Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Saltmarsh Backgrounds

Part of the fun of a Saltmarsh campaign lies in play-

ing characters who have ties to the town and the area

around it. This section presents new backgrounds suit-

able for creating such characters. along with notes on

adapting characters who have backgrounds drawn from

the Player's Handbook.

This material is meant to be a tool for DMs. Once

players have decided on their characters' backgrounds,

review the material here and decide which additional

elements of their backgrounds you want to share with

them. A connection to a Saltmarsh NPC or a clue to the

Scarlet Brotherhood's presence is provided for each of

the backgrounds in the Player's Handbook. For the new

backgrounds described in full here, this information is

presented in the Saltmarsh Ties section of each entry.

ACOLYTE

A character with this background might be a follower of

Procan or a missionary of some other god sent to estab-

lish a new temple in town. Saltmarsh has never been an

overly religious place. but its prospects for growth make

it an ideal target for expansion.

ACOLYTE OF PROCAN

If you are a follower of Procan, your Shelter of the Faith-

ful feature applies to the temple of Procan in Saltmarsh.

Wellgar Brinehanded is your friend and mentor. He ex-

pects you to represent the temple in all you do.

MISSIONARY

If you revere a different deity, you own a small building

in Saltmarsh and have been charged by the elders of

your faith with establishing a shrine here. You live in the

building and have a staff of ld4 locals who have already

been recruited to your faith. Your Shelter of the Faithful

feature applies to a temple located in Seaton, the provin-

cial capital cast of Saltmarsh.

CHARLATAN

As Saltmarsh grows more prosperous, it becomes a

more attractive place for grifters such as yourself. If you

want to do business in town, you're going to cross tracks

with Winston, the eponymous owner of Winston's Store.

The halAing merchant is always looking for new wares

to add to his offerings. He knows the people of Salt-

marsh well and gives you advice on how to walk the line

between making a profit and angering the locals.

CRIMINAL

Saltmarsh might be a sleepy town, but many see it as
the ideal place to enter Keoland without drawing notice.
As a criminal in town. you are likely involved in smug-
gling and have done business with Kreb Shenker at the
Empty Net. He hires crews to manage pickups on the
coast for the smuggling kingpins in town.

ENTERTAINER

Bards and performers are always in demand in Salt-
marsh. You can use your By Popular Demand feature

to find work at the Wicker Goat or the Snapping Line.

The Wicker Goat is popular with the town guard and

the dwarves who work the mine outside town, while The

Snapping Line is frequented by fishers, sailors, and la-

borers who work the docks. Choose one of those taverns

as your preferred venue. The staff. owner, and regulars

there treat you as a friend.

FISHER

You have spent your life aboard fishing vessels or comb-

ing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps

you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with

your kin to feed your village. Maybe the job was a means

to an end- a way out of an undesirable circumstance

that forced you to take up life aboard a ship. Regardless

of how you began, you soon fell in love with the sea, the

art of fishing, and the promise of the eternal horizon.

S kill Proficiencies: History. Survival

Languages: One of your choice

Equipment: Fishing tackle. a net. a favorite fishing

lure or oiled leather wading boots, a set of traveler's

clothes, and a belt pouch containing^10 gp

FEATURE: HARVEST THE WATER

You gain advantage on ability checks made using fishing

tackle. If you have access to a body of water that sus-

tains marine life, you can maintain a moderate lifestyle

while working as a fisher, and you can catch enough

food to feed yourself and up to ten other people each day.

FISHING TALE

You can tell a compelling tale. whether tall or true. to

impress and entertain others. Once a day, you can tell

your story to willing listeners. At the DM's discretion, a

number of those listeners become friendly toward you;

this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on

their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the

following table to help determine the theme of your tale

or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively,

work with your OM to create your own fishing tale.

d8 Tale

Lobster Wrestling. You fought in hand-to-hand com-

bat with an immense lobster.

2 It Dragged the Boat. You nearly caught a fish of mon-

strous size that pulled your boat for miles.

3 Fins of Pure Gold. You caught a sea animal whose fins

were made of pure gold, but another fisher stole it.

4 Ghost Fish. You are haunted by a ghostly fish that

only you can see.

5 Nemesis Clam. A large clam containing a pearl the

size of your head claimed one of your fingers before

jetting away; one day, you'll find that clam.

6 It Swallowed the Sun. You once saw a fish leap from

the water and turn day into night.

7 Dive into the Abyss. You found yourself in an under-

water cave leading to the Abyss, and your luck has

been sour ever since.

8 Love Story. You fell in love with a creature of pure wa-

ter, but your brief romance ended tragically.

' 11/\1'1 I-R 1 I SAi^1 "'1.\R~ll

2'J