Events

1

Gellan Primewater often meets “guests” in his private chamber after council hours. The same cloaked figures arrive by carriage from the docks and leave before dawn. The once swore they saw saltwater dripping from one man’s boots.

2

Anders Solmor’s butler, Skerrin, visits the Council Hall frequently, always on “private matters.” Oddly enough, it’s the butler who does most of the speaking, while young Anders listens.

3

Copperlocks, the dwarven smith and council member, has aligned herself firmly with the Loyalists. She needs the guard’s protection for her forges and miners, but several watchmen dislike dwarves. More than one brawl has erupted in the Wicker Goat, and she’s tired of treating the guards like babysitters.

4

Eda Oweland has grown openly suspicious of smuggling operations tied to the Sea Princes. She’s been asking uncomfortable questions about the Empty Net and its patrons, especially those who arrive by small boat after nightfall.

5

Eliander Fireborn, ever the loyal Warden, seems deeply uneasy about the Iuz trade treaty. He’s hosted Captain Xendros for private dinners, claiming diplomacy, yet the servants whisper that her laughter sounds like a curse and her shadow moves long after she’s gone.

6

Late one stormy night, Keledek the Wizard was seen entering Gellan Primewater’s private office. No one saw him leave. I found a single black feather on the council stairs the next morning, not sure what that means.

1 - Brida’s Ledger

While reconciling the town’s harbor permits, Brida noticed several entries signed under “expedited trade” authorization each bearing Primewater’s seal but no matching cargo logs. She suspects forgery but fears bringing it up could cost her job.

2 - The Missing Transcript

Cora keeps detailed minutes of every council session, except one. The record of a closed meeting between Fireborn, Primewater, and Keledek is missing from the archive. She quietly removed it after realizing the ink used was mixed with powdered obsidian, a wizard’s trick for secrecy.

3 - Darrak’s Candlelight Guest

Darrak often works late, polishing the floors after dusk. Twice, he has seen Skerrin Wavechaser, Solmor’s butler, wandering the empty hall at night. Once, he was in the records room, holding a sealed envelope addressed to “His Eminence.” Darrak said nothing, but began locking the doors after dark.

4 - The Blood on the Flag

During the last autumn festival, Darrak found dried blood on the Keoland banner he raises daily. He quietly cleaned it off, but now lowers the flag each night at dusk, muttering that “loyalty to kings draws strange things to our town.”

5 - The Whispered Apology

During one heated session, Primewater muttered that if “the smugglers ever go down, I’m taking the guard with them.” Brida was within earshot but pretended not to hear, she’s been quietly terrified ever since.

6 - The Locked Drawer

Cora keeps a small drawer in the Hall of Records sealed with three locks. Inside lies a single document, a letter of revocation from the Viscounty of Salinmoor, written years ago but never enacted. If enforced, it would dissolve the Saltmarsh Council Charter and return the town to direct royal rule. She has never told anyone.

1: Execution

An execution is a rare but grim sight. A convicted bandit or pirate is to be hanged at dawn. Crowds gather and rumors spread that the condemned was silenced before revealing their employer. If the party investigates, they might discover ties to Primewater’s smuggling ring or the Scarlet Brotherhood, and someone watching them from the crowd or a connection to Captain Xendros.

2: Public Hearing

The Council calls a hearing for a local accused of murder, theft, or treason. The party is asked to sit as jury, as the council seeks impartial adventurers. The trial could reveal a smuggler posing as a fisherman, a cultist of Iuz, or a scapegoat being silenced by the powerful. Choices matter, how does it impact the parties relation with the Loyalist or Traditionalist.

3: Tax Dispute

The fishing guild accuses the dwarven miners of underpaying their tariffs, while the miners claim they’re being overcharged for “dwarven goods.” The argument turns into shouting. The council requests the party mediate or investigate records. A forged document (possibly planted by Brida’s mysterious “expedited trade” forms) may implicate Primewater or his agents. Perhaps it is the Scarlet Brotherhood trying to sow chaos.

4: The Keoland Inspector

A royal tax inspector from Nole Dra arrives unannounced to audit Saltmarsh’s finances. Fireborn is visibly tense, Gellan smugly confident, and Brida near panic. The inspector asks for the party’s escort or assistance with “security matters.” If helped, they discover that some council ledgers don’t match trade shipments a smuggler’s operation hidden in plain sight.

5: The Iuz Envoy’s Visit

An emissary of Iuz arrives under the treaty, accompanied by Captain Xendros. The atmosphere is uneasy; banners of Keoland and Iuz hang side by side. The council seeks the party’s presence as neutral observers. Strange magic disrupts the meeting, whispers of a demonic pact or sabotage surface. Fireborn later asks for quiet discretion... or assistance investigating the disturbance.

6: Missing Shipment

A merchant vessel from Seaton fails to arrive. Oweland demands a naval patrol; Gellan insists it’s just a storm delay. The council asks the party to investigate at sea. The ship’s wreck, when found, may reveal signs of Sea Prince raiders or someone local who knew its route. Returning proof could ignite conflict between factions.

7: West Bank

Some of the citizens have complained that the West Bank is not taxed, outside of Saltmarsh's juridiction. The Traditionalist want to annex the West Bank and begin taxing Sharkfin Bridge, Kester's Leather Goods, the Wicker Goat, Empty Net, Green Market, Quarter Masters of Iuz, and the Dwarven Mining Headquarters. The land on the West Bank is owned by the Kingdom of Keoland. The Loyalist are against it, as is Captain Xendros of Iuz (who is an emissary of Iuz) and Cooperlocks (head of the dwarven mining operation). Secretly, Primewater is against it, as his smuggling operation runs out of the Empty Net. This causes tension among the Loyalist and Traditionalist.

8: Disappearance of a Guard

A town guardsman vanishes during a night patrol near the Empty Net. Fireborn orders an inquiry, but Gellan urges silence “for the sake of trade.” The party is quietly hired to investigate off record. The missing guard’s trail leads to smuggling connection, sharfin bridge, or the demon-worshippers of Iuz. Their findings could embarrass the council or expose corruption.

9: The Witch’s Plea

A local woman, accused of witchcraft, is brought before the council. The party may be witnesses, advocates, or investigators. Concerns arise about the historical witch hunts and plague, the town is whispering. Her “crimes” may be minor magic or a true connection to darker forces. How the party argues or intervenes will affect their reputation with both the townsfolk and the church.

10. The Empty Chair

One council seat is suddenly vacant, its member missing, dead, or under investigation. The hall buzzes with speculation. A special election or temporary appointment is announced, and the party may be approached to back (or oppose) a candidate. Factions move quickly: the Scarlet Brotherhood, the smugglers, and even Captain Xendros may try to sway the outcome. Party must intervene, calm the council, and find the missing council member.