Choralinthor / Mirrorsea Bay Encounter Table

[Erol of Backford]

Knowing we'll be traversing the Bay several times over many years we thought a random encounter table on the Bay would be needed. Obviously several of these are unique and would be considered special. Its a first draft and of course we are looking for input so please add suggested encounters or suggest why one should not be.

For example Giant Cranes could be added, maybe its tainted by Chaos and needs to be delt with. Would likely only be encountered in the shallows and or near Seapolis?

If there is already an encounter chart please reference it to me. Thanks everyone.

Big Fish – Griffin Mountain p.108

Black oil – tar residue like an oil slick

Boiling sea

Bubbles coming up – is it like the Bermuda Triangle and the ship sinks

Canoes – outrigger canoes – would there be any in the Bay

Churner and Barran – Strangers in Prax p.40

Crocodiles – are they along any rivers flowing into the Bay?

Elasmosauri – Griffin Mountain p. 124

Fishermen -

Flotsam -

Flying fish

Giant turtle – riders or not and how big – Snake Pipe Hollow p.17

Giant Shark - Strangers in Prax p.45

Gloomshark - tentacles ringing its mouth – what is it

Gnydron – Gloranthan Bestiary p.19 – why is it in the Bay?

Island – the Barren Isle - Tales 10 p.34

Magropelecus - Tales 10 p.36 argyropelecus

Merchant ship -

Mermen –

Norican Giant – Strangers in Prax

Ouori – Gloranthan Bestiary p.32 – why is it in the Bay?

Pirates – what pirates are in the Bay before 1616 when

Plesiosaur – Strangers in Prax p.44

Sea serpent - Strangers in Prax p.44

Sea Troll – Gloranthan Bestiary p.42 – why is it in the Bay?

Squall

Storms in the Deep – Tales 10 p.09

Uz balck ship – not so much

Underdecker – Strangers in Prax p. 45

Vadeli

Vision in the sky – what is it likely to be

Waertagi dragon ship - All at Sea Ashore - Tales 10 p.21

Waertagi dragon ship – burning section of one being blown towards the Heortland Plateau – Jaja’s notes

Walktapus – it’s a giant one but mistaken as a giant octopus but it’s actually walking on the bottom closer to the shore?

Water Wyrms – Griffin Mountain p.148

Ysabbau - Gloranthan Bestiary p.45 – extorts the crew for money, food, etc. or damages ship

[EricW]

I think if you meet Gloomshark your goose is cooked, Gloomshark is the chaos god of hunger. But maybe a child of Gloomshark?

[Erol of Backford]

I suppose if it could possibly be blamed for eating a planet you goose would be cooked. We'll go with child of Gloomshark. Thanks!

Some other stories say that
Gloomshark, the Chaos god of hunger, ate the Boat
Planet. Still others speculate that the Sky Gorp
enveloped it, or that the Star Eater devoured it, or
that the Bad One somehow sank it.

[M Helsdon]

The most likely ships to be met will be local triremes and biremes, tubs (merchant round ships of various sizes), nets (local plank-built fishing boats) and close to the coast fishermen in reed boats, log boats, rafts etc. Foreigners will include Wolf Pirate penteconters, and foreign traders, the most exotic being Vadeli biremes and Kralorelan djong.

The bay is known for his calm waters and light breezes throughout the year; many vessels are more reliant upon oars than sails – merchant ships might be towed by tug boats.

Numerous species of fish, tunny etc., salmon just prior to the breeding season, salt water crocodiles, and some river crocodiles, elamosauri. Mostly ludoch merfolk, newtlings, dolphins etc. Many seabirds and water fowl, bloodbirds, cranes.

Edited October 30, 2022 by M Helsdon

[mfbrandi]

13 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

For example Giant Cranes could be added, maybe its tainted by Chaos and needs to be dealt with. Would likely only be encountered in the shallows

Maybe their mating dances are a tourist attraction. Maybe migrating flocks are a problem — perhaps they attract giant predators.

Only in the shallows, but how deep is shallow for a giant crane?

[jajagappa]

On 10/29/2022 at 6:04 PM, Erol of Backford said:

Boiling sea - I'd generally save this until the Firebergs return from the Underworld, or keep it as a stray phenomenon in the Ocean, not the bay.  But, perhaps, rumors of such brought by returning seamen.  Otherwise, I'd expect Belintar would likely turn such away.

