Ghosts of Saltmarsh

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 falling into the water.

Treasure

Each nest holds 1d4-1 blood hawk eggs. Blood hawks make excellent hunting animals. Nobles are willing to pay 25 gp per intact egg.

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 madness (see "Madness" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master'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 crystal remains embedded in the wall, the mosaic's magic functions.

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.

Whispered 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 successful 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 toward the water's surface every round on initiative count 20. Creatures that touch the cloud must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is diseased for 1d4 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").

Treasure

Ogrorlo's coffin holds a trident of fish command left behind as tribute by loyal merfolk slaves.

Treasure

The bottom of the gorge holds a stone chest carved with the image of a clam that contains a hundred tiny white pearls (10 gp each), five large pink pearls (100 gp each), and a single black pearl (500 gp).

Saltmarsh Story Hook

To help draw the characters to the cove, Talnad and Valas unearth merfolk bones from the mass grave (x), which causes the remains to float to the surface. Fishers working in the cove find the bones and refuse to continue fishing in these waters. Eda Oweland offers the characters a special favor (see "Special Features" in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) to discover the source of the problem and end it.

Clever Ruse

Talnad and Valas stay near the top of the gorge (x), looking for creatures that have equipment they can steal. Allero, a giant octopus, hides in the darkness of the gorge at a depth of 1,000 feet.

Talnad and Valas have the statistics of scouts, with the following changes:

• Their alignment is chaotic evil.
• They have a walking speed of 10 feet, a swimming speed of 40 feet, and can breathe air and water.
• They don't carry longbows.

When the merfolk spy the characters, Talnad begs them for help, saying she dropped her seashell necklace in the gorge. The merfolk don't have a light source to search the bottom of the gorge and hope the characters can help. A character who makes a successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by Talnad's Charisma (Deception) check discerns that she isn't telling the whole truth.

If the characters follow the merfolk into the gorge, Talnad and Valas lead the group to Allero and then attack. If the characters refuse to help, the merfolk whistle for Allero and attack when the octopus arrives. If this battle goes poorly for the merfolk, they dive to the bottom of the gorge toward the chuul, hoping the characters follow.

A character who captures one or both of the merfolk and makes a successful DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation) check convinces the merfolk to reveal the truth about the floating bones. Otherwise the merfolk deny knowing anything about the bones.

Disturbed Grave

If a character examines the merfolk mass grave, a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals marks in the mud on the ground—some of the bones were recently dug up by webbed humanoid hands.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

The crew of Jolly Good, a Solmor fishing boat, went for a swim in the cove, and six of the sailors never returned. Anders Solmor offers the characters 200 gp to find out what happened to the six human sailors.

Confronting the Kuo-toa

During the day, the kuo-toa monitor Fuuna, two kuo-toa whips, and eight kuo-toa rest in the gorge at a depth of 1,000 feet. At night they form a circle around Koolooshidoop and pray. If the kuo-toa spot the characters, they attack, believing the characters to be a worthy sacrifice to their new deity. The kuo-toa aim to capture the characters and sacrifice them when the clam is glowing.

Corpses in the Reef

A character who searches the reef (x) and makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a shallow grave beneath the reef that holds the remains of six sailors from Jolly Good. The sailors were obviously killed by the weapons of the kuo-toa (part of the sacrifice to Koolooshidoop).

Saltmarsh Story Hook

The presence of the hags pollutes the water in the cove, killing the fish, which then wash up on shore. Ferrin Kastilar (see location 29 in Saltmarsh) offers the characters four potions of water breathing to find and end the source of this problem.

Help from New Friends

If the three sea hags spot the characters, they approach in the guise of three merfolk named Ranna, Caulau, and Vira, who claim that the rest of their tribe was killed by the minions of Granny Nightshade. They try to convince the characters to attack the night hag's fortress. A character who makes a successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by the hags' Charisma (Deception) checks discerns that the "merfolk" aren't telling the truth about their tribe. If called out on their lies, the hags reveal their true nature and ask for the characters' help in overthrowing Granny Nightshade. They agree to give the characters a share of the night hag's treasure when they depose her.

