Campaign Overview

The Drowned Conspiracy of Thalor

In the bustling port city of Thalor, whispers of an Abyssal Cabal have begun to surface. Fishermen claim their captains have been replaced by fish-faced doppelgangers; merchants swear precious shipments vanish into thin water; and even the Maia Priests of the Tidal Mother speak of an ancient prophecy foretelling a cataclysmic flood. Few believe—until the coffer of the city’s harbormaster is found empty, its guardian dead by unknown claws.

As the party arrives seeking coin and excitement, what seems a silly conspiracy spirals into something far darker. Beneath Thalor’s docks lies a hidden network of coral tunnels where sahuagin hybrids thrash in mutation vats. Deep under rolling waves, a labyrinthine reef maze hums with bioluminescent energy and hides the torn remnants of a sunken temple. In these flooded halls, kraken sentinels lash out at intruders, and deceitful merfolk feign allegiance even as they plot undersea domination.

Guided by cryptic visions from the Tidal Oracle, the heroes must assemble the Seal of Coral—five scattered puzzle artifacts capable of opening or sealing a portal to the elemental Ocean Depths. Along the way they’ll:

• Navigate political intrigue in Thalor’s Council Chambers, where a doppelganger sits in place of a missing Overseer.
• Purify a poisoned Maia shrine beneath churning tides and claim the first Seal fragment.
• Delve into the glowing coral caverns of Delmaris, sabotage twisted mutation labs, and face off against a young kraken sentinel.
• Siege a blockade of Cabal warships and land on the drowned spires of Andros.
• Rescue captive Throneguard soldiers from grotesque vats and piece together the Cabal’s ritual blueprint.
• Confront Merfolk high priests, sahuagin champions, and, finally, High Priestess Maeralyth herself as she channels the ocean’s fury to drown the world.

Alongside the main quest, the party can: hunt mutated reef rats in the sewers, intercept smuggler convoys, uncover lost journals in wrecked watchtowers, and broker uneasy truces with sea-elf druids. They’ll wield tridents of coral, crush bioluminescent pearls for prophetic visions, and don scale mail forged from sahuagin armor. Each reward brings them closer to stopping the Final Flood, but each artifact also draws them deeper into maddening visions of the abyss.

Will they rally Thalor’s naval might and Maia’s faith to extinguish the Cabal’s ritual? Or will the tides rise, drowning the world and fulfilling the ancient prophecy? Dive into The Drowned Conspiracy of Thalor—a campaign of underwater exploration, political intrigue, and eldritch horror beneath the waves. Good luck, adventurers...and watch your gills for anyone who isn’t quite human.

Starting Location

Thalor Harbor District

Thalor Harbor District is the bustling heart of the port city, alive with the clatter of ships, the cries of street vendors, and the laughter of sailors who don’t know they might not go home. Sturdy docks fan out along the glimmering blue-green bay, hosting merchant galleys, fishing skiffs, and sleek naval patrol ships of the Throneguard. Warehouse alleys reek of salted cod and seaweed; taverns brim with sailors swapping tall tales of sea monsters and lost treasures; and the Citadel of Tides—home to the admiral and the local magistrate—looms at the district’s eastern edge, its white stone walls streaked by salt winds. Everywhere, rumor runs wild: merchants whisper that their suppliers have been replaced by strange fish-faced impostors; guildmasters mutter about shipments mysteriously vanishing; and city guards patrol nervously, scanning crowds for anyone with gills or webbed fingers. But few take these whispers seriously—until rumors turn to sightings.

Secrets

  • A secret smuggler’s tunnel runs beneath the docks and ends in Spinefall Reef.
  • The Guildmaster on the Council is already a fish-folk doppelganger.
  • A hidden shrine under the Maia Temple holds the first piece of the Seal of Coral.

Key Locations

The Siren’s Prawn Tavern

Nestled at the west end of the main quay, The Siren’s Prawn is a ramshackle tavern built on stilts over shallow water. Its walls are patched from driftwood and barnacle-coated planks salvaged from wrecks. Inside, the salty air is thick with pipe smoke and the aroma of spiced fish stew. Rough-hewn barrels serve as tables, and lanterns glow with a bioluminescent coral lamp hung over the bar. Regulars include crusty sailors, dockworkers, and the occasional shady figure wrapped in a sea-blue cloak. Beneath the jovial clamor, whispers circulate: some patrons have noted subtle oddities—voices that seem to echo from underwater when no one’s swimming, and barmaids whose laughter sounds unnaturally gurgling. According to a disgruntled dockhand, shipments from across the Spinefall Reef have stopped altogether, and rumors link it to the Abyssal Cabal creeping into the city’s veins.

