TEXT: RED CHAINS
  by Steve Winter
  An adventure for characters of levels 4–6
  
  RED CHAINS
  An adventure for characters of levels 4–6
  CREDITS
  Design: Steve Winter
  Development: Richard Baker
  Cover Art: Lucas Durham
  Interior Illustrators: Liz Green, Lee Smith
  Cartography: Corey Macourek
  Art Direction: Richard Baker
  Graphic Design: Corey Macourek
  Production Specialist: Nissa McCormack
  Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the 
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo, Inc. See http://paizo.com/
  pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying 
  Game. Paizo Inc. does not guarantee compatibility, and does not 
  endorse this product.
  Based on the Primeval Thule Campaign Setting by Richard 
  Baker, David Noonan, and Steve Schubert
  Red Chains is published by Sasquatch Game Studio, LLC, under 
  the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. Sasquatch Game Studio LLC, the Sasquatch logo, and 
  Primeval Thule are trademarks of Sasquatch Game Studio, LLC. 
  All characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are property of 
  Sasquatch Game Studio LLC. This material is protected under the 
  copyright laws of the United States of America. © 2015 Sasquatch 
  Game Studio, LLC.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as 
  Product Identity as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, 
  and are not Open Content: All trademarks, proper names, dialogue, 
  plot, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress.
  Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Inc., and the 
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 
  Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc., and are used under 
  the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://
  paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on 
  the compatibility license.
  Sasquatch Game Studio, LLC 
   
   
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  Red Chains
  3
  T
  he vile practice of slavery casts a shadow 
  over all of Thule. In Red Chains, the char-
  acters must travel to the city of Marg, home 
  base of the Crimson Slavers who terrorize much of 
  the continent. Their quest is simple: Rescue the son 
  of an important chieftain from the clutches of Marg’s 
  slavers. But in their effort to free the young barbarian 
  from his captors, the heroes find the trail leading them 
  into a cruel, twisted realm of human bondage, under-
  ground cults, and dark rituals.
  Encounter Difficulty: Red Chains is intended for 
  4th- to 6th-level characters, but because it’s very light 
  on combat, it can easily be modified for characters 
  of any level. Only one battle in the adventure really 
  matters; any other fight characters get into can be 
  avoided—and probably should be.
  ADVENTURE 
  SUMMARY
  The player characters are hired by Evarr Hallborn, a 
  barbarian of noble blood, to rescue his son Leafstan 
  from the Crimson Slavers. Before leaving on this 
  mission, characters have an opportunity to talk to an 
  ex-slaver and learn crucial facts about the slave trade 
  and the city of Marg.
  Once in Marg, they discover that the job won’t be 
  as easy or as simple as just buying Leafstan back. He’s 
  already been bought and sold several times before the 
  characters pick up his trail. Instead of moving “up the 
  chain,” however, as similar slaves usually do, Leafstan 
  is moving down along a chain of increasingly grim 
  and disturbing owners into a world of death sport, 
  magical experimentation, and nightmare cults. The 
  trail also leads to followers of Asura who fight against 
  slavery and aid escaping slaves in their flight to free-
  dom. Earning their trust is as crucial to the rescue’s 
  success as finding Leafstan and stopping the cultists’ 
  horrid plan.
  IMPORTANT NPCS
  Red Chains is light on combat but heavy on roleplaying 
  and investigation. Characters will spend most of the 
  time speaking with, gaining the trust of, or squeezing 
  information from NPCs involved in the slave trade. 
  Some of them are despicable, some are valuable allies, 
  and a few are both.
  Baishum Judocus was a mercenary who joined the 
  Crimson Slavers, but eventually he grew to admire the 
  people they were preying on and repented his wicked 
  ways. He jumped ship during a raid, swam ashore, 
  and tried to teach the barbarians he found how to pro-
  tect themselves against the raiders. The clans accepted 
  him and gave him a home, and he’s lived among them 
  for 20 years.
  Bearn Tuham is a seasoned warrior and raider who’s 
  seen more than his share of combat against slavers 
  and other enemies of the clan. He lost his right arm 
  battling lizardfolk a decade ago, but he still serves 
  Evarr Hallborn as a lieutenant and adviser.
  Evarr Hallborn is the hereditary leader of his clan. 
  He was a great warrior in his prime, and even now few 
  of his clansmen would face him one-on-one. He wears 
  a mantle made from griffin hide that’s the hereditary 
  symbol of rulership in the clan. His two eldest sons 
  both died (one in battle, one adventuring) before Evarr 
  was ready to hand over the reins of power. Leafstan is 
  his only surviving heir.
  Leafstan Hallborn is the son of Evarr Hallborn and 
  the only surviving heir to the griffin mantle. He’s 17, 
  passionate, strong, and impetuous, and he’ll become 
  an excellent clan chief if he lives long enough.
  Nafryr is an Atlantean slave trader. She bought 
  Leafstan from the slavers who captured him, then sold 
  him to Xauxo of Ren Sharr.
  Noble Freeman is an astrologer in Marg who earned 
  his freedom from slavery. He works with the follow-
  ers of Asura to help slaves escape, and he commands 
  a small army of urchins who can guide characters 
  stealthily almost anywhere in the city.
  Sister Uthlita runs a mortuary that disposes of the 
  corpses of slaves, but she’s also secretly a follower of 
  Asura who smuggles escaped slaves out of Marg.
  Tuhawi Dasaab is an owner of pit-fighting slaves 
  and a follower of Set. He bought Leafstan from Xauxo 
  of Ren Sharr and intends to sacrifice the young man to 
  the serpent god, after torturous alterations are made to 
  Leafstan’s body and mind.
  Xauxo of Ren Sharr is an owner and trainer of pit 
  fighters. He bought Leafstan from Nafryr, then sold 
  him to Tuhawi Dasaab. Although he’s completely 
  amoral, Xauxo will help the characters if their interfer-
  ence will harm his competitor.
  Yoodir is a homeless street preacher who rants 
  against the evils of slavery in Marg. He is the ultimate 
  key to finding Leafstan before it’s too late.
  BEGINNING THE 
  ADVENTURE
  The adventure begins wherever in Thule your cam-
  paign takes place. The Crimson Slavers focus their 
  raids against barbarians (there’s less risk of political 
  backlash or organized military resistance that way), 
  so starting in barbarian lands is preferable to starting 
  in a city. Whether characters start among the barbar-
  ian tribes or in a city, tailor the information below to 
  reflect their situation.
  The player characters are approached by Bearn 
  Tuham, who brings a message from his warlord, 
  Evarr Hallborn, a man of considerable influence and 
  importance among the Ammur tribes (substitute a 
  different barbarian tribe if it works better for your 
  campaign). Hallborn wants to see the PCs immedi-
  ately to offer them a job. Tuham explains that Evarr 
  Hallborn is a powerful leader in his clan, a good 
  
