So, you’re looking for a nautical adventure. Most Dungeons & Dragons players immediately think of Ghosts of Saltmarsh. It’s the official book, right? It’s got the Wizards of the Coast logo on the front. But honestly, if you want a campaign that actually feels like a living, breathing world where the stakes escalate from "save this one boat" to "prevent a literal alien invasion," you need to look at Call from the Deep.
Written by JVC Parry, this is a massive, sprawling level 1-12 campaign that basically puts the official modules to shame. It’s set on the Sword Coast, but not the boring, over-trodden parts. We’re talking about the Trackless Sea. The islands. The places where the map gets blurry and things start getting weird.
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It starts with a crash. A literal starship—a nautiloid—slams into the ocean. This isn't just a "kill the goblins" hook. It's a "what the hell was that glowing thing in the sky" hook. From that moment on, your players aren't just adventurers; they are investigators in a race against time.
The Horror of the Illithid Hegemony
Most D&D campaigns struggle with tone. They try to be funny, then serious, then epic, and it ends up feeling like a mess. Call from the Deep nails the cosmic horror vibe without losing the fun of a high-fantasy swashbuckler. You’ve got pirates. You’ve got krakens. But lurking beneath all of that is the psionic threat of the Mind Flayers.
The genius of Parry’s writing here is the integration of the Brainstealer Dragon. If you haven't seen the stat block for one of these things, you aren't ready. It’s what happens when an Illithid tadpole finds its way into a dragon’s brain. It’s gross. It’s terrifying. It’s exactly the kind of "final boss" energy that makes a campaign memorable for years.
The campaign is structured as a sandbox. This is a double-edged sword for some DMs. If you’re used to the linear "go to room A, then room B" style of Hoard of the Dragon Queen, this might feel overwhelming. The players get a ship. They get a crew. They get a massive map of the Sword Coast and a list of rumors. Then, they just... go.
Why the Sandbox Works (And Where It Breaks)
I’ve seen DMs get paralyzed by the sheer amount of content in the second chapter. There are dozens of islands. Each one has a mini-adventure. Some are short. Some could take three sessions. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds.
The trick to running Call from the Deep successfully is leaning into the factions. You have the Lords' Alliance, the Zhentarim, and the Kraken Society all vying for power. The players aren't just moving through space; they are moving through a political minefield. If they spend too much time hunting treasure on a deserted island, the Mind Flayers’ plot actually advances. The world doesn't wait for the heroes.
One of the most underrated parts of the book is the naval combat system. Let's be real: D&D 5e's official ship rules are kind of a headache. They're clunky. Parry simplifies things enough to keep the action moving while still making the ship feel like a character itself. You'll care about your hull points because if that ship goes down, you're hundreds of miles from land in water filled with Sahuagin.
Comparing Call from the Deep to Saltmarsh
People always ask which one they should run. Honestly? Run both, but use Call from the Deep as the spine. Ghosts of Saltmarsh is really just an anthology of older modules updated for 5e. It lacks a cohesive narrative thread. Call from the Deep is a singular, epic story.
It draws heavily from Volos Guide to Monsters (or Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse if you're using the newer stuff). The lore is deep. You’ll learn more about Gnomes and their weird relationship with the Underdark than you ever thought possible.
The production value is also insane for a third-party product. The art is consistent. The maps are high-quality. It’s 270 pages of dense, usable content. No filler. No "read this box text for three minutes" fluff. It’s built for DMs who want to actually play, not just read a novel.
Let’s Talk About the Mind Flayer Problem
Mind Flayers are hard to run. They have "save or suck" abilities that can stun a player for a whole combat. In a campaign titled Call from the Deep, you’re going to be using them a lot.
Some players hate this. They want to swing their sword, not sit there stunned while a squid-man eats their brain. As a DM, you have to telegraph the danger. Give them magic items that help with Intelligence saves. Make sure they know that a frontal assault on an Illithid colony is a suicide mission.
The campaign actually provides these tools, but you have to be intentional about dropping them. The "deep" part of the title isn't just about the ocean; it's about the deep psionic connection the players start to form with the Hive Mind. It’s creepy. It’s effective. It makes the eventual confrontation feel earned.
Tips for Managing the Massive Map
You’re going to need a way to track time. This is non-negotiable. Because the campaign has a "ticking clock" element regarding the Illithid plot, you need to know exactly how long it takes to sail from Waterdeep to Gundarlun.
If you let the players fast-travel, you kill the tension. The ocean is supposed to be big. It’s supposed to be dangerous. Use random encounters, but don't make them all combat. Maybe they find a drifting merchant ship. Maybe they see a pod of whales that are acting... weird. Psionic whales? Why not.
- Focus on the Crew: Give the sailors on the players' ship names and personalities. If the players love their cook, they’ll be much more scared when a giant tentacle starts dragging the ship underwater.
- Use the Rumor Table: Don't give them every quest at once. Drop hints in taverns. Make them work for the information.
- Scale the Difficulty: The early levels can be surprisingly lethal. Be careful with those Sahuagin ambushes at level 2.
- Don't Ignore the Factions: The Kraken Society is a fantastic antagonist. They're secretive and everywhere. Use them to make the players feel like they're being watched.
Actionable Next Steps for DMs
If you’re ready to dive in, don't just buy the PDF and start session one tomorrow. This campaign requires prep.
First, read the entire book. You need to know where the Mind Flayer plot is going so you can foreshadow it properly in the early sessions. Look for the "Golden Thread"—the specific clues that lead from the crashed nautiloid to the final underwater stronghold.
Second, set expectations with your players. Tell them this is a nautical campaign with heavy themes of cosmic horror and mystery. If they show up wanting a dungeon crawl through a desert, they’re going to be disappointed. They need to be okay with ship management and potentially being mind-controlled.
Third, get a good map. Whether you’re playing on a VTT like Roll20 or at a physical table, the map of the Trackless Sea is your best friend. Print it out. Let the players mark it up. Let them feel like explorers.
Finally, integrate player backstories early. Since the campaign is a sandbox, it’s easy for players to feel disconnected. Tie their personal goals to the islands. Maybe the Rogue’s old rival is now a pirate captain in the Nelanther Isles. Maybe the Cleric’s temple was destroyed by the same "falling star" that started the campaign.
Call from the Deep is a masterpiece of third-party design. It’s ambitious, dark, and incredibly rewarding for groups that want more than just another "save the tavern" adventure. Just keep an eye on the water. You never know what's looking back up.