The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.6

 The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.6 – Starday, 8th of Reaping, 570 CY

Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple 

NEW TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER NAMED

After the shocking death of Gellan Primewater, Garrett Axehandle has been named as the fifth council member of the Saltmarsh Town Council. Eda Oweland opposed Axehandle, claiming it was improper for him to serve as a representative of the crown and on the town council, but the other three council members approved his appointment, which was suggested by Anders Solmor who told the Register, “After the death of Primewater and the suspicion that he was loyal to the Scarlet Brotherhood and not the people of Saltmarsh and the Kingdom of Keoland, the council wanted to show the crown we are acting in good faith.”

RECRUITS STILL NEEDED

Captain Tamsyn Muir still needs brave recruits willing to sail on the Swift Blade for the navy of Keoland. Bold sailors of Saltmarsh, show your loyalty and volunteer in the war against the sinister pirates who claim to be Sea Princes. Let us show that Keoland rules the Azure Sea and not these bandits of the waves.

WHO IS DULCINEA GIDEON?

The suspicious heir of the Primewater fortune has arrived in Saltmarsh with a dozen mercenaries and has arrived to take possession of the Primewater estate. She and her lackeys have refused all efforts by the reporter of this fine publication to sit for an interview or provide any information about herself. Dear readers, if you know anything about this mysterious woman please reach out to the editor of the Saltmarsh Register.

FISHING TIDBITS

Much to the shock of his fellow fishermen and fisherwomen, Ol’ Norbert has caught a monster kingfish over 2 stones in weight and decidedly the largest kingish known to have been caught in Salinmoor!

Waterdeep Dragon Heist - Dungeon Master Resources

Relaxing after by making a landing page for my upcoming #Roll20 #WaterdeepDragonHeist game... #dnd pic.twitter.com/pE0Ug6KpRc

— Antagonist Relations (@antag_relations) May 16, 2019

Since my local group still can't meet in person, I'm re-running Waterdeep Dragon Heist with Roll20 for them. I've run it before using Roll20, and thought I'd put a blog post together with some things I found helpful since I was rounding them up again. Fair warning, minor Waterdeep Dragon Heist spoilers in the post and definite spoilers in the linked material...

The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.5

The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.5 – Starday, 1st of Reaping, 570 CY

Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple 

GELLAN PRIMEWATER, SECRET TRAITOR TO SALTMARSH, DEAD!

Unwilling to confess his guilt as an agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood and knowing that the Saltmarsh Register had information implicating him that this publication planned to make known to all the very day of this printing, Gellan Primewater died after he threw himself from the Leap while wearing a suit of plate armor to weigh himself down. While this is not the outcome the Saltmarsh Register wanted, we cannot argue that justice has not been done. Having no children or spouse, Gellan has apparently left all his worldly possessions to one Dulcinea Gideon, a woman said to reside in Seaton. Rest assured, dear readers, the Saltmarsh Register shall report more on the secret doings that Gellan undertook for the Scarlet Brotherhood as we decipher more of the cryptic notes we secured from Ionna Bors. We shall also endeavor to learn more about this Gideon woman to determine what the good folk of Saltmarsh should know about the new heir of the Primewater fortune.

BROKEN MAUL DELVES BACK INTO THE DREADWOOD

After hosting the wonderfully grand Midsummer Night festivities, the Company of the Broken Maul, true heroes of Saltmarsh and Salinmoor, have left for another expedition to the Dreadwood. Fear not, dear reader, they have again promised this publication all the details of their exploits and our editor has every confidence in the skill and heroism of the band of bold adventurers!

CLASH WITH PIRATES!

The Swift Blade, a warship of the Keoish Navy under the command of the brave Captain Tamsyn Muir has seen battle with pirates south of Abbey Isle. While they prevailed in their contest, they lost many good sailors and have come to Saltmarsh to recruit. Brave Sailors of Saltmarsh, it is you duty to volunteer for service in the navy if you are able. Let us show Captain Muir and the crew of the Swift Blade that Saltmarsh is as loyal to the crown as any city in Keoland and provide the good captain with more recruits than she needs!

FISHING TIDBITS

The eel run has ended and you’ll have to wait until the young eels spawn in the spring and come down the Kingfisher river.

