Poseidon

Cult of Those Who Work at Sea

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History

Before Time

In Godtime, the Sea God warred constantly with his brother Typhon. Storms lashed out at the waves as the two gods battled for supremacy of the sea surface. The two elements met here and the Storm God took water from the sea to throw upon the earth. Unable to retaliate, Poseidon raged against the land and hurled huge waves and tides against the shore.

Then the advent of the Rent forced the two gods to declare a truce and turn upon the forces of Chaos. Poseidon fought with a ferocity that proved irresistible and now the only traces of Chaos that can be found with the water element are in the Chaos marshes where the Sea god cannot send his cleansing waters.

Since Time

Poseidon continues to hate Chaos and, despite their truce, he frequently assails the land and air. His worship is placatory so that those who earn their living from the sea can do so in reasonable safety. He yields food and clothing and secrets of the deeps in return for their power and the keeping of his maritime law. He does not allow Chaos upon his waters, Air and Earth worshippers can traverse the seas, but are invariably crippled by sea-sickness.

Life After Death

Poseidon demands that anyone lost at sea becomes his forever. He sometimes sends their souls back for reasons that please him, but prefers to keep such victims of circumstance to himself and therefore allows no resurrection (even if the body is recovered) but does allow death divints. Note - this applies even to non-water cultists. Worshippers of Poseidon always opt for burial at sea and their spirits cannot rest until their bodies are committed to the deep.

Runic Associations

Poseidon's cults is concerned with the Harmony of Man upon the Disorderly Water. Sages inform us that Poseidon, the God as opposed to his cult, bears the runes of Water and Disorder alone and it is his worshippers that project the Harmony to Man upon him and that the god's actual behaviour clearly denies his Harmony and shows him to be of the same ilk as his brother, the Storm God, an energetic Elemental Deity.

Nature of the Cult

The cult exists as a vehicle for the placation of Poseidon and as an organ whereby men can learn to live in harmony with the sea. All who sail upon the sea must worship him or perish. Poseidon is not an honourable cult, members often show extreme hostility to one another. The sea god likes it this way for he is never short of worshippers and yet always welcomes another soul to his lockers in the deeps. All cultists however share a camaraderie born out of a respect for their element.

Socio-Political Position and Power

Upon the sea the cult is all powerful. It also wields considerable influence and power in any human habitation upon the sea shore especially in the great ports. Away from the sea, however, the cult's influence dwindles to irrelevance. The majority of civilized cults respect Poseidon for his stand against Chaos and only Typhon dares to challenge him in his own element.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

There is constant rivalry between sea and air. The earth cults are treated with contempt as the sea continually assaults the land without retribution.

Chaos is anathema - no cult hates Chaos more than Poseidon and it will not be tolerated on the oceans. In this the Sea God is quite implacable. Most cultists like each other, but this does not prevent pirates from killing other cultists and each other very frequently. Piracy is not against maritime law for Poseidon holds that any ownership upon his waters is by the strongest and is only held by his permission anyway. The Corsairs are probably Poseidon's most favoured worshippers - they are certainly closest to him in temperament. Although feared they are not regarded as criminals by their fellow cultists.

Organization

The cult has an extremely variable organization. Amongst the Traders and Marines it is very tight and based upon professional qualifications and experience with a Runelord captain and Runepriest navigator plus further Runelevels on large ships. Corsairs elect their captains from amongst their Runelevels, but they are otherwise very disorderly as any visitor to Sickle Island will know. The Fishers and Divers follow a much more ad hoc organization; Divers frequently operate in very small groups, sometimes even individually, though more usually in pairs. There is little allegiance between ships and any cultist may change ship, crew, captain and subcult as often as he likes, though if he makes a habit of this he may find noone wants him.

Centres of Power and Holy Places

All power emanates from the sea, it and the maritime law is holy. The holiest place to any cultist is the Ocean Deep whence all those that die upon the waves go to rest and where Poseidon's Coral Mansion resides.

Holy Days and High Holy Days

There are no set Holy Days, instead all cultists offer worship to Poseidon at the commencement of a voyage by spitting into the ocean. All cultists save the Corsairs celebrate a High Holy Day upon Godsday, Harmony week, Sea season. The pirates instead choose Waterday, Disorder week, Sea season. Disorder week is always stormy and that of Storm season is generally regarded as impossible to sail in. most cultists use Storm season to repair ships and nets etc.

Lay Membership

Lay membership belongs to anyone who is not a Chaotic. In order to obtain membership, one point of power must be sacrificed immediately before commencing a sea journey; this is the only requirement - usually done by spitting into the ocean upon boarding ship. The captain will usually say some formal prayers and lead the ship's company in worship, but lay members need not join in. lay members may purchase training in cult skills at ½-price at sea and full cost on land, though this may be waived if someone is working passage, i.e. offers payment in kind.

The most important benefit is a probable safe voyage.

All Earth and Air cultists must sacrifice 3 points of power to become lay members; in addition, all earth cultists will suffer from severe sea-sickness. If a CON×5% is made then all DEX skills are halved, if failed then the character is totally incapacitated. If fumbled then a POW×5% must be rolled once per day to avoid dying. Dwarves halve their CON for this purpose.

Note: Poseidon is a capricious god and has often destroyed a vessel or becalmed it because it pleased him to do so. Any Chaot going to sea is asking for trouble unless he uses Divint to hide his presence from the Sea God.

Initiate Membership

These are the six subcults of Poseidon represented by one of his children. Each subcult uses different skills. There are also two subservient cults.

In order to initiate, a person must serve as a lay member crewman for a season and have at least 50% in the primary skills of the subcult. They must pass a test of POW + CHA + Best Secondary Skill.

Once initiated, he gains free training in Primary skills, ½-price training in Secondary skills and full cost training in Tertiary skills. Brother subcult skills may be bought at double cost.

Initiates gain access to all subcult special Runemagic on a one-use basis, they will be able to get work on any subcult ship.

All initiates wear an earring in their left ear from which will dangle a symbol of their subcult. Argonaut uses a coin, Charon a Death Rune, Corsair a death's head, Naiad a pair of crossed oars, Nereid a pearl, Piscator an idealised fish and Triton a trident. Those sailors with more than one subcult allegiance may choose which to wear.

Each subcult has a place in the oceans and commands respect from the others, though some carry more influence, notably the Traders in civilized areas for they are rich and adventurous. The Pirates, although bloodthirsty, also command respect from other seagoers out of something other than fear for they are widely regarded as Poseidon's favourites and closest to him in nature. Many sailors follow the pirate profession for a while, usually retiring to become honest fishers and traders.

At sea, all Poseidon cultists must follow the strictures laid down in the Holy Book Maritime Law which mainly asserts that Chaos shall not be permitted to pollute the oceans. On land, their lives are their own. 10% of all their earnings at sea must be tithed to their temple. This money is used to subsidize ships, pay for healing for cultists and as a pension for widows of lost sailors.

Note: According to Maritime Law, piracy upon the High Seas is not illegal.

Runelord Membership

An initiate may attain Runelord status in any or all of the subcults, though he gets the benefit of an allied spirit only once. He must wear an iron symbol in his ear at all times and will become either the Master or Mate of a ship. He provides the leadership and sees to the training of the deck crew, he is expected to know all about the facets of his profession and to be lucky and close to his god.

