I was recently asked how I create adventures for Legends of Barovia and Legends of Saltmarsh. The truth is, it’s often easier than it seems, because I’m fortunate to have amazing source material to draw from.
Working on Saltmarsh has been an immense pleasure. In my humble opinion, Ghosts of Saltmarsh is one of the best adventure and setting books for 5e, not just for its content, but for how everything is put together. It provides a solid core setting with plenty of seeds, role tables, and lore to build upon. There are seven major adventures, plus a toolkit for creating many more. In a video I made, I counted over 40 unique adventures in Saltmarsh beyond the official seven.
So how do I actually create adventures? Let’s take a look at my latest: Whispers by the River.
Starting with Location: Sharkfin Bridge
I began by focusing on a location, Sharkfin Bridge. Andy's DM maps are truly inspirational and sparked many ideas.
Sharkfin Bridge crosses the Kingfisher River, which runs parallel to the Drowned Forest region in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Because it’s downstream, I wanted to link the adventure hook to the Drowned Forest.
Finding Inspiration in the Source Material
I turned to Chapter 1: Saltmarsh Region, specifically the Drowned Forest Oddities table, which offered two intriguing options:
- Option 1: "A human zombie is chained to a wooden stake driven into the ground, surrounded by the remains of many other zombies. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals evidence the zombie is being used as target practice."
- Option 10: "A 50-foot-diameter pool of pure, clean drinking water calls out to creatures within 100 feet. Those who understand at least one language hear their names being called."
These two elements: the zombie stake and the mystical water pool stood out.
Asking the Important Question: Why?
The “why” question is key when developing ideas. Why are these zombies chained there? Who did it? How did they become zombies?
There had to be a “who” and a “why.” Looking further, the Drowned Forest Random Encounters table showed gnolls at number 12.
Using Monsters for Story Seeds: Gnolls
Gnolls bring rich lore that fits perfectly:
- Demonic Origin: Spawned from demon lord Yeenoghu’s arrival on the Material Plane, gnolls are a dire reminder of demonic power. Yeenoghu is also a Greyhawk demonic prince, so it fits into the world and lore very well.
- Nomadic Destroyers: Gnolls strike at random, raiding and plundering settlements, scavenging weapons, and leaving ruin behind.
This lore sparked my plot. The Drowned Forest and Dunwater River border the Hool Marsh and run parallel to the Kingfisher River. It makes sense for gnolls to have a camp near Dunwater and raid travelers on the road to the Burle, as well as fishermen on the Kingfisher.
The Core Idea
The gnolls have established a camp in the Drowned Forest near Dunwater River, raiding travelers on the road to the Burle and fishermen along the Kingfisher river. They capture victims and tie them up. But how do these captives become zombies?
Remember that pool of water from Option 10? That water is cursed, the gnolls drink from it and give it to their prisoners. When the prisoners die, they return as undead. The water seems innocuous, cool and refreshing, but it carries a dark curse. This means, even when the gnolls die, they will come back as undead, making for a very interesting and deadly encounter.
Adding a Horrifying Twist: Violet Fungi
I didn’t want the gnolls to outright kill their captives. In the Drowned Forest section, I found violet fungi, nasty creatures that rot flesh on contact:
“This purplish mushroom uses root-like feelers to creep across cavern floors. The stalks lash out at prey, rotting flesh with the slightest touch. Creatures killed by violet fungi rapidly decompose, and a new fungus sprouts from the corpse in 2d6 days.”
I imagined victims staked in a carpet of violet fungi, slowly rotting away and then rising as undead chained to stakes, a truly horrifying fate.
The Adventure Hook
Rumors among the “bridgefolk” who live under Sharkfin Bridge about disappearing travelers and strange happenings in the Drowned Forest serve as the initial hook.
d6 | Rumor |
1 | "Heard another traveler didn’t make it to the Burle...found his horse wandering near the road. Folks say something in the drowned forest took him." |
2 | "Someone found a shrine near the edge of the drowned forest. Word is it’s dedicated to Yeenoghu." |
3 | "It’s not safe traveling from Saltmarsh to the Burle after dark. Strange sounds and shadows haunt the route, best to stay indoors come nightfall." |
4 | "A fisherman swears he saw a group of beasts watching him from the trees at the edge of the Drowned Forest, their eyes burning like coals." |
5 | "Whispers say the drowned forest water calls out to the lonely and those who drink from the pools never return quite the same." |
6 | "Old Garl, the pale man under Sharkfin Bridge, disappears into the Drowned Forest every day. Some say he’s cursed, feeding on rotten fish and secrets." |
I also created an NPC: Old Garl, a reclusive undead fisherman living beneath the bridge. Once killed and floated downriver, his mind fractured, he now speaks in twisted stories about the “river dogs” (gnolls). By day, he roams the Drowned Forest, feeding on dead fish and sometimes wandering near the gnoll camp, perhaps unconsciously retracing his death. He could actually lead the party to the gnoll camp, if they follow him.
The Takeaway: Connect the Dots to Build Adventure
This example shows how to weave setting details, tables, and monster lore into a cohesive narrative.
Start with location, mine the source for hooks, ask “why” to find motivation, and use monster traits to deepen the story. Rumors and NPCs bring life and intrigue and set the hook.
Adventure design becomes a rewarding puzzle when you skillfully connect these dots.
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