ON THE ROAD TO THIRI

The party will not have had much time to prepare for a road trip. Fortunately, the distance to Thiri is not great and they can make it in eight hours (two watches) if they travel during daylight. Encounter tables for Highway, Wilderness, and River travel are provided.

But it is not so simple. Crossing the bridge to Chakta at night means getting past the guard and then through town past any other of the town guard and onto the open road. A bribe of 1-6 pennies (d) will encourage the guard to look the other way. There are no street lights, and if there is no moon or if the sky is overcast, then movement will be all but impossible in the dark. They may have to stay at, an inn in Chakta.

Travel to Thiri on the unpaved road along the river will take about 8 hours of walking with only minimal breaks. There are manorial villages and manor houses all along the way. If the party has not brought food with them, they will have to find some. The only place to find food (legally hunting the King's game is a terrible crime) is an inn, but most villages along the road have one.

At Thiri, Jayk finds his son Bitur, who is less than pleased to see his father. Dutifully, he welcomes his father and the party, but his contempt is ill-concealed. He knows his father's business and does not want his own children to get the wrong ideas. The tension should be high as the room remains still for the duration. No attempt is made to make the party feel comfortable, and the feeling of awkwardness should be very obvious. Jayk says little, but sends Bitur's wife (Sauer) for 'the Box'.

At length, the Box appears. Jayk bids that everyone leave the room but himself and the party. Jayk draws a stack of about two dozen parchment slips from the box.

Thank YOU for assisting me. I never forget a promise, and I promised to pay you if you helped me to my son's home. These are Usurer's Notes from Pesera of Hendel, a usurer of my acquaintance in Tashal. These notes are worth almost 4,000 pennies (about 170 pounds), a handsome sum, but fair exchange for saving my life. You can redeem them in Coranan for a discount, or at full value in Tashal.

Then he calls out to Bitur:

Bitur! These fellows are good men. They're none of my thieves... yes, I'll admit it. But I'm done with that now. Out. I'm out. These fellows here... they saved your old man's life. I've silver for you. For you and your family Bitur. But these fellows will need to get a ride on a Coranan-bound riverboat. Help them out, please.

GM Note:

You may want to insert another adventure here. Perhaps the party was followed from Golotha by thugs intent upon killing Jayk, or capturing him. There is a good chance that the thugs would be Morgathians intent upon using him as a sacrifice to their god of death and chaos. Finish the adventure with the party on the pier in Thiri.

UPSTREAM TO CORANAN

There is no regular passenger service on the mighty Thard River. The best the people of Harn can do is wait for a boat bound upriver to stop in Thiri, then negotiate passage. 6d per person would be a fair rate, but this can vary depending upon many factors, not the least of which is the captain's assessment of PC gullibility. The rate paid, unless otherwise specified, is for transport only. Passengers bring their own food, and sleep at an inn when the boat stops for the night. Passengers do not work their passage unless they are guilded seamen and the captain needs a crewman.

The first boat the PCs can get aboard is the good ship Driftwood, captained by Leon of Derivver. The Driftwood is a creaky, leaky 30-foot talbar (Harnic riverboat) carrying red-dyed leather goods from Golotha to Coranan. When the wind is from the west, they use the great square sail to move upriver; when the wind is contrary or absent, they row with two great oars on either side.

One day, about noontime, any PC observing forward gets a roll to detect a large "deadhead" (mostly sunken log) drifting downstream toward the boat. If nobody notices it, then soon afterward Captain Leon shouts out Hard a-starboard! Oarsmen! To starboard! Up sail! The boat may slow its forward motion, but the log will continue moving deceptively quick.

Strong PCs with poles can attempt to divert the log. They must first roll to hit it (it naturally uses the Ignore defense), then determine their effect: with a Critical Success, count the PCs full strength, and only count half their strength for a Marginal Success. Marginal failures miss; Critical Failures fall into the water between the boat and the log. It takes a total of 30 points to divert the log past the boat, and 40 to stop it. Any persons trapped in the water between the log and the boat will suffer a minor to serious injury equal to a 20-foot fall.

