"The weary adventurer opened one eye then the next, the lids fighting a crust of sleep and exhaustion. His own body weight held him fast to the floor, his wet clothing pinned his arms and legs. He knew the vomit he lay in was his own, and the blood someone else’s. What truly baffled him was the place. What place was he in? "He peered through the wet, charred hay about his face and into the gloom beyond and saw shadowy figures scuffling in the dark. A few sat at crude tables, while others stood and muttered. "With sudden recollection, he moaned to himself in drunken agony. His head exploded in pain as he sat up. He furrowed his brow tight and shut his eyes. "The Iron Mule," he moaned, as he held his stomach., "The Iron Mule." His friend was nowhere in sight, his possessions were gone, and daylight streamed into the front door of the wretched inn as it was ripped from its hinges. Another fight had started at the Iron Mule." FORWARD This adventure is designed for two adventurers of mid level, one of which is willing to participate in a heavy drinking contest. Fighters and strong thieves are preferred, but a magic-user or cleric may survive. GM'S NOTE: The Iron Mule is a seedy bar in the Waterfront District of Kingspoint, but the adventure is largely generic and the seedy bar can be placed in any setting. Kingspoint is a new city included with KINGSPOINT™, a computer Super Utility that serves as a command center for the Game Master. PLAYER'S BRIEFING It all comes back to you as you prop yourself up on one arm, hoping the brawl will stay clear of your dark corner. You were new to Kingspoint, laden with gold, and in a great need to unwind. The cart driver told you the best spot for adventurers to unwind was the Iron Mule, and drove you straight to it. Sure, the street was strewn with refuse, lined with dark and boarded-up warehouses, but the inn came so highly touted. You didn't even think twice about the cart driver dropping you at the corner and not in front of the establishment itself. The shabby, sagging, run down building looked innocent enough, with its sign leaning against the wall. The sign read "The Iron Mule". You barely gave the name a second thought as you pushed the door open with a thump. The interior of the building was so dark that you were sure you had stepped into an abandoned building, then your eyes adjusted. Two or three sputtering candles barely illuminated the inside. The floor was covered in wet hay, charred and mixed with mud and other unspeakable refuse that now coats you. The roof sagged terribly, and in places was propped up by timbers. The crowd seemed to gather in the back corner. The Iron Mule, you guessed, as the show began. In the dark back corner of the inn, a mule was being fed glass, coins, broken mugs, and anything the crowd would give him. The show ended and the drinking began. You and your companion had sat in the near dark for an hour when suddenly a burly dwarf, with a slick black beard and bright blue eyes, hefted the nearest candle and barked, "This place is filled with silk-bellied humans!!" A few hisses and jeers greeted him, a dagger whizzed past his head. He glared into the dark, "Is that your answer to a challenge? Can't any of you humans stand against me, a lowly dwarf, in a bout of drinks?" A fat slob of a man pushed into the light, his cracked teeth and yellow eyes shone with wetness. "I will put you under the table, little man." The room erupted in cheers for the brave man as the dwarf raised a gritty hand, "I will drink you and another, of your choosing, under the table. So choose and meet me at my table." The dwarf leapt towards a corner, the yellow light of the candle dancing about the Iron Mule's walls. A hand from the dark grabbed your shoulder and lifted you off your feet. "That would have never happened if I weren't so damn drunk," you thought as you were shoved forward. "I have found him!!" The odor of bile wafted past your nostrils as the fat man pushed you, "I have found my partner! Not that he will even need to drink a drop as you will be sucking hay before I even get a bit dizzy." You tried to argue, but your lips just flapped, and you laughed. "You were born dizzy," the dwarf growled as the two of you faced him, a crowd gathering behind. Suddenly, the crowd surged and everyone fell forward. You remember the wide blue eyes and frantic screech as you fell forward and onto the panicked dwarf. Then the others fell on top of you. As you smelled the bile to your right, your companion to your left began to struggle. He was being dragged from the heap. Something crashed into your skull as you ventured to look sideways. And now, as you rub your sore head, a man approaches. His soiled blue robes are frayed from dragging the ground, his black turban veiled and revealing little, his voice a harsh whisper. "I know of your friends whereabouts, but it will cost you. Agree to the price, or your friend dies." FOR THE GAME MASTER The companion can be another PC who can try to escape, but communication between the two players should NOT be allowed during his abduction. The PC and friend are apparently being helped out by the Blue Robed man, but were actually selected by him to be conned by the Dwarf and Fat Man earlier in the day. The Blue Robed Man will lead the first PC to a ship in the harbor that contains the other PC. The captain, an agent of the Blue Robed Man, will be on board and will release the player for ten gold. He claims that he has not yet paid for the slaves and makes it a practice to "not buy men of any real skill, profession, or association such as your friend." But the Blue Robed Man still needs to be paid his due. The PCs should still assume that the Blue Robed Man is their savior. The man in the blue robes will ask both the PC and his companion to help him by stealing back something that has been stolen from him. The two players will be sent to the docks and asked to break into a ship named the "Sea Cat." In