TEXT: 20th Anniversary Edition
  20th Anniversary Edition
  Death in
  eath in
  Freeport
  reeport
  An Adventure For
  An Adventure For 
   
  By Chris Pramas 
  By Chris Pramas 
  Death in
  eath in
  
  Contents
  Green ronin PublishinG
  3815 S. Othello St.
  Suite 100 #311
  Seattle, WA 98118
  www.greenronin.com
  DesiGn anD WritinG: Chris Pramas
  Fantasy aGe Conversion: Owen K.C. Stephens.
  eDitinG: Jennifer Clarke Wilkes (original edition),  
  Tim Emrick (3.5 edition)
  GraPhiC DesiGn: Hal Mangold
  art DireCtion: Kara Hamilton, Robert J. Schwalb,  
  and Hal Mangold
  Cover art: Wayne Reynolds
  interior art: Luka Arh, Mark Bulahao, Daniel Comerci, 
  David Hueso
  CartoGraPhy: Cecil Howe and Andy Law
  Publisher: Chris Pramas
  Special Thanks: Rob “Dr. Evil” Schwalb for making this edition possible at a critical time. 
  Contents ..................................................1
  Welcome to Freeport! ......................3
  A Brief History of Freeport ...........4
  The Rise of Freeport .............................. 4
  War in Freeport .................................... 5
  A Nation Emerges ................................. 5
  A Century of Growth ............................ 6
  A Bad Seed ........................................... 6
  Decade of Deceit ................................... 6
  Freeport Today ................................ 7
  Adventure Background ..................8
  Adventure Synopsis ...........................9
  Part One: Baiting the Hook ............. 9
  The Press Gang ..................................... 9
  An Offer of Employment ..................... 10
  What Egil Knows ............................... 11
  Getting Settled .................................... 11
  Part Two: A Promising  
  Line of Inquiry ............................. 11
  Word on the Street ............................... 11
  The House of Lucius ............................ 12
  The Bloody Vengeance ......................... 12
  Orc Tactics .......................................... 15
  Development ...................................... 15
  The Temple ......................................... 15
  Yellow Shields at Sunset ...................... 17
  Development ...................................... 18
  Part Three: The Truth Sinks In...... 18
  Checking Out the Address .................... 18
  Following Milos ................................. 19
  The Bricked-Up House ........................ 19
  Aftermath ...................................... 25
  Where Next? .................................. 26
  Appendix .................................................26
  Player Handouts  ..............................27
  Pre-generated Characters .........28
  20th Anniversary Edition
  20th Anniversary Edition
  Death in
  eath in
  Freeport
  reeport
  An aDVENtURe FOR
  An aDVENtURe FOR
  team ronin: Joseph Carriker, Crystal Frasier,  
  Jaym Gates, Kara Hamilton, Troy Hewitt,  
  Steve Kenson, Ian Lemke, Nicole Lindroos,  
  Hal Mangold, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass,  
  Malcolm Sheppard, Will Sobel, Owen K.C. Stephens, 
  and Dylan Templar
  Death in Freeport is ©2000, 2020 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. 
  All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material in 
  no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders 
  of that material. Fantasy AGE, Green Ronin and their associated 
  logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. 
  Chaosium Yellow Sign ©1989 Chaosium Inc.  
  Used with permission.
  1
  
  2
  Death in Freeport
  
  Welcome to 
  Freeport!
  F
  reeport, known as the City of Adventure, has been home to count-
  less RPG campaigns since the year 2000. Its mix of classic fantasy, 
  pirates, and Lovecraftian horror has had an enduring appeal, and it 
  all goes back to the original edition of Death in Freeport.
  Back in those halcyon days, I was working at Wizards of the Coast 
  and designing such books as the Guide to Hell, Slavers, and Vortex of 
  Madness for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons®. I was in what was known 
  as the TSR Product Group during the design and development of the 
  Third Edition of D&D. I had already decided to start a side company 
  to publish more RPGs when something called the Open Game License 
  was developed at WotC. The idea was to provide a framework that 
  would allow third party publishers to release D&D compatible mate-
  rial. In particular, WotC was hoping companies would produce short 
  adventures, as this was something they had difficulty doing profitably. 
  I decided just such an adventure would make a perfect second release 
  for Green Ronin (the first being a beer and pretzels game called Ork! 
  The Roleplaying Game, now in its second edition). I knew Third Edition 
  D&D was taking a “back to the dungeon” approach so I thought I’d 
  offer something different: a city adventure. The result was Death in Free-
  port, a 32-page module that released at Gen Con 2000 the same day as 
  the new Third Edition Player’s Handbook. It was an immediate hit and 
  went on to win the very first ENnie Award and the Origins Award for 
  Best RPG Adventure in 2001. We followed it up with two more adven-
  tures (Terror in Freeport and Madness in Freeport) to create what is known 
  as the Freeport Trilogy. These modules not only put Green Ronin on the 
  RPG map but also gave us a setting we could expand upon year after 
  year. When I left WotC in 2002, Green Ronin became my full-time job 
  and I’ve never looked back. 
  Now it’s 2020 and Green Ronin is celebrating its 20th anniversary. 
  What better way to do so than release new editions of the adventure that 
  started it all? There are two versions you can choose from, one using my 
  own Fantasy AGE RPG and one using Fifth Edition. Either one is a great 
  starting adventure for a new campaign and works best with low-level 
  characters. One of Freeport’s novel features in the original adventure 
  is that it was tied to no specific campaign setting. The small group of 
  islands that are home to Freeport can be dropped in any convenient loca-
  tion in your world of choice. We have maintained that approach in this 
  20th anniversary edition, though look for us to be developing the World 
  of Freeport in our Fantasy AGE line in the future. 
  If you are a player, stop reading now! If you are a GM, enjoy an intro-
  duction to the city and its history, and then dive into the scenario itself. 
  Adventure awaits!
  Chris Pramas
  April 14, 2020
  Death in Freeport
  3
  
  A Brief History  
  of Freeport
  While the current city of Freeport is only a few hundred 
  years old, the site has been inhabited for far longer. Some 
  two thousand years ago, this area was part of a much larger 
  island known as Valossa. Stretching a thousand miles south 
  to north and eight hundred east to west, Valossa was the 
  heart of the empire of the serpent people. These sorcerous 
  reptiles ruled vast swaths of territory when humanity was 
  young, and pioneered magic and science when the elves still 
  hid in their woods. 
  All was not well in the Valossan Empire, however. The 
  serpent people had long worshiped Yig, the great snake god. 
  But in the empire’s latter days, a cult dedicated to the wor-
  ship of the Unspeakable One, a dread alien power, sprang 
  up in their cities. Called the Brotherhood of the Yellow 
  Sign, the cult spurned Yig and embraced the madness of the 
  Unspeakable One. The leaders of the serpent people, arro-
  gant and vain in their high towers, allowed the cult to fester 
  among the discontented. By the time the priests of Yig were 
  roused to action, it was too late. The Brotherhood of the 
  Yellow Sign enacted a ritual to summon their dark god, and 
  the Valossan Empire was smashed for all time.
  No witnesses survived to tell of the Great Old One’s 
  appearance, but evidence abounds of the destruction it 
  wrought. Mighty Valossa was rent asunder, and sea water 
  rushed in to drown the serpent people in their millions. 
  Those who survived were driven mad, losing their civiliza-
  tion and magic in one terrible moment. Over 90 percent of 
  Valossa slipped beneath the waves, leaving only scattered 
  islands as a testimony to the once-great empire. 
  The crazed serpent people fled underground, where their 
  degenerate descendants live to this day. A very few sorcerers 
  and priests of Yig survived the Unspeakable One’s wrath with 
  their sanity intact. These few retreated into the shadows as 
  the elves and humans built their own realms. The centuries 
  passed, and few remembered that the Valossan Empire had 
  ever existed or that serpent people had once been civilized. 
  The Rise of Freeport
  The largest surviving bit of Valossa is an island chain known 
  as the Serpent’s Teeth. The name may be a distant echo of 
  the Valossan Empire, though locals ascribe it to the shape of 
  the islands themselves. The most important of the Serpent’s 
  Teeth, A’Val, has a natural harbor that is easily defended. 
  As humanity took to the seas, A’Val was quickly found by 
  roving captains. At first, it was just a place to rest, get fresh 
  water, and refit. Before long a village sprang up, and as the 
  years passed this village turned into a town. It was able to 
  thrive by offering services to passing ships and providing 
  refuge for those unwelcome elsewhere. The sailors took to 
  calling it Freeport, and the name stuck. 
  4
  Death in Freeport
  
  Where Is Freeport?
  By this point you may be wondering where exactly Freeport is located. The preceding history contains vague references to 
  “the Continent” and its naval powers, but no details. These have been deliberately left sketchy, so you can use Freeport in 
  any campaign world you desire. The Serpent’s Teeth is a small chain of islands that you can easily drop into a given setting, 
  or you may decide to use this information to flesh out an island city in your existing world. If you’ve got a good candidate, 
  a simple name switch is all that’s necessary. Similarly, most references to gods in this module are generic. When the text 
  refers to the God of Knowledge or the God of War, for example, substitute an appropriate deity from your campaign. If 
  you are in the market for a compete pantheon and cosmology, check out our Book of the Righteous. This is written for 5E 
  but the core of it is easy to adapt to any fantasy RPG and it’s a great resource for gods and religion. 
  With its remote location and natural attributes, Freeport 
  became a magnet for buccaneers. Before long they had taken 
  over the town, which became a notorious pirate haven. What 
  made Freeport work in the early days was a simple pirate code: 
  Do whatever you want on the high seas, but don’t go against 
  your comrades in port. That meant no stealing, no killing, and 
  no kidnapping. Duels did occur on occasion, but they were 
  formal affairs conducted outside the city walls. Most satisfied 
  themselves with drunken brawls, and of those there were 
  plenty. By and large, though, the peace was kept in Freeport. 
  About two hundred years ago, the era of the rogue bucca-
  neer came to an end. Lone ships increasingly faced threats 
  from organized navies. At one time a single privateer could 
  hunt merchant ships with impunity, but now it was a fox 
  to the hounds of naval squadrons. As crew after crew was 
  hunted down and destroyed, the pirates of Freeport knew 
  they had to change their ways.
  Freeport’s captains realized that it would take a navy to 
  fight a navy, so they decided to form a force of their own and 
  then go raiding en masse. The only problem was choosing 
  a leader. After much bickering, the pirates settled on two 
  captains for the great fleet. Drac and Francisco were fierce 
  rivals, and the assembled captains believed that anything the 
  two could agree on would be a good decision. 
  It was not an ideal situation, but the pirates had sur-
  prise and numbers on their side. The combined fleet went 
  on a three-month raid that netted more money, valuables, 
  foodstuffs, and booze than Freeport had ever seen. It was a 
  spectacular success, and Captains Drac and Francisco were 
  not slow in claiming credit. Before long, each had declared 
  himself a Sea Lord of Freeport.
  War in Freeport
  The next ten years were tense ones in Freeport. The great 
  raid set off a panic among the maritime nations, which spent 
  huge amounts of money and resources building up larger 
  navies. The Sea Lords were forced to fight battle after battle 
  against determined foes. Freeport itself was assaulted on 
  three separate occasions, but its defenses proved too strong 
  for the attacking ships. 
  This undeclared war had no clear victor. Freeport with-
  stood the assaults and inflicted several stinging defeats on its 
  enemies, but attrition was high on both sides. In the end the 
  conflict petered out as the warring navies ran out of ships 
  and crews to hurl into battle. After a decade of constant 
  fighting, there was a long lull, during which each side licked 
  its wounds.
  During the war, adversity had kept the pirates united. 
  When the pressure eased, however, trouble was not slow in 
  coming. The Sea Lords had long hated each other, and this 
  animosity flared up anew—with deadly consequences. After 
  a series of provocations, real fighting broke out in Freeport 
  for the first time in its history. The followers of Drac and 
  Francisco killed one another in the streets, breaking forever 
  the pirate code that had bound the city together. 
  Neither Sea Lord gained an upper hand. Before the con-
  flict could be resolved, word came of yet another hostile 
  fleet bound for the city. The pirates called a truce, and the 
  fleet sailed out to defend Freeport, united once again—or so 
  it seemed. 
  Captain Drac had realized that this ongoing war was 
  one they could not ultimately win. The only chance for 
  survival was to become a part of the world that was trying 
  to destroy them. Drac entered secret negotiations with the 
  enemy, using a wizard as a go-between. He agreed to betray 
  Francisco in exchange for a truce and recognition of Free-
  port as a sovereign city-state. The enemy leaders were only 
  too happy to sign such an agreement and end the ruinously 
  expensive war. 
  With no knowledge of his comrade’s duplicity, Captain 
  Francisco led the fleet to the attack. Once his forces were 
  engaged, Drac’s ships simply sailed away, leaving Francis-
  co’s fleet exposed and without support; they were quickly 
  surrounded and destroyed. In the meantime, Drac sailed 
  back to Freeport to announce the new city-state and his 
  new regime. 
  A Nation Emerges
  Captain Drac quickly consolidated his power. He declared 
  himself the sole Sea Lord of Freeport and eliminated his 
  remaining enemies before they could organize against him. 
  Some of the other pirate captains left Freeport rather than 
  serve Drac, whom they despised for betraying Francisco and 
  blamed for violating the pirate code. Most, however, seeing 
  Death in Freeport
  5
  
