Rockport Waters — DM Handout

Spring‑fed quarry lakes linked by an underground river and caves. Use this page to run fishing, foraging, eel runs, and quick encounters.

The Three Lakes (at a glance)

• Deepstone (north, by mine): Deep, cold, clearest. Rocky shelves, sparse weeds. Best for trout/grayling/whitefish; lurking pike.

• Willowmere (east): Shallow, warm, silty. Carp, small catfish, eels staging; turtles, lilies, cattail.

• Millpond (west): Reedbeds, willow roots, moderate nutrients. Perch, larger catfish, eels, minnows; crayfish.

Water notes: hard, slightly alkaline; trace copper keeps fungal fish diseases low. Villagers blue‑steep seed in copper kettles at springs.

Quick Harvest Rules (system‑light, 5e‑friendly)

Choose a method and make a Wisdom (Survival) or Tool: Fishing Tackle check.

Lake modifiers: Deepstone −1 hr if using fly/line near upwelling; Willowmere −2 DC with baited traps in reeds; Millpond −2 DC for carp with dough or corn; +2 DC during hard frost. Seasons: −2 DC in spring dawn/dusk; +2 DC midsummer noon.

Yields: Each “ration” equals ~1 lb dressed fish/crayfish. Double yield on a check ≥ 20. Selling fresh catch yields 2 sp per ration (smoked/salted: 5 sp per ration). Pearls & alchemy bits noted below.

Seasonal Highlights

• Spring: trout/grayling run at Deepstone inflow; lampreys push through caves; watercress flush.

• Summer: perch/catfish/crayfish boom in Millpond; lilies and turtles active in Willowmere.

• Autumn: Silver Eel Run (late): eels mass in Millpond and race to the caves at night; festival weirs and baskets.

• Winter: ice‑fringe; setlines for pike/catfish; spearing in clear shallows.

Lake Catch Tables (roll 1d12; swap entries as you like)

Deepstone (cold, rocky)

1–2 Trout/Char • 3 Grayling • 4 Whitefish • 5 Bullhead/Sculpin • 6 Pike (large) • 7 Crayfish (rock piles) • 8 Stonewort‑snails (for bait) • 9 River Mussels (see pearls) • 10 Watercress • 11 “Copperback” darters (minnows) • 12 Rare: River‑pearl mussel (check below) or a cave‑strayed white eel.

Willowmere (warm, silty)

1–2 Carp • 3 Catfish/Bullhead • 4 Eel (common; +2 to roll at night) • 5 Sticklebacks (bait) • 6 Mussels (muddy beds) • 7 Lily tubers/seeds • 8 Snapping Turtle (hazard) • 9 Duckweed (fodder) • 10 Leech swarm (CON save vs disease if barefoot) • 11 Lost Hook/Net (1d4 sp salvage) • 12 Rare: Golden carp (curio; 1d6 gp alive).

Millpond (reeds & willows)

1 Perch • 2 Tench • 3 Roach/Dace • 4 Minnow bait shoal • 5 Crayfish (good pot) • 6 Frog/Newt forage (rations 1) • 7 Pond Snails (feed) • 8 Small Pike (weedline) • 9 Duck/Eggs (ethical DM’s choice) • 10 Reedmace/cattail starch • 11 Turtles (nuisance) • 12 Rare: Glow‑shrimp jar (1 gp; dim blue for 1 week).

Pearls, Crystals & Other Finds

• River‑Pearl Mussel: On Deepstone roll of 12 or Mussels result with check ≥ 18, the group finds 1d4 pearls (10–60 gp each). Temple enforces closed weeks in late spring; poaching is a 5 gp fine per basket.

• Greenstone “glimmer grit”: On any lake table natural 20, the catch includes a thumb of alchemical greenstone lodged in shell/rock (components worth 15 gp; 1 use grants advantage on one Agriculture/Plant Lore check as soil charm).

• Isinglass: Carp air bladders (Millpond): 1 bladder = 1 sp to brewers/tanners as finings/glue.

Cavern River (quick use)

• Approach: dry crawl from old quarry adit or underwater siphon from Deepstone (DC 14 Athletics swim; CON checks for cold).

• Denizens: blind cavefish (harmless), pale crayfish (rations 1 per hour potting), cave salamanders; occasional lampreys. Encounter (1d6): 1–3 none, 4 swarm of bats, 5 slick guano slide (DEX save DC 12), 6 territorial giant eel (MM giant constrictor eel reskin).

Tiny Sketch (not to scale)

 [Deepstone]==spring throat=={Upwelling}
        \
         \
         (Tall Gallery)---{Pearl Beds}
            |                 \
            |                  (Sump to Willowmere seep)
        (Weir Narrows)==[Festival Weirs]==(Down‑river black)

Weirs: During the Eel Run, villagers drive stakes and wattle into the Weir Narrows, forming V‑shaped guides into basket traps. Setting festival weirs takes 2 hrs, DC 10 Tools (woodcarver) or Survival; each dusk they yield 2d6 eel rations plus a 1‑in‑6 chance of a lamprey string (1d4 rations).

Safety & Stewardship

• Tannery and dyeworks must drain below Millpond outflow.

• No mussel harvest during Closed Weeks (two weeks after first willow catkins).

• Temple keeps the Pearl Tithe (1 of every 6 pearls) for sacred works and tower lamps.

Fast Hooks

1. Sinkhole drains Millpond into the caves; rescue trapped workers and fish pens.

2. Something eats eelfishers at the Weir Narrows; drag marks lead to a flooded crack.

3. Guild caravan demands pearl and lamprey monopoly; elders split.

4. Carp blight—only copper‑rich spring pens stay healthy; sabotage suspected.

Prepared for the village of Rockport (independent, elder‑ruled). Use, print, and scribble freely.