TEXT: REQUIRES THE USE OF THE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYER’S HANDBOOK, PUBLISHED BY  
  WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC. THIS PRODUCT UTILIZES UPDATED MATERIAL FROM THE V.3.5 REVISION
  A CITY SOURCEBOOK FOR THE THIEVES’ WORLD CAMPAIGN SETTING
  BY AARON ROSENBERG & ROBERT J. SCHWALB
  
  A CAMPAIGN SETTING SOURCEBOOK FOR THIEVES’ WORLD
  Special Thanks: To Lynn Abbey, for keeping Thieves’ 
  World alive.
  COPYRIGHTS
  Thieves’ World and all related characters are © 2002-
  2005 Lynn Abbey.
  Shadowspawn’s Guide to Sanctuary is © 2005 Green 
  Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reference 
  to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a 
  challenge to the respective copyright holders of that 
  material. Shadowspawn’s Guide to Sanctuary is published 
  under license by Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®, d20 Modern Roleplaying 
  Game, and Wizards of the Coast® are registered 
  trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and are 
  used with permission. 
  ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are trademarks 
  of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and are used according 
  to the terms of the d20 System License version 
  6.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.
  wizards.com/d20.
  OPEN CONTENT
  The following text is Open Gaming Content: 
  All statistics found in Chapters 4 and 5, all new 
  mechanics found in Chapters 6 and 7, excluding, in 
  ALL cases, all proper names of characters, gods, places, 
  things, and creatures. To be perfectly clear, the entirety of 
  the Thieves’ World property is CLOSED content.
  GREEN RONIN PUBLISHING
  P.O. Box 1723
  Renton, WA 98057-1723
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  Design: Aaron Rosenberg and Robert J. Schwalb
  Additional Design: Gary Astleford, Patrick O’Duffy, Owen K.C. Stephens, and C.A. Suleiman
  Research Assistance: Michelle Wilcox   •   Editing: Jason Schneiderman
  Development: Robert J. Schwalb   •   Proofreading: Scott Neese
  Art Direction and Graphic Design: Hal Mangold   •   Cover Art: James Ryman
  Interior Art: Ilya Astrakhan, Toren “Macbin” Atkinson, Kent Burles, Talon Dunning, Empty Room Studios 
  (Rick Hershey, Tim Hibbetts, Jia Wang, Erik Roman), David Esbrí, Pat Loboyko, Manoel Magalhães, Britt 
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  Sass, Marc Schmalz, and Robert J. Schwalb
  PRINTED IN CANADA
  SHADOWSPAWN’S 
  GUIDE TO SANCTUARY
  
  - 2 -
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................2
  INTRODUCTION ...............................4
  Welcome to the Big Bad City ............ 4
  Eras ................................................4
  Constants ............................................... 6
  Final Words ........................................... 6
  CHAPTER ONE:  
  A STORY OF THIEVES ..................7
  From War .............................................. 7
  Time of Troubles .................................. 11
  New Era .............................................. 12
  CHAPTER TWO:  
  DOWN AND OUT  
  IN THIEVES’ WORLD ...................13
  Life in Sanctuary .............................13
  Legitimate Industries ........................... 13
  Diversions ........................................... 16
  The Shady Side of Things  ................20
  Drugs .................................................. 20
  Gangs and Thugs .................................. 20
  Protection Rackets ................................ 20
  Slavery ................................................ 20
  Theft and Burglary ............................... 21
  Other Crimes ....................................... 21
  Politics ...........................................21
  Law and Order  ...............................26
  Punishments, Sanctuary Style ............... 26
  Keepers of the Peace ........................31
  Guard .................................................. 31
  Watch ................................................... 31
  Private Security ................................... 31
  Stepsons (Rankan Era Only) ................ 32
  The Sharda (Irrune Era) ...................... 33
  Using Peacekeepers ............................... 34
  Other Power Groups .......................35
  Adepts of the Blue Star  ......................... 35
  Dyareelans (Irrune Era) ...................... 36
  Hawk-masks (Rankan Era only) .......... 36
  Lord Night .......................................... 37
  The Serripines Clan .............................. 38
  PFLS  ................................................. 38
  3rd Commando .................................... 39
  Mageguild ........................................... 39
  Pirates of Scavengers’ Isle ...................... 40
  CHAPTER THREE: 
  SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW ....41
  Vigilance ........................................41
  Buildings and Structures .................42
  Neighborhoods ...................................... 42
  Walls and Gates ..............................44
  Walls .................................................... 44
  Gates ................................................... 44
  Avenue of Temples ..........................50
  Secrets .................................................. 51
  Bazaar ............................................51
  Caravan’s Square/Caravan  
  Depot & Farmer’s Market  ...........53
  Cemetery ........................................54
  Copper Corner ................................54
  Secrets .................................................. 55
  Fisherman’s Row .............................56
  Governor’s Walk .............................57
  The Hill ..........................................57
  Secrets .................................................. 59
  Jeweler’s Quarter  
  (Old Jeweler’s Quarter) ................59
  The Maze ........................................61
  Secrets .................................................. 68
  The Palace .......................................68
  Secrets .................................................. 71
  Processional ....................................71
  Secrets .................................................. 71
  Promise of Heaven ..........................72
  Secrets .................................................. 73
  Pyrtanis Street ................................73
  Secrets .................................................. 75
  The ’Tween ......................................75
  Undercity ........................................76
  Secrets .................................................. 76
  Westside/Shambles .........................77
  Secrets .................................................. 79
  Wideway ........................................79
  Secrets .................................................. 80
  Beyond Sanctuary ...........................80
  Downwind (Rankan Era Only) ........... 80
  Land’s End .......................................... 81
  Swamp of Night Secrets ........................ 81
  Street of Red Lanterns .......................... 82
  Far Cape .............................................. 84
  Hâlott’s Tower ..................................... 84
  Summer Palace ..................................... 84
  Other Locales .................................84
  Amarat ................................................ 84
  Bassine ................................................ 85
  Eaglenest ............................................. 86
  Elkhod Village and Inn ........................ 86
  Fingal ................................................. 86
  Hileah ................................................. 86
  Isle of Shugthee ..................................... 86
  Independent Villages ............................ 86
  Pelteris ................................................. 87
  Regis ................................................... 87
  Sammir ............................................... 87
  Scavenger Isle/Inception Isle ................. 87
  Third General’s Inn .............................. 87
  Other Locations .................................... 87
  CHAPTER FOUR:  
  FACES OF SANCTUARY,  
  RANKAN ERA ............................. 88
  Dramatis Personae ..........................88
  Alten Stulwig ....................................... 89
  Amoli ................................................... 89
  Cappen Varra ....................................... 90
  Cime .................................................... 93
  Critias, “Crit” ...................................... 94
  Dubro .................................................. 94
  Enas Yorl ............................................. 95
  Hakiem ................................................ 97
  Hanse Shadowspawn/Chance ............... 98
  Haught .............................................. 100
  Illyra ................................................. 101
  Ischade ............................................... 102
  Jamie the Red ..................................... 104
  Jarveena of Forgotten Holt ................. 105
  Jubal .................................................. 105
  Kadakithis ......................................... 107
  Kama ................................................ 108
  Lalo the Limner ................................. 109
  Lastel “One-Thumb” ........................... 110
  Lythande ........................................... 111
  Masha zil-Ineel ................................. 112
  Molin Torchholder .............................. 113
  Mor-am ............................................. 116
  Moria ................................................ 116
  Mradhon Vis ...................................... 119
  Myrtis ............................................... 119
  Nikodimas (aka Stealth, Niko) ............ 120
  Randal “Witchy Ears” ........................ 121
  Roxane, Death’s Queen ....................... 122
  Samlor-hil-Samt  ............................... 124
  Shupansea  ......................................... 125
  Straton (Ace) ...................................... 126
  Tempus .............................................. 128
  Walegrin ............................................ 129
  Zalbar  .............................................. 130
  Zip .................................................... 131
  CHAPTER FIVE:  
  FACES OF SANCTUARY,  
  IRRUNE ERA ............................. 133
  Dramatis Personae ........................133
  Aaliyah .............................................. 133
  Sakkim (Chief) Arizak ...................... 134
  Arizak per-Arizak (the Dragon) ........ 135
  Becvar (Bec) ....................................... 136
  Bezul the Changer .............................. 137
  Cauvin .............................................. 138
  Chersey .............................................. 139
  Dace .................................................. 140
  Dysan ................................................ 141
  Elemi ................................................. 142
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  - 3 -
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Elisar (Judge Nevermind) .................. 143
  Geddie ............................................... 144
  G’han the Wanderer ............................ 145
  Hâlott ................................................ 146
  Harnet Mur ....................................... 147
  Heliz Yunz ........................................ 148
  Jerbrah Mioklas .................................. 150
  Jerez Camargen ................................. 151
  Kadasah ............................................. 152
  Kadithe Mur ..................................... 153
  Kaytin ............................................... 153
  Kusharlonikas .................................... 154
  Latilla ............................................... 156
  Leorin ................................................ 157
  Lone (Catwalker) .............................. 158
  Maksandrus (Makker) ....................... 159
  Nadalya ............................................. 160
  Naimun ............................................. 161
  Pegrin the Ugly .................................. 162
  Perrez  ............................................... 164
  Raith ................................................. 165
  Raivay SaVell .................................... 165
  Rogi .................................................. 166
  Sinjon ................................................ 168
  Soldt .................................................. 169
  Spyder (Regen Vigeles) ....................... 170
  Strangle ............................................. 171
  Strick ................................................. 172
  Tor’dan J’ardin .................................. 173
  Verrezza ............................................ 174
  Zarzakhan ........................................ 175
  CHAPTER SIX:  
  ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY ....176
  Adapting Thieves’ World ....................176
  Classes ............................................... 177
  Magic ................................................ 178
  Variants ....................................... 180
  Option: Action Points ......................... 182
  Variant: Class Dodge Bonus ................ 183
  Running the Game ........................183
  Variant: Round Robin GM-ing .......... 184
  Variant: Character Clusters ................. 184
  Playing in a City ............................185
  Crowds .............................................. 185
  Urban Environment .......................... 185
  Disease .............................................. 187
  Adventures ...................................187
  Building Adventures .................... 188
  Rankan Era Adventures .................188
  A Blade of Shade ................................ 188
  The God’s Doorstep ............................. 191
  Nightly Aid ........................................ 192
  Razing the Bar .................................. 193
  Pearls Among Swine .......................... 194
  Irrune Era Adventures ........................196
  Fishing in the Dark  ........................... 196
  Torn in ‘Tween .................................. 197
  Dagger by Night  ............................... 199
  Fool on the Hill .................................. 200
  The Honorary Irrune .......................... 201
  CHAPTER SEVEN:  
  COMMON CHARACTERS .......... 203
  Assassin ............................................. 203
  Bandit ............................................... 204
  Beggars .............................................. 205
  Charlatans & Merchants .................... 206
  Commoner ......................................... 207
  Craftsman .......................................... 207
  Criers and Rumormongers .................. 207
  Cultists and Priest .............................. 208
  Entertainer ........................................ 209
  Guards and Watch .............................. 210
  Hell Hounds ....................................... 211
  Irrune Warrior ................................... 212
  Magician ........................................... 212
  Mercenary ......................................... 212
  Red Lanterns Prostitute ..................... 214
  S’danzo Seer ....................................... 214
  Thieves ............................................... 214
  Thug .................................................. 215
  CHAPTER EIGHT:  
  PLAYER’S EXPANSION ............... 216
  New Cultures ................................216
  Azehur ............................................... 216
  Beysib ................................................ 217
  Cantal Plains Barbarians ................... 218
  Lirter ................................................. 219
  Mygdonian ........................................ 219
  Shapeshifter ....................................... 219
  Sihanese ............................................. 221
  Syrese ................................................. 221
  Tysian ............................................... 221
  New Backgrounds .........................222
  New Feats .....................................225
  Prestige Classes ............................227
  Bandaran Adept ..................................227
  Chosen of Bey ......................................229
  Crimson Scholar ..................................231
  Requirements ..................................... 231
  Dyareelan Disciple ..............................232
  Requirements ..................................... 232
  Freelancer ............................................235
  Harka Bey Assassin ..............................237
  Kingpin ..............................................239
  Nisibisi Spy .........................................240
  Ur-Words .....................................242
  Using Ur-Words ................................. 242
  Ur-Words ........................................... 244
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  - 4 -
  WELCOME TO THE BIG BAD CITY
  INTRODUCTION
  WELCOME TO THE BIG BAD CITY
  Welcome to Shadowspawn’s Guide to Sanctuary, third in Green Ronin’s 
  line of Thieves’ World game products. Consider this a tour through 
  one of fantasy’s most infamous cities, as led by Shadowspawn and 
  his protégé, Lone. This book is designed to expand the options 
  available to players and give GMs the tools needed to set campaigns 
  in Thieves’ World. Within, you’ll ﬁnd a detailed description of life 
  within Sanctuary’s walls, along with 
  the characters that call the city home. 
  With this book, you’ll have everything 
  you need to get started in Sanctuary.
  ERAS
  While this book is full of information 
  about Sanctuary and its surroundings, 
  it focuses on the Rankan and Irrune 
  Eras. These are the times detailed in 
  the anthologies, and the ones most 
  familiar to fans of Thieves’ World. 
  What’s more, play during these periods 
  takes place in an environment best 
  suited to adventure, full of compelling 
  characters and devious plotlines.
  The early history of Sanctuary, before 
  the Great Pass fell to Rankan control, is 
  interesting from a historical perspective, 
  but more limited for the purpose of 
  roleplaying. Players might portray slaves ﬂeeing Ilsig, for example, but 
  even if they are part of the group that survives to reach the hidden valley 
  where Sanctuary will one day be founded, there is nowhere else for them 
  to go and few options for them to pursue. The same is true for settlers 
  who move down out of the mountains and join the local ﬁshermen; a 
  few stories about how the two groups interact could be set there, but 
  not much more. 
  Once Ilsig takes control of the town, 
  the setting becomes somewhat more 
  interesting, but our “heroes” are still 
  mainly farmers and ﬁshermen, with 
  limited resources and few skills. 
  Playing during the war, as Ranke 
  invades and conquers Ilsig, has more 
  potential, but such a campaign would 
  have very straightforward objectives 
  and character types. Also, Sanctuary 
  is merely a staging ground, not the 
  focus of the invasion. 
  The era of the caravans is far more 
  active, and has a variety of cultures and 
  occupations. This time is Sanctuary’s 
  shining hour, with nearly everyone 
  busy and wealthy and cheerful. All 
  this good fortune rids the setting of 
  the grim tone that characterizes a 
  good Thieves’ World game. If you’re 
  Sanctuary is a seaport, and its name goes back to a 
  time when it provided the only armed haven along an 
  important caravan route. But the long war ended, the 
  caravans abandoned that route for a shorter one, and 
  Sanctuary declined in status—but not in population, 
  because for every honest person who left to pursue a 
  normal life elsewhere, a rogue drifted in to pursue his 
  normal life.
  Now, Sanctuary is still appropriately named, but as a 
  haven for the lawless. Most of them, and the worst of 
  them, are concentrated in that section of town known 
  as the Maze, a labyrinth of streets and nameless alleys 
  and no churches. There is communion, though, of a rough 
  kind, and much of it goes on in a tavern named The 
  Vulgar Unicorn, which features a sign in the shape of 
  that animal improbably engaging itself…
  —“Blood Brothers” by Joe Haldeman,  
  Thieves’ World
  
  - 5 -
  WELCOME TO THE BIG BAD CITY
  looking to make your name in the Sanctuary of the anthologies 
  — dark and gritty, with very little hope — the caravan era does not 
  match. Lastly, the time between the Rankan Era and the Aftermath 
  is not as interesting for a Thieves’ World game as, again, the focus shifts 
  from Sanctuary and its activities.
  During the Rankan and Irrune Eras, however, Sanctuary is highly 
  prized, with at least two groups vying for control of the city. In the 
  Rankan Era, the Ilsig, the Rankans, and the Beysib all want the city; 
  in the Irrune Era, the Rankans, Ilsig, and Irrune struggle for control. 
  During both eras, the gods pay close attention to Sanctuary and its 
  residents, trying to inﬂuence events directly. This draws powerful 
  people into the conﬂict, and Sanctuary becomes a swirling mass of 
  strength, desperation, and daring. The city’s inhabitants, both residents 
  and visitors, hail from a wide variety of cultures, allowing for many 
  diﬀerent character concepts. Someone is always scrambling to “get the 
  information” or “steal the item” or “kill the target” before someone else 
  does, angling for the best deal in the process. During either of these 
  two periods, Sanctuary is no place for the unwary or the timid.
  But which should you choose for your game? The Rankan Era is 
  cataclysmic. The gods ﬁght openly over the city’s fate, and the destinies 
  of several kingdoms are uncertain. In these years, legends form: 
  Tempus, Shadowspawn, Cappen Varra, Lalo, Enas Yorl, and others 
  walk the streets, and those who cross their paths are forever changed. 
  Several forces vie for power, and most people must choose sides. 
  The Irrune Era is more quiet, but considerably darker. The war 
  between the gods has long passed, and many old wounds have healed 
  over. But new ones have opened, and the city is now in the hands 
  of the nomadic Irrune, who clearly despise cities and city-dwellers 
  — some factions want nothing more than to raze Sanctuary to the 
  ground before moving on. Though the Cult of Dyareela seems to be 
  dead, the scars from their occupation linger everywhere, creating an 
  air of mistrust and suspicion. Spies lurk in every shadow and fanatics 
  hide their fervor while they plot the return of their mistress. This is 
  a time of rebuilding, when a smart man can make a fortune, but a 
  slower man could lose his life.
  When building a Thieves’ World campaign, think about the characters 
  you’d like to see. The Rankan Era is full of brash mercenaries, arrogant 
  thugs, sly assassins, and potent sorcerers. Mages ﬁght in the streets 
  and magic weapons are sold from small shops that mysteriously 
  appear within the Maze. Everything is larger, bolder, louder, more 
  colorful, more potentially proﬁtable, and more dangerous. Excitement 
  electriﬁes the air.
  On the other hand, the Irrune Era has former cultists, ex-soldiers, 
  and retired spies, all trying to pick up the pieces and move on. Most 
  people have lost their bravado and replaced it with quiet competence 
  and the desire to avoid outside inﬂuences. The rulers are strong, but 
  new to the ways of cities, and so opportunities for quick proﬁt exist 
  everywhere. No one trusts anyone, because even your best friend or 
  spouse could be a cultist in disguise. Fear and terror are the norm, and 
  the result is nursed hatred that often blooms into outright rage. 
  If you want a more “epic” setting, the Rankan Era is the better choice; 
  if you want “dark fantasy,” the Irrune Era is your best bet. Both 
  periods oﬀer great opportunities for plotting and intrigue, but the 
  Rankan Era oﬀers heroism and high adventure as well. Contemporary 
  Sanctuary is far more somber and world-weary. If you want to place 
  an emphasis on magic, the Rankan Era has more than enough for any 
  campaign. Casters proclaim themselves openly, and mage-duels are 
  often fought where the commoners can watch and cheer. In the Irrune 
  Era, anyone who seems abnormal is suspect, priests are prevented 
  from practicing in the city streets, and witchcraft is regarded as a 
  bad dream best forgotten.
  At the same time, the political world is in greater upheaval during 
  the Irrune Era. For all his faults, and despite all his detractors, Prince 
  Kadakithis was a known quantity. He had the power of Ranke at his 
  back and the Hellhounds at his side. Disobeying him was foolish, 
  and defying him was potentially fatal. These days, the Irrune have the 
  power, but little experience at using it. Courtiers actively attempt to 
  deceive, humiliate, and otherwise weaken the Irrune aristocracy, and 
  with Arrizak so close to death, everyone waits to see which of his sons 
  will wind up as his successor. The city is poised on the brink of civil 
  SHADOWSPAWN
  So, who’s this Shadowspawn fellow anyway? Here’s what the Sanctans said:
  The ﬁrst thing I noticed about him, just that ﬁrst impression you understand, was that he couldn’t be a poor man. Or boy, or youth, or whatever 
  he was then. Not with all those weapons on him. From the shagreen belt he was wearing over a scarlet sash—a violently scarlet sash!—swung 
  a curved dagger on his left hip and on the right one of those Ilbarsi “knives” long as your arm. Not a proper sword, no. Not a military man, 
  then. That isn’t all, though. Some few of use know that his left buskin is equipped with a sheath; the slim thing and knife hilt appear to be only a 
  decoration. Gift from a woman, I heard him tell Old Thumpfoot one afternoon in the bazaar. I doubt it.
  (I’ve been told he has another sticker strapped less than comfortably to his inner thigh, probably the right. Maybe that’s part of the reason he walks 
  the way he does. Cat-supple and yet sort of stiﬀ of leg all at once. A tumbler’s gait—or a punk’s swagger. Don’t tell him I said!)
  Anyhow, about the weapons and my ﬁrst impression that he couldn’t be poor. There’s a throwing knife in that leather and copper armlet on his right 
  upper arm, and another in the long bracer of black leather on that same arm. Both are short. The stickers I mean, not the bracers or the arms either.
  All that armament would be enough to scare anybody on a dark night, or even a moonbright one. Imagine being in the Maze or someplace like 
  that and out of the shadows comes this young bravo, swaggering, wearing all that sharp metal! Right at you out of the shadows that spawned 
  him. Enough to chill even one of those Hell Hounds. Even one of you-know-who’s boys in the blue hawk-masks might step aside.
  That was my impression. Shadowspawn. About as pleasant as gout or dropsy.
  —A Few Remarks by Furtwan Coinpinch, Merchant by Andy Oﬀutt
  
  - 6 -
  WELCOME TO THE BIG BAD CITY
  war, and such a ﬁght would be extremely ugly. Back the right candidate, 
  and you could wind up set for life. Pick the wrong one, and your future 
  will be short and painful.
  You should also consider the scale of your campaign. How much 
  inﬂuence should the gods have? Do you want them rubbing shoulders 
  with ordinary mortals and interfering directly with the actions of the 
  PCs? Are they the source of your campaign’s plotlines? Can they be 
  killed? Or do you want them to be remote, withdrawn, and aloof, as 
  they are now? 
  CONSTANTS
  Whichever era you choose, Sanctuary should always be an ugly city 
  full of dark, dangerous people. It is the perfect place for intrigue, 
  adventure, and excitement, for dark gods and darker villains. And 
  though the city’s size, rulers, and boundaries change over time, 
  certain elements of Sanctuary remain, regardless of the era in which 
  you play.
  The ﬁrst thing to remember is that Sanctuary is tough. The city 
  was founded by men and women who deﬁed an entire nation while 
  armed with little more than rocks and determination, and by farmers 
  and ﬁshermen who fought the land and sea for survival. Sanctans 
  inherited the grit and determination of their forbearers. Nothing has 
  ever come easily to Sanctuary except death, and some of the city’s 
  inhabitants like it that way. This is not a place where you can let 
  your guard down and hope to survive. The strong, the fast, and the 
  clever can carve out nice lives here, but it takes work — and most of 
  the successful residents appreciate that. The eﬀort makes the reward 
  that much sweeter, and too much success would make them soft and 
  careless. People here are hard, and that’s how they survive events that 
  would destroy lesser men.
  Sanctuary is also valuable. Even after Ranke opened the Great Pass, 
  Sanctuary still had importance, if only for its ships and its position 
  at the edge of the Rankan Empire. Kingdoms, nobles, temples, and 
  even the gods themselves watched Sanctuary closely and fought for 
  control over it. Mages have made their homes here, as have immortals, 
  demons, and princes. Men who could have been rich elsewhere stayed 
  in poverty because they could not bear to leave. Sanctuary exerts an 
  almost palpable force on some people, making them desire it above all 
  other places. Not everyone feels this way; for many, it is the armpit of 
  the world, the dregs of the empire, the last place anyone would ever 
  want to go. But for those who can see or sense clearly, the town is a 
  wondrous place and worth any price.
  Sanctuary is constantly in ﬂux. Regimes and power balances — 
  political, religious, military, ﬁnancial, or social —change overnight. 
  Shops open and close. Travelers enter and depart. The city is forever 
  in a state of change, expanding and contracting like some vast 
  heart. Even the walls change. Sanctuary tears down its defenses and 
  rebuilds them when the need arises, or for no apparent reason at all. 
  Many residents consider the city a living entity, and like a shark, it 
  is never still for an instant. No matter the hour, someone is awake in 
  Sanctuary, and the wise ones are watching for the latest changes and 
  incorporating them into their own plans.
  Finally, Sanctuary is in the now. It does not matter who you were 
  before you arrived; once you enter the gates, you are a diﬀerent 
  person. Your past stays with you, and sometimes haunts you, but 
  that’s your problem. As far as Sanctuary and its residents are 
  concerned, you start fresh when you enter. That’s one of the city’s 
  greatest attractions. Criminals ﬂee to Sanctuary because, even if 
  they are recognized, most of the residents don’t care. Respected 
  nobles have arrived and died within minutes, or wandered the 
  street penniless and half-mad, while wanted killers set up shops 
  and became prominent citizens. Sanctuary is concerned only with 
  its own people and their behavior, and it oﬀers everyone a chance 
  to start fresh—for better or for worse.
  FINAL WORDS
  This book is a guide to Sanctuary. But keep in mind that it is a rough 
  guide, and meant to provide you with a framework for crafting your 
  own stories. When Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey created the Thieves’ 
  World series, they gave other authors space to create not only their own 
  characters, but also their own houses, streets, and neighborhoods. That 
  hasn’t changed, and you should feel free to insert your own creations 
  into the city. 
  For example, everyone has heard of the Vulgar Unicorn, the largest and 
  most successful tavern in the Maze. But what if you don’t want to set 
  your adventure there? Perhaps you want to create a rival tavern, called 
  the Rowdy Merman or the Ham’s Bone, and stick it right in the Maze. 
  Go ahead! No one knows all the buildings within the Maze, and even 
  if they did, the buildings might change again tomorrow. You are free to 
  do as you like in the rest of the city as well. We haven’t provided names 
  for all the shops along Pyrtanis, so if you decide that a leatherworker 
  named Solomon has a shop there called Sol’s, that’s ﬁne. If you create 
  a noble house, and want them to live on the Hill, or later in Land’s 
  End Retreat, go right ahead. We’ve given you the lay of the city, so 
  you know where that noble is likely to live, and what sort of security 
  and neighbors he might have. But we aren’t going to tell you that you 
  can’t put him there because we’ve already populated all of those houses. 
  Sanctuary was designed so other authors could play in it, too. This is 
  your game. Now, it’s your turn to play. Have fun.
  
  - 7 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  Visitors often wonder how a place like Sanctuary ever came to exist. 
  The locals say that, if Sanctuary weren’t here, someone somewhere 
  else would’ve had to build it, instead. Sanctuary is a necessary evil, 
  a required blot in a burgeoning world of empires and kingdoms… 
  a birthmark that allows the rest of the world to shine more brightly 
  by contrast. These same poetic souls often claim Sanctuary sprang 
  full-born from the womb of the Rankan Empire, streets and buildings 
  and Maze intact. This, however, is not true. It took many years before 
  Sanctuary became the contradiction that travelers visit today.
  FROM WAR
  Somebody has always lived in Sanctuary. Before the runaway slaves 
  showed up, there were the local ﬁshermen clustered on the shore. 
  And before them, there were the “other people,” as the ruins in the 
  hills and the countryside seem to suggest. But modern Sanctuary, the 
  one we’ve come to know and love, traces its roots to the Kingdom of 
  Ilsig, a fact the Rankans never let the locals forget. The ﬁrst settlers 
  were not Ilsigi nobles, but escaped slaves, ﬂeeing from the tyrants that 
  held their chains. Thus, Sanctuary is not just a fancy name, but also 
  a sign of safe haven for those with nowhere else to ﬂee and nowhere 
  left to hide. It is a sanctuary for the world’s desperate, and one ﬁlled 
  with the very best and worst of humanity.
  Sanctuary was founded at a time when Ranke was still small, 
  young, and expansionist. This upstart nation with ambitious leaders 
  worried their neighbors, especially the nearby Kingdom of Ilsig. In 
  anticipation of an invasion, Ilsig forged an alliance with the Mountain 
  Tribes that occupied the natural barrier between Rankle and Ilsig 
  called the World’s End Mountains (known as the Queen’s Mountains 
  among the Ilsigi). These savage men, mostly bandits and barbarians 
  themselves, readily agreed to take Ilsig coin and supplies to protect this 
  important border and safeguard the lands to the west by protecting 
  the one known pass through these tall peaks.
  As Ilsig feared, Ranke stirred and sent its legions up the slopes 
  to the Great Pass. The Mountain Tribes responded, harrying the 
  legionnaires with hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and attacks on their 
  supply lines. Ilsig sent soldiers to buttress the tribal defenders, and 
  all-out war ensued. 
  Ilsig was a decadent society, and the slaves bore the brunt of the 
  labor without reward or recognition. They had had enough. While 
  the warriors defended the kingdom, the Ilsig slaves took advantage 
  of their opportunity. Uniting against their plight, the slaves rebelled 
  and broke free of their masters. Ilsig was on the verge of losing its 
  nobility and becoming a true kingdom of free men—when the armies 
  returned, early and victorious. Many of the slaves surrendered at once, 
  while others were killed for resisting. Those who survived and escaped 
  ﬂed south, along the coast. 
  The revolts and subsequent loss of manpower nearly crippled Ilsig, 
  and though they could ill-aﬀord to track down the ﬂeeing slaves, 
  the King was enraged and dispatched a division of cavalry to hunt 
  them down and bring them back. As the horsemen closed on a large 
  host of ex-slaves, a division of Rankan legionnaires descended on 
  the Ilsig knights, destroying them to a man, and allowing the slaves 
  to escape. 
  The survivors searched the mountains around them and discovered 
  a hidden pass that led into a pleasant valley. Soft grass covered the 
  ground, fruit trees grew untended along the upper reaches, mountain 
  CHAPTER ONE:  
  A STORY OF THIEVES
  “So ya want to know how this gem of a city got here? Well, pud, read on.”
  
  - 8 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  streams provided cold clear water, and ﬁsh and game were plentiful. 
  Taking this lovely little land as a sign of divine favor, the former slaves 
  settled in to live in peace.
  It didn’t last.
  A CITY FORMS
  The escaped slaves were not accustomed to managing their resources; 
  they could handle work, but had no experience with farming or 
  hunting. Before a fourth year had passed, they found their Sanctuary 
  sadly depleted. All of the ﬁsh and game had been caught and killed, all 
  of the fruit trees had been stripped bare, the various nuts and berries 
  were gone… even the grass had been trampled. The whole valley, once 
  so green, was now brown and barren. The people had no choice but 
  to abandon their home and move on in search of more food.
  Leaving the mountains behind, the slaves headed farther south. 
  Finally, they reached the sea, where they met up with a band of 
  ﬁshermen who welcomed them as neighbors and friends. The slaves 
  turned their hands to farming again, this time being more careful not 
  to deplete their crops so thoroughly, and they traded vegetables and 
  grains for ﬁsh and other seafood. As the ﬁshermen and the former 
  slaves grew more comfortable together, and began intermarrying, a 
  cluster of buildings sprang up. 
  They named this new community Sanctuary and, with the inﬂux of 
  other travelers migrating from the north, it prospered, growing from 
  a tiny, insigniﬁcant hamlet to a modest village, well on the way to 
  becoming the Sanctuary of today. Finally, the people knew peace.
  But this, also, did not last.
  FORTUNES OF WAR
  Word of Sanctuary soon reached Ilsig’s ear, and with it came the 
  rumor of gold. Word spread throughout the world, sending miners, 
  explorers, and prospectors south to coax the precious metals from the 
  lands around the budding community. With these entrepreneurs came 
  mercenaries, families… and undesirables. The innocence of Sanctuary 
  died as quickly as it was born, but the inﬂux of wealth and new ideas 
  allowed the village to experience rapid growth. 
  But not all sought to settle here peacefully. Ilsig, still in the throes of 
  war with Ranke, was desperate for resources and the promise of gold 
  was an opportunity too good to surrender. The King of the Ilsigi sent 
  a ﬂeet of warships to claim the town. Unfortunately for them, many 
  of Sanctuary’s ﬁshermen were still out to sea when the ﬂeet arrived; 
  seeing the navy, and knowing the town was lost, the ﬁshermen escaped 
  to a nearby island instead. Dubbing their new home Scavengers’ 
  Island, they traded their nets and traps for cutlasses and daggers and 
  began a life of piracy, preying on passing ships, both military and 
  commercial. In the years that followed, the Scavenger Pirates would 
  come to bear no resemblance to their humble origins, retaining only 
  their hatred for the Ilsig crown.
  Under the harsh rule of Ilsig oppressors, many of the adventurers 
  who came to the city left. Among them was an explorer and traveler 
  who discovered in his travels another pass through the World’s 
  Edge Mountains along the way to settle and raise a family in Ranke. 
  Years later, his grandson found his old journals, which included not 
  only mention of this port city, but also the hidden pass through the 
  mountains. Since the grandson had become a general in the Rankan 
  
  - 9 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  army, he was able to muster troops and ships and launch an attack on 
  this well-placed little city. Sanctuary fell into Rankan hands. But the 
  general was not looking for gold there. He was far more interested in 
  the city’s convenient access to the rest of Ilsig. Using Sanctuary as a 
  staging ground, the general took his ﬂeet around the cape and swept 
  down upon the kingdom, taking its army by surprise. Almost before 
  a defense could be mounted, the general had captured Ilsig, and it 
  became a client state of the Rankan empire, paying a heavy toll in 
  annual tribute to preserve its meager independence.
  CARAVAN ROUTES
  Though Ranke had conquered the Kingdom of Ilsig, the bandits 
  and savages haunting the World’s Edge Mountains refused to end 
  their old alliances by surrendering control of the Great Pass. Ranke 
  sought another way to bring men and supplies from its heartland to 
  its new territory and back again. The easiest route, barring that road 
  through the mountains, was through the Gray Wastes. This long 
  stretch of sand stood between Sanctuary and cities like Ranke, Dar, 
  and Cirdon, making it the perfect place to transfer from camels to 
  ships or ships to camels. Long caravans formed, and Sanctuary was 
  either their starting point or their destination. Sanctuary grew larger 
  and wealthier, and thanks to its location on both coast and desert, 
  it became one of the most successful ports in the Rankan Empire. 
  Caravans were so long they took a day to pass fully through the city 
  gates, and at least once each day such a caravan arrived or departed. 
  People ﬂocked to Sanctuary, seeking to buy or sell the latest wares, 
  and it became the commercial center of the empire.
  It didn’t last, either.
  A BETTER WAY
  After decades of ﬁghting, the Rankan soldiers ﬁnally defeated the 
  mountain men, gaining control of the Great Pass. With that shorter 
  route available, there was no need to cross the Gray Wastes to reach 
  the Empire’s distant holdings. Suddenly, the desert caravans ceased 
  their journeys, ending the inﬂux of wealth into Sanctuary. While still 
  an important seaport, merchants unloaded their wares to the west 
  now, closer to the mountains. Sanctuary was no longer central, and 
  its businesses began to fail. 
  The city entered a steep decline. The lack of funds and tariﬀs meant 
  fewer resources to maintain the city. Locals left the city in droves, 
  leaving ﬁne houses abandoned and emptying entire neighborhoods. 
  Neglect led to disrepair of homes and shops. Filth collected in 
  alleys, and the only people left were the desperate and the villainous 
  — ruthless types willing to do anything to survive.
  Though the social climate changed markedly, people continued to 
  travel to Sanctuary, but no longer for wealth, fame, or glory. It was 
  quite the opposite: People came to the city to disappear, to escape 
  pursuers, debts, failed relationships, cuckolded husbands, or the law. 
  Sanctuary became a haven for criminals and fugitives, exiles and 
  undesirables. Cutthroats, pirates, thieves, and other wanted men took 
  Sanctuary as their home because they thought that no one would 
  notice yet another dirty, shifty-eyed face. Soon, the city had become 
  a refuge for the criminal and the political, for anyone who wanted 
  to disappear from Ranke’s eye. Tavern windows became dirty and 
  deliberately not cleaned so patrons could drink in peace and avoid 
  the nosy passerby who might recognize them. Townsfolk spoke in 
  whispers out of long habit, and took to watching every stranger with 
  care, one hand always near a weapon. What was once a small, open, 
  pleasant ﬁshing village became a cold stone box.
  DARK TIMES
  For decades, Ranke ignored the port city. The Empire would dispatch 
  a governor now and then, usually someone who had displeased the 
  Emperor, and instruct him to collect taxes and send them back to 
  the capital. These were low men, ruthless, corrupt, and despicable, 
  exploiting the locals and stealing from the city’s coﬀers to spend 
  their days in idle wealth and pleasure. These rulers were far more 
  interested in their own comforts than in the safety and prosperity 
  of the town and its citizens. All of that changed when the Rankan 
  Emperor decided to punish his half-brother.
  Prince Kadakithis was young, handsome, charming, and idealistic. 
  In his enthusiasm and naiveté, his mere existence was a threat to 
  Abakithis’ rule, for while Kadakithis did not have much success in 
  building a popular base, his idealism and virtues planted seeds that 
  Abakithis saw as a potential problem. Faced with having the younger 
  brother killed or exiling him to the nether regions of the empire, the 
  emperor chose the latter. He assigned Kadakithis to rule as governor 
  in distant Sanctuary, where he believed the city would resolve the 
  problem of this nuisance for him. 
  But Kadakithis was not stupid. He, or someone who saw his potential 
  value, assembled a team of elite soldiers to serve as his bodyguard and 
  personal ﬁghting force, and they went with him to his new home. 
  There, he strove to rid Sanctuary of its crime, pollution, and poverty. 
  One of his ﬁrst acts in the city was to have the captain of the city guard 
  publicly executed for treason. His soldiers soon earned the name “Hell 
  Hounds” for their ferocity. For the ﬁrst time, Sanctuary faced a ruler 
  who could not be bribed and who would not tolerate corruption. At 
  ﬁrst, they laughed at him, calling him “Kittycat,” but gradually came 
  to respect him, and some even began to fear him.
  Kadakithis’ arrival was not the only change, however. Ranke had 
  temples in the city, but so did Ilsig, and the old Ilsigi gods decided 
  they were tired of these Rankan usurpers. They fought for control, 
  and the city was torn between them. Powerful men and women stood 
  on both sides, and some people darted back and forth, playing the 
  factions against each other for their own proﬁt and amusement. The 
  conﬂict between rival gods played out in this backwater city, resulting 
  in the banishment of Vashanka, Ranke’s most notorious god.
  Amidst the turmoil of divine war, the ﬁshermen spotted ships on 
  the sea, bearing strange sails and of unusual design. This seafaring 
  race, called the Beysibs, came from across the ocean, and two of their 
  strongest clans ﬂed the Beysib Empire when a usurper claimed the 
  throne. Through careful negotiations with representatives of the city, 
  they entered, and after some diﬃculty, they coexisted with the native 
  Sanctans. While nominally a Rankan city, the Beysibs really ruled. 
  Kadakithis was able to salvage the situation by courting Shupansea, 
  the Beysib high priestess, but the people resisted them whenever and 
  wherever they could. 
  As if the strain of these exotic people (with their distinctly unusual 
  appearance and customs) trying cohabitation with Rankans and Ilsigi 
  wasn’t bad enough, the divine struggles continued. Encapsulated 
  in one man, the inﬂuence of the gods was a constant threat to the 
  city. This divine champion was Tempus. An ancient warrior of 
  
  - 10 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  questionable virtue, it seemed he was immortal. Though originally a 
  Hell Hound, his arrogance brought him into conﬂict with his fellow 
  soldiers. Worse, his obligations to his god, Vashanka (and the deity’s 
  later incarnations) forced him to ﬁght on the front lines against the 
  Ilsigi and later the Nisibisi in the north. Still, Tempus found himself 
  drawn back to the city time and again, a pawn in the games played 
  by the gods.
  WAR IN THE NORTH
  The gods’ wars created ripples that spread throughout the world, 
  with the eﬀects felt as far away as distant Caronne. While Sanctuary 
  had little power to shape events, it would stand at the center of a 
  maelstrom of events that would ultimately lead to the messy demise 
  of the Rankan Empire. Somehow, consciously or no, powerful 
  people throughout the continent found themselves drifting towards 
  Thieves’ World to play out the game of empires and wars, intrigue 
  and betrayal.
  The world teetered on the brink of anarchy. Vashanka, the icon of the 
  Rankan Empire, had fallen silent as a result of the conﬂict between 
  rival pantheons in Sanctuary. His priests and religion fell into turmoil. 
  Furthermore, generations of constant warfare took a toll, for the 
  power of the Emperor waned with each conquest. As he spread his 
  inﬂuence over greater and greater distances, the Empire simply grew 
  too big, too quickly.
  Tensions ﬂared between the swollen Empire and a small, warlock-
  controlled nation called Nis that lay in an arm of the World’s Edge 
  Mountains known as Wizardwall. The exact cause is not certain, but 
  given the Empire’s attitudes towards witchcraft, the ensuing war 
  came to no surprise. The Emperor, thinking his legions capable of 
  conquering this small territory with the same ease with which they 
  constructed his Empire, he used the standard tactics and sent his 
  troops to crash over the enemy. What neither he, nor the rest of Ranke, 
  expected were the demons, the undead, and vicious horrors that the 
  Nisibisi enslaved. The Nisi sold their souls to defeat the enormous 
  host, and the imperial legions were shattered. 
  What should have been a small series of battles spiraled into a long, 
  drawn-out engagement, claiming more and more resources, men, and 
  capital just to keep the ﬁghting at a draw. With each defeat, Abakithis’ 
  popularity dwindled, forcing him to take drastic measures to keep 
  the war eﬀort alive. Growing out of this costly war were specialized 
  units of guerillas, specially trained to kill witches using whatever 
  tactics were necessary. 
  In addition to dishonorable tactics, such as those used by the most 
  notorious unit called the 3rd Commando, many Rankans saw it as 
  their personal duty to destroy the Nisibisi witches. Sacred bands 
  —groups of divinely sanctioned warriors — joined the front, 
  buttressed by bonds of friendship and love to take on any horror the 
  witches could throw at them. The Stepsons, a famous group, came to 
  Sanctuary to draw their fabled leader Tempus into the war. With his 
  departure, much of the divine squabbling came to an end.
  SEEDS OF ANARCHY
  While the ﬁghting raged on in the north, Sanctuary remained outside 
  of much of the events, dealing with its own problems with the Beysib 
  occupation. Though there were some initial conﬂicts, the Beysibs and 
  Kadakithis came to a peaceful accord and agreed to rule the city jointly, 
  with the human lord representing the interests of the Sanctans, and 
  Shupansea protecting her own people. Cementing their agreement, 
  Kadakithis courted the Beysib princess, elevating her above all of his 
  wives… even his ﬁrst wife, who had disappeared mysteriously.
  Not everyone was pleased with the arrangement; many feared the 
  Beysibs, and in their fear, they resented their new masters. Violence 
  escalated against the Beysib invaders. What began as a few beatings 
  and the occasional murder bloomed into a reign of terrorism 
  perpetrated by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Sanctuary. 
  Led by an ambitious thief named Zip, the PFLS launched attacks 
  from Downwind and the Maze, raiding caravans, kidnapping and 
  murdering important citizens, arson, coercion, and anything they 
  could do to oust the Beysib occupiers.
  Meanwhile, Wizardwall turned into a quagmire of death. Powerful 
  witches left the front and inﬁltrated Ranke, spreading chaos and 
  destruction behind enemy lines. One such witch was Death’s Queen, 
  Roxane, who traveled to Sanctuary to weaken Ranke’s control on its 
  outlying provinces. Armed with a Nisibisi globe of power, she lent 
  her sorcerous skills to the growing unrest in the city. 
  Also on her way to the city was another spellcaster, a cursed witch 
  who destroyed every man she knew. Ischade haunted the night 
  streets, luring men with sex, making good on her promises, and then 
  turning them loose. Her victims soon after became beset by a series 
  of misfortunes, always fatal. Though she kept to herself, she quickly 
  became drawn inside the machinations of the forces vying for control 
  in Sanctuary.
  In addition to Roxane and Ischade, control of the city was fought 
  for by the Stepsons, who remained behind to protect the city; the 
  recently arrived 3rd Commando, who opposed Roxane and her 
  undead minions; Jubal, who worked to rebuild his criminal empire 
  after Tempus razed his compound; the Beggar King, and the Beysib’s 
  assassins, the Harka Bey. This was an exceptionally dangerous period 
  in Sanctuary, where allegiances could result in getting killed. During 
  this time, the dead walked next to the living, and brutal riots and mobs 
  ruled the streets. Kadakithis was powerless, and the Hell Hounds all 
  but forgotten.
  RANKE’S DECLINE
  Finally, Tempus and his allies overcame the witches at Wizardwall, 
  allowing them to return to Sanctuary and help put an end to the civil 
  war terrorizing the city. Through an alliance between Ischade and a 
  core group of Stepsons, Roxane was defeated and order restored to 
  the city. But things were not so well in the north. Before Tempus 
  returned to Sanctuary, he involved himself in a plot to assassinate 
  Abakithis and set Theron, a brutal general, on the throne. But Theron’s 
  ascent was too late to save a ﬂagging Empire, too spent from years of 
  ﬁghting against the witches of Wizardwall to recover. And as life in 
  Sanctuary improved, even coming into a new era of its own, Ranke 
  declined, losing conquered territory at an alarming rate, powerless 
  even to collect taxes from its vassals.
  THE GOLDEN YEARS
  For the ﬁrst time in years, Sanctuary became a place of hope. With 
  Ranke’s messy death far to the north and the quick succession of 
  emperor after emperor, Sanctans were free to do as they wished. 
  They were their own city, beholden to no foreign power for the 
  
  - 11 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  ﬁrst time since their founding. This resulted in a heady sense of 
  entrepreneurialism, and new shops opened all over the city. Foreign 
  merchants responded to the welcoming atmosphere and sent ﬂeets 
  of ships south to this burgeoning port. This was a time when the 
  lowliest Wrigglie could rise above his meager station and perhaps 
  escape poverty, for work was everywhere. And with work comes 
  money, and with money, sales.
  Even better than the invigoration of Sanctuary’s economy, the anarchy 
  plaguing the streets ended with Ranke’s demise. The Stepsons, 3rd 
  Commando, and others withdrew, and with them went the instigators 
  of the chaos, leaving Sanctuary to those who really wanted to live 
  there. No longer did the Stepsons stroll arrogantly through the city 
  streets. Tempus was gone, vanished like a bad dream. Even Roxane 
  and her Nisibisi allies were dead or buried. With these elements out 
  of the city, the Sanctans enjoyed peace for the ﬁrst time in years.
  Of course, this period is not without its struggles. In the vacuum 
  left, Sanctuary lost much of its military strength. Pirates from 
  Scavengers Isle, descendants of the Sanctans who ﬂed during the 
  Ilsigi occupation, continued to prey on locals, slipping into the city 
  under the cover of darkness to press-gang innocents and sell them 
  into slavery. Without a military, Sanctans were more vulnerable than 
  ever to these sorts of attacks. In response to the growing concern, 
  Kadakithis mustered a few hundred able-bodied citizens, dubbed 
  them marines, and unleashed them on the pirate isle. Sanctuary’s 
  ﬁrst military destroyed the settlement on Scavengers Isle, liberated 
  hundreds of slaves, and burned the pirate ships in their docks. And 
  thus was Inception Isle, Sanctuary’s only colony, founded.
  Life during the early years of Ranke’s decline is marked by hope, 
  prosperity, and stability. Poverty’s cruel grip weakened as champions 
  like Strick the Spellmaster worked hard to alleviate suﬀering. With 
  the inﬂux of merchants and trade, wealth freely ﬂowed everywhere, 
  even in the Downwind. Furthermore, Walegrin recruited new soldiers 
  from the populace, presenting an opportunity to start a new life on 
  Inception Isle. Though brief, this era was Sanctuary’s brightest.
  TIME OF TROUBLES
  Life in Sanctuary took a turn for the worse soon after the conquest 
  of Scavengers Island. Signs of the dark times were everywhere for 
  those with the ability or willingness to look. The ﬁrst sign was the 
  drought.
  For four years, little to no rain fell on the continent, and though 
  Sanctuary had the beneﬁt of being a coastal city, the city suﬀered. 
  Grass and trees shriveled, crops failed, and the White Foal River 
  shrank to nearly a trickle. With the dryness, the land’s natural 
  defenses against erosion disappeared. So when the rains ﬁnally came, 
  mudslides destroyed homes and estates outside the city and the topsoil 
  surrounding the Swamp of Night Secrets washed out to sea.
  While the city grappled with the loss of land and property in the 
  outlying areas, the Beysibs learned the usurper in their homeland had 
  ﬁnally died, leaving a power vacuum perfect for the exiled Beysibs to 
  ﬁll. Shupansea broke with Kadakithis, and led clan Burek and most 
  of clan Setmur back across the sea to retake their rightful place at the 
  head of all Beysib civilization. From this point on, the Beysib became 
  little more than a bad memory in the hearts and minds of Sanctans 
  all over, and those Beysibs who remained lost what little protection 
  they enjoyed while Shupansea shared Kadakithis’ bed.
  Shortly after the Beysib evacuation, Kadakithis, along with his 
  childhood friend Chenaya and a cadre of loyal supporters, moved to 
  claim Ranke’s throne. They left by ship but were never seen or heard 
  from again. It’s believed the ship went down somewhere between 
  Sanctuary and Ranke, explaining why the god blessed (or cursed) 
  Chenaya never reappeared.
  Bereft of governor and wife, control of Sanctuary fell to an oligarchic 
  council, made up of the wealthiest and inﬂuential Sanctan nobles and 
  merchants. As each member represented his own interests above those 
  of the city and its citizens, crippling the city as corruption spread 
  through all levels of Sanctuary’s government. The council plundered 
  the city’s treasury for resources needed to pay bribes, extortion fees, 
  and to advance their own interests, leaving the city to teeter and totter 
  on the brink of collapse.
  But while Sanctans looted the city, the rainy autumn gave way to 
  a snowy winter, and heavy blizzards raged in the mountains to the 
  north. Throughout the winter, Sanctuary continued as it ever had, but 
  when the spring thaws occurred, run-oﬀ from the mountains poured 
  down, swelling the White Foal and Red Foal rivers. The White Foal 
  obliterated Downwind, washing away the human eﬄuvia and sending 
  refugees into the heart of the city. Hundreds died and those who 
  escaped ﬂed to the Hill like rats on a sinking ship.
  Thanks to the political plundering and the environmental damage, the 
  city was ill-equipped to deal with the tragedy. It was clear that Ranke 
  had no intention of sending soldiers, supplies, or really assistance of 
  any kind, so the Oligarchs turned to the resurgent Kingdom of Ilsig 
  for assistance. The lords there were all to happy to accept Sanctuary’s 
  gifts, and seeing the destruction as an opportunity to restore Ilsigi 
  inﬂuence in Sanctuary, the nation sent an army of priests to help. Of 
  
  - 12 -
  CHAPTER ONE: A STORY OF THIEVES
  course, Ilsig also sent promises of food and support, though they were 
  all oﬀers the Kingdom could not or would not keep.
  Though there were hundreds of displaced Sanctans, all of which were 
  undesirable and dangerous, and the city’s infrastructure was weakened 
  by the increase of crime, there was still plenty of food available for 
  the survivors. Sanctuary’s ﬁshing ﬂeet was one of the most capable 
  in the world. But even this would not last, for the very next year, a 
  brutal hurricane descended on the city. Catching most of the ﬂeet at 
  sea, the storm wiped out nearly all of the boats and ﬁshermen before 
  making landfall and shattering the city. And any help the Sanctans 
  thought they would gain from the Beysib ﬂed as communication 
  with those distant peoples ended.
  More ﬂooding, more death, and more human tragedy took its toll 
  on Sanctuary, making an already grim environment dire. Loss of 
  trade, ﬁsh, and agriculture combine to create Sanctuary’s worst 
  famine in generations. Food simply did not exist in the city. To make 
  matters worse, the rains stopped once more, and not a drop fell for 
  an entire year. At ﬁrst cats, dogs, and horses vanished, and then the 
  rat population dwindled. It was a bad time for all of Sanctuary, and 
  food riots were common.
  Three years later, the hammer fell, crushing Sanctuary with the weight 
  of an unholy plague. Thanks to visiting priests from the Kingdom 
  of Ilsig, a new strain of disease traveled down the coastline to ﬁnally 
  settle in the city, stalled only by the onset of winter. Though Molin 
  Torchholder argued that Sanctuary should sever contact with the 
  distant kingdom, the council rejected him, blinded by the promise 
  of wealth, even after (but perhaps because of) all the tragedy that 
  had befallen Thieves’ World. 
  With the spring thaw, the plague intensiﬁed. Inception Island was 
  the worst oﬀ, with disease killing young and old, and the council’s 
  unwillingness to close oﬀ the island led to the plague spreading inside 
  the city. Soon, the plague asserts itself once more, sweeping through 
  the city quickly, but it does not seem to be as severe as the last bout 
  several years before, when Illyra, maddened by the death of her child, 
  invoked Dyareela with cards illustrated by Lalo’s brush. This time, 
  the plague claims only the old, weak, and very young. However, the 
  memory of past plagues ran deep in the minds of the locals. Riots 
  broke out, and the Sanctans set ﬁre to the hostelries. With the heavy 
  winds, they inadvertently destroyed half the city.
  For the next few years, hurricanes hammered the city, alternating with 
  periods of drought. The destruction coupled with the constant famine 
  and disease created an atmosphere of despair that wound around the 
  hearts of Sanctans at every level of society. The S’danzo left the city, 
  and with them went the answers many sought. Crops continued to 
  fail and death was a constant companion.
  More plagues, more storms, and more droughts hammered the 
  city, while the ﬁrst priests of a new god came to town. These men 
  and women, all garbed in white and with bloody red hands, were 
  messengers of peace, ﬁlled with promises of an end to Sanctuary’s 
  suffering. Taking advantage of the city’s fears and the terrible 
  calamities they endured, the priests rallied the people, urging them 
  to butcher the remaining S’danzo that stayed behind. And, with their 
  deaths, the plague diminished and went away.
  The Dyareelans, now buttressed by a people grateful for the ending of 
  the plague, forged a peace with the council and assumed more and more 
  control over the populace. They roamed the streets preaching a gospel of 
  blood, death, and sacriﬁce. They publicly executed traitors, those guilty of 
  crimes only the priests could detect. Bit by bit, the Dyareelans assumed 
  control, and what was once a city ruled by Empires and by wealth 
  became a city ruled by fear. The cultists stole children from the streets to 
  indoctrinate them in their foul rites. Those who objected died on their 
  altars, hearts ripped from their chests. Out of fear, children reported their 
  parents; husbands, their wives; neighbors, entire families. 
  While Sanctuary fell under the sway of the Dyareelans, a tribe of 
  nomads, retreating from the Black Toothed Horde, settled in the World 
  Spine Mountains, destroying the bandits who descended from the 
  Mountain folk that had waged a guerilla war against Ranke since the 
  Kingdom of Ilsig ﬁrst fell. With the Irrune, refugees from all over the 
  world came to Sanctuary to escape the wars and plagues hammering 
  the continent. However, with the inﬂux of new people came new 
  problems. Lack of rain, then too much rain, new diseases, and famine 
  forced the cultists’ hand. In an act of utter madness, they turn on the city, 
  sweeping through the streets in an unholy crusade to forge an army to 
  march across the lands, killing all non-believers until only the cultists 
  remain. To build this army, the Dyareelans founded orphanages, where 
  children were secretly trained in the ways of the cult. 
  Matters ﬁnally come to a head when a mob of cultists captures 
  some visiting Irrune and executes them publicly. The city realizes 
  the danger of the unruly cult, and begins a withdrawal. Molin leaves 
  the city to court the Irrune, to urge them to liberate the city and get 
  revenge for the death of one of their lords. For the next three years, 
  the cult grew fat on its own excesses, descending in their depravity 
  lower than ever before. Fear was law, executions a daily occurrence, 
  and death rode the streets.
  Molin ﬁnally convinced the Irrune to help, oﬀering them the city in 
  exchange. And so, in the 94th year of the Rankan Empire, during the 
  Dyareelan summer festival, the Irrune entered the city through gates 
  left open by sympathizers. The Irrune butchered the cultists and lay 
  siege to the Palace. Looking for a quick resolution, Molin orders the 
  Palace burned, driving the surviving cultists into the swords of the 
  waiting Irrune. Thus ended the Troubles.
  NEW ERA
  The Irrune have ruled Sanctuary for almost a decade now. Arizak 
  is a harsh but fair man, and a strong leader, though he leaves much 
  of the city’s governance to a council of oligarchs. Though a popular 
  ﬁgure, he was badly injured several years ago and has never really 
  recovered. No one knows which of his sons will become ruler after 
  he dies, and people scramble to support their favorite, to build ties 
  with whomever they think will be victorious.
  Since the Irrune crushed the cultists, Dyareelans have all but vanished, 
  and most hope that they are gone for good. But this is nothing more 
  than wishful thinking, for the cult still exists. Here and there, old 
  members plot revenge and a return to glory, quietly maneuvering to 
  retake the city from the Irrune occupiers.
  With a weakened Ranke, its old enemies have returned. Ilsig has 
  become a kingdom again, complete with a king. Seeing Sanctuary 
  as a wayward child, Ilsig sent a military delegation to Sanctuary to 
  demand back taxes and renewed fealty. The Irrune laughed them 
  out of the city. Rather than go back empty-handed, the delegation 
  moved on to Inception Island, and for the ﬁrst time in its long history, 
  Sanctuary has a rival port.
  
  - 13 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Walk the streets of Sanctuary, and the ﬁrst thing you’ll notice is its 
  history. This isn’t to say that there’s ornate scrollwork on columns, 
  or plaques, or statues of men on horses. Instead, you’ll see the scars 
  of the city: an burned patch on an old out-of-date adobe building, 
  a husk of a home destroyed by witch-ﬁre, an odd symbol etched on 
  a block in a city wall. Strange smells, old ruins, odd sensations, and 
  a sense of familiarity about everything, everywhere. Sanctuary does 
  indeed have a long and colorful history, but one ﬁlled with witches 
  and warlocks, spells, demons, wars, treachery, intrigue, conquest, and 
  all the elements of good fantasy. Sanctuary is constantly changing 
  — always growing, shrinking, welcoming new characters and 
  bidding farewell to the old. Sanctuary is a living city, with a life 
  of its own. This chapter gives you a taste of what it’s like to live in 
  Thieves’ World in every era.
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND 
  OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  LIFE IN SANCTUARY
  Make no mistake: Sanctuary is, in many ways, the consummate fantasy 
  environment. It’s replete with warriors and warlocks, adventure and 
  intrigue. It is also a place of human failings, full of depravity, sin, and 
  excess. The city streets are unsafe by day and deadly by night, with 
  licentious villains prowling the streets to take what they cannot buy. 
  Gangs roam the hills, and drug dealers peddle opah and krrf on street 
  corners, preying on children and adult alike. And if that weren’t bad 
  enough, Sanctuary is also home to virulent diseases, some bad enough 
  to make a grown man die screaming as his body swells with ﬂuid. 
  Syphilitic whores hide the empty pits of their noses behind veils, while 
  clap-maddened, famine-starved children with distended bellies plunge 
  knives in the backs of mothers to steal the milk from their breasts. 
  Sanctuary is not a kind place. It is a place where the weak are ground 
  up and devoured, where witches won’t let your corpse rest, calling your 
  soul from hell over and again to make you do their bidding. Still, there 
  are bright spots. There are moments of charity, of true heroism, and of 
  fun. For every barﬂy that turns away from a pair of thugs having fun 
  with an adolescent girl in an alley, there is a Cauvin who will beat rapists 
  to death with his bare hands. This ﬁrst section provides an overview of 
  what it’s like to live and die in Thieves’ World.
  LEGITIMATE INDUSTRIES
  Most would tell you that crime is the number-one industry here. 
  Sanctuary has more than its fair share of crime lords, protection 
  rackets, drug dealers, smugglers, and more. But Sanctuary has 
  legitimate business, too. Throughout its history, Sanctuary has enjoyed 
  a thriving ﬁshing industry, with a ﬂeet of ships capable of harvesting a 
  catch that could feed almost the entire city at peak season. Sanctuary 
  is also a natural port for trading ships from island nations to the 
  south, Rankan merchants to the north, and Ilsigi traders from the 
  west. The constant inﬂux of people and cultures has made Sanctuary 
  into a melting pot, and a city with demand enough for the dimmest 
  tradesman to turn a proﬁt.
  AGRICULTURE
  During the Rankan era, the environs around Sanctuary sported 
  numerous farms and homesteads producing wheat, rye, barley and 
  other grains. While never famous for its farming, the countryside 
  could supplement the ﬁshing industry with its bounty. At its peak, 
  
  - 14 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  farmers produced a great deal of produce in addition to grains. 
  Peppers, onions, garlic, leeks, potatoes, broccoli, cauliﬂower, radishes, 
  and turnips had always been available in decent quantities and for fair 
  prices. However, with the droughts followed by hurricanes followed 
  by more droughts, the rich topsoil washed away, making the ground 
  unﬁt for planting. Worse, the irrigation systems were also damaged, 
  and so repairs to make the countryside proﬁtable for farmers would 
  be expensive and, given Sanctuary’s current state, improbable. Farmers 
  till the soil, coaxing what few plants they can in the hope of restoring 
  them to their former health. Though small hamlets provide food for 
  the city, for the most part, Sanctuary’s food supply comes from the 
  grain-farms run by the Serripines Clan, which have astonished the 
  long-time residents who believed farming on this scale would be a 
  waste of time. 
  IRRUNE ERA NOTES
  As Ranke entered its decline, Rankan refugees ﬂed south to make 
  new lives for themselves in Sanctuary. With them, they brought 
  wealth, new agricultural techniques and seed. In fact, one such refugee 
  started a vineyard under the Aquinta Cartel, supplying the city with 
  the ﬁnest wine available in Ranke. Though there was great promise, 
  their eﬀorts were for naught after the bad seasons that followed. No 
  vineyard or farm can survive for long without rain. The few bottles 
  of Aquinta vintage that remain in the city carry a hefty price that’s 
  more than a common, or even a wealthy pud, could aﬀord.
  FISHING
  Perhaps the greatest asset Sanctuary has is its ﬁshing ﬂeet. Though 
  times have certainly been better, Sanctuary still boasts an impressive 
  industry capable of feeding the city during peak seasons. In many 
  ways, the ﬁshermen are a culture onto themselves. They don’t frequent 
  the usual haunts in the city, preferring instead to keep to their own 
  kind. Still, they are loyal to Sanctuary, and have risen to the city’s 
  defense time and again. When the ﬁsh-eyed folk came to treat with 
  the Sanctans, it was ﬁshermen who ﬁrst met with them and paved the 
  way for the semi-peaceful cohabitation that would follow. Fishermen 
  also deal with threats from the sea, such as the occasional mutant 
  giant crab in the service of the Purple Mage. In the end, though the 
  ﬁshermen and their families live in their own parts of the city, follow 
  their own customs, and drink in their own watering holes, they are 
  as much a part of Sanctuary as the thieves in the Maze.
  IRRUNE ERA NOTES
  Leading up to the Troubles, hurricanes and tropical storms savaged 
  Sanctuary’s ﬁshing ﬂeet, sinking scores of boats and taking the lives 
  of nearly half of the ﬁshermen. Since the Dyareelan occupation, the 
  ﬁshermen slowly rebuilt their lives, moving from the old Fisherman’s 
  Row to a new site just south of Caravan Square. The ruins of their 
  old haunts are now the Hag’s Teeth, a cluster of rock and debris just 
  southeast from the mouth of the White Foal River.
  RELIGION
  Another vital industry in Sanctuary is the retail of religion. Gods 
  and their ilk have long been a presence in Thieves’ World, moving 
  their minions like pawns through the streets of the city or ﬁghting 
  outright battles in the heavens. As a crucible of cultures, Sanctuary 
  sees the birth and death of new religions and cults almost on a daily 
  
  - 15 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  basis. In fact, so many gods have been (and are still) worshipped in 
  the city that it’s sometimes diﬃcult to tell from what pantheon they 
  descend.
  Founded by the Ilsigi exiles, from the outset, their gods have held 
  a place of import, though even then Dyareelan cultists from the 
  Grey Wastes tried their best to gain a foothold in the city. With the 
  conquest of the World Spine Mountains, Ranke swept through to 
  take Sanctuary as well, and with the conquerors came their gods. 
  For years, priests of the rival religions struggled for dominance, 
  eventually settling into an uneasy truce. The result was an eclectic 
  mixture along the Avenue of Temples, one of the few routes leading 
  up to the Governor’s Palace. Temples dedicated to Rankan gods 
  stood next to those of Ilsig. Altars to foreign deities came and went, 
  while proselytizers marched up and down the road to preach the 
  virtues of their gods.
  Of course, even in this cosmopolitan atmosphere, struggles between 
  rival faiths did erupt. The Rankans tried for years to erect a temple to 
  Savankala, but due to the eﬀorts of a few discontented worshippers 
  of Ilsigi gods, the temple wasn’t oﬃcially consecrated until Chenaya 
  stole the Eye of Savankala from the city of Ranke and installed it 
  here to purify the site. 
  The struggles of the Rankan era, however, seem like nothing more 
  than polite disagreement when compared to the zealous hatred of the 
  Dyareelan cultists. They took advantage of the chaos resulting from 
  pestilence, famine, and a series of terrible and destructive storms to 
  install themselves as leaders of the city. One of their ﬁrst acts was 
  to raze the Avenue of Temples, slaughter the priests and desecrate 
  their altars. With no rival religions left, the Dyareelans mastered 
  the city, positioning themselves to eliminate all factions of potential 
  discontent.
  The Dyareelans would rule for a number of terrible years, until the 
  Irrune along with Molin Torchholder swept through the city gates 
  to slaughter the dreadful priests, forcing them into the palace, and 
  into the tunnels below. To remove them completely, or so hoped 
  Torchholder, the Irrune set ﬁre to the palace until the cultists 
  surrendered. 
  Though Dyareelan rule is ended (for now), the Irrune have assumed 
  control over the city. To prevent another uprising, one of their ﬁrst 
  edicts was to ban the practice of religion from within the city walls, 
  excepting the rites and rituals that exalted Irrunega, of course. A few 
  priests persist in their eﬀorts and more and more drift to the city 
  from the far-ﬂung regions of the Known World.
  IRRUNE ERA NOTES
  Even though strict laws prohibit open worship within Sanctuary’s 
  walls, religion is still an important part of every Sanctan’s life. Nearly 
  everyone in the city venerates at least one god, if not several. And in 
  the homes of most are idols, small altars, or symbols of one or more 
  of the multitudinous deities making up one or more of the Known 
  World’s pantheons.
  The priests themselves are faced with a challenge if they want to 
  expand their congregations and maintain the ﬂow of income they 
  need to survive. Since the prohibition, and a few spectacular examples 
  of those who thought to break the ban against religion (Irrune are 
  implacable in their resolve to stamp out dangerous cults), most priests 
  ﬂed to the Street of Red Lanterns, occupying converted brothels or 
  setting up makeshift stalls. A scant few struggle to rebuild the temples 
  of old on the Avenue itself, as evidenced by the actions of the Sisters 
  of Sabellia and Pel Garwood. 
  Though the Irrune rulers permit these blossoming cults outside the 
  city, they do not tolerate those in service to the Mother of Chaos. 
  Cultists discovered in or near the city are executed, usually in 
  spectacular and bloody fashion. Rumor holds there are Dyareelans 
  in the warrens and tunnels honeycombing the land beneath the city. 
  There may be some truth to this, for Irrune recently uncovered a nest 
  of priests and executed them—by rolling them in carpets and riding 
  horses over them to trample these criminals to death. Those with a 
  taste for revenge will ﬁnd that some prominent and wealthy members 
  in the city pay premium prices for the hands of Dyareelan cultists. 
  RENOVATION
  For as long as Sanctuary has stood, there has been a need for repairs 
  and renovations. During the Rankan era, Kadakithis and Molin 
  Torchholder sought to expand and construct walls to defend the city 
  against attacks from the Usurper and barbarians. After the Troubles, 
  and the storms that preceded them, much of the city stands in ruin, 
  and there’s always work for stonemasons, carpenters, other craftsmen, 
  and those with a talent for hard labor. Most work now takes place 
  on the Street of Red Lanterns, the Processional, and on the walls. 
  Laborers gather in city squares near construction sites hoping to be 
  picked by the foremen for the few padpols they can earn moving 
  debris and hauling raw materials.
  IRRUNE ERA NOTES
  One serious diﬃculty facing Sanctuary in the Modern Era, and the 
  cause for the slowness of repairs to the city, is the lack of raw materials. 
  Sanctuary has always been lacking in timber, having little more than a 
  few orchards and, in the higher elevations, scrub trees best suited for 
  charcoal and ﬁrewood, not shipbuilding or construction. There’s no 
  reliable source of stone for building materials, and brick is expensive. 
  A current trend is to recycle building materials from ruins. Though 
  illegal, since taking stone from ruins is theft, the watch is easily 
  bribed to turn the other way. Grabar’s Stoneyard is one of the more 
  proﬁtable enterprises in the city, and even they tend to plunder the 
  ruins of old estates on the outskirts of the city.
  TRADE
  The lifeblood of the city is trade. As a port city, Sanctuary trades with 
  other coastal cities, like Caronne and Mrseveda, and overland with 
  Ranke to the north and Ilsig to the west. Cirdonian merchants rub 
  shoulders with Twandan mercenaries, and Mrsevadan sailors bring 
  goods from exotic lands far away. The heart of Sanctuary’s mercantile 
  district is the Caravan Square and the Farmer’s Market, though a 
  great deal of money also changes hands in the Bazaar and along the 
  Wideway near the wharves. Even through the most desperate times, 
  merchants have braved all sorts of natural and unnatural hazards to 
  sell or trade their goods in Sanctuary.
  IRRUNE ERA NOTES
  After the Convulsions, the population dipped dangerously. Much 
  of the industry of old was gone and most of the city struggled to 
  survive in the ruins. As a result, they import more than they export. 
  
  - 16 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Lacking much in the way of wealth, few Sanctans can aﬀord the 
  high prices at the bazaar or the other trading centers, so thievery is 
  on the rise once more. It’s hoped the current problems will vanish 
  once the population grows.
  MINOR ENTERPRISES
  Sanctuary has always enjoyed a strong market for ﬁnished goods, 
  from silk to gem cutting. Some of the greatest artisans in the Known 
  World got their start here, crafting beautiful jewelry, exquisite pieces 
  of art, ﬁne furniture, and other goods. Though the city is depressed, 
  there’s evidence of resurgence and the promise of new wealth under 
  the careful guidance of a far less greedy council of oligarchs.
  DIVERSIONS
  In a city under the weight of insidious poverty, stricken by crime, and 
  threatened by war, natural disasters, and supernatural threats, people 
  need to unwind, relax, and let go of their inhibitions as a form of 
  pressure release. Sanctuary has many diversions for those wanting to 
  get away from their drudgery and escape the constant and oppressive 
  burden of a miserable life. For those with a few spare padpols, there’s 
  bound to be something to take your mind oﬀ your worries.
  ARENAS
  Gladiatorial contests are quite popular throughout the Known World, 
  especially in Rankan provinces. However, Sanctuary never had a 
  coliseum for these ﬁghts. Instead, the city relied on bloody cockﬁghts 
  in the Maze, bare-knuckle boxing in back rooms, or blood sports in 
  dug out pits on the Hill. Sanctans appreciate violence when it’s not 
  directed at them, so they seize the opportunity to watch two warriors 
  duke it out to the cries of the crowd.
  The Irrune, appreciating the need for Sanctuary’s citizens to distract 
  themselves from the misery of their lives, occasionally sponsor 
  contests, races, and other events. Oﬃcials clear the riﬀ-raﬀ out of 
  Caravan Square and erect stands and bleachers in a semi-circle or in 
  a row. (There’s always a shaded box where the Governor Arizak and 
  his family and advisors can watch.)
  The city-sponsored spectacles are always far tamer than the ones in the 
  shadows of Sanctuary’s gritty underworld. Contests between warriors 
  are always to ﬁrst blood and never to the death… though accidents 
  happen. The Irrune are always interested in horseracing and so, more 
  often than not, riders and their steeds race around a track for the prize. 
  Whether a race or a prizeﬁght, the reward is enough to draw contestants 
  from all over, sometimes as much as 100 soldats or more.
  Other forms of entertainment include circuses, freak shows, troupes 
  of actors, tumblers and acrobats, and other spectacles. Though much 
  of this has dropped oﬀ since Kadakithis vanished, occasionally such 
  groups still make yearly or semi-yearly visits to this city. Naturally, 
  these events are an excellent cover for transporting illicit goods into 
  or out of the city.
  DRAMA & COMEDY
  During the late period of the Rankan Era, Feltheryn’s Players were a 
  small theatrical company who found great success in “culture-starved” 
  Sanctuary. Appealing to Rankan refugees, the players performed 
  four to six shows a year to large audiences, including even Prince 
  Kadakithis and his consort, Shupansea, the Avatar of the Beysa. With 
  the success enjoyed by Feltheryn’s troupe, other acting guilds began 
  to appear in the Processional and Westside, performing in street 
  productions or actual theatres. Most of these performances leaned 
  towards the bawdy and lewd, but dramas were just as likely. 
  Sanctuary’s renaissance would be short-lived. Outbreaks of disease 
  kept people from congregating in large numbers, fearing they might 
  catch whatever ill humor ran through the city that week. With the 
  droughts and destruction of the city’s agricultural infrastructure, 
  food became scarce and expensive. Commoners could ill aﬀord to 
  spend precious coin on such worthless diversions. And ﬁnally, when 
  the Dyareelans seized the city, they did not tolerate the bawdy plays, 
  forcing what actors they didn’t kill outright out of the city. Since the 
  Troubles, theatre is all but dead.
  DRINKING
  Where there’s misery, there’s booze, and taverns lie at the heart of 
  Sanctuary’s culture. The premier diversion in this city is alcohol. From 
  thin, rancid wine to the beer of the watering holes spread throughout 
  the city, there’s a pub for every budget. More than just numbing 
  despair, taverns are an important part of life in Sanctuary. They are 
  places to eat at a reasonable price, to meet business associates, to 
  exchange information, and to hear a song or two played by a local 
  minstrel or listen to a storyteller weave a lie. 
  Sanctuary is inventive when it comes to its alcohol. There are hundreds 
  of diﬀerent drinks, from beers and ales to wines. Wine is a staple 
  beverage, though it sees strongest usage in the home to cleanse 
  water for drinking. For entertainment purposes, Sanctans drink a 
  variety of fruit wines and regular grape wines. In the Rankan Era, 
  the Stepsons drank warm wine mixed with barley, and the tradition 
  seems to survive among mercenaries, especially those from the north. 
  There are also several breweries in the city, such as Tallulah’s Thunder 
  Ale and other varieties. Usually, though, inns and taverns brew their 
  own beer and ales. 
  The city produces spirits in small quantities, but the distillation process 
  is still more art than science, and the blind beggars are living proof 
  of why it’s best not to trust hard liquors. What harder stuﬀ there is 
  to drink consists mostly of brandy, thanks to the vineyards of the 
  supporting hamlets.
  The quality of these establishments vary with the neighborhood. The 
  most infamous bar is the Vulgar Unicorn, said to stand in the center 
  of the Maze. This storied place has been the site of all too many 
  crimes, rapes, and murders. It’s the center of intrigues, and the stuﬀ 
  of legend. The beer and wine are terrible, the clientele worse, and even 
  the prostitutes leave something to be desired. But it is a popular stop, 
  famous throughout the known world for its… atmosphere. For more 
  information on some of the more famous bars in Sanctuary, check 
  out Chapter Three: Sanctuary, Then and Now.
  DRUGS
  Sanctuary has a thriving drug trade. From petty pushers haunting 
  the streets of the Hill and the Maze, to the upscale krrf dens on the 
  Street of Red Lanterns, drugs have always been a big part of the city’s 
  underworld, though few can aﬀord a habit for long. Many drugs are 
  too expensive for a common citizen to use with any regularity. But 
  
  - 17 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  most are simply too deadly, destroying the user’s life, family and 
  friends as the coils of addiction tighten.
  Drug use is generally banned throughout the city. Kadakithis and, 
  later, the Peers strove to keep the drug lords in check. Despite their 
  best eﬀorts, they failed. They could not slow or eliminate the demand. 
  In the Rankan Era, Jubal and One-Thumb were prominent players in 
  the drug trade, but now, Lord Night is nearly the uncontested ruler 
  of Sanctuary’s grim underworld. 
  Drugs found in Sanctuary include (but are not limited to):
  SMOKING HERBS
  For as long as there has been civilization, people across the land have 
  used smoking herbs to relax. These consist of a blend of leaves, using 
  tobacco as the base. Depending on the composition, the herbs can 
  have a strong euphoric eﬀect, or leave a pleasant, but mild, numbing 
  sensation. Rarely addictive, use of this diversion is acceptable 
  throughout Sanctuary.
  DUST
  Mild, and out of fashion since the emergence of opah, dust users 
  can still be found in the Hill and Maze. Dust is little more than bad 
  krrf that has been cut with dirt, herbs, dried manure, or worse. It 
  produces a mild euphoric eﬀect that does relatively little for the user 
  other than satiate a craving for krrf. Opah users derive no beneﬁt 
  from dust at all.
  KLEETEL
  For those preferring local fare, the Swamp of Night Secrets is home 
  to kleetel, a euphoric and mild psychedelic that is popular with 
  ’Nighters and former Downwinders. Easy to harvest and available 
  in great abundance, it is popular among common laborers and the 
  poor. Unfortunately, kleetel leaves an indelible stamp on its users, 
  rotting their teeth and causing intense nausea. Aside from the stink 
  of vomit that serves as kleetel’s most famous side eﬀect, the stench 
  of it seeps through the pores, surrounding regular users with an 
  unpleasant stench. 
  KRRF
  The drug of choice for the elite, krrf has been a popular import into 
  the city for generations. Introduced to Sanctuary by Caronnese 
  merchants, its use spread rapidly through the upper echelons 
  of Sanctan society. Appealing for its pleasing sensations of self-
  conﬁdence and sexual pleasure, it has since spread into all levels of 
  society, maintaining a large following even today. Krrf is sold by the 
  tambale (brick) or a portion of a tambale. The better the drug, the 
  stickier it is. Though it can be inhaled like snuﬀ, most Sanctans who 
  use it smoke it as the Ilsigi do.
  OPAH
  While most drugs used in Sanctuary are mildly addictive, few 
  are as dangerous as opah, a nasty and addictive drug that rapidly 
  hooks users—often for life. Those who try to kick it suﬀer terribly, 
  experiencing chills, hallucinations, tremors, and occasionally high 
  fevers. Though krrf comes from Caronne, opah comes from the 
  Mrsevedans. They sold it to the Caronnese, who then spread it 
  throughout the world through their capable merchant network. 
  Since opah’s ﬁrst emergence, Sanctuary’s outlying communities 
  have taken over production using Caronnese krrf for the base. And 
  given its widespread availability, it stands to supplant all other drugs 
  in the city. 
  
  - 18 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  What makes this drug so hard to control is that it is ﬁrst inexpensive 
  to produce and second, powerfully addictive. Not much more than 
  crystallized krrf ground down into a coarse brown powder, it requires 
  very little krrf to create large quantities. The common method for 
  distribution is through rags. During the ﬁnal stages of manufacture, 
  lengths of cloth are steeped in the krrf-opah slurry and then dried, 
  either in the sun (which is preferred) or over a hearth. After this, the 
  cloth is cut into two-inch squares. Pushers, often addicts themselves, 
  sell rags for about eight padpols each, enough to satiate a user for 
  about a day, though this is rarely enough for the deeply addicted.
  Part of opah’s the appeal is its price, but the real lure is in its addictive 
  qualities. When placed directly on the tongue and dissolved with 
  saliva, the drug produces an intense, though short-lived, sense of 
  superior well-being and conﬁdence. It doesn’t take long for the 
  drug’s corrosive properties to show themselves in regular users, 
  creating terrible mouth sores that take weeks to heal. Thus, addicted 
  users have misshapen tongues and garbled speech, which is very 
  noticeable in Rankene. As the use of opah is forbidden and the eﬀects 
  are quite visible, most users dissolve the drug in alcohol, honey, or 
  blood. Alcohol is preferred, as it not only extends the euphoria, but 
  exaggerates its own eﬀects. Those users with bad tongue ulcers abrade 
  their skin and press the cloth directly to the wound. 
  With the spread of opah through Sanctuary, scraps (opah-addicts) are 
  fast becoming a problem. The mere sight of a customer dipping a bit 
  of cloth in an alcoholic beverage can get him tossed into the street. 
  While opah addicts are no rowdier than drunkards, casual users can 
  become delusional and aggressive, leading to the occasional tavern 
  brawl or murder. 
  Opah production has thrived in recent years. It’s made in the outlying 
  hamlets just outside Sanctuary’s walls and then smuggled easily into 
  the city to major buyers like Makker (see page 159). It’s hard to tell 
  an opah-stained rag from the ﬁlthy garments worn by farmers, and 
  without tasting it (something no guard would volunteer to do), there’s 
  no way of knowing the drug from ﬁlth. The council of oligarchs and 
  Arizak have banned the drug, but such prohibitions have failed in 
  the face of its inexpensive price, the intensity of the addiction, and 
  the proﬁt enjoyed by prominent citizens. As a result, it seems opah 
  is here to stay.
  FOOD
  In a city as stricken with poverty as Sanctuary is, people eat whatever 
  they can get. Few have the resources to pay for a meal at a restaurant, 
  and those meals they can aﬀord are found in seedy dives, where the 
  meat is suspect and the breads are crunchy with weevils. Wealthier 
  citizens, like middle-class artisans or better, can aﬀord to dine at 
  ﬁner restaurants on occasion, though no more than once or twice a 
  month. It falls to the wealthiest citizens to sample Sanctuary’s true 
  delights. 
  Sanctuary’s cuisine centers on ﬁsh and shellﬁsh: crab, clams, scallops, 
  snails and just about anything else hauled out from the sea. Even 
  Sanctuary’s few delicacies come from the sea. Though expensive, 
  lobster is available to all citizens. Nothing compares to the price and 
  demand of the seasonal nyaﬁsh, though, whose succulence is famous 
  throughout the Known World. 
  Surrounding villages reliably supply the city with reasonably priced 
  pork and beef, and sometimes lamb. Even though Sanctuary is in a 
  A VULGAR GLOSSARY
  Sanctuary has a number of unique and colorful curses and epithets 
  appropriate to the city and its inhabitants. What follows is a short 
  glossary of the words and phrases commonly heard on the city 
  streets.
  B.D.P: An abbreviation, meaning “Before this Damned Prince.” 
  Since Kadakithis vanished, this term has fallen out of favor, and is 
  no longer used in the Irrune Era.
  Bint: 1. a loose or conniving woman. She cheated on me? I’ll kill 
  that bint.
  Cadite: 1. a native of Cadis, a foreign country. 2. A person of 
  lascivious character.
  Conky: 1. a derogatory term for a concubine.
  Croy: 1. to cheat or shortchange.
  Dance in the Air: 1. to be hanged.
  Death Shift: 1. a span of time starting in the middle of the night 
  and ending after dawn.
  Dip: 1. a pickpocket.
  Downwinder: 1. a resident of the Downwind (Rankan Era only). 
  2. a collector of garbage and nightsoil. 3. the custom of wrinkling 
  one’s nose when referring to Downwinders in conversation.
  Eunice: 1. a contemptuous name for a eunuch.
  Frog: 1. the act of coitus. 2. something that engages in coitus. 3. A 
  oath. Also, froggin’ and frogged. I’ll kill that froggin bint.
  Imperial: 1. of, or pertaining to, an empire, speciﬁcally the Rankan 
  Empire. When pronounced by Wrigglie speakers, there is a tendency 
  to change one of the syllables, making the word sound like the Ilsigi 
  word for someone whose mother slept around. 
  Mofandsf (Moe-fahn-zuf): 1. mind-boggling; often used by thieves 
  as an exclamation. 
  Nabob: 1. a very wealthy or powerful person. 2. a colloquial and 
  mildly derogatory translation for the Ilsigi/Wrigglie word for lord. 
  She cheated on me with a nabob? I’ll kill that froggin’ bint.
  Pork: 1. cooked swine. 2. the act of coitus. 3. something that 
  engages in coitus. 4. A mild oath. Also, porkin’ and porked. Porkin 
  hell! She cheated on me with an imperial nabob? I’ll kill that froggin’ 
  porksucking bint. Note that Wrigglies swear by frogs and Rankans 
  swear by swine.
  Pud: 1. an insigniﬁcant and worthless person, deriving from Rankene. 
  Porking hell! Are you saying, pud, she cheated on me with an imperial 
  nabob? I’ll kill that froggin’porksucking bint and that froggin’ pud too.
  Rag/Scrap: 1. an opah addict.
  Roach: 1. a cockroach. 2. thief, especially a cat-burglar. That porking 
  roach broke into my house! 
  Shewaw: 1. an exclamation of disgust.
  Shite: 1. excrement. That porking roach broke into my house and I aim 
  to beat the living shite out of him.
  Sparker: 1. A wealthy, but soft and worthless man. 
  Wrigglie: 1. a derogatory name for Sanctuary’s citizens, first 
  coined by Tempus and the Stepsons. 2. a cultural identiﬁer among 
  Sanctans.
  
  - 19 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  temperate climate, lacking the means for refrigeration means that 
  keeping meat from spoiling is tough. What’s not eaten quickly is 
  ground up and stuﬀed inside the animal’s entrails (usually cleaned) 
  for sausage. Vendors sell cooked sausages, pies, kabobs, and ﬁsh on 
  street corners, hawking their meals to passersby.
  Aside from ﬁsh and meat, Sanctuary’s foods include goat cheese and 
  blue-veined cheese, along with several other varieties that are dipped 
  in wax to preserve them. Eggs are staples, as are chicken and other 
  poultry. Sanctans are never wasteful with food, for it wasn’t long ago 
  that people preyed on house pets to ﬁll their growling gullets. Pickling 
  is big, as well, and the hungry have a steady supply of pickled ﬁsh, 
  pig feet and eyes, eggs, and eels, as well as anything else capable of 
  being preserved in brine.
  Fruits and vegetables are seasonally available. Popular selections are 
  bananas, apples, Enlibar oranges (people love the sweet red ﬂesh of 
  these fruits), pomegranates, and melons. Citrus is a standard means 
  for masking body odors, but these can be expensive, as most citrus 
  is imported from distant lands. Fruit unique to Sanctuary includes 
  the ginger-fruit (a small kumquat fruit that has a spicy ﬂavor) and 
  the qualis berry from which many drugs and wines are made. Locals 
  also dry fruit to carry them through the winter, so apple crisps and 
  raisins are available year round.
  Grains and other vegetables are widely available. The outlying regions 
  produce everything from peas and lentils to turnips and potatoes. 
  Nearly every citizen keeps a small supply on hand, either in a cellar 
  or in a covered hole to make it last longer. Grains mostly include 
  wheat and barley, but rice is available as well. 
  With meals, many Sanctans drink ﬁlthy water, often with a splash 
  of wine to kill contaminants. Wine can be expensive, though, so 
  dysentery is a common ailment among the poor. Beer is a good 
  substitute, being cheaper than wine, and more common. The wealthy 
  drink imported tea when it’s available from merchants. Fruit juice 
  during certain times of the year is another alternative.
  MUSIC
  Musicians can make decent livings in Sanctuary, for few locals have 
  any talent with instruments of any kind. Whether a minstrel plays 
  the cresca, a stringed instrument similar to a lute, or a ﬂute, or simply 
  just sings, a bawdy drinking song is always appreciated in Sanctuary’s 
  dingy bars. Though most have an appreciation for lighthearted tunes, 
  a haunting dirge or a love sonnet set to a few well-placed notes can 
  stir even the hardest of hearts. 
  Most establishments have a small stage. If the minstrel has talent, 
  proprietors gladly exchange a few tankards of ale, and perhaps a spot 
  before the hearth, for a night’s entertainment. Moreover, the minstrel 
  can expect tips and other favors from the clientele. Even those who 
  cannot ﬁnd a stage can play on street corners during the day and treat 
  the locals to a few tunes before the guard shoves them along. Though 
  the life of a minstrel is by no means rich, a little talent can ensure a 
  warm bed and a satisﬁed stomach.
  RUMORS AND LIES
  Sanctuary has no newspaper, no means for distributing news, no 
  town criers… nothing of the sort. Instead, word passes through 
  rumors and the stories of a few gifted storytellers. For a few padpols, 
  a rumormonger will divulge the latest gossip about Land’s End, the 
  Irrune, latest fashion trends, new goods on the Wideway, or any 
  other information an individual might want. Naturally, not all a 
  rumormonger tells is true — they are rumors, after all — but they 
  tend to be slightly more reliable than the embellished tales of local 
  storytellers.
  Other sources of information are the storytellers. These men, and 
  occasional women, gather tales from local citizens and weave them 
  into entertaining yarns to regale the locals. Storytellers tend to know 
  more than minor rumormongers do, or rather, they know more details. 
  Where rumormongers gather tidbits and facts, storytellers gather 
  tales, myths, and the personal experiences of common folk and locals. 
  From a certain point of view, they provide the history of the city.
  TILES AND GAMES
  As with any other culture, Sanctans like their games. People play card 
  games, dice and coin games, games involving ceramic tiles, games 
  with stones, and others with ﬁgurines. For the most part, Sanctans 
  gamble. They play card games similar to poker, betting with padpols 
  or shaboozh for the high stakes games, though “tiles” (poker, but with 
  ceramic tiles like dominoes) is a more popular pastime.
  WHORING
  For those with a certain itch that needs scratching, there are plenty 
  of brothels. Prostitution is a strong industry, regardless of the era. 
  From the high-priced bordellos of the Street of Red Lanterns to 
  the diseased whore haunting the Promise of Heaven in the dead of 
  night, to the sadistic pleasure den that is the House of Whips… no 
  matter the taste or interest, Sanctuary caters to all.
  
  - 20 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Sanctuary’s not called “Thieves’ World” for nothing; this city literally 
  thrives on criminal enterprise. It seems that, no matter their station or 
  social class, everyone in this city operates outside the law. Pickpockets 
  and cutpurses prowl the bazaar and Caravan Square. Gangs roam the 
  Hill and the Maze, taking by force what they refuse to earn through 
  honest means. Drug lords and their armies of pushers make addicts 
  of the innocents and weak-willed, preying on children, both of body 
  and of mind. Beggars, assassins, slavers, and worse combine to make 
  Sanctuary’s streets dangerous, regardless of the hour. This section 
  highlights a few of the more proﬁtable businesses and notorious 
  criminals.
  DRUGS
  Sanctuary is a city of vice… of prostitutes, thievery, murder and drugs. 
  Between the krrf dens in Westside, the Hill, and the Maze, or the 
  swollen tongues of scraps driven by an insatiable need for just one 
  more ﬁx, drug use is a growing problem in the city. As various drug 
  lords and their armies of pushers and dealers ﬁght for more territory, 
  the city groans under the weight of corruption.
  The industry of dealing in drugs is as complex as any other business 
  in the city. The city imports most of the raw materials from places 
  like Cirdonia and Caronne and reﬁnes them in the agricultural 
  communities on the outskirts of the city. As the Irrune lack the 
  interest or the resources to widen their control into the outlying areas, 
  law must be maintained by local militias, and drug lords easily bribe 
  them to turn the other way.
  For a small fee, farmers and herdsmen smuggle the ﬁnished materials 
  into the city, moving hundreds of opah books into the city each 
  week to handlers who work in Caravan Square and the Farmers’ 
  Market. They bring the materials back to their headquarters in the 
  city, and distribute the product to pushers. Many dealers are addicts 
  themselves, and sell the books to keep themselves supplied, which 
  is just how the drug lords like it: They work for raw materials, and 
  they’re easily replaced by a dozen other addicts struggling with the 
  same cravings.
  Opah is the biggest industry of them all, but dustmen in the Hill 
  still do a brisk business among the really desperate. Krrf, still mostly 
  illegal, comes into the city, though it remains a drug for the wealthier 
  citizens. And smoking herbs, perhaps the most common of all, can 
  be purchased legally from any of Sanctuary’s apothecaries.
  GANGS AND THUGS
  Some of the greatest threats to the average citizen are not the avatars 
  of angry gods or random spells cast by mad wizards, but the prowling 
  gangs of disaﬀected youth. The lack of regular work, ignorance, and 
  growing disillusionment and despair engender a rebellious streak in 
  many of the city’s younger citizens. These groups, made up mostly of 
  idle young men, set ﬁres, abuse children and animals, steal, rape, and 
  act as a public menace. Much more of a threat during the Rankan 
  Era, gangs ranged from swarms of urchins to organized criminals 
  that ran protection rackets. 
  Sanctuary has had many gangs; some grew to infamy, others were 
  born and dead within the span of a few days. The Beggar King, during 
  the Rankan Era, used swarms of children to do his dirty work — a 
  group of them ambushed Jubal in revenge for the killing of one of 
  their own. Beggars worked together, closing in on lone travelers, 
  panhandling, and preying on the kindhearted and naïve. Jubal used 
  his hawk-masks (see page 36 for details) as a brazen symbol of his 
  power in the city. In the chaos of Sanctuary’s civil war, Zip used gang 
  members and thugs as the foot soldiers of the PFLS.
  Though the faces have changed, gangs remain a problem. Irrune 
  soldiers take what they want, whether woman or food. Hillers prey 
  on merchants, and groups of children run wild in the streets. People 
  learn to cross to the other side of the street rather than face a cluster 
  of bored faces. Sanctans adapt to survive the violence of the city.
  PROTECTION RACKETS
  To run a business in this city, it’s more than likely you’ll have to pay for 
  some form of protection. Criminal organizations “allow” businesses to 
  pay a cut of their proﬁts in exchange for watching out for the place 
  and preventing their own organization or others from robbing the 
  place or otherwise disrupting business. This is an age-old custom in 
  the city and the rulers are powerless to stop the underworld from 
  exerting its inﬂuence on the lives of commoners. A business or home 
  under the watch of a criminal group gains a painted mark or a swatch 
  of colored cloth to show the place’s allegiance to which group. 
  The worst excesses of this kind of extortion were during the terrorism 
  spread by the “piﬄes” and the 3rd Commando near the end of Ranke’s 
  inﬂuence on the city. There were literally dozens of factions in the city, 
  with groups controlling as little as a single block or alley or as much as 
  an entire neighborhood. Not only were businesses required to pay for 
  protection from each of the various factions, visitors had to purchase 
  armbands to prevent being attacked by one or more of the many groups 
  vying for control of the city. Simply by crossing from one side of the 
  city to the other, a traveler might purchase a dozen such badges for 
  their “protection.”
  SLAVERY
  In a city founded by ex-slaves, one would think there would be a 
  hard stance against the practice of chattel slavery within the city. 
  Unfortunately, this is a world where there are no truly free societies, 
  and slavery is a big part of every nation’s economy. The only reason 
  why Sanctuary does not have a bigger slave market is that few citizens 
  can aﬀord to own them. The only citizens who do (in the current era) 
  are in Land’s End or in the Governor’s Palace. During the Rankan 
  occupation, slavery was a little more common, but still reserved for 
  the wealthiest people, such as the various churches, merchants and, 
  again, those in the palace. 
  Slaves can originate from anywhere in the Known World. Rankans 
  drew most of their slaves from the people they conquered. A 
  surrendering force is expected to serve their conquerors for a time, 
  usually until they can buy their ways out of slavery. Luckily, few 
  THE SHADY SIDE OF THINGS 
  
  - 21 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  nations have closed slavery systems, so the slaves’ grandchildren were 
  often born free men and women. 
  The worst slavers are pirates. During the end of the Rankan occupation, 
  pirates from Scavengers’ Isle crept into the city and kidnapped citizens 
  in order to sell them, either on their island or in ports throughout the 
  world. It’s a dirty business, but a very proﬁtable one.
  THEFT AND BURGLARY
  Sanctuary is famous for its thieves. Wrigglies steal anything not 
  nailed down, and then most come back with a prybar to take both 
  the nail and the thing nailed. No one wants to be robbed, but it’s part 
  of the cost of living in this city. Furthermore, people see thieves in a 
  little better light. Characters like Shadowspawn bring a certain air 
  of excitement and adventure to the life of a thief, and these ﬁgures 
  are icons for a generation of poor and hungry children. 
  The city breeds all kinds of thieves, from cutpurses to cat burglars, 
  from hoods to grifters. Everyone makes sure to lock their doors, keep 
  their coin purses close, and above all, conceal the sumptuousness 
  of their station. Ostentatious displays of wealth instantly attract 
  attention, and the naïve merchant who thinks otherwise will wind 
  up poor and begging for his next meal by the end of the day.
  In general, Sanctan thieves don’t prey on the poor. Most know 
  the pinch of hunger, the bite of the cold, and the feel of ﬁlthy rags 
  scratching against the skin. Instead, they look to priests, nobles, 
  merchants, and maybe a guard or two to line their purses. The common 
  view is that it is the wealthy citizen’s duty to give without struggle, 
  and the thieves make it their business to make certain the rich make 
  good on their responsibilities.
  OTHER CRIMES
  The only way to survive in Sanctuary is to be prepared for the worst. 
  Sanctans have witnessed the very worst of human excesses, from 
  slavery to ritual sacriﬁce on the altars of perverse gods. But even 
  worse than these atrocities are the crimes Sanctans commit against 
  one another. Murder is so common in this city that there’s an entire 
  industry of corpse-picking, where local businesses collect unclaimed 
  bodies found in alleys or street corners and render them for their raw 
  materials. From the fat, they make candles and soap, and from the 
  hair, they produce wigs and even rope. The various bodily ﬂuids can 
  be resold to wizards, alchemists, and apothecaries. 
  But some crimes are worse than death from an argument or a brawl, 
  or even cold-blooded killing. During the most tumultuous times, 
  where the PFLS terrorized the city, they would burn down buildings 
  just because they suspected an inhabitant of having loyalties to the 
  Beysibs or the Stepsons. These ﬁres spread quickly in the poor sections 
  of the city, creating legions of scarred or maimed citizens.
  Rape is another problem in the city. Though Sanctuary has plenty of 
  brothels to satisfy the most decadent tastes, Sanctuary is a city ﬁlled 
  with hard and dangerous men, and among them swells a hunger for 
  violence. During the day, young women, or particularly attractive 
  young men, should never go without escorts. At night, even a squad 
  of mercenaries might not be enough.
  Perhaps the most galling part of living in this city is that, though 
  crimes occur every day with a new corpse each week and horriﬁc acts 
  of human depravity unfolding constantly, the watch and the guard 
  do little. Most guards eagerly accept bribes to let their prisoners go. 
  Even in the early years of Kadakithis’ rule, corruption was rampant, 
  and the worst parts of human nature continue to assert themselves as 
  they have for as long as any can remember. It falls to personal defense 
  and vigilance to survive these streets.
  POLITICS
  Though seemingly lawless, Sanctuary has always had a ruler, and 
  there have always been laws, even if they’re largely ignored. Since 
  the Ilsigi ﬁrst conquered the innocent ﬁshing village of ex-slaves 
  and sailors, down to the present day presence of the always-volatile 
  Irrune, Sanctuary has seen a parade of corrupt, ambitious, and 
  worthless rulers. Even during the bright spots in the city’s history, 
  corruption has always reigned supreme. It’s a wonder the city is 
  still standing, some say, considering the leaders that have controlled 
  the place. 
  GOVERNMENTS:  
  PAST AND PRESENT
  Sanctuary has known war and strife, with many conquerors and many 
  rulers. Each governor or cluster of governors left a mark on the city, 
  commemorated by architectural improvements or areas ruined by 
  their neglect, statues of old leaders erected in their hubris, or in the 
  very names of the ruled. Signs of Sanctuary’s past are everywhere, if 
  
  - 22 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  one knows where to look. A section of wall may bear the silhouette 
  of a noble lord; though people pass by every day, few recognize that 
  it honors Kadakithis. Even the hated Beysib left a mark on the city, 
  leaving behind timbers from ruined ships that were incorporated into 
  the various buildings along the Wideway. Sanctuary is a city with a 
  living history that pulses on the streets, in the buildings, and in the 
  desperate souls that haunt the night.
  ILSIG ERA
  When Ilsig conquered Sanctuary, memories of the slave rebellion were 
  still fresh. The Ilsigi sought to punish the populace for weakening 
  their kingdom and betraying them to the Rankans. The conquerors 
  set about to fortify the city, starting construction on the Governor’s 
  Palace, the Old Wharf, and a number of improvements on the city 
  to better defend it against their Rankan enemies. 
  For the Sanctans, this was a brutal time. The Ilsig conquerors had no 
  interest in justice, only punishment and exploitation. The Ilsigi ruled 
  the city with an iron ﬁrst, conscripting citizens to work on government 
  projects without pay. Public executions were the norm, leading to a 
  climate of fear that seems to persist even to this day. Some mark this 
  era as the start of the end of Sanctuary’s innocence.
  RANKAN RULERS
  Ranke conquered Sanctuary next. The city promised to be an excellent 
  staging area to mount attacks against their rivals, the Kingdom of Ilsig. 
  Withough Sanctuary, Ranke faced a prolongued war in the World’s 
  Spine Mountain, for even after a century of ﬁghting, the tribal people 
  held the one known pass, preventing the legionnaires from mounting 
  an adequate invasion. And so, when a general discovered his father’s 
  journal, which recounted the route he took from Sanctuary, Ranke 
  wasted little time.
  The Empire descended on the small city, slaughtering the Ilsigi lords 
  and soldiers. But the Rankans saw little diﬀerences between the 
  Ilsigi masters and the Wrigglies who lived there. Once conquered, 
  Sanctuary was absorbed into the Empire, used to launch an invasion 
  of the Kingdom of Ilsig, and when the mission was completed, Ranke 
  pretty much left the city to its own devices.
  The Emperor installed a series of governors, each more corrupt than 
  the last. The rulers took more and more from the people, using the 
  monies taken to fund their decadent lifestyles. This was tolerable, at 
  least at ﬁrst, for Sanctuary, then, lay on a major trade route. But once 
  Ilsig fell, Sanctuary’s importance declined and the inﬂux of wealth 
  dried up. The artisans and merchants drifted from the city to be 
  replaced by malcontents, cast-oﬀs, and undesirables, lending to the 
  city’s already seedy character.
  EARLY GOVERNORS
  Many governors came and left Sanctuary, but there are few records 
  of their names or their accomplishments. Little distinguished one 
  regime from the others; all were marked with corruption, decadence, 
  and idleness. Being assigned to Sanctuary was a demotion; the city 
  largely a place to dump political enemies. Those ﬁrst few Rankan 
  governors may have sought to improve the city, but they quickly 
  realized Sanctuary had as much use for them as they did for the 
  city. So Rankan rulers and the populace fell into a regular truce. 
  If you needed something done, you bribed an oﬃcial. Governors 
  plundered tax revenues for their own pleasures, hosting lavish parties 
  and wasting precious funds on courtesans, imported liquors, and, 
  of course, krrf. 
  For more details on Sanctuary’s early governors, see the Serripines 
  Clan on page 38.
  KADAKITHIS
  When Kadakithis arrived to replace the previous ineﬀective lord, 
  the city had no idea what to do with him. Kadakithis, also known 
  as “Kittycat,” honestly wanted to clean up the city. He planned to 
  repair the roads, stop drug traﬃcking, stop the gangs, and pretty 
  much neuter Sanctuary’s criminal underworld. He ordered his Hell 
  Hounds to patrol the streets, levied a tax against the brothels, and 
  passed a slew of other unpopular laws. Kadakithis hanged a thief 
  every day. Their tar-dipped bodies swung from ropes oﬀ the walls 
  of the Governor’s Palace to spread the word that this new governor 
  was diﬀerent.
  At ﬁrst, the city was shocked, and a little angry. As over half the 
  city had some illicit involvement, every law aﬀected everyone. The 
  brothels had no intention of closing up shop to meet the demanded 
  taxes, and the drug lords had no desire to ﬁnd legitimate trades. The 
  reactions were poor and created a great deal of unrest, starting with 
  a war between the beggars and Jubal’s hawk-masks, and concluding 
  with the brutal destruction of Jubal’s estate at the hands of Tempus. 
  With the most prominent crime lord dead (or so most believed), it 
  seemed Sanctuary was on the cusp of great change. 
  But then the Beysib came, ﬂeeing a tyrant in their native land, and 
  not all were as welcoming as the prince. For the next several years, 
  Kadakithis’ reign was marked with violence, civil war, and anarchy. 
  
  - 23 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  And while the city boiled with unrest, Kadakithis was strangely 
  detached from the violence, seemingly content with the luxury of 
  the palace.
  Kadakithis eventually restored some semblance of stability, largely 
  through the eﬀorts of his allies Tempus, the Stepsons, and a witch 
  from the Downwind. And success brought him even greater 
  popularity with the citizens of Sanctuary. The last few years of his 
  tenure showed incredible advances in developing the city’s defense, 
  renovations to the roads and gates, improvement in food and other 
  resources, and best of all, a more important presence for the city in 
  the Known World. 
  SHUPANSEA AND THE BEYSIB
  As described, the coming of the Beysibs distracted Kadakithis from 
  his course. With these alien people came strange beliefs, customs, 
  and dress — all of which proved to be an immense distraction to 
  the rulers and the ruled. But the Beysibs also brought with them 
  incredible wealth and force of arms. Though the Beysib were 
  welcomed as friends, no one doubted that the Beysibs could have 
  taken the city had they wanted to. Thanks to the eﬀorts of a pair 
  of ﬁshermen, Sanctuary avoided the violence of the invasion — or 
  at least to start.
  From the beginning of the Beysib presence, tensions were high. The 
  Beysib are a matriarchic society and so women were accorded great 
  honors. For most Wrigglie men, this was intolerable and was only 
  made worse by the Beysib style of dress. It was downright scandalous 
  how these women ﬂaunted their breasts, covering themselves with 
  paint rather than honest clothing. 
  It didn’t help things that people saw Kadakithis as too young, too 
  untested to handle the threat. Most believed the governor had given 
  over too easily and was seduced by Princess Shupansea’s wiles. This 
  led to a widespread belief that Kadakithis had betrayed the population 
  and had abandoned them in their time of need.
  Finally, Beysib justice was ruthlessly eﬃcient. At the executioner’s 
  block, criminals weren’t hanged; they were subject to violent displays 
  of swordplay, where the criminal would be stripped naked and tied 
  to a post while a swordsman would carve bits of ﬂesh from his body. 
  People would watch, in some cases it was required, and the cruelty 
  fomented the seeds of hatred. 
  Though the rumblings of discontent were heard, in the streets, in 
  the taverns, even in the bedroom of the Beysa, Kadakithis honestly 
  believed that the friendship with the Beysib people would thrust 
  Sanctuary forward, and make it a place of import in the Known 
  World. The Beysib people were incredibly wealthy and they were 
  willing to trade with the locals, thus improving the lives of all. To 
  encourage this, he openly courted the Beysib princess, Shupansea, 
  to ﬁrm the bonds of alliance.
  In truth, Sanctuary descended into a brutal civil war in the days 
  when Shupansea jointly ruled the city. Though she strove to protect 
  her people, counter-organizations like the Piﬄes ambushed Beysibs, 
  murdering them in the streets. The 3rd Commando stalked the night, 
  ﬁghting a secret war against Roxane and her undead lackeys. The 
  Stepsons, or at least the ones Tempus left behind, picked sides against 
  the Beggar King, Jubal, and others as the city hemorrhaged with the 
  inﬁghting. What could have been a time of peace was instead one of 
  despair and destruction. 
  MOLIN TORCHHOLDER
  Throughout the entire Rankan Era, the exiled priest, Molin 
  Torchholder, served as the city’s champion. At ﬁrst, he despised the 
  Sanctans, disdaining the constant crime and the stink of corruption, but 
  somehow he ﬁt in. He never actually ruled the city, but during the reign 
  of Kadakithis and Shupansea, as well as the turbulent period after their 
  passing, Molin guided the government from behind the throne. During 
  the Gods’ War, he fought on the front lines, maneuvering to get the 
  Temple of Savankala completed, but even after Vashanka’s temporary 
  exile, he remained at the center of the city’s treacherous politics.
  When Kadakithis left to make a claim on the Rankan throne, the 
  city turned to Molin for leadership. Molin could have claimed a 
  seat on the council of oligarchs, for he certainly had the wealth and 
  inﬂuence. Instead, he opted to be an advisor, and spent his remaining 
  years in semi-retirement. The greed and ambition of the magnates 
  prevented him from much rest, however. Despite his warnings, the 
  magnates made foolish decisions based on lining their pockets rather 
  than safeguarding the city. It fell to Molin to save Sanctuary from the 
  cult of Dyareela, to rescue the city from the jaws of religious tyranny, 
  and to usher it into a new era.
  And so, while Molin was ever the corrupt oﬃcial, capable of great 
  evils, he always looked to the betterment of Sanctuary rather than 
  toward advancing his own station. While he yearned for Ranke and 
  hated the city and all that it stood for, he took his responsibilities 
  very seriously. Molin, perhaps, better reﬂects the nature of city than 
  anyone else, for while he was a noble, dedicated man, his history 
  was colored by crime and corruption, and by the terrible things he 
  permitted or did himself to gain the greater good. For Molin, the 
  ends always justiﬁed the means.
  PROTECTORS OF SANCTUARY (THE PEERS)
  The Beysibs withdrew from Sanctuary once word reached them that 
  the Usurper had died, freeing them to return to their homeland and 
  restore themselves as rightful rulers of their own empire. Kadakithis, 
  Chenaya, and others left on their heels, setting forth to stake a claim 
  on the now-vacant Rankan throne. This left a power vacuum in the city, 
  and ﬁlling the gap were the city’s most inﬂuential and wealthy citizens. 
  The self-named Protectors of Sanctuary set out to seize control of the 
  city, passing a series of laws and edicts to improve their own positions, 
  rather than to protect or help Sanctuary. It seemed that Sanctuary had 
  returned to its previous era of poor rule. However, what separated this 
  regime from those in the past was that the council consisted of Rankan 
  expatriates, Ilsigi and Wrigglie merchant princes, and other inﬂuential 
  citizens. For the ﬁrst time in history, Sanctans ruled Sanctuary.
  Though the council had great plans for the city, too many of their 
  numbers feared independence from Ranke, and so they entreated 
  Ranke (and later the reconstituted Ilsig) for help and supplies, 
  oﬀering vast sums of gold, slaves, and favorable trade agreements for 
  assistance with the growing diﬃculties faced by the city. Sadly, the 
  era of hope that dawned with Ranke’s withdrawal brought drought, 
  famine, and pestilence to the city, only heightened by the arrival of 
  foreign priests and merchants. 
  With dwindling resources, the councilmen and women turned to 
  their own concerns, protecting their interests and leaving Sanctuary 
  to whatever end it would face. The city was ripe for new rule. But no 
  one suspected it would be at the hands of the cult of Dyareela.
  
  - 24 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  DYAREELANS
  Easily the most inﬂuential organization to visit Sanctuary in the past 
  two decades, these men and women worshipped Dyareela, the chaos 
  goddess and mistress of madness. Usually described as a woman with 
  singed hair and scorched robes, smoke and ﬂame rising all about her, 
  and her face twisted into a demon mask, she is neither a Rankan god 
  nor an Ilsigi one. She predates both pantheons, and is worshipped all 
  over the world. She is often referred to as the Dark Mother or the 
  Lady of Blood. Blood, chaos, violence, and madness are her provinces. 
  She is a hermaphrodite: although worshipped in her feminine form, 
  she is said to be masculine below the waist.
  Those who worship Dyareela believe she provides renewal by razing 
  and providing a clean slate for rebirth. Her methods are blunt, brutal, 
  and painful, because every great work requires pain, and only through 
  sacriﬁce can the world grow and mature. Blood sacriﬁces are made 
  often, and most worshippers also scar themselves to show their 
  devotion. This makes it very easy to spot a follower of Dyareela.
  No one knows when the cult ﬁrst entered Sanctuary. It is possible 
  it had always been there; certainly, the city has enough violence, 
  madness, and bloodshed to satisfy the goddess, and Dyareela had 
  overtly inﬂuenced events in the city on more than one occasion. 
  When the Protectors entreated the Kingdom of Ilsig for assistance, 
  the foreign nation sent priests for succor. Among them were cultists 
  of the Mother of Chaos. 
  Dyareela and deities like her always gain more followers during 
  crises. People assume the goddess is responsible for the catastrophe, 
  showing her power and demanding worship, and they pray to her in 
  the hope that the problem will end. Thus, when the droughts began, 
  more people called out to Dyareela, though drought and famine are 
  not her usual methods. But then the plague returned, this time more 
  virulent and much more painful. That brought sickness, bloodshed, 
  and mayhem, all of which suited the Dark Mother perfectly. Her 
  worshippers spoke out openly for the ﬁrst time, praising her name 
  and oﬀering to end the sickness on her behalf. Most of the S’danzo 
  in Sanctuary had vanished, leaving only a few people behind, and 
  Dyareela’s worshippers hunted them down and slaughtered them, 
  claiming the S’danzo were unclean and impure and had cursed the city 
  as they’d ﬂed. And then the plague disappeared. The cultists declared 
  that they had sent it away, thanks be to Dyareela, by purging the evil 
  from their city. The Council knew this was just posturing, but most 
  of the locals believed them—after all, they themselves had just killed 
  the S’danzo, and with their deaths went the plague. More people 
  listened to the priests, and more Sanctans joined them.
  Life in Sanctuary was still hard, but the Dyareelans preached this 
  was a test from their goddess. They claimed that she wanted them 
  to suﬀer in order to wipe away their own impurities, so they might 
  serve her better. Sanctans looked for anything to explain their string 
  of horrible luck, so most jumped at this answer: Dyareela tested them 
  all. And, by praying to her, they hoped to earn her favor and perhaps 
  escape her wrath the next time around.
  At this point, the worshippers became an actual cult. Only two types 
  of people existed: Dyareela’s chosen and the unclean. If you were not 
  a follower, you must be impure, and you had to be tortured and then 
  killed to cleanse the land of your taint. They maintained their position 
  because the Protectors were the ﬁrst to fall under their sway, and the 
  city’s elite was willing to tolerate the cult’s early eﬀorts so long as 
  they were directed towards the more “troublesome” elements of the 
  city. They spoke out about how Dyareela wanted to wipe the world 
  clean of its ﬂaws and create a paradise for her faithful. The cult grew 
  in size and in fervor. They performed sacriﬁces, grabbing anyone they 
  considered unclean, torturing them, and then killing them publicly. 
  The deaths were horrible. Victims were placed in large metal cages 
  and then hung above a roaring ﬁre. Public ﬂoggings were common, 
  and sometimes the goddess could only be satisﬁed by hearts cut out 
  to the moans of gathered crowds. The townspeople prayed that these 
  sacriﬁces would convince her not to make matters worse.
  Shortly after the cult came into power, it split into factions. Half 
  its members believed Dyareela had been angry, and demanded the 
  sacriﬁces as appeasement. Now that they had made the sacriﬁces, she 
  might relent and release them from this cycle of drought, ﬂooding, 
  and plague. These were the traditionalists. They believed destruction 
  and chaos were parts of rebirth, but not necessarily the only part. The 
  rest of the cult, however, felt diﬀerently. They knew the end times 
  were near. Dyareela would wipe the world utterly clean and only the 
  faithful would survive the purging, ushering in a new golden age. But 
  all of the impure had to be destroyed before this new world could 
  be born. To the extremists, even the traditionalists were heretics, 
  traitors, and heathens.
  The cult of Dyareela fed on fear. The more Sanctuary suﬀered, the 
  stronger it became. With each outbreak of plague, each ﬂood or 
  hurricane, and each ﬁre, the cult declared the goddess had cleansed 
  another impurity, and that the world was that much closer to reaching 
  the promised glory of Dyareela’s paradise. And while they preached 
  the propaganda from blood-ﬂecked lips and sprayed the froth only the 
  insane can spew, the cultists, almost as a whole, slipped into insanity. 
  What were once carefully controlled sacriﬁces became wholesale 
  slaughter. The city panicked, and many Sanctans ﬂed. 
  Worse were the orphans. In an act of “compassion,” the cult opened 
  orphanages for Sanctuary’s children, collecting these pliable minds 
  so they could indoctrinate them into the faith. Each child they 
  converted added to the army they strove to build to spread their 
  message all over the world. With such a force, they could conquer 
  all the Known World and bring the goddess into the Material Plane. 
  Soon, children perpetrated the worst acts, with the blood of brutal 
  murders staining their hands.
  The Protectors, though weakened, could stand no more. Through 
  Molin Torchholder, they contacted Arizak, chieftain of the Irrune, 
  a tribe of nomadic barbarians that had, on more than one occasion, 
  been used by the Rankans in their interminable wars. Molin oﬀered 
  the Irrune the city if the Irrune would oust the cult. After nearly a 
  year of negotiations (during which the Dyareelans committed the 
  worst atrocities), Arizak agreed. Sympathizers in the city left open the 
  gate to the city during a major festival to the goddess, and, through 
  the open gate, Molin and the Irrune swept into the city. Too drunk 
  to put up any real resistance, the Dyareelans were crushed and the 
  few survivors — extremists, mostly — holed up in the Palace. Faced 
  with a long siege, Molin ordered the palace burned (though it is still 
  claimed that the palace caught ﬁre by accident) and the resulting ﬁre 
  forced the cultists to surrender. 
  In the weeks that followed, the Irrune wiped out all remaining cultist 
  elements they could ﬁnd, while Molin interviewed the surviving 
  orphans, selecting those who had not given their souls to the 
  goddess and releasing them back into the city. The ﬁrst law passed 
  
  - 25 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  was the daughter of a minor Rankan noble and merchant, was thrilled 
  with the idea of settling down in a city, even this city, and eventually 
  talked the clan chief into assisting. But, as Arizak had predicted, 
  almost half his kinsmen decided to stay camped along the river instead 
  of following him into Sanctuary and up to the palace.
  The Irrune are primarily horsemen and sheepherders. In their own 
  homeland, they relied on natural landscape features to conﬁne their 
  herds and protect them from predators. They are used to moving 
  about freely, and do not like being cooped up, particularly in cold 
  stone walls. This is part of the reason why the Irrune can often be 
  seen wandering the streets of Sanctuary. The air doesn’t smell right, 
  particularly in the west end of the Shambles but it helps to be outdoors 
  and moving about. 
  Perhaps the strangest notion the Irrune have, at least from a Sanctan’s 
  perspective, is their attitude toward money. The Irrune do not believe 
  in buying or selling anything. Items should be taken by force, or given 
  freely as gifts, but never simply purchased. This is hard for the locals 
  to grasp, because many of them focus entirely on money, and to have 
  their new rulers not care about such matters is unsettling. Of course, 
  the smarter merchants and artisans caught on and began presenting 
  the new governor with expensive “presents,” and received valuable 
  gifts in return, which they then sold. The Irrune see no problem with 
  this, but they still do not understand why anyone would care so much 
  about such small metal disks.
  The Irrune are organized by paternal blood. Each lineage can trace its 
  line back to a single man, and each of those men belonged to a larger 
  family, known as a sept. Three septs left the Irrune homeland three 
  generations ago. Only two of them reached the city. Arizak is the war 
  leader of one sept and the brother of his ﬁrst wife, Verrezza, brother 
  was the war leader of the other. The Irrune also divide themselves 
  was a ban on the worship of Dyareela; those found doing so faced 
  execution. The Irrune took matters further, banning the worship of 
  any god other than their own within the walls of the city. While the 
  Irrune enforced the laws strictly, they were unable to track down 
  every single cultist. Those few who survived removed the blood-red 
  tattoos from their faces and hands, ﬂed the city, or reintegrated into 
  society, hiding their pasts until such time they are enough to retake 
  Sanctuary once more.
  THE IRRUNE
  In many ways, the Irrune are the Dyareelans’ opposites. Where the 
  Dyareelans were a fragmented cult of religious zealots, the Irrune are 
  generally suspicious of gods, venerating their ancestors instead. They 
  are a tribe of warriors, not priests. (As such, they are all related in some 
  way.) Furthermore, when there is a disagreement within these people, 
  they resolve it through ritual combat rather than by denouncing each 
  other as heretics or simply launching an attack.
  Second, the Dyareelans have been around for thousands of years, 
  and may have been in Sanctuary since the city was ﬁrst created. The 
  Irrune, however, are not from this region, and ﬁrst appeared near 
  Sanctuary, on the other side of the rivers, only ﬁfteen or so years ago. 
  They are not native to this land, and only the truly well traveled in 
  Sanctuary had ever heard of them before they settled in the nearby 
  hills. But after Molin’s time alongside the Irrune, he recognized a 
  certain cultural kinship between the “uncivilized” Irrune and the 
  ancestors of the Rankan Empire’s founders.
  Third, the Dyareelans focus upon death, destruction, and mayhem. The 
  Irrune are warlike, but are little more than raiders. They concentrate 
  on claiming supplies, women, and shelter, usually in that order. 
  Destruction is entertaining, but only for items they do not want 
  or cannot use. Death is serious, and even a dead foe deserves some 
  funeral rites. Although they do not have many rules and place great 
  store in personal freedom, the Irrune do not approve of anarchy. They 
  advocate following a personal code, and obeying the clan leaders, and 
  putting the clan before the individual’s welfare. Even if the Dyareelans 
  had not killed Arizak’s younger brother, the Irrune might still have 
  attacked them out of pity for the city and its residents, who were 
  living in terror while the cult controlled the streets.
  Now that they control Sanctuary, the Irrune have had to adjust 
  their lifestyle and their beliefs to accommodate the city. Though not 
  originally nomadic, the Irrune were on the move for decades. They 
  had been chased from their own homeland by invaders, who later 
  went on to attack the city of Ranke. Over eight thousand Irrune 
  departed, but only four thousand reached Sanctuary — one sept, or 
  major group, had decided not to travel so far west, and the constant 
  travel and frequent ﬁghting were taking their toll. Even back home, 
  the Irrune were unfamiliar with cities; they lived in small groups 
  spread out over large farmlands, only coming together in a lineage 
  or a sept for emergencies or momentous occasions. The idea of 
  living in a building with people who are not your relatives, and of 
  cramming so many people into one place, and of spending the night 
  under a solid ceiling and roof instead of gazing up at the stars, were 
  all things the Irrune had never even considered and, for most, were 
  frightening concepts. 
  Arizak had originally declined Molin’s oﬀer to control Sanctuary, 
  because he knew that many of his people would not be able to endure 
  the notion of living in such conﬁned quarters. His young wife, who 
  
  - 26 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  into war-bands: a group of young men built around a single leader. 
  These war-bands are more aggressive than the rest of the Irrune, 
  and constantly look for ways to prove their strength and for chances 
  to win more wealth. (The wealth itself is not very important — as 
  mentioned above, the Irrune do not buy items — but winning it is a 
  sign of skill and power, and raises the war-band’s prestige.) War-bands 
  often hire themselves out to non-Irrune as warriors, though rather 
  than actual pay, they prefer the right to raid their fallen foes. If the 
  band is successful enough, when the members grow older, they can 
  become a new lineage, with their leader as the patriarch.
  When he ﬁrst agreed to take control of Sanctuary, Arizak decided 
  he would spend the winter months in the city, but would return to 
  the mountains in spring and spend the summer and fall raiding as 
  usual. Most of the Irrune agreed with this notion, for they always 
  sat out the cold anyway, and waiting in fur-lined tents among the 
  mountains or in the Governor’s Palace are not so diﬀerent. But after 
  Arizak’s wounding, he decided to retire to Sanctuary and govern the 
  city instead. There is a great deal of confusion among his people as a 
  result of this decision. Some came with him, and are now permanent 
  Sanctuary residents, struggling to adapt to city life. But many 
  others refuse to enter the city, and follow what they consider to be 
  a traditional Irrune lifestyle, raiding and riding and only stopping 
  during the worst of winter. The majority hope to ﬁnd a balance 
  between the two paths, and alternate between riding out in raids 
  and spending time in the city. Part of the problem is that the Irrune 
  are natural raiders, and they are accustomed to ﬁghting and stealing 
  whenever they want something. In Sanctuary, they have little to do, 
  and it is far too easy to take anything they want from the vendors, 
  merchants, or artisans. The Irrune men tend to their animals, but the 
  sheep cannot graze within the city limits, so those Irrune who are 
  now within Sanctuary have only their own horses to tend. In their 
  own territory, the perennial plants were available for harvesting, as 
  the tribe passed back through their territory as it moved along its 
  yearly circuit. So, most Irrune are desperately bored in Sanctuary, and 
  frantic for something to pass the time.
  LAW AND ORDER 
  Sanctuary has a reputation for being a lawless place, where personal 
  codes are more important than some dusty old edict hidden away in a 
  records oﬃce of the Hall of Justice. And while custom tends to ﬂout 
  the laws, and bribery is the surest means for getting by any nuisance, 
  there are some things that are illegal even in Thieves’ World. However, 
  codifying these laws is diﬃcult, for they tend to change with whomever 
  is in power. Furthermore, despite appearances, honest people do 
  outnumber the criminals, and most folks want to get crime out of their 
  neighborhoods for good.
  Sanctuary holds to one essential law: If no one complains, it’s not 
  illegal. You can worship the seventeen-headed butcher-beast of the 
  Seventh Hell in the privacy of your own home, and so long as no one 
  complains, the Law doesn’t give one whit. Sure, if they catch you in the 
  act, or if a few virgins go missing, they may ask you some questions, 
  but as long as you weren’t responsible for the missing girls, they’ll 
  leave you in peace. It’s hard to maintain a sense of law in a city like 
  Sanctuary, where new laws are born and die with the latest ruler. 
  Much of Sanctuary’s law enforcement relies on catching a culprit in 
  the act, for few people will turn over a known thief to the watch, and 
  most avert their eyes when they see a murder committed in an alley, 
  go deaf to the screams of the assaulted, and even go so far as to cross 
  to the other side of the street, lest they join the victim. Revenge is a 
  serious risk whenever a nosy citizen sticks his nose where it doesn’t 
  belong, and so most do well keeping to themselves.
  Of course, the Sharda, a recent law enforcement innovation, are now 
  making a serious attempt to investigate crimes, though it’s hard to 
  say which crimes they take an interest in.
  Though they receive little assistance from the locals, the guard and watch 
  look for anything they deem suspicious. Though they may not know 
  the letter of the law, they all have a sense for the things to keep an eye 
  on. Obviously, if a patrol comes across a gang setting ﬁre to a building 
  with people trapped inside, the watch will step in. And if they see a man 
  murder another in an alley, they’ll arrest the murderer. But they can’t be 
  everywhere and at every time, so Sanctuary goes on as it always has: 
  Don’t ask, don’t tell.
  PUNISHMENTS, SANCTUARY STYLE
  If caught, a criminal must face justice at the Hall of Justice, which 
  is connected to the Governor’s Palace. In most cases, a magistrate 
  oversees the proceedings, listening to the evidence against the accused. 
  The criminal is allowed to plead his case and have witnesses testify 
  on his behalf. At the end of the trial, the magistrate considers the 
  evidence, and then makes a decision based on his ﬁndings. If he ﬁnds 
  the accused guilty, he also sentences the criminal.
  
  - 27 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  For some crimes, Sanctuary relies on higher authority. For crimes 
  of a magical nature (these are rarely, if ever tried), representatives of 
  the Mageguild handle the trial. For instances of high treason, the 
  Governor, or whoever happens to be in charge at the palace, makes 
  all decisions.
  Table 2–1: Crime and Punishment in Sanctuary describes 
  punishable oﬀenses in the city and in the outlying communities, 
  though those places often had their own magistrates. By no means 
  is this list exhaustive, and GMs are encouraged to tailor Sanctuary’s 
  legal system in accord with their particular campaign. For minor 
  oﬀenses, such as public drunkenness, slander, endangerment, and 
  other petty crimes, the Hall of Justice imposes a mild ﬁne (usually 1d6 
  shaboozh) or, failing that, a brief stay in Sanctuary’s grim dungeon 
  (see the Dungeon in Chapter Three: Sanctuary, Then and Now for 
  details).
  SAMPLE PUNISHMENTS
  When determining the punishment for the crime, a magistrate (an 
  honest one, in any case) applies the lowest listed punishment for 
  ﬁrst-time oﬀenders. Each oﬀense after the ﬁrst one imposes a more 
  severe punishment on the criminal. In the case of multiple crimes, 
  the punishments stack.
  DEATH
  For many of Sanctuary’s rulers, sentences of death served as the 
  most expedient way of dealing with criminals. Prince Kadakithis was 
  notorious for hangings, while the Dyareelans would burn criminals at 
  the stake or cut out their hearts on their altars. The Irrune are fairly 
  inventive, drawing and quartering criminals, or wrapping them in 
  rugs and trampling them with horses. The more severe the crime, the 
  more painful and slow the death. For crimes aﬀecting the entire city 
  or those against the government, governors publicly execute these 
  perpetrators to reinforce the rule of law.
  EXILE
  It takes a lot to get kicked out of Sanctuary, and so exile is pretty rare. 
  Magistrates reserve this punishment for minor lawbreakers who pose 
  no serious threat to the city, but could contaminate the population by 
  a more severe punishment. Priests caught preaching in the streets often 
  face exile, as do fraudulent merchants, charlatans, and the like. Exile 
  is usually permanent, but there have been instances of exile for a set 
  number of years. This is a common punishment for Irrune criminals.
  Minor
  Moderate
  Major
  Minor: 1 year
  Moderate: 1d6 years
  Major: Life
  TABLE 2–1: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN SANCTUARY
  — Punishment by Oﬀense —
  Crime
  First
  Second
  Third
  Fourth
  Arson
  Fine (moderate)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Death
  —
  Arson, Government
  Flogging (major)
  Death
  —
  —
  Assault
  Mutilation (minor)
  Hard labor (minor)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Flogging (major)
  Blackmail
  Fine (moderate)
  Fine (major)
  Hard labor (moderate)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Bribing an oﬃcial
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (moderate)
  Fine (major)
  Flogging (minor)
  Burglary
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (moderate)
  Flogging (minor)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Counterfeiting
  Fine (moderate)
  Hard Labor (minor)
  Hard Labor (moderate) 
  Flogging (moderate)
  Dyareelan Worship*
  Death
  —
  —
  —
  Embezzling
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (minor)
  Hard labor (minor)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Fraud
  Fine (moderate)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Exile
  Hard labor (major)
  Practice Religion*
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (minor)
  Exile
  —
  Reckless spellcasting
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (moderate)
  Flogging (minor)
  Death
  Murder
  Hard Labor (major)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Death
  —
  Murder, Mass
  Death
  —
  —
  —
  Perjury
  Fine (minor)
  Flogging (minor)
  Hard labor (minor)
  Hard labor (moderate)
  Rape
  Fine (minor)
  Mutilation (minor)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Mutilation (major)
  Rioting
  Fine (minor)
  Fine (moderate)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Hard labor (major)
  Robbery**
  —
  Fine (minor)
  Mutilation (minor)
  Flogging (moderate)
  Sedition
  Flogging (moderate)
  Flogging (major)
  Exile
  Death
  Tax Evasion
  Fine (minor)
  Flogging (minor)
  Hard labor (minor)
  Hard labor (moderate)
  Treason
  Flogging (major)
  Death
  —
  —
  Vandalism
  Fine (minor)
  Flogging (minor)
  Hard labor (moderate)
   Flogging (moderate)
  *Irrune Era only
  **Regardless of Era, robbery is perhaps the least enforced of all the laws, except during the ﬁrst part of Kadakithis’ reign. In fact, during the Irrune era, stealing is 
  a part of the Irrune culture, as they do not believe in currency.
  
  - 28 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  MUTILATION
  One of the better methods for preventing crime is through mutilation. 
  How can a thief steal if he has no hands? How can a rapist assault 
  women without genitalia? How can one speak slander without a 
  tongue? Considered barbaric by some, the Irrune brought the sentence 
  of mutilation to Sanctuary, and it seems to be a popular method for 
  dealing with Sanctuary’s persistent criminals.
  Minor
  Moderate
  Major
  Visible branding 
  or tattoo
  Trimming (clip part 
  of a tongue, cut oﬀ up 
  to three ﬁngers, partial 
  castration)
  Dismemberment 
  (cut oﬀ the 
  entire hand, total 
  castration, etc.)
  QUICK TRIAL RESOLUTION
  It is inevitable that, at some point, the PCs will have broken the law. 
  Some groups may wish to roleplay through the trial sequence, having 
  the accused character plead his case, and perhaps recruiting another 
  player to take on the role of the prosecutor. (As long as there are no hard 
  feelings, that is.) However, some groups may want a quick resolution 
  for these trials to keep the action moving. If so, follow these steps.
  STEP ONE
  Establish the character’s guilt. If the character is guilty, the trial has a 
  base DC of 20. If the character is not guilty, the trial has a base DC 
  of 10. It doesn’t matter if the character admits guilt or not.
  STEP TWO
  Consider the evidence stacked against the character and assign a 
  quality value to it, using the following guidelines.
  Evidence
  Example
  DC Modiﬁer
  Negligible
  Circumstantial and no witnesses
  –5
  Minor
  Circumstantial and unreliable witness
  –2
  Average
  Some evidence and a witness
  0
  Major
  Evidence and witnesses
  +10
  FINE
  Fines typically involve recompense for the victim. Usually, ﬁnes equal 
  the return of the property, plus up to half of the property’s value. If 
  the victim was injured, the magistrate assigns a value based on the 
  victim’s prominence and worth in the city (usually 1–100 shaboozh). 
  If the convicted criminal cannot pay the ﬁne, the magistrate levels 
  the next highest punishment.
  Minor
  Moderate
  Major
  Minor: 1d10 sh
  Moderate: 2d20 sh
  Major: 5d20 sh
  FLOGGING
  Many oﬀenses are easily resolved by a public beating. For minor 
  oﬀenses, the criminal must endure a few lashes, but the major oﬀenses 
  may call for as many as 100 lashes. Each stroke deals 1d3 points of 
  lethal damage. Few criminals survive this verdict for severe crimes.
  Minor
  Moderate
  Major
  Minor: 1d6 lashes
  Moderate: 1d12 lashes
  Major: 5d20 lashes
  HARD LABOR
  Kadakithis was famous for hanging people, but he also made extensive 
  use of labor camps. When the city rebuilt the walls, many of the 
  craftsmen came from the world over, but the bulk of the labor pool 
  came from criminals forced to work oﬀ their sentences. As Sanctuary 
  tries to rebuild after years of destruction, hard labor is preferred to 
  incarceration.
  Minor
  Moderate
  Major
  1d6 days
  1d6 weeks
  1d20 months
  INCARCERATION
  Beneath the Governor’s Palace is the Dungeon, a dripping foul place of 
  human misery. In Sanctuary, incarceration is not so much a punishment, 
  but rather the temporary state between accusation and punishment. In 
  the oﬀ chance that it persists, it’s usually because the judicial powers have 
  decided to make the accused disappear, rather than try to punish him.
  RANKAN ERA JUSTICE
  During the Rankan Era, the justice system was much more complex than it is today. There were essentially three instruments of justice. 
  The ﬁrst was the Rankan Civil Justice System, which upheld the laws codiﬁed in Ranke and was enforced by the Hell Hounds and 
  the city guard. Next came the religious laws, meted by the various churches in the city. From these varied outlooks come many of the 
  unusual cultural prohibitions that remain in force in the Irrune Era, such as the Irrune policy that no woman can cut a man’s hair, 
  certain food prohibitions, and so on. Last is the ad-hoc justice of the streets, usually found in the Bazaar, Maze, and in Jubal’s mock 
  courts in the Downwind.
  The Hall of Justice was reserved for important trials and appearances by the Governor. Minor trials were conducted in the garrison 
  by a constable or minor oﬃcial. During this era, incarceration was never a punishment; instead, the justice system relied on ﬁnes and 
  ﬂogging. For religious matters, Medes of Vashanka, Rashan of Savankala, and Corellia of Sabellia served as inquisitors and could 
  recommend any punishment, except for executions, which were handled by the civic courts. 
  One interesting aspect of the justice system in this era was the right to a Test of Fire. An accused citizen could claim this right and 
  throw himself to the justice of the gods. If guilty, the accused would be consumed by divine ﬁre (as ﬂame strike); if innocent, the accused 
  had to renounce his former life and serve the gods for the rest of his days, on pain of death and damnation.
  
  - 29 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  STEP THREE
  Assess the heinousness of the crime and apply these modiﬁers to the 
  trial DC. Multiple crimes stack.
  Crime
  DC
  Bribe, Burglary, Counterfeiting, Embezzling, Practice 
  Religion, Perjury, Robbery, Tax
  Evasion
  +0
  Assault, Fraud, Rape, Rioting, Vandalism
  +5
  Arson, Blackmail, Reckless Spellcasting, Murder, Sedition
  +10
  Arson of Government Building, Dyareelan Worship, Mass 
  Murder, Treason
  +20
  STEP FOUR
  For each previous conviction for the same crime, increase the DC 
  by +5. For each previous appearance in the Hall of Justice, increase 
  the DC by +1.
  STEP FIVE
  Subtract 1 from the DC for every 5 shaboozh spent in bribes. In 
  addition, social class can inﬂuence the outcome as well. If the charged 
  individual is a noble, he decreases the DC by 5, if a priest, he decreases 
  the DC by 3, and if a member of the guard or watch, he decreases 
  the DC by 1. Rankans, regardless of station, decrease the DC by 5. 
  In the Irrune era, Rankans lose the special privileges gained from 
  nationality and instead, being Irrune reduces the DC by 5.
  STEP SIX
  If the character is guilty, add the Magistrate’s Sense Motive check 
  result to the DC. If the character is innocent, subtract one-half the 
  Magistrate’s Sense Motive check from the DC. It doesn’t matter if 
  the character admits his guilt or not.
  STEP SEVEN
  Add all the modiﬁers from Steps Two through Six to the base DC 
  of the trial to arrive at the total trial DC. Make a Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, 
  or Intimidate check. If you beat the DC, you are found innocent. If 
  you fail the DC, you are found guilty and sentenced. If you present 
  character witnesses (other PCs and possible inﬂuence contacts), each 
  witness may aid you in this check by succeeding on an appropriate 
  skill check of DC 10.
  EXAMPLE ONE
  Shorty the Shiv snuck into a house to rob a family. In the process, he 
  woke the master of the house and, after a brief scuﬄe, accidentally 
  killed him. Two days later, the watch caught up with him and dragged 
  him to the Hall of Justice. 
  The GM decides that a Quick Resolution is in order, and so sets 
  about to gather the facts of the case.
  STEP ONE
  Shorty is guilty of burglary and murder, so the trial has a base DC 
  20.
  STEP TWO
  The victim’s wife saw it all and she identiﬁed Shorty as the murderer. 
  Worse, Shorty was caught trying to sell the woman’s jewelry. The GM 
  considers this average evidence, and assigns no modiﬁer.
  STEP THREE
  The count of burglary is not enough to modify the DC, but murder 
  is. The GM increases the DC by +10.
  STEP FOUR
  Shorty has never murdered anyone before, but has been pulled into 
  the Hall of Justice twice before, for theft. The DC increases by an 
  additional +2.
  STEP FIVE
  Penniless, Shorty can’t aﬀord to bribe the magistrate. (That’s why he 
  broke into the house in the ﬁrst place!)
  STEP SIX
  The magistrate makes a Sense Motive check (+10 check modiﬁer) 
  and gets a 20 total.
  STEP SEVEN
  Summing the modiﬁers, Shorty’s DC is 54 (base 20 + 0 [average 
  evidence] + 10 [murder] + 2 [two previous appearances] +0 [bribes] 
  +20 [Sense Motive and guilty]) so it seems Shorty is certain to pay at 
  least a moderate ﬁne. However, based on the evidence, he may be out 
  of action for several months (1d20, to be exact) serving his sentence 
  and performing hard labor.
  
