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Nautical Travel

Travel Procedure

A single Voyage encompasses all consecutive travel legs sailed until the ship docks at a port or drops anchor. Each voyage is divided into a number of legs based on overall distance and geography.

To begin a voyage,

  1. Determine the average wind direction based on prevailing winds and the starting location's wind rose.
  2. Chart the intended path on the map by noting the intermediate locations along the route.
  3. Roll the ship's Supplies Usage Die for the voyage.

Each of the intermediate locations along the route is considered a leg of the voyage.

For each leg:

  1. Assign an action duty station for each player character present on the ship. Each player must man a station, either with their player character or by proxy through a hireling.
  2. Make a group Travel Check to determine the leg's outcome and assign any bonuses from the individual Action Station checks. Roll any A
  3. Resolve any hazards or encounters.

The ship's Supplies Usage Die is also rolled immediately after draining encounters such as naval combat or severe storms.

Travel Pace

Ships travel at the rated speed given in their stat block, modified by wind conditions. Wind conditions are set based on prevailing winds within the voyage's area and the average point of sail based on the starting location's wind rose.

Travel Checks

The travel check is a group check made at the start of each leg of a trip. Each member of the party makes the check according to their chosen role from the table below. In addition, the ship's supplies usage die is rolled to check for supplies dwindling.

Station Check Action Benefit of Success
Captain Charisma(Persuasion) Inspire the crew. This ship gains a Sailing Die that can be used by any player during this leg.
Captain Wisdom(Survival) Position the ship. Start each encounter in the upwind position during this leg.
Lookout Wisdom(Perception) Watch for hazards along the way. The ship and crew cannot be surprised during this leg.
Bosun Charisma(Intimidation) Bully the crew. Gives the ship an extra action that can be used at any time during this leg.
Pilot Strength(Athletics) Steer the ship and keep it on course. Gain a reaction to gain +2 AC at any point during this leg.
Cook Wisdom(Cook's Tools) Ensure the crew is well fed and happy. Provides temporary benefits based on used supplies. See Cooking for details. Making this check draws upon the ship's supplies usage die.
Carpenter Strength(Carpenter's Tools) Keep the ship in good working order. Heal or gain Temporary HP equal to the Carpenter's Proficiency Modifier during this leg. Making this check draws upon the ship's supplies usage die. Killer says he would like to see degrees of healing here, not a flat amount.
Rigger Dexterity(Sailor's Tools) Trim the sails and man the sheets. Gain a +2 bonus to the ship's initiative during this leg.
Navigator Intelligence(Cartography Tools) Chart the path forward. Learn details of the next encounter before it begins.
Quartermaster Intelligence(Calligrapher's Supplies) Audit the ledger. The supplies usage die rerolls 1's during this leg.
Surgeon Intelligence(Medicine) Heal the wounded. Everyone aboard the ship heal for one hit during this leg. Making this check draws upon the ship's supplies usage die.
Other Station Varies Varies. Negotiate a desired effect.

Consequences of the Travel Check

After rolling the travel check, each individual success provides a benefit to the ship. If the total number of successes is less than half of the party, rounded up, then the ship becomes lost as the characters failed to handle the ship for that leg of the voyage.

A ship that is lost may drift or sail to a nearby location unintentionally.

Should the ship become lost, a successful sailing check must be made in order to regain it's bearings. The Captain must succeed on this check or the ship will remain lost. After successfully regaining its bearings, a new voyage must commence from the current location.

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