I’m currently preparing to start DM-ing a group of 3 for Ghosts of Saltmarsh. I’m at a loss for ideas in regards to how the players arrive in Saltmarsh. Were they there already? Did they arrive on a ship? Regardless of that, how would y’all recommend I incorporate that into the session so that it doesn’t disrupt the flow?
I’m guessing this is for a new campaign and that’s where you are starting. In those cases, I like to make the players tell me. I usually let them be from anywhere they like, and it’s up to them to explain why they are in this place at this time. It basically becomes the last 2-3 sentences in their backstory.
I always restrict 1st level characters to being from the geographic area in which the campaign starts since, IMHO, if they were from farther away they would not still be 1st level by the time they got there.
I would start them off in Saltmarsh in the most likely of places at the Tavern. Do a session zero with handouts breaking down the key people and history of saltmarsh so when you start the adventure everyone will be up to date on the region. From there start The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh adventure by using one of the Adventure Hooks personally the "It Must Be Cleansed" would be easy to have them hired in the Tavern by one of the faction leaders.
I'm using Saltmarsh in my upcoming campaign, their home base will be Saltmarsh so I have some ideas about how I'm bringing my characters and using the political factions into the mix to move my characters along. In my case, the party is told to go to Saltmarsh by the organization they are working for, Harpers, as their new territory of operations. This gets them into the town and gives them the motivation why they are doing what they need to do for the people.
I had my party arrive on a trading ship. They took passage for various reasons. However, they received a discount on passage if they would help defend the ship in case of attack. The trip was a bit over a week. I had a Sahaugin group attack the ship the day before they reached Saltmarsh since it fits with the events in the main story. The group helped fight off the Sahaugin that reached the ship after the ship was able to turn to avoid the bulk of the ambush. The captain appreciated their efforts and gave each a healing potion as an extra reward.
The ship was also owned by the town councilor who wants the haunted house investigated so this gave him some reason to hire these adventurers since they had already helped one of his captains. It also gave the party a bit more than a week of role play time and a fight in order to justify knowing each other and working together.
The other thing I have been doing is putting the adventures from both Saltmarsh and Tales of the Yawning Portal in the same area. I can slow advancement slightly depending on what they decide to do and it doubles the content. When given the option of a rescue mission (Sunless Citadel) or investigate the haunted house ... they decided to do both jobs but tried the rescue mission first.
So far it is working pretty well and between Saltmarsh and TfYP there is enough content for a mini-campaign set in the area around Saltmarsh.
What would you recommend that they know about Saltmarsh before session 1? I’ve given them a brief run down regarding traditionalists, loyalists, sea princes etc. Is there anything else that would be beneficial for them to know?
I agree with Lyxen as would not go into too much detail on geographical locations around Saltmarsh as that can open up opportunities through the game to have the players discover on their own.
Unless you want to have the party as Strangers In A Strange Land have them RP their way through by asking townfolk for the basics locations of Saltmarsh. A possibility is to give them a rundown of the town itself break down the "Locations of Saltmarsh" section in chapter 1 that a new visitor to the town would want to know, shops, taverns/inns, Job Board (Hoolwatch Tower), etc, but just the basics. As they get more accumulated to the town you can give them the map of Saltmarsh town (Again Chapter 1) as a handout for more specific locations and long term references.
I’m currently preparing to start DM-ing a group of 3 for Ghosts of Saltmarsh. I’m at a loss for ideas in regards to how the players arrive in Saltmarsh. Were they there already? Did they arrive on a ship? Regardless of that, how would y’all recommend I incorporate that into the session so that it doesn’t disrupt the flow?
thanks :)
I’m guessing this is for a new campaign and that’s where you are starting. In those cases, I like to make the players tell me. I usually let them be from anywhere they like, and it’s up to them to explain why they are in this place at this time. It basically becomes the last 2-3 sentences in their backstory.
I always restrict 1st level characters to being from the geographic area in which the campaign starts since, IMHO, if they were from farther away they would not still be 1st level by the time they got there.
But that’s just me, you do you.
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I would start them off in Saltmarsh in the most likely of places at the Tavern. Do a session zero with handouts breaking down the key people and history of saltmarsh so when you start the adventure everyone will be up to date on the region. From there start The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh adventure by using one of the Adventure Hooks personally the "It Must Be Cleansed" would be easy to have them hired in the Tavern by one of the faction leaders.
I'm using Saltmarsh in my upcoming campaign, their home base will be Saltmarsh so I have some ideas about how I'm bringing my characters and using the political factions into the mix to move my characters along. In my case, the party is told to go to Saltmarsh by the organization they are working for, Harpers, as their new territory of operations. This gets them into the town and gives them the motivation why they are doing what they need to do for the people.
I had my party arrive on a trading ship. They took passage for various reasons. However, they received a discount on passage if they would help defend the ship in case of attack. The trip was a bit over a week. I had a Sahaugin group attack the ship the day before they reached Saltmarsh since it fits with the events in the main story. The group helped fight off the Sahaugin that reached the ship after the ship was able to turn to avoid the bulk of the ambush. The captain appreciated their efforts and gave each a healing potion as an extra reward.
The ship was also owned by the town councilor who wants the haunted house investigated so this gave him some reason to hire these adventurers since they had already helped one of his captains. It also gave the party a bit more than a week of role play time and a fight in order to justify knowing each other and working together.
The other thing I have been doing is putting the adventures from both Saltmarsh and Tales of the Yawning Portal in the same area. I can slow advancement slightly depending on what they decide to do and it doubles the content. When given the option of a rescue mission (Sunless Citadel) or investigate the haunted house ... they decided to do both jobs but tried the rescue mission first.
So far it is working pretty well and between Saltmarsh and TfYP there is enough content for a mini-campaign set in the area around Saltmarsh.
Ask them.
They may have their own backstory and ideas.
What would you recommend that they know about Saltmarsh before session 1? I’ve given them a brief run down regarding traditionalists, loyalists, sea princes etc. Is there anything else that would be beneficial for them to know?
I agree with Lyxen as would not go into too much detail on geographical locations around Saltmarsh as that can open up opportunities through the game to have the players discover on their own.
Unless you want to have the party as Strangers In A Strange Land have them RP their way through by asking townfolk for the basics locations of Saltmarsh. A possibility is to give them a rundown of the town itself break down the "Locations of Saltmarsh" section in chapter 1 that a new visitor to the town would want to know, shops, taverns/inns, Job Board (Hoolwatch Tower), etc, but just the basics. As they get more accumulated to the town you can give them the map of Saltmarsh town (Again Chapter 1) as a handout for more specific locations and long term references.