Background
A manhunt is in progress all over the Sword Coast for Draukhar Rane, a powerful and dangerous warlock and a member of the Cult of the Deep One. The
Lords' Alliance have been stretched thin and agents of the
Order of the Gauntlet, for their own reasons, have joined in to assist in the hunt. Arkavius, Champion of
Torm, and an agent of the Order believes that Draukhar is hiding aboard the ship, The Silence, docked in
Neverwinter. Needing additional help to apprehend the fugitive, he sent his twin sister, Aralyn, to recruit help while he keeps watch.
Adventure Hook
While wandering about the Enclave Market in
Neverwinter, the characters are approached by Aralyn (CG female
Illuskan human high mage), an agent of the
Order of the Gauntlet. She informs the party that if they are looking for work, a manhunt is underway in Neverwinter, and that they should meet her at The Beached Leviathan inn in a few hours for more information.
Where her twin, Arkavius, is a master in the martial arts, Aralyn is wizard specializing in conjuration magic, specifically in teleportation and plane shifting. She shares a very close bond to Arkavius and share the same sense of justice.
To The Sea
The characters arrive at The Beached Leviathan, which was once the wreckage of the three-tiered pirated ship
Leviathan before it was refurbished. Often frequented by criminals, smugglers, slavers, sailors and merchants, this inn is a prime place to get mugged or killed. Sailors and adventurers looking for work and passage by sea in the
Sea of Swords frequent this tavern.
The Beached Leviathan
Read the following when you are ready to begin:
| The Beached Leviathan, aside from being located inside an old three-tiered pirate ship, is like any other taverns frequented by sailors: dirty, and rough. The common room is packed with rowdy sailors singing shanties and wagering over games while downing mugs of ale. Sitting at a table in the corner of the room is a woman with red hair, who you recognize as Aralyn. She gestures you to have a seat.
"Time is of the essence and I will cut to the chase. My name is Aralyn, and I am a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. Both the Lords' Alliance and my order are stretched extremely thin across the Sword Coast trying to apprehend Draukhar Rane, a dangerous member of the Cult of the Deep One. Both my brother and I have tracked him to Neverwinter, and we believe that he is hiding aboard a ship here at the docks. We can't apprehend him alone and you have been recommended to me as capable and trustworthy individuals. Can I count on you?" |
Aralyn can offer the following information:
- Draukhar Rane is a high ranking cultist and a formidable spellcaster.
- The Cult of the Deep One is working to bury the land under the sea and expand their territory.
- No known deity is being worshiped by them, only references to "The Sleeping One" have been heard.
- Draukhar is believed to be hiding on board the ship, The Silence and he is extremely good at hiding.
- Draukhar has been linked to many large scale ritual sacrifices of sentient humanoids and assassination of high ranking members of the government across all cities along the Sword Coast.
- Aralyn's brother, Arkavius, is keeping watch on the ship.
Aralyn declines to confirm how exactly they have tracked him to the ship, only that they have trusted sources and they are trained to hunt down individuals. She is willing to offer a payment of 200 gp per person for successful capture of Draukhar Rane alive and half as
much if dead. Once there are no other questions, Aralyn will direct them to meet her brother at the docks on the southern side of Neverwinter.
The Docks
Once the characters are at the docks, read the following:
| The docks are busy with activity and after a few inquiries you managed to locate The Silence. You see a man close to seven foot tall in black heavy fur cloak and fiery red hair standing watch near the gangway. There can be no mistaking Aralyn's twin.
"You must be the help Aralyn sent," says Arkavius as he holds onto the amulet around his neck. "Good, The ship will be departing soon. I've spoken to the captain and he has refused any access to the ship unless we pay for passage. In any case, it looks like we're going on a trip to Waterdeep. I've already covered the cost of the trip for us. I suggest you make any last minute preparations before we go out to sea. Make it quick though, as the ship is due to leave very soon." |
Early in his life, Arkavius (CG male
Illuskan human gladiator) heard the calling from
Torm to pick up arms to ensure justice is met throughout the realms. Since then, Arkavius has dedicated his life to mastering arms in order to enforce the will of Torm.
Manhunt
Draukhar Rane has disguised himself as one of the crew of
The Silence. The captain has placed restrictions on the characters' freedom on the ship and they have to work within the restrictions to flush out the fugitive. When a member of the crew was found murdered, accusations were laid on the characters as their behaviors appeared to be suspicious.
The Silence
Once the characters are on board the ship,
The Silence sets sail immediately.
The Silence is a
sailing ship run by Captain Anders, and manned by a crew of sturdy sailors.
The ceilings in the lower deck, holds, and cabins are 8 feet high with 6-foot-high doorways. The ship’s doors are made of wood and have AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A
lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (
Thieves' Tools) check, or the door can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Footlockers on the ship are iron and have AC 19, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Hanging
lanterns throughout the ship cast bright light. Rigging on the ship can be climbed without an ability check. The ship has three 80-foot-tall masts with sails to catch the wind.
