Lightning on Dead Oars

One-Shot · 6 Players · Level 8 · ~3–3.5 hrs · Ghost Galley Boarding · Undead & Storm Constructs

Style: Undead boarders → Storm constructs → Shade admiral | Win: Destroy Admiral Lysander’s Shade and break the ghost ship’s hold

Ship: Main 40×50 + bow 15 + stern 25 = 90 ft · 15 ft ram · 2nd ship ghost galley (~80×30) to port · optional Charybdis under both.

"Drive this nail into dead wood that still rows — lightning loses its master, and bones remember the grave." — Lodestone Nail of Auster

Major Beats

Navigator Rhea + Lodestone Nail; mist clears mid-sea with ghost galley already to port.
Enc. 1: Bone rowers + lochagos board the party deck.
Enc. 2: Storm knights + Tempest Effigies — persuade or smash.
Enc. 3: Admiral’s shade on ghost stern; optional Charybdis pressure.

Creature / Enemy List

Creature	Easy	Med	Hard	Mini
Bone Rower (Skeleton)	4	6	9	×9
Bone Lochagos	1	1–2	2	×2
Storm Knight	1	2	3	×3
Tempest Effigy	2	3	4	×4
Admiral Shade (Boss)	adj	1	1	Captain + crown staging
Lesser Charybdis	—	opt	1	×2 (use 1)

Difficulty Scaling

Tier	Adjust
Easy	Fewer skeletons; 1 knight; Admiral HP 110, no Mast Arc
Medium ★	As written; Charybdis optional rd 3+
Hard	All 3 knights; Charybdis from rd 1; Admiral LR 3

Navigator Rhea delivers the Lodestone Nail . A storm-cursed galley runs silent under blue lightning. Dead rowers board; empty storm-hoplites still think they serve a living admiral. Drive the nail — and end Lysander’s shade. Main deck 40×50 ft · raised bow +15 ft · raised stern +25 ft · 90 ft total length (tapered ends) · center mast/sail · 15 ft ram at bow. Board supports up to 2 additional ships . Ghost galley (~80×30) to port, often grappled. Optional whirlpool under both if Charybdis escalates.

DM Tips

As Written ★ — 6 Players, Average Level 8: Baseline for this guide. Numbers, DCs, and win tracks assume six PCs at average level 8.
Easier: APL 4–6: reduce minion counts ~30%; DCs −2; boss loses one recharge or legendary option.
Harder: APL 10–12: boss HP +25–35%; +1 legendary action; add a lieutenant or extra wave.

Maguffin detail

Lodestone Nail of Auster

Iron nail that sings in storm
Handout (22 words). "Drive this nail into dead wood that still rows — lightning loses its master, and bones remember the grave."
Enc. 2–3. Action: hammer into ghost-galley deck or a Tempest Effigy — target construct/undead ship-zone: disadvantage on attacks 1 round + 15 lightning (friendly to storm knights? no — grounds them). Once per short rest.

Encounter 1 — Bone Boarders

6× Bone Rowers + 1× Bone Lochagos leap from the ghost rail. Win: clear the party deck.

Oar Gang +1 AC. Non-combat: Religion DC 14 turn attempt as group (3 successes) drives half back once.

Encounter 2 — Knights of Empty Thunder

Thunder Step (1/day). Teleport 30 ft.; each within 5 ft. of start/end Dex DC 13 or 2d6 thunder. · 2× Storm Knights + 3× Tempest Effigies teleport/board amidships.

Non-combat: Insight/Persuasion DC 15 to convince one knight the admiral is dead — that knight becomes inert armor (remove from fight).
Lodestone Nail into an Effigy: grounds it (see card).
Tip: Wondrous Item (maguffin)

Encounter 3 — Admiral of Dead Oars (Boss)

Mast Arc (1/day). Line 60 ft. along mast/boom; Dex DC 16; 36 (8d8) lightning. · Admiral Lysander’s Shade on the ghost stern + remaining captain + 2× Effigies + 3× skeletons (reuse minis).

Win: Shade 0 HP. Mast nail placement suppresses knight auras if any remain.
Optional: Round 3+, Lesser Charybdis pulls — pilot checks or fight a second threat. Prefer escape/drive-off over kill if pressed for time.

