Hunting Whales

The red tide now poured from all sides of the monster like brooks down a hill. His tormented body rolled not in brine but in blood, which bubbled and seethed for furlongs behind in their wake. The slanting sun playing upon this crimson pond in the sea, sent back its reflection into every face, so that they all glowed to each other like red men. And all the while, jet after jet of white smoke was agonizingly shot from the spiracle of the whale, and vehement puff after puff from the mouth of the excited headsman; as at every dart, hauling in upon his crooked lance (by the line attached to it), Stubb straightened it again and again, by a few rapid blows against the gunwale, then again and again sent it into the whale.

—Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Chapter 61

Introduction

Hunting a sperm whale is an involved, protracted, and dangerous business. The following game mechanics are for roleplaying a hunt, from first approaching the whale to delivering the killing blow. It may initially seem like a complicated system, but if followed offers much excitement and variety. The White Leviathan campaign introduces these mechanics gradually throughout Chapters 2 and 3, developing the system organically from an easy “tutorial” hunt to more challenging and hazardous scenarios. Although the Keeper should not force the players to roleplay every whale hunt, by the time they’re ready to take on stronger—and stranger!—Leviathans later in the game, they should be comfortable with the core mechanics. Additionally, the Keeper is encouraged to remain flexible, and not treat this system as an ironclad set of rules. Each hunt should be thrilling in its own right, and the Keeper should improvise, embellish, and elaborate to provide maximum drama.

The Basics

Before a whale hunt can be conducted, the characters must be divided into boat crews, as per Chapter 2, Encounter 2. Each whaleboat should have its “Boat Crew Worksheet” completed. The Keeper and players should be familiar with a whaleboat and its basic equipment. See “The Whaleboat” for details. The following section explains the basics of the hunt, including time management, calculating Boat Strength, and determining movement.

The Crew
A whaleboat crew consists of six men. The mate commands the boat; the harpooneer flings the harpoon and steers the boat after the whale is fastened. The remaining four men are each assigned an oar and given specific duties. Until the harpooneer darts his iron, he occupies the first position in the bow and is expected to row. The bow oarsman is located behind the harpooneer. Traditionally the most experienced foremasthand, his job is to lead the men in hauling the fastened whaleline. Next is the midship oarsman, who’s responsible for the longest non-steering oar. Behind him is the tub oarsman, who oversees the coiled whaleline, making sure it stays wet as it “smokes out.” Next is the after oarsman. Preferably a cool-headed and nimble sailor, he’s charged with keeping the whaleline tangle-free as it’s hauled back into the boat during the chase. The mate sits at the stern and operates the steering oar; he does not row. Once a whale has been fastened, he changes places with the harpooneer.

Rounds
A whale hunt is divided into “chase rounds” and “combat rounds.” A chase round is the period of time when a fleeing whale runs, either pursued by a rowing whaleboat or dragging one behind on a fastened whaleline. This may last from a few minutes to over an hour. A chase round ends when the whale has escaped, or has become “tired” and the hunters close in. A combat round is a rapid segment of action where whale and man are in direct conflict.

Movement
When chasing after a “loose” whale, a boat rowing at full speed moves at 4-5 knots, or about 5-6 mph. This rate varies according to weather conditions, sea conditions, and the strength of the rowers. During combat, a whaleboat can move 10’/round. When attached to a whale, the boat is at the mercy of its quarry, and scoots along the water on a “Nantucket sleighride” at speeds up to 20 mph!

Boat Strength
Every whaleboat is assigned a Boat Strength. This value is determined by calculating the average of the five rower’s Strength scores. The mate is not included in this average. Fractions are rounded down. For instance, the five oarsmen of Mr. Coffin’s boat have the following Strength ratings: 50, 60, 68, 75, and 85. Adding them up results in 338, so the average is 338/5 = 67.6. Rounding down, Coffin’s Boat Strength is 67.

Heart Roll
For the sake of simplicity, a rower’s stamina does not factor into Boat Strength. However, sometimes a boat needs a little “something extra.” This is provided by the leadership of the mate, who may encourage, cajole, cheer, or belittle his men as needed. When this extra “Heart” is needed, the mate attempts two rolls: a Power roll, and a Leadership roll. Failed rolls have no effect, but each success adds +5% to the Boat Strength for one round, whether chase round or combat round. These two rolls are summarized as the mate’s “Heart Roll.”

Who Gets There First?
If two or more boats are racing towards a single goal, it may be important to know which arrives first. Each crew makes an opposed Boat Strength roll, modified by the mate’s Heart Roll. Results are compared, and the crew with the highest degree of success wins. Ties are broken by the crew with the highest Boat Strength. The Keeper is free to determine the lag between arrivals; usually one combat round per degree of success.

