100 Uses for a Flask of Oil

 100 Uses for a Flask of Oil

(A list I originally created on Reddit: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/d100/comments/178hgty/d100_uses_for_a_flask_of_oil/)

Since the original “Basic Equipment and Costs” list in the "0 Edition" White Box DnD set (Volume 1, ”Men and Magic,” page 13, copyright 1974), the legendary Flask of Oil has been used by brave adventurers to overcome insurmountable obstacles and thwart unimaginably deadly foes. A few of the most common, mundane uses for this inflammable, slippery liquid are listed below as items 1.--5. In what other, creative ways have you and your players used the mighty Flask of Oil?

(Note: Some uses require mineral oil, others vegetable oil, as appropriate.)

1. Refuel a lantern or lamp

2. Light oil with flint and steel (from a tinderbox) to start a campfire in wet/damp conditions.

3. Throw as a missile weapon to break upon a foe, throw a torch upon the foe, foe is toast

4. Clean and rust-proof weapons and armor

5. Empty on the floor, as grease, to cause foes to slip and fall prone

6. Oil a door to open it quietly (u/d20an)

7. Mix with flour, yeast & water to make bread (u/d20an)

8. Swirl in a frying pan to create a Poor-Man's +1 Pan of Non-Sticking (u/d20an)

9. Take a teaspoon as a laxative to speed the passage of poison from the body (u/d20an)

10. Clean and maintain leather equipment (u/d20an)

11. Waterproof oilskins, tarps, tents, etc. (u/d20an)

12. A refreshing beverage for Dragonborn (u/sonofabutch)

13. Used by alchemists as a solvent for organic compounds (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

14. Mix with pigments and dyes to make oil-based paints (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

15. Use a trade goods--buy low, hoard, sell high, get rich! (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

16. Empty out the oil and use the flask to hold something else that is more valuable/important (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

17. Grease gears of a machine or axels of carts/wagons to improve operation (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

18. Mix with herbs to make a healing tincture (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

19. Grease yourself up so you can squeeze through a tight passage or slide down a sloping passage quickly (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

20. Use the oil to soak a rag and make a torch (u/IamTechnicallyHuman)

21. Survive a blizzard--If no wood is available for a campfire, remove your metal helmet and wedge it in the dirt, upturned, like a bowl. Pour a flask of oil into the helmet and light with a tinderbox. Huddle over the helmet for warmth, like hobos around a metal drum. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

22. Pour a perfumed flask of oil into a fancy crystal decanter and use as a gift to bribe a member of the royal court. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

23. Pour oil on the hinges, lock and edges of doors rusted shut or swollen stuck to ease opening. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

24. Pull off a hoax: Rogues/Bards, use deception to convince the merchant, wizard, etc., that you are selling them a powerful potion when, in fact, you're simply selling them a cheap flask of oil. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

25. Create a wall of fire to defend a castle--Pour a layer of oil on top of the water of the castle moat, light with torch. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

26. Flaming oil trap--Tie a flask of oil above a door or to a tree limb. When foes pass through door or under tree limb, shoot flask with a flaming arrow. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

27. For greater range, lie on back and shoot flask from giant "foot slingshot." When flask lands, shoot with flaming arrow. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

28. Mix with a flask of vinegar and herbs for +1 salad dressing. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

29. Prevent Regeneration--Pour on troll parts and light with a torch. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

30. Oil floats. Lash together multiple flasks to make a raft. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

31. Oil floats. Put multiple flasks in a backpack and wear on your front as a personal floatation device. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

32. Detect Invisible--Uncork flask, spin in a circle, spewing the oil wildly about to detect nearby invisible objects/creatures. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

33. Oil your arms and legs to thwart grapple attacks. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

34. Make an Oil and Water Puzzle--A treasure lies behind a locked stone door at the end of a tunnel filled with water. The lock mechanism is in the roof of the tunnel in front of the door. If the lock is in contact with air or water, it will not open. Open a flask of oil under the lock, oil floats up, displacing water, lock opens. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

35. Pour on your wrists to increase chances of escaping handcuffs. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

36. Poor Man's Flamethrower--Get a large, thick leather flask. Fill with oil and seal. Put a hole in the flask, hold under your arm and squirt a stream of oil. Light the stream with a torch. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

37. Coat a wall or ceiling with oil to prevent people/creatures from climbing it. (u/World_of_Ideas)

38. Use as deep frying oil, for frying a turkey, etc. (u/World_of_Ideas)

39. Mix with egg yolks and a few other ingredients to make mayonnaise. (u/World_of_Ideas)

40. Make a Molotov Cocktail with a flask of oil, a rag, and a tinderbox. (u/World_of_Ideas)

41. Oil your hair to style it or hold it in place. (u/World_of_Ideas)

42. Store certain alchemical components in oil to prevent explosive reaction with the oxygen in the air. (u/World_of_Ideas)

43. Use as a wood finish to increase the value of furniture. (u/World_of_Ideas)

44. In the way of the ancient Romans, use oil as soap, together with a stirgil, to clean the body. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

45. Use to oil the cogs, springs and sprockets of a tinker's creation. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

46. Save the castle!--The orc horde rushes the castle gate. The command is given: "Lower the portcullis!" But . . . it's stuck! Smash a flask of oil into the portcullis mechanism just in time to unstick the portcullis and save the day!

