It Sleeps Beneath the Waves is a frightening and compelling adventure that brings eldritch horror and claustrophobic paranoia to the high seas! It's reminiscent of media like Carpenter's The Thing, the works of Lovecraft (minus the oof bits), and this one Spore Galactic Adventures creation I played when I was a kid. The adventure is especially interesting in its construction (especially helped by Cita's excellent art and layout), with much of it acting more like tools a DM might use, as opposed to a strict set of instructions. The freedom and sheer number of tools given to the DM allows for an incredibly personalized experience, which helps miles with the horror. I'd really suggest checking it out, it's more than worth the price!

It Sleeps Beneath the Waves by Isaac Mandagie (@IsaacMandagie) & Cita A F (@dancingberry)

Content Warning: Suicide, Body Horror, Injury to Eyes, Sanity Mechanic, Infection, Deep Water Exploration & Narcosis, Teeth Falling Out

It’s freaking The Thing and Dead Space on a boat in D&D!

A nautical adventure with alien terror for 4th level characters. “Fortune’s Death was once known as one of the most infamous pirate ships/crew in the Sea of Swords. But things have changed since the death of her former captain. Now, in order to quell the unrest among the crew and bring the ship back to its former glory, her current captain leads them to the Trackless Sea, after receiving information about a treasure that might lie under the sea.

Too bad that YOU and your fellow crew members know only the surface, not what sleeps beneath the waves.”

First of all, I have to say how much I love Cita A F’s stylish and decidedly creepy cover with the mutated hand reaching out of the water as it to wave a flag for the cosmic horror coming your way (or rather nautical fantasy cosmic horror). From first seeing the covers of Mandagie’s When Madness Calls (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/322189/When-Madness-Calls?affiliate_id=1507682) and Cita’s I Wanna Go Home (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/322184/I-Wanna-Go-Home?affiliate_id=1507682), I’ve marvelled at her talent and range. With And When the Dogs Start Barking (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/327449/And-When-The-Dogs-Start-Barking-An-Icewind-Dale-OneShot?affiliate_id=1507682) from the Power Couple™ things went into some dark slasher horror vibes, but the artwork in here takes it to another level with beautiful busts of the characters, cosmic eldritch monstrosities and body horror that would make Cronenberg and Carpenter blush...and exploding eyes! These two make gorgeous, disgusting, beautiful, strange art together!

On the inside cover, the creators include an important note regarding safety tools with links to the TTRPG Safety Toolkit (https://t.co/qqth2hsWT0) due to the “difficult subjects and situations” included in this adventure. Frankly, the contents of this adventure are terrifying, horrifying and harrowing in the best of ways, but to make sure everyone has fun and can have to best time with it (or even not play it if the subjects involved wouldn’t be enjoyable for them), everyone needs to feel safe with communication and understanding key.

Introduction

Adventure Background Fortune’s Death was a highly respected and feared pirate vessel out on the Sea of Swords. The crew lived well off their infamy, until their rival sea dogs on The Runner assaulted them. Unfortunately, Captain Marsh didn’t survive his injuries and appointed his first mate, Ash, to succeed him. This went against the usual captain selection by moot, which would have seen the far more popular boatswain, “Ade”, take the helm. Ash to took Ade as her first mate, but it did little to allay tensions building on Fortune’s Death.

Feeling the pressure for a big score, Ash has come across information regarding an artifact the previous captain referred to only as “The Horror” in the logs, along with stark warnings to leave well alone. Unbeknownst to anyone, this artifact is from a beholder ship from another world containing an “organism [that] has the ability to attach itself to any living creature and assimilate itself perfectly...”

Adventure Overview The adventure comprises three parts: • Part 1: From the Depths. The characters begin on board the Fortune’s Death and dive for the artifact, witnessing an “alien scene, that will make them question their decision and own existence.” • Part 2: Crawling In My Skin. Things turn to chaos as the truth of try artifact is discovered and the characters must find who is “real” and who they can trust. • Part 3: The Horror. With most of the crew transformed into horrors it is a fight for survival. Can the characters beat the creature or simple survive?

A range of hooks are provided, which include being part of the Old Guard having been part of the Fortune’s Death crew for a long time and feeling tension with the New Recruits, or the converse. Both of which give a great grounding in the drama and tension between the emerging factions in the crew. Another is to just be out for Fortune and Glory and themselves between a rock and a hard place, as “sooner or later, the character(s) neutral stance might need to change, as they have to pick a side.”