Ol’ Norbert claims he saw a giant sea serpent swim below his boat, but his fellow fishermen believe that he stole a cask of ale from the Midsummer festivities and was drunkenly finishing it off.

The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.4

The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.4 – Starday, 1st of Richfest, 570 CY

Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple 

SECRETS OF SEATON REVEALED!

As this publication’s intrepid reporter suspected, the Mariner’s Guild of Seaton harbored dark and sinister secrets! One of the members of the council of the guild, Luka Rejec, turned out to be A VAMPIRE! In uncovering this secret, the Saltmarsh Register also discovered that another high up in the guild, one Ionna Bors, was an agent in the employ of the malign and secretive Scarlet Brotherhood. While Ionna disappeared after her true affiliation was revealed, the Saltmarsh Register was able to recover a cache of notes she left behind and will be publishing any news and secrets that emerge from these cryptic papers. When confronted with the evidence of the wrongdoing of her underlings, Thordis Steelfist, the head of the Mariner’s Guild, claimed that the guild itself had nearly completed an investigation into embezzlement that would have uncovered the secret agents in the guild’s very highest ranks and pointed to the fact that the Guild had turned the vampiric Rejec over to the Order of Saint Cuthbert immediately and had worked with the army of Keoland to attempt to capture Bors before she fled. The editor of the Saltmarsh Register leaves it up to you, dear reader, to decide whether to believe Guild Head Steelfist, but rest assured that this reporter does not and intends to

CONFIDENTIAL TO THE HIGHLY PLACED MEMBER OF THE SCARLET BROTHERHOOD IN SALTMARSH, BEWARE! THE TIME OF YOUR UNMASKING IS COMING!

Your name was in the notes recovered from Ionna Bors and I know it was you who attempted to ransack the Saltmarsh Register Office while our dedicated reporter was discovering your darkest secrets in Seaton. You have until the First Day of Reaping to confess your crimes and turn yourself over to the law of the crown! If you do not, this publication shall name you in the next issue of the Register. And don’t think about threatening the personnel of the Register, as we have made arrangements for our safety and if those fail, we have made arrangements for the information we have about you to be made known should any harm befall us!

VAMPIRES STALK THE NIGHTS OF SALINMOOR!

With at least one Vampire (the aforementioned Luka Rejec) operating in Seaton and rumors of travelers around Saltmarsh being found drained of blood with no memory of who or what assaulted them in the night, it has become clear to the Saltmarsh Register that VAMPIRES have become a problem for the good folk of Salinmoor. While traveling from Seaton to Saltmarsh, the Register’s reporter met up with the Company of the Broken Maul who have agreed to look into the problem. Horatio Threesilver, learned bard for the adventuring band, suspects that Granny Nightshade, the evil hag who rules the depths of the Dreadwood, is behind the vampires, as she is known to have vampiric consorts. Leta Flamefingers, sorcerer extraordinaire for the band speculates that the hag is worried about the Company of the Broken Maul’s successful expeditions into the Dreadwood and these vampiric spies have been sent out in response.

DARKNESS DEFEATED IN THE DREADWOOD

The Company of the Broken Maul continues to triumph over evil in the Dreadwood. After defeating a pack of werewolves and a green dragon, they drove deeper into the Dreadwood, following rumors of a lost dwarven artifact that was stolen years ago and may have made its way deep into the dangerous Dreadwood. While they did not yet find the artifact they search for, they dispatched a gorgon and a banshee and cleared out a tribe of hobgoblins who served the sinister Granny Nightshade.

GLAD TIDINGS AND GOOD CHEER FOR RICHFEST COURTESY OF THE COMPANY OF THE BROKEN MAUL!

Returning from Dreadwood with GOLD & GLORY, the Company of the Broken Maul intends to make good on their promise to the fine people of Saltmarsh. They wish to proclaim through this publication that they will throw a fantastic celebration on Midsummer Night (Richfest 4). They have paid for the finest cooks from Seaton to come to Saltmarsh to prepare a gourmet feast that will be FREE TO ALL. They have commissioned a small ship to bring a hold full of wine and ale up from Seaton to accompany the dinner. Furthermore, Horatio Threesilver shall sing and play his lute to tell the tales of the triumphs of the Company of the Broken Maul and the other members of the company will show the many treasures and trophies they have claimed, including the preserved tongue of a green dragon and the severed foot of a troll that Dagnal Durthane will prove to be authentic by showing how it regenerates any and all damage done to it that is not fire or acid. The grand celebration will take place in the clearing east of Hoolwatch Tower and again, ALL ARE WELCOME TO PARTAKE IN THE GOOD CHEER AND GENEROSITY OF THE COMPANY OF THE BROKEN MAUL!

