Savage Coast Campaign Book
Part 3:  The Campaign

Copyright © 1996 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Made in the U.S.A.

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2521XXX1501 	ISBN 0-7869-0379-1

Table of Contents

ADVENTURES ON THE SAVAGE COAST
The Campaign
	The World
	Immortals
	Inheritors
	The Afflicted
	Running Campaigns
	Dueling Rules
Short Adventures
	Lord Flame
	War Party
	The Afflicted
	The Flying Bulette
	Tower Ruins
Divided We Fall
	Balazar and the Gosluk
	Don Luis de Manzanas
	Careta de la Barrera: The Barrier Mask
	Adventure Synopsis
	Starting the Adventure
	The PCs' Mission
	The Barrier and the Horde
	Torre de Manzanas

The Campaign

As Nidrith studied the interlopers, a glittery red wind swept down the canyon, dimly lighting the scene. The intruders' argument reached a climax as the tall human woman drew a radiant sword and threatened a small lupin in leather armor. The lupin stammered for a moment, ears perked forward, then reached into his belt pouch and drew out a handful of pinkish glowing coins.
   The tall woman seemed happy and turned away, stuffing a few coins into her pockets and handing some to her other two companions. It looked like they were ready to move on, continuing their exploration of the canyon.
   Nidrith sighed. She didn't want them to find her cave. It was bad enough being one of the Afflicted; she didn't want others to see her current state. She knew she must be prepared to defend her home, such as it was; she began casting a spell. A lopsided smile appeared on her scaly face as she quietly chanted the magical words. At least the Time of Loss and Change hadn't taken away her ability to cast spells.
   As the spell took shape, Nidrith felt the familiar tingle that always came when she tried to detect magic in the cursed lands. Maybe she could cut through the interference in the air, and learn if any of the intruders were carrying any dangerous magic. Eyes narrowed in concentration, she brought her smaller arm toward the larger one, to link twisted fingers and complete the spell. Success!
   Nidrith frowned as she contemplated the information gleaned. One of the strangers was an Inheritor. He would be tough to fight, and it was Inheritors who took away her cinnabryl. Still, perhaps this one would be willing to help her. . . .

   This chapter includes tips on running a SAVAGE COAST campaign, as well as some additional rules and information for the DM.
   Herein, a brief overview of the world that is home to the Savage Coast is followed by advice for adapting the setting to other campaign worlds. Immortals and deities are covered next, followed by a general overview of the politics and current events of the Savage Coast. Then comes advice on running campaigns in this wild and war-torn setting.

The World
Set in Mystara, the Savage Coast borrows many things from the surrounding lands. Explorers from the Known World have settled several times along the Savage Coast. Many of the coast's languages and cultures have their roots in the Known World. The Savage Coast also uses the Thyatian calendar, which designates the current year as A.C. 1010, dividing the year into 12 months of 28 days each. The months and days of the calendar are shown in Table 17.1. The new moon begins with the first week of each month.

Table 17.1: CALENDAR OF THE SAVAGE COAST

Months (season)	Days of the Week
Nuwmont (midwinter)	Lunadain
Vatermont (late winter)	Gromdain
Thaumont (early spring)	Tserdain
Flaurmont (midspring)	Moldain
Yarthmont (late spring)	Nytdain
Klarmont (early summer)	Loshdain
Felmont (midsummer)	Soladain
Fyrmont (late summer)
Ambyrmont (early fall)
Sviftmont (midfall)
Eirmont (late fall)
Kaldmont (early winter)

   Despite these commonalties and shared backgrounds, no political ties remain between the Savage Coast and the Known World. Communication and trade between them is sporadic at best.
   The Savage Coast is also the point of origin of several cultures that have spread to other places. The araneas had their start on the coast, as did the three races of lizard kin, the wallaras, and tortles. Minotaurs are descended from their winged kin (the enduks), while the winged elves of the Savage Coast (the ee'aar) are an offshoot of normal elves. The origins of phanatons, rakastas, and lupins are unsure, but it seems likely that these three races came from elsewhere, spreading simultaneously to the Known World and the Savage Coast. Ironically, many of the so-called savage races of the Savage Coast (phanatons, tortles, wallaras, caymas, gurrash, and shazaks) are less primitive than their cousins in other parts of the world. Similarly, lupins and rakastas have true civilizations only on the Savage Coast; in other places, they have nomadic tribal cultures. It should be noted that the native races do not consider the area a "frontier," and that term is certainly a misnomer in regard to their cultures. Only the humans and demihumans of the eastern coast think of the region in those terms.
   It is not necessary to play the campaign with the Savage Coast as part of the larger MYSTARA campaign world. The Savage Coast can be placed in other worlds published for the AD&D game or in a world of the DM's creation. This can be done to add spice to an existing campaign or to allow players to take existing characters into the SAVAGE COAST campaign, rather than creating new characters. Tips for adapting the Savage Coast to other worlds follow.

Other Worlds
The Savage Coast stretches between the Serpent Peninsula in the east and the Orc's Head Peninsula in the west. The maps included with this set show the coastal region, the northern portion of the Orc's Head Peninsula, and part of the Serpent Peninsula. The maps show a region approximately 2,700 miles long from east to west that contains more than 5,000 miles of coastline (just over 2,100 of which is the Savage Coast, between the two peninsulas) and more than one million square miles of land. Obviously, this is not a region that can be conveniently dropped in wherever the DM desires. It is more of a subcontinent, and some thought should be given to where it is placed. The entire setting need not be used; for example, a DM could use just the coastal nations themselves, the nation of Herath, or the rakastas.
   The climate of the Savage Coast is warm temperate to sub-
tropical. Because of the long coastline and the warm currents, it rarely snows anywhere along the coast (perhaps once in 10 years). The plant life of the region varies from coniferous and deciduous forest plants to palm trees and long grasses. The Savage Coast has hills, mountains, swamps, and deserts, each with appropriate plant life. The animal life of the region is fairly typical for climate and terrain as well.

Monsters and Legacies
Monsters of the Savage Coast include whatever the DM chooses, but should fit with the rest of the ecology. For example, no thri-kreen should live here, because the grasslands and deserts are occupied by other creatures. Few lycanthropes exist here, because lupins hate them (especially werewolves), hunting them down whenever possible. Civilizations should be limited to those intelligent races specifically mentioned in this set, plus whatever the DM might want to put in an underdark setting. Individuals or small families of other intelligent species might live here, but they should be used sparingly. The forests of Robrenn have many sylvan and faerie creatures, while the forests of Herath hold insects and arachnids of all shapes and sizes.
   Generally, in the cursed lands, members of intelligent animal races are susceptible to the effects of the curse. This includes members of all PC races, goblinoids, and intelligent monsters. The effects are as described in "The Curse and the Legacies" chapter. Many animal life forms have Legacies as well. Magical beings, most sylvan creatures, and monsters with spell-like powers (such as unicorns, pixies, and beholders) do not gain Legacies. Almost all other monsters are affected by at least the side effects of the Red Curse, and the majority gain Legacies as well.
   Many monsters with Legacies are also transformed by the detrimental effects of the Red Curse. When a monster gains a Legacy, roll a saving throw vs. spell. If the saving throw fails, the monster becomes Afflicted. Otherwise, the creature could appear perfectly normal, except for being red in color.
   Except undead described especially for the SAVAGE COAST setting, undead are never affected by Legacies. Plants and fungi never acquire Legacies but might suffer slightly by the side effects of the Red Curse, acquiring red striping or spotting on the leaves or bark.

Immortals
As mentioned before, Mystara has Immortals instead of gods. These Immortals have great power and grant spells to clerics. Immortals do not die of old age, disease, or damage; they do not need to eat, drink, or breathe; they are unaffected by mortal magic and can cast spells far more powerful than those cast by mortals; and they live on other planes. Like gods, Immortals are not "monsters" to be used in direct conflicts with PCs.
   The main difference between gods and Immortals is that the latter were once mortal, attaining Immortal status through the sponsorship of Immortals who approved of their mortal accomplishments. This means that Immortals retain an empathy with mortals and are more willing to interfere in their affairs. By doing so, they work to achieve their own personal goals, gain further powers, and advance their Spheres (see subsequent text). While Immortals are forbidden from acting directly against mortals, they can work through agents and prophesies.
   The path to Immortality is difficult and is not covered in these rules. The Wrath of the Immortals offers rules for characters achieving Immortality in the D&D® game system. Those rules can be adapted for use with the AD&D game system if so desired.
   Immortals are ranked in degree of power. The rankings, from lowest to highest are as follows: Initiate, Temporal, Celestial, Empyreal, Eternal, Hierarch. These rankings are important (from a mortal viewpoint) only to show the raw power of Immortals in relation to one another. It does not reflect the power or influence of various churches. Immortals increase their rankings through activities and experience, similar to the way that PCs rise in levels.

Immortal Spheres
Each Immortal also belongs to a Sphere (not to be confused with the clerical spheres of spells). Each Sphere is a sort of loose pantheon of like-minded individuals with common goals and an established, though changeable, hierarchy. The five spheres are Matter, Energy, Time, Thought, and Entropy. Each Sphere is related to an element; members of each Sphere have alignment tendencies, but alignments are not set. A member of any Sphere can have any alignment. Note also that a Sphere is not a place, but a philosophy. See the sidebar for a description of the five spheres.
   Specialty priests can replace the required kits for priests in this setting. Clerical spheres are suggested for priests according to their patron Immortal's sphere. Most specialty priests should have a special weapon available to them, based on the Immortal's preferences or abilities. Some might have other special abilities or access to unusual spells. For instance, priests of a patron of thieves could have thieving abilities, or the patron of magic might grant wizard spells. These decisions are left to the DM. Comparisons with established specialty priests would be valuable. DMs should also consider the desired power level of specialty priests, and try to balance them with other classes. The DM may also choose to allow specialty priests unlimited advancement if they are priests to racial patrons.

THE FIVE SPHERES OF THE IMMORTALS

   The Sphere of Matter concerns itself with the physical world and its inhabitants. This is the Sphere of solidity, sturdiness, and stability—mutable within set and understandable rules. This Sphere relates to the element of earth, and most of its members are lawful. Suggested priest spheres are as follows: Major Access to All, Animal, Elemental (Earth), Plant, and Summoning; Minor Access to Combat, Creation, Divination, and Healing.
   The Sphere of Energy promotes activity and transformation. It includes such things as fire, creation, and magic. Energy is temperamental, dynamic, changing, and brilliant. This Sphere relates to the element of fire, and most members are chaotic. Suggested priest spheres are as follows: Major Access to All, Creation, Elemental (Fire), Sun, and Weather; Minor Access to Combat, Guardian, Healing, and Summoning. 
   The Sphere of Time seeks constant change, but at a set and controlled rate. Like a river, time is constantly in motion, while remaining in one place. This is the Sphere of history, growth, and rebirth. The Sphere relates to the element of water. Most members are neutral. Suggested priest spheres are as follows: Major Access to All, Creation, Divination, Elemental (Water), and Healing; Minor Access to Animal, Necromantic, Plant, and Sun.
   The Sphere of Thought seeks understanding and enlightenment, attracting Immortals who revere realization, philosophy, and analysis. This Sphere relates to the element of air, ephemeral yet ever-present, invisible yet pervasive. Most members are good. Suggested priest spheres are as follows: Major Access to All, Astral, Elemental (Air), Divination, and Summoning; Minor Access to Charm, Guardian, Healing, and Weather.
   The Sphere of Entropy is the Sphere of destruction, disintegration, and death—the end of all things. It is the shattering of matter, the quenching of energy, the final lapse of time, and the stilling of thought. It acts against all the other Spheres, and even against itself. This Sphere has no definite elemental analog, but some believe it to be tied to the Negative Energy Plane (hinting at the possibility of an undisclosed sixth sphere tied to the Positive Energy Plane). Most Immortals of the Sphere of Entropy are evil. Suggested priest spheres are as follows: Major Access to All, Combat, Divination, Healing (reverse only), and Necromantic (including reverse); Minor Access to Elemental (reverse only), Plant (reverse only), Summoning, and Weather.
   Thus, the DM should consider geography and climate when placing the Savage Coast into another world. Adjustments can be made in the size of the area (ignoring the peninsulas, for instance), and the climate can be modified to reflect the area's placement.
   In general, the Savage Coast should be placed somewhere far away from the main campaign area of the DM's world. This way, when the PCs discover a "new" area that is already settled and civilized, a logical reason exists as to why they have never heard of it before. In addition, it keeps red steel and the Legacies from interfering with the rest of the campaign world.

Specific Immortals
Following is a short overview of the Immortals who are revered on the Savage Coast. Each entry includes the Immortal's most common name; the Immortal's gender; regions in which the Immortal is revered and the local name used there if different; the Immortal's rank and Sphere; the required alignments of the Immortal's priests/followers; and a short description of the Immortal's areas of interest. If only one element of an alignment is listed, clerics and followers can be of any alignment that contains that component.
   Al-Kalim. Male. Revered in Saragón. Initiate of Time. Any/Lawful or Neutral. Imported with Ylari settlers a century ago, Al-Kalim is the patron of scholarship, tolerance, and courage. He is the favorite of sages and wizards, as well as warriors who favor strategic planning.
   Asterius. Male. Revered in Robrenn as Belnos. Eternal of Thought. Any/Any. Asterius controls the moon, money, and commerce. The patron of healers, traders, thieves, and travelers abroad, Asterius is popular among halflings.
   Atzanteotl. Male. Revered in Nimmur as Menlil. Hierarch of Entropy. Chaotic/Chaotic or Neutral. This corrupter of civilizations seeks destruction of all surface life. He is the patron of war and revenge among the manscorpions; he also taught them how to make protective body paints so they could venture into Gilmun, the "land above," a place of sun and light.
   Calitha Starbrow. Female. Revered in Bellayne as Felidae, by tortles as Mother Ocean, and by wallaras as Barramundje the Mother. Celestial of Time. Neutral/Any. In Bellayne, this Immortal governs oceans, travelers, adventurers, good fortune, and merchants. The tortles revere Calitha as their mother and protector, chief among their Immortals. Among the wallaras, Barramundje is the mother of rivers and billabongs, patron of fertility, the element of water, and all that grows. Anyone who befouls the lands of the wallaras runs the risk of being cursed to become a wandering frilled lizard, eventually to fall to some hunter's boomerang. One of the first elven Immortals, Calitha also protects the sea, which is the cradle of life.
   Clébard, Saimpt. Male. Revered in Renardy. Initiate of Thought. Lawful/Any. One of the few lupin Immortals, he is the patron of loyalty, fidelity, and family. He represents the law, as well as love between those of good breeding.
   Crakkak of the Sharp Tooth. Male. Revered by orcs of the Dark Jungle. Temporal of Matter. Chaotic/Any. This savage aquatic power is the great shark spirit of the orcs of the Dark Jungle, the bringer of disasters to seafarers.
   Demogorgon. Female. Revered in Ator as Goron. Eternal of Entropy. Chaotic evil/Nongood. Goron is the embodiment of gurrash evil and destruction. She is the reptilian queen of evil and water; she made the gurrash brutal and bloodthirsty, causing them to revolt against Herath. For the gurrash, Goron is the patron of victory, bravery, and ultimately death (because Goron uses her followers as fodder to spread destruction).
   Diulanna. Female. Revered in Robrenn as Arduinna. Celestial of Thought. Lawful or Good/Any. The patron of will, her interests are willpower, archery, and hunting. She accepts only female druids.
   Eiryndul. Male. Revered in Eusdria as Eirys, in Herath as Shaibuth, and in Aeryl as The Adventurer. Empyreal of Energy. Any/Any (mostly Chaotic). One of the first elven Immortals, Eiryndul promotes jokes, amusement, and relaxation. In Eusdria, this Immortal is protector of elves and woodland beings and patron of elven wizards. In Herath, Shaibuth is the patron of forest dwellers and the sponsor of a small druidic sect composed only of Webmasters. Among the ee'aar, Eiryndul represents freedom, curiosity, and acting on impulse. Wandering or adventuring ee'aar often follow Eiryndul.
   Faunus. Male. Revered in Robrenn as Cernuinn. Temporal of Matter. Neutral or Chaotic/Any. Often depicted as a man with the head or antlers of a deer, this patron of woodland beings and herd animals is fond of eating, drinking, poetry, song, and bards. One of the oldest Immortals, Faunus lacks both malice and ambition.
   Frey. Male. Revered in Eusdria as Fredar. Celestial of Thought. Lawful or Neutral/Any. This thoughtful warrior is wise, noble, handsome, and inspires strategic planning and nobility of deed. He is held in high regard by the freehearts of Eusdria. Frey is the brother of Freyja.
   Freyja. Female. Revered in Eusdria as Fredara. Celestial of Thought. Lawful or Neutral/Any. This wise warrior is beautiful, thoughtful, and noble. She inspires tactical planning and honorable actions and is highly regarded by the freehearts of Eusdria. She is the sister of Frey.
   Great One. Male. Revered by wallaras as Agundji. Eternal of Matter. Any/Any. This patron of dragons is the chief Immortal of the wallaran pantheon. Most wallaras revere Agundji as the lord of all creatures and the patron of sky heroes. His interests extend to the sky, the element of air, colors, and mimicry.
   Hel. Female. Revered in Robrenn and Eusdria as Nyt. Hierarch of Entropy. Neutral or Evil/Non-good. This patron of death and reincarnation sees death and entropy as part of life. While not really followed in Robrenn or Eusdria, she is acknowledged as part of the beginning and the end of everything. The most powerful Immortal of Entropy, she is one of the oldest Immortals and a foe of Odin.
   Iliric. Male. Revered in Herath as Negyavim. Temporal of Energy. Chaotic/Any. This Immortal is a brilliant teacher of magic whose attention was attracted to the nation of mages. Negyavim is not only the patron of Herathian wizardry but also of greed and insensitivity.
   Ilsundal. Male. Revered in Eusdria as Tiuz, in Aeryl as The Guide. Eternal of Energy. Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral/Any. Ilsundal was one of the first elven Immortals. Patron of elves, wisdom, law, and trust, Tiuz is often represented among Eusdrian clerics as a warrior whose right hand is missing. Ilsundal leads the ee'aar pantheon and represents peace and serenity. The ee'aar believe that it was Ilsundal's will that led them to the high mountains and that he requires them to live there in quiet seclusion from the rest of the world.
   Ixion. Male. Revered in Narvaez, by goblinoids as Tabak, by wallaras as Warruntam the Eagle Spirit, and in Nimmur and Eshu as Idu. Hierarch of Energy. Any/Any. Ixion represents fire and sun, as well as a balance of passion and wisdom, power and scholarship. He is the eldest known Immortal of Energy. In Narvaez, he is the sun, life, power, and wisdom and is seen as the one Immortal worthy of true veneration (though Vanya is seen as his avenging servant); much religious persecution has been carried out in his name. The Yazi and Yazak goblinoids see Tabak as the ruler of the sun and the moon, the bringer of the seasons, and the maker of order. In the lands of the wallaras, Warruntam is the patron of hunting, speed, bravery, and fire; he is also the closest thing they have to a patron of war. Idu is the patron Immortal of the enduks, who were created to serve him. Among the manscorpions, Idu is generally feared and hated, an "evil" figure who caused the sun to destroy manscorpions. Some few manscorpions still revere Idu, but they are considered dangerous heretics by the established clergy of Nimmur.
   Ka the Preserver. Male. Revered in Shazak as Ka'ar, by tortles as Father-Earth, and by wallaras as Genjoo the Crocodile Spirit. Hierarch of Matter. Lawful or Neutral/Any. Ka interfered with Herathian experiments to create shazaks (because he felt it wrong for mortals to create life), making the shazaks unsuitable as Herathian slaves. Ka became the patron of the shazaks and is their patron of trade, wealth, and a better life. The tortles revere Ka as their father, husband to Calitha, their mother. Among the wallaras, Genjoo is responsible for the earth, the land, and the magical places. Great rocks are thought of as entrances to Genjoo's world and are venerated by wallaras.
   Kagyar. Male. Revered in Robrenn as Belsamas and in Eusdria, Bellayne, and Cimarron County as Kagyar. Eternal of Matter. Any (true neutral in Robrenn)/Any. This patron of dwarves governs the arts of forging, metalworking, and construction. In Bellayne, Kagyar represents the working-class male. In Cimarron County, Kagyar is the patron of artifice, and the master of firearms.
   Karaash. Male. Also known as Ilneval. Revered by the orcs of the Dark Jungle, and by the Yazak and Yazi goblinoids. Initiate of Thought. Chaotic or Neutral/Any. The patron of warriors among the tribes of orcs in the Dark Jungle, as well as among the Yazi and Yazak goblinoids, Karaash is the stern, uncompromising warleader, not given to rages or expressions of any emotions. He encourages strategic planning and proving personal strength in individual combat.
   Korotiku. Male. Revered in Renardy as Saimpt Renard, in Herath as Yehm. Hierarch of Thought. Any/Any. Saimpt Renard represents wit, freedom of thought, wisdom, sense of smell, cunning, and trickery. He leads the pantheon of Renardy and, as a prank played on pompous Immortals of human origins, sponsored lupins to become Immortals. In Herath, Yehm is the grand patron of the araneas. A prankster, Korotiku is one of the oldest Immortals. He is venerated by those who survive by guile and deception, even though he encourages the shattering of illusions.
   Loki. Male. Revered in Eusdria as Lokar and in Hule as Bozdogan. Eternal of Entropy. Chaotic/Nonlawful. The ultimate troublemaker and sower of dissension, a malicious trickster and causer of betrayal, Lokar is the patron of flames, mischief, and lies. He plots the destruction of Viuden (Odin), Donar (Thor), and Eirys (Eiryndul). As Bozdogan, Loki has created in Hule a bureaucracy of liars, politicians, and thieves as a monument to his own cleverness.
   Loup, Saimpt. Male. Revered in Renardy. Temporal of Thought. Any/Any. One of the few lupin Immortals, Saimpt Loup portrays both good and evil among lupins, as the patron of mercy, hunger, destruction, night, and winter. Among the peasant classes, Saimpt Loup is revered as the one who keeps the lupins strong by weeding out the sick and weak.
   Malinois, Saimpt. Male. Revered in Renardy. Celestial of Thought. Good/Non-evil. One of the few lupin Immortals, Saimpt Malinois the Were-Slayer is the patron of hunters and master of revenge, courage, warriors, blacksmiths, and those who go to war. He is the lord of glory and conquests against evil.
   Masauwu. Male. Revered in Herath as Eneban, in the Savage Baronies as The Ambassador. Eternal of Entropy. Chaotic/Any. Eneban represents the arts of diplomacy, intrigue, influence, and masquerade, things of vital importance to araneas. By definition, he is the patron of rulers, spies, liars, thieves, and smooth-talking manipulators. In the Savage Baronies, Masauwu is regarded as the patron of diplomats and politicians, those who seek to win by intrigue rather than by open warfare.
   Mâtin, Saimpt. Male. Revered in Renardy and as Brother Shell by tortles. Temporal of Thought. Lawful or Good/Any. One of the few lupin Immortals, the Great Watcher is patron of fortresses, guards, and those who died on the battlefield protecting their kin. He is the master of safety and happiness at home. Brother Shell is a recent addition to the tortle pantheon and is believed to be the son of Ka and Calitha. He represents defense of land and protection of the family.
   Mealiden Starwatcher. Male. Revered in Aeryl as The Guardian and in the Savage Baronies as Milan. Empyreal of Energy. Lawful/Any. Mealiden protects Ilsundal. Among the ee'aar, Mealiden is revered as the defender of Aeryl, and by extension, the patron of war. He likes bold, mocking, light-spirited adventurers. In the Savage Baronies, Milan is the patron of seafarers and Swashbucklers.
   Nyx. Female. Revered in Nimmur as Nin-Hurabi and by the orcs of the Dark Jungle as Na'al. Hierarch of Entropy. Any/Any. Nyx is the Immortal of night, darkness, beasts of the darkness, and undead; she ultimately wants undead to take over the world. In Nimmur, Nin-Hurabi represents darkness, fertility, birth, and the safety of the caverns of Apsur (the dark underworld beneath Gilmun, realm of Atzanteotl). Nin-Hurabi seeks to protect the manscorpions and believes they should remain in the caverns. She despises Ixion for the way he dismissed and cursed the manscorpions and frowns on the way Atzanteotl manipulated the manscorpions into conquering ancient Nimmur. Among the orcs of the Dark Jungle, Nyx is simply the patron of darkness, a favorite of those orcs who live in caverns.
   Odin (or Wotan). Male. Revered in Robrenn as Taranos and in Eusdria as Viuden. Hierarch of Thought. Lawful Good or Neutral Good/Any. Wise and thoughtful, Odin is one of the oldest Immortals. In Robrenn, he is the master of the skies, storms, and mighty lightning, but he is not very influential. In Eusdria, he leads the pantheon as the representation of sky, storms, and authority.
   Orcus. Male. Revered by the orcs of the Dark Jungle as Oruguz. Eternal of Entropy. Chaotic Evil/Neutral or Chaotic. Cold and cruel, this bestial engine of destruction is a genius who loves to destroy in spectacular fashion. Oruguz is a favorite of porcine lycanthropes who lead the Sea Plague tribe of orcs in the Dark Jungle.
   Ordana. Female. Revered in Robrenn as Breig, in Bellayne as Tawnia, and in Jibarú as Uí. Hierarch of Time. Neutral/Any. Originally a treant, she is the Mother of Forests, Patron of Robrenn, and head of the Robrenn pantheon. She allows only female druids, though men often follow her precepts. She is venerated by most elves in Robrenn. In Bellayne, she defends elves and rakastas, hunters, archers, and druids. As Uí, Ordana is the head of the phanaton pantheon, patron of the forest and protector of its people. Ordana gave the phanatons the impetus toward civilization, so they might defend themselves from the araneas, whom Ordana hates as manipulators of life. Ordana promotes commerce between phanatons and wallaras.
   Ralon, Saimpt. Female. Revered in Renardy and as Sister Grain by tortles. Initiate of Thought. Any/Any. One of the few lupin Immortals, Saimpt Ralon is the patron of life, good food, fun, and health; she is master of wealth, farmers, merchants, and those who produce goods for all. Among tortles, Sister Grain is a recent addition. Considered the daughter of Ka and Calitha and sister to Mâtin, she is the patron of farmers and the bringer of food.
   Shining One, Kurtulmak the. Male. Revered in Cay as Kutul. Temporal of Energy. Non-lawful/Any. This patron of the caymas is a chaotic teacher of tricks, traps, indirect confrontation, and using enemies' strength against them. Seeing that the caymas were poor warriors, he sought to teach them a few things. He shares leadership of the caymas with Terra and is the patron of war, fire, and territorial gains.
   Talitha. Female. Revered by the orcs of the Dark Jungle as Ait-Tha. Eternal of Entropy. Chaotic/Any. This Immortal is devoted to self-gratification and malicious stealing. Among the orcs of the Dark Jungle, she is patron of thieves and victory by deception.
   Tarastia. Female. Revered in Bellayne as Pax Bellanica and in the Savage Baronies as The Judge. Eternal of Energy. Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good/Any. This patron of justice and revenge aids seekers of honorable vengeance. Though she represents peace to the rakastas, she also inspires them to mount crusades against the goblinoid hordes. In the Savage Baronies, the Judge is the representation of justice. She is also the patron of duelists.
   Terra. Female. Revered by the goblinoids as Yamag, in Cay as Cay, and in Jibarú as Mother-Earth or Marau-Ixuf. Hierarch of Matter. Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good/Lawful or Neutral. Terra, the most powerful of the Immortals of Matter, is concerned with the creation and protection of new life. The Yazi and Yazak goblinoids believe that Yamag is the keeper of the world. She insure new births to replace those who die, brings death to beings whose time has come, and keeps rivers and wells flowing. Cay represents earth, life, fertility, population growth, and good luck. She resented Herathian experiments on other races and is the Immortal who made the caymas too proud of their limited building skills, so as to become useless to the Herathians. In Jibarú, she is the patron of birth, life, and death. It was Terra who caused the early phanatons to be predators to balance the aranean threat. She encourages commerce between the phanatons and the wallaras.
   Thor. Male. Revered in Robrenn as Tuatis, in Eusdria as Donar, and in the Savage Baronies as the General. Eternal of Energy. Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good/Any. In Robrenn and Eusdria, this Immortal is the patron of warriors, the unchallenged lord of wars and bravery. He demands a code of honor and is the patron of many Companies of Honorbound. He sometimes sponsors reckless urges and berserk rages in Eusdrian followers. In the Savage Baronies, the General is the patron of war, bravery, and honorable treatment of the enemy.
   Valerias. Female. Revered in the Savage Baronies and as Shaya in Herath. Hierarch of Matter. Any (usually Chaotic)/Any. Valerias is dedicated to romance, passion, and emotion; she is a figure of both love and war. In the Savage Baronies, she is the patron of Gauchos and Swashbucklers, as well as any other passionate individuals. She is the inspiration for duels and wars, as well as representing the reason to come home. Valerias is attracted to tragic love stories and is the patron of Herathians unable to fully realize their love because of interspecies conflict or an all-consuming devotion to magic.
   Vanya. Female. Revered in Bellayne as Belbion; in Narvaez as the Inquisitor; and in Vilaverde, Texeiras, and Torreón as Faña. Empyreal of Time. Any/Any. In Bellayne, Belbion represents pride, honor, war, conquests, and the superiority of one's way. She is a favorite of warriors and those who believe that rakastan culture is better than any other. She is venerated by those who want to expand their boundaries and those who believe in survival of the fittest. She often inspires wars against goblinoids. In Narvaez, the Inquisitor represents pride and the correctness of beliefs, so is the punisher of those who stray and the avenger of all who do not follow the way of Ixion, lord of fire. Faña represents war and pride in Texeiras, Vilaverde, and Torreón. In those states, she is the patron of warriors and the representation of self-defense and vindication, especially reprisals against those who deliver insults.
   Yav. Male. Revered in Yavdlom. Celestial of Time. Neutral or Good/Any. This patron of divination and prophecy is very important in Yavdlom. He teaches responsibility with divination and prophecy.
   Zirchev. Male. Revered in Robrenn as Leug and in Jibarú as the Huntsman or Uatuma. Celestial of Energy. Neutral/Any. This patron of forest folk is a huntsman and beast-handler. In Robrenn, Leug is patron of demihumans, wisdom, and the arts. In Jibarú, he is the patron of the hunt, as well as bravery and charm. He guides phanaton hunting parties, as well as war parties in times of crisis. Sympathetic to intelligent social misfits, Zirchev is also patron of the Afflicted.

