Salkalten is an Imperial port town in Ostland that was one of two towns founded as part of a failed attempt to draw trade away from Marienburg (the other being Neues Emskrank in Nordland). Anyone walking through the town will spy crumbling architectural façades, corroded statues, and other signs of faded glory which, in truth, never really existed.[1a]
The con-artist Jens-Pieter Riemanns persuaded Grand Prince Ivan von Königswald of Ostland to pour money into expanding Salkalten's harbour and beautifying the buildings to lure trade away from Marienburg in 2455 IC. When the promised influx of coin failed to appear, Salkalten returned to its previous indolence and the town's people, with typical Ostlander thriftiness, tore up much of the decorative façade and statues to use for ballast.[1a]
Storm of Chaos[]
After the defeat of the thirteenth Everchosen Archaon at Middenheim in the alternate timeline of the Chaos incursion into the Old World known as the Storm of Chaos, Elector Count Valmir von Raukov of Ostland has taken his army north and established his temporary capital at Salkalten, one of the few towns not sacked by the invaders. From here he has sent officers to re-establish contact with and control over the other towns of the North March, Birkewiese and Bohsenfels.[2a]
Meanwhile, as he hires mercenaries and gathers what Ostlander forces are left, he has made Salkalten into a hub of diplomatic activity, too. Von Raukov has despatched Salkalten's noble ruler, Baron von Wolder, to Marienburg to negotiate loans for hiring more troops, while he has sent emissaries to the emperor's court in Altdorf to ask for the loan of some Reiksguard for the coming campaign.[2a]
Salkalten is rife with another activity, too: espionage. Agents of the Ruinous Powers that have established themselves in Ostland have infiltrated Salkalten and other towns to learn the Elector Count's plans and, if possible, sabotage them. Meanwhile, agents of the Elector Counts of Nordland and Talabecland make inquiries among von Raukov's troops to see if their loyalty can be bought, for each has designs of their own on the territory of prostrate Ostland.[2a]
Geography[]
Nestled by the Gulf of Kislev, next to the Middenheim-Erengrad road, Salkalten struggles under the weight of its own founding. Anyone walking through the town will spy crumbling architectural façades, corroded statues, and other signs of faded glory which, in truth, never really existed.[1a]
Still, Salkalten is not entirely forgotten. Some sailors view it as a useful, and cheap, supply stop. The town maintains logging camps in the Forest of Shadows, and most of its money comes from selling lumber and salted fish to those passing through. It is also favoured by the knights of the Sons of Manann, who maintain a barracks by the town's central square, many preferring Salkalten's relative comfort to the drafty quarters offered by nearby Odrall's Watch. Most locals appreciate their presence, and the order finds many eager recruits among the young townsfolk. Others grumble that the knights are a disruptive rabble, drunk more often than not as they indulge in their shore leave.[1a]
Notable Locations[]
The Quarantine Dock[]
The Quarantine Dock was established away from Salkalten's harbour, the then-ruler's response to an unknown plague back when the town was first expanded. Though rotted and ill cared-for, the dock is still watched over by the joint efforts of Shallya's priesthood and the Sons of Manann. The Shallyans go aboard any ship forced to dock there for a mandatory forty-day quarantine due to sickness, clad in protective leathers to care for the sailors. Meanwhile, the Sons of Manann make sure no one from the ships can reach shore, catching escapees with nets before they can bring their affliction onto land.[1a]
The ship The Bonny Marie, has been at the Quarantine Dock for fifty days. The priests turn away any who come close, save those bringing food, and no one has appeared on the Marie's deck in days. Niklas, a local tailor, is worried. His wife was a sailor aboard that ship and the priests won't tell him what's become of her. He would give anything to know she's alive.[1a]
The Boyar's Brew[]
The Boyar's Brew is a boisterous tavern by the docks which boasts the last decent kvas and ale south of Kislev. The owner, a good-natured Kislevite named Senja Semyenova, is well-loved by the northerners who pass through. She takes delight in gathering gossip, and her free hand with the drink ensures she gets to hear plenty.[1a]
The place is shunned by the locals, but when a sailor wishes for more than a life hauling fish, it;s to The Boyar's Brew they go. The tavern is a good place to find hands used to the Sea of Claws' harsh climate, and many sea captains stop here for this reason.[1a]
Here Be Monsters[]
