7th sea villains kit

William Marion (order #61598) 216.124.224.116

Attention Game Masters!If You Have Already Joined Novus Ordum Mundi,

Do Not Purchase This Book ...

Attention Game Masters!If You Have Already Joined Novus Ordum Mundi,

Do Not Purchase This Book ...it is on its way to you. If you have not, however...

This book is your Free Membership toNovus Ordum Mundi, the 7th Sea Game Master Society.

The Villains Kit includes:

Footprint Island: An introductory treasure hunt adventure for novice andexperienced players.

The Powder Keg: A unique tavern full of NPCs, adventure hooks, and seven different backgrounds to make it fit within any of Thahs nations.

How To Build the Perfect Villain: An essay on building exciting, convincing, unique and balanced bad guys (and gals) for your 7th Sea games.

Four New Action Maps: Leveled and ready for swashbuckling action, Players can fight their way through a Theatre, a Stable and Coach House, a Vaticine Chapel and the Powder Keg Tavern.

Sixteen NPC head shots: Great visual aids for your game; developthese characters however you wish.

Campaign Construction Sheet: Design, organize and keep track of your adventures.

$$2244..9955 UUSSAAAAEEGG 77110044

This book is your Free Membership toNovus Ordum Mundi, the 7th Sea Game Master Society.


Developed by Jim Pinto

Drake Footprints by Kevin P. Boerwinkle, Ken Carpenter, Jim Pinto, Erik Yaple & John Zinser

The Powder Keg by Marcelo Figeuroa, Patrick Kapera, Jim Pinto, Jennifer Wick,John Wick, Kevin Wilson, Ray Yand & John Zinser

How To Build the Perfect Villain by John Wick

Cover Artist: Carl Frank

Maps and Floorplans: Cris Dornaus, Jim Callahan

Interior Artwork: Cris Dornaus, Jim Callahan, Thomas Gianni, Patrick Kochakji, Raven Mimura & Jennifer Wick

Interior Layout: Jim Pinto

Artwork Prepress: Brendon Goodyear, Steve Hough

Line Editor: D.J. Trindle

Editing: Scott Gearin, Jim Pinto, Laura Segarra, D.J. Trindle & Rob Vaux

7th Sea, Avalon, Castille, Eisen, Inismore, Highland Marches, Montaigne, Ussura, Vodacce, Vendel, Vestenmannavnjar, Knights of the Rose and Cross, Invisible College, Rilasciare, Novus Ordum Mundi,Vaticine Church of the Prophets, Explorers Society, die Kreuzritter, El Vago, and all other related marks are and 1999 by Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Villains Kit

TM


Table of Contents

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Secret Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Drake Footprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Scene 1: The Drake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Scene 2: Footprint Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Scene 3: Treasure Reef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Important NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16The Powder Keg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

GM Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32What Did You Just Say?!? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Building the Perfect Villain .35Arcana: The Perfect Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Headshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Action Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Adventure Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60Adventure Questionnaire . . . . . .64


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IntroductionThank you for purchasing the 7th Sea Villain Kit and forjoining Novus Ordum Mundi. You are about to start ajourney unparalleled in gaming history. We hope the rideis worth it. But why a separate book for Villains?

We wanted to distinguish the difference between NovusOrdum Mundi and the other Secret Societies. This bookis for GMs and it details much of what you will receivefrom quarter to quarter. Future adventures will have asimilar format and will involve your Heroes in the worldof Thah.

This book includes the first adventure in the series of fan-interactive supplements available only to members of the7th Sea Society. Sending in the registration form at the endof this book to AEG automatically makes you a memberof the Villain secret society available only to GMs. NovusOrdum Mundi is the only group that the players are notallowed to join. As GM, youll receive information aboutall the other secret societies and four interactiveadventures per year that will affect the 7th Sea storyline.If you already signed up and received this book as partof your membership, do not send in this form again.

Running fan club adventures is just like running anyother adventure, except you are required to keep track ofthe action. As this is the first of a series of interactivestoryline adventures that AEG will be publishing throughthe secret society memberships, we made it a little longerand we added a lot of information that wont always beavailable. Typically four pages in length, these adventureswill include a form to send in with game results, detailingexactly how the future of Thah will be affected. Yourgames will have an impact. Heroes that are members ofSecret Societies will have obvious agendas in theadventures.

Running fan club adventures is just like running anyother adventures, except you are required to keep track

of the action and detail the results for the plot. As this isthe first of a series of interactive storyline adventures thatAEG will be publishing through the secret societymembership, we made it a lot longer and we added a lotof information that wont always be available. Typicallyfour pages in length, these adventures will include a formto record your results and send to AEG. Heroes that aremembers of Secret Societies will have obvious agendas inthe adventures.

In addition to adventures, Novus Ordum Mundi memberswill receive details on how to create challenging scenariosfor other Secret Society members. If someone in yourgroup belongs to the Invisible College, for instance, theywill receive vital information on a mission they mustcomplete, while you receive detailed instruction on howto challenge the Heroes. Future letters will help flesh outthe details.

Using This BookThis is an introductory adventure. If you have neverGamemastered before or if youre shaky on the details ofrunning a swashbuckling adventure, this book explainsand details every step for you. At the end of each sectionis a list of important questions. Some, the world feedbackquestions, appear again at the end of the book. Otherquestions simply draw your attention to important plotelements. To save time, only the questions weve askedwill be taken into account when tabulating world effects.

Once youve played through the adventure, answer all ofthe questions on the form and send it in to AEG. You willfind our address at the end of this book.


Secret SocietiesThe story of 7th Sea is being told in many forms. TheCCG tells the tale of the Pirate Captains and their crew;the 7th Sea RPG tells the story of the Seven Nations andtheir rise to power and fall from grace; while the 7th SeaMiniatures Game will follow a much different story (youlljust have to wait and see). Remember, that the SecretSocieties of Thah have different goals from everyoneelse. The Secret Societies have unique agendas thatoppose the Kings, Queens, Pirates, and Scoundrels ofThah. Therefore, they have a very different tale to tell.

As a Heros membership in a Guild or Secret Society isnot mandatory, neither is membership in AEGs. Heroesand players that pass on the opportunity to belong tosuch a prestigious group, however, miss an entirelydifferent story going on behind the scenes, beneath thestreets, and between the shadows. Unlike the open warshappening on the surface of the story, the Secret Societiesare waging personal vendettas and honorable duels withsome of Thahs most important people.

If youre not familiar with all of the Secret Societies,below is a list of everyone currently making an entrancein the story.

Die KreuzritterDie Kreuzritter is a secret order of holy knights who servethe Hierophant directly. They are champions of virtueand righteous avengers of the poor and downtrodden.They answer to nothing but their own code of valor(there is no Hierophant at the moment) and members ofdie Kreuzritter enact the will of the church as they see fit.The Inquisition sees them as an obvious threat.

Players who join die Kreuzritter are kept up to date on theinner politics of the Church of the Prophets. Theiractivities are rooted in stealth and secrecy and manymembers will find themselves pitted against powerful,influential nobles who have gained the attention of theChurch.

Explorers SocietyAn independent agency that preserves the heritage of theSyrneth race, the Explorers Society studies artifacts intheir original state and catalogs the ancient race thatpredates man. With extensive connections and funding,the Society takes a stand against tomb robbers andopportunists bent on looting the Syrneth ruins.Exploration and adventure are promised to all that jointhis world renowned group.

Players who join the Explorers Society are updated onnewly discovered ruins and important Syrneth artifacts.From time to time, players are called upon to serve theneeds of the Society.

Invisible CollegeSecretly experimenting against the will of the Inquisition,the Invisible College is an organization of church scholarsdevoted to the advancement of technology and reason.Their methods are questionable, but they are advancingthe scope of knowledge for the good of all Thans.

Players who join the Invisible College are privy to all ofThahs leading technological advancements and willhelp to disseminate secrets to important scientists andscholars around Thah. Their activities must remainhidden from the Inquisition, as many of the Collegespatrons and scientists are important public figures andmembers of the Church.

Knights of the Rose and CrossThe Rose and Cross are united under a banner ofadventure and revelry. They are a fraternity of disparatemen and women sworn to defend the ideals ofcamaraderie, charity and justice. They have one secret,and they guard it with their very lives.

Members of the Rose and Cross that take the vow receiveupdates on missions, upcoming events, and detailedadventure hooks to keep the adventuring spirit alive inThah.

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Los VagosLos Vagos is a secret society dedicated to protecting theKing of Castille and overthrowing his enemies. Theorders greatest enemy, of course, is the Inquisition,which El Vago himself has fought time and again. He andhis allies are the defenders of the King and the self-proclaimed saviors of the people.

Heroes who join Los Vagos are members in an importantorder dedicated to upholding truth and freedom for theCastillians and all followers of the Church. As such, theywill learn about secret moves against their King and thetreachery that lies at the heart of the nation.

RilasciareThe free-thought society is the most vocal and outwardlyaggressive secret society, while hiding their identities fromthe whole of Than society completely. Few know wherethey are from and how they get about. One thing is forcertain: their aims are to create discord within theworkings of large organizations and free important mindsfrom the shackles of mediocrity. They are a threat toorganized thought.

As a free-thinking member of the Rilasciare, players areasked to judge everything, accept nothing, and know forthemselves what is right and what is wrong. Therefore,updates from the free-thought society include which ofthe leading powers in Thah are a threat to humanity andwhich serve the ever-important cause of freedom.

Sophias DaughtersSophias Daughters are more than just a womans culthoping to bring equal rights to Thahs fairer sex. Theyare a veiled political machine, maneuvering Thahs menin directions only they know the course of. In boardingand finishing schools, they test and train young women inmatters covert and clandestine, then place them next tomen in positions of power pointing them in the properdirection.

