Once a weather roll (a d% roll) is made and adjusted for proximity to the Eye, allow a ship’s captain to make either a Profession (sailor) or Survival check, subtracting the result from the total—this represents the captain’s ability to predict and avoid turbulent weather. When, despite the captain’s best efforts, a vessel finds itself in a storm, use the Stormbound Hazards table to determine how the ship is affected by the storm.
PCs with the Survival skill can determine the weather days in advance. The accompanying Shackles Random Weather table can be used to keep track of the current conditions, from calm seas to deadly tornadoes, as well as to help create a smooth transition from one type of weather to the next. For a lengthy voyage, a GM might want to roll for the weather 3 or more days in advance, then use the steps on the Shackles Random Weather table to determine the appropriate conditions for the days building up to a significant storm. This helps to make meteorological transitions smoother and more realistic, so one day’s clear skies don’t turn into a hurricane in just a few short hours.
Eye of Abendego Weather Modifiers
- Within 300 miles / +4
- Within 250 miles / +8
- Within 200 miles / +12
- Within 100 miles / +36
- Within 50 miles / +60
Examples:
- Drenchport: Approx. 80 m.; Weather mod. +36
- Hell Harbor: Approx. 150 m.; Weather mod. +12
- Port Peril: Approx. 250 m.; Weather mod. +8
- Slipcove: Approx. 275 m.; Weather mod. +4
- Quent: Approx. 295 m.; Weather mod. +4
- Ollo: Approx. 320 m.; Weather mod. +0
d% Weather Features Verses Hazard Frequency
- 1–55 Normal Normal 0 None
- 56–65 Precipitation Fog or Rain 1-2 None
- 66–80 Tropical Depression Strong Winds and Rain 3-4 frequency 1/hour, d20 modifier –10
- 81–93 Tropical Storm Severe Winds and Rain 5-6 frequency 1/hour, d20 modifier —
- 94–97 Severe Tropical Storm Windstorm 7-8 frequency 1/10 minutes, d20 modifier +10
- 98–99 Hurricane Hurricane 9 frequency 1/minute, d20 modifier +15
- 100 Tornado Tornado 9+ frequency 1/round, d20 modifier +15
Normal: The weather proves calm and relatively clear— perfect weather for sailing.
Precipitation: Roll d% to determine whether the precipitation is fog (01–40) or rain (41–100).
Tropical Depression: This dense, humid weather front is common in tropical seas and lasts 2d4 hours. Combining strong winds and rain, a tropical depression rarely deters the Shackles’ seafaring population, but can be a nuisance for those not used to rough seas.
Tropical Storm: This is a more extreme relative of the tropical depression; only foolhardy or experienced captains set sail in tropical storms, which typically last up to 5d4 hours.
Severe Tropical Storm: Storms of this size have claimed many unskilled captains. Wind drives sheets of rain, and the roiling sea finds its way into every corner of an unprepared vessel. Otherwise acting like windstorms (Core Rulebook 438), these storms last 3d6 hours.
Hurricane: This whirling maelstrom of death is rarely escapable by any but the most veteran captains. While a hurricane can last for many days, its inexorable journey will typically pass the storm over ships in 4d6 minutes, during which period they will need to roll on the Stormbound Hazards table each minute. Almost no one has the pirate luck to survive an encounter with this epic force.
Tornado: No natural force at sea is deadlier than the tornado or waterspout, and few can sail through one and live to tell the tale. A tornado lasts 1d6 minutes.
