GHOSTS OF SALTMARSH.
CREDITS lead Designers: Mike Mearls, Kate Welch Designers: Wolfgang Baur, James lntrocaso, Joseph A. McCullough, Jon Sawa tsky. Steve Winter Design Consultants: Will Ansell, Myke Cole Developers: Jeremy Crawford, Ben Petrisor, F. Wesley Schneider Playtest Coordinators: Bill Benham, Christopher Lindsay Playtest Analyst: Ben Pet ~or lead Editor: Kim Mohan Editors: Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, F. Wesley Schneider Art Direction: Kate Irwin Graphic Design: Emi Tanji, Trish Yochum Concept Artist: Shawn Wood Senior Art Director: Richard Whitters Senior Creative Art Director: Shauna Narciso Cover Illustrator: Grzegorz Ru tkowski Cartographers: Dyson Logos, Mike Schley Interior Illustrators: Even Amundsen, Joachim Barrum, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Zoltan Boros, Sam Burley, Sidharth Chaurvedi, Conceptopolis, Olga Drebas, Wayne England, Justin Gerard, Leesha Hannigan, Lake Hurwitz, Tyler Jacobson, Sam Keiser, Julian Kok, Michael Komarek, Slawomir Maniak, Brynn Metheney, Christopher Moeller, Scott Murphy, Jim Nelson, Vincent Proce, Chris Rallis, Chris Seaman, Rudy Siswanto, David Sladek, Francis Tsai, Franz Vohwinkel, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, Mark Zug ON THE COVER A group of desperate adventurers confronts a deadly sahuagin warrior on rough seas. Meanwhile. unbeknownst to the heroes, a monstrosity from the deep breaks the surface to assault their ship. This piece marks Grzegorz Rutkowski's debut as a cover artist for D&D. D1sclo1m11: After hauling dragons. cJem1fltol culfisu, vomprrts. dtmom. 01td gionrs. )'0&1 dtstrvt o ttloxmg ocea.11 c1u1st. Please kttp oil 111tol l1mbs \ltltlt w11hm the Jh1p's eon.fines. Wt Oft nor rt$pons1blt for vol'1obles. h11 po111U, or l1vti lost dur;ng "JOur ... oyogt In foef, pethaps ~u 'd prefer o more ttloxmg vocoeron opt;on. Con we se111eu a '"P to tl-e Nine Hells? Thcy'rt qv1tt balmy rim time of year 620C6297000001 EN ISBN: 978-0-7869-6675·2 First Printing: May 2019 9876 5 4321 CE Producer: Dan Tovar Project Managers: Bill Benham, Stan!, Matt Warren Product Engineer: Cynda Calloway Imaging Technician: Kevin Yee Art Administration: David Gershman Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap Senior Director Global Brand Strategy: Nathan Stewart Director licensing & Publishing: Liz Schuh Licensing Manager: Hilary Ross Digital Marketing Manager: Bart Carroll Senior Communications Manager: Greg Tito Manager Global Brand Marketing: Anna Vo Brand Manager: Shelly Mazzanoble Associate Brand Manager: Pelham Greene Principal Game Designer. Chris Perkins Narrative Designers: Adam Lee, Ari Levitch Pbytesters: Adam Howard, Adrian Farmor, Alan Or<h. Ale• D'Am1co. Ale• Forsyth Alex Kammer. Alex McClead. Afex Wilson, Alexander l<retov, Alicia Cisneros, Ahcia Graham, Amanda Stone, Amber Spova, Andre Battrick, Andrew Corneio, Andrew Epps, Andrew Ku1awa, Andy Baker, Anthony V1c1n1, Ari Gonulu, Ariel H•rsh, Arthur Wright, Ashleigh Bishop, Austin Fields, Austin H•fflie, Austin Sanders, Beau co*ker. Ben1omin Shlndewolfe. Beverly Stauffer. Biii Kerney, Boyd Bennrn. Brenda Hopper, Brendan Barr, Broderick Jones. Bruce laClair, Call Davis. C•mcron Scruggs, CasS1dy Schenley. Charles Wri&ht. Chase Louviere. Chene Bruce, Cheryl Pierce, Chloe M1tzay1. Chris Davis. Chris Kens ta. Chns McGovern. Chns Wood, Christian Franz, Chflstian Hanco*ck, Chr1s11an Zoltaf Bellomo, Chust1ne Weidenbach, Chnstophtt Hac~ler ~ Christopher Scoggin, Christopher Wood. Chuck Benscoter. Cindy Moort. Clayton Embrey. 01ff H•nger. Cody Helms. Collin Wh .. ltr. Connor S<htnck. Connor Self. C,.1g Domres, Dace Mcfadden. 01n Beam. Dan DeHun. Oan Harsh, Dan Harsh. Dan krinesttwr. Oamel E. Chapman II. Daniel 'KBhn' Oliveira, Daniel Kl1nest•vtr, Daniel Tye. Otlno Berto. Dave Sacker, Dave Knighton, David •cameron• Gidcumb. Oav1d Mon1s. Oav1d SchnoH, OaVld Woods. Oerek Gray, Oerek Myers, Oevon Argo. Doug Oavos. Oylan Cole. Ed kr•ft. Em1eCih•ngir. Enc Kooistra Enk Grentet, Evan Jackson. Evan Rodarte, Evan Schulz, Flo Velasquez, C•bnel Soares Machado, Gabrielle Zulask1, CentSls Martinez. Greg Lyman. Greg Smith, Gugory Pa.rov1chn1kov, Gvs Reyer. Haig Morrison, Heather Coleman, ~ct r Ramirez. How•rd Hubbard, Hugo Mendieli, Ian Hawthorne. l•n Kimmel, Ian R1<k. Jackson Thomas. Jacob Benscoter, Jacob Dalton, Jacob DelMauro, Jamal AH, James Armstead, James Endicott. James Hazel, lames Holland, James Kirtley. l•m« Schweiss, Jamie Shepperson. )•red Fegan. Jason Conwell, rason )orosz. Jason Lopez, Jason Maneson, joson Thomas. Jawsh Murdock, jay Africa, jay Elmore. Jay )•n•. Junette Wiiey. Jeffery "Jj" Zielinski, Jeffery Barnes, JenniferCourvre-Swarner, Jeramie Coopef, jerem1iih Gaddis, Jeremiah Pop•. Jernn Chambers. Jesse Smoth. Jessoca Goff, J1a l,.n Tin. J•m Berner. Jim Quirk, )oao Eduardo D•ntas. joDee Murch. Jc>e Boergies, loe G1over. fc>e Mor• nd•. Joel Gonulez. lc>el Thompson, John Amann, John Fulmer lohn Horan, john Mangrum, lohn Stockles. John W Mangrum. Jon l•mk1n, Jonathan Connor Self lonathan Longstaff. jo•dan Brass. Jorge Sepulveda, Joseph Kauffman Ill, Joseph Schonck Ill, foseph Sompson Ph 0, Joshua Frtdrtckson. Joshua Hart, Joshua Lt••n. lul•t Wright. Jul•us Sm1th, lusttn Faris, Kalani Jasmine Vernon. K411fan1 Vernon. Kar ~ Rader, Karl Resch, Kate Tollefson, k•ttlyn Pop• . Kathy Ounn, Kelly Lewis, Ken Beckman, Ken Breese, Kenneth M•han. K1rs1en Thomas, Krupal Desai, Kurt Waldkirch, Kyle Jackson. lance Schantz. laura Wol~. Logan Ruggaber. Logan Thomas Ruggaber, Lou Mochell1. Luca Andreolli, Lucas Thode. Luke Absolum Reid, Lyza Bryandinskaya, Mackenzie hoffman, Magnus Morgan, Marc Soucy, Marcello De Velazquez, Mark Detwiler, Martin Lennartz, Mary Hershey, Matt Sulton, Matt Maranda, Mau Warwick. Matteo La Rosa, Matthew Austin, Matthew Rodertck. Matthew Stanford, Ma!lhew Talley, Manhew Warwick, Max Leu, Melissa Bassett, Michael Ande,.on, Michael Campfield, M1ch•el Dunn, Michael Obermeier, M1ch .. 1 Patrtck Campfield, Mike Kelly. Mike Olson, Mike Thom.,, Miranda McFadden, Nllahe Tabor. Nathaniel l. Arons, Neil Hamamoto. Nie Tollefson. Nick LaCla1r, Nina Wong. Olga Shvedova, Patrick la• Rick. P•ul Aparoc10, Paul Thomas. Philip Koop, Rachel Aubrecht. Ralph Bohn Jr. Ramitl Lou1e, Randall H•ms. Richard Nunn, Rob Parker. Robert D•tsch. Robert Qu•llen II, Robert Scon. Rod Ehrman, Roy Adam Lentz. Russ Paulsen, R)an Hagan. Samuel Brett~ Sc.ou Moore, Stan Freeland, Sun Payne, Sergey Gv1ld1s, Shani kn11hton, Stacy McGovern. Stephen M1hon, Sttrf1n1 Hershey. Steve Townshend, Tab•tt-ia "muel, Tuhfecn 8h1md1. Thelem Eys•er. Thomas Kocantt'. Thomas WhHney T1.,, Langen. Tom Bfaclcmon. ToM Duchaine, Tony lovttl Tony Stremanos, TonyV1c1n1, Tor. Backer, Travis Fuller. Tnstan Andrews. Tristan Htndm:, Troy SandlJn. Tyler Urbanski, V.inusa Ftrnandes P1f'lht1to, Victor Barros Pimentel, W.aynt ChJng. Wayne Fuller, W-111 Hoffman. Woll Vaughn, W11io Burger, Xavier S1tpn1ak, Zach"y Pockett DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. O&D. W1urds of the Coast. Forgo11cn Realms. the dragon ampersand, Plortr• Hondbook Monsru Manual. Dungton Mouu·s c,.dt. all other Wozards of the Coast product names, a..nd their tesptctive toaos are trademarks o(W1zards of the Cont 1n the USA and other countr:ts. 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CONTENTS lntroduction .................................................................................... 4 Cb. 7: Tammeraut's Fate ......................................................... 141 Using This Book ............................................................................. 5 Background .................................................................................. 141 Cb. 1: Saltmarsh ............................................................................ 7 Adventure Summary ................................................................. 141 Politics and Factions ..................................................................... 7 Adventure Hooks ........................................................................ 141 Saltmarsh Overview .................................................................... 11 Downtime Activities ..................................................................... 18 Harpy Attack ............................................................................... 142 The Village ofUskarn ............................................................... 143 Saltmarsh Region ....................................................................... 20 Adventures in Saltmarsh ........................................................... 27 Saltmarsh Backgrounds ............................................................ 29 Ch. 2: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh ............................. 37 Background ................................................................................... 37 Adventure Summary .................................................................. 38 Firewatch lsland ........................................................................ 144 The Hermitage ........................................................................... 146 Last Stand ................................................................................... 156 Preparing for the Drowned Ones .......................................... 157 Death from the Deep ................................................................ 157 Safe by Day ................................................................................. 158 The Wreck ................................................................................... 158 Adventure Hooks ......................................................................... 38 Conclusion ................................................................................... 160 The Haunted House .................................................................... 39 The Sea Ghost.. ............................................................................ 50 Ch. 3: Danger at Dunwater ....................................................... 61 Background .................................................................................... 61 Rules of Engagement .................................................................. 62 Extending the Adventure ......................................................... 161 Ch. 8: The Styes ........................................................................ 163 Background ................................................................................. 163 Adventure Summary ................................................................ 164 Adventure Hooks ....................................................................... 164 Roleplaying Lizardfolk ............................................................... 64 Adventure Summary .................................................................. 65 Traveling to the Lair ................................................................... 65 Part l: A Dying District.. .......................................................... 165 Part 2: Murder Mystery ............................................................ 169 Part 3: Hemlock Pit ................................................................... 172 Lizard folk Lair ............................................................................. 66 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 84 Epilogue: Croc Hunt ................................................................... 84 Part 4: The Lamp's Shadow .................................................... 179 Part 5: Tharizdun's Progeny ................................................... 182 Aftermath .................................................................................... 185 Cb. 4: Salvage Operation ......................................................... 87 Background ................................................................................... 87 Adventure Summary .................................................................. 87 Adventure Hooks ......................................................................... 88 App. A: Of Ships and the Sea ............................................... 186 Ship Stat Blocks ........................................................................ 186 Sample Ships ............................................................................. 187 Officers and Crew ...................................................................... 194 State of the Ship .......................................................................... 89 Death of the Emperor ................................................................. 93 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 95 Superior Ship Upgrades .......................................................... 196 Ships in Combat ........................................................................ 198 Travel at Sea ............................................................................... 199 Ch. 5: Isle of the Abbey ............................................................. 97 Ocean Environs ......................................................................... 202 Background ................................................................................... 97 Encounters at Sea ..................................................................... 207 Adventure Hooks ......................................................................... 97 Random Ships ............................................................................ 208 Adventure Summary .................................................................. 97 Mysterious Islands .................................................................... 211 Traveling to the Isle ..................................................................... 98 Underwater Locations .............................................................. 214 The Island ..................................................................................... 99 Cove Reef ................................................................................ 214 The Abbey Ruins ....................................................................... 101 Wreck of the Marshal... ........................................................ 218 Locations in the Ruins ............................................................. 104 Warthalkeel Ruins ................................................................ 223 Conclusion ................................................................................... 109 App. B: Magic Items ................................................................ 229 Cb. 6: The Final Enemy .......................................................... 111 Background ................................................................................. 111 App. C: Monsters and NPCs ................................................. 230 Council of War ............................................................................ 111 Sahuagin Stronghold ............................................................... 112 The Mission Begins .................................................................. 114 Conclusion ................................................................................... 137
INTRODUCTION EL.COME TO GHOSTS OF SALTMARSH. THIS book collects seven D&D adventures, each famous for their unique challenges, for their deadly threats, and for embracing the danger and wonder of the high seas. Some of these adventures initially charted their courses in the earliest days of D&o·s history. while others set sail in more recent years. In each case, these tales of plunder and peril have been updated for the current edition of the game. revealing deadly shores for brave crews to explore anew. Along with these adventures returns one of D&D's most famous seaside settings: the port town of Saltmarsh. The original backdrop of three of this collection's tales (The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Danger at Dunwater, and The Final Enemy), this fishing community has a tradition of being a starting point for incredible adventures. Historically, Saltmarsh and the dangers facing its people provided a widening sphere of adventure, with increasingly dire threats drawing heroes to explore more of the coast of the Azure Sea. Ghosts of Saltmarsh continues that tradition. presenting a portion of the coastal lands of Keoland, a kingdom in the Greyhawk setting. Each adventure notes where that story might unfold in the region around Saltmarsh. providing a shared setting for them all. Although these seven adventures weren·t designed to create a single overarching narrative, the tools provided herein make it easy to link these stories into a wider Saltmarsh campaign. In addition Lo the adventures themselves, chapter 1, "Saltmarsh," provides an in-depth look at the town, its various inhabitants, the nearby coasts, and what dangers threaten the region. A variety of new backgrounds also help make new characters part of the Saltmarsh community, giving them personal stakes in the town's opportunities and hardships. The sea and its threats aren't unique to Saltmarsh. To help launch explorations across the wild waves. appendix A. "Of Ships and the Sea." presents a toolbox for ocean-bound adventures. New rules for various ships, how to crew and captain them, and how to pit them against each other provide adventurers with new modes of exploration. Beyond this, details on a variety of nautical dangers and oceanic hazards- from magical storms to whirlpools- make the seas even deadlier than ever before. A spectrum of tables also helps generate encounters upon the waves, be they deadly sea monsters; random vessels. theirs crews. and cargo; or islands brimming with untold mysteries. Concluding the appendix are a variety of underwater locations-like deadly reefs and sunken ruins ready to be customized and explored as your campaign demands. The book's remaining appendices present magical treasures perfectly suited to seafarers and a robust collection of fearsome aquatic foes. New horizons of adventure now lie before you. What wonders and terrors will you discover across the waves? Set sail and find out!
