Paradigm Concepts Presents
Soaked A One-Round d20 L IVING ARCANIS Adventure Soft Point 5, Year 3 (Freeport #1) By Dale Friesen and M. Sean Molley Version 1.1
On a rainy day in Freeport, justice, vengeance, and profit profit collide in a whirlpool of conflict. Will you watch from the shore, or dive in and swim to someone’s rescue? More importantly, who who are the minnows and who are the sharks?
A LIVING ARCANIS adventure for 1 st to 7th level characters. Characters not within this level range may not be played in this scenario. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, RPGA, and d20 System are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. PLAYER R EWARDS EWARDS and RPGA E NABLED are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. Arcanis and LIVING ARCANIS are trademarks of Paradigm Concepts, Inc. Adventure detail, excluding Open Gaming Content, is ©Copyright 2003 Paradigm Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. This is an RPGA E NABLED adventure, and L and LIVING ARCANIS is an RPGA E NABLED campaign, designed for progr amming at RPGA-sanctioned events.
OPEN GAMING NOTICE: The contents of Appendices 2 and 3, as well as all text surrounded in a box such as the one that surrounds this notice, is hereby added to Open Gaming Content with the exception of any underlined text and any previously-declared Product Identity. Use of Open Gaming Content is subject to the terms and conditions of the Open Gaming License version 1.0 found at the end of this document. For more information regarding the Open Gaming License and Open Gaming Content, please visit www.opengamingfoundation.org www.opengamingfoundation.org..
RPGA Information This is an RPGA E NABLED adventure for the L IVING ARCANIS campaign. An RPGA standard four- to fivehour time block is allocated for playing this adventure. If you play this adventure at an RPGA-sanctioned event, the players who are part of that program are eligible for one (1) D UNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYER R EWARDS See the RPGA website at EWARDS point. www.wizards.com/rpga for more information about www.wizards.com/rpga EWARDS and RPGA event sanctioning. D&D PLAYER R EWARDS
To report the results of this adventure, simply write the player names and RPGA numbers on the event grid, along with all relevant GM, event, and convention information. It is a good idea to ask each player to use a nametag. The tag should have the player's name at the bottom, and the character's name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it easier for the players to keep track of who is playing which character. Keep in mind that you must have at least four players (not counting the GM) for the game session to be a sanctioned RPGA event. Also, you cannot have more than six players participating in the game. Player Information The players are free to use the game rules to learn about equipment and weapons their characters are carrying.
Players with characters utilizing special optional material available for use in the L IVING ARCANIS campaign (builder books, OGL resources, etc.) are required to bring a copy of that material with them for the GM to review as necessary. If the player does not have a copy of the material, the options utilized from that material may not be used in play. GM Information Instruct the players either to prepare their characters now, or wait until you read the introduction, depending on the requirements of the scenario as described below. When they have prepared their characters, you may continue with the game.
Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you may present it as written to the players, while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold italics. It is strongly recommended that you paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it aloud, as some of the text is general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to actions of the player characters.
Soaked
When you run an RPGA d20 LIVING ARCANIS adventure, we assume that you have access to the following books: the Player’s Handbook , the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track movement during combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. Along with the other materials that you are assumed to have in order to run an RPGA d20 L IVING ARCANIS Adventure, it is also recommended that you have a copy of the Psionics Handbook , the Codex Arcanis, the Codex Compendium, and the most recent version of the Living Arcanis Rules Compilation (LARC). See http://www.livingarcanis.com for http://www.livingarcanis.com for more information. This scenario draws heavily upon the setting of Freeport, so it is also recommended that judges have a copy of the book Freeport: the City of Adventure (F:COA), as well as the Living Arcanis Freeport Conversion Document . References to “map keys” in the text of this adventure refer to the numbered entries on the pull-out map included in F:COA. A copy of Denizens of Freeport would be helpful for certain adventures. However, there should be enough information contained within the scenario itself to enable you to run this adventure even if you do not have any of the setting-specific materials. Some information about Freeport is found on pages 111-112 of the Codex Arcanis; although that information is slightly out of date in terms of the current political situation in Freeport, it still gives you a decent starting point for describing the City of Adventure and its inhabitants. Determining Average Party Level (APL) LIVING ARCANIS uses APL information (average party level) to determine challenges within a scenario.
To find the APL, use the following steps: Step 1: Add up the levels of all PCs and cohorts at the table. If PCs bring animals that have been trained for combat (most likely warhorses or dogs trained for war), use the following table to determine the number of levels you add to the sum above. Animals accompanying a character by virtue of class abilities (e.g. animal companions, familiars, paladins' mounts, etc.) are not included in this calculation. Add each character’s animals separately. A single PC may only
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RPGA Information This is an RPGA E NABLED adventure for the L IVING ARCANIS campaign. An RPGA standard four- to fivehour time block is allocated for playing this adventure. If you play this adventure at an RPGA-sanctioned event, the players who are part of that program are eligible for one (1) D UNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYER R EWARDS See the RPGA website at EWARDS point. www.wizards.com/rpga for more information about www.wizards.com/rpga EWARDS and RPGA event sanctioning. D&D PLAYER R EWARDS
To report the results of this adventure, simply write the player names and RPGA numbers on the event grid, along with all relevant GM, event, and convention information. It is a good idea to ask each player to use a nametag. The tag should have the player's name at the bottom, and the character's name, race, and gender at the top. This makes it easier for the players to keep track of who is playing which character. Keep in mind that you must have at least four players (not counting the GM) for the game session to be a sanctioned RPGA event. Also, you cannot have more than six players participating in the game. Player Information The players are free to use the game rules to learn about equipment and weapons their characters are carrying.
Players with characters utilizing special optional material available for use in the L IVING ARCANIS campaign (builder books, OGL resources, etc.) are required to bring a copy of that material with them for the GM to review as necessary. If the player does not have a copy of the material, the options utilized from that material may not be used in play. GM Information Instruct the players either to prepare their characters now, or wait until you read the introduction, depending on the requirements of the scenario as described below. When they have prepared their characters, you may continue with the game.
Some of the text in this scenario is written so that you may present it as written to the players, while other text is for your eyes only. Text for the players will be in bold italics. It is strongly recommended that you paraphrase the player text, instead of reading it aloud, as some of the text is general and must be adapted to the specific situation or to actions of the player characters.
Soaked
When you run an RPGA d20 LIVING ARCANIS adventure, we assume that you have access to the following books: the Player’s Handbook , the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. We also assume that you have a set of dice (at least one d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some scrap paper, a pencil, an RPGA scoring packet, and your sense of fun. It is also a good idea to have a way to track movement during combat. This can be as simple as a pad of graph paper and a pencil, as handy as a vinyl grid map and chits, or as elaborate as resin dungeon walls and miniatures. Along with the other materials that you are assumed to have in order to run an RPGA d20 L IVING ARCANIS Adventure, it is also recommended that you have a copy of the Psionics Handbook , the Codex Arcanis, the Codex Compendium, and the most recent version of the Living Arcanis Rules Compilation (LARC). See http://www.livingarcanis.com for http://www.livingarcanis.com for more information. This scenario draws heavily upon the setting of Freeport, so it is also recommended that judges have a copy of the book Freeport: the City of Adventure (F:COA), as well as the Living Arcanis Freeport Conversion Document . References to “map keys” in the text of this adventure refer to the numbered entries on the pull-out map included in F:COA. A copy of Denizens of Freeport would be helpful for certain adventures. However, there should be enough information contained within the scenario itself to enable you to run this adventure even if you do not have any of the setting-specific materials. Some information about Freeport is found on pages 111-112 of the Codex Arcanis; although that information is slightly out of date in terms of the current political situation in Freeport, it still gives you a decent starting point for describing the City of Adventure and its inhabitants. Determining Average Party Level (APL) LIVING ARCANIS uses APL information (average party level) to determine challenges within a scenario.
To find the APL, use the following steps: Step 1: Add up the levels of all PCs and cohorts at the table. If PCs bring animals that have been trained for combat (most likely warhorses or dogs trained for war), use the following table to determine the number of levels you add to the sum above. Animals accompanying a character by virtue of class abilities (e.g. animal companions, familiars, paladins' mounts, etc.) are not included in this calculation. Add each character’s animals separately. A single PC may only
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bring four or fewer animals of this type, and animals with different CRs are added separately. (The certed rat Skiz does NOT add to the APL.)
“calculated APL” for the party. For example, if the rounded APL is 7, then the players may choose a calculated APL of either APL 6 or APL 8.
Divide by the total number of PCs and cohorts to get the average level. Remember that a maximum of six players and/or cohorts may participate in the adventure and that a minimum of four PLAYERS (not characters) are needed to form a legal RPGA table.
Step 5: The “calculated APL” may now be adjusted up or down by one step if the players so desire, according to either Step 5A or Step 5B, but not both. This step is optional and many tables will not want or need it. If this step is omitted, then the “final APL” is simply equal to the calculated APL.
Mundane Animals’ Effect on APL 1/4 & 1/6 1/3 & 1/2 l a m i n A f o R C
# of Animals 1
2
3
4
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
2
2
3
4
5
3
3
4
5
6
4
4
6
7
8
5
5
7
8
9
6
6
8
9
10
7
7
9
10
11
Step 2: To this average level, add 1 if there are a total of six PCs and/or cohorts in the party. Step 3: Perform “natural rounding,” in which a fraction of 0.5 or higher rounds up to the next highest whole number and a fraction of strictly less than 0.5 rounds down to the next lowest whole number. For example, an average of 5.4 would round to 5. An average of 5.5 would round to 6. This number is the “rounded APL.”
Use common sense when performing the rounding: don't get into a debate over the number of decimal places and whether or not 4.45 should actually be 4.5 and therefore round up to 5. If the first decimal place isn't a 5 or higher, then round down. Step 4A: If the result of Steps 1-3 is an even number, then that even number is the “calculated APL” for the party. Proceed to Step Step 5. Step 4B: If the result of Steps 1-3 is an odd number, then the players must vote whether to “play up” to the next-highest even APL, or "play down" to the nextlowest even APL. This choice determines the
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Step 5A: The table may choose to “play up” by adding 2 to the APL. This is normally done when the table is very combat-heavy and the players feel that they will not receive a challenge if they play at the calculated APL. They will receive only the listed XP and GP rewards from the calculated APL, however, not from the new, higher APL. The “final APL” is equal to the calculated APL in this case.
A decision to “play up” may be rescinded by mutual agreement of the players and the judge once the adventure begins, but unfavorable results that have already occurred (such as character deaths or a failure to achieve mission objectives) as a result of choosing to play the harder encounters may not be reversed. Step 5B: Alternatively, the table may choose to “play down” by subtracting 2 from the APL (assuming the APL is at least 4). This is normally done when the table is more role-play heavy, when key support classes are missing, or when the players feel that their characters will be in danger of dying if they play at the calculated APL. They will receive the XP and GP rewards from the new, lower APL. The “final APL” is equal to the calculated APL minus 2 in this case.
A decision to “play down,” if made, will become important at the end of the adventure, since XP, GP, and certificate awards are based on the final APL, not on the calculated APL. Once a table has decided to play down, this decision may not be rescinded after the adventure begins, regardless of what occurs. Step 6: If any PC at the table is more than 3 levels away from the “final APL” as determined by Steps 1 through 5, then that PC is considered “out of tier.” The PC will receive one-half the normal XP and GP rewards for the adventure, and will pay double the Time Unit cost listed for the scenario. (The extra TU cost doesn't apply to any meta-game related costs, such as item creation, nor does it apply to any time spent in prison, or to any player-optional TU expenditures for special certificates that are offered at the end of some modules.)
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Cohorts are not subject to Step 6. A cohort can play at any table, regardless of the APL, and receives full GP and XP for the module based on the “final APL.” However, cohort advancement is strictly limited to the bounds specified by the main character's Leadership score. A cohort may not receive rewards that would make the cohort too high of a level or otherwise illegal to travel with the primary PC. For example, suppose that a cohort is 100 XP from gaining a level that would put the cohort past the limits specified by the primary PC’s Leadership score. If the cohort then played in a scenario that would normally award 200 XP, the cohort may only gain a maximum of 99 XP from that scenario. XP lost by a cohort in this fashion may not be “banked” or otherwise saved for later. A cohort that is 1 XP away from passing the primary character’s Leadership score may not be played in any scenario until the primary character achieves a Leadership score allowing an increase in the cohort’s level. Remember that cohorts may only be played if there are not enough human players to make a full table of six. Real people always take priority over the inclusion of cohorts, even if some of the real people will have to take the XP and GP penalties described in Step 6. Important Note: Certed items whose power level varies according to the APL should have the appropriate power level checked based on the final APL from Step 5 (the “final APL,” which may be different from the “calculated APL”). These certed items may be awarded to any player or cohort at the table, even to players who are otherwise receiving lower rewards than normal due to Step 6. The value of such items is not changed, even if they are awarded to characters whose rewards are otherwise reduced or limited because of the APL at which the adventure was played.
Player characters above the high end of a scenario’s level cap may not be played in that scenario under ANY circumstances. There are no exceptions. Lower-level characters have a high mortality rate when playing in scenarios where the level cap indicates that the scenario is intended for higher-level characters. The campaign administration strongly recommends playing appropriate-level characters whenever possible. Cohorts that fall outside of the level cap may be played during the scenario, providing that the PC they follow falls within the level ranges. Cohorts suffer no penalties for being below the level cap, just as they suffer no penalties for being more than 3 levels away from the APL.
Credits Authors: Dale Friesen and M. Sean Molley Editor: Brian Schoner PCI Lead Reviewer: Pedro “Peter B” Barrenechea PCI Freeport Lead: Nelson Rodriguez Playtesters: Andrew Garbade, Christopher L. Knight, Robert Maxwell, J. Wayne Parrish, and Derrel Weaver
The Green Ronin publications Freeport: City of Adventure, by Chris Pramas and Matt Forbeck, and Denizens of Freeport , edited by Chris Wilkes, were essential in the development of this module.
Scenario Level Caps The level ranges listed on the cover page of each LIVING ARCANIS scenario are hard caps. This means that any PC that falls outside of the given level ranges may not be played in this scenario.
The only exception to this rule is that player characters falling outside the LOWER level of a scenario’s listed limits may choose to ignore the level cap. However, any PC below the minimum level for the scenario will suffer the penalties for being “out of tier” as d etailed in Step 6 of the APL calculation method, even if the character is within 3 levels of the played APL.
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Campaign-Related Information Starting City / Nation: Freeport Adventure Passes Through: Freeport Ending City / Nation: Freeport
Freeport Adventures: Cost of Living The cost of living for individual PCs is based on whether or not the character’s last adventure took place in the city of Freeport. A character’s starting location is determined by the ending location of the last adventure on the logsheet, not the location that the player says the character traveled to in between adventures. Unless the PC’s logsheet says that his or her last adventure took place in Freeport, the character must buy passage to the Pirate Isle in order to take part in this adventure. Brand-new characters may choose to start their adventuring careers in Freeport, however. PCs who are not currently in Freeport almost certainly take ship from Censure in the Hinterlands, although major seaports also exist at Savona in the Coryani Empire and Naeraanth in Milandir (among others). Use the following options for characters that must purchase passage to Freeport: Low Passage to Freeport (20 gp) – You sleep huddled on the main deck under your cloak. You are prey to all the surprises life at sea has to offer: occasional deluges of salt water, rats nibbling at your boots and pack, abuse by surly sailors, and the general accumulation of grit, grime, sweat, and stench.
Once in Freeport you must seek out the common room of an inn, the floor of a flophouse, or perhaps even the city’s gutters. (An appropriate choice might be Krom’s Throat in Scurvytown.) Your clothing is in passable shape but will not last for much longer, and the food you are eating is little more than stale bread and some hard wedges of cheese. You smell like you have been on the road non-stop for weeks. You suffer a -1 circumstance penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks for the duration of the adventure, unless otherwise noted. Furthermore, you must roll 1d20 in the presence of your DM. If you roll a natural 1, then one of your certed items has been stolen by one of the less savory members of the ship’s crew. The DM will randomly determine which item is stolen. Favors and other intangibles cannot be stolen. If you have no suitable certs, then this has no effect.
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Medium Passage to Freeport (50 gp) – You occupy a palatial hammock in the passengers’ quarters below decks. It is smelly, stinky, dark, and crowded, but at least you aren’t roughing it up on deck under the wind and weather. The stench of the bilges is readily apparent and rats continually attempt to gnaw their way into your provisions and equipment. You will be afforded the opportunity to experience the sumptuous cuisine doled out to the crew by the ship’s cook. When not retching your guts out in your swaying hammock, you will be permitted to take the air on deck (and retch your guts out over the ship’s railing) provided you stay out of the way of the crew (who will undoubtedly ridicule you for the lily-livered landsman you are).
Once in Freeport, you will be able to rent a room in an inn, such as the Broken Mug at the Docks. While you might be tempted to leave your belongings there and not worry about them while you are gone, this is a decidedly naïve conceit when staying among the inhabitants of the Pirate Isles. Your clothing is in good shape, and you are eating warm, flavorful food. You do not suffer any penalties to Charisma-based skills. High Passage to Freeport (100 gp) – You are entitled to the finest fare and accommodations the captain and crew can provide during the voyage. You have your own cabin aboard the ship, you dine at the Captain’s table, and one of the ship’s officers personally sees to your needs.
Once in Freeport, you will be staying in either a suite at The Last Resort or in the private home of one of your many influential friends (if you have no friends of your own, you can at least count on having the best friends that money can buy). While in town you will dine at Maurice’s and take your leisure at The Last Port. You need never fear for the safety of your belongings. Your clothing is in style and finely tailored and you enjoy fine dining on a nightly basis (when possible, of course). You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks for the duration of the adventure. Note that unlike most places on Onara, there are few restrictions on who can and cannot purchase High Passage to the Pirate Isles. The color of your coin is a lot more important than the color of your skin. Nevertheless, gnomes are considered a bad omen by most ship captains, and cannot take High Passage.
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Working Passage to Freeport (5 gp) – For the duration of the voyage, you serve as a valued member of the ship’s crew. You sleep in a swaying hammock in the crew’s quarters, eat with the rest of the crew in the ship’s mess, and share the sorrow of toiling under the unforgiving ship’s bo’sun. Upon arriving in Freeport, your payment of 5 additional gold pieces will entitle you to the usual amenities afforded to one subscribing to a Medium cost of living in Freeport (see Medium Lifestyle for details). An appropriate place for you to stay might be at the Hammocks in the Warehouse District.
Working Passage is available to any character possessing at least six ranks of any of the following skills: Craft (Carpentry), Craft (Cobbling), Craft (Leatherworking), Craft (Shipmaking), Profession (Cook), Profession (Courtesan), Profession (Doctor), Profession (Merchant), Profession (Navigator), Profession (Pilot), Profession (Sailor), or Profession (Scribe). Use the following options for characters that are already in Freeport when this adventure begins: Low Lifestyle (6 gp) – You sleep uncomfortably in the common room of an inn, on the floor of a flophouse, or perhaps even the gutters of Freeport. (An appropriate choice might be Krom’s Throat in Scurvytown.)
Your clothing is in passable shape but will not last for much longer, and the food you are eating is little more than stale bread and some hard wedges of cheese. You smell like you have been bathing in the sewers of Freeport non-stop for weeks. You suffer a -1 circumstance penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks for the duration of the adventure, unless otherwise noted. Furthermore, you must roll 1d20 in the presence of your DM. If you roll a natural 1, then one of your certed items has been stolen by one of the less savory members of the ship’s crew. The DM will randomly determine which item is stolen. Favors and other intangibles cannot be stolen. If you have no suitable certs, then this has no effect. Medium Lifestyle (12 gp) – You have just enough money to be able to rent a room in an inn, such as the Broken Mug at the Docks. While you might be tempted to leave your belongings there and not worry about them while you are gone, this is a decidedly naïve conceit when staying among the inhabitants of the Pirate Isles.
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Your clothing is in good shape, and you are eating warm, flavorful food. You do not suffer any penalties to Charisma-based skills. High Lifestyle (30 gp) – You rest comfortably and safely in either a suite at The Last Resort or in the private home of one of your many influential friends (if you have no friends of your own, you can at least count on having the best friends that money can buy). While in Freeport, you will dine at Maurice’s and take your leisure at The Last Port. You need never fear for the safety of your belongings.
