TEXT: Chris Pramas
  A Shadow of the Demon Lord Adventure for Novice Characters
  Death in Freeport
  
  Death in
  Freeport
  A Freeport adventure for Shadow of the Demon Lord
  Writing and Design: Chris Pramas
  Shadow of the Demon Lord Conversion: Robert J. Schwalb
  Editing: Matt Forbeck, Rob Smolka, Jay Spight,  
  Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, and Tim Emrick
  art direction: Kara Hamilton and Robert J. Schwalb
  Layout and Graphic Design: Kara Hamilton
  Cover: Mirco Paganessi
  Interior Illustrations: Luka Arh and Daniel Comerci
  Cartography: Cecil Howe and Andy Law
  Special Thanks: Chris Pramas and everyone at Green Ronin Publishing, Adam 
  Doochin, Carlos Danger, and everyone who backed the kickstarter campaign
  Death in Freeport is © 2017 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Death in Freeport, Schwalb Entertainment, and their  
  associated logos are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  Schwalb EntErtainmEnt, llc
  PO Box #12548
  Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com         www.schwalbentertainment.com
  
  A Brief History  
  of Freeport ........... 3
  The Rise of Freeport ................................................3
  War in Freeport ........................................................4
  A Nation Emerges .....................................................5
  A Century of Growth ................................................5
  A Bad Seed ..................................................................5
  Decade of Deceit ...................................................... 6
  The Present Situation ............................................. 6
  The Captain’s 
  Council ..................... 6
  Changing of the Guard ............................................7
  The Council Grows Stronger ..................................7
  Drac’s Return .............................................................7
  The Council’s Workings ......................................... 8
  Death in 
  Freeport ................. 9
  Adventure Synopsis ................................................10
  Part 1: Baiting the Hook .........................................10
  The Press Gang ........................................................10
  An Offer of Employment ........................................11
  News Around Freeport ...........................................11
  Getting Settled .........................................................12
  Part 2: A Promising Line of Inquiry .....................12
  Milton’s Folly ...........................................................13
  Location 1: Lucius’s House .....................................13
  Location 2: The Bloody Vengeance .....................13
  Captain Scarbelly....................................................14
  Kenzil’s Staff ............................................................. 15
  Location 3: The Temple ......................................... 15
  Milos ..........................................................................16
  Yellow Shields at Sunset........................................17
  Part 3: The Truth Sinks In .....................................18
  Checking out the Address .....................................18
  Following Milos .......................................................18
  Location 4: The Bricked-Up House .....................18
  Now You’ve Done It ............................................... 20
  How Unspeakable is Unspeakable? ....................21
  Aftermath ............. 23
  Lucius’s Story ............................................................23
  Further 
  Adventures ..........24
  Handout A ............................................................... 24
  Handout B .................................................................25
  Enlarged map of Freeport ................................26-27
  Table of Contents
  2
  
  A Brief History  
  of Freeport
  While the current city of Freeport is only a few 
  hundred years old, the site has been inhabited for 
  far longer. Some two thousand years ago, this area 
  was part of a much larger island known as Valossa. 
  Stretching a thousand miles south to north and eight 
  hundred east to west, Valossa was the heart of the 
  empire of the serpent people. These sorcerous reptiles 
  ruled vast swaths of territory when humanity was 
  young, and pioneered magic and science when the 
  elves still hid in their woods.
   All was not well in the Valossan Empire, however. 
  The serpent people had long worshiped Yig, the 
  great snake god. But in the empire’s latter days, a cult 
  dedicated to the worship of the Unspeakable One, a 
  dread alien power, sprang up in their cities. Called  
  the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, the cult spurned 
  Yig and embraced the madness of the Unspeakable 
  One. The leaders of the serpent people, arrogant and 
  vain in their high towers, allowed the cult to fester 
  among the discontented. By the time the priests 
  of Yig were roused to action, it was too late. The 
  Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign enacted a ritual to 
  summon their dark god, and the Valossan Empire  
  was smashed for all time.
   No witnesses survived to tell of the Great Old One’s 
  appearance, but evidence abounds of the destruction 
  it wrought. Mighty Valossa was rent asunder, and sea 
  water rushed in to drown the serpent people in the 
  millions. Those who survived were driven mad, losing 
  their civilization and magic in one terrible moment. 
  Over ninety percent of Valossa slipped beneath the 
  waves, leaving only scattered islands as a testimony to 
  the once-great empire.
  	 The	crazed	serpent	people	fled	underground,	where	
  their degenerate descendants live to this day. Very few 
  sorcerers and priests of Yig survived the Unspeakable 
  One’s wrath with their sanity intact. Those that did 
  retreated into the shadows as humanity created 
  their own realms. The centuries passed, and few 
  remembered that the Valossan Empire had ever 
  existed or that serpent people had once been civilized.
  The Rise of Freeport
  The largest surviving bit of Valossa is an island chain 
  known as the Serpent’s Teeth. The name might be a 
  distant echo of the Valossan Empire, though locals 
  ascribe it to the shape of the islands themselves. The 
  most important of the Serpent’s Teeth, A’Val, has a 
  natural harbor that is easily defended. As humanity 
  took to the seas, A’Val was quickly found by roving 
  captains.	At	first,	it	was	just	a	place	to	rest,	get	fresh	
  water,	and	refit,	but	before	long,	a	village	sprang	up,	
  and as the years passed this village turned into a town.
  About Freeport and  
  the Freeport Trilogy
  Freeport is a generic city you can place in any 
  campaign world. Its basic premise is a pirate city 
  gone legit… at least on the surface. In truth, the 
  pirate tradition is alive and well in Freeport, but 
  it is camouflaged by a veneer of respectability. 
  These days the city’s pirates are privateers, 
  legalized pirates that Freeport loans out to the 
  highest bidder. You’ll learn more in the short 
  history of the city included in this adventure, 
  which should help give you a good idea about 
  the city and its atmosphere before the adventure 
  proper begins. Of course, you can refer to 
  The Pirate’s Guide to Freeport for even more 
  information about this exciting city.
   
  The Freeport Trilogy consists of three linked 
  adventures; Death in Freeport is first, followed 
  by Terror in Freeport, and concluding with 
  Madness in Freeport. The events described in 
  these adventures take place five years before 
  the city as it’s described in The Pirate’s Guide 
  to Freeport. Although the Freeport Trilogy 
  is a self-contained campaign, Green Ronin 
  offers additional adventures and resources for 
  expanding the city of Freeport, any of which can 
  be easily converted for use with Shadow of the 
  Demon Lord. 
  It	was	able	to	thrive	by	offering	services	to	passing	
  ships and providing refuge for those unwelcome 
  elsewhere. The sailors took to calling it Freeport, and 
  the name stuck.
   With its remote location and natural attributes, 
  Freeport became a magnet for buccaneers. Before 
  long they had taken over the town, which became a 
  notorious pirate haven. What made Freeport work in 
  the early days was a simple pirate code: do whatever 
  you want on the high seas, but don’t go against your 
  comrades in port. That meant no stealing, no killing, 
  and no kidnapping. Duels did occur on occasion, but 
  they	were	formal	affairs	conducted	outside	the	city	
  walls.	Most	satisfied	themselves	with	drunken	brawls,	
  and of those there were plenty. By and large, though, 
  the peace was kept in Freeport.
   About two hundred years ago, the era of the rogue 
  buccaneer came to an end. Lone ships increasingly 
  faced threats from organized navies. At one time 
  a single privateer could hunt merchant ships with 
  impunity, but now it was a fox to the hounds of naval 
  squadrons. As crew after crew was hunted down and 
  destroyed, the pirates of Freeport knew they had to 
  change their ways.
   Freeport’s captains realized that it would take a navy 
  to	fight	a	navy,	so	they	decided	to	form	a	force	of	their	
  own and then go raiding en masse. The only problem 
  was choosing a leader. After much bickering, the 
  pirates	settled	on	two	captains	for	the	great	fleet.	Drac	
  and	Francisco	were	fierce	rivals,	and	the	assembled	
  captains believed that anything the two could agree 
  on would be a good decision.
  3
  
   It was not an ideal situation, but the pirates had 
  surprise and numbers on their side. The combined 
  fleet	went	on	a	three	month	raid	that	netted	more	
  money,	valuables,	foodstuffs,	and	booze	than	Freeport	
  had ever seen. It was a spectacular
  success, and Captains Drac and Francisco were 
  not slow in claiming credit. Before long, each had 
  declared himself a Sea Lord of Freeport.
  War in Freeport
  The next ten years were tense ones in Freeport. The 
  great	raid	set	off	a	panic	on	the	continent,	and	the	
  Empire spent huge amounts of money and resources 
  building up larger navies. The Sea Lords were 
  forced	to	fight	battle	after	battle	against	determined	
  foes. Freeport itself was assaulted on three separate 
  occasions, but its defenses proved too strong for the 
  attacking ships.
   This undeclared war had no clear victor. Freeport 
  withstood	the	assaults	and	inflicted	several	stinging	
  defeats on its enemies, but attrition was high on 
  both	sides.	In	the	end,	the	conflict	petered	out	as	the	
  warring navies ran out of ships and crews to hurl into 
  battle.	After	a	decade	of	constant	fighting,	there	was	a	
  long lull, during which each side licked its wounds.
   During the war, adversity had kept the pirates 
  united. When the pressure eased, however, trouble 
  was not slow in coming. The Sea Lords had long 
  hated	each	other,	and	this	animosity	flared	up	
  anew—with deadly consequences. After a series of 
  provocations,	real	fighting	broke	out	in	Freeport	for	
  the	first	time	in	its	history.	The	followers	of	Drac	 
  and Francisco killed one another in the streets, 
  breaking forever the pirate code that had bound  
  the city together.
   Neither Sea Lord gained an upper hand. Before the 
  conflict	could	be	resolved,	word	came	of	yet	another	
  hostile	fleet	bound	for	the	city.	The	pirates	called	
  a	truce,	and	the	fleet	sailed	out	to	defend	Freeport,	
  united once again—or so it seemed.
   Captain Drac had realized that this ongoing war 
  was one they could not ultimately win: the only 
  chance for survival was to become a part of the world 
  that was trying to destroy them. Drac entered secret 
  negotiations with the enemy, using a wizard as a go-
  between. He agreed to betray Francisco in exchange 
  for a truce and recognition of Freeport as a sovereign 
  city-state. The enemy leaders were only too happy 
  to sign such an agreement and end the ruinously 
  expensive war.
  for enlarged map see pages 26-27
  4
  