USI NG THIS BOOK Ghosts of Saltmarsh feat ures seven tales of adventure that take place upon the waves, on brine-battered shores, and in the sea's deadliest depths. Each of these adventures comes from across the tides of D&D history, returning to test heroes grown used to the predictable threats and reliable footing of dry land. Along with each adventure appear notes for setting the adventure in the Saltmarsh region or adapting it to a variety of D&D settings. Use that information to place it in your campaign or on the shores of your choice. These adventures make perfect side quests for ongoing campaigns. If you run published D&D campaigns, like Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, the higher-level adventures presented here are an ideal way to extend the campaign. The adventures in Ghosts of Saltmarsh a lso perfectly complement those in Ta les from the Yawning Porta/- which collects another seven famo us (albeit landlocked) adventures. By picking and choosing your favorite entires in each compilation, you'll be on your way to creating a customized campaign a ll your own. RUNNING THE ADVENTURES To run each of these adventures, you need the fifth edition Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. Before you sit down with your players, read the text of the adventure and familiarize yourself with the maps as well, perhaps making notes about complex areas or places where the characters are certain to go, so you're well prepared before the action starts. Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their charac· te rs first arrive at a location or unde r a specific circum· stance, as described in the text. The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of the monsters and N PCs found in this book. When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual cue pointing you to its stat block in appendix C or in the Monster Manual. If a stat block appears in appendix C of this book, the text tells you so. Spells and nonmagical equip· ment mentioned in the book are described in the Player's Handbook. Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description in appendix B. CREDITS FROM THE ORIGINALS As every Dungeon Master knows, considerable work goes into the creation of a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS adventure. Presented below are the credits from the classic adventures that inspired the updated tales found in this book. For more on each adventure's origin a nd its place in D&D history, see the "About the Original" section featured near the begining of each adventure. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1981) Design: Dave J. Browne Development: Don Turnbull Editing and Production: Tom Kirby, Sally Meadows, Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull Art: Jim Holloway, Dave de Leuw. Harry Quinn, Stephen D. Sullivan Playtesting: Jim Bambra, Michael W. Brunton, Chris Hall, Bill Howard, Steve Mote, Allen Ovens, Martin Pickering, Chris Rick, Dave Tant, Patrick Thompson, Don Turnbull, Mark Valentine, Pat Whitehead Cartography: Graeme Morris Danger at Dunwater (1982) Design: Dave J. Browne Development: Don Turnbull Editing and Production: Penny Bogg, Tom Kirby, Carole Morris. Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull Art: Dave de Leuw, Jim Holloway, Harry Quinn, Tim Truman Playtesting: Jackie Apps, Steve Buckalow, Mike Ferguson, Bill Francis, Andrew Geer, Bill Jones, Tom Kirby, Ma rtin Pickering, Matt Quartermain, Tony Ross, Phil Spivey, Dave Tant, Nick Thornley, Simon Thornley, Jim Ward, Guy Williamson Cartography: Graeme Morris Salvage Operation (2005) Design: Mike Mearls Editing and Production: Sean Glenn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Sarah Robinson, Mike Schley, Jeremy Walker Artwork: Attila Adorjany Cartography: Kyle Hunter Isle of the Abbey (1992) Design: Randy Maxwell Editing and Production: Wolfgang H Baur, Dale A. Donovan, Roger E. Moore, La rry W. Smith, Barbara G. Young Artwork: Peter Clarke Cartography: Diesel The Final Enemy (1983) Story: Dave J. Browne Development: Don Turnbull Editing and Production: Paul co*ckburn, Tom Kirby, Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull Cover Art: Dave de Leuw Cartography: Graeme Morris, Philip Kaye Playtesting: Bill Black, Bob Collman, Thomas Haas, Bill Howard, Allan Owens, Dawn Poole, Gina Poole, Chris Rick, Dave Tant, Mark Valentine Tammeraut's Fate (2004) Design: Greg A. Vaughn Editing and Production: Sean Glenn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona Artwork: Peter Bergting Cartography: Rob Lazzaretti The Styes (2005) Design: Richard Pett Editing and Production: Sean Glenn, James Jacobs. Erik Mona, Sarah Robinson, Mike Schl ey, Jeremy Wa lker Artwork: Joachim Barrum Cartography: Jason Engle INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: SALTMARSH ALTMARSH IS A NONDESCRIPT FISHING VILLAGE tucked away on the southern coast of the Kingdom of Keoland. For several generations, Keoland was a formidable military power. Its superior cavalry and bold knights pushed the kingdom's borders outward to the north. west. and east. Each successful campaign increased both the crown's wealth and power, and each one in turn drew the kingdom's attention even farther north. The southern coastal regions of Keoland remained a backwater. The crown's benign neglect allowed piracy and banditry to flourish. Saltmarsh and similar towns kept to fishing, content to maintain a low profile and avoid governmental entanglements. Decades ago, the pirates who prowled the waters off Saltmarsh grew strong enough to create their own realm, a loose confederacy known as the Hold of the Sea Princes. With the rise of that nation came increased raids on Saltmarsh and its neighbors. The Sea Princes' raiding ships pillaged the coast for more slaves to support their growing realm. and Saltmarsh suffered heavily. The memories of those times loom heavily over the area, and the locals' hatred of the Sea Princes runs deep. In time, Keoland's victories in the north gave way to a string of defeats in which its neighbors pushed the kingdom back to its original boundaries. With the world closing in, King Kimbertos Skotti looked to the south and saw unchecked banditry and a rising pirate nation. The crown struck peace treaties with its former foes to the north, raised a navy, and dealt a sharp check to the ambitions of the Sea Princes- but the conflict is by no means over. King Skotti has decreed that the pirates must be put down, the sea lanes secured, and trade cultivated. If Keoland cannot prosper as a military force, it must grow mightier as a center of trade. Saltmarsh. remote though it might be from the center of power in Keoland, is entering a new phase of its life as it reacts to the king's plans. The crown's agents want to expand the village's port and make it a prime location for trade with the world beyond. In another recent development, a band of dwarves bearing a decree from the king himself- have arrived and begun LO excavate the hills and seaside cliffs near town, looking for precious metals. If their work bears fruit as expected, the mine stands to become a major factor in the village's-and. indeed, the entire region's prosperity. Naturally, not all of Saltniarsh's residems feel the same way about the recent developments in and around their community, which is the key issue that affects their lives and livelihood. Although the recent changes stand to bring new prosperity to the area. many locals don't want to see their home changed. At the same time. as an undercurrent through all the goings-on, agents of the secretive and mysterious Scarlet Brotherhood work to thwart Keoland's ambitions while advancing their own. POLITICS AND FACTIONS Saltmarsh's future rests in the hands of three factions that compete for supremacy. Two of the factions represent the opposing sentiments that have grown in town in recent years. The third is a secret group that seeks to undermine Saltmarsh and seize control of the region. These factions' struggles play out in the day-to-day lives of the townsfolk and the political maneuvering of Saltmarsh·s town council. TRADITIO NALISTS The traditionalist faction is an alliance of the prominent fishing families and merchants in town, along with the workers who rely on those industries for a living. The traditionalists remember the terrible times during the Sea Princes' raids and have no desire to see the crown's ambitions lead to open war. The smugglers who operate in the area tend to be traditionalists. Most pose as merchants and rely on their local contacts to move goods through the region without interference from the town guard or royal agents. Smuggling has long been an easy way to make money in Saltmarsh, and locals generally look the other way, seeing it as a victimless crime. The traditionalists would like to see the dwarves' mining efforts fail and interest from the north wane, so that Saltmarsh's dependable fishing trade can thrive and the smugglers in the area are left alone. They resent the intrusion of outsiders seeking to transform Saltmarsh and undoubtedly drain power from the fishing families to give to dwarves and merchants. This faction relies on two council members for representation. Eda Oweland leads the faction and can count on Gellan Primewater to back her up. Anders Solmor is young and unpredictable. but he has supported the traditionalists' viewpoint on most issues. At their best, traditionalists are community-minded folk who want Saltmarsh to return to its old way of doing things, arguing that the town has survived for a century by sticking to its original priorities. They suffered mightily due to the Sea Princes' depredations and remember the days when the crown turned a blind eye to their troubles. Their loyalty to the king runs second to their desire for peace and quiet. EDA 0WELAND Eda (CG female human noble) is the current senior member of the town council, as well as the owner of three large fishing boats. She has lived in Saltmarsh all her life and has been elected to the council three times. She is a gruff, pragmatic woman whose graying hair is cut short and whose face bears the marks of a life lived outdoors. Eda is keenly interested in expanding Saltmarsh's fishing industry. her sights set on a wild section of the coast where she hopes to build a new dock. She is suspicious of the dwarves' mining enterprise and doubts it will amount to much. C 1-IAPTf RI S>\LI \I \11~11 7
Pe.rsonality Traits. Eda swears like a sailor when she is frustrated or angry. and the folk in town who support her appreciate her wi II ingness to stick up for them. Despite her temper. she respects those who keep their cool. Anyone who stands up to her wins her respect. Those who try to flatter her earn her contempt. Ideal. If anyone in town needs help. Eda is the first lo volunteer. She believes community binds people together and allows the1n to ride out che fiercest storm. Bond. Saltmarsh is Eda's home. She would protect it to her dying breath and wants its people to prosper. Flaw. Eda is suspicious of outsiders. and she is too quick to trust those familiar to her. GELLAN PRIMEWATER Gellan (NE male human noble) is a well-spoken, dapper older gentleman with a neatly trimmed beard and a fancy wardrobe. With his cunning instincts, he has positioned his family to become the most prominent merchants in town. but he now faces an intractable problem. Gellan made his fortune through smuggling, his textile and lumber exports serving as a cover for his illegal activities. When Saltmarsh was a sleepy backwater, he could operate with impunity. Now that Saltmarsh has attracted attention from the outside world, he sees business growing more difficult and less profitable. Over the years, Gellan has cultivated relationships with a number of contacts among the Sea Princes. His ships move illicit goods, including slaves, between their realm and Keoland. Gellan takes care to keep this side of his business quiet, since any hint of involvement with slave traders would mean the end of his days in Saltmarsh, if not his life. Gellan seeks to keep his smuggling cartel functioning with as little interference as possible. Having a seat on the council puts him in a perfect position to maintain his business while supporting all aspects of the traditionalists' agenda. His popularity in the faction is second only to that of Eda Oweland. Because Gellan is the wealthiest man in town, be garners a great deal of popular support from the many feasts, entertainments, and other diversions he supports with expenditures and donations. He pretends to care l ittle for the daily functions of the council. defaulting to throw his support behind Eda's position. Tn truth, this deference is a ruse he uses to mask his efforts to shield his smuggling operation. Personality Traits. Gcllan loves to play che role of the foppish dandy. He enjoys fine wine. good food. and the latest fashions. He is a patron of the arts and spends lavishly to support festivals. plays. and concerts. Ideal. For Gellan. beauty and elegance are everything. He derives great enjoyment from watching the town enjoy his events. Bond. Gellan values his reputation above all else. He wants to be admired by the people of Saltmarsh. Flaw. Greed colors every action Gellan takes. He can't turn down a chance lo turn a profit. even if it means breaking the law. Gellan secretly believes that even if he is caught, he can spend his way back into the town's good graces by throwing the biggest. most extravagant festival Saltmarsh has ever seen. Gii ·\i' IL I! l I SAi I ~11\l<Sll THE TRADITlONALISTS IN PLAY The traditionalists simply want things to remain the same. If they had their way, the dwarves would go home, the guard would stick to dealing with monsters rather than hassling honest traders, and the crown would go back to dreaming of conquests in the north. The more things change. the more this faction resorts to open protest and resistance. TRADITIONALIST SAMPLE EVENTS d20 Event 1- 6 A group of fishers accosts dwarves and other outsiders, demanding they leave town or else. 7- 10 Gellan Primewater rm ports a variety of exotic flowers that he uses to decorate the town, while also distributing fresh tropical fruit free of charge to the townsfolk. 11-12 A fire breaks out in town, and Eda Oweland raises funds to support those who lost their homes. 13- 14 A fishing boat goes missing with its crew. They were smuggling a haul of black pearls, and Gellan wants his treasure back without risking his cover. 1S-16 A bountiful catch leads to a day of feasting and reconciliation, giving the factions a chance to make amends. 17- 18 A bungled smuggling operation lands a few respected people in jail, leading to near riots as fishers gather in a huge mob to effect a breakout. 19 A horrible sea creature has been sighted. keeping many crews at the docks until rt disappears. Anyone who tracks it down and slays it would be a hero. Gellan pledges a magic weapon to its slayer. 20 Several fishing crews have gone missing. The locals demand that Keoland dispatch a squadron of ships to track down the slavers from the Sea Princes who surely kidnapped them. LOYALISTS The loyalists consist of newcomers who arrived from the northern reaches of Keoland, loyal to King Kimbertos Skotti. They feel that the town should focus on becoming a useful asset to the crown and value the good of the kingdom before the good of the region. The town guard. the dwarves. and the local farmers are generally loyalists. The loyalists care about security. They want to keep Keoland's enemies at bay while ensuring law and order. They see smuggling as a key problem, as it enriches the Sea Princes at the cost of the royal treasury and the efforts of honest merchants. Above all else. the members of this faction put their faith in law. They exert influence through the town guard, though they remain within their legal authority. At their best. the loyalists want to grow Saltmarsh into a trading hub with a higher standard of living and improved security. If the Sea Princes are held in check and the sea lanes cleared of threats, Saltmarsh can grow to become the envy of the world.
At their worst. the loyalists see the people of Saltmarsh as a barrier to growth. The locals are little more than allies of the Sea Princes, traitors who for too long have evaded the crown's notice. If they were to do as the loyalists tell them, then perhaps this fish-reeking pile of a town could become something respectable. ELIANDER F l REBORN Eliander (LN male human gladiator) fought in the royal army of Keoland. where he earned a name driving the wild th in gs of the Dreadwood away from the settled lands. Eliandcr suffered a tremendous injury to his leg in a battle against an owlbear and now walks upon a finely carved wooden peg. Despite his injury and advancing age. the burly captain of the Saltmarsh town guard remains an imposing figure. El iander is a local celebrity thanks to his facility with languages, and he is often called upon by the town's various organizations to assist with translations. He is fully literate in Common, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Elvish. and Halfling: he can also speak and understand Ore and Draconic. In a crisis, Eliander Fireborn might put the good of the crown above local rule. He possesses a royal writ that allows him to seize authority over the town guard in case of an emergency. He is loath to use it, as the locals might react to his seizure of power with an open revolt. Personality Traits. Caution guides Eliander·s thoughts and his every action. He recognizes that Saltmarsh is on the verge of tremendous growth, but he sees the influence of the Sea Princes behind every stroke of misfortune. Slow and steady wins the day, as he likes to say. Ideal. Eliander is a faithful servant of the crown. The law must be obeyed. as faithful service and iron discipline arc the surest ways to maintain peace and order. Bond. Once he gives his word, Eliander keeps it to the death. Honor is his life. and treachery earns his wrath. Flaw. Eliander is stubborn to a fault. Once he sets his mind to a belief or a course of action, little can dissuade him. MANISTRAD COPPERLOCKS The leader of the newly established mining operation in Saltmarsh is an iron-willed dwarven woman named Manistrad (LN female dwarf veteran). She runs the mining outfit from a small office near the edge of town. Manistrad is a competent leader, as well as a savvy miner with a knack for pulling off impossible jobs. She's convinced that the veins of si lver found in the cliffs near Saltmarsh are indicative of more valuable stones deeper in the rock. She was once a fearsome warrior, and she's not above delivering a few well-placed blows to ensure her orders are followed. Manistrad occupies an awkward place on the council. She was placed in her position by royal decree: the crown decided that if Saltmarsh is 10 support a mining operation. the miners would need a political voice. A more diplomatic figure might have smoothed over the tension. but Manistrad has little patience and sees the rest of the council, save for Eliander. as rustic dullards. Personality Traits. Manistrad is a woman of few words. She is curt and quick, yet she gives every person who comes before the council a fair accounting. She's nobody's fool. < It \Pl IR I S.\IT\iAR"ll q
ro ~ Ideal. Curiosity and hard work mark everything Manistrad does. Once she is interested in a topic, she is relentless in learning about it. Obstacles don't slow her down. Bond. Manistrad is intensely loyal to her kinfolk and the mining operation her clan seeks to establish here. Threats to the livelihood of the dwarves earn her wrath. Flaw. Manistrad has little patience; she tends to push for quick results over a more measured approach. THE LOYALISTS IN PLAY The loyalists are focused on two things: ensuring that the dwarven mine is a success, and clamping down on smuggling to keep the Sea Princes in check. The mine is the most precious commodity in the region for this faction, and its members do everything they can to support it. If word of any Sea Prince activity reaches the loyalists, they are quick to meet the threat. LOYALIST SAMPLE EVENTS d20 Event 1- 6 The town guard cracks down on smuggling, going house to house in search of contraband. 7-10 A tribe of marauders (gnolls, ores, or goblins) moves into the area, putting the town on alert and forcing Eliander to call out the militia. The tradi· tionalists chafe under his orders. 11-1 2 A mass breakout allows a crew of smugglers to escape the dungeons, increasing tension in town. 13-14 The dwarves make a spectacular find in the mine, sparking plans to expand their presence and the docks. 15-16 Eliander and the town guard are called away to help deal with a threat from the Dreadwood, leaving behind only a skeleton crew to keep the peace and watch the mine. 17-18 A new wave of immigrants from the north arrives in town, tilting the population such that the loyal· ists might win a majority in the next town council election. 19 A bloody battle against pirates leaves a Keoish na· val squadron undermanned. The squadron comes to town to press local sailors into service. Eliander secretly passes along the names of hotheaded tra· ditionalists for the press gangs to target. 20 Having found enough evidence to charge him, Eliander seizes Gellan and ships him to Seaton to face charges of smuggling. Riots break out in town. SCARLET BROTHERHOOD The Scarlet Brotherhood claims that the bloodline of its followers traces back to an ancient empire, the Suel lmperium, and their goal is to restore the old Suloise noble houses to prominence in the world. As scions of a realm that once enjoyed unmatched arcane power and a vast dominion, its members see themselves as superior to all other folk and the only ones fit to ru le. For decades, this group has been concocting a conspiracy to spread fear, chaos, and uncertainty across the CltAP1 EH 1 S \1-J \HRSll land. When the time is right, the Brotherhood will strike to seize the reins in kingdoms all across the world. Al· ready its assassins have slain those who might oppose their sinister plans. In almost every court in the land, from the most remote backwater barony to the imperial courts of world powers, the Brotherhood's agents have quietly assumed positions of influence. In Saltmarsh, the Brotherhood supports councilman Anders Solmor and his family's trade cartel. They hope to use Anders to destabilize the region, weaken the crown, and clear the way for the Scarlet Brotherhood to seize control. The Brotherhood arranges for the Solmor ships to meet with eager merchants in distant ports who pay well above market value for his goods, ensuring his popula rity and dependence on Brotherhood contacts. The Brotherhood plans to surround him with their advisers and functionaries to ensure that Saltmarsh develops under their control. They intend to ignite open war between Keoland and the Sea Princes, leaving both realms battered and weakened while the Brotherhood moves in. Unlike the other factions in Saltmarsh, there is no good side to the Scarlet Brotherhood. As unrepentant megalomaniacs, they are villains through and through. ANDERS SOLMOR Young Anders (LG male human noble) recently inherited his family's fleet of fishing boats after the untimely death of his mother, Petra. He's the youngest person ever to be elected to the council. Brash and inexperienced. Anders is a slight man with sharp features and a toothy smile. His recent forays into trade have made him a local celebrity. Since Anders owns both a fishing fleet and several trading vessels, he can sell his catch at a highly competitive price. And he can offer better prices for the other fishers in town to sell to him, since his catch brings in so much more profit. Everyone involved in the town's fishing industry supports Anders, and his energy and ambition have made him something of a folk hero on the docks. On the other hand, his open opposition to smuggling and his hatred of the Sea Princes' practice of slavery makes him a thorn in the smugglers' side. Unbeknownst to Anders, his butler, Skerrin Wavechaser, is an agent for the Scarlet Brotherhood. He engineered the death of Anders' mother and has placed a number of Brotherhood agents in key positions in the Solmor fleet. Personality Traits. Anders is sunny and optimistic. He sees the potential for profit and opportunity in every challenge. Unfortunately, he is too young to temper his views with a realistic assessment of the risks. Ideal. Anders believes that freedom is the root of happiness. He pays his employees well and wants to help Saltmarsh grow into a prosperous town. Above all else, be hates the Sea Princes and wants to see their realm and its slave trade scoured from the earth. Bond. Anders's mother Petra was the center of his life, and his sense of responsibility stems from her example. Every important decision he makes is guided by his desire to live up to her standards. If Skerrin is implicated in her murder, his hold over Anders would be
shattered. For now, Skerrin uses Petra's memory to fan Anders's antipathy toward the Sea Princes. Flaw. Due to a combination of his youth and his somewhat sheltered upbringing, Anders is naive. He relied on his mother's expertise in most matters, which has aliowed Skerrin to worm his way into Anders's confidence. SKERRIN WAVECHASER Skerrin (LE male human assassin) is secretly the head Brotherhood agent in town. Tall, lean, tan, with short silver hair, he speaks in precise, measured statements of a man who has a keen eye for detail. He is dispassionate and takes a protective stance toward Anders. To observers, he is nothing more than a faithful and trusted butler. Skerrin was renowned for his patience during his days as an assassin for the Brotherhood. Once, he hid himself in the attic above a noble's bedroom, waiting in a trance-like state for three days and nights until his target was positioned just below a small crack in the room's ceiling. Skerrin squeezed a single drop from a vial of poison he carried on to the noble's bald scalp. He waited in his hiding place for another full day until the contact poison killed the man. Personality Traits. Skerrin is literally a man of two personalities. He appears to be a concerned, fatherly figure, a Joyal retainer who worries about his young master. With a few moments of focus. however, he can shift to become a cold-blooded, patient killer. Ideal. When operating as Anders' servant, Skerrin believes that it is the duty of those with experience and wisdom to advise the young. As an assassin, he holds that those strong enough to survive flourish only by culling the weak. Bond. Skerring's bond alternates between Anders and the Scarlet Brotherhood. He sees both as the best bets to bring order and security to the world. Flaw. Arrogance. Skerrin genuinely believes that if he had to, he could murder everyone of consequence in town in a single night and secure the place for the Scarlet Brotherhood. Sometimes he is tempted to do so, if only to prove himself right. THE SCARLET BROTHERHOOD IN P LAY The Scarlet Brotherhood is an opportunistic faction. It seeks to cause the maximum amount of disruption with the least amount of risk. The Brotherhood wants to tilt the town council in its favor and install Anders as the most prominent member. Their first goal is to find evidence of Gellan Primewater's involvement with the Sea Princes and implicate his participation in the slave trade. Such evidence is not ha rd to find once Gellan's dealings with the Sea Princes are revealed. The Brotherhood plans to use such accusations to increase tension in town between the traditionalists and the loyalists, ignite a civil war, assassinate leaders on both sides. and then use Anders as a peacemaker. Then the Brotherhood plans to assassinate Anders, frame the Sea Princes. and install Skerrin as his replacement as the town's foremost leader. Finally, Skerrin will agitate for war and continue to help Brotherhood agents infiltrate Keoland's towns in the south. If war does erupt, Brotherhood agents will work to ensure a long, drawn-out stalemate that grinds down both sides. Ideally, assassinations will pave the way for Brotherhood agents to assume high positions in both realms, but if necessary, the Brotherhood will engage armies of mercenaries, humanoid tribes, and fanatics it has gathered to finish the job. They hope that the Sea Princes can then be transformed into a puppet state, allowing the Brotherhood to turn their attention to the rest of Keo land. SCARLET B ROTH ERHOOD SAMPLE EVE NTS d20 Event 1-6 The Brotherhood slips evidence of smuggling to the guard, causing several popular fishing boat owners to be arrested. 7- 10 The Brotherhood's agents spread rumors that the mine is on the verge of failure and the crown plans to award the dwarves rulership of Saltmarsh as compensation. 11-12 The Brotherhood blackmails lngo the Drover and Keledek the Unspoken, two people in town with dark pasts, into their service, turning them into useful agents. 13-14 Tainted grain delivered by a merchant in league with the Brotherhood leads to an outbreak of plague. 15-16 The Brotherhood uses kidnapping, blackmail, or other sinister means to turn an important member of another faction into an ally. 17-18 A small band of escaped slaves arrives in town. They claim that several sailors at the docks once worked as slave traders, prompting outraged calls for justice from Anders. 19 Pirate activity increases, bearing the unmistakable mark of the Sea Princes. The Brotherhood's ships adopt Sea Prince regalia to confuse the issue. 20 Skerrin, growing bored and overconfident, assassinates a prominent member of a faction and tries to frame the Sea Princes for the deed. SALTMARSH OVERVIEW Saltmarsh's roughly five thousand residents are predominantly human, with the dwarven mining contingent of about two hundred workers the largest non-human faction in town. Elves and halflings draw no special notice, since the Silverstand hosts a wood elf enclave and a few halfling villages are tucked in the hills around town. The residents react to other visitors, especially tieflings and dragonborn, with a mixture of curiosity and fear. L AW AND ORDER Saltmarsh is a bastion of civilization in the midst of an untamed region. Without its stout defenders, it might have long ago fallen to the depredations of outsiders. (I! \I IF R I SAl r\I \R~JI II
12 ~ M ILITIA AND DEFENSE One hundred trained warriors serve in the town guard. Each of them wears studded leather armor marked with a town guard's badge the green reed of Saltmarshand is armed with a club while patrolling in town. The guards work in pairs, operating from two guardhouses built near the road into Saltmarsh. A smaller station at the docks quells the fights that break out there nightly. The captain of the town guard is Eliander Fireborn. The guard also patrols the area around Saltmarsh on horseback. Groups assigned to this duty are more heavily armed and armored; they wear chain mail and wield longswords and heavy crossbows. A militia of five hundred residents can be mustered to take up the defense of the town if it comes under attack. The militia members have undergone minimal training, since they are expected only to keep an enemy at bay until the king's forces arrive. A small force of marines watches over the docks and. if needed, can take to sea to meet the threat of a pirate ship or sahuagin incursion. The marines are hardened veterans of several battles against the Sea Princes. They are led by a married couple, Tom and Will Stoutly, veterans who have fought dozens of engagements against pirates. raiders. and monsters. The guard is seen as something of a meddlesome force. since most of its members are drawn from the military veterans who migrated here with the crown's blessing. Townsfolk tend to see them as brutish thugs. though they arc quick to call them when trouble arises. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT The town guard arrests lawbreakers and imprisons them in the town jail. In most cases, criminals pay a fine and are let go. Those who cannot pay are required to work off their debt, usually put to work sweeping streets or helping with construction projects. If a crime requires a trial, the town council hears evidence and renders a verdict. Crime breaks down into three basic categories in Saltmarsh. Petty Crime. Public unarmed brawling, pickpocket· ing, and other crimes that cause up to 50 gp in property damages are classified as petty crimes. The accused pays a fine of 2d6 gp. or one clay of hard labor per gold piece owed. Minor Crime. Armed assault, defined as any nonfatal attack made with a weapon, along with any other assault or property crimes that cause more than 50 gp in damages, but less than 250 gp, are minor crimes. The perpetrator must pay a fine of JOO gp and serve ld4 years in prison or at forced labor. M'fjor Crime. Crimes more severe than those outlined above, including murder, are major crimes. The criminal faces 2d 10 years of imprisonment, though serious cases earn the death penalty. In most instances. these crimes are dealt with in Seaton, the provincial capital located east of Saltmarsh. <.llAP"l I kt Is \l I MAR~ll COMMERCE Saltmarsh might be encrusted in sea salt and reek of rotting fish guts, but there is gold aplenty in the coffers of its citizens. For more than a century, the ships of Saltmarsh have worked the rich fishing grounds along the coast. Trade ships from near and far have been using the docks to unload their goods, and lately more ships have come to call as the dwarven mining operation grows. Smuggling has also long been a profitable business here. The dwarven mining operation promises to bring about a rapid growth in Sahmarsh's fortunes. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on who you ask. The merchants look forward to more business, but the fishers don't see how the mines will do anything to enrich their coffers. If anything, they fear that competition for fish will become more ferocious as the town grows. FISHING More folk in town work in the fishing industry than any other, and it has been the backbone of Saltmarsh for generations. The wealthier families own their own boats, while less well-to-do folk hire out to work as deckhands. The work is difficult and dangerous, but a smart deckhand can save money for several years and eventually buy their own boat. That promise of earned prosperity is important to the townsfolk, and they see newcomers as a threat to it. TRADING The wealthiest families in town own large trading vessels that they use to ship goods across the Azure Sea. Saltmarsh exports other foodstuffs from the farms around town. Most manufactured goods, except for rope, nets. and other items created locally to support the fishing industry, are imported into town. SMUGGLING As a sleepy backwater town, Saltmarsh has long been an ideal market for illegal goods. Pirates, agents of the Sea Princes, and Keoish nobles looking to evade the king's taxes have all helped fuel a bustling local black market. Some fishing boats meet ships at sea co load and unload illegal goods, while other cartels conduct business at isolated points along the shore near town. The locals see smuggling as a victimless crime and resent the crown's growing insistence on cracking down on it. MINING The mine outside town is a new development. Despite the skepticism of the locals, the mine has started to yield silver in growing quantities. and the dwarves are convinced that the nearby cliffs are rich with gold. If the mine takes off. Saltmarsh could transform into a sprawling boomtown overnight. D OCKS The docks of Saltmarsh are the beating heart of the town. The fishing trade and related commerce that keep the town alive arc based here.
