Over and under the Ocean Free

30/09/14

Dungeon World: by Sage LaTorra & Writing, Design & layout: © 2014
Adam Koebel, CC-BY 3.0 Joe Banner, all rights reserved.
dungeon-world.com joebanner.co.uk

Artwork: the British Library, public Fonts: FontAwesome, Lato &

domain Oswald, SIL OFL 1.1
flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/ fortawesome.github.io
latofonts.com
code.newtypography.co.uk

Thanks to my patrons: Acritarche, Alex Davis, Alex Norris, Alexander

Grafe, Amy Stringer, Bay, Bruce Curd, Chris Patterson, Chris Sakkas,
Christopher Giles, Christopher Stone-Bush, Christopher Weeks, Dane
Ralston-Bryce, David Dorward, Felix, FelTK, Gordon Spencer, Iain
Chantler, James Stuart, Jeremy Riley, John Bogart, Katie Phillimore, Kenji
Ikiryo, Kevin Tompos, Kyle, Marco, Martin Deppe, Matthew Klein, Michael
Prescott, Mike Burnett, Rafael Rocha, Robert Rees, Roland Volz, Ryven
Cedrylle, Shane Knysh, Spenser, Stephanie Bryant, Tim Dennett, Tim
Jensen, Tim Reed, Tom Miller, Tom Sambles, Victor Wyatt

1
Introduction
Earlier this month Jason Lutes released Funnel
World and, like a lot of you, I’ve been loving what
I’ve read. Jason’s ideas on layout and content
for a Dungeon World adventure have really
inspired me here - I love the way he’s managed
to keep things really concise, yet informative.

Using this book

The four locations presented here are designed
to be played in whichever order you like. Pick
one to start your players in, read the intro (in
the grey box) aloud and ask the questions.
It’s possible (likely, I hope!) the other three
locations will be useful, but given the
improvised nature of Dungeon World it’s
entirely possible your game will go in a very
different direction. If so, not to worry! You can
always use one of the other introductions to
kick off a future game instead.
About the
tyranean sea
Between the shores of Chalcedon and Mirkasa
lies the Tyranean, a green-blue gulf of ocean many
leagues across. Travel by sea is dangerous, but for
those that can’t afford an airship ticket or magical
means, what choice is there?
Dozens of islands lie scattered across the ocean,
many inhabited by isolated natives or spurned
outlaws. As you might expect, piracy is a frequent
problem; but the secrets of the shattered islands
may reveal an even greater threat. For they say
there was another continent here, once - and
whatever shattered it does not sleep easily.
The town of Dios
Via, morning
You’re in the town square of a tiny fishing village, half-hidden
amongst the islands of the Tyranean atoll. A group of locals
are frowning at you; the big one in front has fresh blood on his
knuckles. An old man sobs behind you, clutching his raw cheek.
The big one shifts slightly - he’s sizing you up.

Questions
 This place isn’t your final destination . Why did you have to
stop here, and where are you ultimately headed?
 How did you get to this ocean island?
 Why did the big one attack the old man?
 The old man’s shown you something, accidentally or
otherwise, that makes him worth saving to you. What is it?

Stakes
 Will the townsfolk leave without a fight?
 Will the old man survive?
 Why are the villagers so paranoid?

Rumours
 The tides are coming in more than they’re going out.
 Daily baptisms in saltwater will keep the demons away.
 This land is sacred to the elements.

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Who is the big villager?
1. Carlos Gillespe, a farmhand
2. Jens Adrison, a known liar
3. Christof Cockles, a fisherman
4. Whalos Adams, a travelling merchant
5. Dickard Roose, a clever academic
6. Matthias Van Hamilfast, a man with a secret job
Solitary, Intelligent
Tools of the trade (b[1d6] damage) 6 HP 1 Armour
Close

The town
Dios Via is a semi-waterborne town comprising most of an
island in the Tyranean sea. It’s people are descended from the
island’s original inhabitants and generations of roving sailors
who by chance made landfall here. The town is always under
threat of discovery, whether by pirates or worse.
By default, Dios Via is prosperity: moderate, population:
steady, defences: watch, trade: fish and salt, personality: the
wise man. In addition, pick two complications:
 The island is well-hidden, but isolated: +safe, -trade
 Pirates know of the island: +blight (piracy)
 The corruption from the temple has already spread to this
town: -population, +blight (Oceanic corruption)
 The island folk’s magic is powerful, but no substitute for a
town watch: -defences, +arcane
 The island lacks arable land: +need (grain), +trade (passing
merchant vessels)

5
A desecrated
temple, sunset
The temple is miles from the coast, yet the walls are covered
with seaweed and coral. The sigil lies untouched on the altar,
just like the old man said, at the far end of the temple. Between
you and it, the floor is flooded ankle-deep with seawater. In
places, the water is somehow flowing upwards - it’s already
formed a swirling whirlpool on the ceiling.

