My players just crashed on the Isle of Dread and defeated the T-Rex. They're prepping for next session and have asked how many rowboats there are on the Nixie. How many are there? How many people can fit in a rowboat?
Also, how long will it take them to row out there and what reasons would they have not to go by boat? Urol has not presented them with his overland path plan yet, so I would like to be able to give them valid ideas of why they shouldn't do it.
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My players just crashed on the Isle of Dread and defeated the T-Rex. They're prepping for next session and have asked how many rowboats there are on the Nixie. How many are there? How many people can fit in a rowboat?
Also, how long will it take them to row out there and what reasons would they have not to go by boat? Urol has not presented them with his overland path plan yet, so I would like to be able to give them valid ideas of why they shouldn't do it.
They could but the waters around the Isle are just as dangerous as the Isle itself. If attacked while in a row boat by the Giant Eels from Hades, the party will have very little chance to prepare to be dunked and any heavy armor dudes(or medium even) are pretty much goners. Water going dinos should also be in attendance, like a Pleisiasuar (sp?) or something. A tiny rowboat is not a good idea at all.
I would probably say the ship had 3-4 rowboats that would probably carry 8-12 passengers on each, although 1 or 2 may have torn free in the crash and either floated off or sunk.The key is to let them try anything they want but quickly show them that a bad plan has consequences. Try fight a 30foot monstrousity in a rowboat. Not fun. They will quickly take to the land if they live.
FH
I saw the Masher mentioned in the article from Dragon #351 on the Ecology of the Isle of Dread. What else is out there that tells me what's in the water (besides the Giant Eels and dinosaurs FH mentioned)?
I think dungeon #144 has a encounter table for the waters around the IoD in it.
The encounter table for the waters surrounding the Isle of Dread is in #143.
If your players really want to attempt this after letting them know that they are probably putting themselves at even more risk, show this this picture and ask them "Are you sure you want to do this?"
BTW, Sea Wyvern is equipped with 2 life boats. Not sure how many passengers they can hold. Probably around 4-6, I'm guessing. Most likely no more than that.
The encounter table for the waters surrounding the Isle of Dread is in #143.
I said so. :)
The encounter table for the waters surrounding the Isle of Dread is in #143.
Thanks! =)
If your players really want to attempt this after letting them know that they are probably putting themselves at even more risk, show this this picture and ask them "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Nice one Steve. That was awesome. I plan to do just that if my players mention anything about trying to row their way to Farshore. During the voyage I'll also have Urol mention the "terrible sea-going monstrosities" that can be found around the island. Hopefully they'll get the clue that it's not safe to use any craft smaller than the Sea Wyvern for an extended period of time in these hellish waters.
Urol has not presented them with his overland path plan yet, so I would like to be able to give them valid ideas of why they shouldn't do it.
I would have Urol suddenly get very excited if the PCs mention using the rowboats. He can then tell them all sorts of horror stories about the gigantic man-eating beasts that prowl the island's coast. You might even make the gnome ridiculously EAGER to do it, just to catch a glimpse of the monsters.
While the picture of the Croc is indeed cool it's in a swamp not coastal waters. Still the picture of the Masher on page 66 of Dragon 351 is probably enough to keep me out of the water (that and all the penalties for fighting in water).
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Urol has not presented them with his overland path plan yet, so I would like to be able to give them valid ideas of why they shouldn't do it.I would have Urol suddenly get very excited if the PCs mention using the rowboats. He can then tell them all sorts of horror stories about the gigantic man-eating beasts that prowl the island's coast. You might even make the gnome ridiculously EAGER to do it, just to catch a glimpse of the monsters.
That's so funny because it probably would be a better deterrent than having Urol saying that it would be too dangerous or trying to dissuade them of that course as a DM.
Just smirk, and let Urol get all giddy while explaining what sort of interesting creatures ("oh, they're just a little dangerous," "let's not let a tiny fact like one of these creatures could swallow the dinghy whole stop us," etc.) they may encounter. Given the right amount of Steve Irwin-esque eagerness to meet exotic and dangerous creatures, the PCs may rightly consider stomping loudly through the jungle, shouting "here, kitty kitty," to be a preferable option. :D
Crikey, she is a beauty! ~CHOMP~
hmm.. that canoe eating croco, something living in the lake at Thanaclan?
Oh just realized something, Giant Fiendish Oysters.. thats where the pearls come from?
Wowo, all ready for harvesting... and breeding thousands more oysters.. :D
Clone spell should work too, then just keep them.. err.. feebleminded and from attacking each other, just producing giant beautiful pearls. Just to diversify the spice millions.. ;)
My players wanted the druid to shape-change into a bird and fly to Farshore for help. I didn't even bother with the whole dissuading thing. I simply said that wasn't the adventure that was mapped out. I also sneered at the suggestion that the heroes needed rescuing.