Inheritors
Many people view Inheritors as a sort of "curse police" who control the trade and sale of cinnabryl and red steel. Most known cinnabryl mines are in and around the Savage Baronies (one in Cimarron, two mines and scattered deposits in the Red Lands near Vilaverde, Texeiras, and Torreón), though there is one in Cay (near Hwezzah) and one in each Renardy, Bellayne, and Herath. In addition, Slagovich has a cinnabryl mine, which exports most of the material to the Savage Baronies in return for red steel. Except for the mine in Slagovich, Inheritors have taken controlling interests in each of these mines, and they prevent overmining and artificial inflation caused by nonexistent shortages. 
   However, most people know only that Inheritors have cinnabryl, charging high prices for it. In some ways, this makes cinnabryl protection an elitist thing, available only to the wealthy. On the other hand, the fact that it serves to keep peasants from ever trying cinnabryl can be viewed as a good thing. Cinnabryl is simply too rare for everybody to use, and the evil effects of the Red Curse are much worse for someone who uses cinnabryl and then stops.
   Though Inheritors try to educate others about cinnabryl and the Red Curse in general, it is difficult. Some Inheritors just do not care about what others know, while many folk are not willing to listen to explanations. It is difficult for people to care about economic realities when someone they care for has been transformed by the Red Curse. Many people blame the Inheritors when relatives or friends become Afflicted. These problems lead to difficulty for Inheritors, but they are certainly compensated with ready access to cinnabryl and extra Legacies.
   It is important for the DM to know how people feel about Inheritors so that NPCs react appropriately. Note that the following overviews are general trends; individuals can act quite differently. In most of the Savage Baronies, which have suffered the Red Curse longer than any other area, Inheritors are met with acceptance. 
   Inheritors have been around for many years, though they went unrecognized and have only recently begun organizing into Orders. Now they are almost always recognized, some regarded as heroes, others as villains. Though villains are avoided, everyone still enjoys the notoriety of having one in town; it is very much an "Old West" sort of attitude, as if Inheritors were notorious gunslingers. In the Savage Baronies, challenges between Inheritors are relatively common, and many Inheritors have flashy nicknames (the Red Avenger, The Crimson Kid, Lord Flame, and so forth).
   Note that Inheritors are considered outlaws in Narvaez, the clergy of which seeks to buy cinnabryl for distribution to the people. Inheritors sometimes sneak in, while others engage in fair trade with the government and hope the material gets distributed fairly. Torreón is known for its poverty, so most people cannot afford cinnabryl. In Torreón, Inheritors are feared and hated by peasants, but not by warriors.
   Eusdria and Robrenn are places where nature is revered. Here, many people died during the wars, the plagues, and the increase of the Red Curse that followed. A few people use cinnabryl because these were the first areas to receive relief from the Inheritors. Many others became Afflicted and remain that way. Robrenn and Eusdria both have enough priests able to cast maintain that the majority of poor people live comfortably without cinnabryl, so these nations do not add to the drain on supplies of cinnabryl. Robrenn and Eusdria are tolerant of Inheritors but do not really welcome them. Inheritors helped after the war but do not help much now, so they are uncommon. Most people of Robrenn and Eusdria do not like to see residents join the Inheritors' orders, believing they should stay and work on local problems, rather than becoming involved in international politics and commerce.
   Renardy and Bellayne have several Inheritors of their own, plus a recently discovered cinnabryl mine in each country. In Renardy, Inheritors are respected—the nice ones liked, the bad ones feared. Becoming an Inheritor is like being knighted in Renardy, and an Inheritor is instantly accepted into the lower levels of noble society. This reflects the fascination of the upper classes with Inheritors. They are curious about them, seeing them as a valuable contact for obtaining cinnabryl. In Renardy, an Inheritor must dress well and is often invited to dinners and special events. Peasants of Renardy tend to fear and hate Inheritors, because they take most of the cinnabryl to the nobility, leaving the poor folk to become Afflicted in many areas. In Renardy, many villages do not have enough qualified priests to cast the necessary maintain spells.
   In Bellayne, Inheritors are neither well liked nor despised; they are simply regarded as another part of society. It is the Honorbound who are the heroes of the nation, and no one else draws the same respect. Most people of Bellayne judge each Inheritor on an individual basis, not letting an individual's actions reflect on other Inheritors, even those of the same order. Here, cinnabryl distribution is carefully managed, so even the peasants and the wanderers have little reason to hate Inheritors.
   Not all of Herath is affected by the Red Curse, so the need for cinnabryl is not widespread. However, the nation pays high prices to import most of Cay's cinnabryl (Cay being a close and discreet source), and it makes heavy use of its own recently uncovered mine. As a result, any Herathian who does need the substance finds it readily available. The nation's Inheritors receive cinnabryl directly from their government, then distributing it to the populace as needed.
   The Red Curse affects only parts of the lands of the lizard kin. In most of the affected areas, the inhabitants never begin using cinnabryl, seeing it (not incorrectly) as an artificial means of preserving the life of the weak. The lizard kin tend to be very pragmatic about the effects of the Red Curse. Inheritors are rare in these lands; they are the subject of curiosity but are not reviled or rejected (except perhaps as individuals). Most lizard kin respect Inheritors because they are obviously powerful people.
   The Red Curse affects very little of the lands of the phanatons or the wallaras, and none of the rest of the Orc's Head Peninsula. On the peninsula, Inheritors are very rare. Wallaras study them and phanatons accept them. Among the winged folk, Inheritors are regarded as visiting heroes of other lands. The manscorpions and orcs usually seek to kill Inheritors because they are powerful and, therefore, potentially dangerous.

The Afflicted
Following are some general guidelines about the Afflicted. No specific information is given to allow the DM freedom of placement. Since a PC's origin might be based on such information, the DM should create such details as needed to enhance play.
   Relatively few Afflicted exist in the Savage Baronies because of the ready availability of cinnabryl. The exception to this is Torreón, a poor nation that is home to a few villages of Afflicted. Most people in Torreón never use cinnabryl. Therefore, the mercenaries of that state tend to be rather distinctive. In the Baronies, the Afflicted are usually shunned by others, living in small, isolated enclaves. In Robrenn and Eusdria, Afflicted are rather rare, because of the availability of druids and clerics who can cast maintain. Few people of these nations use cinnabryl. Afflicted individuals are cared for when possible and are not shunned, though the clergy of the two states seldom aid those individuals deemed "lost causes." However, Afflicted refugees are not usually welcome in the two states.
   Some villages and enclaves of Afflicted have been built in Renardy, but they are usually shunned. The poor people of Renardy are often Afflicted; most have never used cinnabryl, though some have tried it and suffer complete Affliction.
   In Bellayne, few become Afflicted because of the good distribution network for cinnabryl. Afflicted almost always stay with their families. Even refugee Afflicted are well treated in Bellayne, though they are usually encouraged to leave eventually unless they have family there.
   Herath has few Afflicted. Those few are shunned, and refugees are not welcome. Since few lizard kin use cinnabryl, many become Afflicted in the lizard kin countries affected by the Red Curse. The shazaks are very accepting of the Afflicted, including refugees. Caymas tend to be a little more shy about welcoming refugees, especially large ones. The gurrash seldom like the company of anybody else, and foreign Afflicted are usually killed on sight. Afflicted are rare sights in the lands of the phanatons and wallaras but are accepted so long as they do not cause problems. Both the wallaras and the phanatons are somewhat awed by Afflicted, affording them great respect.

Running Campaigns
Campaigns in the SAVAGE COAST setting should be similar enough to those in other settings that players are comfortable, while different enough to remain original. The main differences lie with the Red Curse and the associated substances.
   Because of the Red Curse, magic is very common along the Savage Coast. Almost every person has a magical power of some kind. Magical items are also very common. Due to this, people are rarely frightened by displays of magic; the wizard who expects a pyrotechnics spell to frighten away natives is in for an unpleasant surprise. In this setting, even the most primitive peoples know what magic looks like, and they expect it. It should be noted, however, that the more primitive peoples do show some respect for those who can cast spells.
   Despite the frequency of magic, warriors of various kinds are still very common on the Savage Coast. They have a thriving business in war and are much in demand. Swashbucklers, Honorbound, and Defenders are common sights. In fact, adventurers in general are more common in the lands of the Savage Coast than elsewhere; perhaps one out of every four people has led at least a short adventuring career.
   Druids are much more common here than in other lands, and these folks try to spread the word. Thus, druids wander throughout the region, especially strong in Robrenn, Herath,and Jibarú. The Savage Coast region has its own Great Druid, currently the leader of the Robrenn clergy.
   Firearms, the multitude of player character races, Beast Riders, and flying elves and minotaurs also serve to add unusual challenges to the region. Still, most adventures are similar to those in other lands. There are ruins and wilderness areas to explore; many people are motivated by gold and glory to seek an adventuring life. The next chapter provides sample adventure outlines to give the DM a head start on beginning a SAVAGE COAST campaign.

Swashbuckling
The swashbuckling style is important in the Savage Coast lands. Renardy and the Savage Baronies give rise to that type of person: hot-blooded, dashing, witty, and skilled with the rapier or sabre. Adding spice to the campaign, Swashbucklers are found everywhere—as wanderers, special army units, heroes, and pirates.
   To encourage the swashbuckling style, several weapons and skills—from the rapier and wheellock to the two-weapon style specialization and Panache Point system—have been consciously added to these rules. It is possible to build several different types of swashbucklers, from seafaring privateers to forest-dwelling archers. However, even with the skills and weapons available, it is still necessary for the DM to encourage the proper attitude among the players.
   One way to do this is to allow a bit more freeform play. Encourage the players to have their characters swing on ropes or chandeliers, try to fight two opponents at once, and so forth. Promote the use of individual trademarks, from a "K" made with a rapier to a rose left at the scene of a battle.
   The DM should also note that tumbling is a bonus proficiency for all true swashbucklers. By widening the definition of tumbling, or by simply using a Dexterity check, the DM can encourage daring feats. Whenever a character wants to do something unusual that depends on Dexterity, roll a simple check to see if it succeeds. Add a colorful description and the game becomes more fun for all involved.
   Also, remember that a swashbuckler's style is largely dependent on his charisma. Do not be shy about making reaction rolls or Charisma checks, but foster role-playing as well.
   Above all, let the players know that whatever they want to try has a chance to succeed—if it is done with style.

Dueling Rules
Because of the prevalence of firearms and rapiers along the Savage Coast, dueling is very popular in most nations and states of the coast. Therefore, special rules for dueling are presented here. Please note that these are suggested for duels only, not for normal combat.
   Duels are the preferred method of dealing with disputes of honor, avenging insults, or proving weapon prowess. For a duel to occur, one person must issue a challenge to another; the challenge usually includes the type of weapon to be used. Once the challenge has been issued, the other party can decline but runs the risk of being branded a coward. If both parties agree and they have a witness to the agreement, time and terms for the duel are set. Only then can the duel take place legally.
   Each nation has its own dueling rules; some call for an area to be marked and dueling to be confined to that area, while others call for seconds and witnesses to be named. In most cases, a duel continues only until the first wound. At this point, the wounded individual is given an opportunity to apologize or admit defeat. However, an individual may not always willing to surrender, or the duel may have been declared "to the death." If both have agreed to these terms before witnesses, the winner cannot be held legally accountable for killing the opponent.
   Because a duel is so personal, individual initiative (as described in the PHB) should be used. Weapon speed modifiers are also strongly recommended. Note that officially, Dexterity has no effect on initiative, but the DM could decide to allow the reaction adjustment for Dexterity to affect initiative for dueling. Parrying should also be allowed, and the DM should use the optional rule allowing multiple attacks against opponents with less than one Hit Die (as detailed in the DMG). The many optional rules from the CFH, such as disarming and called shots, can also add excitement to a duel.
   A rule for injuries can also be used. With this rule, every wound penalizes a character's THAC0 by 1. Half of this penalty disappears when the character's wounds are bound (each wound reduces THAC0 by 1/2, rounding fractions in the character's favor). The remainder of the penalty disappears when the wounds are healed or after three days of rest, whichever comes first. Note that a wound is one successful strike for at least 1 point of damage.
   See the "Proficiencies" chapter for a description of the quick draw and dueling proficiencies.

Dueling with Firearms
Dueling with pistols is popular in Renardy and the Savage Baronies, especially Cimarron. This style of duels is somewhat unusual. One character issues a challenge, which is usually accepted. The characters go to an outdoor location and stand facing one another, usually about 10 yards apart. The duelists stare at each other, trying to break their opponent's nerves. Both players roll initiative; the character who wins, including various modifiers, gets the drop on the other and fires first.
   In some places, duels are performed with hand crossbows, but people who use firearms consider such a thing degrading.