A dingy shop on the edge of Salkalten's central square, Here Be Monsters is easy to spot by the carved sea serpent and sextant above its door. Anyone looking for a map is sure to find what they need among its dusty piles of parchment. However, while the maps are all of exquisite quality, it is the proprietor's singular specialty which puts them in high demand: locating monster lairs.[1a]
Erika Krämer once worked as a cartographer on expeditions organised by the Imperial Zoological Garden of Altdorf. She found herself on an extensive sea voyage, hunting down the creatures which call the world of Mallus' oceans home, and made extensive notes on their habits and habitations. After retiring from the adventuring life and returning to her home town of Salkalten, Erika put her map-making talents to good use, plotting out wherever monsters are said to lurk. Such knowledge is invaluable for a sea captain looking to avoid the sea's worst dangers.[1a]
There are no shortage of terrifying creatures, and Erika's maps may mean the difference between a profitable journey and a watery grave. She takes great pride in her reputation and, while she no longer sets out on research voyages herself, regularly updates her maps to reflect sailors' stories, marking out beastly migrations according to new sightings or incidents of missing vessels. It's difficult to be accurate with such news, but Erika pays well for anyone willing to go and confirm the location of a monster's lair. Those who get on the irascible cartographer's bad side, however, may find the next map they purchase leading into the jaws of an uncaring leviathan.[1a]
Recently a few rough-looking Norscans came by with tales of a creature near Varaland. However, they weren't able to agree on quite what the creature is. Eager to find out, Erika is looking to hire some folks to go and report back on their findings. However, there is no monster. A small Skaeling settlement has been spreading the stories to discourage Imperial raids, and they won't be happy to have their secret revealed.[1a]
Trusten's Ship-Shape Supplies[]
Trusten's Ship-Shape Supplies is an odd sight in the midst of Salkalten's general decrepitude. Fresh paint and bright signs decorate its façade, tempting travellers in with promising bargains. Here, a sailor can buy anything required for even the longest of voyages, at very generous rates -- well, Lionel Trusten thinks they're generous. The fifth son of a minor noble family, Trusten decided to make his own fortune and prove himself more than the unwanted child of an unnoteworthy lineage. He spied opportunity in Salkalten and, with no more help than a loan from his mother, took ownership of a lumber yard and river barge. From these humble beginnings, Lionel hired every shipwright, cooper, tanner, and fisherman he could find. The result is a flourishing business, providing every conceivable supply needed for a sea voyage.[1a]
Salted meats, timber for repairs, leather cloaks and warm clothes, Trustan undercut Salkalten’s meagre competition, offering prices few sea captains could pass up. At least, he used to. Lately, a series of misfortunes have been striking his business. His woodcutters are refusing to go into the forests, muttering about mutants in the region, while his fishermen no longer catch anything which isn't hideously twisted.[1a]
Trustan has been forced to do the unthinkable and raise his prices; as good as blood in the water for the rivals circling him. But Trustan didn't get this far to let a little misfortune send it all crumbling into the sea. He will weather this, and come back stronger than ever, once his mother sees sense and gives him another loan.[1a]
However hidden amongst Trustan's wares and behind shelves, there are small bottles containing thorns, hair, and herbs (crushed spellwort). So far he has found three such bottles, all found in his home. He thought he was just unlucky, but what if he's actually cursed? Should anyone find whoever is responsible for hiding these bottles, he’ll be happy to work out a cut-price deal on any supplies they need.[1a]
Customs[]
Salkalten is ruled by Baron von Wolder, a savvy Imperial noble politician with a nose for where Ostland's current political winds are blowing. After a run-in with supposed cultists, Wolder grew zealous in rooting out Chaos and, though Salkalten is barely more than a speck on the map, remains convinced the servants of the Ruinous Powers are trying to infiltrate it.[1a]
The dockside guards have strict instructions to search incoming ships for signs of mutation or malevolent workings. However, Wolder takes little interest in mundane smuggling. This lack of oversight is something the custom officers are not shy in exploiting, charging a small "unloading fee" for anything illegal they find. Strangely, this has given Salkalten a reputation as a good spot for smuggling -- sure, you may need to pay a few bribes, but you're unlikely to have your goods confiscated and your ship stolen from beneath your boots.[1a]