They work within the Merchant Guilds (particularly theJennys Guild) to keep women safe and help lower-classwomen to better themselves. They support Queen Elaine,have powerful allies in Vodacce and placed youngKetheryna in Ussura.

The Daughters also use magical means to further theirgoals. Glamour fascinates and beguiles the weak-willed,Port passes secret orders across nations and Sortemanipulates fate to their advantage. It is rumored thatthey have potions that keep a womans youthful beautylong after the rose should have faded from her cheeks.

Each member of the society is required to keep a detailedjournal, sending copies to the nunneries controlled by theDaughters, where they are assimilated and organized intotheir great library. These journals comprise one of themost accurate recordings of history in the world,completely hidden from the eyes of men.

Vendel LeagueCompetition is healthy. Economic freedom is essential tothe freedom the Vendel League enjoys. The VendelLeague is not about to say much else regarding theeconomic state of Thah. The more people spend, themore money changes hands and the bigger the merchantand craftsmen class grows. Therefore, a strong middleclass means an even stronger League.

Although not a secret society as the others are (they holdpublic auctions, invite heads of state to visit them andhost parties, galas and festivals), the Vendel League ispowerful and effective at pulling the economic andpolitical strings of Thah. The introduction of theGuilder, the development of organized labor and thepush for guilds and mercantile trade under their controlhas solidified their power base and made the League themost socially acceptable of secret agenda types inThah.


Drake FootprintsDrake Footprints is a short adventure that is genericenough to fit into any campaign. Though most of thenames are Montaigne and Avalon, they can easily bechanged to any nationality.

Adventure OverviewDrake Footprints takes place in three parts.

Part One starts in the middle of a battle between apirate ship and a merchant ship. As the Heroes capturethe villainous merchant, they discover a map to a lostfortune. Unfortunately, an important part of the map ismissing. The only man who has it is locked away in aMontaigne prison.

Part Two involves the Heroes breaking that very manout of the prison. The prison is on an island and averitable fortress. It will be no mean trick to get in, letalone get the man with the missing puzzle piece out.

Part Three picks up as soon as the Heroes have thetwo pieces of the puzzle put together. After all, what sortof buried treasure doesnt have a trick to finding it or aguardian to dissuade the cowardly?

How to Run 7th Sea AdventuresFirst, keep the moving. If the Heroes are stagnating thepace with arguments and lengthy discussions, throwBrutes at them. Brutes with explosives are a greatargument breaker.

Cutting the action into scenes also helps. Assume theHeroes reload their weapons and pick up all of theirequipment between each scene. Forcing them to role-playthe mundane slows down the action. In movie terms, thisis called a Cut To. Instead of showing the Heroessailing to an island, Cut To their ship off the shore, withthe Heroes looking over their options.

Keep things moving and only sweat the details when itimproves game play. Only make the Heroes worry aboutreloading or picking up their weapons when youre aboutto throw them against a few hundred soldiers. Now itstime to sweat.

Dont forget, 7th Sea is more cinematic and dramatic thanit is realistic. If an NPC needs to sit up and charge at theHeroes after taking 18 dramatic wounds from musket fire,let it happen. Explain it later.

Getting the Players StartedThis adventure assumes the Heroes are pirates or at leastsea-going swashbucklers interested in stealing booty orhassling greedy merchants. Beginning GMs may have ahard time integrating musketeers and courtiers into thisadventure. Dont sweat it. Tell them that theyre going tobe at sea and let them figure out a way to make theirHeroes fit.

It may be important for the Heroes to get their hands ona ship (if they dont already have one). In play-testing, theparty was assigned to a ship named The Victory with agrizzled old captain named Capn Richard Meyer. Usethem if you have no other option.

The story opens with the Heroes catching up with TheDrake. As soon as everyone knows the plot and directionof the story the action can begin.

A Note to GMsLord Conrad Hix is known to be a powerful noble fromAvalon. Most of his notoriety as a cruel merchant is dueto his callous business practices and illicit means ofobtaining cargo. As such, his reputation precedes himand many pirates have made him a target of scorn. Thisshould help you get the adventure started. If not, weencourage you to make him a Nemesis of one of theHeroes.

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Scene 1: The DrakeOverview: The Heroes are pirates attacking a shipnamed The Drake.

Goals: By the end of this Scene, the Heroes should haveCaptain Hixs map (even if he has to come along with it)and know that it leads to buried treasure.

Important NPCs (aboard the Drake): CaptainConrad Hix, Jans Hrilen Magnus Hvsgen Kvireksen,Marion Hudson, Felina Gascon (Six), Georgina Julena,Bosun Carter, Pilot Willem Karls (see page 16)

The ActionBegin by explaining that the Heroes are on a ship chasingThe Drake. After days of pursuit, youve finally caught upwith her. Cry out: There she is! and point behind theplayers. Then, quickly drop into description of the Scene.Place two ships on the table and use the Naval Combatrules found in the GMs Guide on p. 181.

This technique is called in medias res which is a Latinterm for in the middle of things. The Heroes knowtheyre on a ship, that theyre pirates and theyre chasinga merchant target. Thats all they need to know. Time tofire the cannons and prepare for boarding! If your playersask questions, tell them to make their own answers.(Who do I know? they ask. You answer, Youre on aship, you know everyone!) Limit the questions and keepto the action. Never slow down.

Boarding The DrakeThe battle between the two ships should go as long as youlike (we recommend 3 to 5 Naval Rounds). Before it ispossible to destroy the ship, boarding The Drake becomesimminent. It is assumed that the pirate Heroes will wantto be involved with the boarding party. This section willwalk you through the attack.

The following happens aboard The Drake during theboarding action:

Brute SquadsThe number of Brute Squads and unnamed Henchmenon the Drake is two times the number of Heroes on theopposing ship. If there are 4 Heroes, then the Drake has8 Brute Squads and 8 unnamed Henchmen. Two of theBrute Squads are lowering dinghies into the water. Eachdinghy can carry 12 people. Theyll be ready to launch atthe end of Round 3.

Captain Conrad HixThe Captain runs to his cabin and thrusts his map intohis jacket. On the 10th Phase of the 3rd Round, he leapsinto a dinghy and begins to leave the Scene.

Jans Hrilen Magnus Hvsgen KvireksenJansen fights on the deck with the Heroes until he is orall the Heroes are Knocked Out. He would prefer not tokill anyone. However, Vendel Heroes are obvious targetsfor his anger.

Marion HudsonHudson will fight alongside Jansen until the Captain isready to leave. Then, hell join the Captains side andfight his way to one of the dinghies. Hudson will fight tothe death if necessary.

Felina Gascon & Georgina JulenaFelina and Georgina climb the rigging with 3 pistols anda rifle each and start shooting at the boarding crew. Theyreach shooting position at the beginning of Round 2.

Bosun CarterOnce boarding begins, Carter rushes down to the holdand begins scuttling the ship. At the end of Round 3,water begins to seep through the bottom of the ship.

Pilot Willem KarlsWillem runs to his own chambers, grabs his ledger andheads for a dinghy (different than the captain). He is notabout to die for Captain Hix.


Fight Reminders The Heroes have 3 Rounds to get done what they needto do. At the end of Round 3, the dinghies fall into thewater with any of The Drakes crew that have survived thefight.

Brutes have 1 Action per turn, which occurs on Phase6. Their purpose here is to keep the Heroes away fromthe officers.

On Phase 10 of Round 5, the ship will begin to sink. Itwill take 5 Rounds for it to do so, if nothing is done tostop it. Also on that Phase, two dinghies are ready foranyone who wants one (the pilot and the captain). It willtake the Heroes 3 Actions to lower one of the other fourdinghies into the water.

GMs may wish to have Heroes make a Wits Roll tonotice each piece of the chaos with each Raise detailingan additional NPC. Bear in mind that no one charactershould see everything that is going on. In order tomaintain the tension, it is necessary that only certainHeroes may be able to stop a particular NPC. If theHeroes are forced into seven different directions, thisgives the GM an opportunity to use their weaknessesagainst them (i.e. the Lecherous Hero cannot fire uponthe women, the Hero that hates small places cannot gobelow deck, and a weak sorcerer will not last long againstthe captain).

The PrizeNo matter how the battle unfolds, the Heroes should beable to catch the captain. He would like to end thebloodshed quickly and so, at the appropriate moment, he

offers the players a treasure map to cease thebattle. He explains that the map is only onepart of finding the treasure, however, and theyneed the second piece to get to it. The secondpiece, he explains, is in his brothers head.Unfortunately, his brother is in prison. Hecannot free him alone. He will share some ofthe treasure with the Heroes if they helpbreak his brother out of prison.

Let the Heroes barter for percentages, butHix will not accept less than 50%. It is mymap, after all. And only me brother has the codeto findin the treasure. I knows where he be. Doyou?

The Heroes are in a bind. Forcing theinformation out of him through torture orthreats of violence is out of the question.Anyone who actually goes through with suchactivities deserves nothing less than a 10Reputation penalty. However the negotiationsgo, the Heroes (if they stopped the scuttling ofThe Drake) now have two ships, a fact even

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Hix cannot deny. He lost the battle and was forced tosurrender his ship. Ive lost me ship, he says. Aye.Well, at least lets me keep half the treasure.

The Map and the KeyConrad Hix, formerly Conrad Blackstone, and hisbrother Aaron buried the treasure together some 15 yearsago. Conrad took the map with him, but Aaronmemorized the coordinates. Without the coordinates, themap is useless. Captain Hix knows the island is west ofthe Frothing Sea, but beyond that the map tells little. Hecould search forever and never find it.

Captain Hix is more than willing to lead the Heroes toTalon Prison (Prison de Serre) on Footprint Island whereAaron is being held. The Heroes now know that Hixsbrother, Aaron Blackstone, has the key to the map, butnothing else. Do not reveal that they buried the treasuretogether. This will conflict with their story later.

