Credits

Author: Troy McConnell

Editing: Troy McConnell and Ross McConnell
Map Art: Ross McConnell (2-Minute Tabletop)
Parchment Texture: Seth Tomlinson
Statblock Generation: Tetracube

Product Identity: All stories, storylines, plots, events, locations, characters, artwork, trade dress, and proper
names (characters, deities, locations, etc.) are Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License 1.0a,
Section 1(e) and are not open content.

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are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License 1.0a, Section 1(d). No portion of this other than
the material designated as Open Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Copyright 2019 Troy McConnell

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Gygax and Dave Arneson.

1
Encounters by Environment: Ocean

Your party takes to the high seas, whether wandering for adventure or treasure or as transit between locations. But
the oceans hold dangers of all kinds. What aquatic perils must they face on the way?

Designing random encounters for players to find when traveling can be tedious and taxing, especially for
inexperienced writers. Running out of ideas is inevitable and inspiration is hard to find. You want to keep your
players on their toes with combat and intrigue, but random encounters of ‘XdX wolves leap from the bushes’ are
a quick way to lose interest. Each and every encounter should be unique and captivating and come with both story
and consequence. That’s where we aim to help.
Our goal is to steer clear of basic combat and generic ambushes. We design encounters not only with backstory
and multiple paths but also with layers to keep players guessing and invested. Our encounter outlines are
designed as jumping-off points, to save you prep time while remaining loose enough to make them feel your own
and to be adjusted to all parties and levels.

Our aim is not to tell you what to do, but rather to inspire and teach you with new ideas and advice. Your campaign
will still be your own; we’re just helping you get started.

About the Author

I am Troy McConnell. With an interest in fantasy, writing, and acting stretching as far back as I can remember, I
was always somewhat destined to end up in tabletop gaming.
I first entered the medium of roleplaying games with a campaign in 2014, run by my brother who went on to
create 2-Minute Tabletop. It was soon after that that ideas for my own campaign began formulating, before I
finally took the plunge and introduced my first hand-crafted world, Fornheim.
But running one game a week limits the number of stories I can tell, and the difficulty of creating each and every
encounter between plot points frustrated me. The answer to this eventually came in the form of producing
content. I am able to vent all the stories and ideas I have while making it easier for other people to avoid the
inspiration pitfalls.
My goal is to create content that can help people at all levels by simplifying the initial steps in session and game
planning. I do this primarily by providing the building blocks for adventures and encounters that can be tailored
to any campaign and party.

2
Contents

Credits 1 4 – Seaweed Ambush 10

Encounters by Environment: Ocean 2 5 – Feasting Furniture 11
About the Author 2 6 – Bait for the Brave 11
Contents 3 7 – Illusionary Esca 12
How to Run an Ocean Adventure 4 8 – Tower into the Deep 12
Part of a Larger World 4 9 – Spiked Seafood 13
Quiet Moments 4 10 – Weather Woes 14
Time in Between 5 11 – Vengeful Captain 14
Returning to Camp 5 12 – A Bigger Fish 15
As Danger Arises 6 13 – Enchanted Sailor 15
Calm Before the Storm 6 14 – Phantom Gambler 16
Tone of Delivery 6 15 – Pod of Predators 17
Once the Storm has Passed 7 16 – Influence from the Deep 18
1d20 Ocean Encounters 8 17 – Swirling Vortex 18
1 – Scrawling Survivor 8 18 – Pursued Pirate 19
2 – Colossus in the Mists 8 19 – Rot in the Air 20
3 – Trafficking Catastrophe 9 20 – Celebration on the Waves 20

3
How to Run an Ocean Adventure

Finding encounter ideas and planning them for your own may even warn them. This acts as a way to build
game is only one part of adventures. The key to making excitement as well as link the future encounters with the
encounters great is by integrating them into the journey. coastal settlements. It shows that the world is connected
Doing this requires handling of pace, downtime, and by the characters that inhabit it, reminding players of what
effective transitions between each moment. This might seem they previously heard when the encounters do appear.
easier than the encounters themselves but it is these details The effects of these factions and oddities should visibly
that can set great campaigns apart. It can also prove to be echo outwards through the world.
a challenging factor for even those with experience. We'd The other important detail of the journey is the party's
like to help with that. role on the ship. Do they own and/or captain it, or are they
hired crew? This will determine their approach and
responsibilities within each encounter, as well as in the
travel downtime. A position of leadership will require
Part of a Larger World them to control the situation of encounters and protect
their crew. Most decisions will fall to them, but do their
crew agree? Constantly putting the ship in danger could
Like every aspect of a story and campaign, context is key. erode the relationship with those they've hired.
Your players' journey across the oceans will likely come Conversely, the party acting as crew under another
either as the campaign setting or as travel between two captain will mean giving them ways to maintain their
locations. Include and modify encounters to reflect the agency. You don't want the player characters to just be
situation of both the party and the world, incorporating taking orders. Instead, modify your encounters to make
links to other content. Your goal is to make it feel seamless the players pivotal. An example is having the captain and
and integrated into the larger landscape. leaders focus on controlling the ship, requiring players to
When planning your encounters and ocean adventure, focus on defense and problem-solving.
first consider the broader context. What is the state of the
world? How populated are the seas? Oceans can often act
as a neutral space or 'no man's land', with no governing Quiet Moments
body or rulership. This gives you an opportunity to have
encounters feel self-contained and independent but comes
with the risk of the content feeling like filler. Consider One of the more challenging and less discussed aspects of
having a faction of pirates or navy act as a controlling force roleplaying games is the time between encounters.
and show their influence through the sights that the party Running each encounter can require minute detail and
crosses. They only need to be small, such as passing a ship consideration, but the connective tissue is just as
aligned with the group, but serve to remind players that important. You want each stage of an ocean adventure to
they are still a part of the world and lands that they are flow seamlessly into the next, without feeling like
sailing either from or to. If the seas are riddled with encounters are constantly barraging the party. The key to
pirates, your party needs to feel that. this is to keep a consistent tone and maintain pacing,
Another way to circumvent this without the use of a large without ignoring the less eventful moments.
faction is to foreshadow what the party might face. If you Many groups will favor a 'fast-travel' or hex crawl system,
plan on using a select number or random list of in which there is less focus placed on the connective time.
encounters, have townsfolk mention these dangers before While this is not my personal style, as I feel it can make
they depart. You can start by identifying the most likely encounters come across like random video game fights, it
threats to arise, such as pirates, sahuagin, or aberrant is an effective way of approaching travel. The key to
weather systems. The party might overhear running these alternatives is to use quicker descriptions
conversations, read news of other victims, or the crew of what passes by and any minor occurrences. Focus less

4
on the downtime and more on each encounter's There is a plethora of official and homebrew resources for
introduction, covered in the next section. Doing this determining time and gold requirements, but you may
effectively can have your players feel the time passing by wish to be generous with how long it takes the character.
in-game without your game actually slowing. Try to balance the achievability with the work required to
make it feel rewarding.

