Heroes of Wharves and Waves
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HEROES OF WHARVES AND WAVES SampleHARACTER OPTIONS FOR URBAN NAUTICAL AND AQUATI fileC CAMPAIGNS C , , Credits Designer, Editor, Author: Kevin Thomas Schlüter Additional Writing: Zack Schwartz (NPC Spells, Trinkets) Contents Cover Art: Daniel Comerci – danielcomerci.com Introduction 3 Interior Art: Daniel Comerci – danielcomerci.com; DM’s Guild Stock Art Races 3 Title Font: Trade Winds – 1001fonts.com HADOZEE ...............................................................................................3 MALENTI ...............................................................................................4 InDesign Template: Nathanaël Roux LOCATHAH ............................................................................................5 SKINCHANGERS ......................................................................................6 Proofreader: Zack Schwartz UNUSUAL AND VARIANT RACES .............................................................7 Merfolk ...........................................................................................7 Sources and Inspiration Maritime Racial Variants ..............................................................8 Baker, Richard. Player’s Option: Spells and Magic. 1996. Baker, Richard, Joseph D. Carriker Jr., Jennifer Clarke Wilkes. Stormwrack. 2005. HEIGHT AND WEIGHT ...........................................................................8 Baker, Richard and Robert J Schwalb. Heroes of the Elemental Chaos. 2012. Bambara, Jim. Creature Crucible: The Sea People. 1990. 9 Berman, Steve. “Sunken Treasures," Dragon Magazine 250. August, 1998. Classes Boyd, Eric L. Demihuman Deities. 1998. Boyd, Eric L. Powers and Pantheons. 1997. CLERIC ..................................................................................................9 Christian, Deborah. “Arcane Lore: Sea Magic,” Dragon Magazine 220. August, 1995. Charm Domain ..............................................................................9 Cook, David “Zeb”. Player’s Handbook. 1989. Cook, David et al. Tome of Magic. 1991. Opportunity Domain .....................................................................9 Dunnel, Brian. “Arcane Lore: Sea Spells,” Dragon Magazine 235. November, 1996. Wave Domain ..............................................................................10 Greenwood, Ed. The Seven Sisters. 1995. Greenwood, Ed, Douglas Niles, and R. A. Salvatore. Menzoberranzan Boxed Set. 1992. Wealth Domain ............................................................................11 Greenwood, Ed and Tim Beech. Pages from the Mages. 1995. DRUID .................................................................................................12 Grub, Jeff with Andrea Heyday. Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures. 1992. Grub, Jeff with Andrea Heyday. Land of Fate Boxed Set. 1992. Circle Of The Land: Undersea ....................................................12 Gygax, Gary. Oriental Adentures. 1985. WIZARD ..............................................................................................12 Martin, Julia with Eric L. Boyd. Faiths and Avatars. 1996. Middleton, Mark (Compiler). Priest’s Spell Compendium Volumes 1-3. 1999–2000. Elemental Water Tradition ........................................................12 Middleton, Mark (Compiler). Wizard’s Spell Compendium Volumes 1-4. 1996–1998. Nicholson, Wes. Den of Thieves. 1996. 13 Schend, Steven E. Sea of Fallen Stars. 1999. Equipment Schend, Steven with Ed Greenwood. City of Splendors Boxed Set. 1994. Strohm, Keith Francis. Of Ships and the Sea. 1997. New Weapon Properties .............................................................13 Swan, Rick. The Complete Wizard’s Handbook. 1994. Wyatt, James. Heroes of the Sea. Dragon Magazine 250. August, 1998. Feats 13 Zuvich, Ted. “Mage on Deck!”, Dragon Magazine 235. November, 1996. 