Firearm Duels in the Savage Baronies
Firearm duels are common in Cimmaron, where Honorbound, Gauchos, and commoners are known to duel with pistols. Pistol duels in Guadalante are less frequent, usually involving Gauchos or commoners. In Vilaverde and Texeiras, duels with wheellock pistols are less common, likely to occur only between Swashbucklers. Firearm dueling is more rare in the other Savage Baronies, where it is usually limited to members of the nobility (since they are often the only ones who can afford wheellock pistols). In Torreón and Narvaez, mercenaries sometimes duel with pistols, but most prefer swords.
   Because death is often unavoidable in a firearm duel, due to the heavy damage the weapons can inflict, all of the Savage Baronies have laws requiring at least one witness for a firearm duel. Seconds are acceptable and encouraged; these people can serve as witnesses and can initiate a subsequent duel if a primary participant is wounded. When a firearm duel involves at least one member of the nobility or takes place in Torreón or Narvaez, an area must be marked for the duel. As long as participants obey the laws of dueling, neither participant is legally accountable for the death of the other participant.
   The principals stand facing each other, about 10 yards apart, and begin the duel; both dueling and quick-draw proficiencies can have profound effects on a duel, as can initiative rolls. A duel officially ends when both participants have fired once. This might mean the battle is fought to the first wound or to the death; it could even mean that a duel ends with no wounds. Any subsequent attacks on opponents are not sanctioned by dueling laws; it is bad form to attack a wounded opponent. However, if one party is wounded or neither party has been hit, both participants can agree to a second duel. If this is done, a second can stand in for a wounded primary with no loss of honor for the primary.
   Note that in Guadalante and Cimmaron, the law allows firearm duels to the death if both parties agree to those terms. In this case, the duel does not end after each participant has fired once; instead, the duel continues until one participant is dead. For a death duel with firearms, each participant usually carries two or more pistols. While the initial shot must be fired from the standard facing position, participants often move around after the first shots are fired since these nations do not require a marked area for the duel. Duelists can seek cover or move closer but must attack only by firing pistols.
   In firearm duels, a participant can make a called shot to disarm an opponent. If the shot succeeds, the other duelist is disarmed. In a Cimmaron or Guadalantan duel, this can be deadly because disarming is a legitimate action and requires no pause in the proceedings. In other nations, a disarm is performed as a warning, allowing the disarmed opponent to think again about the duel. A disarmed opponent who chooses to end a duel can do so without dishonor, or he can retrieve the weapon and fire at the opponent, provided he has not yet done so. The opponent must stand still and wait for the shot. While most people frown on such an action, it is allowed.

Dueling with Swords
Sword users believe that a blade is the proper way to settle a duel. This method is popular among Swashbucklers, as well as Honorbound in Bellayne. It is also common in Renardy, Bellayne, and the Savage Baronies, and to a lesser extent in Eusdria and Herath.
   In a sword duel, a specific dueling area is usually marked. The duelists stand within this area, state their grievances (briefly), salute each other, and begin dueling.
   The use of a critical hit and fumble system (as detailed in the DMG) can add to the drama of a duel. It is recommended that on a critical fumble (a die roll of 1 for an attack roll), the person attacked be allowed an immediate counterattack. This attack does not count against the character's normal number of attacks per round, happening even if the character has used all available attacks for that round. This attack requires a standard attack roll, can be parried, and can lead to another counterattack if another critical fumble is rolled.
   Rapiers are prone to breaking at inopportune times, such as when parried viciously or when stuck through a suddenly collapsing body. If an attack roll is a 1, the defender can choose to forego a counterattack for a chance to break the attacker's rapier. The attacker must make a saving throw vs. crushing blow for the rapier. The saving throw is successful if the roll is 7 or better; failure indicates that the attacker's rapier breaks. Also, if a rapier attack causes maximum damage, the attacker must make a saving throw vs. crushing blow with a +5 bonus. If it fails, the blade snaps with the blow. A broken rapier can still be used, having all the characteristics of a dagger.

Sword Duels in the Savage Baronies
Dueling with swords is fashionable throughout the Savage Baronies, but less frequent in Guadalante and Cimmaron because of the popularity of firearms in those states. The rapier is the weapon of choice for sword duels, but sabres are also used, most commonly in Vilaverde, Texeiras, and Guadalante. Long swords are used among mercenaries in Torreón and Narvaez, but are seldom seen in duels in the other baronies.
   A sword duel requires a marked area, except in Vilaverde or Texeiras or when duelists fight aboard a ship. A marked area can be either a circle drawn in the dirt outdoors or a specific room indoors. In Texeiras and Vilaverde, duelists can define an area for the duel if they choose. This can include anything from a drawn circle to an entire town; it is not unusual to see a duel range over great distances in these states.
   Death duels cannot be declared in Almarrón, Saragón, or Gargoña, but are allowed elsewhere. Of course, any duel can result in death, regardless of whether or not the initial challenge called for those terms. A witness is necessary to confirm the proceedings if a sword duel results in death; otherwise, the winner of the duel can be considered a murderer.
   Since sword duels have been known to drag on an hour or more, some duelists name a witness as a mediator; the mediator can call for regular breaks, at which time weapons can be replaced or participants can be healed without fear of attack. In a mediated duel, breaks are typically called after every 10 minutes, lasting two minutes each. Note that if a weapon snaps during fighting, the participant can still replace it but might need to put himself at risk to do so. However, because a sword duel is considered an honorable endeavor, a participant might allow his opponent to replace a dropped or broken weapon out of courtesy.
   Seconds are allowed in sword duels, but serve little purpose. They watch the opponent's seconds for cheating, carry replacement weapons, or heal a wounded primary. A second never replaces a primary in a sword duel. However, it is not unusual for a second to challenge someone who defeats his primary.
   The standard procedure for a sword duel includes declaration and acceptance, after which the duelists set a time and place for the duel. Once they arrive, they briefly state their grievances, salute one another, and begin to fight. However, it is not unusual for a sword duel to follow immediately after declaration and acceptance; Swashbucklers are notoriously impatient in regard to dueling.

Dueling with Daggers
This type of duel also encompasses similar weapons, including knives, main-gauche, and stilettos. Never considered by nobility and seldom fought by Swashbucklers, dagger duels are popular among commoners of all the baronies, as well as among Gauchos. Dagger duels are also seen in Renardy and Bellayne. An Honorbound forced to duel a peasant would likely use a dagger out of courtesy.
   Dagger duels seldom follow general dueling procedures. For example, a dagger duel might be declared by someone pulling a dagger and threatening an opponent; if the opponent draws as well, the two fight. Crowds commonly gather around these fights, and the area of the fight might be marked by a circle of spectators. A dagger duel is usually assumed to be to the death, or until both participants agree to stop. Treachery is frequent in dagger duels. After the duel, the law seldom becomes involved. If it does, a witness or two usually comes forward to testify that a duel was formally declared to the death—whether it really was or not.

Other Forms of Dueling
Generally speaking, duels on the Savage Coast, especially in the Savage Baronies, are conducted only with firearms or blades. On occasion, a character might name a hand crossbow, but he risks ridicule by those who favor firearms. Duels with melee weapons other than blades are simply not performed; no Baronial would accept such a duel, or even imagine suggesting it (though axe duels have been known to occur in Eusdria). Note that this prevents most priests from participating in weapon duels.
   However, it is possible to duel by means other than weapons. For example, two people could agree to an unarmed duel, using rules for punching, wrestling, or even martial arts. Though martial arts are uncommon along most of the Savage Coast, wrestling and boxing matches are not unknown. No laws exist regarding contests of this sort; participants set their own terms, but can use sword dueling rules as an example.
   Duels are also possible using spells or Legacies. These contests are also left mostly to the participants. Offensive spellcasting in public is generally frowned upon on the Savage Coast but is illegal only in the barony of Narvaez. In spell duels, the duelists set their own rules; since spell duels are not recognized by law, participants can be held accountable for damage to people and property.
   Duels with Legacies usually occur only between Inheritors. If an Inheritor officially challenges another Inheritor, the conflict proceeds like a regular duel. An Inheritor cannot refuse the challenge of another. Inheritors set the terms of the challenge, including time, place, length of challenge, and allowed weapons. Quite often, a challenge between Inheritors is fought using no weapons but Legacies. These challenges occur with some regularity throughout the Savage Baronies and to a lesser extent in other states, often drawing a crowd because pyrotechnics are likely. Such challenges are supposed to follow dueling laws, with witnesses and marked areas, but since Inheritors take care of those who violate the code of the challenge, all baronial governments except Narvaez ignore violations of the dueling laws between Inheritors. Other states are no so lenient, because of the relative rarity of Inheritors there.
   Duels with Legacies are seldom fought between people who are not Inheritors. However, it can be done, requiring witnesses and a marked area for official sanction by the local government. The duel generally proceeds until either death or surrender. As long as the duel has been declared and witnessed, participants are immune to prosecution for wounds or other damage inflicted, unless they harm private property or a nonparticipant.

Short Adventures

This chapter contains five sample adventure encounters specific to the Savage Coast, as well as a few sample characters that can be used for SAVAGE COAST adventures.
   Immediately after each adventure title, headings identify the terrain the adventure should be set in, total party levels recommended, total gold pieces possible, and experience points to be gained from defeating the central creature. Next comes a "Setup" section, listing ideas for involving the PCs in the story. The body of the adventure follows, often with subheadings for particular creatures or events.
   Of course, many other adventures can be found on the Savage Coast, including adventures that lead into a campaign to remove the Red Curse. Before running any of these sample adventures, or the larger adventure presented in the next chapter, the DM should give some thought to how any of these might be used to set off a long term campaign. Several of these adventures present characters that can be used again at a later date, and some have adventure hooks that can lead into a larger series of adventures.
   Each of these adventures should serve as a springboard for future campaign ideas. For example, the "Lord Flame" scenario should suggest several ways in which Inheritors can be used to provide adversaries or friends for the player characters. "War Party" demonstrates the constant difficulties with border disputes on the Savage Coast; it should be easy enough for a DM to generate some sort of conflict for anywhere the PCs visit.
   As with any campaign, initially generating adventures, especially adventures that correctly capture the flavor of the setting, can be difficult. However, the samples provided here should present a feel for life on the Savage Coast.
   The sample characters provided at the end of this chapter should also offer some ideas. Use these characters for a quick start or to show what Savage Coast characters are like, but remember that the best way to really delve into a setting is to create a character for it. Do not hesitate to help a player create a character for the SAVAGE COAST campaign; both player and DM should learn from such a session.

Lord Flame

Terrain: Any
Total Party Levels: 18
Total gp: 34
Monster XP: 6,000

Setup
°	The PCs hear about an Inheritor named Lord Flame, who has been attacking people and taking their cinnabryl and red steel.
°	Lord Flame ambushes the PCs.
°	Another Inheritor (who would have to be created by the DM and introduced separately) has declared a permanent challenge against Lord Flame. This Inheritor hires the PCs to kill Lord Flame.
°	If one of the PCs is an Inheritor, Lord Flame challenges that character to a battle for his red steel.

The Story
For the past several weeks, Carlos de Las Navas, better known as Lord Flame, has been building a hoard of cinnabryl and red steel. His primary method of acquiring the materials has been to steal them. The villain intends to make himself a suit of red steel plate mail and is most interested in that metal. Still, he collects cinnabryl as well, so he has a long-lasting supply. Lord Flame seldom steals anything else from his victims unless something unusual catches his eye.
   Lord Flame belongs, unsurprisingly, to the Order of the Flame, the chaotic Inheritors. He is a selfish individual, concerned mostly with enriching himself. So far he has respected the Code of the Orders, adhering to both its letter and its spirit, so as to avoid being declared a renegade. He has never robbed anyone on land protected by an Inheritor, and even avoids attacking associate members of the Orders. If Lord Flame encounters another Inheritor, he issues a challenge. However, he never makes permanent challenges, wishing to avoid the possibility of ambush.
   Flame stands 5'6" tall and is well muscled. He has dark, curly hair, a mustache, and a malicious grin. His skin is deep red, and his hair is tinted with red. The irises of his eyes are red as well. His rough features do not make him a handsome man. As Lord Flame, he dresses in chain mail with a red tabard and a red cape, both decorated with his sigil, a flame with eyes.
   Lord Flame is a somewhat charismatic and skilled actor. He might approach the PCs in a friendly manner, using a false name, offering to help them with whatever they are doing. If they reveal that they are looking for "Lord Flame," he happily offers to join them, waiting for an opportunity to launch a surprise attack. A smooth talker, he is genuinely helpful until he turns against his prey, at which point he proudly declares "I am Lord Flame!" and attacks.
   The villain prefers to start a battle with a flying attack, keeping the sun at his back and often using Missile or Ball of Fire from the sky. His first melee attack is usually a charge with his flight lance,later attacking with a red steel long sword. Lord Flame uses his Legacies as needed but always saves one activation of the Fly Legacy in case the battle goes against him and he needs to escape. While he does not go out of his way to kill opponents, neither is he squeamish about doing so if necessary. He avoids smokepowder weapons, and the threat of an explosion of smokepowder can cause him to break off combat, even though he is currently carrying enough cinnabryl to safely weather several explosions without suffering the Time of Loss and Change.
   If Lord Flame encounters the PCs and survives, he could become a recurring villain. If the PCs kill him and make their deed known, they will be reviled in the town of Las Navas (in Gargoña), where Lord Flame is regarded as something of a hero.
   Carlos de Las Navas, Lord Flame: AC 5; MV 12; 9th-level Inheritor fighter; hp 44; THAC0 12; #AT 3/2; Dmg by weapon; AL CN; ST 14, DX 14, CN 13, IN 11, WI 9, CH 11.
   Legacies: Ball of Fire, Burn, Crimson Fire, Fly, Missile, Red Shield. The flame for Burn issues from Lord Flame's right hand. His Fly Legacy causes no transformation.
   Weapon Proficiencies: Long sword, bolas, flight lance, javelin, horseman's mace.
   Nonweapon Proficiencies: Redsmithing (11), weaponsmithing (8), gaming (11), acting (10), intimidation (14 or 11).
   Equipment: Red steel long sword, red steel horseman's mace, cinnabryl (enough for eight weeks and three days), chain mail, purse with 34 gp. Lord Flame also has a small, hidden treasure trove of cinnabryl and red steel. The exact location of this cache is left to the DM, as is the exact content.

War Party

Terrain: Plains
Total Party Levels: 18
Total gp: 0
Monster XP: 2,100

Setup
°	Mysterious raiders have waylaid caravans recently, and an attack was made on a small town within the last week. The PCs are asked by local leaders to find the perpetrators and put a stop to the raids.
°	While the PCs are relaxing in a small town, mounted raiders approach and demand booty from the villagers.
°	As the adventurers travel, they see someone approaching from a distance. Eventually, the war party catches up with them to negotiate or attack.

The Story
Because of recent goblinoid activities in the Yazak Steppe region, hunting has been poor there. As a result, a small group of rakasta Beast Riders (with feliquine mounts) has moved south in search of prey. Upon reaching more civilized regions, the Beast Riders recently raided a herd of cattle owned by a local merchant. The merchant hired guards to drive them out of the area, and now the Beast Riders have more or less declared war on the local populace, conducting retributive raids. Their first raid resulted in the merchant's death and the burning of his farm. Now the other locals are up in arms from rage and fear.
   As roving warriors, the rakasta Beast Riders did not understand at first that the free-ranging cattle they encountered were owned by anyone. Consequently, they felt wronged when they were attacked, and they began striking back from a sense of vengeance and self-defense. Since the initial hubbub, however, they have come to realize that brands on cattle are signs of ownership, but now that they consider themselves at war, they ignore all such symbols.
   The Beast Riders are in an environment alien to them, and their numbers have been reduced dramatically by the conflict. In addition, they have now spent enough time in the cursed regions that the Red Curse is beginning to affect them. (At the DM's option, the Beast Riders can be at the end of the Time of Grace, or can have entered the Time of Loss and have fully enabled Legacies.) Although they feel the tide has turned against them, their sense of honor demands they stay to seek revenge on their enemies. It may be possible for the player characters to negotiate with them and work things out (for which the PCs should be given the full experience point award listed), but several problems must be solved before that can happen.
   First, the Beast Riders are inclined to attack anyone they see, especially armed parties (such as, presumably, the PCs). On the other hand, they prefer not to fight unarmed or helpless individuals. Consequently, the PCs might avoid a fight by meeting the Beast Riders in an open area without weapons, though with armor and empty scabbards. The rakastas, recognizing this as an attempt to parley, are receptive. Rakasta PCs or other characters from Bellayne should be aware that this is a reasonable approach; if none of the PCs know this, an NPC can inform the adventurers of this tactic.
   Another possible solution to this problem is to send a single character out to contact the Beast Riders. If the Beast Riders encounter a lone rakasta, they might try to seek information from that person. A rakasta Beast Rider would certainly be met as a potential ally, but other Beast Riders are considered enemies. Any other type of lone warrior would be afforded grudging respect. If this lone encounter leads to a meeting with a PC band containing any rakasta PCs, the raiders will ignore others to talk to them unless those PCs are perceived as weak. In that case, the raiders attempt to talk with whoever appears to be the most able warrior in the group.
   A second problem to be solved is that the rakastas speak only Rakastan, and none of them can read or write. If none of the PCs speak Rakastan, a translator will be needed. If necessary, the DM should make an NPC available, but keep in mind that the NPC would likely be frightened by the prospect of talking to the raiders. Given that, hiring a translator becomes an entertaining role-playing exercise.
   Even after the barrier of language is surmounted, more problems must be solved. The Beast Riders are unwilling to leave unless their honor is satisfied. They want the locals to give them supplies and herd animals as an "apology." If this is done, the Beast Riders will move north again. Unfortunately, it will take some convincing to get the locals to agree to sacrifice any of their possessions. After the raids, they want revenge; they are unlikely to be satisfied with anything other than the deaths of the Beast Riders.
   In terms of game mechanics, the rakasta raiders can be treated as monsters, or as NPC fighters with the Beast Rider kit. For the latter, the DM will need to come up with appropriate proficiencies, abilities, and personalities.

Rakasta Beast Rider (6): AC 8 (leather armor); MV 9; HD 2+1; hp 11 each; THAC0 19; #AT 3; Dmg 1d4/1d4/1d4 (war claws and bite); SA rear claws for 1d3/1d3; SD keen senses, blind-fighting; AL N; ML 12; XP 175.

Feliquine (6): AC 5; MV 18; HD 4+4; hp 22 each; THAC0 17; #AT 3; Dmg 1d6/1d6/1d10; SA kick for 2d6; AL N; ML 12; XP 175.

The Afflicted

Terrain: Forest
Total Party Levels: Any
Total gp: 0
Monster XP: 65 (or 50 per character for a nonviolent solution to the problem)

Setup
°	After the PCs have set up camp for the night, they are approached by Geraud, the Afflicted character.
°	The PCs hear tales of a hideous monster that has frightened travelers in the woods and poses a threat to commerce.
°	The PCs are approached by a noble. Recently, her servants have found the remains of several dead animals, and apparently a predator or unauthorized hunter has taken up residence on her property. The noble asks the PCs to capture or kill the predator.

The Story
A few months ago, Geraud (a lupin from a poor family) acquired a Legacy. Since the family could not afford cinnabryl and Geraud had aspirations of becoming an adventurer, the young lupin left to seek his fortune, optimistic that he could find cinnabryl before his Legacy affected him adversely. This was not the case.
   Geraud's Legacy is Animal Form, and his form is that of a giant armadillo. As one of the Afflicted, Geraud is partially transformed into this shape. While remaining basically lupin, he has a banded shell along his back and tail. His face is still canine, but he has lost most of the hair on his ears and upper snout, and his ears have grown somewhat larger. His hands and feet are claws with armor-like covering, but most of the rest of his body is covered with fur. For the most part, Geraud simply looks strange. The deformations grant him no special abilities, not even extra protection from the shell-like bands.
   However, when Geraud activates his Legacy, he gains several abilities. For one thing, he can burrow at a movement rate of 1. He can also curl into a ball, though because the shell is not hard, it does not protect him. Finally, he can walk across the bottoms of shallow creeks, being heavy enough to sink in water and able to hold his breath for twice as long as a normal character.
   Geraud has wandered the countryside for several weeks, unwilling to enter a town or city, for fear of being ridiculed or reviled. A few days ago, he unknowingly entered the estate of a noble. He has been living on that estate, hunting and staying hidden. Using his Legacy, he dug out a small, hidden burrow where he keeps what few personal effects he has.
   The Afflicted lupin really poses no threat to anyone. He is a peaceful sort, whose dreams of fame and fortune have been crushed. Mostly he wants to be left alone. Though Geraud seeks to avoid contact with others, he has grown very lonely. Because of his desire to become an adventurer, he may be willing to talk to the PCs. He believes that if he would fit in anywhere, it would be with adventurers.
   Geraud does not want to fight. If attacked, he attempts to run away. If cornered, he begs for mercy. However, before these things can happen, the PCs first have to find him. If they hunt him, he proves to be elusive, leading them on a merry chase through the forest. Unless the PCs have a superior tracker among them, Geraud should be able to avoid them successfully. If the PCs seem to be too much of a threat, Geraud moves on, possibly becoming the source of rumors or problems in some other area. 
   The PCs have several choices for dealing with Geraud. If they somehow manage to capture him, the noble will be disgusted by his appearance and tell them to dump him somewhere far away from her lands. The PCs might instead try to help Geraud recover from Affliction. As explained in "The Curse and the Legacies" chapter, this takes quite some time, as well as spells and cinnabryl. If the PCs attempt such help, Geraud is very grateful; if they manage to cure him, he will be their friend for the rest of their lives; he could become a recurring character or even a henchman if the DM and players wish it.
   The PCs might instead try to take Geraud to an enclave of Afflicted, who would accept Geraud as one of their own. The prospect of this is frightening to Geraud, who does not want to be a "freak" at all, let alone a "freak among other freaks." Geraud might be convinced to travel to such an enclave, but in the end, he would not stay there.
   Another option is to take Geraud home. As with the enclave, this plan is abhorrent to him. Still, if the PCs talk to him in the right manner, Geraud realizes he has a loving family who would still care for him. If the PCs help his family financially, they might even seek a cure for Geraud. In any case, they will be eternally grateful to the PCs.

