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{{DnDmodule |module_title = The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
{{Italic title}}
|module_image = [[Image:U1ModuleCover.jpg|200px]]
{{Source
|module_code = U1
|name            =  
|module_rules = AD&D
|image            = [[File:U1SinisterSecret.jpg|250px]]
|module_character_levels = 1 - 3
|caption          = The cover of ''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'', with art by Dave De Leuw. The artwork depicts the cliffside mansion of an evil alchemist.
|module_campaign = [[Greyhawk]]
|type            = Adventure
|module_authors = Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull
|code            = TSR9062 (U1)
|module_first_published = 1981
|edition          = first edition AD&D
|series = [[Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh|U1]] [[Danger at Dunwater|U2]] [[The Final Enemy|U3]]
|author          = Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull
|editor          = Graeme Morris<ref name=Appelcline>Appelcline, Shannon.  "U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1e)."  DMsGuild.com.  January 22, 2013.  Accessed August 16, 2021.[https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17069/U1-The-Sinister-Secret-of-Saltmarsh-1e]</ref>
|publisher        = [[TSR]]
|cover_artist    = Dave De Leuw<ref name=Appelcline />
|inner_artist    = Graeme Morris (cartography)<ref name=Appelcline />
|first published  = November 1, 1981
|series           = [[The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh|U1]] [[Danger at Dunwater|U2]] [[The Final Enemy|U3]]
|pages            = 32
|isbn            = 978-0394521879
|class            = [[:Category:Canonical sources|Officially Published Source]]
}}
}}


'''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh''' is a [[Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)|module]] for the ''[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'' (AD&D) [[roleplaying game]], written by [[Dave J. Browne]] with [[Don Turnbull]] published by [[TSR, Inc.|TSR Hobbies]] in 1981. This 31 page adventure is set in the ''[[World of Greyhawk]]'' [[campaign setting]].
'''''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh''''' is an ''AD&D'' adventure written by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull. The adventure details a mysterious abandoned mansion at the edge of a town called Saltmarsh, and the secrets contained therein. The adventure is set in the ''World of Greyhawk''. ''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'' received positive reviews from critics.


==Plot summary==
==Plot summary==


''Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of fabulous forgotten treasure. What is its sinister secret?''
''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'' can be played by five to ten characters of first-3rd levels. The adventure includes optional pre-generated first level PCs for use by the players.<ref name="Bambra"/> The scenario is the first of the ''Underwater'' (U) series of adventures set in Saltmarsh, and details a ghostly ship and the haunted mansion of an evil alchemist.<ref name="HW"/> The adventure sleeve contains the following description:
 
{{quoted text|''Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of fabulous forgotten treasure. What is its sinister secret?''}}
 
The adventure is divided into two parts, ''The Haunted House'' and ''Sea Ghost'', which are intended to be played consecutively. The first part is set in the town of Saltmarsh and deals with unraveling the secret of the haunted house that lies on the edge of town. The abandoned, dilapidated mansion of an evil alchemist has been the subject of rumors about hauntings and treasure. The second part of the adventure follows on from the first, expanding on the concept.<ref name="Dicing with Dragons">Ian Livingstone 1982| title=Dicing with Dragons, ''An Introduction to Role-Playing Games''. Routledge.  isbn=0-7100-9466-3.  [https://books.google.com/books?id=UMY9AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover preview]</ref>
<ref>Lev Lafayette.  February 12, 2007. ''Review of the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh''.  [[RPG.net]]. Skotos Tech, Inc.  [http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12776.phtml] Date acessed: 2010-01-14</ref>


==Publication history==
==Publication history==


''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'' is the first installment in a series of three modules designed and developed in the United Kingdom, for beginning adventures with AD&D rules.<ref name="Bambra"/> The adventure can be played by 5-10 characters of level 1-3. This module contains large-scale maps, full background and detailed encounter descriptions for the players and [[Dungeon Master|DM]]. The module has been described as a low-level scenario which takes place in the abandoned mansion of an evil alchemist, and rumors of the mansion's hauntings and treasure.<ref name="Dicing with Dragons">{{cite book| first=Ian | last=Livingstone | authorlink = Ian Livingstone | year=1982| title=Dicing with Dragons, An Introduction to Role-Playing Games | edition=Revised| publisher=[[Routledge]] | isbn=0710094663 }} ([http://books.google.com/books?id=UMY9AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover preview])</ref>
''The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'' is the first installment in a series of three adventures designed and developed in the United Kingdom, for beginning adventures with ''AD&D'' rules.<ref name="Bambra"/> The adventure was written by David J. Browne with Don Turnbull, and published in 1981 as a thirty-two page booklet with an outer folder.<ref name="HW">Lawrence Schick.  ''Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games''. Prometheus Books. 1991. isbn=0-87975-653-5. p115</ref> The publication contains large-scale maps, a full background story, and detailed encounter descriptions for the players and DM. The adventure serves as the introduction to an underwater campaign set in the town of Saltmarsh, which the DM can design from the guidelines provided.<ref name="Bambra"/> The next two adventures, ''[[Danger at Dunwater]]'' and ''[[The Final Enemy]]'', continue on from this adventure.