47. Used by Warforged during long rests as part of daily body cleaning/maintenance. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

48. As a critically-necessary fuel for an infernal, tracked, war machine. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

49. Used by owlin during daily preening to waterproof their feathers. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

50. Bubble slowly in a large cauldron, with toil and trouble, as the first component of witches' stew. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

51. Use in a glass jar to preserve the brains of unfortunate experimental victims in a mad scientist's lab. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

52. Use "Ceramic Jar Filled with Cooking Oil" as an item in a random list of kitchen items. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

53. Mix a flask of oil with sweet smelling flowers and herbs for a bardic perfume. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

54. Used by clerics as Holy Oil to anoint the heads of worthy paladins. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

55. The peasants say that some clerics punish heretics by boiling them in oil. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

56. The primary trade product resulting from the distillation of petroleum discovered deep in a dwarven mine. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

57. Create an aromatic culinary oil by adding minced garlic and crushed rosemary, or the spices of your choice, to use as a seasoning for otherwise-bland meals. (u/Chrontius)

58. Sabotage a potion, alchemical mixture, ritual ingredient, etc., by secretly adulterating with oil. (u/World_of_Ideas)

59. Castle defense - Boil a large cauldron of oil and dump it on invaders that come near the wall. (u/World_of_Ideas)

60. Destroy/sabotage a written work (books, scrolls, etc.) - pour oil on the pages causing the ink to bleed, run, fade, or dissolve. (u/World_of_Ideas)

61. Pour on stuck body parts to facilitate escape from spider webs or a glue trap. (u/World_of_Ideas)

62. Move heavy objects more easily- coat floor or object before trying to push or pull the object across the floor. (u/World_of_Ideas)

63. Fake blood - Add red dye and use as fake blood to fake an injury or to scare people. (u/World_of_Ideas)

64. Improvised fuse--poor out a line of oil from an explosive or flammable object/substance. Light it and run! (u/World_of_Ideas)

65. Slope detection - pour a little bit on the ground and see if it pools or runs. (u/World_of_Ideas)

66. Note hanger - Dab a small dot of oil on the wall, then press a piece of paper to the oil to get it to stick to the wall. (u/World_of_Ideas)

67. Thief indicator - Coat a object that a thief wants to steal. When it gets stolen. Gather all the suspects in one place and look for the person who has oil on their hands or cloths. (u/World_of_Ideas)

68. Tiny crawling insect barrier - Put a line or ring of oil on the ground. Tiny insects get stuck in it when they try to cross the line. If anything does start to get through it, you can always light it on fire. (u/World_of_Ideas)

69. Tracking - Poor on ground where a (person, creature) will step in it. Follow the footprints they leave behind. (u/World_of_Ideas)

70. Write a message - Dab your finger in the oil, then finger paint your message on a surface. If you want the message to be more visible, blow dust, powder, or sand across it. The dust sticks to the oil and blows away from the surface that is not coated. (u/World_of_Ideas)

71. Massage an NPC with oil to gain an advantage on Charisma/Manipulation/Charm rolls when trying to convince them or extract information from them. Get them loosey-goosey! (u/Lanky-Ad2763)

72. The key spell component when summoning an Oil Elemental! (u/World_of_Ideas)

73. Open flask and splash oil in your opponents face, temporarily blinding them. (u/World_of_Ideas)

74. Repellant--Pour bad (tasting, smelling) oil on self to deter a predatory creature from eating you. (u/World_of_Ideas)

75. Sunscreen - certain oils have an SPF rating and will protect vs harmful UV radiation. (u/World_of_Ideas)

76. Coat an attached tick or leach to make it release its hold on you. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

77. Slip-N-Slide Contest--Bards: Entertain the village kids in a dry/desert environment by pouring flasks of oil on an unfurled bolt of leather 10 meters long and seeing which kid can slide the farthest! (u/ProfBumblefingers)

78. Thoroughly coat a harpy's (or other feathered flyer) feathers in oil to prevent it from flying. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

79. Poor man's fireball--Throw a flask of oil into the air, perhaps in the direction of a foe. Your archer friend shoots it with an arrow, breaking the flask in mid-air. Your wizard friend hits the oil in mid-air with the Gust spell, turning the oil into a fine mist in the air. You shoot the oil mist with a flaming arrow. BOOM, fireball. Probably less explosive force than the Fireball spell, but an impressive ball of fire nonetheless. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

80. Boil oil in a pot for a delightful fondue! (u/ProfBumblefingers)

81. Use as lip balm in freezing weather. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

82. Used as spell component by alchemists to make magical weapon oils. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

83. Oil Wrestling--It is said that on festival days, Barbarians engage in Contests of Strength in which they oil their naked bodies and attempt to grapple their opponents and pin them to the ground. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

84. Coat arrow tips for flaming arrows. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

85. Coast a sword with oil an set alight for a poor-man's Flaming Sword. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

86. Preserving Fish and Produce--Use for preserving sardines, tuna, tomatoes, olives, etc., in jars. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

87. Sharpen a blade--Use as honing oil with a whetstone to produce a keen edge on a knife, dagger, sword or other edged weapon. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

88. Mark your trail--Drip on the ground or underbrush to leave a trail that allies can follow, or to mark the explored portions of a maze. (u/World_of_Ideas)

89. Hide glass objects (crystals, crystal balls, goblets, etc.) in oil to make them disappear (check it out: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/now-you-see-it-testing-out-light-refraction/) (u/ProfBumblefingers)

90. Remove oxygen from a room--Put a pile of oil flasks in a room. Light with a flame. Leave the room, shut the doors, and seal the cracks around the doors. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

91. It is said that some goblins coat themselves in a flask of oil and then roll in dirt (or worse) to intimidate and frighten their enemies because . . . goblins. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

92. Find a long, strong, tube (maybe the small intestine of a fearsome creature). Use flasks of oil to fill the tube with oil. Now you have a hydraulic line. It is said that Dwarven and Gnomish engineers can use hydraulic lines to make contraptions that can move/push/lift heavy loads. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

93. As any good alchemist knows, a flask of petroleum oil is about 6% still gas and hydrocarbon gas liquids. So, distillation of about 20 flasks of oil produces one flask of . . . flammable gasses. What would you do with a flask of flammable gasses? Hmm . . . up to you. (boom?) (u/ProfBumblefingers)

94. Save the Whales!--Organize the import of flasks of vegetable or mineral oil into a coastal town to replace whale oil. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

95. Fight Climate Change!--Organize the replacement of petroleum oil in the region with flasks of vegetable oil! (u/ProfBumblefingers)

96. Cause a distraction in town--Throw a flask of oil in a waste bin and light it up. Yell "Fire!" (Meanwhile, your rogue buddy picks the lock on the jail cell, or robs the bank.) (u/ProfBumblefingers)

97. Bards--Use a flask of oil to wet a client's cuticle beds as the finishing step of a fantastic manicure! (+1 Persuasion?...) (wife of u/ProfBumblefingers)