Additional Notes

DM: This tavern is your players’ first warm-up: an opportunity for roleplay, rumors, and the subtle hint of something uncanny. Allow them to probe the clerk, trade rumors for favors, or pick a pocket or two. Build atmosphere with dripping water, faint whale-song echoes, and creaking floor-boards. Key clues—like a map marking forbidden reef channels—may be acquired here with a good Persuasion or Sleight of Hand check.

Council of Tides Chambers

High above the waterfront, the Council Chambers sit within a turreted wing of the Citadel. Polished marble floors reflect vaulted ceilings painted with frescoes of heroic naval battles. A semicircle of chairs faces a raised dais where Magistrate Ainsley Morvent presides. The port’s ruling council—comprised of the Throneguard Admiral, the Merchant Guildmaster, the Fishermen’s Overseer, and the Maia Priests of the Tidal Temple—meets here weekly. Beneath the veneer of decorum, tension simmers: the Overseer’s seat has been vacant for weeks; the new Guildmaster seems distant and distracted; and the Maia Priests have filed a petition to restrict deep-water fishing near the Spinefall Reef. In the council’s private wing, a hidden panel leads to subterranean corridors that echo with dripping water.

Additional Notes

DM: Players who secure an audience must navigate courtly intrigue—bribes, political favors, or blackmail. A well-placed Insight check (DC 15) reveals that Admiral Lorenks eye the Mage Priests with suspicion, while the Guildmaster dotes on rumors of newfound underwater treasures. The hidden panel (Perception DC 18) gives access to secret tunnels, setting up a dungeon delve later.

Rogues’ Reach Market

A sprawling open-air bazaar where thieves’ guilds, smugglers, and fence-merchants trade in rare artifacts, contraband fish-oil, and illicit coral jewelry. Narrow stalls brim with exotic wares: preserved shark teeth, shimmering pearl necklaces, enchanted diving helmets, and battered spy-glass lenses rumored to grant glimpses into the Depths below. Covered awnings shield customers from the hot sun; gutters stained with ichor drain toward concealed smuggling shafts. The market is divided into zones—“Fishmonger’s Row” for seafood and black market sea creature parts, “The Coral Court” for gemstones and magical reagents, and “The Deep Den” for arcane trinkets salvaged from half-sunk ruins. Here, street urchins hawk tidbits of rumor about fish-folk foiled in shallow raids and mutated sailors dragged screaming into the murky harbor.

Additional Notes

DM: This is the players’ go-to spot for gear, information, and under-the-table deals. A DC 16 Investigation or Persuasion check might reveal the existence of a hidden auction where a bioluminescent artifact will change hands. Vendors: Bessiel "Bonehand" Varlo, a gnarled halfling peddling stolen relics; Ranuuk, a half-elf fence with a fish-hook tattoo who whispers of missing fishermen; Lady Peryth, a vain merfolk emissary disguised in human form.

Spinefall Reef Watchtower

At low tide, crumbling foundations peek from the surf—remnants of an old lighthouse turned watchtower. Built of coral-infused stone, it once guided ships safely past the lethal Spinefall Reef. Now, storm waves batter its half-submerged base, and only the bravest—or most foolish—venture inside. Inside, algae-slick walls are lit by phosphorescent fungi. Jagged stairs wind upward to a shattered lantern room, where the view out to sea is both breathtaking and terrifying: churned waves, jagged rock spires, and dark shapes that flicker just beneath the surface. Locals avoid it, claiming its shadows twist and whisper.

Additional Notes

DM: This location serves as the start of a coastal dungeon. Inside, players face slippery floors (Dex DC 12 to avoid falling), hidden crevices leading to flooded chambers, and a minor puzzle to restore partial lantern light. An Insight DC 14 spot strange fish-folk footprints, leading to a submerged cave harboring a minor sahuagin ambush.

Maia Temple of the Tidal Mother

A moon-white spire topped with swirling shells and coral blossoms, the Maia Temple stands at the convergence of two canals where fresh and saltwater mix. Inside, tranquil pools reflect pale stone, and chants echo softly through arched hallways. The Priceh Priestesses minister to fishermen’s wives, bless departing ships, and guard ancient scrolls about sea-spirits. Lately, worshippers have reported strange dreams of drowning, and the temple’s sacred wells have turned brackish. Beneath the main hall, a crypt sealed centuries ago holds frescoes foretelling an oceanic flood that will consume the world unless “the Seal of Coral” is reforged.

