Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.

Queen of Hordes
1
 Queen of Hordes
Horror on the High Seas

A fun, comedy-horror style adventure of zombie mayhem on the high seas.

Scalable for any level - Playing time 2 - 3 hours

Written by Arthur Pulford & Penny Blake

Artwork by Dom Critelli

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft,
Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product
names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and
other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast
and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is
copyright 2021 by Arthur Pulford and Penny Blake and published under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 2
 Contents
Introduction 4
Adventure Background 5
Adventure Overview 5
Chpt 1: Storm Rising 6
Chpt 2: Desperate Measures 8
Chpt 3: Ship Ahoy! 10
Chpt 4: Fright Night 10
Chpt 5: Queen of Hordes 12
Chpt 6: Saved? 13
APPENDIX:
NPCs 14
Monsters 15
Treasure 17
Hobgoblin Fire Cider recipe 18
Description of the Ship 19
Acknowledgments 20

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes
3
Introduction
crew members in order to earn money or
barter passage to some place as part of your
wider campaign. The choice is yours.
Your party are part of the crew of a NPC and Monster information is given in the
merchant trading ship bound for Waterdeep, appendix and boxed text can be read aloud
on the Sword Coast. or paraphrased to your players.
When a storm comes up, the ship is left DC ratings and numbers of monsters are
ravaged of its sails and with damage to the given for a party of 4 with an APL of 5. You
hull. Many of the supplies have been lost can change them to suit your own party or
overboard, it’s adrift and slowly taking in use the suggestions in the table below as a
water. guide if you like.
When another ship appears on the horizon,
it seems like hope has arrived at last! But
APL Easy Medium Difficult
this new ship carries on board a terrible
1-2 4 8 16
curse - an ancient amulet containing the
avatar of The Zombie Queen. 3-4 5 10 15

As night falls and the crew begin to 5 and 10 15 20

transform into flesh crazed monsters, the above
PCs must unearth the amulet and defeat the
Zombie Queen before time runs out and they
fall prey to the curse. This adventure contains many homebrew
elements and tweaks - feel free to discard
Part of the fun of this adventure is the real them and go with official lore if that’s the
danger of the party failing and becoming way you roll.
zombies. If this happens, don’t worry - the
final encounter contains a choice of three Lastly, just as it says on the packet, this is a
optional ‘rescue’ ships who can come along comedy-horror adventure with zombies,
and put things right, allowing DMs to gore and flesh-munching aplenty. It won't be
provide a ‘happy ending’ in the form of suitable for everyone so have a chat with
Evangelistic Clerics of Eilistraee, Press- your group before hand and decide what
ganging Pirates bound for Skullport, or a your boundaries are horror-wise so that
humble Waterdhavian trading vessel, all of everyone feels comfortable and able to have
whom will have some means of lifting the fun.
zombie curse and restoring the PCs to
normal.
The adventure is written assuming that your
party are crew members on board the ship
and this is the group’s first adventure
together. However, you can easily tweak this
to play with an established group instead. An
easy way to do this would be to have their
ale drugged one night in a tavern and the
group find themselves kidnapped and press-
ganged into service as deck-swabs and
dogsbodies on board The Lucky Sea Star
instead. Or they may choose to sign up as
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 4
Adventure
take over all of Faerun! Perhaps even the
world! Mwa ha ha ha ha! (etc)

Background Adventure
Kallisti the goblin was destined for
greatness. Her doting mother told her so Overview
repeatedly all the way to the orphanage,
before knocking on the door and running Storm Rising
away.
DMs can choose to start the adventure here
As Kallisti grew up, she tried her hand at or, for an easier option, you can skip the
many things - butcher, baker, candlestick storm and start the adventure after the
maker, hairdresser, children's entertainer, damage has been done, in which case go
night soil woman and even adventuress straight to Desperate Measures.
extraordinaire! But all her efforts to prove
her greatness only lead to disaster. During this stage, the characters are engaged
in mundane tasks around the ship when a
That is until one fateful night when, having storm strikes, damaging the ship and hurling
destroyed the rest of Kallisti's adventuring crew and supplies overboard. PCs grapple
group, the horde of zombies (which the with various hazards as they try to remain
unnamed person or persons on night watch alive while carrying out the captain’s orders.
had failed to notice approaching), utterly
destroyed Kallisti as well.
Desperate Measures
Did I say utterly destroyed? Perhaps
changed is a better word, for Kallisti reveled The storm has died down and left the ship
in her new and powerful undead form. She damaged and the supplies seriously
quickly gained dominion over the other depleted. With no food or clean water, the
zombies and they hailed her as their captain brings in some tough measures and
ferocious queen. the crew begin to turn mutinous. DMs can
choose from a series of events to create a
Sadly, as is typical in the undeath of zombie feeling of mounting desperation.
queens, a do-gooding cleric came along with
the powers of the gods at his disposal and
utterly destroyed her.
Ship Ahoy!
Not to be put off by a second death, Kallisti A ship appears on the horizon and hope
decided not to toddle off to whatever seems in sight but on inspection it is
afterlife awaits zombie queens. Instead she abandoned. However, the holds are well
used her immense powers to bind her soul stocked with supplies and treasure.
to the amulet worn by one of the cleric's Somewhere amongst the cargo is the cursed
unwitting friends. amulet.

