Credits Kyle | ItsADnDMonsterNow

Cartography, Tokens, & Layout: Luke Stratton | Limithron ItsADnDMonsterNow creates unique combat encounters for
Writing: Wythe Marschall | Stillfleet their patrons and is a staple in the D&D homebrew
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Audio Ambiences: Michaël Ghelfi Reddit: r/ItsADnDMonsterNow
"Island Temple Matte Painting" by gordontarpley is Twitter: @ItsADnDMnstrNow
licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Jelke | Tavern of Trinkets
"Premade BG Under The Sea 1" by Georgina-Gibson is
licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 "Freshwater Eel, colour. "Hi, I'm Jelke, and I do stuff. Sometimes it works, often it
Anguilla reinhardti (Steindachner). Grant's 'Guide to doesn't."
Fishes' (1965) p.216" by Queensland State Archives is
marked with CC PDM 1.0 Patreon: Trinkets
Additional art provide by: The British Library, Pixelbay Will Savino | Music_d20
About the Creators Music d20 releases new tracks each week to help you score
your RPG sessions. With hours and hours of music already
Luke Stratton | Limithron released, track variants, loopable mp3s, and a dedicated
playback app, Music d20 makes it easy to DJ while you DM.
Luke has been fascinated with swashbucklers and the
Golden Age of Piracy ever since he first rode the Pirates of Patreon: Musicd20 | Twitter: @Music_d20
the Caribbean ride when he was 5. He’s played every version
of Sid Meier’s Pirates and has achieved 100% completion in Michaël Ghelfi
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. To Luke, The Secret of Michaël Ghelfi is a composer and sound designer from
Monkey Island is more like a way of life than a computer Switzerland. He aims at creating the ultimate fantasy sound
game. Now he makes pirate themed maps and assets as experience, by creating the fullest and most immersive
Limithron, which is Sindarin for "Light Wizard." He is also a soundscapes and ambiences collection. He began creating
concert lighting designer. them in 2018, and already has a hoard of several hundred
Patreon: Limithron | Instagram: @limithron pieces. Not only his ambiences cover the widest range of
situations of anything that’s currently available on the
Wythe Marschall | Stillfleet internet, but it’s always made with two objectives in mind :
swiss precision and usability.
Wythe is a writer, social scientist, and game designer. He
wrote a bio-horror pirate adventure because he loves Patreon: MichaelGhelfi | Bandcamp: michaelghelfi | YouTube:
collaborating with other game designers, and he loves Moby- Michael Ghelfi
Dick. Most of the time, Wythe writes for his own game:
Stillfleet is a grimdark, OSR-ish tabletop RPG about
exploring ruined spacecraft and habitable earth-like Contents
exoplanets, cut off from contact with Terra for decades or
centuries. Spaceships are dungeons, hanging in the dark… Introduction 3
Getting to the Porvenir 4
Patreon: Stillfleet | Twitter: @stillfleet | Instagram: @stillfleet
Fellcay 5
Agginmad | Loot Tavern The Porvenir 7
"Welcome to Lootavern character, what'll it be? A tankard of Random Encounters on the Porvenir 10
new homebrew races? Or for the more sophisticated pallet
we have a growing selection of unique magical item cards? Top Deck, Masts, and Sail 11
Homebrewed right here, more than 20 a month fully Cabins 13
illustrated with descriptions and stats! Or are are you here
looking for some sort of quest? We have plenty ofoptions Upper Gun Deck 20
available for you to help take the pressure out of your prep, Lower Gun Deck 23
(reference cards,adventure modules, interactive
compendium). Here, take a look at our Patreon, err, I mean Cargo Hold 25
menu; everything is of the best quality and affordable to Aftermath 28
someone as seasoned as yourself."
Appendix A: Magic Items 29
*Patreon: LootTavern | Instagram: @LootTavern Appendix B: Monsters 31
Appendix C: Foundry VTT 36

2
Introduction

H
alloween is a time to celebrate two things:
spookiness and devouring delicious bon-bons.
This adventure fuses both, inviting the players
to explore a great haunted ship of the line that
has been eaten by a gigantic mimic, now
mimicking the entire vessel.
The spookiness only increases from there:
the characters are after the mimic’s eggs, and to get them—or
destroy them—they’ll have to contend with undead sailors,
invading eels wearing drowned sailors’ skeletons as exosuits,
and other magically horrific mischief. There are cannons and
mysteriously dry barrels of gunpowder; there’s even a magical
concertina (similar to a small accordion).
Run this adventure, scare your players, and drink a draught
of barrel-aged rum as you do!
Adventure Summary
Lady Candelaria Sonavella (LE human cult fanatic), a power-
hungry noblewoman from the coastal city of Fidanza, has
prayed to a Great Old One—a horror from beyond time and
space—in order to make a deal that will forever secure her
family’s dominance of the rich but pirate-plagued waters of
the great bay called Loathsalt Bight.
The Great Old One that heard her, dread Chaugnar Faugn, Sonavella doesn’t tell them that the entire ship has been
transmitted to Sonavella in her dreams the location of a consumed by the ultra-mimic, nor that the crew have been
powerful extraterrestrial bioweapon known as an ultra- slaughtered in the process and then reanimated by their
mimic (see appendix B), AKA a benthic shoggoth. For surprise at their deaths and their desire for vengeance. (No
millennia, it has lain dormant, cocooned in a pale, cow-sized worry, she thinks—those sailors were loyal to her brother, the
chrysalis within a sunken cavern on the side of a small island one who died under mysterious circumstances a year ago.)
called Fellcay. To be clear: the ultra-mimic has consumed the entire ship
Sonavella’s plan, already in motion, is to raise the egg from from the inside out. It is a purely protean monster. It now
the depths of the sea (done); inject it with the appropriate appears to be the ship. Much of the cargo from the old ship
alchemical concoction of iron filings and lamb’s blood in has been absorbed. The ultra-mimic has created for itself a
order to trigger its birth (done); lower it back again (done); ship-like body, and its progeny will grow up to be, essentially,
bring it sufficient food to reach reproductive maturity (done); monstrous living ships.
and then, after it has fertilized dozens of eggs, harvest these Sonavella wants the eggs—which look like ordinary
to raise as loyal and extremely deadly servants (to-do). Finally, wooden crates with the F. V. Co. logo painted on them, but
although less crucially, she also hopes to kill the original contain inside fleshy, wriggling ships-in-bottles—in order to
ultra-mimic, which is uncontrollable and therefore a liability become the mother of a hive of ultra-mimics: when they
(to-do). hatch, the larval ultra-mimics will imprint upon her. Such a
Ultra-mimics are hungry, plastic, blob-like monstrosities fleet of monsters will allow her to destroy her rivals’ ships.
that eat a mix of organic, inorganic, raw, refined, bestial, and This adventure therefore has two parts: in part one, the
sapient material… Thus, following the dream-delivered hints players descend into the Porvenir (or the living being that
of her evil patron, Lady Sonovella directed the Porvenir—a consumed it), fight monsters, and look for crates containing
fully laden ship of the line owned by her family’s business, the bizarre Cronenbergian ships-in-bottles.
Fidanzan Venture Company (F. V. Co.)—to lay anchor and In part two, the final confrontation between the characters
wait for a week at Fellcay before finally sailing into Fidanza’s and the ultra-mimic’s brain allows them to communicate
harbor. She very well knew that the ultra-mimic would devour enough to understand what is at stake for this monstrous
the ship. Needless to say, the Porvenir never made it home. mother. The players are then forced to decide whether to kill
At this point, Lady Sonavella only needs some helping the ship and steal its children or to betray their power-mad
hands to harvest “her” ultra-mimic eggs. She wants to hire benefactor. Mayhem, proverbially, ensues.
characters to accompany her and her alchemical advisor,
Señor Altivo the “Biomancer” (NE human cult fanatic), out to
Fellcay. She will reveal as little information as possible to the
party, but she will relay these details: she has legal title to
everything on the Porvenir (true); she only cares about the
small crates in the hold (the eggs); and in the weeks it’s
waited at the cay, the ship has likely been infiltrated by
dangerous sea creatures (of course).
3
 The Plot Hook
Lady Sonavella needs to hire unscrupulous outsiders—the
characters—because she distrusts the available local toughs
(drunks and big talkers who couldn’t hack it on the high seas).
Reciprocally, most people in this small, wealthy port city think
of her family as rapacious; the common folk call the
Sonavellas’ favorite daughter “The Smiling Devil.”
So as soon as the characters arrive in Fidanza, they hear a
rumor that a rich noble is looking to hire a group of skilled
“problem solvers” to recover a ship’s-worth of lost F. V. Co.
cargo. All they have to do sign up is call at the Sonavella
Estate, just outside of—and better fortified than—the city
proper.
When the characters call, Sonavella’s guards regard them
with circumspection, but the Lady herself soon arrives and
greets them warmly, ushering them into a sunny parlor with
one wall open to the breeze. She is a comely middle-aged
woman in a disarmingly plain but sumptuously woven navy
dress and matching lace mantilla. Around her neck hangs a
curious, heavy opal necklace depicting what might be an
elephant with a fish’s lower body, or a narwhal with violent
tusks. She carries with her a mewling ocelot kitten, which
she introduces as Dentito. Valets scuttle in after her, offering
the characters small glasses of cold tea flavored with fruit
and mint and passing them plates heaping with slices of ham
rolled around shards of sharp cheese and toasted points of
bread.
After a few minutes of pleasantries—she smiles regardless
of what the characters ask her—she sets Dentito down on a
cushion and cuts to the chase: her family owns a number of
large trading ships, and one of the finest has gone missing
just weeks before it was due to put into port. She’s lost a
small fortune, but this is no matter. What she needs
recovered is a small subset of the cargo—a number of crates
(she doesn’t know how many) filled with priceless family
heirlooms returning from the faraway old country.
Strangely enough, the ship in question, Porvenir, has
returned recently after being lost for nearly a month…
Another of her F. V. Co. ships reported this week that it
appeared hale, but that no crew could be seen on the decks.
She wants to personally secure the crates full of heirlooms,
but she’s understandably worried about what dangers lie in
wait aboard.
Thus Lady Sonavella offers the characters 1500 gold
pieces (gp) to sail with her to Fellcay and explore the
Porvenir. She will pay an additional 250 gp for each crate
they recover. Assuming the crew are dead, the characters may
keep whatever personal effects they find aboard. While they
delve below decks, she will wait aboard her personal ship
with two of her (heavily armed) valets and her philosophical
advisor, Señor Altivo.
If the characters agree to this deal, she bids them stay the
night in her estate’s large but not-uncomfortable guardhouse.
And then, with quiet excitement animating her face, she
admonishes them to rise an hour before first light. They sail
for Fellcay at dawn.
4
Other hooks
If the characters don’t take the simplest bait, railroading
them onto the island is relatively easy: for one, Sonavella has
dirt on most anyone important in the region, including all
characters of 5th level or higher. She may be able to
blackmail them into doing her bidding, or to offer them
something they desire more than gold.
Two, the characters may simply board a ship bound for
somewhere else and crash on Fellcay. They can then meet
Sonavella when her valets point guns down at them from the
deck of her personal ship, anchored next to the Porvenir.
Most interestingly, it’s possible that the characters have
some personal reason to investigate the Porvenir. Perhaps
they have even recently learned something about the cult of
Chaugnar Faugn; wild pub-rumors tell of a looming threat to
the safety of all who chart the high seas, a threat many times
more malign than the worst cutthroats ever encountered…
Getting to the Porvenir
Sonavella’s thin, expertly made brigantine, the Grandsognare,
has a skeleton crew of twenty sailors (as bandits) and an
expert captain (as a bandit captain). They are all terrified of
the Sonavellas and will not betray their Lady except under
extreme or magical duress.
For her part, Sonavella ignores the crew and the characters
alike. She stays in her luxurious cabin, reading and poring
over accounting ledgers, leaving only to take meals with
Señor Altivo in his cabin next door or to walk the decks, late
at night, muttering to herself. The Lady’s traveling valets (as
bandits) stay nearby her at all times but never intrude upon
her colloquy with the “sage” Altivo.
The characters are given one large cabin on the other end
of the ship. They are told to eat with the crew and enjoy
themselves as much as possible: there is plenty of rum to go
around!
The journey takes 1d4 days and comprises no random
encounters, unless the GM decrees otherwise. What the
voyage provides is space for scene-setting and snooping on
the Lady, who occasionally prays to dread Chaugnar Faugn.
Snooping on the Lady requires both a successful DC 20
Wisdom (Perception or Insight) check. The characters can
select one of their group to try each check, once per night.
This represents hours of snooping. If their investigation plans
include noises of any kind, including talking, then they must
make a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check as well.
Success means the characters learn that she is a cultist of
a deranged extradimensional being (she prays to “the
Lamprey of the Void, the Drowning Sleep, the Vast Tendril,
Star-Masticator, Huffing-Unsatisfied…”), and that the crates
she wants recovered are not full of “heirlooms,” but living
beings. They will not learn without magical intervention that
the Porvenir has been consumed by—and then become—an
ultra-mimic (and thus that she doomed the crew), nor exactly
what Sonavella’s plans are.
Señor Altivo, meanwhile, is a bookish fool who knows little
about and cares little for matters beyond alchemy, geology,
and—as he calls it—oceanology. He is a slight, balding man
with large moustaches and a growing belly. He spends his
days reading mystical literature and natural philosophical
reports. He is deathly loyal to Lady Sonavella, whom he
believes to be an avatar-in-becoming of the local goddess of
good fortune, trade, and prosperity.
 Placing Fidanza and Fellcay
On a magical Earth, Loathsalt Bight may be a
stretch of the coast of Belize. If your game is set
during the age of European colonialism, then
Fidanza is a port nominally held by New Spain but
increasingly independent, playing both sides in the
conflict with England. Slavery has been abolished
here—although exploitative capitalism is just
getting ramped up. The Sonavellas are of mixed
Italian, Spanish, and Mayan heritage, and they have
ties to various occult fraternal orders in Europe.
Fellcay is a small island nearby.
In Faerûn, Fidanza may be a relatively
independent satrapy of Tethyr, located on the
south coast of the Wealdath Peninsula. The city is a
regional rival of Velen and Zazesspur. Loathsalt
Bight is the shallow part of that coast stretching
out to the islands of the Race. Fellcay is one of the
small islands of the Race.
On Oerth, perhaps Fidanza bestrides the marshy
border between the Yeomanry and the Holds of the
Sea Princes, a rival of Monmurg, or perhaps it
stands on Jetsom Island. Either way, in this case,
Fellcay is a small island in the bight (bay) between
mainland Flanaess and the islands. Alternatively, to
place it closer to Greyhawk, Fidanza stands on the
Wild Coast south of Elredd, and Fellcay is a lone
island to the east.
On Krynn, Fidanza may be a city on the south
coast of the Straits of Schallsea, east of Zaradene.
Or it may stand on the Razor’s Edge, east of Hag’s
Dirk.

