Coral Net and Weights

From: Humangutan Vulpodon 862

A weighted net of woven kelp can entangle foes. Additional weights, like stones or clamshells, increase the net’s throw range and disabling ability.

The Lore

• Coastal Communities: Many seaside cultures used tools similar to the Coral Net & Weights. They crafted intricate nets from available coastal materials like kelp, vines, or other fibers. Weights (sometimes carved or decorated) were essential in controlling the nets. Stories are still told of cunning fishers who could expertly entangle large prey with weighted nets.
• Ocean Spirits: Some legends attribute the creation of such nets to gifts from benevolent ocean spirits or deities. These beings saw fishing as an opportunity for humans to connect with the sea and wanted to aid their efforts with practical tools.
• Ritualistic Significance: Beyond fishing, in certain cultures, weighted nets could play a part in rites of passage or even sea burial practices. This adds a layer of cultural and symbolic depth to the item.

The Use

• Fishing: Clearly, the Coral Net & Weights’ primary purpose is fishing. It grants fishers better reach and an improved ability to catch swift or burrowing creatures.
• Combat: This could be out of desperation or by resourceful coastal warriors. Entangling opponents, especially in rough shoreline terrain, or at sea, gives wielders a significant advantage. The weights themselves can double as crude bludgeoning weapons.
• Trapping: Smaller game, both on land and at the coastal shores, could be ensnared by cleverly thrown nets. Imagine trapping fleeing prey at an estuary or capturing a seabird that came too close.

Stats:

Damage: 1d4 (bludgeoning, primarily from the weights)

Range: 5/10/15 (Short/Medium/Long – depends on additional weights)

Entangle: On a successful hit, the target has a chance to be restrained based on their size and strength.

Skills: Deception (setting ambushes), Strength (wielding, retrieving large hauls), Sleight of Hand (tricky shots, quick knots)

Cost: Varies greatly depending on material quality and weight variations. A simple net could be within reach of any coastal peasant, while elaborate versions become more expensive.

Requirements: Access to coastal materials or trades. Some basic knowledge of weaving and knotwork helps.

Tags: Thrown Weapon, Versatile, Improvised Weapon, Entangling, Coastal

Example Variations:

• Lure Net: Small shiny pieces or bait mixed into the weave to attract certain prey.
• Spiked Weight Net: Sharpened weights for more direct damage, though risking net integrity.
• Weighted Throwing Line: Single heavy weight for launching a line across chasms or up trees, as a precursor to climbing or creating rope bridges.

Where & How It’s Sold:

• Coastal Markets: Bustling seaside towns and fishing villages are the obvious places to find Coral Nets & Weights. These range from simple stalls selling practical versions for sustenance to more elaborate boutiques specializing in decorated or specialized nets for sport fishing or ritual use.
• Inland Traders: Traveling merchants sometimes transport smaller net variations (or the materials to make them) inland. This gives land-locked communities access to tools from the coast, albeit potentially at a higher price.
• Specialty Artisans: Particularly skilled net weavers might gain renown beyond their villages. Their ornate or customized nets could be commissioned by nobles for ornamental purposes, or used by skilled hunters pursuing special aquatic creatures.
• Temples & Ritual Sites: Coastal temples dedicated to ocean deities might sell weighted nets blessed for use in rituals, especially those concerning sea burials or symbolic offerings.

Environmental Use & Results:

• Sustenance Fishing: Primarily, Coral Nets & Weights are tools for sustenance for coastal communities. The catch becomes an integral part of their food supply, allowing villages to thrive near shorelines.
• Commercial Ventures: Larger vessels with more elaborate nets are the backbone of early-stage commercial fishing efforts. This yields fish sold both fresh at markets and preserved for longer trade routes.
• Ecosystem Impact: Over-reliance on the Coral Net & Weights could strain fish populations, especially if fishing isn’t managed sustainably. This potential consequence could play into ecological narratives within the world of Saṃsāra.
• Ritual Offerings: Weighted nets with symbolic catches offer tribute or reverence to the ocean and its spirits. Objects, messages, or even symbolically prepared bodies could be ‘sent to the depths’ as part of religious practices.
• Hunting of Sea Monsters: Legends in Saṃsāra could tell of daring seafarer heroes using large, reinforced nets to aid in the capture of legendary creatures of the deep.

Additional Considerations:

• Material Availability: The abundance of kelp or suitable net-making materials will vary based on regional coastal ecosystems in Saṃsāra. This, in turn, impacts the availability and type of nets developed by different cultures.
• Net Symbolism: In cultures strongly connected to the sea, variations in net decoration could represent family lineages, fishing guilds, or even social status.

