These are the rules for naval movement and combat.

Every ship requires a pilot to control the vehicle or a captain to coordinate the efforts of the crew, which controls the ship’s movement and performs other activities as instructed. Smaller vessels such as rowboats need only a pilot, while larger vessels such as triremes and galleons require a captain. To captain a ship, a character must have an appropriate profession (sailor, boatman, ferryman, pirate, fisher, whaler, or something similar).

A ship controlled by a pilot replaces its Agility with half the pilot’s Agility score. A ship controlled by a captain replaces its Agility with half the captain’s Intellect score or Will score. In both cases, the ship’s Defense when it is piloted equals its Agility score (minimum 5).

Ships move by being rowed with oars or by filling their sails with wind.

Ships that list oars in their Speed entries can move at the indicated Speed by being rowed. On smaller vessels, the pilot uses an action to pull the oars, while larger vessels require each member of the crew to use an action to pull the oars under the direction of the captain. A creature can typically row for a number of consecutive hours equal to 1 + its Strength modifier (minimum 1 hour). At the end of that time, and again after each additional hour of continuous rowing, the creature must make a Strength challenge roll. On a failure, the creature becomes fatigued until it completes a rest. If the creature was already fatigued, it takes a –1d6 penalty to Health. A fatigued creature adds 1d6 to this penalty for each subsequent failure. This penalty remains until the creature removes the fatigued affliction.

Current: The direction in which the water flows can make rowing harder or easier, depending on whether the vessel moves with or against the current. Rowing with a fast-flowing current can increase a ship’s maximum Speed by half, while rowing against the current might reduce or even halve the ship’s maximum Speed at your discretion.

Forced Rowing: A captain can goad the crew to push harder and thus move the vessel faster. The captain must make a Will attack roll against the crew’s Will. On a success, the captain increases the ship’s Speed by 1d6 for 1 hour. At the end of that hour, members of the crew make challenge rolls to resist the effects of continuous rowing with 1 bane. On a failure, the captain cannot try to goad the crew again until after the captain completes a rest.

Ships that list sails in their Speed entries can move at the indicated Speed by using wind for propulsion. While favorable winds can take days off a journey, unfavorable winds can add time and even strand a ship for days until the winds returns. Controlling a sailing vessel requires the pilot (for small sailboats) or the crew to use an action, or a triggered action, each round to tend to the vessel, which includes manipulating sails, checking rigging, and doing all the other tasks required to keep the ship heading in the right direction.

A ship with Speed given for both oars and sails can use one or the other propulsion method, but not both at the same time. Changing from one method to the other takes 1d6 minutes.

Inspiring the Crew: A captain can attempt to inspire the crew by shouting words of encouragement and taking part in the effort to direct the ship. If the captain gets a success on a Will challenge roll, increase the ship’s base Speed by 1d6 for 1 hour. On a failure, the captain cannot try again for 1 hour.

A sailing ship’s movement depends on wind strength and direction. The Sailing Speed by Wind table shows how much a ship’s Speed increases or decreases based on the wind strength and the direction the ship is moving relative to the direction the wind is blowing. A ship can move against the wind, at an angle across the wind’s path, or with the wind. For example, a galleon has Speed 9. If it sails against a moderate wind, its Speed is 3. If it sails with a moderate wind, its Speed becomes 15. If it sails across a moderate wind, its Speed is 12.

If a modifier would reduce the ship’s Speed to 0, the ship can move only if it is rowed

The following table shows the speed modifier for wind strength and what direction the ship is in regards to the wind.

Severe weather, spells, war machines, and monsters can damage a ship. A ship can take some amount of damage and remain seaworthy, but if it takes too much damage, it can be scuttled or even sink.

Crew: When a ship takes any damage, any creature within 1 yard of the spot where the ship was struck must get a success on an Agility challenge roll or take half the damage. To account for the effect of the attack against crewmembers, assume that 5 to 10 percent of the crew is in the affected area.

Scuttled Ships: A ship becomes scuttled when its damage total equals half its Health. A scuttled ship has its Speed halved and adds 2 banes to its seaworthiness and its maneuverability. If it is not repaired, the ship will sink in 1d6 + 3 days.

Destroying a Ship: If a ship’s damage total equals its Health or if a ship’s Health is reduced to 0, the ship begins to sink. The pilot or captain must make an Intellect challenge roll, applying boons or banes from the ship’s seaworthiness to the roll. On a success, the ship sinks at the end of a number of minutes equal to its Size. On a failure, the ship sinks immediately.

At the end of each minute while a ship is sinking, each creature on the ship must make an Agility challenge roll, applying boons or banes from seaworthiness to the roll. On a failure, the creature takes 1d6 damage from sliding debris.

Any creature on the ship when it sinks must get a success on an Agility challenge roll with 2 banes or be dragged under, tangled in debris, and take damage equal to its Health. A creature that gets a success on this roll still has to swim to escape the ship and might be forced to make Strength challenge rolls to do so.

