Gellan Primewater

• Faction: Traditionalist

• Council Role: Senior Member

• Race: Human

• Gender: Male

• Alignment: Neutral Evil

• Profession: Merchant

• Age: 60s

• NPC Type (5e): Noble

A charming and well-groomed man in his early sixties, Gellan Primewater dresses like a wealthy merchant, favoring tailored coats and fine silks in rich, vibrant colors. His salt-and-pepper hair is neatly combed back, and his sharp blue eyes gleam with intelligence and mischief. He often wears gold rings and a polished cane, exuding the air of a man accustomed to wealth and influence.

Charming, smooth-talking, and shrewd, Gellan thrives on social connections and clever maneuvering. He uses his charisma and wealth to build alliances and maintain his popularity in Saltmarsh, but underneath his polished exterior lies an opportunist with little regard for morality. Gellan prefers subtle manipulation over overt conflict and is a master at concealing his true intentions behind an easy smile and generous acts.

• Cunning: Always thinking several steps ahead, Gellan navigates challenges with finesse.

• Charismatic: He has an effortless charm that draws people to him.

• Pragmatic: Gellan values results over principles, willing to bend or break the rules to achieve his goals.

• Secretive: Few know the full extent of his smuggling operations, and he works tirelessly to keep it that way.

• Personality Traits. Gellan relishes his role as the town’s flamboyant sophisticate, indulging in fine wine, exquisite cuisine, and the latest fashions. A devoted patron of the arts, he spares no expense in sponsoring festivals, theatrical performances, and concerts, reveling in the admiration his generosity brings.

• Ideal. Ambition is a virtue. Gellan believes success belongs to those who take risks and seize opportunities, no matter the cost.

• Bond. Saltmarsh is his stage, and he intends to remain its leading player. He sees the town’s prosperity as both a personal achievement and a foundation for his legacy.

• Flaw. Gellan’s greed and ambition often blind him to long-term consequences, and his involvement in illegal activities is a constant threat to his carefully crafted reputation.

• Eda Oweland

• Anders Solmor

Gellan Primewater began as a legitimate merchant from Seaton, but his path changed after the death of his brother—a licensed privateer killed by the Keoland Navy and quietly dismissed as an “error.” The crown offered no apology and no restitution. Gellan never forgave it.

Shortly thereafter, he married Maris Weller and moved to Saltmarsh, inheriting the old Weller estate and its forgotten tunnels. What began as trade hardened into defiance. Using textile and lumber exports as cover, Gellan expanded into smuggling; moving contraband, including slaves, between Keoland and the Sea Princes. Through this trade, he forged profitable ties with the Sea Princes and built wealth far beyond what lawful commerce could provide.

For years, Saltmarsh’s obscurity allowed his operation to flourish. As Keoland’s loyalists and naval interests turned their attention toward the town, smuggling became riskier and margins tighter. Now Gellan balances two lives: publicly a generous councilor and patron of Saltmarsh, privately the architect of a criminal network determined to survive growing scrutiny—and a crown he no longer trusts.

As a member of the town council, Gellan represents the interests of the wealthier merchant class. Publicly, he pretends to care little about council debates, often deferring to Eda Oweland’s positions to maintain a facade of indifference. In truth, this is a calculated ruse to mask his efforts to protect his smuggling operation from scrutiny. Gellan uses his position to support the traditionalists’ agenda, ensuring minimal interference with his activities while opposing any moves by the crown’s loyalists that could jeopardize his business. He also invests heavily in public goodwill, funding feasts, festivals, and improvements that make him popular among the townsfolk.

Gellan’s wealth gives him significant influence in Saltmarsh, and his lavish donations and extravagant social events have earned him the loyalty of many townsfolk. However, his ambition and smuggling activities often put him at odds with the crown’s loyalists, who suspect his involvement in illegal trade but lack evidence to act against him. Gellan also faces growing tensions with Eda Oweland, whose unwavering focus on the fishing community clashes with his mercantile interests. If his connections to the Sea Princes or his involvement in slave trading were ever exposed, it would destroy his carefully maintained reputation and likely cost him his life.