Page 30 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

SALTMARSH BACKGROUNDS to find work at the Wicker Goat or the Snapping Line.
The Wicker Goat is popular with the town guard and
Part of the fun of a Saltmarsh campaign lies in play-
the dwarves who work the mine outside town, while The
ing characters who have ties to the town and the area
Snapping Line is frequented by fishers, sailors, and la-
around it. This section presents new backgrounds suit-
borers who work the docks. Choose one of those taverns
able for creating such characters. along with notes on
as your preferred venue. The staff. owner, and regulars
adapting characters who have backgrounds drawn from there treat you as a friend.
the Player's Handbook.
This material is meant to be a tool for DMs. Once FISHER
players have decided on their characters' backgrounds,
review the material here and decide which additional You have spent your life aboard fishing vessels or comb-
elements of their backgrounds you want to share with ing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps
them. A connection to a Saltmarsh NPC or a clue to the you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with
Scarlet Brotherhood's presence is provided for each of your kin to feed your village. Maybe the job was a means
the backgrounds in the Player's Handbook. For the new to an end- a way out of an undesirable circumstance
backgrounds described in full here, this information is that forced you to take up life aboard a ship. Regardless
presented in the Saltmarsh Ties section of each entry. of how you began, you soon fell in love with the sea, the
art of fishing, and the promise of the eternal horizon.
ACOLYTE Skill Proficiencies: History. Survival
A character with this background might be a follower of Languages: One of your choice
Procan or a missionary of some other god sent to estab- Equipment: Fishing tackle. a net. a favorite fishing
lish a new temple in town. Saltmarsh has never been an lure or oiled leather wading boots, a set of traveler's
overly religious place. but its prospects for growth make clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
it an ideal target for expansion.
F EATU RE: HARVEST THE WATER
ACOLYTE OF PROCAN You gain advantage on ability checks made using fishing
If you are a follower of Procan, your Shelter of the Faith- tackle. If you have access to a body of water that sus-
ful feature applies to the temple of Procan in Saltmarsh. tains marine life, you can maintain a moderate lifestyle
Wellgar Brinehanded is your friend and mentor. He ex- while working as a fisher, and you can catch enough
pects you to represent the temple in all you do. food to feed yourself and up to ten other people each day.

MISSIONARY FISHING TALE
If you revere a different deity, you own a small building You can tell a compelling tale. whether tall or true. to
in Saltmarsh and have been charged by the elders of impress and entertain others. Once a day, you can tell
your faith with establishing a shrine here. You live in the your story to willing listeners. At the DM's discretion, a
building and have a staff of ld4 locals who have already number of those listeners become friendly toward you;
been recruited to your faith. Your Shelter of the Faithful this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on
feature applies to a temple located in Seaton, the provin- their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the
cial capital cast of Saltmarsh. following table to help determine the theme of your tale
or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively,
CHARLATAN work with your OM to create your own fishing tale.
As Saltmarsh grows more prosperous, it becomes a d8 T ale
more attractive place for grifters such as yourself. If you Lobster Wrestling. You fought in hand-to-hand com-
want to do business in town, you're going to cross tracks bat with an immense lobster.
with Winston, the eponymous owner of Winston's Store. 2 It Dragged the Boat. You nearly caught a fish of mon-
The halAing merchant is always looking for new wares
to add to his offerings. He knows the people of Salt- strous size that pulled your boat for miles.
marsh well and gives you advice on how to walk the line 3 Fins of Pure Gold. You caught a sea animal whose fins
between making a profit and angering the locals. were made of pure gold, but another fisher stole it.
4 Ghost Fish. You are haunted by a ghostly fish that
CRIMINAL only you can see.
Saltmarsh might be a sleepy town, but many see it as 5 Nemesis Clam. A large clam containing a pearl the
the ideal place to enter Keoland without drawing notice. size of your head claimed one of your fingers before
As a criminal in town. you are likely involved in smug- jetting away; one day, you'll find that clam.
gling and have done business with Kreb Shenker at the 6 It Swallowed the Sun. You once saw a fish leap from
Empty Net. He hires crews to manage pickups on the the water and turn day into night.
coast for the smuggling kingpins in town. 7 Dive into the Abyss. You found yourself in an under-
water cave leading to the Abyss, and your luck has
ENTERTAINER
been sour ever since.
Bards and performers are always in demand in Salt- 8 Love Story. You fell in love with a creature of pure wa-
marsh. You can use your By Popular Demand feature ter, but your brief romance ended tragically.

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