A ship is at risk of running aground if it moves into water of a depth less than the ship’s draft, or if it is moored in a location close to shore when the tide goes out. A ship might be grounded intentionally or be run aground by severe weather. When a ship goes to ground for a reason beyond the control of its pilot or captain, the ship takes 3d6 damage and cannot be sailed or rowed until it is moved back into deeper waters. If a ship runs aground on rocks or a coral reef, the ship takes 1d6 damage each hour it remains there until it sinks.

Pirates, privateers, sailors from an enemy nation, or mad cultists wreaking havoc on the high seas can make an ordinary ocean voyage exciting and, most likely, dangerous. Distance, speed, and other factors can make ship-to-ship combat more complex than ordinary combat.

Of course, ships and their occupants are vulnerable to the effects of spells, relics, and talents that could resolve an episode of ship-to-ship combat in short order. Especially powerful spells can effectively end a battle before it begins by utterly destroying enemy ships, summoning storms, or bringing forth creatures that feast on enemy crews. Assuming such resources are not brought to bear, use the following rules when ships come into conflict with one another.

Combat involving ships unfolds in rounds, as does any other combat. Ship-to-ship combat, however, makes no distinction between fast turns and slow turns. Instead, the player characters, along with the ship or ships they are on, go first. Then, creatures and ships you control go next. After that, you resolve the end of the round and proceed with the next round until the combat ends.

On each ship, the captain or pilot along with any active crewmembers use their actions to control the ship. Creatures not involved in controlling the ship can move and use actions to perform other activities.

During each round of combat, each captain or pilot chooses one maneuver from the following choices: flee, pursue, or ram.

Each time a captain performs a maneuver, the captain makes an Intellect attack roll against the Intellect of the opposing captain. Boons and banes from the ship’s maneuverability apply to this roll. The result of the roll determines what happens on that attempt.

Fleeing is an attempt to increase the distance between one ship and another.

20 or higher: The fleeing ship moves its Speed + 3 away from the other ship.

Success: The ship moves its Speed away from the other ship.

Failure: The ship moves half its Speed away from the other ship.

0 or lower: The ship moves one-quarter its Speed away from the other ship and suffers a mishap. Roll on the Mishaps table.

Pursuing is an attempt to decrease the distance between one ship and another.

20 or higher: The pursuing ship moves its Speed + 3 toward the other ship.

Success: The ship moves its Speed toward the other ship.

Failure: The ship moves half its Speed toward the other ship.

0 or lower: The ship moves one-quarter its Speed toward the other ship and suffers a mishap. Roll on the Mishaps table.

Ramming is an attempt to crash one ship into another. This maneuver is possible only if the ship could move into the other’s ship’s space on its current turn. See “Crashes” for more information on what happens.

20 or higher: The ramming ship crashes into the other ship and deals 3d6 extra damage.

Success: The ship crashes into the other ship.

Failure: The ship misses the other ship.

0 or lower: The ship misses the other ship and suffers a mishap. Roll on the Mishaps table.

A crash occurs when a ship collides with an object such as a pier, an iceberg, or another ship.

If the ship collides with an immovable object, the ship stops moving. Both the object and the ship take damage equal to half the ship’s Health.

If a ship collides with an object that was moving across its path, both the ship and the object continue moving at half the Speed they were traveling before the crash. Both the ship and the object take damage equal to half the ship’s Health.

If the ship collides with an object that was moving toward it, both the ship and the object stop moving. Add half the ship’s Health to half the Health of the object and deal the total as damage to both the ship and the object struck.

Any creature on the object struck or the ship takes half the damage taken by the ship. A creature that gets a success on an Agility challenge roll reduces the damage taken by half.

Some ships might have light cannon, ballistas, or other war machines, each of which counts as cargo. Each war machine has its own crew in addition to the crew of a ship. The crew of a war machine can use their actions to aim and fire the weapons. The following section details war machines.

The category of war machines includes a variety of siege engines that are used to take down fortifications, sink ships, and knock airships from the skies. Most war machines are so large that they require more than one person to operate them. Three special actions are available to those who use war machines: load, aim, and fire.

Loading a war machine takes one or more actions, as indicated by the “load” number in the description of the weapon’s special attack. If a weapon’s load number is 2 or higher, multiple people can use actions in the same round to load the weapon more quickly.

As with loading, aiming a war machine takes one or more actions, as indicated by the “aim” number in the description of the weapon’s special attack. If a weapon’s aim number is 2 or higher, multiple people can use actions in the same round to aim the weapon more quickly.

If a weapon is fired without being aimed, it launches its projectile at the same space that was targeted the last time it was fired.

When a crew aims a weapon, the crew must designate a 1-yard cube within the weapon’s range as the target of the shot.

Direct Fire: A war machine that attacks with direct fire looses its projectile at a chosen target within range. The projectile must have an unobstructed path to the target in order to strike it. Glass, cloth, and other fragile substances do not obstruct the projectile, though they might obscure what lies beyond. Similarly, a Size 1/2 creature standing in the path of a fired cannonball is not sufficient to stop the projectile, and it’s unlikely for the creature to obscure the intended target.

