Recover the Swooning Mathilda /DONE


The Setup

grounded at mouth of Muchart River north branch a year ago

Who: The PCs

What: The boat Swooning Mathilda is beached on the sand bar near the mouth of the north tributary for the Muchart River a which leads to Torrelson’s Ford. Months ago the boat was due to arrive by sundown from a trip along the Queens Coast of Umbak, and did not. A search party was sent out and they saw the boat beached on the shoreline near the mouth of the river. There were no survivors ever found, and only a few crates and barrels were recovered. After a few attempts, the owners have abandoned it as too dangerous to recover – the coast is constantly being watched by swamp smugglers and Gwinnish forces. It’s been attempted by a few rag-tag bands, but the local smugglers and other circumstances have all conspired to make them fail.

Prerequisites: None.

Lucky’s Help

Lucky can offer some aid )if the party wants to recover it) and or a job (helping him to recover it)
Keep the smugglers off the party’s back – unless treasure found, then all bets off
Timeline: It will take about 5 days to round up enough not dedicated to the war effort.

Rumors (DC 10)

One time the weather conspired against the previous boat’s owner – like it was actively working against them.
A private group of dock men tried to refloating was subject to swamp cat attacks.
One merchant of Torrelsons Ford tried to haul it off the shoreline and at night the men saw strange lights and something from the depths of the ship attacked and never seen again

Finding The Swooning Mathilda

The PCs can easily make it out if they sail by it in daylight on a Perception DC 12 check.
Its an easy journey. It takes a couple hours.
Exploring: Acrobatic DC 12 or Athletics (hands and knees) DC 8
> D3/2 fatigue

The mouth of the river has some swirling currents and mud from several tributaries.

The Shoreline

Athletics DC 12 check to get up onto the boat unless there is a plank.

The Water

Athletics check DC 10 to get up onto the boat (climb)

Securing

There needs to be a way to get to and from the ship and the shoreline. Camping on the ship is safer, but it will attract smugglers (after a few days) or Gwinnish forces after a week. A safe wooden and rope passage to and from the shore is the best balance of safety and security.

https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Will-o’-Wisp#content
= should kill a worker and get life back
Dancing Lights or Light spell will attack them in D4 x 1 minutes – they come from the shore side and dance for a round before getting angry.
Dead = DC 14 see it go back to town direction (random really, but made to freak out characters)

https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Diseased%20Giant%20Rat?fromList=Diseased%20Giant%20Rat&Name=&Speed=#content

https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Ghoul?fromList=Ghoul&Name=&Speed=#content

The ghoul was the first mate of the Mathilda. He was chased up the mast and when the boat ground into the bank he was thrown into the mud. He drowned in the mud. Elancil brought him back to guard his ship. He has managed to feed enough to keep himself from going fully feral, so he will watch and try and pick off a single target at a time.

AC: 12 + 1 (rotten studded – no resilience); HP: 22
Grapple hook and rope if he can do it from the reeds.
Bite: +2, (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claw: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 [13 at night] Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success

> He still has a cutlass (engraved – this is how to identify him; 150 silvers), but does not use it. He has a purse that is torn, and the remains of clothes and boots. He swamp shore lair is covered in bones of a few travelers and many animals. About 40 silvers in goods. There is a Saints Ring (holds a Blessing) of Ezrilus that the mate used to wear but cannot touch. It’s on a branch where he stares at it in the moonlight or clutches. He can tell the tale of the mimic if he is captured.

Repairing the Swooning Mathilda

What’s needed: The ship has a few holes in it, but nothing that’s broken structurally. The mast is not needed to float it – just patching several holes and dozens of seam breaks.

DC 12
13
14
15
16

Captain Cabin

DC 12 Investigate;1 on D6 – D100 + 100 + hidden box and Potion of Fire Breath

Activity will also draw Swamp Cats (1 on D4). They were initially drawn by the smell of hides in the hold, but once all possible organic matter is gone they stopped bothering. They swim. They will grab a crew like a jaguar and break neck, swim away.

Swamp Cat = https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Dire%20Wolf#content

Floating the Swooning Mathilda

Worth 20,000 – Lucky will buy out!
Each day the party and crew work on it, there is a 1-3 on D6 chance of a random event.
An intoxicated Crew member falls overboard or Swamp Cat attack if second half of day
A crew member saw a ghost ship during the night. The crew lead, being superstitious (save vs Sanity DC 16), changes the routines and takes a break. The task is now 1d4 days longer.
The body of the boats original crew is found buried in debris or in the mud. If it does not get a burial in 24 hours, it will rise as a zombie. This ensures the Ghoul encounter at night.
One of the Wrath of Elancil’s events take place.
The boat breaks away and slips deeper into the water (More than 2 = sink; 2 = +1 day).
During the night, ball lightning dances across the deck, creating a frightening show. It does no damage. No one gets sleep = +1 day
At night, a fog covers the area, blocking the ability to see the stars, but the workers spots three glowing blue-green orbs floating off the starboard bow. Persuade DC 12 to calm the crew of +1 day
A storm moves in at night, and one of the crew claims to hear it speaking/singing to them.
A bucket of the pitch used to seal seams temporarily catches on fire one night.
A fishing net brings aboard a treasure chest that turns out to be a mimic. This is how the previous crew died, at night as it was coming towards the river mouth.
A group of rats get into the food! 4 times and crew leaves
A goblin is seen as the sun comes off fleeing inland.

When it dislodges from the coastline

https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Swarm%20of%20Insects?fromList=Swarm%20of%20Insects&Name=&Speed=#content

Characters

Wilbur Johnson: Current registered and legal owner of the ship. Now is a fisherman in Torrelsons Ford, along with his family.
MOTIVATION > Money, and avoid entanglements.

Outcomes

Success: PCs get it floating and return to port.
Failure: PCs give up.
Follow Up: After 2 more months, the wreck will be pulled under.

Assuming they succeed, transferring official ownership! The existing owner did not have the resources… but they still legally own it. They will want some compensation, in the form of 1000 silvers. Local officials will take possession of the boat if the PCs do not sail it away right away, holding it until ownership can be resolved. It will be seized if it returns if the resolution is not made.

Persuade
Simple: 20% savings
Major: 50% savings
Critical: 75% savings