If the characters attack, the hags fight back until one of them falls, and then the other two flee.

Dalixiateara

Recently the hags captured a female young bronze dragon named Dalixiateara. The dragon is chained to the side of the gorge (x) at a depth of 1,200 feet, muzzled, and restrained. The hags are trying to break the dragon's mind to force it to serve them but have had no luck so far.

The locked chains have AC 19, 50 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Auntie Canker holds the key to the chains. A character who makes a successful DC 17 Dexterity check using thieves' tools can pick the lock, freeing Dalixiateara. If freed, the dragon attacks the hags and rewards the characters who freed her with a cloak of the manta ray from her hoard.

Polluted Water

At the end of every hour spent immersed in the cove's water, a creature that isn't a hag must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The DC for this saving throw equals 10 + the number of continuous hours spent in the cove's water. If the hags die or leave the cove, this effect ends 1d10 days later.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Fishers in the area report seeing tendrils made of water rise out of the sea and crash onto their boats. So far only minor damage has been caused, but rumors about these incidents have spread wildly and the local fishing crews are spooked. Keledek the Unspoken (see location 6 in chapter 1) promises the characters a cap of water breathing if they can discover what the shapes are and report back to him.

Elkahraal's Test

When the characters first arrive at the cove, Elkahraal, a marid, casts invisibility and tongues. Elkahraal has a water elemental servant that forms the shape of an aboleth above the surface of the water, and the genie speaks to the characters as if he is the ghost of Ogrorlo, saying, "Find my remains and my pearls in one hour or I will destroy Saltmarsh!"

If the characters don't find Ogrorlo's remains (see x) and his pearls (see x), Elkahraal sends the water elemental to terrorize Saltmarsh. The elemental attacks until it is destroyed, while Elkahraal hopes to draw smarter, stronger heroes out to the cove.

If the characters find Ogrorlo's remains and the pearls, Elkahraal and his water elemental attack. His plan is to knock as many adventurers as possible unconscious and then use plane shift to bring them back to the Plane of Water. Elkahraal fights until reduced to 80 hit points and then flees, while the elemental fights until it is destroyed.

Treasure

If the characters search the harpy nests, they find a holy symbol of St. Cuthbert made with gold and sapphires (150 gp), a jasper (50 gp), a piece of obsidian (10 gp), a tiger eye (10 gp), 1,231 cp, 641 sp, 320 ep, 164 gp, and 12 pp.

Cudgel Ram

A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of evocation magic around the 1,000-pound naval ram. A ship with the naval ram attached has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or object. The ship and the ram suffer no damage in the crash. These benefits don't apply if another vessel crashes into the ship with the naval ram attached.

Rusty Chains

The chains that bind the statue of St. Cuthbert have AC 14, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The chains are rusty but solidly locked. A character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. A character can break the chains with a successful DC 14 Strength check.

Statue of St. Cuthbert

The missionaries of St. Cuthbert planned to stay for months or years in most ports, so they brought along a statue of their sacred deity to display at each stop. The statue weighs 1,500 pounds.

A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals auras of enchantment and necromancy magic radiating from the statue. A creature of any non-chaotic alignment that prays to St. Cuthbert for 1 minute while within 10 feet of the statue is affected as if it just drank a potion of heroism. The statue grants this benefit to no more than one creature every 24 hours.

A creature of any chaotic alignment that prays to St. Cuthbert for 1 minute while within 10 feet of the statue must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become blinded for 1 hour.

Altar

A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of divination magic radiating from the altar. A character who examines the altar and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a hidden lid that allows the altar to open. The inside of the lid is mirrored. The altar's inner compartment holds a carved indentation of a holy symbol of St. Cuthbert and a coiled iron cobra that attacks any creature not wearing a symbol of St. Cuthbert.