  Freeport Timeline
  time beFore Present
  notable events
  2,000 years
  Valossa destroyed in cataclysm; Serpent’s Teeth formed.
  800 years
  Pirates settle the island of A’Val.
  200 years
  Captains Drac and Francisco lead combined fleet; each declares himself Sea Lord of Freeport.
  190 years
  Civil war in Freeport; Drac betrays Francisco and assumes sole control of the city.
  160 years
  Drac dies and is succeeded by Captain Cromey, initiating a century of prosperity.
  50 years
  Marten Drac becomes Sea Lord, nearly bankrupting Freeport; institutes Drac succession law.
  36 years
  Anton Drac succeeds Marten and repairs much of the damage but does not repeal succession law.
  11 years
  Anton Drac assassinated; Milton Drac becomes Sea Lord.
  10 years
  Construction begins on the Lighthouse of Drac.
  which way the salty wind was blowing, chose to remain in 
  Freeport and ride out the storm.
  As it turned out, Sea Lord Drac’s reign was less bloody 
  than anyone had believed possible. He ruled Freeport with 
  a firm hand for the next thirty years, turning a pirate haven 
  into a commercial hub of substantial importance. He set up 
  trade routes with former enemies, cracked down on rogue 
  pirates, and organized a Captains’ Council. Drac’s word was 
  still law, but the Council was in charge of the city’s day-to-
  day affairs and advised the Sea Lord on important matters. 
  Although Drac fancied himself a king, he resisted the 
  urge to take the title. Somehow, he knew the citizens of 
  Freeport would not accept something so contrary to their 
  natures. Similarly, he knew he could not found a dynasty. 
  The Captains’ Council would never submit to Drac’s son, a 
  mere boy who lacked the experience of those salty dogs. 
  But Drac needed to ensure the survival of Freeport as an 
  independent city-state after his death. With melancholy in 
  his heart, he chose another old hand, Captain Cromey, to be 
  his successor. Furthermore, he even set into law a require-
  ment that the Captains’ Council approve the Sea Lord’s 
  nominee. At the end of his life, Drac chose the interests of 
  the city over his own glory, and for this he is remembered as 
  a great man in Freeport. 
  A Century of Growth
  The next hundred years were profitable ones. Freeport con-
  tinued to grow, which necessitated building a newer and 
  larger city wall. As new trade routes to the east opened up, 
  the city became an even more important maritime center. 
  Freeport was largely able to stay out of the wars on the 
  Continent, although it did cement alliances with several 
  important powers. All in all, this was a period of stability 
  and growth, with a succession of competent Sea Lords 
  assuring the city’s continued importance. 
  A Bad Seed
  Things began to change fifty years ago, when a descendent 
  of Captain Drac succeeded the outgoing Sea Lord. Marten 
  Drac is rumored to have used blackmail and assassination 
  in his rise to power, and he most certainly did so to main-
  tain his position. Marten ruled for only fourteen years, but 
  the damage he did to the city was substantial. A series of 
  burdensome duties and taxes fattened his coffers but drove 
  away many merchants. More ominously, he drove through a 
  new law, over the objections of the Captains’ Council, that 
  required the Sea Lord of Freeport to be a descendent of the 
  original Captain Drac. 
  Marten’s youngest brother, Anton, who became Sea Lord 
  on Marten’s death, saved the city from complete disaster. 
  Anton Drac proved to be cut from the same cloth as his 
  illustrious ancestor and was able to undo the worst excesses 
  of Marten’s reign. He abolished the unfair duties, as well as 
  providing incentives to win back lost trade. He also provided 
  limited military aid to several important nations, earning 
  their thanks and their business. 
  Anton’s one failing was that he did not abolish Mar-
  ten’s succession law. He was regularly urged to do so by 
  the Captains’ Council, but the Sea Lord could never quite 
  bring himself to do it. Despite his enlightened rule, he did 
  consider Freeport to belong to his family. This was to prove 
  his undoing. 
  Decade of Deceit
  Eleven years ago, a great war broke out, involving nearly 
  every nation on the Continent. Anton stayed out of it at 
  first, but knew he would have to honor existing treaties. He 
  announced to the Captains’ Council that the Freeport navy 
  would go to the aid of its allies in the spring—the first time 
  the full fleet had sailed to war since the days of Drac and 
  Francisco. The Council was torn on the issue, approving the 
  move by only a single vote. 
  Anton had allowed enough time for preparations to be 
  made throughout the winter. Unfortunately, this also gave 
  his enemies several months to concoct an ambitious plan. So 
  ambitious, in fact, that many suspected the plotters had help 
  from agents of governments that wanted Freeport to stay 
  neutral. Rumors continue to circulate to this day.
  6
  Death in Freeport
  
  Toward the end of winter, as the Sea Lord was inspecting 
  the fleet on the docks, a single yellow-fletched arrow flew 
  from the crow’s nest of an anchored ship, piercing Anton’s 
  chest. The wound should not have been mortal, but the 
  arrow was enchanted with lethal magic. Anton died on the 
  spot, leaving Freeport without a Sea Lord for the first time 
  in two hundred years. 
  The assassin was cornered and killed before he could talk, 
  and his body disappeared before priests could try to speak 
  with the dead man. The Captains’ Council dismissed the 
  attack as the act of a lone renegade, hushing up its magical 
  nature. The Council had more pressing business, namely, 
  who would succeed Anton?
  At this juncture, Captain Milton Drac stepped onto the 
  stage of history. A distant cousin of Anton, Milton appeared 
  as if from nowhere. He was not a member of the Council, 
  but somehow he enjoyed tremendous support there. Those 
  most likely to oppose him were strangely silent, as if they 
  feared the consequences of such an action. In a matter of 
  weeks, this previously unknown Drac became the new Sea 
  Lord of Freeport. 
  Milton’s first official act was to cancel all military aid to 
  allied nations: The fleet was to restrict its activities to guard-
  ing commerce, nothing more. As war raged on the Continent, 
  Freeport stood neutral. This was a grave disappointment 
  to the nations counting on its navy, who branded Milton a 
  traitor. Some called him the puppet of foreign agents or a reli-
  gious cult. Milton denied these accusations and continued his 
  rule of Freeport with little opposition. 
  After canceling the fleet action, Milton used the war chest 
  to build a monument to his ambition: the Lighthouse of 
  Drac. It has been under construction for the past ten years, 
  on the nearest island of the Serpent’s Teeth. Meant to be one 
  of the wonders of the age, the Lighthouse soars towards the 
  heavens, taller than any structure in the world. 
  The Sea Lord’s stated goal is to make Freeport the preem-
  inent maritime power of the world, but the reality has fallen 
  short of that ideal. The Lighthouse of Drac, or “Milton’s Folly,” 
  as some have taken to calling it, has nearly bankrupted the 
  city. Taxes and duties have risen steadily during its construc-
  tion, and an army of migrant workers was needed to finish 
  the structure on time. It is finally approaching its scheduled 
  completion date, three months from now. Milton is planning 
  a gala celebration for its inauguration, and ships from around 
  the world are expected to attend. This is an event not to be 
  missed—or so Milton hopes. 
  Freeport Today
  Milton is obsessed with his Lighthouse, but the Captains’ 
  Council still governs Freeport. Their task grew more arduous 
  over the past ten years, as more and more money was sunk 
  into Milton’s Folly. Services have decreased. The garrison 
  has shrunk and is largely confined to the Old City, while the 
  docks are policed haphazardly, if at all. Crime has skyrock-
  eted, but as long as it remains in the shadows the Council 
  is content to pretend it does not exist. Known pirates who 
  Death in Freeport
  7
  
  previously visited the city inconspicuously now do so bra-
  zenly. As long as they bribe the dock officials, they can enjoy 
  what Freeport has to offer without trouble. Ironically, the 
  city is returning to its roots. 
  Adventure 
  Background
  The temple to the God of Knowledge is one of the largest in 
  Freeport. A repository of ancient scrolls and arcane learning, 
  it is a magnet to scholars and wizards alike. In addition to its 
  priests, the temple employs a large group of librarians, who 
  maintain the collection and deal with visitors. Lucius was 
  one of these librarians. He had grown up in the temple and 
  lived to serve. 
  Six years ago, something very strange happened to 
  Lucius. An extraplanar entity stole his body, displacing 
  his consciousness and taking over his existence. For five 
  years, the alien consciousness controlled Lucius’s body, 
  seeking to learn as much about the world as it could. The 
  new “Lucius,” nothing like the old, was expelled from the 
  temple within a year for violating the sanctum. He then 
  left Freeport altogether, traveling the world for four years 
  before returning. 
  When the real Lucius returned to his rightful body, he 
  did not remember where he had been or what he had done 
  and was mortified to learn of his possessor’s activities in his 
  absence. With deep shame he approached the temple, asking 
  for forgiveness and re-admittance. He offered the priests an 
  amazing collection of scrolls and artifacts, apparently accu-
  mulated while his possessor journeyed abroad. They were in 
  such awe of this collection that they reinstated Lucius and for-
  gave him his transgressions. Both he and the priests were now 
  happy, and each tried to forget the librarian’s strange behavior. 
  Life for Lucius was tranquil for the next eight months. 
  His life fell into its old patterns. The calmness of the library 
  soothed him, and he lost himself in a world of books, scrolls, 
  and artifacts. 
  Then the dreams came.
  Lucius awoke screaming every night, his brain reeling 
  with memories of gargantuan cities, monstrous creatures, 
  and unspeakable rites. At first, he hoped that the night-
  mares would simply go away; instead, they got worse. 
  Lucius did not want to accept the truth, but in the end he 
  had no choice. Whatever these dreams were, they were 
  somehow connected with those five years of missing time. 
  8
  Death in Freeport
  
  If he ever wanted to have a normal life again, he knew he 
  would have to find out what had happened to him. 
  The man who had spent so much time researching past 
  lives now turned his skills to his own. He began to ask 
  questions about what “he” had done and how “he” had acted 
  during those five years. He spent countless hours reading 
  over “his” journals, trying to find out who had possessed his 
  body and why. The priests of the temple grew uncomfortable 
  with Lucius’s line of questioning. They wanted this incident 
  buried, not subject to new scrutiny. The high priest begged 
  Lucius to let the past stay in the past, but the librarian could 
  not agree. 
  Two days ago, Lucius disappeared. 
  Adventure 
  Synopsis
  Death in Freeport drops the player characters into the midst 
  of political and magical intrigue, as the hidden Brotherhood 
  of the Yellow Sign manipulates events to bring its dread god 
  back into the world. Freeport is still a bustling center of trade, 
  but evil currents run beneath the surface. There are secrets 
  here, and questions unanswered. The characters will undoubt-
  edly learn there is more here than they expect in a simple 
  seaport. The question is, will that knowledge kill them?
  As the adventure begins, the player characters (PCs) have 
  just come to Freeport on a merchant ship. While on the 
  docks, the PCs are attacked by a press gang, who mistake 
  them for easy marks. The press gang is handily seen off, 
  since they are unused to real resistance. 
  A bookish young man named Brother Egil approaches the 
  PCs. He says he’s been looking for a group that can take of 
  itself, and that he has a job for them if they are interested: 
  finding a missing librarian. The missing man, Lucius, disap-
  peared two days previously, and Egil is eager to find him. 
  Egil gives the PCs some background on Lucius and his 
  strange behavior. The PCs are then free to investigate. They 
  are likely to visit Lucius’s home, the temple to the God of 
  Knowledge, and an orc pirate ship. This should form a pic-
  ture of Lucius as a man searching for his own past—who 
  found something he wasn’t counting on. 
  Following a trail of clues, the PCs learn about the Brother-
  hood of the Yellow Sign. With a little luck, they can trail the 
  cultists back to their hideout, penetrate the lair, and discover 
  secret tunnels underneath it. Deep underground they find 
  degenerate serpent people, and eventually Lucius himself. The 
  librarian has been tortured badly and will die without aid. 
  The adventurers also must deal with the leader of the cult, 
  a man they may recognize from the temple. When the cult 
  priest is slain, they are in for an even bigger surprise. He was 
  not human at all, but a serpent person in disguise! What this 
  means for Freeport only the gods can say. 
  Note: Throughout the adventure, you will encounter sec-
  tions of boxed text. This is information for the players, which 
  you can read aloud or paraphrase as you wish. 
  Part one
  Baiting the Hook
  In which the player characters fend off a cowardly attack 
  and find gainful employment in the city of Freeport. 
  The setup of the adventure assumes the PCs have just 
  arrived in Freeport after serving or arranging passage on 
  a merchant ship. You can easily alter the circumstances if 
  that lets you kick off the adventure more smoothly. Perhaps 
  one of the PCs is a friend of Egil’s from the Continent, for 
  example. This would give them more reason to trust the 
  young librarian and a better motivation to help him find his 
  friend. The only real requirement is that none of the party 
  should have been to Freeport before. Having inside knowl-
  edge of how the city works ruins some of the fun, so it’s best 
  if the characters are from elsewhere. 
  The Press Gang
  You stand on the docks of the great trading city of Freeport. 
  Your journey here was long and uncomfortable, so it’s with 
  a sense of freedom that you walk the bustling dockside. 
  Unfortunately, you are not laden down with gold, or even 
  silver. The merchant that hired you on had to cut you loose after 
  his shipment of foodstuffs went bad during the voyage. You 
  were supposed to travel to ports beyond, but now it seems that 
  you’re going to have to fend for yourselves in Freeport—at least 
  for a while. 
  The action on the docks is mesmerizing. There are ships in port 
  from all over the world, carrying every manner of exotic goods. 
  Sailors and merchants of all ancestries and backgrounds mingle on 
  the wharves, with money changing hands so fast you can barely 
  even follow. The sights and sounds are so overwhelming that you 
  almost don’t notice the group of men that casually coalesce around 
  your party. They are a rough lot, scarred and crusty sailors armed 
  with saps and belaying pins. The leader of these scurvy dogs, a 
  toothless man with tattooed knuckles, smiles crookedly and says, 
  “You’ve all just volunteered for an exciting life at sea. Do you 
  want to go the easy way or the hard way?”
  These men are, of course, a press gang out looking for able 
  bodies to sell to visiting ships. The PCs appear inexperienced 
  and easy to overwhelm, making them a prime target. Those 
  you pass a TN 9 Perception (Seeing) test notice a young man 
  in robes who stays to watch with fight with great interest. 
  When the encounter begins, the PCs are surrounded by 
  four ruffians. Old toothless picked his point of ambush well: 
  Boxes of goods dot the wharf, making it difficult to maneu-
  ver. The crowd is also thick, though it will begin to disperse 
  if a fight erupts.
  • Press GanG (4): Health – 16, 15, 14, 13
  Death in Freeport
  9
  