Example of Gameplay
Four boats are racing towards a whale: Captain Joab’s (BS 65), Mr. Pynchon’s (BS 72), Mr. Coffin’s (BS 67), and Mr. Whipple’s (BS 76). Each officer makes a Heart Roll. With two successes, Joab’s Boat Strength increases to 75. With one success, Pynchon raises his Boat Strength to 77. Coffin makes both successes, and elevates his Boat Strength to 77. Whipple fails both rolls, so his Boat Strength remains 76. The Keeper asks for opposed Boat Strength rolls to determine the order of arrival. Joab rolls a 98, which is a critical failure. Pynchon rolls a 69, which is a Regular success. Coffin rolls a 12, which counts for an Extreme success. Whipple rolls a 13, which is also an Extreme success. However, because of Coffin’s Heart Roll, his Boat Strength is currently 1 point higher than Whipple’s, so Coffin wins the tie. The Keeper declares that Coffin arrives first, followed by Whipple one combat round later. Pynchon arrives two combat rounds later, but Joab’s critical failure puts him out of the race—one of his oarsmen froze in panic!

Endurance Roll
There are several points during a hunt when a crew must test their Boat Strength against some characteristic of the whale’s; usually Size or remaining hit points. Such rolls are called “Endurance Rolls,” and are explained where appropriate below.

Swagger Die
Everyone on a whaling ship knows which boat crew is at the top of the pecking order: the fastest, the most aggressive, the most “greazy.” The Keeper may award the characters of that crew with a “Swagger Die.” This is a D10 they may use once per gaming session as a bonus die for any roll involving hunting a whale, operating a whaleboat, or personal interactions with other crewmen. This is not a permanent possession, and the Swagger Die may be surrendered to another boat crew if they prove worthy!

Combat

Most sperm whales are killed without the creature fighting back to any significant degree. But when an enraged whale does decide to attack its hunters, things can become dangerous very quickly. The whale may bring its powerful flukes to bear, it may roll on its back and bite, or it may ram the whaleboat with its massive bulk. The men are armed only with harpoon and lance; both of which are close-range weapons. A harpoon is much heavier than a spear, and can’t be effectively thrown more than 10 feet. This allows the harpooneer to attack one round before an onrushing whale closes the distance. Unfortunately, a lance requires the mate to be directly adjacent to the whale. This means that the whale’s attack usually coincides with the mate’s attack, with Dexterity determining who strikes first! A whaleboat carries four lances and five harpoons.

A Dead Whale or a Stove Boat!
Once a sperm whale has decided to fight, it attacks until it nullifies the threat of the hunters. While this could entail killing them—or at least, killing the mate!—it usually means a “stove boat.” A stove boat has been rendered unseaworthy by structural damage. The whale may have bashed a hole in its side, or splintered the planking. In extreme cases, a whaleboat may be entirely demolished. A stove boat can no longer participate in the hunt. Its crew must devote its attention to repairing the boat. If the boat was destroyed, the men must survive until rescue arrives. Because many sailors don’t know how to swim, they usually cling to floating bits of wreckage. At this point, most whales simply retreat—most.

Man Overboard!
A sailor flung from a stationary whaleboat may return to the boat with a Swim roll. The men in the boat may assist, usually by holding out an oar or tossing a rope. Each additional hand grants a +1D10 bonus to the Swim roll, up to a maximum of +3D10. He is allowed one attempt each combat round. If his Swim skill is 20% or lower, a failed roll begins the process of drowning. Usually a Pilot (Boat) roll brings the boat close enough for a drowning man’s comrades to haul him back onboard. Of course, if the whaleboat is being dragged by a whale, that’s a different matter! A sailor cast adrift on the open sea is in serious trouble. (See “Drowning” under “New Systems and Mechanics.”)

Pitch-Poling
A whaleman has only one form of long-range attack. If a whaleboat is within 50’ of its quarry, the mate may fling his 10-12’ long lance in an attack called “pitch-poling.” He must first balance the lance vertically on his palm, then heave it arcing at the whale. This attack takes two combat rounds: one round to balance and aim the lance, the second round to throw it. Striking the target requires a Hard Fighting (Lance) roll, and the mate’s damage bonus is disallowed. Hauling back the lance for another throw takes one round/10’ distance. A harpoon may also be pitch-poled, but it requires an Extreme success on a Fighting (Harpoon) roll. See “Whaling Tools” for details.