The docks have recently undergone a series of expansions intended to lure larger merchant vessels into the port. Two primary piers are used to load and unload large ships, while a series of smaller ones accommodate humbler vessels. This part of Saltmarsh is almost constantly busy; it's rare to see the large piers unoccupied. Guarded warehouses are a common sight in this district, and it is considered suspicious behavior to walk near those places at night. The docks are a hotbed of rumors and gossip. The sailors and laborers who frequent this area are bored, eager for news, and inclined to share what they have heard. A character who spends a few hours asking for news can learn the current scuttlebutt. The "Dock Rumors" table below can be an inspiration for the sort of whispers characters might hear. DOCK RUMORS dlO Rumor The crown dispatched a caravan with enough gold to commission six new wa rships. It went missing near the Hool Marshes. 2 Drow traders posing as surface elves have been doing business in town. 3 Someone's sabotaging fishing boats. It's those dwarves- they want to take over! 4 The king's agents have infiltrated town. It's only a matter of time before they remove the council and replace them with foppish nobles. 5 That tiefling who's looking to buy crocodile skulls can't be up to anything good. 6 A couple of fishing boats have gone missing. If the sea devils aren't behind it, I'm a merman. 7 A big critter's been going through everyone's trash at night. Something from the swamp, I'd reckonmaybe a troll. 8 Sometimes on a moonless night, you can meet the ghost of a drowned sailor trying to get home. Lead one to their home, and you'll get a wish. Fail, and they'll strangle you. 9 If you see someone at the docks wearing a red cloak after dark, slip them a copper piece and they'll connect you with smugglers from beyond this world who can sell you anything you've dreamed of. 10 It's only a matter ohime before the dwarves dig too deep and unleash something horrible. Moon OF THE TowN Saltmarsh is a place of constant energy. Pew of the common folk are so affluent that they can afford to sit idle. At sunrise, the docks bustle with fishers preparing to venture out for the day. When they return, they spend time unloading their catch, mending nets, and repairing their vessels. The merchants move their ships into the docks once the fishing fl eet is out for the day, and dock workers rush to load a nd unload goods before the boats return. The daily e nergy and bustle carries over into rowdy nights. The fishe rs chug ale and swap stories, each seeking to outdo the other with their tales of the sea. Fights erupt as rival crews cross paths, and the town guard keeps a high profile in hopes of maintaining the peace. The quantity and quality of the catch in recent days goes a long way toward determining the town's mood and general atmosphere. A bountiful catch for a few days in a row puts all the fishers in a celebratory mood, while a poor harvest that lasts more than a couple of days leads to frayed tempers and brawling. Use the following table to determine the mood around the village, rolling once every few days or choosing as you see fit. S ALTMARSH Mooo d20 Result 1-6 Poor Catch. The townsfolk are frustrated and prone to bickering; everyone is in a bad mood. 7-12 Bountiful Catch. Music and merriment echo through town as everyone celebrates. 13-20 Typical Catch. Overall, the fishers are content with their recent results. Here and there, crews boast of good pickings or bemoan their poor haul. LOCATIONS I N SALTMARSH Here is a s ummary of the notable places in Saltmars h, as depicted on map 1.1. 1. C rTY GATE Saltmarsh was built on the ruins of a much older settlement, sometimes called Old Saltmarsh or the Old Harbor. One sign of this is that the town has a small stretch of wall and a single town gate secured by two or three guards. The wall is old, crumbling, and badly worn by centuries of rain and wind coming in from the Azure Sea. The garrison at the gate consists of older guards, those nearing retirement and unwilling or unable to walk patrols. Their eyes are s harp, and they are prone to gossip. A pull from a flask of whiskey or a few silver pieces can pers uade them to provide information on recent visitors. 2. B ARRACKS AND J AIL Built on a low hill, the Saltmarsh barracks are also its jail. It is one of the few structures in Saltmarsh with an underground level. The jailer, Kraddok Stonehorn (LG male human gladiator), is an old comrade ofEliander. He is a stickler for the rules, and Eliander trusts him with his life. The jail in the cellar consists of two sections. A single large chamber holds drunks, brawling fishers, and other troublemakers who need to cool off for a few nights. The lock is high quality (requiring a successful DC 20 Dexterity check with thieves' tools to pick), and the door is built of stout wood with a small window to allow guards to check in on their charges. A side passage holds six individual cells with higher-quality locks (each requiring a successful DC 25 Dexterity check with thieves· tools to pick) and solid doors that lack windows. One cell was long ago warded against both teleportation and divination magic. Spell- ( flAl'"fER l I ~\11 M \llSll
11 casters are kept here, blindfolded and manacled. Occasionally Eliander uses this cell to conduct meetings that require the utmost secrecy. The jail is used to hold prisoners with sentences of up to a year, but those facing longer terms or sentenced to hard labor are transferred to the prison at Seaton, a larger, heavily fortified port to the east. At any given time, 2d4 guards, led by a veteran. keep watch here. 3. THE WICKER GOAT Bearing the dubious honor of being the oldest tavern in town, the Wicker Goat is owned by Lankus Kurrid (NG male human guard), a retired officer of the Keoish army who caters to the dwarven miners and town guard. The two-story building has sleeping quarters for rent on the upper floor, usually sufficient to accommodate the slow stream of travelers making their way through Saltmarsh on the way to somewhere else. Those who seek an audience with Manistrad can find her here when she's not working at the mine. She sometimes has need for adventurers to help keep the mining operation secure. Roll a d6 and consult the table below to determine the nature of an available task. d6 Task Guard a mining shaft that was recently attacked by duergar from the Underdark. 2 Escort supply wagons moving to and from Saltmarsh. 3 Explore a tunnel discovered in the mines that bears signs of troglodyte infestation. 4 Find a group of miners who went missing under· ground and may have been snatched by slavers. 5 Track down a thief who stole a shipment of expensive mining gear in Saltmarsh. 6 Locate the source of zombies and skeletons that have been sighted in the mines recently. 4. ELIANDER'S H OUSE Tucked at the edge of town and overlooking the sea, Eliander's home provides him with a relaxing sanctuary away from the bustle of Saltmarsh. Eliander maintains the largest library in town; during his days of military service, he made a hobby of collecting rare books. lf the characters need information on the history of Saltmarsh, they might find it in Eliander's archives. 5. MINING COMPANY HEADQUARTERS Once a mansion owned by a local noble family, this building was purchased by the crown and serves as the dwarven mining company's headquarters in Saltmarsh. Manistrad Copperlocks stays here when she must do business in town: otherwise. several dwarf clerks work here during the day, logging deliveries at the docks to be transported to the mine and arranging for the processed ore to be loaded on trade ships bound for distant ports. Rumors abound of a vault hidden beneath the building. In the cellar, the dwarves have dug a chamber in the earth that is sealed with a heavy iron door and a fine lock (requiring a successful DC 25 Dexterity check with thieves' tools to pick). The dwarves keep their funds here- about 1.000 gp in coins and gems, guarded by C'B\P1ERI SAlTM\R:O.H ~ four suits of animated armor and a rug of smothering left in the vault. The constructs do not attack dwarves and can be disabled for 10 minutes if the command word "Tatalot" is spoken to them. Manistrad and her close advisors know the command word. 6. KELEDEK T OWER This three-story tower is home to the town's resident sage and wizard, Keledek the Unspoken (LE male human mage). Keledek's dusky skin, bald head, and bright red silk turban-not to mention his height of nearly 7 feet-make him an unmistakable figure in town. Keledek came to town years ago from Ket. a distant kingdom held in a mix of contempt, mistrust, and fear by the locals. Rumor around town claims that speaking his name aloud allows Keledek to eavesdrop on a conversation for a short time. In truth, Keledek relies on his familia r, an imp named Zivmal, to spy on the townsfolk. Keledek is a close associate of Gellan Primewater. He uses his magic to help a gang of smugglers based out of the nearby Tower of Zenopus in exchange for rare spell components and magic items. 7. FAITHFUL QUARTERMASTERS OF Iuz A trade delegation led by Captain Xendros (CE female tiefting priest) has come to Saltmarsh to acquire large quantities of fish (salted and preserved for transport) in the name ofluz, a mighty cambion and demigod who rules much of the distant north. luz's realm does not produce enough food to feed all its citizens, so it relies on imports for the rest, and Saltmarsh is one of its major suppliers. The minions of Juz have only rarely come into direct conflict with Keoland, and its ongoing war with Keoland's rivals makes the nation an acceptable trade partner in the eyes of the king. The emissaries from Iuz pay on time and they buy shiploads of fish at once, so no one inquires too closely into the captain's sepulchral voice or her penchant for wearing gold jewelry etched with grim designs. Xendros sometimes has need for adventurers. She is particu larly interested in tracking down an apparatus of Kwalish. If news of one reaches her. she offers magic items to those willing to recover it for her (short of an artifact, she can supply anything if given enough time to send word to Tuz). If her offer is rebuked. agents of Iuz conjure a team of demonic assassins to take the device and spirit it back to luz's realm. 8. EMPTY NET Partially supported by stilts driven into the harbor waters. this rickety tavern is purportedly a haven for smugglers, mercenaries, assassins and even pirates. The owner, Kreb Shenker (NE male human thug), takes coin from anyone and asks no questions. Troublemakers are thrown out the door, over the railing, and into the reeking harbor. Characters looking to carouse find this the best place for a rowdy night of drinking and brawling. The town guard comes here only if called. Kreb works with Gellan Primewater to screen prospective buyers and sellers for smuggled wares. He also recruits local toughs and sailors for Gellan's ventures, but he prefers those who are business-minded and less likely to cause trouble.
100 o I zr MllP 1.L • VILLAGE OF SAL T'>IARSH 500 I ... SALTMARSH .. :~:.: - .. ... _"~ ·· ~,,;;;:· •• t.- ·· ·-- -~ ~ .~ 1000 I 2000 !feet .. __.. "--V- w
Ill 9. GREEN MARKET A strip of open land that is the place for everything that isn't fish, salt, or nautical wares, this market stretches among a dozen stalls down to the bridge. A few goats. eggs, cloth, marsh plants, and pots are available, as well as the occasional mule or ox for hauling carts. 10. SHARKFIN B RIDGE This single large bridge spans the river, with shops and homes along its length. The bridge predates the village and is large enough for laden carts to pass two abreast. Elves and fey folk feel vaguely nauseated when they cross the bridge, owing to an ancient curse placed on it long before Keoland rose to existence. 11. KESTER'S LEATHER Gooos Kiorna Kester (LN female human commoner) runs this tannery. where she produces smooth, colorful leather for every purpose and sells both the cured hides and items she fashions from it. Kiorna is keenly interested in acquiring hides from exotic creatures to craft into expensive leather. She pays a fee in gold pieces equal to 100 times a creature's challenge rating for the intact hide of any beast or monstrosity of challenge rating 3 or higher. Harvesting the hide from such a creature requires an intact carcass, an hour of work. and a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Wisdom (Survival) check to preserve it in top condition for Kiorna's purposes. On a failed check. the hide docs not meet Kiorna's standards but can still be sold for a lesser price. 12. HOOLWATCH TOWER This 60-foot-tall tower was the first defensive building of Saltmarsh. and it still serves as an armory and lookout as well as the official base oft he town guard. Eliander spends most of his time here in his duties as commander of the guard. He sometimes has need for adventurers, and at such times he posts jobs on a board hanging by the tower's entrance. Roll a d6 and consult the table below to determine the nature of an available task. d6 Goal Foes Location Recover stolen Goblins Hool Marshes goods 2 Apprehend a Wild beasts Hool Marshes wanted criminal 3 Rescue a captive Bandits Dreadwood 4 Defeat a threat Cultists Dreadwood 5 Find a lost patrol Bullywugs Drowned Forest 6 Scout a dangerous Un dead Azure Sea area 13. THE SNAPPING LINE This popular inn and tavern is bui lt from the planks and hulls of half a dozen decommissioned fishing ships. Its decor is predictably nautical in theme. and its sleeping rooms are plain but comfortable renditions of a ship's cabins. The smell of fish has never been scrubbed from its walls, and chose who stay the night find their belongings steeped in the scent, which lasts for several days. Sailors and fishers gather here to trade stories and drink into the night. <,JI \l'fl·R I S~I rM.-\RSll The Snapping Line is run by a young woman named Hanna Rist (NG female human commoner), who comes from a family of well-known lobster catchers. The Rist family also makes a spirit from lobster meat and potatoes called claw wine; it is, to put it mildly, an acquired taste. Hanna employs several former dockhands to keep peace in her bar. 14. COUNCIL HALL This large brick building contains the offices of the town council and the chamber where they meet to discuss the town business. The hall is built from sturdy stone from the nearby cliffs and a variety of hardwood from the nearby Hool Marshes. A wooden sign depicting a net filled with fish hangs above the double doors leading into the hall. A small tower rises from the building. housing a horn at the top, which is blown to announce the beginning of a council session or other significant events. The town has a sturdy but weatherbeaten platform and gallows in front of the hall for use in the event of an execution. Such punishments are rare, but when they do occur, they draw a large crowd. In any given week, there is a 2 percent chance of an execution, usually of some bandit or other non-native ne'er-do-well. 15. WEEKLY MARKET Built around the first well dug for the fishers in the town's early days is a large market square where merchants of all descriptions gather on the first day of each week to sell their wares. Initially established to sell fish, the market has grown to include a wide variety of goods. The center area of the square contains a dozen long tables where shoppers can eat communally. Items from the Player's Handbook costing up to 150 gp are available for purchase here. 16. PRJMEWATER MANSTON Gellan Primewater maintains a large mansion right on the docks, allowing him to oversee his ships from his upstairs window. He sometimes leans out to shout orders or answer questions for his captains and crews, his booming voice echoing over the docks. The location or his house also makes it convenient for his smugglers; the crews slip goods through a secret entrance that leads to his mansion's cellar. The mansion's most notable feature is its grand entryway and feast hall. Gellan hosts at least one extravagant feast per week. headlined by food and drink bought in distant ports. His cook, a young gnome named Feliza. sometimes hires adventurers to find rare herbs, meats, and other ingredients for her dishes. 17. THE 0WARVEN ANVIL The blacksmith's forge has a single anvil with a clear sign of dwarven origins, and a backlog of orders ten miles long. The human smiths make hooks, nails, harpoons, knives, fishing weights. and much more all day. Their master smith is an elderly. dark-skinned woman named Mafera (LG female human commoner): her son, Jasker (LG male human commoner). is her best journeyman. A small shrine to Morad in can be found under the eaves as well. though it is somewhat neglected.
Some of the dwarves associated with the new mining operation wouJd like to know how a human came into ownership of such fine dwarven tools. A few suspect treachery and might hire the characters to break into this place and make off with anything that "rightfully" belongs to the dwarves. 18. FISHMONGERS' PLANTS The large fish-processing buildings in this area reek of prosperity (and fish). All are engaged in salting or brining the catch brought in by the fleet. Most of the time these places are busy, and the workers have little time for chatter. 19. 0WELAND HOUSE The Oweland family has owned this sprawling mansion for generations. Despite the family's wealth, the building is a sprawling collection of new construction, expansions, and additions. Each generation of the family has added to the building to accommodate the clan's growth. The family takes in fishers who have fallen on hard times, sharing their wealth with others until they can recover. The sprawling, mazelike interior of the Oweland house has spawned rumors of hidden passages and secret chambers within it. The family once engaged in smuggling, and several hidden tunnels run from the cellars beneath the mansion to points out of town. Skerrin Wavechaser has discovered a few that are unknown even to the family. 20. SOLMOR HOUSE The Solmor family owns several buildings in this modest complex. The largest is the personal mansion of the Solmor family. Three smaller buildings house servants, employees of the family's trading fleet, and secure storage for expensive goods. The Solmor family maintains a cadre of a dozen guards led by four vete rans (all LE humans). These mercenaries report to Skerrin, and though they outwardly serve the Solmors, their loyalty is to the Scarlet Brotherhood. Despite the Brotherhood's infiltration of this place, Skerrin takes pains to avoid leaving any incriminating evidence lying about. His eidetic memory allows him to burn any notices and reports he receives after reading them, though at times he can be careless and leave partially burned scraps of paper in his garbage. 21. MARINERS' GUILDHALL The mariners' guild serves all the towns along the coast, providing a bunk and a meal for sailors passing through. Sea captains in search of a crew stop here, as do others seekjng news from afar. The guildhall is an excellent place to discuss seafaring. as well as the various threats to navigation along the coast. 22. !NGO THE DROVER'S HOUSE General Illinar the Fifth is a disgraced human general of the Great Kingdom. currently living in Saltmarsh and trying to stay one step ahead of the Overking's assassins after he supported an unsuccessful bid to usurp the throne. He goes by the name lngo the Drover here and is slowly building a reputation as a good source for guards, marines, and muscle when sailing through difficult waters. His only link to his prior life is his campaign medals- souvenfrs that remind him of his former glories even if their discovery would reveal his past. He keeps a s hield guardian in his home, a last, hidden resort to foil any attempts on his life. lngo (LN male human gladiator) tries to keep a low profile. He avoids taking sides in any conflict, but if his cover comes under pressure, he can be compelled to throw in with one faction or the other. He has a good friendship with Eliander. The two sometimes meet for a drink and share stories of their experiences in the military. Although fngo tries to keep his stories vague enough to maintain his cover, Eliander suspects his true origin. 23 . CARPENTERS' GUILDHALL Run by a snobby gnome named Jilar Kanklesten (N female gnome commoner), the carpenters' guild has plenty of work building houses, assembling fish barrels, repairing docks, and much more. The whole building is a marvel of workmanship, made without a single nail. jilar is obsessed with rare woods; she pays handsomely for adventurers to make expeditions in search of specific trees in the Hool Marshes, the Drowned Porest, and the Dreadwood. Roll a d8 and consult the table below if the characters seek work from her. d8 Object The branch of a tree used to hang a murderer 2 Splinters from a tree struck by lightning 3 A shard of a treant's bark, given freely 4 A wooden stake used to impale a vampire 5 Tendrils harvested from a shambling mound 6 Deck planks stolen from a pirate ship 7 Log taken from the Hool Marshes, transported in swamp water 8 Wood from a shipwreck 24. CRABBER'S COVE Just east of the docks, built along the shores of a secluded bay, are a handful of buildings known collectively as Crabber's Cove. The buildings are weathered, abandoned by the residents of Saltmarsh years ago. Since then, thousands of crabs have taken up residence in the crumbling remains. Crabbers from Saltmarsh are cautious about the cove, as more than one overeager fisher has disappeared into the clacking darkness. never to be seen again. Unknown to the folk of Saltmarsh, a vampire named Xolec is trapped in a hidden cellar beneath one of the old cabins. Xolec was buried in an ancient tomb, unleashed on Saltmarsh decades ago when his sealed coffin was brought to town by a trader and opened. A cleric of St. Cuthbert confronted him, but she wasn't able to destroy him. Instead, she trapped him here by means of a powerful curse: Xolec can leave the cellar only if someone pure of heart carries him from it. Xolec is best left trapped, except for one detail: by a stroke of fate, agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood use the cabin above him for clandestine meetings. He knows the full details of their operarion and Skerrin's role in it. He trades this information for his freedom if confronted by adventurers. CHAPTER l ''°'I TM -\R~H
PROCAN, SAILOR OF S EA ANO SKY Procan is a chaotic neutral deity of the sea and weather. He offers his clerics access to the Tempest domain. He is embodied in the sudden storm that overtakes a ship, battering it with monstrous waves and howling winds that give way to peaceful waters and calm weather in the space ofa moment. Procan's domain is the sea. and whatever the oceans touch, he bears witness to. His mood shifts to darkness as he witnesses a brutal murder on the docks of a squalid port, then lifts in pride as he watches a brave mariner leap into the sea and save a drowning child. Every story of the oceans courses through his mind, and he in each moment curses and blesses mortals for their endless follies, heroism, and hatreds. When the sea reaches its limit at the shore, so too does Procan's power. His clerics and priests rarely venture inland, and he cares little for what happens beyond his waters. At sea, he expects sacrifices in the form of fine food, potent alcohol, or valuable treasures thrown overboard at the start of a voyage. Due to this ritual, Procan holds all treasures lost at sea as part of his domain. He curses those who plunder shipwrecks without the blessings of his clerics, dogging their steps with wretched weather until his attention is drawn elsewhere. Procan's clerics reAect their deity's chaotic nature. They seek omens of his moods in the weather and sky, and mirror their own demeanor to match their deity's. 25. T HE L EAP The Leap is an outcropping of rock nearly a hundred feet above the churning water below. Several stone benches stand near this precipitous edge, and a few stone markers sit in the tall grass nearby. Traditionally. the people of Sahmarsh leap from the cliffs into the water below when a loved one drowns at sea. The jump is usually not fatal: the water below the Leap is free of rocks. and it is a short swim back to dry land. 26. T EMPLE OF PROCAN Services at this long-standing sea god's temple are well attended. The congregation is led by a one-legged former whaler: Wellgar Brinehanded (CG male human priest), an older human man with a sharp memory for every storm, lost ship, and enormous catch ever brought into Saltmarsh harbor. He knows many fanciful stories of shipwrecks. lucky escapes. and famous captains. Matters ashore rarely interest him, but the temple and its bell tower are also served by a half-dozen novitiates and laypeople who keep things running smoothly. Wellgar uses the blessings of Procan to seek out shipwrecks in order to recover the remains of sailors for a proper burial. He is willing to trade cleric spells of up to 5th level. including raise dead. in return for recovery of the remains he seeks. 27. SALTMARSH CEMETERY The town's cemetery is well-kept, but many of its graves are little more than memorial stones laid for those who died at sea. Krag (NG male half-ore com moner) is the town gravedigger, as well as something of a town historian and local loremaster. He has conducted extensive research into the folk buried here and events in the re- ( HAPTP.H I SAIT~ARSll gion. He can be an invaluable resource for adventurers seeking information and is especially helpful to those who can help him with his research. In his spare time, Krag helps organize and translate Eliander's library. He keeps a room in the guard commander's home, and the two are close friends. 28. WINSTON'S STORE The owner of this establishment. a rerired rogue, knows a great deal about the Hool Marshes. Winston (N male halfling bandit) spent years as an outlaw lurking in the marshes before a raid on an army payroll caravan netted him enough loot to open a business. The increased presence of law enforcement in Saltmarsh has him on edge, and he is concerned that his involvement in the heist will emerge. In the meantime, he does business with sailors, adventurers, and those who need "solid goods at honest prices." as he often says. Winston has a few maps of the marshes, and those who intend to explore that area often consult with him for guidance. 29. SEA GROVE OF 0BAD- HAI Open to the air and set in a grove outside town, the sea-grove is a gathering place for seagulls, sailors, and swamp folk, as well as an information market for traders and trappers. Ferrin Kastilar (NG male halfling druid). a somewhat melancholy individual of middle years, tends the shrine with his bullfrog companion. Lorys. Ferrin always keeps an eye out for rumors of aberrations in the wild. He also has contacts with the elves of the Dreadwood. and they send word to him if a monster escapes that forest and heads in the direction of Saltmarsh. If news of an aberration reaches him, he hires adventurers to stalk and kill the creature. 30. STANDING STONES Two enormous runcstones stand on this island. In ages past, a siren was chained to the stones here and sacrificed by an evil human tribe as an offering to the sea. Since then, the fishing in the region has flourished. The siren's spirit was captured in the stones, and her captivating song continues to echo through the weave and draw fish to the area. The siren's sisters and allies, among them a powerful djinn, have scoured the planes in search of her spirit for centuries. DOWNTIME ACTIVIT IES Saltmarsh provides a haven for adventurers between expeditions, and the characters can spend that time engaged in various tasks around town. The following options build on the downtime activities discussed in chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook. Characters can pursue them to make some additional money or strengthen their ties to Saltmarsh. The activities given here are based on the ones presented in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. lfyou have that supplement. consider using the guidelines for rivals and the complications attached to some of the activities given in that book. You can also offer other activities as you see fit. The ones detailed below are specific to Saltmarsh.