Character Secrets Taking inspiration from Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, this adventure includes Characters Secrets as a part of character creation. These include, having a secret relationship and personal knowledge of the captain or first mate, being a greedy mole for another ship, having a need for a midnight snack (this one speaks to me), being an unashamed cheat, a strange Deep Calling that comes with some aquatic benefits and a certain gill-ty appetite, a runaway from a previous fray found home on Fortune’s Death again, and having a wee bairn waiting for you back at the harbour, if you ever make it back... I think these add a great deal of personality and roleplaying opportunities, as well as working well to “form mistrust among the characters, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia that is appropriate for the adventure.”

Chapter 1 — From the Depths “In this chapter, the crew of Fortune’s Death have set sail to the Trackless Sea to retrieve an artifact at the bottom of the sea. The characters are preparing themselves to arrive at the destination in less than a day. They eventually learn the nature of the artifact and its sinister origin.”

The chapter opens with a full overview of the Fortune’s Death, describing the 17 areas from the deck to the cargo hold with a brief evocative overview and relevant information, such as the potions of healing in the sick bay. The maps themselves can be found in the appendix. This is accompanied with a stunning bust of Captain Ash.

The Old and the New The adventure begins on board the ship where tempers are flaring between the captain and first mate. However raucous things break out, the sight of another ship is a welcome break in the tension. Or is it?

The Runner The previously rival ship is empty, save for the bodies of a couple of the score or more crew, troubling blood trails, scribbled warnings. This is a good place to find some goodies, sow fear and can serve as an introduction to the specific infection and sanity rules used this adventure.

I’ll discuss the sanity and infection rules when we get to the appendix.

Beneath the Waves Equipped with magical items and 10 x 50 ft. ropes tied together (which feels safe and professional) to make the 500 ft. descent to acquire the artifact, with risk of “raptures of the deep (also known as narcosis) and air toxicity.” Not only is there a set of saves at regular intervals as the effect of pressure takes its toll on the humanoid physiology (going beyond the absolute limits of 300 ft.), but there are two random encounters to roll with all manner of dangers, from poisonous jellyfish and curious giant octopi to sharks and a giant Jurassic freaking plesiosaurus! This may not be for everyone, but the suffocating, maddening nature of deep ocean descent, even with potions of water breathing, is handled fantastically with just the right amount of tension ratcheting. With anything like this there’s a chance to scoot by, but there is a chance for things to get really scary and weird, even before things get really, really scary and weird, but this is a glorious transitional part and introduction to true strangeness with mood and mind-altering effects coming from a ‘natural source’, before things get otherworldly weird (otherweirdly?).

I just realised I’ve been holding my breath the while time I’ve been writing this part!

From Beyond The artifact is discovered, along with a strange vessel and beholder skull. There’s a chance savvy characters can get a feel for the otherworldliness of the bizarre scene on the continental shelf, or even from a true glimpse at the organism within.

Advice and things to consider are mentioned throughout, including noting the crew that may step on trail of goo the artifact leaves when back on the ship, as these will mutate and warp into Horrors later on.

Chapter 2 – Crawling In My Skin “This chapter is a series of events that culminates towards Chapter 3 – The Horror. Treat this chapter as a sandbox, where the characters can go and do whatever they wish. Events will be triggered, depending on what the characters do and what happens before.”

Activities & Crew interactions This chapter begins with everyone having dinner and then gives the characters a chance to engage in various past times, before laying out the various named crew members with their busts and situations that arise, from Ash deciding to try Ade on the deck, Ade wanting Ash/ Marsh’s, the Boatswain wanting the slimy deck swabbed and more, before things invariably get weird when the crew starts transforming.

The crew are fascinating, featuring all manner of origins not regularly found in Faerun, but perfect for these inter-Planar sourced shenanigans. The Captain, Ash, is Tiefling, the First Mate, Ade, is human, the Boatswain, V’zarah, is githyanki, the Quartermaster, Barnabas, is giff, and the Cook, Beriel, is an elf. Each have a task or interaction that can play out during this chapter, depending on the characters’ affiliation and exploration, as well as having background, full personality traits and referenced or unique statblocks in the appendix.

