On the Surface of the Sunlit Sea

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On the Surface of the Sunlit Sea
by Senarch from Threshold Magazine issue 32

Image and Caption: ‘The Sunlit Sea - Done by Midjourney at Senarch's prompting'

A random table for the surface of the Sunlit Sea, by Senarch. For ship origin and type use the table for shipwrecks in “To build an Undersea Hex” in this issue. If the result is Alphatian, there is a 1/6 chance the ship is flying.

d20

1

Roll again twice, with the results interacting with each other.

2

Ghost ship, roll d6:
1–2 Actually ghostly,
3–6 Eerily abandoned, or is it…

3

Merchant ship (roll on the origin and ship type table).

4

roll d6:

1–3 No wind (no sailing for the rest of the day),
4–6 Heavy fog (half movement and off course:
roll d8 for direction and 1d10 for distance in miles).

5

Flotsam and debris, 2/6 chance of NPC survivor clinging to it (1/6 it is a disguised sea hag seeking to drag a victim under).

6

Shark feeding frenzy (3d6), anyone in the water is attacked.

7

Merrow band (1d8) approach, wanting to trade.

8

Jellyfish bloom surrounds you, beware, they may be poisonous (1/6).

9

roll d6:

1–3 Sandbar grounds your ship for 1d12 hours,
4–6 Reef damages your ship hull, 1d6 hours to repair or start sinking.
If swimming these can be rested upon.

10

Hostile flyers harass you (roll on a flyers table for whatever system you use).

11

Merchant convoy (d6 ships, 1d2-1 escort warships – roll on the origin and ship type table).

12

Kna riding a masher swim below you, do not offend them!

13

Fire, your ship takes 1d6 damage per turn until the fire is out. No event if swimming.

14

Warship (roll on the origin and ship type table).

15

A sea monster breaches nearby, will it attack?

16

1d6 orcas are hunting nearby, roll d6:
1–2 Around you,

3–4 Separating a whale from her calf,
5–6 Hunting other prey.

17

Sudden change in weather (roll again on the table your system uses for weather).

18

Treasure ship, richly laden, juicy prey, for others, or perhaps for you…

19

Pirates!! Roll on the origin and ship type table.

20

Dragon flight circles far above – roll d6:

1–3 friendly,

4–6 unfriendly.

d20
1	Roll again twice, with the results interacting with each other.
2	Ghost ship, roll d6: 1–2 Actually ghostly, 3–6 Eerily abandoned, or is it…
3	Merchant ship (roll on the origin and ship type table).
4	roll d6: 1–3 No wind (no sailing for the rest of the day), 4–6 Heavy fog (half movement and off course: roll d8 for direction and 1d10 for distance in miles).
5	Flotsam and debris, 2/6 chance of NPC survivor clinging to it (1/6 it is a disguised sea hag seeking to drag a victim under).
6	Shark feeding frenzy (3d6), anyone in the water is attacked.
7	Merrow band (1d8) approach, wanting to trade.
8	Jellyfish bloom surrounds you, beware, they may be poisonous (1/6).
9	roll d6: 1–3 Sandbar grounds your ship for 1d12 hours, 4–6 Reef damages your ship hull, 1d6 hours to repair or start sinking. If swimming these can be rested upon.
10	Hostile flyers harass you (roll on a flyers table for whatever system you use).
11	Merchant convoy (d6 ships, 1d2-1 escort warships – roll on the origin and ship type table).
12	Kna riding a masher swim below you, do not offend them!
13	Fire, your ship takes 1d6 damage per turn until the fire is out. No event if swimming.
14	Warship (roll on the origin and ship type table).
15	A sea monster breaches nearby, will it attack?
16	1d6 orcas are hunting nearby, roll d6: 1–2 Around you, 3–4 Separating a whale from her calf, 5–6 Hunting other prey.
17	Sudden change in weather (roll again on the table your system uses for weather).
18	Treasure ship, richly laden, juicy prey, for others, or perhaps for you…
19	Pirates!! Roll on the origin and ship type table.
20	Dragon flight circles far above – roll d6: 1–3 friendly, 4–6 unfriendly.