The Dark Eye - Adv - One Death in Grangor

Attitude Attitude Quality Levels and Actions (Examples)
Level
Quality Level Intensity
Level 1 The target feels insatiable hatred for the
QL 1-2 The target performs the action,
character.
albeit reluctantly, or perhaps does
Level 2 The target is the character’s sworn enemy. not perform the action in its entirety.
Level 3 The target does not like the character. QL 3-4 The target performs the desired
Level 4 The target has a slight dislike for the character. action to the character’s satisfaction.
Level 5 The target’s opinion of the character is neutral. QL 5-6 The target performs the action and
Level 6 The target has a slight feeling of affection/ fulfills special requests or aids the
friendship/connection toward the character. character voluntarily.
Level 7 The target feels deep trust toward the

character.
Level 8 The target is deeply loyal to the character,
and possibly even loves the character. List of Stolen Goods (page 31)
Level 9 The target is in love with the character, or
at least has a strong sense of connection or
friendship and is ready to do anything for
- 2 crates of coffee
the character. -10 sacks of peanuts
-20 ounces amber
-3 sacks cacao beans
One Death in Grangor
Credits
ORIGINAL GERMAN VERSION ENGLISH VERSION
Publishing Directors Ulisses North America Studio Director
Markus Plötz, Michael Mingers Timothy Brown
Managing Editor Managing Editor

Nikolai Hoch Kevin MacGregor
Rules Design Editors

Alex Spohr Trisha DeFoggi, Kevin MacGregor
Author Copyeditor
Marco Findeisen Trisha DeFoggi
Copyediting Translator
Carolina Möbis Eduard Lerperger
Editing Layout
Jeanette Marsteller, Josch K. Zahradnik, Thorsten Most Nadine Hoffmann
Art Director Copyright © 2018 by Ulisses Spiele GmbH, Waldems.

Nadine Schäkel
THE DARK EYE, DERE, MYRANOR, RIESLAND, THARUN and
Cover Illustration UTHURIA are trademarks of Ulisses Spiele GmbH. The title and
Nadine Schäkel contents of this work are protected under the copyright laws of
the United States of America. No part of this publication may be
Layout, Composition, and Design reproduced, stored in retrieval systems, or transmitted, in any
Thomas Michalski form or by any means, without written consent from Ulisses
Spiele GmbH.
Layout Design
Patrick Soeder ISBN 978-3-95752-599-4
Printed in EU 2018
Interior Illustrations and Maps
Kim van Deun, Regina Kallasch, Lorena Lammer, Thanks to Eevie, Gabi, and Lena for the inspiration, to Susi for
Annika Maar, Hannah Möllmann, Nikolai Ostertag, many hours spent together deep in thought, and especially to
Nathaniel Park, Nadine Schäkel, Fabian Schempp, Maria Ivicic and Nikos Petridis.
Wiebke Scholz, Elif Siebenpfeiffer, Rabea Wieneke,
Maurice Wrede
With thanks to all who helped create Aventuria.
Table of Contents Quality, Prices, and Beds
Taverns and Inns are rated by levels associated with
Introduction��5
their(Q)uality, (P)rice, and (B)eds. Quality indicates the
Death Pays All Debts��16 establishment’s overall condition, Price modifies the prices
Seek and You Shall Find��36 listed in the Core Rules for goods and services by the given
percentage, and Beds indicates the maximum number of
No Plaintiff, No Judge��54 beds available.
Level Quality Price

To make a scene easier for the heroes, use
these suggestions. 1 Miserable hovel Very cheap
To make a scene more difficult for the heroes, (50% of normal price)
use these suggestions. 2 Dirty dive Cheap
(75% of normal price)
3 Simple inn Normal (normal price)
4 Good middle-class Expensive
Read-Aloud Text: You may read or paraphrase this text tavern (150% of normal price)
for your players. It contains no GM-only information.
5 Exquisite hotel Very expensive
GM Information: This information is not meant for the (200% of normal price)
players (at least initially). Sometimes, it is just useful 6 Luxurious hotel Extremely expensive
background information for the GM. (400% of normal price)
Rumors: When the heroes try to gather information,

they might hear gossip and hearsay. Rumors are NPCs with this symbol hold a position that is
marked with a + (true), a – (false), or a +/– (partly true, important for future official adventures, but you
partly false). may replace this character with another one of
your choosing.
Regarding NPC Stats: The stats given for NPCs contain NPCs with this symbol do not appear in future
all information relevant to the scenario but might not official adventures. You may reuse them freely in
be complete, as we do not necessarily include every your campaigns and adventures.
skill with a rating higher than 0. This is especially true
for NPCs with numerous skills, such as spellcasters
and Blessed Ones (for example, the stats for a powerful GM Introduction
NPC mage might not include a listing for Prepare Food). Greetings to the Twelve! One Death in Grangor is a thrilling
Feel free to add applicable adventure set in a trading town famed for its many
skills, as you see fit. canals and ornate bridges. In this adventure, the heroes
investigate an affluent merchant’s tragic death. The trail
These boxes contain of clues leads them from the city’s splendid counting
important information houses and patrician palaces to its seediest districts, where
about the scenario! a violent encounter in a rowdy tavern culminates in a fast-
paced pursuit of a surprising suspect. But something’s not
right. Did their prime suspect really commit murder, or
was he framed?
4 One Death in Grangor

Introduction
during imman games). Arn Knokenbreeker overheard
Darian’s drunken mutterings and knew that once news
of the disaster spread, his secret lover Odina Hortemann—a
patrician who purchased many shares in Sumudan’s
The Story Thus Far (warning: Spoilers!)
expedition to Uthuria—would be left destitute.
Sumudan de Vries was Grangor’s latest rising star merchant.
The inexperienced young man rose to fame when, at great
In desperation, Arn contrived a plan to give Odina time
personal risk, he became the first Grangoran native to
to sell her shares: he killed the drunken Darian outside
conduct trade with Uthuria. Citizens still excitedly recall
the tavern and dumped his body in the canal, weighing it
the fabulous party he hosted when his merchant ship
down with an old anchor in the hope no one would ever
returned safely, laden with exotic trade goods. He paid
discover it.
his stockholders with the money he earned from that
first venture and used the remainder to secure a seat
He then told Odina what he had done, presenting her no
on the city council, where he continued to gain political
other choice but to try to convince Sumudan to withhold
influence and glory. Indeed, the locals believed that Phex
news of the shipwreck until she could sell all her shares.
himself watched over Sumudan de Vries.
Alas, Arn and Odina arrived at Sumudan’s counting house
just after his death. Upon searching the merchant’s office,
Not one to rest on his laurels, Sumudan quickly reinvested
they found a farewell note, in which Sumudan explained
the remainder of his hard-won coin, securing pledges from
his motives.
new investors to finance a second journey to the southern
continent. It wasn’t too hard to find willing investors,
Realizing they were now the only ones in town who knew
as his previous expedition—though risky—paid large
the truth, Arn and Odina decided to keep the shipwreck a
dividends. Nevertheless, Sumudan had to sell many shares
secret, especially since Odina was involved in the venture.
in his company to secure enough funding for the trip.
To avoid raising suspicion about the expedition’s outcome,
He considered this a minor setback, however—one that
they stole Sumudan’s note and planted false evidence to
would garner sufficient wealth to buy back his company
make Sumudan’s death seem like a murder.
and permanently establish himself as an independent
merchant.
The heroes enter the picture at this point. Their
investigation into Sumudan’s alleged murder reveals
Though Phex seemed to smile upon Sumudan, the
Thuan de Vries—Sumudan’s good-for-nothing son—as the
capricious Efferd had other ideas. Sumudan’s fleet
prime suspect (Arn chose to frame Thuan for his father’s
encountered a violent storm on the journey’s return leg.
murder). As credible as the evidence seems at first, the
Two of the three ships were lost at sea; and the remaining
heroes quickly begin to doubt Thuan’s guilt. When Darian
vessel limped into port at Brabak, having sustained heavy
Pekhebber’s body turns up unexpectedly, clues begin to
damage. The funds from the few surviving trade goods
point to Arn Knokenbreeker as Sumudan’s murderer.
barely covered the ship’s repairs. While the crew waited
The heroes know Arn has ties to Odina, but convicting a
anxiously to set sail for home, the captain ordered his first
respected patrician of collaborating in such a crime will
officer, Darian Pekhebber, to travel ahead to Grangor and
require more than flimsy accusations. Furthermore, Odina
deliver the grave news.
is not the only one who stands to lose a fortune if the
heroes’ investigation succeeds.…
Sumudan was devastated. He had bet everything on
this mission’s success. Short on cash, the inexperienced
merchant had convinced himself to let the fleet sail for
Important Background Information
Before you begin your adventure, we want to take the
Uthuria without insurance coverage, which meant he was
time to introduce you to the setting—the city of Grangor—
now bankrupt. Even the money acquired from the sale
by giving you a detailed description (see Grangor: City of
of his home would not repay his stockholders; Sumudan
Canals, starting on page 10).
would suffer the worst fate a Horasian could endure—
losing his reputation and honor. Seeing only one way out,
Also, in detective adventures, heroes often need to use
the ruined merchant jumped to his death from a window
the Asking Around skill to gain information, or use various
in the top floor of his counting house.
social skills to convince NPCs to help them. To that end,
we provide the Focus Rules for Asking Around (page 6) and
What Happens Next?
using Social skills (page 7). You may choose whether to
Unfortunately, Sumudan was not the only person to find
use these rules with your players. The adventure itself
out about the shipwreck. After delivering the news, Darian
starts on page 16.
starting drinking heavily in a tavern known as Murder
Him (named for the exclamation commonly shouted
5
Choosing Heroes Using Fate Points
Finding clues and interrogating suspects requires heroes Optional Content
with keen wits and intellects, who also know how to
navigate social situations. Heroes with strong social skills Detective scenarios are all about following trails,
get a chance to shine during this adventure. However, as collecting evidence, and combining that evidence to
not everyone willingly parts with their secrets, heroes draw a definitive conclusion in the end. However,
must sometimes use other skills, such as stealth. Moreover, players are not always able to differentiate between
heroes who possess noble ideals, are curious by nature, or a good lead and a red herring; also, they might forget
have a fierce sense of justice should be eager to investigate an important detail, especially during an adventure
and solve Sumudan’s death. played over multiple sessions.
Exotic characters and heroes from barbaric cultures are not To keep your players from getting frustrated, you can
well-suited for this adventure, as they can easily give the institute the following rule: whenever they are stuck,
wrong impression in Grangoran society. Elves may find the they can spend a Fate Point to receive a hint. This hint
goal-oriented nature of this adventure difficult, because should usually manifest as a coincidental scene that
they are Unworldly. The Grangorers treat Thorwalers with happens shortly thereafter—such as an overheard
caution, due to the many sea raids of the past; however, conversation or a chance encounter—giving the
they consider a lone Thorwaler mostly harmless. heroes a nudge in the right direction. During the
adventure’s last chapter, it can also be helpful to give
This adventure presents a unique challenge for fighting your players the answers to any remaining questions
heroes—Grangor has strict weapon laws, so most of the in exchange for a Fate Point, as they’ll need all the
combat that takes place is Brawling. Heroes specializing pieces to solve the case.
in ranged or heavy weapons may quickly find their skills
are rather useless (see The Weapon Laws: Challenge or
Annoyance? on page 18), unless they learn to improvise
with on-hand items.
Search for Clues: Rules for Asking Around

During the adventure, the search for important clues requires The GM can limit Asking Around to a specific number of
thorough questioning of all parties involved. To discover searchers, but the general rule is a group sees results
anything more than vague clues—and avoid a painstaking faster when they work together.
scavenger hunt to produce any kind of substantial trail from
them—the heroes must take their time and approach the task As usual, the searchers achieve a partial success with 6 QL.
systematically. To avoid boring your players with countless For example, they might find a single clue, or someone
NPCs who reply to the same questions with the same useless who knows at least the partial truth of events. With 10
answers, we present the rules for Asking Around, with which QL, the searchers should find what they are looking for,
you can speed up this process. provided the information is available in the place they’re
searching.
Asking Around is a Level I Focus Rule that expands on the
basic game rules found in the Core Rules. It is especially Choosing A Topic When Asking Around
useful in this adventure, and you are welcome to use it Before conducting their search, the heroes must first
in other adventures, as well. For more information about decide on a topic. For instance, they may decide to ask,
this rule, see the Aventuria Compendium, page 45. “Where may I find Hook Joe?” or “Has someone recently
smuggled a Gwen-Petryl stone through Havena?”
Asking Around Check
The Streetwise (Asking Around) check involves asking Their topic can be broadly defined or tightly focused.
several different people questions, choosing the right Broadly defined topics are less specific and provide only
words, and/or offering small bribes for cooperation to rough information; but, the information is typically easy
obtain information from a settlement’s inhabitants. to obtain. Focused topics involve much more detail and
Asking Around in a city requires a cumulative check (or result in more precise information—if the heroes can find
a cumulative group check, if more than one adventurer someone who is willing to talk, that is.
is looking for information). The GM can adjust the time
interval, based on the city’s size, if desired.
6 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