98. Pull off a pick pocketing--Rogues, use slight-of-hand to steal a potion from the belt of backpack of a mark by substituting a flask of oil for a potion. Same weight and feel--they won't even notice until you are long gone! (u/ProfBumblefingers)

99. Tavern Game: "Pop the Oil Flask"-- An oil flask is hung high above a lit candle placed in a stone fire pit with an uncooked roast on a spit. Contestants stand on the other side of the tavern and throw darts in an attempt to pop the flask of oil. On a hit, the oil falls on the candle and starts a fire, which eventually cooks the roast. Everyone cheers and has a drink. The "flask popper" gets free drinks for the night. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

100. Fuel for the breath weapon of a Red Dragon. (u/ProfBumblefingers)

The Legendary 10-Foot Pole

Since the original DnD White Box set in 1974 (page 13, Basic Equipment and Costs), the legendary Ten-Foot Pole has been a vital piece of adventuring gear.  How can you use this innocuous yet mighty implement to overcome harrowing challenges and win the day?  (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/16k6ddx/how_have_you_used_the_tenfoot_pole/)

• Probe the floor for traps. Always. (or trip a trap from 10 feet away)
• In a pinch, chop it up for firewood (especially useful in cold climates).
• Poke a door from 10 feet away.
• Whack the smile off that witch/harpy as she tries to fly over you.
• Poke a treasure chest (mimic?) from 10 feet away.
• Keep hostile animals (wolves, lions, etc.) at bay, 10 feet away.
• Prop open the mouths of giant creatures as they are about to chomp you.
• Whack an ooze, over and over; your pole eventually dissolves away, but not until you've whacked the heck out of that ooze!
• Whack the heck out of a rust monster without destroying your metal weapons.
• Bridge a pit or chasm (up to 10 feet); lash together two 10 foot poles to bridge larger pits or chasms.
• Stick it out a 2nd story window in town and shinny down it.
• Lash a dagger to the end of it and make a pike to counter a horse charge.
• Lash a torch or lantern to the end of it and stick it down a dark hole to look around.
• Lash a mirror to it and use it to look around a corner from a distance.
• Use it [rogues] as a balance pole to help you walk across a tightrope.
• Whirl it around you like a pinwheel to knock swarms of bats/stirges out of the sky.
• Use it as a mast to make a sail when your ship sinks and you're floating on an endless sea on a raft made from broken ship timbers.
• Sharpen one end of it to form a long wooden stake and charge, yelling like a wild man, straight at that arrogant vampire and stab it straight through the heart! (longest wooden stake he ever saw, and the last wooden stake he will ever see!)

A Deck of Many Things for lower-level/tier play

 

Many bloggers comment that the Deck of Many Things is a fun magic item, but one that is very powerful and "swingy," potentially a game breaker, especially at lower levels.  I offer the less powerful deck below as an example of a deck that could be used for lower-level/tier play.  The name of each card is in bold with a description of the effect following.

Balance: You enjoy +2 Dexterity for one day.

Comet: By the end of the day, you may cast the Fireball spell, once, out of your finger, no matter who you are.

Donjon: You may cast Private Sanctum at will, once before the end of the day.

Euryale: The card's medusa-like visage curses you. The card casts the Flesh to Stone spell on you. (note: maximum duration is 1 minute)

The Fates: Reality's fabric unravels and spins anew, allowing you to re-roll one roll as if it never happened. You can use the card's magic as soon as you draw the card or at any other time before the end of the day.

Flames: Faerie Fire is cast on you. It lasts for 24 hours. You may cast the Burning Hands spell once by the end of the day.

Fool: You suffer -3 Wisdom for one day.

Gem [make different versions of this card for the different types of gems]: The gemstone featured on the card varies randomly. Roll d10 on the table below each time the card is drawn to determine the gem depicted:

1. Opal--Milky white opaque gem. Cast Fog Cloud spell once by end of the day.

2. Amber--Deep yellow gem transparent gem with small fossilized insect trapped inside. Transfers 1d8 hit points from one foe to the holder of the card (who gains them as temporary hp) once per day.

3. Pearl--Grants water breathing and 30 feet swim speed for one day.

4. Lapis lazuli--Deep creamy blue gem. Grants ability to fly for 10 minutes.

5. Amethyst--Translucent purple. The holder may force any creature within 5 feet to speak the truth for 10 minutes.

6. Topaz-- Translucent orange yellow. Cures one disease for one creature within 30 ft.

7. Jade--Medium creamy green gem. Lucky--allows holder to reroll any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and choose the more favorable outcome.

8. Emerald--Deep transparent green gem. You may cast each of the Entangle, Barkskin and Thorn Whip spells once by the end of the day.

9. Ruby--Deep transparent red gem. Grants fire resistance to holder for one day, and holder may cast Flame Bolt spell once by the end of the day.

10. Diamond--Crystal clear sparkling gem. The holder may turn invisible for 10 minutes once before the end of the day.

Idiot: You suffer -3 Intelligence for one day.

Jester: Your sense of humor is improved. Enjoy +2 bonus to Charisma for one day. You may cast the Hideous Laughter spell twice by the end of the day.

Key: Unlock one non-magical lock (100% success) by the end of the day.

Knight: You gain +1 AC and +2 on all to hit rolls for one day.

Moon: You gain the wisdom of the moon: +3 Wisdom for one day.

Rogue: You are proficient in Hiding and Pickpocketing for one day. (If already proficient, your proficiency bonus increases by 2 for these actions for one day.) You may Backstab once (with proficiency) by the end of the day.

Ruin: Everything on your person disappears, replaced by beggar's clothing, for one day (after which your gear reappears on your person).

Skull: You have a momentary vision of the Grim Reaper, who smiles at you. You suffer -3 Constitution for one day.

Star: You shine at your chosen skills. Your proficiency bonus increases by 2 for one day.

Sun: You gain double Experience Points for one day.

Talons: You immediately suffer 1d4*(your level) slashing damage.

Throne: For one day, you gain proficiency in the Persuasion, Deception and Intimidation skills (or, if you already have these skills, double your proficiency bonus). You can cast the Command spell once by the end of the day.

