Sidequest: Chuul Lair

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Chuul lair: Entrance area, main chamber, trophy rooms, & back exit. Water gets deeper as you go further back.
Chuul lair: Entrance area, main chamber, trophy rooms, & back exit. Water gets deeper as you go further back.

Here we’re experimenting with a tweak to regular sidequest format…

Background Info: A group of chuul have been terrorizing a small coastal town.

Getting the PCs Involved:

  • A fisherman who knows the PCs has gone missing. After making inquiries, the PCs are pointed to the last place his boat was spotted.
  • The PCs hear of a nearby village where weekly the leaders tie up livestock near some sea caves to honor a truce with a group of chuul.

Encounters:

  • If approaching by boat, the chuul have an advantage and may attack the vessel from underwater.
  • If the PCs wish to stake out the area the livestock are tied up, the villagers may not want anyone meddling with the truce.  If the PCs can convince the townsfolk, they may be able to ambush a few of the chuul.
  • The PCs may also search for the back exit if they have a way to breath water for an extended time–but watch for water beasts!
  • The first chamber is an entrance area, with water about 2′ deep.  If the characters haven’t encountered any chuul yet, a group of warriors is here.  Movement has a minor penalty for non amphibious creatures.
  • The second chamber is a living space for the chuul. A handful may be in the cave if there has been little noise so far, otherwise they went out the back exit. Most of the cave is nearly waist deep in water, causing various penalties
  • The remaining chambers are trophy rooms.  These are mostly underwater, but may have a few air pockets. (Which refill when the tide is low).  One has a back exit.  Each trophy room has a few shiny (and usually magical) trinkets the chuul have collected.

Follow-Up Adventure Ideas:

  • One of the trophies is sought by its original owner.

Other Possible Creatures: Draugr; Grindylow, Hag, Sea; Kelpie; Lycanthrope, Wereshark; Merrow; Sahuagin; Selkie; Skum