All she had to do now was wait quietly for Fright Night
the opportune moment to resurrect her
armies of undead and this time they would A scream in the night alerts the PCs and they
find a zombie attacking the captain. Wave
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes
5
after wave of zombies ensues and clues hint Roll on the table below to allocate each PC a
that the cause is coming from the hold. random order or allocate them according to
skill base if you prefer. If a PC has advantage
Queen of Hordes or proficiency that they could feasibly use to
aid them with a task let them use it.
The PCs must take down the Zombie Queen Depending on how quickly they complete
(and destroy the amulet if using her optional the orders you can roll again to allocate
re-gen feature ) to end the curse or become more if you wish.
zombies themselves.
If a PC is taking too much damage because
they have a series of uncommonly unlucky
Saved? dice rolls, you can dispense with the damage
Choose from three optional rescue ships, all rolls for hazards and just have them knocked
of which come with a hook or tie-in to begin prone or unconscious instead.
a new adventure. If PCs are unconscious or badly injured, the
captain will order someone to take them to
the brig where the ship’s cleric, Barbette, can
heal them or they can take a short or long
1: Storm Rising rest, whichever seems most appropriate.
CAPTAIN’S ORDERS: Roll 1d8
Your party are crew members on board The
Lucky Sea Star, a merchant trading ship 1 Swab the decks.DC10. Not an easy feat to
perform with enormous waves breaking over
bound for Waterdeep on The Sword Coast.
the rails every few minutes but, nevertheless,
(Or any port that suits your campaign). the captain is insistent he wants those planks
After a difficult night battling against high spotless. To succeed in deck-swabbing a PC
must make 5 successful dexterity checks in a
winds and choppy seas, dawn breaks row, or 10 in total. On a failed save, roll for a
bringing no respite. The storm that has been hazard.
threatening to break for hours finally 2 Take Jinx for a walk. DC10. Jinx is the
crescendos around them, lashing the deck captain’s pet pussy cat and once a day the
with rain, ripping mercilessly at masts and captain orders someone to attempt the feat of
'taking him for a walk' around the deck. Jinx
sails and sending crew members and cargo is terrified by the storm and tries to cling on
flying into the raging surf. to the PC’s head, shoulder, face or leg,
making the already difficult mission
The PCs must carry out the Captain’s orders extremely hazardous. Getting Jinx safely
while grappling with hazards caused by the round the deck and back into his cozy basket
storm. Captain Ninelives is an eccentric cove requires 3 successful dexterity checks in a
who intersperses his mundane orders with row or 5 in total. For each fail, roll for a
hazard. If 3 fails occur in a row, Jinx slips
more fantastical ones. Some think he does
onto the soapy deck that is being swabbed
this for his own amusement or to keep his and slides through the railings into the raging
crew on their toes, others blame the sea. DMs can invite creative solutions for
Hobgoblin Fire Cider he swigs constantly, rescuing Jinx...
while still more whisper that a Kraken attack 3 Take down the sails. DC10. The captain
wisely decides to take down the sails. Many
many years ago robbed him of a portion of
crew members mutter that this should have
his sanity. Whatever the case he is a cheerful, been done hours ago when the winds had not
charismatic fellow who in all other respects already ripped them to shreds. Oh well, less
treats his crew well and does a roaring trade sail means less work taking them down. All
of business up and down the coast. the same, it’s no picnic. This task requires 3
successful strength checks in a row or 5 in

