Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
General Summary
Four miles east of Saltmarsh, just inland of the old coast road, stands a haunted house. Until twenty years ago, it had been the residence of an aged alchemist of sinister reputation. Even then, locals avoided the house because of its owner’s mysterious activities. Now, two decades after the unexplained disappearance of its occupant, the house has taken on an even greater air of evil and mystery. Dilapidated and long abandoned, the house presents an unwholesome appearance. Those hardy souls who have infrequently sought entry (pursuing rumors of a secret hoard of alchemical gold) all returned with naught save grim tales of decaying chambers presided over by monstrous perils. Indeed, such is the reputation of the house that the fields around it, though prime agricultural land, remain untended and rank with weeds.Corfyn Sterling Convinces Narciara Rizzensdaughter his cousin that there is knowledge in that old house.
The alchemist lived a hermit’s life, with few visitors and fewer friends. But a young messenger once emerged from the house with a story of a grand library containing countless tomes. Retellings of the messenger’s tale have varied over the years, with the most popular versions suggesting that the alchemist had discovered a method of transforming base metals into gold.Narciara Convinces her friend Veenaira and Worvin who follows her around like a broken puppy to join her. Carcarius of Baldur's Gate and Jaegus Meisterbrauer the brewer of the Tavern decide to pick up adventuring again. They settled down in Saltmarsh after the Absolute attack on Baldur's Gate. Their spirit is still strong but they haven't adventured past mundane sailing in over 7 years. Kythorn 3, 1493 DR 7:30 am It is cold so the adventurers accept for Corfyn who is perfectly comfortable are dressed in their Cold Gear. Naciara's Cold Gear is lighter than the others by virtue if her Elven Blood.
The road to the house winds through the rocky coastal terrain, often offering a view of the sea below. Low clouds press upon you; occasional patches of sunlight appear out over the water. A stiff wind blows in off the waves, carrying the briny stink of churning salt water and the winter's cold of the sea.Veenaira finds a burrow of very large animals in the Alchemist's Garden. This of course makes Corfyn excited, but before it registers they are in battle. 4 Giant Weasels killed with only Jaeger Injured. Veenaira heals Jaegus and Carcharius spots mammal bones near the well. They go to investigate. 14 sp in well after Giant Poisonous Snakes
Kitchen: This kitchen is dirty and damp, with patches of gray mold and cobwebs on the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the southwest corner is some iron cooking equipment with a chimney above. Next to it, under the window, is a cracked and discolored stone sink. To the right of the sink, a small, closed wooden cupboard is fixed to the wall about five feet above floor level. Against the far wall, a flight of wooden stairs leads upward from west to east; the woodwork of the staircase is decayed, and a few of the treads are missing.Charcharius finds humanoid tracks that lead into the hall and through a door to 10. They follow the door.
Scullery: This room displays the effects of damp and decay more than most. Mold grows in patches on the floor, walls, and ceiling. A large copper cask, split, discolored and empty, stands under the window, with a small heap of crockery shards on the floor beside it. Stairs lead down into what is presumably a cellar.A Magic Mouth Sounds: hideous screams — as if of a soul in torment — rise from the cellar below. They see the tracks lead to the cellar. They descend.
Wine Cellar: Shoulder-height wooden bottle racks line the north and west walls here. There appear to be no intact bottles left in the racks and shattered bottles cover the floor. Against the east wall, at the foot of the stairs, rest two large metal storage bins that appear to be empty. In the center of the room lies a human corpse clad in plate mail; a longsword lies by the corpse’s right side, and a large shield covers its legs.Worvyn discovers a secret door. Rot Grubs infest Narciara Rizzensdaughter she falls unconcious, and Jaeger heals her with song so they could burn the Rot Grubs out.
Cellar: This torchlit chamber was once a large cellar, but it has since been converted into living quarters. Ten crude beds stand along the south wall, each with a wooden locker at its foot. A long wooden trestle table ringed by rickety stools dominates the center of the room. Metal cutlery, cups, and dirty plates sit atop the table. A cookstove is installed near the table, and evidence of recently cooked meals sits in pots atop it. A large ham hangs from a loop of twine near the stove. A sturdy set of stairs leads to a trapdoor in the ceiling above. There are two wooden doors in the east side of the room.3 bandits attack. The party is ready but Jaeger goes down. Veenaira Stabalizes him. They stay in the room for an hour. Worvin finds a Secret Door. Narciara Rizzensdaughter Picks the locks to all the chests. Before Resting, they search Room 22.
