Ghosts of Saltmarsh

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
HISTORICAL RESEARCHER

The graveyard keeper, Krag, and the captain of the
guard. Eliander, are both experts in local history. You
might have arrived in town to conduct research and
have made their acquaintance. Eliander grants you
access to his personal library and uses his consider-
able knowledge of languages to translate documents
you find, while Krag works with you to catalog the li-
brary's contents.


ARCANE SEEKER
The wizard Keledek hired you to help him with a few of
his projects. He was not a kind master, but he paid well
enough. You helped him organize a set of ancient books.
identify potions. and verify the authenticity of several al-
chemical recipes. He has since discharged you from his
service. Keledek was always cool toward you. but he had
some business dealings with the charismatic merchant
Gellan Primewater. You have dined in Gellan's mansion
a few times, and he has mentioned that he sometimes
needs help identifying some of the odds and ends his
crews bling back to port.

SAILOR
Countless sailors have walked the streets of Saltmarsh.
If you select this background, decide whether you are a
local who took to the seafaring life or a foreigner who
arrived here from a distant port.

LOCAL SEA DOG
As a sailor native to town, you know plenty of people
down by the docks. You have friends in the Oweland
family who can get you access to Eda, a prominent lo-
cal leader, as needed. You also have friends among the
sailing crews and know the best and worst of the busi-
nesses that cater to them.

TRAVELER FROM AFAR
You are new in town and are unfamiliar to most locals.
You know the ways of the sea, however, and you blend
in at the docks with ease. You can mingle with foreign
crews, learn news from them, and strike up easy friend-
ships. Some of them have contacts with local smugglers,
and you have heard that there are hidden sea caves
outside town where the wizard Keledek trades in ar-
cane goods.

SHIPWRIGH T
You have sailed into war on the decks of great ships,
patching their hulls with soup bowls and prayers. You
once helped build a fishing vessel that single-handedly
saved a town from starvation. You have seen a majestic
prow in your dreams that you have not been able to
replicate in wood. Since childhood, you have loved the
water and have been captivated by the many vessels that
travel on it.
Skill Proficiencies: History. Perception
Tool Proficiencies: Carpenter's tools, vehicles (water)
Equipment: A set of well-loved carpenter's tools. a
blank book, 1 ounce of ink, an ink pen. a set of travel-
er's clothes. and a leathrr pouch with^10 gp

FEATURE: I'LL PATCH IT!
Provided you have carpenter's tools and wood. you can
perform repairs on a water vehicle. When you use this
ability, you restore a number of hit points co the hull of
a water vehicle equal to 5 x your proficiency modifier. A
vehicle cannot be patched by you in this way again until
after it has been pulled ashore and fully repaired.

L IFE AT SEA
Your life at sea and in port has shaped you; you can roll
on the following table to determine its impact or choose
an element that best fits your character.

d6 Sea's Influence
Grand Designs. You are working on plans and sche·
matics for a new, very fast ship. You must examine
as many different kinds of vessels as possible to help
ensure the success of your design.
2 Solid and Sound. You patched up a war galley and
prevented it from sinking. The local navy regards you
as a friend.
3

4

5

6

Favored. You insisted on thicker planking for a mer-
chant vessel's hull, which saved it from sinking when
it smashed against a reef. You have a standing invita·
tion to visit the merchant's distant mansion.
Master of Armaments. You specialized in designing
and mounting defenses for the navy. You easily recog-
nize and determine the quality of such items.
Low Places. You have contacts in the smuggling out-
fits along the coast; you occasionally repair the crimi-
nals' ships in exchange for coin and favors.
Mysteries of the Deep. You experienced an encounter
with a possibly divine being while sailing alone. Work
with your DM to determine the secret about the deep
waters of the sea that this entity revealed to you.

SUCCESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Shipwrights are resourceful carpenters and designers.
They often have a dedicated spol al the local tavern,
since shipwrights are invaluable to coastal communi-
ties. Some travel with naval neels and m ight serve as of-
ficers if their temperament suils il. Shipwrights have an
affinity for working with their hands and often perform
feats of carpentry that others might deem miraculous.

SHIPWRIGHT PERSONALITY TRAITS
d8 Personality Trait
I love talking and being heard more than I like to
listen.
2 I'm extremely fond of puzzles.
3 I thrive under pressure.
4 I love sketching and designing objects, especially
boats.
5 I'm not afraid of hard work-in fact, I prefer it.
6 A pipe, an ale, and the smell of the sea: paradise.
7 I have an endless supply of cautionary tales related to
the sea.
8 I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

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