  These sailors are old hands at the press gang game. They 
  expect one or two blows from belaying pins to cow any 
  victim into submission. If things get serious, they switch to 
  their longswords. The sailors are not trying to get killed—
  they expect easy marks. Press gangs prey on weakness, so 
  these bullies clear out when it becomes obvious the PCs can 
  take care of themselves. Once two of them have been over-
  come, or all have taken 8 or more damage, they flee. 
  An Offer of Employment
  As the last members of the press gang flee into the crowds, a 
  young man in robes approaches you. “That’ll teach them to pick 
  on newcomers,” he says, laughing. “But where are my manners? 
  Allow me to introduce myself. I am Brother Egil, and I’ve been 
  looking for people who can take care of themselves in a scrap. If 
  you’ll allow me to buy you a round of drinks, I’d like to talk to 
  you about a job. What do you say?”
  If the PCs are amenable, Brother Egil takes them to a 
  nearby tavern, the Bilge Rat. It’s as charming as it sounds, 
  but the beer is better than one would expect. Egil buys the 
  first round, and then makes his offer.  
  “Two days ago, a librarian from my temple disappeared. 
  For reasons that are somewhat complicated, the high priest has 
  declined to look into the matter. The missing man, Lucius, is a 
  dear friend of mine, and I’m worried that evil may have befallen 
  him. I’m willing to offer you 50 silver pieces each, 10 now and 40 
  on completion of the mission, if you can find Lucius and return 
  him to the temple. I will provide you with any information I can, 
  and healing should you require it. Interested?”
  Considering their current straits, the PCs should indeed 
  be interested. If they are too suspicious and don’t accept right 
  away, Brother Egil says that it’s a standing offer and that he 
  can be found at the temple to the God of Knowledge. Once 
  they accept the job, Egil fills them in on the situation. He’ll 
  also volunteer this information if the party wants to hear more 
  about the job before accepting. He is honestly concerned for 
  his friend’s well-being and has nothing to hide. 
  Egil’s description of the case follows, along with his 
  responses to some likely questions.
  “I have known Lucius for most of my life. We were both brought 
  up in the temple. He became a librarian and I, a priest. But six 
  years ago, something strange happened. He seemed to change 
  overnight. One day he was my friend of many years, and the next 
  he was a complete stranger. He asked bizarre questions, seemed to 
  remember nothing of our friendship, and treated the temple as his 
  own personal library. Some months later he was caught violating 
  the sanctum and was expelled from the temple. Shortly thereafter, 
  he left Freeport entirely and was gone for four years.
  The Press Gang (4)
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 2 (Light Blades, Bows),  
  CommuniCation 2, Constitution 2,  
  Dexterity 1 (Stealth), FiGhtinG 2 (Heavy Blades), 
  intelliGenCe 0, PerCePtion 1 (Searching),  
  strenGth 1 (Intimidation), WillPoWer 1 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  11
  15 (16, 15, 14, 13)
  11
  3
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Longsword
  +4
  2d6+1
  Belaying Pin
  +4
  1d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Skirmish, Knock Prone
  talents: Archery Style (Novice), Armor Training (Novice)
  WeaPons GrouPs: Brawling, Bludgeons, Bows, Heavy Blades, 
  Light Blades
  equiPment: Light Leather, Belaying Pin, Longsword
  threat: minor
  10
  Death in Freeport
  
  “When Lucius reappeared, he was like his old self. He came to 
  the temple and begged to be readmitted, saying that he had no 
  memory of the previous five years. Thuron, the high priest, seemed 
  adamant about refusing Lucius’s petition but changed his mind 
  after a private meeting with him. 
  “Lucius returned to the temple, and it was just like old times for 
  eight or nine months. Then he started to look haggard, and he told 
  me he wasn’t sleeping well. Something was disturbing him, but he 
  wouldn’t say what. He started asking a lot of questions about what 
  he had been like right before his expulsion. The high priest talked to 
  him about it, but Lucius wouldn’t let it go.
  “I grew increasingly worried for my friend. He seemed on the 
  brink of insanity, as if one small thing could push him over the 
  edge. Two days ago, he failed to come to the temple. I went to his 
  home and found it empty. I searched all over but could not find 
  him. The priests of my temple deny it, but I know that something 
  has happened to Lucius. I want you to find out what.”
  What Egil Knows
  The PCs are likely to have some questions for Brother Egil. 
  Below are his answers to the most probable. He answers to 
  the best of his knowledge, as he is sincerely concerned for his 
  friend, so be reasonably open with information that he can 
  be expected to have.
  Where did Lucius go when he left Freeport?
  I don’t know for sure, but Lucius seemed to think he had 
  traveled quite widely. 
  Why did the high priest let him back into the temple?
  That question has puzzled me as well. Thuron is not a man 
  who changes his mind easily, yet something that Lucius said or 
  did during his meeting with the man swayed the high priest. 
  Can we search his house?
  Yes, certainly. I can take you there whenever you like.
  Can we talk to Thuron or other members of the temple?
  Yes, but please do not mention my involvement. Better to say 
  that you are friends of Lucius from abroad and that you’ve come 
  to Freeport to see him. 
  Can you recommend a place to stay?
  Certainly. The Scholar’s Quill is a fine tavern located between 
  Lucius’s home and the temple. Many visitors to the temple 
  lodge there, and it doesn’t have the rough clientele that many 
  local inns do.
  Getting Settled
  Unless the PCs have other plans, Brother Egil takes them 
  to the Scholar’s Quill. This is a quiet inn off the main thor-
  oughfare that caters to academics. The first floor consists 
  of a dining room, kitchen, and larder, and upstairs there 
  are eight guest rooms that sleep two each. The innkeeper, 
  a matronly woman named Desi (female human rogue 1), 
  lives on the third floor with her two serving maids. Brother 
  Egil can get the PCs a good rate: 1 sp per day for the group, 
  which includes a light breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is at 
  8:00 a.m. sharp and dinner is at 5:00 p.m. Those who miss 
  meals will have to fend for themselves—or try to sweet-talk 
  Desi’s staff. 
  Should the PCs disdain the Scholar’s Quill—because 
  they don’t quite trust Brother Egil or they prefer more 
  rough-and-tumble establishments—Freeport has plenty 
  of inns to choose from. Here are some alternatives to 
  throw at them if you need to: The Rusty Hook (near the 
  docks, notoriously dangerous), The Keelhaul (in the old 
  town, attracts pirates), The Broken Mug (on a wharf, fights 
  happen hourly), and The Black Rose (in the old town, 
  caters to fat merchants). 
  Part tWo
  A Promising  
  Line of Inquiry
  In which the player characters conduct an investigation 
  and uncover diverse items of interest. 
  The PCs now have a mystery on their hands. You should be 
  flexible as they investigate, since there’s no way of knowing 
  where they’ll want to look first. What seems obvious to you 
  may not be so obvious to the players. 
  The best place to start the investigation is at Lucius’s 
  home. Chances are the party will head there right away, but 
  a nudge in that direction might be necessary. Brother Egil 
  could guide them there, for example. (“Do you want to see 
  Lucius’s house now? We’ll have to hurry so I can be back at 
  the temple in time for evening prayers.”)
  Brother Egil accompanies the PCs to make sure they don’t 
  just toss the place. Not that there’s much to steal here, but 
  he’s got Lucius’s interests at heart. 
  Word on the Street
  When your players first hear about Milton’s Folly (see the 
  News Around Freeport sidebar on the next page), they 
  may want to run off and investigate it right away. While 
  the lighthouse is key to future adventures, at this stage it’s 
  simply a construction site. Let your PCs run around if they 
  want to, but they won’t find anything at this time. During 
  this adventure there is nothing suspicious going on at the 
  lighthouse. 
  Death in Freeport
  11
  
  loCation 1
  The House of Lucius
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
  Apparently, being a librarian in a trading city is not a 
  lucrative job. Lucius’s small home has only the ground floor, 
  consisting of two rooms, although there is a basement. Most of 
  the main room is cluttered with books, scrolls, quills, ink pots, 
  and other tools of the scholar’s trade. A cot is jammed into one 
  corner, and there’s a small desk under the front window. The 
  small backroom is part kitchen, part junk storage. A trapdoor 
  leads down to the basement.
  1a. main room
  Most of the books and scrolls here are geographies detailing 
  far-flung and sometimes mythical locations, with titles like 
  The Sundered Empire: Its People and Wars and The Kingdom of 
  the Blue Rose. Passing Perception (Searching) tests can turn 
  up some useful information:
  • TN 11 or better: Among the scattered papers is a hast-
  ily scribbled “to do” list; see Handout A.
  • TN 13 or better: The desk has a drawer with a false 
  bottom, which conceals a diary written in the same 
  hand as the list. It takes about half an hour to skim 
  through the entries, the most interesting of which are 
  compiled in Handout B.
  1b. baCkroom
  There is nothing here but dry goods and dirty clothes. 
  1C. basement
  The trapdoor is not locked, and opening it reveals a stair-
  case down. The basement is actually larger than the house, 
  although it is strangely empty. There are bookcases lining 
  the walls, as well as a display case. Searching turns up noth-
  ing, but passing a TN 13 Perception (Smelling) test lets 
  the character notice that the cases are much of more recent 
  construction than the basement itself. The wood still has a 
  “new” smell—probably no older than a year. 
  loCation 2
  The Bloody Vengeance
  Lucius’s list mentions a Captain Scarbelly. Brother Egil 
  doesn’t know of such a man, though he admits that he 
  doesn’t get out of the temple much. If the PCs did not go to 
  Lucius’s house first, they may still decide to check out the 
  pirate ship. Not only does it loom large in city gossip, it is 
  moored in plain sight, with its crew not bothering to hide 
  themselves or their vocation.
  A successful Communication (Investigation) (TN 11 in 
  town or TN 9 by the docks) reveals that the privateer Bloody 
  Vengeance is in port now. Its captain, Scarbelly, is a notorious 
  orc pirate who operates out of Freeport. The PCs may each 
  make one additional Communication (Investigation) test 
  to learn more about the ship, its captain, and its crew. The 
  table below summarizes what they can find out, based on 
  how many tests they pass.
  Bloody Vengeance Information
  tests PasseD
  inFormation
  1
  The Bloody Vengeance pulled into port 
  eleven days ago.
  2
  The crew has largely stayed on their ship. 
  They seem edgy and hostile.
  3
  The ship has a crew of ten orcs, including a 
  brutal first mate. 
  4
  Captain Scarbelly has killed twenty-nine 
  men in hand-to-hand combat
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs take their 
  first look at the Bloody Vengeance.
  News Around Freeport
  Enterprising characters may start out by asking 
  around town and spending some coins to pick up the 
  news of the city. Each character that passes a TN 7 
  Communication (Investigation) tests can pick up 
  one of the following rumors (or gain a number of 
  rumors equal to stunt points spent as a Roleplay-
  ing Stunt):
  • The Lighthouse of Drac is almost done now: Only 
  three more months until it’s ready. They say the Sea 
  Lord is planning a big celebration too.
  • They don’t call that infernal lighthouse “Milton’s 
  Folly” for nothing. Ten years to build, and now the 
  city coffers are empty. 
  • The Sea Lord’s Guard (Freeport’s watch) has been 
  cut back so much that thieves are running wild. 
  Only the Old City gets any real protection.
  • Pirates don’t even bother to disguise themselves 
  when they come to port these days. There are 
  pirate ships here right now—some of the crews are 
  even orcs!
  • The Captains’ Council has had enough of Sea 
  Lord Milton Drac. He may have an “unfortunate 
  accident” before his precious lighthouse is finished. 
  12
  Death in Freeport
  
  Captain Scarbelly
  Captain Scarbelly is rightly feared by merchants and seafarers. He and his crew have terrorized the sea lanes for years, and 
  they know whom to bribe in Freeport to keep it that way. 
   