Time in Between
The description of travel is universal across all Returning to Camp
environments. Ocean adventures, in particular, come with Likewise, other characters surround your players. This
the specific drawback of being open and largely empty. aspect is dependent entirely on their context and the
This limits you from being able to describe the passing present characters but is especially important if you
landscape and places more emphasis on the downtime of intend for the crew to stick around for some time. If a
each character. Boats require constant management and player is unsure of what to do, or if you simply want to
upkeep, after all. Describe any sights that pass by, such as break the pace of daily rolls, have a crewman approach
distant islands or ships, but keep it concise. Perhaps them to speak. It can occur in an organic setting, such as
something they see is related to an approaching during a meal. Moments like these are perfect for bringing
encounter, such as a suspicious boat or signs of conflict. the characters to life and building a relationship between
Otherwise, you need only give a brief description of the them and the players. How the party conducts itself can
weather before handing the reins to your players. Days on also influence how the crew will later respond to their
the ocean are long and arduous so give them something to decisions. Happy workers will act with loyalty, but anyone
do. It could be related to either controlling or helping the treated badly might object to risking themselves for a
ship, or progressing a personal goal. Whatever they captain they don't respect. If your players are the crew, it's
choose should require a roll, determining their success for similarly important that they understand the people
the current downtime period. above them.
An example of this from a campaign I have been a part of The most obvious reference to make here is returning to
was when we acquired a ballista. We scavenged it from a the Normandy in Mass Effect games. Like Bioware
previous battle and outfitted it onto our ship because, companions, your ship's crew should have opinions on the
well... why not. The problem was that none of us knew how events they are witnessing and can take the time to ask
to use it. Learning to load, aim, and fire the contraption players. But don't feel the need to do this with every
became the goal of the party's rogue, who would spend his crewman. Rather than overloading players with new faces
downtime on the ship practicing. We would be asked what and names, take a handful of those with the most
we did for each in-game day, with the other two of us important roles. Three to five of them can act as the faces
either training or simply tending to the boat. Our rogue of the entire crew, making it easier for players to
would be making tinkering checks or attack rolls as target remember and feel connected to them. The rest of the
practice, using the ballista. Eventually, he was able to gain faceless crew are also available as cannon fodder to show
proficiency with its use. the stakes of certain encounters. Finally, remember your
This is only one example, but it shows the advantage of pacing for these interactions. Try to keep them concise, or
ocean travel: the players are essentially stationary. at least emphasize that the ship is still progressing as they
Obviously, the boat is moving, but those aboard are occur.
effectively in a large building. They have many options for
downtime activities. Characters are not riding a horse or
stuck in a small cart, so let them make the most of the
ship's space. Crafting, training, and researching are only a
fraction of the possibilities. Let your players be creative
and encourage them to consider how their character
passes their spare time. Give them the opportunity to
initiate conversations, plan, and just chill out. This is great
for both the pace of the game and immersive roleplay.

5
As Danger Arises between what would already be happening and the
encounter's introduction.

Part of keeping your game running smoothly and fluidly is Tone of Delivery
the transitions between different events. This is a small
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of these moments is
detail in terms of time within the game but is an important
actually playing them out. This comes down to a level of
aspect of creating atmosphere. When you are using a
acting skill, to bring about the planned tension. This means
system of random encounters, with each having different
that it is, unfortunately, an aspect of running the game that
introductory events, you want them to feel natural. You
few people possess out of the gate. Be mindful of this and
don't want your ocean adventure to have the equivalent of
allow yourself time to learn. My personal problem in these
playing a video game and hearing music swell as you enter
situations is avoiding smiling or laughing. What I find to be
a circular room. Most of this comes down to how it is
the best method for avoiding this is to get out of your own
handled during the game, rather than anything that can be
head. Rather than focusing on which of your notes to read
done in planning. This can make it a difficult skill to learn
out and what information to get across, place more
and practice. Luckily, there are a few tips to remember
emphasis on the tone of the encounter. Leave the detailed
that should help.
information for once your players begin investigating and
taking control. It is better for your first port of call to be
Calm Before the Storm establishing the atmosphere and pulling your players into
the situation.
One aspect that you can work into your planning is to have
encounters use a slow build. You'll notice that many of our A great way to begin learning these skills is to watch other
ocean encounters use a weather system or situation that people doing it. Matthew Mercer, in particular, has a
gradually worsens before becoming a threat. This works fantastic method of placing himself within a character.
to slowly build tension and craft an atmosphere for your Describing events with the same emotion that a character
players. Rather than the ship grinding to a halt against would have in observing it is a great way to get out of your
seaweed, it loses speed over an hour, for example. Try to own head and project the encounter's tone. If the shape on
fit your transition to the tension you want in the actual the horizon is ominous, inject fear or confusion into your
encounter. A threat meant to come across as unsettling voice. If sahuagin violently burst from the surface with
should appear over time, while an ambush can accelerate tridents in hand, try to use a level of anger and ferocity in
much faster to put the party on the back foot. Slower your descriptive tone. You have an entire crew to choose
builds should use the same description you would for from, so select one and use their ground-level perspective.
quiet moments, increasingly laden with clues of what This is an effective way of telling your players what their
approaches. It shouldn't take long for a player to notice, at characters should be feeling, which helps to shorten the
which point control is handed over to their investigation. divide between the player and character, thereby
immersing them.
Slower introductions work due to oceans, as expansive
planes with little to form cover, tending to use encounters
initiated by something that could be seen from far off. If Maybe the most important detail to remember for this is
your encounter involves coming across a wreck, one that applies to the whole game: we play with friends,
abandoned ship, or floating survivor, mask your for fun. Ultimately, you should never feel stressed if you
description with other sights that lead to it. The party's mishandle an encounter or session. Your ocean adventure
ship might follow a coastline for some time before coming will have plenty of more opportunities. Use any mistakes
across the broken form of another boat. Use that time to as lessons and always remember that the people you are
describe the area. Similarly, daily activities might be playing with are not judging you for it, so you shouldn't
interrupted when a perceptive character happens to see a either. You might not be as good as Mercer, but you don't
dot on the distant horizon. Perhaps their gaze have to be. As long as everyone is having fun, you're doing
absentmindedly follows a flock of gulls before falling on it. perfectly.
Again, the purpose is to use a simple, clean transition