Additional Notes

DM: The crypt under the temple is a multi-room underground shrine (use a 4-room dungeon map). Players solve a riddle on shifting coral tiles (Intellect DC 16) to enter. Inside, they encounter watery undead, water traps, and the first glimpse of a bioluminescent puzzle device—part of the main artifact set. Succeeding nets them the first MP-grade artifact and a dire warning about the Abyssal Cabal’s plans.

Coral Labyrinth of Delmaris

Beneath the rolling waves lies the sprawling Coral Labyrinth—a natural cavern complex carved from living reef. Intertwined passageways of poly-colored coral glow with bioluminescent algae, lighting the way through flooded chambers and air pockets sealed by ancient stone doors. Massive columns encrusted with barnacles rise from the sandy floor, supporting high vaults draped in kelp. Pools of brackish water hide dangerous currents, and hidden caverns lead to sunken shrines dedicated to forgotten sea-spirits. Schools of ghostly fish dart in and out of the tunnels, and scattered coral runes hint at underwater rituals. The Cabal has claimed this maze as a staging ground—they’ve placed mutation vats in sealed alcoves, transformed loyal thralls into sahuagin hybrids, and stationed kraken sentinels at key chokepoints. Yet beneath the Cabal’s corruption, the reef still pulses with life and ancient magic that can ally itself with worthy explorers.

Secrets

  • An air pocket behind the mutation chamber springs open to reveal a side tunnel.
  • The Oracle shrine’s altar can teleport purified visitors to hidden vaults.
  • A hidden coral vault stores two pieces of the Seal of Coral puzzle.

Key Locations

Shrine of the Tidal Oracle

This vaulted cavern, glowing with turquoise light, houses an altar of bone and pearl. Coral pillars curve overhead like ocean swells, and a crystal pool mirrors the ceiling. The Tidal Oracle, carved from pale limestone, depicts a woman crowned in seaweed who speaks through the currents. She foretells the coming Flood and offers visions in exchange for offerings of blood or magic. The Cabal has defiled it—strange runic bindings now wrap its feet, forcing it to echo only their lies.

Additional Notes

DM: If players purify the runes (Arcana or Religion DC 18), they receive cryptic guidance: the Seal of Coral must be reforged in five pieces scattered across these caverns. They gain a vision of the artifact’s true form.

Mutation Chamber

Sealed behind a coral curtain, this grotto contains vats filled with phosphorescent liquid. Chains dangle from the ceiling to tether new test subjects—captured sailors left thrashing as they’re mutated into sahuagin hybrids. Broken amulets and torn uniforms litter the floor. A thin gangplank leads to a central console of coral and bone, its symbols glowing faintly. This is one of the Cabal’s primary labs.

Additional Notes

DM: On entering, alarm runes trigger a flood trap (Con save DC 14 or be pulled underwater for 1d6 damage). Players can sabotage the vats (Investigation DC 16) to destroy them, but doing so triggers a wave of mutated test subjects.

Kraken Sentinel Nest

A towering chamber ringed by a half-sunken ship’s hull. Kraken-tendrils festoon the ceiling and coil around statues of drowned captains. Bioluminescent barnacles glow along the walls. The Cabal has placed a kraken sentinel here—a young kraken bound by arcane anchors to guard the maze’s heart. It lashes its tentacles at intruders, spraying corrosive ink.

Additional Notes

DM: The sentinel is a scaled-down kraken juvenile (use Young Kraken stats). Tentacle reach and ink cloud create a challenging boss fight. Defeating it frees its mind; it can then guide the party deeper.

Ruins of the Sunken City of Andros

Off the Sapphire Coast lie the drowned spires of Andros, a legendary city claimed by a cataclysm centuries ago. Now, only the tallest towers rise above the waves at low tide, half-submerged streets glimmering with coral and kelp. Beneath the surface, grand plazas and marble pillars form a vast underwater ruin complex. Bioluminescent fish light the way through flooded halls, while air pockets harbor twisted flora and grotesque statues. The Abyssal Cabal’s Grand Temple stands at the city’s heart—its altar room filled with mutation vats and ritual braziers fed by enchanted kelp. Here they plan the Final Flood ritual, using all five pieces of the Seal of Coral to open an oceanic portal that will drown the surface world. Guardians—merfolk zealots, sahuagin champions, and a massive kraken bound in chains—patrol the ruins.

Secrets

  • A hidden chamber beneath the altar contains the Cabal’s leader’s identity and ultimate weakness.
  • One pedestal is booby-trapped: removing the artifact releases a shockwave that knocks players back into flooding water.
  • An air dome in the Hall of Echoing Depths has ancient scrolls revealing how to reverse the Final Flood.