  Red Chains
  4
  man to have on your side or in your debt. He needs 
  mercenaries from outside the clan for an important 
  task. Tuham wants the characters to come with him 
  immediately; time is pressing.
  EVARR’S 
  LONGHOUSE
  The clan chief’s longhouse is a “palace” of barbaric 
  splendor. Most of it is one tremendous, timber-col-
  umned hall. Tables, benches, and numerous fire pits 
  are arrayed near the center of the hall. Cots and pallets 
  covered with warm furs are pushed near the walls for 
  sleeping. At the end of the hall opposite the single 
  entrance, an impressive, roughly-hewn chair stands 
  beneath the mounted head of a griffin. Seated on 
  that chair is a man wearing a mantle made from the 
  griffin’s pelt.
  Evarr Hallborn is a tall man and still impressively 
  powerful despite his gray hair and beard. He wastes no 
  time on pleasantries as the characters approach his seat.
  A dark mood hangs over the entire hall, but especially 
  on the man wearing the griffin mantle, whose chin rests 
  heavily on a tightly-clenched fist. You’re only halfway 
  across the hall when he speaks loudly without raising his 
  head. “My son has been captured by Crimson Slavers and 
  taken to Marg, and I need someone to bring him back—
  bold mercenaries not of my clan, who won’t be recog-
  nized as my warriors in that cursed city.
  “What you must do is simple: travel to Marg, pick up 
  my son’s trail, and buy him back. Don’t let anyone know 
  you’re working for me, or they’ll inflate the price. Just 
  make a quiet business transaction. That’s what these 
  jackals understand.
  “Once Leafstan is safely home, then our thoughts 
  of deep revenge can take form. For now, just bring him 
  home. Bring him back to me, and your honor and reward 
  will be great.” Then he dismisses you with a wave toward 
  Bearn Tuham and sinks again into somber meditation.
  Tuham draws the characters aside at that point and 
  gives them the specifics. The characters are offered 
  5 pounds of gold apiece (250 gp) as pay for the job. 
  (This amount can be adjusted up or down to match 
  the economy in your game.) One-fifth will be paid 
  up front, the rest when Leafstan is brought back. He 
  must be alive, or there will be no further payment! 
  Tuham emphasizes that besides the monetary reward, 
  Evarr Hallborn is a powerful and generous lord to 
  his friends and allies. In addition to their up-front 
  payment, he provides them with 20 Margish krak-
  ens (200 gp) to purchase Leafstan’s freedom. They’re 
  expected to bring back a receipt and return whatever 
  krakens are left over!
  Leafstan is 17, blond, bearded (when he was taken), 
  and has a stylized griffin tattoo on his right forearm. 
  He was captured two weeks ago while hunting far 
  from home. One of his companions eluded the slavers 
  and followed them to their ship, where he heard them 
  saying their hold was full and they were sailing straight 
  to Marg to sell their catch. It took Leafstan’s friend 
  eleven days to make his way back to Evarr and report, 
  so the slavers now have a two-week head start. The ship 
  was named  Tarhun’s Fury.
  Bearn Tuham also recommends that before the char-
  acters depart for Marg, they meet with a man named 
  Baishum Judocus, who lives among the clan even 
  though he’s not kin. Judocus is wise in the ways of the 
  Crimson Slavers, and he might have useful advice for 
  the characters.
  THE EX-SLAVER
  Baishum Judocus is a Kalay human, clearly an outsider 
  among the tall, fair-haired barbarians. He is short, 
  swarthy, and has dark, darting eyes. His lodge is 
  indistinguishable from any other in the village from 
  the outside, but inside, the collection of exotic weapons 
  and other oddities on the walls and shelves makes it 
  obvious the resident has traveled widely across Thule. 
  Bearn Tuham introduces Judocus to the characters as 
  “someone who knows the evil business you’re about 
  to delve into.” Judocus explains unapologetically that 
  he sailed with the Crimson Slavers “when I was young 
  and didn’t know any better.”
  He hasn’t been to Marg for 20 years, so Judocus 
  can’t offer much specific advice about the city. He 
  advises characters that they should be able to get infor-
  mation about Tarhun’s Fury from the harbor master, 
  but Leafstan probably will already be sold by the time 
  characters arrive. They can track legal sales through the 
  Master of Accounts at the central market.
  Most importantly, if they run into trouble, they 
  must not place any trust in city bureaucrats or guild 
  officials. Instead, he offers this advice.
  “Your first friend in Marg is an astrologer who calls him-
  self Noble Freeman. He was a slave who bought his own 
  freedom. If he’s still alive, my name should get you in the 
  door and let you explain your needs.
  “If you find yourselves truly in desperate straits, you 
  must seek out the followers of Asura. They specialize in 
  helping escaped slaves and other fugitives reach free-
  dom. They can get you out of Marg even with the whole 
  city hunting you. If you need their help, go to the swamp-
  side mortuary and ask for ‘Clestain’. I can’t guarantee 
  that’ll still work, but it did 20 years ago.
  “Whatever you do, protect that information with your 
  life. Because they undermine slavery, the Asurans are 
  the most wanted criminals in Marg. The Crimson Council 
  would pay handsomely for their heads—or for yours, if 
  they suspected the knowledge of how to find the Asurans 
  was inside.”
  
  Red Chains
  5
  TRAVELING TO 
  MARG
  Unless characters start very near Marg, a ship is the 
  quickest way to reach the city. The barbarians have a 
  small coastal vessel taken in a raid that no one would 
  associate with them. If the characters can handle a 
  boat, they can borrow this one for the mission. If 
  not, members of Hallborn’s clan sail the characters to 
  Marg, drop them at the docks like any other passen-
  gers, and spend the next few days nervously pretending 
  to be merchants in search of cargo. You can create 
  encounters with pirates or monsters along the way, or 
  jump straight to Marg.
  ACT I: 
  CITY OF SLAVERS
  When the PCs arrive in Marg, read:
  Marg makes its presence known from many miles away. 
  The city stands at the marshy mouth of the Harj River, 
  hemmed in on three sides by the surrounding bayou. A 
  gray haze of smoke hangs over the city throughout the 
  day, giving way to a sullen red glow at night. A pyra-
  mid-like fortress towers over one end of the city, and the 
  spires of an elegant palace rise above the opposite end. 
  The harbor lies along the southern bank of the river.
  The Harj River crosses the northern edge of the 
  city before flowing into the western end of a long 
  inlet. The river mouth is marshy and pestilential, a 
  breeding ground for mosquitoes and other swarm-
  ing insects that literally darken the sky at the 
  height of their hatching seasons. Huge, slow-burn-
  ing pyres are continually stoked throughout the 
  city to create a pall of smoke that drives away the 
  clouds of voracious mosquitoes from the surround-
  ing swamp. Most of the city stands on slightly 
  elevated ground south of the river, with the hungry 
  bayou hemming it in on three sides and the river as 
  its lifeline to the sea.
  The smoky pyres burn year-round and create a 
  perpetual haze over the city; residents agree that 
  being choked and blinded by the smoke is preferable 
  to being devoured by the mosquitoes. The pyramid 
  fortress of the powerful Devrith clan and the spires 
  of the Freehold Palace can be seen from most points 
  in the city, making them twin lodestars for those 
  trying to get their bearings.
  Law and Order: Despite its well-deserved sinister 
  reputation, Marg is a civilized city with typical laws 
  against assault and murder. Characters who carve 
  a trail of corpses, injured witnesses, and collateral 
  damage through the city are likely to run afoul of 
  Marg’s authorities, which could lead to the charac-
  ters being enslaved themselves as punishment. Marg’s 
  
