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I'm currently running Tempest Rising, and my players are in the middle of the Regatta. I feel that the end as written in the AP is pretty lame, and in fact very much an anti-climax. So I've prepared the following end instead. Comments, ideas and criticism is very welcome. I'll post more when I've tested the race on my players.
I'm running the encounters as outlined, but changing the final leg to the following;
Start.
I'll set up the PC's and the Wormwood so the PC's have 20 encounters to the goalline. The Wormwood will start at a distance of 10+PC's race score (If the PC's have a race score of 17, the PC's will still have 20 encounters to go, but the Wormwood will have 27. If the PC's have done poorly, and only have a race score of 6, the PC's have 20 to go, the Wormwood will have 16).
Encounters
I'm using the chase rules, with the following encounter. Each encounter also have a target number for the Wormwood. If I roll this on a d20, the Wormwood will advance 1 square in this encounter. If they fail the skill check, the PC's will not advance this round
*Superstitous sailors refuse to sail on, after a dead sea gull drops on the deck. Knowledge (religion) DC 20 to convince them this doesn't matter. Wormwood: 8+
* A maelstroem suddenly appears in front of the ship. Knowledge (nature) DC 20 to know how to surf the edges. Wormwood: 7+
* Weird magic effects threathen to rip the sails apart. Knowledge (arcana) DC 20 to dispel them. Wormwood: 9+
* The wheel is stuck. Disable Device DC 15 to repair it. Wormwood: 10+
* A reef is close to the surface. Perception DC 28 to spot it in time. If failed, the ship takes 8d8 in addition to not advancing. Wormwood:9+
*The rigging is in disorder. 2x climb DC 20, falling damage to the PC if the second check is failed. Wormwood:13+
* An officer is required in the other end of the ship to defuse a complicated situation. Acrobatics DC 20 to get there quickly. Wormwood:10+
* Danger straight ahead. Sailing DC 30 to avoid it. Wormwood:14+
*Man overboard. Spend 2 rounds to pick him up. The PC's can chose to sail on and automaticly advance this round, but this might affect crew loyalty. Wormwood:12+
* The crew despairs in the foul weather. Diplomacy or Intimidate DC 30 to convince them to go on. Wormwood:12+
* Torn rigging and sails trap a PC. Automatic advance, but a random PC is unable to assist in future encounters, untill he has succeded at a DC 20 escape artist (one check pr. encounter). Wormwood:6+
* A group of hostile Orcas delay the ship. Sail around (no advance this encounter), or fight 5 orcas. If they're not defeated in 5 combat rounds, the ship is delayed and does not advance this round. Wormwood: 12+
* A random PC is swept overboard by a freak wave. Swim DC 20 in order not to delay the ship by forcing it to mount a rescue operation. Wormwood:13+
* A ballista is torn lose, and rolls across the deck. Reflex save DC 15 to get out of the way (failure: 5d6 damage). Wormwood:8+
* 2 crewmembers pick this time to start a fight. Intimidate DC 20 to get them and their mates back to work. The situation is to heated to use diplomacy. Wormwood: 7+
As said, comments are very welcome, as are additional ideas for encounters.
I may be overly realistic. Sorry. But most of these are pretty unreasonable, and depending upon the level of seamanship/common sense though will severely suspend disbelief
How do Orcas attack the ship ? Bite the keel ? Give the ship'S side a severe battering ? This might only work against very small ships or require monstrously large orcas. Why the Orcas should dabble about in warm tropical waters (anything but their natural habitat ), I leave to you. Perhaps, try a Sea Serpent or Orm or some of the more fantastic stuff from "Isles of the Shackles"
A man going overboard... will require considerably more time than just two (2) rounds. A ship at full tilt will move 100'-200' a round, hence quickly pulling the swimmer out of reach. SAILING SHIPS HAVE NO BREAKS ! THEY HAVE NO REVERSE GEAR.. .The ship will have to go for a full stop somewhere on its course, spilling all her wind and tacking to leeward under sails (there a specific maneuvers for this taught in every sailing coures, because it is anything but "simple". Even with modern dinghies. Nevermind in a full ship. Getting the poor sucker out of the water will be difficult, too ).