  Since he’s waiting for the wizard Kenzil, Scarbelly spends most of his time on the ship. Once in a while, though, he 
  does slip off for a drink and meal, and this may give the PCs a chance to talk to him. The old pirate won’t say anything 
  about Lucius unless he’s bribed, but with sufficient incentive he relates the whole story. 
   
  The captain recognized Lucius right way, for he had indeed been on the Bloody Vengeance some four years ago. The 
  librarian bought him a drink and asked many questions about that time, which seemed odd to Scarbelly: The human had 
  been right there! Lucius had paid Captain Scarbelly a handsome sum to travel with the pirates, observe them, and take 
  notes. The orcs found it strange, but his money was good, and he stayed out of the way during fights. After a few months, 
  Lucius moved on, and that was the last Scarbelly saw of him until a few days ago.
   
  In his money pouch the captain also has a note from Lucius, passed to him by Aggro. It reads: Captain, my name is Lu-
  cius and I believe you know me. I’d like to talk to you about my time on your ship. Please tell your mate to let me aboard 
  next I call.
  The Bloody Vengeance is a crudely built orc ship, roughly 15 
  yards long. The ship is battle-scarred but seaworthy, and you note 
  that no other ships have moored nearby. The sail is furled, but 
  the crow’s nest holds an orc lookout armed with a shortbow. Two 
  other orcs guard the gangway, their scowls and jagged swords 
  encouraging passersby to keep on walking.
  The guards are as hostile as they seem. Anyone attempting 
  to talk to them or request a meeting with Captain Scarbelly 
  is told to clear off in no uncertain terms. The orcs will follow 
  up this instruction with a physical demonstration if the PCs 
  persist and do not appear much of a threat. Otherwise, the 
  pirates call for the first mate, Aggro. 
  Aggro ducks out of the forecastle, revealing a huge frame. He 
  loudly snorts, hawks, and spits while you inquire about Lucius. 
  When you are done, Aggro says, “He was here last week, sniveling 
  for an audience with the captain. I told him the same thing I’m 
  telling you: Sod off!” 
  You notice that the archer in the crow’s nest has an arrow 
  nocked. Aggro and the guards are fingering the pommels of their 
  wicked scimitars. They’re clearly itching for a fight. It’s obvious 
  they have something to hide on their ship, all right—but is 
  it Lucius?
  Actually, Aggro is telling the truth about sending 
  Lucius on his way. The orcs are touchy because a powerful 
  wizard named Kenzil hired them to attack a particular 
  ship and acquire a magic staff for him. Captain Scarbelly 
  doesn’t like dealing with wizards, but the money was too 
  good to pass up. He has the staff locked up in his cabin, 
  and his crew is guarding it around the clock until Kenzil 
  shows up. Scarbelly is on edge and eager to see the staff 
  safely delivered—he is certainly going to resist anyone who 
  boards his ship.
  What Aggro does not know is that Lucius did manage to 
  talk to the orc captain while he was visiting a tavern. Lucius 
  had come to suspect that he had spent time on the Bloody 
  Vengeance during his missing years, so he sought out the orc 
  captain. Turned away by Aggro, Lucius followed Scarbelly 
  and asked him some questions. See the Captain Scarbelly 
  sidebar for more information. 
  Death in Freeport
  13
  
  Orc Pirates
  These pirates are all orcs, but that should not be taken to 
  mean they are in any way primitive or tribal. As are most 
  pirates, they are sophisticated enough to run a ship, count and 
  divide their share of plunder, and make and follow ship’s rules 
  on behavior and retirement. They are all loyal to one-another 
  and, most importantly, to their leader Captain Scarbelly
  a. main DeCk
  The main deck is 19 yards long and 7 yards wide. Its center is 
  pierced by the mast, and coils of rope and other supplies are 
  scattered across it. Two large trapdoors lead to the hold below: 
  This is mostly empty but does have some food and grog stores. 
  There are usually two (sometimes three) orc pirates 
  guarding the gangplank and one each in the forecastle and 
  aftcastle. These structures provide cover from missile fire, 
  and their elevated positions offer a good view.
  • orC Pirates (3): Health – 33, 30, 25
  There are two or three orc pirates at any one time. 
  b. oFFiCers’ quarters
  Captain Scarbelly and First Mate Aggro share a cabin under-
  neath the forecastle (unlike human sailors, they like the way 
  the ship’s prow goes up and down!). The room is roughly 5 
  yards by 5 yards and crammed with stuff. There are two beds, 
  a table, and a chest, all nailed to the floor (to keep things from 
  flying about during storms). The chest is quite large (it could 
  easily hold a person) and doubles as a table. 
  Orc Pirates
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 2 (Bows), CommuniCation 0, Constitution 3 
  (Drinking, Stamina), Dexterity 0 (Stealth),  
  FiGhtinG 2 (Axes, Bludgeons, Heavy Blades), 
  intelliGenCe o, PerCePtion 1,  
  strenGth 3 (Intimidation), WillPoWer 1
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  10
  20 (22, 20, 18)
  10
  3
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Battle Axe
  +4
  2d6+3
  Longsword
  +4
  2d6+3
  Short Bow
  +4
  1d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Skirmish
  talents: Armor Training (Novice)
  WeaPons GrouP: Axes, Bludgeons, Brawling, Heavy Blades
  equiPment: Light Leather, Battle Axe or Longsword, Short 
  Bow
  threat: minor
  All Hands on Deck
  The PCs have several options for handling the orcs. They 
  might simply rush the crew and start a brawl, or they can 
  watch the ship and try to spy on Scarbelly. Rogues may try 
  sneaking on board at night to have a look around. 
  Attacking the orcs is a mistake (taking on the entire crew 
  at once could be lethal!), but the PCs probably won’t realize 
  this right away. The lack of the Sea Lord’s Guard on the 
  docks means a fight can rage without interference. Although 
  Lucius is not here, there is loot—if the party survives the 
  experience.
  Captain Scarbelly
  A terror of the seas, more than one vessel has increased their 
  speed by hurling cargo overboard upon seeing the tusked 
  skull on red background of the Bloody Vengeance. Scarbelly is 
  hungry and vicious, and slakes his taste for blood on those 
  ships he takes on the high sea.
  Aggro
  The first mate of the Bloody Vengeance is sure of one thing 
  above all else: he must constantly prove himself to the terror 
  of the seas, Captain Scarbelly. As a result, Aggro tends to 
  take his brutality one step further than even the rest of his 
  vicious crew, so much so that his captain has had cause to 
  chastise him.
  Aggro
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 2 (Bows), CommuniCation 0, Constitution 2 
  (Swimming), Dexterity 2 (Initiative, Stealth),  
  FiGhtinG 1 (Spears), intelliGenCe 0 (Natural Lore), 
  PerCePtion 2 (Tracking), strenGth 1,  
  WillPoWer 0 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  12
  25
  12
  0
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Long Bow
  +4
  1d6+5
  Spear
  +3
  1d6+4
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Defensive Stance, Skirmish.
  talents: Scouting (Journeyman).
  WeaPons GrouPs: Bludgeons, Brawling, Bows, Spears.
  equiPment: Long Bow, Spears (2)
  threat: minor
  14
  Death in Freeport
  
  During the day either Aggro or Scarbelly is here (equal 
  chance of either), and both are onsite at night.
  • orC Pirates (4): Health – 16, 15, 14, 13
  • aGGro: Health 34.
  • CaPtain sCarbelly: Health 32.
  At the moment, there are sea charts and navigational 
  equipment spread across the chest, but a large iron lock is 
  clearly visible. The lock is trapped.
  Poison neeDle traP  
  minor hazarD
  A TN 11 Dexterity (Traps) test can locate and disarm the 
  trap. If the test fails, or any effort is made to pick or smash 
  the lock without disarming the trap, the acting character 
  to take 1d6 damage. The lock can be picked with a TN 13 
  Dexterity (Lock Picking) test, or smashed open with a 
  TN 13 Strength (Might) test. Both Aggro and Scarbelly 
  have a key to the chest, if their bodies are searched. 
  The chest does not contain Lucius, but it does hold pirate 
  swag: 225 sp. On top of this bed of money lies a 5-foot-long 
  staff carved with a scale motif. This is a staff of protection, 
  a rare item. It has 3 MP per day which can only be used for 
  Protection Arcana (see Fantasy AGE Companion, page 50), 
  and allows a mage holding it access to the arcana shield 
  spell, even if they do not have access to the Protection 
  Arcana. This staff is the item Kenzil hired Scarbelly to find.
  C. CreW quarters
  The remaining eight crew members share this 20-foot-
  by-20-foot room under the aftcastle. Each wall has two 
  hammocks and a small chest for personal effects. The PCs 
  are welcome to poke through dirty orc laundry, but there is 
  nothing of value. 
  While the ship is in port, there are always one or two 
  pirates lounging or sleeping here. Use the same write-up 
  as for the orc pirates (from Part Two Location Two: The 
  Bloody Vengeance, Area A: Main Deck).
  Orc Tactics
  Captain Scarbelly has not survived this many years as a 
  pirate by being stupid. His crew is well trained, and they 
  know what to do in case of an attack. When the first blows 
  are struck, the orcs on guard raise the alarm with a terrific 
  shout. They concentrate their defense on the officers’ quar-
  ters and stay on board the ship no matter what. Sleeping orcs 
  wake and join the fight in whatever area needs it the most. 
  Aggro comes out to the main deck to organize the defense. 
  However, if the captain is not aboard, the first mate instead 
  guards the staff in the officers’ quarters.
  Development
  The PCs don’t know about Kenzil. He still wants his staff, 
  and if the party took it, he’ll try to track it down. He may 
  pursue the PCs immediately on his arrival in Freeport. 
  Alternatively, it may take him some time to learn the item’s 
  fate, making him a suitable challenge for a more powerful 
  party. The character is peripheral to the adventure, so no 
  details are provided here: This provides an opportunity to 
  introduce a suitable NPC from your own campaign. He 
  could become a thorn in the PCs’ sides or appear just once as 
  a seemingly random encounter. You can use the write-up for 
  the Elf Healer (Fantasy AGE Companion, page 108) if you 
  choose for Kenzil to make an appearance.
  loCation 3
  The Temple
  Sooner or later, the PCs should investigate the temple to the 
  God of Knowledge. The building is quite large and easily 
  visible from most parts of the city. The first time they go 
  there, read or paraphrase the following description.
  The temple is an impressive structure, its vaulted frame soaring 
  up one hundred feet. Large bronze doors stand open, revealing a 
  tiled atrium. Statues of the god indicate that this chamber is the 
  center of worship, but balconies lined with books reach all the way to 
  the frescoed ceiling. This place appears as much library as temple, and 
  the rows of silent scholars working in the balconies attest to this fact.
  A young man approaches you. He introduces himself as Norton, 
  a temple novice, and asks how he can be of assistance.
  Captain Scarbelly
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1, CommuniCation -1,  
  Constitution 1 (Stamina), Dexterity 0 (Riding), 
  FiGhtinG 2 (Heavy Blades, Spears),  
  intelliGenCe 0 (Military Lore), PerCePtion 0,  
  strenGth 2 (Climbing), WillPoWer 1 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  10
  26
  12
  5
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Longsword
  +4
  2d6+2
  Throwing Spear
  +4
  1d6+3
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Knock Prone, Mighty Blow, Skirmish.
  talents: Armor Training (Journeyman), Single Weapon Style 
  (Novice), Thrown Weapon Style (Novice).
  WeaPons GrouPs: Brawling, Heavy Blades, Polearms, Spears.
  equiPment: Light Mail, Medium Shield, Longsword, 
  Throwing Spear (2).
  threat: minor
  Death in Freeport
  15
  
