Players! Want to play this quest? Stop reading and notify your DM. Save the fun for the game-table!Running this Quest
You can adjust any of the information below according to your campaign, preference, or imagination. Feel free to experiment and let other visitors know what works for you in the comments below.
After another long adventure a new day arises, without the morning sun. As you venture off to look for lodging, you stumble upon a local tavern called The Fishmonger’s Flagon. From sailors to scallywags, all who set foot in this tavern are men of the sea. Some eyes set on you given your foreign attire, but they soon return to their drinks and conversation.
The Fishmonger’s Flagon is free for the players to explore and interact in. Players are able to purchase food and supplies as well as take a rest in the tavern. Players with a DC10 Passive Perception can hear rumors about a hidden treasure between a bartender and his bar patron.
“Haven’t you heard? The Golden Lassie is still out there” the bartender mentions as he fills a mug with a pint of beer. “Going on about those old wives’ tales again, Morty?” the patron rolls his eyes with a smile as they sip their ale. “Who knows Jim? Who knows? You never know what’s out there.” the bartender returns to serving his customers.
The players may roll a DC15 History check to recall if they know anything about The Golden Lassie. If they succeed, they will know that the Golden Lassie is a magical pirate hook that once belonged to an infamous pirate. It was said to be able to control waters and sink ships. The players may ask around the tavern for more information, but the most they can provide is about the pirate captain, the Golden Lassie belonged to. Only the bartender has intel on the whereabouts of the Golden Lassie.
Upon asking for more intel on the Golden Lassie from the bartender, it strikes their intrigue. Seeing that you and your party are experienced adventurers, he shares a tip that he’s gotten word from a local undertaker. It is said that the Golden Lassie could be found eastward of the harbor at an abandoned cemetery kept in the mausoleum of the owner. But one must be warned that there may be ghostly apparitions found at that very graveyard.
At the graveyard, players can roll a DC15 Investigation check to find the mausoleum. Players may roll DC20 Perception check to look for any traps . If they succeed, they will be able to roll a DC15 Sleight of Hand to disable the traps. If they fail, they will trigger the Entangle spell prepared in the mausoleum and will have to roll a DC16 Strength check to break free.
As you traverse through the mausoleum with its menacing trap of overgrowth, you finally find the casket of the infamous pirate captain. And within the casket lies the Golden Lassie among bones and tattered leather. However, a hoarse voice rattles you, “That’d be mine!”
The players are to now face the ghost of the pirate captain. If the encounter is too easy, you may include the loyal first mate of the pirate captain to join him in battle.
In the midst of battle against the ghostly pirates out appears a group of bandits. However, upon close inspection of two of them, you notice that they were the bartender and the bar patron.
As the players are fighting against the ghosts, the pirate crew goes in an attempt to take away the Golden Lassie while staying unscathed. You may adjust this encounter, by having the pirate crew fight against the party while getting the Golden Lassie or solely having them all focus on retrieving it.
The Red Raiders of Today
The Red Raiders were once the pirate crew of the infamous captain. Now, they are currently made up of one bandit captain and ten thugs. The bandit captain was once the cabin boy of the former captain. Since his captain’s death, he has made a name for himself among the seas and has taken over his former captain’s old crew. To reach the heights of instilling fear in his enemies and gaining power, he has sought after the Golden Lassie.
However, trouble strikes as the area where the Golden Lassie can be found is haunted by two ghosts, the former captain and his loyal first mate. The ghosts are merciless and have killed those who have tried to take away the Golden Lassie and any other of their treasure. Thus, the current captain has set a plan to use the Fishmonger’s Flagon as a base to lure naive adventurers to get it for them.
Player Options
The players have the option to fight against both the ghosts and the pirate crew to gain possession of the Golden Lassie. They can even go ahead with fighting alongside the ghosts in retrieving back the Golden Lassie if the pirate crew has it in possession. The players may opt to take a more cowardly route and run away either with or without the Golden Lassie.
Risks and Rewards
The players will risk their lives to not be buried along with the dead. If they kill the pirate crew they will obtain: ten sets of tattered leather armor, ten tattered mace, ten tattered heavy crossbow, and a captain’s cloak (acts as a cloak, grants +1 to Persuasion checks towards Bandits).
If they return the stolen Golden Lassie to the pirate captain civilly, the party will receive a treasure map from him.
If they destroy the ghosts, they will obtain: 4 vials of ectoplasm (can be crafted into a Potion of Invisibility or an Oil of Etherealness with alchemist’s supplies) and two pinch of spirit dust (acts as Dust of Disappearance). If the players want to investigate the mausoleum afterward, they must succeed in a DC10 Investigation check to find: 1000 gold pieces. However, all the gold found is cursed.
The Golden Lassie’s Curse
If the players touch the gold, they will fall under a curse and will be unable to touch or carry any non-cursed (platinum, gold, silver, and copper) pieces unless they receive d4 fire damage per piece.
Monsters and NPC's
Ghost
Medium Undead, Any Alignment
Armor class 11
Hit points 45 (10D8)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 (-2) | 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 17 (+3) |
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Any languages it knew in life
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage.
Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Horrifying Visage. Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 × 10 years. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to this ghost’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed with a greater restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring.
Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that the ghost can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears, and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. The ghost now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The ghost can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics, but doesn’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.
The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this ghost’s Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.
Bandit Captain
Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Non-Lawful Alignment
Armor class 15 (studded leather)
Hit points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 14 (+2) |
Languages Any two languages
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The captain makes three melee attacks: two with its scimitar and one with its dagger. Or the captain makes two ranged attacks with its daggers.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Reactions
Parry. The captain adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the captain must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Thug
Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
Armor class 11 (Leather Armor)
Hit points 32 (5D8+10)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) |
Skills Intimidation +2
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Any One Language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the thug’s allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks.
Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: (1d10) piercing damage.
