My regular (and longest-lived!) DW group is playing this Friday and they intend to sail south to a different continent, in search of some sad, faded dwarves.
I know the dangers of the sea and those who sail upon her, but I haven’t the foggiest what creatures might lurk within the dark recesses of the water…what are your favourite undersea threats?
Shark-men / Sahaugin, GIANT sea life, sirens, an ooze that coats a large area of the water like an oil spill, krakens, sleeping gods
The Kraken, of course, but I’m very fond of the island that is the back of a giant turtle.
Slightly less dangerous, the miraculous appearance of flying fish or flying squid might entertain.
Grindylow from the book The Scar
Shallows and reefs are my favorite. Beeching a big ass ship is a headache
They are aware of a coral gate nearer to the destination, but I want to ensure there is a hungry danger beneath the deepest stretch.
🙂
Don’t forget Leviathans and behemoths of various stripes.Â
Couple rounds of “Stewpot” after getting becalmed.
Undead dolphins
King Neptune
Mermaids and sirens always rock my boat
My favourite nautical thang is China Mieville’s The Scar – pirates, floating shanty cities… I don’t remember if there’s giant squid monsters if there isn’t there should be.
In my opinion, you should ask your players. If you roll for the travel move, ask directly at the scout/lookout what problem his/her character has most fear meeting during the sea journey or something like that.Â
Titan imprisoned by the gods of eons past. Basically any interaction may start a new front that has world shaking implications. An action like this in my previous campaign led up to my current campaign where a plague has rocked the world, humanity has mostly died off and the pantheon of gods has drastically changed… All because one player wanted to shag the friendly merfolk who were offspring of the great Titan.
Nathan Roberts Just popping in to give your pun a groan of approval 🙂
A lost nation of dwarves, aboard a steampunk submarine. These dwarves are notably pale, and depressed. (Sad, faded dwarves, right?) 🙂
How about The Strait of One Hundred Hands is dangerous because the coral is made of the undead casualties of the barbarian civil war, and it replicates by dragging seafarers down to join them?
Dorian Knight I think the gremlin might be fun! I was going to lean on bad shipwrights but sabotage by an unseen interloper is awesome. John Lithgow or Bill Shatner at the wheel…
A few malcontent crew bust into the rum and get totally drunk and out of hand. Â Sometimes the biggest dangers live among us!
I love Manta Rays, make him ship size for a threat. Â
I Like your submerged Barbarian Zombie horde concept Matt Horam!
Elemental should be neat. Water spouts that are sentient. Air elemental a bringing in storms or trying to pick up players. I don’t see earth or fire being out that way tho.
Side Wynder I love the water elemental/spirit encounter in Keith Baker’s Eberron novels.