TEXT: Any Port In a Storm 
   
  1 
  The PCs have just arrived at the port of 
  Pelorbay on the Hezarin Isle of Gedden, 
  their vessel, the Resplendent having been 
  critically damaged in a battle with 
  Brotherhood-summoned sea monsters. 
  The Scarlet Scourge, a Brotherhood galley, 
  has pursued them here. Pelorbay, and its 
  neighbouring port Ospret, are free ports, 
  they recognise neither Jian Destron nor 
  Sister Kuryanie's rule of Onnwal. However 
  - being pragmatic they are quite happy to 
  trade with either side. If the PCs start a 
  fight here though, the locals shall call 
  down their wrath upon the PCs - and they 
  shall never leave this isle alive! 
  The Scarlet Brotherhood captain, Eirud 
  Proshahar knows this, and uses this 
  opportunity to taunt the PCs, hoping to 
  force them into rash action.  
  The chapter begins with the ruler of 
  Pelorbay, Rattrin, intimidates the PCs. He 
  informs them that any fighting with the 
  Brotherhood will not be tolerated – and 
  will result in the destruction of their 
  vessel. 
  On the island the PCs rub shoulders 
  with numerous locals from the Hezarin 
  isles, including the crew of the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood 
  vessel 
  and 
  one 
  Larea 
  Farmoore - a free trader with both the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood and the Rebellion. 
  PCs deal with Larea Farmoor to get 
  their ship repaired. They are intimidated 
  by the Scarlet Brotherhood forces who try 
  to force the PCs or Pholtines into rash 
  action.  
  This is just a diversion - one of the half-
  orcs aboard the ship has been dominated 
  by a strange force, courtesy of the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood. Now reprogrammed to fight 
  for the Scarlet Sign the half-orc has been 
  given a runic mine by the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood ready to be used when the 
  time is right. Its purpose: to destroy The 
  Resplendent. 
  Eventually the PCs are invited to dine 
  with the Captain of the Scarlet Scourge at 
  his table aboard his vessel. 
  The PCs, on the night before they leave 
  find Paceman and Second Mate Golgak in a 
  terrible state – he was caught by the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood and ‘altered’, to a 
  hideous conclusion that shall be found out 
  in the next chapter. 
  Beginning this Chapter 
  The PCs have just been forced to dock at 
  Gedden, one of the Hezarin Isles by the 
  predations 
  of 
  an 
  enchanted 
  Scarlet 
  Brotherhood ship, The Scarlet Scourge. 
  The isle appears inhabited, and a robed 
  fellow appears before the PCs, dressed in 
  orange with the symbol of a volcano 
  across his chest. This is Rattrin, Despot of 
  the Hezarin Isles, which have declared 
  independence from Onnwal since the 
  Brewfest Rebellion and the Brotherhood 
  were driven out of the Hezarin Isles. 
  Having alighted upon the port of 
  Pelorbay, you were shocked to discover 
  that you had not lost your pursuer, a 
  Scarlet vessel. Even now it glides into a 
  berth at the opposite side of the small 
  port village. 
  The villagers that have watched you 
  as you arrived have not been idle. A 
  score of men, clad in orange tabards, 
  are approaching your vessel just as a 
  group 
  of 
  Hepmonaland 
  warriors 
  disembark from the Scarlet vessel. 
  Captain Gremag paces the decks 
  anxiously, and you hear him mutter, 
  “This be not good.” 
  There is a man at the head of the 
  band of locals, dressed in the orange 
  robes, looks at you and at the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood captain. Nodding to the 
  captain he looks at each of you intently, 
  furrowing his brow. 
  He then looks to the men coming from 
  the Scarlet vessel and in a loud voice 
  intones, “I would suggest you surrender 
  any thoughts of making trouble on my 
  isle, or I shall crack your ship like an 
  egg.” 
  At 
  this 
  point 
  the 
  Hepmonaland 
  warriors look confused until a swarthy 
  fellow in red robes pushes to the front. 
  You recognise him as the captain of the 
  enemy vessel. 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  2 
  Rattrin gestures and you realize with 
  alarm that along the full length of the 
  shore the stones are engraved with an 
  ornate rune pattern. As he waves his 
  hand the engravings upon the runes all 
  glow in unison around your ship. They 
  also 
  glow 
  around 
  the 
  Scarlet 
  Brotherhood ship, much to the chagrin 
  of the enemy captain. 
