Page 55 - Tomb of Annihilation

Firefinger's pinnacle is 300 feet above ground. When of Baldur's Gate. Liara is 47 years old and has held her
the sky is clear, characters can see over 20 miles around post for the past three years. To her, a posting in ChuJt
the tower. More importantly, they can make out the scat- feels like a test of mettle, but to many of her subordi-
tered plateaus, the Peaks of Flame and other volcanoes nates, it feels like banishment. The garrison consists of
and mountains ringing the southern coast, and the enor- a castellan named Gruta Halsdottir (LN female Illuskan
mous gaps in the jungle canopy that mark the Aldani human knight), three corporals (veterans), and fifty-four
Basin, Lake Luo, and the Valley of Embers. privates (guards). The garrison operates in three eight-
Pterafolk never use the chimney between level 3 and hour shifts, with one corporal (gauntlet) and eighteen
level 4 other than to occasionally drop food to a pris- privates (fists) on duty during each shift.
oner. The top of the chimney is surrounded by rocks and Unknown to her boss, Liara is in league with pirates
low bushes, providing enough concealment for three based out of Jahaka Anchorage and earns a tidy profit
Medium creatures. Hiding from the pterafolk requires a from their exploits. Liara's spies in Port Nyanzaru fur-
successful DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check, with advan- nish her with ship manifests and departure schedules,
tage at nighttime or when it's raining.
which she passes to the pirates via a sending stone; the
Six pterafolk (see appendix D) lair atop the tower, pirate captain Zaroum Al-Saryak holds the matching
including the flock's leader, Nrak, who has 40 hit points. stone (see "Jahaka Anchorage," page 64). Because
Nrak is a hate-filled creature with a scar that begins at of their arrangement, the pirates agreed to Portyr's
the top of its head and cuts down the right side of its demand that they never attack ships H ying the flag of
face and chest to below its right wing. Baldur's Gate. Liara receives a cut of the pirate's profits,
IfAzaka Stormfang (see chapter 1) is with the group, some of which goes toward paying bonuses to her garri-
consider adding more pterafolk to the fight; she swings son to keep the soldiers happy.
the balance heavily in favor of the attackers. Additional Although she's a villain of sorts, Liara Portyr has no
pterafolk circle high overhead and can join the fray at reason to be an enemy to the characters. She spends
any time. Pterafolk won't hesitate to shove a character most of her time managing the security of her strong-
who foolishly stands at the edge of the tower. They can hold, going over field reports, and sifting through re-
jump from the tower, circle around on the wing, and use
ports from her spies in Port Nyanzaru. She admires
their dive attacks to great advantage.
adventurers, and as long as the characters do nothing to
Firefinger's beacon is a magical plume of fire that puts antagonize her, she can provide them with useful advice
out tremendous heat. Any creacure that starts its turn and material aid against the myriad threats lurking in
within 10 feel of the H arne takes 10 (3d6) fire damage. the jungle.
Any creature that enters the flame or starts its turn Liara is puzzled by reports coming from her patrols to
there takes 35 (10d6) fire damage. A successful dispel the south. They've crossed the trails of large creatures
magic (DC 17) cast on the flame dispels it. in the jungle that don't match anything known to live
Treasure. Inside the tower are crude nests and four in Ch ult. Uthe characters are planning to explore the
moldy wooden chests. The chests aren't locked. All region between the east coast and the River Tiryki, or
together, they hold 2,000 cp, 730 sp, four gemstones they've already been there and seen anything unusual,
(50 gp each), and a spell scroll of commune with na- she'd be grateful for any light they can shed on the mys-
ture. One of the chests also contains a cloth-wrapped, tery. (Her patrols are seeing signs of the frost giants
wooden mask resembling a stylized tiger's face. This is searching for Artus Cimber.)
Azaka's mask of the beast (see appendix C). If she's with
Given that Baldur's Gate is a member of the Lords'
the characters, she claims it immediately. Alliance, it should surprise no one that a handful of alli-
ance operatives are sprinkled through the garrison. The
FORT BELUARIAN
Emerald Enclave has expert guides stationed here as
weU. One of them, a druid named Qawasha (see «Find-
ing a Guide," page 33), comes highly recommended.
The flag of Baldur's Gate flies over this wooden stockade. The main reason adventurers have for visiting Fort
The whole structure sits atop a 10-foot hillock, the sides Beluarian is to buy a "charter of exploration." Baldur's
of which are shaved vertically to make them steep and Gate lays claim to everything east of the M istcliff and
north of Kitcher's Inlet, and now that Mezro is picked
difficult to climb. The fort's main gate faces west. On the
clean, it's trying to extend its claim south to Refuge Bay.
east side of the stockade, a tall keep holds a command-
No one (including the merchant princes of Port Nyan-
ing view of the surrounding wilderness.
zaru) has the force in Chult to dispute this claim. So
within its territory, the Flaming Fist does as it pleases,
including demanding that explorers buy charters. A
Fort Beluarian's elevation and lack of a ditch allows the
charter grants permission to the holder to explore
stockade to drain well even in heavy rain. The fort (map
Cbult and plunder its riches, but half of an expedition's
2.7) is garrisoned by Flaming Fist mercenaries. Im-
proceeds and discoveries must be turned over to the
mense wealth passes through Fort Beluarian-enough
Flaming Fist. The charter costs 50 gp, which is treated
to make the nobles and merchants ofBaldur's Gate rich
as a down payment on the split of profits. In addition,
beyond the dreams of avarice.
those who buy a charter can hire up to six Flaming Fist
Commanding Fort Beluarian is a lawful evil Flaming
mercenaries (guards) to accompany them for the very
Fist blaze (major) named Liara Portyr (see appendix D),
reasonable rate of 1 gp per tenday each. It's easy enough
who answers directly to Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard
CHAPTFR 2 I TH£ LAND OF CHULT