When a creature places the symbol of St. Cuthbert's knowledge (see x) in the indentation, that creature can touch the mirrored lid and cast a scrying spell (DC 17) with the altar. The altar can be used to cast this spell only once every 24 hours.

Treasure

A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check while searching the room finds a set of gilded navigator's tools (100 gp) amid a great deal of ruined paper and deteriorated clothing.

Crab of Cuthbert

The day before the Marshal sank, Clergol of the Viola, a bard and a follower of St. Cuthbert, cast the awaken spell on a crab he named Barnacle Bess. Bess has the statistics of a giant crab, with the following changes:

• She is lawful neutral.
• Her Intelligence score is 10 (+0), and she can speak and understand Common.

Bess hides beneath the broken pieces of furniture. She is timid and knows very little about the ship's history, though Clergol did teach her the tenets of St. Cuthbert and how to sing a few of the god's hymns. If the characters find Bess, she tries to flee unless one of them wears a symbol of St. Cuthbert, in which case she follows that character around singing and obeys orders given to her by that character.

Skeletons

The skeletons are the remains of the missionaries that overcame the allure of the harpies' song and tried to convince the others to put the Marshal back on course. Their pleas failed, and these missionaries were imprisoned in the brig, where they ultimately drowned.

Symbol of St. Cuthbert's Knowledge

One of the skeletons is that of Uzol Telmock, a high priest of St. Cuthbert. It still carries the symbol of St. Cuthbert's magic inside its robes. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of divination magic emanating from this jade symbol of St. Cuthbert. The symbol can activate the altar in area M4.

Ghosts

Calimara and Alina are the ghosts of missionaries that died in the brig (x) along with the high priest when the ship sank. The ghosts spend most of their time in the cave. They can't stand the painful memories that come from looking at their old ship.

The ghosts are devout followers of St. Cuthbert, and they attack any creature they see committing an illegal or evil act (such as if the characters are carrying items they stole from the ship's occupants).

If the characters have committed no such acts, the ghosts ask the characters to recover their remains as well as the bones of their friends in the harpy nest (x) and the brig (x) and give them a proper burial. If the characters perform this task, the ghosts give them permission to take treasure from the Marshal, after which they share their knowledge of the ship's original purpose and then fade into the afterlife.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Eliander Fireborn asks the characters to investigate the matter, offering 300 gp if they neutralize the threat and recover the dagger.

Cursed Dagger

The cursed dagger, decorated with the hand and eye symbol of Vecna, is hidden beneath the statue of St. Cuthbert in x. A character can spot it with a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of necromancy magic radiating from the dagger.

Whenever an undead creature is destroyed within 500 feet of the dagger, the creature's essence is trapped in the blade, and 1d10 days later the creature re-forms with all its hit points in a space within 10 feet of the dagger. When a creature that is not undead and does not worship Vecna touches the dagger, that creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed for 1 hour. If the creature is still touching the dagger when the condition ends, that creature must repeat the saving throw, becoming subject to the effect again on a failure.

A character who examines the dagger and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns that casting dispel magic on the dagger or striking the dagger with a magic or adamantine weapon will cause the dagger to break. The ghosts in area M9 know how to destroy the dagger. If the dagger is destroyed, the undead it created are destroyed, and their souls return to the afterlife.

Vecna's Dead

The cultists twisted the souls of five missionaries, turning them into one wraith and four specters that haunt the lower deck of the Marshal. The undead attack the characters when they come below, fighting to the death.

Ignoring the Threat

If the characters don't kill the undead and recover the dagger, the undead attack the town during the next festival thrown by Gellan Primewater.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Gellan Primewater's smugglers bring in goods by moving through the waters near the wreck of the Marshal, since they know other people avoid the place for fear of the harpies. One of these boats, posing as a merchant vessel, was attacked by merrow while traveling near the wreck and barely escaped. Gellan offers the characters a letter of recommendation (see "Letter of Recommendation" in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) if they can end the merrow threat.