Social Interaction During the Search A Language I ability is not enough to use the Asking
The heroes may decide they want to use other Social Around skill without penalty (when a hero has only
skills during their search—such as Intimidation, Language I, increase the difficulty of all Asking Around
Seduction, or Fast-Talk—to help loosen a witness’s checks by -1).
tongue. Depending on which type of character the There are no penalties for Language III.
heroes approach (such as a tavern maid, a beggar, At the GM’s discretion, other languages may also be
or the leader of a band of thieves), the GM may relevant when speaking to specific people.
choose to allow them to swap another Social skill The GM decides whether knowledge of Special
for a single Streetwise check during their research. Abilities such as Foxian makes certain information
available (for instance, a rogue would only share
Note: Heroes may not replace their first research information with a hero who speaks Foxian).
check in this manner.
Critical Successes and Botches
The heroes’ Asking Around research should immediately
end upon achieving a critical success. If the information is
Depending on whether the selected topic is broadly available, the heroes successfully obtain it. They may even
defined or focused, the GM may grant a bonus of up to +3 gain further useful hints, if those with whom they speak
on the research check or increase the difficulty by up to are friendly enough to help the heroes in other ways or
-3, respectively. provide additional clues.
The Correct Language However, a botch causes the heroes to clash with the
If the heroes want to gather information from someone, people they are questioning. Perhaps they question the
they must speak that person’s language. wrong person, who becomes suspicious and sends thugs
after them. In any event, the heroes can no longer access
This means a hero must have, at least, Language II in that information in this way.
the language typically spoken in the city (in Grangor,
this is Garethi (Horathi)).
Search for Clues: Rules for Using Social Skills

Detective scenarios require a lot of social interaction from the convince the passive party to perform an action, while the
heroes. They must use their Social skills to coax information passive party resists the attempt with Willpower.
out of people, question witnesses, intimidate suspects,
and persuade, seduce, and fast-talk their opponents. This Social conflict takes two basic forms: influencing another
is not always an easy task, though, because not everyone person’s attitude, and forcing another person to act. Both
readily gives the heroes answers as they attempt to find the methods may be combined if time permits, but doing so
perpetrator(s) of a villainous deed. Indeed, the heroes may requires different skill checks.
have to make assumptions and decisions based on nothing
more than the attitude of a person they question. In such Social Conflicts
cases, you may find it helpful to use the following rules for Attitude
Social Conflicts for your players’ social interactions in this Every person has a certain attitude toward others
adventure (for more information about the Level I Focus Rule: (see Bannbaladin in the Core Rules, page 288). Initially,
Social Conflicts, see the Aventuria Compendium, page 40). These Aventurians have a neutral attitude toward other
rules make the game slightly more complex. Note that heroes Aventurians (level 5), but NPCs with prejudices may have
with high Social skill ratings have more to contribute when a lower initial attitude level (as low as 3) toward a hero, at
using Social skills in this manner. the GM’s discretion. Additional modifications may apply,
depending on the NPC’s and hero’s cultures.
If you don’t like this Focus Rule, or think it puts your
heroes at too much of a disadvantage, ignore it and Attitude
resolve social conflicts with simple, competitive checks Attitude Attitude
(see the Core Rules, page 25). To do this, first differentiate Level
between the active party and the passive party. The active
party is the side that tries to exert influence, while the Level 1 The target feels insatiable hatred for the
passive party is the one resisting the manipulation. The character.
active party uses Fast-Talk or another skill to attempt to Level 2 The target is the character’s sworn enemy.
7
Level 3 The target does not like the character.
Level 4 The target has a slight dislike for the character.
Level 5 The target’s opinion of the character is neutral.
Level 6 The target has a slight feeling of affection/
friendship/connection toward the character.
Level 7 The target feels deep trust toward the
character.
Level 8 The target is deeply loyal to the character,
and possibly even loves the character.
Level 9 The target is in love with the character, or
at least has a strong sense of connection or
friendship and is ready to do anything for
the character.
All Social checks gain a bonus of +1 for each attitude level

above 5 and receive a penalty of -1 for each attitude level
below 5 (see the Aventurian Compendium, page 43).
The GM decides a NPC’s initial attitude toward a player

character, as modified by the situation. However, as a rule,
assume that NPCs start with an attitude level of 5.
Influencing an Attitude
First the GM must decide which skills to use for the social
conflict. If the skill is not clear, have the active party
describe how they want to influence their target. The
winner, and the result, is decided by net QL (the QL that
remain after subtracting the lower QL total from the
higher QL after the competitive check).
Roleplaying Social Conflicts
Optional Rule The GM decides the check interval based on the
situation. Often, the active party wants to make only a
Every gaming group can choose to simply resolve social single check, but it can still be important to know how
conflicts by roleplaying them. In this case, compare the much time must pass before another check can be
influencing party’s skill rating in Persuasion, Seduction, made. For suggested intervals, see the Skills and Check
or Fast-Talk to the defender’s Willpower to measure Intervals table. When using the rules for social conflict,
relative performance. As a matter of fairness, when characters may make only one check every 24 hours
using this optional rule, a character who lacks any to change a target’s attitude.
ability in these areas should not achieve success after If the active party wins, the passive party’s attitude
success simply because that character’s player is toward them increases by one level per net QL.
eloquent or devises clever arguments. In general, when Furthermore, the passive party remains unaware of
roleplaying social conflicts, greater success should the influence attempt.
come only to characters with better skill values. This If the passive party
rule makes the game a little bit less complex. wins, they may adjust
their attitude level by
one level per net QL in It is possible an NPC
their favor, though they won’t mind that a
Players who spend AP to increase their characters’ character attempted to
Social skills should enjoy an advantage over are not required to do
so. Furthermore, they change their attitude;
characters whose players think up good arguments therefore, they don’t
but do not spend a single AP on Social skills. become aware of the
active party’s attempt to necessarily need to
influence them. decrease their attitude
level.

A character can never change the attitude of a target
by more than two levels. For example, a passive party
Strong and Weak Arguments
Optional Rule
that starts out as a sworn enemy (level 2) can only
be raised to attitude level 4 (the target has a certain When roleplaying social conflict scenes, the GM may
dislike for the character). The exceptions are spells, set modifiers of -3 to +3 for the use of strong or weak
liturgical chants, botches, and critical successes, arguments. This optional rule makes the game a bit
which may increase or decrease the passive party’s more complex.
attitude level beyond this limit.
A botch changes the attitude level by 1D3+1 to the The GM can decide that someone is not even tempted
disadvantage of the party that botched, and a critical to carry out a specific action, regardless of success.
success changes it by 1D3+1 in favor of the party that For example, characters cannot Sweet-Talk their
rolled it. archenemies, and elves cannot Incite an orc tribe to
The GM decides if an absolute limit exists between smash their holy images in a Brazoragh sanctum, no
a player’s character and an NPC. For example, the matter how successful their rolls.
GM could decide the attitude level of the character’s
archenemy may never rise above level 2. See the Aventurian Compendium, starting on page 42, for
additional examples of actions characters can perform
Skills and Check Intervals using force action.
If Active And Passive Check Interval
Party uses: Party uses: should be (depending Quality Levels and Actions (Examples)
on situation) ...
Quality Level Intensity
Persuasion Willpower Between 1 hour
(Resist Persuasion) and 1 day QL 1-2 The target performs the action,
albeit reluctantly, or perhaps does
Seduction Willpower Between 1 minute not perform the action in its entirety.
(Resist Seduction) and 1 hour
QL 3-4 The target performs the desired
Fast-Talk Willpower Between 1 minute action to the character’s satisfaction.
(Resist Fast-Talk) and 10 minutes
QL 5-6 The target performs the action and
Force Action fulfills special requests or aids the
Instead of changing the target’s attitude toward the character voluntarily.
character, social conflict can, depending on the skill, also
be used to suggest certain actions and make the other Example: Rowena wants a Tulamydian city guard to protect her
party carry them out. Characters can use this option while she is in town. His attitude towards her starts at neutral
initially, or after manipulating the target’s attitude. In (level 5), and she attempts to change his attitude level before
either case, the active party makes a competitive check she tries flirting. Rowena’s player makes a competitive check
against the passive party. The chosen skill need not be the on Seduction (Flirting) against the guard’s Willpower. The
same as the one used to change the target’s attitude. GM sets an interval of 1 minute. Rowena and the guard come
from different cultures, increasing the difficulty by 1, but the
The interval is identical to the interval for changing guard is a pleasing-unto-Rahja womanizer (bonus of +1), for a
the target’s attitude. net modifier of +/- 0. The player achieves 1 QL, so the guard’s
If the active party wins, the net QL determine how attitude increases to level 6.
enthusiastically the other party carries out the action.
In the case of a tie, the passive party does not carry Rowena does not have much time, so she stops attempting to
out the action, but also does not notice the attempt to change his attitude and begins flirting with him in earnest. Again,
influence them. both make a competitive check, but Rowena’s player receives a
If the passive party wins, they notice the influence bonus of +1 due to the guard’s attitude level. Her player achieves
and may react accordingly. In this case, the GM may an incredible 5 net QL. The guard is smitten with Rowena. He
decide that the NPC’s attitude toward the character lets her pass the city gate without hesitation and looks after her,
changes immediately. telling her which areas of the city she should avoid.
The character may make one check to force a target to
carry out an action. The GM decides whether to allow
another check with the same action against the same
target.
Forced actions end at the GM’s discretion.
9
Grangor: City of Canals
“We are free burghers, all of us, without a fat prince over us. We In the struggle for supremacy on the Sea of Seven Winds,
live in our own palaces, which we earned by working diligently the North Sea Company and the seven sea cities occasionally
and eagerly with our own hands. This is the promise Grangor exchange blows—sometimes in secret, sometimes openly.
makes to its children: Work hard and avoid indulging in idleness, Foreign espionage operations often target the nearby
like the sluggard southlanders, and you’ll succeed—no matter military harbor, and organized crime controls the taverns
what part of Grangor you’re from.” and brothels in the city’s large port, where ships depart to
-a proud Grangoran merchant even the distant Gyldenland.
“They’re all uptight and humorless—from the harbor workers to What Do the Heroes Know About
the moneybags. They know nothing besides work; for them, it is Grangor?
always about business. They see art and amusement as a waste Depending on their backgrounds and local knowledge,
of time, and what they see as diligence and eagerness is often the heroes may already know the following information.
nothing but stinginess and greed. In general, everything is about Otherwise, they can make checks to discover it.
money for them. They say, time is money; it is no wonder you
can buy almost anything there—where even time has monetary Geography (Horasian Empire) check
value.”
QL 1: Grangor lies in the north of the Horasian Empire, at
-a traveler from the Wild South
the estuary where the Phecadi spills into the Sea of Seven
Winds. It is the largest of the seven imperial cities in this
Region: Horasian Empire, Duchy of Grangoria
region, which is known as Septimana (and its inhabitants,
Population: 15,000
Septimanes).
Governance: Monied Aristocracy; Free City under the rule
QL 2: The city was built on several islands. Hence, boats
of an elected Master of the City, currently Gwynn Willforth.
are the key means of transportation. Grangor is a city
He presides over a city council consisting of the 44 richest
of merchants, who primarily conduct business with the
burghers in the city.
north. The Horas-Imperial Privileged North Sea Company,
Temples: Boron, Efferd, Peraine, Phex, Rahja, Rondra,
which is located here, has nearly a monopoly.
Travia (two), Tsa; shrine to Hesinde
QL 3: The climate is cooler and rougher here than in the
Trade and Industry: Center of the northern sea trade and
fairer south. People often draw comparisons between
trade with the western Middenrealm, shipbuilding, salt
the climate and the sort of people who live here. They’re
trade, fishing, pilgrim’s port
considered respectable, prudish, hardworking, and frugal.
Characteristic Features: Lagoon city with magnificent
QL 4+: Some Grangorers consider entertainment a waste
merchant palazzis (palaces) situated along broad waats
of time; time that could be better spent increasing their
(canals), next to warped houses in filthy waats; large
wealth. They find vagrants and slackers suspicious.
storehouses in the port; lots of shipping travel; splendorous
bridges; important temple of Efferd that attracts many
Law (Horasian Empire) check
pilgrims; School of Apparitions (mage academy with
emphasis on illusion and ghost summoning); Gyldenland QL 1: Grangor is part of the Horasian Empire. It lies in the
Museum; Horas-Imperial Navy’s main military harbor; Duchy of Grangoria.
strict weapon laws. QL 2: However, the city is independent from Duke Cusimo
Atmosphere in the City: sober, modest, and bustling; Garlischgrötz, who is also the Margrave of Windhag in the
the Grangorers are always looking to increase their own Middenrealm. Grangor is a free city, subject only to the
wealth; highly commercialized, a stark contrast to the Horas-Emperor in Vinsalt. It is governed by a council
colorful and lively activity in the harbor. of merchants, who elect a Master of the City from their
midst. Strict weapon laws are in place here, which forbid
The sober nature of its inhabitants and the power struggles most foreigners from bearing arms.
of the merchant houses make Grangor an ideal setting for QL 3: Jurisdiction is mild. A person can purchase their
scandals and intrigues, where secrets are carefully hidden pardon from most punishments by paying a (very large)
and must be tenaciously dragged into the light. The rich sum of money. In general, nearly anything in the city can
and the poor live close together here, and the swindler’s be arranged with money. A city council seat must also be
games are nothing compared to what happens behind purchased.
the magnificent city palazzi walls. Grangor is a grounded QL 4+: The city council has two chambers, known as the
setting, perfectly suited for crime adventures. Their Inner Salon and the Outer Salon. The 12 old patrician
strict weapon laws limit investigators’ means and require families, called Ancestral Houses, are seated in the Inner
comprehensive deductive abilities. Salon. Merchants who pay at least 2,000 ducats in taxes