Fellcay
The wetlands of the island appear first as a strip of dark green
on the horizon. As you approach, you see brief dashes of
bone-colored dunes interrupting dark green curtains—short
trees, mangroves, palms with great leaves, fruit-bearing trees
—all standing before taller, thinner conifers and globe-shaped
mammees. Roots bulge out in figure-eights. Lighter-green
epiphytes cling to the branches of logwood. Orchids snake up
motionlessly from the ground.
The longer you look, the more activity buzzes into view.
The beady eyes of turtles regard you from deep within the
green. Insects swarm, making miniature gray tornadoes in the
afternoon sun, their eyes reflecting blue and green whenever
you get close. You can hear distant tapirs, snuffling. It is a
scene both lively and still.

Fellcay can be as large or as small, as dangerous or as banal

as the GM desires. Sonavella has no interest in the island
beyond collecting the ultra-mimic eggs in the hold of the
Porvenir. But that doesn’t mean that the island is
uninteresting.

5
 Fellcay Random encounters
d20 Encounter
1 Gunpowder crabs(1d6, see appendix B) – These large gray land crabs are the products of a failed experiment by Señor
Altivo
2 Rival “explorers” (1d4, NE, as bandit captains) – These scofflaws will lie to the characters about wanting to work
together and then, if allowed to tag along, try to rob and kill them in the ship.
3 A grove of floating lights that lead to a hungry mimicwomb – The opening of the mimicwomb appears to be a great
indigo-colored flower. Any character who explores it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or else be pulled in
and paralyzed by its pseudopod-like pistil. An enwombed character takes 8 acid damage per hour until killed or
rescued. Meanwhile, the womb creates within 1d8 rounds a perfect doppelganger of the paralyzed victim, who claims
to have been pulled into a dark vegetal space but escaped. The mimicwomb has no attacks and can only enwomb one
character at a time.
4 The saltcured, mummified vizier of a long-dead civilization (a lich) – Babjide the Unfluid has been awoken by the arrival
of the Lady and the characters. It wants to mind control the characters and restore its lost empire.
5 A skeleton piloted by a sapient moray eel (see pilot eel, appendix B) – Their habitat is threatened by the ultra-mimic.
This scout foreshadows the others aboard the Porvenir.
6 An octopode brain-collector in a land-diving suit (LE, an octopus with 18 intelligence) – This scientific creature wants
whatever technology or magic has been brought to Fellcay. If it is not attacked, it will propose a joint expedition with
the characters. It will not double-cross them, but it is legalistic, petty, and greedy.
7 Sparrow-sized ants fleeing a horde of swampwalkers (5d6 zombies) – The walkers are stinking wet, with swamp plants
growing through them. If the characters following the ants and run away, only 1d12 swampwalkers remain in the area
the next time they pass through, as the rest have dispersed.
8 1d10 Sahuagin with jellyfish drygills – The local sharkfolk are threatened by the ship, and could in theory be allies of the
characters against the ultra-mimic and the creatures inside of it. More likely, the sahuagin will ambush any prey they
encounter.
9 A hunting tayra (a South American marten, as a weasel) – This animal is wild but not automatically hostile.
10 “Seagarlic” – These blue-white bulbs can be pulled up from the sandy dirt and eaten raw or cooked. Each bulb is
nourishing, healing 2d6 hit points, but eating one has a 1 in 4 chance of causing severe hallucinations for 6 hours.
There are 1d12 bulbs of seagarlic on the beach. An character can only eat one bulb of seagarlic per day or become
poisoned.
11 Tendrilous seaweed, intelligent – A dune-sized swath of seaweed close to the beach says hello to you. It is friendly
unless provoked. If somehow attacked, it attempts to strangle its attackers, each of whom must make a DC 17 Strength
saving throw or become grappled (escape DC 17) and start drowning. If spoken to ceremoniously, it reports that the
ship now anchored near the great Porvenir has been here before. It does not know why.
12 Harpy eagles (1d2) – These large raptors will attack if they are starving or wounded.
13 Coralfolk (2d6, CE, as cultists) with 2d8 trained dolphins – These quasi-sapient sea-people are hungry… Their temporary
littoral homes have been stirred up by the characters’ arrival on the Grandsognare. They breathe water but can survive
on land for a few minutes. Instead of swords, they attack with stinging spiny lobsters that deal 1d6+1 piercing damage.
14 Giant armadillo (see appendix B) – This ox-sized beast is trundling home to its family when the characters cross its path.
Its flesh is delicious.
15 3d4 Ocelotfolk ( N tabaxi scouts) – These hunters are not hostile but will try to ambush the characters if they look
weak.
16 A vast carpet of amphibious swamp-rats (a swarm of rats) chasing a dog-sized red giant toad– These vermin are creepy
but should prove unworrying to professional characters.
17 A drunk priest (CN human acolyte) – Nemesi Amáiz Vilar i Costa is good-humored but only wants coins for booze. He
will steal from or kill the characters if the opportunity presents itself.
18 Steam-driven automaton (N stone golem) – This early experiment by Altivo proved difficult to control, so he abandoned
it on the beach.
19 Man with a dolphin’s head – The last time the Grandsognare anchored at Fellcay, Lady Sonavella’s “pet” escaped. He
can no longer speak human languages, but if the characters can somehow communicate with dolphins, he describes
Lady Sonavella’s vile cruelty and insatiable greed. This poor soul is harmless and merely wants to survive, away from
human society.
20 1d12 Kinkajoufolk (CG tribal warriors) – These morally righteous, raccoon-like humanoids are checking out the ships
anchored at their island. They worry about the presence of humans here. The kinkajoufolk are armed with slings and
spears but have no interest in fighting, if it is avoidable.

6
 Plan of the ship
The Porvenir A Top Deck

A
A1 The Bow And Bowsprit
t last, the Grandsognare pulls into view of the
Porvenir: the ship of the line gleams in the noon A2 Forecastle (Above The Forecastle Cabin)
sun, gigantic and pristine. It sits on the water, A3 The Main Deck
somehow safely anchored close to a rocky cliff
and not far from a small sandy beach. The A4 The Quarterdeck
captain of the brigantine, Lady Sonavella, and A5 The Aftcastle (Above The Aftcastle Cabin)
Señor Altivo come up and talk excitedly, A6 The Poop Deck (Above The Poop Cabin)
deciding to pull along the larger ship and lower a boat for the
characters. A7 The Sprit-top
Sonavella then drops her smile and addresses the party A8 The Fore-top
one last time: she wants those crates in good condition.
Anything else is theirs. Her smile regenerates, and she A9 The Main-top
fondles her opal necklace: “Be safe—and return swiftly!” A10 The Mizzen-top
General Features of the Ship B Cabins
The Porvenir was the Sonavella family’s finest vessel—a true B1 Forecastle Cabin (Quartermaster’s Cabin)
titan of the waves, fully kitted out for war with rival trading B2 A Room With Two Cannons, Port
companies and the fleets of states inimical to the F. V. Co.’s
desires. By sacrificing this ship, Lady Sonavella placed all of B3 A Room With Two Cannons, Starboard
her hopes on breeding a fleet of loyal ultra-mimics. This B4 The Poop Cabin (Map Room)
section specifies features of the ship that are true unless
otherwise indicated by text specific to an area. B5 The Captain's Cabin (Aftcastle Cabin)
The ship is large but often cramped, with low ceilings, B6 The Captain’s Cabin, Bedroom
small “rooms” called cabins, and large open areas below. B7 The Captain’s Cabin, Closet
Only the officers slept in cabins. The ghostly former officers
now gather in the dining room of the ship. One important B8 The Captain’s Cabin, Latrine
room of the upper decks, the map room, is now home to a B9 The Captain's Balcony
raving madman who foolishly hunted ultra-mimics and finally
caught one… B10 The Quarterdeck Cabin (The War Room)
Most of the 125 members of the crew slept belowdecks in B11–B20 Officers’ Quarters
hammocks strung up between cannons.
Now that the Porvenir has been consumed and reborn, it is B21 The Dining Room
not simply a ship. It becomes more organic as the party B22 The Quarterdeck Balcony
descends; the wood of the hull appears more and more like
tough, dry skin… C Upper Gun Deck
Furthest down, the cargo hold includes orifices that open C1 The Galley (Kitchen)
into the sea, so it is partially flooded. But the ultra-mimc C2 Forward Upper Gun Deck
controls the pressure, and the ship is not sinking. The hold is
the home of the ultra-mimic’s reproductive organs, adaptive C3 Aft Upper Gun Deck
immune glands and tentacles, and central ganglion (brain). At C4 The Armory
this lower level, the only remaining signs of the former
trading vessel are the brig (jail cells) and the heap of small C5 The Guest Quarters
“crates” (2d12 ultra-mimic eggs), each of which is burnished D Lower Gun Deck
with the elegant black logo of the F. V. Co.
Gun Ports. The portholes for the cannons lie above the D1 The Menagerie
waterline but cannot easily be used to enter the ship because D2 The Infirmary
the ultra-mimic has filled them—gluing the cannons into
place—with sharp-crusted barnacles. D3 Lower Gun Deck
Shrouds. Each of the ship's three masts have shrouds or D4 The Tiller
ratlines, often described as cargo nets, that lead up to the
tops, often desribed at crow's nests. See sections A7-10 for E Cargo Hold
more details. E1 Cargo Hold, Fore
E2 Cargo Hold, Midship
E3 The Central Ganglion
E4 Cargo Hold, Aft

7
8
9
 33 Sachet full of 5d20 pumpkin seeds
Random Encounters on 34 Sketchbook and wax pastels (3d4 colors)
the Porvenir 35 Chess set, rudely carved from flotsam
It is possible to run this adventure without dropping in 36–37 Playing cards, some spattered with blood, and
random encounters. If, however, the characters are a pair of dice carved from bone
proceeding too smoothly—or if they are moving too cautiously
through the ship—the following threats can serve as useful 38–39 Fishing gear
prods. 40–41 Scrimshaw tools

Random Encounters 42 Thieves’ tools

d6 Encounter 43–45 Large, beautiful section of coral, dried
1 Reanimated sailors (3d6 zombies), borne by 46–49 Collection of all manner of shells, common
the inevasible wrath of the dead against the and rare
quick. Each group of reanimated sailors has
50 Nautilus shell, large, perfect condition
1d4 random items on them.
51–54 Broken heavy crossbow, 3d20 bolts, grappling
2 Reanimated officers (2d4 ghasts),
hook, and 100 ft. of hempen rope
archetypically geist-hostile. Each officer has 1
random item on them. 55–57 Pipe and pouch of sweet-smelling dried herbs
that cause hallucinations if smoked
3 The reanimated loutish ship’s cook (ghoul),
necroplasmically drunk and ready for a snack. 58–59 Set of fancy eye-patches (2d4) in an elegant
The ship’s cook has a fine cleaver stuck in his teak box
back.
60–62 Fancy tin of brown sugar candies
4 3d4 Pilot eels (see appendix B), actively
hunting for more skeletons. 63–69 Jug of rum

5 A single pilot eel (see appendix B), patrolling. 70–76 Jug of gin and two cut-glass cups decorated
with images of gardenias
6 2d6 Sahuagin, wary of the ship; there is a 1 in
4 chance that this scouting party is 77–79 Small barrel of pickled fish
accompanied by a Sahuagin priestess and 2d4 80–82 Tin of caviar and jar of quince jam
long-fanged red dolphins.
83–85 One-pound canvas sack of coffee
Random Items on the Ship 86–87 Spyglass and portolan chart
The ultra-mimic digested most of the items within the 88–89 Silver samovar
original ship, with a few exceptions. It has been unable to
digest anything magical, and it has taken its time digesting 90–91 Pearl earring
and simulating certain objects that possess a strong patina of 92–93 Head of a famous pirate, preserved in a jar
emotional energy. The following items can be found
anywhere on the ship, but the officers’ quarters will generally 94–95 Book of natural history concerning Loathsalt
Bight; anyone who skims it for at last half an
contain more items than the hoi polloi hammocks. Whether hour gains advantage on Intelligence (Nature)
these are originals or simulacra is up to the DM. checks regarding the flora and fauna on the
d100 Random Item ship, other than the ultra-mimic

1–13 Nothing of interest
14–15 Saltwater-cured human hand that the ultra-
mimic has been unable to “digest” due to a
minor curse on its former possessor; anyone
possessing this item suffers disadvantage on
attacks
96–97 Antique fancy horse pistol, inlaid with silver
scrollwork, pearl-handled (1 in 2 chance it
actually works)
98–99 Mysterious agate statuette of a hind (a female
red deer) that glows softly when brought
within 5 ft. of a magic weapon

16–18 Recipe “book” (loose cards bound together 100 A small cask of barrel-aged rum. there is
poorly with string) enough rum for each character to drink once.
Any character who drinks feels replenished,
19–20 Erotic novel in a language that none of the immediately regaining hit points, spells, and
characters speaks other powers as though they had taken a long
rest. Those who drink must make a DC 10
21–22 Diary of a poetically minded sailor, complete
Constitution saving throw, however, or
up to the day of the ultra-mimic’s assault
become poisoned for 4 hours by the potent
23–25 Ball-and-cup game liquor
26–30 Jug of molasses
31–32 One-pound canvas sack of salt

