D&D 5E (2014) There is No Honor/Pirates of the Caribbean.

[Fenris-77]

They should be the East India Company types, no one likes Gnomes anyway.

 

[Zardnaar]

They should be the East India Company types, no one likes Gnomes anyway.

Mecha troopsfit into the ye olde Gnomish mechanist archetype.

Where should I put them?

Thinking of putting not Byzantium Dragonborn near new York turning Manhatten into a new golden horn.

Magic portal links it to not Constantinople.

 

[Ancalagon]

I recommend treating ship logistics using the combination of reoccurring expenses and running a business.

A typical sailing ship has a crew of 20*.

* Ghosts of Saltmarsh puts the crew needed at 30. If you're using that books sailing rules, you want to decide if the DMG or GoS is correct.

These numbers are sufficient to sail the ship, not to fight. A fighting ship needs those people to sail (control the ship) and people to man the guns, and people to board/repel boarder, and damage control crew, and possibly a prize crew.

For example, the HMS Speedy was a 200 ton ship (not very big) and had 90 crew.

In general, I find the notion that the cost of running a regular business - say a tavern - would have the same costs as running a fighting ship.

 

[Fenris-77]

Mecha troopsfit into the ye olde Gnomish mechanist archetype.

Where should I put them?

Thinking of putting not Byzantium Dragonborn near new York turning Manhatten into a new golden horn.

Magic portal links it to not Constantinople.

Italy might work - Venetians and Florentines and whatnot are different clans on Gnomes, each with a city state and a navy. I'd probably artificer-up their ships too. Maybe they have less of them but they're ironclads, or submersibles or some such. The Eberron take on Gnomes - with the scheming and intrigue, would work very well as city state clans.

 

[Zardnaar]

Italy might work - Venetians and Florentines and whatnot are different clans on Gnomes, each with a city state and a navy. I'd probably artificer-up their ships too. Maybe they have less of them but they're ironclads, or submersibles or some such. The Eberron take on Gnomes - with the scheming and intrigue, would work very well as city state clans.

Yeah the Gnomes are gonna be schemers. I've got an adventure with a Gnomish submersible.

 

[Zardnaar]

Thinking some more and refining some suggestions.

Gnomes going to be based in what's now Haiti and the next door nation.

Jamaica Elven Empire.

Panama area elves
Peru Elves

Amazon area Lizardmen empire plus not Mali outposts.

Not Mexico Hobgoblins

Not Maya Yuan Ti.

Mississippi/great planes halflings riding dinosaurs.

New York/Virginia Thyatis (Dragonborn not Rome)

Yellowstone national park. Dragons.

Newfoundland/Iceland/Greenland Vikings.

Not Mali. Mali/Songhai plus west African coast.

Scuttlecove probably in Venezuela.

 

[Owl41]

When I first ran Savage Tide in 5E, I scoured Dungeon Magazine and paizo forums for suitable side treks. In addition to what you've got:

Side Quests (all 3E):

Dungeon 104, Dragon Hunters (7th). Jungle island "Myrhal" occupied by deposed Prince Henri who engaged wild elves and centaurs to help build a fort and ships (so he could reclaim his title, promising technology). He turned on his workers once done, centaur branch retaliated by luring a powerful T-Rex to attack the fort. The party arrives with the promise of treasure in an old temple, or perhaps to ally with Henri.

105, The Stink (2-7th). Major coastal city grew too quick, trash area called the Stink with monsters emerging to attack citizens. The true culprits are a fiendish cult of aquatic hobgoblins who seek to spread disease to wipe out the city, then claim it.

106, Tammeraut's Fate (6th). Drawn to island monastery for any reason, find it under attack by the dead. Must seal an aquatic nether rift. Separately, 2 page map of generic Pirate Cave stronghold. Ran this in 3E, good stuff.

107, Dead Man's Quest (1st). Captain Morgan's ghost won't rest until a particular quest is completed (lengthy).

111, Strike on the Rabid Dawn (15th). Secret Asmodean cultists seek to bring an Aspect to this plane aboard their docked ship at a major port. Some pirates who are leery blab and are taken into custody. Party entrusted to find out what's going on.

114, Torrents of Dread (6th). Unnatural storm damages ship, Isle of Dread. Villagers direct party to uncover what ails them. Isle of Dread resources.

118, Box of Flumph (1st). Port town hires to uncover activity of scoundrel "the Grackle." He's uncovered some unique creatures and intends to sneak them out of town, but his reputation precedes him. Ship crew for the Angelina. Change guild to Aspis Consortium.

121, The Styes (9th). Port city, alchemist hires party believing his friend wrongfully executed for a murder. A cult of Tharizdun is empowering a fiendish kraken, part of the wrong in the city.

123, Salvage Operation (2nd). Lost ship with goods uncovered decade or two later, party to retrieve before it sinks and a giant squid claims it. Ran in 3E, good stuff with a timer.

138, The Weavers (10th). Sequel to Styes, party's reputation gets them hired to investigate vermin, a plot to unleash deadly spiders to eradicate the city.

Playing in a Savage Tide for 5e campaign now. DM dropped in War of the Wielded from Dungeon Mag #149 to great effect. The party is loving the hilarious sentient swords and about to enter the Corroded Caves while Lavinia decides her next steps.

 

[payn]

I never ran or played Paizo's Skull and Shackles adventure path. Might be stuff worth mining there?

 

[Zardnaar]

I never ran or played Paizo's Skull and Shackles adventure path. Might be stuff worth mining there?

Mined already often maps etc.

 

[Zardnaar]

Playing in a Savage Tide for 5e campaign now. DM dropped in War of the Wielded from Dungeon Mag #149 to great effect. The party is loving the hilarious sentient swords and about to enter the Corroded Caves while Lavinia decides her next steps.

War of the Wielded was one of the first converted 5E adventures I ran.