Image by Grzegorz Rutkowski
High Seas & Hidden Cults | Ghosts of Saltmarsh + | Lvl 1-12
Go from ragtag mercenaries to local heroes. Unravel crime rings, fend off living and undead deep-sea threats, and confront abyssal cults.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Thursday - 10:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
1 / 5 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
1/5
About the adventure
Welcome to Saltmarsh, a modest fishing village standing squarely in the path of a brewing, unseen threat. Beneath the surface, crime rings operate in the caves, undead haunt the fog-choked sea, and a ruthless menace is gathering strength in the depths. Bound by limited resources, the town must turn to you and a few others to keep it afloat. Are you ready to step up and make a name for yourself? Your journey will be defined by high-stakes, combat-heavy action broken up with solving mysteries. Between battles you’ll get a setting-grounded approach to roleplay to keep the story moving and your characters anchored in the world. You'll get all this combined with above table high-spirits and humor. We use milestone leveling tied directly to major story beats to ensure smooth progression as you advance. Both beginners and experienced players are welcome. This campaign uses the best of the adventures in Ghosts of Saltmarsh rounded out with: ◊ The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (from Tales of the Yawning Portal) ◊ Beyond the Crystal Cave (from Quests from the Infinite Staircase, re-worked to fit the theme) ◊ Locathah Rising (adapted for an outsider’s perspective) If you're looking for a long-term, action-packed campaign to laugh your way through, claim your seat and let's set sail.
Game style
Combat Heavy
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Roleplay Lite
Rules as Written (RaW)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Inclusive, Visual Aid
About me
I'm a bit of a legacy TTRPG-er with 30+ years of experience as both a player and a GM. My dad played old school D&D and Traveller back in the 70s during his college days, and started my siblings and me out with Hero Quest pretty much as soon as we could read. He taught me that the characters can have an epic story while the players crack jokes and laugh their way through the adventure, and that continues to be the kind of game I try to create for my players. While I got my start with the ol’ standbys such as D&D 3e and GURPS, these days my husband and I collect and explore a wide variety of systems, and have even created and run a system of our own devising. But I will admit that most recently I spend most of my TTRPG time running and playing D&D 5e. Whatever the system, I run games supported with the structure of RAW gameplay to keep everyone on the same page and push players to be creative within the bounds of the worlds they find themselves in. I always root for my players but don’t pull my punches, because I want those wins to mean something.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We'll be using 5e 2014 rules for character creation (no homebrew or third-party character options) and using the choice of Standard Array or Point Buy for Ability Scores. Characters for this adventure will begin at level 1 with standard starting equipment. You can begin character creation prior to the first session, but expected to complete it with the group during Session 0. You will be given a D&D Beyond campaign link to use for character sheets and a Discord server invite link where there will be more details, including clarifications on which options are appropriate to the setting of Greyhawk. Character options from almost all pre-2024 books will be available for free via Content Sharing. Any questions you have can be answered via Discord or StartPlaying direct message, and I’m happy to help guide beginners through this process during our Session 0.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Digital Tools (all free) ◊ Discord account: For in-session voice chat and pre-session communication ◊ D&D Beyond account: For character building and tracking. ◊ AboveVTT browser extension: For in-session visual. This is accessed directly through our D&D Beyond campaign page. Audio & Video Expectations ◊ Please ensure you have a functional mic and a suitable setup. Some background noise is okay so long as you account for it in some capacity (such as using push to talk). ◊ This will be a voice only game, so no webcam needed.
What Shannon - Tabletop Shenanigans brings to the table
◊ Discord Server: A dedicated server to interact with not only your table mates, but also players from my other games. ◊ Audio Diversity: Light, distinct character voices to bring the setting’s varied NPCs to life, combined with (mutable) atmospheric music streamed directly into our Discord voice channel to set the tone. ◊ Rules as Written (RAW) Foundation: Aside from a few rule adjustments (seen below), we will be using the core mechanics as they are presented in the official rules. This ensures a consistent game environment where your character's abilities function as you expect them to. ◊ Optional Game Recordings: With the permission of everyone at the table, sessions will be recorded to assist with my game prep and these recordings can be provided to you upon request.
Homebrew rules
◊ Bonus Action Potions Drinking a potion of any kind is a Bonus Action. Administering a potion to another character still requires an Action. ◊ Surprise When any creatures (players or enemies) are caught by surprise, rather than losing their entire first turn, they instead roll Initiative with a -5 penalty. They are still unable to perform any Reactions until after their first turn. ◊ First Strike If a character performs a specific action that triggers combat (such as attacking from stealth), they can complete that one single action before initiative order kicks in as normal. However, if combat is triggered by proximity or some other more ambiguous method, initiative order kicks in prior to any actions being taken. ◊ Player Summons All player summons will take their turn directly after the summoning player’s turn rather than having their own initiative. ◊ Working Together A character must be proficient in a skill or tool in order to provide Advantage to another character.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Shannon - Tabletop Shenanigans creates a safe table
You will be given access to a Lines & Veils checklist that will be converted into an anonymized combined document so everyone can start on the same page. We will be starting with a Session 0 for introductions, party building, and setting campaign expectations, and will spend time at the beginning of the session reviewing the safety tools. During sessions, we will use the X, N, and O card system, which you can use by saying the letter, typing it in the AboveVTT chatlog, or sending me a private Discord DM. This is also an Open Door game so stepping away is always an option. The end of each session will include a short period for debriefing to discuss what worked well, what could have gone better, and generally wind down.
Content warnings
Safety tools used