  Red Chains
  6
  law enforcers are described under Adversaries at the 
  end of this adventure. Typical encounters include:
  • Patrol (1,275 XP): 5 Margish guards, 1 Margish 
  veteran
  • Tough patrol (2,205 XP): 3 Margish guards. 3 
  Margish veterans
  • Riot squad (3,080 XP): 8 Margish guards, 2 Mar-
  gish veterans, 1 priest of Set (PCTS page 239)
  The characters’ first hours or days in Marg will be 
  spent visiting various locales and NPCs to gather in-
  formation in their effort to locate Leafstan. The most 
  likely encounters are described below, but it’s import-
  ant not to constrain the characters’ investigation at 
  this point. Using the background on Marg provided 
  here and in the Primeval Thule Campaign Setting 
  (page 81–83), let the characters go where they want 
  and talk to whoever they meet. If they drift off track, 
  use NPCs to gently steer them back toward locations 
  with useful leads (or transplant the leads to locations 
  the characters do visit).
  There are four strong leads the PCs can initially 
  pursue: looking for Tarhun’s Fury, locating Noble Free-
  man, heading straight for the slave market, or making 
  contact with the Asurans at the mortuary.
  TARHUN’S FURY
  Characters who begin their search for Leafstan by 
  looking for the ship that brought him to Marg discover 
  that Tarhun’s Fury isn’t in the harbor when they arrive. 
  They’ll need to check with the harbor master or ask 
  around the waterfront for more information.
  THE HARBOR MASTER
  The harbor master, a friendly but busy Atlantean man 
  named Marcan, confirms that Tarhun’s Fury offloaded 
  barbarian slaves two weeks ago, took on provisions, and 
  sailed out of the harbor again eight days ago. He helpfully 
  adds that she’s crewed largely by mercenaries, so a few 
  members of her crew might not have signed on for this 
  voyage. If any are around, they probably can be found at 
  some dockside hangout, but he has no idea which one.
  FINDING THE CREW
  Searching riverfront winesinks and taprooms for the 
  crew of Tarhun’s Fury requires a successful Diplomacy 
  or Intimidate check (DC 15). Each attempt takes one 
  hour and costs 1d6 gp. When the PCs succeed (or 
  when they employ some other method, such as the 
  discreet use of divination magic) they find a few of the 
  ship’s crewmen in a taproom called the Cracked Keel.
  
  CASUAL BRUTALITY
  Casual brutality is commonplace in Marg. Quick scenes can be used 
  to convey to characters some of the suffering inflicted by the Crimson 
  Slavers.
  • At the docks, characters see freshly-arrived slaves being unloaded 
  from raiding ships: chained, filthy, terrified, starved, being driven 
  toward holding corrals and warehouses under whips and cudgels.
  • In the streets, they see slaves being struck by their owners, laboring 
  with heavy burdens, or being publicly lashed or confined in stocks for 
  disobedience.
  • Heavy, unpleasant, or dangerous labor, such as unloading ship car-
  goes or mucking out livestock stalls, is done by slaves.
  • All but the poorest taverns and inns have one or two slaves to handle 
  menial labor.
  While cruelty is the norm, not every slave is beaten or mistreated. 
  Allowing characters to see an occasional exception to that treatment 
  underscores the unnecessary cruelty of most owners.
  Red Chains
  7
  The Cracked Keel is a typical waterfront dive populated 
  by out-of-work sailors, down-on-their-luck gamblers, 
  prostitutes, pickpockets, layabouts, and rough-looking 
  mercenaries. When you ask about Tarhun’s Fury, the bar-
  keep nods at three men slumped at a table in the corner. 
  Only one is conscious at the moment.  
  The conscious sailor is named Baltyr. He is not 
  antagonistic to a group of dangerous-looking charac-
  ters who outnumber him, but he won’t say anything 
  helpful unless he’s paid at least 5 gp or someone makes 
  a successful Intimidate check (DC 15) against him.
  What Baltyr can tell the characters is that the 
  slavers captured the man they describe (he refers to 
  Leafstan as “the barbarian prince”) on their final 
  raiding stop. They knew he was valuable, so they came 
  straight to Marg. Most of their other captives were fit 
  for nothing but labor and were sold at standard rates 
  to brokers at the city’s slave market, but “the prince” 
  was sold to a dealer named Nafryr who specializes in 
  slaves with rare qualities.
  Creatures (810 XP): If the characters throw their 
  weight around in the tavern—if they use intimidation 
  on Baltyr in front of the other patrons, for example—
  they gain the enmity of a rough crowd. Baltyr’s fellow 
  sailors won’t leap into a battle against well-armed ad-
  venturers, but they’ll trail the characters through town 
  and either ambush them in a dark alleyway, or creep 
  into their sleeping rooms with knives and blackjacks in 
  the dead of night.
  • 6 thugs (same as Seven Knives thugs, page 
  230 PTCS)
  Development: Unless the characters do something 
  to prevent it, Baltyr leaves the Cracked Keel moments 
  after the party departs, and races through the streets 
  to reach Nafryr first. He informs her that strangers are 
  looking for “the barbarian prince” and collects a small 
  reward from Nafryr for the information. (What Nafyr 
  does with this information is explained under Nafyr 
  in Act II.)
  NOBLE FREEMAN
  The shop of Noble Freeman is identified by a stylized 
  astrolabe hanging above the door. Finding it requires a 
  successful Diplomacy check (DC 10) to find some-
  one who knows the location, followed by a successful 
  Survival check (DC 15) to actually find the building 
  in the maze of streets. Each check, successful or not, 
  uses up an hour. If characters want to make individual 
  checks, then they must split up; if they stay together 
  as a group, then one check is made per hour for 
  the group.
  Freeman is a Lomari human of forty-five, highly ed-
  ucated, generally outgoing, but wary of armed strang-
  ers. He’ll answer questions about Marg for free or give 
  an astronomical reading for 2 sp, but nothing else 
  unless characters mention Baishum Judocus. At that, 
  he locks the front door, draws the blinds, turns to the 
  characters and says, “How is my old friend Baishum, 
  and how can I be of service to you?”
  The ways Noble Freeman can be of service include:
  • He can give reliable directions to anyplace 
  in Marg.
  • He knows urchins and beggars who can lead the 
  characters almost anywhere in the city through 
  alleys, sewers, and other hidden paths. A “dark-
  ways guide” costs 5 sp each time one is used.
  • He knows two safehouses in the city where fugi-
  tives can find shelter from any manhunt. One on 
  the south side of town expects a payment of 4 gp 
  per night; one near the river expects a payment 
  of 10 gp per night. The characters are welcome to 
  sleep on the benches and rugs in his shop for free 
  if they’d like, but his shop is not a safehouse. All 
  freed slaves are perpetually suspected of aiding 
  escaped slaves, so his shop is routinely searched 
  when a runaway is being hunted.
  • He knows that dropping the name Clestain will 
  make the followers of Asura clam up instead of 
  gaining their trust. The correct code name is 
  “Edegast.”
  • He’s never heard of Leafstan and has no idea 
  where he might be, but Freeman can put people 
  on the young man’s trail. If characters go for this 
  option, NPCs track Leafstan’s progress to Tuhawi 
  Dasaab, then refuse to go any farther. This 
  information takes 1d3+1 days to collect, and the 
  characters must reimburse the NPCs 1d6 gp per 
  day in fees and bribes.
  Almost any other information the GM wants 
  to place in the characters’ hands can be delivered 
  through Noble Freeman. The astrologer has many 
  