SECRET ASSAULTS AGAINST SAHUAGIN, SALTMARSH COIN WASTED AND SALTMARSH LIVES SPENT TO SATISFY THE BLOOD LUST OF STRANGE LIZARDS

The secretive maneuverings and whispered plans of the Town Council have finally become clear! Apparently they have been making arrangements to smuggle weapons to a tribe of Lizardfolk who had a rivalry with Sahuagin. With the assistance of the sometimes suspicious Answering Call, the town council armed this primitive tribe of lizard folk and other aquatic creatures and then coordinated an assault with them against a tribe of Sahuagin at a fortress some thirty-plus miles from Saltmarsh. With the secrecy and expense, this publication must ask why the town council thought that arming potential enemies of Keoland was prudent. Yes, Sahuagin are dangerous creatures, but from what the Register has been able to apprehend, these particular Sahuagin had not been attacking any of the boats of Saltmarsh or of Keoland. Futhermore, the fortress assualted was apparently the former home of the Lizard Folk tribe, meaning that good Saltmarsh blood was spilt and Keoland coin was spent on helping one hostile tribe take back a location they had lost to another hostile tribe. Was it worth the death of three good members of the town guard were slain? Can the Town Council and the Answering Call tell the families of Jorie Boland, Frederick Schwalb and Johann Magary that the death of their loved ones and the gold of Saltmarsh was not wasted in the squabbles of non-Keoland citizens? The editor of the Saltmarsh Register sincerely doubts they would have any good answer to that question.

FISHING TIDBITS

Many eels have made their way back to Saltmarsh and can be easily caught as they swim back up the Kingfisher River.

Ol’ Norbert claims to have seen a school of nearly three dozen octopi while he was fishing east of the Dwarven Mine, but his fellow fisherman say he is mad and prone to flights of fancy.

The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.3

The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.3 – Starday, 15th of Wealsun, 570 CY

Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple 

PIRACY!

Rumors out of Seaton speak of nearly half-a-dozen ships lost to the Sea Princes! All loyal citizens of Keoland must continue to pay their full share of taxes to help build the Royal Navy to help deal with this great threat!

PIRATES GUILD?

The intrepid reporter of the Register has heard from Seaton that the Mariner’s Guild has been opposing efforts by the Crown to collect more taxes, saying it would be bad for the margins of their members, arguing that they are making private investments in infrastructure to improve trade, like repairing and constructing lighthouses. But! Perhaps they are instead in cahoots with the dastardly Sea Princes and rely on piracy and smuggling? This publication certainly cannot rule that out!

THE ANSWERING CALL?

The secretive adventurers have spoken with our intrepid reporter and declared their name to be the somewhat confusingly named “The Answering Call”. They say they work to reduce the evil plaguing Salinmoor and working for the council of Saltmarsh. They say they rescued a ship that had been beset by a kobold attack and an evil cleric who raised the dead as zombies. Then they debunked the haunted house east of Saltmarsh discovering a band of smugglers operating out of a sea cave there. They say they also fought an army of undead on Abbey Isle to clear out a sinister temple and gave the isle over to the clutches of the Mariner’s Guild. Lately they searched the Drowned Forest for lost clerics of St. Cuthbert and battled an evil cult in a ruined temple. Are these adventurers exaggerating their exploits or merely leaving many details out? This reporter cannot say, but “The Answering Call”, as they declare themselves to be, certainly seem to be more than they let on...

DAWN RAIDS!

The Answering Call assisted the militia of Saltmarsh on a raid of Little Orlane to root out a hidden cult that had taken up residence in a secret underground tomb below Crabber’s Cove. The cult apparently venerated an evil snake god and Wellgar Brinehand of the temple of Procan is hard at work attempting to break the brainwashing of the cult. It is unclear why the Answering Call was investigating the refugees, but they seem to have uncovered a secret danger.