  - 30 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  EXAMPLE TWO
  Shorty the Shiv has been released after six months of hard labor and, 
  thanks to the experience, he’s decided to go straight. One day, he’s 
  walking past an alley, and sees a pud choking on his own blood. He 
  goes into the alley to see if he can help, and discovers the victim’s 
  dying from a dozen stab wounds. While he’s trying to help, the watch 
  happens by, and they happen to recognize him. They haul him oﬀ to 
  the Hall of Justice, despite his protests of innocence. It seems real 
  bad for Shorty. 
  Again, the GM decides that a Quick Resolution is in order.
  STEP ONE
  Shorty is not guilty of murder, so the trial has a base DC of 10.
  STEP TWO
  Though no one saw the crime in progress, the guards caught Shorty 
  with blood on his hands and standing over the body. The GM 
  considers this “minor” evidence, which reduces the DC by –2. 
  STEP THREE
  Murder, as before, increases the DC by +10. 
  STEP FOUR
  The Magistrate found Shorty guilty of murder once before, and this 
  is now his fourth appearance in court. The DC increases by +5 for 
  the second instance of murder and +3 for frequent appearances, for 
  +8 total.
  STEP FIVE
  Shorty was just released and hasn’t yet found a job. No bribes 
  again! 
  STEP SIX
  The magistrate makes a Sense Motive check (+10 check modiﬁer) 
  and gets a 20 total.
  STEP SEVEN
  Summing the modiﬁers, Shorty’s DC is 16 (base 10 – 2 [minor 
  evidence] + 10 [murder] + 8 [prior murder and previous appearances] 
  +0 [bribes] – 10 [one-half the Sense Motive check and not guilty]). 
  He just might get by on this one, if he can beat a DC 16 Bluﬀ or 
  Diplomacy check. 
  JUSTICE, SANCTUARY STYLE
  For most Sanctans, the best justice is the kind you mete with your 
  own hands. If someone wrongs you, you might as well wrong them 
  back. If the source of your injury is too powerful for you to handle 
  yourself, you might make a devil’s pact with one of Sanctuary’s many 
  crime lords. Or you might hire an assassin, though they are pricey. 
  Of course, you might just lay a curse on them and have done with 
  it, though cursing carries a powerful price. (See Curses in Green 
  Ronin’s Thieves’ World Player’s Manual). Revenge and vigilantism 
  are common responses to crimes in this city, so it’s best to watch 
  whom you cross.
  Doing the deed yourself is simple. But if you need help, you need 
  to know whom to talk to and how to reach them. The following 
  sources are the common means for avenging a wrong. Each carries 
  a pretty signiﬁcant price, either monetarily or through some other 
  form of debt. 
  The following killers reﬂect the kinds of murderers you can hire, and 
  their price range. A poor killer is a common brute (typically a 1st level 
  warrior or expert in need of coin). An average killer is a low-level 
  ﬁghter, thief, or assassin, typically 1st or 2nd level. A good killer is 
  an experienced assassin, usually 2nd to 5th level. An excellent killer 
  is a one of the better ones in her ﬁeld, generally 6th to 12th level. 
  The best killers are named characters or assassins whose character 
  level exceeds 13th. 
  In addition, each entry lists the Gather Information check DC to 
  ﬁnd the killer. Finally, once the price is agreed upon, the GM secretly 
  rolls 1d100 to see what happens.
  TABLE 2–2: HIRING KILLERS
  —Outcome—
  Killer Quality
  Price 1 
  Hire DC
  Betrayal 2 
  Failure 3
  Injured 4
  Death 5
  Poor
  ×1
  10
  01–30
  31–60
  61–90
  91–00
  Average
  ×3
  20
  01–20
  21–50
  51–80
  81–00
  Good
  ×5
  25
  01–10
  11–40
  41–80
  81–00
  Excellent
  ×10
  30
  01–05
  06–30
  31–70
  71–00
  The Best
  ×20 or higher
  45
  01
  02–20
  21–60
  61–00
  1 Price equals the target’s reputation bonus (minimum 1) times the indicated multiplier in royals (1 royal equals 10 shaboozh).
  2 The mark oﬀers the assassin a better price to kill the person who hired the killer in the ﬁrst place. If the PC doubles the price of the job, roll again. 
  Otherwise, the killer attacks the initial hirer.
  3 The killer failed to kill the target. Roll 1d100 and subtract the killer’s level: 20 or less, the killer got away; 21–40, killer got away but was hurt; 41–60, 
  killer was captured and reveals the identity of employer (only if Average or Poor); 61–80, killer was injured and captured and reveals the identity of 
  employer (only if Good, Average, or Poor); 81 or higher, killer killed.
  4 The killer managed to injure the mark. Roll 1d100 and add the killer’s level. The result is the percentage of hit points the target loses from the 
  attack. If the result is 100 or higher, the mark dies instead.
  5 The killer completes the job.
  
  - 31 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  In a place as fraught with crime and violence as Sanctuary is, one 
  might wonder if there are any guards at all. In fact, there are. They are 
  just underpaid, overworked, corrupt, and spread too thinly to cover the 
  entire city. Throughout Sanctuary’s long history, there have always been 
  guards and the watch to maintain the semblance of law and order. (At 
  times, in the past, there have also been other peacekeepers, including 
  the Hell Hounds and the Stepsons.) It’s important to note that the local 
  peacekeepers are little better than the scum on the streets. In many cases, 
  these men and women were once thugs, thieves, and killers themselves, 
  and most don’t mention their pasts. No one, or at least very few, suspect 
  the watch or guard to have been associated with the Dyareelans, and 
  most, if not all, had nothing to do with the Troubles. But there’s always 
  a chance that anyone could be a cultist incognito.
  What follows is an overview of the various law enforcement groups 
  at work in the city.
  GUARD
  The guard is a group of palace-funded soldiers, who beneﬁt from better 
  training and equipment. Most have some military training, having 
  served in the army. Centered in the Palace barracks, they have numerous 
  stations throughout the city and along the walls. The guard patrols in 
  small groups of three to ﬁve soldiers. They’re familiar enough with local 
  custom that they can speak both Wrigglie and Rankan. (As many were 
  born in Sanctuary, their Wrigglie is better than their Rankan). Though 
  they realize Sanctuary is no longer a real part of the Empire, the customs 
  of the Guard are such that they uphold the traditions of the past and 
  are vigilant in their duty to maintaining the peace.
  WATCH
  As opposed to the formal guard, the watch is almost exclusively drawn 
  from the local population. They have little formal training and little 
  experience dealing with Rankans and foreigners. Unlike the guard, 
  they don’t have uniforms. Instead, the watchmen wear baldrics to 
  denote their status. Instead of living in a barracks, they go to their 
  homes at the end of their shifts. Most spend their time in watch 
  stations scattered throughout the city.
  PRIVATE SECURITY
  In a city full of thieves, if you have something you want to keep, you had 
  better pay for protection. Almost all citizens wealthy enough to do so 
  keep a guard or two in their employ to keep watch over their property, 
  and the business of bodyguards is in high demand. Oﬀ-duty guard or 
  watch oﬃcers may supplement their income working a night shift at 
  a merchant’s shop, while mercenaries regularly hire out their service 
  in Caravan Square. If you want an escort through the city (and there’s 
  good reasons to do so), mercenaries and toughs volunteer at many of 
  Sanctuary’s gates.
  HELL HOUNDS (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  Jubal’s hawk-masks were the ﬁnest swordsmen in all of Sanctuary… 
  until Prince Kadakithis arrived, and brought his Hell Hounds with 
  him.
  For all its faults, the Rankan Empire has one of the strongest militaries 
  in the world, and the Rankan Imperial Guard are the elite members 
  of the Rankan army, chosen for their martial ability and their loyalty 
  to the crown. When the emperor sent his half-brother Kadakithis to 
  Sanctuary to serve as its governor, he gave the young man an escort: 
  ﬁve men Kadakithis had handpicked from the Imperial Guard. The 
  Sanctans dubbed them “Hell Hounds” because of their ferocity and 
  their unswerving loyalty to Kadakithis.
  The Hell Hounds are all skilled ﬁghters, each one able to alone 
  defeat several hawk-masks without help. They wear the armor of 
  the Rankan Imperial Guard (breastplate and helmet) but carry 
  no shields, and their cloaks and armor bear the insignia of the 
  emperor’s household. Each Hell Hound carries a sword at all 
  times, and these are handsome blades of Enlibar steel, the ﬁnest in 
  the world. They are all expert horsemen, trained with all standard 
  military weapons. The ﬁve men are also experienced soldiers, and 
  veterans of many battles, with the tactical knowledge that comes 
  only from true experience.
  Kadakithis’ Hell Hounds are Zalbar, Bourne, Quag, Razkuli, and 
  Arman. A sixth, Tempus, joins them later, but he actually works 
  directly for the emperor and only nominally reports to Kadakithis, 
  and there were a few others who joined after that.
  Zalbar (see page 130 for statistics and a more extensive description) 
  is the captain of the unit, and the other four obey his commands 
  instantly. Kadakithis gives the Hell Hounds their orders personally, 
  KEEPERS OF THE PEACE
  
  - 32 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  but often his orders are vague, or loosely deﬁned, like “clean up the 
  Street of Red Lanterns.” Zalbar discusses the assignment with his 
  men, with everyone participating in the planning, until he has a plan 
  he likes. Then, he divides the job into its components and gives each 
  Hell Hound a speciﬁc task. Zalbar then reports their progress back 
  to Kadakithis. He rarely tells the young governor what each Hell 
  Hound contributed, and Kadakithis rarely asks.
  In addition to these speciﬁc missions, the Hell Hounds have certain 
  general duties. First, they act as the Governor’s personal bodyguards. 
  This is more because he is the emperor’s half-brother than because 
  he is Sanctuary’s governor. None of the previous governors had elite 
  guards of this caliber. Whenever Kadakithis goes out into the city, at 
  least one Hell Hound accompanies him. This is usually Zalbar, but 
  not always. The Hell Hounds know where Kadakithis is at all times, 
  and who is with him. The Hell Hound escort scrutinizes visitors, 
  and searches them if necessary. A Hell Hound stays in the room 
  with the prince whenever possible, and stands just beyond the door 
  if Kadakithis orders them away. They rotate shifts, so one of them is 
  always awake and guarding him.
  Their second duty is more general. The Hell Hounds are part of 
  the Rankan Imperial Guard. This makes them the highest military 
  authority in the area, and gives them control over the city guard. The 
  guards hate this fact, and the Hell Hounds know it, and don’t care. 
  Their concern is the condition of the troops, their battle-readiness, and 
  their eﬃciency in performing their duties. Zalbar has called several 
  surprise inspections, and he and the other Hell Hounds often drop 
  by the guardhouse and the exercise yards. They watch the guards 
  train and oﬀer pointers, occasionally even holding demonstrations 
  to teach the men proper swordsmanship. The captain of the guard 
  complained about this to Kadakithis the ﬁrst time it happened. In 
  response, Kadakithis called for Zalbar. “There is the man himself, 
  Captain,” the governor told the guard captain. “He is your superior 
  in skill, strength, wisdom, and rank. If you wish to protest, I suggest 
  you challenge him to a duel. Otherwise, you will accept his authority, 
  which comes directly from the emperor himself.” The guard captain 
  quickly bowed and left the room, never defying Zalbar again.
  The Hell Hounds have their own rooms in the Palace, separate from the 
  city guard. When not on duty, they are free to pursue their own interests. 
  Although they may leave their armor behind at such times, none of them 
  leave their room without their sword. They take their martial prowess 
  seriously, and train together each morning, spending several hours in a 
  small exercise yard behind the palace. They practice swordplay, archery, 
  and dagger-work, and then discuss the day’s assignments and any other 
  news. Each of the Hell Hounds has a horse, trained for combat, and 
  these are housed in a small stables in the Palace compound. No other 
  animals are allowed in that stables, and the Hell Hounds have personally 
  interviewed each of the stablehands assigned to that location.
  The people of Sanctuary don’t like the Hell Hounds much. Warriors 
  respect their skill, and criminals fear them, because the ﬁve men are 
  as unrelenting as they are observant, and show no mercy whatsoever. 
  Honest citizens — such as they are — are pleased the Hell Hounds 
  are cleaning up the city but, at the same time, they fear these arrogant 
  soldiers in their armor who came to the city and have all but taken 
  over. The hawk-masks hate the Hell Hounds, and vice-versa, though 
  many hawk-masks are secretly pleased to have found challenging 
  opponents at last. The Hell Hounds have not made any eﬀort to 
  be popular, either. They treat Sanctuary’s citizens with disdain and 
  contempt, and speak openly about the city being a cesspool and the 
  armpit of Ranke. 
  The Hell Hounds are utterly incorruptible, which makes them an 
  anomaly in Sanctuary. No one has been able to bribe them, blackmail 
  them, threaten them, cajole them, or ﬂatter them into swerving 
  from their duty. Only Kadakithis can stay their hand, and only if 
  he intervenes in time, which is part of why Zalbar rarely tells him 
  speciﬁcs about their activities. Without the governor’s intervention, 
  the Hell Hounds might have cleaned out all of the crime in Sanctuary 
  in a few short months. Or they might have been killed, and their 
  bodies tossed into the rivers to feed the ﬁsh.
  After the Beysib invasion, the Hell Hounds’ inﬂuence diminished 
  considerably. Most felt they were failures in stopping the invaders, and 
  all knew Ranke’s authority did not extend to the Beysibs. What was 
  once a cadre of proud warriors, ﬁrm of resolve and of unquestionable 
  character, became a gang of sots, joining the people they detested 
  in the squalor of the city. While not oﬃcially dissolved, they never 
  regained their prominence, and those who did not leave the city 
  vanished into the masses without even a whimper.
  STEPSONS (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  Kadakithis brought ﬁve Hell Hounds to Sanctuary with him, but for 
  a short time, he had six, and the sixth was Tempus. Arriving after the 
  others, sent specially by the Emperor himself, he did not acknowledge 
  Zalbar’s leadership, and he only obeyed orders when it suited him. 
  Even Kadakithis could not command him, because Tempus was 
  operating under orders from the emperor—and, as it turned out, from 
  an even higher power: the Rankan god Vashanka, himself. Eventually, 
  however, he would leave the city, but it would take the arrival of an 
  old friend to take him to greater things.
  Tempus found that something in the Stepsons. He had rescued the 
  son of a warlord who was captured and slain by the Rankans during 
  the conquest of their lands. The son was made a slave, and his name 
  was Abarsis. In gratitude for Tempus’ intervention, Abarsis brought 
  the Stepsons to Sanctuary and to Tempus. However, after he arrived, 
  Tempus led an assault against Jubal’s mansion. During the ﬁght, Abarsis 
  was killed, leaving the Stepsons, as Abarsis intended, to his stepfather. 
  And, ever after, the sacred band were loyal to the Riddler.
  The Stepsons are a mercenary unit, although they often donate their 
  eﬀorts when they ﬁnd something they consider a just cause. They work 
  in pairs, and each pair has a tremendous bond. They are more than just 
  partners, more than mere friends, because their very lives depend upon 
  each other. The pairs learn to operate as a single entity, as if they were 
  of one mind and one body, so that in combat they do not have to worry 
  about what their partner is doing—they know instinctively, and can 
  respond to threats together without wasting time or breath on words. 
  Some pairs are lovers, but many are more like twin brothers.
  They also have warriors from a variety of nations and races. No one 
  is discriminated against; if you have the skills and the dedication to 
  be a Stepson, you are allowed entry.
  The ﬁrst step to joining the unit is the combat test. Several of the 
  Stepsons attack the candidate, individually and in pairs, and gauge 
  the response. No one expects the candidate to beat them, but they are 
  looking for ﬁghting skill, speed, tactics, and intuition. If the candidate 
  shows promise, they move to the second phase, which is the interview. 
  
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  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Several of the Stepsons meet with the candidate, both individually 
  and all together, and ask a variety of questions. Tempus is one of the 
  questioners, but any unattached Stepson can also participate. Tempus 
  is interested in why the candidate wants to join the Stepsons, and in 
  gauging the person’s morals and reliability. The unattached Stepsons are 
  looking for a partner, and are checking the candidate for compatibility. 
  If Tempus approves the candidate, and one of the solo Stepsons thinks 
  they may make a good pair, the newcomer is oﬀered a place with the 
  unit. The solo Stepson takes the recruit in, stays, trains, eats with him, 
  and teaches the recruit about the group’s habits, rules, and codes. After 
  a month, the new pair is tested in combat against other Stepson pairs, 
  and Tempus watches them closely. If the pair has meshed properly, 
  the candidate becomes a true Stepson, reciting the oath of loyalty to 
  Tempus and exchanging blood with his or her partner. If the pairing 
  did not work, but the candidate still shows promise, he or she is found 
  a new partner. If the candidate simply did not take to the training, he 
  or she is oﬀered some gold for the lost time, and sent away.
  The Stepsons are all ﬁercely loyal to Tempus himself, and consider 
  him the father of the unit. They take their orders directly from him 
  (or Critias, or Straton, who’s the tactical commander when Tempus is 
  absent), and if they have been hired for a mission, and the employer 
  gives a Stepson an order, he will still check with Tempus before 
  obeying. Tempus can and does delegate, however, and often places 
  Crit or Strat in charge of missions, particularly if Tempus himself is 
  leading another operation elsewhere.
  The Stepsons use Sanctuary as one of their bases, and visit the city 
  every few months. Many of the Stepsons have friends and lovers 
  there, and entertain themselves while Tempus is waiting for a new 
  job or while some of their members recuperate from wounds. They 
  also have a camp up in the mountains and another along the coast. 
  Clients are never brought to these locations, however—Tempus either 
  meets with them in their home city, or in Sanctuary.
  Only Tempus has the authority to accept a job for the Stepsons. He 
  insists on meeting all potential clients face-to-face, and on knowing 
  exactly what the job entails. Before agreeing to a job, he conﬁrms when 
  it will start, what it involves, how long it will last, and how much it 
  pays. He also insists upon half of the money up front. A portion of 
  every job’s fees go into the Stepsons’ communal coﬀers, which pays for 
  food, lodging, clothing, weapons, medical supplies, and anything else 
  the entire unit needs. After that portion is set aside, another portion 
  goes to the Stepsons actually involved in the mission. The remainder 
  is divided equally among the entire band, so every Stepson gets paid 
  a little bit for every job the unit has, but those who go on the mission 
  earn more. Tempus tries to rotate which pairs get assignments, so 
  everyone earns roughly equal amounts.
  The Stepsons do not have an insignia or a uniform. Each member 
  wears whatever armor he or she prefers, and carries whatever weapons 
  he or she is most proﬁcient with. Pairs often have matching clothes, 
  tattoos, or other markings, but not always, and sometimes the signs 
  are subtle or hidden from outside view. The only way to recognize a 
  Stepson is to know them by sight.
  Sometimes half of a pair dies, or the partners ﬁght and cannot reconcile, 
  or someone simply loses his appetite for constant ﬁghting. Tempus 
  allows people to quit the Stepsons with no hard feelings, and always 
  provides some money form the communal coﬀers as a parting gift. The 
  former Stepson is also allowed to keep his or her armor, weapons, and 
  other gear. Tempus tells the departing warrior that he is family, and 
  can always call upon them for aid, no matter what, and they will help 
  without a fee. Only a handful of warriors have left the Stepsons in this 
  way, and there are always others wanting to join because the band’s 
  reputation has grown with each mission. Many say that the Stepsons 
  are the ﬁnest ﬁghting force in the world, better even than the Rankan 
  Imperial Guard. Kadakithis’ Hell Hounds desperately want to match 
  themselves against a few Stepsons to see if this is true, though even 
  they found themselves wanting in the face of the Sacred Band.
  During their time in Sanctuary, they were paid-up members of the 
  local mercenaries’ guild. It’s important to recall that the Stepsons were 
  not the only mercenaries of their time, and they frequently were at 
  odds with other groups.
  THE SHARDA (IRRUNE ERA)
  Although the Irrune are new to city life, they are no stranger to group 
  living, and Arizak is an old hand at governing a large body of people. 
  One of the things he noticed, upon taking control of Sanctuary, was that 
  it lacked a real justice system. The city guards enforced the governor’s 
  laws, and enacted punishment on the spot or dragged the oﬀender 
  oﬀ to be ﬁned, jailed, or both. But no one checked to make sure the 
  guards had done the right thing or apprehended the real culprit. Arizak 
  ﬁrmly believed that punishment was useless if it was inﬂicted upon 
  an innocent, rather than the guilty party. While familiarizing himself 
  with the city and its nobles, Arizak met an Ilsigi lord named Elisar, 
  and realized immediately that Elisar had a keen mind, and a sharp eye, 
  and an obsession with ﬁnding the truth. Arizak spoke to Lord Elisar 
  privately a few days later, and oﬀered him the new post of Judge. Elisar 
  accepted, but only if he was allowed to assemble his own team and use 
  his own methods. Arizak agreed, and the Sharda was born.
  “Sharda” is an Irrune word for a particular breed of hunting dog, 
  an excellent tracker and extremely persistent. The Sharda is its 
  human equivalent. Lord Elisar, called Judge Nevermind by his 
  employees, is in charge. His assistants wander the city, listening to 
  rumors and stories and following up on any supposed crimes and 
  
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  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  their perpetrators. If the city guard has already punished someone 
  for the crime, the Sharda makes sure they got the right person. If 
  no one has been captured yet, the Sharda ﬁnds out who did it and 
  brings the culprit in for sentencing and punishment. The Sharda 
  is small — perhaps twenty people in all —and operates from the 
  Hall of Justice attached to the Palace. Lord Elisar handles the actual 
  sentencing, but he sits in shadow so those brought before him cannot 
  see his face, and his associates only call him Judge Nevermind when 
  others are present. This is to protect Elisar, and to let him operate 
  more objectively, without worrying about his own name becoming 
  attached to the rumors.
  To many Sanctuary residents, the Sharda is a great and powerful 
  organization. They are hoping they get to deal with the Sharda when 
  they’ve been wronged, to ensure swift and ﬁnal justice, and even go so 
  far as to threaten their children and others with, “the Sharda will get you 
  if you don’t behave.” Still, despite their hopes, most people have never 
  met a Sharda agent. The Sharda does not go out of its way to advertise 
  its presence, and its members do not announce their aﬃliation. Culprits 
  are told that they are being brought to the palace for punishment, and 
  nothing more. They are also cautioned that, if they identify the Sharda 
  members to anyone, their punishment will increase dramatically. Most 
  Sharda agents have pseudonyms of their own, and many wear hats 
  or hoods to hide their features while working. Elisar is considering a 
  Sharda uniform that’s all in black, except for an embroidered hunting 
  dog in bright red; that way, the eye will be drawn to the dog, and not 
  to the agent’s face. Sharda agents also work in pairs. One of the duo is 
  a warrior, while the other has some ability to discern the truth, either 
  through magical means, or through some extraordinary insight (see 
  Truthspeaker and Truth Ear feats on page 226).
  Elisar is the undisputed master of the Sharda, and all of his agents 
  report to him directly. They comb the city, and then prepare a list of 
  the crimes, whether the culprit was caught, and what the punishment 
  was. Elisar decides which incidents should be investigated and which 
  are too trivial or already too terminal to pursue. His agents are allowed 
  to oﬀer suggestions, or voice opinions, but once he makes a decision, 
  it is ﬁnal.
  The city guard has been told that an organization called the Sharda 
  exists, and that Arizak has given it his full support. They are 
  expected to give Sharda agents their full support, and to obey their 
  orders. Arizak has also assured the captain of the guard that anyone 
  impersonating a member of the Sharda will be punished severely. 
  Many of the Irrune know about the Sharda as well, and have agreed 
  to lend their support if necessary. This means Sharda agents can call 
  upon both city guards and Irrune warriors, whichever are closer. They 
  only use this authority when force is necessary, however. The Sharda 
  prefers to operate quietly, watching and waiting and then catching 
  the culprit when he or she is oﬀ-guard and alone.
  Thus far, the Sharda has only gone after private citizens, and only those 
  in the lower- or middle-class. They have yet to investigate nobles of 
  any sort, or organizations. But, in several cases, the city guards have 
  used more force than necessary, have beaten confessions from innocent 
  people, have accepted bribes to let criminals go free, and have arrested 
  and punished people for no apparent reason. Elisar has already discussed 
  the matter with Arizak, and the two men agree. It will look bad if the 
  city guard’s corruption is exposed, but it would be far worse to let such 
  behavior continue. And, if the guilty guards are punished, hopefully 
  the other guards will make sure to behave properly, and the guard will 
  become a more reliable, more eﬃcient, and more honest police force. 
  Both men are wise enough to know this will not be easy, and it will not 
  occur overnight. But it has to start somewhere, and Arizak has given his 
  permission for Elisar to begin investigating the city guards themselves, 
  authorizing several Irrune warriors to help restrain and escort guilty 
  guards, if necessary.
  USING PEACEKEEPERS
  In Sanctuary, players will likely do things that will put them at odds 
  with local law enforcement. PCs might be thieves, assassins, explorers, 
  or even adventurers, and oftentimes, the peacekeepers don’t make 
  much of a distinction between those careers. While the watch and 
  guard certainly try to keep some level of order in the city, they lack 
  the resources to be everywhere at once. 
  Players should never feel as though they can do nothing illegal in 
  Sanctuary. (The game is called Thieves’ World, after all.) The guard, 
  watch, or other agencies are best used as a control mechanism. 
  Peacekeepers can be an excellent way to keep an adventure on track: 
  position a patrol in front of a building you’d rather the characters not 
  investigate yet, or have a patrol bring them in for questioning should 
  they bark up the wrong tree. However, don’t bully or “railroad” the 
  PCs with the watch, or the players will come to resent them, and feel 
  like they have few options in play.
  The peacekeepers can also serve as an excellent source of information. 
  Both the watch and the guard are susceptible to bribes (see the 
  Diplomacy skill in Green Ronin’s Thieves’ World Player’s Manual) and 
  are more than willing to look the other way for the right price. As a 
  particular sentry generally patrols a single neighborhood, they have 
  
  - 35 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Outsiders assume Sanctuary is a lawless place, where every man 
  stands only for himself and would as soon kill his neighbors as look 
  at them. This is untrue, and unfair. Certainly, many of Sanctuary’s 
  residents make their own welfare a top priority, but there is nothing 
  wrong with that. Some locals are as ruthless as travelers imagine, 
  and have no friends and no one they care about beyond themselves. 
  But others have strong friendships, and tight family bonds. A few 
  place the welfare of others on par with their own, or even above it. 
  And some act in concert rather than moving alone.
  Several powerful organizations exist within Sanctuary. These are 
  smaller than a race, larger and more formal than a pack of friends, 
  and more dangerous than a simple street gang. These are true 
  associations, with guidelines, responsibilities, membership rosters, 
  and hierarchies. Most of these organizations hold a position of 
  power within the city, and in every case, the people of Sanctuary 
  have heard of them, and both fear and respect them. One thing 
  these organizations all demonstrate: no matter how well you can 
  survive on your own, you can do even better with a group of similarly 
  talented, like-minded individuals. That is, as long as you are sure 
  you can trust them.
  ADEPTS OF THE BLUE STAR 
  Most wizards are loners, preferring to work and study in privacy. 
  They conceal the roots of their power, their residences, and even their 
  names, afraid that rivals might somehow ferret out these secrets and 
  then destroy them. Some wizards, however, believe in a cause much 
  greater than their own advancement, and work together in its service. 
  This is the Order of the Blue Star.
  Members of this ancient order accept Order and Chaos rule the 
  universe, and these two powers constantly struggle for supremacy. 
  Every day, they battle one another, but these are only preludes to the 
  ﬁnal massive struggle. When that occurs, one side will win forever. 
  If Order triumphs, the world will know peace and harmony such as 
  it has never seen. If Chaos is the victor, the world will be drowned 
  in violence, rage, and anarchy.
  The Adepts of the Blue Star have sworn to stand on the side of Order, 
  and to ﬁght in that last battle against Chaos. Until that time, the 
  adepts are free to pursue their own interests, provided they answer 
  the call to battle when it ﬁnally arrives.
  Each adept’s power is tied to a personal secret. The adept cannot reveal 
  this secret to any other man, for any man who speaks the secret to 
  the adept gains that adept’s power. Thus the adepts, called Blue Star 
  Magicians by many, must always watch their dealings with others, lest 
  they reveal too much about themselves and allow their secret to be 
  uncovered. Rivalries do exist within the order, and more than once an 
  adept has uncovered his enemy’s secret, revealed it, gained his enemy’s 
  power, and then destroyed him. 
  Members of the order are often called Pilgrim Adepts, because most 
  of them wander the earth. Many of them search for knowledge and 
  power, hoping to increase their skills and thus be even stronger on 
  the day of the ﬁnal conﬂict. An adept can dress any way he likes; 
  some wear simple traveling garb, while others favor rich silks and 
  velvets. Some adepts pursue wealth, living their days in splendor, while 
  others eschew material goods and survive in spartan poverty. Most 
  of the adepts ﬁght for order whenever possible, righting wrongs and 
  correcting injustices, smoothing disputes and ending confusions. But 
  some believe their eﬀorts are only required during the ﬁnal battle. 
  Until then, they have no duty but to stay alive, and so they are free 
  to do whatever they like, even if it beneﬁts Chaos in the short-term. 
  These adepts are often despised by their brethren, who believe they 
  only strengthen Chaos for the end conﬂict.
  Each adept has a blue star tattooed on his forehead to show his 
  membership in the order. Thus, their order itself is not secret, and 
  many have heard of them and of their potent magic. The adepts have 
  all undertaken certain vows, like never eating or drinking in front 
  of other men, and these hold some power over them, but not to the 
  same degree as their personal secrets. Anyone who attacks an adept 
  risks the wrath of the entire order, unless the adept’s secret has been 
  revealed. If that happens, the adept loses his power, and becomes 
  worthless to the order. At that point, anyone may kill him without 
  fear of reprisal.
  No one knows how many adepts belong to the order. Apparently, they 
  have not gathered in several centuries, though many keep in touch 
  with one another. Some believe the adepts can die like normal men, 
  and simply ﬁnd and train replacements who then take on their name 
  and appearance. Others believe them to be immortal. The master of 
  the order, Master of the Star, is a man named Semartis, who currently 
  resides in the Place That Is Not, a demi-plane that lies beyond time 
  in a place of perfect order. None can ﬁnd it unless the Master allows 
  it. Through his own magic, he links the various groups together, so 
  the entire order may commune within the Place That is Not for the 
  night. Each adept tells of his experiences and reveals anything he has 
  learned about Chaos during that time. The entire order considers the 
  signs, and decides whether the time of the ﬁnal battle has drawn near. 
  If not, they disband again, each to their own activities.
  The ﬁrst Pilgrim Adept of the Order of the Blue Star was a man 
  named Kamaar, who hailed from the lands beyond the northern 
  mountains. Order chose him as its avatar, and branded his forehead 
  with the mark of the blue star to signify its favor. Kamaar raised the 
  Temple of the Star, and draped it with his magic so only he and his 
  could locate that holy place. Then he trained a boy named Masung, 
  and then another named Feld. But Feld was corrupted by Chaos, 
  and tried to kill Masung. Kamaar intervened, killing Feld but dying 
  in the process. After Kamaar had died, Order claimed Masung as its 
  next avatar, but he refused. He argued he could serve better in his 
  own way, and he was not truly needed until the end times. Order 
  OTHER POWER GROUPS
  a pretty good idea of what goes on there, knowing the major movers 
  and shakers, drug pushers, crime lords, and notables all living and 
  operating there. For the right price, a player may ﬁnd exactly what 
  he needs from the mouth of a well-paid guard. And, if the PCs picks 
  up a contact in the watch, even better.
  The peacekeepers can also serve as foils. They might actively pursue 
  characters in the city, hunting them for a crime they did or did not 
  commit. They might set the characters up to cover for their own criminal 
  enterprises. A patrol might be in the employ of a local crime lord, be 
  closet cultists, or even be spies in the service of some foreign power. 
  
  - 36 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  agreed, and marked Masung with its power and with the blue star 
  but then left him alone. Masung found and trained several disciples, 
  and devised the oath that, when tied to a personal secret and bound 
  to the blue star tattoo, would allow them to live until they were called 
  to battle. Then, every Pilgrim Adept would stand together to defend 
  the Place That Is Not, which will be the last bastion of Order and 
  the last defense against the Chaos. Although Masung himself died 
  battling agents of Chaos centuries later, the Order survived and grew. 
  Semartis is one of his ﬁrst disciples.
  DYAREELANS (IRRUNE ERA)
  Though the cult has oﬃcially been destroyed, some members remain. 
  A handful of the more noticeably scarred cultists have hidden in 
  one of the tunnels beneath the city, seeking new converts and biding 
  their time until they can act in the open once more. Some extremists 
  also escaped the Irrune’s wrath, and have stopped ranting, at least 
  until the dust settles. Before the ambush, the extremists had spies 
  in many major establishments around the city, including the palace, 
  and many of those spies are still in place. The cultists are simply 
  waiting for another opportunity. A handful of their brainwashed 
  child-soldiers survived as well, and are now full-grown and still 
  in Sanctuary, which means the cult has not only an information 
  source, but also a secret army. Should the cult call its worshippers 
  to rise up, people everywhere might ﬁnd themselves responding, 
  even people who did not realize they had been corrupted to the 
  service of the chaos goddess. Those who followed the traditionalists, 
  however, claim the extremists were so disruptive Dyareela herself 
  spurned them, withholding her divine favor and casting them out 
  of the circle of chosen who would survive when she arose. They 
  actually claim Dyareela did exactly what she had intended, purging 
  the illness from Sanctuary and allowing them to rebuild. They do 
  not say this very loudly, however, as worship of her is still illegal 
  and still punishable by death.
  The cult has followers all over the world. Generally hunted down and 
  exterminated by the priesthood of Heqt, worship of Dyareela was 
  generally contained to a few small incidents, quickly quelled before 
  it got out of control. However, the years of hurricanes and droughts, 
  plague and war, seeded the region with chaos, becoming a perfect 
  breeding ground for Dyareela.
  Agents of the chaos goddess came to Sanctuary during the dark days 
  when the plague swept through the city. Insinuating themselves with 
  other priests from Ilsig, they came to help the city, or so they claimed. 
  They oﬀered healing, succor, and comfort. They could sense wicked 
  thoughts and criminal behavior, endearing themselves to the city’s 
  aristocracy. Gradually, followers of other faiths adopted this new faith, 
  slowing coming into the fold of the new cult. 
  And then the visitors revealed the “true cause” of the plague: the 
  S’danzo. Luckily, the S’danzo, who had always stayed ahead of the 
  cultists, pulled up stakes years ago and left the city to its fate, but a 
  few remained. The Dyareelans convinced the mob to make examples 
  of the remaining S’danzo, executing them publicly. After the purging, 
  the plague mysteriously ended, and so the cult of Dyareela rose to 
  prominence in the city.
  Even though it has been several years since the Troubles, the cult of 
  Dyareela continues their eﬀorts in the city, keeping to the tunnels 
  underneath, and working from within the population. As word has 
  spread of newfound Dyareelan activity, the people are becoming 
  worried about a return to the catastrophes of the past. There are 
  forces arrayed against the Chaos Mother, and Sanctuary’s ﬁnal fate 
  has yet to be determined. 
  HAWK-MASKS (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  Jubal controlled large sections of Sanctuary and had inﬂuence over 
  the rest of the city. Part of his power came from his wealth, part from 
  the secrets he held over many important residents, and part from the 
  services he provided. But a good portion of his authority came from 
  his minions: the hawk-masks.
  The hawk-masks were the men and women Jubal employed to protect 
  his activities and deliver his payments. They were mercenaries, all 
  skilled with the sword, and wore blue cloth masks designed to look 
  like a hawk. Everyone in Sanctuary knew the hawk-masks and knew 
  to stay out of their way. In addition to their individual strengths, 
  opposing a hawk-mask meant opposing Jubal himself. Kill one of 
  them, and ten more would arrive to avenge him. Jubal cared little about 
  the men themselves, but if a hawk-mask died and was not avenged, 
  people might think they could ignore or defy the mercenaries with 
  impunity. That would be the end of his business. Instead, everyone 
  knows only a fool crosses a hawk-mask, and only someone with a 
  death wish killed one of them.
  The hawk-masks were excellent ﬁghters, though they rarely got an 
  opportunity to prove it. Most people were too afraid of them to ﬁght 
  back. Some of the mercenaries provoked ﬁghts with likely looking 
  warriors, just to bloody their blades. Jubal didn’t mind, as long as it 
  didn’t interfere with his business.
  
  - 37 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  The only people who regularly stood up to the hawk-mask were the 
  city guards. These soldiers sneered at the hawk-masks, calling them 
  sellswords and mercenaries and hired hands, belittling their skill. But 
  the hawk-masks were surprisingly loyal for mercenaries. Many of 
  them were regular soldiers once, but lost their positions due to short 
  tempers, bad luck, or ill favor. They ﬂed to Sanctuary, hoping to start 
  over, and looking for work as guards — but Jubal found them ﬁrst.
  Jubal is very particular about his hawk-masks. They must be reasonably 
  tall and ﬁt. He wanted all his men to present a strong appearance, and 
  that wouldn’t work if one was too short and one was too thin or too 
  portly. If they looked the part, he had his associate Saliman interview 
  them. Saliman represented himself as a local businessman looking to 
  hire guards for his shop. He asked a variety of questions, watching 
  the warrior as much for how he replied as for what he said. Saliman 
  steered the conversation around to questions of loyalty, testing to see 
  whether the candidate could be trusted. If he felt the man was worth 
  hiring, he told Jubal, who oﬀered him a job.
  No one became a hawk-mask immediately. Jubal had interests in 
  several legitimate businesses, and new hires were given exactly the job 
  Saliman mentioned, guarding a shop in the West End or the Shambles 
  or possibly the Bazaar. If the guard proved his worth, showing he was 
  skilled with a blade and had good discretion, Saliman approached again. 
  He oﬀered the warrior a promotion, more money and more activity, 
  but cautioned it would require more initiative and complete loyalty. If 
  the man’s answers met his approval, he told Jubal, who approached the 
  candidate for the ﬁrst time. Saliman told the guard to be in a particular 
  place at a particular time, and the warrior arrived to ﬁnd the area 
  deserted. Jubal arrived a moment later, carrying a sword in one hand 
  and a blue hawk mask in the other. He asked several questions, testing 
  the warrior’s loyalty, and then outlined the man’s intended duties. If 
  the warrior ﬂinched, looked shocked, argued, or seemed unﬁt in any 
  other way, Jubal killed him. If not, he handed the man the mask and 
  the sword, and a new hawk-mask was born.
  The masks were worn for two reasons. First, it identiﬁed the hawk-
  mask as working for Jubal. Second, it allowed the men to hide their 
  identities. Most of the hawk-masks were around the same height, and 
  all had muscular builds. Sanctuary is ﬁlled with people who match 
  that description. Most of the hawk-masks also wore helmets, which 
  hid their hair color, and the mask covered their entire face, including 
  any facial hair. This allowed them to strip oﬀ the masks at the end of 
  the day, and go home to their families or wander the streets without 
  anyone seeking revenge. Being afraid of Jubal and the hawk-masks 
  was enough to protect them from most people, but it was good to be 
  able to eat and sleep without worrying about a knife in the back.
  Most hawk-masks worked on either a daytime schedule (dawn to 
  dusk), a nighttime schedule (dusk to dawn), or what was called a 
  twelve-schedule, between noon and midnight. When oﬀ-duty, they 
  could do anything they wanted, except frequent a shop owned by one 
  of Jubal’s rivals or go to an establishment that refused to do business 
  with him. Jubal had lines of credit with most of the city’s gambling 
  halls, taverns, and brothels, and any hawk-masks who went to these 
  places while masked didn’t have to pay for anything. 
  Jubal hired only the best sellswords, and his men were proud of that 
  fact. They trained hard every day, to ensure their skills stayed sharp. 
  Jubal had a large warehouse at one end of town that was empty 
  inside except for several squares and circles of dirt and sand. The men 
  gathered here, reaching the warehouse by the tunnels under the city, 
  and drilled with swords for several hours. This occurred several times 
  each day, so no matter which schedule a hawk-mask had, he could 
  always make one of the drilling sessions. No one was allowed to miss 
  more than one session each week, unless severely ill or speciﬁcally 
  excused by Saliman or Jubal.
  The hawk-masks answered directly to Jubal and to Saliman. Within 
  their organization, they were divided into ranks: First, Second, and 
  Third. Third hawk-masks were junior members, and were given the 
  worst jobs. Second hawk-masks had proven themselves, and had been 
  with Jubal at least two years. They had some say in their assignments, 
  their hours, and their partners. First hawk-masks had worked for 
  Jubal at least ﬁve years, and had been promoted by Saliman. They 
  met with him and Jubal each morning, and received the list of the 
  day’s assignments. Then, they parceled out the jobs to the rest of the 
  hawk-masks, assigning partners and setting schedules. There were six 
  First hawk-masks, and they had enough seniority to actually question 
  Jubal’s orders. Of course, they would never openly defy him, but they 
  could ask for clariﬁcations, suggest alternatives, and even register their 
  disagreement with a plan. Jubal maintained about ﬁfty hawk-masks, 
  though most of Sanctuary does not realize this because they rarely 
  saw more than four hawk-masks at any one time.
  Thus far, only one hawk-mask has ever retired. Cray was one of the 
  ﬁrst men Jubal hired in Sanctuary, a former gladiator like himself, 
  and a good, loyal man. After ten years as First Hawk-mask — the 
  only one at the time — Cray decided he was getting too old to 
  be a sellsword. Jubal oﬀered to make him an advisor like Saliman, 
  but Cray was tired, and wanted to retire altogether. He had always 
  enjoyed woodworking, and so Jubal set him up in a small shop on the 
  Processional and assigned guards for him. Cray still stays in touch 
  with Jubal, and the guards still report to Saliman, but Jubal does not 
  require any of Cray’s proﬁts, and when business is tough, Jubal sends 
  oﬀ-duty hawk-masks to buy items from Cray, using money Jubal 
  gives them for that purpose.
  The reign of the hawk-masks, and for a time Jubal as well, came to 
  an end with Tempus. The Stepsons, Abarsis, and the Riddler raided 
  Jubal’s compound in an attempt to eliminate a threat to the prince 
  and to restore order on the streets. At that time, Moruth’s beggars 
  demanded vengeance, and regularly killed hawk-masks each week. 
  Though Jubal survived the attack, just barely, his recovery cost him in 
  years, and those agents who survived were scattered throughout the 
  city. He recognized the futility of trying to reconstitute the hawk-
  masks, and so recast himself as a behind-the-scenes spymaster and 
  intriguer. He acquired the help of some of his former hawk-masks 
  but, as a force, the hawk-masks met terrible ends at the hands of the 
  beggars, the Stepsons and, for those who still survived, the Nisibisi 
  death squads.
  LORD NIGHT
  Sanctuary’s underworld in the Irrune Era is controlled by one man: 
  Lord Night. Up until the introduction of opah, Arizak had been 
  content to let the crime lord run the protection racket, prostitution, 
  and krrf sales, and as long a violent crime was down, the powers 
  allowed Lord Night to call the shots. Opah changed things. Cheap 
  to make, cheap to sell, and deadly as hell, minor dealers can undercut 
  Lord Night’s operation and vanish with the proﬁts. Because of the 
  upstarts, crime is spinning out of control once more and the Sharda 
  are starting to probe into Lord Night’s activities.
  
  - 38 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  Lord Night runs his enterprises through a compartmentalized 
  hierarchy of loyalists and henchmen. The most senior and trusted 
  members are servants in Lord Shumen’s mansion on the Processional 
  and lead double lives, just as he does. Beneath them are about 40 or 
  so middlemen, hoods, thugs, and brutes who are not welcome in the 
  better neighborhoods (Makker, on page 159, is a great example). Lord 
  Night rarely interacts with those employed by his middlemen, and 
  if circumstances draw his interest, the results are usually dire, and 
  only take place in a special chamber underneath the old Aphrodesia 
  House on the Street of Red Lanterns.
  Though undoubtedly criminally minded, Lord Night sees himself 
  as doing a service to Sanctuary. Without his control, crime would 
  be out of control. And by keeping a ﬁrm hand, he can dictate what 
  happens in his city. Lord Night prides himself in getting things done. 
  He can whisper in the right ear, and get results. However, in the face 
  of strong competition in opah, things are turning nastier. Bodies are 
  turning up in alleys and tension grows, especially as the drug bleeds 
  into the middle and upper classes.
  Lord Night, despite his ﬂaws, is no Dyareelan. He has worked in the 
  past with Arizak to purge the tunnels beneath the city of their kind. If 
  he suspected anyone in his organization of working with the cultists, 
  he would quickly mobilize his forces and eliminate the suspect. 
  THE SERRIPINES CLAN
  The Rankan Empire is only a few centuries old, but Ranke itself is 
  far older. Some families can trace their lineage back to that earlier, 
  smaller kingdom. The noblest of these are the Serripines.
  The Serripines clan is as old as Ranke, and several of the kingdom’s 
  early kings were part of their line. When Ranke expanded from 
  kingdom to empire, the Serripines candidate lost the crown to another, 
  but the family was too important to discount, and they gained several 
  major titles and estates as a peace oﬀering. The clan accepted the 
  gesture, but continued to groom its men for leadership, hoping one 
  day the throne would become vacant again. That has not happened 
  yet, but the clan maintains itself and bides its time.
  A member of the Serripines, Vion Ranel III, was one of the oﬃcers 
  in charge of the Rankan forces that conquered Sanctuary, and he 
  settled in the town. He was the ﬁrst Imperial Governor there, and 
  helped the small port town grow into a true city. His son was governor 
  after him, but died when his son was still a boy, and so another 
  was appointed as his successor. Several Serripines have served as 
  governor since then, and the clan has remained in Sanctuary. Their 
  estate was one of the largest on the Hill, and Ranel Talon I was one 
  of Kadakithis’ closest advisors. After Kadakithis disappeared, the 
  remaining Rankan and Wrigglie nobles formed a ruling council to 
  act in his stead. Molin Torchholder declined to participate, and so 
  Ranel Talon took control. 
  When the Black-Toothed horde leveled Sihan, Vion Larris retreated 
  to Sanctuary out at Land’s End Retreat, where he and his family 
  have lived comfortably since, slowly building a grain-farming empire. 
  Meanwhile, as things soured in the city, many nobles drifted out of 
  the city, abandoning their homes to make a new life beyond the walls 
  in the hopes that the city would eventually stabilize. Joined by other 
  ﬂeeing citizens from the Rankan Empire, Land’s End Retreat and 
  the various outlying communities grew.
  The Serripines consider themselves true aristocrats. They strive to present 
  the appearance of the kind overlord—well educated, well dressed, well 
  spoken, well mannered, and generous. Honor and reputation are far 
  more important to them than wealth or property, though it’s also true 
  that being penniless and homeless would be unacceptable. Setting a 
  good example is their highest priority, and every member of the family 
  is taught at a young age to hide any discomfort, displeasure, or confusion, 
  and to always act conﬁdent and in control. The children are provided 
  with the best education available, and given opportunities to lead as soon 
  as possible. They are taught that they are the true nobles of Ranke, and 
  that emperors come and go but the Serripines remain. To encourage 
  this belief, the clan uses the same names over and over again, so that 
  each generation has clear ties to its ancestors.
  They worship the Rankan gods, because doing so is the proper Rankan 
  thing to do. But they are rarely devout, and merely observe the forms 
  out of respect and propriety. Everything about the clan is based 
  upon appearance and reputation, and each clan patriarch charges 
  his successor to do anything necessary to preserve the clan’s good 
  name. Over the centuries, the Serripines have done many appalling 
  things — not only illegal, but immoral and inhumane — to keep 
  their wealth and stature intact, but, thus far, their atrocities have 
  not been uncovered. And the clan, to the last man, will kill to keep 
  it that way.
  PFLS 
  With the Beysib occupation came growing unrest. Many Sanctans were 
  weary of being a conquered people, a playing piece in the posturing of 
  empires. While the people could tolerate the Rankan masters, who were 
  mild rulers, the Beysibs were an alien people, with strange customs, 
  dress, and attitudes. Their nictitating membranes were more than a 
  little unsettling, and it became easy to project their dissatisfaction onto 
  these usurpers.
  In response to this growing resentment, a few ambitious souls rallied 
  around an outspoken rebel named Zip. Brash, temperamental, and full 
  of youthful exuberance, Zip forged the PFLS, the Popular Front for 
  the Liberation of Sanctuary, known as the “piﬄes” by their detractors. 
  From the start, the PFLS came out against the Beysibs strongly and 
  aggressively, and created widespread fear throughout the city through 
  their terrorist acts. They used every tactic they could to oust those they 
  saw as the oppressors, ignoring the good that the Beysibs brought. 
  While they enjoyed many early successes, they were a ragtag group, 
  consisting of thieves and murderers, operating with little more 
  organization than a common gang of thugs. The only reason the 
  PFLS remained a power for as long as it did was because of Zip, who 
  saw himself as the savior of Sanctuary. Through the victories of his 
  guerillas, he believed he would rise as the new master of Sanctuary. 
  He was determined to create a new god for Sanctuary, after he 
  came to believe Vashanka and the rest of the Rankan pantheon had 
  abandoned it.
  Shortly after Zip and the PFLS began their reign of terror, Roxane 
  and the Nisibisi witches arrived to unravel the Rankan Empire, and 
  following her was the 3rd Commando, a group of trained witch-
  hunters and guerillas hardened by years of ﬁghting at Wizardwall. 
  Accompanying them were the Stepsons, who retained their hold on 
  the city, the Beggar King and his legions of maimed and diseased, 
  the Beysibs themselves, those few remaining Hell Hounds, Jubal, 
  
  - 39 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  and even grew stronger. While the Ilsigi masters oppressed the 
  common people, they wanted no truck with the mages, for they 
  recalled the lessons of history and knew the power these men and 
  women could master. 
  When power transferred to Ranke, the Mageguild experienced a 
  spectacular rise in power and inﬂuence. The weak-willed minor 
  governors sent from Ranke were more concerned with comfort and 
  pleasure than overseeing the good of the city. The Mageguild stepped 
  in and asserted their inﬂuence over the fractious people. While they 
  didn’t rule Sanctuary in name, they controlled enough of the city that 
  they were counted as some of its most powerful citizens. 
  Naturally, as with all things in Sanctuary, their inﬂuence would wane 
  until it was snuﬀed out altogether. With power comes arrogance, and 
  no group was more guilty than the mages. When Kadakithis came to 
  the city, the regarded him and his minions much as they did the rest of 
  the governors who preceded him. They ignored his edicts, pursued their 
  own agenda, and continued on as they always had, guiding Sanctuary 
  to serve their ends. Their attitude towards the new rule of law brought 
  and Ischade, all ﬁghting tooth and nail for control over Sanctuary, 
  turning a city of thieves into a slaughterhouse. 
  The various factions made alliances and broke them with regularity. 
  Betrayals were the norm, and no one was safe. The PFLS quickly lost 
  inﬂuence as the ﬁghting worsened, for other groups (gangs mostly) 
  emerged to claim a piece of the city, further confusing the battleﬁeld 
  and edging out the larger factions. Zip lost heart as he saw his dreams 
  crumbling and his organization falling into the hands of the 3rd 
  Commando, and as his hold on the city weakened, he withdrew into 
  the Swamp of Night Secrets. Zip had long used an old ﬁeld altar 
  in the swamp to pay his respects to Vashanka, but with the god’s 
  silence, he lost heart until something new lurked inside it. The new 
  god demanded blood sacriﬁce, and in exchange, it would make Zip 
  powerful, which Zip readily accepted. 
  After one particularly nasty riot, the city would not tolerate the PFLS 
  any longer. Chenaya, after seducing the young Zip, led him to the Palace 
  ,where she promised he would have his chance to topple the power 
  structure and take the city for his own. Zip, with a cadre of his closest 
  commanders, entered the Palace compound, but instead of showing 
  them a clear path to the Beysibs, Chenaya, Walegrin, and the rest 
  destroyed them to a man. Though Zip survived, the piﬄes were dead.
  3RD COMMANDO
  The protracted war in the north forced Ranke to develop new 
  techniques for squaring oﬀ against the demons and undead employed 
  by the Nisibisi warlocks and witches. Comprised of thoroughly 
  despicable guerillas and killers, the 3rd Commando, a mercenary 
  organization founded by Tempus Thales, gained a bloodthirsty 
  reputation for doing whatever it took to get the job done. Trained 
  to kill witches and their minions, they rivaled the Stepsons in their 
  ability to kill.
  At a critical point in the war, the Nisibisi sent out witches to 
  inﬁltrate the Empire and destroy them from within. One such witch 
  was Roxane, who headed south to disrupt the important port and 
  trade city that was Sanctuary. Hot on her heels followed the 3rd 
  Commando. In a secret war, the guerrillas used the surrounding 
  anarchy to slip through the gaping holes in the city’s defenses and 
  track down and destroy Roxane’s minions. Instead of saving the city, 
  they exploited it, for Sanctuary’s future was irrelevant compared to 
  the importance of containing and destroying Death’s Queen.
  Kama, Tempus’ barely acknowledged daughter and assassin in 
  service to the 3rd, seduced Zip and made and alliance between the 
  Commandos and the PFLS. She, like the rest of her organization, had 
  no designs on the city so long as they could exterminate the Nisibisi 
  infestation. However, instead of dealing with Roxane, the 3rd was 
  drawn into the civil war of the city, and soon were indistinguishable 
  from the brutal piﬄes.
  MAGEGUILD
  Since Sanctuary’s founding, there has always been some form 
  of magical inﬂuence. Shortly after the ex-slaves began work on 
  constructing the ﬁrst few structures, those with a talent for spellcraft 
  began work on a place for mages to study and work. From this 
  foundation came the ﬁrst Mageguild, an organization of like-minded 
  spellcasters who valued magic above all other kinds of sorcery. Despite 
  the many early calamities befalling the city, these mages persevered, 
  GUILDS
  The very idea of a Mageguild is a Rankan institution, and in 
  Rankan terms, the most potent mages were always referred to 
  as “Hazard-class” mages. As the Rankans settled in the city, 
  Sanctuary magical society adopted many of the Rankan wizardly 
  customs, and granted the “Hazard-class” title to their own potent 
  mages, though they themselves were not the product of Rankan 
  magic schools.
  
  - 40 -
  CHAPTER TWO: DOWN AND OUT IN THIEVES’ WORLD
  them into conﬂict ﬁrst with the Hell Hounds, and later with the 
  various power groups who desired the city for themselves. Adding to 
  this was Cime, a ruthless assassin and sister to Tempus, who preyed 
  exclusively on wizards.
  One by one, the more inﬂuential mages died, suﬀering under the 
  touch of Cime’s magical diamond rods. They tried to retain their 
  prominence, but too many of their number succumbed to the assassin 
  to mount an adequate response. Though this weakened them, the 
  mages were still a powerful force, capable of surviving even after the 
  Beysib occupation. 
  The Mageguild finally collapsed after the Ischade and Randal 
  destroyed the pair of Nisibisi power globes that had held the city 
  hostage with wicked dark sorcery. In the wake of the artifacts’ 
  destruction, the mana ﬁeld collapsed, preventing the mages from 
  working their craft. No longer could they inﬂuence the weather, 
  nor could they even maintain the wards protecting their fortress on 
  the Street of Arcana. In the end, magical mishaps leveled the guild, 
  scattering its members throughout the city and beyond. Friendless, for 
  they had held the populace in thrall through fear and power since the 
  city’s founding, they were no match for those people who had been 
  wronged by mages in the past, who settled accounts and eliminated 
  all but a few of the guild’s survivors.
  Now, in the Irrune Era, the Mageguild is an all but forgotten memory. 
  The new Irrune masters have outlawed the existence of the guild, 
  preventing mages from regaining their power and inﬂuence over the 
  city. Those few practicing wizards left do so in the privacy of their 
  homes, occasionally taking pupils to help support themselves and 
  advance their craft.
  MORUTH AND THE LEGION OF BEGGARS
  For years, Jubal and his hawk-masks controlled Sanctuary, exerting 
  incredible inﬂuence over the businesses (legal and illegal) throughout 
  the city. Jubal’s soldiers walked the streets brazenly, boldly daring 
  anyone to cross their paths. To ensure his continued control, Jubal 
  would periodically order an informant’s death to ensure the rest 
  remained loyal. This practice was acceptable, up until the time when 
  Jubal ordered the death of the wrong man.
  While Jubal dealt in slaves, the Beggar King, Moruth, ruled the poor 
  and downtrodden of the Downwind. Every beggar paid a share of 
  his take to the Beggar King in exchange for protection, clothing, and 
  meager fare. Moruth had an uneasy alliance with Jubal, using his beggars 
  to keep tabs on the Hell Hounds and other notables in the city. When 
  a few innocents were killed as examples, Moruth had enough, and the 
  Beggar King declared war against the hawk-masks.
  For months, the beggars stalked and murdered the blue-masked 
  mercenaries, leaving their mutilated corpses on street corners, dangling 
  from fences or buildings, or any place where they could be sure the 
  message would reach Jubal. One by one, Moruth winnowed Jubal’s 
  control over the city, spreading fear among the hawk-masks and 
  forcing many to go underground. Worse, Tempus ﬁnally led a force into 
  Jubal’s compound, slaughtering the crime lord’s minions and grievously 
  injuring Jubal himself. It was expected that with Jubal’s elimination, 
  stability would follow. However, the Beggars, now no longer dealing 
  with the hawk-masks, were free to pursue their own agendas, including 
  seizing control of Sanctuary’s underworld. The beggars, in force, joined 
  in the great war for Sanctuary. 
  With Ranke’s collapse, the destruction of Roxane, and the subsequent 
  withdrawal of the Stepsons, 3rd Commando, and the rest, the beggars 
  resumed their control over Downwind, being very nearly the only 
  uncontested criminal organization left in the city. It would not last, 
  though. The drought years, followed by the hurricanes and heavy 
  rains, washed Downwind, and, theoretically, most of its inhabitants, 
  away. Those who survived ﬂed to the Hill. Worse, the Dyareelans 
  recruited children to ﬁll the ranks of their new army, and the best 
  children were those hardened by the streets. The Dyareelans crushed 
  the beggars, stole the urchins, and killed anyone who would not 
  submit to their authority. In short, the beggars union did not survive 
  the Catastrophe. 
  PIRATES OF SCAVENGERS’ ISLE
  In Sanctuary’s infancy, the Kingdom of Ilsig came, bent on revenge 
  for their defeat in the Queen’s Mountains, blaming the ex-slaves 
  for Ilsig’s decline and gradual loss to the superior Rankan legions. 
  Some accepted the arriving Ilsigis, seeing their fate as inevitable. 
  Others, especially the indigenous ﬁshermen who preceded the ex-
  slaves, refused to submit to foreign masters. Instead of ﬁghting in 
  the open, they took their ﬂeet of ﬁshing craft and ﬂed to a nearby 
  island, where they planned to raid Ilsigi merchants to increase the 
  cost of taking Sanctuary.
  Dubbing their island Scavengers’ Isle, the once-meek ﬁshermen 
  turned to a life of piracy. With the taste of blood, they became less 
  selective about their targets, striking any ship that passed, slaughtering 
  crews, and stealing their booty. No longer did these men and women 
  catch ﬁsh with their nets, but ships instead. The pirates ruled the 
  narrow stretch of water, and bounded farther and farther to prey 
  on heavy Rankan vessels laden with treasure and supplies, and even 
  on warships. Scavengers’ Isle transformed from an enclave of exiles 
  bound together through a common cause of survival into a decadent 
  and perverse society of wicked cutthroats and murderers, with no 
  regard for order or justice.
  Towards the end of the Rankan occupation, the pirates turned from 
  simply raiding ships to outright slavery. As the closest port was 
  Sanctuary, pirates inﬁltrated the city and kidnapped able-bodied young 
  men and women to sell to buyers around the world. As the city was 
  already beleaguered by years of anarchy and inﬁghting, Kadakithis 
  was powerless to stop the kidnappings until he could achieve some 
  semblance of peace on his city streets.
  And then, suddenly, the factions all left the city, leaving Kadakithis 
  to govern once more. Sanctans were desperate to ﬁnd missing family 
  and friends, spouses and children, and the shanghai tactics were only 
  worsening. Kadakithis gathered a group of volunteers, armed them, 
  dubbed them marines, and sent them to deal with Scavengers’ Isle. 
  The Sanctan force destroyed the pirate outpost, burning their ships 
  and freeing hundreds of slaves in the process. Sanctuary gained its 
  ﬁrst colony, and renamed the island Inception Isle.
  Their hold on this property would not last long. On the heels of 
  the pirates’ defeat came the plagues, the storms, the vanishing of 
  Kadakithis, the withdrawal and subsequent silence from the Beysibs, 
  and the weakening of the Protectors. By the time the Dyareelans 
  took control, all control over Inception Isle ended. In the years that 
  followed, no one is really sure what happened to the colony, and many 
  wait and wonder if the days of piracy will begin once more.
  
  - 41 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Sanctuary never sleeps. In every hour of every day, in every 
  neighborhood, something is going on. Footpads skulk in the shadows 
  of buildings, waiting for the perfect passerby with a fat purse to ﬁlch. 
  Assassins rule the rooftops, watching their quarries on the winding 
  streets below. Prostitutes oﬀer delights from balconies to those with 
  enough coin. At night, the Promise of Heaven stirs with the desperate, 
  the hungry, and the frightened. Beggars stare with bleary eyes, noting 
  every detail as the PFLS brazenly set ﬁre to the home of a Beysib 
  sympathizer. Cultists congregate in the dank tunnels of the Undercity, 
  while the Irrune convene in the halls of the Palace, restlessly walking 
  the myriad corridors as they struggle to adapt to city life. Sanctuary 
  is alive with activity, from criminals to saints. And, for those looking 
  for excitement, Sanctuary promises much. 
  The neighborhoods and larger districts of Sanctuary are based more 
  on common activity than formal distinctions or borders. All vary 
  widely in size and shape, and may grow, shrink, or twist from year to 
  year. The major neighborhoods are: Copper Corner, Downwind, the 
  Wideway, Fisherman’s Row, The Hill, the Jewelers’ Quarter, The Maze, 
  Pyrtanis, the Shambles, the Tween, and Undercity. Less important 
  areas, some of which are actually portions of larger neighborhoods, are 
  the Westside, the Bazaar, the Street of Red Lanterns, the Processional, 
  the Avenue of Temples, and the Palace District. In most cases, the 
  neighborhood exists in both the Rankan Era and the Irrune Era; 
  however, for an area to last from one era to the next without change 
  would be a very rare thing, indeed. 
  Each neighborhood’s description highlights important locations, 
  usually those of some importance in the stories told in the anthologies. 
  The descriptions of these landmarks match those in the books as 
  closely as possible. Where relevant, the locations and neighborhoods 
  refer to NPCs likely to be found there. For more details on these 
  characters, see Chapter Four: Faces of Sanctuary.
  When planning adventures with this material, it might be handy to 
  reference Appendix I: People of Sanctuary, which details the sort 
  of encounters one is likely to have in various neighborhoods. You’ll 
  also ﬁnd tables for generating shops and homes randomly, allowing 
  you to produce necessary information on the ﬂy.
  CHAPTER THREE: 
  SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  VIGILANCE
  In my experience, which is extensive, Sanctuary’s guards are not 
  much better than the common roach…
  Each neighborhood has a vigilance rating. The vigilance rating 
  measures how much inﬂuence the Guard and the Watch have: the 
  higher the number, the more active the patrols. Should the characters 
  commit a crime or engage in some other suspicious activity, there 
  is a chance that a Guard or Watch patrol moves in to investigate. 
  Depending on the situation, the characters might have to make a 
  Hide, Move Silently, or similar skill check with the vigilance rating 
  as the DC. On a failed check, the guards come to investigate or 
  otherwise notice the presence of the characters.
  Circumstances will determine the appropriate skill check. If the 
  characters are making a lot of noise, such as by brawling or breaking 
  a window, they may have to make Move Silently checks to avoid 
  detection. If they try to carry a large stolen item through the streets, 
  they might have to make a Hide check to avoid suspicion. A Sleight 
  
  - 42 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  of Hand check might be needed for a character attempting to pick 
  a target’s pocket. If the player characters are acting in concert, the 
  character with the lowest number of ranks in the relevant skill must 
  make the check — a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, after 
  all. The other characters may use the “aid another” action normally 
  to improve the group’s chance of success.
  If successful, the PCs avoid the notice of the authorities. Otherwise, 
  a guard or watch unit (depending on the neighborhood) arrives in 
  2d4 rounds to investigate. (If you’re using miniatures or other tactical 
  representation to enhance your game, start the guards 20 feet away 
  per round they must travel in a random direction. Each round, they 
  cautiously move 20 feet forward, scanning the area for signs of the 
  disturbance.) If the PCs are wary, they may well notice the guards 
  before they come close, allowing them to hide, ﬂee, ready actions, 
  and so on.
  If the PCs are committing a crime in plain sight, roll 1d20 at the 
  beginning of each minute of game time. (Remember that a minute 
  is equal to ten rounds, if engaged in combat.) If the roll is higher 
  than the neighborhood’s vigilance rating, guards fail to show up 
  that round. Otherwise, the guard arrives in the area to deal with the 
  disturbance at the end of the round. Add a cumulative –1 penalty for 
  each minute after the ﬁrst. If there are no witnesses, the roll gains a 
  +10 circumstance bonus.
  BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
  As the PCs adventure in the city, it may become necessary to know 
  what kinds of shops and homes are on a given street. Sanctuary is 
  literally teeming with people, and in some places businesses open and 
  close with shocking spontaneity. Table 3–1: Building and Structures 
  by Social Class can provide these answers, and has been arranged 
  to be useful in any era. 
  NEIGHBORHOODS
  Sanctuary has four neighborhood levels: Slums, Lower Class, Middle 
  Class, and Upper Class.
  SLUMS
  The poorest of the poor live in neighborhoods like this. Most buildings 
  are little more than hovels and shacks. The streets are usually unpaved, 
  or have retained the stones from days before the neighborhood’s 
  decline. Slums include the Downwind in the Rankan Era and the 
  Hill in the Irrune Era.
  LOWER CLASS
  A slight improvement over the slums, homes here are tenement 
  buildings that house 3d4 families or modestly sized houses that 
  TABLE 3–1: BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES BY SOCIAL CLASS
  Structure
  Slums
  Lower
  Middle
  Upper
  Residence (Roll on Table 3–2)
  01–50
  01–50
  01–40
  01–60
  Businesses (Roll on Table 3–3)
  51–60
  51–80
  41–80
  61–90
  Ruins (Roll on Table 3–4)
  61–100
  81–100
  81–100
  91–100
  TABLE 3–2: RESIDENCES
  Residence
  Slums
  Lower
  Middle
  Upper
  Tent/lean-to
  01–20
  01–05
  —
  —
  Hovel
  21–40
  06–20
  01–05
  —
  Residence, 1-story
  41–50
  21–30
  06–35
  01–05
  Residence, 1-story with garden
  —
  31–35
  36–50
  06–25
  Residence, 2-story
  —
  36–40
  51–55
  26–40
  Residence, 2-story with garden
  —
  —
  56–60
  41–60
  Residence, 2-story with garden and fountain
  —
  —
  —
  61–70
  Residence, 2-story manor house
  —
  —
  61–62
  71–80
  Residence, 2-story townhouse
  —
  —
  —
  81–85
  Residence, small estate
  —
  —
  —
  86–88
  Residence, large estate
  —
  —
  —
  89–90
  Tenement, Poor
  51–90
  41–70
  63–65
  —
  Tenement, Average
  91–100
  71–100
  66–90
  —
  Tenement, Fine
  —
  —
  91–100
  91–100
  
  - 43 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Business
  Slums
  Lower
  Middle
  Upper 
  Bazaar
  Animal trainer
  —
  —
  —
  01
  01
  Apothecary
  01
  01
  01
  02
  02
  Architect
  —
  —
  02
  03–04
  —
  Arena
  02–03
  02
  03
  —
  —
  Armorsmith
  —
  —
  04
  05
  03
  Artist
  04
  03
  05
  06
  —
  Baker
  —
  04–05
  06
  07
  —
  Barrister
  —
  —
  —
  08–09
  —
  Barber
  —
  06
  07
  10
  —
  Basketweaver
  —
  07
  08
  —
  —
  Bath House
  —
  —
  09
  11–12
  —
  Blacksmith
  —
  08
  10
  —
  04–05
  Boatwright
  —
  09–10
  —
  —
  —
  Bowyer/Fletcher
  —
  11
  11
  —
  06
  Brewery
  —
  12–13
  12
  —
  —
  Brickmaster
  —
  14
  13
  —
  —
  Brothel
  05–10
  15–20
  14–15
  13
  —
  Butcher
  11–12
  21–22
  16
  —
  07–08
  Carpenter
  —
  23
  17
  —
  —
  Carter
  13
  24–25
  —
  —
  —
  Cartographer
  —
  —
  —
  14
  09
  Cartwright
  —
  26–27
  18
  —
  —
  Chandler
  —
  28–29
  19
  —
  10
  Clothier
  —
  30
  20
  15–16
  11–12
  Cobbler
  —
  31–32
  21
  17
  13–14
  Cooper
  —
  33
  22
  —
  15
  Coppersmith
  —
  —
  23
  18
  16
  Cutler
  —
  —
  24
  19
  17
  Dairy
  —
  34–35
  25
  —
  —
  Distillery
  —
  36
  —
  —
  —
  Dry Goods Store
  —
  37
  26–27
  20
  18–24
  Dyer
  14–18
  38
  —
  —
  —
  Embroiderer
  —
  —
  —
  21
  25
  Exporter/Importer
  —
  —
  28–29
  22–23
  26–30
  Farrier
  —
  39
  30
  —
  31
  Fence
  19–25
  40–41
  31
  —
  32–34
  Fishmonger
  26–30
  42–44
  32
  —
  —
  Fortuneteller
  31
  45
  —
  —
  35–40
  Fruiter
  —
  —
  —
  24–25
  41
  Furrier
  —
  —
  33
  —
  42
  Gambling House
  32–34
  46–48
  34
  26–28
  —
  Gem Cutter
  —
  —
  35
  29
  43
  Glassblower
  —
  —
  36
  —
  44
  Goldsmith
  —
  —
  37
  30
  —
  Healer
  35
  49–50
  38
  31–32
  —
  Herbalist
  36
  51
  39
  33
  45–46
  Horsebreeder
  —
  —
  40
  34–35
  —
  Hostel
  37–40
  52–55
  41–42
  36
  —
  Business
  Slums
  Lower
  Middle
  Upper 
  Bazaar
  Inn
  41
  56–60
  43–44
  37–40
  —
  Jeweler
  —
  —
  45
  41–42
  47
  Kennel
  —
  —
  —
  43
  —
  Laundry
  42–44
  61
  46
  —
  —
  Leatherworker
  45–50
  62–63
  47
  —
  48–50
  Limner
  51
  64
  48
  44
  51
  Locksmith
  —
  —
  49
  45–46
  —
  Mason
  52–55
  65
  50
  —
  —
  Metalsmith
  —
  66
  51–52
  —
  52–55
  Midwife
  56
  67
  53–54
  —
  —
  Miller
  —
  68
  —
  —
  —
  Moneychanger
  —
  —
  55–56
  47–50
  56–57
  Occultist
  —
  69
  57
  51
  58
  Orphanage
  57
  70
  58
  —
  —
  Painter
  58–59
  71
  59
  —
  —
  Perfumery
  60–61
  72
  —
  —
  —
  Potter
  62–64
  73
  60
  —
  —
  Restaurant
  —
  —
  61–64
  52–60
  —
  Ropemaker
  65
  74
  —
  —
  —
  Saddler
  —
  —
  65
  61
  —
  Sage
  —
  75
  66
  62–63
  59
  Scriptorium
  —
  —
  67
  64–65
  —
  Seamstress
  66–67
  76–77
  68
  66
  —
  Shrine
  68
  78
  69
  67–68
  60
  Silversmith
  —
  —
  70
  69
  61
  Slaver
  69
  79
  —
  —
  62
  Slaughterhouse
  70–74
  80
  —
  —
  —
  Soapmaker
  75
  81
  —
  —
  —
  Stable
  76
  82
  71
  70–74
  —
  Staver
  —
  83
  —
  —
  —
  Stoneyard
  77
  84
  72
  —
  —
  Tailor
  —
  —
  73–74
  75–78
  63–64
  Tanner
  78–84
  85
  —
  —
  —
  Tavern
  85–90
  86–90
  75–80
  79–87
  —
  Tea House
  —
  —
  —
  88–90
  —
  Theatre
  —
  —
  81
  91
  —
  Tinker
  91
  91
  82
  —
  65–70
  Trader
  —
  —
  83–84
  —
  71–80
  Vintner
  —
  —
  —
  92–94
  81
  Wagoner
  —
  92
  85
  —
  —
  Wainwright
  —
  93
  86
  —
  —
  Weaponsmith
  —
  94
  87
  —
  82
  Weaver
  92
  95
  88
  —
  83
  Wheelwright
  —
  96
  89
  —
  84
  Woolmaker
  93
  97
  —
  —
  —
  Criminal Enterprise 
  (Roll Again)
  94–100
  98–100
  90–100
  95–100
  85–100
  TABLE 3–3: BUSINESSES
  
  - 44 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  double as shops. The streets are sometimes cobbled and are often 
  choked with waste and trash. Seedy bars and taverns are numerous 
  here. In both eras, Sanctuary’s lower class lives in the Westside, the 
  Shambles, and Fisherman’s Row. In the Irrune Era, Pyrtanis Street 
  and the Old Jeweler’s Quarter are considered lower class.
  MIDDLE CLASS
  Though tenement buildings are still the norm, there are many more 
  private homes. Shops are either part of a seller’s home or freestanding. 
  Taverns tend to be upscale and cater to soldiers and guards. In the 
  Rankan Era, the Processional and the Jewelers’ Quarter were both 
  considered middle class. In the Irrune Era, the ‘Tween and some parts 
  of the Processional are middle class.
  UPPER CLASS
  This is the best part of town, characterized by the large homes and 
  estates, ﬁne shops, and restaurants. These areas are heavily patrolled to 
  they keep out the rabble. In the Rankan Era, the Hill was the richest 
  part of town. In the Irrune Era, there is no exclusively upper class 
  neighborhood — parts of the Copper Corner and the Old Jewelers’ 
  Quarter are considered upper class but, by and large, the rich citizens 
  have withdrawn to Land’s End retreat.
  TABLE 3–4: RUINS
  Ruin
  Slums
  Lower
  Middle
  Upper 
  Ruin, rubble
  01–40
  01–30
  01–20
  01–10
  Ruin, one wall
  41–60
  31–55
  21–50
  11–30
  Ruin, two walls, partial roof
  61–75
  56–70
  51–75
  31–60
  Ruin, three walls, partial roof
  76–90
  71–85
  76–95
  61–85
  Ruin, intact, but abandoned (roll on Table 3–2)
  91–100
  86–100
  96–100
  86–100
  WALLS AND GATES
  Walls and gates… invitations all, I always say
  Whether through one of the many gates, beneath the city via the 
  maze of tunnels, or simply over the walls under cover of night, a 
  person can easily slip in and out of Sanctuary without attracting too 
  much notice. This section spotlights the major routes into, out of, 
  and through the city.
  WALLS
  When Kadakithis took over, the only walls in Sanctuary were those 
  surrounding the palace district and the bazaar, and a nearly 600-foot 
  span on the western edge of the city that marked the main entrance 
  to Caravan Square. Another wall covered a broad section of the 
  eastern half of the city, but was only partly complete.
  As Ranke disintegrated, Molin Torchholder and Prince Kadakithis 
  spent a great deal of Emperor Theron’s money ﬁnishing the city’s 
  walls. The new walls enclosed the granaries north of the palace, 
  and extended the partly ﬁnished eastern wall to wrap around the 
  unprotected Avenue of Temples until it connected to the palace 
  itself. The building of the walls marked one of Sanctuary’s most 
  prosperous times. Workers and their families came from all over to 
  earn their pay erecting walls (said by some to be divinely designed). 
  Money ﬂowed into all districts of the city, and the city’s coﬀers 
  were quickly replenished by the taxes they levied on the burgeoning 
  economy.
  These walls were constructed so expertly that they have survived 
  ﬁres, ﬂoods, storms, and the Dyareelans. They could probably 
  withstand a direct attack, given their craftsmanship. Regardless of 
  era, the walls are considered reinforced masonry (10 feet thick, DC 
  45 Break, Hardness 8, hp 1,800 per 10-ft.-by-10-ft. section, Climb 
  DC 15). They stand about twenty feet tall and have crenellations. 
  Scaﬀolding allows guards to patrol them, but few do except in 
  times of war.
  The walls also tell Sanctuary’s story to those who take the time 
  to notice. Scattered upon them are bas-reliefs of notable citizens, 
  including proﬁles of Kadakithis and other heroes, and images of the 
  gods, though few survived graﬃti and defacement by the cultists.
  GATES
  Sanctuary has many gates, each serving as a checkpoint to monitor 
  traﬃc into and out of the city, and through the various neighborhoods. 
  This section describes most of the gates in use. A gate uses the 
  vigilance rating of the district in which it stands, plus 5.
  COMMON GATE
  The Common Gate sees a lot of traﬃc and randy men (and 
  women) drift over to Red Lanterns pretty much at all times of 
  the day. Oh, and there’s the Bazaar too.
  Common Gate serves for daily traﬃc and stands on the northwestern 
  wall of the bazaar. It allows easy access for people of the outlying 
  areas to trade and shop in Sanctuary. A pair of guards watches for 
  thieves and troublemakers, and charges a ﬂat fee of 2 padpols to those 
  seeking entry. On the lintel is a single word, announcing to those 
  travelers that can read that they enter “Sanctuary.”
  Just beyond Common Gate, there is the cemetery to the southwest 
  and the Street of Red Lanterns to the northeast. What houses lay 
  here are scattered and small. Further north are the steadily mounting 
  hills and the hamlets that support the city.
  
  - 45 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  GATE OF GOLD
  In my day, the Gate of Gold was a symbol of hope and promise 
  of the future…
  Hah! They should tear the damn thing down.
  The Gate of Gold once marked the eastern extent of the city. It was 
  named for the caravan trades that came this far south and marked 
  the way to lucrative trade with Ilsig. When Kadakithis ordered the 
  completion of the walls, the Gate of Gold marked the entrance to 
  the city, and the city extended further to the east accessed through 
  the Prince’s Gate. Guardhouses ﬂank the Wideway as it passes 
  through. During the Rankan era, there were defensible ditches on 
  either side of the Wideway. Now the Gate of Gold is nothing more 
  than an empty arch.
  GATE OF THE GODS (GODS’ GATE)
  In the old days, this gate was something and colorful types moved 
  through as they liked. Now, well, it’s kind of sad… not that I 
  owe anything to priests or anything.
  The Gate of the Gods stands on the eastern wall of the palace 
  district near the cisterns. So named because it connects the palace to 
  the Avenue of Temples, this gate features expertly crafted religious 
  imagery, though much of it remains defaced after the Dyareelan 
  reign.
  During the Troubles, the cultists used the Gate of the Gods to creep 
  into the city to hunt for dissenters and rebels. With the destruction 
  of the temples on the Avenue, few locals haunt this area except for 
  the occasional Hiller who came to loot the ruins. Now, the Gods’ 
  Gate is protected by a pair of Irrune guards.
  GATE OF TRIUMPH
  The thing I remember most about the Gate of Triumph were 
  the processions. If it wasn’t a detachment of Rankans, soldiers 
  or priests — really is there much diﬀerence when Rankans 
  are concerned? — it was those Stepsons. And no, nothing ever 
  happened between me and Tempus.
  The Gate of Triumph is well protected and banded with iron. It oﬀers 
  access to the western side of the city, particularly the caravan depot 
  and farmer’s market. The guards look for contraband and watch for 
  obviously dangerous types, barring them from the city, though they 
  rarely pry too deeply. Triumph Gate is also where the guards collect 
  fees from merchants bringing their goods into the city. (Prices tend 
  to vary among the guards.) Lastly, this is the route Sanctans take to 
  bury their dead in the cemetery, so carts bearing corpses are not an 
  uncommon sight.
  The Gate of Triumph was once used for processions of a religious or 
  military nature. In the current era, not much remains of this place, 
  and a great deal of the wall collapsed during the terrible storms. Most 
  caravans now come through the East Gate.
  GATE OF JUSTICE (HEADMAN’S GATE)
  I always thought Headman’s Gate was a far more appropriate name...
  Providing direct access to the Street of Red Lanterns, the Gate of 
  Justice was once called the Headman’s Gate (or Dead Man’s Gate) 
  for its clear view of the executioner’s block. Renamed the Gate of 
  Justice to soften its purpose, it opens up the northern extent of the 
  city. Most days, this gate stands closed.
  PALACE GATE
  I suppose I could have just slipped through the Palace Gate, but 
  where’s the challenge in that?
  The Palace Gate leads to the governor’s palace. It has two large 
  reinforced wooden doors that close in times of crisis and are ﬂanked 
  by a pair of guardhouses. Only those with business in the palace or 
  the Hall of Justice are allowed passage, and even then, with only a 
  writ. When ﬁrst erected, the Palace Gate bore the names of the Ilsigi 
  gods, later replaced with the Rankan gods. The inscriptions were fully 
  removed during the Troubles, and now it bears no god’s name.
  ROADS
  Sanctuary is crisscrossed with roads, many of which are little more than muddy paths. The main thoroughfares are cobbled with large 
  stones or even paved, but in the better neighborhoods they are smaller and jostle carts less than in other areas. For more details on the 
  various streets in Sanctuary, consult the city maps on pages 46 to 49.
  
  - 46 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  35
  
  - 47 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
  31
  32
  33
  34
  15
  36
  37
  1. General’s Road
  2. Kurd’s House
  3. Street of Red Lanterns
  4. Cemetary
  5. Gate of Triumph
  6. The Bazaar
  7.  Animal Pens and Beef 
  Market
  8. Downwind
  9. Jubal’s Estate
  10. Caravan Square
  11. Farmer’s Run
  12. Common Gate
  13. Westside
  14. Fisherman’s Row
  15. Wideway
  16. The Maze
  17. Empire’s Wharf
  18. Old Wharf
  19. West Gate Street
  20. Governor’s Walk
  21. The Processional
  22. Governor’s Palace
  23. Gate of the Gods
  24. Headman’s Gate
  25. Granaries
  26. Vashanka’s Square
  27. Avenue of Temples
  28. Promise of Heaven
  29. Land’s End
  30. Gate of Gold
  31. Jeweler’s Quarter
  32. Pyrtanis Street
  33. Path of Money
  34. Fish Market
  35. Shamble’s Corner
  36. Processional Gate
  37. Zoo Gardens
  38. Palace Gate
  RANKAN ERA MAP KEY
  38
  
  - 48 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  10
  11
  12
  8
  9
  31
  32
  
  - 49 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  13
  14
  15
  16
  1. General’s Road
  2. Cemetary
  3.  Common Gate
  4. The Bazaar
  5. Gate of Triumph
  6. Farmer’s Market and 
  Caravan Grounds
  7.  Fisherman’s Row
  8. Shambles
  9. The Maze
  10. Farmer’s Run
  11. Wideway
  12. Street of Red Lanterns
  13. Governor’s Walk
  14. The Processional
  15. Processional Gate
  16. Palace Gate
  17. Hall of Justice
  18. Granaries
  19. Gate of the Gods
  20. Promise of Heaven
  21. Avenue of Temples
  22. The Hill
  23. The Crook
  24. Copper Corner
  25. Pyrtanis Street
  26. Jeweler’s Quarter
  27. Gate of Gold
  28. The ‘Tween
  29. Prince’s Gate
  30. Old Wharf 
  31. Empire’s Wharf 
  32. The Lighthouse 
  IRRUNE ERA MAP KEY
  11
  17
  18
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
  25
  
  - 50 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  I’ll say this, the Avenue of Temples was never a place for 
  lingering. The temple guards took their jobs a little too seriously 
  and more than one Wrigglie took a nasty beating just for looking 
  like they were up to no good.
  This wide street is the highest point in the city, above even the palace 
  itself. The Avenue was once home to Sanctuary’s temples and priests. 
  The buildings here were large and ornate, with smaller mansions 
  for the ruling clergy and rougher buildings in back for the lesser 
  acolytes. The priests maintained the Avenue, keeping it very clean, 
  and encouraged Sanctuary’s citizens to visit at any hour. Few did, 
  however, in part because the city guards patrolled the street heavily, 
  chasing away anyone who looked too poor, save on festival days 
  when they were allowed to beg for alms on the temple steps. The 
  rest avoided this area because few Sanctans ever had much use for 
  the gods and their priests.
  Crime was almost nonexistent on the Avenue — The gods and their 
  priests looked out for themselves. Most temples maintained their own 
  security, and there’s nothing that’s worth tempting the wrath of Ils 
  or Savankala. The guards watched every visitor closely, particularly 
  those who did not look wealthy. And there was nowhere for a good 
  thief to hide: the buildings were too far apart and too clean to oﬀer 
  protective shadows, and the streets too empty to provide crowd cover. 
  As a result, the Avenue always felt cold and empty, making it even less 
  inviting. Except for the priests and the guards, most of Sanctuary’s 
  residents only visited the Avenue on the major holy days, or during 
  the religious festivals.
  The temple of Ils Thousand-Eyed, supreme deity of the Ilsig kingdom, 
  dominated the Avenue of Temples originally.  But with the arrival of 
  the Rankans to Sanctuary, work began on new temples, bigger and 
  bolder than the older Ilsigi ones. Speciﬁcally, this new construction 
  focused mostly on the Temple of Vashanka and his father, Savankala. 
  This new construction, coupled with Vashanka’s generally aggressive 
  nature, precipitated the Gods’ War that plagued the city for several 
  years. The Ilsigi temples lined the northeast side of the avenue, 
  while construction started on the temples to Rankan gods at the 
  southeastern corner of the Promise of Heaven. During the thickest 
  AVENUE OF TEMPLES
  • VIGILANCE 25 (RANKAN) OR 5 (IRRUNE) •
  PRINCE’S GATE (EAST GATE)
  Eh. The days of Kadakithis are long behind us, I’m afraid. I get 
  a shiver whenever I pass through East Gate.
  The Prince’s Gate, or Eastern Gate, stands at the farthest east edge 
  of Sanctuary proper, marking the border of the ’Tween and standing 
  opposite of the older Gate of Gold, which marked Sanctuary’s 
  border in the Rankan Era. The guards here make it a point to 
  learn the names of locals and regulars who come and go. For these 
  people, they are lax in their duties; when faced with a stranger, they 
  are far more vigilant. The guards here inspect wagons and carts, 
  but rarely do much more than that, and a few well-spent padpols 
  can get them to turn the other way. Travelers seeking Land’s End 
  retreat pass through this gate, as do most caravans that come to 
  Sanctuary now.
  Above the Prince’s Gate is a plaque—a stone carving depicting two 
  men in proﬁle, facing each other. Beneath them are two swords 
  crossed over a spear and an inscription dedicating the gate to Prince 
  Kadakithis.
  PROCESSIONAL GATE
  I seem to recall a certain menagerie that created all sorts of trouble 
  way back when. Something about bird, or was it bat, people. 
  Funny how people put those sorts of things out of their heads.
  The Processional Gate is the terminus end of the Processional, allowing 
  access to the palace district. From the gate, one can see the parade 
  grounds, Vashanka’s Square, and the palace itself. Two great wooden 
  doors close during the night hours to protect the governor and his 
  family, but during the day, the gates stand open and allow those with 
  palace business to come and go as they please, albeit under the scrutiny 
  of the guard. In the old days, the Zoo Gardens stood just east of the 
  Processional Gate, impressing visitors with the governor’s wealth.
  WEST GATE (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  Before Kadakithis ordered the completion of Sanctuary’s walls, the palace 
  district had a second gate on the southern wall that stood at the end of 
  West Gate Street. This gate saw little traﬃc and stood closed except for 
  festivals and major palace events. West Gate has a single guardhouse.
  
  - 51 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  I guess of all the things in Sanctuary, the Bazaar is pretty 
  much like it always was, well except for the S’danzo. High 
  prices, crooked merchants, and roaches with sticky ﬁngers, what 
  a place!
  This large area was one of the busiest, liveliest places in the city. 
  Essentially an open-air market, one could ﬁnd everything from food 
  to weapons to livestock to services in the bazaar. Most of the sellers 
  in the Rankan Era were Sanctans, with a healthy smattering of just 
  about every other culture in the Known World, including seven or 
  eight S’danzo. No one seemed to know who ran the bazaar, but there 
  were deﬁnitely rules, and no one moved in without permission, or 
  at least they did not stay long. Permanent buildings lined the walls. 
  Some belonged to the S’danzo, who were the bazaar’s most permanent 
  residents, with others in the hands of a few successful merchants. 
  Everyone else arrived shortly before dawn each morning to set up 
  tents and booths and lay out their wares, selling throughout the day, 
  before packing up and heading home just after dusk. Pickpockets 
  ran rampant here, but there was never much violence. Most people 
  were too busy buying and selling to ﬁght, and city guards were always 
  nearby in case of trouble.
  Although most vendors closed up and left each night, the bazaar was 
  never truly a totally empty place. Some of the locals who lived here 
  were open for business at any hour of the day or night. Others used 
  the emptied booths and aisles for their own activities, like gambling, 
  drinking, or selling items that the city guard would not allow to be 
  sold openly. 
  TABLE 3–2: AVENUE OF TEMPLES BUILDINGS
  —Rankan—
  —Irrune—
  Roll
  Temple
  Roll
  Building
  01–05
  Aleestina
  01–80
  Ruin***
  06–10
  Anen
  81–90
  Pel Garwood or  
  Sisters of Sabellia
  11
  Death and Sostrei
  91–100
  Other revivalist cult
  12–20
  Eshi
  21–40
  Ils
  41–50
  Meshpri
  51–55
  Shalpa
  56–66
  Shipri
  67–70
  Sivini (ruins)
  71–75
  Theba
  76–80
  Thili
  81–85
  Thuﬁr
  86–90
  Rankan Shrine*
  91–92
  Argash**
  93–95
  Other god
  96–00
  Ruins 
  *The Rankans work throughout the classic series to construct a great 
  temple for their pantheon. The Promise of Heaven was later adapted to 
  house Rankan gods as well. Heqt’s temple, when it stood, was in the Maze. 
  Dyareela was banned from the city up until the Troubles.
  **Ilsigi god of death and dying
  ***Roll on the Rankan Era table for the god
  BAZAAR
  • VIGILANCE 10 •
  of tensions between the Rankan and Ilsigi priests, this place became 
  a hotbed of intrigues and treachery.
  Many of the Ilsigi temples were ruined during the Gods’ War, for Rankans 
  emptied any temple that they saw as a threat, such as the Temple of Sivini. 
  Interestingly, the rise and fall of various temples has been a common 
  occurrence in this part of the city, for once, ages ago, Dyareela had a 
  temple here, something few Sanctans during the Rankan Era ever forgot. 
  Still, the Gods’ War was unique. Both of the rival pantheons suﬀered. 
  Vashanka’s temple was destroyed, and Ils’ temple collapsed, killing his 
  own followers. 
  But nothing would compare to the destruction meted by the 
  Dyareelans. At the height of their power, they razed every standing 
  temple in the city to make way for the true faith of the Mother 
  of Chaos. They used the temples’ steps as stages for their ritual 
  executions, bathing the sacred buildings in blood and sacriﬁcing both 
  Rankan and Ilsigi priests on their altars. After the Irrune broke and 
  outlawed the cult, the conquerors forbade public worship within the 
  city limits, making the temples not only useless, but illegal. Many 
  of the proud old buildings have fallen into disrepair, even those that 
  survived the ﬁres and the ﬁghting. 
  Now, this place stands above one of Sanctuary’s most dangerous 
  neighborhoods. Nearly deserted, the memories of the Dyareelan 
  excesses still resonate with the populace. What eﬀorts have been 
  made to restore this part of town have been halfhearted, such as 
  with the old temple of Ils, which still lacks a roof. Recently, however, 
  some of the temples have seen new life. The temple of Ils is being 
  slowly restored. The Sisters of Sabellia work to restore her temple, 
  and Pel Garwood has claimed the old chapel of Meshpri and her 
  son, Meshnom, as his home, trading his services for labor to restore 
  the building to its former greatness. Residents have begun visiting 
  both the healer and the Sisters, and the town guards are starting to 
  patrol here again to protect them. Unfortunately, the Avenue is near 
  the Hill, and people from that neighborhood are starting to wander 
  onto the Avenue as well. These people are usually desperate for food, 
  money, and drink, and willing to do anything for such prizes, so they 
  often harass, rob, and murder the Avenue’s more legitimate visitors. 
  The guards beat away these criminals when they can, but it is still 
  best to walk the Avenue during the day, and to avoid those temples 
  that still lay in ruin.
  SECRETS
  For those willing to brave the Hillers, there are old treasures still to be 
  found in these old buildings. It is rumored that the Dyareelans now 
  lurk in these tunnels that run beneath several of the ruins, including 
  the one that runs beneath Savankala’s altar to the palace and the 
  Street of Red Lanterns.
  
  - 52 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Newcomers to Sanctuary would often go to the bazaar ﬁrst, or ﬁnish 
  their other business and then head oﬀ to wander its alleys and paths. 
  Nobles, peasants, merchants, and everyone in between—they all came 
  to the bazaar. It was the one place in Sanctuary where everyone was 
  welcome, regardless of race, religion, or ﬁnancial status. The bazaar 
  was never the place to get the best price — there were other markets 
  and merchants for wheeling and dealing. Rather, the bazaar was 
  the market for luxuries, oddments, foreign trade, and secondhand 
  merchandise.
  GOOD FORTUNE OILS
  One-Eye Reesch is best known for his magical oils and essences, 
  which he sells out of his stall in the Bazaar. A person burns the 
  oil in a normal lamp while making a wish, and then enjoys a 
  boost to his fortunes. Reesch doesn’t actually make these oils, 
  but imports them from the Caronnese and the Aurvestan; the 
  Aurvestan brands are less reliable, but cheaper. When burning 
  Aurvestan oils, the user must make a DC 10 Will save in order 
  to gain the beneﬁts of the oils.
  Good fortune oils come in a number of varieties, each of which 
  has a diﬀerent eﬀect. Color-coded wax seals distinguish between 
  the types of oil.
  BLUE
  This oil grants ﬁnancial good fortune. The user gains a +2 
  enhancement bonus to all Profession checks and Diplomacy 
  checks made when haggling. The eﬀects last for 24 hours. 
  Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, guidance; 
  Price 70 sh (Carronese) or 55 sh (Aurveshan).
  RED
  This oil helps the user ﬁnd true love. The user gains a +2 
  enhancement bonus to all Charisma-based checks when 
  dealing with the subject of his aﬀections. The eﬀects last for 
  24 hours. 
  Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, eagle’s 
  splendor; Price 120 sh (Carronese) or 100 sh (Aurveshan).
  GREEN
  This oil provides good health. The user gains a +2 enhancement 
  bonus to all Fortitude saves. The eﬀects last for 24 hours. 
  Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, resistance; 
  Price 135 sh (Carronese) or 110 sh (Aurveshan).
  BLACK
  This oil breaks hexes. If the user is under the eﬀects of a curse or a 
  spell that requires a Will save to resist, he may attempt that Will 
  save a second time at the original DC, resisting in the appropriate 
  way if this save succeeds. Only one eﬀect can be resisted with a 
  single application of good fortune oil.
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, dispel magic; 
  Price 375 sh (Carronese) or 300 sh (Aurveshan).
  Like the rest of the city, the Troubles aﬀected the bazaar, which fell on 
  hard times. But not for long. The bazaar was too good a location not 
  to draw more merchants, and soon it was busy once again, ﬁlled with 
  hopefuls peddling all manner of goods, though, instead of S’danzo, 
  there are now merchants of Twandan, Aurveshan, or Caronnese 
  extraction, along with a great many Ilsigi and Rankan merchants, 
  and a few exotic Mrsevadans.
  Old walls surround the bazaar, older than the rest of the city. In 
  fact, these walls are some of the earliest fortiﬁcations in Sanctuary. 
  With these defenses in place, the bazaar seems like a city in its own 
  right. A small gate in the northern wall, called the Common Gate, 
  leads out to the Street of Red Lanterns, and it is guarded around 
  the clock and barred at night. Many of the bazaar’s vendors live 
  within the walls, and rarely leave. Because traders bring everything 
  to the market, the inhabitants there do not need anything from the 
  rest of Sanctuary, and seem content to live their lives within those 
  four walls, forcing their customers to seek them out, instead of the 
  other way around.
  DAVAR’S FORGE
  In the Irrune Era, Sanctuary has only ﬁve working blacksmiths 
  (among whom is Swift on Pyrantis) and so Davar, a native of the 
  bazaar, has a steady business. Situated on the bazaar’s north wall, 
  he is always busy. He is a skilled smith, and provides services at 
  reasonable prices for locals, though he charges a bit more for those 
  from outside of the bazaar. Like most people here, Davar has no 
  great love for the rest of the city and is brusque when dealing with 
  outsiders.
  Davar’s forge sits on the very spot that Dubro’s stood during the 
  Rankan Era and the anvil he uses is the same one Dubro used, 
  proven by the Face of Chaos stamped on its side. Though Davar is 
  as successful as Dubro, they have no other connections other than 
  the site where they work. 
  DUBRO AND ILLYRA
  I’ve always had a soft spot for S’Danzo. And while I preferred 
  Moonﬂower, Illyra never did me wrong.
  Of the people living in the bazaar during the Rankan Era, Dubro and 
  Illyra were perhaps the most friendly to outsiders. Fully ensconced in 
  the bazaar lifestyle, they frequently found themselves involved with 
  the larger city. Durbo, a blacksmith by trade, was likely the most 
  skilled smith in the city. Reserved, stolid, and steadfast, he did a good 
  business providing for his wife and family. Illyra supplemented their 
  income by reading palms and cards in her tent, which stood next 
  to the forge. For prophecies and fortunetelling, there was no better 
  seer. For more details on Dubro and Illyra, see Chapter Four: Faces 
  of Sanctuary.
  ONE-EYE REESCH
  One-Eye Reesch is another vendor in the Irrune Era bazaar. Formerly 
  a glass blower, he specialized in selling ﬁne glasswares. As he aged, 
  he lost the strength in his lungs to continue, so now he deals with 
  containers (glass and metals) of ﬁne craftsmanship. Though he does 
  a brisk business, he is better known for his fortune oils (see the 
  sidebar for details).
  
  - 53 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  CARAVAN’S SQUARE/CARAVAN DEPOT & FARMER’S MARKET 
  • VIGILANCE 10 •
  I never had much cause to loiter here, though Cudget used to ply 
  his trade there. Merchants hefty heavy bags of silver, well it’s an 
  attractive proposition, you know? Ah well, the past is past.
  This large open area once stood just north of Westside and west of 
  the bazaar. Here, caravans from all over the Known World congregate 
  to sell their goods in the city. In many cases, they transport their 
  merchandise into the bazaar where they rent a stall for a time before 
  moving on to sell in another coastal city. Many, though, sold right oﬀ 
  the wagons, skipping the higher prices of the bazaar and selling at a 
  bargain. The Caravan’s Square was organized into smaller markets, 
  including the farmer’s market and the beef market.
  During the day, the Caravan’s Square was a lively place, ﬁlled with 
  merchants from many diﬀerent lands. Cook-ﬁres sent up the aromas of 
  strange cuisine blended with the sickly-sweet odor of horse and camel 
  dung. Road dust, sweat, and occasionally blood mixed with the other 
  smells to create a strong musk that seemed to speak of distant lands 
  and adventures in faraway places. At night, merchants engaged in night 
  dealing by the light of their sentry ﬁres, exchanging commodities and 
  news for hard coin and favors. Caravan Square was a lively place and 
  deﬁning characteristic of Sanctuary’s cosmopolitan nature, but it was 
  a casualty in the storms that followed Ranke’s withdrawal.
  What was once Caravan’s Square became a deep cove torn away by 
  the ﬂooding and hurricanes that ravaged the city after four years of 
  drought. In the years that followed, and the caravans came through 
  the East Gate instead. The new caravan depot (sometimes still called 
  Caravan’s Square) occasionally serves as an arena for horseracing, 
  duels, and some blood sport, though this isn’t as popular with the 
  Irrune masters. On most days, it serves as the gathering place for 
  merchants and traders who carry their goods over land from as far 
  away as Ranke and Ilsig, and sometimes farther. Here all sorts of 
  exotic goods can be found, from silks and spices to tools and raw 
  materials, like ore and lumber. Tax collectors prowl the caravan depot 
  to generate revenue for the city while also keeping an eye on the kinds 
  of things brought into the city, though tax collectors are likely the 
  most bribable creatures in all the city.
  Local farmers and herders, however, come to the farmer’s market 
  three days each week (Orulsday, Eshiday, and Shiprisday) to sell grain, 
  cattle, and ﬁnished products from the outlying communities. This is 
  the place to ﬁnd bargains, and the prices here beat those anyplace 
  else in the city. Much of the produce and animals sold here are fresh, 
  common, and local, so those with more particular tastes often head 
  over to the bazaar.
  In both the caravan depot and the farmer’s market, most of the 
  merchandise brought into the city is legal and legitimate. While no 
  safer than anywhere else, Sanctans can expect to buy goods for fair 
  prices without fear of being ripped oﬀ too badly. Yet despite the eﬀorts 
  to control illegal goods, it is through these portals that Sanctuary 
  sees its heaviest drug traﬃcking. Drug lords manufacture opah in 
  the outlying hamlets where there is little to control the production 
  of this dangerous drug. Farmers then carry the wads of stained cloth 
  into the city, along with the rest of the goods they would sell. Contacts 
  meet them and make small purchases, which are wrapped in opah-
  stained cloth, which is then taken into the city, cut up into swatches, 
  and bound as books for sale on the streets.
  Slavery is also a big business. Caravaners smuggle slaves out of the 
  city from contacts in the Crook (see page 58) and take kidnapped 
  citizens out of the city to be sold in ﬂesh markets too far away for 
  anyone to ever know where they came from. Likewise, slaves are 
  illegally imported through the same means, though they are often 
  transported in galleys that specialize in carrying slaves. Space is at a 
  premium, so each slave is accorded a small area, often no larger than a 
  coﬃn, where he or she lives for the voyage. These “coﬃn ships” come 
  to port disguised as ordinary cargo ships.
  MAN IN MOTLEY
  During the Rankan Era, the Man in Motley was a popular hostel for 
  merchants and caravan men who had coin to spend on comfortable 
  accommodations. A squat building, it oﬀered a great view of the beef 
  market, where animals were slaughtered for their ﬂesh. At the end 
  of each day, slaves shoveled the blood and feces into piles to dry the 
  next day to sell as fuel. The Man in Motley featured a tavern, where 
  there was always a joint of ﬂesh roasting over the ﬁre, on the main 
  ﬂoor and rooms on the second and third ﬂoors. 
  Unbeknownst to most, the stone stair that led to the cellars also led to 
  a secret door that connected to Sanctuary’s undercity, and supposedly 
  to the Black Spire in the Maze.
  
  - 54 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  There’s a cemetery in Sanctuary?
  The custom of burying one’s dead came from the Ilsigi. As Sanctuary 
  was founded by Ilsigi ex-slaves, the practice was adopted here. 
  Sanctuary’s cemetery is a walled area, just northwest of the bazaar and 
  south of the Street of Red Lanterns. It is a strange, unsettling place, 
  a mixture of mausoleums, mass graves, and headstones. While it was 
  a sacred place in Sanctuary’s early history, the Rankan occupation 
  saw less activity here, for some Rankans cremate their dead. (Others 
  did actually bury their corpses, interring them in family plots, along 
  with their valuables.) Of course, when the dead walked in the city 
  during Roxane’s tenure as the villainess, Sanctuary’s cemetery took 
  on an even more sinister atmosphere. 
  The ground here is pocked with holes and pits from grave robbers, 
  who risk death by plundering the graves of the dead. And though very 
  few would ever risk coming here in the night, it’s said that the rarest 
  of herbs grow here, in the cemetery’s rich and loamy soil.
  With the Irrune occupation, the practice of burying the dead has 
  fallen oﬀ even more. As descendants of the Cantal tribes, the Irrune 
  do not have complicated funeral practices and instead cremate their 
  dead. Though they uphold the laws against tomb robbing, they rarely 
  prosecute criminals. To protect the dead, many Sanctans inter their 
  family members under their homes, along with valuables as an honor 
  to their memory. It’s considered a blasphemy to unearth one of these 
  vaults, and few with any scruples do.
  CEMETERY
  • VIGILANCE 5 •
  COPPER CORNER
  • VIGILANCE 15 •
  Excellent opportunities for… work… yeah… in Copper Corner. 
  Watch out for the money lenders, they’re worse than me.
  Formerly the central merchant’s quarter of Sanctuary, Copper Corner 
  got its name because it was home to most of Sanctuary’s metalsmiths 
  and coppersmiths. The buildings were large and solidly built, and many 
  of the homes sat on small, walled estates surrounded by handsome 
  gardens or small fruit groves. Copper Corner stood between four 
  major streets (the Path of Money to the north, the Corridor of Steel 
  to the east, the Wideway to the south, and the Processional to the 
  west), and has wide, straight streets itself. Easily navigated, even the 
  newest arrivals can ﬁnd their way around this neighborhood. Despite 
  its handsome architecture, people rarely wandered here. They came to 
  conduct business, and then departed once business was done. The streets 
  were always quiet, and many of the houses sat back far enough that 
  their lights didn’t reach the streets. It was a safe neighborhood, however; 
  Kadakithis valued the smiths too much to let them get hurt or their 
  supplies misplaced, and so his Hell Hounds often patrolled here.
  Copper Corner is one of the few places in the city to survive much as it 
  did in the Rankan Era. Though most of the metalsmiths left, a few have 
  stayed and still have shops here. Several wealthy nobles stayed as well, 
  and hired mercenaries to protect them. Eventually the nobles agreed that 
  all of them wanted the same thing: to keep Copper Corner safe. So they 
  pooled their resources and hired mercenaries on a long-term basis as 
  guards in a private militia. This militia, called the Peacekeepers, keeps the 
  neighborhood safe and prevent any undesirable elements from entering. 
  Thanks to the presence of the Peacekeepers, it is still safe to walk through 
  Copper Corner, even at night. Unless you don’t look like you have real 
  business there, in which case you will be harassed by the Peacekeepers 
  themselves, and possibly robbed or beaten by them. 
  The buildings here are still in good repair and reminiscent of 
  Sanctuary in its golden days, though many have been re-fortiﬁed in 
  the past few years with heavier gates and window shutters. Nearest to 
  the Processional, the homes are strongly built, but the east end is more 
  run-down, and many of these buildings are now vacant. Peacekeepers 
  do not patrol there as frequently, and so you can walk that portion 
  of Copper Corner without seeing them… but so can the thieves the 
  Peacekeepers scare away elsewhere.
  Copper Corner now houses Sanctuary’s wealthiest citizens (aside 
  from those at Land’s End retreat) and they go to great pains to ensure 
  that they maintain the image of their success. It’s important to note 
  that even though Copper Corner escaped many of the ravages of 
  the Dyareelan excesses, signs of their rule can be found here, just 
  like every other place in the city. Scars of ﬁre and storm remain on 
  abandoned buildings with dark empty windows and old crumbling 
  walls. Copper Corner is clad in an illusion of prosperity and hope 
  that thinly conceals its dark secrets.
  THE INN OF SIX RAVENS
  About halfway to the Procession, along the Street of Glass, is a small 
  and expensive hostel known as the Inn of Six Ravens. Surrounded by 
  a stone wall with a single iron gate, and protected by guards dressed in 
  green livery, it has a reputation for strong defense and safe lodging. Unlike 
  most guards in Sanctuary, the ones protecting the Inn are a hardened lot, 
  chosen for their loyalty and reliability—they can’t be bribed. The Inn is 
  also known for its discretion, and many nobles house wives, daughters, 
  or mistresses here for protection, anonymity, and ﬁnery. The Inn provides 
  many amenities, from ﬁne meals to comfortable accommodations, and 
  also keeps a seamstress on staﬀ who can mend or launder clothing, or 
  create a new ensemble for a good price. In addition to the inn proper, Six 
  Ravens has its own stable, and even a fountain in the courtyard.
  MANSIONS
  Mansions in various states of rebuilding and repair are common sights 
  in Copper Corner. During the height of the Dyareelan excesses, 
  most of the aristocracy ﬂed the city. The Rankans left the Hill and 
  settled in the outlying area at Land’s End retreat, while the wealthier 
  Wrigglies lost almost everything, and left for the satellite farming 
  villages north of the city. After the Irrune purged the city, many 
  
  - 55 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  returned, hoping to reclaim their lives. Few Rankans followed suit, 
  content in their new homes outside the city’s boundaries, while the 
  Wrigglies had no options left, so they returned to their homes, and 
  in most cases, were penniless.
  In the years that followed, the Wrigglie lords have worked hard to 
  maintain the pretense of wealth, investing in new enterprises (some 
  legal, most not), dealing with merchants, and forging alliances with 
  other notables. Appearance, however, is equally important, and so these 
  families sink unbelievable wealth into the renovation of their homes, 
  even though they can scarcely aﬀord to do so—and in many cases delay 
  payment for years and years. There are, in fact, wealthy families among 
  the nabobs, and there’s considerable social competition between and 
  among the close-knit upper class. While rumors of impending ﬁnancial 
  collapse swirl around nearly every member of the aristocracy, it’s diﬃcult 
  for an outsider to gauge the true state of any nabob’s ﬁnances.
  One such notable is Jerbrah Mioklas, who, like most of the Wrigglie 
  elite, ﬂed the city only to return to Sanctuary to ﬁnd his home in 
  shambles. Instead of surrendering his lands, he made it his mission 
  to rebuild his family mansion, bigger and better than ever before. 
  He hired Grabar and Cauvin to begin work on renovating the walls, 
  while others worked on the inside. Instead of paying as he promised, 
  he promised more work, pleading poverty, but vowing he would make 
  good on the debt. (Like many wealthy people, he stays so by stringing 
  along their inferiors. Despite his claims to poverty, he lives along the 
  Processional, which is held by the truly elite and the truly rich.)
  Most mansions are single large buildings surrounded by a stone wall 
  and garden. The houses are beautiful, suggestive of Sanctuary’s former 
  wealth, with multiple stories and several outbuildings. In addition, the 
  mansions often employ a full serving staﬀ and personal guards.
  THIBALT THE RANKAN
  The Dyareelans used up Sanctuary, devouring its craftsmen and 
  artisans and discarding them when they were done. Particularly 
  hard hit were the metalsmiths of Copper Corner. The Dyareelans 
  pressed them into service to craft abominations out of precious 
  metals to decorate their altars. Those who displeased them joined 
  the other victims. In the end, few survived, thus depleting the city of 
  an important class of artisans.
  Those that did survive have grown quite wealthy in a market with 
  little to no competition. One such smith is Thibalt the Rankan, a 
  notorious goldsmith who owns a shop in the largely intact west end 
  of Copper Corner. Given the prices he can charge, he doesn’t have 
  to work very hard, and sees customers when he wants. He works 
  with gold, gems, and jewelry, but can handle silver and platinum 
  as well. 
  Among more disreputable people, Thibalt is known to purchase stolen 
  jewelry and gems for a fraction of their price, modify them, and resell 
  them to other wealthy citizens. As a result, he has many contacts in 
  the underworld, who value his talents and expertise when it comes 
  to appraising ﬁne items.
  SECRETS
  Many of the lords in this neighborhood retained their status by 
  making unsavory deals with corrupt and decadent criminals. Most 
  supplement their incomes by proﬁting from drugs, slavery, dangerous 
  items, and so on. Though Copper Corner is home to the best Sanctans, 
  it is also home to some of its worst.
  
  - 56 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Some said the ﬁshermen sold us out to the Fish-Eyed Folk. And 
  maybe they’re right. ‘Cause sure as shite, nobody else invited 
  ‘em.
  Though called a row, this small neighborhood was actually several 
  blocks wide and deep and stood close to the harbor. Occupied 
  exclusively by the descendants of those ﬁsher folk who helped the 
  ex-slaves, they were a people onto themselves. Despite whatever petty 
  diﬀerences may have stood between them, they were a community. 
  These men and women owned the small ﬁshing boats that lined the 
  docks, and the many nets and traps arrayed just beyond Sanctuary. The 
  houses here were simple but solid, much like their owners, and many 
  stood for generations. Fishing has always been a major industry in 
  Sanctuary but, thus far, it has withstood every attempt to be controlled 
  by merchants, nobles, and businesses. The ﬁshermen plied their trade 
  as their fathers and grandfathers did, using the same basic techniques 
  passed down with each generation. Though each ﬁsherman worked to 
  gather as much as he could each day, there was far more community 
  than competition. If one ﬁsherman netted a particularly large catch, 
  the others congratulated him, and if it was more than he could clean 
  and dry by himself, his neighbors lent hands and pitched in, knowing 
  the favor would be returned at some point later. So long as one house 
  along ﬁsherman’s row had food, no one else went hungry.
  Perhaps because of their loyalties and close community, the rest of 
  Sanctuary tended to look down upon them. Most ﬁshermen were 
  uneducated and wore the same dirty clothes every day of their lives. 
  But those who paid attention knew the value of these hard-working 
  folk, and respected their quiet determination. No matter who ruled 
  in the city, no matter what gods warred over its destiny, the ﬁshermen 
  continued to row out and set traps and nets, and bring back the food 
  Sanctuary needed to survive. Many of them had arrangements with 
  speciﬁc merchants in the bazaar or with particular inns, and brought 
  their catches directly to these customers. Others simply hung their 
  ﬁsh and crabs on racks before their houses, letting other city residents 
  walk down the row to buy what they needed.
  Of the neighborhoods in Sanctuary, ﬁsherman’s row was probably 
  one of the safest. For one thing, there was nothing anyone wanted to 
  steal—it was a struggle each day to feed one’s family. The residents 
  had little in the way of furniture, and luxuries were unheard of. Also, 
  the wives of the ﬁshermen stayed in the neighborhood and tended 
  to the children while making ready for the day’s catch. At night, 
  families stayed together in communal rooms, so no thief could really 
  break in without alerting everyone in the house. But most of all, the 
  ﬁshermen were very protective. An incursion into one house would 
  summon every neighbor who heard the noise, and several would run 
  and alert the rest. Thieves learned quickly that the row oﬀered too 
  much danger and too little reward to be worthwhile. Anyone trying 
  to rob or kill someone on the row learned just as quickly that the 
  ﬁshermen would not allow harm to befall anyone on their street, 
  and years of rowing and of netting stubborn ﬁsh left them wiry but 
  strong, and very capable with nets, clubs, and spears.
  A little more than a decade after Ranke released Sanctuary from its 
  grasp, drought, hurricanes, and ﬂoods savaged the city. Among the 
  casualties was ﬁsherman’s row, which had stood right along the water’s 
  edge. Fortunately, the ﬁshermen were used to the sea’s capriciousness, 
  and were able to transfer families, nets, traps, and meager belongings 
  into their boats in time to escape the destruction of their homes. They 
  moved to the southern edge of the old caravan square, northwest of 
  the Shambles, and began again.
  The new ﬁsherman’s row is farther from the harbor, and the homes 
  are more makeshift, sitting atop stilts along the cove that was created 
  by the hurricanes that washed away the Caravan Square of old. Most 
  are built from scrap wood, adobe, and whatever else the ﬁshermen 
  could ﬁnd. The old row was plain but neat, while the new row is more 
  FISHERMAN’S ROW
  • VIGILANCE 20 •
  LODESTONE OF FISH-FINDING
  This item is a small magnetic lodestone, pierced by a thick 
  whalebone needle; it rests inside a hollow glass globe ﬁlled 
  with seawater, housed within a leather and wood case. This 
  minor device is nonetheless prized by the sailors and ﬁshermen 
  of Sanctuary, for the needle always points to the largest 
  concentration of ﬁsh within the local waters. It gives a +5 
  circumstance bonus to Profession (ﬁsherman) checks.
  Faint divination; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, crafter must 
  have 5 ranks in Profession (ﬁsherman); Price 2,500 sh.
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  disorganized and ramshackle. But the houses still keep out the cold, 
  and that is all the ﬁshermen care about. Their drying racks are set 
  up in front, as before, and their smokers out back, and nets, canvas, 
  and traps are strewn about. And the ﬁshermen rise before the dawn 
  each day, and take to their boats, just as they did before, and as their 
  ancestors did before them.
  GOVERNOR’S WALK
  • VIGILANCE 20 •
  Almost as fast as the Wideway, Governor’s Walk can get you 
  just about anywhere you need to go.
  This broad avenue ran across the entire city from Farmer’s Run, east 
  of the bazaar, and passed the Promise of Heaven where it ended at the 
  Avenue of Temples. Considered prime real estate, the Governor’s Walk 
  has long featured some of the ﬁnest shops in the city, even where it forms 
  the northern boundary of the Shambles. Many famous streets intersect 
  Governor’s Walk, including the union of Tanner’s Street and the Street of 
  Odors near the Shambles, and Shadow Lane. Now, the Governor’s Walk 
  is no safer than anywhere in Sanctuary. Nearest the Hill, it is controlled 
  by gangs of Hillers, while back to the west, the scum from the Shambles 
  keep sharp knives handy to pounce on passers-by.
  THE ALEKEEP
  This place was always a little too friendly to those Stepsons. 
  Creepy bunch, them.
  This whitewashed tavern stands at the intersection of the Promise 
  of Heaven and Governor’s Walk, about a block up from the Street 
  of Gold. Considered an upscale establishment, the Alekeep was well 
  known for its thick brown ale. In addition to a common room for 
  drunkards to sleep oﬀ the night’s libations, the Alekeep also oﬀered 
  private rooms for meetings. This was a favored haunt of the Stepsons 
  and Palace guard, but also served mages from the Street of Arcana, 
  and other palace functionaries. In fact, Niko (also called Stealth) once 
  courted the innkeeper’s daughter.
  FARMER’S RUN
  This street runs along the southeast wall of the bazaar before turning 
  to the east, where it becomes Governor’s Walk.
  MASTER MELILOT’S SCRIPTORIUM  
  (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  In a mansion once held by a nobleman who wasted his family’s fortunes 
  in gambling stands Master Melilot’s Scriptorium. Employing a large 
  staﬀ of scribes and translators, this was the premier enterprise for written 
  works and copying manuscripts. Melilot also employed young boys with 
  shrill voices to hawk their services for the Scriptorium. Melilot’s also 
  dealt in bookbinding, using leather purchased from the Shambles and 
  polluting the air with the stench of the glue and hides.
  SILK CORNER
  Just oﬀ of Governor’s Walk is a short alley where the city’s silk 
  merchants conduct their business. 
  THE HILL
  • VIGILANCE 20 (RANKAN)/0 (IRRUNE) •
  I tell you Lone, you’re too young to know otherwise, but the Hill 
  was once a pretty nice place to live. All the ﬂooding, ﬁre, and plain 
  awfulness made places like the Downwind even more unbearable, 
  and of course, those puds, like rats, went to high ground. 
  Formerly the most elite neighborhood in Sanctuary, the Hill stood 
  between the Avenue of Temples and the city’s northern wall. Only the 
  wealthiest nobles had estates here, though a few extremely successful 
  merchants managed to purchase homes on the outskirts in an attempt 
  to increase their status. Temple Hill had the smallest population of 
  any area in Sanctuary, because each estate had extensive grounds 
  and large manors, but few residents. Most servants lived elsewhere, 
  arriving before dawn and leaving after dusk. Only the estate’s private 
  guards, the night servants, and the most trusted valets lived on the 
  grounds themselves.
  After the Avenue of Temples and the Palace, the estates descend 
  from the Avenue and then rise again on the far side of the valley 
  formed by the “source” of the Red Foal. The near-city estates were 
  situated on the hillside, either sloping steeply down from the Avenue 
  of Temples or rising on the far side of the gully. Guards stood at the 
  gates, paid by the nobles in common, and refused access without 
  express permission from at least one resident. Thieves sometimes set 
  their sights on the estates of Temple Hill, since it had the highest 
  concentration of wealth in the city, but the guards here were ﬁrst-rate 
  and paid enough to be very thorough, and most of the estates had 
  magical protections as well. No other crimes occurred here. Guards 
  escorted visitors to and from their destinations, making certain they 
  arrived and departed safely.
  Many believed Sanctuary’s true rulers lived here, rather than in the 
  palace. All of Sanctuary’s most powerful nobles had estates here, and 
  their words had great weight, even with Kadakithis. One estate on 
  Temple Hill, though it was mostly on level ground in the Red Foal valley, 
  was Land’s End. Originally a good-sized and abandoned estate, Lowan 
  Vigeles claimed the land when he retreated from Ranke to Sanctuary. 
  Chenaya used the estate as a training facility for gladiators. When 
  Vigeles was murdered, the Torch made a move to seize the property, 
  staking a claim based on his relation and the fact that he was male, but 
  Chenaya managed to ﬁnagle a way to keep the estate in her name.
  Temple Hill, out of all the places in Sanctuary, underwent the most 
  dramatic change over the years after Kadakithis vanished. The estates, 
  including Land’s End, were abandoned and the Hill neighborhood 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  grew like mushrooms in the ruins. The terrible ﬂooding that wiped 
  out the Downwind drove the poor and destitute to high ground and 
  to the safety and shelter of the gods. When the waters receded, the 
  poor didn’t leave. Temple Hill quickly transformed from the most 
  prosperous neighborhood to one of its worst slums. Called the Hill, 
  and its denizens the Hillers, it is a bizarre juxtaposition of the very 
  poorest people in Sanctuary living amidst the skeletal remains of the 
  most expensive homes and manors. And through it all, the shantytown 
  of shacks, tents, and hovels ﬁlled the streets.
  Perhaps the reason for this change was the political climate 
  following the Prince’s departure. The peers, who had homes along 
  the Processional and Governor’s Walk, ﬁlled the vacuum left by the 
  retreating nobles, taking advantage of their new-found authority 
  and made deals and bargains that beneﬁted themselves. This made 
  these few men and women extremely wealthy, while those not on 
  the council found their fortunes waning. So, when the White Foal 
  ravaged the western part of the city, the nobles lacked the military 
  muscle and wealth to keep out the riﬀ-raﬀ. 
  The situation worsened when Ranke collapsed. As barbarians swept 
  through the old Empire, sacking the capital and terrorizing the 
  countryside, many Rankans ﬂed south, away from the anarchy of their 
  homelands. Given the situation in the city, especially with the rise of 
  the Dyareelans, most settled on the outskirts of the city. Joined by the 
  nobles who had lost their homes to the ﬁre, the plague victims, cultists, 
  and worse, this new territory became known as Land’s End. 
  The few Rankans on Temple Hill left as the rabble ﬂooded their 
  streets, joining the Sihanese refugees that ﬂed the barbarians that 
  stalked the Rankan heartland. The displaced moved in, tearing apart 
  the old mansions to create their new homes. Those who could not 
  aﬀord building materials scrounged scraps and built crude lean-tos. 
  People on the Hill were, largely, penniless, unemployed, and desperate, 
  survivors and refugees from the old Downwind. Crime rose, more as 
  a violent release than because anyone had anything worth taking. The 
  Cult of Dyareela had many converts on the Hill, and many targets 
  as well. This surge of people forced the remaining stragglers to join 
  their fellows outside the city, leaving the Hill to the rabble.
  The fall of the cult did nothing to change this. The Hill is still the 
  most dangerous neighborhood in Sanctuary. Outsiders consider the 
  Maze to be the worst place in the city, but while they will be robbed 
  blind there, they will survive the experience more often than not. On 
  the Hill, strangers are knifed ﬁrst and then searched for valuables, and 
  ﬁghts break out constantly among the residents. The city guard refuses 
  to walk the Hill except in pairs and trios, and even then, their patrols 
  are quick and only skirt the neighborhood’s bottom edge. Most of the 
  structures here are crude and barely functional, with a single small 
  chamber and great gaps between doors and walls and roofs.
  Many Hillers are not bad people. They live there because they cannot 
  aﬀord to live anywhere else, even in the Westside. These people are 
  desperate to escape the poverty and violence of the Hill, and will do 
  almost anything to earn enough money to relocate. Others, however, 
  have accepted their place in this horrid shantytown. Many of the 
  youths have formed gangs, and ﬁght over territory, despite the fact 
  that none of it has any value. Strangers who enter the Hill by day 
  and travel in groups may escape unharmed, but to walk the Hill 
  alone is close to suicide, and to do so at night is certain death. The 
  violence often spills over into the Avenue of Temples or the Old 
  Jeweler’s Quarter. 
  The Hill is characterized by its myriad of narrow streets and paths. 
  Crime lords control swaths of this district and their minions walk 
  the streets to ensure no trespass. Gangs control everything else. Little 
  more than a slum, most of the old estates are nothing more than 
  empty foundations, harvested for their stone. Shops and tenement 
  buildings, hastily erected for temporary shelter after the ﬂoods wiped 
  away Downwind, crowd the streets. This is a malodorous place, full 
  of the downtrodden, poor, and utterly luckless. 
  THE CROOK
  The Crook is the Hill’s main thoroughfare. While dangerous and 
  full of cutpurses and footpads, it is the only place for many Hillers 
  to get much needed food and supplies. This market has goods for 
  sale up to 200 shaboozh. Rumor has it that there is a slave market 
  somewhere in the Hill, and the way to ﬁnd it is to ask the right 
  people in the Crook.
  OTHAT’S
  Othat is one of the traders in the Crook. He makes his business 
  selling cooking oils, but rumor holds that he deals in other, less 
  savory business. For silver, he can recall a lot, and in fact, he’s one of 
  the Crook’s best informants.
  PHOENIX INN
  Years ago, when the new city’s walls neared completion, there was 
  plenty of stone left for building. Lalo (see page 109), like others of 
  the growing middle class, purchased the stone cheaply and had a 
  house built on the Hill, on a street named Phoenix Lane. In those 
  days, Sanctuary was ﬁlled with hope and the promise of new horizons 
  and independence from Ilsig and Ranke. However, such things never 
  last long in Sanctuary. The ﬂoods brought the rabble to the Hill, and 
  they never left. Though the rest of the Hill is a warren of desperate 
  and dangerous people, Phoenix Lane has retained something of its 
  respectability. Not far from Pyrtanis Street, it is on the fringe of the 
  Hill.
  Latilla, Lalo’s youngest, and her husband, Darios inherited the house, 
  but when he died, she transformed the place into an inn (without a 
  tavern). While this is one of the most reputable establishments in this 
  district, its location ensures it is not well traﬃcked. Still, despite the 
  dangers of this district, Latilla refuses to give up her family’s home.
  Latilla has a nose for magic, perhaps inherited from her father, Lalo, 
  and honed by her husband, Darios, who was a wizard and friend of 
  the family. She is a tough woman, hardened by the diﬃculties of the 
  past. She’s determined to survive in Sanctuary, and she watches out 
  for her twin children (Sula and Tarin) and her younger brother (Alﬁ) 
  who help out with running the business. Recently, she’s taken up with 
  Shamesh, a man from Ranke who came to Sanctuary to ﬁnd a lost 
  girl imprisoned in a gem by wizards years ago.
  SPYDER’S WEAPON SHOP
  After stability returned to Sanctuary, the city slowly came back to 
  life, drawing travelers from all over the world to settle once more in 
  this infamous city. One such traveler is a curious man named Spyder. 
  He purchased an old two-story building and quickly converted it 
  into a shop on the main ﬂoor and apartments up above. In addition, 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  a rooftop terrace oﬀers a breathtaking view of the city, perfect for 
  dining on warm nights or entertaining guests and visitors. 
  The most important area in the building is the shop itself. Spyder, 
  to ensure his customers are comfortable with their purchases, has 
  cleared a place to allow them to try out their weapons. Behind the 
  shop, Spyder has a small fenced range for testing projectiles. The 
  rest of the shop consists of display cases that feature all manner of 
  curiosities from all over the world. 
  There are three entrances to the shop: one oﬀering access to the shop’s 
  retail space, another private entrance to the apartments on the second 
  ﬂoor (both of which face the Face-of-the-Moon Street), and a third 
  door that opens out onto a dingy alley. The range in the back can be 
  reached through a single door in the back of the shop.
  PCs looking for weaponry need look no further than this shop. 
  Spyder has weaponry of all kinds, magical and mundane, up to a 
  40,000 shaboozh limit.
  For more details on Spyder, see Chapter Five: Faces of Sanctuary, 
  Irrune Era.
  SECRETS
  Many of the old estates still exist, though in ruins, and people sometimes 
  forage in them for valuables. Rumors claim that a series of tunnels exists 
  beneath the Hill, originally created to allow the nobles easy access to the 
  palace and other neighborhoods, but now used by the Hillers to move 
  about unnoticed. If this is true, the knowledge is well hidden.
  JEWELER’S QUARTER (OLD JEWELER’S QUARTER)
  • VIGILANCE 15 (RANKAN)/10 (IRRUNE) •
  This place is a wreck. You can see signs of old wealth everywhere, 
  but its all in ruins now. Heck, people are still squatting in the 
  shells of old buildings. If you don’t mind hard work and sneaking 
  about, I bet you can still ﬁnd some buried treasure here. Look at 
  Cauvin. One day a sheep-shite pud, the next, he has the ear of 
  the froggin’ chief.
  A neighborhood that once held Sanctuary’s ﬁnest jewelers is now 
  subdivided into tenements. In the old days, this was the favored haunt 
  of Sanctuary’s ﬁnest thieves, Shadowspawn included, but time was 
  never kind to this district. During the anarchy that resulted from 
  the 3rd Commando, the wealthy artisans suﬀered terribly from the 
  depredations of the PFLS, to say nothing of the 3rd, who took what 
  they wanted in the name of the Emperor. Even after the Imperial 
  withdrawal, the Jeweler’s Quarter continued to suﬀer. When the 
  plagues settled on the city, the response was to burn out the contagion. 
  The ﬁre, as one might expect, spread, torching a good part of this 
  district. Few of the original artisans survived, and fewer remained, 
  leaving quality real estate for squatters. Those buildings that survived 
  became apartments, while those that burned were replaced by more 
  modest structures and smaller shops. The fact that this neighborhood 
  is still called the Jeweler’s Quarter is more of an homage to the city’s 
  history than an accurate name for its inhabitants.
  During the Rankan Era, the Jeweler’s Quarter was one of the nicest 
  parts of town, aside from the Hill. Most residents were wealthy 
  merchants and celebrated craftsmen who worked hard to keep the 
  wide streets clean. The buildings were large and handsome, and trees 
  lined the walkways. Guards patrolled the area regularly, and many 
  of the residents had private security, as well. In addition to the many 
  jewelers’ shops from which the neighborhood took its name, others 
  sold ﬁne clothing, perfume, and other luxuries that only the rich 
  could aﬀord. 
  There was a certain exclusivity to this place. Guards turned away 
  anyone who didn’t look like they belonged, and questioned loiterers 
  and anyone they deemed suspicious. Outsiders could come to buy 
  a speciﬁc item, but only after the guards veriﬁed their funds and 
  escorted them to the appropriate shop. Unlike the Hill, residents 
  here worked for a living, and none of them took their good fortune 
  for granted.
  As mentioned, this neighborhood’s fortune did not last. Most of its 
  buildings were destroyed during the diﬃculties after Ranke departed, 
  and the Cult of Dyareela was quick to turn the city’s aggression 
  on these wealthy citizens who hid behind their thick walls and 
  their guards. By the time the Irrune took control of the city, this 
  neighborhood was little more than rubble, and almost all of its 
  former residents were dead or gone. The Old Jeweler’s Quarter is a 
  great deal smaller than it was during the Rankan Era, with Pyrtanis 
  bordering the south and west, the Promise of Heaven to the north, 
  and the Hill to the east. 
  
  - 60 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Since then, the area has revived slightly. It is a good location, and 
  some of the locals have built new homes here, often using materials 
  from the old ones. These homes are not as impressive as the old 
  buildings, and they are packed in tightly along the streets, giving the 
  quarter a compressed, wary feel. Shops occupy many of the bottom 
  ﬂoors, but these belong to carpenters, weavers, metalsmiths, and 
  others who produce necessities. The old shops that sold luxury items 
  are long since gone.
  Unfortunately, the Old Jeweler’s Quarter is right next to the Hill. 
  The gangs who live there often wander down here, attacking anyone 
  they ﬁnd and extorting money from the merchants. Most of the 
  locals here bar their doors and windows at night, and will not come 
  out no matter what they hear. Business is handled quickly and well 
  before dusk. The more successful shopkeepers here have hired personal 
  guards again, but most of the neighborhood is still at the mercy of 
  the gangs, and the youths are too numerous, too fast, and too vicious 
  for the guards to completely drive oﬀ. Hillers often aspire to live in 
  the Old Jeweler’s Quarter, because it is an improvement from their 
  current hovels, but for anyone else in Sanctuary, it would be a step 
  down instead.
  LUMM THE STAVER
  There’s not much going for the Old Jeweler’s Quarter these days. 
  Those shops that still do business are either priced out of the average 
  Sanctan’s range or sell junk. One notable shop, though it now lies 
  in a heap of old boards and crumbled stone, was Lumm’s. A skilled 
  carpenter, he specialized in barrels, but could build or make just about 
  anything with wood. He owned a good piece of property, with a main 
  shop and apartments above it. Behind the house was a small yard, and 
  there was a smaller house at the back of the lot. After some magical 
  mishap, Lumm had to relocate. Often seen in the company of one 
  Heliz Yunz, a scrivener and scholar, the two men make an odd pair, 
  and though without a shop currently, Lumm intends on restarting his 
  business once he makes enough money to rebuild.
  THE DIAMOND
  In the southwest corner of the Old Jeweler’s Quarter stands a rundown 
  tavern known as the Diamond. Somehow, this place survived through 
  all the ﬂoods and ﬁres that ravaged the city and still serves frothing 
  mugs of sour wine each night. Frequented by some of the worst of 
  this district, toughs, hoods, and ruﬃans come here to swap stories, 
  ﬁght, suck on opah rags, and use the whores who oﬀer themselves 
  cheaply. Currently, the Cutters, a nasty and powerful gang, use the 
  bar as its headquarters, which Karis, the thin stringy Ilsigi patron, 
  permits out of fear.
  MAGEGUILD
  I never had an occasion to break in to this place while it still 
  stood. Not like I have much love for wizards any way.
  This high walled fortress on the Street of Arcana stood for many 
  years in the heart of the Jeweler’s Quarter. For years, the mageguild 
  trained new magicians in the art of spellcraft, and served as an 
  important political force in Sanctuary’s upper echelons. The 
  guildhall was virtually impenetrable and protected by mighty wards. 
  No one dared contest the will of Sanctuary’s powerful mages. In 
  contrast with their reputation, they entertained the locals by hosting 
  gala events for the city’s elite and displaying wondrous magical 
  eﬀects for those too low of station to attend. Swirling pink mists, 
  ribbons of light, and other magical entertainments were frequent 
  sights on the Street of Arcana. Inside, the mages controlled their 
  environment, changing temperature, weather, and precipitation all 
  to suit themselves. One could walk from the dead of winter into 
  high summer merely by passing the ponderous doors barring the 
  entrance.
  However, with the arrival of Kadakithis, Tempus, and the rest of his 
  entourage, the mageguild grudgingly lost its power. Decimated by 
  assassinations committed by Cime, and later because of the sudden 
  MIZRAITH’S STAFF
  At one time, Mizraith was one of the most powerful and notorious mages in Sanctuary, but he was overthrown by his upstart sons (who found 
  their comeuppance at the hands of Shadowspawn). He left behind both his legend and his silver-shod staﬀ, an item of exceptional power that 
  he used to enhance his mastery of magic. Mizraith’s staﬀ is a +1/+1 quarterstaﬀ and a +3 spell focus. It also allows use of the following spells: 
  fabricate (1 charge), teleport (1 charge) and telekinesis (1 charge).
  Strong transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Focus, Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft Staﬀ, fabricate, teleport, telekinesis; Price 73,225 sh.
  