Unlike the barracks, this small room holds comfortable furnishings and appears to be well cared for. A comfortable-looking bed in the northwest corner has a wooden locker at its foot. A small wooden table stands against the east wall, with a padded leather chair beside it. On the table, a brass three-branch candlestick with three burning candles provides the room with bright light. The candles, though not fresh, are far from spent. Under the table is a small wooden box and an unlit bullseye lantern with a movable shutter over the lens. On a shelf above the table sit three books. In the northeast corner is a closed wooden wardrobe.
-
They Find
- Parchment with goblin words for certain commands
- 3 books worth 30 Gp
- A bullseye lantern
- The small wooden box holds twelve candles, flint and steel, and a piece of parchment that details Sanbalet’s method of communicating with the ship.
- Fancy Oil Skin Cloak (5 gp)
Withdrawing Room Two stuffed armchairs stand near the fireplace of this room. The covers of both have been torn and the stuffing has been pulled out, but the wooden frames are intact. A broken table lies on the floor near the north wall.Room 1:
Entry: The front door opens onto a musty, dirty entrance hall. To your left, a corridor leads into the west wing of the house. The walls are bare and bits of smashed furniture lie upon the floor. Ahead of you, another corridor leads toward the rear of the house. A staircase on the eastern wall climbs to the next story, reaching it at a balcony that overlooks the entrance hall along its north and west sides; the stairs appear safe to climb, though the balcony rail is broken in several places. Under the stairs at the north end of the hall, a third corridor leads east.Move Towards Area 4. Search the Library for 10 minutes find 3 very valuable books. Enter the study next and find 2 healing potions. When they get to area 4 they see the tracks end at a trap door. As soon as they reach it a Magic Mouth goes off: “Welcome, fools — welcome to your deaths!” Booming, fiendish laughter follows the spoken message. They know this leads to the cellar they were just in. They decide to head upstairs. 13 Fight Swarm of Spiders
14 Crumbling Bedroom: This room appears to be another dirty, decaying bedroom without furniture. Even viewed from the doorway, it’s evident that the floor in here does not look safe; some of the floorboards are missing, and others are partially dislodged.A combination of the position of the house and the topography of the cliff results in this room providing the best view of the sea from any part of the house, and it is from here that the smugglers signal to their colleagues out at sea. Worvin talks of this: fresh scratches on the sill where the signaling lantern has been placed, scuffing of the floor dust immediately near the window, and so forth. There is a key lying on the floor to the hall Narciara picks it up. The next room is locked. She uses the key on it but realizes the lock has been oiled.
In the southeast corner of this decayed bedroom lies a man; he is alive, though bound and gagged. He is clad only in undergarments and appears to have no weapons or equipment.They untie Ned and they listen to his story. Ned tells the characters he is a traveler from Seaton who entered the house the previous night to find a place to sleep during his journey to Saltmarsh where he hoped to find work as an adventurer. He entered through the back door and had only reached the kitchen when he was attacked from behind and knocked unconscious. He awoke some hours ago — bound, gagged, and stripped of his possessions — in this room. He did not see his attackers nor has he heard any sounds in the house. Now he would like to be released and to join the characters in their mission. They refuse to let him join them. They escort him to room 17.
Alchemist' Old Bedroom: Damp mold covers portions of the walls and ceiling in this large bedroom, and rubbish is strewn liberally around the floor. In the center is a single mattress that has been badly torn, from which stuffing protrudes. Under the window sits a large wooden chest, the timbers split and its lid closed. The chest is not locked and opens easily. Inside is a pile of moldy, ragged clothing in styles that were never in fashion — nothing of value — and a bundle of documents. These pages are rotted and stained, their meaning lost long ago.They reach the storage room with Ned's clothes and say farewell. They search the attic and kill 6 stirges. Rest until Morning. Kythorn 4, 1493 DR 4 am: The next morning when they returned they were ambushed by the gang in full force. They were victorious and kept the wizard alive. They question Sanbalet, and he reports he has been running weapons to the Lizardman Queen. Carcharius and Narciara Tie the wizard up (23) and go to the barred Door. 5 am: The Barred Door: Very Easy to lift
Light spilling in from the large room behind you barely shows that the chamber is only about twelve feet across and the corners are filled with shadow. What little you can see is dingy and dirty.6 skeltons attack and it seems their bones have been treated because weapons are doing less damage. After about 12 seconds: A hunched corpse wearing a pointed hat and dressed in a robe embroidered with mystic symbols crosses through the hidden door. Thin wisps of beard float from its bony jaw. It raises a finger, tracing arcane symbols in the air. In a hoarse voice, it speaks: “Secrets found and lost then found again. Your paltry minds cannot fathom …” Veenaira died in the battle. After they were weakened by the Undead Alchemist Ned attacked Carcharius with a poisoned blade and left him bleeding. He Ran from the party but Narciara and Corfyn took him down. Eventually Worfin and Carcharius were healed. They explored the room.
