Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

KRAKEN's GRAVE


When krakens die, their bodies often rot on the seaftoor.
lo such cases. the ground absorbs the decaying kraken·s
supernatural energy, marking the area with a dark stain
in the shape of the kraken's body. This stain is called a
kraken's grave.
When a creature moves within 30 feel of a kraken's
grave or starts its turn there. that creature must succeed
on a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check or it disturbs the
grave. lf a creature disturbs the grave, a tendril made
of lightning stretches from the ground and attacks the
creature with a +7 bonus to hit. On a hit. the target takes
10 (3d6) lightning damage. and it must succeed on a DC


(^14) Constitution saving throw or become blinded for the
next 2d4 hours.
LURE LIGHTS
When aboleths die, their souls sometimes gather in clus-
ters called lure lights. These 100 -foot-diameter collec-
tions of pale, yellow lights arc found in the deep ocean
below depths of 1,000 feet. They glow with bright light
in a 100-foot radius and dim light for another 100 feet.
Any creature that can see the lure lights must succeed
on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the
lights for 24 hours or until the lights are desrroyed. A
creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune
to the effect of the lure lights for 24 hours.
While charmed by th e lights. a creature can't willingly
move out of line of sight of them and defends them to the
death. If forcibly moved away from the lights, the crea-
ture tries to find its way back to them. The c reature can't
take a short or long rest while under this effect. After 24
hours. the charmed creature gains one level of exhaus-
tion and must repeat the saving throw if it is within line
of sight of the lights. ending the effect on itself on a suc-
cess. If the lights aren·t within line of sight at this time.
the creature succeeds automatically.
Each cluster of lure lights has AC 17, 100 hit points.
and immunity to necrotic and poison damage.
MAGICAL STORMS
Even worse than the threat of storms is the menace
of weather imbued with magic. When a ship enters a
s torm, roll a d20. On a 20, the storm churns with magi-
cal energy. Pick or randomly determine the type of mag-
ical energy brimming within the storm, consulting the
Magical Storm Type table.


MAGICAL STORM TYPE

d8 Magic
Abjuration
2 Conjuration
3 Divination
4 Enchantment
5 Evocation
6 Illusion
7 Necromancy
8 Transmutation

ABJURATION

A storm infused with abjuration magic repels ships, as if
protecting something in the sea. Right before the storm
e nds, a ship within it is teleported Sd20 miles in a ran-
dom direction.

CONJURATION
When conjuration magic churns within a storm·s heart,
creatures of wind and rain emerge from distant realms
to attack anything they encounter. The ship encounters
ld3 hostile air eleme ntals.

DIVINATION
When divination magic seeps into a storm. howling
winds and residual whispe rs temporarily scramble the
knowledge of a ship's crew; for ld3 days, the ship's crew
suffers disadvantage on all quality c hecks.

ENCHANTMENT
Storms infused with enchantment magic disarm a crea-
ture's sense of danger, enthralling mariners and causing
them to speed into danger. During the storm, any checks
made to resolve hazards or manage the ship are made
with disadvantage.

EVOCATION
These ferocious st0rms are wracked with thunderbolts,
driving sheets of acid rain, exploding meteors, and other
dangers. After each day of the storm, every component
aboard the ship takes JdlO fire. ldlO acid. and ldlO
lightning damage. In addition, roll a d20 and add the
crew's quality. On a 10 or less, th e crew's quality de-
creases by l, and ld6 membe rs of the crew a re killed.

ILLUSIO N
A storm brimming with illusions poses little direct harm
to a ship, but experienced navigators know it poses an
insidious threat. During the storm, the ship travels in a
random direction that isn't its intended course.

NECROMANCY
Ghosts howl and whirl in this storm's wind, while the re-
mains of long-dead marine rs stir in their watery graves.
During the storm, ld4 s pecte rs , 2d4 ghouls, and 4d6
zombies emerge from th e waves to attack the ship.

TRANSMUTATION
These violently unpredictable storms cause the waves to
warp and twist. The storm transforms the water around
the ship into an amalgamation of ice, stone. and stranger
materials, making travel difficult and damaging the ship.
The ship's hull takes 4dJO bludgeoning damage, and th e
s hip's speed decreases by ha lf during the storm.

SANDBARS
Waves and currents deposit sand in shallow water near
the s horeline. These sandbars form a line that can be
between 10 feet and 3 miles in length and width. During
high tide. sandbars are below the ocean's surface, while
they peek above the water during low tide.

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