10
Top Deck, Masts, and Sails
The characters can board the ship by boating to its side and
climbing up its midship ladders. If they do so, they arrive on
the main deck (see A3 below). It is also possible that they will
use magic to fly or otherwise arrive on the ship at a different
location. In general, their impression of the top deck will be
similar, area to area. We the characters arrive on the ship's
deck, read:
As you climb over the wall of the deck, the sun oppressively
shines and the sails’ rigging creaks, just like on any ship.
Except for those creaks and the waves below, it’s quiet. The
deck is large, curiously well-maintained other than some
recent bird droppings, and eerily still.
With a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check they can find
traces of a struggle—a few tears in the lower sails, a few
drops of blood leading belowdecks—but nothing to indicate
the disappearance of over a hundred men.
A1. The bow and bowsprit
The front of the ship looks out onto Loathsalt Bight, as
though the ship was expertly sailed in a curve to set anchor
with its back to the island, ready to depart at a moment’s
notice. The front of the bow terminates in the long, skinny
bowsprit—a beam jutting forward from the ship. Besides a
lone brown pelican (hawk)—who is prodding with its long
beak some small fry that is already scurrying under a curl of
rope—there is nothing here.
The bow connects to the forecastle (A2), aft, and sprit-top
(A7), above.
A2. The forecastle
Above the quartermaster’s cabin, the forecastle offers a good
view of the main deck. Many lines of rope of different sizes—
shrouds and ratlines, connecting sails to other parts of the
ship—have their termini here.
Four large cannons point outward. They are clean (recently
simulated by the ultra-mimic) and can be fired, if the
characters bother to haul gunpowder and balls out from the
forecastle cabins or up from the gun decks. Firing a cannon
requires two separate actions: one to load the barrel, and one
to aim and then fire. Cannons deal 8d6 damage.
The forecastle connects to the bow (A1) and fore-top (A8)
as well as the main deck (A3).
A3. The main deck
As on the forecastle, shrouds and ratlines run to and fro,
keeping the sails taut. The main deck sports ten cannons.
Two pairs of large, heavy cargo grates in the deck can be
lifted up to enter the gun deck below.
If the party continues to explore the middle of the deck for
several minutes, have one of them, determined at random,
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they are
struck in the head for 1d6 bludgeoning damage by a lone
pelican falling out of the sky. The pelican appears unharmed
but is not breathing.
As you turn the heavy bird over, noticing no wounds, its head
flops to one side, and you suddenly see a pulsation in its neck.
Its heart is not beating, and its eyes are still and glassy, but its
neck pounds rhythmically. After six seconds, its beak jerks
open mechanically, and a fist-sized iridescent green beetle
smeared with material from the bird’s interior emerges, its
jaws and antennae flexing in the sea breeze. If unmolested, it
soon flies off toward Fellcay.
Above the main deck are the ship's boats (see below). The
main deck connects to the forecastle (A2), quarterdeck (A4),
and main-top (A9). Doors at fore open into the forecastle
cabin (B2 and B3). Doors at aft open into the war room (B10).
Stairs lead down to the Forward Upper Gun Deck (C2). The
two pairs of cargo grates also lead down to the fore-half and
the aft-half of the upper gun deck (the fore or aft half of C2).
Ship's Boats. The major feature on this deck are the ship’s
boats. Two boats are stored on railings 10 ft. above the deck.
Each has a 1 in 4 chance of concealing the ghost of a
nameless young boy. He is afraid of the light, afraid of the
water—afraid of doing anything other than cowering under
the shade of the boat. He will not attack the party but, if
attacked, he dissipates into an acrid, sulphuric fog.
If they speak to him, he reveals little as he was half-
digested by the ultra-mimic and his tormented soul has
forgotten the name it wore in life. He only knows that
something is very wrong with the Porvenir. He does know
that the ship sunk due to a breached hull—despite the fact
that it is currently peacefully at anchor.
If the characters insist on taking the boy– perehaps to save
his his wee soul—he sheepishly obliges but ducks from cover
to cover, avoiding the sun and refusing to enter any cabin
before they do. As soon as the characters encounter another
person or monster, the boy shrieks and dissipates. This
distraction causes all characters within hearing range to
make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage
on the next skill test or attack they make.
11
 A4. The Quarterdeck
The quarterdeck was reserved typically for the ship’s officers
in times of service. It sports six cannons, a pair of cargo
grates that look down onto a room instead of an open deck,
and—most arrestingly—the ship’s large helm, which typically
takes two people to turn when at sea.
The quarterdeck is also covered in two-dozen or so flying
fish, bloated by death and half-desiccated by the sun. They
stink to high heaven.
If the characters inspect the ship’s helm, it begins spinning
violently as though possessed. This causes a horrible
clanking noise to erupt from below. The wheel does not
change anything, really—the ship is not a real ship any more—
but the rapid movement of the wheel is weirdly hypnotic: any
character who can see the wheel spinning must make a DC
15 Constitution saving throw or gag, taking 1d4 damage and
becoming poisoned until they succeed on a skill check or hit
with an attack.
The quarterdeck connects to the main deck (A3), aftcastle
(A5), and mizzen-top (A10). The cargo grates here lead down
into the war room (B10). The wheel stands before the door
into the front room of the captain’s cabin (B5), the office.
A5. The Aftcastle
Above the captain’s cabin is the aftcastle, a smaller deck with
two cannons.
If the characters have been cautious until now, perhaps the
aftcastle is home to the lone ghost of a bald sailor, hanging
from the lines above, his face devoured by scarab beetles.
Otherwise, this deck is sunny and quiet.
The aftcastle connects to the quarterdeck (A4) and poop
deck (A6). Doors at aft open into the poop cabin, also known
as the map room (B4).
A6. The Poop Deck
This is the smallest deck, at the stern of the ship, which lies
above the map room.
If the characters make a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception)
check and listen carefully—specifically listening, not looking
—then they hear quiet snoring coming from the cabin below
(Captain Yurumin, see B4).
If the characters are loud in any way, then they instead hear
Yurumin jump to wakefulness, bang about, and open the door
of the poop cabin, excitedly looking for them.
The poop deck connects to the aftcastle (A5).
A7. The Sprit-top
At the end of the bowsprit is a narrow circle of wood on
which grants an excellent view of the sea. Read:
What lovely green curls of foam! What bubbling titters of
Elysian melody, the distant dolphin-song!
Walking out along the bowsprit without falling requires a DC
12 Strength (Athletics) check. Falling leaves an character
grasping for a line or the bow itself: they must now make a
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or else fall into the sea, taking
2d6 damage from the fall and becoming exposed to the
attacks of any nearby eels or sharks…
12
If any characters takes the time to engage in rhapsodic and
otherwise unhelpful peering-out, then a skeleton-suited pilot
eel—currently scouting the waters around the ship—marks
their presence. It swims into the ship through an orifice in
the hold and quickly finds its allies. They prepare an ambush
for the characters in the lower gun deck (D3); these enemies
cannot be surprised.
A8. The Fore-top
Climbing the foremast requires a DC 10 Strength (Athletics)
check. Any character who fails must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw to grab a line or falls to the deck taking 4d6
bludgeoning damage.
The fore-top (crow’s nest) is occupied by what appears to
be a freshly dead sailor—a young mustachioed bloke with no
shirt and very loose pants. No cause of death is apparent; this
body is a reflexive simulation. If the characters search his
purse (tucked into the groin of his pants), they find one item
from the random list as well as 1d12 sp.
Any attempt to magically speak with the corpse results in
the caster experiencing temporary insanity: the dead man’s
consciousness is horribly blank—as though the book of his
life has been erased, or its pages clawed apart…
A9. The Main-top
Climbing the mainmast requires a DC 10 Strength (Athletics)
check. Any character who fails must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw to grab a line or falls to the deck taking 4d6
bludgeoning damage. A character's climb up the rigging,
read:
A huge swarm of dragonflies takes off from above you. There
are so many, they briefly darken the sky directly above.
Characters climbing the rigging must make a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw: if they fail, they are terrified and suffer
disadvantage on all rolls for the next ten minutes or ten
rounds in combat, whichever comes to pass first.
A10. The Mizzen-top
Climbing the mizzenmast requires a DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check. Any character who fails must make a DC 15
Dexterity saving throw to grab a line or falls to the deck
taking 4d6 bludgeoning damage.
The mizzen-top is home to a pelican nest recently
constructed out of the scraps of books and ledgers taken
from the war room. No bird sits on the three chalky-white
eggs here. These are not supernatural, merely prefigurations
of the ultra-mimic’s eggs. (The egg’s mother is dead, having
choked on the large green beetle it was hunting.)

Cabins
The cabins are not a single deck of homogeneous design but
four areas of different shapes, sizes, and functions: the
forecastle cabin (rooms B1–3), the small poop cabin (B4), the
aftcastle cabin (B5–9), and the large quarterdeck cabin (B10–
22).
None of the cabins appear organic, like the inside of a giant
mimic; instead they appear as pristine as they were just
before the ultra-mimic attacked. The quarterdeck cabin,
however, is so strongly reverberant with the vengeful ire of
the dead officers that it will take on a horrible, spectral
appearance, the longer the characters explore…
B1. The Forecastle Cabin
(Quartermaster’s Cabin)
The foremost cabin—intended to serve as the tip of the spear
when the ship is in a firefight—comprises three rooms, each
of which sports two cannons.
The larger room of this cabin served as the quarters for the
ship’s quartermaster. In addition to the cannons, it contains a
bed, a large writing desk, and a comfortable armchair.
When the characters enter, read: the curtains over the
portholes are all drawn, casting the room into a dark gray
murk. The human form slumped over in the armchair may
not register at first. The characters can make a DC 10
Wisdom (Perception) check to spot it and react, but it doesn’t
actually matter.
This person—not moving, and certainly not attacking—is
the quartermaster himself, Adebimpe the Twice-Exalted (LG
human bandit captain). The athletic, middle-aged man is
bent over, head down, with his hands knitted on top of the
desk.
The characters can visually inspect him: if they make a DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check, they notice a thin residue of
mucus on his hands and on the floor; this mucus has slightly
bleached his hands and eaten away at the wood of the floor.
If they try to speak with him, he murmurs and pauses. He
murmurs again. Leaning close, they can hear that he is
praying: he does not want his soul to become “lost” like those
of the others. Emotionless tears fall from his closed eyelids.
The characters can simply leave, in which case the pious
Adebimpe is slowly, finally absorbed by the ultra-mimic.
If instead they try to sit him up and help him (or otherwise
disturb him), read:
He groans and stiffens, arching backwards and vomiting
straight up. "Get away from here", he manages to get out
before he jerks forward and then back again, his chest heaving.
A few seconds later, his chest audibly cracks, and mucus with
the consistency of pale petrol flows from his mouth. Slowly, a
miniature human arm worms out of his chest, blood fanning
out of the cavity with the last pumps of the officer’s heart.
Then another arm. What emerges is a mute, juvenile
simulacrum… of the quartermaster.
This miniature aberration will grow within the hour into a
healthy adult version of the stubborn and religious human
that he’s replacing, the last of the crew to be digested and the
only one (contrary to Adebimpe’s fears) not to return as an
undead. The juvenile simulacrum has AC 10 and 6 hit points
and is a noncombatant.
Treasure. The items on Adebimpe’s desk include a fancy
calligraphy set and a holy symbol of the god of navigation.
Hidden under the bed is a cigar box containing a vial of eau
de parfum and 4d10 electrum coins from a distant land.
A chest at the food of the bed is locked. Inside, the mimic
has neglected to copy the quartermaster’s effects, instead
accidentally creating a cross between a terrier and a sea
urchin. It is dumb, but messing with it in any way—including
by opening the chest—is dangerous: the urchindog reflexively
shoots spines in all directions. Anyone opening the chest
must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 2d6+1
piercing damage and break out in itchy violet hives. It has AC
12 and 4 hit points. This quasi-beast is not hostile, only
scared.
The door from this room leads into the starboard cannon
room (B3).
B2. Room with Two Cannons, Port
This small room contains two cannons and a ball of rats
feasting on what appears to be the back half of a large moray
eel. One door from this room opens into the port cannon
room (B3). Another opens out onto the main deck (A3).
B3. Room with Two Cannons,
Starboard
This larger room contains two cannons and three barrels of
gunpowder. One door from this room opens into the
quartermaster’s cabin (B1). The other door opens into the port
cannon room (B2).
B4. The Poop Cabin (Map Room)
The map room is the home of one of the few living human
occupants of the Porvenir. He first locked himself here after a
terrified run from the officers’ dining room, days ago. He has
since learned to avoid the aftcastle and quarterdeck cabins.
In fact, he’s become so much a part of the ship that he comes
and goes freely, neglecting to lock the door. He is currently
taking a siesta. If the characters are stealthy, then they can
enter the map room without alerting him.
Through the small portholes on one wall, sunlight glances
brightly off compact, glass-fronted cabinets stuffed with
folded and rolled maps, portolan charts, and weather logs. On
a small table, a relatively new, relatively accurate map of
Loathsalt Bight is held down by a compass and a case of
pencils. On a small couch along one wall beneath the cabinets,
a ratty red blanket covers a man-sized form…
13

