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Act One: The Call
The heroes have come to the city of Solace for the annual Festival of the Heroes, a weeklong fair commemorating the end of the Chaos War thirty-one years ago. The celebration culminates with a twilight procession past the Tomb of the Last Heroes, a black marble edifice where many heroes of the Chaos War have been laid to rest, including Tanis Half-Elven and Steel Brightblade. It is also a monument to the kender hero Tasslehoff Burrfoot. The crowd at the fair is thick with kender who have come to pay their respects at the Tomb and to immerse themselves in the excitement of the fair. Overview In this scene, the heroes have the opportunity to display their skills in archery, wrestling, magic - even a joust. Getting Started Many famous characters live in Solace, most notably the Majere family. Although the master sorcerer Palin Majere is not in town now, the heroes might meet Tika and Caramon serving patrons at the Inn of the Last Home. Therefore, the Narrator should have their character cards from the FIFTH AGE boxed set handy. First Impressions
It is late spring in Solace and evening
approaches. The mood is festive, though
plenly it guards stand duty, watching for
trouble. After all, this city has seen its share
of woe since the Chaos War, from invading armiies to dragon battles. The citizens
are happy but prepared for anything.
Solace is bustling on this warm spring
late afternoon. It's the last day of the Festival of the Heroes, and the city has been the
site of a lively fair for the past week. The
striped tents of traveling minstrels and
peddlers dot the fresh grass beneath the
stately vallenwoods. The air is lull of delicious smells and the sounds of merriment.
The citizens of Solace are out in force
today, taking in the pleasures of the fair
before the performers and merchants pack
up and move on. Housewives haggle with
merchants over holts of cloth from Palanthas, wide-eyed farm boys gawk at dancing
girls (when they think their local sweethearts aren't looking), and adventurers
such as yourselves stop to examine weaponry from dwarf smiths or lounge near the
paddock where an archery contest and
joust will take place before sundown.
Bright-eyed children, curious as
kender, stop to admire your equipment.
In fact, some of them are kender. The Story Begins Unwary heroes are almost certain to lose a few small things, with all the kender around (see "Actions"). Of course, if the heroes make trouble, they may arouse the suspicions of the watchful city guard. Anyone wishing to get involved in the fair has several opportunities to do so. Any hero can join the archery contest, and Knights and Legionnaires with trained war horses can enter the joust, too. Heroes looking for other competitions can find a wrestling match, a spell-casting display, and a greased pig contest. Some characters stage impromptu performances: juggling, magic, feats of strength, and the like. On a makeshift stage beneath a vallenwood, some comic performers reenact the Battle of the Rift. Atmosphere Anyone who has ever attended a carnival or fair knows how to play this scene. Solace is crowded and noisy. Merchants shout or sing loudly and eagerly as they try to call attention to their wares:
- "Step right up, my friends, and try out a
knife or dagger as sharp as a dragon's
claw! These beauties are made from
dwarven steel - none better on Krynn!"
