Horror in the Deynali

Tikuto • Sol Alliance • Blazing Garden

🐟 Fishing Village

⚔ Confrontation

⛵ River Adventure

Adventure Description

Something wicked has taken root in the Deynali River. An undead horror prowls its depths, corrupting the waters and attacking all who venture near. With the village's boats destroyed and necessary medicinal herbs blocked off, the people of Tikuto need heroes willing to face the creature.

Starting the Adventure

"Bruised and soaked, you finally stumble into the stilt-built river village of Tikuto, renowned for Pheeka's Fishing Shop and known as a relaxing, lively stop. But the vibrancy you expected is absent. Melancholic faces peer from windows, the waters are empty of coracles, and no fishermen call out their catches. The reason is still painfully clear - you encountered it yourself on the way here. A monster lurks in these waves."

A vicious Deadwitch has moved into the waters near the usually happy fishing village of Tikuto, sat along the Deynali River in the Sol Alliance. She has begun manipulating the ecosystem for her vile experiments, attacking fishers, and worse yet, has taken up residence on a nearby island that has much needed restorative herbs. The village has run out of supplies and larger boats, the injured are stuck in pain, including the increasing number of waylaid travelers. The town guardian named Brassa had been tasked with at the least driving away the monster, but was seriously wounded in her attempt. Use the BREAK!! Fishing Rules.

Important Characters

Brassa — Promethean, Female, 31 (Custrel)

Everyone in town sees her as its protector and best fisher. Though generally well-meaning, she can be loud and aggressive.

"Towering high above most in the village, this proud Promethean is adorned in armor made from various fish scales. It kinda smells, but no one dares tell her."

Speaker Talki — Human, Female, 74 (Scholar)

Tikuto's spiritual leader, and the one who handles all communication with Sol Alliance officials. Folks look to her in matters of conflict resolution.

"Despite wiry grey hair from a lifetime of solving other's problems, she has the laugh lines of a life well-lived."

Pheeka — Undead, Female, ??? (Undead Peddlar)

Owner of the famed Pheeka's Fishing Shop, she is actually a well-preserved Undead Peddlar. Oldest member of Tikuto by far.

"A knowing smirk is set across this eccentric old lady's face as seashells hanging from her hair clunk together."

Suggested Story

Describe the party stumble into town, evaluate the village, have Brassa limp into the party's path, then continue:

Call for Heroes

Brassa recounts, and confirms, the village's trouble, and offers substantial reward by the village elder for those who help.
Brassa outlines her strategy: salvage material to rebuild a vessel, distract the creature with bait, then ambush it.

The Belu Thicket

Rebuilding the vessel requires the magically-reinforced reeds growing in the nearby Belu Thicket. The party must convince Talki to allow their harvest. When there, they discover the river god shrines have been desecrated by the monster.
Depending on the quality of repairs, the boat will have 1, 2, or 4 Hearts. It has a Defense Rating of 12.

The Perfect Bait

The party need to learn what would be the best bait; Brassa directs them to Pheeka, the famed storekeeper.
She suggests the rare Razormouth, and to fish for it on a nearby jetty with her Fishing Rods. Results affect Combat start:
- ✓ Razormouth: Party can Ambush the Deadwitch.
- ⚠ Non-Common Fish: Normal Combat start.
- ✗ No Catch: Deadwitch Ambushes the Party.

River Reckoning

Armed with bait and a vessel, the party sets off toward the herbal island with direction from Brassa. Combat starts depending on the bait's quality. The Deadwitch attacks the boat first, then the party once they're in the water.
The Deadwitch will look to flee, or hide and regenerate, at 1 Heart. Regardless of it fleeing or being slain, Tikuto will celebrate and prepare what feast they can.

Sources & Adversaries

Storybeats & layout inspired from Wave of Destruction
by One-Shot Wonders.

Deadwitch: Drakkenheim Sewer Gator by ichiCharmed (Homebrew)

Tikuto: BREAK!! Blog

Key Locations

Pheeka's Fishing Shop

"At the edge of town and so close to the Deynali it's nearly falling in, this is the premier shop for fishing supplies. Technically it's the only fishing shop, but still, it is impressive."

An Undead Peddlar Pheeka runs this shop and has for a long, long time. She keeps her ear to the ground and is a good source of information for adventurers she likes. Her Inventory is in the blogpost.

Belu Thicket

"A serene and tranquil grove set down a stream from Tikuto, several ancient statues to a river god have been brutally defaced here."

Besides holding shrines to Belugosh, the ancient river god, this place is also home to a collection of Strengthened Scroll Reeds, magically-infused bright blue reeds. The Deadwitch defaced this place.

The Deynali River

"Retracing your path upriver, the stillness feels wrong - no birdsong nor splashing fish. Dappled sunlight glints off the water's surface, concealing whatever lurks below."

Halfway to the island of herbs, the party may set up the bait and lie in wait, result of which depends on their fishing success. Create a suspenseful atmosphere against the beautiful surroundings.

Secrets & Clues

The ribbit motif throughout Tikuto and the Deynali river is deference to an ancient river god named Belugosh, said to take on any aquatic form. Fishers from far and wide come here for a chance to meet her.
The Deadwitch was named Afumi in life and was focused on findings ways to displace gods in their domains. When she was getting close to that goal, Belugosh put an end to her...or so Belugosh thought. Now, Afumi's goal is displacing her specifically.
All of Tikuto's sturdier boats were destroyed by the monster, the ones stemming from the thicket's wood.
Belugosh is known to appear to and reward those who manage to catch a Razormouth in her waters. As such, they are very valuable to the Deadwitch.
Speaker Talki has resolved every major dispute in Tikuto for the past four decades. Her word carries more weight than any official decree.
The Belu Thicket is a sacred site holding shrines to Belugosh, known for its extra-buoyant wood.
Pheeka has some dusty old tomes on Deadwitches, indicating their singular focus in death and indiscriminate use of ambush tactics in their waters.
The Deadwitch only assaulted the village itself once, raiding a fish storage shack. Oddly, the only thing it took was a prized Razormouth fish.

Quest Resolution

✦ Rewards

Talki will let the party keep the repaired Felucca [Source, pg. 198], offering to help retrieve and repair it if it was sunk. As well, she'll offer 2 baskets of Pini Beans [Trade Goods. Source, pg. 179].

The village will throw a great feast, and the party will have free Pleasant Room & Hearty Meals [Source, pg. 201] for the duration of their stay.

Deadwitch Stats

"A Sea Witch lives long, but even then, sometimes they die before satiating their desires. Thankfully, for them, undeath is an easy leap. All negotiable nature disappears, regressing into a wicked monster obsessed with their singular goal."

The Deadwitch is a reflavored Drakkenheim Sewer Gator, with the addition: it has an Edge on Attacks and Might Checks against Targets in Water.

Rank 5-6 Adventure

Lower Rank: Consider swapping the Monster for a water-based Chompa that can swim.

Higher Rank: Consider adding a family of the Monsters, or some accompanying water-based Mooks.

PC Starting Coins: 600C