Help with a naval adventure

[Marcon]

Hi,

I'll be running a cross of the Maiden Voyage module and the Neither Man nor Beast intro to kick-start my new campaign, the goal being to crash my PCs on Markovia and go on with Neither Man nor Beast.

The reason why I'm using parts of 2 separate modules is mainly because none of them fully satisfies me. I really like the characters from Maiden Voyage, they are very well detailed but the whole adventure turns into a big "whodunnit" when the captain suddenly dies out of nowhere because a ghost tied to a very obscure curse pays him a visit in the middle of the night. Sure smells like poisoning or some kind of mutiny, there is no way the PCs can come up with the explanation and they will most likely spend some time pointlessly interrogating everyone on board.

Other than that, this module is pretty solid. The crew is very superstitious from the start because the captain insists on bringing his woman on the ship. Couple that with a few other weird phenomenons such as an eclipse and the fact that the PCs are hired by the captain to protect him and keep the crew in line and you have all the ingredients for a tense atmosphere. There is a loose-lipped prisoner being sent overseas for a death penalty who will do whatever he can to side up with the group most likely to take control of the vessel post-mutiny.

And of course, it has to end with some kind of shipwreck (This is caused by a soul kraken in Neither Man nor Beast, not sure if I want to stick with this or not)

Even if you never read those 2 modules, I'm open to suggestions that would help spice up this sea voyage. Keep in mind I'm bringing these 1st-level characters into Ravenloft so horror-themed ideas are particularly welcomed.

-Marcon

 

[Andor]

A Kraken? How are 1st level characters supposed to survive a Kraken?

I'd go with ye standard attack at sea by underwater humanoids. If you want to creep your players out use Skum (Humans enslaves by an aboleth) that should scare the players and you care play up the pitiable horror of their fate for the characters. Have a crewman recognize on of the slimy horrors as a man he once sailed with and saw washed overboard.

To actually sink the ship, steal an idea from the hornblower novels. Make it clear that the ship sustained damage in the attack, but the bilge will be dry every time they check it. The cargo you see is a load of rice, and is absorbing all the water that leaks in. Of course it swells as it does so and will eventually over expand the timbers of the ship, sinking it.

If the players manage to figure it out, they still can't save the ship, but maybe if they start dumping rice and trying to get to the leaks maybe let them get to a beach instead of grounding the ship on the shoals and having it breakup off shore.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Well, as far as the Kraken goes, its kind of like the story about running away from a bear - you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun the other guy. The Kraken may well sink the ship and kill a bunch of crew, but individuals can escape.

How widely accepted is magic in your world? If the PC's start slinging around spells on board the ship, the crew might suspect them of being witches, etc. I stole an idea from Barsoomcore's Dead Man's Chest story hour, in which there is a mutiny aboard a ship led by a big scary dude named Horse, who has a pet Monkey - except that as it turns out the Monkey used to be Horse's captain, who was polymorphed into monkey form. So it turns out the monkey is leading the mutiny, and the big scary dude is just the muscle. I used those two characters in a mutiny scenario of my own to great effect.

 

[Aeolius]

I was helping a new player with some character concepts, the other day. One she rejected sounds like it might fit a low-level kraken encounter.

Envision a human-like upper torso with a lower torso resembling a single kraken's tentacle. Perhaps a sea hag fleshwarper was held captive by a kraken. When the beast was slain, she dissected it and used it's tentacles to "repair" several merfolk captives the kraken had injured. In the process the mermaids gained some of the kraken's memories and powers.

 

[Marcon]

A Kraken? How are 1st level characters supposed to survive a Kraken?

Actually, the whole purpose of the kraken is basically to sink the ship and the characters themselves are supposed to survive via one of those "Ravenloft scripted miracles" (A bunch of dolphin "broken ones" save them since they are near the Markovia domain).

I like the fact an overland sea trip is one of the only place where low-level characters can be "socially and physically trapped". You can build some serious tension in that kind of journey. You can focus your attention on a relatively small number of NPCs without having to resort to the typical dozen-house village.

IMO It's the best start for a Ravenloft campaign without resorting to the horror clichés. Just need a few more events to spice up the trip.

-Marcon

 

[Nlogue]

For a bunch of adventures at sea mini articles check out Sinister Adventures new Indulgences

Wolfgang Baur's article "Death Beneath the Waves" and Craig Shackleton's "Art of the Duel" both suit a sea-faring campaign particularly well, and if you are shopping for a cool behind the scenes BBEG, then Dajobas might be your man...er...shark god.