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Arparrabiosa
Acolyte
Spain
8 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Aug 2021 : 12:53:31
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Hello, fellow scriveners.
(You may have an easier time reading my remix here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WfaH0cyXU_InwDTN14MhubRaPWvBBL57DbgEdOiXBVo/edit?usp=sharing)
https://i.imgur.com/p5pG2Ki.png (map made by one of my players)
I'm adapting the Ghosts of Saltmarsh (GoS) campaign to D&D 3.5, set in Tethyr in 1.372 DR and I was looking for some feedback, ideas, bits of lore I can use and inspiration in general. GoS as published is just a collection of adventures, not a cohesive campaign. I want to transform it into a real campaign and run it as a non-linear scenario so the players can decide which adventure to do next. I want to give it a strong seafaring / nautical feeling (for the record: all my characters can or will be able to breathe underwater).
So there are 3 evil factions I want to play with in this campaign: an awakened Iakhovas the One who Swims with Sekolah and his sahuagin fanatical followers, a risen prince of the pirates from the Nelanther Isles and his fleet and the Twisted Rune and its aquatic undead.
Iakhovas & the sahuagin
Mostly getting the ideas for what I’ve read in the Forgotten Realms Wiki. He has been awakened for his slumber by a malenti named Laaqueel, but in my game this was only possible with the help from Priamon Rakesh of the Twisted Rune (Laaqueel doesn’t know this).
Iakhovas wants to recover his former glory, conquer the Firedrake bay and raid the coastal settlements in search of his lost magical items. The rest of aquatic races of the area (namely locathah, lizardfolk, shoal halflings, sea fey, sea elves and merfolk) are rallying against him and his forces.
The Pirate Prince
He (?) is one of the most important captains of the Nelanther Isles in my game. He has been helped, again, by Priamon. His opponents have been mysteriously destroyed by hordes of aquatic undead and an undead kraken. He has forged an alliance with Iakhovas; the wereshark sweeten the deal with a lot of magic items the Prince is using to assert his dominance (or bribe) over other pirate captains.
He wants revenge against the Tethyrian navy and reign as a King of the Sea in the Nelanther Islands and the Sword Coast. The Tethyrians are his main opponents, but he also has the Umberlee priesthood on his neck as he is allied with her scorned lover Iakhovas.
The Twisted Rune
Mostly Priamon and one of his followers / apprentices: the sorcerous pirate captain named Syrgaul Tammeraut. This Tammeraut guy is from one of the adventures, a former Orcus cultist. I already have a lot of divine cults going on, so I have decided to go full arcane with this faction.
Priamon wants to recover the influence of the Twisted Rune in Tethyr lost with the execution of Wyvorlaa two hundred years ago. He is trying to further weaken and destabilize the post civil war Tethyr to that end, that’s why he is helping the sahuagin and the pirates. He also wants the war between all of those factions, to cover the entire sea bed with corpses to reanimate. Syrgaul wants to gain full access to the Twisted Rune and the secret of the portal magic that Priamon stole from Halaster.
Without further preambles, this is the structure of the campaign:
1 - The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
In the haunted house they met Sambalet, a mage running a smuggling operation with the sub-agenda of learning as much as possible of the former owner of the house (a voodoo-like witch doctor). The PC stormed the house and thwarted his work dealing with weapons of Queen Zaranda’s armies. Sambalet was intended as a very minor PC, but forced a stalemate in the fight and managed to escape. My players hate him so much that I’m thinking that he is a great candidate to become a recurring and independent villain (but more on that later).