If the Heroes have killed Captain Hix then it may beimpossible to learn about Aaron. If this is the case, youmay wish to alter the adventure slightly to point themtoward Footprint Island. One way is to have a minor NPCknow that Hix had a brother in Talon Prison, and that hewas trying to get enough money together to buy hisfreedom. Heroes can make a Wits + Navigation Roll atTN 15 to see if they know where Talon Prison is, or youcan just allow a simple Wits Roll at a TN of 20 to see iftheyve even heard of it and ask someone for directions.Either way, the Heroes need to learn of the whereaboutsof the island. If necessary, you may have to give them theinformation.

DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess kkiillll tthhee PPiilloott ((WWiilllleemm)) ooff tthhee sshhiipp??DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess kkiillll tthhee CCaappttaaiinn ooff TThhee DDrraakkee??DDiidd aannyy ooff tthhee ccrreeww eessccaappee oonn ddiinngghhiieess??

Scene 2: Footprint IslandFootprint Island is difficult to approach. The islandcontains not only a prison, but a small town, Serre, aswell. The players have two ways into the Prison, one ofwhich is a little easier than the other. Each way isdiscussed in a separate section below.

The first way is through the tidal pools along the easternedge of the island and up under the rocks. This will hidethem from the guards, but there is the likelihood ofsomeone being sucked under the water.

The Heroes may also enter the prison by docking at theport, bluffing their way through the city, and past theprison guards. This is not an easy feat and GMs may wishto encourage the Heroes to try another way in.

Path One: The Tidal PoolsThe easiest way for the Heroes to get into the prison isthrough the tidal pools, under the rocks, and then upthrough a series of underground caverns that lead to thefirst level of the prison. However, no one (but Hix) knowsthis route exists, so its hit and miss.

Approaching the tidal pools is a challenge. There are aseries of dangerous rocks to the southeast of the islandthat must be navigated around to avoid notice. The darkof night is the only time the Heroes can successfully dockthe ship near the tidal pools without detection. If both ofthese conditions are met, the Heroes may swim throughthe tidal pools.

Navigating around the rocks is not easy. Two successiveWits + Pilot Rolls at TN 15 are required to make itthrough the rocks. If two rolls in a row are missed, theship runs aground on rocks and the keel begins to split.If this happens, the ship begins to sink and the crew will


have to jump for it. There is more than enough time todrop two dinghies into the water.

If the rocks are navigated successfully, the Heroes cantake a small boat out to the tidal pools. The largest tidalpool is the correct one, known by the locals as the bigtoe. If asked, Captain Hix points at the right one, but hedoes not volunteer the information. Hed rather see howmany sailors get sucked down by the false pools. Theswim is easy enough. A Brawn + Swimming Roll at TN15 will get a Hero or NPC through the water. GMs maywish to drown an NPC or two to enhance the danger andpoint them to the correct tidal pool.

Those who fail the roll will drown, as they are suckedunder the waves. Use the rules for drowning in the 7thSea GMs Guide on p. 174. Successfully swimmingthrough the tidal pool leads the Heroes under a series ofrocks and into an isolated cavern under the island. Thewater is still and calm in the cave and hard black rock canbe seen in every direction, indicating that the pools arethe only way in and out. An outcropping of rocks allowsthe Heroes to climb from the water and onto a stonecrevice leading up and away from the water.

The crack is the Heroes pathway to the prison. Itappears unused and apparently no one knows it is here.After meandering up and up, the path stops at a ceiling.A successful Wits Roll at TN 15 reveals that a single stonecan be pushed up and out, opening a secret door in thecave ceiling (with a successful Brawn Roll at TN 10). TwoRaises will ensure silenced motion. If the Heroes make anoise play up the tension of being caught and insertmumbled voices from above. If anyone should push therock up, and make a successful Wits Roll at TN 10 tolisten, read the following to the Heroes:

The ceiling opens to the floor of the room above you. You canhear muted voices as you lift the rock away. One man appearsto be speaking in Montaigne to another. [If none of theHeroes speak Montaigne the following is overhead as Etles nouveax prisoniers? Transferaient les touts de C D.]

What of the new prisoners, sir?

Move all of the prisoners from General Cell Block C toGeneral Cell Block D. More prisoners are coming in tomorrowand I want to make room for them. Anyone who does not fitinto D should be taken out into the courtyard and shot. Tellthe executioner he may have to work late tonight.

A door squeaks open and then you hear footsteps trail offbefore a door closes again. Above you is a wooden ceiling aboutone foot high.

Noisy Heroes garner the attention of whoever is in theroom. Otherwise, the occupants leave soon enough andthe Heroes are now under the desk in the CaptainsQuarters (Room #1 on the Talon Prison map, p. 62).Now that the Heroes are inside, go directly to The Prison(p. 11).

Path Two: The HarborIt is easy enough to park a ship in the harbor here.Enough merchant ships come through that no one willfind another one suspicious. However, any crew who hasearned a great deal of notoriety is sure to get a few staresand maybe a question or two from the harbor master.GMs may wish to improvise some random NPCencounters, but unless youre trying to make thingsdifficult, they should be able to move through the smalltown easily and find any non-lethal supplies they mightneed.

Serre, The TownSerre is a small town of some 300 civilians, all of whommake their living off of the prison in one way or another.There are 16 buildings in the heart of the town and 50-100 residents living in homes that surround the city

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proper. Serre is designed in such a way as to eliminatehiding places. Roads and alleys are very wide andbuildings are far apart from one another. Additionally,the road from the harbor to the prison is not obstructed,allowing guards to see all the way down to the harbor.Even homes outside the heart of the city are built awayfrom the others so as to deter prisoners from hiding insomeones backyard.

Additionally, every home and business has a special lampfilled with an oil that burns green when lit. These lampsare used to alert guards that an escaped prisoner hasbeen spotted. In daylight the lamps are useless and shoutsor gunfire are used instead.

The Prison FrontIf the Heroes intend to go in through the front, theydbest have brought Guilders, booze, and/or Captain Hixwith them, because the guards are not likely to allowentry otherwise. With the transfer of prisoners tonight,the Warden has put a tight control over movement to andfrom the prison. Every guard is on duty. Heroes intent onentering the prison must supply a bribe or successfullycharm the guards. This will not be easy. One of theHeroes must make two successive Charm Rolls (PlayersGuide p. 198) against a TN of 20 [5 + Targets Wits x 5 +10 to represent the Wardens order]. If the Heroes aresuccessful, the guards will allow them in to seeBlackstone, but only for a short time. They are now insidethe prison. You may advance to the Prison section below.

Blackstone is in a small but comfortable cell on the firstlevel of the prison (Room #2). If the Heroes are merelythere to get the key from him, he will not help themuntil he is far from the prison. If Conrad is there askingfor the code without asking for Blackstones freedom,Blackstone grows antagonistic, considering his brothersactions greedy and underhanded.

Buying Aarons FreedomFor 5,000 Guilders, Conrad Hix can buy his brothersfreedom. He has 600 Guilders saved in a Montaigneusury account. If the Heroes can come up with another4,400 Guilders, Aaron Blackstone can be released. Notethat The Drake is old and battered and is not worth morethan 2,000 Guilders, with its cargo (less if the Heroes beatthe ship up). Using the treasure is not an option. Aaron isnot about to give out the key without the insurance of hisfreedom. GMs should deter the Heroes from merelybuying Aarons freedom.

Path 3: Other RoutesIt is not uncommon for the Heroes to think of anotherway onto the island. However, the details of thisadventure only cover the most obvious routes in. If theHeroes try anything else they will meet heavy resistance.

If anyone successfully climbs the cliffs (Brawn + ClimbingTN 40), they can see the east side of the prison. Twolarge towers with searchlights look out over the expansebetween the cliff to the prison. The north and south ofthe island have giant gun emplacements covering the sea.Ships which approach from this direction are fired upon.

The PrisonReference the map of the prison on p. 62 whilereading the following text.The prison is designed to ensure that anyone movingbetween levels must pass through its main Courtyard (#8)and a central tower (#4). This allows everyone to see whois moving along the catwalk (#4a). There are three levels.The worst prisoners are kept on the top where they areleast likely to escape. Aaron Blackstone is being held onthe lowest level in Cell 14 (Room #2) with two otherpirates.


Unless noted, all cell doors in the prison are lockedand all locks require a Finesse + Lockpick Roll at TN20 to pick.

CellsThere are numerous individual cells throughout theprison. GMs should roll on the following chart to see whois inside:

1-2 One beaten, bloodied prisoner3 Two prisoners4-5 One prisoner, sleeping6 Two prisoners, arguing7 Empty cell8 Empty, burned-out cell9 One prisoner, talking to himself10 One near-dead prisoner

Cell Blocks (A, B, C, D)On the second level there are a number of large cellblocks. Each houses anywhere from 20100 convicts.Individual cells are reserved for murderous prisoners andthose who can afford better treatment. Older prisonersare put in these large cell blocks. The night that theHeroes arrive, the guards are emptying Cell Block C intoCell Block D (see the map) and the excess prisoners arebeing executed in the Courtyard (Room #8). The newprisoners arrive tomorrow.

Random Encounters in the PrisonAnytime the Heroes need a challenge or they are lookinginto a hallway to see who is there, roll on the followingchart:

1-3 Empty4 Two Brutes leaning against a wall, talking5 An unnamed Henchman giving orders to Brutes6 Four unnamed Henchmen7 One Brute, drunk8 Two Brute Squads9 Lieutenant Peter Guviere and a Brute Squad10 Captain Louis and Lieutenant Georges

UniformsIf the Heroes attempt to ever take a guards uniform,there is a 2 in 10 chance that it will fit. In a five (or more)person party, the GM may rule that it automatically fitssomeone. Large and Small Heroes fit on 1 in 10.