  “Any attempt to move your ship 
  without my permission will result in 
  their detonation, any fighting with the 
  Scarlet 
  Sign 
  will 
  result 
  in 
  their 
  detonation, and any attempt to attack 
  anyone in Pelorbay will result in their 
  detonation. Furthermore, " he says, 
  gesturing to the score of armed men at 
  his back, "once that wreck you call a ship 
  is destroyed, my men here and in the 
  village will make sure your stay here is 
  short one." 
  The mage continues, “All I ask is you 
  respect these simple rules and you’ll be 
  as welcome as any new outsider around 
  here. Do as I say and no-one will come to 
  harm.” 
  With a wave of his hand, Rattrin and 
  his men turn around and make their 
  way up the cobbled main street into the 
  only lit building. The Scarlet Captain 
  confers with his men, and a few of them, 
  clad in robes follow the wizard and his 
  men. 
  The captain stops for a moment and 
  with a smirk you hear him say in your 
  direction, “Welcome to Pelorbay.” 
   
  Pelorbay 
  Pelorbay (Hamlet): Conventional; AL CN; 
  96 gp limit; Assets 6,666 gp; Population 
  100; Human (96 human). 
  Authority Figures: Despot Rattrin 
  human male (Despot of Pelorbay). 
  Important Figures:  Argrith Myllana 
  human male (proprietor of Procan’s 
  Mares); Angrar Flamedeep human male 
  (priest of Joramy); Arkyl Langshanks, 
  human male (shipwright);  Salaman 
  Crestdeep human male (priest of Procan 
  and Stormseeker). 
  Pelorbay is not a particularly large 
  settlement, numbering less than 100 souls 
  living in wooden and stone houses. It has 
  but a few places of note:- 
  1. The Resplendent 
   This is where the PCs are docked. 
  2. The Sign of Procan’s Mares 
  This is where most of the action takes 
  place in “At The Sign of Procan’s Mares”. It 
  is the local tavern of Pelorbay. 
  3. Rattrin’s Manor 
  This is  small, fortified manor where 
  Rattrin administers the town and lives in 
  relative luxury in this time of conflict. 
  4. Chapel of Procan 
  Pelorbay being little more than a fishing 
  village that used to offer port to passing 
  vessels, the worship of Procan was 
  popular. The original priest, Gelvraan 
  Saanh was slain by the Brotherhood when 
  they originally occupied Pelorbay, but 
  fiery sermons are now given by the 
  Stormseeker Salaman Crestdeep. 
  5. The Shipwright 
  The shipwright, Arkyl Langshanks, and 
  several casual labourers have a house by 
  the 
  docks. 
  Unfortunately 
  Arkyl 
  is 
  unwilling to fix the PC’s ship – his wife is 
  one of the hostages (The Disappeared) 
  taken by the Brotherhood many years ago, 
  and he has no desire to earn their ire. 
  6. The Scarlet Scourge 
  At the other end of the village the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood vessel is docked. Throughout 
  the day it is manned and guarded by half 
  the crew. The Black Mist Stone is covered. 
  Exploring Pelorbay 
  In between the encounters allow the PCs 
  freedom to move around the village and 
  encounter any salient NPCs you wish that 
  are detailed below. 
  At the moment though, as it is dark, all 
  the village doors are shuttered and the 
  lights are out, except for the tavern of 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  3 
  Pelorbay, Procan’s Mares. The sound of 
  merriment and the smell of fresh food 
  should certainly lure them out – and 
  Gremag says that they need to find 
  someone willing to help fix the ship - it 
  would be best if the PCs acted as front 
  men for the crew. They would also prefer 
  to get on with things quickly – thus the 
  PCs should go ashore and mingle to get 
  things moving. 
  If the PCs seem truly unwilling to go 
  ashore, have Dasmius the Pholtan offer to 
  go ashore and use his “diplomatic” skills 
  instead. If this does not persuade the PCs 
  to act, then allow disaster to ensue… 
  At The Sign of Procan's Mares 
  Read aloud or paraphrase the following: 
  A solidly built, two-story building 
  dominates the waterfront. Like the rest 
  of Pelorbay it is constructed of black 
  volcanic stone. Painted on the old sign 
  swinging above the door in the hot 
  breeze is the picture of the sea with the 
  heads of white horses as the crests of the 
  waves. The tavern seems relatively 
  welcoming...relative to the inhospitality 
  that surrounds you that is.  
  As this is the only light within the dismal 
  port of Pelorbay, the PCs can quickly 
  thrust themselves into the common room 
  of Procan’s Mares.  
