Nestled on the coast of the Azure Sea is Saltmarsh, a sleepy fishing village that sits on the precipice of destruction. Smugglers guide their ships to hidden coves, willing to slit the throat of anyone foolhardy enough to cross their path. Cruel sahuagin gather beneath the waves, plotting to sweep away coastal cities. Drowned sailors stir to unnatural life, animated by dark magic and sent forth in search of revenge. The cult of a forbidden god extends its reach outward from a decaying port, hungry for fresh victims and willing recruits. While Saltmarsh slumbers, the evils that seek to plunder it grow stronger. Heroes must arise to keep the waves safe! Ghosts of Saltmarsh combines some of the most popular classic adventures from the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons including the classic ‘U’ series and some of the best nautical adventures from Dungeon magazine: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Danger at Dunwater The Final Enemy Salvage Operation Isle of the Abbey Tammeraut’s Fate The Styes All adventures have been faithfully adapted to the fifth edition rules of Dungeons & Dragons. Furthermore, this book includes details on the port town of Saltmarsh, as well as plenty of hooks to kick-off each adventure. Play through each story in a seafaring campaign leading characters from level 1 through level 12, or pull out sections to place in ongoing campaigns in any setting. The appendices also cover mechanics for ship-to-ship combat, new magic items, monsters, and more! “The Saltmarsh series consistently ranks as one of the most popular classic D&D adventures,” said Mike Mearls, franchise creative director of D&D. “With its ties to ocean-based adventuring, it was an obvious step to augment it with additional sea-based adventures and a robust set of rules for managing a nautical campaign.” Hoist your sails, pull up anchor, and set a course for adventure!
A famous relic hunter seeks adventurers to help her find caches of treasure hidden by the now-defeated followers of the Cult of the Dragon. Her maps and notes may lead the way to great wealth—or a terrible death. And do other parties have designs on the treasure as well?
The locals are spreading rumors of the emergence of an age-old relic in a remote farming village. Surely you won’t be the only one to seek it, but can you afford to not be successful in this mission? And why haven’t they claimed it for themselves? Part Three of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
(Note: The titular crown is in this adventure, but it's up to the GM to provide their own stats for it, should the PCs obtain it) A short three-combat dungeon delve: Trolls with remarkably proficient tactics have been causing trouble for years. Track them to their lair then kill the trolls & their leader who has a black crown beaten into the flesh of their head.
Displace Beast Maze is an adventure that has one long encounter that is a combination of a puzzle (maze) and combat encounter (Displacer beast). The Displacer beast tentacle's ability to attack through the maze walls, knowledge of the layout, and hit-and-run tactics make the labyrinth both a useful and possibly deadly lair for the creature. Pgs. 27-29
In this Adventure, the heroes explore the lair of an adult green dragon who has become a dracolich. She is served by living and undead minions and slaves. Pages 302-307
The party is enlisted to assist the Righteous Host, an army formed as a last resort to defend the world against the monsters of Elemental Evil. The host is greatly outnumbered. Its leaders send the party on a series of missions, each of which will give the Righteous Host an edge in the great battle to come. This epic adventure ends with the final push against the forces of Elemental Evil in the Meadows, and the outcome is informed by how effective the party is in their missions... and whether they are willing to risk putting themselves in the front lines. If the Righteous Host loses, players may decide to travel to Hommlet or other nearby towns to defend them. Whether the host is successful or not, players can decide to follow many different plot threads: exploring the Temple of Elemental Evil, finding the lich Kell the Eldest's lair and destroying his phylactory, or following the will of Bitbaern's Shield and discovering historical sites that were previously lost. Pgs. 44-69
A green dragon called the Dawn fancies herself a deity and has attracted reptilian followers that raid elven settlements. The PCs must find her temple in the woods and end the threat. Pgs. 78-83
The Merchant Princes have a treat in store for everyone! A new team-based event has been added to the roster and the factions are throwing their hats into the ring. Climb aboard and saddle up! Part One of The Jungle Has Fangs Trilogy.