Your clothing is in style and finely tailored and you enjoy fine dining on a nightly basis (when possible, of course). You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks for the duration of the adventure. Note that in Freeport, there are no racial or class restrictions on who can or cannot take High Lifestyle. As long as you’ve got the coin, you can live it up. Even a twisted and deformed gnome or dark-kin can be the life of the party for a little while… at least, until the booze and money run out.
City/Area Information City Name: Freeport Temples:
Church of Retribution The Church of Sarish, founded by some paladins of the Inquisition, has fallen into disrepair and been closed. Followers of Sarish may now worship at a small shrine in the Temple District. •
Temple of the God of Knowledge This temple of Althares contains a massive library. The high priest, Thuron, is very busy and most correspondents deal with him through his assistant, Brother Egil. •
Temple of the God of Warriors This temple to Nier contains an inner courtyard that is actually a martial training ground. The current high priest, a man known as Father Mayhem, gained his position after defeating his predecessor in single combat. •
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Temple of the God of the Sea Followers of Yarris in Freeport often dye their hair green, sometimes going so far as to braid it with seaweed. The temple encourages such outward displays of devotion, and the high priestess, Mother Lorilee val’Ossan, is seldom seen with her hair its natural color. Services here are often held in the large saltwater pool in the inner courtyard. •
Temple of the God of Pirates Cadic’s temple in Freeport has a very nautical theme, and a pirate flag flutters above what looks like a crow’s nest. The high priest goes by the name of Peg-Leg Peligro, and is a former buccaneer himself. •
Major Locations and Organizations:
The following Freeport organizations and institutions may be relevant to this adventure. Page references are to Freeport: the City of Adventure, except where otherwise noted. Please be sure to check the Living Arcanis Freeport Conversion Guide for any necessary changes or adaptations from the source material. •
•
•
•
•
• • • • •
The Buccaneers (page 35; primarily found in the Docks) The Cutthroats (page 35; primarily found in Scurvytown) The Shield (found at the Indecipherable Scroll in Drac’s End, page 51) The Undir Benevolent Association (page 55, primarily found in the Eastern District; however, change all references to Halflings to the Undir. The Undir are described in the Codex Arcanis on page 42) The Hellhound Social Club (page 56; primarily found in the Eastern District) The Merchants’ Guild (page 64) The Courts (page 75-77) The Office of Public Records (page 102) Freland’s Shipyard (page 102) Mr. Virida’s Gang (adapted from Denizens of Freeport pages 63-64; primarily found in the Warehouse District)
Background and Adventure Summary Background Freeport has been without a ruler since the last Sea Lord, Milton Drac, died in some sort of weird accident at the lighthouse. Freeport's laws restrict candidates for the position of Sea Lord to the scions of one particular family, and no one from that family is an obvious candidate. The selection process drags on as Freeport’s elite jockey for position on the Captains’ Council.
In the absence of strong leadership, criminal activity has increased significantly. The Docks are the territory of the Buccaneers, Scurvytown is claimed by the Cutthroats, the Eastern District is under the protection of the Undir Benevolent Association, and the Warehouse District has been claimed by a newcomer by the name of Mister Virida (though few know his name). There are many smaller gangs as well. Each of these groups is looking to expand its territory and, if possible, weaken the rival groups. Some of the more important gangs of Freeport are detailed in Appendix A. Appendix B includes a map of Freeport showing the various districts of the city. Twenty years ago, T’giri of Altheria was a prosperous shipbuilder. He owned Freeport’s only shipyard (located in the Warehouse District). However, T’giri’s business was destroyed in a mysterious fire, and because he had inexplicably failed to keep his fire insurance up to date, the Altherian was financially ruined. A Freeport native by the name of Silas Freland purchased the assets of the charred shipyard for a fraction of their real value, and T’giri disappeared from Freeport. Although rumors have long persisted that the fire was no accident, and Freland is rumored to have ties to organized crime, no one has ever been able to prove anything. For the last decade, Freland Shipping has been the dominant player in its industry, despite the fact that Silas Freland treats his employees, suppliers, and customers with equal disregard. Following his financial ruin, T’giri was rumored to have thrown himself into Freeport Harbor and drowned. (See pages 102-103 in Freeport: The City of Adventure for a few more details on T’giri, Silas Freland, and the past and present history of the shipyard.) In truth, T’giri did not drown; instead, he swam to a ship captained by a close (pirate) friend of his and thus returned to his native Altheria. A few years later he married and had a son, named Navid. Although
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penniless and despondent, T’giri’s natural ability to design and build ships never deserted him, and he found gainful employment with the Shining Patrol as a designer and builder of the fabulous airships for which the Republic of Altheria is justly famous. Of course, most of this work was conducted in absolute secrecy, at least until recently. One of T’giri’s airship creations, known as The Damned, played a pivotal role in freeing the city of Semar from a massive onslaught of Ssethregoran troops. Despite suffering massive damage, the airship was able to successfully deliver a desperately-needed resupply of blastpowder to the besieged Citadel of Semar, thus turning the tide of the battle in Altheria’s favor. For his efforts, T’giri was rewarded with a modest sum of money. Although T’giri had been driven from Freeport in shame, he never forgot the days when he was a successful businessman, working beside the shipwrights and laborers to build the best ships ever seen in Freeport. He has always longed for a return to those days, and his son’s early years were filled with tales of the Pirate Isles and the city of Freeport. Although T’giri is getting along in years, his son Navid has all the fire and vigor of youth, and has recently persuaded his father that the time is right for the two of them to return to Freeport and reclaim the shipyard that was unjustly stolen from their family so many years ago. The pair took passage to Freeport, and T’giri has used most of what remains of his reward from the Altherian government to set up lodgings in the Old City. Navid, disguising his true identity as T’giri’s son, has even managed to procure employment as a laborer at the Freland Shipyard. He doesn’t quite know what to do with this new inside position, but he’s sure it will be helpful somehow. One of the keys to this scenario is the fact that in the absence of a strong power center in Freeport, the various gangs are increasing their competitive activities. T’giri and Freland are both minor players in the bigger picture. It’s possible that the heroes will go through the entire scenario without directly interacting with any of the gangs, but organized crime is behind much of what is going on in the city, making it unlikely that the PCs will be able to accomplish anything without the aid or hindrance of some or all of the various gangs. When T'giri owned the shipyard he had some connections with the Buccaneers (this being before Mister Virida moved in). T’giri paid protection money to the Buccaneers, but they had no way of protecting him against the legal trickery that was used to deprive him of the shipyard. Knowing that he and Navid could
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not hope to unseat Silas Freland on their own, T’giri recently sent his son to determine if those connections still hold. Unfortunately, the boy has perhaps a bit more enthusiasm than sense, and went about asking the wrong questions of the wrong people in the wrong places. When the adventure opens, the PCs will find Navid in the process of being roughed up by a group of Buccaneers. Assuming the PCs’ come to Navid’s aid, he will beseech them to come and meet with his father, who will proceed to tell them the tale of his own rough treatment, and ask them to assist him in reclaiming his rightful place as Freeport’s master shipbuilder. Ideally, T’giri would like to gather enough evidence to take his case before the Captains’ Council, who can hopefully be persuaded to declare Silas Freland a criminal and restore the shipyard to T’giri and his family. Failing that, T’giri might be able to plead his case to the Merchants’ Guild, whose members have no love of Freland thanks to his shoddy treatment of suppliers and customers alike. Adventure Summary The PCs’ role in this scenario can take many forms, depending on their motivations and actions. They may choose to aid T’giri, or they may choose to throw their lot in with Silas Freland, who will seek to employ them for his own purposes. If the PCs decline to aid T’giri, he will still attempt to get revenge on Freland, by burning down the current shipyard in a reprisal of the events of twenty years past. During the course of this scenario, the PCs may gain the friendship (and assistance) or enmity (and opposition) of several of the larger gangs in the city. Ultimately, T’giri will either be restored to his former state or will once again be forced to leave Freeport in disgrace, this time certainly never to return.
The most likely sequence of encounters runs basically as follows: Encounter 1: The PCs come across a young Altherian named Navid being beaten up by some gang members in the Docks District. They rescue him, and he asks them to come with him to speak with his father, who needs their help. Encounter 2: The heroes meet T’giri, Navid’s father, who recounts his story and asks for their assistance in regaining his shipyard from Silas Freland, the man who ruined him 20 years ago. Encounter 3: The heroes spend an enjoyable evening at one of the many fine (or not-so-fine) drinking
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establishments of Freeport, bantering with the locals and gathering all sorts of useful information. Encounter 4: The PCs accompany Navid to his job at the Freland Shipyard (formerly T’giri’s Shipyard), get a tour of the facilities from their young Altherian friend, and eventually meet Silas Freland himself. Freland fires Navid and then offers the heroes a job helping him make sure that he doesn’t lose control of the shipyard. The PCs must either accept Freland’s offer, betraying T’giri and Navid, or decline it, earning Freland’s enmity. Encounter 5: Navid interrogates the heroes about the outcome of their conversation with Silas Freland. Depending on the friendliness of their response, Navid either returns home to await further (hopefully happy) developments or begins planning his own operation to destroy the Freland Shipyard. Either way, a group of gang members working with Silas Freland tries to assassinate Navid later that night. Encounter 6: The heroes take matters into their own hands and stage a daring raid on the Freland Shipyard, hoping to break into the office and steal Freland’s records, which contain incriminating information linking Silas Freland and the Undir Benevolent Association to the shipyard fire 20 years ago. Optional Encounters: At nearly any point in the adventure, the PCs may interact with some or all of the three major Freeport gangs that operate in the districts where the adventure takes place. The Buccaneers are neutral but have good information, the Undir Benevolent Association actively opposes T’giri’s efforts and is working with Silas Freland, and Mister Virida’s Gang might be persuaded to assist T’giri and the heroes in their efforts. If the PCs play their cards right, they might even find an eyewitness who can testify (under duress or magical compulsion, most likely, although bribery will also work) that the shipyard fire that destroyed T’giri’s business 20 years ago was no accident, but rather a deliberate act of arson designed to ruin T’giri and install Silas Freland in his place.
Rules Conversion Note: At the time this module is being written, the campaign is on the cusp of converting from the 3.0 version of the core rules to the 3.5 version of the core rules. As the changes between the two editions are not really material to the outcome of this adventure, the stat blocks have already been converted to the 3.5 rules. Judges should be able to run the stat blocks as written without needing to worry about trying to convert back and forth – it’s not worth the effort to try and “downgrade” the 3.5 stat blocks if you are running a 3.0 game.
For example, the Skill Focus feat was changed from a +2 bonus in 3.0 to a +3 bonus in 3.5. Don’t bother subtracting one point from the skill modifier of the NPCs with this feat. However, some things that changed in 3.5 should not be retroactively applied to a game running under the 3.0 rules. For example, don’t use the 3.5 version of the Power Attack until after the campaign officially converts. Otherwise, the NPCs will gain some advantages that aren’t available to the PCs. As another example, dual-wielding weapons required an extra feat under the 3.0 rules versus the 3.5 rules. In 3.5, the benefits formerly granted by the combination of the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting have been combined into one feat. The NPCs in this adventure have been created using the 3.5 rules, so some of them might have picked up an “extra feat” as a result. The benefit gained from this is not substantial enough for you, the judge, to worry about. In other words, don’t retroactively remove one of the listed feats from an NPC who only has the 3.5 TwoWeapon Fighting feat, even when you are running this adventure under 3.0 rules. If you have not yet read the 3.5 rules, don’t worry: conversion notes have been provided with the stat blocks wherever a 3.5 skill or feat is used, giving you the 3.0 equivalent and any game mechanics necessary to adjudicate the item in question. When in doubt, wing it using your knowledge of the 3.0 rules and you’ll be fine. The important thing isn’t to get hung up on game mechanics, but rather just to have a good time and to be fair.
Conclusion: T’giri, armed with whatever evidence and testimony the PCs were able to procure on his behalf, makes his case to the Captains’ Council and the Merchants’ Guild that he was illegally deprived of his shipyard and that Silas Freland is actually working with criminal elements. Depending on how successful the PCs were, T’giri is either reinstated as the owner of the Freeport Shipyard, or he returns to Altheria, disgraced and defeated for a second time.
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Players’ Introduction The adventure begins late in the afternoon (a couple of hours before sunset). The PCs are all in the Docks District. Those who purchased passage to Freeport have just disembarked from their voyage; those who were already in the city have come to the Docks for their own reasons. Begin by reading or paraphrasing the following text: The City of Freeport is bustling with activity. Tensions are high; between the longstanding lack of a Sea Lord and the recent flood of arrivals from the Hinterlands, the city has become even more chaotic than usual. As you walk down the docks on a cloudy afternoon, a clap of thunder causes most everyone to look skyward, and moments later a steady rain starts to fall. Some people look around seeking shelter from what looks as though it will be a fairly lengthy storm, while others continue going about their business with no regard for Hurrian’s fury. The Refugees: If any of the PCs want to talk to the refugees from the Hinterlands, they will talk about a great cataclysm that has taken place in their homeland. Many of their people are fleeing from some terrible event that has apparently occurred in the far northern lands. Depending on whether you and the players at your table have played all of the Year Two Hardpoints, you might or might not want to elaborate on these events. No spoilers are included here, and you should avoid giving out any spoilers to players who haven’t played those modules yet, so you will need to improvise these interactions if and as appropriate. If you have no idea what this is talking about, or if your players have no idea what this is talking about, then you should have no trouble being sufficiently vague. Weather Effects: The rain will not let up for the duration of this adventure. Be sure to mention it in passing whenever appropriate. Visibility is reduced by half (-4 to Spot and Search checks), unprotected normal flames have a 50% chance to be extinguished each round, and ranged weapon attacks and Listen checks suffer a -4 penalty from the wind. Most of the streets of Freeport (except in the nicer districts) are either unpaved or are only erratically paved, with the result that large puddles and mud are everywhere. Don’t reduce characters’ movement rate, however, as that just tends to slow everything down for no good reason and everyone is equally affected by the environment. The rain and mud are mostly supposed to be atmospheric (no pun intended).
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Also, remember to enforce the rules on loaded flintlocks and wet environments from the LARC: there is a 10% chance per hour of exposure that the powder will be ruined, requiring six full-round actions to clean and reload. Some PCs may be interested in purchasing flintlock toolkits, waterproof flintlock cases, or (empty) powder horns; these items are considered normal in Freeport and are available for purchase at any time during the adventure. Also, as there is a Temple of Althares in the city, PCs with the appropriate status or contacts can purchase additional blastpowder for their weapons, subject to the normal campaign rules. Unlike most of Onara, in Freeport anyone can own a flintlock; however, it still requires a Black Market skill check for most people to purchase blastpowder. The players should describe their characters and introduce themselves. Those who bought passage all came across on the same ship, and thus have already had the chance to get to know one another. Hopefully through past association or some other plausible roleplaying connection the entire party can be brought together. The new arrivals in Freeport will undoubtedly want to secure lodgings appropriate to the level of lifestyle purchased, so encourage the party to head to whichever section of the city would be most appropriate. As they move through the Docks District towards their chosen destination, whatever it happens to be, segue into Encounter 1.
Encounter 1: A Chance Beating T’giri’s son Navid has been trying to drum up support for his father’s attempt to retake the shipyard. T’giri had some contacts among the Buccaneers when he lived in Freeport, and he hopes that someone remains who remembers the past association. Unfortunately, gang life being what it is, the majority of the current crop of Buccaneers weren’t around 20 years ago. Navid has been asking questions around the Docks in a rather direct fashion, and word has gotten around that he’s snooping in Buccaneer business. Thus, a group of the local toughs have decided to teach Navid a lesson about poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong. This particular group is led by a (slightly) more senior bullyboy named Hurrald. When the PCs arrive on the scene, most of the thugs have dragged Navid into an alley and are beating him senseless with their saps, while Hurrald acts as lookout.
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A Spot check DC 18 will see Hurrald just inside the alleyway, covering the entrance and keeping an eye out for any interference. In this case the encounter distance begins at 40 feet. Remember that the PCs suffer a -4 penalty to their Spot checks du e to the rain. If none of the PCs succeed at the Spot check, then a Listen check DC 15 will hear the sounds of several people beating up another person in an alley. In this case the encounter distance begins at 20 feet. If none of the heroes succeed at either check then have them stumble over Navid after he has been beaten up and the Buccaneers have departed. Alter the boxed text below as needed to fit the situation: A thud and a cry from an alleyway indicate that someone is experiencing that infamous Freeport hospitality. In spite of the intensifying rainfall, you get a look at several garishly-clad thuggish types beating up on a dark-skinned youth of apparent Altherian descent. A more hardened-looking individual appears to be supervising the operation. Seeing you, he reaches for the flintlock at his belt. “This ‘ere be Buccaneer business, aye, an’ no account of yer own. Ye’ll be movin’ along if ye know what be good fer ye.”
Yes, Hurrald (along with the rest of the Buccaneers) really does “talk like a pirate.” Affecting the stereotypical accent is part of the gang’s persona. It’s especially ironic for Hurrald, who was actually born and raised in Milandir, but he plays along with the charade anyway. The gang does not have any sort of crest or worn heraldic device. They do make an obvious attempt to look the way people think pirates should look (garish silks, bandannas, oversized hoop earrings, and so on). They’ve got an image to uphold, or at least they think they do. Assuming that the PCs aren’t going to accommodate Hurrald’s “request,” combat will most likely ensue. Creatures: The Buccaneers aren’t really interested in bloodshed (particularly their own) in this situation, as their main objective is simply to dissuade Navid from asking any more questions about them. When combat begins, have one of the lower-level thugs use his action to strike Navid one last time with his sap, sending the young Altherian into unconsciousness.
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Tactics: Hurrald is supervising and covering the entrance to the alley with his pistol. He is standing beneath an overhang in order to keep his pistol dry. The Buccaneers have only been using non-lethal (subdual) damage on T'giri, as they only want to scare him off, not kill him. If the PCs insist on interfering, the Buccaneers will turn their saps on the would-be heroes, drawing their knives as soon as any PC attacks with lethal force.
Be sure to describe the scene in such a fashion that it is clear that the Buccaneers do not seem to be trying to murder Navid: it may be important later whether or not the PCs made the first move towards dealing lethal damage in this encounter. If it seems clear that the PCs aren’t pulling their punches, or if anyone attacks him directly, Hurrald will fire his flintlock and will then drop it and draw his scimitar if the situation looks promising. He is not striking to subdue. If the heroes clearly have enough strength among them to seriously hurt the Buccaneers, or if one of the PCs is able to beat Hurrald at an opposed Intimidate check after a few rounds of combat, then the gang members will withdraw, yielding the field of battle to the PCs. Hurrald’s own skin is far more important to him than anything else, and he has no compunctions about abandoning his pistol or his compatriots. If any of the heroes decide to give chase to fleeing gang members, the Buccaneers will lead them through some alleyways deeper into the Docks, shouting some code phrases as they go. Eventually they’ll stop in a blind alley, turn, and smile. Five more Buccaneers (same statistics as the first five) will be waiting in a building across from the alley and will jump out through the windows to flank the heroes. Five more Buccaneers will arrive every five rounds thereafter. The Buccaneers are a large gang, and they cannot afford to be seen losing face in the Docks. They will graciously accept the PCs’ eventual surrender, and as long as no Buccaneer has died they will beat the surrendered hero with their saps to unconsciousness, strip the comatose person of all non-cursed items, and leave. Otherwise they will make every effort to kill the PCs until they finally succeed. For a low-level party to push their luck so far as to try and take on an entire gang on its home turf is tantamount to suicide. Development: Once the PCs rescue Navid and return him to consciousness, he will thank them profusely. If asked why the gang members were beating him up, Navid will briefly profess ignorance, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t have any possessions that would make him worth mugging. When pressed, Navid will
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sheepishly admit that he had been asking around about the Buccaneers and must have said the wrong things to the wrong people. Navid will ask the PCs to accompany him (begging and pleading if necessary) to his father’s lodgings in the Old City, where he wishes to discuss “a matter of utmost importance” with them. Navid won’t be willing to say much about what this matter actually is while standing on the open street, nor will he speak his father’s name, but he will tell the PCs that “a great injustice, a terrible injustice” has been done to his family and the PCs would be ideally suited to help set things to rights. Navid is a passionate young man, very sincere, and (obviously) somewhat naïve. He has no money to offer the PCs, but he promises that once they hear his father’s story, the heroes (being of obvious good character) will want to help and certainly his father will be able to reward them handsomely… once the terrible injustice has been corrected, of course. If the PCs agree to accompany Navid, proceed to Encounter 2. If the PCs refuse his entreaties, Navid will sadly go on his way, disappearing into the rain in search of heroes with more compassion. You’ll somehow need to steer the PCs to the Freland Shipyard and Encounter 4 in this case, or you can throw some more gang activity at them and see how they respond, perhaps steering them to a tavern for some rumor-gathering and Encounter 3.