Captain Anders is assisted by four officers: a first mate, a bosun, a quartermaster and a cook. The bosun has taken on the quartermaster's duties for this voyage as the quartermaster is on vacation in
Waterdeep. The ship is crewed by twenty-five sailors. As the sailors go about their daily business, Captain Anders approaches the characters.
| "I am only letting you lot on board at the last minute because I have been compensated generously, but that is as far as it goes. Rule Number One. As long as you are on board my ship, I am the captain and my words are law. Rule Number Two. When in doubt, refer to rule number one. I don't care who you are. Make any ruckus or get in the way of my crew working and I will toss you overboard? Clear?" |
To keep the characters from impeding his crew, he insists that they remain in their quarters, a cramped chamber below deck, during the voyage. They are allowed access to the deck twice each day for a couple of hours each to stretch their legs and for some fresh air. During each of these sessions, the characters can attempt to find Draukhar Rane hidden onboard this ship.
1. Main Deck
The main deck has a 3-foot-high rail around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it. There is one
mangonel attached to the deck of
The Silence with 10 mangonel stones stacked and secured near it. A covered 10-foot-square hatch leads to the lower deck, allowing easy access to move cargo from deck to deck. Stairs on the fore and aft section of the main deck leads to the forecastle and quarterdeck respectively.
2. Mess Hall and Galley
This is where the crew prepare meals and eat during meal times. As the crew works in shifts, this room is always busy with rotating groups of sailors.
3. Captain's Quarters
The captain’s quarters hold a bed, a desk and a piano. There is an iron footlocker that holds the captain’s belongings here.
4. Officers' Quarters
The officer's quarters have four beds, one for each officer. Next to each bed is an iron footlocker that holds the officers’ belongings. The officers sleep in shifts so someone remains on duty to command the crew and carry out the captain’s orders. There is a table here with a
dice set and a bookcase containing trashy novels and picture books that make some readers blush.
5. Forecastle
Similar to the main deck, the forecastle has a 3-foot-high rail around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it.
6. Quarter Deck
The ship’s wheel stands at the fore section of the quarterdeck and a
rowboat is at the aft section of the quarterdeck. Ropes and pulleys can hoist the boat in and out of the water. The quarterdeck has a 3-foot-high rail around its perimeter that provides half cover for Medium creatures and three-quarters cover for Small creatures behind it.
7. Privy
Benches line the walls of this room with holes carved in to house chamber pots.
8. Brig
The has a set of
manacles attached to its frame.
9. Medical Cabin
Hooks and shelves on the walls hold medical instruments, bandages, balms, tonics, jars of leeches, and more, ready to treat injuries from combat or sailing mishaps.
Any characters that succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check will notice a lose wooden panel under the desk. They will find a few religious items bearing the symbol of three lightning bolts radiating from a point on them. A character who succeeds
on a DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check will know that it is the holy symbol of
Talos, the Storm Lord. Talos is the god of storms and destruction, and worship of Talos is outlawed in many parts of Faerûn.
10. Guest Cabin
The Silence has three cabins meant for guests along for the journey. Furnishing is simple - one bed.
11. Hold
The hold holds all the ship's cargo. If there is an overflow of crew and passengers, they will sleep on
bedrolls among the
crates and
barrels of food, water, and other supplies.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal signs of crates and barrels being moved about frequently in one section of the hold. On closer inspection, the character will find a box containing a lot of
pouches filled with blue powder. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check can discern that the powder has narcotic properties.
12. Armory
The ship’s supply of weapons and armor is held in this cabin. Its walls are fitted with built-in weapon and armor racks. The door to this cabin is usually locked, the key kept by one of the ship’s officers.
13. Crew Quarters
The ship’s experienced off-duty crew sleep here in the quarters. There are footlockers here for personal possessions, and a table for games of chance. The quarters is rarely, if ever, empty.
Finding Draukhar Rane
Draukhar Rane is masquerading as one of the crew of
The Silence. He has assumed the identity of the Gunder, the first mate of
The Silence. He is lying low until there is an opportunity to escape. As the characters try to investigate and flush him out, he will attempt to foster suspicion on the characters and impede their investigation by laying a murder charge on the characters.
Draukhar is playing for time and is trying to delay the characters as long as possible until his allies come to assist.
The Schedule
The following sets out key events on each day.
The First Day
The characters should spend the first day interviewing the crew and collecting information. Throughout the course of the day, they will uncover some leads on who to investigate.
- The characters have a chance to speak to the officers and a couple of the crew during the day. Gunder is at the ship's wheel, Yvaine is on the main deck directing the crew, and Ramius is in the galley. Captain Anders is in his personal quarters.
- At night, Captain Anders and Gunder are in the mess hall. Yvaine is hiding in the medical cabin praying and Ramius is in the hold. If the characters approach Ramius, he will chase them out of the hold and threaten to report them to Captain Anders.
The Second Day
The characters are accused of murder and confined to their quarter. At night, the ship is boarded and the characters need to fight for their lives.
