Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Jeff_L) #1
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Ideal. Curiosity and hard work mark everything
Manistrad does. Once she is interested in a topic,
she is relentless in learning about it. Obstacles don't
s low her down.
Bond. Manistrad is intensely loyal to her kinfolk and
t he mining operation her clan seeks to establish here.
Threats to the livelihood of the dwarves earn her wrath.
Flaw. Manistrad has little patience; she tends to push
for quick results over a more measured approach.

THE LOYALISTS IN PLAY
T he loyalists a re focused on two things: ensuring that
the dwarven mine is a success, and clamping down on
smuggling to keep the Sea Princes in check. The mine
is the most precious commodity in the region for this
faction, and its members do everything they can to sup-
port it. If word of any Sea Prince activity reaches the
loyalists, they are quick to meet the threat.

LOYALIST SAMPLE EVENTS
d20 Event
1- 6 The town guard cracks down on smuggling, going
house to house in search of contraband.
7-10 A tribe of marauders (gnolls, ores, or goblins)
moves into the area, putting the town on alert and
forcing Eliander to call out the militia. The tradi·
tionalists chafe under his orders.
11-1 2 A mass breakout allows a crew of smugglers to es-
cape the dungeons, increasing te nsion in town.
13-14 The dwarves make a spectacular find in the mine,
sparking plans to expand their presence and the
docks.
15-16 Eliander and the town guard are called away to help
deal with a threat from the Dreadwood, leaving
behind only a skeleton crew to keep the peace and
watch the mine.
1 7- 18 A new wave of immigrants from the north arrives
in town, tilting the population such that the loyal·
ists might win a majority in the next town council
election.
19 A bloody battle against pirates leaves a Keoish na·
val squadron undermanned. The squadron comes
to town to press local sailors into service. Eliander
secretly passes along the names of hotheaded t ra·
ditionalists for the press gangs to target.
20 Having found enough evidence to charge him,
Eliander seizes Gellan and ships him to Seaton to
face charges of smuggling. Riots break out in town.

SCARLET BROTHERHOOD
The Scarlet Brotherhood claims that the bloodline of its
followers traces back to an ancient empire, the Suel lm-
perium, and their goal is to restore the old Suloise noble
houses to prominence in the world. As scions of a realm
that once enjoyed unmatched arcane power and a vast
dominion, its members see themselves as superior to all
other folk and the only ones fit to ru le.
For decades, this group has been concocting a con-
spiracy to spread fear, chaos, and uncertainty across the

CltAP1 EH 1 S \1-J \HRSll

land. When the time is right, the Brotherhood w ill strike
to seize the reins in kingdoms all across the world. Al·
ready its assassins have s lain those who might oppose
their sinister plans. In almost every court in the land,
from the most remote backwater barony to the imperial
courts of world powers, the Brotherhood's agents have
quietly assumed positions of influence.
In Saltmarsh, the Brotherhood supports councilman
Anders Solmor and his family's trade cartel. They hope
to use Anders to destabilize the region, weaken the
crown, and clear the way for the Scarlet Brotherhood to
seize control. The Brotherhood arranges for the Solmor
ships to meet with eager merchants in distant ports who
pay well above market value for his goods, ensuring his
popula rity and dependence on Brotherhood contacts.
The Brotherhood plans to surround him with their
advisers and functionaries to ensure that Saltmarsh
develops under their control. They intend to ignite open
war between Keoland and the Sea Princes, leaving
both realms battered and weakened while the Brother-
hood moves in.
Unlike the other factions in Saltmarsh, there is no
good s ide to the Scarlet Brotherhood. As unrepentant
megalomaniacs, they are villains through and through.

ANDERS SOLMOR
Young Anders (LG male human noble) recently inher-
ited his family's fleet of fishing boats after the untimely
death of his mother, Petra. He's the youngest person
ever to be elected to the council. Brash and inexperi-
enced. Anders is a slight man with sharp features and
a toothy smile. His recent forays into trade have made
him a local celebrity. Since Anders owns both a fishing
fleet and several trading vessels, he can sell his catch at
a highly competitive price. And he can offer better prices
for the other fishers in town to sell to him, since his
catch brings in so much more profit.
Everyone involved in the town's fishing industry sup-
ports Anders, and his energy and ambition have made
him something of a folk hero on the docks. On the other
hand, his open opposition to smuggling and his hatred
of the Sea Princes' practice of slavery makes him a
thorn in the smugglers' side.
Unbeknownst to Anders, his butler, Skerrin Wave-
chaser, is an agent for the Scarlet Brother hood. He
engineered the death of Anders' mother and has placed
a number of Brotherhood agents in key positions in the
Solmor fleet.
Personality Traits. Anders is sunny and optimistic.
He sees the potential for profit and opportunity in every
challenge. Unfortunately, he is too young to temper his
views with a realistic assessment of the risks.
Ideal. Anders believes that freedom is the root of hap-
piness. He pays his employees well and wants to help
Saltmarsh grow into a prosperous town. Above all else,
be hates the Sea Princes and wants to see their realm
and its slave trade scoured from the earth.
Bond. Anders's mother Petra was the center of his
life, and his sense of responsibility stems from her ex-
ample. Every important decision he makes is guided
by his desire to live up to her standards. If Skerrin is
implicated in her murder, his hold over Anders would be
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