Ship of Horror

The Endurance One square = 5 feet

Sample file

The Endurance 1 Bowsprit 2 Forward Catapult 3 Forecastle Rail 4 Ladderway to Forecastle 5 Foremast 7 I I I I ; 6 Rigging 7 Rope Coils Mizzenmast Mainmast Mainmast Foremast 8 Belaying Pins Lower 9 Ladderway to Lower Deck Crow's Nest Upper Crow's Crow's Nest 10 Firebuckets Crow's Nest 11 Mainmast Nest 12 Anchor Capstan 13 Mizzenmast 14 Ladderway to Lower Deck 15 Ladderway to Sterncastle 16 Sterncastle Rail 17 Wheel 18 Catapult 19 Lockers One square = 5 feet Sample file

Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc. and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written consent of TSR, Inc.

ISBN 1-56076-127-X

TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. POB 756 120 Church End Lake Geneva TM Cherry Hinton WI 53147 Cambridge CB1 3LB (I.S.A. United Kingdom CONT£NTS

Introduction 3 Chapter 1: The Endurance and Her Crew 6 Chapter 2: Ocean Voyage 14 Chapter 3: Graben Island 43 Chapter 4: Todstein 54 Appendix: Meredoth 62 Maps: Graben Island Poster Map Village of Graben Poster Map Graben Family Estate Poster Map The Endurance—Main Deck Inside Cover Island of Todstein Outside Cover The Endurance—Lower Decks 34 Meredoth's Chambers Sample file 35

Credits Designed by Anne Brown Edited by Mike Breault Cover Art by Clyde Caldwell Interior Art by Stephen Fabian Graphic Design by Roy E. Parker Cartography by Karen Wynn Fonstad Typesetting by Angelika Lokotz Production by Paul Hanchette .f> *, -^

ou are about to embark on a terri- Player Handouts journey into The DM should pay special attention to the mists of pages 29-36. These pages contain infor- Ravenloft. The mation about new monsters, presented in land that knows the format of the Monstrous Compendium. no mercycalls They are placed in the center of this book your name—you so they can be easily separated from the might hear jt in rest of the book and inserted into the therustlm9°f Monstrous Compendium binder. By care- leaves in the au- fully opening the staples, these pages can tumn wind, in the be removed without damaging them or creaking of floor- the rest of the booklet. The staples can boards underfoot, then be pushed back into place. or in the blast of Also included in these pages are vari- snow that rattles ous handouts to be distributed to the the windowpanes. players. Hand them out only as indicated You can take the in the text—do not simply hand the play- precautions that ers the entire packet at the beginning of mortals have taken throughout the ages— the game. The players should feel that latch the windows, light candles to drive they've been forced to earn each clue. The out the darkness, and stoke the fire—but DM should become familiar with these the mists of Ravenloft will not be held at pages and may wish to separate them be- bay. The land will come to you, slipping fore beginning play to avoid interrupting under a door, slinking in behind the cat, the flow of the game. or finding you while you dream. It will not give up once it has decided to pursue you. SampleAbility fileChecks At various times during the adventure, for the DM characters will be asked to roll ability he materials in this module are in- checks. For example, if a player is trying tended for the DM's eyes only. Players to sneak up a rotting staircase, he may be T should not read any farther! required to roll a Dexterity check to see if As any good DM knows, this adventure he falls through the rotting boards and should be read through completely before sustains an injury. The player should roll ^.' beginning play. Familiarity with the ld20. If the result is equal to or lower events that follow is important to a than the character's ability score, he is smooth game. In the RAVENLOFT™ game successful and climbs the staircase with- world in particular, familiarity with the out falling. If the result of the die roll is material is especially important for the higher than the character's Dexterity DM to make the most of pacing, mood, score, he falls through the rotting wood and tension. Only in this manner can the and is injured by the fall. DM cultivate maximum fear and horror in Another use for ability checks is to help his players. players who are truly stumped. If the players are trying to unravel a mystery and run into a dead end, the DM can, at his discretion, ask the characters to roll Intel- ligence (or Wisdom) checks. Success can ^m$% indicate that a character has a burst of setting, Feast ofGoblyns, is helpful but inspiration that never occurred to the not required to play Ship of Horror. In- player. This can help the DM to keep cluded in Feast is a DM's screen especially things moving in a more subtle manner designed for the RAVENLOFT setting. It than by handing out clues. The DM includes many helpful tables describing should use this technique sparingly, to the effects of magical spells and brief in- avoid giving the players too much free structions for making fear and horror information. checks. It is useful, but not required to play Ship of Horror. Modifications to the DM's Campaign World Getting Started hip of Horror is designed to begin in As in any adventure, events must fit two different ways. If the Player Char- logically into the greater scheme of the acters are already in Ravenloft, the DM's world. If the monsters and treasure S DM can introduce this adventure in al- presented in this adventure are not in line most any location that is near a large with the DM's campaign world, he is body of water, including any rivers. If the heartily encouraged to alter them. In a PCs are not already in Ravenloft, the DM magic-heavy world, the DM may wish to can use this adventure as a way to pull toughen the monsters by increasing their them into this new realm. The adventure hit points or lowering their Armor can begin from any campaign world. Classes, or by simply increasing the num- ber of monsters encountered. In a cam- This adventure will begin differently paign with weaker PCs, the DM might depending on whether the Player Charac- need to weaken the monsters to avoid ters are already in Ravenloft or are in a 'V. killing off the entire party. different campaign world. Chapter Two .,£* '. gives a choice of two beginnings. The DM Similarly, the DM should adjust the should choose the start-up that is appro- amount of treasure availableSample to the PCs. file priate. Once the PCs are in Ravenloft, the Whether the DM prefers the characters to adventure continues in the same way for struggle in a life of near poverty or he both novice and experienced Ravenloft allows them all the trappings of a luxuri- adventurers. ous lifestyle, he should modify the treasure in this adventure to maintain game balance. Notes for DMs New to the ftAUENLOFT™ Campaign About A0&0® 2nd Edition Rules he most important advice for DMs his adventure follows the rules of the using the RAVENLOFT setting is to .-'