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Encounter 1, All APLs Navid, Young Altherian Shipwright, Exp2 Medium-size Male Human (Altherian) CR: 1 HD: 2d6 (hp 10) BAB: +1 (grapple +2) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Unarmed +2 melee Damage: Unarmed 1d3+1 (subdual) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Good SV: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2 Abil: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +10, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (History – Altheria) +7, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Perform (Sing) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +3, Swim +6, Sense Motive +4, Use Rope +6 Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright) Languages: Ancient Altharin, Low Coryani, High Coryani Possessions: None
Encounter 1, APL 1 (EL 4) Use the APL 2 statistics, but there are only 3 Buccaneer Hoodlums instead of 5, and Hurrald should not get into combat unless the PCs are having an easy time of it.
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Encounter 1, APL 2 (EL 5)
5 Buccaneer Hoodlums, Rog1
Hurrald, Buccaneer Lookout, Rog2 / Ftr1
Medium-size Male Humans (Freeport native) CR: 1 HD: 1d6+1 (hp 5, 5, 6, 6, 7) BAB: +0 (grapple +1) Init: +2 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (15) (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 12 Attack: Sap +1 melee or Dagger +1 melee Damage: Sap 1d4+1 non-lethal Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +0 Abil: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +6, Escape Artist +6, Hide +6, Intimidate +4, Move Silently +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Search +4, Tumble +6 Feats: Dodge, Mobility Languages: Low Coryani Possessions: Sap, dagger, leather armor, 4 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Milandisian native) CR: 3 HD: 2d6 + 1d10 + 3 (hp 21) BAB: +2 (grapple +2) Init: +3 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 13, flatfooted 12 Attack: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol +5 ranged (30’) Attack: Dagger +5 ranged (10’) Attack: Scimitar +3 melee or Dagger +3 melee Damage: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol 2d6 (crit x3) Scimitar 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will -1 Abil: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 8 Skills: Bluff +4, Climb +4, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +4, Search +4, Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +3, Tumble +8 Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (flintlock), PointBlank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw Languages: Low Coryani, Milandisian Possessions: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed), 3 charges of blast powder and shot, scimitar, 2 daggers, leather armor, 5 gp
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
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Encounter 1, APL 4 (EL 7)
5 Buccaneer Toughs, Rog2 / War1
Hurrald, Buccaneer Lookout, Rog2 / Ftr1
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d6 + 1d8 + 3 (hp 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +6 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (15) (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 12 Attack: Sap +3 melee or Dagger +3 melee Damage: Sap 1d4+1 non-lethal Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0 Abil: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +9, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +3, Move Silently +7, Sleight of Hand +8, Search +5, Tumble +7 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility Languages: Low Coryani Possessions: Sap, dagger, leather armor, 8 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Milandisian native) CR: 3 HD: 2d6 + 1d10 + 3 (hp 21) BAB: +2 (grapple +2) Init: +4 Speed: 30 ft AC: 16 (+4 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 14, flatfooted 12 Attack: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol +6 ranged (30’) Attack: Dagger +6 ranged (10’) Attack: Scimitar +4 melee or Dagger +4 melee Damage: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol 2d6 (crit x3) Scimitar 1d6+2 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+2 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will -1 Abil: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 8 Skills: Bluff +4, Climb +5, Escape Artist +9, Hide +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Open Lock +5, Search +4, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +3, Tumble +9 Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (flintlock), PointBlank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw Languages: Low Coryani, Milandisian Possessions: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed), 3 charges of blast powder and shot, scimitar, 2 daggers, leather armor, 10 gp
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
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Encounter 1, APL 6 (EL 9)
6 Buccaneer Toughs, Rog3 / War1
Hurrald, Buccaneer Lookout, Rog3 / Ftr2
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 3 HD: 3d6 + 1d8 + 4 (hp 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) BAB: +3 (grapple +4) Init: +7 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (16) (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor); (+1 Dodge); touch 13 (14), flat-footed 12 Attack: Sap +4 melee or Dagger +4 melee Damage: Sap 1d4+1 non-lethal Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +2d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding, trap sense +1 AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1 Abil: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +11, Escape Artist +9, Hide +9, Intimidate +7, Jump +4, Move Silently +9, Sleight of Hand +10, Search +6, Tumble +9 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility Languages: Low Coryani Possessions: Sap, dagger, leather armor, 10 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Milandisian native) CR: 5 HD: 3d6 + 2d10 + 5 (hp 33) BAB: +4 (grapple +6) Init: +8 Speed: 30 ft AC: 16 (+4 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 14, flatfooted 12 Attack: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol +8 ranged (30’) Attack: Dagger +8 ranged (10’) Attack: Scimitar +6 melee or Dagger +6 melee Damage: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol 2d6 (crit x3) Scimitar 1d6+2 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+2 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +2d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding, trap sense +1 AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +0 Abil: Str 15, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 8 Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +6, Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +4, Listen +5, Move Silently +10, Open Lock +6, Search +5, Sleight of Hand +9, Spot +4, Swim +4, Tumble +10 Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (flintlock), Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw Languages: Low Coryani, Milandisian Possessions: Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed), 3 charges of blast powder and shot, scimitar, 2 daggers, leather armor, 40 gp
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
Sleight of Hand: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Pick Pockets.
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Encounter 2: You Can Never Go Home Again The central idea of this encounter is to have T'giri explain his situation and try to get the heroes to support him. The heroes can get to this encounter either by accompanying Navid after Encounter 1, or by asking around later in the adventure. With the right questions, they can find out that Navid is employed as a worker at the Freland Shipyard, and can meet back up with him there. It is unlikely that they would ever encounter T’giri on their own, as h e is fearful of being recognized in the city and so remains in his lodgings most of the time. Navid leads you through the rapidly-darkening streets of Freeport, which are less crowded than normal due to the rain. The flow of water threatens to actually clean off the top layer of filth from the city’s streets, gutters, and inhabitants, although such an improvement would be temporary at best. Soon enough, your young Altherian guide has led you through the massive stone walls surrounding the Old City. For a moment, you hope that perhaps your final destination is at one of the sumptuous palaces that line the Street of Dreams, but instead Navid turns towards a less opulent section of the district. Navid takes you to a small, rather unimpressive brick inn whose sign proclaims it to be the Marquis Moon.
Pause to ascertain that the PCs really do want to go inside; some of them may be familiar with the Marquis Moon from previous adventures, and those with Medium Lifestyle might even be staying here themselves. Navid will lead the heroes through the inn, finally arriving at the door to a suite near the back of the building. He will then knock on the door in a specific pattern (which the PCs can easily remember). This is just a basic precaution, since T’giri still fears that the people who deprived him of his property might well try to deprive him of his life, should they discover that he has returned to Freeport. Navid’s knock is answered by an older, equally dark skinned man. The family resemblance is clear. “This is my father,” says Navid, with obvious pride. “I present to you T’giri, finest shipwright in all of Altheria, and Freeport too!” The older man smiles indulgently, although you can see concern in his eyes as he takes in Navid’s battered and bruised appearance. “Please, please, come in,” he says, stepping aside and motioning you to enter.
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“I suspect from the look of my son that I am already in your debt, although we have only just met. And yet, I may find myself even farther in your debt before long, if you will hear my tale.”
T'giri does not have a lot of coin left for idle expenditures, but he will offer the PCs some simple refreshments before demanding to hear what happened to Navid. The young Altherian will leave it to the PCs to tell the story of their fight with the Buccaneers (as Navid himself was unconscious for most of it) but will emphasize how the PCs saved him from a severe beating at the least and perhaps worse. Once assured that Navid has suffered no worse than a few bumps and bruises, T’giri will proceed to tell his story to the PCs and ask for their aid. “Once, long ago, I was the owner of the largest shipyard in Freeport. One night there was a big fire, even though we always took precautions against flame and had even posted guards. A man named Silas Freland bought everything that was left after the fire and put me out of business. It's been twenty years, but I want my shipyard back. Freland’s in league with the crime lords of the city and I’m sure he had a hand in the destruction of my shipyard. He swooped in like a vulture the very day after the fire, and before I knew it, I was on the streets, without a copper penny to my name, completely ruined.”
T'giri grows more animated as he continues to speak. As he recounts his tale of loss, sensitive PCs can easily tell that the destruction of his business wounded him to his very soul. Stripped not only of his fortune, but also of his pride, he fled to Altheria, where he managed to find work as a shipwright and started a family. Following the Battle of Semar, he began thinking more and more of returning to Freeport and reclaiming his shipyard, and at his son’s urging has finally decided to make the attempt. “I’ve only been back in the city for a short while, but everything that I hear is bad news. Freland is totally mucking up the business! He clearly has no sense at all! He's overcharging for the ships and he has completely destroyed all of the goodwill that I had built up with the merchant community! Do the captains think of him as a friend? No! And he's a lousy boss who doesn't care about his customers, his employees, or anything at all except for his money!” “Please, help me recover my shipyard. Every day that Silas Freland squats in my office, ruining my business, is a day without justice. I ask you to help
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me reclaim that which is rightfully mine, which was stolen away from me, and worse, stolen away from my son before he was ever even born.”
The PCs will no doubt have many questions for T’giri and Navid. Use the following following responses, as well as appropriate material from the Adventure Background. T’giri’s full statistics appear in Appendix 2. T’giri, Badly-Treated Master Shipwright: NG Male Human Human (Altherian) 6th-level Expert. (Adapted from F:COA, pp. 102-103) Bluff +2, Diplomacy +11, Sense Motive +9 Description: Late middle age, calloused hands from a life of hard work, intelligent, wary, indignant. Roleplaying Notes: Perceptive, cautious, morally outraged, does not dissemble well, eager for assistance, fearful of being discovered or losing his son. Initial Attitude: Friendly What’s your plan for getting back the shipyard? T’giri doesn’t have a plan plan yet. He’s only been back in Freeport for three weeks and is still getting the lay of the land. His main goal is to find enough evidence evidence to convince the Captains’ Council that Silas Freland conspired with gang members to set the original shipyard fire 20 years ago and thus bring T’giri to ruin. T’giri is certain that if presented with convincing evidence, the Captains’ Council and the Merchants’ Guild will back his claim to the shipyard, because Freland has been charging excessively high prices for his ships, whereas T’giri was always known for providing quality vessels at at a very reasonable price. price. Do you really think Silas Freland started the fire? T’giri doesn’t have any proof, but that fire didn’t start itself. It sure worked out amazingly amazingly well for Freland, anyway, and T’giri is convinced that it was a lot more than coincidence. The night of the fire was quite quite rainy, and what’s more, all three of the ships that were under construction caught fire at once. The official official version of the story was that a stroke of lightning was responsible for beginning the blaze, but T’giri is pretty sure that a number of people were bribed not to worry too much about the actual details of what might or might not have started the fire. How can we possibly prove that Silas Freland was behind the fire? fire? Are there any records? T’giri thinks that there must be people in Freeport who know the truth, and will suggest that the PCs do some information-gathering to see if they can dig up any of the details. details. He’s already checked checked with with the the city’s city’s property records and with the insurance company that
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formerly covered his shipyard; all he was able to find is that his fire insurance was inexplicably cancelled a few days before the fire broke out, supposedly because of non-payment. non-payment. This is is suspicious, but in and of itself, it doesn’t prove anything. anything. The official records of the transfer of the shipyard from T’giri to Silas Freland are all all in order. Freland was able to purchase the entire assets of T’giri’s business for mere coppers on the gold, especially as T’giri himself wasn’t around to argue for a fair valuation. (As T’giri himself had supposedly died without leaving an heir, the city of Freeport gladly accepted Silas Freland’s payment on behalf of his “estate” and the matter was quickly closed.) If you’ve been gone for twenty years, how do you know so much about Freland’s current operation? Navid has been able to get a job at the shipyard as a laborer. He has learned his father’s craft well. No one recognizes him, of course, since he wasn’t born until after T’giri returned to Altheria, and T’giri himself has been careful to keep a low profile since since returning to the city. Why was Navid asking around about the Buccaneers? T’giri will look a bit uncomfortable about this subject, but will eventually admit that he had some contacts within the gang when when he was running the the shipyard. In particular, he helped a pirate by the name of ‘No Nose’ val’Ossan, and the two of them became fast friends. T’giri was hoping that some of the Buccaneers would still remember his name and would come to his assistance, but Navid seems to have been going about things in the wrong way. Perhaps the PCs PCs would have better luck where the young Altherian lad failed, though. T’giri is still still hopeful that the the Buccaneers can be persuaded to assist him in overthrowing overthrowing Freland and taking back the shipyard. How do you plan to fund the operations of the shipyard once you regain control of it? T’giri has a little bit of money saved up and he has hopes that the Merchant's Guild will back him once Freland is gone. Freeport needs a shipyard, after all, and T'giri is a known quantity. quantity. T’giri also knows (and reluctantly accepts) that he is most likely going to have to pay protection money to at least one of the gangs of Freeport. He considers it simply simply part of the cost of doing business. Thus, if the PCs PCs approach him later later on with the prospect of getting some assistance from Mister Virida’s Gang, T’giri will agree to the arrangement.
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Navid said you would reward us handsomely for helping you. Just exactly how handsomely are we talking, here? T’giri is accustomed to being shaken down for money (after all, he spent many years paying for “protection” from the gangs of Freeport.) Freeport.) He reluctantly admits admits that he has no resources right now he can tap in order to compensate the PCs, but if he is returned to being the owner of the sole shipyard of Freeport he will certainly be in a position to reward them in the future. If this promise is not sufficient to convince them to help, T’giri will suggest that Freland probably has some “working capital” lying around somewhere, and no one will be the wiser if the PCs happen to pick some of that money up during the course of their investigations. (In point of fact, Freland keeps the vast majority of his money at his estate, which the PCs won’t have the opportunity to visit in this adventure, but they don’t need to know that unfortunate detail just now.) So, you’re Altherian and you build ships, huh? Say, you don’t happen to build AIRships, do you? T’giri’s work for the Shining Patrol building airships is still considered top secret. He won’t speak speak of it for fear that word will get back to Altheria that he has loose lips. There are many many who would pay dearly (or commit unspeakable crimes) to gain the knowledge of the Altherian airships and their methods of construction. T’giri wasn’t wasn’t responsible for any of the magic that went into the building of airships, just the physical design of the bodies of the ships themselves. themselves.
However, if any of the PCs actually make the connection and ask T’giri specifically about the Battle of Semar or say that they or someone they know served on The Damned (this was a special mission at Winter Fantasy 2003) then T’giri will admit his involvement, and will pepper the PC with questions about the airship – how did she perform? Did she respond to the helm? Did she hold up well well under enemy fire? How did she fare in the final, fateful plunge to destruction? destruction? He takes great pride in his work, and the fabulous airships are the finest ever built. But, their construction construction is rare, impossibly expensive, and not likely to return him to his former state as a successful and prosperous (and independent) businessman, so he has turned over his plans and his knowledge to the Shining Patrol and returned here, to Freeport, to rebuild his former life. Special Mission: If there are any characters who are Altherian nationals in the party, T’giri will take those PCs aside and privately beseech them to aid him, making reference to “what is best not only for us as individuals, but also for our beloved Republic.” Republic.” This constitutes the equivalent of a national faction special
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mission. There is is no penalty for failure, failure, but an Altherian PC who successfully helps T’giri regain control of the shipyard will receive a bonus of 25 XP at the conclusion of the module. While they are alone, T’giri will tell Altherian PCs that he is also partially here on behalf of the nation of Altheria itself. itself. Altheria isn’t isn’t happy with with its current current situation concerning Freeport. Freeport. Since the construction of the Kolter firearms factory, Freeport has stopped purchasing weapons from Altheria and now instead only takes ever-larger shipments of blast powder in payment for the use of some of its merchant vessels. vessels. If T’giri can re-establish himself as an integral part of the Freeport economy, then Altheria might regain some of its former leverage leverage over the city. T’giri will absolutely not speak of this to those who are not of Altherian nationality unless they can somehow prove to him that they are true patriots patriots of the republic. A non-Altherian PC with the Pin of the Shining Patrol from the Battle of Semar (or the module Serpentine Path) might be able to pull this off, but even then, the PC would have to be very sincere and forthright. Development: Assuming the PCs eventually agree to help, T’giri will thank them profusely and suggest that they start in the morning by visiting the shipyard with Navid (who has to report to work anyway). That way they can get a look around and start formulating a plan.
If the PCs flat-out refuse to help Navid and T’giri, the two Altherians will sadly show them out. Two days later, the father and son will attempt to start a fire at the Freland Shipyard and will be captured and killed by the Hellhounds. Hellhounds. Feel free free to run Encounter 4 and let the PCs decide how they want to handle Silas Freland, but without the PCs’ help, T’giri and his son are doomed to failure. If the PCs want want to offer their their services to Silas Freland, ratting out T’giri, then make changes as needed and go from there. No matter which course of action the PCs decide to pursue, night has fallen by this point. If the PCs don’t think of the idea to visit a tavern and gather some information on their own, then T’giri will strongly recommend that they do so; he’s been out of the city for 20 years, after all, so his knowledge of the political landscape is not likely to be very helpful. Navid’s already proven that “snooping around” isn’t his strong point, so that leaves the PCs to determine the lay of the land. Proceed to Encounter 3 and role-play as extensively as time permits, or simply use the rumor tables and a few skill checks to quickly resolve the PCs’ question-and-answer sessions with the locals.
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Encounter 3: Freeport, City of Rumors The heroes may wish to learn the scuttlebutt about some of the individuals and groups that they encounter or hear about during the adventure. Many of the following rumors can be heard in any tavern in Freeport, especially if the PCs are willing to spread a bit of coin around. Feel free to roleplay various interactions with the denizens of the city if time permits, or simply allow the PCs to make a Gather Information skill check. As always, a check that meets meets or exceeds a particular DC also gives the PCs all of the information from the the lower DC entries. If the PCs are are asking good questions that don’t happen to correspond to the specific topics given below, feel free to improvise. The goal is to give the the PCs as much useful information as possible (but no more than they deserve based on how hard they’re working working to get it). The DC 5 information about most of the topics can also be gleaned by picking up a copy of The Shipping News for a couple of copper pieces, with a few restrictions. T’giri and the the shipyard fire are such old news that none of the information about them will be found, and any information about Silas Freland would be limited to the basics (he owns the only on ly shipyard in Freeport, he’s unpopular because of his high prices and his bad attitude, and so on). The Shipping News is a rumor-mongering rag, no doubt, but it’s not going to give away any major secrets – make the PCs work for those. What are the major gangs in Freeport these days? DC 5: Gangs? They come and go all the time. It’s hard to know who’s really in charge. The Sea Lord’s Lord’s Guard hardly ever ventures out of the Old City and the Merchant District. District. And the Captains’ Captains’ Council Council is the the biggest bunch of crooks of them all! Well, them or the Merchants’ Guild, it’s hard to say… everything in Freeport is corrupt, that’s for sure, but what else would you expect from a city of pirates, right? well-known. So are DC 10: The Buccaneers are pretty well-known. the Cutthroats. Cutthroats. A lot of people say say that the Undir Benevolent Association is really a front for a gang, too, but they seem pretty nice to me, even if those watermen are kind of weird-looking. DC 15: The Buccaneers control the Docks District. The Cutthroats control Scurvytown, not that there’s anything there worth controlling. controlling. The UBA controls the Eastern District. District. I hear there’s a new gang in the Warehouse District, too, but I don’t know too much more than that.