   With no knowledge of his comrade’s duplicity, 
  Captain	Francisco	led	the	fleet	to	the	attack.	Once	his	
  forces were engaged, Drac’s ships simply sailed away, 
  leaving	Francisco’s	fleet	exposed	and	without	support;	
  they were quickly surrounded and destroyed. In the 
  meantime, Drac sailed back to Freeport to announce 
  the new city-state and his new regime.
  A Nation Emerges
  Captain Drac quickly consolidated his power. He 
  declared himself the only Sea Lord of Freeport 
  and eliminated his remaining enemies before they 
  could organize against him. Some of the other pirate 
  captains left Freeport rather than serve Drac, whom 
  they despised for betraying Francisco and blamed for 
  violating the pirate code. Most, however, seeing which 
  way the salty wind was blowing, chose to remain in 
  Freeport and ride out the storm.
   As it turned out, Sea Lord Drac’s reign was less 
  bloody than anyone had believed possible. He ruled 
  Freeport	with	a	firm	hand	for	the	next	thirty	years,	
  turning a pirate haven into a commercial hub of 
  substantial importance. He set up trade routes with 
  former enemies, cracked down on rogue pirates,  
  and organized a Captains’ Council. Drac’s word  
  was still law, but the Council was in charge of the  
  city’s	day-to-day	affairs	and	advised	the	Sea	Lord	 
  on important matters.
   Although Drac fancied himself a king, he resisted 
  the urge to take the title. Somehow he knew that 
  the citizens of Freeport would not accept something 
  so contrary to their natures. Similarly, he knew 
  that he could not found a dynasty. The Captains’ 
  Council would never submit to Drac’s son, a mere 
  boy who lacked the experience of those salty dogs. 
  But Drac needed to ensure the survival of Freeport 
  as an independent city-state after his death. With 
  melancholy in his heart, he chose another old hand, 
  Captain Cromey, to be his successor. Furthermore, 
  he even set into law a requirement that the Captains’ 
  Council approve the Sea Lord’s nominee. At the end 
  of life, Drac chose the interests of the city over his 
  own glory, and for this he is remembered as a great 
  man in Freeport.
  A Century of Growth
  The	next	hundred	years	were	profitable	ones.	
  Freeport continued to grow, which necessitated 
  building a newer and larger city wall. As new trade 
  routes to the east opened up, the city became an  
  even more important maritime center. Freeport  
  was largely able to stay out of the wars that broke  
  out on the continent, although it did cement  
  alliances with several important powers. All in all,  
  this was a period of stability and growth, with a 
  succession of competent Sea Lords assuring the  
  city’s continued importance.
  A Bad Seed
  Things	began	to	change	fifty	years	ago,	when	a	
  descendent of Captain Drac succeeded the outgoing 
  Sea Lord. Marten Drac is rumored to have used 
  blackmail and assassination in his rise to power,  
  and he most certainly did so to maintain his 
  position. Marten ruled for only fourteen years, 
  but the damage he did to the city was substantial. 
  A series of burdensome duties and taxes fattened 
  his	coffers	but	drove	away	many	merchants.	More	
  ominously, he drove through a new law, over the 
  objections	of	the	Captains’	Council,	that	required	
  the Sea Lord of Freeport to be a descendent of the 
  original Captain Drac.
   Marten’s youngest brother, Anton, who became Sea 
  Lord on Marten’s death, saved the city from complete 
  disaster. Anton Drac proved to be cut from the same 
  cloth as his illustrious ancestor and was able to undo 
  the worst excesses of Marten’s reign. He abolished the 
  unfair duties, as well as providing incentives to win 
  back lost trade. He also gave limited military aid to 
  several important nations, earning their thanks and 
  their business.
  5
  
   Anton’s one failing was that he did not abolish 
  Marten’s succession law. He was regularly urged to 
  do so by the Captains’ Council, but the Sea Lord 
  could never quite bring himself to do it. Despite his 
  enlightened rule, he did consider Freeport to belong 
  to his family. This would bring about his undoing.
  Decade of Deceit
  Over a decade ago, war broke out among the Nine 
  Cities, which threatened to tear the Confederacy 
  apart.	Anton	stayed	out	of	it	at	first,	but	he	knew	
  he would have to honor the existing treaties. He 
  announced to the Captains’ Council that the Freeport 
  navy would go to the aid of its allies in the spring—
  the	first	time	the	full	fleet	had	sailed	to	war	since	the	
  days of Drac and Francisco. The Council was torn on 
  the issue, approving the move by only a single vote.
   Anton had allowed enough time for preparations to 
  be made throughout the winter. Unfortunately, this 
  also gave his enemies several months to concoct an 
  ambitious plan. In fact, it was so ambitious that many 
  suspected the plotters had outside help from agents 
  of governments that wanted Freeport to stay neutral. 
  Rumors continue to circulate to this day.
   Toward the end of winter, as the Sea Lord was 
  inspecting	the	fleet	on	the	docks,	a	single	yellow-
  feathered	arrow	flew	from	the	crow’s	nest	of	an	
  anchored ship, piercing Anton’s chest. The wound 
  should not have been mortal, but the arrow was 
  enchanted with Death magic. Anton died on the spot, 
  leaving	Freeport	without	a	Sea	Lord	for	the	first	time	
  in centuries.
   The assassin was cornered and killed before he 
  could talk, and his body disappeared before priests 
  could	conjure	up	his	soul	for	questioning.	The	
  Captains’ Council dismissed the attack as the act of a 
  lone renegade, hushing up its magical nature. The
  Council had more pressing business to attend to, 
  namely, who would succeed Anton?
   Captain Milton Drac stepped onto the stage of 
  history. A distant cousin of Anton, Milton appeared as 
  if from nowhere. He was not a member of the Council, 
  but	somehow	he	enjoyed	tremendous	support	there.	
  Those most likely to oppose him were strangely silent, 
  as if they feared the consequences of such an action. 
  In a matter of weeks, this previously unknown Drac 
  became the new Sea Lord of Freeport.
  	 Milton’s	first	official	act	was	to	cancel	all	military	aid	
  to	allied	nations:	the	fleet	was	to	restrict	its	activities	
  to guarding commerce, nothing more. As war raged 
  on the continent, Freeport stood neutral. This was a 
  grave disappointment to the city-states counting on its 
  navy, who branded Milton a traitor. Some called him 
  the puppet of foreign agents or a religious cult. Milton 
  denied these accusations and continued his rule of 
  Freeport with little opposition.
  	 After	canceling	the	fleet	action,	Milton	used	the	
  war chest to build a monument to his ambition: the 
  Lighthouse of Drac. It has been under construction 
  since, on the closest island of the Serpent’s Teeth. 
  Meant to be one of the wonders of the age, the 
  Lighthouse soars towards the heavens, taller than 
  any structure in the world. The Sea Lord’s stated goal 
  is to make Freeport the preeminent maritime power 
  of the world, but the reality has fallen short of that 
  ideal. The Lighthouse of Drac, or “Milton’s Folly,” as 
  some have taken to calling it, nearly bankrupted the 
  city. Taxes and duties have risen steadily during its 
  construction,	and	an	army	of	orcs	was	needed	to	finish	
  construction	on	time.	It	is	finally	approaching	its	
  scheduled completion date, three months from now. 
  Milton is planning a gala celebration for its unveiling, 
  and ships from around the world are expected to 
  attend. This is an event not to be missed—or so 
  Milton hopes.
  The Present Situation
  Milton is obsessed with his Lighthouse, but the 
  Captains’ Council still governs Freeport. Their task 
  grew more arduous over the past ten years, as more 
  and more money was sunk into Milton’s Folly. Services 
  have degenerated: the garrison has shrunk and is 
  largely	confined	to	the	Old	City,	and	the	docks	are	
  policed haphazardly, if at all. Crime has skyrocketed, 
  but as long as it remains in the shadows the Council 
  is content to pretend it does not exist. Known pirates 
  have even taken to frequenting the port again. As long 
  as	they	bribe	the	dock	officials,	they	can	enjoy	what	
  Freeport	has	to	offer.	Ironically,	the	city	is	returning	to	
  its roots.
  The Captains’ Council
  The Captains’ Council is the governing body of 
  Freeport. Councilors make and enforce the laws, 
  defend Freeport’s interests at home and abroad, 
  and generally ensure the city continues to prosper. 
  Since Freeport is a city based on mercantilism and 
  enlightened self-interest, councilors also ensure they 
  profit	from	all	of	the	above.	The	Captains’	Council	
  isn’t	only	about	prestige—it’s	also	about	filthy	lucre.
   The council, like many aspects of the city, is a legacy 
  of Freeport’s piratical past. In the rough-and-tumble 
  early days, every pirate captain was considered an 
  equal.	Decisions	were	made	by	a	simple	majority,	and	
  duels were as common as debates.
  	 As	the	city	grew,	there	were	just	too	many	captains	
  to continue on as before. When Captain Drac became 
  sole Sea Lord of Freeport, he knew it was time for 
  change. He also knew that if he disregarded the 
  captains of Freeport his lordship would be over in a 
  matter of days. Drac’s solution was the creation of the 
  Captains’ Council. He chose six powerful captains 
  to help him rule the city. They enforced Drac’s edicts 
  and handled the day-to-day business of governing the 
  city. Under their rule, Freeport grew and prospered.
  6
  
  Changing of the Guard
  As the city grew, it changed in ways the pirates could 
  not have anticipated. The captains on the council 
  settled down and consolidated their power within 
  the city, becoming the de facto nobility of Freeport. 
  Stability in the government improved prospects  
  for trade, so a merchant class established itself.  
  As the population increased, so too did the demand 
  for artisans and craftsmen. Soon a strong working 
  class developed and settled in Freeport. It was a  
  long time coming, but the city of rogues and 
  buccaneers eventually grew into a powerful and 
  independent city-state.
   By the end of Drac’s life, the council had gained 
  much	power	in	the	city.	They	had	influence	with	the	
  other captains, the merchants, and the tradespeople. 
  Although the Sea Lord’s word was still law, Drac knew 
  he could not blatantly defy their will. This—as well 
  as	his	son	being	unfit	for	the	job—convinced	Drac	to	
  empower the council to approve anyone nominated 
  for	the	title	of	Sea	Lord.	This	was	a	defining	moment	
  for the Captains’ Council, as it gave them some 
  control over who would govern the city.
   The council elected Drac’s nominee, Captain 
  Cromey, who proved an excellent choice. He treated 
  the members of the Captains’ Council as equals 
  and thought of them as trusted advisors rather than 
  lackeys. At the end of his rule, Cromey followed in 
  Drac’s footsteps by giving the council even more 
  authority. Cromey issued an edict that the Captains’ 
  Council would not only approve nominations for Sea 
  Lord but also for new council members. This would 
  force the Sea Lord to work with the council to rule the 
  city, and it provided a check to his absolute power.
  The Council  
  Grows Stronger
  About 30 years after the death of Drac, the city—
  which had almost doubled in size—faced a crisis. 
  A war raged on the continent, disrupting trade and 
  drawing away much of the city’s navy. Freeport was in 
  turmoil as food and other essential supplies became 
  scarce. Angry riots were common. The Sea Lord 
  Corliss and the council could barely keep order in the 
  streets. An ambitious and popular councilor named 
  Antonio Grossette saw this as an opportunity to 
  increase	the	power	and	influence	of	the	council.
   Grossette proposed a plan to the Sea Lord to 
  help him restore order. He asked Corliss to declare 
  martial law in the city. Since most of the military 
  was	off	honoring	treaties	on	the	continent,	private	
  forces would have to be used. To keep peace on the 
  streets, the size of the council should be temporarily 
  increased to twelve, Grossette argued. Each of the 
  councilors would then be given an area of the city 
  to control and keep the order by means of their own 
  forces. Once order was restored, martial law would be 
  lifted and the council would return to its former size.
  	 At	first	Corliss	resisted.	He	knew	the	council	would	
  be a threat to his power if it grew too large. More 
  importantly, endorsing private armies to roam the 
  streets could become a problem itself if
  not watched carefully. But the situation in the city 
  was worsening. (Many believe Antonio and his fellow 
  councilors intentionally allowed things to deteriorate 
  to force the Sea Lord’s hand.) In the end, Corliss 
  finally	agreed	to	Antonio’s	plan,	but	he	insisted	on	
  personally choosing the men who would be added  
  to the council.
   Grossette’s plan worked. Order was restored in 
  the city within a few weeks. Food and supplies were 
  rationed, and the forces of the council kept the peace. 
  When the war ended six months later, the city was 
  already on the road to recovering nicely. Now Antonio 
  could	make	his	final	gambit.
   Corliss wanted to restore the council to its former 
  size, as per the original agreement with Antonio. 
  The councilors had other ideas. Grossette had 
  convinced the councilors they did not have to give 
  up their newfound power. Corliss was outraged 
  and threatened to use the military to remove the 
  councilors. Civil war was a real possibility.
   Into this impasse stepped Antonio Grossette. He 
  offered	Corliss	a	choice.	He	could	wage	a	civil	war	to	
  remove the councilors, or if he left the councilors in 
  power they would put their private military forces 
  under the Sea Lord’s control.
   With his military tired from a bitter war on the 
  continent, Corliss agreed to this compromise and 
  enacted a law that the council would consist of 
  twelve members henceforward. The councilors 
  then surrendered control of their forces to the Sea 
  Lord, and a new era in Freeport began. Antonio had 
  increased the size of the council and at the same time 
  diminished some of the Sea Lord’ s powers.
  Drac’s Return
  About 50 years ago, Marten Drac—a direct 
  descendant of the original Sea Lord—took over 
  as the latest Sea Lord by means of blackmail and 
  assassination. Among his most notorious deeds, he 
  rammed a law through the council that required the 
  Sea Lord of Freeport to count the original Drac as a 
  blood ancestor. 
   Anton Drac assumed power in Freeport almost 
  thirty years ago. Fortunately, he was able to undo 
  much of the damage done to the city by his older 
  brother Marten. During this time, the Captains’ 
  Council pressured the Sea Lord, hoping to capitalize 
  on	his	efforts	to	change	public	opinion	about	the	Drac	
  family. First and foremost, they repeatedly attempted 
  to get Anton to repeal the succession law.
  7
  