- During the day, Ramius, the chef, will be found murdered. The characters will be accused as they were seen acting suspiciously the day before. They are then confined to their room until the crew can decide what is to be done with them.
- At night, sahuagin board the ship and slaughter the crew. The characters are woken up by the noise and have to fight back the tide.
Interviewing the Crew
Almost every senior crew member has something to hide, for one reason or another. The descriptions below provide enough information about everyone of note on the ship.
Captain Anders
Captain Anders believes in second chances and is willing to take on people with dubious past as long as they are genuinely remorseful. The senior crew have served him for several years and are deeply loyal to him. Likewise, he is fiercely protective of them and will be skeptical of any accusations the characters lay on his officers.
The Captain knows the experienced sailors and officers have served him faithfully on many voyages and he could attest to their loyalty. There is always a rotation of some sailors every time they berthed at any port, which is not unusual. He only deals with legal cargo between ports along the Sword Coast.
The Captain's secret is that the old Captain Anders is dead. Casper Alberic (LN male
Illuskan human bandit captain) has assumed his identity as a way to turn over a new leaf. In his previous life, he was wanted for piracy and murder.
After a life of crime, Casper Alberic was saved from the hangman's noose when Captain Anders intervened at the last moment to give him a second chance in life. Eternally grateful and fully remorseful for his ways, Casper resolved to turn over a new leaf. When the old Captain Anders
passed away, Casper assumed his identity to continue his good work.
Gunder, First Mate
Gunder is a weathered man with a heavily bandaged face as a result of a shark attack. He serves as the ship's navigator and keeper of charts, and employs divination to track threats and danger on the sea. Captain Anders values his counsel very much and relies on him to keep them out of trouble.
Gunder knows that this is another routine voyage and no danger is expected. The crew is loyal and each and every one of them is vetted by the captain himself. Gunder has seen the cook, Ramius, down in the hold at odd hours. Gunder does not have any worries about the unusual behavior as Ramius is probably just looking for ingredients to prepare the next meal.
Gunder's secret is that he was murdered in
Neverwinter and Draukhar has assumed his identity.
Draukhar Rane (NE male
Illuskan human high priest) was left to be raised by a group of sahuagin that worships a
kraken known only as The Sleeping One. As a priest of The Sleeping One working to further his patron's agenda, he works tirelessly with the Cult of the Deep One to bring about cataclysmic floods in order to submerge the world under the sea.
Yvaine Thorn, Bosun
Yvaine (CE female
Tethyrian human noble) has served Captain Anders for over nine years as his bosun. She sports streaks of gray hair in her auburn hair but her eyes are as sharp as any hawk. She has a fearsome reputation and keeps the crew working like clockwork.
Yvaine knows that every sailor on this ship have been vouched for and she's not seen anyone matching Draukhar's description.
Yvaine's secret is that she is secretly in love with Ramius but knows that it is an Ramius does not feel the same. Yvaine is also a devout adherent to
Talos, whose worship is outlawed in many places.
Ramius Humbleglide, Cook
Ramius (N male
Calishite human noble) has been serving Captain Anders for almost ten years now and is considered one of his oldest friend. He is a skilled cook and the crew are slightly addicted to his food. Worried that the characters might uncover his secret operation, he tries to deflect them to Yvaine.
Ramius knows that Yvaine is a tough and efficient bosun and the sailors perform exceptionally well whenever she is on deck. Those that displease her tend to get lost at sea during a storm, but that is probably just coincidence as they probably fell overboard due to not paying attention to the Yvaine's lessons.
Ramius's secret is that he has been secretly smuggling narcotics in the hold of the ship. He has been doing this for years under the nose of Captain Anders.
The Crew
The ship is crewed by twenty-five mostly experienced sailors (
commoners) with a few newcomers learning the trade. All of them prefer to be on the sea rather than on land.
The crew knows that the captain and the officers have been sailing together on many voyages for more than ten years. The ship is currently carrying fish, lumber and trinkets from
Neverwinter.
Most of the crew has served together on many voyages aboard the ship. They are quite close and protective of each other, and they trust the Captain and his officers implicitly as they have got them out of many near-death situations at sea.
Some of the sailors would know that Ramius is the one to go to if they need their cannabis fix.
A Murder Most Foul
On the second day while the characters are going about their business, a cry of alarm goes up, drawing the attention of the Captain and the crew to the privy. When the characters go to investigate, they will discover the dead body of Ramius Humbleglide, the cook.
When the characters arrive at the scene, read the following:
| You see a group of sailors standing in a circle, looking down at something out of your sight. The atmosphere feels heavy and you can only hear hush whispers among the crew. They all turn as you enter the room, looking you up and down with suspicion and fear. When they slowly part ways for you to have a look, you see the fallen form of Ramius Humbleglide on the ground. Then, the room bursts with noise as the crew talk over each other to offer potential explanations and accusations.
"It must be them Captain. I've seen them asking lots of strange questions and skulking about the ship."
