Wreck Ashore

Each of you has left your hometown in search of challenge and adventure. With nothing more than what you can carry, your feet have taken you far. You've met many people along the way, and have found friendship with those beside you on the coastal road. As though fated, you all agree to seek adventure together. Thin lines of smoke on the horizon tell of a town in the near distance. Once the town's walls are visible, the smells of cook-fires and sounds of commerce reach out to you with eagerness.

Background

Pirates kidnapped the lighthouse keeper and their family
Pirates have a camp with a fake lighthouse to lure ships in

Public Background Info

Any of the townsfolk can tell the adventurers:

Three expected ships travelling from around the other side of the peninsula haven't arrived
Lizardfolk attacks have increased recently
Most people can draw a rough map, but there's not much to it.

Hooks

One of these might get them to do the adventure

Rennard Smithson will mention they should go see the Mayor. The Mayor was just discussing sending out a call for help to investigate what's happening. Rennard will see the adventurers entering town (he's on duty).
The Mayor will tell them there's ships missing and to go investigate.
While the adventurers are in town, a disoriented crewman will enter the town, brought in by Aeriel the Druid. He won't be much help, but Aeriel will say she found him wandering the peninsula and almost fell in a solution hole with alligators.

People

It's likely the Captain of the Guard is the first person they meet.
Pretty much anyone can tell them of the events taking place (see above)
If the adventurers seem uninterested in the missing ships, the Mayor will approach and offer a reward
If they want to cross the peninsula on foot, they can hire a guide of some sort

Captain of the Guard — Rennard Smithson

4th Level Human Warrior

Mayor — Dom Pronnegan

4th Level Human Noble

If the adventurers are uninterested in the missing ships, Mayor Dom Pronnegan will approach and offer them a 50gp reward each, and they can keep whatever treasure they find.

He will mention the lighthouse on the far side of the peninsula and the Kojar family there. Maybe something has gone wrong?

Local Guide — Kath Pronnegan

Kath is a 1st Level Human Expert who Mayor Pronnegan can suggest the adventurers utilise to investigate the swamp.

Druid — Aeriel

She's a 1st Level Elven Druid who patrols and looks after the swamp. The adventurers may find her in the town market selling some goods. Townsfolk are a little wary of her, but they tolerate her presence. Since the lizardfolk attacks have increased, the townsfolk have begun mumbling under their breath about what influence she might have.

If the adventurers want, she will guide them through the swamp at the cost of an equal share of any treasure found, same as each adventurer gets.

She will mention it is dry season, so the peninsula won't be too difficult for them to cross/investigate.

Ranger — Red Smithson

1st Level Human Ranger (bow)

She is Rennard Smithson's daughter, and quite skilled at tracking prey through the swamp, which is their hunter job.

If the adventurers want, she will guide them through the swamp at the cost of an equal share of any treasure found, same as each adventurer gets.

Lighthouse — Kojar Family

Mirval Kojar — 4th Level Human Expert
Stenna Kojar — 5th Level Human Commoner
Mirval Kojar Junior — 2nd Level Human Commoner
Kolin Kojar — 2nd Level Human Commoner

Travelling Overland

If the adventurers travel overland with or without a guide, non-standard Marsh travelling rules take place.

Dungeon Masters Guide, page 88.

It's dry season so there are occasional solution holes which the alligators dig to hold water. Otherwise there's hummocks everywhere with thick trees.

20 hours to get to the Lighthouse, which is 2.5 days of overland travel (8 hours a day).

Adventurers can Force March extra hours:

Constitution Check of 10 + (2 per extra hour); or
Suffer 1d6 non-lethal damage
Non-Lethal damage and become fatigued
- No run or charge
- -2 to strength and dexterity checks

Everyone says taking mounts into the peninsula isn't a good idea. They get eaten by the panthers at night.