Prison Captains Quarters Room #1If the Heroes came up from the tunnels, they enter thebuilding here. This room contains one wooden chair, onelarge wooden desk, two pictures on the east wall and athrow rug. The desk contains many forms, all written inMontaigne, and an old baguette (bread). If one of theHeroes makes a successful Wits Roll at TN 15, allow themto find the guard schedule for the evening. It lists everyguards name with a section and time. The pictures aresimple and crudely painted (the Captains wife madethem). There is nothing under the rug.

Blackstones Cell Room #2On the first level, just three doors from the PrisonCaptains Quarters (Room #1) is Aaron Blackstone,Jacques Renault, and a man calling himself The Kire.The three have a large, lush cell, with manyaccouterments. Blackstone has befriended the pair. Theyare not shackled, so if the Heroes can get the door open,Aaron and the others are free.

Move on to the Escape Complications section belowonce Aaron has been found.

Secured Entrance/Processing Room #3This is where prisoners are brought in from the outside.Many have come through into the prison, but few pass inthe other direction. If the Heroes are trying to see aprisoner, the guards will be more helpful with a smallbribe. If the Heroes are trying to sneak out, things maybe a little more difficult. Depending on who is with theHeroes and how they appear, the guards will actdifferently. Refer to Escape Complications below formore information.

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The Tower Room #4Along the outside of the tower is a spiraling set of stairswith a steel handrail. The stairs lead to the second andthird level where there is a catwalk leading west on thesecond level and east on the third level. The stairs makeone full turn around the tower from the first to the thirdlevel. Even here, in a prison, the Montaigne have madethe architecture stylish before making it functional.

Wardens Office Room #5The Warden has left for the evening and this office islocked and empty. The lock on this door is sturdier andrequires a Finesse + Lockpick Roll at TN 25. If theHeroes open the lock somehow, they find the room filledwith knick-knacks and ornaments. There is a very largeoak desk, one picture on each wall, two wooden chairs,and a large leather chair behind the desk. If the Heroeslook under the desk, they find a loose rock, like the onein the Captains office. A large keyed safe lies under therock, built into the floor. The Warden keeps the only keysand only a Finesse + Lockpicking Roll of TN 30 will openit. Inside the Heroes will find travel papers, travelvouchers, blank furlough forms, accounting records,names of prisoners with preferential treatment, two bottlesof fine wine, a marque to a usury account in Crieux inthe amount of 19,000 Guilders (hes been taking bribesfor a long time) and a small bag of 1200 Guilders.

Interrogation Room Room #6A simple room with a small wooden table and severalchairs. There are many blood stains in the room on thewalls, chairs, floor, and table. There is a 1 in 10 chancethat someone is being interrogated at the moment.

Outer Corridor Room #7On the first level, this is the only way from section tosection. Random encounters and the sounds of foot fallsshould be heard from time to time as the Heroes movefrom room to room. Due to the curvature of the corridor,the line of sight is only 30 feet.

Courtyard Room #8The only way to and from the tower is through theCourtyard. Unless the Heroes are disguised, they will bespotted by prison guards. Assume four to six randomencounters if the Heroes enter the Courtyard without aplan. If they are trying to pass through while disguised,roll two or three times to see through their disguises.Brute Guards roll 2k1 vs. (5 + 5 x worst Disguise Knackin the group).

Guards Barracks Room #9All of the Guard Barracks contain several rows of bunksand at least one or two random encounters. The doors tothe Barracks are never locked. If an alarm has beentriggered, Brutes are here gathering their gear together.

Escape ComplicationsGetting out of the prison may be just as hard as, if notharder than, getting in. If the Heroes have been quiet andalerted no one to their presence, then the escape mayseem flawless. However, depending on how they came in,they may have trouble getting out. If spotted, an alarm inthe form of shouts and gun-fire will erupt through theprison. Increase the number of opportunities for combatby a significant but fair amount.

Did the Heroes bluff their way in and arenow trying to free Aaron?First, they must overcome the guards that escorted themto the cell. Then they should disguise themselves andhope no one recognizes them. There are many guards atthe front, but most are concerned with the incomingprisoners tomorrow and are not going to hassle guardstaking out prisoners. However, everyone knows Aaron,Jacques, and The Kire and the guards get 2 Free Raisesto see through their disguises.

Bribing the guards here could work, but if the guardsnotice the Heroes are all dressed in uniforms going offduty, they may suspect something (after all, everyone is


on duty). With a successful Contested Wits + SincerityRoll against the targets Wits + 10, the story will work forabout 30 seconds before someone chases after them.

The chase down the hill to the town should be action-packed and the Heroes better hope that someone is readyto get the ship underway. Otherwise, they may not get offthe island in time.

Did the Heroes come in through the tunnel?They can go back down the tunnels, just as easily as theycame in. However, GMs may wish to have a few guardswaiting in the Captains room for the Heroes, to spice upthe escape. Gunfire will alert every guard in the prison,forcing the Heroes to flee. Assume that the first wave ofguards are 5 Rounds behind the Heroes.

FriendsAaron doesnt want to leave without Jacques and TheKire, but if the Heroes refuse to take them, The Kirereplies, The Kire will make his own way, my friend. Thesea is not so large that you will not see The Kire again.The two disappear into the prison and escape on theirown.

Double CrossIf Aaron and Conrad are together, then they attempt (atkey moments) to break away from the party. Without themap and the coordinates, the Heroes are left emptyhanded and the two Blackstones can retrieve the treasureanytime they wish.

Deciphering the MapIf the Heroes help Blackstone escape, he sings a shantyfor them, a shanty which contains the treasurescoordinates. He will profess (read: lie) that he has neverbeen able to crack the code. Aye. The shanty washanded down by me father. He actually wrote the shantyhimself.

Off the coast of CarleonTwenty Vessels fought for goldAll the ships fought valiantlyAll but one were lost at sea

The single ship that did surviveHer men they numbered fifty-fiveThe crew was mad or so they say

They turned on the captain straight awayA dozen men stood by his side

And with their pistols turned the tideSo when youre hopeless, if youre keen

Youll remember those thirteen

The key to the map lies in the only actual numerals in thesong: 20, 55, and 13. Clever Heroes that understandlatitude and longitude will immediately recognize that 55is N and 20 is W. However, the 13 is not as obvious.Heroes who make a Wits + History or Wits + Sea LoreRoll at TN 15 can recall the 13 Degree Debates of 1614.The Church used their own Longitude, which isapproximately 13 W of the Pirate Meridian and 3 Eastof the Montaigne Meridian. Blackstone knows that thecoordinates are for the Pirate Meridian, but those that donot know this may assume it uses the Vaticine Meridian.Therefore the Heroes may think to add or subtract 13from 20. This is a ruse. 20 W is the correct coordinate.

Cut ToThe proper coordinates are 55 N and 20 W ThanMeridian. If the Heroes use the correct coordinates andmake a successful Navigation Roll at TN 15, they will findthe location in a few days time. GMs should advance tothe next scene. If theyve guessed incorrectly, have the

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ship meander the ocean for a few days, with the promiseof land ahead.

DDiidd tthhee BBllaacckkssttoonneess ssuurrvviivvee??DDiidd tthhee BBllaacckkssttoonneess eessccaappee??DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess ffrreeee JJaaccqquueess aanndd TThhee KKiirree??DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess kkiillll JJaaccqquueess aanndd TThhee KKiirree??

Scene 3: Treasure ReefThe island hiding the buried treasure is actually a reef.The Heroes may have the right coordinates, but beunable to spot any land. That is because they must waitfor low tide for the reef to show itself. It is wet right nowand just below the water line. Once dusk comes, thewater line will be low enough for the reef to appear.

Reefs are very jagged, and the Heroes should dropanchor and take a dinghy to the only safe spot on theisland: two heavy boulders resting against the reef.Tarring their feet (pirates rarely wear shoes) or wearingheavy boots will keep them from cutting their feet openon the reef. Allow them a Wits + Sea Lore Roll at TN 10to figure this out. Remember, if they do not have the Skillthe TN is 15 and 10s are not re-rolled. Heroes walkingacross the reef without protection suffer a DramaticWound once an hour.

Following the MapOnce on the reef, following the directions on the map issimple enough. A Wits + Navigation Roll at TN 10 willlead them across the reef, past a large collection of sand,between two beds of sea fungi, past a large clam, and oninto an underground cave filled with water. If the Heroesdo not know to look for it, the cave will not be obviousas it is filled with dark, sandy water. The pool is 18 feetdeep. At the bottom, a treasure chest is wedged in thesoft, wet silt.

Someone needs to swim down and return with the chest.It is locked and opening it underwater is not an option.

Therefore, someone must bring it back up to the reef.Tying it to a rope works, or a Brawn + Swimming Roll atTN 25 will allow the Hero to pull it up to the surface.Either way, the Heroes must break or pick the lock oncethe chest is above water. The TN to pick the rusted lockis 20, while breaking it is a Brawn Roll at TN 25. Thechest is air-tight and no water has entered it all theseyears, so everything inside is intact.

Inside the chest is the booty that the pirates seek:

2000 Guilders worth of coins from all over Thah A large green Castillian vase painted with hawks andfish (worth 100-1000 guilders) A fine dagger in a locking, metal sheath A small rug from some foreign land (possibly Cathayor Crescent Empire) worth 200-2000 Guilders A thick, heavy coat made of fine cotton A large bag full of sand A crude looking (almost worthless) stone tablet withfour rough indentations. There is a ruby in one. Anycharacter that touches the ruby and spends a Drama Diebecomes immune to fire damage until the end of theScene. GMs should have fun with the Heroes as theyexperiment with the tablet. GMs interested in followingthis storyline should have the Heroes search out the otherthree gems (which means finding out where it came from,which means finding out how the pirates got it in the firstplace). Whether the other gems have powers and whatthey do once brought together is up to the GM.

