Underwater Adventures 

  1. Underwater adventures may be had in salt or fresh water, swimming, walking on the bed of the sea, lake or river, or in flooded passages or sewers.  These rules apply to Beings who are submerged in water in any of these ways.  They do not apply (except as stated) to Beings in air bubbles or pockets.
  2. Maximum movement rates for People are as follows:
    Swimmer Melee Travelling Combat Penalty Thief Penalty
    non-swimmers 1 ft/sec 0.5 mph / 4 DL10
    inexperienced swimmers 3 ft/sec 2 mph / 2 DL3
    experienced swimmers 6 ft/sec 4 mph none DL1
    sea folk (Camari or Sahuagin) 10 ft/sec 6 mph none DL0
  3. Encumbrance has normal effect on slowing swimming speeds.  But in addition each Dx minus from armour worn (each full 300 wt pts of encumbrance from armour worn) gives -1 ft/sec to swimming speed (and causes the swimmer to sink at the speed so reduced, though this may be countered by swimming upwards).
  4. Walking on the bed of the sea, lake or river is at half normal movement rates.
  5. Air breathers require a Water Breathing Spell or effect to be able to breathe underwater.  Water Breathing normally functions in either salt or fresh water.  Sea Folk have Water Breathing as an innate ability.
  6. Beings with Water Breathing can talk and cast Spells underwater normally.
  7. Fire Spells do not produce any fire effects underwater.  Lightning Spells produce their electrocuting effect throughout the water at up to Range * 2d4.  Air Spells produce air bubbles, and may be severely reduced in effect.
  8. Combat Penalties (as per 2. above) apply to Fighting when swimming or walking on the bottom.  They ratio A, P, D, RD, B, S & T.  In addition the following penalties apply to use of specific weapons:
    Weapon Penalty
    Daggers none
    Short Swords -5% to A
    other Swords & Curved Swords -10% to A
    Axes -10% to A
    Maces & Hammers -10% to A
    Picks -5% to A
    Whips & Flails ineffective
    Staves -15% to A
    Spears & Tridents none
    Polearms -15% to A
    Nets none to A, Range / 3
    Bolas -5% to A, Range / 3
    Hand to Hand none
    All Ranged Weapons, except underwater crossbows or harpoons ineffective
    underwater crossbows or harpoons none to A, Range / 3
    All Thrown Weapons ineffective
  9. Underwater Crossbows are specially made to resist water and fire underwater, but are otherwise standard Crossbows, not requiring a separate Weapon Specialisation.  They can cost 5 to 10 times the price of conventional crossbows, and can only be purchased from specialist armourers or the Sea Folk.
  10. Steel Armour will quickly rust underwater.  The Sea Folk (when they wear any armour at all) therefore prefer bronze armour, which has ADS 4322222234 and weighs 10% more than the equivalent steel armour.  The Sahuagin have greater access to such armour than the Camari.
  11. Thief Penalties (as per 2. above) apply to Thievish Activities when swimming or walking on the bottom.  They give a DL to all Activities, in addition to other applicable DLs.
  12. Encounters may be had Underwater in accordance with the Underwater Encounter Tables.  If significant blood is spilt (any Bleeding result in Combat) undersea, there is a 5-25% chance of attracting sharks, depending on how prevalent they are in the area.  The Sea Folk favour using blade venoms or paralysing agents on their weapons, which minimises the spilling of blood.
  13. The Great Ocean is up to c250 miles deep around Mt. Anar.  There are no water pressure effects in Anarea, but the Light Intensity drops to -3 in the ocean depths, as in the depths of the earth.

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