  - 61 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Home sweet home. The trick to surviving in the Maze is to be 
  tougher and scarier than everyone else. And if you can’t do that, 
  stick to the Shambles.
  The Maze is easily the most famous neighborhood in Sanctuary. 
  Everyone who visits the city has heard of it, and talks about it 
  when back home and relating their own travels. The stories are 
  often exaggerated, of course, and so most visitors expect a deathtrap 
  of shifting walls and sliding pavements where killers sit cleaning 
  blood from their teeth and plunging daggers into passers-by. Make 
  no mistake, terrible things occurred in the Maze. In the old days, 
  desperadoes disemboweled children for sport, which served to control 
  the urchin problem. Gangs of children were equally terrible, tearing 
  apart men with sticks, stones, and sometimes their bare hands. Even 
  the whores were dangerous, with embraces that included a poisoned 
  dagger and a fee of whatever they could ﬁnd on the corpse. 
  The Maze took up most of the city’s west side, surrounding the West 
  Side proper. It was very run-down, and very seedy, but only dangerous 
  to the uninitiated and the unwary. The streets do not move, and the 
  buildings do not shift on their own, but these structures are usually 
  thrown up overnight, and are so ﬂimsy they often collapse soon after. 
  Fires, ﬂoods, and violence contribute to their destruction, and the 
  layout of the Maze is constantly changing as old buildings crumble 
  away and new ones are built in their place. Because the Maze has no 
  established streets and walkways — only paths a little better than 
  open sewers — buildings are placed anywhere there’s room, and so 
  an alleyway may vanish as a shop claims that location, and another 
  might appear when a small tavern is burnt down. Even Sanctuary 
  residents get lost in the Maze, but they know better than to venture 
  in without either a guide, or a destination and clear directions.
  The Maze is not a pleasant place to live. Its buildings are misshapen 
  hulks, many of which are three or even four stories high. Its streets are 
  narrow and dark, and the people are hard and cold. At the same time, 
  it was never as desperately poor as Downwind or the current Hill, or as 
  bleakly focused as Fisherman’s Row. And the Maze oﬀers something 
  no other neighborhood can: freedom. The city guards never enter the 
  Maze unless they absolutely have to, and even then they only enter 
  by daylight and in large groups. Kadakithis wanted to clean up or 
  destroy the place, but quickly realized that it was impossible. So was 
  imposing taxes upon the people there—how could anyone demand 
  taxes or take a census when they cannot ﬁnd the same building twice, 
  and people disappear around corners that should not be there? So the 
  Maze’s residents are free to do whatever they like, whenever they like, 
  provided no one stronger comes along and stops them.
  This makes for an interesting and surprisingly constrained anarchy. 
  Most people in the Maze want to stay alive, eat good food, drink good 
  wine or beer or ale, wear comfortable clothes, sleep in a clean bed, and 
  be able to sleep without worrying about having their throat cut. And 
  they will do almost anything to get those things. No matter what the 
  task, no matter how dirty or disgusting or unnatural it may be, you can 
  hire someone to do it in the Maze. Strangers who wander the streets 
  alone get robbed almost immediately, and are often roughed up as 
  punishment for daring to enter unescorted. Fights break out every day, 
  and bar brawls occur every night. Relationships are casual, more about 
  comfort and pleasure than commitment. People change occupations 
  at the drop of a hat, going from innkeeper one day to assassin the next 
  and fruit-seller the day after that. Anyone who ventures out alone 
  at night is risking their life, and cannot expect help even from those 
  watching. Children learn to steal before they can talk, and how to 
  ﬁght as soon as they stop crawling. Dead bodies are left out in the 
  street, and if you kill a man and can walk away, you do not have to 
  worry about any punishment… unless he had friends.
  At the same time, the Maze has its own rules, and the people there 
  follow them. Strangers who give up their money without complaint 
  are allowed to leave alive. Those who destroy a building help clean 
  it up and remove the debris. Those who have been fortunate enough 
  to earn some money often buy drinks for others who have not, and 
  the next week, when their situation is reversed, they are given drinks 
  in return. Everyone talks about everyone, but they don’t judge each 
  other’s actions. “Live and let live” is a ruling principle, and two men 
  who ﬁght bitterly one night will buy each other drinks the next. The 
  people of the Maze are hard because their lives are hard, but many of 
  them are ﬁercely devoted to friends and family, and are surprisingly 
  gentle with animals and children.
  The Maze is largely self-contained. Most of its residents never 
  leave the neighborhood, and feel exposed walking among the wider 
  streets in other areas. The more established inns and markets have 
  arrangements with ﬁshermen and farmers, and send men to collect 
  the food delivered to the Maze’s border. Anything that can be bought 
  can be found somewhere in the Maze, though often the shop that sells 
  it today is gone tomorrow and has been replaced by a similar shop 
  several blocks away. Money rarely enters or exits the Maze, merely 
  changing hands among the residents. During the Rankan Era, the 
  only guards of any sort here were Jubal’s hawk-masks, and they only 
  protected their employer’s interests, and cut down anyone who gets 
  in their way. Nothing is illegal in the Maze, only expensive and hard 
  to ﬁnd. In many ways, its residents handle challenges better than 
  Sanctuary’s other residents, because growing up in the Maze teaches 
  you that nothing is impossible to ﬁnd or to do; it may simply take 
  more eﬀort than expected, or resources you do not yet possess.
  Since the days of Shadowspawn, Jubal, and One-Thumb, the Maze 
  has remained much as it always has. Though plagued with ﬁre and 
  ﬂood, it persevered. The residents are so used to tearing down and 
  replacing structures that the large-scale destruction did not faze 
  and devastating draining of the city’s mana, the mageguild became a 
  crippled and impotent assembly, which eventually collapsed in upon 
  itself, with the remaining mages driven from the city.
  Even after the guild’s collapse, the foundation remained, for it’s 
  believed the site preceded the Rankan wizards who came to the city 
  in later years. Few dared to explore the ruins of this place, giving it a 
  wide berth. However, after the ﬁres destroyed much of this quarter, 
  few had much choice, so they plundered the stone and old timbers for 
  rebuilding. As a result, many of the newer constructions have magical 
  qualities in their very stones, though few sense it, and no one cares.
  THE MAZE
  • VIGILANCE 0 •
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  them at all, and anyone who had anything of value knew better than 
  to leave it someplace that could be demolished so easily. The Cult 
  tried sending its followers into the Maze, but they died quickly, and 
  soon the cult gave up and turned its attention to easier targets. Some 
  people even ﬂed to the Maze to avoid the cult’s attacks—many of 
  them died quickly, too, but those who could adapt became proper 
  Maze residents. Thus, the Maze in the Irrune Era is almost exactly 
  the same as the Maze during the Rankan occupation. All of the 
  buildings are new, and so are the alleys and streets, but the residents 
  have adjusted to them as easily as ever. The Maze is still a law unto 
  itself, and the Irrune have seen no reason to challenge that. In many 
  ways, the raiders admire this neighborhood and its tough, private 
  people. The Irrune believe that laws arise from need rather than from 
  desire, and that people should be able to do anything they can get 
  away with. They admire the residents’ tenacity, and have noticed that 
  violence from the Maze never spills over into the rest of Sanctuary. 
  As long as that remains the case, Arizak allows the neighborhood to 
  exist unmolested, and life there continues as it did before.
  THE BLACK SPIRE (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  Before Kadakithis ever set foot in Sanctuary, there stood a temple 
  of Heqt in the heart of the Maze, across the street from the Vulgar 
  Unicorn. Built of gray limestone, its walls were set in a square and 
  roofed with a hemispherical dome. Atop the dome, there was an 
  obelisk that commemorated the victories of a Cirdonian mercenary 
  general named Alar hil Aspar, who adopted Sanctuary at some 
  point in the city’s long history. By the time Kadakithis ﬁnally came 
  to Sanctuary, the old tower was encrusted in wood and dung smoke 
  giving it a black cast. Within a year of the start of the Gods’ War, 
  the tower vanished.
  THE GOLDEN LIZARD
  The Golden Lizard was one of the ﬁner bars in the Maze, though it was 
  hardly golden and never could compare to the ﬁner establishments in the 
  city like the Golden Oasis. The upper level of the building had rooms for 
  let, while the main ﬂoor consisted of a tavern and adjoining kitchen.
  THE OUTHOUSE
  The outhouse was a small courtyard (more of a cul-de-sac, really) in 
  the Maze, so named for the abundance of nightsoil standing what 
  few ﬂagstones covered the ground. It’s also known as Tick’s Vomitory 
  and Safehaven (jokingly of course). The walls were stained dark, and 
  the area stank of urine and sickness.
  THE VULGAR UNICORN
  Easily the starting place of one hundred adventures… Anyone 
  who’s anyone in this city spends some time here.
  In some ways, the Vulgar Unicorn is the heart of Sanctuary, 
  twisted and black as it is. This tavern is the center of nearly every 
  insidious plot, every angle, and every plan to do mischief. It attracts 
  the toughest and deadliest folks in the city. It is no wonder that 
  this place is said to be the center of the Maze, Sanctuary’s most 
  dangerous part of town. Still, despite its sinister character and the 
  legends that swirl about it, it is really nothing more than a bar in a 
  seedy backwater city, far from the pomp and majesty of the cultural 
  centers of civilization. Or is it?
  No one knows when exactly the ﬁrst Vulgar Unicorn opened its doors 
  for business. It seems Sanctuary, for as long there has been people here, 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  TABLE A1–1: UNICORN PRICES
  Food or Service
  Cost
  Ale, Pitcher (4 mugs)
  4 pd
  Ale, Mug
  1 pd
  Beer, Pitcher
  3 sh
  Beer, Mug
  1 pd
  Bread
  1 pd
  Cheese
  1 pd
  Meal, Good
  5 pd
  Meal, Common
  3 pd
  Meal, Poor
  2 pd
  Meat (varies)
  3 pd
  Wine, Good/Bottle
  10 sh
  Wine, Common
  2 pd
  Wine, Poor
  1 pd
  Room (two beds/night)
  8 pd
  Room (four beds/night)
  8 pd
  Prostitute, Good
  10 sh
  Prostitute, Common
  1 sh
  Prostitute, Poor (per night)
  2 pd
  has always had one. Like the character of the Maze, buildings tend to 
  be slipshod and often collapse, only to be rebuilt a block or two down 
  another street. Even the most famous tavern in the city is subject to 
  the capricious whims of the Maze. It’s unlikely the Vulgar Unicorn 
  preceded the Black Tower of Heqt that once stood in the heart of the 
  Maze, but may have opened in response to the imposing spire, oﬀering 
  drinks to thirsty and nervous god-fearing Wrigglies. But then, again, 
  no one knows for sure.
  The most famous Vulgar Unicorn was described in the Thieves’ World 
  anthologies. Owned and operated by Lastel, a wrigglie noble who 
  liked to supplement his modest fortune by slumming in the Maze, 
  surrounded by krrf and whores. As an importer of drugs, Lastel was 
  the go-to guy for illicit substances. He also had many enemies, but 
  thanks to a wizard’s curse that condemned any who harmed him to 
  an eternity of immolation, Lastel was safe from attacks. 
  Sneaking through the sewers from his estate just beyond the Avenue 
  of Temples, Lastel transformed into the unsavory character named 
  One-Thumb that ran the infamous bar. Eventually, Lastel found 
  himself embroiled in a wicked plot and was condemned to a hell of 
  sorts as he and his simulacra battled in the tunnels under the Maze, 
  both wreathed in the ﬂames of the mage’s curse. Lastel did return, but 
  he was never the same. He drifted in the circles of the most powerful 
  and corrupt people in the city until eventually, he found himself in 
  the wrong place at the wrong time. 
  Ownership of the bar then went to Strick, the spellmaster from Firaqa, 
  who left it to Abohorr, the new One-Thumb, to run and manage. 
  Abohorr was nothing like the old One-Thumb and was a decent and 
  kind man. What was a haven for cutthroats, thieves and prostitutes 
  gradually transformed into an almost respectable joint. But with all 
  things in the Maze, nothing lasts for long.
  The Convulsions and the rampant ﬁres destroyed the original Vulgar 
  Unicorn, and it was quickly rebuilt a few blocks over, being more 
  or less closer to the eastern edge of the Maze. This tavern is newer, 
  bigger, and a little improved. It still attracts the worst of humanity, 
  being the preferred watering hole of Sanctuary’s scum. It’s not clear 
  who runs the place now, though Stick, a brutal pimp, claims to be 
  the owner. At night, Pegrin the Ugly tends the bar and he’s friendly 
  enough and knows not to ask too many questions. Prostitutes are 
  always available to those with a few padpols and the sounds of 
  merriment echo over the quiet hum of conversation at the bar. The 
  Vulgar Unicorn is just as dangerous as it ever was and those who would 
  drink its wine or sample its delights had better watch their step lest 
  they ﬁnd themselves clutching a stab wound and dying painfully in 
  a dark and lonely corner. When trouble breaks out, Pegrin and the 
  harlots take cover until the storm passes.
  LOCATION DESCRIPTIONS
  You can use this Vulgar Unicorn for either era. If you run a campaign 
  during the Rankan Era, the Unicorn is only two-stories tall. Remove the 
  current second story and replace it with the current third story. Lastel’s 
  apartments include locations 9 and 10. 
  The outside of the tavern looks like it ever did. A plain, gray stone 
  building with a thatched or shingled roof, its walls are stained dark 
  from old blood and piss. Shuttered windows allow a little light to 
  leak out from the inside. The front door is a single sturdy door, ﬁtted 
  with one of Sanctuary’s rare actual locks.
  GENERAL FEATURES
  The common room, bar, kitchen, and occupied rooms are light with 
  candles or lamps. All unoccupied locations are dark. Doors in this 
  place, unless otherwise mentioned, are ﬁtted with poor locks (DC 15 
  Open Lock to pick), and made of wood (1-in.-thick; hardness 5; hp 
  10; break DC 15). The interior walls are wood (6-in.-thick; hardness 
  5; hp 60; break DC 20), while the exterior walls are masonry (1-ft.-
  thick; hardness 8; hp 90; break DC 35; Climb DC 15). The windows 
  are all covered with wooden shutters (2-in.-thick; hardness 2; hp 5; 
  break DC 12). Speciﬁc interior locations are as follows. The details 
  are intentionally light, allowing you the room to add clues, adventure 
  hooks, and other items to serve your campaigns.
  1. COMMON ROOM
  Stepping through the front door, you are struck by the stench 
  of people, wood smoke, and desperation. Crowded here are a 
  number of tables packed with people of all shapes and sizes, 
  mostly of sinister mien. Four heavy wooden columns support a 
  balcony that looks down on the common ﬂoor from the second 
  story. Seven booths line the wall to the left, while a set of stairs 
  climbs to the second ﬂoor on the right. Ahead, a long wooden 
  bar bisects the place, where an ugly man tends the few men and 
  none-too few prostitutes lean on the old scored wood.
  This is the common area of the Vulgar Unicorn. Here is where the 
  deals are made, information passed, and mercenaries are hired. Thieves 
  rub shoulders with sellswords at the bars, while prostitutes wend their 
  ways through the gathered crowd to advertise their wares to those 
  with a mind toward carnal pleasure. The few barmaids working here 
  also double as whores, so the eager patron can get a special level of 
  personalized service. 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  A hearth stands against far wall and above it is the idol of Rander 
  Rehabilitus, the god of drinking and debauchery. The rest of the 
  décor features banners depicting unicorns in vary states of self-
  violation. Tables and booths can accommodate four to eight patrons, 
  but they are ﬁrst come ﬁrst serve, so during peak times, the tavern 
  has standing room only. If playing in the Rankan Era, PCs who 
  succeed on a DC 15 Spot check notice a strange discoloration on 
  the wall of one of the booths. It has roughly the shape of a twisted 
  unicorn. Lalo once used his magical talent to create a horriﬁc beast 
  by channeling all the fear, violence, and death of the bar into the 
  painting. This creature came to life and rampaged through the city 
  until it was ﬁnally destroyed.
  2. BAR
  The bar has a wooden surface, heavy scored by cuts and stained by 
  food, drink, and worse. There are no stools; patrons are expected 
  to stand. Wooden tankards and drinking bowls as well as a few 
  trenchers are all scattered about. A few bunged casks sit on frames 
  across from the bar, each bearing the stamp of their maker.
  The bar itself was the only thing rescued from the original Vulgar 
  Unicorn. The salvaged piece is aﬃxed ﬁrmly to the top of a sturdy 
  wooden framework—one deliberately built to take considerable 
  punishment. Most patrons do their drinking here, leaning against 
  the rail and drowning their sorrows. Behind the bar, two doors lead 
  to the kitchens where the cook prepares the tavern’s meager fare. A 
  successful DC 15 Search check allows a character to locate a trap door 
  set in the ﬂoor (see Location 11). This door leads to the basement, 
  where they once kept extra supplies. Normally, a crate sits over top 
  the door to keep it hidden and closed.
  3. KITCHEN
  Two doors lead into these kitchens from the common room. The 
  place is an appalling mess with food rotting on the ﬂoor, blood 
  splattering the ceiling, and a couple of cages holding nervous 
  looking food animals. A few bags of ﬂour, infested with weevils 
  and rats sit on the ﬂoor, their contents spilled onto the ﬁlthy stone 
  tiles. A large wood burning hearth stands in the corner and a 
  table stands in the center. A washbasin with a skin of scum over 
  disgusting water sits unused by the door.
  This is where the so-called “meals” that the Vulgar Unicorn oﬀers are 
  prepared. Not famous for its cuisine, patrons know to avoid eating 
  here for the most part, as the bread has unsettling crunchy parts in 
  the partly cooked dough, and the meat is always greasy and more 
  than a little suspect in origin. A locked back door (Open Lock DC 
  25) leads to an alley, where the cook disposes of scraps. There, the 
  most desperate men and beasts ﬁght over tripe and ﬁlth to ﬁll their 
  empty gullets. 
  If you play in the Rankan Era, One-Thumb kept his dogs back here 
  as well. He’d chop up his victims into pieces and feed their body parts 
  to his vicious animals.
  4. BALCONY
  The second story of the Vulgar Unicorn consists of a wide balcony 
  that rings an open area looking down on the common room 
  below. The stairs continue up to the top ﬂoor. Three doors occupy 
  the far wall, leading to the pleasure rooms of the tavern’s working 
  girls. A few tables are arranged about the place, oﬀering patrons 
  a place to conduct their business in relative privacy and to wait 
  their turn with the ladies.
  This area is much as it seems, with a ﬁlthy wooden ﬂoor and the 
  stench of sweat and ﬁlth hanging in the air like a fetid shroud. The 
  tables are neglected here and so rats are common sights. A few old 
  tapestries on the walls are faded and stained to an extent that their 
  original depiction is no longer legible.
  5. ROOMS OF THE WORKING GIRLS
  These rooms are well maintained compared to the rest of the 
  place. They hold a large feather mattress bed on a wooden frame, 
  a night stand with washbasin, a rug on the ﬂoor and a rickety 
  chair. A window overlooks the back alley.
  The Unicorn’s prostitutes use these locations to service their patrons. 
  After hours, the women sleep here as well. Aside from the scant 
  personal belongings, the women keep a few coins under loose 
  ﬂoorboards (no more than 1d6 × 10 pd).
  6. THIRD-STORY HALL
  The stairs end at a gloomy hall. The sounds of revelry are 
  somewhat muted, but the smell is worse, stinking as if someone 
  recently died here. Several doors line either side of the hall, in 
  either direction.
  The hall is just as it seems. The reason for the smell is that Stick 
  killed a prostitute and hid her body in the ﬂoor. Though he makes 
  an eﬀort to sprinkle lye in the cracks when no one’s looking, the 
  stink is powerful.
  7. ROOMS FOR RENT
  This room is small, dingy, and dark. A fat tallow candle sits on 
  a rickety table next to a ﬁlthy ceramic bowl for washing. The 
  beds are nothing more than stained mattresses on the ﬂoor. The 
  room reeks of vomit and urine.
  These rooms are vile and unsavory. However, they are secure, with 
  locks (Open Lock DC 20) on the doors. There is nothing of interest 
  here.
  8. ROOM FOR RENT
  This room is of a moderate size, but is ﬁlthy covered in cobwebs 
  and trash. A fat tallow candle sits on a rickety table next to a 
  ﬁlthy ceramic bowl for washing. The four beds are little more than 
  stained mattresses on the ﬂoor. The room reeks of vomit and urine. 
  An overﬂowing chamber pot completes the scene of squalor.
  This room is especially foul. For some reason, people who sleep here tend 
  to die soon after, though no one mentions this fact. If you have Green 
  Ronin’s Shadowspawn’s Guide to Sanctuary, feel free to infest the beds with 
  a random contact disease. Also, the lock on this door is broken.
  9. ROOM FOR RENT
  This room is surprisingly clean with four beds, a dresser, 
  wardrobe and a sturdy table. A lamp hangs on a hook near the 
  door. Though it has an acrid smell, the room seems clean, and 
  there’s even a working lock on the door.
  This is the best room in the house. The sheets are relatively clean, and 
  the beds comfortable. Stick and Pegrin reserve this room for their 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  most important guests. The lock is a good one requiring a DC 25 
  Open Lock test to pick.
  10. STICK’S ROOM
  This door is always locked (Open Lock DC 25 to open). Read or 
  paraphrase the following text if the PCs get inside.
  This large room is clean with a large bed, chest, wardrobe, and 
  table. A lamp sits on the table along with a few scattered papers 
  and a ledger. 
  This is Stick’s room. Though terrible and depraved things often 
  take place behind his door, he’s careful to hide any evidence of his 
  misbehavior, keeping the room spotless. A search of the room, DC 
  15 Search check, reveals 1d6 blank pages of parchment, a ledger with 
  small block-like notations (inventory), and a pouch with 1d10 sh.
  11. CELLAR
  The trap door leads down to a large cellar. Aside from a few 
  large rats, the only other items in this place is the ladder leading 
  back up to the bar and a few rotting crates and burlap bags. The 
  moist stink of mildew is especially strong, just masking the smell 
  of something worse.
  The Unicorn’s staﬀ uses the cellar for storage, but they rarely do. Instead, 
  the boxes and sacks were left down here a few years ago and nobody has 
  bothered to retrieve them. The reason is that strange sounds sometime 
  occur down here, like a scratching on the walls. Last year, a tavern boy 
  descended down the ladder and was never seen or heard from since. 
  As far as the Unicorn is concerned, there is no cellar.
  The truth is that the cellar is connected to the subterranean 
  passages beneath Sanctuary, now controlled, almost absolutely, by 
  the Dyareelans. When the tavern boy went down the stairs, he 
  accidentally found the secret door (DC 20 Search check) and started 
  to explore. He met a bad end when his heart was torn from his chest 
  in a terrible sacriﬁce to the Mother of Chaos.
  There is nothing else of interest down here.
  12. TUNNEL
  This tunnel curves slightly to the south. From ahead, you hear 
  sounds of water. The stink is profound and the walls are slime-
  covered old bricks. Dark water oozes from the ceiling to splatter 
  on the slippery bricks below.
  This tunnel leads to an old sewer line that was eventually closed oﬀ 
  during the Ilsig occupation.
  13. SUBTERRANEAN TUNNEL
  The tunnel ends in a wider passage that runs roughly northeast 
  to southwest. The construction is very old and is now decaying. 
  Tendrils of slime drip from the ceiling and roots have broken 
  through the masonry. Water covers the ﬂoor, running down a 
  channel cut in the center of the passage. The air is very bad.
  This tunnel connects to a Dyareelan lair somewhere in the city. It may 
  link with the secret routes used during Kadakithis’ reign or they may 
  be previously undiscovered tunnels. Undoubtedly, there are dangerous 
  things here, things craving fresh meat.
  SLIPPERY LILY
  During the Rankan Era, the Slippery Lily was a popular brothel in 
  the Maze, owned and operated in secret by Amoli who also ran the 
  Lily Garden on the Street of Red Lanterns. This place was by no 
  means the most desirable of bordellos, as its whores were incurably 
  addicted to krrf, overworked, and worn out. Mostly haunted by the 
  old and destitute, the air here is palpably sad.
  MADAME PERSPECIA’S
  Madame Perspecia’s is one of the more prominent brothels in the 
  Maze. Those looking for a good time, but at a smaller price than what’s 
  charged on the Street of Red Lanterns, turn to Perspecia’s opah-addicted 
  whores. Though disease is a slight problem for these unlucky women, 
  few Mazers really care.
  THE PADDLING DUCK TAVERN  
  (IRRUNE ERA ONLY)
  On the corner of Paddling Duck Street, a crooked road that wends 
  through the Maze is an old tavern called, appropriately, the Paddling 
  Duck. Marked by a faded sign that display’s a duck’s head surrounded 
  by rippling lines, it is a place friendly to the S’danzo. Elemi, a spy 
  and something of a vanguard for the rest, came back to Sanctuary to 
  “test the waters,” to keep an eye on things, and to make sure the city 
  was safe for the return of the S’danzo. She keeps an apartment atop 
  the two-story small tavern and inn. Visitors note that the Paddling 
  Duck is altogether unwelcoming, but a few brave the stares and cold 
  
  - 68 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  treatment for a reading in those rare instances when Elemi deigns to 
  see a client. Inside, the air is thick with sweet incense and the exotic 
  odors of S’danzo cooking. The entire area is decorated with traditional 
  S’danzo décor: bolts of parti-colored cloth, beaded curtains, and 
  images found in S’danzo cards. 
  SLY’S PLACE
  In my youth, I had occasion to step into this place a few times. 
  Ahdio’s a nice fellow, and so’s that… crone… he calls his wife. 
  But, it’s a little too dangerous, even for me.
  If the Vulgar Unicorn was dangerous, Sly’s Place was downright 
  deadly. Catering to those scum not even welcome in the dive of all 
  dives, Sly’s Place testiﬁed to Mazers’ tastes in ugliness. Situated near 
  Wrong Way Park, most people would sooner slit their own throats 
  than enter. While it had a bad reputation, the fact of the matter was 
  that it was not that dangerous in itself, but rather the danger was 
  going and leaving. It was run by a huge man named Ahdiovizun, who 
  purchased it from Sly’s widow. Though a man with a soft spot in his 
  heart for cats, he wore a chain shirt while he worked and thought 
  nothing of kicking the crap out of an unruly patron. Also working 
  there was his lame helper, whom many thought was slow, and his 
  hideous wife. However, this was all a ruse. Ahdio was no simple thug; 
  he was once a great and powerful wizard, and his wife too beautiful 
  to show her true face to the cutthroats of Sanctuary. 
  Sly’s Place became one of Shadowspawn’s haunts, and was intimately 
  associated with the ﬁrst Strick’s eﬀorts to improve the lives of the 
  people in the city. While Ahdio’s fate has not been revealed, it’s 
  presumed he died around the same time as Strick, if not earlier. 
  Thus, if Sly’s Place exists in the Irrune Era, it is nothing like the 
  one of old.
  WEAPONSHOP OF VASHANKA  
  (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  At the start of the Gods’ War in Sanctuary, Vashanka created a 
  weaponshop in the Maze. Here, fantastic magical weapons were 
  sold to the locals; however, each one was cursed. Though destroyed, 
  it’s believed some of the cursed weapons still exist in the city. For 
  game purposes, these weapons have a –2 penalty to attack rolls and 
  weapon damage rolls.
  OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS
  Just as the Maze has never been mapped, neither has a full accounting 
  been made of all the bars, brothels and shops that can be found here. 
  There are many locations mentioned in the anthologies, both new 
  and old, many of which are important only brieﬂy and never touched 
  upon again. Such places include the Bottomless Well (also called the 
  Bottomless Cesspit), which stands on Tumult Street, the Golden 
  Gourd owned by the current Strick, and many more.
  SECRETS
  It’s well known that there is a subterranean network of tunnels beneath 
  the Maze. Most are short, connecting one location to the next, but there 
  are many longer tunnels haunted by old and nasty things, gangs, and 
  worse. A big problem with all the tunnels is ﬂooding, which occurs 
  during storms and in the late winter, when the snows on the World’s 
  Spine Mountains melt. No one has mapped the Maze — if they did, it 
  would be worthless in moments, given the changing terrain — and it’s 
  clear that no one has tried to map the tunnels, so who can say what lurks 
  there? No one knows for certain what happened to Snapper Jo….
  THE PALACE
  • VIGILANCE 25 •
  Only one person (and one cat) have ever broken into the palace. 
  Me. And don’t you forget it.
  At the center of the city lies the palace, one of the two highest points 
  within its walls. Though the Governor’s Palace is the central feature 
  of this neighborhood, it is not the only structure. The district also 
  contains stables, barracks, armories, storerooms, and guardhouses, plus 
  secondary quarters for royal guests who prefer their privacy. 
  Most of the palace itself is stone, bristling with several tall towers 
  that serve as the apartments for the governor and his wives. Lesser 
  outbuildings are stone and wood with slate roofs. Strong walls of 
  stone encircle this area, broken by four gates: the Processional Gate 
  and West Gate to the south, the Headman’s Gate to the northwest, 
  and the Gate of the Gods to the northeast. Just south of the palace 
  is Vashanka’s Square, a large parade ground where the governor can 
  review the city guard. 
  The palace is easily the most impressive building in Sanctuary. As tall 
  as ﬁve stories high in some places, it is strong enough to serve as a 
  fortress, but has handsome arches and soaring ceilings. Stained glass 
  windows provide rainbows of light across polished marble ﬂoors, and 
  the roof tiles are glazed ceramics that gleam in the sun. 
  Inside, the palace is a maze of corridors and rooms, with apparently 
  little thought given to its layout. However, this is not the case, for the 
  architects realized the nature of Sanctuary and created a labyrinth 
  of corridors to confuse potential invaders. The main ﬂoor consists of 
  servants’ quarters, kitchens, and other workrooms. Several hidden 
  staircases lead to the lower levels, including the nursery that once 
  housed the reincarnated avatars of Vashanka. Tunnels lead out from 
  this level to the dungeons and through connecting passages that lead 
  to other areas in the city. 
  The upper levels and towers are used for the governor, his family, 
  and his guests. The towers cluster around the central building, on top 
  of which is a roof garden where the children could play and where 
  the governor could hold private meetings with spies, couriers, and 
  priests. On the third ﬂoor lies the centerpiece of the palace: a grand 
  hall where the governor can entertain nobles and the city’s elite. 
  Staircases lead to walkways and adjoining halls, each with balconies 
  oﬀering a beautiful view of the city. 
  During the Troubles, the palace took heavy damage. When the Irrune 
  destroyed the Dyareelans, the cultists retreated inside the palace to 
  ﬁght a long siege. Unsure of how reliable the Irrune would be, Molin 
  secretly ordered the palace burned, though he later claimed the ﬁres 
  
  - 69 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  started inside. His tactic worked, and drove the hidden cultists outside 
  to the waiting swords of the Irrune host. From this confrontation, 
  parts of the palace burned down during the ﬁre that swept over 
  Sanctuary shortly after Ranke left. More of it was damaged when 
  the Irrune smoked out the last vestiges of the Dyareelan cult. Inside, 
  the place had been transformed into a grisly and macabre place, with 
  profane murals staining the walls. Much of the splendor of the earlier 
  eras had been erased or deﬁled. 
  Molin resolved to never allow the Dyareelans to rule his city, and 
  immediately set to work restoring the palace, having convinced Arizak 
  of the need. It took a few years, but the crude altars to the Mother of 
  Chaos were removed. The exterior has been fully restored now, and 
  most of the interior as well. The workmanship is every bit as solid 
  as that of the old palace, though it is not as pretty or as graceful. All 
  of the smaller, wooden buildings near the district’s walls were also 
  rebuilt.
  Another set of walls has been added around the ﬁrst, expanding the 
  district and providing a second layer of protection. Guards still keep 
  watch, and closely examine everyone who enters, but workers arrive 
  every morning to help ﬁnish the work on the palace, making it much 
  harder to keep track of everyone.
  At night, the gates close, preventing traﬃc in and out of this district. 
  The guard keeps a one-man sentry at each of the gates leading inside. 
  They follow orders well, fearing the wrath of their Irrune masters, 
  but most can be bribed to look the other way.
  During the Rankan Era, Prince Kadakithis resided in the palace itself 
  and his Hell Hounds and other aides lived in the various buildings 
  nearby. Guards were stationed at the four gates at all times. Nobles 
  and other recognized citizens of high standing could enter through 
  without question, but the sentries stopped everyone else to discern 
  their business there. Anyone without a legitimate reason for entering 
  was turned away. At night, the guards became even more cautious 
  and turned back anyone not on urgent business. As this also served 
  as the guards’ headquarters, there were always sentries milling about 
  oﬀ-duty in addition to those on active patrol.
  The palace is now the seat of Arizak’s power. He and his extended 
  family occupy it, along with a few remaining Sanctan functionaries 
  who see to the everyday operations of the government. In addition, 
  this place has the greatest concentration of Irrune in the city. They 
  either have quarters inside, or live in tents on the grounds.
  Though activity in this district has fallen oﬀ since Kadakithis’ day, 
  it still produces the coins used in the city, holds stores of food and 
  water, and houses some of the better blacksmiths and tradesmen who 
  nominally serve the city’s masters.
  BARRACKS AND STABLES
  The palace compound has always housed Sanctuary’s elite guard, 
  whether Hell Hound, Stepson, or Walegrin’s garrison. Positioned 
  between the armory, which stores any number of swords, suits of 
  armor, and shields, and the stables that once held the fabled Trôs 
  horses, the barracks can house up to 50 guards comfortably. Most of 
  the barracks is taken up by a common room ﬁlled with bunk beds, 
  but a few private rooms for oﬃcers and female guards are available 
  as well. The stables, which stand against the southern wall, have room 
  enough for 50 horses plus feed. 
  THE DUNGEON
  When the Ilsigi ex-slaves came to the valley and forged a peace with 
  the local ﬁshermen, they always looked over their shoulders, waiting 
  for the day when their former masters would come to take them 
  back to slavery. So when they founded the town that would become 
  Sanctuary, one of the ﬁrst things they constructed was the Dungeon, 
  a square, squat, two-story structure designed more for defense than 
  aesthetics. Surrounding the entire structure was a moat, little more 
  than a ditch. Even the windows, which are a necessity in Sanctuary’s 
  climate, are no more than easily defended arrow slits.
  On the ground ﬂoor, there is a drawbridge that the guards lower and 
  raise to allow visitors to come inside. Those let past the drawbridge 
  are inspected to ensure that guests don’t smuggle anything inside. 
  Beyond, the Dungeon resembles more of a small castle than it does a 
  prison, equipped with servants’ quarters, a bedroom for the castellan, 
  a throne for the governor, a great hall (which served as an armory), 
  and numerous other rooms. Two great ﬁreplaces on the ground ﬂoor 
  warm the place, letting the heat travel up to warm the bedrooms on 
  the second ﬂoor. 
  The Dungeon holds its prisoners underground in a well-protected 
  U-shaped hall. Lesser prisoners are dumped inside a Great Cell 
  that faces the torture chamber. Other rooms underground consist 
  of storage chambers, a well (which actually connects to Sanctuary’s 
  undercity), and a few bunks for the guards.
  The roof holds a number of rain barrels, laundry lines, and a pigeon 
  coop. During the summer months, guards draw straws to see who 
  gets to sleep up here, rather than in the near-oven of the lower 
  levels.
  
  - 70 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  During the Beysib occupation, the priestesses converted the Temple 
  area on the ground ﬂoor to a sanctuary for priestess of Beysa. At any 
  time, there are 1d100+10 beynits here. (See page 126 for statistics 
  for the beynit snake.)
  GUEST EMBASSY
  At the eastern edge of Vashanka’s Square stands the guest embassy. 
  It was once a ﬁne house, well crafted and staﬀed with loyal and 
  trustworthy servants. When the governor entertained visitors from 
  foreign lands, he would oﬀer them quarters in the guest embassy to 
  serve as their living space and oﬃce as they stayed to oversee their 
  interests in Sanctuary. Since the Troubles, this building has been a 
  ruin, decaying on its foundation.
  HALL OF JUSTICE
  When one passes Vashanka’s Square to enter the Governor’s Palace 
  compound, one must enter the Hall of Justice before reaching the inner 
  halls and rooms of the governor’s home. The Hall of Justice is a great room 
  with columns forming two rows on either side, leading up to a stepped 
  dais where sat the governor’s throne. At times, a second throne might be 
  added to show respect to a favored wife or consort. In the front of the 
  Hall, there is a small waiting area where litigants would wait to be called. 
  Doors opened on either side of the Hall to lead out to the inner bailey. A 
  pair of double doors provided access to the palace itself, through which 
  the governor and his entourage would come to hear the cases brought 
  to the Hall. Above is a great railing and balcony, so onlookers can watch 
  the proceedings. Also attached to the Hall itself are a number of records 
  oﬃces and apartments for the court functionaries.
  Kadakithis, when he ﬁrst came to Sanctuary, presided over almost all 
  the cases, dispensing justice fairly but ﬁrmly. This all changed when 
  the Beysibs came, and his inﬂuence over the city waned. The more 
  time he spent with Shupansea, the less time he had for the city, until 
  most people believed Kadakithis had gone the way of all the other 
  governors before him.
  Now, years later, judges mete justice more often than not, though 
  Arizak occasionally loiters here to hear the complaints of the common 
  folk, to listen to performances, or hear his mad shaman rave about 
  his theories of the heavens. Though still an imposing building, it is 
  now surrounded by an air of mystery, as the Sharda work to uncover 
  the excesses and crimes of Sanctuary’s worst citizens.
  PARADE GROUND
  The Palace actually encompasses but a small corner of the palace 
  compound. Much of the area consists of the parade grounds. In 
  times past, the governors would open this area for special events and 
  festivals, but most often it is used to inspect the palace guard and 
  receive visitors. At the edges of this courtyard are stables, a smithy, 
  and barracks for the guard. During the Rankan Era, the parade 
  ground served as a place of congregation for oﬀ-duty soldiers, and 
  for drilling and training. 
  Each noon, in the old days, the palace guard would come out for 
  rotation and inspection. Citizens would come to watch the spectacle, 
  to see the bright Rankan uniforms and the grim and determined faces. 
  However, most were of the upper class, and such gatherings proved 
  fruitful for exchanging gossip and information.
  Vashanka’s Square is a section of stone tiles that stands in the shadow 
  of the palace itself. It is here where the governor inspects the guard 
  and greets important visitors. Though the signiﬁcance of this place 
  has ebbed since the Irrune conquered Sanctuary, it still elicits feelings 
  of awe and honor when walking across it.
  Citizens are free to enter the parade ground as they like, and many 
  come to trade with oﬀ-duty soldiers, be heard at the Hall of Justice, 
  or lodge a complaint with the guard. Most people congregate for 
  public executions, which are still held in the parade ground near the 
  old hanging block.
  PALACE MORGUE
  During the early years of Kadakithis’ rule, he hanged criminals 
  frequently. Their bodies, painted with tar, were set on display to serve as 
  a deterrent for other would-be criminals in the prince’s eﬀort to clean up 
  the city. The vast numbers of the dead necessitated the construction of 
  a morgue to keep the bodies until they could be buried in a communal 
  grave in the city’s cemetery (see page 54). During the frequent plagues, 
  this place also held the bodies of the diseased to protect the rest of the 
  city. The palace morgue still stands in the current era, along the palace’s 
  west exterior wall, just north of the Hanging Block. 
  SLAVE AUCTION AND HANGING BLOCK
  Attached to the palace’s inner bailey is a ﬂat platform, some 50 
  feet on a side. In times past, slavers would auction their wares to 
  the governor and the city’s notables. When Kadakithis gained the 
  city, he converted the slave block to a gallows, where he would hang 
  the day’s thieves and murderers. It became an even more macabre 
  place when the Beysibs came. They instituted a particularly horrible 
  method of public execution. Instead of hanging, they tied a prisoner 
  to a post and allowed a swordsman to carve oﬀ chunks of the man’s 
  ﬂesh until he died shrieking from pain. Later still, the Dyarleelans 
  would burn their victims here, or carve out their hearts, all in the 
  shadow of the Hall of Justice. In the Irrune Era, however, the old 
  Hanging Block has fallen into disuse, as they prefer other methods 
  for punishing criminals.
  STORAGE FACILITIES
  The palace compound features cisterns to catch rainwater for drinking, 
  and storage buildings to hold raw materials, foodstuﬀs, and ﬁnished 
  goods like spare furniture for the Palace’s lavish balls, old documents, 
  and more. Most of these buildings are protected with good locks 
  (Open Lock DC 25).
  ZOO GARDENS
  A great set of cages and gardens once stood next to the Processional 
  Gate to entertain visitors to the palace and amuse children with the 
  fantastic creatures collected. It was here that the enigmatic Winged 
  Folk from the North rescued their lost comrade and threw the city 
  into chaos for a night. 
  Since that fateful evening, the Zoo Gardens were more a place for 
  exotic birds and plants, though even this would not last for long. 
  During the famine, locals broke into the compound and slaughtered 
  the exhibits for food. Now, there is nothing more than a few empty 
  cages and overgrown weeds.
  
  - 71 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Even now, there’s just too much “high society” for me. All those 
  Rankans looking down their noses. When I have to go there, it’s 
  at night, and then, I never go through the front doors.
  Sanctuary’s most famous road is easily the Processional. Cutting 
  through the center of the city to the Processional Gate, where it 
  opens into the Palace’s parade ground, it is a place of the rich and 
  famous, where the wealthy have homes partly as a sign of status, but 
  also because it features regular guard patrols to keep the streets safe. 
  The people here, for as long as it has existed, have been among the 
  most arrogant and self-serving. From here, one can see the palace to 
  the north, the Hill (once a grand view) to the northeast, and the sea 
  to the south. During the summer, the gentle breeze from the ocean 
  cools the street, bringing with it the sweet tang of salty water and 
  sounds of the old wharves creaking. 
  The Processional is also one of the few places that’s almost — almost 
  — safe enough to walk unescorted by night, especially during 
  the Rankan Era. The current lords, the Irrune, have made many 
  eﬀorts to retain the Processional’s splendor, lighting the street with 
  public lanterns and supplying torches in barrels at intersections 
  with side streets. Still, bored Irrune, especially the Dragon and his 
  sycophants, prowl the Processional, roughing up anyone they don’t 
  like the looks of. 
  Though the Processional itself is a street, it is also the name of the 
  surrounding neighborhoods. In the past, the Processional held most 
  of Sanctuary’s middle class. The buildings here were solid but plain 
  — inns and taverns, mixed with shops and homes. Guards patrolled 
  the streets regularly, and the residents could sleep well at night, at 
  ease despite the occasional robbery or murder. Most of the people 
  here are hard-working citizens, craftsmen and innkeepers, people 
  who work with their hands and who lived above or behind their own 
  shops. While not the fanciest section of Sanctuary, the Processional 
  was a good clean neighborhood, and its residents did their best to 
  keep it that way.
  The Processional survived the chaos better than most of the city, 
  perhaps because it had less obvious wealth than the noble houses but 
  more security than the poorer quarters, and because its residents kept 
  to themselves when trouble struck. Some also say that many of the 
  people living here were either part of the Dyareelan cult or at least 
  in league with it. As a result, there is less damage here than almost 
  anywhere else in Sanctuary. That made the houses here valuable, 
  and many of the city’s nobles and more prosperous merchants 
  bought these homes for themselves. The Processional is now one of 
  the wealthiest parts of Sanctuary. The houses get larger and more 
  impressive as they get closer to the palace, particularly along the 
  street itself. Restaurants and small shops nestle in the blocks to the 
  east and west. These places are expensive but have very high quality, 
  and they do not bother to advertise their presence. The people who 
  can aﬀord them know where they are.
  In addition to the city guard, the wealthier residents have their own 
  guards. Many of the surviving Rankan and Ilsigi nobles live in the 
  Processional, and their estates house dozens of private soldiers that 
  accompany the nobles whenever they leave the grounds. Rumors 
  claim the nobles also employ magic to protect their homes. No one 
  knows is this is true or not, but many thieves have tried robbing 
  an estate in the Processional, and few have survived to tell of their 
  failure.
  Scattered throughout this district are upscale shops and small cafés 
  that cater to the social elites. The Qualis Grove (named for the 
  intoxicating berry from which wines and many drugs are made), 
  a small restaurant surrounded by an iron fence and protected by 
  guards, oﬀers a peaceful spot for residents of the neighborhood to 
  enjoy the sea breeze over quality fare and ﬁne wine. Lush hedges, 
  topiary sculptures, and hanging vines promise splendor and privacy 
  to those who desire it. However, entry to this restaurant is open only 
  to those with the bearing and appearance of wealth; all others are 
  turned away.
  Other shops include dealers in ﬁne apparel, perfumers, artists, 
  sculptors and other dealers of ﬁne goods. Few people waste the money 
  on public baths, lending to a powerful stink that permeates the entire 
  city. Aromatists do a brisk business, either concealing the smell of the 
  customer or masking the body odors of those around them.
  GOLDEN OASIS
  This famous tavern and restaurant was a favored spot of nobles and 
  merchants of quality, and considered the best in all of Sanctuary. 
  The main ﬂoor consisted of a large common room with ﬁne tables 
  with cushioned seat. Booths lined the walls for those desiring a bit 
  more privacy. The Golden Oasis oﬀered single rooms and suites for 
  those with coin to spend, each outﬁtted with a ﬁreplace and a goose 
  down bed. 
  SECRETS
  Though there are suspicions of Dyareelan sympathizers among the 
  people of the Processional, few know the truth of the matter. The 
  Dyareelans rarely preyed upon this section of town because many of its 
  members came from here. Though the Dyareelans drew new followers 
  from all over, they needed educated and prominent citizens to lend the 
  cult an air of acceptability among the rest of the city. How many still 
  serve the Mother of Chaos? None can say, but there’s no doubt that 
  there are many still active here.
  PROCESSIONAL
  • VIGILANCE 20 •
  SECRETS
  Although an impressive sight, the palace’s true wonder is hidden from 
  prying eyes. Tunnels delve deep beneath the city, allowing access to 
  various other buildings. Secret passageways allow people to move 
  through the palace unseen. Small hidden panels can be used to hide 
  documents, jewels, and other valuables, and tiny peepholes allow 
  people to listen in on conversations and spy on people in neighboring 
  rooms. The palace has a hundred secrets, and the person who knows 
  them all can easily learn a thousand more from the palace’s other 
  inhabitants.
  
  - 72 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  Whew, I can safely say that I never was so desperate that I had 
  to…er… slip into the Promise of Heaven. I’ve heard tell that the 
  women there are bad, and the things you take with you after a 
  roll in the bushes was even worse. No thanks.
  Situated above the rest of the city was the Promise of Heaven, a large 
  triangular park, ﬁlled with trees and foliage, with snaking paths and 
  large thoroughfares. There were three main entrances and walkways, 
  but they were crisscrossed by smaller trails that led into private niches, 
  where stood pillared busts and statues, small shrines dedicated to every 
  god ever worshipped in Sanctuary. Maintaining these shrines were 
  the priests, who left their temples to keep the statuary clean, trim 
  back the plantings, and ensure the place had the respect it deserved. 
  The Promise of Heaven was, by day, a grand place of introspection 
  where philosophers, students, and priests could discuss all manner of 
  subjects. 
  At night, the Promise took on a whole new character. Those whores 
  too ugly or diseased to work in an established brothel in the Maze or 
  on Red Lanterns worked here, taking their customers into the privacy 
  of a few clustered bushes in exchange for a few padpols. This was a 
  place where sad and desperate women, unskilled and alone or with a 
  few starving children, could make enough to feed their families. Every 
  whore who worked here had a story, heartbreaking and terrifying. And 
  though all who worked in this place were desperate and hungry, they 
  worked together, watched out for each other, and protected themselves 
  as best they could.
  During the Troubles, the Dyareelans transformed the park into a 
  terrible place of evil, where countless souls were sent screaming to 
  their monstrous deity. Some claim that the ghosts of the sacriﬁced 
  still haunt the old rotundas and copses, leading to its current 
  deserted state. The only people who come here now are those up 
  to no good.
  TEMPLE OF THE RANKAN GODS
  Soon after the Rankan Empire seized Sanctuary, work began on a 
  great temple that would venerate all of the Rankan Pantheon. Situated 
  at the southeastern corner of the Promise of Heaven, it was to be the 
  greatest center of worship in all the city, and perhaps the world. But 
  from the outset, problems plagued the construction. The ritual sacriﬁce 
  to commemorate its construction was sabotaged by the substitution 
  of a simulacrum instead of the required virgin. Diﬃculties in design, 
  ﬂawed craftsmanship, corruption, and weird happenings all slowed the 
  project to a crawl. For years, the work continued. It became a point 
  of shame for the Rankan citizens; a few of the outer shrines were 
  completed, but the majority of the structure — the inner sanctums, 
  ritual chambers, and personal quarters — were stalled in various states 
  of construction. It wasn’t until the return of Chenaya, having stolen the 
  Eye of Savankala from Ranke, and the discovery of the source of the 
  taint (the false sacriﬁce under the foundation) that work actually began 
  again in earnest. Yet, even with all of the eﬀort put forth to construct 
  this site, the years that followed brought plague, famine, devastating 
  storms, and ﬁnally the Dyareelans, put any further work on the site to 
  rest, seemingly for all time.
  PROMISE OF HEAVEN
  • VIGILANCE 10 •
  
  - 73 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  SECRETS
  Towards the end of Kadakithis’ rule, the whores of the Promise 
  of Heaven started vanishing. After some investigation by Daryne 
  and Daphne, it turned out that a wizard used the women for dark 
  experimentation in his laboratory, secreted beneath Shipri’s grove. 
  Though the gladiators managed to eliminate the wizard, the tunnels 
  and hideout served the Dyareelans in years to come, and many used 
  the place up until Cauvin discovered the new activity with the help of 
  Molin Torchholder. The Irrune smoked out many of the Dyareelans, 
  and subsequently executed them, but it’s clear more lurk beneath 
  the city. 
  PYRTANIS STREET
  • VIGILANCE 20 (DAY)/15 (NIGHT) •
  The thing to know about Pyrtanis Street is when you come to 
  that big scary mansion, cross to the other side of the street. Yeah, 
  Lone, I know, it’s “gone.” Don’t believe. That crazy wizard is 
  still around. Mark my words.
  Though often considered a neighborhood in itself, Pyrtanis was a 
  cluster of mansions along one street that crossed through the Old 
  Jeweler’s Quarter. Once home to the city’s most prestigious artisans, 
  including jewelers, gold- and silversmiths, more than a few aristocrats, 
  and even Enas Yorl himself, it has since fallen on harder times, far 
  from its former glory. The street itself is on high ground and paved 
  with tidy cobblestones, cutting across the Old Jeweler’s Quarter. In 
  the old days, where the rest of the Jeweler’s Quarter prevented foot 
  traﬃc by the rabble, Pyrtanis welcomed all and everyone. Those 
  who lived here did so in large, handsome houses, with well-tended 
  lawns in back. Pyrtanis was one of the busiest streets in Sanctuary, 
  and having a house along it was a major status symbol. Several small 
  shops, restaurants, and taverns nestled among the houses, but never 
  occupying the same buildings; those who lived here could aﬀord to 
  have a shop and a separate home, and sneered at their inferiors in 
  the rest of the Jeweler’s Quarter who lived above their workplace. 
  Unlike the Quarter at large, however, Pyrtanis did not restrict traﬃc 
  to residents and immediate customers. It couldn’t aﬀord to, because 
  cutting oﬀ the street would destroy most of its business.
  Many shops sold less luxurious, more useful items than elsewhere 
  in the Jeweler’s Quarter, but in larger quantities. Furs, meats, spices, 
  and spirits were the most common commodities. The shops often 
  had arrangements with taverns, noble estates, temples, and even the 
  palace, and sold to these places on a grand scale, but they also had 
  individual items that anyone who wandered in oﬀ the street could 
  purchase. 
  Because they didn’t post sentries to stop those using the thoroughfare, 
  the shops kept private guards, usually positioned just inside the doors 
  to control theft and violence. The city guard patrolled the street 
  regularly, removing troublemakers, chasing pickpockets, and breaking 
  up the occasional ﬁght. The shops closed up at dusk, and the private 
  guards departed for their own homes, leaving Pyrtanis emptier and 
  a little more dangerous after dark. The city guard still patrolled here, 
  however, and a cry for help would be answered quickly and in force. 
  Most of the houses also had magical protections and, in many cases, 
  private guards lived in smaller buildings in back and took turns 
  standing watch day and night.
  Pyrtanis’ glory would not last. Though the city and this street would 
  prosper for the few short years after Ranke withdrew its soldiers, 
  the famine, ﬂoods, ﬁres, and eventually the Troubles themselves 
  drove the wealthy out of the city, leaving their ﬁne homes and shops 
  abandoned, though most believed that they would one day return. 
  The cultists winnowed Sanctuary’s Sihanese aristocracy down to a 
  frightened handful and now, even after ten years of relative stability, 
  the Serripines cling to their Land’s End estate as though it were a 
  life-raft in a terrible storm. As a result, most of the houses are still 
  empty. The once proud streets are the haunts for gangs, and many 
  people still living here are haunted by the loss of their history. Old 
  hazard mages suck sour wine at the Lucky Well, lost in the fantasies 
  of their former lives, while maids and servants of the nobles who 
  once lived here keep hope in the illusion that, one day, their lots will 
  improve. 
  Though saddled with a history no one can forget (or is allowed to), 
  life continues in this part of the Jeweler’s Quarter. Grabar’s Stoneyard, 
  which stands in the ruins of the home of Coricidius (the Rankan 
  Era vizier), a baker, potter, and other artisans have set up shop here, 
  surviving in the hard times that strangle the whole city. The street is 
  tightly knit, and everyone knows everyone else. Common hardships 
  has pulled these people together, even if only loosely, and if one 
  resident faces trouble, the rest will help in small ways, because they 
  all remember what Pyrtanis was, and could be once more.
  ENAS YORL’S MANSION
  About 300 years ago, a handsome youth known for his talents with 
  magic gained a terrible curse as a reward for his insatiable libido. 
  Cursed to perpetually change his shape, he ﬂed his homeland and 
  settled in Sanctuary, a place full of exiles and those who want to lose 
  themselves. What diﬀerentiated Enas Yorl from the other refugees 
  was that he was one of the three most powerful wizards in the Known 
  World. This lent him safety and security, and no one pried into his 
  business. 
  The mage found that Sanctuary matched his personality and his 
  outlook, and he established himself, loosely, as its protector. He erected 
  a house on Pyrtanis Street, a place beﬁtting his station, but not on 
  the Hill, where he would have to contend with nosy aristocrats and 
  all the attention they brought on themselves. He and his mansion 
  became a place of wonder, a veritable attraction that elicited both 
  fascination and fear. Rumor was that dark things occurred in this 
  place, and foul basilisks guarded the entrance to turn to stone 
  anyone who thought to intrude. Though Enas Yorl and his manse 
  both had sinister reputations, Yorl genuinely cared for the city. On 
  many occasions, he acted on behalf of individuals who, for whatever 
  reason, struck a chord with him, and through these men and women, 
  the city prospered.
  
  - 74 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  The mansion itself was a looming ediﬁce, casting long dark shadows 
  into the street. No window oﬀered a glimpse of what lay within, and 
  the only entrance was a brazen door, tall, wide and solid. Inside, one 
  was immediately struck by how much larger it seemed than it did 
  from outside. Enas Yorl’s blind servant, Darous, would blindfold 
  guests to take them through the house to meet with the wizard. He 
  would meet guests in his library or in an audience chamber, where 
  he would sit in an exquisitely carved chair.
  During the anarchy that plagued Sanctuary after the Beysibs came, 
  Yorl withdrew into his house, being less and less of a force in the 
  city. Even through the trials of Ischade and Roxane, and the collapse 
  of the mageguild, he didn’t interfere with the plots and intrigues 
  that tore the city apart. While Molin, Tempus, Ischade, and others 
  contained the witch into the house of Tasfalen, Yorl was quiet. It 
  wasn’t until Molin approached Yorl about ridding Sanctuary of the 
  witch for good that the powerful wizard stirred. But the end result 
  was the disappearance of both Tasfalen’s House and Yorl’s, apparently 
  sending the two of them into some other plane. 
  Since, Yorl has been thought dead, killed in some eldritch battle 
  against Death’s Queen. Even Molin Torchholder believed that the 
  wizard was dead, but harbored some reservations, suspecting that 
  perhaps Yorl had gained some control over his curse and hid among 
  the rest of the city. Yorl occasionally sent messages ﬁlled with the 
  nigh immortal’s dry wit, conﬁrming that he still lived, though the 
  magician would not reappear until years later.
  Locals sometimes claim that on certain nights, the manse reappears 
  brieﬂy, lit by the waning light of the moon as it reﬂects oﬀ the fog 
  rolling in from the wharf. Strange sounds like growling and hissing, 
  taunting laughter, and odd shrieks emanate from the lot, to say 
  nothing of the cold dread that ﬁlls the hearts of those who walk 
  across the gravel of the still empty lot.
  GRABAR’S STONEYARD
  Stone is a rare commodity in Sanctuary. There are few good sources 
  in the neighboring hills, no quarries, and extracting good stone is not 
  only expensive but hard work. Many stone suppliers recycle old ruins 
  and resell good stone at bargain prices. One such dealer is Grabar, a 
  good man who lives in the heart of the Old Jeweler’s Quarter. 
  Most of his property is for his business, and piles of rock, brick, and 
  other materials stand in heaps throughout. A tall wooden fence keeps 
  thieves and undesirables out. Grabar gained it when he married 
  Mina, a down-on-her-luck heiress of Coricidius’ fortune… which, 
  by the time she got it, consisted solely of the decaying mansion and 
  surrounding land. Grabar turned the compound into the stoneyard 
  shortly after the Irrune cleansed the city of its cultist infestation. 
  Grabar claimed the place as his home and settled there with his wife, 
  who had lived there from birth.
  While few adventurers have need of stone, Grabar’s Stoneyard is 
  also the home of one of Sanctuary’s most important, though not 
  prominent, citizens: Cauvin. Word is that he has connections in the 
  palace and can be seen going in and out as he pleases. Some suggest 
  he has the memories of old Torch, but locals know Cauvin is just 
  Cauvin, and if he has contacts at the palace, it’s because he’s probably 
  working on repairs.
  LUCKY WELL
  The Lucky Well is a small tavern at the far end of Pyrtanis Street. 
  A shoddy place, it is the favored watering hole of Pyrtanis residents. 
  They have bad wine and worse beer. The place is smoky and in poor 
  repair, with raw wooden benches, a scattering of stained tables, and 
  an old and scarred bar. Despite its low appearance, it’s a safe place 
  and good for picking up rumors as they ﬂy.
  SWIFT’S SMITHY
  Just of oﬀ Pyrtanis Street is Swift’s Smithy, a small forge that does most 
  of its business repairing minor metal tools and pots and pans. Swift 
  has some skill, and he’s fair, but he’s no Dubro. Swift supplements his 
  income by taking on palace jobs, thanks to the contacts he has there. 
  During his trips to and from the palace, he’s quick to pay attention 
  to news he overhears and from conversations with his friends who 
  directly serve the Irrune and the watch. Swift also does a little work 
  dealing in coin. He takes higher value coins (which most folks in the 
  city refuse to trade in) and exchanges them for padpols. 
  TASFALEN LANCOTHIS’ HOUSE
  Tasfalen Lancothis was a corrupt and petty Rankan noble, blessed 
  with good fortune and graced with good looks. Thoroughly corrupt, 
  he was a backstabber and treacherous fellow. Ischade, after her 
  diﬃculties with Straton, decided to use him to sate her unnatural 
  cravings. She gave Haught a ring to give to the lord to extend an 
  invitation. However, Haught saw this as an opportunity to betray his 
  mistress and position himself as the master of Sanctuary. He involved 
  Moria, a former hawk-mask, and after a series of blundering mishaps, 
  Tasfalen died from a broken neck.
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  What happened next, no one anticipated. Haught conjured the spirit 
  of Roxane, who was believed dead. She possessed the corpse of the 
  former noble, and all hell broke loose as Haught and the revenant used 
  the last Nisibisi power globe to weave some terrible magic. Before the 
  ritual could be completed, Ischade, Randal, and others contained the 
  house behind a series of dense wards and terriﬁc spells that culminated 
  in the destruction of the globe and a pillar of ﬁre that reﬂected a 
  mortal struggle between Roxane and a summoned demon.
  The ﬁre raged for days, until it vanished as suddenly as it appeared. 
  The guild mages, Ischade, and others wove more protective wards 
  over the house to contain whatever evil remained. The house stood 
  for a few years longer, with Haught trapped inside with the undead 
  horror that was Tasfalen (and perhaps part demon and part Roxane, 
  too). Molin convinced Enas Yorl to enter the house as the magic in 
  the city began to ebb, weakening the wards that constrained the great 
  evil. The wizard never emerged, but the house collapsed into a pile of 
  dust. Enas Yorl had found a way to send the house and its contents 
  to Meridian and Aškelon. 
  The building was a beautiful townhouse, two stories tall, with a few 
  steps leading up to a magniﬁcent door. Windows on all sides looked 
  down on the roofs of neighboring homes and gave an exquisite view 
  of the city and sea beyond the wharfs. Just inside were a hall and 
  a steep staircase that led to the bedrooms above. After the owner’s 
  death, the place assumed a somber cast, shrouded by darkness and 
  the evil it held inside, and gained a tendency to leak odd-colored 
  light — mostly blue, but occasionally green. Locals crossed the 
  street rather than pass through its shadow. Now, nothing remains 
  except an empty lot, similar in many ways to the one on which 
  Yorl’s manor once stood.
  SECRETS
  There are many treasures as yet unearthed in the ruins of the old 
  mageguild. Occasionally, some odd spellcaster snoops around the area, 
  searching the ruins for some lost bit of esoteric lore. While patrols 
  discourage such archeological eﬀorts, they have not been successful 
  in stopping them completely.
  Enas Yorl’s house lies in a planar nodule tied to this space. Yorl can 
  come and go as he pleases. Thus far, no one has discovered how to 
  enter the house… but then, only fools would want to.
  THE ’TWEEN
  • VIGILANCE 15 •
  Lone can tell you, this place is busy and the folks there are more 
  than willing to spend a few coins. Which means, they’re willing 
  to lose a few coins too.
  A new district, the ’Tween did not exist until after Ranke had already left 
  Sanctuary to its own devices. Initially conceived by Molin Torchholder, 
  and meant to house caravans, the ’Tween has become a trade center and 
  waystation. It stands between the city’s old eastern wall and the newer 
  walls Molin had constructed, and is the only way into Sanctuary from 
  that side via the Wideway. Guards man the Prince’s Gate (also called 
  the Gate of Gold) in the eastern wall, and anyone entering is examined 
  and taxed before being allowed through. Past the arch, the Wideway 
  opens up between Sanctuary’s wharves and warehouses.
  The ’Tween is one of the only neighborhoods that has stone walls on 
  all sides—it has the city’s original exterior wall to the east, and newer 
  walls barring it from the Red Foal River to the north and west, and 
  then another new wall to the south. Nearly all of the buildings here 
  are of new construction, more stone and brick than the rest of the 
  city. The Prince’s Gate is ﬂanked by two sturdy stone guardhouses. A 
  single wide, paved road, the Wideway, starts at the Prince’s Gate and 
  cuts through the heart of the ’Tween. (The Wideway continues on into 
  Sanctuary proper, extending clear to the western wall.) The ’Tween 
  does contain other roads, but these are hard-packed dirt, and turn to 
  mud easily. Hostels, taverns, inns, and stables line the Wideway on 
  both sides, catering to travelers, and guardhouses are built into the 
  outer wall around the Prince’s Gate. Moneychangers are also common 
  here, and often set up tents or simply stand and call out their services 
  as people pass by. Also found here are numerous stables that rent and 
  sell horses and carts, along with a market where farmers from the 
  outskirts can come to trade without having to travel around to the 
  other side of the city. Despite the industry, the only people who live 
  here are those who work the various businesses, and they live within 
  their respective establishments.
  As can be expected of any place with frequent visitors, thievery is 
  common. With new arrivals constantly coming and going, there’s 
  plenty of opportunity for a would-be thief to make a small fortune. 
  The guards do their best to protect the travelers and their goods, 
  but can only stop the more inept pickpockets and the better-known 
  thieves. Other crime is not common in the ’Tween; the guards break 
  up ﬁghts quickly, and most assassins prefer to wait until their target 
  leaves the ’Tween and enters the rest of the city, where they will be 
  more vulnerable and easier to misplace. Like many places in the city, 
  the Irrune keep a good supply of torches for the populace to use. 
  Held in barrels at intersections, locals can snag a torch for protection 
  at night.
  The ’Tween has a character of its own, though visitors are often struck 
  by its similarity to the bazaar. The diﬀerence is one of history. Where 
  the bazaar once held a small S’danzo population and is a culture onto 
  itself, the ’Tween is a constantly changing mass of people, still crisp 
  with newness and charged with the energy of commerce. There is a 
  constant hum here, as people strike bargains, hawk their wares, and 
  spread news. Between the noise and the bright colors of foreign 
  fashion, the ’Tween is an exciting place and an ideal district for those 
  looking for adventure.
  MEERASH’S OILS
  This small shop once specialized in imported and ﬂavored oils. 
  Situated in the southern part of the ’Tween, it did a good business. 
  When Meerash died, a series of new owners came and went, ending 
  most recently with an older homely woman named Cassata. While 
  she still sells some oil (there’s a pyramid of glass bottles in the front 
  window), her concerns are more criminal in nature. She deals with the 
  Kintairs, a gang of thugs that have a protection racket in the ’Tween. 
  In addition to strong-arming the locals for money, they also deal in 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  other criminal acts. Some suspect there’s more going on here than it 
  seems, and Cassata is a strange case, with a past shrouded in secrets. 
  Her detractors whisper she was in league with the cultists, but none 
  would dare say so openly.
  THE PUBLIC BATHS
  In an eﬀort to welcome travelers and merchants, Sanctuary oﬀers 
  public baths. Situated just inside the gate, there are several waterwheels 
  and plenty of soapweed for those in need of cleaning oﬀ the road dirt 
  to become presentable before meeting with an important client. The 
  public baths oﬀer a full line of services for the right price, including 
  a hot bath in a communal pool, private baths, and the services of 
  attendants, who are willing to help scrub a hard-to-reach place or 
  oﬀer something more.
  The public baths are regularly used as a place for meetings. Given 
  the atmosphere, it is hard to smuggle weapons inside, so rival gang 
  leaders, crime lords, or even merchants gather here to forge alliances 
  or work through problems with diplomacy. To ensure the peace, the 
  city employs six strong men to watch for trouble. Rumored to have 
  been trained in Rankan ﬁghting schools and to have spent some 
  time ﬁghting in the arenas, they ensure that violence is kept to a 
  minimum. 
  There are two types of public baths. One for men, which is operated 
  by the city, and another for women. The latter facility is run by the 
  Sisters of Eshi, and men are forbidden from stepping inside.
  THE STAIRS
  Lone’ll tell you this place, while a decent shortcut is about as 
  dangerous as anywhere in the city.
  Outside the western gate of the ’Tween is a series of steps that is 
  sometimes used as a shortcut into the heights of the city. Constructed 
  of weathered wooden planks, with a rail close to hand, the stairs 
  scale a sheer rock face about 20 feet, climbing far above the ’Tween’s 
  western walls. At the top, the stairs end at Old Pyrtanis Street; from 
  there, it’s a short walk to the Promise of Heaven. Unfortunately, the 
  shortcut runs through the Hill. As this is a well-known route, Hillers 
  use this place to ambush travelers by day or night.
  UNDERCITY
  • VIGILANCE 0 •
  Let’s get one thing straight. There are no dungeons, and there 
  certainly aren’t any dragons (well aside from that bastard 
  Ariz… what’s his name) under this city. 
  Sanctuary is more than it appears. Many things lurk in the shadows, 
  lying in wait for the moment to emerge and make a claim on the 
  city. But some places are hidden from view completely, and Undercity 
  is one. 
  Few among even the city’s long-time residents know that beneath the 
  city streets lies a series of tunnels and chambers. These run throughout 
  Sanctuary, and someone familiar with their arrangement can get 
  almost anywhere in the city undetected. Part of the undercity makes 
  up the Hill’s reputed tunnels, though most of those entries have been 
  sealed oﬀ by collapses or by design. 
  THE TUNNELS BENEATH
  No one lives in the Undercity, and only a few people use it regularly. 
  Lastel One-Thumb knew more of the tunnels than most, and traveled 
  between his estate and the Lily Garden by way of these underground 
  passages. Myrtis, the mistress of the Aphrodisia House, is the 
  undisputed mistress of the Undercity, as much because no one else 
  knows or cares as because she really controls the subterranean tunnel 
  system. She does know more of the pathways than does any other 
  resident, and she also pays the mageguild to maintain wards that 
  protect the tunnels and the city above them from invasion. 
  Myrtis also has guards at strategic spots in the Undercity, and they 
  will challenge anyone they do not know and record the passage of 
  anyone they encounter. The Undercity does have tunnels leading into 
  the palace, and others that run through the Maze, though these are 
  usually short tunnels built atop older passages, and change almost as 
  much as the buildings and streets above.
  SECRETS
  Though years have passed since the original users of the tunnels 
  walked the hidden world beneath Sanctuary, the Undercity still 
  exists much as it did during the Rankan Era. The ﬁres above did not 
  aﬀect it, though many of its exits and entrances were sealed when 
  buildings collapsed atop them. Flooding damaged many tunnels as 
  well, and puddles of long-stale water still cover stretches of ﬂoor in 
  many passages. 
  With Myrtis gone, the Undercity belongs to no one. Few surviving 
  residents even know about it, and the Irrune have never thought to 
  look below, so they are still unaware. Whoever does ﬁnd a way into 
  the Undercity would have a way to travel about the city unmolested, 
  and would be able to breach the security of the palace and many other 
  wealthy homes with ease. 
  Those who do remember the presence of the Undercity harbor dark 
  suspicions, fears that the tunnels beneath are home now to Sanctuary’s 
  gravest threat: the cult of Dyareela.
  SOAP AND WATER:  
  SERVICES OF THE PUBLIC BATHS
  Service
  Price
  6 Cranks of the water wheel
  3 pd
  Communal bath (per quarter hour)
  10 pd
  Private bath (per quarter hour)
  15 pd
  Attendant
  2 pd
  Massage
  4 pd
  Other, illicit services
  5–10 pd
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  The Westside changed its name to the Shambles after those witches 
  started raising the dead. They say, this neighborhood had the most 
  of those walking corpses. Shite, some believe a few of those dead 
  folk got better, if you can believe that!
  The Westside is one of the smelliest, least pleasant sections of 
  Sanctuary proper. (Downwind didn’t qualify, as it stood beyond 
  the White Foal.) The tanners, glue makers, perfumers, and other 
  businesses that produce unpleasant odors are all here, where their 
  scents wafted out of the city instead of disturbing their neighbors. 
  The housing in the Westside is cheap and poorly constructed, but 
  it is better built than the shanties of Downwind. Those people in 
  Downwind who manage to save enough move into the Westside and 
  consider themselves lucky. Everyone else in this neighborhood hopes 
  to move away, ideally before their sense of smell is destroyed forever. 
  The Westside has a high crime rate; though the city guards do patrol 
  here, they are not particularly thorough. The Westside grows cleaner, 
  quieter, and less smelly as it approaches the Processional.
  The Westside has always been known as the Shambles because it 
  contained a meat market and abattoir as well as the charnel house 
  and boneyard. The name took on quite a diﬀerent meaning when 
  the dead walked the city. The Shambles was every bit as smelly as 
  the dangerous neighborhoods around it thanks to the tanners, dyers, 
  slaughterhouses, and the varied food cooked by the residents. It is also 
  more crowded, more rundown, and even more impoverished. 
  During the anarchy sown by Roxane, the Shambles, along with 
  Downwind and the Maze, served as the centers of operation for the 
  death squads: Gangs of killers controlled by Roxane (and, presumably, 
  Ischade) that roamed the city, murdering those who opposed them. This 
  was made worse by the appearance of undead that walked the streets 
  and alleys, rubbing shoulders with the living. The Shambles transformed 
  from just another slum to a hellhole, worse than any other short of the 
  Downwind. At its worst, it was a haven for drug dens and cheap whores, 
  a ﬁtting nest for the Maze’s criminals to grow and prosper. And at its 
  best, it was ﬁrmly under the hand of Zip and the PFLS, who squatted 
  in empty warehouses and old buildings to launch their attacks against 
  the Beysibs and the other groups ﬁghting for control.
  Aside from the danger posed by the populace, the Shambles was a 
  pestilential pit. Most of the plagues that ravaged Sanctuary can be 
  traced back to some festering corpse in the Shambles or the open 
  sewers that bred plague as they do ﬂies. A quick trek through the 
  Shambles could ﬁnd a man dead by sunset, and so people entered this 
  neighborhood cautiously.
  Though the Shambles had been as rough a neighborhood as the 
  Maze, and later swarmed with the dead, the half-dead, and the other 
  assorted leftovers of Sanctuary’s magic troubles, it eventually became a 
  district where newcomers made their homes in abandoned buildings. 
  With the inﬂux of new blood, the signs of prosperity and new hope 
  bloomed. Children were no longer starving. Gardens stood in the rays 
  of the sun, and, indeed, with a newly stable city, life in the Shambles 
  was good. More immigrants arrived, from all over Ranke and Ilsig and 
  the neighboring regions, but the city was being rebuilt and there was 
  plenty of work for everyone. Money rolled in, the residents improved 
  their own homes, and the neighborhood felt like a real part of the city 
  for the ﬁrst time. Then the drought struck. And then the plague, and 
  then the terrible ﬁres that ravaged this neighborhood. Although not 
  as poor or as desperate as the Hill, the Shambles is not much better 
  oﬀ. Many of its people lost their livelihoods during the troubles, and 
  now beg for money at Shambles Cross. The rest scrape by, doing 
  anything it takes to survive. Strangers who enter the Shambles are 
  almost certain to be attacked, as much for the meat on their bones 
  as for their gold.
  Despite this, the Shambles is a fascinating neighborhood. It is perhaps 
  the most culturally mixed area in all of Sanctuary, with traces of 
  every land its residents hail from, and it can be ﬁlled with the smell 
  of exotic food, the obscene stenches of tanners and dyers, the sight 
  of strange foreign attire, and the lilt of languages from distant lands. 
  Most of the buildings are adobe and wood, harkening to the early 
  architecture designs of the city. This part of town still bears the scars of 
  the Convulsions, with old scorch marks from the ﬁres, ﬂood damage, 
  and simply neglect. 
  However, the Shambles is still home to those who squeak by on the 
  brink of starvation and squalor. Here, children play in puddles of 
  dubious ﬂuids, rat catchers sell rodents for a padpol, and cutthroats 
  and gangs lurk in the shadows in wait for the rare fool who shows a 
  little too much wealth in this nasty part of town. 
  WESTSIDE/SHAMBLES
  • VIGILANCE 5 •
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  This is one of the best places to ﬁnd an interpreter or translator, 
  because no matter what language it is, someone in the Shambles 
  probably speaks it. Still, the wise man does not enter the Shambles 
  himself, but ﬁnds a local along the edge and hires him or her to locate 
  and retrieve a suitable translator.
  With Ranke’s departure from Sanctuary, the Shambles became home 
  to countless immigrants and laborers. During the time of rebuilding, 
  when the city erected new walls and the Troubles had not yet been 
  foreseen, the atmosphere was light and full of hope. There was work 
  to be had, Ranke had retreated, and freedom had never been so 
  sweet. The drought, ﬂood, famine, and disease of later years killed 
  any optimism that the people of the Shambles might’ve cultivated, 
  but the exotic and ethnic ﬂavor of the quarter, lent by the quarter’s 
  many immigrants, remains to this day.
  BEZUL THE CHANGER
  The Shambles has a reputation for merchants who collect castoﬀs 
  and resell them. While many of these retailers are shady, one has 
  emerged with a reputation as a trustworthy man: Bezul the Changer. 
  Operating out of a shop on the edge of the old West End and the 
  Maze, where Wriggle Way comes to a dead end, he is the favored 
  pawnbroker and fence of nearly every thief in the slums. There, with 
  his children, mother, brother, a ﬂock of geese, and a pair of former 
  soldiers (Ammen and Jopze, both male Rankan ex-legionnaires), 
  he does a good business, known for his fairness and no-questions-
  asked policy.
  Though he has adequate protection, few people would threaten Bezul’s 
  livelihood because of the role he plays in the community. His shop is 
  packed near to bursting with miscellanea, ranging from clothing to 
  food to weapons to general gear. Almost everything he sells is used, 
  swapped from some local in need of a few padpols for a ﬁx of opah 
  or to pay oﬀ some dangerous loan shark. This makes his inventory 
  an eclectic mix of junk and treasure. 
  Even better than the goods Bezul peddles is the information he 
  knows. His encounters with so many characters from the Maze and 
  the Shambles gives him plenty of opportunity to pick up tidbits and 
  odd facts, which he sells along with an old pair of shoes and a notched 
  sword. It’s important to note that Bezul’s reputation rests on his policy 
  of not asking, so whatever he learns is by simply keeping an ear to 
  the ground and a ﬁnger on the pulse of the city.
  In addition to trading news and goods, Bezul also deals in coins, either 
  exchanging them or holding them. He always keeps a small number 
  of coins on hand to exchange foreign currency for that used in the 
  city—a useful service for thieves who want to avoid getting caught. 
  Bezul charges 10% of the take to exchange a foreign coin for local. 
  FROG AND BUCKET
  Like anywhere else in this city, many Sanctans look for ways to 
  forget the hardness of their lives, and so haunt watering holes where 
  they can throw down a few cups of sour wine and swap news in the 
  neighborhood. Some bars are more or less dangerous than others, 
  though the dangers posed by these places is commensurate with the 
  poverty of the neighborhood. 
  One of the Shambles more notorious bars is the Frog and Bucket. It’s 
  a rotting two-story building made of weathered adobe and old brick, 
  with a rickety staircase leading up to the apartments above it. As if the 
  bad food and watery drinks weren’t bad enough, this bar serves as the 
  nexus for a large opah ring, at the head of which is Makker (see page 
  159). Just about every night, some poor thin fool with cankers on his 
  mouth and tongue stumbles inside to deliver the padpols earned from 
  a day of pushing opah. And those who fail wind up dead.
  The people who live in the Frog and Bucket do so by selling 
  themselves to the patrons, though many of these whores learned their 
  trade from the Maze brothels. Worse, most are addicted to one of 
  Sanctuary’s nastier drugs and will do anything to make sure they get 
  their next ﬁx. Trust no one at the Frog and Bucket.
  FISHERMAN’S FOOTBRIDGE/ 
  SHAMBLES’ BRIDGE
  Though the ground below Sanctuary is riddled with tunnels, few of 
  these are actually sewers in the traditional sense. Instead, the city 
  relies on channels that run to the White Foal River to rid itself of 
  nightsoil and trash. These channels are toxic, buzzing with ﬂies and 
  alive with maggots and other vermin, as its foul load slowly oozes 
  its way to the west, where the White Foal washes it out into the sea. 
  Much like a tree, the channel has dozens of branches that connect 
  to the main line, allowing the city common locations for disposing 
  of their undesirables.
  This channel is actually the exposed remains of a true sewer that was 
  broken when the White Foal crested. It still functions as a sewer for 
  most of Sanctuary from the palace east to the Old Jeweler’s Quarter. 
  Crossing it where it is exposed is challenging, given its width, and 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  getting around without jumping can add a great deal of time to one’s 
  journey. To provide a shortcut, and to make a few bits of tarnished 
  silver, the city erected the Fisherman’s Footbridge to create a quick 
  path between the Shambles and the rest of the city, including 
  ﬁsherman’s row, the farmer’s market and the caravan depot. The bridge 
  is poorly made and shakes fearsomely when crossed. Wisely, people 
  take this bridge one at a time. 
  The bridge-keeper charges a padpol for a crossing and the revenues 
  collected go to the Shambles family that built and owns the bridge. 
  Of course, one doesn’t have to pay the toll; a potential traveler can 
  slide down the embankment, try to jump across, and scramble up the 
  other side. But if they should slip or misjudge the distance, they’re 
  in for a miserable time, and likely a host of lovely parasites to boot. 
  For a sample of diseases common to Thieves’ World, see Diseases in 
  Sanctuary in Chapter Six: Adventures in Sanctuary.
  KHABEEBER TAVERN
  This tavern takes its name from a local bird that dives in the ocean 
  for ﬁsh. The tavern owner named it so because he claimed his 
  customers dived as deeply into their wine and ale as the birds did 
  for their ﬁsh. 
  TINKER’S KNOB
  Typical of many of the Shamble’s taverns, the Tinker’s Knob 
  operated out of a hastily repaired building that had been ravaged 
  by ﬁre. Though painted and cleaned, the stink of old smoke clouded 
  the place. Its claim to fame was a bronze plaque that depicted the 
  exploits of a singularly well-endowed tinker. Presumably, this place 
  burned down with the rest of the Shambles during the early stages 
  of the Troubles. 
  MAJOR ROADS
  The Shambles is famous for its street names, which are always 
  indicative of the types of shops to be found there. The Street of 
  Smells, Harlot’s Cross, and Tanner’s Row are all ﬁne examples. 
  Many of these streets enter the Maze, but soon lose their character, 
  narrowing into the labyrinthine corridors that give that dangerous 
  part of town its name.
  SECRETS
  Though there are few left, the longtime Shambles residents clearly 
  recall Sanctuary of old, when the dead shuﬄed down the streets and 
  when a vampire woman preyed on the scum of the city. While most 
  of the undead have vanished, a best-forgotten memory of a dark time, 
  the old folks still tell tales of the bloated corpses who could talk, their 
  eyes haunted by images of the Underworld. Some even say that a few 
  of these poor souls still walk the streets at night, but most dismiss 
  these tales and horror stories to frighten the children.
  Like the Maze, people go to Westside to disappear. All sorts of 
  dangerous people rub shoulders with the poor and downtrodden. 
  There’s little doubt that cultists have claimed this neighborhood to 
  avoid notice from the Irrune and their other enemies.
  WIDEWAY
  • VIGILANCE 10 •
  I don’t much like ﬁshing and “honest” labor never agreed with 
  me. But roaches can snatch many a purse if they’re patient and 
  careful on the Wideway.
  Running all along the wharves, from the eastern end of the city all the 
  way to the White Foal River and the Swamp of Night Secrets, is the 
  Wideway, a broad street that’s part boardwalk and part cobbled street. It’s 
  one of the city’s busiest by day, and one of the quietest by night. Facing 
  the sea are a number of salt-encrusted homes and shops that do a brisk 
  business catering to sailors. During the day, one could hardly walk the 
  length without bumping into someone. Merchants set up makeshift 
  stalls to sell their goods, while ﬁshmongers cleaned and sold their catch 
  right on the docks. Laborers loaded and unloaded crates, horses, and 
  goods from the various ships, all ﬂying diﬀerent banners, and pulled on 
  the ropes in the turbulent seas. 
  In recent years, the Wideways and the wharves have fallen into 
  disrepair. No ships arrived during the drought or the plague, and the 
  ﬂoods and the massive storms wiped out most of Sanctuary’s own 
  surviving ships and those the Beysib had left behind, leaving no one 
  who needed a berth. That has begun to change, however. The Irrune 
  realize the wharves are a major source of new income, and Arizak 
  has declared that both wharves should be repaired and restored. It is 
  a slow process, however, and made worse by the fact that the Irrune 
  are not sailors, and so cannot tell if an estimate is good or bad, or 
  whether it is honest or false. 
  With Downwind gone, many of the city’s poor will sleep anywhere they 
  can, and that includes the wharves. During the day, these people wander 
  around, oﬀering to do small jobs or run errands for a little money, but 
  at night they huddle with the rest of their family, pleased to have so 
  much arm space around them but shivering because they cannot light 
  a ﬁre in such a damp place, even if they had something to burn.
  With the inﬂux of new peoples and the swelling trade, an auxiliary market 
  has opened on the Wideway, serving as a convenient stop for locals from 
  the Maze and the Processional. So fast has it grown, it now rivals the 
  farmer’s market. At night, despite the huddled homeless, public lanterns 
  light the road to keep it safe. And though the market shuts down, it is 
  still a lively place, and the dockside brothels do a great business. 
  BROKEN MAST TAVERN
  There are many bars and taverns along the Wideway, but few are as 
  infamous as the Broken Mast Tavern, “the drain-hole of the cesspool 
  of Sanctuary’s scum, source of ships’ crew (willing and not), boy 
  whores (willing and not), and any drug known to man.” Standing 
  just past the Processional where the ﬁshermen tie up their boats 
  at the end of the day, the Broken Mast hangs over the edge of the 
  water, supported by wooden beams crusted with salt, barnacles, and 
  slime. Despite its nearness to their launch, very few ﬁshermen ever 
  come here, because the tavern attracts bad men with dark tastes. Its 
  imposing façade accurately reﬂects the character of those who haunt 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  the place. Jeweled captains, sailors, smugglers, pirates and worse smoke 
  krrf in booths lining the establishment, while male prostitutes oﬀer 
  themselves cheaply to those with a taste for young ﬂesh. Most people 
  steer clear of the Broken Mast, for rumors hold that many slavers also 
  haunt the place, shanghaiing locals for the ﬂesh markets abroad. 
  The owner of the Broken Mast is Captain Sinjon, a half-Beysib. He 
  deals with the scum of the sea every day. He has no love for the Irrune, 
  and little more for Rankans, but he dealt with Molin Torchholder and 
  he was privy to a few of the Torch’s secrets. Though he holds title to 
  the dive, he leaves most of the day-to-day activities to dusky-skinned 
  Safset, his manager.
  For those looking for word about the sea, the Broken Mast is their best 
  bet. While the atmosphere is poisonous and the clientele dangerous, 
  nothing happens within a hundred leagues that the Black Mast 
  doesn’t know about. The trick, however, is prying the gossip from 
  their krrf-stained lips.
  THE FISH MARKET
  For as long as Sanctuary has stood, there has been a ﬁsh market. 
  Operated by the descendants of the people who lived in the valley 
  and helped the ex-slaves make a new home here, they are a people 
  all to themselves. Through their eﬀorts, they gladly sell their catch, 
  but have no love for outsiders.
  NERISIS
  Irrune law says women are not allowed to cut men’s hair, and so barbers 
  (who also dabble in surgery and some medicine) have enjoyed a recent 
  surge in business. One of the more successful barbers is Nerisis, who 
  cuts hair in his shop along the Wideway. He has a large customer base, 
  serving some of the most successful merchants in the city.
  WHARVES
  Sanctuary is an excellent natural harbor, and this has been enhanced by the 
  construction of two wharfs: the Old Wharf and the Empire Wharf.
  The Old Wharf was built over two centuries ago, when Ilsig ﬁrst 
  conquered the city. The Ilsigi were harsh masters during the project, 
  and locals still hate the Ilsig kingdom because of these old injustices. 
  Fishermen and sailors in Sanctuary often call the Old Wharf 
  “grandfather,” because so many Sanctans sweated and bled while 
  constructing it that the wharf shares blood with most of the city’s 
  longtime residents.
  The second wharf, the Empire Wharf, was built more recently, when 
  Ranke took control of Sanctuary. Unlike Ilsig, Ranke paid the men 
  who built the wharf, and even paid them fairly. This wharf is much 
  newer, and made from stronger materials and in the latest style, so it 
  is much sturdier than it looks.
  Ilsigi ships are not allowed to use the Old Wharf. Supposedly, this 
  is because it is too old and rickety to withstand the heavy supplies 
  they unload, but the real reason is that the wharf was built at Ilsig’s 
  command, and Sanctuary demonstrates its freedom by refusing them 
  the very wharf they built for their use. Anyone else can use the Old 
  Wharf, and often the harbormaster lets the sailors or the captain pick 
  their location upon landing.
  The wharves do not see much crime, mainly because there is nothing 
  small enough to steal. Violence, in the form of ﬁstﬁghts, often 
  breaks out among dockhands and sailors, but is seldom serious. 
  Guards occasionally walk along the city edge of the wharves, but 
  they know better than to interfere with sailors, and are really there 
  just for show and to collect tariﬀs from the ship captains. The docks 
  become very quiet at night, as the ships’ goods are carted oﬀ to 
  warehouses and the sailors go in search of food, drink, and women. 
  Smugglers use the night to dock their boats and carry their illegal 
  goods into the city.
  SECRETS
  During the end of the Rankan Era, pirates from Scavenger Isle landed 
  at the wharves and stalked the city streets looking for lone men and 
  women to kidnap and sell into slavery. Their free reign came as a result 
  of Jubal’s crushing defeat at the hands of the Stepsons. 
  BEYOND SANCTUARY
  Though Sanctuary is a goodly-sized city and has many industries 
  allowing it to survive the hard times, it could not survive for long 
  without the communities on its outskirts and the hamlets beyond. 
  This section takes a look at some of the places that lies beyond the 
  city proper.
  DOWNWIND (RANKAN ERA ONLY)
  • VIGILANCE –10 •
  If you thought the Maze was bad, you just ain’t seen Downwind. 
  That place, while it stood, was by far the most dangerous place 
  I’d ever been. Not like they’d mess with me there, but still… 
  Gangs, drugs, bad bad bad.
  Technically outside Sanctuary, and beyond the safety of its walls, 
  Downwind was nonetheless a part of the city, because it would 
  not exist if not for Sanctuary’s presence. This sprawl was primarily 
  composed of hovels and crude lean-tos, with some heavily patched 
  tents mixed in. Those who came to Sanctuary but couldn’t aﬀord to 
  stay there wound up in Downwind: beggars, inept thieves, luckless 
  craftsmen, and refugees from other lands all huddled here, near the 
  shadow of the walls, but beyond the city’s watchful eye. The rest of 
  Sanctuary considered Downwind a disgrace. The area’s name comes 
  from the fact that it was downwind of the city’s Westside, and suﬀered 
  the brunt of that neighborhood’s foul smells. 
  Some of Downwind’s residents had jobs in the city proper, but didn’t 
  make enough money to aﬀord even the lowest shack inside the walls. 
  Many others had no real work, and spent their days ﬁshing, scavenging 
  along the beach, stealing, or simply sitting around and complaining of 
  their fate. Visitors were discouraged from entering Downwind, where 
  they would be swarmed by peasants trying to sell everything they own, 
  and by thieves desperate for a score. The youths of Downwind formed 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  gangs, each of which claimed a section of the neighborhood. They 
  spent their days ﬁghting the other gangs and plotting revenge against 
  any gang that defeated them. Downwind would have been rife with 
  crime, but no one here had anything worth stealing. The city’s guards 
  never ventured here, and neither did the more successful criminals. 
  Life in Downwind was meager even by Sanctuary standards: random 
  violence, malnutrition, cold, and ﬁres claimed lives every day. But more 
  people arrived each day as well, and set up camp wherever they could 
  ﬁnd space. Everyone who lived in Downwind had the same goal: to 
  get out of there as soon as possible.
  Perhaps the greatest tragedy, though, was when the weather turned 
  against the city. After years of drought, the land dried up and its 
  natural defenses against erosion died. So, when the storms hammered 
  the coastline, and later when the snows melted, the White Foal River 
  ﬂooded the region, destroying the slums and many of the people living 
  there. The survivors ﬂed into the city, seeking high land and ﬁnding 
  it in Sanctuary’s most prosperous neighborhood, the Hill. When the 
  ﬂoodwaters receded, their shantytown was gone, and so the refugees 
  made their homes in the now-abandoned estates of the Hill.
  LAND’S END
  • VIGILANCE 30 •
  When the Black-toothed horde descended from their homeland 
  to invade the empire, they demanded that Ranke pay tribute or 
  else feel their wrath. Ranke resisted and the barbarians sacked the 
  city, ushering in a new era of fear. The barbarians pushed on, farther 
  south, and encircled Lirt, killing every one inside and burning the 
  city to the ground. The horde then turned towards Sihan. Having 
  seen what happed to Lirt, the Sihanese ﬂed, taking with them their 
  peasants to Sanctuary and settling in an area outside of the city 
  dubbed Land’s End. In the years that followed, they opened their 
  doors to other displaced Rankans—those from the city and elsewhere 
  in the Empire.
  Though rich with ample farmland and isolated from the despair of 
  the city, life at Land’s End is little better than it is in the city. Here, 
  the Rankan lords, led by Sihanese exile Lord Vion Larris Serripines, 
  pine for the lost days of Rankan glory. They help other nobles ﬂeeing 
  the ruins of their great civilization settle here, while privately funding 
  the current emperor in the hopes of restoring stability and ushering 
  a return to the greatness of the past.
  The exiles at Land’s End aren’t interested in developments in 
  Sanctuary proper. Lord Serripines longs for the resurgence of Ranke, 
  but he’s smart enough to sell his grain to Ilsig, because they pay better 
  and more promptly. The Serripines and others hold a great deal of 
  inﬂuence in the city, but it’s at a distance. Their vast farming enterprise 
  is pretty much the sum total of Sanctuary’s “international” economic 
  engine. The Serripines have plenty of inﬂuence, owing to their wealth 
  and power; they’re not above using the Irrune to maintain the upper 
  hand with the more grasping Wrigglie merchants who’ve tended to 
  stay in the city.
  SWAMP OF NIGHT SECRETS
  • VIGILANCE 0 •
  Many a pud vanished in this swamp. Avoid it, I say.
  During the Rankan era, the White Foal River served as Sanctuary’s 
  western border. Flowing between the city and the slums called 
  Downwind, the swollen waters from the nearby hills carried waste, 
  trash, and detritus out to sea. Forming the west bank, south of the 
  Downwind, was a large swamp that locals called the Swamp of Night 
  Secrets, where water from the slums to the north and rivulets and creeks 
  from the western hills drained into a large depression that soon ﬁlled 
  with insects, vermin, and scavengers. 
  In the old days, the Swamp of Night Secrets covered about 500 acres. 
  Though relatively small, this was an inhospitable place, ﬁlled with 
  sucking mud, oily water, cypress trees, blackgum, and wax myrtles. 
  Alligators and snakes are in abundance, as are clouds of biting 
  gnats and mosquitoes almost year round. Birds and waterfowl are 
  also quite common, though an observer will note the occasional 
  ﬂutter of feathers as something awful snatches one for a meal. There 
  were many paths through this place, formed mostly from old trees, 
  ribbons of raised earth, and root balls, though few of these routes 
  ever went anywhere, creating an impossible maze for the unprepared. 
  Perhaps the best means for navigating this swamp was by boat, for 
  a wide stream from the Downwind traveled into the heart of this 
  place. While easier, it was no safer, for rumor holds that mad trolls, 
  crocodiles, snakes and worse haunted this terrible place.
  The swamp is far larger now, fully encompassing the west bank of 
  the White Foal River, thanks to the hurricanes and ﬂooding in the 
  years past, and is now connected to the Great Morass, a vast bog that 
  “RED LUCKY” (MANA ATTRACTOR) 
  This tough, hollow sphere of red glass was crafted by Beysib mages who left it behind when they abandoned Sanctuary. It has an 
  aﬃnity with magical energies or items; small items or minor spells are drawn towards it, while it is drawn towards larger items or more 
  powerful spells. The Red Lucky is only one form of mana attractor; others may exist throughout Sanctuary, discarded by the Beysib 
  or other magicians.
  When a mana attractor is worn on one’s person, it attracts magical energies directed towards the wearer, granting him a +2 enhancement 
  bonus to all saves against spells and spell-like abilities. If suspended in a sling like a pendulum, it moves discernibly towards the most 
  powerful spell eﬀect or magic item within 60 feet. If left still, any small (5 pounds or less) magic item within 60 feet will be drawn towards 
  it at a speed of 5 feet every hour. Creatures born of magic (outsiders, magical beasts, and any creatures the GM deems appropriate) within 
  60 feet must make a DC 5 Will save or be compelled to approach the attractor. This aﬀects even undead, vermin, and other creatures 
  typically immune to mind-aﬀecting eﬀects.
  Faint enchantment; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, detect magic, mage hand, resistance; Price 10,120 sh.
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  continues with few interruptions down the remaining length of the 
  southwest coast to the Hammer’s Tail. Haunting this large moor are 
  the ’Nighters, the descendants of the poor and downtrodden who 
  lived in the Downwind before its destruction. Filthy creatures, these 
  men and women survive by ﬁshing, hunting, trapping, and scouring 
  the Great Morass for old treasures. Few Sanctans ever see their tiny 
  communities of huts or stilt houses that occupy the rare spots of 
  dry land.
  As it was before the Troubles, the swamp is home to dangers aplenty. 
  Quicksand, plague, deadly nigh-sentient plants and worse all conspire 
  to kill interlopers. Worse, descendants of the Purple Mage’s giant 
  crabs prowl these fetid waters, feeding on the lost and unwary. 
  Despite these dangers, the swamp has many treasures for those bold 
  enough to ﬁnd them. Jubal’s old estate lies partly submerged, and 
  legend holds that Ischade’s and Roxane’s houses lie somewhere in 
  the ruins of old Downwind. Beysib artifacts, caches of coins, and 
  other valuable await those brave or foolish enough to risk venturing 
  into this blighted mire.
  As a relatively small bog, the Swamp of Night Secrets was simply 
  part of the scenery for the Downwind, its malignant odors blending 
  with those created by Downwind’s slaughterhouses, tanners, and 
  dyers. It was a place to disappear from watchful eyes, for no one in 
  their right mind would risk their lives for a walk through this vermin-
  infested place. Worse, Jubal’s people watched the swamp closely, for 
  Sanctuary’s preeminent slaver’s compound lay on the opposite side 
  of the bog, close enough to the city to do business, but far enough 
  away to keep rivals at bay.
  As the wars at Wizardwall escalated, Nisi dispatched witches 
  throughout the Rankan Empire and its provinces to sow discord 
  among their enemy, perhaps doing enough damage to weaken the 
  legionnaires and put an end to the Ranke’s aggression. One such 
  witch was Roxane, who traveled south to Sanctuary to disrupt the 
  city as a trade center. Roxane, using a Nisibisi power globe, wove 
  some of the city’s darkest moments: raising the dead, transforming 
  her serpents into men, and eroding the infrastructure of the city, 
  eventually culminating in a huge block-by-block war involving the 
  3rd Commando, the Stepson, the beggars, and even Jubal’s forces. 
  During this time, the swamp literally exuded wickedness, for Roxane 
  drew the dark forces from the underworld to her, calling demons, 
  undead, and worse to do her bidding, to say nothing of those raised 
  by Ischade herself. 
  After Ischade, Randall, and the Stepsons destroyed Roxane, the 
  swamp resumed its normal sinister atmosphere, continuing as a place 
  few would explore. Zip, the leader of the PFLS, a terrorist group bent 
  on liberating Sanctuary from the Rankans and Beysibs, used the 
  swamp as one of many staging grounds for their attacks, convening 
  here for meetings and to escape their pursuers. Early in his career, he 
  discovered a ﬁeld altar to Vashanka that Tempus had erected early on. 
  Though he moved the altar to the Avenue of Temples, he regularly 
  visited this place, making bloody sacriﬁces to whatever dark power 
  resided within the tumble of stones.
  The Swamp of Night Secrets would not be contained in the years to 
  come. Several years of drought killed much of the terrain’s natural 
  defenses against erosion, particularly the grass and trees in the 
  surrounding lands. When the rains came, the topsoil washed away, 
  creating a greater depression in which the swamp to spread. Worse, the 
  White Foal River shifted its course several times during the hurricanes 
  and torrential downpours. Though this was not the ﬁrst time that the 
  Downwind had faced destruction from ﬂooding, the hurricanes and 
  constant rains would ﬁnally prove too much.  
  The White Foal River completely swept away the Downwind, 
  collapsing the rotten buildings and killing hundreds. The entire west 
  bank lay under water, including Jubal’s old compound, as were the 
  other western estates. When the river ﬁnally settled in its new bed 
  and waters receded, the Swamp of Night Secrets had tripled in size, 
  continuing uninterrupted through the Great Morass, and onwards 
  to the Hammer’s Tail.
  JUBAL’S ESTATE AND COMPOUND
  Once Jubal established himself in Sanctuary, he used his wealth to 
  erect a walled fortress compound on the other side of the Swamp 
  of Night Secrets. Here, he lived in luxury. While this served as his 
  primary residence, he maintained several locations and safehouses 
  throughout the city.
  CRUMBLING TOWER
  About a day’s travel into the Swamp of Night Secrets stands an old 
  tower, constructed by a merchant hoping to set up his own small 
  outpost. Now it’s nothing but an old, crumbling stone watchtower, 
  little more than a simple two-story structure with a single door and 
  windows on the second ﬂoor. The Crumbling Tower is highlighted 
  in Green Ronin’s Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn.
  SECRETS
  The Swamp of Night Secrets was always an unusual and forbidding 
  place. During the Rankan era, many dark secrets could be uncovered, 
  including an altar dedicated to some foul demiurge, a new deity 
  in the process of becoming. Fueled by hate, chaos, and the bloody 
  ﬁghting in the nearby city, the being demanded blood sacriﬁces. Zip, 
  the PFLS leader, gave his soul to this being, and eventually moved 
  the altar into the city itself. There’s nothing to say that darker evils 
  don’t exist here as well.
  After the Troubles, the Swamp of Night Secrets expanded to 
  encompass a huge territory. Many things lie beneath the oily water, 
  from Ischade’s house (where there’s no telling what wards and artifacts 
  still sit, preserved by the brackish water) to Jubal’s estate. Old relics 
  from previous eras can also be found, such as the Beysib attractor 
  described in Turning Points, “The Red Lucky,” or the fragments of 
  Roxane’s power globe described in “The Ring of Sea and Fire.” Who 
  can say what else lurks here, or what new treasure the ’Nighters will 
  uncover?
  STREET OF RED LANTERNS
  • VIGILANCE 10 •
  I’m not the kind of guy to kiss and tell, but this place has the best 
  women of all the cities I’ve ever been too. And it hasn’t changed 
  much either. Draws people from all over it does.
  The Street of Red Lanterns runs northeast, roughly parallel to the 
  walled compound holding the governor’s palace. Most buildings stand 
  close together, in most cases going so far as to share a common wall, 
  and where they do not, narrow snaking alleys ﬁll with trash and night 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  soil spilled down from the shuttered windows above. Most structures 
  have balconies overlooking the wide cobbled street to advertise the 
  prostitutes working inside. 
  In the Rankan era, the streets were quiet during the day, with the 
  occasional messenger bearing ﬂowers or baubles for ladies who 
  especially pleased a client the night before. A few carts rolled 
  down the street, laden with casks of beer and wine, while butchers, 
  bakers, and their ilk sent over foodstuﬀs to resupply their stores. 
  This neighborhood stayed quiet until mid-afternoon, when the 
  ﬁrst few randy travelers visited to spend their wealth quickly and 
  early. By nightfall, the street positively bustled with excitement… 
  with prostitutes leaning over balconies to entice passersby, with the 
  music of revelry interspersed with laughter, singing, and the clink of 
  shaboozh into the purses of giggling girls. Such activity continued 
  until dawn when the last few stragglers stumbled home, watchful 
  for the occasional robber or cutpurse who would kill them for their 
  boots.
  When the Rankan Emperor appointed Kadakithis as governor 
  of the city, one of the ﬁrst things he attempted was to excise the 
  undesirable elements from the city, going so far as to levy high 
  taxes on the brothels. The fact that this never stuck is a testament to 
  this industry’s tenacity. And through the following years, with the 
  arrival of the Beysibs, the occupation by the Stepsons, and the civil 
  wars fought by the PFLS and 3rd Commando, the Street of Red 
  Lanterns survived.
  It ﬁnally met its match though during the Troubles, when the cultists 
  of Dyareela, Mother of Chaos, set upon the city like jackals. Not due 
  to any direct attempts by the cultists, the Street withered because of the 
  dangers of simply being on the streets. Cultists stole children for their 
  dark rituals to create new and obedient servants while they captured 
  anyone they suspected as being disloyal and sacriﬁced them on their 
  unholy altars. As fewer and fewer risked venturing out at night, business 
  shriveled and died.
  Though the Street of Red Lanterns, like much of Sanctuary, suﬀered 
  at the hands of the Dyareelans during the Troubles, much of the 
  same enterprise still thrives here. Brothels still stand open for eager 
  customers, though not at the same levels before the Irrune liberation. 
  The Aphrodisia House, the Lily Garden, and others still do business, 
  though not as much as before. The reason for the reduced traﬃc 
  stems from the migration of prostitution to the Maze, leaving many 
  of the old brothels empty. Merchants and none-too-few priests co-
  opted these abandoned buildings, converting them for retail goods 
  or religion. 
  Ironically, the abandoned buildings went to the local priests whom 
  the Irrune forbid to practice within the city. With the altars and 
  temples of their former churches in ruins, the local priesthoods 
  moved outside the city to erect makeshift altars or, in the case of the 
  wealthy, moved into old brothels to covert boudoirs into chapels, 
  bars into altars, and the memories of wild nights into solemn rituals 
  and pious devotion. 
  APHRODISIA HOUSE
  By far the most successful of Sanctuary’s brothels, the Aphrodisia 
  House oﬀered the very best courtesans in posh surroundings. Run by 
  ageless Myrtis, the undisputed Madame of the Street of Red Lanterns, 
  she is said to have entertained even Lythande. A guest would be 
  overwhelmed by the pillared lobby, full of couches upon which the 
  mistresses reclined and seduced the clients. A great staircase led up 
  to the scented apartments on the second ﬂoor.
  HOUSE OF MERMAIDS
  Run by Gelicia, the House of Mermaids promised delights as exotic 
  as its name. 
  HOUSE OF WHIPS AND CHAINS
  This brothel catered to those with sadistic, masochistic, and deviant 
  tastes. Easily the most dubious of the houses of ill repute in the Red 
  Lanterns district, it specialized in providing services to the most 
  jaded and perverse clients in the city. They kept a small courtyard in 
  the rear of the building equipped with stocks and other unpleasant 
  equipment. Inside, the place is famous for its skulls, of which it’s said 
  they had dozens.
  LILY GARDEN
  This respectable brothel is perhaps the second best on the Street of 
  Red Lanterns. Amoli, the Madame, wants nothing more than to 
  assume the place of the Aphrodisia House. Addicted to krrf, she 
  hooks her girls on the drug to make them more pliable. When too 
  old or used, she shifts them over to the Slippery Lily, a vile brothel 
  in the Maze.
  STATUE OF THE GREEN LADY
  About halfway up the Street of Red Lanterns stands a statue of green 
  stone carved to depict a woman of unsurpassed beauty: Eshi, the goddess 
  
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  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  of love. Year round, her faithful left garlands of ﬂowers and other small 
  oﬀerings to gain the goddess’ blessings. The Dyareelans destroyed this 
  statue, along with all the others on the Avenue of Temples. 
  SECRETS
  Forgotten by most people, just beneath the shops on the Street of Red 
  Lanterns lies a series of tunnels. In the old days before Kadakithis, 
  these tunnels were under the watchful eyes of Myrtis, the Madame 
  of the Aphrodisia House (see page 119). There, she stored extra 
  foodstuﬀs, water, weaponry, and a number of other useful materials 
  in case of an emergency. Even better, the tunnels led north, out of the 
  city near the shores of the White Foal River. A perfect escape route, 
  even the Hell Hounds grew to respect the brothels for putting the 
  interests of the city above their own.
  FAR CAPE
  Once sailors round the Hammer’s Tail, there is a spot of headland that 
  tells sailors they are close to Sanctuary. Perched on top is a beacon 
  tower that serves as a lighthouse. At the base of the tower is a cottage 
  where a family lives and keeps the ﬁre lit. King Sepheris IV of Ilsig 
  has bestowed the site to Hakket, his wife Galdi, and their children. 
  Behind Far Cape lies Smuggler’s Cove. Though it earned its name 
  during the Rankan Era, it is a quieter place these days, though locals 
  suggest the curious keep out of the caves.
  HÂLOTT’S TOWER
  Somewhere north and east of the Gate of Triumph is a ﬂat woodland. 
  Concealed by the trees is the ruin of a square tower, once four stories 
  tall, but now largely collapsed. Vines cover what little remains, 
  concealing the surface like a leafy green skin. The only break in the 
  growth is an iron-shod door that stands closed. 
  This is the lair of Hâlott, the lich necromancer and troublemaker of 
  Sanctuary. Along with his perverse servant Rogi, he prowls the city, 
  advancing whatever schemes catch his fancy. Few have entered inside 
  this tower, and those who did testify the place is in as bad of shape 
  on the inside as on the out. 
  HIGH HARBOR VIEW/ 
  RED-WALLED ESTATE
  Much of the environs around Sanctuary were once used as farmland, 
  but with the drought — followed by the ﬂooding and plague — the 
  older farms were abandoned. Now, any land that hasn’t been claimed 
  by the Serripines for their ﬁelds has begun to gradually revert to 
  forest, with scrub pine being the dominant growth in the Irrune 
  Era. Concealed deep in the forest are many ruins, some dating back 
  to when Sanctuary was ﬁrst settled. One such ruin is High Harbor 
  View.
  Formerly owned by a wealthy family of Ilsigis, it changed hands 
  many times until it was eventually abandoned. Now, there is little 
  left, aside from a few walls of red brick and a few outbuildings that 
  remarkably still have roofs. No one much considers the ruins in the 
  north now, and many similar structures are slowly being consumed by 
  the wilderness. What makes this place interesting is that it is where 
  Cauvin took Molin Torchholder and, later, it is where the Irrune 
  renegade, Kasadah, settled. 
  SUMMER PALACE
  Just north of the lighthouse at Far Cape, Tempus began work 
  on a new palace to house the governor, one imminently more 
  defensible than the one in the city. Though considerable wealth went 
  into its construction, it was never ﬁnished, and it was eventually 
  forgotten.
  OTHER LOCALES
  Sanctuary is more than just what lies in and next to the city. Without 
  the outlying communities, Sanctuary couldn’t feed itself and would 
  lack the raw and ﬁnished materials necessary to survive as a city. In 
  other words, Sanctuary relies on the rural people to exist. This section 
  describes the major areas within about 40 miles in all directions of 
  the city. In addition to the places described in the following sections, 
  travelers can expect to ﬁnd old ruins, isolated homesteads, and several 
  ghost towns. 
  AMARAT
  West of Sanctuary in the uplands, and more or less north of the 
  Long Road to Ilsig (named because it travels down to the Hammer 
  and then follows the western coast up to Ilsig), Amarat consists of 
  farmers who prefer independence to lining the Serripines’ purses. 
  These families, zil-Eshnis and Shandrez (both are linked through 
  strong marriages), have deep ties to Sanctuary. The Shandrez claim 
  to be one of the founding families of Sanctuary. And though they 
  control much of the community, they refuse to add the “zil” honoriﬁc 
  to their names in respect for the slave ancestors. 
  The farmers of Amarat recognize that they lack the wealth 
  and inﬂuence held by their rivals, but refuse to cow before the 
  conglomerate might of their neighbors. Instead, they actively work 
  to break the monopoly on grains. They readily listen to any plan 
  that could crush the Serripines, even making resources available to 
  co-conspirators. 
  As a people of Ilsigi ancestry, they venerate the Ilsigi gods. They 
  managed to liberate many of the religious treasures from Sanctuary 
  prior to the Dyareelan uprising and store the relics in their lavishly 
  stocked village temple. Most local priests divide their time between 
  Amarat and Sanctuary to tend to the faithful in the chapels forced 
  outside of the city walls. Given the harsh stance against religion in 
  the city, priests of the Ilsigi pantheon enjoy a strong cooperative 
  relationship.
  Though on the outskirts of Sanctuary, Amarat enjoys regular 
  pilgrimages from the city and is considered the authority on Ilsigi 
  religious matters. Though the village is committed to the Ilsigi way 
  of life, they strive to keep Sanctuary independent, hoping one day to 
  remake Sanctuary in the image of distant Caronne.
  
  - 85 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  THE INN OF AMARAT
  At the junction of the Long Road and the Amarat “spur” road stands 
  the Inn of Amarat. Though but a short distance from Sanctuary, it is 
  not “on the way” to anywhere, aside from a footpath-mule track that 
  wends to the east before disappearing into the marsh. Run by Guyl 
  the Quick, the Inn doesn’t see much business… and that is exactly as 
  he wants it, for the Inn is a front for his family’s smuggling operation. 
  Goods travel up from Pelteris and are shifted from mule-packs to 
  wagons to carry them into Sanctuary.
  For those travelers who actually head south along the Long Road, 
  the Inn of Amarat is acceptable lodging. The food is decent, the 
  rooms are clean, and the games are honest. During times of religious 
  signiﬁcance to the Ilsigi people, business picks up considerably, as 
  there are no guest accommodations in Amarat proper. 
  The Inn welcomes travelers, but it’s a good idea to keep out of the 
  stables, for that is where Guyl hides the storerooms that hold all sorts 
  of contraband waiting to be picked up for transit to Sanctuary.
  BASSINE
  Bassine has a long history, tracing its founding to a time before the 
  Ilsigis conquered Sanctuary. For years, the people of this community 
  struggled, trading their meager grains for whatever they could get in 
  the city. And, though never wealthy, it was a place full of tradition. 
  The Troubles changed this. 
  When the Irrune host settled in the lands around the city, they 
  wreaked havoc on Bassine’s crops, taking what they wanted as they 
  wished. Once the Irrune seized the city, the Serripines moved in 
  and oﬀered to help, installing the zil-Nadrasa, a clan of Wrigglie 
  well-to-dos who ﬂed their homes in the Jeweler’s Quarter during 
  the Convulsions, and are reviled by both their Serripines overlords 
  and the serfs they try to control.
  Though the Serripines’ takeover seemed promising at the beginning, 
  the locals are resistant to their masters, and are proving even more 
  troublesome, despite bringing in more refugees from the northeast 
  where the land is devastated in the wake of the Black Horde that 
  sacked Ranke. The Serripines want to drive out the remaining 
  Wrigglie population and replace them with Rankan serfs, but the 
  locals who’ve lived here for generations have shown implacable 
  resolve and temerity.
  Bassine is currently on the edge of a widespread disaster. The native 
  populace and the Rankan serfs both resent the overseers, and there 
  have been a few recent acts of violence. And while they pay lip 
  service to their masters, the Bassine peasants produce opah under 
  their masters’ noses.
  
  - 86 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  EAGLENEST
  Eaglenest is a mansion on the Eaglebeak seacoast estate that was 
  sacked and destroyed by mercenaries. It was later abandoned and has 
  stood empty for decades. Rumor has it that it is haunted by ghosts. 
  ELKHOD VILLAGE AND INN
  Scattered throughout the countryside are small inns that are supported 
  by a tiny community of homesteaders that supply the inn with fresh 
  ﬁsh, eggs, and other supplies. Most of these roadside inns were founded 
  during the time of Enlibar and have remained much as they did then, 
  largely because transportation hasn’t changed much in 3,000 years. These 
  inns serve as waystations for caravans and other travelers, providing a 
  warm bed, hot meal, and maybe an evening’s entertainment.
  The Elkhod Village is very similar to dozens of others, though this 
  particular establishment was founded by Naihikaris, Ranke’s ﬁrst 
  emperor. Yegor, a jovial bear of a man, won the place in a dice game 
  about eight years ago. What began for him as a diversion is now a 
  way to support himself though his golden years.
  FINGAL
  Though the Beysibs nearly all withdrew from Sanctuary years ago, 
  several chose to stay behind in the ﬁshing villages that dot the 
  coastline. Fingal, a village of about 400, is self-suﬃcient and isolated, 
  relying almost exclusively on the sea for its livelihood. Despite its size, 
  it does have a harbor, big enough for shallow draft ﬁshing boats. The 
  Beysib living here are considered part of the village, and the racial 
  bigotry of the previous era seems not to have survived here.
  HILEAH
  Hileah is a small settlement of about 200 households standing at the 
  western extreme of territory controlled by the Serripines Clan. Each 
  household owns a private plot, but they spend most of their time in 
  the community ﬁelds, the bounty of which goes to their Rankan 
  overseers. About 50 soldiers help maintain order. 
  The town takes its name from the Hileahan serfs who lived in Sihan, 
  Lirt and other northeastern provinces. When the Serripines Clan 
  migrated south, they gave the serfs a choice: Stay behind and be free, 
  but face the Black Horde on their own, or join them and continue to 
  be serfs wherever the Serripines told them to settle. Clearly, the serfs 
  opted for protection and migrated. 
  Hileah closely resembles the villages in Ranke, with neat rows, 
  columns, and stone structures. However, when they selected this spot, 
  there was a ruin on the outskirts of the settlement. It was believed to 
  be the summer home of an exiled Ilsigi court-mage from the previous 
  century, and little remained to conﬁrm or deny the local legends. 
  The early settlers thought to rebuild the structure, but after a series 
  of terrible tragedies and weird occurrences, the Rankans came to 
  the conclusion that the ruin was haunted by the mage’s spirit. Ever 
  since, Hileahan farmers studiously avoid the ruin, taking the long 
  way around, about an hour to the north of the village. 
  The Mangeles family rules the town with a firm but just hand. 
  Consisting of two grandfatherly brothers, along with their adult 
  children and grandchildren, they are Rankan through and through, 
  and believe strongly in the supremacy of law. Hileah therefore lacks the 
  corruption and decadence commonly found in this region. Though it’s 
  an honest life, some of the younger Hileahans chafe under the prospect 
  of being farmers and so leave to seek their fortunes in Sanctuary.
  Hileah produces wheat, barley, and other grains. Recently, they’ve been 
  experimenting with grapes, but have had little success thus far.
  ISLE OF SHUGTHEE
  This island lies out in the bay, and once served as the home of the 
  infamous Purple Mage. Local legend tells that this place was haunted 
  by a race of monsters called the Shugthee, which are said to be 
  small, hairy, and vicious. Since the Purple Mage’s death, no one has 
  explored the old fortress, leaving the place to the ghosts that haunt 
  it to this day.
  INDEPENDENT VILLAGES
  There are four minor independent villages: Coush, Karsh, Milda, and 
  Ruddy. They supply Sanctuary with cattle, chicken, pork, and fruit and 
  vegetables. The villages do not produce breads because the Serripenes 
  clan at Land’s End has a stranglehold on grains. Most could be self-
  suﬃcient, but have come to rely on Sanctuary for ﬁnished materials 
  gained from within the city or in the caravan depot and bazaar.
  COUSH
  Coush supplies Sanctuary with the usual assortment of perishable 
  commodities, but because it is owned by Lord Night, it is the primary 
  source of opah in the city.
  
  - 87 -
  CHAPTER THREE: SANCTUARY THEN AND NOW
  KARSH
  In addition to beef and mutton, Karsh is also famous for weaponry. 
  Tullis, a blacksmith, once served in the Rankan army and now 
  produces some of the ﬁnest weaponry in the area. 
  MILDA
  Milda is known for its dairies, producing ﬁne cheeses, butter, and to 
  a lesser extent, beef.
  RUDDY
  The fruit growing capital in the region, Ruddy supplies Sanctuary 
  with the bounty from its numerous orchards. They produce apples, 
  pears, cherries, and some nuts (walnuts mostly), but nothing citrus. 
  Ruddy stands on the banks of the Red Foal River.
  PELTERIS
  This isolated coastal village lies south and west of Sanctuary. A ﬁshing 
  village, they consume nearly everything they catch and give the 
  leftovers to the brine pits to make garum, an all-purpose condiment 
  that’s loved or reviled. In fact, the stench of the food additive hangs 
  like a cloud over the village.
  At night, though, the town comes to life. The ﬁshermen row out to 
  the ships standing oﬀshore. As it costs good money to warehouse 
  goods in Sanctuary, merchants have sought other avenues to keep 
  prices low. The locals in Pelteris will stow cargo for half the price, 
  usually the lighter goods like silks, perfumes, and krrf. Pelteris lacks 
  the proper equipment and facilities to store things like Mrsevedan 
  marble or bundles of northern timber.
  On top of their smuggling, ﬁshing, and pickling enterprises, some families 
  work as trappers and guides in the surrounding marshes; Pelteris stands 
  at the northernmost reaches of the Great Morass that stretches all the 
  way down to Hammer’s Tail. Like the Gray Wastes, it’s believed that 
  the Great Morass exists as a result of Enlibrite ecological tampering, and 
  scattered throughout the vast bog are signs of a destroyed civilization. 
  Those people who have an interest in exploring the Great Morass should 
  probably invest in a guide who knows his way around, for the Great 
  Morass is home to a variety of unusual creatures, all ﬁerce and hard to 
  kill, with some immortal and left over from the time of Enlibar.
  REGIS
  Another Serripines village, Regis is relatively new and small, 
  consisting of no more than 150 households. Vion Larris the Younger, 
  Lord Serripines’ son, rules this community comprised of Rankan 
  serfs and refugees, but is more interested in throwing garish parties 
  that last for days. Vion Larris is a drain on the community and the 
  people suﬀer for his excesses.
  SAMMIR
  Sammir is the second largest village under the control of the Serripines 
  clan. Originally an Ilsigi estate that Lord Serripines acquired in the 
  absence of another claim, he installed the Kulios clan as the village 
  overseers and placed a cohort of 40 ex-soldiers to maintain the peace. 
  The village contains over 300 households and is nearly self-suﬃcient. 
  Like many of these newer communities, it is almost exclusively 
  populated by Rankan exiles. Its economy relies on trade with Sanctuary. 
  Sammir has recently hit a plateau in growth, as the younger generations 
  drift towards the excitement of the larger city. 
  SCAVENGER ISLE/INCEPTION ISLE
  Those pirate bastards almost nabbed me once. And then Jubal 
  had the gall to save me. I was almost free anyway. 
  When the Ilsigis descended on Sanctuary, many of the native 
  ﬁshermen picked up and ﬂed, fearing punishment at the hands of 
  the vengeful armies. Settling on a cluster of islands, they hoped to 
  continue their way of life. However, hatred ran deep in these exiles, 
  and so they started preying on passing ships — at ﬁrst only Ilsigi, but 
  soon all ships that would trade in Sanctuary. In time, the once simple 
  folk of Scavenger Isle had been transformed into pirates.
  Shortly after Ranke’s withdrawal, Prince Kadakithis, in response to 
  the rampant kidnappings of Sanctuary’s citizens, mustered a force 
  of about 100 marines and sent them to destroy the pirates. The brief 
  battle resulted in the sinking of dozens of ships and the liberation of 
  hundreds of slaves. Scavenger Isle was renamed Inception Isle and 
  became Sanctuary’s ﬁrst colony. Though there still is a community 
  here, Sanctuary has little hold over it, and the Kingdom of Ilsig 
  apparently has designs on annexing the colony. 
  THIRD GENERAL’S INN
  Named after some long forgotten general, this inn has stood on the 
  General’s Road along the west bank of the White Foal River since 
  before the founding of Sanctuary, serving as a reminder that Sanctuary 
  wasn’t the wilderness many claimed it was when the refugees and 
  slaves arrived. Some speculate that the inn was controlled by the 
  small town and harbor held by the local ﬁsherman population that 
  traces its history back to Enlibirite times. The General’s Road has 
  long been an alternate way to transport goods from the east side of 
  the World Spine Mountains to the west. 
  About a day’s travel northwest out of Sanctuary, the inn caters to 
  land traﬃc between the city and the west coast. It also serves as a 
  landmark, marking where the uplands end and where the World 
  Spine foothills begin. The grasslands, often used for pasturage, give 
  way to light and later dense forest with isolated thorpes and hamlets 
  scattered throughout. The people here are shepherds and have little 
  use for the morally bankrupt ways of the south. They typically come 
  around during good weather, settling in Amarat and Hileah during 
  the winter months. 
  In addition to the shepherds, all sorts of loners claim the forests north 
  of the Inn. Mostly loggers, furriers, and hunters, they supply Sanctuary 
  with hard to gain supplies — mostly lumber, but much of their 
  business comes from the lucrative charcoal industry. Once readied, 
  the charcoal is loaded onto ﬂat-bottomed skiﬀs and transported down 
  the White Foal, where it’s sold in the caravan depot.
  OTHER LOCATIONS
  For more information about the environs outside of Sanctuary, be 
  sure to check out Green Ronin’s Thieves’ World Gazetteer. 
  
  - 88 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Well, that’s not completely true. Everyone is free to enter Sanctuary. 
  The city does not ban any race, religion, or occupation from entering, or 
  even from staying. Most of the people who come here from elsewhere 
  do so because they are seeking something—or ﬂeeing something. Many 
  of them had diﬀerent names before they reached the city, and some 
  even had diﬀerent appearances. Whether all of those new arrivals are 
  welcome, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.
  Sanctuary does not judge or pry. The locals are always curious, and 
  may whisper and guess about someone’s history, but they do not ask. 
  It is not polite, and often, it isn’t safe. Therefore, each new arrival is 
  taken at face value, called whatever name she supplies, and allowed 
  to settle in as much as possible. Some people ﬁt in immediately, and 
  within months, navigate the Maze and haggle with the S’danzo like 
  a native. Others take more time to adjust, needing years to lose that 
  initial wariness. Some never ﬁt in, and many just abandon the city’s 
  excesses. A few, never fully comfortable, just stick out. 
  In the following pages are descriptions and statistics for the more 
  prominent members of Sanctuary during the Rankan Era. These 
  are all characters drawn from the anthologies and novels, and are 
  presented here for use as NPCs, or perhaps as player characters, 
  depending upon your game. Of course, the GM can feel free to 
  alter these people to suit his own stories, particularly if they have 
  been aﬀected by recent events.
  Scattered throughout this chapter are sidebars that describe various 
  magic items. These are especially useful if you set your Thieves’ World 
  campaign during the Irrune Era. PCs who uncover these items can 
  have a piece of the city’s past, linking them to the heroes and villains 
  of history, giving you the tools to spin oﬀ your own adventures as the 
  characters try to learn what the item does and who its past owners 
  were. By giving players a piece of the setting to use, you further ground 
  their characters and make them as much a part of Sanctuary as any 
  other character described in this and the next chapter.
  CHAPTER FOUR:  
  FACES OF SANCTUARY, 
  RANKAN ERA
  EVERYONE IS WELCOME IN SANCTUARY
  DRAMATIS PERSONAE
  The stat blocks do not reprint class features. For details, see Chapter 
  Three: Classes in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual and Chapter Three: 
  Classes in the PHB. Many of the mechanics, including backgrounds, 
  cultures, and so on, originate from Chapter Eight: Player’s Expansion 
  in this book. The equipment listed is gear the characters are bound to 
  have, and does not generally include disposable items like potions or 
  scrolls. Feel free to add equipment as it suits your needs. While the 
  anthologies mention few magic items speciﬁcally, nearly all of these 
  characters have some magic items. If this doesn’t ﬁt your conception of 
  Thieves’ World, make them superior weapons, so well crafted that they 
  mimic the eﬀects of magic. Alternatively, it could be that the characters 
  are not even aware they carry such items.
  Feats marked with an “*” are new and appear in the Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual.
  
  - 89 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  ALTEN STULWIG
  Apothecaries are respected businessmen in Sanctuary, and people 
  seek them out to assist in healing the sick or the injured, or at least 
  to provide the necessary herbs, powders, and potions. Alten Stulwig 
  is one of the most successful and most respected in this trade. He 
  has actually treated the governor, Prince Kadakithis, more than once, 
  and has earned the respect of the prince and his advisors. Alten has 
  a shop in the West Side, and his sleeping quarters are right above it. 
  His father, Jutu Stulwig, was also an apothecary, and the two men 
  worked together and shared the house until Jutu’s death, who some 
  blame on Vashanka himself.
  Alten is the most knowledgeable man in Sanctuary when it comes 
  to herbs, plants in general, drugs, and poisons. He has no magical 
  abilities whatsoever, and cannot create magical potions, but he can 
  create mundane tinctures and other liquids with impressive eﬀects. 
  He typically wears a basic tunic and healer’s robes overtop.
  DESCRIPTION
  Alten is an Ilsigi male of medium height, average to slender build, 
  and ordinary features. He keeps himself in good health, in part due 
  to the medicinal herbs he grows and consumes daily. His father was 
  murdered at ﬁfty, but still looked like a man in his thirties, and Alten 
  will most likely show the same resilience.
  PERSONALITY
  Alten and his father shared the same weakness: women. In Sanctuary, 
  items are bartered as often as bought, and both men accepted the 
  pleasures of the ﬂesh as payment, provided the female customer was 
  comely enough. This has gotten Alten into trouble several times, the 
  worst being when the god Vashanka took oﬀense at Alten’s sleeping 
  with his sister-mate, the goddess Azyuna. Since then, Alten has been 
  more circumspect in his couplings, and a little more willing to trade 
  other services instead. Often, though, his lust wins out.
  ALTEN STULWIG
  Male Ilsigi healer, savant 9; CR 9; Medium humanoid (human); 
  HD 9d6+18; hp 52; Mdt 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 , touch 
  11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +6; Grap +7 ; Atk +8 melee (1d6+2, 
  +1 quarterstaﬀ) or +7 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, dagger); Full Atk 
  +8/+3 melee (1d6+2, +1 quarterstaﬀ) or +7 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  dagger); SQ healing hands, master craftsman; Rep +5; SV Fort 
  +5 , Ref +4 , Will +8 ; Str 12, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 15, 
  Cha 11.
  Background Skills: Craft (poison), Heal.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise 
  +8 (+10 herbs or poison), 
  Craft (herbalism) +19 , Craft 
  (poison) +15 , Diplomacy +12 
  (+14 haggling for apothecary 
  services, +12 with shady folks) 
  , Gather Information +15, 
  Heal +18 , Knowledge (local) 
  +16 , Knowledge (nature) 
  +15 , Listen +16 , Profession 
  (apothecary) +13, Sense Motive +16 , Spot +4 , Survival +2 
  (+4 above-ground natural environments) ; Alertness, Fame*, 
  Negotiator, PersuasiveB, Self-SuﬃcientB, Skill Focus (Heal)B, 
  Skill Focus (Craft: poison)B, Streetwise*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Rankene (S/W).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (2).
  Possessions: +1 quarterstaﬀ, dagger, potion of convert moderate 
  wounds, healer’s kit, several thousand shaboozh scattered in 
  various locations throughout Sanctuary.
  AMOLI
  The Street of Red Lanterns has many brothels, and the ﬁnest of these is 
  the Aphrodesia House. A close second is the Lily Garden, and Amoli 
  is its mistress. She escapes her problems by using krrf, and is addicted 
  to it. But Amoli is no fool, and uses her addiction to her advantage. 
  She pays her girls with the drug as well, keeping them in line and 
  preventing them from commenting on her own drug use. Unfortunately, 
  this also means Amoli requires large quantities of krrf, and she often 
  deals with very unpleasant people 
  to obtain her drugs. So far, she has 
  managed to keep anyone from 
  gaining a hold on the Lily Garden, 
  but if her ﬁnances are strained any 
  further, she might have no choice 
  but to take on such a partner. 
  Jubal has already oﬀered her an 
  arrangement, and she is losing the 
  funds she needs to refuse him.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ALTEN STULWIG
  “You can count on Stulwig for a powder that might cure a hangover, 
  a potion to help you to get to sleep at night, or a pill that will stop 
  your foul breath from wilting fresh lettuce. You can also count on 
  him to be a lecherous scoundrel who will take advantage of a girl in 
  lieu of any monetary compensation.”
  
  - 90 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  The Maze contains a brothel called the Slippery Lily, and people 
  often confuse it with the Lily Garden, which is itself sometimes 
  called the Golden Lily. Amoli is always quick to correct them, but 
  in fact, she is a part owner of the Slippery Lily. She uses that seedier 
  brothel as a place to send her girls when they become too strung-out 
  or too old to demand top dollar. Some claim Amoli also sells space 
  in the Slippery Lily to those who wish to make women disappear. 
  (After all, no one would look for a missing noblewoman among 
  drug-addicted whores in a rundown brothel.) This rumor may not 
  be true, but Amoli is cold enough to ply such a trade, particularly if 
  she can turn a proﬁt from it.
  DESCRIPTION
  A tall woman with unnaturally red hair, Amoli was once beautiful, 
  but the years and troubles have worn away at her, leaving her a bit 
  too gaunt and hard-edged. Amoli is not unpleasant. 
  PERSONALITY
  Smart and tough, she worked 
  her way up from prostitute to 
  madam, and opened the Lily 
  Garden herself with her own 
  savings. The fact she has managed 
  to maintain it for so many years, 
  and keep it so competitive, is a 
  testament to her wit and resolve. Despite this, or perhaps because of 
  it, Amoli is always desperate for respect. Anyone who spurns her or 
  sneers at her gains her lifelong enmity, but anyone of good standing 
  who treats her as an equal or a superior can win her aﬀection and 
  support.
  AMOLI
  Female Wrigglie prostitute, expert 6, mistress of Red Lanterns 5; 
  CR 10; Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d6+18 plus 5d6+15; 
  hp 74; Mdt 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 
  10; Base Atk +6; Grap +6; Atk +7  melee (1d4/19–20, masterwork 
  dagger); Full Atk +7/+2 melee (1d4/19–20, masterwork dagger); 
  SQ alluring presence, brothel, employees, preferred client (×2); 
  Rep +3; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +13; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, 
  Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (local), Perform (prostitution).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +8, Bluﬀ +15 (+22 attracted gender), 
  Diplomacy +14 (+21 attracted gender, +16 haggling for 
  prostitution, +16 with unsavory types), Disguise +1 (+3 acting), 
  Gather Information +14, Hide +11, Intimidate +3, Knowledge 
  (local) +11 (+13 navigating the maze), Knowledge (nobility 
  and royalty) +8, Listen +11, Perform (dance) +10 (+15 attracted 
  gender), Perform (prostitution) +25, Profession (Madame) +19, 
  Search +12, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +7, 
  Survival +2 (+2 following tracks); Great Fortitude, Iron WillB, 
  Leadership, Maze-SavvyB*, Skill Focus (Perform: prostitution)B, 
  Skill Focus (Profession: Madame), Streetwise*.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S), Ilsig (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (2).
  Possessions: masterwork dagger, courtier’s outﬁt.
  CAPPEN VARRA
  Life in Sanctuary is hard, and entertainment not always available. 
  Thus, the residents are quick to appreciate anyone who can keep 
  them amused and distracted for an evening. This is how Cappen 
  Varra earns his living. A minstrel by trade, he sets up in one tavern 
  or another, singing and playing his instrument in exchange for 
  food, a bed, and whatever money the patrons toss his way. There 
  are other minstrels, of course, but 
  Cappen Varra is one of the best. 
  His voice is clear and strong, his 
  hands agile and able to move 
  delicately across the harp strings. 
  His store of stories and songs is 
  seemingly endless.
  Though a popular performer in 
  Sanctuary, Cappen Varra is not a permanent resident. He often 
  disappears for weeks or months, returning with road dust and a new 
  stock of tales and ballads. No one knows where he goes, and he is not 
  always sure himself—he does travel back to his birth city of Caronne 
  regularly, but often he will simply feel an urge to wander, and goes 
  wherever fate and his feet take him.
  Cappen Varra is a man with a ﬁnger on the pulse of the world. Not 
  only does he know a great deal of the movers and shakers in the 
  Sanctuary’s seedy side, he also has many contacts in many cities all 
  over the Known World. However, this said, Cappen has a knack 
  for getting himself into trouble, either with women or magic (more 
  often, both).
  DESCRIPTION
  The minstrel is young and handsome. He is of medium height with 
  a wiry build, and wears his black hair long. He has merry bright 
  blue eyes—his second best feature, so the ladies say. (His best is 
  that melodious voice, which can charm the skirts oﬀ his audience.) 
  He keeps his colorful clothing as neat as possible, though it is 
  patched in places, and his chin smooth. Perhaps the most notable 
  detail is an unusual amulet he always wears on a cord around his 
  neck. Silver and shaped like a snake, he claims it protects him from 
  magical attacks.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON AMOLI
  “Poor Amoli wants so badly to be Myrtis, but that won’t ever 
  happen. She’s got most of her girls hooked on krrf, which is just 
  another form of slavery, if you ask me.”
  MAGICAL INSTRUMENTS
  A number of magically enhanced musical instruments have passed through Sanctuary over the years. Mradhon Vis and Cappen Varra 
  were both known to have used such items, and Tor’dan J’ardin (see page 173) may also posses a magical instrument or two. Magical 
  instruments give the user a +5 circumstance bonus to appropriate Perform checks.
  Minor transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, crafter must have 5 ranks in the appropriate Perform skill; Price 2,500 sh.
  
  - 91 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON CAPPEN VARRA
  “A grand Caronnese minstrel, but an altogether hopeless cause. He’s 
  pawned his harp so many times that there is a lute-shaped indentation 
  in one of Shive’s cabinets that is reserved for times when Cappen is 
  destitute. Unlucky in love, too, which no doubt inﬂuences his lyrics.”
  PERSONALITY
  Cappen Varra’s greatest weakness, as with so many 
  men, is women—particularly beautiful women. The 
  women ﬂock to hear his sweet voice and admire his 
  grace and his looks, and he is only too happy to oblige. 
  Many times Cappen Varra has been forced to ﬂee a 
  city or town, an enraged husband close behind, and 
  on several occasions he has been forced to use the 
  handsome and well-worn rapier at his side. Though he 
  can handle himself in a ﬁght, he prefers not to, talking 
  ﬁrst, running second, and only ﬁght as a last resort.
  CAPPEN VARRA
  Male Caronnese entertainer, thief 5, savant 4, 
  ﬁghter 1; CR 10; Medium humanoid (human); 
  HD 5d6+10 plus 4d6+8 plus 1d10+2; hp 63; Mdt 
  17; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15, touch 13, ﬂat-
  footed 12; Base Atk +7; Grap +8; Atk +11 melee 
  (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork rapier) or +11  ranged 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +9/+4 
  melee (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork rapier) and +9 
  melee (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SA 
  sneak attack +3d6; SQ evasion, local legend (Perform), trap sense 
  +1, trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep +5; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will 
  +9; Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Perform (stringed instrument)
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +15 (+17 buying or selling goods), Climb 
  +3, Craft (musical instruments) +6, Diplomacy +18 (+20 buying 
  or selling goods, +20 unsavory types), Disguise +6 (+8 acting), 
  Gamble +8, Gather Information +14, Heal +8, Hide +11, 
  Intimidate +6, Jump +3, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen +12, Move 
  Silently +9, Perform (sing) +12, Perform (stringed instrument) 
  +20, Read Language (Ilsigi, Rankan), Search +9, Sense Motive 
  +12, Sleight of Hand +11, Spot +12, Survival +8, Tumble +4, 
  Use Magic Device +7; Fame*, 
  InvestigatorB, PersuasiveB, Run, 
  Skill Focus (Perform: stringed 
  instrument)B, Streetwise*, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon 
  FinesseB.
  Languages: Caronnese (S/W), 
  Trade Tongue (S), Ilsig (S/W), 
  Rankene (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (1), 
  Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: leather armor, masterwork rapier, masterwork dagger, 
  magical lute (see Magical Instruments sidebar), Amulet of Three 
  Truths (see sidebar).
  CHENAYA VIGELES,  
  DAUGHTER OF THE SUN
  Chenaya could have lived her entire life without lifting a ﬁnger. As 
  the daughter of the powerful Rankan noble Lowan Vigeles, and a 
  cousin to Prince Kadakithis and the Emperor himself, Chenaya had 
  everything she could ever want. Except in her case, for what she 
  wanted was bloodshed. Unlike most noblewomen, Chenaya loves 
  physical exertion, and demonstrated an unusual aptitude for combat at 
  a very early age. In fact, she has been blessed by the gods themselves, 
  and is fated to never lose a ﬁght. Knowing this, Chenaya used it as an 
  advantage to force her father to let her become something no other 
  noble would consider: a gladiator.
  Chenaya quickly won renown 
  within the ring, but that was 
  never her real goal. Nor does 
  she ﬁght simply from love of 
  combat, though that certainly 
  plays a part. No, Chenaya has 
  more lofty ambitions. She has 
  despised her cousin Abakithis 
  since they were children, and 
  feels that his sitting on the Rankan throne is an insult to their 
  heritage. Kadakithis would make a far better ruler, and she is 
  determined to put him there. To this end, Chenaya dedicates herself 
  to raising an army of gladiators to ﬁght beneath Kadakithis’ banner 
  and under her personal command. 
  AMULET OF THREE TRUTHS
  Cappen Varra wears a magical amulet—shaped like a snake—that protects him from spells. The amulet confers to the wearer spell 
  resistance 21, but only if the wearer can say three truths about the opposing spellcaster. Speaking all three truths is a standard action. 
  Moderate abjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, spell resistance; Price 45,000 gp. [reduced for special activation]
  
  - 92 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  DESCRIPTION
  Tall, beautiful, and powerfully built, Chenaya is quite attractive. She 
  has a voracious sexual appetite and prefers clothing that leaves little 
  to the imagination. When armed 
  for war, which is nearly all the 
  time, she wears gladiator armor 
  and keeps a hefty sword strapped 
  to her back. Also, she is never far 
  from Reyk, her falcon companion, 
  which she trained personally.
  PERSONALITY
  Chenaya is lusty in other ways as 
  well. She makes no pretense about 
  the fact she likes men and she means to sleep with any man who 
  catches her eye. With her looks, physique, and family name, most men 
  are happy to spend a night with her, though they may wake up bruised 
  the next morning. But her hot temper, stubbornness, and refusal to 
  take no for an answer have made Chenaya many enemies. Eventually, 
  she was forced to leave Sanctuary for a time, until tempers had cooled 
  and she could return without provoking constant attacks.
  CHENAYA
  Female Rankan prizeﬁghter, noble 2, godsworn 13, gladiator 2; 
  CR 17; Medium humanoid (human); HD 2d8+8 plus 13d10+52 
  plus 2d10+8; hp 163; Mdt 25; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 28, touch 
  19, ﬂat-footed 22; Base Atk +16; Grap +20; Atk +22 melee 
  (1d8+7/17–20, +1 keen longsword) or +22 ranged (1d8+6/×3, 
  +2 composite [+4] longbow); Full Atk +22/+17/+12/+7  melee 
  (1d8+7/17–20, +1 keen longsword) or +22/+17/+12/+7 ranged 
  (1d8+6/×3, +2 composite [+4] longbow); SA cursed; SQ animal 
  companion, armor optimization +1,  diplomat, divine protection, 
  divine shield, inspire courage, mortal might (Strength, Wisdom), 
  organize +3; Rep +8; SV Fort +17, Ref +20, Will +21; Str 19, 
  Dex 18, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Tumble.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Bluﬀ +9, Climb +6, Diplomacy +20, 
  Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Escape Artist +6, Gamble +9, Handle 
  Animal +16, Heal +5, Intimidate +26, Jump +8, Knowledge 
  (nobility & royalty) +5, Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +9, 
  Perform (gladiator) +4, Ride +18, Sense Motive +9, Swim +14, 
  Tumble +12; Combat Expertise, Dodge, FameB*, Favored by 
  a God†, Improved Feint, Mobility, Skill Focus (Intimidate)B, 
  Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword).
  †New feat; see Chapter Eight: Player’s Expansion for details.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W)
  Contacts: Rashan (information; male Rankan acolyte priest 12), 
  Kadakithis (inﬂuence; see page 107), Dayrne (skill; male Rankan 
  prizeﬁghter ﬁghter 8, gladiator 5), skill (2).
  REYK
  Falcon companion; CR —; Small animal; HD 9d8+9; hp 49; 
  Mdt 12; Init +6; Spd 10 ft., ﬂy 80 ft. (average); AC 24, touch 
  15, ﬂat-footed 20; Base Atk +6; Grap +4; Atk +10 melee (1d6+2, 
  talon); Full Atk +10 melee (1d6+2, 2 talons), +8 melee (1d4+1, 
  bite); SA —; SQ devotion, evasion, link, low-light vision, share 
  spells, tricks; Rep —; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 
  19, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6.
  Skills and Feats: Listen +6, Spot 
  +16; Flyby Attack, Improved 
  Initiative, Improved Natural 
  Attack (talons), MultiattackB, 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Tricks (Ex): Fighting, 
  Hunting.
  Cursed: Chenaya bears a special 
  curse bestowed by the god 
  Savankala. She can never lose 
  in anything, thus she never 
  fails an attack roll, check, saving throw, skill check unless she 
  rolls a natural 1. Though a powerful gift, Chenaya will die by 
  drowning, though the exact time and place of her death remains 
  a mystery.
  Inspire Courage: As a full-round action, up to four times per day, 
  Chenaya may grant to herself and all allies within 30 feet a +1 morale 
  bonus on saving throws against charm and fear eﬀects, and a +1 
  morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls for 1 round. 
  Organize (Ex): Whenever two or more characters use the aid 
  another action to improve a skill check, Chenaya can make the 
  same check to lend advice and words of encouragement. If she 
  succeeds, the primary character gains a +3 bonus to that skill 
  check. Chenaya may not use this ability for Trained Only skills 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON CHENAYA
  “If you’re going to put money on a gladiator, make sure you put it 
  on Chenaya. She never loses. Of course, she’s got an ego to match 
  her reputation, and has pissed off just about everyone in town. In all 
  seriousness, no matter how tempting, stay away from that… bint… 
  she didn’t hear that, did she? ”
  
  - 93 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON CIME
  “Hard as steel that one. She’s good, but I’m better. Just who stole 
  those pretty rods, huh?”
  in which she does not have ranks, nor may she use it to aﬀect 
  attempts to aid another in combat.
  Spells: safe level 6th; ritualcasting +10; save DC 14 + spell level
  Known Spells (7+d): aid (2nd, MT 30, price 2), bull’s strength (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), command (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert minor 
  wounds (0, MT 10, price 0/1), discern lies (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  divine favor (1st, MT 20, price 1), divine power (4th, MT 50, 
  price 4), hold person (2nd, MT 30, price 2), magic vestment (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), mark of justice (5th, MT 60, price 5), searing 
  light (3rd, MT 40, price 3), shield of faith (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  true seeing (6th, MT 70, price 6)
  Familiar Spells (9): bear’s endurance (2nd, MT 30, price 2), bless 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert serious wounds (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), divination (4th, MT 50, price 4), eagle’s splendor (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), prayer (3rd, MT 40, price 3), resist energy (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), righteous might (5th, MT 60, price 5), spell resistance 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5)
  D: Domain spell. Domain: Justice (sense lie, gain +2 bonus to 
  next attack against the liar)
  Possessions: +3 studded leather armor, +1 keen longsword, +2 
  composite (+4) longbow, ring of protection +1, amulet of natural 
  armor +1, gloves of Dexterity +2.
  CIME
  A brutal mage hunter and assassin, Cime appeared in Sanctuary after 
  Tempus arrived. She made it her personal mission to butcher the 
  mages in the city, using her diamond-tipped rods to suck the energy 
  out of them. Posing as a high-priced courtesan, she had complete 
  access to every level of society, but frequently slummed with Lastel 
  One-Thumb.
  Cime is an enigma, but there are many theories on who and what she 
  is. First, it’s known she has some deep connection to Tempus Thales. 
  She was a candidate for a position with the Order of the Blue Star, 
  but she turned it down. She is extremely long lived—she was born 
  some 300 years ago. And, she seems to turn up in the same places 
  that Tempus does.
  Some say she was actually Tempus’ sister and that, when they fell 
  in love, a wizard cursed them, inspiring her lifelong commitment 
  toward ridding the world of 
  mages. Cime’s curse is that she 
  must copulate with any man who 
  oﬀers her a coin, regardless of the 
  coin’s worth, and she cannot have 
  debts owed at the end of the day. 
  Though feelings are still strong between them, neither gives into their 
  emotions or the passions of their youth. In fact, Tempus tried to rein 
  her in throughout her brief stay in Sanctuary.
  DESCRIPTION
  Cime is an attractive woman in her middle years, with gray eyes 
  and silver-streaked hair. She has a muscular build and an easy grace. 
  When seducing her prey, she wears a headress ﬁtted with diamond-
  tipped rods.
  PERSONALITY
  One thing can be said of Cime: she is driven. Where her brother/
  ex-lover Tempus made peace with his curse, she bore the weight of 
  hers throughout her life, using it to fuel her rage and her need for 
  vengeance. She can be coy and playful, using her talents with seduction 
  to get what she wants. She will not tolerate a man’s touch unless he 
  is a client, and her clients are always wizards. There’s one exception, 
  of course, and that’s Tempus. And though she would gladly take him 
  as her lover, he resists the temptation.
  CIME
  Female Azehurite cursed, assassin 15; CR 15; Medium humanoid 
  (human, immortal); HD 15d8+30; hp 101; Mdt 19; Init +8; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 21, touch 16, ﬂat-footed 17; Base Atk +11; 
  Grap +13; Atk +15 melee (1d6+4/19–20, +2 short sword) or +16 
  ranged (1d4+2/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +15/+10/+5 
  melee (1d6+4/19–20, +2 short sword) or +16/+11/+6  ranged 
  (1d4+2/19–20, masterwork dagger); SA killing strike, sneak 
  attack +5d6, sniper; SQ favored of the gods, poison master; Rep 
  +3; SV Fort +12 (+18 poison), Ref +14, Will +11; Str 14, Dex 
  19, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Use Magic Device.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +27, Craft (poison) +6, Diplomacy +5, 
  Disguise +21 (+23 acting), Gather Information +15, Hide +21, 
  Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Listen +23, Move 
  Silently +21, Spellcraft +8 (+10 deciphering scrolls), Spot +23, 
  Use Magic Device +23; Appealing†, Combat ExpertiseB, Dodge, 
  Improved Critical (short sword)B, Improved Disarm, Improved 
  FeintB, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Persuasive, Quick Draw, 
  Spring Attack.
  †New feat; see Chapter 
  Eight: Player’s Expansion for 
  details.
  Languages: Azehur (S/W), 
  Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  DIAMOND RODS
  Cime’s greatest weapons against wizards are her diamond rods. Slender, about nine inches long, and ending in a diamond cap, she can 
  hide these items in her hair. Each rod has a special function. The ﬁrst rod requires a melee touch attack. On a successful hit, she deletes 
  1d6 Known spells at random from the target’s mind, and deals 1d6 points of damage for each spell drained. The second rod works like 
  a rod of absorption (see Chapter Eight: Magic Items in the DMG) except there is no limit to the number of spells it can absorb. Finally, 
  when both are wielded in tandem, the rods grant the wielder spell resistance 28. 
  Overpowering abjuration; CL 21st.
  