Actions Every hero must make an average Perception action during the afternoon. (For those who were keeping an eye on the kender, the action is easy.) A hero who fails this action has "lost" some coin to the local kender: He suffers a -1 penalty to his next wealth action. A mishap might mean he has lost something particularly valuable. Heroes who enter any of the competitions at the festival must make three suc- cessful actions or be forced out. Jousting or wrestling requires average Strength actions. To stay in the archery competition, heroes must make an average Dexterity action each round. The greased pig contest requires three average Agility actions. Heroes suffering a mishap in any of these competitions have injured themselves, suffering a wound equal to the value of the card they just played. Anyone who makes it through three rounds of a competition can attempt two more actions, one challenging and one daunting, to continue. If both these succeed, the hero enters the final round and must make a desperate action to win. A victorious hero receives a garland of flowers and a purse of coins from Solace's mayor. He may then enjoy a +3 action bonus to a single wealth action of his choice. The Narrator should help heroes entering contests role-play their attempts based on the outcome of their actions. Heroes have time to participate in only two contests or performances. Heroes staging their own impromptu performances must make average Presence actions to get the crowd's attention, then attempt the following action to impress the assembly with their performance: Impress the Crowd
Difficulty: Challenging (12) Comments: Once a hero has an audience, he must attempt an action to impress the crowd. Singing or reciting poetry, for example, requires another Presence action, while dancing calls for an Agility action, and juggling a Dexterity action. Sorcerers and mystics can impress the crowd with their displays of magic by successfully casting a spell, then making a Presence action with a +1 action bonus for every spell point spent. Successfully impressing the crowd yields enough coin to give the hero a +1 bonus to any single wealth action. Mishap: During his unimpressive performance, a kender steals something from the hero, causing a -1 wealth action penalty until he retrieves the item. Characters The information below for Solace locals also can represent merchants or contest judges. Guards will appear in groups of eight to arrest anyone that becomes disruptive during this scene. Solace locals: Humans of varied age and demeanor, Unknown and Rabble. Co 5, Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing). Guards: Humans of varied age and demeanor, Novices. Co 7, Ph 6, In 5, Es 5, Dmg +6 (long bow), Def -4 (scale). Outcome The festival ends at dusk, when virtually everyone in Solace quiets down for a procession to the Tomb of the Last Heroes.
- Joining the procession or trying to
avoid it takes the heroes to Scene Two.
As the festival ends, the heroes see that the crowds expect everyone to join the solemn procession paying respects at the Tomb of the Last Heroes. Overview This scene is intended to get the party started down the road to a heroic quest by offering one or more of the group a vision at the Last Heroes' Tomb. If the heroes refuse to visit the Tomb, however, they find that the cheerful and friendly residents of Solace can get unpleasant. Getting Started The Narrator should have Goldmoon's character card available to show the players when the heroes receive their vision. In addition, he may want to refer back to the Prologue for descriptions of Blister and Dhamon, who appear in this scene (if not in play as heroes). First Impressions A hush has fallen over the damp spring evening, as residents and visitors begin the procession. The mood in town has shifted abruptly from mirth to solemnity. In the hours before the procession, no lights burn in Solace.
Sundown has brought a chill to Solace,
and you catch a hint of rain on the old
mountain breeze that rustles the budding
leav'es on the vallenvoods. The festival's
bustle and merrimrnt seems to have
departed with the sun. Many people are
still abroad, but the afternoon's laughter
has fled, replaced by whispered conversations, murmured prayers, and silent
reflection. A wintry hush has fallen over
Solace like a blanket of new snow
As the sky darkens, the stars seem to
quietly hide behind the looming clouds.
Every window ill Solace is unlit, For a
moment, the town seems as silent and
black as a cave.
Abruptly, a bonfire ol pine logs crackles to life before you, sending sparks
dancing skyward like a swarm ot orange
fireflies. Soon, candles flicker to life all
around town. A silent young man
approaches you and hands you unlit
candles. Nearby, other visitors are accepting and lighting candles, filling the town
with trembling light.