The desolate, uneven country known to locals as Battlefield Downs is strewn with the scattered remains of the ancient dead. During the last terrible years of the old empire, a series of grinding military engagements played out across the rolling fields of Battlefield Downs. In one battle that was part of a wider, disastrous campaign that contributed heavily to Nerath's downfall, the Empire of Nerath's legions clashed here against ravaging gnoll packs. It is now a haunted place, where only the bravest dare to tread. Pgs. 72-79
A Vistani fortuneteller has called you out by name during the Burgomaster’s private reading. She raved of an army of the dead, a delicate powderbox, and a beautiful yet dangerous woman. Now the Burgomaster wants to know why you’re more important than he is... Part Four of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
In response to a new but as-of-yet-unnamed threat, the factions have called upon adventurers to venture into the jungle in search of a location for a new base of operations. As such, you have been charged with scouting several locations to assess their viability. Surely something so trivial as a scouting mission couldn’t go wrong?
HSING bears foul news: SEER has been captured. While exploring the ruins of Ulcaster in search of knowledge pertaining to runes (or perhaps even how to create them), they were separated and now the pseudodragon fears the worst. Without SEER's guidance, the efforts of the assembled factions in these recent events may all be for naught.
A force of orcs has taken over a small hilltop keep. The PCs are engaged by the local lord to rid his home of the intruders. Fortunately for the PCs, the keep’s main doors are still damaged from when the orcs took possession, and entry is relatively easy. Unfortunately, the orcs are determined to stay. Pgs. 24-29
Floating Eternally among the endless silver void of the Astral Sea are vast, once-living islands, cast-off flesh of primordials and deities who lost their lives sons past in a great war. Today these colossal outposts bear mute testimony to the date of even the mightiest among us. Pgs. 120-127
The Blackstaff has discovered an oddity in the Weave that surrounds Waterdeep. The enigma may have been there all along or it might be new and the Blackstaff intends to figure it out using an ancient artifact from the reign of Emperor Shoon III. Part One of the Folded Time Trilogy. A Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 Characters (Bonus objectives are provided to stretch to 4 hours). Optimized for APL 3.
The Bloody Maul of Kord is a magic weapon protected by the priests of Kord, who occasionally allow a noteworthy hero to use it when going on a dangerous quest worthy of the storm deity’s blessing. Six months ago, Atrimos of Ardor took the Bloody Maul for a quest to the Caverns of Demise, hoping to end attacks to the realm being launched from the caverns. He never returned. Now, the clerics of Kord hire the PCs to go into the caverns to retrieve the Bloody Maul of Kord—and to find Atrimos, if possible. Pgs. 108-113
The monks of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose have long cloistered themselves in their home atop the Earthspur Mountains, practicing their strange lifestyle which is rumored to give them longevity. Now, their dietary restrictions and practices of breath control have become the fashion amongst the well-to-do of Mulmaster. But when a few of these lay practitioners start dropping dead from suffocation and starvation, others start to question the validity of the monks’ claims. Is this simply a deadly ignorance, or is there a fell wind blowing through the rich and powerful of Mulmaster?
In the ruins of Kiris Dahn, a human town, lies a 'Slaying Stone'. The stone is said to have the power to kill any foe, though the stone is consumed in the process. The party will venture into the ruins which are the home to an assortment of goblins, hobgoblins, and kobolds. However, a mercenary band of orcs have been hired (by a benefactor who is not met in the module) to search the ruins for the Stone, and the party must find it first. The party must use caution and stealth to move through the town without alerting the denizens or the mercenaries while searching strategic points around the abandoned town to find the Stone. Eventually, the party should find the stone under the protection of an indifferent Brass Dragon.
Giants have emerged from their strongholds to threaten civilization as never before. Hill giants are stealing all the grain and livestock they can, while stone giants have been scouring settlements that have been around forever. Fire giants are press-ganging the small folk into the desert, while frost giant longships have been pillaging along the Sword Coast. Even the elusive cloud giants have been witnessed, their wondrous floating cities appearing above Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate. Where is the storm giant King Hekaton, who is tasked with keeping order among the giants? The humans, dwarves, elves, and other small folk of the Sword Coast will be crushed underfoot from the onslaught of these giant foes. The only chance at survival is for the small folk to work together to investigate this invasion and harness the power of rune magic, the giants’ weapon against their ancient enemy the dragons. The only way the people of Faerun can restore order is to use the giants’ own power against them.