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

Role: Owner, The Tidal Tailor
Race: Human
Alignment: Neutral
NPC Type: Commoner

Look: Sharp-eyed and precise, with round spectacles and sleeves perpetually rolled. Moves her needle with sailor’s speed, fingers nimble as rigging knots in a gale.

Use at the Table: Quick, practical, and attentive. Notices fabric quality—and character—at a glance.

Hook: Knows which captains are hiring, which ships are secretly refitted, and which noble ordered a cloak for a midnight outing. Friendly with Anders Solmor; distrustful of his butler, Skerrin.

Twist: Sometimes hides tiny charms in her stitching—sea-glass, silver knots, driftwood splinters.

On rare occasions, her garments seem to grant uncanny luck at sea… though she never advertises it.

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

Role: Owner, Driftwood Emporium
Race: Human
Alignment: Neutral Good
NPC Type: Veteran w/ mace, dagger, leather armor

Look: Broad-shouldered and slow-moving, with gray in his beard and wood dust clinging to it. Rough hands, steady eyes. Smells faintly of sap and salt.

Use at the Table: Speaks thoughtfully, as if choosing words like carving lines. Treats driftwood as relic, not scrap.

Hook: Sells carvings and trinkets from driftwood—some made from ancient, blackened timber pulled from the Drowned Forest. Knows hidden paths into the forest and may sketch a crude map if trust is earned.

A trusted friend of the treant Wander Root in Burle—mentioning Oakem’s name earns goodwill.

Twist: In his back room stands a gnarled driftwood idol with too many eyes. At high tide, it weeps seawater. Oakem pretends not to notice. 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

Role: Sea Herbalist
Race: Human
Alignment: Neutral
NPC Type: Commoner

Look: Weathered and stoop-shouldered, with sharp gray eyes and hands permanently stained green. Nails rimmed with salt. Moves slowly but deliberately, like the tide.

Use at the Table: Soft-spoken and direct. Watches before speaking. Does not waste words or remedies.

Hook: Sells rare sea herbs, poultices, and tinctures to those who know to knock. Word-of-mouth clients include sailors, smugglers, and the occasionally desperate.

Twist: Keeps remedies not listed in any herbal guide—salves for strange rashes, dreams of drowning, and wounds that smell faintly of brine. She never asks where such injuries come from.

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.