BUYING AND SELLING MAGIC ITEMS Captain Xendros of the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz has magic items for sale and can also broker the sale of magic items. Any such item comes with a mild curse, however. Anyone attuned to the item can be targeted by a detect thoughts spell cast by Xendros. with no limit on range; any saving throws triggered by the spell automatically fail; :ind the target has no knowledge of the casting. This curse can be detected by casting an identify spell on the item and succeeding on a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The check can be attempted once per casting. BUYING ITEMS Xendros asks for a 50 gp retainer to engage her services as an item broker each week, and the process consumes a character's effort for a week as it involves multiple meetings to haggle over prices, specific desired features, and so on. If the characters pay the retainer, roll twice on Magic Item Table F and once each on tables A, B, C, D, and E in the Dungeon Master's Guide to determine which magic items Xendros has on offer in any given week. (Unsold items are shipped elsewhere and regularly replaced with new options.) If the characters want a specific item, Xendros can fulfill a request for an item from Table For Table G with ld4 weeks of work. Her asking price is based on the item's rarity. as given in the table below, but she might also be willing to part with an item in return for a favor. She especially wants to see Keoland's ambitions for Saltmarsh foiled, and she might try to enlist the characters in a plot to ruin the mining efforts. Rarity Common Uncommon Rare Very rare Legendary SELLING ITEMS Asking Price 75 gp 300 gp 2,500 gp 25,000 gp 50,000 gp Xendros is always on the lookout for items she can buy for resale. Since she must make a profit on any item she buys, she offers half of her standard asking price for any items offered by a character. Completing the transaction takes a week of effort from the character; before the deal can be made final, Xendros uses her magic to ensure that the item is authentic and arranges for a ship in port to transport the item to the distant land of Juz. CAROUSING Saltmarsh has several taverns that provide plenty of opportunities for adventurers to spend their money on fine food and strong drink. Carousing gives the characters a chance to make contacts in town. A week of carousing costs 2d10 gp as you lavish money on food and drink for yourself and others. When carousing, pick a single tavern in town to frequent. At the end of the week, you earn a contact in town. You can have a maximum number of contacts in town equal to l + your Charisma bonus (minimum of 1). The nature of the contacts depends on the chosen tavern. The OM creates a specific contact, such as the bartender at the appropriate tavern or a specific person you have connected with. Optionally. the DM can instead allow you to declare an NPC as a contact when you meet them, provided that the individual fits the contact type. In this case. you recognize the NPC as a pal from your time spent carousing. In either case, that individual acts as a trusted friend and offers help as necessary. though they are unwi lling to risk their life or possessions. CAROUSING CONTACTS Tavern The Snapping Line The Empty Net The Wicker Goat RESEARCH Contact Type Fishers, sailors, laborers Smugglers, criminals Dwarves, town guard Krag is always open to recruiting someone to help organize Eliander's library and take care of things in the graveyard. In return for help with his day job. Krag grants access to the library and can help conduct re· search. His expert command of local history makes him a useful contact. He has no shortage of semi-interesting tales about notorious fish and monstrous pirates. Cit \PTI ~ 1 ~A I l'\lA RSll I')
l!O WAGES AND R ESEARCH You can spend a week working with Krag, helping tend the graveyard during the day and organizing Eliander's library in the evenings. You earn enough money to afford a modest lifestyle. You also learn one piece of lore regarding the region around Saltmarsh. That lore is the equivalent of one true statement about a person, place, or thing found within 25 miles of town. The DM is the final arbiter on the exact information learned, but it is likely something that helps you solve a problem or make progress with a task. EMPLOYMENT Characters who are interested in making a fair wage for little risk can find jobs around town. Having a job can also enable a character to come to the attention of one of Saltmarsh's leaders. The employment opportunities below are tailored to each of those individuals, including: • Hiring on with the Oweland family to work on a fishing boat • Joining the guard and report to Eliander Fireborn • Taking short-term work in Gellan Primewater's smuggling operation Mining or other forms of manual labor with the dwarves led by Manistrad Copperlocks Laboring on the docks, loading and unloading ships for Anders Solmor's trading company For each week of employment, you earn the coin needed to sustain a modest lifestyle. There is also a chance that you attract the notice of the prominent person associated with your job. At the end of each week, make a DC 15 Charisma check. On a success, you earn the opportunity to request an audience with that person. MERCENARY WORK Ingo the Drover is always on the lookout for skilled mercenaries to fu lfill the contracts offered to him. He has a particular need for those who can serve as caravan guards, personal protection for merchants, and sentries aboard docked ships. For each week of mercenary work, you earn the coin needed to sustain a modest lifestyle and an extra 2d10 gp. Additionally, roll a d20 at the end of each week. On a 19 or higher, you earn a bonus of 3d20 gp due to the unexpectedly dangerous nature of your most recent assignment. SALTMARSH REGION The land near Saltmarsh is safe for travelers, as are the roads that cut through the region. Small farms and manor houses dot the area, many maintained by army veterans who were granted land by royal decree. A number of small halfling villages are scattered around the area, located just off the main roads. Such locations consist of several farmhouses clustered around a pub that provides a warm welcome to visitors who come in peace. Once one journeys off the beaten path, however, a variety of threats emerge from the swampy wilderness. Map l.2 shows Saltmarsh and the surrounding area, where all of the following sites and features are located. l.H.\PT~K I I !s\lTM \KS!i ROA DS AND PATHWAYS The roads around Saltmarsh are heavily patrolled, part of the crown's effort to make its influence felt in the region. Travel along these thoroughfares is usually safe, with most encounters involving merchant caravans, guard patrols, and fellow travelers. Small farms and manors cluster near the roads, relying on passing guard patrols for their safety. Where these settlements grow more widely spaced, bandit raids become more likely. Travelers on the road meet ld4 caravans per day and have a 5 percent chance of being the target of an ambush by 2d4 bandits led by a bandit captain. In addition, each day on the road a party passes ld3 small villages or manors. There is a 25 percent chance that any such location is inhabited by halflings. Otherwise, the location is a human enclave. POINTS OF INTEREST Beyond Saltmarsh are a number of locations that characters can visit. Providing in-depth detail in for all of them is beyond the scope of this book, but enough information is provided to create a foundation for further development. ABBEY ISLE This island south of Saltmarsh is the featured location in the adventure /s/e of the Abbey. The island is the site of a small abbey that was long ago abandoned by the order of monks that buiJt it. Since then, various outlaw gangs and monsters have claimed it as a lair. BURLE Burle is a fortified outpost that is always on guard for monsters emerging from the Dreadwood. It serves as a key stopover point for travelers venturing inland from the southern coastal region. The community is dominated by a small keep set atop a hill that overlooks the forest it borders. A few farms cluster around it, the locals relying on the royal garrison to keep them safe from marauders. Burle's most distinctive feature is the small copse of trees that grows in the middle of the keep. An ancient treant named Wander Root dwells in the keep and acts as an informal ambassador between the humans of Keoland and the wood elves and good-aligned fey of the Dreadwood. Years ago, the knights of Keoland helped the denizens of the forest defeat an incursion by cultists worshiping elemental evil fire. Since then, the elves, the treants, and the crown of Keoland have observed the Wild Flame Pact- a treaty that calls for mutual defense against the Dreadwood's horrors. The outpost is commanded by its castellan, Kiara Shadowbreaker (LG female half-elf knight), who has led many successful raids into the Dreadwood. Kiara is a grim figure, always cognizant of the threat posed by the forest's denizens. She sees trouble behind every piece of news, and she keeps the warriors and rangers headquartered here ready to fight at a moment's notice. She is especially keen to hear news about the Scarlet Brotherhood. Kiara is convinced that the organization poses
a dire threat to the region but has failed to uncover concrete evidence of its meddling. She suspects that Duke Feldren of Seaton has been compromised by Scarlet Brotherhood agents, and she surreptitiously seeks to hire spies who could investigate him in search of proof. Burle provides a safe resting place before and during expeditions into the Hool Marshes or the Dreadwood. Kiara offers a bounty equal to 5 gp per H it Die for any aberration, elemental, or outlaw slain in the region. She keeps a bounty board just outside Burle's gates, which occasionally offers larger rewards for the capture or killing of specific monsters or criminals. DWARVEN MINE Owarven prospectors have toiled in this new mine for the past three years. Soldiers from Keoland's royal army are stationed here for security alongside dwarf fighters from the Copperlocks clan. Travelers in need of shelter can rest on cots in the guard towers that surround the place, but only those with business related to the mine are allowed inside the gates without supervision. The mine is a broad shaft dug into a steep hillside near the shore. Stone walls encompass it, with two guard towers overlooking the main gate and three other towers spaced evenly around the perimeter. The inner area contains a small village with warehouses, workshops, and houses, all erected during the time when the excavation was beginning and enormous amounts of stone became available for building. The laborers also took the time to build a tavern, the Miner's Respite, and spend their off hours there drinking, swapping tales, and gambling. The game of darts has become an obsession among the bored miners and soldiers, and anyone with real skill at the game has a chance of talking their way past the guard at the door to engage in a match. HAUNTED HOUSE This abandoned house is the center of the action in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Use the description from chat adventure for this place. The haunted house can be a useful location for smugglers who operate in the Saltmarsh area. Gellen Primewater relies on this drop point to conduct much of his business. LIZARDFOLK LAIR This location is featured in Danger at Dunwater. Use the description from that adventure for this place. The lizardfolk here view the area around the swamp as their domain. They threaten intruders to warn them off, attacking only those who insist on remaining in the area. The lizard folk arc not only guarding their territ0ry, they are protecting a young black dragon. It has ordered them to keep its existence secret while it seeks to build an army of followers and one day emerge to conquer the surrounding area. GllAl'lcR I S.\l nH 'll! 21
SAHUAGIN FORTRESS This rocky outcropping sits atop a submerged fortress occupied by the fearsome sahuagin. This place is fulJy detailed in The Final Enemy. This lair is an underwater stronghold maintained by the sahuagin. From here, they prey on passing ships and plot to grow in strength to the point that they can lay waste to Saltmarsh. A total of thirty sahuagin. a sahuagin priestess. and a sahuagin baron lair here. SEATON The folk of Saltmarsh point to Seaton as an example of the fate they want to avoid. For years. Seaton was about twice as large as Saltmarsh and enjoyed prosperous fishing and shipping industries. When King Kimbertos Skotli turned his attention south to deal with the Sea Princes. his admirals chose Seaton as the location for an important military port. Today, Seaton has been transformed from a robust fishing town into a drab fortress. Sealon's harbor is heavily fortified, and a large garrison of naval ships, infantry, and cavalry serves as the primary defense point for the region. Duke Marik Feldren (CN male human knight) rules over the town in his capacity of governor of the southern province that includes Seaton. King Skotti actually granted Marik's older brother, the war hero Obertus Feldren, governorship of the province. But the affable duke·s reign was short-lived, for he fell ill and died a year later. The title fell to Marik, a sheltered hothead eager to surpass his brother's legend. He considers the natives of the region as cowards who hid away in their isolated villages while the north suffered its losses. He further believes that his brother. who had a genuine fondness for the local fishers and traders. was laid low by traitors in service to the Sea Princes. Duke Feldren intends to raise taxes to fund an aggressive expansion of the royal navy and launch raids against the Sea Princes' domain. The Scarlet Brotherhood, for its part. is delighted by Duke Feldren's plans to keep the pot stirred. If the opportunity arises, the Brotherhood might plant evidence of plots against him to feed the duke's suspicion of the locals and, with luck, spark civil unrest that tempts the Sea Princes into making incursions into the area. TOWER OF ZENOPUS The wizard Zenopus once dwelled in this tower on the cliffs outside Saltmarsh. He built his lair next to the remains of an ancient graveyard rumored to be haunted. One night. the tower was engulfed in a fiery green aura. A few brave folks from town investigated the tower and found it abandoned. The door at the base of the cellar stairs was covered with strange symbols and wrapped in silver chains. An explorer tried to open the door. but a jolt of lightning from the door·s runes nearly killed her. Shortly afterward, strange spirits and capering fey were seen atop the tower. After a few travelers went missing nearby. the town council asked a Keoish galleon to bombard the structure with catapult fire until it was battered into rubble. Cll'\l'HRI S\lfMH!Sll Since then, the ruins have been largely forgotten. The exception is Keledek the Unspoken. the town wizard, who used magic to open the cellar door and found that the passages led to a hidden sea cave. He uses the cave as a meeting point for smugglers. He has recruited several goblins to keep watch over the place, along with a trained giant constrictor snake he raised from a hatchling. The goblins barricaded several passages leading deeper into the dungeons after losing several of their number to ghouls and giant rats that emerged from the depths. Keledek is loath to tell anyone about his secret stronghold, but he can't shake the idea of following the deeper passages for the chance of unearthing Zenopus's lost secrets. If the characters earn his trust, he might take them into his confidence. The details of the deep dungeons are left to the DM's invention. GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES The lands around Saltmarsh are filled with peril, since much of the region is untamed wilderness. Even though the Kingdom of Keoland has grand ambitions, its focus in the south remains on the sea. The crown does its best to make sure the roads are safe, but otherwise it is generally content to leave the monsters and vicious tribes of the wilds alone as long as they remain in their habitats. THE DREADWOOD Long a home of horrid monsters and vicious raiders, the Dreadwood hides within its borders a multitude of terrors. Keoland maintains ranger patrols that sweep through the outer reaches of the forest periodically, while several wood elf clans dwell at its edge. The two forces are generally successful at keeping the monsters of the Dreadwood in check. but at times a threat that avoids them or overcomes them emerges to wreak havoc across the land. The inner depths of the Dreadwood are a place where the planar bindings between Oerth and the Shadowfell are thin. Undead creatures and villainous monsters that seek to tap into the essence of the Shadowfell thrive deep in the forest. Its innermost reaches mingle with that dark rea lm, forming a warped mirror version of the Dreadwood that extends into that plane. One of the Dreadwood·s most powerful denizens is a truly ancient night hag named Granny Nightshade, who dwells in the deepest depths of the forest. She commands magic as well as a mighty wizard does and has struck bargains with several dukes of the Nine HeJJs. Her twisted fortress. Castle Spiral, stands at the nexus point between the Shadowfcll and Oerth. and from its gates emerge sk eletons. zombies, shadows. and other horrors to threaten the land. Granny ightshade countsjackalweres as her foremost minions. and she has also acquired the services of goblins. ores, hobgoblins, ogres. and trolls over the years. Green hags bound to her service act as baronesses who enforce her will over their section of the forest, and an elite guard of twenty-three oni acts as her personal messengers and enforcers. She keeps three consorts. powerful vampires that struggle among themselves for her favor.
