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The Bells Beneath the Storm

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investigation

The Bells Beneath the Storm

Lvl 13 to 5 charactersOne-shot, approximately 3 to 4 hours· easy

“Every island has a story. Tonight, someone is trying to keep them separate.”

— Hook · investigation

R
QuestgiverReeve Mara Venn
Investigation
D&D 5E
Easy
Lvl 1
3 to 5 characters
One-shot, approximately 3 to 4 hours
4 NPCs
3 encounters
The Opening

“Pirates have been terrorizing the islands around Gullhook, but every witness tells a different story about who is responsible. Reeve Mara Venn asks you to spend one day listening to the villagers, comparing their accounts, and finding out whether the next raid is already planned. She warns you that someone may be trying to keep the truth buried.”

— Hook · investigation

Set the Scene

The characters arrive in Gullhook beneath a sky darkened by an approaching squall. Reeve Mara Venn meets them beside the rain cistern, where villagers argue over whether the latest pirate attack was carried out by one crew or several. She offers food, shelter, and a modest payment if they can produce a useful report before nightfall.

Patron
R
Questgiver

Reeve Mara Venn

Mara approaches the characters in public beside the village cistern, after hearing that they are capable travelers. She speaks plainly and asks them not to start a fight unless someone else draws a weapon first.

On the Streets · In the Books

Rumours

d5 · table
  1. 01
    The pirates never attack on nights when the old bell at Blackrock Point is silent.
  2. 02
    A red-sailed ship has been seen near three different islands, but no survivor agrees on its name.
  3. 03
    Someone in a nearby port always seems to know which villages have full storehouses.
  4. 04
    The last raiders asked specifically about charts and tide tables.
  5. 05
    Old Nella Quay says pirates fear a certain kind of blue glass lantern.
Stakes

If the characters fail, the pirates will strike Gullhook within days, the nearby islands will remain isolated and uninformed, and the corrupt harbor official will have time to destroy evidence. If they succeed, the islands gain warning of the coordinated raids and a lead toward the person supplying the pirates.

Ticking Clock·The characters have until the first heavy rain ends, roughly six hours, before the pirate signal is expected to summon a raid offshore.

Background Lore

The island village of Gullhook survives by fishing, rainwater collection, and cautious trade with passing ships. Over the past month, pirate crews have raided nearby islands, taking food, tools, and navigational charts. The villagers have heard conflicting stories about the attackers, but no one has gathered the accounts into a reliable report.

What the World Knows

Gullhook is a small island village that has watched nearby islands suffer repeated pirate raids. Reeve Mara Venn hires the characters to collect trustworthy accounts from the locals, compare the rumors, and determine whether the pirates are preparing another attack. The village is frightened, divided, and unsure whom to trust.

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