14 About the Author Spells Kevin Thomas Schlüter has spent the most of the past decade in and out of the Middle East, North Africa, and other deserts, working Magic Items 24 in a type of real-world wizard’s guild. He can be contacted at tom. [email protected] or @thomas_schluter Appendix A: Spell Lists 28 Legal Appendix B: Beasts 31 This product was revised and updated from Magic of Wharves and Waves. Some material also appeared in Elemental Magic of Zakhara, Necromancy After the Time of Troubles, Divine Heroes, and Shadows of Tasso’s Arcanabula. Appendix C: Trinkets 34 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Appendix D: NPC Spells 35 Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. ©2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Has- bro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, StockleySample Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. file HEROES OF WHARVES AND WAVES 2 OnHEROES the dark wharves of Waterdeep,OF WHARVES a rakish bard casts deeppockets AND inside a dilapidatedWAVES ware- house to hide the rare necromantic reagents she is smuggling from the watch. One of the watch wizards outside casts battering ram to knock the door down of the warehouse in pursuit of the smugglers. The bard’s enchanter ally readies his forget spell for the watch’s entrance. Without being noticed, the two smugglers slink out of the warehouse while the watchman eyes the broken door, slowing his pace, unsure of what he is walking into. Introduction Races ater magic has always been asso- Most aquatic races have little desire or ability to leave the comfort ciated with those whose who ply rivers, lakes, of the sea, but a few are occasionally found on or near the shores. and oceans for their livelihood. Some are simple The nature of underwater life has delayed technological advance- fishermen, pearl divers, or traders but many ments for many undersea peoples, leaving another gulf between others are scoundrels, pirates, or reavers. This them and surface dwellers. Urban and maritime campaigns, Wproduct provides new races, class archetypes, however, may feature a variety of aquatic and non-aquatic races. spells, and other supporting options to portray scoundrels of the Hadozee, locathah, malenti, and skinchangers all may find a place in docks, shipboard adventures, and aquatic adventures. These options your campaign, whether it is underwater, on a ship, or a port city. aren’t just limited to PCs, and while the Lord’s Alliance or the Harp- Other races, including half-elves, tieflings, and aasimar may have a ers may have access to some of these options, so to do the votaries bit of aquatic heritage that helps them in either maritime or nautical of Umberlee and the Kracken Society. campaigns as well. First, new racial options emerge including the sea-faring hado- zee, nomadic locathah, shadowy malenti, and fey skinchangers. Of these, the hadozee and skinchangers may be the easiest to integrate Hadozee into most campaigns as they are less aquatic than the others. Ad- The hadozee, often derisively called “deck apes”, are a seafaring ditional variants on the aasimar, dragonborn, half-elf, and tiefling people, most at home on or near the waves. They have a collec- plus merfolk appear as additional options for a campaign focusing tive interest in the sea, travel, and trade, all of which make them on aquatic and undersea themes. excellent crew for any ship. Though they have a reputation for Second, new class options appear for the cleric, druid, and wizard. being crude and low-class, the hadozee care for their kin and crew, These options help these classes focus on the spells presented herein, often going so far as to adopt new names when their captain or ship but are not required to play scavengers, scoundrels, or sailors. finally earns their respect. Third, 61 spells for ne’er-do-wells, sailors, and undersea folk are Hadozee are a simian folk, resembling apes but for patagia (a flap presented. These are broadly construed and aid in smuggling, pi- of skin) connecting their arms and legs which allows them to glide. racy, and travel as well as manipulating elemental water itself. The Many hadozee make use of their ability to glide, along with their vast majority of these new spells are first through fifth level so that dexterious feet, to work the rigging on ships. they are available in all games and remain relevant in even high-lev- el campaigns. Two new feats—fathomer and ship mage—are includ- ed to allow spellcasters to focus on the spells included here. Crude but Loyal Fourth, 19 new magical items are presented to be used by either Hadozee have been among the lower classes for generations, and it heroes or villains. These items support heroes who choose to go under- shows. They make an art of insults and coining new slang, taking water as well as those scoundrels who wish to avoid a watery death. simple joy if they later encounter their own coinages. Despite a Finally, four appendices present spell lists for PCs and NPCs, rough exterior, Hadozee tend to be incredibly loyal when their trust new beasts, and trinkets. Spell lists