Sandbar SpiderWhile the party is on the island a giant spider makes itsway out of the sand. The spider lives on the reef and hasbecome very adept at walking along the jagged coral. Asa result, it can move much faster than the Heroes and ifnecessary escape into the sand bar when wounded.

The spider is as tall as two people and as wide as six. Ithas two mouths, each covered by crab-like appendagesthat pull detritus into its jaws. The spider also has a taste


for flesh and is not above breaking off a piece of theHeroes to satisfy its hunger. The eight large legs are slick,covered in wet sand, and very strong.

The spider on this reef is unique and GMs should playthe alien nature of the beast. The Blackstones have neverseen the spider and are not likely to recognize it.

How it attacksThe Spider is silent and will make its first attack against arandom unaware Hero before initiative can be rolled.This surprise attack is made by rolling a Contested Wits+ Ambush Roll against the Heros Wits. If successful theHero is Ambushed and cannot act for one Phase, plus anadditional Phase for each Raise. Additionally, the targethas a TN of 5 to be hit by the spider until the effects ofthe Ambush have expired.

Sandbar Spider: VillainTN to Hit: 20Brawn 5, Finesse 3, Resolve 4, Wits 2, Panache 3Attack Roll: 6k3 BiteDamage: 5k2 BiteHunter: Ambush 5, Footwork 3, Stealth 4, Tracking 3

Hunger FlawOnce per Round any one Hero may spend a Drama Dieto induce Hunger in the spider. When this flaw isactivated, the spider suffers a 2k1 penalty to all its attackrolls for the round the pains are distracting and nagging.If this flaw is invoked and the spider successfully attacksa PC, it adds 1k1 to its damage as its giant jaws andmouth lock onto the Hero.

DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess ffiinndd tthhee rreeeeff??DDiidd tthhee HHeerrooeess kkiillll tthhee ssppiiddeerr??WWhhoo ggoott tthhee ttaabblleett??At the end of this book is a photocopiable form whichGMs should send in to AEG. It includes all of theimportant questions necessary for storyline impact.

Important NPCsDrake NPCsBrute SquadsThe brute squads aboard The Drake are only Threat 1Brutes, mostly carrying clubs, knives, or swords.

Unnamed HenchmenMany of the crew members aboard The Drake are hardworking, vital members. However, in combat they are stillno more efficient than a Brute. Therefore the importantcrews have received very small stats. GMs that want moreof a challenge for the Heroes are encouraged to increasea stat by a point or two.

Brawn 2, Finesse 2, Resolve 2, Wits 2, Panache 2Athletics: Footwork 2, Sprinting 1, Throwing 1,Climbing 1Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 2, Parry (Fencing) 1Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 1, Footwork 3, Jab 1,Uppercut 1Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 1, Reload (Firearms) 1Sailor: Balance 2, Climbing 2, Knotwork 2, Rigging 2

Villains and HenchmenAlthough technically only Hix and Karls are Villains andthe remainder of his crew are Henchmen, they can beused just like Heroes. GMs interested in incorporatingthese NPCs into a campaign are welcome to use theinformation below. Remember, there are times when youwill have to make decisions as a GM that are not fullydefined by the the adventure. By understanding theNPCs as individuals, it becomes easier to determine theiractions and motivations.

All of the crew speak Avalon, plus their native tongue.Willem speaks every language of Thah including Kanu(see the 7th Sea Newsletter The Crows Nest #0).

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Captain Conrad HixAt the age of 40, Captain Hix commands a crew of 60aboard The Drake. He is considered immoral anduncouth. As his methods are questionable and self-serving, Hix has garnered a reputation as a scoundrelamong merchants. Even the Vendel League, known to doanything for a Guilder, revoked his membership in theMerchants Guild. Unincorporated, Hix now sells andships whatever he can to get by.

Years ago Hix went by the name Blackstone. Back then,the Blackstone pirates hijacked whatever they could andboth Conrad and Aaron had hefty prices on their heads.Now, Hix tries to walk the straight path, but the needfor currency has forced his business practices to becomeless than honorable (old habits die hard). Three yearsago, his brother Aaron was taken prisoner bylEmpereurs Musketeers and jailed on Footprint Island.He has been trying to earn enough booty to buy hisbrothers freedom ever since. Once Aaron is out, the twocan recover their treasure and retire. That is all Hix isconcerned about.

Brawn 3, Finesse 4, Resolve 4, Wits 3, Panache 3Reputation: 26Advantages: Large, ScoundrelArcana: MisledLanguages: Castille, MontaigneDonovan (Journeyman): Bind (Buckler) 5, Disarm(Fencing) 4, Riposte 4, Exploit Weakness (Donovan) 4Athletics: Footwork 4, Sprinting 2, Throwing 2,Climbing 1Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 4, Parry (Fencing) 3Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 2, Footwork 4, Jab 2,Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 2Captain: Strategy 2, Tactics 3, Ambush 1, Bribery 3,Diplomacy 1, Gunnery 2, Leadership 2, Logistics 1 Sailor: Balance 3, Climbing 1, Knotwork 3, Rigging 3,Cartography 1, Leaping 2, Navigation 3, Pilot 2,Sea Lore 2, Swimming 1, Weather 2

First Mate Jans Hrilen Magnus HvsgenKvireksenJansen is a Vestenmannavnjar through and through. Hejoined on with Hix when rumors of his business practicereached the Islands. Any man willing to undercut themorally bankrupt Guilds was a friend of Jans HrilenMagnus Hvsgen Kvireksen. He is loyal and hard-working, but Jansen couldnt care less if there is a priceon Hixs head. Hes prepared to take over the ship anyday the Captain cant perform his duties. Someone has tocontinue the war against the Guilds, right? GMs shouldnot assume that because Jansen has a cause to fight of hisown, that he would turn his back on his mates, but if theHeroes say the right things, hell probably be enragedenough to forget the rest of the ship. Especially if aVendel is involved.

Jansen is somewhat small for a Vestenmannavnjar, but hislittle frame is quite sturdy. When fighting, Jansen is moreconcerned with beating his opponent and less concernedwith killing anyone, unless one of the Heroes is a Vendel.Jansen prefers using an axe over a sword, although heshandy with most any blade.

Brawn 4, Finesse 3, Resolve 4, Wits 3, Panache 3Reputation: 3Advantages: ToughnessBackground: Vendetta 3Languages: Eisen, UssuranLeegstra (Apprentice): Beat (Heavy Weapon) 2, Lunge(Heavy Weapon) 3Athletics: Footwork 4, Sprinting 3, Throwing 4,Climbing 3Heavy Weapon: Attack (Heavy Weapon) 3, Parry(Heavy Weapon) 2Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 2, Parry (Fencing) 2Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 3, Footwork 4, Jab 1Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 2, Reload (Firearms) 2Sailor: Balance 1, Climbing 4, Knotwork 2, Rigging 3,Navigation 2, Pilot 1, Sea Lore 1, Swimming 1


Navigator Marion HudsonMarion has known Hix for more years than anyone elseon the ship. He served with both of the Blackstoneswhen they were young pirates, and now that Conrad haschanged his name and is working to get his brother outof prison, hes become more sympathetic to the Captainsplight. Of all the crew, he is the most loyal and most likelyto die for the Captain.

Brawn 3, Finesse 3, Resolve 2, Wits 3, Panache 3Reputation: 8Advantages: Able Drinker, MontaigneDonovan (Apprentice): Bind (Buckler) 1, Disarm(Fencing) 1, Riposte 2, Exploit Weakness (Donovan) 3Athletics: Footwork 3, Sprinting 1, Throwing 2,Climbing 2Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 2, Parry (Fencing) 2Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 2, Footwork 3, Jab 1Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 2Sailor: Balance 2, Climbing 2, Knotwork 3, Rigging 3,Sea Lore 1, Swimming 3

Felina Gascon (Six)Felina goes by the name Six, although none of the crewcould tell you why. Shes referred to by the crew as ThatCrazy Montaigne Wench, which makes her smile whenshe hears it. No ones certain what her duty is on the ship,but Hix keeps her on anyway, despite her bouts of angerand frequent musket shots at passing ships. Felina likes tofight and gamble. Shes rather good at one, and not somuch at the other.

Brawn 2, Finesse 4, Resolve 3, Wits 2, Panache 3Reputation: 17Advantages: VodacceAthletics: Footwork 4, Sprinting 2, Throwing 3,Climbing 3Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 3, Parry (Fencing) 3Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 1Dirty Fighting: Attack (Dirty Fighting) 1, Attack(Improvised Weapon) 2

Georgina JulenaIt is rumored that Georgina is the niece of Captain Hix,although you wouldnt know it to see her. Hix is alwaysyelling at her, riding her about one thing or another, andonce put her in the brig for two days for talking back.Despite the treatment, she seems devoted to her work,never frowning or complaining about it.

Her official job is irrelevant as Georgina seems to domost any task asked of her. She spends a great deal oftime with Six learning how to fight. Georgina is not apretty woman. Her eyes are a bit large and her face islong, making her head look too big for her body. Mosteveryone avoids her gaze. Willems been trying to teachher High Eisen, to no avail.

Brawn 2, Finesse 3, Resolve 2, Wits 1, Panache 2Reputation: 0Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 1, Reload (Firearms) 1Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 1, Parry (Fencing) 2Servant: Menial Tasks 2, Unobtrusive 1

Bosun CarterCarter clearly hates everyone aboard the ship. Hes asurly, ugly, mean old man who finds pleasure in twothings being nasty and ordering people around, whichcoincidently is all he is good at. Carter especially hatesWillem and Jansen. The lower class of sailors respect him,even if hes not liked.