6
Once the Storm has Passed the context of the next encounter. When planning your
ocean adventure, give some time to loosely plan how these
things will change your party's path. It is nigh impossible
to predict every eventuality but it is important to be ready
The final consideration is what comes after each
for changes that could affect your campaign. Your party
encounter. How does the party progress? What has
might adjust its course or take a more hesitant approach
changed? Pay some mind to the results of the encounters
to future danger. These modifiers are also a brilliant way
you use and what lasting effects they might have. There
to have encounters flow into each other and feel less
are standard effects like characters being injured and
isolated, by affecting each other. Your adventure will feel
requiring rest, but the ocean setting also brings greater
more like a single trip rather than a series of episodes.
threats, such as damage to the ship. This makes it
important to give your party a reprieve after a harrowing Your ultimate goal for the encounter resolutions is to
encounter. They might have another fight on the same day move back into the territory of 'quiet moments'. This
but, for the moment, allow them to recuperate and deal might require them to first solve a problem caused by the
with the consequences of what they had just faced. encounter but should always lead to giving them a
Likewise, be prepared to provide solutions to possible moment to breathe. If they have a new character on board,
issues. If a megalodon has broken the side of their ship, let them interact and have fun with them. You and your
consider having the next encounter use an empty ship players can relax while you plan the next life-threatening
with salvageable wood. Just be sure to include challenges disaster behind the scenes.
in reaching it to emphasize the consequence.
Many encounters, including our own, have longer-lasting
effects. Some introduce characters, while others can shift

7
1d20 Ocean Encounters

1 – Scrawling Survivor a shorter, even comical encounter, maybe the man really
is just insane.

An abandoned, yet undamaged ship floats in the

2 – Colossus in the Mist
water. Aboard is a single man, scrawling strange
runes across the deck.
A single ship floats, bobbing slightly against the waves, it's A thick fog and storm drift over the ship, and the
sails raised and anchor lowered. As the party's vessel shadow of a much larger vessel lurks within.
approaches, they can hear no crew aboard, and no lights are
As the party sails through open waters, they approach a
visible below deck. Filled with curiosity, they bring their own
mighty wall of fog and thick clouds. It moves to swallow
ship to a stop and move to board. They make their way over
their ship as if seeking it out. Minutes later, the party's ship
and are met by the surprised gaze of a single remaining
is enveloped in the fog, unsure of what to do other than
crewman. In his hand is a knife, which he has used to carve
continue on their heading and hope to breach the other side.
a dozen concentric rings of symbols and text into the wood
But it doesn't take long before the silhouette of an enormous
of the deck. He stares at his visitors, scrambling to form an
ship appears near them. Growing closer and darker, the
explanation for his predicament.
shadow pulls up alongside the party's boat, and figures on
the opposite deck prepare to board.
Like many ocean encounters, this gives a great level of
freedom for deciding the context of the stranger. For a
One of the best avenues to crafting ocean encounters is to
start, who is he? Deciding if he is the ship's captain, or
make use of tension. With the terrain being a wide-open
simply a crewman, is a good base. Similarly, what business
plain, the possibility of escape is significantly lowered,
was the ship involved in? From this, who could their
forcing players to confront the chosen threat. This
enemies be, and who could be capable of the scene in
particular scenario plays further into this, by making the
question? The single character for the party to interact
enemy appear to be in some form of control over the
with gives an easy jumping-off point for creating the
playing field.
encounter and limits the need to juggle voices and
character knowledge. Having them only meet one Due to the hostile nature of this encounter, it lends itself
character also helps him to be memorable, which can turn best to a boss fight of sorts. The party is outmatched, so
a one-off encounter into a story told for years to come. they may attempt to run. But if you expect your party to
prefer combat, emphasize that it needs to be played
This particular setup suggests magic, and ocean
strategically. For instance, the use of fog means that the
encounters can be a great way to involve the water plane.
opposing ship has at least one powerful mage. However,
For example, maybe the crew had appealed to a creature
the rest of the crew and their actions should be finely
of another realm but were lost in their attempt. Now the
balanced to account for party level. If they are lower,
sole survivor is trying to make a similar deal for the lives
perhaps they will leave once the party proves itself a
of his crew. If the party is high enough level, have another
nuisance to them. If your characters are more advanced,
rift open and let them fight/bargain to reclaim the lost
you have more freedom to lean into the magical side of the
sailors. Or perhaps an ancient voice had spoken from the
encounter. Have the mage involved in the fight, or even
deep, compelling the crew overboard, and this last man
change the faction from being pirates to something more
scrawled runes to protect himself. But now the voice
magical or sinister. Perhaps units of an aquatic or
returns, and the party is unprotected. If the characters are
elemental race?
especially low level, light on resources, or you're just after

8
But you could also use this to kick off an entire campaign Similarly, don't neglect to build a story in the location
or campaign chapter. If you wish to expand the encounter itself. Evidence such as documents and ledgers should be
further, maybe this first ship is one of many, led by an present on board for them to find and piece together what
infamous pirate king? By making the first brush with a happened. Arrange the bodies they find in ways to show
new faction memorable, you further motivate players to how they died and indicate what killed them. Some of the
learn more about them. If one ship and crew is this crew might have been killed from the shadows, but others
powerful, what kind of man would they call king? would have fought back. If your players tend to ignore
these kinds of clues, do not be afraid to give a survivor
more information.
3 – Trafficking Catastrophe

Illegal animal traffickers had been ferrying

exotic beasts, but were slaughtered when some
of their trophies broke free.
The first sight of the forgotten vessel was the torn sails. The
party could see the long claw marks from a distance, and
closer inspection reveals similar damage on deck, amidst
pools of blood and rent corpses. Even the outer hull has
ominous marks, and a movement can be heard in the
shadows. On the lowest deck, hidden in boxes of cargo and
supplies, is a set of cages. The bars have been bent and
broken, and whatever beasts escaped are still on the loose.

It may sound obvious, but an interesting way to approach

ocean encounters is to simply take monsters that would
normally apply to a land-locked encounter and throw
them into a different context. The choice of creature will
depend on level as always, but almost all beasts and
monstrosities will become more dangerous when trapped.
A basilisk is a threat in the open, but even more so in the
constricting lower decks of a ship. A multitude of different
enemies should be used and can be taken from any and all
climates, as it only helps to illustrate the nature of the ship
and its crew.
For this encounter, try to build a story behind it. Have the
party discover more bodies and tracks as they explore
lower in the decks. Build tension, and slowly make what
happened clearer to the players. This will stop the
encounter from feeling random. Even better, it can open
up options for further story beats if the party decides they
want to track down the people who would buy the beasts.
If you want to lean even more into the narrative, have the
party find one or more survivors of the slaughter. Whether
they are repentant or furious, or on the brink of death, it
gives the players more choice.