The Story Continues When all of Solace is alight with candles, the people form a single line and troop reverently the short distance to the Tomb of the Last Heroes, a grand structure of black marble in the center of an open field. At the time of its building, the Tomb lay some distance outside of Solace, but the city's growth in recent decades has brought it within the town limits. However, this field, where the Last Heroes appeared after the Chaos War, remains untouched by the sprawl of Solace. Many people stop to lay offerings before the tomb, including a blond kender woman wearing gloves who looks tearfully up at the hoopak inscribed over the door to the Tomb. The heroes also might see a blond young man with a warrior's build reverently kneel before the Tomb and place a sword in the grass. He remains before the Tomb for several minutes before moving on, staring at the monument as though transfixed. When the heroes proceed up to the Tomb, at least one of them sees the image of a shimmering door appear over the Tomb's real door. Through it steps a diaphanous and hauntingly beautiful woman with silvery golden hair. The hero experiencing the vision cannot tell if the door actually opened or if the woman really stepped through the glowing portal. "A quest awaits you, hero," the ghostly woman says. "Come to the Silver Stair on Schallsea, and all will be made clear." The woman is Goldmoon, First Master of Mysticism. If the hero speaks to her, she simply urges him to come to Schallsea and meet with her. Goldmoon is most likely to contact heroes who have assumed the rogue knight role, as they are susceptible to mysticism. Otherwise, the hero who belongs to the quietest player sees the vision. If there are no quiet players, the hero with either the highest Spirit score or whose nature is derived from the card with the lowest value sees the vision. Should the heroes fail to join the procession, a few locals go out of their way to point out that it is customary for all citizens and visitors to travel to the Tomb at the festival's end. If the heroes don't take the hint, several brash local youths, emboldened by too much celebrating, seek out the party and try to start a brawl. A fight brings the city guard after a few minutes to arrest everyone involved. If the heroes face down the youths but still refuse to visit the Tomb, the toughs leave, only to reappear later in a group of six. They spend several minutes insulting and threatening the heroes, then they attack, grabbing anything that happens to be available to use as weapons (see Chapter Four of Night and Day for details on improvised weapons). Again, the guards arrive in a few minutes to arrest the lot. The guards really don't want to arrest anyone tonight, but they know their duty. They hunt down everyone involved in a fight and take them to jail, even if the brawl has ended by the time they arrived. There are plenty of witnesses on hand to point accusing fingers at heroes who try to evade arrest. If a hero avoids a fight by convincing the youths to back off, he receives Goldmoon's vision that night in a dream, as described above. Atmosphere A Narrator cannot overplay this scene's solemnity and reverence. If possible, he should dim the lights before starting the scene, or play by candlelight. Using a gentle whisper should prompt the players to speak quietly as well. As Solace begins to light up tor the procession, the Narrator can brighten the room again and resume his normal speaking voice. Actions If the local youths confront the group, the heroes' leader can force them to back down with a successful average Presence (Presence) action. Characters The following characters may become involved in this scene. Solace locals: Humans of varied age and demeanor, Unknown and Rabble. Co 5, Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing). Guards: Humans of varied age and demeanor, Novices. Co 7, Ph 6, In 5, Es 5, Dmg +6 (long bow), Def -4 (scale). Three (or six) youths: Young adult humans, aggressive demeanors, Rabble. Co 5, Ph 6, In 4, Es 4, Dmg +1 (or by weapon), Def 0 (common clothing). Outcome Unless the heroes have been jailed, they are free to leave Solace whenever they like. With the festival over, the town becomes a fairly dull place, though groups of kender still come to visit the tomb of "Uncle Tas" and see what sort of trouble they can get into (such as examining the heroes' possessions). If the heroes have received Goldmoon's vision, their next move is to find passage to Schallsea. Anyone in Solace can tell them that a reliable vessel runs to that island from New Ports to the southeast.
- If the heroes opt to travel to Schallsea
via New Ports, the adventure continues with Scene Five.
If the heroes lost their heads and got into a fight at the fair, they wound up in jail - unless they fled immediately (Scene Four). Once imprisoned, they can either stay in jail until released the next morning or try to escape. Unless the heroes behave violently or stupidly, they should emerge from the experience unscathed. Overview This scene offers the party an alternate opportunity to receive a call to heroism. It also introduces two important characters: Jasper and Raph. (The Narrator may substitute equivalent characters if these two personalities are heroes in the party.) Getting Started Narrators should refer to the Prologue's descriptions of Raph and Jasper if they are not already with the party. Goldmoon's character card also may be needed. First Impressions Every year during the fair, the Knights of Solamnia in Solace convert one of their barracks into a temporary holding area for rowdies and inebriates. Like most buildings in Solace, the barracks rests high in the branches of a vallenwood. The Knights keep the prisoners for the city guard in a room about thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. Small cots allow prisoners to sleep off whatever indiscretion has led them here. If a prisoner proves dangerous, the Knights keep him in another room, chained hand and foot.
After the brawl, a team of burly Knights
in plate armor relieves you of your weapons, armor, and equipment and hauls you
up a long staircase to a small hut sturdy-looking building perched in one ot
Solace's famous vallenwood trees. You
must be sixty feet off thc ground.
