Death Knight-Dreadnaught

“Death Knight-Dreadnaught” is balanced for characters of 9th level, though characters of 10th level will still find parts of the quest challenging.

Location Overview

The dread cultist Ularan Mortus carried his acolytes over the sea in a cursed galleon imbued with the soul of a death knight. South of Neverwinter, the vessel was spotted by a local cult of Talos, god of storms, who directed the beam of a magical lighthouse onto the vessel to lure it onto the rocks. When this magic failed, the cultists sent their champion, Fheralai Stormsworn, to capture the vessel. After a terrible sea battle, Ularan Mortus was forced to dive overboard and flee to shore.

Unable to steer the dreadnaught, Fheralai crashed it onto the rocks. Once beached, she spoke to the grim soul of the ship and hatched a plan to appease it. The spirit inhabiting the vessel hails from the lost city of Anauria, a realm swallowed up long ago by the spread of the Anauroch Desert. Learning that it longed for its old home, Fheralai kidnapped a local bard, Tarbin Tul, and forced him to regale the ship with songs from its lost homeland. The ruse worked. As long as Tarbin sings to it regularly, the soul of the ship remains willing to carry out Fheralai’s commands. Since then, the storm lord has kept the dreadnaught beached on the rocks as a staging post for her upcoming invasion of the Sword Coast.

Quest Goals

To complete the Death Knight-Dreadnaught Quest (see “area The Quest Board"), the adventurers must rescue Tarbin Tul from the dreadnaught’s hold or otherwise stop him from singing to the vessel. Doing so causes the dreadnaught to cast off from the rocks and return to sea.

Travel to the Ship

The dreadnaught is beached on rocks some twenty miles north of the town of Leilon, near an old lighthouse called the Tower of Storms (see Dragon of Icespire Peak for more information on this location). If the characters leave town on foot in the morning, they can reach the vessel an hour or two before nightfall. The windswept coastline of this region is lined with rugged granite cliffs and stacks of eroded rock.

Arrival

When the characters approach the vessel, read the following boxed text aloud:

An armored dreadnaught made from metal and bones rests on a rocky outcrop in the bay. Flames leap from a brazier mounted to its mainmast and its ragged sails are stitched from worn leather. Barbaric half-orcs patrol its decks and standby, ready to employ its deadly siege weapons. A giant’s skeleton clutching a halberd is lashed to its bow. Over a dozen zombies are impaled on stakes set into the rocks around the vessel.

Scouting the dreadnaught or getting onboard without being spotted is the party’s first challenge. Characters who attempt to sneak up on the vessel must succeed on a DC 15 group Dexterity (Stealth}) check, with advantage if they attempt this task at night. On a failure, the cultists on the deck spot them and open fire with the siege weapons mounted to their vessel (see areas {@dice D3). The characters are 200 feet away from the vessel if spotted during the day, or 100 feet away if spotted at night.

Staked Zombies

Twenty Zombie are impaled on stakes driven into the rocks around the dreadnaught. These undead were sent here by Ularan Mortus to recapture his vessel and have been staked out by Fheralai as a warning. Each zombie is spattered with an unusual amount of dried bird droppings. Characters who’ve already visited the ruins of Iniarv’s Tower recognize them as coming from that location (see “Iniarv’s Tower”). The zombies writhe and moan on their stakes but are unable to move unless they are cut down. If freed, they attack the nearest living creatures.

Where is Fheralai Stormsworn?

This champion of the Cult of Talos is onboard the dreadnaught when the characters arrive. You can place her anywhere on the ship or have her move between locations. If she learns that intruders are present, she moves to intercept them. Read the following boxed text aloud if the characters encounter her:

A towering female half-orc steps into view. Her muscles are like iron bands and her face is fixed in a bestial scowl. Under her boar-skin hood, you see eyes crackling with lightning.

“This is my ship now,” she snarls. “And I mean to keep it!”

Fheralai is a fanatical young half-orc war priest (see appendix A). She is one of the main villains of the story and is destined to return in Divine Contention, the conclusion of this adventure trilogy. If an attack drops Fheralai to fewer than half her maximum hit points or she feels outmatched, she tries to abandon the vessel and flee to safety. Don’t worry if Fheralai dies or is captured here, as her cultists use divine intervention to bring her back later in the campaign!

Death Knight’s Soul

The soul of the death knight Emberlost is bound into the dreadnaught’s bones. As a sentient, undead creature, Emberlost can see and talk through the skeletal figurehead (area D2). The death knight has Wisdom (Perception) modifier of +3 and a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 13.

The death knight only serves creatures it chooses to obey. Fheralai Stormsworn appeased it by using a kidnapped bard to sing it songs from its homeland. If the bard stops singing against Emberlost’s will or is removed from the vessel, the dreadnaught shunts itself angrily from the rocks and withdraws to sea. At your discretion, the haunted soul of the death knight could be won over, using other means (see area D17 for further information on this cursed creature).

Dreadnaught Features

The death knight-dreadnaught is a galleon crafted from humanoid bones bound together by plates of iron and necromantic magic.