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 6
 total. On a fail, roll for a hazard.
4 Batten down the hatches. DC10
There are 12 hatches to shut and bar with
wooden poles. Each requires a successful
strength check. If a PC fails 5 times in a row,
roll for a hazard.
5 Raise Morale DC15
It has come to the captain’s attention that
spirits are flagging onboard The Star. He
wants you to stand on a barrel in the center
of the main deck and entertain the crew in
any way you can - “songs, jokes, magic
tricks, you know the sort of thing,” he says,
clapping you on the back and almost
knocking you overboard. Raising the crew’s
morale requires 5 successful checks in a row
or 10 in total. On a fail, roll for a hazard.
DMs can also mention that the crew boo,
shout abuse and throw rotten fruit if you like.
6 Cocktails with the Cap. DC variable
The captain is bored, storms are fun but not
when they drag on for hours like this one. He
invites you down to his study for a glass of
Cormyrian brandy. Keeping the captain
talking so that you can stay safe and snug
below decks gets increasingly difficult as
you begin to run out of interesting tales and
amusing anecdotes. Start with a DC5
charisma check. The DC increases by 5 each
turn. On a fail, the captain stretches himself,
arches an eyebrow at his depleted brandy
bottle and asks whether you don’t have
something useful to be getting on with
topside?
7 Scout for land. DC20
Any port in a storm eh? The captain orders
you to climb up to the crow’s nest and see if
you can spot somewhere the ship could
weigh anchor. Climbing the rain-slick mast
is a treacherous feat and clinging for dear life
to the crow’s nest as the ship pitches and
bucks requires 3 successful strength checks
in total. On a fail, you are thrown from the
nest, land prone on the deck and take 1d4
bludgeoning damage. 3 fails and another
deck-hand takes pity on you, helps you up
and offers to take the job off your hands in
exchange for a silver piece.
8 Help Cook make the dinner. DC20
Not that any amount of food is going to stay
in anyone’s stomach for long in this storm
but it is dinnertime and you are on kitchen
duty. Juggling pots of bubbling stew and
heaps of wayward potatoes is no easy matter
as cutlery flies across the room, impaling
itself in the walls and crockery rains down
on you from the shelves above. Getting a
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
7
meal on the table without mortally wounding
yourself requires 3 successful dexterity
checks in total. After 3 fails, roll for a
hazard.
HAZARDS: Roll 1d8
1 There’s water everywhere! You slip over
and land prone, luckily nothing damaged
but your pride but anything you were
carrying is now scattered everywhere.
2 Another crew member loses their footing
and crashes into you - you both land in a
tangled heap and she angrily blames you
for being in her way.
3 A mast above you creaks, splinters and
comes crashing to the deck. Roll a DC10
dexterity save or become trapped beneath
it, taking 1d4 bludgeoning damage. A
DC10 strength check is required to free
yourself or for another PC to free you.
4 An enormous wave crashes over the side of
the ship, you manage to hold onto a mast
but you’re now drenched with ice cold
water. A drenched PC suffers 1 level of
Exhaustion.
5 A barrage of barrels comes rolling at high
speed across the deck. A DC10 dexterity
check is needed to avoid them or be
knocked prone and take 1d6 bludgeoning
damage.
6 A dead albatross falls from the sky and hits
you on the head, knocking you prone and
dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage. It’s a
Bad Omen and you suffer disadvantage on
your next roll.
7 A huge wave crashes over the deck,
sweeping you up within its icy grasp. A
DC10 dexterity check will avoid the wave
or a DC10 strength check will let you hang
onto the ship’s rail. Fail and you are flung
overboard into the icy water. DMs can let
players think creatively to try and get out of
this predicament..
8 Did the gods take pity on you? Did your
lucky star shoot by? Who knows but no
hazard befalls you this time!
Queen of Hordes
 nothing wrong requires DC5 charisma check.
2. Desperate Measures If they fail, the captain is gravely
Eventually, the storm dies down to leave a disappointed in them, gives them a stern
calm sea and clear blue skies. Everyone is lecture involving rather a lot of seemingly
exhausted and the ship has seen much better unrelated whimsical tales and anecdotes
days - the captain orders the crew to take a about when he was young and sets them to
long rest in shifts and anyone who is badly scrubbing the decks instead. If this happens,
injured is taken to the brig to be healed. move straight to the event Fever Pitch later
in this section.
Unfortunately, most of the ship’s supplies
have been washed overboard, the hull has a
small leak, the sails are wrecked and the 1 Quartermaster Hale enters the hold and
water supply has become contaminated with sidles up to you looking shifty. There
is no one else around as the crew are
sea water. There are bottles of water and all engaged in chores. He produces a
alcohol but not many. small bag and opens it to reveal 50gp.
“If I happen to drop this on my way
The captain orders the crew to set the ship
out,” he says, “perhaps you could see
to rights, bail out the flood water and repair your way clear to dropping a bit of
what they can. Initially, the PCs are allocated extra salt beef onto my plate at meal
the seemingly impossible task of mending times?”
the sails, which are in shreds. 2 A DC10 Wisdom (perception) check
allows a PC to notice Weasel the bilge
The following events can be played through rat trying to sneak a bag of apples. He
in any order to build a growing sense of was planning to sell them to the crew
desperation. for a copper piece each. If caught he
shrugs and protests that he’s just
“trying to make a few coin” - he
Event 1 - Rations: claims that if the PCs were wise,
The captain announces that each crew they’d be doing the same, this could be
a nice little earner for them if they
member is now on strict food and water played it right!
rations according to their rank. Officers and 3 A DC10 Wisdom (perception) check
the captain receive more rations than the allows a PC to notice Trouncer, the
rest of the crew as they are more skilled and deck-hand, trying to steal a bottle of
therefore more important to everyone’s water and some salt pork. If
confronted, he becomes wild and
survival. desperate, drawing his weapons and
The PCs are put in charge of rationing. Roll backing into a corner - he claims the
captain is mad, the crew are mad to be
on the table below for random events, using
going along with this and he’s not
as few or as many as you like. going to be told he can’t eat and drink
These events involve a series of decisions by anyone.
4 Five crew members enter the hold with
and choices the PCs can make. Each time their weapons drawn. They claim that
they decide to do something which might the pork the PCs gave them had
land them in trouble, record a Repercussions maggots in it and was inedible. They
Point in your notes. Once they have five had to throw it over the side. They
Repercussion Points, have the captain call want more pork and they’re prepared
to slit throats for it.
them to his office - he has heard rumors It’s not just the crew who are starving,
5
about one of their devious doings and wants the rats are finding pickings slim as
them to explain themselves. well - emboldened by hunger, a swarm
attacks the party; not caring if they
Convincing the captain they have done take bites out of the food or the PCs.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 8
 To make this more challenging you
can have several swarms attack in
waves if you wish.
6 The PCs are getting tired and hungry
themselves. If they don’t eat or drink
soon they will become Exhausted, but
it’s several hours until the next official
meal time. Roll 1d4 for each PC who
doesn’t eat or drink to see what level
of Exhaustion they suffer.
Event 2 - Bailing out:
The captain now calls for a change of shift.
The PCs are allowed to eat and take a long
rest and are then allocated the task of bailing
out water from the leaking hull and trying to
repair the damage.
Roll on the table below for random events,
use as many or as few as seems appropriate
for your group.
1 Jinx, the captain’s favorite pussy who
has been chasing a rat down here,
suddenly slips into the filthy water.
The skulduggerous rat swims happily
away but this kitty can’t swim!
2 The water is rising. No matter how fast
the PCs bail out, it just keeps getting
higher. At present it is two feet deep, at
the end of each new event it rises by
1ft.
3 Weasel the bilge rat comes down the
stairs, looking for all the world like he
is up to no good, with a sack over his
shoulder. “Psst!” he says, jerking a
thumb at the sack. “They’ve cut rations
again up there, d’you wanna buy a
ship’s biscuit? Just a copper piece
each!”
4 Hearty, the boatswain comes down the
stairs, crinkling her nose at the stench.
“Have any of you seen Weasel?
Apparently he has been stealing
provisions and selling them on!
There’s a silver piece each in it for you
if you can apprehend him and bring
him to me, he seems to have scurried
off into hiding somewhere, the
treacherous wretch!”
5 A random PC slips and falls backwards