From the time the warning is heard until the time the log hits the boat is 40 seconds (4 combat rounds). If the Driftwood collides with the deadhead, all hands must roll vs. Agility to keep their footing. Critical Failures fall overboard. Either way, the Driftwood takes substantial damage and must put in at the nearest village for repairs. This may be a problem if the nearest village is in Kanday, which does not get along well with Rethem (where the boat happens to be registered).

A number of dramatic encounters could develop between the captain and the local shipwright. If the party chooses to get involved they could earn the captain's favor or get left in Kanday depending on how they handle themselves.

The GM should feel free to add other riverine encounters as needed. Boat travel however should bc the easiest method of getting about. Later, treks acros,, the Salt Route will prove very hazardous. If the rivet travel is calm, the PCs may miss the quiet of the Driftwood.

The Driftwood will arrive in Coranan after a minimum of 5 days travel, plus any delays for repairs, and whatever else the GM decides to throw at the party.

IN CORANAN

Coranan has a population of 15,000 and is the biggest city on Harn. Any number of adventures could occur to the party here while they seek out a mercantyler willing to cash their notes. The place to meet mercantylers is the Mercantyler's Guildhall. The Guildhall, however, is only open to members.

Gamemasters with access to information about Coranan may wish to incorporate a few minor entanglements before the players encounter any Mercantylers of merit. GMs that do not have the Harn module (Cities of Harn) can create interesting NPCs and encounters for beleagured party members.

If the party has made friends with Captain Leon, he will introduce them to Red Zorna of Irdime, the mercantyler with whom he does business. Otherwise, the party will only encounter Zorna if they try to redeem the Usury notes they have in Corannan. Most people will offer half a farthing on the penny (12% of their value) for the notes. Most will be quick to claim that the route to Tashal is treacherous and it may be another year before they go again. Eventually, the party may overhear that a woman known as Red Zorna does business in Tashal often and she may redeem them for more than most.

Red Zorna

Zorna, a beautiful (and prosperous) middle-aged widow, deals primarily in brilliantly- colored red woolens and matching red leather goods (hence her name) which she imports from Rethem and exports to other cities throughout Harn. She sends several shipments to Tashal each year, via the mercantyler Havril of Charney in Moleryn.

If the player's ask Zorna to redeem their notes, she will hesitate and then offer them one farthing on the penny cash. This comes to only 1,000d for the 4,000d that the notes are worth. She explains that she has never done business with Pesera of Hendel and is unsure of his credit. This is untrue. If pressed, she will probably go as high as 50% discount, but during these negotiations, she will offer the players a "golden opportunity". If they are willing to escort her goods to Tashal (where they can redeem their notes for full value), she will cover their expenses for the one-way journey.

Finding a Caravan to Tashal

If the party decides to travel to Tashal (with or without Zorna) they will find that the Mercantyler Guild is leaving in a few days time (or later depending on the GMs whim). They may be able to garner passage that way. Travelling overland alone, could prove painfully disasterous and local citizens will be quick to discuss that the Salt Route is not safe.

The cost to join a caravan fro Coranan to Tashal is 16d for a guilded mercantyler and twice that for a non-merchant. If the players has met with Red Zorna, this may improve things a bit for them. During the time of the huge spring caravan there is always a need for guards and proficient fighters who can work for their passage; at other times the fee must be paid and the person must provide their own food or pay another 20d to eat with the guards. In addition, about 6d will be needed for assorted tolls, including the extortionaryy 3d toll at Trobridge. Total expenses for a mercantyler come to about 50d, and for a paying non-mercantyler about 65d. Guards are fed and their tolls are paid by the caravanmaster, but they get no pay unless they make the return trip as well. Remember, if the party is going with Red Zorna, she promises to cover their expenses for the journey to Tashal, but will not buy their food.

Zorna will probably downplay the danger involved in such a journey, The long road to Tashal, called the "Salt Route", passes through some fairly difficult terrain and caravans encounter serious difficulty with the Gozyda, Tulwyn, Chelni, and Kath tribesmen along the route. If any players mention this risk, Zorna will dismiss their concerns with a statement that she "knows how to deal with hostile tribesmen".

Zorna has a wooden chest (2'x2'x3') that she always includes in the shipment. It includes trinkets for the inevitable tribesmen, and a gift for the innkeeper of the Trobridge Inn, to ensure safe storage of her goods. She explains that it can be dangerous to do business along the Salt Route, but a gift here and there guarantees her goods' safe passage.