Therefore, all Runelord applicants must have spent at least seven years at sea, two years as an initiate, have 15+ POW and 90% in his primary subcult skills plus any two of his secondary skills plus seamanship. The precise weapon skills are sometimes waived for another suitable weapon. The candidate must go to a specific place depending upon the subcult; prospective Argonaut Runelords must go to Godsport; those of Corsair to Sickle Island, the Corsair Haven; Riverboatmen to the Naiad Temple of the river where they will ply their trade and must reapply every time they change river systems; Pearl Divers can become Runelords wherever there is a Runepriest to inaugurate them; ditto Piscator Runelords and Triton Runelords. The candidate must pass a test of (POW+CHA)×⁵⁄₂%.

Runelords gain all the normal benefits of their status (Divint, Allied spirit etc.) They are all respected by their subcults and usually by the others, particularly Argonaut and Corsair. Runelords gain titles dependant upon their subcult and whether they are the owner, captain or mate of a ship, in some cases with higher ranks attainable for certain subcults.

All Runelords are entitled to attune rune metals. The cult rune metal is Tin and many Runelevels prefer this as, once attuned, Poseidon supports its weight in water. However, most combatant Runelords (e.g. Corsairs and Tritonians) attune iron, accepting the danger of drowning for the extra protection. Having the iron tinned increases the metal's pose value and also prevents rust by the sea water. The subcults each give their Runelords some implements of iron.

Each subcult puts their allied spirits in different familiars: Argonaut in an albatross, Corsair in a fish-eagle, Naiad in an otter, Nereid in a seal, Piscator in a gull and Triton in a war dog. All Runelords retain the familiar of their first Runelord qualification.

Charisma is vital to a Runelord, for this is how he controls his crew whom he must keep happy and paid or else they will jump ship. He will lose permanent Charisma if he has a badly unsuccessful trip - a Fisher's or Diver's success is marked by his catch, a Trader's or Riverboat captain's by his profit, a Pirate's by his loot and a Marine's by his success at repelling boarders. Any captain who successfully pilots his ship through a storm or difficult piece of water gains Charisma automatically. Any captain who fails to put down a mutiny or loses his ship has his Charisma halved, this makes replacing crew difficult as an unsuccessful captain is well known and few will serve under him. Such a captain is vulnerable to mutinies and many a pirate crew has deliberately enlisted with a poor captain in order to mutiny and take his ship.

In a storm, it is the captain's skills which decide whether or not the ship survives. The crew look to him as a leader and a successful captain of any subcult will have the full respect and devotion of his crew. Mutiny will not happen in such a ship.

Runepriest Membership

Runepriests in Poseidon are called Pilots except for Nereid and Triton, in which they are called ------ and Chaplains respectively.

To qualify, a candidate must proceed to the certified place as does a Runelord. He must have 18+ POW and 90% in primary subcult skills and Navigation (Map Making for Naiad) and must have been an initiate for at least two years. He must pass a test of (Seamanship+INT×5) ⁄ 2%. Runepriests are responsible for getting a ship to its destination and no crew will go out of sight of land without one and will be unhappy at just sailing without him, for he is responsible for administering all rites and ceremonies and a Runelord makes a poor replacement. They gain familiars just like Runelords of their subcults.

DEX skills all become limited to DEX×5%, but due to the arduous nature of ship life they may train DEX skills to this limit and the characteristics of STR, CON and DEX on board ship.

Runespell Compatibility

Pilots gain access to Divination, Divine Intervention, Extension, Mindlink, Multispell and Spell Teaching plus Dismiss Elemental and use Undines as their elementals. They may also summon Small Sylphs as a result of the ancient war between sea and air, settled by truce and the token exchange of substance between Typhon and Poseidon. Each subcult of Poseidon has access to certain special Runemagics whilst sharing some general spells with all. The letters A, C, Ch, Na, Ne, P and T indicate spells peculiar to Argonaut, Corsair, Charon, Naiad, Nereid, Piscator and Triton respectively.

One Point Spells

Boarding: Range Ship in contact; Duration 15 mins; Stackable; Reusable ^C
Cast upon colliding with a target ship, this acts as a super glue spell of strength 4 per point stacked over the entire length of the surface in contact, preventing the enemy from disengaging and allowing safe boarding without Jumping rolls.

Coldhold: Range Hold of ship; Duration 1 day; Stackable; Reusable ^P
Causes the hold to become refrigerated and thereby preserve any perishable cargo. Each extra point stacked doubles the duration.

Keeneye: Range 160m; Duration 12 hours; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^T
Confers upon the recipient the equivalent of Farsee and enables him to examine a distant ship and, upon a successful Seamanship roll, deduce its size, complement, port of origin and whether or not it is an enemy.

Leakblock: Range 1 ship; Duration 1 day; Stackable; Reusable ^All
Used to prevent a leaking ship from taking on water. It will not work on a hole, but will stop all leaks in one ship. Each extra point stacked doubles the duration.

Lock: Range Touch; Duration 1 week; Stackable; Reusable ^{A & Na}
When cast upon a door or chest or any fastening it becomes fast shut so that only the caster can open it with ease. Dispel Magic will not affect it. It is still vulnerable to being smashed or broken. Each extra point stacked doubles the duration.

Shipwarden: Range Touch; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^{A & Na}
Summons a weak spirit (POW 2D6+6) to the aid of the caster. This is always the same spirit and, if destroyed, the spell must be sacrificed for again. The spirit will take 1 round to appear and then will do the bidding of the caster. The spirit will remain for the duration of the spell or until its POW reaches 3 or less.

Shield: ^{C & T}
As Standard RQ Runespell

Shoalglow: Range 1 mile; Duration 15 mins; Stackable; Reusable ^P
Causes the sea within a radius of 1 mile to glow with a faint phosphorescence over any shoals of fish. Extra points double the duration of the spell. This is not infallible: the fish may prove inedible, too deep to catch etc.

Sounding: Range Ship; Duration 15 mins; Stackable; Reusable ^All
Enables the caster to be aware of the depth of water under the keel of his ship. Each point stacked doubles the duration of the spell.

Splicing: Range Touch; Duration 4 hours; Stackable; Reusable ^All
This spell acts as a super repair, but of limited duration. It is used to splice a broken rope or shattered spar etc. Any broken object made of wood or rope can be repaired provided it is of linear design. Each extra point stacked doubles the duration. Its most common use is to shore up a mast that has cracked during a storm so it will hold for the duration until permanent repairs can be effected.

Surface: Range 160m; Duration 1 round; Stackable; Reusable ^Ne
Causes the caster to rise from whatever depth he or she has dived to, enabling safe return to the surface. Each point stacked reduces the depth by 8m in addition to normal movement. Successful Breath Control is necessary to avoid the bends.

Warding: ^All
As Standard RQ Runespell - Used to protect marketplaces, cannot be used to protect ships.

Waterpower: Range Self; Duration Instant; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^Ne
This spell is a life-saver, only one use may be sacrificed for at a time. It functions automatically upon the recipient's hit points and/or Power falling below 1. It restores both to 2d3. However, it can function only if the recipient is in contact with natural, elemental water.

