Archaia

Escaping the Sahuagin Horde

The Sahuagin are back and they want their black stone and young shardborn back. The sahuagin warlock is defeated. The sahuagin Archpriest himself is now on the hunt. They are searching for the one who has the black shard of power. They have tracked the party as they are traveling to their destination. The sauagin…

Survive the minons of sahuagins until the engine is ready to take of to the air. Or defeat the sahuagin I guess? (please don’t try it)

the party keeps their lives the dark shard and Ulrich!

The Sahuagin are back and they want their black stone and young shardborn back. The sahuagin warlock is defeated. The sahuagin Archpriest himself is now on the hunt. They are searching for the one who has the black shard of power. They have tracked the party as they are traveling to their destination. The sauagin priest is close but its not the one who finds the boat. The boat is found by some of his underlings. they have sharks. they encounter 3 sahuagin scout leaded by 1 sahuagin fighter. This is the initial wave of sahuagin. In the final wave the Great Priest of the Dark Shark (the deity that that the Sahuagin are worshiping, who is in secret Hadar, they dont know that though) The great sahuagin priest is a challenge 15 archpriest corrupted by Hadar… his powers are also related to that. all of the sahuagin are also hadar touched with relative powers. etc The engine of the skyling will need 5 minute ( 50 rounds of combat essentially to recharge at the capacity). the party may try to somehow charge it quicker, by succeeding in arcana checks (i will have Zimbo do that) If they put black essence to the engine instead of red essense the engine will immediately power on and burst. But they will have to figure this out. I want some time between each of the waves to give them the chance to do stuff… the boat will reach some reef after the second wave they can try to navigate the boat arround the reef to give them more time or an advantageous position. I dont want each of the waves of sahuagin to last more than 2 – 3 rounds of combat (12 secs) The boat has some ballistas inside as well which can also turn inwards and fire towards the ship with the expense of hitting the ship. Aboard the ship is normelia Normelia Whirelwind, Gurg and the pirate captain and a group of 9 more pirates the group of pirates can be split to perform either some task, or fitght alongside the party. instead of actual actions they might provide some action to the party that they can use one per round by anyone on the party. so that we dotn bloat the action economy and drag the combat too long.

The Sahuagin are waiting closeby for when the skyling boat is going to land in the water… They will send a psychic message to the person that they think that has the shard.

Absolutely, let’s add some more depth to the Sahuagin waves and introduce the sharks:

Wave Mechanics:

  1. Initial Wave: 3 Sahuagin Scouts (CR 1/2) and 1 Sahuagin Fighter (CR 3). This wave arrives immediately as the encounter begins. The Sahuagin Scouts are riding sharks, which can attack the ship directly, dealing 2d8+4 piercing damage on a successful hit.
  2. Second Wave: More Sahuagin Fighters (CR 3), perhaps with a Sahuagin Baron (CR 5) leading them. This wave could be triggered after a certain number of rounds (say 5-10) or when the first wave is defeated. The Sahuagin in this wave are also riding sharks, and they have a special unit: a Sahuagin Deep Diver (CR 3), who can dive underwater and attempt to sabotage the ship from below.
  3. Third Wave: A group of Sahuagin riding sharks. This wave could be triggered after another set number of rounds (say 10-15) or when the second wave is defeated. The sharks add a new challenge and can help to keep the encounter fresh and exciting. This wave also includes a Sahuagin Tidecaller (CR 4), who can use water-based magic to attack the ship and the party.
  4. Final Wave: The Great Priest of the Dark Shark. This wave should be triggered after a significant number of rounds (say 20-25) or when the third wave is defeated. The Great Priest should be a challenging fight, perhaps a modified Sahuagin Priestess (CR 2) with additional abilities to reflect their corruption by Hadar and their higher challenge rating (CR 7). The Great Priest is accompanied by a group of elite Sahuagin guards (CR 4) and a massive, ancient shark.

Remember, these mechanics are just suggestions and can be adjusted based on the difficulty of the encounter and the capabilities of the party. The goal is to create a challenging but fun encounter that gives the players a variety of options.

