Page 5 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

INTRODUCTION

EL.COME TO GHOSTS OF SALTMARSH. THIS In addition Lo the adventures themselves, chapter 1,
book collects seven D&D adventures, each "Saltmarsh," provides an in-depth look at the town, its
famous for their unique challenges, for their various inhabitants, the nearby coasts, and what dan-
deadly threats, and for embracing the danger gers threaten the region. A variety of new backgrounds
and wonder of the high seas. Some of these also help make new characters part of the Saltmarsh
adventures initially charted their courses community, giving them personal stakes in the town's
in the earliest days of D&o·s history. while opportunities and hardships.
others set sail in more recent years. In each The sea and its threats aren't unique to Saltmarsh.
case, these tales of plunder and peril have been updated To help launch explorations across the wild waves. ap-
for the current edition of the game. revealing deadly pendix A. "Of Ships and the Sea." presents a toolbox for
shores for brave crews to explore anew. ocean-bound adventures. New rules for various ships,
Along with these adventures returns one of D&D's how to crew and captain them, and how to pit them
most famous seaside settings: the port town of Salt- against each other provide adventurers with new modes
marsh. The original backdrop of three of this collec- of exploration. Beyond this, details on a variety of nauti-
tion's tales (The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Danger at cal dangers and oceanic hazards- from magical storms
Dunwater, and The Final Enemy), this fishing commu- to whirlpools- make the seas even deadlier than ever
nity has a tradition of being a starting point for incredi- before. A spectrum of tables also helps generate encoun-
ble adventures. Historically, Saltmarsh and the dangers ters upon the waves, be they deadly sea monsters; ran-
facing its people provided a widening sphere of adven- dom vessels. theirs crews. and cargo; or islands brim-
ture, with increasingly dire threats drawing heroes to ming with untold mysteries. Concluding the appendix
explore more of the coast of the Azure Sea. Ghosts of are a variety of underwater locations-like deadly reefs
Saltmarsh continues that tradition. presenting a portion and sunken ruins ready to be customized and explored
of the coastal lands of Keoland, a kingdom in the Grey- as your campaign demands.
hawk setting. Each adventure notes where that story The book's remaining appendices present magical
might unfold in the region around Saltmarsh. providing treasures perfectly suited to seafarers and a robust col-
a shared setting for them all. Although these seven ad- lection of fearsome aquatic foes.
ventures weren·t designed to create a single overarching New horizons of adventure now lie before you. What
narrative, the tools provided herein make it easy to link wonders and terrors will you discover across the waves?
these stories into a wider Saltmarsh campaign. Set sail and find out!