Waves, Wind and Weather: The Unpredictable World of Tides of Ruin

Not all dangers wear blades or fly colours. In Tides of Ruin, the sea itself is as much a character as your crew. Storms rise without warning. The wind shifts its favour like a fickle god. And sometimes, when the waves go still… something stirs below. This isn’t just set dressing. The drowned world is alive, and every battle is shaped by its mood. Whether you're navigating open waters or skirmishing through a flooded ruin, nature - and the supernatural - are always at play.

Let’s explore what that means for your games

The Sea Is Always Watching

Every encounter in Tides of Ruin carries the chance of unexpected change. One moment your ship rides high on clear waters - the next, a squall breaks overhead, soaking powder and ruining your volley.

Sometimes, the wind favours you, pushing your ship toward your prize with unnatural speed. Sometimes it dies completely, leaving your sails slack as an enemy closes in. Other times… well, the fog rolls in thick as gravecloth, and not even your lookout can see more than a few yards.

These aren’t just random elements - they’re the very breath of the world around you.

More Than Just Weather

Of course, not all these changes are natural. Strange things dwell beneath the surface. You might see lights where no lanterns burn, or hear music from the waves that no sane crew dares follow. Your best swordsman may panic, drop his blade, and run toward the surf - as if something out there is calling him by name.

And should you ignore the omens?.... You may find yourself facing something that no cannon can kill.

Every Round Is a Story

The beauty of this system isn’t just the unpredictability - it’s what it does to the story.

Maybe you planned a daring boarding manoeuvre… until a reef rose from nowhere and splintered your hull. Maybe you were holding the high ground, until ghostly apparitions sent half your crew screaming for the shore. Each twist creates drama, tension, and moments you’ll talk about long after the dice stop rolling. Why It Matters

Many games give you control over the battlefield - position your models, make your moves, roll your dice. But in Tides of Ruin, control is something you fight for, never something you're guaranteed. The world is volatile. Shifting. Alive.

This adds layers to your decisions. Do you risk charging into a ruined fort if the sky looks ready to break? Do you trust the calm waters - or leave guards on deck, just in case the sea remembers your name? In short: Tides of Ruin makes the world part of the game. Not just a backdrop - an adversary.

And This Is Just the Beginning

We’re only scratching the surface. Some events hint at deeper mysteries — names whispered in drowned tomes, places where the veil between worlds runs thin. What happens when the Leviathan stirs? What does it want?

Future expansions will build on this system, adding new events, legendary storms, monstrous encounters, and strange relics that twist fate itself. But even in the core experience, no two games will ever play the same.

Your crew might survive blade and shot — but no one sails the drowned world unchanged.