  Norton can take the PCs to the high priest’s office, which 
  is one level down. There they are passed on to Milos, a slight 
  man with horn-rimmed glasses who Thuron’s assistant. 
  This is as far as they can get. Milos simply will not allow 
  access to the high priest. Should the PCs attempt violence 
  in the temple, a dozen clerics will be on the scene within 
  minutes. This is not a good idea and may have far-reaching 
  repercussions. 
  Your requests to speak with High Priest Thuron are flatly 
  rejected by Milos. “I’m afraid such a meeting is impossible,” he 
  says. “The high priest is extremely busy planning the dedication of 
  the Lighthouse of Drac. He cannot be disturbed. However, I am 
  Thuron’s eyes and ears around the temple, and you may ask me 
  your questions.”
  Milos Speaks
  Here are some likely questions and Milos’s answers.
  What is the Lighthouse of Drac?
  You must have seen it on your way into Freeport—an 
  enormous structure. Sea Lord Drac, the ruler of Freeport, is 
  building it to commemorate his glorious ancestors. The lighthouse 
  has been under construction for some ten years, and its dedication 
  is in three months. 
  What can you tell us about Lucius?
  He is an excellent librarian, though he made several poor 
  choices in his time. He was away from the temple a good four 
  years but returned last year. He has not been here in a couple of 
  days, and I do not know where he is. 
  Has Lucius been acting strange lately?
  He has appeared increasingly strained over the past several 
  months. He also began asking some very strange questions. The 
  high priest himself had a talk with the man, but this seemed to 
  do no good. 
  What sort of questions was Lucius asking?
  He was asking about his activities in the temple in the time 
  leading up to his expulsion. As if he weren’t here himself! No one 
  needs to be reminded that Lucius violated the sanctum, but he 
  would not let it rest. 
  What did the high priest say to him?
  Lucius has been very lax in his duties of late, and Thuron 
  warned him to be more diligent. The high priest told him to forget 
  the past and concentrate on the present: The events of five years 
  ago are best forgotten by everyone. 
  Did Lucius have any enemies?
  None that I am aware of. Anything may have happened in the 
  years he was gone from Freeport, of course, but I know nothing 
  about that time. 
  Why was Lucius let back into the temple?
  He had acquired a very interesting library of books during his 
  worldly travels. He offered to donate this collection to the temple 
  as a penance, and the high priest accepted. 
  Can we see these books?
  They have not been made public yet. Our experts are still 
  evaluating them and checking their authenticity. They should be 
  available next year. 
  16
  Death in Freeport
  
  GM Note: These books were in Lucius’s basement—hence 
  the “new” smell to the shelves—and include the travel 
  logs mentioned in the “to do” list. Lucius wrote these logs 
  during his possession, but they have proved very difficult to 
  decipher. Not only is much of the writing in an unknown 
  language (which could normally be circumvented with 
  comprehend languages), but it is also in a complex code. Even 
  after the librarians manage to break this code, they will 
  have the same problem that they face with the other donated 
  books: The subject matter is rather esoteric, and much of it is 
  simply alien.
  If Lucius is missing, why aren’t you looking for him?
  We do not have the resources to mount search parties for 
  every librarian who fails to come to work. In any case, there is 
  no evidence of foul play. I am sure Lucius is just sleeping off a 
  hangover somewhere. 
  Questions at the Temple
  After their interview with Milos, the PCs are free to talk to 
  other people around the temple. They can find four types of 
  people here: priests, lay librarians and clerks, scholars, and 
  worshipers. Temple regulars know Lucius, but they are not 
  forthcoming with information. (Milos has already instructed 
  the staff to put Lucius from their minds.) Should the PCs 
  run into Brother Egil at the temple, he pretends not to 
  know them. 
  At a later time, the PCs may want to ask Egil about 
  Milos. He can tell them that Milos, although not a priest 
  himself, is Thuron’s right-hand man, and that the high 
  priest doesn’t make a decision without him. He’s been at the 
  temple for fifteen years and is dedicated to his own ambi-
  tions, the temple, and Thuron—in that order.
  Yellow Shields at Sunset
  The PCs’ investigation does not go without a response: 
  Milos is in fact highly placed in the Brotherhood of the 
  Yellow Sign. After the party’s visit to the temple, he decides 
  that he must take action and orders one of the cultists to 
  arrange their elimination. This cultist, Enzo, recruits a small 
  band of mercenaries known as the Yellow Shields (though 
  most of them do not in fact carry shields—they are consid-
  ered protectors of the Brotherhood as a whole) and provides 
  them with a description of the PCs. 
  Members of the Yellow Shields then fan out across the 
  city. When exactly they do this is up to you, but a good 
  time is shortly after the PCs have visited the three locations 
  above. You should save the mercenary encounter for when 
  they are out of clues and need a bit of a push or are about to 
  do something really stupid (such as fighting their way into 
  the temple to see Thuron). 
  Once the mercenaries have established where the PCs 
  are staying, they organize an ambush. They strike at sunset, 
  Yellow Shields 
  HUman Warriors
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1 (Light Blades, Bows), CommuniCation 1, 
  Constitution 0, Dexterity 1 (Stealth),  
  FiGhtinG 1 (Heavy Blades), intelliGenCe 0,  
  PerCePtion 1 (Searching), strenGth 1 (Intimidation), 
  WillPoWer 1 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  11
  11 (12, 11, 11)
  11
  3
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Crossbow
  +3
  2d6+1
  Longsword
  +3
  2d6+1
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Skirmish, Knock Prone
  talents: Archery Style (Novice), Armor Training (Novice)
  WeaPons GrouPs: Brawling, Bludgeons, Bows, Heavy Blades, 
  Light Blades
  equiPment: Light Leather, Crossbow, Longsword
  threat: minor
  hoping to hit the party on their way back from a long day of 
  investigation when their guard is down. 
  The sun is setting in the west, silhouetting the Lighthouse 
  of Drac beautifully with its dying rays. You are nearly back to 
  the inn, ready for a hot meal and a stiff drink, when you hear 
  the unmistakable thwack of crossbows discharging. As the bolts 
  fly through the air, you see a group of warriors carrying yellow 
  shields burst out of a nearby alley with swords drawn. 
  Looks like dinner will have to wait.
  The mercenaries have planned their attack well, position-
  ing themselves along a lengthy block so as to hem the party 
  in. There is a crossbow-armed warrior on a rooftop at the 
  front of the block. The mercenary leader and one of his fol-
  lowers come out of an alley to seal off the street ahead of the 
  party, while the group’s sorcerer and another crossbowman 
  block off the back. Unless the PCs have taken unusual pre-
  cautions, they are caught by surprise.
  • yelloW shielDs (3): Health – 12, 11, 11.
  • belko: Health 25.
  • rittoro: Health 32.
  The mercenaries’ plan is to bottleneck the PCs and then 
  finish them off with a combination of missile fire and 
  focused hand-to-hand combat, targeting spellcasters and 
  dangerous combatants first. They stand fast until Rittoro, 
  the leader, falls. Then those in the best position to flee (espe-
  cially the mercenary on the roof) do so. 
  Death in Freeport
  17
  
  The Yellow Shields
  The Yellow Shields are common mercenaries and thugs who 
  enjoy the increased status and attention that comes from 
  being part of an organized company. That said, their ded-
  ication isn’t something they’ll die for—if both Belko and 
  Rittoro fall, the remaining Yellow Shields run.
  Belko
  A sell-spell mercenary, Belko has found a comfortable home 
  among the Yellow Shields. Though he feels he ought to be 
  paid better, he’s got a good thing, and knows it.
  Rittoro
  Rittoro has worked his way up through the ranks of the 
  Yellow Shields by doing whatever the he was paid to do, 
  without question or hesitation. His rather arrogant estima-
  tion of his own capabilities makes him slow to realize when 
  the tide is turning against him in combat.
  Development
  If any of the mercenaries are captured, they quickly admit 
  that they don’t know who hired them. Rittoro took care of 
  that, and he won’t be able to talk if he’s dead. Should Rittoro 
  survive the battle, he plays tough for a while but eventually 
  reveals that a man named Enzo hired him. Even Rittoro 
  doesn’t know anything about Enzo, though: He had money, 
  and that was enough for the Yellow Shields. 
  However, Rittoro does have a piece of parchment with an 
  address written on it. This is where he’s supposed to meet his 
  contact after the job to receive payment. If the PCs search 
  his possessions, they also find an ivory-handled dagger with 
  an “L” carved in the hilt, worth 50 sp.
  GM Note: The dagger belonged to Lucius and was given 
  to Rittoro as a down payment on the contract. He has no 
  information about its origin.
  Part three
  The Truth Sinks In
  In which the player characters uncover a devilish under-
  side to the city and reveal an agent of evil.
  After the attack of the Yellow Shields, the PCs should realize 
  that their investigation has aroused interest of a most unfriendly 
  kind. At this point, they can solve the mystery in two different 
  ways, depending on what evidence they have amassed. 
  Checking Out the Address
  If the PCs have taken the address from Rittoro, they find 
  that it corresponds to a tavern called the Black Gull. This 
  is a rather seedy dive near the docks. Rittoro, if alive, tells 
  them that he was supposed to meet Enzo there at 7:00 p.m. 
  with proof of his completed mission. Otherwise, the PCs 
  may have to stake the place out. Enzo is easy enough to spot. 
  He’s a thin, nervous-looking man—definitely out of place in 
  the tough crowd at the Black Gull. The easiest thing to do 
  is simply follow him: He can lead them straight to the cult’s 
  temple, a bricked-up house on an out-of-the-way street.
  Rittoro 
  HUman Warrior
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1 (Bows), CommuniCation -1,  
  Constitution 1 (Stamina), Dexterity 0 (Riding), 
  FiGhtinG 2 (Heavy Blades), intelliGenCe 0 (Military 
  Lore), PerCePtion 0, strenGth 2 (Climbing),  
  WillPoWer 1 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  10
  32
  12
  5
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Crossbow
  +3
  2d6+1
  Longsword
  +4
  2d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Knock Prone, Mighty Blow.
  talents: Single Weapon Style (Novice)
  WeaPons GrouPs: Brawling, Heavy Blades, Polearms, Spears.
  equiPment: Light Mail, Medium Shield, Crossbow, Longsword
  threat: minor
  Belko 
  Human Mage
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1, CommuniCation 1, Constitution 2,  
  Dexterity 2, FiGhtinG 0, intelliGenCe 2 (Fire, Shadow), 
  PerCePtion 0, strenGth -1, WillPoWer 1 (Self-Discipline)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  14
  25
  12
  0
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Flame Blast
  +3
  2d6+1
  Short Sword
  +1
  1d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  sPellPoWer: 11 (13) maGiC Points: 14
  sPells: Fire (burning shield, flame blast), Shadow (shadow’s embrace)
  sPeCialization: Arcane Scholar (Novice)
  talents: Command (Novice)
  WeaPon GrouPs: Brawling, Light Blades, Staves
  equiPment: Short Sword
  threat: minor
  18
  Death in Freeport
  
  Milos
  Milos has been living in Freeport for decades, posing as 
  a variety of city folk and changing identities when nec-
  essary. His parents were both members of the Brother-
  hood of the Yellow Sign, and he was brought up in the 
  faith. His position in the temple to the God of Knowl-
  edge has been very useful to the cult. He not only has 
  access to enormous amounts of research material, but 
  also has the ear of an influential figure in the city. 
   
  In his researches, Milos learned of extraplanar beings 
  that possess mortal hosts to study different times and 
  places. When Lucius underwent a personality change 
  overnight, Milos knew just what was going on—but, to 
  his frustration, he also knew that when the real Lucius 
  returned, he wouldn’t remember anything of his time 
  away. When the librarian began having his nightmares 
  and memory problems, Milos took notice. Apparently, 
  Lucius was remembering something of his time on 
  another plane. Milos decided to kidnap the man and 
  torture the information out of him. Such arcane knowl-
  edge could benefit the Brotherhood greatly. 
   