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------ ·.q Outer Fringe. The outermost reaches of the Dreadwood are as lightly wooded as those of any other forest and extend five to ten miles into the woods. This part of the forest is as safe as any other woodland, thanks to frequent ranger and elf patrols that keep the denizens of the deeper forest at bay if they try co encroach here. Owlbears, wolves, and a few bandit gangs that elude the notice of the patrols represent the most common threats to explorers or travelers. Middle Reaches. Inside the outer fringe, the forest takes on an increasingly sinister character. Even on the brightest days, the thick canopy of greenery threatens to devour the sunlight. Throughout this middle area, bright light extends no more than 20 feet from any source of illumination, with the normal area of bright light beyond that range reduced to dim light and dim light turned to darkness. Those who travel without a source of light during the day find that the thick canopy casts everything in dim light, and in some areas the growth overhead is so thick that the area below is dark. Dreaded Deeps. In the heart of the forest, natural light is unknown. Each step a traveler takes when moving through the middle reaches toward the center seems to dim the sun's light a little more. until one enters the dreaded deeps, where the forest growth is so heavy that it blots out the sky. Sources of bright light shine out to only a JO.foot radius. with any normally bright illumination beyond that turned to dim light and dim light made dark. Even darkvision suffers. since it functions here at a maximum range of 30 feet. Dark Dreams. Taking a long rest anywhere in the Dreadwood carries with it the risk of drawing Granny Nightshade's attention. Each resting character must roll a d20. On a roll of 1. the character suffers horrible dreams that leave them marked by the forest. Creatures of the Dreadwood gain advantage on all attacks against them for the next day and know the character's name and personal details, calling to them to journey deeper into the forest and serve beside their mistress. Random Encounters. The Dreadwood Random Encounters table provides ideas for the sort of encounters that can take place here. Check for an encounter once per day by rolling a d20. On an 18 or higher, the cha racters have an encounter at some point during the day or night (equal chance of each). The nature of the encounter depends on which region of the forest the characters are located in. DREADWOOD RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Outer Fringe Middle Reaches Dreaded Deeps 1-3 2d6 goblins 2d6 skeletons 4d6 skeletons 4-5 2d6 elf veterans ldlO zombies 3d10 zombies 6-7 3d6 bandits 2d6 hobgoblins 3d4 ghouls 8- 9 2d4 jackalweres ld6 bugbears 2d6 specters 10 3d6 stirges 2d4 ghouls 2d4 wights 11 ld3 vine blights l d6 specters ld6 vampire spawn 12 2d4 hobgoblins ld4 green hags ld6 wraiths 13 ld3 dire wolves l banshee 2d6 mummies 14 1 d4 green hags 1 night hag 2d4 + 2 shadows 15 1 d3 treants l lamia ld3 vampires en Al' 1 r.R 1 I s \t rM ·\R"H ~ d20 Outer Fringe Middle Reaches Dreaded Deeps 16 2d4 kobolds ld3 wraiths ld3 night hags 17 1 unicorn ld3 gorgons 2d4 shambling mounds 18 1 troll ld3 mummies ld4 oni 19 2d6 hobgoblins 1 d4 + 1 s hadows 1 adult green dragon 20 l d3 ogres l vampire l death knight DROWNED FOREST Perched at the edge of the Hool Marshes, the Drowned Forest was once a verdant region. A few decades ago. the marsh began to encroach on this area. As the water level rose, the forest was transformed into a more foreboding place. Shambling mounds and blights appeared in the forest in increasing numbers while the water rotted away the trees themselves. In time, strange mushrooms a nd fungus sprouted throughout the woods. Today, the Drowned Forest is perhaps the most dangerous location in the region. The trees remain standing, but they long ago lost their foliage and are little more than dead, rotting timbers projecting out of the mud. Mushrooms and other fungi sprout everywhere. A thick cloud of spores fills the air and blots out the sun. allowing the unnatural growths to fiourish. Abyssal Incursion. The Drowned Forest is the site of an ongoing Abyssal assault. Years ago. a group of cultists dedicated to Zuggtmoy shambled into the forest. They had long ago succumbed to the fungal spores that made them into thralls. and Zuggtmoy had a plan in mind for them. The cultists possessed a twisted decanter of endless water that tapped into the seas of the Abyss. By shattering the vessel. they created an unstable portal to that awful realm. Luckily for the folk of the region, Zuggtmoy was imprisoned in the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil before her plan was complete. Without their mistress's direction, the cultists fell to infighting. Today, Abyssal portals still sometimes draw demons to the world, and the fungal spores spread by the cult have transformed the forest into a deadly realm. Fungal Spores. The air in the forest is thick with sickly-colored fungal spores that make breathing difficult at times. Characters who expend Hit Dice while in the forest regain only half their normal hit points, and after each long rest a character's maximum hit points decrease by 1 per Hit Die. This reduction ends the next time a character completes a long rest outside the Drowned Forest. Malevolent Fungi. A variety of strange, twisted fungi grow among the rotting trees of this region. If a fight breaks out, roll a d20. On a 15 or higher. ld6 violet fungi erupt from where they are hidden around the area among debris and mu ndane plants and mushrooms. The perpetually soggy fungi tend to attack the loudest interlopers. Shriekers' Call. it's difficult to travel unnoticed in this place because of shriekers that are found throughout the forest. Rather than check for random encounters as normal. once per day have each character make their choice of a Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Nature) check. If any character's check total is 20 or higher, the
group's journey passes safely. Otherwise, if more of the party's check totals are less than 10 than greater than 10, the party accidentally stumbles across and awakens a stand of shriekers. Their keening wail draws monsters to the area. Forest Oddities. The Abyssal influence on this region is responsible for a variety of strange effects and weird events. You can use the Drowned Forest Oddities table to inject a sense of the surreal as characters travel through the region. Roll a d20 or pick from the table once per day of travel, and add new elements of your own invention if you use up the table's entries. DROWNED FOREST ODDITIES dl 0 Encounter A human zombie is chained to a wooden stake driven into the ground. The remains of many other zombies lie nearby. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals evidence that the zombie is being used as target practice. 2 A 20-foot-diameter hut made from animal bones and dry branches looms out of the swamp. The floor of the hut is covered with humanoid teeth. 3 Visible from half a mile away, smoke rises from a shrine built on large stones and dedicated to Semuanya, god of the lizardfolk. 4 A hunter's shack has been overtaken by slimy moss. Inside the shack, a humanoid skeleton lies on the earthen floor; its exploded chest is, mysteriously, the source of the moss. S A 20-foot-diameter pit is filled with fetid seawater. Zombified starfish, anemones, and other tiny, harmless aquatic beasts dwell in the stinking pond. 6 A pile of rusted farm tools sits in the center of a 20-foot·diameter clearing. 7 An abandoned carriage is home to a black pudding. A variety of fancy but acid-scorched clothing lies gummed within the cab. 8 An intact sailing ship sits in the branches of a low-growing grove of trees. The branches move in the wind and emulate the motion of the sea. 9 A 40-foot-tall sculpture of a toad made from animal waste emits a foul smell discernible from up to a mile away. Five swarms ofinsects gather around it. 10 A SO-foot-diameter pool of pure clean drinking water calls out to creatures who are within 100 feet of it. Those who understand at least one language hear their names being called. Random Encounters. The Drowned Forest Random Encounters table provides ideas for the sorts of encounters that can take place here. Check for an encounter once per day by rolling a d20 (if the characters do not already attract monsters by stumbling across shriekers). On an 18 or higher, the characters have an encounter at some point during the day or night (equal chance of each); roll a d20 again and consult the table. DROWNED FOREST RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Encounter 1-3 ld4 awakened trees 4- 5 2d6 zombies 6-7 ld3 shambling mounds 8-9 2d4 myconid adults and 1 myconid sovereign 10 3d6 stirges 11 1 d3 trolls 12 2d4 gnolls and l gnoll pack lord 13 1 water elemental 14 1 vrock 15 2d6 manes 16 2d4 dretches 17 ld8 bullywugs 18 ld4 vine blights 19 2d8 twig blights 20 2d4 needle blights HOOL MARSHES The treacherous Hool Marshes are notorious for pools of water that seem easy to cross but hide deep wells and layers of mud. The area is full of tall, sickly trees and great swarms of biting insects. None but the desperate venture into this place, making it the ideal hiding place for outlaws or raiders. S tinging Insects. The vast number of mosquitoes and other pests in the marshes makes camping difficult. If the party tries to take a short or long rest, one character must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a successful check, the group gains the benefit of the rest. On a failed check, the insects prove too bothersome and the group gains no benefit from the rest. Random Encounters. The Hool Marshes Random Encounters table provides ideas for the sort of encounters that can take place here. Check for an encounter once per day by rolling a d20. On an 18 or higher. the characters have an encounter at some point during the day or night (equal chance of each): roll a d20 again and consult the table. HOOL MARSHES RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Result 1-3 2d10 bullywugs 4-5 2d6 bandits 6-7 2d4 vine blights with ld6 needle blights 8-9 l d4 poisonous snakes 10 3d6 rats 11 ld6gianttoads 12 ld4 crocodiles 13 2d6 kobolds 14 2d6 lizardfolk 15 l hydra 16 1 shambling mound 17 1 green hag and ld3 will-o'-wisps 18 ld3 trolls 19 1 d4 ochre jellies 20 1 young black dragon lll\l''ll'f.tl SALTMARSH ~ --
OUNWATER RIVER The Dunwater River meanders its way into the Azure Sea. It is a broad, slow-moving body of water. choked with reeds and too shallow in many spots to allow boats other than rafts to traverse it. The Dunwater's nature makes it an ideal stalking ground for bandits. Outlaws and evil humanoids build temporary forts along the river, keeping a watch out for anyone trying to make their way along its length. Some gangs stretch chains across the water to impede the path of a boat or raft, leaving it vulnerable to an attack. Somewhere along the river (accounts vary as to the exact location) stand the overgrown ruins of a tower that once housed an order of alchemists. The alchemists came to an explosive end when an experiment caused the tower's upper level to explode and several vats of chemicals to burst and Rood the tower's basem*nt. The resulting mixture attained a vague sentience, transforming into a great number of oozes that now plague the r iver. The oozes encountered in the river have swimming speeds equal to their normal speeds and can breathe both air and water. Random Encounters. The Dunwater River Random Encounters table provides ideas for the sort of encounters that can take place here. Check for an encounter once per day by rolling a d20. On an 18 or higher, the characters have an encounter at some point during the day or night (equal chance of each); roll a d20 again and consult the table. 0UNWATER RIVER RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Result 1-3 2d6 bandits 4 ld4 gray oozes 5 ld6 ogres 6-7 ld3 crocodiles 8-10 2d6 bullywugs 11-12 1 black pudding 13 1 gelatinous cube 14-15 2d4 lizardfolk 16 1 shambling mound 17- 19 ld3 ochre jellies 20 1 young black dragon SILVERSTAND This forest got its name from the silvery sheen that marks the leaves and bark of its trees. Long ago. elves from the Feywild crossed the planar boundaries to settle here. Today, several wood elf clans dwell in elegant. wooden structures built among the forest canopy. Not a single creature enters or leaves the forest's boundaries w ithout the knowledge of the elves. The elves of the Silverstand periodically send war parties to patrol the outer reaches of the Dreadwood. The Wild Flame Pact- an alliance struck between the elves. the kingdom of Keoland. and the treants of the regioncommits all three groups to repelling the monsters that emerge from the forest. At rare times, the elves organize patrols into the deepest, deadliest regions of the Dreadwood in hopes of defeating threats in their nascent state. (H>\1'11'.RI S1\lf\l\kSll AZURE SEA The Azure Sea has long been a turbulent body of water in every sense. Its storms have sent countless ships to their doom, and warfare of one sort of another is conducted across its surface all the lime. Pirates affiliated with the Sea Princes, along with independent marauders, prey on ships that attempl to cross the ocean. Strange monsters, including vicious dinosaurs from the Amecliojungle in the far south, emerge from below from time to time. Despite all these actual and potential dangers, several realms rely on the sea for waterborne trade. By tracing a route in and through the Azure Sea. merchant vessels can reach almost every important trading realm in the world of Grey hawk. SHIPWRECKS The waters of the Azure Sea have claimed many ships, whether through natural causes or as the result of naval combat. Some shipwrecks. such as the ones described below, arc notable for the treasures they hold. Located in shallow, coastal waters, these wrecks are accessible to those who have the magic. cunning, and courage needed to loot them. (The sites are not marked on the map. giving you the flexibility to place them where you want and change any of their particulars.) Sinker. Located in just 15 feet of water. this small fishing boat is named for the exquisite, silvered fishing pole its prior owner once possessed. The fishing pole, worth 200 gp, rests with the wreck. Unfortunately for treasure seekers, a giant crab makes its lair in the boat's remains. Escape. This sailing ship was a renowned blockade runner before it was run down and destroyed by ships of the Sea Princes. Its wreckage is scattered ac a depth of 30 feet. A waterproofed treasure chest inside the broken hull bears the lion rampant emblem of Keoland and holds 500 gp. Two swarms of quippers prowl the area in search of a meal. Curiosity. This galleon belonged lo the mage Mordenkainen, who dispatched it to a distant shore in search of treasure. The ship sank in a mysterious and especially ferocious storm. A convincingly crab-like apparatus of Kwalish being transported in its hold remains at the sea bottom. but a marilith bound to guard it remains and attempts to slay anyone other than Mordenkainen who lays a hand on it. The ship sits approximately I 00 feet below the waves. RANDOM ENCOUNTERS The Coast Random Encounters table and the Azure Sea Random Encounters table provide ideas for the sort of encounters that can take place along the seashore or on the surface of the water. Check for an encounter once per day by rolling a d20. On an 18 or higher, the characters have an encounter at some point during the day or night (equal chance of each); roll a d20 again and consult the appropriate table. The Azure Sea table includes entries for several of the most notorious pirate vessels that are active in the region. These pirate ships are detailed following the table.
COAST RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Result 1-3 2d6 blood hawks 4 2d6 stirges 5 ld6 giant crabs 6-7 ld3 perytons 8-10 ld3 giant lizards 11-12 2d8 giant rats 13 2d6 sahuagin 14-15 2d4 lizardfolk 16 ld3 merrow 17-19 1 cyclops 20 ld3 chuuls AZURE SEA RANDOM ENCOUNTERS d20 Result 1-2 1 d3 giant octopi 3-4 1 plesiosaurus 5-6 1 d3 perytons 7 ld3 water elementals 8-10 2d4 reef sharks 11-12 2d8 sahuagin 13 ld4+1 merrow 14-15 2d6 pteranodons 16 1 adult bronze dragon 17 Pirate ship, Gnasher 18 Pirate ship, Pale Prow 19 Pirate ship, Salted Glade 20 Pirate ship, Dreadnought GNASH ER Thereax Guldeer (LE half-red dragon veteran) took command of the warship. Gnasher, several years ago when her father was slain in a duel with an admiral in the Keoland Navy. The young half-dragon is merciless, and her greed is as strong as that of any red dragon. She alone can sound the dragon's horn, a monstrous instrument mounted to the prow of her ship. When blown, it roars like a massive dragon. Gnasher is crewed by uncouth humanoids who fear and admire Thereax, amounting to twenty-three ores, forty goblins, four hobgoblins, twelve kobolds, and two bugbears. An ogre named Yem serves as the ship's first mate, and Vern's method of discipline tends to be fatal. A red dragon's wing emblazoned on a black background Ries from the mast of Gnasher. PALE PROW An old ship whose faded hull and rat-gnawed sails belie its speed and the ferocity of its crew, Pale Prow is a ramshackle warship with an ornate rudder made from bone and wood. The rudder is not attached to the ship's wheel and is instead operated by a team of six vampire spawn, who turn it at the command of its dread captain. Pale Prow doesn't sail under the sun. and its appearance is always preceded by a heavy fog that appears without warning. It is said that Pale Prow has never been touched by a shipwright. despite its many injuries. By what means the ship is repaired, none can say. Pale Prow is commanded by Captain Ineca Sufocan (LE male elf vampire). who sails from an island hidden by fog, where his harbor and mansion have fallen into disrepair. l neca searches for a heart made of pearl, which contains drops of dried blood from his true love. This pearl heart has exchanged hands for decades, and the undead captain desires it above all things. The remainder of the crew of Pale Prow is composed of undead servants, both corporeal and ghostly. Necromancers are drawn to Pale Prow whenever it nears land, and it is common for them to take up residence in the dark cabins below deck. A specter serves as lookout in the crow's nest. A silver skull embroidered on a white field and trimmed with silver fangs flies from the tall mast of Pale Prow. 0READNAUGHT Dreadnaught is a heavy warship covered in scorched iron plates laid over coal-colored wood. No portholes or oar sl its mar the perfect surface of its riveted hull; no mast can be seen to rise from its sooty deck. A cabin. reinforced with steel bars, sits toward the aft, a dull red glow pulsing from within. Dreadnaught's captain is a mad tinkerer and wizard named Vigr Thrass (CE male human mage). Vigr's madness arose from his discovery of a dark tome that described rituals used to animate constructs. The wizard now sails the Azure Sea, stealing wealth and arms from merchant and navy vessels alike. Vigr wears a suit of magic plate armor, granting him supernatural strength and speed wh ile allowing him to cast his spells unhindered. He is known to mingle in the seaside communities, where he pretends to be a kind-hearted merchant in need of a few crew members. In reality, the captain is looking for suitable slaves to clean and repair his magic automatons. Dreadnaught's crew includes twelve automatons (animated armor) brought to life by Vigr's magic. Various tools, weapons, and implements (flying swords) flit about the ship performing tasks. A dozen humanoid slaves are kept aboard to accomplish the tasks Vigr's automatons cannot perform. ADVENTURES IN SALTMARSH The factions in Saltmarsh see adventurers as a useful resource for achieving their goals. Their plans can be integrated with the plots of the adventures featured in Ghosts of Saltmarsh and Tales from the Yawning Portal. GHOSTS OF SALTMARSH The adventures in this book arc meant to interact with Saltmarsh. They were designed as stand-alone adventures but can be adapted to reflect the ambitions of the town's factions. lf you want to make Saltmarsh and the machinations of the Scarlet Brotherhood the center of a campaign, use the following information to help you determine the direction of your story. C llAf'I ER I SALf\lt\RSll 2.7
SINISTER SECRET OF SALTMARSH Tipped off by his Scarlet Brotherhood handlers, Anders Solmor seeks adventurers to explore the abandoned mansion outside town. He has information that slavers from the Sea Princes are using it as a base to kidnap local travelers and sell them into bondage. In this version of the adventure, the characters find navigational charts and logs aboard the Sea Ghost that implicate its crew as slavers. Ned Shakeshaft is a Scarlet Brotherhood agent. He makes an attempt to foil the characters, but his true intent is to surrender and implicate Gellan Primewater as a key villain. The distraction afforded by the l izardfolk and the looming sahuagin threat gives the Scarlet Brotherhood the opportunity to bring more agents into town. posing as mercenaries brought in by Anders to protect the town. If Gellan can be removed from the council, Solmor might ask one of the characters to take his place. D ANGER AT DUNWATER Anders Solmor hires the characters to investigate the lizardfolk lair and possibly drive away or exterminate the lizardfolk, which he sees as a dire threat after being fed tales by his Brotherhood handlers of the ji*zardfolk's preference for eating humans. lf presented evidence of their peaceful intentions. he switches gears to pledge Saltmarsh's assistance in destroying the sahuagin. SALVAGE OPERATION Emperor of the Waves is a lost ship belonging to the Scarlet Brotherhood. Solmor receives information about it and hires the characters to recover the treasure aboard the ship. He is led to believe that the ship was once owned by his family. but characters who research the town's history can uncover its ties lo the Sea Princes and the slave trade. If Anders is confronted with this information, he professes ignorance, and his Brotherhood handlers add the characters to their list of enemies. I SLE OF THE ABBEY With hostility toward the Sea Princes running high, Eliander sponsors an expedition to clear Abbey Isle and establish a base there. fts location makes it an ideal lookout point for any sea-based threats. THE FINAL ENEMY The three competing factions in Saltmarsh unite in an effort to defeat the sahuagin threat. Both the traditionalists and the loyalists want the town to remain safe. and the Scarlet Brotherhood deems the sea devils a threat to their plans. If the characters accomplish their mission and enable the alliance to destroy the sahuagin. they arc hailed as heroes and gain tremendous political power. Any character who has not yet become associated with a faction is courted by all three. TAMMERAUT's FATE Wcllgar Brinehanded, a cleric of Procan, approaches the characters in hopes of recruiting them. He has long maintained ties to the inhabitants of the island hermitage in this adventure. When he loses contact with them, he asks the party to investigate. C llAl'TER I SAi T~IAR!>lt THE STYES This adventure can be placed in an isolated harbor city located on an island in the Azure Sea. Once a bustling port town. it fell into ruin due to the depredations of the Sea Princes. When the characters visit the port to stock up on supplies, they become involved in the intrigue. TALES FROM THE YAWNING PORTAL The adventures in this book consist of classic dungeons, which you can use to expand the possibilities for adventuring in the Dreadwood and the Hool Marshes. THE SUNLESS CITADEL This ruined castle could easily be located in the Dreadwood. It makes a good side trek for low-level characters. THE FORGE OF FURY This fallen dwarvcn citadel can be placed on an island in the Azure Sea. Reclaiming it would be a priority of the dwarves in Saltmarsh as a point of pride. THE HIDDEN SHRINE OF T AMOACHAN The dungeon described in this adventure could be located on a tropical continent in the Azure Sea. The magic items found here would be particularly interesting to the Scarlet Brotherhood, who might use Solmor to recruit the characters for a treasure hunt. WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN The magic items claimed by Keraptis could have been stolen from the Saltmarsh area and spirited away to that mage's hidden volcanic island far to the south. DEAD INIBAY Consider adapting this adventure to represent a hidden stronghold of luz tucked away in the Dreadwood. Perhaps Iuz is seeking to extend his reach into this region and orders the wizards in his service to establish a base here. All three factions in Saltmarsh would seek to end such an incursion before it grows into a serious threat. AGAINST THE GIANTS As the characters gain renown. King Kimbertos Skotti hears of their prowess and recruits them to lead an expedition to defeat giants that are despoiling realms in the western mountains. If the characters succeed. they become trusted allies of the crown. THE TOMB OF HORRORS This deadly tomb might be hidden away in the Hool Marshes. The lure of valuable magic items can be enough to tempt many characters lo enter the place, but perhaps one of the items hidden in the Tomb is essential to a local faction's plans.