Key Locations

Grand Temple of the Abyssal Cabal

A monumental temple carved from black basalt, its walls coated in phosphorescent coral runes. Inside, five pedestals circle a sunken altar, each designed to hold one piece of the Seal of Coral. Braziers burn with eerie green flame fed by bioluminescent kelp, and chains of enchanted coral bind a massive kraken sentinel to the ceiling. Merfolk high priests chant incantations in the old tongue, summoning tidal storms and calling sea-demons to aid the Final Flood.

Additional Notes

DM: This is the final dungeon boss area. Each pedestal must be activated in sequence—players need to solve a rotating coral puzzle (Int or Wis DC 17). The bound kraken (adult stats) is freed at the end for the final confrontation.

Council of Five Pedestals

Surrounding the central altar are five hexagonal pedestals carved from living coral, each etched with runes that correspond to the pieces of the Seal. When the correct piece is inserted, the pedestal glows and hums with power. The runes combine to empower the Final Flood ritual. Between activations, waves of sahuagin hybrids and merfolk zealots emerge from hidden doors in the walls.

Additional Notes

DM: Each activation triggers a combat round—waves of Tier-appropriate enemies attack from different doorways. Encourage strategic placement.

Hall of Echoing Depths

A flooded corridor lined with statues of drowned heroes, their stone eyes following intruders. Air pockets bubble beneath the ceiling, and currents rush along the floor. The cabal uses this hall as an ambush site—sahuagin assassins hide behind pillars, firing spears from the water before vanishing into side tunnels.

Additional Notes

DM: Use hit-and-run tactics. Assassins have advantage in water (Stealth + Dex). Players must find a hidden lever (Perception DC 16) to flood out the assassins’ exit or trap them.

NPCs in Thalor Harbor District

Admiral Calindra Lorenks

A tall, silver-haired naval officer with hawk-like eyes and a stern bearing.

Role: Ally/Quest Giver

Other Details: Suspects something’s wrong in Thalor but lacks proof. Can commission players.

Marik “Two-Fingers” Claus

A grizzled ex-sailor who lost two fingers to a beast in the deep reef.

Role: Informant

Other Details: Knows secret entrances to the Spinefall Reef caves; paranoid and may flee if spooked.

Priestess Serena of the Tidal Mother

A calm and compassionate Maia priestess with a sea-foam tattoo around her right eye.

Role: Healer/Quest Giver

Other Details: Wants the crypt beneath her temple purified and the artifact recovered.

Veshak O’Reen

A slick, sun-browned halfling who runs a shady smuggling ring out of the Prawn Tavern.

Role: Fence/Contact

Other Details: Can supply underwater breathing potions—for a stiff price.

Jasla Fynn

A young fisherwoman whose father disappeared on a reef expedition.

Role: Side Quest Giver

Other Details: Offers information on sahuagin sightings if her father’s fate is discovered.

NPCs in Coral Labyrinth of Delmaris

Pellara the Deepwarden

A sea-elf druid who patrols the labyrinth to protect innocent life.

Role: Potential Ally

Other Details: May join the party if shown proof they fight for the reef’s health.

Captain Rendar Tuskbreaker

A half-orc mercenary sold to the Cabal, now mutated and half-sahuagin.

Role: Minor Antagonist

Other Details: If spared, can offer intel on the Cabal’s wider plans.

Sireness Melloria

A merfolk rogue and double agent in the Cabal.

Role: Quest Giver/Traitor

Other Details: Will offer help, then betray them unless convinced otherwise.

NPCs in Ruins of the Sunken City of Andros

High Priestess Maeralyth

A grim merfolk sorceress with coral-white hair and eyes like storm-tossed seas.

Role: Final Boss

Other Details: Her scepter controls the bound kraken.

Brother Vallis

A fallen Maia priest, now a Cabal zealot armed with corrupted sea magic.

Role: Mid-boss

Other Details: If redeemed, can grant players a powerful blessing.

Captain Orna Stormsworn

Leader of the Throneguard expedition who arrived to stop the Cabal—now mutated into a sahuagin champion.

Role: Anti-boss Encounter

Other Details: Defeating him yields the final Seal fragment.

Factions

The Abyssal Cabal

A shadowy coalition of corrupted merfolk, sahuagin hybrids, and turncoat surface-dwellers who worship ancient sea-gods. Cloaked beneath the guise of maritime commerce, they manipulate the port’s councils and mutate living creatures into loyal soldiers. Their ultimate goal is to summon an oceanic flood that will drown the world’s surface industries and usher in a new reign of the deep.

