8. River Hut - Drowned Net

Tucked away near the harbor of Nulb, where the marshland creeps toward the Imeryd's Run, lies The Drowned Net, a ramshackle fishmonger and poacher’s hideaway. While it supplies the village with fish, the true wealth of this hut lies beneath the murky waters of the Velverdyva tributaries—rare swamp creatures, hallucinogenic fungi, and illicit goods smuggled under fish-laden nets.

This hut operates at the fringes of Nulb’s criminal underbelly, working closely with Belsornig’s Water Temple, supplying exotic creatures for dark rituals and poisons for assassins. It also serves as a discreet waypoint for Captain Tolub's river piracy, moving stolen cargo through hidden waterways.

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The Drowned Net & Its Operations

At first glance, The Drowned Net appears to be an ordinary fishing hut, albeit a run-down and stench-ridden one. In truth, it is a cleverly disguised front for smuggling, with concealed storage beneath the floorboards and a secret back-channel leading to hidden river routes.

• Primary Trade: Fishing, aquatic trapping, and harvesting marsh fungi.
• Secret Operations: Smuggling for pirates, bandits, and the Temple of Elemental Evil.
• Hidden Storage: Concealed caches beneath the floorboards hold contraband and illicit goods.
• Connections: Linked to the Water Temple and Captain Tolub’s The Iron Dagger crew.

Illicit Dealings & Power Struggles

The Drowned Net is not just another fishmonger—it is a hub of secrets, betrayals, and backstabbing alliances. Many criminal factions and temple cultists rely on its operations.

Dealings with the Water Temple

• Borric regularly delivers exotic creatures for Canon Belsornig ’s priests—venomous toads, swamp leeches, and deep-water eels.
• Darra supplies ritual herbs and hallucinogens for their dark rites.
• Velwyn moves goods to and from the temple via hidden riverways.

"Belsornig pays well for things that slither in the dark. Don’t ask what he does with ‘em."

— Eel-Blood

Smuggling for Captain Tolub

• The Drowned Net acts as a middleman for stolen cargo, passing it through before sending it to safer drop points along the Velverdyva.
• Occasionally shelters pirate crews who need a place to lay low after a heist.
• Borric and Tolub distrust each other, as Borric believes Tolub underpays for goods, while Tolub sees Borric as a swamp rat not worthy of respect.

Rivalries in Nulb

• Nysera’s Drakes occasionally use The Drowned Net for rare poisons and healing herbs.
• The Crimson Reapers do not trade here, after a failed shakedown attempt that led to Borric poisoning one of their enforcers.
• Ivar Maddok of 6. Maddok’s Wainwright resents Velwyn, believing the river smugglers should pay him a cut for their work in Nulb.

'"The Crimson Reavers tried to rob me once. They buried their man in the bog, but he weren’t quite dead yet."

— Toad-Mother

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Adventure Hooks

• "Stolen Cargo" – A valuable shipment bound for the Water Temple has gone missing, and Borric desperately needs it recovered before Belsornig’s wrath falls upon him.
• "A Toxic Trade" – Darra has discovered a deadly new strain of swamp fungus, and multiple factions are willing to kill for the secret.
• "Mutiny Among the Smugglers" – Velwyn’s pirate allies are plotting against Tolub, and the PCs must decide which side to back.
• "The Black Tide Rises" – The Water Temple is planning a large-scale ritual, and the supplies are moving through The Drowned Net—but who will intercept them first?

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'"Tolub’s a great captain, sure—but he ain’t the only one who knows how to cut a throat and steer a ship."

— Blackfish

Final Notes

The Drowned Net is more than just a fishmonger’s hut—it is a gateway into Nulb’s criminal world and a key player in the Water Temple’s ambitions. Whether the PCs come looking for information, contraband, or a fight, they will find danger and deception lurking in its murky waters.

Key Figures of The Drowned Net

Borric ‘Eel-Blood’ Harvane by 3orcs

Borric "Eel-Blood" Harvane – Fisherman & Poacher

• A wiry, sun-scarred man with missing teeth, Borric is half-mad from years in the swamp.
• Expert in catching and selling exotic swamp creatures—leeches, eels, and even crocodiles.
• Works closely with Belsornig’s priests, providing venomous creatures and ingredients for dark rituals.
• Has an old rivalry with Skole of the Boatman’s Tavern, blaming him for an unpaid debt from years ago.

'"Ain’t no fish too foul or beast too venomous—if it breathes, I can catch it, and if it’s worth gold, I’ll sell it."

— Borric 'Eel-Blood'

Darra 'Toad-Mother' Harvane by 3orcs

Darra "Toad-Mother" Harvane – Herbalist & Fungi Dealer

• Borric’s younger sister, a sharp-tongued woman with webbed fingers from years of wading through marshes.
• Specializes in rare swamp mushrooms used in potions, poisons, and hallucinogens.
• Works with Nysera Krivaltis, supplying her men with toxins and medicinal herbs.
• Despises the Crimson Reavers, who once robbed her of a rare find, and will not do business with them.

'"You think I just sell fish? Hah! I sell things that make men see the gods and things that make ‘em never wake up."

— Darra 'Toad-Mother'

Velwyn 'Blackfish' Tarves by 3orcs

Velwyn "Blackfish" Tarves – River Smuggler & Tolub’s Contact

• A broad-shouldered, one-eyed smuggler, Velwyn is the direct liaison between The Drowned Net and Captain Tolub.
• Moves stolen goods through the hidden river passages, avoiding prying eyes.
• Worships Belsornig, seeing him as a prophet of the drowned gods.
• Resents Ivar Maddok of Maddok’s Wainwright, seeing him as a landlubber who profits from river crime without taking risks.

'"I’ve sailed the Velverdyva with a dagger in my boot and my eye on the shore. This ain’t just a river, it’s a battlefield."

— Velwyn 'Blackfish'

Type

Hut

Parent Location

Nulb