  - 94 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Contacts: Influence (Lastel One-Thumb, Tempus Thales), 
  Information (1), Skill (1).
  Cursed (Su): Cime may never accept anything without ﬁrst 
  performing a service. In exchange, she has learned to use the 
  tools of magic against her enemies, gaining a +2 bonus to Use 
  Magic Device checks.
  Possessions: +2 short sword, 4 masterwork daggers, potions, ring 
  of protection +2, amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +4, 
  gloves of Dexterity +2, hat of disguise.
  CRITIAS, “CRIT”
  The Stepsons are a group of 
  hardened soldiers. Each member 
  is burdened by his past, driven 
  by something so painful, dark, 
  or just plain awful that he would 
  give up his life to join. Among 
  these soldiers is Critias, second-
  in-command and left-side partner 
  to Straton. His tasks include 
  intelligence, administration, ﬁeld 
  command, and interrogation, making him one of the more versatile 
  and useful members in the band. Tempus often uses him as a scout 
  or spy, because Critias can walk into a town without anyone noticing, 
  make small talk without calling attention to himself, and walk back 
  out knowing all about the town’s layout, population, and defenses.
  After Tempus left the city to Straton, taking Critias and the rest of the 
  Stepsons to lend aid at Wizardwall, Straton fell in love with Ischade, 
  becoming, to some extent, her creature. When Critias returned to 
  Sanctuary, the partnership between the two warriors was strained. 
  Critias sees Ischade’s hold, but Strat refuses to listen, forcing Critias to 
  hurt his one-time lover in order to free him from the witch’s grasp.
  DESCRIPTION
  Now in his early forties, Crit is a pleasant looking man of average 
  height and build. Though generally attractive, he has unremarkable 
  features, dominated by a strong nose, and framed by short, feathery 
  hair. Crit recognizes the dangers in Sanctuary, and so rarely goes 
  about unarmed or unarmored. 
  PERSONALITY
  Crit is a no-nonsense leader, serious and dedicated to Tempus. He 
  has a quick mind and is extremely perceptive, able to notice every 
  least detail and recall this information when he most needs it. He is 
  deeply aﬀected by what he perceives as Strat’s betrayal of the Stepsons 
  and, moreover, the betrayal of their partnership.
  CRITIAS
  Male Syrese soldier, ﬁghter 8, sacred bander (Straton) 3; CR 
  11; Medium humanoid (human); HD 8d10+16 plus 3d10+6; 
  hp 87; Mdt 22; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 23, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 
  22; Base Atk +11; Grap +14; Atk +17 melee (1d10+6/19–20, +1 
  bastard sword) or +12  ranged (1d10+1/19–20, +1 heavy crossbow); 
  Full Atk +17/+12/+7 melee (1d10+6/19–20, +1 bastard sword) or 
  +12  ranged (1d10+1/19–20, +1 heavy crossbow); SQ coordinated 
  oﬀense, courage of spirit, improved aid, sacred bond; Rep +5; SV 
  Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 
  14, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Handle 
  Animal, Ride.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +3, 
  Bluff +3, Climb +5, Craft 
  (armorer) +5, Diplomacy +4, 
  Handle Animal +8, Heal 
  +3, Intimidate +9, Jump +5, 
  Knowledge (geography) +4, 
  Knowledge (local) +3, Listen +6, Ride +10, Search +3, Spot +9, 
  Survival +4; Alertness, Cleave B, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency 
  (bastard sword)B, Greater Weapon Focus (bastard sword) B, 
  Improved Initiative, Mounted CombatB, Power Attack, Track, 
  Weapon Focus (bastard sword) B, Weapon Specialization 
  (bastard sword) B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W)
  Possessions: +2 chain shirt, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 bastard sword, 
  +1 heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, 
  ring of protection +1, amulet of natural armor +2.
  DUBRO
  Everyone knows Dubro, even though he rarely leaves his smithy in the 
  bazaar. The smith’s strength is so prodigious, and his skill with hammer 
  and tongs so evident, no one dares to ﬁght with him. Most people will 
  not even haggle prices, though Dubro never overcharges. He rarely 
  undercharges either, though he does have a weak spot for children, 
  and makes small toys for free. Despite his skill—and Dubro is a very 
  good blacksmith—he rarely works on weapons, simply because the 
  palace district has its own smith for the city guards. Dubro’s customers 
  bring him wheel rims, horseshoes, and housewares, and he does the 
  job quickly and eﬃciently.
  DUBRO’S ANVIL
  After Dubro’s original anvil broke, Ilyra claimed this one as payment for aiding a girl named Marilla in an Ilsigi conspiracy involving 
  the deﬁlement of the temple Molin built to the Rankan gods. Though gotten through queer means, and despite Dubro’s misgivings, 
  they claimed the odd black anvil, with the even queerer symbol on the side: The face of chaos. Though Dubro is now dead, murdered 
  at the hands of an angry mob frenzied by the Dyareelans, the anvil still stands in the Bazaar, serving its new master, Davar.
  Though seemingly an ordinary anvil, it grants a user a +4 competence bonus to Craft (metalworking) checks. 
  Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, fox’s cunning; Price 1,600 sh. 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON CRITIAS
  “Crit is Tempus’ number two man. He and Straton, Stepsons both, 
  were paired together. With Straton’s blooming affection for Ischade, the 
  two have grown apart. Crit’s a good ﬁghter, and works well undercover. 
  He’s also a lover scorned, so Ischade better watch her back.”
  
  - 95 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON DUBRO
  “Illyra’s husband, Dubro, is one of the ﬁnest smiths in the city’s 
  bazaar. Even when you consider where he keeps his forge, he’ll give 
  any one of the Merchant Quarter’s blacksmiths a run for their 
  money. And a piece of advice, pud; though Dubro’s suvesh, Illyra 
  loves him. And Dubro, well, let’s just say he’s a little protective.” 
  People shake their heads when 
  thinking about his marriage. It is not 
  that they don’t like Illyra, but 
  they cannot understand why 
  these two people wound 
  up together. After all, they 
  are opposite in almost 
  everything. Dubro is large 
  and muscular, while Illyra 
  is small and petite under 
  her layered clothing. He 
  is ﬁercely mundane, and 
  refuses to let magic 
  inﬂuence him, while she 
  is S’danzo and traﬃcs in 
  the supernatural. But 
  despite their diﬀerences, 
  his devotion to her is clear, 
  and he’s ﬁercely protective 
  of her. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Tall and powerfully muscled, 
  Dubro is one of the largest men in 
  Sanctuary—and none of it is fat. 
  He usually wears simple garments 
  of homespun and a thick leather 
  apron. His muscular forearms have 
  no shortage of scars from his trade. 
  As a result of the heat in 
  his forge, he has a ruddy 
  complexion.
  PERSONALITY
  Everyone who knows Dubro 
  likes him; the smith is honest, 
  friendly, hard working, and quiet. It’s not that Dubro is incapable 
  of speaking, but he rarely chooses to, and when he does, he speaks 
  in short clear phrases. Words, apparently, are a precious commodity, 
  not to be wasted. Though publicaly reserved, Dubro’s protected 
  Illyra since she was a child, and he loves her, though he rarely 
  shows that passion to anyone else. He would die to protect her, or 
  kill another—neither option he considers lightly.
  DUBRO
  Male Wrigglie blacksmith (craftsman), savant 4, survivor 2; 
  CR 6; Medium humanoid (human); HD 4d6+12 plus 2d10+6; 
  hp 46; Mdt 22; Init +1; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14, touch 11, ﬂat-
  footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grap 
  +8; Atk +5 melee (1d8+6/×3, 
  masterwork warhammer) or +8 
  melee (1d6+4, unarmed strike); 
  Full Atk +5  melee (1d8+6/×3, 
  masterwork warhammer) or +8 
  melee (1d6+4, unarmed strike); 
  SA ﬁght or ﬂight (aggressive 
  1); SQ master craftsman; Rep +1; SV Fort +7 [1, 3, 3 Con], Ref 
  +2 [1, 1 Dex], Will +11 [4, 3, 1 Wis, 1 culture, 2 feat]; Str 18, 
  Dex 13, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Craft (metalworking), 
  Profession (blacksmith).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +8 (+10 
  metal goods), Climb +6, Craft 
  (metalworking) +16, Diplomacy +11, 
  Gather Information +4, Intimidate 
  +3, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen 
  +5, Profession (blacksmith) +15, 
  Search +8, Sense Motive +10, Spot 
  +12, Survival +1 (+3 following 
  tracks); AlertnessB, Endurance, 
  Improved Damage ThresholdB*, 
  Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron 
  WillB, NegotiatorB, Skill Focus 
  (Prof ession: 
  blacksmith).
  Languages: 
  W r i g g l i e 
  (S), Trade 
  Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1),  
  Skill (1).
  Possessions: Studded leather, 
  masterwork warhammer, the 
  forge, and Dubro’s Anvil.
  ENAS YORL
  Sanctuary has many, both resident and 
  visitor, who dabble in magic. And it has many true mages. But only one 
  of them is considered a Great Wizard, and that is Enas Yorl. Once, long 
  ago, Enas Yorl was a handsome man whose sorceries were among the 
  most powerful in the land, but whose passion for women overwhelmed 
  his reason. He slept with another man’s wife, and the cuckolded man, 
  who was also a mighty sorcerer, laid a fearsome curse upon the young 
  lover. Because it was Enas Yorl’s appearance that had won over the 
  woman, the sorcerer took that away from him forever. 
  Since gaining the curse, Enas Yorl has chosen to live out his days in 
  Sanctuary, where he lives in a large, handsome but run-down house 
  in the Jeweler’s Quarter on Pyrtanis Street. But the house shifts, 
  and sometimes its entrance can be found in other parts of the city, 
  trapping the unwary within. Rumors say basilisks guard the house. 
  Only an old blind man, Darous, serves Enas Yorl’s needs, because 
  the blind servant cannot witness 
  his horrible changes. Legend 
  also holds that there is a tunnel 
  under the house that connects to 
  a tower overlooking the bay.
  In the Irrune Era, Enas’ house has 
  vanished, but the lot on which it 
  stood is still empty and not too far 
  from Grabar’s Stoneyard.
  
  - 96 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  DESCRIPTION
  Enas Yorl’s curse is far crueler than just making him ugly. His 
  appearance changes uncontrollably. At times he looks normal, even 
  handsome. At other times, he is barely human, and sometimes clearly 
  not human at all. And he never assumes the same shape twice. The 
  only things that never change are his eyes. No matter his form, Enas 
  Yorl’s eyes always glow red. Only one person has ever seen Enas Yorl’s 
  face, and that person is Lalo the 
  Limner who, after seeing it, knew 
  why the wizard would never want 
  to look upon his former visage.
  PERSONALITY
  One might expect an individual 
  so cursed would be mad with grief 
  and frustration, but his is not the 
  case with Enas. In fact, he is one 
  of the few benevolent powers in Sanctuary, and has often helped the 
  less fortunate. Usually, his help has a price. With women, he often asks 
  them to sleep with him, for despite his curse, his lust is unabated. But 
  Enas Yorl’s other great desire is for death. The curse not only shifts 
  his form without warning, it also keeps him alive. He has lived this 
  way for centuries, and sees no signs of dying in his future.
  IRRUNE ERA
  Ischade, Tempus, Molin and others trapped Roxane and Haught in 
  the house of Tasfalen Lancothis (and Roxane in the corpse of the 
  noble, as well). Once in place, Molin placed wards around the house 
  to seal her inside. However, the wards needed periodic renewal and 
  Molin knew he could not maintain the wards indeﬁnitely. Molin 
  approached Enas Yorl with a plan to remove the Tasfalen house 
  from Sanctuary and end the threat of Roxane’s return. Yorl agreed, 
  and entered the house, which collapsed in a pile of dust. Soon after, 
  Enas Yorl’s house vanished as well. 
  The event weakened his curse, and he now has some control over his 
  changing shape, which means he can more often pass as a normal 
  man. Enas Yorl has also mastered the art of possessing others, though 
  when he does that, his host’s eyes take on a strange, reﬂective, red-
  orange glow. 
  Mechanically, Enas is unchanged except for the fact that he may 
  control what form he takes. To do so, he must succeed on a DC 30 
  Concentration check. On a failed check, the form taken is essentially 
  random, as described under his curse. If he succeeds, he is still 
  subject to the next transformation, but may control each successive 
  transformation by succeeding on another Concentration check, 
  though each time after the ﬁrst increases the DC by +5. Once he 
  fails a Concentration check, the DC resets to 30.
  ENAS YORL
  Male Unknown apprentice, mage 19, ex-hazard mage 5; CR 24; 
  Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger); HD 19d4+114 plus 
  5d4+30; hp 206; Mdt 24; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 31, touch 21, ﬂat-
  footed 24; Base Atk +14; Grap +19; Atk +23 melee (1d4+9/19–20, 
  +4 dagger); Full Atk +23/+18/+13 melee (1d4+9/19–20, +4 dagger); 
  SA arcane reach, greater casting, mastery of counterspelling, 
  potent magic; SQ cursed, lore, planar refuge, sanctum, specialist 
  (transmutation); Rep +10; SV Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +17; Str 
  20, Dex 25, Con 22, Int 29, Wis 19, Cha 22.
  Background Skills: Concentration, Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +9 (+11 alchemy, herbalism), 
  Concentration +35, Craft (alchemy) +36, Craft (herbalism) +31, 
  Decipher Script +31, Gather Information +8, Handle Animal 
  +11, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +36, Knowledge (geography) 
  +14, Knowledge (history) 
  +24, Knowledge (local) +36, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +36, 
  Ride +9, Search +14, Spellcraft 
  +40, Survival +4 (+6 avoid 
  getting lost, hazards, other 
  planes, follow tracks); Craft 
  Focus*, Enlarge Spell, Eschew 
  Components, Fame*, Interrupted Casting*, Instantaneous 
  Casting*, Maximize Spell, Rushed Casting*, Scribe Matrix*, 
  Skill Focus (Spellcraft).
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Enlibar (S/W), Yenized 
  (S/W).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Molin Torchholder/Cauvin, 1), Information 
  (Jarveena, 2), Skill (Darios, Lalo).
  Curse (Su): Enas Yorl suﬀers from a powerful curse, believed to 
  have been bestowed for amorous indiscretions in his youth. Now, 
  he cycles through bizarre and unusual forms, many of which are 
  painful to endure. He has never assumed the same form twice, 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ENAS YORL
  “They say Enas Yorl never takes the same form twice, yet those eyes 
  of his are a dead giveaway. Basilisks guard his mansion, and they turn 
  any intruders who look at them to stone. I prefer to stay out of his 
  way, because I know that bad luck rubs off.”
  
  - 97 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  RODS OF CREATURE COMMAND
  These rare, powerful rods allow the user to command one speciﬁc type of creature, determined when the rod is crafted. For instance, 
  Enas Yorl possessed a rod of basilisk command that he used to command the basilisks that guarded his mansion. The rod allows the user 
  to dominate any creature of the appropriate type that he can see as a standard action, as per the spell dominate monster; the creature 
  may make a DC 23 Will save to resist the command. The user can dominate a number of creatures equal to his Charisma score at any 
  one time.
  Strong enchantment; CL 17th; Craft Rod, dominate monster; Price 27,540 sh. 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON HAKIEM
  “A true spinner of tales, and, if there is such a thing, a true patriot of 
  Sanctuary. For a few padpols, Hakiem will tell you a story that will 
  leave you breathless. He knows just about everything about everyone. 
  You can tell he truly loves this cesspit of a city, the same way a child 
  loves his parents.” 
  and the possibilities are endless, ranging from looking like a 
  normal man to a horriﬁc amalgam of reptile, insect, and plant. 
  Despite the range of appearances, Enas Yorl usually takes no 
  penalty to his ability to cast spells—though while in his more 
  grotesque forms, he may not be able to speak, perform required 
  somatic components, or handle materials. His appearance is 
  essentially random. He undergoes a new transformation every 
  1d20+1d12 hours. With each new transformation, some of his 
  ability scores ﬂuctuate as well. Roll 1d6 and apply the following 
  with each transformation: Strength 1–2: –1d6, 3–4: no change, 
  5–6: +1d6; Dexterity 1–2: –1d6, 3–4: no change, 5–6: +1d6; 
  Charisma 1–3: –1d12, 4–5: –1d6, 6: no change.
  Spells: safe level 9th; spellcasting +35 (+37 transmutation); 
  ritualcasting +22 (+24 transmutation); save DC 19 + spell level.
  Known Spells (28): acid fog (6th, MT 70, price 6), analyze dweomer 
  (6th, MT 70, price 6), baleful polymorph (CL 25th, 5th, MT 
  60, price 5), blur (2nd, MT 30, melee touch +19, DC 21, price 
  2), break enchantment (5th, MT 60, DC 24, price 5), circle of 
  protection* (1st, MT 20, price 1), contact other plane (5th, MT 
  60, price 5), contagion (4th, MT 50, price 4), daze (0, MT 10, 
  price 0/1), detect magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), dimension door 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), disguise self (1st, MT 20, price 1), dispel 
  magic (3rd, MT 40, price 3), dominate person (5th, MT 60, price 
  5), ﬁreball (3rd, MT 40, price 3), foresight (9th, MT 100, price 
  9), fox’s cunning (CL 25th, 2nd, MT 30, price 2), magic missile 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), mass hold person (9th, MT 100, price 9), 
  mind blank (8th, MT 90, price 8), mislead (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), phase door (7th, MT 80, price 7), read magic (0, MT 10, price 
  0/1), suggestion (3rd, MT 40, price 3), summon monster III (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), teleport (5th, MT 60, price 5), veil (6th, MT 
  70, price 6), wish (9th, MT 100, price 9).
  *New spell, see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual.
  Familiar Spells (36): acid arrow (2nd, MT 30, price 2), alter self 
  (CL 25th, 2nd, MT 30, price 2), arcane eye (4th, MT 50, price 
  4), banishment (7th, MT 80, price 7), blink (CL 25th, 3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), chain lightning (6th, MT 70, price 6), charm monster 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), clairaudience/clairvoyance (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), confusion (4th, MT 
  50, price 4), detect scrying (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), disintegrate 
  (6th, MT 70, price 6), dream 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5), explosive 
  runes (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  grasping hand (7th, MT 80, 
  price 7), greater scrying (7th, 
  MT 80, price 7), greater teleport 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7), guards 
  and wards (6th, MT 70, price 6), lesser geas (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  lightning bolt (3rd, MT 40, price 3), mage’s disjunction (9th, MT 
  100, price 9), nondetection (3rd, MT 40, price 3), overland ﬂight 
  (CL 25th, 5th, MT 60, price 5), persistent image (5th, MT 60, 
  price 5), plane shift (7th, MT 80, price 7), power word blind (7th, 
  MT 80, price 7), project image (6th, MT 70, price 6), scorching 
  ray (2nd, MT 30, price 2), sending (5th, MT 60, price 5), shadow 
  walk (6th, MT 70, price 6), spider climb (CL 25th, 2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), suggestion (3rd, MT 40, price 3), summon monster 
  V (5th, MT 60, price 5), summon monster VI (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), telepathic bond (5th, MT 60, price 5), tongues (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), wall of force (5th, MT 60, price 5), waves of exhaustion 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7).
  Typical Possessions: +4 dagger, potion of alter self, 2 potions of cure 
  serious wounds, potion of ﬂy, ring of protection +4, rod of basilisk 
  command (see Rods of Creature Command sidebar), scroll of acid 
  fog, scroll of clenched ﬁst, scroll of ﬁreball, scroll of greater teleport, 
  scroll of horrid wilting, scroll of incendiary cloud, scroll of maze, 
  scroll of shapechange, scroll of summon monster IX, scroll of wail 
  of the banshee, staﬀ of transmutation, amulet of natural armor +2, 
  bracers of armor +8, gloves of Dexterity +4, headband of intellect 
  +6, pink ioun stone. 
  HAKIEM
  A native of Sanctuary, Hakiem spent his life within Sanctuary and 
  was never inclined to leave. Though a storyteller and something of 
  a vagabond, he was content here, spending his days in the bazaar, 
  selling his stories to anyone who would pay good copper for them. 
  He has friends everywhere, though mostly in the poorer quarters. 
  He is welcome in most places, though bartenders look askance at 
  him sometimes, for Hakiem loves to drink and does not like to pay. 
  But he will tell stories for his ale and wine, and those are often far 
  better than coin.
  After the Beysib arrived, Hakiem found himself in the role of 
  ambassador and royal advisor to Shupansea. He played the part 
  admirably, and gave sound advice and good information, but was 
  always much more comfortable in his old rags, lounging on the 
  wharf, or sitting in the bazaar, or 
  drinking in the Vulgar Unicorn. 
  When word reached Sanctuary 
  of the Beysib Usurper’s death, 
  Shupansea requested that Hakiem 
  go on ahead to get a feel for the 
  Beysib Empire. It was at that 
  moment that Hakiem confronted 
  his fears of leaving his home, for 
  
  - 98 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  he knew he was too old to return. Accompanied by his longtime 
  employer and friend Jubal, it is presumed he left Sanctuary before 
  Shupansea to prepare the way and eventually died there.
  DESCRIPTION
  Small, wiry, and wizened, Hakiem is not an impressive ﬁgure. But 
  once he opens his mouth, people forget his appearance, and the world 
  around them as well. Hakiem is a master storyteller, and his tales are 
  so compelling that they seem almost magical.
  PERSONALITY
  Hakiem is more than just a storyteller, however. He watches 
  everything, and hears things people would rather he had not. He 
  knows more about what is really going on in Sanctuary than anyone, 
  because he goes everywhere and because he is smart enough to put all 
  the pieces together. Hakiem sells this knowledge to Jubal, who likes 
  to stay informed and recognizes the old storyteller’s value.
  HAKIEM
  Male Wrigglie beggar, savant 10, thief 2; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 10d6+20 plus 2d6+4; hp 69; Mdt 15; 
  Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +8; 
  Grap +7; Atk +7  melee (1d4–1/19–20, dagger); Full Atk +7/+2 
  melee (1d4–1/19–20, dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ beggar 
  trait, eidetic memory, evasion, local legend (Perform: storytelling), 
  lore +15, trapﬁnding; Rep +2; SV Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +10; Str 
  9, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +18, Bluﬀ +21, Diplomacy +23 (+25 
  underworld), Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Information +20, 
  Intimidate +6, Knowledge (history) +18, Knowledge (local) +23 
  (+25 navigate the Maze), Listen +19, Perform (storytelling) 
  +20, Profession (storyteller) +17, Sense Motive +19, Sleight 
  of Hand +7, Spot +8; AlertnessB, Dodge, Endurance, Maze-
  SavvyB*, Mobility, NegotiatorB, Persuasive, Skill Focus (Perform: 
  storytelling)B, Streetwise*.
  Languages: Wriggle (S), Beysin (S), Ilsig (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Jubal, Shupansea), Information (2).
  Possessions: Dagger, tattered clothes (or courtier’s outﬁt).
  HANSE SHADOWSPAWN/CHANCE
  They say there is no ﬁner thief than Shadowspawn in all of Sanctuary. 
  Born of shadows, supposedly, he can wrap them around himself like 
  a cloak, vanishing. He can enter a locked room without disturbing 
  the door, remove items from a locked safe without making a sound, 
  and disappear again without leaving a trace.
  Hanse knows these stories, because he spreads them himself.
  It is true that Hanse, who calls himself Shadowspawn, is a superb 
  thief — probably the best in Sanctuary. He’s a Sanctuary native, or 
  so he believes (he doesn’t really know where he was born and can’t 
  remember any place other than Sanctuary) and a resident of the 
  Maze. He knows the twisted neighborhood better than anyone, and 
  he can disappear around corners and make his way across rooftops 
  while even other locals are wondering where he went. He steals for 
  survival and because he enjoys doing so. Hanse will often take on a 
  job for the challenge as much as the money. 
  Shortly after Prince Kadakithis came to Sanctuary, Hanse was 
  involved in a plot against the young governor. The two wound up 
  becoming friends—they are close in age, in fact, though very diﬀerent 
  in background and temperment. Hanse did not want to like the 
  young Rankan, since he is stoutly Ilsigi, but could not help himself. 
  SHADOWSPAWN AND THE S’DANZO
  Hanse, for good or ill, found a home among the S’danzo. Whether due to his charm and wit, or maybe because he didn’t really ﬁt in 
  anywhere else, the S’danzo saw him as more than suvesh (non-S’danzo), and among them, Moonﬂower was the most generous, seeing 
  him as a son. 
  Moonﬂower was a seeress, though not as powerful as Illyra, and she wasn’t selective about her clients. More liberal in her interactions 
  with suvesh (in fact she was the only full blooded S’danzo to treat Illyra as an equal), she took an immediate liking to the young, 
  brash man, and perhaps because her daughter, Mignureal, had a terrible crush on him as well. Immensely fat, she had a sweet face 
  and cheerful smile. Like some other S’danzo women, she had the Sight, and through her fortunes, she helped support her large 
  family in the Bazaar.
  Always worried for her daughter Mignureal (and her daughter’s heart), Moonﬂower was hesitant about Shadowspawn’s relationship with 
  her, urging him to see her as a sister, a request which he honored. Things changed, though, when Moonﬂower gave a Beysib woman an 
  unfavorable reading. A scuﬄe ensued and Moonﬂower struck her. Fearing that the Beysibs would retailate, she grabbed her husband’s 
  sword and set out to get herself killed to protect her family. The Beysibs did indeed kill her, driving Hanse, who later discovered the 
  tragedy, into a rage. He slew a Beysib, gathered Mignureal, and ﬂed the city.
  The two lovers ﬂed the city and had many adventures together. But their love would not be strong enough to keep them together forever. 
  Mignureal came into her own, realizing the powers of S’danzo sight and becoming a powerful sorceress. Lacking a place in light of her 
  newfound power, Shadowspawn returned to Sanctuary and never loved again.
  Mignureal was typical of S’danzo, with curly dark hair and a swarthy complexion. She was friendly, cheerful, and had maintained a 
  crush on Shadowspawn since she was little. Mignureal has a strong touch of the Sight, resulting in periodic and seemingly random 
  ﬂashes of insight, many of which have helped Hanse through many nasty scrapes.
  
  - 99 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  thrown dagger) or +18 ranged (1d2+1, masterwork shuriken); 
  Full Atk +19/+14/+9 melee (1d6+3/19–20, +2 short sword) or 
  +18/+13/+8 melee (1d4+2/19–20, +1 dagger) or +17/+12/+7 
  melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) 
  or +15/+15/+10/+5 ranged 
  (1d4+1/19–20, thrown dagger) 
  or +16/+16/+11/+6 ranged 
  (1d2+1, masterwork shuriken); 
  SA sneak attack +6d6; SQ 
  evasion, hide in plain sight, 
  improved evasion, improved 
  uncanny dodge, trap sense +3, 
  trapfinding, uncanny dodge; 
  Rep +6; SV Fort +9, Ref +15, 
  Will +9; Str 13, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +9, Balance +17, Bluﬀ +18, Climb +15 
  (+17 ropes), Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +13, Disguise +9 
  (+11 acting), Escape Artist +10 (+12 ropes), Gamble +5, Gather 
  Information +12, Handle Animal +7, Hide +32, Intimidate +18, 
  Jump +18, Knowledge (local) +11 (+13 navigating the Maze), 
  Listen +10, Move Silently +32, Open Lock +12, Ride +12, Search 
  +11, Sense Motive +10, Sleight of Hand +23, Spot +11 (+13 
  notice Sleight of Hand attempts), Survival +2 (+4 follow tracks), 
  Swim +3, Tumble +21, Use Rope +10 (+12 bindings); Dodge, 
  Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency (shuriken), Improved Initiative, 
  Maze-SavvyB, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid 
  Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S), Ilsig (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  LONE ON CHANCE
  “He’s the real thing, I knew it all along. They say roaches don’t live 
  as long as Chance. He’s forgotten more than you’ll ever know about 
  roaching, and I’m sure he appreciates that I’m better than he was. 
  He’s just too proud to admit it.”
  He was also unable to stop himself from liking Tempus, and even 
  helped rescue the Hell Hound from an evil vivisectionist. Hanse’s 
  other close friends are Moonﬂower and her daughter Mignue, and 
  his old mentor, Cudget Swearoath. When not working, Hanse can 
  usually be found at the Vulgar Unicorn, drinking with a crowd of 
  other locals his age.
  DESCRIPTION
  The wiry youth with dark hair and eyes is handsome, though with 
  a somewhat largish nose, and is very smooth with the ladies. Hanse 
  wears dark leathers and always has at least two throwing knives handy, 
  and several more concealed about him. He walks with a swagger and 
  he exudes the arrogance of youth.
  PERSONALITY
  Shadowspawn is a skilled ﬁghter, trained by the Stepsons and gifted 
  with divine blessings. But despite his talent in a ﬁght, he prefers not 
  to kill—one of the only times was when he killed two men while 
  guarding Tempus’ back while the Riddler was at the Lily Garden, 
  which is why Tempus believed he owed the thief. He is cocksure, 
  prideful, witty, and sarcastic, but has a soft spot in his heart for cats 
  and pretty women. Not easily cowed, he’s stood ﬁrm against Tempus, 
  and if the legends are true, “killed” Vashanka.
  THE IRRUNE ERA
  Chance, as Hanse now calls himself, is older and a bit wiser, now 
  in his mid-seventies. He walks with a heavy cane, and gets tired 
  easily, but he can still move with surprising grace, and even with 
  the cane he can still cross a room 
  almost without a sound. Long 
  since retired, he spends his time 
  tutoring the young thief, Lone, 
  and sitting with his friend Strick 
  and Strick’s wife, Linnana. He has 
  no apparent occupation or source 
  of income, but has enough money 
  to live comfortably, thanks to a 
  particular cache of silver he left 
  in a well in the peak of his youth. 
  Chance lives alone, having never married or had children. He does 
  not publicly admit to being Shadowspawn, but sits and reminisces 
  with Strick, and often tells stories of his escapades to Lone.
  Due to a stroke, Chance is but a shadow of his former self, though 
  a quick and tough one. Shadowspawn uses his normal statistics, but 
  apply the following modiﬁers: Str –3, Dex –3, Con –3, Int +2, Wis 
  +2, Cha +2. Chance rarely wears his old armor or carries little in the 
  way of weaponry aside from his heavy cane (count as a +2 club).
  HANSE SHADOWSPAWN
  Male Wrigglie criminal, thief 11, ﬁghter 4, freelance 1; CR 16; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 11d6+33 plus 4d10+12 plus 
  1d6+3; hp 115; Mdt 23; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.; AC 26, touch 17, ﬂat-
  footed 26; Base Atk +12; Grap +13; Atk +19 melee (1d6+3/19–
  20, +2 short sword) or +18  melee (1d4+2/19–20, +1 dagger) or 
  +17 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or +17  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  
  - 100 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Contacts: Information (Mignureal, Moonflower), Influence 
  (Kadakithis, Tempus), Skill (1).
  NOTABLE
  Male cat; CR 1/2; Tiny animal; HD 1/2d8+1; hp 3; Mdt 13; 
  Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 16, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk 
  +0; Grap –11; Atk +6 melee (1d2–3, claw); Full Atk +6 melee 
  (1d2–3, 2 claws) and +1 melee (1d3–3, bite); SQ low-light 
  vision, scent; Rep +0; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1; Str 4, Dex 
  19, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 6.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Climb +8, Hide +16 (+20 in tall 
  undergrowth), Jump +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5; 
  AlertnessB, Weapon Finesse.
  Possessions: +3 improved shadow improved silent moves studded leather 
  armor, +2 buckler, +2 short sword, +1 dagger, 2 daggers, 4 thrown 
  daggers, 10 masterwork shuriken, potion of cure moderate wounds, 
  ring of protection +2, amulet of natural armor +1, gloves of Dexterity 
  +2, climber’s kit, disguise kit, masterwork thieves’ tools, several 
  thousand shaboozh hidden in a well just outside of the city.
  HAUGHT
  Haught was a Nisibisi captured by Rankans and sold into slavery. 
  Considered valuable, he was used as a dancer and entertainer and, at 
  times, as a love slave. Though his life was softer than that of many 
  slaves, make no mistake: it was not easy. In a plan to to coerce Ischade 
  (see page 102) to help the Stepsons, Critias and others sent the slave 
  to the necromant as a gift for her to use and then kill, as was her wont. 
  In a rare act of compassion, or perhaps just to foil the Stepsons and 
  their plots, she released Haught, making him a free man.
  Since his release, he took up with Mor-Am, Moria, and Mradhon Vis 
  (see their respective entries in this chapter), gradually becoming woven 
  into Ischade’s plans, and eventually becoming her creature. Though his 
  relationship with the necromant was never romantic, he felt a deep 
  commitment to her, until his arrogance got the better of him. Haught 
  had latent witchblood, which gave him great potential to work 
  witchcraft. A desperate pupil, he studied under Ischade, becoming 
  her apprentice. But her instruction was too slow to suit his ambition, 
  and so he betrayed his mistress to the Stepsons. He took up with 
  Death’s Queen, Roxane, whom he claimed as a cousin. Unfortunately, 
  this alliance was doomed from 
  the start, and Ischade trapped 
  him and the Nisibisi witch in 
  the house of Tasfalen Lancothis, 
  where Haught languished with 
  the revenant of the witch for 
  many many months, until he 
  escaped and crawled back to his 
  former teacher, begging her for 
  forgiveness and protection.
  DESCRIPTION
  Haught is an attractive young man with creamy skin, dark hair, and 
  large eyes. He has the easy grace and athleticism of a skilled dancer. 
  When we ﬁrst meet Haught, he is timid and nervous from his years 
  as a slave, but as he learned witchcraft, his arrogance stiﬀened his 
  spine and he exuded conﬁdence.
  PERSONALITY
  Haught was a kind, meek, and pleasant man, who cared deeply for 
  Moria. But power corrupted him, making him arrogant and prideful 
  of his beauty; he fully expects his looks to captivate men and women 
  alike. He also believes he is a powerful wizard, though in reality he 
  is merely an apprentice. 
  HAUGHT
  Male Nisibisi slave, initiate 4, witch 2; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6+8 plus 2d4+4; hp 34; Mdt 15; Init +1; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 13, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +4; Grap 
  +5; Atk +6 melee (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +6 
  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +6 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +6 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SQ cruel, force of personality; Rep +0; SV 
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +8; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 
  12, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Perform (dance).
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +15, Concentration +11, Diplomacy +17, 
  Disguise +5 (+7 acting), Hide +3, Intimidate +6, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +12, Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Perform (dance) 
  +12, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +10, Spellcraft +12 (+14 
  decipher scroll), Spot +3, Use Magic Device +11 (+11 scrolls); 
  Interrupted Spellcasting*, Magical AptitudeB, Ritual Emphasis*, 
  Witchblooded*.
  Languages: Nis (S), Wrigglie (S), Ilsig (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Skill (Ischade, Mradhon Vis).
  Haught only takes a –1 penalty to Strength and Dexterity, 
  and recovers from fatigue after only six hours of complete rest 
  instead of eight.
  Spells: safe mage level 2nd; safe witch level 1st; spellcasting +7; 
  ritualcasting +6; initiate save DC 13 + spell level; witch save 
  DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Initiate Spells (5): cause fear (1st, MT 20, price 1), charm 
  person (1st, MT 20, price 1), command undead (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), daze (0, MT 10, price 0/1), touch of fatigue (0, MT 10, 
  price 0/1).
  Familiar Initiate Spells (2): 
  detect thoughts (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), mage armor (1st, MT 
  20, price 1).
  Known Witch Spells (3): calm 
  animals (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  convert minor wounds (0, MT 
  10, price 0/1), produce ﬂame (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1)
  Familiar Witch Spells (6): ghost sound (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  hypnotism (2nd, MT 30, price 4 lethal), lesser confusion (2nd, MT 
  30, price 4 lethal), message (1st, MT 20, price 1), silent image (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 4 lethal), summon monster I (1st, MT 20, price 1)
  Possessions: 2 masterwork daggers, ring of protection +1, spell focus 
  (ring) +1, amulet of natural armor +1.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON HAUGHT
  “The funny thing about Haught is that he was a slave, some sort of 
  dancer. The Stepsons sent him to Ischade as a present, but instead 
  of taking his life, she set him free. She may have freed him from his 
  slavery, but he became another sort of slave entirely.”
  
  - 101 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ILLYRA
  “I prefer to go to Moonﬂower for advice, but Illyra’s not a bad seer 
  for a half-S’danzo. It’s always bad news with her, though; nothing but 
  ill omens and unfavorable cards. It’s a good thing Dubro stays close 
  when she works; some folks don’t take bad news well.”
  ILLYRA
  Illyra’s life began with tragedy. Her father, a Rankan guard, drank 
  too much and was abusive and paranoid. Her mother was a S’danzo 
  seeress, and as such, she was beautiful, seductive, and alluring. Illyra’s 
  father suspected his wife of having a lover, which enraged him despite 
  the fact that he had a mistress himself. One night, when Illyra was still 
  only a small child, her father attacked her mother and killed her, then 
  cut her into pieces. Both Illyra and her half-brother Walegrin ﬂed, and 
  Dubro rescued the young Illyra from the streets, while Walegrin ﬂed 
  Sanctuary, vowing never to return. Illyra inherited her mother’s gift; 
  she is one of the most powerful seeresses in Sanctuary, but because 
  she is only half-S’Danzo, the other S’Danzo refuse to associate with 
  her. Illyra now lives in the Bazaar with her husband, Dubro the smith 
  (see page 94), and sees her clients next to blacksmith’s forge, where 
  thick velvet curtains aﬀord privacy.
  Most S’danzo use either cards 
  or crystals for their divinations. 
  Illyra favors cards, but she crafted 
  her own second deck with the 
  help of Lalo the Limner. They 
  have the same pictures as most 
  S’Danzo decks, but drawn by 
  Lalo speciﬁcally for her use, and 
  thus linked to her more closely. 
  The cards do have words on 
  them, but Illyra merely copied the designs for the artist—she does 
  not know how to read.
  DESCRIPTION
  Though she is young and lovely, with the dark hair and swarthy skin of 
  her mother’s people, Illyra dresses in heavy skirts and heavier makeup 
  that makes her look more like an aged crone. This is to convince 
  clients that she is old and wise, and thieves that she is grizzled and 
  unappealing.
  PERSONALITY
  Illyra is unhappy about the S’danzo’s reaction to her, but she has 
  learned to live with being an outcast. She has several close friends, 
  including Haakon the sweetmeat vendor, and she loves Dubro as 
  much as he loves her. She rarely travels far from her home, and 
  prefers to stay in her rooms, behind her curtain, waiting for clients 
  and listening to the comforting sound of Dubro’s hammer on the 
  anvil.
  Illyra’s soft demeanor changed over time. After Vashanka was 
  exiled, his essence returned to the Material Plane in the guide of 
  a demiurge that possessed not only Tempus’ bastard child, but also 
  Illyra’s son. To save the boy, she gave him up to Molin to raise and 
  guide, to control the violent outbursts and usher him to divinity. 
  Her daughter fell victim to Zip’s axe in the thick of the riots that 
  resulted from the civil war in the city during the Beysib occupation. 
  As a result of these losses, Illyra withdrew into herself, overcome 
  as she was with grief, until she ﬁnally used Lalo’s cards to bring 
  the inﬂuence of Dyareela to Sanctuary through a special curse she 
  arranged through her cards, possibly precipitating the Dyareelans’ 
  return during the Troubles
  After Lalo and Gilla quelched the ﬁrst Dyareelan scourge, she 
  made peace to some extent with her losses and resumed her life as 
  Sanctuary’s preeminant seer. And in time, with the help of a foundling 
  Walegrin deposited on her doorstep, she regained something of the 
  peace she enjoyed in her youth.
  ILLYRA
  Female Rankan/S’danzo seer, savant 4, S’danzo fortuneteller 6; 
  CR 10; Medium humanoid (human); HD 4d6+8 plus 6d6+12; hp 
  58; Mdt 15; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 10; 
  Base Atk +6; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full 
  Atk +6/+1 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); SQ godless, greater sight, 
  lore +7, precongitive sight, read object, sense psychic impressions, 
  sudden insight 3/week; Rep +1; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +16; 
  Str 10, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, 
  Sense Motive.
  Contacts: Information (Haakan 
  the Fruitseller), Inﬂuence (Molin 
  Torchholder, Walegrin).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +9, 
  Bluﬀ +17, Concentration +8, 
  Diplomacy +15 (+13 non-
  S’danzo), Disguise +2 (+4 
  acting), Gather Information 
  +17, Hide +7, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (local) +16, Listen +20, 
  Move Silently +6, Profession (seer) +12, Search +15, Sense Motive 
  +29, Sleight of Hand +16, Spot +20, Survival +5 (+7 following 
  
  - 102 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  tracks); Alertness, Iron Will, Mixed Ancestry*, Persuasive, 
  NegotiatorB, SightedB*, Skill Focus (Sense Motive)B. 
  Languages: S’danzo (S/R), Rankene (S/R), Trade Tongue (S), 
  Wrigglie (S).
  Possessions: Dagger, Illyra’s ring*, Illyra’s cards*.
  *See sidebar
  ISCHADE
  Ischade settled here because she believed she could live her life 
  without interference from others. She harbors a terrible curse, one that 
  makes her unsuitable for most lands, for Ischade has an uncontrollable 
  sexual appetite—she must engage in carnal activities. Unfortunately 
  for her lovers, this appetite translates into their deaths. 
  A former thief, Ischade unlocked her latent talent for witchcraft early 
  on. At some point in her past, she must have crossed the wrong person, 
  for she gained the curse of the necromant. When Ischade has a romantic 
  encounter, she passes a new form of curse on her “victims.” The hapless 
  lover experiences a series of unbelievable and fatal misfortunes. One lover 
  might choke on his own tongue. Another might slip and fall, breaking 
  his neck. A third might have a heart attack. Every encounter is lethal, 
  but Ischade is helpless to prevent the deaths, for she must mate, regularly, 
  as she feeds oﬀ the energy. 
  When she came to Sanctuary, she selected a small house on the 
  shores of the White Foal River, in proximity to Downwind. This 
  allowed her a haven, a retreat of sorts, where she was less likely to be 
  bothered. The exterior looks a bit run-down, but inside it is draped 
  everywhere with velvet and silk, and ﬁne carpets cover the ﬂoors 
  while ﬁne paintings hang upon the walls. The rooms speak of wealth, 
  careless opulence, and a magpie’s fascination with shiny objects. More 
  important, though, was the house’s nearness to the slums. She could 
  hunt at her pleasure, preying upon the worst of Sanctuary’s people, 
  and in eﬀect, do the city a great service by eliminating thieves, rapists, 
  murderers, and worse.
  Her good intentions (not surprisingly) turned foul. As the Stepsons 
  gradually replaced the Hell Hounds as the most inﬂuential force 
  in the city, they were caught between the Beggar King and the 
  hawk-masks. Straton (see page 126) approached Ischade for her 
  help and possible information. Ischade and Strat quickly became 
  lovers, sundering his bonds with Crit. Strat was safe with Ischade 
  because the surplus of death and walking dead in the city could sate 
  her dangerous appetite. Though Strat did leave town brieﬂy, he was 
  Ischade’s creature up until the power globes shattered and the mana 
  in the city ﬂed. Ischade realized Strat would not be safe and sent him 
  away for his own safety. 
  Though Ischade generally pursued her own agenda, she brieﬂy 
  worked with the Stepsons, and employed Moria, Mor-Am, and 
  the revenant Stilcho as well. She readily worked against Roxane; 
  it’s believed that there was some former connection. But Roxane’s 
  death, the loss of Strat, and her own betrayal at the hands of Haught, 
  coupled with the chaos in the city, left her embittered, and she 
  eventually withdrew into her house. In the years that followed, she 
  became more and more remote, until she vanished altogether, just 
  before the Catastrophes.
  DESCRIPTION
  Sanctuary is ﬁlled with beautiful women as well as with deadly 
  ones. Ischade tops both lists. She is a small and attractive woman 
  with dusky skin and dark hair. She’s delicate in appearance… 
  about as delicate as the ﬁnest steel blade. Ischade attracts attention 
  wherever she goes, but only when she chooses. She’s all but invisible 
  at night, when not looking for a victim. And it is more than her 
  features—she moves with an innate grace, and although her clothing 
  is not overly fancy, it is elegant. When hunting, Ischade wears a 
  dark hooded cloak to conceal her features, but split in the front to 
  reveal her womanly virtues. She is seductive and enticing, luring 
  many men to their doom. She is elegant, but not so elegant as to 
  be unapproachable. Men of all ranks and occupations are drawn to 
  her… and she, to them.
  ILLYRA’S RING
  This plain, unadorned ring was once worn by the S’Danzo fortuneteller Illyra, who used it as a meditative aid when reading her cards. 
  Upon her death, it passed into the treasure hoards of the Bloody Hand, and may still be lost and overlooked somewhere in modern 
  Sanctuary. The ring is a +2 ritual focus for casting divination rituals; it also provides a +2 enhancement bonus to Concentration 
  checks.
  Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Focus, Forge Ring, crafter must have 2 ranks in Concentration; Price 2,400 sh.
  ILLYRA’S CARDS
  This deck of cards is perhaps one of the greatest artifacts ever created in the city of Sanctuary. After Illyra’s original deck burned, Lalo 
  (see page 109) painted a new set of cards based on her descriptions of the lost ones. Thanks to Lalo’s curse, the cards were imbued with 
  some quite powerful magic. Whenever these cards are used in conjunction with the Sighted feat, there is never a chance for a false 
  reading. 
  These cards passed eventually to Molin Torchholder, who placed them in the keeping of Sinjon, who ran the Broken Mast Tavern on 
  the Wideway. Cauvin, when he grudgingly helped Molin in the priest’s ﬁnal days, recovered the cards and took them to Elemi (see page 
  142). At ﬁrst, she gratefully took them, but before Cauvin left, the power frightened her and she tried to give them back to Cauvin, 
  who promply refused and left. It’s believed that Elemi still has these cards, but rarely uses them.
  Overwhelming transmutation; CL 21st.
  
  - 103 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  to seek out new lovers. Each day, Ischade must attempt a DC 
  15 Will save. If she succeeds, she staves oﬀ the craving. If she 
  fails, she takes 1 point of Constitution damage each day until she 
  sates her appetite. Each day after a successful Will save, the DC 
  increase by +5. Once she fails a 
  Will save and takes a lover, the 
  Will save DC resets to 15.
  Spells: safe level 7th; spellcasting 
  +22; ritualcasting +17; save DC 
  14 + spell level.
  Known Spells (21): animate 
  dead (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  charm person (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), convert minor wounds (0, MT 10, price 0/1)*, convert 
  critical wounds (5th, MT 60, price 5)*, daze (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), detect magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), dispel magic (4th, MT 50, 
  price 4), eagle’s splendor (3rd, MT 4th, price 3), ecstasy* (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), entangle (1st, MT 20, price 1), ﬁreball (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), ﬁre storm (7th, MT 80, price 7), ﬂaming sphere (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), greater invisibility (5th, MT 60, price 5), lesser 
  confusion (2nd, MT 30, price 2), mind fog (6th, MT 70, price 6), 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ISCHADE
  “I’ve felt my own death approaching as Ischade gently held me in her 
  arms. If not for the intervention of Enas Yorl, I’d most likely be dead. 
  If you’ve never seen the woman, you’ll likely think me crazy when I say 
  that death is probably a small price to pay for a night with her.”
  PERSONALITY
  Though a beauty, she is cold and calculating, much like a black 
  widow in personality. She has made peace with her curse and uses it 
  to eliminate Sanctuary of its undesirables. She can be very cruel, as 
  evidenced in how she treated Stilcho. She regularly sent his spirit to 
  the Underworld and drew him back, driving him mad. She exploited 
  Moria, used Haught, and saw others as means to ends. The only 
  exception for her pragmatic outlook was Strat. She saw greatness 
  in him and sought to elevate him to rule all of Sanctuary. But when 
  she realized her curse would aﬀect him too, she broke oﬀ the aﬀair. 
  Though it wounded her, Strat’s death would have hurt her much more 
  deeply — something he never knew.
  ISCHADE
  Female Unknown cursed, thief 2, witch 14; CR 16; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d6+4 plus 14d4+44; hp 93; Mdt 15; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk 
  +8; Grap +8; Atk +11 melee (1d4+3/19–20, +3 dagger); Full Atk 
  +11/+6 melee (1d4+3/19–20, +3 dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; 
  SQ arcane endurance, alluring, evasion, necromant, trapﬁnding, 
  unique power, unnatural vitality; Rep +3; SV Fort +7, Ref +10, 
  Will +13; Str 11, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 18.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Diplomacy.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Bluﬀ +27, Concentration +16, 
  Decipher Script +9, Diplomacy +27, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), 
  Escape Artist +7, Gather Information +11, Hide +7, Intimidate 
  +25, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Listen +9, Move Silently +7, 
  Open Lock +7, Profession (herbalist) +18, Search +9, Sleight 
  of Hand +9, Spellcraft +20, Survival +4 (+6 follow tracks), Use 
  Rope +2 (+4 bindings); Appealing†, Craft Focus*, Interrupted 
  Spellcasting*, Ritual Emphasis*, Rushed Spellcasting*, Scribe 
  Matrix*, Witchblooded*.
  †See Chapter Eight: Player’s 
  Expansion for details on this 
  new feat.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), 
  Ilsig (S), Nisi (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (Moria, 
  Stilcho), Inﬂuence (Strat), Skill 
  (Haught).
  Alluring (Ex): In exchange for her curse, Ischade gains a +4 bonus 
  to all Charisma-based skill checks used to seduce an individual 
  ordinarily attracted to her gender.
  Necromant (Su): Ischade lives with a terrible curse. Whenever she 
  has a sexual encounter, her lover must succeed on a DC 30 Will 
  save or dies in 1d6 rounds. Ischade is also under a compulsion 
  ISCHADE’S BRAZIER
  Fire was Ischade’s element, and she used this large brazier to evoke that ﬁre in her necromantic rituals. Although Ischade has vanished 
  from Sanctuary, her house remains, lost at the bottom of the White Foal River or maybe in the swamp—the precise location has long 
  been forgotten; her brazier may still be there, waiting to burn anew some day. The brazier is a +5 ritual focus.
  Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Focus; Price 22,500 sh.
  
  - 104 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  polymorph (4th, MT 50, price 4), produce ﬂame (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), read magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), seeming (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), wall of ﬁre (5th, MT 60, price 5).
  Familiar Spells (24): cause fear (2nd, MT 30, price 2), charm 
  monster (4th, MT 50, price 4), daze monster (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), death ward (5th, MT 60, price 5), detect curse (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), dominate animal (3rd, MT 40, price 3), ﬂame strike (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), ghost sound (1st, MT 20, price 1), greater scrying 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7), legend lore (5th, MT 60, price 5), mage hand 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), nightmare (6th, MT 70, price 6), obscuring 
  mist (1st, MT 20, price 1), permanent image (7th, MT 80, price 
  7), plane shift (7th, MT 80, price 7), resist energy (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), scrying (4th, MT 50, price 4), secure shelter (5th, MT 
  60, price 5), shadow evocation (6th, MT 70, price 7), silent image 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), snare (3rd, MT 40, price 3), suggestion 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), summon monster I (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  summon monster VI (6th, MT 70, price 6)
  *See Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details on these new 
  spells.
  Possessions: +3 dagger, +6 spell 
  focus (black cloak), Ischade’s 
  brazier*. In addition, Ischade 
  has numerous matrixes around 
  her house and a number of 
  random magic items taken 
  from her victims.
  *See Ischade’s Brazier sidebar 
  for details.
  JAMIE THE RED
  Jamie the Red was Sanctuary’s preeminant barbarian and nobleman. 
  The best friend of Cappen Varra, Jamie was a colorful ﬁgure who hung 
  around Sanctuary’s many taverns and brothels. Though he didn’t do 
  much but spend time with his doxies or drink and ﬁght in various 
  bars, he has a penchant for adventure, and was drawn to new and 
  deadly exploits as a moth was to a ﬂame. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, Jamie is a handsome man with 
  ﬂame-red hair and beard. He ﬁghts for anyone who can pay him, and 
  when not so employed, he is at the Vulgar Unicorn drinking, or at 
  his apartment in the Jeweler’s Quarter with his two women. He is 
  an eager participant in any barroom brawl, but Jamie is just as quick 
  to dust oﬀ his opponent and oﬀer him a drink. He loves to ﬁght, but 
  he does not take any of it personally.
  PERSONALITY
  Most people make the mistake 
  of thinking that Jamie is dumb 
  because he is big, strong, and 
  from the north. In fact he is 
  quite bright, and surprisingly well 
  educated. That is because Jamie is 
  no normal Northman. His father 
  is a tribal chief from the Cantal Plains, and Jamie was raised at court 
  and given a full court education. (Of course, Jamie likes to exaggerrate, 
  and with each telling of his history, his past becomes more fanciful, 
  with his father being a king and he the estranged prince.) He is 
  currently burning oﬀ his youthful energy, so that he can return to 
  his father and take on the role of a proper heir.
  JAMIE THE RED
  Male Cantal Plains aristocrat, barbarian 8; CR 8; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 8d12+32; hp 90; Mdt 25; Init +2; 
  Spd 40 ft.; AC 20, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 18; Base Atk +8; Grap 
  +12; Atk +13 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 bastard sword) or +11 
  ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite (+4) longbow); Full 
  Atk +13/+8 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 bastard sword) or +11/+6  
  ranged (1d8+4/×3, masterwork composite (+4) longbow); SA 
  rage; SQ damage reduction 1/—, improved uncanny dodge, 
  tough as nails, trap sense +2, uncanny dodge; Rep +2; SV Fort 
  +10, Ref +4, Will +5 [2, 3 Wis]; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 15, 
  Wis 17, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +13, Diplomacy +12, Intimidate +13, 
  Jump +13, Listen +14, Ride +13, Sense Motive +10, Survival 
  +14; Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency (bastard sword) B, Great 
  Cleave, Power Attack.
  Languages: Highlander (S/W), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (Cappen Varra).
  Rage (Ex): Three times per day, Jamie can enter a rage. When 
  he does, use the following statistics:
  SHADOWSPAWN ON JAMIE THE RED
  “If you want a hero of the people, look no further than Jamie the 
  Red. He’s got more skill of arms and enthusiasm than he does 
  subtlety, but he’s charming and always popular with the ladies. I’m 
  not sure why they like him so much. Maybe it’s the kilt.”
  
  - 105 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON JARVEENA
  “Jarveena, as an apprentice scribe, joined forces with  
  Enas Yorl to foil a plot against Prince Kittycat’s life. It wasn’t 
  her love of his royal highness that persuaded her; it was the 
  opportunity to gain revenge against the man who destroyed her 
  childhood home.”
  HD 8d12+48; hp 100; Mdt 22; AC 18, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 16; 
  Grap +14; Atk +15  melee (1d10+7/19–20, +1 bastard sword); 
  Full Atk +15/+10 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 bastard sword); SV 
  Fort +12, Will +7; Str 22, Con 22.
  Skills: Climb +15, Jump +15.
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 bastard sword, 
  masterwork composite (+4) longbow with 20 arrows.
  JARVEENA OF FORGOTTEN HOLT
  Jarveena was born in the village of Forgotten Holt, a small village 
  that was once important in the distant past when it was part of 
  Yenized. When she was a child, 
  bandits attacked and destroyed 
  the village. The men were killed, 
  but the women were raped and 
  beaten by the warriors, and then 
  left for dead. Jarveena survived. 
  She made her way across the 
  desert to Sanctuary, hoping to 
  find some news of these men 
  who had ruined her life. Instead, 
  she discovered that the leader of 
  the bandits was none other than Captain Nizharu of the Rankan 
  army. Fate oﬀered her a hand in seeing him hang for treason, and 
  also introduced her to Enas Yorl, who took an interest in the girl. 
  He encouraged Jarveena to leave Sanctuary, and she took passage 
  on a ship. She had been working for Master Melilot as a scribe and 
  runner, but now she is a trading agent, bringing him commissions 
  from all over the world.
  DESCRIPTION
  Jarveena is a thin girl of about 15 years, with plain features and dark 
  eyes. A scar, just below her hairline, shows when she scowls, and she 
  conceals a great many more scars beneath the boy’s clothing that 
  she wears. After her alliance with Enas Yorl, the scars on her body 
  lessened, gradually transforming her into the beauty that she should 
  have always been (increase her Charisma score by +4).
  PERSONALITY
  Jarveena is a tough young woman. She has endured events most adults 
  never could, and not only survived, but made every eﬀort to overcome 
  the situation. With Nizharu’s death, her thirst for revenge faded, and 
  she discovered that she had no idea what to do with her life. Enas Yorl 
  oﬀered her a new direction, and she took it. Now she travels the world, 
  obtaining business for Melilot. In 
  return, she has freedom, and some 
  measure of importance. She has a 
  chance to travel. And every time 
  she returns to Sanctuary, she visits 
  Enas Yorl, and the shapeshifting 
  sorcerer helps erase a few more of 
  her scars. Jarveena has discovered, 
  now that the scars are fading 
  and her rage with them, that she 
  actually likes being alive. She 
  is beginning to enjoy herself. She also likes Enas Yorl, and is one 
  of the few who has seen past his ever-changing shape to the man 
  trapped within.
  JARVEENA
  Female Holt fugitive, survivor 2, thief 1, savant 4; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d10+4 plus 1d6+2 plus 4d6+8; hp 47; 
  Mdt 20; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 15, ﬂat-footed 12; Base 
  Atk +4; Grap +5; Atk +7 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or +7 melee 
  (1d6+1, unarmed strike); Full Atk +7 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) 
  or +7 melee (1d6+1, unarmed strike); SA intelligent combatant, 
  sneak attack +1d6; SQ ﬁght or ﬂight (defense), trapﬁnding; Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will 
  +11; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 15, 
  Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Listen, Spot
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +3 
  (+5 books), Balance +3, Bluﬀ 
  +6, Climb +6 (+8 ropes), Craft 
  (bookbinding) +8, Decipher 
  Script +8, Diplomacy +2, 
  Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Escape 
  Artist +3 (+5 ropes), Forgery 
  +10, Gamble +6, Gather Information +7, Hide +3, Knowledge 
  (local) +8, Listen +13, Move Silently +3, Profession (scribe) +7, 
  Search +8, Sense Motive +11, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +13, 
  Survival +7 (+9 follow tracks), Swim +6, Use Rope +7; DeceitfulB, 
  Diehard, EnduranceB, Great Fortitude, Improved Damage 
  ThresholdB*, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Iron WillB, Run
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Yenizen (W).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Enas Yorl), Skill (Master Melilot).
  Possessions: Leather armor, dagger, scribe kit.
  JUBAL
  Sanctuary is a city of second chances, and no one knows this better 
  than Jubal. Raised as a slave, and then sold to the gladiatorial arena 
  for his height and strength, Jubal proved himself in the ring. He was 
  undefeated as a gladiator, and grew so popular that ﬁnally the Rankan 
  Emperor granted Jubal his freedom. But, of course, if he stayed in 
  Ranke, he would always be known as a former slave and an ex-
  gladiator. So Jubal went to Sanctuary. He tried his hand as a sellsword, 
  but found that crime suited him better. With the wealth from his 
  ﬁghting days, Jubal purchased the freedom of another slave, Saliman, 
  and together they became thieves, drug dealers, slavers, and smugglers. 
  And business was good—soon, 
  Jubal was hiring others to do the 
  stealing and dealing for him. He 
  hired several sellswords to serve 
  as muscle, and before long, he had 
  an empire.
  Things were going well for 
  Jubal up until Prince Kadakithis 
  showed up. Before, he never had 
  a problem witht the Governors; 
  they could be bought and sold like 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON JUBAL
  “Lord of the hawk-masks, king of the city’s underworld, and former 
  slave turned slaver. If there’s a criminal force to be reckoned with in 
  Sanctuary, it’s Jubal and his mercenaries. Up until Kittycat showed 
  up, Jubal was the city’s unofﬁcial governor. Depending on who you 
  ask, he still is.”
  
  - 106 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  anyone else. However, Kadakithis’ Hell Hounds are not intimidated 
  and they are quick to beat the snot out of any of Jubal’s men. Worse, 
  hawk-masks are dying all over the city, brutally murdered and hung 
  on display. It seems Jubal’s days as the reigning lord of crime might 
  be coming to a close.
  DESCRIPTION
  Jubal is a massive black man, tall and powerfully built. His skin is 
  crisscrossed with scars from the arenas and also from his early days 
  on the streets. When meeting a subject, he dons the blue mask of 
  his organization.
  PERSONALITY
  Jubal is very pragmatic. He has some scruples, but not many, and they 
  do not surface often. His ﬁrst concern is that his organization runs 
  smoothly. After that, he worries about his proﬁts, then his men, and 
  ﬁnally his reputation.
  JUBAL
  Male Unknown prizeﬁghter, ﬁghter 4, gladiator 5, kingpin 9; 
  CR 18; Medium humanoid (human); HD 4d10+8 plus 5d10+13 
  plus 9d6+18; hp 125; Mdt 21; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 24, touch 
  18, ﬂat-footed 17; Base Atk +15; Grap +21; Atk +24 melee 
  (1d8+10/17–20, +2 keen longsword) or +19 ranged (entangle, net); 
  Full Atk +22/+17/+12 melee (1d8+10/17–20, +2 keen longsword), 
  +21 melee (1d6+5/17–20, +2 keen short sword) or +19 ranged 
  (entangle, net); SA howls of lust and fury, retributive strike; SQ 
  advisor (Saliman), ﬁghter training, interests (drugs, slavery), 
  network, organization (hawk-masks), outside the law; Rep +6; 
  SV Fort +17, Ref +16, Will +9; Str 22, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 16, 
  Wis 17, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Tumble.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +12, Balance +8, Bluﬀ +16, Diplomacy 
  +15, Disguise +7 (+9 acting), Escape Artist +13, Gather 
  Information +23, Hide +9, Intimidate +31 (+33 in Downwind), 
  Jump +20, Knowledge (local) +16, Listen +12, Move Silently +9, 
  Perform (gladiator) +4, Ride +9, Sense Motive +17, Spot +12, 
  Tumble +15, Use Rope +4 (+6 bindings); Combat Expertise, 
  Combat Reﬂexes, DodgeB, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, 
  Iron Will, Leadership, MobilityB, Spring Attack, ToughnessB, 
  Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon Focus (longsword)B, Weapon 
  Specialization (longsword)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S), Wrigglie (S), Ilsig (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (Hakiem, 2), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +4 studded leather, +2 keen longsword, +2 keen short 
  sword, masterwork net, ring of protection +1, amulet of natural 
  armor +1, belt of Strength +4, gloves of Dexterity +4, hawk-mask*, 
  periapt of wisdom +2, shadow cloak*, soles of silence*.
  *See Jubal’s Treasures sidebar for details.
  SALIMAN
  Though Jubal was master of Sanctuary’s underworld, he could never have stayed so had it not been for his friend and advisor, Saliman. 
  Another former slave, Jubal bought and freed him shortly after he came to Thieves’ World. Since then, Saliman proved he had a head 
  for numbers, and has remained with Jubal ever since: ﬁrst out of gratitude, and then out of friendship. 
  A small, lean man with a small pointed beard and a deeply lined face, Saliman is not a ﬁghter. He is incredibly observant, however, 
  and nothing escapes his notice or his memory. Saliman handles the minutiae of Jubal’s operation, tracking every deal and every 
  operative. 
  Each day, he reports to Jubal, glossing over the smaller details and focusing upon larger issues and any problems that have appeared. 
  The two discuss matters, and together decide what to do. Saliman is the only person who can tell Jubal he is being stupid and survive; 
  Jubal values his friend’s intelligence and insight far too much to ever attack him. Saliman is also in charge of their espionage force, 
  and all of their spies and informants report directly to him. He then collects the information and shares it with Jubal in a condensed 
  form. Saliman does not have a life of his own—he lives for the organization. He has no family, no friends beyond Jubal, and no hobbies 
  beyond tallying proﬁts and expenses and devising new ways to streamline their operations.
  
  - 107 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON KADAKITHIS
  “The Prince saved my life, and I taught him a thing or two about 
  his palace’s lack of security. There was more to him than most 
  folks saw. I always got the impression that he wanted to be my 
  friend, but the differences between us were too great to make such 
  a gamble socially acceptable.”
  KADAKITHIS
  Even if his half-brother were not 
  Emperor of Ranke, Kadakithis 
  would be worth noticing. The 
  young son of a highly placed 
  Rankan house, he was weaned on 
  court intrigue, and was a proven 
  master of political maneuvers. 
  Unfortunately, for all his 
  intelligence and skill, Kadakithis 
  was young, and very idealistic. 
  The emperor was worried that 
  his rivals would sway Kadakithis to them, and then use his support 
  to launch an attempt on the throne. He could not risk that. But he 
  also refused to kill his young half-brother. 
  Instead, the emperor sent Kadakithis to Sanctuary as its new Imperial 
  Governor. Once there, Kadakithis worked hard to improve the lots 
  of the Sanctans, passing laws and measures against undesireable 
  businesses, and using the Hell Hounds to confront kingpins like Jubal. 
  What shocked much of the city was that he actually succeeded. 
  Kadakithis’ inﬂuence waned with the arrival of the Beysibs, as more 
  and more control of the city fell into their grasp. However, even then, 
  Kadakithis served the city, by taking Shupansea as his consort and 
  encouraging trade between the two peoples, improving the standard 
  of living everywhere in Sanctuary.
  Sanctuary gave Kadakithis the nickname “Kittycat.” Rather than get 
  upset, he cultivated the image of the naïve, weak young man struggling 
  to maintain control, as it put his enemies oﬀ guard. (Kadakithis was 
  actually quite ﬁt, and a good, if not spectacular, swordsman.) He 
  was very sure of himself, and responded conﬁdently to each new 
  problem.
  Through it all, Kadakithis was loyal foremost to Ranke. When 
  the empire started contracting and suﬀering from the anarchy of 
  endless short-lived usurpers, 
  he, at Chenaya’s insistance, left 
  Sanctuary to make a bid for the 
  throne. Most people believed 
  he left with Shupansea, but the 
  truth is not-at-all romantic. What 
  happened is not exactly certain, 
  but he clearly failed to take 
  the throne, and along the way, 
  Chenaya met her fate: drowning 
  at sea. In all likelihood, the hero 
  of Sanctuary probably died upon 
  the knife of a thief in Ranke, who never realized who the prince was 
  or the signiﬁcance of the murder.
  DESCRIPTION
  Slender, blond, and good-looking, the prince looks more like a 
  courtier or a court minstrel than a ruler. But no one who meets 
  him feels that way afterward. Kadakithis is very observant, and very 
  good at reading people. He also knows how to use his youth to his 
  advantage, making his enemies think him weak until he is ready to 
  act. Kadakithis really does want to clean up Sanctuary and make it 
  a pleasant, safe place to live. He is starting to realize that this could 
  take a very long time.
  PERSONALITY
  Kadakithis is anything but stupid. He knows why he was exiled from 
  Ranke, and why he is here. But he is still determined to do the best job 
  he can, and to clean up Sanctuary. Though highly educated, Kadakithis 
  is very young, and very new to certain harsh realities.
  JUBAL’S TREASURES
  Thanks to his adventuers and his position in the city as the kingpin of all crime, he has acquired numerous treasures. he used them to 
  establish and maintain his grip on Sanctuary’s underworld. 
  HAWK-MASKS
  These dyed-leather masks were worn by Jubal’s agents and enforcers during the Rankan era; a few still remain as historical curiosities. 
  Thanks to minor blessings and spells used in their creation, anyone wearing a hawkmask receives a +1 enhancement bonus to all saves 
  and a +2 circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks.
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, crafter must have 2 ranks in Intimidate, resistance; Price 1,400 sh.
  SHADOW CLOAK
  This item was owned by Jubal, who used it when he wanted to pass unseen through the streets of Sanctuary. The black cloth of the 
  cloak blends seamlessly into shadows, giving the wearer a +5 circumstance bonus to Hide checks.
  Faint illusion; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, crafter must have 5 ranks in Hide; Price 2,500 sh. [(5 x 5) x 100]
  SOLES OF SILENCE
  Another part of Jubal’s personal arsenal of magic items, these sandals allow the wearer to move unheard over any surface, even the 
  rubble-strewn streets of the Maze. The sandals give the wearer a +5 circumstance bonus to Move Silently checks.
  Faint illusion; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, crafter must have 5 ranks in Move Silently; Price 2,500 sh.
  
  - 108 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  KADAKITHIS
  Male Rankan aristocrat, noble 10, ﬁghter 2; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 10d8+20 plus 2d10+4; hp 84; Mdt 
  21; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 18; Base 
  Atk +9; Grap +10; Atk +12 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) 
  or +11 ranged (1d6+2/×3, +1 composite [+1] shortbow); Full Atk 
  +12/+7 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +11/+6 ranged 
  (1d6+2/×3, +1 composite [+1] shortbow); SA inspire awe, inspire 
  competence, inspire complacency; SQ inspire conﬁdence, 
  inspire courage, organize +5, resources (×2); Rep +6; SV Fort 
  +8, Ref +5, Will +9; Str 13, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 18, 
  Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +19, Climb +2, Diplomacy +33, Disguise 
  +3 (+5 acting), Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +14, Knowledge 
  (history) +16, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +16, Listen 
  +17, Perform (oratory) +16, Ride +16, Sense Motive +24; Agile 
  Riposte*, Combat Expertise, Distinctive†, Distinctive TitleB*, 
  DodgeB, FameB*, Improved Feint, Iron WillB, LeadershipB, 
  Mounted CombatB, NegotiatorB, Well-ConnectedB*, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword).
  †New feat; see Chapter Eight: Player’s Expansion in this 
  book.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Beysib (S).
  Contacts: Information (Hakiem), Inﬂuence (Molin Torchholder, 
  Shupansea, Tempus), Skill (Shadowspawn).
  Possessions: +2 chain shirt, +1 light steel shield, +1 longsword, +1 
  composite (+1) shortbow with 20 arrows, cloak of Charisma +2, 
  savankh*.
  *See Savankh sidebar for details.
  KAMA
  Kama is Tempus’ daughter, and as such, she inherited many of her 
  father’s talents and skills. A powerful warrior in her own right, she 
  uses her martial prowess as an assassin rather than as a warrior. 
  Kama has ﬁlled many roles in 
  her time. She began as an initiate 
  to Vashanka, later became a 
  singer, and eventually joined up 
  with the 3rd Commando. She 
  came to Sanctuary to eliminate 
  Roxane, but quickly found herself 
  embroiled in the anarchy of the 
  city, especially during the brief 
  romance she had with Zip of the PFLS. She worked as the 3rd’s liason 
  to the Stepsons, which puts her into contact with great men — just 
  as she likes it. Later, for a brief time, she bedded Molin Torchholder 
  and planned to marry him.
  DESCRIPTION
  This tall, broad-shouldered woman is striking. Kama has long, thick 
  black hair, a ﬁrm chin, and clear, narrow eyes. She is not beautiful, 
  but her features are strong and attractive, as much from her force of 
  personality as for the features themselves. She favors simple clothing 
  to avoid drawing attention.
  PERSONALITY
  Kama speaks her mind. She and her father respect one another 
  but there is no familial love between them. Kama is drawn to 
  strong, smart, idealistic men, and has taken many lovers over the 
  years, including the Stepson, Critias, and the Rankan priest, Molin 
  Torchholder.
  KAMA
  Female Rankan acolyte of Vashanka, assassin 10; CR 10; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 10d8+40; hp 89; Mdt 21; Init +3; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 19, touch 15, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +7; Grap +9; 
  Atk +10 melee (1d8+3/19–20, +1 longsword) or +10 ranged 
  (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow) or +10 ranged (1d4+2/19–20, 
  throwing dagger); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d8+3/19–20, +1 
  longsword) and +7/+2 melee (1d4+1/18–20, masterwork kukri) 
  or +10 ranged (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow) or +10/+5 ranged 
  (1d4+2/19–20, throwing dagger); SA sneak attack +3d6, sniper; 
  SQ poison expert, Vashanka’s strength; Rep +2; SV Fort +11, Ref 
  +10, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Heal, Perform.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +14, Diplomacy +3, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), 
  Escape Artist +11, Gather Information +14, Heal +6, Hide +16, 
  Intimidate +3, Listen +17, Move Silently +16, Perform (sing) +16, 
  Spot +17, Use Rope +3 (+5 bindings); Blind-Fight B, Combat 
  Expertise B, Improved Feint, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  Negotiator B, Quick Draw B, 
  Two-Weapon Defense, Two-
  Weapon Fighting.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), 
  Ilsig (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (Zip), 
  Influence (Tempus), Skill 
  (Critias).
  SHADOWSPAWN ON KAMA
  “The daughter that Tempus never wanted. She’s bad cess. In a world 
  where a woman should know her place, Kama isn’t about to play by 
  society’s rules. Tough, like her father. A cold-blooded killer, but even 
  more ruthless, if that’s possible. Anyone that goes near her deserves 
  what they get.”
  SAVANKH
  This legendary symbol of authority is said to kill anyone who lies while grasping it. In truth, the savankh is neither so powerful 
  nor so legendary. The Rankan church consecrates the rods and presents them to the governors of all the Imperial cities. Anyone 
  who holds a savankh is compelled to speak the truth, but a strong willed man can ﬁght that compulsion (DC 14 Will save to 
  resist). Of course, rumors that lying will kill the holder make few people inclined to even try to ﬁght the urge to tell the truth.
  Moderate enchantment; CL 6th; Craft Rod, zone of truth; Price 12,000 sh.
  
  - 109 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  SHADOWSPAWN ON LALO
  “Lalo is an extraordinary artist, even though I’m not usually one to 
  notice such things. He seems to capture the truth of a person’s being 
  as he paints them, revealing things that are sometimes best left unseen. 
  I’ve sometimes wondered what I would look like if he painted me.”
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, buckler, +1 longsword, masterwork 
  kukri, 6 throwing daggers, +1 light crossbow with 10 bolts, ring 
  of protection +2, gloves of Dexterity +2.
  LALO THE LIMNER
  Lalo is, at heart, and has always been an artist. He wanted nothing more 
  in life than to provide for his family doing what he loved. In his youth, 
  he had a promising career painting murals and portraits. Somehow, over 
  the years, Lalo lost his way. He drank more heavily, and missed sittings 
  and deadines. People stopped hiring him, which only made him drink 
  more. He and his wife Gilla, who has a sharp tongue but is also Lalo’s 
  greatest fan, have many children, and all live together in a tiny little 
  house, which Lalo escapes to go drinking whenever he can.
  Everything changed when he met Enas Yorl. The archmage hired Lalo 
  to do a portrait and in exchange, Enas would grant him his heart’s 
  desire. While painting, he created (with the aid of Enas’ magic) a 
  portrait that revealed Jarveena’s soul. So astounded was Lalo by the 
  result that he asked for this gift to be made permanent. 
  What he didn’t realize was that the gift he had asked for was actually 
  a curse. Whenever he painted a portrait, he painted the subject’s soul. 
  People that were wicked or corrupt became bestial in the paintings, 
  while the pure of heart were made beautiful. Lalo discovered that 
  being able to draw a person’s soul was not always a good thing, 
  particularly since he did not know what the picture would look like 
  until it was done. But if he lost one client, he gained three more, and 
  their needs were few. And, over time, Lalo learned to appreciate his 
  new talent more and more, and to judge people by their actions rather 
  than their appearances.
  Strangely, the curse was not content to remain as it was. It transformed 
  into something greater and more dangerous. When Lalo painted from 
  his imagination, he could breathe life into his works. He painted 
  multicolored ﬂies (which still exist in Sanctuary in the Irrune Era), 
  created the beast of the Vulgar Unicorn, opened portals to other 
  worlds, changed the weather, and more. Lalo could do anything he 
  liked so long as he painted it ﬁrst. Whether divinely granted (Lalo 
  did traﬃc with the gods) or some 
  manifestation of latent arcane 
  talents, his ability to create made 
  Lalo a valuable commodity in 
  Sanctuary.
  DESCRIPTION
  Lalo is a short, slight man with 
  thinning ginger hair and a growing 
  paunch. He has thin arms and legs, and dresses in simple clothing. His 
  hair is often disheveled, and he is often nervous and ﬁdgety around 
  important people. In the years that followed after gaining his “gift,” 
  he was in better health and set aside drinking to concentrate on his 
  responsibilities.
  PERSONALITY
  Lalo is a friendly, easygoing man who thinks like an artist, seeing 
  light and shadows everywhere and unconsciously posing each person 
  he meets. Despite the diﬃculties, he is thrilled with his new vision, 
  and excited about painting new works. 
  LALO
  Male Wrigglie craftsman, savant 8; CR 8*; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 8d6; hp 30; Mdt 11; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, 
  touch 13, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +6; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or +7 melee (1d3+1 nonlethal, unarmed 
  strike); Full Atk +7/+2 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or +7/+2 
  melee (1d3+1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); SQ cursed, jaded, lore 
  +11, master craftsman; Rep +5; 
  SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +11; 
  Str 12, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 16, 
  Wis 18, Cha 12.
  *Lalo is technically a CR 8 
  character, but the nature of his 
  curse makes him one of the most 
  powerful sorcerers in Sanctuary, 
  and maybe even the world.
  Background Skills: Concentration, Craft (painting).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +14 (+16 art, +18 paintings), 
  Concentration +13, Craft (painting) +25, Diplomacy +3, Gather 
  Information +14, Knowledge (local) +14 (+16 to navigate the 
  Maze), Listen +17, Profession (artist) +18, Search +14, Sense 
  Motive +15, Spot +17, Survival +4 (+6 follow tracks); AlertnessB, 
  FameB*, Maze-SavvyB*, Run, Skill Focus (Craft: painting), Skill 
  Focus (Profession: artist), Well-ConnectedB*
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S), Ilsig (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (Illyra), Inﬂuence (Molin Torchholder), 
  Skill (Cappen Varra, Enas Yorl).
  
  - 110 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Curse (Su): The base eﬀect of Lalo’s curse grants him a +4 bonus to 
  Craft (painting) checks and always reveals the “true nature” of the 
  subject, as though Lalo was under the eﬀect of a true seeing spell. 
  In addition, Lalo may discover pieces of information regarding the 
  subject’s character and history. Treat this as a variant of the legend 
  lore spell with no components, that does not require a legendary 
  subject, and has but a single question available: “What is the subject 
  of this painting really like?” Lalo must paint the images that come 
  to him, rather than the prosaic appearance of the subject.
  Lalo’s curse eventually evolves, allowing him to create more 
  than just a painting. The curse grants him the ability to wish 
  without the XP component as part of his painting. To use, Lalo 
  must spend 10 minutes per square foot of the illustration. At 
  the end, he breathes into the image, making a Concentration 
  check against a DC 15 + 1 per square foot. If he succeeds on the 
  check, the image comes to life as a living being or as an actual 
  object as created by the major creation spell. The eﬀect is always 
  permanent until destroyed. Lalo can use this ability as often as 
  he likes, but the Concentration check DC increases by +2 for 
  each time after the ﬁrst. After he rests for 8 hours, the DC resets 
  to its base value.
  Possessions: Dagger, masterwork painter’s kit, several rolled 
  canvases, inks, paints, and other tools of an artist.
  LASTEL “ONE-THUMB”
  One-Thumb’s story is a perfect example of how Sanctuary does not 
  pry into peoples’ pasts. Which is good, because in this case, it would 
  be more than most people are prepared to handle. By day, Lastel is 
  a wealthy merchant, with a nice apartment in the Jeweler’s Quarter. 
  He is sociable, and gathers often with small groups of friends. By 
  night, however, Lastel hangs up his ﬁne clothing and removes the 
  taxidermist’s prosthetic that 
  makes his hand look whole. He 
  changes into worn, bloodstained 
  clothes, buckles on his sword, 
  and uses an underground tunnel 
  to reach the Lily Garden before 
  walking the handful of blocks to 
  his tavern, the Vulgar Unicorn. 
  Here, he is known as One-Thumb, 
  and everyone fears him.
  The main reason people fear One-Thumb is not his swordplay, though 
  he is competent with the blade. They fear his curse. It is well known in 
  Sanctuary that One-Thumb is protected by a magical spell: whoever 
  kills him is damned to an eternity in Hell. As long as he stays alive, 
  the people around him are safe.
  Shortly after Kadakithis came to Sanctuary, Lastel went to speak 
  with Mizraith. Mizraith was one of the most powerful mages in 
  Sanctuary, but his son and his chief rival were conspiring against 
  him. They fought, and Mizraith won, but died in the process. He did 
  transfer Lastel’s curse to his sons for safekeeping, but a rival wizard, 
  Markmor, decided that Lastel needed to be punished for interfering. 
  He perverted the old spell somehow, and the next time Lastel went 
  down into the tunnels of Undercity he encountered someone very 
  strange: himself. The two versions of Lastel fought, and ﬁnally threw 
  aside caution and lunged. They slew each other at the same time, their 
  steel poking through each other’s backs. And, thanks, to the curse, 
  they would be stuck that way forever.
  Eventually, Cime managed to free Lastel, though he was dazed 
  from spending years trapped in that sorcerous hell. He found the 
  Vulgar Unicorn to be run down, broken open, and mishandled, and 
  immediately took control and tried to set things right. He later took 
  up with Roxane and lost the Vulgar Unicorn again, this time to her 
  demon, Snapper Jo. He tried to restore his control over the Unicorn, 
  but eventually oﬀended someone far more powerful than he and 
  received a vicious sexual disease that presumably killed him. 
  The One-Thumb character later reappears, but not Lastel. The new 
  One-Thumb was a carpenter who had accidentaly cut oﬀ his thumb 
  and wanted a change of life. Strick, the spellmaster, gave the Unicorn 
  to the man to manage it. The new One-Thumb is nothing like the 
  original (male Wrigglie expert 4).
  DESCRIPTION
  Lastel is a large, heavy man with no hair and craggy features. He is 
  missing half of his left thumb, though no one knows what happened 
  to it, or when he lost it.
  PERSONALITY
  Lastel is smart, organized, and eﬃcient. The Vulgar Unicorn is not 
  pretty: the service is good, the food and drink mediocre, but the 
  company excellent. Lastel runs 
  the place very tight, often pulling 
  surprise inspections on his staﬀ. 
  He has honed his “bartender” 
  sense, and can actually tell when 
  someone walks through the 
  door looking for trouble. Those 
  patrons are quickly asked to 
  leave, and escorted out as quietly 
  as possible.
  ONE-THUMB
  Male Rankan criminal, thief 6, aristocrat 2; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d6+18 plus 2d8+6; hp 57; Mdt 21; Init 
  +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 15, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +5; Grap 
  +8; Atk +9 melee (1d4+4/19–20, One-Thumb’s knife) or +9 ranged 
  (1d4+3/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +9 melee (1d4+4/19–
  20, One-Thumb’s knife) or +9 ranged (1d4+3/19–20, masterwork 
  ONE-THUMB’S KNIFE
  Lastel, the one-time proprietor of the Vulgar Unicorn, also known as One-Thumb, carried a long bladed knife that gave him a slight 
  edge in combat. When wielded in combat, this +1 dagger grants the wielder a +2 deﬂection bonus to his Armor Class.
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield of faith; Price 11,302 sh.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ONE-THUMB
  “One-Thumb was a man to be feared before he vanished. When he 
  returned from wherever he’d been, there was something missing, like 
  he’d been touched by a ghost. He’s still scary, in his own way, but it’s 
  not because of who he is, but rather, who he’s with at the time.”
  
  - 111 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Though Lythande is thought to be male, all adepts of the Blue Star 
  have a secret. Lythande’s is “his” — or rather, “her” — sex. Lythande is 
  a woman. She guards this secret, for if it were to be divulged, she would 
  lose her power. Only one person knows Lythande’s secret: Myrtis, the 
  madame of the Aphrodesia House, who is also Lythande’s sister.
  DESCRIPTION
  Not every wizard is as hideous as Enas Yorl. Tall, slender, and athletic, 
  with clean, handsome features and thick, gray hair, Lythande has 
  turned many ladies’ heads. But the only woman whose company he 
  keeps is Myrtis, mistress of Aphrodisia House. 
  Lythande wears functional leather and cotton clothing, and a long 
  cloak. He carries a handsome but well-worn rapier. The blue star 
  tattoo on his forehead shows that he is from the Order of the Blue 
  Star. Lythande is always careful to maintain his image as a powerful 
  wandering mage.
  PERSONALITY
  Lythande is very quiet. He does not say much to anyone, and will not 
  eat or drink in public, which means that by the time he reaches Myrtis 
  BLUE STAR SWORD
  Many of the adepts of the Blue Star have been trained in the use of weapons in combat, the better to ﬁght the forces of Chaos. Lythande 
  was a skilled swordsman who also used his magical blade as a component in spells. Other Blue Star adepts used similar weapons, and these 
  blades are still found in the hands of some mages and adepts. A Blue Star sword is both a +2 defending longsword and a +2 spell focus.
  Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Focus, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield; Price 26,315 sh.
  dagger); SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ evasion, jaded, trap sense +2, 
  trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge, ward; Rep +1; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will 
  +7; Str 16, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Gather Information.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +12, Bluﬀ +12, Diplomacy +3 (+5 
  when dealing with scum), Disguise +12 (+14 acting), Forgery 
  +12, Gather Information +17, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate 
  +14, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +5, Listen +11, Profession (innkeeper) +3, 
  Search +12, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +14, Spot +11 
  (+13 to notice thievery), Survival +2 (+4 follow tracks); Combat 
  Expertise, Improved Feint, Maze-Savvy*B, Streetwise*.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (Amoli), Influence (Mizraith), Skill 
  (Cime).
  Ward (Su): One-Thumb has the beneﬁt of being protected by 
  a powerful ward that nearly guarantees no one will attack him. 
  Whoever slays him will burn in eternal ﬂames. The killer must 
  succeed on a DC 25 Will save or be wreathed in ﬂames and 
  trapped in stasis forever. The ﬂames deal no physical damage, but 
  are extremely painful. Each week of being burned, the subject of 
  the curse takes 1d4 points of Wisdom drain as his sanity ﬂees. 
  Once his Wisdom drops to 0, the subject takes Charisma drain 
  and then Intelligence drain, becoming a husk trapped in the 
  nightmare of burning alive forever. 
  Possessions: Leather, One-Thumb’s knife*, 2 masterwork daggers, 
  amulet of natural armor +2. One-Thumb is quite wealthy, due 
  to his noble blood and his success in Sanctuary’s criminal 
  underworld. When acting as Lastel the noble, he usually wears 
  a noble’s outﬁt and drips with jewelry.
  *See One-Thumb’s Knife sidebar for details.
  LYTHANDE
  Lythande is one of the more famous wizards to grace Sanctuary. The 
  tattoo on the wizard’s forehead has elicited wonder and excitement, 
  making him an iconic character despite his short stay in the city. The 
  tattoo is a symbol of Lythande’s dedication to opposing Chaos—that 
  which will unravel the universe. Though it is his destiny to defeat 
  Chaos in the end days in a climactic battle between Order and 
  its opposite, he wanders the world until the time of his calling, 
  doing what he can to stave oﬀ Chaos’ taint in the world. Though 
  a mercenary who will supposedly work for anyone who pays him, 
  Lythande will not take a job that involves gods, kingdoms, hordes, 
  or divine intervention. He is constantly looking for chances to drive 
  the darkness from Sanctuary, and for opportunities to gain more 
  wealth without any surprises.
  
  - 112 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  in the evening, she is exhausted and he is starved, both for sustenance 
  and for company. Lythande often spends an entire evening talking 
  to Myrtis, because she is the only one he trusts with his secret, and 
  then he departs without a word the next morning.
  LYTHANDE
  Female Unknown apprentice, mage 8, adept of the Blue Star 6; 
  CR 14; Medium humanoid (human); HD 8d4+24 plus 6d6+18; 
  hp 85; Mdt 20; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21, touch 17 (19 touch 
  spells and spell-likes), ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +8; Grap +9; 
  Atk +10 melee (1d8+3/19–20, Blue Star sword); Full Atk +10/+5 
  melee (1d8+3/19–20, Blue Star sword); SQ arcane defenses, Blue 
  Star tattoo, detect magic, expanded knowledge (×2), link (600 ft.), 
  lore +12, secret (Lythande is female), secrets of the star (initiate), 
  spell pool II, taboo (cannot eat in front of men); Rep +4; SV 
  Fort +7 (+9 spells, spell-likes), Ref +10 (+12 spells, spell-likes), 
  Will +14 (+16 spells, spell-likes); Str 12, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 
  20, Wis 16, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +8, Concentration +20, Craft (alchemy) 
  +6, Decipher Script +22, 
  Diplomacy +6, Disguise +7 
  (+9 acting), Intimidate +10, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +24, 
  Knowledge (history) +16, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +16, 
  Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft 
  +25, Survival +3 (+5 on other 
  planes); Combat Casting, 
  Instantaneous Casting*, Interrupted Spellcasting*, Martial 
  Weapon Proﬁciency (longsword)B, Rushed Casting*, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword).
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Enlibaran (S).
  Contacts: Information (Myrtis, 1), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 6th; spellcasting +18; ritualcasting +10; save DC 
  14 + spell level; caster level 13th.
  Known Spells (18): blink (3rd, MT 40, price 3), blur (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), daze (0, MT 10, price 0/1), dispel magic (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), freezing sphere (5th, MT 60, price 6), greater circle of 
  protection (3rd, MT 40, price 3), invisibility (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), light (0, MT 10, price 0/1), lightning bolt (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), magic missile (1st, MT 20, price 1), protection from energy (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), read magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), see invisibility 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), shadow evocation (5th, MT 60, price 5), 
  silent image (1st, MT 20, price 1), solid fog (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  teleport (5th, MT 60, price 5), veil (6th, MT 70, price 6).
  Familiar Spells (21): analyze dweomer (6th, MT 70, price 6), 
  antimagic ﬁeld (6th, MT 70, price 6), arcane sight (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), dream (5th, MT 60, price 5), false life (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), fox’s cunning (2nd, MT 30, price 2), guards and wards (6th, MT 
  70, price 6), hypnotism (1st, MT 20, price 1), greater invisibility (4th, 
  MT 40, price 4), lesser geas (4th, MT 50, price 4), mage armor (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), mislead (6th, MT 70, price 6), nondetection (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), persistant image (5th, MT 60, price 5), plane shift 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7), scrying (3rd, MT 40, price 3), shield (1st, MT 
  20, price 2), shocking grasp (1st, MT 20, price 1), suggestion (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), transformation (6th, MT 70, price 6), whispering 
  wind (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Possessions: Blue Star sword, ring of protection +2, lesser metamagic 
  rod of maximize, amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +3, 
  gloves of Dexterity +2, headband of intellect +2.
  MASHA ZIL-INEEL
  Masha’s family was once wealthy and part of the Ilsigi nobility. But 
  they lost their titles and wealth, and Masha went from being one of 
  the privileged to barely scraping by. She, her mother, her husband, 
  and their three children lived in a small apartment on the West 
  Side. Her husband, Eevroen, was always drunk, which left Masha 
  to take care of the children and to make money. Fortunately, her 
  education allowed her to become a midwife. Masha soon became 
  the best midwife in Sanctuary. She was kind, observant, and quick 
  with her hands—several times she saved a patient’s life before the 
  doctor (who waited outside the door during the actual deliveries) 
  could be told about the problem. She also made false teeth and 
  jewelry, all of which contributed to her limited funds.
  Then Masha met Shmee, a 
  strange little man from a distant 
  land. Together they stormed 
  the Purple Mage’s island, snuck 
  into the Purple Mage’s lair, and 
  killed him. Shmee died in the 
  aftermath, but Masha made it 
  back to Sanctuary with a bag of 
  gold and jewels. She used this 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON LYTHANDE
  “He might be a bit on the feminine side, but Lythande is a stout 
  warrior whose skill with arms shouldn’t be forgotten. He’s also a 
  magician, and they say that the blue pentacle on his forehead glows 
  when he’s about to turn someone into a pile of ash.”
  
  - 113 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  money to buy a home on the Processional, and returned to a life of 
  leisure. She did not allow Eevroen to join her, however.
  DESCRIPTION
  Masha is a small wiry woman with pleasant features, a wide smile, and 
  an aristocratic bearing. Even with 
  her newfound wealth, she bears 
  the psychological scars from living 
  in Westside, and she’s prone to fall 
  back into survival mode, wherein 
  she melts into the shadows and 
  moves as quietly as she can. She 
  also avoids ostentatious displays 
  of wealth, wearing common 
  homespun clothing.
  PERSONALITY
  She is very observant, very quick-witted, and very tired of other people 
  making money oﬀ her eﬀorts. Masha tends to speak her mind, and 
  once she makes a decision, that’s it. She prefers to study a situation 
  before doing anything, but can respond quickly when necessary.
  MASHA
  Female Wrigglie healer, savant 6, thief 2; CR 8; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d6+18 plus 2d6+6; hp 54; Mdt 16; 
  Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk 
  +5; Grap +6; Atk +9 melee (1d6+1/19–20, short sword) or +9 
  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, dagger); Full Atk +9 melee (1d6+1/19–20, 
  short sword) or +9 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, dagger); SA sneak 
  attack +1d6; SQ evasion, good fortune, healing hands, jaded, 
  trapﬁnding; Rep +1; SV Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +8; Str 12, Dex 
  18, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Craft (herbalism), Heal.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +3 (+5 dentures, herbs), Balance +6, 
  Bluﬀ +10, Climb +3, Craft (dentures) +8, Craft (herbalism) 
  +14, Diplomacy +7, Disguise 
  +3 (+5 acting), Escape Artist 
  +6,  Gather Information +8, 
  Heal +17, Hide +8, Intimidate 
  +3, Knowledge (local) +12 (+14 
  to navigate Maze), Knowledge 
  (nature) +12, Listen +15, 
  Move Silently +8, Profession 
  (midwife) +13, Search +5, 
  Sense Motive +13, Spot +14, 
  Survival +8; AlertnessB, Improved Initiative, Maze-SavvyB*, 
  Self-SuﬃcientB, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Rankene (S), Ilsig (S), Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (Shmee).
  Possessions: Short sword, dagger, masterwork healer’s kit.
  MOLIN TORCHHOLDER
  At ﬁrst, Molin Torchholder, like many Rankan nobles, saw Sanctuary 
  as a dirty backwater slum, and an assignment there to be more of a 
  punishment than a boon. With his wife, Rosanda, he left Ranke and 
  set himself up in Land’s End to begin work on the Temples for the 
  Rankan pantheon. Though he worked earnestly, he was never certain 
  why he was passed up for a more important assignment. What’s 
  more, he and his status-seeking wife could not bear children. They 
  MAGIC ITEMS OF THE PURPLE MAGE
  The Isle of the Purple Mage had many wonders: magic items, monsters, and many spellbooks. It was a magical place, and one of power. 
  What follows are two of his more famous items.
  KEMREN’S WATERWHEELS
  The infamous Purple Mage made this set of waterwheels to augment his magical abilities. As they turned, powered by an underground 
  waterfall, they generated mana and channeled it to him. When Shmee and Masha reversed the waterwheels, though, that power 
  turned upon the Purple Mage, drowning him on his throne. The waterwheels may still remain on the Isle of Shugthee, ready to be 
  reactivated.
  Kemren’s waterwheels are a +7 focus for both spell- and ritualcasting. The wheels are stationary, powered by a ﬂow of water; the user 
  must spend an hour and make a DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) check to attune to them to gain their beneﬁt. If the wheels are reversed 
  (a full-round action requiring a DC 15 Knowledge: arcana check), they stop functioning, and the user must start making Fortitude 
  saves or drown (as per the drowning rules in the DMG). Another full-round action will get the wheels ﬂowing in the right direction 
  again and negate the drowning eﬀect.
  Strong transmutation; CL 14th; Craft Focus; Price 73,500 sh. 
  RING OF SPIDER MASTERY
  Crafted by the Purple Mage, this ring allows the wearer to command spiders of any size, whether singly or in swarms. As a standard 
  action, the wearer may attempt to command any spider within 30 feet as if casting dominate animal, even though vermin are normally 
  immune to mind-aﬀecting eﬀects. The spider may make a DC 16 Will save to resist. Swarms are treated as a single creature.
  Moderate enchantment; CL 8th; Forge Ring, dominate animal, summon swarm; Price 43,200 sh. 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MASHA ZIL-INEEL
  “Legend on the street says that Masha, along with that fat butterball 
  Smhee, killed Kemren, the Purple Mage. How someone might 
  believe that a midwife who crafts dentures in her spare time could kill 
  someone of that sort of power is way beyond me.”
  
  - 114 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  were a disgrace, trapped in a loveless marriage, made worse with the 
  stresses of Thieves’ World.
  What made Molin’s life so diﬃcult was that he was the product of 
  a Ten-Slaying Ritual. An important rite for those who worshipped 
  Vashanka, it reenacted the rape of Vashanka’s sister, Azyuna. Ten 
  slaves would be sacriﬁced by the high priest or representative of the 
  god, who would then ceremonially rape the captive female. Brutal 
  and uncivilized, but necessary to appease the ﬁckle god of storms. 
  Vashanka’s mother, a Nisibisi slave girl with a talent for witchcraft, 
  was the victim of this ceremony, and from the conception, Molin was 
  born—and thought, at least at ﬁrst, to be the avatar of Vashanka.
  He spent his early years training in this role, but his Nisibisi heritage 
  (both in appearance, and in his unusual abilities) prevented him from 
  attaining his true potential. He held a series of important posts in 
  Ranke, but when Abakithis took the throne, and sent his stepbrother 
  away, he sent Molin with the prince. 
  And so, Molin came to Sanctuary, bringing with him the mentality 
  and talents of Ranke’s elite. Skilled at intrigue, deception, and 
  double-dealing, he viewed his post with pragmatism, doing 
  whatever he could to raise his 
  esteem so that he could return to 
  Ranke. But, through his eﬀorts, he 
  came to appreciate (though never 
  love) the city and its inhabitants. 
  When the Beysib arrived, he fully 
  supported Kadakithis’ efforts 
  to court Shupansea to forge a 
  stronger alliance, even going so far 
  as to eliminate Kadakithis’ wife, 
  though that plan failed. As the 
  ﬁres of his ambition cooled, his marriage fell apart. While his wife 
  packed her things to move in with a Rankan noble named Lowan 
  Vigeles, he focused fully on stabilizing Sanctuary, which suﬀered 
  from anarchy in its streets. He brieﬂy courted Kama, but released 
  her. And when Ranke contracted, he remained behind to usher 
  Sanctuary into a new age.
  For many years after Ranke fell and Kadakithis left, Molin wondered 
  why he had stayed behind. He told himself that it was because 
  Sanctuary was chaos he knew, and was safer than trying to return 
  to Ranke while the empire was collapsing. Then he told himself that 
  the people of the city needed him. But perhaps the real reason is 
  that Molin was drawn to Sanctuary when he and Kadakithis ﬁrst 
  arrived, and ever since then it has dominated his thoughts. The city 
  is his home, and he could not leave it, even if he wanted to.
  When the Troubles began, Molin worked hard to contain the 
  Dyareelan insurgents, combating their eﬀorts at every stage. But 
  when it was clear that they had dominated the entire city, Molin 
  left for a year to court the Irrune, a tribe of horse nomads who were 
  the ancestors of the people who founded modern Ranke. While 
  away, the city suﬀered terribly, but Molin returned at the head of 
  the Irrune horde and liberated 
  Sanctuary, destroying the cultists 
  wherever they lurked—or so he 
  thought.
  For the next ten years, Molin 
  advised Arizak and committed 
  himself to healing the scars of 
  the city. He helped ease the 
  transition for the Irrune, urging 
  them to remain and govern the 
  MOLIN’S MAGIC ITEMS
  Molin’s station and importance within the cult of Vashanka provided him with many magical items. These are the most notorious.
  HEADBAND OF DIVINE FAVOR
  These leather handbands are inscribed with prayers and symbols of protection, entreating a patron deity to look kindly upon the wearer. When 
  worn by a follower of that faith (whether a priest or a simple worshipper), the headband gives an enhancement bonus to the wearer’s saving 
  throws and a deﬂection bonus to her AC. Headbands of divine favor are available in diﬀerent strengths, providing up to a +3 bonus. 
  Faint abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, resistance, shield of faith, creator’s caster level must be at least three times the item’s 
  bonus; Price 2,450 sh (+1), 9,800 sh (+2), 22,050 sh (+3). 
  ROD OF OFFICE
  These metal rods are carried by priests of Vashanka, who use them in their prayers and rituals. They act as a +2 focus for both spell- and 
  ritualcasting, but only in the hands of one of Vashanka’s priests. In times of need, the priest can also use his rod of oﬃce as a +1 light mace.
  Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Focus, Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Price 10,720 sh. 
  SAVANKH, GREATER
  While there are a number of minor savankh in existence, there is only one greater savankh, the true symbol of authority and power in 
  the Rankan church. This rod came into the possession of Molin Torchholder, who hid it inside his staﬀ; like many of Molin’s secrets, 
  it now rests with Cauvin, who may have given it to the Irrune or retained it for his own uses. Like the lesser savankh, this rod compels 
  people to tell the truth (DC 17 Will save) – but the greater savankh compels those it touches, not the user himself. In addition, the 
  bearer of the greater savankh gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Charisma and to all saving throws.
  Moderate enchantment; CL 10th; Craft Rod, eagle’s splendor, resistance, zone of truth; Price 44,000 sh.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MOLIN TORCHHOLDER
  “Molin Torchholder is Ranke’s spiritual leader in Sanctuary.  
  He used to hate it here, but it seems now that he is more or less 
  resigned to dying in this place. The sooner the better, I say. The last 
  thing the people want is to have their gods and temples replaced by 
  those of Ranke.”
  
  - 115 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  city, for they were new to Sanctuary, and not tainted by the city’s 
  past. He also maintained a strong inﬂuence in the reestablished 
  Council of Oligarchs, encouraging relations between the inﬂuential 
  Serripines Clan and the rest of the city. 
  One night, on his way home from a Rankan religious ritual, he was 
  ambushed in the city by a Dyareelan cultist. The ﬁght was brief, 
  but Molin was poisoned. In his last days, he rallied his strength, 
  and working with Cauvin and Becvar, unearthed the Dyareelan 
  conspiracy and sacriﬁced himself to save Sanctuary. Though Molin 
  is dead, he transferred his memories to Cauvin, allowing him to 
  continue to work on the city’s behalf even after death.
  Molin didn’t discover his latent witchblood, though he always 
  suspected, until late in the Rankan Era. He worked to cultivate his 
  talents, blending prayer with the power of his blood. Molin prefers 
  not to use magic of any kind, seeing the cost as too high for the 
  beneﬁts of the spell. Instead, he has honed his abilities at ﬁghting 
  with words and reputation; failing that, he can always fall back on 
  the tried and true methods of battle.
  DESCRIPTION
  Tall and ﬁt, with proud features — long nose, square jaw, dark hair 
  and eyes — Molin is every inch the aristocrat. He wears well-made, 
  fashionable clothing of the ﬁnest materials, and shaves his cheeks 
  and jaw clean every morning. Molin is the perfect example of the 
  Rankan noble, well-dressed and well-spoken.
  PERSONALITY
  Molin is not a gentle man. He is hard on friends and enemies alike, 
  but he is also extremely fair, and is a man of his word. He can be 
  utterly ruthless when necessary. It was his suggestion to burn down 
  the palace when the cultists were hiding inside, and his idea to poison 
  those orphans who were too damaged to be trusted back in the city’s 
  society. Molin feels no regret over this; he did these things, and many 
  others, so that the city could survive.
  MOLIN TORCHHOLDER
  Male half-Nisibisi, half-Rankan acolyte, noble 4, godsworn 2, 
  priest 8, witch 2; CR 16; Medium humanoid (human); HD 
  4d8+12 plus 2d10+6 plus 8d6+24 plus 2d4+8; hp 116; Mdt 24; 
  Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 22, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 21; Base Atk 
  +10; Grap +12; Atk +16 melee (2d6+6/19–20, +3 greatsword) 
  or +13 melee (1d6+3, rod of oﬃce); Full Atk +16/+11 melee 
  (2d6+6/19–20, +3 greatsword) or +13/+8 melee (1d6+3, rod of 
  oﬃce); SQ commanding presence, divine protection, force of 
  personality, inspire competence, inspire courage, organize +3, 
  resources, Vashanka’s favor; Rep +7; SV Fort +14, Ref +12, Will 
  +21; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 17.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +20, Concentration +13, Diplomacy 
  +36, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Gather Information +17, Handle 
  Animal +8, Heal +11, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana) +9, 
  Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +18, Knowledge 
  (nobility & royalty) +18, Knowledge (religion) +13, Listen +10, 
  Perform (oratory) +9, Ride +3, Search +3 (+5 secret doors), Sense 
  Motive +17, SpeakBeysib, Spellcraft +15, Swim –4; FameB*, 
  Greater Ritual Emphasis*, Iron Will, Life-Fueled Casting*, 
  Mixed Ancestry*, Negotiator, PersuasiveB, Ritual Emphasis*, 
  Ritual Specialization (augury)*, Weapon Focus (greatsword)B, 
  WitchbloodedB.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Ilsig (S/W), Beysib (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (Kadakithis, 1), Skill (Kama, 1).
  Godsworn Spells: safe level 3rd; ritualcasting +19; save DC 13 
  + spell level.
  Known Spells (3+d): command (1st, MT 20, DC 14, price 1) 
  D, convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, melee touch +12, DC 14, 
  price 1)*, detect poison (0, MT 10, price 0/1), read magic (0, MT 
  10, price 0/1).
  Familiar Spells (2): bull’s strength (2nd, MT 30, melee touch +12, 
  DC 15, price 2), shield of faith (1st, MT 20, melee touch +12, 
  DC 14, price 1).
  D: Domain spell. Domain: Conquest (+2 damage rolls with 
  greatsword).
  Priest Spells: safe level 4th; spellcasting +12; ritualcasting +19; 
  save DC 13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (11+4d): bless (1st, MT 20, price 1), call lightning 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3) D, calm emotion (2nd, MT 30, price 2), cause 
  fear (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert moderate wounds (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), discern lies (4th, MT 50, price 4), dispel magic (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), divine power (4th, MT 50, price 4) D, doom (1st, MT 
  20, price 1, fog cloud (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, magic vestment (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), obscuring mist (1st, MT 20, price 1) D, sanctuary 
  
  - 116 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), sound burst (2nd, MT 30, price 2), status 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (14): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2), consecrate 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), divination (4th, MT 50, price 4), endure elements (1st, MT 
  20, price 1), enthrall (2nd, MT 30, price 2), gentle repose (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), glyph of warding (3rd, MT 40, price 3), hold 
  person (2nd, MT 30, price 2), locate object (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  obscure object (3rd, MT 40, price 3), prayer (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), speak with dead (3rd, MT 40, price 3), zone of truth (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2).
  D: Domain spell. Domains: War (bonus feats), Weather (gain 
  Knowledge: nature and Survival as class skill, reduce wind 
  potency by one step).
  Witch Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +11; ritualcasting +18; 
  save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (4): calm animals (1st, MT 20, price 1), guidance 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), hold animal (2nd, MT 30, price 2), sleep 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (5): chill metal (2nd, MT 30, price 2), expeditious 
  retreat (2nd, MT 30, price 2), identify (2nd, MT 30, price 2), know 
  direction (0, MT 10, price 0/1), message (0, MT 10, price 0/1).
  *New spell; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Possessions: +3 breastplate, +3 heavy steel shield, +3 greatsword, rod 
  of oﬃce*, greater savankh, headband of divine favor +3.
  *See Molin’s Magic Items sidebar for details.
  MOR-AM
  When the hawk-masks ran the show in Sanctuary, life was good. They 
  could do whatever they wanted, go where they pleased, and didn’t have 
  to pay one padpol for anything. 
  But then Tempus showed up. And 
  then Jubal had the wrong urchin 
  executed. And then all hell broke 
  loose. Soon, it was a good idea to 
  leave the masks at home and lay 
  low. If you crossed someone in the 
  past, chances were that someone 
  had it out for you in the shifting power of Sanctuary’s landscape. 
  Mor-am and his sister Moria (see the following page) dropped out 
  of the scene, hiding out in abandoned buildings or in tavern attics. 
  When word reached them that Jubal’s compound had been attacked, 
  and the hawk-masks’ leader apparently dead, it put an end to their 
  organization. Mor-am took to drinking and was unconcerned with 
  the growing diﬃculties for his fellows. Finally, his luck ran out, and 
  Moruth captured him. His men tortured him for days, disﬁguring 
  his face and destroying one of his arms. He was ruined, physically 
  and mentally. 
  In his slow decline into obscurity, he occasionally served Ischade, 
  who could dull his pain, along with his sister Moria. But he was 
  never loyal. He occasionally spied for the beggars, and served as an 
  informant for the Stepsons. As with all traitors, Mor-am likely met 
  an ignoble end.
  DESCRIPTION
  Before the torture, Mor-am was an attractive man, clearly of Ilsigi 
  descent, with tanned features and dark curly hair. He had a good 
  frame and build, and had a quick wit. He enjoyed the power that 
  being a hawk-mask gave him, so he rarely went without the mask. 
  After the beggars ruined him, he turned deeply to alcohol and 
  drugs—anything to dull the pain of his injuries. He stank of the 
  gutter and was a thoroughly despicable man. He has a terrible tic 
  that causes the side of his scarred face to draw up painfully when 
  nervous or frightened.
  PERSONALITY
  Once proud, conﬁdent, and capable, Mor-am’s biggest ﬂaw was his 
  arrogance. He thought, despite the collapse of Jubal’s organization, 
  that he could go on as ever before. However, he sooned learned his 
  lesson and became a creature of suﬀering and addiction. He gambled 
  often, drank too much, and indulged in dust, kleetel, and whatever 
  else he could aﬀord.  
  MOR-AM
  Male Wrigglie mercenary, ﬁghter 3, thief 3; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d10–3 plus 3d6–3; hp 25; Mdt 11; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +5; 
  Grap +7; Atk +8 melee (1d8+2/19–20, masterwork longsword); 
  Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+2, masterwork longsword); SA sneak 
  attack +2d6; SQ evasion, jaded, mercenary trait, trap sense +1, 
  trapﬁnding; Rep –2; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 
  15, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 6.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +1, Climb +8, Diplomacy +0, Disable 
  Device +6, Gamble +2, Jump +8, Hide +5, Intimidate +6, 
  Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Open Locks +7, Search +4, Sense 
  Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +5, 
  Spot +4; AlertnessB, DodgeB, 
  Low-Profile*, Mobility, 
  Spring Attack, Weapon Focus 
  (longsword)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), 
  Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Information (Moria), Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, masterwork light steel 
  shield, masterwork longsword, masterwork thieves’ tools.
  MORIA
  The twin sister of Mor-am, Moria did a stint as a hawk-mask along 
  with her brother. Not particularly great at this role, she got by, following 
  her brother’s lead. When Jubal’s organization collapsed in the face 
  of the minions of the Beggar King and Tempus and his Stepsons, 
  she hid, fearful of reprisals by old enemies. She tried to convince her 
  brother to lay low, but he never listened, to his own eventual detriment. 
  Living in fear, she had many adventures connected with Haught, the 
  ex-slave, and Mradhon Vis, an assassin and mercenary. Finally, she 
  took service for Ischade, but instead of using her, Ischade left her in 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MOR-AM
  “Worthless. Utterly worthless. A shite-sucking roach and a worse 
  warrior. Wouldn’t trust him for nothing.”
  
  - 117 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  one of Moruth’s safehouses and 
  surrounded her with plenty of 
  food, drink, and ﬁnery.
  Though surrounded by more 
  luxury than she could imagine, 
  she despaired. She ate and drank 
  too much, put on weight, and sank 
  into a black depression, made 
  worse by Haught’s distance. (They 
  had become lovers for a brief 
  time.) Finally, she became a tool for Haught’s manipulation; he came 
  to her and transformed her into an an image of beauty to seduce the 
  noble Tasfallen. Unbeknownst to her, Ischade herself had designs on 
  this corrupt aristocrat, so Moria found herself in even deeper straits 
  when the noble tried to bed her.
  In the chaos that followed (involving Roxane, Haught, Ischade, the 
  animated corpse of Tasfalen, and a handful of Stepsons), she ﬂed with 
  another of Ischade’s servants: the tortured Stilcho. A former Stepson, 
  Stilcho was tortured and killed by Roxane and later animated by Ischade 
  to be her servant and lover. Ischade seduced him every day — she, like 
  the strongest drug, is irresistible — killing him when 
  she was done. On the next day, she would ﬁsh his 
  soul from Hell and start the process all over 
  again. By the time Moria found him, he suﬀered 
  terribly, mad from his loose soul. 
  Eventually, through extreme poverty and 
  the risk of being killed by Ischades enemies, 
  Stilcho and Moria returned to Ischade’s 
  service, condemned to unspeakable darkness 
  and perhaps terrible deaths… though no one 
  knows for certain.
  DESCRIPTION
  Before her transformation, Moria and 
  Mor-am were twins. So similar were 
  they that, when they donned their 
  masks, they were indistinguishable. 
  She was tall and athletic, keeping her 
  hair short in the warrior’s style. After 
  Haught’s spell, she became a vision of 
  beauty: tall, slim, with excellent poise and 
  a soft and graceful voice in the Rankan 
  mold, as she once was a beauty of the 
  Ilsig kind. 
  PERSONALITY
  Perhaps the most important aspect of 
  Moria is that, through all of her trials, 
  she was always a girl of the streets. 
  First a survivor of the worst parts of 
  Sanctuary, then a hawk-mask, then 
  fugitive, pawn of Ischade and Haught, 
  noble, and ﬁnally lover of a walking 
  corpse. She never changed her 
  beliefs, even when dripping with 
  ﬁnery; she is a survivor.
  MORIA
  Female Wrigglie mercenary, 
  survivor 3, thief 4, aristocrat 
  1; CR 7; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 3d10+3 plus 
  4d6+4 plus 1d8+1; hp 48; Mdt 
  20 ; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, 
  touch 14, ﬂat-footed 20; Base 
  Atk +5; Grap +7; Atk +8 melee 
  (1d6+2/19–20, masterwork 
  short sword) or +9 ranged (1d4+2/19–20, throwing dagger); Full 
  Atk +8 melee (1d6+2/19–20, masterwork short sword) or +9 
  ranged (1d4+2/19–20, throwing dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; 
  SQ evasion, ﬁght or ﬂight (defensive), jaded, mercenary trait, trap 
  sense +1, trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep +1; SV Fort +5, Ref 
  +8, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +6, Balance +9, Bluﬀ +8, Climb +8, 
  Diplomacy +12 (+14 dealing with scum), Disguise +4 (+6 acting), 
  Gather Information +11, Hide +7, Intimidate +13, Jump +10, 
  Knowledge (local) +13 (+15 navigate the Maze), Listen +12, Move 
  Silently +7, Ride +4, Search +6, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand 
  +9, Spot +9, Survival +7, Tumble +11; [3+3b] AlertnessB, Combat 
  Experise, EnduranceB, Improved Damage ThresholdB*, Maze-
  Savvy*, Streetwise*.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (Mor-am, Mradhon Vis), Skill 
  (Haught).
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, +1 buckler, masterwork 
  short sword, 3 masterwork throwing daggers, 
  masterwork composite (+2) shortbow with 
  20 arrows, hawk-mask (see page 107), 
  masterwork thieves’ tools.
  MORUTH THE 
  BEGGAR KING
  The wealthy can walk right past 
  a beggar without even seeing him, 
  and even if they stop to toss him 
  money, they will not remember his 
  face ﬁve minutes later. The beggar, 
  however, remembers exactly who 
  those people were, when they 
  stopped by, what they were 
  wearing, and where they went… 
  which gives the beggar a certain 
  amount of power.
  Moruth has learned to use that 
  power. He is the self-proclaimed 
  king of the Downwind beggars. 
  Every beggar in Downwind 
  answers to him, and so do many of 
  the beggars in Sanctuary proper. All 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MORIA
  “Jubal must’ve been scraping the bottom of the barrel when he 
  recruited Moria as a hawk-mask.  She’s too damn scrawny to be a 
  woman, much less any kind of ﬁghter. She wasted a lot of her time 
  cleaning up after Mor-am, that worthless brother of hers. She’d have 
  been better off with him dead.”
  
  - 118 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  report to Moruth himself, and he assembles the bits of information 
  into a coherent picture. From that, Moruth can see what is really 
  happening in the city, and can marshal his people accordingly.
  Since Jubal came to power, Moruth has long nursed a grudge against 
  the kingpin of Sanctuary. However, out of fear for his minions, 
  he wouldn’t commit to open warfare, preferring instead to ﬁnd 
  information to embarrass him. Moruth’s beggars served Jubal as 
  informants, and to ensure their continued service, Jubal periodically 
  executed people as traitors, whether they truly were or not. Finally, 
  when Moruth discovered that 
  Jubal was butchering innocents 
  as examples, he declared war on 
  the hawk-masks. He sent out 
  his beggar legions and set upon 
  individual soldiers in Jubal’s 
  organization, mutilating them 
  and leaving their corpses in the 
  open. Moruth achieved complete 
  victory when Tempus marched 
  on Jubal’s complex, thus ending the war.
  However, Moruth was not content. He continued to use his minions 
  in the growing conﬂict in the city. Having replaced Jubal as master of 
  the Downwind, he took part in the carving up of the city. Eventually, 
  Moruth forged an alliance with Ischade, using her unnatural talents 
  to give him an advantage in the ongoing strife.
  DESCRIPTION
  Who can say what Moruth really looks like? Some paint him as a 
  grotesque abomination, the sum of all the mortal defects found in 
  humanity. In actuality, Moruth 
  is a dirty ﬁlthy man dressed in 
  rags, nearly indistinguishable 
  from the rest of his sorry lot. He 
  has long tangled black hair and a 
  face smudged with ﬁlth. Beneath 
  the grime, he has two sparkling 
  black eyes that betray his great 
  intelligence.
  PERSONALITY
  Though lord of the rabble, Moruth takes pride in his position, and 
  sees himself the rightful king of Sanctuary’s desperate and despised. 
  He is a fatherly ﬁgure, and his actions are always on behalf of the 
  protection and advancement of his people. He has a sense of humor, 
  though sometimes it borders on the macabre.
  MORUTH/BEGGAR KING
  Male Wrigglie beggar, thief 9, crime lord 7; CR 16; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 9d6+27 plus 7d6+21; hp 106; Mdt 22; 
  Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 22, touch 16, ﬂat-footed 20; Base Atk +11; 
  Grap +13; Atk +14 (+18 sneak attacks) melee (1d6+3 [+7 sneak 
  attack]/19–20, sword of subtlety) or +17 ranged (1d8+2/19–20, 
  +2 light crossbow); Full Atk +14 (+18 sneak attacks) melee 
  (1d6+3 [+7 sneak attack]/19–20, sword of subtlety) or +17 ranged 
  (1d8+2/19–20, +2 light crossbow); SA sneak attack +7d6; SQ 
  alternate identity, beggar king, beggar trait, bribes and coercion, 
  evasion, improved uncanny dodge, information network, jaded, 
  lackeys, resources, streetwise, trapﬁnding, trap sense +3, uncanny 
  dodge; Rep +2; SV Fort +8, Ref +15, Will +11; Str 14, Dex 19, 
  Con 16, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 17.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Disguise.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +9, Bluﬀ +31, Diplomacy +5, Disguise 
  +34 (+36 acting), Gather Information +31, Hide +25, Intimidate 
  +17, Knowledge (local) +29 (+31 navigating the Maze), Listen 
  +14, Move Silently +25, Search +14, Sleight of Hand +20, Spot 
  +14, Survival +2 (+4 follow tracks), Use Rope +6; Deft Hands, 
  Leadership, Low-Proﬁle, Maze-SavvyB*, Rapid Reload (light 
  crossbow), Skill Focus (Disguise), Stealthy.
  MAMA BECHO
  Moruth has a standing arrangement with Mama Becho. Mama Becho is a large, heavy woman who runs an unpleasant-looking tavern. 
  Becho has her own local network, a pack of boys and girls who work for her, but they never go far from the tavern itself. The tavern is 
  one of the few solid, permanent buildings in Downwind. Becho gives Moruth a place to meet with his people, and in return, Becho 
  gets to be part of the inner circle. Mama Becho’s best protection comes from her son, Tygoth.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MORUTH
  “Even the hopeless have their heroes, and Moruth is the master of 
  Downwind’s worthless rabble. He may be a king of beggars, but that 
  doesn’t mean he’s stupid. Take care to watch your back if you wander 
  in Downwind’s alleys, especially after dark.”
  
  - 119 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Ilsig (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Information (Mama Belcho, 2), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: Sword of subtlety, +2 light crossbow with 10 bolts, ring 
  of protection +2, amulet of natural armor +2, bracers of armor +4, 
  elixir of hiding, elixir of sneaking, gloves of Dexterity +2.
  MRADHON VIS
  Mradhon Vis is a mercenary, warrior, killer, and spy. He came to 
  Sanctuary to ﬁnd work—or so he claims. (He is a spy, after all.) Little 
  is known about Vis prior to his arrival to Thieves’ World, and he claims 
  to have come from many places 
  in the north. He was a partisan 
  ﬁghter against the Nisibisi, but 
  he managed to run afoul of both 
  sides, so he came to Sanctuary. A 
  typical sellsword, he isn’t selective 
  about whom he serves, which is 
  exactly what attracted Ischade 
  to him.
  Shortly after coming to the city, 
  he rescued Ischade from a street thug who thought to rape her. 
  Ischade begged oﬀ the assistance — she was actually out hunting 
  — but arranged a meeting between herself and the mercenary. 
  Mradhon learned that she killed her lovers, but that didn’t stop him 
  from serving her. 
  Eventually, as the situation of the city’s stability became more 
  complex, Mradhon worked with Moria and Haught for a time. The 
  alliance was brief, though it didn’t end too badly. Mradhon frequently 
  switched sides in the anarchy that erupted in the city. He’s betrayed 
  nearly everyone he’s worked for, but has likewise been betrayed by his 
  employers, and escaped nearly every treachery unscathed. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Mradhon Vis is clearly a man built for speed. Tall and wiry, with long 
  hands and ﬁngers… his narrow, square-jawed face and wide staring 
  eyes… everything about him proclaims that here is a man who is 
  incredibly fast. And that is true: Mradhon Vis is extremely fast. He 
  is also surprisingly strong, as beﬁts a hardened mercenary. Vis’s armor 
  and sword are both a little worn but in excellent condition—clearly he 
  has used the gear in actual battle. He is dark haired, and sometimes 
  wears a thick mustache. He is pale-skinned, typical of a lower-class 
  Nisibisi.
  PERSONALITY
  Vis is willing to do almost anything in order to get paid. He agreed 
  to serve as Ischade’s bodyguard, after all, even after he saw proof 
  that all her male lovers die before the dawn. He sometimes sells 
  information about Sanctuary to allies and contacts up on Wizardwall 
  or elsewhere in the Mygdonian Alliance, and vice-versa. In fact, he 
  will sell information or his sword to almost anyone. Vis has no friends 
  in town, and that does not bother him. He is only concerned with 
  making a lot of money and keeping himself out of harm’s way. He 
  has nothing but hate for the Stepsons, who captured and tortured 
  him to extract information. 
  MRADHON VIS
  Male Mygdonian mercenary, ﬁghter 3, assassin 4, Nisibisi spy* 
  2; CR 9; Medium humanoid (human); HD 3d10+3 plus 4d8+4 
  plus 2d6+2; hp 55; Mdt 18; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 
  14, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +7; Grap +10; Atk +11 melee 
  (1d8+4/19–20, +1 longsword) or +11 melee (1d4+3/18–20, 
  masterwork kukri) +12 ranged (1d8+3/×3, +1 composite [+2] 
  longbow); Full Atk +11/+6 [BAB, 3 Str, 1 feat, 1 magic] melee 
  (1d8+4/19–20, +1 longsword) or +11/+6 melee (1d4+3/18–20, 
  masterwork kukri) +10/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+3/×3, +1 composite 
  [+2] longbow);  SA poison use, sneak attack +2d6; SQ detect magic, 
  evasion, mercenary trait; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +12 (+14 poison), 
  Ref +13, Will +6; Str 16, Dex 
  18, Con 13, Int 20, Wis 16, 
  Cha 13.
  *See Chapter Eight: Player’s 
  Expansion for details.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, 
  Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +8, Concentration +3, Craft 
  (poison) +7, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +7, Gather Information 
  +7, Hide +18, Intimidate +12, Jump +8, Listen +9, Move Silently 
  +18, Ride +10, Search +8, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +8 (+10 
  decipher scroll), Spot +9, Swim +7, Tumble +8, Use Magic Device 
  +10; Combat ExpertiseB, Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Magical 
  AptitudeB, Mobility, Point Blank ShotB, Rapid Shot, Stealthy, 
  Weapon Focus (longsword)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Nisi (S/W)
  Contacts: Information (Ischade), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (Moria).
  Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt, masterwork buckler, +1 
  longsword, masterwork kukri, +1 composite (+2) longbow with 20 
  arrows, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, gauntlets 
  of Strength +2.
  MYRTIS
  The Street of Red Lanterns has many impressive brothels, but 
  the oldest and most expensive and most impressive by far is the 
  Aphrodesia House. Myrtis is that brothel’s mistress.
  Myrtis no longer takes on clients herself, however. She did when she was 
  ﬁrst beginning, but once she had opened the Aphrodesia House, Myrtis 
  announced that she would not be part of the nightly entertainment. 
  Instead, she spent her time welcoming the new guests, starting 
  conversations, and helping each man in turn select a girl for the night.
  Myrtis is very close to Lythande, and the only other person who knows 
  Lythande’s secret. She also controls the tunnels of the Undercity, 
  particularly those passages that reach to the city walls and under 
  them into her brothel and the others along this row.
  DESCRIPTION
  When she was young, Myrtis was breathtakingly pretty. As she got 
  older, she began to get wrinkles, and her hair became shot with gray. 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MRADHON VIS
  “A northern killer, detestable and untrustworthy. He’s got more than 
  a little Nisi blood in his veins, which is more than enough to warrant 
  his death. He’s also one of Ischade’s favorite lapdogs. She must ﬁnd 
  him useful, since she hasn’t killed him yet.”
  
  - 120 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  And then it stopped. That was 
  a very long time ago — much 
  longer than most people realize, 
  and longer than any normal man 
  might have lived. And yet, though 
  Myrtis has more gray in her hair 
  and a new line or two on her face, 
  she still looks surprisingly young, 
  and is still one of the loveliest 
  women in her house.
  PERSONALITY
  Myrtis is very protective of her girls, especially the younger ones. 
  She will do whatever is necessary to keep Aphrodesia House open 
  and her girls safe. When Zalbar the Hell Hound told her that she 
  would have to pay twenty gold per girl, knowing that it would shut 
  the house down, she did not pay. Instead she gave both Zalbar and 
  herself glasses of same drink, to make sure he would drink the drug 
  she had obtained. The drug made them fall in love with each other, 
  and once it took aﬀect she was able to convince Zalbar that the new 
  tax would not be a good idea.
  MYRTIS
  Female Unknown prostitute, savant 7, mistress of red lanterns 8; 
  CR 15; Medium humanoid (human); HD 7d6+14 plus 8d6+16; 
  hp 85; Mdt 20; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 15, ﬂat-footed 
  18;Base Atk +9; Grap +9; Atk +11 melee (1d4+2/19–20, +2 
  dagger); Full Atk +11/+6  melee (1d4+2/19–20, +2 dagger); SA; 
  SQ brothel (Aphrodesia House), employees, glamer, local legend 
  (Perform: prostitute), master merchant, preferred client (×4), 
  prostitute traits, slow aging; 
  Rep +9; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, 
  Will +16; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 
  15, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 21.
  Background Skills: Gather 
  Information, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +12, 
  Bluﬀ +29 (+36 against attracted 
  targets), Diplomacy +38 (+46 
  against attracted targets, 40 
  dealing with scum), Disguise 
  +5 (+7 acting), Forgery +14, Gather Information +30, Heal +13, 
  Hide +6, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +14, 
  Knowledge (local) +23 (+25 navigating the Maze), Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +9, Listen +13, Move Silently +6, Perform 
  (prostitute) +15 (+23 attracted targets), Search +14, Sense Motive 
  +23, Sleight of Hand +12, Survival +3 (+5 following tracks or 
  underground); Appealing†, Distinctive†, FameB, Great Fortitude, 
  Iron Will, Leadership, Maze-SavvyB*, PersuasiveB, Skill Focus 
  (Diplomacy)B, Streetwise*, 
  Well-ConnectedB*.
  †New feat; see Chapter 
  Eight: Player’s Expansion for 
  details.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), 
  Ilsig (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2), 
  Inﬂuence (Zalbar), Skill (Lythande).
  Glamer (Su): Myrtis enjoys the beneﬁt of a powerful spell cast 
  by her friend, Lythande. It makes it so she appears young, fresh, 
  and beautiful. This is a permanent spell eﬀect that eventually 
  fails during the mana shortage that followed the breaking of 
  the second power globe.
  Slow Aging (Su): Thanks to a permanent spell cast by Lythande, 
  Myrtis ages far more slowly than others. This is a permanent 
  spell eﬀect that eventually fails during the mana shortage that 
  followed the breaking of the second power globe.
  Possessions: +2 dagger, ring of protection +3, amulet of natural 
  armor +2, bracers of armor +3, cloak of Charisma +2. Myrtis is 
  extraordinarily wealthy, with literally thousands of shaboozh at 
  her disposal. 
  NIKODIMAS (AKA STEALTH, NIKO)
  Many of the Stepsons have unusual, even tragic, histories, but 
  none more so than Nikodimas. Niko came from Azehur, the same 
  place Tempus was born long ago. After earning his war name, 
  Stealth, the young man worked 
  his way toward Syr as a caravan 
  guard while in search of a Trôs 
  horse. Unfortunately, one of 
  the caravan’s consignments was 
  lost to mountain bandits, and as 
  punishment for his failure to stop 
  them Niko was forced to serve as 
  a bond-slave to a Nisibisi mage 
  for a year. The mage in question, 
  Datan, had a lover, also a mage, 
  named Roxane, who would later 
  become one of the Stepsons’ worst enemies. Tempus and the Stepsons 
  rescued Niko, when they fought and killed Datan. He stayed with 
  them after that, and became a Stepson himself.
  DESCRIPTION
  Young, slender, and bearded, Niko certainly lives up to his war 
  name. He is phenomenally fast, both of foot and of reﬂexes, and 
  DREAMFORGED CUIRASS
  During the Rankan Era, the hazard mage Askelon made a suit of armor for Nikodemus, crafting it out of the dreams that made up his 
  otherworldly realm. This +2 mithral breastplate of spell resistance (13) counts as light armor, so it does not impose penalties to spellcasting 
  when worn by an initiate.
  Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Price 22,350 sh. 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON NIKO
  “My old mentor-at-arms, Niko. He taught me a good deal about 
  ﬁghting, feinting, and riding, though I taught him a thing or two 
  about patience. I’m sure he’d have liked to see me join the ranks of 
  the Stepsons, but I’d rather die than bend over to any man’s whim, 
  love or not.”
  SHADOWSPAWN ON MYRTIS
  “A true lady of the evening. Myrtis is mistress at the Aphrodesia House 
  on the Street of Red Lanterns. She holds a lot of the power on that 
  lust-drenched avenue. As far as whores go, she’s practically respectable. 
  She’s got a good sense of business, and clean girls besides.”
  
  - 121 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  his service to Ranke, but when war erupted and the mageguild was 
  founded there, he discovered he had a penchant for sorcery. Randal 
  trained with the mages of the guild, rising quickly through the ranks, 
  until he fought on the frontlines alongside the other great heroes of 
  the Empire. During the ﬁghting, he encountered the Stepsons and, 
  having proven himself time and again, the Stepsons made a special 
  exception to allow Randal to join, and he became Niko’s left-side 
  partner.
  Shortly after becoming a member of the sacred band, Randal 
  traveled south to Sanctuary along with the rest of the Stepsons who 
  sought the infamous Death’s Queen, Roxane. But, after they arrived, 
  Randal found himself on the outside of his former colleagues and 
  so, instead of barracking with his fellows, he holed up in Sanctuary’s 
  mageguild. 
  Randal became more and more a mage of Sanctuary, leaving behind 
  his past. Still, he regularly crossed paths with his fellows, and was 
  intrumental in destroying the Nisibisi power globes and ultimately 
  defeating Roxane. Randal worked hard for the Mageguild, instructing 
  novices, and probably worked with them until the Mageguild was 
  destroyed. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Randal is a gawky, youthful man (at least in behavior) with a freckled 
  face, an infectious grin, big ears, a long neck, and long brown hair 
  that he desperately hopes will cover those ﬂaws. He is awkward, 
  and often takes the form of a black wolf-dog mix. Unfortunately, 
  Randal has several severe allergies, including dog fur, and even his 
  own shapeshifted hair will set him to sneezing. 
  he actually rivals Tempus himself for speed. But, more than that, it 
  was his ability to move swiftly and silently, like a thin night breeze, 
  that earned him the name, “Stealth.” He has dark hair and tanned 
  skin, and he rarely goes without his armor, which was given to him 
  by Askelon, the entelechy of dreams, and is proof against even 
  Roxane’s witchcraft.
  PERSONALITY
  Niko is a Bandaran Adept, a master of both mental and martial 
  discipline, yet he is hotheaded, emotional, and impulsive, and often 
  dives into trouble without looking ﬁrst. He is dedicated to the 
  Stepsons, but he sees it as his duty to preserve them rather than to 
  simply take orders.
  NIKO
  male Azehuran acolyte, ranger 4, Bandaran adept 3, sacred 
  bander 2; CR 9; Medium humanoid (human); HD 4d8+12 plus 
  3d8+9 plus 2d10+6; hp 73; Mdt 22; Init +10; Spd 30 ft.; AC 25, 
  touch 16, ﬂat-footed 19; Base Atk +8; Grap +9; Atk +10 melee 
  (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +9 melee (1d3+1, unarmed 
  strike) or +11 ranged (1d10+1/19–20, +1 heavy crossbow); Full Atk 
  +6/+1 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword), +6 melee (1d4+2, +1 
  heavy shield) or +11 ranged (1d10+1/19–20, +1 heavy crossbow);  
  SQ coordinated oﬀense, courage of spirit, favored environment 
  (mountains), favored of the gods, maat 7, preternatural defense, 
  sacred bond, see magical residue, spell resistance 13, trap sense +1; 
  Rep +2; SV Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +8; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 16, 
  Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Concentration, Diplomacy.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +5, Climb +8, Concentration +15, 
  Diplomacy +3, Handle Animal +8, Heal +9, Hide +2 (+4 
  mountains), Intimidate +3, Jump +11, Knowledge (geography) 
  +10 (+12 mountains), Knowledge (nature) +8 (+9 mountains), 
  Listen +13 (+15 mountains), Move Silently +9 (+11 mountains), 
  Ride +8, Search +4 (+6 mountains), Spot +14 (+16 mountains), 
  Survival +13 (+15 mountains, outdoors, avoid hazards), Swim +5, 
  Tumble +7; EnduranceB, Improved Initiative, Improved Shield 
  Bash, Improved Unarmed Strike, Self-SuﬃcientB, Skill Focus 
  (Concentration), TrackB, Two-Weapon FightingB
  Languages: Azehurite (S), Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: Dreamforged cuirass, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 longsword, 
  +1 heavy crossbow with 10 bolts.
  RANDAL “WITCHY EARS”
  As a general rule, the Stepsons don’t allow wizards among their ranks. 
  The exact reason isn’t clear. It could be that mages are weak, unreliable, 
  and dangerous, wholly unsuited to the rigors of the battleﬁeld. Or 
  maybe it could be that Tempus detests mages and refuses to have 
  anything to do with them. In any event, mages don’t belong among 
  the Stepsons, almost without exception. And that exception is Randal 
  Witchy Ears.  
  Born in Tyse, a city-state in the shadow of the looming Westwall (a 
  mountain range also called Wizardwall), Randal had designs to sell 
  
  - 122 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  PERSONALITY
  He is loyal, and the Stepson’s 
  expert on sorcery and secrecy. 
  When he concentrates on magic, 
  Randal suddenly changes from 
  a boy to a man, and a powerful 
  man at that. The Stepsons, having 
  seen him in action, are very glad 
  to have Randal on their side.
  RANDAL
  Tysian mercenary, mage 12, hazard mage 1; CR 13; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 12d4+24 plus 1d4+2; hp 60; Mdt 18; 
  Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 15 (17 against spells), ﬂat-
  footed 16; Base Atk +6; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d8+2/19–20, 
  +1 longsword) or +10 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light 
  crossbow); Full Atk +7/+2 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) 
  or +10 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); SQ 
  arcane defenses, destructive power, guild member, mercenary 
  trait, spell mastery (alter self, dispel magic, ﬁreball, polymorph); Rep 
  +4; SV Fort +6 (+8 spells, spell-likes, supernatural), Ref +7 (+9 
  spells, spell-likes, supernatural), Will +11 (+13 spells, spell-likes, 
  supernatural); Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 21, Wis 17, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (geography).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +5 (+7 alchemical items), Concentration 
  +18, Craft (alchemy) +20, Decipher Script +20, Intimidate +16, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +21, Knowledge (geography) +22, Search +7, 
  Spellcraft +23, Survival +3 (+5 avoid hazards and getting lost), 
  Use Magic Device +0 (+4 scrolls); Combat Casting, Instantaneous 
  Casting*, Interrupted Casting*, Magical AptitudeB, Martial 
  Weapon Proﬁciency (longsword), Rushed Casting*.
  Languages: Tysian (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Nisi (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Niko, Tempus), Skill (Ischade, Critias).
  Spells: safe level 6th; spellcasting +23; ritualcasting +13; save 
  DC 14 + spell level.
  Known Spells (16): daze (0, MT 10, price 0/1), dimension door 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), dispel 
  magic (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  expeditious retreat (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), ﬁreball (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), hold monster (5th, MT 
  60, price 5), invisibility (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), lightning bolt 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), mage 
  armor (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  magic missile (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), mirror image (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), resilient sphere (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), resistance (0, MT 10, price 0/1), shield (1st, MT 
  20, price 1), telepathic bond (5th, MT 60, price 5), true strike (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1).
  Familiar Spells (22): alter self (2nd, MT 30, price 2), arcane eye 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), arcane mark (0, MT 10, price 0/1), detect 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), detect thoughts (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), dream (5th, MT 60, price 5), 
  geas/quest (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), gentle repose (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), major creation (5th, 
  MT 60, price 5), minor creation 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), phantom 
  steed (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  polymorph (5th, MT 60, price 
  5), read magic (0, MT 10, price 
  0/1), scrying (3rd, MT 40, price 3), stoneskin (4th, MT 50, price 
  4), summon monster II (2nd, MT 30, price 2), summon monster 
  VI (6th, MT 70, price 6), tongues (3rd, MT 40, price 3), unseen 
  servant (1st, MT 20, price 1), wall of ﬁre (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  wall of iron (6th, MT 70, price 6), whispering wind (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2).
  Possessions: +1 longsword, masterwork light crossbow with 10 
  cold iron bolts, ring of protection +2, ring of sustenance, amulet 
  of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +3, headband of intellect +2, 
  knife spell focus +3.
  ROXANE, DEATH’S QUEEN
  Roxane has many enemies, as she has had a history of cruelty. Once 
  the mate of the infamous Datan, a warlock of terrible power and 
  wickedness, she held Niko as a slave for many years until Tempus 
  rescued him, killing her lover-lord in the process. When war broke 
  out between Nis and Ranke, she was a principal antagonist, animating 
  Ranke’s own soldiers to ﬁght against their fellows. In the end, when 
  it was clear Nis and the Mygdonian Alliance were losing, Roxane 
  was one of the witches who traveled behind enemy lines to create 
  confusion and destroy the Empire’s infrastructure.
  When she arrived in Sanctuary, she learned many of her old enemies 
  were there, perfectly placed for the revenge she craved. There were 
  enough Rankans to slake her thirst for imperial blood and so she used 
  Sanctuary as her a playground to commit attrocities so evil and so 
  dark that the city was unprepared for the terrible violence that ensued. 
  With her Death Squads at her command, she successfully disrupted 
  the city. Open warfare on the streets made Sanctuary a living hell. 
  Roxane was ﬁnally defeated when Ischade and the Stepsons descended 
  on her lair in the Swamp of Night Secrets, where they destroyed her 
  power globe. Though crushed, 
  Roxane continued to plague 
  the city for a while longer, 
  until Haught called her spirit 
  into the corpse of the noble 
  Tasfallen. But even then, she was 
  outmanuevered, and was sealed 
  inside the noble’s house until 
  Enas Yorl destroyed the house, 
  sending it into another plane and 
  destroying Roxane forever after.
  DESCRIPTION
  Death’s Queen is hauntingly beautiful. Thick waves of ebony hair cascade 
  down her back and frame her perfect, pale features. Her ﬂawless soft 
  skin is impossibly pale, and she would be a vision of the perfect feminine 
  form, if it weren’t for her pale gray eyes that look like grave dirt.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ROXANE
  “She’s just as scary as Ischade is, maybe more. She takes wickedness 
  to a different level, scheming and planning and killing at her whim. 
  Roxane is like a pale spider who spins webs and catches ﬂies. She 
  doesn’t always eat them right away, either. Sometimes, she saves 
  them for later.”
  SHADOWSPAWN ON RANDAL
  “Randal isn’t one of those soft, belly-aching mages, and he’s not 
  afraid to swing a sword when he isn’t casting spells. He’ll turn 
  himself into animals to blend in, so if you see a dog that sneezes at 
  its own fur, then you’ve probably seen Randal.”
  