The sleeper is a fifty-something-year-old, deeply tanned
human with a great gray beard and a white knife-scar lighting
up one side of his face, roughly in the shape of a bird. He
wears the much-repaired working clothes of a sailor, although
his were once fine—those of a captain. When awoken, he is
groggy only for a second, then fully alert. He introduces
himself as Cayu Yurumin (CN human bandit captain),
captain of the Manzo, which is sadly moored at the bottom of
Loathsalt Bight.
If the party are not stealthy, then Yurumin rushes out to
meet them on the deck. He is willing to reveal his personal
story and what he knows of the Porvenir to the characters on
two conditions: one, they must respect his seniority and rank,
addressing him as “captain.” Two, they must help him rid his
temple of parasites! He becomes manic and commands them
to listen, then accompany him as his new crew.
Yurumin has has learned much about the benthic shoggoth
since taking up residence within it. For one, it has not tried to
digest him, because he is neither dead nor resistant. Actually,
he whispers.: "It has begun to reveal its secrets to me!" He
looks around with suspicion. "But there are now interlopers,
PARASITES here…" He spits. "I fear for our Mutable Lord"
(referring to the shoggoth)…
He is quite serious about taking the characters on as his
crew and fighting off any “parasites” (undead, sahuagin, and
especially pilot eels) that they encounter. He can be killed, but
if restrained and left alone, he’ll worm his way free and follow
the characters’ trail, trying to help them. He is nothing if not
doggèd and cagy.
Treasure. In addition to the maps here, Yurumin has
stowed his gear in the space beneath the couch’s cushions.
He has an old cutlass and a machete, both kept in
immaculate condition, and a hand-drawn map of Fellcay that
is eerily accurate, noting even the location of the entrance to
the mummified vizier’s buried ziggurat (labelled “ruins”).
The poop cabin only connects to the aftcastle (A5).
14
Captain Yurumin’s Story
The Captain was a veteran crocodile trapper, shark
killer, and dolphin fisher who turned to monster
hunting in order to scratch a philosophical itch.
After hearing rumors for years, he grew obsessed
with one in particular. Ancient prophecies and
more recent alchemical expeditions agreed on the
existence of a being of pure potentiality, unlimited
plasticity—the benthic shoggoth. He thought that
the blood of such a being could be harvested to
restore lost loved ones to life.
Or so he told himself. In sooth, he wistfully
admits, he wanted to catch the most dangerous
prey. Yurumin’s loyal crew didn’t shy from the
challenge, accompanying him as he followed
rumors of the benthic shoggoth to Loathsalt Bight.
They abducted and tortured one of Sonavella’s
agents to get the coordinates. But by the time the
Manzo pulled alongside the Porvenir, late at night,
it was too late. The ultra-mimic was almost finished
digesting the ship, some of its crew still trapped
inside. Their screams had taken on a low, plaintive
tone. Yurumin lowered his boat anyway, at which
point his first mate saluted him and gave the grim
order for their own ship to sail on. Yurumin did not
look back.
B5. The Captain’s Cabin (Aftcastle
Cabin)
The captain’s cabin is the only luxurious series of rooms on
the ship, and the ultra-mimic has remade it perfectly. The
captain himself, Deze the Contumacious, is still here.
Although he is now undead, confused, and irate, he remains
comfortably ensconced among his worldly things (or
simulations of them, anyway), and so he rarely leaves his
cabin, preferring to commune with his library rather than
face the crew whom he has mortally disappointed.
Entering, the sunlight is muted by heavy curtains. The front
room of the cabin appears to be a fancy office and library, with
bookcases along the port and starboard walls, a large central
table covered in papers, and a small circular table covered in
food. On top of port bookcase is a collection of ornately
crafted ships in glass bottles.
The front door of this room opens onto the quarterdeck (A4).
A smaller door, port, opens into a closet (B7); another small
door, starboard, opens into the latrine (B8). Spiral stairs at
port lead down into the officers’ dining room (B21). The
bedroom (B6) is not walled off from this room, but raised
above it, with steep steps connecting the two along the port
and starboard walls.
Desk. The items on the large central table include a fine
compass, several maps, a pen, an inkpot, and the captain’s
log.
Captain's Log. The last few entries of the log reveal:
Deze’s impatience with waiting at this "gods-awful" island
His concern regarding the fact that there is a polity of
sahuagin swimming about here, according to late-night
observations from the tops of the masts, but they have not
attacked (“be they afeard of something else?”)
His thoughts on the Fidanzan Venture Co. (“a bunch of
first-rate sharks cloth’d in human hide”)
His awareness that Captain Yurumin has begun tailing the
Porvenir (of Yurumin: “the most excellent of fishers & the
most worst of captains”).
The second-to-last entry mentions a small, mysterious
hole in the hull, flooding in the hold, and the finding of a
strange model ship there, one that Captain Deze didn’t
bring aboard.
The last entry is a single line: “BETRAYED—TIS A
TRAP.”
Any character who reads the final entries, which takes
about five minutes, gains advantage on their next Wisdom
(Insight) check.
Small Circular Table. On the table appears to be a
heaping bowl of sea beans, a fricasseed frigatebird in a
buttery pepper sauce, one quarter of a cheese wheel (a sharp,
semi-hard orange variety, like a mature gouda), a small loaf of
black bread, a glass of tawny port, a large knife, and a dainty Mimic in a Bottle... For Now
silver fork. The food looks and smells fresh, but the ultra- It is up to the DM whether or not this young ultra-
mimic doesn’t eat human food; it eats wood and steel and mimic will—if fed and protected by the characters
memories and woes and desires. The food is a reflexive burp —eventually grow larger and larger, become more
of memory from the dead captain. active, and seek out complex prey to feed upon…
Any character who bites into a given food item finds that, perhaps the characters might actually raise the
after breaking a roughly three millimeter-thick skin of real mimic become a living ship of their own...
food, it is a ball of pale, oily goop. Ingesting any of this or even
having it touch their face for a split second makes the
character nauseous: they must make a DC 17 Constitution Bookshelves. The starboard shelves, also glass-fronted, are
saving throw or else take 3d6 poison damage. Further, when larger and contain more but less valuable books. One of the
this character faces the ultra-mimic’s central ganglion in the books here is actually Hydromaleficarum: Dialogue of a
hold, they gain disadvantage on all saving throws during that Debate, Reprintèd, Betwixt Her Honor. Dktr. Prof. Arunima di
combat. Terat & Capn. C. Yurumin of the In-Famous Manzo on the
Ships in Bottles. The port shelves, which are glass- Nature & Indeed Existence of the Benthick Shoggoth, or
fronted, contain small editions of historical books on this Diabolickal Duplicator of the Seas. If he is with the
region and several others. Some are well-read, but many are characters, Captain Yurumin (see B4) has never seen this
collector’s items. The total value of the thirty or so rare books book but is delighted by it; he will demand it and attack
is 500 gp; they weigh 50 lbs. anyone who prevents him from reading about his own
More interestingly, on top of the shelves stand the captain’s theories, now proven correct. The book is useful for learning
collection of ships in bottles: six of these artifacts are large, about the nature of the ultra-mimic, as it is more cogent than
old, and expertly crafted. One of them looks new and rudely Yurumin’s stream of exclamations and threats. He will let any
made. In fact, this is not a ship in a bottle at all, but a mimic friendly character borrow it for a few minutes to look up
in a bottle (see appendix A). This curious item appears to be a something. A character reading the book make make
small, semi-living ship made of dried flesh. It was the first of Intelligence (Nature) check with advantage learngin
the ultra-mimic’s eggs to hatch, shortly before the ultra-mimic information about the ultra-mimic at your discretion.
devoured the entire ship. One of the sailors found this oddly
soft “model ship” in the hold and brought it up to the captain B6. The Captain’s Cabin, Bedroom
to curry favor with him. Deze squeezed it into an empty bottle This area contains a well-made four-post bed, a small
and set it among his collection, by turns delighted and fireplace at the back with two chairs facing, a fancy couch
disgusted by it. Over a few days, the hatchling desiccated, along the port wall, and a pipe organ along the starboard
missing key developmental windows, and entered a sort of window. A great rug of ornate design covers the area beneath
stasis. It is now effectively a magic item, not a monster, and it the bed, and a bearskin rug the area in front of the organ.
will not attack the characters.

15
 The bed’s underside is boobytrapped, requiring a DC 15 Captain Deze is highly intelligent but insane, having
Passive Perception check to detect: any attempt to search recently been eaten by a mimic. He will attack anyone who
beneath the bed trips a long, thin wire connected to the pipe does not bow before him and command their fealty to the
organ, leading that instrument to unleash the most horrible dauntless Porvenir. He will attack anyone who mentions
chromatic chord, as loud as thunder. This sound summons working for—or simply mentions—the F. V. Co. or Lady
the ship’s master, Captain Deze (on the latrine, B8), as well as Sonavella. He will attack anyone accompanied by Yurumin,
all of the ghostly officers in the dining room (B21). Disabling whom he blames for his troubles as much as Sonavella.
the trap requires making a DC 20 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) If the characters don’t fight Captain Deze and appear
check. sufficiently humble, he is happy to tell them about the day of
A working fireplace is a dangerous amenity on any ship, the mimc assault. He casts himself as a hero, fighting to save
especially a living one… The ultra-mimic has prepared an as many sailors as possible, but to no avail: the ultra-mimic
autoimmune defense here. If any character lights a fire in it— had been growing, consuming parts of the hold and lower
despite the sweltering heat of Loathsalt Bight—the ultra- decks for days and was, by the time of its assault, large
mimic reacts immediately and with extreme prejudice, enough to gobble up every boat lowered. The ultra-mimic,
spewing volumes of acidic yellow slime down the flue and half-formed into a ship, swam rapidly in circles, creating a
splashing into the bedroom. Anyone within fifteen ft. must vortex, sending its pale, oily tentacles down to grasp and
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or else suffer 4d4 acid consume any drowning sailors. The captain, floating atop a
damage. Either way, all living characters in the cabin (both barrel, managed to chop apart one shoggoth-tentacle with his
B5 and B6) gag at the smell of bile, making a DC 10 trusty invisible cutlass (“now where did that blasted blade get
Constitution saving throw or suffering disadvantage on all to?”) only to be pulled down by the next attack. And then all
rolls for the next 4 rounds. went dark…
The bedroom is connected to the front room (B5). Doors at Now, Captain Deze is plotting some overly complicated
port and starboard lead out onto his private balcony (B9). revenge. If they offer to help him, he will ultimately send the
characters down into the hold to “kill the bastard!” If they kill
B7. The Captain’s Cabin, Closet him, they find 3d100 gp-worth of random coins and gems
This wardrobe contains several changes of working and fancy stuffed in his pockets. (He was a greedy soul.)
clothes. In the back stands a wooden chest, locked with a Note, either this scene or the encounter with Yurumin may
heavy chain. The chain has an AC of 20 and 15 hit points. It lead to the major revelation that the ship is not a ship but a
can be broken by attacking it or making a DC 25 Strength mimic. Even if Deze attacks the characters, he can first
(Athletics) check, and is immune to psychic and necrotic provide important clues to them regarding the nature of the
damage. Any attempt to attack or blow up the lock alerts the ship, especially if they have not talked to Yurumin.
undead officers in the dining room (B21), who arrive within The latrine only connects to the captain’s front room (B5).
two rounds to investigate. A character using thieves' tools can
attempt to pick a lock, which requires 1 minute and a
successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
Treasure. Inside the chest is a cask of the most delicious
barrel-aged rum ever produced on Loathsalt Bight. There is
enough rum for each character to have a healthy draught. Any
character who drinks feels replenished, immediately
regaining hit points, spells, and other powers as though they
had taken a long rest. Those who drink must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw, however, or become poisoned for 4
hours by the potent liquor.
B8. The captain’s cabin, latrine
The only proper latrine on the ship belongs to the captain. As
it happens, the ghost of Captain Deze himself is currently
sitting on his throne, musing about what to do with his un-
life. Next to the latrine is a copy of a magazine with the letters
“MGW” on the cover—Mermaids Gone Wild.
If the characters are stealthy or head straight for the latrine
for some reason, they can surprise the captain.
More likely, if the characters have been rummaging around
his office, then the captain is ready for them, waiting for an
opportunity to jump out and grab one. In addition to his
powers as a ghost, he has a Pistoleer and a stiletto at all
times. (The ultra-mimic generated simulacra of all of his
accoutrement.)

16
B9. The captain’s balcony
The captain’s private balcony looks out onto the island,
Fellcay, which from this distance appears picturesque:
The green shoulders of the central mountain rise above the
bunched carpet of trees, dense with animal life too far away to
see. The longer you look, the more pips of red and orange and
white you can make out among the trees—fruit, flowers,
flashes of parrot. If you stare too long, your peripheral vision
syncs movements in the waves at foreground with those in
the faraway trees. The world shimmers as though not irreal but
overly real…

If the characters linger here for half an hour for any reason, a
pilot eel scout in the waters below marks them and reports
back to the rest. These enemies set up an ambush in the
lower gun deck (D3) and can no longer be surprised.
The balcony only connects to the captain’s bedroom (B6).
B10. The quarterdeck cabin (the
war room)
The large central room of the quarterdeck is the war room:
where the officers would plan their movements during times
of war. The room is dominated by a great table covered in a
gridded map of this part of Loathsalt Bight (with Fellcay at
center), miniature ships, plotting rods for moving them
around, notebooks, logs, pencils, and a candelabra. Other
than the table, five doors to port and another five to starboard
lead to the officers’ quarters.
The front doors of the war room onto the main deck (A3). A
cargo grate here opens down into the center of the forward
upper gun deck (C2), and stairs lead down to the aft half of
the upper gun deck (C3). Each of the officers’ quarters (B11–
B20) opens into the war room. Doors at port and starboard
lead into the dining room (B21).
At the table stand four chairs. In one of them sits the
Drowned Tactician, a ghost. He is a waterlogged, rotting
officer with a long gray beard and barnacles in place of his
eyes. He appears totally dead until an character sits in one of
the other chairs, at which point he sits up stock-straight and
seems to stare at his new opponent. He calmly reaches for a
plotting rod and moves the ships on the table into specific
grids. There are two large ships, the Porvenir (his game
piece) and an imaginary enemy ship of the line (the
character’s game piece) plus two smaller frigates (or one ship
per player). The ships start on opposite sides of Fellcay. He
pauses, then pushes his ship one square south…

17
 Naval Combat Mini-Game
The Drowned Tactician challenges one of the characters to a
game of naval strategy, and the elements of the map come
ethereally alive as the players move their ships. When the
ships come into firing range, ghostly sailors fire tiny cannons
at each other, squeaking horribly colorful insults the whole
while. In the trees, micro-monkeys flee the cannonfire, etc.
This contest can be played via resolved via a series of skill
checks or by running a short combat using the rules
presented in the sidebar.
Naval Combat: Skill Challenge
If using a Skill Challenge only one character can
challenge the Drowned Tactician at a time. First,
the character makes a DC 5+(2d10) Intelligence
(Investigation) check to determine a winning
strategy at a game they’ve never played before.
Then they make a DC 5+(2d10) Charisma
(Deception) check to enact that strategy without
being read by their opponent. Finally, they make a
DC 5+(2d10) Wisdom (Insight) check to
determine what strategy their opponent will
employ. These checks determine the results of the
match:
0 successes. The Drowned Tactician wins. The
characters’s ship is brutalized, blown to bits,
and its crew enchained. The Drowned Tactician
draws its ruby-pommeled stiletto and passes it
to the character, waiting for them to end their
own lives in shame. If the character does not,
the ghost as well as any other zombie officers in
their quarters (B11–B20) immediately attack.
1 success. The Drowned Tactician narrowly
wins. It watches without expression as the
Porvenir sacks the other ship. It then nods and
rakes both ships back to one end of the table,
resetting the table for another game.
2 success. The character narrowly wins. The
Drowned Tactician nods severely and reaches
into a hole in its chest, removing a great iron
key and handing it to the character.
3 success. The character wins, completely
overtaking the Porvenir and putting its
miniature crew in manacles.
If the players defeat him, The Drowned Tactician bows. It
then puts its hands on the sides of its head and pulls hard,
removing it with a sickening crack of bone and tendon. It
rolls onto the table and a few curious blue crabs emerge from
the sailor’s recently unbarred neck. One of the crabs dawdles
toward the character, holding a great iron key. The key opens
the cells of the brig in the forward cargo hold (E1).
If the characters ignore the opening of this game, the
Drowned Tactician rises and attacks. When he is defeated,
his chest bursts open like a piñata, showering the room with
4d4 pale blue, beagle-sized giant crabs. The characters must
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6+4
bludgeoning damage as the surprised crustaceans pinch
them all over. The crabs are not hostile, however, and will
simply scuttle away if not attacked.
18
Naval Combat: Ship Minatures
If you prefer to play out the combat with ship
miniatures or tokens you can use these simple ship
combat rules. Give one player a Ship of the Line
Model and the others each a Frigate Model. The
Drowned Comandant has the same fleet; his Ship
of the Line is The Porvenir.
Gaming Board. Use a 24 x 24 inch playing
surface. A grid is not suggested.
Initiative. Roll initiative for each ship (+0). Re-roll
initiative every round. The Porvenir acts on
initiative count 20 for the first round.
Setup. In reverse initiative order each player
deploys their ship any where up to 6" away from its
player's edge of the board.
Movement. Ships have limited movement.
During its turn, a ship may rotate up to 45°, move
up its movement in a straight line, then rotate up
to 45°.
Collisions. If two ships ever collide (or if a ship
hits land) each rolls a d20. On a 9 or lower the ship
takes 3 (1d6) points of damage and cannot move
for one round.
Ship of the Line Model
Tiny miniature vehicle (1 in. by 2 in.)
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 25
Speed 3 inches
Actions
Multiattack. The ship makes 3 attacks with its
cannons.
Cannons. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
12 inches, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) damage.
Frigate Model
Tiny miniature vehicle (1 in. by 2 in.)
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 20
Speed 4 inches
Actions
Multiattack. The ship makes 2 attacks with its
cannons.
Cannons. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
12 inches, one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) damage.
B11.–B20. Officers’ Quarters
Each of these small rooms contains a bed or hammock, a
chest full of personal effects, a cannon, and one random item
(pg. 10). Every room also has a 1 in 6 chance of currently
being home to a zombie sailor trying to get some anti-sleep.
These undead attack if disturbed, and each carries wet
Fidanzan banknotes and baubles worth 5d10 sp. The two
longer and skinnier rooms (B15 and B20) also contain
barrels of gunpowder.
Special FX: A Tale of Two Rooms
Provided with this adventure is an overlay of the
fancy dining hall, and the base map has the
haunted version. You can print out the overlay-or
make a token or tile in your Virtual Table Top-and
then remove it at the correct time.
We have also provided instructions for Foundry
VTT users to automate and animate this feature.
See appendix C for instructions.

