1. Notes

Sea Voyage Rules

House Rules
Suggested House Rules

Overview

The nature of a nautically focused campaign setting means that a ship and her crew will frequently travel the wide seas of the world. Sailing such seas is not simply a means of getting to a destination, nor are such voyages to be undertaken lightly in the The Thousand Isles, even among the safer and calmer seas of the The Inner Archipelago. A great part of the life of any sailor is spent upon the sea, often what distinguishes a seafaring adventurer from a common villager is there ability to survive it. In short, a sea journey in the The Thousand Isles IS an adventurer, in and of itself and should feel that way.

The Party will generally know where such a journey begins, and where it is intended to end, but in order to reach that destination they must cross the perilous and unpredictable sea. Heroes will make various ability checks during the voyage to deal with the various perils encountered along the way, and to determine how the rigors of travel may have affected them when they face the next challenge. Once the party has decided to undertake a significant sea journey, these journey rules come into effect. The DM will decide if the journey is short enough or trivial enough to ignore these rules.

The voyage rules break the a journey down into three distinct stages, each influencing the one that follows it in some way. The first stage represents the party preparing for and embarking on the journey. plans are made, supplies are purchased and stored, maps are studied and a route decided upon. The group also decides among themselves who will take on what role among the ships crew during the journey. This is also the stage where the initial state of weather and sea, so important to the success or failure of seafaring, is determined. 

The second stage represents the voyage itself, the events that occur along the way, the prevailing wind and weather experienced, Depending on the length of the journey the party will make one or more rolls, either individually , as a group, or as an entire crew, that represent the challenges or opportunities they may encounter.  

The third phase of the voyage represents the arrival at the destination. The Captain makes a role, often modifieed by the events long the way, that reflect the state at which ship and crew arrive in their chosen desintaiton, or whether the ship arrive successfully at all.

Summary

  • Assign ship roles, plan route, decides how much to pay for supplies
  • DM determines peril rating based on route and season
  • Captain decides how long he is willing to wait for favorable weather to depart
  • Captain makes an embarkation role, modified by his seafaring proficiency bonus + half wisdom,  - peril rating.
  • DM determines the number of voyage events
  • Events are created and played through
  • Arrival is rolled modified by results of events

The Role of Luck

Nothing matters more in the fickle world of the sea then the favor of the The Lady. Each sea captain begins the voyage with a number of Fortune points (generally 3 but can be more or less depending on the traits of the Captain). The Captain can at any time, during any encounter, can spend these fortune points to reroll any skill check.  They cannot be used to reroll the Embarkation or Arrival roles. Relying on luck has its dangers however, Fortune directly plays a roll in sea battles and the amount of Fortune remaining when arriving at a destination will be added to the Arrival Role. The wise Captain will husband his fortune especially over a long journey.

Time

The amount of time required to make a sea voyage is highly variable and at the mercy of wind and wave. In general some ships are faster than others, however a slow ship under favorable sailing conditions will easily outperform the fastest ship under unfavorable ones. Similarity the condition a ship is in (especially her sails and keel) will have a large impact on speed. Hence the stated speed of the ship is only a baseline for the duration of the trip, and will be modified by the events along the way and sometimes the arrival role. 

Also, the time when a ship may set out is not entirely at the Captains whim, he must wait for favorable tides and wind. A poor embarkation role can result in delays at the start of a journey. Similarly, the Captain may choose to linger in port, to wait for more favorable wind and weather. Finally the Captain may choose to ignore all these things and set forth immediately regardless of conditions and tide, but at a cost... 

During the voyage the ship is assumed to be sailing fairly conservatively. A Captain that is desperate to make up time can choose to crack on more sail then is safe under current weather conditions and also may work his crew harder to maximize the performance of the ship. This can come at a cost of increased risk during events and increase exhaustion and eroded resolve of the crew however. 

Resolve

Each unit of ships crew has an attribute called "resolve" which is their baseline mental toughness and moral. However crew members are not simple automatons (usually)  and the events they experience along the voyage can both increase or decrease (temporarily) this rating. A Crew unit that falls to 0 resolve will mutiny.