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DC 20: The new gang in the Warehouse District is led by a guy named Mister Virida. From what I hear, Mister Virida’s Gang and the Undir Benevolent Association don’t get along well at all. DC 25: The biggest, meanest, baddest crime overlord in town is a guy by the name of Finn val’Borda. val’Borda. He’s the guy who really runs the Undir Benevolent Assocation. Who are the Buccaneers? Is there any gang activity in the Docks district? DC 5: They’re a bunch of criminals, but who isn’t in Freeport? They all speak with an exaggerated pirate accent. DC 10: They control the Docks district of the city, although I hear they want to expand their control into other parts of town. DC 15: Sometimes they hang out in a tavern called The Black Gull. Sure, I can tell tell you where to find it… DC 20: One of the more important members of the Buccaneers is a guy named Nasty Nooks who sometimes is willing to talk to people. Their leader is called the Bo’sun. DC 30: The current holder of the title of Bo’sun is a fellow by the the name of Patch Carty. Carty. He’s a former buccaneer (the real kind) although a lot of the members of the gang aren’t. Is there any gang activity in the Warehouse District? DC 5: There are a lot lot of new gangs in in Freeport. Most of them get their start in either the Docks or the Warehouse District. District. Few of them last last very long. DC 10: I don’t know the name, but I’ve heard there’s a new gang controlling a lot of the Warehouse district. DC 15: There’s a new gang in the Warehouse district that sometimes hangs out in a tavern called the Block and Tackle. I hear the leader is named Virida or Convinio or something like that. (Note to judges: Virida and Convinio are days of the Arcanis week.) DC 20: A fellow calling himself Mr. Virida just showed up in Freeport about five years ago. He’s in charge of the gang that’s taken control of the Warehouse district. There’s a fellow named Backhand who hangs out at the Block and Tackle and will talk to people. DC 30: There’s likely going to be some serious trouble in this district, between Mister Virida’s Gang and the Undir Benevolent Association. The UBA controls the area around the Freeport Shipyard, and Virida wants it. He’s been trying to get Silas Freland, the owner of the shipyard, to pay protection money for a while now, but Freland just laughs it off. The only reason Freland would do that is if he knew that he had the support of
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another gang to back him up in case Virida’s boys try to start anything. Who is Mister Virida? (Note: This topic should only be available once the PCs learn the name from someone else.) DC 5: I’ve never heard of a “Mister Virida.” Sounds like a First Mate’s name to me, otherwise he’d be Captain Virida, right? DC 10: I’ve heard there’s a new gang controlling the Warehouse District. Maybe he has something to do with them. DC 15: Sounds like a phony name to me – Virida’s a day of the week. But I’ve heard of the guy – he’s no slouch. He controls most of the Warehouse District, but he hasn’t been able to get Silas Freland to pay him any protection money or negotiate with him in any way. DC 20: Virida showed up in Freeport about five years ago. One of his lieutenants is a fellow by the name of Backhand. I think you can find Backhand at the Block and Tackle tavern in the Warehouse District. DC 30: Most people think that Mister Virida is a real person, but no one really seems to know who he is. If anyone can give Finn val’Borda a run for his money as top crime lord in Freeport, though, Virida seems to be the guy. What’s the Undir Benevolent Association? Is there any gang activity in the Eastern District? DC 5: The Undir are weird people from somewhere a long way away on the mainland. They have pointy ears and webbed hands. (Judge’s note: The Undir people, known as watermen, hail from the League of Princes.) DC 10: The UBA is dedicated to furthering the interests of the watermen immigrants. They hang out in a brick building in the Eastern district, right on the Field of Honor. Be polite if you go to talk to them. DC 20: The UBA is really a front for a gang called Finn’s Syndicate. Finn himself is a notorious crime lord, and the Syndicate is probably the most powerful gang in the entire city. DC 25: Finn also controls a group called the Hellhound Social Club, and uses them to run his protection racket. Who is Silas Freland? What and where is Freland’s Shipyard? DC 5: The Shipyard is located in the Warehouse District. It burned down about 20 years ago, but it’s been rebuilt. It’s the only shipyard in the entire city of Freeport. DC 10: Silas Freland owns the only shipyard in Freeport. He charges an awful lot for his ships (150% of list price, to be exact). Freland is really unpopular
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with the merchants and the captains of the city, but he’s the only game in town, and his ships are known to be of good quality. DC 15: Freland acquired the shipyard twenty years ago. He grew up in Freeport in the Merchant District. DC 20: The shipyard used to be owned by a guy named T’giri, but after the place burned down it got bought by Freland. T’giri drowned himself in Freeport Harbor. DC 25: Freland has ties with the Undir Benevolent Association, although he himself isn’t an Undir. DC 30: A lot of people believe that the UBA set the fire that burned down the shipyard twenty years ago, but no proof was ever found. The official word is that lightning started the fire during a fierce storm. Still, three ships under construction caught fire at once; how likely is that to have happened on its own? Who is T’giri? What about this shipyard fire that happened 20 years ago? DC 10: T’giri used to own the Freeport shipyard about twenty years ago, before Silas Freland bought him out after a big fire. DC 15: T’giri committed suicide by throwing himself in the harbor after he lost the shipyard. DC 20: Nobody actually saw him kill himself or found the body afterward, but everybody believes he’s dead. After all, he hasn’t been seen in the city in the last twenty years. DC 25: Before he disappeared, T’giri was claiming that the shipyard fire was arson, but the authorities ruled it was an accident. T’giri hadn’t paid up his insurance policy, so he was ruined. Silas Freland bought up the property and everything that was left of the shipyard for next to nothing. DC 30: I know a guy whose sister works at an inn in the Old City, the Marquis Moon I think it’s called, and she said she saw a guy who looks a lot like T’giri recently. Maybe he’s returned to Freeport, but I doubt it. Why would he wait 20 years, only to come back now? Those Altherians all look alike anyway… it’s probably not him. Navid: No information or rumors are available about the young Altherian; he’s too new and unimportant (his earlier beating at the hands of the Buccaneers notwithstanding). Furthermore, no one in Freeport even knows that T’giri had a son, since Navid wasn’t conceived until several years after T’giri left. Development: Once the PCs have gathered all of the information they are likely to find useful, or if they decide not to visit a tavern at all, they will most likely want to retire for the evening. Wandering around the streets of Freeport at night isn’t a great idea, although
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if the PCs choose to do so, they will not be attacked by anyone unless they do something spectacularly stupid. If they want to scout out the shipyard, use the information in Encounter 6 to describe the layout and the guards. Silas Freland’s not on high alert at this point, so the guards won’t be especially vigilant. The next morning, if the PCs decide to accompany Navid (at his request) to the Freland Shipyard, proceed to Encounter 4. If the PCs decide to follow up on the angle of seeking help from the Buccaneers, proceed to Optional Encounter 1 . If the PCs have gotten the rumors about the Undir Benevolent Association and decide to pay them a visit, proceed to Optional Encounter 2. If the PCs have gotten rumors about the new gang in the Warehouse District headed by Mr. Virida and want to seek out that organization, proceed to Optional Encounter 3 . If the PCs don’t seem inclined to follow up on any leads at all, then feel free to throw in Encounter 5 at an appropriate moment, and have the criminal associates of Silas Freeland attempt to assassinate Navid or even T’giri. Basically, try to do whatever it takes to get the adventure back on track, within reason.
Encounter 4: Business Is Business The central idea of this encounter is to have Freland meet the heroes, explain his situation, and try to keep them from messing things up for him. The default assumption is that the PCs are accompanying Navid to the shipyard first thing in the morning, when the young Altherian reports for work. Modify the details below as needed if the PCs are going to the shipyard on their own or at a different time of day. As you approach the shipyard, you can see that it is a bustling place, with workers hurrying in all directions. Though the rain continues to fall in a steady stream, work on a number of projects around the shipyard seems to continue uninterrupted. The workmen simply step around or through the various puddles and muddy patches without pausing. Off to one side, you can see that there is a two-masted vessel nearing completion. Other major features of the shipyard include a large warehouse and a small, windowless brick office. Navid looks around furtively and motions to the nearly-finished ship. “That's the Stark Beauty. She'll be launching in a couple of weeks. We've been working at getting the hull fully sealed.” Navid
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lowers his voice. “My father used to build ships much like her, only even better. He told me that about a month before the shipyard burnt down they launched a ship just like the Beauty for a pirate named 'No Nose' val'Ossan. I hear she's serving him well.”
Navid will take the heroes around the shipyard, acting busy and looking like he's supposed to be giving them a tour. All the while he'll be talking about the things his father has told him about how things used to be and how he wants to make things right. Navid is really worked up over his father’s shabby treatment and has just suffered a beating, and he's desperate to talk to someone. He’s a little bit pathetic right now, and not thinking as clearly as he should be. Give the players an opportunity to ask questions and see whatever they want to see. A map of the shipyard is provided in Appendix 1. The main features are the ship under construction, a large wooden warehouse for the storage of construction materials and supplies, and a small brick office building where Silas Freland keeps his offices (and his account books). A Spot check (DC 20) will reveal that one of the other workers is surreptitiously following the group. This is, in fact, an informer for the Undir Benevolent Association who is working here to keep an eye on the security of the place. Freland pays the gang protection money and they take that responsibility seriously. If the observer is spotted he will sprint directly to Freland’s office and tell him what is going on. If he's not spotted, he will eventually walk casually to the office and make his report. Either way, the PCs and Navid will be approached: Two burly workers in rain smocks come splashing toward you. Navid looks around guiltily, but doesn't make a run for it. “Hey!” says one of the men, pointing at Navid. “The boss wants to talk to you.” Sizing up the rest of your party, the worker sneers. “And since I don’t recognize any of the rest of you either, you’d all better come along and talk to the boss, too.”
The men aren't armed, but they're big and strong. One of them is Undir; the PCs may never have seen a waterman before, so they will certainly take notice of his slightly unusual coloration and features. This is a clue that the Undir Benevolent Assocation might be the group that is backing Silas Freland (which is in fact the case). Freland doesn't know Navid’s true identity, nor is he aware that T’giri has returned to Freeport. Freland
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believes Navid to be a disgruntled employee looking to make trouble. Neither Freland nor his men intend violence at this point ( Sense Motive DC 15 ), but they want to make an intimidating impression on the PCs and especially on Navid. If the PCs act like they want to start a fight, remind them that doing so is likely to quickly draw the wrath of the local authorities; after all, this is the only shipyard in the entire city of Freeport. Even if the members of the Captains’ Council and the Merchants’ Guild don’t particularly like Silas Freland, they have a need for his wares, and aren’t likely to be too happy about foreigners coming into town and trying to bust the place up. Nevertheless, if the PCs simply will not be dissuaded from starting a ruckus, you can find statistics for the Sea Lord’s Guard in Appendix 3, and for the shipwrights in Encounter 6. Assuming that the heroes and Navid go for the meeting, read or paraphrase the following: The two men lead you to the small brick building which houses the office. They motion for Navid and your group to enter, and then take up positions outside the door. The interior is sparse, with a safe in the corner, four chairs, and a small table. The door to the safe stands slightly ajar, and you can see that it is filled with what appear to be ledgers or journals. The safe appears to be quite sturdy and features a complicated-looking combination lock. A man of about forty years is seated at the table, writing something in a large book. He does not stand when you arrive. Leaning against the wall in one corner of the room, obviously keeping an eye on everything and everybody, is a short, squat man with slightly pointed ears and what looks like it might be webbing between his fingers. One of his hands rests on the hilt of a longsword, while the other twitches imperceptibly towards a nearby crossbow. Without looking up, the older man finishes writing, sands his work, and then places the book into the safe, which closes with a very solid thump. He shields the front of the safe with his body and you can hear the sound of the dial whirring.
The PCs may want to try various tricks to get a glimpse of the combination to the safe. Sadly, Freland is incredibly careful about such things, and furthermore, he’s just closing it and spinning the dial so that no one can see what the last number happened to be. The safe has a substantial combination lock, and Freland is extremely careful not to permit the PCs to get even a
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glimpse of how he opens the safe (though a PC with detect thoughts or a similar power active could possibly glean the combination without Freland knowing it). The older man, who can only be Silas Freland, turns towards you, his beady, narrow eyes regarding you from within the folds of his pinched face. He looks down his nose at your entire group, and then his gaze falls upon the young Altherian. “You there,” he barks, pointing at Navid. “You work here, right?” “Uh, yes sir, Mister Freland, sir. I’m Navid, one of your shipwrights.” “Well, not any more. One of the other men overheard you complaining about the working conditions here. Do you know how many people there are in Freeport desperate for work? More than enough that I don't need troublemakers. Get the hell out of my sight and don’t let me catch you coming around here ever again.” Navid appears thunderstruck, but can only stammer a few weak protestations before moving towards the door.
Pause to see if the PCs follow Navid or if they remain. As the door closes behind Navid, Silas Freland snorts derisively and turns to regard you, as if the young Altherian has already ceased to exist. “The rest of you lot, please stay for a moment. I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Navid will be stunned at being fired, but he is grateful that Freland doesn't recognize him. He'll leave, but he'll wait around on the street outside the shipyard until the heroes exit. If the PCs decide to depart alongside Navid, declining Silas Freland’s offer of further conversation, then Freland and his men will make no attempt to stop them; however, Freland will remember their faces, and if they come snooping around the shipyard again, he will have them warned off by some members of the Hellhounds. If the heroes stay to talk to Freland, continue with the following:
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“Sorry that you had to witness that bit of bad business. There are so many malcontents in Freeport these days. Do you know that fellow?”
Freland's motivation here is to sound out the heroes to see how much of a threat is posed by Navid. Note that Freland will actively Sense Motive on more or less everything that he is told, just in case the PCs try to bluff him about their true intentions. Freland didn’t get to where he is by being either trusting or naïve. Silas Freland, Shipwright and “Businessman”: NE Male Human (Freeport native) 6th-level Expert. (Adapted from F:COA, pp. 102-103.) Bluff +8, Intimidate +9, Sense Motive +9 Description: Middle age, burly, ink-stained fingers, pinched face, beady, narrow eyes Roleplaying Notes: Arrogant, mean-spirited, used to getting what he wants, ruthless, egotistical Initial Attitude: Indifferent or Unfriendly depending on how the PCs react to his treatment of Navid Innuendo: The 3.0 skill Innuendo has been folded into the 3.5 skills Bluff (for sending subtle messages) and Sense Motive (for picking up on them). Freland, with his ties to the criminal underworld, understands very well how to say things that sound innocent but in reality mean something very significant. Freland’s Offer: If the heroes admit that they only met Navid recently, and make it clear that they don't know him very well, then Freland will thank them and tell them that he would be grateful for any information about this malcontent they might discover that could help protect the shipyard. He will invite them to return at any time if they have information to share and hint that he can provide favorable treatment to those who prove themselves friends. He will not make an outright offer of coin or other inducements, however, unless the PCs are willing to cough up some more specific information.
If the PCs tell Freland that they suspect that Navid is going to try to take the shipyard away from him, or damage it in some fashion, he'll be more interested, and ask them to find out how Navid plans to do it. He will offer to compensate them for their time and trouble (see below). If the PCs tell Freland that the guy he just fired is actually T'giri’s son and that T’giri himself is back in town, then he'll go a little pale and mutter about “calling in a few favors” to “get some help putting an end to this business.” Freland will then ask the heroes
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to keep an eye on Navid, and if possible, to keep Navid and T’giri together. Freland will be especially suspicious of the PCs trying to bluff him in this situation, however, since they were initially accompanied to the shipyard by Navid, so he will get a +2 circumstance bonus on his Sense Motive checks against any phony offers of help. Freland wants T’giri and Navid kept busy until he can call upon his contacts at the Undir Benevolent Association to deal with the situation. If the heroes seem amenable, he’ll ask them to do him the favor of keeping the Altherians occupied, and preferably drunk. If the PCs demand expense money he’ll give them 20 gp, though not until he has counted it twice and meticulously noted it in his book. Freland takes the money from his own coin pouch; the safe contains no money, just more account books. If the PCs show no interest in Freland’s offer, or if they tell him right away that Navid is a friend of theirs, then he will shrug, dismiss them from his presence, and warn them not to come snooping around his business in the future (unless they’re going to become paying customers, of course). If the PCs act openly hostile towards Freland, threaten him, or reveal that they are working with T’giri to recover the shipyard, he will immediately begin shouting for his men and have them forcibly removed from the premises. See Encounter 6 for details of the guards present, and throw in around forty or so extra shipwrights who are currently at work. Basically, it would be a bad idea for the PCs to put up more than a token resistance here. To make matters worse, the Sea Lord’s Guard will not be long in responding to reports of a group of malcontents trying to destroy the only shipyard in Freeport. All in all, the PCs should realize that trying to confront Silas Freland right at this moment would probably get them killed. Special Mission: If any of the PCs are obviously of Unden descent, and it looks as though the party is going to refuse to accept his offer, Freland will wait until the party is getting ready to leave and will then ask the Unden character or characters to stay behind for a moment. Once he (and his bodyguard) are alone with the Unden members of the party, Freland will commence with a hard sell: “I don’t understand why you’re being so ungracious. I’ve been very good to your kind, now haven’t I? Oh, yes – make no mistake, I’ve kept quite a few of your fellow Watermen out of the gutter, given them jobs, given them hope. It would be a real shame if
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anything happened to those jobs, just because somebody didn’t understand what makes good business and what makes trouble. Now, all I want to know is this: are you going to help me continue to help your people, or not?”
It’s clear from Freland’s attitude and his tone of voice that he has little concern for the Undir as a people; his only concern is for himself and his profits. However, what he’s saying is true. If T’giri regains control of the shipyard, it is likely that the interests of the Undir residing in Freeport will suffer a significant setback. (Of course, most of them are associated with a criminal organization, so good-aligned PCs, even those of Unden descent, may not necessarily see that as a bad thing.) Freland will not resort to violence at this point: if the PC is bound and determined not to help him, then so be it. However, if an Unden PC accepts a special commission on Freland’s behalf and agrees to work to ensure that Freland retains control of the shipyard against any threats, then that PC will earn a reward of 25 XP at the conclusion of the module (even if Freland does not prevail). Unlike most “secret society” type missions, this XP award can be earned simply for accepting this “nationalistic” mission and for making an honest effort to succeed. The probability of success is very low, especially if the rest of the party is actively working to unseat Freland. However, in order to gain the extra XP, the PC must make an honest effort to assist Freland in some fashion. This could take a variety of forms, whether it’s tipping off the Sea Lord’s Guard or the Undir Benevolent Association, or subtly making sure that negotiations with one of the rival gangs are unsuccessful, or blatantly and actively opposing the rest of the party (killing T’giri or Navid, aiding Freland in the final combat by helping him escape, etc.). This “mission” could turn into a very tough situation for the player of an Undir character, as well as for the rest of the party, so be sure to use your best judgment in figuring out how to handle this situation, and remember that PC versus PC combat is not allowed. The Bodyguard: Freland’s Undir bodyguard will not say a word during the entire conversation between his employer and the PCs. If any of the PCs act like they are going to make a threatening move, or if Freland appears to be getting ready to have the PCs thrown out of his office, then the bodyguard will step forward, draw his sword, and interpose himself between the PCs and Silas Freland. The presence of an Undir
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bodyguard should be another clue for the PCs as to which organization is backing Silas Freland’s efforts. It’s unlikely that the PCs will start a fight at this point in time, but if they do, see Encounter 6 for details of the typical security situation at the shipyard, and throw in about forty extra shipwrights, none of whom will take kindly to an assault on Freland’s person. He may be a lousy boss, but a job’s a job, especially in Freeport. Development: Assuming that a fight does not break out, then regardless of whether or not the PCs accept Freland’s offer, they will be shown out of his office (and off the premises). Proceed to Encounter 5.
