The Kraken's Toll

Overview

Storm clouds spiral down from a clear sky and four Harpies scream out of them, their song already threading through the crew's ears. High above them, on massive grey-streaked wings, Aello the Storm Harpy Queen circles — she has tracked the ship since port. Her goal is the sealed amphora in the hold, and she will drive every sailor overboard to get it.

Mechanics

• At the top of each round, the 4 Harpies sing in concert. All humanoids within 300 ft that can hear must succeed DC 11 Wisdom save or be charmed. Charmed creatures are incapacitated and must use their full movement to approach the nearest Harpy by the most direct route.
• A creature that succeeds its save is immune to all Harpy Luring Song for 24 hours. Aello's Song (DC 15) is separate — a creature can be immune to one but not both.
• Ear Plugging: Action. A PC can jam wax, cloth, or rope into a willing adjacent creature's ears (or their own) — automatic immunity. Under combat stress: DC 10 Sleight of Hand. If improvised material is poor, the DM may require a save with advantage only.
• Captain Theron rolls his own save each round (Wis +1). If charmed, the ship begins drifting — the next round's rowing is impossible and the ship swings 45° off course.

• A charmed crew member who reaches the railing falls in (no save; they want to go). Drowning rules begin immediately. Recovering them requires a swimming action (Athletics DC 12) and uses the full movement of whoever jumps in.
• Grapple a Crew Member: Action; DC 11 Athletics contest to restrain them before they reach the railing. They remain charmed but cannot move.
• Tie a Crew Member to the Bench: Action; DC 8 Sleight of Hand. Safe from movement but still charmed (incapacitated).
• If 4+ crew go overboard, Theron is demoralized. Enc 3 rowing DCs increase by 2 (see Enc 3 mechanics).

• Round 1–2: Aello targets the Cargo Hatch with Talon attacks. She ignores PCs unless attacked.
• Round 3+: If the hatch is open (dealt 20 damage), Aello dives inside; she can be followed. Inside the hold she fights with full stats in a cramped 10×10 ft space.
• Aello flees when reduced below 25 HP or when all 4 Harpies are dead — she dives into the waves and does not resurface. She cannot negotiate; she is bound.

• Counter-Song (Bard or Instrument Proficiency): DC 16 Performance. All charmed creatures within 30 ft of the performer get a free repeat Wisdom save this round. On a natural 20, the effect extends to the whole ship. This draws Aello's personal wrath — she targets the performer exclusively.
• Distraction Offering: Drop a shiny item worth 50+ gp overboard → 1 Harpy dives for it, skipping its next turn on a failed DC 12 Wisdom save.
• Address Aello: DC 20 Persuasion/Intimidation. She is bound to a greater will and cannot stop — but she hesitates one full round, allowing the party a free action to secure the hatch or retreat.

Resolution

• The golden feather crackles faintly when held near the sea. Arcana DC 12: it is magically tethered to something far below — the attack was coordinated, not opportunistic.
• If the party shows the feather to the Sirens in Encounter 2, the Sirens' attitude shifts from indifferent to immediately respectful. Persuasion DCs for parley drop by 3.

Creature Cards

Overview

As the sun touches the horizon on day 3, a jagged cluster of black rocks rises from the amber sea ahead — the Siren's Shoals. Three Sirens recline on the tallest rocks, their song already threading through the ship. The helmsman's hands have gone slack. The ship is beginning to turn toward the rocks. The party has time to act — but not much.

Mechanics

Run this as 3 escalating rounds regardless of party approach. Each round, the party must address one element or things get worse.

• If the party passes the Shoals peacefully and at least one Siren was engaged in parley, a Siren drifts alongside the ship as it passes and whispers (the words carry supernaturally, even through plugged ears): "The thing the old man gave you is not yours to keep. When the sea itself rises — debts repaid in kind make calm the deepest waters."
• This is a direct hint to sacrifice (not just invoke) the Seal in Encounter 3. Players who remember it are rewarded; those who forget still have the option.

• If combat starts: 3× Siren of the Shoals engage from their rocks (they have half-cover, +2 AC).
• On round 2 of combat: a Sea Hag surfaces beneath the ship and boards from the port side — she is their mistress and very angry.
• Sirens do not pursue if the ship sails away — they return to their rocks and resume singing. The party can disengage freely as long as they are moving away.
• Killing all Sirens: the channel is safe but the party receives no warning about the Seal. Theron is deeply unsettled. A Siren's silvery comb (worth 120 gp) can be recovered from the rocks.

Resolution

Creature Cards — Combat Only

These cards are only needed if the party triggers combat. Full stats in the Appendix.

Overview

The sea goes glassy and completely still. The stars vanish. Then — silently — four massive Kraken Tentacles rise from the black water and wrap around the trireme's hull. The ship groans. Two more tentacles crash down onto the deck on round 3. Sahuagin Raiders — drawn to the chaos — clamber over the gunwales on rounds 2 and 4. The goal is not to kill the Kraken: it is to sever enough tentacles that the ship can build speed and sail free.

Mechanics

The Grip Counter equals the number of active (non-severed) tentacles currently clasping the hull. It starts at 4 and fluctuates. Every destroyed tentacle reduces it by 1. New tentacles on rounds 3 and 5 raise it by 1 each.

• Each tentacle acts on initiative count 20 (loses ties). It takes one action per round.
• Hull-Grappling Tentacle (Tentacles 1, 2, 3, 4): Uses its action to Constrict — automatically deals 15 (2d8+6) bludgeoning to the ship's hull (narrative only; track Hull HP only if you want drama). On a creature it has Seized, it uses Drag instead.
• Free Tentacle (Tentacles 5, 6): Targets a PC with Slam or Seize.
• A tentacle switches between hull-grappling and creature-targeting if it has nothing to hold. DM chooses.

• Round 2: 2× Sahuagin Raiders clamber over the port gunwale (Medium creatures, no Athletics check needed). They begin adjacent to the midship oar benches.
• Round 4: 2 more Raiders board from starboard.
• Raiders drawn overboard by tentacles may climb back up on a DC 12 Athletics check on their turn — they have 40 ft Swim and will board again if able.
• Raiders use Blood Frenzy freely — they target whichever creature on deck has the lowest HP.

• The Kraken's Maw surfaces on round 5, or whenever 4 or more tentacles have been severed (it rises in fury) — DM's choice of which trigger to use.
• Place the head mini 5 ft off the ship's bow. It acts on its own initiative (roll separately, or use initiative 15).
• While the Maw is visible: severed tentacles regrow (Legendary Action, Cost 1) — this creates real pressure to consider the Seal sacrifice.
• The Maw cannot be killed this encounter (HP never goes below 1). Damaging it causes it to flinch dramatically but it does not retreat unless the Seal is sacrificed or all tentacles are severed AND Escape Progress reaches 6.

Resolution

• If the amphora survived: the high priest at Threnoi opens it to reveal Kallinikos's handwritten oath of penance — an old man settling a lifelong debt. The party was the instrument of a thirty-year-old promise.
• If the amphora was taken by Aello in Enc 1: the high priest is disappointed but accepts the news. He mentions the Seal was already "repayment enough" — Kallinikos knew what he was sending.
• Reward (suggested): 1,200 gp (delivery fee + bonus from the temple treasury), a Potion of Water Breathing per PC, and a formal letter of commendation from the Temple of Poseidon (useful as a story hook or social credential).

Creature Cards