So they are heading to the last part of the module, making plans to board the Sea Ghost, the ship of the former allies of Sambalet. Here they can learn 3 things:
The pirates of the Sea Ghost are smuggling the weapons to a lizardfolk tribe. The PC can either talk to three lizardfolk that are aboard or discover a document in broken common requesting ironware “as per previous consignments and at the agreed terms” in the Captain’s Cabin (investigating the presence of lizardfolk in the area leads to 2 - Danger at Dunwater)
They have already heard rumors about a new Pirate Prince. If the ask about this to the tripulation they can learn that this ship is still loyal to the Umberlee faction, instead (leads to the Umberlee abbey in 3 - The Isle of the Abbey if they ask questions about where to find shrines of Umberlee)
The board mage is the apprentice of Sambalet. Sambalet isn’t interested in working with the pirates of the Sea Ghost anymore, but he is in love with his apprentice and sent his imp familiar to secretly deliver a letter with a map offering her to join him in his new lair (this leads to 4 - Sambalet’s Lair if they compare the blank map with Sambalet’s notes they found in the haunted house). She prefers to take the place of his former master, though.
They occasionally sell exotic slaves to a man named Berothio Leofheard, the former owner of one of my PC who was a slave (interrogating the captain or the first mate about where they sell the slaves leads them to 9 - Slaver Stockade).
If everything fails, I can launch a proactive lead with Anders Solmor and send them to investigate if the lizardfolk are planning an attack on Saltmarsh with those weapons (leading them by the nose to 2 - Danger at Dunwater). They have already heard rumors about the fighting between the Tethyr navy and the pirates around the Abbey Isle. I can use Eliander Fireborn to send them to reclaim the old pirate bastion so the Council can build a militar shipyard / naval fortress to help Tethyr to repel the Nelanther fleet from the Firedrake bay (l 3 - The Isle of the Abbey).
There is also an ancillary clue about the involvement of the Twisted Rune: Eved, a prisoner they found in the Haunted House and former lover of one of the PC will plant clues (if able) implicating Gellan Primewater (one of the members of the councils) in the smuggling. This is the Twisted Rune manipulating him, as one of their agents (Skerrin Wavechaser) was posing as a disguised Gellan when he was talking to him (as suggested by Sly Flourish).
2 - Danger at Dunwater
Mostly as written, and run hopefully as a 100% diplomacy scenario (structured as a party https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/37995/roleplaying-games/game-structure-party-planning). The lizardfolk are holding a diplomatic reunion between the main aquatic races in the area: locathah (one of the PC knows their leader), shoal halflings (another PC is one of their community), sea fey (yet another one has a half-fey child), sea elves and merfolks (because not everything has to with the PC). Here they may get the help of the aquatic races and join an alliance with the Tethyrian navy / army if they play well their cards in a conflict between the Queen and the acolytes of Semuanya (that don’t see the need of help of the terrestrian races in a battle mainly fought underwater).
Here they learn that the lizardfolk wanted the steel weapons to deal with the sahuagin menace. The attacks come from an advanced outpost (leads to 5 - The Final Enemy)
They can investigate the rumours of an increasing undead presence at the bottom of the sea around Firewatch Island (leads to 6 - Tammeraut’s Fate)
They can discover that the sea fey will not be able to join the alliance against the sahuagin, as they are sworn enemies of a dragon turtle named Shondoal (from the background of one of my characters, more on that later) (leads to 7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide)
The sea elves report that their enemies the koalinth have allied with a small gang of humans lead by a wizard (leads to 4 - Sambalet’s Lair)
3 - The Isle of the Abbey
I’m going to run an alternative map of the dungeon I found on Reddit (https://imgur.com/a/NnunwPp) to help with the problematic design pointed out by Sly Flourish. Otherwise I’ll run the adventure mostly as written. The clerics will be devoted to Umberlee and they are cornered by undead sent there by Syrgaul / Priamon to weaken Umberlee’s clergy position in the area.
The clerics are desperate to escape the isle, but they have no allies and the isle are surrounded by the Pirate Prince and Tethyrian ships battling one against the others. They maintain correspondence with Sambalet and have agreed to join his tripulation if he can charter a ship and rescue them from the isle (leads to 4 - Sambalet’s Lair).