  Red Chains
  8
  gossipy clients, including close relatives of Kaz 
  Vurin and family members of the Crimson Council 
  (though none of the councilors themselves), so he’s 
  privy to all the news and rumors circulating through 
  every level of Marg.
  If told that Leafstan might be taken to the cata-
  combs of Qurothaq, Freeman is horrified and urges the 
  characters to arrange a rescue as quickly as possible.
  THE SLAVE 
  MARKET
  Marg’s slave market is not too different from other big, 
  urban markets the characters have been in, except that 
  the goods for sale are human beings.
  The slave market is a sprawling collection of colorful 
  tents, open-air stalls, and a few permanent structures 
  where slave buyers and sellers conduct business. Humans 
  in various stages of dress, cleanliness, and health shuffle 
  to and fro inside small corrals, but the fences alone 
  couldn’t contain someone who wanted to get out. Most 
  of the slaves are shackled at the wrists, ankles, or neck. 
  Guards armed with cudgels and whips patrol everywhere, 
  and they lash any slave who moves too slowly, bows too 
  shallowly, speaks too often, or stares too long at a free 
  man or woman.
  Each seller appears to have a specialty: slaves from the 
  north or from the south, slaves from the mountains or 
  from the coast, slaves for field work or for domestic work, 
  slaves freshly arrived or born into captivity.
  The carnival atmosphere of fluttering pennants and 
  friendly hawkers shouting their wares can’t overcome the 
  nightmarish background drone of groans, rattling chains, 
  and cracking whips. Drifting walls of smoke from nearby 
  pyres add a hellish accent to the scene.
  To the citizens of Marg, this is just business; buying 
  and selling people is how they feed their families. 
  Few of those involved in the trade feel any doubt over 
  whether what they do is ethical or whether the people 
  they subjugate are inferior, and they react angrily to 
  outsiders who raise such questions.
  Important Leads: Characters can learn a lot about 
  the slave trade in the market, but they can’t learn much 
  about Leafstan. Information that can be gleaned is 
  described below.
  The Master of Accounts, an obese Nimothan man 
  named Hosk, knows that Tarhun’s Fury unloaded a 
  cargo of barbarians two weeks ago. Most were bought 
  by the trader Loceth Aloudain to be resold for field 
  work; a discount dealer, Nyall the Short, took the old, 
  weak, and sick.
  Loceth Aloudain, a wizened old Atlantean, explains 
  that he already sold most of the shipment, but he still 
  has eight remaining from the lot. He’ll let characters 
  talk to them for 2 gp. The slaves recognize Leafstan 
  from a description and know that he was separated 
  from the group as soon as they arrived in Marg, but 
  none of them know what became of him. Aloudain 
  himself knows that Leafstan was sold to Nafryr 
  because he was at the sale, but he won’t mention this 
  knowledge until after the characters pay to question 
  slaves. Then he “suddenly remembers something 
  useful,” which he’ll share for another 3 gp.
  Nyall the Short is a cruel, brusque man who sells 
  slaves that are likely to die soon from disease, injury, or 
  old age, mainly for jobs with a high probability of kill-
  ing them even quicker. Neither he nor any of his slaves 
  from Tarhun’s Fury know anything about Leafstan.
  Other Leads: Characters asking around at random 
  can attempt Diplomacy or Perception checks (DC 20). 
  Each attempt takes one hour. On a success, a charac-
  ter learns from a random NPC that a slave matching 
  Leafstan’s description was bought by Nafryr, but she 
  had him killed.
  Scores of Guards: The Margish expect trouble here 
  and are ready to quash any slave rising immediately. 
  Characters who start trouble here immediately face a 
  tough patrol (see Law and Order, above). Additional 
  patrols and riot squads arrive every round or two until 
  the troublemakers are overwhelmed—there are literally 
  hundreds of Margish guards in and around the market.
  THE SLAVE 
  MORTUARY
  This low, grim building stands along the southwest 
  edge of the city, very near the surrounding swamp. 
  Slaves die at an alarming rate, especially fresh arrivals 
  who are weak from a long sea voyage, possibly in-
  jured, and despondent over their fate. Their bodies are 
  brought to this mortuary to be carted far out into the 
  swamp, where they’ll be devoured by crocodiles, giant 
  leeches, ghouls, and worse things.
  Most of the workers at the mortuary are human 
  slaves, but the person in charge is a tall, world-weary 
  Nimothan woman named Uthlita Beelyr. The slaves 
  call her Sister Uthlita, but that’s just a tradition as 
  far as anyone knows. Sister Uthlita and certain of her 
  attendants are secretly followers of Asura; they aid 
  escaping slaves by guiding them through the swamp 
  to the secret Harbor of Asura, some miles up the Harj 
  River from Marg.
  Sister Uthlita knows nothing about Leafstan. If 
  characters come here looking for the body after asking 
  around the Slave Market or speaking to Nafryr (Act 
  II), Sister Uthlita confirms positively that she’s never 
  seen a corpse with a griffon tattoo on the arm, let alone 
  one in the last two weeks. She also points out that 
  mock executions of disobedient slaves aren’t unknown.
  If told that Leafstan is headed to the catacombs of 
  Qurothaq, Sister Uthlita urges the characters to rescue 
  him as quickly as possible.
  