Supplies

Ships generally carry sufficient supplies of food, water grog, powder, ammunition, and materials to reach their destination with sufficient padding to  cover a range of unforeseen circumstances. Unexpected events along the way can either reduce or increase this padding. The Captain can also choose to lay in extra supplies as added caution, however the nature of sea travel is harsh on such extra material and the extra spent will often not carry over to the next voyage. Also, storage space is limited, and any such supplies come at the expense of cargo. 

In general for each of the supply categories (Food, water, grog, ammunition, materials) the default level of padding is 1, and each additional level of padding costs both money and hold space. The amount of money and space is a factor of the length of the voyage.  

Watches, Exhaustion and Crew Size

Ships are always in motion, 24/7. Thus they require an around the clock crew. The typical way this is managed is to divide the crew into two watches (Starboard and Larboard) and rotate the watches on and off duty in eight hour shifts. One particular watch duration is half sized, only 4 hours, called the "Dog Watch" so that crew members do not tediously stand the exact same watches day after day. 

Based on the size and sailing characteristics of a ship, a ship requires a minimum watch size to be sailed effectively under optimal conditions. This generally means a crew size of at least x2 the watch size to accommodate the two shifts (and often much much larger since it requires many crew to work the cannons and serve in boarding parties). Inclement conditions may also require additional crew to temporarily mange poor weather and other disasters. 

Each watch stood, accumulates a level of exhaustion on the unit standing it. Each down watch spent sleeping under normal conditions serves as a long rest and removes all exhaustion. Note that down watches are not always spent sleeping, usually at least one of these is spent doing low impact ships matioantence. 

It is possible for a crew to work double watches (16 hours on, 8 off) but doing so on a regular basis will require resolve tests. Failure will accumulate additional exhaustion snd erode resolve. 

Note that this watch system also means that some of the roles required by the ship and only half the crew will actually be active at any point in time. While crews train in being able to very quickly bring all their members into operation in the event of emergencies (called Beating to Quarters) in the event of a complete surprise this can result in the PC normally manning a station not being available. This also means that some roles (like lookout and helmsman) require two characters assigned, one for each role.

In the case that the normal person Manning a required station is not available the senior officer in command of that watch (generally the captain of first officer ) will make any tests required. However those tests are made at disadvantage.

Crew Roles

Certain special roles and stations are required to be filled by a player character or named NPC to operate a ship. If these roles are unmanned for any reason the ship will be at a disadvantage. 

Other stations are optional, if filled by a player character they will allow that character to apply beneficial bonuses to the ships functioning. If unmanned they are assumed to be filled by a nameless member of the crew with no particular advantages or disadvantages applied.  

Required Roles

Captain

The captain is the overall commander of the ship. He owns the Fortune pool and rolls departure and arrival roles. In addition in the event that any other required role is incapacitated, the Captain rolls for them (at disadvantage). The Captain generally doesn’t stands a watch. His most important attributes are charisma and wisdom. 

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster is the second in command of the ship. He serves as Captain in the event the Captain is incapacitated. He is in charge of crew morale and discipline and represents the crews interest to the Captain. He will roll all resolve tests,  His most important attributes are charisma and wisdom. 

Bosun (Sailing Master).

The Bosun is third in command of the ship. He is in charge of the ships masts, sails, and course. He also serves as primary navigator. He commands the watch opposite the Quartermaster. He will generally maneuver the ship in battle and roll all sailing tests. His most important attributes are intelligence and wisdom.  

Optional Roles

Lookout x2

The Lookout spends most of his time high in the crows nest of the highest mast. His job is to identify threats to the ship. Each watch needs a lookout. In the event that no PC is assigned to the position it’s assumed an NPC crew member has that position. The lookout rolls all perception tests. 

Helmsman x2

The Helmsman steers the ship, which requires great strength and fast reaction. He can impart advantages to maneuver if he is successful in a strength test. 

Master of Marines

The master of marines is in charge of small arms and leads the crew in hand to hand battle and boarding actions. He rolls all hand to hand combat dice. 

Master Gunner 

The Master Gunner is in charge of the ships cannon and trains and leads the ship in their use. He rolls all cannon dice. 

Ships Doctor

The ships doctor maintains the health of the crew and treats injuries and disease. He will roll recovery dice after combat. 