9
 4 – Seaweed Ambush

The party's ship is slowed to a halt by tendrils of

constricting seaweed. Within the underwater
forest hides a sahuagin ambush.
As the party travels along in the sunny light of day, they
notice their ship gradually decelerating. This progresses
until the last of their speed is suddenly drained, leaving the
ship motionless. A quick investigation reveals that the
bottom of the hull has become entangled in thick, dense
strands of seaweed that reach up from the darkness of the
deep. Unknown to them is the ambush of sahuagin hunters
Included in your downloaded folder is a Sailing Ship Assets that lie camouflaged in the plants, waiting for whoever is
pack, courtesy of 2-Minute Tabletop. It has all the pieces sent down to cut the vessel free.
you need to construct your own vessels.
Ambushes are a staple encounter format, so the key here
is to disguise it. By presenting the conflict as a natural
occurrence until the ambush is sprung, you force your
players to think on their feet and quickly adjust their plan.
If they first send non-player crew members down, have
the first of them not come back up, provided the character
is nonessential. If the character is required in some way,
dial it back to an injury. This should put the players on
edge, which will then have them plan how they want to
deal with an unknown enemy. Once a player character
does venture down, give them the opportunity to
recognize the ambush before the sahuagin strike. It could
be as simple as a blur of movement, but it gives them a
chance to react before being hit by damage.
A lot of the time ocean encounters are used as a way to
give the players something to do while traveling. This
particular example allows you to inject some relatively
quick combat in without crafting a story or worrying
about plot deviation. Your players will be happy for you
keeping the pace moving, as well as having a simple
combat encounter to stretch their legs. It is also free of any
moral quandaries, as the players are acting defensively.
And we all know that sometimes you just want to hit
something and not worry about who's the good guy.
It is important to remain careful with how the sahuagin
act, as drowning can quickly snowball a character's health.
One solution to these issues is always to have the enemy
be careful of their own losses. After all, an ambush squad
is unlikely to sacrifice themselves for a single boat.

10
5 – Feasting Furniture

The party happens upon what they think is a

crewless ship. They don't realize that the
previous crew fled from a nest of mimic
stowaways.
The sun is setting as the party finds themselves passing a
ship. The lifeboats are missing and no movement can be
detected, yet lights flicker within. If they venture inside, they
find a well-furnished captain's quarters and crew chambers,
but no crew. It's easy to see that they fled the ship, as the
food stores have been emptied. What they cannot
immediately see is the rows of teeth awaiting inside the
remaining barrels and furniture.

The use of mimics is a personal favorite and a beloved part

of the game. Mimics can present a real danger, but it's
often best to use them to inject some levity into an
environment that becomes hostile very quickly. One of the
most enjoyable encounters I have run was a mansion filled
with mimics, animated armor, and rugs of smothering. It
gives a tense environment that forces players to think
about their movements in detail. Everyone also gets a
laugh when the party bard kicks a barrel out of his way or
tries to drink some wine. They rarely expect to find the
objects sticking to them and sprouting teeth.
Similar to the escaped animals scenario, the key here is to
spring the trap once they're deep enough in the boat.
Ocean encounters, especially abandoned ships, rely on the
party not being able to immediately leave. One way to do
this while keeping it interesting is to have mimics moving
when out of sight. This is how I put my players on edge in
my mansion encounter. By having the sounds of
movement in other rooms, and furniture changing 6 – Bait for the Brave
positions out of sight, the players will slowly form their
own assumptions. My players were sure it was ghosts.
Do note that you need to be prepared and specific in A rocky shoreline holds a ship's broken ruins,
describing object locations, and know which are mundane with illusions of crew waving for help.
and which are alive. It's paramount that you keep it fair for The party's journey has them following an island's coastal
players. This goes doubly so when you're having them be cliffs. They keep their distance to avoid being swept onto the
specific about what they do and don't touch. But only start jagged rocks that litter the waters. The evidence of less
asking for specificity when they know what is happening. cautious voyages is warning enough. One such ship has been
You don't want to ruin the surprise. Once they make it split in half against a stone shelf and loudly groans with
deep below deck and have interacted with other furniture each passing wave. The party can see survivors on the deck,
safely, spring your trap. Then sit back and watch them try
to escape while fearing every chair and candle.

11
frantically waving for help. But these crewmen are only surface, an enormous beast casts the light of its bait, waiting
illusions, cast by predators waiting just out of view. for a curious ship to stray close enough.

Boat travel will often be along a coastline rather than in Let's be honest, when most people think of 'ocean
open waters, so it's useful to have some ocean encounters encounter' one of their first three ideas is 'ghost ship'. It's
that depend less on the 'ocean' part. These locations often a classic, and for good reason. But it's for that reason that
come with terrain hazards for straying too close to land. the ship itself is not the true encounter here. It also
Avoiding this is often easy, but what happens when an presents a challenge in running the game, because your
encounter forces players to deal with the hazard instead players will know to be cautious. It may be very difficult to
of avoiding it? Like most encounters on this list, the have your players choose to approach the ship instead of
broken ship presents multiple layers of danger. First is avoiding it, especially depending on the characters
simply navigating the rocks in their choice of boat, but present. The key factor is to not make the ship appear at
then comes the ambush. all hostile. No pirate flags, no cannons, no armed crew.
Avoiding the rocks should not be too difficult for Rather, have them appealing to the party in some way.
discerning players. Assuming they take a small lifeboat, a They could be calling for help, celebrating and offering a
simple skill check for whoever is rowing should suffice. If drink, or even attempting to warn the party of another,
you want to up the ante, you can make rolls to determine fake, danger.
the strength of waves as they hit. Just be careful to keep it Once your party is successfully lured, the next step is
fair, as this is only step one of the encounter. They still deciding exactly what lies below the surface. While
have to fight, and then row back in a likely weaker state. krakens and hydras are fantastic ideas for a fight, they will
Pirates might seem like a straightforward choice of quickly destroy a low-level party. A better approach would
opponent, but they do present questions that the players be homebrewing a creature. Look at sea monsters in
might have. If they are seafarers themselves, where is their popular fiction, and adapt their themes. A fun idea is to
ship? Do they have a base nearby? Is their goal to steal the have multiple tentacles breach the surface, attacking crew
player's ship? Why use illusions? It can most certainly from off the ship. Damaging the tentacles can slowly wear
work but does require extra background thought. If the down the creature as a whole. Only showing part of the
encounter is to be more 'one-and-done', the illusions could beast keeps players and characters guessing at what it
be being cast by magical sirens. Or maybe they are locals truly is. If you're still struggling or short on prep time,
to the area, preying on sailors for gold or, more sinisterly, replace the single larger beast with a sahuagin attack.
food. Not every encounter needs to have a story behind it,
and using creatures with more straightforward
motivations keeps the story from being more than it needs
8 – Tower into the Deep
to be.