SALTMARSH BACKGROUNDS Part of the fun of a Saltmarsh campaign lies in playing characters who have ties to the town and the area around it. This section presents new backgrounds suitable for creating such characters. along with notes on adapting characters who have backgrounds drawn from the Player's Handbook. This material is meant to be a tool for DMs. Once players have decided on their characters' backgrounds, review the material here and decide which additional elements of their backgrounds you want to share with them. A connection to a Saltmarsh NPC or a clue to the Scarlet Brotherhood's presence is provided for each of the backgrounds in the Player's Handbook. For the new backgrounds described in full here, this information is presented in the Saltmarsh Ties section of each entry. ACOLYTE A character with this background might be a follower of Procan or a missionary of some other god sent to establish a new temple in town. Saltmarsh has never been an overly religious place. but its prospects for growth make it an ideal target for expansion. ACOLYTE OF PROCAN If you are a follower of Procan, your Shelter of the Faithful feature applies to the temple of Procan in Saltmarsh. Wellgar Brinehanded is your friend and mentor. He expects you to represent the temple in all you do. MISSIONARY If you revere a different deity, you own a small building in Saltmarsh and have been charged by the elders of your faith with establishing a shrine here. You live in the building and have a staff of ld4 locals who have already been recruited to your faith. Your Shelter of the Faithful feature applies to a temple located in Seaton, the provincial capital cast of Saltmarsh. CHARLATAN As Saltmarsh grows more prosperous, it becomes a more attractive place for grifters such as yourself. If you want to do business in town, you're going to cross tracks with Winston, the eponymous owner of Winston's Store. The halAing merchant is always looking for new wares to add to his offerings. He knows the people of Saltmarsh well and gives you advice on how to walk the line between making a profit and angering the locals. CRIMINAL Saltmarsh might be a sleepy town, but many see it as the ideal place to enter Keoland without drawing notice. As a criminal in town. you are likely involved in smuggling and have done business with Kreb Shenker at the Empty Net. He hires crews to manage pickups on the coast for the smuggling kingpins in town. ENTERTAINER Bards and performers are always in demand in Saltmarsh. You can use your By Popular Demand feature to find work at the Wicker Goat or the Snapping Line. The Wicker Goat is popular with the town guard and the dwarves who work the mine outside town, while The Snapping Line is frequented by fishers, sailors, and laborers who work the docks. Choose one of those taverns as your preferred venue. The staff. owner, and regulars there treat you as a friend. FISHER You have spent your life aboard fishing vessels or combing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with your kin to feed your village. Maybe the job was a means to an end- a way out of an undesirable circ*mstance that forced you to take up life aboard a ship. Regardless of how you began, you soon fell in love with the sea, the art of fishing, and the promise of the eternal horizon. Skill Proficiencies: History. Survival Languages: One of your choice Equipment: Fishing tackle. a net. a favorite fishing lure or oiled leather wading boots, a set of traveler's clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp F EATU RE: HARVEST THE WATER You gain advantage on ability checks made using fishing tackle. If you have access to a body of water that sustains marine life, you can maintain a moderate lifestyle while working as a fisher, and you can catch enough food to feed yourself and up to ten other people each day. FISHING TALE You can tell a compelling tale. whether tall or true. to impress and entertain others. Once a day, you can tell your story to willing listeners. At the DM's discretion, a number of those listeners become friendly toward you; this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the following table to help determine the theme of your tale or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively, work with your OM to create your own fishing tale. d8 Tale Lobster Wrestling. You fought in hand-to-hand combat with an immense lobster. 2 It Dragged the Boat. You nearly caught a fish of monstrous size that pulled your boat for miles. 3 Fins of Pure Gold. You caught a sea animal whose fins were made of pure gold, but another fisher stole it. 4 Ghost Fish. You are haunted by a ghostly fish that only you can see. 5 Nemesis Clam. A large clam containing a pearl the size of your head claimed one of your fingers before jetting away; one day, you'll find that clam. 6 It Swallowed the Sun. You once saw a fish leap from the water and turn day into night. 7 Dive into the Abyss. You found yourself in an underwater cave leading to the Abyss, and your luck has been sour ever since. 8 Love Story. You fell in love with a creature of pure water, but your brief romance ended tragically. ' 11/\1'1 I- R 1 I SAi 1 "'1.\R~ll 2'J
)0 SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS Fishers succeed only if they spend time at their jobs. As such, most fishers have a strong work ethic, and they admire others who earn their living honestly. Fishers tend to be superstitious, forming attachments to particular fishing lures or special fishing spots. They have a connection to the bodies of water in which they fish, and they think poorly of those whose actions adversely affect their livel ihood. F IS H ER PERSONAL ITY TRAITS d8 Personality Trait I am unmoved by the wrath of nature. 2 My friends are my crew; we sink or Roat together. 3 I need long stretches of quiet to clear my head. 4 Rich folk don't know the satisfaction of hard work. S I laugh heartily, feel deeply, and fear nothing. 6 I work hard; nature offers no handouts. 7 I dislike bargaining; state your price and mean it. 8 Luck favors me, and l take risks others might not. FISH ER IDEALS d6 Ideal Camaraderie. Good people make even the longest voyage bearable. (Good) 2 Luck. Our luck depends on respecting its rules-now throw this salt over your shoulder. (Lawful) 3 Daring. The richest bounty goes to those who risk everything. (Chaotic) 4 Plunder. Take all that you can and leave nothing for the scavengers. (Evil) S Balance. Do not fish the same spot twice in a row; suppress your greed, and nature will reward you. (Neutral) 6 Hard Work. No wave can move a soul hard at work. (Any) FI SH ER B ONDS d6 Bond I lost something important in the deep sea, and I intend to find it. 2 Someone else's greed destroyed my livelihood, and I will be compensated. 3 l will fish the many famous waters of this land. 4 The gods saved me during a terrible storm, and I will honor their gift. S My destiny awaits me at the bottom of a particular pond in the Feywild. 6 I must repay my village's debt. FISH ER F LAWS d6 Flaw l am judgmental, especially of those I deem homebodies or otherwise lazy. 2 I become depressed and anxious if I'm away from the sea too long. l llAP-1 ~ R l SALfMl\RSll d6 Flaw 3 l have lived a hard life and find it difficult to empathize with others. 4 I am inclined to tell long-winded stones at inopportune times. S I work hard, but l play harder. 6 l am obsessed with catching an elusive aquatic beast, often to the detriment of other pursuits. SALTMARSH TIES Eda Oweland and her family are the informal leaders of the fishing industry in Saltmarsh. You can always count on the Owelands for minor aid and can gain access to Eda if the need is obvious and imminent. FOLK HERO Saltmarsh has long relied on its local people to rise up and deal with threats to the village. Only recently has the king taken more than passing notice of the area. You are beloved by the local sailors and fishers for your heroics, though the newcomers to the region (primarily members of the town guard and the dwarves working the mine) know Little about you. Create an event that prompted your rise to heroic status or use the table below to tie your background to events in Saltmarsh. Use this table in place of the Defining Event table in the Player's Handbook. SALTMARSH D EFINING EVEN T d4 Defin ing Event You snuck aboard a Sea Princes raiding ship and freed a number of captured fishers doomed to slavery in that realm. Anders Solmor, a prominent person in town, has been a friend ever since. 2 A terrible accident almost caused a fire that would have destroyed the docks. if not for your heroics. You still bear a few scars from the incident and have yet to pay for a meal or drink in town since. Eda Oweland, owner of several fishing boats in town, held a feast in 3 4 your honor. When goblins emerged from the Dreadwood to raid the area, you distracted them long enough for the militia to prepare an ambush that sent them fleeing back to the forest. The captain of the guard, Eliander Fireborn, has given you a commission as an officer of the watch. A pirate crew crept into town one night to raid the dockside warehouses. You raised the alarm and led the defense. Gellan Primewater, an important merchant in town, owes you a big favor for saving his business. GUILD ARTISAN Because of its size and its focus on fishing, Saltmarsh has never had many artisans. 1 f you have this background. you can choose one of the following options.
MARI NERS ' GUILD You work with the mariners' guild, providing sailors with rope, sails, tools. and other goods. You have a workshop attached to the guildhall and can draw support from similar guilds found in ports across the world. You have done a lot of business with Eda Oweland's family and are on good terms with her. DWARVEN ARTISANS You arrived in town as part of a mercantile concern associated with the Copperlocks dwarves. Currently the dwarves rely on your gui ld to provide supplies for their work at the mine outside town. You are fri ends with several of the miners, have access to their work site, and are on good terms with the clan's leader, Manistrad. HERMIT The wilds around Saltmarsh might seem like the ideal place to find peace and quiet, though the monsters that lurk in the region can make isolation a dangerous practice . If your character has this background, the table below gives you some options for the nature of the secret that prompted you to return to civilization. d4 Secret 1 You stumbled across a clandestine meeting outside town. A wealthy· looking fellow named Skerrin met with someone and discussed bringing slaves to Saltmarsh. You suspect trouble is afoot and came to town to investigate. 2 The anguished ghost of an elf haunts your dreams, insisting that you tear down the standing stones just outside Saltmarsh. The elf claims that dark magic is behind the bountiful fishing in the region. 3 You have been plagued by visions of a massive wave, carrying a swarm of toothy sharks, crashing over the land and tearing apart everything in its path. Maybe someone in town can help. 4 The land around town is too dangerous to remain out in it alone. The lizardfolk of the swamps were once your friends, but they disappeared not too long ago. You came to Saltmarsh out of necessity. M A RINE You were trained for battle on sandy beaches and rocky shores. You have launched midnight raids from swift ships whose names evoke terror in the hearts of your adversaries. The water is your second home, the rain your shelter, and the crashing waves your battle cry. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water, land) Equipment: A dagger that belonged to a fallen comrade, a folded Rag emblazoned with the symbol of your ship or company, a set of traveler's clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp FEATURE: STEADY You can move twice the normal amount of time (up to 16 hours) each day before being subject to the effect of a forced march (see "Travel Pace" in chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook). Additionally, you can automatically find a safe route to land a boat on shore, provided such a route exists. H ARDSHIP ENDURED Hardship in your past has forged you into an unstoppable living weapon. This hardship is essential to you and is at the heart of a personal philosophy or ethos that often guides your actions. You can roll on the following table to determine this hardship or choose one that best fits your character. d6 Hardship 2 3 Nearly Drowned. You hid underwater to avoid detec· tion by enemies and held your breath for an extremely long time. Just before you would have died, you had a revelation about your existence. Captured. You spent months enduring thirst, starvation, and torture at the hands of your enemy, but you never broke. Sacrifice. You enabled the escape of your fellow soldiers, but at great cost to yourself. Some of your past comrades may think you're dead. 4 Juggernaut. No reasonable explanation can explain how you survived a particular battle. Every arrow and bolt missed you. You slew scores of enemies single-handedly and led your comrades to victory. 5 Stowaway. For days, you hid in the bilge of an enemy ship, surviving on brackish water and foolhardy rats. At the right moment, you crept up to the deck and took over the ship on your own. 6 Leave None Behind. You carried an injured marine for miles to avoid capture and death. SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS Marines are looked up to by other soldiers and respected by their superiors. They are veteran warriors who rarely lose composure on the battlefield. Marines who leave the service tend to work as mercenaries, but their combat experience also makes them excellent adventurers. Though they a re self-reliant. marines tend to operate best in groups, valuing camaraderie and the companionship of like-minded individuals. MARINE PERSONALITY TRAITS d8 Personality Trait l I speak rarely but mean every word I say. 2 I laugh loudly and see the humor in stressful situations. 3 4 5 6 7 8 I prefer to solve problems without violence, but I fin· ish fights decisively. I enjoy being out in nature; poor weather never sours my mood. I am dependable. I am always working on some project or other. I become cantankerous and quiet in the rain. When the sea is within my sight, my mood is jovial and optimistic. CJI \PTEll. I °'ALT\f,\lbli
= MARINE IDEALS d6 Ideal Teamwork. Success depends on cooperation and communication. {Good) 2 Code. The marines' code provides a solution for every problem, and following it is imperative. {Lawful) 3 Embracing. Lafe is messy. Throwing yourself into the worst of it is necessary to get the job done. (Chaotic) 4 Might. The strong train so that they might rule those who are weak. (Evil) S Bravery. To act when others quake in fear- this is the essence of the warrior. (Any) 6 Perseverance. No injury or obstacle can turn me from my goal. (Any) MARINE BONDS d6 Bond I face danger and evil to offset an unredeemable act in my past. 2 I. Will. Finish. The. job. 3 I must set an example of hope for those who have given up. 4 s 6 I'm searching for a fellow marine captured by an elusive enemy. Fear leads to tyranny, and both must be eradicated. My commander betrayed my unit, and I will have revenge. MARINE FLAWS d6 Flaw I grow combative and unpredictable when I drink. 2 I find civilian life difficult and struggle to say the right thing in social situations. 3 My intensity can drive others away. 4 I hold grudges and have difficulty forgiving others. 5 I become irrational when innocent people are hurt. 6 I sometimes stay up all night listening to the ghosts of my fallen enemies. SALTMARSH TIES As a former member of Saltmarsh's elite marine contingent. you are friends of Tom and Will Stoutly and can turn to them for help and support. Eliander Fireborn, captain of the guard. aJso makes time to listen to your concerns. NOBLE The folk of Saltmarsh care little for nobles and their titles. Although the king technically rules the land, the south has long been left to its own devices. Are you a local noble turning to a life of adventure, or did you come here in sea rch of fame and fortune? Rega rdless of your origin. your Position of Privilege feature allows you to request an audience with any official in town. including members of the town council. They typically take ld6 + I days to fulfill such a request. The table below includes suggestions for how you came to arrive in Saltmarsh. CHAPTER I SAi TMAR'ill d6 Origin 1-2 You were sent here by King Skotti himself. You are expected to keep your ties to the crown secret, the better to gain a clear insight into the region. lffolk know that you represent the king, they'll put their best faces forward and hide the issues you've been sent to uncover. Above all else, the king fears the emergence of a secretive group called the Scarlet Brotherhood. Learn about their dealings here if you can. 3- 4 Your family owns a small manor outside town. Your siblings are in line to inherit your family's land, leaving you with few prospects. Perhaps with several successful adventures under your belt, you can achieve fame in Saltmarsh. 5-6 Your family lost their holdings when Keoland's enemies pushed back the realm's borders. In compensation, you have been given a writ by the crown to found a new barony. The trouble is, the land you were ceded has been swallowed by the Drowned Forest. OUTLANDER Outlanders are a common sight in ports such as Saltmarsh. Even a small port attracts folk from across the world, though how they end up in a place like Saltmarsh varies greatly. The table below provides some ideas for how your character came to town. d6 Origin 1-2 You spent years shipwrecked on a deserted isle. Finally, you were recently picked up by a passing ship on its way to Saltmarsh. You were stranded after pirates attacked the ship you were aboard and killed everyone else. You survived by leaping overboard and swimming for hours. 3- 4 For years your people survived in an isolated village an the Hool Marshes. Last year, lazardfolk fell upon your home. You escaped in the confusion. became lost, and ended up here. If anyone wants to go bash those scaly murderers, you're ready to leap into action. 5- 6 You were part of a tribe in a distant land, when one day red-sailed ships appeared off shore. The sailors were friendly at first and shared their food and drank. You woke up hours later in the hold of a Sea Princes slaving ship, having been drugged into a stupor. A Keoish ship ran down and boarded the vessel, saving you from a terrible fate. You owe your life to Eliander Fireborn and the marines Tom and Will Stoutly. They were the ones who received word of the ship and dispatched a squadron to intercept it. SAGE Though Saltmarsh is by no means a center of learning, the lack of ongoing examination and investigation of its environs make it an ideal place to conduct research. The mystery of the Tower of Zenopus might also attract the attention of an academic. Consider the following options for your character.
HISTORICAL R ESEARCHER The graveyard keeper, Krag, and the captain of the guard. Eliander, are both experts in local history. You might have arrived in town to conduct research and have made their acquaintance. Eliander grants you access to his personal library and uses his considerable knowledge of languages to translate documents you find, while Krag works with you to catalog the library's contents. A RCANE SEEK ER The wizard Keledek hired you to help him with a few of his projects. He was not a kind master, but he paid well enough. You helped him organize a set of ancient books. identify potions. and verify the authenticity of several alchemical recipes. He has since discharged you from his service. Keledek was always cool toward you. but he had some business dealings with the charismatic merchant Gellan Primewater. You have dined in Gellan's mansion a few times, and he has mentioned that he sometimes needs help identifying some of the odds and ends his crews bling back to port. SAILOR Countless sailors have walked the streets of Saltmarsh. If you select this background, decide whether you are a local who took to the seafaring life or a foreigner who arrived here from a distant port. LOCAL SEA D OG As a sailor native to town, you know plenty of people down by the docks. You have friends in the Oweland family who can get you access to Eda, a prominent local leader, as needed. You also have friends among the sailing crews and know the best and worst of the businesses that cater to them. TRAVELER FROM AFAR You are new in town and are unfamiliar to most locals. You know the ways of the sea, however, and you blend in at the docks with ease. You can mingle with foreign crews, learn news from them, and strike up easy friendships. Some of them have contacts with local smugglers, and you have heard that there are hidden sea caves outside town where the wizard Keledek trades in arcane goods. S HIPWRIGH T You have sailed into war on the decks of great ships, patching their hulls with soup bowls and prayers. You once helped build a fishing vessel that single-handedly saved a town from starvation. You have seen a majestic prow in your dreams that you have not been able to replicate in wood. Since childhood, you have loved the water and have been captivated by the many vessels that travel on it. Skill Proficiencies: History. Perception Tool Proficiencies: Carpenter's tools, vehicles (water) Equipment: A set of well-loved carpenter's tools. a blank book, 1 ounce of ink, an ink pen. a set of traveler's clothes. and a leathrr pouch with 10 gp FEATURE: I'LL PATCH IT! Provided you have carpenter's tools and wood. you can perform repairs on a water vehicle. When you use this ability, you restore a number of hit points co the hull of a water vehicle equal to 5 x your proficiency modifier. A vehicle cannot be patched by you in this way again until after it has been pulled ashore and fully repaired. L I FE AT SEA Your life at sea and in port has shaped you; you can roll on the following table to determine its impact or choose an element that best fits your character. d6 Sea's Influence Grand Designs. You are working on plans and sche· matics for a new, very fast ship. You must examine as many different kinds of vessels as possible to help ensure the success of your design. 2 Solid and Sound. You patched up a war galley and prevented it from sinking. The local navy regards you as a friend. 3 4 5 6 Favored. You insisted on thicker planking for a merchant vessel's hull, which saved it from sinking when it smashed against a reef. You have a standing invita· tion to visit the merchant's distant mansion. Master of Armaments. You specialized in designing and mounting defenses for the navy. You easily recognize and determine the quality of such items. Low Places. You have contacts in the smuggling outfits along the coast; you occasionally repair the criminals' ships in exchange for coin and favors. Mysteries of the Deep. You experienced an encounter with a possibly divine being while sailing alone. Work with your DM to determine the secret about the deep waters of the sea that this entity revealed to you. SUCCESTED CHARACTERISTICS Shipwrights are resourceful carpenters and designers. They often have a dedicated spol al the local tavern, since shipwrights are invaluable to coastal communities. Some travel with naval neels and might serve as officers if their temperament suils il. Shipwrights have an affinity for working with their hands and often perform feats of carpentry that others might deem miraculous. SHIPWRIGHT PERSONALITY TRAITS d8 Personality Trait I love talking and being heard more than I like to listen. 2 I'm extremely fond of puzzles. 3 I thrive under pressure. 4 I love sketching and designing objects, especially boats. 5 I'm not afraid of hard work-in fact, I prefer it. 6 A pipe, an ale, and the smell of the sea: paradise. 7 I have an endless supply of cautionary tales related to the sea. 8 I don't mind getting my hands dirty. l 11/\l'Tt:R 1 <; \l TMARSII
=-- 'H SHIPWRIGHT IDEALS d6 Ideal Crew. If everyone on deck pitches in, we'll never sink. (Good) 2 Careful Lines. A ship must be balanced according to the laws of the universe. (Lawful) 3 Invention. Make what you need out of whatever is at hand. (Chaotic) 4 Perfection. To measure a being and find it lacking is the greatest disappointment. (Evil) 5 Reflection. Muddied water always clears in time. (Any) 6 Hope. The horizon at sea holds the greatest promise. (Any) SH IPWRIGHT BONDS d6 Bond I must visit all the oceans of the world and behold the ships that sail there. 2 Much of the treasure I claim will be used to enrich my community. 3 I must find a kind of wood rumored to possess magical qualities. 4 5 6 I repair broken things to redeem what's broken in myself. I will craft a boat capable of sailing through the most dangerous of storms. A kraken destroyed my masterpiece; its teeth shall adorn my hearth. S HI PWRI GHT FLAWS d6 Flaw I don't know when to throw something away. You never know when it might be useful again. 2 I get frustrated to the point of distraction by shoddy craftsmanship. 3 Though I am an excellent crafter, my work tends to look as though it belongs on a ship. 4 I am so obsessed with sketching my ideas for elaborate inventions that I sometimes forget little thing like eating and sleeping. 5 I'm judgmental of those who are not skilled with tools of some kind. 6 I sometimes take things that don't belong to me, especially if they are very well made. SALT M ARSH TIES Ships make Saltmarsh's economy run. You have contacts with one of the following leaders in town. Choose or roll on the table. d6 Contact 1-2 Eda Oweland 3-4 Gellan Primewater 5- 6 Anders Solmor SMUGGLER On a rickety barge, you carried a hundred longswords in fish barrels right past the dock master's oblivious lackeys. You have paddled a riverboat filled with stolen elven wine under the gaze of the moon and sold it for twice its value in the morning. In your more charitable times, you have transported innocents out of war zones or helped guide herd animals to safety on the banks of a burning river. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Deception Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water) Equipment: A fancy leather vest or a pair of leather boots, a set of common clothes, and a leather pouch with 15 gp FEATURE: D owN Low You are acquainted with a network of smugglers who are willing to help you out of tight situations. White in a particular town, city. or other similarly sized community (DM's discretion). you and you r companions can stay for free in safe houses. Safe hous es provide a poor lifestyle. While staying at a safe house, you can choos e to keep your presence (and that of your compa nions) a secret. CLAI M TO FAME Every smuggler has that one tale that sets them apart from common criminals. By wits, sailing s kill, or a silver tongue, you lived co tell the story- and you tell it often. You can roll on the following table to determine your claim or choose one that best fits your character. d6 Accomplishment 2 3 4 5 6 Spirit of the Whale. You smuggled stolen dwarven spirits in the body of a dead whale being pulled behind a fishing boat. When you delivered the goods, the corpse suddenly exploded, sending whale meat and whiskey bottles fo r half a mile. Cart and Sword. You drove a cart filled with stolen art through the middle of a battlefield while singing sea shanties to confuse the combatants. The Recruit. You enlisted in another nation's navy for the purpose of smuggling stolen jewels to a distant port. You attained a minor rank before disappearing from the navy and making your way here. River of Shadows. Your riverboat accidentally slipped through the veil into the Shadowfell for several hours. While you were there, you sold some stolen dragonborn artifacts before returning to this plane and paddling home. Cold-Hearted. You agreed to transport a family escaping a war. The baby began to cry at a checkpoint, and you gave the guards all your gold to let you pass. The family never found out about this gesture. Playing Both Sides. You once smuggled crates of crossbow bolts and bundles of arrows, each destined for an opposing side in a regional war, at the same time. The buyers arrived within moments of each other but did not discover your trickery.
SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS In general, smugglers value survival, and then profit, above other things. One could be a part of a larger organization, or might run a small smuggling vessel of their own. Smugglers live the lies they have told, and they have a natural abi lity to recall a ll the falsehoods and half-truths they have ever spouted. SMUGGLER PERSONALITY TR A ITS d8 Personality Trait I love being on the water but hate fishing. 2 I think of everything in terms of monetary value. 3 I never stop smiling. 4 Nothing rattles me; I have a lie for every occasion. 5 I love gold but won't cheat a friend. 6 I enjoy doing things others believe to be impossible. 7 I become wistful when I see the sun rise over the ocean. 8 I am no common criminal; I am a mastermind. SMUGG LER IDEALS d6 Ideal Wealth. Heaps of coins in a secure vault is all I dream of. (Any) 2 Smuggler's Code. I uphold the unwritten rules of the smugglers, who do not cheat one another or directly harm innocents. (Lawful) 3 All for a Coin. I'll do nearly anything if it means I turn a profit. (Evil) 4 Peace and Prosperity. I smuggle only to achieve a greater goal that benefits my community. (Good) 5 People. For all my many lies, I place a high value on friendship. (Any) 6 Daring. I am most happy when risking everything. (Any) SMUGG LER BO N DS d6 Bond My vessel was stolen from me, and I burn with the desire to recover it. 2 I intend to become the leader of the network of smug· glers that I belong to. 3 I owe a debt that cannot be repaid in gold. 4 After one last job, I will retire from the business. 5 I was tricked by a fellow smuggler who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief. 6 I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don't like to brag about it. SMUGGLER FL AWS d6 Flaw Lying is reflexive, and I sometimes engage in it without realizing. 2 I tend to assess my relationships in terms of profit and loss. d6 Flaw 3 I believe everyone has a price and am cynical toward those who present themselves as virtuous. 4 I struggle to trust the words of others. S Few people know the real me. 6 Though I act charming, I feel nothing for others and don't know what friendship is. SALTMARSH TIES Ifs an open secret, at least among the old-timers in town, that Gellan Primewater runs the biggest smuggling operation in this section of the coast. You have contacts with him and his organization, enabling you to request an audience with him as necessary. S OLDIER Many retired soldiers of the Keoish army make cheir home in the southern reaches, and you are no different. You mighc have served some time as a member of the town guard. Regardless of whether you did so, you have several friends among their ranks. The captain of the guard, Eliander Fi reborn, is friendly toward fellow vet· erans and is willing to make rime to meet with you if the need is urgent. Ac your opcion, you can also own a small plot of land and a farm outside town. URCHIN At a young age, you lost one or both of your parents to a tragedy at sea. Afterward, you grew up relying on the kindness of others. More important. the years you spent living on the streets have imparted to you the skill to sneak unobtrusively, overhearing gossip and witnessing scenes that others would prefer to keep secret. Pick one member of the Saltmarsh town council. The DM will share with you either a secret about that person or give you the option to create the details of a favor you did for them that leaves them in your debt. For instance, you might have overheard thieves making plans to steal from Gellan Primewater. -=
:r CHAPTER 2: THE SINISTER SECRET OF SALTMARSH OUR MILES EAST OF SALTMARSH.JUST INLAND of the old coast road. stands a haunted house. Until twenty years ago, it had been the residence of an aged alchemist of sinister reputation. Even then, locals avoided the house because of its owner's mysterious activities. Now, two decades after the unexplained disappearance of its occupant, the house has taken on an even greater air of evil and mystery. Dilapidated and long abandoned, the house presents an unwholesome appearance. Those hardy souls who have infrequently sought entry (pursuing rumors of a secret hoard of alchemical gold) all returned with naught save grim tales of decaying chambers presided over by monstrous perils. Indeed, such is the reputation of the house that the fields around it. though prime agricultural land, remain untended and rank with weeds. This adventure is designed for four to six 1st-level characters. If the characters complete both portions, "The Haunted House" and "The Sea Ghost," they are likely to reach 3rd level. BACKGROUND In recent times, there have been reports of fearsome hauntings. horrible shrieks, and eerie lights emanating from the dismal place. Now. not even the bravest of the area's denizens dare to approach the house, let alone enter it. If the characters seek anyone in Saltmarsh who has been in the place, they initially find no one. Persistent questioning of the town's inhabitants makes them frightened and apprehensive but does not yield any concrete information. If the characters pursue their questioning, they might (at your discretion) find an aged poacher who, after suitable inducement (money, ale, or both). confesses to having wandered in the back door of the house a couple of years before, hoping to acquire some food. Encouraged by the prospect of free wine in the cellar, he started to descend the stairs. heard ghastly shrieks and piercing wails. and ran, frightened out of his wits. He knows where the back door is and also noticed a nearby well. He can vaguely describe the kitchen, the scullery, and the passage that leads to them from the back door, but he knows nothing else about the layout of the place. Furthermore, his memory of what frightened him has become exaggerated over the months, so he is likely to tell the party that a horde of ghosts came up the stairs to the scullery. or maybe it was a vampire witb a swarm of rats. He discovered soon after his escapade that the telling of his tale, in ever more lurid detail, was an easy means of obtaining free ale foisted on him by appreciative listeners. Recently. however, none have asked him to tell the tale, so once his tongue is loosened, he is eager to restore some of his lost prestige. Apart from alerting adventurers to sinister and grave dangers of his own invention and telling them a little about the layout of the house. he provides no accurate or useful information. THE SECRET The secret of the haunted house is that it is not, in fact, haunted. It is the shore base for a band of smugglers led by a wizard named Sanbalet. The eerie lights seen at night by onlookers are the smugglers' signals to a sh ip out at sea. The unearthly shrieks and other sounds are caused by magic mouth spells strategically placed in the building. The smugglers, during their three years of successful operation, have through these tactics frightened away all local attempts at investigating their hideout It is paramount that the characters are given no obvious clues that would lead them to believe the house is not haunted; they must deduce the truth for themselves or simply stumble upon it. THE SEA GHOST A contingent of smugglers glides through the waters near Saltmarsh on their ship. the Sea Ghost. The ship is away from the house when the characters explore it, though evidence of its moorings can be discovered in the secret caverns below. The ship comes into play in the second part of this adventure. SAN BALET'S GANG The smugglers are familiar with the house. caverns, and surrounding area, except for the secret lab at area 24. If they become aware of the characters' intrusion, they cooperate to locate and destroy the invaders. The following members of the gang are currently in the house, skulking about in the cellar and the adjoining caverns: Sanbalet (see appendix C). two hobgoblins. four bandits, and four scouts. All the bandits and scouts are humans of neutral evi l alignment. Before being alerted to the characters' incursion the smugglers are dispersed in the cellar and caverns beneath the house (as indicated in the area descriptions). Smugglers on Alert. In the likely event that the characters betray their presence (likely by triggering one of the magic mouth spells in areas 4 and 10). the smugglers become aware of the party before encountering them. Sanbalet and three of his gang (a hobgoblin, a bandit, and a scout) immediately retreat to areas 27 and 28 to protect the smuggled goods. The others break into two groups. Two bandits and a scout wait in area 21 to ambush intruders. The second hobgoblin keeps watch at area 30, but runs to reinforce Sanbalet in area 27 if a fight breaks out there. The remaining members of the gang. two scouts and a bandit. try to ambush intruders. They make Dexterity (Stealth) checks to close in on the party. If two of them are slain, the survivor tries to flee back to area 21. PORTENTS OF WAR Sanbalet and his smugglers have little interest in the larger goings-on of the region. They most highly value gold. drink, and the freedom that comes with pursuing a C ~A I lll. < I ll l SI "' I '>TT R S l IH 1 0 f <\A l I MA fl' H
life of crime. They have no concern for the implications of their actions. which could be a precursor to war. The smugglers currently run weapons for a clan of lizard folk living near Saltmarsh whose queen, Othokent, is preparing her clan for battle against a terrible enemy: the sahuagin. The peaceful town of Saltmarsh knows nothing of the coming war. or the fact that a sahuagin invasion threatens them as much as the lizardfolk do. ADVENTURE SUMMARY The adventure is divided into two parts, "The Haunted House" and "The Sea Ghost." "The Haunted House" likely plays out in the following sequence. The characters arrive in the town of Saltmarsh and begin to hear tales of the haunted house. after which they might seek more information about the house and its current state. If you decide so. they can speak to the poacher mentioned in the "Background" section. The characters set out to explore the house. where they meet its crawling and hissing residents. Awaiting them is Ned, a deceptive NPC who tries to prevent the characters from uncovering the smuggling operation. Whether the characters discover the smugglers or the smugglers initiate an attack on the party. a confrontation with the gang is inevitable, especially if the characters are thorough in their exploration. Ned reveals his true colors at an opportune moment. The caverns and contraband below the house wait to be discovered. Access to the sea suggests the use of a large ship, though such a vessel is not to be found. The first part of the adventure concludes when the characters return to Saltmarsh with the truth and are rewarded for their work. The town elders offer to hire the party to board and commandeer the smugglers' ship when it returns to its secret port. That event sets in motion "The Sea Ghost." which likely unfolds in the following sequence. The characters discover a docwnent that explains the signaling system used by the smugglers to indicate the s hip has arrived; by deciphering and sending the proper return signal. they can put the crew at ease. By force or deception. the party boards the Sea Ghost and attempts to seize control. During this raid, the party encounters a captured sea elf named Oceanus and a trio of lizardfolk warriors. The adventure concludes with signs that the lizardfolk a re preparing for a raid, presumably on the town of Saltmarsh- though the truth, as outlined in the "Portents of War" section, is far more ominous. A MAN ON THE INSIDE A merchant in Saltmarsh who profits from the illegal activities of Sanbalet has taken desperate action to ensure that the smuggling operation continues. The merchant sent a local thug, Ned Shakeshaft, to the house to await the characters in a remote bedroom on the first ftoor. Ned pretends to have been knocked out. gagged. bound, and left to die by unseen attackers. After being "rescued" by the characters, he aims to sow dissent. cause accidents, and otherwise make trouble as they explore the house. More information on Ned and how to incorporate him into the adventure can be found in area 15. ADVENTURE HOOKS For two decades, the haunted house near Saltmarsh has sat. its ill reputation festering. Characters who have backgrounds related to Saltmarsh have heard of the house. Use any of the following hooks to capture the attention of the players. HIDDEN HOARD For years, the tales of the haunted house near Saltmarsh have circulated through the region. Though most of the stories are rightfully taken as warnings to avoid the place. rumors persist of a great treasure hidden in its walls. What relics and other valuables did that old alchemist keep in the creaking floorboards and cracked plaster walls of his home? KNOWLEDGE UNLIMITED The alchemist lived a hermit"s life, with few visitors and fewer friends. But a young messenger once emerged from the house with a story of a grand library containing countless tomes. Retellings of the messenger's tale have varied over the years, with the most popular versions suggesting that the alchemist had discovered a method of transforming base metals into gold. ABOUT THE ORI GINAL Produced by the UK branch ofTSR in 1981, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh was designed by Dave J. Brown and Don Turnbull. It was a revelation at the time, marking the first appearance in a D&D adventure of a haunted house and a raid on a sailing ship. It also set the tone for TSR UK's subsequent output, which often featured strong, central narratives that challenged players to take a creative approach to problem solving. They usually included multiple, smaller locations to explore, lending a sense of variety to a single adventure. <"ll\PTfR'l I '1111 SJNlsnR si:r.Rll 01 SAi l\l\RSll
PLACING THE ADVENTURE The town of Saltmarsh is a small, respectable fishing town located in the Greyhawk campaign setting, in the southernmost part of Keoland. It is situated some twenty miles from two larger towns: Burle, to the northwest, and Seaton, along the coast to the east. Here are suggestions for where you can place this adventure in other campaign settings. Eberron. Even to the pioneering folk of Q'barra, Saltmarsh is a frontier town. The lean-tos and shanties sprawl in the steaming eastern deltas of the Basura Swamp, and their inhabitants do their best to keep out of the affairs of the lizardfolk in the interior. An elf illusionist bearing the Mark of House Phiarlan leads the smugglers and seems bent on stirring up trouble. Forgotten Realms. Midway between Waterdeep and Neverwinter, the town of Saltmarsh and its hardy inhabitants endure both winter storms and the Mere of Dead Men to the south. Because of the politics churning in Thorn hold on the far side of the marsh, help is often slow to come, and so the townsfolk have become quite self-reliant. The smugglers could be from Luskan, and their selling weapons to lizardfolk could be connected to deeper goals than simply lining their pockets. Mystara. Saltmarsh stands on the border between the Grand Duchy of Karameikos and the Five Shires, just inside the edge of the Blight Marsh. The smugglers who use the haunted house as their base might be hin pirates, or at the very least count some halflings among the crew, keen to avoid the authorities at Rollstone Keep up the coast. IT MUST BE CLEANSED It cannot stand! An unholy place so close to civilization. These accounts of wailing and flashing lights disturb the mind and heart. Let any abandoned edifice rot in obscurity so long as the dead leave it alone. But how can one let stand a harbor for evil? The house must be cleansed of its otherworldly occupants. THE H AUNTED HOUSE After gleaning what Mfacts" they can from the townsfolk and equipping themselves at the local shops, the characters set out to explore the fabled haunted house. T RAVELING TO THE HOUSE The road to the house winds through the rocky coastal terrain, often offering a view of the sea below. low clouds press upon you; occasional patches of sunlight appear out over the water. A stiff wind blows in off the waves, carrying the briny stink of churning salt water. The house is located four miles up the coast from Saltmarsh and is accessible by an old road. Curious townsfolk might follow the party for part of their journey. These escorts engage the characters in conversation, ask about their intentions, and repeat the same rumors and stories heard in town. As soon as the house comes into view, the townsfolk grow grim-faced and retreat toward Saltmarsh. H OUSE EXTERIOR The decrepit house sits on the highest ground in the area. Around it, a stone wall has crumbled in many places, exposing the interior grounds. An ornate metal gate lies open al the end of the road, swaying slightly in the wind. Wild flora grows throughout the inner yard, but all the years cannot hide the evidence of a well-tended garden that once sat here. Near the house, the rotted wooden roof of a water well rises out of the tall grass. The house is 35 feet tall from ground level to roof peak; the roof is gabled and has several holes where the slate shingles are missing. THE WALL The stone wall is 6 feet tall and more or less encloses the garden. It has partially collapsed in several places, so access to any part of the garden is simple even if characters decide not to enter through the main gate. THE GARDEN T I l The alchemist kept a vegetable garden around the house, which was used as a retreat from the stress of work and as a supply of fresh food. Now, a few broken gardening tools and a tangle of weeds are all that remain. A single rosebush near the gate has overgrown the wall and choked out most of the other plants. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check discovers that something large has made a burrow under the rosebush. A family of four giant weasels resides in the thorny mass. having dug out a home under the wa ll. The weasels are highly aggressive and try to ambush the characters as they investigate the garden. Given the opportunity, they·ll try to grapple the smallest character and drag them toward their den. THE WELL A character who makes a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check while viewing the well from a distance notices a cluster of small mammal remains in the tall grass around the well (primarily mice, squirrels. and the like). The well shaft. which descends 20 feet. still contains clean water. Fed by an aquifer; the well offers no access to the house nor the caverns below it. If the characters illuminate the shaft while looking down. they see the glint of coins through the shallow water at the bottom. A Medium or smaller creature can climb down the well, using the rocky walls as natural handholds. Two giant poisonous snakes make their homes in the crumbled and crevice-ridden walls of the well shaft. They emerge and strike at anything that descends into the well. They also emerge if the characters linger near the well while investigating it. Treasure. There are 14 sp to be had at the bottom of the well. C.llArrTR. TllE. Sl..,IS.l ll. ~EC l.:FfOI S\ll\!All.SH
HOUSE INTERIOR The house's interior is dilapidated and damp. with patches of harmless mold everywhere. The woodwork is generally rotten. cobwebs and dust are thick, and rubbish is scattered everywhere. Plaster fallen from the walls and ceiJing lies strewn across the floor, along with the shattered remains of vandalized furniture. Fireplaces (with chimneys too narrow to climb) show no signs of recent use. All house corridors are 5 feet wide and 10 feet high; all ceilings are 10 feet high except for the attic level where, because of the sloping roof. the height ranges from I foot at the sides to 15 feet in the center. All doors are 5 feet wide and 7 feet high, of normal wood construction; all are closed but unlocked (with the exception of area 15) and easy to open. Most of the window panes are broken, and all are easy to open. Unless otherwise noted. illumination is bright during the day on the ground floor and the floor above it. In the attic, due to various holes in the roof. the light is dim but adequate, leaving plenty of dark shadows in corners. GROUND FLOOR The following locations are identified on map 2.1. l. ENTRANCE HALL • The front door opens onto a musty, dirty entrance hall. To your left, a corridor leads into the west wing of the house. The walls are bare and bits of smashed furniture lie upon the floor. Ahead of you, another corridor leads toward the rear of the house. A staircase on the eastern wall climbs to the next story, reaching it at a balcony that overlooks the entrance hall along its north and west sides; the stairs appear safe to climb, though the balcony rail is broken in several places. Under the stairs at the north end of the hall, a third corri· dor leads east. • The stairs show considerable wear and creak ominously when tread upon but remain strong enough to support anyone climbing to the second floor. A character who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check finds two sets of recently made humanoid tracks. One set of tracks travels from the entryway toward area 9. The second leads away from the foot of the stairs and along the western corridor toward area 4. Balcony. About 10 feet west of the top of the stairs, a section of the balcony (the shaded area on the map) collapses under the weight of any creature attempting to cross it. The creature that causes the floor to collapse must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall 10 feet to the floor below. The collapsed section of the balcony leaves a 7-foot-widc gap that must be crossed to reach the rest of the first floor. ( llAf'T[ll 2 111 1 Sl" l!:iHR Sfc IH rot '>Al 1\IARSB 2. LIBRARY • This room was once a library, with bookshelves around the walls. Most of the shelves are broken, and in many places they have come away from the wall. The few shelves still intact are empty, but a pile of books rests in the southwest corner. The fourteen books in the heap untidily thrown into the corner are covered with cobwebs, vermin droppings. and harmless mold. All are partially ruined but are still legible. Most of the books are dull (histories, collections of romantic poems, and so forth), but three are quite noteworthy. These three books bear clear titles on their spines: The Magical Properties of Gemstones by the archmage Tenser The Magical Properties of Herbs and Flowers by the archmage Tenser The Metaphysics of Mathematics by the mage Nystul Inside the third volume lies a piece of parchment torn from a larger sheet, containing a few lines of handwritten text in the Common tongue. Dampness has spoiled it so that only two words are legible: "beyond skeletons." The books can be sold for 7 gp each. though finding a buyer for such tomes might require the party co look beyond Saltmarsh. 3. STUDY This room was once a writing room or study. Against the wall under the windows sits a large wooden writing desk, partially broken and riddled with damp rot. There are three drawers in each side of the desk and a large central drawer; the latter is closed. but the others are all openand two of them have been broken open forcibly. The central drawer is locked and can be opened by a character who succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. The drawer contains nothing but old, valueless documents, all written in Common receipts for purchases of various chemicals and laboratory equipment. A character who makes a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers a small secret compartment. Treasure. Inside the secret compartment. wrapped in cloth. is a glass vial containing two doses of potion of healing. 4. LIVING AREA • A door in the north wall leads onto a small patio, the paving cracked and overrun with weeds. Other than a pile of refuse in the southeast corner, the room is bare. •
0 Well Q Cask M~P 2.1; 111\u>Jreo HouH 1 square= 5 reet Upper Floor I : , I I I 14 Ground Floor 6 Cupboard. Wine Rack. etc. ~ Chest ~ Sack iQ Chair <llAl'.11-RI. 1111· !iJNISllRS~LJU!<lf :S1\llM\HSll
A secret trapdoor in the northern half of the room leads to the cellar (area 21). One of the sets of tracks found in area 1 leads to the trapdoor; if the characters are following those tracks, the trapdoor is immediately noticeable (because the tracks go right up to it). If the characters didn't notice the tracks in area l, allow them a DC IO Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survivai) check to pick up the trail in this room. If all else fails. the trapdoor can be spotted by a character who makes a s uccessful DC l 5 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Magic Mouth. Sanbalet has cast a magic mouth spell on the trapdoor. When a creature comes within 5 feet of it. the spell is triggered, causing the following message to be spoken in a loud and malevolent voice: "Welcome. fools welcome to your deaths!" Booming, fiendish laughter follows the spoken message. Each creature that hears the message must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature has disadvantage on all ability checks for l hour unless it is immune to the frightened cond ition. The creature can repeat the saving throw every l 5 minutes. Development. At your discretion, the smuggler in the cellar below the trapdoor might notice the magic mouth being triggered. In this case. the smugglers become aware of the characters and investigate or prepare themselves for the intruders: see "The Smugglers" above. 5. LIVING AREA The only thing of note in the room is a clump of tiny red mushrooms growing around a fireplace in a semicircular formation. Otherwise, the room is bare. The mushrooms are harmless. Treasure. A character who searches the chimney of the fireplace discovers a loose stone about 3 feet above the top of the fireplace that conceals a small cavity. Inside the cavity is a small leather pouch containing two cut pieces of blue quartz (10 gp each). 6. LrvING AREA • Aside from a large amount of plaster that has fallen from the ceiling, this room is bare. t l The floor in the room above (sec area 14) is considerably weaker than elsewhere. a fact visible to any who look up and make a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. There is nothing else of note here. 7. D INING ROOM At one time a long table stood in the center of this room; now it lies broken on the floor. A broken chair sits against the wall between the windows, and there is a heap of broken dishes in the northwest corner. There is nothing else of note here. < ll~i'IEll 2 1111· '>1:-Ji.'l[I{ S[f R['I <)I <;\I l~IARSll T • 8. WITHDRAWING ROOM • Two stuffed armchairs stand near the fireplace of this room. The covers of both have been torn and the stuffing has been pulled out, but the wooden frames are intact. A broken table lies on the floor near the north wall. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check finds a stone out of place on the chimney above the fireplace. Removing the stone reveals a hidden compartment. Additionally. characters who approach the fireplace notice a collection of mouse bones spilling out from the hearth. A swa rm of insects (spiders) lurks in the crevices of the fireplace and chimney. The spiders flood forth with obvious irritation if any creatures move to within 5 feet of the fireplace. Treasure. The hidden compartment contains a wooden box. Inside the box are 30 cp and two small pouches of alchemical powders (5 gp each). 9. KITCHEN This kitchen is dirty and damp, with patches of gray mold and cobwebs on the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the southwest corner is some iron cooking equipment with a chimney above. Next to it, under the window, is a cracked and discolored stone sink. To the right of the sink, a small, closed wooden cup· board is fixed to the wall about five feet above floor level. Against the far wall, a flight of wooden stairs leads upward from west to east; the woodwork of the staircase is decayed, and a few of the treads are missing. The cupboard is empty. The stairs lead to area 18; they are in poor condition but still usable. • If the characters found the tracks in area I that lead here, they discover that the tracks continue into a rea 10. lf they fai led to find the tracks earlier. they can pick up the trail here with a successful DC 10 Intelligence Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. Four giant centipedes nest under the floor below the sink. They come and go through a hole in the foundation beneath the kitchen. The centipedes skitter up the drain. enter the room, and attack anyone investigating the cupboard or the sink. 10. SCULLERY ' This room displays the effects of damp and decay more than most. Mold grows in patches on the floor, walls, and ceiling. A large copper cask, split, discolored and empty, stands under the window, with a small heap of crockery shards on the floor beside it. Stairs lead down into what is presumably a cellar. •