Ceilings: The lower decks of the vessel are cramped, with ceilings just six feet high. Creatures taller than this height must stoop to get around.

Light: The lower decks are lit by oil lamps that burn with eerie green flames. These cast dim light throughout the vessel’s interior, imposing disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Unholy Presence: The dreadnaught is imbued with the cursed soul of a death knight. All undead creatures onboard the vessel or within 60 feet of it have advantage on saving throws against features that turn undead.

Dreadnaught Locations

The following locations are keyed to the map of the death knight-dreadnaught.

D1. Coastal Rocks

The dreadnaught rests on slippery sea rocks that are regularly dashed by waves. These rocks count as difficult terrain. During combat, any creature that ends its turn on the rocks must roll a die: on an odd result, a wave smashes into them and they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or fall prone.

D2. Skeletal Figurehead

The animated skeleton of a stone giant is lashed to the ship’s bow. This giant skeleton (see appendix A) cannot move and uses the following attack in place of a scimitar:

Halberd

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) slashing damage.

The evil spirit of the death knight can see and speak through the skeletal figurehead (see “area Death Knight’s Soul"). If the death knight spots intruders outside the ship, it alerts Fheralai below deck and she moves to confront her new guests (see “area Fheralai Stormsworn").

D3. Main Deck

The main deck contains a set of stairs that descend into the bowels of the ship, a ballista mounted on a rotating platform (see “Siege Equipment” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide), and a hatch that opens into the ship’s stores. The hatch can only be opened by creatures with a combined Strength score of 18 or more.

Two Anchorite of Talos) respond immediately.

D4. Hellfire Orb

The iron brazier mounted on the mainmast contains an ever-burning orb of flame. The spirit of the death knight can see and talk through this orb, perceiving its surroundings with darkvision to a range of 120 feet (see “area Death Knight’s Soul"). Once per day, the death knight can hurl a magical ball of fire that explodes at a point it can see within 240 feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

D5. Forecastle

The front deck of the dreadnaught is fitted with a ballista mounted on a rotating platform. Two Anchorite of Talos (see appendix A) are assigned to this weapon. When no threats are present, the cultists take turns daring each other to spit on the skull of the giant skeleton mounted under the bowsprit.

D6. Quarterdeck

The ship’s wheel is fixed to the quarterdeck. The wheel is the round, iron shield that Emberlost carried in battle. If a creature the death knight doesn’t know or like touches the wheel, the intruder must succeed at a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much necrotic damage on a successful one. After taking this damage, the creature can safely hold the wheel and steer the ship without taking further damage.

D7. Poop Deck

Two rear-facing mangonels (see “Siege Equipment” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) are mounted on the poop deck, guarded by two Anchorite of Talos (see appendix A). As these weapons can only fire to the rear of the ship, the anchorites can’t use them to target the other decks. If combat ensues below, the anchorites move on foot to engage in melee or hurl Lightning Bolt down on the intruders.

The hatch here opens into a 20-foot-deep shaft leading to the ship’s magazine. During naval combat, a bucket and winch are used to haul rocks up from the magazine to load the mangonels. A character can climb down the chain to access the magazine at area D13

D8. Chart Room

The desk is here is laden with sea charts, old maps of the Sword Coast, and enough instruments to assemble a complete set of navigator’s tools. Characters who study the ship’s course deduce that it set sail from the distant nation of Estagund four months previously. The old maps show the locations of dozens of long-lost barrows along the Sword Coast, indicating that the sailors came here to unearth something buried. Most of these tombs have already been looted or destroyed, but others could form the basis for your own dungeon-based adventures. Ularan Mortus was hunting for the mausoleum of the black dragon Chardansearavitriol. He took the map showing its location with him before he fled the ship.

D9. Storage Lockers

These lockers contain supplies for maintaining the vessel: spare rope, buckets, tubs of grease, and other mundane tools. A character who hides inside a locker gains advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to evade the crew.

D10. Captain’s Cabin

This cabin belonged to Ularan Mortus but has since been claimed by Fheralai Stormsworn. Anyone who searches the cabin and succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check discerns that a new resident recently reclaimed the room.

A leather-bound journal lies open on the floor next to the bed. Characters examining the journal discover clues about the necromancer’s plans for the region. Give the players the “Necromancer’s Journal” handout from appendix C, the contents of which is reproduced in a sidebar below. A note in the journal indicates that Fheralai may have kidnapped a bard to appease the spirit bound in the ship.

Treasure

A liquor cabinet contains ten bottles of rare spirits worth 100 gp each. The historical tomes on the bookshelves have a combined value of 800 gp but weigh a total of 250 pounds.

Necromancer’s Journal

This journal belonged to Ularan Mortus, a high priest of Myrkul, god of death. As a member of the Cult of the Dragon, Ularan Mortus colluded with evil dragons to plot the downfall of the Sword Coast. He hopes to reanimate the soul of Ebondeath, a legendary black dragon, and petition it to steal a magical artifact from the town of Leilon. The journal provides no name or clues about the nature of this artifact, but it seems vital to the high priest’s invasion plans.