  In true form, the sound of merriment 
  stops as you walk into the dimly lit 
  common room, and every eye in the 
  tavern turns towards you – some 
  balefully, others with interest and 
  curiosity. 
  Sat at the far side of the room, is a 
  bare chested man with the tattoo of a 
  trident on one arm, and the tattoo of a 
  silver cloud upon the other. This fellow 
  converses the magi that forbade you 
  from violence earlier and with a red 
  haired fellow.  
  A stout, bald man tends the bar, 
  laughing at a jest from his cronies that 
  is clearly at your expense. In the corner, 
  sat alone, a blonde woman, clearly of 
  Suloise 
  extraction 
  stares 
  at 
  you, 
  occasionally sipping from a wine glass. 
  The rest of the patrons are merely 
  silhouettes in the dim light of the 
  common room. 
  Rumours 
  1. A strange dark black spider-like mist 
  was seen coming from that black tower on 
  the western coast of the mainland, the 
  place they call Obelstone a few months 
  ago. 
  2. The Stormseeker Salaman went out in a 
  rowing boat last week – into a terrible 
  squall. He came back unharmed, but said 
  the storm had spoke to him and told him 
  that it was time for his Order to reclaim 
  their place on the mainland. 
  3. A vessel bearing the Scarlet Sign that 
  came from the Pomarj stopped off here 
  awhile back. One of the crewmen said they 
  had been laden down with gold and gifts 
  from Sister Kuryanie for the Half-Orc 
  Emperor Turrosh Mak. There were also a 
  small number of half-orc free-swords 
  upon the vessel, paid by Kuryanie to fight 
  for the Brotherhood. 
  The Occupants of the Common 
  Room 
  The 
  following 
  are 
  descriptions 
  and 
  roleplay notes for the various occupants of 
  the tavern. 
  Rattrin, Despot of Pelorbay (male 
  human Wiz 13 (Invoker), AC 20 (Bracers 
  of Defence + Dex), hp 52, AL CN). 
  Rattrin 
  is 
  the 
  undisputed 
  ruler 
  of 
  Pelorbay. A native of Nyrond and a former 
  member of the Sagacious Society, Rattrin 
  came here in 586 CY due to his distaste for 
  the new Nyrondese king. He has also had a 
  passion for fire magic and viewed the 
  Hezarin Isles as an excellent place to 
  practice his arts. 
  Rattrin watches the tavern like a hawk. 
  He is feared by all for his ability to 
  disintegrate the unwary and the unwise, 
  but he is respected for his ability to keep 
  order in what otherwise would be just 
  another lawless free port.  
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  4 
  Rattrin will not oppose the Scarlet 
  Brotherhood captain unless it becomes 
  completely necessary – for reasons that 
  may become apparent in the future. 
  Eirud Proshahar, Captain of the Scarlet 
  Scourge (See Appendix for stats). 
  Eirud was a member of the Office of 
  Diplomacy who infiltrated the clergy of 
  Xerbo before the Occupation. His influence 
  within the priesthood was essential in 
  ensuring its defection to the side of the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood. When Scant fell, 
  Eirud became rich from the reliquaries of 
  the Church of Zilchus. He owns a small, 
  palatial mansion on Scant’s Gate Hill and is 
  a rich man, but like most of the Scarlet 
  Sign he favours the ascetic life, in his case 
  the ascetic life of a sailor. 
  Eirud has three roles he likes to keep 
  separate, though the line between them is 
  often blurred. Firstly he is a businessman, 
  good at exacting ruthless terms from 
  those he “liberates” in the name of the 
  Scarlet Sign. Secondly, he is a sea captain, 
  with a love of the sea and battle upon the 
  waves. Thirdly, he is a member of the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood, and as such believes 
  himself to be superior to all non-Suel. 
  Appearance: 5’7” with his short hair 
  dyed black and all but shaved off and  
  sporting a moustache, Eirud seems to have 
  a perpetual grin on his face and an 
  unpleasant predatory glint in his eyes. 
  Argrith Myllana (male human Com 3, AL 
  CN). 
  Argrith is the owner and innkeep of 
  Procan’s Mares who is currently engaged 
  in talking to several of the locals about the 
  new arrivals. If the PCs go up to ask for a 
  drink, he speaks in whispered tones to his 
  cronies, who laugh at his every jest (it 
  beats paying for the ale). He only serves 
  the PCs if there is nothing else that needs 
  doing and if he is not above making jokes 
  about the green and gold gills of the Free 
  Onnwal soldiers. The first time a PC goes 
  to the bar, the event Drinking With 
  Thine Enemy occurs (see below).  