"That's right, I've seen them sneaking around the hold. Veeeerry suspicious if you ask me."
"Now that you've mentioned it, I saw someone dressed like them following Ramius into the privy last night. I never saw Ramius since then. It must be them! They killed Ramius!"
All eyes in the room falls on you as the captain speaks. "So, what have you got to say to this?" |
Ramius was slain last night by Draukhar. He wore a cloak similar to one of the characters' and made sure the sailors on watch witnessed him going in after Ramius. He is worried that the characters may discover his identity and he needed something to distract the characters and the crew while he subtly alters the course of the ship.
There is a small window for the characters to state their case or to examine the body to find any potential evidence to allay their suspicions. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reveal that Ramius was killed sometime during the night by a weapon matching one of the characters'. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal that there is no sign of struggle and the death was quick, suggesting the deed was done by one used to killing.
Unfortunately for the characters, the captain is not in a rational mood. In fact, he is visibly upset and angry that one of his closest friend of many years was murdered. Nothing of this sort has happened in almost twenty years on his ship, and for it to occur so soon after the characters board the ship is too much of a coincidence for him. He orders the characters to be confined to their rooms until he can decide what to do with them.
Complications
If the characters decide to fight back instead of being confined to their quarters, they will have to fight with the crew in very confined quarters. Once the fight starts, Gunder will slip out of the room and head up to the main deck to alter the ship's course. If the characters managed to survive the battle, the ship will be boarded by
sahuagin.
If attacked by the characters, the crew will fight to the death as they truly believes that the characters murdered Ramius and wants to avenge his death. Captain Anders and Yvaine Thorn works together to attack the same target closest to them. Once half the initial eight sailors are killed, one of them will run up to call for help. Two rounds later, another eight sailors will join the fight.
Bump in the Night
Read the following to any characters with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 and above:
| It has been several hours since you've been confined to your quarters and night has fallen. You did not notice anything amiss at first, but now you realize that the ship has gone eerily silent. There are no sounds of footsteps or of sailors shouting or singing shanties. All you can hear is the sound of the waves and the sound of creaking wood. You also hear a strange noise that sounds like wet cloth hitting the ground at an almost regular cadence. |
Sahuagin have sneaked aboard the ship and silently killed most of the crew. Only Captain Anders and five sailors are alive in the mess hall drinking in memory to Ramius. Gunder (Draukhar) is at the wheel and the sahuagin are his allies.
When the characters leave their cabin to investigate the sudden silence, they will come face to face with a group of sahuagin attempting to take the characters by surprise. Once the characters have dispatched this group, they will hear noise of fighting on the main deck.
There are five
sahuagin and one
sahuagin priestess in this group. These sahuagin are fanatical worshipers of The Sleeping One and will fight to the death. They have been ordered to kill the characters by Draukhar.
The sahuagin are intelligent creatures and will use their Blood Frenzy ability to good effect. They will focus their attacks on a wounded enemy rather than switch targets. They will use their
spears with two hands to maximize their damage. They will attack as a cohesive unit and will attempt to flank or encircle a group of enemies.
The priestess will prioritize attacking any casters first. She will cast
guiding bolt on a spellcaster to not only damage the creature, but also provide advantage to the next attacker. If there is a creature with Extra Attack feature, she will cast
hold person on them. If there are two creatures with the Extra Attack feature, the priestess will cast
hold person as a 3rd level spell to neutralize both of them. If most of the sahuagin in the group are reduced to 15 hp or fewer, the priestess casts
mass healing word to keep them going for longer.
Once the sahuagin are defeated, the characters hear sounds of combat coming from the top of the ship.
Boarding Action
This chapter takes place somewhere on the
Sea of Swords. The characters have to simultaneously defend the ship against a
sahuagin attack and assist the ship’s crew with ship related tasks. This is then followed by an a
kraken attempting to sink the ship and ends when Draukhar sails the ship into the Shadowfell while the characters are distracted. Fearing discovery by the characters, Draukhar advances his plans and called upon his patron for assistance. The assistance came in a form of sahuagin and a kraken to distract the crew and characters from interfering with their plans.
Area Information
Night has fallen and the moon is concealed by dark clouds. Thunderstorms and heavy rain has begun, resulting in choppy seas.
Most of the deck of The Silence is open to the elements and is considered dark, except for the brief moments when lightning strikes. There are two dimly lit areas of the ship, one on the quarterdeck and the other around the middle mast. Except for the cargo hold, all other interior locations are well lit. The cargo hold is dark and only lit when required. The
lanterns on the main deck are not extinguished by heavy rain and strong wind.
Weathering the Storm
Read or paraphrase the following after the characters reached the main deck:
| You are greeted by flashes of lighting in the distance and sounds of thunderous booms as the crew of The Silence frantically try to complete various task to weather the storm while trying to fight back against the strange scaly fish like humanoid creatures.