Vizier: For one day, you gain proficiency in History, Nature, Religion and Investigation skills (or, if you already have these skills, double your proficiency bonus). You can cast the Augury spell once by the end of the day.

The Void: For 1d4 hours, your mind is lost in the void. You lose the ability to do anything but respond to the command "come" [follow us] spoken to you by your friends / party members.

Interactive Objects

Light switches in Gillette Castle.
Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 

General classes of objects with which PCs might interact, and the actions PCs might take to interact with the objects.  Inspired by:

https://www.reddit.com/r/d100/comments/15on8bl/lets_build_d100_interactive_hazards_to_add_to_an/

1.  button (push to activate, push again to de-activate)

2.  switch (flip up or down)

3.  lever (push forward, pull backward)

4.  dial (turn to particular number)

5.  pull string/chain/rope (pull to turn on, pull again to turn off)

6.  valve/faucet/spigot (turn clockwise or counterclockwise)

7.  knob (push or pull)

8.  lid (lift to open or shut to close; twist to open or close)

9.  crank (turn clockwise or counterclockwise)

10.  pocket (on a garment, etc.) (look inside, or not)

11.  drawer (pull open, push close)

12.  door (pull or push)

13.  pressure plate (step on to activate, step again to de-activate)

14.  cork/stopper (remove or insert)

15.  screw (turn the screw, or not)

16.  plug and socket (plug or unplug it)

17.  plug in a drain (plug or unplug it)

18.  pump (like on a water well, or on some shampoo bottles) (pump it, or not)

19.  wires (cut them, or not)

20.  wire ends (connect them, or not)

21.  trip wire (break it, or not)

22.  beam of light (interrupt the beam, or not)

23.  steering wheel, ship's wheel, etc. (turn clockwise or counterclockwise)

24.  curtain (pull it back, or close it, or not)

25.  ladder/stairs (ascend/descend, or not)

26.  flag (unfurl/wave it, or not)

27.  chair/throne/etc. (sit in it, or not)

28.  turn key (twist clockwise or counterclockwise)

29.  veil (lift or not)

30.  window shutters/shade/blinds (open or close)

31.  skin/covering (peel or not)

32.  torch/lantern/stove/forge/campfire (light or not light or exgtinguish)

33.  bridge (cross or not cross)

34.  doorway/archway/portal (pass through, or not)

35.  dice (roll them, or not)

36.  game pieces (chess, etc.) (move them, or not)

37.  playing cards (face down--turn it over, or not; hand of cards--look at them, or not)

38.  spinner (like on a board game) (spin it, or not)

39.  musical instrument (horn, harp, pipes, etc.) (play it, or not)

40.  song/poem/piece of music/theatrical play (perform it, or not)

41.  food/liquid/potion (eat it, or not; drink it, or not)

42.  scroll/runes/writing (read it, or not)

43.  mirror/painting/crystal ball (look into it, or not)

44.  fog/mist/etc. (step into it, or not)

45.  gift/present (open it, or not)

46.  crate/barrel/box/etc. (open it, or not)

47.  instructions telling you how to do something (do it, or not)

48.  weird object (touch it, or not; lift it, or not)

49.  vapor (sniff it, or not)

50.  dead carcass (cut it open to scavenge it, or not)

51.  knot / bow(on a present) (untie it, or not)

52.  zipper (open or close it)

53.  button or snap (like on a shirt) (open or close it)

54.  armor/clothing/hat/shoes/belt/etc. (put it on, or not)

55.  weapon (pick it up or wield it, or not)

56.  roll (of paper/cloth, etc.) (unfurl it, or not)

57.  spritzer/spray bottle/etc. (spray it, or not)

58.  puzzle pieces (put them together, or not; take them apart, or not)

59.  hole (reach into it, or not)

60.  wall/fence/cliff (climb it, or not; tunnel under it, or not)

61.  stream/river (attempt to cross it, or not) (wade,swim,make raft, etc.)

62.  chute/slide (jump into it and see where it goes, or not)

63.  privacy/dressing screen (in a bedroom) (look behind it, or not)

64.  smoking pipe (smoke it, or not)

65.  glasses/goggles/etc. (look through them, or not)

66.  weak/damaged/fragile item (weak bridge/floor/bottle/etc.) (risk breaking it, or not)

Adrift! A harrowing mini-adventure at sea.

Drake's ship with billowing sales, 1588.
Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

Adrift! A harrowing mini-adventure at sea.

Overview: The PCs' ship sinks at sea, and they must assemble a raft and survive until rescued.

Set Sail! (d8)--The adventure begins with the PCs on a ship at sea. If the DM has a hook that places the PCs on a ship at sea, then that can be used. If the DM needs a hook, roll 1d8 and consult the table below:

1. Coastal transport ship/ferry headed from one coastal town to the next, PCs are simply paying passengers

2. Fishing boat--PCs are working for fisherman to make extra coin, or working as guards if fish men, etc., are a threat

3. Merchant ship headed to foreign port, PCs are going to better jobs, pilgrimage, quest to find magic item, etc.

4. Merchant ship headed back to home port, PC's are merchants headed home with trade goods

5. Pirate ship headed out to raid, PCs are pirates

6. Warship headed to battle, PCs are crewmembers/mercenaries

7. Explorers' ship headed into uncharted waters, PC's are guards (fighters), ship chaplain (cleric), navigator (wizard), scoundrel crewmember (rogue).

8. Slave galley -- PC's are slaves (rowers), or slave guards.

J.M.W. Turner. The Shipwreck. 1805. Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

The Wreck (d12)--The ship sinks in the middle of the night while the PCs are sleeping. The reason is:

1. Iceberg (cold seas) Coral reef (warm seas)

2. Storm/Hurricane

3. Whirlpool

4. Rocks/Shoal/Sandbar

5. Collision with other ship (accident) in fog

6. Rammed by pirate ship. Pirates laugh and sail away.

7. Rogue wave

8. Huge underwater creature. Grabs a few NPCs for dinner and retires to its watery lair. Unimportant for rest of story.

9. Rot/worms (ship falls apart). Gotta do your maintenence, people.

10. Meteorite punches hole all the way through ship. Damn, what were the chances?

11. Huge waterfall due to upthrust fault in seafloor (ship goes over falls and breaks apart)

12. Ship cargo unbalanced, ship flips over. (Longshoremen were drunk. I know, improbable, right?)

Abandon Ship!--The PC's must quickly abandon the sinking ship in nothing but their underwear. In the chaos of darkness, screams, and raging water, each PC is able to hurriedly find and grab only two items (PC's choice) from their inventory. That's it! Into the water! [DM Option: The PCs gear can be recovered later, after the PCs are rescued. The rescuers found the PCs gear floating in trunks at sea, it was washed up on shore, or whatever.]