Indirect Fire: A war machine that attacks with indirect fire hurls its projectile arcing into the air to land in a chosen space, enabling its crew to launch projectiles up and over intervening obstacles. When aiming the projectile, the crew chooses any point within range, regardless of obstacles that block line of sight between the war machine and the target.

Usually, only one creature needs to use an action to fire the weapon.

Direct Fire: A war machine that attacks with direct fire launches its projectile in a straight line toward the target. If something solid lies in the projectile’s path, the projectile hits it instead, likely damaging it. If the projectile destroys the object struck, it might continue moving, dealing any leftover damage when it strikes another obstacle or hits its target.

Indirect Fire: To fire a war machine that attacks with indirect fire, one member of the crew involved in aiming the weapon must make an Intellect challenge roll. (You might impose 1 or more banes on the roll based on the conditions.) On a success, the projectile lands at the desired location. On a failure, the projectile lands 1d6 yards away from that location in a random direction.

If a war machine takes damage equal to half its Health or more, the damage imposes 1 bane on Intellect challenge rolls made to operate an indirect f ire weapon and grants 1 boon on rolls made to resist attacks by such weapons.

Some war machines can misfire, as noted in their statistics boxes. When this happens, roll a d6.

On an even number, the weapon simply misfired and can be fired again after it is repaired. Repairing a war machine takes twice as long as it takes to load the weapon.

On an odd number, the weapon explodes, taking damage equal to its Health and dealing damage equal to its Health to everything within 5 yards of it. A creature in the area of the explosion can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success.

Size: 2 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 20

Space: 2 × 2; Crew 1 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: spear (1 ss)

Special Attacks

Direct Fire (load 1, aim 1) The ballista hurls a spear into a cube of space, 1 yard on a side, within long range, dealing 3d6 damage to anything in the area. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane and takes no damage on a success. If the spear fails to hit something in the area, it continues traveling until it reaches its maximum distance or until it impacts a solid surface. Any creature in the spear’s path when it travels toward or beyond the target space can avoid the spear by getting a success on an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane.

Size: 3 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 60

Space: 3 × 3; Crew 2 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: ball (4 gc) or a round stone (free, but halves the range and damage)

Special Attacks

Indirect Fire(load 3, aim 1) Choose a cube of space, 3 yards on a side. The target space must be within 250 yards, but at least 50 yards away. If the number on the die for the challenge roll is a 1 or 2, the bombard misfires. Otherwise, the weapon lobs a ball into the air, which comes down into the target space, dealing 8d6 damage to everything in the space and half the damage to everything within 1 yard of it. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success.

Size: 2 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 40

Space: 2 Í 2; Crew 2 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: cannonball (3 gc) or a round stone (free, but halves the range and damage)

Special Attacks

Direct Fire (load 3, aim 1) The cannon hurls a cannonball into a cube of space, 1 yard on a side, within 200 yards, dealing 6d6 damage to anything in the area. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll with 2 banes and takes no damage on a success. If the cannonball fails to hit something in the area, it continues traveling until it reaches its maximum distance or until it impacts a solid surface. Any creature in the cannonball’s path when it travels toward or beyond the target space can avoid the cannonball by getting a success on an Agility challenge roll with 2 banes.

Size: 3 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 60

Space: 3 Í 3; Crew 3 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: cannonball (3 gc) or a round stone (free, but halves the range and damage)

Special Attacks

Direct Fire (load 3, aim 1) The cannon hurls a cannonball into a cube of space, 2 yards on a side, within 250 yards, dealing 10d6 damage to anything in the area. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll with 3 banes and takes no damage on a success. If the cannonball fails to hit something in the area, it continues traveling until it reaches its maximum distance or until it impacts a solid surface. Any creature in the cannonball’s path when it travels toward or beyond the target space can avoid the cannonball by getting a success on an Agility challenge roll with 3 banes.

Size: 3 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 30

Space: 3 Í 3; Crew 3 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: stone (—)

Special Attacks

Indirect Fire(load 3, aim 2) Choose a cube of space, 1 yard on a side. The catapult hurls its ammunition to fall into a target space within 300 yards, but at least 40 yards away, dealing 6d6 damage to everything in the area. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success

Size: 1 object (war machine)

Defense: 5; Health 10

Space: 1 Í 1; Crew 1 Immune afflictions; attack rolls against Intellect, Will, and Perception; attacks that can be resisted by Intellect, Will, and Perception challenge rolls

Ammunition: shot (1 gc)

Special Attacks

Direct Fire (load 3, aim 1) The swivel gun blasts lead pellets into a 10-yard cone originating from a point in its space that deals 5d6 damage to everything in the area. A targeted creature can make an Agility challenge roll and takes half the damage on a success. If the total of the roll was 20 or higher, the creature instead takes no damage.