Page 167 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

Time can be cruel, however. Warfare, corruption, STYES ENCOUNTERS
famine, and natural disaster ruined many who loved the
d6 Encounte.r
Island of Pleasures, and as their resources dwindled,
so did this once-magnificent district. But even as for- The characters are swarmed by 3d6 urchins (com-
tune turned and the region rebuilt from devastation, the moners), who beg for coins and food, offer their
Island of Pleasures became an unneeded luxury. New services as guides or baggage porters, or pluck clum-
people called the district home: poor, desperate folk sily at the characters' unsecured items. The young
crowded beneath fallen gables in hovels tattooed by mil- urchins can be hired as unreliable guides or for any
dew and damp rot. On their heels came folk whose trade simple job for l cp each, but they run away the mo-
was scorned elsewhere. Alchemists fouled the air and ment they're paid.
water with poisonous concoctions from failed experi-
2 A pack of 2d6 beggars (commoners) gathers around
ments. Sweat-shop ma nu factories set up in the Styes
the characters. Each cries out loudly for alms, food,
and aJI but enslaved their desperate workers. Tanners
or spare clothing. Though the beggars aren't thieves,
and millers and dyers and butchers invaded the district,
some of them clutch at the characters' sleeves and
scraping every penny out of their businesses with no
concern over the impact their toxic operations had on hands in a way that might be misinterpreted as at-
their neighbors or the environment. The district bears tempts at picking a pocket or purse. If they're given
little evidence of its former glory as it daily sinks deeper food or a few coins, any of the beggars can answer
into the muck. basic questions about the Styes and specific locations
in the district.
RESIDENTS AND POLITICS
3 A group of 2d6 pickpockets (spies) gathers around
The current population of the Styes is a little under the characters, appearing to be beggars but trying to
twelve thousand residents, but they're packed into an s teal anything they can from pouches and backpacks.
area that might house half that number in a more pros- Any pickpocket that snatches something flees into
perous settlement. Four-fifths of the district's residents the crowd, while the others get in the way to prevent
are human, with the remainder split between gnomes,
pursuit. Attacking or killing an unarmed pickpocket
dwarves, haltlings, half-ores, half-elves, and a smatter-
gets the characters in trouble with the law. It also
ing of other humanoids.
The Styes is ruled by a group of four corrupt officials guarantees that they are bedeviled by vengeful pick-
called "the council." The four councillors are Mr. Dory pockets everywhere they go in the Styes.
(see appendix C), Rashlen (NE male elf assassin), Sliris 4 A pair of shills (commoners) in fine clothes approach
(NE female wererat), and Thornwell (LE female human the characters with guarantees that they know where
mage; also see "Thornwell's Offer," above). The district to find the best deals on food, drink, rooms, potions,
is policed by a poorly trained militia consisting of some merchandise, magic items, or absolutely anything
two hundred guards (LE humans) led by ten officers else. The shills lead characters to shops and inns
(LE human bandit captains) and one commander (LE that pay them a kickback, so prices are actually 5 to
human veteran). The militia patrols in groups of at least
l 0 percent higher than normal-and the quality of
ten, for their own protection more than anything. Larger goods is typically subpar. If the shills are chased away
groups of twenty or more usually include an officer.
with threats or violence, they look for opportunities
Un less you used Thornwell as a hook, the only coun-
to cause trouble later.
cillor who takes an active role in this adventure is Mr.
Dory. Anyone who talks of Dory describes him as a 5 A militia patrol (seven guards and one bandit captain)
longtime resident of the Styes and a wealthy warehouse approaches the characters to demand they pay an en-
owner, and mentions the tragic skin condition that re- trance tax of 10 gp each-a simple shakedown of out-
quires the councillor to take regular immersion in water of-towners. The "tax" can be negotiated down to 5 gp
for relief. per character. If they are paid, the militia members
The rest of the councillors are occupied with other laugh and stroll away. If the characters attack, the
concerns. If one of their fellow councillors is slain, how- militia retreat if any of them are killed or at the end of
ever, or the balance of power in the Styes is seriously
the second round of combat. If any militia members
upset, the surviving councillors will almost certainly
are killed, the characters are immediately attacked
make sure that the characters responsible don't get to
by any other militia patrols they encounter, and they
walk away from the district. The timing and details of
get no cooperation from any member of the militia in
their revenge are left up to you.
their investigation (including Constable Jute).
STYES ENCOUNTERS 6 A press gang (two veterans and eight thugs) attempts
to kidnap the characters and sell them as deckhands
The adventure presents only those encounters and
events that drive the plot, but any character who spends to the captain of an under-crewed ship. This attack
time in the Styes is bound to have additional unpleas- might happen openly, or the gang might wait until the
ant interactions. As the characters are exploring and characters are separated or sleeping before attacking.
following up leads, feel free to spice up their time in the They have no qualms about following the party to (or
district with one of the following encounters. entering) their seedy lodgings.

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