“Maelstrom! Maelstrom!” yells a crewman from the crow’s nest as the ship tosses and lists dangerously. You hear shouts for help and before you could react, a giant wave crashes into the ship and you are almost knocked off balance. As the water recedes, you see sharp teeth glaring at you from behind a bloodthirsty piscine face. |
Four
sahuagin and a
sahuagin priestess are on the main deck slaughtering the crew. They will not harm Gunder (Draukhar).
These sahuagin will focus on taking out the remaining sailors first before turning on the characters. They will then focus their attacks on a wounded enemy rather than switch targets and will use their
spears with two hands to maximize their damage. They will attack as a cohesive unit and will attempt to flank or encircle a group of enemies.
The priestess will prioritize attacking any casters first. She will cast
guiding bolt on a spellcaster to not only damage the creature, but also provide advantage to the next attacker. If there is a creature with Extra Attack feature, she will cast
hold person on them. If there are two creatures with the Extra Attack feature, the priestess will cast
hold person as a 3rd level spell to neutralize both of them. If most of the sahuagin in the group are reduced to 15 hp or fewer, the priestess casts
mass healing word to keep them going for longer.
There are five sailors locked in combat with the sahuagin. They will flee if wounded but would not survive long.
Gunder will be at the wheel navigating the ship and will issue orders to the characters if Captain Anders is dead. Otherwise, Gunder will not leave the wheel and attempts to pilot the ship into the Shadowfell.
The Captain bellows orders from the quarterdeck near Gunder. He is relying on Gunder to navigate them out of this crisis and will defend him to the death.
The characters' ally, Arkavius, will attempt to save as many sailors as he can. If there are no longer any crew members left, he will attack the closest or weakest enemy.
Storm Hazards
Needless to say, fighting on the main deck, exposed to the fury of nature, is a very dangerous affair. The characters face the following complications.
At the start of each round, each character must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or move 10 feet in a random direction. After the first success, the character will make this save with advantage, as they are now anticipating the unrelenting waves.
If a character falls off the ship, they must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to catch the rail on the side of the ship and must use their action and movement to climb back on deck or be lost at sea.
Heavy rain starts to fall, accompanied by strong winds, on the third round of combat. Everything within an area of heavy rain is lightly obscured, and creatures in the area have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. The heavy rain and strong wind imposes a disadvantage on any Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. In addition, strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and also extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A flying creature in a strong wind must land at the end of its turn or fall.
Save the Ship!
On initiative count 20, Captain Anders or Gunder (if the captain is dead) issues the following orders to the characters.
To execute one of the orders, the characters must be near the corresponding “point of interest” with no hostile creature within 5 feet of them. If the character has proficiency in water vehicles or has the Sailor background, they have advantage when completing these tasks. At least one success is needed per round, otherwise a giant wave crashes over the ship and everyone other than the sahuagin and Gunder takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone.
Man the Helm!
The ship is being pulled towards the maelstrom! A character must help Gunder correct the course against the waves and currents. The character helping Gunder must succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check at the ship's wheel. On a success, they manage to help Gunder correct the course and stay steady, avoiding getting pulled in further. On a failure, the ship crashes into a wave, which deposits two more
sahuagin on the deck.
Work the Sails!
The ship is listing wildly as strong winds, violent waves and churning currents, seemingly working together to sink the ship. A character must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check next to the masts to correct the sails. On a success, the character harnesses the wild winds to provide momentum to navigate the ship away from the maelstrom. On a failure, the character trims the sails in the wrong direction, causing the ship go out of control briefly and each character must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be move 10 feet in a random direction.
Riding the Waves!
With the chaos swirling all around, the captain (or Gunder) needs help to navigate safely. A character needs to head to the front of the ship and yell instructions to the crew to avoid danger. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, the character spots a large wave and warns the captain (or Gunder) in time to course correct and miss it. On a failure, the ship rocks hard as the giant wave smashes into the hull. Wood splinter and two more
sahuagin join the fray.
Release the Kraken
After three
sahuagin have been defeated, a
juvenile kraken emerges from the maelstrom.
Fifty Shades of Grey
| You hear the groaning timbers of the ship protesting against the storm as you try to navigate her out of the hungry maelstrom. Suddenly, a giant tentacle smashes the sea where The Silence was seconds ago as she lists hard to starboard, and the head of a and the vicious kraken rises slowly out of the water to look menacingly at the ship. Between the merciless storms, the maelstrom, and the kraken, the situation looks hopeless. |
The
kraken will not let the ship escape, so it will mainly use its tentacles to crush the ship and pull it into the depths. Any attacks the kraken makes against the ship automatically hit and will damage the hull. The hull has 300 hit points with a damage threshold of 15. Once the ship's hit points fall to zero, read the following:
| In the chaos around you, you suddenly hear a maniacal laughter as you see Gunder gleefully spins the ship in a wild turn to surf a particularly large wave. The Silence coasts along the crest of the wave, sails over the kraken, and crashes back down onto the sea, and into a large rolling mist. Soon, all you can see is mist all around the ship, and the sounds of rain, wind and violent waves became muffled and mangled.
