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Sample file HostileHostile Climes:Climes: TheThe DepthsDepths ofof DespairDespair Sample file ByBy MattMatt ForbeckForbeck andand AaronAaron AcevedoAcevedo CoverCover byby a’lisa’lis InteriorInterior IllustrationsIllustrations byby ChadChad SergesketterSergesketter Credits Written and Designed by: Matt Forbeck and Aaron Acevedo Editing: Shane Lacy Hensley Layout: Matt Forbeck and Aaron Acevedo Cover Art: a’lis Cover Design: Zeke Sparkes (www.eclipsestudios.com) Interior Art: Chad Sergesketter Interior Graphic Design: Matt Forbeck and a’lis Cartography: Aaron Acevedo Playtesting and Advice: John R. Hopler, David Ross, Joe and Jackie Unger Special Thanks to: Peter Adkison, Dave Arneson, Mario Lee Bansen III, Monte Cook, Zeb Cook, Ryan Dancey, Ann and Marty Forbeck, E. Gary Gygax, Michelle, Caden, and Ronan Hensley, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. Hostile Climes series conceived by Shane Lacy Hensley. Dedicated to: Glenn McCormick, the captain of the Mistress, one of the finest ships in the world. Open Game License Information Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. P.O. Box 10908 “d20 System” and the “d20 System” logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used Blacksburg, VA 24062-0908 according to the terms of the d20 System License version 1.0. A copy of this license can be found at Visit Pinnacle’s www.wizards.com. Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Weird Website Coast, and are used with permission. at This book is published under the Open Game License (see page 126). Sample file This product requires the use of the Dungeons & www.peginc.com Dragons® Player’s Handbook, Third Edition, published by Wizards of the Coast. Designation of Product Identity: All material other Proudly Printed in the USA than game rules already considered Open Gaming Content is considered Product Identity as described in ™ Section I(e) of the Open Game License v. 1.0. This includes but is not limited to Hostile Climes and all significant characters, names, creatures, spells, events, plots, logos, trade dress, product names, product lines, places, items, art, and text. These are also ©2002 Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All Rights Reserved, except where otherwise noted. The use of another company’s trademark should not be construed as a challenge to that trademark. Reproduction of non-Open Game Content from this work by any means, without the express written consent of Pinnacle Entertainment Group is prohibited. Hostile Climes, Deadlands, Weird Wars, Weird West, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, the Pinnacle logo, the Pinnacle star, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Full Moon Enterprises and its logo are trademarks of Full Moon Enterprises, Inc.: www.fullmoonent.com. 4 Contents The Environs .................................................... 25 Contents Food and Water .............................................. 30 Guests ................................................................ 30 The Price of Security ...................................... 32 The Law ............................................................ 33 Hostile Climes: ........................... 1 The Community .............................................. 34 Depths of Despair ................. 1 Chapter Four: By Matt Forbeck Denizens of and Aaron Acevedo ..................................... 1 the Depths ................................. 59 Credits ................................................. 2 Introductions ................................................... 59 Major Characters ............................................ 60 Contents ..............................................3 Chapter Five: Down into Chapter One: the Depths ..................................71 Plumbing the Depths of Welcome to Adventure! ................................. 71 Despair ..............................................5 No Players Allowed! ...................................... 71 Welcome ........................................................... 10 An Overview .................................................. 72 Using this Book ............................................... 11 The Setup ......................................................... 73 The Nautilacrum ............................................. 74 Chapter Two: Tailoring the Adventure ................................ 76 Sample fileBeneath the Depths ........................................ 77 The Tale of The Aftermath ................................................. 90 the Depths ..................................13 Chapter Six: Delights of Using the Depths of Despair ........................ 14 the Depths ................................. 93 The Triton-Sahuagin War ............................. 14 Down in the Depths ....................................... 16 Playing the Monsters ...................................... 93 To Reap the Whirlpool ................................... 17 New Prestige Class ............................................... 99 Chapter Three: New Feats ....................................................... 102 New Equipment ............................................ 103 The City at the Bottom New Weapons ............................................... 104 of the Sea ................................23 New Magic Items .......................................... 105 New Creatures .............................................. 110 Welcome to the Depths of Despair .............. 23 Combat Underwater .................................... 118 The Whirlpool .................................................. 23 Weather ............................................................ 25 Index ................................................... 124 5 Chapter One: Plumbing the Depths of Despair Sample file 6 Chapter One: Plumbing the Depths of Despair The white-sailed racing sloop rounded the white as the sails flapping high over the sloop’s island’s point just after dawn. Suddenly, a cry deck. went up from the crow’s nest. “Skull ‘n’ “Queems!” Standik snapped. While he and crossbones, Captain Standik! Straight off the the first mate were good friends, the captain starboard bow!” was not used to having his orders ignored. If The half-elven captain raised his spyglass to familiarity bred such contempt, then perhaps his good eye and grunted. There she was, he would have to put Queems ashore at their right where the rummy lookout had said. next port. Standik vowed not to make the same Standik gave quiet thanks that he hadSample cut off mistake file with his next first mate, should he be the crew’s liquor supply last night. Otherwise, fortunate enough to survive the impending the bleary-eyed man in the crow’s nest would consequences of this particular error in have slept through his entire watch for sure. judgment. The pirate ship would have been upon them “B-but, cap’n,” Queems stuttered. “That’s before they could have done anything about right toward the whirlpool. That’s death for it. sure!” As it was, avoiding the oncoming schooner Standik nodded as he strode back toward was going to be difficult. There weren’t many the wheel, his long-accustomed sea legs easily places to hide a ship the size of the Dolphin compensating for the swelling of the waves. along this stretch of coast. None, in fact, that “I’m aware of which direction that is, Mr. Standik could think of. Queems, and what awaits us there. As loaded “Bring her about to port, Mr. Queems,” down as we are with our illicit cargo, however, Standik barked from his position on the ship’s there’s no way we can outrun that Jolly Roger. bow, having finally made his decision. After a Our only hope is to lure the blackhearted long moment, the captain noticed his sloop buggers to their death.” was still heading in the direction of the pirate Queems struggled with the wheel for a ship. He turned and glared at the man moment, unsure of which was worse: the standing at the wheel. Queems, the Dolphin’s threat of the whirlpool or that of his captain’s first mate, had frozen in place, his face as wrath. After looking deep into Standik’s eyes, 7 .