  Appearance: A bald and very portly 
  gentleman in his late forties, Argrith is 
  usually quick with a smile. He is his own 
  best customer when it comes to drinking 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  5 
  the spirits that he keeps behind the bar. 
  He is cold to strangers - to the point of 
  avoiding serving them wherever possible. 
  Angrar Flamedeep, Priest of Joramy 
  (male human Clr 3 – Joramy, AL NG). 
  Angrar is a rarity on this isle – five years 
  ago he came upon a raft, lost at sea as part 
  of a missionary expedition from the 
  Yeomanry to Onnwal. It was he who 
  reported to existence of the Hezarin Isles 
  to his superiors in Onnwal and resulted in 
  these isles being claimed as holy ground 
  by the Joramites. 
  Angrar is a permanent resident of 
  Pelorbay now, for the wilds of the Hezarin 
  Isles (though not Pelorbay) are a site of 
  permanent 
  skirmishing 
  between 
  the 
  Joramites and their sworn enemy the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood’s priests of Pyremius. 
  He is a staunch drinking companion of 
  Salaman the Stormseeker. 
  Appearance: Angrar is a short, thin man 
  with long red hair down to his shoulders. 
  A shock of gray runs through his thick 
  mane and he fiddles incessantly with the 
  medallion of a volcano that is around his 
  neck. 
  Arkyl Langshanks (male human Exp 5, 
  AL N). 
  Argyl has lived in Pelorbay since he was a 
  lad and has never left the isle though he is 
  a shipwright. His knowledge was learnt 
  from his father. 
  During the War and the Occupation 
  Argyl stayed home. His wife, Trakera, was 
  taken, being of pure Suel blood. He fears 
  for her safety, too much so to risk bringing 
  the Scarlet Brotherhood’s wrath down on 
  himself by fixing their ship.  
  Appearance: Argyl is also a fearful and 
  nervous fellow, casting his one good eye 
  around the room at strangers. He is an old 
  man with a raspy voice and a fondness for 
  smoking vicious smelling cheroots. 
  Pirraen Vahr (female human Sor 2, AL N). 
  Like many others in Pelorbay, Pirraen has 
  found her way here from elsewhere, being 
  a native of the village of Veralhos in Storm 
  Coast of Onnwal. She fled the mainland in 
  586 CY to escape the murderous war. 
  Pirraen is one of a long line of village 
  "witches" - wise-women with innate 
  magical powers and deep knowledge of 
  herb lore often found among the Suel 
  descended inhabitants of the Storm Coast. 
  She has no particular love for either side 
  in the war, but is reluctant to talk about 
  her past or the reasons why. She will 
  hover on the edge of conversations trying 
  to hear what news there is of the mainland 
  and the Storm Coast in particular. Though 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  6 
  quiet by nature - she is possessed of a 
  strong will and if pestered by PCs, will not 
  hesitate to use Suggestion, Charm Person 
  or Sleep to "persuade" them to leave her 
  alone. Pirraen attracts the attention of 
  Jorva, the Scarlet Scourge’s mage in the 
  option encounter The Sorceress. 
  Appearance: A young woman in her 
  early twenties, Pirraen is pure-blooded 
  Suloise. Though her golden blonde hair is 
  worn 
  unflatteringly 
  short, 
  it 
  cannot 
  disguise her beauty. She dresses in man's 
  clothes - the same loose blouse and 
  pantaloons that the majority of the isles 
  inhabitant's favour.  
  Salaman Crestdeep, Stormseeker (Clr 5 – 
  Procan, AL CN). 
  Another oddity in the tavern, and a 
  companion to Angrar, Salaman is one of 
  the 
  Stormseekers 
  – 
  a 
  bizarre 
  cult 
  dedicated to Procan that believe the best 
  way to hold communion with the Sea Lord 
  is to sail directly into the heart of storms. 
  Most of the Stormseekers remain on the 
  Storm Isles since the fall of Onnwal, but 
  Salaman was guided to the Hezarins 
  during a “communion” and has remained 
  here ever since.  
  He goes out once a year to commune 
  with the storms. His last trip was a week 
  ago, during which time “Procan” told him 
  that it would soon be time for him and the 
  rest of his order to return to the mainland. 
  As the tavern is named “Procan’s 
  Mares”, Salaman sees it as holy ground 
  and holds service here every Godsday. He 
  also uses it as a place to get boisterously 
  drunk and is relatively affable compared 
  to the locals. 