   When the councilors realized that Anton would 
  not budge on the issue, they changed tactics. For 
  decades, the Sea Lord had the power to nominate new 
  members to the council. Although the council voted 
  to	confirm	these	nominees,	they	wanted	to	be	able	to	
  put up their own candidates as well.
   Anton was initially against the idea. He knew this 
  would further diminish the powers of the Sea Lord. 
  He also knew that the sting of Marten’s hideous 
  regime was still on everyone’s mind, so he settled on 
  a compromise. The council would have the power to 
  nominate councilors. In return for this power, the Sea 
  Lord could cast two votes for his nominee and break 
  all ties. To elect their own nominee, at least eight 
  councilors would have to vote against the Sea Lord.
  	 At	first,	the	councilors	were	not	pleased	with	
  Anton’s suggestion, holding out against it for many 
  years. They changed their minds when Anton decided 
  to go to war on the continent. The council feared he 
  might die and they would get no deal at all. Shortly 
  before Anton’s assassination, the councilors accepted 
  his	offer	and	gained	nominating	power	for	the	 
  council members. This has come to be known as 
  “Anton’s Gift.”
  The Council’s Workings
  Although the Sea Lord is able to enact laws, the 
  Captains’ Council limits his powers. In four important 
  areas, the Sea Lord must gain the approval of the 
  council before proceeding: declaring war, entering 
  into treaties with foreign powers, allocating city funds, 
  and levying taxes.
   Councilors hold their posts for life—with the 
  exception of the privateer seat—and can only be 
  removed by vote of the council. Councilors are only 
  removed if they commit treason or other heinous 
  crimes against the city. (Bribery, nepotism, and 
  extortion are not considered heinous crimes in 
  Freeport.) If a council member is murdered, a family 
  member has the right to assume his seat.
   Councilors are nominated by the Sea Lord or by the 
  council itself. A vote is then held, with the councilors 
  placing one vote each and the Sea Lord placing two. If 
  there is a tie, the Sea Lord’s will prevails. The citizens 
  of Freeport have no direct vote to elect councilors or 
  the Sea Lord. This does not mean their opinions on 
  the matter are ignored. Both the councilors and the 
  Sea	Lord	understand	electing	unpopular	officials	can	
  only lead to bad business and an unruly populace. 
  For this reason, most members of the Captains’ 
  Council	maintain	influence	and	control	over	a	faction	
  of people. The current council is pushing this to the 
  limit, as many councilors have been elected only 
  because they support Milton Drac. If this continues, 
  the city might eventually deteriorate into anarchy.
  Freeport Timeline
  Time Before 
  Present
  Notable Events
  ?
  Valossa destroyed in cataclysm;  
  Serpent’s Teeth formed
  900 years
  Pirates settle the island A’Val
  200 years
  Captains Drac and Francisco lead  
  combined fleet; each declares himself  
  Sea Lord of Freeport
  190 years
  Civil war in Freeport; Drac betrays Francisco 
  and assumes sole control of the city
  160 years
  Drac dies and is succeeded by Captain 
  Cromey, initiating a century of prosperity
  50 years
  Marten Drac becomes Sea Lord, nearly 
  bankrupting Freeport; institutes Drac 
  succession law
  36 years
  Anton Drac succeeds Marten and repairs  
  much of the damage but does not repeal 
  succession law
  11 years
  Anton Drac assassinated;  
  Milton Drac becomes Sea Lord
  10 years 
  Construction begins on Lighthouse of Drac
  8
  The beast 
  attached itself to 
  the ship, boring 
  into the hull. The 
  men couldn’t pry 
  it off with poles, 
  so we lowered 
  Smythe over the 
  side to attack it 
  with his cutlass 
  and encourage it 
  to cast off. After 
  a dozen hacks 
  with a cutlass, 
  it finally let go. 
  Unfortanately, it 
  took Smythe’s lower 
  half with it.
  
  Death in 
  Freeport
  The temple of the Seer, known by some as the God 
  of Knowledge, is one of the largest in Freeport. A 
  repository of ancient scrolls and arcane learning, it is 
  a magnet to scholars and wizards alike. In addition 
  to priests, the temple employs a large group of 
  librarians, who maintain the collection and deal with 
  visitors. Lucius was one of these librarians. He grew 
  up in the temple and lived to serve.
   Six years ago, something very strange happened 
  to Lucius. A supernatural entity stole his body, 
  displacing his consciousness and taking over his 
  existence.	For	five	years,	the	alien	mind	controlled	
  Lucius’s body, seeking to learn as much about the 
  world as it could. The new “Lucius,” nothing like  
  the old, was expelled from the temple within a  
  year for violating the sanctum. He then left  
  Freeport altogether, traveling the world for four  
  years before returning.
   When the real Lucius returned to his rightful 
  body, he did not remember where he had been or 
  what	he	had	done,	and	was	mortified	to	learn	of	his	
  possessor’s activities in his absence. With deep shame 
  he approached the temple, asking for forgiveness 
  and	re-admittance.	He	offered	the	priests	an	amazing	
  collection of scrolls and artifacts, apparently 
  accumulated	while	his	possessor	journeyed	abroad.	
  They were in such awe of this collection that they 
  reinstated Lucius and forgave him his transgressions. 
  Both he and the priests were now happy, and each 
  tried to forget the librarian’s strange behavior.
   Life for Lucius was tranquil for the next eight 
  months. He fell back into his old patterns. The 
  calmness of the library soothed him, and he lost 
  himself in a world of books, scrolls, and artifacts.
   Then the dreams came.
   Lucius awoke screaming every night, again and 
  again, his brain reeling with strange memories of 
  gargantuan, cyclopean cities, monstrous creatures, 
  and	unspeakable	rites.	At	first,	he	hoped	that	the	
  nightmares	would	simply	go	away;	instead,	they	got	
  worse. Lucius did not want to accept the truth, but in 
  the end, he had no choice. Whatever these dreams 
  were,	they	were	somehow	connected	with	those	five	
  years of missing time. If he ever wanted to have a 
  normal	life	again,	he	knew	he	would	have	to	find	out	
  what exactly had happened to him.
   The man who had spent so much time researching 
  past lives now turned his skills to his own. He began to 
  ask questions about what “he” had done and how “he” 
  had	acted	during	those	five	years.	He	spent	countless	
  hours	reading	over	“his”	journals,	trying	to	find	out	
  who had possessed his body and why. The priests of 
  9
  
  the temple grew uncomfortable with Lucius’s line of 
  questioning. They wanted this incident buried, not 
  subject	to	new	scrutiny.	The	high	priest	begged	Lucius	
  to let the past stay in the past, but the librarian could 
  not agree.
   Two days ago, Lucius disappeared.
  Adventure Synopsis
  Death in Freeport drops the player characters (PCs) 
  into the midst of political and magical intrigue, as the 
  hidden Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign manipulates 
  events to bring its dread god to the world. Freeport 
  is still a bustling center of trade, but evil currents 
  run beneath the surface. There are secrets here, 
  and questions unanswered. The characters will 
  undoubtedly learn there is more here than they 
  expect in a simple seaport. The question is, will that 
  knowledge kill them?
   As the adventure begins, the player characters have 
  just	come	to	Freeport	on	a	merchant	ship.	While	on	
  the docks, the characters are attacked by a press gang, 
  who mistake them for easy marks. The press gang 
  is	handily	driven	off;	since	they	are	unused	to	real	
  resistance.
   A bookish young man named Brother Egil then 
  approaches the group. He says that he’s been looking 
  for people who can take care of themselves, and 
  that	he	has	a	job	for	them	if	they	are	interested—to	
  find	a	missing	librarian.	The	missing	man,	Lucius,	
  disappeared two days previously, and Egil is eager to 
  find	him.
   Egil gives the characters some background on 
  Lucius and his strange behavior. The characters are 
  then free to investigate: they are likely to visit Lucius’s 
  home, the temple of the Seer, and an orc pirate 
  ship. This should form a picture of Lucius as a man 
  searching for his own past—who found something he 
  wasn’t counting on.
   Following a trail of clues, the characters learn 
  about the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. With a 
  little luck, the characters can trail the cultists back to 
  their hideout, penetrate the lair, and discover secret 
  tunnels	underneath	it.	Deep	underground	they	find	
  degenerate serpent people, and eventually Lucius 
  himself. The librarian has been tortured badly and 
  will die without aid. 
   The characters also have to deal with the leader of 
  the cult, a man they may recognize from the temple. 
  When the cult priest is slain, they are in for an even 
  bigger surprise. He was not human at all, but a 
  serpent man in disguise. What this means for
  Freeport only the gods can say.
   Death in Freeport is designed for a group of novice 
  characters. The group should be level 2 by the end of 
  part 2 and level 3 at the end of the adventure. 
  Part 1:  
  Baiting the Hook
  In which the characters drive off a cowardly attack and 
  find gainful employment in the city of Freeport
  The	setup	of	the	adventure	assumes	the	PCs	have	just	
  arrived in Freeport after serving on a merchant ship. 
  You can easily alter the circumstances if that lets you 
  kick	off	the	adventure	more	smoothly;	for	example,	
  perhaps one of the PCs is a friend of Egil’s from the 
  continent. This would give them more reason to trust 
  the young librarian and a better motivation to help 
  him	find	his	friend.	The	only	real	requirement	is	that	
  none of the characters should have been to Freeport 
  before. Having inside knowledge of how the city 
  works might ruin some of the fun, so it’s best if the 
  characters are from elsewhere.
  The Press Gang
  The adventure opens with the player characters 
  standing	on	Freeport’s	docks,	having	just	disembarked	
  from the ship they sailed upon to reach the city. You 
  can	describe	the	journey	in	whatever	way	that	makes	
  sense, identifying from where the characters came 
  and why they wound up here. In all likelihood, the 
  characters	lack	the	funds	to	continue	their	journey	if	
  this city was not their destination.
   The docks are crowded and busy, with sailors, 
  merchants, and travelers from all across the known 
  world	gathered	here.	Flags	from	distant	lands	fly	from	
  the ships anchored in the port, and the sounds and 
  smells and sights are overwhelming.
   Before the characters have a chance to react to their 
  new environs, a gang of men surrounds the group, 
  rough, scarred, and crusty, each one armed with 
  belaying pins. The leader steps forward, a toothless 
  man with tattooed knuckles, smiles and says, “You’ve 
  all	just	volunteered	for	an	exciting	life	at	sea.	Do	you	
  want to go the easy way or the hard way?”
   A band of 8 press-gangers surrounds the group.
  Old toothless picked his point of ambush well: 
  boxes	of	goods	dot	the	wharf,	making	it	difficult	to	
  maneuver. The crowd is also thick, though it will 
  begin	to	disperse	if	a	fight	erupts.
  PRESS-GANGER 
  DIFFICULTY 1
  Size 1/2 or 1 human
  Perception 10 (+0)
  Defense 10; Health 10
  Strength 10 (+0), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Belaying Pin (melee) +0 (1d3)
   These sailors are old hands at the press gang game. 
  10
  