into the water. They are drenched and
suffer 1 level of exhaustion but are
otherwise unharmed - unless the water
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
9
is deep and they can’t swim, in which
case they start to drown. A drowning
PC can hold their breath for rounds
equal to 1+their CON modifier. After
that they can survive for rounds equal
to their CON modifier, after which
they drop to 0 HPs.
6 After many hours work, the hull seems
nowhere near to being fixed and the
PCs are drenched, chilled and
exhausted. Not to mention hungry and
thirsty but it’s several hours until their
next break. Roll 1d4 for each PC to see
what level of exhaustion they suffer.
Event 3 - Fever pitch:
The crew are getting restless, the officers are
getting scared, the captain is being his usual
capricious self.
The PCs are now given another break to eat and
take a long rest and are then allocated the task
of deck swabbing.
Roll on the table below for random events, use
as many or as few as feels appropriate.
1 Mutiny! Five random crew members
approach the party with an odd
assortment of improvised weapons
ranging from mops and broom handles
to spoons, forks, eyebrow-pluckers and
dead fish. “We’ve had enough of this!”
they hiss, conspiratorially, “we’re
taking over the ship, are you in?”
2 Escape! A DC5 perception check will
allow a PC to spot five random crew
members lowering a rowing boat into
the water and attempting to escape in
it. In their panic, they haven’t noticed
the enormous hole in the bottom of the
boat - they aren’t going to get far in
that...
3 The captain strolls by and asks how the
PCs are getting along. Rather than take
any notice of what they have to say,
however, he embarks on a long and
whimsical tale about one of his many
adventures when he was shipwrecked
on The Sea Of Moving Ice with a mad
captain who decided to eat his crew in
order to survive. If asked why the
captain didn’t eat him, he ignores the
Queen of Hordes
 question and changes the subject then
strolls off humming a sea shanty to
himself.
4 Heat wave! The storm has cleared
away the clouds and now the ship is
adrift under a blazing hot sun.
Everyone is Exhausted, everyone’s
mood on board turns foul and they all
suffer disadvantage on charisma
checks. Roll 1d4 to allocate a level of
Exhaustion to each PC.
5 One of the cargoes the ship is
transporting is live chickens. The fowl
were frightened by the storm and,
unbeknownst to anyone, they have
managed to escape their cages and are
trying to find their way to the deck and
jump ship. Suddenly they burst through
a hatch onto the deck and attack the
PCs in a desperate bid to fling
themselves overboard and gain their
freedom. Obviously no one has told
them chickens can’t fly...or swim...
The captain bellows at everyone not to
kill the chickens, meanwhile the crew
all race to kill the chickens screaming
“Looks like meat’s back on the menu
boys!” (or words to that effect). The
party can choose to catch or kill the
chickens. Catching and caging 5
chickens requires a DC15 dexterity
check. See Swarm of Chickens for
their stats.
6 Jinx, the captain’s favorite kitty, is
stuck up in the crows nest and can’t get
down. It’s pitiful howls reverberate
around the ship. A DC5 Dexterity
check is needed to shin the mast and
rescue the cat.
3. Ship Ahoy!
It is nearing evening and everyone is given
time to eat and take a long rest.
As they sit on the deck eating their rations, a
DC10 perception check will allow a PC to
spot a ship on the horizon, heading towards
them.
If the PCs do not spot it and alert the rest of
the crew, a cry goes up from the crow’s nest
“Ship Ahoy!”
The captain orders the PCs to fire the ship’s
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
flares, signaling for help, but the other ship
does not signal back, it just keeps getting
closer.
Within an hour it is near enough to board
and everyone can plainly see there is not a
soul on deck.
The captain orders the PCs and other crew
members to bring planks, board the ship and
search for any crew - perhaps they also had
trouble in the recent storm and abandoned
ship?
This ship consists of three decks, officers’
cabins, captain’s cabin, galley kitchen, brig,
hold and bilge.
There is not a soul to be found on board and
all the rowboats have gone; it seems obvious
that the captain is right.
The hold is full of barrels and chests
containing food, water, clothing, treasures
and other provisions.
The captain orders everything to be brought
on board The Sea Star and then everyone
turns in for the night except the handful of
sailors on night duty.
4. Fright Night:
The PCs are jerked suddenly out of their
slumber by a blood curdling scream coming
from the captain’s quarters.
If they investigate, they find the captain lying
dead on his bunk while a zombie devours his
flesh.
You follow the sound of blood curdling
screams to the captain’s quarters. The
door has already been broken in, its
splintered wood scattered across the floor.
Stooping over the captain’s bunk, a
hunched creature with pallid, rotting skin,
covered in blistering sores, reaches
forwards and rips off a chunk of tabaxi
flesh and hair.
You can hear its slavering jowls, as it
devours the chunk of raw meat, and smell
Queen of Hordes 10
 the stench of its filthy, festering flesh.
Suddenly it stops, slowly turns its head
and regards you with pale, lamp-like eyes.
Once the PCs have killed this zombie, a DC5
perception check will allow a PC to notice
that it strongly resembles Quartermaster
Hale.
A search of Hale’s cabin will reveal he is
missing.
Wave after wave of zombies will attack the
PCs throughout the night and it is up to the
DM to set the pace so that pressure seems to
mount up while still allowing the party time
in between fighting to discover the cause of
the curse (the amulet) and confront Kallisti
The Zombie Queen for the grand finale.
Use the events below either randomly or as
you see fit to create this balance and feel free
to create your own events or follow the
players’ lead if they are strongly driven in a
particular direction.
There are 25 crew members. Once all of
them have become zombies, if the PCs kill
them all then Kallisti will attempt to turn
them herself as she did with the first zombie,
Quartermaster Hale.
1 An additional 1d5 crew members are now
zombies. These new zombies attack the PCs
wherever they happen to be. Repeat this
event as often as you like until all 25 crew
members are turned.
2 Zombie cat! The captain’s cat Jinx has been
turned into a zombie kitty and attacks the
PCs.
3 Weasel comes running towards the party,
his eyes wild and terrified, he swears he
saw an eerie green light coming from the
hold where they stored all that cargo off the
other ship.
4 The PCs encounter two random crew
members attempting to fend off 1d4
zombies. If the PCs jump in to help them
they run off screaming heading deeper into
the bowls of the ship.
5 In the galley the cook is preparing dinner -
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
11
and a ghastly dish it is too! The cook has
been turned into a zombie and is merrily
cooking up a large vat of crew-stew. Arms,
legs and heads bob ominously inside. She
turns to the PCs as they enter the galley,
leers at them and offers them a ladle full of
eyeballs and gore.
6 A swarm of zombie chickens comes
screeching and flapping out of nowhere and
attacks the PCs.
If the PCs decide to investigate Weasel's tip-off
about eerie lights coming from the hold (or if
they decide for some other reason to go to the
hold) go straight from there to Queen of
Hoards.
If all the crew have been turned into zombies
and the PCs have not yet visited the hold you
can lure them there with eerie lights and
noises or have Kallisti come out and
confront them.
If one of the PCs is killed by a zombie they
reanimate as a zombie after 1d4rounds.
Players should be encouraged to RP their
zombie characters creatively and to have
huge amounts of fun with them – maybe
they retain some aspect of their former
selves? Maybe they target a particular
person they had a grudge with? Or are
reluctant to attack the PCs; having some
vague memory of the friendship they shared
in life?
And what if a PC gets turned into a zombie
and the rest of the group want to keep them
along like Shaun did with Ed at the end of
Shaun of the Dead? Well, you’re the DM - it’s
entirely up to you, if they can think of a
creative way to do that then why not? The
main thing is that everyone has fun.
If the PCs would rather cure the NPC
zombies of their curse than kill them, only a
True Resurrection spell can do this. True
Resurrection is only available to clerics or
druids of 9th level + but the rescue ships in
the last chapter will be able to save and
restore any PCs if needed - even if they are
Queen of Hordes
undead and have been slain, True DEFEATING KALLISTI
Resurrection will bring them back For an easy option, the PCs simply have to
unscathed. kill Kallisti and her reign of terror will be
over. The amulet will become inert.
To make things more challenging, the amulet
5. Queen of Hordes provides Kallisti with Regeneration and
must be destroyed before she can be killed.
When the PCs enter the hold, read or If you wish to use this option, when Kallisti
paraphrase the boxed text below. is killed, read or paraphrase the following.

