Extras‎ > ‎Custom Creations‎ > ‎Jreyst's Lab‎ > ‎Random Encounters‎ > ‎Terrain‎ > ‎

Marine

Note: Encounters while traveling on a ship or boat can be very exciting but also potentially very dangerous. If a monster were to pull a heavily armored fighter into the water he would be in dire danger of dying a very unheroic death. PC's traveling on-board a ship or boat should plan their spells and equipment carefully before beginning such a journey in order to be able to respond most effectively to encounters sure to come.

Description: The following events are applicable if the PC's are traveling on a ship or boat for an extended duration.

Recommended Frequency: One time every two hours, whenever PC's travel more than 10 minutes, or whenever the GM desires.

Day Night
Die Roll Encounter Type
01-15 Potentially hostile encounter. Roll on Table 1 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
16-20 Unusual weather/terrain. Roll on Table 2 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
21-25 Notable Occurrence. Roll on Table 3 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
26-50 Travelers or non-hostile encounter. Roll on Table 4 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
51-00 No encounter.
Die Roll Encounter Type
01-30 Potentially hostile encounter. Roll on Table 1 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
31-35 Unusual weather/terrain. Roll on Table 2 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
36-40 Notable Occurrence. Roll on Table 3 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
41-45 Travelers or non-hostile encounter. Roll on Table 4 for the appropriate climate/terrain.
46-00 No encounter.

Weather or Terrain Event

As always, if a particular roll does not make sense or apply in your scenario, reroll or choose a better or more interesting one.

Event Effect
01-15
16-30 Coldsnap
31-32
-
33-47 Fog bank
-
- Fire on board
48-62 Heatwave
63-72
73-74 Hurricane
75-83
-
-
-
-
- Snow/thunderstorm
84-98
-
99-00 Underwater volcanic eruption

Ocean CR 8

d% Encounter Avg. CR
1–4 1 octopus 1
5–14 2d6 dolphins 4
15–19 2d6 merfolk 4
20–23 1 sea hag 4
24–31 1d6 squid 4
32–36 1d6 water mephits 6
37–38 1 aboleth 7
39–42 1 giant octopus 8
43–50 2d6 sahuagin 8
51–60 2d6 sharks 8
61–66 2d6 skum 8
67–71 1d6 giant moray eels 8
72–77 1d6 Large water elementals 8
78–79 1 dire shark 9
80–81 1 dragon turtle 9
82–83 1 giant squid 9
84–85 1d4 elasmosauruses 9
86–91 2d4 orcas 9
92–93 1 bronze dragon (young) 9
94–95 1 marid 9
96–97 1 elder water elemental 11
98 1 sea serpent 12
99 1 kraken 18
99 1 shoggoth 19

Marine Encounters Roll on the “close” column when the shore is visible. Otherwise, roll on the Deep Sea column.

Close Deep Sea # Appearing Result
01-11 01 1-8 Merchant ship, small
12-20 02-05 1-4 Merchant ship, medium
21-26 06-25 1-2 Merchant ship, large
27-31 26-45 varies Merchant fleet (2-8 medium ships with an escort of 1 small warship per two merchant vessels)
32-38 46-49 1 Pirates (10% chance a fleet of 1d4 vessels)
39-45 50-53 1 Privateer (15% chance a fleet of 1d4 vessels)
46-56 54 1-6 Fishermen (in fishing boats)
57-61 55-58 1 Refugees (in a small cargo ship)
62-68 59-78 1-6 Small warship
69-72 79-82 1-3 Medium warship
73-74 83 1-2 Large warship
75 84 varies War Fleet (2d4 small, 1d6 medium, and 1d3 large warships)
76 85 1 Plagueship (roll again to determine vessel type; victims on board are all dead or dying of plague, and will have a plague flag run up the mast 90% of the time)
77 86 1 Ghost ship (roll again to determine type; 01-40 = unoccupied, 41-80 = skeleton or zombie crew, 81-00 = draug crew)
78 87-90 1 Aquatic trade group (roll on table x to determine race; they seek trade with surface ships, and will not instigate an attack)
79 91 1 Adventurers (1d8 members rolled on the NPC adventurer tables 8-x, running a small warship with a seasoned crew)
80-84 92-95 1 Slave ship (currently has 2d20 slaves on board; 25% likely to have an escort of 1-2 small warships)
85-95 96-99 1-6 Cargo/supply ship (90% protected by 1-2 small warships per cargo ship)
96-00 00 1 Pleasure yacht (owned by an aristocrat who enjoys sailing; deep sea yachts will always be escorted by 1-2 small warships)