Merrow

Relzagon is a muscular merrow (with 72 hit points), missing one eye, who spends most of her time in x with four other merrow. Another three merrow patrol the water just outside the Marshal. These monstrosities are on a mission from Demogorgon and fight to the death.

Extra Reward

If the characters kill the merrow and fulfill the ghost's request to lay the missionaries to rest (see "Ghosts" in x), the ghosts reward the characters with a charm of heroism as they depart (see "Charms" in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide).

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Captain Xendros asks the characters to recover the statue from the wreck, offering a box of Nolzur's marvelous pigments in exchange for the likeness of St. Cuthbert. Xendros warns the characters that bandits might try to recover treasure from the wreck and to be on the lookout.

If the characters recover the statue but don't give it to Xendros, he sends two glabrezus to attack the characters while they rest.

Wizards

When the characters approach the wreck, they notice a keelboat, the Bat Guano, anchored in the distance. The boat belongs to the twins Arla and Vengi Carmaclo (LN human mages), devout followers of St. Cuthbert on a mission to recover the statue, which was carved by their father, Fergos. They sent their iron golem to claim the work of art so they could avoid the harpies and are waiting for the construct to return.

If the characters are polite, the wizards happily share their mission. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check convinces the mages to allow the characters to recover the statue for them. The wizards are willing to give 500 gp to the characters if they help with the recovery.

If the characters recover the statue without talking to the wizards, the mages attack the characters, demanding the statue be given to them. The mages fight until one of them falls.

Iron Golem

When the characters arrive at the wreck of the Marshal, Arla and Vengi's iron golem is in x, breaking the chains that bind the statue before it attempts to lift it out of the ship. If the characters try to hinder the golem, it attacks, fighting until the characters retreat. The golem allows the characters to help it bring the statue back to the Bat Guano.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Anders Solmor can't turn a profit with his fishing vessels if Xalatamos keeps demanding the haul. He offers the characters 1,000 gp, plus the recovery of any expenses they incur, to discover why the dragon turtle is angry and mollify it.

Xalatamos

The dragon turtle spends most of its time within 60 feet of the wreck, watching the Marshal. When the characters enter the area, the dragon turtle approaches, demanding to know what they are doing in its domain. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check convinces Xalatamos to speak with them. Otherwise, Xalatamos demands tribute in the form of coins and gems worth no less than 500 gp before speaking further with the characters.

If the tribute is forthcoming, Xalatamos tells the characters that it kept a staff of power in the crew quarters (x), but the item went missing ten days ago. The creature is certain a thief from Saltmarsh took the staff, and it intends to make the fishers of the town pay until the item is returned. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check convinces Xalatamos to let the characters explore the wreck for clues of where the lost staff could be.

If the characters try to explore the wreck without its permission, Xalatamos attacks. It fights until reduced to 100 hit points and then flees.

What Really Happened

The culprit is none other than Keledek the Unspoken (see location 6 in Saltmarsh). After using research and magic to discern that an item of power was likely buried somewhere aboard the Marshal, he conjured a water elemental and sent it forth to uncover what it could. The elemental found the staff and, remaining undetected, escaped the ship and returned to Keledek with its prize.

Finding the Staff

If the characters search the crew quarters (x), they find an important piece of evidence among the debris: the moldy remains of what was once an ornate wooden case meant to hold a staff. Where the head of the staff would rest, the outside of the case is sculpted in the image of a beholder.

If the characters take this knowledge (or the item itself) back to Saltmarsh and ask around, someone who makes a successful DC 14 Charisma (Investigation) check finds out that Keledek has been sporting a new staff recently—and the head of the staff is a miniature sculpture of a beholder. If Keledek is confronted about the item, a successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check convinces Keledek to give the staff to the characters so that they can return it to its rightful owner.

If the staff is given back to Xalatamos, he stops harassing the fishers and hides the staff in a more secure location.

Ruin Objects

W5a. Guard Post

Stone benches line the walls, and a stone counter stands before the vault doors. Three human skeletons in rusted chainmail lie on the floor.