  Appearance: Salaman is a tall, fat man 
  with tattoos of a trident on both shoulders 
  and a storm cloud upon his chest. He is 
  dressed in long brown pantaloons but 
  exposes his gut to the public. He wears a 
  silver vial containing salt water around his 
  neck as a symbol to the Sender of Storms. 
  Larea Farmoore, Merchant of Scant (Sor 
  3, AL LN). 
  Larea is a wealthy and powerful merchant 
  from Scant, her business owns several 
  ships and before the fall of Scant she was 
  one of the most eligible ladies. Being of 
  near-pure blooded Suloise extraction she 
  was classified as a subcitizen, and given 
  her 
  compliance 
  with 
  the 
  Scarlet 
  Brotherhood’s rule she kept her wealth 
  and half of her ships (the other half went 
  to the Brotherhood’s navy of course). 
  Larea 
  adamantly 
  refuses 
  to 
  get 
  involved with either the Brotherhood or 
  the Resistance, preferring to conduct trade 
  with either side as normally as possible. 
  She 
  urges 
  compliance 
  with 
  the 
  Brotherhood to the population of Scant. 
  Her voice is heard and followed by a large 
  section of its population. 
  Currently Larea is trying to relax after 
  having brought in a large cargo of sailcloth 
  to the people of Pelorbay. She is, in a 
  round about way, sympathetic to the 
  cause of the rebels, wishing things could 
  go back to the way they were (so she 
  could have all her ships back). As it stands 
  she is the mostly friendly NPC in the bar 
  towards the PCs. 
  Appearance: A mere 30 years of age, 
  Larea is 5 foot 2 inches, long red hair, 
  slightly portly, blue eyes and dark skin. 
  Her eyes dart about the common room, 
  and there is a hint of sadness in those 
  eyes. She is prepared for trouble though - 
  she wears studded leather armor, has a 
  scarlet sash around her left arm (to 
  indicate she is a sanctioned merchant 
  from Scant) and carries a concealed 
  dagger with her at all times. At her side is 
  a Hepmonaland warrior named Larze, a 
  servant of hers, granted by Maranafel 
  Toktot in exchange for her co-operation. 
  Larze is genuinely devoted to Larea, 
  though he speaks little common. 
  Events 
  With the scene set, and the PCs free to 
  mingle in the common room of the inn, 
  drop in the following events as you see 
  appropriate. 
  Followers of Pholtus Unite! 
  Dasmius and his fellow Pholtans – if they 
  were rescued – have now left the 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  7 
  Resplendent and are made their way into 
  Procan’s Mares. They start brandishing 
  silver holy symbols and attempting to 
  convert the populace. 
  Dasmius eventually sets eyes upon 
  Eirud and draws his sword to attack the 
  Scarlet Scourge’s captain – if the PCs do 
  not stop him, Rattrin shall destroy their 
  ship. 
  The Sorceress 
  Pirraen Vhar, who has been showing an 
  interest in listening to the PCs news, has 
  caught the attention of Jorva, the sorcerer 
  and follower of Lydia, who recognises her 
  from some meeting they had in the past. 
  She will speak with Pirraen and try to 
  persuade her to return to Scant aboard 
  The Scarlet Scourge. It is clear that the pair 
  have had some dealings in the past - 
  though if questioned Pirraen will change 
  the subject to avoid the issue. While later 
  on in this scenario Pirraen decides this is 
  not such a bad idea, currently she is not so 
  willing to go, and currently Jorva is trying 
  to drag her out of the tavern. 
  No-one in the tavern moves to act to 
  help Pirraen – she is an outsider, and only 
  Salaman Crestdeep and Angrar Flamedeep 
  will loudly protest. If the PCs try to block 
  Jorva, she backs down, clearly having 
  exceeded her authority.  
  Eirud publicly berates his mage with a 
  polite grin, claiming she has drunk enough 
  tonight and meeting the approving gaze of 
  Rattrin. 
  Drinking With Thine Enemy 
  This event occurs when the PCs first go to 
  the bar to order drinks. Read or 
  paraphrase the following:- 
  Standing at the bar, you note with some 
  cynicism that it is several of the locals, 
  rather than your lack of a drink and 
  questing 
  gaze, 
  that 
  occupies 
  the 
  barman’s attention 
  A hand falls upon your shoulder, and 
  turning around you see it belongs to the 
  captain of the Brotherhood vessel that 
  has pursued you to Pelorbay. 
