ole ESIGNERS go Fo he Rican Baxea, Josere D.Caanrmen Ja, Jesostres Charxé WILKES DEVELOPERS Sreren ScHUsERT, ANDY CorLins, Davip Noosa EDITORS Joun D. Rarexire, Jou Tomson EDITING MANAGER Kim Mozay ‘DESIGN MANAGER “Cunystomiter PEnkms DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Jesse Decken ‘eS DIRECTOR OF RPG R&D But StavicseK FRODUCTION MANAGERS ‘Josu Fiscuen, RANDALL CREWS: Resor: dtmstind Ennpet Unb Exc Cul Jee Dade Jlf Qtek and James W Bree Cord eon Riss Coupate Seng by Ea Grecian ak Feo “SENIOR ART DIRECTOR, D&D Stacy Lonostaret = ART DIRECTOR | Kanm Jaoues COVER ARTIST enemy Janvis INTERIOR ARTISTS Grats rest, Daew Baxer, Warne ENGLAND, Davio Guirrtra, Fae Hoorea, Lem Moret, iim Nexsox, Mictant. Purim, Earc Potak, Jor, THoveas, Franz. Voxwnscet, Save Wood GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dep. Baanerr CARTOGRAPHER Kre Horse GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Exim Dowex % IMAGE TECHNICIAN Jasos Winer 5 Expanded Prinicr Hamdbosk by nF Reytolls ant Skip Willis, 3 ing Gresbaok Gazetteer by Gary Ulliay Bek Mona, Sean K Rejuolls and Frederik Weining, Mayel of he Planer: Je Grubb, Brice i Condell and David Noonan, Pirates of te Felon Sars by Curtis Scott, Recs of Faery Eric L. boyy Matt Forbeck, * James Jacobs, and Sea K Reynolds; Phe Sea Decals by Skip William; “hs Fat Corners ofthe World” by James cob as on hea Doce Da alee by F-Cay Gyan Dav Amc at nv Dusan Dass game designed by Jonathan Twet, Monte Cook, Shay Wiliams, Richard ‘This produce uses updated material ftom the W3.5 sev, = and Peter Adib. “This Wranns on re Coser” game protic contain no Open Grane Content. No potion ofthis work my be reproduce tn {opm with writen penis To ean more alee the Opn Gaming Lica andthe (20 Sym Let, pene Vt wi wiandecoml, oe weawaaayone * enpa7ee7000.00L0N 987654221 ISBN20;0-78¢9.3602-4 ir ratings Augie 2007 Tsu a5: 978 07869-36892 Dern ans DAD Ps Need 2 Sn WoT Cc Pe Hendin Den Sti Gedy ri Mala eh alin incamae ements pany of Wo He Ot a as hl aca et Cac penta cea eal eee hart ete Un Sac eh ak Hain Ray a rar pct ira es eee sn cd Wet i Cae a moa rel wa US 2 Woe Cone Comin ea fet reroll Ud Sad Ne fox pal rpms pa ree Visit our website at www.wizardscom/dndContents “iim — ‘chepter7: Monsters ‘Amplbous Creature Anglin ‘vont Serpent choke (Chapter 3: Clases and Prestige Classes Calle fr he Deeps. Cae Oytoce Cal eestor fate 7 afl Baed Daufelln Barbarian _ Arcbelon Fighter Iebehyorsar Ment. Mostrar alain Mesos, anger Dire Animal Ropu Dire Brracua Scout Dite Eel Sontee Anat Spiichenes. AaticBIFDolphin Rider steam Srhbuckier Goer Coa Wis. hernia Prestige Cases Hammeclaw aa ‘nishtafthe Fess Hippocampus Seng snd Shipwreck Legendary Captain seth Giant Po rericot she Ses. Leviathan Hunter Nee a Scale Corsair $s Remfsh = 2 SeaWieh @Seyllin Resta Dengere Stormesser. serwolf Wilderness Terrain Wavekseper é Shiu Ternin Chapter 4: Skillsand Feate ona Marine Skill ‘Sesfrine Roe Telysh Swarm teeth Swarm Pranka Swarm Uchaulon(Slime Chuul) Chaptcr 5: Ships and quipment soa ‘Nats son Tern me Taree =) ‘Chepter 6: spells and Magic Items. = ‘New Dorin. Snapping Tut os. Backwater Doin Stingay icc: Oceano Yeamin and Anise, Wate Adapred eit atk Domai Diving Spldes Meastrous sefolk Domain a Storm Dom Sea Srake an. acd Spells New Cretures and Summon Sells. Soe Sinking and Repair Feta Wewher Clerc Spe (Chapter 3: Adventure Locales raid Spells The Sable Dake Paladin Spell Shorter! se Ranger Spells + Thelelandaf Witches Sorcere/Wisard Spells The Los Temple of Sekolah spells. The Temorean Vs Epi Spells Graveyard Shipe Nee Bone Powers ‘New Magi tems Special Matera Appendix: Encounter TablesIntroduction Sovelss knelt nthe gray mud ofthe cavern floor and frowned. The hacks were unmistakable: four pairs of broad, segmented fet each step deeper al the tes than at the hee followed by the broad wallow ofthe til ‘Chua he sad softly, Hiseyefllon a smal splatter of blood, 4 place whee the monster’ steps hesitated fora moment before continuing Likely the creature had pause at this spot fo shift the villager from one elas tothe other Ae of hia great Black lake stretched off into the darkness, cold and still as death tse. Water dripped somewhere in the unseen reaches of the cave, a single drop every ten heartbeats. The hus tracks continued into theiey wale “the lake?” rumbled Torch. The dwarf stood with his fet Planted wie, eying the water with distaste “Yes” said Soveiss.The elf staighiened and brushed the mud from his hands. It went in, but it didnot come out think it Fnows that we followed it here “Darn sad Tordek. He looked atthe lake again and shook his head," hate the water Terrible sea demons geatd great treasures in the vaults of | drowned cities. Sdhuagin warbands terrorize rhe towns and “Sages of the Coast IMulevOlent wizaTas Tif On distant islands, leaving the wretched spawn of their experiments to prey om any who pass near. Bold explorers roam the seas in search of new lands and marvels never before seen by fhuman eyes, while cruel piratesplundertheirwayacrossthe watery divides. Deadly aberrations lurk in the ebon seas ofthe underground realm and swift, ightless rivers cascade down ‘ough dungeon chasms ino unimaginable depths below. Stormuerack examines the perils and wonders of mac! strom adventures —thatis, adventuring on otin the water, from ocean-spauning voyages to quests across the seas of the Outer Planes, A Duncsows & Dancoxs® game can embrace anything from exploring the dark depths of an underground lake orrafting down a jungle river to magical journeys into the lightless deeps of the ocean. Stormurack isnot just a book about sailing ships and seafaring cam- paigns but also about the hazards and challenges ofall sorts of watery environments. Slormunackis intended foruse inany Diicraws &eDaacons game. You will need the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual to make use of the material in this book. A number of ereneures from Monster Manual IT and Fiend Folio are included on the encounter tables in the appendix. In addition, you might find it useful to have the Epic Level Handbook and the Expanded Bsionis Handbook, since thisbook contains. small amount of material designed for ‘use with the systems introduced in those rulebook, ‘The topics covered in this book include: ‘Chapter 1: Into the Maelstrom. This chapter conta an extended discussion of aquatic terrain and the perils vwater environments, 25 well 2s information on weath navigation, and naval combat Chapter 2; Races of the Seas. Two new aquatic PC rc theaventiand the darfllan, make