the secrets of skyhorn lighthouse v7 - dms guild...199#,d.b$2?$,#f$@(,%!#'%$ #3hq7hy$...

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page Synopsis and Background 4 Rumors in the Harbor 5 Scurvy Dog2ight 6 Sea Monster Attacks 7 Under Seige 8 The Light in the Tower 9 The Caverns Below 10 Wounded Lion 11 Hostages 12 Summoning Room 13 Aftermath 14 Appendix A: Maps 15 The Docks 15 The Annabel Lee 16 Skyhorn Lighthouse 16 Skyhorn Lighthouse Caves 17 Appendix B: New Monsters 18 Eelfolk 18 Eelfolk Hunter 19 Eelfolk Scourge 19 Eelfolk Stormcaller 20 Secret Lore 21 Acknowledgements and Credits 22 THE SECRETS OF SKYHORN LIGHTHOUSE 2 Sample file

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Page 1: The Secrets of Skyhorn Lighthouse V7 - DMs Guild...199#,D.b$2?$,#F$@(,%!#'%$ #3HQ7HY$ A)30*3H!$,)!$!1"#8"')!,$8)!="/6!,&

TABLEOFCONTENTSSection Page

SynopsisandBackground 4

RumorsintheHarbor 5

ScurvyDog2ight 6

SeaMonsterAttacks 7

UnderSeige 8

TheLightintheTower 9

TheCavernsBelow 10

WoundedLion 11

Hostages 12

SummoningRoom 13

Aftermath 14

AppendixA:Maps 15

TheDocks 15

TheAnnabelLee 16

SkyhornLighthouse 16

SkyhornLighthouseCaves 17

AppendixB:NewMonsters 18

Eelfolk 18

EelfolkHunter 19

EelfolkScourge 19

EelfolkStormcaller 20

SecretLore 21

AcknowledgementsandCredits 22

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SYNOPSIS

• Atthebeginningoftheadventure,thepartylearnsthroughoneofthehooksthatshipshavestoppedtransitingtheharborforfearof“seamonsters.”TheyalsolearnnearbySkyhornLighthouseisindistress.Thepartyisableto2indonecaptain,SheilaCoppertree,whoiswillingtoriskgoingtothelighthouse.

• Onthewaytothelighthouse,awaterelementalattacksthegroup.Whentheadventurersarriveatthelighthouse,they2inditundersiegebyeelfolk.

• Thepartylearnsof2loodedcavesbeneaththelighthouseeitherthroughexplorationorfromLucienSkyhorn,thelighthousekeeperwhoisbarricadedinthelanternroom.

• Insidethecaves,thegroupdiscoverstheeelfolkareforcingcapturedsailorstouseaBowlofCommandingWaterElementalstosummonwaterelementalsandwreakhavoconthesurroundingseapassageandharbor.

BACKGROUND

• LucienSkyhornissworntoprotectthesecretBowlofCommandingWaterElementalshiddeninthewaterycavesbelowhisfamily’sancestrallighthouse.

• Afewdaysbeforetheadventurebegins,araidinggroupofeelfolkenteredthecavesbelowthelighthouseviaahiddencove.There,theydiscoveredthebowl.Sincethen,they'veusedittocaptureamerchantshipthatwastransitingtheharbor.Theeelfolklearned(thehardway)thatasummonedelementalsometimesturnsagainstitssummoner,sonowthey’reforcingthecapturedcrewtodothesummoningritual.

• Theeelfolkaretryingto2inishoffLucien,whoisbarricadedintoproomofthelighthouse.Theyplantoseizetotalcontrolofthesmallislandtocontinueusingmorewaterelementalstocapturepassingships.TheyfeelLucien’sstubbornpresenceisathreattotheirplans.

