Orc Whaling Ship

This post continues taking the blog in a high-fantasy direction. Recently I've been reading the draft manuscript of the new Freeport setting book for use with Pathfinder, and it has me excited to run a campaign in the city that started my love of pirates.

-Nate

Orc Whaling Ship

There are a lot of ways to make a living at sea, including serving aboard a military ship, operating a merchant vessel, or even turning pirate. One of the less glamorous options is to become a whaler, hunting the great creatures that swim in the oceans and harvesting what they have to offer.

Whale Hunting

Typically a whaling vessel sails in waters where the creatures are known to be found, timing its voyage for periods when they are expected to frequent those waters. When a lookout spies a whale or its spume, the chase begins. The crew maneuvers the vessel until it is close enough for hunters to lash out with their whalespears, which are connected to ropes tied to the ship. Using these weapons, the orc members attempt to grapple the whale; one orc makes a combat maneuver check, and receives a +2 bonus from each orc who also succeeds with an attack to aid. If they succeed, the whale is unable to dive beneath the surface. At that point, the captain calls for the ship's boats to be lowered, and teams of orcs (one mate and five typical sailors) venture out to stab the whale to death with their spears.

As long as they succeed, the hunters drag the whale's carcass either to a convenient beach, if one is available, or back alongside the ship. They then begin cutting away its skin and blubber in long strips, followed by chunks of its meat. The meat they cook for their own consumption, having quite the feast to celebrate their catch. At the same time, they cook down the blubber until they can siphon off the oil from it, a substance they can sell for use in making candles. The skin, if they wish, can be used to make clothing like the whaleskin greatcoats they wear to keep dry.

The Abattoir

Refer to the deck plan above for the following area descriptions.

1. Main Deck

This broad open space provides access to other parts of the ship. From here, stairs lead up to the fore- and sterncastles, and a wide hatch opens to the cargo decks below. There are also ladders leading belowdecks, and doors to the rear compartment for officers and the crew quarters before the mast. The main deck's most notable features, however, are twofold. There are a pair of boiling kettles used to cook down the harvested blubber, and the ship's boats are kept here when not in use.

2. Armory

The whale hunters keep their crossbows and whalespears here, hung on racks that line the walls, ready for when the orcs sight their prey.

3. Captain's Cabin

By far the most comfortable quarters aboard the ship is this, usually with a comfortable bed and a table for studying charts and taking meals, and perhaps even a wardrobe against one wall.

4. Mates' Cabin

The three mates have their quarters here. As such, this room usually contains three bunks and another table, along with sea chests for their personal items.

5. Veteran Crew Quarters

Half a dozen hammocks are hung in this area, providing places for veteran crew members to sleep. There are also sea chests for individual possessions. Another ladderwell leads from here to the mess and cargo hold, below.

6. Bowsprit and Head

This area sits in front of the forecastle, open to the wind and spray. The ship's toilets are located here, and it is from here that the ship's bowsprit protrudes.

7. Forecastle

Most of the time, this area serves little purpose other than providing a place from which to watch the passing sea and keep an eye out for whales.

8. Sterncastle

This raised platform is a center of activity when it comes to sailing. Crew members man the ship's whipstaff here, steering the vessel. The captain and/or a mate is also often present, setting the course and shouting orders to the crew.

9. Crew Quarters

More hammocks are hung in this area—many more. Even so, there are not enough for every crew member; most share a hammock, taking turns sleeping while the other is on duty. Needless to say, this makes for tight quarters.

10. Storage and Mess

Foodstuffs are kept in this room, and distributed from here to the crew. These are usually simple affairs, consisting of ship's biscuit, salt pork and a thin wine.

11. Cargo Hold

This area is filled with barrels. If the crew has had success, they are filled with whale oil and perhaps meat; if not, they stand empty and waiting.

12. Infirmary

Crew members who are injured in the line of duty are allowed to recover in the beds located here.

The Crew

Detailed here are the orcs who can commonly be found aboard this ship.

Typical Orc Sailor

CR 1/3

XP 135

Male orc warrior 1

CN Medium humanoid

Init +0; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor)

hp 6 (1d10+1)

Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0

Defensive Abilities ferocity

Weakness light sensitivity

OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft.