their debut in this chap which alo provides details abour aquatic elves asa play character race. It also describes the hadozee, a seagoingl race thatexcelsat the art of ailing In addition itdiscusse wateroriented cultures of standard races, such as seacli dwarves, wavectest gnomes, and shoal halflings Chapter 3: Classesand Prestige Classes. This chapter describes how the various standard classes operate in a aquatic environment, both above and below the waves. Ia addition, it introduces seven new prestige classes associ ated with aquatic environments, including the knight of the pearl, the scarlet corsa, and the sea witch. Chapter 4: Skillsand Feats. This chapter offers ayuatic applications for many skills and gives twenty-fou feats that improve characters’ performance in and around the water. It also describes the roles played by various ‘members of ship's crew and its officers (Chapter 5: Ships and Equipment. More than twenty Aifferene types of ships, from the caravel and the longship to the elf wingship and the magicpowered theurgeme. are detailed here, The chapter also describes shipboard ‘weapons such as the great bombard, and personal gear such as the harpoon, cutlass, and sextant, Chapter 6: Spells and Magic Items, This chapter derails more than forty new spells that enable characters to do everything from swim more quickly to summon a fiendish kraken, in addition 10a few new water-related epic spellsand psionic powers. Iralso includes new magic items suitable to aquatic campaigns, suchas vingfigueheadsand the dreaded hag of eth. ‘Chapter 7: Monsters. This chapter presents more than three dozen new monsters that can be encountered in aquatic environments, from piranha swarms and aquatic dinosaurs to the legendary scyllan Chapter 8: Adventure Locales. This chapter outlines four ayuatic adventure locales. “the Sable Drake" (EL. 5) pits PCs against a band of goblin pirates with awily leader. ‘Shatterhull Isle" EL 6) describes an adventure site that has lured many a ship to its doom. “the Lost Temple of Sekolah (EL9) tells pious sahuagin intenton reclaiming anunhallowed shrine. Finally, “the Tamorean Vast" (EL 12) sets PCs the tsk of solving the mystery of why ships keep disappearing in a particular stretch of open Appendix: Encounter Tables, This appendix providesa setofEL-based encounter tables forall youraquatic encoun- ter requirements: marine (seas and oceans), freshvater (lakes end rivers, and dungeon (upperdar, middledark, and lowerdark).ven while F gazed thiscurvent acquit. ionstrous velocity Bach anoment-adied to its'specd Fusalogiopetwosity. In fye mites the w to its fara Vurrgh, was laced to ungaver ile fury but Se etveem Moskoe un the const tht he main wproa held Pees Here the vaste oftewters, eared ad sere ma |S ssoid onfletng chavsels burst sudienky indo plvensiel Jon — heaving bling, hsing gyrating in gganficnd sable daPis ar allwhilin and plunging ont the swith anapididy whic Water never leheve assumes precious ewes Egat Allan Boe, "A Descent into the Maelstrom sutries one by, people reparded the waters of the PS with feas awe, wonder and terror, The deeps were ees po human being had plumbed, inhabited by strange: TesGightening creatures. The farshores ofthe world were > senile, unexplored lands where allkindsofunlikely Sessazes and mysterious perils right lurk sce has always posed powerful luce ioadventiersof P hiods. Ic isa frightening and forbidding barsier to the Beszcon explores, offering the promise of a horribly cold Selighrless death. in the water, even the most skillful and Pog ofheroesis peculiarly vulnerable: slow, weak, and (Phang when compared roher normal capabilities. Wareris ‘toad to mystety, wonders and monsters forthe seafare, ‘realm ofchaosand disordétin which impossible hings, happen nd the godsrepay che hubris of humankind with terrible dooms and eurses:Finally, water hidesa parallel who overcome the barrier between these two worlds. ‘he maelstrom serves as Something ofanallegory for the power and peril of water. At times itis calm: and safe, familiar road easly crossed-—but at other timesitisadarkandlethalvortex, force So powerful that no courage, skill, or magic can hope 6 quel ts blind hinger or escape its insidious grasp. Even the Dravestof heroes hesitates before viking ite wrath, ‘Aquatic adventures take many forms:A dark, sil Take, im which lurks terrible monster; a great underground cataract, thundering and racing down through measurelesscaverns.asunken city dreaming beneath the glassy wavesoFa tropical sea; col and forbidding islandin the fogbound waters of the north, where a cabal of necromancers practice their grisly craftAdventuring in or around the water revolves around. cone of four basic themes: the water obstacle, che seafaring adventure, the mythicisland adventure, and the under water adventure ‘The water obstacle is the most common maelstrom. environment mostadventurers encounter. In the course of exploringa dungeon of some kind, the party encounters a room filled with water Itmight be an underground river barring theic progress, a subterranean lake of unknown extent, or simply a fiendishly effective trap or barrier esipned to limit the heroes progress Inorderto overcome the obstacle, the characters must subject themselves to a difficult and dangerous environment in which their strengths re largely negated, or they must make resource: ful use of magic and skills in order to bypass the watery stretch, Monsters better adapted ¢o water than most player characters naturally make great use of water obstacles; heroes fighting aboleths or kuo-toas should nor expect to defeat their foes without getting wet sooner or later. Seafaring adventures are typically what most people cavision as an adventure set on or around the sea. The heroes are traveling to a distant, exotic land, or hunting down a vicious gang of picates, or ate pirates themselves— perhaps good hearted rogues and scoundrels who battle against the tyranny ofan evil empire, perhaps murderous plunderers and killers who toband pillage their way across the seas. Some campaigns are built around seafaring adventures, bue usually a seafaring adventure isa single ‘chapter in the heroes'career:a single memorable adventure for characters who soon return to more conventional din- eon adventuring, Seafaring adventures can use a voyage solely as a story mechanism, a way to move the heroes to some exotic foreign locale, or the voyage itself might be the adventure. ‘The mythicisland adventure is a variation on the sea faring adventute. For thousands of