The air inside is thick with the scent of oiled leather and wood polish. Rows of finished goods hang neatly on pegs; jerkins and leather shirts, backpacks, saddlebags, and harnesses in every shade of brown and black. From somewhere in the back comes the steady tap-tap of a mallet.

You often find Hesta Kester here.

These are general gear items (some leather-based) that Kester might carry or have as accessories:

• Backpack (empty) — 2 gp

• Pouch, belt (empty) — 1 gp

• Case, map or scroll (leather-reinforced) — 1 gp

• Rope, hempen (50 ft.) — 1 gp

• Lantern, hooded / bullseye (with leather fixtures) — 7 gp / 12 gp

• Waterskin — 1 gp

• Saddlebags / harness (custom leather gear) — 4 gp

• Belts, straps, sheaths — as part of “leather goods” stock

• Leatherworkers’ tools — for purchase or commission

Leather & Crafted Goods (Kester’s Specialty)

These are items Kester is capable of making or stocking (or commission):

• Leather jerkins, leather shirts

• Saddlebags, backpacks, travel pouches

• Harnesses, bridles, straps

• Boots, gloves, gauntlets

• Belts, sheaths, holsters

• Quilted, reinforced leather jackets

• Leather armor (e.g. studded leather)

• Leather overlays or bits (e.g. decorative studs, patches)

• Custom orders: concealable pouches, hidden pockets, reinforced gear

The sharp scent of tanned hide and oil fills the air as you step inside. Warm light filters through the window. Tools, awls, hammers, and shears lie neatly arranged beside rolls of half-cut leather.

Kiorna Kester is often found here, bent over her workbench as she completes custom commissions for the town’s hunters, sailors, and guards. If she hears someone enter the shop, she will come to greet them.

When she’s away, her mother, Hesta, will work. Still crafting leather bags, satchels, and pouches with remarkable precision despite her blindness. Her hands, guided by decades of memory and touch, move with quiet confidence.

The air here is thick with the stinging scent of smoke, brine, and curing hide. Steam drifts from open vats where workers stir thick, murky water with long poles. Wooden racks stretch across the yard, hung with hides of boar, deer, and stranger beasts. A steady rhythm of scraping fills the air. Through it all, Osric Kester’s gravelly voice barks orders, counting hides, and keeping the tannery running like clockwork.

Osric Kester is here most of the time, overseeing every step of the work. Two local apprentices usually help, stirring vats, stretching hides, or salting fresh skins. They are young and eager, proud to learn the trade under Saltmarsh’s most seasoned tanner. Osric runs a strict but fair operation; he treats his workers well, pays them honestly, and they return that respect in kind, grateful for steady work and the old hunter’s gruff guidance.