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The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
This EE module is a faithful adaptation of the old UK AD&D modules U1, U2 and U3 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, Danger at Dunwater, and The Final Enemy (yes, this isn't just one but three modules combined into a supermodule). Recreating this adventure is my attempt at giving back to the NWN Community who have given so much. I’d like to give special thanks to Zwerkules, Lord of Worms, Senemenelas, Tom Banjo, Ancarion, Nexorcist, Oseryn, Amethyst Dragon, the CEP Team, Dafena, Grymlorde, Tarot Redhand, Proleric (Farmers say the darndest Things) and many others that I have likely forgotten, who have contributed outstanding custom content that is used in this module.
The work itself is a collaborative effort between myself, The Krit, Mr. Zork, Nocturne, Ratik and DM Raine. Based and grounded in the World of Greyhawk, this adventure is an example of the live action server we run, The World of Greyhawk Action Server. This adventure is designed for solo or party play (though a party is highly recommended). For more information on the server, or if you would like to play there after sampling the module, you may visit our forum for information: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/worldofgreyhawkfr/
This module uses all of the systems, feats and spells that we have customized on the WoG Server, so this is a sampling, if you will, of the server. There are descriptions of those changes elsewhere in the Module Entrance. We use our own custom deity system here, so make sure to read those changes and requirements before proceeding as a Cleric. Additionally, our own custom HCR scripts and Loot Systems are in place.
The module is intended for starting 2nd level characters and may take you to around level 9, give or take. This is considered a low to mid magic setting. It is also ACP 4.0 supported within the framework of the module if you enjoy the ACP (but not required).
Finally, as was mentioned in the original release of the 1981 U1 Module, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, this is a “thinking man's adventure.” Strength of arms will not ensure victory nor even a successful conclusion to this adventure. There are mysteries, puzzles, traps, diplomacy and all manner of things to contend with. This module may be played single player, but it is also designed with a party in mind. TSSoS also comes packed with a number of DM Tools and DMFI widgets and scripts, so feel free to use this as a small campaign with your friends and family if you feel so inclined to try your hand at DMing (but know that it is also hands free and all the heavy lifting is done up front). Henchmen are also available if you play your cards right.
I welcome all constructive comments and criticisms either at our Vault entry here or on the WoG Forums (see above).
Cheers and Good luck!
Listed below are the necessary haks you’ll need to download. Also, make sure to download the required projects as well which are near the bottom.
Instructions for play: Download the "Haks of Saltmarsh" and "wog_custom.hak" and extract into your hak folder. Download the module and extract into your Module folder. Download the tlk file (cep260wog) and extract into your tlk folder. Make sure you either have or download the Required Projects (hyperlinks near bottom) and extract into your hak folder (for the medieval tileset, use June 2019 version, and the Mountains and More is the July 2019 version). Place the music files from the Community Music Pack hak download into your music folder located in your local NWN directory
Fire up the game and the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh will appear in your list of Modules to play.
Update: 7/12/19: Corrected a few minor issues and added a bit more "direction".
Update: 7/18/19: Added more polish, provided a few more context clues, added a missing hakv(wrm_mirkwood.hak) that helps clear up some mini-map issues with the Mirkwood tileset, and added Zwerkules cleaned up and slimmed down tilesets for faster load times and improved performance. Also added more instructions for module installation (to include where to put CMP music files since I forgot to add that in the original instructions).
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh U1-U3 (Revised Version 7/18/19) (493) | 3.26 MB |
| Custom Saltmarsh TLK file (required) (14) | 120.96 KB |
| Haks of Saltmarsh (451) | 718.42 MB |
 Install Instructions | 13.48 KB |
Such an awesome and monumental work! Thanks you! Can't wait for weekend to run it with friends.
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After quick test I have some problems:
I see the issue. Apparently I need to rename one of the haks (cep2_custom). I'll upload the renamed hak separately (wog_custom.hak) along with a new version of the module shortly.
Slight fix and addendum. New Module version uploaded to correct some missing Module events (such as deities among others), and renamed a hak to avoid cep confusion.
Looks like you forgot to compile module after making changes so fixed were not applied correctly. Deity system got fixed after I compiled module myself.
No, it is compiled. I just tested with a downloaded copy. What happened was I forgot to activate all of the module events (bio defaults were still there), as well as set Deity_Required to true in the Module variables. The current version listed is compiled and fixed. Sorry for the confusion.
