Ghosts of Saltmarsh

life of crime. They have no concern for the implications

of their actions. which could be a precursor to war.

The smugglers currently run weapons for a clan of liz-

ard folk living near Saltmarsh whose queen, Othokent,

is preparing he r clan for battle against a terrible enemy:

the sahuagin.

The peaceful town of Saltmarsh knows nothing of the

coming war. or the fact that a sahuagin invasion threat-

ens them as much as the lizardfolk do.

Adventure Summary

The adventure is divided into two parts, "The Haunted

House" and "The Sea Ghost."

"The Haunted House" likely plays out in the follow-

ing sequence.

The characters arrive in the town of Saltmarsh and

begin to hear tales of the haunted house. after which

they might seek more information about the house and

its current state. If you decide so. they can speak to the

poacher mentioned in the "Background" section.

The characters set out to explore the house. where

they meet its crawling and hissing residents. Awaiting

them is Ned, a deceptive NPC who tries to prevent the

characters from uncovering the smuggling operation.

Whether the characters discover the smugglers or the

smugglers initiate an attack on the party. a confronta-

tion with the gang is inevitable, especially if the charac-

ters are thorough in their exploration. Ned reveals his

true colors at an opportune moment.

The caverns and contraband below the house wait

to be discovered. Access to the sea suggests the use

of a large ship, though such a vessel is not to be found.

The first part of the adventure concludes when the

c haracters return to Saltmarsh with the truth and are

rewarded for their work.

The town elders offer to hire the party to board and

commandeer the smugglers' ship when it returns to its

secret port. That event sets in motion "The Sea Ghost."

which likely unfolds in the following sequence.

The characters discover a docwnent that explains the

signaling system used by the smugglers to indicate the

s hip has arrived; by deciphering and sending the proper

return signal. they can put the crew at ease. By force or

deception. the party boards the Sea Ghost and attempts

to seize control. During this raid, the party encounters a

captured sea elf named Oceanus and a trio of lizardfolk

warriors. The adventure concludes with signs that the

lizardfolk a re preparing for a raid, presumably on the

town of Saltmarsh- though the truth, as outlined in the

"Portents of War" section, is far more ominous.

A MAN ON THE INSIDE

A merchant in Saltmarsh who profits from the illegal ac-

tivities of Sanbalet has taken desperate action to ensure

that the smuggling operation continues. The merchant

sent a local thug, Ned Shakeshaft, to the house to await

the characte rs in a remote bedroom on the first ftoor.

Ned pretends to have been knocked out. gagged.

bound, and left to die by unseen attackers. After being

"rescued" by the characters, he aims to sow dissent.

cause accidents, and otherwise make trouble as they

explore the house.

More information on Ned and how to incorporate him

into the adventure can be found in area 15.

ADVENTURE HOOKS

For two decades, the haunted house near Saltmarsh

has sat. its ill reputation festering. Characters who have

backgrounds related to Saltmarsh have heard of the

house. Use any of the following hooks to capture the at-

tention of the players.

HIDDEN HOARD

For years, the tales of the haunted house near Salt-

marsh have circulated through the region. Though most

of the stories are rightfully taken as warnings to avoid

the place. rumors persist of a great treasure hidden in

its walls. What relics and other valuables did that old

alchemist keep in the creaking floorboards and cracked

plaster walls of his home?

KNOWLEDGE UNLIMITED

The alchemist lived a hermit"s life, with few visitors and

fewer friends. But a young messenger once emerged

from the house with a story of a grand library containing

countless tomes. Retellings of the messenger's tale have

varied over the years, with the most popular versions

suggesting that the alchemist had discovered a method

of transforming base metals into gold.

ABOUT THE ORIGINAL

Produced by the UK branch ofTSR

in 1981, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

was designed by Dave J. Brown

and Don Turnbull. It was a revela-

tion at the time, marking the first

appearance in a D&D adventure

of a haunted house and a raid on

a sailing ship. It also set the tone

for TSR UK's subsequent output,

which often featured strong, central

narratives that challenged players to

take a creative approach to problem

solving. They usually included mul-

tiple, smaller locations to explore,

lending a sense of variety to a sin-

gle adventure.

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