years, islands have Iheen regarded as places of mystery, idiosyncratic worlds whereall kinds ofstrange things might be true—an island occupied solely by hill giants, where everything else is _gianr sized; an island of the undead, where vampire nobles rule over courtsof ghouls, ghasts,and mohrgs;an island of deadly beauty, in which seemingly innocuousscreatures are merciless foes. A mythic island isa microcosm in which any orall normal expectations might be reversed. might bbeas simple asa jungle island where the heroes confront amarray of monsters they dor't normally encounter, oF it could be as complex as an island city-state where magic use is horribly dangerous and wizards therefore arrested on sight. Heroes exploring the campaign's mythic islands could be in for almost anything and must adape their expectations and tactics to suit the particular conditions of each island they encounter. Finally, underwater adventares are truly unusual. The seaitselfisan exotic locale, a realm of marvels and terrors that landbound adventurers ean searcely imagine. The heroes might be hunting a deadly sea monster terrorizing the towns ofthe cous, exploring the magnificent ruins a sunken city, or descending into the black and lightless depths of datk, stil lake in search fa lost artifact. Unlike a water obstacle in a dungeon, an underwater adventtce requires @ long/lasting and durable adaptation to wares since the characters might spend days or even week submerged. Powerful magic of some kind (a weler breathing spell, polymorph any object spell ro change a human inte SEAS AND OCEANS The first thing that leaps to mind in regards to aquatle adventuring i, naturally, adventures in and around sess ‘and oceans. The se is often regarded asthe realm of chaos the datkness and disorder that existed before anything else ‘was created. tis powerful, majestic, and utterly capricious Heroes who venture into this realm of ehaos and tern represent the boldest (or most foolhardy) of adventures daring storm, shipwreck, starvation, wrath of the gods themselves. Storytellers and poets o dozens of cultures use the sea to frame stories ofdventis= exploration, and sheer fancy, since who can say for certs what might lie over, under, or beyond the sea? ‘Seas and oceans aten' just places to go have adventures ‘They arealso the great voads of the world, a vast commons on which the trade, communications, and warfare of hundred coastal lands depend. Even inthe fantastic wor of the Doxcuows & Dracons game, a sturdy sailing shi offers the fastest and safest way for most people wo travel send any large volume of goods from one place to anotbe= ‘Most merchant shipsstick to short, safe, wellcharted routes hugging familiar coastlines as they ply the waters betwee their ports of call. Only the boldest and most intrepid merchants dare crossings that keep them out of sight Iand for more than aday or two, or routes that carry thes along dangerous and unfamiliar coasts, RIVERS While the power and majesty of the sea is an obviows source of inspiration, waters ofa kinds are imbued wis mythic power. Rivers bring life, trade, and prosperity many lands or offer mysterious routes deep into w plored lands for those who dare to follow them Riversare nacural obstacles to people traveling by lan Shallow or slow-moving rivers can be forded, swum, rafied over, but any river crossing entails hard workor A patty of travelers can loseahorse or two while swims of fording a swiftrunning river. Valuable goods might soaked or los. Finally, wading or swimming ariver expos aparty to the dengerof unseen monstersin the water ¥=ckee when the travelers areat their most vulnerable good-sized rivers are such formidable obstacles, points such as fords, fervies, or bridges ae vitally sx chokepoints for trade and travel x monsters, thieves, or brigands. avers are challenging obstacles to overland ey are a quick way to travel if you have a sturdy se, or boat, The choice of directions is somewhat but travel by boat between two towns on the {s usually far faster and safer than walking or As with seagoing ships, a well made raft, barge, ot Srcan move touch heavier cargoes than any train ‘or carts moving by road. Broad, slow-moving ny civilized lands form vital highways that carry us amounts of commerce. Rivers in unsettled or Stored lands will probably not carry trade, but they ing by boat an easy and comfortable compared to exploring on foot ¢, ot all rivers are suitable for navigation. and all too Ke rivers, lange lakes are challenging obstacles ling by land, and broad, easy roads (0 veling by boat. Lakes can rately be forded or welers must detour around them, or obtain ¢ ss ike seas, often hold an clement of mystery and Sb Each lake is its own world, a tiny domain of the sown in the middle of a femiliar land. Very large fre seas in their own right, great waters that can be Sto frightful storms or haunted by terrible monsters ieeps. Lakes in beautiful natural settings such as ountains of mist-bound forests are places of great 2 power, and can be home «o powerful and capri- = Gy. Even relatively small lakes are often home to ed spirits or sinister monsters, or serve as gateways iden worlds, TS AND ISLAND: suched by the sea or surrounded by great waters laces of rae peril. Removed om the mundane of humankind, the intervening waters, exotic coasts, Healy islands often hold hordes of monsters, dire ocments,or insidious dangers. The songs of hapies he malevolent magic of evil sorcerers, dragons Teiclairs, chained demons, or bloodthirsty gods of Sznd iron all avait to destroy those who intrude upon ularly remore, desolate, or hard-to-reach islands serve as worthy destinations for the boldest of adven = In general the farther you sail and the more dangers sss through, the greater and stranger the wonders you wil find. In the most remote reaches ofthe sea le islands where the very nature ofthe world frays and changes, places where the thin, cold winds of the seas beyond the world catty many strange and terrible things to rest. Leven familiarcoasts or sertled islands hold a hint of the extraordinary about chem, for any coast isa place where the rwo worlds—the world above the wavesand the world below—meet and interact. Ancient porttowns are home to fartraveled mariners, who whisper of distant wonders and unimaginable horrors waiting across the face of the deep. Desolare and empty coasts hold the hidden luirs of bloodthirsty pirates and the lonely towers of sinister swizatds. The coastal waters are home to many sea folk, such asaguatic elves, locathalh, and