Canoes – outrigger canoes – would there be any in the Bay - they are found way, way south and east in Maslo or among the Sendereven who sail Sramak's Ocean.  The Maslans would mostly trade with the East Isles or venture as far as Fonrit.  But the Vadeli are not defeated until 1604 by the Maslans, so that blocks much of the trade to Maslo.

Crocodiles – are they along any rivers flowing into the Bay? - yes, you could find in the Esrolian rivers and perhaps along the banks of the Marzeel (might be one reason why trade debarks at Karse and travels by land to Smithstone rather than trying to work up the Marzeel itself.

Giant Shark - Strangers in Prax p.45 - don't forget the Mudsharks from the River of Cradles book (they may appear in other text too)

Ouori – Gloranthan Bestiary p.32 – why is it in the Bay? a long way from the Neleomi Sea.  But perhaps it is a party seeking alliance with the ludoch of the Bay against the emerging Wolf Pirates?

Pirates – what pirates are in the Bay before 1616 when - occasional Wolf Pirates since they establish Three Step Island as a base as of 1605.  Alatan pirates may persist as well along the Manirian coast.

Uz black ship – not so much - why not?  Make it an important trade or magical alliance between Jrustela and the Shadow Plateau.  

Vision in the sky – what is it likely to be - lots of options:  the Storm Bull descending from or ascending to Stormwalk Mountain; a stampede of sky bulls; a flock of Heler's sheep; Belintar sends down a rainbow bridge to an unexpected location; strange dragon-shaped clouds; a pure beam of light from Yelm's Eye; a comet crossing the night sky in an unusual direction; a meteor sent down from the Red Moon or from the Pole Star gate; a sighting of the Southern Jumper, the famed Dog Star; the celestial river is visible by day; a blue star or planet briefly appears, then disappears - rumors of the Boat Planet persist, or considered a vision of the future. 

Thoughts on the above noted in red.

[mfbrandi]

On 10/29/2022 at 11:04 PM, Erol of Backford said:

Vision in the sky – what is it likely to be

Thinking “visiony” visions rather than potentially here-and-now real (if supernatural) stuff, a cheap trick would be a premonition of some bit of the metaplot “written” across the sky. If there is some bit of the metaplot you don’t like, you could: (a) treat it as a warning: if you don’t act, this will happen; (b) show it in an altered version. So for example, you could: (a) show Jar-Eel killing Belintar; (b) show Jar-Eel doing a deal with or failing to kill Belintar. Then you get the question of who is running the projector.

Or you could treat it as straight foreshadowing, as far as the players and characters can tell — e.g. a vision of Wolf Pirates torching everything around the bay and setting the sea on fire just to put the cherry on top — many chickens’ entrails and saucers of tea leaves are examined, but every fortune teller says it is definitely going to happen & you keep up your GM poker face. You don’t have to have decided whether the event will happen (or when) and can make your plans around the PCs’ actions (and/or the players’ feelings).

And if the Bay’s water is truly mirrorlike in its calmness, you can run a reflection of the sky vision in the water. It goes without saying that it will not match exactly the version in the sky. Perhaps they even interact — think Duck Soup. The fortune tellers still swear it is definitely going to happen, but they cannot agree on just what has been foretold.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

think Duck Soup

Hail Freedonia! 😉 

[AlHazred]

On 10/29/2022 at 6:04 PM, Erol of Backford said:

Vision in the sky – what is it likely to be

You cribbed this from Griffin Mountain! I mean, I think every GM who read the book cribbed that encounter for some campaign! I always loved that the Griffin Mountain vision was extremely not-explained -- you could draw all sorts of conclusions from it, based on which direction your prejudices lay. I think any similar Vision in the Sky should be similarly vague and up for interpretation for MGF reasons.

Edited October 31, 2022 by AlHazred

[Erol of Backford]

Mudsharks are a good add especially along the coast, might have to set it up based on location: coast, river mouth, open water/Bay, Southern Islands, etc. Thank you again Jaja.

Yes, I copied 80% of the items and noted the source, so many are great encounters to only happen 2% chance only in the far reaches of Genertela!? thanks all for the comments.

12 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

Or you could treat it as straight foreshadowing

I really like this idea, almost like a movie screen!?