Lightning on Dead Oars
One-Shot · 6 Players · Level 8 · Ghost Galley Boarding · Undead & Storm Constructs
📜 Session Summary
| Style Ghost-galley boarding — Undead → Storm constructs → Shade admiral |
| Win Destroy Admiral Lysander’s Shade and break the ghost ship’s hold |
| Players 6 × Level 8 · Shipboard only · Optional Charybdis pressure |
| Minis Skeleton (≤9), Skeleton captain (≤2), Storm knight (≤3), Storm spirit construct (≤4), Charybdis (≤2, optional 1); 2nd ship: ghost galley |
Description
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.
Ships
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.
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.
Bone Rower (Skeleton)
Medium Undead · CR 1/4 · Mini ×9
AC 13 | HP 13 | Speed 30 ft.
Vuln bludgeoning; Immune poison
Oar Gang. While on a ship, +1 AC if adjacent to another Bone Rower.
Shortsword. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Shortbow. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Bone Lochagos (Skeleton Captain)
Medium Undead · CR 3 · Mini ×2
AC 15 | HP 52 | Speed 30 ft.
Marshal Undead: skeletons within 30 ft. +1 to attacks
Multiattack. Two longsword attacks.
Longsword. +4. Hit: 6 (1d8+2).
Rattle Order (Recharge 5–6). Up to 3 skeletons move 10 ft. and attack.
Encounter 2 — Knights of Empty 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).
Storm Knight (Zeus-Touched Hoplite)
Medium Construct/Humanoid · CR 4 · Mini ×3
AC 18 | HP 68 | Speed 30 ft.
Immune lightning; Resist thunder
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.
Multiattack. Two spear attacks.
Spear. +6. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing + 3 (1d6) lightning.
Thunder Step (1/day). Teleport 30 ft.; each within 5 ft. of start/end Dex DC 13 or 2d6 thunder.
Tempest Effigy (Storm Spirit Construct)
Medium Construct · CR 2 · Mini ×4
AC 15 | HP 40 | Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
Immune lightning, poison, exhaust; cloudy body — can move through allies
Grounded by Nail. Lodestone Nail in it: speed 0, aura off, vulnerability to bludgeoning.
Slam. +4. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) + 3 lightning.
Static Burst (Recharge 5–6). 10-ft radius Dex DC 12; 7 (2d6) lightning.
Lodestone Nail of Auster
Wondrous Item (maguffin)
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.
Enc. 3 finale. Drive into the ghost mast (AC 15/HP 25 to place): storm knights’ lightning aura suppressed while nail remains.
Encounter 3 — Admiral of Dead Oars (Boss)
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.
Admiral Lysander’s Shade
Medium Undead · CR 9 BOSS · Uses Skeleton Captain staging + storm crown
AC 17 | HP 142 | Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
LR 2/day; Resist necrotic, lightning; Immune poison
Dead Command. Skeleton captains act on his initiative if he wishes.
Win without deicide. Destroying him frees the storm knights to collapse into empty armor.
Multiattack. Three lightning-spear attacks.
Lightning Spear. +8. Hit: 10 (1d8+3) + 7 (2d6) lightning.
Raise Rowers (Recharge 5–6). 1d4+1 Bone Rowers in unoccupied deck spaces (respect skeleton mini cap — reuse fallen).
Mast Arc (1/day). Line 60 ft. along mast/boom; Dex DC 16; 36 (8d8) lightning.
Spear (1). One spear attack.
Order (1). One skeleton or effigy moves 15 ft. and attacks.
Gale (2). Each creature on a ship deck Dex DC 14 or slide 10 ft. toward rail (Ath DC 12 or overboard).
Lesser Charybdis
Huge Monstrosity · CR 8 · OPTIONAL pressure · Mini ×2 (use 1)
AC 14 | HP 126 | Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
Whirlpool engine under the ghost galley
Optional escalation. If Enc. 3 runs easy, Charybdis begins pulling both ships on round 3.
Whirlpool. Init 20: ships Dex/Str “pilot” check DC 14 or move 10 ft. toward Charybdis; creatures failing Ath DC 13 fall prone.
Bite. +9. Hit: 21 (3d10+5) piercing.
Engulf Surge (Recharge 5–6). Creatures in water within 20 ft. Str DC 15 or pulled 15 ft. + 2d8 bludgeoning.