This module has a huge problem which is lack of direction. I don't get a journal entry at the start of the module which would be okay, if I'd be drawn into the story right away and didn't have to find out what it is all about, but after I went to Saltmarsh and explored the place I have yet to find anybody who gives me more than a one-liner conversation except for those who tell me about the extra features the PW has (which sort of kills immersion for a single player module). Maybe those who have played it so far know the AD&D modules this is based on and have an idea where to start.
I don't have the faintest idea and all the places you'd usually ask for hints don't even have the people you'd expect there. There's no constable at the constabulary, no mayor at the townhall and so on. So where does this quest even start?
Sigh. Perhaps I was too clever. Or too dogmatic. Or too used to my old ways of PW building.... my apologies
The very first villager that you run into suggests the PC should go to the Kraken. At the Kraken, there's an individual who divulges some quest info. Perhaps it's my spawn method that's causing issues? For instance, during the night most villagers won't spawn outside. But during the night there will be a Town Council at the Town Hall, or more drunks at the tavern, etc. So I suppose it is possible that if you enter Saltmarsh at night on your first entrance, then you won't find any of the people you are looking for?
So no this?
Or this?
Back to the drawing board I suppose.
It seems that when you start module it's evening and by the time you get into tavern this NPC is in town hall and has different conversation. Actually all key NPCs are in town hall so city is totally useless and empty. That's why both Zwerkules and me had this bad expierence with lack of direction.
I figured this out only after tinkering in toolset and noticing that you have separate day/night NPC spawns so you have to wait till morning until you can find that NPC in correct place with correct dialogue.
Thanks for the constructive feedback everyone. This was my first attempt at a stand-alone module, and I am forced to think of things in a slightly different light (as opposed to the greater whole where everything is connected and there are multiple parties who are able to figure things out rather quickly). I've uploaded a revised version that has a bit more NPC and NPC interaction to help guide folks along.
I'd love to give this a shot but I can't seem to download the WOG custom HAK. Is anyone else having this problem?
@DM Wise it might help to put the hak in an archive (zip 7z or RAR).
Placed the non-compressed file in there for some reason. Compressed added.
Saltmarsh is very twisty and keeps ya on your toes. The look is dark and broody, very nicly done.
Great job DM Wise!
Can people confirm that it works well in multiplayer ? Would like to give a try with a few friends, but they are NWN noobs so i'm looking for a module that is stable and where party quests are not broken...
Yes, it was designed for party play and has been tested in a live PW environment. I DMed a few parties of 3-5 players. Bear in mind that you aren't likely to complete it in one session and you may need 2 or 3 sessions to complete it. If that's of any help. Feel free to PM me with any questions or concerns.
I thought I downloaded all the necessary files as well as required projects, yet the log file states the wrm_seasonalv10.hak is missing. Where does this come from?
Thanks!
That is the Seasonal Forest tileset by Lord of Worms. At 125 meg it's quite big.
TR
Yes, Tarot Redhand is correct. Somehow I must have misplaced it in the Required Projects list or removed it from the Haks of Saltmarsh by accident. I added the link in the Required Projects section.
Please, add tag: classic pnp conversion
A very fun mod. I had a very enjoyable time playing it. I didn't find it hard to get started with the quest, as it is like many of the quests on World of Greyhawk server and stand-alone module. Journal entries were adequate. Dm Wise did his usual great job making great use of CEP placeables and NPCs. It is very challenging to solo, you should probably start at level 4. Thieving skills, stealth (or preferably Invisability) are essential. You do gain some helpfull NPCs but keeping them alive has always been tough for me.
A party of 4 level 3 or 4 characters should find a very good experience in this mod. At the end I just wished it was longer. I hope you enjoy it.
I've tried helping a player here https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/76719/latest-saltmarsh without success - maybe the author or someone else would be able to assist them?
Are there any estimations as to how many hours of gameplay will the module take?
8-12 hours. Roughly.
I never met Master Ian before i just went out of town.By night or by day, constabulary, Kraken, Mermaid..., nothing.Now i'm back and the council meets and seems preoccupied.Looks are great, though.I'll not vote for now.
Master Ian by day can be found at the Kraken. At night he'll be at the Town Council chambers.
Played with Barbarian 2nd level, solo, with NWN:EE. Ended 9th level.