sahuagin, as well as larger monsters such as scrags, merrow, and giants. CAVERNS AND DUNGEONS Many adventurers encounter maelstrom environments and challenges in the most unlikely of places—the deep tunnels caverns, and dungeonsof the world. Subterranean ‘waters fall into one of ive general categories: pols, wells, and canals; underground rivers; underground lakes and seas; sea caves; and marine caverns. Subterranean waters are usually quite cold, unless ‘warmed by hot springs or other geothermal activity, Char acters who encer cold water are subject 9 hypothermia Gee page it), They are aloo pitch blackaunlessa character ‘has darkvision or a waterproof light souree, i can prove: almost impossible to navigate the depths ofa subterranean lake or pool POOLS, WELLS, AND CANALS Dungeon and fortress builders often inchude extensive water features in their construction, In the first place, any complex intended for extended habitation must have 1 good source of clean water. Secondly, water features form excellent defenses, forcing invaders into difficult and time-consusning derours, Water can be very useful for transportation and performing work, even underground. Finally, many cultuses and races revere water and admire ins use in architecture, and therefore use it for decorative or ceremonial purposes in places such as temples, plazas, or palaces Sophisticated use of water features signifies « good deal of killin stonework and subterranean construction. Dwarven citadels often include extensive water features, some of which can be natural underground waterways the dwarves incorporate into their structure, as well as canals, waterwheels, or fiendish flooding traps to defend the citadel. Kuo-toa strongholds clade even more extensive water features; kuo-toa temples are often surrounded by large pools, with various paets of the complex reachable conly through flooded tunnelsé . : UNDERGROUND RIVERS Many of the greatest and most extensive cave systems were carved over millennia by flowing water. Underground rivers are generally more precipitous than surface rivers and therefore much less navigable—they are obstacles, pure and simple, and only the boldest or most desperate of adventurers would attempt to ride one into unknown depths when catastrophic rapids or dizzying lightless cataracts might wait around every bend. Underground rivers have portions that com. pletely fillthe passage they follow leaving no air space above, and portions that fill the bottom pattoflarger tunnels, eavingroom for breathing (and possibly boating). ‘Water runs down- hill, of course, so underground riv cers rarely emerge to daylight un- Jess they begin in an area of high el- cevation (inside a hill or mountain) and emerge in an area cof significantly lo er elevation. Most underground rivers simply descend lower and lower until they var {sh into the gloomy abysses of the deep Underdark, tumbling in mileshigh cascades into great Underdark seas UNDERGROUND LAKES AND SEAS ‘Somewhat less dangerous than underground rivers, suber: ranean lakes and seas are the largest water features to be found underground. Ason the surface world Take or sea serves as a broad and easily traversed highway for travel, FRESH WATER VERSUS SALT WATER “The Dunctons & Deacons game does not distinguish between Creatures that live in freshwater, creatures that live in saltwater, Srereatures that ean survivein ether. Most monsters are com: pletely insensitive tothe dfference——you can find aboleths in the bottom of Underdark rivers and seas or in the deep ocean trenches, The encounter tables given in the Appendix reflect Teimplict division of animals and monsters into creatures Found in fresh water (nixies) and creatures found in salt water provided you have aboat—but boatmekking materials end tobe in short supply in the Underdark, so relatively few people can aval themselves of this mode of travel ‘Underground lakes often have completely submerged sections, places where the cavern roof descends to meet the surface of the water, leaving no air overhead. Long, waterfilled passages pose a considerable challenge to airbreathing characters, Underground lakes represent valuable territory in the Underdark; supplies of fresh water often attract mon. srers, and few large lakes aren't home to some unpleasant denizen or another that sits comfortably atop the local food chain. Underground seas are simply lakes of sometimes hundreds of miles across. Great columns miles thick support the incal culable weight of the seas roof, form ing towering islands whose mountaintops eet the cavern ceil: ing. As with smaller underground lake tensive portions of am underground sea can fil caverns right up tthe roo offering aix breathers no pas sage without resorting to magic Underground lakes and seas are the demesnes of terrible aboleths, whose sunken citieslie deepin the and lighrless waters. SEA CAVES ‘Mountainous orrocky coasts commonly feature numerct sea caves, created through the ceaseless bartering of wate against rock, Sea caves are naturally found close 10 sea lev {aquatic elves or sahuagin), but otherwise an aquatic re isan aquatic creature. ‘Althe DM's discretion, creatures that belong in the other cof water must make a Constitution check once per hour (D cr per previous check) or take 186 points of nonlethal dan Creatures who take damage from a saltwater or freshwater fonment become fatigued and remain so as long as they r=) jnian environment they aren't suited fr. EET ELT yp etfpndreds ater, there's no wave action to speak of, and secant reach very high above the normal high tide ws often have partially looded entrances (or flooded at high tide), permitting swimmers or cats to enter under the right conditions. Sescaves usually offera mix of flooded and dry chambers Pe eeh surging wave action can make flooded portions ave dangerous to enter—weak swimmers can be Sect way or battered against the cave’ rocky walls. RINE CAVERNS Post maine caverns are great cavern systems in the sea Be Some are vasr, flooded caverns in the deep seafloor, Bo sbysses that serve as lars to the largest and most eel marine monsters. Others are the mouths of Sp eecround rivers thar can stretch for miles only a few below the surface of shallow sea bottoms and land. Another type of marine cave is the blue found in warm, relatively shallow waters. A blue > collapsed sinkhole that was formed on dry land en inundated by rising sea levels, Blue holes often zsive limestone cavern systems extending from cof the central hole. y these vast caverns are completely