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