Ships Chaplain

The ships Chaplain is in charge of the spiritual health of the ships, conducts religious services and has a string effect on ship morale. He can impart a bonus to resolve checks outside of combat.  

Ships Musician

The musician can play a strong role in the morale of the ships crew. He can impart s bonus to morale checks in battle to those who can hear his music. 

Purser 

The purser is in charge of the ships coffers and supplies. He can make bargaining tests to reduce the cost of supplies. 


Ships Wizard


Terror: The first time the ships wizard uses a fire spell, all enemy units must make a resolve test. If that test is failed each enemy gains a fatigue point. This ability fails to function if the enemy force also contains a wizard.



Embarkation Table

Captain makes an embarkation role, modified by (proficiency bonus + wisdom)/ 2,  - peril rating.

Die Roll

1Evil Portents and Foul WeatherThe weather is foul and several ill portents are observed upon embarking. Add +2 to the Voyage Events, -1 from the resolve of the entire crew, and -2 to the arrival roll.  In addition the first three proficiency checks made are at disadvantage 
2A Hurried and Inauspicious  StartThe weather is taking a turn for the worst and the ship must depart hurriedly and before all supplies are loaded aboard. -1d6 weeks to all supply buffer, add and -1 to the arrival roll. The crew has -1 to resolve until some success happens that lifts the mood. 
3A Misfortunate RouteThe ship has the misfortune of choosing a route along which enemies and hardships are more likely to be encountered. +1 to the Voyage Events Table and the first roll to detect an encounter is at disadvantage 
4The Winds are Against usThe winds are unfavorable. Add and -1 to the arrival roll.
5Foul WeatherThe rain falls constantly, the wind chills to the bone, and rest is hard to find. Each member of the crew starts any encounter at +1 level of exhaustion. 
6We are delayedThe winds are fickle, and leaving harbor is delayed over and over again. Eventually the ship manages to find a window to escape, but the fickle and light winds continue to delay the start of the journey. -1d4 weeks to Food, water and Rum supplies, Add 1d3 weeks to voyage duration.
7The Bounty of the SeaThe Lady shows her favor by providing food for the ship in an unexpected way. Perhaps flying fish rain down on the deck or some other seaborn bounty is discovered. Regardless, Gain 1d6 weeks to food buffer and +1 to Resolve of the crew
8Fine WeatherThe wind is constant and unchanging The weather is perfect. Sailing is easy, +1 to the arrival roll. Each crewmember may ignore the first level of exhaustion  delivered by an event. 
9Favorable WindsThe winds blow strongly and from a fine quarter, +1 to the arrival roll. . Whether as a result of consulting fine good quality charts or the Lady's Luck, the Navigator has planned a swift and direct route to the destination.
10An Empty SeaThe navigator has wisely chosen a route that allows the ship to remain hidden and avoid contact with others. -1 to the Voyage Events and the Lookout roles are made with advantage.
11Hopeful Hearts and Clear PurposeThe ship embarks with light hearts and a sense of hope. +1 to Resolve during the voyage 
12Auspicious Beginnings The omens indicate a auspicious and positive voyage . Resolve of +1 and +2 on the Voyage Events table, +2 to the Arrival roll. Rolls to determine the initial outcome of these encounters are made with advantage. 
October 12th, 2021 March 24th, 2023

Voyage Events Table

Die Roll

1A Chance EncounterThe ship meets a ship or group of ships heading in the opposite direction. The Captain may make a Deception roll to avoid encountering them or any member of the party may make a Persuasion roll if he chooses to interact with them.A successful person check is successful the party will learn some snippets of the path ahead of them, giving them advantage on the first test of the next encounter. Failure means the party has made a poor impression or the information is inaccurate, resulting in disadvantage at the initial test of the next encounter.
2Rich FisheriesThe ship enters an area rich with fish. They may choose to linger here and take on supplies, in which case the ship crew recovers on level of exhaustion and the supplies of food gain +1 buffer. However the voyage gains +1 to length. 
3Sudden SquallA storm comes on quickly, the current watch must succeed three advanced sailing test or suffer negative consequences. If all three are passed, the ship has worked well as a crew and gains +1 to resolve and +1 to arrival role. If the two of the checks are successful, the squall is navigated with no penalty or bonus. If only one of the checks is successful, the squall has been overcome with some difficulty and the watch suffers a point of exhaustion. If all the checks fail, the ship has been buffered by the storm, sails stripped, spars broken. All of the crew suffers a level of exhaustion, the buffer of materials decreases by 1 and the arrival role is at a -1 penalty

