Saltmarsh and the U-Series to 4e

[Breezly]

Hello,

I am updating the Saltmarsh towm from the DMG II and the U-Series of modules to 4e for an intro game (potential campaign) this weekend. I am starting with the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, but changing the underlying plot from smugglers to a cult of Vecna.

Quick Editorial: I would never have attempted this for 3.5e. The ease of preparation and planning of 4e inspired this attempt.

For those of you that have played through this series, what was most memorable and/or most forgetable about the series? My plan is to incorporate a Vecna Cult/Slaver ring into the story and play up Saltmarsh as a "point of light" in the prevailing landscape of "darkness", which takes the form of undead, cultists, marshy denizens.

I want to try and keep the flavor of the series, so any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

--Breezly

 

[Gilladian]

Well, the main thing is that we always played the first adventure, sorta played the second, and never did the third. Since you're majorly changing the plot, I doubt the third one will ever really come into play.

But the lizard men as enemies/potential allies/not bad guys shift has always been fun. I'd try to keep that intact.

In the first module, really working the bad guy into the party's trust before he betrays them is HARD, but well worth the fun if you can pull it off. It usually only works with newbie players, though.

 

[Breezly]

This group is a bunch of grizzled veterans, likely to turn my plot devices to tattered shreds. Seems like I will have to be much more clever if I am going to pull this off well, particularly if they have been through it before.

Thanx for the advice, it gives me some things to think about in the long term.

--Breezly

 

[Gilladian]

If they're grizzled veterans, and they may have played the module before, even, then you really have to turn their expectations against them. Make Ned, the guy they rescue from the house, turn out to be a very important and friendly NPC. Instead, work the betrayal angle in from a different spot. It could be an innkeeper from the Saltmarsh Inn who is really working with the cultists, and tells them all about the PCs actions.

You might find a random idea or two here, in my version of Saltmarsh: Vishteer Campaign / Saltmarsh

 

[Breezly]

If they're grizzled veterans, and they may have played the module before, even, then you really have to turn their expectations against them. Make Ned, the guy they rescue from the house, turn out to be a very important and friendly NPC. Instead, work the betrayal angle in from a different spot. It could be an innkeeper from the Saltmarsh Inn who is really working with the cultists, and tells them all about the PCs actions.

You might find a random idea or two here, in my version of Saltmarsh: Vishteer Campaign / Saltmarsh

Thanx, I will take a look. I have been toying with Ned a bit and I am thinking of making him still a bad guy, but a shifter sort that will work against them in various ways until they finally meet in some climactic battle. I don't plan on using him as a direct opponent initially, but there may be a Capt. Kirk fighting himself scene in their future. I am still working out the overall arc and get some hints from what you have done.

--Breezly

 

[ragboy]

Thanx, I will take a look. I have been toying with Ned a bit and I am thinking of making him still a bad guy, but a shifter sort that will work against them in various ways until they finally meet in some climactic battle. I don't plan on using him as a direct opponent initially, but there may be a Capt. Kirk fighting himself scene in their future. I am still working out the overall arc and get some hints from what you have done.

When I converted it for 3.5, I made Ned a werewolf, in the classic sense. He was actually a good guy that didn't know he was part of the problem.

It was fun, but like someone earlier said, veteran players see that stuff coming a mile away.

 

[sabrinathecat]

I replaced Ned with as an actual hero (paladin Blackguard). When the party was headed up to the house, they ran into a tough encounter with 2 brutes, and the spy traitor joined then then. When Ned was discovered, the spy disappeared. He showed up again in the cave fight as a lurker based on the Dragon Article assassin. I put in some rat swarms, centipedes, and giant spiders (5 of each) in the main house, and some incidental treasure items. The main house is mostly empty. The tight confinements made combat interesting.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I've only ever played Saltmarsh itself, once. But the thing I remember most vividly is boarding and storming the pirate ship. The next most memorable 'scene' was when the guy we rescued stabbed us in the back when we were distracted! If your guys have run in it before they may just kill Ned on sight. So I would recomend not making him an important NPC. Different, possibly even valuable, yes. Important, no. But the ship battle ought to still work as a fresh encounter unless they've done that sort of thing multiple times.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I usually have a convenient storm coming up when the PCs are in the house. During the storm Ned comes with some wounds and roughed up running through the garden. He claims to have been attacked by bandits on the road, only barely escaping and fleeing to the house. When the party choses to investigate the site (probably after the storm) they find a slaughtered mule and the remnants of Ned's luggage.

This version has been proven to be much more believable than the tied victim upstairs.

 

[D'karr]

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