Page 44 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

Anyone who inspects the cask can tell from the staining Two swarms of insects (spiders) infest this room. One
on its interior that it was used to boil water. swarm descends on anyone who approaches the fire-
If the characters found the tracks in area 9 that lead place. and the other descends from the webs above the
here. they discover that they descend the stairs inro area door a moment later. Both wash down the walls with the
20 below. lf they failed to find the tracks earlier. they can muffled clatter of thousands of tiny legs.
pick up the trail here with a successful DC lO Intelli- Fireplace. The glint inside the fireplace comes from
gence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. a small crystal bauble (5 sp) that once belonged to the
Magic Mouth. Sanbalet has cast a magic mouth spell alchemist. The flat-bottomed crystal orb is pleasant to
on the stairs, which is triggered when anyone treads on look at and tactilely satisfying to hold. but ultimately
the top step. If the spell is set off, hideous screams-as if neither particularly valuable nor useful. A character who
of a soul in torment- rise from the cellar below. succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check
Each creature that hears the screams must make a while examining the bauble realizes it might be a part
DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save. a crea- of a set of similar crystals used as counterweights in
ture has disadvantage on all ability checks for 1 hour alchemicaJ work.
unless it is immune to the frightened condition. The
creature can repeat the saving throw every 15 minutes. 14. CRUMBLING BEDROOM
•
UPPER FLOOR
This room appears to be another dirty, decaying bed-
The following locations are identified on map 2.1. Re- room without furniture. Even viewed from the doorway,
view the information regarding the balcony in area 1 it's evident that the floor in here does not look safe;
before the characters ascend to this floor.
some of the floorboards are missing, and others are par-
11. MOLDERING BEDROOM tially dislodged .
•
What was once a fine master bedroom now stands de- Anyone who enters the room with reasonable care can
cayed. Some of the floorboards are missing, and there is avoid moving into the part of the floor that is sagging
and damaged, looking perhaps not strong enough to
rubbish scattered around. A tall wooden wardrobe stands
support significant weight. A successful DC 10 Intelli-
against the wall opposite the fireplace, its door closed.
gence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check en-
ables a character to detect recent tracks that lead from
The wardrobe contains two items: a pair of old, cracked the door to the window, and back again, along the west
leather boots with no value or special properties. and edge of the room.
a ragged, stained cloak hanging on a peg. The cloak is Clues at the Window. A combination of the position of
tooled with a design of coiling ivy leaves and appears the house and the topography of the cliff results in this
harmless but the inner folds are covered in yellow mold room providing the best view of the sea from any part of
(see "Dungeon Hazards'" in chapter S of the Dungeon the house. and it is from here that the smugglers signal
to their colleagues out at sea. A character who carefully
A1aster's Guide).
examines the window area and makes a successful DC
12. DECREPIT BEDROOM 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers small
clues to this fact: fresh scratches on the sill where the
' Rubbish is scattered around what was once a fine guest signaling lantern has been placed, scuffing of the floor
dust immediately near the window, and so forth. These
bedroom; there is evidence of rodent infestation, and signs cannot be seen from the door; they require up-
webs hang in the corners. A four-poster bed stands close observation to be discovered.
Falling Through the Floor. The tracks left on the
against the wall opposite the fireplace. Its woodwork is
floor by the smugglers represent the only safe places to
worm-ridden, and the curtains that once screened the
walk in the room. Each time a Medium or larger crea-
bed are torn and stained. There is no bed linen, but the
ture moves off this safe trail into the shaded area on the
bed is mostly intact. map. it must succeed on a DC J 2 Dexterity saving throw
or fall 10 feet through the floor, landing in area 6.
While some smugglers have slipped away to nap here in 15. NED'S B EDROOM
recent months, there is nothing of particular note here. The door to this room is locked. The key to the room
has been left rather obviously in the hallway outside the
13. GUEST BEDROOM
room and can be spotted by someone who makes a suc-
cessful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Alternatively,
This bedroom has no furniture, but rubbish is scattered the door can be opened by a character who succeeds
on a DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Any
everywhere, and webs cover the walls and ceiling. From
character who opens the lock discovers that it was re-
the doorway, you can see a glint of light in the fireplace
cently oiled.
from a small, highly reflective object. Once the door is opened. read the following text:

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