B21. The Dining Room

The officers’ dining room is the most domestic space on the
ship. When the characters first arrive read:
This exquisitely decorative room is the dinning hall for the
captain and his officers. It is in pristine condition. The port and
starboard walls are lined with narrow but plush sofas; the wall
between the two front doors is a massive wine rack, stocked
with bottles of Bordeaux, fortified wine, brandy, jenever, and
rum. Cabinets beside the doors hold silverware, plates, and
cloth napkins. In the middle of the room is an elaborately
carved, heavy table covered with a delicious fit for a halfling
gourmand feast. Around the table are ornate Baroque chairs.
Spiral stairs on the port side of the table lead up stairs.

The spiral staircase leads to the captain’s cabin (B5).

In reality, this space is so scarred by the psychic violence of
the dead officers that it cannot be perfectly simulated by the
ultra-mimic. When the characters first enter, it appears to be
in fine form and uninhabited.
As soon as any character sits at the table, takes a bite of
food, swigs from a bottle, or otherwise significantly interacts
with the room, it transforms. Read:
The furniture becomes wet, warped, and stained in blood; the
bottles crack and spill their contents, now turned to vinegar;
the cheese molds; large green-black flies erupt from the
apples and mangoes; and—most dreadful of all—several
unoccupied seats fill with dead pirates!

Present are 1d6+1 skeletons, a ghast, and a wight in fancy

uniform. All are laughing hatefully as if drunk. They attack
the characters with relish, eager to spill real blood. They
never stop laughing, even if they are cut down to die a second
time.
If the characters pass through this room without touching
anything, then the undead pirates leave them unmolested for
now but follow them, curious, deeper in the ship.
The dining room connects to the war room (B10), the
dining-room’s balcony (B22), and the captain’s cabin (B5). B22. The Quarterdeck Balcony
The view here mirrors that from the captain’s balcony (B9),
with the same threat in play of being spotted by a pilot eel.
Any character who lingers here for half an hour triggers an
ambush by the pilot eels in the lower gun deck (D3).
The quarterdeck balcony only connects to the dining room
(B21).

19

Upper Gun Deck
The first of the below decks comprises rooms at fore and aft
and a very large central space where, in life, sailors slept at
night on hammocks and manned cannons in the event of a
skirmish with another ship. This deck is variously
cobwebbed, and the light here is murky. The entire level feels
haunted and spooky.
Audio Ambience: Upper Deck
Accompanying this adventure is an audio ambience
track for this level! As the characters begin to
explore the upper gun deck, cue up “Mimic Ship
Upper Deck” by Michaël Ghelfi.
C1. The Galley (Kitchen)
This kitchen, know as the galley, is a large squarish room lined
with crates and locking cabinets that are full of pots, pans,
utensils, salt cellars, small sacks of grain, tins of lard, boxes of
wild rice, and nets of fruit: red limes, calamansi, monkey fruit,
and hog plums. All of the food is rotting. A central stove
stands in the middle of the room; it is glowing with a pale,
ghostly light. Four cannons stand against the wall. The room is
a total mess. Cobwebs connect each cabinet, and every
surface is covered in huge pallid insects that look like sea
roaches.
The sea-roaches are cat-sized albino isopods. These
scavengers are not part of the mimic but have come up
through its orifices, three decks below. They are slowly
devouring everything short of the alien ribs of the ultra-mimic
itself. The isopods are harmless unless attacked, in which
case they fight as a **swarm of insects**. Two doors at aft,
port and starboard, lead from the kitchen into the forward
half of the upper gun deck (C2).
The Stove. If the characters open the door of the stove, a
terrible-smelling mint-green fog billows forth. Everyone in the
room must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or else
gag and suffer 1d6 poison damage. Inside is the half-cooked
head of a merrow (merfolk), its twisted and blackened mouth
still inaudibly screaming. The head can be taken and used as
an inexhaustible torch, but the smell—which only worsens—
forces anyone nearby to make another saving throw every
hour.
If the characters light the stove with real fire or otherwise
ignite the merrow head, it explodes in a conflagration of
warped green flames that deal 6d6 fire damage to anyone in
the area. Any character killed by this explosion immediately
rises as a wraith.
The Cook. If the characters have not already encountered
the ship’s undead cook (ghoul) via a random encounter he is
here, feasting on an isopod. Pale bug-jelly rolls down the dead
man’s corpulent torso. He has a fine meat cleaver stuck in his
back, which he may remove and attack with (use the ghoul's
claws attack).
20
Treasure. The kitchen contains 1d2 random items plus a
very old bottle of rum worth 50 gp that is hidden in a locked
cabinet along the fore wall.
C2. Forward Upper Gun Deck
The large area on this deck is full of hammocks, cannons,
and cobwebs. This area also features one of the ship’s
capstan, the vertical winch that raises the anchor.
There is a 1 in 4 chance that 2d4 reanimated sailors
(zombies) dwell in the upper gun deck, their souls unable to
move on and their bodies—which no longer contain nutrients
of interest to the ultra-mimic—unconsumed.
Any given hammock has a 1 in 10 chance of still containing
a random item of interest. All items here are caked in sticky
webs.
The forward upper gun deck is not physically separated
from the aft upper gun deck (C3); the areas are only defined
by their use. Two doors at fore, port and starboard, lead from
the forward upper gun deck to the kitchen (C1). Two
staircases, fore and aft, lead up to the main deck (A3).
Ladders at midship connect this deck to the lower gun deck
(D3).
C3. Aft Upper Gun Deck
The dining area for non-officer sailors consists of three long
rectangular tables with stools. It is not physically separated
from the rest of the upper gun deck (C2). Two doors stand at
aft: the port door opens into the armory (C4); the starboard,
into the guest quarters (C5). Stairs lead up to the war room
(B10).
Dead Sailors. Three rotting sailors are slumped over at
one of the long tables. They are neither undead nor
simulacra, but have truly passed-on and been left undisturbed
thanks to the magical song playing nearby when the ultra-
mimic attacked. Any character with a passive perception
score of 12 or higher notices that all three sailors seem to
have been oriented toward a specific hammock, almost as if
they were listening intently. Sitting in that hammock, cradled
by a pair of skeletal arms unattached to any torso, is a green,
barnacled-covered concertina, Lost Lover's Wail (see
appendix A). The magical instrument is indigestible by the
ultra-mimic.
Music: Lost Whaler’s Love
Accompanying this adventure is a theme song for
the magical concertina! As the characters begin to
explore the upper gun deck, cue up “Lost Whaler’s
Love” (pun intended) by Will Savino | Music d20.
Yurumin's Plea. If the characters have not yet encountered
Captain Yurumin (B4) or have otherwise evaded him, then he
accosts them here, begging for help in ridding his “Mutable
Lord” (the ultra-mimic) of undead and “invasive long-fishes”
(the pilot eels).
Treasure. The hammocks here have a 1 in 10 chance of
containing a random item. In addition, one of the sailors
hollowed out the leg of a stool and inserted into it a fine
enchanted quill that gives its holder advantage on
Intelligence (Deception) checks when creating forgeries.
C4. The Armory
The armory contains weapons, barrels of gunpowder for
small arms, a blacksmith anvil and tools, a sharpening bench,
a musket rack, and a pistol rack. The weapons include two
longswords, four muskets, and 3d4 daggers, plus tools that
can be used as weapons (hammers, heavy tongs, and shears).
There is a 1 in 3 chance that a lone pilot eel (see appendix
B) is here, scavenging excitedly. If not, then a smashed
human skeleton and the hacked-apart remains of a giant
moray eel lie scattered throughout the room, which in this
case smells strongly of pumpkin and spices.
A door, fore, leads into the aft upper gun deck (C3). A
locked door at starboard leads into the guest quarters (C5).
Ghost Cutlass. In addition to the arms listed above, there
is one hanger on the wall that is not apparently home to any
sword. But if the characters make a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check, they notice that the dust in the room
filters oddly around that hanger, tracing a subtle but distinct
sword-shaped negative pattern in the air. They can then pick
up the empty air by its absent “hilt” and discover that they are
in fact holding a ghost cutlass (see appendix A).
A door, fore, leads into the aft upper gun deck (C3). A
locked door at starboard leads into the guest quarters (C5).
C5. The Guest Quarters
This fancy guest room is filled with cobwebs and large, busy
spiders. Dozens of small crates of rotting pumpkins and spice-
sacks line the port wall. A small but comfortable bed stands at
aft; a roughly human form appears to be sleeping in it,
spooning a scythe. Curiously, a large, fresh-looking pumpkin
sits at the head of the bed. Along the starboard wall is a
writing desk, two cannons, and six barrels. Spiders scurry
absolutely everywhere, eating the small pests that are feasting
on the pumpkins. The room smells of pumpkin, spices, and
rotting flesh.
Pumpkin & Spice Farmer
The Porvenir’s sole guest suite was most recently
home to Fabio Xicalli, a rich farmer known for his
marvellously innovative gourd-breeding. In addition
to many acres of squashes, zucchini, melons, and
pumpkins, he also grew groves of tree-fruit and
spices. Lately he was riding into Fidanza with a
cargo of delicious pumpkins (to be offered as
samples), pumpkin seeds (to be sold at high prices
to his loyal customers around the Bight), and small
sacks of warm-tasting spices such as cinnamon,
nutmeg, clove, and allspice.
Unfortunately for Xicalli’s burgeoning premium
gourd monopoly, he was killed when the ultra-
mimic metabolized the bulk of the ship: a beam
fell on his head, squashing it like… a pumpkin.
Unlike those of the sailors, however, Xicalli’s
corpse was washed out of the body of the ultra-
mimic during its final transformation. He floated
down to the bottom of the nameless Fellcayan bay,
and there he was found and offered a choice by a
demon: live again, in even greater closeness to his
beloved gourds, or pass into the next world, never
to plant a seed again. Xicalli chose the former
option, and the demon brought him back to life,
providing him with a powerful weapon and
mount…
If the characters quietly peek in, then Xicalli remains
dormant, dreaming of fields of fruiting vines, sated by the
most recent pilot eel he’s murdered.
If the characters instead search the room, make noise, or
harass the sleeper, he rises unnaturally, hoisting his scythe in
one hand and his pumpkin-head in another. He wears the suit
of a rich landowner, but where his head should be is merely
air. He places the pumpkin there, and then his limbs sweep
out in a strange welcome. A monotone voice rings out from
within the depths of the pumpkin: Thine… heads… are…
WRONG. Let… me… FIX… them… for… ye!
21
 The Pumpkin Headed Seahorseman
Xicalli is a Headless Seahorseman (see appendix B). In
combat, Xicalli first uses the demonic Scythe of the Headless
Seahorseman (see appendix A) to summon his spectral
seamare (see appendix B). Xicalli then charges forward on
this ghostly giant seahorse, seeking to behead as many
characters as possible. (He has many pumpkins to offer them!
Far better than those ugly heads…) The ensuing melee may
well spill out into the main part of the upper gun deck or the
armory.
Xicalli's Letter
Friend—
Age takes us each, it seems. We no longer recall simple
matters with proper alacrity. Therefore, good yeoman Xicalli,
take note: there be RATS on this forsaken bark that come for
the spiders, our little helpers, who pick the vermin off our
melons. & we'll be DAMN’D if those bilge mice get one ounce
of our BEST melon. We'd sooner see it fired into the sea than
in their traitorous maws!

—Yours, Xicalli.

In fact, he has hidden his prized booty in the barrel of one of

the cannons in this room: on a cheap chain-necklace are
strung his wedding ring—a ring of the sunken king (see
appendix A)—as well as an emerald amulet—shaped into a
honeydew melon—worth 1d100 gp.
A door, fore, leads into the aft upper gun deck (C3). A
locked door at port leads into the armory (C4).