Narrating Combat
Combat with a sperm whale should be a free-flowing experience, with the Keeper “interpreting” events to keep the drama high. Most of the whale’s most dangerous attacks require a few rounds of preparation, which may create some white-knuckle experiences as the desperate crew awaits the coming assault. Combat also depends on whether the whale is connected to the boat by a whaleline, or if the creature remains at liberty.

Fast-Fish
If the whale is attached to the boat by a harpoon, the hunters may close the distance to their quarry by hauling on the whaleline, bringing them 10’ closer every combat round. This allows the mate to reach the killing zone, making his lance much more effective. See “Phase 3: Killing the Whale.”

Loose-Fish
If an aggressive whale has not been harpooned, there’s little the crew can do except to brace for its attack. The mate may attempt to pitch-pole, and the harpooneer may dart just before the whale strikes; but such encounters frequently end with a stove boat!

Phase 1: Approaching the Whale

Once a whale has been sighted, the boats are lowered for the chase. A whaleboat makes great haste to reach its prey. When conditions are favorable, the mast is stepped and the sail is raised; otherwise the men pull on the oars with all their might, facing the mate at the stern with their backs to the direction they’re rowing. The mate encourages the men to pull as hard as they can, and most mates have a distinctive style, rhythm, and patter. The harpooneer rows from the bow, with two sheathed harpoons resting in the crotch.

Sneaking Up On the Whale
As the whale is neared, the crew must quiet their approach or risk scaring the whale. A frightened whale is said to be “gallied,” and usually flees immediately. To prevent this outcome, the mate must make a successful Leadership roll to keep his boat quiet. If he fails, he must win an opposed “Galley Roll” by pitting his Whalecraft against the whale’s Listen. If the mate wins the Galley Roll, the hunt proceeds to “Phase 2: Harpooning the Whale.” If the whale is victorious, it “sounds,” which means it submerges and flees. All other whales in the vicinity receive a +1D10 bonus die to subsequent Listen rolls.

Fight or Flight Phase 1
A whale may decide to fight instead of flee—there’s a 5% chance a gallied whale turns upon its pursuers. See “Sperm Whale” for details.

Example of Gameplay
Mr. Coffin’s boat is approaching a small pod of three whales. Pulling into position, he makes a Leadership roll and fails. He then pits his Whalecraft against the whale’s Listen. Mr. Coffin rolls a Regular success, but the whale makes a Hard success. The whale senses the danger! The Keeper rolls to see if he attacks: 65, well above the required 5%. The whale dives deep under water and swims away. Cursing his fate, Mr Coffin approaches the second whale. Again he fails his Leadership roll! Another Galley Roll is made, but the whale has a +1D10 bonus die because of her startled comrade. Mr. Coffin earns a success, but the whale rolls a critical failure—perhaps the poor creature is deaf?

Chasing a Gallied Whale
A gallied whale may be chased. To head in the right direction, both the mate and his harpooneer attempt Whalecraft rolls. If both rolls are successful, they predict where the whale will surface and head straight for it. If only one roll is successful, an argument may ensue, with the mate usually winning—whether or not he’s correct!

An unperturbed sperm whale can normally stay submerged for as many minutes as SIZ/10, but first it must have spouted that many times. A gallied whale hasn’t had time to “get its spouts in,” and can only remain down for as many minutes as CON/10. (A harpooned whale, however, can only stay down for 1/4 his remaining hit points.) To catch up with the whale, the crew must make an Endurance Roll by pitting their Boat Strength against the whale’s SIZ/10. If they are successful, they catch up with the whale in as many minutes as the whale’s CON/10. Once the whale surfaces to breathe, the boat may attack. If they cannot reach the whale in time, a second round of chasing occurs, but the whaleboat suffers a –1D10 penalty die on their Endurance Roll. Another failure brings a third chase round, but the penalty increases to –2D10. If this Endurance Roll fails, the exhausted crew loses the whale.

Example of Gameplay
Mr. Coffin’s whaleboat has a Boat Strength of 67. They are chasing a gallied whale with SIZ 675 and CON 280. Mr. Coffin and Dixon the harpooneer both make their Whalecraft rolls, so they predict where the whale will surface. Mr. Coffin exhorts his men to pull until their eyes pop; but he fails his Leadership roll and his Power roll, so provides no Heart. They make an Endurance Roll to catch up with the gallied whale, pitting their Boat Strength against the whale’s SIZ 675/10  = 67.5. That’s 67 vs. 67: dead even! Mr. Coffin fails the roll with a 74, but the whale succeeds. The whale surfaces CON 280/10 = 28 minutes later, but he’s too far away to attack. The second chase round begins. This time, Coffin makes his full Heart Roll, increasing the Boat Strength to 77. But the crew is tiring, and a –1D10 penalty die is applied to their Endurance Roll. The crew rolls a 16 and a 35; keeping the 35, that’s a Regular success. The whale fails with an 88. When he surfaces CON/10 = 28 minutes later, Dixon is waiting with a harpoon!

