A striped sailcloth awning flutters above the shopfront, shading rolls of brightly colored fabric stacked neatly by the door. Mannequins stand outside, draped in the latest fashions, one a sailor’s coat with silver buttons, two others with flowing gowns trimmed in lace. Inside, spools of rope serve as thread stands, while finished garments hang from rafters like banners, swaying gently in the breeze.

Nelly, a sharp-eyed and precise, stitches with a sailor’s speed, her fingers as deft as a bosun tying knots in a storm. She makes everything from waterproof cloaks to officer’s coats and can embroider sea runes into clothing for “luck.”

• Hook: Nelly knows which captains are hiring, which ships are secretly outfitted with hidden cargo holds, and which noble’s daughter just ordered a cloak for a midnight “outing.” She knows and likes Anders Solmor, whom she often makes a vest or jacket for, but she does not much like Skerrin Wavechaser, his bulter. She thinks he is a bad egg.

• Twist: Some of her stitches conceal tiny charms (sea-glass, silver knots, driftwood splinters) a service she reserves for old sailors or adventurers she likes. Rumor has it one of her uniforms saved a man from drowning. If she makes someone a special garment, they gain advantage at sea in any dexterity or strength checks in a storm, the player will not know this - until it happens.

The smell of brine and sawdust clings to this narrow gallery on Sharkfin Bridge. Inside, crooked shelves and tabletops groan under the weight of sea-bleached sculptures, carved gulls, and strange shapes of twisted driftwood gathered from the coast. Sunlight filters through warped glass panes, catching on polished shells and salt-crusted knots, making the entire room gleam like a shrine to the sea.

Oakem Lotts, broad-shouldered and slow-moving, with wood dust always in his beard. He treats every piece of driftwood as if it carries a story. To casual buyers, he sells gull carvings, wall art, and trinkets. To those who ask with care, he speaks of stranger things drowned trees that whisper, ruins caught in roots, and the dangerous of the Drowned Forest.

• Wander Root Connection: Oakem is a trusted friend of the ancient treant Wander Root, who dwells in the keep at Burle. Mentioning Oakem’s name to Wander Root immediately earns goodwill and may open the way to secrets about the Dreadwood.

• Hook: Some of Oakem’s art incorporates fragments of truly ancient timber, blackened beams, rune-scratched planks, or even bones half-turned to wood. He swears they drifted from the drowned forest. Oakem knows hidden paths into the Drowned Forest, and if pressed, may offer the party a crude map. (this may help with the adventure Whispers by the River)

• Twist: In his back room stands a gnarled driftwood idol with too many eyes. When the tide is high, it sometimes weeps seawater. Oakem pretends not to notice, and he never offers it for sale.

The building looks much like any other along Sharkfin Bridge, weathered timbers, sagging beams, and salt-stained shutters. Only the faded mural of a sea goddess painted on the side wall hints at something different. A wide bay window faces the street, herbs dangling to dry behind the glass, while the upper windows spill over with greenery from crowded flower and herb boxes.

Marella: A weathered, stoop-shouldered woman with sharp eyes. Her hands are permanently stained green, her nails rimmed in salt. She moves slowly, but with purpose, like a tide that never stops.

• Hidden Shop: Marella does not advertise her trade. She only sells to those who know to knock or are quietly directed by word of mouth. To most townsfolk, she is nothing more than a reclusive widow who tends her herbs.

• Interior: The cramped single room is crowded with jars, bundles of dried kelp, and shelves heavy with driftwood boxes, shell-stoppered vials, and brine-soaked concoctions. The air smells of salt and sharp herbs, while a faint bubbling comes from seawater cauldrons simmering in the corner.

Her Remedies

For those who gain her trust, she sells:

• Kelp Poultice: Stops bleeding, restores 1d4 hp.

• Brine Draught: Blocks bad smells for 1 hour and will quickly sober one who is drunk on ale.

• Snail Elixir: Resistance to poison damage for 1 hour.

• Pearl Infusion: Restores 2d4+2 hp.

• Brinebreath Potion: Grants underwater breathing for 1 hour.

Secrets & Hooks

• The Faded Mural: The goddess painted is Geshtai (Neutral Good, goddess of Lakes, Rivers, Streams, Wells, and Fresh Water). Marella refreshes it every full moon with saltwater and kelp dye. Those with arcane sight might notice the faint shimmer of magic clinging to the mural.

• The Underwater Garden: Marella cultivates a hidden kelp grove near the bridge. At low tide she slips away, diving into the current to harvest rare herbs. Adventurers who discover this may be invited (or hired) to defend her garden from creatures of the drowned forest.

• Quiet Customers: Smugglers and sailors sometimes seek her charms for safe passage. If players follow a smuggler’s trail, it may lead straight to Marella’s faded goddess mural.