Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Introduction

Listen: Saltmarsh Shanty

Welcome to Ghosts of Saltmarsh. This book collects seven D&D adventures, each famous for their unique challenges, for their deadly threats, and for embracing the danger and wonder of the high seas. Some of these adventures initially charted their courses in the earliest days of D&D's history, while others set sail in more recent years. In each case, these tales of plunder and peril have been updated for the current edition of the game, revealing deadly shores for brave crews to explore anew.

Along with these adventures returns one of D&D's most famous seaside settings: the port town of Saltmarsh. The original backdrop of three of this collection's tales (The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, Danger at Dunwater, and The Final Enemy), this fishing community has a tradition of being a starting point for incredible adventures. Historically, Saltmarsh and the dangers facing its people provided a widening sphere of adventure, with increasingly dire threats drawing heroes to explore more of the coast of the Azure Sea. Ghosts of Saltmarsh continues that tradition, presenting a portion of the coastal lands of Keoland, a kingdom in the Greyhawk setting. Each adventure notes where that story might unfold in the region around Saltmarsh, providing a shared setting for them all. Although these seven adventures weren't designed to create a single overarching narrative, the tools provided herein make it easy to link these stories into a wider Saltmarsh campaign.

In addition to the adventures themselves, chapter 1, "Saltmarsh," provides an in-depth look at the town, its various inhabitants, the nearby coasts, and what dangers threaten the region. A variety of new backgrounds also help make new characters part of the Saltmarsh community, giving them personal stakes in the town's opportunities and hardships.

The sea and its threats aren't unique to Saltmarsh. To help launch explorations across the wild waves, appendix A, "Of Ships and the Sea," presents a toolbox for ocean-bound adventures. New rules for various ships, how to crew and captain them, and how to pit them against each other provide adventurers with new modes of exploration. Beyond this, details on a variety of nautical dangers and oceanic hazards—from magical storms to whirlpools—make the seas even deadlier than ever before. A spectrum of tables also helps generate encounters upon the waves, be they deadly sea monsters; random vessels, their crews, and cargo; or islands brimming with untold mysteries. Concluding the appendix are a variety of underwater locations—like deadly reefs and sunken ruins—ready to be customized and explored as your campaign demands.

The book's remaining appendices present magical treasures perfectly suited to seafarers and a robust collection of fearsome aquatic foes.

New horizons of adventure now lie before you. What wonders and terrors will you discover across the waves? Set sail and find out!

Using This Book

Ghosts of Saltmarsh features seven tales of adventure that take place upon the waves, on brine-battered shores, and in the sea's deadliest depths. Each of these adventures comes from across the tides of D&D history, returning to test heroes grown used to the predictable threats and reliable footing of dry land.

Along with each adventure appear notes for setting the adventure in the Saltmarsh region or adapting it to a variety of D&D settings. Use that information to place it in your campaign or on the shores of your choice.

These adventures make perfect side quests for ongoing campaigns. If you run published D&D campaigns, like Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, the higher-level adventures presented here are an ideal way to extend the campaign.

The adventures in Ghosts of Saltmarsh also perfectly complement those in Tales from the Yawning Portal—which collects another seven famous (albeit landlocked) adventures. By picking and choosing your favorite entries in each compilation, you'll be on your way to creating a customized campaign all your own.

Running the Adventures

To run each of these adventures, you need the fifth edition Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. Before you sit down with your players, read the text of the adventure and familiarize yourself with the maps as well, perhaps making notes about complex areas or places where the characters are certain to go, so you're well prepared before the action starts.

The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of the monsters and NPCs found in this book. When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual cue pointing you to its stat block in appendix C or in the Monster Manual. If a stat block appears in appendix C of this book, the text tells you so.

Spells and nonmagical equipment mentioned in the book are described in the Player's Handbook. Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description in appendix B.

Credits from the Originals

As every Dungeon Master knows, considerable work goes into the creation of a Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Presented below are the credits from the classic adventures that inspired the updated tales found in this book. For more on each adventure's origin and its place in D&D history, see the "About the Original" section featured near the beginning of each adventure.

- Design:. Dave J. Browne
- Development:. Don Turnbull
- Editing and Production:. Tom Kirby, Sally Meadows, Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull
- Art:. Jim Holloway, Dave de Leuw, Harry Quinn, Stephen D. Sullivan
- Playtesting:. Jim Bambra, Michael W. Brunton, Chris Hall, Bill Howard, Steve Mote, Allen Ovens, Martin Pickering, Chris Rick, Dave Tant, Patrick Thompson, Don Turnbull, Mark Valentine, Pat Whitehead
- Cartography:. Graeme Morris
- Design:. Dave J. Browne
- Development:. Don Turnbull
- Editing and Production:. Penny Bogg, Tom Kirby, Carole Morris, Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull
- Art:. Dave de Leuw, Jim Holloway, Harry Quinn, Tim Truman
- Playtesting:. Jackie Apps, Steve Buckalow, Mike Ferguson, Bill Francis, Andrew Geer, Bill Jones, Tom Kirby, Martin Pickering, Matt Quartermain, Tony Ross, Phil Spivey, Dave Tant, Nick Thornley, Simon Thornley, Jim Ward, Guy Williamson
- Cartography:. Graeme Morris
- Design:. Mike Mearls
- Editing and Production:. Sean Glenn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Sarah Robinson, Mike Schley, Jeremy Walker
- Artwork:. Attila Adorjany
- Cartography:. Kyle Hunter
- Design:. Randy Maxwell
- Editing and Production:. Wolfgang H Baur, Dale A. Donovan, Roger E. Moore, Larry W. Smith, Barbara G. Young
- Artwork:. Peter Clarke
- Cartography:. Diesel
- Story:. Dave J. Browne
- Development:. Don Turnbull
- Editing and Production:. Paul Cockburn, Tom Kirby, Graeme Morris, Don Turnbull
- Cover Art:. Dave de Leuw
- Cartography:. Graeme Morris, Philip Kaye
- Playtesting:. Bill Black, Bob Collman, Thomas Haas, Bill Howard, Allan Owens, Dawn Poole, Gina Poole, Chris Rick, Dave Tant, Mark Valentine
- Design:. Greg A. Vaughn
- Editing and Production:. Sean Glenn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona
- Artwork:. Peter Bergting
- Cartography:. Rob Lazzaretti
- Design:. Richard Pett
- Editing and Production:. Sean Glenn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Sarah Robinson, Mike Schley, Jeremy Walker
- Artwork:. Joachim Barrum
- Cartography:. Jason Engle

Contents

Introduction

Using This Book

Running the Adventures

Credits from the Originals