  Red Chains
  9
  “Clestain” or “Edegast”: If characters come to 
  the mortuary and ask for Clestain, Sister Uthlita 
  assumes they’re informants to the Crimson Coun-
  cil; that code word was compromised years ago. She 
  remains polite but tells them nothing. She’s never 
  heard of Baishum Judocus. 
  If they ask for Edegast instead, she knows they’re 
  friends of Noble Freeman who can be trusted. If 
  characters get into trouble—for example, if they rescue 
  Leafstan and have all the slavehunters in the city on 
  their trail—she can smuggle them out of Marg by 
  hiding them in a cartload of corpses, then guiding 
  them safely through the swamp. Noble Freeman’s 
  “darkways guides” know concealed routes to the mor-
  tuary from everywhere in the city except the Devrith 
  Ward and the Freehold Palace.
  ACT II: 
  ON THE TRAIL
  During their initial investigations, the characters 
  learn from the sailor Baltyr or the slave trader 
  Loceth Aloudain that the barbarian Leafstan was 
  sold to a high-end dealer in “exotics” named Nafryr. 
  The PCs may also believe that Leafstan is dead—
  but, if they make an effort to verify the tale at the 
  Slave Mortuary, Sister Uthlita informs them that 
  she hasn’t seen his corpse, which ought to point the 
  party back to Nafryr.
  Finding Nafryr: Nafryr is a well-known figure in 
  Marg. She is a wealthy “noblewoman” of Atlantean de-
  scent who runs her business from her home, a palatial 
  courtyard-house a few blocks from the slave market. 
  Her agents frequent the slave market, looking for 
  quality wares. Anyone at the Slave Market can direct 
  the PCs to Nafryr’s home (and so can Noble Freeman, 
  or most Margish citizens).
  What’s Next: Which scene you present next de-
  pends on whether the PCs interacted with Baltyr. If 
  the characters threatened Baltyr or used force against 
  him and did not prevent him from leaving the Cracked 
  Keel afterward, Nafryr sends a contingent of guards 
  guided by Baltyr to intercept the party. Run “Nafryr’s 
  Bruisers” next.
  Otherwise, go to “Nafryr’s Courtyard” next. (If the 
  PCs defeat Nafryr’s Bruisers and continue on their 
  way, they may actually run through both encounters.)
  NAFRYR’S BRUISERS
  If Baltyr alerts Nafryr that the characters are coming, 
  she arranges a special ambush for them. She has no 
  reason to expect they’ll be any politer to her than they 
  were to Baltyr, so she sends her guards to intercept the 
  characters before they reach her home, with Baltyr in 
  tow to identify the targets. 
  Spotting Baltyr: Have the party make a group 
  Stealth check (DC 13). If at least half of the PCs 
  succeed, one or more of the party members spots Baltyr 
  before he points them out to Nafryr’s minions. If Baltyr 
  is not spotted, Nafryr’s minions surprise the party. 
  Creatures (2,535 XP): Baltyr hides at the edge of 
  the fight and takes one or two shots with his sling if he 
  can do so safely, then disappears into the crowd. Use 
  the street map provided for “The Ambush” in Act III, 
  or sketch a similar one of your own.
  • 4 enforcers (same as Seven Knives enforcers, page 
  230 PTCS)
  • 1 thug (Baltyr, page 230 PTCS)
  If characters throw around explosive spells or cause 
  collateral damage, a standard patrol shows up mo-
  ments after the fight to investigate the ruckus. If Baltyr 
  is still alive, he steps from the crowd and vouches that 
  the characters only defended themselves against a sur-
  prise attack, which satisfies the patrol. Baltyr then tries 
  to extort 10 gp from the characters in exchange for 
  information about why they were attacked (“We must 
  have been overheard at the Cracked Keel, and Nafryr 
  sent these killers after you”).
  Nafryr’s slaves are wearing or carrying nothing that 
  connects them to her. If defeated and questioned, they 
  admit that their mistress sent them to deal with the 
  PCs after Baltyr came and warned Nafryr that the PCs 
  were on their way.
  NAFRYR’S 
  COURTYARD
  The house of the slave-dealer Nafryr stands in one of 
  Marg’s better neighborhoods. High walls and a sturdy 
  gate protect an inner courtyard with fine furnishings and 
  colorful canopies. Several house-slaves cater to an ele-
  gant Atlantean woman who reclines on a divan, dictating 
  to a scribe. Several guards keep watch nearby.
  Nafryr’s trade is built on slaves with rare skills or 
  with special qualities that lift them above the run-
  of-the-mill. She seldom sells in the common market; 
  her “goods” fetch higher prices when offered direct to 
  buyers with specific needs. These special qualities can 
  be anything: youth, gender, beauty, region of origin, 
  or rare talents such as an angelic singing voice, fluency 
  in exotic languages, or knowledge of magic. She is 
  protected at all times by a bodyguard comprised of 1 
  gladiator and 4 guards, who will gladly die to ensure 
  that her will is carried out.
  Nafryr is forthcoming to questions about Leafstan, 
  or at least appears so. She opens the conversation with 
  friendly conversation such as “What brings you to 
  Marg?” or “How was your journey?” and offers the 
  party wine (but see Treachery, below).
  
  Red Chains
  10
  “I was invited by the slavers to bid on this “prince” in a 
  private auction, where I bought him for eight Margish 
  krakens. That’s eight times the price of a healthy laborer, 
  but I was sure I could double the investment by training 
  him as a lady’s consort or as a noble’s bodyguard.
  “Unfortunately, some of these barbarians are intrac-
  table. Such was the case with this one; he strangled his 
  trainer. I had to have his throat cut as a demonstration 
  to my other property of the price of defiance. It was a 
  dreadful loss of cash and a waste of valuable flesh, but it’s 
  better this way in the long run.
  “Simply put, you’re too late. His body was dumped in 
  the swamp, and I doubt any trace of it remains. There’s 
  nothing more I can tell you of the creature.”
  Leafstan did kill one of Nafryr’s trainers, but she’s 
  lying about having his throat cut. The execution was 
  staged for the other slaves; Leafstan was drugged so 
  he would pass out as a trick knife was dragged across 
  his throat, spouting fake blood. After his “corpse” was 
  carted away, he was sold for 4 krakens to a man named 
  Xauxo of Ren Sharr, who manages gladiators.
  If characters ask whether they detect any signs that 
  Nafryr is lying, let them make Sense Motive checks 
  (DC 16). Those who succeed are certain she’s a skillful 
  liar but can’t pin down any specific lie in her story. 
  Those who succeed by 5 or more suspect that Leafstan 
  is still alive.
  The Truth: If characters are rude, arrogant, or 
  accusatory toward Nafryr, she dismisses them with-
  out another thought. The slave who ushers them out 
  of Nafryr’s presence whispers to one character, “seek 
  Xauxo of Ren Sharr,” then slips away.
  If characters are respectful toward Nafryr, then 
  they’re greeted by one of her guards when they exit 
  her house.
  The guard bends down on one knee and bows deeply 
  to you, saying, “My mistress bids me deliver this.” In his 
  right hand, he extends a scroll. Hastily written on it is this 
  message:
  “Although you are strangers here, you respect our 
  ways, so we reciprocate in kind. The man you seek 
  may yet live (monetary losses must be minimized). 
  If so, Xauxo of Ren Sharr will know. You understand 
  why I could not tell you this in the presence of my 
  servants.”
  The note is unsigned.
  Anyone in Marg can give directions to the com-
  pound of Xauxo of Ren Sharr.
  Treachery: If Nafryr was warned by Baltyr, or if 
  any characters appear valuable (Strength 18 or better, 
  Charisma 15 or higher, unusual race, etc.), Nafryr de-
  cides to add the PCs to her stock of slaves. During the 
  conversation, the Atlantean asks the characters if they 
  would like wine. Two slaves step forward, one with a 
  pitcher of wine and one with a tray of goblets. All the 
  goblets are identical. Nafryr takes a goblet from the 
  same tray (last if the characters don’t hesitate, or first 
  if no one else is willing). The slave fills all the goblets 
  from the same pitcher.
  Neither the wine nor the goblet rims are poi-
  soned, but the stems of all the goblets are lightly 
  treated with a contact poison. Nafryr is wearing 
  elegant, elbow-length gloves that match her gown, 
  so she never touches the poison and is unaffected. 
  Characters who pick up a goblet with bare hands 
  must make successful Fortitude saves (DC 13) or 
  fall unconscious; they wake up 1d6 hours later, or 
  when they take damage. (This is a good time for 
  the GM to roll the saving throws secretly, or to ask 
  the players to roll 1d20 each without telling them 
  why, to keep players guessing about what’s hap-
  pening.) The character who failed with the lowest 
  saving throw result falls unconscious 60 seconds 
  after picking up the goblet, and everyone else who 
  failed the saving throw drops a round later. 
  Creatures (1,675XP): When Nafryr is threatened or 
  when the poison begins to take effect, Nafryr’s guards 
  attack to subdue the PCs. If Nafryr is not attacked 
  and nobody is affected by the poison, the guards do 
  not attack (they are uncertain what to do, and let the 
  moment pass).
  