Questions
 Which of you knows the old man, and why do you owe him
a favour?
 Which god is the sigil dedicated to? (Perhaps Saint
Bellomere, Cuccino the harvest spirit, or Death Unrefined.)
 How might the sigil be used to cleanse the temple?
 Where have the “coral demons” struck before?

Stakes
 What will come out of the portal?
 What happens when the sigil is used?
 What influence does the sigil’s god still hold, and will it help
or hinder the players?
 Who or what has corrupted the temple, and why?

6
Coral Demons
Dessicated water elementals. Their existence on this plane is
difficult, but not impossible. Instinct: to maintain a foothold in the
drylander’s world
Group, Intelligent, Organised
Salt-stained trident (d8 damage) 8 HP 1 Armour
Close
 Reform from a water source
 Drag someone into the portal
 Launch a chunk of shrapnel-like coral

Treasures of the temple

1. A rusted spear that once pierced the cheek of a demon.
2. The drowned remains of the temple’s chief priest.
3. A book of holy sacraments, written in blood.
4. The peasant’s last offerings for a mild winter - clay pottery,
simple tokens, rotten fish and coin.
5. The tomb of the temple’s founder, long since dead.
6. An urn of fresh spring water, somehow free of corruption.
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The Ocean!
She’s a fickle lass,
Through times of calm or
strife.
Though nowhere in my
travels
Have I found a fairer wife.
- OLD SAILOR’S POEM
A battlefield, late
evening
You stand on this former battlefield, an eerie disquiet in the air
in the aftermath of the old man’s abduction. His final words still
echo in your ears: “remember the rites!” For now you’re in no
danger, but there’s no telling what his abductor is capable of.
What do you do?

Questions
 What denizen of the Oceanic plane abducted the old man?
 Why are you compelled to get him back?
 Other than the old man, what did you lose in the fight
against the elemental’s allies? (If it was something
significant or irreplaceable - GM’s call - mark experience.)
 Who’s still conscious enough for you to get some answers
out of, maybe?
 Which of you has been to the Oceanic plane before? Why
aren’t you looking forward to the prospect of returning?

Stakes
 Will the old man be returned safely?
 What is the abductors plan? Will the PCs foil it?
 Will somewhere be consumed by the Oceanic plane?

10
Creating a rift between planes
Anyone who knows the appropriate rites (symbols, phrases
and gestures) can attempt to create a portal from one plane of
existence to another. In order to do so, you’ll need at least one
of the following (for each of the below, hold 1:)
 The willing aid of another with knowledge in these matters
 The blood (or ichor, or whatever) from a denizen of the
plane you’re going to
 The blessing of a god whose domain overlaps with both
where you are now and wherever you’re going
 (If your current plane has a sun and moon) The right time -
cold planes are best travelled to at midnight; warm planes
are best travelled to at midday
When you attempt to create a rift, roll+hold. Take -1 if you’re
trying to make a portal stable enough for yourself and others.
On a 10+, the rift is pretty stable - it will harmlessly dissipate
in about 10 minutes. On a 7-9, it’ll require someone on this
side to keep it open; to dive through a rapidly closing portal
is to defy danger. On a 6-, the portal is wildly unstable - not
everyone gets through without leaving something behind, or
something unexpected gets in or out.

11
the Oceanic Plane,
time unknown
You lie soaking wet on a bulwark of wet sand and coral. All
around you is water - the horizon, the walls, almost everything
but where you stand.
You remember the roar of the ocean, a hunt of some kind... your
quarry! You chased something down here.

Questions
 What do you remember of the chase?
 Have you travelled across the elemental planes before?
 What evidence of your quarry do you see around you?
 There’s another ‘bubble’ of dry land a short swim away.
What do you see in there that might cause trouble?

Impressions
 Fragments of wherever you came from
 Bubbles of dry land, some within swimming distance
 The aquatic denizens of this plane
 Walls of translucent water
 Coral buildings
 Bio-luminescent seaweed
 Most of Finding Nemo, especially the bit near the start
with the singing manta ray guy

12
Custom moves
When you swim from one bubble of land to another, roll
+CON. On a 10+, you get across no problem. On a 7-9, you’re
wheezing for breath when you get there. On a miss, if you
don’t leave something of the GM’s choice floating free, you’re
drowning.

What lore do you know of the Oceanic plane?

(When they spout lore, on a 7+ they know at least one.)
 It’s elemental people are no more ‘demons’ than we are,
though they may look as such.
 Natives of the planes might see our world and it’s peoples
as a curiosity, a threat, or a resource.
 The ecosystem of our world and the planes are
intertwined.

Wandering monsters of the Oceanic Plane

(For when the players roll a 6-)
Krakenson: half squid, half elemental (don’t ask where they
came from.) Usually has 6 to 8 arms, depending on the father.
Solitary, Intelligent, Organised, Arcane
Psuedopods (b[1d8] damage) 12 HP 1 Armour
Reach
 Wrap someone up
 Drag someone into the depths
 Vomit forth inky water
 Squeeze through tiny gaps

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