Then, mist turned to fog, and you begin to lose track of your companions. You start to see grotesque shapes in the fog and any attempts to call out to your friends echoes back as moans of spectral pain.
The tension finally breaks as the fog thins back into mist and then thins to nothing, revealing a landscape that seems wrong. The air is cold and the sea is calm where it was trashing wildly but a few moments ago. A loud crack breaks the silence and you see the ship splitting wide open and starts to take in water! |
The Silence is sinking and the characters need to save themselves. The main deck is filled with water and is considered difficult terrain, all other decks are underwater. There is a
rowboat at the aft side of the quarterdeck.
In the distance, tracing the wake in the water, the characters can see a figure on a
plesiosaurus speeding away towards a landmass not too far away. That figure is none other than Drauhkar Rane.
Abandon Ship
Once all of these tasks are completed, the characters can safely board the
rowboat and escape. To complete one of these tasks, the characters need to be near the “point of interest” with no hostile creature within 5 feet of them. After three rounds, the ship sinks completely, and the characters are left to hang on debris. This gives them one extra level of exhaustion by the time they reach the shore described in the next section.
Untie the Knots
The ropes securing the
rowboat are too tight. A character must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a success, the character loosens the knots and the rowboat drops several inches. On a failure, the character's hand slips across the rope and gets cut, and the character takes 1d4 slashing damage.
Save Arkavius
Arkavius is trapped under some debris, pinning him to the deck! Any characters attempting to save Arkavius must succeed on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the character removes the debris pinning him. On a failure, the character loses grip on the slick wood and it strikes both the character and Arkavius for 1d4 piercing damage each.
Prepare the Rowboat
Last minute preparation is required for tasks such as clearing the random debris, making space for the characters and Arkavius, and making sure the oars are there and that there are no leaks. This takes two actions to complete.
Why So Gloom?
The characters find themselves on an unfamiliar and bleak land. They will most likely not have any means to leave the Shadowfell, but Arkavius does. He promises to take all of them home if they continued the manhunt and bring Draukhar into custody.
The characters find tracks leading deep into a treacherous bog known as The Bland Bowels. In the distance somewhere in the middle of the bog, the characters can see an imposing structure, which is most likely Draukhar's destination.
The Shadowfell
The Shadowfell is a dimension of black, gray, and white where most other color has been leached from everything. It is a place of darkness that hates the light, where the sky is a black vault with neither sun nor stars.
As a shadowy reflection of the world, the Shadowfell distorts reflections of what exists on the Material Plane. Where rolling hills on lush green lands are in the Material World, the Shadowfell may reflect that as jagged outcroppings that resembles skeletal hands.
Shadowfell Despair
A melancholic atmosphere pervades the Shadowfell. Extended forays to this plane can afflict characters with despair. Once per day, each creature not native to the Shadowfell must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the character is affected by despair. Roll a d6 to determine the effects, using the table below.
| d6 | Effect |
|---|
| 1 | Apathy. The character has disadvantage on death saving throws and on Dexterity checks for initiative, and gains the following flaw: “I don’t believe I can make a difference to anyone or anything.” |
| 2 | Clumsy. Whenever the character rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, or fails an ability check or a saving throw, the character falls prone. |
| 3 | Dread. The character has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I am convinced that this place is going to kill me.” |
| 4 | Paranoid. The character has disadvantage on all attack rolls and saving throws. However, the character have advantage on Dexterity checks for initiative and Wisdom (Perception) checks. The character also gains the following flaw: "I can see it in your eyes. You're all out to kill me. You want my precioussssssss." |
| 5 | Madness. The character has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws that use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, and gains the following flaw: “I can’t tell what’s real anymore.” |
| 6 | Delusional. The character takes a -2 penalty to AC, and gains the following flaw: "I like to challenge the biggest foe to a single duel and will not tolerate any intervention." |
If a character is already suffering a despair effect and fails the saving throw, the new despair effect replaces the old one. After finishing a long rest, a character can attempt to overcome the despair with a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the despair effect ends for that character.
A
calm emotions spell removes despair, as does any spell or other magical effect that removes a curse.
Shipwrecked
| Looking around, you noticed that the sky is dark, and the sea around you is gray. In fact, everything around you seems to have their color bled away.
It took the better part of the day before you managed to reach the shore, fully exhausted from the ordeal. In contrast to the featureless beach, the skeletal branches of the twisted trees in the bog ahead makes you feel uneasy. |
After surviving a harrowing experience, the characters now have one level of exhaustion. The characters may wish to have a long rest on the beach before heading deeper into the bog. It is relatively safe here, for now.
The beach is featureless and there is nothing out at sea except for miles and miles of calm grayish water. Dark clouds cover most of the bog and is especially thick towards the center of the bog. Lightning could occasionally be seen flashing from the clouds, revealing a silhouette of an imposing pyramid shape like edifice. The characters can't discern much until they get closer to the structure.