Quick combat reference

Bone Rower (Skeleton) — AC 13 | HP 13 | Speed 30 ft. · Medium Undead · CR 1/4 · Mini ×9
Bone Lochagos (Skeleton Captain) — AC 15 | HP 52 | Speed 30 ft. · Medium Undead · CR 3 · Mini ×2
Storm Knight (Zeus-Touched Hoplite) — AC 18 | HP 68 | Speed 30 ft. · Medium Construct/Humanoid · CR 4 · Mini ×3
Tempest Effigy (Storm Spirit Construct) — AC 15 | HP 40 | Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover) · Medium Construct · CR 2 · Mini ×4
Admiral Lysander’s Shade — AC 17 | HP 142 | Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) · Medium Undead · CR 9 BOSS · Uses Skeleton Captain staging +
Lesser Charybdis — AC 14 | HP 126 | Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. · Huge Monstrosity · CR 8 · OPTIONAL pressure · Mini ×2 (use 1

Additional DM notes

10 (+0)**STR**14 (+2)**DEX**15 (+2)**CON**6 (−2)**INT**8 (−1)**WIS**5 (−3)**CHA
14 (+2)**STR**14 (+2)**DEX**14 (+2)**CON**10 (+0)**INT**11 (+0)**WIS**12 (+1)**CHA
**Non-combat:** Insight/Persuasion DC 15 to convince one knight the admiral is dead — that knight becomes inert armor (remove from fight).
16 (+3)**STR**12 (+1)**DEX**16 (+3)**CON**10 (+0)**INT**12 (+1)**WIS**14 (+2)**CHA
Lightning Aura.** Start of turn: creatures within 5 ft. take 3 (1d6) lightning.
Misguided.** Believe they still serve a living admiral — Insight DC 13 reveals emptiness.
14 (+2)**STR**12 (+1)**DEX**14 (+2)**CON**3 (−4)**INT**10 (+0)**WIS**1 (−5)**CHA
Grounded by Nail.** Lodestone Nail in it: speed 0, aura off, vulnerability to bludgeoning.
Handout (22 words).** "Drive this nail into dead wood that still rows — lightning loses its master, and bones remember the grave."
Enc. 2–3.** Action: hammer into ghost-galley deck or a Tempest Effigy — target construct/undead ship-zone: disadvantage on attacks 1 round + 15 lightning (friendly to storm knights? no — grounds them). Once per short rest.

Pacing helpers

Enc 1: End by ~45–50 min; if stuck, telegraph the non-combat path once.
Enc 2: Spend recruitment / maguffin early so Enc 3 is not a blank check.
Enc 3: Keep Hard, not Deadly — drop a minion wave before a TPK spiral.
Table tip: Restate win condition when HP dips; players often forget the maguffin.

STAT BLOCKS

Bone Rower CR1/4

AC 13 | HP 13

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	10 +0 +0	14 +2 +2	15 +2 +2	6 −2 −2	8 −1 −1	5 −3 −3

Oar Gang +1 AC · Shortsword/bow +4 · Vuln bludgeoning

Bone Lochagos CR3

AC 15 | HP 52

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	14 +2 +2	14 +2 +2	14 +2 +2	10 +0 +0	11 +0 +0	12 +1 +1

Marshal +1 atk to skeletons ≤30 · 2× Longsword +4 · Rattle Order R5–6

Storm Knight CR4

AC 18 | HP 68 · Immune lightning

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	16 +3 +3	12 +1 +1	16 +3 +3	10 +0 +0	12 +1 +1	14 +2 +2

Aura 1d6 lit · Spear +6 (+1d6 lit) · Thunder Step 1/day

Tempest Effigy CR2

AC 15 | HP 40 | Hover 20

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	14 +2 +2	12 +1 +1	14 +2 +2	3 −4 −4	10 +0 +0	1 −5 −5

Slam +4 (+ lit) · Static Burst R5–6 Dex DC 12 · Nail grounds

Admiral Shade CR9 BOSS

AC 17 | HP 142 | Fly 30 · LR 2

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	16 +3 +3	14 +2 +2	16 +3 +3	12 +1 +1	14 +2 +2	16 +3 +3

3× Spear +8 · Raise Rowers · Mast Arc · LA Spear/Order/Gale

Lesser Charybdis CR8

Optional pressure

AC 14 | HP 126 | Swim 40

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	20 +5 +5	10 +0 +0	18 +4 +4	3 −4 −4	12 +1 +1	6 −2 −2

Whirlpool init 20 · Bite +9 · Engulf Surge R5–6

Lightning on Dead Oars

Major Beats

Creature / Enemy List

Difficulty Scaling

DM Tips

Maguffin detail

Lodestone Nail of Auster

Encounter 1 — Bone Boarders

Encounter 2 — Knights of Empty Thunder

Encounter 3 — Admiral of Dead Oars (Boss)

Quick combat reference

Additional DM notes

Pacing helpers

STAT BLOCKS

Bone Rower CR1/4

Bone Lochagos CR3

Storm Knight CR4

Tempest Effigy CR2

Admiral Shade CR9 BOSS

Lesser Charybdis CR8

KEY ITEM / NPC

Lodestone Nail of Auster

Navigator Rhea

Ship Reminder