Page 63 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

POLITICS AMONG THE LIZARDFOLK Handling the interaction between the two sides
against the backdrop of the first contact between the liz-
Two political groups operate in the social structure of ardfolk and potentially friendly humans can be difficult.
the J izardfolk lair. On the one hand are the dominant Though it's always possible to let roleplaying take its
progressives led by the queen. Othokent. who is sup- course, particularly if the characters refrain from com-
ported by a subchief named lhrtos, several officers, and bat and make a good first impression, things might not
many warriors. Her progressive stance is inspired and play out quite that simply. Here are some guidelines on
driven by wisdom of the aged lizardfolk minister. Sauriv. how to handle this aspect of the adventure.
Opposing that group (mostly covertly, for the rule of
the queen remains absolute) are the traditionalists, led PROCEDURE
by the shamans. The shamans believe that allying and
intermingling with other races is contrary to the divine The lizardfolk start out indifferent toward the characters
will of their god. Semuanya, and that no good can come and, by extension, Saltmarsh. To track the attitude of the
of it. Consequently, the shamans hate and distrust the lizardfolk, use points to record the characters' progress
minister, Sau riv, whom they consider to be the prime toward sealing an alliance. The characters begin the ad-
instigator of these efforts that go against nature. They venture with 0 points. That score is adjusted every time
dare not move openly against him, however, since he they interact with lizard folk, but the results only become
enjoys the trust and favor of the queen. apparent when the characters meet the lizard folk queen.
If the lizard folk queen is killed in the course of this ad- They can then earn more points through diplomacy and
venture, she is succeeded by the subchief. If the subchief by improving the tribe"s strength and safety.
is also killed, the succession goes co one of the warrior The alliance is sealed if the characters reach or ex-
officers. If all of these are slain. then succession falls to ceed SO points, at which point the lizardfolk become
the most senior surviving shaman. In this event, the sha- friendly to them. They are invited to see the queen a
man denounces the alliance. pulls the lizard folk out of second time, and during this session the groundwork for
it, sacrifices the aged lizardfolk minister to the Lizardfolk Saltmarsh's inclusion in the alliance can be laid.
deity Semuanya, and leads the remainder of the tribe The lizard folk become irrevocably hostile if the char-
into the depths of the marsh beyond the reach of the sa- acters' total number of points drops to 0 or lower even
huagin. If all the lizardfolk notables are slain. surviving after the queen offers them chances at diplomacy and
members of the tribe simply drift away into the marsh, ways to improve their standing. Tf this happens, after the
taking all their possessions with them. There will then lizardfolk give them a second chance, the characters'
be no chance of an alliance against the sahuagin that mission ends in failure.
involves the lizard folk.
MEETING THE QUEEN
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT The point system starts working when the adventure be-
Ideally, when the characters learn the truth about the gins, but its ramifications aren't apparent until the PCs
meet the queen for the first time. This most likely occurs
lizard folk and the sahuagin, they have done so before after they engage a group of lizard folk without fighting
causing irreparable harm Lo the occupants of the lair them, whereupon they are put in custody and taken to
and the lizardfolk's plans for the alliance against the her. When this happens. determine the characters' cur-
sahuagin. For their mission to have any chance of suc- rent point total by using the Initial Attitude table. giving
ceeding. the characters must eventually gain- or be them benefits and penalties according to what they have
forcibly prodded into an audience with the queen. Even done so far. The characters might have a negative score
if her initial reaction is not a friendly one, the characters at this point if they were hostile toward the lizard folk
might still have a chance of winning over the lizardfolk prior to their audience.
and making them receptive (if the characters suggest as Othokent is worldly for a lizardfolk. Tn her youth, she
much) to admitting Saltmarsh into the alliance. spent several years exploring the nearby marshes. She

ABOUT THE ORIGINAL
Dave J. Brown and Don Turnbull While such roleplay-focused
continued the Saltmarsh series adventures are the norm today. at
in this classic. Doubling down on the time of its publication (in 1982)
TSR UK's penchant for exploration this adventure was the first to make
and interaction in their work, this interaction an absolute requirement
scenario challenges the characters for success, rather than one option
to act as ambassadors to a colony among many.
of lizardfolk.

CHAl'TER 1 DA'lit,E;R Al 0 NWAIJ"R
() '