Goals

- Replace key leaders with doppelgangers
- Collect and reforge the Seal of Coral pieces
- Open the Final Flood Portal
- Transform the world into their aquatic domain

Relationships

With Other Factions
Enemies of the Throneguard and Maia priests; covertly manipulate the Fishermen’s Guild. Neutral or unknown to Criminal Syndicates—they sometimes share smuggler networks.
With Players
Primary antagonists. The players start skeptical but gradually become the Cabal’s biggest obstacle. Cabal agents will track and target them once they interfere.

Throneguard of Thalor

The official naval and city defense force, sworn to protect Thalor’s shores. Led by Admiral Calindra Lorenks, they patrol the bay, enforce maritime law, and guard against piracy and smuggling. Though dedicated, they lack knowledge of the Cabal’s infiltration and are stretched thin by constant sea raids and political bickering.

Goals

- Secure the port and shipping lanes
- Uncover and root out corruption within the city’s leadership
- Assist explorers in confirming lingering coastal threats
- Rally undersea allies to counter the Cabal’s forces

Relationships

With Other Factions
Tense alliance with Maia Priests over fishing rights. Competitive, sometimes hostile, with Criminal Syndicates. They view the Fishermen’s Guild as too lenient. Outright at war with the Abyssal Cabal.
With Players
Potential strong allies if the party proves their loyalty. Provide ships, men-at-arms, and intelligence. May turn suspicious if too close to criminals or merfolk.

Order of the Tidal Mother (Maia Priests)

A religious order venerating the Tidal Mother, a benevolent sea goddess who guides fishermen and safeguards coastal communities. Their temples across the Sapphire Coast bless sailors, heal the injured, and record prophecies from oceanic currents. They’ve recently detected omens of the Final Flood and seek to rally both land and sea folk against the rising Cabal.

Goals

- Recover ancient scrolls and artifacts to thwart the flood prophecy
- Purify defiled shrines and temples along the coast
- Form alliances with druids, sea-elves, and trustworthy merfolk
- Seal or destroy mutation labs to prevent sahuagin hybrid armies

Relationships

With Other Factions
Cooperate with Throneguard on coastal defense; uneasy truce with Criminal Syndicates when funds are needed; hostile to the Abyssal Cabal and some merfolk sects.
With Players
Offer divine aid, healing, holy water, and research assistance. Grant side-quests that deepen players’ understanding of the Seal of Coral and ocean lore.

Main Questline

Rumors in the Prawn

Given by:

Marik “Two-Fingers” Claus

Rumors swirl in The Siren’s Prawn about fish-faced impostors replacing key harbormasters. Marik pays you to investigate suspicious disappearances and uncover proof—or profit from the panic. Your search leads to the slums beneath the docks, where you find a hidden tunnel and questionable footprints.

Goals

• Gather eyewitness accounts
• Follow the hidden tunnel under the docks
• Retrieve proof of fish-folk infiltration

Reward

- 50 gp
- Map marking the tunnel beneath the docks
- 1 level Inspiration

Secrets

  • The footprints lead to a mutation chamber used by the Cabal.
  • A harbormaster’s journal is stolen by a fish-folk spy.

DM Notes

Good opportunity for social skill rolls and stealth. Players who find the mutation chamber note the Cabal’s deeper plans.

Crypt of the Coral Seal

Given by:

Priestess Serena of the Tidal Mother

The Maia Temple’s crypt conceals an ancient prophecy and the first piece of the Seal of Coral. But the tomb is warded with traps and haunted by drowned spirits. Serena tasks you with purifying the shrine and recovering the artifact—before the Cabal beats you to it.

Goals

• Navigate the crypt’s traps
• Defeat the guardian water wraith
• Recover the Seal fragment and exit safely

Reward

- Artifact Piece I of the Seal of Coral
- Blessing of the Tidal Mother (+1 AC for 1 hour)
- 200 gp

Secrets

  • A hidden passage leads to mutated captives in an adjacent chamber.
  • The crypt’s guardian spirit can be appeased for extra lore on the Cabal.

DM Notes

Dungeon crawl with traps (Dex DC 15) and a combat against a Water Wraith. Allows exploration of prophecy scrolls.

Into the Coral Labyrinth

Given by:

Sireness Melloria

Tracking the Cabal’s mutation experiments leads you beneath the waves into the Coral Labyrinth. Here, you must disable mutation vats, rescue reefwardens, and claim two more Seal fragments. All while avoiding or defeating the kraken sentinel and its sahuagin minions.

Goals

• Infiltrate the Mutation Chamber
• Free the reefwardens and sabotage vats
• Defeat the Kraken Sentinel
• Collect two Seal fragments

Reward

- Artifact Pieces II & III of the Seal of Coral
- 2 potions of water breathing
- Pellara’s druidic boon

Secrets

  • A hidden alcove holds a blueprint for the Final Flood ritual.
  • Melloria intends to betray you at the maze’s heart.