  Red Chains
  11
  • 1 Margish veteran
  • 5 Margish guards
  • Nafryr
  If characters lose this fight, they awaken stripped 
  and chained together in a holding cell beneath 
  Nafryr’s estate. How they get out is up to them and 
  the GM. If characters win this fight, Nafryr gives 
  them the information they seek and admits she staged 
  Leafstan’s “death.”
  Treasure (2,000 XP): Nafryr keeps a locked 
  wooden coffer nearby, since she conducts business 
  from her courtyard. If the PCs get a chance to loot the 
  place, they find 160 Margish krakens (1,600 gp) in the 
  coffer, along with 8 small rubies worth 50 gp each.
  Development: There are no repercussions for 
  killing her slaves, but Nafryr is another matter. If 
  she is killed, the characters become wanted criminals 
  in Marg. Anytime they move through Marg openly 
  (without one of Noble Freeman’s darkways guides), 
  they must make a group Stealth check (DC 10). If at 
  least half the character pass, they avoid contact with 
  soldiers looking for them. If the group check fails, the 
  party runs into a patrol with orders to take them, alive 
  or dead. Roll d6: on 1–4, it’s a standard patrol; on 
  5–6, it’s a tough patrol.
  XAUXO OF REN 
  SHARR
  Slave pit fighting is popular in Marg. Fights to the 
  death aren’t common; trained fighters are too valuable 
  to throw away callously. Most bouts are fought until 
  one fighter can’t continue. A skilled fighting slave can 
  survive many bouts and gain fame, if not fortune. 
  Slaves who are useless, untrainable, or rebellious can 
  provide a few minutes of entertainment as they die or 
  they learn the value of obedience while being beaten 
  into pulp.
  Xauxo of Ren Sharr specializes in keeping the pits 
  filled with fighters and victims. He runs a training fa-
  cility on the east side of the city that houses eight slave 
  gladiators and twenty more fighters in training. Two 
  guards stand watch at his compound gate, and turn 
  away strangers. To get an audience with Xauxo, either 
  one character must make a successful Diplomacy check 
  (DC 15, one attempt only) or the guard at the gate must 
  be paid 2d6 sp. Once inside, characters are escorted to 
  a well-appointed room where Xauxo is watching young 
  warriors go through their training routine.
  Xauxo is a man of contrasts. He buys and sells 
  humans who he regularly consigns to a painful, bloody 
  death for his own profit, and he harbors no illusions or 
  self-deception about the evil that he perpetuates. But 
  he’s also an educated, philosophical man with some 
  empathy for the characters’ mission. He admits readily 
  to buying Leafstan from Nafryr.
  “A slave who overpowers and kills a trainer with his bare 
  hands has the makings of a great pit fighter. This Leafstan 
  of yours was difficult and contentious, but I was certain 
  I’d made a smart purchase.
  “But five days ago, I described my new trainee to 
  another owner, who suddenly became very interested. 
  He dropped by to watch the man training, and afterward 
  offered me an astounding sum for the slave. I might 
  have earned more from wagers over the lifetime of this 
  Leafstan, but you never know. Even the best of us have 
  off nights, and all it takes is one unlucky slice to end a 
  fighter’s career. Yesterday, I took the money and they 
  took the man.
  “I know your next question: who was the buyer? Nor-
  mally, I wouldn’t reveal that, but this man is a nasty com-
  petitor and, frankly, he . . . said things, as your man was 
  being taken away. They seemed trivial in the moment, 
  but they weigh on me. I suspect your Leafstan is headed 
  for the Qurothaq catacombs. If my gut is correct, his only 
  hope is for you to get him out of Marg instantly.
  “The buyer was Tuhawi Dasaab. Whatever you might 
  think of men like me, he’s worse. If you have any friends 
  in this city, or favors to call in, now is the time. Once your 
  friend descends into that pit, it would be better for every-
  one if he never emerges again. It will be too late for him 
  in every imaginable sense of those words.”
  If characters ask Xauxo about the Qurothaq cata-
  combs, he relates the following.
  “The Qurothaq clan specializes in providing slaves with 
  unique qualifications. Sometimes, that means attri-
  butes not countenanced by nature—attributes that can 
  be achieved only through the cruelest types of psychic 
  conditioning, or by cutting and rearranging the flesh, or 
  by abhorrent magic, attributes that make a human into 
  the perfect offering to some inhuman entity. Whatever 
  darkness the mind can imagine, the Qurothaqs can tailor 
  from once-human flesh.”
  Xauxo will continue talking to the characters, 
  answer their questions about his business and about 
  Marg, even give them a tour of his gladiator training 
  facility if they’d like one, but he reminds them that 
  time is running out for their friend. He can’t offer 
  them any more aid; Dasaab is too powerful for a man 
  like Xauxo to cross openly.
  