Inside waits a windowless room with
log walls. The chamber is about twice as
long as it is wide, and about twenty cots
line the walla. A motley collection ot snoring drunks, bright kender, and sullen tavern brawlers rest on the bunks. The locals
you fought are here, too.
The Knights slam the room's only door
shut behind you, and you hear a bar drop
into place. A small hatch in the door snaps
open, and your jailer warns you to behave
while you're here. When the hatch snaps
shut, the room is plunged into darkness.
The Story Continues As the heroes grope around in the dark for an empty bunk, a candle flares to life, held by a pesky kender named Raph. The town guards arrested the mop-headed kender after he filched a few items from some merchants at the fair. "Hi!" he says. "Isn't this a nice jail? Did you know that Solace doesn't usually need a jail? I think the Knights use this as a storeroom except during the festival. Those men over there don't seem to like you very much. Did you do something to them? I'm really glad you're here; almost everyone's asleep now, and I was getting bored. I thought maybe I'd try to escape, just for something to do. That probably would make that Knight mad, and he's no tun when he's mad - he just yells. Maybe we should talk instead? What did you do today that got you in here? I borrowed something - just to look at, mind you. You don't look like borrowers. Did you get into a fight? Was it fun?" At the moment, the kender can't clearly remember what he "borrowed," but he knows it looked interesting, whatever it was. Then he starts babbling on about all the things he's seen at the fair. If the heroes don't shut him up (see "Actions"), he relates a tale about a young warrior who saw some sort of vision at the Tomb of the Last Heroes. The kender claims he heard the man talking to someone who wasn't really there. Raph would have followed him, but the guards showed up just then and dragged him off to jail. Everyone arrested for brawling at the fair has been locked in this same room. The Knights expect any former adversaries to behave civilly now. The heroes can try to escape if they wish. However, if they were arrested for brawling, the characters they fought attack them as soon as they try anything. The heroes will have to subdue these foes or convince them not to interfere before attempting an escape. A Knight keeps watch over the prisoners through the peephole in the door. He also listens carefully for any noise that might indicate trouble brewing. At the first sign of any kind of trouble from the prisoners, he summons a mystic to put them to sleep. After casting the spell, the mystic enters the room with eight Knights to see what was the matter. If the heroes pass the night quietly, one (Narrator's choice) dreams of Goldmoon imploring him to come to Schallsea, as described for the vision in Scene Two. In the morning, the heroes are released from jail, assuming their crime was fairly minor. The commander of the local Knights admonishes them to behave in the future and requires them to pay a fine before they leave, as well as cover any damages their misconduct may have caused. If the heroes committed a serious crime, a dwarf mystic named Jasper comes to visit them in the morning (or another mystic from the Citadel of Light, if Jasper has joined the group as a hero). This dwarf has seen one of the heroes in a vision and convinces the Knights to release them all into his custody - provided he agrees to accompany them to Schallsea to meet Goldmoon. Atmosphere Heroes who land in jail because of fighting or the like have placed themselves in a silly situation, and the Narrator should play it up. Perhaps the other prisoners snore like rusty saws. The kender doesn't snore, but he natters on incessantly, wanting to know everything about the heroes and asking them an endless stream of questions. If the heroes were arrested for brawling, their foes glower at them from across the room, making sophomoric comments the whole time. Actions Shutting up the kender or getting the local toughs to leave them alone requires the heroes to make a successful challenging Presence (Presence) action. Breaking down the door is a desperate Strength action, and smashing a hole in one of the walls is an impossible Strength action. Resisting the mystic's sleep spell is an average Spirit (Presence) action. Paying the fine in the morning is an easy wealth action, but it becomes average if the heroes made trouble at the jail or caused property damage earlier. Those who can't pay must wait for Jasper to save them. Characters Besides Raph and Jasper, the characters in this scene include: Knights: Human adults, various demeanors, Adventurers. Co 5, Ph 6, In 5, Es 5, Dmg +5 (sabre), Def -10 (plate/tower). Solace locals: Humans of varied age and demeanor, Unknown and Rabble. Co 5, Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing). Mystic: Half-elf adult female, insightful demeanor, Novice. Co 5, Ph 6, In 5, Es 8 (64), Dmg +5 (scimitar), Def -5 (plate), also mysticism (mentalism, healing, sensitivity). Outcome Once the heroes leave jail, they are free to depart Solace. They can take an east road, into northern Abanasinia or the Plains farther east or they can try the south road, which forks not far outside of Solace: One branch continues south toward Qualinesti and the town of New Ports, and the other branch circles north and west around the haunted Darken Wood.
