Game 27

Dungeon Module U1
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

(1981)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Realm Review:

Quite possibly the best introductory adventure ever published, and certainly one of the best exports from the UK in the 1980's. The plot twists and thickens in this adventure, all the while never overcoming its target levels, a trait all but unknown in more recent attempts at module publications. A band of first through third level PCs can make their way through this adventure with a sizeable amount of risk, but with a strong chance of harrowing survival. A longstanding classic that should be experienced by every AD&D gamer at some point, Don Turnbull and Dave J. Browne outdid themselves on this one!

Realm Rating: 5/5

 

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Collected reviews on Game 27:

A good short trip. A well-developed little town, seems a waste for such a small adventure. Also, there were too many loose ends for my taste. I hope to see a follow-up visit someday.

Heya!

I forgot whether I e-mailed you about this or not... But I downloaded Saltmarsh a while ago, and played it. I thought it was pretty neat, as it had some adventure-game-like interaction. (This analogy came to mind because I've been playing the first Gabriel Knight game.)

I haven't seen the usual "congratulations, you have won!" message, but I did get the congrats from the local noble after finishing off the bandits. Is that normal, or did I miss something?

Is there an advantage to allowing that Neutral Evil thief to joining you, besides the added manpower? Is there a hidden disadvantage? Right after he joined, I went back to the village, and of course he left the party.

There is a house in the village which is locked. I'm assuming it was part of the second part of the module, the part which you chose not to include? Not having read the module, I don't know much about it, of course...

Okay, I'm done now. Looking forward to hearing from you again!

(Editor's note: There is not the typical "Congratulatory message" at the end of this design. Normally, the game isn't over until the text says it's done, but this game is not really finished yet; there's still U1b, U2 and U3 coming…)

With a title like that, this would have to be a conversion of Jean Rabe module, right? I mean, the name's one step ahead of Terrible Trouble at Tragidore...

Thankfully, this is not the case. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, originally published as U1 in the golden age of TSR - it was designed by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull - is an excellent example of a low-level moodule, beautifully converted to UA by Ray Dyer.

I regret that I've never read or played the original module, but this conversion was extremely enjoyable. The level of detail, both art and textual, in the haunted house was exceptional - especially the empty shelves and desks.

The module is not entirely without flaw - it seems a little short, and some plot leads aren't followed up upon. However these are very, very minor flaws compared to the enjoyment I derived from playing the module. I highly recommend this to all FRUAites out there, and it is also a good introductory module for new players.

I give this module 9 out of 10.

Cheers,

Merric

As it stands, I quite enjoyed "Saltmarsh." My characters all got up to 2nd or 3rd level by the end, thanks to the amount of loot we gathered throughout the adventure (bolts of cloth, casks, magic books, etc.) We had a tough time with the skeletons in the cellar and the smugglers and illusionist down in the caves. All but two of my characters went down in each fight, but we prevailed, and retreated back to town to rest up and heal. We also had some tough times after plunging through rotten floors. But in the end, we prevailed.

This was a VERY good low-level adventure. It was very balanced, with just enough tough challenges to keep my party on their toes. I don't remember any bugs, though I do seem to remember one somewhere in the house, where something didn't seem to work quite right. Unfortunately, I can't remember where it was. It wasn't a big bug, just seemed like the events didn't fire quite right. Sorry I can't be more specific.

Follow Mr. Flopsy Ears back to The Southlands page.

All of the preceding modules and game worlds are trademarked property of TSR Inc, which is now the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. I take no credit for the stories or ideas presented here, I merely converted them to a playable format for SSI's Unlimited Adventures game.