Kassoon

No Prep Module: Shipwrecked for D&D or RPGs

This adventure can be can be easily customized to a party of any size or level, or run as a level 2 adventure for 5 players. It can work as a small side adventure in an existing campaign, as a standalone one-shot, or the start of a new adventure. Use the links to the tools in their relevant section to customize the adventure to your party.

Ocean Storm

A strong downpour of rain, punctuated by the occasional clap of thunder and lightning, stirs you in the night as the ship is rocked by a large wave. The sound of creaking and snapping leads to a spray of splinters as the boat is assaulted by another huge wave. All around you is the sound of panicked shouting as others begin to realize the severity of the situation. The storm is ripping your boat apart.

  • Start while the PCs are already underway on a ship. A violent storm hits, battering the boat with waves that splinter and destroy the ship around them. Have the PCs declare what they want to do and make relevant skill checks as they try to fix the ship and avoid hazards as it collapses around them.

You find yourselves washing up ashore on a sandy beach. The weather is still harsh, but the ground beneath your feet is a touch more comforting than the deadly abyss of the ocean. You see others crawling up the beach with you, while behind the massive waves roil and crash against the reef. You realize you'll need to collect who or what you can and build suitable shelter if everyone is going to survive the night.

  • The PCs are shipwrecked on a deserted island, and will ultimately need to build a raft capable of escape that can survive the large waves of the reef.
  • Let your players decide how they want to proceed here. They'll need to build some sort of shelter to survive the weather, then will need to procure a supply of food and water, and then eventually collect resources to build a boat.

The terrain of the island is a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors, completely covered in massive coral growths. Smaller plants, vines, and leaves sprout amongst the spongey texture of the coral, but it appears the aggressive growth of the coral prevents any sort of larger trees from growing on this island.

  • The island is covered in massive coral growths, intermixed with smaller plant-life.
  • There are no actual trees from which the PCs could obtain lumber, but as they explore have the PCs find some supplies here and there, including lumber planks, to clue them into the presence of what they're looking for.

Deserted Island Dungeon

  • Use the following dungeon as the structure for exploration while your players explore the island. You could also have them stumble upon a lair that they explore for supplies.

Dungeon Rooms

1

Purpose: Barracks where lair defenders are quartered
Current state: Furniture wrecked but still present
Minor Feature: Bones

2

Purpose: Kitchen for food storage and preparation
Current state: Pristine and in original state
Trap: Dangerous Trap
South Passage: Locked Door (DC 15). Key could be found on nearby creature or chest.
Minor Feature: Damp ceiling

3 (Entrance)

Purpose: Guardroom for the defense of the lair
Current state: Used as a campsite
Minor Feature: Guano

4

Purpose: Torture chamber
Current state: Furniture wrecked but still present
Trick Object: A black mask
Trick Effect: Asks three skill-testing questions (if all three are answered correctly, a reward appears)
Minor Feature: Iron bar, bent and rusted

5

Purpose: Storage, mostly nonperishable goods
Current state: Ashes, contents mostly burned
Encounter: Easy Encounter
Minor Feature: Hair or fur

6

Purpose: Kennel for pets or guard beasts
Current state: Ashes, contents mostly burned
Treasure: Random Treasure
West Passage: Door, unlocked.
Minor Feature: Sword blade, broken

7

Purpose: Armory stocked with weapons and armor
Current state: Rubble, ceiling partially collapsed
Treasure: Random Treasure
South Passage: Door, unlocked.
Minor Feature: Rags

8

Purpose: Workshop for the construction of weapons, armor, tools, and other goods
Current state: Furniture wrecked but still present
Hazard: Spiderwebs (DC 12 Dex or restrained. DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics to escape. AC 10, 15 HP, fire vulnerability, immunity to bludgeoning / piercing / psychic)
South Passage: Door, unlocked.
Minor Feature: Dripping blood

9

Purpose: Cistern or well for drinking water
Current state: Holes, floor partially collapsed
Encounter: Deadly Encounter
Minor Feature: Dung

10

Purpose: Guardroom for the defense of the lair
Current state: Ashes, contents mostly burned
Encounter: Hard Encounter
Minor Feature: Wax drippings

11

Purpose: Latrine or bath
Current state: Used as a campsite
Minor Feature: Cobwebs

12

Purpose: Trophy room or museum
Current state: Furniture wrecked but still present
Encounter: Medium Encounter
East Passage (Green): There is a large door, locked securely (DC 30) and magically sealed.
Minor Feature: Cobwebs

13

Purpose: Audience chamber, used to receive guests
Current state: Furniture wrecked but still present
Hazard: Yellow mold (On touch, eject sports DC 15 Con, 2d10 poison and poisoned for 1 minute. Take 1d10 each turn while poisoned, repeat saving throw each turn to end. Destroyed by sunlight or fire)
Key: Key
The key goes into a lock or mechanism, which causes the door to slowly open at the green passage.
West Passage (Green): There is a large door, locked securely (DC 30) and magically sealed.
Minor Feature: Javelin head, blunt

14

Purpose: Storage, mostly nonperishable goods
Current state: Rubble, ceiling partially collapsed
Trick Object: Pool of water
Trick Effect: Creates a force field
North Passage: Door, unlocked.
Minor Feature: Dust

15

Purpose: Throne room where the lair leaders hold court
Current state: Holes, floor partially collapsed
West Passage: Door, unlocked.
Minor Feature: Wood pieces, rotting

  • At the end of the dungeon, the players find a big cache of supplies that could be used to build a boat.

You come to what looks like a Grung warren, built out of scraps salvaged from shipwrecks. There are houses made of wooden planks and metal sheets in a sort of shantytown built into the coral. There are young Grung children, as well as the elderly, that live in this secluded shelter deep within the island, safe from the outside world.

  • The supplies are stored in the warrens, full of young and frail Grungs. They're using the supplies for homes and beds, and the PCs will need to decide what to do. It's possible to reach a compromise where the PCs use just enough supplies to make a sort-of rickety boat that may just be enough, or they may decide to take all the supplies to make a good boat, or some other solution.
  • Every round, the coral walls grow inward causing the room to shrink. The PCs have to defeat the flame guardians before they're crushed by the walls. If things get especially hectic you can allow some PCs to spend their turn channeling magic or hacking at the coral to prevent the room from shrinking.
  • After dealing with the guardians, and with enough supplies and ingenuity, the players are able to build a raft and escape the island.

 

Need more help with your campaign? Check out all the other tools, generators, and articles: kassoon.com/dnd/

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