Xicalli’s pumpkin-head is home to an old but non-

supernatural hermit crab. He has no coins on his body, but
3d100 gp in damp-yet-salvageable Fidanzan bank notes are
scattered underneath the mattress. The barrels are filled with
delicious pumpkin ale and pumpkin stout.
On his writing desk, Xicalli has recently scrawled a brief
letter, seemingly written to himself:

22

Lower Gun Deck
The lower gun deck is free of the undead and agricultural
pests tormenting the decks above. Those threats have been
cleared out by a newcomer to the Porvenir: a regiment of
sapient moray eels who have learned how to techno-
magically craft exo-skeletons out of the bodies of drowned
sailors.
D1. The Menagerie
This room once stored live animals to provide eggs, milk, and
fresh meat on long voyages. The ultra-mimic has recreated it,
but imperfectly, as it cannot truly birth organisms free of itself
other than its own brood. Thus the chickens, goats, and pigs
here squeak robotically—making the wrong noises—as the
characters enter. And upon closer inspection, the characters
can see that the animals’ legs in fact blend weirdly into the
floor. If animals are not silenced within one round, they will
give away the party’s presence to the pilot eel commandant
next door in the infirmary (D2).
In addition to animals, the menagerie sports two cannons
and crates full of rotting animal feed. The menagerie only
connects to the main lower gun deck (D3) via a door at aft.
Treasure. Hidden among the sacks of feed are a deck of
risqué playing cards made out of metal, worth 5d20 gp, as
well as an ornate goat-horn drinking cup worth 5d10 gp.
D2. The Infirmary
The ship’s single-bed clinic at one time provided over a
hundred men with primitive urgent care, prophylactic doses
of cheap narcotics, and worthless patent cures. Today, it
serves as the command center for the sapient moray eels,
who are delighted to have discovered a living ship filled with
useful objects. They will be even more delighted that the ship
attracts more apes with opposable thumbs.
Currently, the infirmary is serving as the pilot eels’ lab for
making human suits. The patient bed at fore is home to a mix
of body parts, waiting to be processed. The large circular
table at starboard is still a fitting station for prosthetic limbs,
but the wooden ones now serve as replacement parts for
incomplete human skeletons. The blood-stained large central
table is where the pilot eel commandant (see appendix B)
operates. A smaller rectangular table against the aft wall
serves as a tool station. In addition, the room sports two
cannons.
If the characters allowed the animals in the menagerie to
bleat (D1) or made a lot of noise in the main area of the deck
(D3), then the commandant is waiting in ambush for them:
she gets a free surprise attack with this pistol shrimp (see
appendix A) against whoever opens the door.
If the characters sneak up on the commandant, roll a 1d6:
d6
1- She is meeting with 1d4 lieutenant pilot eels (see
2 appendix B). They are not expecting an attack, but they
are all armed and ready to react after one.
3- She is alone, but her pistol shrimp is neatly mated to
4 the right arm of her exo-skeleton, ready to fire.
5- She is alone, working at the operating table with her
6 back to the door, soldering bones together with her
necromantic mouth-picks. Her pistol shrimp is on the
nightstand next to the bed.
Whether surprised or not herself, the commandant is
almost certainly shocking in appearance and attitude to the
characters: at first, she may appear to simply be the skeleton
of a tall human, partially wrapped in seaweed and wearing a
utility belt. Inside the skeleton’s chest, however, is giant, gray-
green moray eel. Its head pokes out of the neck of the
skeleton, masked in a translucent pink breathing-anemone. If
she is holding the pistol shrimp, then her skeleton’s right
hand is replaced by a cat-sized, orange-black-and-blue-striped
shrimp with two curled, iridescent green “fists.”
The commandant is extremely intelligent and will not
commit suicide-by-hero. She cannot speak human languages,
but she can mime or sketch concepts. (She has a deft hand.)
If cornered and interrogated about her intentions, she will do
her best to placate the characters while lying about their
numbers and intentions. In a fight, she will use the pistol
shrimp if it is ready and then dash into the main lower gun
deck (D3) to summon reinforcements.
The commandant keeps a bundle of necromantic mouth-
picks wrapped in kelp on the nightstand next to the patient
bed. These are useful for slowly building suits of magically
powered armor out of bodies, but not much else, and they
require thousands of hours of practice to get the hang of.
Most any evil magic-user will pay 300 gp for the set.
The infirmary only connects to the main lower gun deck
(D3) via a door at aft.
D3. Lower Gun Deck
Doors at fore connect to the menagerie (D1) and infirmary
(D2). Two doors at aft, port and starboard, open into the tiller
(D4). Two pairs of ladders at midship connect this deck to the
aft upper gun deck (C3) as well as the cargo hold (E2).
23
 Pilot Eel Den
The great room of the lower gun deck has been transformed
by the pilot eels: most of the cannons and crates here have
been pushed to middle-aft, building a makeshift fort in which
the eels slumber when not working in their exo-skeletons. In
the fore part of the room, a jagged, ten-foot-long hole has
been ripped into the floor. Long dining tables have been
pushed around and used for combat exercises.
Unlike in the cabins, upper deck, and other rooms on this
deck, the barnacle-crusted gunports here are open, revealing
green waves only five ft. below. The eels can use the gunports
as emergency exits out of and—with much greater difficulty—
entrances into the ship.
In addition to the commandant and any eels already
encountered, there are currently 4d4 pilot eels (see appendix
B) on the Porvenir.
One quarter, rounded down, have wriggled out of their exo-
skeletons; they are sleeping in the makeshift fort in barrels
sawed in half and filled with seawater and blood.
The rest of the eel regiment are mustering here, preparing
to venture up. Depending on the characters’ prior actions, the
eels have either readied an ambush or are busy training in
their exo-skeletons, polishing their weapons, moving cannons
around, or otherwise distracted.
If the characters spent much time looking out from the
bow-sprit or the balconies of the cabins, then the pilot eels
are ready for them: a single exo-skeleton crouches
suspiciously in the middle of the fore part of the room,
holding a spear pointed down into the hole leading into the
cargo hold. This suit is empty. The real pilot eels are hiding
under the long dining tables, behind cannons, and otherwise
positioned to pop out and fire at any group of characters
coming down the ladders from the upper gun decks.
The pilot eels fight in organized fashion, attempting to
minimize their casualties. If Yurumin is with the characters,
he fights like hell to slay the eels, screaming "PARASITE!"
each time he swings his machete.
Treasure. In addition to eels slumbering in half-barrels,
smaller kitchen pots hold fans of corral and confused
anemones and urchins. The skeletons of dead pilot fish,
wahoo, parrotfish, bluebeard, grouper, and porkfish litter (or
perhaps, for the morays, decorate) every surface. Scattered
across the bottoms of the half-barrels are various shiny
objects, including 1d20 small rubies and 1d12 large opals. A
crystal vase worth 250 gp holds a smattering of eel elvers.
D4. The Tiller
This large room is home to the tiller, the great beam that
controls the ship’s rudder. It is connected to two large ropes
the extent out and then up into the ship, wrapping around the
helm. There are also two cannons, a chest, a barrel, extra
sailcloth, and many coils of rope. Doors at fore open into the
main lower gun deck (D3).
Merrow Body. The whole starboard half of the room is
painted with dark red-brown with blood. If the characters
investigate, they find the headless, bloodless body of a
merrow (merfolk)—the one whose head is in the kitchen-
stove (C1)—inside the barrel. The commandant has been
keeping it here to experiment on later, after securing the rest
of the ship.

24

Cargo Hold
The hold is utterly unlike the decks above it. Other than its
general shape, it does not appear to be part of a ship, but the
inside of a great beast. Yurumin’s beloved “benthic shoggoth,”
having reached momentary equilibrium as a ship above,
relaxes here, playing with the forms of the fish and other
marine life around and inside of it.
Movement here is slow, with the entire hold counting as
difficult terrain. Small-sized characters must swim.
E1. Cargo hold, Fore
The forward part of the hold is bizarre: the bow of the ship
looks like a fence of pale wooden vertical planks from a
distance, but is actually made of baleen plates—long teeth for
catching plankton. By periodically sucking in seawater, the
ultra-mimic captures nutrients and cleans out its vital organs,
located on this deck.
Whale Mouth. Characters curious about the bow-mouth
can make DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) checks to deduce how
it works. But as soon as anyone inspects it, the mouth
reflexively opens, taking in water. All characters here must
then make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be forcefully
washed to the midship area of the hold (E2), taking 2d6
bludgeoning damage along the way.
Floating Crates & Barrels The center of the fore part of
the hold is filled with floating crates and barrels, none of
which are mimic eggs.
The Brig
Further aft stand two metal 10-foot-tall rust-proof iron cages
that weakly radiate magic. These cells are the brig, the ship’s
jail. If the characters obtained the great iron key from the
Drowned Tactician in the war room (B10), then they can
simply open either cell. Otherwise, the cage—enchanted to
resist rust and lockpicking—is nearly impossible to open
without using powerful magic.
Special FX: Cargo Hold Overlays
Included with the maps for this adventure are three
FX layers for the entire cargo hold. If you are using
a virtual table top program, you can include these
layers as tiles and turn them on and off to add
dramatic flair to the scene.
We have also provided instructions for Foundry
VTT users to automate and animate this feature,
making the hull swell with the mimic's breath or
pulse with its heart beat. See appendix C for
instructions.
Port Cell. Inside the port cell floats the body of a long-
forgotten seaman; the ultra-mimic has not digested him
because he was cursed and thus doesn’t taste right.
Starboard Cell. In the starboard cage crouchs Lotte van
Kwallen (CN human priest), a woman wearing an eyepatch, a
black vest, and loose red pants; twigs of red coral and braided
into her hair. She stands, grins, and moves toward the
characters as soon as she can see them—but she is not in any
hurry. She is devotee of the local storm goddess and former
first mate of the pirate ship Dryad. The crew of the Porvenir
was unsuccessfully bombarded by the Dryad weeks ago, and
the merchant-marines captured Lotte after the rest of her
boarding party were killed. Captain Deze planned on turning
her over to the authorities in Fidanza for a bounty, so he kept
her relatively well-fed. Thanks to some smart spellcasting and
her physical location during the ultra-mimic’s assault, she
was momentarily submerged and banged about, but not
devoured. (She also cursed the poor fellow across the way,
who then died in the mimic assault.)
Lotte is eager to escape, but she is also prideful and wily.
She offers to heal the characters in exchange for their help.
She will not accompany them further aft in the hold, but she
will otherwise aid them to the best of her ability if a deal is
struck. (Any deal naturally involves the characters arming
Lotte with a substantial weapon.)
If the characters free her, Lotte can cast Cure Wounds on
their wounded up to four times. She also shares what she
knows of the ultra-mimic—which is not much, although her
tale confirms whatever they have learned above—and warns
the characters not to stray too close to the bow: It spits!
The one tidbit about the ultra-mimic that Lotte has
observed and can share is how it started to worm its way
throughout the ship: a few weeks ago, soon after she was
captured, the ship lay anchor. She noticed that night a strange
pool of what looked like white petrol seeping up into the hull,
far to aft, at the limits of her vision in the dark of the hold.
She told the sailors about it when they came to feed her, but
they simply mopped it up—leaving it to repool, larger, that
night… By the time the mimic attacked, it was too late to stop:
the white oil had seeped into the entire hold and oozed
upward into the gun decks. Her summary advice is to get out
immediately: EVERYTHIN’ here spits!
Treasure. Lotte has no money on her, but she’s carved two
decently sharp shivs out of wood recovered from smashed
crates. The drowned sailor in the other cell is wearing an
amulet around his neck whose central feature is a common
wine cork that functions as a pearl of power—but anyone who
searches his body becomes hydrophobic and suffers
disadvantage on attacking and spellcasting while standing in
water (i.e., while in the hold). This curse can be removed by
pleasing Lotte, perhaps by offering her a share of the
treasure found aboard, or by swearing to help her get revenge
against the Fidanzan Venture Company and reconnect with
the rest of the Dryad’s crew, some of whom must have floated
on the wreckage of their ship to Fellcay.
Audio Ambience: Mimic Ship Depths
Accompanying this adventure is an audio ambience
track for this level! As the characters begin to
explore the hold, cue up “Mimic Ship Depths” by
Michaël Ghelfi.
25
 E2. Cargo Hold, Midship
The central area of the hold is likely where the characters
will first enter it, via ladders down from the lower gun deck
or the large hole in that deck’s floor. When they arrive, read:
Almost everything in the hold is organic, made of bone and
slime. The curved bottom and walls are ribs and covered in
gray-blue flesh. The floor is flooded with three ft. of saltwater,
but the ship does not seem to be sinking, nor does the hull
seem to be breached.
Barrels of rum and gunpowder bob in shallow knee-high
water, and waterlogged stacks of sail canvas are piled up along
the walls. Coils of rope here slither like snakes underneath the
water's surface.
Towards the bow are two jail cells. Inside both cells you see
the silhouette of a figure sitting in the water. The wall of the
hull past the cells is lined with a wooden fence the color of
bone.
Towards the stern is a translucent green membrane wall, at
the center of which is a small orifice. It is gently wheezing.
Something beyond it glows a soft blue.
You see a translucent object floating in the water near some
of the crates, and you hear a voice coming from one of the
cells, “Who goes there?”
The ropes are idly animated by the ultra-mimic. It has
forgetten about them and they are harmless.
This area is the antechamber for the adventure’s major
encounter: through the aft orifice is the heavily protected
brain-like central ganglion of the ultra-mimic.
The membrane wall connects this area to the main part of
the central ganglion (E3) and the area is open fore (E1).
Ladders lead up to the lower gun deck (D3).
Bottle Egg Sacks. If the characters carefully scout the
area and pass a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check, they
notice that most of the crates here are broken apart, and that
among them float many deformed, fleshy sacks of curious
see-through material. These sacks did not exist in the fore
section of the hold. Characters who specifically inspect a see-
through flesh-sack notice that it is vaguely in the shape of a
large bottle. These are burst-open ultra-mimic egg sacs. If
they spoke to Yurumin at length, read his book in Captain
Deze’s library, or spoke to Lotte at length, then the characters
may make a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight or Medicine) check to
realize that the ship is in fact a mimic, and the hold is home
to the creature’s vital functions.
Mebrane Wall and Orifice. This thin, translucent
membrane separates the E2 from E3. The orifice is closed
but a draft can be felt wheezing in and out of it as the ultra-
mimic breathes. The wall can be easily cut through with a
sharp blade, but doing so will immediately provoke the ultra-
mimic brain and the juvenile ultra-mimics to attack with
surpise. Characters wishing to climb through the small whole
can do so following a succeful DC14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or
Dexterirty (Stealth) check, other wise they stumble into the
water, alerting the juvenile ultra mimics (See E3).
26
Ultra-Mimic Brain + Tendril Tokens
Accompanying this adventure are a Tendrils token
and a Ultra-Mimic Brain token for use in VTT
programs. We suggest you have the two tokens
placed before hand but keep them on a hidden
layer, and then turn them on as needed during the
encounter.
E3. The Central Ganglion
The aft part of the hold contains the ultra-mimic’s most
essential body parts: its central nervous ganglion. The giant
brain composed of threads of glowing blue light is encased in
a protective clamshell. It is closed when the characters arrive.
After the characters have made there way past the
membrane, or if a character forces the orifice open enough to
peer in, read:
This part of the hold is crowded with marine life. The lower
walls here are overgrown with an entire ecosystem of polyps,
sea cucumbers, and mollusks. Large branches of purple and
blue elkhorn coral extend from the walls, and beyond them is a
massive calm shell flanked on both sides by two rock
formations covered with small holes. The walls and floor here
are crusted over with a squishy, organic material similar to the
inside of an oyster.
Model Ship Mimics. 2d4 (or one per character) juvenile
ultra-mimics (see appendix B) that have recently spawned
are currently hiding in this area. These look like 2 ft. long
model ships. They have submerged themselves completely in
the shallow water and coral, waiting for their next meal. They
are not yet intelligent and act purely on instinct. They are
hungry, but their sensory range is quite limited, as they are
still feeling their way around their own awkward bodies.
Nevertheless, any disturbance in this area—a scream, a
gunshot, or a character failing a check climbing through the
membrane wall—will cause the miniature flesh-ships to
ambush the characters.
In combat, the juveniles reveal their bows to be shark-like
maws. They aim small cannons at faraway attackers, and
their cannons shoot small teeth instead of cannonballs. They
circle their targets like piranhas, trying to take down one at a
time before moving on to the next meal…
If the characters sneak by the juvenile ultra-mimics they
will remain hidden until the characters get within 15 ft. of the
clam shell, at which point they will attack.
Yurumin. If Yurumin (bandit captain) is with the
characters, he will quietly start collecting egg sacs while
murmuring prayers to the ultra-mimic. If the characters
attack the ultra-mimic or its spawn, Yurumin will howl in
confusion for one round and then wade into the thick of the
melee on the side of the monsters. He screams:
So ye were PARASITES all along, were ye? To Gehenna with the
lotta ya! All praise be to she, Mutable Lord of the Seas! Shining
changeable beauty! Dire queen! I fight—nay, I slay—for theee!

