D&D 5E (2014) Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh 5e

[Nebulous]

The original Saltmarsh doesn't have much in it, so far as telling the DM to generate his own NPCs to populate it. The module basically IS the haunted house, and the DMG 2 is packed with so many colorful ideas that the haunted house nearly pales in comparison!

 

[Remathilis]

Yeah, the Haunted House was a bit underwhelming. Neat twist though.

If I was to do it, I'd probably steal my top three favorite plot hooks from DMG 2, steal a dozen of the more colorful NPCs, and keep them in my back pocket for when the PCs go off exploring on their own. If the PCs opt to follow one of those rather than the U1-3 track, I'd either steer them back or let the campaign wander in that direction for a while, whichever seemed more interesting. I also might toss in another alternate place to explore if the PCs so choose. (Bone Hill is another blank-slate dungeon with a nearby town, substituting Restenford for Saltmarsh should be easy).

Anyway, I hope your group enjoys it!

 

[Nebulous]

Yeah, the Haunted House was a bit underwhelming. Neat twist though.

If I was to do it, I'd probably steal my top three favorite plot hooks from DMG 2, steal a dozen of the more colorful NPCs, and keep them in my back pocket for when the PCs go off exploring on their own. If the PCs opt to follow one of those rather than the U1-3 track, I'd either steer them back or let the campaign wander in that direction for a while, whichever seemed more interesting. I also might toss in another alternate place to explore if the PCs so choose. (Bone Hill is another blank-slate dungeon with a nearby town, substituting Restenford for Saltmarsh should be easy).

Anyway, I hope your group enjoys it!

I'm definitely stealing a few ideas from DMG2. The way I see it, we will have roughly 20 hours of gaming time over a one week period, so there's a crapload we can squeeze in there so a little railroady isn't going to matter, this is a one-shot essentially.

 

[Mark CMG]

Bone Hill is another blank-slate dungeon with a nearby town, substituting Restenford for Saltmarsh should be easy

I gotta agree with this quite strongly. I think those are two of the more flexible original adventures as far as leaving a lot up to the DM but actually leaving him room to put his stuff in. Some older stuff suggests adding details but often resists having anything added to it. Not these. And utilizing the DMG II Saltmarsh as the town nearby for both is a very good idea. I could see a year's worth of weekly gaming with just those things.

 

[Nebulous]

I gotta agree with this quite strongly. I think those are two of the more flexible original adventures as far as leaving a lot up to the DM but actually leaving him room to put his stuff in. Some older stuff suggests adding details but often resists having anything added to it. Not these. And utilizing the DMG II Saltmarsh as the town nearby for both is a very good idea. I could see a year's worth of weekly gaming with just those things.

I agree, you could stretch it out over a very long time.

 

[Lichemaster]

Spoilers for the Adventure, if you are a player please do not continue. Some spoilers from the starter set too.








Spoilers from the 5th ed. starter set,
-After taking of the Manor from the Redcloaks, a doppelganger(as the black spider), bugbears and some redcloaks attacked the group but the party ambushed them and pretty much took them out, very quickly.

Saltmarsh,
-The gnome bard went in the well, got bite by the snake.
-they followed the dust trails to the lowest part of the house (they by pasted every encounter)
-we had a party member skype in from his Hawaii vacation (lucky bastard) it slowest us down a tiny bit.

In 3 hours they investigated the house, by passing all the encounters by following the dust trail, they are in the middle of the big fight with the wizard and gnols.
5 party members in the group, all 4th level. One member was absent so we invited are 7th member in, the new schedule does not work for him but he is on vacation (local not eh Hawaii player) so he played a
-Gnome bard.
usual players,
-Dwarf Cleric (missing)
-Tiefling 3rd Warlock/1st wizard
-Human Paladin
-Human Rogue
-1/2 orc Monk

I wanted to make the cave fight a a miniatures battle (using miniatures that is) and the ship assault.
I have pictures of the fight in progress.
they are fighting on the paizo cavern tiles,
-2 gnolls
-1 gnoll pack master
-5 red cloaks
-4th lvl wizard

 

[Nebulous]

I'm making a major change to the module. I found this on the cartographer's guild yesterday. Say Hello you haunted mothereffer!

http://i.*****.com/R8r1zsT.jpg

 

[Nebulous]

http://i.*****.com/B4KtCIm.jpg

3 ft x 4 ft

 

[Nebulous]

I wish there were more dry erase maps tied directly to adventure paths, i think it would be a big seller. I'd buy it.

 

[justinj3x3]

I wish there were more dry erase maps tied directly to adventure paths, i think it would be a big seller. I'd buy it.

Not exactly what you want, but Mike Schley sells his stuff online, then you can have them printed. He even has a walk through to adjust the file to print the squares as a 1 inch grid. I'm going to be doing this with his Greyhawk City map as soon as I pay off my 4th of July weekend debt! (I know that's not a battle map, but same difference.)