1008 The Flotsam Pools
HexDolmenwood Campaign Book · p.303
Open source p.303Willows hang over dreary swampland. The occasional sound of waves, as if an ocean were nearby.
Willows hang over dreary swampland. The occasional sound of waves, as if an ocean were nearby.
- Terrain: Swamp (4), Hag’s Addle
- Lost/encounters: 3-in. Daytime encounters are 1-in likely to be with Tekwell Onehorn.
- Foraging: Successful foraging yields portions of Hag’s Tears (p430) and portions of Marshwick (DPB), in addition to the normal results.
Flotsam Pools
Scattered throughout this section of the swamp are small pools of dark, brackish water. No apparent bottom to these pools can be seen.
Chance of flooding: The pools are always swollen after heavy rain; otherwise there is a 2-in chance that they are flooding when the PCs encounter them.
When flooded: A random PC must make a Dexterity Check or plunge into one of the pools with a loud splash. Roll for a random encounter, attracted by the noise.
Flotsam: When the pools flood, strange objects and unknown species of fish (among them—inexplicably— oceanic ones) sometimes wash up on the muddy banks. Their true provenance is unknown.
Tekwell’s Hut
A rickety stilt house constructed from willow wood and thatching stands alone in the south-east corner of the hex.
Inhabitant: Tekwell Onehorn, who has a 3-in chance of being present. If not, he is out travelling the swamp.
Interior: A sparse single room with mismatched wooden walls and floors, where rot and water damage have been cut away. Its furniture appears fashioned by someone of below-average skill. Next to a reed bed is a large trunk containing 380sp, 185cp, and dozens of small trinkets made of semi-precious metals, all aquatic-themed (200gp total).
For sale: Tekwell has an assortment of oddities dredged from the pools, which he is willing to sell. See Tekwell’s Wares. Roll up to 4 times, ignoring duplicate results over 8.
Tekwell Onehorn
An elderly longhorn (DMB) fisherman with dirty white fur and sickly yellow eyes. Wears a wide-brimmed straw hat with a single large hole cut out for his left horn. The right horn was broken off near the base and refuses to regrow. Once a knight to the previous Lord Murkin, he was banished years ago by the current Lord Murkin (p65) for a perceived lack of loyalty.
Demeanour (Neutral): Cautious but agreeable if approached respectfully. Has the social grace of someone who speaks with real people only a few times a year. Doffs and dons his hat frequently.
Speech: Friendly drawl. Woldish, Caprice, Gaffe.
Desires: Useful and entertaining trinkets. To only have short, pleasant interactions with people. For visitors to stop asking if he’s secretly a banished prince. To avoid The Hag (hex 0908).
Tekwell’s Wares ()
Item 1–4 A thin, leathery fish with enormous teeth. Technically edible. (1gp) 5 A brown, bulbous anglerfish. While its light gland is submerged in water, it produces a 10′ radius glow. (10gp) 6 A 3′-long eel with a thin body and an enormous head. Delicious if cooked properly. (10gp) 7 A sealed jar of water containing a bloated red fish that explodes harmlessly if removed. (20gp) 8 A tiny octopus with a golden ring pattern. Lethal if consumed (Save Versus Doom). (10gp) 9 An empty stone bowl. If lifted to one’s lips, the holder experiences the sensation of drinking fresh water. (50gp) 10 A tightly sealed copper locket stylised as a fish eye. If pried open, it contains a lock of hair matching the colour and texture of one of the PCs. (10gp) 11 A cursed bronze Ring of Water Walking in the shape of a mermaid holding her own tail. If the wearer is ever submerged in water, they must Save Versus Spell or be compelled to stop moving and let themselves drown. (100gp) 12 A small leather case, swollen shut. Inside is a set of eight hematite statuettes of fish-headed humanoids (worth 50gp each). (20gp for the closed case)