaughlin: Writer
Benjamin Palmer: Game Designer Bard’s Corner 68
Alex Pietrow: Game Designer
Esai’s New Ship 70
Sam Poots: Game Designer
John Siebuhr: Game Designer
End Note 82
Thomas Smith: Writer
NG Thomson: Writer Dungeon Master’s Art Box 84

PENNY DRAGON GAMES

6
Letter From the Editor
Let us venture onto stormy seas. Onto vast oceans untamed by mortals...for here be dragons. Prepare well,
would-be sailors. She will test you. And should you be found wanting, make peace with your gods while
you are able, for few who test this merciless mistress elude her callous grasp.

Our love of the sea bears no measure. Countless are those who succumb to her seductive ways…her
promises of freedom and assurances of riches. Those who embrace her unprepared will suffer her temper…
savage storms that break the mightiest sailor and cerulean waves that crush the bravest captain. Beneath
her fluttering turquoise cloak, she conceals secrets and treasures…lures to sailors who dare plumb depths
where lurking monstrosities tend her shadows.

A sea-based campaign, or even a sea-based encounter, will introduce plenty of salt (and other flavors) to
your game. Mag of Holding – Pirates & Seafaring provides inspiration of the nautical variety aplenty.
You will find herein pirate treasure troves full of ideas for keeping sea travel interesting, games of luck
and chance to pass the tedious hours on deck, and horrors of the deep that make even the most seasoned
captain shiver right down to their very timbers. Whether you need a new NPC, a bunch of ocean-themed
magic items, or a sea shanty, this is the book for you.

Now grab your compass and load your canons, for we set to sea on the next tide. But before we go, we leave
you with a few words uttered about the ocean deep.

“There is one knows not what sweet mystery about this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some
hidden soul beneath."
- Herman Melville, ‘Moby Dick’.

Fair winds and following seas,

Kyle Gray
Managing Editor

7
Shipping Around
The World - Chris Cartin -
Ahoy! Tasks

Ocean adventuring is a stalwart of many TTRPG campaigns. Predicting weather (Nature/Survival) – Having a feel for what the
Unfamiliar habitats, a dangerous host of unseen foes, and unusual weather will be doing in the hours and days ahead can dictate the
challenges to overcome means the sea has a draw for both characters course to be followed. A successful check may result in a character
and players. realizing there will be stronger wind in a particular direction.
Despite the fact it seems counterintuitive, the character may suggest
Seafaring is full of the promise of adventure but conjuring the feel a course change away from their destination to take advantage of the
of ocean life and describing the detail of long ocean passages can be coming stronger winds in that area of the sea. The fastest route to
tricky, as can creating interesting non-combat challenges. the journey’s end is not always in a straight line!

The sections below provide a number of ocean voyage resources Tuning sails (Investigation) – Small changes to the angle of sails
designed to help Game Masters evoke the feeling of being part of a can have a significant impact on a vessel’s speed. This task involves
crew in the vast unknown of open waters including challenges for making minute changes to the configuration of the sails and then
parties to overcome as a team, examples of how a world filled with understanding the impact it has on the ship’s progress. A successful
magic and wonder interacts with sailing life, and practical details on check could yield an extra knot or two of speed. Over a journey of
the reality of sailing to ensure your players come away from the table several days that could result in arriving many hours or even days
with salt on their eyebrows and seaweed in their scabbards! ahead of schedule.

Reading the wind (Perception) – Wind never remains constant.

Worse Things Happen at Sea The direction, strength, and even quality of the wind will always be
changing. Without modern instruments, recognizing these changes
Once out on the ocean proper, there’s always jobs that need doing can be difficult and requires paying close attention to signs such as
and plenty of scope for things to go wrong. The more catastrophic water coloration, white caps on the water and cloud direction and
events such as raging storms or dreadful periods of endless, speed. A successful check may reveal that the wind high up in the
maddening calm are, thankfully, rare but almost every sailing voyage sails is slightly different from what the crew are feeling at sea level
of note involves some degree of trial and tribulation. Fun sea-based and could inform those sailing the boat to set sail differently and
challenges give the characters the opportunity to work together and yield more speed.
where possible, exercise the full range of the party’s skills.
Precise steering (Athletics/Dexterity) – It’s an old sailing adage
The following events are designed to be run as extended challenges that the less you steer the faster you go. Very precise steering means
for the ship’s crew. Each describes a range of activities the party less over-correction and less drag as the rudder moves less water
can undertake to help improve the chances of success. The more under the boat. Holding the right course may call for precision or
challenging the GM wants the event to be, the more successful sometimes brute strength to ensure the ship’s wheel is held steady. A
ability checks should be required to secure overall success. good roll may also mean the helm has managed to keep the ship as
upright as possible, catching more clean wind in the sails.
Against the clock Skipper (Persuasion/Intimidation) – To get the most from a ship
requires the cohesion of a lot of moving parts. Even if one crew
Adventuring parties have many reasons to go fast. Perhaps they have
member completes one of the above tasks effectively, failure to
a deadline to be somewhere at a specific time, perhaps they need
communicate with the other crew members could mean wasted
to beat the competition to the next safe harbor, or perhaps that
effort. A successful check is likely to mean the skipper has helped
upswelling in the water off the starboard stern signals the return of
those reading the wind and weather communicate and co-ordinate
an ocean visitor they’d rather not meet again…Sailing fast requires
with those making changes to the trim of the ship.
a concerted effort and very small adjustments can have a huge effect
on a vessel’s speed, especially over long distances!

8
Warp speed Are we there yet?
There are many occasions a ship’s crew will want to bring their fairly Boats are slow. Very slow. A typical modern sailing yacht sails at
large ship in or out of a small harbor. Perhaps they need to remain about 5 knots. Substantial voyages, hundreds of miles in distance,
out of sight from a danger at sea or maybe they want to use a smaller can take a long time. With very little in the way of entertainment
harbor to avoid drawing attention to their landing. Large square- on board and plenty of reasons to get anxious, crew morale can play
rigged ships won’t have a modern engine to help, yet in certain an important role in the success of a voyage. A crew experiencing
circumstances the ability to get in and out of a small harbor quickly an unusually long period at sea with nothing to do, especially if
and safely can be critical. Unless the party have a range of spells to combined with dull or repetitive weather, could result in a level or
solve the problem, the traditional means of maneuvering in harbor two of exhaustion.
is warping.
Tasks
The chain or line attached to the ship’s anchor is known as the
warp. To move the vessel out of harbor a few crew members will My time to shine! (Performance/History) – Oftentimes at sea,
take to a small tender (rowboat) and have the anchor lowered to being bored can be a luxury. With a catalogue of things that can go
their boat. They’ll row their boat a distance and drop the anchor as wrong and the conditions prone to constant change, a long period
far as possible ahead of the main ship. Once the anchor bites, the without anything that needs doing can provide a welcome break.
remaining crew on board can work together to rotate a large drum However, when the hours turn into days and the days stretch into
to reel in the warp and move the ship slowly towards the anchor, weeks without event, the seemingly never-ending tedium can lead
hence the expression…warp speed. to frayed tempers or even delirium. A successful check will mean a
rousing performance to raise the crew’s spirits. If the ship is lucky
Tasks enough to have a bard, this could be a one-off or nightly performance
or perhaps a character is lucky enough to have knowledge of an epic
Manage the anchor (Investigation) – Receiving the anchor on saga or catalogue of sea shanties to raise spirits and avoid exhaustion
board the tender can be more difficult than it seems. The key part of for the entire crew.
this task is ensuring the anchor is well balanced on the little boat that
is many times smaller than the anchor was intended for! The weight Ssssh! I’m doing my mindlessness (Medicine) – Taking the long,
will need to be distributed carefully and small adjustments will be repetitive hours at sea and turning thought inwards in a constructive
needed since trial and error will be required to ensure the tender manner can help pass the time. Sailors with many voyages under
does not capsize or become damaged as the result of load in the their belt can spend hours staring at the ocean waves, appreciating
wrong area. A successful roll will avoid such negative results above. the smallest changes in the surface of the ocean or learning to
appreciate the fleeting glances of life under and over the waves.
Row your boat (Athletics/Survival) – The characters rowing Where some find boredom, experienced sailors find a boon.
the boat will need to work hard to ensure they drag the anchor a
reasonable distance from the ship. A successful athletics check Idle hands (Investigation/Perception) – It’s been oft said that
would result in a faster overall warp speed. The further from the good captains never sit still. For those with less experience, it can
ship they go the more difficult it becomes to row the tender, so feel like a large ship almost sails itself, especially when conditions are
success here can ensure less trips back and forth are required. It’ll calm, and the boat is holding course well. However, at sea there are
be up to the tender’s crew to decide where to drop the anchor. A always a dozen things on an experienced sailor’s mind. Lines need to
Survival ability check should be required to deduce when it’s safe to be carefully tidied, minor repairs effected, charts checked, and the
drop the anchor. A successful check will ensure a good hold, finding ship’s lines walked, not to mention listening for tell-tale creaks or
sand or other good holding for a solid bite and avoid the worst-case rattling that could indicate a problem yet to manifest. A successful
scenario of snagging the anchor on a rock or other undersea hazard check ensures a character will find meaningful ways to occupy time
that could result in the anchor becoming stuck permanently! and keep their mind sharp.

Heave ho! (Athletics/Constitution) – The unenviable task of

moving a large ship that could weigh over 1000 tons falls to the crew
left on board. This task will involve a lot of brute strength as well
as the ability to keep heaving for a prolonged period. A successful
Athletics check will ensure a good warp speed and/or a Constitution
check to determine if those heaving the line will need to take a short
rest to recover and start again.

9
Which way now? Reality Bites
Navigation at sea is difficult. Modern yachts have the luxury of up- The sea may seem unpredictable, but one constant remains: if there’s
to-date, accurate charts along with reams of supporting data, such a part of a ship, a maneuver to be performed, or a tool to be used,
as tide tables and lists of navigational hazards, to assist in navigating sailors will invent a specific naval term for it. As well as helping to set
treacherous waters. In the absence of these tools, a crew will have to the scene and add flavor to an ocean passage, a sprinkling of nautical
ensure they don’t run afoul of the oceans many natural traps such as terms and sayings allows characters to develop as seafarers as well as
tidal gates, overfalls, upwellings, shallow reefs, and shifting sandbars. giving players the chance to have fun learning the lingo.

Tasks The sun’s over the yardarm – Around noon, the sun will eventually
rise and appear higher in the sky than the ship’s yardarm (a
Time and tides wait for no man (Survival) – Tides make a huge horizontal wooden strut used to hold square sails). On board this
difference to any sailing voyage. Sailing vessels sail at a pace of usually signals the acceptable time to have the first drink of the day.
around 5-10 knots depending on size. In some stretches of sea, the
tide can run at 8 knots or even more! With light winds, a large ship Heave to – One of the oldest sailing maneuvers that’s still in regular
could find itself working hard to sail towards its destination but find use in modern sailing. Left to its own devices a ship will steer hard to
the tide is, in fact, pushing it further away. A successful check could one side or, worse still, veer back and forth, often violently. In heavy
result in a decision to slip into a quiet bay to avoid the worst of a bad seas and without steerage, a vessel can find itself accelerating rapidly
tide or a change in direction to take advantage of a good tide which down the face of a huge wave and then crashing suddenly to a halt
could shorten a lengthy trip. into the next wave in the set. Heaving to is the art of setting up the
ship’s lines so it sails slowly (if at all) and maintains a steady position
Dead reckoning (Nature) – Astral navigation is a standard skill at without having to be actively steered. Any time the ship’s crew needs
sea. Any sailor worth his salt can pick the north star out of a line-up to do something which requires their full attention, a call of ‘Heave
and determine a rough idea of a vessel’s heading. However, knowing to’ would signal the start of this procedure. For example, if a crew
what direction a ship is going is only part of the picture. It’s also member fell overboard, if all hands were needed to make repairs, or
important to know where you are to start with! A successful check if they simply wanted to dine together!
will ensure the crew have a fair idea of the vessel’s current location
using sun and star sightings, avoiding wasted time sailing in the The lines – Even the smallest of sailing boats has dozens of lines,
wrong direction or, worse, running aground on a hazard due to each with a particular purpose. It would be rare that adventurers will
thinking they were in a different place altogether. need to interact with them all, but knowing a few of the main lines
helps spice up interactions with the other crew on board:
This way up (Investigation) – Modern sailing charts make those
• Halyard – Line for raising sails up and putting them away –
found on large square-rigged ships seem crude, but better a rough
“Hey, we need the main sail down now! Release the Halyard!”
chart than no chart at all. Reading charts accurately is a skill in itself
and is crucial to avoiding undersea hazards. Charts can indicate • Sheet – Line for controlling the angle of a sail, adding or
a number of different dangers such as wrecks, shallow waters, reducing power - “They are gaining on us! Tighten that sheet!”
and areas known to be very rough in large seas or strong tides. A
• Warp – Line (or chain) attached to the anchor – “Anchors up!
successful check will ensure the vessel doesn’t end up beached on
Pull the warp!”
a partially submerged island or, worse, holed under the waterline!
• Stay – Line used to hold a mast in place – “One of those masts
is moving, it’s gonna break! Fix that broken stay or we’ll be
swimming home!”

The Beaufort scale – Many challenging episodes on the ocean will

be the result of exceptionally windy or calm weather. However,
despite these more extreme events being potentially more interesting
to play, weather usually transitions through a lot of intermediate
stages. Describing the wind and sea state in a way that adds flavor
gives a bit more character to the ocean. Wind strength, or the ‘force’
of the wind, is commonly described by its speed in knots using the
Beaufort scale. This is a great reference for Dungeon Masters when
describing smaller changes in the wind and especially useful in
describing what characters experience when it gets rough.

10
The table below describes each stage of the scale along with how the water appears and some tell-tale signs that folk will see on dry land. Captains
will use nautical miles as a measurement of distance and knots to measure the speed of the wind. (A nautical mile is slightly longer than a regular
mile as it is based on the curvature of the earth).

Wind WMO Appearance of Wind Effects

Force
(Knots) Classification On the Water On Land
0 Less than 1 Calm Sea surface smooth and mirror-like Calm, smoke rises vertically

Smoke drift indicates wind direction, still

1 1-3 Light Air Scaly ripples, no foam crests
wind vanes

Wind felt on face, leaves rustle, vanes

2 4-6 Light Breeze Small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking
begin to move

Large wavelets, crests begin to break, Leaves and small twigs constantly
3 7-10 Gentle Breeze
scattered whitecaps moving, light flags extended

Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming longer, Dust, leaves, and loose paper lifted, small
4 11-16 Moderate Breeze
numerous whitecaps tree branches move

Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking longer

5 17-21 Fresh Breeze Small trees in leaf begin to sway
form, many whitecaps, some spray

Larger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps Larger tree branches moving, whistling
6 22-27 Strong Breeze
common, more spray in wires

Sea heaps up, waves 13-19 ft, white foam Whole trees moving, resistance felt
7 28-33 Near Gale
streaks off breakers walking against wind

Moderately high (18-25 ft) waves of

greater length, edges of crests begin Twigs breaking off trees, generally
8 34-40 Gale
to break into spindrift, foam blown impedes progress
in streaks

High waves (23-32 ft), sea begins to

Slight structural damage occurs, slate
9 41-47 Strong Gale roll, dense streaks of foam, spray may
blows off roofs
reduce visibility

Very high waves (29-41 ft) with

Seldom experienced on land, trees
overhanging crests, sea white with
10 48-55 Storm broken or uprooted, “considerable
densely blown foam, heavy rolling,
structural damage”
lowered visibility

Exceptionally high (37-52 ft) waves,

11 56-63 Violent Storm foam patches cover sea, visibility more
reduced

Air filled with foam, waves over 45 ft,

12 64+ Hurricane sea completely white with driving spray,
visibility greatly reduced

The only rope in a boat, is in the ship’s bell

– Captain Skatsey

11
In addition to the effect of wind over the water, rough conditions guiding them to their berth. Sea dwellers would also be invaluable
provide plenty of other features that ensure challenging encounters when helping to maintain or repair boats under the water line rather
during rough weather: than undergoing the time-consuming (and expensive) process of
bringing the boat to a dry dock.
Rock’n’roll – In rough conditions, the simplest of tasks become
difficult. Any ability checks that involve keeping a steady foot We’re in a tight spot! – Captains will face many terrors at sea, from
should be subject to disadvantage. In the worst conditions, a vessel electrical storms to dangerous standing waves and sudden squalls,
would be crashing hard into oncoming swells and the impacts could but none as terrifying as trying to maneuver a huge ship out of a
be vicious. Large rogue waves could smash the vessel violently and busy harbor while dozens of locals look on with casual interest.
any crew on the weather side would require a successful Athletics Where modern yacht skippers can flick the boat’s engine on and
check to brace against the force or suffer bludgeoning damage. An off, or even employ additional thrusters to help position their vessel,
Acrobatics check may be required to keep sound footing or roll with captains in a fantasy setting will likely turn to magic to help them
the inevitable fall. save face. Spells that allow manipulation of the wind can help slow
a ship, displacement of water at the right time will help pivot the
Can you hear me now? – Violent winds are loud. Not only will the vessel, and magic such as control weather and mending will ensure
actual wind itself become a deafening roar, but the ship will begin that any captain worth his salt has a magic user among his crew.
making all sorts of unnerving sounds. Lines bang back and forth
against the rigging, the timbers of the ship itself will creak and groan,
giving the impression that they are ready to give at any moment,
and at the bottom of every wave… it will feel like something, For all the dangers at sea, the fantastic beasts and
somewhere below decks is breaking. Verbal communication should unchartered perils, it’s worth bearing in mind that not
become impossible, resulting in characters having to use magic or all trips on the ocean are fraught with danger. Many
other tools if they need to talk to one another. voyages will be perfectly dull with perhaps nothing more
memorable than sudden, skin drenching downpours or a
Is anyone out there? – Typically, the sort of weather depression fleeting glance of marine wildlife. The many hours spent
that causes intense squalls brings with it a dark, foreboding weather on a sailing vessel are the perfect chance to connect with
front. This can result in a bright day with clear skies turning as dark your fellow crew and take stock. Out at sea feels like a
as a deep winter’s night. During an evening sail at sea, the stars world apart, cut off from news of goings on and pressing
and moon would provide a reasonable amount of light sufficient appointments, but with plenty of opportunity to greet
to navigate or spot dangers ahead, but once a storm closes in, the the rising sun and toast the sunset. The characters may
last vestiges of light will be snuffed out. In addition, maintaining very well welcome the respite from whatever else troubles
vision using torches and all but the hardiest of lanterns will become them and look forward to the next time they can point
impossible, requiring magical light sources for those without the bow to the horizon and put land at their stern.
Darkvision or Truesight.

Ocean Magic
The modern sailing world has been transformed radically, even in “Seasickness is bad. At
first you are afraid you
the recent past. The advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS),
radar, and razor-sharp weather forecasts has made the ocean a less
daunting place than it once was. For characters in a fantasy setting,
they may not have access to these tools, but they do have magic. are gonna die…then you’re
Especially in a high fantasy setting, magic and the extraordinary will
be part and parcel of life on the water. A sprinkle of magic into even
afraid you aren’t gonna die…”
the most ordinary aspects of sailing life helps create immersion and – Unknown
expand the possibilities for encounters and dangers to overcome.

Land ho - In a modern port, large ships find it difficult to enter

safely. Even experienced and capable captains value the assistance of
smaller vessels or those with local knowledge (pilots) to ensure they
don’t run aground on unseen hazards. In a fantasy world, it would
be typical for this role to be filled by sea folk. It would be common
for merfolk to be employed to meet and greet arriving boats before

12
 Encounters
of the
Deep Kind
- Paddy Finn -
For centuries, many a would-be adventurer has pondered on what lurks beneath
the raging seas. Could the legends of sunken ships full of treasure ripe for
plundering really be true? What about the story of Aranthis, an ancient city full
of magical wonders swallowed whole by the sea? Some say monstrous creatures
call those waters home now, but are sea monsters real?

Of course, one cannot answer such questions without sailing upon the
custodian of myths so deep…without embracing the ocean in all her
terrible beauty.

For to do so is wisdom and folly.

13
First Encounter of the Deep Kind

Curse
of the
Bone Ship - Kyle Gray -
In a bustling portside town, sounds of trade fill the docks. But under every word,
every chuckle, every creaking rope lurks a palpable tension. For, as of late, rumors
of the old curse abound, and wary eyes turn to the horizon, fearing that they might
catch a glimpse of those fabled black sails.