Two Point Spells

Animate Figurehead: Range Ship in contact; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable ^All

This spell must be attuned to a particular ship by a day-long ritual. Subsequently the caster may activate the spell causing the figurehead to animate. It can be used for any shipboard task but cannot leave the confines of the upper deck. It is principally useful for repelling boarders. Capabilities vary depending upon the size of the figurehead, but for a typical sea-going ship usual values are:

Cult	Argonaut	Corsair	Naiad	Nereid	Piscator	Triton	Charon	Remus†	Other*
d100	01-05	06-15	16-20	20-40	41-85	86-93	94	95	96+

* = any other cult but never chaotic.

† = flensed chaot armed with an oar used as quarterstaff.

The wight will know spells and skills commensurate with when he was alive. A special Powx5% will mean a runelevel emerges, a critical will produce a hero. He or she will do as the summoner bids before vanishing beneath the waves.

Holepatch: Range 160m; Duration 1 hour; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^All
Used to prevent ingress of water through a single large hole whilst more permanent repairs are carried out. Water may actually be bailed out through the hole, but meets an invisible barrier coming inwards. If the hole is too large to be repaired, then the spell must be cast non-reusably when it will last 1 day.

Plunge: Range Touch; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^Ne
For the purpose of diving only, doubles recipient's CON, allowing extended endurance and depth. Rate of descent is doubled also, but not rate of ascent. A Breath Control roll must be made every round beyond normal endurance or normal depth, a failure forces the recipient to return to the surface immediately, fumble causes an almost certainly fatal mishap.

Riverwatch: Range Ship in contact; Duration 1 voyage; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^Na
When cast upon a river vessel, provided the caster remains on board, then the spell functions (via the figurehead) as a Detect Enemies and Detect Traps upon the water in sight ahead and to either side, plus the riverbanks and land overlooking the river. The Detect Traps function will warn of bad water (rapids, rocks etc.) The spell is broken when the ship docks or beaches or the caster leaves the ship. Note: this spell will only warn the ship by a prearranged signal from the figurehead (usually a noise); it will not locate the danger - for this lookouts must be used.

Seawatch: As Riverwatch above. ^A
This spell functions exactly as Riverwatch save that it will not cover any land, but will cover the sea up to the horizon and also warns of fog and bad weather.

Smite Boarders: Range Self; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^T
This spell confers the equivalent of Strength, Coordination and Vigour upon the caster provided he is fighting anyone who has boarded his ship without permission or any Chaot (at sea or otherwise).

Summon Small Sylph: ^All
As Standard 1 point Runespell; from Typhon.

Surecatch: Range Touch; Duration 1 hour; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^P
This increases the effectiveness of a net or harpoon or any other means of fishing by 20% and renders the net, fishing line or harpoon line effectively unbreakable versus a specific type of fish, named during casting. All Piscator cultists use this spell, but it is at its best when used by the Whalers, however many Whalers have been lost by being dragged down into the depths on the end of an unbreakable rope, so care must be exercised when casting. Many Pirates and Marines become associates of Piscator so they can gain this spell for its +20% to hit with a harpoon.

Waterlung: Range 160m; Duration instant; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^C
This spell, upon a successful POW vs. POW roll, causes the recipient's lungs to fill with water immediately incapacitating him. Thereafter he takes 1d3 damage critically to his chest every round until healed, or he makes a critical CONx5% (provided he still has positive hit points in the chest). After recovery, he must make a successful POW×1% roll to return to normal activity. Once cleared, his chest may be healed normally.

Windspeed: ^All
As 1 point Typhon spell Breezeblow.

Three Point Spells

Starfind: Range Self; Duration 1 voyage; Non-Stackable; Reusable ^All
Allows the caster to use his Navigation skill when not in sight of land by using the stars. This spell can only function under a clear sky, but provided any three stars are visible, Navigation is possible. Without this spell, a captain is taking a severe risk in leaving sight of land and all Navigation is coastal.

Windblow: ^All
As 2 point Typhon Runespell.

Subservient Cults

Typhon

The uneasy truce between Poseidon and the Storm God is the source of all the Air element spells. Poseidon gave some of his substance in return, which is where Typhon gets his rain magics.

Cult Spirits of Reprisal

There are two subservient cults dealing with transgression:

Remus - the Galley Slave

All non-cultists falling foul of Maritime Law plus cultists who are apprehended for debt etc. are forced to join Remus and become slaves for the duration of their sentence. While serving, no spells may be learnt, but by virtue of their exercise Remus cultists receive free Rowing training at 4 hours per day. Every season they must make a CON×5% to avoid losing a point of CON permanently, however if they succeed in CON×3% then they gain a free STR raise. These effects are due to the hard life. If the CON roll is fumbled then the character dies of exhaustion. There are no Runelords of this cult. Once the sentence is served, there is no bar to the character joining other subcults if he should so desire.

Charon - the Ferryman

Cultists who transgress cult strictures are subject to the Spirit of Reprisal, but can voluntarily undergo a penance by spending a time set by a Runepriest as a ferryman at a certain place. Charging only two coins per person (usually the most worthless are given) they must conduct all passengers by means of their own toil. During this time they will make only enough money to keep body and soul together.

Strength training is gained as per Remus. Skills learnt are Rowing at 4 hours per day, Net Making and Woodworking at 2 hours each per day, plus every season gains one tick in each of Quarterstaff (oar) Attack and Parry, Swimming and Fishing, plus one tick per year on each of Seamanship, Jumping and Fish Lore.

Members can in fact achieve Runelord by gaining 90% in Rowing, Net Making, Woodworking, Seamanship and one other cult non-weapon skill. He is given no iron, but may attune any he obtains and gains an allied spirit. He may attain Runepriest with 18+ POW and 90% Seamanship, Rowing and one other cult non-weapon skill. He gains access to all normal Runemagic plus the following special Runemagic (including those Runespells labelled All)

Free Ghost: Range 160m; Duration Instant; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1 point
As Azrael spell.

Summon Ancestor: Range 160m; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1 point
Summons a random spirit from Azrael's Hall of Death.

Sever Spirit: Range 160m; Duration Instant; Non-Stackable; Non-Reusable; 3 points
As Azrael spell.

These three spells are gained by virtue of Charon being the son of Poseidon who ferries dead souls across the River of Souls to the Halls of Death.

Some penitents elect to remain in Charon for life, but this is rare. Penitents gain no leave of absence until their penance is over, they gain no training whatsoever save for that gained by virtue of the work. Their membership of other subcults is effectively rescinded whilst they are in Charon and is taken up when they leave.

Charon ferrymen are bound by several peculiar restrictions:

1. they may not offer their services but must be asked,
2. they may not refuse anyone who requests passage and who offers them two coins (even if they are farthings) but must refuse anyone who offers more or less coinage, even gold,
3. they may not talk to the client save to settle the toll and tell them where to sit. Anyone who offers to help must be refused the first time they ask and thrown out of the boat the second time or killed if they resist. They may not kill a swan, but if they discover a Chaot in the boat they must kill him immediately (Poseidon usually warns them). Undead must be destroyed if at all possible, though they may not pursue thieves, Chaots, Undead or anyone away from the riverbank.

Charon cultists are a dour breed, but have a deep mystical significance to many people, not just Poseidon worshippers.

For the rare instances where a player character starts as a ferryman, primary skill is Rowing, secondary skills are Quarterstaff Attack and Parry, Net Making, Woodworking and Swimming, tertiary skills are Seamanship, Jumping, Fish Lore and Fishing. They get taught Extinguish for free and may purchase ½ price Repair, Glue, Detect Enemies, Farsee and Detect Undead. Note that Charon cultists may purchase these spells immediately before commencing their penance and when it lapses. There is no test and, upon qualification for Runelevel, the status is conferred automatically. The Allied Spirit is always a swan.

