Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

that approaches within 10 feet of the nests, fighting to
t he death to defend their eggs.
Slippery Rock. Algae, ocean spray, and blood hawk
waste make the rock formation slippery. Moving on the
rock requires a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check, and failing this check results in the creature fall-
ing into the water.
Treasure. Each nest holds ld4 -1 blood hawk eggs.
Blood hawks makt excellent hunting animals. Nobles
are willing to pay 25 gp per intact egg.


C2. CRYSTAL CAVE
This cave has a single spherical room with a radius of
15 feet. Ogrorlo's merfolk slaves carved this cave. The
aberration used the cave to meditate and rest.
Glowing Mosaic. Pink. purple, and blue crystals cover
the walls in a mosaic that depicts merfolk raising their
hands toward an aboleth. These crystals give off dim
light that fills the cave. A detect magic spell or similar
effect reveals an aura of divination magic radiating from
the mosaic.
A creature that takes a short or long rest in the cave
receives at the end of the rest a vague vision of a danger
it might face within the next 10 days. If the creature
isn't an aberration, it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom
saving throw or gain a random form of short-term mad-
ness (see "Madness" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Mas-
ter's Guide).
Removing a crystal from the wall causes that crystal
to stop glowing and become worthless. Removing all
of the crystals from the wall by hand takes 24 hours of
work divided by the number of creatures performing
the task (rounded down). As long as at least one crys-
tal remains embedded in the wall, the mosaic's magic
functions.


C3. CORAL REEF
The reef teems with lOdlO x 10 fish of various species
and 5d 10 crabs. Each fish has the statistics of a quip-
p er, but it doesn't have the Blood Frenzy feature and
can't make attacks.
See "Coral Reefs" earlier in this appendix.
Stone Clam. A pedestal-like rock near the middle
of the reef rises 5 feet above the coral. The rock holds
an algae-covered stone statue of an enormous clam. A
character who makes a successful DC 20 Intelligence
(History) check knows that the clam is the symbol of the
aboleth Ogrorlo.
A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura
of enchantment magic emanating from the statue. Every
night at midnight the statue sheds bright green light
in a 20 -foot radius and dim light for another 20 feet
for 4 hours.
A creature that touches the statue feels bolstered and
happy, gaining 10 temporary hit points. This feeling also
makes the creature more likely to trust others, giving
it disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks and saving
throws against being charmed for the next 24 hours.
The statue can affect a creature only once every 24
hours. Aberrations and creatures that can't be charmed
are unaffected if they touch the statue.

C4. BLEACHED REEF
This small reef is stark white and covered by twenty
crabs crawling over it. This reef marks Ogrorlo's grave.
The aboleth's loyal slaves buried the remains after
Lenth killed the aberration.
Whisp ered Message. A creature that touches the
reef hears a faint message whispered in Deep Speech:
"Bend the knee, pearl. The god Ogrorlo, the shield and
our protector, rests here."
Ogrorlo's Coffin. The seastone coffin of Ogrorlo, a
cube 10 feet on a side. lies 12 feet beneath the floor of
the reef. It is adorned with large clamshell carvings and
weighs 2,000 pounds. A character who makes a suc-
cessful DC 20 Intelligence (History) check knows that
the clam is the symbol of the aboleth Ogrorlo.
If the coffin is opened while underwater, it releases a
cloud of mucus in a 15-foot sphere that rises 10 feet to·
ward the water's surface every round on initiative count


  1. Creatures that touch the cloud must make a DC 14
    Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the crea-
    ture is diseased for ld4 hours. A creature diseased in
    this way can breathe only underwater. When the cloud
    reaches the surface, it dissipates immediately. If the
    coffin is opened outside the water, the mucus dissipates
    without effect.
    The coffin holds the bones of Ogrorlo and the aboleth's
    treasure (see "Treasure").
    Treas ure. Ogrorlo's coffin holds a trident of fish com-
    mand left behind as tribute by loyal merfolk slaves.


C5. GIANT ANEMONE
This enormous orange, red, and purple anemone an-
chored to the s ide of a boulder is a trap from the time of
Ogrorlo meant to guard the cove.
When a creature starts its turn within 20 feet of the
anemone, it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw.
On a failure, the creature abandons whatever it is doing
and gives in to a sudden overwhelming urge to touch
the anemone, attacking creatures that get in its way. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Ab-
errations, beasts, and creatures that can't be charmed
are immune to this effect. If a creature's saving throw
is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is im-
mune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
The anemone's tentacles deliver a poisonous sting.
A creature that touches the ane mone must make a DC
12 Constitution saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) poison
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
The anemone has AC 10 and 45 hit points.

C6. MERFOLK MASS GRAVE
Fifty merfolk skeletons are buried in a mass grave 12
feet beneath the seafloor. Thes e bones are the remains
of Ogrorlo's slaves that died in the ancient battle with
Lenth's forces. The top layer of skeletons peeks through
the seafloor. The merfolk bones float if they are un-
earthed from their resting place.
A giant white moray eel hides coiled up in the
bones. When the eel is hungry, it attacks any creature
smaller than it.

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