DM Notes

Major underwater dungeon with environmental hazards. Encourage use of water spells and gear. Betrayal twist if players trust Melloria.

Storm on Andros Shore

Given by:

Admiral Calindra Lorenks

With three Seal pieces in hand, you sail to the Sunken City of Andros. Storm waves and Cabal warships assail your vessel. Admiral Lorenks asks you to break through the blockade, land on the drowned spires, and prepare to storm the Grand Temple.

Goals

• Escort Throneguard ships past the blockade
• Land safely on Andros’s spire
• Clear a beachhead

Reward

- Naval support for the final siege
- 300 gp
- +1 weapon forged by Throneguard smiths

Secrets

  • One warship is crewed by fish-folk doppelgangers.
  • Lorenks plans a diversionary attack that might end in friendly fire.

DM Notes

A mix of ship-to-ship combat and amphibious assault. Use naval combat rules. Provide cinematic set-pieces.

The Final Flood Ritual

Given by:

(none; emerges organically)

Deep in the Grand Temple, the Abyssal Cabal initiates the Final Flood Ritual. You must place the five Seal pieces, reverse the ritual using the Deep Flood Glyph, and confront High Priestess Maeralyth and her bound kraken sentinel. The fate of the world hinges on stopping the tide and sealing the portal.

Goals

• Activate all five pedestals in sequence
• Solve rotating coral puzzle amid battle
• Defeat Maeralyth and free or slay the kraken sentinel
• Reverse the ritual at the Deep Flood Glyph

Reward

- Seal reforged, world saved
- Titles and lands granted by Thalor
- Legendary magic item: Trident of the Tidal Mother

Secrets

  • The Cabal’s true leader is a traitor in Thalor’s Council.
  • The Seal’s final activation requires a willing sacrifice.

DM Notes

Epic finale combining puzzle, skill challenge, and multi-stage boss fight. Allow players heroic moments (willing sacrifice, last-stand abilities).

Side Quests in Thalor Harbor District

Lost Father of the Reef

Given by:

Jasla Fynn

Jasla’s father vanished three months ago while charting a safe path through Spinefall Reef. She begs you to find his journal or rescue him if he’s still alive. The reef’s labyrinthine caves are home to sahuagin raiders, but rumors say he discovered something extraordinary before disappearing.

Goals

• Explore the Reef Watchtower caves • Recover Grafen Fynn’s journal or rescue him alive • Return to Jasla

Reward

• 150 gp • Journal with sketches of mutant sahuagin hybrids • 1 level of Inspiration

Secrets

  • His map marks the entrance to a hidden mutation vat beneath a sunken ship.
  • He was captured by the Abyssal Cabal and may now be a fish-folk pawn.

DM Notes

This quest introduces sahuagin combat and shows how deep the conspiracy goes. If the players find the vat, they learn of the Cabal’s mutation experiments.

Smuggler’s Toll

Given by:

Marik “Two-Fingers” Claus

Marik wants you to clear out a rival smuggler cell operating beneath the docks. They’ve been intercepting goods and selling them to unknown buyers on small skiffs. Rumor has it that they’re also moving live sahuagin hybrids.

Goals

• Infiltrate the smuggler’s lair in the tunnel system • Defeat or drive off the smugglers • Capture proof of their buyers

Reward

• Poisoned harpoons (50 gp value) • 2 potions of water breathing

Secrets

  • The rival cell is fronted by a doppelganger posing as a dock overseer.
  • Their buyer is a Merfolk emissary working for the Cabal.

DM Notes

Use stealth and social skill challenges. Players who discover the Merfolk emissary gain a direct lead to region two.

Coral Jewels Heist

Given by:

Lady Peryth

Disguised as a wealthy collector, Lady Peryth seeks a band of daring thieves to snatch a set of coral-infused arrowheads from a merchant convoy. Unknown to most, these arrowheads are warded by ancient magic that deters fish-folk.

Goals

• Ambush the convoy at the Smuggler’s Cut canal • Retrieve the coral arrowheads intact • Deliver them to Lady Peryth

Reward

• 500 gp • +1 Longbow • Secret tip on Abyssal Cabal ritual site

Secrets

  • The arrowheads have faint runes tied to the Seal of Coral puzzle.
  • The merchant convoy is under Cabal watch, protected by a kraken sentinel.

DM Notes

A timed mission with a chase scene on boats. A kraken guardian adds a formidable obstacle; scale HP for party level.