Charon cultists are permitted armour, but no weapons other than their oars and only a small shack in which to live. Whilst undergoing penance, they must work 8 hours a day, repairing nets and their boats when they lack passengers.

Cultists who transgress very badly or who reject penance will not be permitted to cross Poseidon's oceans at all nor his rivers save by bridge. Cultists who let their dues lapse are not persecuted unless they wish to go back to sea (in which case they must do penance) or have joined a proscribed cult (Chaos, Earth or Air). No ferry ever carries a figurehead.

Associate Cults

Poseidon may be viewed in many ways as the Father of a Pantheon. The subcults each have a totally independant existence and so an association of similar cults is probably more accurate than viewing each as a subcult of Poseidon. They all share very similar structure and Runespells and permit multiple initiation. Poseidon had many children and the seas are rife with a myriad cults most of which have at least a loose association with the parent cults and the known subcults. The known Oceanic Pantheon and their gifts to Poseidon are:

Delphinus - the Beast-fish

These are whales, walruses and dolphins. Delphinus taught Breath Control to Nereid. He receives Speak to Beasts from Delphinus.

Kraken - the Newts and Octopoids

They have a curious relationship with Poseidon for they are incessantly attacking riverboats and are best viewed as river pirates. Nonetheless Kraken remains associated and offers Speak to Newt.

Merman - the Fishmen

These people originally taught the human races to swim. They cannot leave the water and bear gills. They rarely interact with the human races but they are not inimical and have been known to save drowning sailors. They offer:

Water Breathing: Range 160m; Duration 15 mins; Stackable; Reusable; 1pt.
Gives the recipient the ability to breathe underwater normally or similarly aids a non-air breathing creature out of water.

Teleost - the Fish God

He offers Speak to Fish.

Bathypelagia - the Goddess of the Ocean Depths

She remains unassociated to the human cults as she never comes to the surface and there are no records of any divers going that deep and returning.

Other associate cults are:

Argus

The Shipwright teaches half price Woodworking, Rope Making and Sail Making.

Sawtooth

The Beavers offer half price Logging and the Runespell Alarm in return for consideration by those after trees for masts and hulls.

Miscellaneous Notes

Cult Battle Magic

Extinguish
Extinguish cast by a Poseidon initiate automatically douses Fireblade and other such Battle Magic without a POW vs. POW roll.

Cult Weapons

Harpoon and 1H Crossbow
see Kraken

Trident
This weapon is essentially a three-pronged spear, barbed. It does the same base damage as the equivalent spear, however it is poor at penetrating metal armour (little worn by seamen). Increase the armour points of all metal armour by 2 points vs. Trident, however, upon penetration, the actual damage is increased by a third. Also, upon impaling, the victim suffers a second d8+1 damage unless the weapon is removed carefully by an expert healer.

Weapon	Cost			Hit Points		Enc.		Damage	SR	Base
	Normal	Runemetal	Iron	Normal	Iron	Normal	Runemetal
Long Trident	65s	185s	360s	18	24	3	3	d8+1	1	05%
Short Trident	45s	235s	560s	18	24	2	2	d6+1	2	05%

Training cost: 250/750/1500/EXP.

Cult Skills

Bargaining Oratory Skill; Base 5%; Cost: 500/1000/2000/4000
Skill used to haggle over goods with non-fixed prices, especially useful when bartering.

Breath Control Manipulation Skill; Base 00%; Cost: 400/800/1600/EXP
Skill enabling underwater activity for relatively prolonged periods. Without this skill, maximum endurance without activity is CON rounds, any minimal activity halves this and any arduous activity causes a CONx5% for the first round, CON×4% for the second round etc. Failure causes an immediate lungful of water as per the spell Waterlung.

Breath Control enables movement at full CON endurance and diving to CON metres depth. A diver can descend at 2m per round and ascend at 4m per round. Strenuous activity requires a successful Breath Control roll every round, failure starts the CON×5% sequence as does any Breath Control fumble.

Any round on which the diver ascends by more than 2m, he must make a Breath Control roll to avoid the bends which will cause him to take 1d3 damage to CON per metre depth risen. If a surfacing diver gets the bends in an early part of his rise, then he will continue to be damaged as he rises, but the damage will be halved on any round he makes his Breath Control. Once on the surface, a diver with the bends is in agony and totally helpless. The use of weights (rocks) can increase the rate of descent to 6m per round, but this too requires Breath Control or else 1 point of damage per 2m dived is taken critically to the chest.

Fishing Knowledge Skill; Base 5%; Cost: 200/400/800/1600
A skill covering knowledge of the places and methods of catching fish of all types.

Fish Lore Knowledge Skill; Base 00%; Cost: 100/250/750/2000
The ability to identify a fish and assess its virtues, food and market value plus some esoteric lore.

Navigation Knowledge Skill; Base 00%; Cost: 200/400/800/1600
The ability to find the position of a ship and plot a course through sandbars etc. using coastal landmarks.

Net Making Dexterity Skill; Base 5%; Cost: 200/400/800/EXP
The ability to make and repair nets of all types.

Rowing Manipulation Skill; Base 15%; Cost: 200/500/1200/EXP
The ability to propel and steer a vessel of any type and suze by oars.

Sailing Knowledge Skill; Base 5%; Cost: 400/800/1600/3200
The knowledge of sails and how they are used on board ships.

Seamanship Knowledge; Base 00%; Cost: 500/1000/2000/4000
The knowledge of the behaviour of the sea and how ships, birds and people interct with it.

Seasickness

All non-water cultists must make a CON roll when at sea on a ship. Normally this is a CON×5%, but for air rune cultists it is a CON×3% and for earth rune cultists a CON×1%. If failed, then the victim will be incapacitated by sea-sickness, which will take as long to recover from as the sea voyage. If the CON roll succeeds, then all DEX based skills are reduced by D6×5% (varying during the course of the voyage). A special CON roll means the person does not suffer any deleterious affects.

Starting Player Character Sailors

Any character with parents in the cult my automatically opt for a seagoing career. They my apply once to each subcult in turn until accepted. The following table gives the chance of acceptance.

Familial Entry Required POW Multiplier

Parental Subcult	Intended Subcult
	Argonaut	Corsair	Naiad	Nereid	Piscator	Triton	Charon
Argonaut	Auto	3	1	1	5	5	-
Corsair	3	Auto	-	3	5	1	-
Naiad	1	-	Auto	3	3	1	-
Nereid	1	1	3	Auto	5	1	-
Piscator	3	1	3	5	Auto	1	-
Triton	5	1	3	1	3	Auto	-
Charon	-	-	-	-	-	-	Auto

Characters with no familial ties may also apply to become sailors.

Non-Familial Required POW Multiplier

Social Class	Intended Subcult
	Argonaut	Corsair	Naiad	Nereid	Piscator	Triton	Charon
Noble	5	5	-	-	-	5	-
Townsman	5	3	3	1	5	5	1
Peasant	1	1	3	3	5	1	1

Characters who qualify for both tables may choose which to roll on.