PHANATON OR PINT-SIZED HADOZEE? EITHER WAY A TALE OF WOE

A strange creature, resembling a Hadozee but half the size and slightly less ape-like has arrived in Saltmarsh. Muz, as he calls himself, is a Phanaton and claims that he comes from the Isle of Xolec far across the Azure Sea. He tells a sad tale of his clan being attacked by savage pirates and forced to work for the pirates for the last three years. Muz was apparently being brought by the pirates to Monmurg when the ship he was on was shipwrecked in a storm and he made his way to Saltmarsh where he is seeking a ship to bring him home. He claims that his home isle has many strange creatures and lost treasures that might repay an adventurous crew.

WORD FROM THE DREADWOOD – THE BROKEN MAUL TRIUMPHANT!

Your devoted correspondent has receive a message from the Company of the Broken Maul, currently adventuring in Dreadwood. Their fearless leader, Vorka Cleaveshield writes, “We had a scare when Rurik Brazzik was knocked down by a troll, but he has bounced back and we have delved deep into the Dreadwood and slain a pack of Werewolves as well as a Green Dragon.” The Company of the Broken Maul enclosed a dragon scale with their missive, which the curious can see on display at the Saltmarsh headquarters of the Register. Vorka writes that the Company expects to return to Saltmarsh in time for Richfest when they will throw the town a party in celebration of their deeds.

FISHING TIDBITS

Ol’ Norbert claims to have seen a titanic octopus near the wreck of the Marshal, but his fellow fisherman say that his cataracts are getting worse.


Fishermen beware! Many swarms of quippers have been seen recently in the waters off Saltmarsh...

Upcoming Twitchery & Calendar

The Known World United Extra Life Team is making a push to keep the Twitch channel active through the year, so I will be bringing some live Antagonist Relations to twitch.tv/knownworldunited (mirrored at my own Twitch, twitch.tv/antagonistrelations). Donations for Extra Life 2020 are open through the end of December, and we're hoping to build a bigger presence to get more donations next year.

Right now, the plan is that I will run games for Known World United once or twice a month. I'm also contemplating running a few other games to replace the old Antagonist Relations Podcast with a monthly Twich game for twitch.tv/antagonistrelations, so keep yer peepers open for more information about that.

All the live Twitch events, whether for twitch.tv/knownworldunited or twitch.tv/antagonistrelations will be listed on the Antagonist Relations Event Calendar for your convenience.

Here are the two Twitch streams I have planned for the end of 2020...

Sunday 11/29, 2:30pm-6pm Central 

Antagonist Relations and the Known World United present... Forest Hymn & Picnic - The Last Winter Holiday.

Streaming on twitch.tv/knownworldunited 

The next holiday is approaching and everyone in town is in quite a stage of frantic stress. Lamps must be decorated, the walks must be shoveled, invitations need mailing, and to do lists are getting longer. Cleanup from the last celebration still hasn't even been nished, and the preparations have slowed to a halt! 

The holiday in question is End Year, the last holiday of the winter and the last of the year. Festivities are especially welcomed this year because it is a Supper year, and unlike a Breakfast year—which leaves little time for revelry—dwellers will be able to spend the entire day celebrating.

The Forest Hymn & Picnic is a forthcoming tabletop adventure game set across the backdrop of a very absurd, unending and often haunted forest. Players take up the lives of oddballs in The Forest Hymn—precocious animal folk, lost people, or costumed ghosts—as they stumble upon trouble in the strange woods, take on work in town and get to know their neighbors, investigate the supernatural, take their spot in the brass band, explore the ruins that litter the woods or even win a dance marathon at the county fair!

You can find more information about the Forest Hymn & Picnic at theforesthymn.com or A Cursory Guide to the Forest Hymn & Picnic

Sunday 12/27, 2:30pm-6pm Central
Antagonist Relations and the Known World United present... Holiday Hangover - Fiasco Poppleton Mall

Streaming on twitch.tv/knownworldunited 

Poppleton Mall - A RETAIL WONDERLAND… It's time to make a trip to Poppleton Mall for the best in shopping, entertainment, and dining! From Arapaho Leather Goods to T. Esquire, from the Poppleton-8 multiplex to our beautiful glass atrium, Poppleton Mall truly has something for everyone. Join us for the holidays, when Santa reigns over his throne room and the atrium rings with the sounds of merry-making from the magical Winterland stage! Your children will always remember their visit to Poppleton Mall's Santaland.