Geraud: AC 10; MV 12; 1st-level Local Hero fighter; hp 8; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg by bite or weapon; AL CG; Str 17, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 5.
  Legacy: Animal Form. Geraud's Animal Form is that of a human-sized, somewhat humanoid armadillo.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Long sword, dagger, short bow, bite.
  Nonweapon Proficiencies: Blind-fighting, tracking (9), hunting (8).
  Equipment: Long sword, short bow, 7 arrows, cloak.

The Flying Bulette

Terrain: Plains
Total Party Levels: 24
Total gp: 0
Monster XP: 5,000

Setup
°	Local farmers have suffered devastating raids recently, with horses and other livestock being lost to a predator of great size and ferocity. The player characters are hired to hunt and destroy the creature.
°	While the PCs are visiting a village, the flying bulette attacks an outlying farm, killing livestock and people.
°	During their travels, the PCs hear a buzzing sound that rapidly gets louder. Suddenly, a winged bulette dives at them and attacks.

The Story
This is basically a straightforward monster encounter except that the monster in question has a Legacy. This encounter serves as a powerful example to the players, demonstrating that monsters can have Legacies too.
   The bulette in this adventure is standard in every way, except that it has the Fly Legacy. The creature has wings like a beetle's. When not in use, they lie along the creature's sides. When the bulette flies, it makes an extremely loud buzzing sound, and the disturbance caused by the wings raises dust and causes other small objects to fly through the air.
   Like any other bulette, this creature usually approaches a potential target by burrowing, then bursts from the ground to begin an attack. Once out of the earth, it activates its Legacy, flying just a few feet above the ground and attacking with its bite and all four claws. If the bulette flies in an area with dry earth, it raises a cloud of dust that causes difficulties for its victims. Such a cloud can reach a diameter of 30 feet, and everyone in the cloud suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls (this applies to the bulette as well). Any characters within the cloud must also take precautions (such as wrapping a cloth about the mouth and nose) or roll a Constitution check to avoid being choked by the dust. A successful check indicates no harm, but a failure indicates the character spends 1d4 round coughing, unable to attack. Another Constitution check must be made for each round a character stays within the cloud.
   The bulette attacks for food. Once it kills something, it usually consumes it on the spot. If struck while eating, the bulette might turn to fight its attackers, or it might simply pick up its prey and wander off, ignoring unsuccessful attacks. This could be a considerable blow to the PCs' pride, as the bulette simply waddles (or flies) away, perhaps with a horse in its mouth, while the PCs attempt to get a blow through its thick hide. Local farmers would certainly be likely to rethink their choice of champions.
   The bulette continues to raid the farms in the region until killed or driven away. If the creature is just driven away (by annoying attacks while it is trying to eat), it moves on to raid in another region.

Bulette with Fly Legacy: AC –2/4/6; MV 14, Br 3, Fl 12 (C); HD 9; hp 54; THAC0 11; #AT 3 or 5; Dmg 4d12/3d6/3d6 or 4d12/3d6/3d6/3d6/3d6; SA jump, possible dust cloud; AL N; ML 11; XP 5,000.
   The bulette can fly for up to 18 rounds with each activation of the Legacy.

Other Ideas
Here are some other examples of monsters with Legacies:
°	An aurumvorax with the Ball of Fire Legacy. The creature attacks trespassers by firing a Ball of Fire from its burrow.
°	A giant alligator (use crocodile statistics) with the Entangle Legacy. The creature's tail grows into an entangling tentacle.
°	A dog with the Detonate Legacy. The creature remains fairly inconspicuous as random items explode around it, begging for table scraps while the PCs desperately seek to identify who is using the Legacy.
°	Gnoll warriors with a variety of Legacies, such as Armor, Burn, Grow, or Projectile. Given their primitive culture, most would be Afflicted as well.
°	A griffon with the Poison Legacy. The poison could be injected by spikes that grow on the creature's beak, or by a stinging tail it has grown.
°	A horse with the Armor Legacy. Such a creature would not present a direct danger, but would be a prize sought after by many. Its owner would certainly be the target of jealous attacks.
°	A minotaur with the Speed Legacy. This monster would have two extra legs, and would resemble a strange sort of centaur. As an Afflicted, the minotaur would be even more surly than normal.
°	A muckdweller with the Gas Breath Legacy. Locals could mistake this creature for a green dragon, causing the PCs some trepidation about seeking it out.
°	An owlbear with the Missile Legacy. The monster could shoot missiles from its claws or even its beak.
°	A pack of rats, all with the Shape Stone Legacy. These rats could infest a castle, using the Legacy to burrow within the walls.
°	A giant spider with the Regenerate Legacy. This combination should certainly surprise a group of PCs.

Tower Ruins

Terrain: Hills
Total Party Levels: 12
Total gp: 600
Monster XP: 2,615

Setup
°	While the PCs are searching for a place to make camp for the night, they come upon a ruined tower.
°	A noble who lost possession of his tower during recent wars has decided to reclaim it. He asks the PCs to clean it out so he can rebuild and move back in.
°	The PCs hear stories about a ruined tower with great treasures hidden within.

The Story
The tower in question stands 60 feet tall. It has four interior levels, each a circle 30 feet in diameter, with a ceiling 15 feet tall. A staircase goes around the inside of the tower, leading to each floor. This staircase is in good shape, but the interior of the tower is messy and dirty. The door at the tower's base allows entrance to the lowest level; each other floor has a window that can be reached by climbing. The top floor has a breach in one wall, and part of the roof has collapsed as well. The basic structure of the tower is intact, and repairs would be simple if the current denizens of the tower were eliminated or driven out.
   If the PCs try to claim the tower for themselves after cleaning it out, they could come into conflict with the tower's previous owner. The owner might ask for payment or might be grateful enough to extend some courtesy to the PCs, offering them a place to stay between adventures. The local government might also take possession of the tower, claiming it in the interest of national defense.
   The DM can make a basic map of the tower if desired. Descriptions of each level are left open enough to allow for changes. Whether or not the DM decides to flesh out the area, minor details—such as exact room contents—should be added.

Outside the Tower
An overgrown pathway leads to the tower. The door to the first level shows partially through a growth of plants, including a snapper-saw that blocks approach to the door. The snapper-saw has been feeding rather well on creatures trying to enter the tower, so it is a robust specimen. The door itself is relatively solid, made of hard, thick wood and banded with iron. Its lower hinge is broken, and the upper hinge is bent, so they would have to be repaired to serve well. In its current condition, the door doesn't actually impede entry to the tower, but opening it causes enough noise to alert the denizens of the lowest level.

Snapper-saw: AC 4/7/9; MV 0; HD 5; hp 31; THAC0 15; #AT 6; Dmg 1d4+1 each; SA trapping; AL N; ML 12; XP 975.
   The snapper-saw has six saw-stalks, each with AC 4 and 22 hit points. It has eight grasping leaves, used to trap prey; each is AC 7 and has 12 hit points. Note that the hit points of the saw-stalks and leaves do not count toward the plant's total. Rather, they determine how much damage is required to sever the parts.

Level 1: Goblin Lair
This level, once a reception area and grand hall, has become the home of a small group of goblins, who enter the level by climbing through the window (located opposite the door). The goblins consider the tower theirs, though they have not explored beyond the second floor (which they occasionally raid in order to catch a fat rat for dinner). The DM should consider the goblins to be from one of the Yazi tribes of the Savage Baronies area, though they could be from the Yazak Steppes if the DM prefers. They use this level of the tower as a base from which to conduct raids into the surrounding countryside.
   The goblins watch the window for attackers, relying on the snapper-saw and the noisy front door to alert them if anyone tries to enter from that direction. If the tower is invaded, they make use of what cover exists in the room (a couple of collapsed tables), firing arrows at intruders. Though the goblins fight ferociously to defend their home, they will break and run if faced with vastly superior foes. The goblins have a small hoard of treasure in a large chest in the room. This includes 47 gp, 54 sp, 23 cp, and jewelry (a ring, a necklace, and two bracelets) worth 230 gp total.

Goblins (6): AC 6; MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT1; Dmg 1d6 (short sword); AL LE; ML 10; XP 35. At the DM's discretion, the goblins can have Legacies.

Level 2: Almost Empty
At one time, this level served as both a storage space and kitchen. The large fireplace on one side has a chimney, allowing smoke to exit the tower through a large vent. Other than wrecked tables and chairs, old boxes, split barrels, and spoiled food, this area holds little of interest. However, 17 copper pieces are spread around in the refuse (household money, once used to reward servants). In addition, vermin inhabit the room (Afflicted rats).
   Each of the rats possesses some variation of the Webcasting Legacy. All have somewhat spidery forms, with extra eyes and longer claws. By activating its Legacy, each rat can spin two strands of web, each 10 feet long. To produce the web, a rat rears up on its hind legs, projecting the webbing from the front paws.
   For the most part, the rats avoid conflict; once the PCs see how odd the rats look, they will likely avoid hostilities as well. However, if the PCs attack the rats or otherwise agitate them, the rats attack—first by spinning webs to entangle the PCs, and then by biting. At the DM's discretion, a disturbance among the rats might attract some stirges from Level 4. The stirges have learned that animals webbed by the rats are nearly helpless against their blood-draining attacks, and a few of them might fly in through the fireplace vent.
   If the PCs retreat, the rats do not follow them.

Rats (14): AC 7; MV 15; HD 1/4; hp 2 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1 (or 1d2 when the Legacy is activated); AL N; ML 4; XP 35 each.

Level 3: Dead Things
Level 3 once held a large study and parlor. Like Level 2, it has a large fireplace with a vent to the outside. This level's window is blocked by a wardrobe that stands in front of it. Rags and trash have been stuffed into the fireplace vent, preventing most creatures from entering that way. The furniture here is in better shape than that in Level 2. It has not suffered from the elements much, although time has taken its toll. The padded chairs and couch smell musty, releasing great clouds of harmless dust when touched. An old desk sits empty in the room, and a few old books are scattered about.
   This area is also home to three skeletons, the remains of adventurers who met with a sad end, crawling into this area after a battle with the stirges. Two of the skeletons are not animated, nor is there anything odd about them. The bones have been cleaned by the vermin in the tower, but many of their possessions are intact.
   The first skeleton is dressed in chain mail that has rusted nearly to the point uselessness. It lies on the floor next to a backpack that holds various mundane items of equipment, such as a couple of torches, a rotted rope, and a flask of oil. The second skeleton is that of a wizard, dressed in a robe and sitting in a chair. It has a ring (worth 30 gp) on one finger, and a spellbook (containing several spells up to 5th level in power, including animate dead) lies on a table nearby. This wizard was the last to die. To provide protection, which came too late, he animated the remains of a fallen companion before he passed on.
   The DM should describe the wizard's skeleton in a way that makes the PCs suspicious, such as by mentioning that light (from the moon or the sun, depending on the time of day) from the window strikes its face, illuminating it in an eerie way. The vibrations caused by their passage might also cause the wizard's remains to shudder somewhat. If the PCs disturb the wizard's skeleton, it does nothing, but the third one in the room moves to attack them.
   The third skeleton lies on the couch until the second skeleton is disturbed, at which time it animates to defend its long-dead vivifier. This skeleton wears leather armor and wields a short sword. Its clothing and long hair make it apparent that it was once a woman. When the skeleton rises, it disturbs the couch and raises dust, filling the room with an eerie cloud. It has a pouch that contains 13 sp.

Skeleton: AC 7; MV 12; HD 1; hp 8; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (short sword); SD immune to sleep, charm, hold, fear, and cold, takes only half damage from edged or piercing weapons; AL N; ML 20; XP 65.

Level 4: The Nest
At one time, this level was the tower's master bedroom. It holds a large bed, a chest, a pair of small tables, and a few lanterns. At the DM's discretion, it could be divided into more than one bedroom (it is a large room, after all). Like the lower levels, this one has a fireplace. Also, its wall is breached, and part of the roof has collapsed. Note that the stairs lead up to a trapdoor in the roof.
   The main bedroom has become home to a small family of stirges. The creatures might be found sleeping, hanging from rafters in the ceiling. In any case, they attack the PCs when disturbed. The stirges are relatively well fed. They feed on local wildlife and the occasional goblin from downstairs but avoid preying on the web-casting rats of the second level.
   The chest here contains the following treasure: 130 cp, 156 sp, 114 gp, and six gems worth a total of 165 gp.

Stirges (5): AC 8; MV 3, Fl 18 (C); HD 1+1; hp 5 each; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 1d3; SA blood drain; AL N; ML 8; XP 175. The stirges do not have Legacies.

The Roof
The roof is basically featureless. However, it provides an excellent view of the surrounding countryside, making the tower a perfect lookout point.

Miguel Hernando de la Montoya
6th-level Male Dwarf Swashbuckler Thief

Strength	17
Dexterity	16
Constitution	16
Intelligence	13
Wisdom	13
Charisma	13

Panache Points: 2
Gauche Points: 2
Hit Points: 32
AC: 2 (leather armor +2, Dexterity, Swashbuckler)
Rear AC: 6
Unadjusted THAC0: 18 (15 with rapier because of kit)

Height: 4'5"
Weight: 153 pounds
Hair/Eyes: black/blue
Skin: dark, ruddy
Age: 68
Alignment: chaotic good

Weapon Proficiencies: rapier (1d6+1/1d8+1), main-gauche (1d4/1d3, +1 to disarms, punch for 1d3), wheellock belt pistol (1d8/1d8, +1d8 whenever the damage roll is an 8 or a 10), two-weapon style specialization (can fight with two rapiers or rapier and main-gauche, with no penalties for secondary weapon).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: etiquette (13), tumbling (16), blind-fighting, panache.
Languages: common, Espa (native language), Renardois, Ranax.

Secret Passes (Dominguez School): Dominguez Double-Dive (Basic), Torreóner Two-Step (Basic), Kiss of Steel (Difficult).

Legacy: Fly. Miguel's wings resemble those of a butterfly, at once incongruous and strangely fitting on this swashbuckling dwarf.

Thieving Skills: pick pockets 55%, open locks 55%, find/remove traps 55%, move silently 25%, hide in shadows 25%, detect noise 25%, climb walls 80%, read languages 20%, backstab for triple damage.

Magical Items: rapier +1, leather armor +2 (designed to allow wings to come out), cinnabryl amulet (4 weeks and 2 days left), 10 charges of smokepowder.
Other Possessions: rapier, main-gauche, 2 belt pistols, 50' silk rope, grappling hook, thieves' tools, tinderbox, 1 day's rations, waterskin, 2 flasks of oil, leather belt with compartments for thieves' tools, grooming kit, 4 changes of fine clothing (including cloak and feathered hat).

Quote: "A rescued damsel in every port."

Description: Witty and charming, Miguel has "a way with women." In fact, he is currently wooing women in several ports: Enid, whom he rescued from insanity; twins Katrina and Karmen, whom he rescued from a thieves' guild; Lyra, a mysterious woman he rescued from captivity; Lolita, a mysterious woman he "rescued" from her husband; and many more. Always gallant and chivalrous to the extreme, he refuses to take unfair advantage of anyone.
   Miguel has served aboard trading ships all along the Savage Coast. He likes adventuring because it gives him the opportunity to impress people, especially ladies, and supplies him with enough gold to live in high style. Miguel's most recent job has been as castellan for Don Luis de Manzanas of Saragón. It is Miguel's responsibility to defend Don Luis' life and property, and it is his pleasure to entertain the noble ladies who visit.
   As a member of the Dominguez fighting school, Miguel prefers to fight with two rapiers, or with rapier and main-gauche, but he always keeps both of his wheellocks loaded in case they are needed. He is careful about using them near Inheritors, since he recently fired one to save Don Luis and several of his party guests. Miguel saw the unpleasant effects that a smokepowder explosion can have on Inheritors when it affected Balazar. Miguel doesn't regret Balazar's condition, though. The brute certainly had it coming.

Gloriana de Rondalla
5th-level Female Elf Swashbuckler Enchanter

Strength	13
Dexterity	16
Constitution	16
Intelligence	17
Wisdom	10
Charisma	16

Panache Points: 1
Gauche Points: 0
Hit Points: 21
AC: 0 (bracers of defense AC 4, Dexterity, Swashbuckler)
Rear AC: 4
Unadjusted THAC0: 19 (16 with saber because of kit)

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 97 pounds
Hair/Eyes: reddish brown/brown
Skin: reddish tan
Age: 121
Alignment: neutral good

Weapon Proficiencies: saber (1d6+1/1d8+1, +1 to disarms, punch for 1d3), stiletto (1d3/1d2, +2 on attack rolls vs. plate mail, ring mail, or chain mail).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: etiquette (16), tumbling (16), navigation (15), storytelling (16), acting (15), reading/writing common (18), blind-fighting, panache.
Languages: common, Verdan (native language), elvish, Renardois, shazak, Yazakan, tortle.

Legacy: Speed. Gloriana enjoys using her Legacy to enhance her melee combat ability.

Spell Book: First level: burning hands, cantrip, detect magic, hypnotism, jump, light, phantasmal force, shocking grasp, sleep, spider climb, taunt. Second level: darkness 15' radius, forget, invisibility, know alignment, levitate, Melf's acid arrow, mirror image, pyrotechnics, rope trick, Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter. Third level: blink, clairvoyance, dispel magic, flame arrow, fly, hold person, phantom steed, suggestion, water breathing.

Magical Items: bracers of defense AC 2, wand of fire, cinnabryl amulet (3 weeks and 3 days left), red steel stiletto.
Other Possessions: saber, 50' silk rope, grappling hook, 50' string, tinderbox, 3 flasks of oil, pen, ink, paper, 10 pieces of chalk, signal whistle, wineskin, 2 days' rations, grooming kit, 3 changes of fine clothing.

Quote: "Are you prepared to defend yourself? Perhaps you would care to test your skill against my blade."

Description: Gloriana is a vivacious young elf with an engaging smile and a fine sense of humor. She tends to dress in blue and white, with embellishments of silver; she often wears suede and lace. While Gloriana enjoys life at sea, she is equally comfortable in forests and cities.
   Originally from Torreón, Gloriana sought the adventuring life to avoid the poverty of that state. She learned some skill in magic from her grandfather, then went to Vilaverde, where she joined the crew of a trading ship. The ship occasionally engaged in piracy, so Gloriana was able to gain experience rather quickly.
   Gloriana is known as a storyteller, always able to tell tall tales or old myths and legends to entertain. Gloriana likes the swashbuckling life and is an incorrigible flirt who enjoys rescuing men from difficult situations. She has romanced several of the eligible bachelors of the Savage Baronies but does not wish to settle down anytime soon.
   Gloriana prefers to use magic in combat when possible, but she is also competent with a sabre. She enjoys flashy spells and flourishing maneuvers with her sword and stiletto. She has also experimented a few times with using a rope to swing across short distances to attack; it seems to impress people.

Miles Killian O'Kayne
4th/5th-level Male Human Swashbuckler Fighter/Mage

Strength	18/03
Dexterity	13
Constitution	15
Intelligence	17
Wisdom	10
Charisma	14

Panache Points: 2
Gauche Points: 3
Hit Points: 32
AC: 4 (cloak of protection +4, Swashbuckler)
Rear AC: 6
Unadjusted THAC0: 17

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 162 pounds
Hair/Eyes: blond/green
Skin: tan
Age: 29
Alignment: chaotic good

Weapon Proficiencies: rapier (1d6+1/1d8+1), rapier specialization (+1 to attack rolls, +2 damage with rapiers), main-gauche (1d4/1d3 +1 to disarms, punch for 1d3), wheellock horse pistol (1d10/1d10, +1d10 whenever an 8 or 10 damage is rolled), two-weapon style specialization (can fight with 2 rapiers, or rapier and main-gauche, with a –2 penalty to secondary weapon).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: etiquette (14), tumbling (13), singing (14), seamanship (14), navigation (15), read/write common (18), gunsmithing (14), spellcraft (15), dueling (14), quick draw (13), curse lore (16), panache.
Languages: common, Ranax (native language), Espa.

Legacy: None. Killian has never spent enough time in a cursed area to acquire a Legacy.

Spell Book: First level: alarm, armor, cantrip, charm person, color spray, protection from evil, read magic, sleep, unseen servant. Second level: alter self, continual light, glitterdust, levitate, protection from paralysis, ray of enfeeblement. Third level: dispel magic, gust of wind, hold person, non-detection, protection from normal missiles.

Magical Items: 12 charges of smokepowder, red steel main-gauche, cloak of protection +4, Killian's cane. (The cane is a family heirloom, an elegant sword cane of black wood with a silver hawk's head. It can release a rapier +2 or act as a footman's mace +2; if a charge is spent, the user's Dexterity increases to 20 for 1 turn).
Other Possessions: rapier, 2 horse pistols, firearm repair kit, finely carved case for rapier and wheellocks, serrated utility knife, oaken whistle, pen, ink, paper, grooming kit, 2 changes of fine clothing, wineskin.

Quote: "Why should I suffer from the Red Curse simply for the sake of gaining power I don't need?"

Description: This dashing fellow is usually dressed in black and green: black leather boots, trousers, and gloves; green silk shirt; and silver and emerald earring. While his appearance is important, helping to maintain his suave image, he is not afraid to get dirty in the pursuit of adventure.
   The son of a Robrenn father and a Cimmaron mother, Killian was raised in Cimmaron with his sister Bridget. Seemingly born with wanderlust, Killian became a cabin boy on a Vilaverdan trading ship when he was 12. When the Red Curse spread, Killian avoided cursed regions and studied the curse; since then, he has been very careful to never spend more than two weeks in a cursed region; therefore, he has never acquired a Legacy. He maintains a residence in Bom Jardim, in the distant Colony of the Horn, but spends most of his time on the ship he captains, the Selwynn, named for a lost love. Killian has two mortal enemies: Donovan Keir, a pirate captain, and Angelíc de Ariéla, captain of Los Matónes in Narvaez.
   Killian prefers to use his wheellocks first and his rapiers second, except in duels. He also keeps his spells ready in case he should need them.

