Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Jeff_L) #1

Odium (cult fanatic) now lives in this storage area and
is plotting his escape. He emerges hoping that the visi-
tors will provide an opportunity.
Statues. The small statues and figurines are all made
of glazed clay and poorly fashioned. The two large
statues are made of stone, and each stands on a square
base. They were used as scarecrows in the garden. The
island's birds stopped being frightened by them and be-
gan roosti ng on the figures, so they were removed to the
cellars. Bits of old bi rds' nests can still be found i n the
medusa's snaky hair and between the skeleton's ribs.
The characters can remove the statuary if they want.
The statues weigh 700 pounds each. The mariners'
guild charges a stiff fee for transporting them. and the
characters soon discover that no one wants to buy an
ugly statue of Death or a medusa.
A character who has a passive Perception score of 14
or higher notices that the Aoor by the statue of the me-
dusa shows evidence of wear. Looking under the statue,
a character can discover a hidden compartment in t he
statue's base.
Treasure. The hollow base of the medusa statue con-
tains several items that Odium has hidden here: a spell
scroll of command, a spell scroll of hold person, a gilded
tome of dark ritual incantations written in Aquan and
I nfernal (2 5 gp), and a large silver holy symbol ( 50 gp).



  1. DISC IPLES' QUARTERS


Several large bookcases lean against the walls in this cold
room, and a high chair and a scribe's desk sit to the right
of the door. The bookcases are loaded with books and
scrolls. Four bedrolls are stacked neatly in the comer.

The four disciples make this room their home. A single
cultist is here most of the time, scribing a scroll. Overly
cautious, the disciples dare not heat the room for fear
of setting their precious books and scrolls alight. The
bedrolls are made of scratchy blankets and hold nothing
of interest or value.
Bookshelves. The majority of the books and scrolls
arc merely bookkeeping documents. One set of five
books, bound in sky-blue leath er and trimmed in copper.
is of a more sinister nature. These five tomes have old,
fragile pages; if the characters examine them. they dis-
cover that the ancient books describe procedures and
details for several evil rites and ceremonies. The books
make grim and harrowing reading for any character.
The tomes can be turned over t o any non-evil-aligned
temple for destruction (adding to the characters' rep-
utation as upstanding adventurers) or sold in shady
markets for 20 gp each. Selling such rar e items is sure
to attract attention from sources as dark as th e tomes
themselves.
Treasure. The desk is locked. A character who makes
a successful DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves' tools
can open the desk. Inside the desk are two vials of rare


ink worth (^25) gp each. The ink smells faintly of copper.
Amid the papers and dusty ledgers on the bookshelves
are a spell scroll of light and a spell scroll of bless.
THE WINDING WAY
When the abbey was constructed, the cultists dug these
tunnels for treasure storage. Only the abbey's overlord
was privy to all the passage's secrets. and he died in the
pirates' assault. The tunnels are well made, with smooth
walls, Aoors, and IO-foot ceilings. The Winding Way
contains an abundance of traps and guardians meant to
protect the abbey's treasure.
Traps in the Winding Way are denoted by letters on
th e map. Each type is described below.
A. TRIPWIRE
A wire stretches across the noor at ankle height. A
character who has a passive Perception score of 16 or
higher notices the trip wire and the stone block in the
ceiling above it that is poised to fall when it is triggered.
A character who searches carefully and who makes a
successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check also finds
the trap. A character can disarm th e trap by making a
successful DC 12 Dexterity check using th ieves' tools.
The trap triggers if a character walks through the trip
wire, or if an attempt to disarm it fails. When the trap
triggers, the ceiling stone falls onto the creature. That
creature must make a successful DC 14 Dexterity sav-
ing throw or take 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage.
B. OPEN PIT AND ILLUS ION
The builders placed several open pits throughout the
Winding Way, each measuring 6 feet by 6 feet and with a
depth of 10 feet. Covering each pit is an illusory section
of floor (major image cast at 6th level). A character who
has a passive Perception score of 19 or higher notices
the illusory floor shimmering slightly. A creature that
falls into the pit takes 22 (4d10) acid damage from the
pool of corrosive slime at the bottom. A character who
remains in the pit at the end of their turn takes this dam-
age again. A character must make a successful DC 10
Strength {Athletics) check to climb out of the pit because
of the slick slime and moss growing on its sides.


c. SPIKED PIT TRAP


Each of these pits, measuring 6 feet by 6 feet and with
a depth of 10 feet, has long wooden spikes affixed to th e
bottom. The opening is covered by a wooden trapdoor
painted to blend into the stone of the tunnel. A charac-
ter who has a passive Perception score of 16 or higher
notices the trapdoor. A character who is searching
carefully and who makes a successful DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check also finds the trapdoor.
The trapdoor opens when a weight greater than 50
pounds is placed on it. Any creatures on the trapdoor
when it opens fall into the pit, taking 3 (ld6) bludgeon-
ing damage from the fall and 9 (2d8) piercing damage
from the spikes. A character must make a successful DC

(^10) Strength (Athletics) check lo climb out of the pit be-
cause of the slick slime and moss growing on its sides.
D. FALSE DOOR WITH OVERHEAD BLOCK
A false door is installed in the wall in these locations.
The handle of the door is connected to a hidden wire
that releases a large stone above the door onto anyone
who tries to open it. A character who has a passive
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