Second Adventure - New Ports

Dungeons and Dragons Second Campaign – New PortsavenHaven

Note: The map of the inside of the spire is sadly missing, if I find it I will upload it later.

Introduction

If the characters were successful at Gateway Rad Shatterstone will thank them and give them fresh horses and a pouch of silver coins (25 each). He will also send a letter of commendation to Nathan.

If the characters fail the new Holy Guard commander, Locksure Dirk will see them off along with the new High Theocrat for Gateway, none other than Nedrick. Both having smug faces as they wave the characters off.

Rad Shatterstone will bid the characters farewell and wish them the best on their journey, he will head to Solace to start work as a caravan guard.

The journey to New Ports will take the characters through Que The, Travellers rest and Oldriver Bridge. The road is known to be somewhat wild

*Que Teh

The Que Teh are plains tribes people and are friendly (if slightly guarded) around visitors due to their trade. The Que Teh village consists of an earth bund wall with timber framed yurt type tents inside. About 2000 people live in Que Teh.

Within the Que The characters will see there are a lot of traders selling and buying mostly foodstuffs, drinks, furs and metals. If the characters wish to buy common items, they can do.

Travellers Rest

Halfway between Que The village and Old Road Bridge there is an inn called the Travellers Rest where the characters can stop and rest as dusk approaches.

Stopping the night costs 5 SP which includes a meal. If the characters go into the common room, they will see there are 10 others staying: 2 merchants with 5 guards, a priest in brown and gold robes and 2 trappers.

If the characters speak to the merchants or the guards, they will say they are heading from New Ports to Gateway. There is some trouble in New Ports as some sailors have gone missing around the Spire in the harbour.

The harbour spite is an amazing crystal monument that lights up at night.

If the characters speak to the trappers, they will say they have had problems with large cats in the area but have still have some pelts to sell.

If the characters speak to the priest, he will introduce himself as Cuthbert the good, a Seeker Priest on his way to New Ports to bless a shrine to the Seeker gods.

Oldroad Bridge

A small village has built up around the old road bridge. The bridge itself is a relic from pre cataclysm. White Rage River was then known as Silver Lode and was a slow shallow brook coming out of Thorbardin. On creation of the New Sea the ground dropped away, and the Silver Lode became a raging torrent carving out the mighty channel that is now White Rage River.

The bridge is of Dwarven build and has two mighty towers with massive wire cables running between t-he towers, the bridge itself is made of stone planks fixed to the cables.

Groups of houses cluster around each side with a wooden palisade fence around each side. Gates are set up each side. You cannot access the bridge without going through the village and the gates.

There are guards at each gate, however these give the characters only a cursory glance.

To cross the bridge there is a toll of 1 SP per person. The people of Oldroad Bridge live on flotsam from the river. Nets are set up to catch washed down debris, findings are sold in New Ports. Some villagers pan the water for smaller high value items. These can be seen as the characters pass through. If the characters talk to villagers or guards and ask about New Ports they will say that the trouble in New Ports has something to do with the Spire in the harbour. Thought to be a spire of rock it seems to be something more as it has led to the disappearance of a number of sailors.

There is an inn at Oldroad Bridge where the characters can stay the night if they wish, it costs 10SP each to stay here, this includes food.

New Ports

The characters will approach the town from the North travelling through Old City before entering the New Ports city proper. It is clear that New Ports is a prosperous place with well maintained buildings, a city wall clad in white marble and guards clad in expensive chainmail on the gates and patrolling the streets.

T-here are five main merchant houses in New Ports, and between them they run the city.

4. Wainsons – workers / guards wear red and black. Wainsons controls the North Gate and the old city. He has less harbour presence than the other traders and deals more in overland traffic. He is allied with none of the other merchant houses but is also not enemies with any.

7. Grindle – workers / guards wear plain grey. Grindle controls the lighthouse and North harbour guard tower. Grindle has a large presence in the North harbour. He is allied with Avery and enemy to Easterbrook and Seaford.

21. Avery – workers / guards wear gold and blue. Avery controls the lords harbour and is the most powerful navy in New Ports. He is allied with Grindle (having married Grindles daughter) and is enemies of Seaford and Easterbrook.

