If invited to do so, he joins the characters with enthu-
siasm and stays with them throughout the conclusion
of this adventure. He will, if requested to do so, remain
with the characters for further adventures (assuming
that they continue with Danger at Dunwater and pos-
sibly also The Final Enemy), in which circumstances
you could ask one of the players to play Oceanus. At all
times he will be as cooperative as possible, playing a full
role as an NPC in the party's undertakings (he will, of
course, expect a normal portion of treasure). Afterward,
he reluctantly leaves them to return home.- TuE SECRET CACHE
J This cramped area, only four feet wide at the widest, is
sandwiched between the adjacent cabin and the ship's
stern. It contains eight large, irregularly shaped bundles
wrapped in oilskin and bound with light rope. These are
piled at random on the deck, as though thrown in casu·
ally from the doorway.•
- This is the place in which the weapons are housed
during their journey to the customers (the lizardfolk).
The eight bundles here contain the following equipment:
10 morningstars
10 longswords
10 shields
20 javelins
1 shield emblazoned on the front with the design of a
lizard with forked tongue extended
There is no identification of any sort on any of the mis-
matched bundles, nor is there anything else stored in
this area.
- BlLGE
From the hatchway, you can see a little of what lies in
the gloom below. This area stretches the full width of
the ship and, for all you can see, the full length, for no
bulkheads are in view. What must be the bottom of the
ship is covered with a thick layer of wet sand (presum·
ably ballast) on top of which is an inch or so of green,
greasy water.
A scuttling noise toward the stern indicates there is
some life down here-perhaps living off the garbage
thrown in occasionally by the lazy crew, for there are
heaps of trash immediately below the hatch that have
formed small islands in the fetid water. A particularly
large one has accumulated at the base of the mast.
As you move your light back and forth, you catch a yel-l low reflection in one of the garbage piles.
A number of rats eke out a precarious existence here,
but they are of the normal variety and harmless. The
bilge offers only 4 feet of headroom.Two s w arms ofrot grubs (see appendix C) live in the
garbage island around the mast. A gold coin among the
trash is the source of the reflection. The rot grubs attack
anyone who comes near.
Treasure. A paltry 2 gp can be found inside the gar-
bage island with the rot grubs.CONCLUSION
If the characters have successfully completed their mis-
sion, the seagoing side of the smuggling operation has
been rendered inoperative. The ramifications of that are
discussed in the following section, "Smuggled Goods."
In addition. the characters have gained some or all the
following information:
In addition to contraband, the smugglers are providing
weapons to a colony of lizard folk.- The lizardfolk colony is located within ten miles of
Saltmarsh. - This weapon smuggling appears to have been going
on for some months.
If they have enough information. the characters
should be able to deduce that the lizardfolk a re plan-
ning an attack, either on Saltmarsh or on some other
unknown location. Presented with this information, the
town council is sure to have furthe r need of the party.
Of course, the characters do not know the truth be-
hind the lizardfolk's need to purchase weapons. To learn
the t ruth. more of the story must unfold. See c hapter 3,
Danger at Dunwater.
SMUGGLED Goons
The smugglers are very successful. Their main source
of income is the sale of stolen goods, especially those
marked with a royal seal or similar identifier that would
make dealing with legitimate merchants impossible.
They also take in goods from ships they have waylaid,
usually spices, weapons, poisons, and other contraband
that is either illegal or heaviJy taxed in this region. Cur-
rently, the ship's hold is crowded with mining equipment
and kegs of brandy stolen from a royal shipment meant
for a crown-sponsored mining operation in this region,
along with silks that were originally destined for a royal
trade mission.
If the characters break the smuggling ring, they are
free to keep whatever other treasure they find without
consequence, but the current contents of the hold must
be handled carefully.
Representatives of the crown in Saltmarsh will pay
200 gp for the return of the silk and brandy stored under
the house (in area 27) and 500 gp for the merchandise
aboard the Sea Ghost (the goods in area 11 and the
weapons in area 15).
Royal agents might also claim the smugglers' ship, but
at your option, if the characters have proven eager to aid
the crown, they are given the ship and pledged the ser-
vice of a contingent of sailors to man it for one year.
If the characters keep the merchandise and try to sell
it openly in the region. they find no buyers. Such an at-
tempt earns them a poor reputation. the effect of which
is up to you.lH \PTE:R 2 Tllf Sl~l~Tl k <:F.CRf I OF S\!TM:\R~ll