Joining any subcult is of course subject to availability. For example, around Moonguard Argonaut and Corsair are non-existent, Nereid, Piscator and Triton are much reduced - only Nereid and Charon are at full strength. This will apply to any inland area.

If the character's parents are initiated into Poseidon, then use the following table to determine subcult.

Parental Subcult

Social Class	Argonaut	Corsair	Naiad	Nereid	Piscator	Triton	Charon
Noble	01-10	11-60	61-65	66	67	68-99	00
Townsman	01-28	29-42	43-56	57-63	64-91	92-98	99-00
Peasant	01-05	06-10	11-20	21-40	41-90	91-95	96-00

Once the character's subcult has been determined, then he may acquire the following training.

• Primary skills at 70% + bonuses
• Secondary skills at 50% + bonuses
• Tertiary skills at 30% + bonuses

They are taught the free subcult spells and may purchase 1500s worth of additional spells. Obviously half price subcult spells will be more cost effective.

Determine armour on the following table, but apply apply the subcult modifier given below to the die roll.

Initial Armour Table

D10 roll	Armour
10+	Double leather hauberk, cap, sleeves, greaves; open helm; scale hauberk; cuirboulli vambraces and greaves.
9	Double leather hauberk, cap, sleeves, greaves; open helm; linen hauberk; cuirboulli vambraces and greaves.
8	Double leather hauberk, cap, sleeves, trousers; composite helm; cuirboulli breastplate; cuirboulli vambraces and greaves.
5-7	Double leather hauberk, cap, sleeves, trousers; composite helm; cuirboulli breastplate.
2-4	Double leather hauberk, cap, sleeves, trousers; composite helm.
1-	No armour.

Initial Armour Modifiers

Subcult	Argonaut	Corsair	Naiad	Nereid	Piscator	Triton	Charon
Modifier	−2	0	−2	−8	−5	0	−5

Starting player character sailors get the following characteristic raises.

Raise Rolls Argonaut 1×STR, 1×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX (max 1pt), 2×CHA Corsair 1×STR, 2×CON or 2×POW, 1×DEX, 1×CHA Naiad 1×STR, 1×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX (max 1pt), 2×CHA Nereid 1×STR, 2×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX, 1×CHA (max 1pt) Piscator 2×STR, 1×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX, 1×CHA (max 1pt) Triton 2×STR or 2×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX (max 1pt), 1×CHA Charon 3×STR, 1×CON, 1×POW, 1×DEX

Money in shillings Argonaut (Bargain + d20)×INT Corsair d100×POW Naiad (Bargain + d20)×INT Nereid d4×Swimming Piscator d4×Fishing Triton d100×INT Charon d10

It is assumed that the character has intiated into his subcult.

Sea Journeys, Travel Times, Distances and Costs

Sea journeys are usually quicker than land travel, particularly over long distances. It can however be dangerous and speed of travel is very much dependent upon the weather and hence the season. Since a ship costs the same to run in any one week, costs are roughly proportional to time spent at sea.

Standard Distances between Major Ports in the Great Middle Ocean

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1	Drakenberg	-	386	310	414	n/s 414	316	984	898	1250	1368	1052	1625	951	1326	1263
2	Godsport	6	-	205 (98)	316	n 212	310	917	831	1123	1242	926	1492	818	1193	1130
3	Stromberg	5	3	-	302	n 256	263	892	806	1123	1124	926	1482	818	1193	1130
4	Heliopolis	8	4	4	-	s 130 (63)	228	758	672	886	1035	826	1260	586	961	898
5	Duckpoint	8	5	5	3	-	n 295 s 228	s 771	s 685	s 947	s 1096	s 780	s 1316	s 642	s 1017	s 954
6	Stannary	5	3	3	4	4	-	806	720	1063	1200	884	1446	772	1147	1084
7	Copperhead	29	29	29	18	18	28	-	428	1416	1578	1262	1906	1232	1607	1544
8	Necropolis	29	28	28	18	18	28	3	-	1152	1321	949	1539	899	1266	1171
9	Carthage	11	7	7	6	6	7	7	6	-	1116	793	561	361	193	389
10	Silverseam	20	20	20	19	19	20	21	20	19	-	372	1439	782	1144	1084
11	Blackplumbings	19	19	19	18	18	18	20	19	18	2	-	1231	575	937	877
12	Stormhaven	31	31	31	30	30	31	32	31	5	46	45	-	733	418	393
13	Volkania	10	6	6	5	6	6	7	6	3	18	17	28	-	449	382
14	Southport	11	8	8	7	7	8	8	7	3	19	19	5	4	-	263
15	Pompeii

Distances in brackets show overland distances where they may be competitive.

Standard Distances between Major Ports in the Sea of Fortune

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	Drakenberg	-	168	189	246	432	421	377	532	709	576	414	177
2	Arcadia	2	-	74	154	356	347	362	547	794	698	524	259
3	Varna	2	1	-	98	299	291	318	510	768	687	502	262
4	Lemuros	2	2	1	-	215	207	266	462	735	665	487	273
5	Lüneport	3	2	2	2	-	229	324	516	804	753	590	424
6	Odessa	3	2	2	2	2	-	208	421	702	650	502	377
7	Fairport	3	2	2	2	2	2	-	244	502	451	299	251
8	March Ferry	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	-	391	384	310	392
9	Airport	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	-	140	307	554
10	Trebizond	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	-	214	443
11	Far Tradepost	3	3	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	-	266
12	Near Tradepost	2	2	2	2	3	3	2	3	3	3	2	-

These are the distances taken for a successfully navigated journey. A failure to navigate adds 15% to the length of any coastal voyage and d4×10% to any open water voyage. A fumble causes the ship to become lost, unbeknownst to the crew for an indeterminate period, and may endanger the ship if it hits rocks, sandbanks etc.

Speed of Ships

There are two types of ships - galleys and sailing vessels. Galleys use one, two or three banks of oars to propel the ship. They may maintain a constant speed of 1 knot by using a third of the oars in shifts. Alternatively, 2 knots may be achieved with all the oars. With all the oars at double time, 3 knots may be achieved for short sprints.

Since sailing vessels are dependant upon the wind for propulsion, their speed depends upon the direction of the wind relative to their course and its strength which varies with the season and the day.

A sailing vessel's base speed is 2 knots for an average tail wind. To this must be applied modifiers for the season, week and day and then multiplied by the directional modifier.

Season:
• Sea: add 1 knot
• Storm: add 2 knots

Week:
• Harmony - add 1 knot
• Mobility - add 1 knot
• Stasis - subtract 1 knot

Note that though the winds are stronger in Disorder week, they are blustery and veer every hour. Therefore they may be treated as a net zero bonus over any period of more than one day

Day:
• Waterday - add 1 knot
• Windsday - add 1 knot
• Clayday - subtract 1 knot
• Fireday - sutract 1 knot
• Godsday - double the weekly bonus (if any)

This produces predictable speeds for a following tail wind. On Clay and Fire days in Stasis week of Fire, Earth and Dark seasons, there is no wind and the ship is becalmed, unless the captain can produce a special sailsmanship roll. The highest speeds may be attained during Storm season, but this is of course dangerous.