  - 123 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  PERSONALITY
  Despite her beauty, Roxane is cold and emotionless. She’ll sacriﬁce 
  anyone and anything should it aid her cause. She kills at leisure. 
  Nothing is too cruel for Death’s Queen, and she makes full use of 
  torture, magic, or sex to get what she wants. Her one weakness is 
  Niko. When it comes to him, she is prone to error and distraction, 
  for she loves him most unwisely.
  ROXANE
  Female Nisibisi aristocrat, witch 11, Nisibisi war witch 5; CR 
  16; Medium humanoid (human); HD 11d4+44 plus 5d6+20; hp 
  110; Mdt 20; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 
  12; Base Atk +8; Grap +8; Atk +11 melee (1d4/17–20, +3 keen 
  dagger); Full Atk +11/+6  melee (1d4/17–20, +3 keen dagger); 
  SQ arcane endurance, death’s mistress, sacriﬁcial power, unique 
  power (animate dead, command undead, create undead, plane shift); 
  Rep +5; SV Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +16; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 18, 
  Int 18, Wis 22, Cha 22.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +4 (+6 alchemical items), Bluﬀ +20, 
  Concentration +23, Craft (alchemy) +18, Diplomacy +26, 
  Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Intimidate +27 (+30 recognized), 
  Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (religion) +9, Spellcraft 
  +25, Sense Motive +13; Distinctive Title*, Empower SpellB, 
  Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Instantaneous Casting*, 
  Ritual Emphasis*, Ritual Specialization (animate dead)*, Scribe 
  MatrixB*, Spell Focus (necromancy), WitchbloodedB.
  Languages: Nisi (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (3), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 8th; spellcasting +25; ritualcasting +26; save 
  DC 16 + spell level; necromancy save DC 18 + spell level; caster 
  level 16th.
  Known Spells (27): animal growth (5th, MT 60, price 5), animate 
  dead (4th, MT 50, price 4), cause fear (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  command undead (2nd, MT 30, price 2), control weather (7th, 
  MT 80, price 7), convert minor wounds (0, MT 10, price 0/1), 
  create undead (6th, MT 70, price 6), crushing despair (4th, MT 50, 
  price 4), deep slumber (4th, MT 50, price 4), detect magic (0, MT 
  10, price 0/1), dominate animal (3rd, MT 40, price 3), dominate 
  person (6th, MT 70, price 6), entangle (1st, MT 20, price 1), faerie 
  ﬁre (1st, MT 20, price 1), ﬁnger of death (7th, MT 80, price 7), 
  greater shadow conjuration (7th, MT 80, price 7), haste (4th, MT 
  50, price 4), insect plague (5th, MT 60, price 5), obscuring mist 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), polymorph (4th, MT 50, price 4), quench 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), scare (3rd, MT 40, price 3), sleep (1st, MT 
  20, price 1), summon monster V (5th, MT 60, price 5), plane shift 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7), waves of exhaustion (7th, MT 80, price 7), 
  word of recall (8th, MT 90, price 8).
  Familiar Spells (27): alarm (2nd, MT 30, price 2), antilife shell (6th, 
  MT 70, price 6), awaken (5th, MT 60, price 5), call lightning (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), call lightning storm (5th, MT 60, price 5), commune 
  NISIBISI POWER GLOBES
  One artifact for which the Nisibisi were famed was the power globe. The origins of these items are not certain, but their power was very 
  clear. Looking like relief sculptures of the world, complete with bumps for mountains, they only functioned when spun. As they turned, 
  they ﬂashed with light, covering everything with a magical glow. Any spellcaster can use a Nisibisi globe. When used as an additional 
  component in the casting of a spell or ritual, the globe confers a +10 insight bonus to all spellcasting and ritualcasting checks. However, 
  the globes are draining, and deal 1 additional point of nonlethal damage for the price of each spell. 
  What makes these globes so dangerous was that they drew free mana to them, bending and distorting the mana ﬁeld to artiﬁcally 
  increase its potency. The mana ﬁeld close to a power globe increases by one step. For each additional globe beyond the ﬁrst, the mana 
  ﬁeld potency increases by an additional step to, at most, the Maximum Mana Field. When the globes are removed from the area, either 
  destroyed or simply relocated, the Mana Field plummets one step below normal for every step that it was increased. So, for example, if 
  a power globe is brought into a Normal Mana Field, it will increase to become a High Mana Field. Should the globe be removed, the 
  Mana Field will drop to Low. The drain on the Mana Field lasts for 10 years for each year that the globe or globes were present.
  Overwhelming transmutation; CL 24th; Weight 5 lb.
  
  - 124 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  with nature (6th, MT 70, price 6), control winds (5th, MT 60, price 
  5), ﬂame strike (4th, MT 50, price 4), gaseous form (4th, MT 50, 
  melee touch +8, price 4), gust of wind (2nd, MT 30, price 2), hide 
  from animals (1st, MT 20, melee touch +8, price 1), ice storm (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), identify (2nd, MT 30, price 2), locate object (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), message (1st, MT 20, price 1), modify memory (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), nightmare (6th, MT 70, price 6), read magic (0, 
  MT 10, price 0/1), resist energy (2nd, MT 30, price 2), sleet storm 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), soften earth and stone (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  summon monster I (1st, MT 20, price 1), summon nature’s ally IV 
  (4th, MT 50, price 4), wall of ﬁre (5th, MT 60, price 5), whirlwind 
  (8th, MT 90, price 8), whispering wind (3rd, MT 40, price 3), zone 
  of silence (4th, MT 50, price 4).
  Possessions: +3 keen dagger, ring of protection +2, amulet of natural 
  armor +2, cloak of Charisma +4, periapt of Wisdom +4, ritual focus 
  +6, spell focus +4.
  SAMLOR-HIL-SAMT 
  The son of the wealthy Cirdonian Kodrix clan, Samlor disgraced 
  himself when he got in the caravan trade to preserve the lifestyle of 
  his noble family, who had squandered the income of their estates. 
  Though they scorned him as any Cirdon noble scorns work and wages, 
  they greedily took his money to keep the family name from slipping 
  away. Samlor’s sister, Samlane, lived in Sanctuary and was married to 
  a wealthy Rankan noble named Regli. Samlor went back to visit her 
  when she was pregnant, and she asked him for a knife. He gave it to 
  her, whereupon she killed herself and her midwife, and set the room 
  on ﬁre, causing the building’s roof to collapse. Samlane claimed that 
  her child was actually a demon, and that evil priests had prevented 
  her from being rid of it or from killing herself and the baby before 
  this. Regli survived the disaster, and blamed Samlor for his wife’s 
  death, sending assassins after him. Unbeknownst to Regli, Samlane 
  had another child, a girl named Star, before their marriage. Samlor 
  has assumed responsibility for his niece, who is only a child but has 
  already demonstrated unusual powers. 
  DESCRIPTION
  A big, broad man with plain, rugged features and skin baked a deep 
  red by the sun, he dresses in a long-sleeved overtunic gathered at the 
  wrists, and sensible breeches and Northern boots beneath that. Samlor 
  usually carries a boot knife, a dagger, and at least one other blade.
  PERSONALITY
  Though not a religious man, Samlor has found himself tangled up 
  in the gods’ wars, and has apparently been enlisted as a champion 
  by the Cirdonian goddess Heqt, whose toad-face amulet he wears 
  around his neck. Samlor is an extremely practical man, and prefers 
  to avoid sorcery and anything else unreliable, though he knows a few 
  spells to get him through tough scrapes. He is a very capable ﬁghter, 
  though he prefers to talk his way out of situations when possible. 
  Though not a cruel man, Samlor understands that some people will 
  only understand pain, death, and torture. He is willing to use those 
  methods to protect himself, his property, and his people.
  SAMLOR-HIL SAMT
  Male Cirdonian merchant, ranger 3, initiate 4, Cirdonian caravan 
  master 5; CR 12; Medium humanoid (human); HD 3d8+12 plus 
  4d6+16 plus 5d8+23; hp 104; Mdt 24; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  20, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +9; Grap +13; Atk +14 
  melee (1d8+5/17–20, +1 longsword) or +14 melee (1d12+6/×3, 
  masterwork greataxe) or +15 melee (1d4+5/15–20, +1 kukri) 
  or +14 ranged (1d8+5/×3, +1 composite [+4] longbow) or +13 
  ranged (1d4+4/19–20, throwing dagger); Full Atk +14/+9 melee 
  (1d8+5/17–20, +1 longsword) or +14/+9 melee (1d12+6/×3, 
  masterwork greataxe) or +15/+10 melee (1d4+5/15–20, +1 
  kukri) or +14/+9 ranged (1d8+5/×3, +1 composite [+4] longbow) 
  or +13/+8 ranged (1d4+4/19–20, throwing dagger); SA combat 
  style (heavy); SQ anticipate ambush, caravan defense, eclectic 
  sorcery (Int), favored terrain (warm desert) +2, linguist, overland 
  navigation, rugged +5, shrewd negotiator; Rep +3 [1, 1, 1]; SV 
  Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +8; Str 18, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 
  17, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Appraise, Profession (merchant).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +10 (+13 buying or selling), Bluﬀ 
  +3, Climb +10 (+12 ropes), Concentration +8, Diplomacy +10 
  (+13 when recognized, +13 buying or selling), Escape Artist 
  +4 (+6 ropes), Gamble +12, Handle Animal +7, Hide +10 
  (+12 warm deserts), Intimidate +8, Knowledge (geography) 
  +18 (+20 warm deserts, +23 avoid getting lost), Knowledge 
  (nature) +9 (+11 warm deserts), Listen +13 (+15 warm deserts), 
  Move Silently +10 (+12 warm deserts), Profession (merchant) 
  +5, Ride +11, Search +9 (+11 warm deserts), Sense Motive 
  +14, Spot +18 (+20 warm deserts), Survival +11 (+13 warm 
  deserts, +18 avoid getting lost, +13 avoid hazards, +13 follow 
  tracks), Use Rope +9; CleaveB, Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved 
  Critical (kukri), Lightning ReﬂexesB, Power Attack, Quickdraw, 
  
  - 125 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  ToughnessB, TrackB, Weapon 
  Focus (kukri)
  Languages: Cirdonian (S), 
  Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S), 
  Enlibarite (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), 
  Inﬂuence (2), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting 
  +3; save DC 13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (3): detect magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), guidance (0, 
  MT 10, price 0/1), resistance (0, MT 10, price 0/1).
  Familiar Spells (4): convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  light (0, MT 10, price 0/1), lullaby (1st, MT 20, price 1), magic 
  weapon (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Possessions: +2 mithral chain shirt, +1 longsword, masterwork 
  greataxe, +1 keen kukri, +1 composite (+4) longbow, 4 throwing 
  daggers, gloves of Dexterity +2.
  SHUPANSEA 
  A few years after Kadakithis assumed control over Sanctuary, the 
  ﬁshermen discovered ships approaching from the south. They rowed 
  out to meet the strange sailors and learned that they were of an 
  unusual race that hailed from the other side of the world. The Beysibs 
  were crushed after a usurper ousted the Beysa, the divine avatar and 
  high priestess of Mother Bey. Because the Beysibs believe Mother 
  Bey cannot rid their land of evil while there’s a chance the innocent 
  might be injured, they ﬂed. The ﬁshermen ushered the Beysibs into 
  the city, but Sanctuary resisted their presence. The cohabitation of 
  the city created terrible diﬃculties for many years, culminating in 
  widespread anarchy as Roxane’s Death Squads fought with the PFLS, 
  the Stepsons, and others. But through it all, Shupansea, the Beysa, 
  guided her people as best she could.
  Shupansea might seem inexperienced and naïve, but she is cunning, 
  adept at diplomacy, and competent in oﬃce. She gathered skilled 
  advisors: courted Kadakithis, charmed Molin, and enlisted Hakiem 
  to help acclimate her to Sanctuary’s unusual atmosphere. Though 
  the Beysibs were terribly persecuted by the locals, she prevented 
  the worst from occuring (for a time, at least), using a ﬁrm hand 
  to ensure justice would be served and to preserve her people and 
  their way of life.
  Things began to unravel when she fell in love with Kadakithis. The 
  two nobles were distracted by their passion, and the city descended 
  into chaos around them. She planned to wed the Prince and further 
  cement the Beysib’s place in the city, but before they could marry, 
  word reached Sanctuary that the usurper was dead and that the Beysib 
  were free to return to their homeland.
  DESCRIPTION
  Though she has unusual features, 
  like all Beysib do, Shupansea 
  is a vision of beauty. She has 
  deep pools of blue for her eyes 
  and thigh-length silky golden 
  hair. She dresses in the Beysib 
  fashion — which is to say, she 
  is naked but for paint from the 
  waist up, something Sanctans 
  see as scandalous.  After a 
  year or so in Sanctuary’s less-
  than-balmy climate, she began 
  wearing garments that hewed 
  more closely to the Rankan style, 
  though she still had the habit of 
  painting her face with opalescent cosmetics.
  PERSONALITY
  Shupansea is imperious, and is used to being obeyed without question. 
  But she is no fool, and she recognizes she is in a unique new situation. 
  She has done her best to adapt, and to reduce her demands and be 
  more genial toward her hosts and neighbors.
  SHUPANSEA, THE BEYSA
  Female Beysib acolyte, noble 2, priestess 9, chosen of Bey 
  5; CR 16; Medium outsider (augmented humanoid, Beysib, 
  native); HD 2d8+4 plus 9d6+18 plus 4d8+8; hp 92; Mdt 23; 
  Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 18; Base Atk 
  +8; Grap +9; Atk +10 melee (1d6+2/19–20, +1 short sword) or 
  +11 ranged (1d4+2/19–20, +1 dagger); Full Atk +10/+5  melee 
  (1d6+2/19–20, +1 short sword) or +11 ranged (1d4+2/19–20, +1 
  dagger); SA animal companion (beynit), channel divine power 
  6/day, enhance venom; SQ acolyte trait, Beysa, Beysib traits, 
  commanding presence, damage reduction 10/magic, diplomat, 
  guidance, immune to poison, inspire courage, organize +3, poison 
  blood, snake empathy +18, transmute venom; Rep +7; SV Fort 
  +11, Ref +10, Will +22; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 
  24, Cha 20.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +8 (+10 poison), Bluﬀ +22, Concentration 
  +16, Craft (poison) +13, Diplomacy +32, Disguise +5 (+7 acting), 
  Handle Animal +10, Heal +16, Intimidate +18, Knowledge 
  (history) +17, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +7, Knowledge 
  (religion) +21, Listen +11, Perform (oratory) +14, Sense Motive 
  +24, Spellcraft +12, Spot +11, Swim +9; Appealing†, Distinctive 
  TitleB*, Fame*, Great Piety†, Iron Will, Leadership, Lightning 
  ReﬂexesB, Persuasive.
  †New feat; see Chapter Eight: Player’s Expansion for details.
  Languages: Beysib (S/W), Rankene (S), Ilsig (S).
  Contacts: Information (2), Influence (Kadakithis, Molin 
  Torchholder).
  Spells: safe level 5th; spellcasting 
  +13; ritualcasting +24; save DC 
  17 + spell level; caster level 
  11th.
  Known Spells (14+5d): bless 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), cause fear 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert 
  moderate wounds (2nd, MT 30, 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON SHUPANSEA
  “I never liked the Beysa. Hell, I never liked the ﬁsh-eyed folk at all. I 
  could never really see what Kittycat saw in Shupansea, unless it was 
  her perky, painted chest. I always ﬁgured it was some ﬁsh-blooded 
  magic or sorcery that was blinding him.”
  SHADOWSPAWN ON SAMLOR-HIL SAMT
  “Samlor is one tough bastard. When he comes to Sanctuary, you 
  can rest assured that someone will end up bloody in the end. He’s 
  not a bad guy, unless you piss him off. Even then, he sees things 
  through the eyes of a businessman, but you never know what his 
  bottom line is.”
  
  - 126 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  price 2), discern lies (4th, MT 50, price 4) D, dispel magic (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), divine favor (1st, MT 20, price 1) D, eagle’s splendor 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), enthrall (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, ﬂame 
  strike (5th, MT 60, price 5), greater command (5th, MT 60, price 
  5) D, guidance (0, MT 10, price 0/1), magic vestment (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3) D, neutralize poison (4th, MT 50, price 4), poison (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), searing light (3rd, MT 40, price 3), shield of faith 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), slay living (5th, MT 60, price 5).
  D: Domain spell. Domains: Animal (1/day, speak with animals), 
  Nobility (inspire allies).
  Familiar Spells (20): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2), bless water (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), calm emotions (2nd, MT 30, price 2), commune 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5), consecrate (2nd, MT 30, price 2), convert 
  critical wounds (4th, MT 50, price 4), convert light wounds (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), daylight (3rd, MT 40, price 3), detect magic (0, 
  MT 10, price 0/1), greater circle of protection (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3)*, hallow (5th, MT 60, price 5), heal (6th, MT 70, price 6), 
  helping hand (3rd, MT 40, price 3), lesser planar ally (4th, MT 
  50, price 4), remove disease (3rd, MT 40, DC 20, price 3), remove 
  paralysis (2nd, MT 30, DC 19, price 2), scrying (5th, MT 60, 
  price 5), summon monster III (3rd, MT 40, price 3), zone of truth 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  *New spell; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Possessions: +1 short sword, +1 dagger, amulet of natural armor +4, 
  bracers of armor +4, cloak of Charisma +4, periapt of Wisdom +6, +6 
  ritual focus.
  STRATON (ACE)
  A Stepson, Straton (also called “Ace”) is third in command of the 
  sacred banders and also serves as the organization’s chief interrogator. 
  Paired with Critias, Straton had a commendable career until Tempus 
  left him in charge of Sanctuary’s defenses when he took the Stepsons 
  north to Wizardwall. He fell in love with the necromant Ischade, 
  and became embroiled in her machinations. She seeded his mind 
  with ambition, urging him to take control over the city and rule it 
  as its master. And though Strat served Ischade’s interests, there was 
  a powerful bond between them, strong enough to threaten his vows 
  to the Stepsons.
  When Tempus returned, Crit found Strat a changed man. He rode 
  a zombie steed, he visited Ischade regularly, and he had let the city 
  descend into chaos. Strat refused to see what had happened to him 
  and was caught between his loyalties. To make matters worse, Strat 
  was not touched by Ischade’s curse because there was enough death 
  in Sanctuary to sate her; so long as she had the likes of Janni and 
  Stilcho to feed her curse, it wouldn’t come to rest on Strat. However, 
  the necromant realized that, as the city stabilized and magic ﬂed, he 
  would succumb. She believed if they met again as lovers, he would 
  die. To protect him, she severed their relationship, driving him to 
  the brink of madness.
  In his crazed state, he couldn’t reconcile the feelings of betrayal with 
  his responsibility to the Stepsons and, ultimately, the city. This put him 
  in bad spots, such as being shot by the rooftop assassin and witnessing 
  the horrors of the Tasfalen House ﬁrst-hand. In the end, Strat ﬁnally 
  came to his senses when he rescued Crit from his captor. Ischade freed 
  him from his love, allowing him to return to the life he had before. 
  BEYNIT
  Tiny Animal
  Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
  Massive Damage Threshold: 7 
  Initiative: +6
  Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 40 ft., swim 20 ft.
  Armor Class: 20 (+2 size, +6 Dex, +2 natural), touch 18,  
  ﬂat-footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–11
  Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3–3 plus poison)
  Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3–3 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
  Special Attacks: Poison
  Special Qualities: Scent
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 5, Dex 22, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 10
  Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Hide +18, Listen +8, Spot +8,  
  Swim +5
  Feats: Ability Focus (poison)B, Weapon Finesse
  Environment: Temperate marshes
  Organization: Solitary, nest (2–16), host (20–200)
  Challenge Rating: 2
  Treasure: None
  (Alignment): Always neutral
  Advancement: —
  Level Adjustment: —
  “In the shadowy dawn of creation, Bey removed Beynit from the gap between 
  her legs… making it possible for Bey to give birth to the universe. Hence, 
  Beynit was a part of the goddess in a way which the [rest of the] universe 
  was not.”
  The beynit is a small, extremely poisonous snake. Venerated by the Beysib 
  as both a religious symbol and as the manifestation of divine will, it is a 
  sacred animal. As a symbol, it symbolizes the cthonic aspects of Mother 
  Bey, having the ability to reach secret places, to breach barriers often 
  hidden and protected. It also represents eternity, sometimes symbolized 
  as the snake eating its own tail. For divine will, its venom is the clearest 
  expression of the goddess’ disfavor. 
  Small and green, with a scarlet maw, this snake is rarely, if ever, found 
  outside of the Beysib Empire. These sacred animals are always in the 
  keeping of the priests of Bey. However, there are plenty of places to 
  hide in Sanctuary, so it’s not impossible for a beynit or two to have 
  been left behind.
  COMBAT
  The beynit is a vicious foe, using its bite attack to inject powerful nerve 
  toxins into their opponents.
  Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 16, initial damage 1d6 Dex, secondary 
  damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 
  racial bonus and the +2 bonus from the Ability Focus (poison) feat.
  Skills: Beynits have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks 
  and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A beynit can always 
  choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. 
  Beynits use either their Strength modiﬁer or Dexterity modiﬁer for 
  Climb checks, whichever is higher. A beynit has a +8 racial bonus on 
  any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It 
  can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or 
  endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it 
  swims in a straight line.
  
  - 127 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  When the Stepsons pulled out 
  of Sanctuary, he went with them, 
  leaving his heartbreak and sorrow 
  behind in Thieves’ World.
  DESCRIPTION
  Straton is a tall and muscular man, 
  with a body honed for ﬁghting. 
  He wears his brown hair short 
  and has ﬂashing gray eyes. Strat 
  never goes anywhere without his 
  armor; he’s learned Sanctuary is simply too dangerous, and that the 
  Stepsons have too many enemies.
  PERSONALITY
  Strat is a serious, no-nonsense commander. He takes his responsibility 
  very seriously; up until he fell under Ischade’s sway, he was considered 
  one of the Stepsons’ best. He is passionate and deeply in love with 
  the Necromant, which clouds his mind with feelings of betrayal and 
  melancholy.
  STRAT
  Male Rankan mercenary, ranger 6, ﬁghter 3, sacred bander 
  2; CR 11; Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d8+12 plus 
  3d10+6 plus 2d10+4; hp 80; Mdt 25; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  22, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 21; Base Atk +11; Grap +14; Atk +17 
  melee (1d10+5/17–20, +2 cold iron bastard sword) or +13 ranged 
  (1d10/19–20, masterwork heavy crossbow); Full Atk +17/+12/+7 
  melee (1d10+5/17–20, +2 cold iron bastard sword) or +13 ranged 
  (1d10/19–20, masterwork heavy crossbow); SA coordinated 
  oﬀense; SQ favored terrain (mountains +4, hills +2), improved 
  combat style (heavy), mercenary trait, sacred bond (Crit), trap 
  sense +1; Rep +2; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 13, 
  Con 15, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Ride.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +0, Diplomacy +4, Handle Animal 
  +16, Hide –5 (–1 mountains, –3 hills), Intimidate +15, Jump 
  +6, Knowledge (geography) +10, Listen +14 (+18 mountains, 
  +16 hills), Move Silently +4 (+8 mountains, +6 hills), Ride 
  +19, Search +1 (+5 mountains, +3 hills), Sense Motive +2, Spot 
  +14 (+18 mountains, +16 hills), Survival +9 (+11 avoid hazards 
  and getting lost, +13 mountains, +11 hills), Swim –6; CleaveB, 
  Diehard, EnduranceB, Exotic 
  Weapon Proﬁciency (bastard 
  sword) B, Great Cleave B, 
  Improved Critical (bastard 
  sword), Improved Damage 
  Threshold*, Power AttackB, 
  NegotiatorB, TrackB, Weapon 
  Focus (bastard sword).
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), 
  Islig (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: I n f o r m a t i o n 
  (Mradhon Vis), Inﬂuence (Crit), Skill (Ischade).
  Possessions: +1 banded mail, +1 heavy steel shield, +2 cold iron 
  bastard sword, masterwork heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, ring 
  of protection +1.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON STRATON
  “Until Strat fell for Ischade, he was Crit’s partner. He picked a 
  terrible time to fall in love, and an even worse woman to fall in love 
  with. I used to think he was a smart, practical man, but that witch 
  must’ve stirred him up pretty good. Was she in love with him, too, or 
  was she just happy that he hadn’t up and died on her yet?”
  STRAT’S HORSE
  As a gift, Ischade restored Strat’s horse to a semblance of life. Though Strat could never perceive it, others noticed the fact that it never 
  ate, was cool to the touch, and, in short, was an undead steed. Eerily, it had a hole in the shoulder, through which the ﬁres of hell could 
  be seen (DC 20 Spot check).
  STRAT’S HORSE
  Large Undead; HD 6d12; hp 39; Mdt —; Init +0; Spd 50 ft.; AC 17, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 17; Base Atk +3; Grap +14; Atk +9 melee 
  (1d6+6, hoof); Full Atk +9 melee (1d6+6, 2 hooves), +4 melee (1d4+3, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SQ low-light vision; SV Fort +1, 
  Ref +1, Will +5; Str 24, Dex 11, Con —, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Skills and Feats: Listen +7, Spot +6; Alertness, Endurance, Run.
  
  - 128 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  TEMPUS
  Tempus was born long ago in Azehur. He was next in line for the 
  throne, but he was young and idealistic and stepped back so his 
  brother could rule in his stead. What happened next is unclear. It had 
  something to do with wizards, because Tempus still holds a grudge 
  against all mages. It seems to have aﬀected him and his sister, Cime, 
  and apparently it made the two of 
  them immortal, because Tempus 
  is several centuries old. He left 
  Azehur, and was a philosopher 
  for a time. He was also an acolyte 
  of the Blue Star, though he was 
  never made an Adept. 
  Some time after that, Vashanka 
  found him. The Rankan war god 
  made Tempus his servant and avatar, and granted him speed, strength, 
  and rapid healing in exchange for his service. For many years, he fought 
  for Vashanka; during the Ranke-Ilsigi War, Tempus was on the front 
  lines of every engagement. And, a short while after Kadakithis came 
  to Sanctuary, the Riddler followed. He had taken the name Tempus 
  only recently — his true name is actually Cletus. He served brieﬂy as 
  a Hell Hound, but did not acknowledge Zalbar as his superior, and 
  barely tolerated orders from Kadakithis himself. Instead, Tempus came 
  to Sanctuary at Vashanka’s bidding, to see the temple built in his name 
  and the rival Ilsigi gods weakened and destroyed.
  Later, Tempus’ adopted son, Abarsis, came to Sanctuary at the head 
  of an army of mercenaries. The sacred band had made the journey to 
  recruit Tempus and bring him into their fold. Naming themselves 
  the Stepsons, after Abarsis’ relationship with the Riddler (a nickname 
  of unclear origins), it took Abarsis’ death to convince Vashanka’s 
  godsworn to lead them.
  Tempus took the Stepsons out of Sanctuary, leaving a garrison to 
  protect the Emperor while the rest went north to help Ranke in 
  its ﬁght against the Nisibisi warlocks. No one is sure exactly what 
  happened, except that on the battleﬁeld, Tempus made an alliance with 
  General Theron, a bloody general 
  with many victories under his 
  belt. Later, Tempus, his daughter 
  Kama, and others murdered 
  Abakithis and installed Theron 
  on the throne to save the Empire 
  from collapse. Unfortunately, it 
  was too late, and so while Ranke 
  declined, and after Roxane was 
  contained, Tempus left Sanctuary 
  for good, leading the Stepsons to new lands, new wars, and possibly 
  new worlds.
  DESCRIPTION
  Tempus is a big man, just shy of seven feet tall. He has long blond 
  hair and blocky, heavy features. He generally wears a short beard but, 
  thanks to his curse, he can mask his features at will. He heals at an 
  incredibly fast rate, even regrowing lost limbs. He prefers to wear 
  armor wherever he goes and is rarely without a Trôs horse. 
  PERSONALITY
  Tempus hates mages, and will often hunt and kill them. He also 
  hates criminals, and particularly criminal overlords — in Sanctuary, 
  he made it a personal mission to destroy Jubal’s criminal empire by 
  killing his hawk-masks and other agents whenever possible. He does 
  not talk much, and when he does, he’s often condescending. Tempus 
  did ﬁnd himself liking two very diﬀerent young men in Sanctuary, 
  however. One was Prince Kadakithis himself, and the other was the 
  thief Hanse Shadowspawn. Hanse saved his life and later rescued 
  him from Kurd. Tempus honors his debts, though he strives to keep 
  his distance from people, for those who love him (or whom he loves) 
  are fated to come to an ill end. 
  TEMPUS
  Male Azehur cursed, godsworn 24, Hell Hound 2; CR 26; Medium 
  outsider (human, immortal, native); HD 24d10+96 plus 2d12+8; 
  hp 253; Mdt 24; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 26, touch 20, ﬂat-footed 
  16; Base Atk +23; Grap +27; Atk +33 melee (2d6+11/19–20, 
  +5 Enlibrite greatsword) or +31 ranged (1d8+7/×3, +3 composite 
  (+4) longbow); Full Atk +33 melee (2d6+11/19–20, +5 Enlibrite 
  greatsword) or +31 ranged (1d8+7/×3, +3 composite (+4) longbow); 
  SA battle fervor (5/day), pack tactics, smite enemy; SQ aura of 
  courage, cursed, damage reduction 10/magic, divine fortitude, 
  divine health, divine protection, divine shield, divinely favored, 
  fearsome reputation, spell resistance 31; Rep +8; SV Fort +21, Ref 
  +22, Will +24; Str 18, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 21, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Ride.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Diplomacy +5, Gather Information +11, 
  Handle Animal +30, Intimidate +34, Jump +6, Knowledge (nobility 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON TEMPUS
  “Tempus, called ‘Riddler’ by his buggering Stepson lackeys. After Kurd 
  got a hold of him, cut out his tongue, and carved on him like a game 
  hen, he wasn’t much to look at. After a couple of weeks, though, those 
  wounds were gone, and it was like nothing had ever happened.”
  
  - 129 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  and royalty) +16, Knowledge (religion) +19, Ride +38, Sense 
  Motive +32, Swim +6, Use Rope +7; Combat Expertise, Diehard, 
  Dodge, Endurance, Iron Will, Mobility, Mounted CombatB, Power 
  AttackB, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus 
  (greatsword)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S), Cirdonian (S), Wrigglie 
  (S), Nisi (S).
  Contacts: Information (Shadowspawn), Inﬂuence (Kadakithis), 
  Skill (Cime, Crit, Niko, Randal).
  Cursed (Su): When he accepted service to Vashanka, he gained 
  a curse. Tempus can no longer sleep, which makes him angry 
  and frustrated but has no other detrimental eﬀect. In addition, 
  he cannot “know” a woman without violence, making him a 
  despicable rapist and villain. In exchange for the curse, Vashanka 
  granted Tempus the ability to change his appearance at will, 
  allowing him to cast disguise self as a swift action. Unlike the 
  spell, Tempus can allow individuals the ability to see through 
  the disguise if he chooses.
  Spells: safe level 9th; ritualcasting +18; save DC 15 + spell 
  level.
  Known Spells (7+9d): blade barrier (5th, MT 60, price 5) D, bless 
  (1st, MT 20, price 2), convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), dispel magic (3rd, MT 40, price 3), divine power (4th, MT 
  50, price 4) D, doom (1st, MT 20, price 1), entropic shield (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), ﬂame strike (5th, MT 60, price 5) D, geas/quest 
  (6th, MT 70, price 6), greater command (5th, MT 60, price 5), 
  magic vestment (3rd, MT 40, price 3) D, magic weapon (1st, MT 
  20, price 1) D, power word blind (7th, MT 80, price 7) D, power 
  word kill (9th, MT 100, price 9) D, power word stun (8th, MT 
  90, price 8), shield of faith (1st, MT 20, price 1), shield other (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), spell immunity (4th, MT 50, price 4), spiritual 
  weapon (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, storm of vengeance (9th, MT 
  100, price 9).
  D: Domain spell. Domain: War.
  Familiar Spells (10): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2), commune 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5), dimensional lock (8th, MT 90, price 8), 
  divination (4th, MT 50, price 4), eagle’s splendor (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), favored of the gods (9th, MT 100, price 9)*, ﬁre storm (9th, 
  MT 100, price 9), gate (9th, MT 100, price 9), hallow (5th, MT 
  60, price 5), heroes’ feast (6th, MT 70, price 6), mass bull’s strength 
  (6th, MT 70, price 6), prayer (3rd, MT 40, price 3), restoration 
  (4th, MT 50, price 19).
  *New spell; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Possessions: +3 studded leather of heavy fortiﬁcation, +5 Enlibarite 
  greatsword, +3 composite (+4) longbow with 20 cold iron 
  arrows.
  WALEGRIN
  Illyra’s half-brother Walegrin is more than a decade older than she 
  is, and was a teen when their father killed her mother. Walegrin ﬂed 
  that night, and never looked back. Believing himself cursed, he stayed 
  away from Sanctuary and the S’danzo. When he came across a pottery 
  fragment that seemed to be a key to ﬁnding an old Enlibrite mine, 
  he returned despite the risk of his suspected curse. 
  Until he returned ﬁfteen years later, Walegrin had not seen his half-
  sister Illyra since her mother’s death. He regretted leaving her behind, 
  and wished he could make it up to her, but that time was long past. 
  When he found his sister in the Bazaar to use her talents to ﬁnd the 
  mines, she told him his suspicions about the curse were nonsense. 
  Illyra helped him ﬁnd the mine and he was successful in extracting 
  the ore, bringing it back to the city to forge the fabled Enlibrite steel 
  blades. Just as the ﬁnal blades were completed, Molin seized the 
  stores and brought Walegrin to the Palace. The high priest claimed 
  the blades, but oﬀered Walegrin a position as the head of the city’s 
  guard—an opportunity the mercenary felt he couldn’t refuse.
  For the next decade or so, Walegrin served Sanctuary, trying to maintain 
  the peace in the face of growing unrest. He fought in the streets against 
  the mobs and piﬄes, helped thwart Zip, and generally improved life, 
  seeing stability restored. Walegrin lived on, even after Kadakithis left the 
  city, and helped Molin slow the takeover of the city by the Dyareelans, 
  though such heroism eventually claimed his life.
  TRÔS HORSE
  Large Magical Beast
  Hit Dice: 6d10+24 (57 hp)
  Massive Damage Threshold: 23
  Initiative: +1
  Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
  Armor Class: 15 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, ﬂat-footed 
  14
  Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+16 
  Attack: Hoof +11 melee (1d6+6)
  Full Attack: 2 hooves +11 melee (1d6+6) and bite +6 melee (1d4+3)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: —
  Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, shared speed
  Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +4
  Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 15, Cha 8
  Skills: Listen +9, Spot +8
  Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Run
  Environment: Temperate plains
  Organization: Solitary, pair, herd (5–20)
  Challenge Rating: 3
  Treasure: —
  (Alignment): Always neutral
  Advancement: 7–12 HD (Large)
  Level Adjustment: —
  These great steeds have red hides, and black or gray manes. They are the greatest 
  horses in the Known World.
  The fabled Trôs horses are some of the best steeds in the world. Similar 
  to Andalusians, they have ﬁery dispositions, but are larger, faster and 
  stronger, ideally suited for warfare. The only drawback to these ﬁne 
  steeds is that they are diﬃcult to train (increasing all Handle Animal 
  DCs by +5).
  Shared Speed (Su): Trôs horses have a limited ability to share spells 
  with their riders. Any spell or eﬀect that increases the speed of the rider 
  likewise increases the speed of the steed. In addition, the Trôs horse 
  uses its speed or that of its rider, whichever is faster.
  Carrying Capacity: A light load for a Trôs horse is up to 700 pounds; a 
  medium load, 701–1,400 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,400–2,100 pounds. 
  A Trôs horse can drag 10,500 pounds.
  
  - 130 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  DESCRIPTION
  Walegrin is a tall, lean man with 
  thick sun-bleached hair pulled 
  back into four braids and distinct 
  green eyes. He looks much like 
  a barbarian. He is a seasoned 
  warrior, and is comfortable with 
  a sword in his hand. 
  PERSONALITY
  Those who follow Walegrin respect him. He’s a good leader and well 
  liked. He is very superstitious, and though Illyra told him he was never 
  cursed, every time he loses a man, he blames himself and the curse, 
  and is wracked with guilt because of his fate. When not ﬁghting, 
  Walegrin is quiet and contemplative, but in combat he becomes 
  self-assured and moves quickly, issuing orders almost before he has 
  registered the situation.
  WALEGRIN
  Male Rankan mercenary, ranger 6, ﬁghter 6; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d8+24 plus 6d10+24; hp 
  111; Mdt 25; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 25, touch 14, ﬂat-
  footed 21; Base Atk +12; Grap +15; Atk +17 melee 
  (1d8+6/17–20, +1 longsword) or +16 ranged (1d4+3, 
  dagger); Full Atk +17/+12/+7 melee (1d8+6/17–20, 
  +1 longsword) or +16 ranged (1d4+3, dagger); SA 
  combat style (skirmish), improved combat style; SQ 
  favored terrain (warm desert +4, underground +2), 
  literate, mercenary trait, trap sense +1; Rep +2; 
  SV Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +8; Str 17, Dex 
  18, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, 
  Knowledge (geography).
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +9, Climb 
  +5, Diplomacy +4 (+2 when 
  recognized), Disguise +2 
  (+4 acting), Handle Animal 
  +17, Hide +9 (+13 warm 
  desert, +11 underground), 
  Intimidate +12, Jump +13, 
  Knowledge (geography) 
  +5, Listen +10 (+14 warm 
  desert, +12 underground), 
  Move Silently +9 (+13 
  w a r m  d e s e r t , + 1 1 
  underground), Ride 
  +21, Search +12 (+16 
  warm desert, +14 
  underground), Sense 
  Motive +3, Spot +10 
  (+14 warm desert, +12 
  underground), Survival 
  + 1 0  ( + 1 2  a v o i d 
  hazards and getting 
  lost, +12 follow 
  tracks, +14 warm 
  desert, +12 underground), 
  Swim +2; Agile Riposte*, 
  Combat Expertise, Dodge, 
  EnduranceB, Improved Critical 
  (longsword)B, Leadership, 
  MobilityB, NegotiatorB,  Spring 
  AttackB, Track B, Weapon 
  Focus (longsword)B, Weapon 
  Specialization (longsword)B, 
  Whirlwind Attack.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S), Wrigglie (S), S’danzo (S).
  Contacts: Information (Illyra, 1), Inﬂuence (Molin Torchholder), 
  Skill (1).
  Possessions: +2 mithral breastplate, +2 heavy steel shield, +1 
  longsword, dagger, amulet of health +2, cloak of resistance +3, gloves 
  of Dexterity +2.
  ZALBAR 
  When Abakithis sent his stepbrother to Sanctuary, he sent with him 
  a handful of trusted warriors who would protect the young prince 
  from the dangers of the city. Among them, the greatest was 
  Zalbar, who led the group that would become known as the 
  Hell Hounds. When they arrived, Zalbar had nothing but 
  contempt for the people of the city, seeing them as ﬁlthy 
  scum, no better than what’s scraped from the bottom of 
  a boot. But after a sharp reprimand from the Prince, he 
  worked hard to keep his opinions to himself.
  Shortly after, the Prince passed a decree imposing 
  a crippling tax on the brothels. Zalbar made 
  the rounds to inform the madames of 
  the new arrangements. Canny Myrtis, 
  who refused to be run out of town, 
  used a love potion on the Hell 
  Hound, and when he was properly 
  entranced, she took him beneath 
  to the city to reveal that she 
  and her brothel protected a 
  series of tunnels and cisterns 
  that could save the city 
  during an attack. Though 
  his sense of duty prevented 
  him from seeing Myrtis 
  again, he assented and 
  convinced the Prince to 
  lift the tax.
  Zalbar came to know 
  many of Sanctuary’s 
  finest, and developed 
  an unexpected rapport 
  with Jubal. As the 
  city progressed and 
  improved, Zalbar’s 
  contempt for the 
  Prince transformed 
  into admiration, 
  especially when he 
  SHADOWSPAWN ON WALEGRIN
  “Walegrin believes himself to be the victim of a S’danzo curse. He’s a 
  mercenary who has climbed above his humble beginnings, gaining the 
  attention of the palace and unlocking the secret of Enlibar steel. If that’s 
  what he calls a curse, I think everyone can use a little bit of it.”
  
  - 131 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  realized that the Prince’s naïveté 
  was only a front to keep his 
  rivals oﬀ guard. Though Zalbar 
  warmed to Sanctuary, he has 
  grown to despise Tempus, largely 
  because the man deﬁes him at 
  every turn.
  Once the Beysibs arrive, matters 
  become worse for Zalbar. The 
  Hell Hounds have even less 
  authority than before, and more 
  potential enemies all around. Furthermore, Tempus has vanished, 
  leaving Zalbar with only three competent warriors at his side, and 
  the prince continues to follow his own plans rather than taking 
  Zalbar’s more defensible suggestions. Eventually, Zalbar and the 
  rest of the Hell Hounds are pushed out of the Palace, and are but a 
  shadow of their former presence. Zalbar is presumed to have joined 
  Jubal in his voyage to the Beysib homeland, leaving Sanctuary 
  behind for good.
  DESCRIPTION
  Zalbar is tall, muscled and intimidating. At over six-and-a-half feet 
  tall, he can look Tempus squarely in the eye. He is a scary sight on 
  Sanctuary’s streets, wearing his gleaming breastplate and bearing the 
  colors of Ranke. Sanctans have learned to give the leader of the Hell 
  Hounds a wide berth when passing.
  PERSONALITY
  Zalbar is frustrated because he has too few men to deal with all the 
  threats Sanctuary oﬀers, and because politics and religion often tie 
  his hands. All he can do is make sure that Kadakithis is safe, and stop 
  any threats once he ﬁnds them. Zalbar is a good man, a good soldier, 
  and a good leader. He works to keep the other Hell Hounds not only 
  content but also leashed — particularly Tempus, with his violent 
  tendencies and his vendettas. Zalbar is also extremely honest. He 
  rarely lies, and then only when absolutely necessary. He is completely 
  incorruptible; Myrtis’ drugs won his love, and may have inﬂuenced 
  him slightly, but after seeing the underground tunnels beneath her 
  brothel, he knew that strategically they could not aﬀord to shut down 
  her business as planned. 
  ZALBAR
  Male Rankan soldier, ﬁghter 6, Rankan legionnaire 4, Hell 
  Hound 6; CR 16; Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d10+18 
  plus 4d10+12 plus 6d12+21; hp 149; Mdt 36; Init +3; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 30, touch 15, ﬂat-footed 27; Base Atk +16; Grap 
  +19; Atk +23 melee (1d10+8/19–20, +3 bastard sword) or 
  +21 ranged (1d8+5/×3, +2 composite (+3) longbow); Full Atk 
  +23/+18/+13/+8  melee (1d10+8/19–20, +3 bastard sword) 
  or +21/+16/+11/+6 ranged (1d8+5/×3, +2 composite (+3) 
  longbow); SA esprit de corps, pack tactics, tactical assault; SQ 
  armor specialization (breastplate), fearsome reputation, forced 
  marching, formation defense, issued equipment, soldier trait, 
  uncanny dodge, untouchable; Rep +4; SV Fort +17, Ref +8, 
  Will +9 (+15 mind-aﬀecting); Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 15, 
  Wis 15, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, 
  Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +4, Climb 
  +5 (+7 ropes), Diplomacy +4, 
  Escape Artist –1 (+1 bindings), 
  Gather Information +8, Handle 
  Animal +8, Intimidate +27, 
  Jump +9, Knowledge (nobility 
  and royalty) +8, Ride +14, 
  Survival +13, Swim +5, Use 
  Rope +9; CleaveB, Combat 
  Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency (bastard sword)B, Great 
  CleaveB, Greater Damage Threshold*, Improved Damage 
  Threshold*, Improved Sunder, Persuasive, Power AttackB, Skill 
  Focus (Intimidate)B, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)B, 
  Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Ilsig (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (Jubal, Myrtis), Inﬂuence (Hell Hounds, 
  Kadakithis).
  Possessions: +3 breastplate, +3 heavy steel shield, +3 bastard sword, 
  +2 composite (+3) longbow with 20 arrows, ring of evasion, ring of 
  protection +2, amulet of natural armor +2.
  ZIP
  An orphan and bastard child of a Wrigglie and Nisibisi exile, Zip 
  has had anything but an easy life. He grew up in the slums of 
  Sanctuary and, as he grew, he came to believe the Rankans were 
  responsible for every woe. When the Beysibs landed, Zip used 
  them as scapegoats to create the PFLS: the People’s Front for the 
  Liberation of Sanctuary, a group committed to ousting the Rankans, 
  the Beysibs, and anyone else.
  Zip’s organization was little more than a gang of cutthroats and 
  thugs. But, with a ﬁrm hand, he helped guide them to achieve his 
  goals. His dreams of freeing his city crumbled when the PFLS were 
  subsumed into the 3rd Commando. When Zip realized Kama had 
  used him to get control of his men, he worked hard to save the tatters 
  of his dreams. 
  Through it all, Zip continued to ﬁght to liberate the city. Chenaya 
  eventually seduced him and convinced him she would help get him 
  inside the Palace. So, with a group of his best men, he entered the 
  Palace, walking straight into an ambush. The guards killed all of 
  Zip’s men, thus ending the PFLS. Ironically, after the False Plague 
  Riots, Zip and his remaining ﬁghters are assigned the responsibility 
  of keeping the peace within Sanctuary.
  At the beginning of his career, he found a crude altar dedicated 
  to some divine spirit — maybe Vashanka, maybe a demon, maybe 
  something else. Zip became the revolutionary of his dreams, but 
  eventually shifted more and more to becoming a cultist of this new 
  dark religion. The god in the rocks demanded blood sacriﬁce, so Zip 
  regularly brought back struggling victims, which he knifed, spilling 
  their blood on the rocks. This continued until the thing demanded 
  Zip erect the altar inside the city, along the Avenue of Temples. When 
  Ranke withdrew, Zip followed the 3rd Commando, seeing his life in 
  the city, for which he had fought so hard, as over.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ZALBAR
  “The chief of the Prince’s Hell Hounds and a loyal soldier of Ranke. 
  He’s a capable ﬁghting man, more than a match for a dozen of 
  Sanctuary’s best brawlers. With the Beysibs around, he doesn’t have 
  quite the pull with Kittycat that he used to. Just because he’s less 
  powerful doesn’t mean that he’s powerless.”
  
  - 132 -
  CHAPTER FOUR: FACES OF SANCTUARY, RANKAN ERA
  DESCRIPTION
  Zip is a pale, scarred man, in his 
  mid-twenties, with narrow eyes 
  and a scruﬀy beard to match his 
  close-cropped dark hair. He wears 
  dirty clothing, stained to hide him 
  and make him indistinguishable 
  from the crowds. 
  PERSONALITY
  Zip is a very angry young man. He is convinced that the Rankans 
  ruined his life, and he wants to make them pay. In his mind, anyone 
  who sides with the Rankans is every bit as bad as a Rankan, even if 
  all they have done is try to make peace. Zip does not want peace; he 
  wants death, destruction, and complete chaos. 
  ZIP
  Half-Ilsigi, half-Nisibisi terrorist, thief 5, survivor 4; CR 9; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 5d6+10 plus 4d10+8; hp 60; 
  Mdt 21; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 17; Base 
  Atk +6; Grap +7; Atk +10 melee (1d6+2/19–20, +1 short sword) 
  or +9 melee (1d3+2, unarmed strike) or +10 melee (1d4+1/×3, 
  punching dagger) or +10 ranged (1d4+2, +1 sling); Full Atk +10/+5  
  melee (1d6+2/19–20, +1 short sword) or +9/+4 melee (1d3+2, 
  unarmed strike) or +10/+5 
  melee (1d4+1/×3, punching 
  dagger) or +10 ranged (1d4+2, 
  +1 sling); SA sneak attack +3d6; 
  SQ evasion, fight or flight 
  (defensive), indomitable, trap 
  sense +1, trapﬁnding, uncanny 
  dodge; Rep +2; SV Fort +7, Ref 
  +8, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 
  15, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Knowledge (nobility and royalty).
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +11, Climb +5, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +0 
  (+2 acting), Intimidate +10 (+13 recognized), Jump +5, Gamble 
  +9, Gather Information +10, Hide +13, Knowledge (local) 
  +17, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +12, Listen +15, Move 
  Silently +13, Sense Motive +5, Spot +15, Survival +13, Swim +5, 
  Tumble +7; AlertnessB, Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved Damage 
  ThresholdB*, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Mixed Ancestry*, 
  Mobility, Stealthy, Run.
  Languages: Wriggle (S), Rankene (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1), Skill (Kama).
  Possessions: +1 leather, +1 short sword, masterwork punching dagger, 
  masterwork garrote, +1 sling with 10 bullets, potion of convert moderate 
  wounds, elixir of hiding, elixir of sneaking, 4 ﬂasks of alchemist ﬁre.
  GARROTE
  A preferred weapon of assassins, the garrote, or strangling cord, is a length of sturdy cord or ﬂexible wire attached to two wooden 
  handles. When wrapped around a victim’s neck, the wielder can strangle the life out of the target. Though eﬀective when the wielder 
  gets the jump on an opponent, they are nearly worthless in normal combat.
  To use a garrote, a character must successfully grab an opponent by making a successful grapple attack. When the wielder achieves 
  a hold, he may begin strangling his opponent, dealing 1d6 points of damage (plus Strength modiﬁer) each round he maintains the 
  grapple. In addition, the target takes a cumulative –2 penalty on his grapple checks or Escape Artist checks made to break the grapple, 
  as the strangling cord prevents him from getting air.
  Garrotes can only be used against targets that need to breathe and have a recognizable anatomy, and so cannot be used against elementals, 
  oozes, plants, or undead. At the GM’s discretion, certain creatures (such as dragons, magical beasts, vermin, and even outsiders) might 
  also be immune, depending on the practicality of ﬁtting a garrote over the target’s neck.
  SHADOWSPAWN ON ZIP
  “A Nisi terrorist, dedicated to driving the Beysibs from the city. He’s 
  a vicious animal, and he’ll kill his own men in order to keep his little 
  band of revolutionaries a secret. He also knows Sanctuary’s sewers 
  and tunnels better than anyone.”
  
  - 133 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Though the people have changed, Sanctuary in the Irrune Era is much 
  like it once was. Footpads still prowl the streets looking for marks. 
  Killers and mercenaries still hire themselves out at the now-moved 
  Caravan Depot. The ﬁshermen still set sail before dawn. And corruption 
  still runs rampant. This is still Sanctuary, through and through.
  The new Thieves’ World books have only touched on a couple of the 
  characters from the Rankan Era: Molin Torchholder, Enas Yorl, and 
  Chance, who was once called Shadowspawn. The mortals from the 
  original series have all died or moved on, but characters like Tempus, 
  Cime, and perhaps a few others may still be alive and well in the Irrune 
  Era (though Tempus is said to have moved on to other worlds). A 
  woman returned Tempus’ armor to Molin’s keeping in the years between 
  Kadakithis’ disappearance and the Time of Troubles. It, along with 
  other objects of historical and magical interest that were once beneath 
  the Vulgar Unicorn, might be located in the heavily warded sanctum 
  beneath one of several locations. It remains to be seen whether or not 
  other iconic characters from the classic series will make a return and, 
  if they do, what has happened to them in the intervening years.
  CHAPTER FIVE:  
  FACES OF SANCTUARY,  
  IRRUNE ERA
  DRAMATIS PERSONAE
  One thing to note is that the Irrune Era lacks the superhuman 
  characters of the past. In this period, there are no Tempuses, Roxanes, 
  or Molins. Instead, we have Cauvin, Sypder, and the Dragon. While 
  important characters in their own right, they are not the superhuman 
  heroes of the past. Those who might rival the powers of old do not act 
  in the open, instead concealing their talent from hungry eyes.
  Feats marked with “*” are new and described in the Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual.
  AALIYAH
  Aaliyah (Eye-LEE-yah) hails from a mythical land far to the west, 
  beyond any known maps. Regan Vigeles (Spyder, see page 170) found 
  her a few years back on the Nisibisi border and, after he discovered 
  her situation, he promised to help her ﬁnd her missing brother Lisoh, 
  who vanished while on a spirit quest. Captured by renegade Nisibisi, 
  he was taken to Sanctuary, where Rime, a witch, planned to use him 
  in some foul ritual to regain the fragments of the shattered power 
  globe and contain the essence in a ring: the Ring of Sea and Fire. The 
  lovers went to Sanctuary where they set up a weapon shop in the 
  worst part of town while they waited for a sign of the witch’s arrival. 
  Soon after, they discovered the witch and her coven had arrived with 
  the boy and settled into the Swamp of Night Secrets to conduct their 
  ritual. Spyder, Aaliyah, and their hired man, Ronal, foiled the plot, 
  but couldn’t save the boy.
  With the boy laid to rest, Aaliyah has stayed with Spyder in the city, 
  helping him run the shop. What the future holds, or if Regan has some 
  other purpose, none can say. Spyder reports to the Rankan emperor 
  on a regular basis, but to what purpose is not known.
  DESCRIPTION
  Small, slender, and astonishingly beautiful, Aaliyah has exotic features, 
  making it uncertain from where she hails. She has long black hair that 
  
  - 134 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  hangs to the small of her back. She keeps her gaze downcast, but when 
  she looks up, she reveals piercing emerald eyes. As a shapeshifter, she 
  can assume the form of a cat or of a jaguar or panther.
  PERSONALITY
  Aaliyah acts the part of a slave, 
  always subservient and meek, 
  leading many to believe she 
  is Spyder’s concubine. In fact, 
  Aaliyah is his partner and lover. 
  She never speaks, and makes no 
  effort to communicate except 
  when purchasing something, 
  and then it is only through 
  pantomime. Her silence is a 
  matter of speculation; it could 
  stem from physical incapacity or 
  personal choice. Even in human form, she has certain feline traits, 
  like an insatiable curiosity and a fascination with bright colors and 
  shiny objects.
  AALIYAH
  Female shapeshifter hunter, survivor 6; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human, shapechanger); HD 6d10+6; hp 45; Mdt 15; Init +2; 
  Spd 30ft.; AC 13, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +4; Grap 
  +4; Atk +4 melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +4 
  melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); SQ evasion, ﬁght or 
  ﬂight (defensive 2), indomitable, shapeshifter trait; Rep +1; SV 
  Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 
  12, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Hide, Move Silently
  Skills and Feats: Balance +4, Climb +10, Diplomacy +5, Hide +14 
  (+16 in forests), Jump +12, Listen +10, Move Silently +14 (+16 
  in forests), Sense Motive +9, Spot +10, Survival +9, Swim +2, 
  Tumble +12; Appealing †, AthleticB, Dodge, EnduranceB, Greater 
  Shape†, Improved Damage ThresholdB*, Improved Unarmed 
  StrikeB, Mobility.
  †New Feat; see Chapter Eight: Player’s Expansion for 
  details.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), native tongue (S). Aaliyah never 
  speaks.
  Contacts: Skill (Ronal, Spyder)
  Shapeshifting (Ex): Aaliyah can assume one of two forms at will. 
  When she does, use the following statistics.
  CAT
  Tiny animal (shapeshifter); Mdt 7; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, 
  touch 16, ﬂat-footed 12; Grap –8; Atk +2 melee (1d2–4, claw); 
  Full Atk +2 melee (1d2–4, 2 claws) and –3 melee (1d3–4, bite); 
  SQ low-light vision, scent; SV Ref +6; Str 3, Dex 19.
  Skills: Balance +6, Climb +18, Hide +28 (+32 in areas of tall grass 
  or heavy undergrowth), Jump +24, Move Silently +20 (+22 in 
  forests), Swim –2, Tumble +14.
  PUMA
  Medium animal (shapeshifter); HD 6d10+18; hp 61; Mdt 20; Init 
  +6; Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 16, ﬂat-footed 11; Grap 
  +7; Atk +7 melee (1d6+3, bite); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+3, bite) 
  and +2 melee (1d3+1, 2 claws); SA improved grab, pounce, rake 
  1d3+1; SQ low-light vision, 
  scent; SV Fort +8, Ref +8; Str 
  16, Dex 23, Con 16.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +16, 
  Climb +21, Hide +22 (+26 
  in forests), Jump +19, Move 
  Silently +22 (+26 in forests), 
  Swim +5, Tumble +16.
  Possessions: Periapt of health, 
  jewelry worth 150 sh.
  SAKKIM (CHIEF) ARIZAK
  The chief of the Irrune is in trouble. Once a great and robust warrior, 
  an injury to his leg (caused when his galloping horse broke a foreleg, 
  collapsed, and crushed his leg underneath it) is slowly killing him, 
  leaving many Sanctans to wonder what the future holds. Despite 
  his declining health, he has grown into the role of governor, and is 
  committed to leading the people to a better future.
  Arizak never envisioned running a city; the very idea is anathema to 
  his people. And yet, he does. He came into his current position after 
  his clans were driven south by the Black Tooth Horde (the same 
  barbarians who sacked Ranke) pushing them to settle in the hills 
  just north of Sanctuary. When his sons entered the city to purchase 
  supplies and were attacked by the Dyareelans, the tribe demanded 
  vengeance. Still, Arizak advised caution. Meanwhile, Molin, sensing 
  an opportunity to rescue the city from the corruption of the cult, left 
  and made the journey to settle with the Irrune and convince them 
  to liberate Sanctuary.
  It took a year, and the help of Arizak’s second wife, but in the end, 
  Arizak agreed to help Molin and, in exchange, gained the city for 
  his people. The Irrune swept in, crushed the cultists and settled in. 
  However, the transition from nomadic culture to a ﬁxed civilization 
  has not gone well with his people, and many, including his ﬁrst wife, 
  have left to return to their camps beyond the city walls. Worse, the 
  Irrune way of life is one accustomed to raiding and foraging, and so 
  the concept of currency has not stuck with many Irrune.
  After his injury, Arizak has been treating the pain with wine and 
  opiates; no matter what he does, it seems his leg will not heal. The 
  old rivalries in the tribe are reasserting themselves, made worse by 
  the unclear succession. None of the Irrune think Arizak will live 
  another two years, and so the tribesmen are rallying behind whom 
  they wish to see succeed the chieftain, including the Dragon (page 
  135), Naimun (page 161), and Raith (page 165).
  Unbeknownst to any, Nadalya, Arizak’s second wife, has enlisted the aid 
  of Pel Garwood, a healer of Meshpri, to repair her husband’s wound. 
  However, others have entreated the healer with contradictory goals, and 
  it remains to be seen how Pel will balance his loyalties and obligations, 
  and whether he can save the Arizak at all. Much rests on Pel’s shoulders, 
  for if he succeeds in saving the sakkim, Sanctuary will be better for it. 
  LONE ON AALIYAH
  “She’s something else, that dark-skinned girl. Exotic isn’t a big 
  enough word for Aaliyah. I’ve seen her prowling around theBlack 
  Spider, moving like she knows exactly what she’s doing. I can’t tell if 
  she belongs to Spyder, or if he belongs to her.  
  Maybe it’s the same thing.”
  
  - 135 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Languages: Irrune (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Influence (Nadalya), Information (Cauvin), Skill 
  (Zarzakhan).
  Possessions: +2 adamantine chain 
  shirt, +1 heavy steel shield, +2 
  longsword, 3 javelins, cloak of 
  resistance +1.
  Notes: Arizak’s health has been 
  ravaged by the infection that 
  has eaten away his crippled 
  leg. His Constitution ability 
  was originally 14, but has been 
  drained to just 5, and he cannot move without assistance.
  ARIZAK PER-ARIZAK (THE DRAGON)
  By tradition, per-Arizak should inherit the Irrune chieftaincy from 
  his father, but many do not want per-Arizak to rule them. They are 
  afraid he will make rash decisions, and that his anger will divide 
  the clans. Others, however, are fervent supporters, and want him 
  in control as soon as possible. These Irrune feel, as per-Arizak does 
  himself, that the Irrune do not belong in Sanctuary. Cities are meant 
  to be raided, not lived in, and staying in one place so long dulls their 
  ﬁghting edge. Per-Arizak agrees, and claims that if he had his way, 
  he would raze Sanctuary to the ground after carrying oﬀ its women, 
  wine, and wealth. When the Dragon deigns to come to the city (which 
  is rarely more often than every few months), it is frequently at the 
  urgings of his mother. While there, he spends his time in the city’s 
  DESCRIPTION
  A tall man in his mid-ﬁfties, Arizak has the typical ruddy complexion, 
  brown eyes, and brown hair of an Irrune, although his hair is going 
  gray. He keeps his beard neatly trimmed, and has pleasant features and 
  sharp eyes. A couple of years ago, Arizak suﬀered an accident when 
  his horse tripped and collapsed on top of him. His left leg is close to 
  useless now; his foot was amputated above the ankle, and he can no 
  longer ride, or even walk across rough terrain. As a result, he lives in 
  Sanctuary full-time, which is something he had never intended.
  PERSONALITY
  Although he was not particularly interested in taking control of the 
  city, Arizak agreed to it as a way to eliminate the Dyareelan cult. It 
  also provided his people with an excellent winter retreat. But once 
  his wound prevented him from traveling, Arizak threw himself into 
  the role of Governor, and now takes his duties to Sanctuary very 
  seriously. He knows that he will not live much longer, and that he 
  has to choose an heir soon. He also knows that his heir will control 
  both the Irrune and the city, which makes the choice more diﬃcult. 
  Despite his injuries, and the wine and drugs he takes to dull the pain, 
  Arizak is still sharp mentally, and very little escapes his notice. He 
  is fair but tough, and can be pleasant and even amusing, though he 
  is always very much a leader of men. Most people like Arizak once 
  they meet him, and no one wants to make an enemy of him. Once 
  he is angered, he is implacable, and in battle he is strong and decisive, 
  capable of directing hundreds of horsemen into a cohesive force for 
  attacking from multiple sides at once.
  ARIZAK
  Male Irrune nomad, ranger 7, noble 3; CR 10; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 7d8–21 plus 3d8–9; hp 18; Mdt 11; 
  Init +0; Spd 5 ft.; AC 19, touch 
  10, flat-footed 19; Base Atk 
  +9; Grap +10; Atk +13 melee 
  (1d8+3/19–20, +2 longsword) or 
  +9 ranged (1d6+1, javelin); Full 
  Atk +13/+8 melee (1d8+3/19–
  20, +2 longsword) or +9 ranged 
  (1d6+1, javelin); SA combat 
  style (heavy), improved combat 
  style (heavy); SQ diplomat, 
  favored environments (plains +4, hills +2), ﬂuid movement, 
  inspiration (competence, courage), organize +3, saddleborn, trap 
  sense +1; Rep +5; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 13, Dex 10, 
  Con 5, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (geography), Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +8, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), 
  Handle Animal +11, Hide +9 (+11 hills, +13 plains), Intimidate 
  +10, Knowledge (geography) +13 (+15 hills, +17 plains), Knowledge 
  (nature) +13 (+15 hills, +17 plains), Listen +11 (+13 hills, +15 plains), 
  Move Silently +0 (+2 hills, +4 plains), Ride +14, Search +1 (+3 
  hills, +5 plains), Sense Motive +2, Spot +11 (+13 hills, +15 plains), 
  Survival +13 (+15 avoid hazards or getting lost, aboveground natural 
  environments, +15 hills, +17 plains); CleaveB, Combat Expertise, 
  EnduranceB, Fame, Great CleaveB, Iron WillB, Mounted Combat, 
  Ride-By Attack, TrackB, Weapon Focus (longsword).
  LONE ON ARIZAK
  “He’s on his way out, make no mistake. I’ve seen that leg of his, or 
  what’s left of it. Never you mind where I saw it, only that it’s probably 
  going to fall off by itself one day if he doesn’t keel over ﬁrst.”
  
  - 136 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  many taverns and brothels, enjoying their distractions. Anyone who 
  points out this contradiction risks the Dragon’s rage.  
  Most of the people in Sanctuary are afraid of per-Arizak, and want 
  his leadership even less than any of the Irrune; even if he were to stay 
  his hand over destroying the city, he would never sit still long enough 
  to rule it properly. Even the peers 
  have other plans, seeing their 
  favored heir as Naimun, whom 
  they know to be malleable and 
  easily inﬂuenced. The council has 
  reservations about the Dragon, as 
  they are not certain what kind of 
  relationship he would have with 
  Sanctuary. Most fear it would be 
  no good.
  DESCRIPTION
  Arizak’s oldest son is a big, brawny man with wavy sandy-brown hair 
  and hazel eyes. He bears a long scar above his right eye that disappears 
  back into his hair, but he is otherwise good-looking. Even when out 
  and about, he wears his armor and carries his weapons to show that 
  he has not forgotten his place or purpose.
  PERSONALITY
  Ariz, as he is known, is not a stupid man, but he is impatient, and is 
  not willing to sit through long explanations or discussions. He is full 
  of energy, and usually wants to expend that on drinking, ﬁghting, or 
  lovemaking. Ariz is known as the Dragon for his temper, which can 
  ﬂare up in an instant but washes away just as quickly.
  ARIZ PER-ARIZAK, THE DRAGON
  Male Irrune nomad, barbarian 6, Irrune raider 3; CR 9; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d12+12 plus 3d10+6; hp 79; Mdt 21; 
  Init +1; Spd 40ft.; AC 17, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk 
  +9; Grap +13; Atk +14 melee (2d6+7/19–20, +1 greatsword) or 
  +11 ranged (1d8/×3, masterwork longbow); Full Atk +14/+9 
  melee (2d6+7/19–20, +1 greatsword) or +11/+6 ranged (1d8/×3, 
  masterwork longbow); SA improved mounted archery, rage 3/
  day; SQ beneath an open sky, fast movement, illiteracy, improved 
  uncanny dodge, skilled rider, spur mount, swift dismount, trap 
  sense +2; Rep +5; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 13, 
  Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Spot, Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Craft (leatherworking) +5, Handle Animal +5, 
  Intimidate +9, Jump +8, Listen +4, Ride +19, Spot +7, Survival 
  +9; Distinctive TitleB*, Fame*, Mounted Archery, Mounted 
  Combat, Power Attack.
  Languages: Irrune (S), Sanctan (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Verrazza), Information (1), Skill (1).
  Rage (Ex): When raging, the Dragon uses the following 
  statistics.
  HD 6d12+24 plus 3d10+12; 
  hp 97; Mdt 19; AC 15, touch 
  9, flat-footed 14; Grap +15; 
  Atk +16  melee (2d6+10/19–
  20, +1 greatsword); Full Atk 
  +16/+11 melee (2d6+7/19–20, 
  +1 greatsword); SV Fort +11, 
  Will +5; Str 22, Con 19.
  Skills: Jump +10.
  Possessions: +2 chain shirt, +1 
  greatsword, masterwork longbow, 20 arrows, raider’s saddle, cloak 
  of resistance +1, heavy warhorse.
  BECVAR (BEC)
  Cauvin’s younger foster brother, Becvar, is in many ways Hakiem’s 
  heir, or at least he became so after he met Grandfather (the Torch). 
  Becvar was thankfully spared the horrors of the Convulsions because 
  he was born soon after the Irrune toppled the cult. Thus, Becvar has 
  never known the hardships of the Troubles. His naturally inquisitive 
  nature gives him the drive to record the tales and legends of Sanctuary, 
  and so, following Molin’s death, Becvar regularly goes out, at least 
  when he can slip past his protective mother, and talks to whoever 
  will give him the time. He is determined to write a book about the 
  city that contains its true history. Recently he has decided that his 
  book should also contain the stories about the city, and the rumors 
  that have built up, and so he has redoubled his eﬀorts to collect as 
  many tales as he can.
  DESCRIPTION
  A small, wiry boy of about ten, Bec looks even younger than his age, 
  thanks to both his small frame and his exuberance. He dresses in 
  surprisingly ﬁne robes, and carries an actual scribe’s satchel to hold 
  his pens, ink, and parchments.
  PERSONALITY
  Becvar is clever, and has learned to read and write Rankan. He is 
  trying to learn Ilsig as well, but his mother has discouraged him from 
  learning that ﬁlthy tongue. Stories, tales, and even facts fascinate 
  Becvar, particularly those about Sanctuary and its residents. Though 
  not particularly handsome, Becvar’s enthusiasm makes him more 
  attractive, and he is diﬃcult to dislike, though his constant questions 
  can become annoying. (On the other hand, his stories about the 
  RAIDER’S SADDLE
  Created by the shamans of the Irrune, the leather of these saddles is made not just from cowhide, but from the tanned skins of the 
  greatest horses and riders among the Irrune. A raider’s saddle will conform to any horse or mount (up to Large size), grants the mount 
  a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution, and gives the user a +2 circumstance beneﬁt to all Ride checks.
  Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, bear’s endurance; Price 3,600 sh. 
  LONE ON ARIZAK PER-ARIZAK, THE DRAGON
  “This guy is everything I hate about the Irrune: smelly, loud, in 
  charge, and not afraid to let everyone know about it. He and his men 
  go wherever they damn well please, just like they own the place. If he 
  had his way, he’d burn Sanctuary to the ground and  
  piss on the ashes.”
  
  - 137 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE ON BECVAR
  “Becvar is Cauvin’s brother. Lives down at the stoneyard. The kid’s 
  always poking around, asking folks about this thing or that. He 
  fancies himself a storyteller, and if what I’ve heard is true, he isn’t half 
  bad for his age. Kind of like Hakiem must’ve been, only smaller and 
  with better teeth.”
  chickens in the stoneyard are hilarious.) His parents have always 
  said that he was special, and Becvar believes this, which makes him 
  overconﬁdent; he cannot imagine anyone wanting to hurt him, or 
  not liking him immediately. 
  BECVAR
  Male Wrigglie entrepreneur, savant 1; CR 1; Small humanoid 
  (human); HD 1d6; hp 6; Mdt 6; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 
  12, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grap –5; Atk +0 melee (1d2–1 
  nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +0 melee (1d2–1 nonlethal, 
  unarmed strike); SQ jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +5; 
  Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Appraise, 
  Craft (stonemasonry)
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +6 
  (+8 to appraise stonework), 
  Bluﬀ +7, Craft (stonemasonry) 
  +5, Diplomacy +5, Gather 
  Information +5, Hide +5, 
  Intimidate +3, Knowledge 
  (history) +5, Listen +8, 
  Perform (oratory) +5, Search 
  +6, Spot +8; Alertness, Dodge, 
  PersuasiveB.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Cauvin).
  Possessions: Becvar owns little but the clothes he wears and his 
  scribing kit. His parents have hidden several hundred shaboozh 
  around their property to eventually pay for his schooling and 
  potential apprenticeship. 
  BEZUL THE CHANGER
  Bezul’s family were once goldsmiths and merchants, and very 
  successful in their trade. But, as was the case with many, times grew 
  hard, and the family was forced to relocate, eventually winding up in 
  the Shambles at the end of Wrigglie Way. Bezul inherited the house 
  and the pawnshop on the main ﬂoor. He lives here with his wife, 
  their children, his brother, and his mother.
  Part rag-man, part pawnbroker, part jeweler, part banker, part 
  money-changer and — not infrequently, though not deliberately 
  — part fence, Bezul (short for Bezulshash) knows the value of 
  just about everything and, more importantly, its value in terms of 
  everything else. If you have one thing, but need something else, 
  Bezul the Changer’s shop, with its extensive, sprawling stock of 
  commonplace, useful, and just-plain-odd items, is a place you’re 
  likely to visit.
  The need to establish value equivalencies has driven Bezul to acquire 
  broad, but not particularly deep, knowledge of things most would 
  call “trivia.” He has amassed one of Sanctuary’s larger libraries (if 
  not its only library) and scattered across his shelves, in addition to 
  forfeited pots, clothes, and countless cheap knives, are the makings of 
  an art gallery and a museum of Sanctuary’s natural — and unnatural 
  — history.
  Of course, one will also ﬁnd spider webs, mouse droppings, not a 
  few snakes, and lots of dust; and one will have to dodge the ﬂock 
  of geese that “guard” the shop at night. (Bezul chases them out into 
  a back courtyard every morning, but usually he misses one or two.) 
  Everything, including the geese, is for sale, exchange, or loan.
  By day, Bezul relies on Annen and Jopze to protect his shop. These 
  ex-legionnaires are tough enough to deter even the canniest thief.
  DESCRIPTION
  Bezul is a soft-featured man in his mid- to late thirties. Frown lines 
  mark his pale face. He has a receding mop of sandy brown hair, with 
  a thick beard of matching color. Despite his disheveled appearance 
  and a mild case of nearsightedness, 
  he’s quite agile, and not as out of 
  shape as he ﬁrst appears.
  PERSONALITY
  Bezul is a kind man. He and his 
  wife often accept trades for items 
  they do not need and may not be 
  able to sell. Bezul does his best to 
  oﬀer a good price, though he will 
  not cheat himself, and he rarely asks where an item was found or 
  purchased unless it is something that might put him and his family 
  at risk. Everyone in the Shambles and many people elsewhere in 
  Sanctuary know him, and he is well liked and well respected. 
  
  - 138 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  BEZUL THE CHANGER
  Male Wrigglie merchant, savant 6; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 6d6+3; hp 26; Mdt 11; Init +0; Spd 30ft.; AC 11, 
  touch 10, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +4; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +5 melee (1d4+1/19–
  20, masterwork dagger); SA master merchant, supportive; SQ jaded; 
  Rep +1; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +8; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 
  14, Wis 15, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Appraise, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +13, Bluﬀ +7, Diplomacy +16, Disguise 
  +1 (+3 acting), Gather Information +14, Handle Animal +7, 
  Intimidate +3, Knowledge (local) +13, Listen +9, Profession 
  (merchant) +14, Ride +2, Search +10, Sense Motive +9, Spot +8, 
  Survival +2 (+4 following tracks); Combat Expertise, InvestigatorB, 
  Manhunter*, NegotiatorB, Skill 
  Focus (Profession: merchant), 
  Toughness.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W ), 
  Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2).
  Possessions: Padded, masterwork 
  dagger, potion of convert moderate wounds. At any time, there are 
  approximately 5000 shaboozh worth of items and equipment in 
  the Changing House, possibly including weapons and magical 
  items. The inventory changes constantly, but Bezul can usually 
  lay his hands on something useful.
  CAUVIN
  Cauvin was nine when his mother fell afoul of the Dyareelans during 
  the early days of their public inﬂuence in Sanctuary. He doesn’t 
  remember much about her, and certainly nothing about the supposed 
  crimes for which she died. He does know that she was among the 
  ﬁrst to be burnt on the Promise of Heaven and that he was himself 
  taken into the Dyareelan precincts a few years later. Dyareelan rule 
  had advanced to the point where they could proclaim that, henceforth, 
  all guttersnipes, mudlarks, and orphans would be conﬁned to barracks 
  in the palace, where the extremist faction set about educating Cauvin 
  and his peers in the school of very hard knocks.
  Had Cauvin completed his education — and fully half the orphans 
  the extremists “adopted” did not — he would have become a warrior 
  for the bloody goddess. His education was nearly complete when the 
  Irrune came to town. Thanks to 
  his “education,” he knows his way 
  around the palace (at least the 
  parts that weren’t destroyed when 
  the Irrune came to town) and he 
  knows something about ﬁghting.
  After Molin and Arizak took the 
  palace, Molin interviewed the 
  orphans, searching their souls for 
  any redeeming quality, something to tell Molin that they could return 
  to normal society. Of all the orphans they interviewed, very few passed 
  the test — Lone and Cauvin being the exceptional two of the lot. 
  Cauvin was claimed by “relatives,” which in this case meant Grabar, a 
  stonemason who had a stoneyard in the Old Jeweler’s Quarter. Cauvin 
  was pretty sure from the start that the man claiming to be his father 
  (to the best of his knowledge, Cauvin never met his father) was no 
  blood kin to him and that he was merely exchanging one master for 
  another. No one was more surprised than Cauvin when Grabar proved 
  to be a fair, honest man who continued to honor his commitment to 
  his “son” even after he and his wife were blessed with a son of their 
  own (see Bec on page 136).
  Content with his life at the stoneyard, Cauvin fully expected he would 
  marry Leorin and start a family. But everything changed when he 
  rescued a dying old man who turned out to be none other than Molin 
  Torchholder. The Torch was desperate, and unwilling to go back to 
  the Palace for fear of his enemies there, so he relied on Cauvin to do 
  his legwork. Cauvin proved to be just as stubborn as always, making 
  things harder on himself by refusing to do the old priest’s scutwork. 
  But in the end, Cauvin learned a great deal about Sanctuary and its 
  history, and the fomenting plot of the surviving Dyareelans who had 
  designs on seizing the city once more. 
  After Molin died, he transferred his memories to Cauvin. Few 
  outside Arizak, Soldt, Enas Yorl, and maybe a handful of others 
  know this. Cauvin now lives a dual life. On the one hand, he’s just 
  another sheep-shite stonemason struggling to survive; on the other, 
  he’s Sanctuary’s champion, working to safeguard the city from the 
  innumerable threats that just won’t stop cropping up.
  DESCRIPTION
  Cauvin is a man in his mid-twenties, but deﬁnitely not a young 
  man—his eyes are old. Of non-memorable appearance with medium-
  LONE ON BEZUL THE CHANGER
  “I’ve taken one or two things to Bezul the Changer, and he’s never 
  asked me any questions. I think he knows better than to ask me 
  where the stuff comes from… as if it isn’t painfully obvious.”
  
  - 139 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE ON CAUVIN
  “He was in the pits, same as me. Can’t say as I remember much 
  about him, except that he threw a mean punch. He couldn’t hit worth 
  a damn, but if he did, you’d feel it in your very marrow for a week or 
  longer. I see him making his way towards the Palace every so often, 
  although I doubt he sees me.”
  brown hair (including a beard) and medium-brown eyes, he’s solidly 
  muscled. His face is somewhat on the square side and his hands are 
  good sized, but short-ﬁngered.
  PERSONALITY
  As far as he knows, Cauvin doesn’t dream. Which isn’t to say that 
  he doesn’t experience ﬂashbacks to the horrors of his childhood and 
  adolescence, simply that he doesn’t dream about that time, or any 
  other. He is apt, however, to “ﬂash” on visual cues that bring back his 
  own and Molin Torchholder’s memories. By far the most frequent 
  memory is the sight and sound 
  of his mother dying in an iron 
  cage above a great bonfire. A 
  man whom he never saw again 
  and whose name he never learned 
  advised him not to look, but he 
  didn’t take that advice.
  He was barely literate, and then 
  in Ilsig, not Rankene. The fact 
  that he eventually, and without 
  conscious eﬀort on his part, ﬁnds himself reading Rankene and a 
  few other languages is Cauvin’s strongest clue that Molin has messed 
  sorcerously with his head.
  Cauvin anticipates that he will marry and raise a family, but not 
  for another few years. He is of a pragmatic, rather than a romantic, 
  bent and has not pursued any of the women he might have. As it 
  stands, he’s a member of a depleted generation to begin with, and the 
  Dyareelans were harder on women than on men, creating something 
  of a population imbalance that hasn’t yet corrected itself.
  His nature was shaped by his experiences. He’s cautious, avoids risk, 
  and does not readily commit to causes. Yet he is one of the lucky ones; 
  there are some mighty crazy people in Sanctuary still, and he is not 
  among them. He is wary of all authority, yet craves the stability that 
  only strong authority can provide. He believes in gods but, having seen 
  some proof of Dyareela’s existence and power, he worships none.
  Cauvin has a marked tendency to underestimate himself. His low 
  self-esteem can prevent him from taking certain risks and avoiding 
  tasks that he thinks he can’t complete. Only fools do the same with 
  him, however, because when his instincts take over, Cauvin, with the 
  assistance from the Torch’s memories, is pretty much equal to any 
  task put before him.
  CAUVIN
  Male Wrigglie Dyareelan laborer, survivor 9; CR 9; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 9d10+18; hp 72; Mdt 18; Init +1; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, 
  ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +6; 
  Grap +9; Atk +9 melee (1d8+3, 
  unarmed strike); Full Atk +9/+4 
  melee (1d8+3, unarmed strike); 
  SA borrowed memories; SQ 
  indomitable, jaded, no fear; 
  Rep +2; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, 
  Will +8; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 
  14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Handle Animal, Profession (laborer).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +1 (+3 stone), Balance +3, Climb +13, 
  Craft (stonemasonry) +12, Diplomacy +2, Gather Information 
  +8, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +8, Jump +11, Knowledge 
  (local) +12, Listen +9, Profession (laborer) +5, Sense Motive +8, 
  Spot +9, Swim +5, Tumble +6, Use Rope +5; AthleticB, Blind-
  Fight, DiehardB, EnduranceB, Improved Bull Rush, Improved 
  Damage ThresholdB*, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed 
  StrikeB, Maze-Savvy*, Power Attack.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Influence (Arizak), 
  Information (Becvar), Skill 
  (Soldt).
  Borrowed Memories (Ex): 
  Cauvin carries many of the 
  memories and experiences of 
  Molin Torchholder in his mind, 
  and can access those memories 
  on occasion. He can make any 
  Knowledge check as an Int 
  check as if he had ranks in that Knowledge skill (but with only 
  his normal Int bonus of +1).
  Possessions: Padded armor, a cart and horse. Cauvin stands to 
  inherit Grabar’s stoneyard. In addition, he knows about Molin 
  Torchholder’s stashes, which are secreted all over the city. He 
  can retrieve just about anything he would ever need.
  CHERSEY
  Though Bezul nominally runs the pawnshop, most customers deal 
  with Chersey. Beloved by her customers, she always makes time for 
  their stories, whether sad or joyful, and she keeps a pot of mint tea 
  steeping on the sideboard for just these occasions. Chersey is the 
  reason why the shop is a gathering place for Shambles folk. She’s 
  personable and a good listener. 
  Chersey and Bezul have two children. Ayse is an outgoing curious 
  girl of four years. Lesimar is a typical boy, about two years old. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Chersey is a few years younger than Bezul. Slender, dark-haired, 
  but with a few streaks of grey, she has a barely noticeable cast to her 
  right eye and a slightly left-sided smile. She wears an apron around 
  the shop and stows two sharp knives underneath to deal with unruly 
  customers.
  PERSONALITY
  Part of the reason why Chersey is 
  so willing to deal with the dregs 
  of Sanctuary comes from her 
  moonstone ring. An oddity she 
  inherited before her family moved 
  to the Shambles, it informs the 
  wearer of a target’s mood, which 
  allows her to anticipate the needs 
  LONE ON CHERSEY
  “Bezul’s wife is a pretty one…for an older lady. She’s also a good 
  judge of character, so keep an eye on that ring of hers if you’re 
  looking to pull one over on her. I’ve had a chance to see her in 
  action; she’s almost as good with the throwing irons as I am, and 
  she’s the very devil with a frying pan (just like that Latilla over at the 
  Phoenix.” 
  
  - 140 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  of her customers and match their disposition with an appropriate 
  response. Even without the ring, she’s optimistic, kind, friendly, and 
  utterly devoted to her family… even her shrew of a mother in law. 
  CHERSEY
  Female Wrigglie merchant, expert 4; CR 3; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6; hp 17; Mdt 10, Init +1; Spd 30ft.; AC 11, 
  touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, dagger) or +4 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full Atk 
  +3 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger) or +4 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); 
  SQ jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 12, 
  Con 10, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +6, Diplomacy +12, Gather Information 
  +3, Heal +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +6, 
  Listen +8, Profession (cook) +6, Search +6, Sense Motive +11, 
  Spot +8, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks); Endurance, Point 
  Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Sense Motive)B.
  Languages: Ilsig (W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2).
  Possessions: 2 daggers, moonstone ring.
  DACE
  With the destruction of Downwind, the destitute were faced with two 
  options: they could move en masse with the rest of the rabble to the 
  Hill, or they could stay right where they were. Those that remained 
  lived in the Swamps, foraging for trash, crabs, and anything else they 
  could eat. Dubbed the Nightmen, or ’Nighters, they are a curious 
  band of ignorant, feral men and women that have little love for, and 
  receive little love from, Sanctuary proper.
  Every once in a while, a ’Nighter will emerge from the morass of his 
  upbringing and try to make it in the big city. Once such fellow was Dace. 
  A young man with a terribly twisted leg, he came out of the swamp 
  when he was double-crossed by Perrez (Bezul’s brother), hoping to ﬁnd 
  the “Red Lucky,” which he used to catch crab. Though Dace never got 
  back the item, he found a family instead, and thereafter he stayed with 
  Bezul and his family.
  At first, Dace did fine. He 
  developed surprising skills in the 
  kitchen, and was soon entrusted 
  with the family’s shopping. 
  Unfortunately, as with many 
  young men, a girl captured 
  his heart. He met Geddie, a 
  prostitute and worthless tramp, 
  and instantly fell for her. She 
  invited him up to her room over Makker’s preferred place of business 
  and the two of them did opah together. Dace found himself drawn 
  into the seedy world of drugs and violence. After he tried to sell a 
  few books, and nearly overdosed, he tried to ﬁnd a way to get out of 
  the business and to be free from Makker’s claws. But his eﬀorts were 
  for naught, and he soon disappeared—presumably dead or enthralled 
  to the forces of Lord Night.
  DESCRIPTION
  Dace is of average height and slender build, with black hair, the 
  beginnings of a youthful beard, a friendly, lopsided grin, and a 
  wandering eye. His right leg did not grow properly, and he cannot put 
  any real weight on it, but he has learned to maneuver eﬀectively with 
  the other. When he ﬁrst met Bezul, Dace was a ﬁlthy wretch, but he 
  was on the way to becoming respectable before he disappeared.
  PERSONALITY
  Dace has a natural gift for cooking, and for smells; he can sniﬀ a 
  food once and know exactly what ingredients were used, and make 
  a good guess as to the proportions. His meals are incredible, and he 
  can create a banquet out of meager ingredients. He is also an excellent 
  bargainer, and usually chats with the seller while bargaining, gaining 
  a better price because he is willing to ask about family and otherwise 
  express real interest in the other person’s life. 
  DACE
  Male ‘Nighter beggar, ranger 1, survivor 1; CR 2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d8+1 plus 1d10+1; hp 15; Mdt 14; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +1; 
  Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, club); Full Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, 
  club); SA favored environment (marsh +2); SQ swamp-wise; 
  Rep +0; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, 
  Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Hide, Move Silently.
  Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +2, Handle Animal +4, Heal +5, 
  Hide +9 (+11 marsh), Knowledge (nature) +6 (+8 marsh), 
  Listen +5 (+7 marsh), Move Silently +7 (+9 marsh), Profession 
  (cook) +7, Search +1 (+3 marsh), Spot +5 (+7 marsh), Survival 
  +7 (+9 marsh), Use Rope +5; 
  AlertnessB, Improved Unarmed 
  StrikeB, Self-SuﬃcientB, Skill 
  Focus (Profession: cook), 
  TrackB.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Trade 
  Tongue (S).
  Possessions: Padded, club, book 
  of opah rags, 2 sh. 
  CHERSEY’S RING
  This moonstone ring is a family heirloom, and comes in very handy when dealing with the Changing House’s more dubious customers. 
  When the user holds it before her eye and makes a DC 15 Sense Motive check, she can discern the personality, motivations and surface 
  thoughts of a visible person within 30 feet. 
  Moderate divination; CL 6th; Forge Ring, detect thoughts; Price 15,120 sh.
  LONE ON DACE
  “You can take the ’Nighter out of the Swamp, but you can’t take 
  the Swamp out of the ’Nighter. Dace is one of those mudsuckers 
  from the Swamp of Night Secrets, except now he sucks more opah 
  than he sucks mud. Bezul had better keep an eye on him if he knows 
  what’s good for him.”
  
  - 141 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  DYSAN
  Male Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, savant 4, thief 2; CR 6; Small 
  humanoid (human) HD 4d6–4 plus 2d6–2; hp 17; Mdt 4; Init 
  +2; Spd 30ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +4; Grap 
  +0; Atk +5 melee (1d3/19–
  20, Small dagger); Full Atk 
  +5 melee (1d3/19–20, Small 
  dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; 
  SQ eidetic memory, evasion, 
  jaded, trapfinding, watcher; 
  Rep +1; SV Fort +0, Ref +6, 
  Will +8; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 8, 
  Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Hide.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +4, 
  Bluﬀ +13, Decipher Script +10, 
  Diplomacy +3, Disguise +1 (+3 
  acting), Escape Artist +8, Hide +16, Intimidate +3, Knowledge 
  (local) +7, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, Listen 
  +10, Move Silently +9, Open Lock +9, Search +10, Sense Motive 
  +5, Sleight of Hand +11, Spot +11, Survival +1 (+3 follow tracks); 
  Agile, AlertnessB, Dodge, Persuasive, Run, Skill Focus (Hide)
  Languages: Aurveshan (S/W), Caronnese (S/W), Cirdonian 
  (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Irrune (S), Mrsevadan (S/W), Nisi (S/W), 
  Rankene (S/W), Sherranpip (S/W), Trade Tongue (S), Twandan 
  (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (Bezul), Skill (Sisters of Sabellia).
  Possessions: Small dagger, shadow cloak, dust of disappearance, 10 sh.
  DYSAN
  One of the other children who survived the Dyareelan cult’s training, 
  Dysan looks completely harmless. In fact, he looks like a completely 
  ordinary seven-year-old… but he is actually sixteen—congenital 
  syphilis permanently stunted his 
  growth. Like many of Sanctuary’s 
  own, Dysan has turned this 
  curse into an advantage. Trained 
  by the Dyareelans as a spy and 
  scout, he is an expert thief, with 
  incredibly fast hands and the 
  ability to squeeze his small body 
  into almost any space. He can 
  lay still for hours, waiting for the 
  right opportunity, and then move 
  quickly to seize the moment.
  Dysan is also a natural linguist, 
  and the cultists honed this ability to a razor edge. Dysan can 
  translate almost any language, spoken or written, even if he has never 
  encountered it before. This is not a conscious act for him. It took him 
  years to learn to write, and he still has trouble with it because he gets 
  distracted too easily and because he tends to mix several languages 
  together without realizing it. Dysan’s memory is phenomenal, but 
  only when it comes to words. He was trained, however, to translate 
  anything he saw into text, and so if he takes the time, he can remember 
  people, places, and events with perfect clarity.
  Dysan was accustomed to living on his own after his brother was 
  poisoned in the pits. With the Dyareelan menace destroyed, he snuck 
  out, passed Molin’s interviews, and has lived in the city like a rat ever 
  since. He had selected the old Temple of Sabellia as his home, and it 
  served him for years until a group of women settled in the place. He 
  did his best to get rid of them, but it ultimately backﬁred and now 
  he is a member of their extended family. They do not yet know his 
  past or his true age, and he has no intention of divulging either his 
  secrets or his sometimes-dark thoughts.
  DESCRIPTION
  Only four feet tall, with thick tangled black hair, blue eyes, and a 
  pleasant but plain appearance, Dysan moves easily through Sanctuary. 
  Most people do not notice him at all. He had staked out the ruins of 
  Sabellia’s temple as his home, and when the Sisters of Sabellia arrived, 
  he tried to scare them away. They took him in, however, and he has 
  discovered that he likes being treated as their young ward. Dysan often 
  uses his thieving skills to help them, stealing money and then slipping 
  it into their donation box. He has no idea how much money he has 
  contributed, because he cannot count past ﬁve.
  PERSONALITY
  Dysan’s mind is even more unusual than his body. The same disease 
  that aﬀected his frame altered his learning comprehension. He 
  does not perceive sarcasm, and cannot register subtle vocal cues 
  like impatience, condescension, or boredom. If not told something 
  directly, Dysan will not catch the meaning. He is easily distracted 
  by his surroundings, and has to consciously focus to stay on topic 
  and on task.
  LONE ON DYSAN
  “This twisted little bugger was an orphan like me in the pits of 
  the Bloody Hand. He’s older than he looks, and those women he 
  lives with who think they’re mothering a child would be surprised 
  to know what’s going on in his head. I’m surprised he survived at 
  all. I guess the Hand used him for spying. He may not look like 
  much, but he can understand just about any language that’s spoken 
  so long as he can listen to it for a moment.”
  
  - 142 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  ELEMI
  Though nearly all of the S’danzo left Sanctuary before the Dyareelans 
  arrived, and nearly all of those who remained were killed, there are 
  still a few in the city. Elemi came to Sanctuary not long after the 
  Irrune liberated the city. She occasionally does readings for customers 
  in her apartment above the Paddling Duck, an inn friendly to the 
  S’danzo and unfriendly to everyone else.
  Elemi plays a dangerous game. She is a spy for the rest of the S’danzo 
  community, who plan to return to Sanctuary once the climate is right. 
  She does not hide her heritage, but neither does she advertise it except 
  to the S’danzo men who enter the city in disguise and come to the inn to 
  exchange information. In between visits, she lives with her three children, 
  doing what she can to protect them. Though she generally keeps to the 
  Maze, she sometimes ventures into other parts of the city.
  Elemi contacted Molin when she ﬁrst arrived in Sanctuary and the 
  two remained in contact up until 
  his death. She knew he had Illyra’s 
  deck of cards and she considers 
  them an important treasure to her 
  people. However, when Molin was 
  injured, he instructed Cauvin to 
  take the cards to the seer and have 
  her give him a reading. She used 
  the cards, but was frightened by 
  their power. Though she tried to 
  give them back, Cauvin wouldn’t 
  have it, and left. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Elemi is a small stocky woman in her mid-twenties. She has the 
  typical olive complexion of her people and wears her dark curly hair 
  long. She wears drab clothing to hide her S’danzo heritage, but if 
  asked, she tells the truth.
  PERSONALITY
  Elemi does have a temper, which she tries to control. She is often 
  jumpy, in part because of her prescience and in part because she is 
  lonely. She desperately wishes her mission were ﬁnished and she 
  could rejoin the rest of her people, or at least invite them to join 
  her.
  ELEMI
  Female S’danzo seer, witch 4, S’danzo Fortuneteller 3; CR 7; 
  Medium humanoid (human); 
  HD 4d4 plus 3d6; hp 22; Mdt 
  10; Init +1; Spd 30ft.; AC 12, 
  touch 12, ﬂat-footed 11; Base 
  Atk +4; Grap +4; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, dagger); Full 
  Atk +5 melee (1d4+1/19–20, 
  dagger); SQ godless, heritage of 
  deceit, greater sight, mistrusted, 
  precognitive sight, sudden 
  insight 1/week, warding aura; 
  Rep +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, 
  Will +10; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 
  10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +10, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +7, 
  Gather Information +7, Knowledge (arcana) +3, Knowledge 
  (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +3, Listen +6, Sense Motive +13, 
  Sleight of Hand +6, Spellcraft +6, Spot +6; Combat Expertise, 
  Low Proﬁle*, Ritual Emphasis*, Sighted*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), S’danzo (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +7; ritualcasting +8; save DC 
  12 + spell level; divination spell save DC 13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (7): alarm (2nd, MT 30, price 2), convert light 
  wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), detect curse (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), detect magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), lesser confusion (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), lullaby (1st, MT 20, price 1), mending (0, MT 10, 
  price 0/1).
  Familiar Spells (7): animal messenger (2nd, MT 30, price 2), calm 
  emotions (3rd, MT 40, price 6), delay poison (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), disguise self (1st, MT 20, price 1), greater circle of protection 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 6), misdirection (3rd, MT 40, price 6), speak 
  with animals (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Possessions: +1 cold iron dagger, potion of convert light wounds, +1 
  earrings of protection, Illyra’s deck (see page 102), scroll of break 
  enchantment, 146 sh.
  LONE ON ELEMI
  “The soothsayer living above the Paddling Duck in the Maze is 
  named Elemi. I hear tell she used to give readings for the Torch, 
  back when the old sparker was still alive. She’s also got her ﬁnger 
  on the pulse of Sanctuary’s S’danzo community, such as it is. You 
  know… now don’t you be blabbing this to Chance, you hear? But 
  I think the old fellow has a soft spot for Elemi. I’ve seen him send 
  money—probably out of some memory for Mignureal. Poor guy… I 
  mean… yeah.” 
  
  - 143 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE ON MAGISTRATE ELISAR
  “Another Ilsigi blue-blood who, just like any well-trained mongrel, 
  panders to Sanctuary’s current rulers. I’ve heard rumors of Elisar 
  being connected to the Sharda in some way. If it’s true, that means 
  he’s got more street-level knowledge than your typical magistrate.”
  ELISAR (JUDGE NEVERMIND)
  The Sharda are a small privately funded investigative force attached 
  to the Magistrate, Lord Elisar. Elisar, an inﬂuential Ilsigi noble, wants 
  to make Sanctuary a better and safer place, and when word reached 
  him of the corruption that was rife through the locals as well as the 
  watch, he worked with Arizak to forge a special branch of the police 
  force that would be discrete from the watch and the guard.
  As Elisar frequently guides the 
  Sharda to confront powerful 
  criminal organizations, rival 
  nobles, and priests, he uses the 
  moniker “Judge Nevermind” to 
  protect his station and family. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Elisar is not a large man, but his 
  slender build and long face and hands make him seem taller. He has 
  a kind, quiet face, with piercing eyes and a noble brow. His hair is 
  turning silver, which only makes him look more distinguished.
  PERSONALITY
  Very little is known about Elisar, save that he is an Ilsigi noble, and 
  a high-ranking one. Elisar takes his rank very seriously, and wants to 
  make Sanctuary a better, cleaner, safer place. He is also fascinated with 
  the law, with the concepts of justice and truth, and with mysteries. 
  Elisar is very much the type of man who, if handed a puzzle box, will 
  not sleep or eat until he has ﬁgured out its secret.
  ELISAR (JUDGE NEVERMIND)
  Male Ilsigi bureaucrat, noble 6; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 6d8+6; hp 36; Mdt 17; Init –1; Spd 30ft.; AC 
  14, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +4; Grap +4; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+1/19–20, short sword); Full Atk +5 melee (1d6+1/19–20, 
  short sword); SQ diplomat, inspiration 8/day (competence, 
  complacency, courage), organize +4, skilled; Rep +2; SV Fort 
  +4, Ref +2, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 14, 
  Cha 14
  Background Skills: Knowledge (local), Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +15, 
  Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Information +11, Intimidate 
  +11, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) 
  +10, Listen +6, Sense Motive +15, Spot +6; Combat Expertise, 
  EnduranceB, Improved Disarm, InvestigatorB, Iron Will, 
  LeadershipB, Weapon Focus (short sword)B.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W ), 
  Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Arizak), 
  Information (1).
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 
  short sword, ring of protection 
  +1, 240 sh.
  AGENTS OF THE SHARDA
  Elisar has gathered an unusual assortment of people to work for the 
  Sharda. Ixma and Taryn Sayn are two of them. 
  IXMA
  A small, extremely thin woman with huge dark eyes and the jet-
  black curls of the S’danzo, Ixma is of mixed blood but did inherit 
  part of the S’danzo gift. She can 
  tell when people are lying, or at 
  least when they are not telling 
  the truth. Ixma says very little, 
  and usually accompanies Taran 
  Sayn, letting her large partner 
  do all the talking. She sits back, 
  observes, and informs him by 
  covert gestures whenever the 
  subject has lied or withheld 
  information.
  IXMA
  Female half-Wrigglie, half-S’danzo constable, witch 6; CR 6; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d4+12; hp 28; Mdt 14; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk 
  +3; Grap +3; Atk +4 melee (1d6, masterwork light mace) or +5 
  ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +4 
  melee (1d6, masterwork light mace) or +5 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SQ godless, heritage of deceit, jaded, 
  mistrusted, witchcraft (embrace power, unnatural vitality); Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, 
  Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (local), Sense Motive
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +5, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +4, 
  Gather Information +4, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +6, 
  Knowledge (local) +8, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +8; Dodge, 
  Mixed Ancestry*, Point Blank Shot, SightedB*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), S’danzo (S), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Judge Nevermind), Skill (Taran Sayn).
  Spells: safe level 3rd; spellcasting +8; ritualcasting +8; save DC 
  12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (9): convert minor wounds (0, MT 10, price 0/1), 
  daze (1st, MT 20, price 1), detect thoughts (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  faerie ﬁre (1st, MT 20, price 1), message (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  owl’s wisdom (2nd, MT 30, price 2), produce ﬂame (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), remove fear (2nd, MT 30, price 2), warp wood (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (10): cat’s grace 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), darkness 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), detect 
  secret doors (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), disguise self (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), endure elements 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), hideous 
  laughter (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  LONE ON IXMA
  “Scary S’danzo half-breed. She’s in the Sharda, and is always with 
  Taran Sayn. He asks the questions, and she stares at you with those 
  buggy eyes of hers when you give the answers. It’s like she knows if 
  you’re telling the truth or not, and I don’t much care for it. Can’t tell 
  an honest lie around that woman.”
  
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  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  identify (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  mage hand (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), resistance (0, MT 10, price 
  0/1), sound burst (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3).
  Possessions: Master work 
  light mace, masterwork light 
  crossbow, 10 bolts, 10 cold 
  iron bolts, potion of convert 
  moderate wounds, scroll of call lightning, bracers of armor +2, elixir 
  of vision, 32 sh.
  TARAN SAYN
  Taran Sayn is one of the more prominent members of the government 
  organization called the Sharda, and one of its more successful 
  interrogators and investigators. He usually works with Ixma; he does 
  all the talking, trusting her to let him know when the subject is lying 
  or withholding information. A burly man with broad shoulders and a 
  wide chest, Sayn does his best to avoid attention. He keeps his dark 
  brown hair and lighter beard neatly trimmed, but plain in style, and 
  wears a plain brown cloak over a blue tunic and leggings and worn 
  boots. He carries both a sword and a dagger, and is a competent 
  ﬁghter, but his real strength is his power of observation. Sayn has sharp 
  eyes and ears, and can tell a great deal about a person even without 
  his S’danzo partner’s truth-sense. He is a friendly man, but rarely 
  exuberant, and his average looks, plain speech, and direct manner 
  often loosen tongues far more than a more handsome face or a more 
  charming manner could. Sayn is moderate in all of his pleasures, 
  drinking enough to be sociable when out but never over-indulging, 
  and he is always alert. He takes his job, and the welfare of Sanctuary 
  very seriously, and is both a native and an Ilsigi.
  TARAN SAYN
  Male Rankan constable, ranger 3, savant 3; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid; HD 3d8+3 plus 3d6+3; hp 34; Mdt 20; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 18, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 17; Base Atk +5; Grap +6; Atk +7 
  melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +7 ranged (1d8+1/19–20, 
  +1 light crossbow); Full Atk +7 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) 
  or +7 ranged (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow); SA combat style 
  (skirmish); SQ favored environment (plains +2) literate, talent 
  (good fortune); Rep +0; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 12, Dex 
  13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Gather Information, Spot.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +5, Climb +4 (+6 ropes), Diplomacy +11, 
  Disguise +0 (+2 acting), Escape Artist +1 (+3 ropes), Gather 
  Information +9, Handle Animal +5, Hide +6 (+8 plains), 
  Intimidate +2, Jump +4, Knowledge (geography) +5 (+7 plains), 
  Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +8 (+10 plains), Listen +1 (+3 
  plains), Move Silently +6 (+8 
  plains), Ride +8, Search +7 (+9 
  plains), Sense Motive +8, Spot 
  +11 (+13 plains), Survival +7 
  (+9 plains, +9 avoid hazards 
  and getting lost, follow tracks), 
  Use Rope +6; AlertnessB, 
  Increased Damage Threshold*, 
  EnduranceB, Manhunter*, 
  MobilityB, NegotiatorB, Point 
  Blank Shot, TrackB.
  Languages: Ilsigi (S/W ), 
  Rankene (S/W) Trade Tongue 
  (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Influence ( Judge 
  Nevermind), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 
  buckler, +1 longsword, +1 light crossbow with 20 bolts, potion of 
  convert light wounds, potion of protection from arrows, universal 
  solvent, vial of antitoxin, 50 sh.
  GEDDIE
  Geddie is a typical girl from Sanctuary. She grew up knowing tough 
  times and has lived by doing what she has to. Along the way, she’s 
  made many mistakes, including getting hooked on opah, but she 
  pushes on, determined that one day she will escape the hell that is 
  her life.
  Geddie was born to a whore and a Rankan. Though her mother 
  claimed to have been a prostitute on the Street of Red Lanterns, 
  speciﬁcally at the Aphrodesia House, Geddie’s memories all link her 
  to Madam Perspecia’s House in the Maze. After her mother died, 
  Geddie picked up the trade but didn’t have much success—she’s 
  scrawny and small-breasted, with eyes that are too large. And once 
  Madam Perspecia made all the money she could selling the girl’s 
  virginity, Geddie found herself doing menial tasks for the more 
  successful prostitutes.
  Dissatisﬁed, Geddie left the brothel and tried to make a legitimate 
  living in the city, but, as always, Geddie was foolish when it came 
  to men, and placed all her hopes for a better life on a brute named 
  Ser Bithlo who found his end on the point of a knife in the Maze, 
  but not before he addicted Geddie to opah and introduced her to 
  Maksandrus (see page 159). Makker saw Geddie had potential and 
  so he taught her the art of picking pockets. 
  Geddie worked the streets for about a year or so until Makker elevated 
  her to the position of courier, where she’d run drugs to the palace 
  and bring back information and money. For the last year, Geddie 
  has worked in the palace laundry and has ﬁnally worked her way 
  up to mending. Geddie works nearly every day and sometimes has 
  encounters with Irrune and other lords who want a dalliance with 
  one of the “invisibles,” or palace servants. Geddie meets regularly 
  with an Irrune named Romek who is also addicted to opah and pays 
  for his habit with information.
  Though instructed by Makker not to steal, she does so anyway, and 
  sells the swag at Bezul’s; though Bezul and Chersey are suspicious, 
  Geddie has never brought them anything of such high value or quality 
  that they feel they have to dispute 
  her contention that she’s been 
  given the articles in payment for 
  services rendered.
  When she isn’t working at the 
  palace, she can usually be found at 
  the Frog and Bucket, a Shambles 
  tavern where she eats her supper 
  LONE ON GEDDIE
  “This bint may have more than a little Rankan blood running in her 
  veins, but she’s mostly Wrigglie. A part-time whore and full-time 
  opah-dipper who works for Makker, Geddie also works in the Palace 
  as a laundress or mender.”
  LONE ON TARAN SAYN
  “One of the Sharda’s best hunting dogs. He’ll search under each 
  and every pile of garbage in Sanctuary to get his man, and he’ll enjoy 
  doing it, too. He works for Judge Nevermind, or so he says. I ﬁgure 
  that means he’s Magistrate Elisar’s stooge, but Sayn isn’t telling.”
  
  - 145 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  (when she hasn’t managed to scrounge enough to eat at the palace) and 
  keeps a small room. Several evenings a week, though, she makes the 
  journey into the Maze to meet Maksandrus at the Vulgar Unicorn.
  Of late, Geddie has caught the eye of Dace, the crippled ’Nighter now 
  dwelling and working at the changing house. In turn, she has taken 
  an interest in Bezul’s ne’er-do-well brother, Perrez. Maksandrus has 
  speciﬁcally directed Geddie to seduce Perrez. He and others would 
  like to get their claws into the largest and most respectable changing 
  operation in the city, and they’ve come to understand that the best 
  way to dig in would be through Perrez.
  DESCRIPTION
  A slender young woman with long, light-brown hair, enormous brown 
  eyes, and pleasant, mildly attractive but goggle-eyed features. Geddie 
  appears unthreatening, and even moderately likeable. She usually has 
  a bruise or cut on her face from a rough client.
  PERSONALITY
  Geddie is personable, if somewhat passive. She can be ingratiating 
  and appealing. Like many whores and whores’ daughters, she dreams 
  that she’ll ﬁnd a man who’ll get her out of the rather hopeless life she 
  leads. Geddie visits the fane of the love goddess, Eshi, two or three 
  times a week and is a sucker for love potions and similar charms. 
  At heart, though, she is driven by her addiction to the opah she 
  gets from Maksandrus.
  Her debt to Maksandrus is about thirty shaboozh, but might 
  just as well be thirty coronations or diamonds for all the 
  likelihood that she could ever amass enough wealth to pay 
  it oﬀ… and it’s constantly growing.
  Although forbidden by Maksandrus from stealing 
  from the palace for fear it would “jeopardize his 
  investment,” Geddie will steal whenever 
  the opportunity arises; if not to feed her 
  habit, then to make an oﬀering to Eshi, 
  or purchase another useless potion.
  For all her foibles and faults, Geddie 
  is a patriotic Sanctan. She maintains a 
  proper horror of all things Dyareelan 
  and a suspicion of all foreigners.
  GEDDIE
  Female Wrigglie beggar, 
  commoner 3; CR 2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d4+3; hp 
  10; Mdt 12; Init +1; Spd 30ft.; AC 
  11, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base 
  Atk +1; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full Atk +1 
  melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); SQ 
  jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, 
  Will +1; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 
  10, Wis 9, Cha 10
  Backgrounds Skills: Bluﬀ, Knowledge 
  (local).
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +6, Gather Information +1, Hide +3, 
  Knowledge (local) +6 (+8 when navigating the Maze), Listen +5, 
  Move Silently +3, Spot +5; Alertness, Maze-SavvyB*, Stealthy.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (Makker).
  Possessions: Dagger, 2 books of opah rags.
  G’HAN THE WANDERER
  G’han is a bit of a mystery, not because he will not talk about himself, 
  but because no one can decide if he is telling the truth. G’han claims 
  to be a Master of Fourteen Spirits, each one with diﬀerent powers. 
  His self-avowed occupation is destroyer of supernatural menaces, and 
  he has certainly demonstrated some skill in that regard. According to 
  G’han’s version of things, he is a member of an order that specializes 
  in hunting demons, ghouls, and other monsters. He is very fast, both 
  in mind and in body, and his ﬁghting style relies upon speed more 
  than strength. He does clearly possess magic, most of it channeled 
  through his sword.
  He arrived in Sanctuary with his friend Taran, and stays at the 
  Phoenix Inn, which belongs to Taran’s family. G’han has professed 
  himself to be delighted with the chaos of Sanctuary, and he wanders 
  all over the city, apparently not noticing the danger in walking 
  alone through certain neighborhoods.
  DESCRIPTION
  A man of slightly below-average height and wiry build, 
  he has pale skin and black hair that he keeps short and 
  neat. He wears dark clothing, rich but slightly worn, and 
  somehow he and his eﬀects are always scrupulously clean, 
  even in the desert. 
  PERSONALITY
  No matter what the circumstances, G’han is 
  always cheerful. He also seems to ignore danger, 
  or at least to not be worried about anything, 
  and will charge into a demon pit while smiling 
  and laughing. He is fond of old adages, and 
  spouts them as if they were great wisdom. 
  But beneath his cheerful exterior, G’han has 
  sharp eyes and a good heart, and he can be 
  very protective of his friends.
  G’HAN THE WANDERER
  Male Mygdonian soldier, initiate 5, 
  ranger 2; CR 7; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 5d6+5 plus 2d10+2; hp 
  38; Mdt 16; Init +1; Spd 30ft.; AC 
  15, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 14; Base 
  Atk +5; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee 
  (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword); 
  Full Atk +6 melee (1d8+2/19–20, 
  +1 longsword); SA combat style 
  (skirmish), favored terrain (desert); 
  SQ eclectic sorcery (Cha); Rep +1; 
  
  - 146 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +4; 
  Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, 
  Wis 10, Cha 14
  Background Skills: Ride, 
  Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Concentration 
  +8, Diplomacy +8, Disguise 
  +4, Handle Animal +4, Jump 
  +5, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Hide +3, 
  Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Ride +7, Search +3, Sense Motive 
  +4, Sleight of Hand +7, Spellcraft +11, Spot +3, Survival +2, 
  Tumble +5; Agile RiposteB*, Combat Expertise, Extra Spells*, 
  Dodge, MobilityB, TrackB, WitchbloodedB*.
  Languages: Nisi (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Yenized (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (Latilla), Skill (Taren).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +7; save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (4): circle of protection (1st, MT 20, price 1), command 
  undead (2nd, MT 30, price 2), disrupt undead (0, MT 10, price 
  0/1), see invisibility (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (5): convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), detect 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), halt undead (3rd, MT 40, price 6), 
  prestidigitation (0, MT 10, price 0/1), shield (1st, MT 20, price 1)
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, +1 longsword (+1 spell focus), 
  scroll of whispering wind, brooch of shielding, 2 ﬂasks of holy 
  water, 10 sh.
  HÂLOTT
  Having gained the enmity of some 
  chieftain in the World’s Edge 
  Mountains, likely for something 
  Rogi (see page 166) did, Hâlott 
  fled south to Sanctuary and 
  assumed his current name. In 
  Thieves’ World, he spends most 
  of his time in an abandoned tower, not far from the city walls, where 
  he conducts arcane research into the dark arts of necromancy. To 
  continue to pay for his expensive chemicals, he occasionally brews 
  poisons for the criminally minded in the city. The gains from such 
  sales are enough to keep his tower stocked with the strangest and 
  foulest materials to further his studies.
  On occasion, the lich necromancer comes into the city, usually looking 
  for his erstwhile servant, Rogi, but sometimes to gain information or 
  to make new contacts. When he does, the locals steer clear, repelled 
  by his horrible visage and sinister reputation. When he does come to 
  town, it is usually to the Vulgar Unicorn, though he does not drink 
  or eat. He merely sits there, quietly listening. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Hâlott rarely goes about without a heavy cloak, and for good reason. 
  His body is animated dead ﬂesh, and for those unused to him, he 
  can be quite startling. Tall and gaunt, he has dried-up skin the color 
  of old parchment. Those who get a look at his face ﬁnd it’s equally 
  grotesque, with sunken cheeks, sewn-shut eyes and a hawk-like 
  nose. His lips are pulled back, revealing old, brown teeth. Even more 
  unsettling is the paint on his eyelids, creating the image of a set of 
  unblinking black eyes. His body is no better. He has long, bony limbs, 
  and his skin is stretched tight over his skeletal ribcage. He has an 
  ancient scar that starts at his breastbone and descends down, all the 
  way to his groin. 
  Still, for a member of the walking dead, Hâlott is quite vain. He has 
  tattooed his lips blue for color and he’s meticulous about painting 
  his eyes with kohl. He wears heavy, dark robes of ﬁne material and 
  a black skullcap, and is never without the upside-down ankh carved 
  from obsidian that he wears on an iron chain around his neck.
  PERSONALITY
  A plotter and schemer, Hâlott is concerned about one thing: 
  himself. Everything he does is to advance some machination, some 
  plot, or some eﬀort to further his understanding of the dark arts 
  of necromancy. He is patient, especially with Rogi, but he also has 
  a temper, which slips away from him from time to time. Hâlott 
  laments his fate, but he fears death, and so he’s caught between two 
  worlds — the one of the living and the other of the dead — and is 
  master of neither.
  HÂLOTT
  Lich academic, Mage 16; CR 18; Medium undead (augmented 
  human); HD 16d12; Mdt —; hp 110; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, 
  touch 11, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk +8; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee 
  (1d8+5, touch); Full Atk +10 melee (1d8+5, touch); SA fear aura, 
  LONE ON G’HAN THE WANDERER
  “I’ve seen this guy wandering around town with Latilla’s son, Taran. 
  He looks like any other caravan guard, albeit well groomed. He 
  fancies himself a hunter of demons from some faraway land. Sounds 
  to me like the sun’s baked his brain.”
  
  - 147 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  techniques (lore, specialist 
  mage (necromancy), potent 
  magic, sanctum), touch 
  attack; SQ damage reduction 
  15/Enlibar steel, immunities 
  (cold, electricity, polymorph 
  and mind-aﬀecting eﬀects), 
  turn resistance +4, undead; 
  Rep +4; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, 
  Will +13; Str 14, Dex 12, 
  Con —, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Background Skills: Decipher Script, Knowledge (history).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +7 (+9 alchemical items, jewelry, 
  poison), Concentration +11, Craft (alchemy) +15, Craft 
  (jeweler) +15, Craft (poison) +15, Decipher Script +17, Hide +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (history) +17, Knowledge 
  (nature) +15, Knowledge (religion) +15, Knowledge (the planes) 
  +20, Listen +11, Move Silently +9, Search +13, Sense Motive 
  +11, Spellcraft +22, Spot +11, Survival +3 (aboveground natural 
  environments, other planes); Craft Wondrous Item, DiligentB, 
  Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Heighten Spell, Improved 
  Counterspell, Instantaneous Casting*, Scribe Matrix*, Spell 
  Focus (necromancy)*.
  Languages: Caronnese (S/W), Enlibar (S/W), Rankene (S/W), 
  Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S), Yenized (S/W). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (2), Information (Rogi, 1), Skill (2).
  Fear Aura (Su): Anyone within 60 feet of Hâlott with less than 
  5 HD must make a DC 19 Will save or be aﬀected by a fear 
  spell (caster level 16th). Hâlott may suppress this eﬀect at will 
  as a free action.
  Touch Attack (Su): Hâlott’s touch deals 1d8+5 points of damage 
  to living beings; a DC 19 Will save halves the damage. Anyone 
  damaged by this attack must also make a DC 19 Fortitude save 
  or be permanently paralyzed.
  Spells: safe level 8th; spellcasting +28 (+30 within his tower); 
  ritualcasting +20 (+22 within his tower); save DC 15 + spell level; 
  necromancy save DC 17 + spell level. Hâlott casts necromancy 
  spells & rituals as a 17th-level mage. He gains a +2 bonus to 
  spell- and ritualcasting checks when casting necromancy spells. 
  Because of his undead nature, Hâlott takes lethal damage even 
  when casting spells that are within his safe level limit.
  Known Spells (23): blindness/deafness (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  circle of protection (1st, MT 20, price 1)*, crushing despair (4th, 
  MT 50, price 4), darkness (2nd, MT 30, price 2), detect magic (0, 
  MT 10, price 0/1), dimension door (4th, MT 50, price 4), dispel 
  magic (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  enervation (4th, MT 50, price 
  4), eyebite (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), ﬁnger of death (7th, MT 80, 
  price 7), greater arcane sight 
  (7th, MT 80, price 7), greater 
  circle of protection (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3)*, horrid wilting (8th, 
  MT 90, price 8), magic missile 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), mending 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), planar 
  binding (6th, MT 70, price 6), ray 
  of enfeeblement (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), resist energy (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), sending (5th, MT 60, price 5), 
  shield (1st, MT 20, price 1), slow 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), telekinesis 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5), waves of 
  fatigue (5th, MT 60, price 5)
  Familiar Spells (25): alarm (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), animate dead (4th, MT 50, price 4), arcane 
  lock (2nd, MT 20, price 2), binding (8th, MT 90, price 8), black 
  tentacles (4th, MT 50, price 4), cloudkill (5th, MT 60, price 5), 
  contact other plane (5th, MT 60, price 5), command undead (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), detect scrying (4th, MT 50, price 4), dimensional 
  anchor (4th, MT 50, price 4), greater dispel magic (6th, MT 
  70, price 6), identify (1st, MT 20, price 1), illusory script (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), insanity (7th, MT 80, price 7), lesser globe of 
  invulnerability (4th, MT 50, price 4), magic aura (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), mass hold person (7th, MT 80, price 7), persistent image 
  (5th, MT 60, price 5), phantasmal killer (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  prying eyes (5th, MT 60, price 5), repulsion (6th, MT 70, price 
  6), secret chest (5th, MT 60, price 5), summon monster VII (7th, 
  MT 80, price 7), tongues (3rd, MT 40, price 3), trap the soul (8th, 
  MT 90, price 8)
  *New Spell; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Possessions: Obsidian ankh necklace (+5 spell & ritual focus), 2000 
  shaboozh in the coﬀers of his tower.
  HARNET MUR
  Long ago, Harnet Mur was a master craftsman. He worked in metal, 
  stone, wood, and clay, sculpting and crafting tools and jewelry. His work 
  was beautiful, and he quickly gained the attention and favor of the young 
  governor, Prince Kadakithis, who was impressed as much by the man’s 
  calm nature and kind heart as by his art. When a ship had been captured 
  by pirates, and Kadakithis asked for volunteers to help rescue the boat 
  and its crew, Harnet Mur was one of the ﬁrst to step forward. When 
  Kadakithis left Sanctuary, Harnet Mur oﬀered to accompany him. But, 
  at the time, he had been recently married and was a new father of a 
  baby boy. So Kadakithis thanked Harnet Mur, and sent him back with 
  kind words, a bag of gold, and a request for a statue to remind the city 
  of its former governor.
  Unfortunately, when the prince left, he took Harnet Mur’s luck with 
  him. Harnet’s wife died of swamp fever soon after, and years later the 
  plague took his son and daughter-in-law, leaving Harnet to care for 
  his infant grandson, Kadithe. And then the Hand returned. When 
  the Irrune moved to take the city, three men had opened the gates 
  for them. Harnet Mur had been 
  one of them, and the Hand did 
  not forget. The cultists broke into 
  his shop, destroyed all of his work, 
  and then turned their attention 
  to the master craftsman himself. 
  They broke every ﬁnger of his ﬁne 
  hands, and then took slag from 
  his own foundry and dripped it, 
  LONE ON HARNET MUR
  “I’ve heard that Mur was one of three men who ensured that the gates 
  to the city were open when the Irrune came in and trounced on the 
  Hand. The Hand didn’t forget about him, either. They came one 
  night, blinded him, broke his hands, and left him for dead. As far as 
  I know, he still is.”
  LONE ON HÂLOTT
  “Until just lately, I’d only ever seen this necromancer from a 
  distance, sitting in the Vulgar Unicorn with his twisted little troll of 
  a lackey. Up close, he looks about as dead and dried up as a corpse 
  that’s been left in the desert for a few years. Still, his coin’s as good 
  as anyone’s, and he seems to have a good bit of it to spend.”
  
  - 148 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  slowly and carefully, into his eyes. Then they left the blind, crippled 
  man to die.
  Fortunately, Harnet Mur had suspected that the Dyareelans might 
  seek revenge one day. He had trained his grandson to hide at a 
  moment’s notice, and the boy was safely upstairs when the cult 
  attacked. It was Kadithe’s screams of horror, held in until the cultists 
  were long gone, that brought neighbors to investigate, and they saved 
  Harnet Mur’s life, though his eyes were gone.
  Since that time, knowing that the cult has never fully left Sanctuary, 
  Harnet Mur has done his best to hide within the city. He and his 
  grandson moved into the Maze, into a ruined old house that no one 
  else wanted. Harnet Mur rarely leaves the house, and Kadithe only 
  refers to him as Grandfather. Neither of them even so much as think 
  their last name any more, to avoid ever slipping and mentioning it.
  DESCRIPTION
  Harnet is in his late ﬁfties, with grizzled hair that only slightly retains 
  its former golden luster. His face is haggard and careworn, and despite 
  his deplorable existence, he is gentle and kind. His eyes are disturbing: 
  pale with white, scarred pupils. His hands are arthritic and twisted, 
  too damaged for him to grasp anything.
  PERSONALITY
  Although blind, Harnet Mur is still very observant. He can tell a lot 
  about a person by their voice, and he can read his grandson like an 
  open book. He also has decades of skill, and has trained Kadithe as his 
  successor. Despite his injuries, and currently low status, Harnet Mur 
  has retained his humor and his warmth. He is a kind man who helps 
  strangers, for he cannot leave them to suﬀer alone. He has millions 
  of stories about Sanctuary, and particularly about Kadakithis, whom 
  he still remembers fondly.
  HARNET MUR
  Male Rankan entrepreneur, savant 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6+3; hp 19; Mdt 10; Init +0; Spd 15 ft.; AC 8, 
  touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee 
  (1d3–1 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +2 melee (1d3–1 
  nonlethal, unarmed strike); SQ lore +8; Rep +1; SV Fort +1, Ref 
  +1, Will +7; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 15
  Background Skills: Craft (metalsmith), Profession (sculptor).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +7 (+9 to appraise metalwork), Craft 
  (metalsmith) +14, Diplomacy +5, Gather Information +5, Handle 
  Animal +6, Heal +6, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (local) 
  +6, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +6, Listen +9, Perform 
  (oratory) +7, Profession (sculptor) +9, Search –2, Sense Motive 
  +7; EnduranceB, Skill Focus (Craft: metalsmith), Skill Focus 
  (Knowledge: history)B, Toughness
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Sanctan (S).
  Contacts: Information (Kadithe), Skill (1).
  Possessions: Everything Harnet Mur once owned has been sold 
  over the years, or passed down to his grandson.
  Notes: Harnet Mur has been permanently blinded and his 
  hands have been crushed. These injuries can only be healed 
  with magic. 
  HELIZ YUNZ
  Calling Heliz a “scribe” is the surest way to insult him, and he will 
  haughtily correct the speaker: He is a linguist and a researcher. Heliz 
  knows most languages, both contemporary and ancient, and can read 
  and write them ﬂuently. Most days, he can be found in the courtyard 
  of Lumm the Staver’s somewhat damaged establishment, writing 
  down letters for people in return for a few coins. But Heliz is far 
  more than a copier. He was trained at the Library of the Crimson 
  Scholars, near the Rankan city of Lirt. There, he learned the true 
  power of words, and how to decipher them. Heliz can tell much about 
  a man from hearing him speak or reading his writing. He can learn 
  a man’s birthplace, rough age, education, current mood, and level of 
  truth at a glance or a moment’s listening. Other details can be gained 
  upon closer inspection.
  In addition, Heliz is adept in the magic of words. Words contain 
  power, and knowing the right word gives you access to that power. 
  The gods themselves used certain words to shape the world and its 
  occupants, and those are the words every Crimson Scholar seeks. 
  Heliz has mastered several of these mystical words, and uses them 
  when necessary, though he usually conceals the fact that the power 
  comes from the words themselves. He is fascinated with ancient texts, 
  and eagerly peruses any old writing he can ﬁnd, particularly if it is in 
  a language he does not know.
  Heliz guards his past, and for good reason. He is why the Crimson 
  Scholars are no more. During his research in the Library, he uncovered 
  the Word of Unmaking and foolishly spoke it aloud. The result was 
  
  - 149 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE ON HELIZ YUNZ
  “A funny guy, Yunz. He’s traded just about every one of his froggin’ 
  buttons for scraps of parchment, stone tablets, or anything else that 
  might have something scrawled on it. I’ve made a few soldats off of 
  the guy, myself. He’s a bit of a prick. Talks down to everyone, like 
  we’re all idiots. At least I’ve still got all my buttons. Still, I couldn’t 
  help but give the guy a new cloak.”
  spectacular, destroying the Library and everyone in it, save himself. 
  (And, it turns out, his estimable grandmother, as well). He pulled 
  himself out of the rubble and ﬂed, hoping to get as far away as 
  possible. He wound up in Sanctuary and lived in a rented apartment 
  owned by Lumm the Staver, where he survived by selling the silver 
  buttons from his coat.
  While he was content to study his 
  tomes in peace, his past caught 
  up with him. His grandmother, 
  who was impossibly old and 
  yet still beautiful, wanted the 
  Word of Unmaking for her own 
  nefarious purposes. The two 
  clashed, destroying Lumm’s 
  shop and apartments in the 
  process, and ﬁnally ended with 
  Heliz giving the woman what 
  she wanted. He spoke it and 
  destroyed her, learning in the process the means of controlling the 
  dreaded word.
  Since, Heliz has been forced to serve as a copyist and letter-reader 
  to pay back Lumm for the damage to the house. While Heliz treats 
  the man poorly, they are becoming friends at Lumm’s insistence, 
  and it seems one is rarely without the other. Heliz is also becoming 
  something of a sleuth, solving mysteries with logic and deduction, 
  which further eats into his precious translation time, as more and 
  more troubled people seek him out for help.
  DESCRIPTION
  Heliz is a narrow man of average height. He cuts his dark hair himself 
  in a ragged bowl cut, and has a thin mustache and faint beard that 
  look more like traces of ink. Heliz dresses in a red cassock and mantle 
  over dark trousers; when he ﬁrst 
  arrived, his threadbare cassock 
  had thirteen silver buttons down 
  the front, but those have all been 
  traded away and replaced with 
  simple wooden ones. He has since 
  received a similar but sturdier 
  garment in better condition, but 
  prefers to wear his old clothing 
  when performing commissions. 
  Heliz feels that, since people treat 
  him as a desperate, impoverished 
  scribe, he might as well look the 
  part. He carries a scribe’s satchel, ﬁlled with the usual quills, ink, 
  parchment, waxes, seals, and other tools. 
  PERSONALITY
  Heliz can be rude and condescending, particularly to those who 
  interrupt his studies or who do not speak properly. He will accept 
  jobs for coin, but will complain the entire time about how such work 
  is beneath him. The only work he does not consider an aﬀront is 
  translation of ancient texts.
  WORD OF UNMAKING
  The crimson scholars worked to uncover Ur-words from the written texts of the Known World. Collecting rare volumes, they studied 
  these tomes, extracting syllables and word fragments from which they hoped to reconstruct the ultimate language of the gods. For what 
  purpose, no one knows, but the most coveted word in the lexicon was the Word of Unmaking. Not only was this word hidden, buried, 
  and only rumored to exist, it was dangerous to use. Inevitably, with so much eﬀort spent to construct the language, it was but a matter 
  of time before someone discovered it. That someone was Heliz Yunz.
  The Word of Unmaking is the ﬁnal word of the language of creation, the word used to unravel that which was made. Only characters with 
  the Moderate Ur-Word Proﬁciency feat (see page 226) have the ability to ﬁnd it (DC 30 Decipher Script and found in an unnamed 
  magic tome presumably destroyed) can make use of the word; others do not recognize it for what it is or even make the sounds to utter 
  it. Once discovered, the individual is still not guaranteed to be able to use it. In order to learn the Word of Unmaking, the character must 
  succeed on a DC 30 Knowledge (arcana) check. Moreover, it counts as 4 Ur-words of any level, meaning that the character may need 
  to wait until he gains another feat before he can access it.
  Once learned, the character may speak it without limitation, though each time after the ﬁrst it grows more diﬃcult to use. To use this 
  powerful Ur-word, the crimson scholar must succeed on a DC 20 Concentration check (modiﬁed as normal). If he succeeds on this 
  check, the Word of Unmaking creates a destructive blast extending out 100 feet per character level in all directions from the speaker. 
  All creatures, unattended objects, and structures take 1d6 points of damage per character level (no cap, Reﬂex DC 20 + the character’s 
  Intelligence modiﬁer for half damage). 
  The speaker is immune to the eﬀects of Word of Unmaking, but not the collateral eﬀects. For example, a character who speaks this word 
  indoors and collapses a structure on top of himself still takes damage from the falling debris.
  The Word of Unmaking can be controlled if the character has the Diminish Ur-word feat. 
  Using this Ur-word is extremely taxing, causing the character to become fatigued for 1 hour. If he fails by 5 or more on the Concentration 
  check, he is exhausted until he rests for at least 8 hours.
  Each time a character uses the Word of Unmaking after the ﬁrst, the base DC increases by +5. The character can use the Word as many times 
  per day as he wishes, but on a failed check, he is simply too drained to use it until 24 hours have passed. Note that two consecutive uses of 
  the Word of Unmaking will make a character exhausted instead of fatigued. An exhausted character may not utter the Word of Unmaking.
  
  - 150 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  HELIZ YUNZ
  Male Lirter academic, savant 6, crimson scholar 4; CR 10; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d6 plus 4d6; hp 37; Mdt 10; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +4; 
  Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full Atk +4 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, dagger); SA Word of Unmaking; SQ cipher, eidetic 
  memory, linguist, literate, lore +12; Rep +2; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, 
  Will +11; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 14, Cha 9.
  Background Skills: Concentration, Decipher Script.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +6, Bluﬀ +8, Concentration +15, 
  Craft (paper) +8, Decipher Script +28, Diplomacy +3, Disguise 
  –1 (+2 acting), Forgery +8, Intimidate +1, Gather Information 
  +1, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (geography) +15, 
  Knowledge (history) +15, Listen +4, Profession (scribe) +15, 
  Read Language, Search +15, Sense Motive +11, Spot +4, Speak 
  Language, Survival +2 (+4 avoid hazards, getting lost, or follow 
  tracks); Complex Ur-WordsB, DiligentB, Diminish Ur-Word, 
  Enlarge Ur-Word, InvestigatorB, Moderate Ur-Word Proﬁciency, 
  Simple Ur-Word Proﬁciency, Skill Focus (Decipher Script)B, 
  Ur-Word Emphasis (Word of Unmaking)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Beysib (S/W), Caronnese (S/W), 
  Cirdonian (S/W), Enlibirite (S/W), Ilsig (S/W), Irrune (S), 
  Nisi (S/W), Raggah (S/W), Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S), 
  Yenized (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Lumm, 1).
  Ur-Words (Sp): Caster Level 10th; Simple (DC 15)—daze 
  monster, fox’s cunning, lesser confusion, owl’s wisdom, soften earth 
  and stone; Moderate (DC 17)—entangle, fabricate, transmute mud 
  to rock; Complex (DC 19)—animate objects, repulsion, sunbeam; 
  Special (DC 26)—Word of Unmaking.
  Possessions: Dagger, crimson robes, scribe’s satchel, 1d6 research 
  books, word of unmaking*.
  JERBRAH MIOKLAS
  Most do their best to forget the Troubles, leaving behind the unique 
  hell that gripped Sanctuary during its darkest times. But a few are 
  haunted by their past, still paying the price of the sins. One such 
  person is Jerbrah Mioklas. As a child, he lived in a grand mansion 
  within a lovely estate situated prominently along the Processional. His 
  family was Ilsigi, hailing back to earlier times, and they have been in 
  Sanctuary for generations. Unfortunately, certain family members still 
  felt that most non-Ilsigi in Sanctuary were foreign invaders, and this 
  made them easy prey for the Dyareelans. Mioklas’ father was one of 
  those swayed, and he threw in with the Hand shortly after they went 
  public. When the Irrune swept in and destroyed the cult, Mioklas 
  father was executed as well, and 
  the family lost much of its money 
  and most of its reputation.
  In the years since, Mioklas has 
  spent years trying to restore the 
  family to its former place. He is 
  a merchant, and a successful one. 
  Most of his money of late has 
  gone toward restoring his family manor, which fell into disrepair 
  with his father’s death. Everything he does is to restore his family’s 
  place in the city, and so he spends far more than he has and is in 
  debt to many people.
  It’s rumored among some that Mioklas actually represents the Ilsigi 
  king’s interests in the city, which would explain how he seems to 
  always rebound from near bankruptcy. But if true, it’s something 
  Mioklas doesn’t advertise, and would deny if asked. Jerbrah is rarely 
  alone and, as with many of the wealthy citizens, keeps a bodyguard 
  for protection (Brevis, 4th-level male Wrigglie ﬁghter). Jerbrah has 
  two children, a daughter named Las and a son, Nerry. His daughter 
  is something of an instigator and is an incurable troublemaker. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Mioklas is not a large man, but he is ﬁt and has the energy of 
  youth. He is well groomed, and wears the best clothing of the 
  current fashion trends. He has brown hair, well-manicured hands, 
  and sharp eyes. 
  PERSONALITY
  Jerbrah is intelligent, and can often be charming, which is probably 
  why the Ilsigi king chose him to represent their interests in Sanctuary. 
  Mioklas does not mention this to anyone, but sounds out others on 
  their feelings toward Ilsig, and does his best to convince everyone 
  that the city would be better oﬀ in the hands of its original owners. 
  As smart as he is, he’s completely unreasonable, and frequently 
  overspends, which puts a greater strain on the people he hires, who 
  must wait sometimes indeﬁnitely for their pay.
  JERBRAH MIOKLAS
  Male Ilsigi courtier, noble 4, thief 2; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6+8 plus 2d6+4; hp 35; Mdt 15; Init +4; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grap +4; 
  Atk +5 melee (1d4+1/19–20, +1 dagger); Full Atk +5 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, +1 dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ diplomat, 
  evasion, inspiration 6/day (competence, courage), organize +3, 
  skilled, trapﬁnding; Rep +1; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +5; Str 10, 
  Dex 11, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, Bluﬀ +15, Diplomacy +15, Disguise 
  +2 (+4 acting), Gamble +8, Gather Information +6, Intimidate 
  +7, Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +3, Knowledge 
  (nobility & royalty) +6, Listen +6, Profession (merchant) +7, 
  Sense Motive +9, Spot +6; AlertnessB, Combat Expertise, 
  Improved Initiative, Negotiator, PersuasiveB.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Irrune (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Influence (1), Skill 
  (Grabar).
  Possessions: Padded armor, 
  +1 dagger, potion of convert 
  moderate wounds, ring of 
  protection +1, cloak of resistance 
  +1, 193 sh.
  LONE ON JERBRAH MIOKLAS
  “Mioklas is one of the city’s peers, which means he’s rich enough 
  to buy into the city government. He’s got a big house on the 
  Processional, likely ﬁlled with all sorts of shiny things. There’s been 
  whispers that he’s an agent for Ilsig, something I’m sure he’d deny.”
  
  - 151 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  JEREZ CAMARGEN
  Sanctuary has many old-timers, but few are as ancient as Jerez 
  Camargen. He is one of the city’s 
  oldest current residents, though 
  one of its newest arrivals. And 
  yet he does not look older than 
  his mid-thirties… in part, because 
  he’s not quite old enough.
  Jerez is a ship captain. His last 
  vessel was the Widowmaker, a 
  Yenized vessel he liberated from 
  its previous owner. Jerez is also a 
  pirate. Shortly after acquiring the Widowmaker, he was approached 
  by an Enlibar wizard named Hada Korgun. Korgun claimed that 
  a recent guest had stolen several valuable items, costing Korgun 
  his job as court wizard to the king. Korgun wanted the items back, 
  and he oﬀered to pay handsomely if Jerez would pursue the thief 
  and retrieve the items. Jerez agreed, despite his misgivings about 
  dealing with wizards. 
  They pursued the other ship, a Yenized vessel named the Fortunate, 
  for weeks, often retaining the trail only through Korgun’s magic. 
  (Although Korgun had apparently died when a spell he cast at the 
  other vessel had backﬁred, but his body still pointed the way to the 
  Fortunate and its wizard. Jerez continued the hunt.) Finally, they 
  overtook the other ship, but before they could do more than ﬁre the 
  weapons, a massive storm appeared. 
  One of the Fortunate’s passengers was knocked overboard, and 
  dragged up onto the Widowmaker—a strange looking man… young, 
  but with long silver hair. He immediately shouted that they needed to 
  cut Korgun loose, before he cursed them all. The stranger attempted 
  to cut the ropes that held Korgun to the bowsprit, and Jerez moved 
  to stop him. The two men were strangling each other when the waves 
  hit and the bowsprit snapped, toppling them into the sea. 
  When Jerez awoke, he was on an island, the ships nowhere in sight. 
  After he ﬂagged down a passing ﬁsherman, Jerez stole the man’s boat 
  and rowed around the rocks, ﬁnding an entire city where none should 
  have been. He had arrived in Sanctuary, and, as he later discovered, 
  eight hundred years had passed since his disappearance.
  Jerez has since taken up residence at the Broken Mast, a seedy tavern 
  that caters to sailors. He has more than enough money to cover his 
  stay, but he is not looking to become a permanent resident. He has 
  been slowly hiring a new crew, and keeping his eyes open for a ship. 
  (He is most certainly not above stealing one). Jerez is also searching 
  for the man with the silver hair, who rumors say has also appeared 
  in Sanctuary. Jerez blames the man for his predicament, and means 
  to kill him.
  DESCRIPTION
  A good-sized man with the tanned skin of an outdoorsman, Jerez 
  is moderately good-looking and knows it. He takes care to dress 
  well, though not so ﬂashy that he attracts undue attention. His 
  hands are long-ﬁngered and callused, and his voice is gravely, which 
  only adds to the charm of his brown eyes and thick curls of dark 
  brown hair.
  PERSONALITY
  Now that he has accepted being long past his own time, Jerez plans to 
  continue as he had before. He wants to buy, build, or steal a warship, 
  gather a good crew, and become 
  a pirate once again. He is a good 
  captain, fair but tough, and sets 
  out his rules clearly, as well as 
  the punishments for breaking 
  them. Jerez is perfectly willing 
  to kill to achieve his goals, but 
  he will only use as much force 
  as necessary—he does not kill or 
  hurt for pleasure.
  JEREZ CAMARGEN
  Male Enlibrite sailor, thief 6, fighter 4; CR 10; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d6+6 plus 4d10+4; hp 48; Mdt 21; 
  Init +2; Spd 30ft.; AC 17, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk 
  +8; Grap +10; Atk +11 melee (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen scimitar) 
  or +11 ranged (1d8+1/×3, +1 longbow); Full Atk +11/+6 melee 
  (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen scimitar) or +11/+6 ranged (1d8+1/×3, 
  +1 longbow); SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ evasion, trap sense +1, 
  uncanny dodge; Rep +2; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5; Str 14, 
  Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Background Skills: Balance, Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Bluﬀ +9, Climb +8 (+10 ropes), 
  Diplomacy +11, Disguise +7 (+9 acting), Escape Artist +2 (+4 
  LONE ON JEREZ CAMARGEN
  “I’ve no idea where Jerez came from, but he’s obviously a sea dog. 
  He’s currently got a few low-life salts working for him, moving krrf 
  and stolen goods along the wharves. Either he’s building an empire 
  of his own, or he’s looking to buy a ship.”
  