Bone Lochagos (Skeleton Captain)
Medium Undead · CR 3 · Mini ×2
AC 15 | HP 52 | Speed 30 ft.
Marshal Undead: skeletons within 30 ft. +1 to attacks
Multiattack. Two longsword attacks.
Longsword. +4. Hit: 6 (1d8+2).
Rattle Order (Recharge 5–6). Up to 3 skeletons move 10 ft. and attack.
⚖️ Difficulty Scaling
As Written ★ — 6 Players, Average Level 8
- Baseline for this guide. Numbers, DCs, and win tracks assume six PCs at average level 8.
Library Standard — 6 Players, Average Level 8
- Identical to As Written — this guide’s baseline is already 6 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.
📋 Appendix
Lodestone Nail of Auster
Wondrous Item (maguffin)
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.
Enc. 3 finale. Drive into the ghost mast (AC 15/HP 25 to place): storm knights’ lightning aura suppressed while nail remains.
Bone Rower (Skeleton)
Medium Undead · CR 1/4 · Mini ×9
AC 13 | HP 13 | Speed 30 ft.
Vuln bludgeoning; Immune poison
Oar Gang. While on a ship, +1 AC if adjacent to another Bone Rower.
Shortsword. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Shortbow. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Bone Lochagos (Skeleton Captain)
Medium Undead · CR 3 · Mini ×2
AC 15 | HP 52 | Speed 30 ft.
Marshal Undead: skeletons within 30 ft. +1 to attacks
Multiattack. Two longsword attacks.
Longsword. +4. Hit: 6 (1d8+2).
Rattle Order (Recharge 5–6). Up to 3 skeletons move 10 ft. and attack.
Storm Knight (Zeus-Touched Hoplite)
Medium Construct/Humanoid · CR 4 · Mini ×3
AC 18 | HP 68 | Speed 30 ft.
Immune lightning; Resist thunder
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.
Multiattack. Two spear attacks.
Spear. +6. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing + 3 (1d6) lightning.
Thunder Step (1/day). Teleport 30 ft.; each within 5 ft. of start/end Dex DC 13 or 2d6 thunder.
Tempest Effigy (Storm Spirit Construct)
Medium Construct · CR 2 · Mini ×4
AC 15 | HP 40 | Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
Immune lightning, poison, exhaust; cloudy body — can move through allies
Grounded by Nail. Lodestone Nail in it: speed 0, aura off, vulnerability to bludgeoning.
Slam. +4. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) + 3 lightning.
Static Burst (Recharge 5–6). 10-ft radius Dex DC 12; 7 (2d6) lightning.
Lesser Charybdis
Huge Monstrosity · CR 8 · OPTIONAL pressure · Mini ×2 (use 1)
AC 14 | HP 126 | Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
Whirlpool engine under the ghost galley
Optional escalation. If Enc. 3 runs easy, Charybdis begins pulling both ships on round 3.
Whirlpool. Init 20: ships Dex/Str “pilot” check DC 14 or move 10 ft. toward Charybdis; creatures failing Ath DC 13 fall prone.
Bite. +9. Hit: 21 (3d10+5) piercing.
Engulf Surge (Recharge 5–6). Creatures in water within 20 ft. Str DC 15 or pulled 15 ft. + 2d8 bludgeoning.
Admiral Lysander’s Shade
Medium Undead · CR 9 BOSS · Uses Skeleton Captain staging + storm crown
AC 17 | HP 142 | Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
LR 2/day; Resist necrotic, lightning; Immune poison
Dead Command. Skeleton captains act on his initiative if he wishes.
Win without deicide. Destroying him frees the storm knights to collapse into empty armor.
Multiattack. Three lightning-spear attacks.
Lightning Spear. +8. Hit: 10 (1d8+3) + 7 (2d6) lightning.
Raise Rowers (Recharge 5–6). 1d4+1 Bone Rowers in unoccupied deck spaces (respect skeleton mini cap — reuse fallen).
Mast Arc (1/day). Line 60 ft. along mast/boom; Dex DC 16; 36 (8d8) lightning.
Spear (1). One spear attack.
Order (1). One skeleton or effigy moves 15 ft. and attacks.
Gale (2). Each creature on a ship deck Dex DC 14 or slide 10 ft. toward rail (Ath DC 12 or overboard).