  They don’t wear any armor, but they are handy with 
  their pins, which they attempt to use to knock the 
  PCs unconscious. If things get serious, the sailors 
  are not trying to get killed—they expect easy marks. 
  Press gangs prey on weakness, so these bullies clear 
  out when it becomes obvious the PCs can take care of 
  themselves. Once three of them have been overcome, 
  the	rest	flee.
  An Offer of Employment
  After the characters defeat the press gang, a young 
  man emerges from the watching crowds and says, 
  laughing, “That’ll teach them to pick on newcomers! 
  But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce 
  myself. I am Brother Egil, and I’ve been looking for 
  people who can take care of themselves in a scrap. If 
  you’ll allow me to buy you a round of drinks, I’d like 
  to	talk	to	you	about	a	job.	What	do	you	say?”
   If the group is amenable, Brother Egil takes them 
  to a nearby tavern, the Bilge Rat. It’s as charming as it 
  sounds, but the beer is better than one would expect. 
  Egil	buys	the	first	round,	and	then	makes	his	offer.
   “Two days ago, a librarian from my temple 
  disappeared. For reasons that are somewhat 
  complicated, the high priest has declined to look into 
  the matter. The missing man, Lucius, is a dear friend 
  of mine, and I’m worried that evil may have befallen 
  him.	I’m	willing	to	offer	you	10	silver	shillings	each,	
  five	now	and	five	on	completion	of	the	mission,	if	you	
  can	find	Lucius	and	return	him	to	the	temple.	I	will	
  provide you with any information I can, and healing 
  should you require it. Interested?”
   If the characters are too suspicious and don’t 
  accept	the	offer	right	away,	Brother	Egil	says	that	it’s	a	
  standing	offer	and	that	he	can	be	found	at	the	Seer’s	
  temple.	Once	they	accept	the	job,	Egil	fills	them	in	
  on the situation. He’ll also volunteer this information 
  if	the	party	wants	to	hear	more	about	the	job	before	
  accepting. He is honestly concerned for his friend’s 
  wellbeing and has nothing to hide.
  BROTHER EGIL 
  DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 human
  Perception 11 (+1)
  Defense 10; Health 14
  Strength 10 (+0), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 11 (+1), Will 11 (+1)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Dagger (melee or short range) +0 (1d3)
  MAGIC 
  Power 1
  Divination eavesdrop (2), augur (1)
  News Around Freeport
  Enterprising characters might want to spend 
  some time learning more about the city. Those 
  who do will learn one of the following for each 
  hour spent chatting up the locals.
  • The Lighthouse of Drac is almost done now: 
  only three more months until it’s ready. 
  They say the Sea Lord is planning a big 
  celebration too. 
  • They don’t call that infernal lighthouse 
  “Milton’s Folly” for nothing. Ten years to 
  build, and now the city coffers are empty. 
  • The Sea Lord’s Guard has been cut back so 
  much that thieves are running wild. Only the 
  Old City gets real protection.
  • Pirates don’t even bother to disguise 
  themselves when they come to port these 
  days. There are pirate ships here right now—
  some of the crews are even orcs!
  • The Captains’ Council has had enough 
  of Sea Lord Milton Drac. He may have an 
  “unfortunate accident” before his precious 
  lighthouse is finished.
  11
  
  The Case of the  
  Missing Librarian
  Egil’s description of the case follows, along with his 
  responses to some answers to likely questions.
   “I have known Lucius for most of my life. We were 
  both brought up in the temple. He became a librarian 
  and I, a priest. But six years ago, something strange 
  happened. He seemed to change overnight. One day 
  he was my friend of many years, and the next he was 
  a complete stranger. He asked bizarre questions, 
  seemed to remember nothing of our friendship, and 
  treated the temple as his own personal library. Some 
  months later he was caught violating the sanctum and 
  was expelled from the temple. Shortly thereafter, he 
  left Freeport entirely and was gone for four years.
   “When Lucius reappeared, he was like his old self. 
  He came to the temple and begged to be readmitted, 
  saying	that	he	had	no	memory	of	the	previous	five	
  years. Thuron, the high priest, seemed adamant about 
  refusing Lucius’s petition but changed his mind after 
  a private meeting with him.
  	 “Lucius	returned	to	the	temple,	and	it	was	just	like	
  old times for eight or nine months. Then he started to 
  look haggard, and he told me he wasn’t sleeping well. 
  Something was disturbing him, but he wouldn’t say 
  what. He started asking questions about what he had 
  been like right before his expulsion. The high priest 
  talked to him about it, but Lucius wouldn’t let it go.
   “I grew increasingly worried for my friend. He 
  seemed on the brink of insanity, as if one small thing 
  could push him over the edge. Two days ago, he failed 
  to come to the temple. I went to his home and found 
  it	empty.	I	searched	all	over	but	could	not	find	him.	
  The priests of my temple deny it, but I know that 
  something	has	happened	to	Lucius.	I	want	you	to	find	
  out what.”
  What Egil Knows
  The group might have additional questions for 
  Brother Egil. Below are his answers to the most 
  probable. He answers to the best of his knowledge, 
  as he is sincerely concerned for his friend, so be 
  reasonably open with information that he can be 
  expected to have.
   Where did Lucius go when he left Freeport? I 
  don’t know for sure, but Lucius seemed to think he 
  had traveled quite widely.
   Why did the high priest let him back into the 
  temple? That question has puzzled me as well. 
  Thuron is not a man who changes his mind easily, yet 
  something that Lucius said or did during his meeting 
  with the man swayed the high priest.
   Can we search his house? Yes, certainly. I can take 
  you there whenever you like.
   Can we talk to Thuron or other members of 
  the temple? Yes, but please do not mention my 
  involvement with the matter at all. Better to say that 
  you are old friends of Lucius from abroad and that 
  you’ve come to Freeport to see him.
   Can you recommend a place to stay? Certainly. 
  The	Scholar’s	Quill	is	a	fine	tavern	located	between	
  Lucius’s home and the temple. Many visitors to the 
  temple lodge there, and it doesn’t have the rough 
  clientele that many local inns do.
  Getting Settled
  Unless the group has other plans, Brother Egil takes 
  them	to	the	Scholar’s	Quill,	a	quiet	inn	situated	off	the	
  main thoroughfare that caters to academics. He can 
  get the characters a good rate on rooms, 1 cp per day.
  	 The	first	floor	consists	of	a	dining	room,	kitchen,	
  and larder, and eight guest rooms that sleep two 
  each are upstairs. The innkeeper, a matronly woman 
  named Desi (as a commoner),	lives	on	the	third	floor	
  with her two serving maids. 
   If the characters deign not to stay at the Quill, 
  Freeport has plenty of inns. The following inns are  
  all located in the Docks district.
   The Rusty Hook: A notoriously dangerous inn,  
  it stands near the docks.
   The Keelhaul: A dangerous place known for 
  attracting pirates.
   The Broken Mug: 	Located	on	a	wharf,	fights	
  happen hourly.
   The Black Rose: A nicer establishment, it caters  
  to merchants.
  Part II: A Promising 
  Line of Inquiry
  In which the player characters conduct an investigation 
  and uncover diverse items of interest
  The group has a mystery on their hands. You should 
  be	flexible	as	they	investigate,	since	there’s	no	way	of	
  knowing	where	they’ll	want	to	look	first.	What	seems	
  obvious to you may not be so obvious to the players. 
   The best place to start the investigation is at 
  Lucius’s home. Chances are the group will head 
  there right away, but a nudge in that direction might 
  be necessary. Brother Egil can guide them there, for 
  example. (“Do you want to see Lucius’s house now? 
  We’ll have to hurry so I can be back at the temple in 
  time for evening prayers.”)
   Brother Egil accompanies the PCs to make sure they 
  don’t	just	toss	the	place.	Not	that	there’s	much	to	steal	
  here, but he’s got Lucius’s interests at heart.
  12
  
  Milton’s Folly
  When your characters first hear about Milton’s 
  Folly (see the “News Around Freeport” sidebar), 
  the players might want to investigate it right 
  away. While the lighthouse is key to this series’ 
  conclusion, at this stage it’s simply a construction 
  site. Let the characters run around if they want 
  to, but they won’t find anything at this time as 
  there’s nothing suspicious going on yet. You  
  can find a map of Milton’s Folly in Madness  
  in Freeport.
  Location 1:  
  Lucius’s House
  Being a librarian in a trading city is not a lucrative 
  job.	Lucius’s	small	home	has	only	the	ground	floor,	
  consisting of two rooms, although there is a basement. 
  Most of the main room is cluttered with books, scrolls, 
  quills, inkpots, and other tools of the scholar’s trade. A 
  cot	is	jammed	into	one	corner,	and	there’s	a	small	desk	
  under the front window. The small backroom is part 
  kitchen,	part	junk	storage.	A	trapdoor	leads	down	to	
  the basement.
   Main Room: Most of the books and scrolls here 
  are geographies detailing legendary and mythical 
  places.	Characters	searching	the	room	find	among	the	
  scattered papers a hastily scribbled “to do list.” Give the 
  players Handout A on page 24. Any character searching 
  the desk and getting a success on a Perception 
  challenge roll discovers a drawer with a false bottom. 
  Opening it reveals a diary written in the same hand as 
  the list. It takes about half an hour to skim through the 
  entries. Give the players Handout B on page 25.
   Backroom: Dry goods and dirty clothes litter this 
  otherwise empty room.
   Cellar: A trapdoor opens to reveal a staircase 
  descending into a large cellar that is bigger than the 
  house above. Bookcases line the walls and there is a 
  display case, all of which are empty. Any character 
  examining the cases can smell the varnish, suggesting 
  they are relatively new.
  Location 2:  
  The Bloody Vengeance
  Lucius’s list mentions a Captain Scarbelly. Brother 
  Egil doesn’t know of such a man, though he admits 
  that he doesn’t get out of the temple much. If the 
  group	did	not	go	to	Lucius’s	house	first,	they	might	
  still decide to check out the pirate ship. Not only does 
  it loom large in city gossip, it is moored in plain sight, 
  with its orc crew not bothering to hide themselves or 
  their vocation.
   Asking around turns up information on Scarbelly, a 
  notorious orc pirate who operates out of Freeport and 
  who captains the privateer Bloody Vengeance. Further 
  questioning reveals the following information: 
  • The Bloody Vengeance pulled into port eleven  
  days ago. 
  • The crew has largely stayed on their ship.  
  They seem edgy and hostile. 
  • The ship has a crew of ten orcs, including a  
  brutal	first	mate.
  • Captain Scarbelly has killed twenty-nine men  
  in hand-to-hand combat.
   The Bloody Vengeance is a crudely built orc ship, 
  roughly 30 yards long. The ship is battle-scarred but 
  seaworthy, and no other ships moor nearby. The sail is 
  furled, but the crow’s nest holds an orc lookout armed 
  with a bow. Two other orcs guard the gangway, their 
  scowls	and	jagged	swords	encouraging	passersby	to	
  keep on walking.
   The guards are as hostile as they seem. Anyone 
  attempting to talk to them or request a meeting with 
  Captain	Scarbelly	is	told	to	clear	off	in	no	uncertain	
  terms. The orcs follow up this instruction with a 
  physical demonstration if the characters persist and 
  do not appear much of a threat. Otherwise, the pirates 
  call	for	the	first	mate,	Aggro.
   A massive, hulking orc, he’s pissed if called out from 
  the forecastle. He loudly snorts, hawks, and spits 
  while the characters inquire about Lucius. Aggro says, 
  “He was here last week, sniveling for an audience with 
  the captain. I told him the same thing I’m telling you: 
  Sod	off!”
  13
  
  Captain Scarbelly
  Merchants and seafarers alike fear Captain 
  Scarbelly, and for good reason. He and his  
  crew have terrorized the sea lanes for years,  
  and they know whom to bribe in Freeport to 
  keep it that way.
   