  - 152 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  bindings), Gather Information +8, Hide +8, Intimidate +11, 
  Jump +8, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +6, Profession (sailor) 
  +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6, Survival +10, Swim +8, Use 
  Rope +8; CleaveB, Debilitating Strike*, Improved Bull RushB, 
  Improved Damage Threshold*, Iron WillB, Point Blank Shot, 
  Power AttackB, Streetwise*.
  Languages: Enlibar (S/W), Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S), 
  Yenized (S/W). 
  Contacts: Information (Pewl, Yos), Skill (Ano).
  Possessions: +2 studded leather armor, +1 keen scimitar, +1 longbow, 
  20 arrows, spyglass, 3 ﬂasks of alchemist’s ﬁre, 59 sh.
  KADASAH
  Kadasah came with her father to Sanctuary after Arizak moved to the 
  city. Her father is a minor noble in Arizak’s entourage. Her parents 
  divorced when she was nine, but as the oldest child, she remained 
  with him while her siblings went with her mother back to her family 
  circle. Over the years, it was clear 
  to Kadasah that her father saw in 
  her nothing but someone to cook, 
  take care of the tents, and care for 
  the children, so she used her time 
  among the ranking palace Irrune 
  to study warfare. When she turned 
  16, she left the palace to sell her 
  skills as a warrior, prompting her 
  father to disown her. Since then, 
  he has nothing but contempt for her when they meet. Kadasah doesn’t 
  care much, and only visits him when she wants him to carry messages 
  to Arizak or Nadalya—messages he usually refuses to handle.
  Kadasah prefers her steed, Vagrant, over much human company, but 
  when she needs companionship, she goes to the Vulgar Unicorn, 
  where she drinks too much, lies about her battles, and ﬁghts oﬀ the 
  unwanted attentions of the men, particularly Kaytin (though this 
  has changed recently). She supports herself by butchering Dyareelan 
  cultists. She works primarily for a single secretive individual who 
  foolishly believed he could negotiate with the Dyareelans. When the 
  Irrune entered the city, the cultists turned on the Peers, believing they 
  had betrayed them. The Dyareelans killed the man’s wife and children, 
  burned his home to the ground, and tortured him until the Irrune 
  saved his life and fortune. Since that day, he has dedicated his life to 
  the eradication of the cultists, regardless of the expense. 
  Kadasah is gainfully employed making forays into the tunnels of 
  Sanctuary’s undercity to root out hidden cultists wherever she ﬁnds 
  them. She spends most of her time hunting beneath the ruined temple 
  of Savankala. Though she makes good money killing cultists — her rich 
  patron pays her handsomely for 
  each kill, and for the tattooed bits 
  she brings as proof — Kadasah 
  lives in poverty. She and her lover, 
  Kaytin, live in an old hovel with 
  barely any shelter and no real 
  furniture besides the bed. They 
  have very few possessions, mainly 
  battered cookware. Her horse, 
  Vagrant, has better shelter than 
  they do, consisting of another 
  ruined building on the same property. This is not because Kadasah lacks 
  money, but because she doesn’t care. As long as she has her weapons, 
  her pack, and food and drink, she is content. A willing partner and a 
  chance to kill cultists is all she needs to be completely happy.
  DESCRIPTION
  Tall even for an Irrune, at nearly six feet, with long blond hair pulled 
  back into three braids, Kadasah has the lithe muscles and quiet grace 
  of a true warrior. She has average looks, but she owns a talisman that 
  she believes makes her far more attractive to men.
  PERSONALITY
  Kadasah lives to ﬁght, and particularly to ﬁght and kill Dyareelans. 
  She has insisted for several years that the cultists are not all dead and 
  gone, and spends her nights hunting them in the tunnels below the 
  city. Kadasah considers herself the greatest ﬁghter alive, and while 
  this is an exaggeration, she is talented. She wields a hand axe and a 
  bastard sword, and has recently bought new weapons from Spyder.
  Everyone in the Maze and the Shambles knows Kadasah, as do all 
  the Irrune. She is renowned for her temper as much as her skill, 
  and is often mixed up in bar ﬁghts she does not remember the next 
  day. Some people assume that Kadasah is not very bright, because 
  she is usually in trouble and doesn’t know much about what’s going 
  on in the city around her. She is actually very intelligent, and quite 
  observant, but only when she’s interested. If she doesn’t care about a 
  subject, she completely tunes it out.
  LONE ON KADASAH
  “I always ﬁgured that Irrune women were meaner than the men. 
  Kadasah’s living proof of that. She goes out hunting for the Bloody 
  Hand, dragging that sorry-ass S’danzo, Kaytin, along with her. She 
  uses the poor guy for bait, and then kills anything with a tattoo that 
  jumps out at him. He needs to ﬁnd a new woman, I think.”
  
  - 153 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE ON KADITHE MUR
  “Funny kid. He does odd jobs for Bezul sometimes, and the rest 
  of the time, he’s poking around looking for anything he can sell in 
  the changing house. He doesn’t have any friends that I know of, and 
  is probably an orphan. He’s got a bolt-hole on the east side of the 
  Maze, but I haven’t been able to ﬁnd it yet.
  KADASAH
  Female Irrune adventurer, barbarian 6, ranger 2; CR 8; Medium 
  humanoid; HD 6d12+12 plus 2d8+4; hp 70; Mdt 20; Init +2; 
  Spd 40ft.; AC 18, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +8; Grap 
  +11; Atk +13 melee (1d10+4/19–20, +1 bastard sword); Full Atk 
  +11/+6 melee (1d10+4/19–20, +1 bastard sword) and +11 melee 
  (1d6+2/×3, +1 handaxe); SA combat style (two-weapon), rage 
  2/day; SQ fast movement, favored environment (underground), 
  improved uncanny dodge, saddleborn, trap sense +2; Rep +1; 
  SV Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, 
  Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (dungeoneering), Search.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +8, Handle Animal +5, Hide +2 
  (+4 underground), Intimidate +7, Jump +8, Knowledge 
  (dungeoneering) +5, Listen +5 (+7 underground), Move Silently 
  +5 (+7 underground), Ride +11, Search +6 (+8 underground), 
  Spot +5 (+7 underground), Survival +7 (+11 underground, +9 
  follow tracks); Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency (bastard sword), 
  Mounted Combat, Power Attack, TrackB, Two-Weapon 
  FightingB, Weapon Focus (bastard sword).
  Languages: Irrune (S), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (Kaytin, 1).
  Possessions: +2 chain shirt, +1 bastard sword, +1 handaxe, heavy 
  warhorse, military saddle, 2 ﬂasks of alchemist’s ﬁre.
  KADITHE MUR
  Kadithe lives and works in the Maze, but few people know him by 
  sight and only a handful know his name. That is exactly how Kadithe 
  prefers it. His grandfather, Harnet Mur, raised him to understand that 
  anonymity was their greatest defense against the Hand, who might 
  still want them dead. So Kadithe has spent years honing his skill at 
  blending in, and at not revealing anything about himself. 
  Though still in his early teens, Kadithe has been studying with his 
  grandfather since he was a toddler, and is a master craftsman in his 
  own right. He has only made a few original pieces, but recently sold 
  one of them to Bezul the Changer, and promised to make more. 
  Kadithe is thrilled at the chance to sell his jewelry, but even more 
  excited at the prospect of providing his beloved grandfather with 
  good food and warm blankets and a few more comforts in their 
  rough life.
  Kadithe has since been doing repair work for Bezul, and he likes the 
  changer and his wife. He also recently met Becvar, and the two have 
  begun an odd friendship. But Kadithe still struggles against a lifetime 
  of paranoia that makes him want 
  to avoid any human contact.
  DESCRIPTION
  Small for his age, and slight, 
  Kadithe deliberately disguises his 
  appearance. His hair is probably 
  the same dirty blond that his 
  grandfather’s was, but that 
  indicates Rankan blood too clearly, and so Kadithe lets his hair get 
  dirty, so that it looks darker. He stoops and shuﬄes to make himself 
  seem more harmless, and he can hide his speech with the local gutter-
  cant, though he slips into more civilized tones when he’s excited. 
  PERSONALITY
  Only Bezul and Chersey have guessed his last name and his family, 
  because Kadithe never mentions either of them. He knows that he 
  was named for Kadakithis, but refuses to even think about it, and 
  when he does give his name to anyone, it is only as Kadithe. 
  Kadithe’s goal is to master the arts his grandfather has taught him, 
  and to ﬁnish the old man’s last commission: to create a golden statue 
  of the prince whose name he carries, so that all of Sanctuary can see 
  and remember that great man.
  KADITHE MUR
  Male Wrigglie entrepreneur, survivor 1; CR 1; Small humanoid 
  (human); HD 1d10+4; hp 14; Mdt 8; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grap –4; Atk +1 
  melee (1d2 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +1 melee (1d2 
  nonlethal, unarmed strike); SQ jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +1, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 13
  Background Skills: Craft (jeweler), Profession (sculptor).
  Skills and Feats: Craft (jeweler) +10, Hide +3, Knowledge (local) 
  +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +3, Profession (sculptor) +7, Spot 
  +5, Survival +5, Tumble +5; Dodge, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, 
  Maze-SavvyB*, ToughnessB.
  Languages: Ilsig (S), Rankene (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (Bezul).
  Possessions: Masterwork artisan’s tools, 100 shaboozh worth of 
  raw materials.
  KAYTIN
  Kaytin is an odd case. Mostly S’danzo, he was sent by his people to 
  scout out Sanctuary and to monitor the activities of the cultists so that 
  the S’danzo might one day return. Unfortunately, he’s also a man of 
  passions. When he drinks a little too much, and is faced with a pretty 
  woman, he tends to forget that he’s a spy and brags about his heritage. 
  Thankfully, no one really believes him, perhaps because he doesn’t really 
  look all that much like the S’danzo, or because no one believes that a 
  real S’danzo would be stupid enough to behave the way Kaytin does.
  In any event, the woman Kaytin wanted to bed more than any other 
  was Kadasah, the ﬁerce barbarian princess of his dreams. He spent his 
  time hanging around the Vulgar 
  Unicorn waiting for her to show 
  up, so he could ply her with drink 
  and seduce her. His plans never 
  bore fruit and, instead, he found 
  himself pulled into the reckless 
  and very dangerous life of a 
  cultist-killer. Kadasah sometimes 
  used him as bait, sometimes had 
  him along to carry her things, and 
  
  - 154 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  basically do whatever it was that 
  she wanted.
  After a particularly dangerous 
  mission, Kadasah ﬁnally rewarded 
  the smitten man, and took him 
  to bed. Much to his sorrow, she 
  has a lusty appetite, and now he 
  is exhausted nearly all the time. 
  Worse, she continues to use him, dragging him along on her hare-
  brained adventures and exposing him to more danger than he ever 
  signed up for. Despite his predicament, he’s still loyal to her, but he 
  wouldn’t mind if their lives improved; an intact roof, a warm bed, and 
  a good meal would all be boons for Kaytin. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Kaytin is a tall, good-looking man with dark hair and dark eyes. It is 
  diﬃcult to tell his heritage by looking, which is exactly why he is in 
  Sanctuary, because Kaytin is part-S’danzo and was sent to Sanctuary 
  to serve as one of his people’s scouts. His job is to watch and listen, 
  and report back, particularly anything having to do with the S’danzo 
  and their potential return.
  PERSONALITY
  Kaytin feels like Kadasah is simply using him, both as a lover and as 
  bait on her hunts for Dyareelan cultists, and complains about this 
  bitterly to anyone who will listen, and often those who are simply 
  close enough to hear. (Perhaps he simply enjoys complaining.) Despite 
  this, Kaytin does keep his ears open, and he remembers most of the 
  conversations he overhears. 
  Kaytin carries a plain, well-constructed dirk, and knows how to use 
  it, but he is not a ﬁghter by nature. He would much rather talk his 
  way out of trouble. Unfortunately, talking isn’t usually an option with 
  Kadasah. Then again, she usually leaps toward anyone attacking them, 
  which means that the opponent is dead before Kaytin is forced to 
  get involved.
  KAYTIN
  Male S’danzo entertainer, thief 6; CR 6; Medium humanoid; HD 
  6d6+6; hp 29; Mdt 14; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, ﬂat-
  footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grap +5; Atk +6  melee (1d6+1/19–20, 
  masterwork short sword) or +6 ranged (1d8/19–20, light 
  crossbow); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+1/19–20, masterwork short 
  sword) or +6 ranged (1d8/19–20, light crossbow); SA sneak attack 
  +3d6; SQ evasion, godless, heritage of deceit, mistrusted, trap sense 
  +2, trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep +1; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will 
  +2; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Perform.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +4, Bluﬀ +11, Climb +1 (+3 ropes), 
  Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +7, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), 
  Escape Artist +7 (+9 ropes), 
  Gather Information +9, Hide 
  +7, Jump +3, Knowledge (local) 
  +9, Listen +5, Move Silently 
  +7, Open Lock +7, Perform 
  (comedy) +8, Search +6, Sense 
  Motive +5, Sleight of Hand 
  +9, Spot +5, Survival +0 (+2 
  follow tracks), Tumble +7, Use 
  Rope +7 (+9 bindings); Deft 
  HandsB, Dodge, Manhunter*, 
  Point Blank Shot
  Languages: Irrune (S), S’danzo 
  (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Kadasah).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather armor, masterwork short 
  sword, light crossbow, 20 bolts, soles of silence, shadow cloak, thieves’ 
  tools, 2 ﬂasks of alchemist’s ﬁre.
  KUSHARLONIKAS
  Though the Irrune have banned the mageguild, there are still many 
  magicians in Sanctuary, and even without their bloated organization, 
  ambition still drives them. One such wizard is Kusharlonikas, a 
  powerful wizard by modern standards. Kusharlonikas has no qualms 
  about dabbling into the various techniques of sorcery and uses 
  whatever he can get his hands on. He has varied and dangerous 
  interests, and spends a great deal of time protecting himself and 
  avoiding unwanted attention. 
  Kusharlonikas has recently gained the service of an apprentice, 
  Komodoﬂorensal, which just so happens to be his great-great-nephew. 
  (Kusharlonikas is over a century old) Try as he might, his apprentice 
  proves to have little skill in magic and creates more diﬃculties than 
  not, drawing undue attention to Kusharlonikas’ plots and intrigues. 
  The great mage lives in a sizeable estate just outside the city 
  walls. There, he keeps his Chamber of Reﬂection and Divination 
  well warded and guarded, using magical creations to protect his 
  accumulated lore.
  DESCRIPTION
  Kusharlonikas is old, and it shows. However, he uses sorcery to 
  conceal his appearance, which works for everything but his wrinkled 
  and veined legs. He wears long elaborate robes to hide his knobby 
  knees. 
  PERSONALITY
  Arrogant doesn’t begin to describe Kusharlonikas. He is ambitious, 
  reckless, and has a great opinion of himself. He sees ordinary mortals 
  as dangerous fools. He’s also a little paranoid, as evinced by his 
  magical protections. 
  KUSHARLONIKAS
  Male Ilsigi academic, mage 9; CR 9; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 9d4+9; hp 38; Mdt 12; Init +0; Spd 30ft.; AC 
  11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; 
  Base Atk +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 
  melee (1d6–1, staﬀ of ﬁre); Full 
  Atk –1/–5 melee (1d6-1, staﬀ 
  of ﬁre); SQ skilled, techniques 
  (arcane defenses, sanctum); 
  LONE ON KAYTIN
  “This guy’s a lovesick S’danzo puppy. If he keeps following that 
  Kadasah around, he’s sure enough gonna be dog meat. The more she 
  treats him like shite, the more he keeps eating it.”
  LONE ON KUSHARLONIKAS
  “Oh, old Kushy is as cranky and arrogant as wizards can get. He’s 
  older than he looks, too, if his legs are any indication of his age.”
  
  - 155 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Rep +2; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +10; Str 9, Dex 12, Con 12, 
  Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 8
  Background Skills: Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +4 (+6 alchemical items), Concentration 
  +11, Craft (alchemy) +16, Decipher Script +14, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +19, Knowledge (history) +19, Knowledge (religion) 
  +10, Knowledge (the planes) +14, Spellcraft +18, Survival +2 (+4 
  on other planes); Craft Focus*, Interrupted Spellcasting*, Iron 
  WillB, Rushed Casting*, Touch the Otherworld*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Mrsevadan (S/W), Rankene (S/W), 
  Wrigglie (S), Yenized (S/W).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1), Skill (Komodoﬂorensal).
  Spells: safe level 4th; spellcasting +17; ritualcasting +10; save DC 
  14 + spell level. Gains +2 to casting checks within his Chamber 
  of Reﬂection & Divination.
  Known Spells (14): circle of protection (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  confusion (4th, MT 50, price 4), deep slumber (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3), dimension door (4th, MT 50, price 4), disguise self (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), dispel magic (3rd, MT 40, price 3), fog cloud 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), lightning bolt (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  prestidigitation (0, MT 10, price 0/1), scare (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), scrying (4th, MT 50, price 4), silent image (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), summon monster II (2nd, MT 30, price 2), unseen servant 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Familiar Spells (15): arcane sight (3rd, MT 40, price 3), detect 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), detect scrying (4th, MT 50, price 4), 
  identify (1st, MT 20, price 1), locate object (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), mirror image (2nd, MT 30, price 2), nightmare (5th, MT 
  60, price 5 lethal), phantasmal killer (4th, MT 50, price 4), read 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), sepia snake sigil (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), summon monster V (5th, MT 60, price 10), teleport (5th, MT 
  60, price 10), tongues (3rd, MT 40, price 3), ventriloquism (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), wall of ﬁre (4th, MT 50, price 4)
  Possessions: Staﬀ of ﬁre (21 charges), potion of convert light wounds, 
  ring (+2 spell focus), 275 sh.
  KOMODOFLORENSAL,  
  KUSHARLONIKAS’ APPRENTICE
  Komodoﬂorensal has an unfortunate name, and an equally 
  unfortunate past. Orphaned at an early age, he was sent to live 
  with his great-great-uncle Kusharlonikas. Kusharlonikas is a 
  wizard, and had no time for 
  a nephew… but he did have 
  plenty of uses for an apprentice 
  and slave, particularly to serve 
  as a test subject for various 
  experiments. Now in his 
  early twenties, it is a wonder 
  Komodoﬂorensal has survived 
  so long. He is a short, slight 
  young man, with straw-colored 
  hair and a round, open face. He 
  is also clumsy, careless, absent-minded, and unlucky, often to a 
  spectacular degree. And every time he fails, or breaks something, 
  “Uncle ’Lonikas” punishes the youth by subjecting him to another 
  spell, wracking him with terrible pain and awful dreams. Often 
  those spells involve the boy’s death, whether real or illusory, 
  and he once boasted that he has died six times, each time more 
  horrible than the last. But the deaths have had no eﬀect upon 
  his spirit, and Komodoﬂorensal is still as friendly, as enthusiastic, 
  and as optimistic as before.
  KOMODOFLORENSAL
  Male Ilsigi apprentice, mage 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d4+11; hp 22; Mdt 14; Init +0; Spd 30ft.; AC 10 
  [+0 Dex], touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +2; Grap +3; Atk 
  +4 melee (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +4 melee 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SQ technique (metamagic 
  expert), skilled; Rep +1; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 
  11, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Knowledge 
  (arcana), Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats: Concentration 
  +6, Decipher Script +7, 
  Diplomac y +4, Gather 
  Information +3, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +9, Knowledge 
  (history) +6, Knowledge (local) 
  +7, Listen +1, Spellcraft +10, 
  Spot +1; AlertnessB, Endurance, 
  Still Spell, Toughness.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Yenized (W). 
  LONE ON KOMODOFLORENSAL
  “Komodoﬂorensal is the struggling apprentice of Kusharlonikas. I 
  don’t know squat about magic, but I get the distinct impression that 
  he’s in the wrong line of work. I can’t help but feel a little sorry for 
  him. Much to my surprise, it seems the apprentice and I have more 
  in common than I thought. He’s not a bad guy actually.”
  
  - 156 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Kusharlonikas).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +6; ritualcasting +5; save DC 
  12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (7): color spray (1st, MT 20, price 1), grease (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), gust of wind (2nd, MT 30, price 2), levitate (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), message (0, MT 10, price 0/1), prestidigitation 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), sleep (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Familiar Spells (7): blink (3rd, MT 40, price 6), hold portal (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), pyrotechnics (2nd, MT 30, price 2), read magic 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), shatter (2nd, MT 30, price 2), shield (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), ventriloquism (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, lesser rod of extend spell.
  LATILLA
  Lalo the Limner was the ﬁnest 
  artist Sanctuary had ever seen, 
  and he could do things with 
  paints and inks that were beyond 
  magic. He left the city long 
  ago, but his family remains, and 
  though not as powerful as Lalo, 
  they each have their own gifts. 
  Latilla, his daughter, is now the 
  head of the family, in a sense. 
  Latilla’s main goal has always been to keep her family safe. She also 
  has her own talent, that of repair: Latilla can ﬁx almost anything. 
  She has a particular gift for potions, and can create draughts that 
  cure hangovers and dispel most minor diseases. Latilla’s late husband 
  Darios was a wizard, and he taught her several minor spells, but she 
  does not use them often.
  Latilla owns and runs the Phoenix Inn, a very solid bed-and-breakfast 
  built on the ruins of the old Land’s End estate. Though it sits on 
  the Hill, the Phoenix is a respectable inn, and Latilla keeps it clean 
  and inviting. Her mother Gilla lives with her, as does her younger 
  brother Alﬁ, her daughter Sula, and Sula’s twin Taran, when he isn’t 
  oﬀ on some adventure.
  DESCRIPTION
  Latilla is a handsome woman, now in her mid-ﬁfties. Her blond hair 
  has given way to gray, and she is a bit stocky, like her mother was, 
  though not to the same degree. (Gilla was a big woman.) Latilla is 
  not showy; she wears simple clothes of homespun that she made 
  herself. She keeps her hair pulled 
  back, and can appear a little severe, 
  though when she smiles, she 
  warms the heart.
  PERSONALITY
  Though she acts more like her 
  assertive mother, Latilla did 
  inherit her father’s sensitivity, 
  and she is often moved by beauty. She is not a fancy woman. She 
  prefers good, simple things, and learned from her father that beauty 
  often comes from these clean, peaceful items and moments. She is 
  a very practical woman, and has a proverb for every situation, which 
  annoys her children to no end. 
  LATILLA
  Female Wriggle merchant, initiate 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6; hp 16; Mdt 10; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, 
  touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, dagger) or +4 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full Atk 
  +3 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger) or +4 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); 
  SQ eclectic sorcery (Int), jaded; Rep +1; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will 
  +5; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2 (+4 alchemical items, herbals), 
  Concentration +5, Craft (alchemy) +7, Craft (herbalism) +9, 
  Diplomacy +11, Gather Information +9, Heal+4, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +7, Listen 
  +3, Profession (innkeeper) +8, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +9, 
  Spot +3, Survival +1 (+3 aboveground natural environment); 
  AlertnessB, Brew Potion, Combat ExpertiseB, Still Spell.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +6; save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (4): convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), detect 
  thoughts (2nd, MT 40, DC 14, price 2), fox’s cunning (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), mending (0, MT 10, price 0/1).
  LONE ON LATILLA
  “The Phoenix Inn is one of the better hostels on the Hill. A middle-
  aged lady named Latilla runs the place. I’ve heard that her father was an 
  artist back before the Troubles, when Ranke still held Sanctuary. She 
  was married to a fellow named Darios, who claimed to be a magician.”
  
  - 157 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Familiar Spells (2): detect magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), locate object 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Possessions: Dagger, 2 potions of convert light wounds, lens of 
  detection, Carronese good fortune oil (green), vial of antitoxin, ﬂask 
  of acid, 20 sh.
  LEORIN
  Cauvin met Leorin while they were both orphans under the Hand. 
  As children, they were in the pits together, and as Leorin blossomed, 
  she was taken out for “special” training and duties. The two began to 
  care for each other before that, though. Leorin appreciated Cauvin’s 
  brawn, while he admired her brains, moreso than her beauty… there 
  simply wasn’t much appreciation of beauty in the Pits. After the city 
  fell to Irrune hands, Cauvin tried to live a normal life. But, much 
  to his surprise, he found Leorin again. They became friends, mostly 
  with Cauvin consoling her as she grappled with terrible nightmares. 
  It didn’t hurt that she was strikingly beautiful. Her long, golden-
  blond hair, big hazel eyes, and fair complexion could set men’s hearts 
  beating. True, she was a bit cold, and suspicious of strangers, but so was 
  everyone who had survived the cultists. The two of them had many 
  things in common, and they began to spend time together. Eventually 
  they got married. And then Cauvin learned the truth.
  Leorin had told him that the Irrune had rescued her, as they had him, 
  but that her adoptive family was almost as bad as the cultists, so she 
  ran away and fought to survive on her own. None of this was true. 
  Leorin was not in the pit when the Irrune arrived. She had instead 
  been taken from there at some earlier point by one of the Dyareelan 
  priests. The two of them escaped together, and he became her master, 
  then her mentor, and ﬁnally her lover. His name was Strangle. And he 
  selected Leorin not just for her beauty but for her value as a spy and 
  an assassin. (Those who remember Kadakithis also see that she bears 
  a striking resemblance to the old prince, which could have played a 
  part in Strangle’s choice.)
  Unfortunately, Cauvin found all of this out the hard way. Only hours 
  after they were married, Leorin betrayed her husband to the remaining 
  Hand. Cauvin escaped, and told the Irrune what he knew. They went 
  after the Hand, and Cauvin had assumed that his new bride had died 
  with the rest of them.
  Then, almost a year later, a woman turned up in Sanctuary. She took 
  over a shop in the ’Tween, and collected a pack of thugs to do her 
  bidding. The man who had owned the shop was found dead in the 
  harbor, a Hand-knotted garrote around his throat. This woman called 
  herself Cassata, and she was extremely homely, with ill-ﬁtting clothes, 
  ratty brown hair, and a massive wart on her chin. But Cauvin saw at 
  once she was the same height as Leorin, and had many of the same 
  habits. His former wife had survived the Irrune’s attack, and had 
  returned to Sanctuary, her beauty hidden, but her malice intact.
  DESCRIPTION
  Leorin is in her late twenties, just 
  under ﬁve-and-a-half-feet tall. 
  She is fair skinned, with wavy 
  golden hair, unusual for Wrigglies. 
  Though she’s strikingly beautiful, 
  her eyes reveal much. The light 
  hazel color is ﬂat, almost dead. Her personality, which asserts itself 
  when she’s angry, is cold, brittle, and suspicious. She quick to jump 
  to conclusions and doesn’t trust anyone. 
  When disguised as Cassata, she obscures her complexion with a dirty, 
  greasy cosmetic and hides her hair beneath a ratty scarf to which she’s 
  attached a fringe of scraggly dark hair.
  PERSONALITY
  Leorin is extremely dangerous. She has received more training than 
  any of the other Dyareelan-captured children, and is an active and 
  willing member of the Hand. She is an expert assassin, and a talented 
  spy and scout. Everything she does, she does to restore the cult’s 
  place in Sanctuary. She suﬀers from vivid nightmares, wherein she 
  relives the horrors of her training and the loss of her childhood. 
  But despite the hold Dyareela has on her, she loves Cauvin, mainly 
  because he understands her nightmares as no one else does. Only 
  in his arms is she able to feel safe. She does truly love him; it’s just 
  that love isn’t nearly enough with Leorin. Still, she would draw 
  the line at any plan that targets or endangers Cauvin, just as he’s 
  essentially unable to eliminate her. She is one of the few remaining 
  cultists who had any familiarity with the Palace and the Dyareelan 
  operations there.
  LEORIN/CASSATA
  Female Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, assassin 4, thief 3; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 4d8 plus 3d6; hp 32; Mdt 11; Init +2; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +5; Grap +5; Atk 
  +8 melee (1d4/19–20, disguised masterwork dagger) or +8  ranged 
  (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow); Full Atk +8 melee (1d4/19–20, 
  disguised masterwork dagger) or +8 ranged (1d8+1/19—20, +1 light 
  crossbow); SA honey, poison use, sneak attack +3d6; SQ evasion, 
  jaded, trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep +1; SV Fort +6], Ref +10, Will 
  +5; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Disguise, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2 (+4 poisons), Bluﬀ +12, Craft 
  (poison) +14, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +13 (+15 acting), Gather 
  Information +12, Hide +12, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) 
  +11, Knowledge (religion) +12, Move Silently +12, Sleight 
  of Hand +8; Combat Expertise, Crippler’s Eye*, DeceitfulB, 
  Improved FeintB, Maze-SavvyB*, Weapon Finesse.
  *New feats; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Ilsig (S), Rankene (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Cauvin).
  Possessions: Padded armor, disguised masterwork dagger, +1 light 
  crossbow, 10 bolts, potions, ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, 
  5 applications of black adder venom (injury, DC 11, 1d6 Con/1d6 
  Con), 3 applications of scorpion 
  venom (injury, DC 18, 1d6 
  Str/1d6 Str), 2 applications of 
  slow-acting arsenic (ingested, 
  DC 13, 1 Con/1d8), 2 
  applications of coadjutant oil 
  of taggit (ingested, DC 15, 
  0/unconsciousness), 10 sh.
  LONE ON LEORIN
  “Another one of the orphans taken in by the Hand. A cruel one at 
  that, and beautiful besides. There’s a true look of Ranke about her. 
  She and Cauvin were close, or so I gathered. I’m not sure where she’s 
  got to these days, and I’ll be damned if I really care.”
  
  - 158 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  LONE (CATWALKER)
  The orphans who survived the Dyareelan Pits carved new lives for 
  themselves afterward. Lone chose to recreate an older life, and to 
  resurrect a character that had been prominent in Sanctuary long 
  before the cult appeared. In the Pits, he had been known as Flea-
  shit, because the cultists wanted to beat any self-esteem out of the 
  children. But the other children called him Nil, because he could 
  disappear so quickly that there was nothing there when you turned 
  around. After being freed, he was adopted by a childless couple, and 
  lived with them until his adoptive father died. The boy took care of 
  his adoptive mother until she, too, passed away, leaving him alone 
  in the world again. So, he took the name Lone, and set out to make 
  himself into someone special.
  Lone’s talent for stealth naturally drew him to thievery, and people 
  began comparing him to the greatest thief Sanctuary had ever 
  known: Shadowspawn. Lone was fascinated by the tales of this 
  quick, deadly, dashing hero-thief, and patterned himself after the 
  stories. Then, through various clues and a little help from Strick, 
  Lone discovered that the old man 
  named Chance was none other 
  than Shadowspawn himself! Lone 
  dared to ask the retired thief to 
  train him, and to his surprise and 
  delight, Chance agreed.
  By day, Lone walks the streets, 
  particularly the Maze, the Bazaar, 
  and the Shambles. He is well 
  known and generally well liked, 
  and is careful not to steal from people he might need, and so buys his 
  food and his clothing like everyone else. But, at night, Lone switches 
  to all black clothing, and takes to the rooftops. Then, he plies his trade, 
  sneaking into rooms and lifting items, or picking pockets on the streets 
  before fading into the shadows before his victims even realize anyone 
  was there.
  DESCRIPTION
  Lone is a handsome young man of average height and slender build. 
  His black hair has not been cut since his mother’s death two years 
  ago, and he wears it pulled back in a ponytail and tied in a red leather 
  sheath. He has dusky skin, heavy-lidded eyes, and an expressive brow, 
  and these combined with his natural grace and his ﬂair with words 
  would make him a charmer with the ladies, if he ever expressed any 
  interest. But Lone is usually too caught up in his work to think of 
  romance. Unlike Shadowspawn, Lone does not dress all in black 
  during the day. Instead, he usually wears a dark tunic and leggings, 
  often of the same color, with a brighter sash for contrast. He wears 
  a sword and carries at least two knives and several throwing stars. 
  Though born right-handed, 
  Lone has worked very hard to 
  become ambidextrous. His walk 
  has a certain swagger to it, but 
  he makes no sound when he 
  moves.
  PERSONALITY
  Lone is usually very serious. 
  Recently, he discovered a 
  friendship with the apprentice 
  wizard Komodoflorensal, and 
  surprised both of them by laughing and joking. He also met a young 
  woman named Janithe, whose love made him mellow considerably. 
  Sadly, she died, and with her death Lone became grim once more. But 
  Lone has a good heart, perhaps despite himself. He tends to lend a 
  hand to those in need, particularly those who have less than he does. 
  He claims this is only because Shadowspawn did similar things, but 
  it is really Lone himself showing compassion for those in pain or 
  suﬀering, because he has been there himself.
  LONE
  Male Wrigglie Dyareelan adventurer, thief 7; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid; HD 7d6+7; hp 35; Mdt 15; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  16, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +5; Grap +6; Atk +8 
  melee (1d6+1/19–20, short sword) or +8 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  throwing dagger); Full Atk +8 melee (1d6+1/19–20, short 
  sword) or +8 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); SA sneak 
  attack +4d6; SQ adventurer trait, evasion, jaded, trap sense +2, 
  trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep +1; SV Fort +3, Ref +8, Will 
  +2; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Climb, Jump.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +5, Bluﬀ +6, Climb +11, Diplomacy 
  +3, Disable Device +9, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), Escape Artist 
  +7, Gather Information +3, Hide +, Intimidate +6, Jump +12, 
  Knowledge (local) +6 (+8 navigating the Maze), Knowledge 
  (religion) +4, Move Silently +18, Open Lock +10, Search +9, Sleight 
  LONE ON LONE
  “Now, wait one minute. Don’t start getting all weepy on me. I’m no 
  hero; I’m a thief, and you better get that through your froggin’ head. 
  Sure, I’ve heard a couple of folks say that I’m the reincarnation of 
  Hanse Shadowspawn, but that’s easier said than done, considering 
  he’s not dead yet. Still, I’m the best roach in this city… well, next to 
  old Chance that is. But, give me time. You’ll see.”
  
  - 159 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  of Hand +13, Survival –1 (+1 follow tracks), Tumble +13, Use Rope 
  +7; Agile Riposte*, Dodge, Maze-SavvyB*, Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Skill (Chance, Strick).
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, short sword, 2 throwing daggers, 
  potion of convert light wounds, shadow cloak, soles of silence, salve 
  of slipperiness, masterwork thieves’ tools, 26 sh.
  MAKSANDRUS (MAKKER)
  Maksandrus, called Makker by most, is a thug. He built a small 
  network for himself, and his primary business is dealing opah, though 
  he also dabbles in theft, protection, and murder. Makker is not his own 
  master, however; he, like most of the criminals in Sanctuary, answers 
  to Lord Night. But Makker accepts that. He has earned a position of 
  trust with his boss, and has been given a certain amount of latitude 
  in his own territory. This is enough to make Makker happy.
  Makker was not one of the cultists’ victims because he is not from 
  Sanctuary. He’s a Mrsevadan, and was a sailor before he killed two of 
  his shipmates and had to jump ship to escape his captain’s wrath. He 
  wound up in Sanctuary, and has lived here ever since. The city pleases 
  Makker, with its constant crime and its grime and its shadows. He 
  feels as if he has ﬁnally come home.
  Unlike most opah dealers, Makker never touches the drug. His 
  only vices are Mrsevadan brandy, sex, and controlling other people. 
  He lives in the Frog and Bucket in the Shambles, and frequents 
  both that tavern and the Vulgar Unicorn. He has many people in 
  his employ, but is always accompanied by Kiﬀ and Benbir, Makker 
  himself is dangerous in a ﬁght, and he is also not stupid. He uses 
  his employees before stepping into combat himself. He also pays 
  most of his employees in opah, so that their addiction ensures their 
  continued loyalty.
  Makker lives in relative luxury in his large apartment above the Frog 
  and Bucket, fawned over by Petal, a sixteen-year-old girl sold by 
  her mother some years back to settle some debt. As afternoons are 
  collection times, he and his posse are always found at the Frog, but 
  shortly after Night Watch, he and his bodyguards make their way to 
  the Vulgar Unicorn, where they sit around a table near a wall with a 
  clear path to the front door. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Makker is not a handsome man. He has long, thick, reddish-brown 
  hair, dark eyes, a broken nose, a scraggly beard, and a missing pinkie 
  ﬁnger. He usually wears colorful shirts and tunics, a wide belt with a 
  pair of seaman’s knives, high black boots, and a shark’s tooth pendant. 
  Despite the care he puts into his attire, he always comes oﬀ as sloppy 
  and dirty. 
  PERSONALITY
  Makker is scum. He feeds oﬀ the 
  despair he creates, and exults in 
  his growing power. He is ruthless, 
  cunning, and merciless… bad 
  enough to rival old One-Thumb 
  himself. He has an eye for the ladies and is a good tipper, but a brutal 
  lover. Word is he killed three whores in bed, but no one has dared 
  to follow up on this. 
  MAKSANDRUS (MAKKER)
  Male Mrsevedan criminal, assassin 2, thief 4; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d8+4 plus 4d6+8; hp 38; Mdt 20; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk 
  +4; Grap +7; Atk +9 melee (1d4+4/18–20, +1 kukri) or +5 
  ranged (1d4+3/19–20, throwing dagger); Full Atk +9 melee 
  (1d4+4/18–20, +1 kukri) or +5 ranged (1d4+3/19–20, throwing 
  dagger); SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ evasion, jaded, trap sense +1, 
  trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep +1; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will 
  +2; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
  Background Skills: Gather Information, Intimidate.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +7, Climb +11, Diplomacy +2 (+4 against 
  scum), Disguise +0 (+2 acting), Gather Information +13, Hide 
  +4, Intimidate +15, Jump +11, Knowledge (local) +10 (+12 
  navigating the Maze), Move Silently +4, Sleight of Hand +6; 
  Manhunter, Maze-SavvyB*, Streetwise *, PersuasiveB, Weapon 
  Focus (kukri).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Geddie).
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 kukri, throwing dagger, amulet of 
  natural armor +1, 5 books of opah rags, 50 sh.
  BENBIR AND KIFF
  Sanctuary has always attracted scum like shite and ﬂies. The very 
  worst are the drug pushers and pimps, but nearly as bad are the thugs 
  they employ. These thugs represent the kinds of folks who protect the 
  criminal masterminds at work in the worst parts of town.
  BENBIR
  This sellsword works for Makker, and is one of the two men always 
  at the big man’s side. Benbir is only average height, and has a lean 
  build, with black hair and mustache and narrow eyes that betray his 
  Ilsigi heritage. He is very fast, and ﬁghts with knives, ﬁve of which 
  are sheathed in a baldric slung across his bare chest. Benbir has a 
  nasty temper, and is easily provoked, though he will restrain himself 
  while working unless Makker gives permission.
  BENBIR
  Male Wrigglie criminal, thief 3, ﬁghter 2; CR 5; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d6+6 plus 2d10+4; hp 34; Mdt 18; Init 
  +7; Spd 30ft.; AC 17, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +4; Grap 
  +5; Atk +8 melee (1d4+1/×3, 
  masterwork punching dagger) 
  or +7 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); Full Atk +6 
  melee (1d4+1/×3, masterwork 
  dagger) and +6 melee (1d4/×3, 
  master work dagger) or 
  +7  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SA sneak 
  LONE ON MAKSANDRUS
  “Makker’s a thug, plain and simple. He likes to act like he’s an 
  independent operator, but I know he’s working for someone with 
  clout. Maybe even Lord Night. Still, the reason why someone like 
  Lord Night would want to put his faith in someone like Maksandrus 
  is beyond me.”
  
  - 160 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  attack +2d6; SQ evasion, jaded, 
  trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3; 
  Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, 
  Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Gather 
  Information, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +5, 
  Climb +4, Gather Information 
  +3, Hide +7, Intimidate +5, 
  Jump +9, Knowledge (local) 
  +4, Listen +7, Move Silently 
  +12, Search +4, Sleight of Hand +9, Spot +7, Tumble +11, Use 
  Rope +7; Alertness, Crippler’s EyeB*, Improved Initiative, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, Weapon FinesseB.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Makker), Skill (Kiﬀ).
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, 2 masterwork punching 
  daggers, 4 masterwork throwing daggers, soles of silence (see page 
  107 for details), 15 sh
  KIFF
  Kiﬀ is a massive black man whose bare scalp gleams like polished onyx. 
  He has a brilliant smile, in part thanks to the topaz inlaid in his right 
  front tooth. He carries a large sword, and can swing it easily thanks 
  to his strength, but rarely draws it. Kiﬀ prefers to intimidate people 
  with his size, his muscles, and his huge ﬁsts. He is a sellsword, and 
  a good one, and a few years ago he lucked into steady work as one 
  of Makker’s bullyboys. Makker was so impressed with the big black 
  man, both with his strength and with his ability to keep his mouth 
  shut, that he made Kiﬀ one of his two permanent bodyguards.
  KIFF
  Male Wrigglie criminal, ﬁghter 5; CR 5; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 5d10+10; hp 42; Mdt 20; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 
  20, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 19; Base Atk +5; Grap +8; Atk +10 
  melee (1d8+5/19–20, masterwork longsword); Full Atk +10 
  melee (1d8+5/19–20, masterwork longsword); SQ jaded; Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, 
  Wis 8, Cha 10
  Background Skills: Gather Information, Intimidate.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Gather Information +9, Intimidate 
  +9, Jump +5, Knowledge (local) +4 (+6 navigating the Maze); 
  Improved SunderB, Maze-SavvyB*, Power AttackB, Weapon Focus 
  (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword).
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Trade 
  Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Makker), 
  Skill (Benbir).
  Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 
  heavy steel shield, masterwork 
  longsword, potion of convert 
  moderate wounds, cloak of 
  resistance +1, tanglefoot bag, 
  book of opah rags, 100 sh.
  NADALYA
  Nadalya is Arizak’s second wife, 
  and one of the most powerful 
  people in Sanctuary. Many 
  whisper she is the true ruler of the 
  Irrune, and they may not be wrong. What is particularly strange about 
  that is that Nadalya herself is not Irrune. Her father was an oﬃcial 
  purveyor to the Imperial Army, and she was raised in a city, which 
  explains why she talked Arizak into accepting Molin Torchholder’s 
  request that the Irrune conquer and occupy Sanctuary. 
  She and Molin continued their acquaintance, and traded information 
  and advice regularly. Nadalya is also one of Hâlott’s more frequent 
  customers—several times, his poisons have eliminated men she 
  considered threats to her son’s advancement, or her own. Nadalya 
  is not overwhelmingly fond of Sanctuary itself, but it’s far more 
  comfortable than an Irrune tent in the mountains, and she recognizes 
  the proﬁt to be made in the port city—and, unlike her Irrune husband, 
  she has a Rankan’s eye for wealth.
  Since the occupation, she has brought to bear her considerable head 
  for business and has been instrumental in restoring some trade 
  in Sanctuary’s harbor. Moreover, she restored connections to the 
  continental interior, which brings trade as well. She’s a schemer, and 
  keeps Sanctuary’s factions in a constant state of ﬂux.
  DESCRIPTION
  Nadalya is short, with a sunny complexion, hazel eyes, and wavy 
  golden hair that suﬀers the ﬁrst touches of middle age. She is soft-
  ﬂeshed, just shy of being plump, but is never still, and constantly 
  ﬁdgets. Though her mind is always working, she comes oﬀ as a sweet 
  and compassionate woman.
  PERSONALITY
  Nadalya is much smarter, and much more ruthless, than anyone realizes. 
  She is determined that her son Raith take the throne after Arizak dies, 
  and has already killed several times to help make that happen. Though 
  long among the Irrune, she has retained her Rankan upbringing. She 
  is still awed by those who’ve known the emperor, and scorns anyone 
  of lower station. It was this greed that led her to convince Arizak to 
  accept Molin’s proposal, rather than any moral obligation. A schemer 
  and a skilled player in diplomacy, she can charm anyone, while hiding 
  her scorn of those she perceives as 
  being lessers.
  NADALYA
  Female Rankan courtier, noble 
  6; CR 6; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 6d8–6; hp 24; 
  Mdt 9; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  LONE ON BENBIR & KIFF
  “Benbir is one of Makker’s thugs. He’s a Wrigglie pud who’s always 
  looking for an excuse to cut someone up. He’s quick and lean, but I’d 
  wager one of Shalpa’s balls that I could give him a run for his money.
  “Kiff is Makker’s other bodyguard. He’s a black giant of a man, 
  bald, with a keen sword and a fancy inlaid tooth that is probably 
  worth a couple of shaboozh all by itself. When he’s with Benbir, the 
  two of them look like a pair of mismatched bookends.”
  LONE ON NADALYA
  “Ah, yes. Arizak’s young trophy wife. Seems the old dog must’ve 
  taken himself a Rankan bride at some point, and Nadalya is it. She’s 
  got the look of an aristocrat, and seems much more at home in the 
  city than she would shivering in a tent on the ass end of the world.”
  
  - 161 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  12, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +4; Grap +4; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +5 melee (1d4/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SQ diplomat, inspire 8/day (competence, 
  complacency, courage), organize +4; Rep +2; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, 
  Will +7; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +7, Bluﬀ +18, Diplomacy +24, Disguise 
  +7 (+9 acting), Forgery +8, Gather Information +10, Intimidate 
  +13, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) 
  +7, Ride +5, Sense Motive +16, Sleight of Hand +7; Combat 
  Expertise, DeceitfulB, DodgeB, LeadershipB, Lightning Reﬂexes, 
  Mobility, NegotiatorB.
  Languages: Carronese (S/W), Irrune (S), Rankene (S/W), 
  Wrigglie (S), Yenized (S)
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Arizak), Skill (Pel Garwood).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, bracers of armor +1, circlet of 
  persuasion, 200 sh.
  NAIMUN
  Naimun is the eldest son of Nadalya and Arizak, and has always been 
  a disappointment. He’s a mediocre ﬁghter, plodding into the thick 
  of combat in the hope of landing a good blow. He’s an even worse 
  horseman—a source of incredible embarrassment to his father. But 
  his worst quality is his self-absorption and the ease with which he can 
  be manipulated. Anyone who can play to his ego can control him.
  Recently, Naimun has fallen under the inﬂuence of someone far worse 
  than any ambitious Irrune courtier. The surviving Dyareelans have 
  planted several converts among his circle of friends, and these young 
  men are slowly poisoning Naimun’s mind. They hope to convince him 
  that an alliance with the cult would be in his best interests, and would 
  help him attain the leadership. Then, once he rules Sanctuary, they 
  will incite him to slaughter all of his rivals, then all of the foreigners, 
  and ﬁnally anyone else the cult considers weak… including, ultimately, 
  Naimun himself. If he knew that it was the cult leading him on, 
  Naimun might resist, but he is not very observant, and will not guess 
  the truth on his own until it is far too late.
  Worse, there are other factions who would like to see Naimun inherit 
  Arizak’s position. The peers, merchants, and even the Ilsig-sympathizers 
  would all like it if this easily led man was elevated, as each believe they 
  can exert considerable inﬂuence over him. The big question, however, 
  is what the Ilsig-sympathizers will do when they learn they’ve been 
  rubbing shoulders with cultists. If there’s one thing the Ilsigi and 
  Wrigglies genuinely despise and fear, it’s the Dyareelan cult. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Arizak and Nadalya’s eldest son 
  is a handsome young man who 
  inherited his mother’s blond 
  hair and his father’s strong brow. 
  He sometimes wears a beard, 
  but generally goes about clean-
  shaven. He has thick lips, a 
  prominent brow, and is heavy set 
  and muscular.
  PERSONALITY
  Naimun is his own biggest fan, and believes that he should rule the 
  city and the Irrune simply because he is the best of the brothers 
  — something very few others would agree with. Much to his mother’s 
  horror, Naimun has proven very easy to manipulate. Anyone who 
  ﬂatters him wins his ear, and anything suggested to him as his due 
  wins his interest and approval. Naimun expects to have everything 
  handed to him, and he is not interested in working hard for anything. 
  He is extremely stubborn, however, particularly when he has been 
  denied something he wanted. Arizak often belittles Naimun, both 
  for his naïveté and for his poor horsemanship, and the two do not 
  have a warm relationship. Naimun does care for his mother, but he 
  also knows that his younger brother is her favorite.
  NAIMUN
  Male Irrune aristocrat, fighter 4, noble 2; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 4d10+8 plus 2d8+4; hp 47; Mdt 23; 
  Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +5; 
  Grap +7; Atk +9  melee (1d10+6/×3, +1 halberd) or +7 ranged 
  (1d8+2/×3, masterwork composite [+2] longbow); Full Atk +9 
  melee (1d10+6/×3, +1 halberd) 
  or +7 ranged (1d8+2/×3, 
  masterwork composite [+2] 
  longbow); SQ diplomat, 
  inspiration 4/day (courage), 
  organize +3, saddleborn; Rep 
  +2; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will 
  +4; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 
  10, Wis 8, Cha 15.
  LONE ON NAIMUN
  “Naimun’s been inﬂuenced by his mother’s Rankan tendencies, and 
  acts more like a spoiled Imperial than a self-respecting Irrune. He’s 
  got an entourage that’s comprised by Land’s End brats, and they’re 
  always up to no good.”
  
  - 162 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Speak Language.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Diplomacy +10 (+12 dealing with 
  scum), Gamble +2, Gather Information +3, Intimidate +7, 
  Jump +4, Knowledge (local) +2, Ride +6; Endurance, Improved 
  Damage Threshold*, Mounted CombatB, Point Blank ShotB, 
  Power AttackB, Streetwise*, Weapon Focus (halberd)B, Weapon 
  Specialization (halberd)B.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Irrune (S), Rankene (S), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Arizak, Nadalya).
  Possessions: +1 breastplate, +1 halberd, masterwork composite 
  (+2) longbow, 20 arrows, cloak of resistance +1, heavy warhorse, 
  military saddle, 19 sh.
  PEGRIN THE UGLY
  Once a thief (as so many once were in Sanctuary), these days Pegrin 
  the Ugly is retired, and makes 
  his living tending bar at the 
  Vulgar Unicorn. Pegrin gave up 
  roaching when he fell from a 
  third ﬂoor while robbing one of 
  the mansions at the Land’s End 
  Retreat. It is a miracle he survived, 
  and he decided it was best not to 
  tempt fate a second time. Pegrin 
  can usually be found at the Vulgar 
  Unicorn even when he is not working, and he is well liked by the 
  regulars because he is friendly, listens to their stories, and does not 
  water their drinks too much. At least not while they are still sober 
  enough to notice. When he’s oﬀ, Stick, a real nasty fellow (and, as it 
  happens, a pimp), watches the bar.
  DESCRIPTION
  Pegrin is known as “the Ugly”  for good reason. His nose has been 
  borken and pushed to the left side of his face, he is missing several 
  teeth and has broken several more, and his right eye is milky white. 
  He’s balding on top, and has salt-and-pepper hair around his ears 
  and back. He’s slim and lithe, and wears shabby clothes typical of 
  the neighborhood.
  PERSONALITY
  A good-natured man, Pegrin has a ﬁne sense of humor and a self-
  deprecating manner.  how else could a man with the nickname “the 
  Ugly” get up every morning? He tolerates the scoundrels who occupy 
  his bar with good humor. Pegrin is always ready for a tale (tall or 
  otherwise), and is up for a good 
  laugh, even when it comes at 
  the expense of his twisted and 
  dented face. These are his people, 
  after all. 
  PEGRIN THE UGLY
  Male Wrigglie criminal, thief 
  4; CR 4; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6+4; hp 20; Mdt 13; Init +6; Spd 30ft.; AC 14, 
  touch 13, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +3; Grap +3; Atk +2 melee 
  (1d8, morningstar) or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, light crossbow); 
  Full Atk +2 melee (1d8, morningstar) or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  light crossbow); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, jaded, 
  trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 10, Dex 
  14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 6.
  Background Skills: Gather Information, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +3, Diplomacy +2 (+4 with scum), Disable 
  Device +6, Disguise –2 (+0 acting), Gather Information +8, Hide 
  +7, Intimidate +0, Knowledge (local) +9 (+11 navigating the 
  Maze), Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Search +5, Sense Motive 
  +7, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +6; Improved Initiative, Maze-
  Savvy*, StreetwiseB*.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2).
  Possessions: Padded armor, morningstar, light crossbow, 10 bolts, 
  potion of levitate, ring of protection +1, masterwork thieves’ tools, 
  vial of acid, 46 sh.
  Notes: Pegrin has suﬀered permanent injuries from his years as 
  a thief (especially the fall that marked the end of his roaching 
  career) which have reduced his Charisma by 4 points; he is also 
  blind in one eye and is permanently considered dazzled. Only 
  magic can restore his faculties.
  LONE ON PEGRIN THE UGLY
  “The Vulgar Unicorn’s newest piece of furniture. Pegrin used to fancy 
  himself a roach, but he went after richer spoils than he should’ve. 
  After an impressive fall from a Land’s End rooftop, he’s lucky that he 
  can breathe, much less walk.”
  
  - 163 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  PEL GARWOOD  
  (WRATH OF THE GODDESS)
  The orphaned children are not the only people tied to the Dyareelans 
  who have found a second chance at life. Pel Garwood got the chance 
  to atone for his sins, and he has taken it to heart.
  To everyone else in Sanctuary, Pel is a newcomer who arrived recently 
  and set up shop in Meshpri’s old temple, just oﬀ the Promise of 
  Heaven. But Pel has been here before. No one recognizes him, because 
  back then he was known as Wrath of the Goddess, and his body and 
  face were covered with tattoos. He was one of the Dyareelan priests, 
  though he was part of the traditionalist sect and not one of the 
  extremists. He was horriﬁed when he discovered what the extremists 
  had been doing to children, and began to wonder whether Dyareela 
  really oﬀered a path to the promised golden age of peace. Leaving 
  the cult, Wrath wandered until he happened into an Ilsigi village. 
  The herbalist there, who was the only doctor, oﬀered to help and take 
  in the younger man, training him in the healing arts. Much to his 
  surprise and delight, the former cultist discovered he had a natural 
  talent for healing, and it was much more rewarding to close wounds 
  than to create them. Taking the name Pel, he began to heal people 
  on his own, though he wore long robes and gloves to conceal his own 
  markings. Finally, the herbalist put Pel through a rededication ritual 
  that removed the tattoos, so he could show his face again.
  Pel stayed in the village for several years after the doctor died, but 
  missed Sanctuary. He also felt he should return to the city to make 
  amends for previous activities, so he packed up his belongings and 
  moved back. Pel chose Meshpri’s temple because Meshpri is a goddess 
  of healing, and because it was one 
  of the many buildings the cultists 
  had desecrated and destroyed. 
  He has since become one of the 
  foremost apothecaries and healers 
  in Sanctuary. He can make almost 
  any non-magical potion, from 
  cures to strength enhancers. He 
  will not touch poisons.
  DESCRIPTION
  Pel is a tall young man whose wiry black hair is sprinkled with white. 
  He has a long face, bright blue eyes, and large, capable hands. He talks 
  slowly, not because he is simple but because he considers his words 
  carefully before uttering them. He rarely loses his temper.
  PERSONALITY
  Pel is a good man, and often dispenses cures for free, or accepts items 
  in trade. He has no money to speak of, and is barely able to scrape by 
  on what little he does earn, but he has won the respect of the other 
  residents, has made many new friends, and feels that he is doing good 
  work. His biggest concern is that the remaining cultists will recognize 
  him and betray his identity, but he has chosen his path and will not 
  let that fear drive him away.
  PEL GARWOOD
  Male Ilsigi healer, priest 4, savant 2, healer of Meshpri 3; CR 9; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 4d6+4 plus 2d6+2 plus 3d6+3; 
  hp 43; Mdt 12; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; 
  Base Atk +4; Grap +5; Atk +7 melee (1d6+1, masterwork sickle); 
  Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+1, masterwork sickle); SQ channel divine 
  power 4/day (state of grace), create healing salve 1/day, master 
  herbalist, Meshpri’s touch (3 hp/day), skilled, talent (intelligent 
  combatant), vow of Meshpri; Rep +2; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will 
  +12; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Craft (herbalism), Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2 (+4 alchemical items, herbals), Bluﬀ 
  +6, Concentration +6, Craft (alchemy) +10, Craft (herbalism) 
  +18, Decipher Script +6, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), 
  Gather Information +6, Heal +17, Intimidate +3, Knowledge 
  (local), Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (religion) +7, 
  Listen +4, Profession (healer) +8, Search +4, Sense Motive 
  +10, Spellcraft +6, Spot +4, Survival +10 (+12 aboveground 
  natural environments); 
  AlertnessB, Brew Potion, 
  Combat Expertise, Improved 
  Trip, InvestigatorB, Ritual 
  Specialization*.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W ), 
  Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +4; ritualcasting +12; save DC 
  12 + spell level
  Known Spells (7+2D): bless (1st, MT 20, price 1), bless water (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), calm animals (1st, MT 20, price 1), charm person 
  LONE ON PEL GARWOOD
  “This guy, I swear I’ve seen him before. Except his name wasn’t 
  “Pel,” and he wasn’t a healer. He worshipped a goddess, alright, but 
  it wasn’t froggin’ Meshpri. Either this Pel’s got an evil twin, or he’s 
  got a dark secret.”
  BLUESTONE GLOBE
  This palm-sized sphere of blue glass was given by Verrezza to Pel Garwood, and is a reasonably common product of Irrune magic. The 
  owner of a bluestone globe attunes to it with a DC 15 Wisdom check, after which she can cause it to emit a soft blue light whenever 
  she wishes. This light lasts for one hour, is equivalent to that of a torch, and can be evoked by the user at any range, thus allowing the 
  globe to be used as a summoning device. Furthermore, whenever the owner ﬁrst places the globe in the hand of another, she may make 
  a DC 15 Sense Motive check; success means that she can read the fundamental honesty of that person in the light emitted by the 
  globe. A bluestone globe has 50 charges when created. Each use of the globe, whether to emit light or read someone’s character, uses 
  one charge.
  Medium divination; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, detect thoughts, light; Price 10,260 sh. 
  
  - 164 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 
  1) D, convert moderate wounds (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, delay 
  poison (2nd, MT 30, price 2), endure elements (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), guidance (0, MT 10, price 0/1), remove fear (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), status (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (7): aid (2nd, MT 30, price 2), bear’s endurance (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), bull’s strength (2nd, MT 30, price 2), eagle’s splendor 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), owl’s wisdom (2nd, MT 30, price 2), read 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), sanctuary (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  D: Domain. Domains: Healing (cast healing spells at +1 caster 
  level), Solace (grant target additional save once/day)
  Possessions: Masterwork sickle (+3 ritual focus), cloak of resistance 
  +1, alchemist’s lab, healer’s kit, 2 ﬂasks of holy water, 2 vials of 
  antitoxin, wooden holy symbol, roughly 750 sh worth of raw 
  materials and herbalism supplies in his lab. Garwood currently 
  holds a bluestone globe belonging to the Irrune noble Verrezza.
  PERREZ 
  Perrez spends his time trying to regain the status his has family lost. 
  Once successful and prosperous 
  goldsmiths and merchants, they 
  are now reduced to operating 
  a small changing shop in the 
  Shambles. Not that Perrez handles 
  the shop—that’s his brother Bezul’s 
  responsibility. Which isn’t to say 
  that Perrez has no uses. He is an 
  expert on high-end items, and 
  whenever anything expensive 
  comes into the shop, Perrez sells it to the nobility. Most of the time, 
  however, he merely dreams of ways to get rich, and hatches elaborate 
  schemes that he never actually begins. Perrez is not a bad man, and he 
  can be very charming, particularly if he wants something. It’s just that he 
  feels that life owes him, and he is willing to sit back and expect the world 
  to deliver (an attitude which his mother, Gedozia, continues to foster).
  He often gets into ﬁghts with his brother, because Bezul wants him 
  to carry his weight around the shop and gets disgusted by Perrez’s 
  laziness and by scheming. Bezul also worries that Perrez has taken 
  up bad habits. In this, he is right. Perrez drinks more than he should, 
  and he gambles. There’s even the suspicion that he has started using 
  opah. Fortunately, he has kept his head despite his bad habits, and 
  has not yet done anything to put himself or the rest of the family at 
  risk. But, if he does not stop soon, Perrez could cost them what little 
  they have retained, including their lives.
  DESCRIPTION
  A handsome man in his late twenties, with sandy brown hair and 
  the Ilsigi olive complexion, Perrez is always well groomed and well 
  dressed. The last two ﬁngers on his left hand are slightly twisted, and 
  he cannot close the hand into a proper ﬁst, but most people never 
  notice this mild deformity. Perrez, however, takes it as an excuse to 
  avoid physical labor.
  PERSONALITY
  Perrez sees himself as too good for menial labor, or for any labor at all. 
  He spends most of his time dreaming, and taking every opportunity 
  to meet with the nobles and wealthy merchants that Perrez feels are 
  his true peers. 
  PERREZ
  Male Wrigglie courtier, thief 3; CR 3; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Mdt 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, 
  touch 13, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +2; Grap +2; Atk +3 melee 
  (1d4/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, jaded, 
  trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 
  14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Gather Information.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +10, Bluﬀ +10, Diplomacy +10 (+12 
  with scum), Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Information +13, 
  Hide +8, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen +8, Move 
  Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +8; Alertness, Skill Focus 
  (Appraise), StreetwiseB*.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W ), 
  Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Information (Bezul).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, 
  ring of protection +1, potion of 
  convert light wounds, two vials of 
  Aurveshan good fortune oil (blue), 
  38 sh.
  LONE ON PERREZ
  “Perrez is a con man and part-time thief who’s looking for a score. 
  Truth be told, he’s a horrible liar, and he couldn’t cut a purse if his 
  life depended on it. He better hope it doesn’t, because a  
  man like him will end up knifed in a gutter sooner or later if he’s 
  not careful.”
  
  - 165 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  RAITH
  The Irrune say that people with red hair are destined for greatness, 
  but whether that means great fortune or great misfortune cannot 
  be predicted. This is particularly 
  important, since one of their 
  potential rulers has red hair. Raith 
  is Arizak and Nadalya’s youngest 
  son, and he is their favorite. In 
  fact, most people like Raith. He 
  is young, athletic, good-looking, 
  intelligent, friendly, and a natural 
  leader. The only flaws he has 
  shown so far are his age, which 
  will change, and his impatience, 
  which stems from his age. Raith knows that both his father and his 
  mother want him to rule, and he desires this as well. He would make 
  an excellent ruler, both of the Irrune and of Sanctuary. But he is too 
  young to take on such responsibility now, and he knows it. That is 
  part of why Raith is the only one of Arizak’s sons to want his father 
  healed. He needs Arizak to survive a while longer, so that Raith 
  himself will have the chance to mature and then take over with a 
  smooth transition.
  DESCRIPTION
  Raith’s most deﬁning characteristic is his curly, coppery hair. He has 
  fair skin and a thin frame, and he wears attire somewhere between the 
  rustic and drab colors of the Irrune and the ﬁnery that’s expected for 
  a person in his position. He seems like a man with one foot in either 
  world, which is why he should make a great Governor and Sakkim.
  PERSONALITY
  Raith is charismatic and clever, but he’s impatient. Like both his older 
  brothers, Raith does have a temper, but he manages to hide it well, 
  letting it loose only when he feels he is not being given the respect 
  he deserves or when he grows tired of waiting for people or events 
  to catch up. The rest of the time, however, he is good-natured, and 
  can even be playful, a trait he gets from both his parents and which 
  neither of his older brothers share.
  RAITH
  Male half-Irrune, half-Rankene aristocrat, noble 3, ﬁghter 1; CR 
  4; Medium humanoid; HD 3d8+3 plus 1d10+1; hp 29; Mdt 17; 
  Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 17; Base Atk 
  +3; Grap +4; Atk +5 melee (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork scimitar) 
  or +4 ranged (1d8×3, masterwork longbow); Full Atk +5 melee 
  (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork scimitar) or +4 ranged (1d8/×3, 
  masterwork longbow); SQ 
  diplomat, inspiration 5/day 
  (competence, courage), organize 
  +3, saddleborn; Rep +1; SV Fort 
  +5, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 12, 
  Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 
  12, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Knowledge 
  (history), Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +9, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +2 (+4 
  acting), Gather Information +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge 
  (geography) +6, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (nobility 
  & royalty) +6, Listen +3, Ride +7, Sense Motive +12, Spot +3; 
  Blind-Fight, Iron WillB, Mixed Ancestry*, Mounted CombatB, 
  NegotiatorB.
  *New Feat; see Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual for details.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Irrune 
  (S), Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie 
  (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (Nadalya), 
  Information (Molin/Cauvin).
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt, +1 
  light steel shield, masterwork scimitar, masterwork longbow with 
  20 arrows, light warhorse, military saddle, 130 sh.
  RAIVAY SAVELL
  With the Dyareelan scourge put to rest, priests from all over the 
  Known World have drifted back to Sanctuary, in spite of the law that 
  prohibits them from practicing in the streets. Most peddle their faiths 
  on the Street of Red Lanterns alongside whores and doxies, but a few 
  have opted to return to their rightful place on the Avenue of Temples. 
  The Sisters of Sabellia are one such group. Recently arrived, they see 
  it as their duty to provide healing and alleviate suﬀering in the city. 
  Their leader, Raivay, guides the women in their tasks, and has made 
  much progress, justifying their place by oﬀering translation services 
  in addition to the healing balms they provide.
  Raivay has not revealed much of her past. It’s clear from her behavior 
  and bearing that she’s of noble birth, though if so, she’s chosen an 
  unusual profession. As a missionary, she tends to the downtrodden, 
  but does not seek to convert them (though if they do ﬁnd the blessings 
  of Sabellia, all the better). Shortly after work began on the restoration 
  of the temple, Raivay discovered Dysan. Believing him to be an 
  orphan, she’s welcomed him into their circle, and cares for him as if 
  he were but a boy. Whether she realizes there is more to him than 
  he lets on is not clear, nor is what would happen if she discovered 
  who he really is and was.
  The Sisters include four other women. SaKimarza is the youngest 
  and prettiest. She’s in her early twenties and has long, russet-colored 
  hair. SaMavis is a ﬂighty woman of middle age, and SaShayka and 
  SaParnith are in their late twenties or early thirties and bear a strong 
  resemblance to one another.
  DESCRIPTION
  Raivay is an older woman, clearly 
  Rankan, and most likely of noble 
  birth. Her short, feathered hair 
  is steel gray, but her eyes and 
  mind are sharp and her hands 
  are strong. SaVell has piercing 
  yellow eyes, and a quiet, serious 
  manner.
  LONE ON RAITH
  “Arizak’s youngest son, and the smartest of the lot. Raith will 
  probably end up taking his father’s place, or so say the rumors. I 
  doubt his brothers will take his ascendance to Sanctuary’s throne 
  lying down, making him a prime target for Irrune inﬁghting and 
  intrigue.”
  LONE ON RAIVAY SAVELL
  “Raivay is the leader of the Sisters of Sabellia. She’s the oldest of the 
  lot, and carries herself like a high-born lady. She’s a bit too ethical 
  for her own good, and probably a bit too ethical for Sanctuary 
  in general. I’m interested to see what kind of effect a place like 
  Sanctuary has on her morals.”
  
  - 166 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  PERSONALITY
  She rarely laughs, perhaps because the welfare of the Sisterhood, and 
  of their charges, is her responsibility. Despite her gravity, SaVell is a 
  kindly woman, and cannot bear to see anyone in pain or in need. She 
  and the other Sisters perform healing for the sick, and take on other 
  tasks as well, but SaVell often forgets to ask for payment, even though 
  the Sisterhood has no money left and little or nothing to eat.
  RAIVAY SAVELL
  Female Rankan acolyte, priest 8; CR 8; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 8d6; hp 30; Mdt 11; Init +1; Spd 30ft.; AC 10, 
  touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee 
  (1d6–1, staﬀ of charming); Full Atk –1/–5 melee (1d6–1, staﬀ of 
  charming); SQ channel divine power 5/day (divine protection, 
  resist magic); Rep +2; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +9; Str 8, Dex 
  10, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 14
  Background Skills: Knowledge (history), Speak Language.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2 (+4 herbals), Concentration +9, Craft 
  (herbalism) +10, Diplomacy +14, Gather Information +6, Heal 
  +13, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge 
  (religion) +12, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +7; Augment Ritual*, 
  Enlarge Spell, Improved Channeling*, NegotiatorB.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Twandan (S/W), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1), Skill (Dysan).
  Spells: safe level 4th; spellcasting +9; ritualcasting +13; save DC 
  13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (12+D): command (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert 
  light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), darkness (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), deep slumber (4th, MT 50, price 4), deeper darkness (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), dismissal (4th, MT 50, price 4), doom (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), enthrall (2nd, MT 30, price 2), inﬂict light wounds (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), prayer (3rd, MT 40, price 3), protection from 
  energy (3rd, MT 40, price 3), purify food & drink (0-level, MT 
  10, price 0/1), remove blindness/deafness (3rd, MT 40, price 3), 
  sanctuary (1st, MT 20, price 1), shield of faith (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), shield other (2nd, MT 30, price 2), silence (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), spell immunity (4th, MT 50, 
  price 4), wind wall (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), zone of truth (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (13): bane 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), circle of 
  protection (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  consecrate (2nd, MT 30, price 2), 
  create food & water (3rd, MT 
  40, price 3), death ward (4th, MT 50, price 4), detect curse (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), divination (4th, MT 50, price 4), greater circle of 
  protection (3rd, MT 40, price 3), helping hand (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), hold person (2nd, MT 30, price 2), magic weapon (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), shatter (2nd, MT 30, price 2), summon monster III (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3).
  Domains: Night (all spells are +1 caster level when cast at night), 
  Protection (create protective ward 1/day)
  Possessions: Scroll of lesser planar ally, staﬀ of charming (18 charges), 
  healer’s kit.
  ROGI
  Rogi is Hâlott’s assistant, messenger, and errand boy. He lives in 
  the old stone tower with his master, and frequently wanders the 
  coast or the cemeteries. Whenever he’s allowed his freedom, Rogi is 
  in Sanctuary, usually at the Vulgar Unicorn. He likes to drink, but 
  more than that he likes to expose himself to any women he sees. 
  He is very proud of his “dragon,” as he calls it for the distinctive 
  tattoo that wraps all around it. Unfortunately for Rogi, he often 
  gets kicked out of the tavern, and has to frequent some other bar 
  until the proprietors and waitresses forgive him and let him back in. 
  Unfortunately for Hâlott, Rogi is an idiot. He cannot read properly, 
  and often brings back the wrong items for Hâlott’s spells. And he 
  is incredibly clumsy—the duo had to ﬂee their last residence in the 
  mountains because of a catastrophic spell failure which may have been 
  caused by Rogi’s bumbling. But he is very loyal, and does whatever 
  Hâlott says, as well as he can. Rogi is also surprisingly good-natured, 
  considering his appearance and his master, and often laughs at his 
  own misfortunes. He possesses an uncanny ability to survive any 
  mishap completely unharmed.
  DESCRIPTION
  To be blunt, Rogi is a freak. The entire left side of his body is completely 
  hairless, while on the right, he is covered with thick, bushy hair. The 
  right side of his scalp has a thick mane of reddish hair that he combs 
  over to cover the bald side; he wears a leather, ear-ﬂapped hat with a 
  chinstrap to hold his hair in place. (Despite his grotesqueness, he’s quite 
  vain). A pair of bulging, ghostly white globes serve as his eyes — he has 
  no irises, and two tiny black dots for pupils. He has a distinctive gait, 
  something between a shuﬄe and a scuttle, and he wears thick-soled 
  shoes in an attempt to make himself look taller. Instead, it just makes 
  him appear all the more comical. He has a large nose, dangly earlobes, 
  thick jowls, a sagging gut, and a right-shoulder hunchback whose very 
  existence deﬁes imagination.
  Rogi wears short pants and loose socks (he often stops to pull them 
  up properly), and an overlarge shirt. When he speaks, it’s slurred, and 
  he has a terrible lisp caused by his 
  incredibly long tongue, which as 
  often as not hangs on the outside 
  of his mouth. His one “redeeming” 
  feature is his incredibly grand 
  member, upon which he has had 
  a dragon tattooed. This is his most 
  prized attribute, and one he seems 
  willing to share with everyone and 
  anyone.
  PERSONALITY
  Rogi has as many defects of the mind as he does the body. He suﬀers 
  from a severe form of dyslexia, confusing right from left, up from 
  down, turning things backwards, and more. He also gets confused, 
  and talks to himself a great deal, engaging in an inner debate about 
  showing oﬀ his “dragon.” He lurks in seedy bars for drink, but also 
  to show oﬀ his gorgeous beast to any woman he can, willing or not.
  LONE ON ROGI
  “Rogi is Hâlott’s lackey, and it’s certainly a match made in paradise. 
  He’s deformed in more ways than I care to ponder, and in one way in 
  particular. I won’t go into details, but if you really want to ﬁnd out, 
  ask him to show you his ‘dragon.’”
  
  - 167 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  ROGI
  Male Unknown laborer, thief 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid 
  (augmented human); HD 4d6+20; hp 36; Mdt 25; Init +1; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +3; Grap 
  +6; Atk +6 melee (1d3+3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk 
  +6 melee (1d3+3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); SA sneak attack 
  +2d6; SQ evasion, lich’s lackey, trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 8, 
  Wis 10, Cha 6.
  Background Skills: Climb, Jump.
  Skills and Feats: Climb +11 (+13 ropes), Escape Artist +1 (+3 
  ropes), Hide +7, Jump +11, Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge 
  (local) +3, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Spot +7, Swim +9, 
  Use Rope +7; Alertness, EnduranceB, Increased Damage 
  Threshold*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S), Rankene, (S), Wrigglie (S). Technically Rogi 
  can read a number of languages, but his dyslexia and other mental 
  failings make his literacy an unreliable thing.
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (Hâlott).
  Lich’s Lackey (Ex): Thanks to some strange magic in his 
  background, Rogi has a number of unusual abilities. As well as a 
  degree of natural armor (+2 natural armor bonus), he gains a +2 
  circumstance bonus to all his saves (ﬁgured into the stats above), 
  low-light vision, and heals twice as fast as normal. He’s also 
  immortal, or at least very long-lived, and gains a +4 circumstance 
  bonus to Knowledge (history) checks regarding events in his 
  lifetime, which covers the last several centuries.
  Possessions: Hâlott allows his servant nothing more expensive or 
  useful than a lantern, because he keeps losing things.
  SHUMEN NOORDISEH  
  (LORD NIGHT)
  Lord Shumen Noordiseh leads a double life. By day he is a prominent 
  noble — the highest-ranking Ilsigi in Sanctuary, and also the richest. 
  He is part of the Peers, Arizak’s advisory council, and one of the most 
  important men in the city. Lord Shumen controls several important 
  shipping interests and, as an Ilsigi, his ships are allowed to dock at 
  Ilsigi ports. His house along the Processional is one of the largest 
  and ﬁnest in Sanctuary, and his parties are famous and very exclusive. 
  Lord Shumen has a young Ilsigi wife, Falisea, who has already borne 
  him ﬁve children. Most of the Ilsigi in Sanctuary consider him their 
  representative, and cheer his name, even though the few who have 
  met him ﬁnd him strangely cold and oﬀ-putting.
  But that is only one side of the man. At night, Lord Shumen 
  exchanges his elegant jeweled robes for a stark black outﬁt trimmed 
  in silver, adds a cowl to hide his receding black hair and coarse-but-
  handsome features, and sets his sword and dagger aside. He becomes 
  Lord Night, master of Sanctuary’s criminal element.
  Lord Shumen did not set out to be a criminal overlord. He is already 
  rich, and so did not need the additional money, and to actually 
  perform any labor himself would be unthinkable. But he is a realist. 
  He knew someone had to control the criminals, or else they would 
  run roughshod over the city. And since no one else had stepped up to 
  ﬁll the role, Lord Shumen took it upon himself. As Lord Night, he is 
  strict but not cruel, and he is always eﬃcient. Since his appearance, 
  crime has not gone down, but violent crimes are fewer, and the 
  criminals are more precise in their dealings. Usually, the only people 
  who get hurt now are criminals themselves, and generally people that 
  the law-abiding citizens won’t miss. 
  Arizak and the rest of the government have heard of Lord Night, and 
  the general feeling is that he is a lesser evil than having every criminal 
  in the city running around without restraint. Those who know that 
  Lord Shumen is also Lord Night feel that, if someone has to take 
  charge of the criminals, it might as well be a fellow noble.
  DESCRIPTION
  Shuman is in his mid-forties, a bit under six feet tall, and with a stout 
  build. He has black hair that is receding, but he conceals this under a 
  hat of the latest Ilsigi style. He wears a beard that has been streaked 
  white on the right side from an old scar. Most notable feature are 
  his eyes, which so dark that one cannot tell where the pupils end and 
  the irises start. He has a slight limp, and is never without sword and 
  dagger. When in his noble attire, he wears the ﬁnest clothing. At night, 
  he dons dark garb more ﬁtting for his nocturnal activities. 
  PERSONALITY
  Lord Shumen does not indulge in any of the vices he oﬀers others. He 
  is a strong, proud man, with a cold demeanor and great self-control. 
  His biggest concern right now is opah. The new drug is so addictive, 
  and so inexpensive, that rival dealers are appearing overnight and then 
  vanishing again with their proﬁts, leaving Lord Night’s dealers unable 
  
  - 168 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  to sell. Moreover, the drug is dangerous enough that the authorities are 
  taking notice, and moving to shut down all the dealers. A good deal 
  of Lord Night’s money is now tied up in opah, which means that if 
  the Sharda ﬁnds and conﬁscates his supplies, the entire organization 
  could collapse.
  Shumen is also addicted to the 
  thrill of underworld life. He 
  ﬁnds in the risks associated with 
  criminal behavior exhilarating 
  in a way that legitimate business 
  cannot match. Also, rich though 
  he may be for an Ilsigi, he can’t 
  hold a candle to the wealth of the 
  Serripines. Ravenous jealousy of 
  Vion Larris Serripines also fuels Lord Shumen’s enterprise.
  SHUMEN NOORDISEH (LORD NIGHT)
  Male Ilsigi merchant, noble 6, thief 3, crime lord 5; CR 14; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d8+6 plus 3d6+3 plus 5d6+5; 
  hp 72; Mdt 22; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 
  18; Base Atk +9; Grap +9; Atk +11 melee (1d6+1/19–20, sword of 
  subtlety); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+1/19–20, sword of subtlety); 
  SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ alternate identity, bribes & coercion, 
  criminal path (lord of night), diplomat, evasion, information 
  network, inspiration 8/day (competence, complacency, courage), 
  lackeys, organize +4, resources, skilled, streetwise +10, trapﬁnding 
  uncanny dodge; Rep +1; SV Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +14; Str 10, 
  Dex 12, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +13, Bluﬀ +22, Diplomacy +26, Disguise 
  +19 (+21 acting), Forgery +15, Gather Information +19, Hide 
  +10, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (local) +18, Knowledge (nobility 
  & royalty) +12, Listen +10, Move Silently +10, Ride +6, Search 
  +11, Sense Motive +17, Spot +10, Survival +2 (+4 follow tracks); 
  Combat Expertise, DeceitfulB, Improved Damage Threshold*, 
  Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, LeadershipB, 
  Low ProﬁleB*, Weapon Focus (short sword)B.
  Languages: Caronnese (S/W), Ilsig (S/W) Trade Tongue, Wrigglie 
  (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (2), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +2 glamered chain shirt, sword of subtlety, potion of 
  invisibility, ring of protection +2, ring of feather falling, serpentine 
  wand, gloves of Dexterity +2, 1400 sh hidden throughout his 
  mansion.
  SINJON
  Having long been subject to vertigo and dizziness, Sinjon abandoned 
  the life of a sailor to settle in Sanctuary to open a tavern right on 
  the docks. What he found was that sailors were eager to drink, 
  sleep, and exist in a place that 
  catered to their needs. The Broken 
  Mast is for sailors and their ilk 
  and shelters some of the most 
  dangerous men in the city. 
  Despite his station, Sinjon 
  has many important contacts 
  in the city. Molin Torchholder 
  entrusted the old sailor with 
  special merchandise, and there’s 
  no telling what else the man hides above the bar beneath his quarters. 
  He knows Cauvin, and has dealt with him at least once in the past. 
  He’s not sure what to make of the newest fellow to blow through his 
  place — some cutthroat with a weird accent — but he’s decided it’s 
  best to stand back and watch. 
  SERPENTINE WAND
  This slender rod of black metal and wood has a gold dragon carved on one end and an amber ﬁnial on the other. Crafted by Yenizedi 
  mages, it was found on the Seaweal shipwreck and claimed by Perrez, but now lies in the hands of Lord Night. When activated, smoke 
  streams from the rod and forms two serpentine heads, each of which lashes out at a target within 30 feet. The user makes a ranged 
  touch attack against each target (or two against one target) as a standard action; each successful attack inﬂicts 1d6 damage plus poison 
  (Fort DC 19, unconsciousness and 1d4 Con/1d10 Con). The rod can be used twice per day.
  Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Craft Rod, obscuring mist, poison; Price 25,920 sh.
  LONE ON LORD SHUMEN NOORDISEH
  “If it weren’t for Vion Larris Serripines or Arizak, I reckon that Shumen 
  Noordiseh would be the richest man in Sanctuary. It could be the smell 
  of his money, or perhaps it’s just his attitude, but there’s something 
  that’s not quite right about him. Maybe he’s hiding something.”
  
  - 169 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  DESCRIPTION
  Sinjon is a short, stocky man 
  who dresses simply. He owes his 
  unusual features to his Beysib 
  mother. For most Sanctans, he’s 
  unsettling, as the Beysib have 
  been gone for many years. Sinjon 
  sometimes uses his appearance to 
  his advantage to keep his guests on their toes.
  PERSONALITY
  Like any Sanctan, Sinjon keeps to himself. He’s guarded and doesn’t 
  pry into a man’s past unless there is cause. He is something of a recluse 
  as well, and rarely makes an appearance in the bar. Still, he knows 
  Sanctuary intimately, and for the right price, he might be convinced 
  to share what he’s learned.
  SINJON
  Male Half-Beysib sailor, ranger 5; CR 5; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 5d8+10; hp 36; Mdt 18; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  16, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk +5; Grap +7; Atk +8 melee 
  (1d8+3/×3, +1 battleaxe) or +7 ranged (1d8/×3, masterwork 
  longbow); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+3/×3, +1 battleaxe) or 
  +7 ranged (1d8/×3, masterwork longbow); SA combat style 
  (skirmish), SQ favored environments (aquatic +4, marsh +2), 
  nictitating membrane, trap sense +1; Rep +1; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, 
  Will +2; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 9
  Background Skills: Balance, Knowledge (geography).
  Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Climb +7 (+9 ropes), Escape 
  Artist +1 (+3 ropes), Hide +1 (+5 aquatic, +3 marsh), Jump +7, 
  Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (local) +2, Listen +4 
  (+8 aquatic, +6 marsh), Move Silently +1 (+5 aquatic, +3 marsh), 
  Profession (sailor) +5, Search +0 (+4 aquatic, +2 marsh), Spot +4 
  (+8 aquatic, +6 marsh), Survival +7 (+11 aquatic, +9 marsh, +9 
  avoid hazards and getting lost), Swim +9, Use Rope +6; Blind-
  Fight, EnduranceB, Lightning ReﬂexesB, MobilityB, Point Blank 
  Shot, TrackB.
  Languages: Beysib (S), Mrsevadan (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (2).
  Possessions: +1 studded leather armor, darkwood buckler, +1 
  battleaxe, masterwork longbow, 20 arrows, two potions of convert 
  light wounds, 4 vials of alchemist’s ﬁre, 34 sh.
  SOLDT
  Molin Torchholder made many enemies over his career, and there 
  was never a shortage of people who wanted to see him dead. Several 
  years back, a young assassin named Soldt came to Sanctuary to 
  murder the troublesome priest, but somehow failed. Instead of 
  executing the young man, Molin took him under his wing and 
  befriended him. In the years that followed, Soldt became the killer 
  Molin recognized and now plies his trade in cities throughout the 
  Known World. He does not, however, hunt in Sanctuary, unless 
  asked by Molin.
  When not dueling or assassinating 
  (which is to say, most of the time), 
  Soldt supports himself by training 
  people to take care of themselves 
  in bad situations. For a very 
  high price, he will hire himself 
  out as a bodyguard. He has an 
  Enlibar-steel sword, which he 
  keeps well disguised with sooty 
  oil, for dueling. For assassinations, 
  he has a variety of more easily concealed weapons and, of course, 
  poisons. (He specializes in combination poisons).
  DESCRIPTION
  A man in his mid- to late thirties, he’s generally forgettable, with 
  slightly angular Wrigglie features. He keeps his brown hair raggedly 
  cut, and wears a short sparse beard. He has good teeth, piercing eyes, 
  and a warrior’s build. He favors nondescript clothing, but he’s never 
  without a weapon. 
  Soldt also has a companion, a huge bloodhound-rottweiler mixed-
  breed dog that he uses for tracking, as an ally in a ﬁght, and for general 
  companionship. The dog is about as intelligent as a dog can get and can 
  understand commands at the level of a ﬁve-year-old child. It weighs 
  well over 100 lbs. (Use the riding dog statistics in the MM.)
  PERSONALITY
  Soldt is a practical man. He does not believe in the gods, and prefers 
  not to think about fate or magic. He kills because he is good at 
  LONE ON SINJON
  “Captain Sinjon is the proprietor of the Broken Mast, a sailor’s 
  tavern near the Old Wharf. His eyes always seem to be focused on 
  something far away; that is, until he blinks with that third eyelid of 
  his, and you realize you’re dealing with a froggin’ Beysib.”
  
  - 170 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  it and is paid well for each death. He duels because he loves the 
  sword and cannot live without occasionally testing his skill against 
  another. Soldt’s prize possession is his dueling sword, which looks 
  like a decent blade, but is true Enlibar steel beneath the coating 
  of soot and oil. He has hired himself out as a bodyguard before, 
  though he charges a very high price for this service.
  Soldt is neither romantic nor sociopathic. He has friends, including 
  Molin (though not the man who hired him to assassinate Molin, who 
  is, at any rate, ten years in his grave, 
  a victim of Dyareelan excesses). 
  He’s a skeptic, and something 
  of a control freak, especially as 
  regards balance (desired) and 
  predictability (not desired) in his 
  personal life.
  SOLDT
  Male Wrigglie prizeﬁghter, assassin 8, duelist 4; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 8d8+16 plus 4d10+7; hp 85; Mdt 16; 
  Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 16, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk 
  +10; Grap +11; Atk +15 melee (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen Enlibrite 
  steel rapier) or +14  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); Full 
  Atk +15/+10 melee (1d6+2/15–20, +1 keen Enlibrite steel rapier) 
  or +14/+9 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); SA killing 
  strike (+1 DC), poison use, sneak attack +3d6; SQ canny defense, 
  enhanced mobility, grace, improved reaction +2, jaded, poison 
  expert; Rep +3; SV Fort +9, Ref +16, Will +5; Str 12, Dex 18, 
  Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Balance, Tumble.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Bluﬀ +5, Climb +6, Craft (poison) +8, 
  Diplomacy +4, Disguise +0 (+2 acting), Escape Artist +9, Gather 
  Information +8, Handle Animal +4, Hide +13, Intimidate +6, Jump 
  +8, Knowledge (local) +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +13, Perform 
  (acting) +3, Sense Motive +7, Spot +6, Tumble +15; Agile Riposte*, 
  Blind-FightB, Combat ReﬂexesB, Dodge, Far Shot, Mobility, Point 
  Blank Shot, Quick DrawB, Weapon FinesseB.
  Languages: Ilsig (S), Rankene 
  (S), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Influence (1), 
  Information (2), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 keen Enlibrite 
  steel rapier, 4 throwing knives, 
  potion of convert light wounds, 
  ring of protection +1, bracers of 
  armor +2, gloves of dexterity +2, 
  two packets of ﬂash powder, 
  vial of antitoxin, 10 applications of greenblood oil (injury, DC 
  13, 1 Con/1d2 Con), 4 applications of spider venom (injury, DC 
  14, 1d4 Str/1d4 Str), 1 application of beynit venom (injury, DC 
  16, 1d6 Dex/2d6 Con), 1 application of slow-acting monkshood 
  (ingested, DC 18, 2d6 Con/1d6 Con + 1d6 Str), 2 applications of 
  coadjutant arsenic (ingested, DC 13, 1 Con/1d8), 2 applications 
  of coadjutant oil of taggit (ingested, DC 15, 0/unconsciousness), 
  3 applications of coadjutant nitharit poison (contact, DC 13, 
  0/3d6 Con), 50 sh.
  SPYDER (REGEN VIGELES)
  Most of Sanctuary’s residents avoid the Hill whenever possible. Spyder 
  sought it out. He arrived recently, and set up a shop on the edge of the 
  Hill. The Black Spider, as his shop is named, sells weapons, and is judged 
  by many to be the ﬁnest arms shop in all of Sanctuary. It has some of the 
  ﬁnest merchandise, and at very good prices. He also deals in rare weapons, 
  like poisoned spring-pins, belts with hidden blades, and so on.
  Spyder is far more than he appears. 
  His real name is Regen Vigeles, 
  and he’s a cousin of the legendary 
  Chenaya. As she was, he’s also 
  related to several branches of the 
  Imperial family, though not to 
  the current emperor. The House 
  of Vigeles was once one of the 
  greatest houses in the Rankan 
  Empire, but it has since fallen into disgrace and ruin. In spite of 
  this, or perhaps because of it, Spyder has become an agent of the 
  Rankan emperor. He came to Sanctuary to assess the situation, to 
  see if the empire could retake the city, and if doing so would be 
  worth the eﬀort.
  Although he is not a thief, Spyder does have the skills to be one. He 
  also has some minor magic, primarily the ability to hypnotize people. 
  He knows all of the major languages ﬂuently, and can handle himself 
  in high court and in the slums with equal facility. Spyder writes 
  reports in coded letters, which are sent through an elaborate system 
  to the emperor himself. One part of his cover is not a ruse, however. 
  Spyder does love weapons, particularly knives and daggers, and he 
  enjoys handling the weapons in his shop.
  DESCRIPTION
  Spyder himself is a bit of a mystery. Tall and lithe, with a powerful but 
  slender build, he has the black hair of an Ilsigi or S’danzo, but the sharp 
  good looks of a Rankan, and his eyes are a curious shade of gray. He 
  moves quietly and gracefully, and 
  many say that he must be a thief, 
  but Spyder clearly has money. He 
  is a master of weapons, and can 
  demonstrate the use of any item 
  in his shop, but lacks the scars of 
  a professional sellsword. Lastly, he 
  is very well spoken, and obviously 
  educated, but has set up his store 
  in the worst section in town, and 
  has, thus far, survived quite well 
  there.
  PERSONALITY
  Spyder is ordinarily quiet, something of a brooder. On occasion, he 
  may warm to a customer or neighbor, but most think he’s strange, 
  and more than a little dangerous. He is intensely loyal to the Empire 
  and wants to see Sanctuary back in proper hands. Conﬂicting with 
  his loyalties are his equally intense feelings towards Aaliyah, whom 
  he desperately loves.
    LONE ON SOLDT
    “Soldt’s one of those fellows you should steer clear of unless you’re 
  looking to make a name for yourself as a swordsman. He’ll teach you 
  a thing or two about steel, all right… one way or the other.”
  LONE ON SPYDER
  “Where did this guy come from? He’s got a lot of silver, that’s 
  for sure, and two big brass balls for good measure. Opening up a 
  weapons shop on the Hill? He’d better know how to use what he’s 
  selling. If the Hillers smell money, they’ll tear that place down piece 
  by piece to get to it, brass balls or not.”
  
  - 171 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  SPYDER (REGEN VIGELES)
  Male Rankan adventurer, initiate 6, noble 4; CR 10; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d6+4 plus 4d8+4; hp 52; Mdt 17; 
  Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; AC 17, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk 
  +7; Grap +8; Atk +9 melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +9 
  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, cold iron throwing dagger); Full Atk +9/+4 
  melee (1d8+2/19–20, +1 longsword) or +9 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  cold iron throwing dagger); SQ diplomat, eclectic sorcery [Cha], 
  inspiration 6/day (competence, courage), literate, organize +3, 
  signature spell (blur); Rep +2; SV Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +10; Str 
  12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Search, Survival.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +1 (+3 weapons), Bluff +10, 
  Concentration +7, Craft (weaponsmith) +6, Diplomacy +14, 
  Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Information +11, Hide +9, 
  Intimidate +10, Jump +6, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge 
  (geography) +6, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility & 
  royalty) +6, Move Silently +9, Search +10, Sense Motive +7, 
  Sleight of Hand +10, Spellcraft +10 (+12 decipher scrolls), 
  Survival +8 (+10 avoid hazards and getting lost), Use Magic 
  Device +10 (+12 scrolls); Combat Casting, Combat ExpertiseB, 
  Improved Disarm, InvestigatorB, Magical AptitudeB, Manhunter*, 
  Stealthy.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Nisi (S/W), Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1), Skill (Ronal).
  Spells: safe level 3rd; spellcasting +7; save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (4): blur* (2nd, MT 30, price 2), hypnotism (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), prestidigitation (0-level, MT 10, price 0/1), fog 
  cloud (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (3): gust of wind (2nd, MT 30, price 2), shield (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), suggestion (3rd, MT 40, price 3).
  *Signature spell. +4 bonus to spellcasting check, +1 caster level, 
  double normal duration.
  Possessions: +1 chain shirt of silent moves, +1 longsword, 3 cold iron 
  throwing daggers, potion of aid, potion of convert moderate wounds, 
  boots of striding & springing, shadow cloak, 2 vials of alchemist’s 
  ﬁre, masterwork artisan’s tools, 174 sh.
  STRANGLE
  Once, long ago, Strangle was an ordinary man. Born and raised in 
  Sanctuary, he led a perfectly normal life. Then the droughts came, and 
  the ﬂoods, and the famine. The S’danzo vanished. A plague rose up 
  from nowhere, and decimated the city. Suddenly, people were calling the 
  S’danzo traitors and turncoats, and saying that the plague was their fault. 
  Those few who had stayed behind were hunted down and killed. And 
  the man who would become Strangle felt that this was just, and right, 
  and good. So he joined the cult of Dyareela, and Strangle was born.
  By the time the Irrune attacked, Strangle had become a minor 
  priest within the extremist sect. His superiors did not expect him 
  to rise any higher, because he was too unstable to trust with more 
  authority. But then the Irrune struck, and everything changed. The 
  masters sent Strangle and a few of the other younger priests away 
  into hiding. Strangle, who had been working with the orphaned 
  children, took his favorite, Leorin, with him.
  With the elders all dead, Strangle took control of the remaining 
  cultists. He raised Leorin and ﬁnished her training, biding his time. 
  His goal was to restore the cult, but in order to do that, their enemy 
  had to be removed ﬁrst. Molin Torchholder had to die.
  Strangle succeeded in killing the Torch, but it took far longer than 
  he expected for the old man to die. Strangle also didn’t expect that 
  anyone would help him. He made foolish errors, made an enemy of 
  Cauvin, and ultimately paid his life as the price of his mistakes.
  DESCRIPTION
  Strangle is a short, stocky man in his mid-thirties, and not particularly 
  distinctive. The left side of his face is frozen, thanks to a botched 
  tattoo job years ago, and his left eye does not seem to focus on the 
  same point as the right. 
  PERSONALITY
  Strangle is obsessed with killing Molin, but has been waiting for a 
  sign from his goddess before he begins. He has forced his followers 
  to maintain a low proﬁle when above ground, and to never reveal 
  their aﬃliation with the goddess.
  Strangle always believed fully in the extremist vision of Dyareela 
  cleansing the world, but during the years in hiding, he became even 
  more unhinged. He and his followers came to the conclusion that 
  random murders were, in fact, holy vengeance, and would contribute 
  to the cleansing to come. Even the senior extremists would have 
  disapproved, had they been alive to see his behavior. 
  
  - 172 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  STRANGLE
  Male Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, 
  priest 6, assassin 4; CR 10; 
  Medium humanoid (human); 
  HD 6d6+12 plus 4d8+8; hp 
  61; Mdt 16[; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 13, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; 
  Base Atk +6; Grap +8; Atk +10 
  melee (1d4+4/19–20, assassin’s 
  dagger); Full Atk +10/+5 melee 
  (1d4+4/19–20, assassin’s dagger); SA bruiser, channel divine power 
  5/day (commanding presence, holy vitality), poison use, sneak 
  attack +1d6; SQ jaded; Rep +2; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +8; Str 
  14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 15
  Background Skills: Disguise, Intimidate.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +0 (+2 poison), Bluﬀ +7, Concentration 
  +7, Craft (poison) +7, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +9 (+11 acting), 
  Forgery +5, Gather Information +9, Heal +5, Hide +5, Intimidate 
  +12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (local) +5, 
  Knowledge (religion) +5, Move Silently +5, Sense Motive +5, 
  Survival +2 (+4 underground); Blind-FightB, Debilitating Strike*, 
  Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Power Attack, 
  Spell Focus (enchantment), StealthyB.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (2), Information (1).
  Spells: safe level 3rd; spellcasting +7; ritualcasting +12; save DC 
  12 + spell level (DC 13 + spell level for enchantments).
  Known Spells (10+3D): aid (2nd, MT 30, price 2), bane (1st, MT 
  20, price 1), blindness/deafness (3rd, MT 40, price 3), command 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), contagion (3rd, MT 40, price 3), death knell 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2), divine favor (1st, MT 20, price 1), entropic 
  shield (1st, MT 20, price 1), ﬁt of coughing (2nd, MT 30, price 2) 
  D, hold person (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), inﬂict serious wounds 
  (3rd, MT 40, price 3), itchy hives 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1) D, lesser 
  confusion (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  rage (3rd, MT 40, price 3), shield 
  of faith (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  touch of madness (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2) D.
  Familiar Spells (10): bull’s 
  strength (2nd, MT 30, price 2), circle of protection (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), darkness (2nd, MT 30, price 2), enthrall (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), glyph of warding (3rd, MT 40, price 3), poison (4th, MT 
  50, price 8), resist energy (2nd, MT 30, price 2), sound burst (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), speak with dead (3rd, MT 40, price 3), summon 
  monster III (3rd, MT 40, price 3).
  D: Domain. Domains: Disease 
  (immune to ability damage 
  caused by disease), Madness 
  (Insanity score of 3 modiﬁes 
  Wisdom)
  Possessions: Assassin’s dagger, 
  potion of convert light wounds, 
  bracers of armor +2, holy symbol 
  (+1 ritual focus), 3 applications 
  of striped toadstool poison 
  (ingested, DC 11, 1 Wis/2d6 Wis + 1d4 Int), 2 applications of 
  bloodroot (injury, DC 12, 0/1d4 Con + 1d3 Wis), 30 sh.
  STRICK
  Most of the mages in Sanctuary have their own goals, their own agendas, 
  and only help people when it beneﬁts them as well. But one of the city’s 
  wizards helps people because he cannot help himself — he literally has 
  no choice in the matter. That’s Strick, also known as the White Mage.
  Everyone in the city, and in many of the surrounding areas, has heard 
  of Strick. What few people realize is that the current Strick is not 
  the original.
  The ﬁrst Strick was a large, powerful man with a red mustache and 
  a ruddy face. People usually mistook him for a ﬁghter at ﬁrst glance, 
  and he did wear a sword, though he rarely used it. Strick met Hanse 
  Shadowspawn, and his S’danzo friend Mignue, in the desert, and 
  after exchanging tales, he continued on toward Sanctuary. He took 
  up residence there with his family, but his wife and children died 
  during one of Sanctuary’s many horrors, and Strick was never the 
  same. But he had a duty to perform, and since he could not bring 
  himself to continue, he found and trained a successor. When the ﬁrst 
  Strick died, the second took his name and his curse.
  Strick is cursed to help anyone who asks him for aid, which is not 
  something he minds; he is a good, kind man, and would help most 
  of these people anyway. But for 
  every bit of aid he renders, there 
  is a Price that must be paid, and 
  not in gold or goods. He can 
  lessen that Price, however, as he 
  did when he tried to treat Arizak’s 
  leg wound.
  Like the man before him, Strick 
  surrounds himself with people 
  who share his vision, The ﬁrst is his S’danzo wife, Linnana (or 
  Linnie), though she admits to neither trait and claims to be just his 
  housekeeper. The second is Samoﬀ, an old veteran and muleteer who’s 
  hampered by an old leg injury. Strick also hangs around with Chance, 
  and most recently, Lone.
  DESCRIPTION
  The current Strick is a large man in his forties. Though he has a big 
  frame, Strick indulges in ﬁne foods far too much, and is terribly fat. 
  He wears an enormous blue robe, and is usually draped in gold jewelry. 
  Despite his relative youth, his hair is completely white, and has been 
  since he accepted his mentor’s name and curse. Strick lives in the better 
  part of town with Linnana.
  LONE ON STRANGLE
  “Strangle’s a righteous bastard who is in complete thrall to the 
  Chaos Mother. You can bet that he didn’t get his name for being 
  an upstanding citizen. He slipped out in advance before the Irrune 
  sacked Sanctuary. I always ﬁgured a cultist lucky enough to get away 
  would be smart enough to stay away. I guess I was wrong.”
  LONE ON STRICK
  “Old Spellmaster is Chance’s best friend. He may be fat, but that 
  white-haired wizard can do amazing things. He’s shown me a good 
  bit of courtesy, but I can’t say if it’s because he’s humoring Chance, 
  or if it’s because he wants something in return.”
  ASSASSIN’S DAGGER
  In Thieves’ World, any massive damage saves caused by an assassin’s 
  dagger are +1 DC. The item is otherwise identical to the version 
  in the DMG.
  
  - 173 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  And his whole history is a lie.
  Tor’dan’s full name is Tordra Na Rhyan, which means “One who follows 
  the old ways.” The “way” he follows is far older than most realize. He 
  was not born in Shemhaza, because that place does not exist except 
  in songs and stories. Tor’dan is from Devrith — to the extent that 
  “Shemhaza” does exist, it’s as a backwater town in Devrith —but he 
  was trained since childhood at the temple as a Conversant: one who 
  has mastered the arts of speaking, singing, and spying. Tor’dan was 
  sent to Sanctuary to take control of the remaining cultists there, and 
  to mold them once again into an eﬀective force. His mistresses—for 
  the Dyareelans are ruled by priestesses, now—are very unhappy about 
  the cult’s activities in Sanctuary, and worry their previous excesses will 
  set back their plans by at least a generation. Tor’dan has been sent to 
  speed up the process, and to prevent any further complications. 
  DESCRIPTION
  Tor’dan is a good-looking man, slight of build but very ﬁt, and keeps 
  his hair and beard neat. His clothing, though also neat, is a bit worn, 
  and more than a little ﬂashy, particularly his vivid orange cape.
  PERSONALITY
  Beneath his cheerful exterior, 
  Tor’dan is a cold, hard man who 
  would kill his best friend without 
  compunctions. He also has 
  enough self-control, and enough 
  training, to lie to a S’danzo truth-
  PERSONALITY
  Strick is respected around town, and on good terms with everyone 
  except a few of the other wizards, who ﬁnd him oﬃcious and too 
  easily swayed by sob stories. He spends most of his time with Chance, 
  and the two men loiter in the various taverns Strick owns.
  STRICK
  Male Wrigglie apprentice, initiate 8, spellmaster 4; CR 12; 
  Medium humanoid; HD 8d6 plus 4d8; hp 48; Mdt 11; Init –1; 
  Spd 30ft.; AC 9, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 9; Base Atk +9; Grap +9; Atk 
  +9 melee (1d6, staﬀ of defense); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6, staﬀ of 
  defense); SQ cost of magic, distinctive appearance, eclectic sorcery 
  (Int), encouraging words, exchange common malady 2/day, jaded, 
  lore, reduce unworthy curse; Rep +2; SV Fort +7, Ref +4, Will 
  +11; Str 11, Dex 8, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +8, Bluﬀ +8, Concentration +10, 
  Decipher Script +10, Diplomacy +16, Gather Information 
  +16, Heal +7, Intimidate +4, Listen +9, Knowledge (arcana) 
  +14, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +12, Search 
  +6, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +16, Spot +9; AlertnessB, 
  Combat ExpertiseB, Extra Spells*, Great Fortitude, Interrupted 
  Spellcasting*, LeadershipB, Life-Fuelled Casting*, Maximize 
  Spell, Maze-SavvyB*.
  Languages: Ilsig (S/W) Twandan (S), Wrigglie (S). 
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (Chance, Lone), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 4th; spellcasting +9; save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (6): convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  daylight (3rd, MT 40, price 3), detect curse (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  heroism (3rd, MT 40, price 3), locate object (2nd, MT 30, price 
  2), whispering wind* (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (4): greater circle of protection (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), pass without trace (1st, MT 20, price 1), rope trick (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), summon nature’s ally III (3rd, MT 40, price 3).
  *Signature spell. +4 bonus to spellcasting check, +1 caster level, 
  double normal range
  Possessions: Staﬀ of defense (15 charges), 100 sh.
  TOR’DAN J’ARDIN
  Tor’dan is a minstrel, and a good one. He ﬁrst arrived in Sanctuary eight 
  years ago, and quickly earned a modest reputation. He is from a place 
  called Shemhaza, a small town of infamous reputation. (Sanctuary may 
  be a dangerous, decadent, anarchic place, but Shemhaza is renowned 
  for the stupidity of its citizens.) 
  Tor’dan is constantly cheerful, so 
  much so that it grates on some 
  people. He has an excellent voice, 
  and plays his cresca very well. He 
  is always friendly, always sociable, 
  and always looking for his next 
  paying gig.
  LONE ON TOR’DAN J’ARDIN
  “If I have to hear J’ardin sing ‘The Man from Shemhaza’ one more 
  time, I think I’m going to be sick. He’s a minstrel with a bright 
  orange cloak who plays a cresca and croons his signature song at the 
  Vulgar Unicorn. I think he’s singing about himself.”
  
  - 174 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  seer and not get caught. Tor’dan maintains the appearance of a carefree 
  minstrel during the day, but spends most of his nights overseeing the 
  cultists, and planning ways to inﬁltrate the Palace and the Irrune.
  TOR’DAN J’ARDIN
  Male Devrithi entertainer, thief 6, godsworn 6; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d6+6 plus 6d10+6; hp 68; Mdt 17; Init 
  +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 14, ﬂat-footed 18; Base Atk +10; Grap 
  +11; Atk +13 melee (1d6+3/16–20, +2 rapier) or +11 [+10 BAB +1 
  Dex] ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); Full Atk +13/+8 
  melee (1d6+3/16–20, +2 rapier) or +11 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  throwing dagger); SA sneak attack +3d6; SQ divine perception, 
  divine shield, evasion, low-light vision, trap sense +2, trapﬁnding, 
  uncanny dodge, withdrawn; Rep +3; SV Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +8; 
  Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 18.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats: Balance +3, Bluﬀ +16, Concentration +6, Diplomacy 
  +13, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Gather Information +11, Hide +8, 
  Intimidate +15, Jump +3, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge 
  (religion) +11, Listen +10, Move Silently +8, Perform (singing) 
  +13, Perform (stringed instrument) +18, Search +6, Sense Motive 
  +11, Sleight of Hand +12, Survival +3 (+5 follow tracks), Spot +10, 
  Tumble +6; Combat Expertise, Crippler’s Eye*, Improved Critical 
  (rapier), Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, StealthyB.
  Languages: Devrithi (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (2), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 3rd; ritualcasting +8; save DC 14 + spell level.
  Known Spells (5+3D): circle of protection (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  contagion (3rd, MT 40, price 3) D, divine favor (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), doom (1st, MT 20, price 1) D, eagle’s splendor (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), hold person (2nd, MT 30, price 2), magic vestment (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3), shatter (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D.
  Familiar Spells (3): blindness/deafness (3rd, MT 40, price 3), command 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), spell immunity (4th, MT 50, price 8).
  D: Domain. Domain: Catastrophe (evades his own area-eﬀect 
  spells)
  Possessions: +1 mithral shirt, +2 rapier, 2 throwing daggers, potion of 
  aid, ring of mind shielding, scroll of commune, orange cloak of charisma 
  +2, magical instrument (cresca), the palm of the hand, 161 sh.
  VERREZZA
  Before the Irrune reached Sanctuary, the two remaining clans were close 
  to splitting apart. To heal the rift and unite the race again, one clan’s war 
  leader married the other clan’s war leader’s sister. The man was Arizak, 
  and that wife is Verrezza.
  Verrezza is still a force to 
  be reckoned with. She is a 
  traditionalist, and believes her 
  people do not belong in the 
  city. She has raised her son, per-
  Arizak, in the same beliefs, and 
  wants to see him succeed his 
  father as the ruler of both the Irrune and Sanctuary. If that happens, 
  she will push her son to destroy the city and then take their people 
  back to the mountains and the plains, where they belong.
  Verrezza and Arizak never truly loved one another — theirs was a 
  marriage of political necessity — but they understand and respect each 
  other. She hates to see him so besotted with Nadalya, and particularly 
  dislikes seeing the younger woman sway her husband from his old 
  beliefs. The two women are bitter enemies, and will stop at nothing 
  to destroy one another, but both know better than to ﬁght openly. 
  DESCRIPTION
  A tall, powerful woman, with stern features and straight blond hair that 
  has gone gray. She wears drab clothing in the traditional style of her 
  people. She always bears a stern expression, and is clearly suspicious of 
  everyone she meets. She has the eyes of an angry hawk.
  PERSONALITY
  Verrezza is not as city-smart as Nadalya, but she is an intelligent 
  woman with a commanding presence. She is still proud of her rank 
  and her family, and will ﬁght to maintain their honor in any situation. 
  All of her hopes for the Irrune rest on per-Arizak becoming his 
  father’s heir, and she is determined to keep Arizak himself alive long 
  enough to reconcile with his oldest son.
  VERREZZA
  Female Irrune aristocrat, noble 6/barbarian 1; CR 7; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d8 plus 1d12+3; hp 40; Mdt 10; Init 
  +5; Spd 40 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +5; Grap 
  +5; Atk +6 melee (1d6+1/18–20, +1 scimitar); Full Atk +6 melee 
  (1d6+1/18–20, +1 scimitar); SA rage 1/day; SQ diplomat, fast 
  movement, inspire 8/day (competence, complacency, courage), 
  organize +4, saddleborn; Rep +2; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +9; 
  Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 15.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (nobility & royalty), Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +12, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +2 (+4 
  acting), Gather Information +8, Handle Animal +5, Hide +6, 
  Intimidate +13, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) 
  +7, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +9, Listen +11, Ride +9, 
  Sense Motive +15, Survival +6 (+8 avoid hazards and getting 
  lost); Improved Initiative, Iron WillB, LeadershipB, Mounted 
  CombatB, Negotiator, PersuasiveB, Toughness.
  Rage (Ex): When raging Verrezza uses the following statistics.
  HD 6d8+12 plus 1d12+5; hp 54; Mdt 14; AC 9 [+1 Dex, –2 rage], 
  touch 9, ﬂat-footed 8; Grap +7; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3/18–20, 
  +1 scimitar); Full Atk +6 melee (1d6+3/18–20, +1 scimitar); SV 
  Fort +7, Will +11; Str 14, Con 14.
  Languages: Ilsig (S), Irrune (S), 
  Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Influence (Arizak), 
  Information (the Dragon).
  Possessions: +1 scimitar, headband 
  of divine favor +1, shadow cloak, 
  vial of antitoxin, 185 sh. 
  LONE ON VERREZZA
  “Verezza is Arizak’s ﬁrst wife and the mother of the Dragon. She’s 
  a dyed in the wool Irrune, not at all like Nadalya. She’d be happier 
  beneath an open sky, wandering aimlessly alongside her people while 
  they rape and pillage villages from here to Velos.”
  
  - 175 -
  CHAPTER FIVE: FACES OF SANCTUARY, IRRUNE ERA
  ZARZAKHAN
  Zarzakhan is Arizak’s brother, and one of his most important advisors. 
  As high shaman, he is the Irrune’s spiritual leader and conversant with 
  Irrenuga himself. He leads all of the rituals, rites of passage, and blessings 
  for every event. To the Sanctans, he’s a wild and unpredictable ﬁgure, 
  eliciting fear and aversion from his foul stink and strange behavior.
  Zarzakhan is much more than just a priest, however. When the Irrune 
  invaded the city, he was part of the trio (the others were Molin and 
  Arrizak) who determined what to do with the captured cultists. 
  It was he who prepared the poisoned horseﬂesh and fed it to the 
  irredeemable children. And it was he who helped guide Arrizak into 
  his current position as Governor of the city.
  When not overseeing the religious rites of his people, Zarzakhan 
  practices sorcery, which is what passes for the Irrune spiritual 
  tradition. He reads omens in the entrails of goats, watches the stars 
  and the movement of the heavenly bodies, and records his ﬁndings to 
  his Sekkir to help determine the best course of action. Unfortunately, 
  few people can stand to be in his presence for long.
  DESCRIPTION
  Zarzakhan is an unholy sight to behold, or so thought Cauvin. Each 
  day, he works a thick black paste into his hair, making dreadlocks that 
  resemble snakes. He wears hides, bones, and serpent skins. A terrifying 
  stench of rotting ﬁsh that clings to the senses always surrounds him. 
  Clumps of muck cling to his lips, eyebrows, and beard, so that it is 
  impossible to tell what he actually looks like.
  PERSONALITY
  Speaking to the spirits of dead ancestors has made Zarzakhan 
  somewhat unusual. He has a strange sense of humor, which usually 
  results in him coming too close for comfort. He is devoted to his 
  brother Arrizak, and while he may not agree completely with settling 
  in the city, he supports his chief in whatever way he can.
  ZARZAKHAN
  Male Irrune witch doctor, priest 4, witch 4; CR 8; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 
  4d6+4 plus 4d4+4; hp 34; Mdt 
  14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 
  15, touch 11, flat-footed 14; 
  Base Atk +4; Grap +5; Atk +6 
  melee (1d6+2, +1 club); Full 
  Atk +6 melee (1d6+2, +1 club); 
  SQ channel divine power (5/
  day, commanding presence), 
  saddleborn, witchcraft (sacriﬁcial power); Rep +2; SV Fort +2, Ref 
  +3, Will +11; Str 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Craft (herbalism), Knowledge (nature).
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Concentration +11, Heal +10, 
  Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (nature) +11, 
  Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +4, Profession (herbalist) +6, 
  Ride +5, Spellcraft +13, Spot +4, Survival +3 (+5 aboveground 
  natural environments); Animal Aﬃnity, Combat Casting, Ritual 
  Emphasis*, SightedB*.
  Languages: Irrune (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (Arizak), Skill (1).
  Priest Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +10; ritualcasting +12; 
  save DC 13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (7+2d): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, cause fear 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), command (1st, MT 20, price 1), doom (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1), endure elements (1st, MT 20, price 1), guidance 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), hold person (2nd, MT 30, price 2), sanctuary 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), true strike (1st, MT 20, price 1) D.
  Familiar Spells (8): bless (1st, MT 20, price 1), circle of protection 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1)*, convert light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 
  1)*, convert moderate wounds (2nd, MT 30, price 2)*, detect magic 
  (0, MT 10, price 0/1), enthrall (2nd, MT 30, price 2), prayer (3rd, 
  MT 40, price 3 lethal), read magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1).
  *New Spell; see Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for details.
  D: Domain spell. Domains: Ancestor (call upon wisdom of 
  ancestors), Liberation (+2 to saves against enchantment spells 
  and eﬀects).
  Witch Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +9; ritualcasting +11; 
  save DC 12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (6): calm animals (1st, MT 20, price 1), charm animal 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), daze (1st, MT 20, price 1), fog cloud (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 1), ghost sound (1st, MT 20, price 1), lullaby (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1).
  Familiar Spells (8): animal messenger (2nd, MT 30, price 2), animate 
  rope (2nd, MT 30, price 2), detect poison (0, MT 10, price 0/1), message 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), purify food 
  & drink (0, MT 10, price 0/1), 
  speak with animals (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), sleet storm (3rd, MT 40, 
  price 3 lethal), summon swarm 
  (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  Possessions: +1 hide armor, +1 
  club, staﬀ of swarming insects.
  LONE ON ZARZAKHAN
  “That’s not mud in Zarzakhan’s hair. You don’t need to venture too 
  close to him to get a whiff of it either. He’s as zealous and crazy as any 
  priest I’ve ever seen. They say he’s Arizak’s brother, but aside from the 
  smell, I can’t say I discern much of a resemblance between the two.”
  PALM OF THE HAND
  This small metal rectangle bears three small red jewels and numerous small glyphs. While it may look innocuous, it is a holy relic of 
  the Cult of Dyareela, and when used by a Bloody Hand priest, it is an instrument of madness and pain. The Palm is a +2 ritual focus 
  that gives an additional +3 bonus when casting spells from the Catastrophe, Disease, or Madness domains. If grasped, the wearer can 
  use it to make a touch attack once a day that inﬂicts confusion with a caster level of 12 (DC 19 Will save).
  Strong transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Focus, Craft Wondrous Item, confusion; Price 22,396 sh. 
  
  - 176 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  Sanctuary presents great opportunities for adventure, but it oﬀers 
  just as much excitement to GMs. Thieves’ World oﬀers a rich history, 
  colorful characters, and a ﬂexible world, allowing you to bend the 
  setting to ﬁt your particular style of play. Whether you want an 
  investigation-style campaign, a military fantasy, an elaborate criminal 
  underworld, or a straight-up dungeon crawl, Thieves’ World has it. 
  Unlike the other chapters in this book, this one is meant speciﬁcally 
  for the GM. First and foremost, it provides a toolbox for modifying 
  the information presented in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual 
  to make the world ﬁt more closely with more traditional games 
  using the d20 system. In addition, there are variants and options to 
  expand your game play. Action points, class-based defense, and other 
  useful modiﬁcations can help you customize your game. You’ll ﬁnd 
  guidelines for creating characters above 1st, suggestions for treasures 
  and rewards, plus a slew of adventure seeds, making this the most 
  important chapter for Thieves’ World GMs.
  CHAPTER SIX:  
  ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  ADAPTING THIEVES’ WORLD
  The Thieves’ World Player’s Manual serves to recreate the atmosphere 
  of the anthologies as closely as possible. In the books, we see a broad 
  spectrum of power levels, where gods duke it out in the skies, and 
  where an assassin butchers an entire gang for revenge. We ﬁnd tales 
  of love, fear, murder, magic, and all the other ingredients found in 
  any good d20 game. 
  The problem, however, is that Thieves’ World, at least in the classic 
  series, had a profound degree of variation. Shadowspawn, once he 
  gained the power of his divine birthright, killed Vashanka, broke 
  into Kadakithis’ Palace, stole the savankh, and enjoyed unlimited 
  wishes as a reward from the Ilsigi gods. Meanwhile, in the new 
  series, we have Kadithe and Becvar, two boys — certainly not the 
  stuﬀ of Tempus. We have the troubled lives of the people living on 
  Pyrtanis Street. There’s a certain level of human suﬀering that stands 
  in sharp contrast to some of the superhuman events that unfolded 
  in the original series. 
  To reconcile the diﬀerences, the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual 
  provides a baseline that’s applicable to both extremes, and the result 
  is somewhat diﬀerent from the expectations found in the PHB. In 
  Thieves’ World, we don’t have paladins, though we do indeed have 
  servants of the gods. While Cappen Varra is a minstrel, and in many 
  ways a bard, he does not cast spells, and is more of a jack-of-all-
  trades than anything else. 
  Even magic works diﬀerently. Wizards don’t ﬁre and forget their 
  spells, and that’s to say nothing of how the environment of the 
  Known World aﬀects spellcasting. Not all clerics turn undead, and 
  never once was a druid so much as mentioned in the books. (Though 
  some could argue that Zarzakhan had a few druidic qualities.) So, 
  to remain true to the anthologies, certain things found in the PHB 
  just don’t work.
  Nevertheless, some folks will undoubtedly want to bring their paladin 
  or sorcerer into Sanctuary. At least one group will demand their 
  halﬂings and elves be allowed alongside the Beysib and the once-seen 
  winged folk from the north. To accommodate these demands, what 
  follows is a way to make your standard d20 games more like Thieves’ 
  World, and vice versa.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  RACES VS. CULTURES  
  AND BACKGROUNDS
  There’s no reason why dwarves, elves, or orcs couldn’t exist in the 
  Known World. The Beysib are just as fantastic as any of the races in 
  the PHB, trolls certainly exist (though they’re nothing like the ones 
  depicted in the MM) and creatures like kobolds and gnomes are all 
  mentioned in the anthologies. It’s said the legendary land of Kaimas, 
  which lies within and beyond the World Spine Mountains, holds all 
  manner of wondrous races. The suggestion that, somewhere in the 
  world, these other races actually do exist stretches but does not snap 
  our perceptions of the setting. But, before you allow aasimars and 
  half-ogres into the campaign, you should consider how this would 
  aﬀect the cultures and backgrounds used to diversify humans.
  As the cultures described in this book and in the Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual are all human ones, no non-human race may select 
  a culture. Hence, there should not be Rankan or Northron elves; the 
  race itself takes the place of the culture. You might be tempted to 
  allow other races to select backgrounds, for it’s no stretch to imagine 
  a dwarven blacksmith, an elven apprentice, or a half-orc hunter. If you 
  do allow these races to select a background, they gain all the beneﬁts 
  of the listed background, including the bonus feat. To balance, give 
  humans the typical bonus feat in addition to the one granted by the 
  background. The result increases the potency of starting characters, 
  but that should balance out over the course of an entire campaign. 
  On the other hand, you could do away with cultures and backgrounds 
  altogether. Simply use the information presented to give you ideas about 
  the kinds of people and places in the Known World. With this approach, 
  humans are just humans, and do not gain the cultural or background 
  traits, nor are they restricted in selecting their starting bonus feat.
  CLASSES
  It is common knowledge that Sanctuary is a city of, by, and for 
  adventurers. As such, it is home to many characters of diﬀerent and 
  often unusual abilities. In game terms, this indicates the presence of 
  numerous individuals with at least one level in one or more of the 
  varied classes and prestige classes found either in the core rulebooks 
  or in the books of the Thieves’ World setting. Some classes are far better 
  represented than others, however, and some have no representation 
  whatsoever within the city of thieves.
  Without question, the best-represented core class in Sanctuary is, of 
  course, the thief. Following that, the assassin, the ﬁghter, and the survivor 
  see the greatest numbers in the city, followed closely by the noble. 
  Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most commonly encountered core prestige 
  class found in Sanctuary is the duelist, whose particular skills are often 
  in great demand. The arcane trickster and the shadowdancer also oﬀer 
  something to many of those who seek to get ahead in Sanctuary. 
  In standard Thieves’ World play, only the barbarian, ﬁghter, and rogue 
  remain unchanged. All other classes have been heavily modiﬁed 
  or outright eliminated in favor of classes that ﬁt the setting more 
  closely. Again, this need not be the case. Nothing stops a player from 
  bringing a druid, bard, or paladin character into Thieves’ World. One 
  could easily play a dragon disciple, a hierophant, or even a sorcerer 
  without unraveling the tone of the city. Clearly, incorporating all 
  the classes from the PHB will change how magic functions — the 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  section on Magic below goes into some detail on this matter — but 
  by using the guidelines for adapting classes on page 177 of the 
  Thieves’ World Player’s Manual, you can allow the base classes into 
  your games with some alteration. Classes with minor spellcasting 
  ability gain the initiate’s spell progression; bards and rangers gain 
  access to the witch spell list, while paladins gain access to the priest 
  spell list. Classes with major spellcasting ability, such as the sorcerer, 
  cleric, and wizard, are all suﬃciently covered by the mage and priest 
  classes. Monks are playable as-is, though they were excluded because 
  the anthologies feature no characters that correlate to the monk class. 
  Green Ronin’s Thieves’ World Gazetteer oﬀers more information for 
  adapting characters from other settings to Thieves’ World.
  MAGIC
  Perhaps the biggest change to the d20 system in Thieves’ World is magic. 
  In the anthologies, magic is ambiguous, strange and often unpredictable. 
  Each author brought his or her own vision of how magic worked to 
  the stories, and seeing the montage of diﬀerent systems, one might 
  be tempted to use the standard spellcasting rules in Thieves’ World. In 
  general, using the standard magic system will not ruin your Thieves’ 
  World experience, though it, again, diverges from the character of the 
  books. In this setting, magic, or sorcery, depends on mana, and how 
  spellcasters diﬀer is through the techniques used to harvest this magical 
  energy and cast spells. Mages use arcane formulas, priests use prayer, 
  and witches use their own essence. Understandably, the time it takes 
  to draw mana from the world is necessarily longer than it takes in a 
  standard d20 game. To compensate, spellcasters are unrestricted in their 
  spell choices and not forced into selecting spells of a particular level.
  If you opt to use the standard d20 magic system for your Thieves’ World 
  games, try to organize your classes into the same three categories: 
  magic, prayer, and witchcraft. Under this model, magic is the means 
  used by bards and wizards. Clerics and druids use prayer, and sorcerers 
  use witchcraft. If you use psionics, you will need to decide how it 
  ﬁts into the threefold model of magic, although it’s probably best to 
  treat it as a completely diﬀerent practice.
  Even if you use the standard d20 magic system, you can still take 
  advantage of a simpliﬁed version of the mana system by modifying 
  an area’s magic traits. The ambient mana ﬁeld can have any of the 
  following eﬀects.
  NORMAL MANA
  The mana ﬁeld functions normally. All spells, spell-like abilities, and 
  supernatural abilities function as written.
  HIGH MANA
  Spells are easier to cast. Select one of the following three eﬀects. 
  • Decrease the level increase imposed by applying metamagic eﬀects 
  by 1, to a minimum of 0. For example, a magic missile spell would 
  be the same eﬀective level as a silent magic missile.
  TABLE 6–1: LOW MANA FAILED CASTING
  d%
  Eﬀect
  01–19
  Spell rebounds on caster with normal eﬀect. If the spell cannot aﬀect the caster, it simply fails.
  20–23
  A 15-foot diameter circular pit opens beneath the caster’s feet; it is 10 feet deep per level of the caster.
  24–27
  The spell fails, but the target or targets of the spell are pelted with a rain of small objects (anything from ﬂowers to rotten fruit) which 
  disappear upon striking. The barrage continues for 1 round. During this time, the targets are blinded and must make Concentration 
  checks (DC 15 + spell level) to cast spells.
  28–31
  The spell aﬀects a random target or area. Randomly choose a diﬀerent target from among those in range of the spell or center the 
  spell at a random place within range of the spell. To generate direction randomly, roll 1d8 and count clockwise around the compass, 
  starting with south. To generate range randomly, roll 3d6. Multiply the result by 5 feet for close-range spells, 20 feet for medium-range 
  spells, or 80 feet for long-range spells.
  32–35
  The spell functions normally, but any material components are not consumed. The spell is not expended from the caster’s mind; a spell 
  slot or prepared spell can be used again. An item does not lose charges, and the eﬀect does not count against an item’s or spell-like 
  ability’s use limit. 
  36–39
  The spell does not function. Instead, everyone (friend or foe) within 30 feet of the caster receives the eﬀect of a heal spell.
  40–43
  The spell does not function. Instead, a deeper darkness and a silence eﬀect cover a 30-foot radius around the caster for 2d4 rounds.
  44–47
  The spell does not function. Instead, a reverse gravity eﬀect covers a 30-foot radius around the caster for 1 round. 
  48–51
  The spell functions, but shimmering colors swirl around the caster for 1d4 rounds. Treat this as a glitterdust eﬀect with a save DC of 
  10 + the level of the spell that generated this result.
  52–59
  Nothing happens. The spell does not function. Any material components are used up. The spell or spell slot is used up, and charges or 
  uses from an item are expended.
  60–71
  Nothing happens. The spell does not function. Any material components are not consumed. The spell is not expended from the caster’s 
  mind; a spell slot or prepared spell can be used again. An item does not lose charges, and the eﬀect does not count against an item’s 
  or spell-like ability’s use limit.
  72–98
  The spell functions normally.
  99–100
  The spell functions strongly. Saving throws against the spell incur a –2 penalty. The spell has the maximum possible eﬀect, as if it were 
  cast with the Maximize Spell feat. If the spell is already maximized with the feat, there is no further eﬀect. 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  • All spells and spell-like abilities are automatically considered 
  empowered, enlarged, quickened, maximized, or widened, or have 
  the beneﬁt of some other metamagic feat entirely. 
  • Reduce the eﬀective level of any given spell by 1, to a minimum 
  of 0-level. This does not modify the actual level of the spell, but 
  reduces the slot necessary for casting the spell. Thus, a ﬁreball is 
  still a 3rd-level spell for the purposes of its save DC, but requires 
  only a 2nd-level slot to cast it.
  LOW MANA
  In areas of low mana, spells become harder to cast. Even when 
  successfully cast, they often have unpredictable results. Whenever a 
  caster would cast a spell in a low mana ﬁeld, he must ﬁrst make a level 
  check (DC 15 + the level of the spell or eﬀect). If he fails the check, 
  the spell fails. If he succeeds at his check by just 1–5, he suﬀers the 
  eﬀect of a mana surge — roll 1d% and consult the following table. 
  If he succeeds by 6 or more, the spell is cast normally.
  NO MANA
  Some areas are entirely exhausted of mana, in which case magic 
  doesn’t work at all, as though the entire area were under the eﬀect 
  of an antimagic ﬁeld. Divination spells cannot detect subjects within 
  a no-mana area, nor can a spellcaster use teleport or another spell 
  to move in or out. The only exceptions to the “no magic” rule are 
  permanent planar portals, which function normally.
  SORCEROUS TECHNIQUES
  Sanctuary deﬁnes the three techniques for spellcasting as being 
  magic, prayer, and witchcraft. To retain this structure, but still use the 
  standard spellcasting system, you can apply sorcerous techniques to 
  reinforce the diﬀerences between the various types of spellcasters. 
  MAGIC
  Magic is the practice of harnessing magic through arcane formulas. A 
  spellcaster memorizes a speciﬁc spell recipe, and when he wants to cast 
  the spell, he must recite the proper words, replicate the appropriate 
  gestures, and have the material components for the spell to work. 
  Only wizards or other character classes who prepare their spells in 
  advance using a spellbook use this technique.
  By using magic to cast spells, the time it takes to cast is longer than 
  normal. Spells with casting times of a free or swift action are unchanged. 
  Spells with a casting time of 1 standard action now have a casting time 
  of 1 round. Spells with a casting time of 1 round or longer are doubled; 
  1 round becomes 2 rounds, 10 minutes becomes 20 minutes, and so 
  on. In exchange for the slower casting, wizard’s spells are harder to 
  resist, granting a +2 bonus to caster level checks made to bypass spell 
  resistance. This bonus stacks with the Spell Penetration and Greater 
  Spell Penetration feats.
  PRAYER
  Prayer is a special invocation from a worshipper to his deity to create 
  some magical eﬀect. A spellcaster simply prays; if his god favors him, 
  the request is granted. Some faiths have speciﬁc prayers for spells, 
  but for the sake of simplicity, all spellcasters who use prayer merely 
  state their desire and the eﬀect is granted. The potency of the spell, 
  however, depends on the deity’s mood. Clerics and paladins use this 
  technique.
  By using prayer to cast spells, the spellcaster is at the mercy of his 
  god’s moods. Each day, the GM secretly determines the deity’s 
  attitude by rolling 1d20 + the character’s level – the number of spells 
  the character cast on the previous day. He then compares the results 
  on the following table. 
  WITCHCRAFT
  Witchcraft is the practice of drawing mana into oneself and shaping 
  the energy into the desired eﬀect. A spellcaster calms his mind and 
  opens his spirit to accept the energies surrounding him. However, 
  because the spellcaster is the vehicle through which magic occurs, 
  the process is dangerous and draining. Druids, rangers, and sorcerers 
  use this technique.
  When using witchcraft to cast spells, a spellcaster may augment 
  his spells by using his life energy to supplement the mana used for 
  casting the spell. The spellcaster may choose to increase his caster 
  level. For every level increased, up to one-half his actual level higher, 
  the spellcaster takes nonlethal damage equal to 1d4 + the spell’s level. 
  For every level beyond that, the spellcaster takes lethal damage equal 
  to 1d4 + twice the spell’s level.  
  Example: A 6th-level sorcerer casts ﬁreball. Ordinarily the spell 
  deals 6d6 points of damage to all creatures in the area. However, 
  the sorcerer could increase his eﬀective caster level to 9th level, 
  dealing 9d6 points of damage, in exchange for taking 3d4+9 
  points of nonlethal damage. If wanted to push the spell to its 
  limit, he could increase his caster level to 10, letting the spell 
  do its maximum damage of 10d6, and take 3d4+9 points of 
  nonlethal damage and 1d4+6 points of lethal damage — likely 
  enough to render him unconscious in the process.
  ADAPTING THIEVES’ WORLD CLASSES
  If you opt not to use the magic system presented in the Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual, you can easily adapt the classes presented there. To 
  do so, follow these guidelines:
  • Godsworn: Godsworn use the paladin’s spell progression, counting 
  0-level priest spells as 1st-level spells. At 4th level, when they gain 
  spells, they gain 1 domain. If you use techniques, godsworn cast 
  spells using prayer.
  TABLE 6–2: DEITY MOOD
  Roll
  Mood
  Result
  1 or less
  Hostile
  The save DC decreases by –2
  2–9
  Unfriendly
  The save DC decreases by –1
  10–25
  Indiﬀerent
  Cast spells normally
  26–29
  Friendly
  The save DC increases by +1
  30 or more
  Helpful
  The save DC increases by +1 and 
  the spell is automatically extended, 
  as if cast with the Extend spell feat.
  DC modiﬁers here stack with other DC modiﬁers, such as those granted 
  by the Spell Focus feats.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  • Initiate: Initiates use the bard’s spell progression. If you use 
  techniques, initiates cast spells using witchcraft.
  • Mage: Mages use the wizard’s spell progression and must keep 
  spellbooks. If you use techniques, mages cast spells using magic.
  • Priest: Priests use the cleric’s spell progression. If you use 
  techniques, priests cast spells using prayer.
  • Witch: Witches use the sorcerer’s spell progression. If you use 
  techniques, witches, obviously, cast spells using witchcraft.
  VARIANTS
  In addition to the changes to magic and the exclusion of certain 
  classes, Thieves’ World also includes a number of special elements 
  to emphasize aspects of the setting. The following section provides 
  ways to restore concepts that have been removed from the setting, 
  or modify existing ones. Games with these variants can preserve that 
  vast majority of that Thieves’ World feel, but still tilt the campaign 
  back towards more familiar territory. 
  OPTION: ALLEGIANCES
  As a middle ground between standard alignment and none at all, you could institute an allegiance system. Allegiances are indications 
  of what the character values in life, and may encompass people, organizations, or ideals. A character may have up to three allegiances, 
  listed in order from most important to least. A character may have no allegiances at all, being either a free spirit or a lone wolf, or may 
  change allegiances as he or she goes through life. Also, just because the character ﬁts into a certain category of people doesn’t mean the 
  character must have that category as an allegiance.
  If the character acts in a way that is detrimental to his or her allegiance, the GM may choose to strip the character of that allegiance 
  and assign an allegiance more suitable to those actions. Having an allegiance implies having suﬃcient intelligence and wisdom to 
  make a moral or ethical choice. As a result, a character must have Intelligence and Wisdom scores of 3 or higher in order to select 
  allegiances.
  Allegiances include, but are not limited to, the following categories.
  PERSON OR GROUP
  This includes a leader or superior, a family, a group of linked individuals (such as a band of adventurers or a cell of cultists), or a discrete 
  unit within a larger organization (such as members of the character’s squad or platoon, or individuals whose safety the character is 
  responsible for).
  ORGANIZATION
  This may be a mercenary company or a guild, a gathering of like-minded individuals, a fraternal brotherhood, a secret society, a branch 
  of the military, a government, a university, an employer, or an otherwise established authority. 
  NATION
  This may or may not be the nation where the hero currently resides. It may be where the individual was born, or where the hero seeks 
  to reside after emigrating to a new home.
  BELIEF SYSTEM
  This is usually a particular faith or religion, but can also be a speciﬁc philosophy or school of thought. Belief systems could also include 
  political beliefs or philosophical outlooks.
  ETHICAL PHILOSOPHY
  This describes how one feels about order, as represented by law and chaos. An individual with a lawful outlook tends to tell the truth, 
  keep his or her word, respect authority, and honor tradition, and he or she expects others to do likewise. An individual with a chaotic 
  outlook tends to follow his or her instincts and whims, favor new ideas and experiences, and behave in a subjective and open manner 
  in dealings with others.
  MORAL PHILOSOPHY
  This describes one’s attitude toward others, as represented by good and evil. An individual with a good allegiance tends to protect 
  innocent life. This belief implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of other creatures. An evil allegiance shows a 
  willingness to hurt, oppress, and kill others, and to debase or destroy innocent life.
  ALLEGIANCES AND INFLUENCE
  An allegiance can create an empathic bond with others of the same allegiance. With the GMs permission, the character gains a +2 
  circumstance bonus on Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with someone of the same allegiance, as long as the character has 
  had some interaction with the other character to discover the connections and bring the bonus into play.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  ALIGNMENTS
  In a world of moral relativism, Thieves’ World does away with 
  alignments. In too many cases, characters are forced to act in 
  questionable ways to achieve a greater good. The most heroic acts 
  can be tainted by terrible deeds, such as when Molin, Arizak, and 
  Zarzakhan poisoned the horseﬂesh they fed to the child cultists in 
  the Palace. However, you may wish to use alignments in this setting, 
  perhaps to introduce Thieves’ World to your own campaign setting. If 
  so, you should probably relax how strictly alignments are interpreted, 
  allowing some leeway to characters with strong alignment barriers 
  before penalizing them for their actions. Sanctuary tends to bring 
  out the very worst in people, and paladins who spend a great deal 
  of time here are bound to lose their status in the face of such great 
  temptation. In addition, spells that have been added to replace those 
  that depend on alignments should be removed and replaced with 
  the appropriate alignment spells. For example, circle of protection is 
  not necessary in a world with alignments, so restore protection from 
  chaos/evil/good/law. 
  OLDER AND YOUNGER CHARACTERS
  The base for a character’s starting age is 15 plus a die roll that varies 
  according to his class and is modiﬁed by his background. In some 
  situations, you may want to allow younger or older characters. 
  Consider a game where the PCs are all urchins, living a tough life on 
  the streets of Sanctuary. Because of their experiences and hardships, 
  they begin their adventuring career earlier than normal characters, 
  but are still developing and so earn experience at a slower rate than 
  their adult counterparts. 
  Conversely, a party might consist of a group of veteran guards who, 
  after years of service, all retired around the same time. However, after 
  a plague sweeps through the watch, thinning their numbers, a new 
  crime lord emerges and threatens a neighborhood’s stability. The older 
  men and women decide to embark on one last foray and suit up in 
  their old uniforms to put a stop to the new threat.
  Both examples can oﬀer exciting opportunities for adventure, and 
  in ways not traditionally explored in most games. If a player has 
  an interest in taking the role of a younger or older hero, use the 
  following guidelines.
  YOUNGER HEROES
  To create a younger hero, you must ﬁrst decide how young your 
  character will be. If the character is between 8 and 11, he is considered 
  a child. If between 12 and 15, he is a young adult. 
  Children generate statistics as normal, but once placed, apply 
  the following adjustments: –3 to Strength, –3 Constitution, –1 
  Intelligence, –1 Wisdom, and –1 Charisma. As they adventure, in lieu 
  of gaining a level, a child PC may permanently reduce one of these 
  penalties by one point by spending 100 XP. Young adults generate 
  statistics as normal, and take no penalties to their ability scores.
  Neither children nor young adults begin play with a background. 
  Their starting skill points are equal to the normal skill points for 
  their class ×2, instead of ×4. (A child who buys oﬀ his Intelligence 
  penalty and increases his Intelligence modiﬁer as a result will gain 
  additional skill points retroactively.) At any point in their career, a 
  younger PC may spend 500 XP to purchase a background, at which 
  point they gain the rest of their skill points, chosen from those skills 
  gained from their ﬁrst class.
  Example: Jimmy is a young adult and a 1st-level thief, netting 
  him skill points equal to (9 + his Intelligence modiﬁer) × 2. He 
  earns 500 XP and decides to buy a background; having done 
  so, he gains (9 + his Intelligence modiﬁer) × 2 more skill points 
  immediately.
  Younger heroes are all Small creatures, becoming Medium at 15 
  years of age. As Small creatures, young heroes gain a +1 size bonus 
  to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus 
  on Hide checks, but they use smaller weapons than Medium-sized 
  humans use, and their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters 
  of those of a Medium character. Finally, they take a -4 penalty to 
  Grapple checks and their Massive Damage Threshold.
  Young heroes gain a number of beneﬁts. Children are lucky, gaining a 
  +2 bonus to all saves. (They lose this beneﬁt should they pay oﬀ all of 
  their age penalties.) In addition, young heroes are generally beneath 
  notice. In a combat, their opponents do not attack them unless they 
  are ﬁrst attacked (or robbed) by the young hero, or if there are no 
  other combatants. 
  OLDER HEROES
  You may permit players to take the roles of older heroes. These 
  characters typically begin at a higher level than other characters do, 
  but the older the character, the less likely he is able to resist massive 
  damage. 
  Old characters are between 60 and 79 years of age. They take a -2 
  penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, but gain a +2 bonus 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Old characters all 
  begin play at 2nd-level, or at 1 level higher than the average character 
  level of the party. However, they take a -2 age penalty to their massive 
  damage threshold, in addition to the reduction imposed by the loss 
  of Constitution
  Venerable characters are 80 years or older. They take a -3 penalty 
  to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, but gain a +3 bonus to 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Old characters all begin 
  play at 3rd-level, or 2 levels higher than the average character level 
  in the party. However, they suﬀer a -8 age penalty to their massive 
  damage threshold, in addition to the reduction imposed by the loss 
  of Constitution.
  OPTION: ACTION POINTS
  Action points give players the means to affect game play in 
  signiﬁcant ways, by improving important rolls or unlocking special 
  abilities and class features. However, action points also add a certain 
  cinematic ﬂair to the game, which may or may not match the tone 
  of how you see Thieves’ World. Think carefully before implementing 
  them. Each character has a limited number of action points; once 
  an action point is spent, it is gone for good.
  ACQUIRING ACTION POINTS
  A beginning (1st-level) character starts the game with 5 action 
  points. A character above 1st level starts the game with a number of 
  action points equal to 5 + 1/2 his current character level. Every time 
  a character advances, he gains a number of action points equal to 5 
  +1/2 his new character level. 
  USING ACTION POINTS
  A character may spend 1 action point to add to a single d20 roll 
  (such as an attack roll, saving throw, spellcasting check, or the like) 
  or to take a special action. A character may spend only 1 action 
  point in a round. If the character spends an action point to use a 
  special action, that character cannot spend another to improve the 
  die roll, or vice versa.
  ADD TO THE ROLL
  A character may expend 1 action point to improve a d20 roll, such 
  as an attack roll, save, skill check, by 1d6. A character can declare 
  this usage after the roll has been, but only before the GM reveals 
  whether that roll was a success or failure. A character may not use 
  an action point to modify the result when taking 10 or taking 20.
  Depending on the character’s level (see Table 6–3: Action Point 
  Dice), the player may be able to roll more than one d6 and apply 
  the best result. The player of a 15th-level character, for instance, gets 
  to roll 3d6 and add the highest die to his d20 roll. 
  SPECIAL ACTIONS
  A character can perform certain tasks by spending an action 
  point. 
  • Activate Class Ability: A character can spend 1 action point to 
  gain an extra use of a class ability that has a limited number of 
  uses per day. For instance, a barbarian may spend an action point 
  to gain another use of rage, or a priest might spend an action 
  point to gain another use of channel divine power.
  • Act Out of Turn: As a free action, a character may spend 1 action 
  point to act before his position in the initiative order. (This may 
  not be done in a surprise round.) After acting, the character 
  returns to his former place in the order, and is considered ﬂat-
  footed until his next round.
  • Boost Defense: A character can spend 1 action point as a free 
  action when ﬁghting defensively. This gives him double the 
  normal beneﬁts for ﬁghting defensively for the entire round. (+4 
  dodge bonus to AC; +6 if he has 5 or more ranks in Tumble.)
  TABLE 6–3: ACTION POINT DICE
  Character Level
  Action Point Dice Rolled
  1st–7th
  1d6
  8th–14th
  2d6
  15th–21st
  3d6
  22nd–29th
  4d6
  30th or higher
  5d6
  NPCS AND ACTION POINTS
  Only the most powerful and important NPCs should have action 
  points. In these instances, an NPC has a number of action points 
  equal to 1/2 his character level. 
  