Brawn 4, Finesse 2, Resolve 3, Wits 2, Panache 2Reputation: 16Advantages: Large, Castille, Eisen, MontaigneAthletics: Footwork 2, Sprinting 1, Throwing 1,Climbing 2Captain: Strategy 1, Tactics 1, Leadership 3Heavy Weapon: Attack (Heavy Weapon) 2, Parry(Heavy Weapon) 2Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 3, Footwork 4, Jab 4Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 2Sailor: Balance 1, Climbing 2, Knotwork 3, Rigging 1,Navigation 1, Swimming 1

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Pilot Willem KarlsWillem was born to fine Eisen parents. Both wereObjectionists during the War of the Cross and foughtvaliantly to defend their homeland. When they died inthe war, a 13 year old Fritz Guren moved to Avalon andchanged his name to Willem Karls. With a largeinheritance and a hatred for Church, Government, andCastille, Karls dove into private schooling away from theVaticine. He attended the best universities and academiesin Avalon. His inheritance began to disappear under theburden of his immature nature, but when Karls turned 19,he knew more than most men twice his age.

When his money had almost run out, he was approachedby Javier Rios del Guzman, an important member of theRilasciare, inviting Willem to join the free-thinkers. Itwasnt hard for Karls to decide what he wanted, and hisoral entrance exam was completed in near record time.

Now, at the age of 28, Willem Karls is an importantmember of the Rilasciare. Although he loves being apilot, he uses The Drake merely as a way of deliveringimportant messages to contacts within the society. No oneaboard knows Willem is a Rilasciare. If the fight is goingexceptionally poorly against the Captain, Karls will throwdown his weapon rather than die for a such a miserablecause. He may even aid the Heroes, if necessary.Rilasciare and Sophias Daughters Heroes may feel akinship to him, even if they dont know about his SecretSociety affiliation.

Karls is carrying a ledger of dates and events that areimportant to the Inquisition. Each page details importantBishops and Cardinals within the church and the times ofimportant speeches and convocations. It is important tothe Rilasciare that the ledger reach a Sophias Daughtersafe house in Buche within the next six days. Karls willwork with the Heroes to meet his goals and will even goas far as to offer 350 Guilders if the Heroes will deliverhim to Buche. He will under no circumstance mentionwhy he is going, or what is in the ledger.

Brawn 2, Finesse 2, Resolve 2, Wits 5, Panache 3Reputation: 11Advantages: Linguist, UniversityArcana: WorldlyDonovan (Apprentice): Bind (Buckler) 1, Disarm(Fencing) 1, Riposte 1, Exploit Weakness (Donovan) 1Athletics: Footwork 4, Sprinting 3, Throwing 1,Climbing 2Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 2, Parry (Fencing) 2Sailor: Balance 1, Climbing 1, Knotwork 1, Rigging 1Assume many relevant civil knacks at 2-4.

Talon Prison NPCsWhat They KnowEveryone knows who Blackstone is. There is a 1 in 10chance when asked that a guard will not know where heis located. All of the guards know about the prisonertransfer. 1 in 10 guards know that the Warden sellsprisoners their freedom.

BrutesThe Brutes on Talon Island are all slovenly guards whohave grown used to things being quiet. They are for themost part tired and unskilled. They are armed withrapiers, and are considered Threat Rating 1 Brutes perthe rules in the 7th Sea GMs Guide (p. 167).

Unnamed HenchmenA handful of Montaigne prison guards are a little moreskilled than the rest. These soldiers do not becomecommissioned quickly on such a remote prison. Asidefrom the Captain and Warden, everyone else of rank isconsidered an unnamed Henchman. Brutes do not havekeys to the cells, but the Henchmen and Villains do.Henchmen only have keys to the floor they are assigned.

Brawn 2, Finesse 2, Resolve 2, Wits 3, Panache 2Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 2, Parry (Fencing) 1Athletics: Footwork 2, Sprinting 1, Throwing 1,Climbing 1


Villains and HenchmenWarden Gerard MartinThe Warden does not appear in this adventure, but GMsmay wish to know a little more about him. Gerard is agreedy, overweight man, bent on fitting into elitesociety despite his background. Born sixth of eightchildren and with no inherent wealth, Gerard joined themilitary after buying his own way through an Eisen WarAcademy. Although not the worst school in Eisen, GegenAcademy is known for its ruthless tactics and fierce battlecries.

Gerard returned to Montaigne interested in movingthrough commissioned ranks as quickly as possible. Hismen were involved in small skirmishes from time to time,but Gerards name was never on the lips of importantmen, to his chagrin. In 1650, he took a piece of shrapnelin his leg during a routine exercise, ending his militarycareer.

After a short stay of duty, Gerard was assigned toFootprint Island, where he became Captain of the Guard.In 1659, he was promoted to warden, but still unable togarner the attention of the nobility. Under his leadership,

the prison apparently runssmoothly. Montaignes lackof concern over day-to-dayoperations allows Gerard todo whatever he likes. He isresolved to the fact that noone in high society will everaccept him. As a result, hesbecome a heavy drinker.He has never been happywith the work on the islandand looks forward to theday he can retire with alarge cache of guilders.

Captain Louis talon du ToilleThe Captain is an efficient and well-liked man. Hisguards look up to him, rather than the Warden, whoseems to never have any time to do his job. He was bornto a prominent noble family and chose to join the militarydespite his older sisters urging to remain in their estateserving as her Marquis and seneschal. He maintains apolite relationship with everyone, but knows theimportance of duty. He often cites precedent and doeswhat anyone else would have done. Pragmatic at times,he will kill a man if he has to.

Brawn 2, Finesse 2, Resolve 2, Wits 3, Panache 2Reputation: 15Advantages: Avalon, CastilleValroux (Journeyman): Double-parry (Fencing/Knife) 4,Feint (Fencing) 4, Tagging (Fencing) 5, ExploitWeakness (Valroux) 4Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 2Athletics: Footwork 2, Sprinting 1, Throwing 2,Climbing 2Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 3, Parry (Fencing) 3Knife: Attack (Knife) 1, Parry (Knife) 1Captain: Strategy 3, Tactics 2, Ambush 1, Leadership 3,Diplomacy 2

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A Short Note About HenchmenSome GMs may find that Henchmen are weaker thanThreat Rating 2 and above Brutes. In some cases, this istrue. This was not the intent of the system. As a resultmany of our personal in-office games are now using therule that Henchmen are Knocked-Out after sufferinga number of Dramatic Wounds equal to their resolve.This is still far weaker than a Villain or Hero, but keepsthem in the fight a lot longer. If you find this systemworks for you, we encourage you to make it apermanent rule change for your games you have ourpermission.


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Lieutenant Georges DArgeneauVersatile and quick on his feet, Georges is a greatswordsman, serving the Musketeers and doing his tour ofduty on the island as required by law. He is an honorableduelist, a member of the Swordsmans Guild and anaccomplished leader. Use the stats for UnnamedHenchmen for Georges but increase his Panache by 2.

Lieutenant Peter Guviere dAllaisA simple and quiet man, Peter is far from noble in hisbehavior. He is not afraid to send someone to their deathwhen his own honor has been impugned. Although notaggressive, the men fear his quiet and almost sociopathicnature. No small talk or simple conversation escapes hislips. The men know better than to ask him a routinequestion. Use the stats for Unnamed Henchmen forGuviere, but increase his Resolve by 1 and his Wits by 1.

PrisonersAaron BlackstoneAaron Blackstone and his infamous brother were onceknown as the Blackstone pirates. Three years ago theMontaigne Navy caught Aaron in the Frothing Sea. Hewas sent to Talon Prison to spend the rest of his days.Since then, his brother Conrad has sent 50 Guilders amonth to the Warden to insure Aaron better treatment. Ifhe can save up 5000 Guilders, he can buy his brothersfreedom.

In the meantime, small payments insure a privileged cellfor the elder Blackstone. The cell is sixty feet from theCaptains quarters; Blackstone lives here with two otherpirates who have also bought their station in the prison.The two small-time pirates in Blackstones cell are JacquesRenault and The Kire. The two tried to build a smallnavy, of low, fast ships, but a Montaigne Admiral(Gavreille Dubois) cornered them in a Crieux port a littleover one year ago. Theyve been here with Aaron eversince.

VillainBrawn 2, Finesse 3, Resolve 4, Wits 3, Panache 3Reputation: 19Advantages: Able Drinker, ScoundrelArcana: ProudDonovan (Journeyman): Bind (Buckler) 4, Disarm(Fencing) 4, Riposte 5, Exploit Weakness (Donovan) 4Athletics: Footwork 4, Sprinting 3, Throwing 2,Climbing 3Buckler: Attack (Buckler) 2, Parry (Buckler) 3Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 4, Parry (Fencing) 3Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 3, Reload (Firearms) 1Knife: Attack (Knife) 2, Parry (Knife) 1, Throw (Knife) 2Sailor: Balance 4, Climbing 3, Knotwork 3, Rigging 3,Leaping 2

Jacques RenaultJacques best friend and most trust ally is The Kire. Thetwo met a few years ago and remained good friends eversince. Working with privateers, merchants, and pirates,Jacques and The Kire have each had the honor of savingthe others life. Since then, The Kire feels secure incalling Jacques his back-brother and Jacques colorfullyrefers to The Kire as little brother. After the last job,the two hitched a ride on a few sailing ships beforelanding in Talon Prison for High Seas Crimes. Jacqueshas been looking after his friend ever since.

Jacques understanding of tactics and command oflanguage made him an excellent balance to The Kiresdominating personality and unearthly size. Jacqueshimself is very calm and reserved. Despite his Montaignebackground, he is a friend of many people and he doesnot come off as an arrogant swordsman. Rather, he is aconfident duelist and hardy combatant that manyremember, long after he has spared their life.