Phase 2: Harpooning the Whale

Once the whale is within 10 feet, the mate cries to the harpooneer, “Give it to him!” or “Stand and dart!” (Or some similar bloodthirsty command.) The harpooner stands at the bow, his thigh braced by the “clumsy cleat.” Hoisting the first harpoon from the crotch, he attempts to spear the whale in the hump between the head and body, or somewhere between the eye and flipper. The goal is to fasten the barb to the whale, not to mortally wound it.

Throwing the Harpoon
The harpooneer must attempt a Fighting (Harpoon) roll. A successful roll strikes the whale. Damage is calculated, and the whaleline is attached. The whale now becomes a “Fast-Fish.” However, the degree of success is important. A Regular success doesn’t guarantee the harpoon remains fast—see “Drawing Out the Iron” below. A Hard success “sinks the harpoon to the chocks.” Such a harpoon cannot be torn free by a fleeing whale. An Extreme success has the same effect, but does extra “impale” damage. A critical success further stuns the whale, giving the hunters an extra 2D6 combat rounds before it reacts.

Green Harpooneers
Inexperienced harpooneers have been known to freeze in the face of a whale. If this is the first time a character is darting the iron at a living Leviathan, a 0/1D4 Sanity roll is required. Failure results in paralysis for 1D4 rounds, which invariably earns the anger of the mate. If a harpooneer continues to freeze or panic, he’s quickly replaced by a more reliable man.

The Notorious Second Harpoon
Resting in the crotch is a second harpoon, its hemp “short warp” providing some leeway before joining the main whaleline. Once the first harpoon has been thrown, the harpooneer must immediately attend to this second iron. If the first harpoon missed the mark, the spare offers a second chance. If the first harpoon struck home, the second provides welcome back-up. However, here’s where it gets tricky. If the first iron holds, the whale immediately begins swimming away, drawing out the whaleline—which is attached to the second harpoon. If the harpooneer hesitates or waits too long, this second iron is torn from the crotch. One can only imagine the danger this presents to the harpooneer! Therefore the harpooneer must make an immediate decision: throw the harpoon at the whale, or simply toss it from the boat? Discarding the harpoon is an automatic action; but darting the iron requires a successful Dexterity roll. Failing that roll (or failing to make a decision) results in the second harpoon exploding from the crotch and whirling out to sea. The harpooneer must make a Luck roll or be struck by the loose weapon for 1D10 HP damage. If the Keeper is feeling particularly wicked, the fateful harpoon may sever the whaleline on its way out the boat.

Fight or Flight Phase 2
A harpooned whale has a 10% chance of facing its hunters rather than fleeing. See “Sperm Whale” for details. If the whale fights, see “A Fighting Whale” below. A fleeing whale usually sounds, but a panicked whale may simply charge blindly across the sea. This is determined by a Power roll. If the roll is successful, the whale sounds. Otherwise, it tries to escape by swimming.

“Stern all!” exclaimed the mate, as upon turning his head, he saw the distended jaws of a large Sperm Whale close to the head of the boat, threatening it with instant destruction; “Stern all, for your lives!”
—Harry Halyard, “Wharton the Whale-killer”

Stern All!
As soon as the second harpoon is darted, the mate cries, “Stern all!” The oarsmen begin back-rowing as frantically as they brought the boat to bear. The reason is simple: a fleeing whale turns his flukes towards his tormentors, whether lifting them from the water to sound, or simply churning the sea to gain purchase. Normally the “Stern all!” maneuver is automatically successful, but if the Keeper is feeling frisky, she may call for a Boat Strength roll to gauge its effectiveness. A failure brings the whale’s powerful flukes to bear with a “flip attack.” A 0/1D6 Sanity check for greenhorns may also be warranted.

A Fighting Whale
If the whale has decided to fight, it may choose a more lethal attack than a tail flip. In this case, the crew must make a Boat Strength roll to accomplish the “Stern all!” maneuver. Furthermore, the roll is opposed by the whale’s Dexterity. If the whale is successful, it gets a free bite or tail attack. If the hunters are successful, they retreat in time. In either case, the following round begins with the boat 2D4 × 10 feet away from the harpooned whale—providing they survived the attack! See “Phase 3: Killing the Whale.”