An eldritch luminescence emanates from

the blighted portal leading to the hold.
As you edge nearer, the hideous form of a
monstrous goblin queen rises and looms
ahead of you. Although her aspect is
spectral, you can make out her once-
rotting flesh and blistered, festering hide.
One of her eyes is missing and her ribs
and innards show through a gaping hole in
her side.
She smiles gleefully and claps her wraith-
like hands together in delight. “More
recruits!” she giggles. “Come to Kallisti
my little treasures, I offer the gift of
immortality to those who serve in my
royal hordes! Come closer, kiss death, and
taste sweet life eternal my little jewels!
Come! Bow before your queen!”
PLAYING KALLISTI
In stark contrast to her grotesque visage, the
zombie queen attempts to ooze femininity in
its most sickly-sweet form. She giggles and
titters,simpers and smirks, pouts and poses
and sulks when things aren’t going her way.
She considers herself The Greatest, The
Fairest, The Most Adorable creature in the
realms - and she’s quite put out if anyone
doesn’t agree. At first she will try and flirt
with the characters, offering the delights of
life beyond the grave, but once she realizes
she cannot sway them to her cause, she will
simply try to kill them and raise them back
as her undead minions.
The wraith-like form of Kalisti fades from
view and silence falls in the hold.
But wait, what is that? A faint and eerie
light softly pulses from amongst the apples
in one of the barrels at the back of the
room. Almost like a heartbeat. As you
watch, transfixed with horror, it grows
brighter and brighter and Kalisti, cackling
with glee, rises again! “Foolish little
poppets!” she chuckles, “did you think you
could defeat your queen so easily?”
That should be enough to tip your party off
that something in the apple barrel is causing
Kallisti to regenerate.
Searching the barrel and finding the amulet
requires a DC15 stealth check each round to
avoid Kalisti noticing and a DC10
Intelligence (investigation) check to find the
amulet (OR 2-3 rounds of searching, if that
fits your party’s skill base better).
The amulet has AC10 and 24HPs.
If Kallisti isn’t enough of a challenge on her
own, she can summon any of the following
minions to fight with her. Their stats can be
found in the appendix:
1d6 zombie crew members
Swarm of Zombie Chickens
Swarm of Zombie Rats
Jinx the Zombie Cat
Once the amulet is destroyed, Kallisti cannot

