The Sea Caves of Aubergiole

I found this file on my hard-drive a few days ago, and since I will never ever finish the project (and in fact I don't recall many of the ideas) I give it to the internet in goodwill. To each, as they say, according to their need. This was probably right after the publication of my solo gamebook. I think it's very clearly inspired by the D&D Expert module "Lathan's Gold" which was an epic "sailing around adventuring" solo module. Grand in scope and procedural possibility but sort of tangled up with weird mass combat mechanisms. Pretty sure it was conceived right around the heyday of the Google+ share-and-share alike era. I kinda dig the vibe, but the only thing that stands out to me particularly is the random starting entry mechanic, which is based in part on your Luck modifier (this is DCC obviously). I think I was also inspired by "Barbarian Prince" which is a long-time favorite of mine, and still available for free.

Also, I think I stole the Secrets idea from Kabuki Kaiser's "Mad Monks of Kwantoom" in which certain play experiences would prompt you to read appendices at the back of the gamebook and thus open up new ways to play, spells, PC races and options, and lore about the world of the game...

Way too ambitious in scope, in reflection. This was back when I thought fun ideas about tabletop RPGs, or at least read other peoples' fun ideas and synthesized things into something of my own. Now, I just play Skyrim with like 500 mods...

"Sea Caves initial entries the City".rtf

Oubliette of the Fishfolk

Cities:

1.       Aubergiole - Innsmouth Equivalent from French Inn (‘Auberge’) and Maw (‘Gueule’).  Market, Docks, Tavern, Supplies,

2.       Visulax – Specularum Equivalent: Docks, Market, Tavern

3.       Aredeth Bay – Pirate Port

4.       Helleborine – Coastal Megalopolis (off limits due to Zombie Plague)

5.       Marbourg – Seaside Town, nearby River (off limits due to Zombie Plague)

 

Islands:

1.       Three Harpies Key – Gate to Lightless Realms, Other Universes

2.       Meridot’s Cay- The Wizard Meridot’s Tower

3.       Hyomand Rock – The Oubliette of the Fishmen

4.       Forlorn Island – Giant Monsters, Occasional Big Treasures, Death for Big Parties

5.       Hammer Island (Home to Aredeth Bay) – Small Town, Pirate Wizard Patron

6.       Bloodrock Plinth – Empty, Granite and Basalt, Gribb Roosts

7.       The Island of the Amazonians (Mountain Range)

Locations:

1.       Sail upriver to near Halthrag Keep, attacked by Jackal Bandits

2.       The Howling Whirlpool of Awfulness, ship destroyed, flotsam!

3.       Jungle of Teth

4.       The Crystalline Spire of Meridot

Remember to give lots of opportunities for Luck Use, Saves, and Especially Thief Skill Checks

Random Non-Thief Character Starts

(for the start of the game, use 1d12 plus the Luck Modifier.  Pre-generated Characters Will Start at Specific Entries in the Book)

-3	GALLOWS!	SQUARE
-2	To the JAIL, BAD FINE, MAYBE DEATH	TRIAL
-1	INNSMOUTH TAINT: Thank the Gods it is morning, now.  You find yourself at the edge of a long and lonely dock in the city of Aubergiole, neck, hands and feet itching.  Your eyes are watering and your head hurts.  You have fought the overpowering urge to jump into the water and swim away since being awoken around 2 bells, after strange dreams of vast cities through which you floated.  As the sun rises, you feel somewhat better and resolve to take some aid to help you sleep, tonight.  A skilled thief like you can’t operate well when fighting urges like these! Looking down at the end of the barnacle-encrusted dock, you notice an Intricately Carved Tetrahedron, possibly a fishing weight or lure.  You may take it if you like.  Then, turn to DOCKS	DOCKS
0	SHANGHAI’ED AND CAST AWAY	ISLAND (Lonely)
1	SHIPWRECKED	ISLAND (Random)
2	KIDNAPPED AT SEA!	TEMPLE ISLAND
3	PLAGUE SHIP!	AT SEA(Random)/RANDOM DOCKS
4	In town, down on your Luck (-2 Luck), Gambling debt
5	On a Mission – Recover a Captive (Randomly Determined – Attached to Secrets!)
6	FIRST MATE, MUTINEERS – SHIP WITH POOR MORALE
7	On a Pilgrimage – See a Sight
8	Hunting Party – Fight a Monster
9	Cartographer for a Lord – Visit 4 different islands and map 3 locations of each (cities do not count!)	VOLCANO ISLAND
10	Free Agent – No particular Quest, 350 GP in Savings
11	SECRET AGENT! , Minor Sum of Gold for Expenses 1000XP, Kill the Bandit King	BANK
12	MAP TO TREASURE, TAVERN, No Money	TAVERN
13	MINOR TREASURE, MARKET, Skull Chime	MARKET
14	FIRST MATE, DEAD CAPTAIN – SHIP WITH GOOD MORALE	ISLAND (Random)
15	LAWYER’S OFFICE – ESTATE OF WEALTHY TRADING CAPTAIN UNCLE, FREE SHIP	DOCKS