Flotsam and Jetsam (d100)--Splashing into the sea in their underwear, clutching their two items, the PC's watch their doomed ship slip beneath the sea. Luckily, broken pieces of the ship and many random items float in the water nearby. Each PC rolls 3 times on the table below to see what they can find in the water around them:

1. A wooden hull plank 1ft wide and 10ft long.
2. A leather belt
3. 50 ft of rigging rope
4. A pair of leather shoes, laces tied together
5. A 5x7 ft blanket
6. A 10x10 ft piece of sail
7. 2 flasks of whale oil
8. A wooden crate of hardtack sailors' biscuits (7 days for 3 people)
9. A keg of ale
10. A chicken
11. A small pig
12. A small child
13. A wooden shortbow
14. A tinderbox
15. Two soggy torches
16. Two decking boards, each 6"*10 ft
17. The ship's steering wheel, wooden, 4ft diameter
18. A large cloth sack
19. A rat
20. A cloth crew hammock (5x7ft)
21. A 20ft piece of rigging rope
22. A 20 ft long, 2 ft diameter piece of mast
23. A wooden bucket
24. A 60 ft piece of rope
25. A wooden crate of salted fish
26. A wooden crate of salted pork
27. A wooden fishing pole with line and hook
28. A bar of soap
29. A keg of fine wine
30. A keg of fresh water
31. A wooden oar
32. A 1'*2'*10' wooden piece of keel
33. 2"*1'*10' wooden piece of transom
34. 1"*4"*10' wooden rib
35. 2"*6"*12' wooden gunwale
36. 8'diameter*20' wooden boom
37. 2"*12"*20' thwart
38. 10'*10' rope cargo netting
39. A wooden foot stool
40. A wooden table top
41. A wooden door
42. A 100 ft piece of rope
43. A keg of cooking lard
44. The ship's tattered flag
45. A wooden chest (contains 4 sets of fine clothes)
46. A wooden chest (contains six daggers packed in sawdust)
47. A wooden chest (contains six bottles of rum packed in sawdust)
48. A wooden crate (filled with 48 candles packed in sawdust)
49. Halyard rope 40'
50. Wooden yardarm pole 10inch diam*30'
51. Wooden crate of 36 arrows packed in sawdust.
52. A waterskin half-filled with fresh water
53. A 20ft*20ft section of cargo net
54. A bewildered mahi fish--grab him!
55. A cloth cloak
56. A cloth robe
57. A scared dog
58. A jellyfish (50% chance d4 sting damage)
59. A wooden mermaid from the ship's prow
60. A wooden shield
61. A 10' wooden pole
62. An old shirt
63. A dead crewmember (with only cloth pants and shirt)
64. A small crate of 2 dozen eggs packed in sawdust.
65. A live mermaid who gives you a tip--compass direction to closest land
66. A pair of sturdy woolen socks
67. A soggy, 1st level wizard spell scroll
68. A soggy, 1st level cleric spell scroll
69. A 3*3ft portion of a navigation map
70. A cargo hook stuck in a crate lid
71. A ship captain's hat
72. A treasure map
73. A crate of mermaid fins (highly offensive to mermaids)
74. A crate full of wine bottle corks
75. A leather backpack
76. The ship's log book
77. A potion of healing (d6) in a stoppered leather flask
78. A potion of water breathing (10 mins)
79. A potion of swimming (1 hr)
80. A fishing gaff, 6 ft
81. A cast net, 8 ft diameter, for catching small bait fish
82. A mop for swabbing the decks!
83. A fishman trying to steal your stuff and then swim for safety!
84. A 1'*2'*10' wooden piece of keel
85. 2"*1'*10' wooden piece of transom
86. 1"*4"*10' wooden rib
87. 2"*6"*12' wooden gunwale
88. 8'diameter*20' wooden boom
89. 2"*12"*20' thwart
90. A cloth crew hammock (5x7ft)
91. A 20ft piece of rigging rope
92. A 20 ft long, 2 ft diameter piece of mast
93. A wooden bucket
94. A 30 ft piece of windlass rope
95. Two decking boards, each 6"*10 ft
96. A cask of fresh water
97. A 20'*10' piece of sail
98. A wooden crate with 6 cheese rounds
99. A cask of whale oil (for lamps)
100. A crate of hardtack sailors' biscuits

The Raft--Based on the items they scavenge from the water, the PC's must describe to the DM how they construct a survival raft. The raft will be the PC's home until they are rescued, reach shore, or die at sea.

Sixteenth-century_log_rafts_off_Puerto_Viejo,_Ecuador.
Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.

Sunburn--If the PC's are missing clothing, they suffer 1hp sunburn damage each day.

Water--The PC's need one gallon of water/beer/wine per person per day to avoid exhaustion. PC's gain one level if exhaustion each day they are without water. If it rains, PC's may attempt to collect rainwater using the items they have collected, and the DM can judge their success (choose a DC and roll). (For example, the PC's need a container and something to collect/channel rain into the container, or perhaps they can come up with a more creative idea.)

Food--The PC's need 2 pounds of food per day per person. Constitution and max hp are reduced by one point each for every three days without food. The PC's may attempt to fish if they have the equipment or can innovate a way to do so.

