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Mermaid Rescue

An evil sorcerer has kidnapped the mermaid king’s daughter, and stolen a powerful amulet that threatens to destroy the whole realm.

The Situation

Down at the harbor, a bottle pops up from the depths. There’s note rolled up inside, and a cork firmly pushed into the top. You fish the bottle from the Harbor, open it up, and remove the note.

It’s from Triton, king of the mermaids.

“My daughter has been kidnapped by an evil sorcerer. If she’s not rescued, your entire world is in grave danger.”

“What’s the danger,” you wonder, “and where did the sorcerer take her?” It’s up to you to rescue her.

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Questions

  • What do you know about the Castle of the North?
  • Where did the sorcerer come from?
  • What do you know about the merpeople?
  • What other magical creatures live in the area?
  • Where was the mermaid taken?
  • Why did the sorcerer take her?
  • How can the sorcerer be defeated?
  • [In Game] Why are the sorcerer’s apprentices working with him?

Locations, Events & Monsters

The Castle of the North. The giant Castle of the North towers above you. Thankfully, the drawbridge is down. You cross it, and enter the castle courtyard. Knights and townspeople scurry about, busy with the day’s tasks.
  • Locations
    • The Shop Cart. You approach the shop owner, who waves her hands over her numerous wares with a flourish. “See anything of interest,” she asks?
    • The Planning Room. You walk through the door into the first room on the right. There’s a table and chairs, and some maps on the wall. Clearly, this is a meeting space of some sort. The space is otherwise empty.
    • The Supply Closet. There are some brooms and mops leaning against the wall in one corner, and a handful of buckets in another. A sink with water is against the wall between them.
    • The Pantry. You look around and see nothing but food. The whole is stacked floor to ceiling with bread, cured meats, and dried fruits.
    • The Vault. As soon as the door opens, you hear the clinking of coins. Against he back wall is a table. Seated at it is a tiny goblin, with tall pointed ears and a hunch in his back, counting a massive pile of gold coins and noting them in a small journal. On either side are tall shelves stacked high with coins, jewels, and other objects of value.
    • The Tower. The moment you enter the tower, you sense that something is amiss. A dark, magical aura fills the first floor. The tower is filled with traps, monsters, and, on the top floor, either the wizard himself or evidence that he was here.
    • The Dungeon. You open the door and peer into it. A narrow winding staircase leads down. You feel a damp, cold breeze blowing. The yelling gets louder. “Help! Help!” In the dungeon, you’ll find the mermaid locked in a cell.
  • Events
    • Everyone in the Castle courtyard seems dazed or “off”
    • Enchanted brooms attack
    • The players encounter and have an initial battle with the sorcerer. He takes off before the battle is over.
    • The mermaid’s cell is magically locked. She informs the players that…
      • The only way to unlock it is with a key forged by one of the dwarves in the Mines of the Mountain
      • Her magical shell was stolen, and with it, the sorcerer can command an army of sea creatures to invade the land

  • Monsters

    • Knight · 3 HP
      Slow in armor.
    • Townspeople · 1 HP
      Easily frightened. Will flee rather than fight.

    • Enchanted Broom · 1 HP

    • Sorcerer · 3 HP
      Has a wide assortment of powerful spells.

The Mines of the Mountain. Approaching the mountains, you’re greeting by a gruff dwarf named Targus Balefrost. Once he learns of your need for a magic key, he informs you that you’ll need to retrieve the Torch of Hallows from deep within the Mines for him to complete his task.
  • Locations
    • The Ledge. It’s about 12 feet high, with a rough face. Plenty of places to tuck hands and feet if you wanted to try to climb it. But if you fall, you could get hurt.
    • Cavern of the Hydra. You enter a dark, cavernous space. It’s about 30 feet wide and 20 feet high. A pile of fallen rocks sits against the wall to one side. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, and a stalagmites grow from the ground. You hear the drip of water. Then you hear a low grow.
    • The Cliff. You stop suddenly, put your arm out, and tell the rest of the group to back up slowly. You’ve just come across a deep crevice plunging into the darkness. It’s about ten feet from one side to the other, and there’s a small ledge about five feet down on the far side.
    • Underwater Tunnel. You come to a murky pool of water. It looks to be about 15 feet deep. Directly ahead of you is a solid wall of rock. Staring into the gloom, you notice what appears to be a small opening at the bottom of the pool, along the far wall. You don’t know what’s on the other side.
    • Cavern of the Crab. You enter another cavernous room. Bioluminescent algae casts a blue/green glow into the space, which reflects off the giant rock in the middle of the room. Towards the back of the cavern are gold coins, jewels, and what appear to be magical artifacts. Suddenly, the giant rock in the middle of the room shakes and rises. It’s a giant crab!
    • The Hall of the Torch of Hallows. You see the glowing flame reflecting off the wall before you even enter the room. As you step into the space, you see it: the Torch of Hallows.
  • Monsters
    • Hydra · 4 HP
      Many heads: does 2 HP damage on successful attack. Heads randomly grow back.
    • Wolf · 2 HP
      Attack in packs. Wolf Bite: on successful attack, player is grappled and cannot move.
    • Crab (Giant) · 4 HP
      Crushing Pinch: does 2 HP damage on successful attack.
The Mountain Pass. A winding path through the mountains. The pass is filled with dangerous terrain, goblins, and cyclops.
  • Events
    • Players encounter rough terrain, or a cliff face that needs to be scaled
    • Players are ambushed by several monsters
  • Monsters
    • Goblin · 2 HP
      Attacks in swarms.
    • Cyclops · 4 HP
      Very strong. Throws rocks. Horrible vision up-close.
The Hideout. A former mountain outpost where the sorcerer and his minions are now hiding. There’s a rotting bridge traversing a rapidly moving stream that leads to the front entrance. The walls are crumbling, and the building is in heavy disrepair.
  • Events
    • A small group of Sorcerer’s Apprentices ambush the players when they enter the hideout
    • The sorcerer is preparing to use the shell when the players find him
  • Monsters
    • Sorcerer's Apprentice · 1 HP
      Knows a limited selection of spells.
    • Sorcerer · 3 HP
      Has a wide assortment of powerful spells.

Game Master Tips

  • To extend this adventure further, the sorcerer can use the shell before the players have a chance to stop him, setting off another series of events.
  • Various NPCs in this adventure can be useful party companions if they’re finding it too challenging. Notable options include one of the merfolk, the mermaid herself, a knight or unassuming townsperson, or a reformed sorcerer’s apprentice whose committed to stopping the sorcer before it’s too late.
  • This adventure can be quite long. You might want to break it up over several sessions, or cut out the storyline about going into the caves.