Every Hour:

If players have a Map: Survival Check DC 6, no map DC 10 (Knowledge(Geography) or Knowledge(Local) gets a +2)
- If they are now lost:
  1. Randomly choose direction of travel every single hour
  2. Every hour, everyone gets a check to tell they're lost (Survival Check DC 20 -1 per hour of being lost)
    1. If they detect they're lost, Survival Check DC 15 +2 per hour of being lost, to find the right way
    2. If check fails, random direction, but whatever outcome, they're in a straight line now until they get lost again or it becomes obvious
- Find The Path spell.
Every hour of travel the landscape feature is determined

Random Feature Table


d%	Feature	Details
31-100	nothing of note	roll encounter 8% chance
1-10	hummock	size 200ft + 1d6 100 ft wide, thick trees, roll encounter
11-30	solution hole	15ft + 1d10ft wide, deep, roll encounter

Random Encounter Table


d%	Encounter	CR	Details	Stats Block
69-72	Rat	1/8	1d4 creatures	HD: 1/4 d8, Init: +2, Speed: 15ft, climb 15ft, swim 15ft, AC: 14, BAB/Grapple: 0/-12, Attack: bite +4 (1d3-4), low-light vision, scent, Fort: +2, Ref: +4, Will: +2, Str: 2, Dex: 15, Con: 10, Int: 2, Wis: 12, Cha: 2, Balance: +10, Climb: +12, Hide: +16, Move Silently: +12, Swim: +10
73-76	Tiny viper snake	1/3	DC 21 to spot, within 5ft it strikes	HD: 1/4 d8, Init: +7, Speed: 15ft, climb 15ft, swim 15ft, AC: 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14, BAB/Grapple: 0/-11, Attack: bite +5 (1 plus poison), poison, scent, Fort: +2, Ref: +5, Will: +1, Str: 4, Dex: 17, Con: 11, Int: 1, Wis: 12, Cha: 2, Balance: +11, Climb: +11, Hide: +15, Listen: +6, Spot: +6, Swim: +5 Poison: initial and secondary damage 1d6 CON, Fort Save DC 10 both times (1 minute later)
77-80	Dire Rat	1/3	1 creatures	HD: 1d8+1, Init: +3, Speed: 40ft, climb 20ft, swim 20ft, AC: 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12, BAB/Grapple: 0/-4, Attack: bite +4 (1d4 plus disease), disease, low-light vision, scent, Fort: +3, Ref: +5, Will: +3, Str: 10, Dex: 17, Con: 12, Int: 1, Wis: 12, Cha: 4, Climb: +11, Hide: +8, Listen: +4, Move Silently: +4 Spot: +4, Swim: +11 Disease: Filth Fever, Fort Save DC 12, incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d3 DEX and 1d3 CON; 2 consecutive saving throws and cured, if Heal Check from someone else is higher, use it (must have been resting the previous 8 hours). Recovery is 1 point per day, even while disease is in progress.
81-84	Human warrior skeleton	1/3	1 creatures	HD: 1d12, Init: +5, Speed: 30ft, AC: 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14, BAB/Grapple: 0/+1, Attack: sword +1 (1d6+1/18-20), claw +1 (1d4+1), damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60ft, immunity to cold, undead traits, Fort: +0, Ref: +1, Will: +2, Str: 13, Dex: 13, Con: -, Int: -, Wis: 10, Cha: 1
85-88	Small viper snake	1/2	1 creature, DC 21 to spot, within 5ft it strikes	HD: 1d8, Init: +7, Speed: 20ft, climb 20ft, swim 20ft, AC: 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14, BAB/Grapple: 0/-6, Attack: bite +4 (1d2-2 plus poison), poison, scent, Fort: +2, Ref: +5, Will: +1, Str: 6, Dex: 17, Con: 11, Int: 1, Wis: 12, Cha: 2, Balance: +11, Climb: +11, Hide: +11, Listen: +7, Spot: +7, Swim: +6 Poison: initial and secondary damage 1d6 CON, Fort Save DC 10 both times (1 minute later)
89-92	Tiny animated object	1/2	1 creatures	HD: 1/2 d10, Init: +2, Speed: 40ft, 50ft with legs, AC: 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12, BAB/Grapple: 0/-9, Attack: slam +1 (1d3-1), darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Fort: +0, Ref: +2, Will: -5, Str: 8, Dex: 14 Con: -, Int: -, Wis: 1, Cha: 1, Wallet, Tiny Wooden Figure, Shoe
93-96	Human commoner zombie	1/2	1 creatures	HD: 2d12+3, Init: -1, Speed: 30ft, can't run, AC: 11, touch 9, flat-footed 11, BAB/Grapple: +1/+2, Attack: slam +2 (1d6+1), club +2 (1d6+1), single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60ft, undead traits, Fort: +0, Ref: -1, Will: +3, Str: 12, Dex: 8, Con: -, Int: -, Wis: 10, Cha: 1
