“Where loyalty to crown and loyalty to home are never quite the same thing.”

Saltmarsh was officially incorporated into the Kingdom of Keoland under the governance of the Viscounty of Salinmoor following the Azure’s Tide War in 464 CY. At that time, the region was viewed as the war torn frontier, in a war against the Sea Princes, and Keoland stationed a modest garrison to maintain order.

The original town council consisted of just two figures: the Captain of the Guard, representing the crown, and a single non-voting representative of Saltmarsh chosen by local traders. The arrangement was more symbolic than functional; all true authority rested with the military command.

When the Plague of 496 CY struck, the Keoish garrison abandoned the settlement for five years, retreating inland and leaving the townsfolk to fend for themselves. In their absence, the people of Saltmarsh learned self-reliance and self-rule. By the time the soldiers returned, it culminated in the infamous Witch Hunts of 501–502 CY, the town no longer trusted distant lords to govern their fate.

Their defiance culminated in a peaceful rebellion, with an envoy dispatched to the capital at Nole Dra demanding a local charter of self-governance. Surprisingly, the crown conceded, preferring to keep Saltmarsh loyal by a charter rather than by force in 506 CY.

The Council Hall itself was first constructed in 506 CY, a modest stone structure built on the site of the old Keoish watchhouse. In 556 CY, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Saltmarsh Charter, it was greatly expanded, a second floor, public hall, and hall of records were added, funded largely through donations from the wealthy Solmor family, who have held a council seat since the town’s founding.

Today, the Council Hall stands as one of the most ornate and distinguished buildings in Saltmarsh. Its dual banners, the lion of Keoland and the banner of Saltmarsh, fly proudly in front.

To the people of Saltmarsh, it is more than a seat of power. It is a symbol of their hard-won independence, a reminder that even under the shadow of kings and viscounts, a small town by the sea can still govern itself.

The charter granted Saltmarsh a five-member council, to rule jointly under the Viscount of Salinmoor’s oversight:

• Two members appointed by the Kingdom of Keoland and the Viscounty, one of whom serves as Council Chair and representative of the crown.

• Three members elected by the citizens of Saltmarsh, representing local trade, fishing, and guild interests.

All decisions are made democratically by majority vote, but the balance of power has always been precarious as Loyalist and Traditionalist rarely see eye to eye.

During times of crisis, invasion, or war, the charter grants the Council Chair full autonomy over civic and military decisions “to preserve the stability and security of the realm.” In practice, this clause has been invoked sparingly, yet it remains a constant source of tension between the royal loyalists and the traditionalists of Saltmarsh.

• Captain Eilander Fireborn (First Councillor) - Loyalist, Captain of the Garrison

• Eda Oweland (2nd Councillor) - Traditionalist

• Manistrad Copperlocks - Loyalist, head of the Dwarven Mining Operation

• Gellan Primewater - Traditionalist, secretly heads the smuggler operation

• Anders Solmor - Traditionalist, being manipulated by the Scarlet Brotherhood

Staff of the Council Hall

Though the council members come and go, three individuals keep the great hall of Saltmarsh running day to day.

Brida, Clerk of the Hall

Female Human (CG)

Brida manages the public reception, processing permits, tax records, and official documents for the people of Saltmarsh. She works from the front desk on the first floor, juggling endless stacks of documents and impatient visitors.

Good-natured but easily flustered, she constantly fights to keep order amidst chaos, ink-stained fingers, misplaced files, and a stream of fishermen demanding licenses or collecting money from the stalls of the weekly market. Still, she takes pride in her work and views the Council Hall as the beating heart of the town’s independence.

Personality: Earnest, talkative, overworked; her laugh is nervous but genuine.
Quirk: When overwhelmed, she hums sea shanties under her breath to stay calm.

Cora, Keeper of Records

Female Halfling (LG)

Cora serves as the record keeper and meeting scribe for the council. Calm, precise, and quietly intelligent, she maintains the Hall of Records, a vaulted chamber of ledgers, scrolls, and sealed archives dating back to the town’s founding.

She possesses a remarkable memory, able to recall nearly any council vote or decree word for word. While she prefers solitude, she cherishes her daily lunches with Brida and often acts as the woman’s voice of reason.

Personality: Patient, orderly, and wise beyond her years.
Quirk: Collects rare quills and insists that each has “a temperament of its own.”

Darrak, Keeper of the Hall

Male Human (LN)
Once a dockhand and carpenter, Darrak has tended the Council Hall for nearly four decades. He raises and lowers the banners each dawn and dusk, decorates the building for festivals, and handles all repairs with quiet pride.

He is secretly the executioner for hangings, wearing a hood as he pulls the lever trap-door below the gallows. He is not proud of this and it haunts him.

Though few notice him, Darrak hears everything, the whispers in corridors, the arguments behind closed doors, and the truths buried beneath polite speeches. He never speaks of what he knows, but his silent nods often say more than words.

Personality: Stoic, meticulous, loyal to Saltmarsh above all else.
Quirk: Keeps a small notebook of “Things That Need Fixing,” which includes both leaky roofs and troublesome politicians.