Saltmarsh
Saltmarsh is a nondescript fishing village tucked away on the western coast of the Kingdom of Keoland.
Saltmarsh, remote though it might be from the center of power in Keoland, is entering a new phase of its life as it reacts to the king’s plans. The crown’s agents want to expand the village’s port and make it a prime location for trade with the world beyond. In another recent development, a band of dwarves — bearing a decree from the king himself — have arrived and begun to excavate the hills and seaside cliffs near town, looking for precious metals. If their work bears fruit as expected, the mine stands to become a major factor in the village’s — and, indeed, the entire region’s — prosperity.
Naturally, not all of Saltmarsh’s residents feel the same way about the recent developments in and around their community, which is the key issue that affects their lives and livelihood. Although the recent changes stand to bring new prosperity to the area, many locals don’t want to see their home changed.
Saltmarsh, remote though it might be from the center of power in Keoland, is entering a new phase of its life as it reacts to the king’s plans. The crown’s agents want to expand the village’s port and make it a prime location for trade with the world beyond. In another recent development, a band of dwarves — bearing a decree from the king himself — have arrived and begun to excavate the hills and seaside cliffs near town, looking for precious metals. If their work bears fruit as expected, the mine stands to become a major factor in the village’s — and, indeed, the entire region’s — prosperity.
Naturally, not all of Saltmarsh’s residents feel the same way about the recent developments in and around their community, which is the key issue that affects their lives and livelihood. Although the recent changes stand to bring new prosperity to the area, many locals don’t want to see their home changed.
Demographics
Predominantly human, with the dwarven mining contingent of about 200 workers the largest non-human faction in town. Elves and halflings draw no special notice, since the Silverstand hosts a wood elf enclave and a few halfling villages are tucked in the hills around town. The residents react to other visitors, especially tieflings and dragonborn, with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
Government
A local council oversees most day to day operations with and around the town.
Local Law Enforcement
The town guard arrests lawbreakers and imprisons them in the town jail. In most cases, criminals pay a fine and are let go. Those who cannot pay are required to work off their debt, usually put to work sweeping streets or helping with construction projects. If a crime requires a trial, the town council hears evidence and renders a verdict. Crime breaks down into three basic categories in Saltmarsh. Petty Crime. Public unarmed brawling, pickpocketing, and other crimes that cause up to 50 gp in property damages are classified as petty crimes. The accused pays a fine of 2-12 gp, or one day of hard labor per gold piece owed. Minor Crime. Armed assault, defined as any nonfatal attack made with a weapon, along with any other assault or property crimes that cause more than 50 gp in damages, but less than 250 gp, are minor crimes. The perpetrator must pay a fine of 100 gp and serve 1-4 years in prison or at forced labor. Major Crime. Crimes more severe than those outlined above, including murder, are major crimes. The criminal faces 2-20 years of imprisonment, though serious cases earn the death penalty. In most instances, these crimes are dealt with in Seaton, the provincial capital located east of Saltmarsh.Defences
Saltmarsh is a bastion of civilization in the midst of an untamed region. Without its stout defenders, it might have long ago fallen to the depredations of outsiders.
Militia and Defense
One hundred trained warriors serve in the town guard. Each of them wears studded leather armor marked with a town guard’s badge — the green reed of Saltmarsh — and is armed with a club while patrolling in town. The guards work in pairs, operating from two guardhouses built near the road into Saltmarsh. A smaller station at the docks quells the fights that break out there nightly. The captain of the town guard is Eliander Fireborn. The guard also patrols the area around Saltmarsh on horseback. Groups assigned to this duty are more heavily armed and armored; they wear chain mail and wield longswords and heavy crossbows. A militia of five hundred residents can be mustered to take up the defense of the town if it comes under attack. The militia members have undergone minimal training, since they are expected only to keep an enemy at bay until the king’s forces arrive. A small force of marines watches over the docks and, if needed, can take to sea to meet the threat of a pirate ship or sahuagin incursion. The marines are hardened veterans of several battles against the Sea Princes. They are led by a married couple, Tom and Will Stoutly, veterans who have fought dozens of engagements against pirates, raiders, and monsters. The guard is seen as something of a meddlesome force, since most of its members are drawn from the military veterans who migrated here with the crown’s blessing. Townsfolk tend to see them as brutish thugs, though they are quick to call them when trouble arises.Industry & Trade
Saltmarsh might be encrusted in sea salt and reek of rotting fish guts, but there is gold aplenty in the coffers of its citizens. For more than a century, the ships of Saltmarsh have worked the rich fishing grounds along the coast. Trade ships from near and far have been using the docks to unload their goods, and lately more ships have come to call as the dwarven mining operation grows. Smuggling has also long been a profitable business here.
The dwarven mining operation promises to bring about a rapid growth in Saltmarsh’s fortunes. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing depends on who you ask. The merchants look forward to more business, but the fishers don’t see how the mines will do anything to enrich their coffers. If anything, they fear that competition for fish will become more ferocious as the town grows.
Fishing
More folk in town work in the fishing industry than any other, and it has been the backbone of Saltmarsh for generations. The wealthier families own their own boats, while less well-to-do folk hire out to work as deckhands. The work is difficult and dangerous, but a smart deckhand can save money for several years and eventually buy their own boat. That promise of earned prosperity is important to the townsfolk, and they see newcomers as a threat to it.Trading
The wealthiest families in town own large trading vessels that they use to ship goods across the Azure Sea. Saltmarsh exports other foodstuffs from the farms around town. Most manufactured goods, except for rope, nets, and other items created locally to support the fishing industry, are imported into town.Smuggling
As a sleepy backwater town, Saltmarsh has long been an ideal market for illegal goods. Pirates, agents of the Sea Princes, and Keoish nobles looking to evade the king’s taxes have all helped fuel a bustling local black market. Some fishing boats meet ships at sea to load and unload illegal goods, while other cartels conduct business at isolated points along the shore near town. The locals see smuggling as a victimless crime and resent the crown’s growing insistence on cracking down on it.Mining
The mine outside town is a new development. Despite the skepticism of the locals, the mine has started to yield silver in growing quantities, and the dwarves are convinced that the nearby cliffs are rich with gold. If the mine takes off, Saltmarsh could transform into a sprawling boomtown overnight.Guilds and Factions
Mariner's Guild and Carpenter's Guild
History
Decades ago, the pirates who prowled the waters off Saltmarsh grew strong enough to create their own realm, a loose confederacy known as the Hold of the Sea Princes. With the rise of that nation came increased raids on Saltmarsh and its neighbors. The Sea Princes’ raiding ships pillaged the coast for more slaves to support their growing realm, and Saltmarsh suffered heavily. The memories of those times loom heavily over the area, and the locals’ hatred of the Sea Princes runs deep.
Tourism
Docks
The docks of Saltmarsh are the beating heart of the town. The fishing trade and related commerce that keep the town alive are based here. The docks have recently undergone a series of expansions intended to lure larger merchant vessels into the port. Two primary piers are used to load and unload large ships, while a series of smaller ones accommodate humbler vessels. This part of Saltmarsh is almost constantly busy; it’s rare to see the large piers unoccupied. Guarded warehouses are a common sight in this district, and it is considered suspicious behavior to walk near those places at night. The docks are a hotbed of rumors and gossip. The sailors and laborers who frequent this area are bored, eager for news, and inclined to share what they have heard. A character who spends a few hours asking for news can learn the current scuttlebutt.The Weekly Market
Type
Town
Population
5,000
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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