The Switch
After the boat has cleared the flukes, the oars are “peaked” and the mate and harpooneer begin the precarious process of switching places. By now the line is smoking out, the boat has jerked forward, and the crew is exhilarated with panic and glee—it may not be the ideal time for such a maneuver, but nevertheless, this is when the switch is traditionally performed. Both mate and harpooneer must make Whalecraft rolls. If one of them fails, he must make a Dodge roll or be subject to a “Whaleboat Incident.” Once the switch is complete, the mate readies his lance and leads the chase, while the harpooneer takes up the steering oar and manages the whaleline.

The Line
A fleeing whale transforms the whaleline into a hazardous living creature. Unspooling from the tub, the line is directed towards the stern, where it’s wrapped around a peg called the “loggerhead.” From here, the line travels down the center of the boat to the bow, where it passes under the kicking-strap and over the bow-chocks. It then vanishes into the water, where at the other end one may presumably find a harpooned whale. A sounding whale may take the line quite deep. If the line is being drawn out too rapidly, the boatsteerer loops it a few more times around the loggerhead. The goal is to exhaust the whale by forcing it to drag the boat, but the boatsteerer must be careful—if the line is too taut, the boat may be pulled apart or dragged underwater! A live whaleline is self-evidently dangerous, and touching it without leather “nippers” inflicts 1 HP damage. The crew is responsible for pouring water over the coils and the loggerhead, otherwise the running rope may smolder and catch fire. Although the bailing piggin is designed for this purpose, most whalemen use their trusty hats.

Drawing Out the Iron
The best hope a fleeing whale has of escaping its hunters is to “draw out” the harpoon. Unless fastened by a Hard success on the Fighting (Harpoon) roll as described above, the iron may pull free during the first few minutes of the chase. This chance is represented as a straight percentage: 1/4 the whale’s remaining hit points in the case of a flue-headed iron, or 1/6 in the case of a toggle-headed iron. An escaped whale should be treated as a gallied whale, with chase rounds resuming the hunt.

Dragging the Boat
A harpooned whale is forced to drag a whaleboat across the waves; this becomes as exhausting as one might expect! This fatigue is represented by a loss of hit points. Every chase round a harpooned whale takes 2D6 HP damage from each attached boat. This damage is calculated after the chase round has concluded, but before combat rounds begin.

Drogues
If a whale has sounded, the mate may order the men to attach a “drogue” to the whaleline. A drogue is a device that counteracts the whale’s ability to dive: square planks, octagonal boards, or empty kegs being the most common. Each drogue adds 1D4 HP to the “dragging” damage described above. Attaching a drogue requires a Whalecraft roll; failure results in losing the drogue. Each of the Quiddity’s whaleboats contains two keg-type drogues that inflict 1D4 HP extra damage/chase round.

“Nantucket Sleigh Ride,” by the great John Stobart.

Example of Gameplay
Mr. Coffin calls for Dixon to “Stand to and dart!” and the harpooner flings his iron at the 95 HP whale. His skill in Fighting (Harpoon) is 75%. He rolls a 59, which is a Regular success. The harpoon does 2D6+1+1D4 DB, for a total of 15 HP damage. The whaleboat lurches forward, its stem dipping briefly underwater, spilling gallons of seawater into the boat. Dixon decides to risk the second iron, but fails his Dexterity roll. The harpoon is torn from the crotch by the running whaleline. He makes his Luck roll by 1 point: Dixon can feel the razor-sharp steel whirling by his ear as it flies from the boat!

The Keeper determines the whale’s Fight of Flight response and rolls a 79, so the whale flees. It makes its Power roll, so sounds beneath the waves. Mr. Coffin cries, “Stern all!” The Keeper is feeling frisky, and asks Mr Coffin for a Boat Strength roll; which is a success: the whaleboat avoids the sounding flukes and the line pays out. Switching places with the mate, both Mr. Coffin and Dixon make their Whalecraft rolls and assume their new positions.

The sight of the breeching flukes is terrifying, so the Keeper demands Sanity checks from all greenhorns. Only James Cabot fails, losing 5 points of Sanity. He begins screaming “I’m going to die! I’m going to die!” Mr. Coffin tells him to shut up; but he’s temporarily insane, and young Cabot attempts to jump over the gunwales. Grabbing him by the trousers, Beckett tells Cabot that if he leaves the boat, the whale will eat him! The Keeper allows Beckett to make a Persuade roll; he is successful, and brings his shipmate back to his senses.