97-100	Stirge	1/2	1 creatures	HD: 1d10, Init: +4, Speed: 10ft, fly 40ft, AC: 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12, 12 when attached, BAB/Grapple: +1/-11 but +1 grapple when attached, Attack: touch +7 (becomes attached), attach, blood drain, darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Fort: +2, Ref: +6, Will: +1, Str: 3, Dex: 19, Con: 10, Int: 1, Wis: 12, Cha: 6, Hide: +14, Listen: +4, Spot: +4 This nasty-looking creature seems to be a cross between a bat and a giant mosquito. It has membranous bat wings, a short furry body, eight jointed legs that end in sharp pincers, and a needlelike proboscis. When Attached deals 1d4 CON damage on start of round while attached. After 4 points of damage it flies away to digest. Grapple Rules: Every attack provokes Attack of Opportunity, Touch Attack (AC of touch), Opposed Grapple Checks (BAB + STR + Size Mod below). Attacking Stirge while attached is a -4 to player. Opposed Grapple Check more likely to succeed. If the player moves, other players get Attack of Opportunity against the attached stirge. Special Size Modifier: The special size modifier for a grapple check is as follows: Colossal +16, Gargantuan +12, Huge +8, Large +4, Medium +0, Small –4, Tiny –8, Diminutive –12, Fine –16.
1-60	Lizardfolk	1	1 creature	HD: 2d8+2, Init: +0, Speed: 30ft, AC: 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15, BAB/Grapple: +1/+2, Attack: claw +2 (1d4+1), club +2 (1d6), javelin +1 ranged (1d6+1), hold breath, Fort: +1, Ref: +3, Will: +0, Str: 13, Dex: 10 Con: 13, Int: 9, Wis: 10, Cha: 10, Balance: +4, Jump: +5, Swim: +2 Treasure: 50% coins; 50% goods; 50% items
61-62	Medium viper snake	1	1 creature, DC 21 to spot, within 5ft it strikes	HD: 2d8, Init: +7, Speed: 20ft, climb 20ft, swim 20ft, AC: 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13, BAB/Grapple: +1/0, Attack: bite +4 (1d4-1 plus poison), poison, scent, Fort: +3, Ref: +6, Will: +1, Str: 8, Dex: 17, Con: 11, Int: 1, Wis: 12, Cha: 2, Balance: +11, Climb: +11, Hide: +12, Listen: +5, Spot: +5, Swim: +7 Poison: initial and secondary damage 1d6 CON, Fort Save DC 11 both times (1 minute later)
63-64	Small animated object	1	1 creature	HD: 1d10+10, Init: +1, Speed: 30ft, 40ft with legs, rope climb 15ft, AC: 14, touch 12, flat-footed 13, BAB/Grapple: 0/-4, Attack: slam +1 (1d4), darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Fort: +0, Ref: +1, Will: -5, Str: 10, Dex: 12 Con: -, Int: -, Wis: 1, Cha: 1, Step stool, boots, rope
65-66	Ghoul	1	1 creature	HD: 2d12, Init: +2, Speed: 30ft, AC: 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12, BAB/Grapple: +1/+2, Attack: bite +2 (1d6+1 plus paralysis) Full Attack: as attack + 2xclaws +0 (1d3 plus paralysis) Special attack: Ghoul Fever, darkvision 60ft, undead traits, +2 turn resistance, Fort: +0, Ref: +2, Will: +5, Str: 13, Dex: 15 Con: -, Int: 13, Wis: 14, Cha: 12, Balance: +6, Climb: +5, Hide: +6, Jump: +5, Balance: +7, Climb: +9, Hide: +8, Move Silently: +6, Spot: +7 Ghoul Fever: Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex Paralysis: Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis.
67-68	Homonculus	1	1 creature	HD: 2d10, Init: +2, Speed: 20ft, fly 50ft, AC: 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12, BAB/Grapple: +1/-8, Attack: bite +2 (1d4-1 plus poison) darkvision 60ft, construct traits, low-light vision, Fort: +0, Ref: +4, Will: +1, Str: 8, Dex: 15 Con: -, Int: 10, Wis: 12, Cha: 7, Hide: +14, Listen: +4, Spot: +4 This creature has a vaguely humanoid form. It stands about 18 inches tall and has wings spanning about 2 feet. Its skin looks rough and warty, and it has a mouth full of needlelike teeth. Poison: Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial damage sleep for 1 minute, secondary damage sleep for another 5d6 minutes.