The Needle Room

Shop · kept by Maera Quill

The Needle Room

The shop smells of lamp oil, salt water, and old paper.

Stock

14 items · 114 gp

Other

10 items · 5 sp to 40 gp

Sounding Pole1d4 damage3 gp
Brass CompassA compact brass compass in a leather case12 gp
Signal MirrorA signal mirror favored by harbor lookouts and covert…5 sp
Waterproof Chart WrapProtects paper from spray, mist, and brief immersion2 gp
Cartographer's Ink KitInk is resistant to smearing when damp after 1 minute of drying8 sp
Reading LensImproves the clarity of tiny markings at a distance1 gp
Local Route ChartA chart of the local waters, updated by hand and sold…15 gp
Harbor Pilot Chart BundlePrizedA larger, more detailed map bundle for experienced captains40 gp
Bearing CharmA folk charm sold to nervous captains before departure7 sp
Corrected Tide Ledger CopyA private navigational ledger sold only to trusted…25 gp

Armour

2 items · 4 gp to 6 gp

Oilskin Seawatch Cloak+1 AC6 gp
Cork-Lined Work Cap+2 AC4 gp

Potions

1 item · 2 gp

Motion-Soothe TonicHeals 4 HP2 gp

Weapons

1 item · 2 gp

Rigging Knife1d4 piercing damage2 gp

About

The shop smells of lamp oil, salt water, and old paper. Every wall is crowded with chart tubes, string grids, tide slates, and pinned corrections. The owner mutters at conflicting reef marks, keeps three versions of every local map, and quietly suspects that the sea itself is changing the coastline. Rival navigators visit to argue, captains come in anxious and whispering, and spies browse the shelves pretending to care about compasses. Behind a curtained door, the owner maintains a secret archive of corrected routes and a wall covered in red thread linking charts that disagree about the same reef chain. They are one of the first people to notice the settlement's central mystery, but they will only share that knowledge after trust is earned or a fair price is paid.

Stash

4 items to steal

The stash · GM only

The most valuable items are split between a locked sea chest in the loft and a false-bottom cash drawer beneath the counter, both within arm's reach of the owner's workbench and the front hatch.

Security check: DC 13Sleight of Hand or Thieves' Tools
If they fail: If the theft is noticed, the shopkeeper rings a brass alarm bell hidden under the counter, shutters are dropped across the front hatch, and the harbor watch is alerted from the nearby dock within minutes. The thief is likely trapped in the cramped shop between stacked chart drawers and rope coils, with the owner using knowledge of the layout to call out hiding places and block exits.
The whole haul: About 74 gp

Coin Box18 gp
Kept: Under the counter behind a false drawer in the registration desk
A day’s sales in mixed coin, kept in a shallow iron cashbox under the counter.
Value: 18 gp, 7 sp, 23 cp
Owner's Brass Compass12 gp
Kept: Hanging from a nail beside the chart table
The owner’s polished brass compass with a cracked lid and engraved initials.
Private Route Archive35 gp
Kept: Locked sea chest in the back loft above the drying racks
A bundle of corrected reef routes, harbor notes, and contradictory copies marked with red symbols.
Navigator's Marking Kit8 gp
Kept: Drawer beneath the lens shelf near the rear window
A small pouch of sea glass, signet wax, and a silver stylus used for marking official pilot charts.