Dark Continent Redux: Riverboat "Nellie"

Dark Continent Redux

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Dark Continent Index
Interior Index

Riverboat “Nellie”

SHP 4, SAC 11, Move (wind-aided rowing) 1 mile/hr, 10 miles/day, Cost 3,000 gp

Emplacements: 2 exposed Ballista (fore, aft).  8 native rowers, 4 Crewmen, 1 Officer.  50-foot-long ship is 15 feet wide.  It has 4 two-man oars on the sides and a single mast with a square sail.  It can carry 40 tons of cargo.  (Obviously, this doesn’t match the picture, but it’s roughly the same in concept.  Besides, isn’t that picture awesome?)

These ships ply the deep rivers of Africannes and troll the coasts.  Many small, independent companies make the river runs.  They are usually armed with a couple of Ballista and perhaps a group of mercenaries (like the Player Characters).  The Commonwealth Navy maintains several fully armed riverboats to patrol the rivers, often carrying a squad of Marines (11).  A couple of military galleys have also been brought in to increase the military’s presence.

Piloting the ship: DC 12 each hr cruising, DC 12 to dock.  Failure runs the vessel aground, probably damaging it.

If the Characters take their turn at firing the ballista, while the operation of the weapon is similar to a hand-held crossbow, their “To Hit” will be limited to their Dex bonus, unless they have had naval experience using one.  I’ll mention my Naval combat rules, if you want to make the combat between the riverboat and war canoes (equivalent to Rowboats) more complicated.

Native Rowers (x8)

They are equivalent to Native Warriors, but they are unarmed and will not fight.  These are not slaves, but are hired laborers. 

Seaman (x4)

+2 Dex

HD 1 (d8), Hp 4, AC 12 (None)

Fort +0, Ref +4, Wis +0

Melee: Cutlass (Short Sword) +1 to hit 1d6

Ranged: Light Crossbow +3 to hit 1d8, M

Ballista +3 to hit

Heavy Bolt 3d8 damage (Hammerhead Rounds), Range L

Fire Bolt 3d6 damage, 2d6 continuing damage until extinguished, Range S

Sailing Skill +1 [(Int bonus + Wis bonus)/2 + 1/2 level]

Climb +2

Riverboat Captain Maddox

+2 Dex, +1 Wis, +2 Str

HD 5 (d8), Hp 20, AC 12 (None)

Fort +1, Ref +6, Wis +2

Melee: Cutlass (Short Sword) +7 to hit 1d6+2

Ranged: Light Crossbow +7 to hit 1d8, M

Ballista +7 to hit

Heavy Bolt 3d8 damage (Hammerhead Rounds), Range L

Fire Bolt 3d6 damage, 2d6 continuing damage until extinguished, Range S

Sailing Skill +4

Climb +5

Intimidate (Physical) +4