He is a very loyal individual, always willing to championa noble cause. However, where The Kire is concerned,Jacques loyalty is almost fanatical. He would surely diefor his friend.


HeroBrawn 2, Finesse 4, Resolve 3, Wits 3, Panache 4Reputation: 15Advantages: Faith, Linguist, Avalon (R/W), Castille(R/W), High Eisen (R/W), Eisen (R/W), Montaigne(R/W), Thean, Vendel, VodacceArcana: LoyalBackground: Obligation 3Valroux (Journeyman): Double Parry (Fencing/Knife) 4,Feint (Fencing) 5, Tagging (Fencing) 4, ExploitWeakness (Valroux) 5Athletics: Footwork 5, Sprinting 3, Throwing 3,Climbing 3Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 4, Parry (Fencing) 3Hunter: Stealth 5, Survival 3, Tracking 5, Traps 3,Ambush 6Knife: Attack (Knife) 2, Parry (Knife) 5Sailor: Balance 1, Climbing 3, Knotwork 2, Rigging 1,Leaping 2Scholar: History 2, Mathematics 1, Philosophy 2, Research 2, Theology 3Spy: Shadowing 4, Stealth 5, Disguise 3, Sincerity 3Streetwise: Socializing 3, Street Navigation 2,Underworld Lore 2

The KireThe Kire may well be one of the largest men in Eisen anddefinitely the largest in the prison. He towers over mosteveryone at a staggering six feet and six inches, andweighs more than 350 lbs. His muscular sculpting iscovered by layers of insulation that add to his mass. Hisbody runs with scars and his beard is wild and unkempt.His walk resembles that of a General moving through acrowd of subordinates. An aura of leadership surroundshim that no one can explain. He claims not to be aleader, but rather a soldier of Eisen. His mass and charmsay otherwise.

The Kire speaks of himself in the third person. When hewalks into a room, he announces himself by saying: The

Kire is among you. Few find it funny, as it is obvious heis serious. For reasons that are unclear, he holds a greatdistaste for Avalon, as does his companion Jacques. Ifasked about it, he says That damned Berek ruined TheKire. I will have his head. He never elaborates and it isnot clear if Jacques knows either. When asked what hisname means, he responds: The Kires actions givemeaning to his name, not the other way around.

The Kire is in prison now not the sort of place acharismatic and energetic man likes to be. Without hispanzerhand, his fighting skills are useless against armedguards. But in combat, The Kire prefers to wear thepanzerfaust on his right hand and heft an axe in his left.The Kire does not fear bleeding for a cause, or dying. Itssimply that the latter never happens.

HeroBrawn 5, Finesse 3, Resolve 3, Wits 3, Panache 2Reputation: 23Advantages: Academy, Large, Left-handed, Toughness,Avalon, Eisen (R/W), High Eisen (R/W)Arcana: InspirationalBackground: Vendetta 2, Vow 1Eisenfaust (Apprentice): Beat (Heavy Weapon) 3, Bind (Panzerhand) 5, Disarm (Panzerhand) 4, ExploitWeakness (Eisenfaust) 2Athletics: Footwork 3, Sprinting 2, Throwing 1,Climbing 2Commander: Strategy 3, Tactics 4, Ambush 3,Incitation 4, Leadership 3Dirty Fighting: Attack (Dirty Fighting) 2, Attack(Improvised Weapon) 3, Throw (Improvised Weapon) 3Firearms: Attack (Fireams): 1Heavy Weapon: Attack (Heavy Weapon) 4, Parry(Heavy Weapon) 2Panzerhand: Attack (Panzerhand) 2, Parry (Panzerhand) 4Sailor: Balance 3, Climbing 2, Knotwork 2, Rigging 2,Leaping, Pilot 1

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The Powder KegThe Powder Keg is a generic tavern that Game Masterscan drop into any 7th Sea campaign. A detailed map canbe found on p. 50. The tavern has a unique back-story,depending on where you choose to place it. But enoughof that. Lets see whats inside the Keg.

LocationEveryone knows about the Keg, so finding it isnt hard.Located on Fifth Street, between a bakery and a storethat sells cottons and silks, its where tough types come torelax and the rich come to slum. Just about anyone andanything can be found in here. And if youre looking forwork, youve found the right place.

ArchitectureThe Powder Keg is a run-down building with planksnailed over old holes in the walls. The floor and northwall are made of wood, the west and south walls of stone,and the east wall of brick. The east wall also has a shortrow of belaying pins just to the north of the stage. Therailing holds eight pins.

The stage at the south-east corner is made of two types ofwood (from two different shipwrecks), neither of whichmatch the hardwood floor. The cellar is all stone, with acedar ceiling and wine rack. The kegs are made of walnutor oak depending on the quality of the liquor inside. Thebar is mahogany and sanded smooth and clean, anindication of the bartenders obsession. The tables aremade of various types of wood, as if bought at differenttimes. The east wall has some nets and rigging on it, butnothing that would qualify as authentic. The windowsare thick glass and the front door is made of heavy oakthat can be barred from the inside. The bouncer standsat the front door night and day, an almost permanentaddition to the tavern.

InteriorThere are four round tables, three long tables withbenches, a bar, a dartboard, a cannon, a real powder keg,and over 30 chairs filling the main room. There is a singlesquare table with a permanent blood stain at which noone ever sits. Three windows face out to the north andthe only exit is the front door. A small door set in thefloor opens to a set of stairs. These stairs lead to the cellarand only the owner knows of the secret exit from thecellar up a flight of stairs to the alley above.

BarThe bar is fine mahogany and stands out above all otherthings inside. There are nine stools lined arond the bar,but up to 20 people can fit around the bar on crowdednights. At the far end of the bar, near the powder keg, isthe swill barrel. Each night the bartender fills it withwhatever combination of spoiled liquor and left-overspirits he can find. For 20 cents you may drink from it allnight. More than once a dead mouse has been found inthe barrel, at which time the bartender kindly offers arefund and removes the mouse.

CannonThis field artillery cannon no longer functions, as cementfills the barrel half way up and the fuse mechanism haslong since been deactivated. On most nights, petty cashis stored there inside a large bag of cotton filled withcotton. This gives the impression of wadding and distractspeople from its actual purpose. A cannonball is thenplaced over the bag, once again adding to the illusion.There are dents in the floor where the cannonball hasrolled out onto the floor. No one except the employeesknows that the petty cash is stored there.

Tied to the cannon is a rope that leads to a ring in theceiling, supporting the chandelier. It is often raised andlowered, by tilting the cannon up and down. The cannonfaces out on the street and is a great attraction forbringing in new-comers.


DartboardThe dartboard is a constant focus of attention and themost frequent customers are the best players. Once aweek, the owner challenges anyone to a game of darts. Ifanyone can beat her, they get free drinks all night. If theylose, they buy the house a round. Gillians not very good,so shes not afraid to give out the drinks once in a while.

Powder KegA very authentic powder keg, obviously from some ship,stands next the bar on the south wall. A large cat namedFishland sleeps on top of it most every hour of the day.When not sleeping, the cat can be found eating scraps ofpeanuts and bread from the floor. The powder keg ishollow and is not used for anything at all. However, it issealed tight and only the owner and bartender know howto open it.

Inside the keg is a short, narrow passageway that leadsdown 30 to the sewer system below the city. This passageis often used as an escape route for those seekingsanctuary or that have paidenough for help. There are norungs in the shaft; anyoneclimbing down should be verycareful as the drop is fast and hard.

EventsArm WrestlingNext to darts, arm wrestling matchesare the most popular competition atthe Powder Keg. Although Gillian,the owner, rarely rewards suchbarbaric behavior, the winneroften earns a match with Gino,who twists the sore arm of hisopponent before lifting him fromhis seat, making the winner begfor mercy. A dunk in the swillusually follows.

Dart TourneyOnce each month, the bar hosts a tournament of 16players, first come, first serve. Each player pays oneGuilder to play and the winner is allowed bragging rightsand free drinks for the next month. Ilyia is in charge ofthe tournament and has Gino remove any rowdies andcheaters from the tavern.

Drinking ContestsA great way to increase sales is to have men drink untilthey drop. An even better way is to have drunk peoplebet on who can finish an entire jug of Gillians Own, asecret recipe that only she knows. Black, bitter, and asthick as mud, Gillians secret brew has never met itsmatch. As a result, no one knows what you win if youfinish the jug.

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Free DrinksThis is actually a hoax and all of the regulars know it.Every once in a while, Gillian gets it in her mind to puton another Free Drinks night at the pub. A crier goesout and tells passer-by that they are serving free ale andbeer inside the Powder Keg. Once inside, if anyone asksfor a Free Drink, the bartender whistles for Gino and hecomes over and dunks them in the swill barrel. If theystick around, Doherty offers them a tankard of ale. If theyaccept, Gino dunks them again.

Stage ShowsMagicians, actors, charlatans, singers, bards, and dancersare all part of the regular entertainment at the PowderKeg. Every night there is something new and Gillianmakes sure that the performances never grow stale. EveryRedi night, a bawdy crew of musicians perform theirregular stage show of lewd songs and limericks.

Items of NoteDrinksBereks StoutBereks Stout is a world famous drink named after theinfamous pirate. Its known for the clever smiling pirateprinted on the bottle. The design has him lifting a drinkas a toast, while steering the ship. Although Berek hasnothing to do with it, many people order it just for themystique. At 2 cents a mugful and with a weak after-effect, the stout sells well and often.

Gillians OwnA secret recipe, this mixture of mead, stout, lager, andpale ale is thick and heady. Even the hardiest of piratescan rarely finish Gillians Own. Murky and bitter, fewhave the taste for such an exotic concoction. At half aguilder a glass, few can afford it. Gillian insists that thedrink is harmless and better for you than the swill barrel.No one believes her and only a handful ever buy it.