  This scheme did not work out, though. Lucius had 
  some vivid memories, but they were fragmentary and 
  of little use. More significantly, the kidnapping put 
  investigators on a trail straight to the cult’s temple. 
  Freeport is the nexus of an ambitious plan, and the 
  Brotherhood’s leaders don’t need their underlings 
  drawing attention to them at this crucial time. In the 
  unlikely event that Milos survives the final encounter, 
  his superiors will be most displeased.
  Enzo
  While Enzo dreams of gaining power from the Brotherhood of 
  the Yellow Sign, in reality he is nothing more than a peon and 
  an errand boy. A tailor by trade and a weak, unfocused indi-
  vidual, he turned to the occult in a desperate attempt to take 
  control of his own life. The Brotherhood recruited him after he 
  was seen visiting curio shops and booksellers, asking after mag-
  ical secrets. (Yes, Enzo is that much out of touch.) Enzo has not 
  yet been fully initiated into the cult, but he has proved a useful 
  gopher. Milos had him hire the Yellow Shields to see if the man 
  could be discreet, not considering the PCs a real threat. 
  Enzo (male human) won’t fight. Should the PCs confront 
  him, he immediately crumbles. He’s a coward at heart and 
  has been bullied so often throughout life that groveling is 
  second nature. He reveals the orders he was given and can 
  lead the party to the cult’s headquarters. However, Enzo’s 
  knowledge is quite limited. 
  • The cult is called the Brotherhood. Enzo is not yet 
  worthy to know their dark patron’s name. 
  • The leader of the cult is very powerful. Enzo knows 
  him only as the Master.
  • The PCs angered the Master and so earned a 
  death sentence.
  • There are some rooms beneath the bricked-up building, 
  but Enzo has never been down there. 
  • Enzo was ordered to bring food to the building twice 
  in the last few days. This doesn’t usually happen.
  Following Milos
  After visiting the temple to the God of Knowledge and 
  being stymied in their investigation by Milos, the PCs may 
  become suspicious of him. They can learn quite a bit by 
  shadowing him. He doesn’t leave the temple often, but when 
  he does, he visits some strange places. On a typical outing, 
  Milos might stop in at a curio store or arcane supply shop 
  to purchase esoteric spell components (strange for someone 
  who is supposedly not a spellcaster), or an open-air market 
  for a live animal, such as a black goat (even though the God 
  of Knowledge doesn’t require blood sacrifice). Eventually, 
  he heads to a bricked-up building on a little-used side street 
  and disappears inside. 
  If the party are stumped and can’t figure out a next move, 
  you can gently steer them in the right direction. For exam-
  ple, they might catch sight of Milos across the crowded 
  marketplace. Although not dressed in his temple robes, he is 
  unmistakable, yet does not respond to any hails. This should 
  rouse the PCs’ interest enough to follow him, although this is 
  difficult in the busy streets. The PCs need to both pass a Dex-
  terity (Stealth) test opposed by Milos’s Perception (Seeing) 
  test, and pass a TN 11 Perception (Seeing) test to keep him 
  in sight). Milos eventually disappears inside the bricked-up 
  building. This isn’t the cleverest way to find Lucius, but it’ll 
  get the job done.
  loCation 4
  The Bricked-Up House
  This abandoned-looking building is the cult’s headquarters, 
  and the place where Lucius can be found. It is on a side 
  street that is usually deserted. 
  The house is nondescript and seems a perfect hideout. It is 
  a simple, one-story construction, roughly 7 yards by 10 yards. 
  The dilapidated exterior is made of wood, but the windows 
  have all been bricked up. Two steps lead up to a stout-looking 
  wooden door. 
  Enzio
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 0, CommuniCation 3 (Bargaining, Deception), 
  Constitution 1 (Running), Dexterity 0,  
  FiGhtinG 0, intelliGenCe 1 (Arcane Lore),  
  PerCePtion 1 (Searching), strenGth 0, WillPoWer 0
  Death in Freeport
  19
  
  The door is locked. It can be opened by passing a TN 
  15 Dexterity (Lock Picking) test or a TN 15 Strength 
  (Might) test to knock it down (thought that would make a 
  lot of noise).
  Once inside, the PCs can see that the place is a wreck. 
  There are piles of masonry and refuse everywhere, and it’s 
  impossible to tell how many rooms the place may have once 
  had. Anyone who passes a TN 15 Perception (Seeing) test 
  notices that parts of the foundation seem to be from an older 
  construction: The stone is of better quality and finished with 
  more skill. 
  Toward the back of the house there is a wooden trapdoor 
  in the floor. This is not locked or trapped, and beneath it is a 
  staircase leading down. 
  1. Wine Cellar
  The stairway leads down to an old wine cellar. The walls are 
  lined with nine large casks made of oak, each about 6 feet tall 
  and nearly 9 feet long. They appear to have been here for a long 
  time, though the room contains remarkably little dust. 
  Five of the casks actually still have wine in them, but it 
  is quite spoilt. The remaining four make hollow sounds if 
  struck. One on the west wall, though, houses a concealed 
  entrance. A character that passes a TN 15 Perception 
  (Tracking) test notices faint footprints leading from the 
  stairs to the cask. (Tracking should be done before the entire 
  party stomps around the room—otherwise all traces are 
  obliterated.) 
  The cask is hinged on the inside, and releasing a hidden 
  latch causes the entire front half to swing out, revealing 
  a stone passage and more stairs leading down. Passing a 
  TN 13 Perception (Searching) test finds the secret mech-
  anism. Should PCs decide to investigate the casks “the 
  adventurer way” (that is, hacking at them with axes), they 
  can (loudly) smash it open by passing a TN 9 Strength 
  (Might) test.
  milos’ taCtiCs
  Milos has cast the Divination Arcana sentinel spell (Fantasy 
  AGE Companion, pg 33) on the concealed entrance and made 
  it trigger whenever it is opened. When the PCs open it, he 
  sees just enough of the area around the door to know people 
  are coming through. Although the sanctity of the secret 
  temple has never been compromised, Milos is ready for the 
  possibility. If he is not already onsite, he finds a secluded 
  area within range and uses the power of the cult’s temple to 
  teleport to the cult’s temple proper (area 7). 
  Milos then runs to the caves (area 6) and rouses the 
  degenerate serpent people there. He orders them into the 
  tunnels to ambush the PCs in the intersection (area 2) or 
  the treasury (area 4). Once he’s sent off the serpent people, 
  Milos readies himself and any attendants with him for battle 
  (see area 7 for more information).
  20
  Death in Freeport
  
  Now You’ve Done It!
  Adventurers usually can’t resist messing around with 
  items they find. Often unwise, in this case doing so is 
  very dangerous, as it may accidentally trigger the rit-
  ual. Should the PCs manage to light the candles and 
  incense, and strike the gong three times, the Unspeak-
  able One takes notice. 
  The room reverberates with the sound of the 
  gong. Above you the stars seem to twinkle as if 
  you really are looking at the sky. Then you feel 
  a presence—and the circular depression erupts 
  with black tentacles. 
  You don’t need to be a mage to feel the evil 
  here. It is ancient and potent, and you can only 
  hope those tentacles have not come for you.
   
  Anyone in the room when this happens must 
  succeed at a TN 15 Willpower (Faith) test or suffer 
  1d6+2 points of damage. The tentacles do not attack 
  anyone outside of the depression. Casting spells at or 
  attacking the tentacles has no noticeable effect, for the 
  Unspeakable One conforms to an alien reality beyond 
  the ken of mortals. The tentacles remain for 2 rounds, 
  then disappear. 
   
  Characters actually in the depression are in for a 
  horrific experience. The tentacles engulf them, squeez-
  ing, pulling, and prodding. Inhuman voices fill their 
  heads, uttering terrible words and evoking images of 
  horror. Though this lasts for only 2 rounds, it seems like 
  an eternity. Finally, the tentacles withdraw and disap-
  pear. Those who suffered through this have their Will-
  power reduced by 1 until they gain another character 
  level. No one can survive such an experience unscathed.
  2. interseCtion
  The narrow stairs open into a corridor of finished stone, about 
  3 yards wide, that heads north about 8 yards and ends in a 
  T-intersection. There are doors on the east and north walls.
  At the beginning of the intersection is a covered pit trap. 
  Once the presence of the pit is known, it is easy enough to 
  walk around.
  CamouFlaGeD Pit traP 
  minor hazarD
  A TN 12 Dexterity (Traps) test can locate and disarm 
  the trap. Any character aware of the trap can easily walk 
  around it. Otherwise the first creature to stand on the 
  covered pit trap must succeed at a TN 13 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) test or fall in the pit, taking 2d6+1 damage. 
  The pit can be easily climbed out of, and all the denizens 
  of the location are already aware of its presence.
  • serPent PeoPle (3): Health 23, 20, 17.
  Should the serpent people miss the party, they lurk in area 
  2 and await a suitable opportunity. They are most likely to 
  attack when the PCs are heading down the corridor towards 
  the temple proper (area 7).
  3. initiation Chamber
  The door swings open to reveal a 30-foot-by-30-foot 
  octagonal chamber. The entire room has been painted black, and 
  the ceiling shimmers with stars like the sky at night. There is a 
  circular depression in the center of the room some 13 yards deep. 
  On the far wall you can see a sturdy table covered with ritual 
  paraphernalia: a gong, incense burners, two candelabras, and 
  some other items you can’t make out. No one is in sight, but the 
  room itself seems to radiate menace. 
  This strange room is the initiation chamber for the Broth-
  erhood of the Yellow Sign. It is painted black in honor of the 
  Unspeakable One’s starry home. Recruits who have proved 
  themselves are brought here to be judged by that dread 
  entity. A candidate undergoing initiation is stripped naked 
  and pushed into the depression. Milos then enacts a ritual 
  to draw the attention of the Unspeakable One. This is by no 
  means a pleasant experience, and one that cowards like Enzo 
  are unlikely to withstand.
  Serpent People (Degenerate)
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1 (Bite), CommuniCation 0,  
  Constitution 3 (Stamina, Swimming), Dexterity 2, 
  FiGhtinG 2 (Bludgeons), intelliGenCe 0,  
  PerCePtion 2 (Smelling, Tracking), strenGth 3, 
  WillPoWer 2 (Morale)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  12
  20 (23, 20, 17)
  12(14 w/ Shield)
  2
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Mace
  +4
  2d6+3
  Short Bow
  +1
  1d6+3
  Bite
  +3
  1d6+3
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Bite (2 SP), Skirmish
  quiCk bite stunt: Serpent people can deliver a bite attack 
  as a special stunt costing 2 SP. This bite attack must be taken 
  against the same target as the original attack. Doubles on the 
  bite attack roll do not generate more stunt points.
  sCaly hiDe: Serpent people have a natural AR of 2.
  talents: Scouting (Novice), Weapon and Shield Style (Novice)
  WeaPons GrouPs: Bows, Bludgeons
  equiPment: Medium Shield, Mace, Short Bow
  threat: minor
  Death in Freeport
  21
  
  The items on the table are of considerable interest. The 
  candelabras are made of pure silver and shaped like coiling 
  serpents. They are quite old, and the craftsmanship is exqui-
  site. Each would fetch 50 sp on the street, double that if sold 
  to a knowledgeable wizard or sorcerer. The candles are black 
  but are otherwise unremarkable. The incense burners are 
  made of bronze (5 sp each). They are full and ready for the 
  flame. Several small cases lie nearby, containing additional 
  cubes of incense (total worth 15 sp). The large gong has pride 
  of place on the table. It too is made of bronze and also fea-
  tures a serpent motif (10 sp). 
  4. treasury
  As you open the door, your eyes are immediately drawn to the 
  garish purple curtains that hang from the walls. Your attention 
  quickly turns to the center of the room, however, where skeletal 
  figures come to life and start towards you with claws extended. 
  You can see many chests scattered about, but you’ll have to fight 
  your way through the walking dead first!
  This small, cramped room is the cult’s treasury: Milos has 
  stored a lot of wealth in here over the years. A cult supe-
  rior who recently visited has animated the remains of some 
  deceased initiates to guard the treasure. 
  The purple curtains are mostly decorative but do help 
  conceal a secret door to the ancient tunnels of the serpent 
  people “, which can be discovered with a successful TN 11 
  Perception (Search) test. 
  The number of skeletons is variable. There should be at 
  least one per PC, up to double that if the party are all using 
  brawling or bludgeoning weapons. The fighting is likely to 
  be at very close quarters. The degenerate serpent people from 
  area 6 may also attack if they have not yet been encountered 
  and the PCs are dealing with the skeletons too easily. 
  • skeletons (3–8): Health 13
  There are four chests here, all of which are locked but can 
  be opened with a successful TN 13 Dexterity (Lock Pick-
  ing) test, or TN 17 Strength (Might) test. Milos carries the 
  keys with him at all times. Should the PCs slay him first, 
  they can open the chests with ease. 
  • Chest #1 contains 500 sp.
  • Chest #2 contains 300 sp and one healing potion. 
  • Chest #3 contains 250 sp and four onyx gems 
  worth 60 sp each.
  • Chest #4 contains 220 sp. Lying on top of the coins is 
  a shield of deflection, which provides the wearer with +4 
  to their Armor Rating against ranged attacks. 
  The curtains also hide an old spear standing upright in the 
  southwest corner of the room. The weapon is magical; a ser-
  pent’s spear. It allows you treat enemies up to 4 yards away as 
  if they were adjacent to you, so you can make melee attacks 
  against them. If an ally is between you and your opponent, 
  you can still attack. If you have the novice pole weapon style, 
  this range increases to 8 yards.
  5. library
  Another octagonal room, this small chamber looks to be a study 
  or library. A teakwood desk stands against the far wall, flanked 
  by low shelves that are crammed with books and scrolls. An 
  oil lamp hangs from chains in the center of the room, its flame 
  burning low—the room seems alive with shadows. 
  Milos inherited this library from his predecessor. Some of 
  the books date back a thousand years or more, and many are 
  in languages that have been dead at least as long. A scholar 
  would have a field day with this treasure trove, except that 
  nearly every tome is full of blasphemous secrets. 
  The desk is a beautiful piece of work and has been lovingly 
  maintained. On it lays a large book bound in black leather 
  and finished with silver. The tome’s title is rather ominous: 
  The Book of the Unspeakable One. It is full of rituals and stories 
  involving the dread god, and its pages are for cult members 
  only. Anyone who has not been through the Brotherhood’s 
  initiation takes 1d4 points of damage (no save) if he or she 
  attempts to read the book. Furthermore, those of good 
  alignment must succeed at a TN 13 Willpower (Courage) 
  test or lose 1 point of Willpower until they next gain a char-
  acter level. 
  Skeletons
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 0, CommuniCation -2, Constitution 2, 
  Dexterity 0, FiGhtinG 2 (Spears), intelliGenCe -2, 
  PerCePtion -1, strenGth 2 (Intimidation), WillPoWer 1
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  10
  13
  10
  4
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Spear
  +3
  1d6+3
  Claw
  +1
  1d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Knock Prone
  aGile: Skeletons can collapse into a pile of bones, or pull them-
  selves back together, with ease. They can stand up or fall prone 
  as free actions.
  bone harD: Skeletons have a natural AR of 4 and do not need 
  to breathe, sleep, rest, eat, or drink normally.
  minDless aGGression: Skeletons never flee from battle unless 
  commanded, though they can be tricked or manipulated.
  vulnerability: Skeletons take an additional 1d6 damage from 
  Brawling and Bludgeoning weapons, and their Armor Rating 
  is halved (or completely eliminated if the attacker is using the 
  Pierce Armor stunt).
  equiPment: Spear
  threat: minor
  22
  Death in Freeport
  