 

Straight Thieves Begin in a Spot Determined by their Alignment, and Receive a Mission Based upon it, if they like.  Else, they can use the Random Chart and adjust the result depending upon

ALIGNMENT	START LOCATION	MISSION
Lawful	Hyomand Rock, Shoreline	Acquire The Prayers of Hydra Volume 4, Deliver to Boss in Aubergiole (or take the 4th Oath!)
Neutral	Aredeth Bay, Pirate Port	Ring the Storm Bell at the Top of Hyomand Rock, Watch What Happens (Or Destroy It, Better!)
Chaotic	Hyomand Rock, Acolyte’s Chamber	Assassinate the Priestess of Hydra, She Keeps the Undersea Peoples In Check (Or Assume the Priesthood Yourself, with 4th Oath and the Rod of Command)

 

SECRETS!!!

A.      Random Aubergiole House/Basements/Treasures/Monsters

B.      The Storm Bell – Rang It

C.      The Storm Bell – Cracked It

D.      Deep One Hybrid Class

E.       Eagle Eyrie on Meridot’s Cay

F.       The Dead Cyclops Underwater at Hyomand Rock

G.     The Dead Cyclops Chained to Forlorn Island

H.      Halthrag’s Circle On Hyomand Rock

I.        Ifrit’s Pizzle, Drink Recipe and Spell

J.        JaleBeard, the Pirate Wizard Patron

K.      On Kelpies

L.       On Lesthirash, the Wasp God

M.    On Merfolk

N.     On Nixies

O.     The Orpiment Skull Magic Item

P.      Pendlebrook – A Pleasant Spot

Q.     Queen Leonora of Hamathrace

R.      Raiders of Rayloon

S.       Summon Tentacular Horror

T.       Tcho Tcho PC Class

U.     Ulfire Mistress Patron

V.      Vecnull’s Revenge (A ship, The Cyberlich’s Flagship)

W.    Wizardarium Gate to Calabraxis

X.      X The Mysterious (A Sage)

Y.       Yeoman’s Bow Magic item

Z.       Zither of Antipathy Magic Item

 

NEW MONSTERS

Raylooni Raiders (Albinos, Tall, Thin, Debased) – Stout Ships, Low Damage

Cyborg Corsairs – Very Stout Ships, Somewhat Damaging

Deep One Hybrid Pirates – Weak Ships, Weak Damage

Tcho Tcho

Tentacular Horrors

Ocean Sprites, Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic

Kelpie/Seaweed Folk

Pirahna Birds

Amazonians

Island Sprites

 

 

PREGENERATED CHARACTERS/QUEST

Nithan Knifeknot – Thief, Lawful, Level  2 (Bring 10,000 in Gold to Bad Guy on the West Edge of Aredeth Bay by Day 30 to rescue your beloved Kelani). Swimming and Diving Skills

Murlo – Fighter, Lawful, Level 2 (Destroy a 5-Headed Hydra on Forlorn Island, Day 30). Commander Skills.

Diego Panselfaust – Male Halfling, Neutral, Level 2 (Take an Immortal Bride by Day 30).  Ladykiller Skills

Holga Vohrnknicht – Female Dwarf, Neutral, Level 2 (Find a place for the Clan to Live – there are 2 acceptable spots 1 on , Day 30).  Stoneworker Skills.

Brother Emmerit Lutz – Cleric, Chaotic, Level 2 – Find a New Home for Temple of Lesthirash the Wasp God.  Lore Skills.  Sacrifice a Ship to the Whirlpool and Find the Location of the Wasp Temple.  25 Days

Yesorian, Wizard, Chaotic, Level  2 – Acquire the Rod of Undeath, 50 Days, or Die!  (Very difficult for a Wizard but fairly simple for a Thief!)

 

THIEVES FOR HIRE (Special Thiefly Rules; You may hire a thief on the crew of your boat, but each skill roll calls for d6xrate fees, and each thief can be killed by monsters in landing parties.  Some locks cannot be picked by NPC thieves )

Aram, Barjum, Blastin, Corexin, Duglash, Efrim, Odess, Pyotr, Alenk, Gyurtom, Hirelm, Inigo, Jakes, Melporine, Nidora, Olegh, Trendio

SPECIAL HIRELINGS (For example, as in Barbarian Prince)

Wives/Husbands

Sages

Monsters

A Robot

Familiars/Demons/Imps/Quasits (for example, Spellvexit)

Sailing/Supplies/Ship’s Crews/Landing Parties/Morale (based on Personality)

 

Random Treasure Entries are given with the expected roll of dice, 1d3-1d100 (with 0 as a possible result); some areas will increase the given +d for monsters and some will decrease