Major Events

I've mentioned major events. What are they? If a minor event is meant to merely convey mood, forcing the characters to explore the ship, a major event is meant to give them something to do. It's something big and unexpected that happens.

The dice map posted previously shows a box with an overhead silhouette of a ship in the center and four phrases posted at the four edges of the map. When the characters are finished temporarily with exploring the ship or taking care of needs, the GM rolls 3d6 on the dice map. Where the dice land determines what happens: the lowest result shows where the threat comes from, and the highest result shows what the threat endangers or otherwise acts on.

• The Damned: The dead crew, whether long dead or newly impressed.
• Unforgiving Sea: The raging Deep itself, or creatures in it.
• The Living: The land, its inhabitants, and their ships. Generally indicates a merchant ship, warship or pirate vessel.
• Uncaring Sky: The wind, clouds, sky, and flying creatures.
• The Ship (center): Self-explanatory. Might indicate a mast that breaks, or a sudden breach in the hull.

Interpreting the dice combos gives inspiration for what events to hit the characters with. Some suggestions:

• Damned v. Damned: several of the long dead attack the PCs.
• Damned v. Sea: the crew tries to force a PC to walk the plank.
• Damned v. Living: the crew makes a pirate raid or salvages a wrecked ship.
• Damned v. Sky: the crew tries to lash one of the PCs to the mast during the day.
• Damned v. Ship: a mutiny! Half the crew against the other.

• Sea v. Damned: a wave swamps the deck, possibly washing a PC overboard.
• Sea v. Sea: a whirlpool, which potentially slows the ship.
• Sea v. Living: the PCs spot a sinking ship.
• Sea v. Sky: thick fog rises, possibly slowing or threatening the ship.
• Sea v. Ship: crashing waves breach the hull.

• Living v. Damned: pirates attempt to board the Dutchman.
• Living v. Sea: marooned or shipwrecked sailors thinking they are about to be rescued.
• Living v. Living: the Dutchman interrupts a naval battle.
• Living v. Sky: the Dutchman find a ship fighting a gale.
• Living v. Ship: a fort on an island or a man o' war attacks the ship.

• Sky v. Damned: gulls attack at night!
• Sky v. Sea: a torrent of rain pounds the ship.
• Sky v. Living: a ship blown off course.
• Sky v. Sky: thunder and lightning.
• Sky v. Ship: gale force winds batter and toss the ship.

• Ship v. Damned: a mast falls, perhaps crushing or pinning a PC.
• Ship v. Sea: the ship runs aground.
• Ship v. Living: the ship unexpectedly rams another ship.
• Ship v. Sky: the sails are torn or the ship is becalmed, losing time until the crew does something.
• Ship v. Ship: one part of the ship collapses and breaks another, perhaps breaching the hull.

This should give a good idea of how the random events are played out, but I'll do a follow-up post.