20. Easterbrook – workers / guards wear crimson. Easterbrooke is the richest of the merchant houses. He controls the Tiryki anchorages and the East gate / Malars throat. He is allied with Seaford and enemy of Grindle and Avery.

22. Seaford – workers / guards wear blue. Seaford controls the south guard tower and most of the southern harbour. He is the ally of Easterbrook and enemy of Avery and Grindle.

Assuming the characters approach via the North gate they will be questioned by Wainsons guards. If the characters ask for Avery the guards will ask for more information on why they want Avery. As everyone is in the pay of everyone else word will get back to Easterbrook and Seaford.

If the characters do not report straight to Avery they will be approached by men working for Easterbrook who will try to bribe them to report their findings to him.

Once the characters report to Averys offices Avery will receive them and explain the problem.

There has been a spire of crystal in the middle of the harbour since before New Ports was first built over 200n years ago. Some say the spire dates pre cataclysm. The spire has always glowed at night and this light has been used to help guide boats in the harbour. However, 6 months ago eerie noises have been heard in the harbour, and the lights inn the spire have been pulsing. The merchants could not agree what to do. Easterbrook and Seaford typically blocked every concerted effort suggested by Avery and Grindle.

A group of sailors was sent to the spire. The boat has been found but the sailors are missing.

If any one merchant sends soldiers to the spire the other merchants will object so an external `independent` force is required to investigate and report back to the combined merchants.

However, Avery wants the characters to report to him first to agree what is to be said to the rest of the merchants, to avoid any panic of course.

Avery will arrange to have the characters taken by boat to the spire. On the way to the harbour in the morning the party will be intercepted by the other merchants and their bodyguards. A tense stand off will ensue with accusations from all sides.

Weapons will be drawn but no actual fighting will occur. Let the characters try some diplomacy before Wainsons interjects with the suggestion a representative from each merchant joins the characters.

Avery and Grindle will send a guard captain, Jameson. He will insist on being first and claim any treasure in the name of Avery and Grindle. He will happily support the characters in combat where this does not put him at too much risk.

Easterbrook and Seaford will send a guard captain, Mustan. He will attempt to sow mistrust and cause suspicion to fall on Jameson where he can. Any treasure will be claimed for the glory of Easterbrook and Seaford. He will not support the characters in combat, always finding a reason to avoid combat.

Wainsons will send a Solamnic knight in his employ, Brian De Savoy. Brian is level headed and follows a strict code of honour, quotes the measure at every opportunity and will support the characters where possible, but will also claim what he believes is his masters due.

Once agreed, they are all taken to the spire. The spire stands about 20 feet tall and appears to be made of shards of crystal fixed together with molten lead like a stain glass window. Two panels appear to be missing.

There is light coming from the spire, it appears to be flickering between white / yellow and red / purple. Brian De Savoy will say `its never been like this before, always been a white light since I can remember. Wonder what is causing that?`

Jameson will then say `from what I understand the spire hasn’t changed since the birth of New Ports over 200 years ago.`

The missing panels of the spire are big enough for a person to squeeze in. There is a drop of about 10 feet to the floor. Make acrobatics roll for each player against 12 to avoid taking 1D4 damage from the fall. The merchant representatives have +2 Acrobatics.

1. This is a circular room with archways to North, South East and West. The room is about 20 feet across. In the middle there is a prism with a beam of light coming from each archway hitting the prism and lighting up the spire. The beam of light from the east arch flickers white and purple. The others are yellowy white. There is a humming sound, though its hard to say where its coming from.

Stepping in front of or blocking the light beam will cause the humming will gain in pitch, the light will cause 1D4 damage to whatever blocks it, unless it is a mirror. If a mirror is used a deep rumbling will be heard and the light will stop.

There is a large crack in both the North West and South East areas of the room wall.

The archways are about 5 foot wide and made of brickwork. It is possible to walk without blocking the light stream.

2. 3. 4. 5. The Northern most archway leads to a brick lined cavern to a square chamber approx. 20 feet square. In the centre there is a prism, light travels through a hole in the floor to the prism which is held in place by a floor mounted iron frame.