A bench runs down the west wall of what seems to be a laboratory. On the bench are jars of powders and liquids and several pieces of chemical apparatus. There is a table against the south wall, forming an L-shape with the bench. A book is open on the table. Also on the table is a candlestick, with a tiny stump of unlit candle still in it, and a variety of other items that, even in the dim light, shine with the warmth of pure gold. One of these objects looks like a human skull.Corfyn takes the Golden Book. Book. Before the alchemist died, he was reading the book that lies open on the table. Its title is Ye Secret of Ye Philosopher’s Stone, no author acknowledged. The book is worth 50 gp to the right buyer. Though it is written in Common, the book is too profound and recondite a work to be fully understood by anyone other than the appropriate specialist, but a character might be able to deduce the general subject matter. Gaining that knowledge requires 8 hours of study and a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The book contains instructions for the creation of a “philosopher’s stone,” then describes how that object can be used to convert base metal into gold. They search the Cavern for any more smugglers. There were none. Carcharius guides them past the Green Slime Hazards. they find much contaband of casks and silk bolts. COnveniently they find a boat and use this to bring the contaband back to Saltmarsh. They wait until the next morning. They bring along the tied up mage to face justice. 5th of Kythorn, 1493 DR Arrive Safely back at Saltmarsh with Contraband and a fallen comrade in tow. 7th of Kythorn, 1493 DR The only chance to Raise Veenaira is from the scroll by the priest at the Temple of Umberlee. He agrees to raise her but only if he is promised sex with her afterward. The party relunctantly agrees to this without her concent, but he will take no money only this service. She is Raised on this day.
Downtime
- Corfyn Tried to Decipher the Philosopher Stone Tome but failed. He gave it to Jaegus who Researched it successfully.
- Carcharius Sold Battered Plate mail to Dwarven Mining Company
- Party hires Xeros to find them items from the enclave.
- Veenaira Performs Religious Rites
A distinct odor about this room reminds you of a marsh or a swamp — not fetid, not oppressive, but certainly noticeable. In the center of the area is a wood table, bolted to the deck. On the table sits a silver jug half full of a red liquid; with it are three pewter mugs. Around the table are set three upright wooden chairs, and an unlit hooded lantern hangs from the ceiling above. In the gloom, you can see three hammocks — one at each end of the cabin slung between the bulkhead and one of the ship’s ribs, and the third hanging across the corner of the cabin from next to the aft door to the central bulkhead. Each hammock is occupied by a scaled figure. A small chest or box of some sort lies under the most forward hammock. There appear to be weapons under each of the hammocks.They attack immediately and the Lizardmen are confused! In broken Common and Draconic they say they are betrayed and need these weapons delivered to their folk! The Lizard Folk were tough but defeated quickly. One had a Pseudodragon named Binx. Binx fled after the combat but Corfyn convinced him to come out and he joined with Corfyn, soon to bond. They go below decks and surprise the first mate and Bosun. The remaining 4 crew surrender. The remaining crew offer to bargain for their freedom with information. Carcharius agrees as he already has command of the ship. They disclose the whereabouts of the secret cache of weapons and the fact they were to deliver these arms to the lizardfolk. They do not know the exact location of the rendezvous point, only that it is about ten miles or so along the coast west of the haunted house, near the mouth of a small river. Carcharius gives them the Jolly Boat and they search the ship. They get down into the Bilge where they clear a Rot Grub Infestation. While searching they find the cache of weapons meant for the Lizardmen:
- 10 morningstars
- 10 longswords
- 10 shields
- 20 javelins
- 1 shield emblazoned on the front with the design of a lizard with forked tongue extended
- Oceanus a Sea Elf Prisoner they freed and discussed his mission and background (See Character Section)
- Discovered Fresh Ship Provisions
- Payment presumably by the Lizardmen for the weapons
- Semi Literate Document asking for more goods with Lizard Pictographs
- Crudely drawn map that indicates the rendezvous point with the lizardfolk. It's at a small promontory beside a river in the tidal marshes, ten miles southwest of the town of Saltmarsh.
