[Information] Travel Log

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Important information about the world can be found here. This will be updated as needed.

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Saltmarsh at a glance

Situated on the eastern shore of the Southrun, the town of Saltmarsh was once actually part of Westcrown 70 years ago; unofficially part of the Rego Funda (farm sector) despite it‘s distance from the actual rego. Before Aroden’s fall it was the poorer sector of the city, a place where much of the flotsam and garbage from the city and further upstream would gather on its shores. It didn’t help that much of Westcrown’s meat was produced by it’s many slaughter houses.

When Aroden died, Saltmarsh dug in it’s heels and waited out the chaos. They declared themselves independent of the fallen capital and sided with whoever offered them the best deal. They also had no qualms about bowing to new leaders when power changed hands. In this way they avoided much of the destruction that befell Westcrown.

Today, under the rule of House Thrune, Saltmarsh bows to the laws of hell and it’s worship. However, within recent years a new religion has been hedging on Asmodeus’ worship. This new religion, based on a minor god of luck named Jodai, has been gaining ground and urging it’s worshipers to realize their own destiny and desires as separate from those of the empire. This has led to a fierce feeling of independence among the population’s younger folk. Many of the older citizens worry that soon the empire or the Hellknight Order of the Rack will come to investigate and quash any rebellious talk.

Then Crimson began his murdering spree and things got worse.

For months he eluded capture, committing dozens of murders and slaughtering any bounty hunter or mercenary that tried to capture him. Finally, a group of Hellknights from the Order of the Scourge were summoned to the town, tracked Crimson to his hideout, and killed him. Those that survived the melee dragged his corpse to the town hall and left, their work done.

Now Saltmarsh is in disarray. Public trust in the church of Asmodeus and the local government is strained to the breaking point. Everyone is angry, but there’s no outlet for it. One more disaster could send Saltmarsh over the edge. To help his citizens deal with their grief, Mayor Timertikos has decided to publicly burn Crimson’s body before burying his last victim. To this end he and the other members of the council have been looking for able bodied individuals to help keep the crowd in line and assist the dottari (guards).

People-

Township: Roughly 480 persons(86 are slaves of varying degrees). In general they either work at the halite(rock salt) mines, slaughter houses, at the blood clay pits, or at one of the three farms outside of Saltmarsh. Others find jobs at the taverns or shops that cater to the workers. There are at least twenty dottari, several permanent clergy members of both churches, and six seats on the town council.

Prominent NPCs

Mayor Erolin Timertikos: Current mayor of Saltmarsh and former duxotar(guard captain). In contrast to some mayors of Cheliax, in particular Lord Mayor Aberian Arvnxi of Westcrown, Erolin actually cares about his townsfolk and doesn’t live as luxuriously as possible. He doesn’t like parading Crimson around town, but the council convinced him that it was best to show that no one escapes the law in Cheliax and that the citizens can breath easy again.

Councilman Tomas Aldrin: The most popular council member and local favorite to become the next mayor should anything happen to Mayor Timertikos. He’s a consummate politician and usually has an agenda for everything he does, but he’s charming and witty enough that most people brush it off.

Duxotar Milston Pardesh: Pardesh assumed the position of Duxotar after Erolin became mayor. He’s a stern and orderly man that demands similar behavior from those around him. There’s no love lost for Pardesh amoung the younger folk, but he runs the watch capably with military precision.

Warale Essryn: A minor official in Asmodeus’ church, Warale acts as the voice of the church in Saltmarsh. He spends most of his time tending to the town’s divine needs, but often keeps his eyes on members of the church of Jodai. So far his calls for inquisitors to investigate this so-called church have fallen on deaf ears.

Audry Lilybrook: Priestess of the luck god Jodai, Audry is a charismatic and energetic woman. Her passion for life has ignited a dormant spark in many of Saltmarsh’s people and her congregation has grown from a handful of people to nearly 70.

Eldara Lilybrook: Audry’s daughter and shadow. Usually dour and unfriendly, Eldara has recently returned from studying wizardry abroad. Although she casts a pall wherever she goes, many in Jodai’s church respect her.

The Sawfish Boys: Vander, Kinto, Parne, and Torkan Anderhoff. These four run a slaughterhouse aptly nicknamed “the Shambles.” They’ve caused no end of trouble for Pardesh and the dottari, but under the Asmodean Disciplines they have legally bought their way out of all the crimes they’ve committed.

[corporealself]

The lay of the land: Saltmarsh

Nobility: House Thrune rules this area, the same as every other town in Cheliax. Otherwise Saltmarsh seems to lack any overt displays of noble authority.

Local: There is a great deal of tension in Saltmarsh. Fistfights, marital spats, and other minor disturbances have been on the rise. Until Crimson is burned and buried, things are likely to remain this way. Fortunately the citizens of Saltmarsh don't have to worry about Westcrown's shadow curse. Either by luck or virtue of the swift Southrun, none of the beasts of night have made it to Saltmarsh's shore. This town still owns it's nights.
Additional- The law here still follows the iron-clad tenets of the Asmodean Disciplines. The Disciplines are several volumes long and have rule governing almost every aspect of day to day life. The basics are laid out for common citizens, such as absolute respect, or at least deference, for authority. Really it would be no trouble for an inquisitor or other government functionary to find something to charge someone with. Thankfully the Disciplines have just as many loopholes to call upon when such things arise, a favorite being legal bribery.

Arcana: In Cheliax, arcane magic often brings about feelings of fear and respect. Sorcerers and wizards are presumed to either draw their power from hell (sorcerers) or to have intimate knowledge and command of it (wizards and summoners). Witches, however, are hunted when they are found in rural communities or watched carefully hellknights and dottari in the big cities. Saltmarsh in particular has no love for witches considering the depredations they have suffered in the past from a coven called "the Flies" that used to dwell north in the Hagwood. Even other spellcasters receive a wary eye unless they are locals. In general this leads to a distinct lack of arcane goods and services within Saltmarsh and such items are rarely trusted by merchants, receiving only 40% of their worth in a sale or costing 10% more to purchase.

History: During Crimson's reign of terror there were a total of twelve civilian deaths along with with ten others who were either dottari, mercenaries, and hellknights that tried to stop him. However there may be a twenty third victim by the name of Klori Alders, a local carpenter. It seems he disappeared the very day Crimson was captured and killed. Klori's body has yet to turn up, but most assume he is another victim.

Nature: The local wetlands that Saltmarsh gets it's name from are gone and have been for some time. Dredged by Westcrown when it was still part of the city, Saltmarsh has a shortage on wild game, however the crop lands and grazing pastures provide ample food for the town and it's livestock. This does not, however, make the countryside safe by any means. Often times vengeful or malicious fey will roam south from the Hagwood and kill whatever and whoever they can catch. It is bad enough that most transport in and out of town happens either via barges from Westcrown or narrow roads up into the eastern hills.