per year buy their seat in the Outer Salon, which currently such as Old Grangor, South Grangor, Kopp, Koppstone,
has 32 members. The Inner Salon makes all significant Koppsound, Sudertown, Newhaven, and Traviashore, but
decisions on laws and taxes, a fact of life that the Outer also Sickles—called Terra Ferma—the farmer village on the
Salon members dislike. mainland. To the west of the Phecadi estuary lies Castle
Windehag (01) (no longer part of the city), which belongs
Etiquette (Manners or Fashion) check to the Duke of Grangor, Cusimo Garlischgrötz. Grangorella,
the island in the southwest, is no longer subject to the
QL 1: Grangorers prefer plain fashion. In fact, even
city government, either. On the inhospitable chalk rocks,
affluent Septimanes are expected to dress modestly. They
hidden behind mighty bastions, lies the headquarters
dislike pomp and pride and consider spending money on
of the Horas-Imperial Navy (02)—called the Domicile
entertainment indecent. They believe money should be
of Seven Seas—as well as the sea warriors’ garrisons, and
used to perform charitable deeds or increase their own
the renowned Cadet School (03). Grangorella is directly
wealth.
subject to the crown and is a restricted military base—
QL 2: The Grangorers’ clothing mirrors this rejection of
no one may leave or enter without a pass. Nevertheless,
pomp. They rarely wear light-colored clothes, especially
rowdy sea soldiers and curt naval officers are a constant
not colorful ones. Instead, most of their clothing consists
sight in the city.
of black, gray, and dark blue tones. They typically wear
millstone collars made from starched linen or—if they are
Countless canals, also called waats, cut through the city
quite wealthy, from Drôlan Lace—and adorn their heads
quarters in a close network, meaning much of the traffic
with stiff hats.
here consists of boats and graceful gondolas. Inspired by
QL 3: The Grangorers love understatement. Thus, an
the myth of the Eternal Dragon of Phecadia, which Saint
affluent Grangorer’s clothes are quite modest at first
Geron slew in this area, many of these gondolas feature a
glance. Besides lace, they require Hesindigo and Chorhopan
bow carved in the style of a long, dragon’s neck. Ferries
Ink dyes; and their white collars are meant to demonstrate
regularly travel between the different ferry stations,
that they stand above life’s everyday problems. In their
relieving traffic on the city’s narrow bridges. Rental
clothing, as in all respects, they emphasize quality over
services loan out slender canal boats for a daily fee; hiring
quantity.
someone to operate the boat costs a few halers extra.
QL 4+: The Grangorers find strong displays of public
emotion suspicious. Instead, they exercise self-discipline,
Old Grangor
described as a stiff upper-lip south of the Septimana—half
Old Grangor, South Grangor, and Kopp island are among
in jest, half in admiration.
the oldest residential areas of the city. If you enter the
city from the mainland, you usually arrive in Old Grangor.
History (Horasian Empire) or
The ferry travels at an hourly pace (a bit less frequently
Myths & Legends (Horasian Empire) check
on the Windhager shore) between the farming village of
QL 1: Thorwaler pirates have always favored Grangor as a Sickles and the pilgrim’s port in Old Grangor. A high wall
target, and they are greatly feared here. surrounds the former main port, which you can now only
QL 2: It is said that as his last heroic deed, Saint Geron the cross via the two-story, 164-foot long pilgrim’s house
One-Handed slew the Eternal Dragon of Phecadia with (04). There, you must pay an equipment tax and a fee of 1
the legendary sword, Sevenstrike. But afterward, a water silverthaler before you can enter your name into the city’s
dragon allegedly menaced the city on three separate pilgrim book. In addition, you must leave all weapons
occasions. It is unclear whether this is the same creature and armor that fail to comply with the strict weapon
from the legend of St. Geron. laws in the pilgrim’s house. You can store these items in
QL 3: Grangor is a popular destination among pilgrims the pilgrim’s house for another silverthaler and reclaim
of Efferd. Presumably, Saint Efferdan—who lost her ten them when you leave the city. Finally, after being issued
children and husband at sea, yet kept strong in her faith to a document confirming your right to stay in Grangor, you
Efferd—lived here. As a reward for her faithfulness, Efferd can enter. Pilgrim’s maps are available to help visitors
turned twelve of her tears into sea green stones, said to navigate the city.
protect seafarers from dark powers. The stones are kept
in the temple to this day. The city, in all its splendor, readily receives travelers.
Merchant quarters and counting houses stretch out along
A Tour of the City the waats, wooing travelers’ attention and coin with their
In the Grangor lagoon, the Phecadi flows down from the decorative and playful facades. Fountains trickle amid
Northmarches, splits into the loamy Yellow Phecadi and magnificent gardens in interior courtyards, and gargoyles
the clear Blue Phecadi, and washes around a group of with dragon-like heads gaze down on passersby from high
islands—on which the city of Grangor sprawls. The city rooftops. The Grootewaat is the largest of the waats—
area includes not only the quarters situated on islands spanned by six, stony bridges. However, you’ll find the
11
most beautiful and best-known palazzi, the Drakenbrügg a noble proud, the governors and directors of the Horas-
(05), with its six small towers, along the Northwaat and Imperial Privileged North Sea Company decide matters that
Gyldenwaat. affect the entire Septimana, as well as the northern Sea of
Seven Winds.
To the north, directly at the Northwaat, lies the grandiose,
white marble Festuman Hall of Exchanges and Deposits, usually At the far east, the Duke Cusimo Aqueduct, a masterpiece
referred to as the Northland Bank (06). Almost directly of Horasian architecture, connects the Terra Ferma to the
opposite this stand the large Stührmann & Mezzani Printing city. The aqueduct transports clean Phecadi water from
House (07) offices, where you’ll also find the editorial offices the Phecano Forest to Grangor, where the Grangorers
of the Grangoran Commercial Gazette, a newspaper focusing on then store it in a gigantic cistern (11).
mercantile matters. Close by, the King Khadan Hall (08)—a
concert and opera house—stands out as rather square and Just a few street corners away lies the noble brothel,
boring-looking in a row of beautiful patrician buildings, a the Red Salamander (12) (Q4/P5/-). Its existence and
stark visual reminder of the Grangorers’ ambivalent feelings location leave a bitter taste in the mouths of quite a
toward art and entertainment. Though they consider it a few fine Grangorers. But despite—or, some would say,
virtue to promote the fine arts, many zealous merchants view precisely because of—its bourgeois location, the brothel
the theater as nothing more than an idle waste of time, which enjoys lasting popularity.
could be better spent increasing their wealth.
In the heart of Old Grangor, inconspicuously embedded in
In the northeast—close to the Longwaat—at the Square a row of burghers’ homes, lies the House of the Traveling
of 800 Souls lies the burgher house (09). The Grangorers Salesman (T01), as the temple of Phex is called here.
repurposed this former armory and prison after winning At the start of a new trading day, the temple's large
their independence, in remembrance of everyone who died trading hall is full of life—from simple burgher to affluent
fighting for the city’s freedom. The town book, in which every merchant. Loud voices
free burgher’s name in the city is written, is kept here. permeate the air, as people The sea merchant guild
stand in front of the fox is abbreviated as HPNC. It
If you follow the Longwaat to the south, you’ll reach god’s altar shouting the enjoys far-reaching duty
the extravagantly palatial main counting house of the most current offers for and trade privileges in the
North Sea Company (10), which stands directly at the countless business and northland trade, in which
intersection between the Longwaat and the Grootewaat. shipping company shares it desires a monopoly.
Here, in magnificently decorated halls that would make and property documents,