The transformation is described in evocative and horrifically disturbing with a variety of elements from eyes popping from pressure to teeth clattering out onto the floor provided. This is full on body horror horribleness and I love it!

Advice on handling these initial encounters with the Horrors are provided, whether through combat or group checks.

Who Goes There? Now things have started to get strange and horrors emerging, tension will ratchet and previous issues will boil over, as accusations abound and the surviving crew and characters have to decide how to handle the situation. As with the rest of this chapter, the nature of this section is free-form and will be working off of things that have previously occurred and the secrets the player’s harbour.

“The Horrors are moving through the floorboards and the spaces between the walls. The Horrors will try to snatch the surviving crew members and take them down to be transformed with the artifact, until only the characters are left.” When it’s just the characters and prospective/ actual captains there’s a jolly ole blood curdling scream from the cargo hold.

Chapter 3 – The Horror “Chapter 3 is where the characters learn the truth about The Horrors and the artifact. The characters need to somehow destroy the dreaded “object”. This is where their trust, sanity, and fighting prowess will be put to test.”

The Cargo Hold Any Horrors slither away to the cargo hold to meld together, forming the True Horror...

Cita brings this nightmare to life in horrifyingly beautiful artwork. So many maws and eyes and teeth and tendrils and leggy arm claws! A mighty cacophony of twisted flesh and nightmares!

“...That shrieking. It pierces through your eardrums. Then the shriek turns to growls, as the abomination’s tendrils start to flail around.”

Conclusion Depending on the shenanigans across the adventure, the survivors (if any) and who did what, there are all manner of different outcomes the adventure lays out.

Failure, Due to Death of Infection If you all get deaded or fully become Horrors, you become one with the True Horror with your mind used to drive it on for Toril domination. This would make an epic follow up game where everything is awful. Imagine remixing other campaigns or adventures with True Horror.

Failure, Due to Insanity This is dark with implied suicide. I’ll talk more about the sanity rules, but this is something to handled delicately and respectfully.

Success, with Infection This is a really interesting and bleak possibility with some horrific surprises and hard choices. Potential for ramifications in future games.

Success, without Infection The ‘Good Ending’ “If the characters manage to destroy The True Horror and no one is infected, they successfully save the whole world from the infection of these otherworldly creatures.”

Ash Survived, Ade Died She gets out of the pirate life and becomes a fisher, living by the sea. “She might even invite a character whom she cares about the most.”

Ade Died, Ash Survived It’s a pirate life for Ade who starts a new crew.

The Fate of Fortune’s Death What becomes of the ship? Is it scuttled for safety and kept with no doubt about scuttling things still infecting it?

Appendix 1: Dramatis Personae This is a background, objective and full personality traits, as well as alignment, origin, statblock reference and pronouns for each of the five prominent members of Fortune’s Death’s crew.

Appendix 2: Creature Statistics This contains all 12 statblocks for creatures found in this adventure, including the three unique statblocks and various forms of The Horrors.

Appendix 3: Sanity Rules I first want to say that I understand there is much debate and strong feelings regarding sanity rules, and I do get it. In some situations and tables clear ableism and/ or making light and mocking mental illness can be found, even in the DMG. As someone who is neurodivergent and has experienced a variety of mental ailments (though I of course would never dream of speaking for anyone but myself), I believe this is something that can be tackled with care and a clear delineation between mental health and what I first saw E. R. F. Jordan (@ERFJordan) refer to as madness in her introduction to The Madness of Xoriat (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/304408/Madness-of-Xoriat-5e?affiliate_id=1507682):

“Though madness and mental illness share many traits, they are not the same thing. Madness effects...are supernatural in nature—the result of powerful psychic creatures altering the minds of those around them to further their insidious goals...madness and mental illness are not the same, and shouldn’t be treated as the same. A madness effect can be reversed by magical means, or through long periods of rest and introspection, and are the result of an evil presence in the world...”

Mandagie and Cita share sentiments with Jordan with their note preceeding the sanity rules in the appendix:

“Madness is a difficult topic to handle in roleplaying games. It can all to easily becomes a parody of mental illness and portraying it in a bad light. In this adventure, madness and mental illness are not the same thing, even though they share many traits. In here, madness effects are supernatural in nature, resulted by Far Realm influences. The DM should discuss with their players first if they want to include the sanity rules and madness effects to make sure they are comfortable with it. If they don’t, the DM should not implement the rules and simply ask the players to describe how their characters would react in the face of horrors, whenever necessary.”