The direction of the wind is usually rolled for once per day, but once per hour in Disorder week, and in Harmony week one roll covers the entire week. For wind direction roll d8:

Die roll:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Wind Direction:	N	NE	E	SE	S	SW	W	NE

The ship's potential speed depends upon its course relative to the wind

Wind blowing from:	Aft	Quarter	Beam	Forward	Ahead
Speed Modifier:	1	4/3	7/6	3/4	0*

Note:
^* When the wind is ahead, a ship may tack and take the wind on each alternate bow and therefore proceed at half the aft potential. This is not possible when leaving harbour or in a confining straight.

A special sailsmanship by the captain gains a ½ knot, and a critical gains 1 knot. A failure halves the speed and a fumble causes damage to the sails and rigging.

The following tables shows speed for ships daily and weekly. The number shown gives the distance travelled in miles. The first table assumes that the captain succeeds normally on his sailsmanship and that it sails with constant course to the wind.

Distances Travelled per Day in Miles

Base speed (knots)	Wind Direction Modifier
	Aft	Quarter	Beam	Forward	Ahead (tacking)
1	24	32	28	18	12
2	48	64	56	36	24
3	72	112	84	54	36
4	96	128	112	72	48
5	120	160	140	90	60
6	144	192	168	108	72

The next table assumes a mean wind approximates to a constant tail wind.

Mean Distance Travelled per Week (in miles)

Season	Week (commencing Waterday)
	Disorder	Harmony	Death	Life	Stasis	Mobility	Illusion	Truth
Sea	504	696	504	504	312	696	504	504
Fire	336	528	336	336	144	528	336	336
Earth	336	528	336	336	144	528	336	336
Dark	336	528	336	336	144	528	336	336
Storm	672	864	672	672	480	864	672	672

Costs

It costs about 1000s. to keep a ship, with captain, navigator and a crew of twelve at sea for a week, and this does not really change with season. Therefore the cost of passage and transport is proportional to the estimated duration of the voyage. Typically this is 50s. per person per week, though extra is charged for earth and air cultists.

Prices are typically 50% higher in Sea season, because of the increased demand. This all assumes that the character is buying passage in a typical boat going that way anyway. Such craft may travel direct, or hop port-to-port.

Cargo transport costs typically 250-300 s. per ton, or 2 s. per enc for ingot metal. An average ship carries 3-5 tons. It costs extra to store such cargo and to have it hoisted on or off board.

Hazards at Sea

Hazards at sea may be divided into two types:

• Natural Hazards - such as storms, uncharted routes, sea monsters, and
• Pirates.

The threat from pirates from pirates depends principally on how close the ship passes to known pirate strongholds, e.g. Sickle Island or Corsica, or some narrows. There is always a chance of pirates, as any normal merchantman may turn pirate, but some routes are more risky than others. The percentage chance of a pirate encounter is given in the bottom half of the Standard Distances between Ports tables. Note that a ship leaving port and known to be carying a valuable cargo, especially if poorly defended, is much more likely to be attacked by pirates and so the percentage chance should be doubled or tripled in these cases. Convoying is one answer to the pirate threat but convoys are frequently broken up by storms and other accidents plus ships captains lose profit if there ships remain idle in port waiting for a convoy to leave.

If pirates are encountered, roll d8 for the bearing of the pirate ship. Encounters are divided into two parts - chase and boarding.

Any ship taken by a pirate must be sunk, unless the pirates exchange ships and sink their own. The captured crew will be turned loose in a small boat, with or without provisions. Passengers may be turned loose, taken as captives for ransom or slavery, or occasionally made to walk the plank as a sacrifice to Poseidon. This is also the fate of any captured captains or crew who are found guilty of breaking Poseidon's Holy Laws and of pirates who are captured in an unsuccessful attack.

Note that Poseidon demands a ship for every act of piracy on the High Seas. If the winning vessel lacks sufficient cargo space for the booty, it goes to the bottom with the boat.

If the roll for a pirate encounter is failed, but the die score is less than three times the chance, then an innocent merchantman will be encountered.

The other threat, of natural hazards, is rolled for separately and depends upon the season. Roll once per week and consult the table below. If the roll is less than 100 and greater than or equal to the number indicated then a storm occurs.

Storms Occurence Table

Season	Week
	Disorder	Harmony	Death	Fertility	Stasis	Mobility	Illusion	Truth
Sea	86 (3)	98 (1)	91 (2)	96 (2)	98 (1)	91 (2)	96 (2)	96 (2)
Fire	96 (2)	100 (-)	98 (1)	99 (1)	100 (-)	98 (1)	98 (1)	99 (1)
Earth	96 (2)	100 (-)	98 (1)	99 (1)	100 (-)	98 (1)	98 (1)	99 (1)
Dark	96 (2)	100 (-)	98 (1)	99 (1)	100 (-)	98 (1)	98 (1)	99 (1)
Storm	76 (3)	96 (2)	86 (3)	91 (2)	96 (2)	86 (3)	91 (2)	91 (2)

Storms always start on Windsday. A Seamanship roll can give warning of storms - by hours for a success, or 1-2 days for a special.

The severity of a storm depends upon the season. The number in brackets in the Storm Occurence Table is the number of D6 to roll on the following Storm Severity Table. Roll separately for the duration and severity.

Storms Severity Table

Die Roll	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18+
Duration in Days	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	3	2	3	2	3	6	5	4	4	4	7
Severity (see below)	A	A	A	A	B	C	A	B	C	D	D	E	E	E	E	C	C	F

The severity of a storm may be modified by the Captain's seamanship. Roll once - a success subtracts one from the result, a special subtracts two and a critical three. A fumble adds a D6 to the result. Obviously if shelter can be reached before the storm hits then the ship is safe, otherwise consult below:

Storm Descriptions Table

Code	Result
A	The ship runs before the storm at maximum speed possible for the duration of the storm or until shelter is reached. The course may be upto 45o from the direction of the storm. Only minor damage.
B	The ship is driven by the storm and the crew lose track of position. If the coastline is encountered then successful sailsmanship and seamanship is required to beach the ship rather than have it wrecked. The ship only goes in the direction of the storm. Distance is proportional to the base speed per day.
C	As 'B' but masts and rigging are lost overboard. Each crewman must make a POW×5% to avoid the same fate.
D	The ship is wrecked. There is a POW×3% per person to survive. There is an island or land nearby.
E	The ship is wrecked on rocks. There is a POW×1% to get onto the rocks, and a POX×3% to gain spar or flotsam as a float at sea, else drown.
F	The ship sinks with all hands. A critical POW×5% is needed to survive on flotsam. (Note: Poseidon really wants this one to survive!)

If in any week, a 100 is rolled, then a random encounter occurs. Roll a d100 and consult the Encounter Table. The encounters in this table form the basis of many of the shanties, stories and legends that sailors tell to each other and to landlubbers. Some are mystical, others are tales of fear and horror, yet others are comic and laughable. The sailors swear that all are true.