  Since he’s waiting for the wizard Kenzil, 
  Scarbelly spends most of his time on the ship. 
  Once in a while, though, he does slip off for 
  a drink and a meal, and this might give the 
  characters a chance to talk to him. The old  
  pirate won’t say anything about Lucius unless 
  he’s bribed, but with sufficient incentive he 
  relates the whole story.
   
  The captain recognized Lucius right way, for 
  he had indeed been on the Bloody Vengeance 
  some four years ago. The librarian bought him 
  a drink and asked many questions about that 
  time, which seemed odd to Scarbelly: the human 
  had been right there! Lucius had paid Captain 
  Scarbelly a handsome sum to travel with the 
  pirates, observe them, and take notes. The orcs 
  found it strange, but his money was good, and 
  he stayed out of the way during fights. After a 
  few months, Lucius moved on, and that was the 
  last Scarbelly saw of him until a few days ago.
   
  In his money pouch the captain also has a  
  note from Lucius, passed to him by Aggro. It 
  reads, “Captain, my name is Lucius and I believe 
  you know me. I’d like to talk to you about my 
  time on your ship. Please tell your mate to let  
  me aboard next I call.”
  	 Once	Aggro	has	told	the	characters	off,	have	
  everyone in the group make Perception challenge 
  rolls. A success reveals that the archer in the crow’s 
  nest has an arrow nocked. Aggro and the guards 
  finger	the	pommels	of	their	wicked	scimitars.	They’re	
  clearly	itching	for	a	fight.	
   Aggro told the truth about sending Lucius on his 
  way. The orcs are touchy because a powerful wizard 
  named Kenzil hired them to attack a particular ship 
  and	acquire	a	magic	staff	for	him.	Captain	Scarbelly	
  doesn’t like dealing with wizards, but the money was 
  too	good	to	pass	up.	He	has	the	staff	locked	up	in	his	
  cabin, and his crew is guarding it around the clock 
  until Kenzil shows up. Scarbelly is on edge and eager 
  to	see	the	staff	safely	delivered—he	is	certainly	going	
  to resist anyone who boards his ship.
   What Aggro does not know is that Lucius did 
  manage to talk to the orc captain while he was visiting 
  a tavern. Lucius had come to suspect that he had 
  spent time on the Bloody Vengeance during his missing 
  years, so he sought out the orc captain. Turned away 
  by Aggro, Lucius followed Scarbelly and asked him 
  some questions. See the Captain Scarbelly sidebar 
  for more information.
  All Hands on Deck
  The group has a few options for handling the orcs. 
  They might simply rush the crew and start a brawl, or 
  they can watch the ship and try to spy on Scarbelly. 
  Sneaky characters might try to slip on board at night 
  to have a look around.
   Attacking the orcs is likely a mistake, but the group 
  probably won’t realize this right away. The lack of the 
  Sea	Lord’s	Guard	on	the	docks	means	a	fight	can	rage	
  without interference. Although Lucius is not here, 
  there is loot—if the group survives the experience.
   Captain Scarbelly has not survived this many years 
  as a pirate by being stupid. His crew is well trained, 
  and they know what to do in case of an attack. When 
  the	first	blows	are	struck,	the	orcs	on	guard	raise	
  the	alarm	with	a	terrific	shout.	They	stay	on	board	
  the	ship,	concentrating	their	defense	on	the	officers’	
  quarters. The orcs in the forecastle and aftcastle use 
  bows to neutralize obvious threats. The sleeping 
  orcs	wake	1d3	rounds	later	and	join	the	fight.	Aggro	
  comes out to the main deck to organize the defense. 
  However,	if	the	captain	is	not	aboard,	the	first	mate	
  instead	guards	the	staff	in	the	officers’	quarters.
  Locations
  The following locations correspond to those marked 
  on The Bloody Vengeance map.
   A. Main Deck: The mast rises from the center of 
  the deck, which is covered in coils of rope and other 
  supplies. Two large trapdoors lead to the hold below, 
  which contains some food and grog stores.
   There are 1d3 orc pirates guarding the gangplank 
  and one more in the forecastle and aftcastle, which 
  provide half cover from attacks originating beyond 
  these positions.
  ORC PIRATE 
  DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 orc
  Perception 9 (–1); shadowsight
  Defense 12 (soft leather); Health 17
  Strength 12 (+2), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 8 (–2), Will 9 (–1)
  Speed 12
  Sea Legs An orc pirate can move at full Speed while 
  balancing.
  ATTACK OPTIONS
  Scimitar (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1d6 + 1)
  Bow (long) +0 with 1 boon (1d6)
  	 B.	Officers’	Quarters:	Captain Scarbelly and First 
  Mate Aggro share a cabin beneath the forecastle—
  unlike human sailors, they like the way the ship’s 
  prow goes up and down. The room is crammed with 
  stuff.	There	are	two	beds,	a	table,	and	a	chest,	all	
  nailed	to	the	floor	to	keep	things	from	flying	about	
  during storms. 
   The chest is quite large—it could easily hold a 
  person—and doubles as a table. On the table are 
  sea charts and navigational equipment. A large iron 
  lock secures the hasp, a lock protected by a trap. 
  Any creature attempting to open the lock without 
  using the key triggers the trap, which causes a needle 
  smeared	with	poison	to	jab	out	from	the	lock.	A	
  creature handling the lock when the trap triggers 
  must get a success on an Agility challenge roll with 
  2 banes or take 1 damage. A creature that takes 
  this damage must also get a success on a Strength 
  14
  
  challenge roll with 1 bane or take 1d6 + 1 damage and 
  become poisoned for 1 hour.
  	 A	searching	character	can	find	the	trap	with	a	
  success on a Perception challenge roll made with 1 
  bane. A character can attempt to disarm the trap by 
  spending 1 minute using a tool kit to disarm the trap. 
  Captain Scarbelly has the key.
   The chest holds the pirates’ swag: 100 ss, 125 cp, and 50 
  bits.	The	magical	staff	the	wizard	Kenzil	hired	Scarbelly	
  to retrieve lies on top of the coins (see sidebar).
  Kenzil’s Staff
  A relic reputed to have originated from a lost 
  empire, the staff is just one of many treasures  
  to have been recovered from the ruins scattered 
  across the Serpent’s Teeth, other islands, and 
  beneath the waves. Kenzil’s staff is a length  
  of dark wood carved to look like it’s covered  
  in scales.
  Enchanted Staff The staff has the defense  
  +2 property.
  Spells Inside If your Power is 1 or higher, while 
  wielding the staff, you count as if you had 
  learned the arcane shield Arcana spell.
  Kenzil still wants his staff, and if the group takes 
  it, he tries to track it down. He might pursue the 
  characters immediately on his arrival in Freeport. 
  Alternatively, it might take him some time to 
  learn the item’s fate, making him a suitable 
  challenge for a higher-level group. Kenzil does 
  not play a direct role in the adventure, so no 
  details are provided here. This gives you an 
  opportunity to introduce a suitable NPC of your 
  own creation. Kenzil could become a thorn in the 
  group’s side, or appear just once as a seemingly 
  random encounter.
   During the day, either Aggro or Scarbelly is here, 
  and both are on site at night.
  CAPTAIN SCARBELLY 
  DIFFICULTY 10
  Size 1 orc
  Perception 12 (+2); shadowsight
  Defense 15 (mail); Health 33; Insanity 2; Corruption 5
  Strength 13 (+3), Agility 11 (+1), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 12; climber, swimmer
  Rising Fury When Scarbelly takes damage, he makes  
  his next attack roll before the end of the next round  
  with 1 boon.
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Battleaxe (melee) +3 with 1 boon (2d6 + 2)
  Pistol (medium range) +1 with 1 boon (3d6)
  AGGRO 
  DIFFICULTY 10
  Size 1 orc
  Perception 10 (+0); shadowsight
  Defense 16 (mail, small shield); Health 17; Insanity 1; 
  Corruption 2
  Strength 12 (+2), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 12
  Sea Legs Aggro can move at full Speed while balancing.
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Scimitar (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1d6 + 1)
  	 C.	Crew	Quarters:	The remaining 8 orc pirates 
  share this room under the aftcastle. Each wall has 
  two	hammocks	and	a	small	chest	for	personal	effects,	
  which consists of dirty laundry and little else of 
  interest. While the ship is in port, there are always 1d3 
  orc pirates here sleeping.
  Location 3: The Temple
  Eventually, the group should investigate the temple 
  of the Seer. The building is quite large and easily 
  visible from most parts of the city. The temple is an 
  impressive structure, its vaulted frame soaring up 
  one hundred feet. Large bronze doors stand open, 
  revealing a tiled atrium. Statues of the god indicate 
  that this chamber is the center of worship, but 
  balconies lined with books reach all the way to the 
  frescoed ceiling. This place appears as much library 
  as temple, and the rows of silent scholars working in 
  the balconies attest to this fact.
   When the characters step inside, a young man 
  approaches them and introduces himself as Norton, 
  a temple novice, and he asks how he can be of 
  assistance. Norton can take the group to the high 
  priest’s	office,	which	is	one	level	down.	There	they	are	
  handed over to Milos, a slight man with horn-rimmed 
  glasses who is Thuron’s assistant. 
   Milos introduces himself and tells the characters 
  that “I’m afraid a meeting with the high priest is 
  simply not possible. He’s extremely busy planning for 
  the dedication of the Lighthouse of Drac and cannot 
  be disturbed. However, I am Thuron’s eyes and ears, 
  so you can ask me your questions.”
  	 Milos	is	as	far	as	they	can	get;	the	priest	simply	will	
  not allow the characters access to the high priest. If 
  the characters try to use force in the temple, a dozen 
  temple guards (as mercenaries) arrive on the scene 
  in minutes. Combat here might have far-reaching 
  repercussions.
   Likely questions the characters might pose, and 
  Milos’s answers, follow.
   What is the Lighthouse of Drac? You must have 
  seen it on your way into Freeport—an enormous 
  structure. Sea Lord Drac, Freeport’s ruler, is building 
  it to commemorate his glorious ancestors. The 
  lighthouse has been under construction for some ten 
  years, and its dedication is in three months.
   What can you tell us about Lucius? He is an 
  excellent librarian, though he made several poor 
  choices in his time. He was away from the temple a 
  good four years but returned last year. He has not 
  been here in a couple of days, and I do not know 
  where he is.
   Has Lucius been acting strange lately? He has 
  appeared increasingly haggard over the past few 
  months. He also began asking some very strange 
  questions. The high priest himself had a talk with the 
  man, but this seemed to do no good.
  15
  
   What sort of questions was Lucius asking? He 
  was asking about his activities in the temple in the 
  time leading up to his expulsion. As if he weren’t here 
  himself! No one needs to be reminded that Lucius 
  violated the sanctum, but he would not let it rest.
   What did the high priest say to him? Lucius has 
  been very lax in his duties of late, and Thuron warned 
  him to be more diligent. The high priest told him to 
  forget the past and concentrate on the present: It is 
  best	if	everyone	forgets	the	events	of	five	years	ago.
   Did Lucius have any enemies? None that I am 
  aware of. Anything may have happened in the years 
  he was gone from Freeport, of course, but I know 
  nothing about that time.
   Why was Lucius let back into the temple? He had 
  acquired a very interesting library of books during his 
  worldly	travels.	He	offered	to	donate	this	collection	to	
  the temple as a penance, and the high priest accepted.
   Can we see these books? They have not been made 
  public yet. Our experts are still evaluating them and 
  checking their authenticity. They should be available 
  for examination next year.
   If Lucius is missing, why aren’t you looking for 
  him? We do not have the resources to mount search 
  parties for every librarian who fails to come to work. 
  In any case, there is no evidence of foul play. I am sure 
  Lucius	is	just	sleeping	off	a	hangover	somewhere.
  Lucius’s Collection
  The donated books were in Lucius’s basement and 
  include the travel logs mentioned in the “to do” list. 
  Lucius wrote these logs during his possession, but 
  they	have	proven	difficult	to	decipher.	Not	only	is	
  much of the writing in an unknown language—which 
  could normally be circumvented with magic—but 
  it is also in a complex code. Even after the librarians 
  manage to break this code, they will have the same 
  problem that they face with the other donated books: 
  the	subject	matter	is	rather	esoteric,	and	much	of	it	is	
  simply alien.
  Milos
  Milos has been living in Freeport for decades, 
  posing as a variety of city folk and changing 
  identities when necessary. His parents were both 
  members of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, 
  and he was brought up in the faith. His position 
  in the Seer’s temple has been very useful to 
  the cult: he not only has access to enormous 
  amounts of research material, but also has the 
  ear of an influential figure in the city.
   