In the library of the Abbey there are some books regarding the fabled fey city of Asherah, hidden in demiplane thanks to the sacrifices of terrestrial tributes, and their big enemy Shondoal the dragon turtle (leads to 7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide).
The leader of the abbey (a guy with a barnacle face) has received a vision from Umberlee about Iakhovas. He is conducting an investigation about how to defeat him. He has located an ancient umberlant artifact that should help in weakening him (leads to 8 - Salvage Operation)
4 - Sambalet’s Lair (homebrew)
This is a very minor location, a small sea cave area based on Dyson’s Logos Jagged Reef Refuge, to allow my PC to hunt down Sambalet and his gang. He has allied with a local tribe of koalinth (aquatic hobgoblins).
Map: https://i.imgur.com/flWViUX.jpg
He wants access to magical healing, so he has been negotiating with the clerics of Umberlee at the Isle of the Abbey to get it (leads to 3 - The Isle of the Abbey)
He isn’t aware of the existence of the Twisted Rune, but he was investigating the former owner of the Haunted House and the legend of Syrgaul Tammeraut himself and knows the location where his ship sank (leads to 6 - Tammeraut’s Fate)
His men are investigating good targets to steal cargo from. They have heard rumors of a lost ship loaded with magical items (leads to 8 - Salvage Operation).
He has a couple of sea elves prisoners and plan to deliver them to Slaver Stockade (leads to 9 - Slaver Stockade)
Defeating the koalinth and rescuing the prisoners here will grant them the enthusiastic support of the sea elves in the diplomatic summit at the lizardfolk’s lair (node 2) instead of the location of this node.
5 - The Final Enemy
This dungeon is too big for a PbP game. I want to simplify this a lot and run it as an underwater raid (https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/39950/roleplaying-games/scenario-structure-challenge-1-raiding-the-death-star).
Laaqueel, the malenti priestess can communicate with the Pirate Prince and ask him to launch an immediate attack (triggering 11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince)
Iakhovas has bribe Shondoal the dragon turtle with treasures to tip the scales on his favor (leads to 7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide)
Laaqueel won’t reveal it, but PC can follow the patrols of sahuagin from here to the Sunken Palace (leads to 10 - The Sunken Palace of the One who Walks with Sekolah)
6 - Tammeraut’s Fate
It was Priamon who animated Syrgaul and his crew, not Orcus. They were working on creating one of Priamon portals in the seabed. Firewatch Isle and the Hermitage as written, following up with a 1 on 1 battle against the Tammeraut ghost ship and its captain Syrgaul. I'm going to want a system where PCs can man different "stations'' on the ship and keep everyone involved.
Syrgaul sent the undead kraken to defend the Soul of Winter (leads to 8 - Salvage Operation) or the Pirate Prince’s flagship (leads to 11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince) depending on the situation of the campaign.
The hermits know about the dragon turtle (leads to 7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide)
They were also investigating the proliferation of undead around the Isle of the Abbey (leads to 3 - The Isle of the Abbey)
Ancillary clue: Syrgaul have a shard of a magic broken mirror like that one of Harry Potter that he uses to communicate with Priamon. The PC could have a conversation with the lich.
7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide (homebrew)
Map from Dyson’s Logos. A very small dungeon featuring the dragon turtle and his worshippers, some evil sea fey. The dragon turtle can get to the grotto using underwater tunnels that the PC can discover too.
Map: https://i.imgur.com/AMreftF.jpg
The dragon turtle will surrender if hurt, offering part of his treasure for his life. He will tell the PC about Iakhovas (leads to 10 - The Sunken Palace of the One who Walks with Sekolah) and
the Pirate Prince flagship (leads to 11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince)
8 - Salvage Operation
The Emperor of the Waves is the last ship of the Blauerwells family (one my PC). When the PC in question escaped her destiny as a sacrifice, the fey stopped helping the family’s fleet. One after the other, they lost all the ships due to sea storms or pirates / monster attacks. Only the Emperor remains. Change Lloth with Umberlee and reskin the creatures as aquatic counterparts.
