Page 157 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

All three survivors have been traumatized by the By peering through the crevice to the south, the survi-
recenc attacks. which were unknowingly triggered by vors witnessed the undead gathering the slain residents
janore Stormswake's arrival at the hermitage. into nets. The monsters walked back into the sea, drag-
A fourth hermit, Aaron Kelderman. also survived the ging several of the nets behind them. More than a dozen
initial undead attack, but he was recently slain by Rasp corpses remain to be salvaged from the grotto. waiting
in the belfry (see area 24). Since Aaron has not returned for the undead to return.
after leaving to scout the island, the other survivors have At dawn, Aaron went up and out to search for survi-
been too terrified to leave this room. vors. Finding none. he remained outside to keep watch
Sickness in the Bolt-Hole. The hermits initially for passing ships. He planned on ringing the bell to
remained hidden for fear that the silence above was draw their attention. In the meantime. he tried to fortify
a ploy by the lurking undead to draw them from their the place as well as he could.
hiding place. But it quickly became obvious that the Having witnessed the undead at their work, the survi-
wounds Morley and Barret suffered have caused a horri- vors are convinced they will be back perhaps as early
ble disease. as tonight, after the sun sets.
Both Barret and Morley have contracted the disease Drowned Ones' Threat. If the characters haven't
called bluerot from the drowned ones (see appendix C). identified the ruined map found in area 13,Janore can
Barret is very ill and has lost 4 points of Constitution confirm that it shows Firewatch Island. the locaJ coast-
and Charisma from the disease. Unless he is cured, one line, nearby settlements. and the invaders' plans for
hour after the characters discover him, Barret must suc- an assault against those settlements. If the characters
ceed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 18 haven't already done so, she guesses that the undead
(4d8) necrotic damage. A failed save likely kills him. are still following the orders they were under when
Morley fared better and has lost only 1 point of Con- Tammeraut was sunk. They intend to seize the hermit-
stitution and Charisma. He must make his first DC 12 age and destroy its last defenders, then use the island as
Constitution saving throw against the disease in roughly a staging ground for attacks against the settlements of
20 hours. This means that he is alive for the drowned the coast.
ones' second assault.
Treasure. The dead chaplain wears a +l breastplate. LAST STAND
Development. All three of the survivors are in shock With both Morley and Barrett sickened,Janore doesn't
from their recent ordeal. and they are desperate to es- know what to do. Aaron was supposed to check on the
cape the island. Unfortunately, Barret is in no condition status of the boat kept in area 14, and since he failed to
to travel. j anore Stormswake can give the most detailed return Janore has been afraid to investigate further. Un-
account of recent events, but she asks first if the charac- til the characters appeared. the survivors believed that
ters have seen Aaron. She can recount how he slipped they had been abandoned, and that the only way off the
out from the bolt-hole to see if the fortress was safe, but island is the ferry. But even if the characters have the
never returned. lf the characters haven't already discov- means of leaving the island immediately. or they can re-
ered Aaron's body,Janore tells of having heard the bell
pair the hermitage's boat with mending. the knowledge
ringing. then silence. that the drowned ones mean to use Firewatch Island as
Survivors' Tale. janore relates that she was reading a base from which to launch further mayhem across the
in the library when a sudden premonition of danger region should give them pause.
came to her from her god, Procan. She heard whispers An undead assault against the coast could come at
in her mind that led her to this place, and her intuition any number of locations and be all but impossible to
told her that the skeleton found here was the remains of defend against. Because the drowned ones are able to
a fellow priest of Procan. (The skeleton is indeed the re- add to their undead ranks, each successful attack would
mains of the priest whose plea for help led to the sinking increase the size of their army. But knowing that the un-
of Tammeraut.) dead likely plan to return to Firewatch Island co destroy
Acting quickly. she found Aaron in the kitchen and its last survivors gives the characters a single chance for
grabbed him just as he heard the dormitory door splin- a controlled fight. Destroying the drowned ones before
tering. Morley and Barrett staggered into the larder they capture the hermitage might be the only way to end
soon after. wounded and in need of help.Janore says she their threat.
dragged them inside and was about to seal the entrance If the characters decide to stay and await the fall of
when the larder door banged open:
night, Janore and the others insist on remaining in the
bolt-hole- it's been safe so far and they're not eager to
"I saw a corpse, dripping wet, shriveled and discolored risk compromising their sanctuary. None of the survi-
vors know exactly how many drowned ones there are,
as if by long immersion in the sea. It stalked into the
room and began to search, so I sealed the door. Miracu- 1 but they believe that securing all the entrances to the
hermitage would be beneficial. A character who suc-
lously. it missed our hiding place, though it kept scrab- ceeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check calms
bling at the floor as if it could sense us below. But then the survivors enough that they agree to leave the bolt-
as the first glow of dawn showed at the cleft in the wall hole, and they can help the characters barricade the
there, it suddenly fled." hermitage. set up traps. and otherwise prepare to face
the undead .
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