BURNING OR HOLINC T H E SEA GHOST
Though it is possible for the characters to capture the Sea
Ghost, they also might choose to destroy it.
Burning. The Sea Ghost is mainly of wooden construe·
tion, so fire always presents a hazard. The ship could,
with some difficulty, be set ablaze and burned down to the
waterline. The vessel will not ignite readily, for its hull, rig·
ging, spars, and sails are all damp with sea water.
Deliberate attempts to set the ship ablaze can be under·
taken only while aboard it. This involves the use of at least
two flasks of oil applied to 2 cubic feet of dry, combustible
material such as sacking, cloth, wool, or wood kindling,
which is then set aflame. Bolts of silk soaked in brandy
make excellent combustibles and do not require oil to be
ignited. Use your discretion if the ship catches fire, but
assume it burns to the waterline within 20 minutes.
Holing. Attempts to hole the ship and sink it require
the use of axes or similar implements applied with vigor.
This undertaking takes S minutes, but the noise alerts the
smugglers. Two of them are sent to investigate and raise
the alarm. The rest of the crew rapidly converge on the
area and attack any intruders. If the hole is completed, the
ship takes on water and sinks after an hour if the hole re-
mains unrepaired.If those on the deck below detect the characters' intru-
sion. the crew member's attention is attracted (even if
his colleagues forget to alert him), and he descends with
all speed to the deck to assist his mates. Otherwise, he
is oblivious to the characters' intrusion unless someone
climbs the rope ladder or the rigging to approach his
position: he always detects such an approach when the
climber is 15 feel below him. investigating and attacking
if circumstances warrant it.BLUFFING THEI R WAY ON
lf the characters make a direct approach, they can try
to bluff their way aboard once they have been detected.
Por instance, they might say they are new recruits to the
smuggling gang. unaccustomed to the codes and thus
made a mistake with the signaling, or something of a
similar nature.
If the story is reasonably convincing, allow the char-
acters to make a DC 14 Charisma (Deception) check. If
the check is successful, they are believed up to the point
when the first three characters get aboard by means of
a rope ladder lowered for them. Once the characters'
approach is detected, the entire crew attempts to repel
the characters with the utmost vigor while getting their
vessel under way.CLIMBING ABOARD
Climbing aboard the Sea Ghost undetected is no small
feat. Keep in mind the following as the characters at-
tempt to board:- Perception checks that rely on hearing are made with
disadvantage on the ship because of the sound of the
waves and sea.
The hull of the s hip provides many handholds for
climbing but is also very slippery. Climbing the hull
without a rope or other device requires a successful
DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failed check.
the climber falls into the water.
! llAl'I El!~ 1111 ~INISI I· I·' SEC REI l>I '>Al I! \Rsll
THE CREW OF THE SEA GHOST
Aside from Captain Sigurd <;Snake Eyes" (pirate cap-
tain; see appendix C), the crew of the Sea Ghost con-
sists of the following members:- Bloody Bjorn, a pira te first mate (see appendix C)
- Foul Frithoff, a pira te bosun (see appendix C)
- Punketah. a pira te deck wizard (see appendix C)
- 7 crew members (bandits)
- 3 lizardfolk
The position of the crew aboard ship depends on two
possible scenarios.
Correc t Signal. If the characters sent a correct signal,
the crew is relaxed. Two bandits await the characters
in area 1. The rest of the crew can be found in their
respective quarters (area 8 for the deck wizard. area 9
for the captain, area 13 for the first mate, area 14 for the
bosun). The remaining five bandits occupy area 10.
Incorrect Signal. If the characters did not send the
proper signal, the crew members are in th e positions
described in the text that follows.
The lizardfolk in area 7 do not help defend the ship
unless they are directly threatened by the actions of the
characters.
IN CASE OF SURRENDER
If the ship's captain, the first mate, the bosun, and the
deck wizard are all killed or have fted, and if the charac-
ters then outnumber the surviving crew and lizardfolk
combined. the smugglers offer to surrender the ship to
the characters. They seek the most advantageous terms
they can get. but their minimum requirements will be
their lives and liberty, and the ship's jolly boat in which
to Hee. If the characters refuse these terms, the smug-
glers offer to trade information in exchange for treasure.
Their minimum requirement, in this case. is 100 gp to
disclose the whereabouts of the secret cache of weapons
and the fact they were to deliver these arms to the liz-
ardfolk. They do not know the exact location of the ren-
dezvous point, only that it is about ten miles or so along
the coast west of the haunted house. near the mouth of
a small river. For a further amount of 50 gp, they reveal
the presence of the sea elf prisoner in area 14.THE SMUGGLERS' SHIP
The name of the vessel. Sea Ghost. is painted on both
sides of the prow. It has a length of nearly 90 feet, a
beam of 26 feet. a draft of 8 feet, and stands 9 feet above
the waterline to the top of its main deck rails and 17 feet
above the waterline to the top of both its forecastle and
poop deck. A jolly boat is lashed upside down on the
main deck.
Normal doors are 6 feet high, 4 feet wide, and of stout
wood construction. All are typically shut but unlocked.
and all can be readily opened without special effort.
The stairways leading down from area l to areas 12
and 13 are separated from each other by a stout wood
partition and form wood-enclosed companionways seal-
ing them off from areas 8 and 9. The stairway from area
1 to area 10 is likewise enclosed in wood partitions and
sealed off from area 6. All enclosed areas have a ceiling