Encounter 5: Dampened Spirits Navid will be taking shelter from the rain in a warehouse doorway, waiting for the heroes to emerge from the shipyard. He will be very curious about what Freland had to say. Navid will question the heroes closely, but he wants to believe that they're on his side and so receives a -2 penalty to his Sense Motive checks if they're deceiving him. Navid is very disappointed about the loss of his job, because it means that he will no longer have easy access to the shipyard, but he resolves to make the best of the situation and expresses his hope that the PCs will be able to find a way to deal with the situation. Adjust the following as necessary: Navid sighs, his face seeming to droop everywhere at once, although that could just be the rain running down his face. “Well, anyway, what's done is done. I'll head home now and tell my father the bad news. I’m sure that you will have better luck dealing with this situation without me getting in the way, anyhow. I’m staying in Drac’s End if you have need of me, though. Please let me and my father know once you’ve figured out a plan for how to get the shipyard back.” Decisions, Decisions: The adventure can go in two different directions at this point. If the PCs are now employed by Freland, they’ve been ordered to keep an eye on Navid (and perhaps T’giri as well, depending on how much they told Freland). If the PCs have declined Freland’s offer of employment and are still resolved to aid T’giri and Navid, then they will probably want to find some help. Proceed to the appropriate encounters depending on the course of
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action that the PCs pursue. Most likely they will seek to make contact with the Buccaneers, investigate the Undir Benevolent Association, or decide to infiltrate the shipyard on their own in hopes of recovering the financial records from the safe. Unless they ask him to stay with them, Navid takes his leave of the PCs and returns to his lodgings in a hovel in Drac’s End. If any of the heroes think to ask, they will see a couple of shadowy-looking individuals leave the shipyard and tail Navid at a discreet distance (no Spot check necessary as the tails are not trying to hide from the PCs, just from Navid). A Sense Motive check (DC 10) or just plain common sense will indicate that Silas Freland must have decided to have Navid followed, and that perhaps these individuals are up to no good where the young Altherian is concerned. Betraying the Altherians: If the PCs come right out and tell Navid that they have decided to work for Silas Freland and no longer have any interest in helping him and his father, he will turn very pale and sprint off into the rain, rushing back to warn his father at once. The PCs will no longer be welcome to visit T’giri and in fact if they return to the Old City will discover that the Altherian has changed his living quarters and is nowhere to be found. T’giri and Navid won’t reappear until Encounter 6 in this case.
If the heroes have told Navid that they are no longer willing to help, but haven’t revealed that they are working for Freland, he will resolve to take matters into his own hands. His first stop is the Block & Tackle Tavern next door, where he'll drink three pints of ale in fairly rapid succession. After that he'll speak with Backhand and arrange to purchase three flasks of alchemist's fire. Navid won’t be able to persuade Mister Virida’s Gang to get involved, although he will make the attempt. After another pint of ale and a jug for the road he'll get up and go back to his hovel in Drac's End (northern Freeport). Navid and T’giri aren’t staying together, in hopes of further concealing the fact of T’giri’s return to Freeport. Navid will sit on his bed, pace the floor, shout at the heavens, and drink more ale. Eventually he'll go to sleep. At midnight he'll receive a visit from four toughs from the Hellhound Social Club (the enforcement arm of the Undir Benevolent Association). Word has gotten back that Navid might plan to harm the shipyard, the UBA's westernmost venture. Since they think that he's just a drifter the obvious conclusion was to kill him. If the heroes have just left T'giri to his own devices then the Hellhounds will easily gain access to his hovel and kill him.
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Assassination Attempt: Tonight, if the PCs have not formulated a plan to reclaim the shipyard or otherwise distracted Silas Freland and his associates, a group of thugs from the Undir Benevolent Association will attempt to assassinate Navid. If the PCs insist that Navid remain with them for his own safety, he will agree, in which case the assassination attempt will most likely not happen unless the thugs think they can catch the PCs completely by surprise.
Hopefully the heroes will intervene. If they've decided to help T'giri and Navid then they should be watching out for trouble. They might even decide to interrupt the assassins while they are still trailing Navid back to his lodgings, in which case this encounter could take place virtually anywhere between the shipyard and Drac’s End, depending on the PCs’ choices. If the PCs agreed to keep an eye on one or both of the Altherians on behalf of Freland then theoretically they should be watching him in his lodgings, and they should still be on their guard. If the PCs are not present and do not make any attempt to intervene beforehand, then the assassination attempt will be successful. If the PCs are present and they participate in the assassination, or let it take place without interfering, then they are bordering on committing an evil act. This is true even if they signed up to work for Silas Freland – the PCs never agreed to take part in a murder, only to keep an eye on the Altherians. If the fact that Freland’s mechanism for dealing with the situation involves cold-blooded murder doesn’t cause the PCs to rethink their choice of employers, then so be it, but most heroes should have a serious problem with Freland by this point if they didn’t already. Creatures: A few members of the Hellhound Social Club pay Navid (and perhaps the PCs) a late-night visit. Tactics: The Hellhounds are looking for an easy assassination. Unless the PCs spilled the beans to Freland, they believe that Navid is just a disgruntled worker who might do something stupid and thus needs to be taken out of commission. If it's clear that the Hellhounds are overmatched, they will not hesitate to run away.
If the heroes are obviously guarding Navid, the Hellhounds probably won’t even attempt the hit. These guys are true mercenaries, with no real loyalty to Silas Freland – they would be willing to leave Navid alone for a bribe of 100 gp. (After taking the bribe they'll go straight back to their boss and report the fact
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that Navid seems to have some tough protectors, and the Hellhounds will then make a point of periodically watching Navid to see what's going on with him. Eventually they will tail him back to where T’giri is staying, and then Freland will know everything, at which point the next assassination attempt will be made against the father instead of the son.) Development: If Navid is killed, with or without the PCs’ knowledge, then T’giri (with an even heavier heart than he had when his life’s work was originally destroyed) will abandon his attempts to reclaim the shipyard. It was his son’s enthusiasm that led him to return to Freeport, and he will slip back into a very deep depression. This time he may throw himself into the Freeport Harbor for real. If T’giri is somehow killed but Navid survives, then Navid will attack the shipyard directly and will be killed in the attempt. Regardless, proceed to Conclusion D if the heroes were attempting to help T’giri or Conclusion B if they were working for Silas Freland.
Assuming that the heroes successfully thwart the assassination attempt (or ensure that it doesn’t happen in the first place) they are free to continue their efforts. Eventually they should launch some kind of operation against the shipyard, at which time proceed to Encounter 6. The various Optional Encounters are always available if the PCs want to try and negotiate with some or all of the gangs, as well.
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Encounter 5, All APLs Navid, Young Altherian Shipwright, Exp2 Medium-size Male Human (Altherian) CR: 1 HD: 2d6 (hp 10) BAB: +1 (grapple +2) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Unarmed +2 melee Damage: Unarmed 1d3+1 (subdual) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Good SV: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2 Abil: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +10, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (History – Altheria) +7, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Perform (Sing) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +3, Swim +6, Sense Motive +4, Use Rope +6 Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright) Languages: Ancient Altharin, Low Coryani, High Coryani Possessions: None
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Encounter 5, APL 1 (EL 3)
Encounter 5, APL 2 (EL 4)
3 Hellhounds, Ftr1
2 Hellhounds, Ftr2
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 1 HD: 1d10 (hp 8, 9, 10) BAB: +1 (grapple +2) Init: +2 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 12, flatfooted 12 Full Attack: Rapier +2 melee and dagger +1 melee Attack: Rapier +4 melee or dagger +3 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4 +1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0 Abil: Str 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Tumble +4 Feats: Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, Hellhound Social Club membership ring, 10 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d10 (hp 17, 19) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +2 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 12, flatfooted 12 Full Attack: Rapier +3 melee and dagger +2 melee Attack: Rapier +5 melee or dagger +4 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4 +1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0 Abil: Str 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Tumble +4 Feats: Combat Expertise, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, Hellhound Social Club membership ring, 15 gp
Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and by 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.)
Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.)
Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and by 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
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Encounter 5, APL 4 (EL 6)
Encounter 5, APL 6 (EL 8)
4 Hellhounds, Ftr2
4 Hellhounds, Ftr4
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d10 (hp 17, 18, 19, 20) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +3 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 12, flatfooted 12 Full Attack: Rapier +4 melee and dagger +3 melee Attack: Rapier +6 melee or dagger +5 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0 Abil: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Tumble +5 Feats: Combat Expertise, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, Hellhound Social Club membership ring, 15 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 4 HD: 4d10 (hp 29, 30, 31, 32) BAB: +4 (grapple +5) Init: +3 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (16) (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor) (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 12 (13) Full Attack: Rapier +6 melee and dagger +5 melee Attack: Rapier +8 melee or dagger +7 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1 Abil: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +7, Listen +3, Search +3, Spot +3, Tumble +7 Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, Hellhound Social Club membership ring, 35 gp
Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.) Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
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Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.) Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
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Encounter 6: Blame it on the Rain If the assassination attempt at the end of Encounter 5 has taken place and been foiled, Navid and T’giri will take the attack by the Hellhounds as evidence that they need to take immediate action. Unless the PCs can suggest something better, their plan is to burn down the shipyard. After all, it worked as a method for dislodging T’giri in the first place. Since it's raining quite hard and has been for several days, they’ll need to use alchemist's fire to start the blaze, but Navid figures that if he just sets enough flasks off in the hull of the Stark Beauty the flames should spread to the entire shipyard. This is a bad plan. Freland has already been alerted to the fact that there's a malcontent on staff, and the Undir Benevolent Association knows that their Hellhounds haven't slain him and thus they will also be watching. If T'giri and Navid go in alone to enact this plan, they will be killed before doing any damage. Assuming that the PCs have a better plan, T’giri and Navid will gladly go along with it. Navid, at least, wants to take part in any assault on the shipyard, and T’giri will go with him if the PCs are not helping. Both of them can be dissuaded from going along, however, as long as the PCs make sufficient promises to tell them all of the details later. This would be the best decision, as neither of the Altherians is much help in a fight. The shipyard will be under extra protection for at least another week. There are shipwrights who have stopped working their trade and are only on watch, and Freland’s contacts in the underworld have sent some men as well. Creatures: Scouting out the shipyard reveals the various guards. Feel free to call for some opposed Spot vs. Hide checks, but the PCs should be able to reconnoiter the area without too much difficulty (the ever-present rain works both for and against them in this case). Particularly at APL 1 and 2, you probably do not want to send all of the listed foes against the PCs. Let the heroes navigate their way around a few of the guards, so that they end up facing a level of opposition that they have a reasonable chance of being able to handle. Of course, if they do something spectacularly stupid, then all bets are off.
The shipwrights patrol the perimeter and keep an eye on the warehouse and the dry-docked ship. The
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Hellhounds stay near Freland’s office. Freland and his bodyguard are always in the office no matter the time of day or night. Freland is sleeping in the office because he is certain that something is up. The encounter with Navid has unsettled him, especially if the PCs prevented the assassination attempt (Freland will know it was unsuccessful when the men he sent do not report back to him.) Regardless of what happens elsewhere, the bodyguard never leaves Freland’s side. Sneaking In: It’s entirely possible that the PCs will attempt the stealthy approach. Depending on how they choose to go about it, this might be successful (DM’s discretion). Certainly, the PCs will need to make a number of opposed Hide and Move Silently checks against the guards’ Spot and Listen checks. Ultimately they’ll have to deal with Freland and his bodyguard, but if they manage to do so quietly enough, they can avoid alerting the other guards, including sneaking past the Hellhounds near Freland’s office. Tactics: The shipwrights don't really know how to keep watch, so they will be wandering around, patrolling half-heartedly but mostly trying to stay out of the rain. They are armed with belaying pins (treat as clubs). The Hellhounds brought signal whistles, and if they see anything suspicious they'll alert everyone else. The Hellhounds are not wearing their membership rings, nor are they carrying any cash, in anticipation of trouble.
The Sea Lord’s Guard will not get involved unless a major threat to the safety of the district breaks out (for example, if a large fire is set which threatens to engulf the entire shipyard and/or spread to neighboring buildings). If the Guard needs to respond, they will arrive about 20 minutes after the beginning of any major disturbance. See Appendix 3 for some basic combat statistics. Hopefully, the PCs will have recruited some assistance (most likely from Mister Virida’s Gang) and/or thought to create a distraction. The most likely distraction would be for Virida’s men to set fire to the ship under construction or to the warehouse, using alchemist’s fire because everything is so wet. However, if the PCs want Virida’s men to do something different, they will, as long as it doesn’t put them in direct danger. Assuming they come up with any plausible plan for a diversion (and especially if they are working with Virida’s men) then the distraction will pull away all of the expert shipwrights at a minimum, leaving the PCs to deal with just the Hellhounds and Freland himself. Depending on how well you think your party can
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handle the combat, feel free to have some or all of the Hellhounds leave as well. Breaking In: The front door of the office has a good lock (DC 20 to open) and is made of tough wood. There’s no easy way for the PCs to get into the office, other than breaking and entering. None of the guards have a key, and Freland isn’t likely to open it from the inside, although a particularly good bluff might persuade him to do so, at your discretion. The building is windowless, but the PCs could possibly break through one of the walls if they really wanted to do so. Wooden Office Door: 1 in. thick; hardness 5; hp 20; Break DC 18; locked (Open Lock DC 20); not trapped. Brick Office Walls: 1 ft. thick; hardness 8; hp 180; Break DC 45.
Once the PCs have gained entry to the office, Freland and his bodyguard will fight. Freland will attempt to flee after a few rounds if it looks as though things are going very badly. The bodyguard will fight to the death if necessary. Murdering Freland would be a bad idea, and T’giri will specifically tell the PCs not to do this. It would put a real cloud over his efforts to reclaim the shipyard legitimately. He wants to be known as a businessman, not as a killer. For his part, Freland isn’t suicidal. If his bodyguard is defeated, he’ll surrender (and attempt to offer the PCs outrageous bribes that he has no intention of paying if they’ll only let him go). Freland is also willing to let himself be “persuaded” that lying low for a while and perhaps even leaving town would be his best option, assuming the PCs have dealt with his bodyguard and all of their opposition in a suitably decisive fashion. Once Freland has been dealt with in some fashion, the PCs will have to turn their attention to the safe. Freland will not give the PCs the combination to his safe unless they are able to absolutely convince him that they are going to him ( Bluff or Intimidate DC 27). Note that murdering people in cold blood is an evil act in most circumstances. Freeport is more lawless than most cities, but that doesn’t mean that the PCs can easily get away with murder. Freland’s Iron Safe: 3 in. thick; hardness 15; hp 100; Break DC 30; locked (Open Lock DC 25); not trapped.
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The safe is made of solid steel and has an excellent combination lock (DC 25 to open). The safe has hardness 15 and 100 hit points. The hinges are located inside the safe, but the door could be blown off with a sufficient number of charges of blast powder (it would take at least 10). Depending on the situation outside, the PCs may or may not have time to actually try and open the safe on the premises. The safe weighs 400 pounds, so it would be difficult, but not impossible, to steal. Due to its size and shape, a minimum of two PCs would be required to carry the safe, and both of them would need to use two hands. The safe is too large to fit into any of the typical extra-dimensional spaces (bags of holding, handy haversacks, and the like). The only evidence of any value is in the safe. Silas Freland is nothing if not meticulous with his records. He keeps two sets of books – a fake set that he shows to any authorities or auditors, and the true set (encoded) that has evidence of his dealings with the Undir Benevolent Association and Finn’s crime syndicate. (Any PC who is so inclined can tell the difference between the legitimate set of books and the false set of books with a successful Forgery or Decipher Script check against DC 22.) This latter set of books would be quite incriminating, although it isn’t necessarily enough to persuade the Captains’ Council to return the shipyard to T’giri outright. Still, there’s enough evidence here to prove that Freland has been cheating the authorities and his customers alike, and that he’s been paying a sizable amount of protection money to the Undir Benevolent Association. There’s also a suspiciously large transfer of funds about 20 years ago, although nothing in the books specifically says “paid the UBA 5,000 gold pieces to burn down T’giri’s shipyard so that I could take it over uncontested.” The evidence in the books is substantial, but not entirely damning on its own. Development: This is somewhat of a free-form encounter. You’ll need to improvise a fair number of the details based on the PCs’ plan, their interactions with Navid, T’giri, and Silas Freland, and their interactions with the various gangs (if any). Ultimately, if the PCs come up with a decent plan, they should have a reasonable chance of success. Freland is associated with the criminal element, but he himself is much more an opportunist and a scoundrel than a hardened criminal. Thus, when faced with determined and organized professional opposition in the form of the PCs, there is a good chance that his schemes will be exposed and he will be brought to ruin.
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With Freland’s logbooks in hand, the PCs will be well on their way to having the evidence they need to prove that T’giri was the victim of criminal activity. If they haven’t yet secured an eyewitness from among the ranks of the Undir Benevolent Association, T’giri will suggest that their case would be bolstered a great deal by finding someone who could testify that the shipyard fire 20 years ago was really arson and that Silas Freland was involved in planning it. Optional Encounter 2 deals with the UBA and what the PCs might be able to learn at their headquarters. Once the PCs have accumulated all of the evidence that they think they’ll need, it’s time to head for the big finale. Proceed to the Conclusion.
Encounter 6, APL 1 (EL varies) Use the APL 2 stats, but there should be 4 Expert Shipwrights (hp 12, 13, 13, 14) as outside guards instead of two shipwrights and two Hellhounds. Also, Silas Freland’s bodyguard should be a Hellhound (hp 20) instead of the 3 rd -level Fighter (give them the APL 2 treasure as if they had beaten the bodyguard, though). Even at APL 1, Silas Freland’s stats are unchanged.
Encounter 6, APL 2 (EL varies) 2 Expert Shipwrights, Exp2 Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 1 HD: 2d6 +2 +3 (hp 14, 15) BAB: +1 (grapple +3) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Full Attack / Attack: Belaying pin (club) +3 melee Damage: Belaying pin 1d6+2 Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3 Abil: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8 Skills: Balance +4, Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +9, Jump +4, Knowledge (Engineering) +5, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +5, Survival +2, Swim +5, Use Rope +5 Feats: Skill Focus (Craft: Shipwright), Toughness Languages: Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Belaying pin (treat as a Medium-size club, zero resale value)
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2 Hellhounds, Ftr2 Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d10 (hp 15, 17) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +2 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 12, flatfooted 12 Full Attack: Rapier +3 melee and dagger +2 melee Attack: Rapier +5 melee or dagger +4 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4 +1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0 Abil: Str 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Tumble +4 Feats: Combat Expertise, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, signal whistle
Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.) Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and by 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
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Encounter 6, APL 2 Stats, Continued
Freland’s Bodyguard, Ftr3
Silas Freland, Shipyard Owner, Exp6
Medium-size Male Human (Undir) CR: 3 HD: 3d10 + 6 (hp 32) BAB: +3 (grapple +6) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (16) (+1 Dex, +3 studded leather, +1 small shield); (+1 Dodge); touch 11 (12), flat-footed 14 Full Attack / Attack: Longsword +7 melee Attack: Light crossbow +4 ranged (80’) Damage: Longsword 1d8+3 (crit 19-20) Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +4 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Intimidate +3, Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +7 Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword) Languages: Unden Possessions: Longsword, studded leather armor, light wooden shield, light crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 5 HD: 6d6 (hp 26) BAB: +4 (grapple +7) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Yarricite rapier +8 melee Attack: Light crossbow +5 ranged (80’) Damage: Yarricite rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20), Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +8 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Appraise +12, Black Market +10, Bluff +8, Craft (Shipwright) +14, Forgery +12, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +11, Profession (Shipbuilder) +12, Sense Motive +9, Swim +8 Feats: Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright), Skill Focus (Profession: shipbuilder) Languages: Low Coryani, High Coryani, Milandisian, Unden Possessions: Yarricite rapier (certed), 20 gp
(Note: Freland doesn’t have a light crossbow, but he is likely to be handed one by his bodyguard in the event of trouble, so his attacks with it are included above.)
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Encounter 6, APL 4 (EL varies)
4 Hellhounds, Ftr2
4 Expert Shipwrights, Exp2
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d10 (hp 16, 17, 18, 20) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +3 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor); touch 12, flatfooted 12 Full Attack: Rapier +4 melee and dagger +3 melee Attack: Rapier +6 melee or dagger +5 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+1 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0 Abil: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +5, Listen +2, Search +3, Spot +2, Tumble +5 Feats: Combat Expertise, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, signal whistle
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 1 HD: 2d6 +2 +3 (hp 13, 14, 15, 17) BAB: +1 (grapple +3) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Full Attack / Attack: Belaying pin (club) +3 melee Damage: Belaying pin 1d6+2 Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3 Abil: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8 Skills: Balance +4, Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +9, Jump +4, Knowledge (Engineering) +5, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +5, Survival +2, Swim +5, Use Rope +5 Feats: Skill Focus (Craft: Shipwright), Toughness Languages: Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Belaying pin (treat as a Medium-size club, zero resale value)
Survival: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Wilderness Lore
Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.) Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon).