Pirate Crews Action

Each round, the party can use one action provided by the pirates. Here are some examples of actions the pirates could provide: each group of pirates can consist of maximum 3 pirates. We have 9 pirates plus the captain The more the pirates there are the more the more bonus they have on their role (so the pirates can be divided into three groups of three but with negative bonus as they might be underpower…)

  • Fire the Ballistas: A group of pirates can man the ballistas and fire at the Sahuagin. This could be a ranged attack with a high damage output. This would be great to target the sharks.
  • Repair the Ship: If the ship takes damage, a group of pirates can attempt to repair it. This could restore a certain amount of the ship’s hit points.
  • Boost Morale: The pirate captain could give a rousing speech or lead a sea shanty, boosting the party’s morale. This could provide a temporary bonus to the party’s attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. Let’s say a +2 bonus for one round.
  • Combat Support and repel Boarders: A group of pirates can join the fray and directly engage the Sahuagin. or repel them into the water if they are clibing the This could be a melee attack against the Sahuagin with a +3 to hit (assuming three pirates in combat) and a damage output of 2d6+3 slashing damage (they also do plus 1 per person in the group). If they succeed in their attack roll by 5 or more, they manage to push the Sahuagin back, disrupting their next attack.

The Reef and the Rocks

  1. Maneuvering the Ship: The players could attempt to navigate the ship through the reef. This could be a series of skill checks (like Athletics, Acrobatics, or Survival), with each successful check helping to navigate the ship through the reef. Successfully navigating the reef could give the party an advantageous position in the battle, such as putting distance between the ship and the Sahuagin or causing the Sahuagin to have to navigate the reef themselves.
  2. Using the Reef as a Weapon: If the players can lure the Sahuagin into the reef, they might be able to use the reef as a weapon. For example, they could cause a rockslide or collapse part of the reef onto the Sahuagin. This could be a difficult task, requiring a series of successful skill checks (like Perception to spot a weak point in the reef, and Strength or a spell to cause the collapse).
  3. Finding Cover: The reef could provide cover for the ship, making it harder for the Sahuagin to attack. The players could attempt to position the ship in such a way that the reef blocks some of the Sahuagin’s attacks.

Skyling Boat Mechanics:

  1. Engine Recharge: The engine takes 50 rounds to recharge. However, the party can attempt to speed this up with successful Arcana checks. Each successful check reduces the recharge time by a certain amount (say 5 rounds).
  2. Black Essence: If the party figures out they can use black essence to instantly recharge the engine, they can do so. However, this causes the engine to burst, potentially causing damage to the ship and the party.
  3. Navigating the Reef: After the second or third wave, the ship reaches a reef. The party can attempt to navigate around the reef
  4. Ballistas: The ship has ballistas that can be used to attack the Sahuagin. However, they can also be turned inward to fire at the ship, potentially causing damage but also potentially repelling boarders.

Monster Blocks

  • Pirate Captain

    AC: 15 (leather armor) HP: 82 (11d8 + 33) Speed: 30 ft.

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3)
    Saving Throws
    +6 +5 +6 +5 +3 +6
    • Skills: Perception +3, Persuasion +6, Stealth +5
    • Senses: passive Perception 13
    • Languages: Common, Aquan
    • Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
    • Multiattack: The captain makes three melee attacks: two with its scimitar and one with its dagger. Or the captain makes two ranged attacks with its daggers.
    • Scimitar: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
    • Dagger: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
    • Brave: The captain has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
    • Commanding Presence: The captain can use a bonus action to give an ally that can see or hear them advantage on their next attack roll or saving throw before the start of the captain’s next turn.

  • Sahuagin Tidecaller

    AC: 15 (natural armor) HP: 76 (9d10 + 27) Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2)
    Saving Throws
    +5 +4 +5 +4 +5 +4
    • Skills: Perception +5, Stealth +4
    • Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
    • Languages: Sahuagin
    • Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)
    • Blood Frenzy: The Sahuagin has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
    • Limited Amphibiousness: The Sahuagin can breathe air and water, but it needs to be submerged at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating.
    • Hadar’s Corruption (1/Day): The Sahuagin is surrounded by an aura of dark energy for 1 minute. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the Sahuagin takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
    • Spellcasting: The Sahuagin is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared:

    Abilities:

    • Blood Frenzy: The Sahuagin has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
    • Limited Amphibiousness: The Sahuagin can breathe air and water, but it needs to be submerged at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating.
    • Hadar’s Corruption (1/Day): The Sahuagin is surrounded by an aura of dark energy for 1 minute. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the Sahuagin takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
    • Spellcasting: The Sahuagin is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared:
      • Cantrips (at will): shape water, frostbite
      • 1st level (4 slots): create or destroy water, fog cloud, ice knife, water whip
      • 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, hold person
      • 3rd level (2 slots): water breathing, tidal wave

     

  • Helmet Shark

    AC: 12 (natural armor) HP: 45 (6d10 + 12) Speed: swim 40 ft.