W5b. Vault

The door to the vault is locked with an arcane lock spell. A character can pick the lock with a successful DC 25 Dexterity check using thieves' tool or force the door open with a successful DC 30 Strength check. Touching the door with a bone from the high priest's skeleton (in x) unlocks the door.

If a creature touches or attacks the door while it is locked, the door produces a spectral tendril that makes an attack against the creature with a +7 bonus. If the tendril hits, it deals 11 (2d6 + 4) psychic damage.

Most of the vault's treasures were removed from the vault when Warthalkeel's citizens converted to the worship of Procan, but a stone chest in the vault contains 1,232 gp and 213 pp.

W6a. Chamber of Prayer

A chipped statue of Procan holding a trident in one hand and a piece of coral in the other stands on the east wall. A human skeleton lies at the feet of the statue.

W6b. Reflection Chamber

A glass fish tank overgrown with kelp stands on the east wall, and a mosaic of Procan's coral trident holy symbol is built into the ceiling. A giant crab hides in the kelp and attacks any creature that disturbs it.

W6c. Priest's Office

Broken wood furniture lies on the cracked floor. A 2-foot-diameter hole in the ceiling allows light from outside to enter and provides entry and exit to the swarm of quippers that lives here.

A character who searches through the debris on the floor finds a gold holy symbol of Procan (15 gp).

W6d. Priest's Room

Broken wood furniture and rusty mattress springs cover the floor.

A character notices the outline of a secret compartment in the wall with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The compartment holds an iron holy symbol of Erythnul.

W6e. Shrine to Erythnul

All doors to this area are locked. A character can pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tool or force the door open with a successful DC 20 Strength check.

The skeletal remains of several beasts litter the floor, and an altar to Erythnul made of bones stands on the east wall. A magic morningstar lies on the altar. This weapon has the Curse property of a berserker axe and no other magical properties.

W6f. Shrine to Procan

Six cracked stone benches line a path leading up to a stone altar of Procan on a 2-foot-high dais at the south end of the room. Four human skeletons lie on the floor.

W7a. Entry Chapel

The chapel's floor, walls, ceiling, and columns are painted with a mosaic of a kraken reaching its tentacles up into a stormy sky. An altar shaped like a kraken's head stands in the center of the room.

Twenty octopuses swim in place around the room. They attack only to defend themselves.

W7b. Supply Closets

These supply closets held food and liturgical materials that were lost to or broken by the sea. A closet has a 25 chance of containing a hungry quipper and a 10 chance of containing an object from the 25 gp Art Objects table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

W7c. Meditation Chamber

Tattered tapestries and cold, rusty braziers decorate this chamber. Yalaga Maladwyn sits cross-legged in the center of the room. She is a drow priestess of Lolth, with the following changes:

• Yalaga is undead.
• She doesn't have the Fey Ancestry trait or the Summon Demon action option.

Yalaga was a loyal priestess of Vaalastroth until the end of her life and continues to be so in undeath. She meditates in this chamber trying to hear the voice of Vaalastroth, which has been silent for her since Warthalkeel's destruction.

If she notices the characters, Yalaga immediately begins asking why they have come to Warthalkeel. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check convinces her they mean no harm. If convinced, Yalaga shares Warthalkeel's history and allows the characters to explore the temple as long as she can escort them.

If the characters can't convince Yalaga they mean no harm, or if she catches them stealing or defacing any property in the temple, she attacks and fights to the death (though she doesn't leave the temple to follow the characters if they flee).

W7d. High Priest's Chambers

The door to these chambers is locked. A character can pick the door's lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tool or force the door open with a successful DC 20 Strength check.

Halkal Kyrith, the high priest of Vaalastroth, died cowering in his chambers for failing to defend the worship of the kraken. The high priest's skeleton lies in rotting robes amid debris on the floor, clutching a tentacle rod.

W7e. Balcony

The balcony is 10 feet above the seafloor. The tops of the 3-foot-high parapets are carved to look like tentacles.

