ATG Sailing and Navigating at sea
This document provides optional rules for using ships in play, managing the officers and crew needed to run a ship, and owning a ship. The sea offers rewards and risks for those willing to brave the waves in search of adventure.
Nautical Adventures and Sailing the Seas of Tanaheim -
Sailing takes a large vessel and a competent crew. The team will need to obtain a ship and select a crew to sail it. They will need to decide on whether they will sail the ship as officers or if they will hire a captain to do the sailing for them.
Sailing a boat : Positions - Captain/First Mate/Navigator/Bosun (Boatswain)/Weapons master/Pilot/Sail Master/Carpenter/Quartermaster/Surgeon
To assign Crew - Lookout/Cook/Blacksmith/Deckhands/Chronicler/Cooper/Deck Monkey/Shantyman (musician)
Nautical Adventures and Sailing the Seas of Tanaheim -
Sailing takes a large vessel and a competent crew. The team will need to obtain a ship and select a crew to sail it. They will need to decide on whether they will sail the ship as officers or if they will hire a captain to do the sailing for them.
Sailing a boat : Positions - Captain/First Mate/Navigator/Bosun (Boatswain)/Weapons master/Pilot/Sail Master/Carpenter/Quartermaster/Surgeon
To assign Crew - Lookout/Cook/Blacksmith/Deckhands/Chronicler/Cooper/Deck Monkey/Shantyman (musician)
Plot points/Scenes
Navigating aboard a Ship -
Sailing a large vessel on the open seas takes a considerable amount of effort and intelligence from a well trained crew working in unison. Most importantly the Captain, First Mate, Pilot, and Navigator must work together and make a Navigation check for any voyage farther than a couple of miles. For a six hour block of sailing roll a d100. An optimal check is a 50 to stay on course or arrive at your objective. Swinging too far in either direction means the six hours of travel has moved the boat six squares in the wrong direction. Example a roll of 90 means the boat has traveled almost perpendicular to the course it was meant to be on. Travel Pace A ship’s travel pace determines how far the vessel can move per hour and per day. A ship’s movement-related components (described later in the stat block) determine how far the vessel can move each round
Ability Scores A ship has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and corresponding modifiers. A ship’s Strength represents its size and weight. Dexterity represents a ship’s ease of handling. A ship’s Constitution covers its durability and the quality of its construction. Ships usually have a score of 0 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. If a ship has a 0 in a score, it automatically fails any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.
Components
A ship is composed of different components:
Hull. A ship’s hull is its basic frame, on which the other components are mounted.
Control. A control component is used to steer a ship.
Movement. A movement component is the element of the ship that enables it to move, such as a set of sails or oars. Weapon. A ship capable of being used in combat
Owning a Ship If you purchase a ship, you have unlocked an exciting new venue for adventure and signed up for a mountain of logistical challenges. Keeping a ship functioning requires a tremendous amount of work. The rules use a downtime activity—managing a ship—to abstractly represent the effort needed to keep a ship functioning, its supplies stocked, and its crew paid.
By hiring a competent captain and crew and putting them to work hauling cargo or otherwise offering their services, you can make it possible for a ship to remain in good repair and even generate a profit for you between adventures.
Managing a ship is a downtime activity that requires time and effort to recruit an officer and crew. The ship is available for use when needed. Otherwise, the ship hauls passengers and cargo to cover the costs of maintaining the ship and paying the crew.
Resources
It takes one week to recruit a crew and 100 + 4d6 gp to cover the costs of recruitment and supplies. Once you have paid these costs, you have a captain and a crew to maintain the ship. Resolution
Once you have a working ship, it turns a small profit each month. At the end of every four weeks, you earn 5d20 gp. Complications A ship owner runs the risk of foul weather, a bad trade deal, or a mutiny.
Sailing a large vessel on the open seas takes a considerable amount of effort and intelligence from a well trained crew working in unison. Most importantly the Captain, First Mate, Pilot, and Navigator must work together and make a Navigation check for any voyage farther than a couple of miles. For a six hour block of sailing roll a d100. An optimal check is a 50 to stay on course or arrive at your objective. Swinging too far in either direction means the six hours of travel has moved the boat six squares in the wrong direction. Example a roll of 90 means the boat has traveled almost perpendicular to the course it was meant to be on. Travel Pace A ship’s travel pace determines how far the vessel can move per hour and per day. A ship’s movement-related components (described later in the stat block) determine how far the vessel can move each round
Ability Scores A ship has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and corresponding modifiers. A ship’s Strength represents its size and weight. Dexterity represents a ship’s ease of handling. A ship’s Constitution covers its durability and the quality of its construction. Ships usually have a score of 0 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. If a ship has a 0 in a score, it automatically fails any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.
Components
A ship is composed of different components:
Hull. A ship’s hull is its basic frame, on which the other components are mounted.