What is Fiasco? - A Game About Powerful Ambition and Poor Impulse Control

FIASCO is an award-winning story-telling game inspired by cinematic tales of small-time capers gone disastrously wrong. You’ll tell a story about ordinary people with powerful ambition and poor impulse control! Lives and reputations will be lost, painful wisdom will be gained, and if you are really lucky, you just might end up back where you started. You probably won’t be lucky.

More information about Fiasco from Bully Pulpit Games

Sample 5e D&D Google Document Template

 

I'm gearing up to start a new online Waterdeep Dragon Heist game, and since I was adjusting the previous google document template I use for my online 5e D&D games, thought it was a good time to make a template that could easily be shared. 

Click here to create your own copy of the Antagonist Relations 5e D&D Google Document Template.

I've touched on using a google document for online games before, way back in April 2018, and this version of the google document has almost two additional years of refinement. Feel free to adjust it for your own use. Clicking the link will create a copy that you can modify and share with your players as you want.

Notes and comments about the document follow...

The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.2

The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.2 – Starday, 8th of Wealsun, 570 CY

Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple 

CRABBER’S COVE OR LITTLE ORLANE?

Refugees no more, the dozen new citizens of Saltmarsh have reclaimed the once abandoned properties of Crabber’s Cove, which they call Little Orlane. While she still has not yet been able to open the Golden Grain Inn yet, Eglina Beswill says she expects that a second wave of refugees from Orlane will arrive in the next month and hopes to have the Golden Grain Inn completed before their arrival. 

BAD BLOOD BUILDING!

Lankus Kurrid, proprietor of the Wicker Goat, Kreb Shenker, owner of the Empty Net and Hanna Rist, proprietor of the Snapping Line, have jointly petitioned the town council opposing the opening of the Golden Grain Inn at the edge of Crabber’s Cover, or Little Orlane. They claim that three taverns are enough to serve the needs of travelers visiting Saltmarsh and locals seeking relaxation and drink. They note that the recently arrived Orlanians keep to themselves and have not spent coin in Saltmarsh, instead getting supplies from Seaton. Furthermore, Lankus Kurrid gave an additional statement to this publication: “If these Orlanians have nothing to hide and mean well towards Saltmarsh, why do they seem to work most on ‘Little Orlane’ as they call it, during the night?” Eglina Beswill, spokesperson of the Orlanians, blames the tension on the chilly reception her people received from Orlane and points to the recently arrived Royal Tax Assessor as proof that Saltmarsh is growing and can support another inn.

THE EYE OF THE CROWN COMES TO SALTMARSH!

Sir Alegzanter Arglebie, knight of Keoland and friend of King Scotti has arrived to tour Salinmoor. He has arrived in Saltmarsh with Garrett Axehandle, the new Royal Tax Assessor, who is to be posted in the growing port of Saltmarsh. Sir Arglebie, while speaking to the intrepid reporter of the Register, said he found Saltmarsh to be charming and even tried a sip of claw wine, proving himself to be a good sport. He says that after a few days, he will travel on to Seaton and elsewhere in Salinmoor to compile a report on the duchy to provide to King Scotti personally. Assessor Axehandle has settled into his new office in the port and issued a statement with the Town Council that he hopes the citizens of Keoland resident in Saltmarsh will cooperate fully with his authority as a representative of the crown and noted that many of the taxes levied on Saltmarsh will go to expanding the Keoish navy to better fight pirates and other threats in the Azure Sea.

TERROR ON THE SEA!

It is said that a merchant vessel the Consuming Fire, captained by a Hadozee named Polth Firebringer, was captured by the dastardly Sea Princes. A few crew escaped in a lifeboat and made their way to Seaton, speaking of Captain Firebringer’s bravery in fighting off the pirates as well as wilder tales of seeing swarms of Sahuagin as they sought safe passage on the sea. Rest assured that the Saltmarsh Register and its intrepid report intend to get to the bottom of the story, even if it means decamping to Seaton for days to bring our loyal readers the truth of this tale.

ADVENTURERS AWAY!

It is said that the local adventurers of Saltmarsh, who have yet to sit with this fine paper and provide an interview or any information about their motives and plans, have left for the fortified town of Burle, though as mention afore, there is no clue as to their secret, and perhaps even sinister, motivations for doing so.