Melee Whalespear +5 (1d10+3/x3)

Melee Longsword +4 (1d8+3/19-20)

Ranged Heavy crossbow +1 (1d10)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8

Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13

Feats Weapon Focus (whalespear)

Skills Profession (sailor) +4

Languages Common, Orc

SQ weapon familiarity

Equipment Clothing, whaleskin coat (treat as leather amor), longsword, whalespear, heavy crossbow, ten bolts

These orc sailors are a rough bunch; their only focus is to find and kill enough whales that they can earn their pay and go back to port in order to spend it.

Veteran Orc Sailor

CR 2

XP 600

Male orc warrior 1/fighter 2

CN Medium humanoid

Init +0; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor)

hp 19 (3d10+3)

Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +0

Defensive Abilities ferocity, bravery +1

Weakness light sensitivity

OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft.

Melee Whalespear +7 (1d10+3/x3)

Melee Longsword +6 (1d8+3/19-20)

Ranged Heavy crossbow +3 (1d10)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8

Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 15

Feats Lunge, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (whalespear)

Skills Profession (sailor) +6

Languages Common, Orc

SQ weapon familiarity

Equipment Clothing, whaleskin coat (treat as leather amor), longsword, whalespear, heavy crossbow, ten bolts

From among the simply average crew members, these are some of the few who have proven themselves more cunning and more capable. They are old veterans, ones who lead watch teams.

Orc Ship's Mate

CR 4

XP 1200

Male orc warrior 1/fighter 4

CN Medium humanoid

Init +0; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor)

hp 31 (5d10+5)

Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +1

Defensive Abilities ferocity, bravery +1

Weakness light sensitivity

OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft.

Melee Whalespear +9 (1d10+6/x3)

Melee Longsword +8 (1d8+3/19-20)

Ranged Heavy crossbow +5 (1d10)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8

Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 18

Feats Lunge, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (whalespear), Weapon Specialization (whalespear)

Skills Profession (sailor) +8

Languages Common, Orc

SQ weapon familiarity

Equipment Clothing, whaleskin coat (treat as leather amor), longsword, whalespear, heavy crossbow, ten bolts

There are three of these tough, battle-tested orcs; they are second only to the captain himself. One is charge of the crew when on deck, except when the captain is present.

Captain Cyrus

CR 6

XP 2400

Male orc warrior 1/fighter 6

CN Medium humanoid

Init +0; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor)

hp 44 (7d10+7)

Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +2

Defensive Abilities ferocity, bravery +2

Weakness light sensitivity

OFFENSE

Spd 30 ft.

Melee Whalespear +12/+7 (1d10+7/x3)

Melee Longsword +10/+5 (1d8+3/19-20)

Ranged Heavy crossbow +7/+2 (1d10)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 8

Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +10; CMD 21

Feats Far Shot, Firearms Proficiency, Lunge, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (whalespear), Weapon Specialization (whalespear)

Skills Profession (sailor) +10

Languages Common, Orc

SQ weapon familiarity (spears)

Equipment Clothing, whaleskin coat (treat as leather amor), longsword, whalespear, heavy crossbow, ten bolts

Using the Orc Whaling Ship in a Nautical Fantasy Campaign

There are many ways in which these maritime hunters could become involved in a nautically-themed Pathfinder campaign; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.

• The PC's could encounter this vessel at sea, providing an opportunity to trade supplies and exchange news.
• The crew's whale hunting leads them to run afoul of a local druid; she goes looking for help (the PC's?) in convincing them to stop their predations.
• When this crew arrives in port, things become rowdy; the orcs, flush with newly earned money, are eager to spend it on food, drink and entertainment.
• In the event that a fire broke out aboard their ship, the orcs might need the crew of a passing vessel (the PC's?) to rescue them—and then to deliver them back to port, something that could make for a difficult voyage, indeed.
• Should the orcs find a cryptic item in the belly of their prey, they might turn to outsiders (the PC's?) to help find out what it means; this, in turn, could lead into the search for a vessel that was lost at sea.
• If Captain Cyrus ever grows tired of whaling, he and his crew could turn pirate, thereby becoming a threat to all manner of other ships sailing the seas.