Random Encounter Table

Roll d100	Encounter
01-20	Storms, as above, d3×D6 severity and duration
21-30	Rocks. Test the captain's seamanship and sailsmanship. Double success indicates no damage. One failure indicates that the ship is holed and will require Runemagic to remain afloat. A double failure indicates that the ship is wrecked, as described above. A fumble indicates that the ship is holed badly and will sink within one hour, but the crew may escape in boats. Two fumbles indicates that the boat sinks instantly.
31-40	Pirate - stray pirate attacks ship at night by surprise.
41-47	Becalmed - Poseidon becalms the ship, usually requiring a sacrifice of cargo or person, often specific.
48-50	Becalmed for a purpose - typically to serve as an instrument of Poseidon's vengeance upon another ship or to pick up survivors.
51-60	Open boat or flotsam with survivors. See Survivors table
61-67	One or more surivivors of a shipwreck or marooning on desert island or rocks.
68-70	Ship's mast snaps and is lost overboard. Anyone failing a POW×7% is lost with it.
71-77	Encounter ship, masted and rigged, drifting and deserted - entirely empty of crew but may have cargo.
78-80	Ghost ship. See Ghost Ship table.
81-90	Sea monsters. See the Sea Monster table.
91	An enormous wave hits the ship. Test the captain's seamanship to ride the wave, else the ship is sunk with all hands, see Storms above. Roll a d8 for the direction of the wave.
92	Wandering Island - an island which by legend floats, pulled by whales (or not), stolen from Matar by Poseidon. There are many strange things upon it. Legends as to its inhabitants, creatures, etc. all conflict.
93	The Fisherman - a strange sea demon that haunts ships, attacking lone sailors by silent kill and leaves them gutted and boned like fish.
94	Arrive at destination mysteriously late. Roll d10: 1-4 D6 days, 4-7 D8 weeks, 8-9 D6 seasons, 10 D6 years. The crew will have no idea that this time has ever been lost.
95	The Sea of Mists (see section below).
96-98	Roll Twice
99-00	Roll Thrice

Survivors Table

Roll d100	Description	Number
01-25	Boat with passengers and crew, victims of pirates. Alive, well and grateful.	2D6
26-35	As above, appear dead but one is alive and grateful.	2D6
36-40	Boat with crew, survivors of shipwreck, all well.	1D8
41-45	Flotsam and survivor of shipwreck, clearly well.	1
46-55	Flotsam and apparantly dead man, actually survivor of shipwreck.	1
56-70	Flotsam and dead sailor.	1
71-95	Boat with dead sailors and passengers.	1D8
96-97	Boat and dead crew, one man alive with strange tales.	1D8
98	Boat and survivor, marooned by shipmates, possibly evil.	1
99	Boat and apparantly dead man, actually alive, otherwise as 98.	1
100	Boat and lone dead man with chart or map.	1

Ghost ships come in two types, deserted ships carrying ghosts and actual ghostly ships.

Ghost Ship Table

d100 Roll	Description
1-40	Meet vessel and hailed by captain. The ships exchange names and ports, the vessel turns out to have been sunk recently.
41-50	Large galley attempts to ram in fog or at night. Safety lies in holding course, turning puts the ship on rocks.
51-60	Deserted ship - no crew and the cargo is intact. Looting this ship brings bad luck.
61-67	Deserted ship - no crew and the cargo is intact. One object if looted will haunt its possessor to drown him.
68-70	Deserted ship - no crew or cargo. However a ghost attacks one person to possess and then kills crew by assassination upon return aboard.
71-73	Drifting ship, crewed by dead men. It appears to have been recently submerged with seaweed, etc. Assassin zombies on board. Cargo spoilt.
74-76	Drifting ship - crew all killed by The Fisherman. Cargo is intact, the bodies are rotting badly.
77-79	Ship under sail, crewed by skeletal pirates, flying the skull and cross-bones. The captain is a dead Runelord/Runepriest.
80-86	Ship under sail. No crew, casts off after boarding, runs into a storm, and wrecks somewhere interesting.
87-89	Ship under sail. In daylight with a normal crew, hails. Hands over the living survivors of a wreck bound for the receiver's port. In port find that the encountered ship sank years ago.
90	Ship like another on this list, roll again but not conforming to the lgend in some important way.
91-97	Ship under sail. No crew, below decks there is nothing but hear voices above, come up on another ship.
98	Ship under sail. On a moonlit night with silvery radiance it comes close with no visible crew but the screams of madmen can be heard. Boarders fall through deck into the sea and are recovered mad.
99	An old archaic design galley comes close and hails, What ship? What ship? If answered it then asks Have the drowned men yet risen from the waters? If told No the Captain will say Then our time is not yet come. And fades off into the night. If told Yes, he will reply Indeed, I see them rising now. and again fade into the night, as skeletons start clambering over the gunwhales.
100	Something really weird.

Sometimes specific ghost ships haunt stretches of sea with their features conforming to one of the examples given above.

The oceans hold some very strange and occasionally malignant children of Poseidon. These are the commonest ones encountered.

Sea Monster Table

D100	Creature
01-15	Borers
16-20	Crabs
21-35	Flying Fish
36-40	Keelhauler
41-55	Merfolk
56-60	Roc
61-75	Sea Elves
76-80	Siren
81-85	Skeletal Boarders1
86-90	Wrackmonster
91	Kraken1
92	Leviathan1
93	Mäelström1
94	Turtle Island
95	Whalefish1
96-98	Roll twice2
96-98	Roll thrice2

Notes:

1. The appearance of these creatures is a punitive measure by Poseidon.
2. The encounters occur sequentially during the voyage, unless they are both in the 91-95 range, when they will appear together and do battle.

The Sea Monsters

Borers
The ship's hull, below the water line, is revealed to be infested with worms that eat the wood. Consult the borer effect table. In any case, the ship will sink automatically in any storm.

Crabs
These are predators that attack in groups of 6-36. One will attach itself to a ship's bottom and slow it down. Others will do the same until the entire pack can clamber up the ships side and invade the deck looking for food.

• STR SIZ+6
• CON 2D6+6
• SIZ 1-6D6
• POW 3D6
• DEX 3D6
• Move 4/6
• Attacks: 2 claws: SR base: 3; Attack: DEX×5%; Damage: d10+db (crush)
• Armour: 8 point carapace and claws, 6 point limbs

Flying Fish
Silvery fish that attack in numbers of 2-12 by leaping from the water and gliding onto the deck of a ship on razor-sharp fins spread as wings. They are greatly feared and have given their name to a naval weapon.

• STR 2D6
• CON 3D6
• SIZ 1D6
• POW 3D6
• DEX 2D6+6
• Move 1/12/12
• Attacks: flying wing SR: DEX SR; Attack: DEX×5%; Damage: 2D6+2 (slash)
• Armour: none

Keelhauler
A large squid-like creature that attaches itself to the bottom of a boat until thrown live food or otherwise dealt with. It is usually reckoned too large and dangerous to take on in underwater combat. There is a 5% chance per point of SIZ of living animal that it will relinquish the ship and sieze the food. It has two long tentacles and eight smaller tentacles surrounding a ferocious, hooked beak. It catches prey in its large tentacles, transfers it to its smaller tentacles and bites it. Frankly, once the short tentacles have hold of its food, it never escapes. It can move very quickly using its poisonous water jet.

• STR 4D6+24
• CON 2D6+6
• SIZ 4D6+24
• POW 3D6
• DEX 3D6
• Move 4/12(jet)
• Attacks:
  • Tentacle: Base SR: 1; Attack: DEX×5%; Damage: Grapple, STR v SIZ to pull to short tentacles
  • Bite: Base SR: 4; Attack: DEX×5%+20%; Damage: 4D6 + DB, to prey caught by tentacles
  • Armour: 1 pt skin, 4 pt body
  • Other Skills: Watersence 90%

  Merfolk
  Half fish, half man, the Merfolk are a frivolous people who sometimes hail ships but to no real purpose. Sailors never antagonise them however, for they are spiteful and have some vicious runemagics given them by their god Merman. There characteristics are as for humans except they have 2D6+6 for POW, DEX, and CHA. They have been known to save drowning sailors. Their weapons are trident, harpoon, and 1-handed crossbow.