Perceptions associated with the Coral Net & Weights:

• SIGHT
  • Perceived: The woven fibers (kelp or other materials), shape of the net, attached weights (stones, shells, etc.), and any embellishments or colorations.
  • Description: Visual observation offers insights into the craftmanship and materials. A well-made net signals practicality and resourcefulness. Embellishments might give clues about its specific purpose (fishing, trapping, ritualistic).
  • Positives: Allows for assessing net condition, suitability for its intended task, and the potential worth/cost.
  • Negatives: Can’t reveal hidden damage or enchantments, if present. Visual appearance might be deceptive to its true abilities, especially with more elaborate modifications.
• SOUND
  • Perceived: Gentle rustling of the woven material, creak of the weights as they jostle together, splashing when it enters or is pulled from the water.
  • Description: Hints at the material’s flexibility, and the type and number of weights attached. It could reveal hidden creatures caught in the net, creating a muffled struggling sound.
  • Positives: Can confirm the net’s presence even in low visibility, offers subtle clues about potential catches.
  • Negatives: May attract unwanted attention or alert a target about the wearer’s approach.
• TOUCH
  • Perceived: Wetness or dryness of the fibers, the roughness or smoothness of materials, the weight and temperature of the attached weights.
  • Description: A crucial way to judge a net’s integrity, and the quality of its weaving. Feeling the material and weights lets you estimate the net’s potential range and ability to ensnare.
  • Positives: Helps detect tears, fraying, or any enchantment placed on the net.
  • Negatives: Requires handling the net directly, potentially leaving behind scent or residue. If hidden as a trap, could trigger it prematurely.
• SMELL
  • Perceived: Saltiness and briny ocean smell, decaying remains of any previous catch, any materials used in construction or dyes.
  • Description: Offers clues about the environment where the net has been used. A recently used net could give hints about catch success. Unpleasant smells suggest poor maintenance.
  • Positives: Reveals information about the history of the net and its recent use.
  • Negatives: Requires proximity, making it harder to assess from a distance. Potentially strong smells could be overpowering.
• TASTE
  • Perceived: Saltiness, potentially remains of the catch, bitterness depending on dyes or treatments applied to the net.
  • Description: Accidental or intentional tasting offers hints about the materials used, and any recent catches. Primarily useful for desperate survival situations.
  • Positives: Offers information if other senses are unreliable or unavailable.
  • Negatives: Generally carries significant health risks due to bacteria and other substances that may be present.
• EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION
  • Magical Detection: Depending on the nature of Saṃsāra’s magic system, users with such abilities may perceive auras of enchantment, residual magical energy linked to the net’s construction, or other supernatural traces.
  • Spiritual Awareness: A user tuned to spiritual energies might pick up a sense of history from the net, lingering emotions linked to its use, or the presence of nature spirits connected to materials like kelp.
  • “Hunter’s Sense”: Some users with a particularly attuned ‘sixth sense’ could perceive potential snares and traps the net represents, or perhaps detect movement through subtle alterations in the environment caused by a thrown net.

Coral Net Weights: Crafting the Perfect Coastal Trap

• Materials:
  • Kelp: The foundation of your net. Select several lengths of thick, pliable kelp with minimal signs of rot or wear.
  • Weights: Smooth, rounded stones, shells with holes, or carved bone pieces to weigh down the net. 
  • Cordage: Sturdy fibers from vines, strong reeds, or animal sinew.
• Tools:
  • Knife:  A  flint or bone knife sharp enough to trim the kelp.
  • Awl: For piercing holes in shells or bone weights.
  • Optional: Dyes and decorations from  berries, crushed shellfish, or carved symbols.
• Skill Requirements:
  • Weaving: Proficiency in basic weaving techniques for crafting nets.
  • Survival: Gathering resources and assessing ideal terrain for net usage.
  • Fishing: Understand fish behavior for strategically casting the net.
• Crafting the Net:
  • Harvest and Dry Kelp: Collect strands and let them dry in the sun for 2-3 days, for flexibility while being less prone to rotting.
  • Prepare Weights:  Drill holes in shells or carve indentations on stones for cords.
  • 3. Weave the Base Net:   Start with a simple square knot (can be expanded, using advanced knot techniques). Create a net wide enough for your intended targets.
  • Secure Weights: Attach weights strategically along the bottom of the net. Consider spacing according to desired  sink rate and the size of your prey.
  • Optional Adornments: Include any additional charms, beads, or dyes to signify ownership or attract your intended prey.
• Tips:
  • The drier the kelp, the less it will shrink when submerged.
  • Test the net weight in shallow water before going to deep waters.
  • Consider tidal flows and target species  behavior when designing and placing the net.

When Sea Gave Net, When Boy Took Too Much

Long time gone, when waters talked different, there be net. Special net, not like our nets. Kelp of green-gray, weights not rock, but shell from big beast under-waves. Some tell this net come from moon-woman, crying tear over man lost to hungry sea. Others tell spirit with hair like moss give to clever coast-folk.

Now in village close to tide’s teeth, live boy name Quick-Hand. See gull get clam, boy want all clams. See fish dart in shallows, boy say all fish his. Clever boy, yes, but hungry heart bigger than belly.  See coral net on sand, thinks gift for taking.

Boy Quick-Hand cast bigger than he strong. Cast once, net full, fish like living silver.  Cast again, bigger weight, more fish he no carry. Then he think… cast net big for whale! Net laugh (nets sometimes do). Pull tight, pull boy with it. Net drag boy under, weights make fast burial in sand.

