Page 28 - Tomb of Annihilation

WAKANGA O'TAMU Zhanthi is one of very few people who've stumbled
Deals in magic and lore onto evidence of Liara Portyr's secret arrangement with
the pirates, but she keeps this knowledge to herself for
Wakanga O'tamu (LN male Chultan human mage) is the the time being. Zindar, the half-dragon harbormaster, is
only arcane spellcaster among the merchant princes. looking for adventurers to dispose of the pirates, while
He's a long-time friend of Syndra Silvane, and he's Zhanthi is putting up the reward money.
something of a dandy who's easily seduced by smart
women-or perhaps that's only a carefully constructed
public image. Unknown to his peers, Wakanga is sympa- MERCHANT PRINCE'S VILLA
thetic to the Harpers and allows them to use his villa as Each merchant prince maintains a lavish villa where he
a safe house. or she lives and conducts private business. These airy,
Wakanga deals in knowledge, information, lost lore, opulent mansions include guest quarters for important
potions, and scrolls. He knows of the death curse but visitors and trading partners, and they're patrolled by
little else about it. If the characters seem committed to loyal, well-drilled guards at all hours.
ending the curse, he'll help them as best he can, includ- Map 1.2 provides a sample floor plan. Each villa is
ing selling them minor magic items (see the Magic Items both a palatial tropical home and a fortress. The outer
for Sale table). Wakanga bas a monopoly on these items walls are 8 to 12 feet tall, up to 2 feet thick, and topped
in Porl Nyanzaru, so characters either pay his prices or with carnivore teeth, slivered seashells, and broken
go without. As much as he wants to help, he's unlikely to glass that glitters colorfully in the sun but also deters
extend credit; all purchases must be in coin, gemstones, intruders. Any character who climbs over the wall must
or jewelry. succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 2
(ld4) slashing damage from the sharp objects.
MAGIC ITEM S FOR SALE You can customize a villa by assigning the following
decorative motifs to each merchant prince:
I tem Wakanga's Price
Potion, common 80gp • Ornate weapons, shields, and framed paintings are
Potion, uncommon 300gp displayed throughout Ekene-Afa's villa, as are squawk-
Spell scroll, 1st-level 100 gp ing parrots in gilded cages.
• lfan Talro'a decorates his villa and gardens with
Spell scroll, 2nd-level 550 gp
relics and vases plundered from Chultan ruins, and
colorful flying snakes swoop and glide through the
Waard's]ournal. In his collection, Wakanga has a
tattered, water-damaged explorer's journal that was spacious hallways.
brought out of the jungle 15 years a.go. It describes a • The waJls and pillars in Jessamine's villa are painted
wizard's explorations of various places in ChuJt, but not with colorful serpents, and decorative stone fountains
in enough detail to locate them on a map. The unnamed and fonts share a similar serpentine motif.
author does, however, make many mentions of his only • The walls of Jobal's villa are festooned with silk drap-
traveling companion: a shield guardian named Vorn. eries, tapestries, and the mounted heads of beasts.
If the characters befriend Wakanga, he gives them the • Kwayothe's villa reeks with scented perfumes, and
journal and shows them on Syndra's map where it was bowls of fresh fruit can be found throughout. Oil
lamps and braziers are kept lit on honor of Kossuth.
found (he accurately indicates the hex containing the
guardian; see "Yorn" in chapter 2 for more informa- • Wakanga's villa is lit with continual flame spells,
and soft music (created by magic) plays throughout.
tion). The journal contains a picture of Vern's control
amulet but provides no clues to the amulet's current Doors to private chambers have arcane lock spells
whereabouts. As reward for finding and retrieving the cast on them, and flying swords are mounted on the
construct and its control amulet, Wakanga offers a spell- walls, ready to attack on Wakanga's command. The
book containing fifteen randomly determined spells (roll occasional floor rug or hanging rug might be a rug of
a d6 to determine the level of each spell). smothering in disguise.
Zhanthi's villa is decorated with standing suits of gold-
Z H ANTHI plated armor and large potted plants, and the bejew-
Deals in gcms,jewelry, cloth, and armor eled skulls of Zhanthi's ancestors rest in wall niches.
Zhanthi (NG female Chultan human noble) bas royal LOWER L EVEL
blood in her veins, and few have the courage to dispute
the wise, old trader. She's a secret member of the Ytepka Paintings, statues, murals, frescoes, tapestries, and oil
Society (see ~Factions and Their Representatives," page lamps meant to impress guests decorate this level.
29), and she has forged ties with the Zhentarim so l. ENTRYWAY
that she can monitor the organization's activities.
Zhanthi trades in gems, jewelry, colorful Chultan This pleasant, breezy, tiled courtyard includes a splash-
ing fountain and green plants. Visitors can refresh
cloth, and nonmagical leather, studded leather, and themselves in a washroom to the left of the entrance
hide armor. Her son, Shago, is a guide stationed at Fort before meeting residents of the villa. The entry portico
Beluarian. Shago sends regular reports to his mother is always guarded by ld4 + 1 gladiators recruited from
about what's happening at the fort, but he's not her most the merchant prince's extended family or hand-picked
reliable spy among the Flaming Fist.
for their loyalty and fighting prowess. These guards are

CHAPTER l I PORT NYANZARU
27