- Should the heroes decide upon a route
other than the path to New Ports, the
story continues with Scene Four.
Narrators should begin this scene if the heroes have departed Solace; it assumes they did not take the road south toward the town of New Ports. Overview Though Abanasinia is a free realm, the countryside is not entirely safe - groups of bandits or beasts sometimes attack travelers. One such band of independent draconians sets an ambush for the heroes. Getting Started Chapter Six of the Book of the Fifth Age offers the Narrator some important background on draconians. First Impressions The heroes left Solace three or four days ago and have entered a deserted stretch of country crisscrossed with streams. Well-maintained bridges allow the group to move steadily along. They haven't met another traveler or seen any sign of habitation for the past day. Wet spring weather has returned after several days of bright sunshine. The cool, fresh breeze today sends clumps of thick, dark clouds scooting across the colorless sky. Light but cold rain has drenched you several times but the showers have been brief and the ground remains fairly dry. You've crossed several small, fast-moving streams - thankfully, the bridges have proven sturdy so far. The Story Continues As the heroes walk along, some of them might spot a flying creature just at the corner of their vision. It disappears into the clouds too quickly for anyone to identify it, even a hero with acute eyesight. About an hour later, your path takes you down into a small dell. The valley looks green, lush and inviting, just like a dozen others you've seen today - except for the vultures. The carrion birds circle low over a stone bridge across a fast-running brook lined with birch thickets. The heroes encounter this scene at a distance of far missile range from the bridge. If they stop to study their surroundings, they see the bodies of several men and horses scattered about. Earlier in the day, a band of draconians here waylaid a group of pilgrims headed home from the Festival of the Heroes in Solace. Displeased with the loot they took from them, the dragon-men decided to lie in wait for some wealthier travelers to pass. The draconian leader, a Sivak, spotted the heroes earlier as he flew over the area. Flying back to the draconian encampment, the Sivak ordered its followers to ambush the heroes at the same bridge where they attacked the pilgrims. The Battle Four Baaz draconians lurk in the thicket on the far side of the stream, intending to hold their attack until the heroes approach the bridge and begin examining the pilgrims' bodies. When the heroes start looking around, the Baaz open fire with their bows at near missile range from the cover of the thicket. This partial cover means all heroes suffer a -2 action penalty for missile attacks against them. Up to this time, the Sivak has lain among the corpses, using its shape-shifting power to pose as a surviving pilgrim left for dead. However, when the other draconians fire, it leaps to its feet with a shrill cry and attacks while the missile fire distracts the heroes. The Sivak fights, blocking the stone bridge, until it has suffered 12 damage points; then it leaps off the bridge or tries to fly away. The remaining draconians keep firing until the Sivak dies or flees, either of which causes them to scatter and flee themselves. Once the party of heroes has defeated these draconians, they can track them back to their encampment, where several of the hapless pilgrims lie bound and guarded by two more Baaz draconians. These guards, and any draconians that survived the ambush, make a last stand in their camp. If the heroes seem unwilling to approach the bridge, or if they try to detour around it, the Sivak takes wing and blocks them while the four Baaz charge the group from behind. Should the heroes capture a draconian, they can interrogate it and learn the location of the camp. If pressed, the captive tells the party about the two guards and the prisoners. Atmosphere In his opening descriptions of this scene, the Narrator should play up the stark contrast between the pleasant spring setting and the corpses, with the vultures circling overhead. Playing a tape of a flowing brook might help set the initial mood, making it easier to catch the players off guard with the scene of carnage. Actions A successful average Perception action allows the heroes to notice the flying creature at the start of the scene. If they pause at far missile range from the stone bridge to