The temple’s teaching of
having an open, generous
while others write the current prices on large slate tablets To the southwest of the hand also lures many
on the walls. Luxurious side halls provide opportunities to Hangmanwaat stands beggars into the city—
conduct business in peace and quiet. There is no dedicated the famous Gyldenland much to the more affluent
thieves’ temple, thus the Blessed Ones of Phex perform Museum (17), founded with inhabitants’ dismay.
their services outside the temple walls. Thugs and beggars souvenirs the equally famed
only visit the temple for urgent matters—their discomfort Captain Jastek brought back
at being treated with suspicion by the expensively dressed from his first journey to the
merchants is quite evident. Gyldenland, about 290 years ago. The museum now stretches
across three buildings and Jastek’s Gyldenland liner—the Bride
Along the nearby Longwaat lies the noble Wheel and of the Wind—moored opposite the museum. For 13 halers, you
Cup (13) casino (Q5/P5/-). It is said more merchants have can gaze in wonder at a substantial number of exhibits (both
lost their fortunes here than from their stock going bust. genuine and alleged) from the distant west continent. Since
Following the canal to the south, you soon reach the town the famous Captain Harika of Bethana’s return from her
hall (14), with the Vanderzee Tower reaching far above journey to the horizon, the museum’s collection has grown
everything else. Another marvel of the Horasian art of once more.
engineering, the tower has an enormous clock face on all
four sides, behind which fully mechanical, mighty gears Not far from the museum, on the spacious Square of Saint
move the large hands to keep time. Behind the façade of Efferdane, lies the Pilgrim’s Temple (T03). This house
the town hall, which is divided by archways, the Inner and of the sea god, Efferd, is also the oldest place of worship
Outer Salons meet for regular proceedings. in the city. Solid as a rock, it gained prominence by
surviving every catastrophe in the city’s history. The
To the south of the town hall, the slow flowing Hangmanwaat temple’s chronicle, known as the Scroll of Years, also serves
separates Old Grangor from South Grangor. The Grangorers as a chronicle of the city itself. The temple of Efferd is a
use this central canal to execute corporal punishment and popular pilgrim destination—due to Saint Efferdane—and
public humiliation; crowds of people typically gather here every year, the city houses over a thousand guests.
whenever a delinquent is sentenced to be submersed in the
waters. At the eastern end of the waat stands the Academy The guild house of the Helmsmen (18) also lies on this
of Apparitions (15), a small mage’s school specializing in square, as do several pilgrim’s refuges.
illusion magic and ghost apparitions. Unfortunately for the
mages trained here, the academy graduates’ reputations do Further south, on Geese Square, lies the Temple of Home and
not correspond to the magnificent building’s three-story Hearth (T04), one of two temples of Travia in the city. In 1015
palazzi-like exterior, with its delicate arcades. Inside the FB, the Grangorers started to gradually renovate and spruce
building—in what seems almost a justification of the mage up the house with the lurid, shiny orange roof made of Drôlan
school’s existence—is a shrine to Hesinde (T02), which is shingles. The temple provost, Mother Amalande, wants her
open to the public. place of worship—with its white, marble altar and Silasan
gold-work offering bowls—to gain renown throughout the
At the western end of the Hangmanwaat lies the famous land. But, money spent to further the temple’s fame is not
fish market (16), with its three large market halls. Here, spent other places, such as the adjacent orphanage (19),
the Grangorers conduct flourishing trade—from sunrise which the city now finances. The innkeeper Traviadan, who
to sunset—behind artful arcades. Though fishermen grew up in the orphanage himself, feeds the orphans in the
make up a large part of the market’s business, there are Cozy Parlor (G01) inn (Q2/P2/B14).
far greater goods being offered than the fruits of Efferd.
A clock tower looks out over the bustling market activity. Close to the Vesselbeck Dike, which connects South
Grangor to Sudertown, lies Murder Him (G02) (Q2/P2/-),
South Grangor the favorite local tavern of Grangor’s imman team—the
South Grangor, which Grangorers still consider the better Grangor Eagles. Only the most hardened types gather here,
address in poorer areas, begins below the Hangmanwaat. The as violent quarrels regularly break out between the rough
farther south you travel, the more fissures you’ll see in the players—especially now that
houses. Most of them are built partially on soft ground and they no longer play imman
begin tilting to the side after a few decades, before sinking regularly. To make ends meet, The Helmsmen’s Guild
completely into the mud. The canals here also become the players offer their services regularly goes before the city
narrower, and the water flows sluggishly and creates foaming as bodyguards. To their own council to speak on behalf of
bubbles. Houseboats moored in the narrow waats make it dismay, they receive more the guilds and trade policies,
difficult to advance. Like pearls on a string, they often line the praise as bodyguards than they but the council rarely heeds
canals—forming their own rows of floating houses. ever did as imman players. their suggestions.
13
Sudertown for seafarers who don’t lose all their earnings in the
South of the Vesselbeck Dike lies Sudertown—the island of Traveling Haler (23) gambling hall.
unfulfilled desires and dreams—home to fishermen, shipyard
workers, and day laborers. Old, decrepit houses—some of Kopp, Koppstone, and Koppsound
which have partially sunken into the sand—lean over narrow, The islands of Kopp, Koppstone, and Koppsound
stinking waats, above which hang rows of clothesline. The air encapsulate the heart of petit bourgeois uprightness. The
is full of the smells of fish, sweat, and tar. As though wanting simple people of Grangor, who claim to be respectable, live
to put a stop to the dreariness, The Colorful House (G03) (Q3/ here. Pretty, half-timbered houses and narrow workshops
P2/-) tavern stands here, its exterior boasting all the colors stand tightly packed along the canals, which are as crowded
of the rainbow. Actors, performers, and travelers gather with boats during the day as the streets are with people.
here; though, in summer, they also like to set up tents on the Industrious activity characterizes the craftsman quarter,
Traveler’s Square. In the center of the island stands the temple which seems deserted after sunset. Indeed, hardworking
of Tsa (T05), which is decorated with colorful, shiny mosaics. Grangorers who do not return to their own four walls and
sit behind closed window shutters until sunrise head to
Newhaven one of the numerous taverns for a closing-time drink. The
Little of the city’s upright character remains in this classic streets are nearly deserted.
harbor district. Performers, sailors, and prostitutes fill the
streets, where loud and rowdy behavior and the smells Since 1018 FB, the Two-Lilies Bridge (25) has connected South
of pipe tobacco, sweat, and filth are common. Long rows Grangor and the island of Koppsound, making Koppsound a
of mostly brick, five-story storage houses extend along sought-after address. Before then, people could reach the
the canals, where the major merchant families’ counting island only via ferries from Old Grangor or Newhaven. The
houses stand next to each other. Large cargo cranes Grangorers are quite proud of this architectural masterpiece,
discharge loads from freight ships arriving from distant which allows even large ships to pass using a clever pulley
harbors, before packhorses and burden bearers bring the mechanism. But crossing the canal is not cheap—people pay
loads into the storehouses. 5 kreutzers per wheel and leg to use the bridge.
If you arrive in the city by sea, Newhaven is the first place If you come to the main island—Kopp—via Koppsound,
you’ll set foot on dry land; in fact, many sailors never you’ll immediately see the Two-Lilies guard barracks
leave this island, with its many taverns and brothels, (26) on Geron’s Square. The barracks contain a scriptorium,
during their entire stay. Before you may see the rest of an armory stand, a training hall, and a shipping pier. The
the city, you must first pay 7 kreutzers to register in the city prison (27), where suspects are imprisoned until
customs house (20). If you plan on an extended stay, you their trials, stands diagonally from the barracks. Long
must also present yourself in the pilgrim’s house the next prison sentences are rare in Grangor, which explains the
day. Armed persons must pay 1 silverthaler to store blades small size of the sinister stone building.
and armor here; the customs guards deposit the weapons
in the pilgrim’s house once per day. The strict weapon You’ll also find the Dragon Temple (T07) of Rondra on
laws are technically observed in Newhaven, though it Geron’s Square, which receives regular visits from the
is difficult for the guards to stay on top of things with Two-Lilies guards, as well as sea soldiers and navy officers.
all the counting-house guards’ special permits and the The Grangorers hail Saint Geron as vanquisher of the
numerous traveling sailors. Thus, they perform regular Eternal Dragon of Phecadia, so it is no wonder that Geron’s
inspections of visitors and sailors on the bridges spanning altar is among the temple’s attractions. You can also see
the Crookedwaat to Sudertown. Most foreigners cross the red marble façade of Famerlor’s Tower from here; during
over the large Neebrügg (21), which leads directly to thunderstorms, lightning often flashes around it.
the Traveler’s Square. If you follow the Crookedwaat to the
south, you quickly reach the tastefully furnished brothel, In close vicinity to Geron’s Square, disguised as a seemingly
Dream Parlor (22) (Q3/P3/-), which lies close to the conservative half-timbered house, stands the House Thesia
beautiful temple of Rahja (T06) built from rose-colored (28) (Q3/P3/-) brothel. Its red drapes and a small, shaded
marble. The Wall of Efferd (G04) (Q3/P3/-) tavern is red lamp in one window are the only clues that it is a house
popular among sea warriors, Gyldenland travelers, and of pleasure. The location certainly pays off, as the house is
burghers who dream of great adventures. The former sea a popular destination among the Two-Lilies guards. If they
soldier, Denderan, who traveled to Gyldenland with the do not spend their entire salaries there, they often frequent
famous Harika of Bethana, runs the tavern and knows how the Two-Lilies (G06) inn (Q3/P2/-). Officers among the
to tell thrilling stories (both true and embellished). guards, as well as soldiers, tend to prefer the Lion’s Cellar
(G07) (Q3/P3/-), which, despite its name, is situated on the
The Red Lotus (24) (Q2/P2/-) brothel and the Seven second floor of a weapons shop.
Winds (G05) (Q2/P3/-) tavern are popular destinations

manufacturers own weekend cottages in the green.
Life is calmer on Koppstone island, in part because of its Directly opposite the ferry station is the Beilunk Riders’
remote location, but certainly also because the House of messenger station (30); they can reach any city in the
Bishdariel’s Watch (T08)—a temple of Boron—is here. Horasian Empire from here in just a few days.
As Grangorers are traditionally buried at sea, the Blessed
Ones of Boron primarily devote themselves to dream You can tell the farmers in Sickles are doing quite well
interpretations, soul healings, and ghost exorcisms. for themselves with just one glance into the temple of
Peraine (T10), which is impressive with its modest riches.
Traviashore The temple also has a small infirmary, where Blessed Ones
On the sandbank to the west of the city lies the newest affectionately look after Grangorers who fall ill.
quarter of Grangor. On Phex 7th, 1011 FB, the then young
Blessed One of Travia Jowinna Capresca, came ashore here The residents of Sickles like to reminisce about the days when
after a particularly rough voyage at sea. She interpreted Grangorers came to the mainland in droves during the month
her rescue as sign of her goddess’ protection and began of Praios to cheer on the famous Grangor Eagles in the imman
to construct the Temple of Safe Refuge (T09) from the stadium (31). But the burghers’ attitudes toward the game
remaining ship’s timber. This second temple of Travia in changed over time and the games became less frequent, then
the city quickly became a center of attraction for numerous stopped altogether. From merchant to artisan, the prevailing
beggars, day laborers, and outcasts. Along with her husband, opinion is that watching the game is an unnecessary
Father Udilo, Jowinna gives passionate speeches denouncing indulgence. So, the wooden stands wither away in the rough,
Grangor’s exuberant wealth and the accompanying decay of coastal winds, and no one is there to watch the youth of
the Grangorer’s moral values. Their speeches often include Sickles slog swollen cork balls through crooked goals.
admonitions of Mother Amalande from the South Grangor
temple. At present, a placid settlement—made from roughly Due to its mainland location, the strict Grangoran weapon
timbered-together houses—has formed around the temple. laws are a bit more relaxed in Sickles. The dueling grounds,
Many who cannot afford the rents in Grangor, particularly just a few yards away from the landing and directly
day laborers and shipyard workers, live here. below the aqueduct, are a reminder of this. Pugnacious
travelers often come here to settle grievances or blow off
Nearly everyone who has a regular source of income steam. Though the dueling grounds are little more than
works in the shipyards south of the island. The Shipyard a trampled portion of a field—at best, tolerated by the
ter Brook (29) is by far the largest and most profitable. authorities—their purpose is known throughout the city.
Rarely ever do duelists meet here alone; often, a whole
Sickles crowd of curious onlookers follow, with much cheering
On the mainland lies Sickles, a farmers’ village whose and betting. The Two-Lilies guards only intervene when
acres and meadows not only supply food to Grangor, but the commotion and uproar get out of hand—then, they
also hemp and flax to its shipyards and rope workshops. send people away and impose hefty fines.
Furthermore, a few of the larger merchant house
15
Death Pays
All Debts
Hero Motivation
What led your heroes to Grangor is not important, but
it is vital to the beginning of the adventure’s plot that
the heroes have a connection to the merchant Sumudan
de Vries. When he is suddenly found dead, the heroes
should feel an obligation to unravel the circumstances of
his death. Below are a few possible suggestions, but you
may replace them with other motivations, if you like. The
closer the heroes’ connection to Sumudan, the better.
Idea #1: The Old Friend

One of the heroes’ old friends—a merchant or previous
employer—secured a small fortune and wants to increase
it. He has read of the Grangoran merchant, Sumudan de
Vries, in the Aventurian Herald, and how he acquired his
fortune with a daring expedition to the south continent,
Uthuria. Sumudan’s second expedition is expected to
return shortly, and everyone who took part in the venture
stands to be handsomely rewarded. The heroes’ friend
wants to invest in Sumudan’s business before he sends his
fleet out a third time. He asks the heroes to protect him—
and the hefty sum of promissory notes he carries—as he
travels to Grangor.
Suggested NPC: Menzel Brohm (late 40s; 5’8”; dark,

blond hair; Emperor-Alrik moustache; wears expensive
clothes made from blue velvet; loves to make money;
hates to miss good business opportunities; always needs to
hear the latest gossip so he can refrain from participating
in risky deals; Willpower 7 (13/14/13), SPI 2).
The Aventurian Herald is the free support magazine

for The Dark Eye. Published in a newspaper format,
its stories are told from Aventurian authors’
perspectives and advance the continent’s living
history. Issues of the Herald will soon be available
as free downloads. For more information, visit us
at www.ulisses-us.com.
16 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

