Ghosts of Saltmarsh

180

~

Tl. MILDEN S PAN

'

l

A tangled wall of apartments and storefronts rises up

on either side of a channel of sluggish, tainted water.

The structures down near the waterline are empty and

desolate, while the ramshackle additions built over their

roofs appear progressively more inhabitable as they rise

up into the polluted sky. The overall effect is that of a

canyon, with walls made from the cross-section of a de·

caying shantytown rather than from stone.

A narrow timber bridge sags across the channel, lead·

ing from the back of a crooked alley to what appears to

be a partially sunken galley whose structure has been

incorporated into the ruined jumble of buildings.

Unless the characters want to swim in, clamber down

the side of several stories of buildings, or use magic,

this bridge (known locally as the Milden Span for its

long-dead builder) is the only approach to the temple's

entrance. The skum lurking in the ship's prow (area T3)

keep an eye on the bridge and respond to any intruders.

T2. GALLEY PIER

• The main deck of the ruined galley has buckled, and is
  cluttered with trash, driftwood, and other refuse washed
  up on the tide. To the east, the galley's prow juts into the
  channel like a jagged fang, while the west side of the deck
  disappears into a wall of boarded-up and badly weath·
  ered buildings. The only cleared pathway across the tilted
  deck leads from the bridge to a pair of massive wooden
  doors leading into the buildings.

This area is used by cult members as a gathering point

before they stage their ceremonies inside the temple. A

Hight of rickety steps half hidden behind detritus leads

up to the ship's prow (area T3).

Unless a meeting is taking place, the heavy doors into

area T4 are locked. They can be finessed open with a

successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools,

forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athlet-

ics) check. or broken down by physical damage (AC 15.

25 hit points, immunity to psychic and poison damage,

resistance to piercing and slashing damage). If the char-

acters manage to get to this point without attracting the

notice of the skum in area T3, those guards are alerted

by any noise at the doors.

T3. SttrP's PRow

•

j

The ancient ship's prow juts up from the foul water of

the channel, its tilted surface a hopeless tangle of trash,

driftwood, and filth. Scurrying sounds within the detritus

suggest the presence of a great many rats.

1

'll\l'IIRB I Jiii Sl\IS

The trash heaped here make this area difficult terrain.

The aboleth has ordered the cult to keep four skum

guards posted here (see appendix C and the "Skum"

sidebar). These guards lurk behind mounds of rubble as

they watch the surrounding area for intruders. When the

characters assemble on the galley pier created from the

ship's deck (area T2). the skum rise up and attack with

thrown tridents (they have a large supply of those weap-

ons on hand). They have half cover while in the rubble.

and they engage in melee only if the characters come to

them or attempt to open the doors into the temple.

T4. CHUUL-HAUNTED HALLWAY

This oppressive hallway reeks of mildew and rotting fish.

The walls are severely stained, and the ceiling sags where

pockets of water and fungus weigh it down. The sounds

of creaking wood and dripping water echo loudly here. I

Humanoid cultists and aboleth savants aren't the only

ones whose dreams have been tainted by Tharizdun's

whispers. Four chuuls have also become haunted by

the dark god's sendings, and were driven to seek out the

cult in the Styes. Being near the temple soothes their

psychic torment, so they spend most of their rime hid-

den in a secret, submerged grotto beneath areas T4 and

TS. They know that the cultists always chant when they

are inside the temple, and so they interpret any voiceless

movement in this hallway as a sign of intruders.

The chuuls have a number of options for their attack.

Think about the type of combat the players might enjoy

and choose one of the following:

• The chuuls can pull down the Aoor of area T4 from be-
  low. so that all creatures in the corridor fall into their
  grotto. The grotto is roughly circular, 40 feet in diam-
  eter, and filled with water 20 feet deep. The surface
  of the water is 5 feet below the floor of area T4. A sub·
  merged tunnel connects the grotto to the larger tunnel
  outside (see area T6 and "Mysterious Tunnel ," below).


• They can wait until the characters have filed into the
  chapel area of the temple (area TS), then tear thei r
  way through the floor of the runnel or the floor of the
  temple to climb up and fight in those areas.
  They can use both tactics, splitting the party so as to
  turn the encounter into simultaneous battles in the
  temple and the submerged grotto. The chuuls are
  most likely to use this option if their Sense Magic trait
  suggests that doing so might separate powerful mag-
  ic-wielding characters from the rest of the group.

T5. DARK Goo's CHAPEL

This cavernous room smells of decaying fish and sea·

weed. The walls, floor, and ceiling are covered with carv-

ings of complex spirals and smeared with blood. Crude

chairs and benches are arranged in a semicircle facing a

smaller antechamber to the west. A large, fish-like shape

hangs in the air at the far end of the alcove.