  AVOIDING CERTAIN DEATH
  This act may lead characters to two locations that they can’t defeat: 
  the estate of Tuhawi Dasaab and the Qurothaq catacombs. Despite the 
  obvious clues that these locations should be avoided, some players 
  might insist on bulldozing ahead with a plan that can only get their 
  characters enslaved, killed, or worse. If the players need encouragement 
  to reconsider tactics, drop a tough patrol or riot squad in the characters’ 
  path to shoo them away from certain doom. Alternatively, one of Noble 
  Freeman’s urchin guides could appear at an opportune moment with a 
  message calling the characters back to the astrology shop or providing 
  them with a missing clue (from Freeman’s own investigation) to put 
  them on the right path.
  Red Chains
  12
  ACT III: SMOKE 
  AND SORROW
  From the time characters learn that Leafstan is on his 
  way to the Qurothaq catacombs, they have 24 hours to 
  rescue him. After 24 hours, Leafstan disappears into the 
  catacombs and becomes so severely damaged that nothing 
  short of a wish will return him to normalcy and sanity.
  Qurothaq Catacombs: No one will talk to the 
  characters about the Qurothaq Catacombs. As soon 
  as the subject is raised, people shake their heads, say 
  “I don’t know anything about that” or “that’s none of 
  my business,” and then either hurry away or slam the 
  door in the characters’ faces. Only Noble Freeman 
  will discuss the place. He explains that many people 
  in Marg don’t even believe it exists; “you’ll wind up in 
  Qurothaq” is something to threaten naughty children 
  with. Most of those who do believe don’t know where 
  it is. He suspects the rough location but has no idea 
  how to get inside, and he’s happy not knowing. He 
  urges the characters to forget about rescuing Leafstan 
  from the catacombs and concentrate on preventing 
  him from getting that far.
  Tuhawi Dasaab: Characters can get information 
  about Tuhawi Dasaab in the slave market with a 
  successful Diplomacy check (DC 10); anywhere else 
  in town, the DC is 15. They can get the information 
  automatically from Noble Freeman or Sister Uthlita. 
  No matter who they talk to, they get the clear impres-
  sion that people don’t like talking about him. Even in 
  complete privacy, people lower their voices and glance 
  over their shoulders while speaking Dasaab’s name.
  Dasaab is an elf of a dissolute, degenerate bloodline. 
  He came to Marg decades ago with fabulous wealth 
  that he used to start a successful stable of pit fighters.
  • He only enters fighters into battles to the death, 
  and only for very high stakes.
  • His fighters are feared for their savagery.
  • It’s rumored that he engages in dark rituals and 
  that his fighters gain some of their inhuman feroc-
  ity by making sacrifices to Set.
  • His home and training facility are in a fortified 
  compound adjoining the Devrith ward. Thieves 
  occasionally try to break in; their bodies are nailed 
  to the gates as a warning to others. It’s commonly 
  whispered that the thieves’ guild forbids its mem-
  bers from making further attempts.
  DASAAB’S DOOR
  When the characters go to Tuhawi Dasaab’s com-
  pound, it should be obvious to them that a covert 
  incursion is a daunting prospect. 
  This fortress-like compound is surrounded by window-
  less walls twenty feet high. A single reinforced wood-
  en door stands in the outer wall. Above the door, the 
  rotting body of a thief with snakes crawling through its 
  ribcage is nailed to the wall. Passers-by shy away from 
  the building and avoid looking at it, although a crazed 
  beggar shouts and shakes his fist at the place from a short 
  distance away.
  If the characters knock at the gate, the corpse lifts 
  its head and begs them to leave for their own sakes, 
  and they realize that the thief is somehow still alive! 
  A madness save is certainly called for here (DC 13 for 
  unwholesome magic).
  Add whatever other details are necessary to make 
  players understand that any attempt to break in is 
  certain to cost them their lives (or worse), even if that 
  means the grounds are patrolled by cyclopes while 
  stone golems stand guard.
  The Beggar: Only a few dozen paces from Dasaab’s 
  compound stands Yoodir, a crazed follower of Asura. 
  When the characters take note of him, read:
  The beggar is a wild-eyed, emaciated man covered with 
  scars. He continually harangues the compound, although 
  people passing by pay him no heed. “I have seen your 
  monstrous handiwork, and eternal punishment shall be 
  your reward!” he shouts. “The judgment of Asura awaits 
  you! I have seen those cast into Qurothaq, and they 
  scream to me for vengeance! Your path is the path of 
  downfall! Your ways are the ways of Set! The tormenter 
  will fall and be trampled beneath the feet of the tor-
  mented! I have seen your blood dripping from a prince-
  ling’s blade!
  Yoodir is as unhinged as he appears. If characters 
  don’t approach him, he begins to harangue them 
  directly.
  “Only minutes ago, the slaves of Dasaab dragged another 
  to unimaginable doom! Will slayers such as yourselves 
  stand by while brave men are wracked and slaughtered to 
  feed the serpent?”
  
  Red Chains
  13
  If characters show any interest in what he has to say, 
  Yoodir grows momentarily calmer and more rational. 
  “The doomed one? A young barbarian from the northern 
  forests, fighting every step of the way. The hooded ones 
  dragged him forth not ten minutes past. They are taking 
  him to Qurothaq to ruin him, but if you hurry, you can stop 
  them. Deny the Great Serpent its prize! Make IT hunger! 
  Leave IT to starve and howl in darkness! This way, hurry, 
  hurry!” The madman clutches at your arms and tugs at you 
  to follow him, then races a few paces away, doubles back, 
  and races away again, like a dog trying to lead its master.
  If characters follow, Yoodir leads them on a frantic 
  chase through narrow streets before stopping suddenly 
  at the point where a dark alley opens up onto one of 
  the city’s larger thoroughfares. 
  THE AMBUSH
  This is the characters’ best and only chance to rescue 
  Leafstan before he disappears into the hellish cata-
  combs of Qurothaq. 
  The main street is 30 feet wide, lined with one- and 
  two-story buildings with flat roofs surrounded by low par-
  apets. Narrow alleys separate the buildings and connect to 
  the street at all angles. It’s a perfect spot for an ambush. 
  You see armed warriors and three hooded figures 
  escorting a manacled and bedraggled but defiant-looking 
  Leafstan up the street toward your position. A block be-
  hind this procession, an enclosed sedan chair carried by 
  four slaves follows; you can’t tell whether the two groups 
  are connected. Normal citizens still in the street are grab-
  bing their wares and scurrying to get out of the way.
  Characters have about half a minute before Leafstan 
  and his guards reach their position. That’s enough time 
  for characters to move into positions on both sides of 
  the street, to move out in front of or behind Dasaab’s 
  men, or to get inside or even atop nearby buildings via 
  outside stairs. They won’t be noticed if they move with 
  the crowd. Thirty seconds is not enough time to make 
  detailed plans; push the players to think and act quickly.
  The crates and clutter marked on the map consist 
  of typical trade goods, food storage, wares for sale, 
  and other bric-a-brac. These squares count as difficult 
  terrain and provide cover. Ladders are difficult terrain, 
  too, but characters fighting from the rooftops have 
  cover from enemies on the street below.
  Creatures (3,140 XP): The escort includes the 
  NPCs listed below. They’re moving in two tight 
  columns, as shown on the map. Note that the letters 
  on the map indicate the escort’s arrangement but not 
  necessarily its location; the procession is moving up the 
  street, and characters can let it advance as far as they 
  want before attacking. The hooded figures (cultists and 
  the cult fanatic) are representatives of the Qurothaqs; 
  they are indistinguishable from one another.
  • 1 Veteran
  • 1 cult Fanatic (same as priest of Set, page 
  239 PTCS)
  • 2 Cultists (same as temple guards, page 
  239 PTCS)
  • 2 Beastman hunters
  • 1 Margish Guard per PC
  • Leafstan (ally)
  Leafstan quickly recognizes the PCs as rescuers and 
  turns against his captors. He fights as a veteran, using 
  his manacles as a flail until something better becomes 
  available. He can’t run or charge while shackled, but 
  his shackles can be cut with a slashing weapon and a 
  successful Strength check (DC 15).
  Tuhawi Dasaab (3,200 XP): Dasaab rides in the 
  sedan chair about 50 yards behind Leafstan’s escorts. 
  His four slaves (commoners) set down the chair and re-
  treat as soon as fighting breaks out. The slaver casts fly 
  and mage armor before joining the battle, and reaches 
  the fight around Leafstan at the beginning of the 6th 
  round. Time his arrival for maximum drama, not nec-
  essarily for maximum danger to the characters.
  • Tuhawi Dasaab (see Adversaries)
  