Idea #2: The Share Certificates Idea #5: The Eccentric
A relative of one of the heroes invested in Sumudan’s If you have one or two exotic characters in your group, you
second venture to Uthuria, which is expected to return in can use the following plot hook: a braggart named Rimaldo
a few days’ time. Naturally, the relative expects to make a Oricetti (27; good-looking; thick head of brown hair; endearing
hefty profit. He sends the hero to Grangor with his share smile; loves taking risks; has colonial prejudices; hates his big
certificates, with instructions to cash them out once the mouth; seeks to move far, far away; Willpower 8 (14/13/15),
fleet returns. He recommends the hero visit the de Vries SPI 2) urgently needs to hide from his creditors and has
counting house after arriving in Grangor, to find out his mind set on asking Sumudan de Vries for a position as
exactly when the fleet is expected to return from the south manager of his counting house in Uthuria. To make a good
continent. After Sumudan’s death, the value of the shares is first impression and show how well he can deal with strange
no longer clear. This should prompt the hero’s interest in cultures, he hires the next exotic character he meets for 5
solving the case—after all, there’s a lot of money at stake. silverthalers per day (the last of his funds). He might even ask
this character to act particularly outlandish or frightening to
Alternatively, a hero—or perhaps the entire party—received help him sell his image.
de Vries share certificates as payment for a previous
mission. If so, their own fortunes are suddenly at risk. What Does My Character Know About
Sumudan de Vries?
Idea #3: Looking for Specialists It is possible that educated heroes, adventurers with a
The fleet traveling back from Uthuria is expected to arrive mercantile interest, and characters from this region have
shortly. The transported goods are rare and valuable, heard of Sumudan. A successful Commerce check grants a
thus Sumudan wants to hire battle-hardened specialists to bonus of QL/2 to the subsequent Etiquette (Rumors) check.
protect the valuable freight from the time it arrives until
it is resold. He offers 4 silverthalers per day—easy money Etiquette (Rumors) check -2
for real heroes.
QL 1: Sumudan de Vries gained his fortune practically
overnight.
Furthermore, he needs scholars and mages to categorize and
QL 2: He bet all his money—and that of his numerous
grade the goods; he’ll pay 5 ducats per artifact they analyze.
investors—on a longshot: an expedition to the recently
discovered southern continent, Uthuria. Taking that risk
Idea #4: Temple Offering
paid off well; when the fleet returned, Sumudan was rich.
Sumudan de Vries has much for which to thank the gods, as
QL 3+: His success brought Sumudan much fame and bought
he obtained his great wealth practically overnight. A hero’s
him a seat on the city council. He sent out a second, larger
home temple once helped Sumudan in some way, and he
fleet, which he expects will return any day now. Sumudan
wishes to return the favor—promising a large, monetary
believes his profits from this journey will make him one of
offering. The Blessed One and his companions—the heroes—
the most influential merchants in the city.
are sent to accept the offering and bring it to the temple.
Arrival in Grangor
The heroes reach Grangor the afternoon of the 13th of
Efferd (or another day of your choosing). Many other
Read Aloud or Paraphrase travelers besides the heroes now stand on the large square
The small ferry’s bow cuts into the smooth mirror-like surface of in front of the pilgrim’s house (04)—most hail from the
the water, like a knife. The cool sea breeze carries with it the smell west coast, though there are a few from more distant
of salt and fish. Freezing, you wrap your cloaks more tightly around regions. There are a few pilgrims of Efferd, dressed in plain
you while your eyes wander over the passing burgher houses— clothes, but most of the travelers seem to be merchants.
their orange-red bricks shining in the autumn light of Efferd’s sun.
Between the houses, countless boats and gondolas transport goods The boat drops the heroes and other travelers off at the
and people from one place to the next on the various canals. pilgrim’s port, and they must pass through the pilgrim’s
house before they can enter the city. The guards check
Seagulls screech and circle above you as the ferryman moors the their packs and make them pay the appropriate taxes.
boat on a landing in front of a large, walled-off square. A two- There is a fee for each item they carry, which is about 10%
story brick building, decorated with arcades, stands before you— of the listed purchase price. Each hero must then pay the
acting as a gate to the city. 1 silverthaler entry fee, which also allows them to enter
their names in the pilgrim’s book, if they so desire.
17
As in many other cities, The Weapon Laws: Challenge or Annoyance?
poisons and intoxicants are The strict weapon laws provide a unique flair to playing
officially banned in Grangor, so in Grangor, and force heroes to focus on other strengths
heroes carrying hard-to-identify and find solutions other than the usual, martial ones. If
liquids or herbs must have a good combat does ensue, the typical fencing duels and bloody
explanation for carrying these items skirmishes become street fights—usually with bare
to keep their valuable strength potions knuckles, but often with daggers and improvised weapons.
and rare healing herbs from being These can be exciting situations, and many players enjoy
confiscated. It takes considerable effort to the challenge these special conditions present.
convince the authorities to let them keep their
potions; you can use the rules for social conflict However, they may equally frustrate other players. After
(page 7), if you like. The heroes primarily make all, they’ve invested a lot of AP in their fighting characters
Fast-Talk (Manipulation, Sweet-Talk, or Debate) to increase skills they can’t really use here. There are
checks against the guards’ Willpower (Resist Fast-Talk) several ways you can spotlight these types of characters to
checks (SR 5). The guards’ initial attitude level toward the ensure their players still enjoy the adventure. For instance,
heroes depends on the heroes’ (presumed) social status: you can place items the heroes can use as improvised
3 (Not Free), 4 (Free), or 5 (Noble) (see Core Rules, page 338). weapons in battle scenes. Or, you can present alternative
ways to shine as heroes. Perhaps the characters have
Heroes Without Weapons certain advantages or skills which the Grangorers deeply
The local weapon laws may shock the heroes even more respect?
than the duty they must pay on the items they carry. In
Grangor, only city burghers, nobles with at least a baronet Bypassing the Weapon Laws
rank, and Blessed Ones can carry a side-arm such as a Alternatively, you can provide the following options to
rapier, sword, or saber. Members of the Two-Lilies Guard circumvent the weapon laws. This way, the players can
are also authorized to wear armor and bear weapons. decide for themselves how they want to play out the
All others are strictly prohibited from carrying or using adventure.
armor and weapons—except for a staff or blade weapon no
longer than a dagger—throughout the city area. Travelers Acquiring a Burgher Letter: In theory, anyone can
must leave their weapons behind in the pilgrim’s house become a burgher in Grangor. They must simply pay
and pay a fee of 1 silverthaler to store them. If they choose a fee of 10 ducats at the burgher house (09) to enter
to do so, they receive a document that allows them to their name in the town book. In doing so, they receive
retrieve their weapons when they leave the city. a burgher letter, which not only authorizes them to
bear arms, but also allows them to follow a trade and
own property. However, they are then obligated to pay
taxes based on their wealth—5 ducats at minimum—
and cannot take a noble title.
The Weapon Laws: Game Mechanics After the application process, others have one week
In terms of game mechanics, the weapon laws to voice their objections. We do not define whether
mean only heroes with the advantage Blessed One the applicant obtains full burgher privileges during
or Noble II may keep their weapons and armor this probation period, or only after it ends. You may
in the city of Grangor. Even here, there is room determine this for your
for discussion if a noble character’s social status gaming group, depending
is not apparent or the Grangoran guard does on how easily you want to Consider that the enemies
not know or recognize the noble ranks of the make weapons available to in this adventure play by
culture from which they hail. The same applies them. The probation period the same rules as your
to Blessed Ones whose deities are not generally forces the heroes to use their players; they also have few
associated with the aspect of warfare—the guards weapons responsibly, instead weapons available. Should
ask detailed and nit-picky questions. But, on of acting like camels in an your heroes decide to find
principle, Grangorers trust these individuals Unau porcelain store, as the options to heavily arm
to use their weapons responsibly. Heroes who faintest complaint from themselves, some of their
have a burgher letter from the city of Grangor, another burgher could lead to enemies should use the same
which is possible with a corresponding character revocation of their burgher methods, as well. However,
background, may also enter the city with their rights and confiscation of when in doubt, you can
weapons (Prerequisites: Advantage Rich I, no their weapons. simply increase the number
disadvantage Not Free). of enemies the heroes must
face, when possible.

Illegal Weapon Purchase: Where there are bans, In the City of Canals
there are those who circumvent the bans—the illegal
weapons trade flourishes in Grangor. These shady
fellows wait at the pilgrim’s house exit for newcomers
who look as though they lost something important. Read Aloud or Paraphrase
Intercepting the poor fools, the crooks lead them to a You leave the pilgrim’s house and look out over the Grootewaat,
small boat, not far away, meandering along one of the Grangor’s most famous canal. Dozens of small boats navigate
small canals. Hidden beneath a tarp, usually guarded through the chasm, which is lined with magnificent counting
by at least one more person, lie all sorts of weapons houses and shops and spanned by broad bridges at regular
from the pilgrim’s house property room, which found intervals.
their way into smugglers’ hands in roundabout ways.
The crooks sell the weapons (and a bit of armor) for You cross into the bustling activity of this noble city quarter,
2-3 times the listed purchase price. Quite expensive, where affluence and commerce go hand in hand. Many well-
compared to the cost of acquiring a burgher’s letter, dressed burghers amble along promenades and squares, while
but for heroes of dubious origin, it may be their only others crowd into small alleyways with visitors from all corners
option to arm themselves. You control via the price of the world. Here, they scour the freshly delivered inventories of
whether you want to give the players the illusion of merchant shops and large market halls. Gondolas glide through
an option to purchase weapons, or actively want to even the narrowest of canals, and you can tell from the beads
help one or more of your players acquire them. of perspiration on the foreheads of quite a few boatmen that it
requires considerable concentration to navigate past the other
If you want to make things slightly more difficult ships.
for your players, no smugglers approach them,
directly. They must first make a Streetwise (Asking
Around) check -2 to find someone willing to sell them
weapons.
The counting houses and market halls of the large patrician
houses characterize Old Grangor like no other city quarter.
Owning Illegal Weapons
Especially in upscale areas, like the Grootewaat, the shops
If the heroes illegally purchase weapons, they would do
line up like pearls on a string. Anyone owning even a small
well to consider how they plan to transport them, since
shop here belongs to the city’s major players.
any type of armor and weapons longer than a dagger
are rather conspicuous in an environment where nearly
You can find goods from all corners of the world in
everyone else is unarmed and the Two-Lilies guards
Grangor’s markets—in fact, if you can’t find it here, it
are notorious for their regular searches. If the guards
probably doesn’t exist. Due to the practical monopoly
catch the heroes with an illegal weapon during such an
Grangor has on northland trade, most of the goods
inspection—and the heroes cannot provide dispensation—
offered—such as pelts, furs, fish products (including
they’ll incur hefty fines or shame sanctions, which could
whales), and amber—are from the northern Sea of Seven
even lead to submersion in the Hangmanwaat.
Winds. You can even find Bornland goods, such as the
famous Meskinnes, here.
Thu, heroes with illegal weapons should attempt to
conceal them for as long as possible—for instance, by
The Counting House de Vries
transporting them underneath a tarp in a boat and using
The heroes likely want to visit the Counting House de
them only in a pinch, or by dressing in such a manner
Vries (A01) for one reason or another shortly after they
that the guards assume they are authorized to carry such
arrive in the city.
weapons. The latter requires a Disguise (Imitate Person)
check, with a penalty of -1 for each social status level the
hero must overcome (see the Core Rules, page 338). The
hero must feign a level 4 social status (level 3 if imitating a
Blessed One). The Disguise check receives a bonus of QL/2 if Read Aloud or Paraphrase
the hero first makes an Etiquette (Manners or Fashion) check The merchant prince’s counting house is a broad, stately building;
when imitating a noble, or a Religions (corresponding deity) its stepped gables, orange-red bricks, and white window frames
check when imitating a Blessed One. However, if a hero is amid a Hesindigo-blue façade lies north of the Grootewaat.
caught impersonating someone of higher social status, the Sumudan de Vries’ Colonial Goods is written in cast-iron
guards not only punish them for owning illegal weapons, letters above a double-winged door, through which a constant
but also for unauthorized assumption of standing—which stream of affluent burghers and far-traveling merchants pass.
carries quite a severe sentence. An exotic, spicy smell rests over the storeroom’s broad shelves,
where small spice bags lie next to jars of pickled fruits and metal
19
Transportation the heroes make an appointment so can he guarantee the
In a city built on islands and spanned by countless merchant has the time to hear their request. As it turns
canals, a boat is naturally the most popular means out, Sumudan’s schedule is free the next morning during
of transportation. the first hour of Peraine (9am).
Multiple ferry stations exist throughout the city;
the heroes can cross from one station to another The purpose of the appointment is to direct the players
for 6 kreutzers. to revisit the counting house after Sumudan’s death. The
For a few halers (depending on the destination), appointment also can serve to introduce the heroes to
they can also hire a boatman to glide through each other, if they haven’t met previously. Either way,
the waats. the heroes may spend the evening exploring the city or
Boat rental services also offer slender gondolas, visiting one of the numerous establishments described in
with dragon-shaped bows, for between 5-20 the city guide.
silverthalers (the price requires a Haggling
check). However, the party should have at Tadeo Agtstone
least one hero with AP in Sailing to navigate Brief Description: Mid-50s;
the boat. While simple punting doesn’t require 5’1”; manager of Sumudan’s
a Sailing check, navigating a boat on the highly counting house; brilliant
crowded waterways requires the full ability and at procuration, competent
concentration of even an experienced boater. merchant; delicate man
with a round head and
gray, curly hair; black,
coffers containing precious cacao powder. Next to these, you spot velvet clothes with bronze
small signs labeling exotic looking items as genuine Uthurian. trim and the merchant house’s
The counting house personnel wear black velvet skirts or pants, emblem—a ship with billowing
and the left side of their shirts is adorned with an embroidered sails in front of a sun sinking into the
ship with billowing sails in front of a sun sinking into the sea. sea—embroidered on the left side of his shirt; lace collar;
They diligently hurry through the room, answering all the stiff hat; a stylish pince-nez rests on his large nose.
marveling visitors’ questions. Hovering over everything is a Function: Trusted contact in the Counting House de Vries;
strange smell, which seems to emanate from a freshly prepared motivates the heroes and provides information.
hot drink in the back of the storeroom. Background: Sumudan’s right-hand man, Tadeo manages
the counting house during the merchant’s frequent
absences. He is involved in all Sumudan’s matters—or so
he believes—and can provide advice to the heroes. He does
not know about the threat of Sumudan’s bankruptcy, as
The hot drink is a black, bitter tasting brew made from the merchant did not share that information with anyone.
water added to ground, brown beans. This exotic drink Alibi: He spent the evening of Sumudan’s death at home
is called coffee, and is said to be popular among Uthurian with his family, where he read the Grangoran Commercial
warriors who attribute an invigorating effect to it. The Gazette in front of the fireplace—as he does every evening.
demand for coffee has recently increased in Grangor, as He remembers all the headlines, and can also provide
the exotic, Uthurian product is currently fashionable. Too details on the content, if the heroes ask.
bitter for the Grangorers’ taste, they sweeten the coffee Attitude: Begins at level 6; his attitude toward the heroes
with milk, sugar, or even cinnamon—that is, if they can can increase to level 8 during the adventure.
afford such extravagances. Portrayal Tips: Gesture with your thumb and index
finger in front of your eye to adjust your imaginary pince-
Some of the products offered here are not actually from nez, blink intently, and wrinkle your nose—that thing
the south continent, though the signs claim otherwise. is constantly pinching you and never stays in place. Act
Many simply come from the Tulamydes or wild Moha friendly and courteous toward the heroes, but be assertive
tribes, and are sold here for many times the usual price. when it comes to representing the merchant house’s
The heroes can identify the counterfeits with a successful position, or your own.
Commerce check -2. Important Stats: Commerce 14 (16/15/15), Empathy 12
(13/15/15), SPI 3
Tadeo Agtstone, who manages the counting house,
receives the heroes. With honest regret, he tells the Wayside Events
heroes Sumudan is attending an important meeting at The heroes can make the following observations while
the Northland Bank; therefore, he cannot personally see traveling through the city. These scenes are optional; the
them. Since Sumudan is a very busy man, Tadeo suggests