I particularly appreciate the concession that sanity rules aren’t essential to play the game, with the players describing their reactions as an interesting compromise. This gives the control and agency to players not comfortable with sanity rules.

I would also note that I truly appreciate how open to receptive Mandagie and Cita have been to discussion regarding the sanity rules and including the needed discussion of the importance of safety tools addressing the importance of dealing with sanity mechanics “to depict the Lovecraftian horror elements” using rules “adapted (with several changes)” from Anthony Joyce (@Thrawn589) and Jeremy Forbing’s (@JeremyForbing) The Heir of Orcus: Verse IV (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/301681/The-Heir-of-Orcus-Verse-IV-CCCAETHER0201?affiliate_id=1507682).

These rules set uses “five levels of insanity”, which cover increasing instances: • Real-time (only happens during combat and lasts 1d10 rounds) • Short-term (lasts 1d10 minutes) • Long-term (lasts 1d10 x 10 hours) • Indefinite (lasts until cured) • Permanent (cannot be cured)

There are tables for each of these levels, which run the gamut from the regular conditions in combat through some perhaps too real symptoms that draw from obsessive compulsive disorder and the physical ‘ticks’, which I found a somewhat confronting blast from the past (and yet a reminder of how far I’ve come), to the form of quotes that act in the manner of new bonds, which are interesting, though “Hahahahahaha! Is it just me, or is it getting crazier? Hahahahaha!” may be a little questionable.

My feelings stay conflicted, though I do think there are interesting elements to explore and roleplay with these rules and effects. I’m still unsure of the correct nomenclature and rule wording we should be implementing to be appropriately respectful. This is an area being explored and the ‘best practice’ not yet standardised. However, with creators being open and responsive the conversation is hopefully moving forward. In the end it will come down to the DM and the players knowing and trusting one another, having honest and open conversation and the proper use of safety tools.

Appendix 4: Infection Rules This is another gradient rule that represents contact and infection of the Horror with interesting penalties and compulsions of the Horror inside, ultimately ending with an irreversible transformation into a Horror. There are means to attempt to contain the Horror with magic, with greater restoration being the only way to rid the infected, at which point “The Horror (using the crawling horror stat) springs out of the character’s body”, which is glorious and awful.

This is a diabolical rule set that adds to the drama and paranoia at the heart of this adventure. It’s just vitally important the players have fair warning and a fair chance to have some means to help themselves. It’s even more vital to discuss elements regarding infection with players to make sure this is something they are comfortable with during this ongoing global pandemic. With the possibility of unrecoverable, looming death, it’s also great to be sure players know their precious babies could become unspeakable horrors, and for the DM to have a plan for someone losing their character relatively early on. Perhaps they can take control of some Horrors to harass the party...

Appendix 5: DM Map/ Appendix 6: Player Map Some rather stunning maps of the various levels of the ship are provided.

Appendix 7: Magic Items The five items found within the adventure are included for reference. This is a morbid, monstrous delight that will be incredible amounts of fun with the right group and open communication. I continue to be amazed by the twisted brilliance of the Power Couple™. This really is a nasty, pulp, classic romp into the bowels of darkness and paranoid on the open seas, underwater and in the tendrillous, eye-filled mouth of madness! It’s freaking The Thing and Dead Space on a boat in D&D!

Acknowledgements Lead Designer: Isaac Mandagie (@IsaacMandagie) Creative Consultant, Editing, Design, Illustration, Cartography: Cita A F (@dancingberry) Map Assets: Dungeondraft Playtesters: Apoline, Rakha, Rion, Zubene “Thank you to Anthony Joyce for the suggestions and letting us adapt the sanity rules from his adventure module, The Heir of Orcus: Verse IV. Thank you to Thomas Tan for Deep Sea Diving DMsGuild supplement. Special thanks to our TTRPG and pop culture communities, The Archipelago and Rigor Mortis, for supporting our works.”

My Affiliate Link: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/335420/It-Sleeps-Beneath-The-Waves?affiliate_id=1507682