Pilfered Sermons

Given by:

Priestess Serena of the Tidal Mother

Sacred scrolls have been stolen from the temple’s archives, replaced by nearly identical forgeries. Serena fears they’ll be used in a dark ritual. She’ll pay handsomely for their recovery before the next high tide.

Goals

• Uncover the acolyte’s hideout • Retrieve or destroy the stolen scrolls • Report to Serena

Reward

• 200 gp • Blessing of the Tidal Mother (floating for 1 minute once per long rest)

Secrets

  • The forgeries contain hidden invocations to awaken kraken sentinels.
  • A temple acolyte is secretly working for the Abyssal Cabal.

DM Notes

This quest lays groundwork for the Cabal’s ritual intent and introduces kraken sentinels as guardians.

Harbor Rat Extermination

Given by:

Harbormaster Edrin Kall

Rats overrun the warehouses, threatening the grain stores and attracting disease. The harbormaster wants them gone—and is willing to pay more if the vermin prove mutated or unusually large.

Goals

• Descend into the warehouse sewers • Eliminate the rat infestation • Bring proof (rat tails) to Edrin

Reward

• 100 gp • 2 doses of antidote (cures poison)

Secrets

  • A rat queen in the sewers has been injected with sahuagin blood.
  • The vermin infestation was engineered to distract guards from Cabal activity.

DM Notes

A low-level combat to give players confidence, but mutated “water rats” hint at the deeper plot.

Side Quests in Coral Labyrinth of Delmaris

Rescue the Reefwardens

Given by:

Pellara the Deepwarden

Several reef-guardian druids were captured during a Cabal raid. They’re held chained in the Mutation Chamber—intended as live test subjects. Pellara begs you to free them before the vats activate.

Goals

• Infiltrate the Mutation Chamber • Release the druids • Escort them back to Pellara

Reward

• 2 levels Inspiration • A druidic boon: Speak with aquatic beasts once per day

Secrets

  • The sailors chained there include a Throneguard sentry with vital logs.
  • One druid is already halfway mutated; sparing them could yield unique knowledge.

DM Notes

A stealth/combat hybrid. Players must disable wards (Arcana DC 15) before chains can be broke.

Recover the Kraken Eye

Given by:

Sireness Melloria

One of the Cabal’s ritual components is a giant Kraken Eye, used to bind kraken minds. Melloria lost hers in a skirmish and wants it back—promising it will help calm the sentinel at the maze’s heart.

Goals

• Find the chest in the sentinel nest • Disarm the shock trap (Thieves’ Tools DC 17) • Return to Melloria

Reward

• Kraken Eye (magical focus, gives advantage on calm or charm water elementals)

Secrets

  • The Eye is held in a locked chest guarded by sahuagin spellcasters.
  • It’s trapped: removing it unleashes a shockwave that floods nearby corridors.

DM Notes

Encourage creative disarming—players might use water spells or brute force.

Side Quests in Ruins of the Sunken City of Andros

Save the Throneguard Expedition

Given by:

Priestess Serena

Orna Stormsworn’s company was lost while attempting to infiltrate Andros. Survivors are held in mutation vats deep in the ruins. Serena begs you to rescue them before they become irreversibly mutated.

Goals

• Penetrate the northern mutation labs • Free the survivors • Retrieve the Seal fragment from one of them

Reward

• 2 levels Inspiration • Throneguard commendation (minor title and small influence in Thalor)

Secrets

  • One survivor has the final Seal fragment implanted inside them.
  • Their memories contain crucial details for stopping the ritual.

DM Notes

A high-risk stealth and combat mix. Vats activate in waves—fighting off mutated abominations.

Reverse the Deep Flood Glyph

Given by:

Pellara the Deepwarden

The ancient flood glyph in the air dome of the Hall of Echoing Depths can reverse the ritual—if activated in time. Pellara’s notes indicate a pattern of coral runes that must be traced precisely under pressure.

Goals

• Find and translate Pellara’s scrolls • Navigate the underwater glyph hallway • Activate the glyph

Reward

• Blessing of the Deep (immunity to cold damage and ability to breathe underwater for 24 hours)

Secrets

  • Activating late partially undoes the ritual, causing unpredictable elemental storms.
  • The glyph draws on the user’s life force—one hero must remain behind.

DM Notes

A puzzle/skill challenge. Each mistake causes water surges (each character takes 2d6 bludgeoning).

Encounters

Sahuagin Ambush at Low Tide

Medium

Suggested Level: 3–5

A pack of sahuagin leaps from hidden tidal pools to attack an unwary patrol of sailors.