The following adventure is suitable for 5 characters of level 4 to 5.

The party is hired by a gnomish merchant in a port town in hopes of protecting his
ships from a wave of piracy but there is more going on than first meets the eye.

14
 The gnome introduces himself as Merias Gearheave, a local
merchant of some renown, dealing mostly in jewels and precious
At the close of a long day, you arrive at a dockside tavern, stones. He proceeds to explain that he would like the party to deal
expecting an evening of fine company and good cheer. with a small problem, in exchange for payment of course. A pirate
Upon entering, however, you find yourselves skewered ship has been raiding these shores and though some have managed
by a dozen suspicious eyes. The sailors that fill the place to outrun it, those caught have never been heard from again. He
eventually turn back to their drinks. A pall hangs over claims that they’ve been targeting his shipments in particular and
as thick as the smoke from the tavern’s meagre hearth that he has lost 5 in the last month. His next shipment leaves on the
hangs over this crowd. Patrons whisper and glance at the morning tide. He wants to hire the party to accompany it and deal
shadows, as if fearing to summon some evil if its name is with the pirates should they make an appearance. He will not bring
spoken too loudly. A serving maid approaches your table up payment until prompted at which point, he will offer 500 gp
and deposits a round of drinks. As she asks for coin, a and a favor. Should the party attempt to bargain, he will go as high
finely dressed gnomish gentleman steps from the crowd. as 2000 gp and could be persuaded to offer discounts for his wares
“The round is on me tonight Tish, and be a dear and grab or to use his connections to search for information that is important
me an Appleoak Brandy. I have some business to discuss to the party. Upon agreeing to a deal, he will provide the location of
with these fine people,” he says before taking a seat. the Seafoam’s Kiss and a letter of introduction to her captain, Velesta
Qimoria. He will then make his farewells and depart, stopping on
the way out to pay for the table’s drinks so far.

15
 The crew dash about tying off ropes and furling sails as heavy waves
The Seafoam’s Kiss begin to sweep the deck. Each party member on deck must make
a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be swept overboard. Anyone in
heavy armor has an advantage on the saving throw.
The mid-sized ship bucks gently against the wooden
dock. The early morning light, just starting to creep over On a roll of 4, the wind dies and the ship just drifts
the horizon, glinting on the water. An ornate name plate
with gilded letters on the bow of the ship confirms she is The sails hang slack in the still air as the ship slowly drifts with the
the vessel you are looking for, the Seafoam’s Kiss. Above current. The crew sit around on deck listlessly. A small group have
the name plate, a beautiful figure of a carved mermaid dice out and are gambling for small trinkets.
emerges from a crashing wave. A gangplank bridges the
void above the sloshing brine and leads to the deck of the This day doesn’t count as a day of travel.
triple-masted ship. Crew scramble over rigging, readying
On a roll of 6, the day is clear and the wind strong
to set sail. A lithe elven woman dressed in a frock coat
and leather tricorn hat stands on the aft deck, watching
The sun shines down warmly on the deck of the ship and a steady
the crew and barking an occasional order.
breeze billows out the sail, pushing the ship across the clear surface
of the water.

Upon stepping aboard, the ship, the elven figure will immediately On a roll of 2 or 5, the watch calls from the crow’s nest, “Black Sails!
focus on the characters and descend to greet them, introducing Black Sails!” and points to the sails rising over the horizon.
herself as Captain Velesta Qimoria. She will presume they were
sent by Merias, although she will only allow them on remain board Captain Velesta Qimoria barks orders, demanding that the crew
if presented with the letter of introduction or a DC18 Charisma lay on more sail as she turns the wheel, setting a course away
(Persuasion) check. from the dreaded sight. If the party have any ideas or suggestions
that involves the crew, a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check is
Once she properly welcomes them aboard, Velesta announces that required for Velesta to cooperate. Advantage can be granted at the
they will be departing shortly and warns the characters stay out of GM’s discretion.
the crew’s way, before returning to the aft deck and taking the wheel.
Attempts to talk with the crew are met with short, terse responses. The pirate ship slowly gains over the next 1d4 hours as the crew
A DC15 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal that the crew are frantically attempts to keep ahead. If the party attempt to perceive
on edge. A DC13 Wisdom (Insight) check will reveal that the crew anything about the pirate ship, a DC15 + number of hours left
are worried about the voyage and are wary of their new passengers. Wisdom (Perception) check. Will reveal some or all of the following:
• You can just about make out the large words Cursed Jewel
Out at Sea painted near the dark bow of the ship.
• You can see undead skeletons scampering over the rigging and
How long the journey takes is up to the GM. Roll a d6 and consult working the deck.
the following table for each day at sea:
• A humanoid figure stands at the helm, wearing a long black
1. GM’s choice coat, one hand on the wheel and a sword in the other.
2. Black sails sighted off the aft Soon, the pirate ship is upon them. Grapples are fired from the
3. The weather turns, and waves begin to crash over the deck ballista, biting into the railings and deck. The Seafoam’s Kiss is slowly
reeled in like a fish on a line. Skeletal sailors, draped in moldering
4. The wind dies, and the ship is becalmed
rags, cluster the rail. They make no sound as the Seafoam’s Kiss is
5. Black sails sighted off the bow drawn inevitably to meet them.
6. The day is clear and the wind strong

On a roll of 3, the weather turns, and waves begin crash over

Roll for Initiative!
the deck.

16
The enemy forces are as follows:
Aboard The Cursed Jewel
2 Skeletons
1 Bone Lord (see adjoining stat block) The ship is a mid-sized 2 masted vessel built for speed. The dark
wood hull is warped with age, the deck scarred from years of
On Initiative count 20, the following enter the combat:
scouring. A pair of ballistae stand at the bow along with barrels
Round 2: 2 Skeletons bristling with large, iron bolts. A single set of stairs leads below deck.
Round 3: 2 Skeletons
Round 4: 2 Skeletons
Exploring Below Decks
Round 5: 1 Minotaur Skeleton
Round 6: Hamish Shardreef (uses the Veteran statblock) As you descend the stairs into the darkened hold, you see crates
stacked with various trade goods, valuable bolts of silk, ornate
DM Note: If you would like to increase the difficulty, add 2 more statues, and bags of spices. If the crew attempts to search for
skeletons to the initial force and 1 more to rounds 2 through 4. things like magical items or just generally search the hold, they
can find the following based on the results of an Intelligence
Upon killing or knocking out Hamish Shardreef the combat ends (Investigation) check:
and the party may explore his ship. Captain Velesta orders the Cursed
• An ornate +1 weapon
Jewel to be towed behind and taken back to port. If questioned as to
why she is returning to port and not continuing on, she will confess • A bag of holding (contents at GM discretion)
that there is no cargo, on account of Merias Gearheave being hit
• 3 spell scrolls (GM’s choice, suggested 1 1st level, 1 3rd level
hard financially, and that the Seafoam’s Kiss was bait for the pirates.
and 1 5th level)

17
The Captain’s Cabin Bone Lord
The door to the luxurious cabin is not locked. A thick, purple and Amalgamation of Bones. This unholy walking ossuary is comprised
gold carpet covers the floor, and a large black desk stands in the of several skeletons, sporting four arms and a reinforced rib cage to
middle of the room. One corner of the chamber is taken up by an help shield it from harm. These vicious undead creatures make full
opulent canopy bed. On the other side of the room stands a pedestal use of these features in combat using their myriad limbs to slash and
bearing a worn-looking barrel. The barrel has skull affixed to it, with tear foes apart.
2 ruby eyes shining like drops of blood.
Lord’s call. The bone lord is not just a simple creature of reanimated
The barrel is trapped. If it is lifted from the pedestal, a cloud of bone. Its very being is suffused with death, allowing it to call on the
poison gas is released and each creature within 10 feet of the trap undeath of others to reinvigorate its own undead body.
must make a DC18 Constitution saving throw or take 6d6 poison
damage and be poisoned for the next hour. On DC 16 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, the trap is found, and a DC 18 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check disarms it. On a failure the trap activates. Bone Lord
Medium undead, lawful evil
Additionally, the room also contains the following:
Armor Class 13 (armor scraps)
• A wardrobe filled with a variety of formal attire
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
• A chest of Gold and Platinum under the bed (200 gp and 50 pp)
• A +1 dagger in one of the desk drawers Speed 30 ft.

• A set of tide charts of the surrounding area in a scroll case (GM’s STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
choice to have them marked where Hamish buried his treasure)
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (−2) 8 (−1) 5 (−3)

Return to Port Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

After arriving back at port Merias soon arrives at the ship with a Damage Immunities poison
smile on his face. He thanks each of the characters heartily, hands Condition Immunities exhausted, poisoned
over whatever reward was negotiated and even gives a bonus 100 pp
if the players did not take any of the merchant goods within the Senses Darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9
hold of The Cursed Jewel.
Languages understands the languages it knew in life but
can’t speak

Challenge 1 (200xp) Proficiency Bonus +2

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The bone lord makes 2 shortsword attacks.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320

ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

REACTIONS

Call of Bones. When an undead creature with bones is killed

within 30 feet of the bone lord, it can call the creature’s bones
to it to reconstitute its damaged form and regain 5 (2d4)
hit points.

18
19
Second Encounter of the Deep Kind

Marks the Plot - Sam Poots -

In a busy port town on a jungle-swathed island, a stranger comes forward
bearing a map that they promise will lead to buried treasure.

“X Marks the Plot” is a hard adventure suitable for 4 characters levels 4 to 5.

They must choose their path through a dense jungle in search of riches, only to
find themselves facing something from the depths of pre-history.

This adventure serves as a stand-alone side quest, or as the potential beginning

for a much larger story.

20
 Galar Tyrni

The dwarf introduces himself as Galar Tyrni. As thanks, he offers to

Treasures Untold treat the party to a drink (nothing expensive, mind, do you think
he’s made of money?).
The adventure begins with the characters arriving in town together.
Read the following:
Galar Tyrni. (neutral dwarf commoner) is a stevedore who has
worked these docks for many years. Most people here know him,
and he is an endless source of local gossip. A rough, but amiable sort,
A cool breeze drifts in from the sea as you make your many people nod or shout greetings to him as he leads the characters
way along the docks, providing some welcome relief to a tavern.
from the oppressive heat. Merchants cry out from their
shaded stalls, offering everything from fresh fish to the Over drinks, he explains that he possesses a map that once belonged
“finest” drinks. The mid-day sun thickens the air with to the infamous pirate Wilhelm Kinder. Captain Kinder used to
the smells of body odour, salt, and the distant, cloying rot bury their earnings out in the jungle, paying their crew from the
of the surrounding jungle. As you search for a tavern to stash whenever they made port. They left the map with Galar
shelter in, a dwarf and a human tumble out of an alley in for safe keeping, but Kinder’s ship never returned from their last
front of you. They roll around on the path, punching and voyage. Now, Galar wants to claim the treasure for his own, but
biting. The dwarf spots you and reaches out imploringly. it is a dangerous trek out to the location, so he has been looking
“Help! She’s trying to take the map!” for people to protect him. A DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) reveals that
he isn’t being totally honest, but if confronted he’ll say he has his
reasons and cast his eyes meaningfully at the tavern’s other patrons.
A successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion), or a
As they are drinking together, Galar eyes each of the characters up.
DC 12 Strength check, will separate the two fighters. As soon as the
At last, he offers them all a fifty percent cut of whatever they find
fighting stops, the human woman will turn and run. (The brawl was
out there if they can take him to the place marked on the map safely.
in fact a set up by Galar to attract the adventurer’s attention).
Should the characters agree, he’ll arrange to meet them outside of
town the following morning.

21
Paths Diverge in a Green Jungle L3 Camp Site

The characters meet Galar in the small, stretch of farmland that The characters find the remains of a campsite. Galar appears very
surrounds the town. A winding road leads the way through the uncomfortable here. A successful DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation)
fields, before being swallowed up by the jungle. check will get him to reveal that this is not the first time he has asked
people to take him to the treasure.
As they reach the tree line, Galar hands the characters his map,
which shows a number of routes to the lagoon where the promised If the characters explore the camp, they will find 50 gp worth of
treasure lies. You can either pass the players a printed copy of the coin and some moldering supplies.
map (see below) or describe the routes they see and ask them how
they want to progress.
L4 Carnivorous Tree

It is entirely possible for the characters to attempt to forge their own

path through the dense undergrowth, but this will take them much A large tree stands in the middle of the path, with thick,
longer, stretching the journey to two days. thorny vines wrapped around its trunk. As you approach,
it begins to sway slightly, leaves setting up a whispered
L1 Swamp chorus, though there’s no breeze to stir the air.

The ground becomes a sodden morass of mud, tangled The Carnivorous Tree uses the Awakened Tree stat block with a
roots, and rotting vegetation. Movement becomes 20ft range to its Slam attack, rather than 10ft, as it uses its thorny
very difficult. vines. It will attack anything that gets within 20ft.

L5 Ruins
This area counts as difficult terrain. Characters must make a DC 12
Strength (Athletics) check to cross the swamp. A failure results in a
character getting stuck and slowly starting to sink at a rate of one Hidden amidst the trees are the overgrown remains of
foot per round at the beginning of their turn. Call for initiative. A stone structures. The jungle has long since reclaimed this
character can make the roll again at the end of their next turn. A place, leaving the ruins shrouded in moss and vines.
successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check will stop them from
sinking further, but other characters will need to work out a way to
free them.
With a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character
finds ancient carvings featuring some sort of tentacled creature,
L2 Poisonous Fungi commanding an army of crustacean-like servants. A successful DC
16 Intelligence (History) reveals that these ruins may be older than
the known religions of the world.
Bulbous, scarlet fungi bubble up out of the ground
ahead like ripe boils, filling the air with the faint smell L6 Lizard Folk Hunting Party
of sulphur.

From up ahead, you hear words spoken in a strange,

It takes one character three successive DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) hissing tongue. Parting the vegetation, you spy six
checks to work out a safe path through the putrid fungi. On a reptilian figures crouched over the body of a slaughtered
failure, they touch one of the fungi and it lets out a cloud of spores animal.
that burn the skin. All characters within 10ft must make a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 acid damage.
The reptilian hunting party consists of 1 Lizard Queen, 1 Lizardfolk
Shaman, and 4 Lizardfolk. Characters can make a DC 16 Dexterity
(Stealth) check to try and stay unnoticed. The Lizardfolk will attack
the moment they become aware of the characters.

22
L7 Overgrown Path
The path ahead has become severely overgrown. The party will need to make three DC 16 Strength (Athletics), or two DC 14 Wisdom
(Survival) checks to make their way through.

Here There Be Monsters

Once the characters arrive, read the following:

Stumbling out of the jungle, you find yourselves on the edge of a wide lagoon. Trees give way to white sand, which runs down into
crystal clear water. The ruins of ancient statues and strange, twisting architecture juts up out of the sand and water like the bones of
some long-buried creature. The place is silent. Not even birds disturb the gnawing of the waves upon the shore. Galar takes a deep
breath. “Here we are. I’m sorry about this.” Then he pulls out a large horn and blows into it. As the last notes fade, the water of the
lagoon begins to bubble. A moment later, figures break the surface, their muscles and bones visible through blue, translucent skin.

Eight Aboleth’s Thralls appear in round 1, with five more appearing in round 2. In round 3, a Chuul rises up out of the water and attack the
party, particularly targeting whoever has the most magic items equipped.

If any character is knocked unconscious during this encounter, the Aboleth Thralls and Chuuls will not try to kill them. Instead, they attempt
to drag them into the water and take them to their master’s lair.

23
Aboleth’s Thrall
Dark Gods Power. An aboleth is adept at inflicting its will on
others, bending their minds and dominating them completely.
Humanoids that fall under its sway worship these feared creatures as
dark gods and carry out their twisted plans and desires.

Lost Will. A creature that falls into the clutches of an aboleth soon
becomes little more than a mindless slave having their own will
replaced with that of their evil overlord. Driven to fulfill the desires
of their masters, a thrall no longer fears death, instead fearing his
master’s wrath.

Aboleth’s Thrall
Medium humanoid (any race), lawful evil

Armor Class 12 (armor scraps)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

11 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Senses passive Perception 10

Languages any one language (usually Common)

Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Amphibious. The thrall can breathe air and water.

ACTIONS

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320

ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

REACTIONS

Dark God’s Will. When the thrall fails a Wisdom saving

throw it can choose to reroll the saving throw.

24
Concluding the Adventure
Should the characters defeat the Aboleth’s minions, they will find
Gular hiding behind one of the pillars. He is absolutely horrified
that they killed the Chuul as he struck a deal with their master long
ago, getting them to spare the town in return for luring potential
subjects for enslavement. Now that their servants are dead, he is
sure the Aboleth won’t believe the port to be more useful free than
it would be conquered.

A successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check will get him to

reveal the location of the gear and money he has stashed amidst the
ruins over the years, selling it off piece by piece so as not to attract
suspicion in town. Characters will find 837 gp along with a random
assortment of gear.

Should the characters wish to inspect the area further, a DC 15

Wisdom (Perception) or DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check
will reveal the entrance to a long-buried temple complex that winds
its way down into the earth.

25
Third Encounter of the Deep Kind

The
Depth
of
Undeath - Kyle Gray -
Below the waves, in depths rarely touched by light, a chasm splits the ocean floor
like a gaping wound bleeding darkness. Within this trench the Olgoth makes its
lair. Legend has it that the ancient monstrosity feeds on memories and emotions.
Whispering tales speculate on the creature’s origins. Quiet stories recount its many
horrors. When traversing the brine water, the Olgoth calls home, hushed prayers
mouthed by unnerved sailors beseech gods for safe passage. But the Olgoth answers
to no god, for when it hungers, it leaves its dark crevice in search of prey.

To willingly search out such a being is madness.

26
 1

22

3
3

27
1. The Chasm 3. The Lair of Death
Above the Graveyard, a 20-foot-radius hole in the center of the
ceiling leads to a cavern that extends deeper into the rocky hollow.
Approaching the edge of this inky black void, you feel The ceiling inside this cavern is roughly 60 feet high and slopes down
the water turn frigid. Long, black streaks stain walls of gradually towards the end of the cavern about 90 feet away. Towards
grey rock. Darkness swallows all light as the rockface the back of the cavern, the Olgoth rests amidst what remains of a
disappears in a vertical drop. small wreck.

A creature entering the chasm must make a DC 15 Constitution

saving throw as cold seeps into their very bones. On a failure, a A gargantuan, dark hulk slumbers at the end of the
creature takes 9 (2d8) cold damage and suffers one level of hovel. As you near, you notice the broke remains of
exhaustion. The 90-foot-wide chasm winds deeper, descending some shipwreck dragged here from the surface. Coins,
200 feet before suddenly narrowing to 30 feet. As the party swims weapons, and other treasure lie scattered amidst the
deeper, it becomes more difficult to breathe. debris. Thin black tendrils extending from the creature’s
parted shell wave lazily in the freezing water. Bubbles
stream from the shell as the creature’s bulk gently rises
and slowly falls.
As you descend 200 feet into the narrowing throat of
the cavern, a great weight presses in on your chests. You
feel like the crushing darkness will swallow you whole… A creature wishing to approach the sleeping Olgoth without
when you catch sight of the faintest glimmer of blue light disturbing it must make a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth)
from below. check. On a failure, the Olgoth awakens. A horde of treasure
spreads out under the monstrosity. A creature attempting to search
through the pile must make a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth)
Descending a further 100 feet, the party discovers the sandy bottom or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to do so without waking the
and notice a long tunnel ahead, dotted with glowing blue algae that Olgoth. If awoken, the Olgoth will attack immediately using its
drifts through the water like moving stars. The passage is 100 feet tentacles and summoning the zombies from the chamber below to
wide, 60 feet high, and 400 feet long. It widens into a cavern at the assist in its fight. The zombies will enter the combat in round 2 on
end. The glowing algae seems to permeate the area, providing faint their own initiative.
light throughout.