Ularan Mortus sailed over the ocean onboard an undead galleon imbued with the soul of the death knight named Emberlost. The death knight’s homeland, Anauria, once lay in this region, and the high priest fears that Emberlost is becoming obsessed with this bygone realm. At this point in the journal, another hand has made a note in the margin: “Roadhouse? Could bard win him over?”

D11. Oar Deck

This gloomy oar deck looks like the belly of a whale, with gargantuan ribs sweeping from the walls to form rowing benches for the undead crew. The deck underfoot is littered with humanoid bones to a depth of 1 foot. Two large, unmanned drums are positioned to the rear of the deck.

If the death knight’s soul knows that intruders are onboard, it animates a team of Minotaur Skeleton to defend the deck. There is one skeleton present for every member of the party, including sidekicks. The skeletons hide underneath the bones until intruders draw near, and then arise to attack them with surprise. If combat ensues here, Gol Badwind arrives from area D12 to investigate after two rounds.

Skeleton Crew

Once per day when the dreadnaught needs to move, the death knight can animate a rowing crew of fifty Skeleton).

D12. Badwind’s Cabin

This cabin is occupied by Fheralai’s second-in-command, Gol Badwind, a grossly fat, grumpy half-orc male blackguard. Badwind is the cultists' quartermaster.If the characters slay him, all anchorites left onboard become frightened of them.

Treasure

Badwind carries an alchemy jug at his belt, which he swigs from while doing his rounds.

D13. Magazine

This chamber holds iron balls, ballista bolts, and rocks for the vessel’s siege weaponry. A 20-foot-high shaft ascends from here to the poop deck (area D7), where a bucket and chain dangles from a winch. A character can climb the chain to ascend to the poop deck.

D14. Crew Quarters

String hammocks are strung up here like cobwebs. When they enter this area, the characters hear singing drifting from the cabin at D17. Due to the awkwardness of this space, any Medium or larger creature fighting in here counts as squeezing into a smaller space (see “Creature Size” in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook).

The hammocks are enchanted to attack anyone who enters without the death knight’s permission. Each hammock has the statistics of a rug of smothering except that it looks like a hammock when using its False Appearance feature. One hammock animates for every member of the party, including sidekicks.

D15. Galley

The old crew used this galley to prepare food, which consisted of spartan gruels and dry biscuits. There is nothing else in here but bad recipes.

D16. Surgery

The door to this compartment is boarded over with heavy planks of wood. Ularan Mortus was known for constructing obedient servants from the stitched-together bodies of former enemies. After the anchorites discovered that the golems in here were immune to lightning damage, they sealed them inside this chamber and boarded up the door. There is one flesh golem inside the compartment for every two members of the party, including sidekicks (rounded down). The golems attack anyone who enters.

Treasure

An apothecary’s bag inside the surgery contains three Potion of Greater Healing.

D17. Death Knight’s Soul

The corpse of a knight wearing plate armor slumps on a throne at the rear of this compartment. The ship’s bones spill from the knight’s chest and are entwined with his body, fusing him to the vessel. This was the death knight Emberlost, and though his corpse (as well as the ship itself, hosts his cursed soul, Emberlost may speak through the corpse and see through its eyes, but can’t animate it otherwise.

If questioned, the death knight reveals its yearning for Anauria, its lost homeland. Characters who succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (History) check recall some tidbit of ancient Anaurian lore that impresses the death knight. It has no loyalty to Fheralai and gladly betrays her if the characters offer a better deal. The terms of such a deal (and if it’s even possible) are left up to you (the DM) and your players.

If anyone touches the corpse or strikes it with a melee weapon attack, Emberlost withdraws his body into the hull, swallowing it in bones.

The Bard

Tarbin Tul, a kidnapped male human bard (see appendix A) spends his waking hours singing songs of old Anauria to the death knight to keep it appeased. Tarbin wears an ankle manacle that is chained to a heavy iron ball weighing 50 pounds. He is desperate to escape but terrified of defying Fheralai Stormsworn. If Tarbin is taken from the dreadnaught, the soul of the death knight becomes enraged and it steers the vessel out to sea (see “area Death Knight’s Soul").

D18. Stores

The dreadnaught’s stores contain mundane supplies for the journey: barrels of salted meat, cords of wood, nails, and cloth.

D19. Prisoner Cell

When the bard Tarbin Tul (see area D17) becomes too exhausted to perform, the anchorites lock him in this cold cell to recuperate. The door is magically locked with an arcane lock spell and can only be opened by castig either knock or dispel magic. Unlocking the door alerts the death knight’s soul to the presence of intruders inside the vessel.

D20. Armory

This armory contains racks of maces, spears, and hammers for use by the ship’s crew.

Treasure

One of the racks contains a magical +2 mace called Bonecounter. Whenever this weapon is used to destroy an undead creature, a single silver piece appears in the wielder’s pocket.

D21. Flooded Hold

The hold is unlit and flooded to a depth of 3 feet with dark, briny water.