ON TO MOLERYN

It is up to the GM how long the party has before Zorna's shipment is ready. If you have the Coranan module (from Cities of Harn), then there is no end to the adventures that can befall your intrepid heroes while awaiting the caravan's departure. if not, she will be ready to send her shipment out within a day or two.

Zorna sets up her shipment in nine 45-pound sacks of woolens, three 60lb sacks of shoes, belts, and other leather goods, a 30lb sack of grain, and a 90lb bale of hay. The goods are loaded on her three mules Buttercup, Rosie, and Rye.

Zorna will go with the party as far as Moleryn and return with the mules.

The journey starts with a trip to Moleryn, a one-day walk to the southeast along a good road paved with stone. In Moteryn they will join Havril of Charney, caravanmaster, and leave at his convenience, based upon the arrival of other expected shipments. If you have the Moleryn article (Tharda module), you will find that Havril has a dirty little secret which you can use, but it is not essential to this adventure.

Havril's caravan is not large, only three wagons, each drawn by a team of two oxen. He has 6 guards who work in rotating two-man four-hour watches. His journeyman Wilf accompanies the caravan. Dernil of Hort is the rough'n'ready ex-legionnaire guide, and Marcos is a mercantyler going along to protect his own large and valuable cargo. Many other shipments are from mercantylers who are not going on the trip. There are also two pretty female slaves (Mara, 15 and Angel, 17) bound for the brothel at Trobridge.

Dernil of Hort is detailed in the "We Deal in Steel" scenario in Nasty, Brutish & Short. You can use him as an ordinary guide, or as a hook into that adventure.

Overland

The Salt Route is considered a flat, dry trail on the Movement Table. Havril's wagons can average about 3 leagues per 4-hour watch, for two watches per day. Horses not pulling wagons can cover 8 leagues, and unencombered travelers on foot can walk 4 leagues per watch. Each hex on the map is five leagues.

Under average conditions, it is 4 days travel to Taztos, 10 more days to Trobridge Inn, and another 10 days to Tashal. There will, however, be stops of at least one day in Taztos, and 2-3 days at Trobridge. If all goes well (and it usually doesn't), the entire trip with the caravan will take about 30 days. GMs should make calculations for those players that make a change of plans or decide to tackle the Salt Route on foot.

Each team of two oxen requires 70 lbs of food, and 200 lbs of water per day. Each horse (if any) requires 15 lbs of food and 80 lbs of water per day. Humans require 5 lbs of food and 5 lbs of water per day. Food can be purchased at Trobridge. Water barrels can be refilled at Taztos, the Farin River, Trobidge, and the Geleme River. Some foraging/grazing can be done on the road, but this is never certain nor safe.

Each wagon can carry a load of 8,000 lbs. Havril generally carries 20 days of food, and 10 days of water. Each wagon carries this much for the two oxen and for five humans. Each wagon also carries about 500 lbs of spare parts. The total weight of food, water, and spare parts carried, plus one teamster, is about 5,000 lbs per wagon, leaving 3,000 lbs for trade goods. There is generally no room on the wagons for passengers.

For trade goods, one wagon carries 2500 lb tents bound for Trobridge, 450 lb dyes in three casks, and 50 lb perfumes in clay jars packed in a straw-filled crate, all bound for Tashal. The second wagon carries 2000 lb brasswares in wooden crates and 800 lbs of scented soaps in wooden crates. The third wagon carries 2200 lbs of decorative tile in shallow wooden boxes, and Zorna's 600 lb shipment of textiles and leather goods.

ALONG THE SALT ROUTE

There are a number of things that can happen to make the traveling party wish they had stayed at home. In addition to the problems of an evil cultist caravan- master and an arms-dealing turncoat guide (described in supplemental Columbia Games publications), there are the more mundane troubles that are bound to arise. Each of the following encounters should only happen once along the trip, unless GMs are feeling particularly spiteful. If that's not enough, additional encounters can be generated using the Wilderness Encounter Table at the end of the adventure.