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    18 (+4) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 1 (-5) 12 (+1) 4 (-3)
    Saving Throws
    +6 +3 +4 -3 +3 -1
    • Skills: Perception +3
    • Senses: Blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 13
    • Languages: –
    • Challenge: 2 (450 XP)
    • Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
    • Ram: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage and pushed 10 feet away knocked prone if underwater The shark needs to use 10 feet of his movement towards the character
    • Skills: Perception +3
    • Senses: Blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 13
    • Languages: –
    • Challenge: 2 (450 XP)

  • Sahuagin Scout

    AC: 13 (natural armor) HP: 33 (6d8 + 6) Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
    Saving Throws
    +3 +2 +3 +1 +2 +0
    • Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +2
    • Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
    • Languages: Sahuagin
    • Challenge: 1/2 (100 XP)

    Multiattack: The Sahuagin makes two melee attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws or spear.

    Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.

    Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage.

    Spear: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

    • Blood Frenzy: The Sahuagin has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
    • Limited Amphibiousness: The Sahuagin can breathe air and water, but it needs to be submerged at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating.
    • Hadar’s Touch (1/Day): The Sahuagin can use an action to touch a creature. The target must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Monster Blocks

  • Gurg

    AC: 14 (studded leather + shield)
    HP: 32 (4d8 + 8)
    Speed: 30 ft. (walk), 30 ft. (swim)

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
    Saving Throws
    +0 +5 +2 +0 +1 +2
    • Skills: Acrobatics +5, Athletics +2, Perception +3, Stealth +5
    • Damage Resistance: Cold (from Water’s Blessing feature)
    • Languages: Common, and any other depending on his background
    • Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)
    • Multiattack: The half-orc fighter makes two weapon attacks.
    • Shortsword: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
    • Hand Crossbow: Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
    • Sneak Attack: Once per turn, the half-orc fighter can deal an extra 3 (1d6) damage to a creature if he has advantage on the attack roll or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it.
    • Relentless Endurance: When the half-orc fighter is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, he can drop to 1 hit point instead. He can use this ability once per long rest.
    • Fury of the Orcish Blood: The half-orc fighter can use a bonus action to enter a state of focused rage, granting him advantage on Strength checks and saving throws, as well as dealing an additional 2 damage with melee weapon attacks. This state lasts for 1 minute and ends early if he is incapacitated or if he uses a bonus action to end it. He can use this ability once per short rest.

  • Normelia Whirelwind

    AC: 14 (studded leather + shield) HP: 32 (4d8 + 8) Speed: 30 ft. (walk), 30 ft. (swim)

    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    10(+0) 12(+1) 14(+2) 10(+0) 16(+3) 14(+2)
    Saving Throws
    +0 +1 +2 +0 +5 +4
    • Skills: Insight +5, Medicine +5, Persuasion +4, Religion +2
    • Damage Resistance: Cold (from Water’s Blessing feature)
    • Languages: Common, and any other depending on her background
    • Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)

    Attack (1/round): Normelia can make a melee weapon attack. However, with her STR 10 (+0), her attack won’t be very effective unless she uses a spell to enhance it, like “spiritual weapon”.

    Cast a Spell (Varies): Normelia can cast one of her prepared spells, using up a spell slot of the spell’s level or higher. Most spells require an action to cast, but some can be cast as a bonus action or reaction. Spell save DC = 13, Spell attack modifier = +5.

    Channel Divinity(as bonus): Douse the Flames of War (1/rest):

    Spellcasting:

    Cantrips: guidance, light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
    1st (4): bless, create/destroy water*, cure wounds, fog cloud*, sanctuary
    2nd (2): gust of wind*, lesser restoration, misty step*, spiritual weapon
    *Domain Spell

    Douse the Flames of War: As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke healing energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to five times your cleric level (20 hit points). Choose any creatures within 30 feet of you, and divide those hit points among them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum. You can’t use this feature on an undead or a construct.

Comments

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    admin

    [Paths Of Messos]
    The party did not engage with the sahuagin horde. The Sahuagin priest is out and about, the horde has not been hindered and will continue to happily spread horror to the sea. They haven’t found the black shard yet.

    Mirabell informed Captain Maximoff about the New Order sigill, although not exactly where they found them, she also said about that they encountered sahuagin on Southerntour, and that the sigil is related with the sahuagin (which is not exactly the case)Maximoff told her (reluctnatly) that he had been informed that those bearing this sigil are to be feared and minded off and that he will report what Mirabell told him.

    Maximoff dropped them to Piscara where they found a merchant ship “The eyes of the ocean” owned by Tranor Tralley an independent merchant Owner of the TTT (Tranor Tralley Trade). Fate made honey whine VERY successfully, and Tranor was so impressed that offered her the chance to make business with him and make her honey wine that he would sell on the Monthly Fair of Ularansa (sponsored by the Crimson Company this time) on the Artificer Street on the 3rd level of the City.

    The party intends on contacting Lyra in the Academy for information about Ulrich.

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