On either side of the chamber door are two 6 foot statues of armoured figures carrying maces. If anyone approaches the room they may make a perception test to notice these before they enter. If the room is entered they attack.

Statues: Initiative 0, HP 30, Attack +3, Damage 1D8, AC 18 (edged weapons) AC12 (blunt weapons).

Damaging the prism will cause an explosion causing 1D6 damage to everyone in the room.

Bodies of three sailors can be found in room 2.

6. This is the South-eastern crack. It winds its way around 6 feet then narrows to the point it cannot be travelled.

7. This is the North-Western crack, it is around 3 feet wide and can be travelled quite easily. It winds its way to a tunnel at 8. There are a family of cave claws in the crack living in holes inn the wall. They will run away when the characters approach.

8. Crack joins a tunnel that goes North to room 9 and south to a spiral tunnel leading downwards to area 10.

9. This room once had a metal door but it is rusted solid. To break it open a maximum of 2 people can attempt it at once, its is a difficulty 20 strength roll, main character rolls with secondary character adding their str bonus.

Once in this room there are stone benches and stone bookshelves. There is also a chest, the wood from which is rotten and falls apart when touched revealing large numbers of gold coins, goblets and plates. The merchants’ reps will all claim this!

The bookshelves have lots of mouldy rotten books, perception v 12 will identify 4 books that appear in good condition, these are spell books. There are also 16 bottles 1 red, 2 black 13 clear. All have corks and unknown liquid. If broken or opened the following happens:

Red- red mist spirit rises up and attacks the opener. Initiative +3, HP 15, Attack +4, Damage 1D6+2, AC 16 can only be damaged by magical weapons, and all attacks are -2 damage.

Black – black spirit shape grows out of the bottle speaking ancient solamnic (Brian can translate) asking for forgiveness for supporting Lord Soth at the court of Istar. If the bottle opener gives forgiveness the spirit will turn white and fade away, before it leaves it will offer a boon to the characteristic of the characters choice. +1 to that statistic. If no forgiveness is given the black shade attacks (same statistics as red spirit).

Clear – the bottle explodes in a flash of lightning causing 1D6 damage to anyone within 5 feet.

10. Once the spiral corridor levels out there is a trap at area 10. At the end of the corridor there is a blue crystal on a plinth. As soon as it is seen both Jameson and Mustan will leap forward, only to be impaled on giant spear traps. The crystal and plinth are an illusion and disappear when touched.

11. Crossroads. Ahead is a soft reddish glow, it appears to be warmer this way. To the left it is pitch black and cold.

12. The cavern opens up much wider and taller. There are mushrooms of all sizes and types, some large as trees. And lots of insects and bugs like centipedes and beetles underfoot and on the walls. Some quite alarmingly large.

If they continue into the cavern they can make Nature rolls v 12, if successful they will see claw marks on some of the mushrooms, they think they may have seen such marks before.

Ahead there is a stream of lava about 3 feet wide. It could be easily stepped over but is very hot.

Once they approach the lava one of the broken mushrooms moves, it straightens up and reveals itself as a mushroom covered Hook Horror! Another rises nearby and both attack the party.

Mushroom Hook Horrors Initiative +2, HP 30, 2 x Attack +3, Damage 1D6+2, AC 15

The cavern is a dead end, there are holes in the roof the Hook Horrors use to access but these are unclimbable.

13 Great Hall. Following this dark foreboding passage the characters have a feeling something terrible is ahead.

The tunnel ends in the remains of a wood and iron door. The wood is so rotten touching it causes it to crumble.

The room beyond is very large and rectangular. There is a large glowing circle in the middle with a bronze dragon in mid flight frozen in time, its mouth open as its about to consume a hapless goblin fleeing in terror of it. The Goblin is fleeing towards a figure who stands outside the glowing circle with its hands on a crystal ball.

There are 4 crystals on plinths sending beams of light up through holes in the ceiling, one of the plinths is within the light circle, that one is caught in mid tumble after being struck by the dragons tail, and this is the one that is sending purple and red light upwards.

The figure turns towards the characters and it is clear the creature is some sort of undead knight. If Brian is with the characters he will gasp an oath and call it a Death Knight.