There is an ancient Umberlian artifact aboard that prevents Iakhovas to transform into an hybrid or animal form, but the father of the PC doesn't know what it is. The druid can be a crazed Umberlian difficult to negotiate with.
There are ancient texts in aquan talking about were Umberlee threw the remains of her scorned lover (investigating about the past of Iakhovas and asking Zabra about the Sunken Palace leds to 10 - The Sunken Palace of the One who Walks with Sekolah)
The druid keeps a diary. He used to travel often to the Isle of the Abbey (leads to 3 - The Isle of the Abbey).
9 - Slaver Stockade (homebrew)
Map from Dyson’s Logos. Perhaps it is too big. If the characters (or their loved NPC) are captured in any moment of the campaign they could end here.
map: https://i.imgur.com/txCD4rL.jpg
Berothio Leofheard was a friend of the Prince when they were part of the tripulation of the same ship. They correspond often (following the messenger pigeon leads to 11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince)
Berothio is making deals with Sambalet regarding two sea elves prisoners (leads to 4 - Sambalet’s Lair)
10 - The Sunken Palace of the One who Walks with Sekolah (homebrew)
Map from The Spire of Sarpedon the Shaper (From the Vats magazine). This dungeon is completely underwater.
map: https://i.imgur.com/QEGq1iB.jpg
Iakhovas knows the location of the Pirate Prince flagship (leads to 11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince).
Patrols of sahuagin can go from here to the advanced outpost (leads back to 5 - The Final Enemy). If the PC skipped that part, Iakhovas himself will be in the advanced outpost and the malenti priestess will be here.
Iakhovas is aware that someone is using the corpses in the seabed as undead fodder (can lead to 3 - The Isle of the Abbey or to 6 - Tammeraut’s Fate depending on the state of the campaign.
11 - The Fleet of the Pirate Prince (homebrew)
Big battle between the pirate fleet and a sahuagin army against the Tethyr navy and, hopefully, the alliance of the aquatic races. Shondoal the dragon turtle can appear here if the character didn’t deal with him in 7 - The Realm of Asherash / The Red Tide. Same with the undead kraken in 8 - Salvage Operation.
There are a bunch of ships, I'm going to gravitate towards structures that just treat each ship autonomously. If there's no ship, then the encounter really becomes more of a mobile terrain that the PCs are engaging with. OR it just becomes a colorful background providing intermittent complications and distractions while the PCs are actually performing a heist/assassination to sneak onto the Pirate Prince's flagship.
The Pirate Prince and Berothio Leofheard are close friends, and the Prince seeks advice from his friend often. He knows where to send the missives (leads to 9 - Slaver Stockade)
His many magical items were a gift of Iakhovas (leads to 10 - The Sunken Palace of the One who Walks with Sekolah)
The Prince has contacts with Syrgaul and knows where to find him (leads to 6 - Tammeraut’s Fate)
Thanks for reading! Any input is appreciated!
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Edited by - Arparrabiosa on 14 Aug 2021 13:16:31
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Arparrabiosa
Acolyte
Spain
8 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2021 : 19:43:36
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| Too much text, I guess. |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4429 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2021 : 23:48:04
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I read through what you have here, and everything seems pretty much in order. I assume you have maps and the like for the various locations around Saltmarsh?
Also of note, you might find some additional support from the 3.5 Supplement Dungeon Masters Guide II, which has a whole section of how Saltmarsh is doing - I think post The Final Enemy adventure, but not entirely sure. There might be some ideas you can find helpful in that book, or things you might convert from Greyhawk to the Forgotten Realms.
For the big naval battle at the end, I believe Stormwrack has some decent ways to handle such large scale situations. Either that or Heroes of Battle. I'd have a series of objective the PCs have to handle in order to push along the bigger battle going on. |
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My Ghosts of Saltmarsh Remix
