Saltmarsh

Saltmarsh is a fishing settlement in Northwest Faerun along the Sea of Swords located just north of the Mere of Dead Men.
Historically a geographically and politically unimportant community, Saltmarsh has begun growing increasingly more prominent during the 1490s, largely due to the presence of the Heroes of Saltmarsh, who were instrumental in ending the 1496 Banesmark Crisis.

Demographics

Saltmarsh is predominately populated by humans that founded the modern settlement, but over the last several decades it has been growing more diverse and now is home to half-orcs, halflings, tieflings, and more. Since the 1490s, the town has gained a notable dwarven minority that work at the Saltmarsh Mine, though most are only temporary residents during their multi-year stints away from Neverwinter.
The majority of the town continues to engage in fishing practices, both for sustenance and shipping, though generalized shipping has become a larger industry as Saltmarsh has grown, due to its midpoint location between Neverwinter and Waterdeep. This ideal location has also lead to Saltmarsh being a base for many smugglers, whose existence is an open secret in the town.

Government

The Saltmarsh Town Council is responsible for running Saltmarsh's government. The council is made up of four members, one of whom is elected to be the council head. The council meets monthly to ennact laws, resolve grievances, and issue punishments, though they can meet more often in times of crisis.

Defences

While historically Saltmarsh has been protected by the Mariners, the local town militia, since 1493 a garrison of the Neverwinter Guard in town has become the de facto policing force, much to the chagrin of many Mariners and anti-Neverens. However, the Mariners still exist, and jurisdictional conflicts have often broken out between the two organizations in responding to some crimes. Additionally, while the Mariners have a few old fishing boats refitted for fighting at sea, the Neverwinter Guard is entirely land-based.
Saltmarsh is also protected by a wall on its northern entrance, where overland raids historically have come from.

History

It is not recorded when the first human settlers began living in the area of modern day Saltmarsh. During the early days of Saltmarsh's creation, the original inhabitants created or enchanted Sharkfin Bridge to repell any elves that attemtped to cross it, presumably as a result of ancient racial conflict between the species. Though the bridge still stands today, its effects have weakened to just make elven crossers nauseous. The original inhabitants also sacrificed a group of sirens on a small island just off the coast, binding their souls with a group of whistling rocks and blessing the town with bountiful harvests. None today remember this event or why the stones on the rarely visited island exist.
In 1399, the vampire Xolec arrived in Saltmarsh intending on taking it over. However, members of the Order of the Gauntlet were able to trap the vampire in the basement of a house on the town's southern coast. The defeat of Xolec inspired the creation of the Monster's Eve holiday.
During the Great Dragon War of the early 1490s, a group of pirates, naming themselves the Sea Princes, took advantage of the chaos of the war to raid up and down the Sword Coast, including Saltmarsh. Once the war ended in 1492, the Saltmarsh Town Council made a deal with Neverwinter to establish a garrison of the Neverwinter Guard in the town in order to drive off the pirates. This succeeded, but restuled in Neverwinter gaining increased influence over the town and its politics, increasing again with the establishment of the Saltmarsh Mine.
In 1496, Saltmarsh became one of the centers of secrative Banesmark Crisis. However, most of the machinations of the crisis' mastermind, the aboleth S'gothgah, was foiled by the Heroes of Saltmarsh. During the crisis, Saltmarsh joined the short-lived Dunwater Alliance, created by the lizardfolk Sunny Shore Tribe to eliminate the threat posed by a nearby warband of sahuagin. The resulting Battle of the Spire was an overwhelming victory for the alliance and Saltmarsh.
Since the Banesmark Crisis, Saltmarsh has continually reasserted its independence, even in the face of the growing influence of the Neveren Alliance.

Geography

Located just north of the Mere of Dead Men, Saltmarsh is located on coastal flatland, though one doesn't need to travel far south to encounter swampland.

A Map of Saltmarsh

The map of Saltmarsh edited by the Heroes of Saltmarsh

Type

Town

Population

2,500

Inhabitant Demonym

Marsher

Location under

Sword Coast North

Included Locations

• Haunted Mansion of Saltmarsh
• Mistmoor Mansion
• Saltmarsh Mine
• Saltmarsh Temple of Umberlee and Valkur
• Sharkfin Bridge
• Snapping Lure
• The Empty Net
• Wicker Goat

Owner/Ruler

Eda Oweland

Owning Organization

Saltmarsh Town Council

Related Tradition (Primary)

• Monster's Eve

Characters in Location

• Alexia Nester
• Aliford Tidepusher
• Anders Solmor
• Crab
• Destin Hallows
• Eda Oweland
• Eliander Fireborn
• Eluna Lindel
• Gellan Primewater
• Hanna Rist
• Immortal Valentine
• Krag
• Lankus Korrad
• Marian Brinehand
• Oceanus
• Sindy Tidepusher
• Stewart XVI
• Tom Stoutly
• Tommy Boy Spank
• Vajra Safahr
• Vanessa Kanklesten
• Will Stoutly
• Xendros

Vehicles Present

• The Big Nauti