Ghosts of Saltmarsh | Pirate Campaign | Learn to Play D&D
Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign
About the adventure
The sea doesn’t forget... Saltmarsh is calling—haunted shores, whispered curses, & tides that carry more than just ships. There’s treasure out there… but something’s always watching. Ghosts of Saltmarsh throws you into a world of storm-wracked coastlines, drowned secrets, & spectral wrecks—and with the Bastion Rules, you’ve finally got something to fight for. 🌊 Plunder the forgotten – Saltmarsh hides old magic, cursed loot, & shipwrecks with stories written in blood. ⚔️ Claim your stronghold – Build a bastion worth defending. Fortify it, staff it, & stand your ground when the deep ones come knocking. 📖 Write your legend – Every choice leaves a mark—on your crew, your keep, and the seas around you. 🤝 Rally your allies – Pirates, smugglers, old ghosts—everyone’s got an angle. Make deals, make enemies, make it personal. 🛡️ Face what lurks below – Krakens, cults, drowned gods—there’s always something worse beneath the waves. Saltmarsh isn’t just a port. It’s a place to carve your name into legend—or disappear without a trace. So what’s it gonna be? Rise with the tide—or go down with the wreckage? ⚓ [[Beginner & LGBTQIA2S+ Friendly]] -------------------------- 📣See what Victoria has to say about my DMing: ⭐"I cannot recommend Leland well enough, especially as a GM to those who are new to TTRPG's. I am extremely new to D&D--only watching content online--and, through Leland's Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign, decided to try my hand at playing. Not only was he more than happy to help me when it came to the character creation process (answering very quickly to any questions/concerns I had, reviewing my character sheet, and explaining parts of lore), he also made sure I had access to all the online materials needed and provided a welcoming introduction to his community (and my party members). Our session 0 was astounding; I was nervous to start, but soon realized that Leland creates a welcoming, explorative environment that truly allows all his players to shine and feel safe. Through inquisitive character building questions, party trust and bonding was established quickly. If you're looking for a GM that will help you develop a noteworthy character and their story both in relation to the party and the world while also having fun, look no further. I am extremely excited for the sessions to come."
5.0
(110)
2 years on StartPlaying
638 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Teacher
Average response time: 3 hours
Response rate: 100%
Additional details
How to prepare
🏴☠️ Download the zoom desktop client here: https://us05web.zoom.us/download#client_4meeting (This is where we will host our games during live play. Video is completely optional.) 🏴☠️ Join the Discord community and connect with fellow adventurers. 🏴☠️ I will also provide a Roll20 link for the campaign. Sign up or log in to Roll20 and join the campaign using the provided link. 🏴☠️ If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to Leopold or fellow players in the Discord community. ----------------- New to StartPlaying? You can also get $10 off your first session by signing up for your account using this link! https://startplaying.games/referral/cl4q1psp46euhbopk07tp42dx
What I provide
🏴☠️ Access to a Discord community where you can connect with other players and engage in discussions. 🏴☠️ Roll20 link for the campaign, allowing you to join the virtual tabletop and participate in immersive gameplay. 🏴☠️ Optional: Custom pixel art of your characters from the Reroll app, or custom machine generated images of your character prompted by me. 🏴☠️ Beautiful maps to aid in strategizing and visualizing your character's surroundings. 🏴☠️ Guidance and assistance in creating your character, ensuring a seamless integration into the campaign. 🏴☠️ An engaging and immersive storytelling that brings the world and its characters to life. 🏴☠️ Voice acting and roleplaying to enhance the atmosphere and make the story come alive. 🏴☠️ Expertly crafted encounters and challenges that will test your strategic thinking and decision-making. 🏴☠️ An inclusive and welcoming environment, ensuring that everyone feels safe, seen, and comfortable throughout the campaign. 🏴☠️ Flexibility and adaptability to cater to both beginner and experienced players, providing guidance and support as needed. 🏴☠️ Music, sound effects, and visuals to further enhance immersion. 🏴☠️ Collaboration and a focus on allowing every player to shine, ensuring that everyone has fun and feels involved. 🏴☠️ A commitment to providing a memorable and enjoyable campaign that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next session.
Gameplay details
I'll have everyone submit lines/veils/interests via a google form, then I will distribute a pdf document for the other players to have on hand. Then we'll go over them during session 0, along with making characters and doing some collaborative storytelling to establish relationships between said characters.
Content warnings
Safety tools used
• Breaks
• Lines and Veils
• Open Door
• Session 0
• Stars and Wishes
• X, N, and O Cards
How will character creation work
If you'd like to make a character in advance, the parameters are as follows. It must be made on Roll20 OR on DndBeyond + the Beyond20 extension if you're wanting to use the 2024 material exclusively, which is allowed, just not suggested: -Lvl (current campaign level, please ask) -Standard array ability scores -Starting equipment -Max HP at 1st level, average after that (fixed) -a bonus feat based on your background, using this guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ofgtj4c46M7hBe2eAViKh3ssXaXfhMdzZRgEe46Qolc/edit?usp=sharing -All WOTC content available in my roll20 library is available to make a character with, including 3rd party classes, subclasses, races, & spells from: Midgard Worldbook, Rise of the Drow, Chains of Asmodeus, Sebastian Crowe's guide to Drakkenheim, Dungeons of Drakkenheim, Southlands Player's Guide & Worldbook, Creature Codex, Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Deep Magic Vol. 1 & 2, The Beastheart & Monstrous Companions, The Illrigger, Empire of the Ghouls, Tome of Beasts 1, 2, & 3, Tome of Heroes, Flee Mortals, Underworld Player's Guide, Valda's Spire of Secrets, Vault of Magic, Wanderer's Guide to Enchanted Emporiums, Wanderer's Guide to Merchants and Magic, Wastes of Chaos, Where Evil Lives, Book of Ebon Tides, & Xanathar's Lost Notes to Everything Else. 127+ races. 41+ classes. Otherwise, I can personally get with anyone and help them in advance. I'd like to use session 0 to discuss safety, do some collaborative storytelling to establish relationships between PC's, and maybe even get intros to said characters. However, we will make it work!
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
High
Roleplay
High
Puzzles
Low
Experience level
Open to all
Platforms used
• Discord
• Roll20
• Zoom
• D&D Beyond
$35.00
/ Session
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Details
Weekly / Tuesday - 6:00 PM UTC
3 Hour Duration
0 / 7 Seats Filled
Requirements
Experience required: Open to all
Age: 18+