the captain's quarters is a locked wooden box with silver inlay on the lid. He tells them that the box is magically trapped, but safe as long as they do not open it. The Blue Robed Man gives a sketch of the ship to the players and instructions where to bring the box. If the players do not agree, they will be jumped by the Fat Man and Dwarf, both high level fighters, and killed. If they do, they will be successful in retrieving the box, but not without a fight as the caper must look real. The ship has a skeletal crew on board and they are all usually busy with maintenance, sleeping, or gambling. The crew consists of: First Mate - Warrior/Mage. High-level fighter and Mid-level mage. Parrot familiar. Appears to be a pirate. Able Bodied Seamen (6) - Low-level fighters. Short swords and daggers. Cabin Boy - Zero level. Will 75 percent be able to hide and go to authorities after following PCs. A fight above deck will attract attention. Unless the ship burns, or the fight is carried onto the land, no one will do a thing. THE SEA CAT The "Sea Cat" is a typical merchant ship. It has twin masts, two steering oars, main decks, and a double level poop deck. It is 72 feet long and 26 feet wide. 1. The Main Deck has an entrance on either side that is accessible by ladders. In the center of the Main Deck is a small boat able to hold ten people. There are hatches and doors to the various decks below and on the poop. 2. The First Poop deck is to the rear of the ship and above the Main Deck. This is where the twin steering oars are and the passenger's quarters. A steep stair/ladder leads up to the Second Poop Deck. 3. The Second Poop Deck has a door leading into the Captain's Cabin and a steep stair/ladder leading up to the top of the poop deck. a. The captain's cabin has a nice bed, writing desk, and three small chests nailed to the floor. The chests have poisoned needle locks on them and the writing desk has a secret compartment is empty (The captain's log is usually here but has been removed.) The other chests contain small weapons and clothes. One chest has a sack of coins (250 gold) and a ledger of crew pay and supplies. The small wooden box with the silver inlaid lid sits under the clothes in one of the chests. 4. There are other places on a ship not important to this adventure but may be used in battle, such as the crow's nest at the top of the main mast, the other rooms, crew quarters, and decks and cargo holds below. Below deck are also three guard dogs in cages. THE BLUE ROBED MAN AND THE MYSTERY BOX The Blue Robed Man is actually Kadeem Manx, the owner of the Sea Cat, and is carrying the box as a passage. He does not know what the box contains. Kadeem was always an inquisitive fellow, but the box had taken him past curiosity to the point of obsession many months ago. The box was given to him almost a year ago by a mysterious man who said that Kadeem would be paid on a yearly basis to watch the box and carry it with him always until it was reclaimed. His last instructions were to never open the box under any circumstances. The man has not been heard of in ten months. Kadeem has spent the time becoming increasingly absorbed by the puzzle of the box. At first he idly watched it, becoming distracted during conversation on occasion, then took to staying in his cabin and examining it for hours on end. He would shake it and try to feel or hear what may be in the box, but to no avail. He began to bring the box to sages in all parts of the world, stopping off and losing time, sometimes going the long way on a routed to do so. None could tell him where the box had come from or what it may contain. Some Mages casts spells that told him nothing other than whatever was in the box was a greatly protected secret. Kadeem had to end the torment of what was in the box soon. THE MYSTERY MAN is an agent for one of Kadeem's past lovers. Kadeem has been particularly cruel to her and is still suspected of having killed her brother. She had the box constructed and the plan set in motion to get her revenge. She knew that if Kadeem had to choose between breaking maritime law (and being assured of being caught), and risking everything he cared about, or satisfying his curiosity, it would be torture for him. Either way he would lose. She knew he would be killed by his own weakness, curiosity. On top of that, his ship would be left to his former lover, the party he had broken maritime law against, by opening the box. AFTER THE PARTY STEALS THE BOX, they will leave it under the bed of a prearranged inn room in the city. They will go on their way and soon be found by the city guard and held. The Demon Mages will be brought in to cast spells determining the PCs are the one's who stole the box. They will still probably not suspect Kadeem of foul play. IF THE PCs DO NOT OPEN THE BOX, by the time the PCs convince the authorities to look for the box at the inn, it will be open on the floor. Kadeem will be shredded and tossed about the room and surrounding area. IF THE PLAYERS OPEN THE BOX, they will be confronted by an Efreet. The Efreet will offer them each 250,000 gold if they can bring his captor (Kadeem's former lover) to him on the Elemental Plane of Fire. (This can be a great offshoot long term adventure). The Efreet will disappear and seek Kadeem. LATER THAT DAY The Mystery man arrives and clears the PCs of all trouble. As he escorts them from the jail, he tells them the story of Kadeem and how they were set up. The man tells them of Kadeem's cruelty and his lover's plan to seek her slow and painful revenge. If the players mentions the reward the Efreet offered, the man will make a counter offer to them not to hunt her down. He offer 5,000 gold up front and lifetime free passage on the Sea Cat wherever she may sail. Back to Table of Contents -- SHADIS Issue No. 9 Back to SHADIS List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by Alderac Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com