AWORDTOTHEGM

Thisadventureismeanttoberunataglancewithminimalpreparationandanaturaldelivery.Thisrequiredre-thinkingthenormaladventurepresentationabit.Here’swhatyou’ll2indincluded:

• Eachencountercontainedononepage.• Bulletedlists.Boldedkeywords.• Hyperlinkstomonstersandrulesonlineforquickreference.

• PrintablecardsforeachmonsterandPCsoyoucanrunencountersusingacardstack.Ashortvideowalkthroughofthismethodcanbefoundhere.

• Shortroomandareadescriptions.Noparagraphsofdroning2lavortext—setthescenenaturallyandembellishasdesired.

• Brie2lyexplainednon-encounterrooms.Again,embellishasdesired!

• GMmapsandplayer-safedigitalmapsforusewithvirtualtabletops.

• Printablecardsforspecialtreasurehandout.• Ashortvideowalkthroughoftheadventurecanbefoundhere.

PACING/TRANSITIONS

Adramaticquestionispresentedwithmostscenes.Oncethatquestionhasbeenanswered,thetensionofthesceneisresolved.That’syourcuetoworktowardthetransitionprovidedattheendthescene—evenifthatmeanssummarizingtheendofaclearlydecidedcombat,orinthecaseofcleverplayers,skippingcombataltogether.Keepthegamemovingtowardthenextchallenge! Roomdescriptionsthatareusuallylongblocksofliteraryread-aloudtexthavebeenleftshortandinformationalinthisadventure.ManyGameMastersprefertoparaphraseread-aloudtextandsetthescenebasedonwhattoneandlevelofdetailhisorhergroup2indsengaging.AnythinglistedbeforetheDevelopmentsectionsissafetosharehoweveryouprefertodoso.

THESECRETSOFSKYHORNLIGHTHOUSE 4

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SCURVYDOGFIGHT

THEDOCKS

• SkyhornLighthouse’sfaintglimmerisvisibleonasmallislandafewmilesouttosea.

• Thedocksarechokedwithships.It’squietcomparedtothenormalbustleofactivity.

DEVELOPMENT• Sailorsonthedocksreiteratetherumorabouttheseamonster,someclaimingfalselytohaveseenit(theyfabricateadescription).TheyrefusetotakethePCsouttosea.

• Ifaskedaboutwhomighttakethemtothelighthouse,sailorspointthePCsinthedirectionofSheilaCoppertree’ssailingship,theAnnabelLee(seeAppendixAformaps).

• AsthecharactersapproachSheilaCoppertree’sship,sheswingsdowntothedockstogreetthem.RefertotheadventurehookAppealtoHeroismforwhatsheknows.

• AfterafewmomentsoftalkingtoSheila,twopirateswholostafairgameofdicetoherinterrupttheconversationwithdemandsthatshepayupbyturningoverhership.They'veplannedasurpriseattack.

DRAMATICQUESTION

Canthecharactersappeaseordefeatthepiratethreat?

Gaspar,NEhumanbanditcaptain“Yeoweus,Sheila!Yershipisours!”

• Appearance.Tallandhunchedover.Scaracrosshisnose.

• Does.Grindshisteethandspitsfrequently.• Secret.Fellfromgraceasthecaptainofalordhebetrayed.

Neeno,NEhalf-orcbanditcaptain“Weknowyouuseweighteddice.We’vecaughtyou,wench.”

• Appearance.Remarkablytidy.Oiled-backhair.• Does.Looksathisnailsandcleansthemwhiletalking.

• Secret.PlanstoassassinateGasparandtakehisshipsoon.

TALKITOUTSuccessifconUlictscorereaches0.Gotothecombatsectionifitreaches5.• GasparandNeenobeginwithacollectiveconUlictscoreof3.

• Alargebribereducestheirscoreby1.• ADC15Charisma(Persuasion)orCharisma(Deception)checkreducestheirscoreby1.Afailedcheckincreasestheirscoreby1.

• UsingCharisma(Intimidation)increasestheirscoreby1.