Snob AleDoherty found this quaint little drink while visiting anEisen vintner in Avalon (Heinrich Schltz Drisner).Although he makes over a dozen varieties of wines, hemakes one ale on the side. Doherty loves it and buys allhe can. After all the costs are taken into account, the alegoes for 20 cents a bottle, ten times the price of a normaldrink.

Three RockEveryone loves the house ale on tap. Three Rock is athick reddish ale that only takes a few glasses to fill oneup. At 4 cents a glass (3 if you bring your own tankard),Gillian doesnt need to sell much to make a profit.

UnemenchGillian doesnt enjoy the taste of regular beer, so sheonly offers one. Unemench is the second most popularEisen beer and she gets a great deal when buying involume. Her cellar is full to the top with cases ofUnemench, despite how poorly it sells.

WinesThe Powder Keg offers a number of wines, with some ofits best coming from Castille.The names change on amonthly basis, due toavailability (and the war), soGillian keeps a constantlychanging list of wines andprices. She isnt a fan ofMontaigne wines, despitethe fact that her patrons alllove them, but she keeps twoor three brands available atall times. She cantpronounce them and doesntcare to. She simply liststhem as Red, White andExpensive.


MenuEvery night the cook makes shepherds pie, a thin meatstew, and a special dish. Many of the patrons have afavorite meal despite not knowing whats in it. Some ofthe specialties are:

Bean Barrel Mercy RoastCrackling Kidneys Reis RevengeCrows Juggler Roasted Fire JacksDragon Steaks Scurvy StewDreggs Legacy Spiced MeatFate of the Goose Thunder PotatoesFeast of the Peasant Trout and CheeseHens Teeth

FishlandNo one claims ownership of the cat, but it has become aregular addition to the tavern. Covered in black andorange stripes and weighing over 15 pounds, the beasthas left a permanent sag in the top of the keg, where itsleeps most every hour of the day. Fishland has beenknown to kill a mouse or two, drink from puddles ofspilled beer, and stretch, but thats a full days activity.Gillian loves having the cat around, because as long as itis on the Keg, no one is going to try and open it.

It is an unspoken rule that anyone messing with Fishlandgets dunked in the swill barrel which is just fine withGino.

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NPCsGillian, OwnerGillian is the owner of the Powder Keg. She was born inthe Highland Marches, but made her way here aftermany failed ventures. The Powder Keg is really the firstthing Gillians done right. Maybe its the combination ofworkers and location. Maybe its the fact that some pirateby the name of Berthold Dreggs died and left her a shipand some booty so she could build this place. Or maybeits just that people will always want a good stiff drink ina place where they can relax.

Gillian has many acquaintances in the area that she cancall upon for most any task. Most of them work here.Others, like Luger Schtoff, come in and sit at a singletable every night and provide valuable services to thosewho need them. Shes as competitive as any man andenjoys a stiff drink and even stiffer words. However, shedoes not drink to excess anymore she and Dohertyhave a pact.

Most patrons dont see much of Gillian. Shes not exactlysocial. When she says something, though, everyoneknows she means it. She hasnt racked up a great deal ofgood friends, but the ones she has are as trustworthy asthey come. She does make an appearance to play darts.

John Doherty, BartenderJohn Doherty met Gillian a few years back, when theywere both on all-week binges of alcohol and song. Bothwould compete and carouse for hours. When ol Dreggsdied, Gillian asked Doherty if he could sober up andserve drinks all day, to which he replied Longer thanyou can. The two have been sober ever since.

Vollo the CookWhen you want the best cook in the world, you hire aMontaigne. When you want the third best in the world,you hire a Vodacce. Vollo is the son of a fourth-ratecourtesan family. His only skill is putting butter, booze,

lard, and something dead into a pan and making it tastegood.

BarmaidsTwins, Hrena and GildaTwo girls named Hrena and Gilda are the most popularbarmaids in the city. These lithe specimens are the objectof many a mans fancy. Whenever they are working, thePowder Keg is full of men interested in catching a glimpseof either or both.

Old Lady, IlyiaIf the twins get all the lookers and tippers, Ilyia gets allthe drunks. Twice as old as most anyone in the place,Ilyia moves as if she were still in her teens. In fact, sheenjoys engaging in physical feats with all of the regularsand shes one of the best dart players in the city. EvenGillian enjoys taking her work apron off and going a fewrounds with Ilyia.

Gino the BouncerGino is a short, scary looking Vodacce man. Although hisframe suggests Ilyia could handle him, muscles uponmuscles lie underneath those loose sleeves. Gino hasbeen known to carry out drunk Eisen two at time; evenafter dunking one in the barrel twice. Rumor has it thathe wrestled an Ussuran to the ground once and the mannever returned. Gillian never tells Gino when someone isgetting out of hand as he knows how to handle riff-raff.When not breaking arms, he stands diligently by the doorwaiting for trouble makers to step out of line.

Captain of the BarrelNo one knows his name; hes just some old beggar. Eachnight, though, hes there, drinking from the barrel andevery once in a while reminding Doherty that its empty.Interestingly enough, the captain knows all of the portschedules, has memorized all of the city guardpatrolmens names and shifts and knows more stories andsongs than the most accomplished Inish sailor.


Luger Schtoff, Friend of a FriendLuger Schtoff is not the typical Eisen. Quiet and reserved,Luger is far from the panzerfist-wearing war-mongerstereotype so often associated with his people. Luger isthe man you go to see when you want to knowsomething, need a job, or need help. Hes connected. Ifanyone is looking to get out of the country, Luger andGillian can help for a price.

Luis Velez, Old Church ScholarEvery night, one minute after the Church bells ring, anold man armed with a large tome makes his way into thePowder Keg. Luis Velez del Ontiveros is a regular of theKeg and every night he orders a Castillian wine and astout. He sips each slowly over the course of three of fourhours as he pores through his book. Whatever the reason,he loves to read in the loud surroundings of the Keg andsome nights hes still there when the place is closed downand Gino is hefting stragglers out the door.

Ilyia knows what to bring him, he always pays well, andhe never says anything to anyone. Gino and Dohertyhave taken it upon themselves in the past to stick up forVelez when drunken patrons have given him trouble.

Durant, Montaigne FencerHeavy and jovial, the Marquis Durant as he callshimself is everyones best friend. A retired swordsman,Durant still wears his Swordsmans Guild insignia andfrom time to time, his old Musketeer tabard. The colorshave faded a bit and his girth stretches the fabric, butwhen the lighting is right, he looks better than most inthis place.

Durant has been around; hes seen a lot and none of ithas gotten him down. He wears a smile for everyone andbuys drinks for those that need it. He loves a good drinkand a good meal. Hes got a thing for the ladies too.Rumor has it, hes been seeing Ilyia, but shed sockanyone who repeated such an ugly rumor.

RegularsThere are many regulars who make their way into thebar. Most are sailors, merchants, travelers, or locals thatlove the ever-changing odor. Most have been developedabove, but GMs are encouraged to create and enhancesome of their own patrons as they see fit. Below is a shortlist of people that have taken a shine to the Powder Kegwho are left for you to embellish. Not all of them shouldbe regular in your campaign. That could get monotonous.Those that do show, however, should be there every thirdtrip or so.

Important Regulars1 A fence who is friends with Luger she is

sitting with him, waiting for someone2 A Castillian inventor3 A gnarly pirate captain and his six best

crewmen4 A local architect who is well known for his

construction of an important monument5 A powerful politician or noble slumming with

locals6 A sewer worker who orders a drink and sits by

himself in a lonesome corner7 A storyteller who talks to whomever will listen8 An Avalon gambler with his own cards and dice9 An off-duty Jenny10 One or two city watchmen

Attitude1 Adventurous2 Angry3 Despondent4 Fierce5 Generous6 Patriotic7 Sad8 Vengeful9 Villainous10 Worried

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VisitorsThe visitors in the Powder Kegstand out. They talk loud, playdarts with the wrong people,drink from the swill barrel andargue with Gino or Doherty.Over time though, some visitorsturn into regulars and someregulars turn into permanentfixtures. Below is a chart thatGMs can roll on from time totime to see if anyone interestingenters the Powder Keg.

Important Visitors1 A die Kreuzritter knight,in disguise, on a quest entersquietly and sits alone.2 A known criminal issulking in a dark corner. Heslooking to buy forged papers,find work aboard a ship, andflee the country. Hes too proudto ask for help, however, andhas been sitting alone for overan hour.3 A large man is talkingloudly and pushing peoplearound. Apparently, heslooking for a fight.4 A Montaigne marine ishitting on the twins. Theyappear to fancy him, makingmany of the other patrons veryjealous.5 A peasant, using a falsename and dressed like anobleman, is buying everyonedrinks. He is now drunk.

6 A spy for Castille is sittingat the bar, slowly sipping hisdrink and listening to all of thegossip. He speaks manylanguages and calls himself amerchant.7 A Vendel merchant withan entourage of assistants isbuying drinks for people, butmostly only powerful andimportant individuals aregetting his attention.8 A young Fate Witch andher bodyguard have made aquiet, yet very noticed entrance.He does all of the talking forthem and she avoids everyonesgaze.9 An Ussuran noblelooking for his missing sister.He has just arrived in town andneeds a guide. He is carrying agreat deal of coin and jewelry.10 A well-dressed Eisenpirate captain is in a quietcorner talking to Luger. Theyhave not touched their drinks.

Attitude1 Aloof2 Confident3 Cunning4 Friendly5 Idealistic6 Ignorant7 Immoral8 Paranoid9 Secretive10 Thorough


The NationsThe Powder Keg can be dropped into any nation inThah. Its flexible nature makes it an ideal location insome of the seedier parts of any city, but even theMontaigne can expect to have a place like this where therich come to slum.

As you may have guessed, since the Powder Keg is sogeneric, there has to be something unique about it,depending on w