Crossing the Wave

by hughpierre

Level 8

Themes

Machy

Physical / Metaphysical Law | Dec 24, 2020

Tropical Horror

Danger approaches a lush coastal island - isolated amongst the merciless forces of the sea. It starts with strange weather patterns, odd behaviour in animals and disquieting escalation. The landscape changes via ominous noises from the horizon and flooding - which also acts as a ticking clock. Players should feel that they can only delay or mitigate the threat, not avoid it entirely. Winning small victories is but a temporary setbacks for the oncoming danger.

Structure

Exposition

Empty

Players find themselves washed ashore on a lonely island with just one notable structure. Powerful winds and turbulent waters prevent the PCs from leaving and a terrible cold encourages the party to seek immediate shelter.

Inside, there is a minimum amount of useful supplies and a staircase that leads to a roof

Conflict

Shake

Should the PCs reach the roof, they will see a flash of lightning in the distance and a boom of thunder requiring a DC 15 CHA saving throw or taking a level of fear.

Rising Action

Waves on the Wall

Violent waves crash over the island and thousands of fish suddenly fall from the sky. Four giant eels fall on the roof or crash through the windows and immediately attack the PCs. The fierce winds that follow them make the floors difficult terrain. At the end of this fight, PCs must make a DC 18 CHA saving throw or take another level of fear.

Giant Eel

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	1 (-5)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 60 ( 8d12+8 )
Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Perception +2
Abilities:

Bite: 2d6+4 piercing damage

Target takes 2d8+4 bludgeoning damage and is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and can't constrict another target.

Climax

Joining

An unending wave of viscous sea creatures are swooping in from above and the below as the tides rise. After a lull in the fighting, the PCs hear a thunderous roaring and must make a DC 20 CHA saving throw or fall prone and become frightened for 1 minute.

Falling Action

Collision Course

In the distance, the PCs see a huge shape moving ever faster towards them. As it approaches, a swarm of bone worms assail the party. When the worms are defeated, the PCs automatically advance one level of fear as they behold a gargantuan kraken that attacks the building immediately. If the PCs attempt to flee to the lower levels, which are being flooded from the bottom up, the GM has the option of extending the scene by using the round-by-round events under the "kraken rules" and fighting its tentacles. If the PCs decide to fight it directly and are victorious, then the Kraken lashes out in its death throws and collapses the building into the sea.

Swarm of Bone Worms

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
3 (-4)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	1 (-5)	12 (+1)	1 (-5)

Armour Class: 13
HP: 27 ( 5d8+5 )
Speed: burrow 30 ft., swim 30 ft
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Abilities:

Can occupy another's space and vice versa
Can move through any opening large enough for a tiny size
Can't regain hp or gain temporary hp
Bites: 4d6 piercing damage, or 2d6 piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hp or fewer.
Targets takes d6 piercing damage at the start of each of its turns, as they burrow into their body.
- Targets can use an action to kill or remove them with fire or a weapon that deals piercing damage, causing 1 damage.
- A target reduced to 0 hp by the swarm's piercing damage dies.

Components

Goals

Survive the ocean as it turns into a hazardous environment.

Cruel Tricks

Losing Consciousness

From the GM's perspective, this adventure is meant to turn the party around if they are wandering the expanse without direction and immediately place them at the starting location of another adventure. At the last phase, during the fight with the sea monster, whether the PCs fail a saving thow or are reduced to 0 hp; they will lose consciousness and be washed away.

Relations

Competitors

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	12 (+1)	17 (+3)	11 (+0)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)

Armour Class: 16
HP: 123 ( 13d12+39 )
Speed: swim 40 ft.
Saving Throws: STR +7, CON +6
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +4
Abilities:

Bite: 2d10+4 piercing damage plus d10 cold damage

Ignores difficult terrain

Speed can't be reduced

Can spend 5ft of movement to escape from restraints or being grappled

While in the water, targets who end their turn within a given 60ft radius must succeed on a DC 23 CON saving throw or take 3d10 poison damage by an ink cloud. Half as much damage on a success. A strong current disperses the cloud, which otherwise disappears at the end of the kraken's next turn.

Hidden Sea Monster

Kraken

Species | Jan 15, 2024

Krakens are creatures of the deep and are exceptionally rare to see anywhere near the surface. However, salt storms are know to churn the seas enough to thrash it towards the shore. All the while the storm’s gale intensifies and suffocates the creature. Whether the PCs defeat it or not, it is fated to lay half-beached and heaving, as the salt storm gradually subsides around it; leaving it stranded and weakened on the shore.

Backdrops

Locations

Building at Sea

The building has an AC of 20 and 200hp. The list to the right shows some supplies that can be found inside. If the building collapses on them, each character takes 20d12 bludgeoning damage and are plunged into the icy waters; requiring both a

DC 14 CON saving throw or 7d10 cold damage, or half as much damage on a success
DC 15 STR saving throw or be pushed up to 20 feet away and knocked prone

Make sure players know of this possibility.

Machete: d6 slashing damage
Tarp or Oilcloth: Grants half cover if used as a shelter; advantage on Stealth checks when hiding beneath it in the jungle
Rope and Grappling Hook: Grants advantage on Athletics checks for climbing and Survival checks to secure items in place
Netting: Protects against small creatures
Firestarter: Enables starting fires even in humid conditions, offers advantage on intimidation checks against certain wildlife
Spices or Salted Meat: Can be used to deter certain beasts with a successful Animal Handling check or provide sustenance for the party

Threats

Violent Waves

Heavy Storm: A widespread blast of swirling wind negates all lingering magic effects and concentration spells within a 30-ft radius. Magic items are unaffected.
Tornado Wall: A wall of multiple thin twisters connecting in a line 50ft. long that deflects any medium or smaller object, throwing them upwards and away from it. Any target that comes into contact with the wall takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage. The wall lasts until the beginning of the second turn it started. There can be up to 4 such events at the GM's discretion.
(On a charge 5-6 ). A torrential wave of high pressure water within a 60-ft sphere where targets must make a DC 16 STR saving throw or take 6d8 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. On a success, they take half as much damage and aren't knocked prone.