• Wisdom(Insight)DC15revealsoneoftheabovedetails,ortheircurrentcon2lictscore.

COMBAT• Gaspar(G)andNeeno(N)shovecharactersintothewaterifgiventhechance.

• Onroundtwo,fourofNeeno’sthugs(T)popuponnearbyshipsand2iretheircrossbows.

• Enemiesbelowone-thirdtheirhitpoints2lee.

TRANSITION

ThePCscollectwhattheyneedandstrikeoutontheAnnabelLeetowardthelighthouse.

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THECAVERNSBELOW

AREA5:SOMETHINGINTHEDEEP

• Arustyladderleads10feetdownfromthetrapdoorinArea3intothebrinywater.

• Theriseandcrashofthetidesechoesintheseglimmeringcaves.

• Thewateris50feetdeep.Thecavernceilingreaches40feetabovethewater.

DEVELOPMENT• ThreehuntersharkslurkintheareasmarkedSonthemapandwillinvestigatesoundsinthewater.Theeelfolkhavebeenfeedingthemhumanhostageskilledbyelementals.Thesharksattackoncetheyarewithin30feetofanythinginthewater.

• Theeelfolkhavestackedfourchestsoflootfromthemerchantshiponthecave2loorattheareasmarkedT.Characterscarryingtheheavychestsmoveathalfspeed.

Sidebar:SwimmingInTheCaves• Thewaterhasdimvisibilityoutto30feetduetorefractinglightfromthecaveopening.Charactersmayhaveanunderwaterlightsourcethatimprovesvisibility.

• Eachfootofmovementcosts1extrafootforcreaturesswimmingwithoutaswimspeed.

• Acreaturecanholditsbreathforanumberofminutesequalto1+itsConstitutionmodi2ier(minimumof30seconds).Suffocationrulesarefoundhere.

• UnderwaterCombatrulescanbefoundhere.

DRAMATICQUESTION

CanthePCsavoidordefeatthesharks?

COMBAT• ThehuntersharksfocusoncharacterswhoarealreadywoundedinordertousetheirBloodFrenzytrait.They2leetotheoceanoutArea7ifreducedbelow15hitpointseach.

TreasureThechestscontain400gpworthof2inegoods:bottledperfumes,silverware,statues,jewelry,andothertrinkets.Aworn,black-hilteddaggerisactuallyaDaggerofVenom.

AREA6:THEDOCK

• Asmallsandbarrisesoutofthewater.Tworowboatsaretiedupataricketywoodendockanchoredatthesandbar.

• Thecrumbling,20foot-highwallofanancient,sunkentowerjutsfromthecavewall.ItcanbeclimbedwithasuccessfulDC13Strength(Athletics)check.

TRANSITION

Thecharacterscontinueontothenextpartofthecaves.Thesharksmayremainathreatiftheyhaven’tbeendispatched.

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WOUNDEDLION

AREA7:THEMERCHANTSHIP

• Theopenseacanbeseenbeyondthemouthofthiscove.

• Themerchant’ssailingship,theJadeLion,isanchoredattheopeningofthecove.Itlistsinthewaterjustoutofreachofthejaggedwalls.Oneofitsmastsissnappedandmissing.

• TherearetworemainingrowboatstiedtotheshipthatareidenticaltotheonesinArea5.

DEVELOPMENT• Thetideisverystronginthe10-footwidechannelleadingtotheshipandrequiresaDC13Strength(Athletics)checktoswim.Characterswhofailby5ormoretake7(2d6)bludgeoningdamageasthey’reslammedintothewalls.

• Withthesnappedmast,theJadeLioncansailathalfspeedwithaDC15Wisdom(Survival)checkwhencrewedbyatleast10sailors.

• Theshiphasbeenheavilylooted.Cratesofexoticfruitsandboltsof2ineclothhavebeenstrewnaboutanddestroyed.Nocrewareonboard.