Lair Actions
2. The Graveyard
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Olgoth takes a lair
action to cause one of the following effects. It cannot use the same
effect two rounds in a row.
As you enter, a spacious area widens to 100 feet. The
chamber is about 60 feet deep. You notice piles of • Black Sand. The sand inside the lair rises in a 15-foot-radius
bone, scraps of torn cloth, and broken debris. Among centered on a point the Olgoth can see within 60 feet of it. The
the dross stand rows of pale humanoids. Their flesh is sand is laced with the Olgoth’s dark tar and each creature in the
torn and puckered. Some are missing digits or limbs. All area must make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or take 9 (2d8)
are covered in seaweed, barnacles, and other small sea necrotic damage. The Black Sand lasts until the Olgoth uses
creatures. The humanoids do not react to your presence. this lair action again or until it dies.
• Freezing Currents. The Olgoth redirects the freezing currents
of its lair against a creature within 60 feet of it. The target must
2d12 zombies stand idle along the bottom of this rocky grotto. make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11
The zombies don’t react to the party unless touched or attacked. If (2d10) cold damage.
provoked, the zombies will attack. Call for initiative. If a fight starts
• Daunting Shadows. The shadows around the Olgoth ripple
here, each round on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), roll a
and curl. Each creature within 60 feet of the Olgoth that can
d6. On a roll of 5 or 6, the Olgoth emerges from the Lair of Death
see it must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or become
and joins the fight. Otherwise, the zombies stare ahead without
frightened of the creature until the end of its next turn. Once a
moving or making a sound.
creature succeeds on the saving throw it is immune to this effect
for the next 24 hours.

28
Regional Effects Note to DM
The region surrounding the Olgoth’s lair is warped by the creature’s A DM might wonder how a party could descend to such depths
magic, creating one or more of the following effects: without drowning. Perhaps the NPC hiring the adventurers for this
fool’s errand provides potions of water breathing, scrolls of water
• Freezing cold water surrounds the Olgoth’s lair for 6 miles.
breathing, cloaks of the manta ray, or similar items.
• Shadows seem to waver and move within 1 mile of the lair.
• Beasts with an Intelligence score of 10 or less cannot be found
within 10 miles of the lair.

If the Olgoth dies, the freezing water fades within 1 day. The shadows
halt their unusual behavior upon its death. Creatures that have left
the area will return within 1d4 months.
Lore Sippet
It was all or nothing. Master Seacrest had fallen on hard times.
Behavior We put to sea; all our wares stored on one vessel. We were seven
days on the deep when it struck. Tentacles and undeath lashed
If attacked inside its lair, the Olgoth will retaliate with whipping out against our ship. Wood cracked and sailors cried out. The
tendrils and will call upon its undead thralls. It will keep its back to next thing I knew, I was adrift on a tangle of net and broken
the wall until its thralls arrive before trying to pin attackers between wood. I can’t recall much between then and being hauled
itself and its thralls. aboard the boat that saved me. I dreamed of a sea monster and
a mermaid called Luna. I pray that the gods receive Master
Seacrest and his family with open arms. It was all or nothing,
Plot Hooks but I guess it was nothing in the end.

1. A merchant named Halgarth Ramsbaum has been losing ships - Kalla Durimara, the lone survivor of the Seacrest
and hires the party go after whatever has been taking his ships. Trading Company
2. An old hermit called Wilhelm (Lurker) VonBarron tells tales of
a forgotten grotto filled with riches and offers to tell the party
where it is in exchange for returning an old family heirloom from
the treasure.
3. A mage that goes by Magnus the Red needs the tar of the Olgoth
to perfect some arcane experiment and offers the party a
handsome reward to hunt down the beast.

29
The Olgoth
Ancient Depths Evil’s Lair
Of all the fearsome and terrible monsters that dwell within the An Olgoth tends to live in the darkened depths away from any light
depths of the ocean, one of the worst is the Olgoth. There are many and makes its lairs in trenches or caves. Surrounding itself with
different stories about the origins of this horrendous beast. Some the undead it has created; it slowly drains these wretches of their
say it was created by a necromancer in an experiment, others that memories to sustain its own lifeforce. An Olgoth will only leave its
the first was a corrupted kraken and others still that it is a beast that lair to seek new victims to add to its undead horde as older victims
slipped into our reality from a plane of darkness and shadow. expire, becoming withered husks.

30
Olgoth
Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), chaotic evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 396 (24d20 + 144)
Speed 10ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 24 (+7) 20 (+5) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Str +11, Con +13, Int +14, Wis +12
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, prone
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands Abyssal, Infernal, and Primordial but can’t speak, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 22 (41,000 XP) Proficieny Bonus +7
Amphibious. The Olgoth can breathe air and water.
Touch of Undeath. The Olgoth is covered in viscous black tar which taints all that touch it with
dark magic. If a creature makes a melee attack against the Olgoth it must make a DC 21 Wisdom
saving throw. On a failure the creature takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage, or half as much on a
success. If this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it immediately dies and rises again as a
zombie after 1 minute.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The Olgoth makes 3 tentacle attacks.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4)
bludgeoning damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is
restrained. The Olgoth has six tentacles, each of which can grapple one target. At the beginning a
grappled creature’s turn, it must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure the creature
takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. If this damage reduces a creature to
0 hit points, it immediately dies and rises again as a zombie after 1 minute.
Fling. One Large or smaller object held or creature grappled by the Olgoth is thrown up to 60
feet in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target
takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at
another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take the same
damage and be knocked prone.
Necrotic Tar (Recharge 5-6). The Olgoth spews forth a gout of necrotic tar in a 60-foot cone.
Each creature in the area must make DC 21 Wisdom saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on successful one. If this damage reduces a
creature to 0 hit points, it immediately dies and rises again as a zombie after 1 minute.

31
Deep Devocean - John Siebuhr -

Class: Cleric Subclass: Sea Domain

The sea domain is concerned with the endless forces of the oceans, as well as the movement of the waves. In the
pantheons of seafaring people, gods of this domain are ocean deities and the patrons of sailors and pirates alike.
Practitioners usually serve aboard various ships, tending to the needs of the crew and bringing to bear the wrath of
the sea to those who oppose them.

Spells 2nd Level

Channel Divinity: Force of the Waves
1st create or destroy water, thunderwave
Starting at 2nd level, you can channel the powerful might of the
3rd misty step, gust of wind waves to bolster your magical attacks. When you cast a spell of 1st
level of higher that pulls, pushes, or knocks creatures prone, you can
5th tidal wave, wall of water
add one of the following effects.
7th watery sphere, control water • Ebb. If the spell pulls enemies closer to you, pick a single
creature and the target is pulled up to an additional 20 feet.
9th control winds, maelstrom
• Flow. If the spell pushes enemies further from you, pick a single
creature and the target is pushed an additional 20 feet.
1st Level • Crushing Depths. If the spell knocks enemies prone, pick a
single creature and the target takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage.
Priest of the Seas
Your connection to the oceans has given you control over the 6th Level
movement of the waves. When you choose this domain at 1st level,
you gain the shape water cantrip if you do not already know it. You Wrath of the Sea
also gain proficiency in one of the following skills; Athletics, Nature,
At 6th level, you have become the embodiment of the fury of
or Survival
nature. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that pulls,
pushes, or knocks creatures prone, you can add one of the following
Sea Legs
effects. This effect can be used in addition to the effects of Force of
You have become just as comfortable in the water as you are on the Waves.
land. At 1st level, you gain a swimming speed equal to your base • If the spell pulls enemies closer, they cannot use reactions until
walking speed. the beginning of their next turn.
• If the spell pushes enemies further away, and they run into
a solid object, they take bludgeoning damage equal to your
Wisdom modifier.
• If the spell knocks enemies prone, they take an additional 1d8
bludgeoning damage.

32
8th Level
Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you
deal with any cleric cantrip.

17th Level
Seaborn
At 17th level, you are an avatar for the endless movement and awesome
power of the seas. Your swim speed is increased by 15ft.

In addition, as an action, you can surround yourself in swirling torrents

of sea water in a 60-foot radius. Each creature you designate in this area
must make a Dexterity saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failed
save, a creature takes 6d8 bludgeoning damage and is either pushed 20
feet away from you, pulled 20 feet closer to you, or knocked prone (your
choice). On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and
isn’t pushed, pulled, or knocked prone. Unprotected flames in this area
are extinguished.
Brine Shield
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier
(minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long
rest. The effects of Force of the Waves and Wrath of the Storm can be
applied to this ability as if you have cast a spell.

Tidal Spear

Brine Shield Tidal Spear

Armor (shield), uncommon Weapon (spear), rare
(requires attunement) (requires attunement)
When a creature that is Large or smaller You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage
misses you with a melee attack while you rolls made with this magic weapon. While
hold this shield, you can use your reaction to immersed in seawater, the blade of the spear
release a surge of seawater from the shield in sheds blue-tinted dim light in a 20-foot
that creature’s direction. The attacker must radius. Additionally, you can, as a bonus
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving action, gain a swimming speed equal to your
throw or be pushed 30 feet away from you. movement speed for 10 minutes. Once this
property of the spear has been used, it can’t
be used again until the next dawn.

33
NPC – Ambris Seaspray Ambris Seaspray
Medium Humanoid(Human), Lawful Good
Ambris Seaspray was the only daughter of a successful
merchant and a skilled shipwright. She spent most of Armor Class 15 (Scale Mail)
her days roaming the docks, swimming in the ocean,
Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21)
and getting into trouble. When she was old enough,
she joined the first merchant vessel that would take her. Speed 30 ft. Swim: 30 ft
She spent several years at sea, but after a fateful storm
washed her overboard, she devoted her life to her deity, STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
defending the seas from pirates and smugglers.
10(+0) 13(+1) 16(+3) 14(+2) 16(+3) 11(0)
Ambris is always eager to join the next voyage, especially
Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +3
privateers out hunting pirates, choosing to spend most
of her time amongst the waves and on the oceans. For Skills Athletics +3, Insight +6, Perception +6, Religion +5, Survival +6
a modest fee, and a chance at adventure, she will serve
on just about any ship, providing healing, controlling Senses passive Perception 17
the elements, and summoning forth food and water for
the crew. She can also be a source of information to the Languages Common, Elvish
goings on around local docks and vessels. Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Spellcasting. Ambris Seaspray is a 7th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting

Plothook ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 hit with spell attacks). She has the
following Cleric spells prepared:
Ambris has heard local rumours about a hidden cove
frequented by pirates and smugglers. This cove is not Cantrips (at will): shape water, sacred flame, mending, light, thaumaturgy
only a temporary haven for their vessels, but also a place 1st level (4 slots): create or destroy water, thunderwave, guiding bolt, inflict
for them to store their ill-gotten spoils. For a share of the wounds, healing word, command
loot, she will act as a guide to the hidden cove. All she
needs is a crew and a few good fighters. 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, gust of wind, spiritual weapon, blindness/
deafness, hold person
3rd level (3 slots): tidal wave, wall of water, spiritual guardians, bestow curse
4th level (1 slots): watery sphere, control water, deathward
Wrath of the Sea. When Ambris casts a spell of 1st level or higher that
pulls, pushes, or knocks creatures prone, she can add one of the following
effects. This effect can be used in addition to the effects of Force of
the Waves.
• If the spell pulls enemies closer, they cannot use a reaction until the
beginning of their next turn.
• If the spell pushes enemies further away, and they run into a solid
object, they take bludgeoning damage equal to your Wisdom modifier.
• If the spell knocks enemies prone, they take an additional 1d8
bludgeoning damage.

Actions

Brass Knife (Dagger). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5

ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage.

34
35
Granya O'Malley - Macealach McBride -
Born into a strong sea faring clan, Granya took command of
her father’s enormous fleet of trading vessels when he met his
Plothook
end during a battle that wiped out all the O’Malley clan, save
One of Granyas scouting skiffs discovered an enemy trading vessel
for Granya.
grounded on a desert island three days sailing away. She wants help
to retrieve its valuable cargo before the enemy lord catches wind of
Not long after assuming control of her father’s fortune, Granya
it. Secretly she knows the ship holds an item said to be cursed, and
set sail on a routine mercenary transport order for a local noble
she plans to turn it on the enemy lord and his family.
defending his lands against an invading army. While on this
mission, Granya’s crew captured an old sea witch and hoisted
her aboard the ship. Sick at the mere sight and smell of this old
hag, some sought solace by jumping overboard.

The sea witch, that went by the name Fomarra, bartered with
Granya, begging to be freed. After much haggling, a deal was
struck. In exchange for her freedom, the witch would infuse
Granya’s pistols with magical properties and teach the sailor to
cast spells.

Fomarra presented Granya with a gift to sweeten the conditions

of her release, a very rare magical item know by legend as the
“Mirror of Shattered Dreams”. In Fomarra’s own words, “It
will unlock your full potential, but gaze at your own peril……
hrgh……..hrgh”.

Granya rose to power, ruthlessly eliminating her competition

until she had become the sole supplier of materials and
mercenaries to craftsmen and nobles in coastal cities. Known
for using molten lead or the metal butt of a pistol to dispose
of her enemies, Granya is feared if not respected. She is cold,
calculated, and most importantly gets the job done. Such is her
reputation that she has won favor at court.

Granya is 29 winters old, by her own counting. She has sapphire

blue eyes with coral red hair. She wears traveling leathers, a
heavy coat, and a captain’s hat. Her crew recognize her arrival
on deck by the sound of her boots.

She sails the seas, seeking those she can turn to her advantage
so as to increase her power and wealth, for one day she will take
vengeance on the nobles that murdered her family.

36
 Granya O’Malley
Medium Humanoid (Human), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 17 (Studded Leather)
Hit Points 120 (16d10 + 32)
Speed 30 ft, Climb 20 ft, Swim 40 ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 17(+3)
Saving Throw Dex +9, Con +6, Wis +5, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +6, Deception +7, Persuasion +7, Insight +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Language Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Undercommon, Draconic
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
Firearm Specialist. Granya is proficient with firearms. If she rolls a
misfire on an attack with a firearm, she can use her reaction to roll a
d20. If the number rolled is higher than the weapon’s misfire score, the
firearm does not misfire. She cannot use this feature again until she
completes a short or long rest.
Spellcasting. Granya is a 1st-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is In addition, Granya is attuned to the following magic item:
Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She knows
the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, prestidigitation
1st level (3 slots): alarm, disguise self, identify Mirror of Shattered Dreams
ACTIONS Wondrous item, very rare
Multiattack. Granya makes three attacks: two with her shortsword (requires attunement)
and one with her dragon pistol or scatter shot.
A delicate mirror of wrought silver. Its glass is
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. cracked and held together by magic.
Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
As an action, you can gaze into the mirror, seeing
Dragon Pistol (Ranged Weapon Attack)*. Ranged Weapon Attack: a vision of what you could have become had you
+9 to hit, reach 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage followed your dreams. You must succeed on a DC
plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage. 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of
Scatter Shot. Granya’s weapon can be fired normally or loaded to exhaustion as you lose the will to carry on. If you
make a scattering shot, attacking all creatures within a 15-foot cone. roll a 1, you are inflicted with short-term madness.
Each creature in the cone must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving On a success, you can target one creature you can
throw or take 3 (1d4 +1) piercing damage. see within 30 feet. You show the mirror to the target
and inflict them with 1d4 levels of exhaustion as
Power of the Elements (Recharge 5-6). The Dragon Pistol fires
they watch their hopes and dreams shatter.
lightning in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that
line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) The target can make a DC 15 Wisdom saving
lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a throw at the end of their next turn. On a success,
successful one. the target can reduce its exhaustion level by 1d4.
You cannot use the mirror again in this way until
*Uses the properties of the renaissance pistol the next dawn.

37
The Tide of Life
- Paddy Fin -
There exists in the world folk touched by the sea, their lives forever Skill Proficiencies: Performance and additionally choose one skill
intertwined with the tide. Such sea-touched folk long for the sight from the following list:
of the ocean's beguiling dance, the caress of her cooling spray, and
• Deception
the rush of her crashing waves. They are drawn to the sea in all her
wondrous terror, for they know her as their true mother, and they • Performance
shall answer her call. • Sleight of Hand
These 3 backgrounds outline those with lives connected to the tides. Equipment: A set of clothes (common), a set of dice or a deck of
We hope they inspire GMs and players alike to create exciting new dog-eared playing cards, a dagger, 16 sp.
backstories that will enrich their adventures.
Feature: Acting Up
Castaway Having spent your formative years endearing yourself to ship crews
The ship you were sailing sank while far out at sea. You clung to a and dock workers alike, you can talk their talk and walk their walk.
piece of wreckage for longer than you can remember and eventually You can add your proficiency bonus to rolls made when engaging
washed up on a tropical island. Steeling yourself, you made socially with sailors and dock workers even if you are already
something of life on the island, turning its sparse resources to your proficient in that skill.
advantage until you finally caught the attention of a passing ship
and returned to civilization. Sea Whisperer
Skill Proficiencies: Survival, and additionally choose one skill from You were born during a spring tide and grew up near the sea, listening
the following list: to her whispers as towering tongues of water crashed against nearby
• Athletics cliffs. While playing in rock pools along the seashore you developed
the uncanny ability to handle sea creatures and understand their
• Medicine needs and many uses.
• Nature
Choose one sea creature with which you have a particular affinity or
Equipment: A ragged and tattered set of clothing, a cloak fashioned work with your DM to expand on this background.
from the sail of the ship that stranded you, a hunting blade (short
sword), 3 simple animal traps, 2 nets, and 8 sp. Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Nature

Feature: Hardy Survivor Equipment: A set of clothes (common), 3 nets, a large seashell
horn, a seashell necklace, and 3 gp.
While stranded you learned how to push your body beyond its
limits to survive. When making a constitution saving throw against Feature: Sea Speaker
exhaustion, you can add your proficiency bonus to the roll.
Growing up around rocky shores where you spent many a day
catching and playing with sea creatures before returning them to
Scallywag their homes, you have proficiency with the net. Additionally, you
can cast speak with animals once for the purpose of speaking with
As a child you always found work on one ship or another, but you sea creatures using this trait. You regain the ability to do so when
were often labeled a scallywag on account of your playful nature you finish a long rest.
and light-hearted troublemaking. Your antics put you on the wrong
side of many a captain but earned you favor with other members of
the crew.

38
Sea Spells
- Benjamin Palmer -
Cantrips Level 1 Spells

Salt Spray Grapeshot

Conjuration cantrip (Druid) 1st-level transmutation (Artificer, Ranger, Wizard)
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot cone) Range: Self (30-foot cone)
Components: V, S Components: V, S, M (a handful of pebbles)
Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous

You summon forth a wave of brine to pummel your enemies. You enlarge a handful of pebbles and hurl them towards
Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving your foes with a cacophonous boom. Each creature in a 30-
throw. A creature takes 1d4 cold damage on a failed save. foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d4
bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a
This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level successful one.
(2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each
slot level above 1st.
Sea Shanty
Transmutation cantrip (Bard)
Casting Time: 1 action Seaman’s Blessing
Range: 60 feet
Components: V 1st-level transmutation (ritual) (Bard, Cleric,
Duration: Instantaneous Druid, Ranger)
Casting Time: 1 action
You sing an enchanted tune to boost the morale of a creature Range: 60 feet
in range. The target gains advantage on the next attack roll Components: V, S
it makes. Duration: 1 hour

You infuse your allies with the spirit of the sea granting them
advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone or
Iceshard pushed. They also gain a bonus to any skill checks made to
operate a water vehicle equal to your proficiency bonus.
Conjuration cantrip (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S Gift of the Sea
Duration: Instantaneous
1st-level abjuration (Bard, Ranger, Sorcerer)
You summon forth a shard of ice and hurl it at a creature Casting Time: 1 action
within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. Range: Self
On a hit, the target takes 1d6 cold damage and is pushed Components: V, S, M (a living starfish)
back 5 feet. Duration: 8 hours
This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level You gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws while this
(2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6) spell is active. The spell ends early if you are not submerged
in water.

39
Level 2 Spells Level 3 Spells
Vortex Fury of the Sea
2nd-level conjuration (Druid, Ranger, Warlock) 3rd-level conjuration (Cleric, Druid)
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a jar of sea water) Components: V, S, M (a coil of rope)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A 5-foot-diameter swirling vortex of water appears in an A 15-foot-radius sphere of roiling waves appears within range.
unoccupied space of your choice within range and lasts for Any creature that begins its turn within the area must make a
the duration. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d10 cold damage
the vortex must make a Strength saving throw. The creature on a failed save and is pushed 5 feet in a random direction. A
takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a creature takes half as much damage on a successful save and
successful one. As a bonus action, you can move the vortex is not moved. The area is considered difficult terrain for the
up to 30 feet. If it occupies the same space as a creature, duration of the spell.
the creature must make a saving throw against the vortex’s
damage, and the vortex ends its movement for the turn. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot slot level above 3rd.
of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each
slot level above 2nd.