flooded, og lightless gulfs where even the most fearsome sea 1e¢s tarely go. Occasionally, however, some marine have water-filled passages that lead to airfilled Sees below the seabed. These fantastic caverns can be Peatteds or thousands of feet below the ocean surface d into vast “lost world” caverns hidden beneath Poona the Material Plane lie seas of literally infinite Hoe: enticing bold-hearted mariners with magic ro explore oceans few mortal eyes ever Many of the dangers described in Water Hazards significantly larger, stronger, more prevalent, {See malevolent on other planes of existence. MENTAL PLANE OF WATER of Water is the ultimate origin of Seelstrom and all its wonders and perils. the great sand mighty rivers ofthe world are manifestations sal power, and direct portals linking the Material Se and the Elemental Plane of Water can be found in jeeps and the springs from which the largest ws, Creatures native to the Elemental Plane of cen visit the seas of other worlds, and so monsters as iojanidas, marids, and elementalsare common in to the Elemental Plane of Water is a daunting for air-breathing characters, but water breathers ‘can manage it easily. The great majority of the Elemental Plane consists of nothing but water, so vessels designed to travel on the surface have no business entering this plane. However, there are raze places in the Elemental Plane where great pockets or islands of Elemental Air Snrrudes, forming titanic bubbles that can be dozens or ceven hundreds of miles across. 4 bold captain who knew ‘exactly which portal to take could bring a ship to the interior surface of such 2 bubble and sail onthe inside of ‘aspherical air pocket within the Plane of Water Chatacters exploring the Elemental Plane of Weter in the conventional fashion (swimming and breathing water) find a wotld that looks very much like the depths of any Marerial Plane ace but suspended within this universe of water lie all sorts of debris and jetsam—great drifting rocks and boulders from the Elemental Plane of Earth, huge forests of kelp and seaweed, and tremendous currents and eddies that can wash a traveler miles out of his way Naturally elementals with the water subtype are quite common on the Elemental Plane of Water. A great variety cof sealife of ll sorts, including monsters such as krakens and morkoth also rk within the endless deeps. The Plane of Water is home to the race of tritons, and marids (the ‘most powerful of genic kind) dell herein great palaces of pearl and coral ABYSM ‘The realm of Demogorgon, the 88th layer of the Abyss is a plane of briny water broken by rocky prominences, Demogorgon’ palace is a great serpentine double tower, cach crowned by skull1ike minarets. Below this mighty fortress extend measureless chill and darkened caverns, Fiendish aboleths, krakens, and ixitxachit! roam the foul seas of Abysm, warring incessantly with each other. PORPHATYS The filth layer of Carcer isa infinite string of worldlers covered in cold, shallow oceans over which acidic black snow perpetually falls, Low istands scarcely bigger than sandbais rise above the waves. A great white caravel known asthe Ship of One Hundred roams the seas without benefit ‘of crew or master, although stranded travelers sometimes board the sinister vessel and remain fora time, hoping that the ship’s wanderings might bring them to a portal from which they can escape Porphatys. There is no bottom and no surface, STYGIA ‘the fifth layer of the Nine Hells isa great, frozen sea covered in rushing ice floes and icebergs. The only open waters the Styx itself, abroad, winding lead of dark water half choked with ice. Stygia offers ships few places to sail other than the river itself, but its ocean extends for an insinite distance beneath the mighty icecap.Lane of yim LUNIA The first of the Seven Heavens, Lunia is girded by the dark, starry Silver Sea. Is shores are dotted with the white ciadels and redoubrs of Celestia’ residents, and its deeps are home to many good-aligned aquatic creatures, Including celestial whales and aquatic elves, THALASIA The fourth ayer of Elysium is Thalasia, the source of the greet River Oceanus that winds among the upper planes Thala’ great seais dotted with fair green islands, known 28 the Blessed Isles, Avalon, or the Isles ofthe Holy Dead. Many great heroes rest here, waiting for the day they are needed agin. The sun deity Pelorinhabitsa mighty citadel in Thalasia, AQUALLOR Secondof Atboreslayersthismighty ocean is withoutislands corshores, marks the end ofthe River Oceanus, Tremendous, sworms sweep its surface, and in its darkest depths lie vast ‘maelstrom that eal bark to Oceamugshheadwatersin Thala sia. Aqualloris home to many aquatic elves and sea creatures ofall sorts, ncluding the elf deity Deep Sashelas, who rules the plane from his palace of coral, gold, and marble TER t S ‘Warer holds a number of dangers forthe unwary or lucke less adventurer—terrible aquatic monsters, the threat of drowning in dungeon pools or being battered to death in heavy surf, or simply the opportunity to starve or die of thirst on a lost or becalmed ship. CURRENTS AND STREAMS Rising or ebbing ides the draw of heavy surf the steady flow of a tiver, or the headlong rush of a fast-moving stream all create powerful currents. Even a relatively slow ‘moving current can be extremely difficult fora human to swim against See Flowing Water, page 92 of Masters Guide A currenthas wo important traits direction and steength Ifyou ateina current whether swimming or boating), the current moves you im the direction af ts law by a cextatn ‘number offeet per round atthe end ofeach of yout tutts The distance varies with the strength of the current xe Dunngoo, Current Swimming Boating Swim Strength Speed ‘Speed De Light Si fround V2knot Vigorous 10-30t,fround 1-3 knots Dangerous 40-60 ft fround 4-6 knots liresistible 70-80 fefround 7-9 knots Light curtencs are found in light surf (ee page 17) of slow-moving rivers Vigorous currents ane found inthe draft ofheavy su age 17), in full-roshing rivers, orn ateas of very strong tidal ows, Dangerous currents are found in the draft of very heavy surf in moderate river rapids, or extreme tidal flows. If you are swept into a solid object (such as a boulder) or hazardous ates by a dangerous current, you might take damage; you take 1d41 slam attacks per round, each at +2 melee, dealing 1d¢ bludgeoning damage for each hit Irresistible currents are found in the most violent o rapids, and sometimes in raze undersea bores or ts. If you are swept into asolid object