W7f. Crumbling Hall

A crumbling mosaic depicts a kraken devouring an entire planet on the ceiling of this chamber. A creature that touches the walls, floor, or ceiling of this chamber must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) damage from falling debris.

W7g. Grand Staircase

This staircase's stone railing is carved to look like a long tentacle. A giant octopus lives under the stairs and attacks only if disturbed. Yalaga Maladwyn (see x) feeds this octopus and considers it a friend. A character can peacefully coax the octopus from its nest with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.

A gold kraken statuette (100 gp) lies amid the waste in the octopus's nest.

W7h. Ballroom

The ballroom once hosted grand celebrations in honor of Vaalastroth. A 10-foot-diameter, 200-pound crystal chandelier shaped like a kraken (750 gp) hangs from the ceiling. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity check using mason's tools can safely remove the chandelier from the ceiling. The chandelier is fragile. If takes any damage, it becomes worthless.

W7i. Private Room

This room offered privacy to important ballroom guests. A stone table shaped like a kraken sits in one corner. A long prayer to Vaalastroth is carved into its surface.

W7j. Tower Roof

The top of this tower holds an indentation of one of Vaalastroth's tentacles, marking where the kraken touched the building to bless it. A creature that touches the indentation feels an overwhelming desire to pray to the kraken. If a creature offers a prayer to Vaalastroth, the creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the creature gains a charm of animal conjuring (see "Charms" in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide), but can conjure only octopuses and giant octopuses. On a failed save, the creature takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Over several days recently, mud mephits have appeared in Saltmarsh to steal food, pull pranks, and annoy people. Wellgar Brinehanded (see location 26 in Saltmarsh) tracked the mephits back to Warthalkeel's ruins. He offers the characters 100 gp to find and close the portal that the mephits are coming through. If the characters take the job, Wellgar gives each a potion of water breathing before they go to the ruins.

Elemental Portal

The 2-foot-diameter portal is located on the sea floor just outside x. Every 1d6 hours, a mud mephit emerges from the portal and swims for the surface. If the green conch shell is destroyed, the portal closes.

Gali

Gali, a merfolk, searches the ruined building (x) directly east of the Temple of Vaalastroth (x). She saw the mephit that stole the conch shell swim over the temple and then over the ruined building. She didn't see where the mephit dropped the shell. If she notices the characters, she flags them down, begging for help and sharing her story.

Green Conch Shell

The green conch shell was dropped into x of the Temple of Vaalastroth. A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of conjuration magic around the shell. If the shell is destroyed, the portal closes.

Treasure

If the characters close the portal, in gratitude Gali gives them a potion of climbing she found in an old shipwreck.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Eliander Fireborn tells the characters that a group of lizardfolk has gathered in the water above the ruins of Warthalkeel. He asks the characters to greet the lizardfolk on behalf of the town and find out why they're close to the town. Eliander offers the characters 250 gp to talk to the lizardfolk and gives each character a potion of water breathing before they set out. He expects the potions back if the characters don't use them.

Let the Games Begin

Wynce, a lizardfolk shaman, six of her finest lizardfolk warriors, and thirty lizardfolk commoners (see appendix C) are gathered in twelve canoes on the surface of the water when the characters arrive. Wynce welcomes the characters and explains why the Black Claw tribe is congregating. Not one to let a chance for a challenge go by, Wynce invites the characters to participate in the games.

Wynce oversees the games. She is a fair judge and allows the use of magic in the following contests:

Turtle Shell Toss. The participants in this game hurl a sea turtle shell across the water. All those participating make Strength (Athletics) checks. The participant with the highest check total makes the farthest toss and wins. The winner keeps the impressive shell as a trophy.

Driftwood Surfing. The players of this game stand on a large piece of driftwood, keeping their balance on the shifting waters. All those participating make Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. The highest check total wins. The winner keeps the driftwood as a trophy.

Quipper Wrestling. Wynce casts [spell] to conjure eight quippers. The winner of the game is the one who grapples and holds onto a quipper longer than any of the other players and is rewarded with a crown made of quipper bones.