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Encounter 6, APL 4 Stats, Continued
Freland’s Bodyguard, Ftr5
Silas Freland, Shipyard Owner, Exp6
Medium-size Male Human (Undir) CR: 5 HD: 5d10 + 15 (hp 53) BAB: +5 (grapple +8) Init: +1 Speed: 20 ft (30 ft base) AC: 18 (19) (+1 Dex, +5 chainmail, +2 large shield); (+1 Dodge); touch 11 (12), flat-footed 17 Full Attack / Attack: MW longsword +10 melee Attack: Light crossbow +6 ranged (80’) Damage: MW longsword 1d8+5 (crit 19-20) Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +4 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Intimidate +3, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +7 Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword) Languages: Unden Possessions: Masterwork longsword (certed), chainmail armor, heavy wooden shield, light crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts, 25 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 5 HD: 6d6 (hp 26) BAB: +4 (grapple +7) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Yarricite rapier +8 melee Attack: Light crossbow +5 ranged (80’) Damage: Yarricite rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20), Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +8 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Appraise +12, Black Market +10, Bluff +8, Craft (Shipwright) +14, Forgery +12, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +11, Profession (Shipbuilder) +12, Sense Motive +9, Swim +8 Feats: Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright), Skill Focus (Profession: shipbuilder) Languages: Low Coryani, High Coryani, Milandisian, Unden Possessions: Yarricite rapier (certed), 100 gp
(Note: Freland doesn’t have a light crossbow, but he is likely to be handed one by his bodyguard in the event of trouble, so his attacks with it are included above.)
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Encounter 6, APL 6 (EL varies)
4 Hellhounds, Ftr4
8 Expert Shipwrights, Exp2
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 4 HD: 4d10 (hp 29, 30, 31, 32) BAB: +4 (grapple +5) Init: +3 Speed: 30 ft AC: 15 (16) (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor) (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 12 (13) Full Attack: Rapier +6 melee and dagger +5 melee Attack: Rapier +8 melee or dagger +7 melee Damage: Rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20) Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1 Abil: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13 Skills: Intimidate +7, Listen +3, Search +3, Spot +3, Tumble +7 Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier) Languages: High Coryani, Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Rapier, dagger, leather armor, signal whistle
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 1 HD: 2d6 +2 +3 (hp 13, 14, 15, 17) BAB: +1 (grapple +3) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Full Attack / Attack: Belaying pin (club) +3 melee Damage: Belaying pin 1d6+2 Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3 Abil: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8 Skills: Balance +4, Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +9, Jump +4, Knowledge (Engineering) +5, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +5, Survival +2, Swim +5, Use Rope +5 Feats: Skill Focus (Craft: Shipwright), Toughness Languages: Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Belaying pin (treat as a Medium-size club, zero resale value)
Survival: Works exactly the same as the 3.0 skill Wilderness Lore
Combat Expertise: The character may subtract a number up to his BAB from all attack rolls to add that same amount to his AC for one round. (The 3.0 name was just Expertise; the effect is unchanged.) Two-Weapon Fighting: Reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2 in the primary hand and 6 in the off hand. (This combines the 3.0 feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting; the net effect is the same.) Weapon Finesse: Applies to all suitable weapons (in 3.0 this had to be taken individually for each weapon)
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Encounter 6, APL 6 Stats, Continued
Freland’s Bodyguard, Ftr8
Silas Freland, Shipyard Owner, Exp6
Medium-size Male Human (Undir) CR: 8 HD: 8d10 + 24 (hp 80) BAB: +8 (grapple +11) Init: +1 Speed: 20 ft (30 ft base) AC: 19 (20) (+2 Dex, +5 chainmail, +2 large shield); (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 17 Full Attack: GMW longsword +13 / +8 melee Attack: GMW longsword +13 melee Attack: Light crossbow +9 ranged (80’) Damage: GMW longsword 1d8+6 (crit 17-20) Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral SV: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +5 Abil: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Intimidate +7, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +8 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Dodge, Improved Critical (longsword), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword) Languages: Unden Possessions: Greater masterwork longsword (certed), chainmail armor, heavy wooden shield, light crossbow, 10 crossbow bolts, 50 gp
Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 5 HD: 6d6 (hp 36 – he has max hp at this APL only) BAB: +4 (grapple +7) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Yarricite rapier +8 melee Attack: Light crossbow +5 ranged (80’) Damage: Yarricite rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20), Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +8 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Appraise +12, Black Market +10, Bluff +8, Craft (Shipwright) +14, Forgery +12, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +11, Profession (Shipbuilder) +12, Sense Motive +9, Swim +8 Feats: Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright), Skill Focus (Profession: shipbuilder) Languages: Low Coryani, High Coryani, Milandisian, Unden Possessions: Yarricite rapier (certed), 250 gp
(Note: Freland doesn’t have a light crossbow, but he is likely to be handed one by his bodyguard in the event of trouble, so his attacks with it are included above.)
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Important Scaling Note: This NPC can pose a significant threat to a table that does not contain a lot of combat power. If the table is a “weak” APL 6 (mostly 4th- and 5th-level characters) or if they have been having a hard time with the combat encounters so far, then do not use the Improved Critical feat for this NPC. Substitute the Toughness feat instead (+3 hp).
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Optional Encounter 1: The Buccaneers The head of the Buccaneers is always called the Bo’sun, and the current man in this role is Patch Carty (N human Rogue 10). Rumors persist that Patch is prescient, and certainly he has proven to be skilled at predicting recent trends in Freeport. Use this encounter if the heroes go searching out a member of the Buccaneers. Asking around outside the Docks will likely just get them directed to that district (Gather Information DC 10 ). Once there it is a fairly easy matter to find out that Nasty Nooks hangs out in the Black Gull and is willing to talk to people (Gather Information DC 10 in the Docks, DC 20 outside the Docks). The following assumes that the heroes are visiting there in the afternoon or evening. At other times of the day there are fewer people, so adjust the description accordingly. The Black Gull looks dirty and rather beat up, but that doesn’t seem to deter customers. The place is packed, and a man standing behind the bar is serving ale as quickly as he can pour it. The large raven perched on his shoulder seems to be supervising the operation. Sitting at a table in the corner is the man who was described to you as Nasty N ooks. He has a pint of ale, which he’s drinking while watching the people around him.
Fights happen regularly in the Black Gull. The bartender (Dill Mackey, human Com6), the raven (the eponymous Black Gull), and the bouncer (Buster, halforc Ftr5) stay out of the way unless necessary. Nasty Nooks avoids fighting unless he’s in the mood, although he can hold his own. There are a minimum of twelve Buccaneers in the bar at any one time (mixture of Toughs and Hoodlums; see Encounter 1 for the appropriate stats if you need them). All of them will join any fight if the PCs decide to do something stupid. Feel free to improvise a suitable scene, with plenty of bandanna-clad Buccaneers yowling at the PCs in horribly overblown pirate accents, singing songs about bottles of rum and dead men’s chests, yo-ho-ho!
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ALL APLs Nasty Nooks, Black Marketeer, Rog3 Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 3 HD: 3d6 (hp 16) BAB: +2 (grapple +4) Init: +4 Speed: 30 ft AC: 12 (+2 leather armor); touch 10, flat-footed 12 Attack: Masterwork club +5 melee Damage: Masterwork club 1d6+3 Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +2d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding, trap sense +1 AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3 Abil: Str 14, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 12 Skills: Appraise +7, Black Market +11, Bluff +7, Disguise +9, Forgery +9, Gather Information +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +7, Sense Motive +8, Profession (Information Broker) +8 Feats: Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Black Market) Languages: Low Coryani, High Coryani Possessions: Masterwork club, leather armor, tanglefoot bag, thunderstone, 3 flasks of alchemist’s fire, potion of cure moderate wounds
Deceitful: This feat gives Nasty Nooks a +2 bonus on all Disguise and Forgery skill checks (included above). Description: Oily, smelly, seedy-looking, shifty-eyed, hooked nose, numerous earrings Roleplaying Notes: Heavy drinker but doesn’t get drunk, emphasizes his “connections” and how he can “hook people up for the right price.” (Black Market, Gather Information ) Refuses to follow the Buccaneer policy of talking with an exaggerated pirate accent; in fact, he thinks that part is stupid, though he is an important and very loyal gang member Initial Attitude: Indifferent or Unfriendly, depending on whether or not the PCs killed any Buccaneers in Encounter 1
By and large, the Buccaneers feel that the beating they delivered made them square with Navid, as long as he is a bit more circumspect in the future. Most of them don’t remember T’giri, but Nasty Nooks has heard of him, and he knows that the Buccaneers and T’giri were formerly “business associates.” Thus, the Altherians have nothing further to worry about. However, the PCs are another story. Nasty Nooks’ initial attitude towards the PCs depends entirely on what happened in Encounter 1. If the PCs got involved and interrupted
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the Bucs’ beating of Navid, then he will be unfriendly, but not immediately hostile. If the PCs stayed out of the fight entirely, then he probably doesn’t even know who they are. As long as the PCs didn’t kill any of the members of the Buccaneers, they can smooth things over here pretty easily by being sufficiently apologetic and buying a few rounds of drinks. Heck, the Bucs won’t even demand their equipment (including Hurrald’s pistol) back if the Diplomacy check is high enough (DC 20); after all, the PCs beat them up fair and square, and they can respect that. (Hurrald, by the way, is not in the bar, regardless of whether or not he survived the earlier encounter.) However, if the PCs were the first to deal real damage in Encounter 1 (remember that the gang members start out with their saps and deal non-lethal damage) then the only way Nasty Nooks is willing to deal with the PCs is if they return Hurrald’s flintlock pistol. Once the initial negotiations are out of the way and everyone is buddy-buddy again, the PCs can get down to business. Nasty Nooks is not willing to commit Buccaneers to aid T’giri and Navid. Yes, the Altherians used to pay protection money to the gang, but that was 20 years ago, and the Undir Benevolent Association has gotten a lot more powerful since then. Although the Buccaneers would like to extend their influence into the Warehouse District, they are not interested in risking open warfare with the Undir Benevolent Association at the present time. Nasty Nooks will be willing to tell the PCs (for the right price, which is around 20 gp, although if the PCs buy him a few rounds of drinks, that’s close enough) that there’s another group, Mister Virida’s Gang, that is making a more overt move into the Warehouse district and will suggest that the PCs might be able to negotiate with them for assistance. If T’giri is restored to his former position, the Buccaneers would be pleased by that outcome, as it would be a poke in the eye to Finn val’Borda and the UBA without directly implicating the Buccaneers in the act. The Buccaneers specialize in extortion, protection, smuggling, gambling, and fencing stolen goods. They sell protection to most of the businesses in the Docks, and they’re trying to both complete the coverage there and expand into other parts of Freeport. The Buccaneers don’t like interference, but if the heroes are polite and diplomatic there’s no reason for the Buccaneers to automatically target them. Businesses paying protection money to the Buccaneers
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usually are protected, even from odd and unexpected threats. In the absence of a strong Sea Lord, it could even be argued that the Buccaneers are doing some good, since they’re keeping a certain amount of peace in the Docks. Many of the Buccaneers are evil, but the leaders are mainly neutral. Nasty Nooks is always interested in buying and selling information, and will provide assistance with Black Market dealings for a fee of 100 gp (granting a +4 circumstance bonus to Black Market rolls made during or immediately after this adventure). The PCs don’t have any information that he wants to buy, but he can sell them almost all of the information that is found in Encounter 3 (use your best judgment concerning what he does and does not know). Assume that he charges the PCs 1 gold piece for each point of DC that would have been required to get the information by means of a skill check. He negotiates, but cannot be intimidated, sitting in his own bar in his own turf surrounded by his own people. Development: Any hero who kills a Buccaneer or is particularly obnoxious to Nasty Nooks earns the enmity of the entire group. Any hero helping the Buccaneers, in this case by interacting favorably with them and by working to undermine the UBA, may be able to gain their favor. If the PCs kiss up to Nasty Nooks and return Hurrald’s flintlock pistol to the gang, then the PCs can gain the Favor certificate when all is said and done. If the PCs want to keep the pistol, then they must succeed at a DC 20 Diplomacy check in order to be able to gain the certed Favor without turning in the pistol to Nasty Nooks.
However, if the PCs deliberately killed any of the Buccaneers during Encounter 1, then no PC can get the Favor of the Buccaneers certificate at the end of the adventure, regardless of what happens elsewhere.
Optional Encounter 2: The Undir Benevolent Association The UBA is headed by an Undir named Finn val’Borda (N val’Borda Rogue 8 / Crime Boss 10), a former adventurer who decided to make the Eastern District his home. He sees himself as the g ood guy, though he’s certainly on the wrong side of the law. The UBA is sometimes known as Finn’s Syndicate, though he doesn’t encourage the use of this name. Use this encounter if the heroes go searching out a member of the Undir Benevolent Association. They have a very visable presence in the Eastern District,
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and asking around will get the heroes directed there (Gather Information DC 10 ). An unadorned, brick building in the center of the Eastern District is the headquarters of the Undir Benevolent Association. People are coming and going from the front entrance. Many but not all of them have the distinctive physical characteristics of Undir. There are no obvious guards or other apparent security measures.
Let the PCs spend a moment making Spot checks and going around to the back of the building, just to assure themselves that yes, they really can just walk right in. The UBA figures that letting people in is no problem as long as you can keep them from getting out. Upon entering the building, you find yourselves in a wide hallway with columns every ten feet down the center. To your right is a blank wall, but to your left is an opening into a noisy cafeteria. A well-armed young woman approaches you. Her eyes are a startling bright blue, her ears are pointed, and there seems to be something odd about her hands. “I’m Touldrix Neraldin,” she smiles. “Welcome to the Undir Benevolent Association. Can I help you?”
Touldrix will make time to deal with the heroes in such a way as to make the UBA seem truly benevolent. She will be hesitant to admit anything, but she won’t deny that the UBA sometimes provides “protection” for certain businesses around Freeport. The city is a dangerous place, after all, and many people need protecting. The goal of the UBA concerning the shipyard is to have Freland retain control so that there is no interruption of their cut of his profits. They don’t know who the drifter calling himself Navid really is and they don’t really care; he’s a possible threat, and Silas Freland pays them to deal with possible threats, so they’re eliminating him. Touldrix will admit to nothing illegal, but will be alert to persuading the heroes to assist the UBA in achieving its goals. If the PCs have already agreed to aid Silas Freland, then the members of the UBA will know about it, and will treat the characters as partners in crime, at least to a certain extent.
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ALL APLs Touldrix Neraldin, Ftr2 / Rog1 Medium-size Female Human (Undir) CR: 3 HD: 2d10 + 1d6 + 6 (hp 28) BAB: +2 (grapple +5) Init: +5 Speed: 20 ft (30 ft base) AC: 17 (+1 Dex, +4 chain shirt, +2 large shield); touch 11, flat-footed 16 Attack: Masterwork longsword +7 melee Attack: Light crossbow +3 ranged (80’) Damage: Masterwork longsword 1d8 + 3 (crit 19-20) Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +2 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12 Skills: Bluff +4, Climb +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +4, Spot +4, Swim +4 Feats: Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword) Languages: Low Coryani, Unden Possessions: Masterwork longsword, heavy steel shield, chain shirt, light crossbow, 10 bolts, signal whistle
Description: Attractive, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, slightly pointed ears, slightly webbed hands Roleplaying Notes: Attempts to be perky, charming and pleasant and acts like she doesn’t know anything about any illicit activities ( Bluff ). If pressed, she will attempt to convince the PCs that the UBA is not an organization that they want to mess with, but she always conveys her threats with a smile on her face (Intimidate) Initial Attitude: Friendly (at least, that’s how she acts, until the PCs give her a reason to act otherwise)
Touldrix, amazingly enough, actually has knowledge of the events that transpired 20 years ago. She will allude to this fact if the PCs ask about the shipyard fire, saying something along the lines of “what a pity that was, it’s amazing how fires just spring up out of nowhere sometimes. It’s too bad that T’giri didn’t know who his real friends were.” Any PC wishing to make a Sense Motive check (DC 10) can easily tell that Touldrix knows a lot more than she is really saying about the origins of the fire. If the PCs are somehow able to take her prisoner or magically compel her to testify on T’giri’s behalf, she can offer up enough information to convince the authorities that the UBA
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was responsible for deliberately setting the fire that destroyed T’giri’s shipyard. Her testimony alone will not prove that Silas Freland was aware of this plot, but combined with Freland’s account books (from the safe in his office), the weight of the evidence would be overwhelming. Touldrix (and the rest of the UBA) will be very friendly with any Undir heroes, and will answer questions without the need for Diplomacy checks or bribes. If an Undir PC can convince Touldrix that the PCs are actually working for Silas Freland, and if the Undir PC is charming enough (Diplomacy DC 25 less any adjustments for good role-playing), it’s possible that she’ll spill the beans of her own accord. Other heroes may need to be more persuasive, though Touldrix will always look to make the best of any situation when it comes to meeting the Association’s goals.
on PCs who claim to be master swordsmen by challenging them to a duel. Such duels are fought on the Field of Honor (see Appendix 4 for details on this location). Development: Any hero who slays a Hellhound or is particularly obnoxious to them or the UBA earns the enmity of the entire Syndicate. Any hero rendering visibly significant assistance to the goals of the Syndicate, particularly in protecting their control of the shipyard, earns their favor. If T’giri is restored to control of the shipyard, the PCs will earn the enmity of the UBA regardless of whether or not this encounter took place, because the loss of the protection income from Silas Freland will really anger Finn val’Borda, and he’ll easily find out that the PCs are responsible.
Optional Encounter 3: Mister Virida’s Gang
The Hellhounds are the protection branch of the UBA, and they hang out in a windowless brick building near the UBA headquarters. The heroes will not be admitted into this building, though many Hellhounds are inside. (Assume that there are around ten or so members inside the building, with more able to be called within a few minutes.) The leader of the Hellhounds is named Dunbar (N Human Ftr 7), a man originally from the Coryani Empire. Dunbar is not here today, however, unless of course you really need him to show up and dissuade the PCs from doing something that is otherwise likely to get them all slaughtered. Creatures: Apart from Touldrix herself, there are usually a few Hellhounds hanging out inside the main building of the UBA. Touldrix will call for help (preferably by blowing her signal whistle) if she is attacked.
Use the APL-appropriate Hellhound statistics from Encounter 6. At APL 1 there is only a single Hellhound within range of the signal whistle. At APL 2, there are two Hellhounds nearby. At APL 4 and up, there are four. Reinforcements will start arriving approximately two minutes after a fight breaks out, and will consist of the same number of Hellhounds (1, 2, or 4). Additional reinforcements will arrive every minute after that. If the PCs are all defeated, they will be murdered and their bodies dumped into Freeport Harbor. Even if the PCs don’t start a fight themselves, if they’re not careful one might get started for them. Many of the Hellhounds are very proud of their swordsmanship, and if feeling belligerent might pick
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Mister Virida (a powerful Crime Boss, but relatively new to Freeport) is trying to gain control over the entire Warehouse district. The shipyard is firmly in the pockets of the Undir Benevolent Association, and that is unlikely to change as long as Freland is in charge. Virida’s gang is significantly smaller and weaker than either the Buccaneers or the Undir Benevolent Society. As a result they tend to be better equipped and less likely to take chances. They are willing to work with the PCs if approached properly. Use this encounter if the heroes go searching out a member of Mr. Virida’s gang. Asking around outside the Warehouse District will likely just get them directed there (Gather Information DC 10 ). Within the Warehouse District it is a fairly simple matter to learn that Backhand can often be found in the Block & Tackle and is generally quite approachable (Gather Information DC 10 within the Warehouse District, DC 20 elsewhere in Freeport). Between the rain and the sea spray, the front of the Block & Tackle is thoroughly drenched. This seems to have dampened the spirits of those within not at all, as evidenced by the boisterous sounds of revelry coming from within. An expressionless woman is pouring ale at the bar, and queuing up gets you a mug of warm liquid. A cautious inquiry while you’re paying for the drinks yields the information that Backhand is the rather large man sitting against the far wall.