Quite good, very beautiful visually, though the resting system is pretty annoying.
Difficulty - in the beginning most encounters were too deadly for solo player. At Sahuagin fortress it was much easier with higher levels etc.
QA and miscellaneous comments:
- night and day cycle is frustrating. In Single Player it would be nice to have some way to fast forward time or turn off the cycle. I know resting in inn forwards time but my broke PC could not afford it in the beginning.
- at 22 o'clock town hall NPCs spawned only on the 3rd try? After then they spawned every time. Might be false positive - maybe 22 o'clock is still "day"?
- one of the houses is clipping with grass: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2067205124
- no starting gear given, only token that signify it?
- had problems with cleric as well. Picked earth and fire domains, good (chaotic?) alignment but no god wanted me. Could use a readme with cleric system and explanations of systems. Maybe a walkthrough?
- gold from some containers in the beginning was warded twice "your share of the loot is 5GP", Get 5 GP, then take them out actually get them. The problem disappeared in the later parts of the game.. somehow..
- lots of openable doors with no transition
- some missing portraits (Tavern Patrons at Mermaid and Kraken, some militia)
- henchmen death is permanent.. even though clerics sell raise dead scrolls. I used spawne rod of resurrection on Oceanus once.. his body (my loot, nooooo!) disappeared. He was not at temple altar.
- getting lost (what to do next). I was stuck what to do at mansion. Had to check in toolset. I had not found that secret door in the beginning. Duh. Maybe have some tracks left by smugglers next to secret door?
- Ian Dyverlaw does not recognize he already told me about alchemist
- No rations to loot from smugglers, despite full tables :p
- after falling into snake pit Oceanus disappears..
- Oceanus - the AQUATIC elf - drowns.. - after getting out of submerged cave.. and is on the surface!
- There is nothing in Submerged cave, right? Checked in toolset, but there is no trigger to spawn crocolisk.
- No way to remove Oceanus and rehire him, as he says he is already in employ of another if you dump him manually. Same with other henchmen probably.
- OOC lines in Constable and Granger conversations after Dunwater
- socketed weapons: found only 2 gems(1st in the lair of smugglers) and one armor with socket(3rd level of Final Enemy..). They are very rare. Maybe intentional. Thought you would be able to buy them.
- Vixlok can fire trigger of Oceanus before Town hall that makes him leave party.. I have already left Oceanus at alliance meeting. Guess I should not use console to teleport around, but if he died (and Oceanus is so easy to kill.. :D) then it would also happen.
- some backtracking
- Vixlok somehow lost his dire mace. Then lost the spear I gave him.. I think it was during fighting with locked chests..? Also claw "natural" weapon appeared. Wait.. Could he equip the dire mace in natural weapon slot?
- Sahuagins in throne room are dead (baron and his wife and guardians) Could the shark have killed them?
- Sahuagin Priestesses look male
- no black market to sell my stolen traps to. Damn those peaceful towns! :D
- Mermaid statue became hostile to me after Final Enemy.. some faction issue?
- Arena cutscene does not make sense. My character says one line only. Maybe because the arena master was already dead?
- goblin shark voice is wrong
- Corporal Radric on the trip back has wrong conversation
- player house has stairs but no upstairs area
- TYPOS: "Hight Priest" - Rules for Cleric at Server Entrance; "toan" - Minstrel Leader at Kraken
Would be nice to have final raid with the alliance to kill sahuagin bosses.
Wow, thanks for those comments, Werelynx. Those are invaluable and the kind of things a builder looks for in feedback. Hopefully I'll be able to get to these soon but I'm currently wrapped up in a few other projects. I can say that the live version has several of the issues you highlighted addressed (the curse of running two different versions at once).
I had a good laugh when I discovered my "things that a farmer, his wife, daughter, girl, son, and pig might say" was being used for your commoners. It's been four years since I submitted that and I still get a kick out some of those one-liners!
https://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn1/hakpak/original-hakpak/custom-...
One-liners provided by: Grymlorde, Tarot Redhand, T0r0, Frith5, rjshae, CaveGnome, SHOVA, Shadowing2029, and Proleric.
Yes, I still hold that to be one of the CCC hidden gems. I took the liberty of adding my own as well as creating entire new ones that were sailor/pirate themed, drunken tavern goer, etc... Still making more for city guards and so on.