Page 23 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

SAHUAGIN FORTRESS Since then, the ruins have been largely forgotten. The
This rocky outcropping sits atop a submerged fortress exception is Keledek the Unspoken. the town wizard,
occupied by the fearsome sahuagin. This place is fulJy who used magic to open the cellar door and found that
detailed in The Final Enemy. the passages led to a hidden sea cave. He uses the cave
This lair is an underwater stronghold maintained by as a meeting point for smugglers. He has recruited sev-
the sahuagin. From here, they prey on passing ships eral goblins to keep watch over the place, along with a
and plot to grow in strength to the point that they can trained giant constrictor snake he raised from a hatch-
lay waste to Saltmarsh. A total of thirty sahuagin. a sa- ling. The goblins barricaded several passages leading
huagin priestess. and a sahuagin baron lair here. deeper into the dungeons after losing several of their
number to ghouls and giant rats that emerged from
SEATON the depths.
The folk of Saltmarsh point to Seaton as an example of Keledek is loath to tell anyone about his secret strong-
the fate they want to avoid. For years. Seaton was about hold, but he can't shake the idea of following the deeper
twice as large as Saltmarsh and enjoyed prosperous passages for the chance of unearthing Zenopus's lost
fishing and shipping industries. When King Kimbertos secrets. If the characters earn his trust, he might take
Skotli turned his attention south to deal with the Sea them into his confidence. The details of the deep dun-
Princes. his admirals chose Seaton as the location for geons are left to the DM's invention.
an important military port. Today, Seaton has been
transformed from a robust fishing town into a drab for- GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES
tress. Sealon's harbor is heavily fortified, and a large The lands around Saltmarsh are filled with peril, since
garrison of naval ships, infantry, and cavalry serves as much of the region is untamed wilderness. Even though
the primary defense point for the region.
the Kingdom of Keoland has grand ambitions, its focus
Duke Marik Feldren (CN male human knight) rules
in the south remains on the sea. The crown does its best
over the town in his capacity of governor of the south-
to make sure the roads are safe, but otherwise it is gen-
ern province that includes Seaton. King Skotti actually
erally content to leave the monsters and vicious tribes of
granted Marik's older brother, the war hero Obertus
the wilds alone as long as they remain in their habitats.
Feldren, governorship of the province. But the affable
duke·s reign was short-lived, for he fell ill and died a year THE DREADWOOD
later. The title fell to Marik, a sheltered hothead eager to Long a home of horrid monsters and vicious raiders,
surpass his brother's legend. He considers the natives the Dreadwood hides within its borders a multitude of
of the region as cowards who hid away in their isolated terrors. Keoland maintains ranger patrols that sweep
villages while the north suffered its losses. He further through the outer reaches of the forest periodically,
believes that his brother. who had a genuine fondness while several wood elf clans dwell at its edge. The two
for the local fishers and traders. was laid low by traitors forces are generally successful at keeping the monsters
in service to the Sea Princes. of the Dreadwood in check. but at times a threat that
Duke Feldren intends to raise taxes to fund an ag- avoids them or overcomes them emerges to wreak havoc
gressive expansion of the royal navy and launch raids across the land.
against the Sea Princes' domain. The Scarlet Brother- The inner depths of the Dreadwood are a place where
hood, for its part. is delighted by Duke Feldren's plans to the planar bindings between Oerth and the Shadowfell
keep the pot stirred. If the opportunity arises, the Broth- are thin. Undead creatures and villainous monsters that
erhood might plant evidence of plots against him to feed seek to tap into the essence of the Shadowfell thrive
the duke's suspicion of the locals and, with luck, spark deep in the forest. Its innermost reaches mingle with
civil unrest that tempts the Sea Princes into making in- that dark realm, forming a warped mirror version of the
cursions into the area. Dreadwood that extends into that plane.
One of the Dreadwood·s most powerful denizens is
TOWER OF ZENOPUS
a truly ancient night hag named Granny Nightshade,
The wizard Zenopus once dwelled in this tower on the
who dwells in the deepest depths of the forest. She com-
cliffs outside Saltmarsh. He built his lair next to the re-
mands magic as well as a mighty wizard does and has
mains of an ancient graveyard rumored to be haunted.
struck bargains with several dukes of the Nine HeJJs.
One night. the tower was engulfed in a fiery green
Her twisted fortress. Castle Spiral, stands at the nexus
aura. A few brave folks from town investigated the
point between the Shadowfcll and Oerth. and from its
tower and found it abandoned. The door at the base of
gates emerge sk eletons. zombies, shadows. and other
the cellar stairs was covered with strange symbols and
horrors to threaten the land.
wrapped in silver chains. An explorer tried to open the
Granny ightshade countsjackalweres as her fore-
door. but a jolt of lightning from the door·s runes nearly
most minions. and she has also acquired the services
killed her. Shortly afterward, strange spirits and caper-
of goblins. ores, hobgoblins, ogres. and trolls over
ing fey were seen atop the tower. After a few travelers
the years. Green hags bound to her service act as bar-
went missing nearby. the town council asked a Keoish
onesses who enforce her will over their section of the
galleon to bombard the structure with catapult fire until
forest, and an elite guard of twenty-three oni acts as her
it was battered into rubble. personal messengers and enforcers. She keeps three
consorts. powerful vampires that struggle among them-
selves for her favor.
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