Anyone who inspects the cask can tell from the staining on its interior that it was used to boil water. If the characters found the tracks in area 9 that lead here. they discover that they descend the stairs inro area 20 below. lf they failed to find the tracks earlier. they can pick up the trail here with a successful DC lO Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. Magic Mouth. Sanbalet has cast a magic mouth spell on the stairs, which is triggered when anyone treads on the top step. If the spell is set off, hideous screams-as if of a soul in torment- rise from the cellar below. Each creature that hears the screams must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save. a creature has disadvantage on all ability checks for 1 hour unless it is immune to the frightened condition. The creature can repeat the saving throw every 15 minutes. UPPER FLOOR The following locations are identified on map 2.1. Review the information regarding the balcony in area 1 before the characters ascend to this floor. 11. MOLDERING BEDROOM What was once a fine master bedroom now stands decayed. Some of the floorboards are missing, and there is rubbish scattered around. A tall wooden wardrobe stands against the wall opposite the fireplace, its door closed. The wardrobe contains two items: a pair of old, cracked leather boots with no value or special properties. and a ragged, stained cloak hanging on a peg. The cloak is tooled with a design of coiling ivy leaves and appears harmless but the inner folds are covered in yellow mold (see "Dungeon Hazards'" in chapter S of the Dungeon A1aster's Guide). 12. DECREPIT BEDROOM ' Rubbish is scattered around what was once a fine guest bedroom; t here is evidence of rodent infestation, and webs hang in the corners. A four-poster bed stands against the wall opposite the fireplace. Its woodwork is worm-ridden, and the curtains that once screened the bed are torn and stained. There is no bed linen, but the bed is mostly intact. Whi le some smugglers have slipped away to nap here in recent months, there is nothing of particular note here. 13. GUEST BEDROOM This bedroom has no furniture, but rubbish is scattered everywhere, and webs cover the walls and ceiling. From the doorway, you can see a glint of light in the fireplace from a small, highly reflective object. • Two swarms of insects (spiders) infest this room. One swarm descends on anyone who approaches the fireplace. and the other descends from the webs above the door a moment later. Both wash down the walls with the muffled clatter of thousands of tiny legs. Fireplace. The glint inside the fireplace comes from a small crystal bauble (5 sp) that once belonged to the alchemist. The flat-bottomed crystal orb is pleasant to look at and tactilely satisfying to hold. but ultimately neither particu larly va luable nor useful. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intell igence (Investigation) check while examining the bauble realizes it might be a part of a set of similar crystals used as counterweights in alchemicaJ work. 14. CRUMBLING BEDROOM • This room appears to be another dirty, decaying bedroom without furniture. Even viewed from the doorway, it's evident that the fl oor in here does not look safe; some of the floorboards are missing, and others are partially dislodged . Anyone who enters the room with reasonable care can avoid moving into the part of the floor that is sagging and damaged, looking perhaps not strong enough to support significant weight. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check enables a character to detect recent tracks that lead from the door to the window, and back again, a long the west edge of the room. Clues at the Window. A combination of the position of the house and the topography of the cliff results in this room providing the best view of the sea from any part of the house. and it is from here that the smugglers signal to their colleagues out at sea. A character who carefully examines the window area and makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers small clues to this fact: fresh scratches on the sill where the signa ling lantern has been placed, scuffing of the floor dust immediately nea r the window, and so forth. These signs cannot be seen from the door; they require upclose observation to be discovered. Falling Through the Floor. The tracks left on the floor by the smugglers represent the only safe places to walk in the room. Each time a Medium or larger creature moves off this safe trail into the shaded area on the map. it must succeed on a DC J 2 Dexterity saving throw or fall 10 feet through the floor, landing in area 6. 15. NED'S B EDROOM The door to this room is locked. The key to the room has been left rather obviously in the hallway outside the room and can be spotted by someone who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Alternatively, the door can be opened by a character who succeeds on a DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Any character who opens the lock discovers that it was recently oiled. Once the door is opened. read the following text: l 11 ·\t'I f;R. I 1111 !ill\ll'>rl I! SI t HI I Of "Al T\li\RSli 1 ·~
• In the southeast corner of this decayed bedroom lies a man; he is alive, though bound and gagged. He is clad only in undergarments and appears to have no weapons 1 or equipment. As with area 14, anyone who enters the room with reasonable care can avoid moving into the part of the floor that is sagging and damaged, looking perhaps not strong enough to support significant weight. Falling Through the Floor. Each time a Medium or larger creature moves into the shaded area on the map, it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall IO feet through the floor, landing in area 6. Ned, Bound and Gagged. The man on the Hoor is Ned Shakeshaft (spy) (see "A Man on the Inside" in the Adventure Summary and the "Snake in the Grass" sidebar), who does a convincing job of wanting to be rescued. He has a pretty good idea where his clothes are, and will ask to be escorted to area 17 to retrieve them. Ned has no other possessions, except for a single dose of basic poison (see chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook) that he has concealed in the waistband of his undergarments. He can apply it to any slashing or piercing weapon as a bonus action. 16. ALCHEMIST'S BEDROOM • Damp mold covers portions of the walls and ceiling in this large bedroom, and rubbish is strewn liberally around the floor. In the center is a single mattress that has been badly torn, from which stuffing protrudes. Under the window sits a large wooden chest, the timbers split and its lid closed . • The chest is not locked and opens easily. Inside is a pile of moldy, ragged clothing in styles that were never in fashion-nothing of value- and a bundle of documents. These pages are rotted and stained, their meaning lost long ago. 17. Box R OOM • • This room appears to have been used for storage. A large, ill·made oak chest stands under the window, its lid closed. Elsewhere in the room lie three broken wooden chairs, two splintered wooden buckets, and a mildewed sack. Just inside the door is a heap of clothing; these garments have collected little dust, appearing to have been placed here only recently. The chest is empty and the sack contains drab, rotted clothing- laundry soiled long ago by the house's former owner. Those who untangle the balled contents find an inordinate number of wool socks. The clothes on the floor belong to Ned Shakeshaft, the occupant of area 15. <.II \PTER 2 Tllf Sl'l;J~ I FR ><; 1 (Rf l <H ><;,\I T\I \R~ ll SNAKE IN T HE GRASS Ned tells the characters he is a traveler from Seaton who entered the house the previous night to find a place to sleep during his journey to Saltmarsh where he hoped to find work as an adventurer. He entered through the back door and had only reached the kitchen when he was at· tacked from behind and knocked unconscious. He awoke some hours ago-bound, gagged, and stripped of his possessions-in this room. He did not see his attackers nor has he heard any sounds in the house. Now he would like to be released and to join the characters in their mission. Neither Ned nor his merchant mentor are fools, and they have given some thought to preparing this story-it is not possible for the characters to discern Ned's true motives. Indeed, to add verisimilitude to the story, Ned has a lump on the back of his head (inflicted, with sad*stic delight, by the merchant before Ned left his company). What Ned Wants. Ned wants to manipulate the char· acters into abandoning their mission. He tries to achieve this by playing up the dangers of the place and causing accidents as they explore. The closer the characters get to discovering the truth about the smugglers, the more desperate he becomes. When it become clear he can't warn the characters off, he'll try to ambush them with a poisoned weapon during a fight against other creatures. 18. LANDING • Along the north wall of this area, a staircase descends to the ground floor of the rear of the house. The treads appear to be loose and perilous. Another staircase along the east wall climbs to the upper level. This stair has mostly collapsed-only the lowest six steps are still intact, and there is no easy access to the hole in the ceiling to where the staircase used to lead . A heap of rotten timber lies in the northeast corner. The stairs into the attic are not usable, and the characters must find another way to ascend into the topmost level of the house. 19. ATTIC A gaping hole in the floor shows where the top of the staircase used to lead before it collapsed. There are grimy cobwebs on the walls and ceiling, and the floor is covered with broken furniture and other rubbish. Several holes in the roof allow dim light to enter this large room that extends the length of the house. Two large sacks lie heaped in the northwest corner. The sacks contain old clothing and rags . A group of six stirges nests in the rafters of the attic. They descend on the party at an opportune moment, revealing themselves after the characters enter the attic. Treasure. A character who sifts through the rubbish discovers a porcelain doll costumed to look like a sailor. The doll's eyes are made from two pieces of jade worth lOgp each.
THE CELLAR The following locations are identified on map 2.2. 20. WINE CELLAR Shoulder-height wooden bottle racks line the north and west walls here. There appear to be no intact bottles left in the racks and shattered bottles cover the Aoor. Against the east wall, at the foot of the stairs, rest two large metal storage bins that appear to be empty. In the center of the room lies a human corpse clad in plate mail; a longsword lies by the corpse's right side, and a large shield covers its legs. If the characte rs are following the tracks that lead from area 1, through area 10. and down the stairs into this room, they discover that the tracks continue to the south wall of this chamber and stop abruptly at the secret door. If they failed to find the tracks earlier, they can pick up the trail here with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. The secret door can be discovered by someone who makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. This check is made with advantage if the characters followed the tracks that lead to the door. Bottle Racks. The smugglers emptied the wine cellar a long time ago, though one full bottle remains, having rolled under a rack after it was jostled loose. Someone who examines the tloor around the racks and s ucceeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check can spot the bottle, its label bearing the image of a jauntily dressed unicorn. The contents are drinkable, and a character who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check ascertains that it is a rare vintage worth 50 gp to the proper buyer. Anyone who samples the wine, though, finds it cloyingly sweet, the vintage's value clearly owing more to rarity than actual quality. Corpse. The remains are those of an adventurer who set out to explore the house several weeks ago. The smugglers slew the heavily a rmored intruder and left the remains in place to scare off other visitors. The corpse is infested with two swa rms of rot grubs (see appendix C). Any creature that touches the body comes under attack by the swarms as they spill out of gaps in the a rmor. At a glance. the grubs' appear· ance looks unnervingly similar to curdled milk being squeezed from a bladder. Treasure. The plate mail is banged up- the result of brutal clubbing and kicking but serviceable and fits a Medium creature. The longsword and the shield are in good condition. An explorer's pack, lacking the rations a nd water, is under the corpse. Development. The smuggler in area 21 is Likely to hear the characters if they engage in combat in this area or are otherwise noisy. Unless the characters are purposefully quiet and stealthy. the single smuggler beyond the northern secret door hears them and retreats through the southern secret door. which connects area 21 with the caverns. 21. CELLAR If the party makes a lot of noise while exploring area 20, the smuggler here has already vanished through the secret door. This torchlit chamber was once a large cellar, but it has since been converted into living quarters. Ten crude beds stand along the south wall, each with a wooden locker at its foot. A long wooden trestle table ringed by rickety stools dominates the center of the room. Metal cutlery, cups, and dirty plates sit atop the table. A cookstove is installed near the table, and evidence of recently cooked meals sits in pots atop it. A large ham hangs from a loop of twine near the stove. A sturdy set of stairs leads to a trapdoor in the ceiling above. There are two wooden doors in the east side of the room. T If the characters avoided making undue noise in a rea 20. a single smuggler (bandit) is scrubbing pots in a washbasin near the stove. He tries to flee through thesecret door as soon as the characters appear. Otherwise. if the smugglers have been alerted to the party's presence, two bandits and a s cout are here and ready to fight. Without a smuggler to point the way, someone must make a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find the secret door. The door is hidden behind some s helves that slide away to reveal the opening, which leads to the caverns. When the party approaches the doors in the east end of the room, read: The door to your left appears normal, but the one ahead has a wooden bar across it, held in brackets on the frame and the door itself. The word "DANGER" is scrawled on that door in the Common tongue using chalk. The left door. leading to area 22. is unlocked. Barred Door. Characters who examine the bar can see that it is damaged and bent, as if something has tried to push the door open from the other side. Treasure. The ten wooden footlockers are locked. One can be opened by a character who succeeds on a DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. A locker can also be pried open by a character who uses a crowbar a nd makes a successful DC 12 Strength check. The lockers contain personal effects: each a lso has a coin purse that holds 7 gp a nd J 5 sp. (J!AT' l lll'1 Tiii ~l"l'HlR' (Rf! ( ' f S!\L1~ i\RSH
jb 22. SANBALET'S PRIVATE QUARTERS Unlike the barracks, this small room holds comfortable furnishings and appears to be well cared for. A comfortable-looking bed in the northwest corner has a wooden locker at its foot. A small wooden table stands against the east wall, with a padded leather chair beside it. On the table, a brass three-branch candlestick with three burning candles provides the room with bright light. The candles, though not fresh, are far from spent. Under the table is a small wooden box and an unlit bullseye lantern with a movable shutter over the lens. ' On a shelf above the table sit three books. In the northeast corner is a closed wooden wardrobe. Jf the characters have avoided alerting the smugglers to their presence, Sanbalet (see appendix C) is in his quarters. Otherwise, this room is vacant. Sanbalet's books consists of the following volumes: A volume of erotic poetry, fully illustrated A naval almanac listing tide times for the area of coast around Saltmarsh (a total of one hundred miles of coastline is covered) A treatise concerning the demigod luz and its minions Inside the third book is a sheet of parchment featuring a few simple words and phrases in the Common tongue and their equivalents in Goblin. The words include '"stop," "fight," "lift,"' "come,'" and so forth- key words used by Sanbalet to instruct his hobgoblin mercenaries. Bullseye Lantern. The lantern is used to signal the Sea Ghost. Someone who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check realizes that the lantern is used only infrequently. Treasure. The three books are worth JO gp each. A fancy floor-length oilskin coat (5 gp) hangs in the wardrobe. Its sleeves contain numerous pockets (empty), and it is trimmed in iridescent green si lk. A character who makes a successfu l DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a hidden compartment under the table that holds Sanbalet's spellbook. The book contains all the spells Sanbalet has prepared. The small wooden box holds twelve candles, flint and steel, and a piece of parchment that details Sanbalet's method of communicating with the ship. See ""The Signaling System·· in the second part of this adventure for more information. 23. SKELETONS' ROOM The bar securing the door is easily lifted. The smugglers sealed this room after discovering the undead within. Light spilling in from the large room behind you barely shows that the chamber 1s only about twelve feet across and the corners are filled with shadow. What little you can see is dingy and dirty. <. HAl'IF.I!" 1111~JNISll1' Slf REI 01 SAlJM\J!<;H Six old skeletons lurk in the shadows here. They rise and attack as soon as the characters enter the room. They have disadvantage on initiative checks owing to the length of their dormancy. The skeletons are reinforced by compounds applied to their bones years ago. The first time they take damage from a melee attack, that damage is reduced by half. If the skeletons are vulnerable to that damage. they instead ignore that vulnerability for this attack. Development. If the characters spend more than a few moments here, a faint blue light appears at the seam of the secret door to area 24. The light gradually grows brighter as the alchemist's remains reanimate after long decades. At a time of your choosing, the alchemist (skeletal alchemist; see appendix C) emerges through the secret door to assist the skeletons. When the alchemist enters the scene, read: A hunched corpse wearing a pointed hat and dressed in a robe embroidered with mystic symbols crosses through the hidden door. Thin wisps of beard A oat from its bony jaw. It raises a finger, tracing arcane symbols in the air. In a hoarse voice, it speaks: "Secrets found and lost then found again. Your paltry minds cannot fathom ... " Treasure. The alchemist wears an empty bag of holding at the waist. One rib bone on each of the skeletons is dipped in gold and is worth 5 gp. The alchemist also carries a cursed luckstone (see appendix B). 5KELE T~L ALCHEMl~T l
D Sink 0 Stove O Cask bl Bed 1 square= 5 feet (} Roll of Cloth ./) Chair 0 Cupboard. Wine Rack. Bookcase. etc. Ul!'\PTEI! 2 I THI: '<l"l~ IR SI l Rl'l Of SAi I \I \RSll
THE CURSED LUCKSTON E Do nothing to prevent the characters from being misled regarding the stone carried by the alchemist in area 23, as well as the book and the golden objects found in his lab in area 24. In truth, there is no such thing as a philosopher's stone, although the characters might put two and two together and decide otherwise if they claim the stone from the alchemist, see the unlikely golden objects, and also decipher the book. They might become excited at the idea of possessing an actual philosopher's stone! Of course, once a character attunes to the stone, the sad truth is revealed. 24. LABORATORY ' The secret door opens toward you to reveal a clutter of broken glass and earthenware piled on the floor beyond. Three small copper pots lie amid the debris. As the party enters and sees the rest of the room, read: l A bench runs down the west wall of what seems to be a laboratory. On the bench are jars of powders and liquids and several pieces of chemical apparatus. There is a table against the south wall, forming an L-shape with the bench. A book is open on the table. Also on the table is a candlestick, with a tiny stump of unlit candle still in it, and a variety of other items that, even in the dim light, shine with the warmth of pure gold. One of these objects looks like a human skull. Book. Before the alchemist died, he was reading the book that lies open on the table. Its title is Ye Secret of Ye Philosopher's Stone, no author acknowledged. The book is worth 50 gp to the right buyer. Though it is written in Common, the book is too profound and recondite a work to be fully understood by anyone other than the appropriate specialist, but a character might be able to deduce the general subject matter. Gaining that knowledge requires 8 hours of study and a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The book contains instructions for the creation of a "philosopher's stone," then describes how that object can be used to convert base metal into gold. Golden Objects. The objects on the table are made of pure gold-but were manufactured this way, nor magically transformed. Although the characters might infer that they are the results of successful experiments with the philosopher's stone. the truth is that the alchemist had them crafted to deceive a potential buyer into believing that the stone was real. The collection includes the following items: • A human s kull (20 gp) • An apple (5 gp) • A rose (5 gp) • A set of five small discs (balance weights, 5 gp each) CHAPTfR2 IHF SINl~Tl:RSI·( RiTO! S'\lT~IARSll l Treasure. The table holds small stacks of gold coins totaling 47 gp. Examining the table closely reveals a concealed drawer that contains the spellbook the alchemist used when he was alive. The book's contents include dancing lights, comprehend languages, Tenser's floating disk, and shatter. The chemical apparatus on the bench is worth 20 gp. THE CAVERNS The passages a nd caverns beyond the secret door in the south wall of room 21 a ll decline perceptibly toward the sea. The passage that runs north of areas 25 and 26 and the interior of areas 27, 28, and 29 are well-lit by torches set in crude brackets on the walls. Areas 25 and 26 are dark. Area 30 is open to daylight. The walls are slimy and the floors are moist, though the smugglers have laid matting in places to make them more easily passable. All these passages and caverns are natural, though there are signs of worked stone here and there; such evidence is found on the stairs leading from the secret door and in places where na rrow passages were widened. It is likely that the characters have dealt with members of Sanbalet's gang before entering the caverns. The following area descriptions assume that the smugglers have responded (see ''Smugglers on Alert" in the "Background'' section), so that Sanbalet and a few of the smugglers await the characters in area 27 and 28. lf the smugglers are caught off guard, most of them are scattered throughout the caverns. Be s ure to place them in a way that does not overwhelm the characters, but once combat begins in the caverns, it likely won't stop until the gang is entirely dealt with. Jf Sanbalet is slain, consider having any remaining smugglers flee. The following locations a re identified on map 2.2. 25. SLIMY CAVERN This uneven, naturally formed cavern is about twenty feet in diameter. Two patches of green slime (see "Dungeon Hazards" in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) hang at a point on the ceiling roughly halfway between the two passage mouths. They drop on characters (or smugglers) who pass below, landing with a distinctively soggy slap. 26. NATURAL CAVERN I • J This roughly circular, naturally formed cavern is about 1 twenty-five feet in diameter. • l If the smugglers are not yet aware of the characters' presence, three scouts are resting here while they await instructions. There is nothing else of note in this area.
27. STORAGE CAVERN • This cavern, like the passage leading to it, is well lit by torches held in simple iron brackets around the walls. You can see five small bolts of cloth stacked against the wall to your left, and to your right are eight small casks in a neat row. • This is the primary storage chamber for Sanbalet's smuggling operation, and the likely place from which he and his gang mount a defense. If an alarm has nor been raised, two bandits and a scout are here, stealing drinks from the store of brandy. If the smugglers have been alerted, Sanbalet (see appendix C and the following sidebar), one hobgoblin. one scout. and one bandit defend this room. Sanbalet stays clear of the me lee, raking cover behind the casks in the southeast corner. The hobgoblin and the bandit try to prevent the characters from entering the room. while the scout hangs back to fire its ranged weapon. Treasure. The five bolts of silk are worth 50 gp each, and the eight casks of brandy are worth 10 gp apiece at market. though the merchants of Saltmarsh recognize the goods as stolen if the characters try to sell them there. Sanbalet carries a pipe of remembrance (see appendix B) and a set of masterfully crafted loaded gaming dice (20 gp). The hobgoblin wears a suit of mariner's armor (scale mail). 28. SLOPING PASSAGE • The incline of the passage is perceptibly greater in this area. Coarse matting has been laid in places on the Aoor, negating some of the slope's slipperiness. Smugglers who fled from earlier encounters with the characters wait at the end of this passage. firing ranged weapons at the intruders as they attempt to navigate the narrow spots. SAN BA LET A tall man with a shaved head and piercing green eyes, the leader of the smugglers is as charismatic as he is cunning. Sanbalet is a plotting nemesis who prefers manipulation to direct action. It is no accident that his gang occupies the old house, since the promise of hidden knowledge ini· tially drew him here. Despite the disappointment of never finding the alchemist's secret chamber or other legendary arcane discoveries, the clever wizard saw opportunity in the house's ruined walls and shattered windows. What He Wants. The smuggler wants to expand his op· eration and eventually inhabit a more secure location to better pursue his magical studies. He'd sacrifice every one of his companions to achive these ends. Confidence Aplenty. Sanbalet's success stems from confidence in his abilities. He delights in criminal behavior and considers himself a great villain. He speaks of himself in the third person and exhibits narcissistic tendencies. • lMAl'lll!.!. Tiii Sl'IJl~Tl::RH< IHI or SAll\1.\USli