One Night’s Accommodation
Here are a few possible accommodations for the
intent is to convey the city’s central themes. Most scenes heroes to choose from during their stay in Grangor:
loosely connect to the adventure’s plot. The Blue Phecadi (A02) hotel: On the Longwaat in
Old Grangor; a popular hotel for merchants; famed
The Newspaper Girl: A girl wearing tattered clothes for treating guests like royalty (Q5/P5/B35)
and an old, flat cap loudly advertises the newest edition The Dolphin School (A03) lodging house:
of the Grangoran Commercial Gazette—a mercantile paper Located in South Grangor; solid pilgrim’s
that reports on major merchants’ business ventures refuge; next to the temple of Efferd; impersonal
and share certificate profits and losses. (Q3/P3/B30)
The Dragon Alley (A04) inn: On Kopp island;
The latest edition mentions an opulent donation to the crooked, half-timbered house for travelers who
temple of Rondra, made by Sumudan de Vries, the one don’t have much money; motherly innkeeper
most blessed by Phex in the city. The merchant is quoted (Q2/P2/B12)
in the article as saying, “The goddess always protects my
ships against pirates and sea monsters; a modest offering is the
least I can do!” The article also mentions Sumudan’s much- Bornlander—featuring the
noted second venture to Uthuria that was expected to celebrated tenor, Karun A Blessed One in your
return shortly, with great speculation as to the riches the Varani—currently being group might be in Grangor
ships will hold this time. It is no coincidence Sumudan performed in the King to accept this donation for
announced the donation just about the time he expected Khadan Hall. The poster the Church. If so, simply
the fleet to return—his share prices rise, accordingly. promises all kinds of replace the temple of
phantasmagorical sorcery Rondra in this scene with an
The Flying Bornlander: Every street corner and from the great Gylduria de appropriate local temple.
archway in Old Grangor is plastered with large Vries, who accompanies
posters of a fat man with a thin moustache. Writing the performance.
underneath his picture advertises the opera The Flying
A Gruesome Discovery
When the heroes head toward the Counting House de allowing anyone in the street to see the cluster of
Vries the next morning, they see bystanders in front people forming there. Shocked whispers break through
of the counting house shaking their heads and holding the eerie silence.
their hands over their mouths in shock—something is
not right. The storeroom is deserted, and the counting Besides the counting house manager, Tadeo Agtstone,
house employees are gathered in the small, interior there are five other people in the courtyard, including
courtyard behind it. The door to the courtyard is open, two guards, which the heroes can easily identify by their
21
attire, weapons, and helmets. They all stand in a semi- Two-Lilies guard uniforms (black and white mercenary
circle, staring at something on the ground. clothes, heavy boots, breast plates, morion helmets,
If the heroes approach or make a Perception (Spot) check, and two-lilies); Adaon: 38; 5’5”; shoulder-length hair;
they notice a man in his mid-50s, with shoulder-length, overweight; chubby-faced; loves pastries; hates when
graying hair and a pointed beard, wearing a wealthy man’s he must leave his desk for a case; needs someone to
attire, laying on the ground. His eyes are wide-open; his lecture. Gilmon: 36; 6’3”; lanky; sunken cheeks; loves to be
previously white, millstone collar is soaked with blood. In respected; hates the effort required to be respected; needs
hushed whispers, the bystanders voice what the heroes someone to explain his job to him.
have likely guessed by now: the dead man is none other Function: Goofy, lazy, and incompetent guards, unable
than the noted merchant, Sumudan de Vries. to spot a trail; which should challenge the heroes to start
their own investigation.
It is plain to see the counting house employees’ shock, Background: Adaon and Gilmon joined the guard not
but the two guards seem rather unimpressed. Both stand to fight crime, but to rest easy on their adequate pay.
nearby, sipping from wooden mugs full of coffee. They bask in the respect the population has for them,
take themselves very seriously, and like to assume an air
Adaon Makkelijk & Gilmon de Traach of superiority. They gladly take advantage of any perks
Brief Description: Incompetent, know-it-all guards in offered to them. Readiness for duty is not a notion they grasp;
Background they instantly become witnesses to a heated spectacle.

After his meeting at the Northland Bank, Sumudan de Vries While Adaon and Gilmon believe Sumudan committed
met with officer Darian Pekhebber, who told Sumudan suicide, his employees simply cannot imagine such a
about the fate of the fleet in a private conversation. thing. Sumudan was a successful man who had just risen
Sumudan returned to the counting house—distressed and to the ranks of the city council; furthermore, once the fleet
far too late—where only the diligent Tadeo Agtstone, just returned from Uthuria, he stood to gain unimaginable
finishing his work for the day, remained. Reserved and riches. He already had plans to set out to Uthuria with an
distant, Sumudan retreated to his writing room, where even larger fleet during the next month of Phex.
he tried to drown his desperation in a bottle of wine. It
became clear to Sumudan, no matter how he looked at it, Whatever their reason, the heroes should feel the need
that he was ruined. Further, this disgrace would follow to sort out the guards’ suicide theory. It is quite possibly
his name forever. Taking paper and quill, he wrote a long in their own interest to do so; if you used the plot hook
farewell note, then jumped to his death in the interior from The Share Certificates, they stand to lose a sizeable
courtyard. amount of money (many won’t accept their certificates
while the circumstances of Sumudan’s death are unclear).
Shortly afterward Odina Hortemann and Arn If you used The Old Friend or The Eccentric, their companion
Knokenbreeker arrived at the counting house (see the rejects the guards’ theory as absurd—after all, both had
description on page 62 and the plot summary on page 5), lofty expectations for their meeting with Sumudan and
and found Sumudan’s lifeless body. To conceal the suicide, react quite emotionally. Should the heroes be here because
Odina took the farewell note and placed fake clues around of the plot hooks Looking for Specialists or Temple Offering,
the writing room to make it appear that Sumudan had not then defiance might be their motivation—someone just
been alone. Arn broke into Sumudan’s writing desk and deprived them of a lucrative mission or an offering to
stole a strongbox and a valuable log, further pointing to their temple!
foul play. Then, they locked the counting house from the
outside. That night, Arn placed the log and key in Thuan de Should none of these motivators be sufficient to get
Vries’ apartment. It is well-known throughout the city that the heroes involved, then Tadeo or the counting house
Thuan’s father despises him for being a scalawag and inept employees could doubt the guards’ theory due to
at managing money. Odina believes concealing the actual irregularities (which the heroes can discover in the
events will give her the time she needs to sell her shares in section, Search for Clues: The Body and Surrounding Area on
the Uthuria venture before people discover the truth and page 24). If the heroes applied as specialists, Tadeo could
the shares lose their value—which would mean her ruin. hire them as detectives. For solving the circumstances
of Sumudan’s death, he offers each hero de Vries share
Stoking the Flames certificates worth 10 ducats, with the suggestion that they
The heroes arrive shortly after two guards, Adaon and could easily be worth five times as much once the fleet
Gilmon, have taken a superficial look at the scene, and returns from Uthuria.

