Page 138 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

60. 'TEMPORARY BARRACKS CONCLUSION
• If the adventurers achieve their objectives and return
North of the entrance, this vast cavern immediately safely to Saltmarsh. they receive a hero's welcome. They
opens into an area bounded to the south by a ledge along are granted Saltmarsh citizenship, and a house is set
which plain pillars support the roof high above. Beyond aside for them to use, rent-free, whenever they wish.
If you want to continue the story, proceed with the
that ledge, the area becomes a natural sea cave. Thick ''The Assault." That information assumes that the char-
beds of seaweed grow along nearly every part of the acters take on a role in the upcoming invasion of the
south wall. The walls and roof arch high above. stronghold and provides guidance on how to play out
In the center of the worked area, a flight of steps leads those events. If you and the group want to move on to
other challenges instead, a full-scale assault on the for-
down to the south. Beyond, in the center of the cave's
tress takes place about fourteen days after they return to
south wall, a metal gate lies across a cave mouth.
Saltmarsh. The sahuagin are wiped out and their plans
Many bulging canvas sacks lie along the north wall. destroyed, thus removing the threat to the town and the
l An enormous force of sahuagin occupies this cavern. • races living in the area. The lizard folk return to their
home and, though the Saltmarsh militia suffers losses .
the area settles down to its former peaceful ways.
This area will eventually house the drill hall and assem-
bly area for the fortress. but at present sixty-eight sa- T H E ASSAULT
huagi n are barracked here, awaiting the completion and
flooding of their accommodations on level 1. Because of the characters' familiarity with the sahuagin
The occupants include forty-five sahuagin. ten sa- fortress and their obvious skill at staying alive, the Salt-
huagio coral smashers, seven sahuagin champions. marsh council involves them in the their battle plans.
four sahuagin deep divers, and two sahuagin wave
shapers (see appendix C for all but the sahuagin). The THE P LAN
sahuagin in this area are socializing, performing drills, The allied forces have devised a simple but effective
or resting in the seaweed beds. Six shell sharks (see plan. They begin with an attack by Saltmarsh's militia
appendix C) also swim in the cavern, close to the roof against the entrance (area 1 ). Once the sahuagin commit
of the natural area to the south. Shoals of tiny silver fish troops to the defense of the gate, the aquatic factions of
dart about here and there, obstructing vision in places. the alliance will attack through the entrances on level 3.
Gate. The gate barring the cave mouth is an ex- The humans will then keep the sahuagin busy on level
tra-large device, 20 feet wide by 20 feet high. Its mech- l while their allies sweep through the lower levels and
anism is correspondingly larger than others elsewhere. eventually crush the defenders in a pincer attack.
The bronze gate is normally closed (down). though it can The Saltmarsh council explains that the characters'
be raised and lowered by one of two chain and pulley role is to serve as a strike force, disrupting the sahuagin
mechanisms. One is fastened to the wall on the inside defenses and slaying as many foes as possible before the
of the cavern, to the east of the cave mouth. The other main force engages the enemy. A cunning party should
is outside the cavern, also to the east of the cave mouth. have the chance to take out numerous defenders, open
Under normal circumstances, it takes 3 rounds to raise the gate in area 1. and slay sahuagin leaders. possibly
or lower the gate, but an emergency device can drop the without ever raising an alert. It's a daunting task. but the
gate in a split second with a muffled clang (not audible party has their allies' full confidence.
on this level other than in areas 58 and 59). RESOURCES
The gate (AC 18, 100 hit points, damage threshold 14) Before being ferried from to a landing point near the
can be forced open by a character who makes a success- sahuagin fortress. the Saltmarsh council provides the
ful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. characters with 1 potion of invisibility and 1 potion
Treasure. Each sahuagin has a leather pouch con- of gaseous form for each party member. The council
taining 12 sp. Ten canvas sacks contain the personal makes it clear that these items are on loan to the party
possessions of the champions: a total of 860 ep. twelve and that they expect the return of any unused items.
uncut gems of various sorts (10 gp each). and a variety of
personal items with no monetary value. THE ATTACK
The allied forces are destined for victory, but their de·
61. OLD Gu A RD RooM
gree of success is yet to be determined. Success in the
battle is determined by how many victory points the
The passage opens into a small chamber. On the oppo· characters accrue during their infiltration. Every time
site side, another passage leads out of the room. the party defeats a foe or achieves a strategic goal, they
gain victory points. as detailed on the following table.
Keep a running total of how many victory points the
This room and the nearby passages have not been al- party earns during their incursion. If the group caused
tered by the sahuagin. They are roughly hewn from the particular damage to the sahuagin fortress on their first
rock and display none of the precision that characterizes visit, feel free to grant them a discretionary 5 to 15 vic-
sahuagin construction. tory points based on the scope of the destruction.

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