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Backhand is one of Virida’s top lieutenants. He will be alert to any information that would shake the UBA’s hold on the shipyard and will pass along the information to Mr. Virida. Mister Virida’s Gang would like to get the Freland Shipyard under their control. They’ve approached Silas Freland in the past, but he has rebuffed their “polite requests” for protection money or other dealings, because he’s backed by the Undir Benevolent Association. Thus, if T’giri is willing to agree to “work with them” in the future (read as: pay protection money to Mister Virida’s Gang), then Backhand is willing to send some men to help the PCs with an attempt to infiltrate the shipyard. This assistance will be limited to providing a distraction rather than taking part in a full frontal assault. The PCs will need to act as the intermediaries between T’giri and Backhand, but it should be possible to complete the negotiations in a short amount of time. T’giri will not be terribly enthusiastic about having to join forces with another gang (his relationship with the Buccaneers obviously didn’t produce what one would call spectacular results 20 years ago), but he won’t have too much of a problem with it, since that’s life in Freeport and T’giri really does want to get control of the shipyard back. Making a few compromises is not difficult for him to do. Backhand and the other members of Mister Virida’s Gang will honor any commitments that they make to the PCs, although they won’t sell themselves out or risk their own lives needlessly. Backhand responds very poorly to being insulted or threatened. Bar fights happen fairly frequently in the Block & Tackle, and if anyone starts anything other patrons are likely to join in. Anyone using a weapon will be targeted by all, and if they’re disarmed someone might take the offending piece of equipment and toss it into the harbor. If a fight breaks out here, use the statistics for Buccaneers from Encounter 1, and assume that there are at least a dozen members of Mister Virida’s gang here, all of whom will leap into the fray to defend Backhand and pu mmel the offending PCs into unconsciousness. If the PCs know (or suspect) that they need to break into the safe in Freland’s office, but they don’t have anyone capable of doing the job, they can hire the services of a skilled locksmith from Backhand for a “service charge” of only 50 gp. Stats for this individual are not provided; just assume that he’s stealthy enough to stay out of the way until he’s needed, and competent enough to get the job done when the time comes.
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ALL APLs Backhand, Ftr3 / Rog2 Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 5 HD: 3d10 + 2d6 + 10 (hp 42) BAB: +4 (grapple +8) Init: +4 Speed: 20 ft (30 ft base) AC: 14 (+4 chain shirt); touch 10, flat-footed 14 Attack: Masterwork battle axe +10 melee Damage: Masterwork battle axe 1d8+6 (crit x3) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding AL: Lawful Evil SV: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 Abil: Str 18, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 9 Skills: Intimidate +5, Jump +5, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8, Listen +8 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (battle axe) Languages: Low Coryani Possessions: Masterwork battle axe, mithral chain shirt
Power Attack: Using 3.5 rules only , Backhand gets +2 to damage for each point he subtracts from his attack rolls using this feat, since he is using a two-handed weapon. He is still limited to a maximum of his BAB. Description: Tall, bulging muscles, well-groomed, looks like he takes care of his equipment Roleplaying Notes: Confident, willing to listen and negotiate, as long as there’s something in it for him (and more importantly, for his boss) Initial Attitude: Indifferent Development: Hopefully, the PCs will leave this encounter having secured the assistance of Mister Virida’s Gang in launching a raid on the shipyard. If a very low-level table is having a lot of trouble, the gang could be persuaded to send one of its own members along to help them out in the final battle. Use the stats for a Buccaneer Tough from Encounter 1.
Not all PCs will be comfortable with the idea of negotiating with gang members. Sometimes you have to work with undesirables in order to achieve your goals, though. Anyone killing one of Mr. Virida’s men earns the enmity of the entire gang. Anyone visibly helping them gain control of the shipyard (assuming they broker a deal between T’giri and the gang for future protection money) earns their favor.
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Conclusion Somebody’s All Washed Up Sooner or later, events will come to a head, and the PCs will either end up with evidence that they can take to the authorities or they will not. Although the Captains’ Council and the Merchants’ Guild do not have overt authority to intervene in this case, as it is a matter for the justice system, they both have a substantial interest in seeing Silas Freland replaced by T’giri. Thus, they will exert influence behind the scenes to attempt to bring about a favorable outcome (to them; they could actually care less about T’giri as a person, but his prices were lower and the quality of his ships was higher than Freland’s have been, and he’s a known quantity, so T’giri’s their preference). The Courts are located in the Old City, and thanks to the behind-the-scenes influence of some of the movers and shakers in the city, T’giri will be able to get an audience with Judge Horatio Jones of the Civil Court (this being a business action rather than a true criminal proceeding, although the lines are murky). Finn val’Borda, the leader of the criminal syndicate that runs the Undir Benevolent Association, sends his best (and most notorious) lawyers, Wag Howe and Finito Hummel, to argue the case that T’giri is either an impostor or a thief or both. If time permits, feel free to improvise a suitable courtroom scene, with the PCs and the various witnesses called upon for their testimony (and cross-examination). Ideally, the PCs have obtained the account books from Silas Freland’s safe, and have gotten a member of the Undir Benevolent Association’s confession that their gang was involved in setting the shipyard fires 20 years ago. These two items together will be more than sufficient to convince the court that T’giri was improperly deprived of his livelihood and property, and the shipyard will be summarily awarded to the Altherian and his son without further debate. If Freland was taken prisoner by the PCs and brought before the court, he will furthermore be ordered to pay reparations to T’giri out of his personal fortune, with the result that Freland is bankrupted and T’giri a made man. If Freland managed to escape, or if the PCs “persuaded” him that remaining in town would be a bad idea, then the court judgement will still be entered in his absence, but he will make use of his underworld contacts to disappear from sight, perhaps to seek vengeance at a future time. Proceed to Ending A.
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If the PCs worked on Freland’s behalf, T’giri and/or Navid are almost certainly dead or have fled the city. It is impossible for the Altherians to succeed in regaining control of the shipyard without the heroes’ assistance. In this case there will be no day in court, as Freland will have already won. Proceed to either Ending B or Ending D as appropriate. If the PCs found some, but not all, of the necessary evidence, things get a bit more interesting. Justice in Freeport being what it is, the possibility exists that the PCs could bribe their way to a successful resolution. If the coded account books were recovered from the shipyard, then the PCs can find a member of the Hellhounds who can be bribed to testify that he was involved with setting the fires at the shipyard under direct orders from Silas Freland. This will cost T’giri everything he has left, and will furthermore cost the PCs 500 gold pieces to cover the necessary bribes (including members of the Merchants’ Guild) in order to make the story stick. If the PCs pay the bribe, go to Ending B. If they won’t or can’t cough up that much cash, then use Ending C. If the PCs were unable to obtain the logbooks from Freland’s safe, the only member of the Undir Benevolent Association whose testimony would be sufficient to have any hope of influencing the case is that of Touldrix Neraldin. If the PCs captured her, they can substitute her testimony and a hefty 5,000 gold pieces in bribes to make up for the lack of the log books. If the PCs are unwilling or unable to come up with the money, then T’giri will lose in court and Freland will retain control of the shipyard. Proceed to Ending C. If the PCs pay the bribes, use Ending B instead. If the PCs floundered around and didn’t really influence the events of the adventure in any meaningful fashion, then T’giri and Navid eventually attack the shipyard and are slain. The PCs might read about it in The Shipping News, or they might remain blissfully unaware that there was even an adventure available for them at all. Use Ending E and bonk your players on the head.
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Ending A Use this ending if the heroes aid T’giri in regaining control of the shipyard. “My friends! Thank you so much for your assistance! The Merchant’s Guild assures me that they will be able to help me get back on my feet financially. Once the loan comes through I’ll be able to resume shipbuilding. My son will now inherit the business, as is his birthright, and shall carry on his father’s trade into the next generation. You have my eternal gratitude!”
T’giri will be most grateful to the heroes. Though he has no money right now he promises to help them in some way in the future. The PCs may also have earned the friendship or enmity of the various gangs in the city. They have definitely earned the enmity of the Undir Benevolent Association, and have most likely earned the favor of Mister Virida’s Gang. Award the appropriate certificates.
Ending B Use this ending if the heroes aid Freland in retaining control of the shipyard, whether T’giri and Navid remain alive or not. “Well done. The shipyard is still mine and the threat has been … eliminated. I should be able to handle things from here. Please accept my assurances that you have my gratitude. Now, get out of my sight, and preferably out of my town.”
Freland will remember the heroes’ actions and return the favor some time in the future (however grudgingly). The PCs may also have earned the friendship or enmity of the various gangs in the city. Award the appropriate certificates.
Ending C Use this ending if the heroes are unable to obtain enough evidence to have the shipyard awarded to T’giri. Freland remains in control of his operation, but he has no love for the PCs and is aware of their attempt to oppose him. Although you thought your case was compelling, apparently the evidence that you presented was not enough to convince the authorities of Freeport that T’giri should be restored to ownership of the shipyard. Perhaps there was a back-room deal;
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you’ll probably never know. In any case, T’giri and Navid have returned to Altheria, once again disgraced and deprived of justice. Meanwhile, Silas Freland, aware of your efforts to oppose him, no doubt plots his next move along with his allies in the criminal underworld…
Obviously, in this case the PCs do not gain the favor o f either T’giri or Silas Freland. They may have earned the friendship or enmity of the various gangs, however. Award the appropriate certificates as necessary.
Ending D Use this ending if Navid is slain and T’giri abandons the cause, but the PCs were not directly working for Silas Freland. With his son dead, T’giri has obviously lost the will to continue his efforts to recover the shipyard. Bemoaning his stupidity at trying to come back and change the past, the Altherian mournfully returns home, the body of his son in tow. You are left to contemplate your own role in this sad turn of events, and to wonder how you might have been able to cause things to end differently. Meanwhile, Silas Freland and his allies are no doubt plotting their next “accident,” while the gangs of Freeport continue as they always have, battling for power and turf on the streets and in the alleys.
The PCs do not gain the favor of either T’giri or Silas Freland. They may have earned the friendship or enmity of the various gangs, however. Award the appropriate certificates as necessary.
Ending E Use this ending unresolved.
if
things
remain
completely
Freeport is, as always, a chaotic place. The gangs rule the town, and with no Sea Lord to set things right it looks like that will be the way of things for some time to come.
If the PCs interacted with some or all of the gangs, regardless of the outcome of the dispute over the shipyard, then be sure to award the appropriate certificates.
The End
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Experience Point Summary To award experience points (XP) for this adventure, add up the values for the objectives accomplished, then assign the discretionary role-playing experience award. The role-playing award should be given for consistent character portrayal and contribution to the fun of the game. You can award different role-playing amounts to different characters. Important Note: See the Judge Guidelines at the beginning of this module for details on calculating (and adjusting, if necessary) the APL for your table. LIVING ARCANIS does not follow the same guidelines as some other Living Campaigns with regards to APL calculations, so it is imperative that you read and apply the correct APL calculations. There are no exceptions to these rules. APL this adventure was played at Intervened in the beating and rescued Navid from the Buccaneers Interacted with T’giri and learned about his situation (even if they don’t help) Interacted with Silas Freland and received his offer (even if they turned it down) Protected Navid and T’giri and made sure that they did not get assassinated Successfully resolved the situation with the shipyard (the person the PCs were helping won, regardless of whether it was T’giri or Silas Freland) Discretionary Role-Playing Award Total Experience Possible Bonus XP for Altherian or Unden PCs who completed their mission
Time Unit Cost All Endings (A – E)
10 TU
Treasure Summary Player characters may keep or sell items from the scenario that are listed in the Treasure Summary below, or that are included in the certificate file that you received with this module and specifically referenced in the text of the module. The following general rules apply to treasure taken from an adventure: 1.
Any non-certed treasure or valuable item must be specifically listed in the Treasure Summary. If it is not listed as treasure, even if it appears in the text of the adventure, then the characters cannot keep it, sell it, or barter it away. Most items sell for 50% of their book value; exceptions will be listed in the Treasure Summary. Note that it costs Time Units to sell most certed items; the certificate will include details, and specific rules for this are found in the latest version of the Living Arcanis Rules Compliation (LARC). 2. Animals, followers, monsters, henchmen, and so forth (any living being, basically) may not be kept from a scenario for any reason unless the treasure summary lists the being specifically. It is okay for the player characters to form relationships with NPCs, but these will not be certed and cannot
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2 50 75 75 175
4 50 100 100 200
6 50 125 125 250
325
350
400
0-50 750 25
0-50 850 25
0-50 1,000 25
bring material benefit to the character. Contacts and Influence (sources of extra information) must be specifically certed. 3. Theft is against the law, but may be practiced by some player characters. Items that are worth more than 100 gp, items that are of personal significance to the owner (including family heirlooms), and all magical items, will be discovered in the possession of the thieving character by one means or another. The character must return the item and pay a fine equal to three times the value of the item stolen. In addition, the PC caught receives campaigndecided penalties for being known as a thief, such as Infamy. For other stolen items that meet the criteria in #1 above, use your judgment and the circumstances within the adventure to determine whether a PC thief gets away with the crime or not. The campaign staff reserves the right to take away any item or gold acquired for things it later finds unreasonable but that were allowed at the time. PCs should generally be awarded all items for encounters they defeat unless stated otherwise in the adventure. This includes guards giving PCs items if they subdue or keep alive NPCs with those items.
The gold piece value of non-certed items has already been halved for resale purposes.
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APL 2 Treasure Summary Encounter Five Encounter One • • • • • •
•
Seven daggers (7 gp total) Six suits of leather armor (30 gp total) Six saps (3 gp total) Scimitar (7 gp 5 sp) 25 gp in cash Blast powder and normal shot sufficient for 3 shots (cannot be sold on the open market) Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed):
Kolter Privateer FP Pistol This flintlock pistol is from the Kolter Clockworks Factory in Freeport. It is hand-crafted and has clearly been well looked-after by its previous owners.
• • •
• •
Two daggers (2 gp total) Two suits of leather armor (10 gp total) Two Hellhound membership rings (cheap jewelry, each ring sells for 5 gp, so 10 gp total) Two rapiers (20 gp total) 30 gp in cash
Encounter Six Note: PCs should only have time to gather loot from Freland and his bodyguard. They should not have time to loot any guards or generally to ransack the shipyard. Longsword (7.5 gp) Studded leather armor (12.5 gp) Light wooden shield (1.5 gp) Light crossbow (17.5 gp) 10 crossbow bolts (0.5 gp total) 20 gp from Silas Freland (unless he gave it to them in Encounter Four) Yarricite Rapier (certed): • • • •
Kolter firearms take three full-round actions to reload. They are also inherently unreliable. Any time a natural 1 is rolled when firing the Kolter Privateer FP Pistol, immediately make a second roll on the following table: 1-2: Kaboom! Weapon explodes, inflicting its normal damage to user. 3-7: Fouled. The barrel becomes fouled. An hour must be spent cleaning it out before the weapon can be used again. 8-11: Jammed. The clockwork firing mechanism jams. Clearing the jam requires 1d6 full-round actions. It may fire the round after clearing. 12-15: Weak Charge. Too little powder was used to prime the weapon, so the shot is fired to no effect. Reload as normal. 16-20: Failed Ignition. Either the firing mechanism fails to produce a spark or the powder simply fails to ignite. The weapon doesn't go off, but it can be fired again next round without having to reload. Damage: 2d6 Piercing Critical: 20/x3 Range Increment: 30 feet Value in Imperials: 400 gp Weight: 3 lb Use Restriction: Common Tradable: Yes
• •
•
Yarricite Rapier The blade of this rapier is bluish grey with streaks of orange and green. It is made of coral rather than metal, and floats in water (rising at a speed of ten feet per round if submerged).
This weapon counts as masterwork and has a Hardness of 9 and 3 Hit Points. Value in Imperials: 320 gp Weight: 3 lb Use Restriction: Common Tradable: Yes
Optional Encounters 1 - 3 The PCs will not be able to keep any equipment from the NPCs they encounter at the various gangs’ taverns and the UBA headquarters. They won’t even have time to loot the bodies. There are simply too many more gang members than there are PCs.
Copyright (c) 2002 Green Ronin Publishing
Encounter Four •
20 gold pieces from Silas Freland if the PCs agreed to help him and asked for “expense money” to use in getting the Altherians drunk.
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APL 4 Treasure Summary
APL 6 Treasure Summary
Encounter One
Encounter One
• • • • • •
•
Seven daggers (7 gp total) Six suits of leather armor (30 gp total) Six saps (3 gp total) Scimitar (7 gp 5 sp) 50 gp in cash Blast powder and normal shot sufficient for 3 shots (cannot be sold on the open market) Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed) – see APL 2
Encounter Four •
20 gold pieces from Silas Freland if the PCs agreed to help him and asked for “expense money” to use in getting the Altherians drunk.
Encounter Five • • •
• •
Four daggers (4 gp total) Four suits of leather armor (20 gp total) Four Hellhound membership rings (cheap jewelry, each ring sells for 5 gp, so 20 gp total) Four rapiers (40 gp total) 60 gp in cash
• • • • • •
•
Eight daggers (8 gp total) Seven suits of leather armor (35 gp total) Seven saps (3 gp 5 sp total) Scimitar (7 gp 5 sp) 100 gp in cash Blast powder and normal shot sufficient for 3 shots (cannot be sold on the open market) Kolter Privateer FP Pistol (certed) – see APL 2
Encounter Four •
20 gold pieces from Silas Freland if the PCs agreed to help him and asked for “expense money” to use in getting the Altherians drunk.
Encounter Five • • •
• •
Four daggers (4 gp total) Four suits of leather armor (20 gp total) Four Hellhound membership rings (cheap jewelry, each ring sells for 5 gp, so 20 gp total) Four rapiers (40 gp total) 140 gp in cash
Encounter Six
Encounter Six
Note: PCs should only have time to gather loot from Freland and his bodyguard. They should not have time to loot any guards or generally to ransack the shipyard. Yarricite Rapier (certed) – see APL 2 100 gp from Silas Freland (less 20 gp if he gave it to them in Encounter Four) 25 gp from Freland’s bodyguard Masterwork longsword (157.5 gp, certed) Chainmail armor (75 gp) Heavy wooden shield (3.5 gp) Light crossbow (17.5 gp) 10 crossbow bolts (0.5 gp total)
Note: PCs should only have time to gather loot from Freland and his bodyguard. They should not have time to loot any guards or generally to ransack the shipyard. Yarricite Rapier (certed) – see APL 2 250 gp from Silas Freland (less 20 gp if he gave it to them in Encounter Four) 50 gp from Freland’s bodyguard Greater masterwork longsword (307.5 gp, certed) Chainmail armor (75 gp) Heavy wooden shield (3.5 gp) Light crossbow (17.5 gp) 10 crossbow bolts (0.5 gp total)
Optional Encounters 1 - 3
Optional Encounters 1 - 3
The PCs will not be able to keep any equipment from the NPCs they encounter at the various gangs’ taverns and the UBA headquarters. They won’t even have time to loot the bodies. There are simply too many more gang members than there are PCs.
The PCs will not be able to keep any equipment from the NPCs they encounter at the various gangs’ taverns and the UBA headquarters. They won’t even have time to loot the bodies. There are simply too many more gang members than there are PCs.
• •
• • • • • •
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• •
• • • • • •
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ALL APLs
OR
Optional Encounter One
Favor of the Buccaneers You have earned the favor of the Buccaneers, one of the largest gangs in Freeport. Any time you are in the Docks District of the city, you may spend 25 gp and take advantage of your contacts to receive a +2 circumstance bonus to Black Market and Gather Information checks. This favor has no effect outside of the Docks District of Freeport.
Enmity of the Buccaneers You have managed to severely anger the Buccaneers, one of the largest gangs in Freeport. Whenever you are traveling in the Docks District in Freeport there is a 10% chance that you will be assaulted by some Buccaneer Toughs, as per the chart below.
The GM may assume that the Buccaneers are well informed of events in the Docks and will strike at the most inopportune moment for the PC. PC Level = 1-3: 1d4 toughs PC Level = 4-6: 2d4 toughs PC Level = 7-9: 2d6 toughs PC Level = 10+: The toughs yell at you and try to disrupt your business, but they are not stupid enough to attack.
Other uses for this favor may be detailed in future scenarios. Value in Imperials: Priceless Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
Note: Characters do not receive any experience for defeating these Buccaneers. Buccaneer Tough, Rogue 2 / Warrior 1 Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d6 + 1d8 + 3 (20 hp) BAB: +2 (grapple +3) Init: +6 Speed: 30 ft AC: 14 (15) (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor); (+1 Dodge); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 12 Attack: Dagger +3 melee or +4 ranged (10’) Damage: Dagger 1d4+1 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft SA: Sneak attack +1d6 SQ: Evasion, trapfinding AL: Chaotic Neutral SV: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0 Abil: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +9, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +3, Move Silently +7, Sleight of Hand +8, Search +5, Tumble +7 Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility Languages: Low Coryani Possessions: 3 daggers, leather armor, 4 gp
Value in Imperials: Zero (negative really) Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
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Optional Encounter Two
OR
Enmity of the Undir Benevolent A ssociation You have earned the hatred of Finn's Syndicate, sometimes known as the Undir Benevolent Association. To you, they are anything but benevolent, that’s for certain.