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 12
use its power to summon any more minions
and killing her puts her out of the picture for
good.
If the party get talking to Kallisti, learn her
life history and decide they want to help
cure her instead of killing her, you can make
that an option. True Resurrection will
restore her to her original goblin form. If the
PCs don't have it, you can either bring in one
of the rescue ships at the opportune
moment, or let the party come up with their
own creative solution.
TREASURE
Once Kallisti is defeated, the party may want
to search for other dubious treasures
amongst the cargo of the ghost ship. See the
appendix for some suggestions of what they
might find.
6. Saved?
There are several possible ways you can
wrap up this adventure and your players
may well have ideas of their own as well so
keep things flexible and go with what works
for your party.
You also have the option of bringing in one
of three ‘rescue ships’ to transport the party
off to their next adventure (and lend a hand
with healing and restoring characters if need
be).
THE WAVE DANCER
This elegant ebony wood vessel glides
through the waters on silver sails. Her crew
are a monastic sea-faring group of clerics
devoted to the good drow goddess Eilistraee.
These particular clerics have latched on to
the dogma that Eilistraee likes her followers
to express their faith through acts which
bring joy, merriment and pleasure. In short,
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
13
they are group of drunken, debauched drow
who are more than happy to welcome new
converts into their crazy carnival of a
commune. They will give the PCs the time of
their lives in hopes of persuading them to
join their ‘floating temple’ - but they are also
perfectly willing to drop them at the next
port if that’s really what they’d prefer.
THE SAUCY SQUID
This vicious vessel and its skuldugerrous
crew are bound for Skullport via the secret
cave entrance known only to a few select
pirates who make port and trade in that
treacherous city. But they don’t mind taking
a little detour to press-gang some ship
wrecked mariners into service as deck-
swabs and bilge-rats.
The barber-surgeon-cook is a black robed
cleric. He can cast True Resurrection but if
questioned about his faith or which god he
serves he merely smiles enigmatically from
the depths of his cowl and offers them a
bowl of suspicious looking stew.
THE SEA HOLLY
Always nice to see a familiar face when
you’re in dire straights isn’t it? The Sea Holly
is a well known trading ship heading home
to Waterdeep. Her captain, Opal
Witherwinch, knows The Lucky Sea Star well
and is sad to hear of the trouble they’ve had,
but more than happy to give the PCs a ride
back to Waterdeep. By happy chance, two of
her paying passengers are clerics who are
able to do any healing or resurrecting
required.
Queen of Hordes
Appendix
Quartermaster: Able Hale
Human, true neutral
Uses Noble stat block, Basic Rules P401

NPCs The son of a ship’s deck-swabber, Hale has

Unless otherwise stated, all crew members
use the Bandit stat block from the Basic
Rules and have proficiency with water
vehicles.
Captain: Sunni Ninelives
Tabaxi, chaotic good
Uses Bandit Captain stats, Basic Rules P397
Sunni has spent his whole life traveling and
exploring and now does a roaring trade up
and down The Sword Coast. He has a good
heart and means well but his distractable
nature and whimsical imagination mean
that he is often a few steps removed from
reality and logical thought. He has vague
ideas about loyalty, moral fiber and duty to
his ship and crew, but has never had the
opportunity to test them in the field -
danger, where Sunni is concerned, always
seems to dissipate before it gets going and
he puts this down to him being born ‘under
a lucky star’ and thus having ‘nine lives,’
which is what his mother always told him.
worked his way up to quartermaster and is
now delighted with the power and comfort
his role affords him. Although he has worked
hard to get to this position, he now feels he
can relax a little and let others do the hard
work. He has no sympathy for those who
bemoan their lot or try to slack off - hard
work can get anyone where they want to be!
Boatswain: Evelaine Hearty
Half-elf, lawful good
Uses Noble stat block Basic Rules P401
Evelaine is the daughter of a Waterdhavian
noble family and this is her first position on
board a ship. Evelaine feels she has a lot to
prove – she had a late start in life, having had
to care for her ill mother for several years
while her father was away on business. She
is now determined to make a good name for
herself and her family. Evelaine has a very
caring nature but zero tolerance of rule
breaking or work dodging.

Cook / Cleric: Barbette Bottlescrew

Gnome, chaotic good
Uses Bandit stat block Basic Rules and can
cast Cleric spells up to 9th level.

Barbette is a devout cleric of the sea goddess

Umberlee and has been the cook onboard
the Lucky Sea Star for as long as anyone can
remember. If she has another past, she never
mentions it. She is something of a mother

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 14
figure to the whole crew, and has saved the
captain’s life on many occasions (although Monsters
this mostly involved healing him when he
SWARM OF RATS
had imbibed too much Hobgoblin Fire Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
Cider). As well as cook, she is the ship’s
healer and barber-surgeon. AC10, HPs24, Speed 30 ft.
STR 9 (-1), DEX11 (+0), CON 9 (-1),
INT 2 (-4), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 3 (-4)
Deck-Swab: Trouncer Dunnage
Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing,
Dwarf, chaotic good Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned, poisoned
Uses the Bandit stat block, Basic Rules Senses:Darkvision 30 ft.,
Passive Perception: 10
Trouncer is an old mercenary but wars are
scarce these days and he has had to take Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom
what work he can find. He is competent and (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
diligent and something of a gruff, fatherly
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
figure to the younger crew members helping space and vice versa, and the swarm can move
to settle them in quickly, however he does through any opening large enough for a Tiny rat.
become irritable - and even violently angry - The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary
if he doesn’t get enough to eat. hit points.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 0 ft.,
one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 7 (2d6)
Bilge-rat: Wilfred ‘Weasel’ Whiskerstay piercing damage, or 3 (1d6) piercing damage if the
swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Human, true neutral
Uses the Bandit stat block Basic Rules

