The PCs have been asked to rescue a local lord’s son and his adventuring group from the underwater caves to the north of the city. The anxious lord will supply the party with the tools necessary for this underwater rescue as well as a necklace that can help find his son. Can the party reach the lord’s son before they meet a water end?
This is a one-shot adventure for four level 6 PCs.
Six W’s
Who are the enemies in this One-Shot?
Kuo-toas, Black Dragons, Kobold, Sahuagins, Lizardfolk, Bullywugs, Giant Frogs, Sea Hags, Ogre Zombies
What has happened to cause the PCs to fight?
The PCs were just finishing up an adventure in this area and as they are turning in their quest an attendant from the ruler brings a letter to the party. The local lord is asking for the PCs to save his son and his party from the underwater complex north of the city named The Tomb of Arcane Evil. His son was seeking to rid the cavern of a Young black dragon menace to shipping but has not returned in over half a day.
If the PCs want to know about the history of this dungeon they would need to make either a DC 12 History check or a Persuasion check.
Where is this encounter happening?
This encounter is starting off in the bustling seaside town of Facauven’s Bay. It is a middling seaport known for its wide array of imports ranging from teas to spices. Fishing and treasure hunting are the past times for many in this town.
The entrance into The Tomb of Arcane Evil via the eastern entrance by Room 8. The cave is an underwater cave where a few of the rooms have air trapped inside but the majority of the cave is flooded. Since this is a cave there is no light outside of the one in which the players bring in themselves.
When did this happen?
The PCs are asked to rescue the lord’s son in the middle of the day. The lord’s son, Toliver, has been missing for 12 hours by the time the PCs set off towards the underwater lair. For the past two months, numerous creatures have been pouring out of this cavern as they attacked anything they could on the waters in and around the city.
Why are the PCs here?
The PCs are here to rescue the lord’s son before time runs out for him and his party. The secondary mission is for the PCs to defeat the enemies and clear the threats of this dungeon.
How will the PCs deal with this problem?
Once the PCs agree to the rescue, they will be offered bottles of air, healing potions, water breathing potions, moon-touched metal weapons, and a bag of holding to aid them in this rescue. Duke Letho Estes has hope that his boy is still alive, but the very real threat of this being a recovery mission weighs heavily on his mind.
From there the PCs are offered a recently updated map of the cavern, crafted by local druids who owed the duke for his aide years prior. They will also be ferried as close as is tolerable to the cave’s entrance by one of the local sea captains as well.
Once the party embarks into the cold waters of the cavern they will have to travel 100 feet through a flooded tunnel that comes up into Room 8. This room has a ledge that raises out of the water giving the players a welcome respite from the waterlogged and light-less cave.
From Room 8 the PCs can start to track the signal given off by Toliver’s necklace. The signal will lead the party to Room 2 where they will find Toliver two of his three party members in a defensive posture having had to fight various creatures. They are all injured but alive, unfortunately, their party cleric was captured by bullywugs to the southwest of the cave.
As the PCs travel to a new room in the cave, a DC 13 Athletics check will need to be made else they will silt out that portion of the cave and reduce visibility for those caught inside to heavy obscurement.
After that, you just follow the PDF until the PCs escape this water-logged dungeon.
NPCs of Note
Duke Letho Estes- A middle-aged human of russet brown hair and piercing green eyes. It is said that his lineage holds hints of wood elven blood. Years prior he was a member of the fabled adventurer group Barbed Crown. Their biggest feat was defeating an adult green dragon who attempted to corrupt an ancient druid grove.
Toliver Estes- A young half-elven lad of copper brown hair and bronze-toned skin. He grew up hearing the heroic tales of his father and has lived up to his image. He created his own adventuring group known as the Sapphire Glaive. He is the middle child of Duke Letho Estes and his favorite son.
Maps
Town Facauven’s Bay
https://watabou.github.io/city-generator/?size=15&seed=876123188&name=Facauven’s Bay&greens=1&farms=1&citadel=0&urban_castle=0&plaza=1&temple=0&walls=0&shantytown=1&coast=1&river=0&gates=2&sea=1.4
The Tomb of Arcane Evil
Encounters & Treasure
Listed in the PDF
Epilogue
With the rescue of Toliver and his party and the possible defeat of the various looming threats in the underwater cave, the town of Facauven’s Bay will be able to prosper. The PCs will be lauded as heroes and Toliver will be inspired by the actions of the traveling adventures. Each hero will be offered a chest of 1,000 GP along with the group being gifted a lighthouse keep that borders the dungeon.
Shoutouts as always to https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/ and https://watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator and https://www.youtube.com/c/DIVETALK for being amazing resources in creating this one-shot adventure!