• Each watch of travel (two per there is an 8% chance of a mechanical breakdown per wagon. This could be a broken wheel or axle or even a yoke breaking loose. Fortunately the wagon carries spares under it's carriage, but it will take one day to unload, repair, and reload the wagon.
• The sound of a distant horn echoes through the low hills, followed by an answering horn close by. Nothing else happens. Or does it?
• The caravan will stop and rest for one day at Taztos, a fort held by Tharda's Ramala Legion (this site is covered in the Columbia Games Tharda module, and any number of adventures could happen here). The tegionnaire's will undoubtedly be interested in paying their respects to the two slave girls, and other random fun.
• Four Tulwyn warriors, a particularly warlike tribal folk, appear on the trail offer to protect the caravan for the next couple of days in exchange for a gift of weapons, preserved food, or valuables. Upon receiving their gift, they vanish into the forest. Combat will bring Tulwyn reinforcements.
• Two straight days of rain slows progress and turns the trail to mud, cutting movement in half. One of the wagons gets stuck in the mud and must be unloaded, moved, and reloaded. There goes another day, and a sweating, cursing, testy bunch of guards and PCs.
• One of the wagons rolls over a nest of mud wasps. A swarm of angry hornets comes buzzing out, stinging humans and oxen. The oxen are not badly hurt, but they are startled; someone must calm them, and they may (20% chance) have damaged their wagon, causing another delay to fix.
• A friendly game of cards among the guards (PCs invited) turns ugly with a charge of cheating. A fight breaks out. If the party joins in, the fight will attract the attention of the caravanmaster. He will quickly break it up and have everyone involved tied by the wrists to walk along behind the last wagon for the next day. There is need for discipline in this dangerous area.
• A member of the caravan crew is injured or ill and requires prompt medical attention. The party can force-march for three watches a day, covering one hex (5 leagues) per watch, to Taztos or Trobridge depending on the caravan location, but this consumes 10-20% more food/water.
• One or both of the slaves escape into the forest, and must be found before the Tulwyn find them. The tribesmen will not kill the girls, but will certainly keep them captive in a more uncomfortable way. The party must aid in the recapture (rescue), since leaving the caravan under-manned is unwise.

At the Trobridge Inn

At Trobridge Ford, Havril smiles weakly as he pays Kurson's armed thugs their tolls before crossing the ford. The wagons wend slowly through the village, over the moat and into the fortified inn. Everyone must work to unload the tents onto a waiting cart while Havril enters the Hall of the Mangai and sends Wilf to fetch Brelene of Rikisil and Rybal of Querind.

If a party member has expressed an interest in the life of a mercantyler or as a caravanmaster, that character is invited into the Hall to observe, but is cautioned to stay quiet and respectful. Remember to give the player an experience award if applicable.

When the tentmaker and brothelkeeper arrive, Havril will resolve their business efficiently, recording the details in a journal.

If a party member has been knowledgeable and helpful about the wagons, then that PC is sent to discuss repairs with the inn's freemaster, woodcrafter and metalsmith. Otherwise, Wilf discusses the repairs with the men. As before, interested PCs may attend.

The gift for Terlin, lord of Trobridge, is an ugly terra cotta gargoyle. Useless looking, it a clever ruse for disguising its contents. Filled within the hollow gargoyle are plans for an invading Ramala Legion. The plans detail how they and when they will approach. They play to strike within the month and take the inn, eliminating Kurson Ondailis and claiming Trobridge for the Thardic Republic. Curious PCs may discover the plans and get into all sorts of trouble. This creates additional story material for GMs eager to continue this adventure for accomplished players.

ON TO TASHAL

After two or three days rest at Trobridge, the caravan will set out for Tashal to complete its trip. Along the way there may be similar adventures to those mentioned earlier, except this time the trial folk will be Cheini, fierce mounted folk, and the Kath, equally fierce but afoot and skilled bowmen. Brief details on these tribal folk can be found in HarnWorld, and full details in the Kaldor module. The caravan may also encounter gargun (orcs) from Korego, and elves from the Shava Forest. Eventually, the caravan will probably reach Tashal (some never do) and the PCs can seek out the mercantyler Pesera of Hendel to redeem their promissory notes. Cruel GMs may have him on a trip somewhere, or even dead, which will complicate redemption a bit.