Meanwhile, the sounded whale is now fleeing, dragging the boat across the waves. The whale, now reduced to 95 – 15 = 80 HP, tries to draw out the iron. Because Dixon is using Morgan’s fancy toggle, the whale has only an 80/6 = 13% chance to gain his freedom. The keeper rolls a 69; the iron holds. Coffin grins, “That’s a 60-barrel bull, lads! Let’s slow him down.” He orders Redburn to attach a drogue. Redburn makes his Whalecraft roll, and the buoyant keg is pulled under by the submerged whale.

Phase 3: Killing the Whale

The next phase of the hunt begins when the whale is exhausted enough to become vulnerable to the hunters—it’s become a “tired whale.” If the whale has sounded, it may stay submerged for a number of minutes equal to 1/4 its remaining HP. Upon emerging to breathe, it’s considered a tired whale. A whale fleeing madly across the surface tires more quickly, and begins slowing down after a number of minutes equal to 1/6 its remaining HP. The chase round ends, dragging damage is calculated, and it’s time for the hunters to haul up to the whale and strike.

Hauling Up to the Whale
The first sign the whale is tiring is a slackening of the whaleline; at which time the difficult work of hauling in the line is performed. The line is pulled in and carefully re-coiled in the line-tub. (After all, it may go singing out again very soon!) The goal is to bring the boat close enough for the mate to kill the whale before it reacts. The crew makes an Endurance Roll: Boat Strength vs. the whale’s remaining HP. A success means the men have rowed close enough to attack; they have “beached wood to blackskin.” This gives the mate one free Fighting (Lance) attack as described below. A failed Endurance Roll places the boat at a distance from the whale: 100 feet for every degree of failure. They immediately begin closing the distance, hauling the boat closer at the rate of 10’/combat round. Once the Endurance Roll has been resolved, the whale must decide whether to turn against his pursuers or attempt an escape.

Fight or Flight Phase 3
A tired whale is considered “cornered,” and has a 25% chance of fighting. If the whale decides to fight, the Keeper determines the nature of its attack and combat formally begins. If the whale decides to flee, it attempts to sound. This is not easy: it must first spout as many times as it can, exposing itself to its hunters. A tired whale is able to dive after a number of combat rounds equal to its original hit points minus its remaining HP. (A whale with 10 or less HP cannot sound, and must submit to its fate or fight to the death.) If it cannot sound before the hunters haul up, the whale may be attacked each round until it’s ready to dive!

Renewing the Chase
If the boat cannot reach the whale in time, or the whale sounds before being killed, another chase round transpires, with the whale taking dragging damage from each attached boat and drogue. A tired whale cannot draw out harpoons. When it emerges, the “hauling up” process repeats as described above.

Attacking the Whale
Once the boat has reached the whale, the mate unsheathes his lance and the work of killing really begins. The Keeper should keep track of how many rounds remain before the whale can sound. Or she may say “to hell with it” and roll again to see if the whale fights! 

Finding the Life
The mate attempts to kill the whale by striking the “life” of the creature: a cluster of blood vessels behind the fin; but this can also mean puncturing the lungs. Because this may only be done from certain angles, the harpooneer—now acting as the literal boatsteerer—must make sure the boat’s in the right position, the so-called “killing zone.” In a very real way, killing the whale is a partnership between mate and boatsteerer. Ideally, the mate should thrust his lance into the whale and churn, attempting to cause maximum damage. The mate attempts a Fighting (Lance) roll. A Regular success does standard damage; this represents a “dart,” and the mate must spend one round hauling back the lance for another attack. A Hard success represents a close-up attack, and may be repeated next round. An Extreme success represents an good “churn,” and inflicts extra impale damage. To determine whether the mate has “found the life,” a Hard or Extreme success is followed by a Pilot (Boat) roll attempted by the boatsteerer. A Regular success double the mate’s damage, a Hard success triples the damage, and an Extreme success quadruples the damage!

“Capturing a Sperm Whale,” by Cornelius B. Hulsart, 1935

Once the life has been struck, the whale spouts thick gore from its blow-hole. This is greeted by the mate’s traditional cry, “Chimney’s afire!” When the whale has been reduced to zero HP, it enters its death flurry. This is a horrifying spectacle, with the whale gnashing its jaws, swimming in blind circles, and regurgitating blood and chunks of partially-digested squid. Finally it dies, rolling fin-up and turning its head to the sun. Before securing the tow-line, the mate usually makes sure that Leviathan has been slain by pricking its eye with a lance.

The Whale’s Attacks
If the whale’s in a fighting mood and successfully lands an attack, the boat is immediately thrust away from the creature. Combat resumes from 2D4 × 10 feet away, with the boat closing the distance at a rate of 10 feet/round.

