Page 39 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

life of crime. They have no concern for the implications captured sea elf named Oceanus and a trio of lizardfolk
of their actions. which could be a precursor to war. warriors. The adventure concludes with signs that the
The smugglers currently run weapons for a clan of liz- lizardfolk are preparing for a raid, presumably on the
ard folk living near Saltmarsh whose queen, Othokent, town of Saltmarsh- though the truth, as outlined in the
is preparing her clan for battle against a terrible enemy: "Portents of War" section, is far more ominous.
the sahuagin.
The peaceful town of Saltmarsh knows nothing of the A MAN ON THE INSIDE
coming war. or the fact that a sahuagin invasion threat-
A merchant in Saltmarsh who profits from the illegal ac-
ens them as much as the lizardfolk do.
tivities of Sanbalet has taken desperate action to ensure
that the smuggling operation continues. The merchant
ADVENTURE SUMMARY sent a local thug, Ned Shakeshaft, to the house to await
The adventure is divided into two parts, "The Haunted the characters in a remote bedroom on the first ftoor.
House" and "The Sea Ghost." Ned pretends to have been knocked out. gagged.
"The Haunted House" likely plays out in the follow- bound, and left to die by unseen attackers. After being
ing sequence. "rescued" by the characters, he aims to sow dissent.
The characters arrive in the town of Saltmarsh and cause accidents, and otherwise make trouble as they
begin to hear tales of the haunted house. after which explore the house.
they might seek more information about the house and More information on Ned and how to incorporate him
its current state. If you decide so. they can speak to the into the adventure can be found in area 15.
poacher mentioned in the "Background" section.
The characters set out to explore the house. where ADVENTURE HOOKS
they meet its crawling and hissing residents. Awaiting
For two decades, the haunted house near Saltmarsh
them is Ned, a deceptive NPC who tries to prevent the
has sat. its ill reputation festering. Characters who have
characters from uncovering the smuggling operation.
backgrounds related to Saltmarsh have heard of the
Whether the characters discover the smugglers or the
house. Use any of the following hooks to capture the at-
smugglers initiate an attack on the party. a confronta-
tention of the players.
tion with the gang is inevitable, especially if the charac-
ters are thorough in their exploration. Ned reveals his
HIDDEN HOARD
true colors at an opportune moment.
For years, the tales of the haunted house near Salt-
The caverns and contraband below the house wait
marsh have circulated through the region. Though most
to be discovered. Access to the sea suggests the use
of the stories are rightfully taken as warnings to avoid
of a large ship, though such a vessel is not to be found.
The first part of the adventure concludes when the the place. rumors persist of a great treasure hidden in
characters return to Saltmarsh with the truth and are its walls. What relics and other valuables did that old
rewarded for their work. alchemist keep in the creaking floorboards and cracked
plaster walls of his home?
The town elders offer to hire the party to board and
commandeer the smugglers' ship when it returns to its
KNOWLEDGE UNLIMITED
secret port. That event sets in motion "The Sea Ghost."
which likely unfolds in the following sequence. The alchemist lived a hermit"s life, with few visitors and
The characters discover a docwnent that explains the fewer friends. But a young messenger once emerged
signaling system used by the smugglers to indicate the from the house with a story of a grand library containing
ship has arrived; by deciphering and sending the proper countless tomes. Retellings of the messenger's tale have
return signal. they can put the crew at ease. By force or varied over the years, with the most popular versions
deception. the party boards the Sea Ghost and attempts suggesting that the alchemist had discovered a method
to seize control. During this raid, the party encounters a of transforming base metals into gold.

ABOUT THE ORI GINAL
Produced by the UK branch ofTSR for TSR UK's subsequent output,
in 1981, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh which often featured strong, central
was designed by Dave J. Brown narratives that challenged players to
and Don Turnbull. It was a revela- take a creative approach to problem
tion at the time, marking the first solving. They usually included mul-
appearance in a D&D adventure tiple, smaller locations to explore,
of a haunted house and a raid on lending a sense of variety to a sin-
a sailing ship. It also set the tone gle adventure.

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