Bridget O'Kayne
5th-level Female Human Honorbound Paladin

Strength	14
Dexterity	15
Constitution	16
Intelligence	13
Wisdom	13
Charisma	17

Hit Points: 38
AC: 4 (chain mail, Dexterity)
Rear AC: 5
Unadjusted THAC0: 16

Height: 5'2"
Weight: 85 pounds
Hair/Eyes: white/blue
Skin: pinkish white
Age: 25
Alignment: lawful good

Weapon Proficiencies: wheellock belt pistol (1d8/1d8, +1d8 whenever an 8 damage is rolled), wheellock belt pistol specialization (+2 on attack rolls at point blank range of 6-15 feet, can fire before initiative if weapon is loaded and cocked and a target is in sight), rapier (1d6+1/1d8+1), light horse lance (1d6/1d8, double damage if used from a charging mount).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: dueling (17), etiquette (17), heraldry (13), quick draw (15), land-based riding for horses (16).
Languages: common, Ranax (native language), Espa.

Secret Passes (Verdegild School): Corsair's Handshake (Basic), Paladin's Reverence (Basic), Royal Display (Difficult).

Legacy: Sight. Use of this Legacy allows Bridget to accurately shoot even invisible opponents.

Paladin and Honorbound Abilities: detect evil 60' radius, +2 on saving throws, immune to disease, lay on hands, cure disease, aura of protection from evil, turn undead, +4 bonus on attack rolls vs. undead.

Magical Items: 22 charges of smokepowder, red steel rapier, cinnabryl amulet (6 weeks left), 10 red steel bullets, gloves of missile snaring.
Other Possessions: 3 wheellock belt pistols, main-gauche, light horse lance, chain mail, firearm repair kit, finely carved case for wheellocks, waterskin, red circle emblem (Honorbound).

Bonded Light War Horse (Argentino): Int Semi (4); AL N; AC 7; MV 27; HD 4+4; hp 30; THAC0 17; #AT 2; Dmg 1d4/1d4; SZ L; ML 11. Argentino is a silvery-gray stallion about 2 years old.

Quote: "Justice must be upheld."

Description: Bridget is a pretty young woman with close-cropped hair. She is typically seen wearing gray trousers, a white blouse, black vest, and black boots. Around her waist she wears the white sash of the Honorbound. Her red circle emblem is of red steel with a silver star in the center, as is becoming standard for the government-employed Honorbound of Cimmaron; she typically wears the badge on her vest. When adventuring or traveling, Bridget adds chain mail and a wide-brimmed white hat to her gear; a tabard over the chain mail is the resting place for her badge.
   The daughter of a Robrenn father and a Cimmaron mother, Bridget was raised in Cimmaron with her brother Killian. Killian left to join a sailing crew when Bridget was eight years old, but Bridget stayed on and became an Honorbound like her mother. Bridget rode with Sir John of Cimmaron during the recent wars. When John came to power in Cimmaron, Bridget was one of the first Honorbound chosen to be a Cimmaron Constable. Not assigned to a specific area, Bridget wanders Cimmaron upholding the law and dispensing justice. John also encourages her to travel to other Baronies as a sort of goodwill ambassador.
   Bridget prefers her wheellock pistols over all other weapons, but as a member of the Verdegild fighting school, she is a capable duelist with rapier or main-gauche as well. She considers the use of her magical gloves to be dishonorable in a duel.

Francisco del Carrascal
5th-level Male Human Gaucho Ranger

Strength	13
Dexterity	16
Constitution	17
Intelligence	15
Wisdom	14
Charisma	13

Hit Points: 43
AC: 5 (studded leather, Dexterity)
Rear AC: 7
Unadjusted THAC0: 16

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 141 pounds
Hair/Eyes: black/green
Skin: ruddy tan
Age: 22
Alignment: chaotic good

Weapon Proficiencies: dagger (1d4/1d3), bolas (1d3/1d2, entangle, requiring a Strength check to get free), wheellock horse pistol (1d10/1d10, +1d10 whenever an 8 or 10 damage is rolled), sabre (1d6+1/1d8+1, +1 to disarms, punch for 1d3), light horse lance (1d6/1d8, double damage if used from a charging mount).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: land-based riding for horses (21), direction sense (15), weather sense (13), leatherworking (15), animal training for horses (14), survival for deserts (15), hunting (13), tracking (14).
Languages: common, Espa (native language), Yaz, Yazakan.

Legacy: Create Liquid.

Ranger Skills: hide in shadows 31% (15% in non-natural surroundings), move silently 40% (20% in non-natural surroundings), adverse reaction and +4 to attack rolls vs. goblins, animal empathy.

Magical Items: 12 charges of smokepowder, cinnabryl amulet (7 weeks and 5 days left), armbands of hunting. (Cisco was given his armbands by an old Yazi shaman who wanted to help Cisco; the feathered armbands act as bracers of archery).
Other Possessions: 2 wheellock horse pistols, dagger, 2 bolas, sabre, light horse lance, long bow, blanket, tinderbox.

Light warhorse (Rapido): Int Animal (1); AL N; AC 7; MV 24; HD 2+2; hp 16; THAC0 19; #AT 2; Dmg 1d4/1d4; SZ L; ML 7.

Quote: "I'd rather be riding in the pampas."

Description: Cisco, as he is usually called, is an unkempt young man who can barely stand to remain indoors for more than an hour at a time. He usually wears trousers, chaps, and a cotton shirt, along with a bandanna and a wide-brimmed hat.
   When Cisco was a child, he was captured by Yazi gnolls from El Grande Carrascal; the gnolls raised him as a slave. He acquired a Legacy early, before the Red Curse had spread over the entire coast; this helped him to eventually earn full tribal membership, when the gnolls deemed him worthy (his tribal name is "Watermaker"). Cisco was Afflicted as a child; after reaching adulthood, he returned to human lands and was able to get a full cure for his Affliction. He then moved back to Guadalante, where he found members of his family, and became a Gaucho. The skills he had learned from the Yazi served him well in the pampas.
   Cisco is a crude man, much more at home among nature, or even among gnolls, than among other humans. He is one of the few Gauchos who does not automatically hate Yazi gnolls, since he was raised by them. Black Belly and Gosluk goblins caused occasional problems for his tribe, so Cisco learned a hatred of goblins from the gnolls.
   Though skilled with wheellock and sabre, Cisco prefers the longbow and dagger for hunting. This proud man never backs down from a challenge.

Nina Alhabashi
6th-level Female Human Inheritor Priest

Strength	17
Dexterity	12
Constitution	15
Intelligence	12
Wisdom	16
Charisma	13

Hit Points: 31
AC: 2 (plate mail and shield)
Rear AC: 3
Unadjusted THAC0: 18

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 155 pounds
Hair/Eyes: black with coppery-red streaks/black
Skin: dark, very ruddy
Age: 25
Alignment: neutral good

Weapon Proficiencies: war hammer (1d4+1/1d4), bolas (1d3/1d2, entangle, requiring a Strength check to get free), sling and bullets (1d4+1/1d6+1).
Nonweapon Proficiencies: ceremony for Al-Kalim (16), Reading/writing common (13), curse lore (11), Legacy lore (11), herbalism (10), healing (14), ancient history of Ylaruam (11), storytelling (12), artistic ability for pacing storytelling (16).
Languages: common, Espa (native language), elvish.

Legacies: Amber Paralysis, Armor, Fight, Projectile. When Nina activates the Armor Legacy, small, silvery-red scales cover her skin, starting at her face and head and moving rapidly to her feet. For Projectile, Nina's fingernails grow large and can be fired as missiles.

Priest Abilities: Nina can cast spells (five 1st-level, five 2nd-level, two 3rd-level) and turn undead. As a worshipper of the Immortal Al-Kalim, Nina has Major Access to All, Creation, Divination, Elemental (Water), and Healing; she has Minor Access to Animal, Necromantic, Plant, and Sun.

Magical Items: ring of free action, red steel war hammer, cinnabryl talisman (nine weeks and two days left), crimson essence (eight days until completion).
Other Possessions: sling and 24 bullets, 2 bolas, plate mail, crimson tabard without decoration, paper, pen, ink, herbs, bandages, 3 days' rations, waterskin, lantern, tinderbox, 2 flasks of oil.

Quote: "I use my Legacies to help, not to harm."

Description: Nina is a pretty, dark-skinned woman of primarily Ylari descent. Raised in Saragón to revere the enlightened ways of Al-Kalim, she eventually decided to become a priest for that Immortal. She met Don Luis de Manzanas as she was about to begin her adventuring career, to spread the word of learning and art. Don Luis convinced Nina to become an Inheritor of the Order of Crimson, a choice she has never regretted.
   Generally serious and scholarly, Nina has a quiet sense of humor that relies mostly on intellectual jokes and clever stories. Nina is an exceptional poet and storyteller, using her artistic flair to cover an occasional missing plot element or contrived rhyme. Her favorite stories are those told to her by her grandmother, stories of genies, viziers, and other things not often encountered on the Savage Coast.
   Nina is open and friendly, travelling throughout the Savage Baronies to tell people about the Red Curse, cinnabryl, and the Inheritors. She and others like her have done much to gain acceptance for Inheritors, especially in Saragón. Nina is curious about the world and tries to learn something wherever she goes. She enjoys adventuring, especially when the events can be used as a good story.
   Nina uses her Legacies as necessary, but prefers to solve disputes peacefully. Her favored weapons are her bolas and her warhammer. Note that one week's worth of Nina's cinnabryl will be drained each time she is within 2 feet of a smokepowder explosion (such as that produced when firing a wheellock pistol).

Divided We Fall

Divided We Fall is an adventure set in the Savage Baronies. To run this adventure, the DM should be familiar with the SAVAGE COAST campaign setting, especially with the Red Curse and the Legacies it causes.
   So this adventure can be used easily in any world, all the monsters in it can be found in the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome. However, monsters from other sources, such as the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM appendix for the MYSTARA campaign world, might add more flavor to the setting and provide greater challenges for the PCs; the DM should feel free to add monsters and challenges unique to the world in which he has placed the SAVAGE COAST campaign.
   This adventure is best suited for player characters (PCs) of levels 4-6. Because the majority of the monster opponents in the adventure are relatively weak goblinoids, the DM has room to adjust the danger of the adventure to suit slightly higher or lower level PCs. Characters of higher level can still enjoy the adventure as long as the DM increases the number of opponents or substitutes more powerful opponents during combat encounters. Most of the role-playing and non-combat encounters are challenging to PCs of any level. However, lower level characters can have considerable difficulty overcoming the combat and other life-threatening obstacles of this adventure, and they have little chance of defeating Balazar, the main villain. Take care not to force lower-level PCs into combat with opponents they cannot defeat.
   The adventure begins in the barony of Saragón, and most or all of the PCs should be from one of the Savage Baronies, perhaps even Saragón itself. In the previous chapter are six pregenerated characters who are ideal for this setting. However, players should be encouraged to use PCs of their own design. If the pregenerated characters are not used as PCs, the DM can feel free to use them as NPCs or replacement characters in the event that a PC is incapacitated or even slain.
   It is possible to import characters from other settings; characters from far lands should find the Legacies of the local people to be unsettling—perhaps even frightening. Be sure to emphasize the strange nature of the region to any foreign PCs. Encourage them to role-play their outsider status.

Balazar and the Gosluk
Balazar became an Inheritor a few years ago; over the past two years, he has had a couple of run-ins with another Inheritor, Don Luis de Manzanas, baronet of Aranjuez in Saragón. Balazar has considered Don Manzanas his mortal enemy ever since the baronet refused to surrender his cinnabryl to Balazar. Upon Don Manzanas' refusal, Balazar challenged him; the baronet suggested they meet the next day, at which time Balazar broke the Code of the Inheritors by attacking then and there, violating the sanctity of Don Luis' home and proving himself a thorough villain by confronting his host—in front of guests.
   Unfortunately for Balazar, Miguel Hernando de Montoya, castellan to Manzanas, was present to help defend his lord. Firing his smokepowder pistol at Balazar, Miguel instantly depleted the attacking Inheritor's remaining cinnabryl, forcing Balazar to undergo the Time of Loss and Change, as described in "The Curse and the Legacies" chapter of this book. Instantly and painfully transformed into a grotesque brute, Balazar retreated from Torre de Manzanas, swearing revenge on Don Luis and Miguel.
   What neither Don Luis nor Miguel know is that after Balazar's retreat, the transformed Inheritor traveled far from Saragón, horrified by his new appearance and furious in his defeat. Wandering the wilds north of Torre de Manzanas, Balazar eventually encountered a small raiding party of about 20 Gosluk goblins. Thinking the mutated Balazar a particularly ugly ogre, the goblins at first tried to enlist his service. When he refused with great hostility, the goblins attacked him. The three who survived were quite agreeable when Balazar demanded that they take him to their chief.
   Six months later, Balazar had established himself as a chief among the Gosluk, murdering his way up their hierarchy of personal power and ruthlessness, then leading them into raids against the neighboring Kuttai orcs and goblins. Between the fear he inspired in his troops and his powerful Legacies, Balazar led the Gosluk in military strikes so brutal and frightening that the Kuttai were quick to agree to an alliance in order to stop the fighting.
   The Dankut orcs have been allies of the Kuttai, but their chieftains' distrust of Balazar makes them hesitant to accept the Gosluk as allies, despite the Kuttai's alliance with them. If Balazar leads the Gosluk and Kuttai in victorious raids against the humans of the Savage Baronies, however, he may be able to unite more tribes. If so, the Savage Baronies will face a horde of monsters the likes of which have not been seen there since the fall of Oltec civilization.
   One man stands between Balazar and this conquest.

Don Luis de Manzanas
The common residents and soldiers of Saragón consider Don Luis de Manzanas a noble of the highest degree, a man of character as well as station, and a hero to the entire barony. Still, many nobles of Saragón and the other Savage Baronies consider Don Luis a clever schemer, bent on advancing his own position by whatever means are handy. In this particular case, is is the commoners who are correct. Don Luis is a nobleman in the truest sense of the word.
   Honorable and altruistic, Don Luis strives to defend not only his own barony but also the entire Savage Baronies region. His attitude is exemplified by his actions at the Battle of Morrión just three years ago, when he helped lead Saragóner forces against Yazi gnolls that had sacked castles in Almarrón and Gargoña, avenging the losses suffered by those two baronies. Given the mistrustful climate of the Savage Baronies, it is easy to see how such a man is misunderstood, but the baronet is not just a victim of envy and ordinary human mistrust. The artifact he uses to defend Saragón and all the baronies exacts a price for its use. It is the source of the distrust and suspicion that has kept Don Luis from rising above his current status. For more information on the effects of this artifact, see the description of the careta de la barrera, the barrier mask, in the "Magic" chapter.
   As a member of the Inheritors' Order of Crimson, Don Luis strives to control and distribute cinnabryl. As a retainer and adviser to Barón Balthazar de Montejo y Aranjuez, he serves the barony; as lord of the northernmost citadel he also directly protects Saragón and its people. Fortunately, the baronet has never faced the dilemma of divided loyalties; but should that problem ever arise, he would almost certainly serve his country first, his Order second.
   Recently, Don Luis' scouts have reported frighteningly large and frequent sightings of Gosluk. More disturbingly, some of those scouts have failed to return from their missions. Don Luis has no idea that Balazar is the one mustering the goblinoids of the steppes, but he does know enough to prepare for an impending invasion.
   Don Luis has sent word to Barón Balthazar already, and the baron has sent emissaries to each of the other baronies in an attempt to achieve unity against the goblin hordes. Unfortunately, Saragón's reputation for being able to fend off large invasions has left even the more sympathetic baronies with little fear that the goblins pose a real threat.
   Since diplomacy has failed, the baronet has decided to take matters into his own hands. He is currently trying to find a way to increase the power of the careta de la barrera.

Careta de la Barrera: the Barrier Mask
Saragón has remained safe from foreign invasion largely because of the barrier mask, a powerful Oltec artifact which can repel invading armies of 100 or more beings. Most residents of the Savage Baronies believe that Barón Balthazar, the ruler of Saragón, keeps the mask in the capital city of Ciudad Matacán. Barón Balthazar could not be more pleased at this misconception, for the artifact's powers, while considerable, are less than commonly believed.
   The barrier mask must be brought very close to an approaching force for its powers to affect the invaders. Thus, Barón Balthazar has entrusted the artifact to Don Luis, whose stronghold is strategically placed to deploy the barrier mask quickly against invaders from either the Yazak Steppes or the barony of Narvaez, the two clearest threats to Saragón. Secondarily, Barón Balthazar wishes personally to avoid the effects of the mask's curse, which he learned of through astute divinations. Though the baron does not especially wish ill on Don Luis, he does worry about potential conflicts of interest should the charismatic noble become baron. Thus, entrusting Don Luis with the mask serves two purposes at once: protecting the barony from invaders and keeping the baronet from being considered heir to Saragón.
   While the barrier mask has allowed Don Luis to keep Saragón from being invaded by its more aggressive neighbors, he fears it may not work against such a huge horde as is now threatening. While sending scouts to investigate activity from the Yazak Steppes, Manzanas also charged sages and bards with researching a means by which the artifact's power could be enhanced or complemented. These efforts bore fruit nearly a year ago when one of the bards in the baronet's employ returned from his travels with a promising legend.
   The legend suggested that the careta de la barrera is only part of a larger artifact created by the ancient Oltecs. Each Oltec city crafted one portion of a mannequin meant to represent a patron Immortal. At a great celebration in honor of Oltec unity, they planned to assemble the totem and forever defend their lands from invaders. Unfortunately, the invaders came far too soon, sweeping away the last remnants of Oltec civilization before they could assemble the artifact which might have protected them.
   Don Luis' scouts have been charged with investigating any ancient Oltec ruins. As this adventure opens, one small scouting party has recently discovered just such a ruin.

Adventure Synopsis
The PCs begin the adventure while traveling through a small village near Torre de Manzanas. While there, they encounter the lone survivor of one of Don Luis' scouting parties. If they give her aid, they learn that she and her companions found the ancient Oltec ruin that Don Luis suspects may contain an artifact capable of enhancing the power of the careta de la barrera.
   If the PCs bring the survivor, Maria, to Don Luis, they are offered the opportunity to complete her mission by traveling to the ruins and recovering the new artifact. When they return, the PCs should also report on any Gosluk activity they witness.
   Actually, two ruins lie near the location the survivor described; one of the ruins is Oltec, but the other is a much more recent structure built by Traladarans. Worse, a large band of Gosluk and Kuttai goblinoids have made camp in one of them while they search for the artifact themselves. Fortunately, the goblinoids are mistakenly searching the wrong ruin.
   The PCs can find the ruin which contains the artifact either by searching the area or by rescuing another surviving scout who was captured by Gosluk. The captive, Orlando, is being held in the Traladaran ruins by Gosluk and Kuttai goblins. Once saved from the goblinoids, Orlando can lead the PCs to the correct part of the Oltec ruin and warn them of the dangers inside. The PCs must explore the ruins, find the artifact, and escape before the goblin and orc hordes arrive. When the PCs are about ready to leave the area of the ruins, Balazar arrives with a group of elite Kuttai orcs; not far behind him, a huge horde of goblinoids advances. The great horde includes Gosluk and Kuttai, and even a few Dankut who have been enticed into coming along. The alliance of the three great tribes, even for a short time, bodes ill for the baronies.
   If the PCs are successful, they can return to Torre de Manzanas in Saragón, where Don Luis can add the power of the bracers of forbiddance to that of the barrier mask, and turn aside the approaching horde just in time. Balazar and a small group of elite orcs manage to slip through the barrier, however, and attack Don Luis in an attempt to destroy both the baronet and the barrier. Weakened by using the artifact, Don Luis is vulnerable to Balazar, and only the player characters can save the baronet from certain death at the vengeful hands of Balazar.

Starting the Adventure
The action of this adventure begins in the tiny hamlet of Escudo, a few miles northwest of Torre de Manzanas in the barony of Saragón. The player characters need not be natives of Saragón, but most should be native to the Savage Baronies. To explain why the PCs are traveling through this tiny town together, the DM can either integrate this adventure into an ongoing SAVAGE COAST campaign, or use one of the following adventure hooks:

° If any PC is a native of Saragón, Escudo can be his hometown. Perhaps the party is traveling here simply so the PC can visit with relatives. Alternately, the DM can include a message from the PC's family in the adventure before this one, summoning the PC home because of a wedding, funeral, or other important event in the family.
° If any of the PCs has ties to another barony, the party may be delivering a message to Don Luis from another noble. Escudo is the last settlement through which the PCs must pass before reaching Torre de Manzanas.
° A PC wizard or bard might have heard of Don Luis' interest in ancient lore and be traveling to Torre de Manzanas to seek employment.
° Any or all of the PCs may have heard that Don Luis is paying excellent wages for specialist scouts brave enough to venture to the Yazak Steppes.

   Regardless of the hook used to draw the party to Escudo, the PCs should feel a sense of serenity when they enter the tiny hamlet. The fresh air is sweet with the scent of apples and cool with orchard shade. In the precise rows of trees beyond every house in this loosely arrayed village, men climb ladders with baskets attached. The older boys and girls help with the harvest, gathering bags and baskets drooping with the weight of fruit. Younger children chase between trees and ladders, never far from the eyes of their parents.
   The villagers are friendly, if a bit shy. They glance up at the PCs, but when the PCs meet their eyes, the villagers smile politely and quickly glance back down. They seem more respectful than fearful, though, as if they are comfortable in their relatively low niche in the social order. Note that these villagers show few signs of the Red Curse because the local priest protects them with maintain spells.
   As long as the PCs are friendly, the villagers greet them pleasantly. They are used to scouts and occasional wanderers, but for the villagers themselves, most travel is between the Escudo and the Tower. They rarely go beyond the world defined by the trail that connects the two. If questioned, the villagers are full of local gossip but have little useful information. Some sample dialogue follows; try to work this information into a conversation between a villager and a PC, rather than simply dropping the data on the PCs without a context. The PCs could strike up a conversation with any of the hamlet's inhabitants, but remember that most of them are a little shy at first; the statements below will not be the first thing to pop out of someone's mouth.

