Sea Monsters. Every crusty old sailor in every tavern in the realm has stories to tell of these terrifying creatures of the sea. In a fantasy game like Dungeons and Dragons you can almost imagine the terror of being aboard a flimsy wooden sailing ship and then encountering one of these gigantic beasts in the sea.
Mariners in Dungeons and Dragons have good reasons to fear the creatures that might be lurking under the dark waters of the sea. There are many potential dangers on the ocean and creatures are just one of them. Storms and pirates are also waiting on the seas. And then there are those whirlpools that suddenly appear out of nowhere……
Of Ships and Sea
The First Edition AD&D Dungeon Master Guide discusses ships and combat aboard them on pages 54-55. In 5th Edition the DMG discusses ships and combat aboard them on page 119. But both of these sources are rather limited in scope. There are some rules supplements out there that discuss sailing and ship combat. These are more helpful to the Dungeon Master.
For Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition there was a fine supplement called “Of Ships and Sea.” This fine book is available at the following link:
For 5th Edition there are some expanded rules for ships and combat. This one is not from WOTC and is a pay what you want file. It looks rather interesting.
Sailing is Dangerous Business in D& D
Sea monsters are out there. Mariners probably have a pretty short life span in Dungeons and Dragons. And they are just one of the potential hazards on the water. The Dungeon Master needs the tools to make ocean voyages a truly harrowing experience for their adventurers.