Water Sparring. Each competing character battles a lizardfolk in the water. The battle continues until a creature submits or is defeated. The lizardfolk submit when reduced to 5 hit points, and if they reduce a character to 0 hit points with a weapon attack, the character is automatically stabilized. The winner of each match gets a pearl worth 10 gp as a prize.

Main Event

After the initial games, Wynce announces the main event. She has given a ring of swimming to a "stone-faced guardian" in the ruins of Warthalkeel. Normally she would divide her warriors into teams, but if the characters compete, she pits her warriors against them. The team that brings the ring to the surface wins and gets to keep the ring.

The ring of swimming is around one of fingers of the statue of Procan in x. It takes the lizardfolk 1 hour to find the ring. If the characters find the ring in less time that, they win.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

Calduran Bravewater, a deep scion (see appendix C), approaches the characters posing as a rich noble and asks for their help in diving into the ruins of Warthalkeel to find lost treasure. He offers to give the characters whatever it takes to persuade them to go to the ruins (since he has no intention of paying).

Society of Tentacles

Two kraken priests (see appendix C) and a deep scion (see appendix C) desecrate x of the House of Procan while another four kraken priests, including Elagoth Rinecot, hold hands in a circle and chant to perform the ritual in x of the Temple of Vaalastroth. The cultists attack the characters with the intention of subduing them.

Yalaga Maladwyn (in x) knows of the cultists and allows them to perform the ritual, though she suspects that waking the kraken could anger it, so she avoids participating.

Calduran tries to steer the characters toward x but turns on the characters when they find either group of cultists.

The Kraken Cometh

If the cultists defeat the characters, the kraken priests use their water breathing spells to keep the characters alive and then bind them with manacles (see chapter 5 in the Player's Handbook) near Vaalastroth Trench (x). The cultists complete their ritual 12 hours after they capture the characters. A loud hum rings through the area, and then Vaalastroth the kraken rises from the trench.

Elagoth offers the characters as tribute, claiming that these powerful adventurers are the greatest threats to Vaalastroth's takeover of the settlement. Vaalastroth then attacks the cultists, calling them insolent for disturbing its slumber and offering such a paltry gift. If the characters have not escaped by the time the kraken kills the cultists, it demands all the characters' magic items in exchange for their lives. When it is satisfied, the kraken returns to its lair.

Saltmarsh Story Hook

For days, a powerful storm unlike any seen before rages over Saltmarsh. Ferrin Kastilar (see location 29 in Saltmarsh) tells the characters that he believes the cause of the storm is unnatural, since its borders never move and the ruins of Warthalkeel are at its center. The storm threatens everyone in Saltmarsh, so Ferrin has convinced the nobles to pledge 3,000 gp to the characters if they can find and stop the cause of the danger.

Calming a Storm

Brinecane Ulganoth has transformed himself into a storm giant quintessent (see appendix C), and the ruins of Warthalkeel are his lair. The giant spends his days in x making music with his harp—the calm in the eye of the storm.

Yalaga Maladwyn (in x) knows she can't kill the giant, so she allows him to do whatever he wants. She would agree to ally with the characters in a plan to evict Brinecane.

When the characters find Brinecane, the giant tells them of his plight. He is scared to die, but he knows that without the magic of Warthalkeel he would succumb to old age.

If the characters offer to help Brinecane, he tells them he would agree to move to a new location touched with magic that would allow him to continue to extend his life. One such location that would put the storm far from Saltmarsh is Granny Nightshade's fortress, Castle Spiral, in the Dreadwood. Of course, Brinecane requires that Granny Nightshade and her minions be removed before he takes possession of the castle.

A character can comfort Brinecane and convince the storm giant to accept the inevitable, end the storm, and move out of the area with a successful DC 22 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If this check fails, Brinecane is insulted and attacks the characters.

If combat breaks out, the giant fights until reduced to 30 hit points and then flees.