The bustling port city of Thamarya, with its vibrant Sea Queen Festival and sprawling harbors, is the backdrop for Deep Sea Tales, a thrilling 5e-compatible adventure for 2nd-level characters. Beneath the surface of the celebrations lies a shadowy world of corruption, crime, and ancient sea legends waiting to be uncovered.

The Sea Queen Festival, a weeklong celebration honoring Queen Tuchmann’s legendary rescue of her people during a great flood, draws crowds from across the continent of Eluan. Thamarya comes alive with fireworks, mock naval battles, and festive contests. But while the festival rages, darker currents swirl below.

The powerful Verdant Company, a criminal syndicate, tightens its grip on Thamarya, running smuggling operations and trafficking individuals in secret. When whispers of kidnapped merfolk clerics—servants of the Kraken god Akhamatova—reach the ears of Qimmi Stedfast, a gnome potion-seller with a vendetta, he enlists adventurers to investigate.

Adventures:

Players will delve into Thamarya’s harbors, uncover conspiracies, and navigate the murky waters of politics and crime. They’ll meet colorful characters, engage in high-stakes contests, and face formidable enemies aboard the Great Auk, a ship shrouded in mystery.

-The Great Auk: A magnificent vessel with crimson sails and a storied past, now hiding sinister secrets.

-Merfolk Clerics: F’yll and Sotomay, devout worshippers of Akhamatova, are held captive in magical barrels. Their plight threatens to unleash the wrath of an ancient Kraken upon the city.

-Corruption and Betrayal: From Marine Cass, a jaded treasurer at the East Bank Harbor Office, to the scheming guild member Nyer Von Alben, every encounter will test the party’s resolve and cunning.

-Contests and Festival Events: Players can participate in a cannon contest, a fish buffet duel, or a talent show. Each provides unique rewards and hints about the city’s deeper troubles.

-The Great Auk Heist: Infiltrate the ship to uncover its secrets, avoid deadly traps, and battle crew members who protect the ship’s nefarious cargo.

-Confronting the Verdant Company: Encounter figures like Captain Sir Gawan, a disgraced Thamaryan naval officer turned smuggler, and his loyal gunslinger Le Gras.

Characters:

-Qimmi Stedfast: A sharp-minded gnome potion-seller who hires the party to investigate corruption in Thamarya’s harbors. He offers generous rewards for success and harbors a personal grudge against the Verdant Company for kidnapping his niece.

-Godoy: A retired buccaneer with a love for gambling and drink. He holds vital information about the Verdant Company and the Great Auk but reveals it cautiously. Godoy enjoys dice games and is known to cheat.

-Marine Cass: A disillusioned treasurer at the East Bank Harbor Office. Aware of corruption around her, she stays silent, hoping for personal gain. Cass can be bribed or persuaded but has little patience for incompetence.

-Sir Gawan: The captain of the Great Auk, known for his naval skills and ruthless demeanor. A former naval officer turned smuggler, Gawan is loyal only to his own interests and a formidable foe in combat.

-Le Gras: Gawan’s agile and fiercely loyal gunslinger bodyguard. A showoff with unmatched reflexes, he fights with elegance and will protect Gawan at all costs.

-Nyer Von Alben: A cunning member of the Singwa Guild and mastermind behind the merfolk clerics’ kidnapping. Nyer aims to restore his guild’s fortunes but is overconfident and unprepared for setbacks.

-Hium Pam: A Verdant Company lieutenant tasked with transferring the merfolk. Desperate to redeem herself after past failures, Hium is a ruthless and cunning adversary.

-F’yll and Sotomay: Merfolk clerics devoted to Akhamatova, the Kraken god. Their capture is central to the Verdant Company’s plans, but their imprisonment risks unleashing Akhamatova’s wrath.

-Akhamatova: An ancient Kraken worshipped as a god by the merfolk. Immensely powerful, Akhamatova seeks vengeance against those who harm her clerics, threatening to destroy Thamarya.

-Dormak and Faern: Two bickering dwarves aboard the Great Auk. While aware of the ship’s smuggling operations, they remain oblivious to its more sinister dealings.

-Corrupted Sea Minions: Former sailors transformed by cursed magic. They now guard the Great Auk and attack anyone who threatens their masters’ plans.

Tips:

-Leverage the Festival’s Chaos: Encourage your players to immerse themselves in the Sea Queen Festival. Participation in events like the cannon contest, fish buffet, or talent show can provide valuable rewards and hints about the harbor’s corruption.

-Play to the NPCs’ Motivations: Qimmi is eager to expose corruption but values discretion. Brash or violent actions may sour his opinion of the party. Marine Cass can be bribed, but she’s sharp and untrusting. Offer something compelling to gain her help. Godoy loves a good gamble. Winning his trust (and information) might mean playing dice games or outsmarting him.

-Focus on Exploration and Social Interaction: The Great Auk and the East Bank Harbor Office are filled with hidden secrets. Encourage the party to search thoroughly and interact with NPCs to uncover vital clues.

-Prepare for Strategic Combat: Encounters aboard the Great Auk are challenging, with traps and strong opponents like Le Gras, Hium Pam, and Sir Gawan. Use the ship’s confined spaces and environmental hazards to add tension and strategy to battles.

-Decisions Have Consequences: The party’s choices regarding the merfolk clerics and Akhamatova will shape the adventure’s outcome. Saving the clerics might provoke Akhamatova’s wrath, while freeing them could earn her favor.

-Highlight the Stakes: The Verdant Company and the Singwa Guild represent larger threats to Thamarya. Emphasize the broader implications of the party’s actions on the city’s future, including potential alliances or enemies made during the adventure.

-Highlight miniatures like Kepesk rising from the depths, his scales glistening with bioluminescence, or Godoy standing defiantly on the deck of a ghostly ship.

-Use props like broken barrels, rusted weapons, and seaweed-draped treasure chests to set the scene.

-Incorporate effects like dim blue lighting, mist, and the sound of crashing waves to immerse players in the maritime setting.

About the Set:

The Deep Sea Tales Bundle brings the thrill and mystery of seafaring adventures to your tabletop RPG campaigns. This set includes a diverse range of miniatures, such as cunning pirates, mythical sea creatures, and enchanted figures, all professionally printed with intricate details that capture the essence of the ocean’s depths. These miniatures are ready to paint, allowing you to customize them to fit your unique campaign or collection. Perfect for enhancing the Cannibals and Clipper Ships world, this bundle is ideal for seafaring storylines, ship encounters, and island explorations. Compatible with systems like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, the Deep Sea Tales Bundle adds a dynamic and atmospheric touch to any nautical-themed RPG session or display.

Features:

Ready to paint

Detached bases

28mm scale