• Stowaway:RafFrogwater,themerchantBenjiFrogwater’seight-year-oldsonandapprentice.Rafhidesinasecretcabinetinthecaptain’squartersandcanbefoundwithasuccessfulDC14Intelligence(Investigation)check.HeapproachesthePCsuponhearingthemspeakalanguageheunderstands.He’sdamp,scared,andhungry.

RafFrogwater,CGhal2lingcommoner“Thosehorribleeel-men,theytookmyfriends!MyPawillgetthemforit!”

• Appearance.Biggreeneyesandfreckles.• Does.Pretendsheisn’tfrightenedbyeelfolk.• Secret.Wantstobecomeanadventuringsailorsomeday,notamerchant.

DISCUSSIONWITHRAFRafcansharethefollowinginformation:

• Agiganticwaveofwatergrabbedontotheshipanddraggeditintothecove.

• The“eel-men”ransackedtheshipandtookthecrewinsidethecave,includingCaptainArynHest,SheilaCoppertree’sfriend.

• Oneofthe“eel-men”wasbiggerandangrierthantheothers.Hebossedthemaround.

• Therewereabout10“eel-men,”butitwashardtocountfromhishidingspot.

• Oneortwobigwaveshavepassedbyeachday.Theymaketheshipbobandspinlikeatoy.

• Rafsometimeshearshumanscreamsandterriblecrashesechoinginthecaves.

• Hehasn’tbeeninthecavesanddoesn’tknowtheirlayout.

TreasureTheeelfolklootersmissedasilvercandleholderworth25gp,aswellasagoldringinamahoganylockboxworth50gp.

TRANSITION

Thegroupreturnstothecavesandcontinueexploring.

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HOSTAGES

AREA8:THECREW

• Thedoorsleadingtoandfromthisroomareunlocked.

• Alarge,fadednautilusshell(theSkyhornfamilysymbol)iscarvedintothe2loortiles.

• Twelvehumancommonersarelashedtogetheringroupsoffour(markedPonthemap).TheyaretheJadeLion’ssurvivingcrew.Theyarebeaten,starved,andterrorized.

• ArynHest,thecaptainoftheJadeLion,isamongthelivingprisoners.Hehasjaggedelectricalburnsonhishandsandarms.

• Twoeelfolk(markedE)sitnearthedoorplayingaviolentgameinvolvingcoralcaltrops.TheyboltforthedoortoArea9whentheyspotthecharacters.

CaptainArynHest,CGhumanveteran“BogmebrainsifIletadamnwalkingeelhavemeship!”

• Appearance.Trim,pointedbeardandagoldtooth.

• Does.Bellylaughssolouditrattleswindows.

• Secret.Becameasailorwhenamermaidsavedhislifeandstolehisheart.

DRAMATICQUESTION

CanthepartystoptheeelfolkfromalertingtheircompanionsinArea9?

COMBAT• BotheelfolkattempttoopenthedoortoArea9andalerttheothereelfolk.

• ArynHesttriestotripanyeelfolkwhorunnearhim.Hedoesn’thaveanyequipment.

• Arynwarnsthecharactersthattheeelfolkareforcingoneofhiscrewtosummonanotherwaterelementalinthenextroom.

THEEELFOLKALERTTHEOTHERS• AlloftheeelfolktakecoverbehindthestalactitesorrubbleandreadyactionstoattackwhenthePCsentertheroom.

• Ifthecharacterswaitanylongerthantwominutes,thesailorinArea9isforcedtosummonawaterelemental.TheelementalcrashesintoArea8toattackthePCs.

• There’sa30%chanceeachroundthesailorwilllosehisconcentrationifhesummonsawaterelemental.Ifthathappens,theelementalbecomeshostiletowardhim.

THEEELFOLKDON’TALERTTHEOTHERS• ArynurgesthePCstostopthesummoningritualhappeninginArea9.

• TheeelfolkinArea9aretooengrossedwiththesummoningritualtohearthecombatinArea8(barringanexplosionorsimilar).