The tip of a ruined tower peeks out from the

7 – Illusionary Esca ocean's surface, in a place where all maps say
should be empty.
While sailing through the open ocean, the party sees
A strange, ghostly ship comes into view, with something rising out of the water. They identify it as the
spectral apparitions on board. Below the surface, highest point of a dilapidated tower, still holding itself
a creature waits for its lure to attract prey. together against the waves. They check their maps and
As the sun sets and the last light of day dances along the history books and find nothing to indicate that this area is
ocean's surface, a ship seems to form out of creeping populated or ever was. Looking down, the tower extends
shadows. Ghostly and glowing an ethereal blue, the vessel is into the dark of the waters. What secrets could lie in and
manned by the specters of a long-dead crew. They do not around this steadfast monolith?
appear hostile, instead beckoning the players toward them
in an attempt to communicate. Somewhere below the

12
Unlike many of the other encounters here, this one is If you are looking to expand on the encounter or the
entirely open-ended. This means you can have it be wizard, think about combining it with other encounters.
peaceful or involve combat, woven into the story or The tower could be protected by the effects in Encounter
entirely separate. It will all depend on the campaign. The 10, or the hermit may be the cause of the mimics of
most contained option is to have it be exactly what it Encounter 5. Think about his motivations and how he
seems: a ruined tower, and nothing more. Your players interacts with the world around him. Is he allied with
may simply ignore it, but if they explore there should be sahuagin, letting them hunt or even assisting them in
some reward. A chest could have been left behind by the exchange for sanctuary? Perhaps they fear him, and the
old resident, magically sealed to preserve its contents. seas surrounding the tower are eerily quiet. More
Removing the chest or damaging the tower could cause a importantly, why is he there? He may be studying
collapse, forcing an evacuation to avoid drowning. In this something nearby, or took the tower for its seclusion. If it
case, the rewards should reflect the context, so any gold was always his, what cataclysms befell it to have it now
could be accompanied by a scroll of water breathing or stranded in the ocean?
control water.
Alternatively, this encounter could be expanded almost
limitlessly. The tower could be rising from the debris of a
9 – Spiked Seafood
great city, lost to the currents. To continue on this, maybe
predators now lurk the streets or sahuagin are actively
looting. The more capable characters are at surviving A school of large, brightly colored fish swim
underwater, the more you can include. Otherwise, it can alongside the boat. They could feed the crew for
be as simple as having them make skill checks while diving days, but their meat is highly hallucinogenic.
for relics. Perhaps the building's broken state is a guise, Night has fallen, and only a small number of the crew
hiding the laboratory of a hermit wizard in its lower levels. remain on deck while others rest. The seas are calm and
Maybe he is home, and pleasantly confused at receiving kind, but through the darkness, a soft glow illuminates the
visitors. And maybe the wizard's experimental studies side of the ship. Looking over, the characters and their crew
grow darker and more sinister as they venture lower in see a school of fish, each as large as a dolphin, swimming
the tower. alongside them. The fish give off bioluminescence that shifts
colors. They would be an easy source of food, feeding the
crew for multiple days if they were to be caught. But the
characters are unaware of their hallucinogenic side effects,
something a few crew members are aiming to have fun with.

Not all ocean encounters need to be combat-focused. One

of the best ways to break up the pace of travel and keep
your players engaged is to separate combat encounters
with moments of humor and levity. This particular
instance could, of course, lead to nothing if your party
simply ignores the fish. A way around this is to have
several members of the crew know the effect of the fish,
and attempt to motivate the party to catch them. The focus
is still light-hearted fun, so don't have them be
aggressively argumentative or even good at lying. If the
2-Minute Tabletop’s furnished, hand-drawn Wizard’s
party can coax the truth out, or are able to identify the sea
Tower map is perfect for this encounter, and was included
life with a knowledge roll, give them the option of whether
for free in your downloaded zip folder.
they want the effects. Many players will, for the sake of
hilarity.

13
It's important to know exactly what the effects are. The negative effect can be a great feeling as a player, especially
hallucinations can be used a dream sequence-esque if it then leads to further discovery. If they do fail, the
moment for revealing character backgrounds, or benign disruption should not put them more than a day off-
visions of faeries and wisps. Double vision, vertigo, course. Too much punishment from a short encounter can
phantom lights, you can do almost anything with it. And cheapen the experience, though this does depend on the
perhaps the effects of the fish have not faded by the time campaign and those involved.
the next encounter arrives, or even when the party
reaches port. The purpose here is to give your players a
reprieve from the tension of many of the other encounters. 11 – Vengeful Captain

10 – Weather Woes A mutinied captain floats along the ocean on a

single plank of wood, offering a reward for safety
and even more for the delivery of his ship.
A beautiful aurora appears in the night sky and a
Floating in the waters of open ocean, the party finds a single
warm rain falls, but winds blow in all directions
man clutched to a plank of wood. He is dehydrated and
and stars seem to move, disrupting navigation. starving, and his clothes are tarnished by salt and sun. They
During the night, the sky is gradually lit up by a shifting bring him on board, and he explains that he was a captain
aurora. The dancing streams of color are unusual for the of his own ship until his crew unjustly mutinied against him.
area and draw the crew to the deck in awe. It begins to rain He tells the characters that he has access to many riches,
not long after. But the rainfall is not coming from any visible offering to pay them if they ferry him to a port. They are
clouds and is soon accompanied by winds that seem to shift offered many times the pay if they reclaim his ship for him.
and change in different directions. Constellations appear to
drift behind the aurora, as the winds push the sails to and
A single man floating through the ocean is another classic
fro. It's not long before the beautiful spectacle becomes a
of ocean encounters. Once again, the use of one character
nightmare for navigation.
for the party to interact with allows you to focus on exactly
who he is. For building his identity, ask the most pertinent
The ocean is both a beautiful and dangerous place, and questions. What were he and his crew doing? Why was he
some of your encounters should reflect this. Unlike the mutinied? And most importantly, is he telling the truth?
other encounters with background stories and contexts, These are the kinds of questions the characters should be
it's perfectly okay to run this without a defined cause. It's asking of him, and so they are the details you should have
a magical world, and sometimes strange things happen prepared. The man is offering rewards, so he must be
without explanation. This is entirely up to you as the GM either rich or knowledgeable. Define exactly who he is and
of course, and the undefined nature of the encounter how he acts, and build the encounter around him.
means it can be repurposed to fit a number of situations. If tracked down, the crew should be a reflection of their
It could be that the players did not make the appropriate captain. They had a reason for mutinying, so they are likely
offering to an ocean god, or strayed into waters where his opposite in some way. The party may open with
other realms push on the borders of the material plane. combat against them, but always be prepared for them to
The weather could even be a protection spell, maintained take a more measured approach. Make sure the crew has
by the same hermit wizard in Encounter 8 as a way of answers to the same questions the players asked the
dissuading sailors from finding him. captain. Keep in mind that they will be responding from a
This encounter also acts as a test of your characters' skill different perspective, likely believing themselves to be in
and players' thinking. As mentioned, it should be entirely the right against the captain. You are free to simply have
possible for them to maintain their heading with the right them be greedy, evil pirates, but putting them on equal
actions and checks. This would, of course, come with the moral ground to the captain can provide more interesting
reward of not having travel delayed or offset. The dialogue. This, of course, all depends on the morality of the
satisfaction of making it through an encounter without party and how they deal with complicated decisions.