Meanwhile the Company of the Broken Maul has left on their first expedition to the Dreadwood, swearing on their honor to provide the tale of their adventure exclusively to this publication, which will mean of course, dear reader, that you will also get to share in the tale of their heroic doings.

FISHING TIDBITS

Fishing remains excellent in the waters around Saltmarsh. 

Ol’ Norbert has been claiming lately that he has seen lizard folk swimming in the waters off Saltmarsh, but his fellow fisherman say the stubborn old man has gotten sunsickness owing to the fact that he lost his favorite hat a week back and refuses to replace it.

Dicemas 2020 or Nerdy places to shop this Holiday Season...

 

The corporate mandated holiday giving season is upon us again, or you are browsing this post long after, but either way here are some Nerdy Shops that are worth a browse as you search for gifts for nerdy family & friends, or treats for yourself. 

Crow & Crown
Artistic, Nerdy and RPG adjacent illustrations.
Dark Elf Dice
Has a great and always rotating selection of dice and other RPG goodies, I've ordered many a set for myself or to give as gifts.
Dbl Feature
One of my wife's favorite nerd shops, with cute RPG themed accessories and apparel
GraveMarkings
Dark and nerdy art.
Laser Wolf Attack
The merch shop of Andrew MacLean, who is best known for the excellent graphic novel series, Head Lopper.
Mystery School Comics Group
Selling the art, merch and short comics of Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan.
Severed Books
Gelatinous Cube dice, Bag of Holding Mimic Fanny Packs and many more excellent nerdy delights abound.
Topataco
Merchandise emporium for many webcomics and other nerdy brands.
VOID MERCH
Merchandise designed and curated by Dread Singles In Your Area

Of course, if you know more about what your nerdy friend might want and their email, you can also send them gifts from DriveThruRPG or the DM's Guild, or even purchase Roll20 assets for your favorite Game Master. 

The Saltmarsh Register - Vol 1.1

The Saltmarsh Register is the in-game newspaper I invented for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh game I run online every other Saturday. It is reprinted here to give others a taste of how that game has developed. WARNING, it may have spoilers for the Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventure, though I have deviated a bit from the published module.

The Saltmarsh Register

VOL 1.1 – 1st of Wealsun, 570 CY
Salinmoor’s Finest Catch of Tidbits and Tattle - Printed weekly each Starday, publisher Tyna Hilltopple

COUNCIL MEETING NOTES

Ed. Note: Once again the editor and publisher of the SALTMARSH REGISTER complains that the council closes many of its meetings keeping their proceedings secret from the good folk of Saltmarsh!

Council met publicly on Godsday, 25th of Flocktime. Noted that word had come from Duke Feldrin that within a month a new Tax Assessor would be stationed in Saltmarsh by order of King Scotti. Council Members Fireborn and Copperlocks encouraged citizens to cooperate fully to show that Saltmarsh intends to be good citizens of Keoland. They also noted, after grumbling by Council Member Oweland, that they had obtained a concession from the Crown, in the form of a lowering of taxes upon fishing. A proclamation of Welcome was also declared for the new citizens of Saltmarsh.

SALTMARSH GROWS!

Refugees from Orlane have arrived in the last two weeks, intending to renovate and reclaim the blighted properties of Crabber’s Cove. Until then, they are staying at the Wicker Goat. Eglina Beswill, informal leader of the dozen new arrivals, told the Register’s reporter that she intends to start another Inn in Saltmarsh, named the Golden Grain after her father’s inn which was burnt down in Orlane. When asked about the need for another inn, Eglina said that word has spread of the growing wealth and security of Saltmarsh and she expects it to soon rival Seaton itself as the maritime hub of Salinmoor.

ADVENTURERS ARRIVE!

A band of five adventurers have arrived from Haverhill, calling themselves the Company of the Broken Maul. They had been retained by the Copperlocks Mining Company to deal with dangers in the lower levels of the mine but having completed that arduous task with admirable courage, they now have made their way to Saltmarsh, thinking to use it as a base of operations for expeditions into the Hool Marshes and Dreadwood in search of treasure. Their leader, the dashing Vorka Cleaveshield, says they intend to dazzle Salinmoor with their heroic deeds and enrich the town with lost treasures. Ed. Note: Despite her rough-hewn clothing and manners, Vorka is quite pleasant for a berserker! Will this new band of adventurers steal the thunder of Saltmarsh’s hometown heroes? Will they be less beholden to the whims of the Town Council and less wrapped up in secret dealings and rumors of smuggling? Only time will tell!