rather, they take the path of least resistance. Neither the angry at the guards’ stubborn insistence that it was
heroes nor the counting house employees can deter them suicide. Sumudan was an exceptionally gifted merchant;
from their conclusion that Sumudan committed suicide. he would never kill himself (use the rumors on page 29 if
Animosities: Superiors, know-it-alls, and people who try you need arguments on which to base these claims).
to tell them how to do their jobs.
Alibis: The guards were at the Two-Lilies inn until the bar To keep the employees from becoming hysterical and
closed at the first hour of Efferd (around 2am), at which angrily stating wild theories as to why there is no
point they staggered home to their families. Depending conceivable way the merchant would kill himself, the
on how the heroes act, the guards’ slight hangovers might heroes must make a Treat Soul check (they can reattempt
have a negative effect on their attitudes toward the heroes. a failed check every 30 minutes). If they succeed, the
Attitudes: Both guards’ attitudes begin at level 5, but can counting house employees can relay the following
quickly sink to level 3 if the heroes suggest they are not information:
doing their jobs correctly.
Portrayal Tips: Pretend to be holding a mug of coffee in Tadeo Agtstone (See description on page 20)
one hand, from which you occasionally sip as though you Observation: He saw Sumudan at closing time, sometime
are someone of importance. Adaon and Gilmon often speak during the second hour of Firun (6-7pm). The merchant
over each other, talk in unison, or complete each other’s spoke only a few distracted words of greeting, then
sentences while nodding at each other in affirmation. withdrew to his writing room. Tadeo did not give it much
Smile smugly at critical remarks and become gruff if the thought; the merchant was busy and often seemed to be
heroes do not agree with you. As guards, nobody has a deep in thought.
right to tell you how to do your jobs. Alibi: Tadeo spent the night at home with his family,
Important Stats: Willpower 6 (13/12/11), SPI 1 where he sat in front of the fireplace reading the Grangoran
Commercial Gazette, as he did every evening. He can recall
Adaon: “But the case is…”, Gilmon: “…entirely clear.” They all the headlines and give details about the content.
glance at each other, look down at the body, look up to the open Suspicion: Success breeds envy, and Tadeo doesn’t wish
window, and then look back at each other with affirming nods. to wrongfully accuse anyone (A successful Fast-Talk check
Both, in unison: “Suicide.” persuades him to reveal that the merchant, Svealinja
Watergaard, used to be a city council member. But when
What Happened Here? several other merchants chose to invest in Sumudan
The heroes have a few different options to try to figure instead, she could no longer afford the taxes to keep her
out exactly what happened: speak to the guards, question seat).
the counting house employees, or search the body and
surrounding area for clues. Linaria Koperstek (28; auburn hair tied in a bun; notably
bright clothes and long fingernails painted coral-red;
The Guards curious and chatty; copyist; Willpower 5 (13/13/12), SPI 2);
If the inquisitive heroes are not recognizable as people Attitude: 6
who command respect (nobles or Blessed Ones), the guards Observation: She was the first to arrive at the counting
react sullenly and are standoffish to their intervention. house, shortly after the first hour of Tsa (around 7am).
They may even counter with questions such as, “What’s it The door was still locked, which was puzzling, since she
to you?” or “Who wants to know?” Getting them to cooperate could see faint candlelight coming from the window in
and share information requires a competitive Fast-Talk the upper floor. As soon as Nevinia unlocked the door,
(Begging, Manipulation, or Sweet-Talk) check against the she hurried inside, where she discovered Sumudan’s
guards’ Willpower (Resist Fast-Talk) (one check for both body in the interior courtyard. She is still in shock, but
guards). If the check is successful, the guards share their if the heroes are successful at calming her down (with a
conclusion with the heroes: the merchant obviously killed successful Treat Soul check) she can reveal much about her
himself. The window to his writing room on the third floor employer’s family relationships.
is open, and here he lies. Alibi: She left work shortly after the second hour of
Firun (about 6pm) and spent the evening at home, alone
The guards cannot explain Sumudan’s motivation, but (A successful Empathy check reveals this is a lie. The
state, “the situation is blatantly evident” over and over. They gondolier, Pitri, visited her, as he often does. Neighbors
act belligerent and irritable if the heroes make any effort saw—and heard—them. She lies because she is ashamed of
to start an investigation of their own. However, they their relationship).
cannot prohibit the heroes from doing so. Suspicion: “The master’s family matters are quite dreadful,
indeed. His wife died two years ago, and his children cause him
The Counting House Employees nothing but grief. His oldest, Thuan, is a drunkard and good-
Sumudan’s employees are shocked about his death and for-nothing with phony friends. His daughter, Gylduria, was
23
promised to some rich lad from the south. But, shortly before This would not be the case if Sumudan was moved
the wedding—the poor lad was already here—she married some after sustaining the head injury. No further traces
actor in a moonlight fit. The poor master; Travia really didn’t of blood are found on the interior courtyard’s stone
have good intentions for him.” floor.
Treat Wounds check:
Nevinia Vardeen (late 30s; broad shoulders; muscular QL 1: Sumudan’s head injury could have been caused by a
upper arms; a few gray streaks in otherwise black fall from a great height.
hair; rough voice; speaks in short sentences; runs the QL 2: The blood around Sumudan’s head is thick, sticky,
storehouse; Willpower 4 (12/13/13), SPI 2); Attitude: 5 and cold, which means the body has been here for quite
Observation: Nevinia arrived unusually early at the some time.
counting house this morning to receive two crates of QL 3: Sumudan sustained fractures all over, in all the
cacao at the storehouse. She saw the copyist, Linaria, places where his body now touches the ground. A fall from
standing in front of the closed doors. Liniaria was worried, great heights would cause such injuries.
because Sumudan usually arrives first and opens the QL 4+: Physical evidence suggests Sumudan’s body has
counting house doors. Nevinia unlocked the doors and— been lying in this position for 9-12 hours.
not a minute later—heard Linaria scream.
Alibi: She was at a rather crude party in The Colorful House Searching the body: The merchant does not have
(G03) until the bar closed. much on him besides his clothes. In one pocket, the
Suspicion: There were problems with the harbor storehouse heroes find his pince-nez—glass shattered—and in
for some time. Entire crates and sacks kept vanishing another, a pocket watch that miraculously survived
overnight. She and Sumudan examined the shift schedules the fall. He has no counting house key on him.
to catch the culprit, and concluded the thief could only be
the drunkard and scoundrel, Torvon Snakkeling. Sumudan The Writing Room: Tadeo obligingly leads the heroes
hired someone to beat up Torvon, and then fired him. The upstairs. The writing room is narrow and unimpressive;
affair did not end there, and Torvon swore his revenge it is hard to imagine one of Grangor’s most affluent men
(the stolen goods included two crates of coffee, 10 sacks of worked here. Shelves containing books and scrolls line
peanuts, 20 ounces of amber from the first Uthuria journey, most of the walls. Next to one shelf stands a display
and three sacks of cacao beans.) case with crystal glasses, bottles, and different sized
decanters—their contents likely intended to help seal
Search for Clues: The Body and Surrounding Area important business deals. A large painting on the wall
The Courtyard: Sumudan’s body lies in a small, square depicts a proud fleet of ships sailing on a calm, sun-filled
interior courtyard. Directly above the body, a window on sea. A map showing unfamiliar coastal regions (probably
the third floor of the counting house stands open, a silk the northern cost of Uthuria) hangs next to it. A large,
curtain blowing in the wind. varnished writing desk sits in front of the only window
Perception (Search) check +2: A large pool of blood has in the room. A gentle breeze blows through the open
formed around the body in a rather regular circle. window, causing the curtain to flutter.

You can allow the heroes to actively search the room and “By all means—if you think you know better… Nothing is keeping
ask questions, or resolve their discovery of the following you from investigating this yourself. But you’re just wasting
with a Perception (Search or Spot) check: your time.”
Writing Desk, I: The writing desk is neatly organized, If you prefer, you can use competitive Fast-Talk
as though prepared for a painting, which makes the (Manipulation) checks against the guards’ Willpower (Resist
solitary red wine bottle standing on it seem quite Fast-Talk) to resolve the argument between the guards and
strange. The bottle is empty, as is the goblet next heroes. A successful check might also cause the counting
to it. Someone obviously drank the wine, as residue house employees to take the heroes’ side. The heroes
remains inside the bottle and glass. On the opposite can’t entirely convince the guards, who are content to
side of the desk stands a crystal glass that matches just sulk. After all, the heroes should be the ones to solve
those in the display case. The glass still holds about a this mystery. Adaon’s challenge to investigate the matter
thumb of a reddish-brown alcohol that smells of roses. themselves could be Tadeo’s cue to hire the heroes, if
The heroes can attempt to match it to the alcohol
in the case, or make a successful Alchemy (Mundane
Alchemy) or Carousing check to conclude the liquid is These clues exist because of the following facts:
Wild Novadi, a type of Chababian brandy. Writing Desk, I: Originally, only the wine
Writing Desk, II: What looks like a palm-sized ink bottle and goblet were on the desk. Odina
splotch spread over the desk’s surface. It looks as placed a second glass on the desk and poured
though someone sloppily wiped it away with a cloth a little Chababian brandy into it. With a
or something similar. If the heroes look closer, they’ll successful Fast-Talk (Manipulate or Sweet-Talk)
find kernels of pounce sand, used for blotting, on the check, Tadeo or Linaria reveal this is Thuan de
desk’s corner and on the floor. Vries’ drink of choice.
Writing Desk, III: The desk drawer looks like someone Writing Desk, II: The ink spot occurred when
forced it open. Tadeo can tell the heroes what is Sumudan wrote his farewell letter. The spill
missing: a timber strongbox with ivory inlays, which and the pounce sand are meant to point the
held the day’s earnings (about 110 ducats), as well as a heroes toward the fact that someone was
log book. In the log, a Captain Bredo Siegenström jotted writing here not long ago, but there is no
down nautical distances, sightings, and landmarks to document present. While Odina was tampering
help find Uthuria—making it an invaluable book, if with the crime scene, she accidentally dipped
the reader understands what it is they’re reading. her white shirt sleeve in the ink spot, making it
The Window: Upon closer investigation, the heroes look as though someone haphazardly tried to
wipe it up. Later, the heroes might notice her
see the curtains are torn down on one side, as though
shirt has an ink spot on the sleeve. However,
someone suddenly and roughly pulled on them.
Odina’s shirt can only be used as a final clue
The Vault: The heroes need at least QL 3 to find the
in a line of other evidence. Don’t worry if the
vault. Behind a fake row of books, they find a small,
heroes forget this detail, as they can solve the
locked vault bolted to the book shelf. A successful Pick case without it.
Locks (Combination Locks) check at -2 reveals property Writing Desk, III: Arn took the strongbox and
documents, debt securities, and shares inside. The the log, and placed them in Thuan de Vries’
heroes may have to study the documents closely to apartment. Odina used the money from the
comprehend them. strongbox to pay off Thuan’s gambling debts.
Missing Evidence: A key to the counting house. Both are meant to reinforce the suspicion
Sumudan didn’t have one on him, and the heroes can’t against him.
find one here. They should be curious as to how the Window: Arn pulled on the curtain to tear
counting house came to be locked. it, making it look like Sumudan tried to hold
onto it before falling out the window.
Incompetent Guards Vault: Odina and Arn did not look for the
By now, the guards are drinking their second mugs of vault. No one stole anything from it or even
coffee while they wait for their colleagues to come collect tried to search for it, which may be a cause for
the body. If the heroes challenge the guards’ decision suspicion.
and present their findings, the guards react indignantly Missing Evidence: Odina and Arn locked the
at first and attempt to refute the allegations. “What counting house from the outside when they
utter nonsense; you’re grasping at straws!” But they become left; Arn placed the key with the log book at
increasingly subdued when the heroes present clue after Thuan’s house.
clue. Eventually, Adaon attempts to shirk responsibility:
25
he hasn’t done so already. Make sure the heroes take had already committed suicide. Following a sudden
responsibility for investigating Sumudan’s death before inspiration, she pocketed Sumudan’s farewell letter
the following scene occurs. and tampered with the crime scene. She believes that if
the public thinks Sumudan was killed, no one will pay
The Woman in Black attention to the missing Uthuria fleet. During this time,
she hopes to sell her shares to avoid bankruptcy. She and
Arn Knokenbreeker are secret lovers. The brawny, former
Read Aloud or Paraphrase imman player fascinates her—and she appreciates his
The curious onlookers fall silent for a moment, then take a loyalty. However, she would not hesitate to sacrifice their
step back as they make way for a petite, middle-aged woman relationship to save herself.
in expensive clothes and her broad-shouldered, hulking Alibi: On the evening in question, she was at the
companion. The woman walks through the storeroom and the King Khadan Hall watching a performance of the
crowd of people, pausing in shock when she reaches the interior Flying Bornlander, a 3+ hour opera. She can show her
courtyard. entry ticket as proof (she left the opera during the
intermission and is unaware a tragic accident occurred
during the second act).
Attitude: 5
Portrayal Tips: Appear worried about Sumudan’s death
The newcomers are Odina Hortemann and her bodyguard,
and act friendly toward and helpful to the heroes. Sumudan
Arn Knokenbreeker. Odina says she had an appointment
was a good friend (true), and you want his possible murder
with Sumudan at the first hour of Ingerimm (10am) and
investigated. If the guards refuse to do so, you are more
seems both sad and shocked when she sees his body.
than happy to let the heroes take the job. Avoid doing or
saying anything that makes you look suspicious.
Odina Hortemann
Special: Odina pocketed Sumudan’s farewell letter and
Brief Description: 43; 5’3”; petite; long, black hair tied
stashed it in the vault in her writing room. If her plan fails,
up into an austere bun; high-necked, black clothes that
she intends to use the letter as proof that she didn’t kill
accentuate her figure; red-tinted cheeks; masterful
Sumudan.
merchant; brilliant judge of character.
Fate: Odina does not appear in future publications, so her
Motivation: Odina invested a lot of money in Sumudan
fate is open. She could meet her death at the end of this
de Vries’ second Uthuria venture (enough to threaten her
adventure, or be arrested and publicly punished. You may
very existence if her share certificates lose their value).
have her reappear as a villain in a later adventure. It is also
Agenda: If the true circumstances surrounding Sumudan’s
possible that she and Arn flee the city together.
death came to light, the de Vries shares would be
Important Stats: Commerce 14 (15/13/14), Empathy 12
worthless. Odina wants to delay this for as long as possible
(15/13/14), Fast-Talk 12 (14/13/14), Willpower 10 (14/13/14),
and secretly sell her shares in the meantime. To give
SPI 2
herself time to do so, she attempted to make Sumudan’s
Fate Points: 2
suicide look like a murder. However, Odina did not expect
Rumors About Odina:
the guards to forgo an investigation and conclude it was
“She and Sumudan have done business for a long time. The first
suicide out of sheer laziness. Therefore, she welcomes
fleet was only able to set sail thanks to her money. But they both
curious heroes who ask the right questions. With great
profit from it... The Hortemanns deal in luxury goods, after all.”
care, she tries to use the heroes for her own purposes.
(+)
Function: The villain of the story; she attempts to use the
“It is said her investment in the second venture was even larger.”
heroes to carry out her plans but underestimates their
(+)
cleverness and tenacity. The heroes’ actions may lead to
“No man could put up with her for long. She’s a proud woman.
her conviction later.
Of course, that could be because of her bodyguard. (-) I hear he
Background: As patron of the King Khadan Hall
never leaves her side, if you know what I mean.” (+)
(08), Odina was attending a performance
of the Flying Bornlander the previous
evening when Arn told her the
Arn Knokenbreeker
Brief Description: 31; 6’6”; strong as a horse; wears a
fleet was lost at sea. She left the
large earring in his left ear; competent imman player
performance to try to prevent
and equally gifted thug; average intelligence; Odina’s
Sumudan from revealing this
bodyguard.
information to the public,
Motivation: Arn is Odina’s bodyguard and secret lover.
but found the merchant
He’s as loyal as a dog to her.
Agenda: He wants to protect Odina from any harm; he