  • 1st check, 

    • shedding canvas 

    • Bring her around 

  • 2nd check - riding out the squall 

    • Sailing check 

  • 3rd check the final fury

    • Final sailing check

4In Need of HelpThe ship has encountered another ship who has suffered some misfortune or a small settlement beset by woes. The ship may choose to help them or not. If the ship chooses to help, three different members of the party must make three different skill checks (as determined by the DM. If all checks are successful the crew gains one point of resolve nd the Captain gains a +1 to the arrival roll. If 2 of the 3 succeed, each successful PC gains a point of inspiration and the Captain gains +1 to the arrival roll. If one roll is successful there is no effect. If all fail, the ship becomes despondent and gains -1 to resolve. 
5Enemies 
Abound		The ship encounters something hostile, either another ship or some creature powerful enough to provide a threat. The Lookout must succeed in a wisdom roll to perceive the threat before it becomes aware of the ship. If the roll is successful the party has seized the initiative and may either avoid the threat or lay an ambush. If the roll fails, the threat becomes aware of the ship. If the roll fails by more then 5, then the ship itself is surprised. 
6Wonders of the Wide SeaThe ship finds itself presented with some wonder, either a wide vista, a sunset, a beautiful island. Each member of the party may make a perception or investigation or performance check. If they succeed they receive a point of inspiration. If the entire party succeeds, the Captain gains +1 to his arrival roll. If all fail, -1 to the arrival roll. The Bosun must make a sailing check to determine the location of the battle. 
7Signs of a battleThe lookout sees signs of a battle or wreck, recently completed. An Investigation check can be made to determine the likely current position of the remnants of the battle. If the roll is successful byh 5 more more the wreckage yields treasure and supplies (1d6x100 gold and +1 to materials, rum and water buffers) and adds +1 to the Arrival roll. If the roll is successful the ship gains +1 materials, On failure, time is wasted, add +1 to delay. 
8An hospitable anchorageThe lookout has spotted a place that looks to be a safe and comfortable place to go ashore and make camp. Perhaps a sheltered bay, a deserted island, or the like. If the roll succeeds by 5 or more the anchorage is all they could hope for, idyllic and rejuvenating, giving them an opportunity for a long rest and to relax and resupply. Gain 1d6 weeks of supplies, water, and materials and the crew gains a point of Resolve and a +1 on arrival roll. If the roll succeeds, the anchorage is adequate, allowing +1 week to buffers on supplies, water, and materials. If the roll fails the camp is less then adequate, beset by animals, insects, with foul water and inedible food. The crew loses -1 Resolve and gains a level of exhaustion. If the roll fails by -5 or more, the camp is controlled by something hostile. In addition to the effects of the combat that will surely ensure, the crew gains a level of exhaustion and -1 Resolve. 
9A lingering memory of times long past

The ship discovers a relic of times long past. A statue a building, some remnant of the Annwyn Empire , ther First People or some other lost civilization. Each member of the party should make a wisdom check. If successful they are filled with hope and aspirations of greatness, gaining inspiration. If at least half the company is successful, they receive a +1 to the Arrival roll. If they fail, they only see the fleeting and purposeless nature of life and loose any points of inspiration they may have. If more then half the party fail, then they suffer a -1 on the Arrival role. This event normally does not effect the crew, however if they are told the story of these ruins (History or Performance) success will add +1 resolve and failure -1. 

