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Storm at Sea Skill Challenge
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<blockquote data-quote="Jfdlsjfd" data-source="post: 8469216" data-attributes="member: 42856"><p>While your idea of skill challenge is interesting, it could be blended with the timer idea from LU explained in t<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/fall-back.680557/" target="_blank">his very forum</a>. I put it to good use and it's working to enhance tension. It might require a lot of dice but generally gamers have buckets of them so I hope it will work... We have three concurrent timers:</p><p></p><p>1. The storm is going to sink the ships. If left unattended, it will capsize them, but it's not really clear how long it will take, and the duration of the storm is unknown as well.</p><p>2. Elok is trying to survive, and knowing he'll be hang if taken back for bounty, jumping off and reaching a debris is actually a slightly better position than he's in (maybe he also has some sea magic to help him reach the shore), so his goal is to escape and flee, but clearing from his jail will take an uncertain time</p><p>3. The crew will try to survive, irrespective of their status (hired or captured pirates) because they want primarily to not get drown, but their numbers is dwindling because the storm put a few of them overboard... how long will they stay in enough number to keep the ship afloat?</p><p></p><p>I'd run the first timer as the larger one, a 10d6 slow pool. The storm leaves when it is exhausted. Unattended, it will last 17 iterations on average. Manoeuvering at the helm can help remove dice from the pool (I'll let you adjudicate the DC needed) and the various weather spells or water control spells or storm sorcerer's class feature they might know could also remove dice. Go for 15 minutes round. They could also summon elementals (at level 7, they can cast the 4th level spell) and try to put it to good use. This is probably the hardest timer to modify, but it will allow the character proficient with navigator's tool to shine (it's rarer than Stealth or Arcana, so why not...)</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, they have to deal with the other problems...</p><p></p><p>First, there is the Elok evasion pool. Since he's basically able to shapechange out of his bonds, escaping will be very quick for him (we're going with 15 minutes rounds). Maybe a medium 4d6 pool would be appropriate, if left unattended. Keeping an eye on him will monopolize a character's attention, and each character after the first add one die to the pool each round. If the pool expires, Elok tries to escape, irrespective of guards and tries to avoid fighting to get out. While he's bound, he can plead for his life "I forfeit the Dragonfang, but swear to the local sea goddess not to give me to the guards when in Nyanzaru and I'll use my... triton magic to drive away the storm" [whether he has triton magic, and whether breaking this oath will have consequence is up to you...] So unless most of the group spends his time overwatching him, the pool will run out and they will have to deal with him.</p><p></p><p>Second, there is the state of the ship and crew. I'd size it according to the difficulty you want to assign to the situation: if it's a slower pool than the storm's one, then even without character intervention, they'll survive it (supposedly, 0 die in the pool means the boat capsize), if it's smaller, then they'll need the characters to do things to survive (I'd advise a 10d6 pool as well, but medium at first (sailors are wiped overboard) then slow (when the ship is starting to get structural damage). Have the lost dice represent sailors lost to the storm or variously injured. The playuers can "get dice back" into the pool by repairing things, healing sailors when needed, maybe doing some feat of strenght to help those under a broken mast to get free... If the pool starts depleting quickly, players will panick, not knowing it changes pace mid-way... it will increase tension.</p><p></p><p>Other ideas: have them make Religion checks to know that sacrificing the younger sailor to the local sea goddess is known to appease her wrath. Whether they want to act on this information is up to them... (I expect them not to) but unfortunately, the local sailors do know the legend as well and they'd very much consider it once there is only 3 dice left in the structural pool. (So passing the check will allow the players to anticipate any action against the youngest sailor). Actually engaging with the sailor on the topic might help identify alternative appropriate sacrifices (non-living) to help drive the tempest away should the PC choose to reason the sailors out of their murderous idea instead of just killing the first mate to incite compliance among the remainder of the crew.</p><p></p><p>Have the provision go overboard. They are 5 days out of the nearest port? That will be an interesting journey (but if they can create food and water for them, can they for the remainder of the crew?)</p><p></p><p>I'd have the Dragonfang threaten to capsize due to badly attached crates of loot in the hold at some point during the storm, with the dilemma to the players to cut the rope between the ships or spending some of their time to fix the problem.</p><p></p><p>(maybe more as I think of them).