Any characters that wants to know what the mist or fog was must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to reveal that it is a shadowmist. It originates from the Shadowfell and seeps into the Material Plane at thin points in the boundary between the two planes.
Arkavius
Arkavius should still be alive and with the characters. He will help that characters as long as they continue to assist him in his quest. Arkavius has an amulet around his neck which give the twins an ongoing connection. Both Arkavius and Aralyn can sense each others presence through the amulet and they are able to communicate with each other across vast distances and even through different planes. However, doing so will drain the amulet of power, which refreshes after 48 hours have passed. It is through this amulet and her connection with her twin that allows Aralyn to cast a spell to teleport them to her location.
Regardless of the circumstances, Arkavius is single-minded in his focus to bring Draukhar back to face justice, and wants the characters to continue assisting him in that regard. He will offer the characters a way back to the material plane if they promise to continue with the manhunt.
Arkavius does not know much more than the characters other than what he has heard from his sister, Aralyn. He knows that the mist is a magical phenomenon that manifests in the world and on other planes. It is indistinguishable from normal mist to the untrained eye and seems to have a mind of its own and its own agenda. He has heard stories of the shadowmist returning people to their home planes after a task is accomplished. He believes that they are no longer in the material plane but in the Shadowfell.
The Bland Bowels
Trekking through the bog can lead to a number of encounters. The general features of The Bland Bowels are as follows.
Terrain
The ground is muddy and covered with irregular pools of standing water. Any object heavier than 35 pounds will begin to slowly sink beneath the ground, therefore, constant movement is required. Decaying vegetation and twisted trees dot the landscape.
Light
A forest of twisted trees covers the bog, their skeletal branches weaving overhead to blot out most of the meager illumination the Shadowfell might offer. Daytime hours provide dim light outdoors, while nighttime hours are dark.
Sound
The bog is alive with sounds of insect interspersed with haunting spectral wailing. Sounds of thick viscous bubbles popping can be heard near pools of standing water.
Smell
The rank air tastes of rot and sticks in the throat, the murky water churns incessantly, and sudden bursts of green swampfire erupt violently.
Despair
Travelling through the bog is an exhausting and depressing affair. Feelings of dread and melancholy soaks the land.
Sludge Fest
Read the following once the adventurers enter the bog:
| The swamp stretches as far as the eye could see. Skeletons of trees desperately try to twist free of the clinging bog and bubbling pools of viscous liquid dot the landscape. Lightning can occasionally be seen streaking in the distance illuminating what looks to be a vaguely pyramid shaped edifice. A hot stinking haze lingers over the land and the ground smells like decay. Everything tastes of ash and blandness, even the rations and water you brought along. |
It is about a six hour journey walking at normal pace to the center of the bog where Draukhar is headed. The characters might easily become lost and locating the pyramid or Draukhar's tracks requires the group’s navigator to succeed on three consecutive DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) checks, approximately one check every three hours.
If the party becomes lost, they must spend 1d4 hours wandering before being able to attempt another Wisdom (Survival) check to pick up the tracks. If the party has a character with the Outlander background, halve the number of hours the party spends wandering the bog before they can attempt another Wisdom (Survival) check.
Trekking through the bog can lead to a number of encounters. Roll on the table below every 3 hours for an encounter.
| d4 | Encounter |
|---|
| 1 | Day of the Tentacle |
| 2 | The Marionette |
| 3 | Will The Real Me Please Stand Up? |
| 4 | Siren Calls |
1. Day of the Tentacle
| The heat and humidity are stifling as you breathe, the air itself seems heavy in your lungs. Looking up into the sky, it looks as overcast and gloomy as ever and yet you feel the sweat trickling down your forehead and stings as it runs down into your eyes.
Small frogs call from the trees with high chirping voices that come together in a series of staccato sounds so rapid that they blended together. Where there are frogs there is water. Where there is water, there is a chance to cool down.
As you head closer you hear a mellow sound that is the standard “ribbit, ribbit” and another deeper low pitch sound. The path opens out into a wide clearing and the marshy ground ends at a large pond of still water. The croaking of frogs and the buzzing insects is all around you. |
A
froghemoth lies waiting beneath the water. When characters approach the pond, the froghemoth uses its tentacles to grapple the character with the lowest AC that is within range. If the froghemoth has one or more characters grappled, it makes a tongue attack against the one with the lowest AC. If the tongue attack succeeds, it follows up with a bite attack.
The froghemoth retreats into the bog when half of its hit points have been lost.
2. The Marionette
| You trudge through the swamp for what seems like an eternity. Despite the skeletal shaped trees, it is thick enough to hide what feeble illumination this bleak land offers. The wet, soft ground does not make the journey any easier, and your feet are soaked and sore beyond measure.
Then, through the twisting vines, you see an unusual shape. It appears to be the roof of a small building. As you get closer, you can spot a few more structures through the undergrowth.