study the corpses, an easy Perception action reveals that one of the "bodies" is actually alive and writhing on the ground (the Sivak pretending to be a wounded pilgrim). Should the heroes approach the bridge without taking any special precautions, the draconians ambush them (refer to the rules for surprise in Chapter Four of the Book of the Fifth Age). If the heroes act wary, however, they have the normal chance to avoid being surprised. As the draconians know the heroes are coming, they cannot be surprised. If the Sivak tries to flee, the heroes can stop it from taking flight by keeping it from opening the combat range. However, once the creature successfully moves to near missile range (or leaps off the bridge), all its further attempts to open the range succeed, unless the heroes can fly. Interrogating a captured draconian requires an easy Presence (Spirit) action but reveals only the location of their base camp. The heroes can follow the creatures' trail back to their camp with an average Perception action. Characters The prisoners the heroes may find at the camp are wounded and very hungry. Six Baaz: Draconians, lawless demeanor, Adventurers. Co 8, Ph 6, In 6, Es 7, Dmg +4, Def -3, also missile weapons (horse bow/+4), glides, turns to stone on its death. One Sivak: Draconian, treacherous demeanor, Adventurer. Co 10, Ph 12, In 7, Es 7, Dmg +12, Def -5, also can fly, shapechange, explodes on its death. Eight captive pilgrims: Various races and demeanors, Rabble. Co 6, Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing). Outcome When the heroes rescue the prisoners, they beg to be escorted back to Solace so they might alert the local guard to the draconian menace ambushing travelers. In any case, once the heroes defeat the draconians, every hero who delivered a killing blow to a draconian receives a vision from Goldmoon. While these visions resemble the one described in Scene Two, the master mystic also congratulates the heroes on their victory and hints that more undiscovered dangers lie ahead. If the heroes heed the vision, they can return to Solace and go on to New Ports or they can go to one of Abanasinia's other ports. In either case, the adventure continues with Scene Five. The heroes have reached a port and can start looking for passage to Schallsea. Overview If the heroes decided to go to New Ports, they have a quick and pleasant trip despite some wet weather. Both the Legion of Steel and the Knights of Solamnia patrol the well-maintained road from Solace, keeping the route clear of monsters and bandits. Those who took another route (Scene Four) found the latter half of their long journey quite soggy - and traveling cross-country in rainy weather is seldom pleasant. In either case, the heroes' main task once they reach town is locating a ship. Getting Started Narrators should review the character descriptions of Rig and Shaon (if they have not become heroes), as the group may be seeking passage on their vessel, the Wind Chaser. The other personalities from the Prologue may be aboard as well. First Impressions The Narrator should read the following text aloud to start the scene: The port is alive with the calls of gulls and the sing-song chants of vendors hawking their wares - all pleasant sounds alter your trek through the countryside. The rain-tresh air carries the invigorating tang of salt, and a thicket ot masts down on the waterfront promises a quick passage to the island ol Schallsea. The Story Continues If Rig has joined the group as a hero, he can get the entire party passage on the Wind Chaser, provided they can pay the fare - the vessel's owner takes a dim view of freeloaders. Rig enjoys this special influence only in New Ports. Without him on hand to arrange passage, the heroes will have to visit the waterfront and inquire about ships bound for Schallsea. They can either search the docks or visit local inns and taverns. Atmosphere The port is crowded, noisy, and none too clean. Whenever the heroes wander about the town, they see cargo being moved through the streets and groups of swaggering sailors. Gulls fly overhead and occasionally walk underfoot. The heroes can hear bawdy songs, housewives haggling with fishmongers, and children at play. They can smell the sea, fresh bread, old fish, and pine tar. If they don't watch where they step, they might sink into the muddy streets or slip on debris - everything from fish heads to horse dung litters the ground and the docks. Actions Heroes in New Ports with Rig's help can locate the Wind Chaser