• Theeelfolkareinthepositionsmarkedonthemapwhenthecharactersenter

Area9.•ThePCsmaybeabletosetupasurpriseroundinArea9if

theybeattheeelfolkscourge’spassivePerceptionscoreof13.

AREA8A:PLUNDER

•TheeelfolkhavestackedchestsandbarrelsofplunderfromtheJadeLioninhere.

Theycontain5,000gpworthoftradegoods.

•ThedoortoArea8isunlocked.

TRANSITION

ThecharactershaveonlyamomenttopreparebeforetheactioninArea9begins.

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APPENDIXA:MAPS

THEDOCKS

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SKYHORNLIGHTHOUSECAVES

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APPENDIXB:NEWMONSTERS

EelfolkEelfolkareapiscineracewithrubberyskinandpatternedcolorationmeanttoprovidecamou2lageamidshiftingunderwaterlight.Theyslinkandhuntthroughcavesandshoals,

carvingoutterritoryinburstsofaggressiveexpansion.Eelfolkoftenlairalongshorelinesandsubmergedcaverns,nevertoofarfromthesurfacewheretheymustoccasionallygulpgreatmouthfulsofair.Ambushers.Eelfolkkeeptothefringesofthesea

andambushanywhoencroachupontheirterritory.Whilehunting,theyprefertolieinwaitforpreytodrawclosebeforelungingouttoattack.Twopouchesbehindtheirnecksgenerateanelectricalchargetheyusetosensetheirquarry,eveninthemurkiestdepths.StormWorshippers.Eelfolkworshipthesqualls

oftheseaasthoughtheyweregods,viewingallstormsasdivinelyinspired.Sailorsatseahavereportedseeingdozensofeelfolkcavortingthroughthewaterduringtempests.GrowingPains.Eelfolkgrow

largerandmorepowerfulwithage,shiftingfromstealthyhunterstoviciousbrutes.Fullymaturedeelfolkgrowextraelectricalpouchesthatcovertheirbodiesincracklingenergy.Thesescourgesaremorecunningandaggressivethantheiryoungerbrethren.Theyleadsurpriseraidsalongshorelinesettlementsinordertosatiatetheirever-growinghungerforviolenceandfood.Storm’sFury.Duringragingoceanstorms,the

strongestandmostcunningeelfolk2ightwitheachothertothrowthemselvesinthepathofalightningstrike.Rarely,oneluckycreaturewillbeenvelopedinagreatblastofenergy.Thelightingburnstheeelfolk’sbulkybodyaway,replacingitwithagauntformhousingmagni2icentpower.Theseeelfolkstormcallersgaintheabilitytochannelthetempest’smight,summoninglightningboltsandgalesofwindtopummeltheirfoes.

EELFOLKMediumhumanoid(eelfolk),chaoticevil

ArmorClass15(hidearmor,shield)HitPoints19(3d8+6)Speed30ft.,swim40ft.

SkillsStealth+3DamageImmunitieslightningSensesblindsight60ft.,passivePerception10LanguagesEelfolkChallenge1/2(100XP)

DeathBurst.Whentheeelfolkdies,itexplodesinaburstofpent-upelectricity.Eachcreaturewithin10feetofitmustmakeaDC12Dexteritysavingthrow,taking7(2d6)lightningdamageonafailedsave,orhalfasmuchonasuccessfulone.HoldBreath.Theeelfolkcanholditsbreathfor1hour.Lunge.Iftheeelfolkmovesatleast20feetstraighttowardatargetandthenhitsitwithalongknifeattackonthesameturn,thetargettakesanextra7(2d6)piercingdamage.

Actions

LongKnife.MeleeWeaponAttack:+3tohit,reach5ft.,onetarget.Hit:4(1d6+1)slashingdamage.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10(+0) 13(+1) 14(+2) 6(-2) 10(+0) 7(-2)

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