  In his researches, Milos learned of alien entities 
  that possessed mortal hosts to study different 
  times and places. When Lucius underwent a 
  personality change overnight, Milos knew just 
  what was going on—but, to his frustration, he 
  also knew that when the real Lucius returned, 
  he wouldn’t remember anything of his time 
  away. When the librarian began having his 
  nightmares and memory problems, Milos took 
  notice. Apparently, Lucius was remembering 
  something of his time while his mind was away. 
  Milos decided to kidnap the man and torture the 
  information out of him. Such arcane knowledge 
  could benefit the Brotherhood greatly.
   
  This scheme did not work out, though. 
  Lucius had some vivid memories, but they 
  were fragmentary and of little use. More 
  significantly, the kidnapping put investigators 
  on a trail straight to the cult’s temple. 
  Freeport is the nexus of an ambitious plan, 
  and the Brotherhood’s leaders don’t need their 
  underlings drawing attention to them at this 
  crucial time. In the unlikely event that Milos 
  survives the final encounter, his superiors will  
  be most displeased.
  Questions at the Temple
  After their interview with Milos, the characters can 
  talk to other people around the temple. They can 
  find	four	types	of	people	here:	priests,	lay	librarians	
  and clerks, scholars, and worshipers. Temple regulars 
  know Lucius, but they are not forthcoming with 
  information.	(Milos	has	already	instructed	the	staff	
  to put Lucius from their minds.) If the characters run 
  into Brother Egil at the temple, he pretends not to 
  know them.
   Later, the characters might want to ask Egil about 
  Milos. He can tell them that Milos, although not a 
  priest himself, is Thuron’s right-hand man, and that 
  the high priest doesn’t make any decision without 
  16
  
  him.	He’s	been	at	the	temple	for	fifteen	years	and	
  is dedicated to his own ambitions, the temple, and 
  Thuron—in that order.
  Yellow Shields at Sunset
  The PCs’ investigation does not go unnoticed: Milos 
  is in fact highly placed in the Brotherhood of the 
  Yellow Sign. After the party’s visit to the temple, he 
  decides that he must take action and orders one of 
  the cultists to arrange their elimination. The cultist, 
  Enzo, recruited a small band of mercenaries known 
  as the Yellow Shields and provided them with the 
  characters’ descriptions.
   Members of the Yellow Shields then fan out across 
  the city. When exactly they do this is up to you, but 
  a good time is shortly after the group has visited the 
  three locations described above. You should save the 
  mercenary encounter for when they are out of clues 
  and need a bit of a push, or are about to do something 
  really	stupid	(such	as	fighting	their	way	into	the	
  temple to see Thuron).
   Once the mercenaries have established where the 
  characters are staying, they organize an ambush. 
  They strike at sunset, hoping to hit the group on 
  their way back from a long day of investigation when 
  their guard is down. The Yellow Shields consists of 2 
  Yellow Shield archers, 2 Yellow Shield foot soldiers, 
  a spellcaster named Belko, and the mercenaries’ 
  leader, Rittoro.
   The mercenaries position themselves along a 
  lengthy block to hem the party in. An archer has 
  partial cover on a rooftop at the front of the block 
  and	fires	at	characters	on	the	ground.	Rittoro	and	
  two	foot	soldiers	come	out	of	an	alley	to	seal	off	the	
  street ahead of the party, while Belko and another 
  archer block the back. Before the combat begins, have 
  everyone in the group make Perception challenge rolls 
  with 2 banes. Modify the number of banes according 
  to the precautions, if any, the characters have taken. 
  Those characters who get failures are surprised 
  during	the	first	round.
  YELLOW SHIELD ARCHER 
  DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 human
  Perception 10 (+0)
  Defense 13 (hard leather, small shield); Health 10; Insanity 1; 
  Corruption 0
  Strength 10 (+0), Agility 11 (+1), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Small Sword (melee) +1 with 1 boon (1d6)
  Crossbow (long range) +1 with 1 boon (2d6)
  YELLOW SHIELD FOOT SOLDIER DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 human
  Perception 9 (–1)
  Defense 13 (hard leather, small shield); Health 12; Insanity 1; 
  Corruption 0
  Strength 12 (+2), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 9 (–1), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Sword (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1d6 + 2)
  Small Shield (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1)
  BELKO 
  DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 human
  Perception 11 (+1)
  Defense 12 (arcane armor); Health 12; Insanity 0; 
  Corruption 0
  Strength 10 (+0), Agility 11 (+1), Intellect 11 (+1), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Staff (melee) +1 (1d6 + 1)
  MAGIC 
  Power 1
  Arcana arcane armor (2), arcane sight (1), unerring darts (1)
  Chaos erratic bolt (2), capricious devastation (1)
  RITTORO 
  DIFFICULTY 10
  Size 1 human
  Perception 11 (+1)
  Defense 14 (brigandine, small shield); Health 16
  Strength 11 (+1), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 11 (+1), Will 10 (+0)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Battleaxe (melee) +1 with 1 boon (1d6 + 2)
   The mercenaries work to bottleneck the characters 
  and	then	finish	them	off	with	a	combination	of	
  missile	fire	and	hand-to-hand	combat.	They	target	
  spellcasters	and	dangerous	combatants	first.	They	
  stand fast until Rittoro, the leader, falls, at which point 
  the	rest	try	to	flee.	
   If any of the mercenaries are captured, they admit 
  that they don’t know who hired them. Rittoro took 
  care of that, and he won’t be able to talk if he’s dead.  
  If Rittoro survives the battle, he plays tough for a 
  while but eventually reveals that a man named Enzo 
  hired him. Even Rittoro doesn’t know anything about 
  Enzo, though: he had money, and that was enough for 
  the Yellow Shields.
  Jenkins’ had his  
   throat cut when hoods 
  caught him cheating 
   at cards. He’d won  
  a handful of coins 
   we’ve never seen. 
  Marek pocketed  
  them in the fracas.
  Still, a fine specimen  
   of a trade coin from 
  the southern isles.
  17
  
   Rittoro does have a piece of parchment with an 
  address written on it. The address is where he’s 
  supposed	to	meet	his	contact	after	the	job	to	receive	
  payment. If the characters search his possessions, they 
  also	find	an	ivory-handled	dagger	with	an	“L”
  carved in the hilt. The dagger belonged to Lucius 
  and was given to Rittoro as a down payment on the 
  contract. He has no information about its origin.
   The archers and foot soldiers each carry a pouch 
  with 3 cp, while Belko has a brooch worth 5 ss and a 
  pouch containing 5 cp. Rittoro has a silver ring worth 
  3 ss and a neck pouch containing 10 ss.
  Part 3:  
  The Truth Sinks In
  In which the player characters uncover a devilish 
  underside to the city and reveal an agent of evil
  After the attack of the Yellow Shields, the characters 
  should realize that their investigation has aroused 
  interest of a most unfriendly kind. At this point, 
  they	can	solve	the	mystery	in	two	different	ways,	
  depending on what evidence they have found so far.
  Checking Out the Address
  If	the	group	takes	the	address	from	Rittoro,	they	find	
  that it corresponds to a tavern called the Black Gull, a 
  rather seedy dive near the docks. Rittoro, if alive, tells 
  the characters that he was supposed to meet Enzo there 
  at dark with proof of his completed mission. Otherwise, 
  the characters might stake the place out. Enzo is easy 
  enough to spot. He’s a thin, nervous-looking man—
  distinctly out of place in the tough crowd at the Black 
  Gull. The easiest thing to do is simply follow him:  
  he can lead them straight to the cult’s temple, a 
  bricked-up house on an out-of-the-way street.
  Enzo
  While Enzo dreams of gaining power from the 
  Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, in reality he is 
  nothing more than a peon and an errand boy. A tailor 
  by trade and a weak, unfocused individual, he turned 
  to the occult in a desperate attempt to take control of 
  his own life. The Brotherhood recruited him after he 
  was seen visiting curio shops and booksellers, asking 
  after magical secrets. Enzo has not yet been fully 
  initiated into the cult, but he has proven to be a useful 
  gopher. Milos had him hire the Yellow Shields to 
  see if the man could be discreet, not considering the 
  characters a serious threat.
   Enzo (as a commoner)	won’t	fight.	If	the	characters	
  confront him, he immediately crumbles. He’s a 
  coward at heart and has been bullied so often 
  throughout life that groveling is second nature to him. 
  He reveals the orders he was given and can lead the 
  group to the cult’s headquarters. However, Enzo’s
  knowledge is quite limited. He can only reveal the 
  following information:
  • The cult is called the Brotherhood. Enzo is not yet 
  worthy to know their dark patron’s name. 
  • The leader of the cult is very powerful. Enzo 
  knows him only as the Master. 
  • The group angered the Master and so earned 
  themselves a death sentence. 
  • There are some rooms beneath the bricked-up 
  building, but Enzo has never been down there.
  • Enzo was ordered to bring food to the building 
  twice in the last few days. This doesn’t usually 
  happen.
  Following Milos
  After visiting the temple of the Seer and being 
  stymied in their investigation by Milos, the group 
  might become suspicious of him. They can learn quite 
  a bit by shadowing him. He doesn’t leave the temple 
  often, but when he does he visits some strange places. 
  On a typical outing, Milos might stop in at a curio 
  store or wizardly supply shop to purchase esoteric 
  ingredients (strange for someone who is supposedly 
  not a user of magic), or an open-air market for a live 
  animal, such as a black goat—even though the Seer 
  never	requires	blood	sacrifices.	Eventually,	he	heads	
  to a bricked-up building on a little-used side street 
  and disappears inside.
  	 If	the	group	is	stumped	and	can’t	figure	out	a	next	
  move, you can gently steer them in the right direction. 
  For example, they might catch sight of Milos across 
  the crowded marketplace. Although not dressed in 
  his temple robes, he is unmistakable, yet does not 
  respond to any hails. This should rouse the group’s 
  interest enough to follow him, although this is 
  difficult	in	the	busy	streets—have	the	characters	make	
  Agility attack rolls against Milos’s Perception score 
  to stay out of his sight. Milos eventually disappears 
  inside the bricked-up building. 
  Location 4:  
  The Bricked-Up House
  The cult uses this building as their headquarters 
  and it’s where they hold Lucius. The building faces a 
  deserted	side	street	that	sees	almost	no	traffic	at	all.	
  Nondescript, it is a one-story building, about 6 yards by 
  10 yards. The dilapidated exterior is made of wood, but 
  the windows have all been bricked up. Two steps lead 
  up to a stout-looking wooden door.
   The door is locked. A character can attempt to open 
  the lock with lock picks by spending 1 minute working 
  on it and getting a success on an Intellect challenge 
  roll at the end of this time. Alternatively, a character 
  can attempt to kick in the door by making a Strength 
  challenge roll with 1 bane, but doing so makes a lot of 
  noise. Finally, the door can be hacked down—it is an 
  object	with	Health	10.
  18
  
