Page 66 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

ADVENTURE SUMMARY PLACING THE ADVENTURE
In the Greyhawk campaign setting, where the town of Salt·
The adventure likely unfolds in the following way. marsh is located, the lizardfolk lair is a coastal promontory
The characters meet with the Saltmarsh Town Coun- adjacent to the Dunwater River.
cil, which hires them to investigate the lizardfolk lair. By Here are suggestions for where you can place this ad·
sea or by land, the characters travel to the promontory venture in other campaign settings.
to reach the lizard folk lair. The characters enter the lair Eberron. The appearance of lizardfolk near Saltmarsh in
and explore it. the Basura Swamp endangers the town's access to profit.
Through interaction with the lizard folk or their able masthin shoots and dragonshards. The uneasy peace
threatens to break down, renewing the conflict between
guests. the characters can earn either the lizardfolk's settlers and lizardfolk. An alliance in Q'barra can involve
enmity or their respect. If they proceed cautiously and disparate factions, as complex agendas bring together
without violent intent, they will likely be taken to an the Cyran diaspora, dragonmarked houses, and even
audience with the queen, Othokent. Depending on how the Inspired.
they have conducted themselves to that point, the char· Forgotten Realms. A lizardfolk lair has been discovered
acrers might be able to improve their reputation with the close to the town of Saltmarsh, threatening the town and
tribe by using their diplomatic skills. traffic on the High Road. The dwarves ofThornhold at
The bes1 possible outcome is for the characters to be- the southern end of the Mere of Dead Men might be con·
friend the lizardfolk and for Othokent to invite them (and cerned allies or remain distant and cautious, more wary
Saltmarsh) to join the alliance. If the characters can't ac- of the machinations of the Margaster family in Waterdeep
than of a few lizardfolk in the swamps. A marsh encounter
complish this through acts of contrition and persuasion, with the undead of the Mere of Dead Men could replace
they might be able to salvage the situation by offering the bullywug ambush. As an alternative location, Dagger·
the lizard folk treasure. ln addition, the tribe has a big ford to the south ofWaterdeep works because it already
problem out in the marsh, and the characters might be has a history with the lizardfolk.
able to prove themselves by taking care of things. thus M ystara. Lizardfolk have been discovered in the Blight
earning Othokent's gratitude. Marsh of Karameikos. Because the marsh sits on the bor·
der of the Five Shires, the halfling folk might play a larger
TRUE MOTIVES role in the alliance. Baron von Hendriks of Fort Doom
might be aware of the lizardfolk, even indirectly supporting
Be sure not to prematurely reveal 10 the characters that them. As an alternative, set the adventures in Darokin's
the lizard folk do not constitute a real threat to Salt- other port. Port Tenobar is larger than Saltmarsh but a
marsh or its inhabitants, or that the newly purchased good deal seedier, and the vast Malpheggi Swamp is an
weaponry is not for use against humanity and its allies. excellent location for lizardfolk and other creatures to hide.
The characters are expected to discover the real in-
tentions of the lizardfolk from the various clues in the If the characters want to travel by sea, the council
adventure as they play through it. Unless their mission places at their disposal a modified keclboat with two
turns into an utter failure. they must eventually become pairs of oars and a step-down mast, large enough to ac-
aware that there is a war brewing between the lizard folk commodate the characters and any reasonable amount
(and their allies) and the sahuagin. of equipment they want to take with them. Navigation
Unless indicated otherwise in a particular encounter and propulsion of the craft is handled by two members
area. the characters must not be informed about the of the town guard (guards). who are assigned by the
name or nature of the sahuagin. Rather. you should council to sail or row the boat. The guards do not dis-
provide only a general physical description of these crea- embark when the characters reach their destination, in-
tures when an encounter occurs. If Oceanus is with the stead staying with the boat to keep it under their control
party, on the other hand, he recognizes any sahuagin and guard the party's return trip.
on sight. He has general (biased) knowledge as to their While they are at sea. as their boat approaches the
nature, and he readily identifies such creatures to the promontory. the characters see a well-traveled and
characters. relatively dry track (at the point marked A on the map)
leading from the coast. It disappears into the marsh-
TRAVELING TO THE LAIR land interior.
The inset on map 3.1 shows the location of the lizard- Once they are within 40 feet of the promontory's
folk colony and features in the vicinity. (Even if the northern coastline. the party spies another track run-
characters have not been through The Sinister Secret of ning up to the middle elevations of the promontory.
Saltmarsh, they still receive the map- it was given over where it disappears behind a clump of tall grasses and
to the town council by the individuals who defeated the brightly flowering shrubs (leading to the hidden en-
smugglers.) trance marked Don the map).
The party can choose between two methods of travel- They also note. as they approach by sea, a 15-foot
ing to the lair. wide, 6-foot high sea cave entrance on the northeastern
tip of the promontory (marked Eon the map). A careful
BY SEA approach to the sea cave goes unnoticed until after the
characters disembark and enter the entrance tunnel.
The distance from Saltmarsh to the lair is about ten Once inside area 49. they are likely to be discovered
miles as the crow flies. and a sea journey would take immediately.
about three hours in normal conditions.

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