Music: She Lives
Accompanying this adventure is a music track for
this encounter! As the characters confront the
boss, cue up “She Lives” by Will Savino | Music d20.
Tendrils. Once the ultra-mimic or its spawn are alerted to the
character's presence, then read:
Dozens of whip-like, glowing tendrils emerge from cavities on
the walls to either side of the massive shell. They extend
toward you, filling the room, and reach out to sting you.
The tendrils are part of the ultra-mimic brain's stat block
(see appendix B).
Clam Shell. The clam shell houses the ultra-mimics brain
which is composed of threads of glowing blue light. At the
DM's discretion, the characters may attempt to parlay with
the creature before or during a fight, perhaps due to
suggestion from Yurumin, but some combat is likely if not
inevitable. After the ultra-mimic brain has lost half of its hit
points, the shell will open, revealing the glowing blue brain
inside. Note that this will lower the creature’s AC but also
enable its mind lash ability.
Once the shell is open, the ultra-mimic’s ganglion will try to
communicate with the characters telepathically. Read:
Suddenly, a voice that sounds oddly like your own booms into
your head, echoing from below as though it passed through a
great volume of water.
"We make more of ourselves in the sea. You made more of
yourselves on the land, and loved yourselves, and then you
came here. One moon you will retire and make more of
yourselves. But now, more of myselves are here, growing, soon
to join the sea, to make more of themselves. You come to take
them away? To stop ourselves? Are there enough seas for us?"
Visions. As the fight continues, have the characters
experience flash visions in their mind; outbursts of the
doppel-ramblings that are memories of ultra-mimics life:
absolute darkness
a sole human in a primitive diving suit (Altivo), excitedly
waving and then carefully scooping some of its primordial
white slime into a metal canister
a rain of delicious iron filings
juvenile explorations of the waters around Fellcay
its first kill, a skipjack tuna
a hunger beyond words
many kills, starting with a coralfolk
the slow-motion fall of the shadow of some strange iron
fish (the Porvenir's anchor)
the smell of complexity, of intelligences fat with desires,
great volumes of wood and iron powder and strange
canvas manta rays as large as waves
the long suckle against the bottom of the ship
the sudden onset of a hunger like nothing ever felt before,
the urge to become, to become other, to become multiple
In sum, the ultra-mimic tries to communicate that it is not
evil; it is simply a gargantuan hungry organism, now in the
prime of reproductive maturity. It does not wish to kill the
characters, if they are merely passing through. But of course
it doesn’t want them to take its eggs. The characters can try
speaking with the ganglion, as long as they stop fighting. It
more or less understands them, although it can only speak
back in alien-sounding poetic assertions, or through the
characters' own voice inside their mind.
Ending the Encounter
Parlay. If, after receiving the visions and hearing the
creature's plea, the characters unilaterally withdraw from
combat, the tendrils retreat back into the mouth-like cysts on
the walls. This creates room for the characters to shuffle
around the ganglion and into the aft-most hold (E3). The
ultra-mimic will not be happy to see characters stealing back
toward its babies, but it will barter for its life rather than die
trying to save its offspring.
Defeat. Reducing the ultra-mimic brain to zero hit points will
cause the tendrils to go limp, clearing a path to E3. The
characters should have a final opportunity to interact with the
brain. The ultra-mimic wants to live, but also rues the idea of
some alien (the characters) taking its children.
Death. Killing the central ganglion shuts down the defensive
tendrils but also leads to chaos throughout the ship as it
starts taking on water erratically and slowly sinking… The
characters must leave within the hour or drown. This is a
perfect opportunity for a high stakes skill challenge (see
"Aftermath: Escaping the Porvenir").
E4. Cargo Hold, Aft
Beyond the brain-like central ganglion and its wall of defensive
tendrils is an open space at the stern of the ship. Many square
wooden cargo crates are stacked in no particular fashion in
two groups in the middle of the room. The curved walls
beyond them glow with a soft, sickly lime-green light. The
water here is being gently sucked into those green patches,
which foam along the bottom as though they were little
drains.
These strange green organs both concentrate nutrients in
order to aid the production and fertilization of eggs as well as
function as excretory orifices, eventually flushing whatever
small matter the ultra-mimic can’t or prefers not to digest.
There are 2d12 crates here, each 2 ft. on a side and
stamped with the logo of the Fidanzan Venture Company: F.
V. Co. The crates are merely the outer shells of the eggs of
the ship. Each contains one fertilized ultra-mimic egg.
If for some reason the characters camp out in the aft-most
hold for several hours, the ultra-mimic absorbs them as they
sleep.
27
 Aftermath
Resolving the adventure
If the characters make it down to the hold and deal with the
ultra-mimic’s defensive tendrils, then they are faced with a
dilemma: do they steal its eggs?
If the characters steal the eggs, do they deliver them to
Sonavella for a relatively low payout? By doing so, they
become complicit in the forging of a new and very dangerous
regional power; they should know at this point that Sonavella
is a heartless genius and will cunningly and selfishly exploit a
fleet of ultra-mimics.
The characters may choose to jack up their price, holding
the eggs hostage. Sonavella will pay up to 1000 gp per egg
before becoming flustered and ordering her valets and sailors
to wrestle them from the ungrateful “heroes”—who are then
thrown in the Grandsognare’s brig.
The characters might also steal the eggs for themselves,
either fighting to take control of the Grandsognare—which
should be difficult, given that its crew is loyal to the F. V. Co.—
or stealing out across Fellcay, perhaps to seek refuge among
(and thus bring disaster to) the peaceful kinkajoufolk.
Alternatively, the characters may choose to destroy the
eggs, eliminating the threat of a sea patrolled by many
terrifying ultra-mimics. The eggs are tough but not
impossible to destroy. If the characters do this in the aft-most
cargo hold (E4), then the ultra-mimic, if alive, tries its best to
kill them on their way out.
Escaping the Porvenir
In the event that the characters kill the ultra-mimic
brain, the ship will start to decay and sink into the
ocean. This is a great chance to run a high-stakes
skill challenge, having players fleefor their lives. If
they succeed, the escape the Porvenir just as its
masts sink into the water. If they fail, the are lost to
Davy Jones’ Locker.
Running a skill challenge.
Set the DC for the challenge. DC10 is fun story
beat, DC15 is a tough challenge, and at DC20
they will probably die.
Determine the threshold. Three is a good place
to start. Any character that rolls three success
escapes the ship, and any that fails three checks
won’t.
Roll a Check. Have each player propose and roll
a skill check to escape the sinking ship. They
could use Athletics to move some debris,
Perception to find a safe path, Acrobatics to flip
up a staircase, Stealth to evade some ghosts left
over, or Survival to… well survive.
Narrate the Results. Collectively narrate what
happens, dramatically describing each step, and
let the players contribute as much as possible.
Repeat as Needed. Repeat the process until each
player has either succeed three times (how did
they escape?) or failed three times (how did
they die?).
28
Further possibilities
Whether Sonavella pays the characters and takes them back
to Fidanza is an open question. The simplest plot bridging
out from this adventure is this: Sonavella thanks the
characters, has Altivo try to poison them, and if discovered
escapes on a boat with her valets and the mimic eggs, leaving
the characters to fight the crew of her brigantine. She will
continue trying to tie up loose ends as long as the characters
live; they know too much… She is not hard to locate, living on
a well-known estate, but she is constantly under heavy guard.
The second major possibility to explore after this
adventure is the fate of the Porvenir and the many intelligent
beings who inhabit Fellcay and the waters around it. If the
characters do not slay the ultra-mimic, only exploring its
furthest recesses, they are faced with the dilemma of what to
do with it. Do they go back and reluctantly cause massive
trauma to the ganglion, killing the creature—which is now an
entire ecosystem? Doing so will gift everything inside the ship
to the pilot eels who are native to these waters. The eels’
regional power would increase, and they are clearly eager to
acquire more skeletons…
If the characters kill the ultra-mimic, they may try to
quickly patch the organic holes in the hold and then sail the
Porvenir as a seaworthy—if highly atypical—ship of the line.
They may even turn their cannons on Sonavella’s brigantine,
although their crew is unlikely to match hers in numbers and
thus ability to rapidly aim and fire during naval combat. How
difficult it proves to patch up the holes in the dead mimic, and
how well the characters fare in ship-to-ship combat are
beyond the scope of this adventure, but the great ship’s
possible fates are tantalizing.
Finally, there are the dilemmas presented by the humans
aboard. Do the characters care about the infamous Captain
Yurumin, now quite mad? Do they want to help the pirate
Lotte? In a longer campaign these characters might serve as
future plot hooks, or even—if they are kept alive but not taken
seriously as allies—future villains.
Appendix A
Ghost Cutlass
Weapon (scimitar), uncommon
As a bonus action, you can speak this rusted hilt’s command
word. A curved blade of ethereal green smoke sprouts from
the barnacle-encrusted metal. On the blade, ghostly visages
seem to swim in and out of view. Legend says these faces
belong to those who fell while wielding the blade, leaving a
part of their souls trapped forever in its decrepit metal.
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with
this magic weapon, which deals psychic damage instead of
slashing damage.
Rare variant: Increase the bonus to +2.
Lost Lover's Wail
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement)
Once the instrument of a dashing sailor, this concertina is
always damp with saltwater and covered in barnacles.
You can start playing the lost lover’s wail as an action, and
have to spend an action on each subsequent turn to continue
doing so. The instrument’s magic lasts for 1 hour. If the song
ends before the full duration is up, you can use an action to
restart it. You can stop playing at any time. The music ends if
you are incapacitated. Every creature of your choice within
120 ft. of you that can hear the song must succeed on a DC
15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the music ends
or they can no longer hear it.
While under the influence of the song's charm, a target is
incapacitated. If the charmed target is more than 5 ft. away
from you, it must spend its turn moving towards you by the
most direct route. It doesn't avoid opportunity attacks, but
before moving into damaging terrain, such as lava or a pit,
and whenever it takes damage from a source other than you,
a target can repeat the saving throw. A creature can also
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If a
creature's saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it.
A target that successfully saves is immune to the song for
the rest of its duration.
You can’t use the concertina in this manner again until the
next dawn.
Mimic in a Bottle
Wonderous Item, uncommon
Each time this ship-in-a-bottle is observed, something is
slightly different. One time it might have three masts.
Another time, the figurehead might have changed from
dragon to narwhal, or the rigging has become a light shade of
mauve. The only constants are the cannons, its malevolent
"grin", and the tentacles. This ship is, in fact, a baby mimic,
that hasn’t quite mastered the art of mimicking.
As an action, you can uncork and upend the bottle, casting
the spell find familiar requiring no material components. The
familiar takes the statistics of the ultra-mimic hatchling (see
appendix B) and is friendly to you and your companions. If
the mimic is killed, a new mimic appears 8 hours after you fill
the bottle with water and salt.