FISHING TIDBITS

Since the poor fishing of Planting ended, the fisher folk of Saltmarsh have been reporting excellent catches!

Ol’ Norbert swears he saw an Elf riding in a boat made of hair out on the Azure Sea, but most others that this reporter spoke with say that Norbert just had too much claw wine that day.

State of the Blog - November 2020

 As you can no doubt tell, the state of the blog is... infrequently updated, something I plan on rectifying.

The good news is, part of the reason the blog has been so neglected is I have been busy with other gaming stuff. From the two DM's Guild supplements I helped to put together, Runecasters of the North & Heroes of the Icy North—to my many ongoing games, I'm running 4 regular games & playing in 2—to organizing online gaming events. 

Speaking of which, I helped organize an online Extra Life event for the Known World United team that I am a part of and we raised over $8,000 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, plus my personal fundraising topped $1,400!

So what do readers have to look forward to?

• All of my Extra Life sessions are up on my twitch channel, twitch.tv/antagonistrelations. I'm going to edit them slightly to remove break times and technical issues and such and repost them to twitch and maybe also as podcasts. For each one, I'll also do one a GM Commentary Post.
• I've created an in-world newsletter for my Ghosts of Saltmarsh D&D game, the Saltmarsh Register, and I'm going to post those every week or so to give a taste of the trajectory of my Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign.
• Since I've been picking up tons of great albums on Bandcamp Fridays, I should have plenty of albums to bring back Music To Game To. 
• It's looking like I'll be running more Alien the Roleplaying Game (NSFW Trailer) soon, so I'll do a review of the core book, the published modules and a round-up of tips and resources.
• A round-up of Nerdy Gifts and geek shops worth your hard earned cash before the dread day that is Black Friday.

Potentially there will be some more varied and one-off posts too, just have to get back in that ol' blogging habit.

using a gif in roll20 when running alien...

Another DM's Guild product from Thomas and I, Heroes of the Icy North is packed with new options...

Heroes of the Icy North 

 Three new Race Options: Ice Genasi, Furchin Halfling and Glacier Dwarf.

• Eight Class Archetypes:
  • Path of the Beast-Shirt Barbarian
  • College of the Cold Hearts Bard
  • Hearth Domain Cleric
  • Way of Elemental Ice Monk
  • Oath of Honor’s Command Paladin
  • Conclave of Recovery Ranger
  • Aurora Soul Sorcerer
  • School of Necryomancy Wizard.
• Eighteen Spells providing new options for using ice and surviving frigid climes.
• Nine Magic Items providing new treasures to be found in the north.
• Other supporting options for the hardy adventurers of the north.

The Path of the Beast-Shirt Barbarian is inspired by the old Vikings Sourcebook, just like Runecasters of the North.

This is the DM's Guild product to get if you want to have a Log of Snoring or a Yeti Hood Cloak... 

Runecasters of the North - Long Time, No Blog

 Long time, no blog... I've been busy running two to four games a week, plus playing in another one to two a week, dealing with life and then this global pandemic, but I recently did a thing! I wrote a 5th Edition D&D supplement for the DM's Guild called "Runecasters of the North" with an assist from Thomas. 

Runecasters of the North

After the Giant empire of Ostoria fell in the war with dragons, Annam All Father went off to discover new weapons to bolster the might of the giants. After a thousand years, Annam returned, having discovered the secret of rune casting. Since that time a select few adventures in the North have wrested the mysteries of runes from the giants and unlocked their power. This supplement provides:

• Rules to integrating Rune Magic into your game.
• 3 class archetypes: The Path of the Rune Carver Barbarian, College of the Rune Skald Bard and Pact of the Rune Scribe Warlock
• 3 feats for characters to unlock and improve their rune magic.
• 24 runes for rune casting characters to master. 
• 3 creature and NPC options for Dungeon Masters looking to add rune casting allies and adversaries to their games.

The product was heavily inspired by my days in middle school reading and re-reading the old AD&D Viking Campaign Sourcebook and I hope that others will get some enjoyment out of playing a Runecaster in 5th Edition D&D. We're hoping to have a joint packet out soon that will be stuffed with even more arctic themed 5e options for the new Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden adventure and I will post when that is completed and on the DM's Guild.