Favor of the Undir Benevolent Association You have earned the favor of Finn's Syndicate, sometimes known as the Undir Benevolent Association. They are willing to train you, granting access to the Greater Improved Initiative feat from Freeport: the City of Adventure and the Improved Dodge and Weapon Panache feats from the Green Ronin Assassin's Handbook . Taking any or all of the listed feats does not void this certificate.
Finn val’Borda is quite possibly the most powerful underworld figure in Freeport (at least, for the moment), and he will make sure to put the word out about you. Fear of the Syndicate will cause many people to either give you less help than they otherwise would or refuse to help you altogether. Whenever you are traveling in the Eastern District in Freeport, the price of all goods and services that you purchase is increased by 50%. Furthermore, you suffer a -2 penalty on all Black Market, Gather Information, and Intimidate checks made while you are within the borders of the Eastern District or in any other situation where the GM determined that Finn’s enforcers are likely to have a significant presence or influence.
Other uses for this favor may be detailed in future scenarios. Value in Imperials: Priceless Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
You may be certain that Finn and his associates will not soon forget your actions, and future scenarios may include more specific consequences for this certificate. Value in Imperials: Zero (negative really) Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
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Optional Encounter Three
OR
Enmity of Mister Virida's Gang You have incurred the wrath of Mister Virida's gang. This gang controls the Warehouse District of Freeport, and as a result, they can arrange to make it very difficult for most businesses and merchants to conduct any kind of significant commerce. The gang also has a very tight relationship with most of the teamsters in town and can arrange to have a warehouse filled – or emptied – on very short notice.
Favor of Mister Virida's Gang You have earned the favor of Mister Virida's Gang, which controls the Warehouse District of Freeport. As a result, interesting and useful items have a tendency to “fall off the wagon” when you just happen to be standing nearby. How fortunate for you!
Every time you try to stay at a decent inn or tavern in Freeport, the establishment in question suddenly finds that it has a mysterious shortage of necessary items (food and drink being the most common) and somehow the proprietors always seem to be told that it’s your fault. Until you find a way to make amends with the gang, whenever you stay in Freeport, you are unable to take the High Lifestyle. Instead, you are limited to Medium and Low Lifestyle, and even then you must pay double the listed cost. If you suffer negative consequences as a result of not taking High Lifestyle, then you may avoid those negative consequences by paying additional bribes equal to the normal cost of High Lifestyle above and beyond the doubled cost that you are already paying for your Medium or Low Lifestyle.
Any time you are in Freeport you may purchase, at one-half the list price, any one of the following items: a flask of acid, a flask of alchemist's fire, a tanglefoot bag, or a thunderstone. This purchase must be logged in the same entry on your log sheet as the scenario taking place in Freeport. You may not purchase more than one item per scenario using this favor. You may not sell or trade items purchased using this favor. Purchasing an item with this favor does NOT void the certificate. Other uses for this favor may be detailed in future scenarios. Value in Imperials: Variable, see text Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
Value in Imperials: Zero (negative really) Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
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Conclusion
OR
Favor of T'giri You played a key part in restoring T'giri's shipyard to him. He is extremely grateful, and has gladly promised that he will help you out in return at some time in the future. Once he does, the service needs to be marked on this cert and the other p ossibilities crossed off.
Favor of Silas Freland You helped Silas Freland protect his ownership of the Freeport Shipyard. In his own way, he is grateful, and he has reluctantly agreed to help you out in return at some time in the future. Once he does, the service needs to be marked on this cert and the other possibilities crossed off.
[ ] Give the character 500 gp. This can be done no earlier than one (real-world) calendar year after this scenario has been completed, as it will take T’giri some time to restore his business to full profitability. Date this favor was granted: _________________ Date this favor was redeemed: ________________ [ ] Get the character a berth on the pirate ship Gift of Yarris II under Captain "No Nose" val'Ossan. The PC may make as many voyages as desired once this option has been chosen, but may not spend more TUs than he or she has remaining (all TUs must come from the current year or the voyage cannot be taken). Each voyage as a crewman lasts for 90 TU and earns the PC a total of 10 gp times his or her total bonus in Profession (sailor). Good-aligned characters choosing this option become neutral. Lawful-aligned characters choosing this option become neutral. Making a total of three voyages also fulfills one of the requirements for membership in the Freeport Pirate prestige class (see Freeport: the City of Adventure and the Living Arcanis Freeport Conversion Document for details). [ ] Other favor granted during a scenario set in Freeport (fill in the nature of the favor that was g ranted): _______________________________________ _____ _______________________________________ _____ Value in Imperials: Priceless Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
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[ ] Commission for the character one Yarricite weapon. The character must pay for the weapon. Yarricite adds 100 gp per pound to the base cost of the weapon. Yarricite weapons count as masterwork, and are buoyant. They are immune to the corrosion experienced by metal weapons. They have hardness 9 and 25 hit points per inch. Weapon purchased: ___________________________ [ ] Introduce the character to Loosk Naiblao, a lowranking member of the Undir Benevolent Association. Whenever in Freeport, the character can contact Loosk to gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Black Market and Gather Information skill checks, assuming that the character has not earned the disfavor of the UBA. [ ] Other favor granted during a scenario set in Freeport (fill in the nature of the favor that was g ranted): _______________________________________ _____ _______________________________________ _____ Value in Imperials: Priceless Weight: Nil Use Restriction: Uncommon Tradable: No
OR Neither Favor (if Ending E was used, or if the PCs did not play a significant role in helping either NPC resolve their situation, or if the PCs were successful in helping T’Giri regain the shipyard, but Navid was killed in the process and the PCs could and should have prevented his death)
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Appendix 1: Maps Encounter 1
Detail Map: Silas Freland’s Office
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Freeport Shipyard Overview Map
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Appendix 2: Key NPC Statistics Note: the contents of this Appendix are considered Open Game Content, with the exception of any underlined text.
Key NPCs (all APLs) Navid, Young Altherian (son of T’Giri) Medium-size Male Human (Altherian) Expert 2 CR: 1 HD: 2d6 (10 hp) BAB: +1 (grapple +2) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Unarmed +2 melee Damage: Unarmed 1d3+1 (subdual) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Good SV: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +2 Abil: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 15 Skills: Climb +5, Craft (Shipwright) +10, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (History – Altheria) +7, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +5, Perform (Sing) +5, Profession (Shipbuilder) +3, Swim +6, Sense Motive +4, Use Rope +6 Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright) Languages: Ancient Altharin, Low Coryani, High Coryani Possessions: None
T’giri, Altherian Shipwright Medium-size Male Human (Altherian) Expert 6 CR: 1 (technically 5, but he’s no threat) HD: 6d6 – 12 (14 hp) BAB: +4 (grapple +3) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Unarmed +3 melee Damage: Unarmed 1d3-1 (subdual) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Good SV: Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +7 Abil: Str 9, Dex 12, Con 7, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 15 Skills: Appraise +12, Climb +6, Craft (Shipwright) +15, Diplomacy +11, Knowledge (History – Altheria) +12, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +11 (+6)*, Profession (Shipbuilder) +11, Sense Motive +9, Swim +6, Use Rope +8 Feats: Endurance, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright)
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Languages: Ancient Altharin, Low Coryani, High Coryani, Milandesian Possessions: None (his remaining funds are accessed via bank drafts to an institution in Altheria affiliated with the Shining Patrol) * - T’giri is currently taking a -5 circumstance penalty on his Knowledge (Local – Freeport) skill checks since he has been away from the city for 20 years and his understanding of the local “situation” is therefore somewhat dated.
Silas Freland, Scoundrel and Shipyard Owner Medium-size Male Human (Freeport native) Expert 6 CR: 5 HD: 6d6 (26 hp or 36 hp) BAB: +4 (grapple +7) Init: +1 Speed: 30 ft AC: 11 (+1 Dex); touch 11, flat-footed 10 Attack: Yarricite rapier +8 melee Attack: Light crossbow +5 ranged (80’) Damage: Yarricite rapier 1d6+3 (crit 18-20), Light crossbow 1d8 (crit 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft AL: Neutral Evil SV: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +8 Abil: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Appraise +12, Black Market +10, Bluff +8, Craft (Shipwright) +14, Forgery +12, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Local – Freeport) +11, Profession (Shipbuilder) +12, Sense Motive +9, Swim +8 Feats: Iron Will, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Skill Focus (Craft: shipwright), Skill Focus (Profession: shipbuilder) Languages: Low Coryani, High Coryani, Milandisian, Unden Possessions: Yarricite rapier (certed), 20 gp
(Note: Freland doesn’t have a light crossbow, but he is likely to be handed one by his bodyguard in the event of trouble, so his attacks with it are included above.) Innuendo: The 3.0 skill Innuendo has been folded into the 3.5 skills Bluff (for sending subtle messages) and Sense Motive (for picking up on them). Freland, with his ties to the criminal underworld, understands very well how this works.
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Appendix 3: Sea Lord’s Guard Statistics Note: the contents of this Appendix are considered Open Game Content, with the exception of any underlined text.
Guardsman, Human 1st-Level Warrior Medium-size Male or Female Human (Freeport native) CR: 1/2 HD: 1d8+1 (9 hp) BAB: +1 (grapple +2) Init: +1 Spd: 30 ft AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 chain shirt); touch 11, flat-footed 14 Attack: Heavy mace +3 melee (crit. 20/x2) Light crossbow +2 ranged (crit 19-20/x2) Damage: Heavy mace 1d8+1 Light crossbow 1d8 AL: LN SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Intimidate +2, Listen +3, Search +0, Spot +3 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus (heavy mace) Possessions: heavy mace, light crossbow, 20 bolts, chain shirt Guard Sergeant, Human 2nd-Level Fighter Medium-size Male or Female Human (Freeport native) CR: 2 HD: 2d10+2 (22 hp) BAB: +2 (grapple +4) Init: +2 Spd: 20 ft AC: 17 (18) (+2 Dex, +5 chainmail, (+1 Dodge)); touch 12 (13), flat-footed 15 Attack: Heavy mace +5 melee (crit. 20/x2) Repeating crossbow +4 ranged (crit 19-20/x2) Damage: Heavy mace 1d8+2 Repeating crossbow 1d8 AL: LG SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11 Skills: Climb +3, Intimidate +3, Jump +3, Listen +4, Search +1, Spot +5, Swim +3 Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (repeating crossbow), Weapon Focus (heavy mace) Possessions: heavy mace, repeating crossbow, 20 bolts, chainmail
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Appendix 4: Freeport Glossary All of the locations and NPCs described here are described in much more detail in the Green Ronin sourcebooks Freeport: the City of Adventure and/or Denizens of Freeport. This appendix will serve as a brief and superficial summary of those places and people for judges who do not have ready access to the sourcebooks. Angelo Stampfel: A cocky and smooth-tongued street-punk-turned-reporter for the Shipping News. He seems to have contacts everywhere in Freeport. Black Gull, The: A tavern in the Docks area of Freeport, where members of the Buccaneers are known to hang out. Block and Tackle, The: A tavern in the Warehouse District of Freeport, usually frequented by teamsters and other laborers. Members of Mister Virida’s Gang are known to hang out here. Broken Mug, The: A run-down inn located in the Docks area of Freeport, with cheap rooms and passable food. Buccaneers, The: A large and powerful gang that dominates the Docks of Freeport. See Optional Encounter 1 for details. Captain's Council, The: A twelve-person council that advises the Sea Lord and ratifies his decisions in certain key areas. Currently, in the absence of a Sea Lord, the Council effectively rules Freeport. C.Q. Calame: The short, stout, brash editor of The Shipping News. Docks, The: The southern edge of Freeport, where (predictably) most of the city's docks are located. There’s not much here, other than ships being loaded and unloaded, bands of roving thieves and drunken sailors, and the obligatory seedy taverns and flophouses. Currently controlled by a gang known as the Buccaneers. Drac's End: A culturally diverse, working-class district of Freeport, located along the northern and northwestern edges of the city. Eastern District, The: Home of Freeport's growing middle class. Denizens of this district are known colloquially as Easterners. The district is home to a variety of small shops and businesses, as well as some craftsmen. Currently controlled by a gang known as the Undir Benevolent Association, or Finn’s Syndicate. Field of Honor, The: A spacious plaza in the center of the Eastern District that was used for hundreds of years as a dueling ground to settle matters of honor among the pirates of Freeport. These days, young Freeporters, attracted by legends of the old “pirate code,” have somewhat revived the practice of dueling, much to the chagrin of the merchants whose businesses now line the square. Finn val’Borda: The single most influential underworld figure in Freeport (at least for the moment). His front organization, the Undir Benevolent Association, controls the Eastern District. Any thief or rogue who tries to operate in Finn’s territory is going to be recruited or killed in short order. Freeport Institute, The: Freeport's only institute of higher learning, a surprisingly successful school populated by the children of Freeport's wealthiest citizens and those poorer students who qualify for scholarships from the Church of Althares. Freland (or Freeport) Shipyard: Located in the Warehouse District, this is the only working shipyard in the entire city of Freeport. As a result, its owner is able to command very high prices for his wares. Silas Freland purchased the assets of the shipyard after a mysterious fire 20 years ago put its original owner out of business. Gilt Club, The: A lavish, expensive, and very exclusive private club for Freeport's wealthiest residents. Located in the Merchant District.
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Golden Pillar Society: The best-known (and possibly only) charitable organization in Freeport, headquartered in the Eastern District. Hellhound Social Club: A members-only institution located in the Eastern District. Its members serve as the enforcement arm of the Undir Benevolent Association (see below) and run the gangster Finn’s protection business. House of Serenity, The: A popular, discreet, upscale brothel in the Old City of Freeport. Indecipherable Scroll, The: A small tavern in Drac's End, popular among students, scholars, and the cultured intelligentsia of Freeport (no, really). Agents of the Shield can be located here by other members of that group. Krom's Throat: An extremely rough, rude, odorous, and dangerous “tavern” located in Scurvytown, catering to the city's many orc and half-orc sailors. Last Port, The: Freeport's classiest drinking establishment, with a renowned selection of port wines, dwarven ales, and many other liquors. Located in the Merchant District. Last Resort, The: Freeport's finest (and most expensive) hotel, with accommodations and security worthy of royalty. Located in the Merchant District. Maurice's: A large, exquisite, and exceptionally high-quality restaurant, with prices to match. Located in the Merchant District. Marquis Moon, The: A slightly run-down but relatively pleasant inn in the heart of the Old City. Merchant District: The home of Freeport's richest residents, on the southwestern edge of the city. Most residents of Freeport never set foot in this part of town (and would be run off by the many private guards if they tried). This district contains the highest point in the city proper, known as the Plaza of Gold. The only truly clean and well-lit streets in the entire city can be found here. Mr. Virida's Gang: A relatively new but growing criminal organization, with significant power in the Warehouse District. It’s largely unknown whether Mister Virida himself is a real person. See Optional Encounter 3 for details. Navid: A young Altherian who has recently come to Freeport for the first time. He is the son of T’giri, and hopes to one day run the business that his father once owned in the city. He is enthusiastic and naïve, which in Freeport is likely to shorten his lifespan by a fairly dramatic amount. See Encounter 1 for details. Old City, The: The walled central portion of Freeport, representing what’s left of the original city. Here is where the palace of the Sea Lord, the Fortress of the Guard, the Courts, and the other institutions of government can be found. The city's most talented artisans and merchants ply their trades along the Street of Dreams, which runs through the center of the district. Despite its prominence and history, the Old City isn’t the swankest address in Freeport: that distinction belongs to the Merchant District. However, the Old City is the heart of Freeport, both literally and figuratively. Although Freeport has been attacked several times, the Old City has never been conquered. Professor Wilimina Gertz: A professor of magical studies at the Freeport Institute, and also the owner of the Indecipherable Scroll tavern. Scurvytown: The poorest and most dangerous part of Freeport, in the southeastern corner of the city. It’s officially known as the Freebooter’s Quarter, although no denizen of Freeport actually uses that name. Scurvytown lives up to every stereotype of a “pirate city” and then some. The Sea Lord’s Guard seldom bothers (or dares) to enter this district unless absolutely necessary. If you’re a criminal or a pervert, and you have little or no concern for your own personal safety, then Scurvytown is the place for you. A gang called the Cutthroats controls most of the district, although it’s pretty hard to tell the difference between the places they run and the places they don’t.
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Sea Lord: The ruler of Freeport; no one currently holds the position, though there are many individuals jockeying to take the throne. The city is now effectively ruled by the Captain's Council. Sewer Rats: A recently-formed group of vigilantes dedicated to patrolling the city's sewers in an attempt to "flush out" the city's criminals and protect Freeport's poorer citizens. Shipping News, The: Freeport's biggest (and, indeed, only) daily newspaper (read as: scandal sheet). Silas Freland: The current (or possibly former) owner of Freeport's largest (and only) shipyard. See Encounter 4 for details. Temple District, The: A relatively small portion of Freeport, located between the Old City and Drac's End. Home to the city's several temples. This is by far the smallest district of the city, consisting of less than twenty buildings in total, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the denizens of Freeport are unwilling to invoke the good name of various gods and goddesses on a regular basis. T'giri: The former (or possibly current) owner of Freeport’s largest (and only) shipyard. See Encounter 2 for details. Undir: Also known as watermen, the Undir are a people from the League of Princes in far western Onara. They are said to be descended from a tribe of water sprits. The truth of this is unknown, but many members of the Undir do have somewhat fey characteristics, such as webbed hands and feet or pointed ears. They are known to be excellent swimmers and adept sailors, so it’s on ly natural that some of them would have migrated to Freeport. Undir Benevolent Association: The front for Freeport's largest criminal syndicate (also known as Finn's Syndicate). Headquartered in the Eastern District, adjacent to the Field of Honor. Although many members of the UBA are Undir, not all of them are; and, while the organization does nominally look out for the interests of the watermen in Freeport, it is hardly as “benevolent” as the name implies. See Optional Encounter 2 for details. Warehouse District, The: A district full of warehouses, and not much else, as one might imagine. Located on the southern edge of Freeport between the Merchant District and the Docks. Covering the western shore of the island, this district is the least populous portion of Freeport (though quite possibly the busiest, at least during daylight hours). At night, the streets are patrolled by groups of “guards” (thugs) hired by the various merchant houses to look after their individual interests. Theft from the warehouses themselves is rare, although it’s not uncommon for a cargo in transit to be “lightened” as it passes through the Warehouse District. A few prominent merchant families maintain their own docking facilities here. Currently under the control of Mister Virida’s Gang.
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Appendix 5: Freeport Map This map is available from the Green Ronin Publishing website at http://www.greenronin.com/files/focus12.pdf
Appendix 6: Secret Faction Orders No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out.
No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out.
Goal: Act like you are involved in a plot that goes above and beyond the current situation. This works even better if you act it out. Every now and then, stand up and walk around the table while muttering under your breath. Make sure that no one can actually understand what you’re muttering, other than the occasional word. The word “Ymandragore” works really well for this.
Goal: Convince the other players at the table that you have nothing to hide. Do this by insisting loudly and frequently that you have nothing to hide and you resent the implication that you are trying to conceal your secret faction orders from the rest of the party. This works especially well when you bring the topic up at a time when no one is paying any attention to you whatsoever.
Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun! No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out. Goal: Pretend to be completely innocent. Whistle a happy little tune while affecting a deliberately nonchalant attitude. Be careful not to make the tune that you whistle too annoying or you may find yourself with an out-of-character problem. Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun!
Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun! No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out. Goal: See if you can get one of the other players at the table to reveal their secret faction to you in character. (Of course, you’ll want to do this without revealing your own, since revealing the fact that you are a member of a secret society is generally a bad idea.) If you are not a member of a secret society, then you can do this pretty much indiscriminately without fear of reprisal. Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun!
No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out.
No Orders: Congratulations, you don't actually have any secret orders at this time. Your faction or secret society doesn't have any specific plans for you to carry out.
Goal: Try to find out what everyone else at the table is Goal: Take every opportunity to remind your fellow planning to do for their secret society or faction. players that there are no such things as secret societies. Accomplish this without actually uttering the phrases They don’t exist: they’re a myth, a legend. Much like “secret society,” “special mission,” or “faction.” the gods themselves. Oh, wait, if you use that last bit about the gods, then people will probably think you’re Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to part of a secret society. Better leave that part out. disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun! Note: This is a joke. Please do not really do anything to disrupt play at the table. We’re all here to have fun!