  He looks you over and smiles coolly, 
  “Ah, yes, how are you, you do look a little 
  beat up.” He extends an arm in 
  friendship, a grin upon his face, “The 
  name’s Eirud, captain of the Scarlet 
  Scourge.” 
  Eirud attempts to act friendly towards the 
  PC, shaking their hand (or kissing it if they 
  are female). His friendship is obviously a 
  mask (Sense Motive – DC 5), but he insists 
  on being polite, taking great glee in 
  waving to Rattrin, who sits watching the 
  exchange with concern. 
  Eirud continues, offering to help the 
  PCs:- 
  “I see you are having some bother 
  getting served. I have an intimate 
  knowledge of the regional beverages - 
  perhaps you might allow me to acquire 
  some for you?” 
  He smirks and waves to the barkeep, 
  who ceases his conversation and ambles 
  over to the red robed man, who with a 
  smirk asks you, “Now what will you 
  have?” 
  If the PCs act hostile towards Eirud, 
  several of the tavern patrons stand up and 
  intimidate the PCs (Intimidate +8). The 
  tavern keeper shall throw them out if they 
  continue. If they actually attack Eirud, 
  then Rattrin makes good on his threat and 
  The Resplendent is destroyed. The guard 
  and Rattrin attack the PCs until they are 
  dead. They were warned after all. 
  Strange Bedfellows 
  After the PCs have had a chance to interact 
  with the denizens of Procan’s Mares, 
  closing time shall come round. The PCs 
  can opt to stay in the inn if they are tired 
  of the Resplendent’s bunks and it shall cost 
  2 golden gulls to stay in the overpriced 
  poor quality rooms above the tavern. 
  Eirud and his men return to The Scarlet 
  Scourge, knowing full well that they can 
  sleep safely. 
  As they leave, making any final 
  dialogue you deem necessary, it is at this 
  point that Larea Farmoore approaches the 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  8 
  PCs with an offer they can’t refuse. Read 
  the following:- 
  A red-haired woman dressed in a fine 
  silk gown approaches you. She has the 
  look of a merchant about her, and 
  around her left arm is tied a silk red 
  scarf. At her side is a man, dressed 
  lightly in furs and leaning upon a spear 
  and a hide shield. The man, who you 
  recognise to be a Hepmonaland warrior 
  stands in deference to the lady as she 
  speaks in a hushed voice:- 
  “You would be some of the people 
  that came in on the Free State vessel? 
  May I sit here and discuss a proposal 
  with you – I think I could help you fix 
  your ship. No-one else here will help.” 
  If the PCs rebuff Larea’s offer, she shrugs 
  and with her manservant Larze returns to 
  her table. Throughout the rest of their stay 
  in the common room she watches the PCs 
  like a hawk, and the next time she 
  approaches the PCs may be at the dinner 
  onboard the Scarlet Scourge in Encounter 
  3, where she will re-iterate that the PCs 
  should meet to discuss repairing the ship.  
  True to her word – no one else here can 
  help repair the ship. They are too scared 
  of the Brotherhood (even though Pelorbay 
  is a Free Port now). The shipwright has 
  been intimidated by the Brotherhood 
  crew and refuses to help fix the PCs vessel 
  as long as the Brotherhood remain on the 
  isle. 
  If she is invited to stay, Larea makes 
  her offer as plainly as possible:- 
  “My men, led by Larze here, can fix your 
  ship. We saw it on the way in, but we’d 
  need a better look. I’d say we’re looking 
  at the best part of three days to repair it. 
  We have the timber onboard to repair 
  that hull, and you’ll not get it from any 
  other source than here. 
  “All I ask from you is that you carry 
  some cargo of mine to Longbridge to 
  sell, and two weeks from now cut me in 
  on a percentage. We’ll meet in the 
  Disputed Zone near Scant. If this is too 
  rich for you - put in a good word for me 
  with the Free State’s authorities.  
  “You see – since the Brotherhood 
  sanctioned my merchant house in Scant, 
  I’ve had to cease trading with the Free 
  State in Sornhill and Longbridge. The 
  authorities don’t trust me. If you tell 
  them that I fixed your ship maybe they’ll 
  see I truly am a neutral party in this 
  conflict. At any rate, we’ll meet at this 
  shack in the Disputed Zone in two weeks 
  time, used to belong to a friend of mine 
  called Kallarn. If you’ve got the money 
  or a letter from someone in authority 
  allowing me to dock in the Free State, 
  we’ll call it evens. 