The first of three in an underwater campaign set in the town of [[Saltmarsh (Greyhawk)|Saltmarsh]], the next two modules ''[[Danger at Dunwater]]'' and ''[[The Final Enemy]]'' continue on from this adventure. It is divided into two parts: 'The Haunted House' and 'Sea Ghost' which are intended to be played consecutively. The first part is set in the town of Saltmarsh and deals with unravelling the sinister secret of the haunted house that lies on the edge of town. The second part follows on from the first part expanding on the concept.
==Reception==


==Reception==
The adventure was positively reviewed in Issue No. 35 of ''[[wikipedia:White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' magazine by [[wikipedia:Jim Bambra]], who scored it 9 out of 10 and described it as entertaining and interesting. Bambra criticized how the first-level characters provided with the adventure come equipped with magic items: "I fail to see how this can be justified, as the adventure is not difficult enough to warrant the bestowal of magic before play even begins. Magic items should be found by players as treasure and not come as handouts from the DM."<ref name="Bambra"/> Bambra noted that the adventure's main thrust engages the players' problem solving skills, forcing them to piece clues together, and that the encounters in the adventure should present no problems to an intelligent party. Overall, he felt that "TSR (UK) are to be congratulated on their first adventure, the series should prove to be interesting and entertaining."<ref name="Bambra">Jim Bambra, ''Open Box: Dungeon Modules''. [[wikipedia:White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]#35 p14–15. [[Games Workshop]]. November 1982.  issn = 0265-8712</ref>
Receiving 9 out of 10, the module was positively reviewed in Issue 35 of [[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]] magazine, describing it as entertaining and interesting.<ref name="Bambra">{{cite journal | last =Bambra | first =Jim | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Open Box: Dungeon Modules | format = review | journal = [[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]] | volume = | issue = Issue 35 | pages = pp. 14–15 | publisher = [[Games Workshop]] | year = 1982 | month = November | url = | issn = 0265-8712 | accessdate =  }}</ref> The module was also ranked the 27th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Mona | first = Erik | author-link = Erik Mona | last2 = Jacobs | first2 = James | author2-link = James Jacobs (game designer) | first3 =  | last3 = Dungeon Design Panel | year = 2004 | date = November 2004 | title = The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time | periodical = [[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]] | publisher = [[Paizo Publishing]] | publication-date = November 2004 | issue = 116 | pages = pp. 68–81}}</ref>


==References==
The adventure was ranked the 27th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by ''[[Dungeon (magazine)|Dungeon]]'' magazine in 2004.<ref>Erik Mona, James Jacobs.  ''Dungeon Design Panel''.  November 2004.  ''The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time''.[[Dungeon]] magazine #116 , [[Paizo Publishing]].  November 2004.  p68–81}}</ref> Freelance gaming author James Maliszewski calls it "one of the best low-level adventures ever written for Dungeons & Dragons" and "a superb example of adventure design". He listed the positive elements of the adventure as "the very matter-of-fact way it portrays a fantasy world" and the new spin it gives to "the standard low-level D&D tropes".<ref>James Maliszewski.  date=February 11, 2009.  [http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2009/02/retrospective-sinister-secret-of.html ''Retrospective: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh'']. Accessed date: 2011-06-23</ref>
{{Reflist}}


Reviews:
Ken Denmead of ''[[wikipedia: Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' listed the adventure as one of the "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend".<ref name="Wired"/> According to Denmead, this was "the Scooby Doo episode of D&D adventures.  Instead of a good old dungeon crawl, players got to explore a big old spooky house, and deal with all sorts of annoying wandering monsters, as well as traps and illusions."<ref name="Wired">[url=https://www.wired.com/geekdad/2007/12/top-10-dd-mod-3-3/ Wired Magazine].  ''Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend''.  Ken Denmead. December 18, 2007. [[wikipedia:Wired (magazine)|Wired]]Date Accessed: August 12, 2009. [https://www.webcitation.org/5jAtGDDiq Archived Site].  August 20, 2009</ref>
''Different Worlds'' #20 (1982)
''Fantasy Gamer'' #2 (1983)


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12776.phtml Review at RPGnet]
*[http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12776.phtml Review at RPGnet]


==References==
===Citations===
<references />
===Bibliography===
;Reviews:
*''[[wikipedia:Different Worlds]]'' No. 20 (1982)
*''Fantasy Gamer'' No. 2 (1983)
{{index}}


[[Category:Greyhawk modules]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, The}}
[[Category:Adventures]]

Latest revision as of 10:18, 18 December 2024

Greyhawk Source
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
The cover of The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, with art by Dave De Leuw. The artwork depicts the cliffside mansion of an evil alchemist.
Type: Adventure
Code/Abbreviation: TSR9062 (U1)
Edition: first edition AD&D
Author(s): Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull
Editor(s): Graeme Morris[1]
Cover Artist(s): Dave De Leuw[1]
Series: U1 U2 U3
Publisher: TSR
First Published: November 1, 1981
Pages: 32
ISBN: 978-0394521879
Class: Officially Published Source

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is an AD&D adventure written by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull. The adventure details a mysterious abandoned mansion at the edge of a town called Saltmarsh, and the secrets contained therein. The adventure is set in the World of Greyhawk. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh received positive reviews from critics.