° "The soldiers patrol all the time. Even though we are near the edge of the barony, we're safe from goblins and bandits."
° "Harvest has just begun, and we will work hard for at least another week before festival. You should stay for La Festiva de Manzanas at the Tower. All the villages will bring their best food and wine, and all the best minstrels will visit."
° "Don Luis is truly a noble man. He has devoted his life to protect the barony, even though he is also a member of the Crimson Order. Such a man is important to everyone here, especially the accursed."

   The PCs can buy food and drink here. They can barter or pay for lodging in one of the homes, but no inn or tavern is situated here. Villagers tell anyone inquiring about supplies or equipment that they should visit the little market at Torre de Manzanas, about two miles southeast.

The Lone Survivor
Just before the PCs leave the village, or as soon as the players begin to lose interest in role-playing with the villagers, the DM should bring the first of the important NPCs into the adventure. The PCs hear a distant cry that disrupts the tranquility of the little village. It is a boy, running out into the fields beyond the northern orchards. None can make out what he is saying, but his gesture can only mean, "Come here!"
   Assuming the PCs look beyond the boy, they can see he is running northwest toward a lone rider. Together, rider and mount are a black silhouette against the yellow fields. Even from this distance the PCs can see that a humanoid figure is slumped behind the drooping neck of the horse, exhausted or dead.
   If the PCs make no move to follow the boy, a nearby woman calls out, "Manuel! Stay back from the stranger!" If the PCs do not act now, a man and a teenage boy grab staves and run after Manuel. If the PCs still refuse to follow, one of the other laborers suggests that the rider may bring trouble. "Won't you go see what it is? We are a simple people, and surely no lone rider would challenge such as you." If nothing else, the PCs should see the survivor, Maria, as Manuel and the other villagers lead her horse into the village.
   Maria is in bad shape. Slouched forward to allow the mount to support most of her body, she is barely able to clutch her horse's mane. Somehow she finds strength to hang on, though the PCs can see she has been wounded on the shoulder and the side, probably by arrows. Her trousers are slit above the knee to reveal a crude, blood-stained bandage, her thigh swollen round beneath it. As she nears the village, she lifts her dusty face to rasp weakly, "Water!"
   The rider is Maria Cordoba, one of Don Luis' scouts and (she thinks) the last survivor of a group that discovered an ancient ruin in the near foothills of La Pampa Rica (territory west of Saragón, unclaimed by humans). Maria suffers from arrow wounds and dehydration, but what threatens her life is the poisonous sting from a manticore. If the PCs apply sufficient healing to restore Maria to half her hit point total and give her water, she can talk a little.
   She speaks in a gasping voice, her eyes unfocused, and tries to get the PCs to swear to complete her mission: "Please! Swear to complete . . . my mission. My life is gone . . . the poison. Swear to me!" Most PCs should be reluctant to swear to complete an unknown mission, but rash promises epitomize the Swashbucklers so common in the Savage Baronies, and Maria is most definitely a damsel in distress. Any requests that Maria explain the mission in more detail before a PC accepts are met with impatient protests: "There is no time! My life . . . it slips away. Swear it!" She has nothing more to explain if no one will take her oath, though she will ask to be taken to Don Luis.
   Should any PC swear to complete Maria's mission, she calms considerably and continues to speak: "The ruins—we found them! They are not far . . . 50 miles, perhaps. Tell Lord Luis . . . we searched for the artifact. There were . . . monsters in the ruin, but we . . . escaped. Then Gosluk ambushed us. . . ." The woman coughs and calls for water again.
   A PC with either the healing or the herbalism nonweapon proficiency can use knowledge of either skill to examine Maria; a successful proficiency check confirms that Maria is indeed doomed if the poison in her system is not neutralized. Any successful use of the knowledge of herbalism (that is, another proficiency check) informs the player character that only magic can neutralize the poison this late in its course. If a priest character casts a neutralize poison spell upon her, Maria is saved from death, and healing her to her full hit point total restores her to some vitality; if this occurs, she insists that she go directly to Don Luis to report. If, as is likely, no PCs are priests or can cast neutralize poison, the party can still save Maria by taking her immediately to Torre de Manzanas, which is only a few minutes away by horse or half an hour on foot.

Maria Cordoba, Scout Thief: AC 8 (leather); MV 12; 3rd-level thief; hp 16 (1 at present); THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6+1 (rapier); AL NG; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 11. Maria should not need her thieving skills in this adventure; if for some reason she does, the DM can invent them as appropriate or use the average scores listed in the DMG.
   Equipment: rapier, leather armor, light crossbow, bolt case with no crossbow bolts remaining.

   The PCs may wish to escort Maria to Torre de Manzanas themselves, send a messenger to summon help, or perhaps even leave her with the villagers.
   If they choose to take her to the Tower, the PCs must devise a way to carry her there, as she no longer has the strength to remain on horseback. If the PCs request a cart to carry Maria, the villagers provide one. It might also be possible for someone on horseback to carry her if she is somehow secured.
   If the PCs send a messenger to Don Luis, then Miguel Hernando de la Montoya, the baronet's dwarven castellan, appears within about half an hour to fetch Maria, bringing a priest and a unit of six soldiers. Miguel introduces himself with haste and courtesy, and requests that the PCs accompany him to Torre de Manzanas. Miguel is a bit brusque, because he does not understand why the PCs did not bring Maria directly to the tower, rather than make her dangle by a thread of life.
   If the PCs choose to leave Maria with the villagers and then proceed to Torre de Manzanas, Miguel rushes out with a priest and six soldiers to retrieve the scout as soon as the PCs arrive and tell anyone what has happened. Neither Miguel nor Don Luis thinks much of the PCs in this event. Unless they express a convincing reason for their unchivalrous actions, the PCs will not be asked to complete Maria's mission. How could they be expected to help an entire nation if they cannot help one needy woman?

Meeting Manzanas
When the PCs arrive at the citadel with Maria, guards meet them before the open drawbridge. As long as the PCs are not hostile, the guards respond in a friendly, if somewhat formal, manner. When the PCs get close enough, the guards recognize Maria, understand the situation immediately, and allow the PCs through the gate while initiating a shouted summons for the castellan (Miguel). If the PCs are already accompanied by Miguel, Miguel shouts for Don Luis.
   In any case, it should not be long before Don Luis himself appears. The baronet is a handsome man in his late 30s. He appears young and vibrant but has just a touch of gray at his temples, the result of too much stress in his adventuresome life. As mentioned, Don Luis is an Inheritor of the Order of Crimson. In fact, the baronet was one of the first 11 Inheritors, who led the adventuring group that caused crimson essence to be invented (see the material on Saragón earlier in this book). 
   The first concern of Don Luis (and Miguel) is to save Maria's life, assuming the PCs have not delayed so long as to make this impossible. (The exact amount of time Maria can survive is left to the DM, but the DM should not be afraid to be harsh with PCs who procrastinate.) Don Luis has a skilled healer as part of his staff, and the guards call for the healer at the same time the baronet is notified. Both healer and lord arrive within a minute or two.
   The healer is skilled in both the healing and herbalism nonweapon proficiencies, but he quickly realizes these will not be enough for Maria. As soon as he assesses the situation, the healer asks permission of Don Luis to get a magical potion (actually a dose of Keoghtom's ointment) from the baronet's stock of such things. Don Luis readily agrees, and he asks the PCs to help move the girl to a comfortable room inside the tower while Miguel runs off the get the magical ointment. The ointment is enough to save the scout, but she is exhausted from her ordeal, falling into a deep sleep as soon as her wounds have been tended.

Manzanas the Man
Statistics for both Don Luis and Balazar are given at the end of this adventure. The DM should become familiar with these statistics, taking special note of the baronet, his role as an Inheritor, his personality, and his alignment (neutral good).
   Don Luis always carries himself with an air of nobility and compassion. As soon as Maria is under the able care of the healer, he turns to business with the PCs. Still, he occasionally sends for word about the girl's condition until he is reassured that Maria is on her way to recovery.
   The baronet begins by introducing himself to the PCs and taking them to his study, where he offers them wine or water, whichever they prefer. Don Luis comes quickly to the point, but in a friendly and open manner, asking the PCs why they were in the area, how they happened to find his scout, and anything she might have said to them. One hopes the PCs relay the important information they gained from Maria, namely that she discovered the ruins, that the site lies about 50 miles away, and that she and her companions were attacked by Gosluk goblins. 
   If for any reason the PCs do not provide this information to Don Luis, it is only a short time before Maria wakes from a restful sleep to give the information to her lord herself. Even if the PCs do tell Don Luis all they know, he talks to Maria and hears about the manticore and the fact that two sets of ruins are located in the area she was scouting.
   Once Don Luis discovers the status of Maria's mission, he feels a sense of urgency: If goblins are close to the artifact, someone must go retrieve it quickly before the goblins take it or destroy it. Don Luis interrogates the PCs further, trying to determine their trustworthiness. If the PCs all swear to undertake an important mission and keep it secret—before hearing the details—Don Luis tells them a little of the story, not wanting to disclose the whole tale in case they are captured or should somehow turn against him.
   Don Luis explains that he has spent the last few years searching for an ancient Oltec artifact, a set of magical bracers. These bracers will help protect their wearer from damage—or so it is believed. He suspects they are an ancient form of bracers of defense, which might have powers other than simple protection.
   While what he says is basically true, it is not the whole story. Under no circumstances does Don Luis tell them more at this time. That the bracers are part of a set, along with the barrier mask, is a secret he wishes to keep for now.
   Note: Due to the effect of the barrier mask, any PC of noble birth gets an odd, very subtle feeling that the baronet is not to be trusted. If the PCs act on this, perhaps questioning the castle guards and servants, all answers indicate that Don Luis is a wonderful person; the mask's effects apply only to other nobles. No amount of questioning or study leads to an explanation for this feeling.

A Little Help
If the PCs agree to help Don Luis, he suggests that Miguel go along with them. The dwarf knows a little about the mission and should be able to recognize the bracers, having studied Oltec artifacts with the baronet. Miguel is eager to help, especially if any women are in the adventuring party. The DM should play up Miguel's usefulness as much as possible. Though he may appear comical (the concept of a dwarven Swashbuckler is a bit amusing, after all), Miguel is a quite capable individual. He can guide the PCs on their mission, give them information, and come to their assistance in combat.
   The PCs might suspect that Miguel would be going along to keep an eye on them, which is entirely true. Don Luis trusts Miguel implicitly and knows he will do his best to bring the bracers back to Torre de Manzanas. Thus, Miguel's task is not to watch the PCs and insure their loyalty so much as it is to see to their safety so the bracers can be retrieved. If the characters show the slightest hesitation, Don Luis conceals none of his reasoning for wanting Miguel to go along. The DM should make every effort to portray Miguel as trustworthy and potentially helpful so that he can give them more clues about the bracers later on. Besides, he's an engaging character. If the PCs refuse to take Miguel, the baronet does not force them to do so, but instead provides a map marked with the suspected site of the ruins.
   Note: If Miguel is used as a player character, the DM has to add a little more history to the adventure. First, at the beginning, Don Luis sends Miguel to Escudo to debrief (and of course heal) Maria and hear what she has discovered. Miguel heads back to his lord, bringing the PCs. After Don Luis tells the adventurers about the mission, he pulls Miguel aside and gives him the real story of the artifact. When and if Miguel tells the other PCs is up to his player.

The PCs' Mission
Once the PCs have agreed to Don Luis' request, they are allowed to outfit themselves from the armory and enjoy reasonable credit from the marketplace. Allow the PCs to equip themselves with any supplies listed in the PHB, up to a total cost of 100 gold pieces per PC. Normal equipment can be obtained from the market, basic weapons are available from the citadel's smiths, and leather or chain mail can be acquired as well. Don Luis also has a supply of cinnabryl, but he asks the PCs to pay for it; if he has been impressed with the PCs, the baronet charges them Inheritor's prices. Though Don Luis has several red steel weapons, these are hidden in a secret armory, and he does not release them to the PCs. Don Luis is also willing to supply horses to any PCs who do not have them (as a loan only).
   The baronet encourages the PCs to be on their way as quickly as possible, so that no time is lost in recovering the bracers. If they waste time getting supplies, Don Luis and Miguel try to speed up the procedures, going as far as traveling to the different market stalls themselves to get the goods. Don Luis is pleasant to the PCs unless they waste a lot of time.
   Once the PCs are ready, they should head off toward the ruins. If Miguel is not accompanying the PCs, Don Luis makes sure they have a map to the approximate location of the ruins. He also passes on some information from Maria: The two sets of ruins are each on a hill within sight of the other. If necessary, the baronet can also describe Oltec architecture, which uses step pyramids, giant stone heads, and intricately carved statuary. When all preliminaries are done, Don Luis wishes the adventurers luck and sends them on their way.
   The first part of their journey, across the grasslands of La Pampa Rica, should be relatively uneventful; the PCs are headed almost due west from Torre de Manzanas, and while they might have a few encounters, none are important to the progress of the adventure.
   After they reach the hilly lands, the PCs have an encounter with some Gosluk goblins, an event foreshadowing things to come. After the PCs move on, they come to the two sets of ruins. When they become able to see the ruins, they should notice goblinoids encamped around one. The other set of ruins appears uninhabited and is the one the PCs want to explore.
   The PCs then need to make several decisions about whether they should attack, sneak in, etc. They might also know about a human prisoner (Maria's partner Orlando) in the goblin encampment and need to decide what to do about him. Eventually, the PCs should search one or both sets of ruins to find the bracers of forbiddance, which are located in the Oltec ruins (not the ruins with the goblinoid camp). At about the time the PCs recover the bracers, or when the DM feels they have spent long enough looking, a great goblinoid horde, led by Balazar, approaches from the northwest. The ideal situation is for the PCs to try to warn Saragón, running just ahead of the horde until they reach Torre de Manzanas.
   As this part of the adventure progresses, the PCs can come to realize that the goblinoids represent a very serious threat to the Savage Baronies. By the time they encounter the large horde of goblins at the end of this section, the player characters should be feeling the urgency of the situation and should be ready to retreat to Torre de Manzanas. Be sure to give the PCs every opportunity to run; they are not meant to actually face the goblin horde they see here, merely to retreat ahead of it to warn Don Luis.

La Pampa Rica
Following a map or Miguel's directions, the PCs should not take long to cross these grasslands to reach their goal. The first portion of the PCs' journey is through cultivated fields and patrolled lands. The PCs have no adverse encounters in these areas, but the DM may wish to include short role-playing encounters with workers in the fields, Gauchos, military scouts returning from patrol, or other characters that might give the setting a greater sense of reality.
   Once the PCs cross the border of Saragón, the fields give way to savannahs, then eventually to rough hills. The PCs risk encounters with wild animals, bandits, and even Gosluk outriders. If the party is powerful enough to withstand a few incidental encounters on the way, the DM should feel free to include them. A short random encounter chart is included if the DM wants to use it. The short adventures from the previous chapter can also be used if the PCs have not experienced those encounters previously, and the DM is encouraged to experiment with favorite monsters, perhaps giving them Legacies.
   Remember that these encounters, like the role-playing encounters mentioned above, are diversions that add color to the adventure setting. They are not intended to pull the PCs away from the main adventure or to kill them.

Table 19.1: LA PAMPA RICA ENCOUNTERS

   1d4	Encounter
   1	Gosluk Goblin Scouts (5): Int Low (5–7); AL LE; AC 6; MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (short sword); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each. This is a small scouting party that could serve as a sort of warm-up encounter.

   2	Aurumvorax (1): Int Animal (1); AL N; AC 0; MV 9, Br 3; HD 12; hp 47; THAC0 9; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4 (bite); SA 2d4 claws for 2d4 damage each; SZ S; ML 19; XP 9,000. This monster prowls in hilly ground. It does not really want to fight, which is probably fortunate for the PCs, but it attacks if approached or pestered.

   3	Gauchos (6): Int Avg (8–10); Al N; AC 8 (leather armor); MV 12 (18 on light warhorses); HD 1; hp 7 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4 (dagger) or 1d10+ (wheellock horse pistol); SZ M; ML 14; XP 15 each. These are cattle herders wandering the range or possibly camped for the night, depending on when they are encountered. Each gaucho has a horse, and several cattle graze nearby. The gauchos are peaceful but willing to become rowdy if insulted. These gauchos live outside the cursed lands and do not have Legacies.

   4	Prairie Dogs (10): Int Animal (1); AL N; AC 8; MV 12, Br 2; HD 1/2; hp 2 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1; SZ S; ML 8; XP 7 each. This encounter can be played for humor, but it can also have serious repercussions. As the PCs are riding along, they begin to notice prairie dogs popping up from nearby holes. While the animals do not attack unless bothered, their dens are a hazard. If the PCs don't take precautions in this region, each horse has a one in six chance of stepping into a hole; if this happens, the rider must calm his mount, or it has a one in twelve chance of breaking a leg and being unable to continue. Otherwise, it is relatively easy to extricate a horse from a hole.

The Gosluk Goblins
The party's first real encounter with Gosluks is in the grassy valleys leading up to the hills where the ruins are located. Goblins have paused in a small valley and are not visible until the PCs come over a small rise. The goblins have alert scouts, who spot the PCs at the same time the party sees them unless the PCs have taken precautions (like sending out a stealthy scout).
   This is purely a combat encounter to show the PCs that the goblins are not at all shy about attacking humans, as they would be normally. If one of these goblins is captured, he tells the PCs that his friends have a human prisoner back at the ruins. If it does not look like a goblin will be captured, the DM can even have one of the goblins mention the prisoner during combat, either bragging about the captive or ordering his compatriots to "get another one to take back to the ruins!" Though goblins usually speak their own language, several of them have learned rough common in order to communicate more easily with Balazar; this allows them to communicate with the PCs as well.
   If Miguel is with the adventuring party at this time and the PCs do well against the goblins, exhibiting reasonably honorable behavior, Miguel takes them into his confidence and tells them about the artifacts, including all he knows about the barrier mask and the bracers of forbiddance.
Goblins (13): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6 (10); MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each.

Goblin leader (1): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6 (10); MV 6; HD 1; hp 7; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each.

Worgs (14): Int Low; AL N(E); AC 6; MV 18; HD 3+3; hp 17 each; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ M; ML 11; XP 120 each.

Two Ruins
Following Maria's directions, Don Luis's map, or Miguel's leadership, the PCs eventually arrive at the area Maria described. The two hills here are both dotted with scrub vegetation and gouged by ravines. The clearly recognizable ruins of a Traladaran outpost stand on the higher hill, abandoned hundreds of years ago after a devastating Gosluk raid. The lower hill is more a plateau; on it, invisible to cursory examination, are the half-buried remains of a much older ruin, this one a devastated Oltec temple.
   When the first Traldar pioneers traveled to this region, they established a series of small fortresses meant to protect their claimed lands from goblinoid raiders. It was not long before those raiders laid siege to the fortresses and scattered most of the Traldar. These ruins mark the location of a fortress which took nearly two years to construct, but which stood for less than a year before it was razed to the ground.
   The two ruins lie within sight of one another, and as the PCs approach, they can clearly see goblins around the ruins on the higher hill. The PCs are correct if they believe that any activity in the Oltec ruin is visible from the Traladaran ruin; they must do something about the goblins, or sneak in and out of the Oltec ruin with either speed or magical concealment. The PCs might also be aware that the goblins have a human prisoner, Orlando; if they do not yet realize he exists, he becomes visible on a close approach to the ruins of the Traldar citadel.
   Note that if Miguel is with the PCs when they see the ruins, the dwarf makes a remark or two. He recognizes the costumes of the Yazak goblinoids, and when he sees Gosluk and Kuttai together, he says something like, "The Gosluk, they are no problem. They raid, and they go away. They are weak. The Kuttai, they are no problem; they raid, and they go away. Seeing Kuttai and Gosluk together, that is a bit of a problem, but not one that is insurmountable. Thank goodness the Dankut are not with them."
   The main concern of the PCs is getting past the goblinoids, either by avoiding them or fighting them. In regard to their approach to the ruins, the PCs have three broad options:

° Stealth. The PCs can sneak in and rescue Orlando, sneak into the Oltec temple to recover the bracers, or both. If the PCs are very careful, they might pull off a stealthy approach, but they will definitely make noise when they find the manticore guarding the bracers (unless they use magical silence to block the sound from reaching the goblins, such as by casting silence, 15' radius across the mouth of the manticore's cave). If the goblins hear the PCs fighting the manticore, they send patrols over until eventually a large group of goblins and orcs surrounds the well, waiting to take on the winner of the fight.
° Attack. The PCs can try to kill or rout the goblins and orcs. This option is viable; after a few goblinoids die, both Kuttai and Gosluk think better of their rather shaky alliance and run away, leaving their former allies to their fate.
° Wait. This option does the PCs no good. The goblins wait, too—until reinforcements show up, in the form of several hundred more goblins and orcs, with Balazar. When the horde shows, Balazar briefly prowls around the two temples, kills the manticore, recovers the bracers, and leads the horde to attack Saragón.