  Red Chains
  14
  If characters stick around to fight Dasaab, they run 
  a high risk of being defeated. If no one thinks to grab 
  Leafstan and dash away into the alleys, Yoodir suggests 
  this (from the safety of the shadows).
  Treasure (560 XP): Dasaab carries a moneypouch 
  with 60 gp. He also wears a fine gold ring and a copper 
  ring set with emeralds, each worth 250 gp.
  THE ESCAPE
  With Leafstan in their possession, the characters have 
  four good options: they can head for Noble Free-
  man’s shop, for the Slave Mortuary, or for one of the 
  two safehouses IF they got directions from Freeman. 
  No other course leads to safety. If they flee into the 
  swamp, they’ll be overcome by monsters, lizard folk, 
  and ghouls. If they head for the river and steal a boat, 
  they’ll be chased by every slave ship at the docks. A 
  generous GM can allow characters a slim chance to 
  fight their way through if they choose one of these 
  options, but if more than a few escape alive, it’s only 
  through an excess of pity.
  Even if the characters kill Tuhawi Dasaab, plenty 
  of witnesses interpret the battle as another outrage by 
  followers of Asura. Before long, characters see plenty of 
  evidence that the whole city is mobilized against them. 
  To reach one of the safe havens, they must make group 
  Stealth checks (DC 10) to avoid the slavehunter patrols 
  prowling the streets.
  • Freeman’s shop is closest (3 checks to reach safety).
  • Either safehouse are requires 4 checks to reach 
  safety.
  • The mortuary can be reached after 5 checks. 
  If a group skill check succeeds (half or more of 
  the characters, including Leafstan, make successful 
  Stealth checks), then the characters see a group of 
  slavehunters but aren’t noticed by them. They can 
  avoid that group by sitting tight while it passes or by 
  backtracking and taking a different street, or they 
  can choose to attack. If the group skill check fails, 
  the characters are spotted and attacked immediately. 
  Other tactics may work, such as an effort to disguise 
  the party as a Margish patrol (a group Bluff or Dis-
  guise check), taking to the rooftops (a group Acrobat-
  ics or Climb check), or the use of appropriate magic.
  The slavehunter groups are only easy or medium 
  encounters, but the characters cannot rest until they 
  reach safety. If they try to rest anytime after the fight 
  against Dasaab’s men, they’re discovered and attacked 
  by slavehunters before they complete the rest.
  For each group of slavehunters, select one of the 
  following randomly (or pick one you like). Include 
  Leafstan when counting characters.
  1) 2 Margish guards per character (1,350 XP)
  2) 1 Margish veteran and 3 Margish guards 
  (1,005 XP)
  3) 2 veterans (1,200 XP)
  4) 1 priest of Set, plus 1 temple guard per character 
  (PTCS page 239, 1,800 XP)
  5) 3 Chosen cultists (page 228 PTCS, 2,400 XP)
  6) 1 Margish veteran and 3 enforcers (PTCS page 
  230, 2,400 XP)
  FINAL SAFETY
  Once characters reach a safe haven, the adventure 
  is essentially over. From a safehouse or from Noble 
  Freeman’s shop, they are led by a darkways guide to 
  Sister Uthlita’s mortuary. From the mortuary, they are 
  smuggled into the swamp to the harbor of Asura, a 
  concealed riverside cavern where eventually they can 
  board a boat that will carry them downriver past Marg 
  and along the coast to Danagra or Garadu. From either 
  of those towns, the party can hire a ship to take them 
  back to Leafstan’s people.
  Evarr Hallborn is elated to see his son alive and safe. 
  If Tuhawi Dasaab was killed, Hallborn might let the 
  matter rest there. If Dasaab still lives, the characters 
  could be enlisted by Hallborn for another expedition 
  into Marg; this time, for revenge!
  
  Red Chains
  15
  ADVERSARIES
  Most of the foes the PCs face in this adventure are 
  soldiers or villains from the evil city of Marg.
  MARGISH GUARD
  XP 135
  Human warrior 1
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +0; Senses Perception –1
  DEFENSE
  AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +2 shield)
  hp 10 (1d10+4) 
  Fort +3, Ref +0, Will –1 
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee flail +4 (1d8+2) 
  Ranged club +1 (1d6+2) 
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 10 
  Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13 
  Feats Toughness, Weapon Focus (flail) 
  Skills Intimidate +4, Ride +4 
  Languages Nimothan, Low Atlantean 
  Gear scale coat, heavy wooden shield, flail, throwing club 
  (2)
  MARGISH VETERAN
  XP 600
  Human fighter 3
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+7 armor, +2 shield, +1 
  Dex)
  hp 26 (3d10+9) 
  Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +3 (+4 vs. fear)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee longsword +7 (1d8+3/19–20) 
  Ranged javelin +4 (1d6+3) 
  STATISTICS
  Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12 
  Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 17 
  Feats Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword) 
  Skills Climb +3, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +5, Per-
  ception +2, Ride +5 
  Languages Nimothan, Low Atlantean 
  Gear bronze cuirass, heavy wooden shield, longsword, 
  javelin (2)
  NAFRYR
  XP 400
  Atlantean aristocrat 3
  LE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 bracers, +1 Dex)
  hp 14 (3d8) 
  Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4 (+6 vs. fear, compulsion)
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mw dagger +4 (1d4/19–20) 
  Ranged mw light crossbow +4 (1d8/19–20) 
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 13 
  Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 13 
  Feats Alertness, Iron Will 
  Skills Appraise +5, Bluff +6, Craft (poison) +4, Diplomacy 
  +5, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +4, 
  Perception +5, Sense Motive +6, Use Magic Device +5  
  Languages High Atlantean, Low Atlantean, Nimothan 
  Gear mw dagger, mw light crossbow, 3 doses giant wasp 
  poison, bracers of armor +3 
  TUHAWI DASAAB
  XP 3200
  Elf wizard 8
  CE Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +2; Senses Perception +9, low-light vision
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (mage armor, +2 Dex, +1 
  Dodge)
  hp 44 (8d6+8) 
  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6 (+8 vs. enchantment)
  Immune sleep
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mw dagger +7 (1d4/19–20)
  Ranged wand of scorching ray +6 touch (30 ft. range, 4d6 
  fire)
  Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +12)
  4th—draining mist (PTCS), enervation, greater invisibility
  3rd—dispel magic, fireball, fly, ray of exhaustion
  2nd—blindness/deafness, scorching ray, mirror image, web
  1st—charm person, chill touch, mage armor, magic missile, 
  ray of enfeeblement 
  0 (at will)—daze, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 9, Cha 12 
  Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 16 
  Feats Craft Wand, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Scribe Scroll, 
  Toughness 
  Skills Appraise +15, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +11, Knowledge 
  (religion) +11, Perception +9, Spellcraft +15  
  Languages Elven, Low Atlantean, Draconic, High Atlan-
  tean, Mi-Go, Nimothan  
  Gear mw dagger, cloak of resistance +1, wand of scorching 
  ray
  
  Red Chains
  16
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