The Death Knight will talk, `Welcome to the temple of Chemosh the deathless. Hold and approach no further until I tell you, my strength weakens and I must hold the Githyanki at bay. I have stood here since the cataclysm and I am tired, so very tired. When I let go of this crystal the time sphere will break and time will return to normal. The gate key struck by the bronze dragon will fall and break, the gate will open and the Githyanki will enter this realm and enslave every living thing. I need your help to prevent this.`

The time spell slows time but cannot stop it. The crystal struck by the dragon as it bears down on its quarry is already dangerously out of alignment, the Githyanki gather on the edge of our reality and await the tear in the veil that will allow them to storm through, they will be unstoppable. Even Chemosh does not wish this to pass.

I need someone to catch that crystal when I release the spell, to stop the dragon from destroying the other crystals. I do not know how the dragon got here, I was guarding the temple after the cataclysm and out of nowhere the goblin you see appeared and the dragon pursuing him. It was all I could do to set the time spell, but to power it I needed this dragon orb, and it has taxed me terribly, Now my strength fails and I cannot keep the spell going much longer.

When I release this spell, the dragon orb will be free and it will not appreciate my using it thus, it will seek a host – do not approach it, do not touch it. Catch the crystal and right it. Take the dragon and leave. Do not return, allow no others to return.`

As he speaks a shadowy figure forms in front of the Death Knight. The Death Knight calls out, ` Accursed Githyanki! Stop them before they break the spell and causes the rift to open!

The Githyanki will turn to the characters and speak in some alien language, draw its sword and attack.

Githyanki Initiative +5, HP 50, Attack +4, Damage 1D8, AC 16

Once defeated the Death Knight will implore the characters to take position near the crystal and get ready to catch it.

Catching the crystal is a sleight of hand roll against difficulty 12. If it is dropped Brian dives for the crystal and catches it. Phew!

Once the spell is released the Death Knight starts to crumble, carrying out a solamnic salute as it does so. If Brian is still around he will return the salute.

As the Death Knight crumbles, the crystal falls, the dragon surges forward gobbling up the hapless goblin.

The dragon will chomp the goblin then turn to face the characters;

`And who might you be? Where is this place? Where is Huma? He is in trouble! I must go to him!`

If Brian is around he will gasp;

`Huma? He is but a legend, they say he was a knight of Solamnia before the cataclysm, if he was real he would be dead over a thousand years ago!`

At this the dragon will collapse to the ground, the crystals will all shake and wobble.

`This is dire news, the worst! I fought by his side against the queen of darkness, Tahkhisis. I suspected foul magics when that black mage struck me with a purple light! I was pursuing goblins fleeing towards his, id have taken him too if he had not magicked me here, wherever here is!`

If the characters explain where they are he will not recognise place names. However, Brian will mention Thorbardin and this he will recognise.

The dragon will introduce himself as Coppershake in common tongue, and he will offer a boon to those that have freed him. He can transport them wherever they need to travel, after which he must find the other metallic dragons and discover what has occurred these last thousand years or so.

Coppershake does not know where skullcap is but does know the way to Thorbardin and will say he is sure to be able to see it from there.

Coppershake will ask if any other dragons have been seen recently?

If the characters try to mention the gold dragonthe words will come out as woolly mammoth not gold dragon. He will ask that the characters (and Brian if hes there) do not report on his whereabouts, he will also ask them to turn around for a minute. Once they do so he will transform into a human male with red hair wearing leather armour. He will accompany the characters out of the spire, sealing it as they exit.

New Ports

1. City watch towers

2. Outer market

3. Fire pits

4. Merchant Wainsons

5. Watch barracks

6. Crystal market

7. Merchant Grindle

8. Goods customs house

9. Sea watch tower and light house

10. Shrine to Habbakuk of the sea

11. North harbour

12. The spire

13. Harbour masters hall

14. Harbour guard North tower

15. Harbour guard South tower

16. West Harbour (lords harbour)

17. Wards harbour

18. Open market

19. Docks market

20. Merchant Easterbrook

21. Merchant Avery

22. Merchant Seaford

23. Independent traders hall

24. Shrine to Belzar the beautiful

25. Horse market