The Ruined Citadel
The Traladaran ruin is the only one the goblins and orcs have yet explored. They are aware of the older ruins, but consider them useless. The goblinoids have made their camp within the scant shelter of the two remaining fortress walls while they explore those few chambers of the dungeon so far revealed.
   While several goblins and orcs stand watch outside, a small group representing both Gosluk and Kuttai explores the dungeon chambers below. A few goblins and orcs rest inside the walls, and two Gosluk goblins guard a human prisoner.
   Among the tumbled stones of the Traladaran ruin are worked blocks, some of which are carved with recognizably foreign designs. Any PC who makes a successful ancient history proficiency check identifies these marks as Oltec and knows that the Oltec civilization fell thousands of years ago—if it is not simply the stuff of legend, as some scholars argue. These blocks were taken from the Oltec ruin by the Traldar and placed in their own construction, probably for decoration.
   When the PCs get close enough, they can see into the fortress—through the wall, through the ancient gate, or over the top of the rubble, depending on the angle from which they approach. In any case, they can see a human is being held prisoner inside. If Miguel is with the PCs, he recognizes Orlando, Maria's partner. Maria assumed Orlando died with the other members of their small scouting party, but the goblins actually knocked him unconscious and captured him. Note that Miguel insists on rescuing Orlando. As a romantic, Miguel has noticed that Maria and Orlando are smitten and believes they must be reunited for true love.

Patrol Quadrants
Both Gosluk and Kuttai goblins camp here, along with a unit of Kuttai orcs. The two tribes are currently allied, though lingering hatreds and suspicions remain. Fights between members of the two tribes are not uncommon, and to diminish the chances of a serious conflict, the unit chieftains have divided the area into four discrete patrol quadrants.
   A: Gosluk Goblins. A walking patrol of four goblins surveys this area. These goblins are alert, but they pay more attention to the Kuttai goblins that patrol nearby, anxious to make sure the Kuttai do not receive some extra privilege that Gosluk do not. The goblins walk the perimeter of their open, grassy area, sometimes stopping to look back at the Kuttai.
   B: Gosluk Goblins. A lone goblin stands guard here while his two companions sleep at his feet. PCs who can approach with stealth may be able to dispatch this lone guard quietly. In addition, the goblin's position cannot be observed from the ruins, which is why two of the guards are able to get away with sleeping.
   C: Kuttai Goblins. A walking patrol of three goblins watches this area. These goblins walk close together, and patrol back and forth at the edge of their designated area. While the goblins are visible from the citadel and cannot be killed without raising an alarm, PCs might sneak by in some brush at the edge of the patrol area if they wait until the goblins are headed the other way. Of course, the Gosluk goblins in area A may see stealthy PCs if their mistrust leads them to look this way at the right moment.
   D: Kuttai Orcs. Four orcs patrol this area. Each is stationed in a corner of the designated area, and every few minutes they all rotate to the next post, to insure they are all awake and alert. These orcs cannot be bypassed safely without great luck or magic.

Approaching the Ruined Fortress
The best way for PCs to approach the fortress is through area B, though Areas A and C have advantages as well. Area D cannot be penetrated by stealth alone. The party's best chance for success depends on their abilities; if they have several stealthy members, an approach through area A or C might be in order. If the party is unsubtle, their best bet might be to attack quickly, hoping to distract the goblins from attacking Orlando until he can be rescued.

The Remaining Tower
Kuttai orcs claimed the tower as their headquarters, and the Gosluk did not protest, since they had explored it earlier and found it boring. The tower is mostly featureless, and a collapsed upper level leaves it open to the sky.

The Dungeon Levels
In the remains of the citadel's second tower, the orcs found a hidden trap door that led down to the two sublevels. Rather than explore the levels themselves, the lazy orcs sent down a mixed party of Kuttai and Gosluk goblins. The goblins have been inside for about two hours and have not been heard from since they went in. There are two reasons for their silence.
   First, the upper sublevel is 100 feet below ground and can be reached only by going through a twisted little passage; sound does not travel well through this narrow passage. Only one person can fit in the tiny tunnel at once. Goblins can fit rather comfortably, but orcs and humans would have difficulty moving in the tunnel.
   Second, the goblins reached a long corridor below the surface with brick walls and a cobblestone floor. As the goblins advanced along this corridor, they began setting off a series of mechanical traps. Three goblins, a Gosluk and two Kuttai, lie dead. The other three goblins, one Kuttai and two Gosluks, stand or sit in the middle of the corridor, unsure what to do. When they tried to retreat back the way they came, another trap went off, injuring one of the remaining Gosluks. Now they are scared to move and are trying to think of a way out without setting off even more traps. The rivalry between the two tribes keeps these three goblins quiet; each hesitates to show weakness in front of the other tribe, such as howling for help from the surface.
   If the PCs venture into the sublevels, their passage through the twisted corridor is uneventful and relatively easy, if slow. However, once the characters reach the deep corridor, they face two dangers: traps, and goblins. The goblins shout threats from the middle of the corridor, and heedless of the traps, rush to attack characters who come toward them. Use standard goblin statistics, except that one of them has only two hit points remaining.
   Whenever someone moves in the corridor, whether walking, running, or maneuvering to attack, a one in six chance exists of a trap going off. The corridor is loaded with several different types of trap, and most are self-loading and repeating. There are darts that shoot from the walls; blocks that drop from the ceiling; spikes that jut from the floor; blades that swing out of the wall; axe blades that swing like pendulums across the corridor; and any others the DM cares to add. A character who sets off a trap must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation to avoid its effects or take 1d6 damage (regardless of the type of trap). While it might be possible for a thief to go through the corridor and disarm the traps, he would also have the goblins to worry about. At the DM's discretion, it might be possible for the PCs to negotiate a truce while one or more of them try to disarm traps—but it is suggested that the DM just have some fun with traps going off throughout melee to liven things up a bit. If a thief does try to disarm the traps, 82 different mechanisms must be disabled.
   If the characters make it through the corridor to reach the room at the end, they find the door easy to open. Inside is a treasure hoard guarded by a wight. The exact contents of the treasure hoard are up to the DM, but should be based on the wight's treasure type (B) and the needs of the campaign.

Wight (1): Int Average (9); AL LE; AC 5; MV 12; HD 4+3; hp 26; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4; SA energy drain; SD spell immunities, hit only by silver or magical weapons; SZ M; ML 14; XP 1,400.

Courtyard
The remaining "courtyard" is nothing more than the outline of the original walls with partial remains of two of those walls. Against the interior of one crumbling barrier lie the off-duty Gosluk goblins. Against the other wall, almost 40 feet away, two Gosluk goblins guard Orlando, who is tied hand and foot and leans propped against the cold stone wall. The goblins guarding Orlando pay little attention to him, only occasionally glancing in his direction, sometimes going for minutes without checking on him. Orlando's guards are more interested in playing knucklebones and keeping an eye on the Kuttai.

Rescuing Orlando
Fortunately for Orlando (and the PCs), rescuing him is not difficult for a careful and stealthy party. The goblins have foolishly placed him near a rather large hole in the wall, so after eliminating the one wakeful goblin in patrol area B, the PCs can climb up behind Orlando. Orlando is tied up but not closely guarded. (The perimeter guards are supposed to make sure he cannot escape.) As long as the PCs are quiet, they can release Orlando from his bindings with little trouble and spirit him away.

Orlando, Gaucho Ranger: AC 8 (leather); MV 12; 3rd-level ranger; hp 19 (6 at present); THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4 (dagger); AL CG; Str 17, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 12.
   Equipment: leather armor. Orlando's other equipment (a wheellock pistol, bolas, and so forth) was taken by the goblinoids and is miles away.

Goblins (34): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6; MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each.

Goblins, leader's henchmen (5): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6; MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 7 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each.

Goblin leader (1): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6; MV 6; HD 1; hp 7; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15.

Wolf, Worg (39): Int Low; AL NE; AC 6; MV 18; HD 3+3; hp 14 each; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ M; ML 11; XP 120 each.

Orcs (13): Int Average; AL LE; AC 6; MV 9 (12); HD 1; hp 6 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (weapon); SZ M; ML 12; XP 15 each.

Orc Leader (1): Int Average; AL LE; AC 6; MV 9 (12); HD 1; hp 8; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (weapon); SZ M; ML 12; XP 15.

Boar, Steppe (14): Int Animal; AL N; AC 6; MV 12; HD 5; hp 30 each; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ L; ML 10; XP 270.

The Oltec Temple 
Far more ancient than the Traladaran fortress is this nearly-buried ruin of an ancient Oltec temple built in honor of some long-forgotten Immortal.
   The ruins consist of a giant human head carved from stone and standing 15 feet tall; a small stone pyramid with steps up all sides and an open platform on top; and a deep "cenote," a natural well about 30 feet in diameter. The water in the well is several feet below the edge of the pit, and is only about 10 feet deep. A cave opening is exposed in one side of the cenote's wall. Climbing down the wall is not difficult if a rope is used; the side is smooth and a little wet, giving a thief or other character a –10% chance to climb down safely without a rope or climbing equipment.
   The bracers are deep in the cavern, guarded by a manticore. This creature has declared the treasures of the cenote for its own, having discovered and claimed the lair about three months ago, so it will fight to the death. The rest of the treasure is left to the DM's discretion, based on the manticore's treasure type (E) and the requirements of the campaign. The manticore does not have any cinnabryl, red steel, or related materials.

Manticore (1): Int Low; AL LE; AC 4; MV 12, Fl 18 (E); HD 6+3; hp 34; THAC0 13; #AT 3; Dmg 1d3/1d3/1d8; SA poison; SZ H; ML 14; XP 975.

Escaping the Horde
While the PCs are dealing with the ruins and their inhabitants, a great horde of orcs and goblins approaches from the west. In addition, a sort of "advance horde" precedes the main body. Led by Balazar, this advance party should arrive at the ruins at about the time the PCs have decided to leave after recovering the bracers.
   Ideally, after getting the bracers or defeating the goblins and orcs at the ruins (or some combination thereof), the PCs would exit one set of ruins. Looking to the west, they would see a few goblins, perhaps 20, come over a hill, causing the PCs to think something like "oh no, not again." Then they see more goblins come over; then a few more and a few more, until a wave of about 200 orcs and goblins comes over the hill and approaches the ruins. This should encourage the PCs to leave rather quickly; if they do, the horde pursues them all the way back to the border of Saragón, barely stopping to rest, always in sight.
   Even if the PCs do not recover the bracers—if they fail against the manticore or just delay too long, the advance hoard still arrives, and the PCs are still forced to flee. If they have not acquired the bracers, then Don Luis must hold back the horde with just the barrier mask. Of course, unless Miguel came with the PCs and was able to explain the connection between the bracers and the mask, the PCs may not realize how important the bracers really are.
   At this point, the PCs can see Balazar as he approaches. If Miguel is with them, he relates the previous confrontation between Balazar and Don Luis. If one of the PCs is an Inheritor, that character stands a chance (based on an Intelligence check) of recognizing Balazar as a renegade Inheritor.
   If Miguel is with the group, he frowns and shakes his head when the hoard approaches. If asked what the problem is, he replies with something like, "I said the Gosluk were no problem, it was true. And the Kuttai, the same, no problem. Even when together, they can be defeated. Unless the Dankut join them. Well, those are Dankut. Three of the great nations have united and nothing can stand against them now." Miguel is right; Balazar has managed to unite the three tribes, at least temporarily. Despite his sudden depression, Miguel become just as abruptly enthusiastic if the PCs make any reasonable suggestion for dealing with the situation (such as rushing back to warn the baronet).

Goblins (134): Int Low; AL LE; AC 6; MV 6; HD 1–1; hp 4 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6 (by weapon); SZ S; ML 10; XP 15 each.

Wolf, Worg (134): Int Low; AL NE; AC 6; MV 18; HD 3+3; hp 18 each; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ M; ML 11; XP 120 each.
Orcs (49): Int Average; AL LE; AC 6; MV 9 (12); HD 1; hp 6 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (weapon); SZ M; ML 12; XP 15 each.

Boar, Steppe (49): Int Animal; AL N; AC 6; MV 12; HD 5; hp 30 each; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 2d4; SZ L; ML 10; XP 270 each.

Option: The Noble Sacrifice
It is possible that at some point, realizing their dire situation, one or more of the PCs may suggest staying behind to delay the horde or at least to serve as a distraction while the fastest PCs continues at top speed toward Saragón. If the players role-play such martyrdom well, the DM should give the player characters a break.
   If the PCs think they can delay the horde simply by attacking the multitude, the goblinoids retaliate, and the PCs do not last long. If a PC tries to parley or challenges the leader to single combat, Balazar approaches and tries to capture the character. If a PC should happen to challenge Balazar to a duel or issue an Inheritor's Challenge, Balazar refuses and orders his goblins to take the PC prisoner. Balazar has lost his standing as an Inheritor and has never cared for the rules of dueling, so he feels no need to accept a challenge. If the PC or PCs allow it, they will be taken prisoner and brought along to Saragón for the climactic encounter.

The Barrier and the Horde
In this section, the PCs return to Saragón, pursued closely by the leading edge of the goblinoid horde. At this point, Balazar is leading his orcs only, and all 50 of them (Balazar and 49 orcs) are mounted on steppe boars—giant, specially bred versions of the more mundane boars found elsewhere. The player characters should arrive less than an hour ahead of Balazar, giving Don Luis little time to discover how to use the bracers of forbiddance by deciphering the marks on them.
   Once Don Luis figures out how to use the bracers of forbiddance in conjunction with the barrier mask, he puts them on and goes to the top of his central tower. From there, the baronet can see the approaching goblinoid horde and direct the magic of the artifacts at them. Unfortunately, while Don Luis is turning back the horde of thousands, Balazar slips through with his elite force, a force too small to be affected by the artifacts.
   Whether he uses both the artifacts or only one, Don Luis is successful in turning back the main horde. However, the effort drains the baronet's energy, until he is so weak he can barely stand. It is at this time that Balazar launches an attack against Don Luis. While his elite orcs assault the castle, Balazar flies above the melee to attack the baronet directly. Miguel is busy leading the castle's defenders, so it is up to the PCs to save the baronet from certain death—or worse.

Protecting the Realm
When the PCs reach the western border of Saragón, they are met by a small patrol that has brought fresh horses for them to ride for the last few miles; their own mounts are likely tobe quite exhausted by now. The presence of the patrol means Manzanas has received reports from scouts and considers it vital that the PCs shave even a few minutes from their arrival time. The patrol encourages the PCs to hurry, wishes them luck, and then runs as far as they can to avoid the goblinoids themselves.

At Torre de Manzanas
When the PCs reach Torre de Manzanas, they see that it has been prepared for war. Before, markets were set up outside, and people were seen all around the castle. Now, all the commoners and merchants are inside the castle, and defenders can be seen at several points along the walls.
   Don Luis meets the PCs at the gate when they ride up and asks immediately for the bracers. If the PCs do not have them, the baronet turns very grim and says, "Very well. We will do what we can." He then turns sharply and stalks back to his tower, leaving the PCs to their own devices. They are welcome to help the defenders of the castle, but Don Luis would not care if they simply left and never returned.
   If the PCs have the bracers of forbiddance, Don Luis thanks them and praises their bravery—and speed. He takes the bracers and goes into his tower, where he can use an ancient book to decipher the pictographs on the bracers and learn their precise function. If the PCs should try to hold out for more money or anything like that, the baronet will not shed a tear for the PCs when he orders his archers and pistoleers to shoot them down.
   As Don Luis goes inside with the bracers of forbiddance, he offers the PCs the opportunity to rest—they have certainly earned it—or to help defend the castle walls. Either is acceptable, but hopefully the PCs are willing to aid in castle defense so they don't miss the climax of the adventure. Besides the baronet's full-time healer, who the PCs met before, Don Luis has also brought several clerics to the tower, and the PCs can receive any healing attention they need before the battle begins.
   The PCs are welcome to help prepare castle defenses and can choose their own posts if they desire. If they do not have a preference, Miguel asks them to guard the gatehouse, and to possibly be prepared for a counter-charge from the castle if it is needed.
   Not long after Don Luis disappears into his tower, Balazar and the orcs arrive. If the characters have a good vantage point, the larger goblinoid horde can be seen in the far distance behind Balazar and the orcs.

Balazar's Return
During the next part of the adventure, the NPCs come to center stage, but this should not keep the PCs from playing. If they want to jump in with an action at any time, the DM should improvise as needed to accommodate the players' actions.
   Balazar slows as he approaches, and the orcs stop about a hundred yards from the castle gate. Balazar rides forward a little, and he throws back his cloak to reveal his hideous form.
   If nothing has happened to Miguel, the stalwart dwarf calls out to Balazar, and the following conversation takes place:

   Miguel: "Ah, Balazar, it is so good to see you. My pistol shot seems to have improved your looks. You are most handsome now."
   Balazar: "Dwarf, you were less than me before, and you are still nothing. Go, dog, and tell your master that I am here."
   Miguel: "Ah, well, the last time I did that, you followed me. I think perhaps I should wait here with you this time, but I will send someone to speak to Don Luis de Manzanas and ask him if he has time to look at some interesting garbage that has floated up to the castle."
   Balazar: "Dwarf, I hate to admit it, but you did hurt me when I visited before, and for that you will die slowly—after you watch me kill your beloved Lord of the Apples. I do have one thing to be thankful for, you know. At least when you shot me, I did not become as repulsive as you."

   At about this time, Don Luis arrives, walking onto the top of his keep's central tower. The baronet is wearing the bracers of forbiddance (if he has them) and carries the barrier mask under one arm. The conversation continues.

   Don Luis: "Balazar. I see that neither your beauty nor your attitude has improved since we last met. And you have allies. How is it that a proud Inheritor can sink to such depths?"
   Balazar: "You should know, Apples. You selfishly kept me from your cinnabryl, saving it for your peasants. But after I have slain you, I will have your cinnabryl, as well as theirs."
   Don Luis: "Balazar, you bore me. I do not know if there are still parts of the Inheritor's Code you have not broken, but you are certainly an Inheritor no longer. Nothing you can do will surprise me, and I am beyond being offended by you. Attack if you must, and we will end this."

   With that, Don Luis dons the barrier mask and looks to the west, raising his arms slowly to the sky. Balazar waves his followers to attack, and the orcs charge forward on their war-boars to assault the castle walls. The baronet continues to concentrate on the distant goblinoid horde, and a brilliant flash of white light appears in the west; those looking in that direction can see the goblinoid horde come to a stop. If they continue to watch, they see panic spread through the goblinoid ranks; mounts rear up, and individuals begin turning and fleeing. The horde begins to turn, and in smaller clumps, the goblinoids head back to the west. Don Luis, in the meantime, slumps to his knees, drained. He pulls the barrier mask from his face, gasping, and falls forward a little, catching himself on one hand, while holding the barrier mask in the other. Balazar chooses this moment to attack the baronet.
   Suddenly, Balazar unfolds great, batlike wings, having just activated his Fly Legacy. Balazar flies into the sky and toward Don Luis, who, in his weakened state, does not notice. Once he reaches a height of 30 yards or so, Balazar activates his Missile Legacy, firing three crimson missiles at the baronet. Don Luis cries out in pain and drops the mask. Balazar's laughter echoes over the battlefield, and he pulls two wheellock pistols from his belt and flies toward his foe. Since he no longer has to worry about their effect, Balazar has been practicing with the wheellocks, and he is obviously intending to use the smokepowder explosions to drain Don Luis' cinnabryl.
   It is now time for the PCs to attain glory or suffer ignominious defeat. Miguel is too busy with the orcs to go to his aid, so it is up to the PCs to save the noble lord of Torre de Manzanas.
   If the PCs have already started toward the tower and Don Luis, they can get there before Balazar, who is moving in slowly to savor the pain he is causing his enemy. If the PCs have not already started to move, they arrive after Balazar reaches Don Luis. Balazar, laughing, takes the baronet's cinnabryl talisman and tosses it aside. He then raises his wheellocks, but rather than pointing them at the lord, he just holds them nearby. If necessary to give the PCs a little more time to get there, Miguel uses his own Fly Legacy to fly to the tower after Balazar; but Miguel is no match for the former Inheritor and is soon severely injured.
   Despite having his visible talisman removed, Don Luis is still wearing cinnabryl, on an ankle bracelet. He has enough cinnabryl in his "spare" to last for three weeks and two days; he can withstand proximity to three pistol shots before entering the Time of Loss and Change. Note that since Balazar is close to the defenseless lord, he can use his wheellocks to shoot the PCs and still drain Don Luis's cinnabryl. 
   What happens now is up to the PCs. However, it is strongly suggested that Balazar be allowed to live through the battle so he can become an enemy of the PCs and a long term villain for the campaign. Balazar's potential future plots should be most intriguing, and it would be a shame to lose such an interesting villain.

The Goblins
Don Luis successfully turned back the main horde of goblins and orcs attacking from the west. If he did so with only the barrier mask, the mask is now ruined; this could have serious repercussions for Saragón. If the baronet used both the barrier mask and the bracers of forbiddance, both items survive the encounter.
   Those orcs who came through with Balazar fight tenaciously with the defenders of the castle. If Balazar dies, the orcs lose their confidence and run away.
   In any case, after this debacle, the short-lived Alliance of Three Tribes comes to an end. The Gosluk, Kuttai, and all Dankut leave, quarreling the whole way back.

Option: Noble Sacrifice, Part 2
Once again, it is possible that the PCs come up with a couple of ideas for meeting death head on. For example, one of them might suggest that he wear the barrier mask and the bracers of forbiddance, rather than Don Luis. Don Luis would be reluctant to try this but might be convinced with a good argument. For example, if the PCs suggest that Don Luis is needed to fight Balazar and that it is the baronet's right to kill Balazar, he might be convinced to let someone else don the mask and the bracers. The items can be used by anyone, but Don Luis allows only another Inheritor, someone of noble blood, or possibly a very patriotic Saragóner to use them.
   Another possible sacrifice a PC could make is to give his cinnabryl to Don Luis to prevent the blasts of smokepowder from sending him into the Time of Loss and Change. A few minutes without cinnabryl (supplies can be readily replenished after the battle) does not cause harm to anyone. However, an Inheritor who gives up his cinnabryl to Don Luis runs the risk of being adversely affected by smokepowder explosions.