14
12 – A Bigger Fish

A pod of dolphins crests the waves beside the

ship, but their numbers decrease over time. A
shark is picking them off. Right as the party
realize, a much larger shark eats the first.
The sun is shining and the day is serene. As if the scene could
not be more picturesque, a pod of dolphins crest and swim
alongside the ship. The party and crew watch on with smiles,
but slowly realize the dolphins' numbers decreasing every
time they disappear beneath the waves. They eventually
catch sight of a shark that is attacking when it swims into
view to take another meal. But as it goes for the kill, it is
pulled into the jaws of another, monstrously large shark.

To be blunt, sharks are a common phobia and you can use

that. The creature doesn't even need to become a threat to
the ship for you to use the fear of it as the basis for an
encounter. Because of this, the shark can either be an
occurrence that quickly disappears or can develop into
combat. If you decide that it is content with the food it has,
feel free to have it leave. For many players, the description
of the beast will be enough, even if the encounter might 13 – Enchanted Sailor
feel short to run. If you do wish to extend both the
encounter and subsequent nightmares, simply have the
larger shark try the boat. Maybe it could inflict minor hull A single man is found in a rowboat, rowing in
damage, which forces the crew to stop and a party circles. Lights dance in the water beneath him, as
member to make repairs. They need to dive to fix it, but
water faeries enchant his mind.
have lost sight of the creature.
Sailing across open seas, the party catch sight of a single
Unlike other ocean encounters, developing this into
rowboat. Sitting in it is a man, rowing his craft in tight
combat can result in a somewhat simple fight. The shark
circles. He pays the party's ship no notice as they approach,
can only really attack the boat while players shoot at it.
his eyes staring off into the middle distance. They try to call
That said, always be ready for someone to try and mount
to him, but his mouth absentmindedly forms long whispers
the beast. Because let's be honest, someone always will.
and unsettling grins. The party pulls their ship nearer to
What this does mean is that you can tailor the fight to be
him, hoping to understand, and catch sight of orbs of light
more about scaring the shark away before it irreparably
dancing in the water around his boat. Beneath the waves
damages the ship, rather than just killing it. If you want to
are a cluster of water faeries, enchanting the man in playful
expand it even further, take a note from an encounter my
deception.
brother once ran: the megalodon is part of a sahuagin
hunting party, with at least one riding on its back while
others attack the ship's deck. A personal favorite creature archetype has always been
tricksters. They make building multi-layered encounters
much easier and more dynamic. But you need to be sure
that you know the reason for the encounter. Why are the
faeries doing this? It could be as basic as personal
enjoyment, or you could give them more sinister

15
 motivations. From this, how will they react to player
intervention? Will they try to bewitch the characters as
well, or retreat and keep their distance? The interaction
between the faeries and players is the bulk of the
encounter. The fun here is that the faeries are not human,
and therefore need not subscribe to our sense of logic.
The most likely outcome will be the man being freed and
taken on board. This means building his character, but also
determining what the faeries will do after the encounter.
If they are harmless tricksters, it is entirely possible that
they will do nothing. Equally likely is that they might
follow the party's ship. They may be pleased to find more
people to play with, stowing away on the vessel and
playing tricks and pranks on the crew. Hostile faeries,
provided they were not killed in the interaction, could
place a bad luck curse on either the party or the man they
found.
The other consideration to make is the man himself.
Building his backstory and character is much the same as
any other. Determine who he is, how he got there, and
where he wants to go. For a more detailed character, think
about specifically why he was targeted by the faeries. Was
he the cost of a deal his former crew made? His story
should influence his goals, and players will likely want an
explanation for the situation they found him in.

14 – Phantom Gambler

A tiny island can be seen nearby with only a

single tree giving shade to a table and four seats.
On one of them sits a ghost who would gamble his
greatest prize: a medallion that his soul is
secretly bound to.
Sitting in the middle of open waters is a palm tree,
surrounded by no more than 50 feet of sand on each side.
Under the tree is placed a small wooden table set with four
equally aged chairs. But one chair is occupied. The spectral
blue form of a long-dead captain rests, shimmering in the
ocean winds. Upon the party's approach, he greets them
gleefully and directs their attention to a chest of gold. The
spectre offers to gamble with them. He bets both riches and
his medallion, neglecting to share his desire to lose and have
The abilities and Charm of a dryad are a great example of
it taken from the island. He is bound to the curio and wants
faery tricks. You can even convert it directly into a siren or
nothing more than to leave.
mermaid.

16
 distinguished sailor and maddened castaway. Play on his
charisma while gambling. If the players win, he should be
overjoyed to be free. Maybe he pledges his service to their
ship, providing a useful ally but also permanently binding
him to the vessel. His purpose should be to lighten the
mood through his interactions. Ideally, he can annoy the
characters while still making the players feel rewarded.