- Half the paid payment from the Lizardmen
Rewards Granted
- cp 5
- sp 6
- gp 7
- pp
Gems:
Treasure from Sea Ghost:
Missions/Quests Completed
The town council of Saltmarsh gratefully rewards the characters 200 gp for uncovering and shutting down the smuggling operation.
Several days after the characters’ return, one week later they are invited to a meeting with the town council. This meeting begins the second part of the adventure
Representatives Neverwinter in Saltmarsh will pay 200 gp for the return of the silk and brandy stored under the house and 500 gp for the merchandise aboard the Sea Ghost.
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 service of a contingent of sailors to man it for one year.
Character(s) interacted with
Sanbalet
A tall man with a shaved head and piercing green eyes, the leader of the smugglers is as charismatic as he is cunning. Sanbalet is a plotting nemesis who prefers manipulation to direct action. It is no accident that his gang occupies the old house, since the promise of hidden knowledge initially drew him here. Despite the disappointment of never finding the alchemist’s secret chamber or other legendary arcane discoveries, the clever wizard saw opportunity in the house’s ruined walls and shattered windows. What He Wants. The smuggler wants to expand his operation and eventually inhabit a more secure location to better pursue his magical studies. He’d sacrifice every one of his companions to achive these ends. Confidence Aplenty. Sanbalet’s success stems from confidence in his abilities. He delights in criminal behavior and considers himself a great villain. He speaks of himself in the third person and exhibits narcissistic tendencies.
A PRISONER FROM THE DEEP Assuming that the characters befriend Oceanus and have a way to communicate with him, the elf provides the following information. How He Became Imprisoned. Oceanus is a member of the tribe of Manaan, which inhabits an undersea settlement about twenty miles southeast of Saltmarsh. He was stripped of his weapons and armor when imprisoned, but though bruised and hungry, he has suffered no great injury and his spirit is undaunted. His tribe has noted, from a distance, the periodic travels of the Sea Ghost at night along a supposedly deserted coastal area. Suspicious of this behavior, the tribal chief ordered Oceanus to keep watch on this area, slip aboard when the ship arrived, and follow the ship back to its port of origin to discover what he could of these strange proceedings. This Oceanus did, and at the vessel’s home port he witnessed the stowing aboard of a small arsenal of weaponry. He was then discovered, knocked out, and taken prisoner. He awakened some time later, chained to the ship’s hull in this compartment. Since His Imprisonment. He is uncertain how long he has been a prisoner or what his ultimate fate would have been. He has no knowledge of the lizardfolk aboard (he has not seen them), nor does he or any member of his tribe know for whom the arms are intended. During his imprisonment he has been brought unpleasant food three times and a cup of brackish, stale water about six times. On each occasion the bearer has been a large bully of a person with a hook instead of a left hand (the bosun, though Oceanus does not know this). These visitations aside, he has been left to his own devices.
Created Content
Rumors
The crown dispatched a caravan with enough gold to commission six new warships. It went missing near the Hool Marshes. Drow traders posing as surface elves have been doing business in town. Someone’s sabotaging fishing boats. It’s those dwarves — they want to take over! The king’s agents have infiltrated town. It’s only a matter of time before they remove the council and replace them with foppish nobles. That tiefling who’s looking to buy crocodile skulls can’t be up to anything good. A couple of fishing boats have gone missing. If the sea devils aren’t behind it, I’m a merman. A big critter’s been going through everyone’s trash at night. Something from the swamp, I’d reckon — maybe a troll. Sometimes on a moonless night, you can meet the ghost of a drowned sailor trying to get home. Lead one to their home, and you’ll get a wish. Fail, and they’ll strangle you. If you see someone at the docks wearing a red cloak after dark, slip them a copper piece and they’ll connect you with smugglers from beyond this world who can sell you anything you’ve dreamed of. It’s only a matter of time before the dwarves dig too deep and unleash something horrible.Related Reports
- In addition to contraband, the smugglers are providing weapons to a colony of lizardfolk.
- The lizardfolk colony is located within ten miles of Saltmarsh.
- This weapon smuggling appears to have been going on for some months.
Report Date
04 Aug 2024
Primary Location
Comments