Fishing (d20)--If a PC chooses to fish, they must fish the whole day and do nothing else. For each PC fishing, roll on the following table and apply any applicable modifiers:

1-15. No catch

16-17. Food for 1 person 1 day

18. Food for 2 persons 1 day

19. Food for 4 persons 1 day

20. Food for 8 persons 1 day

Modifiers:

+/- Dex modifier

Fishing Skill/Proficiency +2

Fishing Line > 20 ft +2

Nothing for Bait -4

Nothing for Hook -4

Fishing along Sargassum Weed Line (see Random Encounters) +2

Mahi-mahi, tuna, or turtle swims by (see Random Encounters) +2

Strong winds or hurricane -2

Weather--Roll for weather each day. 50% chance weather remains the same as yesterday. If weather changes, roll 1d12 on table below (re-roll if you get the same weather as yesterday).

1. Hurricane (tremendous wind, rain and gigantic waves)
2. Storm (strong wind, rain and waves, frequent lightning, hail)
3. Heavy Rain (no wind)
4. Light Rain (no wind)
5. Clouds, Strong Wind
6. Clouds, Light Wind
7. Clouds, No Wind
8. Fog, Light Wind
9. Fog, Calm
10. Sun, Strong Wind
11. Sun, Light Wind
12. Sun, No Wind (Doldrums)

Random Encounters--Roll d6 once per day, and again once per night. On 1 or 2, there is an encounter; roll d100 on table below.