Rewards and Results
Assuming Don Luis lives and the goblinoids are driven away, the PCs get a reward. The PCs can, of course, keep any treasure they recovered from the Gosluk or the ruins. The rest of the PCs' reward depends on exactly what they did.

° If the PCs recovered the bracers, Don Luis rewards them with 5,000 gold pieces, transported in a finely carved chest depicting harvesters working industriously in rich orchards surrounding Torre de Manzanas. The chest is worth an additional 500 gold pieces if the PCs care to sell it.
° If the PCs rescued Orlando, Don Luis awards each PC an apple tree in his best orchard. The PC can have all the produce from that tree he desires and can rest in its shade at any time. In addition, the tree will be known by the adventurer's name (as in "Miguel's tree"), and the commoners will know the story of the PCs' valor.
° If the PCs helped Don Luis by fighting Balazar, the baronet rewards each of them with a red steel weapon.
° If an Inheritor PC killed Balazar, or if the PCs allowed Don Luis to deliver the final blow, the baronet rewards each PC with an eight-ounce talisman (not an amulet) of cinnabryl. The talisman is emblazoned with the crest of Saragón. Don Luis also asks each of the PCs to become associate members of the Order of Crimson.

Future Adventures
If the PCs succeeded in recovering the bracers of forbiddance, Don Luis may wish to reward them not only with treasure but also with continued employment. Don Luis could become a patron to the PCs, giving them a base of operations and a real purpose. Alternately, the baronet is willing to release Miguel from his service from time to time if the PCs wish to lure the swashbuckling dwarf away on an adventure farther from home.
   Here are just a few ideas for creating new adventures near Saragón and La Pampa Rica:

° Don Luis is ordered to extend the borders of Saragón to the northwest, creating a greater buffer zone against the Yazak hordes. To this end, Don Luis commissions the PCs to recapture the lost Traladaran fortress and command a garrison to protect the place while it is rebuilt. The DM can easily expand into sublevels beneath the citadel, populating them with traps, treasure, and perhaps undead or subterranean monsters.
° The PCs may wish to explore around the Oltec temple for more treasures, including the intangible but highly regarded treasure of knowledge about the Oltec culture. Again, the DM can expand the temple ruins to include more levels, traps, monsters, and treasures. Some of the ancient Oltec relics may be worth huge sums to the nobles of Saragón, who are especially interested in ancient magical lore.
° The PCs might go on a quest to recover all the rest of the parts of the great artifact to which the barrier mask and the bracers of forbiddance belong. These would include sandals, a skirt, and a short cloak. The DM can determine what the different parts do, and what they might do if united.
° Though the great horde has been turned back, Gosluk continue to patrol La Pampa Rica and make occasional, small-scale incursions into the Savage Baronies. If the PCs patrol for goblinoids, they might find the smoking remains of a hunter's campsite, with a trail that indicates the marauding goblins entered Narvaez. If the PCs follow the trail into Narvaezan territory, they may prevent the destruction of a farmstead by defending it from the goblinoids. However, once discovered on Narvaezan soil, the PCs must parley carefully to avoid diplomatic disaster.
° If Balazar lives, he continues to plot. He might try again with the goblinoids, probably concentrating on the stronger hobgoblin nations of the central Yazaks. He might instead turn more directly to the baronies, perhaps seeking a cure for the Affliction and maybe showing up somewhere like Narvaez, where he makes a secret pact to help Barón Hugo against the Enlightened States (secret to hide Balazar's involvement and to hide Barón Hugo's commerce with an Inheritor). Another possibility is for Balazar to make a deal with Doomrider, the Inheritor lich of the Savage Baronies—or even to eventually become an inheritor lich himself.

A Change of Focus
It is perfectly acceptable for the DM to change or expand this adventure. Two portions of the story have taken place without the PCs; both segments could be turned into side adventures that involve the player characters.
   The first part of the story that went on without the PCs is the overall search for pieces of the Oltec artifact, the search that led to Maria's discovery of the ruins to the west. If the DM wants, the impending goblinoid invasion can be moved back several weeks or even months of game time. The PCs can search the countryside, having a wide variety of encounters, perhaps checking through several ruined Oltec sites. They might find clues in the sites that, when deciphered, lead them to the ruins described in this adventure. This mini-campaign would require that the PCs be told more about the nature of the quest, such as the existence of the several parts of the ancient Oltec artifact, so they know what they are trying to find.
   While the PCs are visiting various ruins, most outside barony boundaries, they can notice increased goblinoid activity themselves, rather than simply being informed the goblinoids are building toward an invasion. The PCs can also witness an increasing brutality among the goblinoids and the slow start of the alliance between Gosluk and Kuttai. As the PCs report these things to Don Luis, he becomes more and more concerned. Finally, as things come to a head, the PCs are sent to meet another group of adventurers in Escudo, to discuss the search's progress. This meeting becomes the encounter with Maria. Now the PCs have a much greater involvement in the story.
   A second direction for expansion is the quest to unify the baronies to face another horde of goblinoids. In "Divided We Fall," Don Luis has already failed this quest; in an expanded adventure, the PCs could have a go at it, traveling to the various baronies to negotiate some sort of defensive pact or simply to convince other heads of state of the threat. The reactions of the other Baronial leaders would vary widely.
   The leaders of Gargoña and Almarrón are initially well-disposed toward Saragón; despite some natural resistance because they feel safe behind Saragón, they are likely to commit soldiers or advisers. Likewise, Guadalante and Cimmaron are friendly with Saragón; they would not hesitate to commit cavalry units if the existence of a threat were proven to them. Torreón wants any alliance to pay for the participation of its mercenaries. Narvaez is perfectly happy to let the Enlightened States be overrun by goblinoids and so would ally only if it saw proof that goblinoids threatened it directly. The Sea Powers have little commitment to an inland war, but they would likely join in if several of the other baronies do.
   The two missions could be combined as well, so that while the PCs visit the different baronies, they also search through local Oltec sites and talk to sages. This variant might also lead to a completely different adventure ending. Logically, if the baronies discover that someone is manipulating the goblinoids, they'll hire a group of brave adventurers to find and kill the behind-the-scenes leader. Most likely this assignment pushes the PCs into a confrontation with Balazar long before he returns to the Savage Baronies.

Torre De Manzanas
Torre de Manzanas (the Tower of Manzanas) is a high citadel, consisting of a central tower shielded by two defensive walls. It is all new construction except for the central tower. Its name refers particularly to the central tower, but people speak of the whole citadel as the Tower of Manzanas.
   The citadel serves as refuge for all the local villages in time of war, but it also provides a base for all the patrols along the northwestern border of Saragón. Those few merchant caravans which travel so far west use the tower as a layover, opening their wares for sale to the local residents when they come.
   Don Luis administers justice from his great hall, passing judgment on anyone below the rank of nobility. Any case in which a noble stands accused of a crime must be deferred to the court of Ciudad Matacán and the judgement of Barón Balthazar.
   See the accompanying map for the layout of the Torre de Manzanas.

1. Towers
On the eastern towers crouch large catapults, each with plenty of large stones. Ballistas, generally aimed at the outer bailey, are found on the western towers, along with several ballista bolts. Additional ammunition and other defensive equipment—such as arrows, bolts, and flammable oil—are stored in the lower level of each tower.

2. Walls
The brown stone outer walls of the citadel are 15 feet tall and 10 feet thick. They stand upon a hard earthen palisade reinforced with mortared stone, so the total height of this outer defense reaches 25 feet from the surface of the filled moat, 35 feet from the bottom.

3. Moat
Don Luis' grounds servants are especially careful to keep the moat clean of algae and other growth, draining the moat once every two or three years in order to remove the weeds that thrust between the stones lining its sides and bottom. An area 15 feet beyond the outer edge of the moat is kept clear of grass and other foliage, and the groundskeepers have spread a rough gravel over this margin.
   These precautions do not mean that Don Luis is preoccupied with the aesthetic appeal of the moat. Instead, they allow the defenders of the citadel secretly to release flammable oil into the moat when under siege. When invaders come close enough to set ladders and rams, the defenders need only drop lit torches into the moat to create a sudden, temporary ring of fire around the citadel without fear of starting a grassfire.

4. Gatehouse
The outer gate is an iron-bound wooden drawbridge. Its lower (outer) side is covered in red hide from fire lizards, highly resistant to flame. Behind the drawbridge stands an iron portcullis, the gate proper, and then a second pair of doors, also iron-bound and secured with three heavy bolts when closed.
   The gatehouse boasts a very special defense: a unit of soldiers with wheellock pistols. Since the lord of this citadel is an Inheritor, however, the soldiers are especially careful with these weapons. In fact, it is forbidden to practice with them when Don Luis is in residence (which is most of the time). Even during an active defense of the citadel, the sergeant in charge of the pistoleer unit must be sure that Don Luis—or any Inheritor guest of the citadel—is not nearby when the soldiers fire their weapons.

5. Outer Bailey
The outer bailey is usually free of flammable constructions, except for the tents and awnings of the little market each morning.

6. Barracks
Stucco walls, square windows, and red-tiled roofs are the simple extent of these structures. The interiors are only somewhat less utilitarian, as officers have their own small rooms and the soldiers share a long dormitory of bunks and footlockers interrupted by an occasional table for games and conversation. Only a few soldiers (the night watch) will be found here sleeping during the day, except during the hour after high noon, when the two shifts of the day watch take turns for a brief siesta.

7. Drill Field
Here is where the soldiers engage in marching, weapons drills, and archery practice. Sometimes targets are set against one wall, backed by thick bales of hay to prevent the arrows from passing through the targets and breaking on the stone. These bales are always removed immediately after practice and returned to the stables in the inner bailey.

8. Jaques
The location of these latrines changes over the course of the year. Every two months, soldiers dig another pit and move the wooden structure to its new location, dredging and filling in the previous pit. This work is given to soldiers who have earned their officers' displeasure.

9. Little Market
Every morning some of the local farmers, vintners, crafters, bakers, butchers, and tinkers travel to Torre de Manzanas to set up stalls in the outer bailey. Many visit just once or twice each week, but on any given day, the market offers most common goods and produce. Soldiers and other residents of the citadel supplement their diets with treats and special meals bought from the little market.

10. Inner Bailey
Even more secure than the outer bailey, this area houses servants, artisans, garrison captains, and Don Luis himself.

11. Stables
Large and utilitarian, this building consists mostly of wood but has a stone foundation and a tiled roof. All of the castle's horses are stabled here, though usually half to three-quarters are out on extended patrol at any one time. The stablemaster is a woman named Estelle, and though she is not a soldier, she carries herself in a curt and military manner. Upon meeting Estelle or any of her assistants, rangers and PCs with the animal handling proficiency will feel comfortable turning over their mounts to the stable hands.

12. Craft Hall 
A huge area cluttered with worktables, shelves, cabinets, and a myriad different tools, this hall serves as home and workplace to the crafters of the citadel. A shoemaker, an armorer, two potters, a tinsmith, a woodcarver, and half a dozen other artisans all labor for Don Luis and the garrison. One day each week the artisans devote to themselves, creating goods they can then sell at the little market for cash or trade.

13. Orchards
These are the main orchards that give this district its name ("manzanas" means "apples"). Of all the orchards in the nearby countryside (such as in Escudo and several other hamlets), these orchards are said to produce the best fruit.

14. Central Tower
This construction houses many of the essential components of the castle, and is Don Luis' home. The first structure built on the site, this was the original Torre de Manzanas, which has served Don Luis' family for four generations.
   This edifice stands about 70 feet tall, plus the wall surrounding the roof. The interior is divided into four stories. The central tower holds the rest of the areas described here.

15. Storage
These rooms vary from fully-stocked pantries to unused armories. The DM should feel free to give these rooms greater detail if the PCs feel the need to snoop about the citadel.

16. Great Hall
All meals are served in this large hall, which also passes as the court and main audience chamber for Lord Manzanas. The ceiling is 25 feet above the floor of the lower great hall.

16a. Lower Great Hall
This area is crowded twice each day with soldiers and servants, who come to the great hall for their meals. The lower chamber is comfortable but rather plain, except for during festivals and celebrations. Sweeping stairways lead to the upper great hall and on up to the second floor.

16b. Upper Great Hall
Its floor 15 feet above the floor of the lower great hall, the upper chamber is reserved for officers and guests, all seated within 20 feet of the lord's own table.
   During celebrations, such as the one Don Luis threw to commemorate the reopening of his tower, musicians are seated in the northern part of this chamber. One of the possessions of which Luis is rather proud is the harpsichord in this area. No more than a half-dozen harpsichords exist in the Savage Baronies (a notable example being the one used to entertain people in the Red Steel Saloon in Smokestone City, Cimmaron). Don Luis takes good care of this beautiful instrument, which is said to be the finest on the entire Savage Coast (though certain Renardois would disagree).

17. Kitchen
Three huge ovens and one tremendous central stove dominate this room. Preparation tables, banks of pots and skillets, cutlery racks, and shelves for tableware fill much of the rest of the room. At any time of day, three or four cooks are busy baking bread or preparing dishes to be cooked later in the day. A few hours before dinner and again before supper, the room is crowded with cooks and other servants who prepare, serve, and clean up after meals for all of the tower's residents and all the barracks' soldiers.

18. Inner Hall
When Don Luis wishes to give a private audience or to confer with his officers, this is the room he uses. It is comfortable and well appointed with rich oak and leather furniture, fine oil paintings in frames of silver, and a candelabra which reflects a canopy of stars against the dark ceiling.

19. Bedrooms
Varying in size and luxury, these rooms range from simple dormitories, which house commoners during times of war, to sumptuous chambers fit for the most pampered of noble visitors. The DM should feel free to elaborate on the description of these rooms if the PCs have cause to explore them.

20. Lord's Rooms
Don Luis de Manzanas is not unsociable, but he does enjoy his privacy; little would it surprise those who know him that he keeps his personal rooms away from those of his servants and guests.

20a. Bedroom
Don Luis enjoys creature comforts as much as any man, but he confines almost all of his to this room. Part bedchamber, part library, part office, this large area is where the baronet spends most of his time each day. His officers are permitted to interrupt him here, though none but the most intimate and trusted of visitors are invited within.

20b. Secret Vault
It is here that Don Luis keeps the careta de la barrera, resting on a pedestal in a central position of honor. The baronet also keeps his red steel and cinnabryl in this room, as well as some of his other prized possessions. A secret door behind the mask's pedestal leads to a stairway rising up to the roof of the tower.

Don Luis de Manzanas
12th-Level Male Human Inheritor Fighter

Strength	15
Dexterity	12
Constitution	12
Intelligence	14
Wisdom	15
Charisma	17

Hit Points: 72
AC: 5 (chain mail)
Rear AC: 5
Unadjusted THAC0: 9

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 188
Hair/Eyes: reddish black/reddish brown
Skin: dark, ruddy
Age: 37
Alignment: neutral good

Weapon Proficiencies: rapier (specialized), bolas, main-gauche, two-weapon style specialization, two-handed sword, long sword.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: redsmithing, weaponsmithing, legacy lore, reading/writing (common), military tactics.
Languages: common, Espa (native language), Verdan, Renardois.

Secret Passes (Dominguez School): Torreóner Two-Step (Basic), Swift Sting (Basic), Kiss of Steel (Difficult), Two-Handed Farewell (Difficult), Torreóner Block and Strike (Master).

Legacies: Webcasting, Crimson Fire, Missile, Reflect, Armor, Detonate

Quote: "Our place is to protect the people and the land from those who would harm them. It is our privilege and our honor."

Description: The baronet is a virile man who stays physically fit, though his hair shows a little gray at the temples. Because of his long association with the Red Curse, Don Luis has red skin and hair, and his eyes glow red; even his teeth have acquired a slight red tinge.
   Don Luis has accomplished a great deal for a man his age. Just over a decade ago, he led a group of adventurers to the conclusion of an epic quest that took them across the Savage Coast. Most of them had spent enough time in cursed lands to acquire a Legacy, and they were some of the earliest people to use cinnabryl with regularity.
   During their long quest, the group had discovered a set of notes that hinted at hitherto unknown properties of cinnabryl and vermeil. The adventurers hired an alchemist and commissioned him to research the notes and find a way to use the substances to attain greater power. At the same time, the 11 adventurers worked with other portions of the manuscript, training their minds and bodies to accept more of the power of the curse, to turn it into something beneficial. After a year of research and experimentation, the alchemist came up with the first vials of crimson essence. One of Luis' companions volunteered to test the potion, and in drinking it, she became the first Inheritor. One by one, the others tried the potion, and one by one they gained additional Legacies.
   As the next two years passed and the group continued to adventure, they continued to learn about their powers. They also began to grow apart; some belonged to the Brotherhood of Order, and some to the Friends of Freedom. The Inheritors began to rise through the ranks of those organizations; Luis and a couple of other Inheritors, including one named Audra, joined the Neutral Alliance in an effort to balance the power of the Inheritors devoted to law and chaos. Each of the three aligned organizations stood on the brink of destruction at that time, with flagging membership and a loss of enthusiasm.
   The Inheritors gave the groups new vitality, allowing other members of the three groups to become Inheritors as well. Eventually, Inheritors were in charge of all three groups, and the situation between the groups was becoming untenable, with new frictions generated every day. Eventually, the Inheritors of the three groups all agreed to meet; this was the first Grand Conclave, and it was there that the Code of the Inheritor was written down. Luis was instrumental in the growth of the Order of Crimson but soon retired to a less active role in the organization so that he could devote time to his homeland. His friend Audra the Masked, the current leader of the Order of Crimson, lives in Saragón.
   During his adventures, Luis had become friends with an old wizard named Balthazar, the baron of Saragón. When the seat of baronet of Aranjuez came open, Barón Balthazar asked Luis to fill it. He agreed and has served faithfully as adviser to the baron for the last five years. Luis has been a good adviser to the baron and a good defender of the realm of Saragón.
   Always one of the first to offer to protect Saragón, Don Luis has distinguished himself several times. Now, Barón Balthazar has entrusted the safety of the nation to the baronet in the form of the barrier mask.

Igor Balazar
9th-Level Male Human Inheritor Fighter

Strength	17
Dexterity	8
Constitution	7
Intelligence	9
Wisdom	4
Charisma	5

Hit Points: 61
AC: 4 (bracers of defense, AC 4)
Rear AC: 10
Unadjusted THAC0: 12

Height: 7'6"
Weight: 388
Hair/Eyes: crimson/blood red (has a third eye)
Skin: pale, blotched, inflamed
Age: 26
Alignment: chaotic evil

Weapon Proficiencies: long sword (specialized), harpoon, morning star, battle axe, footman's pick, wheellock pistol.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: redsmithing, weaponsmithing, legacy lore, curse lore, ancient history
Languages: common, Slagich (native language), Yazakan, Herathan. Before becoming Afflicted, Balazar knew elvish, Espa, Rakastan, and Nimmurian.

Legacies: Acid Touch, Missile, Strength, Fly, Find

Quote: "If I want something, it is mine. Who are you to keep it from me?"

Description: Balazar is from Hojah, one of the City-States on the eastern side of the Gulf of Hule. Rumored to be part Hulean, Balazar was abandoned as a child in the streets of Hojah. He learned to take care of himself by taking what he needed, and he made himself strong enough to do just that. The ever-ambitious Balazar journeyed to the Savage Baronies when he was quite young. There, he was affected by the Red Curse but managed to acquire some cinnabryl to curb the effects by murdering a merchant and stealing his cinnabryl.
   Not long afterward, Balazar met a man called Lord Flame. An infamous Inheritor, Lord Flame saw a kindred spirit in Balazar and convinced him to join the Order of Inheritors, specifically Lord Flame's own order, the Order of the Flame. Convincing Balazar was easy, for he saw the way of the Inheritor as a path to power.
   At first, Balazar followed the Code of the Orders of the Inheritors; after a while, though, he tired of simply lording his power over others. He wanted more. Balazar joined a group of adventurers who went to attack Doomrider, one of the Inheritor liches. Balazar wanted knowledge from the lich and thought that joining a knowledgeable adventuring party, in the guise of helping them in their task, would be the way to go about it. Eventually, the adventurers met Doomrider and the lich's servants, a pack of cursed ones. The adventurers never got close to Doomrider, and Balazar was unable to get close enough to pledge his fealty to the lich before Doomrider had left the adventurers to suffer at the touch of the cursed ones.
   The other adventurers died, but Balazar managed to last until sunrise, when he escaped. However, most of his cinnabryl had been depleted by the cursed ones. Desperate, Balazar approached the first person he saw to asked where he was and where he could find cinnabryl—fast!
   The other traveler informed Balazar that he was near Torre de Manzanas, home of an Inheritor—in fact, Don Luis was throwing a party that very night. Growing more desperate by the minute, Balazar went to Torre de Manzanas and demanded cinnabryl from Don Luis. The baronet refused, and driven over the edge, Balazar lashed out, breaking the most important Inheritors' Code: He attacked another Inheritor in his own home. He would be declared an outcast and a renegade; he would be hunted by all Inheritors.
   To protect his lord, Don Luis' dwarven assistant shot Balazar at close range. The proximity of the smokepowder explosion consumed what little cinnabryl Balazar still had, and it transformed him into something no longer quite human. Swearing revenge, Balazar burst through a window and disappeared into the night.
   After spending a lot of time away from civilization, including some in a deep cave, Balazar concluded that he could use his transformation to make Don Luis pay for what had happened. Balazar went into the Yazak Steppes and became the leader of a tribe.
   Because of his rapid transformation into an Afflicted, Balazar looks truly hideous. Because of Strength, he is larger than normal, with one exceedingly large arm and muscles bulging in random places. From his Fly Legacy, he has batlike wings; from Missile, he acquired long, tubelike fingers. Due to the Find Legacy, he has a third eye, located on an eyestalk on his forehead and a slightly forked tongue. Because of Acid Touch, he constantly drools a brownish and slightly acidic liquid.