orhazardows area by en inresistible current, you might take damage; you take 1 slam attacks per round, each at +8 melee, dealing 244 bludgeoning damage for each hit. Nerural swimmers are notimmune to powerful currents burt creatures whose swim speeds exceed the speed of « ‘cuttent can at least make headway against it.Cold water is found in moderate air temperatures (40" Sp Seerter deals water pressure damage of td6points 10 60°), in temperate aquatic terrain (exceptin summet), efor every 100 feet the character is below the __ and in subterranean lakes and rivers thatare relatively lose © A Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 for each previous to the surface in warm lands. Cold water deals td points eens thar you rake no damage in that minute. _of nonlethal damage per 10 minutes of exposute. You can e with the aquatic type ignores pressure negate this damage with a successful Constitution check s¢500 feet of depth, and only takes dé points (DC, +1 per previous check), per 200 feet below that when determining Warm wateris found when air temperatures are warin to pressure damage. Forexample,an aquatic _orhot(60° For warmer) or in warm aquatic terrain, Warm sh of 900 feet is subject to 2d6 points of pres- water deals 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per hour of| per minute, as opposed to the 9d¢ points of exposure. You can negate this damage with a successful lamage a surface dweller faces. Constitution check (DC 8, +1 per previous check) Geep-dwelling creatures are completely immune Creatures native to cold or temperate aquatic environments gedamage. Aberrations elementals, and outsiders _areimmmune to hypothermia brought about by exposure to immune to pres- warm, cold, or very cold watet. Creatures native to warm. Sege as are certain other creatures adapted tothe aquatic environments are immune to hypothermia from, Sent (such as giant squids or whales). ‘warm or cold waters, and treat very cold water as cold water. INING LIGHT Bethy drowning is one of the most immediate and Water is not perfectly transparent; as you descend, less Sheexss posed by a maelstrom environment. You of the sun’ light penetrates the water. Sunlight serves Seek Swim checks to remain aflout in water. you. a5 a source of illumination during daylight hours, but Swim check by 5 or mote, you begin to sink,as _sunlights ability to provide illumination quickly dimin- < in the Swim skill (Players Handbook, page 84). shes as you go deeper into the water Bold your breath for numberof rounds equal to Sunlight as light source provides the followingamount Eestintion score,buronlyifyou do nothing other of illumination inthe water. Refer‘o Vision and Light on weactions ot free actions; each standardaction _ pages 164~165 of the Player's Handbook. duces the duration for which you can hold your Sy f round. After that duration, you must make a SuNucHT as a LicHT Source meson check (DC 10, + 1 per previous check) 10 Depth Bright Shadowy : 3Ofe orless 100K. 200. elding your breath, Ifyou failthe Constitution 30" or Py mee begin to drown (see Drowning, page 304 ofthe Gq _1704 Sor oO Masters Guide) 121-180 ft 20" aofe dazed creatures in the water automatically 181-300 10 208 Se checks, and gounder. They donot getan oppor- 321 ft-or moze im = draw a breath before sinking and must begin onstitution checks to hold their breath on the Creatures with low-light vision can see objects twice as sed afier they go under. faraway asthe given distance, justas they do by torchlight Sess, dying, paralyzed, sleeping, or unconscious or lantern light. Similarly, creatures with darkvision can their Swim checks and go under. On the see out to the extent of their darkvision Siter they go under, they fail their Constitution Murky Water; Water containinga lot of sediment, debris, sed begin ro drown, or organic matter is often quite murky. Most rivers and lakes are murky, while some are very murky HERMIA Murky water reduces the radius of illumination provided an kill quite quickly through hypothermia bya light source (the sun ora carried light source, such as ody heat), burs ily even wateraswarm an object with a light spell cast on it) by 0%, since light 80° Fcan kill, given afew hours scatters and reflects from matter hanging in the water For sold water is water encountered while the air example, sui normally provides bright illumination {scold (40°F) orcolder, water in any cold to arange of 30 feet and shadowy illumination to 60 feet, sin, and water in deep subterranean lakes but in murky water these are reduced to 15 feet and 30 Very cold waterdeals Ade points of nonlethal feet, respectively minute of expostire, You can negate this Very murky or muddy water obscures all sight, includ Sith successful Constitution check (DC 15, +1 ing darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures § feet away have heck) concealment (20% miss chance)SINKING AND SHIPWRECK Ifsunfortunate bur true: Vessels that adventusets embark con seem to meet bad ends with distressing predictability, ‘They are caught up in the storm of a sea god’ wrath, they are wrecked on uncharted reefs, they ate burned by dragons and crushed by krakens,andall aboard must rake to the boats or swim for their lives. Without consideration for the numerous way monstersor magic might destroy a vessel, most ships sink ss that in one of four ways: grounding, batcting, foundeting, or capsizing, In calm waters, grounding is an obstacle that can usually be overcome with a few hours or days of hard ‘work, Ships that rum aground in relatively calm seasaren‘t completely sunk; i's possible to floaca ship free with alot cof work, although a ship with « badly damaged bottom (Grom running up onto coral or rocks, for example) can indeed sink once it's been pulled fiee, Ships that ground in mud orsand are in much better condition. Ships sinking through battering are dangerous places 10 bbe—yardarins come crashing down, fittings burst, masts vwrench free of their seats, heavy objects come loose and roll or fly about. Every round, s character aboard such a vessel basa 20% chance of being subjected to slam attack, {attack bonus +6, damage idt0) and 220% chance of being hnurled into the water, ready or not. ‘When the erew loses control ofa ship, typically because the helm has broken or the masts fallen, i either becomes derelict or ifless seaworthy, begins to founder. A founder ing ship sat the mercy of the wavesand often rurnsso that green water (see page 20) breaks actoss its sides. Unless the ship can quickly be turned either into or away feom the