They fell into line and got on with the AP immediately. Railroad, schmailroad - sometimes it's just easiest to let them know where they're supposed to go.
I wonder if the adventure couldn't just be adapted to the coast. Replace the terror birds with monster fish attacks. The gargoyles could still attack...
Maybe the canoes/rafts could be rowed into a fog bank that would allow the ape monster to steal the gnome, forcing the party to beach to find him.
The only thing you'd miss out on was the first tunnel that passes thru the mountains, right? And the spider-woman, I suppose.
All I do know is that if you put up a wall, the players are going to want to climb it.
I say you let them take the lifeboats and row their little hearts out. If they lose a boat and are forced to take to the ground, you can have the tunnel pass dungeon thing wherever they land to allow them thru the mountains to the interior.
I also wouldn't tell the druid's player not to go. I'd just ask the rest of the players how long they're going to wait. Eventually they'll get bored or run out of food or something and will have to press on. I'd probably let them find the druid again, all tangled up in the web of the spider-woman.
I think there's a sidebar in the issue entitled "the dangers of homemade boats" or something to that effect, saying what horrible things will happen to PCs who attempt to row to Farshore.
As I believe it stated in the adventure, the captain of the ship (can't remember her name) should emphasize that trying this is a BAD idea.
my crew was a little hesitant to enter the forest after the t-rex but we had a 102 point crit on the t-rex and being the group of hack-n-slashers we are, we readily jumped on the opportunity to kill something else.
If you didn't go through the inland trail wouldnt that severely mess with the whole demogrogan (sp?) incident. Or you could always do what my DM did when our party started to stray away from the temple after we tried to escape: he disoriented our senses and we just walked right into it again. it was a great manuever and the demogrogan(sp) could simply lure them into the jungle after they hit the water.
Creative Director
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"Here there be Monsters" actually plots out the safest course to Farshore. If the PCs are obsessed with rowing down there, thoguh, by all means let them! They'll be hounded by mashers, giant octopuses, plesiosaurs, elasmosaurs, gargoyles, and all sorts of other sea monsters along the way, though, any one of which is capable of capsizing and ruining a rowboat. At which point, swimming monsters will make short work of most parties. If they survive, they can wash up on shore and continue as they see fit.
If your group's hard-core and makes it to Farshore anyway, well done! The events in "Here there be Monsters" don't require play for the campaign to continue, and you can always use locations like Fogmire in "Tides of Dread," as an additional mini-quest.
I'm using our group messageboard to roleplay this out prior to our session. Here's what's transpired so far:
Whilst the group is discussing plans on getting to Farshore, Urol comes out of the ship. He coughs a little loudly to get people's attention. He then discusses his plan.
"Using the maps we have, I have been able to lay out a course from here to the village of Tanaroa, the first of a number of settlements that surround the colony. We need to move south towards the mountains and then along the bay until we reach the village. It's approximately 130 miles and, calculating our group and the speed we need to move, it should take us about 10 days to get there. I suggest we get our rest and leave first thing in the morning."
Sounds like a great plan, Urol. Walking may not be easy, but it may be our best option.
If we took a rowboat or even managed to patch together a small craft to sail to Farshore, we run the risk of being swept ashore by yet another storm, attacked by the gigantic sea creatures around here, or worse. At least on land, we can run from predators and defend our campsites.
As for those we leave behind, I believe they are more than capable of defending the ship. Local wildlife is unlikely to attack once a settlement is created and fires are built up. Any tribes native to this area are more likely to leave the ship alone than investigate and if they do get curious, they are unlikely to simply attack. Nothing I've read about the people on this island leads me to believe they're violent by nature.
I believe our best course of action would be to hike to Farshore, hire a ship (or find the Blue Nixie and Lavinia Vanderboren), hire craftsmen to repair the Sea Wyvern, and sail back here as soon as possible. I'm quite certain that hanging around here will get us no where fast and may even lead to our deaths as we consume supplies not intended for us.
"Mind you," Urol tells you, "I wouldn't mind seeing some of the creatures up close. In fact, it might be a better idea to go via rowboat. I mean, think of it."
Urol breaks out into a broad smile.
"We could see the creatures we've only heard tales of. Megalodons, giant squids, huge sharks, octopus trees... Oh and plesiosaurs! We can't forget the plesiosaurs. We could be the first to study them and bring back information for future generations."
Urol is getting more excited as he talks.
"Screw walking; let's grab some rowboats!" Urol looks at everyone with large eyes, waiting to hear someone agree with him.
They got the idea. ;)