Seamaiden’s Grace
Riptide 3rd-level transmutation (Bard, Cleric)
Casting Time: 1 action
2nd-level conjuration (Druid, Sorcerer) Range: 30 feet
Casting Time: 1 action Components: V, S, M (a clump of seaweed)
Range: Self (10 feet) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Components: V, S, M (a small metal anchor)
Duration: Instantaneous You bestow the grace of the sea upon three creatures of your
choice. They gain advantage on attack rolls for the duration
You summon a massive current to sweep away your enemies. of the spell.
Each creature within 10 feet of you, other than you, must
make a Strength saving throw taking 3d6 bludgeoning At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
damage on a failed save and being pushed 10 feet away from of 4th level or higher, you can target one additional creature
you. Creatures that succeed on their save take half damage for each slot level above 3rd.
and aren’t pushed.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each
slot level above 2nd.

40
Tipple’s Tiny
Net of Death
- Dave Leek -
Tipple, the child of an illustrious pair of mages, carved a unique and
unfortunate path to infamy for themselves by accidentally killing Tipple’s Tiny Net of Death
a professor of a great magic academy during a final examination.
What started as a simple transmutation cantrip meant to assist 3rd-level Transmutation
mariners, is now widely regarded as the dumbest way to meet one’s Casting Time: 1 Action
demise by arcane means. Range: 15 ft.
The following two spells were haphazardly designed by an Components: V, S, M (a net worth at least 1 gp, which the
accidentally infamous mage by the name of Tipple. Use them with spell consumes)
caution, for the consequences can be severe for those who do not Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration)
take absurdity seriously. Classes: Artificer, Bard, Druid, Ranger, Warlock, Wizard

The first of Tipple’s dastardly creations is not so dastardly at all. A seemingly mundane net springs from your hands expanding
In fact, this lacklustre transmutation cantrip started with the toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack
same intentions as those which lead to the Nine Hells; good ones. against a target in range. On a hit, the target makes an
Requiring only a single thread of hempen rope per cast, the caster Intelligence Saving Throw. A creature with an Intelligence
can quickly and effortlessly generate as much netting as required for score of 4 or lower cannot be affected by this spell. On a failed
the task at hand. In a pinch, a single Tiny Net could even be used to save, the net magically attaches itself to the creature causing
distract or humiliate an opponent. inexplicable effects.

While Tipple’s Tiny Net is attached, the target becomes

restrained and frightened by the net. If the creature breathes
Tipple’s Tiny Net and has form, or is not immune to being frightened, it also
begins suffocating as if having run out of breath. While
Transmutation Cantrip frightened in this way, the target is incapable of removing the
Casting Time: 1 Action net themselves, entering a net induced panic.
Range: 15 ft.
Components: V, S, M (a thread of hempen rope) These effects last for the duration of the spell. The spell ends
Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) early if the caster’s concentration is broken, or the net is
Classes: Artificer, Bard, Druid, Ranger, Warlock, Wizard removed. The net can easily be removed as an action by a
creature other than the target.
A seemingly mundane section of cargo net 2 feet long by
2 feet wide springs from your hands toward a target within At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can make an
range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, Intelligence saving throw against the spell. On a success, the
the net magically attaches itself to the target until the spell target realizes the net is tiny enough to easily remove, and
ends or until removed with an action. When the spell ends, that the holes in the net are clearly large enough to breathe
the remaining net becomes truly mundane. through. After this realization, the target can use an action to
remove the net on a subsequent turn. If the net is removed,
The second of Tipple’s creations is by far the more deadly the spell ends.
and accidental one. In an attempt to increase the output of
their Tiny Net cantrip, Tipple inadvertently amplified the At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot
adverse arcane effects of the Tiny Net while maintaining of 4th level or higher, the save DC increases by 2 for each slot
concentration upon it. level above 3rd.

41
Life’s
a Gamble
- Alex Pietrow -
While sailing the seas hold aloft the promise of adventure, any sailor
knows that days spent aboard a seafaring vessel are often uneventful Ship’s Cargo
and even worse are those days when there is little work to do. Sailors
fill such monotony with activities of their own making whether that Requirements: 5d6’s per player | 2 or more players
be playing a musical instrument, drinking copious amounts of rum,
or gambling. This article looks at the last of the three and will cover This is a relatively simple dice game for a group of two or more
several popular games played by crew members on a calm day. players. The goal is to first roll a 6 (the ship), then a 5 (the captain),
and then a 4 (the crew), after which the remaining dice become the
These games can be played in a friendly setting, but more often than cargo. Each player has three attempts to roll their dice, putting aside
not will be played competitively with money, treasure or something the 6, 5, and 4 once they are rolled in that order, and rerolling the
else set as a wager. If played fairly, these games have roughly equal rest. If they roll more than one of the required numbers in one roll
odds for each player, however the GM should remember that the (a 6 and a 5 for example), then they can set both aside. The player
odds get skewed heavily in their favor as soon as the amount of with the most valuable cargo at the end wins the bank. A player may
NPC players becomes larger than the number of players. This can reroll his cargo dice if they have obtained the ship, captain, and crew
be mitigated by giving each NPC a set amount of money to play and have attempts left. If a player fails to roll the ship, the captain,
with or used as a money sink for your players. The games below will or the crew, their score is zero. In case of a tie, the loot is shared
have a short strategy section that helps the GM make the game fair between the winners!
or skew it in someone's favor without it being too obvious.
In-game Example
A Note on Cheating Mog eyed his opponent and the bottle of rum at the center of the
table. He already got a ship and a captain on his first two rolls,
While cheating dice rolls is typically frowned upon, consider leaving him with one more chance to roll a four with his remaining
allowing your players (and NPC’s) to cheat in these games if they three dice. Tavar finished his rolls and managed to get a full ship
wish to do so, as long as there are realistic consequences. What with a cargo of 1 and 4. Mog closes his eyes and rolls, hoping for the
would happen if that big muscly sailor discovered the rogue was best. Loud cheering erupts before he can open them up again, he
using loaded dice or sleight of hand? What might transpire if a cut- carefully peeks and sees that he rolled a 4, 5, and 3. The rum is his!
throat crew member notices the wizard helping with mage hand or
other magic? Strategy
Contesting players can use their (passive) perception or insight skill This is a typical game that is fair if played between two or more
checks to try to spot cheaters or even demand to inspect a die after player characters or player characters and one NPC. However, the
losing too many times. Also, consider who the players are playing GM can skew the odds by adding more NPCs to the game. The
with. The bluffs that work on an impressionable sailor, for example, odds of rolling a 6, 5, 4 in succession are roughly 25%. After that,
won’t cut it with the captain. the winner is decided by the highest number of the last two dice
(the cargo). The odds of rolling higher with the cargo dice than one
other player is just under 50% if we do not include ties. Those odds
Games decrease with the addition of each new player.
The following are 3 games of varying complexity based on real dice
games that were played in a similar setting. Each game includes
requirements, rules, in-game examples, and thoughts on strategy.

42
Liar’s Dice In-game Example

Requirements: 5d6’s per player, a cup | Two or more players Two weeks has passed since the last sign of wind, and the crew was
slowly dying of dehydration. The crew decided to gamble what few
This is a game of deception for two or more players, where all players food and beer rations remained, hoping to increase their chances
pay a predefined sum into the bank and roll 5d6 privately. Then of survival. Billy wagered his entire ration allotment in hopes of
one by one, players announce any face value of the dice (1 to 6) doubling his resources if he beat the other players. He had chosen
and the total amount of dice amongst all players that show that 7 as his lucky number and already rolled 3 illegal combinations,
face value. They based their odds on knowing what dice they have but this time would be different. He moved the dice around in his
rolled. Each following player needs to either raise the bid or call the hand and kicked the table to distract his crewmates while he quickly
previous player a liar. The former is done by announcing a higher swapped the dice for loaded ones. He rolled and, of course, the dice
amount of the called face value or change the called face value to a showed 7. “It’s been great guys!” he said, grabbing his winnings. “I
higher number. Once a player is called out, all dice are shown, and don’t need a 2nd round. This is enough for me!”
a winner is decided based on whether there are at least as many face
values as was claimed. The bidder wins in the former case and the Strategy
challenger wins in the latter. The winner takes the entire pot, and a
Statistically, a 7 has the highest probability of being rolled, followed
new round begins.
by 6 and 8, followed by 5 and 9. This means the caster should
In-game Example always pick 7. And the bank should goad the caster into picking
another number.
Tavar looked at his dice; 1, 1, 4, 5, 5. His opponent just bid 4
fives, which means that either he has 3 fives or is most likely lying. Games Inside Games
Surely his opponent cannot have 4 fives! The claim must be called
or changed to sixes. Tavar decides to try his luck and calls out the Downtime on ships, or during any form of travel, offers a rare
other sailor. He immediately regrets his choice when his opponent opportunity for GMs to introduce mini games. Why not try
smiles while raising his cup. “4 fives here! I win!” he shouts. Tavar coming up with a spin on a popular dice or card game, or create
lost his wages once more. something of your own making. When used wisely, mini games can
lend a layer of realism to your world and improve player immersion.
Strategy Why not give it a try the next time the party sails the seas of your
chosen setting.
The expected total of all the dice with the same face is one-sixth the
number of dice in play, rounded down. For three players this means
15 dice and therefore we expect there to be at least 2 dice of a chosen Hooks
face value, with odds decreasing rapidly after that.
1. A crew member approaches a party member, or the entire party,
and offers a wager as part of one of the above games to help pass
Hazard the time.

Requirements: 2d6’s | Two or more players 2. Provisions have run low. The quartermaster assigns rations,
and the captain invites those aboard to role dice gambling their
This is a game of chance for two or more players. Each round, one rations to increase chances of survival for those lucky few.
plays the ‘caster’ while everyone else plays ‘the bank’. Each bank 3. A crewmember possesses an item the party needs and has told
player puts in a wager. If the caster agrees, they must match each them that he will not part with the item for any amount of
wager. Once all bets are made, the caster chooses a number between gold. Said crewmember is also known for his love of gambling.
5 and 9 and rolls the dice. If the caster rolls the chosen number, they
win the entire pot. If the caster rolls a different number between 5
and 9, they lose and have to payout each bank player. If the caster Wagers
rolls any other number (illegal combinations), they can reroll their
dice. Illegal combinations are any rolls that do not fall between 5 Use wagers that will engage your players. For example, players
and 9 such as 4 or 10. uninterested in gambling for gold might jump at a chance to win
a new magic item. Or maybe a crewmember possesses a tome that
If the caster wins, they can demand another round with the same could tell the party wizard a great deal about the lands to which
wagers from the bank players or pass the dice to the player on their they sail, presenting an opportunity to share lore. You could even
left. The dice also get passed to the left if the player loses. work a mini game into the plot as a means for players to get an item
they need to complete their quest or further their adventure. The
possibilities are endless!

43
44
A- NGBard
Thomson -
at Sea
Chorus Verse
Heave! Ho! Set feet and row! My powers of persuasion fell upon deaf ears
Hoist the sail and away we go When the crew gathered ‘round me and began to jeer.
Pitch and roll, through sun or snow “Come now, fellas, you aren’t mutineers!”
We’ll sail through the fiercest gale that blows! But their swords came out and they flanked me.
They tied a blindfold on me and set up the plank
Verse I tried Cutting Words, but my insults tanked
As I teetered towards the edge my last hopes sank
I was just a Bard from the landlocked ways So I mustered up one final shanty
I’d seen lakes and rivers, but I’d never seen waves
I got into trouble, and I fled one day, and I ended up Chorus
at the harbor
Got wind my pursuers were still on my tail Heave! Ho! I put on a good show,
So I found the only ship that was fit to sail My disguise wore thin and now you know
They said “Aye, we’d take ye, but the Cap’n’s bailed.” Sure, we had a good run and I made it good fun
I said, “Fellas, look no farther!” But Davy Jones is calling – it’s my time to go.

Chorus Verse
Heave! Ho! Set feet and row! The crew couldn’t help it but to tap their feet
How hard can it be to ride a boat? And their fingers itched to row to the beat
I’ll growl and groan and shout “Aho!” They remembered how we once outsailed the
With my hat and my patch sure they’ll never know royal fleet
When my song had struck inspiration
Verse They pulled me from the plank and put a lute in
my hands
I struck up a chorus and the crew began “You’re a no good, lyin’ hoodlum but ye sure
To row to the rhythm down to the last man sing grand!
We plundered and we pillaged all across the lands Now get up there and sing us safely back to land,
And the crew said they’d never sailed faster And we’ll offer ye a permanent station!”
But then a storm overtook us in the open sea
The crew got frightened and they looked to me Chorus x2
“Aho!” I shouted, “Hoist the sail! Get some speed!”
But it ended in disaster. Heave! Ho! Set feet and row!
Hoist the sail and away we go
Chorus Pitch and roll, through sun or snow
Through the fiercest gale that blows!
Heave! Ho! Set feet and row!
A few sailing tips that you ought to know
When the storm blows, drop the sail low
Or you too might find that your mast will go

45
 Roll up! Roll up! Or row up as
the case may be. Peruse my wares
from the seventy-seven seas. What

Gizcog’s seventy-seven seas, you ask? Does

Wandering
it matter? We’ve got seashells
from the Shore of Deathsorrow,
said to suck the soul clean out
of your body when you aren’t

Emporium
looking. We’ve got silver coral
from the Great Everflaming Reef,
said to bring its wearer good luck
and, when licked, tastes just like
chicken. I haven’t even gotten to
my favorite yet. Seaweed tea from

At Sea
Orcmarsh Bay. So salty it curls
your toes, unblocks your nose, and
defeats your foes…should they
- Paddy Finn - happen to be giant slugs anyway.
Or you can pore over all that
other junk.

46
 • Navigating the docks, the party notices a sampan, dwarfed
Sailing Stormy Seas by all the other boats, moored at the dock’s edge. Upon the
sampan rests a gnome dressed like an adventurer and his pet
Found anywhere from the peaks of towering mountains to the
pig outfitted in similar attire. Gizcog offers to trade before
bottom of deep caverns and cresting the monstrous waves of
embarking on an adventure of his own.
stormy seas, Gizcog’s Wandering Emporium knows no bounds.
His quaint little store adapts to any environment as if by magic. • While upon a ship-for-hire, players meet a strange passenger;
And as always, Krispy Bacon will be along for the ride, and she an eccentric little gnome accompanied by a pet pig wearing
may or may not be wearing a pirate’s hat this time… a pirate’s hat. Gizcog offers to trade with the party, claiming
that he is transporting special goods to a secret destination.
Gizcog hangs around for a few days before vanishing, the
Hooks ship’s crew possess no memory of the gnome, causing the
party to suspect themselves victims of trickery or some
In a marine setting, player characters could bump into Gizcog
shared illusion. Perhaps it has something to do with the
and Krispy Bacon just about anywhere but allow us to offer
nasty green goo served by the ship’s quartermaster. But how
a few suggestions. If nothing else, they might get the creative
do they still have the items they purchased?
waves thrashing.
• Stranded on a deserted island, player characters are relieved
• While out at sea, the ship the party sail has come to a
to see Gizcog and his boat approach offshore. He calls out to
standstill following a great calm. Without so much as a
them, offering to trade his wares from a distance. If players
breeze, sails hang with sorrow upon the masts and sheets
are clever enough or willing to undertake some ridiculous
sag between steel hoops as though resigned to some horrible
adventure cooked up by Gizcog himself, the gnome might
fate. One who is perceptive or good of hearing might hear a
be convinced to teleport them to “safety”. Or perhaps the
distant whistle. Upon investigating, they will discover that
party will find themselves in an “out of the pan and into the
the whistle issues from a sampan upon the flat horizon. At
fire” scenario of his making.
first it appears still, but observers soon realize it is in fact
moving despite its lack of sails. Strange little rowers move
at its sides as if of their own accord. A gnome rests upon
the deck, a smoking pipe between his lips and a fishing line
between his toes. The fishing line hangs over the boat’s edge.
At the wheel stands a pig with a sailor’s cap on its head and a
conche whistle in its mouth. When the sampan approaches,
Gizcog awakens from his reverie and is surprised to find a
ship in his path. He offers to trade at a distance, exchanging
goods for coin and other valuables using his mage hand.
When player characters aren’t looking, the sampan vanishes
like a phantom, a faint pop and bubbles the only signs of
its passing.

47
Wares & Trinkets
- Sam Poots & Kyle Gray -
Sailcloth Cloak
Wonderous item, very rare
(requires attunement)
This thin cloak of weathered sail cloth has been imbued with the
spirit of the seas and the grit of a sailor.

While wearing this cloak a creature has resistance to lightning and

thunder damage.

Additionally, you can cast the control water cantrip and once per day
can cast the gust of wind spell requiring no material components.

Iron Anchor Amulet

Wonderous item, rare (requires attunement)
A simple amulet of an iron anchor on a leather thong.

While you are wearing this item and attuned to it, you gain the
following benefits:
• You gain +1 bonus to AC while you are not wearing armor. You
can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
• You can speak, read, and write Aquan.
• You can breathe underwater.

Captain’s Leather Tricorn

Wonderous item, rare (requires attunement)
A brown leather tricorn hat with the Draconic rune for lightning
stitched in gold on one side.

While you are wearing this item and attuned to it, you can reroll a
Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) check but must
decide to reroll before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
Once this property has been used, it can’t be used again until the
next dawn. In addition, you gain proficiency with water vehicles.

48
 Flotsam Table
- John Siebuhr -
The oceans are full of flotsam, debris of sunken or destroyed ships, items lost in storms, wandering magical
devices, and the loot of creatures from below the waves. Some of the items that can be encountered are
incredibly valuable, while others, are simply floating pieces of garbage. Items on the table below represent
just some items that can be encountered.

These items can be used to further develop and make your world more naturalistic, or to pique the interest
of players as part of a smaller or larger quest line. GMs can pick items appropriate to the quest or simply
roll randomly on the table. If rolling randomly, roll a d100, on a 1-75 no items are encountered. On a 76-
100, roll again to randomly determine items from the table below.

