Page 177 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

manticores roam freely through the warehouse at night. 06. UPPER DECK
They spend their days in the loft but respond quickJy to
any disturbance in the main warehouse below. •
I
Treasure. The crates in this area and their contents The decrepit-looking hull of a ship is suspended from
are similar to those in area Dl. The chief difference is the crane by massive chains, all of which creak and groan
that no one in town is likely to notice or care if these
ominously as the ship shifts in the wind. The only appar-
items are pawned or fenced. Much of what's here
ent access to the vessel's interior is near the bow on the
has spoiled or lost its potency, but 1,700 gp worth of
port side. A grate in the hull there belches smoke, while
still-valuable equipment and supplies can be collected
with a thorough search. water flowing along a wooden trough pours through the
l grate into the hull.
04. UPPER WALKWAY
A walkway surrounds the highest level of the ware-
house. which is now used only as an approach to area Many of the compartments of this decommissioned hull
OS. The door to area 05 is made of iron and is kept have been Aooded with water so that its aquatic occu-
locked. Dory and all his guards carry a key for the door. pants can move about more easily. The skum that lurk
which can otherwise be opened with a successful DC in area D7 patrol the upper deck once every 30 minutes,
15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. The door can but they mostly rely on the guards in area DS to warn
also be smashed open by making a successful DC 18 them of intruders.
Strength (Athletics) check and a lot of noise. As the characters move around on the hulk, stress the
ominous creaking and groaning from the chains holding
D5.CRANE it aloft. These chains are solidly attached and there's no
danger of the ship crashing to the ground, but it should
' feel like a dangerous environment. The grate through
A narrow, rotting walkway with missing boards and no
which water Aows into area D7 isn't locked or trapped,
railing surrounds the rusting bulk of this ancient crane. but lifting it open creates a lot of noise unless someone
The hull of the ship dangles from the crane's arm. fifty makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check
feet above the broad mud pool below. A wooden trough while doing so. Once the grate is open, characters can
drop down into area 07.
connects the ship to a nearby water tower, and a crude
The chains holding the ship aloft are too sturdy to
bridge suspended between the crane and the ship's deck
be broken by any quick or simple method. Severing
promises a treacherous climb. Steam rises from the hulk, one would take a successful DC 30 Strength check,
and rivulets of water spill out from between the planks of prolonged heating, or half a dozen shatter spells. Such
the hull, raining down to the mud below. l attempts also likely attract the attention of nearby skum.
D7. BowPooL
The walkway around the crane is rickety but is more
solid than it looks. The real danger on the walkway
The air in this compartment is oppressively hot and hu·
and the bridge comes from their uneven surface and
the lack of a railing. A character who moves no more mid. Clouds of smoke rise and escape through the grate
than 10 feet per turn and devotes all their attention to above, billowing from a pair of roaring boilers near the
watching where they place their feet is in no danger bow, bolted to the deck and walls on either side of a large
while moving through this area. But a character who
pool of steaming water. The walls, floor, and ceiling of
moves more quickly or who performs any other action in
the compartment are thick and shiny with condensation
addition to moving must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
and mildew.
saving throw or fall prone. If the saving throw fails by
more than 5, the character slips and falls 60 feet. The
fall deals only 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage because of
This area is difficult terrain because of the moisture and
the soft, deep mud below, but the mud is contaminated.
slime everywhere.
Anyone who falls in must also succeed on a DC 11
The bottom of the pool is open to the ship"s Hooded
Constitution saving throw or contract sewer plague (see
bilge, allowing all the water in the ship to be heated
''Diseases" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
from this area. That opening can't be seen from above
The crane's gears and controls are heavily rusted and
through the smoke, steam, and dirty water. A creature
frozen in place.
can swim from this pool through the bilge directly into
Three skum (see appendix C and the "Skum" sidebar)
areas DB and D9. and vice versa.
hidden inside the crane's shed stand guard over this
The cloudy water conceals three skum (see appendix
area. They confront anyone who tries to cross the foot-
C and the "Skum" sidebar). 1 f they were alerted by the
bridge to the ship. simultaneously calling out to alert the
skum guarding the crane or by a noisy opening of the
ship's occupants. These skum are intimately familiar
grate above, they"re prepared for trouble and can't be
with the walkway and the precarious bridge, so they
surprised. Otherwise. they're napping or loafing in the
can move and act normally with no risk of falling. If they
water, so they're automatically surprised by enemies
can, they try to push intruders off the walkway rather
who approach stealthily.
than fight them.
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