Creatures

  • 4 Sahuagin Warriors
  • 2 Sahuagin Spellcasters

Terrain Features

- Shallow water slows movement (difficult terrain)
- Tidal pools (DC 12 Acrobatics or fall prone)

Treasure

50 gp, potion of ocean’s might (grants swim speed 30 ft for 1 hour)

DM Notes

Scale number of sahuagin for party size. Spellcasters use control spells to herd players into pools.

Mutated Reef Rats

Easy

Suggested Level: 2–4

Giagantic, half-aquatic rats stalk the warehouse sewers in a frenzy of hunger and mutation.

Creatures

  • 6 Mutated Sewer Rats (use Giant Rats stats, +1d4 poison damage)

Terrain Features

- Narrow tunnels restrict movement
- Puddles of toxic sludge (Con save DC 10 or take 1d6 poison)

Treasure

Rat queen’s talon necklace (uncommon magic item, see below)

DM Notes

Introduce mutation theme early. Use for low-level dungeon practice.

Kraken Sentinel’s Guard Duty

Hard

Suggested Level: 6–8

A young kraken sentinel blocks the corridor, its tentacles anchored by arcane chains.

Creatures

  • One Young Kraken (scaled)

Terrain Features

- Flooded chamber (half-cover from coral pillars)
- Ink clouds (Dex save DC 14 or blinded)

Treasure

Ink-soaked pearls (250 gp), Coral-bound Amulet (+1 to water saves)

DM Notes

Use legendary actions for the kraken. Encourage creative use of ship rigging or spells.

Merfolk Deception

Medium

Suggested Level: 4–6

A charming merfolk envoy invites parley—only to betray the party with hidden tridents.

Creatures

  • 3 Merfolk Envoys (use Noble stats)
  • 2 Merfolk Tridentiers

Terrain Features

- Shallow pools & sandbars
- Concealed rock outcrops (cover)

Treasure

Trident of the Tidal Emissary (uncommon)

DM Notes

Allow a social encounter. A failed Insight (DC 15) leads into combat; success can yield intel.

Haunted Crypt Spirits

Deadly

Suggested Level: 7–9

Waterlogged ghostly figures rise from flooded crypt chambers to guard ancient secrets.

Creatures

  • 2 Water Wraiths
  • 4 Spectres

Terrain Features

- Flooded floor (difficult terrain)
- Echoing corridors (disadvantage on Stealth)

Treasure

Phosphorescent coral shards (quest item); 400 gp split

DM Notes

This is a mid-dungeon boss for the crypt under the temple. Use environment to hamper players, ghosts phase through walls.

Magic Items

Pearl of Deep Visions

Rare
A luminescent oyster pearl that, when crushed, grants a vision of underwater secrets.

Location

Shrine of the Tidal Oracle

Attunement

True — attuned by drinking saltwater under a full moon

Trident of the Tidal Mother

Legendary
A silver and coral trident blessed by the Maia, deals +2 damage and commands water elementals.

Location

Final Flood Ritual treasure

Attunement

True — requires a Maia Priestess to bless it

Coral-Bound Amulet

Uncommon
A piece of living coral grants advantage on saving throws against water, poison, and charm water elementals.

Location

Defeating the Kraken Sentinel

Attunement

False

Ink-Soaked Pearls

Common
When dissolved in ink, these pearls grant water breathing for 1 hour.

Location

Kraken Sentinel treasure

Attunement

False

Rat Queen’s Talisman

Uncommon
A carved bone talisman from the giant rat matriarch; wearer gains advantage on Survival checks in sewers.

Location

Mutated Reef Rats encounter

Attunement

False

Sahuagin Scale Mail

Rare
Armor crafted from rare sahuagin scales, grants +1 AC and stealth in aquatic environments.

Location

Sahuagin Ambush aftermath

Attunement

True — attuned by bathing in brine for 1 hour

Crystal Diver’s Spyglass

Uncommon
A glass-and-silver spyglass that sees through up to 60 ft of water without distortion.

Location

Rogues’ Reach Market (rare fence item)

Attunement

False

Potion of Ocean’s Might

Uncommon
Grants swim speed 30 ft and +1 to Athletics checks underwater for 1 hour.

Location

Sahuagin Ambush treasure

Attunement

False

Merfolk Emissary’s Trident

Uncommon
An enchanted trident that grants +1 attack and once per day can cast Charm Water Elemental.

Location

Merfolk Deception encounter

Attunement

True — requires holding underwater for 10 minutes

Bioluminescent Coral Shard

Common
A shard that can light a 20-ft radius for 6 hours or be used in rituals of sea magic.

Location

Haunted Crypt Spirits treasure

Attunement

False

Player Characters

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