Control. A control component is used to steer a ship.
Movement. A movement component is the element of the ship that enables it to move, such as a set of sails or oars. Weapon. A ship capable of being used in combat
Owning a Ship If you purchase a ship, you have unlocked an exciting new venue for adventure and signed up for a mountain of logistical challenges. Keeping a ship functioning requires a tremendous amount of work. The rules use a downtime activity—managing a ship—to abstractly represent the effort needed to keep a ship functioning, its supplies stocked, and its crew paid.
By hiring a competent captain and crew and putting them to work hauling cargo or otherwise offering their services, you can make it possible for a ship to remain in good repair and even generate a profit for you between adventures.
Managing a ship is a downtime activity that requires time and effort to recruit an officer and crew. The ship is available for use when needed. Otherwise, the ship hauls passengers and cargo to cover the costs of maintaining the ship and paying the crew.
Resources
It takes one week to recruit a crew and 100 + 4d6 gp to cover the costs of recruitment and supplies. Once you have paid these costs, you have a captain and a crew to maintain the ship. Resolution
Once you have a working ship, it turns a small profit each month. At the end of every four weeks, you earn 5d20 gp. Complications A ship owner runs the risk of foul weather, a bad trade deal, or a mutiny.
Themes
Officers -
Captain - Direct Ships actions and communicates with other ships. Also helps create maps and work with Navigator and pilot to plot a course.
Ship's mage - Make magical attacks, put out fires, and mend the ship.
First Mate - Interpret Captains orders, fine tune ships actions. Monitors other officers and positions.
Navigator - Read the water, take depth readings, Currents, weather, and other ships. Spots weaknesses during combat.
Pilot - Steers the ship, sets ship location and direction.
Boatswain (Bosun) - Directs deck activités , Re-assign crew stations and leads all repair efforts.
Oars Master - Maximize the speed and efficiency of rowers.
Sailing Master - Maximize the speed and efficiency of the sailors working the sails. Monitors the sails and makes repairs to the sails.
Weapons Master - Direct weapon fire and leads grappling and boarding actions. Maintains cannons and ballista.
Ship's Carpenter - Fix damage, provides the ship temporary hit points. Works with the Bosun to complete repairs when needed and maintain the hull.
Ship's Surgeon - Track Crew casualties and injuries. Heals the wounded and restores crew damage and hit points.
Quartermaster - Make available tools and equipment, find replacement sails and rigging. Monitors supplies, food, and water.
Shantyman - Musician to improve morale and inspire the crew.
Deckhands - Extra sailors to clean the boat, work the oars, and work weapons.
Captain - Direct Ships actions and communicates with other ships. Also helps create maps and work with Navigator and pilot to plot a course.
Ship's mage - Make magical attacks, put out fires, and mend the ship.
First Mate - Interpret Captains orders, fine tune ships actions. Monitors other officers and positions.
Navigator - Read the water, take depth readings, Currents, weather, and other ships. Spots weaknesses during combat.
Pilot - Steers the ship, sets ship location and direction.
Boatswain (Bosun) - Directs deck activités , Re-assign crew stations and leads all repair efforts.
Oars Master - Maximize the speed and efficiency of rowers.
Sailing Master - Maximize the speed and efficiency of the sailors working the sails. Monitors the sails and makes repairs to the sails.
Weapons Master - Direct weapon fire and leads grappling and boarding actions. Maintains cannons and ballista.
Ship's Carpenter - Fix damage, provides the ship temporary hit points. Works with the Bosun to complete repairs when needed and maintain the hull.
Ship's Surgeon - Track Crew casualties and injuries. Heals the wounded and restores crew damage and hit points.
Quartermaster - Make available tools and equipment, find replacement sails and rigging. Monitors supplies, food, and water.
Shantyman - Musician to improve morale and inspire the crew.
Deckhands - Extra sailors to clean the boat, work the oars, and work weapons.
Structure
Exposition
Side Quest ideas:
Storms, navigating out of them and dealing with any threats that lurk within
Magical storms - Some storms are infused with energy from the weave itself and can have unpredictable results
Crew member spying and sending messages to pirates
Keeping track of supplies and food.
A single ship floats, bobbing slightly against the waves. It's sails are raised and anchor is lowered. No crew is aboard and no lights are visible below deck. A single man carves arcane symbols into the deck over and over. Any players that approach split into two other versions of themselves. The other versions begin to attack the party
A dense fog surrounds the ship. Within the fog a much large ship can be seen drifting closer...
Illegal animal traffickers have been ferrying exotic beasts, but some of them have broken out and are attacking.
A ship can be seen wrecked amongst large rocks. The crew is waving frantically for help. As you get closer you realize the crew is illusory...
A creature uses major illusion to project a ghost ship as it waits below the waves to eat it's prey...
The tip of a ruined tower peeks out from the ocean's surface, but you are miles away from shore ...
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