10A place touched by shadowSomething dark and terrible linger here. Perhaps the site of an ancient battle, or the ruins of a massacred settlement, or the hulk of a burned out ship, haunted by the specters of it's former inhabitants. Whatever the reason, this is a place to best avoid even gazing upon. The Lookout mush make a Perception check, if successful the area is avoided to the point where the crew never sees it, with no ill effects. If failed, or if the ship chooses to investigate, then the crew see this as an ill omen and becomes despondent, with a -1 to resolve. If the role fails by 5 or more, some dark thing still lingers here and the ship blunders close enough to be attacked.  
11Something is on the huntThe party is encounters a ship or squadron  or monster or some threat on the hunt. The enemy is encountered in unfavorable conditions, it has the weather gage for instance or is in an area where it can easily spring an ambush, or lurks high above the clouds. The lookout must succeed in a perception check or else the ship is surprised, otherwise combat is joined on an equal basis. 
12Great powers walk the worldThe ship has encountered a great and ancient power of the world, perhaps a dragon or kraken or powerful pirate. The lookout must make a perception check, if the roll succeeds the party notices the power before it is noticed, and may attempt to to flee. If it fails the Ship is noticed and flight is more difficult. If it fails by 5 or more, flight is impossible., 

If the Embarkation role was 1, the power is evil or hostile, if it was 12, it is friendly or a force for good. Otherwise, roll a check using only the parties remaining Fortune and the Captains proficiency bonus. If the check is successful, the power is good, if failure it is evil. A good outcome will add +1 to the Arrival table, a poor one will add -1 and avoiding the encounter adds nothing.


October 12th, 2021 March 23rd, 2023

Arrival Table


1DivertedWind and wave have conspired against you, and you are unable to achieve your destination. The voyage takes 30% longer then planned and with the weather worsening and the winds completely unfavorable, you have no choice but to seek shelter in a port or anchorage that was not your original goal in order to ride out the storm. In addition the difficult voyage has exhausted your crew (everyone takes one level of exhaustion) eroded your supplies, damaged your ship, and demotivated your crew. Each crew unit must make a resolve check. If the resolve check fails, one crew member desert's for each point by which the check failed.
2A long and difficult voyageYou achieve your destination but only after a long and difficult voyage. The voyage has exhausted your crew (everyone takes one level of exhaustion) eroded your supplies, damaged your ship, and demotivated your crew. The voyage takes 20% longer then planned. Each crew unit must make a resolve check. If the resolve check fails, one crew member deserts. 
3Foul spiritsYou achieve your destination but only after a long and difficult voyage. The voyage takes 10% longer then planned. Any inspiration is lost and each crew takes a -1 penalty to resolve until the next embarkation. 
4An Uncertain Arrival You achieve your destination but your arrival is poorly timed. Perhaps the port is closed due to plague, or overflowing with ships to the point that no good anchorages are available, or wind and tide prevent a landing. The mechanics will vary depending on the destination, however some obstacle will need to be overcome before the destination can be finally achieved. +1 to duration
5A long journey but a worthy oneThe voyage was long but worthwhile, spirits are high as you finally achieve your goal. The voyage takes 10% longer then planned. Remove one level of exhaustion and add a point of inspiration if the journey was medium difficulty or higher. Each crew was a +1 bonus to resolve until the next embarkation. 
6Grimly DeterminedThe wind fills your sails and the voyage has filled you with stern purpose. The voyage is 10% shorter then planned. You receive +1 to your next embarkation role.  Each crew was a +1 bonus to resolve until the next embarkation. 
7Tall Tales and Great DeedsThe ship arrives with tales of their journey on their lips, their spirits high and their thoughts filled with fine memories. With the wind in your sails, the voyage is 20% shorter then planned. Each party member gains a point of inspiration. Each crew was a +1 bonus to resolve until the next embarkation. In addition their joyous mood is infectious, they have advantage on negative social interactions. This bonus will remain for one week or until they fail  a check. 
8Inspired and Filled with Hope. With fair wind and weather, the voyage has served to reaffirm the crews dedication to each other and their bonds with one another. Together they have weathered hardships, faced dangers and persevered, their fait in eachother has become unshakable. The voyage takes 30% less time then planned. Each PC receives a point of inspiration. The Captain receives +1 on his next embarkation role. Each crew was a +1 bonus to resolve which lasts until the next Arrival role (i.e. through the next journey). In addition if a crew unit receives this result 3 times, that unit permanently gains a point of resolve. 


October 13th, 2021 March 23rd, 2023

Notes