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So I have some ideas for a couple of themed products that cash in on popular tropes that are pretty proven sellers (Pirates!):
DOCK/HARBOR FLIP MAT:
A new flip-mat featuring a few docks and bit of the shore (a boardwalk? That street where you get your carriage after getting off the boat) on one side, and the harbor bottom on the other.
The docks would have at least one berth large enough to (in theory) accommodate the ship from the Ship/Open Sea map, and then a smaller jetty (see how I throw out these terms like I know what I'm talking about?), and then the boardwalk would have a bit of shops, and maybe the front of a tavern, and enough road to run some horses down.
There is very little that is as fun as fighting on docks. Because Bull Rush becomes so much cooler when everyone is fighting on 10" docks. I've used the docks map from Atlas Games' Backdrops more than any other map I've ever purchased (though the Mountain Pass and River Crossing are going to get more use than it ever will).
The harbor bottom wold have some rocks, maybe a rusting anchor with seaweed, the barest outline of sunken ship now buried under sand (with maybe just enough sticking up to provide a few squares of cover, a place for a rogue to hide), a lot of sand, some starfish, maybe a lobster or crab, all with a "it's under water!" effect over it. Something that can be used for just about any underwater/sea floor encounter, because those sorts of encounters typically end up being fought on a big blank battle map. This is already pretty boring, but will quickly become unacceptably so now that I have been spoiled by the flip-mats series.
PIRATE BOOTY ITEM CARD DECK:
Pretty obvious when you think of it.
It would mostly feature magical pirate stuff: an anchor, spyglass, sextant, magical compass, bejeweled eyepatch, single earring, wooden eye, cutlasses, rapiers, pistols, pile of gold coins, keg, monkey, dirk, belaying pin, bottles of rum labeled "potion," etc. All of these are things I've seen in repeated pirate themed adventures, like the Freeport stuff.
Then a few items that are clearly of use in underwater adventures. Magical flippers, goggles, a primitive diving suit. These show up in a lot of aquatic themed adventures as well.
And finally, a handful of unique and standard magic items that look like they were designed by sea dwelling creatures. Maybe some kind of shimmering shawl (like a selkie might have), Coral rings, wands, and staves, shell-shaped potion bottles, a spear, trident, harpoon, and crossbow. Some of these would have the delicate grace of elven work, specifically sea elves, others would be rougher and crude work of Sahuagin or Locathah barbarians, and a few might even have slightly Lovecraftian look, born of ruins in the deepest depths of the sea.
PIRATE BOOTY ITEM CARD DECK:
Awesome! I'd consider buying one of those.
tfad
that nautical stuff would be nice indeed.
there could also be some pontoons or rafts or barges alongside the jetty or pier, providing opportunity for higher ground rules, jump checks and the lowly balance skill. Yummy !
Given that the ship-map is one of the two battlemaps I own and regularly use (well I have 4 neutral battlemaps, but that is beyond the point) this would make tremendous sense to the navally inclined.
As for items or the pirate-booty item deck ----> Tricorne of Fair Winds, Sou'wester of Endurcance, sash of a thousand Sharks, Cutlass of the Reckless Boarder, Grappling Hook of Hauling, Gaff of Skewering, the Eternal Dubloon, freebooter's Flag, Sextant of the Uncharted Seas..... oh the possibilities !
colour me interested, hehe