  How Unspeakable  
  is Unspeakable?
  Once they learn the nature of the cult, players may 
  want to find out if their characters know anything 
  about this Unspeakable One. Passing a Intelligence 
  (Arcane Lore or Religious Lore) test can reveal 
  something, based on the TN of the test.. 
  The Unspeakable One
  tn
  inFormation
  11
  The Unspeakable One is an evil god whose 
  worship is proscribed in many nations.
  13
  The god is dedicated to madness and destruction, 
  and his cults have been suppressed numerous 
  times over the centuries. 
  15
  Worship of the Unspeakable One dates back to 
  ancient times. Legends speak of a race of serpent 
  people dedicated to his worship.
  17
  Even scholars are afraid to whisper the name of 
  his cult: The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign.
  There are several letters scattered across the desk. Two of 
  them are progress reports on the construction of the Light-
  house of Drac. The third is short but to the point:
  Our preparations are almost complete. We will arrive in 
  Freeport on schedule. Make sure that all is ready for us. The 
  Brotherhood is counting on you. 
  N’Tal
  This letter’s implications may be more important in future 
  adventures. For now, it serves to make clear that this temple 
  is not the cult’s only center of operations. 
  The rest of the library is full of old books and scrolls. Most 
  are in no language the PCs are familiar with. Due to the 
  age and obscure nature of these volumes, learning anything 
  from them requires passing a TN 17 Intelligence (Research) 
  test; even then, little of them make sense. A few titles should 
  suggest that they are best left alone: Cult of the Bloody Heart, 
  Spawn of the Ages, and Rebirth of the Old Ones. Any of these 
  books would be worth a great deal of money to the right 
  people but shopping them around would surely attract the 
  wrong kind of notice. 
  This room is a great place to plant some seeds for later 
  adventures. A clue here can lead the party into the next sit-
  uation, if you have one in mind. This makes your campaign 
  more of an ongoing story and less like an episodic TV show. 
  6. Cave oF the DeGenerates
  Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of Freeport, many bands 
  of degenerate serpent people still live in tunnels under-
  neath the city. The small section shown here actually 
  connects to a much larger network. When the civilized 
  serpent people of the Brotherhood built this temple com-
  plex, they made sure to connect it with the crude tunnels 
  of their cousins. This gives the cult access to mindless force 
  when needed. 
  The PCs are not likely to encounter the degenerate ser-
  pent people at this location, though they may find the secret 
  tunnels if they pass a TN 11 Perception (Searching) test. 
  Unlike the rest of the complex, these tunnels are rough-
  hewn and unfinished. They lead to a large cave where the 
  degenerates spend most of their time. Read the following 
  description the first time the PCs discover the cave.
  A large, irregular cave stretches out before you. It is different from 
  the other rooms you’ve seen, looking both older and more primitive. 
  At least 13 yards by 17 yards, and larger in places, the cave is 
  scattered with bones, refuse, and filth. You can hear the lapping of 
  water from the northwest corner, where there lies a dark pool. The 
  water looks black, and you can tell neither its size nor depth. 
  Searching the cave uncovers nothing of interest. A short 
  corridor heads east and then ends abruptly. A secret door 
  here—which can be found with a successful TN 14 Per-
  ception (Searching) test—leads to the main temple (area 
  7). There is a tunnel below the surface of the pool that leads 
  deeper underground. This is not important for this adventure 
  but may come into play in future Freeport products, as well 
  as your own stories.
  7. temPle oF the unsPeakable one 
  Two double doors lead to the temple proper.  Amazingly, 
  they are not locked. By this point Milos is well aware of the 
  intruders, and he wants to deal with them under the gaze of 
  the Unspeakable One.  
  Opening the doors, you are met with blazing torchlight. As 
  your eyes adjust to the brightness, you can see you have reached the 
  heart of the temple: a long hall, flanked with six pillars, some 13 
  yards long and 11 yards wide wide. Each pillar seems to have a 
  giant snake coiled around it, and the motif continues on frescoes 
  along the walls. An altar of black basalt stands at the far end 
  of the hall, and a strange yellow symbol is inscribed on the wall 
  behind it. There is a statue of a tentacled horror—it must be the 
  Unspeakable One himself!
  Two figures in robes lurk behind the far pillars, loaded 
  crossbows at the ready. Behind the altar stands a small man 
  wearing black robes with a full hood. As you enter the room, 
  he throws back his hood, exposing familiar horn-rimmed 
  glasses. Milos smiles at your reaction and says, “You are the first 
  outsiders to ever reach the Temple of the Unspeakable One. Your 
  achievement deserves congratulations. It is also your doom!”
  Death in Freeport
  23
  
  Human Temple Attendants
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 2 (Light Blades), CommuniCation 0, 
  Constitution 0, Dexterity 2 (Initiative),  
  FiGhtinG 2 (Bludgeons), intelliGenCe 0 (Religious 
  Lore), PerCePtion 2, strenGth 2, WillPoWer 0
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  12
  25
  12
  0
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Dagger
  +4
  1d6+2
  Mace
  +4
  2d6+2
  sPeCial qualities
  FavoreD stunts: Mighty Blow.
  talents: Observation (Novice), Lore (Novice).
  iron morale: As long as Milos is present and able to act, the  
  temple attendants automatically succeed at morale rolls, and 
  can only be forced to retreat through supernatural mind-control 
  or by being physically forced out of the fight.
  WeaPons GrouPs: Bludgeons, Brawling, Light Blades.
  equiPment: Dagger, Mace
  threat: minor
  Milos 
  Male Serpent Person (Civilized) Mage 
  abilities (FoCuses)
  aCCuraCy 1 (Arcane Blast), CommuniCation 2, 
  Constitution 2, Dexterity 3, FiGhtinG 1 (Spears), 
  intelliGenCe 2 (Fire Arcana, Shadow Arcana), 
  PerCePtion 0, strenGth 0,  
  WillPoWer 2 (Self-Discipline)
  sPeeD
  health
  DeFense
  armor ratinG
  10
  13
  10
  4
  WeaPon
  attaCk roll
  DamaGe
  Arcane Blast
  +3
  1d6+2
  Spear
  +3
  1d6+4
  Bite
  +2
  1d6+3
  sPeCial qualities
  sPellPoWer: 12 (14) maGiC Points: 25
  sPells:  Divination (bloodhound, blood mark, sentinel), Healing 
  (healing touch), Lightning (jolt, shock blast, lightning bolt)
  sPeCialization: Arcane Scholar (Novice)
  talents: Lore (Novice)
  sCaley hiDe: Milos has a natural AR of 4.
  shaPeshiFt: Milos can pass for a human at will, shifting 
  not just his appearance but his actual form to match that of 
  a specific appearance, which the people of Freeport know as 
  Milos. He can drop this disguise if he wishes, 
  WeaPon GrouPs: Brawling, Light Blades, Staves
  equiPment: Spear
  threat: moDerate
  24
  Death in Freeport
  
  Now it’s a fight to the finish. Milos has chosen a position 
  to give him the most advantage in a fight. He has the help of 
  two temple attendants, who are always on hand.
  • temPle attenDants (2): Health 25, 25
  • milos: Health 13
  This is a very tough encounter. While it is certainly appro-
  priate for the climax of the adventure, be careful not to 
  overwhelm your players. When the PCs get to the temple, 
  take stock of the situation. Are they almost out of spells? 
  Are any party members severely wounded? At your discre-
  tion, remove one or both of the temple attendants from this 
  encounter. If you find you erred too much on the side of 
  caution, the attendants can always leap into the fray through 
  the secret door. 
  Milos has had a little time to prepare for this battle. After 
  sending off the degenerate serpent people (see area 1 above), 
  he returned here to brief the temple attendants. 
  During the battle, the cult leader deflects all questions 
  about Lucius and taunts the PCs with their lack of knowl-
  edge, saying things like, “Why you are so interested in that 
  librarian I’ll never know. He is insignificant in the scheme of 
  things, but you are welcome to die for him.”
  As master of the temple, Milo can teleport from anyplace 
  in Freeport to this room, once each day. As a result if he 
  ever gets wind of the PCs’ actions, he is likely to be encoun-
  tered here.
  Milos
  Subtle and deadly because he is so unassuming, Milos has 
  served the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign for many years. 
  Cunning and very patient, Milos knows that his service to 
  the dark powers will go rewarded, in time. And as one of the 
  Adventure Seeds
  Terror in Freeport and Madness in Freeport deal with the continuing machinations of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, 
  the secrets of the Sea Lord, and the ultimate purpose of Milton’s Folly. However, if you want to run your players through 
  some other adventures, Freeport makes a fine base of operations for pre-published modules and stories of your own. The 
  events in Death in Freeport can also lead to several developments, some of which are suggested here. 
  •  The PCs may try deciphering or peddling volumes from the library of Milos. Many of those books contain dark 
  secrets, though, and what begins as a simple sale may become something far more dangerous. 
  •  The Yellow Sign is revealed only at the end of this adventure. The PCs may want to investigate this strange symbol 
  further to learn its connection with the Unspeakable One. The sign is a symbol of madness and destruction: Any 
  research into its meaning is sure to lead down a dark path. 
  •  There are more degenerate serpent people living under Freeport, and their tunnels make for a fine “dungeon crawl.” 
  The PCs could launch an expedition, and in the process, find out about the breaking of Valossa and the first coming 
  of the Unspeakable One. 
  •  Surviving members of Milos’s cult, or cult officials from outside Freeport, may discover the temple’s destruction. 
  Some of these cultists are sure to be from wealthy families and would have the means to make life very difficult for 
  the PCs. A string of arrests and assassination attempts should be a strong hint that someone wants revenge.
  serpent people, he knows he has almost nothing but time. 
  Milos does occasionally underestimate other folk, however, 
  seeing them as messy and juvenile.
  Temple Attendants
  These attendants are well aware Milos is a serpent person, 
  and see him as a font of unspeakable power and wisdom. 
  They are totally insignificant in every other aspect of their 
  lives, and thus focus their whole identity on serving Milos 
  and the temple. They believe, wrongly, that serving him will 
  grant them vast powers in life or death, and thus fight to 
  their last breath.
  Aftermath
  When they finally defeat Milos, the PCs discover that he 
  was not human at all. His true form becomes apparent 
  on his death. Read the following text after the fatal blow 
  is struck.
  Milos slumps to the floor, lifeblood pumping onto the tiles of the 
  blasphemous temple. He raises his head one last time, saying, “By 
  the Yellow Sign, we will rule!” and then expires. As the cultist’s 
  eyes glaze over in death, a terrible transformation takes place. 
  His skin and bones rearrange themselves in a most unnatural 
  way, and soon his human visage is gone. Milos now lies revealed 
  as a monstrous creature, a serpent man with scaly skin and forked 
  tongue. Only the ill-fitting glasses on his ophidian head give a 
  hint of the thing’s former identity. You can only wonder how he 
  got away with his deception for so many years, and if there are 
  others like him in the city above.
  Death in Freeport
  25
  
