City Gate
artwork by Hardi
Arrival at the City Gate
The old wall is weathered and broken in places, but still anchored by the main gate, where heavy oak doors stand between two squat stone towers that serve as a guard house.
Just inside the wall lies a small guard encampment: canvas tents, stacked crates, a cookfire, and tethered horses. Guards linger nearby, watching travelers come and go.
Key Details
Approximately 20 feet high and built of old stone. In places the masonry is weathered, cracked, or beginning to crumble. The wall runs from Javan Bay to the Kingfisher River, enclosing Saltmarsh’s western approach.
Heavy oak doors banded with iron. Normally left open during the day and barred after dark.
Gate: AC 15; 150 HP
Contains the watch room, weapons, patrol records, and space for guards currently on duty. Spears, shields, longbows, and several dozen arrows are kept inside.
A small working camp for guards. Tents, supplies, horses, and a cookfire and a couple of guards mill about. It also serves as a staging point for expeditions into the Hool Marsh.
Download City Gate Assets
FREE PDF GUIDE
Adventure Pack (maps, tokens, artwork)
Foundry Module VTT (village of Saltmarsh)
Background & Watch
The city wall and gate were built during Azure’s Tide in 450 CY, when Saltmarsh served as an important Keoish supply port. Once defended by more than twenty soldiers, the western fortifications now consist of a single main gate flanked by two guard posts.
Today, only two guards are normally on duty. One watches the gate while another patrols the nearby wall or guard house. Shifts change every six to eight hours.
Watch: Captain Arlen Vorth commands the day watch; Olin Greybuckle serves evenings; Teagan Varnell serves nights. Each is accompanied by a member of the Saltmarsh Guard.
Traffic: The gate sees little traffic beyond hunters, crabbers, fishermen, and adventurers.
Adventure Seeds
d6 | Adventure seed |
|---|---|
1 | Unmarked Crates. A pair of fishermen bring several sealed crates through the gate after dusk. Teagan waves them through without inspection. |
2 | Missing Patrol. Two guards sent west along the old coastal road fail to return. Their last route took them toward the ruins. |
3 | Night Landing. A guard reports lantern signals from the coast beyond the gate. By morning, fresh cart ruts lead inland from an isolated cove. |
4 | Olin’s Story. Slightly drunk, Olin recalls seeing armed men moving goods along the old road at night. By morning, he claims not to remember saying it. |
5 | Teagan’s Diversion. Teagan sends the characters to investigate tracks near the ruins while smugglers move contraband through the gate behind them. |
6 | Arlen’s Request. Convinced someone within the guard is corrupt, Arlen asks the characters to watch the gate discreetly and report who passes after dark. |
Become a supporting member to access Art Assets, Foundry adventures, and more. Click here.
Free PDF Guide