15 – Pod of Predators

A pod of kelpies crests alongside the ship. They

are harmless if left alone, but touching them
Your download of this document came with 2-Minute causes a person to become attached and pulled
Tabletop’s Ocean Surface Assets, which includes an island,
under the waves.
shipwrecks, survivors, sharks, and more.
The party catches sight of what they believe to be dolphins
as they travel. A collection of shadows swim alongside the
As stated earlier, your ocean encounters should be broken boat, before leaping from the surface in a beautiful display.
up with moments of levity. This can perfectly fulfill that, The creatures resemble horses, with their hindquarters
while also rewarding the party with bittersweet loot. The replaced by a fish's tail. They appear harmless, curiously
first step here is the mechanical setup. For one, the investigating the party's vessel. Some get even closer,
purpose is not combat, though you don't really want the sniffing up at the side of the ship. But nature is often
party just stealing the gold. A solution that also stays in- perilous. A single touch will cause a character to become
theme is having the gold coins be ghostly and ethereal, but bound to it as they dive deep into the ocean waters.
have the captain give one as a display that he can make
them corporeal if the players win.
One of the best ways to design ocean encounters, or
Step two is the gambling games themselves. There are
encounters of any kind, is to incorporate real life
some fantastic resources to be found online for games
mythology. Many examples of this allow you to threaten
requiring only dice. There are many examples to be found
the characters without combat. That said, you are relying
online, such as those used in Critical Role. Aim for those
on your players not having the same understanding, or at
that are simple to explain and run, allowing for a break
least not applying it. If you are worried about this, you may
from the critical thinking of combat. Try to tailor them
wish to disguise the kelpies. How you do this is up to you,
towards what your players will enjoy. While running
but could simply be substituting the horse half for another
these, be mindful of the captain's objective: he wants to
animal. Kelpies are also said to be able to take human
lose the medallion. Many games have dice rolled in secret,
form, though this may be more suspicious due to
so feel free to roll extra dice for him and substitute the
mermaids and sirens being more commonly known. Try to
better results into his total. Build the players' confidence
play more into a character's wish to investigate the
so they keep betting. If they do attempt to identify his
unexplained.
cheating, feel free to have them discover the numbers on
his dice magically changing. A player should be rewarded An alternative for player's not engaging is always to
for a keen eye. threaten the crew instead. If your players are keeping a
distance from the kelpies, have them instead tempt less
The character of the ghost is the best part of this
discerning crew members. Another character leaning over
encounter. You can craft him however you like, but I would
the ship's edge forces action from players whose character
advise allowing yourself to have fun playing him. He has
knows what is happening. If they were staying away from
been stuck on the island, waiting to gamble his way off. He
fear of not knowing what is happening, sacrifice a crew
may have been driven slightly insane, teetering between
member as an example. It sounds harsh, but causes the

17
same tonal acceleration as the sahuagin of Encounter 4. similar to basilisk petrification, with characters making
And a player character watching it happen and trying to ability checks to resist and feeling a growing affect with
help may just find themselves attached as well. each failure. A set number of losses would mean
How a bound character escapes is up to your own succumbing entirely. Players could also have advantages
judgement. Player characters can hold their breath for a depending on class. How might it interact with a cleric or
forgivingly long time, giving them multiple chances to free warlock appealing to their benefactors? The second
themselves. Many will simply kill the creature. You are consideration is how the effect manifests for players,
free to assign a skill check DC, as well as an amount of which will depend entirely on the creature's goal.
damage needed to be dealt to cut their hand or body free. Siphoning memories could force party members into
According to official rulings verbal spells can be cast flashbacks or illusions. Characters could simply lose
underwater, so teleporting away is an option. Try not to consciousness, but it feels better for players if they are still
let it get to the point of a character dismembering involved in some way.
themselves. If one of their own is killed or significantly Finally, prepare for the result of the encounter. Your
hurt, the kelpies may scatter. They are not inherently characters should have a way of getting away without
hostile, and should act more like animals than hunters. losses. Whether this means confronting the creature
below, escaping it, or using protective magic, be ready to
allow them to win. This is unfortunately difficult to plan
16 – Influence from the Deep for, as it will come down to the combination of the
creature's motivation and how your characters react. You
can try to predict them, but always keep your plans open
for however else they might respond. Finally, what if the
An enormous shadow appears under the boat,
creature wins? The characters and crew could experience
following it for hours. Over time, crew members lost time or awaken to find the ship moved off course. If
enter unresponsive standing comas. The effect they were controlled, perhaps they come to in a port or in
eventually targets the party as well. possession of an unidentified relic. Don't have them wake
The day was quiet and strangely devoid of animals. But as to anything drastic, as removing player control is a
the last rays of sunlight fade, a gargantuan shadow drifts cardinal sin. Keep it minor.
under the ship. It stays with them for hours, lurking below
the ship long into the night. Over time, the crew members on
deck stop moving. They just stand still, staring off into the 17 – Swirling Vortex
distance. The party likewise feels an influence pushing into
their mind and dulling their senses. Whatever is under the
ship is taking their minds, and they don't have long. A ring of jagged rocks encircles a hole in the
ocean. The bottom is too deep to see, and the
cascading vortex is pulling in nearby ships.
This can be made into almost anything, the same as
Encounter 8. Using Lovecraftian horrors is another classic, In open ocean lies a field of jagged rocks, protruding from
and provides near limitless freedom for ocean encounters. the surface like teeth. They encircle a vortex of water,
Your first port of call is perhaps the most difficult: why is collapsing into darkness. The flowing water creates strong
it happening? The creature, if it even is a creature, should currents, which drags in any ship that strays too close. Ruins
have a motivation for affecting the crew. It could be of these boats alert the party, but the current is already
gathering information, observing the memories of other pulling them toward the center.
beings. Contrastingly it could be wresting control to have
them carry out its will. Answering this question will act as
Some encounters are easy to bypass. The key to running
the basis for the rest of the encounter, and determine the
them is play into your players' curiosity; they might skip
upper bounds of its effect on the party.
it, but it will leave burning questions in their minds. In this
The effect on the crew is straightforward, but targeting the case, surviving the vortex should come down to skill
players is more complicated. They should be given time to checks. The first would be perceiving and identifying the
react, while still feeling the threat. One method is a system

