Page 172 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Ar-
Unlocking the door reveals a long corridor with iron cana) check recognizes the creature as an aboletb. as
doors lining both walls. Each door has a small viewing does anyone who has encountered aboleths before.
hatch that's latched shut. An unnatural gurgle churns
DISTRICT GARRISON
up from a cell to the right, and is quickly joined by
If the characters visit the district garrison, there's a 30
other voices.
percent chance that Constable Jute is there. Otherwise,
Trantor ignores the din as she hurries to the far end of
she's on patrol and returns in ld8 hours. As long as the
the hall, where she ushers you through an open cell door.
characters don't proclaim that they're investigating the
The walls beyond are covered with childlike sketches, Lantern Ghost case, the militia guards are fairly friendly
all overlapping each other in confusing waves and pat- toward them. (It's their policy not to antagonize pow-
terned swirls. erful-looking strangers.) If the guards realize what the
party is up to, they immediately suspect the characters
are out to make them look bad. In that case, they be-
Any character who studies the sketches for a few come surly and tight-lipped.
minutes quickly recognizes that they are multiple de- All the militia guards have been assured by their com-
pictions of a tentacled creature something like a squid manders (all of whom were bribed by Mr. Dory) that the
or octopus, but determining further details is difficult. Lantern Ghost was executed. the murders have been
With a successful DC 13 Intelligence check, a character solved. and anyone who wants to dig deeper into the
discerns a specific element hidden within the chaotic matter must be a troublemaker trying to stir up dissent.
sketches. A character who has proficiency in Nature can
add twice their proficiency bonus to the check. The spe- CONSTABLEjUTE
cific elements include the following details: Constable jute (LG female human guard) is a rarity
in the militia- an honorable and honest public ser-
The tentacled creature is shown devouring a coastal
vant. She is noticeably nervous and reticent when first
city whose skyline suggests the Styes.
asked about the Lantern Ghost case. as a result of the
• The creature is shown trapped in a deep chasm or un·
warnings that she and the other members of the militia
derwater pit. its tentacles wrapped around humanoids
have received. Being an honest guard means that jute
who are dragged down into the inky dark.
is already the target of scorn from her superiors and
The tentacled creature appears to be shackled by a
fellow guards, and she doesn't need any more trouble in
collar attached to a chain, with the chain held by an-
that area.
other creature resembling a vile, multi-tailed fish. Any
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