SWARM OF CHICKENS
Weasel was caught as a stow away a few Medium swarm of Tiny beasts , unaligned
months ago and, against the better judgment
of his officers, Captain Ninelives decided to AC12, HPs24, Speed 10 ft.
hire him to take care of the bilge. Weasel is STR 6 (-2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 8 (-1),
actually of noble birth but his family INT 3 (-4), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 6 (-2)
disinherited him when they tired of his Passive Perception 15
relentlessly immoral behavior. Since then he
has known all the highs and lows of the Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
bumpy road of life, presently he is at a low space and vice versa, and the swarm can move
through any opening large enough for a Tiny
but he is cunning and opportunistic and
chicken. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain
knows that if he bides his time there is temporary hit points.
always a ‘ladder up’ just around the corner.
Actions
Savage Peck: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 7
(2d6) piercing damage, or 3 (1d6) piercing damage
if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes
15
 SWARM OF ZOMBIE RATS
Medium swarm of Tiny undead, neutral evil
AC10, HPs24, Speed 30 ft.
STR 9 (-1), DEX11 (+0), CON 9 (-1),
INT 2 (-4), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 3 (-4)
Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing,
Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned, poisoned
Senses:Darkvision 30 ft.,
Passive Perception: 10
Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the swarm can move
through any opening large enough for a Tiny rat.
The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary
hit points.
Actions
Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit,
reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 7
(2d6) piercing damage + 3 (1d6) poison damage, or
3 (1d6) piercing damage + 2 (1d4) poison damage
if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Unhallow. Any space the swarm passes through is
Unhallowed Ground until the start of the swarm’s
next turn. All attempts to act against undead while
in these spaces suffer disadvantage.
SWARM OF ZOMBIE CHICKENS
Medium swarm of Tiny undead, neutral evil
AC12, HPs24, Speed 10 ft.
STR 6 (-2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 8 (-1),
INT 3 (-4), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 6 (-2)
Passive Perception 15
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's
space and vice versa, and the swarm can move
through any opening large enough for a Tiny
chicken. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points.
Actions
Frenzy: The swarm moves twice its speed.
Poison Peck: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 7
(2d6) piercing damage + 3 (1d6) poison damage, or
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
3 (1d6) piercing damage + 2 (1d4) poison damage if
the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Zegg Launch: The zombie chicken can fire its
necrotic ‘Zeggs’ at any target within range. Ranged
Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 10/160 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage and the
target Stinks for 1d4 rounds causing anyone within
5ft to vomit and suffer disadvantage on all ability
checks and attack rolls.
JINX THE ZOMBIE CAT
Tiny beast , unaligned
AC12, HPs2 (1d4), Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR 3 (-4), DEX 15 (+2), CON 10 (+0),
INT 3 (-4), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 7 (-2)
Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses: Passive Perception 13
Keen Smell. The zombie cat has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Carrion Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 necrotic damage.
Furballs of Doom: Jinx vomits rancid furballs.
Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 10/160 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage.
ZOMBIE CREW MEMBERS
Medium undead , neutral evil
AC8, HPs22 (3d8 + 9), Speed 20 ft.
STR13 (+1), DEX6 (-2), CON16 (+3),
INT3 (-4), WIS6 (-2), CHA5 (-3)
Saving Throws WIS +0
Immunities Poison
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.
Passive Perception 8
Languages: understands the languages it knew in
life but can't speak
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie
to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving
throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless
the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a
success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Queen of Hordes 16
 Actions
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Necrotic Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) necrotic
damage.
KALISTI ZOMBIE QUEEN
Medium, undead, neutral evil
AC8, HPs85, (9d10 + 36) Speed 30 ft.
STR19 (+4), DEX6 (-2), CON18 (+4)
INT3 (-4), WIS6 (-2) CHA19 (+4)
Saving Throws WIS +0
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to
0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving
throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless
the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a
success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Necrotic Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) necrotic
damage.
Death Grasp: Kallisti launches herself and makes
a STR roll against the target's DEX. If the target
fails, Kallisti holds the target immobile. The
condition ends if Kallisti is attacked or if the target
is forcibly removed from her grasp.
Grave Touched: Kallisti lays a ghastly hand upon
the target’s shoulder and makes a CHAR roll
against the target’s WIS. If the target fails they
become Frightened and suffer disadvantage on all
ability checks and attack rolls while Kallisti is in
sight of them. They cannot willingly attack Kallisti.
Save ends.
The Fairest: Kallisti fixes a target with her golden
ghoulish eyes and asks “Don’t you think I’m The
Fairest in the land? Wouldn’t you love to serve me
as your queen?” Target must succeed on a WIS roll
against her CHAR or become Charmed. The
charmed target regards Kallisti as a friend and the
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
17
zombie queen has advantage on all social
interactions with them. Save ends.
Possess Undead: Kallisti takes over the body of a
single undead creature that is under her command.
While in this form she completely controls the
creature but can only use the creature's powers and
not her own. If the creature takes damage, Kallisti
is thrown out immediately and lands prone.
Treasure
Besides any treasures you’d like to allow
your party to find amongst the cargo of the
ghost ship, here are some suggestions each
with an open ended hook to provide
inspiration for future adventures. Unlike
gold and jewels, the value of these treasures
is based on their intrigue...
Flotsam The Talking Skull
Flotsam was a boatswain who sailed The Sea
of Swords all his life before he finally came a
cropper to a band of cut throat pirates. He
has no idea how or why his spirit became
bound to his skull like this but he thinks it
might have something to do with the
necromancer on board the pirate ship.
Flotsam would dearly love to be unbound
from his skull and go to meet his beloved
wife, Betsy, in the afterlife but he’s a cheerful
enough chap who always seems to have a
tall tale to tell or a wild yarn to spin about
his adventures at sea.
The Comb of Clairvoyance
This golden shell-shaped comb is encrusted
with precious jewels. When a creature
combs their hair or fur with it they receive
one vision of the near future. It is up to the
DM to decide what that vision is.
Queen of Hordes
Bardic Harp of Helping Hands
Hobgoblin Fire cider
This harp is made of shiny amber chestnut
wood. When playing this harp, you can hear INGREDIENTS
the voice of anyone calling for help within a 1L of good quality cider or pure apple juice
20mile radius. Distinguishing one voice from
another and intuiting the direction and 4 large oranges, cut into slices
distance from where each voice is coming 2 unwaxed lemons, cut into slices
requires 1d4 minutes of concentration while
playing. 1 handful of dried cranberries
1-2 red chilies, roughly chopped (optional -
only for the bravest sea dogs!)
Jade Statuette
3 whole star anise
This palm sized figurine is shaped like a
5-6 cinnamon sticks
Kraken.
1-2 tbsp whole cloves
1-2tsp whole allspice
Amulet
1 thumb sized chunk of root ginger, grated
This strange amulet is marked with an
unfamiliar arcane symbol. 1 cup of good quality honey or soft dark brown
sugar
200ml whisky or brandy
Book
A small, leather bound volume titled Tabaxi
Folk Tales. Simmer all the ingredients (except the
spirits) in a large pan for about 1 hour.
Strain out the fruits and spices through a
Map muslin-lined sieve and keep warm over a
A torn map of a small island. Bearings gentle heat until ready to serve.
marked on the back show it is not far from Stir in the whisky or brandy just before
where the PCs are now. Writing on the back serving.
has been partially obscured by the tear and
reads: ...and so I buried it here, where its
great power cannot fall into the wrong
hands ever again.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 18
Description of the mast. The deck of the forecastle holds the
fore mast and has a hatch door leading down
to the crew's sleeping quarters.
Ship MAIN DECK
Consensus in play testing was that nobody The main deck contains the main mast with
really used this information as the adventure crow's nest and two small cannons, mostly
was straightforward enough without it, used to signal danger or call for help to other
we've included it anyway but relegated it ships. A hatch leads down to the hold where
here to the end of the appendix, just in case supplies are stored and two others lead to
you do suddenly need to know what is the galley kitchen and brig.
where and how big it is on board The Lucky
Sea Star.
AFTCASTLE
GENERAL: The aftcastle includes everything at the back
of the ship. The deck of the aftcastle contains
The ship is 350ft long by 60ft wide the aft mast and the helm from which the
Ceilings. The ceilings in the lower deck, ship's rudder is operated. Hatch doors lead
holds, and cabins are 8 feet high with 6-foot- down to the captain's cabin and study and
high doorways. the officers' living quarters.
Doors. The ship's doors are made of wood
and have AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity BELOW DECKS:
to poison and psychic damage. A lock can be
picked with a successful DC 5 Dexterity
check made using thieves' tools, or the door CREW'S QUARTERS
can be forced open with a successful DC 10
Strength (Athletics) check. The crew sleep in shifts in a large area
strung with hammocks within the forecastle.
Footlockers. Footlockers on the ship are A hatch door leads up to the deck and a
iron and have AC 19, 18 hit points, and wooden door leads through to the hold.
immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Light. Hanging lanterns cast bright light
throughout the ship. HOLD