Encounters

Giant Sharks

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	11 (+0)	21 (+5)	1 (-5)	10 (+0)	5 (-3)

Armour Class: 13
HP: 126 ( 11d12+55 )
Speed: 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Skills: Perception +3
Abilities:

Advantage on attack rolls against any target that doesn't have all their hp

Bite: 3d10+6 piercing damage

Giant Octopi

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	13 (+1)	13 (+1)	4 (-3)	10 (+0)	4 (-3)

Armour Class: 11
HP: 52 ( 8d10+8 )
Speed: 10 ft., swim 60 ft.
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +5
Abilities:

Advantage on DEX (Stealth) checks made while underwater

Tentacles: Targets take 2d6+3 bludgeoning damage and are grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and the octopus can't use its tentacles on another target

(Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). A 20-ft-radius cloud of ink heavily obscures the area for 1 minute, although a significant current can disperse the ink. Afterwards, the octopus can use the Dash action as a bonus action.

Plesiosaurus

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	2 (-4)	12 (+1)	5 (-3)

Armour Class: 13
HP: 68 ( 8d10+24 )
Speed: 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +4
Abilities:

Bite: 3d6+4 piercing damage

Stripped Finkin

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	11 (+0)	17 (+3)	10 (+0)

Armour Class: 16
HP: 52 ( 7d8+21 )
Speed: 30 ft., (in storm 40 ft.)
Saving Throws: STR +5, DEX +4, WIS +5
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Perception +5, Stealth +6
Abilities:

Claw: d8+3 slashing damage plus d12 acid damage

Winged Finkin d4+2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)	6 (-2)	11 (+0)	13 (+1)

Armour Class: 11
HP: 9 ( 2d8 )
Speed: 20 ft., (in storm 40 ft.)
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Skills: Intimidation +3
Abilities:

Advantage on melee attack rolls against any target that doesn't have all their hp

Advantage on saving throws against being frightened

Bite: d4+1 piercing damage

Claw: d4+1 slashing damage

Finkin

Species | Jan 15, 2024

These creatures are being pulled from the sea and flung by the wild winds to strike a solid surface. They take d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10ft they were thrown. If the finkin are thrown at other creatures, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 DEX saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.

Fear Conditions	Effects
Shaken	Takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks
Frighten	Takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks Aims to flee if possible
Panicked	Drop anything it holds and attempts to flee the source of their fear and any other dangers they encounter, along a random path. Can't take any other actions. Takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked character cowers and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a –2 penalty to AC and loses any DEX bonus.

Plot type

Consequential One-Shot Side Adventure

Related Organizations

Cuīcani

Related Locations

Alternate Kraken Threat Rules

Round	Event & Game Mechanics
1	Kraken Emerges – The young kraken rises from the depths, its massive tentacles reaching toward the tower's foundation as the water churns violently. Characters overseeing the coast require a DC 14 Perception Check to notice the disturbance in the water, spotting the kraken’s silhouette. Players roll for initiative as the encounter begins.
2	Tentacle Strike – The kraken slams one of its massive tentacles into the base of the tower, shaking the structure and cracking the stones. Characters within the building must make a DC 15 DEX Saving Throw or take d10 bludgeoning damage from falling debris.
3	Water Surge – The kraken causes a wave to surge up and crash against the tower’s base, flooding the lower floors. Characters in the lower levels must succeed a DC 13 STR Saving Throw to resist being knocked prone by the wave. The flooded area becomes difficult terrain.
4	Constriction – The kraken wraps two tentacles around the tower, applying crushing pressure as cracks deepen and walls begin to shift ominously. Characters near the tentacles (Each: AC 8, 50hp) may attempt to pry one off by succeeding a DC 17 Athletics Check, dealing 1d12 damage if successful.
5	Thunderous Roar – The kraken emits a deep, echoing roar that rattles the tower. Characters must make a DC 15 CON Saving Throw or be deafened for 1 minute. Additionally, d6+3 thunder damage is dealt to the tower's structural integrity.
6 - 13	Tentacle Grab – The kraken reaches into the tower, attempting to grab anything or anyone within reach. Characters within 15 ft of a window or broken wall must make a DC 14 DEX Saving Throw or be grappled by the kraken’s tentacle. Grappled characters are restrained and take 2d8 bludgeoning damage per round.
14	Structural Collapse Begins – Under the continued assault, the tower begins to collapse from the top down, with debris falling to the ground below. Characters in the tower must avoid falling debris by succeeding a DC 18 DEX Saving Throw or take 2d10 bludgeoning damage, half on success.
15 - 19	Retreat or Escape – The tower is on the verge of complete collapse, and characters have a final chance to escape or face falling with the structure. Characters can attempt to leap or climb to safety via a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics Check. Failure results in 3d10 falling damage as the tower crumbles.
20	Final Collapse – The tower gives way entirely, sinking into the water with a final splash as the kraken disappears into the depths, leaving only wreckage. Characters still in the tower fall into the water and must make a DC 13 CON Saving Throw to avoid exhaustion from struggling in the turbulent waters. The encounter ends as the kraken vanishes.

Major Capitals

Politics

Histories