  Once the battle is over and the ramifications of Milos’s 
  true nature sink in, the adventurers can at last turn their 
  attention to locating and tending to poor Lucius. Milos had 
  secreted him behind the altar, tied up and hidden from view. 
  Torture has reduced him to 0 hit points, but he can be aided 
  with an appropriate spell; a successful TN 13 Intelligence 
  (Healing) test allows faster natural recovery. 
  Lucius’s Story
  Lucius sighs with relief and thanks his rescuers profusely. 
  They saved him from certain, painful death, and for that 
  he is eternally grateful. If the PCs mention Brother Egil, 
  Lucius expresses concern for his friend, wishing to leave the 
  temple immediately and find him. He is willing to tell the 
  party what little he knows, however, if they ask.
  Lucius blurts out the whole tale of his possession, return, 
  and subsequent trouble. He explains that Milos sent him on 
  an errand to the bricked-up house, where he was overpowered 
  and taken below. Milos spoke of the extraplanar entities, but 
  he did not name them nor say why they studied other worlds. 
  The sinister serpent man then tortured Lucius, asking ques-
  tion after question about his memories of the other plane. 
  Clearly Milos believed that valuable knowledge was locked in 
  Lucius’s head, but the librarian could not tell him very much. 
  The cultist became increasingly frustrated and told Lucius 
  repeatedly that he was going to kill him—he probably would 
  have, without the party’s timely intervention. 
  Brother Egil is also very pleased and gladly pays the agreed-
  upon fee (although the PCs have likely gotten out of the 
  temple with a good deal more). Both he and Lucius offer their 
  services if needed. Their ability to do research in the temple to 
  the God of Knowledge could be very handy indeed. 
  As for Lucius, his future is dubious. Milos provided some 
  of the answers he was looking for, but he’d like to find out 
  more. He is uncertain whether he’ll stay at the temple or 
  leave Freeport to search for his past. Sadly, Lucius may never 
  again know peace after the theft of five years of his life. 
  What else lurks below the skin of Freeport? Well, that’s a 
  story for another time . . .
  Where Next?
  If you’d like to know more about Freeport, your best bet 
  at the moment is the Pirate’s Guide to Freeport, a complete 
  sourcebook about the City of Adventure. The important 
  thing to note about the Pirate’s Guide, however, is that 
  it is set five years after the events of Death of Freeport and 
  assumes all the events of the Freeport Trilogy and a fur-
  ther adventure called Crisis in Freeport have already take 
  place. This mainly changes the political situation and the 
  members of the Captains’ Council. Most locations and per-
  sonalities can be used in the earlier era without change. The 
  advantage of the Pirate’s Guide to Freeport is that it is a pure 
  setting book with no game stats on it, so it can be easily used 
  with any RPG. 
  Appendix
  Serpent People
  The serpent people once ruled a vast empire. Their advanced 
  knowledge of sorcery and the planes could not help them, 
  though, when the Unspeakable One was summoned to the 
  heart of Valossa. The Valossan Empire was destroyed, most 
  of it falling beneath the waves, and millions died in the cat-
  aclysm. Some, though, survived and continue to inhabit the 
  islands of their former realm. 
  The remaining serpent people can be divided into two 
  groups. Degenerates are wretched offspring of those mad-
  dened by the dread god’s coming. They have no memory of 
  their ancestors’ former achievements and act on instinct, 
  tainted by madness. Most of the degenerate serpent people 
  live deep underground, rarely coming to the surface. A very 
  few serpent people are descended from those who survived 
  with their sanity intact. This civilized breed, mostly sorcer-
  ers, has thrived over the centuries by remaining out of sight. 
  They either live in seclusion or adopt the forms of humans or 
  elves, living among their successors. 
  Serpent people are bipedal, but they retain the sinuous 
  necks and long tails of snakes. Coloration varies widely, 
  though black is dominant among the degenerates. 
  Serpent People Society
  Hardly anything remains of the empire that dominated the 
  world in ancient times. The degenerates multiply and fester 
  underground, breaking free every few decades to cause 
  murder and mayhem. These attacks are usually blamed on 
  lizardfolk, since few now can recognize the serpent people as 
  different beings. 
  Civilized serpent people are very long-lived: Some of their 
  sorcerers are over a thousand years old. They are, however, 
  usually solitary and pursue individual goals. Even among 
  the serpent people, few know that the Brotherhood of the 
  Yellow Sign survived the cataclysm, and none guess that 
  they would trifle with the Unspeakable One a second time. 
  Perhaps this is the best cover for the Brotherhood, and the 
  reason that powerful members of their own line have not yet 
  obliterated them. 
  26
  Death in Freeport
  
  Handout A The To-Do LIst
  Handout B: Diary Excerpts
  From six years aGo:
  I awoke this morning frightfully fatigued. I feel like the I spent  
  the night in combat, not sleeping. My head hurts, and I feel weak.  
  I can’t miss work at the temple, but I think I’ll confine myself  
  to light tasks today.
  the next entry is DateD Five years later:
  The gods help me! What happened? I awoke from some strange  
  dream to find that five years have passed! Egil told me I was  
  kicked out of the temple four years ago for violating the sanctum. 
  Surely this is madness!
  From six months aGo:
  Life has resumed a kind of normalcy. I have won admittance back 
  into the temple. My reception was strange, but everyone seems 
  relieved that I am “back to my old self.” I have so many questions 
  about these missing years but it seems best to simply move on with 
  my life now. If the god wills it, knowledge will come to me.
  From Four months aGo:
  Egil says that Milos was asking after me again, that he was 
  worried about another “episode.” Maybe he’s simply concerned for 
  the temple, but surely I have sufficiently proven myself by now. My 
  life is mine again, and I’m not giving it up!
  From tWo months aGo:
  The dreams came again last night. I don’t know that I’ll ever get 
  a good night’s sleep! I dreamt of cities as tall as the clouds and 
  creatures so alien in form that I can’t describe them. Does  
  this have something to do with my lost years or is this some 
  fresh torment?
  From one month aGo:
  It’s clear to me now that I must find some answer if I’m ever to  
  make the dreams stop. Thuron and Milos tried to discourage me... 
  I think they fear what might happen to their temple. A pity their 
  compassion does not extend to a living being. 
  From one Week aGo:
  I have begun to feel like I’m being watched. I pray this is not a 
  further milestone on the road to madness. I think I’ll take my 
  dagger with me in the morning. In a city like Freeport, I suppose 
  one can’t be too careful. Especially with pirates in port.
  Things to do:
  Get some sleep!     Talk to Cpt. Scarbelly       Turnips
  Update diary     Examine travel logs       Get more sleep!
  Permission is granted to reproduce this page for personal use only. 
  Death in Freeport
  27
  
  level
  armor type
  ar
  in yards
  weapon groups & notes
  spells
  powers, talents, and specializations
  XP
  melee weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  Background & class
  speed
  armor
  health
  defense
  ranged weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  short range
  long range
  reload time
  penalty
  move
  run
  charge
  Rating
  accuracy
  Rating
  communication
  Rating
  constitution
  Rating
  dexterity
  Rating
  fighting
  Rating
  intelligence
  Rating
  perception
  Rating
  strength
  Rating
  willpower
  equipment and money
  mp
  spellpower
  Personal Details 
  Rollo is a sailor and warrior-for-hire, who knows the dividing line between being a privateer or guard, and 
  being a pirate or bandit, is often only determined after someone wins a conflict. Other ports having become 
  less friendly, Rollo is ready to see what fortunes can be won in Freeport.
  ROLLO
  2
  0
  4
  1
  3
  2
  0
  1
  0
  7*
  11
  5
  -2
  Height: 3’ 8”     Weight: 47 lbs.     Age: 56
  Gnomish Sailor
  Warrior
  Bargaining
  Backpack
  bedroll
  flint & steel
  gauntlet
  gnomish hooked hammer
  light mail
  short bow
  quiver (20 arrows)
  torches (3)
  traveler’s garb
  waterskin
  Axes, Bows, Brawling, Spears
  Gnomish Hooked Hammer 
  +3 
  1d6+4
  Gauntlet 
  +3 
  1d3+2
  Languages: Common Tongue, Gnomish
  Dark Sight
  Talents: Archery Style (novice), Armor Training (Novice),  
  Single Weapon Style (novice)
  Gnomish Hooked Hammer: A gnomish hooked hammer is a weapon 
  generally only found in the hands of gnome warriors. It belongs to both 
  the Axes and Bludgeons groups, and has a hammer head and a spike 
  head. Its damage is 1d6+3, and Rollo adds his Strength to that damage.
  37
  1
  Short Bow 
  +2 
  1d6+1 
  16 yards 
  32 yards 
  Minor Action
   Money: 11 sp, 10 cp
  Light mail
  *9 Speed out of armor
  Stamina
  Sailing
  Permission is granted to reproduce this page for personal use only. 
  7/9*
  3/4*
  14/18*
  
  level
  armor type
  ar
  in yards
  weapon groups & notes
  spells
  powers, talents, and specializations
  XP
  melee weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  Background & class
  speed
  armor
  health
  defense
  ranged weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  short range
  long range
  reload time
  penalty
  move
  run
  charge
  Rating
  accuracy
  Rating
  communication
  Rating
  constitution
  Rating
  dexterity
  Rating
  fighting
  Rating
  intelligence
  Rating
  perception
  Rating
  strength
  Rating
  willpower
  equipment and money
  mp
  spellpower
  Personal Details 
  Malevir is a skilled historian and seeker of knowledge… without a great deal of concern about where 
  that knowledge comes from. This quest for knowledge lead the elf to learn magic, but that’s less 
  important to Malevir than the histories of those magics. The secrets of Freeport’s past are irresistible to Malevir’s thirst for lore, and 
  any other activity as seen as just another opportunity to root out ancient secrets.
  Malevir
  2
  4
  1
  2
  0
  1
  0
  1
  1
  16
  11
  14
  12
  0
  0
  Height: 5’3”     Weight: 142 lbs.     Age: 25
  Elven Scholar
  Mage
  Persuasion
  Historical Lore, Natural Lore
  Backpack, crossbow
  ink (one vial black, 
  one vial red)
  paper (10 blank pages)
  quiver (20 bolts)
  quarterstaff (arcane device)
  sealing ring 
  sealing wax
  traveler’s garb
  waterskin
  Air Arcana (protective winds, voices on the winds)
  Lightning Arcana (jolt, shock blast)
  Bows, Brawling, Staves
  Quarterstaff 
  +0 
  1d6+2
  Languages: Common Tongue, Elven
  Dark Sight
  Talents: Lore (novice)
  24
  1
  Crossbow 
  +2 
  2d6+1 
  30 yards 
  60 yards 
  Major Action
  Arcane Blast 
  +2 
  1d6+1 
  16 yards 
  N/A 
  N/A
   Money: 7 sp, 7 cp
  Permission is granted to reproduce this page for personal use only. 
  8
  4
  16
  
  level
  armor type
  ar
  in yards
  weapon groups & notes
  spells
  powers, talents, and specializations
  XP
  melee weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  Background & class
  speed
  armor
  health
  defense
  ranged weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  short range
  long range
  reload time
  penalty
  move
  run
  charge
  Rating
  accuracy
  Rating
  communication
  Rating
  constitution
  Rating
  dexterity
  Rating
  fighting
  Rating
  intelligence
  Rating
  perception
  Rating
  strength
  Rating
  willpower
  equipment and money
  mp
  spellpower
  Personal Details 
  Alaina has led a life on the streets, where quick wit, and a quicker blade, are the keys to survival. Alaina 
  knows the benefit of teamwork and allies, but is primarily concerned with personal survival, and acquir-
  ing the means to make that survival easier… even if that means taking risks.
  Alaina
  2
  1
  1
  3
  1
  1
  2
  0
  0
  12
  13
  3
  0
  Height: 5’3”     Weight: 142 lbs.     Age: 25
  Human Criminal
  Rogue
  Deception
  Searching
  Backpack
  crossbow
  quiver (20 bolts)
  dice
  flint & steel
  light leather armor
  rope (20 yards)
  short sword
  traveler’s garb
  waterskin
  Black Powder, Bows, Light Blades, Staves
  Short Sword 
  +2 
  1d6+4
  Languages: Common Tongue
  Pinpoint Attack: Once per round, you can add 1d6 to the damage of a 
  successful attack if your Dexterity is greater than your opponent’s.
  Talents: Thievery (novice)
  29
  1
  Crossbow 
  +2 
  2d6+3 
  30  yards 
  60 yards 
  Major Action
   Money: 3 sp, 10 cp
  Swimming
  Lock Picking
  Light leather armor
  Permission is granted to reproduce this page for personal use only. 
  12
  6
  24
  
  level
  armor type
  ar
  in yards
  weapon groups & notes
  spells
  powers, talents, and specializations
  XP
  melee weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  Background & class
  speed
  armor
  health
  defense
  ranged weapon
  damage
  attack roll
  short range
  long range
  reload time
  penalty
  move
  run
  charge
  Rating
  accuracy
  Rating
  communication
  Rating
  constitution
  Rating
  dexterity
  Rating
  fighting
  Rating
  intelligence
  Rating
  perception
  Rating
  strength
  Rating
  willpower
  equipment and money
  mp
  spellpower
  Personal Details 
  Thorgrim is dedicated to a religion of bravery and health. This often means healing the 
  wounded and supporting the fearless, but Thorgrim thinks it also means seeking out threats to 
  people before they have a chance to cause injury.
  Thorgrim
  0
  0
  4
  0
  2
  1
  3
  1
  1
  17
  12
  8
  10
  0
  0
  Height: 4’4”     Weight: 155 lbs.     Age: 71
  Dwarf Initiate
  Mage
  Stamina
  Evaluation, Religious Lore
  Backpack
  cask of ale
  holy symbol (arcane device)
  morningstar
  traveler’s garb
  waterskin
  Healing Arcana (healing touch, revival)
  Heroic Arcana (hero’s inspiration, hero’s might)
  Brawling, Staves
  Morningstar 
  +2 
  1d6+4
  Languages: Common Tongue, Dwarven
  Dark Sight
  Talents: Chirurgy  (novice)
  30
  1
  Arcane Blast 
  +0 
  1d6+1 
  16 yards 
  N/A 
  N/A
   Money: 18 sp, 5 cp
  Permission is granted to reproduce this page for personal use only. 
  8
  4
  16
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Fantasy AGE (AGE)/AGE - Fantasy - Death in Freeport 20th Anniversary Edition [Fantasy AGE]{GRR1917}.pdf