Background
Originally part of Saltmarsh’s early fish market on the east bank of the Kingfisher River. As the village grew, farmers and tradesfolk joined the fishermen, turning a weekly market into a daily one.
The Tax Revolt and the Move Across the River
After incorporation into Keoland, the crown imposed stall taxes. Fishmongers were exempt; farmers and small merchants were not.
Rather than pay, many crossed the river and set up new stalls in the open meadow beyond town jurisdiction.
This breakaway market became known as the Green Market—grass-grown, independent, and proudly untaxed
Customs & Culture
Operates daily.
Closes the first day of the week (official market day in town).
Goods are simpler, cheaper, and locally made.
Strong Traditionalist identity.
Seen as the “real Saltmarsh” by many locals.
Jurisdiction
West bank lies outside formal town taxation.
No stall tax.
Sharkfin Bridge marks the divide.
Bridgefolk pay only bridge upkeep, not civic levy.
Quiet point of frustration for the council.
Market Today
Patchwork stalls, dusty lanes, sun-bleached awnings.
Farmers, sailors, laborers, and smugglers mingle freely.
Rumors move quickly.
Less polished than east bank—but economically vital.
The Green Market is as much political statement as marketplace.
Adventure Hook
Boy in the Market
Setup:
As the party browses the Green Market, a sudden shout breaks through the air, "Stop, Thief!" A flash of movement darts between the stalls, a small figure clutching something shiny disappears behind Harvest Hallow and vanishes into the maze of wagons and crates.
Objective:
Find and catch the young thief before he slips away into the alleys.
Checks:
Investigation (DC 12–14): Following clues; dropped apple, scattered footprints, a broken basket near the wagons.
Perception (DC 13): Spotting the boy’s hiding place (beneath a cart, in a grain barrel, or among wicker bundles).
Stealth (opposed by boy’s +3): To quietly approach him without spooking him into fleeing.
The Boy – “Tobin”
An orphan, Tobin is about nine years old, barefoot, and quick. He lives beneath Sharkfin Bridge, surviving on scraps, handouts, and the kindness of certain market folk. If caught, he’s terrified but not malicious, he only stole a heel of bread or a small trinket to sell for food.
If the players treat him kindly, he’ll share what he knows, things he’s seen while “hiding where no one looks.”
Tobin Rumors and Leads
Rumor Table
d12 | Rumor |
|---|---|
1 | “There’s a crazy old man locked up in the barracks jail.” |
2 | “There’s a man under the bridge who eats dead things.” |
3 | “Sometimes the old wizard’s tower glows blue at night.” |
4 | “I heard the lizard people go to a shrine on the Dunwater River and they make a party and even have sex. I swear, its true." (Stone Shine) |
5 | "Fisherman talk about spooky lights at the old fort on the coast." (Bale Keep) |
6 | "There is an old tower on the Dunwater River, the entire top is missing. Heard some smugglers talking about it." (Tower Ruins) |
7 | "I have seen Kedge rowing his boat out around the point. I hear him speak of sea caves." (Sea Caves) |
8 | "Toran, the hunter, disappeared in the Drowned Forest. Heard that the garrison went looking for him and didn't find anything." (Quest: Kester's Last Hunt) |
9 | "Saw Teagan the guard from the City Gate in a cloak at the Empty Net. They called him 'Silkhand'." (Quest: Test of Loyalty) |
10 | "Some say, if you get in trouble, you can always find a home at the Stockade on the Dunwater." (Outlaw Stockade) |
11 | "Heard someone said there is a pirate ship in the trees somewhere in the Drowned Forest." (Hanging Wreck) |
12 | "Heard there is a giant statue of a frog made out of animal poop on the Dunwater River." (Toad Statue) |