</p><p></p><p>Edit: I agree with the thought above that you should be ready to sink them and having the various pools in the open will help show them that you're not fudging things in their favor.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jfdlsjfd, post: 8469216, member: 42856"] While your idea of skill challenge is interesting, it could be blended with the timer idea from LU explained in t[URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/fall-back.680557/']his very forum[/URL]. I put it to good use and it's working to enhance tension. It might require a lot of dice but generally gamers have buckets of them so I hope it will work... We have three concurrent timers: 1. The storm is going to sink the ships. If left unattended, it will capsize them, but it's not really clear how long it will take, and the duration of the storm is unknown as well. 2. Elok is trying to survive, and knowing he'll be hang if taken back for bounty, jumping off and reaching a debris is actually a slightly better position than he's in (maybe he also has some sea magic to help him reach the shore), so his goal is to escape and flee, but clearing from his jail will take an uncertain time 3. The crew will try to survive, irrespective of their status (hired or captured pirates) because they want primarily to not get drown, but their numbers is dwindling because the storm put a few of them overboard... how long will they stay in enough number to keep the ship afloat? I'd run the first timer as the larger one, a 10d6 slow pool. The storm leaves when it is exhausted. Unattended, it will last 17 iterations on average. Manoeuvering at the helm can help remove dice from the pool (I'll let you adjudicate the DC needed) and the various weather spells or water control spells or storm sorcerer's class feature they might know could also remove dice. Go for 15 minutes round. They could also summon elementals (at level 7, they can cast the 4th level spell) and try to put it to good use. This is probably the hardest timer to modify, but it will allow the character proficient with navigator's tool to shine (it's rarer than Stealth or Arcana, so why not...) Meanwhile, they have to deal with the other problems... First, there is the Elok evasion pool. Since he's basically able to shapechange out of his bonds, escaping will be very quick for him (we're going with 15 minutes rounds). Maybe a medium 4d6 pool would be appropriate, if left unattended. Keeping an eye on him will monopolize a character's attention, and each character after the first add one die to the pool each round. If the pool expires, Elok tries to escape, irrespective of guards and tries to avoid fighting to get out. While he's bound, he can plead for his life "I forfeit the Dragonfang, but swear to the local sea goddess not to give me to the guards when in Nyanzaru and I'll use my... triton magic to drive away the storm" [whether he has triton magic, and whether breaking this oath will have consequence is up to you...] So unless most of the group spends his time overwatching him, the pool will run out and they will have to deal with him. Second, there is the state of the ship and crew. I'd size it according to the difficulty you want to assign to the situation: if it's a slower pool than the storm's one, then even without character intervention, they'll survive it (supposedly, 0 die in the pool means the boat capsize), if it's smaller, then they'll need the characters to do things to survive (I'd advise a 10d6 pool as well, but medium at first (sailors are wiped overboard) then slow (when the ship is starting to get structural damage). Have the lost dice represent sailors lost to the storm or variously injured. The playuers can "get dice back" into the pool by repairing things, healing sailors when needed, maybe doing some feat of strenght to help those under a broken mast to get free... If the pool starts depleting quickly, players will panick, not knowing it changes pace mid-way... it will increase tension. Other ideas: have them make Religion checks to know that sacrificing the younger sailor to the local sea goddess is known to appease her wrath. Whether they want to act on this information is up to them... (I expect them not to) but unfortunately, the local sailors do know the legend as well and they'd very much consider it once there is only 3 dice left in the structural pool. (So passing the check will allow the players to anticipate any action against the youngest sailor). Actually engaging with the sailor on the topic might help identify alternative appropriate sacrifices (non-living) to help drive the tempest away should the PC choose to reason the sailors out of their murderous idea instead of just killing the first mate to incite compliance among the remainder of the crew. Have the provision go overboard. They are 5 days out of the nearest port? That will be an interesting journey (but if they can create food and water for them, can they for the remainder of the crew?) I'd have the Dragonfang threaten to capsize due to badly attached crates of loot in the hold at some point during the storm, with the dilemma to the players to cut the rope between the ships or spending some of their time to fix the problem. (maybe more as I think of them). Edit: I agree with the thought above that you should be ready to sink them and having the various pools in the open will help show them that you're not fudging things in their favor. [/QUOTE]
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