Bloody Dagger

Wooden Mask
Ivory Totem

Jar of Dirt

Net

Single Arrow

49
1 A book, heavily damaged and unreadable. 23 An iron sphere hovers lazily just above the waves, moving to an
2 A bundle of torn and rotting cloth, appears to once have been unknown location. If touched, it deals 1d6 lightning damage,
a simple set of robes. Wrapped within the folds of the robes is a then becomes nonmagical and no longer hovers for 24 hours.
Wand of the War Mage +1. 24 A small canvas pouch containing several pieces of cork, 1d10
3 A wooden crate filled with straw and 1d4+1 bottles of unstable wooden coins, and 1d10 cp.
Alchemist’s Fire. When retrieving the crate, make a successful DC 25 The scale of some great sea creature.
13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to prevent the bottles from 26 A wrapped bundle of canvas, inside is a sprig of mistletoe.
jostling. On a failed check the bottles explode, dealing 1d4 fire
damage per bottle of Alchemist’s Fire to all creatures in a 15-foot 27 The painting of a ship at sea battling a kraken. The painting is
cube, including the creature who made the check. largely undamaged and seems unaffected by the sea water.
4 A ghostly translucent ship, it appears to be adrift without crew 28 A tangle of seaweeds.
or passengers. 29 A surprisingly buoyant large iron box. It takes a DC 14 Dexterity
5 A partially broken willow wand. Check to open the box with Thieves Tools. Inside contains a small
piece of parchment with the words “I.O.U” written on it.
6 A large iceberg. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check
can spot the iceberg during the day, a successful DC 18 Perception 30 The rust-colored claw of a giant crab.
check can spot the iceberg at night. If a ship strikes a large iceberg, 31 A wooden crate full of wanted posters and warrants.
the ship takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage.
32 A six-foot-long feather.
7 A roll of rotted sail, inside the bones of a skeleton and a rusted
33 A simple iron bottle wrapped in leather and lined with bits of
signet ring.
cork and strips of wood, inside contains a clouded liquid of
8 A glowing crystal orb, besides being exceptionally heavy, it is also unknown purpose. Roll a D6 to determine the contents of the
surprisingly buoyant. bottle. (1. Potion of Healing, 2. Potion of Greater Healing, 3. Oil
9 A coffin, covered in barnacles and with the name “Dralast” carved of Slipperiness, 4. Potion of Water Breathing, 5. Potion of Poison,
into the lid. 6. Sea Water)

10 A wax sealed bottle of wine. 34 A box of 2d6 ivory tusks, each tusk is worth 5 gp. In some areas,
selling ivory is considered illegal.
11 A 20-foot radius area of grease, pitch, or oil. This area slightly
discolors the sea water and is only a couple inches thick. If 35 A metal charm encased in a crystal sphere.
presented with significant heat or sparks, this area will ignite, 36 A bit of debris, covered in a swarm of rats.
dealing 2d6 fire damage to any creatures, ships, or unattended
37 A bloody dagger made from the fang of some large creature.
objects that remain in the area. This area burns for 1d6+2 rounds.
38 An ivory totem of a great serpent god, which emanates a dark
12 A torn flag bearing the emblem of the skull and crossbones.
power and slightly clouds the water around it.
13 A shield crafted from the shell of some giant turtle.
39 A canvas and straw doll.
14 A single arrow wrapped in red silk.
40 A chest. Reroll the d100, on a 1-50 the chest is a mimic, on a 51-
15 A small slightly charred wooden box, inside it is filled with equal 100 an ordinary empty chest.
parts sulfur and bat guano.
41 A huge iceberg. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check
16 An intricately carved oar, when placed in water it creates a can spot the iceberg during the day, a successful DC 18 Wisdom
soft melody. (Perception) check can spot the iceberg during the night. If a ship
17 A dark wooden quarterstaff, one end is marked with a strikes a huge iceberg, the ship takes 8d10 bludgeoning damage.
strange insignia. 42 A severed tentacle clutching a sword by the handle, it is unclear if
18 A copper stein, intricately carved with dancing fish and diving the former owner knew how to use the weapon.
birds. The stein also bears a strange emblem on the bottom. 43 A small simple wax sealed strongbox. It takes a DC 15 Dexterity
19 A bubble the size of a horse breaks the water’s surface, all creatures check to pick the lock with Thieves Tools. Inside contains a single
within 30 feet must make a successful DC 14 Constitution save diamond worth 300 gp.
or be sickened for 1d4 days. The odor is blunt and pungent, an 44 A Wizard’s spell book, which seems to be magically protected
unholy mingling of fish and fart. from the elements. This spell book is covered in fine satin and
20 An empty rowboat, inside are 2 gp. appears to have a magical shimmer. The words within the
book appear as unintelligible magical script for 1d6 days. The
21 A compass, a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a spell book contains the following spells: 1st level: mage armor,
hidden compartment. expeditious retreat, illusory script, silent image; 2nd Level: mirror
22 A Wizard’s spell book, which seems to be magically protected image, blur, phantasmal force, invisibility; 3rd Level: major image,
from the elements. This spell book is covered in the hide of hypnotic pattern.
an unknown creature and is painted with a white hand. The 45 A bundle of sticks and twigs wrapped with a 10-foot rope. The
spell book contains the following spells: 1st level: mage armor, positioning of the rope makes this bundle appear to be part of a
protection from good and evil, sickening ray, sleep; 2nd Level: ray larger structure.
of enfeeblement, blindness/deafness, darkness, invisibility; 3rd Level:
animate dead, stinking cloud. 46 A large wooden totem inlaid with gems and silver.

50
47 A dark green wooden mask with an iron strip over the nose. 75 A piece of parchment in a bottle. The parchment is largely
unintelligible symbols and markings with the only readable line
48 A wooden toy boat filled with wooden toy soldiers.
being, “The deep ones come”.
49 A small leather pouch containing several pieces of cork and 1d10
76 A copper bottle of acid. The bottle bears the mark of an infamous
gp. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the pieces
crime syndicate.
are only gold coated, counterfeit, and largely worthless.
77 A torn flag bearing the emblem of a now fallen ancient empire.
50 A floating cask of ale.
78 A solid lump of an unknown grey substance, if collected it proves
51 A water-tight leather pouch containing 1d10 sp. to be precious ambergris.
52 A wrapped piece of canvas, inside is a piece of jade bearing the 79 A mahogany writing table. A DC 13 Investigation reveals a sealed
emblem of an ancient malevolent deity. secret compartment in one of the drawers of the desk.
53 A key wrapped in bits of netting and empty bottles. 80 A severely damaged wooden shield.
54 A large blue diamond necklace floating on a door. The necklace 81 A large ballista. The ballista appears undamaged and is
is worth 120 gp. currently loaded.
55 A small water-logged box, inside is a gold locket engraved with 82 A Piton.
the name “Lorraine”.
83 A 10-foot Ladder.
56 A broken mast spar.
84 A burning orb, the flames of the orb do not generate heat or burn.
57 A fish trap set up with a taxidermied crab and rat fighting.
85 A piece of floating coral.
58 The cradle for some sort of large artillery piece or ballista. 86 A weathered board which has been severely gouged by what
59 A bundle of torn and rotting cloth, appears to once have been a appears to be claw marks.
magnificent and elegant set of robes. Wrapped within the folds of 87 A 10-foot pole with several manacles attached to it.
the robes is a severed hand missing the third finger.
88 A Wizard’s spell book, which seems to be magically protected from
60 The map to an ancient pirate treasure inside an old rum bottle. the elements. This spell book is covered in the iconography of
61 An empty raft, the raft appears to be made from palm tree logs various religious, and sometime competing, orders. The spell book
and heavily wrapped in vines. contains the following spells: 1st level: mage armor, comprehend
languages, detect magic, identify; 2nd level: see invisibility, augury,
62 A 30-foot length of rope. locate object, hold person; 3rd level: slow, clairvoyance.
63 A sealed clay urn, the insides of which is filled with ash. If opened 89 A small leather pouch containing several pieces of cork and 1d10
or broken, a ghost appears 1 hour later, vengeful to the individual pp. A DC 17 investigation check reveals the pieces are only
who opened or broke their urn. platinum coated, counterfeit, and largely worthless.
64 A small clay pot, which appears to be the current nest of a seagull.
90 A waterskin filled with pearls.
65 A worn peg leg. Can be used as a club.
91 A lute, with silver strings.
66 A Wizard’s spell book, which seems to be magically protected
92 A small ornate wax sealed strongbox. It takes a DC 20 Dexterity
from the elements. This spell book is covered in iron and shows
Check to pick the lock with Thieves Tools. Inside contains a single
signs of heavy charring. The spell book contains the following
diamond worth 500 gp.
spells: 1st level: mage armor, burning hands, magic missile, shield;
2nd level: flaming sphere, dragon’s breath, scorching ray, misty step; 93 An immovable rod, set unmoving three feet above the waves.
3rd level: fireball, fly.
94 A dead great shark, which appears to have several
67 A tangle of seaweeds, hidden inside is a rare translucent egg. enormous wounds.
68 A coral spear fashioned with anemones and seashells partially 95 Driftwood.
embedded in a plank of wood.
96 A jar of dirt.
69 A net.
97 A gargantuan iceberg. A successful DC 8 Wisdom (Perception)
70 A wax sealed scroll case. Roll a d6 to randomly determine the check can spot the iceberg during the day, a successful DC 18
contents. (1. Scroll of Water Walking, 2. Scroll of Water Breathing, Wisdom (Perception) check can spot the iceberg during the
3. Scroll of Tidal Wave, 4. Scroll of Gust, 5. A piece of parchment night. If a ship strikes a gargantuan iceberg, the ship takes 16d10
with one side bearing a black spot and the other an extensive list bludgeoning damage.
of names, 6. The scroll case is empty)
98 A small silk pouch containing several pieces of cork and 1d10 pp.
71 An empty backpack.
99 A sea stack, which appears to be covered in intricate carvings and
72 A plank of wood engraved with the outline of a raven and the religious iconography.
word “Lenore”.
100 A crystal spire extending 20-feet from the water, any magic
73 An ominous looking chair. within 60-feet is negated. If the spire is struck, it deals 4d6
74 A small leather pouch containing several pieces of cork and magical bludgeoning damage from an unseen mystical force to
1d10 gp. the creature who struck it.

51
Arcane Ink
- Kyle Gray -
A sailor’s skin often serves as a canvas for various tattoos. Whether
a history of adventures and lands they have visited or the ships
they have served on, every tattoo tells a story. As for sailors in more
fantastical regions of the multiverse…Well, they sometimes have
access to tattoos with something a little extra. While sailing the
breadth of the ocean one is bound to meet a sailor with a magical
tattoo…an inked talisman to assist in times of great need.

Such tattoos can help repel a pirate attack, reveal a safe route through
a storm, or show the way through uncharted waters. Below is a small
selection of some such tattoos.

Tattoo Attunement
As part of the attunement process, a magic needle is held to the
skin. When attunement completes the needle transforms into ink
which settles on the desired area and coalesces into the tattoo. When
attunement to the tattoo ends, the tattoo disappears and the needles
reappears in its place.

Serpent Strike
Wonderous item (tattoo), uncommon (requires
attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is acid green and forms the
pattern of a coiled serpent

Poison Strike. As a bonus action after taking the attack action you can
cause the serpent to rise from your skin and make a bite attack. The attack
uses your attack roll (Dexterity) and inflicts 2d4 poison damage on a hit.
Once used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn

52
 Milaris’s Guide
wonderous item (tattoo),
rare (requires attunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is a pale electric blue
and forms the pattern of an ornate compass rose.

Survival Instincts. The tattoo confers a better understanding of the

stars, sky, and land, granting advantage on all Survival checks related
to navigation.

Enhanced Guidance. You may cast Find the Path using the tattoo
and requiring no material components. Once used, it can’t be used
again until the next dawn.

Syranac’s Skull
Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires rttunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is pitch-black and forms the pattern
of a skull.

Deathly Strike. Once per round when making an unarmed strike you can add 1d4
necrotic damage to the damage rolled.

Sailors Bounty
Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires rttunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is a deep gold and forms the pattern of
a wooden chest.

Extraplanar Holding. You can use this tattoo to stow up to 12 items that can fit
in your hand in the extraplanar space inside the tattoo. As a bonus action you can
retrieve an item from the tattoo. When a creature breaks attunement or dies, all items
will appear scattered on the ground within 5 feet of the creature. If another item that
creates an extraplanar space is put inside the tattoo, the attuned creature takes 6d6
Force Damage and is immediately transported to a random location in the Astral Sea.
All items in the tattoo are likewise transported to random locations in the astral sea.
Additionally, the tattoo is destroyed.
Agerian’s Armory
Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires rttunement)
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is a deep red and forms the pattern
of pair of crossed sheathes.

Weapon Storage. You can use this tattoo to store up to 2 bladed weapons and
draw them for free. Additionally, if a bladed weapon is thrown, it will return to the
tattooed sheath at the end of the attuned creature’s turn. When a creature breaks
attunement or dies all bladed weapons will appear scattered on the ground within
5 feet of the creature.

53
 Arcane Artillery
- Kyle Gray -
Sailing across azure seas is a dangerous affair. Aside from threats posed by the might oceans eternal dance with
the moon and sky, anything from pirates to strange beasts could lurk just beyond the next wave. While at the
deep blue’s mercy, one must depend upon the strength of one’s ship and the dedication of one’s crew. Many
a captain has commissioned arcane crafters to improve ship armaments in the hopes of gaining an advantage
against a would-be attacker.

Ballista of Force
Siege equipment (ballista), rare
A ballista made of dark brown wood reinforced with engraved platinum bands and
set with small diamonds.

The ballista of force has 3 charges. As part of the loading action a creature can expend
one charge to empower the weapon’s payload. On a hit, the next attack made with the
ballista deals an additional 16 (3d10) force damage.

The ballista regains all expended charges daily at dawn.

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Elemental Cannon
Siege equipment (cannon), very rare
A large, iron cannon with arcane sigils of platinum embossed
on the surface.

The elemental cannon has 4 charges. As part of the loading

action a creature can expend one charge to empower the next
shot with elemental energy, choosing one of the following
damage types when it does so: acid, fire, cold, lightning, or
thunder. On a hit, the next attack made with the cannon deals
an additional 26 (4d12) damage of the chosen type.

The cannon regains all expended charges daily at dawn.

Flame Spewer Mangonel

Siege equipment (magonel), very rare
A mangonel fashioned from black wood and banded iron
plates. A metal cage inset with a red gem is attached to the
arm of the mangonel.

As part of the loading action a creature can activate the

magical effect of the mangonel, empowering the next shot
with the following effect: On a hit, the next attack made
with the mangonel deals an additional 21 (6d6) fire damage.
Additionally, each creature within 30 feet of the targeted space
must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21
(6d6) fire damage on a failure or half as much on a success.

Once used, this empowering property cannot be used

again until the next dawn.

55
The Olgoth Attack by Henrique DLD
 Kayleigh’s
Cauldron

- Kayleigh McLaughlin -

58
Welcome to Kayleigh’s Cauldron of Everything
that Matters...
Janet Forbes is CEO and co-founder of the ever-impressive World
Anvil application, a writing and world-building tool for game
masters and authors alike. With around 1.5 million users, it’s a well-
loved platform within the gaming community.

I caught Janet for a chat after she spent a busy week at GaryCon.
Janet is such an interesting person, and I had so many questions for
her, but World Anvil seemed like the logical place to begin.
From the early days, we’ve been very interactive with our
Tell me a little bit about how World Anvil (WA) got started? community. We would ask for their suggestions: Where do you
Where did the idea come from? want it to go? What do you think it should do? The real key for
World Anvil’s success is that we use it personally. I use it to write
Well, they say that necessity is the mother of invention. I’m a novels. I’m currently writing The Dark Crystal RPG. We use it for
novelist; I also play RPGs. As does my husband, Dimitris, who everything our users use it for, and we talk to them week by week.
is also a game master. I was writing this giant multi POV, world- We want them to feel heard, listened to. It’s important for people to
spanning fantasy novel and I had a Google Doc. It was 101 pages feel the tools are made for the job…custom made and adapted to
long. It crashed whenever I opened it. You see, world-building is not their needs. We listen and we learn.
linear, and Google Docs is. I would copy and paste from one page
to another, then edit in that section but forget to edit it in the other How Does WA Help GMs and Players Specifically?
section. I said to Dimitris, “I can’t do this, it’s impossible.”
As a player on World Anvil, you have a character sheet, the ability
He said, “Of course it’s impossible. You do not have the right tool to track your equipment, and a journaling feature that allows you to
for the job.” keep track of session notes but also allows you to turn those notes
into character point-of-views. One of the reasons that feature was
I thought about that. Now Dimitris’ background is in design and there so early is because I love doing that. You can also keep secret
computing, and social psychology. Trifecta! notes at the bottom that only your GM can see; you can exchange
secret notes, etc. Then there’s the social media style feed that you can
It took a couple of months and one holiday in Greece spent coding use to communicate within the party to meme it up, add quotes,
WA just for us both to use. There was nothing else out there to do add achievements, level up, etc. If something impactful happens
the job. Our friends said if we put it up online then they could to your character, you can add that there as well. Thus, creating a
use it, too. So, we put a Patreon behind it and decided if it can history of their timeline through images, posts, and quotes. It’s a
make enough money to pay its own server costs then we’ll leave really dynamic, interactive way to keep records of your character,
it up there. If not, fine, in 3 months we’ll take it down. Well, it but you can also interact with the world. So, we have this new thing
exploded. It went crazy in 2017, near the end of October. In one called memories where you can, as your character, go around the
month, we had 1000 people. In 3 months, we had 10,000, and it world and drop memories on different articles, saying, “This is the
just skyrocketed. We were not prepared for that. We both had jobs. place where this happened, or this is the place where that happened.”
I used to be a professional musician and Dimitris was working at a
large design agency. I quit my job at the beginning of 2018 when it The real power, of course, is for GMs. Even if you’re using a book,
became clear that it wasn’t possible to work a job and manage WA. even if you’re playing in a pre-existing setting like Golarion or
Forgotten Realms, you’re still creating your own stuff. You’re making
your own NPCs and your own villages where things happen. Most
GMs at some point in their GMing career like to get creative. It’s
It’s important for people really wonderful. Particularly, newer systems like D&D 5E are really
open to this. They encourage it. With games leaving so much space

to feel the tools are for that, you need a tool to help you write down the bits you’ve
made so you can keep track. It creates permanence and the feeling of

made for the job. a persistent world, so you can create a proper suspension of disbelief.

59
 I’ve played a lot of TTRPGs, I mean
I still have so many sitting on my
shelf I still need to play.
If you walk into a bar and yesterday the barmaid was called Dora has one eye, and we will read books together. I will read to him and
and today she’s called Brian, it doesn’t feel like a real world. The right now we are re-reading the Complete Kobold Guide to Game
more consistent you keep your world, the more your players feel Design (by Kobold Press), and that is in our spare time; work related
they can make real-world decisions. They feel they can leverage but something we both love…and outside of WA. It’s tough when
the principles of that world, and that’s critical, particularly in your hobby becomes your job and when your husband becomes
collaborative storytelling. They need that security in order to care the co-founder of your business, and it’s tough when your office is
about that world. at home. It does teach you a lot about how you can work together,
how you can resolve conflicts, and how you can move forward even
So, WA offers all sorts of tools for that, whether you’re just building when you both disagree…It has, in the long run, been very good.
a few villages in Golarion, making your own setting using D&D Not always plain sailing, I won’t say that. But, I will say that nobody
5E, or even making your own complete system from scratch. has ever wanted to jump out of the boat.

How do you find managing a business with your husband? It’s Now, I also wanted to ask about novels. I know you’re an author.
not often talked about; I’m interested to hear as my husband, Can you tell us a little bit about your writing and what you’re
and I, too, manage business together. currently working on?

It’s been very interesting. Before WA, Dimitris and I used to do a blog I’ve dabbled with a few things. I was very committed to getting a
together called Lost Kingdom. It still surprisingly gets a lot of hits. It novel to the query stage and then WA landed in my lap. WA is a job
basically talks a lot about the historical world. My background is a and a half by itself, maybe two jobs. So, for a while I was juggling
little bit in archaeology, so we talked a bit about the historical world WA and a performance career and writing at the same time. I would
and world-building and how you can bring them together and find sit in the green room in full opera costume writing my novel right
inspiration from history in order to do world-building essentially. until I heard the call. Then I’d turn around and walk on stage and
So, we were already working together on that project, and we’ve sing. And then I’d come home and do WA social media.
worked together on a few other little bits and pieces.
That was a really crazy time. WA has started to stabilize a bit more;
It’s been interesting. (We both laugh). we’re learning a lot more…about what works and what doesn’t work
and what we need to do and what we can do. We’ve been lucky
I’m a very Alpha personality and Dimitris is a very Alpha personality, recently to expand the team just a little bit which has been very
and that’s absolutely fine when we work in different groups. So, helpful…I train people up and can delegate things, and that gives
yeah, we do have different approaches sometimes, and we do have to me a little bit more time.
come to compromises. It has definitely been a learning experience.
There have been a few rows – it’s not unusual. Honestly, it’s kind And just as that was all happening, I got the call to write The Dark
of like our baby I guess, that’s how we feel about it. Our little baby Crystal RPG. It’s worth mentioning, during last year, I had Covid.
Anvil wakes us up in the middle of the night...(laughs). It’s definitely I had major oral surgery and there were lots of complications, and
brought us closer together, and while we were both interested in this then I moved from the UK to Greece. All in 2020, during Covid. It
before, it has really galvanized us in our interests and in the things was completely insane. Big life stuff essentially and the TDC RPG.
that we work on. We bounce ideas off each other. Now I’m almost wrapped up with that which is great, I’m excited
about. That will be handed over to Henson & River Horse and then
The biggest challenge has been taking the WA hat off sometimes I’m hoping I can get back to writing novels again.
because when we work from home and you live with the person
you work with as well, it’s very hard to hang your hat up at 5pm I write a lot of fantasy, I write a lot of science fantasy, but I write a
and leave the office. Making enough space for everything else in our lot of historical fantasy as well. I have a few different settings, one of
life that is not WA and not letting it take over, and really, it’s just which is set in the 18th century, sort of magical realism, adventure
that we love it so much. My husband is partially sighted, he only

60
stuff. I have another setting which is pure fantasy but medieval
inspired. That was one of the settings that kicked off WA because
it was the one where I had the document that crashed. So, I toy
with a lot of different things but that is generally the space I write
in. It tends to be fantasy, more historical fantasy. My mom is an
archaeologist, and my father is an archaeologist and anthropologist.
As a child, I spent lots of time in a trench…excavating, particularly
in southern Italy, so I’ve always been fascinated with the past. Then
my degree was in historical music, so it’s always been an area I’ve
been super interested in. I think you can tell very modern stories
in historical settings, and I think that is really what I’m interested
in: telling the stories that people need to hear now but one or two
steps removed so as to soften the blow a little bit. Because you know
what? There are some hard stories people need to hear right now.