  - 183 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  6–4: CLASS DODGE BONUSES
  ——— Dodge Bonus by Progression ———
  Level/HD
  Amazing
  Good
  Fair
  Poor
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +0
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +0
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +0
  +0
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +0
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +1
  6th
  +2
  +2
  +1
  +1
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +1
  8th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +1
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +2
  +2
  10th
  +4
  +3
  +2
  +2
  11th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +2
  12th
  +5
  +4
  +3
  +2
  13th
  +5
  +4
  +3
  +3
  14th
  +6
  +4
  +4
  +3
  15th
  +6
  +5
  +4
  +3
  16th
  +6
  +5
  +4
  +3
  17th
  +7
  +5
  +4
  +4
  18th
  +7
  +6
  +5
  +4
  19th
  +8
  +6
  +5
  +4
  20th
  +8
  +6
  +5
  +4
  • Emulate Feat: At the beginning of a character’s turn, he may 
  spend 1 action point as a free action to gain the beneﬁt of a feat 
  that he does not have. He must meet the prerequisites of the feat, 
  if any. He retains the beneﬁt of the feat until the beginning of 
  his next turn.
  • Extra Attack: During any round in which a character takes a full 
  attack action, he may spend 1 action point to make an extra attack 
  at his highest attack bonus. Action points may be used in this way 
  with either melee and ranged attacks.
  • Surge: A character can spend 1 action point to gain an extra move 
  action. 
  VARIANT: CLASS DODGE BONUS
  With the class dodge bonus variant rule in eﬀect, characters get 
  better at avoiding damage in the same manner that they improve at 
  ﬁghting opponents in combat. This system works well for GMs who 
  want campaigns where heavy armor is uncommon and people have a 
  greater chance of surviving viscious combats when just wearing their 
  normal plain clothes.
  As a character increases in level, he acquires dodge bonuses based on 
  his classes. As with other class-based numbers, a multiclass character 
  adds his bonuses from each class to calculate his total dodge bonus. 
  A character’s total dodge bonus consists of his dodge bonuses from 
  all sources, plus his Dexterity modiﬁer. (Dodge bonuses stack, unlike 
  most types of bonus.) A suit of armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus 
  is changed to its maximum dodge bonus. 
  Example: A character with a 14 Dexterity and a +3 dodge 
  bonus would have a total dodge bonus of +5 (+2 Dex, +3 dodge). 
  If he were wearing hide armor, however, he’d be limited by its 
  maximum dodge bonus of +4, giving him a ﬁnal AC of 18 (+4 
  armor, +4 dodge).
  The chart below gives the dodge progression for every PC and NPC 
  class used in the Thieves’ World setting. If using a class not listed here, 
  such as a prestige classes, give it the progression of the class with 
  the closest concept or role. For example, most classes that depend 
  on divine spellcasting ability will have a “fair” dodge progression. 
  Warriors that use heavy armor will use the “good” progression, and 
  warriors proﬁcient with only light or medium armor will have access 
  to the “amazing” dodge progression.
  RUNNING THE GAME
  Thieves’ World games may seem similar to other games at ﬁrst, but 
  it soon becomes clear that there are some fundamental diﬀerences 
  in style, atmosphere, and setting. Understanding these diﬀerences 
  can help you make appropriate decisions when running a game in 
  Sanctuary and help you avoid the pitfalls of bringing attitudes from 
  standard play into the grungiest city in fantasy.
  Atmosphere shows perhaps the most obvious changes. Thieves’ World 
  does not reward self-sacriﬁce, noble deeds, or virtue. Such things 
  tend to lead to dying alone in a gutter, hand pressed to a neck, vainly 
  stanching the blood from a sliced artery. No, Thieves’ World is about 
  surviving in the streets, which means that the people of this city, in 
  order to make it to the next day, do whatever it takes to live. The 
  “heroes” of this setting are likely to be beggars, drunkards, whores, 
  and thieves—not your usual gang of adventurers. Likewise, their 
  enemies are not goblins or dragons or swarms of demons on distant 
  planes. Instead, they’re more likely to be drug pushers in the Maze, 
  psychopathic murderers, a gang of hoods, an insidious band of cultists, 
  a dirty constable, a rapist, or each other. 
  When it comes to style, this setting is not about kicking down doors 
  and killing everyone inside for their gold, although butchering cultists 
  could oﬀer similar thrills. Dungeon crawls, if they happen at all, are 
  more often nothing more than convoluted routes to reach some other 
  Class
  Dodge Progression
  Barbarian, ranger
  Amazing
  Aristocrat, assassin, ﬁghter, godsworn, 
  noble, thief, warrior
  Good
  Expert, initiate, priest, savant, witch 
  Fair
  Commoner, mage
  Poor
  Creature Type
  Dodge Progression
  Dragons, magical beasts, outsiders
  Amazing
  Aberrations, constructs, elementals, giants, 
  monstrous humanoids
  Good
  Animals, humanoids, oozes, plants, vermin
  Fair
  Fey, undead
  Poor
  
  - 184 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  THIEVES’ WORLD GAMES
  People familiar with the Thieves’ World stories know that more often than not, the protagonist is rarely better oﬀ by the end of the story 
  than he was at the start. Shadowspawn came into a lot of money early on, but wound up stuck in a well and was forced to leave his 
  fortune submerged in the brackish water. For all of Zip’s eﬀorts, he never achieved the status he long craved, and Strat never restored 
  his romance with Ischade. 
  When designing adventures for Thieves’ World, failure should be the norm. This isn’t to say that characters should die every session, 
  but rather, they should come away about the same as when they started. While the party might save the girl from a cult, the girl could 
  (and probably should) contract a terrible disease that eventually kills her anyway. Sanctuary is a city of futility and your games should 
  reﬂect this sensibility.
  location. A band of characters might travel through the undercity to 
  slip inside the Palace, a temple, or beyond the city walls. In a standard 
  d20 game, the “dungeon” may serve as the destination; in Thieves’ 
  World, it’s just another obstacle to the real goal.
  Lastly, there’s the setting. The anthologies are set in Sanctuary, and 
  while the city exists in a larger world, the authors don’t waste a lot 
  of words describing distant lands. Sure, Ranke lies somewhere to 
  the north. Modern civilization rests on the triumphs and failures of 
  ancient Enlibar and Yenized. We know the Stepson fought in places 
  like Syr, Tyse, Wizardwall, and more. But to the average Sanctan, 
  these places may as well not exist, so far away and fantastic they are. A 
  journey for a Wrigglie is the long walk to Land’s End Retreat or from 
  the Bazaar to the old ruins on the Avenue of Temples. A distant trek, 
  one not undertaken too often, might be a walk to one of the satellite 
  villages that support the city. To travel to someplace like Ranke is 
  virtually unthinkable. As a result, your games should take place here, 
  in Sanctuary, amidst the dirt and squalor. Have no fear. Sanctuary 
  has enough adventure for a dozen campaign settings.
  VARIANT: ROUND ROBIN GM-ING
  One of the most interesting aspects of the Thieves’ World anthologies 
  is that, despite having been written by a number of diﬀerent authors, 
  all the short stories are united under one overarching plot. You can 
  bring this style and sensibility to your Thieves’ World campaign by 
  running games in the same way. Each player takes a turn running 
  the game, weaving their own stories. This is a most rewarding style 
  of play, as it allows each player to experiment and tell his own story, 
  while allowing the traditional GM a chance to take the role of a 
  character. Essentially, the job of GM is shared among the entire 
  group.
  When setting up such a campaign, one member of the group should 
  serve as the Lead GM. This individual establishes the general thematic 
  framework in which the adventures will take place. Focus on a central 
  idea, such as “the Beysib come to Sanctuary,” “Ranke withdraws 
  from the city,” “Arizak hosts a tournament,” “the Dyareelans are 
  becoming active,” or the like. Once established, all of the players 
  generate characters. The Lead GM then runs the PCs through a 
  scenario, just as he would in any other game. However, at the end of 
  the adventure, another player takes over. The rest of the players can 
  generate new characters, play the same characters, or some mix of 
  the two. The new GM should tailor his adventure so that it ties into 
  the overarching plot established by the Lead GM. With each new 
  scenario, another player takes over as GM until everyone who wants 
  to participate takes a turn.
  This style is not for all groups; some players have no interest in running 
  a game. But, for groups with several capable GMs, this option oﬀers 
  control of the story to the players, allowing the group to have input 
  into the future of the city and the nature of the campaign. 
  VARIANT: CHARACTER CLUSTERS
  Another way to handle the anthology nature of Thieves’ World is to 
  allow the players to create character clusters. A character cluster is a 
  set of three characters with something in common. Their degree of 
  association may be close, such as being part of the same family, or 
  only coincidentally, like all sharing the same unusual eye color. They 
  could be childhood friends, drinking buddies, or even co-workers. 
  Each adventure, the player gets to choose which of his characters he 
  wants to bring into play. This allows the player to experiment with 
  diﬀerent characters while also maintaining some logical coherence 
  that justiﬁes the association between his characters. Furthermore, if 
  the group is short a player, there are already characters ready to ﬁll 
  the missing slot.
  
  - 185 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  The character of the cluster in play is considered the primary character, 
  while the other two characters are secondary characters. While 
  the primary character goes on the adventure and earns experience, 
  it’s expected the other characters aren’t just hanging around doing 
  nothing. In fact, they earn experience on their own. Whenever the 
  primary character earns XP, his secondary characters also earn XP. 
  Divide the secondary character’s level by the level of the primary 
  character. Multiply this result by the total XP awarded to the PC, 
  and divide that number of experience points as you wish between 
  the secondary characters.
  Example: Jon’s character cluster consists of a barbarian, a thief, 
  and a witch. For the current adventure, he plays his barbarian, 
  and he and the rest of the PCs put an end to a kidnapping ring. 
  The GM awards Jon’s barbarian 1,000 XP. The characters in 
  his cluster are all 1st level, so Jon divides 1 by 1 and multiplies 
  the result by the XP he earned. His secondary characters have 
  1,000 XP to divide as Jon likes between them (1/1 = 1 × 1000 
  = 1000).
  Later, Jon’s barbarian is now a 3rd level character, and his 
  secondary characters are each 2nd level. Jon earns 2,000 XP at 
  the end of another adventure. He divides 2 by 3 getting a result 
  of .67 which he then multiplies by 2000 XP, giving him 1,340 
  to divide between his other characters.
  If one of the characters in the cluster dies, the player may replace his 
  lost character with a new one, though he may need to come up with 
  a new rationale that connects the cluster. The replacement character’s 
  level is one less than the one that died.
  PLAYING IN A CITY
  Adventures in a city are unlike those set in the wilderness or in the 
  depths of a dank dungeon. There are many things to contend with 
  that characters wouldn’t ordinarily think about. For one, a city is 
  full of people. This means that, in any given combat, there are likely 
  innocent bystanders who are at risk whenever a ﬁght breaks out. Also, 
  a city is akin to a living organism. The environment is constantly in 
  ﬂux. Wagons roll down streets. People dump “nightsoil” out their 
  windows. Weather is always a factor, and the general layout of the 
  city varies with the neighborhood. This section gives you the tools 
  to ﬂesh out an urban environment on the ﬂy and breathe life into 
  city-based encounters.
  CROWDS
  As a community, there are people everywhere. Any time the PCs get 
  into a ﬁght, there are witnesses, bystanders, and potential victims. 
  Horses, dogs, cats, and carts and wagons interfere. As a crowd moves, 
  it may block line of sight. A reckless mage who lobs a ﬁreball at a 
  ﬂeeing cultist and kills a dozen commoners in the process is likely 
  to be treated as badly as the cultist he was after.
  To reﬂect the presence of crowds, every encounter should have a 
  Crowd Level, which ranges from 0 (no other people, such as in 
  an empty room, tunnel, or in the open wilderness) to 7 (a packed 
  marketplace like the Bazaar or the Crook). The GM can either 
  assign the Crowd Level or roll randomly (1d6) if action breaks out 
  unexpectedly. If he rolls, add +1 to the roll if it’s during the day and 
  subtract 1 if at night. Depending on the crowd level, the combatants 
  take certain penalties to attacks and movement, as described on Table 
  6–5: Crowd Level Eﬀects.
  If the table indicates a melee or ranged penalty, treat it as a 
  circumstance penalty to attack rolls. (The Precise Shot feat halves this 
  penalty.) If an attack would have hit the target if not for the penalty, 
  a bystander is hit, instead. Where movement is indicated, multiply 
  the number by the character’s speed to determine the movement 
  rate through the crowd. Finally, standing within a crowd grants the 
  indicated bonus to a Hide check as a circumstance bonus.
  Each round after the combat breaks out, the crowd disperses, reducing 
  the crowd level by 1. Though the crowd thins, there is also the chance 
  that the watch will show up to take matters into their hands, as 
  determined by the neighborhood’s vigilance score (see page 41 for 
  details on vigilance).
  For more information on adventuring in cities, be sure to review 
  Urban Adventures in Chapter Three: Adventuring as described 
  in the DMG.
  URBAN ENVIRONMENT
  Table 6–6: Urban Environment provides a hundred minor details 
  for you to drop into the description of a scene in the city. 
  TABLE 6–5: CROWD LEVEL EFFECTS
  Crowd Level
  Melee Penalty
  Ranged Penalty
  Movement
  HideBonus
  0
  0
  0
  ×1
  +0
  1
  0
  –1
  ×1
  +0
  2
  0
  –2
  ×1
  +0
  3
  –1
  –3
  ×3/4
  +1
  4
  –2
  –4
  ×3/4
  +2
  5
  –3
  –5
  ×1/2
  +3
  6
  –4
  –6
  ×1/2
  +4
  7
  –5
  –7
  ×1/4
  +5
  
  - 186 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  TABLE 6–6: URBAN SET DRESSINGS
  1
  Abandoned merchant wagon
  2
  Wishing fountain (with 1d100 
  cp at the bottom)
  3
  Drinking fountain
  4
  Public square
  5
  Small park
  6
  Large park
  7
  Private, walled garden
  8
  Beggar
  9
  Street gutter for sewage
  10
  Gazebo
  11
  Wandering food vendor
  12
  Wandering vendor of opah
  13
  Merchant selling out of a wagon
  14
  Statue of local historical ﬁgure
  15
  Statue of local deity
  16
  Statue of local folklore character
  17
  Public shrine
  18
  Alley concealed behind a banner
  19
  Crier shouting out local laws
  20
  Crier shouting out employment 
  opportunities
  21
  Priest publicly preaching
  22
  Column with handwritten 
  banners stuck on with tar
  23
  Large sundial
  24
  Lamplighter on stilts
  25
  Walled and gated community of 
  aﬄuent citizens
  26
  Empty building for sale suitable 
  for a business
  27
  Empty house for sale
  28
  Musicians or poets performing 
  for donations
  29
  Open market
  30
  School (magic, unarmed 
  combat, swordplay, languages, or 
  woodcraft)
  31
  Orphanage
  32
  Poorhouse
  33
  Shipyard, cartwright, or 
  wainwright
  34
  Business that acts as “front” for 
  an illegal activity or guild
  35
  Guardhouse or barracks
  36
  Arena (fencing, sports, bear 
  baiting pit, gladiatorial games, 
  possibly now defunct)
  37
  Public stage
  38
  Bank
  39
  Food shop (bakery, butcher shop, 
  brewery, dairy, ﬁsh monger)
  40
  Craft shop (tannery, blacksmith’s, 
  joiner, ceramics, cooper’s, 
  instrument maker’s, chandler’s)
  41
  Tea house, coﬀee shop, or similar 
  social gathering place
  42
  Warehouse
  43
  Sewer entrance (fouled well, 
  drain, open sewer pit)
  44
  Public baths
  45
  Public dump
  46
  Public punishment (ﬂogging, 
  execution)
  47
  Criminals in iron cages
  48
  Burned-out inn
  49
  Lines of hung laundry
  50
  Smokehouse
  51
  Library (public, private, or 
  associated with a guild)
  52
  Stray cat
  53
  People dumping sewage into the 
  streets
  54
  Small jail with lone guard
  55
  Bell tower
  56
  Docks
  57
  Dock house
  58
  Swarm of rats
  59
  Playhouse
  60
  Professional courtesan
  61
  Unmarked courtesan house
  62
  Unconscious mugging victim
  63
  Graveyard
  64
  Sick house
  65
  Dance hall
  66
  Entertainment establishment 
  (gambling house, fortune teller, 
  theater)
  67
  Cistern
  68
  Pack of wild dogs
  69
  Street urchins seeking temporary 
  employment
  70
  Carnival performers
  71
  Canal traveled by punts
  72
  Street busker
  73
  Vandalized shop
  74
  Graﬃti indicating gang 
  boundary
  75
  Landmark of local holy man
  76
  Bridge (over canal, river, or lower 
  street)
  77
  Tunnel under poor section of 
  town
  78
  Tannery (smelly section of the 
  town)
  79
  Catacombs (for burial of citizens 
  only)
  80
  Cattle pens
  81
  Crematorium
  82
  Public auction
  83
  Marble main road
  84
  Ragman (buys and sells scrap 
  fabric)
  85
  Rubbish man (carts garbage away 
  from town)
  86
  Shepherd with ﬂock blocking 
  path
  87
  Guard post
  88
  Building under construction
  89
  Building being torn down
  90
  Subterranean old city, ruined
  91
  Bathhouse
  92
  House under quarantine for 
  plague
  93
  Crier declaring a new law
  94
  Historical marker
  95
  Statue of local ruler
  96
  Windmill
  97
  Water wheel
  98
  Shop closed for foreign holiday
  99
  Public art/murals
  100
  Abandoned section of town 
  (believed haunted or cursed
  
  - 187 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  TABLE 6–7: DISEASES OF SANCTUARY
  Disease
  Infection
  DC
  Incubation
  Damage
  Anthrax
  Varies
  14
  1d2 days
  1d4 Con †
  Boils
  Injury
  15
  1 day
  1d2 Dex, 1d2 Con
  Bone Sickness
  Injury
  13
  1 day
  1d6 Dex, –10 ft. speed
  Cholera
  Ingested/Contact
  15
  10+2d4 hours
  2d6 hp and 1d2 Con
  Coughing Sickness*
  Inhaled
  12
  1d2 days
  1d2 Con
  Delirium Fever
  Coughing Sickness
  16
  —
  1d3 Str, 1d3 Int, 1d3 Wis, insanity as the spell
  Dysentery*
  Ingestion
  13
  1d3 days
  1 Con and 1d2 Dex
  Fly sickness
  Injury
  12
  1d3 days
  1d2 Str and 1d2 Con
  Gangrene
  Injury
  12
  1d4 days
  1d3 Str and 1d3 Con
  Leprosy
  Contact
  16
  2d6 weeks
  1d2 Dex and 1d6 Cha
  Shrieks
  Inhaled
  18
  1d3 days
  Special
  Swamp Fever
  Inhaled
  14
  1 day
  1d3 Str and 1d3 Con †
  Venereal Disease †
  Contact
  12
  1 week
  1 Dex and 1 Con
  *A character suﬀering from coughing sickness that fails three consecutive saving throws contracts delirium fever on the fourth day.
  † This disease deals ability drain instead of ability damage.
  ADVENTURES
  The city of Sanctuary is an exciting place. Something is always 
  happening here… usually several things at once. Strangers arrive 
  daily, business deals are made and broken, items are found and 
  lost, bought and sold, and assassins seek out their victims. Life in 
  Sanctuary is rarely dull, which makes it the ideal place to set your 
  adventures. 
  Any one of the following elements of the city could serve as the basis 
  for an exciting game; combine two or three and watch your players 
  grin with anticipation.
  VARIED NEIGHBORHOODS
  Anything from the posh (the Hill or Land’s End Retreat, depending 
  on the era) to the average (the West Side) to the impoverished 
  (Downwind or the Hill) can be found here, often right next to each 
  other. Characters can wander easily between areas, which allows for 
  a wider array of encounters.
  DUNGEON
  The Undercity is vast, stretching from one end of Sanctuary to another, 
  and few people know about its underground passages. Even fewer 
  have explored them, which means that items—and people—might 
  have been down there for centuries, waiting to be discovered.
  POLITICS
  Whether it’s between the Rankans and the Ilsigi, the locals and the 
  Beysib, or the Irrune and the Dyareelans, Sanctuary always has at 
  least two powerful groups vying for control. There’s even a few whose 
  vested interest is in keeping things just the way they are, without 
  any group having overwhelming superiority. That means a lot of 
  maneuvering, and opportunities for the astute and the circumspect 
  to make themselves useful, and earn a lot of money and status in 
  the process. 
  DISEASE
  Aside from ﬁre, one of the biggest threats to any city is plague. 
  With open sewers, roaming animals, and bustling marketplaces with 
  merchants from all over the world, a city is a hotbed for contagion. 
  Sanctuary is notorious for its frequent struggles with disease. What 
  follows are several diseases common in this setting.
  THE SHRIEKS
  The shrieks is a terrible airborne plague that came from the reformed 
  Kingdom of Ilsig and spread south along the trade routes, carried 
  by merchants and visiting priests. Soon after contact, the victim 
  experiences a headache, nausea, and tremors. After a couple of days, 
  he feels as though his bones are popping and suﬀers terribly as the 
  virus liqueﬁes his organs, lending the disease its name. After few 
  more days, the victim dies, bloats, and bursts, spraying foul-smelling 
  watery ﬂuid everywhere. 
  Those exposed to the disease must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save. 
  On a failed save, the disease incubates in 1d3 days, at which time, it 
  deals 1d3 points of Dex and Con damage. Each day thereafter, the 
  victim must succeed on a new saving throw, except the DC increases 
  by +2 for every day beyond the ﬁrst. If the victim succeeds at three 
  saves in a row, he recovers.
  
  - 188 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  RELIGION.
  Ils Thousand-Eyed has a temple here, dominating the Avenue of 
  Temples. But so did Vashanka, and so do many other gods. Moreover, 
  Dyareela is always nearby, even though her temple was banned from 
  the city decades ago. The gods have a strong interest in Sanctuary and 
  its residents — so much so that they occasionally intervene personally. 
  It makes the city a dangerous place, but it also means that the faithful 
  can be rewarded, and with more than just an answered prayer.
  MAGIC
  Only three Great Mages are powerful enough to let their name and 
  location be publicly known. One of them, Enas Yorl, resides here in 
  Sanctuary. In the past, the city has also housed Lythande the Adept 
  of the Blue Star, Markmor, Mizraith, and others. The locals have 
  grown used to the notion of magic, at least, and many of them have 
  seen its presence. Moreover, you’ll ﬁnd charlatans of varied motives 
  and skill. Sanctuary is certainly the sort of place where one can be 
  duped by someone claiming to be a magic-user. (People lie like rugs 
  in Sanctuary!)
  DESPERATION
  Sanctuary has suﬀered a great deal, and so have its citizens. Work is 
  often scarce, and the city has weathered shortages of food and water. 
  War, famine, and plague often sweep across the land, leaving everyone 
  desperate for work, for money, for food, or simply for validation. 
  Desperate people take risks. Sometimes those risks pay oﬀ in a big 
  way, and other times they backﬁre, and someone else can proﬁt from 
  the resulting disaster.
  FREEDOM
  More than anything else, Sanctuary is a place where people can be 
  themselves — which is also to say that they can pretend to be someone 
  else. The rich and powerful openly ﬂaunt their wealth up on the Hill, 
  while the poor immigrants acknowledge and practice their trades in 
  the Shambles. Those who have no scruples can carve out a decent life 
  in the Maze, and those whose art or craftsmanship is good enough can 
  set up shop along Pyrtanis. Even the prostitutes can work openly along 
  the Street of Red Lanterns. Men and women may die for what they’ve 
  done and who they are, but it’s usually what they’ve done since they 
  arrived in the city. Sanctuary oﬀers everyone a second chance.
  BUILDING ADVENTURES
  One of the keys to a good game is to keep things moving. This is 
  particularly true in a place like Sanctuary. Just because the Governor 
  and his Hell Hounds are oﬀ searching for a missing courier does 
  not mean the government grinds to a halt. Likewise, if the Vulgar 
  Unicorn closes for repairs, it doesn’t mean that life in the Maze stops 
  for everyone else. Those who stand still too long in Sanctuary get run 
  over. Keep that in mind when you set up your adventure. Have an 
  idea what all the other factions are doing as the story progresses. If 
  the player characters do something that will attract attention, other 
  people’s plans will shift to accommodate the new situation. But if 
  their actions do not impinge on others, those others will continue 
  their own activities. And, even though these background characters 
  are acting oﬀstage, repercussions from their plans may aﬀect the 
  player characters later. 
  Thus, if a pack of merchants tries cheating the governor and gets 
  caught, the player characters may emerge from the Maze to ﬁnd 
  out that the ‘Tween has been temporarily closed, and they’ll have 
  to ﬁnd a new way out of the city. The most successful in Sanctuary 
  survive by watching everything, even things that don’t directly concern 
  them. One never knows when something interesting will cross your 
  path, and if you weren’t prepared, you could lose an opportunity—or 
  something far more valuable.
  What follows are several micro-adventures, or adventure seeds, for 
  Sanctuary. They are divided between the two main eras for play, the 
  Rankan Era and the Irrune Era. None of the adventures below are 
  complete, nor are they meant to be. These are sketches of ideas that you 
  can use for your own adventures and campaigns, but more substantial 
  than those presented on Table 6–7: One Hundred Thieves’ World 
  Adventure Ideas. Where you take them, and how they will end, 
  will depend upon both you and your players. Rather than dictating 
  an outcome, or even a pace, we’ve described the set-up for each idea, 
  and some possible results. You can pick the result you like, or create 
  a new one of your own, but this way you have some initial events to 
  get things moving, and you can build your own plots from there. 
  RANKAN ERA ADVENTURES
  The Rankan Era is a popular period in Sanctuary, in part because 
  the ﬁrst series takes place here. This means you can use all manner 
  of existing characters in your stories. Lythande might request aid 
  from a rogue magician (perhaps as a prelude to joining the Adepts 
  of the Blue Star); Shadowspawn could botch a job and need backup 
  to retrieve the loot; Tempus could hire foot-soldiers to aid him in his 
  vendetta against Jubal. The possibilities of adventures involving the 
  established characters of the ﬁrst series are wide and varied. 
  The Rankan Era is also a time of great turmoil, when established 
  legal, political and social patterns are destroyed utterly and everyone is 
  scrambling to reassert their control, or to grab a coveted spot. Fortunes 
  change overnight here, and you can never tell what will happen next. 
  Even the gods do not know how events will turn out…even when 
  they try to tak ea direct hand in shaping events.
  A BLADE OF SHADE
  A beggar tugs on your sleeve as you pass through Shambles 
  Cross. “Spare a copper for an old man?” he asks, his one good 
  hand held out, palm up. “I kin show ye something worth lots 
  more, if ye’re keen to it.”
  The beggar leads you to an old warehouse, near the south end 
  of Pyrtanis. The building has been gutted by ﬁre, and most of 
  it has collapsed. Trash has collected under the blackened beams, 
  and he points to a particular pile of rags, splinters, and waste. 
  “There,” he says, grinning. “Worth a mite more, I’d say.”
  If you dig through the rubbish, you ﬁnd a sword. A very strange 
  one. Its handle is wrapped in an odd gray material, and at ﬁrst, 
  
  - 189 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  Roll
  Adventure Seeds
  01
  A dismembered body is found in the Maze.
  02
  A showman advertises a zombie in the Shambles, 
  charging 1 padpol for a glimpse.
  03
  Weird lights dance in the windows of an 
  abandoned house.
  04
  A new drug hits the streets, more addictive 
  than opah.
  05
  A gang of urchins terrorizes a merchant family.
  06
  A traveling carnival comes to the Caravan 
  Depot.
  07
  A pair of S’danzo are found dead in an alley.
  08
  Plague!
  09
  Married men all over the city are starting to 
  disappear.
  10
  An assassin slaughters an entire gang.
  11
  War breaks out between two crime lords.
  12
  A famous mural is defaced.
  13
  A member of the watch is found murdered.
  14
  Tournament!
  15
  A holy man of a strange new god starts preaching 
  on the processional.
  16
  The Black Tooth Barbarians invade.
  17
  A strange ship is spotted at sea.
  18
  Fishermen are losing their traps to something 
  that lives in the sea.
  19
  Two mages declare war on one another.
  20
  A religious relic is stolen.
  21
  A strange altar is uncovered in the Swamp of 
  Night’s Secrets.
  22
  Hurricane!
  23
  Someone poisoned a batch of beer at the Vulgar 
  Unicorn.
  24
  Someone is killing prostitutes.
  25
  Arizak’s health takes a turn for the worse.
  26
  A new brothel opens and takes business from the 
  Aphrodesia House and the Lily Garden.
  27
  The Governor is kidnapped!
  28
  Cultist activity in the undercity is on the rise.
  29
  A mysterious weapon shop opens in the Maze.
  30
  Work begins on a new Temple of Heqt.
  31
  Representatives from Ranke/Ilsig come to 
  the city.
  32
  Tempus returns!
  33
  A mercenary group arrives from some distant 
  land/world and hires themselves out to the 
  Governor.
  34
  Mana ﬁeld ﬂuctuations.
  35
  An old box is washed up on shore.
  36
  Ghosts haunt a tavern/restaurant/inn.
  37
  Civil war destabilizes Ranke further, and Ilsigi 
  soldiers are on the march to seize Sanctuary.
  Roll
  Adventure Seeds
  38
  Descendants of the bandits in the Queen’s 
  Mountains raid the outlying caravans.
  39
  A band of tomb robbers have awakened 
  something in the Gray Wastes, and it followed 
  them to Sanctuary.
  40
  Another group of Rankan refugees come to the 
  city, but one of them is an imposter.
  41
  A traveler comes to the city claiming that he 
  knows the ﬁnal resting place of Kadakithis.
  42
  A powerful mage moves into the ruins once held 
  by the Purple Mage.
  43
  Someone finds the entrance to Enas Yorl’s 
  manse.
  44
  Raggah horsemen come to the city to trade.
  45
  The current emperor of Ranke flees an 
  assassination attempt in the capital to settle 
  here.
  46
  Inﬁghting among the Peers turns bloody.
  47
  A group of children discover an old Hawk-mask 
  safe house.
  48
  Undead walk the streets once more.
  49
  A strange man appears in the city.
  50
  A mutant creature emerges from the Swamp of 
  Night Secrets and starts killing.
  51
  A ship comes to port bearing a dozen Mrsevedan 
  sailors, all bound and determined to make 
  trouble.
  52
  A mob of displaced people have made a long 
  journey across the Gray Wastes after escaping 
  terrible slavery at some tyrant’s hand.
  53
  Ilsig and Ranke go to war.
  54
  New pirates harry the southern coast, preying on 
  merchant vessels and ﬁshing boats alike.
  55
  A Rankan exile receives a bundle of books from 
  a dead relative.
  56
  Rumor of lost treasure in one of the ruins on the 
  Avenue of Temples spreads through the Hill.
  57
  A ghost ship sails into port.
  58
  The waters of the sea turn blood red.
  59
  An innocent man is executed for a crime he 
  didn’t commit. 
  60
  Children start vanishing.
  61
  A criminal organization undergoes a transition 
  of power.
  62
  A strange man shows up outside the city walls, 
  promising great powers of healing.
  63
  A section of the undercity caves in.
  64
  After an earthquake, locals mention a new 
  structure in the surrounding hills.
  65
  Flooding in the undercity drives terrible creatures 
  into the city streets.
  66
  Unusual weather such as a freakish snowstorm 
  or a drought during the rainy season.
  67
  A band of ex-soldiers construct a fortress in 
  the hills.
  Roll
  Adventure Seeds
  68
  Something dark and evil preys on the farmers of 
  the Serripines farms. 
  69
  A prominent citizen from the past returns as 
  undead.
  70
  Explorers discover a new set of tunnels in the 
  undercity.
  71
  A terrible and infamous pirate comes to port.
  72
  Something awful lives in the sewer trenches.
  73
  A famous minstrel/acting troupe comes to 
  town.
  74
  A perverse death cult sets up shop on the Street 
  of Red Lanterns
  75
  A pregnant girl becomes the center of a new 
  cult.
  76
  An island surfaces in the sea.
  77
  A ﬂeet of ships comes to Sanctuary laden with 
  refugees from an alien land.
  78
  Assassins strike out against seemingly unrelated 
  citizens.
  79
  An eclipse occurs!
  80
  Great winged beasts ﬂy at night.
  81
  Gang war on the Hill.
  82
  A severed head is found intact in the ruins of 
  an old house.
  83
  An important member of the Peers dies.
  84
  One of the gods suddenly goes silent.
  85
  One of the gates in the city collapses.
  86
  A patrol of guards doing a routine inspection 
  along the processional suddenly all go missing.
  87
  An Ilsigi ship sets sail from Sanctuary and 
  vanishes in a cloud of smoke.
  88
  A group of Nisibisi witches settles in the Swamp 
  of Night’s Secrets.
  89
  Fire!
  90
  A meat vendor specializes in selling human 
  ﬂesh.
  91
  A merchant who sells monkeys comes to port, but 
  the monkeys are actually trained as thieves.
  92
  An important citizen is cursed.
  93
  Mana ﬁeld suddenly drops.
  94
  A squad of godsworn move into the city.
  95
  PCs ﬁnd a thumb/ear/eye on the street/in their 
  bed/in their soup.
  96
  Thieves band together in a union.
  97
  A group of mercenaries settle in the Hill and 
  when they go about during the day, they wear 
  blue hawk masks.
  98
  Someone robs the Governor!
  99
  A pillar of ﬁre erupts from one of the houses 
  in the city.
  100
  Two gods manifest in the sky and do battle to 
  the death.
  TABLE 6–7: ONE HUNDRED THIEVES’ WORLD ADVENTURE IDEAS
  
  - 190 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  you think it’s simply coated with ash from the ﬁre, but when 
  you try to wipe it clean nothing changes. The handle feels gritty 
  in your hand, more like rough rock than cloth. The guard and 
  pommel are black iron, and the scabbard is black leather. The 
  blade feels oddly heavy for its size—it’s shaped like a normal 
  longsword, based upon the handle, guard, and scabbard.
  When you draw the blade, you see it is deﬁnitely not normal. 
  The metal is a dull gray, and does not look like proper steel. It 
  is unpolished, and if you hold it up in the sunlight, it does not 
  gleam at all. It almost looks like granite or pumice instead.
  But if you draw the blade in shadow or darkness, things are 
  diﬀerent. Now, the blade gleams despite the lack of light, and it 
  looks like polished black ice, or a pool of dark water on a moonlit 
  night. The sword feels light in your hand, and agile.
  Clearly this is no normal weapon. You know that a strange 
  weapons shop appeared in the Maze recently, and that Tempus 
  the Hell Hound and Alain Aspect the mage shut it down, 
  though the mage died in the process. They say the weapons 
  from that place are powerful magic, and not always kind 
  to the user. The governor, Prince Kadakithis, has ordered 
  that all such items be brought back to the palace or handed 
  to the nearest Hell Hound, and he has authorized a reward 
  of twenty gold coins to anyone who brings in such a weapon 
  — no questions asked.
  The beggar could have collected such a reward himself, but he 
  doesn’t seem to think so. “No, they’d be wanting to know how 
  Slem came by such a thing,” he says if you ask him. “And I 
  canna face the guards no more, not since me ﬁngers were cut 
  oﬀ.” That’s why he showed you the sword, and why he wants 
  a ﬁnder’s fee for bringing you to it.
  And the sword is certainly worth the twenty coronations, and 
  more. By daylight, it is cumbersome, awkward, and dull. But 
  by night, or in shadow it is fast, sharp, and precise. The perfect 
  weapon for a thief — or an assassin.
  The question now is what you will do with it. Should you hand 
  it over to the governor and get the reward? That would be the 
  easiest solution, and you would make some quick money with 
  no real eﬀort. Assuming they really don’t ask you any questions. 
  Or you could try to sell the sword. Something like this could 
  fetch a much higher price, if you know a good fence, and can 
  trust him to treat with you fairly. Or you could keep it. If you 
  do any sort of nightwork, this blade could be very handy.
  This sword did come from the weapons shop, and has been crafted 
  by the Rankan war-god Vashanka as a way to upset the balance in 
  Sanctuary and destroy the Ilsigi gods’ power base. This particular 
  weapon is exactly what it seems: a sword meant to be used in 
  darkness and shadow. There is more to it than that, however.
  First oﬀ, the sword inﬂicts strange shadowy wounds. In daylight 
  or bright light, they seem normal, but in the dark, their edges are 
  tinged with blackness that slowly spreads in all directions. The 
  blackened areas are completely numb, and after a few days, they 
  turn necrotic as well. If the victim stays entirely in bright light, the 
  wound will heal normally.
  Second, the sword has a slow but steady eﬀect on its owner. Over 
  time, the wielder’s eyes grow more sensitive to light; he gains 
  lowlight vision, and then darkvision, but takes severe penalties in 
  daylight or any strong illumination. The owner starts avoiding the 
  daylight, keeping to night and shadow. His skin, instead of paling, 
  becomes darker. Swarthier, but with a faint gray tinge. This gives 
  him a bonus to hiding in shadows, and he almost seems a part of 
  them. If he retains the sword too long, he will begin to lose solidity. 
  Eventually, the wielder will become nothing but a shade, with 
  no substance except in dark shadow, and even then only enough 
  to throttle anyone who passes too close. The sword, though also 
  immaterial, can still cut a normal person. The new shade is ﬁlled 
  with hatred and bloodlust, and will attack anyone it can reach. 
  Each death it causes grants it a little more substance, though only 
  for a few hours. Typically, the shade spends that time eating and 
  drinking, because the rest of its existence is spent in utter starvation 
  and dire thirst.
  The sword was purchased by an assassin named Oadas. He only used 
  it once, to kill the wealthy spice merchant Trecklan outside his home 
  on Prytanis, but the merchant’s guards almost caught him. Oadas 
  ﬂed down the street, and stashed the sword in this warehouse so 
  that he could walk away empty-handed; it was the only thing that 
  let him pass through the guards’ search unhindered. Now he wants 
  his sword back, and he’s willing to kill to get it.
  One of Trecklan’s guards was cut by the blade while trying to stop 
  Oadas. The man is still alive, though suﬀering terribly, and the black 
  splotch around the wound has covered most of his shoulder and 
  upper arm already. If the sword strikes anyone else, the city guards 
  and the Hell Hounds will recognize the wound pattern, and come 
  looking for it. Whoever has the sword will be accused of Trecklan’s 
  murder as well.
  
  - 191 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  The Hell Hounds know about the sword, and are actively searching 
  for it. This is the last kind of weapon they want loose in Sanctuary.
  The sword can be destroyed. It must be tossed or laid in a strong 
  ﬁre (as hot as a blacksmith’s forge, or hotter) in the middle of the 
  afternoon, so that the sun and the ﬂames coat it with light. If this 
  is done, a loud hiss will escape the weapon, like an angry cat, and a 
  wisp of shadow will leap from the ﬁre and dissipate into thin air. The 
  sword loses its strange heaviness, and the blade now looks like dull 
  steel before it melts away.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The sword is given to the Hell Hounds, and the characters receive 
  the reward, but then Oadas comes looking for them and demands 
  either they pay him what the blade cost or they somehow get it 
  back for him.
  • The characters keep the sword, and Oadas ﬁnds them. He insists 
  that they return it, and threatens to kill them one by one if they 
  don’t.
  • The characters show the blade to a fence, who agrees to sell it for 
  them. Later, he hires a thief to steal it instead.
  • The sword is used against someone else, and the Hell Hounds hear of 
  the wound. They come looking for the characters and the sword.
  • Enas Yorl agrees to examine the sword. He spots the curse laid upon 
  it, and manages to bind it so that the blade can be used without 
  harming its wielder. His price: to be stabbed with the sword, and 
  then left in the dark. He hopes this will end his own curse, and 
  ﬁnally kill him.
  THE GOD’S DOORSTEP
  Molin Torchholder, high priest of Vashanka, is one of the leading 
  nobles in Sanctuary. Ever since his arrival, he has overseen the 
  construction of a temple to his god. Once the temple is ﬁnished, 
  it will dominate the Avenue of Temples, overshadowing the 
  much older house of Ils and casting a grave insult at the feet of 
  the Ilsigi gods. 
  The temple is almost complete. This infuriates the Ilsigi faithful, 
  and they decide to do something about it. They ask you and your 
  friends to sneak into the new temple and sabotage the work. 
  They don’t care how you do it, or what you do exactly, so long 
  as the temple cannot be completed properly. And they oﬀer you 
  good gold for your eﬀorts.
  It’s a lot of money, but the job does have several problems. First, 
  there are the guards. Vashanka is a major Rankan god, which 
  means the governor must endorse the temple, and that means 
  the city guards actively patrol the site. They keep the avenue safe 
  anyway, but they’re keeping a particularly close eye on the new 
  building. Molin has also brought temple guards from Ranke to 
  watch over the interior, standing guard during the day while 
  the workers slave to ﬁnish everything.
  Of course, Vashanka is supposed to be very powerful, and Molin 
  is his high priest. It’s entirely possible he has set some magical 
  protections around the temple as well, and that any unbelievers 
  who cross the threshold will be struck down instantly.
  The Hell Hounds do not seem particularly devout, but they 
  are Rankan soldiers, and so they pay at least lip service to the 
  pantheon. If anything happens to the temple, they may take the 
  insult personally. Molin certainly will, and he is not someone 
  anyone would want as an enemy.
  But there’s also pressure from the other side. The Ilsigi dare not 
  sabotage the temple themselves, because if they’re caught it could 
  lead to open warfare in Sanctuary. That’s why they approached 
  you; everyone knows you don’t worship either pantheon. But if 
  you take the job and get caught, you’ll anger the Rankans. If you 
  refuse the job, you’ll anger the Ilsigi. And you don’t want either 
  camp after you if you can avoid it.
  And then there are the gods themselves. Will Ils help you 
  vandalize Vashanka’s temple? Probably not, for the same reason 
  the Ilsigi aren’t doing it themselves — he doesn’t want to be 
  involved. But Vashanka may well come after you if you insult 
  him like that, and unlike his priests or the guards, he won’t need 
  evidence to ﬁgure out who did it.
  This job doesn’t look good, no matter what you decide.
  The situation is actually even worse than it sounds. The Ilsigi have 
  tried sending their own people in to vandalize the temple, and every 
  time they have been caught, tortured, and killed. But they’ve been 
  tortured inside the temple, which is why they’ve approached the PCs. 
  If they agree to do the job, they give them each a small amulet and 
  command them to wear it constantly. “It will shield you from the god’s 
  eyes,” they say. But that’s not really what it does. The amulets were 
  carved from the bones of a Rankan priest after Dyareelan fanatics 
  murdered him in a horrible ritual. (The fact that the Ilsigi have the 
  bones now means they must have formed some sort of pact with 
  the Dyareelans, though of course they don’t mention any of this.) 
  The bones have been thoroughly desecrated. Simply carrying them 
  across the temple’s threshold will taint the building, requiring hours 
  of puriﬁcation rites. The deeper the amulet is taken inside the temple, 
  the more severe the stain. Those with magical sight will actually be able 
  to see the dark blotches appear, as if the amulet was gushing blood 
  that will not wipe away or fade. If even one of the amulets is tossed 
  into a ﬁre within the temple, black smoke will billow forth, ﬁlling 
  that room and every room touching it. Those rooms will be tainted 
  beyond repair. This is the Ilsigi’s true goal: they want the characters 
  to get caught, dragged inside, and tortured, and ﬁgure the amulets 
  will be found and tossed into the ﬁre to destroy them.
  In order to make sure this happens, the Ilsigi warn the Rankans 
  about the upcoming desecration. They say they’ve overheard religious 
  extremists muttering about it, and even name the characters as the 
  ones who were talking. The Ilsigi claim they’re telling the Rankans 
  because they want truce between the two pantheons, and peaceful 
  co-existence in Sanctuary.
  The Rankans don’t believe them, of course. They do beef up their 
  security, and search for the characters, but they don’t trust the Ilsigis’ 
  motives. They prepare their own counterstrike against Ils’ temple. If the 
  characters are found before they can make their attempt, the Rankans 
  oﬀer them the same job the Ilsigi did, but on the other side. This time, 
  instead of gold, the characters get to keep their lives as payment.
  Ils knows what his followers have planned, of course, but he’s 
  deliberately turning a blind eye to it. Vashanka, if he hears about the 
  plot, will want to send his servants to kill the characters just to be 
  
  - 192 -
  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  safe. Once they cross the threshold of his temple, he will know exactly 
  what happened, and will want revenge upon the characters. He will be 
  after the Ilsigi as well, but the characters ﬁrst and foremost, because 
  they actually carried the taint into his house.
  This is an opportunity to detail a major temple. It should have lots 
  of smaller rooms, one huge worship chamber, and a small private 
  shrine. Feel free to add all kinds of traps, magical and mundane, to 
  keep people from wandering where they don’t belong. Only Molin 
  Torchholder has full access to every room. If the characters wind up 
  going to Ils’ temple, it should get a similar treatment, except that it is 
  much older and more established, so the security is not as tight.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters refuse the job. The Ilsigi are angry, but prepared. 
  They tell the Rankans about the plot anyway, and the Rankans 
  grab the characters for questioning — but not before the Ilsigi 
  hire thieves to slip the amulets into the characters’ pockets.
  • The characters accept the job, and pull it oﬀ. Vashanka’s temple is 
  now tainted beyond repair. Ils favors them, though since they don’t 
  worship him he cannot do much. The Rankans want the characters 
  dead, and so does Vashanka.
  • When the Rankans oﬀer their counterstrike, the characters agree. 
  They go to Ils’ temple and try to desecrate it. The amulets have no 
  eﬀect on Ils, since it was not his priest, but he does notice, and 
  alerts his followers to the characters’ treachery.
  • The characters either remove the amulets before going, or stop the 
  thieves from planting them. They sneak into Vashanka’s temple 
  and do something to deface it, but without the amulets the damage 
  is only temporary. The Ilsigi can’t complain because the amulets 
  were supposedly harmless. The Rankans are annoyed but since the 
  damage is so minor they don’t care too much. Neither god bothers 
  to get involved for such a trivial matter. The temple is repaired, and 
  the power struggle continues.
  NIGHTLY AID
  Strange stories ﬂoat about the Processional these days. You 
  hear them from someone at your favorite tavern, but scarcely 
  believe them.
  There’s a woman, apparently. Young, lovely, and obviously 
  wealthy, in an expensive but torn gown and a fur stole. One 
  of the guards there saw her on the street, and couldn’t help but 
  notice her. He stepped forward to see if she needed help, but she 
  walked right past him. He just shrugged and ﬁgured she was out 
  of his league, but he did watch her walk away, and felt a twinge 
  of jealousy when she stopped by a young artisan. The two spoke 
  together urgently for a moment, and then went their separate 
  ways. The next morning the young man was found dead, his 
  body twisted and his mouth open in a silent, agonized scream. 
  No one saw what happened to him.
  The next night, you hear a similar story. The same woman, 
  also on the Processional. Again, she spoke brieﬂy but intently 
  to a man, who turned up dead the next morning. This past 
  morning. Now the city guards are looking for the woman, but 
  they have not had any luck. No one knows who she is, or what 
  she wants.
  This continues for several days. Each time, she speaks to someone 
  new, always a man. And each time he turns up dead the next 
  morning. People are starting to avoid the Processional at night, 
  or to travel in groups, because she only approaches men on their 
  own. The guard has tripled along that street, and the Hell 
  Hounds have also been seen there frequently. But still the deaths 
  occur, and still no one gets a good look at her, or recognizes her, 
  or hears what she says to each victim.
  And then one night your friend Rogen comes into the bar, sits 
  down, and orders four stiﬀ drinks. All for him, apparently. He’s 
  white as a sheet, and sweating heavily. “I seen her,” he whispers, 
  downing the ﬁrst drink in a single long gulp. “That night lady.” 
  He drains the second drink. “She asked me for help.” He empties 
  the third drink, and turns to you. “I’m gonna die! Help me!”
  The woman’s name is Gina, and despite appearances, she is not the 
  killer. But the deaths are following her. More speciﬁcally, her brother 
  Gregor is following her, and killing everyone she approaches for help. 
  Gina and Gregor are twins, and the last members of their family. They 
  live in an impressive manor house just behind the Processional. Gregor 
  is very possessive. He loves his sister in a way that is deﬁnitely not 
  fraternal, and cannot bear the thought of her leaving him for another. 
  So he keeps her locked up in the house, and has guards posted at the 
  doors to make sure she cannot escape. Recently, Gina found a secret 
  door in the drawing room, which opened onto a narrow stairway. The 
  stairway led her down into a long tunnel, which ended in a ladder 
  and an overhead hatch. The hatch opens in a small storeroom behind 
  a woodworking shop, and the room has a back door. This is how she 
  has been getting to the Processional. 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  Every night since then, Gina has snuck out and tried to ﬁnd someone 
  to help her. She knows she is pretty, and she hopes that her beauty 
  will sway someone, which is why she always approaches solitary men. 
  She loves Gregor, but realized long ago that he was mad, and that he 
  would never let her leave. She could simply run away and not come 
  back, but then she’d be penniless, and Gina has never had to fend for 
  herself. She needs to retain her wealth. Which leaves only one option: 
  kill Gregor. That’s what she asks each man she meets, and each one 
  has refused her so far. The Processional is not the best place to ﬁnd an 
  assassin. But Gina knows she cannot be gone long, and every night 
  she sneaks back home and pretends she never left.
  Gregor knows Gina is getting out of the house somehow. He does not 
  know about the secret passage. As luck would have it, he was nearby 
  on that ﬁrst night, and actually saw her speaking with the ﬁrst man. 
  After she ran away, Gregor followed the man, and then killed him. 
  Since then he’s found other ways to keep tabs on the events, Gregor 
  knows a man named Markmor, a sorcerer.
  Markmor oﬀered to cast a spell so that Gregor could watch Gina 
  whenever he wanted. But even a man as depraved as Gregor decided 
  that this was going too far. Instead, he asked for a spell that shows 
  him whenever Gina meets a new man. Then, he hunts the man down 
  and kills him.
  Gregor is using a weapon from that strange weapon shop, which even 
  Gina does not know he has. It is a short ebony wand, capped at one 
  end with silver. When touched to a person, the wand causes the body 
  to convulse horribly, and this continues until the wand’s owner ends 
  it or the victim dies. Gregor got the wand for protection, and that 
  ﬁrst victim was the ﬁrst time he used it. He considered disposing of 
  the body, but decided that this way they would serve as a warning. 
  He keeps hoping that Gina will stop, and just accept the fact that 
  she can never leave him.
  Gregor is not a complete ﬁend. He approaches each man in turn 
  and asks what Gina told him. Then he asks the man to swear that he 
  will have no further contact with her, and that he will not aid her in 
  any way. The ﬁrst man replied that it was none of Gregor’s business, 
  which is why he died. The second refused to swear, saying if she were 
  in real need he would help her, regardless of the consequences. The 
  third man swore readily, but Gregor didn’t believe him.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • Gregor approaches Rogen, who manages to convince Gregor he’s 
  sincere. Gregor actually lets him live. Surprisingly, Gina is furious 
  the next day. She’s apparently as twisted as her brother, and was 
  enjoying the fact that men were dying on her behalf. She and 
  Gregor ﬁght, and somehow the wand slips from his pocket. She 
  uses it on him, and he dies. Gina becomes independent, but the 
  murders continue because now she has gotten a taste for it.
  • Your friend decides Gina does need his help. He convinces you to 
  go with him, and goes to her house. The guard won’t let you in, of 
  course, but Gina sees you there, and then sneaks out through the 
  tunnel to meet with you. She begs you to kill her brother for her. 
  But when she meets you Gregor is alerted by the spell, and so he 
  knows something is going on.
  • Gregor goes after Rogen, and you jump him. The wand is knocked 
  free, and without it, Gregor is no match for you. You hand him 
  over to the Hell Hounds, who also conﬁscate the wand. They hang 
  Gregor for the murders, and Gina is ﬁnally free, and very grateful. 
  She winds up marrying Rogen, the lucky dog.
  • You somehow ﬁgure out that Gina was escaping through a hidden 
  underground tunnel, and ﬁnd the entrance. But you discover 
  that it goes a lot farther than she realized. You’ve just located the 
  Undercity.
  RAZING THE BAR
  A man named Nigel appears in the Maze one day. More 
  speciﬁcally, he appears at the Vulgar Unicorn one night. And 
  immediately draws attention.
  “Pah!” he spits out his ale, backing away from the table he’s taken, 
  alone, in the center of the room. “You call this ale? If my dog 
  pissed like this I’d slit his throat!” He deliberately upends the mug 
  on the table, ale spilling everywhere, to prove his point.
  “You got a problem with something?” One-Thumb appears 
  beside the man. The Vulgar Unicorn regulars keep their voices 
  low, but not the stranger, who makes sure that everyone can 
  hear his reply.
  “ A problem?” He laughs, a short, unpleasant sound. “Why stop 
  at one? Your service is awful, your food is terrible, your ale is 
  the worst I’ve ever had, and you charge enough for it to be made 
  of liquid gold! This isn’t a bar, it’s thieving with a fancy name 
  and a menu!”
  “If you don’t like it here, leave,” One-Thumb suggests, hand 
  straying to the knife at his side. “Before your tripes get added 
  to tomorrow’s stew.”
  “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want to spend another minute here,” 
  the man replies, stalking toward the door. “I’m going over to the 
  Rowdy Merman, where the ale doesn’t taste like a sick chicken’s 
  piss and the girls actually have faces that don’t break mirrors!” 
  And he storms out. Leaving One-Thumb to stalk back to the bar, 
  scowling, and a single question on the other patrons’ lips: where 
  is the Rowdy Merman?
  It’s the ﬁrst time anyone has heard of the place. But it won’t 
  be the last.
  The next day, the stories begin, and soon everyone in the Maze 
  has heard about it. Nigel, the same man who made a big scene 
  at the Vulgar Unicorn, is opening a rival tavern called the 
  Rowdy Merman. There are other bars in the Maze, of course. 
  But the Vulgar Unicorn has the best food and drink, the 
  prettiest barmaids, and the best background noise for covering 
  up a conversation. Now it sounds like the place may have some 
  real competition. And One-Thumb isn’t the kind to take that 
  laying down.
  Nigel is a foul-tempered little man, but he knows his business. He’s 
  out to destroy One-Thumb and the Vulgar Unicorn, and to become 
  rich in the process. He’s pulling out all the stops in the Rowdy 
  Merman: top-notch food and drink, gorgeous waitresses, unusually 
  low prices, and comfortable booths and tables that have velvet curtains 
  around them for privacy. He really could put the Vulgar Unicorn out 
  of business. That is, if he ever gets his tavern open.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  Nigel has an old grudge against One-Thumb. Apparently, one of the 
  men One-Thumb killed several years back was a hotheaded youth 
  named Marco. He was Nigel’s son. For years, Nigel has tried to ﬁnd 
  his missing boy, and only this past year did he trace the youth to 
  Sanctuary. Then he came here and nosed around. Eventually he ﬁgured 
  out that Marco was last seen arguing with One-Thumb over his bill. 
  Nigel is certain that One-Thumb had the boy killed, or did himself, 
  and has vowed to destroy the maimed bar-owner in return. But death 
  isn’t enough, and he’s heard strange stories about One-Thumb and 
  what could happen to his killer. So Nigel wants to take away the one 
  thing that means something to the man: his bar.
  Nigel has a lot of money. He is actually a wine merchant, and a very 
  successful one. He’s supplying the drinks for the Rowdy Merman 
  from his own supplies, which saves him a lot of money. Not that 
  he cares; he’d happily beggar himself if it meant destroying One-
  Thumb.
  The worst part is that Nigel is wrong. One-Thumb is certainly 
  capable of murder, and has killed people for less, but he didn’t kill 
  Marco. The boy stormed out of the Vulgar Unicorn that night, and 
  staggered oﬀ down the street alone, which is a bad idea in the Maze. 
  Three thugs cornered him and demanded his money, but Marco was 
  not only broke, but he was also drunk and belligerent. He pulled his 
  sword, or tried to, and the thugs cut him to pieces. Literally. Not that 
  One-Thumb remembers his own innocence—he argues with a lot of 
  people, and after a while they all look the same. And the three thugs 
  (a trio named Berk, Kendall, and Dinnear) no longer remember the 
  boy either.
  Nigel had his private guards with him when he arrived in Sanctuary, 
  but he’s sharp. He realized quickly that walking around with foreign 
  muscle wasn’t going to win him any friends. So he dismisses them and 
  hires locals instead. The PCs are among those oﬀered a job, whether 
  as guards or as laborers. Nigel pays well, and he expects hard work 
  in return. He knows that One-Thumb might attack him, and he’s 
  hoping that’s the case.
  Meanwhile, One-Thumb needs to ﬁnd out more about his new rival, 
  so he starts oﬀering to buy information about Nigel and about the 
  Rowdy Merman. The ﬁrst people he approaches are the ones now 
  working for Nigel—meaning the PCs. He’s willing to pay well for 
  anything useful, and encourages them to continue their new work 
  and continue reporting back. He also mentions that, if something 
  were to happen to prevent the Rowdy Merman from opening, and 
  it was someone’s fault, he would probably be grateful enough to give 
  that person or persons free drinks for the rest of their lives. Not that 
  he’s encouraging anyone to do anything bad to the place or its owner, 
  just musing about possibilities.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters wind up working for Nigel. The Rowdy Merman is 
  ﬁnished and opened. It does incredibly well, and everyone agrees 
  that it’s better than the Vulgar Unicorn. And the next morning a 
  ﬁre destroys the place. Nigel’s charred body is found within.
  • The characters turn Nigel down. He hires someone else. One-
  Thumb hires the characters to spy on the new bar, and to sabotage 
  it.
  • The characters accept the jobs from Nigel and then sell info to 
  One-Thumb. Either they help sabotage the Rowdy Merman or 
  they look the other way while someone else does.
  • Nigel, incensed that his bar scheme has failed, confronts One-
  Thumb directly. One-Thumb is surprised, and admits that he 
  doesn’t remember Marco at all. This causes Nigel to snap, and he 
  attacks One-Thumb, who kills him.
  • The Rowdy Merman opens without any major complications. It 
  is a very nice place, far too nice to be in the Maze, and people go 
  there to look and feel important and wealthy. But it somehow lacks 
  the ragged comfort of the Vulgar Unicorn. People start going to 
  the Rowdy Merman for food and drink, and then going to the 
  Vulgar Unicorn afterward for more drinks and to conduct business. 
  One-Thumb decides this is ﬁne with him; he cuts back on the food 
  he serves, since no one is ordering it, which means he’s actually 
  saving money. 
  • Nigel is frustrated, especially since he still hasn’t been able to pin 
  anything on One-Thumb. Then one day he sees Dinnear wearing 
  a belt that had belonged to Marco. Nigel gives the trio free drinks, 
  and eventually they get drunk enough to admit the belt came 
  from one of their many victims. Nigel kills them, and then leaves 
  Sanctuary. The Rowdy Merman goes to whomever manages to 
  grab it ﬁrst, but without Nigel’s alcohol the prices go up and it 
  becomes less popular.
  PEARLS AMONG SWINE
  Draysin Nelliks is a Rankan noble. He is neither the richest 
  nor the best known among that crowd. Actually, he is a round 
  little man who desperately wants the respect of his peers but 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  often winds up with their contempt instead. But not this time. 
  Because Nelliks is throwing a party. A fancy dinner party, 
  at his manor in the nobles’ quarter, and all of the nobles are 
  invited. That’s nothing particularly special, in and of itself. 
  Nellish has thrown parties before. And everyone always 
  attends, because he goes out of his way to get the best food and 
  drink possible.
  No, what’s exciting about this party is the reason. Nelliks is 
  showing oﬀ his latest acquisition. It’s a necklace, studded with 
  diamonds and emeralds, with a single massive teardrop pearl 
  at the center. The necklace is said to be exquisite, and older than 
  the Rankan Empire itself. Every noble in the city is buzzing 
  about it. Everyone wants to see it, to touch it, to hear about it. 
  Finally Nelliks has the attention he’s always wanted.
  And then some. Because if even half the stories are true, that 
  necklace is worth a fortune, and not a small one. And a lot of 
  people in Sanctuary would love to have that fortune. The nobles’ 
  quarter is almost impossible to rob — every manor has its own 
  private guards, and most have magical protections as well. 
  But during the party, the place will be in chaos. People will be 
  coming and going, and not just nobles but grooms, messengers, 
  guards, servants, and errand boys. It’s the perfect opportunity 
  to sneak into Nelliks’ home. And even if the necklace is too 
  hard to steal, there will be a lot of wealth within those walls. 
  A sharp thief will not leave empty-handed.
  This adventure takes place in the nobles’ quarter (what would one 
  day become the infamous Hill), which gives you a chance to detail 
  Sanctuary’s richest neighborhood. The characters could be Rankan 
  nobles who were legitimately invited, or Ilsigi nobles or wealthy 
  merchants who wrangled an invitation, or thieves who are planning 
  to rob the place. Keep in mind that the party and the jewelry could 
  be merely a backdrop, because this is a good opportunity to let the 
  players play nobles, and let them bicker and ﬂirt and use subtle games 
  to test one another.
  Nelliks’ estate is not large, as the estates go. This means it only has 
  enough land for twenty regular houses, rather than ﬁfty or one 
  hundred. The grounds have been beautifully cultivated, and on one 
  side of the house is a hedgerow maze. (Nelliks likes to say that he is 
  the Master of the Maze, but at least his maze is safer than the real 
  thing.) On the other side of the house are gardens, a small gazebo, 
  and an artful little stream with a small footbridge.
  The manor itself is very large, and very ostentatious. The original 
  granite has been covered in marble, and the front porch’s columns 
  are gilt in real gold. A wide circular path leads up to the front steps, 
  so that carriages can pull up easily. Stables and servants’ quarters are 
  in back.
  Inside, the house is also beautiful, but overdone. Everything is made 
  from the best materials available. Marble ﬂoors, gold candlesticks, 
  rare woods for the tables and chairs, ﬁne carpets on the stairs and the 
  ﬂoors, masterful paintings and tapestries on the walls. But it is too 
  much. Nelliks obviously has no taste, so he buys the most expensive 
  things because he assumes that they must be the best. His furnishings 
  do not go together, and are arranged stiﬄy around the various rooms, 
  so that his manor looks more like an exclusive shop than a real home. 
  Most of the other nobles laugh about this, and look forward to seeing 
  what new item he has added to the chaos.
  Guards are everywhere, of course, but it really is chaos for the week 
  before the party and during the actual night. It would be very easy to 
  pass as a cook or a servant or a stablehand and get onto the grounds. 
  Getting into the house is more diﬃcult, particularly going beyond 
  the servant’s quarters, but it can be done.
  The necklace is kept in a wall safe in Nelliks’ study, behind a painting 
  of a Rankan military victory. The safe also contains three bags of gold 
  and a manuscript — apparently, Nelliks fancies himself a poet. The 
  poetry is awful.
  Though a fool, Nelliks is not completely stupid. He has hired a mage 
  to magically seal his safe so that only he can open it. The spell can be 
  broken by another mage of equal or greater power, or tricked. (For 
  example, if the safe is removed from the wall and the back cracked 
  open but the door left alone, the spell would not be triggered.) 
  Shattering or dispelling the spell will alert the wizard who cast it, 
  and he will immediately contact Nelliks.
  The necklace is beautiful, and looks very old but is in excellent 
  condition. It is kept in a small velvet-lined box. The necklace really 
  is as old as the rumors say, and as valuable. It is also magical — not 
  particularly powerful, but the enchantment is part of why Nelliks 
  wanted it. The spell prevents the necklace from being worn or even 
  carried by anyone but a true noble of Ranke. Thus, any non-noble 
  that tries to pick up the case, or remove the necklace from the case, 
  will ﬁnd it impossible to lift. The necklace suddenly seems to way 
  several hundred pounds, and to have been aﬃxed to the safe and the 
  box with solid steel spikes. No harm befalls the person making the 
  attempt; they simply cannot budge the necklace. Nelliks, of course, 
  is a genuine Rankan noble, and can lift the necklace easily.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters try to steal the necklace, but cannot get the safe 
  open. They can still rob the guests blind.
  • The characters try to steal the necklace and get the safe open, but 
  none of them are Rankan nobles and they cannot lift the necklace. 
  They can still make oﬀ with the bags of gold, however.
  • The characters manage to circumvent the safe’s protection and 
  the necklace’s spell, and leave with the jewelry. Nelliks accuses 
  his noble guests of the theft, and they all leave, insulted and 
  outraged.
  • The characters take advantage of the party’s confusion to rob 
  guests, eavesdrop, assassinate one or more guests, and otherwise 
  take advantage of the situation. The necklace is safe, but once 
  guests start discovering the loss of their own money and jewels, 
  or ﬁnd the dead bodies, the party dissolves. Nelliks is once again 
  a laughingstock, and he sells the necklace to a neighbor, sells his 
  estate, and departs in disgust, never to return.
  • The necklace’s spell has a very liberal interpretation of “noble.” 
  Nelliks is acting like a complete idiot during the party, fawning 
  over everyone and desperately trying to win their approval. The 
  spell decides this is not very noble, and so when he goes to retrieve 
  the necklace he ﬁnds he cannot move it. His chief rival, a much 
  more likable fellow named Hammond Rallien, follows him up 
  to the study, sees the predicament, and, reaching into the safe, 
  plucks the necklace from its case. He then carries it downstairs. 
  Nelliks, horriﬁed by the realization that if Hammond hands 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  the necklace back everyone will see that he cannot lift it, tells 
  Hammond to accept the jewelry as a gift. Nelliks hangs himself 
  the next day.
  • Another noble sneaks into Nelliks’ study during the party, either 
  opens the safe or ﬁnds it open (from a failed burglary attempt 
  by someone else), and steals the necklace. Nelliks goes up later 
  to fetch the necklace, so that he can display it triumphantly, and 
  discovers the theft. He is outraged, and accuses his guests of 
  taking it. Then he insists that each and every one of them empty 
  their pockets. Many of them refuse, and move to leave, but Nelliks’ 
  guards block the door. It is a standoﬀ, noble against noble, guard 
  against guard. Nelliks, realizing he cannot win against so many 
  at once, waves his guards out of the way, and soon the manor is 
  empty. The next day he has the wizard cast a curse upon whomever 
  stole the necklace. Nelliks then hangs himself, unable to face 
  further ridicule. The thief dies two days later, in agony, and when 
  the necklace is found in his safe the other nobles realize too late 
  how they had mistreated poor Draysin Nelliks.
  IRRUNE ERA ADVENTURES
  The setting for the second series of Thieves’ World books is the Irrune 
  Era. This period is not as chaotic or war-torn as the Rankan Era, but is 
  even more bleak. In the past, gods and kingdoms fought over Sanctuary. 
  Now, the gods are remote and most of the kingdoms have given up. The 
  people have been beaten down so many times, and weathered so many 
  catastrophes, they can barely feel pain any more. The city itself has been 
  almost destroyed several times, and is still ﬁlled with rubble and ruins. 
  People are dragging themselves to work each day, desperate to resume 
  some semblance of normal life, but it is not working. No one has any 
  joy left, or even any fear; it has all been ripped away. The world has gone 
  gray and hard. At least during the Rankan Era, there was excitement 
  and intrigue and the potential for great and sudden wealth. Now people 
  just hope to wake up the next morning.
  That’s not entirely true, of course. Many people in Sanctuary still hope 
  for something better. Others still appreciate good food, good drink, 
  and good company. Trade has begun again, and that means travelers 
  who can be fascinated anew by the city’s long history, strange layout, 
  and varied populace. The city has seen a lot of hardship, but the past 
  few years have gone well, and everyone is slowly recovering. Which 
  means, of course, that the time is perfect for another major crisis.
  FISHING IN THE DARK 
  You are walking home—stumbling, really—one night with your 
  friends, after spending the evening at your favorite tavern. One 
  of you trips on a loose rock, and falls to the ground. The rest of 
  you laugh. Someone oﬀers him a hand back up, but trips himself, 
  and crashes into a nearby building, slumping against the wall. 
  That gets more laughter. But you stop laughing when you reach 
  to help your friend up from the wall, and notice the emptiness 
  behind him. Where he bumped into the wall, a section has slid 
  back, revealing the top of a ladder. And a dark passage that 
  drops out of sight.
  You have heard rumors about the undercity, of course. Everyone 
  has. People say that the Hillers have secret tunnels and can come 
  and go unseen. A few crazies have talked about how the brothels 
  on the Street of Red Lanterns can sneak people in and out of the 
  city for a price by going under the city walls somehow. And the 
  Maze has short tunnels under many of its buildings, which are 
  sometimes exposed when those buildings collapse or burn down. 
  But you don’t know anyone who’s actually gone down there.
  Which means that whatever’s down there might be something 
  no one else has found yet.
  This adventure is set in the Undercity. This is a chance to map out 
  many of the subterranean tunnels that run beneath Sanctuary. In 
  other words, a dungeon crawl.
  Many people in Sanctuary would pay a lot of money to be shown 
  an entrance to the Undercity. Of course, most of them would kill 
  the messenger afterward to make sure no one else got the same 
  information. The Irrune would be curious, though they dislike 
  underground caves and would never want to enter manmade tunnels. 
  The Sharda would pay handsomely for the information, since it would 
  allow them to investigate people unseen. Many of the nobles would 
  also pay for such access. Thieves and assassins would love to know 
  about the tunnels. In fact, an enterprising person could probably ﬁnd 
  a way to charge people for one-time access and for a guide to their 
  destination. That way, the person in charge would retain control over 
  the tunnels, and no one would know anything more than how to get 
  to and from that one location. In other words, someone could set up 
  tollbooths and way stations and charge people per trip.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  Most of the Undercity is made up of simple tunnels. They go to every 
  section in Sanctuary, though getting from one point to another often 
  requires following one tunnel away from your destination and then 
  taking a branching side tunnel back. The Undercity has many levels 
  of its own, and tunnels are often connected by ladders or stairways 
  or ledges. All of the passages are made of heavy stone blocks ﬁtted 
  tightly together, and are paved below as well. Some tunnels have 
  ﬂooded over the years, and are no longer accessible. A few have 
  collapsed from their own weight, or the weight of the buildings above 
  them. Closer to the outer walls are more actual rooms, some even 
  with simple furnishings. Great wells also sit down here, collecting 
  rainwater through a series of tiny spouts and drains. 
  The Undercity is not empty. The Hillers have discovered several 
  entrances, and use the tunnels in their neighborhood and as far 
  away as the Old Jewelers’ Quarter and Prytanis. A few thieves have 
  also found tunnel entrances, and use the access to sneak into homes 
  undetected. And then there are the Undercity’s residents.
  A family of Beysib hid down here decades ago, trying to escape the 
  ﬁghting in the city above. They have been here ever since, and the 
  last three generations have never been above ground. Their eyes have 
  adapted to the darkness, and they have learned to navigate the tunnels 
  by sound and by touch. These altered Beysib are not happy about the 
  strangers they sometimes here passing through their home. Thus far, 
  they have avoided contact with these people, who always leave quickly. 
  But the Beysib are getting less frightened of these incursions, and 
  they grow hungry for the taste of fresh meat.
  The Cult of Dyareela was disbanded and outlawed. The Irrune 
  killed most of its members. But some escaped. An underground 
  tunnel connected the ruins of Savankala’s temple to the tunnels 
  beneath the Street of Red Lanterns, and the cult often used this 
  passage to sneak in and out of the city. When the Irrune attacked, 
  many of the extremists escaped through this passage. But with the 
  Irrune camped outside the city and also taking up residence within, 
  they had nowhere to go, and so they remain trapped here in the 
  Undercity. These are truly fanatical cultists, all too heavily scarred 
  to walk above ground without being noticed. They hide down in 
  the tunnels, biding their time and making their plans. A handful 
  of their followers escaped punishment as well, and these still slip 
  food down to the cultists when no one is looking. The cultists will 
  attack anyone they meet in the Undercity. So far, they have not 
  discovered the Beysib.
  There is no real treasure in the Undercity. A few stray coins have 
  fallen through grates up above, and both the Beysib and the cultists 
  have a few prized possessions with them. The rest of the tunnels are 
  empty, or contain only ancient wooden furniture. At least on the top 
  levels, that is. The lower tunnels are even older, and some of these 
  may have treasure chambers, storerooms, and even entire underground 
  mansions. There’s no telling who built such fantastical chambers, or 
  whether they have departed for good, or whether they have left traps 
  to protect their possessions.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters sell the entrance’s whereabouts to someone 
  unscrupulous, who tries to kill them to hide the knowledge.
  • They sell the information to someone who simply pays them and 
  warns them not to mention it to anyone else.
  • The characters explore the Undercity, but do not ﬁnd anything 
  interesting.
  • They explore and run into the Beysib. The Beysib follow them out, 
  and rampage through the city, killing and devouring, until the city 
  guards cut them down.
  • They explore and run into the cultists.
  • The characters encounter both the Beysib and the cultists, and are 
  responsible for the cultists ﬁnally discovering the Beysib’s presence. 
  The cultists hate foreigners, of course, and so they immediately 
  attack the Beysib. There are more cultists, but the Beysib know 
  the tunnels better, and can function in the dark. The two groups 
  slaughter each other.
  • The characters discover both the Beysib and the cultists. They 
  sell the information to the Irrune, who don’t care much about the 
  Beysib but are very interested to ﬁnd out where the last cultists 
  have been hiding, and reward the characters appropriately.
  • The characters explore the Undercity, and wind up deep beneath 
  Sanctuary, in tunnels that must have been here long before the 
  town began. These passages do not look like they were built by 
  men, or for them.
  TORN IN ‘TWEEN
  The ‘Tween is the newest part of Sanctuary. It stands between 
  the two eastern gates—the Prince’s Gate, in the exterior wall, 
  and the Wideway Gate, in the interior wall. Though not large, 
  the ‘Tween is the perfect place for travelers to stable their mounts, 
  take a room, rest, and clean up before entering the city proper. 
  It is also a good place for the locals to meet with strangers, 
  particularly someone who has just arrived from the east. Both 
  gates are heavily patrolled, and the Wideway Gate is closed 
  and barred at night.
  You are sitting in one of the ‘Tween taverns one morning, 
  eating a quick bite, when you hear a commotion. Everyone is 
  talking or shouting or gesturing, and it takes you a minute to 
  ﬁgure out what they’re saying. Then you see it. The Wideway 
  Gate, the entrance into the city, is closed! But it’s only an hour 
  past dawn!
  Everyone is milling about, confused, including the guards. No 
  one seems to know what’s going on. In the meantime, the Prince’s 
  Gate is also closed, just to be safe. Now you’re trapped here in 
  the ‘Tween with all these strangers. And who knows how long 
  it will before the gates open again?
  This adventure is set in the ‘Tween. The ‘Tween is the only truly 
  new area in Sanctuary; the inner walls were not ﬁnished until well 
  after Ranke had given up on the city, and were only completed a few 
  years ago. But already this has become one of Sanctuary’s busiest 
  neighborhoods, and one of its most proﬁtable. Most travelers arrive 
  either by ship, through the harbor, or from the east on camels or 
  horses. Anyone coming from the east enters the city through the 
  ‘Tween. Many no longer bother to enter Sanctuary proper — they 
  can rest and conduct business without ever passing through the 
  Wideway Gate, which saves time and money. Besides, the ‘Tween 
  may get muddy when it rains, but it is still much cleaner than most 
  of Sanctuary, because it is newer. There are fewer buildings here, and 
  
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  more space between them, which makes it harder to be ambushed. 
  There are also fewer shadows, and the streets are actually warmed 
  by the sun in the afternoon. Guards stand watch at both gates, and 
  actively patrol in-between. And the prices here are reasonable; a few 
  taverns and inns have tried to overcharge, but as long as a rival is 
  willing to set a more comfortable price, no one can extort for very 
  long.
  The ‘Tween has very few permanent residents, however. Only the 
  people who run or work at the various businesses here have any reason 
  to live between the two gates. Stablehands sleep in the lofts above 
  their stables, tavern owners and innkeepers sleep in rooms in back, 
  as do the servants, and moneychangers usually sleep in the same tent 
  where they conduct business. Most of the other people here are either 
  travelers who leave as soon as their business is concluded, or locals 
  who pass through the Wideway Gate when it opens each morning 
  and back out before it closes every evening.
  The Wideway Gate is closed that morning, but the real problem is 
  that they cannot get it open again. It has been jammed shut. Since 
  there is nothing wrong with the gate itself, and no way that a random 
  shard of wood could have jammed the pulleys so eﬀectively, someone 
  did this deliberately. The question is who, and why?
  The gate was actually jammed by a man named Castian, who claims to 
  be a trader from Ilsig, but that is only a cover. He is an assassin, and he 
  was sent here to kill a man named Nasul. Nasul is part of a major trade 
  delegation, and is coming to Sanctuary to establish a peaceful trade 
  agreement with the Irrune. Certain members of the Ilsig government 
  do not want peace; they want an excuse to declare war on Sanctuary, 
  oust the Irrune, and reclaim the city. So they sent Castian. His mission 
  is to kill Nasul before he can meet with the Irrune.
  Unfortunately, Castian made excellent time getting to Sanctuary, 
  while a horse going lame and a sudden rainstorm washing out the 
  roads slowed Nasul. Castian got here ﬁrst, and stalled as much as he 
  could, but had to sell his goods before people got too suspicious. Now 
  he is all packed, his business ﬁnished, and Nasul still has not arrived. 
  Out of desperation, Castian jammed the Wideway Gate shut. He 
  thought the city guards might insist that everyone in the ‘Tween stay 
  until they had repaired the damage, and he was right, which means 
  he can now stay and wait for Nasul without attracting attention. He 
  did not expect them to also close the Prince’s Gate, however. Now, 
  even if Nasul does arrive, he and Castian will have a gate between 
  them! And once the Wideway Gate is repaired, Castian will again 
  have no excuse to linger.
  The Irrune are not happy about the damage to the gate. They are 
  raiders, and do not like to be cooped up, so having even one of the 
  city’s entrances blocked oﬀ is making all of them edgy. Fortunately, 
  most of them are in the city itself and not in the ‘Tween, but the 
  handful caught in that neighborhood are close to panic from having 
  walls on every side.
  The Sharda sends its agents to investigate the gate. They want to know 
  what happened, but suspect that the culprit may be in the ‘Tween, 
  and they cannot get in there until the gate is repaired.
  Most of the ‘Tween’s residents don’t mind. They have paying 
  customers, and enough food and drink to keep going for at least a 
  week, by which time the gates should be open again.
  Some of the travelers are getting antsy, particularly those whose wares 
  could perish soon (livestock, food, beer). But since there’s nothing they 
  can do about it, most of them decide to just sit back and relax.
  There are no known ways into or out of the ‘Tween except for the 
  two gates. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. The Undercity does 
  stretch this far, and tunnels do have entrances just within the eastern 
  wall. It’s just a matter of ﬁnding them.
  Castian is desperate to ﬁnd such an escape. He needs to be able to 
  get outside the wall and kill Nasul. If he can do that and get back 
  in before the Prince’s Gate is opened, he can leave without anyone 
  suspecting him, for how could he have killed a man on the other 
  side of the wall?
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters enjoy the mystery of the gate, but do not get involved 
  otherwise. This is a pleasant little interlude, and then the gates are 
  opened again and life returns to normal.
  • They notice Castian getting more and more upset, and always 
  sneaking oﬀ. Following him reveals that he is trying to ﬁnd a 
  way outside the city limits. He is desperate enough to pay good 
  money for a way out, though he might try to kill the informant 
  later. The Irrune or the city guards might also be interested in 
  knowing that this trader is panicked about being trapped in the 
  ‘Tween.
  • The characters get involved in the gate’s repairs.
  • They ﬁnd one of the Undercity entrances, and a way both into 
  Sanctuary proper and beyond the exterior wall. They start charging 
  people for passage. Castian hears about this, and oﬀers a lot of 
  money to be taken outside and then back in again later.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  • The guards decide to open the Prince’s Gate again, even though 
  the Wideway is still jammed shut. Many of the Irrune and traders 
  trapped in here leave immediately, though the guards inspect the 
  traders before letting them leave. Nasul and his entourage were 
  waiting outside, and are allowed in with several other travelers. 
  Castian decides that he has to kill Nasul now, while they are both 
  here, but doing so makes it more likely that he will get caught, since 
  there are not that many people in the ‘Tween. He cannot run the 
  risk of Nasul getting into Sanctuary and speaking with Arizak.
  DAGGER BY NIGHT 
  Long ago, back when Ranke still ruled the city, another man 
  controlled the city’s shadowy element. His name was Jubal, and 
  he was the master of Sanctuary’s criminals. Every thief and 
  assassin and spy knew his name, and most of them worked for 
  him, or at least had his permission to work.
  Jubal is long since gone, but another has taken his place. That man 
  is Lord Night. Few people know anything about him, beyond the 
  fact that he controls the city’s crime utterly. No one deals drugs 
  or ﬂesh or pain without Lord Night’s knowledge and consent, 
  and without paying him a percentage of their proﬁts.
  Recently, a new drug has reached Sanctuary. It is called opah. A 
  derivative of krrf, but even more powerful, opah is surprisingly 
  inexpensive, which means that dealers can make a lot of money 
  very quickly. And it is incredibly addictive, which means that 
  it creates it own repeat customers.
  Opah is a problem for Lord Night. People have started selling 
  the drug in Sanctuary without his permission. But by the 
  time he sends someone to stop them, the dealers have closed up 
  shop and left town. They stay only long enough to make some 
  quick money, but none of that money is going to the established 
  dealers, and that means none of it is going to Lord Night. He 
  is losing money on each of these illicit transactions, and losing 
  face as well. And if people start believing that they can operate 
  without his consent, he will lose his empire and anarchy will 
  rule the underworld.
  The newest of these rogue opah dealers have just arrived from 
  Ranke. They came in by boat, and have already set up shop in 
  the West Side. And because the opah is very valuable, these men 
  have hired a handful of locals to serve as guards: the PCs.
  Everything proceeds smoothly for a few days. The dealers, 
  brothers named Thom and Jon Praid, are making a lot of money 
  very quickly. Lord Night sends a representative, who explains 
  that the brothers need to buy a license from him in order to stay 
  in business, and they promise to think it over. The Praid brothers 
  know that the messenger will be back in a few days, but by then 
  they will have depleted their supply of opah anyway, and will 
  simply leave town.
  Then one morning one of their clients bursts into their tent. 
  “Get out now!” he gasps. “He knows it was you! If you stay, 
  you’re dead!”
  It seems that a jeweled dagger has gone missing. The dagger 
  belongs to Lord Night, and he is never seen without it. The theft 
  is a personal insult, and he has declared the death of whomever 
  stole it. And so far all the clues point to the Praids.
  Fortunately, there is not enough evidence yet for Lord Night to 
  act. And, although he knows of the Praids, he does not know 
  where they are—it is a big city, and there are several new opah 
  dealers here right now. But Lord Night will ﬁgure it out soon 
  enough, and then he will come after them.
  The Praids discuss their options. They can run now, losing 
  whatever remaining money they might have made here but 
  escaping with their lives. They could stay and see what happens. 
  They could approach Lord Night and proclaim their innocence. 
  Or they could hide and hope this all blows over.
  The PCs also have a choice to make. They know that Lord Night is 
  the most powerful man in Sanctuary’s criminal world. Crossing 
  him would be a fatal mistake. And right now they are working 
  for the Praids, who are his next targets. But the Praids have 
  been paying them to stand guard, and the brothers are pleasant 
  fellows and good bosses. So do the characters tell them to run, 
  and help them escape? Do they stay out of the way and let Lord 
  Night kill them? Or do they go to Lord Night themselves, reveal 
  the Praids’ whereabouts, get a reward for the information, and 
  maybe even earn Lord Night’s favor?
  But something else is troubling, too. The Praids said they could 
  proclaim their innocence. Did they take the dagger, or not? And, 
  if not, who has set them up for a horrible death?
  This adventure is set partly in the Shambles and partly in the 
  Processional, which provides a nice contrast between the working-
  class neighborhood and the elite residence. It can also involve the 
  Street of Red Lanterns, since Lord Night meets with his subordinates 
  in a chamber beneath the Aphrodisia House there.
  The Praids did not take the dagger. A rival named Fayesh did, hoping 
  to pin the theft on them. So far, his plan is working. Fayesh is also 
  located in the Shambles, and his opah is every bit as good as the 
  Praids’, but he charges a copper more and he is a less pleasant person, 
  so people go to Thom and Jon instead. Fayesh plans to approach Lord 
  Night in another day or two and reveal the location of the dagger, 
  which he had snuck into the Praids’ shop. His chief rivals will then 
  be killed, and he will be able to dominate the Shambles’ opah trade. 
  And Lord Night will be grateful enough that he will waive the usual 
  taxes, giving Fayesh a leg up on any other competition.
  If left to their own devices, the Praids wind up arguing. Thom wants 
  to confront Lord Night, since they didn’t take the dagger. Jon things 
  they should cut their losses and get out of Sanctuary while they can. 
  The brothers ask their guards—the PCs—for advice, since they are 
  locals and know more about Lord Night. 
  When they ﬁnally start packing, Jon discovers the dagger tucked in 
  among their bags. He and Thom are horriﬁed. They know they’ve 
  been set up, but not by whom. Not that it matters: if Lord Night 
  catches them with the dagger, he will kill them and not bother to 
  ask any questions. Terriﬁed, the brothers ask the characters to help 
  them smuggle the dagger out and get it back to Lord Night without 
  revealing where it was found.
  Lord Night is the master of the criminal element, but he has people 
  who would like to see him fall. Chief among these are Arizak himself, 
  and Judge Nevermind, head of the Sharda. The Sharda would pay well 
  for information about Lord Night’s problems, though not as well as 
  Lord Night himself. They are hoping that the criminal overlord will 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  become so angry he takes part in the Praids’ murders himself, because 
  then the Sharda can catch him and convict him.
  Fayesh did not steal the dagger himself. He paid a young thief to do 
  the job for him. The thief is a girl named Cadie, and for the right 
  price she will confess her part to Lord Night.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • Cadie confesses her involvement to Lord Night. He is angry but 
  impressed, and oﬀers her a job. She accepts.
  • The characters go to Lord Night with information about the 
  Praids. He meets with them personally, and pays them well for 
  their time. He also encourages them to go back to the Praids and 
  pretend nothing is wrong. His men arrive soon after, and expect 
  the characters to walk away from the impending violence.
  • The characters stand by the Praids, and help them escape. Lord 
  Night is furious, and puts a price on the brothers’ heads—and a 
  smaller price on the characters as well.
  • The characters stay out of the way. The Praids are murdered, and 
  Fayesh takes control of the Shambles’ opah trade. One night he 
  drinks too much and gloats about how he got rid of his rivals. Lord 
  Night hears of this, and the next morning only Fayesh’s eyes and 
  tongue are found.
  • The Praids confront Lord Night and tell him they did not take the 
  dagger. He searches their things, ﬁnds the dagger, and has them 
  killed.
  • The Praids bring Lord Night the dagger and tell him it was planted 
  among their belongings. He is not a stupid man, and realizes that 
  they would not have brought him the dagger if they really had taken 
  it—they had nothing to gain by the theft. His men investigate, and 
  discover Fayesh’s deception. He is killed, and the Praids are allowed 
  to remain. They do have to pay a percentage to Lord Night, but it 
  is less than any other opah dealer.
  FOOL ON THE HILL
  Everyone knows that you don’t go to the Hill unless you want to 
  die. The people up there are so poor and starved they’d gnaw oﬀ 
  their own feet, and so desperate they’ll kill a man for meat and 
  worry about his money later. No one goes up there.
  Except, apparently, those who don’t know any better.
  A nobleman’s son was out drinking with friends one night. On 
  their way home they rode down Pyrtanis. A beggar appeared out 
  of nowhere, asking for money, and several of the horses reared in 
  panic. The young noble was too drunk to control his steed, and 
  was thrown. Two city guards appeared just then. They scared 
  oﬀ the beggar and helped to calm the horses. But the noble was 
  gone. The guards searched everywhere, but couldn’t ﬁnd him. The 
  next morning, however, they found his jacket, covered in blood. 
  At the base of the Hill.
  This adventure is set on the Hill, the ugliest, poorest, nastiest, most 
  dangerous place in Sanctuary. The Maze looks sedate and civilized 
  compared to the Hill. No one goes there willingly, and the residents 
  will do anything to escape, or to simply survive.
  This is a classic search-and-rescue scenario. The characters can be 
  guards or Irrune, going after the boy because it is their job or it is 
  the right thing to do. They can be mercenaries or even regular local 
  citizens, hired by the boy’s father or hoping for a reward. Or they 
  could be Hillers who hear about what happened and ﬁgure that, if they 
  can ﬁnd and retrieve the boy, the father might be grateful enough to 
  set them up someplace oﬀ the Hill. Even the Shambles or the West 
  Side would be preferable. 
  The boy’s name is Flauvesh D’narre. His father, Sujesh D’narre, is a 
  ranking Ilsigi noble who owns several ships and trading houses. The 
  D’narres live along the Processional, and Flauvesh and his friends 
  were heading back there that night.
  Flauvesh was thrown from his horse, and banged his head on a rock. 
  The concussion has left him in shock, and he is wandering about in 
  a daze. He removed his jacket because he was ﬂushed; the blood is 
  from his head wound. Thus far, he has not been harmed, though that 
  could change at any time.
  Fortunately for the boy, the ﬁrst Hillers he encountered were a family 
  named Dustan. The Dustans are as poor as anyone on the Hill, but 
  they are not bad people. The father, Tad, is a stonecarver, or was before 
  his shop burned down and he lost all his clients and his tools. He 
  has a wife, Lucinda, and two children, Crane and Erdith. It is Erdith 
  who ﬁnds Flauvesh and brings him back to the family’s lean-to. Tad 
  and Lucinda cannot bring themselves to turn away this wounded 
  boy, and they clean his wound and oﬀer him what little food they 
  have, which is moldy bread and brackish water and some thin gruel. 
  Erdith, who is in her teens, is smitten with the handsome Flauvesh. 
  But Crane, several years older, is trying to join one of the local gangs. 
  And, looking at the stranger’s ﬁne clothing, he knows that this could 
  be the thing to make him a member.
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  The part of the Hill where the Dustans live is torn between two rival 
  gangs: the Bricks and the Spikes. The two gangs take their names from 
  their chosen weapons, and they often ﬁght over the territory. Crane has 
  been trying to join the Bricks, but so far they have refused, telling him 
  he’s too soft. He doesn’t dare approach the Spikes, because if he does 
  the Bricks will say he’s a traitor, and treason is punishable by death.
  Sujesh is in a panic about his son’s disappearance. Flauvesh is his only 
  son, and his heir. Sujesh oﬀers a reward for any information about the 
  boy, and hires mercenaries to comb the city, looking for him.
  One of Sujesh’s closest friends is another Ilsigi noble, Lord Shumen 
  Noordiseh. Shumen is also Lord Night, the master of Sanctuary’s 
  criminal element. And Shumen is fond of Flauvesh. He immediately 
  tells his people to look for the boy, and warns that if any harm comes 
  to Flauvesh he will take it as a personal insult. 
  Arizak is also concerned. Sujesh is a valued advisor. Plus, the Irrune are 
  trying to make Sanctuary safer, and having a nobleman’s son disappear 
  on a major street is not going to help. The Irrune are also mobilized.
  The city guard are looking as well, of course, but most of them refuse 
  to go anywhere near the Hill. They suggest that the jacket might have 
  been stolen, and oﬀer to search the other neighboring regions in case 
  he turns up there instead.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • A mercenary group ﬁnds Flauvesh ﬁrst, and holds him for ransom. 
  Sujesh pays, just happy to have his son back, and the mercenaries 
  leave town quickly with their new wealth.
  • Crane goes to the Bricks, and tells their leader, a girl named 
  Usher, about the wealthy stranger. She leads the Bricks back to 
  the Dustans, forces her way in, and takes Flauvesh by force. Tad 
  tries to stop them, and the Bricks beat him down. Crane becomes 
  a member of the Bricks, and they send someone to speak with the 
  characters, who they see approaching the Hill. The Bricks oﬀer a 
  trade: Flauvesh for one of the old vacant warehouses near the end 
  of Pyrtanis. Arizak agrees, and the gang gets a new home oﬀ the 
  Hill. They terrorize so many people, however, that the city guard 
  eventually go in and shut them down, killing most of the teens in 
  the process. Crane is one of the casualties.
  • The Dustans send Erdith to ﬁnd out who Flauvesh’s family is. 
  She sees the characters wandering around, and approaches them. 
  Flauvesh is restored to his father, and Sujesh rewards the Dustans 
  by setting them up in a new shop along Prytanis.
  • Lord Night’s men ﬁnd Flauvesh. They take him back to his house 
  and leave him on the doorstep without a word. Sujesh is overjoyed, 
  but doesn’t know whom to thank. Lord Night ﬁnds out from his 
  men that the Dustans had been tending to the boy, and rewards 
  them by having a set of stoneworking tools delivered to them. Tad 
  is able to work again, and the family moves to the West Side.
  • Crane tells the Bricks about Flauvesh, and they take him from 
  the Dustans. The Spikes see them and attack. The two gangs ﬁght, 
  and many of them are killed. Flauvesh is hurt further and crawls 
  away. He is found and set upon by a pack of starving Hillers, who 
  kill him and eat his ﬂesh. They take his clothes as well, and are 
  then found by the Irrune, who realize what happened and kill the 
  murderers. Sujesh is devastated. 
  THE HONORARY IRRUNE
  You and your friends have escaped the city for the day. The sky is 
  clear, it is the ﬁrst warm day of the season, and none of you feels 
  like working. So you decide to take some time oﬀ. Packing a few 
  skins of ale and some bread and cheese, you wander along the 
  White Foal River, admiring the water and enjoying the quiet. 
  Until you hear the cries for help.
  Rounding a bend, you see a boy ﬂoundering in the river. He is 
  being swept along by the current, and has almost reached your 
  position. Judging from his skin tone, and the shape of his eyes, he 
  is an Irrune. And if you do not help him, he will drown.
  This adventure takes place on the banks of the White Foal River, in 
  the Palace District, and in whatever neighborhood the characters are 
  from. They can be anyone except Irrune, though it is best if they are 
  not nobles of Ranke or Ilsig either.
  This is a more politically oriented adventure seed. It focuses upon 
  the various social levels in Sanctuary, and how they interact. There is 
  a lot of opportunity here for diplomatic maneuvering and intrigue, 
  but not as much for combat. This could work well as a setup for 
  other adventures, however, because it will give the characters many 
  contacts among the Irrune, and make them more likely to be contacted 
  whenever help is needed.
  If the characters dive in to save the boy, or use a branch to catch him, 
  they can manage to ﬁsh him out. If they do nothing, he will strike 
  a small sandbar and wash up upon it, an easy run and hop from the 
  shore. Easy for someone who is not exhausted from ﬁghting the 
  river, that is. The idea is for the characters to rescue him, so if they 
  are not inclined to do so actively, you should arrange it so that the 
  boy basically winds up at their feet. Even the most callous man will 
  bring the boy back to Sanctuary then… particularly since there might 
  be a reward involved.
  The boy’s name is Andalar. His father, Nedemar, is from the same 
  lineage as Arizak. This means that the Irrune war chief, the governor 
  of Sanctuary, is the boy’s uncle.
  Arizak is thrilled when the characters return with Andalar in tow. So 
  are Nedemar and his wife. The boy is their oldest son, and Nedemar’s 
  heir. He was out walking along the river, apparently, and slipped and 
  fell in. Though a strong swimmer, Andalar hit his head when he fell, 
  and was too dazed to ﬁght the current eﬀectively. He would have 
  drowned for certain if the characters had not intervened.
  In their gratitude, Nedemar and Arizak grant the characters honorary 
  membership in their lineage. At ﬁrst the characters might think of 
  this as a nice gesture, like saying “you’re one of the family now.” They 
  will quickly discover their error.
  The Irrune take family very seriously. A lineage is made up of a handful 
  of men and their immediate families, and though the men themselves 
  may not be related by blood, they are closer than most brothers. Arizak 
  and Nedemar have just made the characters part of that same close 
  group. The characters are now honorary Irrune — and not just any 
  Irrune, but members of what amounts to the royal family.
  The characters are not oﬀered any money for their help, because the 
  Irrune consider that to be an insult. They are given several impressive 
  and valuable gifts, however. And, as members of the ruling class, the 
  
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  CHAPTER SIX: ADVENTURES IN SANCTUARY
  characters are introduced to a whole new level of society. They can 
  easily live the rest of their lives in luxury, without ever working again. 
  The Irrune have a very communal sense of material goods, and so the 
  characters can simply live oﬀ the rest of the lineage, taking from the 
  other members’ stores. But if they are interested in working again, 
  the Irrune will be happy to provide opportunities. They can claim any 
  job they want from any non-Irrune in the city, and no one can stop 
  them. Thus, if one of the characters is a woodworker and wanted to 
  carve a new doorway for one of the Rankan nobles but lost the project 
  to a rival, he can take it back now. The rival can object, but since the 
  character is now technically Irrune, the other woodworker would have 
  to go to Arizak and complain that one of Arizak’s people had just 
  stolen his job from him. No one has any doubt what Arizak’s response 
  would be, and so complaining is pointless. In much the same way, the 
  characters can claim pretty much anything they want in Sanctuary, 
  with the exception of property belonging to the Rankan and Ilsigi 
  nobles. They are now masters of the city, and can take anything they 
  like for their own.
  But what does it really mean to be an Irrune, and to be part of that 
  ruling class? The characters may ﬁnd that their lives will never be the 
  same. Old friends are afraid to talk to them, for fear of insulting the 
  Irrune and being punished. Other old friends just want to leech oﬀ 
  the characters, and so do people they barely knew before. People who 
  never liked them now act like their best friends. People who would 
  never acknowledge them before now fawn over them. At ﬁrst, it is 
  a heady feeling, knowing that everyone looks up to you. But, after a 
  while, it becomes tiresome, particularly if any of the characters enjoyed 
  anonymity before. As the only non-Irrune Irrune, everyone knows 
  who they are and what they are doing. There is no more privacy.
  The characters also ﬁnd themselves in an odd position politically. 
  Because they are technically Irrune now, but were not born or raised 
  Irrune, they seem like natural mediators. Rankan and Ilsigi nobles 
  approach the characters, bearing all manner of gifts, hoping to talk 
  them into supporting this measure or that proposal. Lord Night sends 
  emissaries as well. So do several other powerful ﬁgures in Sanctuary. 
  Everyone wants to use the characters to gain access to the Irrune, 
  and to win their support.
  Even within the Irrune, the characters find themselves being 
  manipulated. Arizak is the war chief of the people, and Nedemar is 
  one of his oldest friends and closest advisors. But Arizak is dying, 
  and his sons are ﬁghting for appointment as his heir. With several 
  new “uncles” on the scene, each son wants their support to tip the 
  balance.
  POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
  • The characters settle into their new role as Irrune, and lead an easy 
  life, refusing to play politics, work, or do anything else strenuous.
  • They accept their new role, but throw themselves into becoming 
  true Irrune, and voluntarily accept the responsibilities of the clan. 
  The characters each take on new tasks, like overseeing the city 
  guard and managing the repairs in parts of the city.
  • The characters enter the political arena, and carve themselves a 
  niche as part of the new ruling elite. They endorse one of Arizak’s 
  sons, who becomes the next war chief and governor, and earn places 
  on his inner council.
  • They grow sick of their lack of freedom, and deliberately insult 
  another leading Irrune. Arizak has no choice but to cast them out 
  of his lineage, and out of the clan altogether. The characters are 
  still recognized throughout the city, but they no longer have any 
  status with the Irrune, and before long people forget about them 
  again.
  
  - 203 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  The foes PCs face in Thieves’ World should mostly be human. 
  Humanity is nasty enough without inventing a catalogue of horrors 
  for the characters to kill. Sure, there are demons and elementals, 
  or other vile abominations spewed forth from a remote plane of 
  existance, but the mercenaries, thieves, and cultists of Sanctuary 
  make up the typical threats adventurers likely encounter. Using 
  those individuals as staple foes lends authenticity to your Thieves’ 
  World campaign. 
  This chapter presents a selection of ready to use opponents and allies. 
  In some cases, more than one stat-block has been included for an 
  NPC to reﬂect varying levels of skill, or a varied version of the same 
  archetype. Though the NPCs presented have a selected culture, you 
  can easily change it to ﬁt your needs by exchanging their bonus feat 
  for one appropriate to the new culture.
  ASSASSINS
  In a world of corrupt politics, the surest means to eliminate a rival is to 
  just have him killed. Political machinations are all well and good, but 
  sometimes a dagger in the dark is the most eﬃcient — and permanent 
  — solution. Assassins are in high demand all over the Known 
  World and are the preferred weapon of the aristocracy. In Sanctuary, 
  assassins can be hired in any of the standard dives, places like the 
  Vulgar Unicorn or even Sly’s Place. The better killers don’t advertise 
  themselves, but instead use representatives and intermediaries to 
  protect their identities. Most of the time, if he’s worth the price paid, 
  you won’t even see the assassin. Assassins value their anonymity and 
  conceal their features during a job, just in case it goes sour. 
  The following examples assume the assassin is from Caronne, a place 
  famous for its trained killers.
  INEXPERIENCED ASSASSIN
  Male or female Caronnese hunter, assassin 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d8+1; hp 5; Mdt 16; Init +2; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 15, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +0; Grap +2; Atk 
  +2 melee (1d8+2/19–20, longsword) or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +2 melee (1d8+2/19–20, 
  longsword) or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light 
  crossbow); SQ hunter trait; Rep +0; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will 
  +0; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Move Silently.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +1 (+3 buying or selling), Craft (poison) 
  +5, Diplomacy –1 (+1 buying and selling), Disguise +3, Escape 
  Artist +5, Gather Information +3, Hide +7 (+9 chosen terrain), 
  Intimidate +1, Move Silently +7 (+9 chosen terrain), Spot +4; 
  Dodge, PersuasiveB, StealthyB.
  Languages: Caronnese (S), Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Studded leather, longsword, masterwork light 
  crossbow with 10 bolts, potion of convert light wounds, elixir of 
  hiding, 2 doses of black adder venom, 10 sh.
  TRAINED ASSASSIN
  Male or female Caronnese hunter, assassin 3; CR 3; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Mdt 16; Init +2; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 15, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +2; Grap +4; Atk 
  +5 melee (1d8+2/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +5 ranged 
  (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +5 melee 
  CHAPTER SEVEN:  
  COMMON CHARACTERS
  
  - 204 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  (1d8+2/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +5 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SA poison use, sneak attack +1d6; 
  SQ hunter trait; Rep +0; SV Fort +4 (+6 against poison), Ref +5, 
  Will +1; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Move Silently.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +3 (+5 buying or selling), Craft (poison) 
  +7, Diplomacy –1 (+1 buying and selling), Disguise +3, Escape 
  Artist +6, Gather Information +3, Hide +10 (+12 chosen terrain), 
  Intimidate +1, Listen +4, Move Silently +10 (+12 chosen terrain), 
  Spot +4, Use Rope +4; Dodge, Mobility, PersuasiveB, StealthyB.
  Languages: Caronnese (S), Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, masterwork longsword, 
  masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, oil of magic weapon, 2 
  potion of convert light wounds, potion of hide from animals, elixir 
  of hiding, 2 doses of black adder venom, 1 dose of kastor recinus, 
  1 dose of sassone leaf residue, 10 sh.
  VETERAN ASSASSIN
  Male or female Caronnese hunter, assassin 5; CR 5; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 5d8+5; hp 27; Mdt 17; Init +3; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 17, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grap +5; Atk 
  +6 melee (1d8+2/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +7 ranged 
  (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +5 melee 
  (1d8+2/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +7 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SA poison use, sneak attack +2d6; 
  SQ hunter trait; Rep +1; SV Fort +5 (+7 against poison), Ref +6, 
  Will +1; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Move Silently.
  Skills and Feats: Bluﬀ +3 (+5 buying or selling), Climb +6, Craft 
  (poison) +7, Diplomacy +1 (+3 buying and selling), Disguise +3 
  (+5 acting), Escape Artist +7, Gather Information +3, Hide +13 
  (+15 chosen terrain), Intimidate +3, Listen +4, Move Silently +13 
  (+15 chosen terrain), Spot +4, Use Rope +5; Combat ExpertiseB, 
  Dodge, Mobility, PersuasiveB, StealthyB.
  Languages: Caronnese (S), Trade Tongue (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 studded leather, masterwork cold iron longsword, 
  masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, oil of magic weapon, 2 
  potion of convert light wounds, potion of hide from animals, potion 
  of invisibility, elixir of hiding, 2 doses of black adder venom, 1 
  dose of kastor recinus, 2 doses of monkshood, 1 dose of sassone 
  leaf residue.
  BANDIT
  The lands surrounding Sanctuary are no less dangerous. Those few 
  communities that support the city rely on their own militias and 
  guards to keep the peace, but the roads connecting them hide bandits 
  that prey on caravans, travelers, and even pilgrims. In the Rankan 
  Era, the imperial garrison patrolled the roads to contain the bandits. 
  Irrune Era barbarians are less likely to commit the manpower to 
  watch over the wilderness, though the presence of their large camp 
  is a deterrent.
  Most bandits are Rankan expatriates, or people so low of character 
  that they were kicked out of Sanctuary. Former soldiers, ne’er-do-
  wells, and failed farmers also take up a life of banditry. Others still are 
  in the employ of the Kingdom of Ilsig, hired to disrupt trade routes 
  and weaken the Irrune hold on the city. 
  
  - 205 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  COMMON BANDIT
  Male or female Wrigglie bandit, warrior; CR 1/2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d8+1; hp 5; Mdt 14; Init +4; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grap +2; 
  Atk +2 melee (1d6, club) or +1 ranged (1d6, spear); Full Atk 
  +2 melee (1d6, club) or +1 ranged (1d6, spear); SQ jaded; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, 
  Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Survival.
  Skills and Feats:  Hide +3, Intimidate +3, Listen +2, Spot +2, 
  Survival +4; AlertnessB, Improved Initiative.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S)
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Leather armor, light wooden shield, club, 
  shortspear.
  ILSIGI BANDIT
  Male or female Ilsigi bandit, ranger 3; CR 3; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 3d8+6; hp 19; Mdt 17; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, 
  touch 12, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk +3; Grap +4; Atk +5 melee 
  (1d8+1/×3, masterwork battleaxe) or +6 ranged (1d8+1/×3, 
  masterwork composite [+1] longbow); Full Atk +5 melee 
  (1d8+1/×3, masterwork battleaxe) or +4/+4 ranged (1d8+1/×3, 
  masterwork composite [+1] longbow); SA combat style (archery); 
  SQ favored environment (hills); Rep +0; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will 
  +2; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Survival.
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +3, Hide +6 (+8 hills), Intimidate +0 
  (+3 recognized), Jump +3, Knowledge (geography) +4 (+6 hills), 
  Knowledge (nature) +4 (+6 hills), Listen +7 (+9 hills), Move 
  Silently +4 (+6 hills), Search +4 (+6 hills), Spot +7 (+9 hills), 
  Survival +7 (+9 hills), Swim +1; AlertnessB, EnduranceB, Point 
  Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid ShotB, TrackB.
  Languages: Ilsigi (S)
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, heavy wooden shield, 
  masterwork battleaxe, masterwork composite (+1) longbow with 
  20 arrows, 2 potions of convert light wounds, potion of hide from 
  animals, elixir of hiding, elixir of sneaking.
  BEGGARS
  Sanctuary literally bustles with beggars. Some are genuine tragedies: 
  maimed in an accident, weakened by disease, or just suﬀering from 
  bad luck. Others chose the life of begging and are skilled at playing 
  on the heartstrings of Sanctuary’s wealthier citizens. The “professional” 
  beggars were Moruth’s minions who fought the Hawkmasks and 
  committed some of the atrocities attributed to the death squads that 
  roamed the streets during the anarchic times that followed Roxane’s 
  arrival. Finally, urchins are perhaps the most numerous of the beggars 
  (at least during the Rankan Era) and, when formed into gangs, prove 
  just as dangerous as any others.
  COMMON BEGGAR
  Male or female Wrigglie beggar, commoner 1; CR 1/2; Size 
  type (subtype); HD 1d4; hp 2; Mdt 10; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grap +0; Atk +0 
  melee (1d3 nonlethal, unarmed strike); Full Atk +0 melee (1d3, 
  unarmed strike); SQ beggar trait, jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +0, Ref 
  +0, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +4, Knowledge (local) +4, Listen +4, 
  Profession (beggar) +4, Spot +4; AlertnessB, Endurance.
  Authentic Beggar:  Common beggars typically have some kind of 
  ailment or aﬄiction that prevents them from earning an income 
  like everyone else. To determine the cause of their beggary, roll 
  1d100 and consult the following results:
  AUTHENTIC BEGGAR
  Roll
  Result
  01–20
  Maimed. The beggar is crippled (missing a hand, foot, 
  or leg), is blind, is mute or deaf, or suﬀers from some 
  other physical limitation.
  21–40
  Diseased. The beggar carries disease. See page 187 for 
  example diseases.
  41–60
  Mad. The beggar is raving mad. Unless you use sanity 
  rules (such as those presented in Green Ronin’s Black 
  Company Campaign Setting), treat mad characters as 
  being under the eﬀects of the insanity spell.
  61–80
  Roll twice more ignoring all results of 61 or higher.
  81–100
  Bad luck or fate. The beggar is fully capable of working 
  or pursuing some other livelihood.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Rags, wooden cup.
  URCHINS
  Male or female Wrigglie beggar, expert 1; CR 1/2; Small 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d6–2; hp 1; Mdt 3; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grap –6; Atk 
  –2 melee (1d3–2/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk –2 melee 
  (1d3–2/19–20, masterwork dagger); SQ beggar trait, jaded; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort –2, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 7, Dex 10, Con 7, Int 9, 
  Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Hide, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +4, Diplomacy +0 (+2 against scum), 
  Gather Information +3, Gamble +1, Hide +10, Knowledge (local) 
  +4 (+6 navigating the Maze), Listen +4, Move Silently +3, Spot 
  +4; Maze-SavvyB, Streetwise.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Rags, Small dagger.
  
  - 206 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  MORUTH’S BEGGARS
  Male or female Wrigglie beggar, thief 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d6; hp 3; Mdt 11; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 11, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10;Base Atk +0; Grap +0; Atk 
  +0 melee (1d6, club) or +1 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); Full 
  Atk +0 melee (1d6, club) or +1 ranged (1d4/19–20, dagger); 
  SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ beggar trait, jaded, trapﬁnding; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 8, 
  Wis 9, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Disguise, Hide.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +5, Disguise +9, Hide +7, Listen +3, Move 
  Silently +5, Search +3, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +3; Maze-
  SavvyB, Skill Focus (Bluﬀ).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Rags, club, dagger, masterwork disguise kit.
  CHARLATANS
  Con men are a big part of the city’s economy. From the snake oil 
  sellers in the Bazaar to the shady merchants in the Crook, charlatans 
  have always preyed on the foolish and gullible. Those with the proper 
  talents can clean up and get away before anyone notices they’ve been 
  duped. The following charlatan is Caronnese; those people have a 
  knack for trade, both legitimate and illegitimate.
  CHARLATAN
  Male or female Caronnese con artist, thief 3, savant 1; CR 3; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 3d6 plus 1d6; hp 14; Mdt 12; 
  Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; 
  Grap +1; Atk +2 melee (1d6/18–20, +1 rapier); Full Atk +2 melee 
  (1d6/18–20, +1 rapier); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ con artist trait, 
  evasion, trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +1, Ref +4, 
  Will +2; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Diplomacy.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +14 (+16 buying or selling), Decipher 
  Script +3, Diplomacy +11 (+13 buying or selling), Disguise 
  +11 (+13 acting), Escape Artist +7, Forgery +11, Gamble +7, 
  Gather Information +4, Intimidate +5, Listen +7, Sense Motive 
  +5, Sleight of Hand +9, Spot +8, Use Rope +1 (+3 bindings); 
  DeceitfulB, PersuasiveB, Run, Skill Focus (Bluﬀ).
  Languages:  Caronnese (S), Rankene (S), Trade Tongue (S), 
  Wriggle (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: +1 padded armor, +1 rapier, case full of assorted junk.
  MERCHANTS
  There’s little diﬀerence between merchants and charlatana save 
  that one deals in somewhat legitimate merchandise. Merchants do 
  business in many parts of the city, including the Bazaar, the Wideway, 
  the ‘Tween, the Caravan depot, and even in the Shambles.
  MERCHANT
  Male or female Caronnese merchant, thief 3, savant 1; CR 3; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 3d6 plus 1d6; hp 14; Mdt 
  12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 12; Base 
  Atk +2; Grap +1; Atk +2 melee (1d4/19–20, +1 dagger); Full 
  Atk +2 melee (1d4/19–20, +1 dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; 
  SQ evasion, merchant trait, trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep +0; 
  SV Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 
  12, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Appraise, Diplomacy.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +9, Bluﬀ +14 (+15 buying or selling), 
  Decipher Script +3, Diplomacy +11 (+12 buying or selling), 
  Forgery +11, Gamble +7, Gather Information +4, Intimidate +5, 
  Listen +7, Profession (merchant) +10, Sense Motive +5, Sleight 
  of Hand +9, Spot +8, Use Rope +1 (+3 bindings); DeceitfulB, 
  PersuasiveB, Run, Skill Focus (Profession: merchant).
  Languages:  Caronnese (S), Rankene (S), Trade Tongue (S), 
  Wriggle (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: +1 padded armor, +1 dagger, case full of assorted 
  goods.
  COMMONER
  Of course, Sanctuary is home to heroes and villains, thieves and 
  wizards, and priests and their champions. But it is also home to the 
  thousands of ordinary people who struggle each day to put food 
  on their tables, survive the walk from their job to their homes, and 
  raise their children and support their families in the turmoil of this 
  infamous city. The average Sanctan is grim but determined, realistic 
  but hopeful. He realizes misery is a part of life, and death might wait 
  behind any corner. And, though not a giant amongst men, Sanctuary 
  would not exist without him.
  Use these statistics for farmers, ﬁshermen, shepherds, prostitutes, 
  and bystanders.
  COMMONER
  Male or female Wrigglie peasant, commoner 1; CR 1/2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d4; hp 2; Mdt 11; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grap +0; Atk 
  +0 melee (1d6, quarterstaﬀ) or +0 melee (1d4/19–20, dagger); 
  Full Atk +0 melee (1d6, quarterstaﬀ) or +0 melee (1d4/19–20, 
  dagger); SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 11, 
  Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Craft, Profession.
  Skills and Feats:  Craft (any one) +5, Handle Animal +1, Jump 
  +1, Listen +3, Profession (any one) +5, Ride +1, Spot +3, Swim 
  +1; AlertnessB, Endurance, Low-ProﬁleB.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Quarterstaﬀ or dagger.
  
  - 207 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  COURTIERS, FUNCTIONARIES, 
  AND LESSER NOBLES
  Between the rulers and the ruled lies an entire class of people. Just a 
  notch above the commoner, these are the hangers-on, the courtiers, 
  the magistrates, landowners, and even the lords exiled from Ranke. 
  They live in the better parts of town, such as along the Processional 
  and Land’s End Retreat (or the Hill and the Jeweler’s Quarter, 
  depending on the era) and have little cause to cross paths with the 
  scum that seems so pervasive in this city.
  Use these statistics for any minor personage—someone of rank, but 
  of little consequence to the true powers in the city.
  LESSER NOBLE
  Male or female Rankan bureaucrat, aristocrat 2; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d8–1; hp 3; Mdt 9; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 11, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +1; Grap +1; Atk 
  +1 melee (1d6/18–20, rapier); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6/18–20, 
  rapier); SQ literate; Rep +0; SV Fort –1, Ref +0, Will +2; Str 10, 
  Dex 11, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Sense Motive.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +4, Bluﬀ +8 (+10 against three or 
  more), Diplomacy +14 (+16 against three or more), Disguise 
  +1 (+3 acting), Gather Information +4, Knowledge (local) +4, 
  Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +6, Intimidate +6 (+8 against 
  three or more), Sense Motive +6; NegotiatorB, Persuasive.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork padded, rapier, 1d4×10 sh.
  CRAFTSMAN
  Sanctuary has long boasted men and women of exceptional talent. 
  During Kadakithis’ time, craftsmen could be found in the Jeweler’s 
  Quarter and the Bazaar, and in a few rare shops in the Westside. In 
  the Irrune Era, few skilled craftsmen remain, and those that do, live 
  in the relative safety of the ‘Tween or along the Processional.
  Use these statistics for any NPC of skill greater than what would be 
  ordinarily found in a commoner.
  CRAFTSMAN
  male or female Wrigglie entrepreneur, savant 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d6; hp 3; Mdt 12; Init –1; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 11, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grap +0; Atk +1 
  melee (1d6, masterwork quarterstaﬀ); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6, 
  masterwork quarterstaﬀ); SQ jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +0, Ref –1, 
  Will +4; Str 11, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Craft, Profession.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +5 (+7 Craft or Profession), Craft 
  (any one) +10, Knowledge (any one) +5*, Knowledge (local) +5, 
  Listen +5, Profession (any one) +7, Sense Motive +5, Spot +5; 
  Iron Will, Skill Focus (Craft)B.
  *If making a healer, replace this skill with Heal +8 and change 
  the Skill Focus (Craft) to Skill Focus (Heal).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork leather, masterwork quarterstaff, 
  masterwork tools.
  CRIERS AND RUMORMONGERS
  News is slow to spread in Sanctuary. There are no newspapers, and 
  oﬃcial announcements from the Palace are rare. Sanctans learn 
  about what’s happening in the city through the talents of their 
  gossips and loudmouths: the criers and rumormongers. These men 
  and women act as legitimate informants, exchanging rumors for a 
  few padpols. Such characters are nosy, invasive and always in search 
  of a new lead to add to the information they can sell. Obviously, 
  they must have reliable sources, or people will stop paying them 
  for what they know. 
  Use these statistics for criers, rumormongers, and even storytellers.
  RUMORMONGER
  Male or female Wrigglie entertainer, expert 4; CR 3; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 4d6; hp 14; Mdt 10; Init –1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 9, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 9; Base Atk +3; Grap +3; Atk +3 
  melee (1d6, club); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6, club); SQ jaded; Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 8, Con 10, Int 11, 
  Wis 13, Cha 12.
  
  - 208 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Perform (oratory).
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +10, Diplomacy +3, Disguise +1 (+3 acting), 
  Gather Information +8, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (local) +8, 
  Listen +10, Perform (oratory) +10, Search +7, Spot +10, Survival 
  +1 (+3 follow tracks); AlertnessB, Well-Connected.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (3).
  Possessions: Club, 1d4×10 pd.
  CULTISTS AND PRIEST
  For as long as Sanctuary has stood, it’s attracted the priests of many 
  gods—some real, others invented. Cultists may be indistinguishable 
  from priests, serving the people as well as their deity, or act an 
  insidious force furthering the interests of their mad dogma or their 
  greed. In the Irrune Era, the most recognizable cultists are the 
  Dyareelans, who continue to plague the city in small ways and, one 
  day, might return in force.
  Of the ﬁve archetypes presented, the ﬁrst four are designed with 
  the Dyareelans in mind. Bruisers work for the cult by rounding up 
  undesirables, killing their enemies and defending the priests. Honeys 
  are seducers and corruptors, luringthe unsuspecting into the cult’s 
  web. Watchers serve as spies and informers. You can easily adapt 
  them for use with other cults; the bruiser might represent a member 
  of a war cult, while the honey could be an example of a perverse sex 
  cult devotee.
  TYPICAL BRUISER
  Male or female Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, survivor 2; CR 2; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 2d10+2; hp 13; Mdt 18; Init 
  +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; 
  Grap +2; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) or +2 melee 
  (1d6+1, unarmed strike) or +2 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork 
  dagger); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) or +2 melee 
  (1d6+1, unarmed strike) or +2 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork 
  dagger); SA bruiser trait, ﬁght or ﬂight (aggressive); SQ jaded; 
  Rep +0; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +4; Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, 
  Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 9.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +6, Intimidate +9, Jump +6, Listen 
  +5, Spot +5, Survival +5; EnduranceB, Improved Damage 
  ThresholdB, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Power Attack, Skill 
  Focus (Intimidate)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, masterwork club, 
  masterwork dagger, cloak of resistance +1.
  TYPICAL HONEY
  Male or female Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, savant 2; CR 2; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 2d6; hp 7; Mdt 12; Init +0; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +1; Grap 
  +0; Atk +1 melee (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +2 
  ranged (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +1 melee 
  (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +2 ranged (1d4–1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SQ good fortune, honey trait, jaded; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 8, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 12, 
  Wis 9, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Disguise.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +10, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +8 (+10 
  acting), Gather Information +8, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (local) 
  +6, Listen +6, Perform (courtesan) +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot 
  +1; AlertnessB, Negotiator, PersuasiveB.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork leather, 2 masterwork daggers, 2 potion 
  of eagle’s splendor, dose oil of taggit, 2 doses monkshood.
  TYPICAL WATCHER
  Male or female Wrigglie Dyareelan cultist, thief 2; CR 2; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 2d6; hp 7; Mdt 11; Init +1; 
  Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grap 
  +0; Atk +1 melee (1d6–1/19–20, masterwork short sword) or 
  +2 ranged (1d4–1, sling); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6–1/19–20, 
  masterwork short sword) or +2 ranged (1d4–1, sling); SA sneak 
  attack +1d6; SQ evasion, jaded, trapﬁnding, watcher trait; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 9, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 11, 
  Wis 12, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Hide, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats:  Balance +6, Climb +2, Escape Artist +6, Gather 
  Information +4, Hide +8, Knowledge (religion) +4, Listen +8, 
  Move Silently +6, Search +6, Spot +9, Survival +1 (+3 follow 
  tracks), Use Rope +1 (+3 bindings); AlertnessB, Dodge.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: +1 leather, masterwork short sword, sling with 10 
  stones.
  TYPICAL CULT LEADER
  Male or female Devrithi Dyareelan cultist, priest 5; CR 5; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 5d6+5; hp 22; Mdt 13; Init 
  –1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +2; Grap 
  +2; Atk +3 melee (1d4/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +1 ranged 
  (1d4/19–20, throwing dagger); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger) or +1 ranged (1d4/19–20, throwing dagger); 
  SQ channel divine power (commanding presence, holy vitality), 
  withdrawn; Rep +1; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +8; Str 10, Dex 8, 
  Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Concentration, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats:  Concentration +11, Diplomacy +10, Gather 
  Information +4, Hide +1, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (local) 
  +9, Knowledge (religion) +11, Move Silently +1, Spellcraft +9; 
  Combat Casting, Ritual Emphasis, StealthyB.
  Languages: Devrithi (S), Wrigglie (S).
  
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  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +7; ritualcasting +11; save DC 
  13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (8+2d): bane (1st, MT 20, price 1), circle of protection 
  (1st, MT 20, price 1), death knell (2nd, MT 30, price 2), divine 
  favor (1sy, MT 20, price 1), doom (1st, MT 20, price 1) D, inﬂict 
  light wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), sanctuary (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), shatter (2nd, MT 30, price 2) D, shield of faith (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), sound burst (2nd, MT 30, price 2).
  D: Domain spell. Domains: Catastrophe (limited evasion) and 
  Disease (immune to ability damage and drain from disease).
  Familiar Spells (10): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2), convert light 
  wounds (1st, MT 20, price 1), curse water (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  darkness (2nd, MT 30, price 2), dispel magic (3rd, MT 40, price 
  3), endure elements (0, MT 10, price 1), hold person (2nd, MT 30, 
  price 2), owl’s wisdom (2nd, MT 30, price 2), silence (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), summon monster I (1st, MT 20, price 1).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, throwing dagger, bracers of armor 
  +1, cloak of resistance +1.
  TYPICAL PRIEST
  Male or female Rankan acolyte, priest 3; CR 3; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d6+3; hp 13; Mdt 13; Init +0; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 11, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +1; Grap +0; Atk 
  +0 melee (1d6–1, masterwork light mace); Full Atk +0 melee 
  (1d6–1, masterwork light mace); SQ acolyte trait, channel divine 
  power (select one), literate; Rep +1; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +5; 
  Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (religion).
  Skills and Feats:  Concentration +7, Diplomacy +15, Gather 
  Information +7, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +8, 
  Knowledge (religion) +10, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +8; 
  NegotiatorB, Ritual Emphasis, Scribe Matrix.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +5; ritualcasting +8; save DC 
  12 + spell level.
  Known Spells (5+1d): cause fear (1st, MT 20, price 1), convert 
  minor wounds (0, MT 10, 0/1), sanctuary (1st, MT 20, price 
  1), shield of faith (1st, MT 20, price 1), virtue (0, MT 10, price 
  0/1), plus one domain spell.
  Domains: Select any two oﬀered by the deity selected.
  Familiar Spells (7): augury (2nd, MT 30, price 2 lethal), convert 
  light wounds (1st, MT 10, price 1), detect magic (0, MT 10, 
  price 0/1), detect poison (0, MT 10, price 0/1), read magic (0, 
  MT 10, price 0/1), summon monster I (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  summon monster III (3rd, MT 40, price 3 lethal).
  Possessions: Masterwork light mace, potion of convert light 
  wounds, scroll of bless, scroll of convert light wounds, amulet of 
  natural armor +1.
  ENTERTAINER
  Though thieves walk the streets, gods do battle in the skies overhead, 
  and intrigues make the palace as deadly as any arena, Sanctuary can 
  still ﬁnd comfort in the antics of a clown or the wonders of a traveling 
  carnival. Entertainers include actors and their troupes, jugglers, 
  acrobats, comedians, and even gladiators.
  ACROBAT/JUGGLER
  Male or female Wriggle entertainer, expert 2; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d6; hp 7; Mdt 11; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 11, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +1; Grap +2; Atk 
  +2 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or +2 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  throwing dagger); Full Atk +2 melee (1d4+1/19–20, dagger) or 
  +2 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); SQ entertainer trait, 
  jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 13, Con 
  11, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Perform, Tumble.
  Skills and Feats:  Balance +8, Bluﬀ +5, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +0 
  (+2 acting), Escape Artist +6, Intimidate +2, Jump +10, Perform 
  (any one) +7, Sleight of Hand +7, Tumble +12, Use Rope +1 
  (+3 bindings); Acrobatic, Skill Focus (Escape Artist, Perform, 
  or Tumble)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: 4 daggers, costume, 1d10 pd.
  
  - 210 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  ACTOR/COMEDIAN/MUSICIAN
  Male or female Wriggle entertainer, expert 2; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d6–2; hp 5; Mdt 9; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +1; Grap +0; Atk +0 
  melee (1d4–1/19–20, dagger); Full Atk +0 melee (1d4–1/19–20, 
  type); SQ entertainer trait, jaded; Rep +0; SV Fort –1, Ref +0, 
  Will +4; Str 8, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Disguise.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +8, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +8 (+10 acting), 
  Intimidate +3, Listen +5, Perform (any one) +9, Sense Motive +7, 
  Sleight of Hand +7, Spot +5; Negotiator, Skill Focus (Perform)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: Dagger, costume, 2d20 pd.
  GLADIATOR/PIT FIGHTER/BOXER
  Male or female Wrigglie prizeﬁghter, warrior 2; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d8+2; hp 11; Mdt 15; Init +0; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 14, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +2; Grap +3; 
  Atk +4 melee (1d6+1/19–20, short sword); Full Atk +4 melee 
  (1d6+1/19–20, short sword); Rep +0; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will 
  +0; Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Perform.
  Skills and Feats:  Intimidate +7, Perform (any one) +7; Skill Focus 
  (Perform)B, Weapon Focus (short sword).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Studded leather, light wooden shield, short sword.
  GUARDS AND WATCH
  The Watch can be just as much of a threat as the thieves and 
  murderers. Many watchmen are on the take, accepting payoﬀs from 
  crime lords and kingpins. Some guards have a personal score to settle; 
  if they see someone they don’t like, they’re likely to drag the sod out 
  into the street and beat him to death. What’s worse is that the palace 
  guards aren’t much better. Every once in a while, a watchman actually 
  wants to clean up the city. Such ambition, though laudable, tends to 
  be short-lived, as the futility of their eﬀorts crushes their spirits. 
  Corruption is part of being a guard and member of the watch. In 
  recent times, the Sharda has taken steps to weed out the bad men 
  from the not-so-bad and curb the violence committed by the so-
  called protectors of the city. The Palace guards reﬂect the Rankan 
  soldiers that protected Kadakithis’ Palace. In the Irrune Era, most of 
  the protection comes from the Irrune. Those Sanctans who protect 
  the Palace district use statistics for the Watch.
  TYPICAL WATCHMAN
  Male or female Wrigglie constable, warrior 1; CR 1/2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d8; hp 4; Mdt 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 14, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grap +1; Atk +1 
  melee (1d6/19–20, short sword) or +2 ranged (1d6, shortspear); 
  Full Atk +1 melee (1d6/19–20, short sword) or +2 ranged (1d6, 
  shortspear); SQ jaded; Rep +1; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +1; Str 
  11, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (local), Spot.
  Skills and Feats:  Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +4, Listen +2, 
  Sense Motive +2 (+4 lies), Spot +6; AlertnessB, Weapon Focus 
  (shortspear).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Studded leather, light wooden shield, short sword, 
  shortspear.
  TYPICAL WATCHMAN SERGEANT
  Male or female Wrigglie constable, warrior 4; CR 1/2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 4d8; hp 18; Mdt 15; Init +4; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 15, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk +4; Grap +5; 
  Atk +6 melee (1d8+1/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +6 
  ranged (1d6+1, shortspear); Full Atk +6 melee (1d8+1/19–20, 
  masterwork longsword) or +6 ranged (1d6+1, shortspear); SQ 
  jaded; Rep +1; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 
  11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (local), Spot.
  Skills and Feats:  Intimidate +12, Gather Information +2, 
  Knowledge (local) +4, Listen +3, Sense Motive +2 (+4 lies), 
  Spot +7; AlertnessB, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus 
  (shortspear).
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  
  - 211 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  Contacts: Information (1), Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt, light steel shield, masterwork 
  longsword, masterwork shortspear.
  TYPICAL PALACE GUARD
  Male or female Rankan soldier, fighter 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d10+1; hp 6; Mdt 18; Init +0; Spd 20 
  ft.; AC 18, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 18; Base Atk +1; Grap +2; Atk 
  +4 melee (1d8+1/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +2 ranged 
  (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +4 melee 
  (1d8+1/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +2 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SQ literate; Rep +0; SV Fort +3, Ref 
  +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility and royalty).
  Skills and Feats:  Diplomacy +1, Intimidate +3, Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +3, Listen +1, Sense Motive +2, Spot +1; 
  Power Attack, NegotiatorB, Weapon Focus (longsword)B.
  Languages: Rankan (S/W).
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Splint mail, heavy steel shield, masterwork longsword, 
  masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, potion of convert light 
  wounds.
  TYPICAL PALACE GUARD OFFICER
  Male or female Rankan soldier, ﬁghter 6; CR 6; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 6d10+12; hp 45; Mdt 23; Init +3; 
  Spd 20 ft.; AC 21, touch 9, ﬂat-footed 21; Base Atk +6; Grap 
  +9; Atk +11 melee (1d8+5/19–20, masterwork longsword) or 
  +6 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk 
  +11/+6 melee (1d8+5/19–20, masterwork longsword) or +6 
  ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); SQ literate; 
  Rep +0; SV Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 16, Dex 8, Con 14, 
  Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility and royalty).
  Skills and Feats:  Diplomacy +4, Intimidate +11, Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +14, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot 
  +4; Alertness, CleaveB, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, 
  NegotiatorB, Weapon Focus (longsword)B, Weapon Specialization 
  (longsword)B.
  Languages: Rankan (S/W).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, masterwork 
  longsword, masterwork light crossbow with 10 bolts, potion of 
  convert moderate wounds, cloak of resistance +1.
  HELL HOUNDS
  Where the Watch and Palace guard were both prone to corruption, 
  the Hell Hounds were quite the opposite. They were chosen for their 
  strength of character, their resolve, and their loyalty to the Empire, 
  and trained in the best military academies. Sanctuary learned to give 
  them a measure of grudging respect, born as much from fear as any 
  appreciation for their talents at swordplay. 
  Though Tempus and Zalbar were the best of the Hell Hounds, the 
  rest were certainly not to be toyed with. Use these statistics for the 
  standard Hell Hounds: Annan, Bourne, Quag, and Razkuli.
  HELL HOUND
  Male Rankan soldier, ﬁghter 8, hell hound 4; CR 12; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 8d10+16 plus 4d12+8; hp 94; Mdt 24; 
  Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 23, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 21; Base Atk 
  +12; Grap +16; Atk +19 melee (1d10+7/17–20, +1 keen  bastard 
  sword) or +15 ranged (1d8+4/×3, +1 composite [+3] longbow); Full 
  Atk +19/+17/+12 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 bastard sword) or 
  +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+4/×3, +1 composite [+3] longbow); SA 
  pack tactics; SQ fearsome reputation, literate, uncanny dodge, 
  untouchable; Rep +3; SV Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +10 (+14 mind-
  aﬀecting); Str 19, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility and 
  royalty).
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +5, Diplomacy +2, Intimidate +22, 
  Gather Information +5, Handle Animal +6, Jump +4, Knowledge 
  (nobility and royalty) +7, Ride +15, Speak Language (Wrigglie); 
  Cleave, Combat ExpertiseB, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency 
  (bastard sword)B, Great CleaveB, Greater Weapon Focus (bastard 
  sword)B, Improved Damage Threshold, Iron Will, Mobility, 
  Power Attack, Skill Focus (Intimidate)B, Weapon Focus (bastard 
  sword)B, Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)B.
  Languages: Rankene (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (2), Inﬂuence (1).
  Possessions: +2 breastplate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 keen bastard 
  sword, +1 composite (+3) longbow with 20 arrows, 2 potions of 
  convert moderate wounds, ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance 
  +1, gauntlets of Strength +2.
  THE OTHER HELL HOUNDS
  The Hell Hounds, impressive warriors all, are interesting cases. 
  Annan was the younger son of a noble who couldn’t cut it as an oﬃcer. Arrogant and barely controllable, prisoners tended to die in his 
  care. Still, he was impressed by Kadakithis and served him admirably. Bourne, on the other hand, was ambitious. His lover, Lirian, the 
  prince’s consort, drew him into a conspiracy against the Prince, leading to him being stripped of rank and summarily executed. The 
  oldest Hell Hound was Quag. Prideful and experienced, he deﬁned the character of the Hell Hounds. Razkuli was the youngest and 
  most temperamental. Though a close friend of Zalbar, even the Hell Hound commander could not protect the youth from Tempus’ 
  rage when Shadowspawn released the Riddler from the vivisectionist.
  