Rigging. Rigging on the ship can be climbed Supplies and cargo are kept in the hold. A
without an ability check in fine weather. hatch door leads up to the main deck and
another leads down to the bilge. Wooden
Sails. The ship has three 80-foot-tall masts doors lead to the galley kitchen, the brig and
with sails to catch the wind. the crew's quarters.

ABOVE DECKS: GALLEY

The ship's kitchen contains cooking utensils
FORECASTLE and condiments but all food and drink is
stored in the hold. Metal safety bars prevent
The forecastle includes everything at the the cook being thrown against the hot stove
front of the ship forwards from the main if the ship rolls and pitches. A hatch door
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes
19
leads up to the main deck. Wooden doors leads to the captain's quarters and a hatch
connect the galley with the hold and the brig. door leads up to the deck of the aftcastle.

BRIG
The brig is used as a medical bay, a prison Acknowledgments:
and guests quarters for paying passengers. It Hugest thanks are offered here to our
contains sick beds and various medical wonderful play-testers, editors, advisors and
supplies, potions of healing and books. The zombie experts: Nimue Brown, Phoebe
beds all have leather straps and manacles Darqueling, Brian Fnord, Jaq D Hawkins,
which can be used for restraining patients or Aidan Pulford, Atticus Pulford, Kathy Roffey,
prisoners. A hatch door leads up to the main Hann Suttcliffe, Nate Williams.
deck. Wooden doors connect the brig with
the galley and the hold.

BILGE
The bilge contains hand-operated pumps for
bailing out bilge water if it gets to high.
Twelve bilge wells collect run-off and
effluence from the upper parts of the ship
that have not been expelled by the scuppers.
If the bilge water gets too high these wells
can overflow. A hatch in the bilge leads up to
the hold.

CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS
The captain's quarters include his cabin and
study which are joined by a wooden door.
The cabin contains a comfortable bed, and
foot locker. The study contains a writing
desk, navigation tools, maps, bookshelves,
the captain's liquor store and three chairs. A
wooden door connects to the officers' living
quarters and a hatch door leads up to the
deck of the aftcastle.

OFFICERS' QUARTERS
The officers each have a separate cabin
which contains a single bunk and foot locker.
They also have a shared common room
which contains tables, chairs, desks,
navigation tools, bookshelves, maps and the
officers private liquor store. A wooden door

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Queen of Hordes 20