We have a lot of professionals on the Sage tier (on World Anvil) who
are trying to turn their creativity into a career, to really launch their
world, their settings and their books. We tell them to remember that
no book is written for everyone. Not everyone will love your book,
but if you love your book, chances are somebody else will too.

What TTRPGs do you play, and have you got a favorite?

I’ve played a lot of TTRPGs. I mean, I still have so many sitting on

my shelf I still need to play.

I recently got into Through the Breech which is published by Wyrd

Games. It’s a really fun system. It has a mechanic whereby your
characters level up until they retire, in a way. It’s more like a movie
and less like a TV series in a way. That allows you to do a lot of epic
things because these people aren’t staying around forever. One way
or another, they’re getting shoved off the board. It’s quite niche right
now which I think is a shame. But a really interesting world with
really interesting art.

Recently, I’ve been playing a lot of Pathfinder 2. I originally cut my

teeth on D&D 2e when I was in school, which was a long time ago.
I was about 10 when I started playing. Then I had a bit of a hiatus.
As an adult I came back to D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder 1e. That was
a really fun system. What we call a gritty system. More mechanical
options for your characters, whereas in D&D 5th edition its quite
streamlined so one level 3 paladin looks a lot like another level 3
paladin mechanically. In Pathfinder that’s not the case because there
are different cogs and wheels you can add to your character. There
are so many choices, you can really create any number of 3rd level
paladins and they all look completely different. Very interesting.
Super cool for around the table, not great for a streamed game
because it’s a bit more complicated.

I don’t think I have a favorite. You wouldn’t want to read the kind
of book that is cozy by the fire on a winter’s evening, on the beach

61
right, which is not the kind of book you want to read in a classroom,
so I feel the same with RPG systems. The right system for the right The right system for the
right group for the right
group for the right circumstance, if you can get the best fit you will
get the best experience. That’s my take on that.

If you haven’t got a favorite RPG, do you have a favorite character

that you’ve played?
circumstance, if you can
I was very fortunate to play for WoTC in two different series…
get the best fit you will
that they used to promote Ghosts of Saltmarsh and Descent into
Avernus. These were two big launches and they commissioned get the best experience.
streams with players to showcase the product, what they were
releasing, and how cool it was. And it was pretty cool, and it was
fun to play. I think those two characters were very much created as
performance characters, so they weren’t characters for around the
table game where they might be a little…deeper and more complex.
These were very BIG, out-there characters. For GOSM, I created
a mermaid paladin called Lhuuna “Luna” P’hascarian. She was
completely mad. Her role was first officer of the ship, so she was in
charge of morale. In the system we used there were a lot of things
where the higher the morale the better the crew performed…So, she
was obsessed with karaoke. She sang little songs to herself. One of
them was about banana daiquiris.

I really enjoyed chatting with Janet and learned a lot about World
Anvil I hadn’t already known despite using it myself. A lot of her
sentiments reverberated since I help run Penny Dragon Games with
Paddy. Running a creative company together can be challenging but
is also very rewarding.

If you’re big into world building and haven’t already, check out
World Anvil. From the Galactic Sentinel and Max Miller science
fiction novels to the world of Andovan in our TTRPG publications,
we’ve used World Anvil for years and would be completely lost
without it. And their community truly is one of the best!

Check in next time when I chat with

Dragna Carta about Gothic Horror and
things that go bump in the night!
See you there.

62
 Guest Feature:
Guest Feature: Benjamin Palmer
Benjamin Palmer

Sea Adventures
The Shipwreck of the Sea Mephit is an adventure designed by Benjamin Palmer. Below is an excerpt from that adventure.
You can get the full adventure and more over on his website: www.adventuresawaitstudios.com

Excerpt
Shipwreck of the Sea Mephit is intended for four characters with Hired Hands. The party was hired to protect the ship against pirate
an average party level (APL) of 3. Characters who complete this attacks. They were granted free passage to Lustra and then Valhenge
adventure should earn enough experience to reach 4th-level. and promised a bonus if they repelled any pirates encountered along
The characters are aboard a ship when it wrecks in a storm and the way.
must survive until rescued. This campaign takes place in Arden,
although it can be set in your own world. Any party composition Guarding the Package. The party was hired to escort a package from
should be able to finish the adventure with intelligent play. Lustra to Valhenge. Their transport aboard the Sea Mephit was paid
for in advance and they’re supposed to meet up with a contact once
the boat docks.
Background
The Scattered Isles is a collection of small uninhabited islands Sailing the High Seas
between Lustra and Dennmarsh. Merchant ships often navigate the
waters between the two, ferrying goods to and from both cities. The The characters find themselves on the main deck of a cargo ship
journey is usually peaceful, although occasionally pirates do harass called the Sea Mephit. It’s currently on its way to Lustra where the
ships that stray too far from the normal shipping lanes. The weather captain plans on picking up a load of Lustrian spice before heading
in the Isles can be a tad unpredictable at times, and it’s not unheard south to Valhenge. The trip all in all should take about two weeks
of for a ship to go missing every now and then. This is part of what so they have settled in for a relaxing journey. The sun is about to set,
drives the cost of goods between the two port cities and makes so they head below deck to find a way to pass the time until they
the route such a profitable one. Many merchant ships also act as feel tired enough to sleep. Each party member should choose where
passenger vessels, turning excess storage and crew space into bunks they want to spend the next few hours. They can choose from any
for adventurers looking for quick and cheap transport across the of the following:
sea. The characters find themselves onboard one such ship, the Sea • The Living Quarters
Mephit. It’s currently in the heart of the Scattered Isles making its
way to Lustra first followed by Valhenge to the far south. No pirates • The Mess Hall
have been seen, but there’s a hint of a storm brewing on the wind • The Cargo Hold
and things can take a bad turn rather quickly out here on the sea.
• The Captain’s Ready Room

Adventure Hooks • The Captain’s Quarters

A Leisurely Voyage. The party is headed for Valhenge, but they have Attempts to gain access to the Captain’s Quarters require a DC 15
some time to kill so they opted for a cheap but roundabout way to Charisma (Persuasion) check. If a character fails this check, their
get there. They plan on stopping in Lustra for a day or so before entry is refused and they are sent to either the Living Quarters, Mess
heading to their true destination. Hall, or Cargo Hold (choose randomly). Let the players roleplay a
bit with the crew and then, for each location, the party members
will roll percentile dice to see how things proceed…

Benjamin from Adventures Await Get full adventure by Benjamin Palmer!

Benjamin Palmer is a professional game designer based out of Fort Worth,

TX. He's been playing D&D for over fifteen years and currently writes fifth CLICK HERE
edition compatible adventures over on his website and Patreon. He's also the
lead designer behind the upcoming Torch & Dagger RPG system.
 War of
Worldcraft
Part 2: Worldbuilding Tools
- Paddy Finn -
Last time we talked about laying the foundation of your new world, but like any building project,
world-building is easier when you have the right tools for the job. Those tools needn’t be expensive or
fancy. Sometimes a project calls for nothing more than a hammer and nails. Let’s figure out what tolls
we’ll need before tackling the frame.

The wide selection of available worldbuilding tools can prove a challenge. With the growing
popularity of TTRPGs, self-published novels, and other avenues of creative outlet, there are more
worldbuilding tools than you could ever fit in your worldbuilding toolbox! Cue analysis paralysis.

Over the years, I’ve tried and tested numerous many of those tools. Many lacked something essential,
but a few came close to the mark, and I feel like I’ve got a handle on some of the best tools for the job.
What those are might surprise you. And best of all, these tools are accessible.

64
Notebook Cartography
An oldie but a goldy, there is just something special about the tactile Worldbuilding would be a little on the bland side without a
experience of taking notes with pen and paper. Perhaps that’s why neat map or two…or ten. Maps add a whole new dimension to
most authors and GMs I know have mountains of worldbuilding your world. Most importantly, maps contribute to your world’s
notebooks. If you need to create a city or a few NPCs on the fly, immersion. Who doesn’t remember flicking back and forth through
whip out that paper and get writing. The Hobbit to track how far Bilbo Baggins and his companions
had travelled from the Shire while imagining what it was like to
Notebooks are perfect for jotting down ideas, scrawling shorthand navigate the tunnels under the Misty Mountains or travel the
notes, and working through problems. They lend themselves to Elf-path through Mirkwood? In my teens, I spent as much time
the chaotic side of world building. That’s to say, getting all that pouring over the maps in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series as I
unrefined goodness out of your head. did reading the text.

Though notebooks are great for stream of consciousness and Part 4 of War of Worldcraft will dive into the specifics of cartography
getting the cogs turning, they aren’t a great solution for recording or and explore several powerful map-making tools. But even a hastily
displaying refined information. They quickly become cluttered and sketched coastline can breathe fresh air into your world. So, in the
unwieldy. That leads us to the humble notebook’s greatest weakness: spirit of keeping things as accessible, one can never go wrong with
You can’t index or search a physical book as easily as a digital file. pen and gridded paper.

A gridded notebook is perfect for sketching up a quick dungeon,

Some people have closets full village, or encounter map.

One can spice things up a bit with Photoshop or one of the many
of clothes. GMs have closets map-making tools you can find online, but a notebook is a great
way to get your bearings before adding details.
full of notebooks. Alternative
- Unknown
Inkarnate. There are a growing number of tools for cartography, but
at Penny Dragon Games we use Inkarnate for most things. Having
Alternative tried several cartography programs, Inkarnate stands out as the most
versatile for our use. You can whip up a dungeon in minutes or
Word Processors offer a great alternative to the notebook. With
spend a little more time working in some detail for the next village
everything being saved in the Cloud these days, it’s difficult to lose
your party will enter. It’s great for creating polished maps that add
files typed up on your device of choice. But just like the notebook,
a nice visual reference to any world bible. Speak of world bibles…
they, too, become cumbersome and clunky. As your file grows,
and it will grow fast, it eventually begins to crash, and few things
are worse than a crash when the words are flowing. The biggest
problem, however? Digital documents are also a nightmare when it
comes to search. You can’t use a linear solution for a non-linear task
such as Worldbuilding. So, what do you do? Worry not, for we will
get to that in the World Bible section below. Note-taking apps like
Trello, OneNote, and Evernote offer a greater deal of flexibility in
arranging parts of your world, but even those become frustrating to
use when your world reaches a certain size. If you’re going to invest
a ton of time in building a world, you may as well use a tool made
for the job.

65
World Bible Wiki
A world bible is a place to record your lore, organize your timelines, The true power of World Anvil lies in how it records and presents
and store your maps. What world bible should you use? Well, as the information. Every article you create will have multiple links to
old saying goes, “All roads lead to World Anvil.” First, I want to be related articles and so on, just like a Wikipedia page. This means
clear. World Anvil have never sponsored Mag of Holding or any every reference is available at a click. When you review a location
Penny Dragon Games publication for that matter. But in case you or character you haven’t looked up in a while, this is useful since
haven’t already noticed, I really believe in their product. It has saved everything that connects them to your world is available at
me countless hours and tears of frustration. In fact, it is the most your fingertips.
powerful tool in my worldbuilding arsenal, and when it came to
planning this article, I knew it would feature heavily.

My worldbuilding process is straightforward. I write a bunch

of notes and ideas in a notebook. I draw rough maps and other
sketches in another notebook. I refine and upload my notes and
sketches to World Anvil. It feels like a lot of work at the time, but it
saves an obscene amount of effort in the long run.

Anytime a fellow author or GM asks about worldbuilding, I always

recommend World Anvil.

World Anvil quickly grew in popularity and has evolved over the
years to include a host of useful tools and features. Essentially, it is a
worldbuilding and writing tool for authors and GMs. You can even
invite players to view your world, controlling their access so they
only see what you want them to see. It offers tools for players to take
notes and record character memories and attach them to locations.
I can’t think of a better worldbuilding tool for GMs.

Using the example above, I can find out everything I need to know
about Masons Hollow from where it is located to who lives there.

All you have to do is click on the references. And before you know
it, you’re lost down the worldbuilding rabbit hole.

Interactive Map
The interactive map is one of the functions that first drew me to
World Anvil. You can upload maps, create labels, and pin notes. But
that’s not all! You can also create map layers. For example, the top
layer can be your world map. When you click on a kingdom, it will
load the map of that kingdom. When you click on a city, it will load
the map of that city and so on and so forth. Think of it as a Google
Maps for your world. This is an incredibly powerful tool for keeping
everything neat and tidy when building your world. I’ve used it to
good effect for mapping out the sewers under Minhelm.

66
 These are the functions I use the most, but they are only the tip of
the iceberg.

You can create an account for FREE with tons of useful features.
The interface can be a little intimidating at first, but I promise if you
stick with it for a few days, you won’t regret it!

As stated at the outset, there is nothing crazy to see here. And there
is no need to fork out hundreds of dollars for stacks of books or
custom worldbuilding systems. Just some paper, pens and pencils,
and a free World Anvil account. There are tons of other world-
crafting tools out there, but these 3 are all you need to build your
world! So, there’s no excuse. Let’s get building!

World Anvil also had a great timeline tool to help you check where
your world is in the stream of time at a glance. This is extremely
useful when needing to recall history or lore about a certain character
or location.

Exercise
Write a short paragraph about a small village in your world
in your notebook or word processor.

Draw a rough map laying out that village. Keep it simple.

Upload these details to your Free World Anvil account.

Before you know it, your World Anvil project will have
hundreds of easily searchable pages with accessible references
that will help bring your world to life.

Stay tuned next time when we tear into the meat of worldbuilding
with Part 3: Genre, Setting, & Theme.

What world-crafting tool have you found to be most useful?

Let me know at [email protected]

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Bard’s Corner

Jokes Pirate pickup lines

How do pirates know they exist? They think, Baby, you unfurl my sails.
therefore they ARRRGH!
How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?
3.14% of sailors are PIrates!
I've crushed seventeen pirate’s skulls between
Why couldn’t the pirates play cards? Because the these thighs!
Captain was standing on the deck.
Come help me bury me treasure.
What did the first mate find down the toilet?

har
The Captain’s log! One look at you and a shiver went up me timber...

Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Land a…

har
Land a who?
No, land a hoy!

har
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Cutting Words
for Pirates…
- Thomas Smith -
Here are quilled insults sharper than a pirate’s much longer. I plan to kill you." (This may
cutlass. We have included a translation from actually be the case or could merely be a
pirate into common for those with less distracting threat)
than an ideal intelligence score. Use at your
own peril. Pirate: I see fear in yer eyes and yer right to
fear. Me and me crew will show you the true
Pirate: Yer mother is a seagull and your meaning of a 'Jolly Roger'.
father smells like an untarred plank.
Translation: I mean to put doubt in
Translation: The stock from which you were your mind regarding your current level
born is of questionable quality. of confidence, whilst at the same time
inflating my own; via the use of this unsubtle
Pirate: Yer face looks like the back of a double entendre.
scabby seabass.
Pirate: Avast ye! You have the curse'd
Translation: Your appearance is most countenance of a scurvy Bilge Rat.
unpleasant, and you smell like semi-decayed
fish guts. Translation: Your attention please! I put it
to you that you are less attractive than you
Pirate: Haha Land Lubber! Yah have all the think, by comparing you to a variation on
grace and poise of a beached whale and less the creature 'Rattus Rattus', that are often
of its wit! found living aboard ships.

Translation: I laugh at you, person of Pirate: Yarr! You strike with all the power
no obvious sea faring experience. In my of a tavern wench. Perhaps I should
opinion you are somewhat cumbersome, beat you unconscious with me ole Tally
lacking in both agility and posture. I also Wacker instead?
think you might be severely challenged on a
quantifiable scale of intelligence. Translation: Exclamation! I mean to
disparage your physical prowess negatively,
Pirate: Yeh be flailing about with that by comparing you to a girl that works in a
(insert opponents currently held weapon as drinking establishment I have frequented. I
necessary) like a drowning man. Nah worry, would further distract your train of thought
I'll soon send ye down to Davy Jones Locker. by placing the mental image of me beating
you to a state of unconsciousness with the
Translation: It is doubtful that you have contents of my pantaloons! Try getting eight
been properly trained in the use of that hours of rest with that thought ticking about
weapon, but don't worry. You won't have to in your subconsciousness…
put up with this embarrassing lack of skill

69
 Esai’s
New Ship - Chris Black -

70
 Esai’s New Ship
Esai thought of the sibilance of cutting waves, the whisper of an oar as it sliced
through surf. It reminded her of a sword parting flesh, the moment when the blade
caught, and the slightest resistance tugged on your muscles. She longed to trail a
hand in the water, feel the balmy warmth of the Sapphire Sea course through her
fingers. But since the iron on her wrists would have pulled her under, she set the
thought aside. Instead of mooning over whispering tides, she bunched her muscles
for another pull on the oar. A whipcrack sounded in perfect time, not far from her
back. Down the line a cry of pain set Esai huddling in her seat, though she knew
the danger had passed. Steersman Reed was in a fine mood, but his temper rolled an
unpredictable course.
‘Look lively, dogs! You don’t want to be late for Lord Kelligan’s justice, do you?’
The Steersman barked a harsh laugh, though no one else found the joke especially
funny. ‘Oh, don’t be sour, a whole new life awaits those with the will to earn it.’
Esai drifted away as the Steersman began to pontificate over his marvelous Lord.
She’d heard enough of Kelligan’s endless virtues to last a lifetime. Even through
the minor irritation of Reed’s speech, Esai gave thanks that the Captain hadn’t yet
taken his daily stroll. Despite the blazing sun, despite the heat from her overworked
shoulders, Esai’s spine flashed a chill that almost rattled down her arms. She put the
Captain at almost seven feet tall, an attribute terrifying enough were you to face him
with a blade. But the man’s size didn’t scare Esai. She’d killed bigger folks with about
as much effort as it took to pull an oar.
There was something indefinable about the Captain, a greyness that leaked across
the deck whenever he took his daily rounds, one gem-encrusted finger tapping on
the head of a bone white cane. His boot heels and that gentle rapping were the only
sound when he walked the deck. Even Reed’s parade-ground voice faded to a squeak,
and by the seas, Esai began to miss it. When that cane rested on a prisoner’s shoulder,
they’d be too terrified to even cry. No one would turn their heads as the unfortunate

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 soul was taken from their chains, marched to the Captain’s quarters. There was never
any screaming, never any sound at all, save the rhythm of the cane. But sound or
no, the vacated seat would remain empty as the days passed, and the other prisoners
would have to pull all the harder for it.
One more heave on the oar set Esai wondering why she pulled at all. Every stoke
carried her closer to Kelligan’s noose, further from the water. The sea was where she
belonged, and in all her years she’d never imagined a whip could force her from it.
Yet here she was, bending her back to her own death. But what could she do? With
the Lord’s justice ahead of her and the Grey Captain behind, choices were in short
supply, and she reckoned going to the Captain’s cabin gave her less chance of survival
than swinging from a yardarm by her neck.
‘What’s wrong girl, my words boring you?’
Esai blinked. Reed stood to her side on the deck above her bench, whip coiled
in his hand like a waiting viper. Her skin tingled at the sight of it. She was about
to answer when a woman further up the bench spoke first, and Esai realised the
Steersman wasn’t talking to her.
‘No, Steersman.’
The woman’s voice was as flat as a summer doldrum, the emotion carved from
it by exhaustion and the kind of weariness only chains could bring. Reed’s mouth
worked like a crab eating shrimp, too many pieces moving all at once. Esai had never
met a Dwarf with a sailing bone in their body. She wondered if that explained Reed’s
temper. His hand flexed and the cat-o-nine tails slipped from his fingers with a quiet
whisper. Unlike the sound of wave through prow, a very different promise nestled in
its tone.
‘I’ve never liked you, girl. Always too slow to the oar on your shift. Always giving
me the hard eye. There’s no bright future for you once you step from this boat. But
my Lord Kelligan, he says no one’s ever lost so long as they can learn. You just need
to find the right lesson.’
Esai sighed and rose to her feet, leaving the oar to drag in the water. It smacked
into the knees of an outraged Estran, his curses as dark as the storm gathering on
Reed’s weathered features.
‘Tell us the one where Lord Kelligan mounted you like a donkey, Steersman.
That’s always good for a laugh.’
Reed turned his hurricane eyes on Esai. From behind the dwarf, some of the