  “Anyway I’ll fix your ship and trust 
  you – if your words do carry any weight, 
  you keep a percentage piece of the 
  action. If not you better have all the 
  money from selling my goods in your 
  pocket or Larze, well let’s say he doesn’t 
  like to see me upset.” 
  Defaulting on the trading has dire 
  consequences for the Free State, as can be 
  seen in the Resolutions section of the next 
  chapter. 
  Dinner 
  It takes three days and three nights to fix 
  the ship with Larea’s help (and supply of 
  timber), three more days the PCs must 
  stay in Pelorbay and oversee matters. 
  During this time, if the PCs explore 
  Pelorbay (which does not hold much of 
  interest) a group of Hepmonaland savages 
  from the Scarlet Sign attempt to goad the 
  PCs into rash actions through verbal abuse 
  and obscenities. They will not attack, but 
  will defend themselves if they succeed in 
  goading the PCs into action.  
  On the second day, regardless of 
  whether the PCs enlisted Larea’s help, 
  they receive an invitation from Eirud 
  Proshahar, inviting the PCs to dinner at his 
  table aboard the Scarlet Scourge. A 
  Hepmonaland savage delivers it to the 
  ship. 
  There is no consequence if the players 
  do not attend this dinner, but Eirud 
  considers this a moral victory over the 
  PCs. 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  9 
  Two Hepmonaland warriors wait for 
  the PCs on the docks. They politely insist 
  that on Rattrin orders they divest 
  themselves of all weapons and perform a 
  thorough search (Search +4). 
  The PCs are led into Eirud’s cabin 
  aboard the Scarlet Sign. You might wish to 
  let the PCs see the plan of the Scarlet 
  Scourge, but note that the Black Mist Stone 
  is covered up – something the PCs may 
  decide to investigate. 
  Inside the Captain’s Quarters a table 
  has been set out formally for dinner. 
  Present are Eirud himself, sat at the head 
  of the table looking pleased with himself, 
  Larea Farmoore, her manservant Larze, 
  Pirraen Vhar sat next to the sorceress 
  Jorva (despite their previous altercation in 
  the tavern), Despot Rattrin and the first 
  mate Petre. You may wish to refer to their 
  descriptions above. 
  Eirud and his men attempt to make 
  polite conversation with the PCs, but their 
  wafer thin veneer of politeness should be 
  made apparent to the PCs by remarks. 
  Topics of conversation offered by the 
  Scarlet Brotherhood include the current 
  state of the war (which is clearly going in 
  their favour due to the lack of unity in the 
  rebel factions), education (while the 
  education provided by Priests of Lydia are 
  the most superior they would like to hear 
  some stories about an academy that is 
  being set up in Longbridge) and so forth.  
  Larea, Lorze and Rattrin tend to stay 
  silent unless spoken to, but if the PCs have 
  not taken Larea up on her offer she quietly 
  takes them aside to reiterate her offer. 
  Pirraen Vhar and Jorva on the other 
  hand speak to each other cosily, aside 
  from the main conversation. Jorva is 
  explaining the education that a citizen of 
  the Scarlet Brotherhood receives on the 
  Tilva Peninsula and Pirraen seems most 
  interested. 
  The meal itself consists of a starter of 
  stew, followed by a main course consisting 
  of a choice of salmon, squid or seahorse. 
  Finally dessert consists of sweet meats 
  and cake. The wine is of excellent quality – 
  from Sornhill’s own vineyards and dating 
  back as far as 567 CY. With a smirk Eirud 
  will drop into the conversation that it is 
  from the old Szek’s personal stock. 
  Feel 
  free 
  to 
  add 
  any 
  free-form 
  roleplaying you wish to this encounter – 
  the players almost certainly will! Despot 
  Rattrin will however intervene if things 
  look like they are getting violent and he is 
  not beneath destroying the Resplendent to 
  stop a conflict. 
  Farewells and Financial Advice 
  If the meal draws to a successful close 
  without anyone causing a riot, Eirud offers 
  them this final farewell:- 
  “We’ll be setting sail soon. No doubt 
  we’ll see you before you see us,” says the 
  Xerban with a gleeful grin. “Unfortunate 
  you couldn’t come out with us, but then 
  again you have had bother trying to fix 
  this ship haven’t you? Some would say 
  this Resplendent is cursed – maybe she 
  should never have left Sornhill.” 
  He smiles, and waves, but then 
  furrows his brow momentarily in what 
  seems like mock concern. 