Example of Gameplay
Because Dixon landed his harpoon, the whale can only stay down for as many minutes equal to one-quarter his remaining hit points: 80/4 = 20 minutes. After a 20-minute chase, the whale surfaces to breathe, and dragging damage is calculated: 2D6 = 3 HP damage from dragging the boat, and 1D4 = 1 HP damage from the drogue, reducing him to 80 – 4 = 76 HP. The boat makes an Endurance Roll against the whale’s remaining HP to gauge their distance. Coffin makes his full Heart Roll, so his Boat Strength is 77. That’s BS 77 vs. 76 HP. Coffin rolls a success, but the whale rolls an Extreme success: two degrees better. This puts Coffin’s boat 200’ away from the whale.

Being cornered, the whale has a 25% of fighting. The Keeper rolls a 46, so he’ll sound again in 95 – 76 = 19 rounds. (Max HP minus current HP.) That’s unfortunate; because it takes the boat 1 round to travel 10’, it requires 20 rounds to reach the whale—that’s one round too late! Coffin orders his men to haul in the line, covering 150’ of distance in 15 rounds. Meanwhile the whale “gets his spouts in.” The moment Coffin is 50’ away he pitch-poles his lance. (The whale will sound in 19 – 15 = 4 rounds.) He rolls a 99 and critically fails! The Keeper rules that Coffin slips in the wet boat and smashes his head for 1D4 HP damage. She declares the lance lost, and makes Coffin roll a “Whaleboat Incident.” It seems that when Coffin slipped, he got tangled in the whaleline—which is now slack. Realizing the whale is about to sound, Beckett makes a successful Seamanship roll and frees the mate from the whaleline; otherwise he might have been dragged underwater. While this is going on, Dixon grabs a spare harpoon and flings it at the whale from 10’ away. The harpoon strikes, causing 12 HP damage! The whaleboat has been reduced to two harpoons and three lances. The whale sounds, but only has 76 – 12 = 64 HP remaining.

A second chase round begins. The whale can stay submerged for 64/4 = 16 minutes, and takes an additional 2D6 = 10 HP damage from dragging the boat and 1D4 = 2 HP from the drogue. The whale now has 64 – 12 = 52 HP. Refocused by his near-death ordeal, Coffin makes his Leadership and Power rolls, adding his full Heart to the Boat Strength. The new Endurance Roll is BS 77 vs. 52 HP. Both parties roll a Regular success, but the victory goes to Coffin’s boat, as they have the higher number. The whale emerges from the ocean 16 minutes later, only to find the boat has closed the distance. He cannot sound again for 95 – 52 = 39 full rounds! The Keeper rolls to see if the whale will fight, but he’s too exhausted. Coffin attacks with his lance, making an Extreme success and doing 1D8+1+1D4+13 impale damage = 22 HP damage! A brutal churn, but Dixon fails his Pilot (Boat) roll, so Coffin misses the life. Spouting blood and mad with pain, the whale has 30 HP remaining.

At this point, the whale knows he can’t escape, so the Keeper allows him another Fight or Flight roll, generously doubling the Fight percentage from 25% to 50%. Oh, would you look at that! The whale rolls a 04. He’s gonna fight! The Keeper decides that since the whale has already surfaced, he’ll attempt a tail smack. With a roll of 35, The whale smacks his tail down on the boat, causing 2D6+2 = 10 HP damage. Checking the “Whaleboat Damage Table,” the Keeper finds that the boat splinters, but remains seaworthy with Moderate damage. She declares the lantern keg was smashed and two oars cracked in half.

The men make Dodge rolls to avoid damage—but alas, Beckett and Cabot fail. Taking 10 HP each, they roll Constitution to stay conscious, and fail that as well. The Keeper has them make Luck rolls. Beckett succeeds, but Cabot fails, and is flung overboard with only 3 HPs remaining. The Keeper allows each crewman a Spot Hidden roll, but it’s failures all around—no one sees the young greenhorn! Mr. Coffin forbids anyone from leaving the boat, sealing Cabot’s fate. Knocked unconscious, temporarily insane, and sinking in the whale-churned water, things aren’t looking good for Little Jimmy!

Because the whale successfully landed an attack, combat resumes 2D4 × 10 = 50 feet away. They must haul up to get close again. Normally this would take 5 rounds, but because they’re missing two crewmen, the Keeper declares that it requires 7 rounds. Interestingly enough, this gives the whale ample time for a bite attack, which requires 5 rounds to launch. The whale rolls on its back and opens its jaws, swimming upside-down towards the whaleboat. Coffin readies a lance and pitch-poles it again, scoring 5 points of damage. The whale has 25 HP remaining. There’s little that can be done but brace for the attack: Dixon is needed to haul and Coffin is retrieving his lance. The whale attempts to snap the boat in half, but he fails his Fighting roll. (To make things more dramatic, the Keeper decides the whale bites Cabot in half instead!) The whale can only bite again after another round of preparation—the same round the boat reaches the whale.