Plot summary

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh can be played by five to ten characters of first-3rd levels. The adventure includes optional pre-generated first level PCs for use by the players.[2] The scenario is the first of the Underwater (U) series of adventures set in Saltmarsh, and details a ghostly ship and the haunted mansion of an evil alchemist.[3] The adventure sleeve contains the following description:

"Desolate and abandoned, the evil alchemist's mansion stands alone on the cliff, looking out towards the sea. Mysterious lights and ghostly hauntings have kept away the people of Saltmarsh, despite rumors of fabulous forgotten treasure. What is its sinister secret?"

The adventure is divided into two parts, The Haunted House and Sea Ghost, which are intended to be played consecutively. The first part is set in the town of Saltmarsh and deals with unraveling the secret of the haunted house that lies on the edge of town. The abandoned, dilapidated mansion of an evil alchemist has been the subject of rumors about hauntings and treasure. The second part of the adventure follows on from the first, expanding on the concept.[4] [5]

Publication history

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is the first installment in a series of three adventures designed and developed in the United Kingdom, for beginning adventures with AD&D rules.[2] The adventure was written by David J. Browne with Don Turnbull, and published in 1981 as a thirty-two page booklet with an outer folder.[3] The publication contains large-scale maps, a full background story, and detailed encounter descriptions for the players and DM. The adventure serves as the introduction to an underwater campaign set in the town of Saltmarsh, which the DM can design from the guidelines provided.[2] The next two adventures, Danger at Dunwater and The Final Enemy, continue on from this adventure.

Reception

The adventure was positively reviewed in Issue No. 35 of White Dwarf magazine by wikipedia:Jim Bambra, who scored it 9 out of 10 and described it as entertaining and interesting. Bambra criticized how the first-level characters provided with the adventure come equipped with magic items: "I fail to see how this can be justified, as the adventure is not difficult enough to warrant the bestowal of magic before play even begins. Magic items should be found by players as treasure and not come as handouts from the DM."[2] Bambra noted that the adventure's main thrust engages the players' problem solving skills, forcing them to piece clues together, and that the encounters in the adventure should present no problems to an intelligent party. Overall, he felt that "TSR (UK) are to be congratulated on their first adventure, the series should prove to be interesting and entertaining."[2]

The adventure was ranked the 27th greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon magazine in 2004.[6] Freelance gaming author James Maliszewski calls it "one of the best low-level adventures ever written for Dungeons & Dragons" and "a superb example of adventure design". He listed the positive elements of the adventure as "the very matter-of-fact way it portrays a fantasy world" and the new spin it gives to "the standard low-level D&D tropes".[7]

Ken Denmead of Wired listed the adventure as one of the "Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend".[8] According to Denmead, this was "the Scooby Doo episode of D&D adventures. Instead of a good old dungeon crawl, players got to explore a big old spooky house, and deal with all sorts of annoying wandering monsters, as well as traps and illusions."[8]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ a b Appelcline, Shannon. "U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1e)." DMsGuild.com. January 22, 2013. Accessed August 16, 2021.[1]
  2. ↑ a b c d e Jim Bambra, Open Box: Dungeon Modules. White Dwarf#35 p14–15. Games Workshop. November 1982. issn = 0265-8712
  3. ↑ a b Lawrence Schick. Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. 1991. isbn=0-87975-653-5. p115
  4. ↑ Ian Livingstone 1982| title=Dicing with Dragons, An Introduction to Role-Playing Games. Routledge. isbn=0-7100-9466-3. preview
  5. ↑ Lev Lafayette. February 12, 2007. Review of the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. RPG.net. Skotos Tech, Inc. [2] Date acessed: 2010-01-14
  6. ↑ Erik Mona, James Jacobs. Dungeon Design Panel. November 2004. The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time.Dungeon magazine #116 , Paizo Publishing. November 2004. p68–81}}
  7. ↑ James Maliszewski. date=February 11, 2009. Retrospective: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Accessed date: 2011-06-23
  8. ↑ a b [url=https://www.wired.com/geekdad/2007/12/top-10-dd-mod-3-3/ Wired Magazine]. Top 10 D&D Modules I Found in Storage This Weekend. Ken Denmead. December 18, 2007. WiredDate Accessed: August 12, 2009. Archived Site. August 20, 2009

Bibliography

Reviews

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 3, 4, 21, 28, 37-59, 61, 65, 79, 80, 111, 229, 246, 247, 248, 252, 253
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, Reference SEE ALSO U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, Dungeon Master's Guide II, D&D 3.5e 119
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 5, 38
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh All
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, U2 Danger at Dunwater 2, 4, 18-20, 28, 29
U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh Adventure Located in: Keoland, U3 The Final Enemy 1-4, 6, 7, 37, 38
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