29
 Pistol Shrimp
Weapon (pistol), uncommon (requires attunement)
A biomantic fusion of crustacean and firearm, this magic
weapon thrums with stored energy, ready to release a
devastating strike like its pistol shrimp forebear. This pistol
fires its ammunition at such tremendous velocities that
cavitation bubbles form dealing an additional 1d4 thunder
damage on a hit.
Cavitation Blast. As an action whilst you are underwater,
you can release a series of pressure waves causing pockets of
cavitation. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a DC
13 Constitution saving throw, taking 4d8 thunder damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Once you have used this feature, you can’t do so again until
the following dawn.
Misfire 2. If you roll a 1 or 2 on your attack roll, the
ammunition itself disintegrates, clogging the barrel. See the
Gunslinger subclass for more info.
Loading. Because of the time required to load this
weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it
when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it,
regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
Ring of the Sunken King
Ring, uncommon (requires attunement)
This barnacle-encrusted band of rusted metal is always cold
and slightly wet to the touch. The way the metal twists into
itself has a certain tentacle quality that is only enhanced by
the way it adheres to your skin when you don the ring.
Tentacle Lash. As an action you speak the ring’s command
word and your arm elongates, into a long, wet, suckered
spectral tentacle for the next minute. As part of the action
and as an action on each of your turns you can perform a
melee spell attack against a creature within 30 feet. Your
attack roll modifier equals 3 plus your proficiency bonus. On
a hit you deal 3d8 bludgeoning damage and the target must
make a DC 13 Strength saving throw if it is huge or smaller.
On a failure, you may choose one of the following effects:
The target is knocked prone.
You disarm the target; you take one item or weapon the
target is carrying or wielding (and that is not fastened, e.g.,
armor) and return it to your person.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until the
ring spends 1 hour submerged in salt water.
30
Scythe of the Headless Seahorseman
Weapon (glaive or halberd), rare (requires attunement)
This rusted scythe, with its driftwood handle that supports a
plethora of sea life, is surprisingly light and hydrodynamic.
Being underwater does not impose disadvantage on attacks
made with this magic weapon.
Fearflame. As a bonus action you can speak the weapon’s
command word causing an eerie green flame to shimmer
along the blade’s length. For the duration, whenever you hit
with this magical weapon, the target takes an additional 1d6
psychic damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw or become frightened of you until the start of
your next turn. If you roll a 6 for the psychic damage, the
green flame disappears ending the effect, and you can’t use
this feature again until the following dawn.
Phantom Steed. As an action you can speak the scythe’s
second command word and cast the phantom steed spell.
The creature always appears as an amphibian seamare. This
takes the statistics of a giant sea horse with the following
changes: It has a walking and swim speed of 100 feet. It has
the amphibious trait instead of the water breathing trait It
has the Frightful Presence action (DC 15 Wisdom saving
throw, 60-foot radius).
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until the
following dawn.
Very Rare Variant: Increase the damage to 1d8 psychic
damage, and the DC to 17. Legendary variant: Increase the
damage to 2d6 psychic damage, and the DC to 19. Phantom
steed can be cast as an action at will, but you can only have
one steed present at once.
Appendix B
Pilot Eels
These sapient moray eels have learned how to techno-
magically craft exo-skeletons out of the bodies of drowned
sailors. They appear to be human skeletons, partially
wrapped in seaweed and wearing tool-belts. Inside each
skeleton’s chest writhes a large gray-green eel, its head
poking out from the skeleton’s neck. They are eager to
conquer Fellcay and use it as a base of operations from which
to expand their militaristic state.
Pilot Eel
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (armor scraps)
Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands Aquan but can't speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Electrified Weapons. The skeleton's shortsword
attacks deal an additional 3 (1d6) lightning damage
on a hit (included in the attack).
Limited Amphibiousness. The eel can breathe air and
water, but it needs to be submerged at least once
every 8 hours to avoid suffocating.
Psychic Susceptibility. If the skeleton takes psychic
damage, it must make a Wisdom saving throw with
a DC equal to 10, or half the psychic damage it took,
whichever is greater. On a failed save, the skeleton
is stunned until the end of its next turn. Additionally
on a failed save, roll a die. On an odd result, the eel
is driven from the body, exiting prone in an
unoccupied space within 5 ft. of the skeleton. The
skeleton then immediately reverts to inanimate
remains.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage
plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage.
Pilot Eel Commandant
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +4, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +5
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Electrified Weapons. The commandants's cutlass
attacks deal an additional 3 (1d6) lightning damage
on a hit (included in the attack).
Lightfooted. The commandant can take the Dash or
Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its
turns.
Limited Amphibiousness. The eel can breathe air and
water, but it needs to be submerged at least once
every 8 hours to avoid suffocating.
Psychic Susceptibility. If the commandant takes
psychic damage, it must make a Wisdom saving
throw with a DC equal to 10, or half the psychic
damage it took, whichever is greater. On a failed
save, the commandant is stunned until the end of its
next turn. Additionally on a failed save, roll a die. On
an odd result, the eel is driven from the body,
exiting prone in an unoccupied space within 5 ft. of
the commandant. The commandant then
immediately reverts to inanimate remains.
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the commandant deals
an extra 10 (3d6) damage when it hits a target with
a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack
roll, or when the target is within 5 ft. of an ally of the
commandant that isn't incapacitated and the
commandant doesn't have disadvantage on the
attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The commandant makes two attacks
with its cutlass.
Cutlass. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 3
(1d6) lightning damage.
Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing
damage.
31
 Pilot Eel Commandant Giant Armadillo
Ideal. The commandant sketches a wavy, pyramid-like shape This ox-sized beast is trundling home to its family when the
on her notepad and then circles the top. (She believes that characters cross its path. Its flesh is delicious.
knowledge is the path to power and domination.)
Bond. The commandant sketches many small pyramids
and then draws lightning-bolt arrows connecting each of
them to the larger one. (She knows that the regiment is the Giant Armadillo
most important—soldiers come and go—and that she is the
regiment.) Medium beast, unaligned
Flaw. The commandant hisses in laughter at the
characters’ actions; saltwater foam spills out from her Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
anemone breathing-mask. (She believes that everyone is Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
beneath her, and thus that her plans will always succeed.) Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.

Gunpowder Crab
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
These large gray land crabs are the products of a failed
experiment by Señor Altivo. They chase any humanoids 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3)
exploring Fellcay and detonate violently, covering the beach
in foul-smelling crabshrapnel. Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Gunpowder Crab Keen Smell. The armadillo has advantage on Wisdom

(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Medium monstrosity, unaligned
Actions
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Multiattack. The armadillo makes two attacks: one
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. bite attack, and one attack with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 9 (-1) 3 (-4) one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Defensive Curl. The armadillo rolls itself into a ball,
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder leaving only its tough outer plates exposed, or it
Damage Resistances poison uncurls, returning to its normal posture. While in
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 11 this defensive position, the armadillo's AC increases
Languages — to 17; it is blinded; its speed becomes 0; it can't
Challenge 1 (200 XP) benefit from increases to speed; and the only action
it can take is to uncurl itself, ending this effect..
Amphibious. The crab can breathe air and water.
Unstable. When the crab is reduced to 0 hit points,
roll a d4, or roll a d3 instead if the crab has taken
thunder damage since the end of its last turn. If the
result on the die is a 1 the crab explodes, triggering
its detonate action and destroying it.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage,
and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). The crab
has two claws, each of which can grapple only one
target.
Detonate. The crab detonates in a powerful
explosion, destroying it and forcing each creature
within 15 ft. of it to make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
throw. A creature takes 7 (2d6) thunder damage
plus 3 (1d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as
much of each damage type on a successful one.

32
Fabio Xicalli
Fabio Xicalli, the “Headless Seahorseman,” appears to be a
recently dead human wearing the suit of a well-to-do farmer…
and a great pumpkin in place of his head. When defeated he
drops the Scythe of the Headless Seahorseman (appendix A).
Headless Seahorseman
Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) 15 (+2)
Skills Animal Handling +2, Athletics +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
unconscious
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 9
Languages Common
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Undead Cavalier. While the seahorseman is mounted,
niether he nor his mount provoke attacks of
opportunity for moving out of an enemy's reach.
Headless. The horseman is immune to spells or
effects that specifically target its mind or its
thoughts.
Head-Seeking Scythe. The horseman's scythe is
magical. A melee attack roll he makes with the
scythe is considered a critical hit on a roll of 19 or
20 on the d20.
Actions
Multiattack. The horseman makes two attacks with
its scythe.
Head-Seeking Scythe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to
hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4)
slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage. If
the target is a living creature, it must succeed on a
DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the
horseman for 1 minute. A frightened creature can
repeat its save at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on a success. A creature for which this
frightened condition ends is immune to the effect
from the scythe for 24 hours.
If this attack scores a critical hit, the attack deals
an extra 1d10 slashing damage, in addition to the
extra damage normally dealt by a critical hit. If a
critical hit from this weapon reduces a creature to 0
hit points, it is decapitated.
Spectral Seamare
The Headless Seahorseman’s steed is an incorporeal navy
blue horse with a shark’s torso and tail in place of its
hindquarters. Its whinny sounds like metal tearing. Streams
of hot gray-black smoke-bubbles fall from its nostrils. It stinks
of sulfur and kelp.
Spectral Seamare
Large undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24)
Speed 60 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover), swim 90 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2)
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder;
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common but can't speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Chilling Movement. The seamare can move through
other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its
turn inside an object. If the seamare moves through
the space of a creature that isn't an undead or a
construct, that creature must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) cold
damage and become stunned until the end of the
seamare's next turn.
Confer Incorporeality. The seamare can grant the
ability to move through other creatures and objects
to anyone riding it. The effect lasts until the rider
dismounts, or until the seamare is reduced to 0 hit
points. A creature with this ability takes 5 (1d10)
force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Sea Stride. The seamare can use its swim speed to
move atop the surface of the water, if it chooses. It
does so as if the water were solid ground, suffering
no movement penalties for moving across rough
seas.
Actions
Ghostly Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4)
bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
33
 The Ultra-Mimic
The ultra-mimic hatchling is only used in this adventure Juvenile Ultra-Mimic
when "summoned" by the Mimic in a Bottle (see appendix A) Small monstrosity, unaligned
found in B5.
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 38 (7d6 + 14)
Ultra-Mimic Hatchling Speed 5 ft., swim 30 ft.
Tiny monstrosity, unaligned
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 5 (2d4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 4 (-3) 9 (-1) 8 (-1)
Speed 5 ft., swim 20 ft.
Skills Stealth +4
Damage Immunities acid
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 9
6 (-2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 3 (-4) 7 (-2) 8 (-1) Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Skills Stealth +4
Damage Immunities acid Amphibious. The mimic can breathe air and water.
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 8 Broadside. If the mimic moves less than half its
Languages — speed on its turn, it can make an attack with its
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) cannons as a bonus action. When it does so, its
speed is reduced to 0 for the remainder of the turn.
Ambusher. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls Ramming Charge. If the mimic moves at least 15 ft.
against any creature it has surprised. straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram
attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3
Amphibious. The mimic can breathe air and water. (1d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a
False Appearance. While motionless, the mimic is creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength
indistinguishable from an inanimate model ship. saving throw or be knocked prone.

Actions Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
20/80, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage.
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage.
Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
20/80, one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
damage.

34
Ultra-Mimic Brain
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 250 (20d20 + 40)
Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 13 (+1)
Saving Throws Str +8, Int +5, Wis +8, Cha +5
Skills Perception +8
Damage Resistances psychic, poison
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
paralyzed, petrified, prone
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 18
Languages telepathy 300 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Armored Shell. The brain is surrounded by a thick, bony
shell which it can open or close at the start of each of
its turns (no action required). While its shell is open,
the brain's AC is reduced to 12, and it gains the use of
its Mind Tendril action.
Psychic Defense. The brain's AC can't be less than 8
plus its Wisdom bonus.
Rooted. The brain can't benefit from increases to speed,
and can't be moved by force, including by teleportation.
Stalwartness. When the brain is forced to make a
Dexterity saving throw, it makes a Constitution saving
throw and uses that result instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The brain makes up to five attacks with its
tendrils. No more than two of these attacks can be
made against any one target per turn.
Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Mind Lash (Shell Open Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7
to hit, reach 25 ft., one humanoid creature. Hit: 6 (1d6
+ 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled
(escape DC 15). The brain has two mind tendrils, each
of which can grapple only one target. If the brain uses
this action on a creature it is already grappling, that
creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or
become charmed by the brain, ignoring any immunity
to the charmed condition the target may possess.
A creature charmed by this action is no longer
grappled by the brain, though the tendril remains
wrapped around its neck, preventing the creature from
moving further than 25 ft. from the brain. The target is
compelled to obey the brain's telepathic commands,
transmitted to the target via the tendril. The target
must carry out these commands to the best of its
ability.
A charmed creature can repeat its save at the start of
each of its turns if it has taken damage or been forced
to attack one of its allies since the start of its previous
turn. On a successful save, the condition ends and the
target frees itself from the tendril's grip. The tendril can
also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 1; immune
to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage), ending
the charmed condition immediately.
Legendary Actions
The brain can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
the options below. Only one legendary action option
can be used at a time and only at the end of another
creature's turn. The brain regains spent legendary
actions at the start of its turn.
Tendrils. The brain makes a tendril attack.
Mind Lash. The brain makes a mind lash attack if its
shell is open.
Tidal Surge (Costs 2 Actions). The brain forces a
powerful outward surge of water, filling a 30-foot cube
projected out from itself. Each other creature in the
area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw
or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be pushed 10
ft. away from the brain. A creature that is swimming
fails its save automatically. A creature with a swim
speed takes no damage if it fails its save.
 Appendix C
Integration with Foundry VTT 4. Repeat with "Cargo Hold FX2.png" using this code
instead.
There are two key elements on the map that can benefit from
animation using the Parallaxia module in Foundry VTT. You let B0 = -1;
can download the module here:
let dB = Math.cos(t/3000) * 2;
next.alpha = B0 + dB;
https://gitlab.com/reichler/parallaxia

B21.The Dinning Hall Turning FX On and OFF

The dinning hall appears fancy and warm when the To create macros to turn the FX on and off, follow these
characters arrive with a halfling-sized feast on the table. But steps:
in reality it is a haunted scene of blood and skeletons. 1. Click on the macro bar to create a new macro and set the
1. Drop the "DinningHall_Overlay_10x9.png" overlay on Type to "script".
top of area B21 as a tile. 2. Add this code and save as "FX Off":
2. Turn it into a Parallaxia tile by right-clicking the tile then
clicking the waterfall icon in the top right hand corner of let updates = canvas.tiles.placeables.f
the tile. ilter(t => t.data.flags.parallaxia).map
3. Add this code to the "Custom Script" section of the (t => {
Parallaxia Tile Configuration: return {
_id: t.id,
let x0 = .5; 'flags.parallaxia.isTarget': false,
let dx = Math.cos(t/500) * .5; }
next.alpha = x0 + dx; });
canvas.tiles.updateMany(updates)

E. Cargo Hold 3. Do the same with this code and save it as "FX On":
The cargo hold is the living breath belly of the best, and
adding these FX tiles—one for the heart beat and another for let updates = canvas.tiles.placeables.f
the breathing—can really help bring this level to life. ilter(t => t.data.flags.parallaxia).map
1. Drop the "Cargo Hold FX1.png" overlay on top of the D (t => {
deck as a tile. return {
2. Turn it into a Parallaxia tile by right-clicking the tile then _id: t.id,
clicking the waterfall icon in the top right hand corner of 'flags.parallaxia.isTarget': true,
the tile. }
3. Add this code to the "Custom Script" section of the });
Parallaxia Tile Configuration: canvas.tiles.updateMany(updates)

let A0 = .0; 4. You are all set! Leave the FX off and have the tiles in the
let dA = Math.cos(t/350) * .8; state that you want them. Then turn them on at a dramatic
next.alpha = A0 + dA; moment!

36
 At Sea,
No One Can
Hear You Scream
A large ship of the line with a valuable cargo has
gone missing. Now it has reappeared on the
coast of a near by island... but the entire crew
seem to be missing.

Can you discover... The Secret of The Porvenir?

A one-shot adventure for 3–6 6th-level

characters.

Brought to you by these creators:

Patreon | Limithron

Patreon | Stillfleet

Patreon | ItsADnDMonsterNow

Patreon | Loot Tavern

Patreon | Tavern of Trinkets

Patreon | Music d20

Patreon | Michaël Ghelfi