  Roc
  Said to be sent to plague sailors as a curse by Typhon. These are huge birds that dwell on island mountain tops. They sometimes attack ships by precision bombing with large boulders. A direct hit will sink most ships. Once this happens they eat those in the water.

  Sea Elves
  Basically sea-weed elves. They sometimes board ships, occasionally to raid but more usually to trade seaweeds, sponges, pearls, coral etc. for manufactured items. They worship a deity called Alga, which may be an aspect of Faerie, or perhaps a daughter of Poseidon. There characteristics are as for normal green elves, but STR is 2D6 and POW is D6+12.

  Siren Hit Locations

  d20	Location	Hit Pts.
  1-8	Tail	-
  9-11	Abdomen	-
  12	Chest	+1
  13-15	R Tentacle	−1
  16-18	L Tentacle	−1
  19-20	Head	-

  Siren
  Horrible creatures appearing as women with fishtails, tentacles for arms and seaweed hair. They dwell in caves on the sea floor and rise to attack ships. They attack by singing to lure sailors overboard by the mesmeric quality of their voices. They make an area magical attack as if by a 3 point runespell rolling once POW vs. POW. All humans on board who hear the song and lack countermagic or physical restraints will throw themselves into the sea where the siren will seize and drown the most handsome. A siren's cave is full of the bones of dead sailors and they use weapons made from these.

  • STR 3D6
  • CON 3D6
  • SIZ 3D6
  • INT 3D6
  • POW 4D6
  • DEX 2D6+6
  • CHA 3D6
  • Move 1/8
  • Weapon:
    • Bone War Pick Base SR: 3; Attack: 60%+D6×5%; Damage: d6+2+DB; HP 12
    • Grapple Base SR: 4; Attack: 60%+D6×5%;

  Skeletal Boarders
  All bodies that drown in Poseidon's oceans belong to Poseidon and occaionally he sends them to raid surface ships as a punitive measure. They have normal human stats, and weapons as for corsairs. It has been known for such undead to crew ships but commonly they crawl out of the sea and scale the tumblehome. Number of boarders is commonly 4D6.

  Wrackmonster
  Nasty, malign creatures that attack by night, silently climbing over the gunwhales and assaulting the watchkeepers. In appearance they are like man-shaped lumps of seaweed. They attack by lashing out with their arms and wrapping whip-like tendrils around a location which they then bind and strangle. Each creature will kill one person and then return over the side with the body to feed.

  • STR 3D6+6
  • CON 2D6+6
  • SIZ 2D6+6
  • INT 3D6
  • POW 2D6+6
  • DEX 3D6
  • CHA 3D6
  • Move 8
  • Weapon: Tendril Whip Base SR: 4; Attack: 50%+D6×5%+bonus; Damage: d6+DB

  If a hit is scored through armour then the tendril does a further D6 damage per round until it kills or the location is destroyed. Once a victim is immobilized, the wrackmonster will attempt to place a tendril around the victim's throat to kill him. Other skills are: Move Quietly and Hide in Shadows @75%, Watersense and Hide in Water @90%. Hit locations are as normal. They take double damage from fire.

  Kraken
  This is a Demon or God, possible a son of Poseidon, worshipped by the newtlings. Details are found in Kraken. He has combat skills of 240%.

  Leviathan
  Another of the Seagod's progeny. He takes the form of a sea-going reptile with paddles for legs, and a small but viciously toothed head on a long, sinuous neck. Boat-sized, he is fearsome to behold but rarely destroys ships, preferring to seize specific individuals from the deck.

  • STR 96
  • CON 21
  • SIZ 96
  • INT 28
  • POW 30
  • DEX 21
  • Move 10
  • Weapon: Bite: Base SR: 4; Attack: 240%; Damage: D8+7D10
  • Armour: 6 pt scales

  Legends state that Leviathan is the father of a race of smaller beings like himself that inhabit isolated lakes and seas.

  Mäelström
  This spirit is the same as the Kraken cult spirit of reprisal, but in oceanic waters it is much bigger and more poewerful, capable of taking entire ships. Once its intended victim has been taken, the Mäelström dissipates. It can exercise selection over objects and people in the water, thus throwing his intended prey into the water will probably save the ship.

  Turtle Island
  Sailors tell many tails of landing on an island, said to be miles long and wide, that eventually sinks and swims away, revealing itself to be an enormous turtle.

  Whalefish
  An enormous whale, the sages say the god Delphinus, that swallows ships whole.

  The Sea of Mists

  The ship sails into a dense fog. The crew will experience a deep sense of strangeness. There will be no wind and yet the ship will continue to glide slowly through the waters. Dimly, cries will be heard through the mist but whether they are of men, women or seabirds will be impossible to tell. Shapes like towering headlands or an enormous vessel's tumblehome loom through the vapours but never quite condense into reality. Time is totally subjective, the actual time in the Sea of Mists is seconds but subjectively, it will have a duration of minutes to years. Determine the length randomly on the table below. This also gives the chance of avoiding madness and throwing yourself off the ship.

  Sea of Mists Time and Madness Table

  Roll 2D6	2	3-6	7-9	10	11	12
  Time	Minutes	Hours	Days	Weeks	Seasons	Years
  POW roll	n/a	×7	×5	×3	×2	×1

  When the mists clear, everyone shakes their heads as if awakening from a dream and the ship will have moved to a totally different place.

  Sea of Mists Exit Table

  D100 Roll	Exit Point
  01-10	Port of destination is on the horizon.
  11-20	Port of origin is on the horizon.
  21-22	Balearica, west coast.
  23-26	Bay West (Biscay).
  27-30	Dead Sea (Red Sea).
  31-32	Long Sea (Adriatic).
  33-44	Great Middle Ocean, central
  45-54	Great Middle Ocean, west of Carthage.
  55-66	Great Middle Ocean, east of southernmost tip of Greece.
  67-70	Sea of Ash (Tyrhenian Sea).
  71-76	Sea of Fortune (Black Sea).
  77-78	Sea of Islands (Aegean Sea).
  79-80	Sea of Sand (Sahara Desert).
  81-85	Uncharted Seas (North, Norwegian, Baltic, Persian, etc.
  86	River Aura, or Firewater (Po)
  87	Bloodstream, or Arterius (Rhone)
  88-89	Moonriver or Luna (Danube)
  90	River Nertha
  91-92	Nilus, River Nile, or Deathwater (Nile)
  93	Tagus (Tagus)
  93	Tiger River (Tigris)
  95	Windswater or Quickstream (Ebro)
  96	Remus' Galley* - enormous vessel with countless banks of oars rowed by slaves.
  97	Charon's Ferry* - varies in size, always rowed by Charon at the stern.
  98	Isle of Dreams* - where those who land find their worst nightmare true.
  99	River Lethe* - River of Forgetfulness - one drop causes all memories to be lost as Consume Mind spell
  100	River Styx* - River of Death - one drop kills as Sever Spirit.

  Notes:
  ^* These encounters take place within the Sea of Mists and are part of the geography of Hell. Roll again for the exit point.