Dangerous Waters: A 4th Level Adventure for 5th Edition

Off the eastern coast of the main continent, just beyond sight from where the sea meets the land, lies a small idyllic island. Built on its rocky shores is a quaint little town know as Tally's Rest. A fishing village through and through, its inhabitants are all sailors and tradesfolk for the most part, though in recent years, richer folk have begun building summer homes higher up in the hills. By all accounts, Tally's Rest is a safe place, though few know the secrets of its founding.

You see, many years prior, the harbor the village was built around was used by a pirate of ill-repute named Sven the Butcher as a place to hide from the bounty hunters who pursued him across the waves. One day, while fleeing to his safe harbor, he failed to lose his pursuer, and his ship was sunk just off shore. Sven managed to reach land, but was chased into a series of caves at low tide. Once the bounty hunters realized there was no other way out, they collapsed the cave entrance and sealed Sven inside. The pirate raged against the fallen rocks until the tide came back in, drowning him inside the makeshift tomb. As he perished, Sven cursed the bloodline of the other ship's captain, promising to return one day to take his revenge.

Many years passed, and the bounty hunter eventually found success building up a fleet of trade ships and retired to the main land. A few generations later, his descendant purchased land on the island where Tally's Rest now stood, and began building the summer home of his dreams. That's when the old pirate's curse began to manifest. The fish, once plentiful, were found floating dead on the surface of the sea, and the weather, usually calm and consistent, became rough and chaotic. Finally, ships began to go missing. It was only when a lone survivor was found floating among the flotsam and jetsam that the people of the island learned of a beast beneath the waves that hungers for ships and those upon them.

Now the boats of Tally's Rest stay in port. The fishing has all but stopped, and the people worry for their livelihoods. The rich residents, fearing the collapse of the village that supports their summer homes, have put out a bounty on the beast that threatens the waters about the island. The only question is, who'll emerge victorious?