1. Giant Moonfish [if you kill it, food for 1d12 days for 4 people. skin can be harvested and glows like the moon at night, for 1d3 nights; if you don't kill it, it will slowly push the raft toward safety--increase chances of rescue to 1-3 on d12 daily rescue roll, see Rescue table below; PCs don't know this. Okay, maybe a druid knows this, DC 16 Wis check]
2. A flock of ducks fly by overhead. Within bow or sling range, if you have a bow or sling. [they are flying in the direction of land, DC 8 Wis check for druid or ranger to know this]
3. Large waterspout swirls toward you (might wreck your raft, might lose any stuff you have accumulated on your raft)
4. Whirlpool (might wreck your raft, you might drown) [if PCs are sailing, DC 12 Dex check to avoid; if PCs are rowing, DC 12 Strength check to avoid; if PCs are drifting, DC 14 Wisdom (praying) check to avoid, add any cleric's Wisdom modifier]
5. Flying Fish jump onto raft and flop around (free food! for 4 people for 1 day)
6. Jellyfish float by (roll 1d6: 1-2 stinging, 3-6 free food for 4 people for 1 day)
7. School of mahi-mahi school swims by (food! If you can catch them.)
8. School of tuna swims by (food! If you can catch them.)
9. Sharks circle the raft (d6: 1-3 they attack, 4-6 they don't) (you can eat shark, just sayin')
10. Killer whales (orcas) attack raft. You see their fins coming from 1/4 mile away. Not good.
11. Merfolk patrol riding seahorses observe you from a distance; they are wary. After observing for 30 minutes, they (d6: 1 attack, 2-3 just leave, 4-5 give each PC a few fish equivalent to 3 days of food, 6 say they will guide a rescue vessel in your direction--increase your chances of being rescued to 1-3 on the daily Rescue Roll)
12. Whippers circle the raft, bumping it, nudging it, making it wobble--don't fall in!
13. Whale swims within spear distance [if PCs slay it, food for a month and 20 flasks of oil, if they have container(s); if PCs befriend it, maybe it agrees to carry them inside its mouth to safety]
14. Sargassum seaweed line (roll 1d6: 1-3: mahi-mahi fish swimming beneath (food!), 4-5: nothing, just weed, 6: giant crab(s) beneath, waiting in ambush)
15. Wild herd of Giant Sea Horses (can you rope then and ride them to safety?)
16. School of large marlin fish swims by, jumping in and out of the water, passing right over your raft (food!, but they might spear you!)
17. Devil rays (Ixitxachitl). Just trying to pronounce it does 1 hp of damage.
18. Rocks ahead! If you don't avoid them, they wreck your raft. [if PCs are sailing, DC 12 Dex check to avoid rocks; if PCs are rowing, DC 12 Strength check to avoid rocks; if PCs are drifting, DC 14 Wisdom (praying) check to avoid rocks, add any cleric's Wisdom modifier]
19. Sandbar (in middle of ocean!)--raft is stuck on it (swarm of crabs in it, waiting in ambush; they attack, of course) (maybe pirates buried some treasure in the sandbar, maybe.) (maybe the pirates are coming back to retrieve any treasure they left on the sandbar, maybe)
20. You float over a relatively shallow bit of ocean. The sea floor is visible, about 100 feet down. You see a treasure chest on the bottom. Can you reach it? What is in it? Is it trapped?
21. Through the highly improbable constructive interference of multiple waves in a wave train, a single, large, powerful wave approaches [say, 40 feet high]. The wave is not about to crest, or break; it's just passing through. Can you ride/surf the wave to reach safety more quickly? [if the PCs figure out a way to ride the wave, increase their chances of being rescued to 1-3 on the daily d12 rescue roll, see Rescue table below]
22. Pirates attack and attempt to capture you and sell you as slaves
23. Pirates attack and attempt to kill you. Can you convince them to take all your gear back on shore as a ransom?
24. Everyone roll for seasickness (if sick, -3 all rolls)
25. Giant Albatross seen far above, doesn't see you. sigh.
26. Sea Turtles swim by! Food? or friends?
27. Double Rainbow far away (+1 lucky roll today)
28. Another raft of castaways drifts into view. (friend or foe?)
29. Your raft is drifting towards a mysterious, round, black hole in the surface of the ocean, about 20 feet in diameter. The surrounding water is not falling into the hole, but rather seems to go around it. The hole is bottomless black, with small, golden sparkles, like glitter, floating around inside. Do you go in, or attempt to go around? [The hole is a dimension door to another, identical hole, in the middle of another ocean. The PCs can go back and forth between the two oceans by using the holes. If a PC can read the stars [druid or ranger Wisdom check?], they can tell that the holes are in different oceans.]
30. Raft floats over reef [about 10 feet below surface of the water] with giant clams (chomp for d10 dam), some have valuable pearls inside.
31. Giant bank of sea foam, floating on the ocean, engulfs the raft. Zero visibility. Maybe something is hiding in there. Maybe not.
32. Iceberg (cold climate) or Coral Reef (hot climate). Avoid it, or your raft gets messed up.
33. Lighthouse far away, passes slowly by (sigh)
34. Sea Dragon (passes by far below, beneath the surface). Maybe it sees you, maybe not.
35. Giant Red Snapper Fish (turns over raft?, spear it?)
36. Whale attempts to swallow raft. Is it a bad whale trying to eat you, or a good whale trying to take you to safety inside its mouth?
37. You hear a weird clicking sound coming from under the water. It grows louder. Now the you mention it, it sounds like clicking pincers. Giant Crab attack!
38. A large, floating "raft of garbage" drifts by. Scavenge for food (2 days for 4 people, though a bit smelly) and another 3 items from the Flotsam and Jetsam table above! At least one Swarm of Crabs is probably in it, and Whippers are probably below it.
39. Bubbles from underwater vent (Raft loses buoyancy and falls through the bubbles (1d10)*10 feet, then the water rushes back in. You're now underwater, dude.)
40. You land on an island! ... inhabited by cannibals. (You hear drums.)
41. Zombie pirates attack from below. One of them is named Jak Sparrow.
42. Message in a bottle. A treasure map [adventure hook]. If only you had a boat (and your gear!).
43. Dead whale floats by. Scavenge it! Food and oil! (Probably something else scavenging the whale, too, something else that wants to eat you.)
44. Flock of giant, flying, killer, blue-footed boobies attacks. Beak attack, bludgeon attacks with blue, webbed feet, try to knock you off the raft.
45. Sirens attempt to lure you onto rocks and wreck your raft. And charm you into staying with them ... forever.
46. The current here is very strong and pushing the raft toward a narrow channel between two jagged reefs/rocks/cliffs that could wreck your raft and slash your pitiful bodies. [lots of Dex checks and Strength checks ensue]
47. Scylla (monster) and Charybdis (whirlpool). The current is taking you right between them.
48. One of the PCs has a vivid dream (night) or daydream (day) in which someone says "Release the Kraken!" The PC wakes up in a cold sweat and has the Frightened condition for one day.
49. Dragon flies by far overhead. Probably doesn't see you ... probably.
50. Harpies, a gaggle of filthy, stinking harpies, decide to toy with you, and maybe kill and eat you.
51. Koalinth cannibals on outrigger canoes. They are hungry, and they can row fast.
52. Meteorite shower--can you dodge them on your raft!
53. The End of the Rainbow-- you found it! Now bargain with the leprachon standing on the rainbow to get the treasure. Solve a riddle.
54. Wavy seas toss a character into the water (make DC 10 Dex save to catch hold of the raft as it drifts by, or make DC 10 Strength save to swim and catch up to the raft, PC's choice)
55. The motion of the wavy seas has loosened/broken whatever bonds you used to hold your raft together. The raft breaks into parts. Can you gather them and re-assemble your raft?
56. A rogue wave knocks a random item off the raft into the sea.
57. A rogue wave knocks a random PC into the sea.
58. Island to starboard! (turns out to be a mirage)
59. Crystal ooze slime monster slithers onboard. Probaly at night. Ew.
60. Drift into giant kelp forest. Raft gets stuck in the kelp. Easier to find food (+2 on fishing check rolls), but ... you're stuck in kelp, dude.
61. Drift into giant marsh grass estuary. Raft gets stuck in the grass. You can see land in the distance, on the horizon, like 10 miles across the marsh grass. The good news: lots of food--many waterfowl, small crabs, and fish. The bad news: lots of monsters like to live in the swampy estuary (because there is lots of food ... including you).
62. Killer seaweed attacks with grappling stalks! Attempts to strangle you, then absorb your nutrients as your body decomposes. Primative, but effective.
63. (1d10)*100 seagulls simultaneously attempt to perch on the raft (fight them off or 1-in-10 chance of capsizing raft per 100 seagulls)
64. Land ahead! But wind is blowing away from it. (If sailing, can you tack against the wind? [DC 16 Dex check]; If rowing, can you row *really* hard? [DC 16 Str check]; If drifting, can you pray *really* hard? [DC 16 Wis check for your god to change the direction of the wind, but only if you are a cleric])
65. Talking porpoises swim by and give you a tip/advice (Example: "Eat the mahi-mahi, not the mackerel, around here. The mackerel are really oily."]
66. Whale breaches water and falls on raft, breaking it in two, spilling everything into the sea (d6: 1-4 it was an accident, 5-6 on purpose)
67. Giant squid attacks ('nuf said)
68. Rot worms in salvaged wood from ship attack you while sleeping (as rot grubs)
69. If you have food, it's bad and makes you sick (DC 10 Const save, or Poisoned condition for 1 day)
70. Swordfish jump back and forth over raft, attempting to stab characters -- swordfight! (unrealistic, yes, but fun!)
71. Sea snakes slither onto raft--hisss!
72. Giant tube worm reaches up from seabed below to swallow the raft.
73. An item floats into view (Roll on Flotsam and Jetsam Table)
74. Music, laughing, singing wafts out of the fog--a party! A large merchant ship looms into view, collision course, distracted, they don't hear you (the party is too loud), cleaves your raft in two, disappears into the night ..
75. Two seals/walruses jump onto the raft! Er, now what?
76. Four lanterns in the fog--a ship! (actually, will-o-wisps)
77. A war galley of orcs approaches, goblin slaves do the rowing. Can you turn the goblins against the orcs?
78. "Starfish" fall from the sky, glowing, alight delicately upon the water, sink slowly to the depths below.
79. A group of 5+d20 coconuts float by (water and food!)
80. A ghost ship silently looms into view. Er, ghosts.
81. Phosphorescent mist--green (temporary insanity, think friends turn into monsters, you attack them)
82. Windsurfers (migrating island natives who use wooden surfboards with kites, wooden catamarans with sails, neutral alignment)
83. Northmen longboat, southmen dohw, or eastmen junk, depending on location. They can't stop to pick you up (they don't want to risk catching the plague from you), but they do throw you (roll 1d6): 1. a sack full of ballast rocks (they laugh at you as they sail away); 2. a small tent (can shield you from sunburn); 3. four water skins with a gallon of fresh water in each; 4. a ten-foot pole and a 10x10 ft piece of sail canvas; 5. a fishing pole, 40' of fishing line, and a fishing hook; 6. a sack with two days of food for four people,
84. Sahuagin Patrol. You are intruding on their territory, so of course they attack you, with nets [grappling attack] and tridents. They ride manta rays and blow a "war conch" when attacking on the surface. They can use the conch to summon a few sharks as allies, which they can command with telepathy. [Weakness--These Sahuagin are scared of magic; any magic spell that they can sense has the additional effect of a Cause Fear spell, as if a second Cause Fear spell were cast]
85. The PCs' raft drifts into a zone of Sleep Algae that exude an toxin that diffuses into the water and the air above. The toxin induces sleep, DC 14 Constitution save to avoid the effect, or nighty-night for 8 hours.
86. Elves in swanboat, on way to Avalon. Look down their noses at you, decline to help.
87. A squadron of paper lanterns appears in distance and float overhead (each has the message: Where are you? If an accurate answer is written in return and lantern released, when they disappear over the horizon, a Marid (water Genji) will arrive and teleport them to shore, in return for completing a quest)
88. A large Armor Fish swims along the boat. If it can be caught, it provides 12 days food for 4 people, and armor plates for a suit if lightweight plate armor.
89. A lone rock rises from the water--a dragon nest. Three dragon eggs are on the rock, together with d20*100 pearls and d20*10 aquamarine gems. Where's mama?
90. A young but unattractive lady is crying in a drifting rowboat (a Sea hag) (the rowboat has a capacity of 4 people)
91. Water spiders--They are large, but very light, with very long legs splayed out to the side. They run accross the surface of the water.
92. Water elemental--First appears as a thin, 15' high waterspout moving across the water *unconnected to any clouds above*. Wants everyone in the water. Uses bludgeon attacks to knock everyone into the water. Does not attack anyone in the water. Leaves after everyone is in the water.
93. Water mephit--[as the PCs are actively involved in some other activity on the raft] Suddenly, you notice a Water Mephit watching you from behind, arms folded on the edge of your raft, chin resting on arms, its scaly blue-green body in the water. It's large black eyes blink as it smiles at you. It beckons for you to bring your water containers to it. After filling them with clean, fresh water, it swims away with a pod of passing porpoises, jumping, splashing and frolicking.
94. Three entangled bodies from the PC's shipwreck float by ... one of them is now a Lacedon (sea ghoul), playing dead, but it's not dead ...
95. Water giant, riding a whale, passes by. Roll 1d6: 1-takes a swing at your raft with his club; 2-pauses, takes a long, hard, look at you, laughs heartily and passes you by; 3-the whale opens its mouth and returns two pieces of your gear (not two pieces per person, only two, the party's choice) that it found floating upon the sea; 4-asks his whale to do a whale song (but why? for what purpose?) ; 5-takes two goats out of his pocket and sets them on your raft (milk? food?); 6-hitches your raft to his whale and says he'll tow you to shore.
96. Merrow (fish men) scouting party. They are hungry and want to eat you. Attack with harpoons attached to their waists by long, strong, seaweed "vines." On a harpoon hit, they attempt to drag you into the water towards them [Strength contest to drag]. If you slay them, you can eat them--they taste like grouper.
97. Giant mosquitos (as stirges). Want to attach to you and suck your blood. Ew!
98. A dead "Eye of the Deep" floats by. The PCs can harvest its left eye to cast a Paralytic Ray [one use]. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The PCs can harvest its right eye to cast an Enfeeblement Ray [one use]. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or deal half damage with all attacks that use Strength for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
99. DM's choice: A brightly-glowing angel [or fiery, sparking, demon] streaks by overhead. If an angel, it tosses a cluster of 12 coconuts down to you [food and water for 4 people for 1 day] as it continues on to pursue more important business. If a demon, it tosses a mini Fireball [1d10 damage to all, save for half] at you.
100. A Sea God appears with words of wisdom [roll 1d6]: 1: every parent really should teach their kids how to swim, 2: I thought about not putting sharks in the sea, but they were just too cool, 3: on the one hand, the merrow (fish men) want to eat you, but on the other hand, you can eat them ... mm, fair, 4: you really should try to make a sail [if the PCs have a sail, then the god says rudder; if they have both, the god says it was smart to make a sail and rudder, I'll try to send you some wind], 5: I love to surf when no one's watching; hence, waves, 6: trying to sail [or row] that puny little raft across my big stormy ocean, I mean, really, what were you thinking!

