“Lost at Sea”
Difficulty: This adventure is for 4 to 6 level 5 players
Run Time: 1 to 2 hours
Summary:
The party is tasked with recovering a powerful magical artifact from a recently sunken ship. When they arrive at the ship they find that someone has taken the item, and they have to venture into the mysterious depths to recover it.
Setup: Sunk!
While at the docks of a port town, a small longboat arrives and Finnan Farrowlight the halfling is being bullied by some thugs. If the party interferes, then the thugs retreat, otherwise they beat up Finnan and leave him bloody on the docks. If the party talks to him, he tells the party that his ship just sank not far off the coast. The ship was secretly carrying a powerful magical artifact: a ring that can control water elementals. (Ring of Water Elemental Command DMG191) Now the ring is just there for the taking. In addition to the ring, the ship was carrying precious gems and treasure that Finnan promises to the party if they help him recover the ring. If the party doesn't talk with them, Finnan approaches them later to hire them to recover the ring. The party will need the ability to breath underwater. If they don't have the spell water breathing available to one of their spellcasters, they can hire a spellcaster to enchant them all with water breathing for 24 hours for the price of 90 gold per person. A DC(20) persuasion or intimidation check can haggle this price down to 50 gold per person.
Interruption: The Seas are Treacherous!
Enemies: Giant Shark MM328, Killer Whale MM331, Dolphin MM208
XP Reward: Escape: 500xp/Kill the Shark: 1800xp
On the way down to the ship, 7 dolphins swim by very quickly, fleeing something. A large dark shape appears in the water. Roll initiative. A killer whale is coming right at the party fast. A DC20 Nature or Animal Handling check reveals that it's not attacking them, but fleeing something else. Have the whale move right past them even if it is attacked. If the PCs hit it, then blood clouds the water around them and they are all surprised when the Giant Shark attacks. The shark targets the first PC that hit the Killer Whale with a melee attack, or just the PC that was closest to the killer whale as it passed. Remember that underwater is difficult terrain. The shark will swim away when reduced to less than half hp. If it reduces a PC to 0 hp it will grab the body in it's mouth and swim away to eat it. If the players try to run it will pursue and try to eat one. Illusion or other magic should be effective to get the shark to chase something else for it's meal. If the players attacked the dolphins, the killer whale and the giant shark attack the PCs.
Investigation: Searching the Wreck.
At the wreck of the ship the party discovers that the ring and treasure have been taken already. On a DC15 perception check they notice a young Sahuagin boy(Kale Seafloor) peeking at them from behind obstacles on the ship, watching them. If they fail the check, then they see the boy swimming away. If they question the boy(who only speaks Sahuagin) he
can tell them that he followed his father, Odin Seafloor to the boat, and was playing in the ship when his father left. The boy doesn't know the way to get back home. As the party begins to leave the ship, or after they have explored the ship, continue to the Counter Attack.
Confrontation: Search Party.
Odin Seafloor(Sahuagin Baron MM264, 1800xp) and Janis Seafloor(Sahuagin Priestess MM264, 450xp), Kale's parents, have returned to the ship to look for Kale after noticing that he is missing. If the party is chasing after Kale, then the boy retreats behind his parents. They do not attack the party, but only seek to defend their child. They are peaceful if the party attempts communication, and retreat with their son if attacked. The party can follow them to the Sahuagin village either as they retreat, or as friends. Janis claims to have foretold their arrival. If the party has no way to communicate with the Sahuagin, Janis can cast tongues and then there is a sahuagin villager who speaks common and can translate for them once spell ends.
Reveal: A city under siege!
The Sahuagin city is a series of underwater caves. There are some of the caves that have air in the upper half where visitors can get out of the water and dry off. If peaceful the party is invited to the great hall to have an audience with Torrent Swiftcurrent(Kraken Priest VGtM215, 1800xp) the leader of the village. He has the ring and treasure. He will return it if the party defeats Triton, the Water Elemental Myrmidon that has been terrorizing the city. If the party is not peaceful with the village, they can fight the Sahuagin. Torrent, Odin, Janis, and 8 guards(sahuagin mm263, 100xp each) will not kill the party if they win the battle, but leave them at 1 hp and banish them from the town, if the players rest and return, the entire town is hostile towards them.
Climax: Defying the Gods
Enemies: Triton (Water Elemental Myrmidon MToF203), Hunter Shark x4(MM330)
XP Reward: 4700xp (Divided among all PCs and NPCs)
Triton has declared himself a god over this village and has been demanding tribute and sacrifice. He shows up to accept his tribute at the appointed time. The party can prepare before he shows up to set and ambush. A DC25 persuasion check will cause Odin to join the party in the battle if asked. The battlefield is underwater, in thick seaweed, and total darkness in the ocean below the village. When attacked, Triton calls 4 hunter sharks to help him in the battle. If the players helped the killer whale from before, then it will show up at some point in the battle to help by attacking the hunter sharks. The whale won't attack Triton.
Wrap-Up: A thankful goodbye
If the party was peaceful to the Sahuagin, they return the treasure and ring and send them off with a celebratory feast.
Treasure: Ring of Water Elemental Command(DMG191), 2500gp and Roll Once on the Treasure Hoard: Challenge 5-10 table on DMG p.137
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