   Once inside, the characters see that the place is a 
  wreck. Piles of masonry and refuse are everywhere, 
  and it’s impossible to tell how many rooms the place 
  once had. Anyone looking around and getting a success 
  on a Perception challenge roll with 1 bane notices 
  that parts of the foundation seem to be from an older 
  construction:	the	stone	is	of	better	quality	and	finished	
  with more skill.
   Toward the back of the house, a wooden trapdoor 
  sits	in	the	floor.	Opening	it	reveals	a	staircase	leading	
  down.
   1. Wine Cellar: The stairs end in an old wine cellar 
  with nine large oak casks, each about 6 feet tall and 8 
  feet long, lining the walls. They appear to have been 
  here for a long time, though the room contains little 
  dust.
   Five casks still have wine in them, but it has turned 
  to vinegar. The remaining four casks make hollow 
  sounds when struck. One cask on the west wall 
  conceals an entrance. Any character with the tracker 
  profession or a character who gets a success on a 
  Perception challenge roll with 1 bane notices faint 
  footprints leading from the stairs to the cask.
   The cask is hinged on the inside, and releasing a 
  hidden latch causes the entire front half to swing out, 
  revealing a stone passage and more stairs leading 
  down.	Characters	inspecting	the	cask	find	the	secret	
  mechanism after a few minutes of searching. If the 
  characters hack at the casks, treat them as Size 2 
  objects	with	Health	15	each.	
   Milos has cast the secure site Protection spell from an 
  incantation on the concealed entrance, so he knows 
  when anyone moves through it. Although the sanctity 
  of the secret temple has never been compromised, 
  Milos is ready for the possibility. If he is not already 
  onsite,	he	finds	a	secluded	area	within	range	and	casts	
  the portal Teleportation spell as an incantation to 
  travel to the cult’s temple proper (area 7).
   Milos then runs to the caves (area 6) and rouses 
  the degenerate serpent people there. He orders them 
  into the tunnels to ambush the intruders in the 
  intersection (area 2) or the treasury (area 4). Once he’s 
  sent	off	the	serpent	people,	Milos	prepares	for	a	fight	
  in the temple. 
   2. Intersection: The narrow stairs open into a 
  corridor	of	finished	stone	that	heads	north	and	ends	
  in a T-intersection. There are doors on the east and 
  north walls.
  There’s a covered pit trap at the beginning of the 
  intersection. Once found or triggered, it is easy 
  enough to walk around. Anyone tapping the false 
  floor	covering	the	pit	detects	the	trap,	as	does	anyone	
  who	examines	the	floor	in	that	area.		
   A Size 1/2 or larger creature that steps on the lid 
  triggers the trap. The triggering creature must get a 
  success on an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane or 
  fall down into the pit, taking 1d6 damage on landing. 
  The pit is 5 yards deep and the walls are smooth and 
  cannot be climbed without lowering a rope, using 
  climbing tools, or carving out handholds in the rock.
   The north door opens into a corridor that veers 
  northeast, with two doors visible. The east door of the 
  intersection leads to the initiation chamber
  (area	3).	The	west	wall	of	the	T-junction	hides	a	secret	
  door that connects to the caves. If Milos has time 
  to rouse the serpent people, 5 degenerate serpent 
  people come out from the secret door and attack. 
   If the serpent people miss the group, they lurk in area 
  2 and await a suitable opportunity. They are most likely 
  to attack when the characters head down the corridor 
  towards the temple proper (area 7).
  The beast coiled its suckered  
   tendrils around Marek’s left   
    arm. Before we could react,  
   it snapped his arm off at the 
  elbow with a fierce squeeze, and   
   retreated to the depths of the 
  sea. Marek died 6 days  
   later when the wound festered, 
  and we tossed his corpse  
   into the sea.
  19
  
  DEGENERATE SERPENT PERSON DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 Valossan
  Perception 8 (–2); darksight
  Defense 12 (large shield); Health 11; Insanity 8; Corruption 3
  Strength 11 (+1), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 8 (–2), Will 9 (–1)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Spear (melee) +1 with 1 boon (1d6 plus Poisonous Bite on 
  attack roll 20+)
  Large Shield (melee) +1 with 1 boon (1d3)
  Poisonous Bite The degenerate serpent person makes 
  a Strength roll against the same target’s Agility. On a 
  success, the degenerate bites the target, dealing 1d3 
  damage. In addition, the target must get a success on 
  a Strength challenge roll or take 1d6 extra damage and 
  gain 1 Insanity from the poison.
   3. Initiation Chamber: The door swings open to 
  reveal an octagonal chamber. The entire room has been 
  painted black and the ceiling shimmers with stars like 
  the sky at night. There is a circular depression in the 
  center of the room, about 3 yards deep. On the far wall 
  stands a sturdy table covered with ritual paraphernalia. 
  The room radiates menace.
   This room is the initiation chamber for the 
  Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. It is painted black in 
  honor of the Unspeakable One’s starry home. Recruits 
  who have proved themselves are brought here to be 
  judged	by	that	dread	entity.	A	candidate	undergoing	
  initiation is stripped naked and pushed into the 
  depression. Milos then enacts a ritual to draw the 
  attention of the Unspeakable One. An unpleasant 
  experience, it is one that cowards like Enzo are unlikely 
  to withstand.
   The items on the table are of considerable interest. 
  The candelabras are made of pure silver and shaped 
  like coiling serpents. Quite old, the craftsmanship is 
  exquisite. Each would fetch 5 gc on the street, double 
  that if sold to a knowledgeable wizard or sorcerer. The 
  candles are black, but are otherwise unremarkable. 
  The incense burners are made of bronze (5 ss each) and 
  are	full	and	ready	for	the	flame.	Several	small	cases	lie	
  nearby, containing additional cubes of incense (total 
  worth 15 ss). The large gong has pride of place on the 
  table. It too is made of bronze and features a serpent 
  motif (1 gc).
   4. Treasury: This small, cramped room is the cult’s 
  treasury.	Chests	lie	scattered	about	the	floor	and	
  garish, purple curtains hang from the walls. Guarding 
  this room are 8 animated corpses that are little more 
  than skeletons. A cult superior recently animated the 
  remains of some dead initiates to guard the treasure. 
   The curtains are mostly decorative but do help 
  conceal a secret door that leads to the ancient tunnels 
  of the serpent people. Anyone looking behind the 
  curtains	finds	the	door.	
   The degenerate serpent people from area 6 might 
  join	the	fight	if	they	have	not	yet	been	encountered,	
  though	this	might	make	the	fight	too	difficult.	If	the	
  characters appear to have their hands full with the 
  animated corpses, delay the entry of the serpent people 
  until they have destroyed most of them.
   There are four chests here, all of which are locked. 
  Milos carries the keys with him at all times. A character 
  can spend 1 minute working with lock picks to unlock 
  the	locks.	The	first	chest	contains	50	ss	and	150	cp.	The	
  second contains 300 cp and a healing potion. The third 
  contains 250 cp and four onyx gemstones, each worth 
  1 gc. The last chest contains 220 cp and an enchanted 
  object.	Finally,	there’s	another	enchanted	object	behind	
  the curtains in the southwest corner of the room.
   5. Library: Another octagonal room, this small 
  chamber looks to be a study or library. A teak wood 
  desk	stands	against	the	far	wall,	flanked	by	low	shelves	
  that are crammed with books and scrolls. An oil lamp 
  hangs	from	chains	in	the	center	of	the	room,	its	flame	
  burning low—the room seems alive with shadows.
   The desk is a beautiful piece of work and has been 
  lovingly maintained. On it lays a large book bound in 
  black	leather	and	finished	with	silver.	The	tome’s	title	
  reads: The Book of the Unspeakable One. It is full of rituals 
  and stories involving the dread god, and its pages are 
  for cult members only. If a character attempts to read 
  the book without having gone through the initiation 
  (see the “Now You’ve Done It” sidebar), the character 
  takes	1d6	damage	from	an	electric	jolt	and	gains	1d6	
  Insanity. A character takes this damage and gains this 
  Insanity after each attempt to read the pages. If the 
  Insanity gain would cause the character to go mad, he 
  or she also gains 1 Corruption.
  Now You’ve Done It
  Messing around with the items in this room 
  is very dangerous, as it might accidentally 
  trigger the ritual. If the characters light the 
  candles, burn the incense, and strike the  
  gong three times, the Unspeakable One  
  takes notice.
  The room reverberates with the sound of 
  the gong and the stars in the ceiling begin to 
  twinkle. The characters then feel a presence—
  and the circular depression erupts with black 
  tentacles.
  Anyone in the room when this happens 
  must get a success on a Will challenge roll or 
  gain 1d3 Insanity. The tentacles are immune 
  to damage and ignore all spell effects. They 
  remain for 2 rounds and then disappear. The 
  tentacles engulf any character inside the 
  depression, squeezing, pulling, and prodding. 
  Inhuman voices fill the characters’ heads, 
  uttering terrible words and evoking images of 
  horror. Though this lasts for only a short time, 
  it seems like an eternity to anyone subject to 
  the experience. When the tentacles withdraw, 
  anyone subjected to this experience gains 
  2d6 Insanity. If this causes a character to 
  go mad, the character falls into a catatonic 
  state, tormented by the nightmares of the 
  Unspeakable One for 3d6 minutes instead 
  of the normal effects of madness. Upon 
  awakening, the character gains 1 Corruption.
  20
  
  How Unspeakable  
  is Unspeakable?
  Once the characters discover the nature  
  of the cult, they might know something 
   of the Unspeakable One or learn about  
  the god through research. Any character  
  with an area of scholarship related to the 
  occult knows that the Unspeakable One is  
  an evil god whose worship is proscribed 
  in many nations. The god is dedicated to 
  madness and destruction, and his cults  
  have been suppressed numerous times  
  over the centuries.
  A character knowledgeable of the 
  Unspeakable One can also make an Intellect 
  challenge roll. On a success, the character 
  knows worship of the Unspeakable One 
  dates back to ancient times. Legends speak 
  of a race of serpent people dedicated to his 
  worship. Even scholars are afraid to whisper 
  the name of his cult: The Brotherhood of 
  the Yellow Sign. If the total of the roll is 20 
  or higher, the character also knows that 
  the Unspeakable One is believed to be yet 
  another mask of the Demon Lord.
  Characters can also learn this information 
  by researching at the temple of the Seer, 
  discussing the topic with Egil, or through 
  other means at your discretion.
  There are several letters scattered across the desk. 
  Two of them are progress reports on the construction 
  of the Lighthouse of Drac. The third is short but to the 
  point:
  Our preparations are almost complete. We will arrive in 
  Freeport on schedule. Make sure that all is ready for us. 
  The Brotherhood is counting on you.
  —N’Tal
  The letter’s implications become more important in 
  Terror in Freeport and Madness in Freeport. For now, it 
  serves to make clear that this temple is not the cult’s 
  only center of operations.
  The rest of the library is full of old books and scrolls. 
  Most are in unfamiliar and unknown languages. Even 
  if deciphered by magic, the contents make little sense. 
  A few titles suggest that they are best left alone: Cult of 
  the Bloody Heart, Spawn of the Ages, and Rebirth of the Old 
  Ones. Any of these books might be worth a great deal of 
  money to the right people, but shopping them around 
  surely attracts the wrong kind of attention. The books, 
  if deciphered, grant 2 boons on challenge rolls made to 
  find	out	information	related	to	the	occult.
  21
  