Where fish come nibble now, boy bones whisper truth: Sea gives much, if you share. Takes more, if you no learn.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Description: Woven kelp net with weights of stone or seashell. Used for fishing, entangling, or as an improvised weapon.
• Mechanics:
  • Spot Hidden: Detect hidden foes trying to ambush (especially near water)
  • Athletics (Strength): Throwing, hauling large catches
  • Survival: Assess fish presence, locate suitable coastal terrain
  • Fight (Brawl): Trip or entangle opponent (Difficulty based on target size)
  • Sanity Loss: Seeing strange deep-sea creatures tangled in the net could incite unease (0/1D2 SAN).

Blades in the Dark

Item: Coral Net & Weights (Tier 0-1, depending on craftsmanship)

• Quality: Provides bonus dice to relevant Action Rolls
• **Fine: +1d ** when Hunting prey in coastal waters
• Standard: **+1d ** when Wrestling in shoreline conflict
• Poor: May break (GM fiat), hindering Action
• Load: 1, if simple. Up to 2+ with many weights
• Mechanics:
  • Attune: Understand tidal flows for best usage
  • Hunt: Gather large food supplies when crew action successful
  • Prowl: Set ambush near the docks or beaches
  • Tinker: Upgrade with sharper edges or heavier weights (increases Load)

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Rarity: Uncommon
• Type: Improvised Ranged Weapon
• Properties: Melee (5ft), Thrown (Short 5ft/ Long 15ft), Entangling
• Damage: 1d4 Bludgeoning
• Mechanics: On a successful hit, target can make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (DC equal to attacker’s roll) to avoid becoming Restrained. Disadvantage if target is significantly larger than net.

Knave

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Usage Die: d6
• Mechanics: On a strong hit, a standard net inflicts the entangled condition. Target rolls appropriate ability check against attacker’s attack roll to evade. Net breaks on a 1-3 whenever in use. May aid in tasks related to coastal survival and trickery.

Fate Core

Aspect: Entangling Coral Net of the Whispering Tides

• Mechanics
  • Invoke: To create an advantage against foes near water, trapping prey, or uncovering hidden coastal caches.
  • Compel: Can snag on debris or attract dangerous creatures, complicating a scene.

Numenera & Cypher System

Item: Coral Net & Weights (Artifact)

• Level: 2-4, depending on complexity and enchantments
• Form: Sturdy woven net with polished and possibly rune-inscribed weights
• Effect: Entangles small to medium creatures (Level minus net Level determines difficulty). May reveal glimpses of unseen spirits along the shoreline when thrown with focus.
• Depletion: 1 in 1d10

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Rarity: Uncommon
• Category: Improvised weapon
• Bulk: 1 (or higher for elaborate versions)
• Hands: 2
• Price: 2-5 gp depending on craftsmanship
• Traits: Entangling, Thrown (15 ft)
• Damage: 1d4 bludgeoning
• Critical Failure: Net tears or weights crack
• Mechanics: On a successful hit, a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (DC = attacker’s attack roll) allows the target to avoid becoming entangled until the start of their next turn.

Savage Worlds

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Hindrances: Agility –1 if entangled
• Athletics (d4): Required for throwing & grappling attempts
• Mechanics:
• Range: 2/4/8 yards
• Entangling: Successful attack forces an opposed Agility roll, on a foe’s failure they are considered Shaken and their Pace and Parry halved.
• Raising: Can use to break Shaken on oneself with successful Athletics roll

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Availability: 4, may be higher if particularly fancy
• Type: Gear for street level/coastal runs
• Mechanics:
  • **Agility + Throwing Weapons: ** To accurately aim
  • Opposed Strength Test: Target resists becoming tangled; net user wins ties
  • May Aid Disguise/Infiltration: If creatively deployed in urban coastal zones

Starfinder

Item: Coral Net & Weights (Level 1)

• Type: Hybrid Weapon (bludgeoning & projectile)
• Range: 20 feet
• Special: Entangling, Nonlethal on appropriate targets
• Critical Hit: Target entangled for 1d4 rounds.
• Mechanics: Can be enhanced with tech to deploy at greater range, heavier variants can deal increased damage at the cost of agility penalties.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Tech Level: 0-1
• Effect:
  • Athletics (DEX): Required for throwing the net effectively
  • Combat Modifiers: Target takes an Agility-based DM to escape. Can trip creatures, granting bonuses in subsequent melee attack rolls.
  • Survival aid: Provides bonus on rolls for trapping smaller prey on coastal worlds

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Item: Coral Net & Weights

• Availability: Scarce or Average, likely in coastal zones only
• Skills:
  • Melee (Basic): Used for close-quarters attacks
  • Ranged (Ballistic): For throwing the net
  • Trade (Fisherman): Expertise with use
• Mechanics: Entangle on successful Agility Test vs. the attacker’s Ballistic Skill (+ any situational modifiers from size, wind, etc.).