wind it will fll with water when the hatchwys give in) and either capsize or sink. ‘top-heavy ship (for example, a sailing ship whose sai have become waterlogged) or one that receives a sudden blow from below can capsize (see page 24). A capsizing ship turns upside down and is completely disabled. While air trapped in the inverted ship can keep itafloat for days oreven weeks, itis almost impossible to restore the ship toits proper orientation. Any surviving crew are typically forced to huddle on the exposed hull, without supplies, and hope for rescue. Capsizing is a favorite attack strat= egy for some aquatic ereavures, such as plesiosaurs and chagon turtles, A ship reduced toa sinking state cannot move (although. powerful wind orcurrentcan continue to push the hulk {ora time), 1¢ takes d% minutes fora sinking ship tofinally slip under the waves. Reduce this number by 50% ifthe vessel is caught in inclement weather, orby 7s%ifthe ship is caught in a storm. Afiera ship goes under the surface, i "lls” ata ate of 200 feet per round untilitreaches the bottom, Anyone who rides a ship all the way down takes 4le points of falling damage when it strikes the bottom, SPECIAL PERILS ee OTE SEAS More than a few adventurers have drowned in dungeo! wells or perished in terrible shipwrecks, bt the maelstrom: holds many other perils for the unprepared or unlucky ‘who vencure within is grasp. Strange curses and blights waitin the dark, deathlike waters of lightless caverns an inthe foulest reaches of the sea DISEASE Dangerous diseases found in or around the sea often plague maelstrom environments. See page 29? of the Dungeon Masters Guide for an explanation of diseases and their workings Disease Coral scratch Sea rot Infection Injury Contact Incubation 1d¢ hours Vdey Damage 163 Dex 1d Con + dé St idl Sir ad che 1d6 Wis + 1d. Con Seasores Ingested) 4 1d4 days Suntouch Exposure 181 day Disease Descriptions The following diseases are often encountered in seafaring ceavironments Coral Seratch: Characters who take damage from contact with coral must make Fortitude saves or contract coral seratch, Ifa character contracts coral scratch, the hitpoint damay heal naturally until coral scratch. Sea Rot: Usually found in the worst sort of sargnsso, dealt by the exposure to coral does not character recovers or is cured of searotis caused by contact with infected creatures, When a character takes damage from sea rot, he or she must succeed on another save, or 1 point ofthe ability becomes permanent ability drain instead ‘Sea Sores: Contracted from eating or drinking food or water of poor quali poorly provisioned ships. mntouch: Caused by heat damage in dead calm (see page £3), Characters reduced to 0 Wisdom by suntouch are rendered insane instead of comatose, acquiring an overpowering compulsion to immerse themselves in the sez and/or drink seawater, POISON Many aquatic creatures are horribly venomousand produce deadly natural poisons. Some of these are commonly harvested by aquatic races and used against theit foes. See the accompanying table. Inhaled poisons generally do not work underwater However, one inhaled poison (yellow urchin extract) is thick, milky fluid thatis manufactured for use underwat such as that found in the stores of tO ER pe LidType Initial Damage Secondary Damage Price Trap CR Modifier Contact DC 13 Nauseated 144 Dex 130g 2 som Injury DC14 148 Dex dé Con 3BOgp 12 feenom Injury C12 148 Con 1d6-Con | paralysis 120gp 2 extract Inhaled OC 15 Id4 Dex + 1d4 Wis ad6 Dex 148 Wis 800gp 3 InjuryDC16—-1d6Con 16 Con waoogp +4 Contact dé Str 1d4 Dex Blindness “4oogp 44 iment Ingested DC 18 1d6.Con + nauseated 246 rounds* 346Con 3.00087 45) vino makes the save Is nauseated for 146 rounds. ¢ creates a faint, milky cloud 10 feet by Airless Water hovers in the water for 10 minutes before The sinister opposite of airy water, airless water is a cronly 1 minute in a strong current). A cold lifeless dead zone, Within « pocket of airless water, he aquatic type (ora creature using water aquatic creatures cannot breathe (nor can air-breathers, a similar effect) who enters the poisoned for that matter). Water-breathing creatures can *hold sin this poison, bura creature holding its their breath’ in order to enter or pass through a mass of airless water, just as air breathers can hold their breath to enter water TURAL DANGERS Airless water is sometimes incorporated as defenses in sometimes malevolent magic lucks in the submerged strongholds oras deadly trapsin dungeon water Scnsierground watersand the wide expanse of the features, but they are more likely ro occur lying close tothe 'smastsin the midstof ocean floorand sinking down to fill renches, depressions, hurricanes, yawning maelstromsswallow and deep places along the bottom. Pockets of airless water wise calm waters, and fearsome calms trap havea dark, slightly viscous look that can be detected by n empty watery wastes until food, water, and observant characters, 2 Supernatural Dangers: In general, Dead Calin ;pproaching an area plagued by one of these ‘The terrible dead calm is a horror that terrifies even the dangers, orin an area shout obestruck by boldest of sailors. Some portions of the ocean are cursed Jed 19.4 DC 20 Survival check wodetect the _byevilsea godsand remain forever stilland unmoving, No danger 1 minute before i strikes orimme- breeze stirs the waters, no current flows tocarry trapped e entering the affected area, in the case of vessel out of the calm. Those who enter all to0 often die ey ¥e moving into} slow, miserable deaths of starvation and madness, unable to escape from the dead calm's grip Dead calms are often found in conjunction wich vase a boon by any airbreather who encounters sargasso mats. In a dead calm, the weather is always isastretch of water that is breathable by hot and still, withoura hint of a breeze. Charactersin a sathers and water breathers. Iti filled with dead calm who take damage from heat must succeed on ervescent bubbles, and normal marine a DC 18 Fortitude save or contract suntouch (see page ally avoid it. Airy waters sometimes found 12). Dead calmsare algo notorious for attracting undead es of good-uligned aquatic creatures such as sich as ghosts, specrres, lacedons (aquatic ghouls), ic elves, ot even storm giants. Even after and worse. re abandoned or destroyed by evil, he aity Dead calms often have the same effect as a desecrnte jemain, allowing surface-dwellers to explore spell (and the worst dead calms have the same effect as dd ruins of these places. Airy water is some- a desecrate