  - 212 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  IRRUNE WARRIOR
  In the last ten years, it’s been common to see hordes of barbarians 
  wandering the streets of Sanctuary, bored and hating urban life. These 
  men (and occasionally women) have had little luck adapting to the 
  city. They abhor the concept of paying for anything, and so are just 
  as bad as the other thieves that haunt the night.
  TYPICAL IRRUNE WARRIOR
  Male or female Irrune adventurer, barbarian 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid; HD 1d12+4; hp 10; Mdt 15; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; 
  AC 13, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grap +2; Atk +2 
  melee (1d12+1/×3, greataxe) or +1 ranged (1d6+1/×3, composite 
  [+1] shortbow); Full Atk +2 melee (1d12+1/×3, greataxe) or +1 
  ranged (1d6+1/×3, composite [+1] shortbow); SA rage; SQ fast 
  movement, illiteracy, saddleborn; Rep +1; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, 
  Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 9.
  Background Skills: Jump, Survival.
  Skills and Feats:  Handle Animal +3, Jump +4, Ride +6, Survival 
  +6; Power Attack, ToughnessB.
  Languages: Irrune (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1).
  Rage (Ex): When an Irrune warrior rages, he or she uses the 
  following statistics.
  HD 1d12+6; hp 12; Mdt 19; AC 11, touch 8, ﬂat-footed 11; 
  Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d12+4/×3, greataxe); Full Atk +4 melee 
  (1d12+4/×3, greataxe); SV Fort +5, Will +2; Str 17, Con 16,.
  Skills: Jump +6 .
  Possessions: Masterwork hide, greataxe, composite (+1) shortbow 
  with 10 arrows.
  MAGICIAN
  Up until Kadakithis’ reign in the Rankan Era, the mageguild 
  controlled much of the city. Its members could walk unmolested 
  wherever they wished. Previous governors granted them incredible 
  freedoms, and through it all, they prospered. But when Kadakithis 
  came, he refused their bribes and subjected them to the same laws 
  as any other citizen. Worse, Tempus and Cime, both opponents of 
  wizards, did their parts in dismantling the guild. In the end, it took 
  the destruction of the Nisibisi power globes to crush them. 
  Use the following statistics for mages of any era.
  TYPICAL MAGEGUILDER
  male or female Ilsigi apprentice, mage 4; CR 4; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 4d4; hp 10; Mdt 11; Init +2; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +2; Grap +1; Atk 
  +1 melee (1d6–1, quarterstaﬀ) or +5 ranged (1d4–1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6–1, quarterstaﬀ) 
  or +5 ranged (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SQ arcane 
  defenses, skilled; Rep +1; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +7; Str 8, 
  Dex 14, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Background Skills: Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +3 (+5 alchemical items), Concentration 
  +7, Craft (alchemy) +10, Decipher Script +10, Knowledge 
  (arcana) +15, Knowledge (local) +4, Spellcraft +12; Combat 
  Casting, Iron WillB, Touch the Otherworld.
  Languages: Ilsigi (S/W), Wrigglie (S), Rankene (S)
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Spells: safe level 2nd; spellcasting +8; ritualcasting +6; save DC 
  13 + spell level.
  Known Spells (7): disguise self (1st, MT 20, price1), expeditious 
  retreat (1st, MT 20, price 1), hypnotism (1st, MT 20, price 1), 
  mage armor (1st, MT 20, price 1), magic missile (1st, MT 20, 
  price 1), prestidigitation (0, MT 10, price 0/1), scorching ray (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2).
  Familiar Spells (8): arcane mark (0, MT 10, price 0/1), blur (2nd, 
  MT 30, price 2), circle of protection (1st, MT 20, price 1), detect 
  magic (0, MT 10, price 0/1), protection from arrows (2nd, MT 
  30, price 2), read magic (0, MT, price 0/1), summon monster I (1st, 
  MT 20, price 1).
  Possessions: Quarterstaﬀ, masterwork dagger, +1 ritual focus, 
  bracers of armor +1.
  MERCENARY
  Though known for its thieves, Sanctuary is also notorious for 
  its mercenaries. During the Rankan-Ilsig war, freelance soldiers 
  congregated in this city looking for work. The Stepson billeted here, 
  and though the Stepsons did their best to crush Jubal, the legacy of 
  the Hawkmasks lives on.
  TYPICAL MERCENARY
  Male or female Northron mercenary, ﬁghter 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d10+1; hp 6; Mdt 19; Init +0; Spd 20 
  ft.; AC 16, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 16; Base Atk +1; Grap +2; Atk 
  +3 melee (1d8+1/×3, battleaxe) or +1 ranged (1d6, shortspear); 
  Full Atk +3 melee (1d8+1/×3, battleaxe) or +1 ranged (1d6, 
  shortspear); SQ mercenary trait; Rep –1; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, 
  Will +0; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 9.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (geography).
  Skills and Feats:  Climb –1, Disguise +1, Intimidate +3, 
  Knowledge (geography) +2; Improved Massive Damage, Power 
  AttackB, Weapon Focus (battleaxe)B.
  Languages: Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Skill (1).
  Possessions: Scale mail, heavy wooden shield, battleaxe, shortspear.
  HAWKMASK
  Male or female Wrigglie thug, thief 2, ﬁghter 2; CR 4; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 2d6+2 plus 2d10+2; hp 22; Mdt 16; 
  Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 15; Base Atk 
  +3; Grap +5; Atk +8 melee (1d6+3/18–20, +1 rapier) or +7 
  ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk +8 
  
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  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  melee (1d6+3/18–20, +1 longsword) or +7 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SA sneak attack +1d6, thug trait; 
  SQ evasion, jaded, trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will 
  +0; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +5, Bluﬀ +6, Diplomacy +3, Disguise 
  +1 (+3 acting), Intimidate +12, Gather Information +8, Hide 
  +7, Jump +5, Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +6, Move Silently +7, 
  Spot +6; AlertnessB, DodgeB, Mobility, Weapon Focus (rapier)B, 
  Weapon Finesse.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork chain shirt, masterwork buckler, +1 rapier, 
  masterwork light crossbow, potion of convert moderate wounds.
  STEPSON
  Male or female Northron mercenary, ﬁghter 6, sacred bander 1; 
  CR 7; Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d10+12 plus 1d10+2; 
  hp 52; Mdt 20; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 19, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 
  18; Base Atk +7; Grap +9; Atk +11 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 
  bastard sword) or +9 ranged (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow); Full 
  Atk +11/+6 melee (1d10+5/19–20, +1 bastard sword) or +9/+4 
  ranged (1d8+1/19–20, +1 light crossbow); SQ courage of spirit, 
  mercenary trait, sacred bond; Rep +0; SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will 
  +5; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Ride.
  Skills and Feats:  Climb +6, Disguise +0, Handle Animal +8, 
  Intimidate +2, Listen +3, Ride +14, Spot +3; Cleave, Exotic Weapon 
  Proﬁciency (bastard sword)B, Great CleaveB, Improved Initiative, 
  Power Attack, Rapid Reload (light crossbow)B, Weapon Focus 
  (bastard sword)B, Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)B.
  Languages: Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 breastplate, heavy steel shield, +1 bastard sword, +1 
  light crossbow with 20 bolts, cloak of resistance +1. 
  FISHERMEN, PIRATES, AND SAILORS
  As a coastal city, Sanctuary sees its fair share of sailors, from Ilsigi 
  merchants to Mrsevedan seamen. Sanctuary has also dealt with 
  pirates for generations, since the natives ﬂed to Scavenger Isle 
  and became the Cape Pirates. Use the following statistics for any 
  legitimate sailor who might loiter on the Wideway or cross town 
  to sample the delights of the Streets of Red Lanterns. You can 
  also use the pirate’s statistics for sailors. If you are playing in the 
  Rankan Era, the pirates could be kidnappers who come to the city 
  to harvest slaves. 
  TYPICAL FISHERMAN
  Male or female Wrigglie sailor, expert 3; CR 2; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d6+3; hp 13; Mdt 12; Init +0; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +2; Grap +2; 
  Atk +2 melee (1d6, club) or +2 ranged (1d6, shortspear) or 
  +2  ranged (entangle, net); Full Atk +2 melee (1d6, club) or 
  +2 ranged (1d6, shortspear) or +2  ranged (entangle, net); Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +5; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 
  9, Wis 13, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Swim, Use Rope.
  Skills and Feats:  Balance +6 (+8 on a ship), Climb +6 (+8 on a 
  ship, +8 ropes), Escape Artist +0 (+2 ropes), Listen +5, Profession 
  (ﬁsherman) +10, Spot +7, Swim +8, Use Rope +8; Alertness, 
  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net), Skill Focus (Profession: 
  ﬁsherman)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S/W).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Club, shortspear, net, boat.
  PIRATE
  Male or female Wrigglie pirate, thief 1, ﬁghter 1; CR 2; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 1d6 plus 1d10; hp 9; Mdt 
  14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 13; Base 
  Atk +1; Grap +2; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork 
  cold iron scimitar) or +3 melee (1d6+1, masterwork sap) or 
  +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); Full Atk 
  +3 melee (1d6+1/18–20, masterwork cold iron scimitar) or 
  +3 melee (1d6+1, masterwork sap) or +3 ranged (1d8/19–20, 
  masterwork light crossbow); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ jaded, 
  trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 
  13, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Swim.
  
  - 214 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  Skills and Feats:  Balance +7, Bluﬀ +4, Climb +6 (+8 rigging), 
  Intimidate +6, Jump +5, Listen +1, Spot +1, Swim +8, Tumble 
  +5, Use Rope +5; AlertnessB, DodgeB, Mobility.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork studded leather, masterwork cold iron 
  scimitar, masterwork sap, masterwork light crossbow with 10 
  bolts, large sack, 2d20 pd.
  RED LANTERNS PROSTITUTE
  There are prostitutes and then there are prostitutes. Women (and 
  a few men) who work the Street of Red Lanterns are a cut above 
  the common whores of the Maze or the Promise of Heaven. They 
  are trained in the arts of love, talented in ﬁshing out pleasure from 
  the coldest customer. More importantly, they also know when to 
  listen, coercing information from their clients while in the heat of 
  passion.
  RED LANTERN PROSTITUTE
  Female Wrigglie prostitute, expert 4; CR 3; Medium humanoid 
  (human); HD 4d6; hp 14; Mdt 10; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, 
  touch 11, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk +3; Grap +2; Atk +3 melee 
  (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4–
  1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SQ jaded; Rep +1; SV Fort +1, Ref 
  +2, Will +7; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Gather Information.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +13 (+15 attracted gender), Diplomacy 
  +17 (+19 attracted gender), Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Gather 
  Information +15, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen 
  +9, Profession (courtesan) +12, Sense Motive +11, Spot +9; 
  Appealing, Negotiator, Skill Focus (Profession: courtesan)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Inﬂuence (1), Information (1).
  Possessions: Fine clothing, masterwork dagger.
  S’DANZO SEER
  Mostly, the S’danzo keep to themselves, rarely speaking to, let alone 
  helping, suvesh. One place where the S’danzo cross paths with 
  Wrigglies is through their talents of augury. Many S’danzo women 
  are gifted with the Sight and can catch glimpses of the future, which 
  they’ll interpret for their customers. Most S’danzo that work in the 
  Bazaar are ﬁckle about whom they help.
  S’DANZO SEER
  Female S’danzo seer, thief 1, S’danzo fortuneteller 2; CR 3; 
  Medium humanoid (human); HD 1d6 plus 2d6; hp 10; Mdt 14; 
  Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 10; Base Atk 
  +1; Grap +0; Atk +1 melee (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger); 
  Full Atk +1 melee (1d4–1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SA 
  sneak attack +1d6; SQ godless, greater sight, heritage of deceit, 
  mistrusted, sudden insight, trapﬁnding; Rep +1; SV Fort +2, Ref 
  +2, Will +5; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 14.
  Background Skills: Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats:  Appraise +3, Bluﬀ +12, Concentration +9, Diplomacy 
  +12 (+10 recognized), Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Gather Information 
  +6, Hide +2, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (local) +5, Listen +6, Move 
  Silently +2, Search +5, Sense Motive +14, Sleight of Hand +10, Spot 
  +8; Negotiator, SightedB, Skill Focus (Concentration).
  Languages: S’danzo (S), Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork dagger, miscellaneous instruments of 
  divination.
  THIEVES
  Thieves are the heart and soul of Sanctuary. Whether driven 
  by a sense of adventure, desperation, or just plain greed, thieves 
  break into homes, mug passers-by, and pretty much command 
  the streets. Though thievery is nominally illegal, there are far too 
  many criminals and too few guards to prevent the age-old habit 
  of stealing. The following thieves represent typical roaches for 1st, 
  3rd, and 5th level.
  TYPICAL ROACH
  Male or female Wrigglie criminal, thief 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d6–1; hp 2; Mdt 10; Init +1; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 12, touch 11, ﬂat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grap +0; Atk 
  +0 melee (1d4/×3, punching dagger); Full Atk +0 melee (1d4/×3, 
  punching dagger); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ jaded, trapﬁnding; 
  Rep +0; SV Fort –1, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 
  11, Wis 12, Cha 8.
  
  - 215 -
  CHAPTER SEVEN: COMMON CHARACTERS
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +5, Gather Information +3, Hide +5, 
  Knowledge (local) +4, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Search +4, 
  Sleight of Hand +10, Spot +5 (+7 notice thievery); Run, Skill 
  Focus (Sleight of Hand)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Padded, punching dagger, 1d6 pd.
  AVERAGE ROACH
  Male or female Wrigglie criminal, thief 3; CR 3; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 3d6; hp 10; Mdt 12; Init +2; Spd 30 
  ft.; AC 14, touch 12, ﬂat-footed 12; Base Atk +2; Grap +3; Atk 
  +4 melee (1d4+1/×3, masterwork punching dagger) or +5  ranged 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full +4 melee (1d4+1/×3, 
  masterwork punching dagger) or +5  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, 
  masterwork dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, jaded, 
  trap sense +1, trapﬁnding; Rep +0; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; 
  Str 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +7, Diplomacy +1, Disguise –1 (+1 acting), 
  Gather Information +7, Hide +7, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (local) 
  +7, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +8, Search +7, Sleight 
  of Hand +15, Spot +8 (+10 notice thievery), Survival +2 (+4 follow 
  tracks); Dodge, Run, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Masterwork leather, masterwork punching dagger, 2 
  masterwork daggers, thieves’ tools, 3d6 pd.
  SUPERIOR ROACH
  Male or female Wrigglie criminal, thief 5; CR 5; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 5d6; hp 10; Mdt 13; Init +3; Spd 
  30 ft.; AC 16, touch 13, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grap 
  +4; Atk +5 melee (1d4+1/×3, masterwork punching dagger) 
  or +7  ranged (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); Full +5 
  melee (1d4+1/×3, masterwork punching dagger) or +7  ranged 
  (1d4+1/19–20, masterwork dagger); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ 
  evasion, jaded, trap sense +1, trapﬁnding, uncanny dodge; Rep 
  +1; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +4; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 
  13, Wis 14, Cha 8.
  Background Skills: Bluﬀ, Sleight of Hand.
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +9, Diplomacy +1, Disguise –1 (+1 acting), 
  Gather Information +9, Hide +11, Intimidate +1, Knowledge 
  (local) +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +16, Open Lock +13, 
  Search +9, Sleight of Hand +18, Spot +10 (+12 notice thievery), 
  Survival +2 (+4 follow tracks); Dodge, Run, Skill Focus (Sleight 
  of Hand)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S), Trade Tongue (S).
  Contacts: Information (1), Skill (1).
  Possessions: +1 leather, masterwork punching dagger, 2 
  masterwork daggers, soles of silence, masterwork thieves’ tools, 
  3d6 pd.
  THUG
  Where thieves use ﬁnesse to rob their marks, thugs beat the hell out 
  of them. Gang members, bravos, and toughs, thugs are a problem 
  created by poverty, desperation, and resentment for the upper classes. 
  Thugs sell their muscle to crime lords and kingpins, enjoying the 
  opportunity to spread fear and inﬂict pain.
  TYPICAL THUG
  Male or female Wrigglie thug, thief 1, warrior 1; CR 1; Medium 
  humanoid (human); HD 1d6+1 plus 1d8+1; hp 10; Mdt 15; Init 
  +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10, ﬂat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grap 
  +2; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) or +1  melee (1d6+1 
  nonlethal, sap) or +1 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); 
  Full Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, masterwork club) or +1  melee (1d6+1 
  nonlethal, sap) or +1 ranged (1d4+1/19–20, throwing dagger); 
  SA sneak attack +1d6, thug trait; SQ jaded, trapﬁnding; Rep 
  +0; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, 
  Wis 9, Cha 10.
  Background Skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (local).
  Skills and Feats:  Bluﬀ +4, Climb +4, Gather Information +2, 
  Hide +3, Intimidate +10, Jump +4, Knowledge (local) +6, 
  Listen +1, Move Silently +3, Spot +1; Power Attack, Skill Focus 
  (Intimidate)B.
  Languages: Wrigglie (S).
  Contacts: Information (1).
  Possessions: Studded leather, masterwork club, sap, 3 throwing 
  daggers, 1d10 pd.
  
  - 216 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  Though the information presented in Green Ronin’s Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual provides everything necessary to create and play 
  a character in this setting, the Rankan Era encompassed dozens 
  of peoples and places beyond the scope of that book. This chapter 
  provides a GM with additional material to include in her campaigns. 
  Some of what’s included here may not be appropriate for Irrune Era 
  characters; consider carefully before opening up this material for all 
  eras of play.
  CHAPTER EIGHT:  
  PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  NEW CULTURES
  The Thieves’ World Player’s Manual presents all the major cultures 
  found in the anthologies. However, it is not an exhaustive list. Ranke 
  conquered many lands, and took from them their soldiers and people, 
  folding their cultures into the Rankan way of life. Furthermore, many 
  Stepsons and other Sacred Banders came from these territories, 
  bringing with them points of view sometimes at odds with Rankan 
  beliefs. This section presents a few more minor cultures to supplement 
  those found in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual. 
  AZEHUR
  Far to the north, beyond the common routes of traders and adventurers 
  lies Azehur. A bleak place of windswept hills and towering peaks, it 
  is a civilization in decline, one shattered by treachery, inﬁghting, and 
  schisms. Yet it was not always so. Azehur was the birthplace of some 
  of the greatest heroes to walk the lands including Niko and even the 
  great Tempus and his sister Cime. Now, Azehur’s day is past. Priests 
  squabble over the ruins of their civilization while the ruling family 
  watches from afar in the prison of their ancestral palace. Meanwhile, 
  the people have abandoned the priests, returning to the wilds to 
  contemplate the tenets of a new faith, the message of Amalur.
  DESCRIPTION
  The typical Azehan is of average height with a heavy build that 
  supports a powerful musculature. Brown, black, and blonde are all 
  common hair colorings, but the Azehan’s eyes are always dark. As 
  for fashion, these people prefer loose, comfortable clothing, and wear 
  sandals rather than shoes. In war, male Azehans wear breastplates, 
  dyplon shields, and great plumed helmets.
  In the past, Azehur produced some of the finest warriors and 
  godsworn in the Known World, but now, most have laid down their 
  weapons and embraced the message of peace that is central to the 
  cult of Amalur. In the cities, there are a greater number of priests, 
  few of which share the same dogma as those living in the country. 
  In fact, Azehusas, the capital, is famous for its intrigue and treachery, 
  and most priests are also thieves and assassins.
  AZEHURAN CULTURAL TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Azehurites have the following traits 
  depending on the era of play.
  
  - 217 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  CULTURAL FEATS (RANKAN)
  Select one of the following: Fame, Mounted Combat, Weapon Focus 
  (any melee).
  CULTURAL FEATS (IRRUNE)
  Select one of the following: Great Piety*, Self-Suﬃcient, Stealthy.
  *New feat, see page 226.
  DIVINELY FAVORED (RANKAN)
  Once per day, the Azehuran may add a +5 insight bonus to a single 
  attack roll, skill check, or saving throw. He may declare use of this 
  ability at any time, before or after he makes the roll, but he must 
  declare it before the GM announces the success or failure of the 
  roll.
  MESSAGE OF PEACE (IRRUNE, RURAL)
  The Azehurans of the wilderness have nearly all turned to Amalur as 
  their preferred deity. Azehurans may deal nonlethal damage with any 
  weapon they wield without a penalty to their attack roll. In addition, 
  once per day, when making a Charisma-based skill check to avoid 
  combat, they may add their Wisdom bonus (if any) to that check.
  TREACHEROUS (IRRUNE, URBAN)
  Amalur, while the dominant faith of the wilds, has made few inroads 
  into the capital. Characters who originate from Azehusas and are not 
  followers of Amalur may add their Wisdom bonus (if any) to Bluﬀ 
  checks. In addition, they gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves made to 
  resist the eﬀects of poison.
  LANGUAGES
  Azehuran. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret or ancient 
  languages).
  BEYSIB
  Far to the southwest of Sanctuary is the volcanic island chain that 
  spawned the Beysib people. Ilsigi legends spoke of them as the 
  Fish-Eyed-Folk-Beyond-the-Sea. After a terrible civil war, two 
  clans of the Beysib ﬂed across the oceans and settled in Sanctuary. 
  Shupansea, the Beysa, ruled jointly alongside Kadakithis for a 
  while, but the time of the Beysib in Sanctuary was anything but 
  stable. The city eventually degenerated into widespread anarchy 
  that gripped it for years. The Beysib abandoned their home in exile 
  when word reached them that the usurper responsible for their 
  ﬂight was dead. 
  Though gone close to a quarter century, traces of the Beysib remain: 
  statues, old coins, silks, and other items. Relics still surface from time 
  to time, but no one has seen a Beysib ship for years. 
  DESCRIPTION
  A Beysib’s unique physical characteristics might lead many to believe 
  they are inhuman, or even monstrous. Their eyes are most distinctive: 
  they have nictitating membranes that ﬂick shut for protection against 
  smoke, dust and grit. They tend famously toward nearsightedness, 
  a problem even more common among the nobility—a result of 
  inbreeding, perhaps. Beysibs are also born with webbed ﬁngers and 
  toes. At birth, the midwife cuts them for practical reasons, and they 
  display their scars as a point of pride. (The webbing is thought to be 
  a gift from their goddess.)
  Beysibs are fair skinned, with large brown or green eyes. Their hair 
  color ranges from blond to brown, with black and red showing up 
  rarely. Female Beysibs customarily go topless, painting their breasts 
  in intricate patterns.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Religion plays a large part in Beysib society. Many Beysib become 
  priests or godsworn, especially those among the aristocracy. Lesser 
  Beysib fulﬁll the same roles as in other cultures, being savants and 
  experts, warriors and ﬁghters.
  BEYSIB CULTURAL TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Beysib have the following traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Acrobatic, Athletic, or Lightning 
  Reﬂexes.
  TABLE 8–1: QUICK CULTURES
  Culture
  Cultural Feat
  Trait
  Azehur
  Varies
  Varies
  Beysib
  Acrobatic, Athletic, Lightning Reﬂexes
  Alien Physiology
  Cantal Plains 
  Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency (bastard sword), Track
  Tough as Nails
  Lirter
  Diligent, Negotiator, Skill Focus
  Literate
  Mygdonian
  Any
  Anonymous
  Shapeshifter
  Animal Aﬃnity, Appealing*, Stealthy
  Shapeshifting
  Sihanese
  Varies
  Varies
  Syrese
  Animal Aﬃnity, Appealing*, or Mounted Combat
  Battle Hardened
  Tysian
  Athletic, Magical Aﬃnity, Self-Suﬃcient
  Hiller
  
  - 218 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  ALIEN PHYSIOLOGY
  While the Beysib people share many traits with other humans, they 
  have several marked diﬀerences. First, all Beysib have nictitating 
  membrane that, when closed, protect their eyes from harmful 
  environmental hazards like smoke, irritating fumes, or harmful 
  chemicals and poisons. Saves made by Beysibs to resist the eﬀects of 
  such hazards receive a +8 bonus. 
  All Beysibs also have webbed ﬁngers and toes, granting a +8 ethnicity 
  bonus on Swim checks to perform some special action or avoid 
  a hazard. A Beysib can choose to take 10 on a Swim check even 
  if distracted or endangered, and he can use the run action while 
  swimming, provided he swims in a straight line.
  Beysibs gain a +4 ethnicity bonus to saving throws against poison. 
  All noble-born Beysibs have an innate tolerance to poison, allowing 
  them to hold the venom of the beynit (as the chosen of Bey prestige 
  class described on page 229). As an option, characters born from a 
  noble lineage may choose at character generation to be immune to 
  all poisons, but take a -1 ethnicity penalty to Search checks and a -3 
  ethnicity penalty to Spot checks.
  LANGUAGES
  Beysib. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret or ancient 
  languages).
  CANTAL PLAINS BARBARIANS
  The founders of the Rankan Empire claim descent from the red-
  haired barbarians of the Cantal Plains, and there are still many people 
  who remain there, rejecting the decadence and corruption of the larger 
  cities. These other tribes followed their own paths, either adopting 
  a nomadic culture as the Irrune did or settling in semi-permanent 
  dwellings on the Plains or in the foothills of the Gunderpah. Though 
  there are probably dozens of smaller tribes, all who are not Irrune 
  fall under this umbrella.
  DESCRIPTION
  The peoples of the Cantal Plains have fair skin and light hair. They 
  tend to be large, with big bone structures and broad features. They 
  wear mainly hides, but also make use of chain armor and shields. 
  COMMON CLASSES
  Cantal Plains characters are generally barbarians, but some become 
  ﬁghters, rangers, or even priests.
  MORE LANGUAGES
  Language
  Culture/ 
  Country of Origin
  Written?
  Alphabet
  Azehuran
  Azehur
  Yes
  Azehuran
  Cantal Dialects
  Cantal Plains
  No
  —
  Mygdonian
  Mygdonian Alliance
  Yes
  Nisi
  Sihanese
  Sihan
  Yes
  Sihanese
  Syran
  Syr
  Yes
  Syran
  Tysian
  Tyse
  Yes
  Enlib
  
  - 219 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  CANTAL PLAINS CULTURAL TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Cantal Plains barbarians have the 
  following traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proﬁciency 
  (bastard sword), Track.
  BOASTERS
  Cantal Plains barbarians are quite good at telling and embellishing 
  stories. They gain a +2 ethnicity bonus to Perform (storytelling) 
  checks.
  TOUGH AS NAILS
  Cantal Plains characters are hardened and dangerous. They gain a +2 
  ethnicity bonus to their Massive Damage Threshold. 
  LANGUAGES
  Cantal Plains Dialect. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret or 
  ancient languages).
  LIRTER
  Before their civilization was nearly destroyed, Lirters were famed for 
  the reasonableness and friendliness. There place in the Empire was to 
  facilitate trade and transport goods from the heartland of the nation 
  to the eastern fringes. However, with their destruction, there are few 
  Lirters left. And those who’ve survived are hardened and jaded, their 
  spirits nearly broken from the tragedy they’ve seen.
  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
  Lirters look like normal folks. They have the full range of hair and 
  eye coloring and come in all shapes and sizes. They adopted Rankan 
  fashions, but given their climate, they have to be a bit more practical. 
  Thus most Lirters favor long coats, a trend adopted by the scholars 
  in crimson.
  COMMON CLASSES
  An intellectual and craft oriented society, most Lirters are savants, 
  though they produce a scant few mages and a few more priests. They 
  are not warriors, as evidenced by their history, though player characters 
  are not so restricted.
  LIRTER ETHNIC TRAITS
  In addition to the standard human traits, Lirters have the following 
  traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Diligent, Negotiator, Skill Focus
  LITERATE
  Lirters are automatically literate in their native language.
  LANGUAGES
  Rankene. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages).
  MYGDONIAN
  The Mygdonian Alliance was one of the most powerful forces in 
  the north. Forged from a collection of independent city-states and 
  petty kingdoms, they were held together by a warlord named Lucan 
  Ajami. Among his allies, he gained the help of the infamous Nisibisi 
  witches, who bound demons and worse to buttress his armies against 
  the encroaching Rankan Empire.
  Not all agreed with Ajami or welcomed the Nisibisi aid. Many 
  of the people sided with Ranke, helping the legions navigate the 
  treacherous Wizardwall Mountains to ambush their kinsmen. In 
  the end, Ranke did destroy the Nisibisi, ending the war, but the 
  Mygdonian Alliance would enter its death throes when they were 
  destroyed by the Black-toothed barbarians that tumbled out of 
  the north.
  DESCRIPTION
  As a diverse people, Mygdonians can be tall or short, with heavy 
  builds or light frames. Hair coloring ranges from fair to dark, with 
  the same ranges of coloration in skin tones. With this culture, any 
  combination is possible.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Mygdonians have no cultural predilections towards one class over 
  any other class. 
  MYDONIAN CULTURAL TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Mygdonians have the following traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select any one feat.
  ANONYMOUS
  Mygdonians are easily forgettable lacking many of the stereotypical 
  held by other cultures. As a result, they reduce their reputation by –1. 
  In addition, they gain a +2 ethnicity bonus to Disguise checks.
  LANGUAGES
  Mygdonian. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret or ancient 
  languages).
  SHAPESHIFTER
  Far oﬀ the western edge of any map lives a people unlike any other 
  in the Known World. Only a scant few sailors have ever ventured 
  so far, and those that have bring back tales of great verdant forests, 
  impossibly tall mountains, rolling plains, and terrible monsters. But 
  none are more popular or fantastic than those of the shapeshifters. 
  These travelers claim some people can assume the form of man 
  or beast. Wolf-men, cat-people, and more walk side-by-side with 
  
  - 220 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  ordinary humans. Most dismiss such stories as tall tales, but those 
  who know of the shapeshifters swear that they exist.
  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
  If the legends are true, shapeshifters have dark skin that ranges in 
  tone from deep brown all the way to ebony. They wear their black or 
  brown hair long, framing their pleasant features and striking eyes. 
  They are well formed and graceful, favoring loose and comfortable 
  clothing for the ease it oﬀers in assuming their varied forms.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Shapeshifters are a magical people, and so they tend towards the 
  witch or initiate classes. However, they are just as likely to follow 
  the path of the warrior or skulk, becoming barbarians, ﬁghters, or 
  thieves. 
  SHAPESHIFTER TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Shapeshifters have the following 
  traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Animal Affinity, Appealing*, or 
  Stealthy.
  *New feat, see page 225.
  SHAPESHIFTING
  All shapeshifters gain the shapechanger subtype. 
  When ﬁrst created, the shapeshifter selects one of the following 
  forms. (Other options may be available in addition to those listed 
  below, as determined by your GM). The form selected grants beneﬁts, 
  as detailed on the chart:
  SHAPESHIFTING
  Form
  Creature
  Ability Mod.
  Special
  Bird
  Owl
  +2 Wis
  +4 ethnicity bonus to Listen and 
  Move Silently checks
  Cat
  Cat
  +2 Cha
  +2 ethnicity bonus to Climb, 
  Hide, Jump, and Move Silently 
  checks
  Dog
  Dog
  +2 Con
  Scent ability
  Snake
  Small 
  viper
  +2 Dex
  Poisonous bite (1d6 Con, 
  initial and secondary; DC 10 
  + ½ shapeshifter’s Hit Dice + 
  shapeshifter’s Con modiﬁer)
  A shapeshifter may transform into the selected form (using the 
  statistics of the listed creature) and back again a number of times 
  each day equal to the shapeshifter’s Charisma bonus. This ability 
  functions exactly as the druid’s wild shape ability, except that she 
  may only transform into the selected creature. 
  In exchange for these extra beneﬁts, Shapeshifters have a +1 level 
  adjustment. Thus, a 1st-level shapeshifter savant is the equivalent of 
  a 2nd-level Rankan savant.
  LANGUAGES
  Native tongue. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages).
  
  - 221 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  SIHANESE
  Sihan is Ranke’s easternmost province. Known for its success at 
  agriculture, exporting vast quantities of barley and rye, and also its silk, 
  Sihan literally served as the Empire’s breadbasket. This all changed with 
  the Black-tooth barbarians. When they sacked Lirt, Lord Serripines, 
  an inﬂuential noble and prominent citizen, led what people he could to 
  safety, eventually settling near Sanctuary. Plundered by its own, Sihan 
  has since fallen on hard times, beset by raiders, both barbarians from 
  the horde and the Banmalts of the Cold Lands to the east, they are 
  working to restore themselves to their past strength.
  Of important note, Sihan is also a place of cultural contrasts. In the 
  city, the people are as cultivated as anywhere in the Empire. But 
  outside, amidst the estates and forests of the nearby mountains, they 
  tend toward willful ignorance. Regardless, though, all Sihanese are 
  culturally and religiously conservative.
  DESCRIPTION
  Sihanese have light skin and brown to brown-black hair. They have 
  hazel eyes, though green, brown, and blue are also found. They are 
  built like Rankans, being tall and somewhat rangy, but with plain 
  and unremarkable features.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Sihanese are like Rankans, producing the same types of classes, 
  including and especially nobles, ﬁghters, and none-too-few thieves. 
  Among the rural communities, there are peasants and priests, and not 
  much in between. It’s important to note that these simple people are 
  the keepers of the old ways, customs that predate Ranke.
  CULTURAL TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Sihanese have the following traits.
  SIHANESE CULTURAL FEATS (RURAL)
  Select one of the following: Animal Aﬃnity, Self-Suﬃcient, or 
  Stealthy.
  SIHANESE CULTURAL FEATS (URBAN)
  Select one of the following: Negotiator, Persuasive, or Skill Focus.
  YOKEL (RURAL)
  The rural Sihanese are famed for Shemhaza stories (a town famed for 
  foolishness and idiocy), making them the butt of jokes throughout 
  the Rankan Empire and Known World. As such, there’s a tendency 
  to underestimate these characters. The DC for Sense Motive checks 
  to ascertain a hunch increases to 30. In addition, these characters 
  gain a +2 ethnicity bonus to Bluﬀ checks.
  LITERATE (URBAN)
  Sihanese are automatically literate in Rankene.
  LANGUAGES
  Sihanese. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret or ancient languages).
  SYRESE
  Another distant land of legend, Syr is known for their powerful 
  Trôs warhorses and for producing some of the ﬁnest warriors in the 
  Known World, rivaling even those of Azehur at its peak. Unlike its 
  western neighbor, Syr was never a cohesive state, being more than 
  a collection of castles and roving warbands. Plagued with constant 
  inﬁghting and endless battles, Syr oﬀered little defense against the 
  Black-tooth horde as they swept through the lands, killing and 
  burning as they went. 
  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
  The Syrese are on the edge between barbarism and civilization. On 
  the one hand, the people live in constant fear, depending on violent 
  warlords to defend them against the depredation of the ravaging 
  bands, but on the other hand, they are skilled breeders and have shown 
  some skill at erecting defensible fortresses and castles. Those in power, 
  the warlords and their bonded warriors are muscular, good-looking, 
  and tall. Their women are equally beautiful, though they live tragic 
  lives, being considered no better than chattel. The rest are a broken 
  mass of unwashed peasants, practically slaves.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Characters from Syr are almost universally of the warrior caste, being 
  barbarians, ﬁghters, or occasionally godsworn or rangers. Mages serve 
  as advisors, but there are no formal schools. Witches here are more 
  akin to druids, interpreting the stars and weaving mysticism with 
  magic. A bellicose people, there are few Syrese thieves or assassins.
  SYRESE CULTURE TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Syrese have the following traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Animal Aﬃnity, Appealing*, or Mounted 
  Combat.
  *New feat, see page 225.
  BATTLE HARDENED
  Syrese are accustomed to warfare. As such, they gain a +1 ethnicity 
  bonus to initiative checks and +1 hit point.
  LANGUAGES
  Syran. Bonus Languages: Caronnese, Cirdonian, Ilsigi, Nisi, Rankene, 
  Trade Tongue, Twandan.
  TYSIAN
  Tyse was a minor city-state on the foothills of the Wizardwall 
  Mountains. Though never oﬃcially a vassal of the Rankan empire, it 
  long paid tribute to retain its independence. Tyse eventually served 
  Ranke in the brutal war against the Mygdonian Alliance, serving as 
  a staging ground for Rankan forces and their mercenaries to make 
  sorties into the mountains against the Nisibisi witches and their 
  hellish minions. Before the end of the war, Tyse exhausted itself 
  
  - 222 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  and became the target of destabilizing attacks, mostly by Nisibisi 
  hands, and madness and sickness engulfed the city. Though the 
  source of the attacks is long gone, they left a mark on the people 
  living there. 
  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
  As a people, Tysians are often tall and wiry. Brown hair and eyes are 
  the most common. Culturally, they are close to Cirdonians, but seem 
  to have inherited some of the Rankan customs. In the modern day, 
  people from this city are somber, tending towards melancholy, for 
  the wars and the horrors in their wake have very nearly destroyed 
  them.
  COMMON CLASSES
  Tyse produces the full spectrum of characters, from priests to assassins, 
  though rangers and ﬁghters are the most common.
  TYSIAN CULTURE TRAITS
  In addition to being human, Tysians have the following traits.
  CULTURAL FEATS
  Select one of the following: Athletic, Magical Affinity, or Self-
  Suﬃcient.
  HILLER
  Tysians are accustomed to living and working in the hills and in higher 
  altitudes. When moving on a road or trail through hill terrain their 
  speed is ×1, and when moving through trackless hills, their speed is 
  ×3/4 of normal. In addition, Tysians gain a +4 bonus to Fortitude 
  saves made to resist altitude sickness.
  LANGUAGES
  Tysian. Bonus Languages: Ilsigi, Nisi, Rankene, Trade Tongue.
  NEW BACKGROUNDS
  The following backgrounds can be used in addition to those presented 
  in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual. To generate backgrounds 
  randomly, use Table 8–2: Expanded Backgrounds.
  CON ARTIST
  Sanctuary is home to many frauds, charlatans, and grifters. While not 
  too diﬀerent from an ordinary thief, you rely on your wit and charm 
  to get others to give you their money and equipment freely.
  Age Modiﬁer: +0.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather 
  Information, Intimidate, or Sense Motive.
  CON ARTIST TRAIT
  Con artists are slick negotiators. When try to sell something, you 
  may make a Bluﬀ check opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check. 
  If you succeed, you can resell the item for 75% of its normal price, 
  rather than half. If the item is new, you can get 125% of its listed 
  price for it.
  CURSED
  Curses are a part of life in Thieves’ World. Sometimes, it seems as 
  though the fear of being cursed is the only bulwark against the 
  complete and total breakdown of civilization—when faced with a 
  crippling curse, one tends to rethink his tactics. You, like many others, 
  suﬀer from a curse for something you did or did not do. You’ve lived 
  with it for so long, it seems just another part of you.
  Age Modiﬁer: +0.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select any two skills.
  CURSED TRAIT
  Select any one least curse. This curse is permanent and may not be 
  lifted. However, you have adapted to it. If you selected a physical 
  curse or a loss or gain of weight, you receive a +4 insight bonus to 
  Will saves against future curses. If you selected a skill penalty, you 
  gain a +2 insight bonus to any one skill. If you selected a –1 penalty 
  to a saving throw, you gain +2 hit points. For more information on 
  curses, see Green Ronin’s Thieves’ World Player’s Manual.
  FUGITIVE
  You’re on the run, accused of a crime, whether you did the deed or 
  not. Powerful forces are arrayed against you. You’ve come to Sanctuary 
  to hide, but it’s just a matter of time before your enemies catch up 
  with you.
  Age Modiﬁer: +0.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Disguise, Knowledge (geography), 
  Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, or Survival.
  FUGITIVE TRAIT
  You have a knack for sensing dangerous situations. You gain a +2 
  bonus to initiative checks and a +1 bonus to Listen and Spot skill 
  checks. However, you have powerful enemies. Work with your GM 
  to determine the nature of the threat and the circumstances behind 
  your ﬂight.
  MERCENARY
  You’re a sellsword. It never mattered whom you served; good or bad 
  don’t make a diﬀerence so long as the soldats ﬂow. You go where there’s 
  a need for muscle, and Sanctuary is as good as anyplace else.
  Age Modiﬁer: +1.
  
  - 223 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  TABLE 8–2: EXPANDED BACKGROUNDS
  Roll
  Background
  Two Skills
  01
  Academic
  Concentration, Decipher Script, Heal, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), or 
  Knowledge (nature)
  02–03
  Acolyte
  Concentration, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Perform, Speak Language, or 
  Spellcraft
  04–08
  Adventurer
  Climb, Jump, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (geography), Search, Survival, Swim, or Use Rope
  09
  Apprentice
  Concentration, Craft (alchemy), Knowledge (arcana), Speak Language, Spellcraft, or Use Magical Device
  10
  Aristocrat
  Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Perform, Ride, Sense Motive, or Speak Language
  11–13
  Bandit
  Appraise, Handle Animal, Hide, Intimidate, Move Silently, Ride, Spot, or Survival
  14–18
  Beggar
  Bluﬀ, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Knowledge (local), Move Silently, Spot, or Survival
  19–20
  Bureaucrat
  Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), 
  Sense Motive, or Speak Language
  21–22
  Con Artist
  Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Intimidate, or Sense Motive
  23
  Constable
  Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (local), Profession, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, or Spot
  24–25
  Courtier
  Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Perform, 
  or Sense Motive
  26–34
  Craftsman
  Appraise, Concentration, Craft (any one), Diplomacy, Disable Device, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), 
  Profession (any one), or Use Rope
  35–44
  Criminal
  Appraise, Bluﬀ, Disable Device, Forgery, Gather Information, Intimidate, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand
  45
  Cursed
  Any two.
  46
  D. Cultist
  Bluﬀ, Concentration, Disguise, Hide, Intimidate, or Knowledge (religion)
  47–49
  Entertainer
  Bluﬀ, Climb, Disguise, Escape Artist, Jump, Perform, Sleight of Hand, or Tumble
  50–55
  Farmer
  Handle Animal, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Listen, Profession (farmer), Survival, Swim, Use Rope
  56
  Fugitive
  Disguise, Knowledge (geography), Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, or Survival
  57–58
  Healer
  Concentration, Craft (alchemy), Craft (herbalism), Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (nature), Sense Motive, or Survival
  59–61
  Herder
  Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Ride, Spot, Survival, or Use Rope
  62–63
  Hunter
  Climb, Handle Animal, Hide, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, or Survival
  64–68
  Laborer
  Climb, Craft (any one), Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Profession (laborer), or 
  Use Rope
  69–70
  Mercenary
  Intimidate, Knowledge (geography), Ride, Sense Motive
  71–73
  Merchant
  Appraise, Bluﬀ, Craft (any one), Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (local), Profession (merchant), or 
  Sense Motive
  74
  Nomad
  Handle Animal, Hide, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Move Silently, Ride, Spot, or Survival
  75–80
  Peasant
  Climb, Craft (any one), Handle Animal, Profession (any one), or Use Rope
  81
  Pirate
  Balance, Climb, Intimidate, Jump, Spot, Swim, or Use Rope
  82
  Prizeﬁghter
  Balance, Bluﬀ, Intimidate, Jump, Perform, Ride, Spot, or Tumble
  83–84
  Prostitute
  Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Knowledge (local), Perform, Sense Motive, or Sleight of Hand
  85–86
  Sailor
  Balance, Climb, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Spot, Survival, Swim, or Use Rope
  87
  Seer
  Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive, or Sleight of Hand
  88–91
  Slave
  Bluﬀ, Climb, Craft (any one), Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Knowledge (local), Perform, or Profession (any one)
  92
  Smuggler
  Disguise, Intimidate, Handle Animal, Hide, Knowledge (local), Move Silently, Profession (sailor).
  93–95
  Soldier
  Climb, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Ride, or Survival
  96
  Terrorist
  Bluﬀ, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, or Survival
  97–98
  Thug
  Climb, Intimidate, Jump, or Knowledge (local)
  99
  Tomb Robber
  Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Swim, or Use Rope.
  100
  Witch Doctor
  Craft (herbalism), Heal, Knowledge (nature), or Survival.
  
  - 224 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Intimidate, Knowledge (geography), 
  Ride, or Sense Motive.
  MERCENARY TRAIT
  You’ve grown accustomed to the rigors of mercenary life. You gain a 
  +2 bonus to the following checks and saves: Constitution checks made 
  to continue running, Constitution checks to avoid nonlethal damage 
  from a forced march, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal 
  damage from starvation or thirst, and Fortitude saves made to avoid 
  nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments. 
  PEASANT
  Most people in Thieves’ World come from humble beginnings: tending 
  their ﬁelds, selling meager wares, or simply just getting by. What 
  separates you from a commoner is that you work or worked for a 
  lord (in some cases, as little better than a slave), giving a portion of 
  your labor to the master of the land. Peasants are more common in 
  the countryside than within Sanctuary itself. 
  Age Modiﬁer: –1.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Climb, Craft (any one), Handle 
  Animal, Profession (any one), or Use Rope.
  PEASANT TRAIT
  You have had a hard life, being aﬀected ﬁrsthand by war, famine, and 
  plague. As a result, you are slightly tougher than ordinary folk, but 
  also unrecognized by the masses. You gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude 
  saves and the Low-Proﬁle feat as a bonus feat.
  PIRATE
  Having embraced the life of a reckless swashbuckler, you make a living 
  preying on passing ships and stealing their cargo. You may hail from 
  Scavenger Isle or from some other pirate cove.
  Age Modiﬁer: +0.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Balance, Climb, Intimidate, Jump, 
  Spot, Swim, or Use Rope.
  PIRATE TRAIT
  Pirates are accustomed to a life at sea. You gain a +2 competence 
  bonus to all Balance checks and a +2 competence bonus to Climb 
  checks made to climb rigging.
  SEER
  You were trained to read people’s futures through cards, dice, the 
  lay of their tealeaves, or even the landscape of your subject’s palms. 
  Though you may not have an actual talent for prophecy, you are good 
  at creating the perception that you do. 
  Age Modiﬁer: +0.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Bluﬀ, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense 
  Motive, Sleight of Hand.
  SEER TRAIT
  You gain a +1 bonus to Bluﬀ and Sense Motive checks. If you can 
  cast spells, you cast divination spells at +1 caster level.
  SMUGGLER
  You made a living smuggling contraband into cities. It could have 
  been drugs, slaves, or tainted objects, it really didn’t matter so long 
  as you were paid. 
  Age Modiﬁer: +1.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Disguise, Intimidate, Handle Animal, 
  Hide, Knowledge (local), Move Silently, or Profession (sailor).
  SMUGGLER TRAIT
  As a smuggler, you rely on creative techniques to move your 
  merchandise. You gain a +1 bonus to Disguise checks and a +2 bonus 
  to Bluﬀ checks made to create a diversion to Hide.
  TERRORIST
  You see yourself as a freedom ﬁghter, a champion of the people. And 
  though you commit yourself to the cause of freedom (or some other 
  value important to your people), you perform terrible acts in the belief 
  that the ends will justify your means.
  Age Modiﬁer: –2.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Bluﬀ, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, 
  Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, or 
  Survival.
  TERRORIST TRAIT
  You are incredibly talented at riling up the mob in the name of a 
  cause. You gain a +1 bonus to Bluﬀ checks. In addition, if you have 
  the Leadership feat, you gain a +2 bonus to your leadership score.
  THUG
  You are a tough, a minor hood, or bravo. Other thieves and criminals 
  use you for your muscle, not your smarts. Thanks to your size and 
  strength, others fear you, giving you a wide berth.
  Age Modiﬁer: –1.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Climb, Intimidate, Jump, or 
  Knowledge (local).
  THUG TRAIT
  You may use Intimidate to demoralize foes as a move action instead 
  of a standard action.
  
  - 225 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  TOMB ROBBER
  Part adventurer, part explorer, and all thief, tomb robbers make their 
  livings by plundering the ruins of ancient civilizations. And though 
  you’ll rob any site, tombs typically hold the best treasures. Sanctuary, 
  as a place where people go to lay low, is an excellent place for people 
  like you to hide out between jobs.
  Age Modiﬁer: +1.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Knowledge 
  (geography), Knowledge (history), Swim, or Use Rope.
  TOMB ROBBER TRAIT
  You know a slew of interesting tidbits about ancient cultures 
  and places. You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (geography) and 
  Knowledge (history) checks. You may use these skills untrained.
  NEW FEATS
  In addition to the feats presented in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual, 
  many of the characters in this book make use of the following special 
  feats. Logomancy feats are a new category of feats that enable 
  characters to make use of Ur-words, as Heliz Yunz and his wicked 
  great-grandmother did. For more information on Ur-words, see page 
  242 in this chapter.
  APPEALING [GENERAL]
  You are attractive and appealing.
  Beneﬁt: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluﬀ and Gather Information skill 
  checks and a +3 bonus to Charisma checks made to inﬂuence 
  others.
  COMPLEX UR-WORD  
  PROFICIENCY [LOGOMANCY]
  You may learn complex words and phrases of power.
  Prerequisite: Int 17, Knowledge (arcana) 13 ranks, Moderate Ur-
  Word Proﬁciency.
  Beneﬁt: You may use Knowledge (arcana) to learn complex Ur-words. 
  You may learn a number of simple Ur-words equal to three times 
  your Intelligence modiﬁer, moderate Ur-words equal to twice 
  your Intelligence modiﬁer and complex Ur-words equal to your 
  Intelligence modiﬁer.
  DIMINISH UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  You reduce the power and eﬀects of an Ur-word you speak.
  Beneﬁt: You may reduce your “caster” level to reduce the intensity of 
  an Ur-word eﬀect. For example, a 15th-level character that creates 
  a ﬁreball eﬀect could reduce his caster level to 5th to reduce the 
  damage from 10d6 to 5d6. In addition, you can reduce the area or 
  range of an eﬀect. Thus, a character could reduce the 20-foot-radius 
  spread to a 10-foot-radius spread.
  Normal: Ordinarily, you cannot change your caster level when 
  speaking an Ur-word.
  DISTINCTIVE [GENERAL]
  You stand out in a crowd.
  Prerequisite: Cha 15.
  Beneﬁt: You gain a +2 bonus to your leadership score (if you have 
  the Leadership feat) and gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and 
  Intimidate checks. 
  EMPOWER UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  Your Ur-words have greater eﬀects.
  Beneﬁt: As the Empower Spell feat, but an empowered Ur-word 
  increases the Concentration DC by +15.
  ENLARGE UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  You can increase the area aﬀected by an Ur-word.
  Beneﬁt: As the Enlarge Spell feat, but an enlarged Ur-word increases 
  the Concentration DC by +10.
  EXTEND UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  You can lengthen the duration of an Ur-word’s eﬀect.
  Beneﬁt: As the Extend Spell feat, but an extended Ur-word increases 
  the Concentration DC by +5.
  FAVORED BY A GOD [GENERAL]
  Choose one deity. That god sees you as its chosen vessel.
  Prerequisites: You must be under the eﬀect of a curse and have your 
  GMs permission.
  WITCH DOCTOR
  You come from a society with primitive religious beliefs. Blending 
  herbal remedies with sorcery, you are part advisor, medicine man, 
  shaman, and warlock. 
  Age Modiﬁer: +4.
  BONUS SKILLS
  Select two from the following: Heal, Knowledge (nature), Profession 
  (herbalist), Survival.
  WITCH DOCTOR TRAIT
  Your connection to the spirit world allows you to see and sense things 
  others do not. You may select the Sighted feat even if you are not 
  S’danzo or Nisibisi. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to Listen and 
  Spot checks.
  
  - 226 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  Beneﬁt: So long as you remain in the good graces of your selected 
  deity, you gain a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws. In addition, once 
  per day per point of your Charisma bonus (if any), you may reroll 
  any attack roll, save, skill check, or ability check and take the better 
  of the two results.
  GREAT PIETY [GENERAL]
  You are devout in your service to the gods.
  Prerequisites: Wis 13.
  Beneﬁt: You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (religion) checks and a 
  +1 bonus to Will saves.
  GREATER SHAPE [GENERAL]
  You can assume a more powerful form.
  Prerequisite: Shapeshifter culture.
  Beneﬁt: Your shapeshifting ability improves. You may change shapes 
  at will. In addition, you may assume a larger version of the base 
  type as follows: 
  GREATER SHAPE
  Form
  Creature
  Bird
  Giant owl
  Cat
  Leopard
  Dog
  Riding dog
  Snake
  Medium viper
  IMMORTAL (AGELESS) [GENERAL]
  You no longer age as other mortals do.
  Prerequisite: Favored by a God, Immortal (Long-Life).
  Beneﬁt: You cease aging. You cannot be aﬀected by spells or eﬀects 
  that modify or change a target’s age.
  IMMORTAL (LONG-LIFE) [GENERAL]
  You cannot die from old age.
  Prerequisite: Favored by a God.
  Beneﬁt: You have no maximum age limit. You still age physically, 
  taking the appropriate penalties and gaining the listed bonuses as 
  your age category increases.
  MAXIMIZE UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  You can speak Ur-words to maximum eﬀect.
  Beneﬁt: As the Maximize Spell feat, but a maximized Ur-word 
  increases the Concentration DC by +20.
  MODERATE UR-WORD  
  PROFICIENCY [LOGOMANCY]
  You may learn moderate words and phrases of power.
  Prerequisite: Int 15, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Simple Ur-Word 
  Proﬁciency.
  Beneﬁt: You may use Knowledge (arcana) to learn moderate Ur-
  words. You may learn a number of simple Ur-words equal to twice 
  your Intelligence modiﬁer and moderate Ur-words equal to your 
  Intelligence modiﬁer.
  SIMPLE UR-WORD PROFICIENCY [LOGOMANCY]
  You may learn simple words and phrases of power.
  Prerequisite: Int 13, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks.
  Beneﬁt: You may use Decipher Script to identify Ur-Words in a 
  written text. You may use Knowledge (arcana) to learn simple 
  Ur-words. You may learn a number of Ur-words equal to your 
  Intelligence modiﬁer.
  TRUTH EAR [GENERAL]
  You have a knack for picking out the lies people tell.
  Prerequisite: Wis 13, Constable background with Sense Motive as 
  background bonus skill.
  Beneﬁt: After listening to someone speak for a short period (between 
  ﬁve minutes and half an hour), you may make a Sense Motive check 
  to determine whether the character has been completely truthful. 
  Your Sense Motive check is opposed by the speaker’s Bluﬀ skill 
  or Will save, whichever is greater. Both checks are made secretly, 
  with only the GM aware of who wins the roll.
   If you succeed, you know whether everything the speaker has said 
  in the observed conversation is true, or whether there has been 
  some attempt to mislead. You won’t know which statements are 
  true and which are false, only that at least one element was a lie.
   Additionally, you yourself are a bad liar. Any time you lie, anyone 
  listening can make a Sense Motive check, opposed by your Bluﬀ 
  check at –4, to know that you have just lied. As a result, most 
  characters with this feat say little.
  Special: For the purposes of this feat, a lie is a speciﬁc statement that 
  the speaker knows to be untrue. Misleading but not technically 
  untrue statements, assertions that the speaker believes that turn 
  out to be false, and deliberate omission of a topic do not qualify 
  as lies.
  TRUTHSPEAKER [GENERAL]
  You know a lie when you hear it.
  Prerequisite: Wis 15, Truth Ear.
  Beneﬁt: Any time any character lies to you, the GM secretly makes 
  a Sense Motive check on your behalf, opposed by the liar’s Bluﬀ 
  check or Will save, whichever is greater. If your Sense Motive check 
  is higher, you are aware that this speciﬁc statement is a lie.
  Special: For the purposes of this feat, a lie is a speciﬁc statement that 
  the speaker knows to be untrue. Misleading but not technically 
  untrue statements, assertions that the speaker believes that turn 
  out to be false, and deliberate omission of a topic do not qualify 
  as lies.
  
  - 227 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  UR-WORD EMPHASIS [LOGOMANCY]
  You achieve mastery of a particular Ur-Word.
  Prerequisite: Int 17, Moderate Ur-Word Proﬁciency.
  Beneﬁt: Select one Ur-word you know. The save DC increases by +2.
  Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Its eﬀects do not 
  stack. Each time you select this feat, choose another Ur-word.
  VERY COMPLEX UR-WORD  
  PROFICIENCY [LOGOMANCY]
  You may learn very complex words and phrases of power.
  Since it is such a mxiing bowl of cultures and peoples, it stands to 
  reason that the city of Sanctuary would play host to some prestige 
  classes that are uncommon outside of or near its walls. These prestige 
  classes are not exclusive to Sanctuary, but if one is going to encounter 
  a member of one of these classes outside of its land of origin, one 
  will most likely do so here.
  Prerequisite: Int 19, Knowledge (arcana) 17 ranks, Complex Ur-
  Word Proﬁciency.
  Beneﬁt: You may use Knowledge (arcana) to learn very complex Ur-
  words. You may learn a number of simple and moderate Ur-words 
  up to three times your Intelligence modiﬁer, complex Ur-words 
  equal to twice your Intelligence modiﬁer and very complex Ur-
  words equal to your Intelligence modiﬁer.
  WIDEN UR-WORD [LOGOMANCY]
  You can increase the area of your Ur-word’s eﬀect.
  Beneﬁt: As the Widen Spell feat, but a widened Ur-word increases 
  the Concentration DC by +15.
  PRESTIGE CLASSES
  BANDARAN ADEPT
  The Bandaran Islands have always been quite isolated, their distance 
  from the continent insulating them from the outside world. They are 
  about a month’s sail from Sanctuary, and most routes to them have 
  long been lost. Ships from Mrseveda, Caronne, and occasionally 
  Ilsig make the journey only rarely. What would otherwise be simply 
  a beautiful retreat — a place of majestic mountains, cool breezes, and 
  simple people — is also home to the some of the greatest mystics 
  in the world. 
  Scattered about the various islets are isolated sanctuaries where 
  individuals can go to reﬂect on the world and universe, and pursue 
  philosophy and the arts. These mystics live in quiet isolation, content 
  to meditate on the nature of the cosmos. Though few masters share 
  exactly the same perspectives, nearly all embrace the general concept 
  of maat—the ultimate expression of an ordered mind. 
  Finding a master is diﬃcult; masters train one pupil at a time, and the 
  relationship is usually for life. But fate sometimes interferes, and pupils 
  leave their masters to strike out on their own. When an Adept breaks 
  his relationship with his master, it is only because something pressing, 
  dangerous, or intensely personal draws them back into society — and, 
  even then, they are considered dropouts and failures. 
  Bandaran adepts have studied mysticism and philosophy and 
  renowned for their martial arts and weapon use. (In fact, the shuriken 
  originates from the Bandaran throwing star.) Still, Bandaran adepts 
  are extremely rare. Throughout the anthologies, only one character 
  returned from successful study on the islands, though Arton and 
  Gyskouras (the stormchildren) were sent there. 
  Hit Die: d8.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a Bandaran adept, a character must fulﬁll all 
  the following criteria.
  Skills: Concentration 6 ranks.
  Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Skill Focus (Concentration).
  Special: Must journey to the Bandaran Islands and ﬁnd a master 
  who is willing to take on a pupil. Then, the character must spend 
  at least one year in training and contemplation.
  
  - 228 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  CLASS SKILLS
  The Bandaran adept’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) 
  are Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Heal (Wis), Knowledge 
  (nature) (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Survival (Wis), Spot 
  (Wis), Tumble (Dex). See Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB for 
  skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the Bandaran adept prestige 
  class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Bandaran adepts are proﬁcient with all simple weapons, nunchaku, 
  sai, and shuriken. They gain no proﬁciency with armor or shields.
  MAAT (EX)
  Maat is the foundation of the Bandaran adept’s beliefs. It is the 
  ultimate expression of the ordered mind, the epitome of truth, law, 
  and spiritual balance. It is comprehension of the fundamental order 
  of the universe, and it can be gained only through long reﬂection and 
  self-discovery under the guided teachings of a master. At 1st level, the 
  Bandaran adept has attained the ﬁrst step of a deeper understanding 
  of the mysteries of maat, resulting in a +2 bonus to saving throws 
  against spells and eﬀects from the enchantment school of magic. 
  In addition, the Bandaran adept gains a maat reservoir from which he 
  can draw to augment his abilities. The pool equals his class level plus 
  his Wisdom modiﬁer (minimum 1). Spent maat returns at a rate of 1 
  point per day. If his maat is reduced to 0, he is fatigued for 1 hour.
  PRETERNATURAL DEFENSE (EX)
  The Bandaran adept’s awareness extends outward, allowing him to 
  anticipate attacks before they come. Starting at 2nd level, the adept 
  adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) as a bonus to his AC and to his 
  initiative checks. The Bandaran adept may expend 1 point of his maat 
  as a swift action to double these bonuses for 1 minute. The Bandaran 
  adept only gains this bonus if he wears light or no armor.
  SEE MAGICAL RESIDUE (SP)
  Chaos, the antithesis of maat, is made manifest in the real world 
  through magic, especially in witchcraft. Bandaran adepts learn to 
  sense the roiling residue of magic, perceiving it as a vile stain on 
  the fabric of the ordered world. By expending 1 point of maat as a 
  swift action, he may cast detect magic as a caster whose level equals 
  his class level. 
  UNCANNY DODGE (EX)
  Starting at 4th level, a Bandaran adept can react to danger before his 
  senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity 
  bonus to AC (if any) even if caught ﬂat-footed or struck by an 
  invisible attacker. However, he still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC 
  if immobilized.
  If a Bandaran adept already has uncanny dodge from a diﬀerent 
  class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) 
  instead.
  AC BONUS (EX)
  Starting at 5th level, the Bandaran adept gains a +1 bonus to AC. 
  This bonus increases by 1 at 10th level. This bonus to AC applies 
  even against touch attacks or when the adept is ﬂat-footed. He 
  loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he 
  wears medium or heavy armor, or when he carries a medium or 
  heavy load.
  RESIST TOXIN (EX)
  Starting at 5th level, the Bandaran adept gains a +2 bonus to saving 
  throws against poison. By expending 1 point of maat, he may 
  automatically neutralize a poison in his system, though any damage 
  already taken as a result of the poison remains.
  MIND OVER BODY (EX)
  At 7th level, the Bandaran adept can reach into his calm center to 
  recover from magical eﬀects that disrupt his mind and body. By 
  expending 1 point of maat as a standard action, he may automatically 
  negate one of the following conditions: confused, stunned, sleep, 
  or slow.
  TABLE 8–4: THE BANDARAN ADEPT
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  Bonus
  1st
  +0
  +2
  +2
  +2
  +0
  Maat
  +0
  2nd
  +1
  +3
  +3
  +3
  +0
  Preternatural defense
  +0
  3rd
  +2
  +3
  +3
  +3
  +1
  See magical residue
  +0
  4th
  +3
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +1
  Uncanny dodge
  +0
  5th
  +3
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +1
  Resist toxin
  +1
  6th
  +4
  +5
  +5
  +5
  +1
  —
  +1
  7th
  +5
  +5
  +5
  +5
  +2
  Mind over body
  +1
  8th
  +6
  +6
  +6
  +6
  +2
  Improved uncanny dodge
  +1
  9th
  +6
  +6
  +6
  +6
  +3
  Slippery mind
  +1
  10th
  +7
  +7
  +7
  +7
  +3
  Healing trance
  +2
  
  - 229 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  IMPROVED UNCANNY DODGE (EX)
  At 8th level, the Bandaran adept can no longer be ﬂanked. This defense 
  denies other characters the ability to sneak attack the adept by ﬂanking 
  unless the attacker has at least four more levels in the class that oﬀers 
  sneak attack than this character has levels in Bandaran adept.
  If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second 
  class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge 
  instead. Levels from classes that grant uncanny dodge stack when 
  determining the minimum level required to ﬂank the character.
  SLIPPERY MIND (EX)
  Starting at 9th level, the Bandaran adept can wriggle free from 
  magical eﬀects that would otherwise control or compel him. If the 
  adept is aﬀected by an enchantment spell or eﬀect and fails his saving 
  throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. An adept 
  gets only this one extra chance to succeed on the saving throw. 
  HEALING TRANCE (SU)
  By 10th level, the Bandaran adept has attained true mastery of the 
  body, mind, and spirit. By expending 2 maat as a full-round action, 
  he may enter a special trance. The trance lasts for 4 hours; during 
  that time, he is considered asleep (as if aﬀected by a sleep spell). If 
  awakened before these 4 hours have passed, he derives no beneﬁt 
  from the expenditure of maat. Otherwise, after 4 hours, the Bandaran 
  adept may do any one of the following: heal 1d8 points of damage, 
  remove a disease, recover 1d4 points of ability damage, recover 1 
  point of ability drain, or remove 1 common curse (see Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual for details on curses).
  CHOSEN OF BEY
  The Chosen of Bey are the highest-ranking priestesses of the Beysib 
  goddess. These women make all the decisions for their cult, acting 
  as mortal agents for Bey. In turn, the goddess blesses her priestesses 
  with the ability to accept the venom from the sacred serpent and 
  transform it into magical potions. Some are capable of healing, while 
  others evoke powerful visions or augment the venom’s natural toxicity. 
  Each miracle of blood and venom reaﬃrms their people’s dedication 
  to the goddess, elevating these priestesses to nearly deiﬁc positions 
  in their own right. 
  In the Rankan Era, the Chosen of Bey served as the upper echelon of 
  the priest class within Beysib culture. Part priest, part godsworn, and 
  part noble, they enjoyed the reverence and the respect of their people, 
  and evoked fear from the Wrigglies. Only the most dedicated priests 
  and godsworn gain acceptance into this group. All others, including 
  mages and witches, are rejected.
  Depending on the era in which you play, the Chosen of Bey may be 
  more or less common. During the Rankan Era, there were many in 
  Sanctuary. The Chosen served as the gateway to pass information 
  to their queen, Shupansea, and were loyal without question. In the 
  Irrune era, however, it’s presumed that the Chosen returned with 
  Shupansea to their ancestral homeland, removing their society from 
  Thieves’ World completely… or, perhaps, nearly so. 
  Hit Die: d8.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a Chosen of Bey, a character must fulﬁll all the 
  following criteria.
  Gender: Female.
  Ethnicity: Beysib or Half-Beysib.
  Deity: Bey.
  Base Ritualcasting Bonus: +9.
  Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 12 ranks.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The Chosen of Bey’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 
  Bluﬀ (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (poison) (Int), Diplomacy 
  (Cha), Handle Animal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) 
  (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 
  (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), 
  and Spot (Wis). See Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB or Chapter 
  Five in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the Chosen of Bey prestige 
  class.
  
  - 230 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  The Chosen of Bey gains no new proﬁciency with weapons or 
  armor.
  ANIMAL COMPANION
  At 1st level, the Chosen of Bey gains an animal companion of 
  exceptional ability, bonded through the power of her goddess. The 
  animal is always a beynit (see Beynit on page 126). This ability 
  functions as the druid ability of the same name, as described in the 
  PHB. If the Chosen of Bey has class levels in a class that already 
  provides an animal companion (such as godsworn), her levels stack 
  for the purposes of determining the animal companion’s abilities. If 
  she already has an animal companion that is not a beynit, she must 
  release that animal before taking the ﬁrst level in this prestige class.
  SNAKE EMPATHY (EX)
  A Chosen of Bey can improve the attitude of any normal snake. This 
  ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the 
  attitude of a person. The chosen rolls 1d20 and adds her character 
  level and her Charisma modiﬁer to determine the snake empathy 
  check result. Snakes are usually unfriendly.
  To use snake empathy, the chosen and the animal must be able to 
  study each other, which means they must be within 30 feet of one 
  another under normal conditions. Generally, inﬂuencing an animal 
  in this way takes 1 minute, but as with inﬂuencing people, might 
  take more or less time.
  A Chosen can also use this ability to inﬂuence a snake-like magical 
  beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (like the hydra or similar 
  creatures if used in your games), but she takes a –4 penalty on the 
  check.
  SPELLS KNOWN AND FAMILIAR
  Starting at 2nd level, and every other level thereafter, a Chosen of Bey 
  gains new Known and Familiar spells as if she had also gained a level 
  in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige 
  class. She does not, however, gain any other beneﬁt a character of 
  that class would have gained. 
  IMMUNE TO POISON (EX)
  At 2nd level, the Chosen of Bey is immune to all natural toxins and 
  venoms, such as plant-based poisons and animal venoms. In addition, 
  she gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against all other poisons. (This 
  bonus stacks with the Beysib’s normal resistance to poison). 
  POISON BLOOD (EX)
  The blood of one of Bey’s chosen becomes deadly. Any who ingest 
  the Chosen’s blood must succeed on a Fortitude save against a DC 
  equal to 10 + one-half the chosen’s character level + the chosen’s 
  Constitution modiﬁer. The poison deals 1d6 points of Dexterity as 
  initial damage and 2d6 points of Constitution as secondary damage. 
  The blood loses its potency after 1d6 minutes.
  TRANSMUTE VENOM (SU)
  At 3rd level, the Chosen of Bey gains the ability to take venom into 
  her body and transform it into something else. To use this ability, she 
  must accept the bite of her beynit. Though immune to the eﬀects of 
  the poison, she must concentrate to transmute the substance. This is a 
  full-round action that culminates in a Concentration check. The DC 
  for the check depends on the type of eﬀect she wishes to create, as 
  detailed below.
  TRANSMUTE VENOM
  Concentration DC
  Eﬀect
  15
  Transmute Delivery System
  20
  Antitoxin
  25
  Healing
  30
  Vision
  • Transmute Delivery System: This changes the Chosen’s poison blood 
  from an ingested poison to a dose of a contact or injury poison.
  • Antitoxin: The Chosen transmutes the poison in such a way that 
  she not only neutralizes it, but creates an eﬀective antitoxin. Any 
  who drink the blood gain a +5 alchemical bonus to Fortitude saves 
  made against poison for 1 hour.
  • Healing: The Chosen transmutes the venom to create a panacea. The 
  blood cures 1d6 points of damage or 1 point of ability damage.
  • Vision: The Chosen allows the poison to aﬀect her. In addition to the 
  Concentration check, she must make the Fortitude save throw against 
  the poison’s eﬀects. If she succeeds, she has a ﬂash of insight. This is 
  functionally identical to a casting of the commune spell as a caster whose 
  level equals her character level, but requires no XP expenditure.
  To extract the transmuted eﬀect, the chosen must cut herself, dealing 1 
  point of damage, and either drain the blood into a vessel of some sort or 
  apply the wound directly to a subject’s lips. She can create a number of 
  doses per day equal to her class level, each dealing 1 point of damage. 
  TABLE 8–5: THE CHOSEN OF BEY
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort 
  Save
  Ref 
  Save
  Will 
  Save
  Rep 
  Bonus
  Special
  Base 
  Ritual
  Spells  
  Known and Familiar
  1st
  +0
  +2
  +0
  +1
  +0
  Animal companion, snake empathy
  +0
  —
  2nd
  +1
  +3
  +0
  +2
  +1
  Immune to poison, poison blood
  +1 
  +1 level of existing class
  3rd
  +2
  +3
  +1
  +2
  +1
  Transmute venom
  +2
  —
  4th
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +2
  +1
  Enhance venom
  +3
  +1 level of existing class
  5th
  +3
  +4
  +1
  +3
  +2
  Beysa
  +3
  —
  
  - 231 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  The Scholars in Crimson were an isolated organization that operated 
  a library and scriptorium near Lirt. Devoted to the study and 
  exploration of true names, they hoarded the writings of nearly every 
  civilization and pored over dusty manuscripts and ancient tomes to 
  ﬁnd the Ur-words that comprised the language of creation. Joining 
  the Crimson Scholars was no small thing. Candidates were required 
  to understand the principles of Ur-Words, as well as have familiarity 
  with several languages. Even then, there were no guarantees.
  Only those familiar with words of power can gain access to this 
  prestige class. Most crimson scholars begin play as savants, but some 
  are mages or initiates. Witches are also viable candidates, and it’s 
  believed that the Nisibisi witches had some understanding of Ur-
  words, which is what made them so dangerous.
  Perhaps to the beneﬁt of the entire world, the Scholars in Crimson 
  are no more. After Heliz Yunz accidentally spoke the Word of 
  Unmaking, he brought the scriptorium and library down on his 
  head —though, miraculously, he survived. Until recently, he thought 
  he was the last survivor, but when his great-grandmother came 
  looking for him, he realized that there could be other crimson 
  scholars remaining in the world. If so, they might have an interest 
  in gaining his knowledge.
  Hit Die: d6.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a crimson scholar, a character must fulﬁll all 
  the following requirements.
  Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Decipher Script 9 ranks, Knowledge 
  (arcana) 9 ranks
  Languages: Must be able to read and write six or more languages.
  Feats: Moderate Ur-Word Proﬁciency.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The crimson scholar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 
  Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge 
  (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft 
  (Int). See Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the crimson scholar prestige 
  class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Crimson scholars gain no proﬁciency with weapons or armor.
  CIPHER (EX)
  In order for a crimson scholar to excel in his research, he must be 
  able to work through manuscripts, even those written in languages 
  he does not know. Starting at 1st level, the crimson scholar may add 
  his class level to all Decipher Script checks.
  BONUS FEAT
  At 2nd level, the crimson scholar selects a bonus feat from among 
  the following: Diligent, Diminish Ur-Word, Empower Ur-Word, 
  Enlarge Ur-Word, Extend Ur-Word, Investigator, Magical Aptitude, 
  Maximize Ur-Word, Ur-Word Emphasis, and Widen Ur-Word. The 
  crimson scholar must meet any prerequisites before selecting these 
  feats. The crimson scholar gains an additional bonus feat at 6th and 
  10th level.
  ENHANCE VENOM (SU)
  At 4th level, the Chosen of Bey can use transmute venom to create 
  an intensiﬁed and much deadlier version of the beynit’s toxin. 
  Adding her own poisonous blood to that of the sacred serpent, she 
  increases the DC of the save by +4. She must extract the enhanced 
  poison through normal means, using one of her extractions for the 
  day. The enhanced poison remains active for 1d6 minutes before 
  becoming inert.
  BEYSA
  At 5th level, a Chosen of Bey becomes the living incarnation of 
  Mother Bey: the Beysa. Her type changes to outsider (native) and 
  she gains damage reduction 10/magic. (As a native outsider, she can 
  still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her 
  previous creature type.) There can be only one Beysa at a time. If there 
  is already a Beysa, then a Chosen of Bey who takes 5th level in this 
  class gains no beneﬁt until the current Beysa dies.
  CRIMSON SCHOLAR
  
  - 232 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  BONUS UR-WORD
  As the crimson scholar pores over texts and manuscripts, he makes 
  connections between the various words and word fragments, allowing 
  him to add to his arsenal of Ur-words. Starting at 2nd level, and 
  every other level thereafter, the crimson scholar gains a bonus Ur-
  word of a type he can speak. This bonus Ur-word is outside his 
  normal restrictions and can be of any with which he has proﬁciency. 
  Furthermore, the crimson scholar need not roll for this Ur-word; he 
  may select any common or uncommon one. 
  COMPLEX UR-WORDS
  At 3rd level, the crimson scholar gains the Complex Ur-Word 
  Proﬁciency feat as a bonus feat. He need not meet the prerequisites 
  for this feat.
  LINGUIST (EX)
  By 4th level, the crimson scholar is a master of written and 
  spoken language. If the crimson scholar hears someone speak, he 
  automatically knows the land where they were raised (if it’s part of 
  the Known World) and may, by succeeding on a Concentration check 
  opposed by the target’s Bluﬀ check, determine whether that person 
  is lying. With a glance at a written text, the scholar can determine 
  whether the piece was dictated or composed, the nationality of the 
  writer, and (with a successful DC 30 Decipher Script check) the 
  general mood of the scribe.
  QUICK STUDY (EX)
  By 5th level, the crimson scholar has learned enough about Ur-words 
  that he can bring his incredible knowledge to bear when learning 
  new ones. When taking more time to learn an Ur-word, the crimson 
  scholar spends one week instead of one month to reduce the DC by 
  5. He may still only reduce the DC required to learn the Ur-word 
  by half, at the most.
  VERY COMPLEX UR-WORDS
  At 7th level, the crimson scholar gains the Very Complex Ur-Word 
  Proﬁciency feat as a bonus feat. He need not meet the prerequisites 
  for this feat.
  MASTER TRANSLATOR (EX)
  At 9th level, the crimson scholar is so accustomed to studying the 
  written word that he begins to understand the universal patterns found 
  in nearly every language. The crimson scholar selects two alphabets. He 
  can automatically read any language that shares these alphabets. 
  TABLE 8–6: THE CRIMSON SCHOLAR
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  Bonus Ur-Words
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Cipher
  0
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  +0
  Bonus feat
  1
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Complex Ur-Words
  0
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Linguist
  1
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Quick Study
  0
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +1
  Bonus feat
  1
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Very Complex Ur-Words
  0
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  +2
  Ur-word mastery
  1
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  +2
  Master translator
  0
  10th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7 
  +2
  Bonus feat
  1
  DYAREELAN DISCIPLE
  The hermaphrodite goddess known as “the Mother of Chaos” is 
  perhaps the most fearsome of all beings. It was in her name that 
  Sanctuary was once ruled, and while the city was eventually freed 
  from the yoke of her frightful priesthood, many of her worshippers 
  survived the purge and continue to serve her inscrutable will.
  The most sinister quality of Dyareela’s remaining followers is their 
  utter facelessness. While cults of Dyareela often revolve around 
  a central ﬁgure who is a true priest of the Mother of Chaos, the 
  majority of their members bear little in common with one another, 
  save perhaps a twisted sense of faith and a corresponding tendency 
  towards mental instability. Even these, however, manifest in quite 
  diﬀerent ways from one cultist to another. Some of her worshippers 
  are former street scum, brought to the cult in search of “ﬁlthy lucre,” 
  while others are true devotees seeking to return the world to what 
  they perceive is its most natural state: primordial chaos.
  Dyareelan disciples generally begin play with the Dyareelan cultist 
  background, meaning that these characters underwent a horriﬁc 
  childhood learning the intricacies of this perverse faith. As they 
  grow older and prove themselves, they are allowed to advance into 
  the hierarchy and join their betters as disciples.
  Hit Die: d6.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a Dyareelan disciple, a character must fulﬁll all 
  the following requirements.
  
  - 233 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  Skills: At least 8 ranks in two of the following skills: Bluﬀ, Climb, 
  Concentration, Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, 
  Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Sense Motive, or Survival.
  Special: Must have either murdered or brought another human soul 
  to ruin in the goddess’ name alone.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The Dyareelan disciple’s class skills are unlike those of other prestige 
  classes. When a character gains his ﬁrst level in the class, he selects 
  any 8 skills. Those skills then become his class skills for as long 
  as he progresses in Dyareelan disciple. Once these selections are 
  made, they may never be changed. See Chapter Four: Skills in the 
  PHB or Chapter Five in the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual for skill 
  descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the Dyareelan disciple 
  prestige class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Dyareelan disciples gain no proﬁciency with weapons or armor.
  REPUTATION
  Because the cults of Dyareela have been driven underground so 
  thoroughly, it is not in the best interests of their members to gain 
  public notoriety. As such, a Dyareelan disciple has the choice of 
  whether or not to gain Reputation as he advances in levels in this 
  class (see Table 8–7: The Dyareelan Disciple). Thus, when a disciple 
  reaches 3rd level, his Reputation score either increases by 1 or remains 
  where it was before he acquired the level, at his discretion.
  BLESSING OF CHAOS (SU)
  Beginning at 1st level, and at every other level thereafter (3rd, 5th, 
  7th and 9th), a Dyareelan disciple is endowed with some small 
  measure of power, thanks to his devotion to the Mother of Chaos. 
  Each time he receives the blessing of chaos, he may choose any one 
  of the following beneﬁts:
  • Mana Blessing: A disciple who selects this blessing is treated as if 
  he had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class to which 
  he belonged before adopting this prestige class (typically witch or 
  priest), but only with regard to spellcasting advancement (including 
  casting bonus, known spells and familiar spells). He does not gain 
  any other beneﬁt a member of that class would have gained, such 
  as bonus feats or special techniques. If the disciple had more than 
  one spellcasting class before acquiring the prestige class level, he 
  must decide to which class to add each level for the purposes of 
  determining overall spellcasting prowess. To determine a disciple’s 
  total caster level, add his level in Dyareelan disciple to each 
  spellcasting class in which he has levels. Characters with no ability 
  to weave mana (i.e., cast spells) may not select this blessing.
  • Martial Blessing: When a disciple selects this blessing, he gains a +1 
  bonus to attack rolls. In addition, he gains a +1 bonus to Fortitude 
  saves. Multiple selections of this ability stack.
  • Resistance Blessing: By selecting this blessing, he gains a +1 bonus 
  to Fortitude, Reﬂex and Will saves. Multiple selections of this 
  ability stack.
  Dyareelan disciples are not required to make the same choice every 
  time they receive a new blessing.
  MOTHER’S TONGUE
  Every Dyareelan disciple is endowed with an almost preternatural 
  aptitude for lies and treachery. At 1st level, the disciple gains 
  a +2 competence bonus on all Bluﬀ and Sense Motive checks. 
  Alternatively, he may elect to take a +3 bonus on either one of the 
  two skills instead.
  DARKNESS WITHIN
  At 2nd level, and at every other level thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th and 
  10th), a Dyareelan disciple unlocks one of the secret mysteries of his 
  hermaphroditic patron’s portfolio. Each time he unlocks the darkness 
  within, he may select a secret from the list below. He may select any 
  secret available to him (see sidebar), as determined by the aggregate 
  of his Dyareelan disciple level + Cha modiﬁer. Thus, a disciple with 
  a Charisma of 13 would only be able to select from the ﬁrst tier of 
  secrets upon reaching 2nd level. If his Charisma score does not change, 
  he’ll be able to select from the next tier of secrets at 4th level, if he so 
  TABLE 8–7: THE DYAREELAN DISCIPLE
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Blessing of chaos, mother’s tongue
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +0
  +3
  +0
  Darkness within
  3rd
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +3
  +0/+1
  Blessing of chaos
  4th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +0/+1
  Darkness within
  5th
  +2
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +0/+1
  Blessing of chaos
  6th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +0/+1
  Darkness within
  7th
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +5
  +0/+2
  Blessing of chaos
  8th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +6
  +0/+2
  Darkness within
  9th
  +4
  +3
  +3
  +6
  +0/+2
  Blessing of chaos
  10th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +7 
  +0/+2
  Darkness within, mother’s will
  
  - 234 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  chooses. Individual secrets may be selected more than once, if doing 
  so would provide added beneﬁt.
  • Bonus Feat: The Dyareelan disciple may select a bonus feat from 
  any of the feats available in the Thieves’ World setting. The character 
  must still meet any prerequisites required in order to take the feat.
  • Enchanting Voice (Ex): Once per day, as a standard action, the 
  disciple can invoke a non-magical reaction in listeners that’s 
  functionally similar in eﬀect to an enthrall spell. This secret requires 
  no components in order to invoke, though any potential targets 
  must be able to hear the disciple speak or sing in order to be 
  aﬀected. Selecting this secret more than once grants the disciple 
  additional daily uses of the secret’s granted eﬀect.
  • Poison Use: Once a disciple has selected this secret, he never again risks 
  accidentally poisoning himself when applying poison to an item. In 
  addition, he gains a +1 bonus on all saves made to resist poisons.
  • Sneak Attack (Ex): The Dyareelan disciple learns how to catch 
  opponents oﬀ guard, and thereby deliver highly eﬀective blows 
  to vital areas. Any time a target would be denied its Dex bonus 
  to AC, the disciple’s attack deals an extra +1d6 points of damage. 
  Ranged attacks only count as sneak attacks within 30 feet. Each 
  time a disciple selects this secret, his sneak attack damage increases 
  by +1d6, and all sneak attack damage dice from this class stack 
  with sneak attack damage dice from other classes.
  • Poison Mastery (Ex): A disciple who selects this secret becomes 
  highly resistant to poison. He reduces all damage from poison, 
  whether hit point or ability damage, by 1 point per die. In addition, 
  he recovers from poison damage, whether hit point or ability 
  damage, at the rate of 1 point per hour.
  • Uncanny Dodge (Ex): The disciple gains the ability to react to danger 
  before his senses would normally allow him to even be aware of 
  it. A disciple with this secret retains his Dex bonus to AC (if any) 
  regardless of being caught ﬂat-footed or struck by an invisible 
  attacker. (He still loses his Dex bonus to AC if immobilized.) A 
  disciple who already has uncanny dodge receives improved uncanny 
  dodge, instead.
  • Voice of Madness (Ex): Once per day, as a standard action, the 
  disciple can invoke a non-magical reaction in listeners that’s 
  functionally similar in eﬀect to a confusion spell. This secret requires 
  no components in order to invoke, though any potential targets 
  must be able to hear the disciple vocalize in order to be aﬀected. 
  Selecting this secret more than once grants the disciple additional 
  daily uses of the secret’s granted eﬀect.
  • Death Attack (Ex): If the disciple studies his target for 3 rounds and 
  then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully 
  deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional eﬀect of possibly 
  either paralyzing or killing the target (disciple’s choice). While 
  studying the target, the disciple can undertake other actions so 
  long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target 
  does not detect the disciple or otherwise recognize the disciple 
  as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails her saving throw 
  (DC 10 + Dyareelan disciple level + Int modiﬁer) against the 
  kill eﬀect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis 
  eﬀect, the victim’s mind and body become enervated, rendering her 
  completely helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round 
  per class level of the Dyareelan disciple. If the target’s Fortitude 
  save succeeds, the attack is simply a normal sneak attack. Once 
  a disciple has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must attempt 
  the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack fails 
  because the victim makes her save, or if the disciple does not launch 
  the attack within 3 rounds, another 3 rounds of study are required 
  before another death attack may be attempted.
  • Mother’s Call (Ex): Once per day, as a standard action, the disciple 
  can induce a non-magical control over a listener that’s functionally 
  similar in eﬀect to a dominate person spell. This secret requires no 
  components in order to induce, though a potential target must be 
  able to hear the disciple vocalize in order to be aﬀected. Selecting 
  this secret more than once grants the disciple additional daily uses 
  of the secret’s granted eﬀect.
  • Mother’s Embrace (Su): A disciple who is faithful—or insane—
  enough to receive this boon from his goddess is fortunate, indeed. 
  He receives spell resistance equal to 10 + his Dyareelan disciple 
  level + Cha modiﬁer. He loses this spell resistance if he ever takes 
  up active worship of any deity other than Dyareela.
  MOTHER’S EMBRACE
  Level + Cha modiﬁer
  Available Secrets
  2 – 4
  Bonus feat, enchanting voice, poison 
  use, sneak attack
  5 – 8
  Poison mastery, uncanny dodge, voice 
  of madness
  9 – 11
  Death attack, mother’s call
  12+
  Mother’s embrace
  
  - 235 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  There may not be honor among thieves, but Sanctuary is living proof 
  that there certainly is a hierarchy. In a city known for its scoundrels 
  and ruﬃans, the greatest of rogues stand above and apart from the 
  rest. These expert and lucky few, when mentioned at all, are known as 
  freelancers. While a particular gang may have its crime lord, or a given 
  guild its guildmaster, the hallowed name of “freelancer” is reserved for 
  those who succeed in building their skill and their names on their own 
  terms, without the sponsorship of a particular gang, guild or family. 
  Those audacious few who, in the face of all odds, ﬁnd continued success 
  in their larcenous endeavors (and more importantly, stay alive in the 
  process) win the right to be called freelancer. In so doing, they earn 
  the respect of a world full of thieves.
  Few alive today can claim the title of freelancer and not be spreading 
  lies. But, if a freelancer is to be found, he’ll be found in Sanctuary, 
  which, true to its reputation, is not only home to one of these elite 
  few, but perhaps the greatest freelancer in the world: the infamous 
  varlet known as Shadowspawn.
  Hit Die: d6.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a freelancer, a character must fulﬁll all the 
  following criteria.
  Skills: Hide 16 ranks, plus 13 ranks in each of two of the 
  following skills: Balance, Bluﬀ, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather 
  Information, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sense Motive, Sleight 
  of Hand, Tumble.
  Special: Trap sense +4.
  Special: Evasion ability.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The freelancer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) 
  are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), 
  Concentration (Con), Craft (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device 
  (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gambling 
  (Wis), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) 
  (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform 
  (Cha), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), 
  Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope 
  (Dex). See Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB or Chapter Five in the 
  Players Guide to Thieves’ World for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the freelancer class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Freelancers are proﬁcient with all simple weapons, plus the hand 
  crossbow, rapier, short bow and short sword. Freelancers are proﬁcient 
  with light armor, but not with shields.
  REPUTATION
  Unlike other characters, a freelancer gets to decide whether or not his 
  notoriety swells or fades as he advances in levels (see Table 8–11: The 
  Freelancer). Thus, when a character acquires his ﬁrst level in this class, 
  he can choose to either raise or lower his Reputation score by 1.
  TOOLS OF THE TRADE
  Each freelancer is unique, with a personal approach to his craft. 
  Freelancers learn new abilities as they advance in level, each one a 
  testament to the manner and style of that particular individual. At 
  1st level, a freelancer chooses a tool of the trade from the list below. 
  The freelancer chooses another tool of the trade at 3rd, 5th, and 7th 
  level. A tool of the trade can be selected more than once, but one 
  cannot select the same tool of the trade twice in a row.
  FREELANCER
  TABLE 8–8: THE FREELANCER
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Change
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +2
  +/– 1
  Tool of the trade
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +3
  +3
  +/– 1
  Fast movement
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +3
  +/– 1
  Tool of the trade
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +4
  +/– 2
  Slow fall
  5th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +4
  +/– 2
  Tool of the trade
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +5
  +/– 2
  Demoralize
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +5
  +/– 3
  Tool of the trade
  MOTHER’S WILL (EX)
  Upon reaching the culmination of his class, a Dyareelan disciple’s 
  mind becomes one with the chaotic nature of his sinister patron. Once 
  he reaches 10th level, all attempts to divine his location become nearly 
  impossible, as though the disciple were under the constant eﬀects of 
  a nondetection spell. In addition, any attempt to read his mind (such 
  as by means of the detect thoughts spell) forces the psychic interloper 
  to make a DC 20 Will save or else succumb to a confusion spell eﬀect. 
  Even a successful save means failure for the divining spell, as the 
  disciple’s mind is too erratic to be read reliably.
  
  - 236 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  (The list of freelancer abilities presented here is not exhaustive. GMs 
  and players may wish to create custom abilities to provide greater 
  personalization.)
  • ABILITY SURGE (EX)
  The freelancer can call upon reserves of will and determination to 
  provide a jolt of personal energy. Twice per day, the freelancer may 
  gain a +2 enhancement bonus to a single ability score. Using this 
  ability is a swift action, and the bonus lasts for a number of minutes 
  equal to the freelancer’s class level.
  • CRIPPLING STRIKE (EX)
  A freelancer with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such 
  precision that his blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent 
  damaged by one of his sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength 
  damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at a rate 
  of one per day per ability.
  • DEBILITATING STRIKE (EX)
  The freelancer can sneak attack opponents with such precision that his 
  blows hobble and debilitate them. An opponent damaged by one of his 
  sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Dexterity damage. Ability points lost 
  to damage return on their own at a rate of one per day per ability.
  • DEFENSIVE ROLL (EX)
  The freelancer can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less 
  damage than he otherwise would. Once per day, when he would be 
  reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon 
  or other blow, not from a spell or special ability), the freelancer can 
  attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the freelancer 
  must attempt a Reﬂex save (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, 
  he only takes half damage from the blow; if it fails, he suﬀers full 
  damage. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in 
  order to execute his defensive roll. If he is denied his Dexterity bonus 
  to AC, he can’t use this ability. The evasion ability does not apply to 
  a defensive roll.
  • HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT (EX)
  A freelancer with this ability can use the Hide skill even while 
  being observed, so long as the lighting conditions where he stands 
  are anything less than direct sunlight. Freelancers standing in broad 
  daylight cannot use this ability, but can use the Bluﬀ skill to gain 
  time to make an escape.
  • IMPROVED EVASION (EX)
  This ability works like evasion, except that while the freelancer still 
  takes no damage on a successful Reﬂex save against attacks such as 
  a dragon’s breath weapon or a ﬁreball, he henceforth takes only half 
  damage on a failed save. A helpless freelancer, such as one who is 
  unconscious or paralyzed, does not gain the beneﬁt of improved 
  evasion.
  • OPPORTUNIST (EX)
  Once per round, the freelancer can make an attack of opportunity 
  against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee 
  by another character. This attack counts as the rogue’s attack of 
  opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reﬂexes 
  feat cannot use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
  • SKILL MASTERY
  The freelancer becomes so proﬁcient in the use of certain skills that 
  he can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining 
  this ability, he selects a number of skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence 
  modiﬁer. When making a skill check with one of these skills, he may 
  take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him 
  from doing so. If the freelancer selects this ability more than once, 
  he selects additional skills for it to apply to each time.
  • SLIPPERY MIND (EX)
  This ability allows the freelancer to wriggle free from eﬀects that 
  would otherwise control or compel him. If a character with slippery 
  mind is aﬀected by an enchantment spell or eﬀect and fails his saving 
  throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets 
  only this one extra chance to succeed on the saving throw.
  • FEAT
  A freelancer may gain a bonus feat in place of any tool of the trade.
  FAST MOVEMENT (EX)
  When a freelancer reaches 2nd level, his base land speed increases by 
  +10. This applies only when he is wearing no armor or light armor 
  and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the 
  freelancer’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
  SLOW FALL (EX)
  A freelancer of at least 4th level is adept at falling (and landing) 
  without suﬀering too much damage. Falls of 20 feet or fewer inﬂict 
  
  - 237 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  For most Sanctans, it seemed there were only two types of Beysibs: 
  the privileged caste and everyone else. However, in whispers in dark 
  taverns or in hushed tones over the exchange of goods, people spoke 
  of a society of Beysib assassins called the Harka Bey, or the Vengeance 
  of Bey. Though considered little more than fanciful tales, the fact of 
  the matter was that the Harka Bey assassins did exist, and they were 
  every bit as deadly as their legends claimed.
  The Harka Bey are assassins who have developed, through acclimation, 
  the same ability to make their blood venomous as the Chosen of Bey. 
  Armed with their infamous swords and their multipurpose venom, 
  they were considered the very best assassins in Sanctuary, and were 
  rumored to be mercenaries, magicians, and utterly ruthless killers. 
  To this, they added nearly inhuman speed and accuracy in combat. 
  Harka Bey assassins were so skilled in killing that their victims never 
  knew what hit them. 
  At ﬁrst, these assassins only rarely revealed themselves, and then 
  wearing black scarves to conceal their features. Later in the Rankan 
  Era, the Harka Bey assassins operated openly, moving to protect the 
  Beysa from the chaos in the streets. They appeared as cloaked women 
  covered with snakes, deadly and beautiful. It was then that the Ilsig 
  and Rankan priests began to fear. The conﬁrmation of their existence 
  spread terror of their lethal serpents throughout the Empire, and 
  few were willing to stand against the Beysibs in the face of nearly 
  guaranteed death.
  The Harka Bey assassins left with the rest of the Beysib people. But, 
  although the Beysibs have not returned to Sanctuary since their 
  voyage home, the ability to do so is not lost to them. It would be 
  nothing for the current Beysa to dispatch an assassin to Sanctuary 
  to recover a lost relic or to destroy a threat to their race.
  Hit Die: d8.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a Harka Bey assassin, a character must fulﬁll 
  all the following criteria.
  Gender: Female.
  Culture: Beysib or half-Beysib.
  Base Attack Bonus: +6.
  Skills: Craft (poison) 9 ranks, Hide 9 ranks, Move Silently 9 ranks.
  Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The Harka Bey assassin’s class skills (and the key ability for each 
  skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Escape 
  Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), 
  Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), 
  Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft 
  (Int), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). See Chapter Four: Skills in 
  the PHB for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modiﬁer.
  HARKA BEY ASSASSIN
  TABLE 8–9: THE HARKA BEY ASSASSIN
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  Base Ritual
  Bonus Spells
  1st
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +0
  Poison blood
  +0
  1
  2nd
  +2
  +2
  +2
  +2
  +1
  Beynit bond
  +1
  0
  3rd
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +2
  +1
  Sneak attack +1d6
  +1
  1
  4th
  +4
  +2
  +2
  +2
  +1
  Killing strike
  +2
  0
  5th
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +3
  +2
  Enhance venom
  +2
  1
  6th
  +6
  +3
  +3
  +3
  +2
  Sneak attack +2d6
  +3
  0
  7th
  +7
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +2
  Hide in plain sight
  +3
  1
  8th
  +8
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +3
  Harka Bey sword
  +4
  0
  9th
  +9
  +4
  +4
  +4
  +3
  Sneak attack +3d6
  +4
  1
  10th
  +10
  +5
  +5
  +5
  +3
  Swift kill
  +5
  0
  no damage. In addition, the character is more adept than others 
  at using the Tumble skill to reduce damage from falling. When 
  the freelancer makes a Tumble check to reduce falling damage, 
  he subtracts 10 feet from the eﬀective distance fallen for every 
  full 5 that his check exceeds 10. Thus, if the freelancer fell from a 
  height of 50 feet, and rolled a 27 on his Tumble check, the eﬀective 
  distance fallen would be only 20 feet. (50 feet, minus 10 feet for 
  each full 5 beyond 10 on the check.) In this case, he would take 
  no damage from the fall, since he suﬀers no damage from falls of 
  20 feet or fewer.
  DEMORALIZE (EX)
  When a freelancer reaches 6th level, he becomes especially adept at 
  demoralizing those who would capture or kill him. Once per round, as a 
  free action (on his turn), the freelancer may attempt to use the Intimidate 
  skill to demoralize an opponent (see Chapter Four: Skills of the PHB). 
  If the freelancer has already succeeded in wounding the target physically, 
  he receives a +2 circumstance bonus to the roll. If this free demoralizing 
  attempt fails, the freelancer is free to make another attempt that round, 
  but this second attempt requires a standard action, as normal.
  
  - 238 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the Harka Bey assassin 
  prestige class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Harka Bey assassins are proﬁcient with all simple and martial weapons, 
  and shuriken. They gain no proﬁciency with armor or shields.
  POISON BLOOD (EX)
  Through repeated exposure to beynit venom, Harka Bey assassins 
  transform their blood into a toxin. Any who ingest the assassin’s 
  blood must succeed on a Fortitude save against a DC equal to 10 + 
  one-half the Harka Bey assassin’s character level + her Constitution 
  modiﬁer. The poison deals 1d6 points of Dexterity as initial damage 
  and 2d6 points of Constitution as secondary damage. The blood loses 
  its potency after 1d6 minutes.
  BONUS SPELLS
  Starting at 1st level, and every other level thereafter, a Harka Bey 
  assassin gains a bonus spell, as if from having a high ability score. 
  A bonus spell can be of any level the character can safely cast. If a 
  character has more than one spellcasting class, she must decide to 
  which class she adds each bonus spell as it is gained. Once a bonus 
  spell has been applied, it cannot be shifted.
  BEYNIT BOND (EX)
  Starting at 2nd level, the Harka Bey assassin gains the service of a 
  beynit (see page 126). This beynit is completely loyal and comfortable 
  around the assassin. It may be trained to attack as any other animal. 
  Every two levels beyond 2nd, the Harka Bey gains the service of an 
  additional beynit. If a beynit dies, the Harka Bey can replace the 
  beynit in 30 days. Until then, she takes a –1 penalty to attacks and 
  saves for each beynit lost.
  SNEAK ATTACK
  This is exactly like the thief ability of the same name. The assassin 
  gains +1d6 point of damage at 3rd level and increases again at 6th 
  and 9th level. If a Harka Bey assassin gets a sneak attack bonus from 
  another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
  ENHANCE VENOM (EX)
  At 5th level, the Harka Bey assassin can transmute her venomous 
  blood to create an intensiﬁed version of the beynit’s toxin. Adding her 
  own poisonous blood to that of the sacred serpent increases the save 
  DC of the poison by +4. To extract the transmuted eﬀect, the assassin 
  must cut herself, dealing 1 point of damage, and drain the blood into 
  a vessel of some sort or apply the wound directly to a subject’s lips. 
  She can create a number of doses per day equal to her class level, 
  each dealing 1 point of damage. The extracted poison remains active 
  for 1d6 minutes before becoming inert.
  HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT (EX)
  At 7th level, a Harka Bey assassin can use the Hide skill even while 
  being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of 
  shadow, an assassin can hide herself from view in the open without 
  needing anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide 
  in her own shadow.
  HARKA BEY SWORD
  At 8th level, the Harka Bey bestow upon the character a Harka Bey 
  sword (see Harka Bey Sword sidebar). Receiving this weapon is a 
  great honor and losing this weapon is considered a grave failure, 
  punishable by death.
  SWIFT KILL (EX)
  At 10th level, the Harka Bey assassin may perform a coup de grace attack 
  as a standard action. This attack still provokes an attack of opportunity.
  HARKA BEY SWORDS
  These legendary swords were famed for being nearly indestructible. Though the Harka Bey no longer dwell in Sanctuary, it is possible 
  that a few swords were hidden or left behind. A Harka Bey sword is a +1 keen adamantine longsword of speed.
  Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste, keen edge; Price 53,315 sh. [315 + 3000 + 50000]
  
  - 239 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  Though crime lords often are the “big shots” in Sanctuary’s underworld, 
  a few among them concentrate on organizing their criminal enterprise. 
  A kingpin aspires to be more than just another thug with a vested 
  interest in managing the crime in his neighborhood. He’s a ﬁgure 
  with a strong and stable criminal empire that can exert pressure on 
  the local government. Kingpins and crime lords tend to overlap in 
  the areas they control, but they are distinct archetypes, and are often 
  at odds with each other. 
  No one hands a kingpin their status; they have to earn it. The best 
  way to become a kingpin is to build an organization. This requires a 
  fair measure of street-smarts and toughness. Most kingpins started 
  their careers as common thieves, but a few famous ones had other 
  careers, like Jubal, who was a slave and gladiator.
  Kingpins can be mercurial friends or foes, changing in an instant. They 
  exploit the weak in the interest of keeping their organization strong. 
  Unlike other crime lords, who see their foot soldiers as expendable 
  commodities, kingpins work to protect the people who work directly 
  for them, and rarely discard them without good reason.
  Hit Die: d6.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a kingpin, a character must fulﬁll all the 
  following criteria.
  Skills: Gather Information 4 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks, Knowledge 
  (local) 4 ranks.
  Feats: Iron Will, Leadership.
  Special: The character must select one city to serve as his base of 
  operations. His class features only apply when in his city.
  CLASS SKILLS
  The kingpin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise 
  (Int), Bluﬀ (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery 
  (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge 
  (geography) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and 
  royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis). 
  See Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the kingpin prestige class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  Kingpins gain no new proﬁciency with weapons or armor.
  NOTORIOUS (EX)
  Part of the kingpin’s power derives from his sinister reputation. 
  Kingpins gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks. In addition, the 
  kingpin chooses one neighborhood, quarter, or district in his chosen 
  city. While in this part of town, his reputation increases by +3.
  KINGPIN
  ORGANIZATION (EX)
  Starting at 2nd level, the kingpin starts to assemble his organization to 
  better control his part of town. He gains a +2 bonus to his Leadership 
  score for the purpose of determining his followers. Furthermore, his 
  followers may be of any class, although they are usually thieves.
  At 6th level, the kingpin’s organization expands, granting a +4 
  bonus to his Leadership score for the purpose of determining his 
  followers. In addition, the kingpin extends his control into a second 
  neighborhood. Finally, at 10th level, it grows farther still — his 
  Leadership score increases to +8 for the purpose of determining his 
  followers, and his territory expands into a third neighborhood.
  If the kingpin cannot expand into a neighborhood without 
  encroaching on another kingpin’s territory, his progress is stalled 
  until he eliminates his rival.
  NETWORK (EX)
  At 3rd level, the kingpin has established a network of informants and 
  spies who keep him informed about the day-to-day activities in the city. 
  Once each week, the kingpin may make a special Gather Information 
  check, adding his reputation to the check. He learns a variable amount 
  of information depending on the check result, as detailed below.
  
  - 240 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  NETWORK
  DC
  Information Acquired (GM rolls the number of 
  rumors)
  10
  1 useful rumor in his neighborhood
  15
  1d4 useful rumors in his neighborhood or 1 useful 
  rumor in any neighborhood
  20
  1d6 useful rumors in his neighborhood or 1d4 useful 
  rumor in any neighborhood
  30
  1d8 useful rumors in his neighborhood or 1d6 useful 
  rumor in any neighborhood
  50
  1d10 useful rumors in his neighborhood or 1d8 useful 
  rumor in any neighborhood
  INTERESTS (EX)
  A low-level kingpin is concerned with petty crimes like picking pockets, 
  protection rackets, or burglary. At 4th level, the kingpin expands his 
  operation to encompass larger crimes. The kingpin may choose a single 
  criminal enterprise he wishes to control in his neighborhood, from 
  drugs to prostitution to slavery. Each month, he may make a reputation 
  check to collect his earnings. Multiply the result of the check by 10 to 
  determine how many shaboozh he earns. 
  At 8th level, the kingpin may expand his operation to pick up another 
  interest. From here on, he makes two checks, one for each interest.
  ADVISOR (EX)
  At 5th level, the kingpin gains the services of an advisor to help him 
  in his “business endeavors”.  The advisor is a second cohort, as per the 
  Leadership feat, and may be of any class. If you wish, you can release 
  your current cohort to add two levels to your advisor, up to but not 
  exceeding your character’s level.
  PRESSURE (EX)
  By 7th level, the kingpin inﬂuences all levels of society. He may 
  add his reputation as a bonus to all Gather Information checks. In 
  addition, when using Intimidate to extract information or to coerce, 
  the eﬀects last as long as the target remains in his presence and for 
  3d6 days afterward.
  OUTSIDE THE LAW (EX)
  By 9th level, the kingpin is so well connected that he need never 
  fear from the authorities in his city. Either he’s bought oﬀ anyone of 
  consequence, or has everyone so terriﬁed that they believe (wrongly or 
  not) that they cannot stand against him. The kingpin can no longer be 
  arrested in his home city; he may act with impunity, even murdering 
  someone in cold blood in front of the governor without fear of legal 
  consequences. The fact that he cannot be prosecuted, however, does 
  not mean the Governor won’t hire a mercenary band to eliminate 
  the threat to the city’s stability.
  NISIBISI SPY
  Though it cost them dearly, Ranke defeated Nis and the Mygdonian 
  Alliance. Their legions climbed the Wizardwall and slew every last 
  witch and warlock they found. When they were done, they razed 
  the land and salted the earth. But before the legions crushed the Nis 
  for good, the warlocks dispatched agents throughout the Empire to 
  destabilize it in a last-ditch eﬀort to destroy their hated foes. Some 
  them were witches and warlocks, but an even greater number were 
  spies who reported back to their masters.
  Nisibisi spies need a good mixture of subterfuge skills and raw combat 
  ability. Most have a background in the thief or assassin class, but any 
  character can qualify. The best combination would be a multi-classed 
  ranger-thief, as those classes have access to the skills necessary to slip 
  behind enemy lines, observe their foes’ movements, and creep back 
  to divulge what they have learned.
  Nisibisi spies are also trained killers, having developed powerful 
  inﬁltration techniques to learn everything they can about their 
  potential mark. Once suitably armed, they oﬀer their service to 
  the target, using their knowledge about the individual and talent 
  for anticipating his needs to get close. When the moment is right, 
  the spy can strike. He doesn’t having to worry about slipping 
  past his target’s defenses; more often than not, he is the target’s 
  protection. 
  TABLE 8–10: THE KINGPIN
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +2
  +1
  Notorious
  2nd
  +1
  +0
  +3
  +3
  +1
  Organization (small)
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +3
  +1
  Network
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +4
  +2
  Interests
  5th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +4
  +2
  Advisor
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +5
  +2
  Organization (moderate)
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +5
  +3
  Pressure
  8th
  +6
  +2
  +6
  +6
  +3
  Interests
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +6
  +3
  Outside the law
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +7
  +4
  Organization (major)
  
  - 241 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  During the Rankan Era, Sanctuary was crawling with Nisibisi spies, 
  of which the most notorious was Mradhon Vis (see page 119). The 
  spies fomented a hotbed of intrigue and politics, subtly escalating 
  the hatreds and the violence to ensure the city descended into 
  anarchy. However, once Ranke defeated the Nisibisi at Wizardwall, 
  the survivors scattered through the lands. Those surviving Nisibisi 
  spies now act as mercenaries, and aren’t so selective about who they 
  serve.
  Hit Die: d6.
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a Nisibisi spy, a character must fulﬁll all the 
  following criteria.
  Base Attack Bonus: +5
  Skills: Gather Information 9 ranks, Hide 9 ranks, Move Silently 9 
  ranks, Use Magic Device 6 ranks
  Feats: Magical Aptitude, Stealthy
  CLASS SKILLS
  The Nisibisi spy’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 
  Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script 
  (Int), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump 
  (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft 
  (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha). See 
  Chapter Four: Skills in the PHB for skill descriptions.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modiﬁer.
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are class features of the Nisibisi spy prestige 
  class.
  WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY
  The Nisibisi spy gains no proﬁciency in weapons or armor.
  DETECT MAGIC (SP)
  Thanks to the intense training they undergo to serve their warlock 
  masters, Nisibisi spies have a knack for sensing magic. With a DC 
  10 Concentration check, a Nisibisi spy can cast detect magic as a 
  caster whose level equals his character level. There is no limit to 
  the number of times the Nisibisi spy can use this ability, but each 
  time after the ﬁrst, the DC increases by +5. If the Nisibisi spy fails 
  his Concentration check, he may not use this ability until he rests 
  for 8 hours.
  EVASION (EX)
  At 1st level, a Nisibisi spy can avoid even magical and unusual attacks 
  with great agility. If he makes a successful Reﬂex saving throw against 
  an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 
  instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the spy is 
  wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless spy does not gain the 
  beneﬁt of evasion.
  If the spy already has evasion from another class, he gains improved 
  evasion instead. See the Freelancer on page 235 for details.
  UNCOVER SECRETS (EX)
  At 1st level, the Nisibisi spy hones his information gathering 
  techniques. He may add his class level to all Gather Information 
  and Search checks.
  SNEAK ATTACK
  This is exactly like the thief ability of the same name. The spy gains 
  +1d6 points of damage at 2nd level and 4th. If a spy gets a sneak attack 
  bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
  TABLE 8–11: THE NISIBISI SPY
  Level
  Base Attack Bonus
  Fort Save
  Ref Save
  Will Save
  Rep Bonus
  Special
  1st
  +0
  +2
  +2
  +0
  +0
  Detect magic, evasion, uncover secrets
  2nd
  +1
  +3
  +3
  +0
  +0
  Sneak, sneak attack +1d6
  3rd
  +2
  +3
  +3
  +1
  +1
  Hide in plain sight, Quick Draw
  4th
  +3
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Observe, sneak attack +2d6
  5th
  +3
  +4
  +4
  +1
  +1
  Dash, acrobatics
  
  - 242 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  SNEAK (EX)
  The Nisibisi spy is trained to inﬁltrate a community and move about 
  unseen. At 2nd level, the spy may add his class level as a competence 
  bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks.
  HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT (EX)
  At 3rd level, a Nisibisi spy can use the Hide skill even while being 
  observed. So long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, he 
  can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to 
  actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.
  QUICK DRAW
  At 3rd level, the Nisibisi spy gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat. If 
  the character already has Quick Draw, he may select another feat 
  instead.
  OBSERVE (EX)
  The Nisibisi spy is trained to pay attention to details so he can report 
  to his masters with accurate information. At 4th level, the spy may add 
  his class level as a competence bonus to Listen and Spot checks.
  DASH (EX)
  Even the best Nisibisi spies are sometimes discovered, but they know 
  how to get away and avoid capture. At 5th level, whenever the Nisibisi 
  spy takes a double move or run action, his eﬀective land speed increases 
  by +10 feet. This does not apply to the normal move action.
  ACROBATICS (EX)
  Nisibisi spies are athletic and agile, trained to exploit their physical 
  strengths to their best advantage. At 5th level, the Nisibisi spy may add 
  his class level as a competence bonus to all Jump and Tumble checks.
  UR-WORDS
  Magic is the process through which mages, magicians, and wizards 
  manipulate mana to creare a desired eﬀect. Through phrases and 
  utterances, gestures, and the use of special ingredients, a mage can 
  cast a spell. Priests speak prayers to the gods, who in turn produce 
  the desired eﬀect, and witches attune themselves to draw upon their 
  personal mana, shaping it for their spells and rituals. But there is one 
  underlying common element: all three spellcasting techniques rely 
  on speaking words of power.
  What most spellcasters do not realize is that, when they cast a spell 
  or ritual, they are using parts of an Ur-language to create the eﬀect. 
  Much of what is spoken during casting is nonsense, but seeded inside 
  the verbal components are syllables and connectors, powerful nouns 
  and verbs that empower and shape the mana to produce the desired 
  spell. So subtle and insidious is this language that very few even realize 
  that such words exist, and know them only as a byproduct of learning 
  their art. A few, however, have stumbled across these words, and having 
  mastered them, can use them to create a bewildering array of eﬀects. 
  It’s important to understand that Ur-words are not spells; rather 
  they are the hearts of spells, words used by the gods when they made 
  the world. In some ways, they are the building blocks of the world. 
  As such, they can be dangerous and unpredictable, and their use can 
  have quite unexpected eﬀects.
  USING UR-WORDS
  Ur-words can be used by anyone willing to devote the eﬀort to ﬁnding 
  and mastering them. Like magic items, they can be the reward of a 
  long adventure or the crux of an entire campaign. However, instead 
  of braving dungeons and ﬁghting past hordes of villains, the quest 
  to ﬁnd these treasures lies within old tomes, discarded books, and 
  even scraps of old papers. Ur-words can be hidden behind the very 
  words of nearly any written text, but only one trained to ﬁnd them 
  can learn how to use them.
  UR-WORD BASICS
  Just as any language has nouns, verbs, conjunctions, and adjectives, 
  so too does the language of the gods. Most of these words exist 
  only as fragments, used unconsciously by writers and speakers. An 
  accent, perhaps, or a suﬃx — sometimes just single characters. By 
  themselves, they are powerless, but when assembled, they can create 
  eﬀects similar to many spells.
  Ur-words are separated into four categories: common, uncommon, 
  scarce, and obscure. Within each category, there are four levels of 
  diﬃculty: simple, moderate, complex, and very complex. An Ur-word’s 
  category determines how easy or diﬃcult the word would be to ﬁnd, 
  and its diﬃculty determines how easy or diﬃcult the word is to learn 
  and use.
  When searching for an Ur-word in a text, a character must make a 
  Decipher Script check, with the result determining what fragments 
  can be found in the texts. (Each page takes 1 minute to read in this 
  way.) If the character has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), 
  he gains a +2 synergy bonus to this check. In addition, the GM can 
  impose a penalty or a bonus based on the nature of the text; it’s easier 
  to ﬁnd Ur-words in a large tome than in a pamphlet or single sheet. 
  In the case of spellbooks or magical tomes like the Manual of Bodily 
  Health, the GM should apply a bonus equal to the highest-level spell 
  contained or the caster level of the magic item. Of course, some texts 
  may simply have no Ur-words in them at all.
  Once the number of Ur-words are determined, the GM rolls on the 
  appropriate table (starting on page 244) to determine the word or 
  words contained in the texts. 
  CHANGING INTELLIGENCE SCORE
  The number of Ur-words a character knows is dependent upon his Intelligence modiﬁer. Some magic items conditionally increase a 
  character’s Intelligence score; this may allow a character to learn additional Ur-Words. However, if the character’s Intelligence modiﬁer is 
  reduced for any reason, knowledge of those Ur-words is lost, starting with the last one gained, and must be reacquired through study.
  
  - 243 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  Once a character has identiﬁed a word, he must make a Knowledge 
  (arcana) check to learn it. The DC depends on its complexity. On a 
  failed check, the character may not attempt to learn the word again 
  until he increases his Knowledge (arcana) by 1 rank. A character may 
  take extra time to study the word before making the check. Each full 
  month spent in study reduces the DC of the check by 5 to a minimum 
  of half the DC. (A character must spend at least 8 hours each day in 
  study to gain this beneﬁt.) Thus, a character that discovered a very 
  obscure and very complex Ur-word could spend 3 months in study 
  to reduce the Knowledge (arcana) DC to 15.
  Though any character can ﬁnd Ur-words of varying complexity, 
  which Ur-words they can learn is based upon the feats they acquire, 
  as indicated on Table 8–13: Learning Ur-words. Crimson scholars 
  (see page 231) can learn Ur-words faster than other characters.
  Alternately, a character can learn an Ur-word after hearing it spoken. 
  To do so, he must be able to speak the word himself (by having the 
  appropriate feat or class ability) and have a free slot available. If these 
  are both true, he may make a Knowledge (arcana) check against the 
  Complexity DC of the Ur-word +10. (Having 5 ranks in the Listen 
  skill adds a +2 synergy bonus to this check.) For this reason, those 
  who take advantage of Ur-words are loath to use them recklessly.
  Example: Carius, a savant with some skill at speaking Ur-words, 
  encounters a corrupted crimson scholar. The crimson scholar speaks the 
  charm person Ur-word against Carius. He must ﬁrst resist the word’s 
  eﬀect; if he does so, he may make a DC 25 Knowledge (arcana) check. 
  (That’s a base of 15, as a simple Ur-word, plus an additional +10 for 
  having heard it, rather than having read it.) If he succeeds, he learns 
  the word and may now use it against the crimson scholar.
  USING UR-WORDS
  Once you have mastered an Ur-word, you may speak it at will, although 
  forming the word or phrase requires a little more eﬀort than normal 
  speech. Speaking an Ur-word requires a Concentration check against 
  the same DC required to learn the word. (See Table 8–@: Learning 
  Ur-words.) This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack 
  of opportunity. If you succeed, you speak the word, which takes eﬀect 
  as normal. If you fail, you mispronounce the word and it doesn’t take 
  eﬀect. There is no limit to the number of times you can use the word 
  per day; however, each time you attempt to use any Ur-word, the DC 
  increases by +2. After 8 hours of rest, the DCs reset to normal.
  You must be able to speak clearly to use Ur-words. They don’t function 
  in areas of magical silence, nor can you use an Ur-word if you are 
  somehow prevented from speaking, such as a hold person spell, a 
  gag, or someone stuﬃng his ﬁst in your mouth. Certain conditions 
  or distractions make speaking the word properly more diﬃcult, as 
  described on Table 8–14: Concentration Modiﬁers. 
  An Ur-word resolves just like a spell. Your caster level is equal to your 
  character level. The save DC to resist the eﬀects of the word equals 10 
  + the complexity modiﬁer (as described in Table 8–12: Learning Ur-
  Words + your Intelligence modiﬁer. Since Ur-words are not actually 
  CREATING CHARACTERS ABOVE 1ST
  A newly created character begins play with half his maximum 
  number of Ur-words, which should be generated randomly.
  TABLE 8–12: FINDING UR-WORDS
  Decipher Script Check Result
  Ur-Word found
  20 or less
  Useless fragments
  21–25
  1d4 common
  26–30
  1d3 uncommon
  31–35
  1d2 scarce
  36 or greater
  1 obscure
  COMPLEXITY
  d100
  Ur-Word 
  Complexity
  Complexity Modiﬁer to 
  Save DC
  01–50
  Simple 
  +1 
  51–75
  Moderate 
  +3
  76–90
  Complex  
  +5
  91–100
  Very Complex  
  +7
  TABLE 8–13: LEARNING UR-WORDS
  Complexity
  Knowledge 
  (arcana) DC
  Feat Required
  Simple
  15
  Simple Ur-word Proﬁciency
  Moderate
  20
  Moderate Ur-word Proﬁciency
  Complex
  35
  Complex Ur-word Proﬁciency
  Very Complex
  30
  Very Complex Ur-word 
  Proﬁciency
  TABLE 8–14: CONCENTRATION MODIFIERS
  Concentration Modiﬁer
  Condition or Distraction
  + half of continuous damage 
  last dealt
  Taking continuous damage during 
  the action
  + spell level
  Distracted by a non-damaging spell
  +5 
  Vigorous motion (on a moving 
  mount, taking a bouncy wagon 
  ride, in a small boat in rough water, 
  below decks in a storm-tossed ship).
  +10 
  Violent motion (on a galloping 
  horse, taking a very rough wagon 
  ride, in a small boat in rapids, on 
  the deck of a storm-tossed ship).
  +15
  Extraordinarily violent motion 
  (earthquake).
  +10
  Entangled.
  +15
  Grappling or pinned. 
  +5 
  Weather is a high wind carrying 
  blinding rain or sleet.
  +10 
  Weather is wind-driven hail, dust, 
  or debris.
  +5 + the spell’s level 
  Weather caused by a spell, such as 
  storm of vengeance.
  
  - 244 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  spells, they do not beneﬁt from metamagic feats, the Spell Focus feats, or 
  Spell Penetration. Ur-words have only a Verbal component, regardless 
  of what components the spell would otherwise require; however, if the 
  spell being emulated has an XP component, the character must expend 
  that sum of XP each time he utters the Ur-word.
  UR-WORDS
  In theory, Ur-words are at the root of nearly every spell. In practice, 
  most deal with changing the environment: altering temperatures, easing 
  a birth, softening the ground for easy plowing, and so on. Use the 
  following tables for determining the types of Ur-words found in a text. 
  You’ll note that eﬀects from the enchantment and illusion schools tend 
  to be common, transmutations uncommon, abjurations and evocations 
  scarce, and conjurations and necromancy obscure. You may add spells 
  to these lists as you like, using the ones presented as a guideline. Unless 
  otherwise noted, the Ur-word functions as the spell does.
  There are special Ur-words, those far more powerful than the elements 
  listed here. A good example is the Word of Unmaking, as found on 
  page 149. Others may exist as well, but they should be treated as rare 
  and powerful magic items.
  COMMON UR-WORDS
  SIMPLE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–04
  Aid
  05–08
  Animal Messenger
  09–12
  Animal Trance
  13–16
  Bane
  17–20
  Bless
  21–24
  Calm Animals
  25–28
  Calm Emotions
  29–32
  Charm Animal
  33–36
  Charm Person
  37–40
  Color Spray
  41–44
  Command
  45–48
  Confusion, Lesser
  49–52
  Daze Monster
  53–56
  Enthrall
  57–60
  Ghost Sound
  61–64
  Heroism
  65–68
  Hold Animal
  69–72
  Hypnotic Pattern
  73–76
  Hypnotism
  77–80
  Lullaby
  81–84
  Minor Image
  85–88
  Sleep
  89–92
  Any 0-level enchantment/illusion spell
  93–96
  Any 1st-level enchantment/illusion spell
  97–100
  Any 2nd-level enchantment/illusion spell
  
  - 245 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  MODERATE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–04
  Charm Monster
  05–08
  Confusion
  09–12
  Crushing Despair
  13–16
  Deep Slumber
  17–20
  Dominate Animal
  21–24
  Dominate Person
  25–28
  Feeblemind
  29–32
  Geas, Lesser
  33–36
  Good Hope
  37–40
  Hideous Laughter
  41–44
  Hold Monster
  45–48
  Major Image
  49–52
  Mind Fog
  53–56
  Mirage Arcana
  57–60
  Modify Memory
  61–64
  Phantasmal Killer
  65–68
  Rage
  69–72
  Rainbow Pattern
  73–76
  Song of Discord
  77–80
  Suggestion
  81–88
  Any 3rd-level enchantment/illusion spell
  89–96
  Any 4th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  97–100
  Any 5th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–10
  Command, Greater
  11–20
  Geas/Quest
  21–30
  Heroism
  31–40
  Hold Person, Mass
  41–50
  Insanity
  51–60
  Persistent Image
  61–70
  Power Word Blind
  71–80
  Suggestion, Mass
  81–90
  Any 6th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  91–100
  Any 7th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  VERY COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–10
  Antipathy
  11–20
  Binding
  21–30
  Charm Monster, Mass
  31–40
  Demand
  41–50
  Dominate Monster
  51–60
  Hold Monster, Mass
  61–62
  Power Word Kill
  63–70
  Power Word Stun
  71–80
  Scintillating Pattern
  81–90
  Sympathy
  91–98
  Any 8th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  99–100
  Any 9th-level enchantment/illusion spell
  UNCOMMON UR-WORDS
  SIMPLE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–03
  Alter Self
  04–06
  Animate Rope
  07–09
  Barkskin
  10–12
  Bear’s Endurance
  13–15
  Bull’s Strength
  16–18
  Cat’s Grace
  19–21
  Chill Metal
  22–24
  Eagle’s Splendor
  25–27
  Enlarge Person
  28–30
  Entangle
  31–33
  Erase
  34–36
  Feather Fall
  37–39
  Fox’s Cunning
  40–42
  Heat Metal
  43–45
  Jump
  46–48
  Knock
  49–51
  Levitate
  52–54
  Longstrider
  55–57
  Make Whole
  58–60
  Message
  61–63
  Open/Close
  64–66
  Owl’s Wisdom
  67–69
  Reduce Person
  70–72
  Soften Earth and Stone
  73–75
  Warp Wood
  76–85
  Any 0-level transmutation spell
  86–95
  Any 1st-level transmutation spell
  96–100
  Any 2nd-level transmutation spell
  MODERATE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–04
  Air Walk
  05–08
  Command Plants
  09–12
  Control Winds
  13–16
  Diminish Plants
  17–20
  Enlarge Person, Mass
  
  - 246 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  21–24
  Fabricate
  25–28
  Fly
  29–32
  Giant Vermin
  33–36
  Glibness
  37–40
  Haste
  41–44
  Keen Edge
  45–48
  Plant Growth
  49–52
  Reduce Animal
  53–56
  Reduce Person, Mass
  57–60
  Rusting Grasp
  61–64
  Sculpt Sound
  65–68
  Slow
  69–72
  Spike Growth
  73–76
  Spike Stones
  77–80
  Stone Shape
  81–84
  Transmute Mud to Rock
  85–88
  Transmute Rock to Mud
  89–92
  Any 3rd-level transmutation spell
  93–96
  Any 4th–level transmutation spell
  97–100
  Any 5th-level transmutation spell
  COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–08
  Animal Growth
  09–16
  Animate Objects
  17–22
  Animate Plants
  23–30
  Baleful Polymorph
  30–38
  Control Water
  39–46
  Control Weather
  47–52
  Disintegrate
  43–60
  Flesh to Stone
  61–68
  Ironwood
  69–76
  Passwall
  77–84
  Stone to Flesh
  85–92
  Transmute Metal to Wood
  93–96
  Any 6th–level transmutation spell
  97–100
  Any 7th-level transmutation spell
  VERY COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–20
  Animal Shapes
  21–40
  Control Plants
  41–60
  Polymorph Any Object
  61–80
  Reverse Gravity
  81–90
  Any 8th–level transmutation spell
  91–100
  Any 9th-level transmutation spell
  SCARCE UR-WORDS
  SIMPLE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–05
  Arcane Lock
  06–10
  Burning Hands
  11–15
  Dancing Lights
  16–20
  Darkness
  21–25
  Endure Elements
  26–30
  Entropic Shield
  31–35
  Faerie Fire
  32–40
  Flare
  41–45
  Gust of Wind
  46–50
  Hold Portal
  51–55
  Light
  56–60
  Produce Flame
  61–65
  Purify Food and Drink
  66–70
  Pyrotechnics
  71–75
  Resistance
  76–80
  Resist Energy
  81–85
  Shatter
  86–90
  Sound Burst
  91–94
  Any 0-level abjuration/evocation spell
  95–98
  Any 1st-level abjuration/evocation spell
  99–100
  Any 2nd-level abjuration/evocation spell
  MODERATE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–05
  Antiplant Shell
  06–10
  Call Lightning
  11–15
  Cone of Cold
  16–20
  Continual Flame
  21–25
  Daylight
  26–30
  Dimensional Anchor
  31–35
  Dismissal
  36–40
  Dispel Magic
  41–45
  Energy Ball (as ﬁreball, but speaker chooses energy type)
  46–50
  Fire Shield
  51–55
  Freedom of Movement
  56–60
  Interposing Hand
  61–65
  Ice Storm
  66–70
  Line of Energy (as lightning bolt, but speaker chooses 
  energy type)
  71–75
  Repel Vermin
  76–80
  Sending
  81–85
  Shout
  86–90
  Any 3rd-level abjuration/evocation spell
  
  - 247 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  91–95
  Any 4th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  96–100
  Any 5th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–06
  Antilife Shell
  07–12
  Banishment
  13–18
  Break Enchantment
  19–24
  Call Lightning Storm
  25–30
  Chain Lightning
  31–36
  Dispel Magic, Greater
  37–42
  Forbiddance
  43–48
  Forceful Hand
  49–54
  Grasping Hand
  55–60
  Implosion
  61–66
  Prismatic Spray
  67–72
  Repel Wood
  73–78
  Repulsion
  79–84
  Sunbeam
  85–90
  Sympathetic Vibration
  91–95
  Any 6th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  96–100
  Any 7th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  VERY COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–08
  Antimagic Field
  09–16
  Clenched Fist
  17–24
  Crushing Hand
  25–32
  Dimensional Lock
  33–40
  Earthquake
  41–48
  Energy Ray (as polar ray, but speaker chooses energy 
  type)
  49–56
  Energy Storm (as ﬁre storm, but speaker chooses energy 
  type)
  57–64
  Meteor Swarm
  65–72
  Repel Metal or Stone
  73–80
  Shout, Greater
  81–88
  Sunburst
  89–96
  Whirlwind
  97–98
  Any 8th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  99–100
  Any 9th-level abjuration/evocation spell
  OBSCURE UR-WORDS
  SIMPLE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–05
  Acid Arrow
  06–10
  Cause Fear
  11–15
  Chill Touch
  16–20
  Command Undead
  21–25
  Convert Moderate Wounds
  26–30
  Create Water
  31–35
  Death Knell
  36–40
  Delay Poison
  41–45
  Doom
  46–50
  Energy Splash (as acid splash, but speaker selects energy 
  type)
  51–55
  False Life
  56–60
  Fog Cloud
  61–65
  Gentle Repose
  66–70
  Ghoul Touch
  71–75
  Glitterdust
  76–80
  Inﬂict Moderate Wounds
  81–85
  Ray of Enfeeblement
  86–90
  Any 0-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  91–95
  Any 1st-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  96–
  100
  Any 2nd-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  MODERATE
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–05
  Black Tentacles
  06–10
  Contagion
  11–15
  Convert Critical Wounds
  16–20
  Convert Light Wounds, Mass
  21–25
  Create Food and Water
  26–30
  Enervation
  31–35
  Fear
  36–40
  Halt Undead
  41–45
  Inﬂict Critical Wounds
  46–50
  Inﬂict Light Wounds, Mass
  51–55
  Insect Plague
  56–60
  Major Creation
  61–65
  Neutralize Poison
  66–70
  Poison
  71–75
  Ray of Exhaustion
  76–80
  Sleet Storm
  81–85
  Waves of Fatigue
  86–90
  Any 3rd-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  
  - 248 -
  CHAPTER EIGHT: PLAYER’S EXPANSION
  91–95
  Any 4th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  96–100
  Any 5th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–06
  Blight
  07–12
  Circle of Death
  13–18
  Cloudkill
  19–24
  Control Undead
  25–30
  Convert Critical Wounds, Mass
  31–36
  Create Greater Undead
  37–42
  Creeping Doom
  43–48
  Destruction
  49–54
  Energy Fog (as acid fog, but speaker selects energy type)
  55–60
  Fire Seeds
  61–66
  Harm
  67–72
  Inﬂict Critical Wounds, Mass
  73–78
  Plane Shift
  79–84
  Slay Living
  85–90
  Waves of Exhaustion
  91–95
  Any 6th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  96–100
  Any 7th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  VERY COMPLEX
  Roll
  Ur-word
  01–10
  Energy Drain
  11–20
  Finger of Death
  21–30
  Gate
  31–40
  Horrid Wilting
  41–50
  Incendiary Cloud
  51–60
  Maze
  61–70
  Storm of Vengeance
  71–80
  Wail of the Banshee
  81–90
  Wish
  91–95
  Any 8th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  96–100
  Any 9th-level conjuration/necromancy spell
  INDEX
  Symbols
  3rd Commando  39
  A
  Aaliyah  133
  Acrobat  209
  Actor  210
  Adepts of the Blue Star  35
  Agriculture  13
  Alekeep  57
  Alten Stulwig  89
  Amarat  84
  Amoli  89
  Aphrodisia House  83
  Appealing (feat)  225
  Arenas  16
  Arizak  134
  Arizak per-Arizak  135
  Assassin, Inexperienced  203
  Assassin, Trained  203
  Assassin, Veteran  204
  Avenue of Temples  50
  Azehur  216
  B
  Backgrounds  222–225
  Bandaran Adept  227
  Bassine  85
  Bazaar  51
  Becvar  136
  Beggar  205
  Benbir  159
  Beynit  126
  Beysib  23, 217
  Bezul the Changer  78, 137
  Black Spire, The  62
  Bluestone Globe  163
  Boxer  210
  Broken Mast Tavern  79
  Bruiser  208
  C
  Cantal Plains Barbarians  218
  Cappen Varra  90
  Caravan’s Square  53
  Caravan Depot  53
  Catwalker  158
  Cauvin  138
  Cemetery  54
  Chance  98
  Charlatan  206
  Chenaya Vigeles  91
  Chersey  139
  Chersey’s Ring  140
  Chosen of Bey  229
  Cime  93
  Comedian  210
  Comedy  16
  Commoner  206
  Common Bandit  205
  Complex Ur-word Proficiency (feat)  225
  Con Artist (background)  222
  Copper Corner  54
  Coush  86
  Craftsman  207
  Crimson Scholar  231
  Critias  94
  Crumbling Tower  82
  Cultures  216–222
  Cult Leader  208
  Cursed (background)  222
  D
  Dace  140
  Davar’s Forge  52
  Diamond, The  60
  Diamond Rods  93
  Diminish Ur-Word (feat)  225
  Distinctive (feat)  225
  Downwind  80
  Drama  16
  Drinking  16
  Drugs  16, 20
  Dubro  52, 94
  Dubro’s Anvil  94
  Dungeon, The  69
  Dust  17
  Dyareelans  24, 36
  Dyareelan Disciple  232
  Dysan  141
  
  - 249 -
  INDEX
  E
  Eaglenest  86
  Elemi  142
  Elisar  143
  Elkhod Village and Inn  86
  Empower Ur-Word (feat)  225
  Enas Yorl  95
  Enas Yorl’s Mansion  73
  Enlarge Ur-Word (feat)  225
  Extend Ur-Word (feat)  225
  F
  Farmer’s Market  53
  Farmer’s Run  57
  Far Cape  84
  Favored by a God (feat)  225
  Feats  225–227
  Fingal  86
  Fisherman  213
  Fisherman’s Footbridge  78
  Fisherman’s Row  56
  Fishing  14
  Fish Market, The  80
  Food  18
  Freelancer  235
  Frog and Bucket  78
  Fugitive (background)  222
  G
  G’han the Wanderer  145
  Gangs  20
  Garrote  132
  Gates  44
  Common Gate  44
  East Gate  50
  Gate of Gold  45
  Gate of Justice  45
  Gate of the Gods  45
  Gate of Triumph  45
  Headman’s Gate  45
  Palace Gate  45
  Prince’s Gate  50
  Processional Gate  50
  West Gate  50
  Geddie  144
  Gladiator  210
  Golden Lizard, The  62
  Golden Oasis  71
  Good Fortune Oils  52
  Governor’s Walk  57
  Grabar’s Stoneyard  74
  Greater Shape (feat)  226
  Great Piety (feat)  226
  Guard  31
  Guest Embassy  70
  H
  Hakiem  97
  Hall of Justice  70
  Hâlott  146
  Hâlott’s Tower  84
  Hanging Block  70
  Hanse Shadowspawn  98
  Harka Bey Assassin  237
  Harnet Mur  147
  Haught  100
  Hawk-masks  36, 212
  Headband of Divine Favor  114
  Heliz Yunz  148
  Hell Hounds  31, 211
  High Harbor View  84
  Hileah  86
  Hiring Killers  30
  Honey  208
  House of Mermaids  83
  House of Whips and Chains  83
  I
  Illyra  52, 101
  Illyra’s Cards  102
  Illyra’s Ring  102
  Ilsigi Bandit  205
  Immortal (Ageless) (feat)  226
  Immortal (Long-Life) (feat)  226
  Inception Isle  87
  Inn of Amarat, The  85
  Irrune  25
  Irrune Warrior  212
  Ischade  102
  Ischade’s Brazier  103
  Isle of Shugthee  86
  Ixma  143
  J
  Jamie the Red  104
  Jarveena of Forgotten Holt  105
  Jerbrah Mioklas  150
  Jerez Camargen  151
  Jeweler’s Quarter  59
  Jubal’s Estate and Compound  82
  Juggler  209
  K
  Kadakithis  22, 107
  Kadasah  152
  Kadithe Mur  153
  Kama  108
  Karsh  87
  Kaytin  153
  Kemren’s Waterwheels  113
  Khabeeber Tavern  79
  Kiff  160
  Kingpin  239
  Kleetel  17
  Komodoflorensal  155
  Krrf  17
  Kusharlonikas  154
  L
  Lalo the Limner  109
  Land’s End  81
  Lastel “One-Thumb”  110
  Latilla  156
  Leorin  157
  Lesser Noble  207
  Lily Garden  83
  Lirter  219
  Lodestone of Fish-Finding  56
  Lone  158
  Lord Night  37, 167
  Lucky Well  74
  Lumm the Staver  60
  Lythande  111
  M
  Madame Perspecia’s  67
  Mageguild  39, 60
  Mageguilder  212
  Makker  159
  Maksandrus  159
  Man in Motley  53
  Masha zil-Ineel  112
  Master Melilot’s Scriptorium  57
  Maximize Ur-Word (feat)  226
  Maze, The  61
  Meerash’s Oils  75
  Mercenary  212
  Mercenary (background)  222
  Milda  87
  Mizraith’s Staff  60
  Moderate Ur-word Proficiency (feat)  226
  Molin Torchholder  23, 113
  Mor-am  116
  Moria  116
  Moruth’s Beggars  206
  Moruth and the Legion of Beggars  40
  Moruth the Beggar King  117
  Mradhon Vis  119
  Music  19
  Musician  210
  Mygdonian  219
  Myrtis  119
  N
  Nadalya  160
  Naimun  161
  Neighborhoods  42
  Nerisis  80
  Nikodimas  120
  Nisibisi Power Globes  123
  Nisibisi Spy  240
  
  - 250 -
  INDEX
  O
  Old Jeweler’s Quarter  59
  One-Eye Reesch  52
  Opah  17
  Othat’s  58
  Outhouse, The  62
  P
  Paddling Duck Tavern, The  67
  Palace, The  68
  Palace Guard  211
  Palace Guard Officer  211
  Palace Morgue  70
  Palm of the Hand  175
  Peasant (background)  224
  Peers  23
  Pegrin the Ugly  162
  Pelteris  87
  Pel Garwood  163
  Perrez  164
  PFLS  38
  Phoenix Inn  58
  Pirate  213
  Pirates of Scavengers’ Isle  40
  Pirate (background)  224
  Pit Fighter  210
  Politics  21–26
  Prestige Classes  227–242
  Priest  209
  Private Security  31
  Processional  71
  Promise of Heaven  72
  Public Baths. The  76
  Punishments  26–28
  Death  27
  Exile  27
  Fine  28
  Hard Labor  28
  Incarceration  28
  Mutilation  28
  Pyrtanis Street  73
  R
  Raith  165
  Raivay SaVell  165
  Randal  121
  Red-Walled Estate  84
  Red Lanterns Prostitute  214
  Red Lucky  81
  Regen Vigeles  170
  Regis  87
  Religion  14
  Renovation  15
  Ring of Spider Mastery  113
  Roads  45
  Rods of Creature Command  97
  Rod of Office  114
  Rogi  166
  Ruddy  87
  Rumormonger  207
  S
  S’danzo Seer  214
  Samlor-hil-Samt  124
  Sammir  87
  Savankh, Greater  114
  Scavenger Isle  87
  Serpentine Wand  168
  Serripines Clan  38
  Shambles  77
  Shambles’ Bridge  78
  Shapeshifter  219
  Sharda  33
  Shumen Noordiseh  167
  Shupansea  23, 125
  Sihanese  221
  Silk Corner  57
  Simple Ur-Word Proficiency (feat)  226
  Sinjon  168
  Slavery  20
  Slave Auction Block  70
  Slippery Lily  67
  Sly’s Place  68
  Smuggler (background)  224
  Soldt  169
  Spyder  170
  Spyder’s Weapon Shop  58
  Stairs, The  76
  Statue of the Green Lady  83
  Stepson  213
  Stepsons  32
  Storage Facilities  70
  Strangle  171
  Strat’s Horse  127
  Straton  126
  Street of Red Lanterns  82
  Strick  172
  Summer Palace  84
  Swamp of Night Secrets  81
  Swift’s Smithy  74
  Syrese  221
  T
  ’Tween, The  75
  Taran Sayn  144
  Tasfalen Lancothis’ House  74
  Temple of the Rankan Gods  72
  Tempus  128
  Terrorist (background)  224
  The Crook  58
  The Inn of Six Ravens  54
  Thibalt the Rankan  55
  Thieves  214
  Third General’s Inn  87
  Thug  215
  Thug (background)  224
  Tinker’s Knob  79
  Tomb Robber (background)  225
  Tor’dan J’ardin  173
  Trade  15
  Trial Resolution  28–30
  Trôs Horse  129
  Truthspeaker (feat)  226
  Truth Ear (feat)  226
  Tysian  221
  U
  Undercity  76
  Ur-Words  242–248
  Common Ur-Words  244
  Obscure Ur-Words  247
  Scarce Ur-Words  246
  Uncommon Ur-Words  245
  Ur-Word Emphasis (feat)  227
  Urchins  205
  V
  Verrezza  174
  Very Complex Ur-word Proficiency (feat) 
  227
  Vigilance  41
  Vulgar Unicorn, The  62
  W
  Walegrin  129
  Walls  44
  Watch  31
  Watcher  208
  Watchman  210
  Watchman Sergeant  210
  Weaponshop of Vashanka  68
  Westside  77
  Wharves  80
  Whoring  19
  Widen Ur-Word (feat)  227
  Wideway  79
  Witch Doctor (background)  225
  Word of Unmaking  149
  Z
  Zalbar  130
  Zarzakhan  175
  Zip  131
  Zoo Gardens  70
  
  - 251 -
  LICENSE
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  Owen K.C. Stephens.
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  Authors Lynn Abbey, Gary Astleford, Patrick O’Duﬀy, and Robert J. Schwalb.
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  Shadowspawn’s Guide to Sanctuary, Copyright 2005, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; 
  Authors Aaron Rosenberg and Robert J. Schwalb.
  
  SANCTUARY: RANKAN ERA
  
  SANCTUARY: IRRUNE ERA
  
  THIEVES’ WORLD
  PLAYER’S MANUAL 
  Since 1979 Sanctuary has been the nastiest, ugliest, and grittiest city in fantasy ﬁction. This summer Sanctuary returns to roleplaying 
  for the ﬁrst time in over 20 years and the excitement begins with the Thieves’ World Player’s Manual. This book includes a detailed 
  overview of the city in the classic and current eras, a culture and background system to customize your adventurer, over twenty 
  core and prestige classes, a unique magic system, and a brand new Thieves’ World short story by Lynn Abbey herself. Explore 
  the Maze, enjoy the delights of the Street of Red Lanterns, or take part in the ﬁght against Dyareela’s cultists. The Thieves’ World 
  Player’s Manual is your gateway to adventure.
  192 pages, hardback
  MSRP: $34.95
  GRR1801
  ISBN: 1-932442-47-2
  AVAILABLE 
  NOW!
  
  WELCOME TO THE VULGAR UNICORN. 
  JUST STEP OVER THE CORPSES...
  MURDER AT THE
  VULGAR UNICORN
  The Vulgar Unicorn is the black heart of Sanctuary’s corruption. When something bad goes down in Thieves’ World, it always seems to 
  start in this rundown dive. In this gripping adventure, what seems like just another murder leads to the unmasking of a terrible conspiracy 
  involving Dyareelan cultists, Nisibisi refugees, and a dangerous plague that could destroy the city. Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn is the 
  perfect starting point for a Thieves’ World campaign. In addition to the adventure proper, the book also provides full details and maps of 
  the most infamous bar in Sanctuary: the Vulgar Unicorn itself.
  A Thieves’ World 
  Adventure for  
  the d20 System
  Designed by  
  Owen K.C. Stephens
  Cover by Ted Galaday
  80 pages, perfect bound
  MSRP: $18.95
  GRR1802
  ISBN: 1-932442-48-0
  AVAILABLE 
  NOW!
  
  THERE’S A WHOLE THIEVES’ WORLD  
  OUT THERE TO EXPLORE…
  THIEVES’ WORLD
  GAZETTEER
  Azehur, Firaqa, the Rankan Empire, the Kingdom of Ilsig and more have resonated in the stories and deeds of the famous heroes and villains 
  of Sanctuary. The Thieves’ World Gazetteer presents all new information on the world of Sanctuary, expanding the focus to reveal the peoples and 
  places in the Known World. From the Cold Lands in the northeast to the Gate of the East, Mrsevada, the Thieves’ World Gazetteer is packed 
  full of information. In addition, this volume includes extensive details on the gods of Thieves’ World, a comprehensive history, and a discussion 
  on the cosmology and planes, along with a slew of new cultures, backgrounds, and other supplementary information. With the Thieves’ World 
  Gazetteer, Sanctuary is just the beginning of a larger world of adventure!
  A Thieves’ World 
  Sourcebook for  
  the d20 System
  Designed by  
  Brian Campbell, Patrick 
  O’Duﬀy, and Robert J. 
  Schwalb
  Cover by Ted Galaday
  144 pages,  
  perfect bound
  MSRP: $26.95
  GRR1804
  ISBN: 1-932442-50-2
  AVAILABLE 
  THIS WINTER!
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Thieves World/Thieves' World (d20)/Thieves' World - Shadowspawn's Guide to Sanctuary (1).pdf