Round 7 begins as the damaged boat clashes against the jawed-back whale. Coffin’s Dexterity is 70 and the whale’s is 61, so Coffin strikes first. The whale is upside-down and moving directly at the boat, so Coffin can’t reach the killing zone. The Keeper is enjoying the drama, so generously declares that if Coffin lances the whale through the mouth, he may still “find the life.” However, this means the whale’s bite is directed solely at Coffin! The player agrees, and achieves a Hard success on his Fighting (Lance) roll! He scores 8 HP damage. Unfortunately, because Moderate damages imposes a –1D10 on Pilot (Boat) rolls, Dixon fails roll. Dixon’s player asks if he can push the roll. The Keeper informs him that if he fails the push, the whale’s bite is automatically successful. The players agree and Dixon rolls again—an Extreme success! Coffin’s 8 HP damage is quadrupled to 32 HP. The mate can feel the monster’s breath as he plunges his lance through its upper jaw, scraping past the skull to pierce something vital.

With a triumphant cry, Coffin orders the men to seize the oars and row backwards. The men with broken oars bust out the paddles. The whale enters his death flurry. Swimming in blind circles and thrashing the crimson sea, the beast finally gives up the ghost—and not a moment too soon. No man will ever forget the sight of the whale’s jaws about to close on their second mate! That’s sixty barrels closer to home, and it only cost the life of one greenhorn.

Claiming the Whale
Once the whale has been slain, its carcass must be towed back to the ship. This is done by cutting a hole through the spout and “reeving” a rope through. The whale is brought in head-first; though sometimes the flukes are cut off and it’s towed tail-first. Rowing in a whale is back-breaking work, and even mates have been known to lend a hand. Travelling less than 1 knot, it may take hours for the boat to return; although if wind and weather permit, the ship may close the distance. Occasionally a whale is not killed until nightfall, with the ship nowhere to be seen. When this happens, the orphaned whaleboats are warped to the sides of the floating carcass. The men steady themselves for a long night at sea, surrounded by munching sharks.

Waif-Pole
If a boat is in pursuit of multiple whales, a dead whale may be left behind for later collection. The crew claims the whale by driving a sharpened pole into its blowhole, its end marked by a distinctive flag and its shaft carved with the name of the ship and the designation of the whaleboat. A whale thus “waifed” by a “waif pole” is considered a “fast-fish,” meaning it’s “fast” to the ship that claimed it. Even though it may float unattended for a day or more, no honorable whaler will touch another ship’s waifed whale.

Sources and Notes

There are numerous books that describe the thrilling spectacle of a whale hunt, but it’s hard to beat Moby-Dick. Having said that, Melville’s hunts are tame when compared to William Comstock’s A Voyage to the Pacific. The brother of famous mutineer Samuel B. Comstock, William was also a whaleman, and his 1836 novel about a marauding white whale was one of Melville’s many inspirations. Comstock’s body-count is delightfully high, and his whale hunts have a cartoonish, Evil Dead feel about them. In one memorable scene, a whale’s flukes decapitate a cowardly sailor, flinging his head across the waves to smack against the chest of another boat’s mate! The novel is refreshingly sarcastic for the nineteenth century, and Comstock’s observations about shipboard life have an acid humor undiluted by the passage of time. Although Comstock is quite racist by modern standards—his African-American characters are straight from a minstrel show—his distaste for slavery is clearly evident, and he shows surprising sensitivity to religious hypocrisy, rampant colonialism, and the sheer barbarity of whaling itself.

Another excellent resource is the 1922 silent film, Down to the Sea in Ships, which features two New Bedford whalers, the Charles W. Morgan and the Wanderer. While clearly playing to the sentiments of an early twentieth-century audience, the film depicts an actual whale hunt, and contains some authentic sequences of shipboard life. John Huston’s 1956 film Moby Dick also shows a genuine whale hunt, conducted by Madeira Island natives and somewhat jarringly inserted into the film.

Images
The image of Moby Dick in the header is from the 1930 Kent Rockwell illustrated edition of the novel. Nantucket Sleigh Ride is by John Stobart. The illustration of a sperm whale being killed is Capturing a Sperm Whale, a 1835 print made from a sketch by whaleman Cornelius B. Hulsart, who lost his arm while whaling on the Superior.

White Leviathan > The Quiddity and Whaling
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Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 26 August 2023
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
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