spell containing an evil altar or temple, even Sin dungeon water features, offering e secret if mo such structure actually exists in the area). m one place to another to those who know Regions of dead calm normally extend for 10d10 miles, secret Oared ships can, with some work, free themselves, but fn airy water are subject to all the normal sailing ships often have to resort to exhaustive towing. rnd combat penalties forbeing inthe watet— work or powerful magic to escape the doldrums. no risk of drowning ater is typically found in or around specific Maelstrom embers and does notoften occurinopen water Navurally occurring whirlpools are dangerous enough, xiesof shallow coral reefs orkelp beds filled but some whirlpools are supernatural maelstroms— ster shoud). places where portals to the Elemental Plane of Water,divine manifestations of sea deities’ power, or ancient curses have created monstrously powerful vortexes in the water Maclstroms come in one of four sizes: minor (10 10 40. fect in diameter), major (41 to 120 feetin diameter), greater (21 to 500 feet in diameter), and immense (501 feet to 2,000 feet in diameter). Maclstroms usually have a depth equal to theie diameter “Maelstroms are surrounded by strong feeder currents that can snareswimmers or boss far from the vortex itself, carrying them within the vortex’ grasp. Maelstrom Current Strength by Distance CHAPTER 1 0 Strong Dangerous Irresistible Minor lor Soft. 208 Major s00ft, 250 f. oof Greater 1,000. 500. 200 Immense Ymile —f2mile 1,000, Once aswimmer or ship is sucked into the maelstrom by the currentssweeping toward it(orsimply has the misfor tune of filling into the vortex directly, the target endures three distinct phases of danger: trapped, battered, and «jected. Minor maelstroms can only trap and barter objects orcteatures of Huge size or smaller, major maelstromscan trap and batter objects or creatures of Gargantuan size, andl greater or immense maelstroms can trap and batter creatures or objects of any size Maelstrom Object Time «Escape Baltored Size Size Trapped DC Damage Minor Huge Té4rounds 25306, Major Gargantuan 1d rounds 30 646 Grester Colossal 2d6 rounds. 40106 Immense Colossal 2d8 rounds 50 20d ‘rapped: The creature or vessel is trapped in the whit! pool, slowly being drawn down. Escaping from the trap region requires a successful Swim or Profession (sailor) check against the maelstromis DC, based on its siz. This moves the creature toa square adjacent tothe maelstrom (the current doesn't sweep him orher back in immediately but can do so in subsequent rounds). Failing that, the creature of ship is unable to move ofits own accord, and revolves helplessly in the whirlpool. Atthe end of atrapped characters turn, move him or her 30feet clockwise around the rim of the whirlpool Battered: Atthe end of trapped time, the creatu sinks into the maw of the maelstrom. This takes 4 round, during which the creature or object takes the indicated damage. For ships or vehicles, every section is damaged. CCxeatuces can take no actions in this tound jcted:On the next round, the maelstrom ejects the ctea ‘ure or vessel a its bottom. The creature ot vessel is now at the bottom depth ofthe maelstrom. Ifthe maelstrom hasa particular exit—for example, hole in the bottom ofa lake, orvessel ora portal o the Elemental Plane of Water—the creature cor vessel passes through. Otherwise it comes to rest on the bottom or is adrift in the water a short distance from the bottom of the maelstrom’ funnel (Ad4x40, 20,50, ot 200 feet, depending on the maelstrom’ size). A maelstrom without an exit simply generates currents flowing auvay from iton the bottom with the same strength as currents flow toward it nearthe surface. Buoyant creaturesor objects return tothe surface, but there's no reason they couldn't be caught in the maelstrom's grip again. Stormfire In the most terrible storms and hurricanes, ships are sometimes struck by stormfire, a capricious and seemingly malevolent phenomenon that has brought more than one vessel to complete ruin, Stormfire gathe ‘ers slowly, beginning as a faint green phosphorescence dancing along a vessels rigging and rails. In many cases irproceeds no further; it is simply a disconcerting omen but not dangerous. But sometimes (ahout 20% of the time) stormafite continues to gather and grow stronger, until suddenly ieseems that che whole ship is wrapped in glowing gecen fire A ccteature entering a square containing stormfire 6 chance of being subjected to « brilliant emerald dis: change that deals 246 points of electricity and 2d6 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 15 half). Stormfire manifestations usually last for no more than 2d8 rounds before guttering ut, beginning in one random square on aship’sdeck and spreading to one random adjacent square each round until the manifestation ends. MARINE N ‘Adventurers exploring desolate coasts or undersea caves face a variety of challenging terrain, ranging from spec tacular coral refs to the emptiness ofthe open ocean The percentile tables given in each tercain type describe in general terms how likely itis thata given square hasa terrain element in it. Dont roll for each square on your battlefield —instead, use the percentages to guide you in creating appropriate maps for the setting. For example, if you are creating a tactical map for a sandy beach featur ing 10% driftwood, 20% dune, and 20% gradual slope, and yous area covers 10 squares by 20 squares, you can assume that the entire beach will feature sand. About 20 squares on the map will also have driftwood, 40 squares will comprise dune terrain, and 40 squares will be a gradual slope BEACH TERRAIN Beaches include sandy tropical islets, mighty wind- sweprdunes, cold fogbound pebble shores of northerlylack volcanic sands, Norall coastlines hes; in many places, land meets water natsh or mangrove swamp, or along a ofbeach terrain described here are sandy Sandy Rocky = 10% 5% 15% 10% 10% 10% — 40% 10% 40% 10% 18%. ‘or Sea Stack: A typical beach rock stands covers id6 squares. Boulders orrocks he water are sometimes known as Sea which can be very large indeed). Beach rough with easy ledges but can be mb DC 15), especially ifthey lie below the Laige driftwood logs washed up on the somon neat places where forests overlook ses drifewood gathers in grea, prav sngled logs, especially alter storms. Itcosts of movement t9 cross driftwood, and dies cover as alow wall dle is 24610 feet long, 1d2xt0 feet esas wide siti all (ome can be much, A dune consists of soft sand and a steep