Same goes for the freak wave --> random swimmer event. (the only tme I have heard in campaign of anyone ever getting back on board, was in my brother's group where they had a "dedicated" Undine Lifeguard-swimmer who jumped into the soup the very second the NPC went overboard.
Torn rigging etc. I'd better not start talking about that one. If any one suspends disbelief that torn riging will drop onto deck and not be flung out to leeward (including any crew) it might work... your call
Stuck wheel.. ahem, perhaps one should mention that the wheel is commonly manned by two or more crew in strong winds, to manage the forces on it. No cushioning hydraulics in the age of wood. Usually the larger guys in the crew have to handle the wheel
If it should get "stuck", imagine the forces getting penned up on the rudder chains, rudder head and the whole redirecting blocks and wheeldrum. If something like that get's stuck, there will likely be the sound of tearing deadbolts or breaking wood from below and a crippled ship. A steering wheel on a fullship will easily break ,or even shear off an arm stuck through it under normal circumstances in any kind of wind.... I feel uncertain "disable divice" is the proper skill for it. Nevermind the danger of trying to sail with a ship out of control..
Ballista on deck ? They have a readily assembled ballista on deck during a regatta ?
Generally, as in racing cars, you try to keep one's ship light and nimble.. Speaking for my group, the players actually relocated much of the weaponry stuff (armoury, gunpowder, cannonballs...) and plunder to a second ship and sailed with minimum provisions and crew . Any sailor worth his salt will keep the weight and center of gravity as close to the bottom as possible. Why else does anyone think merchants ships are slow and cumbersome ?
Most of this stuff sounds very "hollywoodesque" (probably in the worst sense ).
If that fits the style of your campaign, ok.
Some more freakish events I'd think realistically possible :
Swarms of Jellyfish - both ships run through a sea clouded with swarms of poisonous jellyfish, which the waves might deposit on deck (reflex saves to dodge), and inundate the deck with poisonous gloob - hampering manouevres. Unless they get rinsed off, but until then, moving over the deck will be perilious.
Sudden Gust : a sudden squall tears out your sails, and leans the ship over far too much to leeward. Crew possibly drops from the rigging (if unsecured... but why would they be ? . ok, now they are dangling from the yardarms on their safety lines), ship speed slows and now you have whipping tendrils of sail and loose sheets flinging about to bother you too. Did someone mention propulsion being affected ?
Unexpected reef/rocks. Hard to spot ridge of underwater stone juts u (intermittedly) from the sea. Serious perception to spot it and a possible gap in time. Fully apply penalties to spot rolls for anyone on the afterdeck, so a bowbound-watcher might be a wise idea. Just remember -1 to perception/10' of distance... the average ship is about 100-120 feet long, and the object is hopefully NOT yet under the bow, right ?
Shearing off the bowsprit : Freak wave hits the tip of the bowsprit or it gets broken off in a freak wave the ship does not climb swift enough (much easier to happen to smaller vessels). Profession sailor chaecks maybe in order. Quick retrimming of the rigging and profession shipwright to shore up the damage.
Bad omen ? Harsh battering of the bow takes it's toll, your bowhead-figurine is smashed to pieces or threatens to drop into the sea... VERY BAD MOJO that, so the crew jumps to saving it, leaving their main jobs uncared for... or if commanded to stay on their posts, there might a strong morale penalty incoming
Battleflag in tatters : your Skulls and Shackles/crimson (whatever) gets torn to shreds by the constant battering. THIS IS THE BANNER YOU FIGHT UNDER !!! Serious climbing to save it, or experience a solid drop in morales.
Any mast in a storm : A confused and exhausted wyvern decides your mastip is the safest place to rest in the storm and now clings precariously to your topyard..... of course offsetting the carefully balanced ship /(center of gravity and center of trim) by adding a ton of wyvern to the masttop. Get rid of the damn thing before she capsizes us ! (and yes, missile fire seems counterprodutive in the high winds )
hope some of these help with alternative encounters ?
I added the last two of Vikingsons encounters, and used my own... yes, they're Hollywoodsy, but only slightly more unrealistic than a Wyvern landed on your mast. :)
It was a great succes with my playgroup and highly recommended. It gave a fun ending to the Regatta, far more enjoyable than simply proclaiming that they won.