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crew laughed aloud, safe in their anonymity. No one in the oar pit made a sound.
Too enraged for words, but just angry enough to send a wave of spittle past his lips,
Reed’s arm snapped back to open Esai’s flesh from ear to rib. That was when the
Olgoth hit them.
There’s a great deal to say about Olgoths and not a lot of it pretty. But that’s to be
expected of a creature made of spines and teeth that ought to stay at the bottom of its
trench where it bloody well belongs. Esai’s half turn to cushion the Steersman’s first
blow gave her an eyeful of the monstrosity, a horror she’d only ever heard drunken
sailors whisper about over tankards of cheap ale in dark taverns. It looked as though
an oil-slick island was carving through the waves towards them, a bow of water
pushed along its front. A ridge of spines ran along its back, curving in upon the
Olgoth’s black flesh. This struck Esai as odd, until she realised they weren’t spines.
They were teeth. The Olgoth’s maw opened like a clamshell, the whole length of its
back a pink, fang-encrusted travesty that heaved in water as though it were a hole in
the ocean floor. A deep gurgling filled the air, and the crew watched as little snaking
tendrils of black oozed along the waves towards the boat. Even Reed had frozen, his
nine tails limp in his hand.
The ship rocked with a concussive impact, wood splintering with the crack of a
broken nose. Reed flew through the air, colliding with the mast along his way. Esai
was still chained to the oar bench, the pit sunk waist high below the deck. She could
feel the worrying touch of water curl around her toes, warm and frothing and tinged
with black tendrils from the Olgoth’s passage. At their midnight caress, her fellow
captives started screaming.
The first man to turn sour looked like he’d use an oar as a toothpick. A Sundran,
face tattoos sweeping over cheeks that somehow had muscles on them. The size of
him never stopped his tears though, and they came black as tar as the Olgoth’s poison
filled his veins. He jerked toward Esai like a marionette, hands clenching in their
manacles. Esai leapt onto her bench. She looped her own chains around her forearm
and bared her teeth, more to keep from shitting herself than to scare the Sundran
off. He’d be something worse than dead now. Time to make him just dead. Esai
waited until the Sundran’s chains stretched close to taut, then vaulted into the air.
The Sundran’s arms rose for a cold embrace, then snapped to a halt as his shackles
rattled. Esai twisted, landing with her legs dangling over his shoulders. Before the
necromantic husk could step back, she set to sawing at his neck with her chains, arms

73
 bulging as she fought to close his windpipe. Esai wasn’t sure the thing still needed
air, but eventually it staggered under her, stupidly trying to raise its manacled arms
to clear her. When it toppled backward, she fell with it, doused in the wash of the
Sapphire Sea’s tides.
Esai gained her feet, spluttering. The Olgoth’s contagion had cleared away, but
the damage was done. Across the ship, sailor fought monster, the Steersman’s crew
arm in desperate arm with their former prisoners. And they were losing, badly. Every
time a husk fell, another rose to take its place, lurching across the deck with murder in
each drunken step. Some of them were missing limbs, some were stuck through with
cutlasses or crossbow bolts. On the whole, they didn’t seem to mind.
As she tried to figure a way free from her chains, the Olgoth solved her problem
for her. Esai looked up as the business end of a mace-like tentacle eclipsed the sun,
momentarily shocking the defenders into stillness. Esai heard the screams as they
lost a few more to that surprise, heard the wet thump of decaying fist on yielding
flesh. But she had no time to think, less still to pity. She moved to the extremity
of her chains and crouched behind a bench, just as the tentacle smashed the hull
asunder. The air filled with splinters and the smell of cracked wood. The galley gave
a sickening lurch, then somehow righted itself, taking on more water in the process.
Esai was on her feet before she finished praising the gods. She’d save the cursing
for when she made it out. She was about to vault on deck, the gleam of cutlass pulling
her eye, when a gurgled cry for help caught her. One of the lurchers was holding a
man’s head underwater, forearms flexing as they worked to pin him down. Esai was
about to leave when she saw the faint tattoo on the sole of the drowning man’s foot,
flailing in the water as he died. A skull embedded in a five-pointed star, the symbol
of a necromancer. Her curses boiled free, and she stalked toward him, shouldering
a dying prisoner from her path. When the Olgath had smashed the hull, a piece of
Esai’s bench had broken free, luckily the part she was chained to. In a pinch, it made
a handy weapon. She swung the bench around her head, letting the chains take the
strain. It whistled as it gained momentum, spinning like a flail in the hand of a
mounted knight.
‘Hey, swamp eyes!’ given her limited experience, Esai wasn’t sure if the undead
responded to goading, but when there’s naught but fear and desperate stupidity
to keep you alive, it’s good to fall on old habits. Esai’s habits included insults and

74
violence. When the lurcher looked up the bench tore its face to pieces, smearing black
ooze across the oar pit.
‘Nerhu’s blackened teeth.’ The necromancer spat saltwater from a thin mouth,
his dark, lank hair plastered across his milky face. He pointed past Esai’s shoulder.
‘Look out!’
Esai leapt aside as a lurcher tried to grab her from behind. She kicked it in the
ribs, then as it fell, brought the bench down on its throat.
‘Ah, I suppose we’re even now. The name is Immidarus, master of undeath and
all kinds of bones. Pleased to meet you.’ The wizard offered a wide smile along with
a skinny hand.
Esai stared at him. She still wasn’t sure why she’d saved him, but there was a slim
chance he’d know how to drive the Olgoth away without feeding it everyone aboard.
There had to be a reason a creature from the deepest bowels of the sea was attacking
a simple prison galley.
‘We’ll be even when you get us off this wreck. First things first, can you kill these
lurchers?’
‘Technically they’re already de—’
Esai slapped him in the face, which strained more muscles than it ought since
she was dragging a wooden plank around.
‘Can you make them more dead and less undead?’
Immidarus rubbed his jaw, giving her a hurt stare. ‘No need for that! I was only
trying to be precise. As to our little problem, we’d have to kill whoever’s controlling
the Olgoth, otherwise those things will just keep coming. Or kill the beast itself.’ He
gave a short laugh, which summed up the odds of that.
‘What do you mean “whoever’s controlling the Olgoth?”’
The wizard shrugged, then ducked as a severed arm flew across the pit. ‘There’s
another necromancer out in the water. I think he’s after something in the Captain’s
cabin.’
Esai hissed. ‘What something would that be?’
‘Not sure. It’s giving me a headache though, which means it’s probably worth
killing an entire ship’s worth of people for.’ The wizard grinned. ‘Maybe we should
get it first?’
Like most folks, Esai knew mages were most dangerous when they started
talking sense. She didn’t trust necromancy, which seemed perfectly reasonable given

75
 the current situation, but sometimes a knife at your back is better than one at your
throat. She nodded to Immidarus, tried hard not to think of the Grey Captain and
his cane. She failed.
‘Captain’s rooms then. You’ll know what you’re looking for?’
The mage grinned again. ‘Oh, I should think so.’

***

Immidarus wasn’t used to climbing, but it seemed Esai was born to it. Before they’d
embarked on their assault, he’d tried to prod the muscles of her arms surreptitiously,
just to make sure she wasn’t lying about her old crew calling her “Spider.” She’d nearly
broken his arm, which was probably proof enough of her strength, but it never hurt
to check when the alternative was being eaten by a creature with a face like a rubbish
heap. In an ironic twist, it was his arms that seemed to be failing, clasped as they were
around Esai’s leather-brown neck. They had shimmied halfway across the galley’s aft,
almost within sight of the bay windows housing the Captain’s suite. With the battle
still raging above, Immidarus decided to give Esai some encouragement.
‘Nehru’s rotten balls, are we nearly there? I think my arms are about to fall off.’
Esai grunted. ‘Your precious arms are currently closing my windpipe, so quit
whining or I’ll bite your fingers off.’
It wasn’t true of course. She couldn’t reach his fingers. After another excruciating
few seconds, Immidarus set a foot upon an ornate window ledge and tried to sneak a
glance inside while his companion caught her breath. And there it was. Sitting pretty
on an absurdly ornate map table, the reason he was on this boat.
‘The barrel,’ said Immidarus, voice all longing and no patience. It hadn’t changed
since he’d last laid eyes on it. A simple wooden cask fashioned from a section of
hollowed oak; a grave digger’s shovel held fast to its side by two metal hoops. He
couldn’t see it, but he could imagine the fox skull on the barrel’s front, its empty
sockets staring at nothing and everything. Immidarus felt his hand move the skin
pouch he’d sewn into his chest, felt the power of the rubies bleed through his fingers.
‘My barrel.’
Esai squeezed beside him, pressed her nose to the glass. The room seemed nestled
in shadow, as though the Olgoth had already pushed its way inside. Immidarus could
hear pounding on the door, muffling the screams of those dying on the deck. He

76
reached out with his senses, questing for the Captain, waiting for the winds of magic
to carry his scent. But the room was a void, cold as the deepest ocean trench. This was
somewhat concerning, given the man inside should be burning like a beacon given
the power at his command. After all, no one stole from Immidarus without a solid
grasp of sorcery’s finer points. Particularly the sharp ones.
The warrior at his side rolled her shoulders, calloused hands digging into the
wood of the window frame.
‘Seems like an awful lot of trouble for an empty cask, mage.’
‘Not everything gets better when it’s full of wine, young lady. I learned that
from my good old daddy, and not one of his easier lessons.’ Immidarus spared a
momentary thought for his late father. Perhaps leaving his reanimated corpse in a
gibbet for half a century was a little harsh, but after a certain amount of time these
things just became so awkward. Besides, he’d always hated confrontation. ‘Besides, I
don’t think it’s empty. Not anymore. Now, we just need to wait—’
The rather abrupt interruption came in the form of the doors splintering open.
Wood and light spilled inside, followed by a mob of angry lurchers. Of course,
they weren’t actually angry -- the undead lacked the necessary glands for rage – but
Immidarus thought they made a decent approximation. At first, nothing happened.
The necromancer watched as lurchers piled into the room, walking corpses of all
color and creed. He narrowed his eyes from the window, waiting for the violence to
start. For a moment, all was still. Then the tapping began.
From a gloom-washed corner closest to the door, a figure rose to his feet, dust-
covered tricorn brushing the rafters. When the Olgoth’s minions turned to face him,
the Captain was already moving. His cane snaked out to take a Ganyean woman
in the temple, the sound of snapping bone terribly sharp in the stillness. The mob
bellowed and came on in force, trying to drive the Captain to the floor with sheer
numbers. But every jab of the cane wrenched another eyeball from a socket, every
cutlass thrust met nothing but shadow. A massive Skovan managed to wrap his arms
around the Captain’s waist, muscles bunching as he heaved backwards. The Captain
used the Skovan’s momentum against him and drove his heels into the floor, avoiding
a cutlass slash aimed at his neck. He rolled backwards across the Skovan’s body then
sprang off the map-table’s legs, elbow snapping the neck of an oil-eyed elf. The
movement sent the barrel rocking, and Immidarus thought he could hear the clack
of dried bones inside. Nehru, he’d missed that sound.

77
 ‘I’ve had just about enough ‘o that cane,’ Esai growled.
Before Immidarus could counsel less stupidity and more caution, she brought
the plank swinging around in a wild arc. The wizard took a moment to marvel at
the fact she’d dragged both him and the ungainly wood with her across the aft,
then covered his face as glass shards filled the air. Esai jumped inside. With a sigh,
Immidarus followed.
The cabin was a mess of broken bones and stilled corpses. The wet thump of
cane on flesh sounded outside, where the Captain’s wrath had spilled onto the deck,
taking the fight with him. Immidarus grabbed Esai’s arm as she stalked toward the
shattered doorway.
‘Wait,’ he hissed, head tilted, and ears pricked. ‘All the tools we need are in this
room.’
Esai stared at the doorway for a second then nodded, one hand squeezing the
chain attached to her makeshift weapon as though she could snap steel with anger
alone. Before she could chart another reckless course to an early grave, Immidarus
strode to the barrel, stroked the smooth bone of the fox skull embedded in the wood.
‘Marcus! So good to see you again. I hope Captain Mandrake hasn’t mistreated
you?’ A soft whisper filled Immidarus’s ears. ‘Good, good. Time to put the gems back
where they belong old friend.’
The ship rocked again, the barrel rattling like a gravedigger’s purse. Esai moved
back to the window, ignoring the broken glass to lean out and search the waves
for the Olgoth. Immidarus knew she wouldn’t find it. He knew exactly where his
creature lay. Well… floated. The wizard touched the skin-pouch on his chest again,
feeling the rubies within pulse in time with his heartbeat. They drew a tiny amount
of life energy then multiplied a thousandfold within their multifaced walls, a red
glow hazing from between his fingers. The warmth suffusing his body drained away
as an ivory cane landed on his shoulder. Immidarus felt a chill snake from the point
of contact and down his spine, a numbing sensation that couldn’t quite push past the
heat in his chest.
‘Back so soon, mage? My company must be a greater pleasure than I realize.’
The cane stayed rooted to Immiadus’s shoulder as Mandrake circled to face him,
a slow, deliberate step muted by the blood slicking the floor.
‘Nghhh,’ said Immidarus, his tongue failing to craft a suitable expletive.
‘Indeed. Do you know, I have been looking for you for some time, wizard?’

78
Mandrake’s free hand waved at the barrel. ‘A remarkable tool. I am not quite fully
adept in its use, but I see its potential, a way to remove my own shackles. One wonders
how Lord Kelligan would receive a host of skeleton warriors knocking at his gates?’
Mandrake laughed, all malice and not a note of humor. He bent until his
eyes were level with Imidarus’s, violet irises laced with cracks of pure night. ‘But I
find myself in a quandary. Each time I knit a pile of bones into a coherent fighter,
the construct falls to dust scant minutes later. This is most vexing. And extremely
resource intensive.’ He gestured to the corpses littering the ground, as though they
were leftovers an inconsiderate dinner guest had piled on his floor. ‘But I see now
there is a key.’
Gently, with a grin like a scythe spreading across his face, Mandrake pulled
Immidarus’s unresisting hand from his chest.
Inside his head, the necromancer screamed and bent his will, begging his muscles
to stiffen, to resist. As the hand peeled away, a crimson glow lit the Captain’s face,
his visage more demonic than the underside of an Olgoth. Immidarus felt the breath
hiss between his teeth, spittle rolling from his lip. He mustered all his power, pushed
against the magic now rooting his feet to the deck. Nothing happened. A horror as
cold as the cane on his flesh gripped him when Mandrake snapped open a delicate
paring knife.
‘And this day started so very poorly. A necromancer’s bones should make a fine
addition to the collection. Perhaps I shall thank your construct, when I see it. Though
I doubt I’ll recognize you by then.’
The knife slid into Immidarus, taking off a layer of skin as easily as skinning an
apple. A silent scream filled his throat but got no further, trapped by the Captain’s
cold will. One of the stones rolled free and landed in the Captain’s palm, like an
ember falling from a fire. The cold seemed to redouble its efforts, and despite their
previous inability to move, Immidarus’s muscles began to shake uncontrollably,
rattling his eyeballs in his sockets. His vision darkened, narrowing to the Captain’s
blood-red features and the ruby in his palm. When the Steersman’s voice came from
the door, it seemed as though he were speaking from another world.
‘Cap’n, all the crew seem to… who the bleedin’ seas is that?’
Mandrake stopped cutting and whirled just in time to catch a wooden plank
on his forearm. He did not, however, manage to avoid the boot that landed squarely
in his chest, sending him sprawling into a wooden chair that smashed beneath his

79
 weight. Esai didn’t wait for him to regain his feet. She whipped past Immidarus,
chain whirling about her head. It snapped out, and Mandrake rolled aside as the
chain tore chunks from the floorboards. He snarled and came to meet her, cane
flashing as he batted Esai’s strikes aside.
Immidarus slumped to the floor, the cold still gnawing through his bones. It
felt as though all his strength had fled, replaced by only a dull ache in every misused
tendon. He began to crawl towards the barrel. Behind him, a hacking choke filled
the air, a desperate gasp for breath that reminded Immidarus of cold, dark places,
the kind of places he’d summoned the Olgoth from. The sound of Esai’s whirring
chain no longer filled the air, but the necromancer had no time to look, and little
enough help to give. He could only hope Esai was using her chain to strangle the
Captain to death. That fantasy fell to pieces when she crashed into the map-table,
left arm bent in an angle as unnatural as a talking fox-skull. She snarled and tried to
rise, but the Steersman placed one heavy boot upon her chest and pushed her back
to the floor. Closer to the door, the hacking cough carried on. So Esai had made
it through Mandrake’s defences. Immidarus would have whistled in appreciation,
but he needed to save his breath. He could hear something moving in the water
outside, something big. That was when he realized the Olgoth had broken free from
his command. Somewhere between the knife parting his skin, and the cold numbing
his bones, his mind had released the creature from his holding. This was very likely
rather dangerous.
The Steersman removed his foot from Esai’s chest and stepped back, fumbling
for the whip at his waist.
‘You and I were due a talk earlier, if my mind don’t fault me. Something to do
with a scourging? I reckon we got a moment now, reckon we can take a long, long
time over our lesson. As I said, Lord Kelligan has a lot to teach.’
Above her, the cask wobbled to stillness where Esai’s connection with the table
had disturbed it. She turned her head to Immidarus, who was now just to the table’s
side.
‘I’ve always been a better teacher than student, Steersman.’
She curled her back and kicked up with both legs, howling as her broken arm
took her weight. The Steersman stumbled back in surprise as the casket slammed
side-on into the table then rolled, spilling bones across maps like grisly waypoints.
‘No!’ The Captain’s voice was a rasp, holding none of his cold authority.

80
 The barrel almost crushed Immidarus as it fell from the table, but he knew that
cask like the back of his hand, and he slammed a ruby home into Marcus’s left eye
with the unerring precision of a huntsman at the bow. Warmth spilled into his body
and the fox-skull seemed to grin, a curdled smile that matched his own. Immidarus
gained his feet as the Steersman stepped back, moving to his Captain’s side. From
inside the barrel, a skeletal hand began to claw its way across the deck. Immidarus
flexed a muscle in his mind, and the hand grew an ulna, then a humerus attached to
the elbow. Within the space of a few moments, a wall of skeletons stood between the
necromancer and his enemies.
‘Now, Mandrake. I believe you have something that belongs to me.’
Four hours later, Esai floated on a curiously ivory-colored raft, trying hard not
to imagine whose pelvis she balanced upon. The necromancer stood at what might
charitably be described as the boat’s bow, one hand resting protectively on his grisly
cask. Behind her, two skeletons with hands shaped like paddles beat a precise rhythm
that put the prison galley’s crew to shame. Or, at least it would have, were any of them
still alive. She worried they might not be enough.
‘Can’t you make any more of these things? I never want to see that eye again, by
all the seas and stars I want to throw myself from a clifftop just thinking about it.’
When the Olgoth had opened its shell, the last thing Esai expected to see was a
giant, baleful eye. A cold intelligence lurked in that slit of a pupil, and the volcanic
iris painted a fine image of the fires of Hell. She shuddered. At least though, it had
given them something to aim for.
In the distance, the Olgoth’s screams mingled with the sound of snapping wood.
It wouldn’t be long before it tore the galley apart, but it’d still have some splinters in
its eye. Esai wondered if giant sea-devils could bear a grudge and decided she didn’t
want to find out. Both she and Immidarus watched in horror as the galley began to
sink beneath the waves. With an enraged howl that carried clear across the sea, the
Olgoth dived.
‘How fast are those things anyway?’ asked Esai.
Immidarus rubbed his chin. ‘We might need to shed some weight.’
Esai looked at the barrel. Immidarus looked at her. Then they both looked at
Steersman Reed.
‘Guess we’re not delivering him to Lord Kelligan,’ said Esai.
The necromancer grinned. ‘I guess not.’

