Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

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
Free download pdf