Page 14 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

The docks have recently undergone a series of expan- ing to outdo the other with their tales of the sea. Fights
sions intended to lure larger merchant vessels into the erupt as rival crews cross paths, and the town guard
port. Two primary piers are used to load and unload keeps a high profile in hopes of maintaining the peace.
large ships, while a series of smaller ones accommodate The quantity and quality of the catch in recent days
humbler vessels. goes a long way toward determining the town's mood
This part of Saltmarsh is almost constantly busy; and general atmosphere. A bountiful catch for a few
it's rare to see the large piers unoccupied. Guarded days in a row puts all the fishers in a celebratory mood,
warehouses are a common sight in this district, and it while a poor harvest that lasts more than a couple of
is considered suspicious behavior to walk near those days leads to frayed tempers and brawling.
places at night. Use the following table to determine the mood around
The docks are a hotbed of rumors and gossip. The the village, rolling once every few days or choosing as
sailors and laborers who frequent this area are bored, you see fit.
eager for news, and inclined to share what they have
heard. A character who spends a few hours asking for S ALTMARSH Mooo
news can learn the current scuttlebutt. The "Dock Ru- d20 Result
mors" table below can be an inspiration for the sort of 1-6 Poor Catch. The townsfolk are frustrated and prone
whispers characters might hear.
to bickering; everyone is in a bad mood.
7-12 Bountiful Catch. Music and merriment echo
DOCK RUMORS
through town as everyone celebrates.
dlO Rumor
13-20 Typical Catch. Overall, the fishers are content with
The crown dispatched a caravan with enough gold to
their recent results. Here and there, crews boast of
commission six new warships. It went missing near
good pickings or bemoan their poor haul.
the Hool Marshes.
2 Drow traders posing as surface elves have been doing
LOCATIONS I N SALTMARSH
business in town.
Here is a summary of the notable places in Saltmarsh,
3 Someone's sabotaging fishing boats. It's those
as depicted on map 1.1.
dwarves- they want to take over!
4 The king's agents have infiltrated town. It's only a
1. C rTY GATE
matter of time before they remove the council and Saltmarsh was built on the ruins of a much older set-
replace them with foppish nobles. tlement, sometimes called Old Saltmarsh or the Old
5 That tiefling who's looking to buy crocodile skulls Harbor. One sign of this is that the town has a small
can't be up to anything good. stretch of wall and a single town gate secured by two
6 A couple of fishing boats have gone missing. If the or three guards. The wall is old, crumbling, and badly
sea devils aren't behind it, I'm a merman. worn by centuries of rain and wind coming in from the
7 A big critter's been going through everyone's trash Azure Sea.
The garrison at the gate consists of older guards,
at night. Something from the swamp, I'd reckon-
those nearing retirement and unwilling or unable to
maybe a troll.
walk patrols. Their eyes are sharp, and they are prone
8 Sometimes on a moonless night, you can meet the
to gossip. A pull from a flask of whiskey or a few silver
ghost of a drowned sailor trying to get home. Lead
pieces can persuade them to provide information on re-
one to their home, and you'll get a wish. Fail, and cent visitors.
they'll strangle you.
9 If you see someone at the docks wearing a red cloak 2. B ARRACKS AND J AIL
after dark, slip them a copper piece and they'll con- Built on a low hill, the Saltmarsh barracks are also its
nect you with smugglers from beyond this world who jail. It is one of the few structures in Saltmarsh with an
underground level. The jailer, Kraddok Stonehorn (LG
can sell you anything you've dreamed of.
male human gladiator), is an old comrade ofEliander.
10 It's only a matter ohime before the dwarves dig too
He is a stickler for the rules, and Eliander trusts him
deep and unleash something horrible.
with his life.
The jail in the cellar consists of two sections. A single
Moon OF THE TowN large chamber holds drunks, brawling fishers, and other
Saltmarsh is a place of constant energy. Pew of the com- troublemakers who need to cool off for a few nights. The
mon folk are so affluent that they can afford to sit idle. At lock is high quality (requiring a successful DC 20 Dex-
sunrise, the docks bustle with fishers preparing to ven- terity check with thieves' tools to pick), and the door is
ture out for the day. When they return, they spend time built of stout wood with a small window to allow guards
unloading their catch, mending nets, and repairing their to check in on their charges.
vessels. The merchants move their ships into the docks A side passage holds six individual cells with high-
once the fishing fleet is out for the day, and dock workers er-quality locks (each requiring a successful DC 25
rush to load and unload goods before the boats return. Dexterity check with thieves· tools to pick) and solid
The daily energy and bustle carries over into rowdy doors that lack windows. One cell was long ago warded
nights. The fishers chug ale and swap stories, each seek- against both teleportation and divination magic. Spell-

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