Page 49 - Tomb of Annihilation

River Soshenstar to bring replacement soldiers, armor, 6. COMMAND TENT
weapons, arrows and bolts, medicine, tents, cots, boots, Commander Breakbone understands war well enough
clothing, and just about everything else. After the disas- when it involves battle lines, waving banners, trumpets,
ter at Camp Righteous, Commander Breakbone would and supply trains, but this war of ambush and creeping
like to have enough boats oo hand to carry most, if not through the jungle only mystifies and frustrates him ..
all, of the garrison to safety in case the camp is overrun. He spends most of his time in his command tent, poring
That's seldom the case. over inaccurate maps and reviewing reports about the
camp's supplies. His two immediate subordinates, Ord
2. GATEHOUSE
Firebeard and Perne Salhana, do a commendable job of
The camp is ringed by a 20-foot-deep ditch lined with
managing the camp in the absence of effective leader-
sharpened stakes backed by a stout, 12-foot-high log
ship from Breakbone.
palisade. The depth of the ditch isn't apparent because
Commander Breakbone has two immediate problems.
it's perpetually filled with muddy water. The spikes are
If characters arrived by boat, he needs them to carry
too big to be effective against undead but they're danger-
messages and seven sick soldiers downriver to Port
ous to Large and Huge beasts. The gatehouse is heavy
Nyanzaru. Each soldiers is suffering from mad monkey
enough to withstand a charging triceratops, and the
fever, shivering sickness, or throat leeches (see "Dis-
gates are never opened without an express command
eases," page 40). If characters arrived on foot, Break-
from one of the camp's top three officers.
bone insists that they lead a detachment of his soldiers
The gatehouse consists of the ground-level entryway,
(consisting of four guards and four tribal warriors) on
an upper floor that serves as an armory (all of the garri-
a two-week patrol back in the direction they came from;
son's spare weapons and armor are stored here because
their orders are to destroy any undead they encounter.
it's one of the few places that remains reliably dry), and
If either request is refused, Breakbone orders the char-
a roofless fighting platform surrounded by a palisade
acters arrested and tied hand and foot in separate guard
that gives three-quarters cover against attacks made
towers, to await trial for insubordination during a mili-
from the ground. Two guards are stationed atop the
tary emergency. If they're found guilty, the penalty ls to
gatehouse day and night.
be stripped of all gear, tied to trees in the forest, and left
The rampart under the palisade impedes the camp's
for the carnivores or the undead.
drainage. The entire compound is riddled with puddles
Sufficiently powerful characters might actually win a
and ankle-deep mud, which make it a breeding ground
fight against the entire camp, but even if they do, they'll
for mosquitoes and other vermin.
be marked for death by the Order of the Gauntlet wher-
ever they go in Chu It (and potentially elsewhere in the
3. WATCHTOWERS
Realms). If characters escorted Undril Silvertusk to the
Each watchtower has a defended top level (providing
camp and gained her respect (see "Side Quests," page
three-quarters cover) that looms above the camp pal-
16), she will intercede on their behalf and persuade
isade. A lower level consists of a wooden floor raised
Commander Breakbone to let the characters go. Other-
several feet above the ground and enclosed with a com-
wise, they'll need to win over both Ord and Pcrne with
bination of thin wood and canvas to create a reasonably
persuasive arguments to avoid Breakbone's judgmenL
dry living space. Lorsa Bilwatal, WulfRygor, and their
Each of them can be swayed with a successful DC 15
cadre of Chultan scouts have their quarters in these
Charisma (Persuasion) check., but only if the character
lower watchtower billets.
making the check has a sound case for leniency.
Theoretically, each watchtower is staffed by two
guards day and night, but personnel shortages some-
7. SOLDIERS' TENTS
times reduce that to one guard or force the knights to
Each tent is intended to house four people in reasonable
take turns on watch.
comfort. They have log floors to keep the occupants
above the mud, and reed-filled cloth mattresses for
4. ANIMAL PEN
sleeping on. None of the material, however, is suitable
The knights built this pen for swine, but the camp
for long-term use in Chult. The canvas is riddled with
proved too unhealthy for them and they all died. The
mildew and fungus, dampness quickly seeps up through
current livestock consists of four sickly goats.
the floors, and vermin of every imaginable variety
thrives in the mattresses.
5. FIELD HOSPITAL TENTS
These tents are filled with sick and dying soldiers of the
8. LATRINES
Order. At any given time, each tent holds 2d6 patients
Anywhere but Chult, these latrines would be excellent.
suffering from a range of maladies. The acolytes tending
Here, daily rain floods the pits and flushes their con-
the sick are themselves so ill and exhausted that they
tents through the camp. As if that's not bad enough,
can't make effective use of their magic. Any help the
the wooden structures are sinking into the soft ground
characters provide is greatly appreciated, especially if
around the pits, threatening at any moment to collapse
they donate potions of healing or other magic. If char-
utterly. Most soldiers in the camp avoid the latrines
acters provide substantial medical aid, Sister Cyas
and instead relieve themselves in the jungle (if they can
becomes their staunch defender against Commander
volunteer for outside work details) or over the top of the
Breakbone's unreasonable demands.
palisade wall. Either option is safer and more sanitary
than using the latrines.