The End

81
 End Note
Thanks again, dear reader, for supporting Mag of Holding. It’s hard to believe how much
we’ve improved since Mag of Holding – Frozen Wastelands. Then again, given the caliber
of our community and team, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Have we reached perfection?
There is no such thing as a perfect piece of art, for art is never finished, only abandoned.

That being said, we edge ever closer with each book.

As our community and creative team level up, so will the quality of our work.

I hope you’ve found within this pirate’s treasure chest tools, ideas, and inspiration for
running your seafaring encounters.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to publish Mag of Holding – Gothic Horror and Mag of
Holding – Breath of the Feywild.

Both installments have been such fun to work on and they hold so much more promise!

Thank you for supporting a little indie publishing company with big ambitions.

It takes a crew to run the Penny Dragon Games ship, and we’re proud to number you
among that crew!

Until next time, keep rollin’! Yaaargh!!!

Paddy Finn
Editor in Chief

82
Gothic Horror
Feast your eyes on just some of the
contents from Mag of Holding
- Gothic Horror!
• 4 New Gothic Adventures
• Pact of the Aberration Subclass
• 2 New NPCs
• New Whipmaster Feat
• 2 New Backgrounds
• Magic Items from Gizcog’s Wandering Emporium
• 4 New Creatures
• Staples of Gothic Horror
• Spooky Haunting Table
• Bard’s Corner
• Kayleigh’s Cauldron with Dragna Carta
• War of Worldcraft
• Scary Short Story
• And much much more!

Join
our newsletter!
 Dungeon
Master’s
Art Box
When running a game, it can be difficult to share images with your
players without giving too much away. That is why we’ve included
the practical image assets at the end of this issue. That way, you
can show your players only what you want them to see. No more
awkwardly covering stat blocks, flavor text, or other spoilers.
 Brine Shield Tidal Spear Mirror of Shattered Dreams
Armor (shield), uncommon (requires attunement) Weapon (spear), rare (requires attunement) Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

When a creature that is You have a +1 bonus to A delicate mirror of wrought silver. Its glass is
large or smaller misses attack and damage rolls cracked and held together by magic. As an action,
you with a melee attack made with this magic you can gaze into the mirror, seeing a vision of
while you hold this weapon. While immersed in what you could have become had you followed
shield, you can use your seawater, the blade of the your dreams. You must succeed on a DC 15
reaction to release a spear sheds blue-tinted dim Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of
surge of seawater from light in a 20-foot radius. exhaustion as you lose the will to carry on. If you
the shield in that Additionally, you can, as a roll a 1, you are inflicted with short-term madness.
creature’s direction. The bonus action, gain a On a success, you can target one creature you can
attacker must succeed swimming speed equal to see within 30 feet. You show the mirror to the
on a DC 13 Constitu- your movement speed for 10
tion saving throw or be target and inflict them with 1d4 levels of
minutes. Once this property
pushed 30 feet away exhaustion as they watch their hopes and dreams
of the spear has been used, it
from you. can’t be used again until the shatter. The target can make a DC 15 Wisdom
next dawn. saving throw at the end of their next turn. On a
success, the target can reduce its exhaustion level
by 1d4. You cannot use the mirror again in this
way until the next dawn.

PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES

Sailcloth Cloak Iron Anchor Amulet Captain’s Leather Tricorn

Wonderous item, very rare (requires attunement) Wonderous item, rare (requires attunement) Wonderous item, rare (requires attunement)

This thin cloak of A simple amulet of an iron A brown leather tricorn hat
weathered sail cloth has anchor on a leather thong. with the Draconic rune for
been imbued with the lightning stitched in gold
spirit of the seas and the While you are wearing this item on one side.
grit of a sailor.
and attuned to it, you gain the
following benefits: While you are wearing this
While wearing this item and attuned to it, you
cloak a creature has can reroll a Charisma
resistance to lightning • You gain +1 bonus to AC
while you are not wearing (Persuasion) or Charisma
and thunder damage.
armor. You can use a shield (Intimidation) check but
Additionally, you can and still gain this benefit. must decide to reroll before
cast the control water the GM says whether the
cantrip and once per • You can speak, read, and roll succeeds or fails. Once
day can cast the gust of write Aquan. this property has been used,
wind spell requiring no it can’t be used again until
material components. • You can breathe underwater. the next dawn.

In addition, you gain

proficiency with water
PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES vehicles.

Serpent Strike Milaris’s Guide Syranac’s Skull

Wonderous item (tattoo), Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement) Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement)
uncommon (requires attunement)

Produced by a special needle,

Produced by a special needle, this Produced by a special
this magic tattoo is acid
magic tattoo is a pale electric blue needle, this magic tattoo
green and forms the pattern
and forms the pattern of an ornate is pitch-black and forms
of a coiled serpent
compass rose. the pattern of a skull.
Poison Strike. As a bonus
Survival Instincts. The tattoo Deathly Strike. Once per
action after taking the attack
confers a better understanding of round when making an
action you can cause the
the stars, sky, and land, granting unarmed strike you can
serpent to rise from your skin
advantage on all Survival checks add 1d4 necrotic damage
and make a bite attack. The
related to navigation. to the damage rolled.
attack uses your attack roll
(Dexterity) and inflicts 2d4 Enhanced Guidance. You may *see tattoo attunement
poison damage on a hit. cast Find the Path using the tattoo Mag of Holding: Pirates
Once used, it can’t be used and requiring no material & Seafaring p.52
again until the next dawn. components. Once used, it can’t
be used again until the next dawn.
*see tattoo attunement Mag
of Holding: Pirates & *see tattoo attunement Mag of
Seafaring p.52 Holding: Pirates & Seafaring p.52
PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES
 Sailors Bounty Agerian’s Armory Ballista of Force
Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement) Wonderous item (tattoo), rare (requires attunement) Siege equipment (ballista), rare

Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo is a deep

Produced by a special needle, this
gold and forms the pattern of a wooden chest.
magic tattoo is a deep red and
Extraplanar Holding. You can use this tattoo to stow forms the pattern of pair of crossed
up to 12 items that can fit in your hand in the sheathes.
extraplanar space inside the tattoo. As a bonus action
Weapon Storage. You can use this
you can retrieve an item from the tattoo. When a
tattoo to store up to 2 bladed
creature breaks attunement or dies, all items will appear
weapons and draw them for free.
scattered on the ground within 5 feet of the creature. If
Additionally, if a bladed weapon is
another item that creates an extraplanar space is put
thrown, it will return to the A ballista made of dark brown wood reinforced with
inside the tattoo, the attuned creature takes 6d6 Force
tattooed sheath at the end of the engraved platinum bands and set with small diamonds.
Damage and is immediately transported to a random
attuned creature’s turn. When a
location in the Astral Sea. All items in the tattoo are The ballista of force has 3 charges. As part of the loading
creature breaks attunement or dies
likewise transported to random locations in the astral action a creature can expend one charge to empower the
all bladed weapons will appear
sea. Additionally, the tattoo is destroyed. weapon’s payload. On a hit, the next attack made with the
scattered on the ground within 5
feet of the creature. ballista deals an additional 16 (3d10) force damage.
*see tattoo attunement Mag of Holding: Pirates &
Seafaring p.52 The ballista regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
*see tattoo attunement Mag of
Holding: Pirates & Seafaring p.52
PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES

Elemental Cannon Flame Spewer Mangonel

Siege equipment (cannon), very rare Siege equipment (magonel), very rare

A large, iron cannon with arcane sigils of platinum A mangonel fashioned from black wood and banded iron
embossed on the surface. plates. A metal cage inset with a red gem is attached to
the arm of the mangonel. As part of the loading action a
The elemental cannon has 4 charges. As part of the creature can activate the magical effect of the mangonel,
loading action a creature can expend one charge to empowering the next shot with the following effect: On a
empower the next shot with elemental energy, choosing hit, the next attack made with the mangonel deals an
one of the following damage types when it does so: additional 21 (6d6) fire damage. Additionally, each
acid, fire, cold, lightning, or thunder. On a hit, the next creature within 30 feet of the targeted space must succeed
attack made with the cannon deals an additional 26 on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire
(4d12) damage of the chosen type. damage on a failure or half as much on a success. Once
used, this empowering property cannot be used again
The cannon regains all expended charges daily at dawn. until the next dawn.

PENNY DRAGON GAMES PENNY DRAGON GAMES

 Guest Feature: Nat21 Adventures

The Ren Faire Performer’s

Guide to Interesting
NPCs, Done Quick
As GMs, we’ve all been there. No matter how much of our world First, use the phrase ‘Name, the Adjective Noun’ to describe your
we’ve prepared ahead of time, in the end the players will always go NPC. You’ll wind up with a simple description like ‘Hamish, the
in a direction we don’t expect, which leads them to meet NPCs we Sullen Guard,’ or ‘Elandra, the Hot-Tempered Tavernkeep.’ You
didn’t plan for. And while the NPCs we’ve created ahead of time are want to be able to capture the gist of a character in as short a space
lovely, complex, fleshed out... we’re now faced with the challenge of as possible and following that phrase will get you there. I’ll break
coming up with brand new characters that we still hope will stand it down:
out from the usual ‘tavernkeep,’ ‘shop clerk,’ or ‘peasant in need’
archetypes that the players are so familiar with. Name: This one’s fairly self-explanatory; everyone needs a name.

I’ve been a performer and director at Renaissance Faires for years -- Adjective:This adjective should describe something about their
there is a strong overlap between Ren Faire performers and roleplayers, personality. ‘Tall’ or ‘Strong’ doesn’t really give you anything to
as you can imagine -- and I’ve noticed that the challenges facing a play when playing the NPC. But descriptors like ‘Happy,’ ‘Quiet,’
GM are often similar to those facing an interactive streetmosphere ‘Cunning, ‘or ‘Curious’ give you an immediate jumping off point for
performer. In the end, you want your character to make as much the character, and will have a huge impact in keeping the portrayal
of an impact as possible in the fairly short time you have before the of all your NPCs distinct.
patrons (or PCs) move along to other things.
I will sometimes keep a sheet full of such adjectives at hand, and
What follows is my method for quickly creating interesting NPCs, when creating a new NPC on the fly I pick a descriptor from the
adapted from a process that has been practiced in some fashion list, perhaps even at random.
at numerous faires and interactive play environments around the
country. The method has two parts. Noun: Ideally, this is an aspect of the character that sums up their
purpose in your story. So, this will frequently (though not always)
be their profession. While ‘Krayn, the Happy Dwarf’ still paints an
immediate picture, something more specific, like ‘Krayn, the Happy
Blacksmith,’ binds the NPC into the narrative more easily.

Basing your minor NPCs around this phrase will also help you to
keep track of them. You won’t need to read/write a paragraph of
notes for every character; you can just keep a running list of NPCs
that are all summed up in four to five words.

I have found that just that first part alone will keep my NPCs, even
the everyday townspeople, evocative and distinct.
 Guest Feature: Nat21 Adventures

The second part of my approach is a bit more involved, and I usually So, to use the examples from earlier, your notes on a couple fleshed
reserve it for NPCs that have organically become a bigger part of the out NPCs might read:
story, usually because the players start to take more interest in them
• Hamish, the Sullen Guard. He wants to retire (goal). His
than you expected.
sour demeanor turns people off (foible), but he’s extremely
perceptive when on duty (forte).
To more fully flesh out your NPC, give them a Goal, a Forte, and
a Foible. • Elandra, the Hot-Tempered Tavernkeeper. She wants her tavern
to be the best in town (goal). Her cooking is incredible (forte),
A Goal is something the NPC would like to obtain or achieve. It can so keeping customers is no problem. However, she’s growing
be on a grand, long-term scale (I want to someday be the king’s chief older, and can’t keep up with all the work that needs to be done
advisor), or more mundane (I want a promotion.) It can be specific like she used to (foible).
(I want to purchase a new horse) or general (I want more money,
period). Ideally, you should be able to describe the character’s goal And that’s pretty much it. With the exception of those NPCs most
in a single, simple sentence. central to the plot, I’ve found the above two steps to be all I really
need for character development. Overtime, long-term NPCs will of
A character’s Forte, or strength, is either something they do really course get fleshed out beyond this, but those discoveries best happen
well, or an aspect of their personality or makeup that makes them during the course of the actual play session.
exceptional. Sometimes, but not always, this is linked to their
profession. It can be something simple, like the blacksmith being Now you may find this method ends up creating characters that
renowned for what they do with armor. Or it can be more of an initially seem one-dimensional, and a bit ‘larger than life.’ After all,
interesting quirk, like a city guard being an excellent gambler. It not every given person you interact with in the real world is going
could also be more of a generally applicable quality, like having an to have a personality that can be summed up in one word; nor
indomitable will. are they guaranteed a noticeable strength or weakness. But I don’t
see that as a bad thing. In a good story, you want pretty much all
By giving each NPC a trait or skill at which they excel, you’ve given your characters to stand out from the crowd, even if they’re filling.
the players a reason to seek out that NPC as an ally, should they Sometimes, and especially in games of high adventure, being Real is
choose to do so. You’ve also given them something they need to not nearly as important as being Interesting.
worry about, should the NPC end up opposing them.

Conversely, a Foible is a character’s weakness. It can be a skill they’re

Check out Nat21 Adventures on Twitch!
terrible at, or a particular personality trait that gets in their way.
Perhaps the child the PCs need to help is terrified of the dark.
Perhaps the above-mentioned city guard is terrible at gambling but CLICK HERE
finds himself addicted to it anyway.

By giving each NPC a weakness, you’ve given the players a means

to exploit and/or defeat them, should that NPC end up as an
antagonist. You’ve also given them an additional challenge towards
utilizing or protecting that NPC, should they wind up on the
same side.

Also, while it’s by no means necessary, things can become particularly

interesting if the NPC’s Forte and Foible are somehow related to
their Goal. Their Forte helps them achieve their desire... their Foible
gets in their way. Incidentally, these are good traits to explore when
making PCs as well.
 Guest Feature: Cloaks of Minehelm

Cloaks of Minehelm
Blood in the Water
Difficulty: Hard Level: 3-5 characters of 7th level

“Hey, you hear about Len?” Heward said in a Ivy leaned against the wall, staring at Heward. His eyes
conspiratorial tone. twinkled with promise. He was holding back more.

“Len?” Ivy answered, puzzled, and stifling a yawn. It’s too “Oh, for fu—” she began, “just tell me already!”
early for talk, she thought.
Heward grinned. “Yesterday, at the fish market, this
“Big fella, gold tooth?” Heward said, pointing to his fishwife sees something bubbling out of a storm drain.
front teeth. Red water. With bits of shredded brown cloth floating in
it.”
“Oh, yeah, what about him?” Ivy said, this time giving
into a yawn. Her brown cloak felt especially heavy Ivy’s brown cloak felt heavier that day than it ever had.
this morning.
- conversation between two Browncloaks two days
“Dead.” Heward said, drawing a finger across his throat. prior to the first sahuagin sighting.
The short man took a swig from his ale flask.

He’s a Browncloak, he was bound to wind up dead sooner

or later. But Ivy recognized the glint in her comrade’s eye Deep within the sewers of Minehelm, an old wall has collapsed,
and knew Heward was waiting for her to ask for the rest allowing sea water to flood the area. With this flood has come a
of the story. Ivy sighed and cracked her back. small colony of sahuagin, previously cordoned off by the masonry,
that have begun to raid the upper levels of the sewers. If this tide of
“Go on then. How?” marauding marine-life is not stayed, they will soon reach the city
streets. In order to “plug the leak”, brave (or unlucky) Browncloaks
Heward smiled wide at his taller sister-in-arms. “No one have been dispatched to kill the sahuagin’s priestess before she
knows.” he said and offered Ivy his flask. can birth the next brood of bloodthirsty deep-dwellers and send
them surfaceward.
Ivy accepted, taking a long swallow as Heward continued
with his macabre gossiping. After wading through flooded sections of sewer and perhaps
encountering a sahuagin raiding party or two, the player characters
“But you know that hole in that wall that came down over arrive at the site of the collapsed wall. The remains of an old cistern
by the Portgate Aqueduct? Well, Len was on duty with lie beyond. Water pours from a hole in the ceiling into a stone pipe
Spud when it did. There’s an old cistern back there, pipes on the far wall, big enough for a Medium or smaller creature to slide
still flowing, smells like seawater. Len goes down a pipe— down. The sahuagin’s lair lies at the end of this pipe. A creature who
never was too bright, ol’ Len—and never comes back up. enters the pipe will find themselves sliding downwards along with the
Doesn’t answer when Spud calls. Then Spud says he heard rushing water for a full minute. The pipe terminates in a sacrificial
distant sounds, like screaming. Then silence. Spud ran— pit, the floor of which is also covered in water. Any creatures sliding
much brighter than Len—and reported back to sergeant.” down the pipe emerge within 5 feet of one of the spaces marked by
a blue arrow on the map, landing prone if they do not succeed on a
 Guest Feature: Cloaks of Minehelm

DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Algae coats the walls. In each When the sahuagin priestess has been killed, the water begins to
of the four corners is a 5-foot-high platform. Standing in the center drain from the room, dropping by one level once per round on
of the chamber is a sahuagin priestess, accompanied by an honor initiative count 20 (losing ties), in reverse order, until it reaches
guard of 3 sahuagin. 2ft again.

Water slowly fills the room via 8 pipes along the walls. When the
party enters, the water is 2ft high, making the entire floor difficult
terrain. Every round, on initiative count 20 (losing ties), the water
In the lore and set up for this encounter we have featured
level rises. On round 2 it reaches 5ft and creatures with a swim speed
quite heavily the Cloaks campaign setting. However, this
are no longer affected by movement restriction. On round 2 the
encounter could be dropped into whatever game you’re
level rises to 10ft, and all creatures are forced to swim. On round 3
running. Though this particular sahuagin sacrificial pit is
it reaches the ceiling, having risen 20ft.
located in a sewer complex, yours could easily be found
on a deserted island or beneath the waves in a sunken city.
Just before initiative is rolled, the 3 sahuagin guards slit their
Perfect for seafaring campaigns and pirate parties!
throats, dying instantly and bleeding into the water. This blood
draws swarms of sahuagin hatchlings to the pit. On initiative count
Go forth, gamers! Keep saving the world, one game at
20 (losing ties), starting on round number 1, a sahuagin hatchling
a time.
swarm will enter the chamber via one of the pipes (determined at
random by a d8 roll). Another swarm will enter during round 2 on
the same initiative count, and again during round 3, after which
point, they will stop.

If you do not have access to Ghosts of Saltmarsh, substitute the

Join us on Patreon!
3 sahuagin hatchling swarms with 3 swarms of quippers which all
enter through 3 different pipes (determined at random by a d8
roll). These quippers will be treated as sahuagin hatchlings in the CLICK HERE
adventure’s story.

The swarms of ravenous hatchlings will focus their attention and

ire on the biggest member of the party first, or whoever appears
to have the most meat on their bones. However, if they are taking
significant damage from their target, they may retreat and regroup
on another target. The priestess will use her first turn attempting
to cast hold person on the swarms’ intended target (she will know
whom her hatchlings are likely to attack first). After this she will
focus on casting bless on the swarms, or mass healing word if any
of them have less than half their current hit points (she will include
herself in this casting). Her primary concern is keeping the swarms
alive so they can feed. If she needs to defend herself, she will cast
spiritual weapon to bolster her offensive capabilities.
 PENNY DRAGON GAMES

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embark! Frozen Wastelands

Pirates & Seafar

ing
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110 110
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE
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conveyed by this License. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000,
Wizards of the Coast, LLC. System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016,
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris
Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce
R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E.
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

COPYRIGHT. Penny Dragon Games. Mag of Holding - Pirates & Seafaring. 2021. All rights reserved.

111
Dive to Depths
no One Dares!
Mag of Holding – Pirates
& Seafaring is designed to enrich
your table’s nautical encounters. With
a colorful tapestry of adventures,
NPCs, backgrounds, spells, magic
items, rules, sea shanties, lore, and
more, there is something for every
sailor, pirate, and scallywag that ever
did sail the seventy-seven seas.

Break the curse of the boneship,

discover what really awaits at the X
that marks the spot, and plummet
into a dark crevice at the bottom of
the ocean in search of lost treasure...
But beware the Olgoth and its
undead horde.

These pages are awash with GM tools

and player options. But we warned,
this tome may or may not be cursed
by the spirit of Captain Blackbeard
himself.

Open at your own peril!

For use with fitfth edition...

www.pennydragon.games