Thieves' Guild Contacts

Neither Taztos nor the Trobridge Inn have active chapters of the Lia-Kavair. But there are chapters in Golothal Coranan, Moleryn, and Tashal. Remember, the party have made enemies of the Golotha chapter. Although this guild is not exactly filled with helpful folk, a certain amount of "brotherhood loyalty" generally applies when there is profit to be made.

The Inn

Trobridge Inn is located at the western end of the Chelna Gap on the Farm River south of Lake Heras. It is the only permanent settlement for leagues about. Trobridge is also a village of over fifty households. While it resembles a typical manorial settlement, Trobridge's government is diffuse and ambiguous.

The fortified inn was built in 646 with financing from the Mercantylers' Guild under a special charter from the Mangai. The inn is operated by Terlin of Wesindan, a freemaster innkeeper, who pays a 20% share of his profits to the Mercantylers' Guild plus his normal dues to the Innkeepers' Guild.

Wesindan maintains a force of 20-40 mercenaries depending on the season and Terlin's financial situation. There are accommodations for 32 ordinary soldiers in the barracks and north gatehouse. Eight "NCOs" and the guard captain have quarters adjoining the inn itself. The mercenaries are mainly to defend the inn from Kurson of Ondailis and keep order within the compound. It is realized that the Chelni tribes who surround the settlement could obliterate it any time they wished and this thought is constantly in the guard's minds.

Both King Miginath of Kaldor and members of the Thardic Senate covet Trobridge as a useful outpost. The inn is the principal layover for caravans and travellers between these two states. The Sindarin occasionally come here to trade. Every spring Trobridge is the site of the Chelni Gather. Virtually the entire Chelni nation comes to camp on the commons and hold their annual festival.

The Bridge

There have been various bridges on the site. The first was built by Lothrim to enhance communications in his empire; several of the stone supports date back to his day. The most recent reconstruction was begun in 648 and completed in 651 because wagons were being lost in the boggy riverbottom of the ford. This structure was washed away in 717.

The construction of a new bridge awaits the accumulation of sufficient capital. A toll (standard) is charged at the ford to accomplish this end. The name Trobridge, originally Troll's Bridge, dates from the time of Lothrim.

Kurson of Ondailis

Ondailis' father, Marakai, hailed from Lerenil where his activities won him the disfavor of both the Baron and the nasty Lia-Kavair. On moving to Kaldor he ran afoul of the king's law and was forced to swim the Kald to escape.

In the Kathela Hills he gathered a group of outcast tribesmen and Kaldoric outlaws to prey on the local tribes and small caravans travelling the Salt Route. He earned the hostility of the Kath by taking an important chief's daughter to wife against her will. Eventually, pressure from bounty hunters, the Kath, and Kaldoric patrols forced him to vacate the area in haste. He arrived at Trobridge in 688 and proceeded to intimidate the villagers into supporting him and his men. The innkeeper of the day took little interest in the matter as long as the villagers continued to sell him food. Within a few years, Marakai of Ondailis had won control of the entire settlement, except for those parts already under the protection of the inn (noticeably the mill).

In 718, Marakai let his normal caution lapse and his wife managed to slip a knife between his ribs. His only son Kurson, born in 696, soon assumed power. Kurson is slightly more moderate than was his father, more pretentious, and aspires to the mystique of the nobility. Consequently he tries to model his "fief" after that of a knight, although he seems to believe in the theory that most noble families have acquired their power over the corpses of their opponents. He hopes one day to somehow seize the inn and attain recognition of his fief-holding status.

To this end he periodically sends embassies to the Thardic senate and to King Miginath offering his fealty in exchange for a proper knighthood. Both states covet the settlement, but are wary of alienating the guilds, as guild interdict is very serious. They also regard Kurson as barbarian-loving peasant scum and are highly dubious of his ability to gain control of the whole settlement. If he could deliver Trobridge Inn they would undoubtedly take him more seriously. In the meantime his men are in some ways indistinguishable from those of many fief-holders; they patrol the settlement extracting service and wealth from the peasants in exchange for protection.

Harnic Caravans Trials Along the Salt Route

Introduction
On the Road
The Settlement of Trowbridge
Terror on the Salt Route GM Charts (slow: 185K)
Jumbo Map: Region (monstrously slow: 743K)
Jumbo Map: Trowbridge Settlement (monstrously slow: 817K)