  “Oh before I forget, I believe there is a 
  matter of a contract regarding your 
  agreement between Mistress Farmoore 
  and yourself. Now I’ve no desire to see 
  whatever terms you have with her, but I 
  wish for her to be protected. 
  “I believe it requires the signature of 
  a priest of Zilchus, or a priest of Xerbo. 
  Obviously as you’re not going to find a 
  Zilchan around here, I’d be willing to be 
  an impartial witness to your dealings 
  with Mistress Farmoore. In fact to show 
  how high my regard for all of you, I’ll 
  even waive the traditional percentage 
  I’d be due.” 
  Larea shifts uncomfortably in her 
  seat but nods. 
  Eirud is trying to exact the terms of the 
  agreement 
  between 
  the 
  PCs 
  and 
  Farmoore. Nothing more – but if a 
  contract is drawn up, Eirud acts only 
  mildly interested and is cool towards 
  Larea – she is helping the PCs, but she is 
  helping them into a trap he intends to set. 
  
  Any Port In a Storm 
   
  10 
  Larea is genuinely trying to help the PCs 
  out of enlightened self-interest however.  
  If the PCs do attack Eirud, Rattrin 
  simply activates the runestones on the 
  shore to crack the Resplendent like an egg. 
  This time, not even Larea shall be able to 
  repair the ship, and the Hezarin guards 
  shall likely kill all the PCs. 
  Once he has finished gloating, Eirud 
  departs with the fire mage, and The Scarlet 
  Scourge sets sail in the night, to await the 
  PCs outside the isles bounds. 
  The Night They Leave 
  On the third night, as the PCs are 
  doubtless readying to leave Pelorbay, they 
  encounter their fellow crewman Golgak, 
  injured on the docks. Modify this text 
  based off what the PCs are currently up 
  to:- 
  As you make your way towards your 
  lodgings a silhouette emerges from one 
  of the sides of the houses. It is unsure of 
  its footing – but it moves towards you. 
  Allow the PCs to react to this sighting, and 
  then 
  when 
  appropriate 
  reveal 
  the 
  following:- 
  You recognise him as Golgak, second 
  mate aboard the Resplendent, as he 
  staggers down the street. Literally 
  bumping into you, in the light, you see 
  the man has many fresh cuts across his 
  face and back. He stumbles, kneeling on 
  the ground, clutching his head, and start 
  battering it off the cobbles and saying 
  over and over again, “No, no, wrong 
  now.” 
  A Heal Roll (DC 13) reveals that the cuts 
  were caused by a whip. Golgak has been 
  whipped quite literally black and blue, but 
  also oddly his mind has suffered as well. It 
  is like he is only dimly aware of his 
  surroundings and he slurs his voice like he 
  is drunk. 
  If taken back to Captain Gremag, the 
  captain berates his underling for getting 
  drunk at first, before realising what has 
  happened to the mate. 
  Golgak is unfit for work – his mind has 
  been broken. A Diplomacy Roll (DC 23) 
  may coax from him the words, “Red man, 
  big whip, claws in the dark!” which is all 
  he shall say happened to him in his ordeal. 
  What has happened to Golgak is 
  revealed in the next chapter. Taking this 
  matter before Rattrin does no good, as he 
  is unlikely to accept the word of a 
  freebooter over a “gentleman” like Eirud 
  Proshahar. Besides – as The Scarlet 
  Scourge just recently set sail (mere 
  moments before the PCs’ discovery) 
  Rattrin views the matter as moot. 
  Conclusion 
  By dawn Larea’s men have completed 
  their repairs upon The Resplendent and 
  she greets the PCs and Captain Gremag 
  with a stern reminder to honour their 
  agreement they made. She also points out 
  that they should tell Rattrin they are 
  leaving. 
  If they go to Rattrin’s manor, he greets 
  them at the door and will most assuredly 
  give them permission.  
  “Seems like everyone’s leaving,” says the 
  fiery mage as he towers in his doorway. 
  “First the Scarlet Scourge, with Pirraen – 
  though I don’t think she wanted to go 
  willingly, know you. Well – for us 
  anyway it’s a blessing, be off with you, 
  I’m sure it will be a short voyage.” 
  Perceptive PCs (Sense Motive – DC 25) 
  may notice a wry look of amusement upon 
  Rattrin’s face as he gives them permission 
  to depart – as if he knew what fate was in 
  store for them. With or without this 
  foreboding they should now return to 
  their ship and prepare to set sail on the 
  final leg of the journey… 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Living Greyhawk/Splintered Suns and Scarlet Signs/Onnwal/Scarlet Straits2.pdf