  6. Cave of the Degenerates: Unbeknownst 
  to the inhabitants of Freeport, many bands 
  of degenerate serpent people live in tunnels 
  underneath the city. The small section shown 
  here actually connects to a much larger network. 
  When the civilized serpent people of the 
  Brotherhood built this temple complex, they 
  made sure to connect it with the crude tunnels 
  of their cousins, which gave them access to the 
  nearby mindless reinforcements if needed.
   The group is not likely to encounter the 
  degenerate serpent people at this location. Unlike 
  the rest of the complex, these tunnels are rough-
  hewn	and	unfinished.	They	lead	to	a	large	cave	
  where the degenerates spend most of their time. 
  	 The	cave	floor	is	strewn	with	bones,	refuse,	and	
  filth.	Water	from	a	large	dark	pool	laps	against	
  the rocky shore in the northwest corner. A short 
  corridor heads northeast and then ends abruptly. 
  A secret door heading east, found with a success 
  on a Perception challenge roll with 1 bane, leads 
  to the main temple (area 7). 
   As well, a tunnel below the pool’s surface  
  leads deeper underground. Where the 
  submerged tunnel leads is up to you, and is a 
  great way to expand this adventure or to lead  
  into	a	different	adventure.
   7. Temple of the Unspeakable One: Two 
  double doors lead to the temple proper. Beyond 
  the	doors	is	a	long	hall	flanked	by	six	pillars	that	
  each appear to have giant snakes coiled about 
  them. Frescoes on the walls behind the columns 
  continue the serpent theme. 
   An altar of black basalt stands at the far end  
  of the hall, and a strange yellow symbol is 
  inscribed on the wall above and behind it. 
  Between the altar and the wall stands an idol  
  of some tentacle horror.
  	 Three	figures	in	robes	lurk	behind	the	far	
  pillars, loaded crossbows at the ready. Behind 
  the altar stands a small man wearing black robes 
  with a full hood. When the characters enter, he 
  throws back his hood, revealing Milos wearing his 
  familiar horn-rimmed glasses. He smiles at the 
  characters	and	says,	“You	are	the	first	outsiders	to	
  ever reach the Temple of the Unspeakable One. 
  Your achievement deserves congratulations. It is 
  also your doom!”
  	 Now	it’s	a	fight	to	the	finish.	Milos	has	chosen	a	
  position	to	give	him	the	most	advantage	in	a	fight.	 
  He has the help of 3 temple attendants, who are 
  always on hand.
  22
  
  MILOS 
  DIFFICULTY 25
  Size 1 serpent person
  Perception 11 (+1); darksight
  Defense 11; Health 26; Insanity 5; Corruption 6
  Strength 10 (+0), Agility 11 (+1), Intellect 11 (+1), Will 12 (+2)
  Speed 10
  Mad Devotion When Milos makes an attack roll or a 
  challenge roll, he can choose to make the roll with  
  1 boon. On a failure, Milos gains 1 Insanity.
  Sorcery Whenever Milos casts an attack spell, he can  
  use this talent to make the attack roll with 1 boon  
  or to impose 1 bane on challenge rolls made to resist  
  the attack.
  Each time he uses this talent, he gains 1 strain. If Milos 
  has any strain when he completes a rest, his strain total 
  drops to 0.
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Spear (melee) +1 (1d6)
  Teeth (melee) +1 (1d3)
  SPECIAL ACTIONS 
  Change Shape Milos can use an action to assume the form 
  of a different living creature. The new form must have 
  a humanoid shape and be either Size 1/2 or Size 1. He 
  remains in this form until he becomes incapacitated 
  or uses a triggered action at any time to return to his 
  normal form. He can use this talent 3 times and regains 
  expended uses when he completes a rest.
  Mad Recovery Milos can use a triggered action on his turn 
  to heal 6 damage and gain 1 Insanity. If he does not go 
  mad from gaining Insanity in this way, he makes attack 
  rolls and challenge rolls with 1 boon for 1 round instead 
  of becoming frightened. Once he uses Mad Recovery, he 
  cannot use it again until after he completes a rest.
  MAGIC 
  Power 2
  Death† killing touch (3), injure (2), poisonous breath (1)
  Destruction ruin (3), dissolve (2), erode (1)
  †See the Demon Lord’s Companion. If you don’t have this 
  book, replace this tradition and spells with another of 
  your choice.
  END OF THE ROUND 
  Sorcerous Outburst At the end of any round in which Milos 
  gained 1 or more strain, he must make a Will challenge 
  roll with a number of banes equal to his strain total. On 
  a failure, magical energy explodes from a point within 
  his reach into a sphere with a radius in yards equal to his 
  strain total. The energy deals 2d6 damage to everything 
  in the area other than Milos. A creature in the area that 
  gets a success on an Agility challenge roll takes half the 
  damage. Once Milos triggers his Sorcerous Outburst, his 
  strain total drops to 0.
  TEMPLE ATTENDANT 
  DIFFICULTY 5
  Size 1 human
  Perception 10 (+0)
  Defense 15 (mail); Health 15; Insanity 5; Corruption 4
  Strength 11 (+1), Agility 10 (+0), Intellect 10 (+0), Will 11 (+1)
  Speed 10
  ATTACK OPTIONS 
  Long Knife (melee) +1 (1d6)
  Crossbow (long range) +0 (2d6)
  MAGIC 
  Power 1
  Death† killing touch (2), life drain (1)
  Destruction ruin (2), rend (1)
  †See the Demon Lord’s Companion. If you don’t have this 
  book, replace this tradition and spells with another of 
  your choice.
   When the combat begins, all three cultists have 
  partial cover. The battle opens at range: the attendants 
  fire	their	crossbows	and	Milos	casts	spells.	During	
  the	battle,	the	cult	leader	deflects	all	questions	about	
  Lucius and taunts the characters about their lack 
  of knowledge, saying things like, “Why you are so 
  interested in that librarian I’ll never know, but you are 
  welcome to die for him!”
  Aftermath
  If	the	group	finally	defeats	Milos,	the	characters	
  discover he was not human at all, as his true form 
  becomes apparent in his defeat. When incapacitated, 
  Milos	slumps	to	the	floor,	lifeblood	pumping	onto	the	
  tiles of the blasphemous temple. He raises his head 
  one last time, saying, “By the Yellow Sign, we will 
  rule!” and then he expires. As his eyes glaze over into 
  death, a terrible transformation takes place. His skin 
  and bones rearrange themselves in a most unnatural 
  way, and soon his human visage is gone. Milos now 
  lies revealed as a monstrous creature: a serpent person 
  with	scaly	skin	and	forked	tongue.	Only	the	ill-fitting	
  horn-rimmed glasses on his ophidian head hint at the 
  thing’s former identity. 
  	 Once	the	battle	is	over	and	the	ramifications	of	
  Milos’s true nature sink in, the characters can at 
  last turn their attention to locating and tending to 
  poor Lucius (as a commoner). Milos had secreted 
  Lucius behind the altar, tied up and hidden from 
  view. Torture has left him unconscious, but he can 
  be roused with a healer’s kit, healing potion, or a spell 
  that heals any damage. If the characters have none of 
  these, he wakens after 1d3 hours.
  Lucius’s Story
  When Lucius wakes, he sighs with relief and thanks 
  the characters profusely, saying they saved him from 
  certain, painful death, and for that he is eternally 
  grateful. If the characters mention Brother Egil, 
  Lucius expresses concern for his friend, wishing to 
  leave	the	temple	immediately	to	find	him,	though	he	
  is willing to tell the group what little he knows, should 
  they ask.
   Lucius blurts out the whole tale of his possession, 
  return, and subsequent trouble. He explains that 
  Milos sent him on an errand to the bricked-up house, 
  where he was overpowered and taken below. Milos 
  spoke of the alien entities, but he did not name them 
  nor say why they studied other worlds. The sinister 
  serpent man then tortured Lucius, asking question 
  23
  
  after question about what he remembered while he 
  was removed from his body. Clearly Milos believed 
  that valuable knowledge was locked in Lucius’s 
  head, but the librarian could not tell him very much. 
  The cultist became increasingly frustrated, and told 
  Lucius that he was going to kill him—and probably 
  would have, without the group’s timely intervention.
  	 Returning	Lucius	to	Brother	Egil	finds	the	priest	
  very pleased and he gladly pays the agreed upon
  fee (although the characters have likely gotten out 
  of the temple with a good deal more). Both he and 
  Lucius	offer	their	services	if	needed.	Their	ability	to	
  do research in the Seer’s temple could be very handy 
  indeed.
   As for Lucius, his future is uncertain. Milos 
  provided some of the answers he was looking for, but 
  he’d	like	to	find	out	more.	He	does	not	know	if	he’ll	
  stay at the temple or leave Freeport to discover what 
  happened during his missing years. Sadly, Lucius may 
  never	again	know	peace	after	the	theft	of	five	years	of	
  his life. 
   What else lurks below the skin of Freeport? Well, 
  that’s a story for another time.
  Further Adventures
  Terror in Freeport and Madness in Freeport deal with 
  the continuing machinations of the Brotherhood 
  of the Yellow Sign, the secrets of the Sea Lord, and 
  the ultimate purpose of Milton’s Folly. However, if 
  you want to run your players through some other 
  adventures,	Freeport	makes	a	fine	base	of	operations	
  for pre-published modules and stories of your own. 
  The events in Death in Freeport can also lead to several 
  developments, some of which are suggested here.
  • The characters might try to decipher or sell the 
  volumes from Milos’s library. Many of those books 
  contain dark secrets, though, and what begins as 
  a simple sale may become something far more 
  dangerous.
  • The Yellow Sign is revealed only at the end of this 
  adventure. The group might want to investigate 
  this strange symbol further to learn its connection 
  with the Unspeakable One. The sign is a symbol 
  of madness and destruction: any research into its 
  meaning is sure to lead down a dark path.
  • There are more degenerate serpent people living 
  under	Freeport,	and	their	tunnels	make	for	a	fine	
  “dungeon crawl.” 
  • The characters could launch an expedition, and 
  in	the	process,	find	out	about	the	breaking	of	
  Valossa	and	the	first	coming	of	the	Unspeakable	
  One.
  • Surviving	members	of	Milos’s	cult,	or	cult	officials	
  from outside Freeport, might discover the temple’s 
  destruction. Some of these cultists are sure to be 
  from wealthy families and would have the means 
  to	make	life	very	difficult	for	the	group.	A	string	
  of arrests and assassination attempts should be a 
  strong hint that someone wants revenge.
  Handout a:
  24
  
  Handout B:
  
  26
  
  27
  
  www.schwalbentertainment.com
  Terror in Freeport
  The Freeport Trilogy  
  continues with
  
  In the beginning, there was Death in Freeport, the award-winning 
  adventure that revealed the City of Adventure to thousands of 
  tabletop gamers. Originally designed for Dungeons & Dragons, 
  this adventure has been updated and adapted for use with 
  the Shadow of the Demon Lord tabletop roleplaying game. This 
  adaptation brings Freeport to the world of Urth and shows you 
  how the exciting tales and thrilling adventures set in this evocative 
  city	began.	Designed	for	novice	characters,	the	characters	find	
  themselves stranded in Freeport, the great trading city on the 
  Pirate	Isles,	and	are	recruited	to	perform	a	simple	job	for	a	
  decent reward. However, the deeper they dig into the mystery, the 
  stranger the tale becomes until they uncover a terrible conspiracy 
  and secrets worth dying for.
   Death in Freeport is	the	first	part	of	the	epic	Freeport	Trilogy.	
  To use this adventure, you need a copy of Shadow of the Demon 
  Death in Freeport, Freeport: The City of Adventure, and The Pirate’s Guide to Freeport, and all associated logos are  
  trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC and are used with permission. All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  Schwalb EntErtainmEnt, llc
  PO Box #12548, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
  info@schwalbentertainment.com 
  www.schwalbentertainment.com
  SKU: SDL1713 
  $19.99
  GrEEn ronin PubliShinG, llc
  3815 S Othello St. Suite 100 #304 
  Seattle, WA 98118
  A Classic Freeport 
  Adventure for Shadow 
  of the Demon Lord!
  Lord. While not expressly necessary, having 
  the Shadow of the Demon Lord Freeport 
  Companion, the Demon Lord’s Companion, 
  and The Pirate’s Guide to Freeport from Green 
  Ronin Publishing will certainly enhance 
  your experience. 
  
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