NPCs
Donall Oweland
Master of the Fishmongers’ Plant
Traditionalist • Eda Oweland’s Brother • Respected Dock Elder
Overview
Donall Oweland runs the Fishmongers’ Plant, the beating heart of Saltmarsh’s fishing trade. Now in his late 50s, he is a lifelong fisherman with salt in his blood. He works harder than men half his age and still hauls crates, salts fish, and repairs nets alongside the deckhands. Among Traditionalists, his voice carries nearly as much weight as his sister Eda’s.
Appearance
Tall, broad-shouldered, weather-toughened
Salt-and-pepper hair, close-cropped beard
Wears an eye-patch over a long-healed accident
Faded leather apron, heavy tool belt, fishing knife
Smells faintly of brine, smoke, and salt
Hands scarred from heavy work.
Personality
Blunt, hard-edged, and fiercely loyal to the fishing community. Donall respects honest work, despises idleness, and has no patience for politics. He protects his people with the stubborn, immovable resolve. Though gruff, he’s known for quietly helping the widows and families of lost fishermen.
Traits
Ideal: “Saltmarsh is a fishing town. Always has been. Always should be.”
Bond: He will defend the fishermen and their families at any cost.
Flaw: His temper regularly boils over into confrontations, especially with Loyalists or dwarven miners.
Skills & Knowledge
Donall knows the coast from Seaton to the Dunwater Delta and the Kingfisher River up to Burle.
He can:
Sail or row any Saltmarsh-built vessel
Read currents, tides, and weather instinctively
Repair nets better and faster than anyone.
Identify fish stocks by touch and smell
Track where dwarven slurry has drifted
His coastal knowledge is unmatched in Saltmarsh.
Roleplay Donall
Voice: gravelly, clipped, straight to the point
Calls everyone “lad,” “lass,” or “boy” without irony
Rarely smiles unless speaking with children or old sailors
Constantly fiddles with rope, nets, or tools while talking
Quick to anger but equally quick to defend those he trusts
Has a soft spot for dock cats and stray dogs
He always sides with fishermen in disputes, no exceptions.
Political Stance
A Traditionalist to the core.
He openly despises the Loyalists and distrusts the dwarves, not out of racism, but because they represent the mine polluting the waters.
Common Escalations:
Has physically shoved Keoland soldiers off “his” docks
Threatened to cut off Loyalist merchants from fish supplies
Publicly accused the council of “selling Saltmarsh to the crown”
Eda regularly cleans up the mess he leaves behind
Grievances Against the Mine
Donall believes the dwarven mine along the coast is harming Saltmarsh:
Slurry and silt pollute the shallows
Fish stocks scatter or die
Crews must sail into deeper, more dangerous waters or toward the Hool Marsh
Greater risk, cost, and fewer hauls
To him, the mine is the first step toward Saltmarsh becoming another Seaton, a naval port instead of a fishing community.
Adventure Hooks
Escort the Fleet: Donall hires the party to guard fishing crews traveling toward the Hool Marsh after strange disturbances frighten the boats.
Bailout Needed: The Keoland Guard seeks Donall’s arrest for assault; Eda asks the party to calm the situation or negotiate a solution.
Something in the Water: A fisherman’s death reveals wounds inconsistent with nets or rocks. Donall demands the party investigate.
Mine Sabotage: Donall hears rumors of sabotage at the dwarven mine. He wants answers, but quietly. He did not do it, but fears he will be blamed.
Octopus Tale: Donall offers the party work after the giant octopus incident spreads through the docks.
Gitta Primewater
Master of Fish Exports & Shipping
Niece of Gellan Primewater • Traditionalist Darling • Secret Smuggler Asset
Overview
Gitta Primewater is the sharp, capable niece of Councilor Gellan Primewater and the leads Saltmarsh’s export trade. While her uncle manages politics and appearances, Gitta runs the numbers, the ships, and the flow of salted fish. If a barrel leaves Saltmarsh, she knows where it’s going, who’s carrying it, and when it should arrive.
Independent, respected, and already a force on the docks, she commands the room with precision and quiet authority.
Appearance
Naturally striking, with sun-bronzed skin and sandy blond hair tied back in a simple ponytail
Wears practical men’s fishing clothes: loose shirt, snug trousers, worn boots
Sharp blue eyes, always intense.
Often carrying a ledger, knotted string markers, or a charcoal pencil
Moves with the calm confidence of someone who understands exactly how things work
Personality
Efficient, direct, and utterly no-nonsense. Gitta runs her domain with professionalism and has no patience for idleness or excuses.
Beneath the stern exterior, she is warm to those who earn her trust. To the fishing families of Saltmarsh, she is both advocate and anchor.
Traits
Ideal: “A fair catch, a fair price, and a clean sea, Saltmarsh lives or dies by that.”
Bond: Fiercely protective of the fishing community and her crews.
Flaw: Keeps secrets too readily; believes information is harmless until it isn’t.
Roleplay
Voice: confident, controlled, occasionally biting
Always multitasking; writing notes, tallying barrels, checking schedules
Doesn’t waste words, cuts straight to the point
Rarely raises her voice except with Donall
Notices details others miss
Treats the party professionally but never forgets where alliances lie
Politics & Views
A committed Traditionalist, Gitta opposes the mine not out of emotion but because she sees its impact on fish stocks, trade, and safety.
Anti-Mine: Pollution hurts business and families.
Not Anti-Dwarf: Workers aren’t the enemy, policy is.
Pro-Fishermen: Uses her influence to pressure the council.
Strategic: Fights with facts and speeches, not fists like Donall.
Smuggling Connections (Secret)
Gitta is quietly embedded in Gellan Primewater’s smuggling network, but only as an information broker. She never handles contraband. She never meets smugglers.
She passes to her uncle:
Dock schedules
Captain availability
Lightly inspected routes
Space on departing ships
Falsified pirate reports when necessary
She believes this “harmless information” keeps the fishing economy stable and she is aware that her uncle's smuggling is just a part of the economy, helping families make ends meet. She does NOT know the extent of her uncles operation or some of the more serious and dangerous things he is involved in. If she discovered contraband being hidden in fish barrels, she would confront her uncle for endangering the town.
Relationship With Donall
Donall respects her without question and fears her temper. She is the only person who can shout him down. She often smooths over his political flare-ups and interprets his anger into practical action. Together, they form the backbone of Traditionalist Saltmarsh, heart (Gitta) and steel (Donall).
Adventure Hooks
Export Emergency: A shipment to Gradsul vanishes mid-route; Gitta hires the party to find out what happened.
Council Pressure: She asks the party to gather proof of mining pollution before the next vote.
Market Sabotage: Someone tampers with her records, she wants the culprit discreetly identified. This could lead to the pirates or Scarlet Brotherhood.
Smuggler Fallout: Gellan’s network makes a mistake; Gitta quietly asks the party to prevent escalation. She fears her uncle maybe in trouble.
The Donall Problem: After one of Donall’s blowups, she begs the party to mediate before the Loyalists retaliate. She fears for his arrest.