Dead Air
The wind has stopped blowing, and the adventurers can’t feel even the faintest of breezes. The horizon extends beyond sight in every direction. Only the slightest waves lap at the side of the ship. No sea birds wheel overhead, no fish stir the water. This particular challenge is as much about handling the unending silence and unchanging view as it is skill.
The air itself is thick with the touch of the grave and each breath feels like a creature’s last. On a critical failure, each creature aboard must make a Constitution saving throw or contract netherblight, in addition to all other effects. Unlike netherblight that is contracted after being raised from the dead, however, creatures recover from this disease after 4 (2d4) weeks
Reading the Weather. If the adventurers have used some method to predict the becalmed weather, such as druidcraft or the nomad culture’s Sense Weather feature, they can choose to go around the area, losing 3 (1d4 + 1) days of travel. If they choose to continue forward or use these methods after becoming becalmed, they instead gain an expertise die on checks against this challenge if they use this knowledge to make their preparations.
Spell Solve. Use of control weather , traveling gust of wind , or similar magic triggers an automatic success.
The adventurers can make a group Survival check to take a conservative approach by rationing food, managing morale, and trying to fish and purify water while becalmed. Alternately, they can choose a more risky tactic, making a group Athletics check to utilize the oars (if available) or otherwise using force of limbs to move the ship through this calm space. Adventurers who try this, as well as any NPCs assisting them expend double Supply during this time. Finally, some parties may attempt to convince the local wildlife to help, making a group Animal Handling check.
Critical Failure. The adventurers are completely becalmed, and the unchanging horizon begins to eat at their sanity. They lose 4 (1d6 + 1) days of travel time, and each creature aboard must make a Wisdom saving throw , rolling on Short-Term Mental Stress Effects table on a failure.
Failure. The ship remains unmoving on the flat ocean. Each creature aboard suffers a level of strife .
Success. Through clever rationing and perhaps some minor divine intervention, the party makes it through without expending more than a day becalmed.
Critical Success. The party makes it through the becalmed waters unscathed, and finds the drifting lifeboat of one less fortunate. Roll on the Boons and Discoveries table.