Rescue--Each day, roll d12. On a roll of 1, you are rescued (maybe). Roll another d12 on the table below to determine the manner of your rescue.

1. Pirates "rescue" you and force you to join the crew. They like to bully you around.

2. You land on a deserted island. Great, just "a bigger raft." (but, it does have trees with fruits and nuts, a freshwater spring, and maybe small game, and maybe a monster ...)

3. You are found by a passing troop carrier. You are drafted and must join their army and fight in their war.

4. Giant albatrosses carry you to shore, a faraway, mysterious shore.

5. Your raft lands on a huge mudflat along a coast, one mile off a sandy beach. Mud is thick, difficult terrain, tide (10 ft deep) comes in every 12 hours (er, what time is it!)

6. Friendly Merfolk invite you to visit their realm and have a feast. They think you are fascinating and want you to stay ... forever.

7. You are found by a coastal patrol vessel. They are trying to catch smugglers. Are you friend or foe? ("Show us your I.D.!"--a humorous moment)

8. You are found by smugglers and offered a piece of the action. The smugglers are trying to avoid the coastal patrol vessel. Lawful good PCs may try to signal the patrol vessel to have the smugglers arrested.

9-10. You are found by a passing merchant vessel. What cargo are they carrying? The crew are secretly planning a mutiny. Do the PCs help or hinder the mutineers?

11-12. You are found by a passing fishing vessel or whaler. If a fishing vessel, your raft is caught in their nets, damaging them, before they notice you, and they are not happy about it. If a whaler, they have a whale harpooned, and the whale is dragging their vessel across the sea; they are waiting for the whale to tire before slaying and processing it. Whom do the PCs help, the whalers, or the whale?