and bargain for passage automatically. Booking Passage If the heroes are in New Ports without Rig, or if the group has traveled to another port, one hero must succeed at an average Reason action to locate a suitable ship. Groups in New Ports encounter the Wind Chaser, while others meet Owen Kiriki, a half-elf merchant captain planning a voyage. In either case, the heroes can buy passage individually or as a group. Buying individual passage is automatic for heroes with wealth scores of 4 or higher, and an easy wealth action for everyone else. One hero may buy passage for the whole group with a successful challenging wealth action. Should any wealth action fail, the hero(es) must haggle with the captain for a lower fare: an easy Presence (Presence) action. If this action succeeds, the heroes can attempt another wealth action to book passage, this time with a +1 action bonus. They can repeat this haggling process as often as they need to. The standard fare to the island of Schallsea covers passage to the main port. It costs more to book passage farther up the coast to the Silver Stair - everyone must attempt an easy wealth action at a -2 penalty. Failing to Book Passage It's possible that the group might fail to locate a ship or to buy passage. In New Ports In New Ports, the group can simply wait a week for another ferry to come along. During the delay, each hero must make an easy wealth action to cover expenses. If that action fails, the hero can find a way to make ends meet with an average Reason action. Heroes who fail this action lose a piece of their equipment (Narrator's choice), assumed sold for cash, traded, or stolen. If any of the heroes suffers a mishap while trying to locate a ship or paying expenses, the unfortunate group meets Locke Farros, a dishonest merchant headed for Sanction - though he tells them he's bound for Schallsea. Locke readily offers them free passage to the island if they agree to help his crew guard his ship against the threat of pirates. He leaves the heroes alone if they refuse his offer, however. In Other Ports Heroes not in New Ports who fail to locate a ship or book passage unfortunately encounter Owen Locke even without a mishap. Refusing the scoundrel's offer of passage provokes him - he wastes no time using his extensive local connections to have their food drugged. At their next meal, each hero must succeed in an average Endurance action or pass out for four hours. Locke's contacts at the inn where the heroes were dining allow him and his toughs to capture them and drag them aboard his ship. If the heroes resist Locke, they meet the half-elf merchant Owen Kiriki after a week's delay and can book passage. Characters Rig Mer-Krel and Shaon are members of the Wind Chaser's crew in New Ports. If they have not already joined the group as heroes, these two characters pass the time chatting with the group. If the heroes went directly from Solace to New Ports and boarded the ferry without delay, Dhamon, Blister, Raph, and Jasper also are aboard. The quartet is on the way to see Goldmoon, just as the heroes are. Dhamon and Jasper do not appear talkative, but the two kender chat endlessly about things they've seen and done and about mystical visions. Other characters in this scene may include Locke's thugs, who help their employer try to subdue the heroes if they object to being shanghaied to Sanction. Locke Farros: Human male adult, dishonest demeanor, Adventurer. Co 5, Ph 4, In 7 (49), Es 7, Dmg +5 (sabre), Def -4 (scale), also sorcery (aeromancy, hydromancy, cryomancy). Four thugs: Human adults, unimaginative demeanors, Rabble. Co 5, Ph 6, In 4, Es 5, Dmg +6 (crook blade), Def -6 (chain/target). Capt. Owen Kiriki: Male adult half-elf, purposeful demeanor, Adventurer. Co 6, Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg +3 (short sword), Def -2 (leather). Outcome The voyage to Schallsea takes about five days from New Ports, but slightly less time from a northern port. Heroes serving aboard Locke's ship have an eleven-day trip across the New Sea to Sanction. Attentive heroes will notice that the ship isn't going the right direction for Schallsea by about their fourth day at sea. If the heroes wind up in Sanction, they'll either have to persuade or force Locke to take them to Schallsea, or they'll have to wait a month for another ship. This scene concludes Act One. Once the group is actually on its way to Schallsea, the adventure can continue with Scene One of Act Two.
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