Brainstorming for an adventure

[eris404]

I didn't want to put any exact details in the title because some of my players frequent these boards. I trust they will stay out.

On a lark, I had one of my players create a treasure map. His character is from Atlantis and from his travels before meeting the rest of the party, he found the map which shows the general location of a sunken ship. He does not know anything else about the location, such as threats, conditions of the ship or what it was carrying. Unfortunately, neither do I.

I was looking at the Instant Adventure thread that had maps of sunken ships and whatnot and got some good ideas from that, but I was hoping to get some cool, nasty, evil ideas from the cool, nasty, evil DMs here. The characters will be 4th level, possibly 5th, by the time they find this ship and we're playing in a D&D 3.5 game. Yes, a good amount of the adventure will be underwater, something I've never done before, so any suggestions/tips would be helpful. I do own Stormwrack, in case you're wondering, but haven't had the chance to really look through it. I'm looking for some interesting underwater encounters, traps, monsters, or even treasure and as I own a goodly amount of d20 books, both from WotC and third-party, so feel free to suggest ideas from a lot of different sources. Any favorite aquatic monsters/races?

One caveat: I'd like to not use undead in this adventure, if possible. I'm worried about making the campaign too undead heavy.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The problem with landsmen underwater is that one mistake tends to equal death.

While this can be true in many adventures, it is doubly so underwater (where someone who is drowning dies in two rounds).

Therefore, especially with low-level adventurers who have limited access to things like water breathing, raise dead, and amulets of adaptation, you need to be careful with how long you expect them to be "free swimming."

 

[Evilhalfling]

a few extra potions of water breathing might be helpful, the last time I ran an underwater fight the party had purchased some cut rate water breathing potions - 50gp each and were even told that they would not be able to breathe air after taking them. The party gets into a fight with Skum and 2 PCs drink the potions. They are thick, slimey and disgusting to swallow.

Then the aboleth showed up, surrounded by a familiar looking thick cloud of mucas. The unused potions were poured out after the battle.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Here is something I made up based on Symbiont's in the Eberron Campaign sourcebook:

Bloodfin
Tiny Aberration (Symbiont)
HD: 2d8 (9hp); Init: +3; Speed: 5 ft; Swim 15 ft.
AC 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex)
BAB/Grapple +1/-9; Attk +4 Sting dmg 1d4-2 plus poison; Space/Reach: 2.5 ft/ 0ft.
SA: Channel touch, poison;
SQ: Blindsense, symbiont traits, and telepathy
SV: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4;
Str 6, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 6; Ego 9;
Skills: (8 points) Hide +12, Swim +13;
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
CR: 1 (singly) or host +1 (when worn)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: --

appearance.
Singly it appears to be a brown ribbon-like eel about five feet long, with a stinger on its tail. When it attaches to the spine of its host, it takes on a reddish hue. The end of its body (below the host’s spine) extends down like a tail.

Bloodfin are created by daelkyr to allow their minions to infiltrate underwater regions.

A Bloodfin does not speak any language, but it understands undercommon.


Combat
A Bloodfin can only attach itself to a willing host; the would-be bearer must don the Bloodfin, at which point its tendrils dig into the flesh to bond with the body of the host. Attaching or removing a Bloodfin deals 1 point of Constitution damage.


Blindsense (Ex): A Bloodfin can locate creatures underwater within a 30-foot radius. This ability works only when the Bloodfin is underwater.

Channel touch (Ex): If the Host is a spellcaster the Bloodfin is able to channel touch attack spells.

Poison (Su): Stinger – injury, Fort DC 12, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Con.

Swim Speed (Ex): By unjulating its body and tail the bloodfin gives the host a swim speed of 30 ft. In addition the host receives a +8 enhancement bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. They can use the run action while swimming, provided they swims in a straight line.

Telepathy (Su): A Bloodfin can communicate telepathically with its host, if its host has a language.

Water Breathing (Ex): Out of water the host provides the Bloodfin with oxygen. Under water the Bloodfin provides the host with oxygen.

All Bloodfin’s bonuses are already factored into its stats.

 

[Ebonyr]

Eris404 - Could you post the link to the Instant Adventure Thread? I kinda new here. Thanks

 

[eris404]

Eris404 - Could you post the link to the Instant Adventure Thread? I kinda new here. Thanks

Sure! And actually, I got the name wrong - it's actually "Dehydrated module."

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=129566

These were started by alsih2o; basically, it is a group of pictures, maps, articles, etc. (not necessarily monsters or complete plots) to use as inspiration for an adventure.

 

[eris404]

Here is something I made up based on Symbiont's in the Eberron Campaign sourcebook:

Maverick - that's really neat! It solves some problems while creating others. And coincidentally, it fits in with another story idea I had (actually, part of the meta-plot).

 

[eris404]

OK, I have some other ideas I've been thinking about. The setting of the game is 19th century Earth (well, an alternate Earth with magic and monsters). The wreck would be located in the Mediterranean Sea, near Elba. Some possible ships/cargo:

1. A ship sunk during the Napoleonic Wars
2. A Barbary pirate ship
3. A Roman cargo boat (this article is especially appropriate: http://www.romanhideout.com/News/2002/irna20020824.asp)

 

[monkeynova]

Wierd idea

It may not be of much use to either (I suspect it's not what you're looking for), but...

For a BBEG, you could use the sunken ship itself: it's sentient, it's trying to rebuild itself, and it's been sending out false treasure maps to adventurers for years, luring them to its site, and then slowly (through some combination of lethargy, an odd form of leprosy, and strange magic) turning them into raw building materials.

It would be an interesting final combat, when the PCs realize that they are going to have to fight a centuries-old shipwreck that is alive and can cast magic.

monkeynova

 

[eris404]

Monkeynova! You gave me a horrible, yet wonderful idea!


MIMIC!