It looks to be the few remaining buildings of a village that has been slowly sinking deeper into the swamp. Creeping vines cover their walls and you start to hear voices. |
An
adult oblex and an
oblex spawn live in this village. Using its Sulphurous Impersonation ability, the adult oblex has populated the village with simulacrums of villagers whose memories it has stolen. It uses the "villagers" to lure unsuspecting victims into the center of the village before assaulting them, relying on its proficiency in Deception to maintain the charade.
If Deception fails and the characters start to get suspicious, the oblex falls back on
charm person to keep them in line. The goal of the oblex’s actions is to get itself close enough to its preferred target - and everyone else far enough from them - for it to surprise him or her with the Eat Memories action. Oblexes feed on thoughts and memories. The sharper the mind, the better the meal, so oblexes hunt obviously intelligent targets such as wizards and other spellcasters. Being highly intelligent, the oblex will keep its main body hidden and uses its simulacrums to attack. If its main body is threatened, it will use
hold person and
color spray to defend itself.
3. Will the Real Me Please Stand Up
| The lower branches of the trees slap you where they hang over the path. They scrape your skin and sweep back to hit the next person in line. Despite the slow progress of tramping through muck and mud, the path widens into a small clearing with a large twisted tree. A hole in the middle of the trunk makes the tree look like it is howling in pain. On its skeletal branches hang several corpses. |
The number of corpses equals the number of characters. In fact, they have similar body shapes and features to the characters. As the characters get closer to investigate, the corpses sway with the wind and seem to turn to face them. The corpses are horribly scarred and disfigured, and riddled with open sores and rotted flesh. The horrifying sight of their own grotesque corpse causes the characters to recoil in fear. They must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or succumb to short term madness.
If any of the characters investigate the hole, they see nothing but pure darkness. If they reached into the hole, however, they manage to find a totem in there. However, as soon as they grab hold of the totem, something grabs their hand tightly. If they withdraw their hand from the hole, they will find a skeletal hand holding on to their hand. The skeletal hand does nothing else other than to frighten the characters.
The totem consists of tiny stick figures (representing the characters) dipped in blood, inscribed with tiny eldritch symbols, and tied together in
a bundle with hair. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check can discern that the totem's purpose is to bring ill fortune to it's intended target(s).
4. Siren Calls
| Following along a damp path, you notice an old rickety wooden bridge just up ahead. You approach the structure cautiously, keeping an eye at your surroundings. Fog forms around you and you hear a coercive melody that seeks an entry into your head.
“Come to me…… come to me……” it sings. |
All creatures that can hear must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the river. Creatures charmed this way must use their full movement and action each turn to move closer to the water, submerging themselves beneath it until the effect is lifted.
Creatures receive another saving throw against the effect if another creature uses an action to shake them awake, or if they are damaged, but the act of drowning does not lift the charm.
Within Sight
| Cursing under your breath with each step you take through this dreary bog, you wonder if you would ever get out of this place. Then, the ground starts to feel solid and the smell much less intense.
However, thunder clouds grow darker overhead and you can feel the moist air as it settles on your skin. Lightning can be seen flashing in the sky and without warning, the sky starts to open and rain begins to fall hard on you.
You pick up your pace sloshing your boots against the thick mud. The trees thin and you can see a group of creatures running towards the imposing pyramid looming over you.
"That's Draukhar! Get him!" yells Arkavius. |
Draukhar (NE male
Illuskan human high priest) is frustrated that the characters managed to catch up so quickly. A
deep scion has joined Draukhar to help further The Sleeping One's cause.
Draukhar starts combat with
mage armor already cast. He prefers to attack from range and will use crowd controlling spells to keep his opponents at bay. Draukhar will keep his minions between his opponents and himself and will not fight to the death. Draukhar will attempt to escape when things are not going well.
Just before combat starts, the characters see the deep scion jump into the nearest body of water and shift into their hybrid form. It will then move toward the characters until it's within 30 feet of its farthest opponent and uses Psychic Screech. After that, it will close into melee range to any stunned opponents and mauls them. If that is not possible, they will attack the closest opponent and will fight to the death.
If Draukhar is searched, the characters will find a
potion of healing and a
stone of good luck.
Conclusion
After Draukhar has been taken care of, Arkavius will offer to bring them home with Draukhar's body, dead or alive. He will contact his twin, Aralyn to initiate the ritual. He will then use the amulet to sketch a complex pattern onto the ground and asks everyone to take up places within the circle. Arkavius tells the characters that they must close their eyes and keep them close and it will last for ten minutes. If anyone leaves the circle, the ritual is interrupted and he’ll be forced to start over the next day. After a few moments of chanting, they will be shifted back to the Material Plane, to the Castle Ward Courthouse in
Waterdeep.
Once back in Waterdeep, Arkavius and Aralyn will be extremely grateful for the characters' help for apprehending Draukhar alive, gladly paying them the full amount of gold as promised. If Draukhar is dead, The twins will be disappointed but still grateful for their help, and pay them half the gold as agreed.
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