Ghosts of Saltmarsh (D&D 5.5) | A Swashbuckling Adventure
A swashbuckling level zero to hero campaign exploring the Saltmarsh region, the high seas, and fighting ancient evils.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
2 players following this game
Weekly / Sunday - 11:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
Campaign Length / 13–15 Sessions
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
What to Expect? 🦜Befriend pirates. ⚔️Fight sea devils and ancient evils. 🗺️Explore Saltmarsh and the high seas. ✅Beginner friendly. --- The Hook --- Yesterday, three gilded corpses washed ashore in Saltmarsh. The locals whisper it's the Dead Alchemist's doing. And you're hired to investigate. --- Campaign Description --- Ghosts of Saltmarsh is a level 1 to 12 swashbuckling adventure using the original book as its basis, then expanded by borrowing from Dragon Delves, Tales from the Infinite Staircase, and others. Creating a free roaming campaign. Kicked off an investigation into the Dead Alchemist's House reveals an imminent Sahaugin invasion and, through it, the demon price Orcus' machination. Placing the Saltmarsh region's fate in your hands. --- From 13 to 20: Descent into Avernus --- Optionally, Ghosts of Saltmarsh can be extended to level 20 by adapting Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Where the archdevil Zariel enacts an ancient contract to pull the Sword Coast into Avernus. To break the contract, you must ride through Avernus in a Mad Max style campaign to stop or redeem the fallen angel. --- Waiting One-Shots --- While waiting for the game to fill I run free one-shots, either testing new ones or returning to old favorites.
Game style
Sandbox / Open World
Rules as Written (RaW)
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
4.9
(139)
4 years on StartPlaying
463 games hosted
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Knows the Rules, Creativity
Average response time: 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Hi👋, I'm Franc, better known as Golvin. I'd like to be your GM. While I mainly run D&D, Call of Cthulhu, and Alien RPG, my real pleasure is trying new modules and systems. (Cowboy Bebop RPG anyone?) Which has led me to a specialization in running one-shots, often including highly detailed handouts, pre-made characters, and other player aids. I also write the Reviews from the Far Reams Substack newsletter, currently focused on helping others get the most out of Call of Cthulhu 7e modules.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Players may create their own level 1 character or use one of 6 pre-generated characters. Those creating their own character must follow the character creation guidelines below and be completed before the session starts. If you'd like help with character creation, please reach out. --- Character Creation Guidelines --- - Use standard array or point buy. - Only pull from official 2024 PHB content. (No homebrew or 3rd party content.) --- Provided Content --- I provide all allowed and available content via the Roll20 game. If I've missed a book, please let me know and I'll make it available. Ditto for D&D Beyond, if requested, but by default I don't. Those using D&D Beyond must use Beyond20 to make their rolls appear in the Roll20 game.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Ghosts of Saltmarsh uses Discord (voice chat, gm notes) and Roll20 (character sheets, dice, etc.). To participate in the game, you will need to: ✅ A Roll20 account (free) ✅ A Discord account (free) ✅ Microphone. ✅ Headset or quiet space to avoid feedback. ☑️Camera (Optional.)
What Golvin - One-Shot GM brings to the table
As a GM, I bring with me: 🔹Maps, handouts, and art for clarity and a smoother experience. 🔹Memorable NPCs. 🔹Fast paced narratives. 🔹A decade of experience running and teaching TTRPGs. 🔹6 pre-made characters, so you can jump in immediately.
Homebrew rules
Rules as written, unless rule of cool applies, a ruling is required, or a mechanic doesn't work. (E.g. hiding works as it did in 2014.)
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Headphones
Internet
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Golvin - One-Shot GM creates a safe table
I use the following default Lines (hard content boundaries) and Veil (can happen but not detailed) for player actions. Boiling down to "be respectful" and "don't be a creep/bloodthirsty." ❌Sexual content especially violence. (Line) ❌Torture and other acts of blatant cruelty/sadism. (Line) ❌Negatively impacting another player's character without their consent. (Line) ❌Gratuitous depictions of violence and/or gore. (Line) ❌Racism, bigotry, etc. Both fantastic and real. (Line) ✖️Romance (Veil. It hogs the spotlight.) At the beginning of the session, I'll check if anyone has additional Line or Veils to add. Likewise, I'll check in if I sense anything is off or if a player is quiet. That said, I'm human and miss things. If you're uncomfortable, please say something or send an X via discord's private chat (causing it to ping me). I'll stop, access, and make necessary changes.
Content warnings
Safety tools used