18
danger in time to think and react. From that, they may the party's ship. They explain their search for a fugitive, and
decide to keep a safe distance, or they may prefer a closer the description matches the pirate. His head carries a
look. Be clear in describing the risk of straying too close, bounty, significantly smaller than the treasure he promises.
as the DC's for getting free should increase with proximity.
The exact checks will depend on your party's strategy, as
Playing again on the idea of a man adrift, we add on the all-
well as the roles they fill on the ship.
time classic of pirate treasure. Take the use of cliches and
If you wish to expand the encounter further, give the run with it. The pirate character should be a shifty,
characters a reason to get close. You may wish to have charismatic renegade, like almost every pirate in modern
another ship pinned against the rocks, with crew calling media. Play him as your own Jack Sparrow or Edward
for help. By motivating players to get close, you force them Kenway. Your goal is to make the party like him, while still
to think carefully about their plan. This situation can knowing they shouldn't trust him. Communicate his
rapidly snowball. Have them describe their actions and character through the stories he tells, always questionably
intentions in detail, but do not be too harsh in your rulings. bordering on the fantastical. He should be telling the truth
There should be risk in taking a smaller craft for a rescue, about his adventures, though heavily embellishing them.
but you do not want to be unfair in forcing unnecessary This way even the most discerning players and characters
skill checks. Aiding the other crew should also carry a will be on the fence about his intentions. He may be a
reward, whether it simply be gold, or having them join the storyteller, but he's not technically a liar.
party's ship.
The authorities tracking him should be something of the
The dependence on having a ship can make ocean opposite. Unlike most of our other ocean encounters, the
encounters much riskier than their terrestrial idea is to make this conversation a moral decision. While
counterparts. For this encounter in particular, spend time the pirate is friendly, albeit untrustworthy, the navy
planning what happens if they fail. There is a chance for should be played as righteous and militant. They might be
the party to be scuttled against the rocks, and even fall into in the right for chasing a criminal, but they don't have to
the vortex. A higher-level party gives more freedom as be nice about it. This can depend on your world, but you
they can survive greater threats, such as the vortex being should place the focus on weighing what is right against
a portal to the water plane. Even if it's as simple as what is rewarding. Make neither side perfectly good or
knowing that they can reach port by rowing for a few days, bad. It allows you to gauge the morality of newer parties,
a lower level party should have a way of avoiding death and can also inform their later interactions with both
even after failure. Likewise, ease up on the effect of the pirates and navy.
vortex's core. Falling in may simply spit them out of a
Concluding the encounter is easy if they hand him over,
similar vortex, in a very different location and several days
but what if they don't? Your party may choose to pursue
off course.
the treasure, so you need to know both where and what it
. is. To make this step more engaging, build from a single
18 – Pursued Pirate question: what didn't the pirate tell them? It could be that
the treasure is enchanted, and he needed muscle to get
past its guardians. Maybe it was taken by his former
friends, and he walks into their camp claiming the party is
An emaciated pirate is found drifting in a
now his new, more loyal crew. Once the situation is dealt
rowboat, and promises the location of treasure to with, determine how much he intends to split with the
anyone that would ferry him to a nearby port. party. By now he could view them as allies, but he may still
Authorities are after him and offering a much try to swindle them for a larger cut. He is a pirate, after all.
smaller reward.
A man is found drifting the waters in a small rowboat. He
wears the garb of a pirate, and spins the party a fantastical
yarn of his adventures. Included in his story is a treasure,
which he promises to his rescuers in exchange for delivering
him to a particular port. Hours later, a naval vessel passes

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 could identify the smell and alert the party that poaching
is highly illegal. The party may ultimately still choose
avoidance. The final decision is up to them, and there is
only so much hinting you should do as a GM before letting
it go.
Hopefully, your party does choose to engage with the
poachers. In this case, you can have some fun by
subverting their expectations. Have them be caught off-
guard from being found in the open ocean, rather than act
like bandits. They can be embarrassed and flustered,
trying to negotiate while having little leverage. Use one of
them to act as a leader, and try to convince the party to let
them go. Our other ocean encounters are built from the
party being put on the back foot, but the intention here is
2-Minute Tabletop’s Jungle Temple entrance was to have them in control. Playing the lead poacher like a
included for free in your download. It makes for a great negotiator with average or low charisma is a great way to
locale for the pirate to take the party to, in search of do this. It will let the talkers in your group fill their role,
hidden treasure. and eliminates the chance of the situation devolving into
combat.
If the party does accept a payoff, you can use this as a point
19 – Rot in the Air of conflict with their own crew. Assuming the party
themselves aren't pirates, the crew they travel with may
be morally opposed to poaching. While the players
From a mile away, the crew is engulfed in the shouldn't lose crew members from this alone, having
smell of rot. They can follow it to an enormous other characters disagree with their actions will make
shell, being harvested for meat by poachers. The them feel more layered and real. This is by no means
men they find are embarrassed for being found, necessary, but is a great way to bring their ship to life and
but not equipped for combat. inject realism into quieter moments outside of encounters.

As the party sails, they find the air around them poisoned by
the stench of dead ocean life. The smell is sickening them as
it blows from a collection of ships up ahead. Moving closer, 20 – Celebration on the Waves
the party is able to identify the cluster as a band of poachers
cutting meat from an enormous shell. Their ships are clearly
equipped with the tools that killed the beast. Knowing their A ship of affluent travelers with a live band pulls
actions are illegal, the poachers attempt to bargain for the alongside the party, offering for them to come
party's silence. They are no fighters, but will do anything to aboard and celebrate with them.
not be caught.
A larger, brightly colored vessel drifts into view. From it, the
party can hear music, cheers, and celebration. It sails closer
Similar to Encounter 17, this can be avoided entirely. Do to them, and affluently-dressed party-goers call for the
not have the smell affect them mechanically until they are characters to join them. On their ship is a live band, bar, and
very close, as it will dissuade them from investigating. all sorts of gambling and revelries. They are happy for the
Putting the encounter directly in their path may be party to participate for the night, departing cheerful and
enough, but if they still intend to avoid it you can make use rested in the morning.
of their crew to hint them along. Covering their noses and
mouths in a mask could prevent the need for making saves
Sometimes you want to avoid combat, and other times you
against being sickened. You can show this by simply
want the exact opposite of combat. Especially if your party
having crew members do it. Likewise, a crew member
is rolling for encounters, surely rolling a 20 should be the

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best result? For this, we have a party boat. The purpose of Tying the revelers into the world is advised, to make the
this is having fun without consequence; a respite from any encounter feel less like a gimmick.
sort of conflict or danger. Let your characters enjoy You also have an entire boat of characters for players to
themselves and cut loose. There are many examples of interact with, many intoxicated. If your party is looking for
great gambling games that only need dice, as well as other information, drunk nobles are a fantastic source.
betting and casino systems, that can be found online. Take
You may wish to make the celebration more sinister in
any festival or gambling minigames you can find and
some way, but in this case, I would advise against it.
throw them onto the decks of the ship, so that any kind of
Having them celebrate something the party opposes, or
character can enjoy themselves. I can guarantee that of all
even positioning the boat as some kind of trap can be an
the encounters here, this one will stick out most when
interesting twist, but is not necessary. Let your players
your players think about their journey.
enjoy themselves and focus on the minigames. The only
While preparing the games, give them a reason for loss should come from bad dice luck and the weighted
celebration. It doesn't need to be particularly deep or odds of gambling. The house always wins, but playing
layered, just enough to explain when a player asks why. should still be fun. And fun is the real reason we all play.
Having them originate from the party's destination can
also be a means to inform players, and flesh out the area.

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