Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
This cabin is the private quarters of Punketah, the deck
wizard. On a peg behind the door hangs a maroon robe,
of no particular value.
Examining the boots in combination with a successful
DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a small hid-
den compartment in one of the heels. The compartment
contains the key to the chest.
Treasure. The chest is locked and can be opened by
a character who succeeds on a DC 12 Dexterity check
using thieves' tools.
The chest is also trapped with poisonous gas. Notic-
ing the trap requires a successful DC 12 Intelligence
(Investigation) check. A successful DC 12 Dexterity
check is required to disarm the trap. Opening the chest
without disarming the trap. or failing to disarm it. trig-
gers the trap.
When it is triggered, the trap releases a cloud of nox-
ious gas in a 5-foot radius around the chest. Creatures
caught in the cloud must succeed on a DC 12 Consti·
tution saving throw or be knocked unconscious for
ld4 minutes.
The chest holds items of clothing, a leather purse con-
taining 50 gp, and a spell scroll of gust of wind. It also
holds Punketah"s spellbook. which has all the spells he
has prepared recorded on its pages.


  1. CAPTAIN'S CABIN


This cabin is clean, and its furniture in good repair.
A single bunk, made up with bed linen, has its head
against the bulkhead running along the centerline of the
ship next to a wooden partition squaring off the corner
near the main deck.
A writing desk is set against the hull toward the stern;
it has a drawer on each side and three trays on the top.
Also on the desktop, just in front of the trays, is an ink-
pot, two quill pens, a small knife, and a pewter container
that resembles a pepper pot. Against the desk is set an
upright wooden chair, and beside it is a wooden, brass·
bound chest.

1


Against the hull on the starboard side is a padded
leather couch. In front of it, a bearskin rug lies on the
deck. while beneath the couch can be seen a large metal
box. An unlit hooded lantern hangs from the ceiling.

A gray cloak (with no special properties) hangs on a peg
on the back of the door. The wooden chest beside the
desk is unlocked. It contains items of clothing, including
a well-worn, comfortable pair of slippers.
Writing Desk. Of the trays on the desktop next to the
pewter container (which is nearly full of fine sand), one
is empty and another contains bills and receipts for var-
ious items of marine supply. The last contains several
letters of a personal and intimate nature from three
different women in three different ports (each of whom
is under the misapprehension that she is Mrs. Sigurd
"Snake Eyes··), and a curious. scmiliterate document
requesting a further supply of ironware "as per previous

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consignments and at the agreed terms." The signature
here is in the form of a pictograph and shows a lizard
with forked tongue extended.
This last document is a request from the lizard folk for
more weapons. You should exercise caution here in not
making the document too explicit the lizardfolk would
not want the document to fall into the wrong hands
and have concealed as much of the real meaning of
the request as possible-for instance, using words like
"goods" instead of "weapons."
The two desk drawers are locked; a character who
succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves'
tools can open one drawer. The key to both drawers is in
Captain Sigurd's belt pouch.
The first drawer contains two potions of healing, a
dose of antitoxin. and the key that unlocks the chains
holding Oceanus in area 14.
The second drawer contains seven maps of various
sea and coastal localities, prepared by professional
cartographers. Beneath these is another map, crudely
drawn. This map indicates that the rendezvous point
with the lizardfolk is at a small promontory beside a
river in the tidal marshes, ten miles southwest of the
town of Saltmarsh.
The bearskin rug covers a hatch in the floor that pro-
vides access to area 13.
Treasure. The chest under the couch is locked and
can be opened by a character who succeeds on a DC
12 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. The chest is
trapped with a swinging blade trap. Noticing the trap
requires a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation)
check. A successful DC 12 Dexterity check is required
to disarm the trap. Opening the chest without disarming
the trap, or failing to disarm it, triggers the trap.
When triggered, the trap swings a short scything
blade from its bottom. threatening any creature within
5 feet of the front of the chest. Such creatures must
make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6)
slashing damage on a failed save or half as much on a
successful one.
The chest contains ten electrum ingots worth 100 ep
each. This is part of the payment made by the lizard folk
for the smuggled weapons in area 1 5.


  1. CREW QUARTERS


Various unpleasant odors of humanoid occupation com·
pete for recognition here. These crew quarters fill the
entire forward part of this deck.
A companionway staircase leads up from a point about
six feet from the bulkhead. Near it, more to starboard,
is a door.
Around the perimeter of the cabin, slung between
hooks on the bulkhead and on supporting poles, are
eight hammocks. Judging from the way in which they
hang. the hammocks seem to be unoccupied at present.
Beneath each hammock is a brass-bound wooden sea
chest-most are closed, but two have open lids and ap·
pear to contain clothes.




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