is willing to risk his own life and even to kill for her. He 13 (14/16/16), Intimidation 14 (13/13/13), Willpower 7
privately hopes to become more than just her secret lover. (13/13/13), SPI 1; for further stats, see page 62.
Function: Odina’s brawny bodyguard and partner in Fate Points: 1
crime; later, an obstacle the heroes must overcome. Rumors About Arn
Background: This former street urchin found a career “Arn used to be a wild bull; now he is just a tame ox. That odious
with Grangor’s imman team, the Eagles, and quickly patrician controls his leash.” (+)
achieved the position of team captain. When he could no “Really? You’ve never heard of Arn Knokenbreeker? The best
longer live off his earnings from the increasingly sporadic captain the Eagles ever had! It is a real shame you don’t see him
games, Arn followed his colleagues’ examples and became playing anymore.” (matter of opinion)
a part-time bodyguard for hire. He first met the patrician,
Odina Hortemann, in the Murder Him tavern, and she took
a liking to him. His part-time bodyguard services became What Does Odina Want?
regular work and the two eventually became secret lovers. Odina arrives to ensure everything goes according to
Arn hopes Odina can help raise his social station and that plan. That the guards suspect suicide perturbs her;
she’ll publicly announce their relationship one day. He she does not want anyone to start an investigation
often hangs around with his old friends at the Murder Him. into his personal life. Nevertheless, she encourages
There, he encountered Darian Pekhebber, whom he later the heroes to follow up on their suspicions.
killed and unceremoniously dumped into a canal when he
realized Darian’s knowledge could threaten Odina’s—and, To avoid implicating Odina prematurely, introduce
thus, his—economic existence. her after the heroes accept the case. Even then, limit
Alibi: He and Odina were at the opera the whole time, their interactions with her so clever characters don’t
which she confirms (This is a lie. Arn was at the Murder suspect anything.
Him while Odina was at the opera. He arrived and joined
Odina during the intermission, after the first act.) You should also avoid using Fast-Talk checks for
Attitude: 3 Odina, since these risk drawing suspicion. She
Portrayal Tips: Wear a stubborn facial expression, look exhibits real sorrow over Sumudan’s death, as they
grim, growl, and be taciturn. were long-time friends; however, she feigns her
Fate: Arn does not appear in future publications. The dismay because she has already had time to absorb
heroes might kill him, or he may be executed in the the shocking news.
Hangmanwaat. But, he could also possibly escape.
Important Stats: Fast-Talk 7 (13/13/13), Feat of Strength
The Initial Investigation

Early in their investigation, the heroes find indications toward Thuan from the start and go directly to Seek and
that someone may have murdered Sumudan. To confirm You Shall Find, on page 36. To lengthen the adventure, cast
their suspicions, they must first investigate Sumudan’s the spotlight on another suspect first, so the heroes follow
life. This might include questioning the counting house that trail, instead.
employees and, possibly, Odina. The heroes might also
talk to neighbors to see whether anyone noticed anything Shortly before leaving the counting house, Odina asks
strange the night he died. You can use the employees’ the heroes to keep her informed of all findings, as she is
answers as guidelines for other potential witnesses’ Sumudan’s main shareholder. She tells them she plans to
answers to the heroes’ questions. Otherwise, stick to the meet individually with the other shareholders over the
rumor section on the following page. next few days in a side hall in the temple of Phex, and asks
that they report to her there if they learn anything new
Eventually the heroes’ suspect list should include the (see The Shareholders, on page 46).
following four people: Sumudan’s daughter, Gylduria (page
30); his son, Thuan (page 37); his rival, Svealinja Watergaard The Neighborhood
(page 30); and the former storehouse worker, Torvon Optional Content
Snakkeling (page 35).
If your heroes decide to talk to the neighbors, they
Three of the suspects turn out to be innocent—though the
eventually encounter Captain Tonia ter Grachten (63; gray
heroes could level a good case against any of them—and,
hair; weather-beaten face; small, ice-blue eyes; smokes a
in the end, the evidence seems to point to Thuan. If you
pipe; loves to tell exaggerated stories about her journeys;
want to shorten the adventure, steer the heroes’ suspicion
27
In fact, the figures Tonia saw hates know-it-alls; needs easily distracted; loves the arts; hates that she can hardly
were Odina and Arn. But since new tobacco; Willpower 4 make a living at it; desperately needs money for necessary
Tonia knows Gylduria and (11/15/13), SPI 1), who lives in repairs to the hall; Willpower 10 (14/14/15), SPI 2; Attitude
Karun, and they have similar the house on the other side of 5), stands next to them—looking worried—to oversee the
statures, she assumes she saw the waat. repairs. A carriage-sized wooden prop ship sits at the edge
Sumudan’s daughter and son- of the stage, its side splintered into many pieces.
in-law. Tonia becomes evasive Tonia tells the heroes she
and vaguely describes the returned from a meeting of the The heroes can learn the following facts in King Khadan
figures’ build (a petite woman Helmsmen’s Guild yesterday Hall.
and a large, burly man) if around the second hour of The Flying Bornlander is a popular opera about a greedy
the heroes ask whether she Ingerimm (10pm). When she merchant who makes a bargain with dark powers
is certain about whom she tied her boat to the landing, and ends up cursed to sail the seas for all eternity.
saw. The heroes can also she saw Gylduria de Vries and Meanwhile, in Festum, his lover awaits broken-
reveal her uncertainty with her husband, Karun Varani. hearted for his return.
an Empathy check. But, since They approached from the A tragic accident happened during the second act
the heroes should not find north, crossed the bridge, and yesterday: the ship prop suddenly crashed onto the
out she is unsure at this point, headed toward the counting stage, burying some of the actors beneath it. Luckily,
you should only allow them house at a fast pace. She didn’t most of them were merely frightened and walked
to make an Empathy check if find it strange at the time. away without a scratch. Only the main actor, Karun
they specifically ask to do so. Varani, was badly injured. He now lies in the temple
You should also keep your The heroes can also make of Peraine with several broken bones.
NPC’s checks secret. an Asking Around check +2 His wife, Gylduria de Vries, is undoubtedly at his side.
(15-minute interval) to All performances are canceled, until further notice.
discover this information. Worn materials are the most likely reason for the
accident. Even though patrician families like the
The Daughter Hortemanns donate money to the house, it is not
Sumudan’s daughter, Gylduria, works as an illusionist at a enough, by far. It takes money to make art, but, since
theater called King Khadan Hall. She met her husband, the art rarely makes a profit, donations are quite low.
tenor Karun Varani, there. Naturally, she was present at
last night’s performance, during which Karun was injured In the Temple of Peraine
in a tragic accident and broke multiple bones. He is now With its nave and high tower, the heroes can see the
bedridden in the temple of Peraine. Temple of Peraine (T10) quite well from the river. While
it makes a rather modest impression at first glance, they
King Khadan Hall realize just how well-off the farmers here are as they get
closer. The building, which stands in a small herb garden,
is decorated with numerous wood carvings. Pious farmers
hang floral wreaths both inside and out, and bring ears of
Read Aloud or Paraphrase corn and other crops as offerings. An annex houses a small
Autumn rain falls in heavy drops from the overcast sky, blurring infirmary.
the poster exhibiting the likeness of a tanned, burly man, with
a thin, twirled moustache and beaming smile, which advertises Here, the heroes encounter Karun Verani (34; 6’3”;
the opera The Flying Bornlander, featuring the famous tenor, broad shoulders; massive chest; small, twirled moustache;
Karun Varani. However, the building behind the poster does tanned skin; curly, black hair; loves life on the stage; hates
not look like a temple of the arts. The rectangular building is prejudices against him as a Zahori; needs rest to regain his
unadorned and rather boring—as if it were shoved between the strength; Willpower 7 (13/13/13), SPI 2; Attitude 5; loves his
ornate burghers’ houses as an afterthought. wife, Gylduria de Vries.
Gylduria de Vries
Brief Description: 25; petite; brown hair tied up into a
bun; wears dark-colored mage’s robes with golden, arcane
The heroes can already hear the loud sounds of saws and
symbols; competent illusionist; loves her husband; hates
hammers from outside the building. A side-entrance to
how her father wants to run her life; blames herself for
the event hall stands open. Two carpenters currently
having a fight with her father.
occupy the performance room, replacing damaged stage
Function: A false lead, who might still provide valuable
boards. King Khadan Hall’s director, Siranja Biret (41;
information to the heroes.
curly, brown hair; large spectacles; loose, flowing clothes;

Rumors …about Thuan de Vries
The heroes likely want to gather information about “He’s a drunkard and a thief, twisted and rotten! (+) His wife
Sumudan and the main murder suspects at some point probably tried to pass somebody else’s child as his.” (-)
during the adventure. The people they question can share “He’s a gambler, just like his father. The old man just doesn’t
the following rumors… want to admit it.” (+/-)
“He basically lives in the city’s gambling dens. I don’t want
…about Sumudan de Vries to know how much his bad habits have cost his father.” (+)
“He was always a child of Phex. As a youth, he ran away “Thuan is Sumudan’s first-born son. His father wished for
from home with the dream of finding treasure and saving nothing more than his son to follow in his footsteps. (+) But,
princesses. Well, it didn’t quite come to that, but he did if you ask me, the lad lost his way.” (possible)
pretty well, nonetheless.” (+) “How can he torture his poor father like that? Thuan made
“He put all his money in his fleet’s first voyage to Uthuria. his father the laughing-stock of the city. (+/-) No one else in
If it hadn’t returned, he would have been ruined. (+) But, the city’s history has stood before a judge more often than
that’s life: You’ve got to be ready to gamble everything on Thuan de Vries. (+/-) Theft, burglary, dealing in stolen
one card. Most lose, but Sumudan—he won a great fortune.” goods, ownership of intoxicating herbs… I’ll tell you what,
(+/-) he won’t get off with just a fine next time.” (+)
“He has three children. Only his youngest, Milo, ever “The lad’s going to have quite a problem paying his fines,
amounted to anything. He manages the fleet, and he’ll now that his father is gone. It is said that Thuan is up to his
inherit the trade house some day. The other children are ears in debt. And not all his creditors are as patient as the
disgraces; the poor man.” (+/-) elder de Vries.” (+)
“A commendable merchant: He donates much and lives “He once confronted his father on the square in front of the
humbly. I wish all city council members had his integrity.” town hall. Shortly afterward, they could be heard yelling
(+/-) (Actually, Sumudan only kept up appearances. across the square—in front of the councilors, no less! How
He was in debt and needed the profits from the second shameful.” (+)
voyage to become solvent again.)
“Business is great. The Northland Bank wants to buy his …about Svealinja Watergaard
entire company.” (-) (In truth, the bank requested their “She grew rich in the glass and crystal trade. She has
first loan payment and Sumudan had to ask for a connections with the Phecano Forest dwarves.” (+)
deferment, as he could not pay it.) “Sumudan cheated her out of a hefty sum of money last
“The merchant loves the sea. (Anyone’s guess.) One of year. (-) Her incredible economic losses cost her seat on the
his daily rituals is to walk along the port. (+) He just stands city council.” (+)
there, looking longingly out to sea.” (+/-) “She’s an ice-cold businesswoman. She never forgets a thing.
(+) Something to keep in mind, when one considers the fact
…about Gylduria de Vries that she has connections to the criminal underworld…” (-)
“The merchant was disappointed his second-born had
Mada’s gift.” (-) …about Torvon Snakkeling
“Instead of a merchant, she became a carnival sorceress “He started working in the storehouse two years ago. He is
who entertains the masses with her colorful displays. At strong and can lift heavy objects, but he’s about as smart as
least she found permanent employment at the King Khadan sourbread.” (+/-)
Hall.” (+) “Sumudan de Vries had him beaten in front of the other
“They are all devious Zahori there! (-) They immediately workers, then chased him away like a dog. (+) Caught him
turned her head, especially that Karun Varani. She even with his hand in the till, I heard.” (+/-) (Strictly speaking,
married him (+), probably because she already has a child Snakkeling was stealing goods, not money)
on the way. (-) Well, what they say about the Zahori is true.” “Snakkeling cursed bitterly and vowed revenge on
(depends) Sumudan.” (+)
“All that, after her father arranged a marriage for her (+) “Snakkeling has seven children. He stole the money because
with a prince from the south. (-) And she goes and marries he desperately needed it.” (+/-)
this artist in a fit of passion and a moonlight ceremony, even “He’s been an Ironjaw since he was child. He only took the
though the groom had already arrived! (+) How could you job with Sumudan so he could rob his storehouse.” (+)
humiliate your own father like that?”
“The wedding was about three weeks ago. They haven’t
spoken a single word to each other since. (+) It is said
Sumudan even disinherited her.” (-)
This is a reference to Bram Ironjaw. See

Encounter with the Brekker Band on page 33
29
Background: After her father realized his mage daughter bring the goods into the storehouse. Now and then, you see
would probably not take over the merchant house, he guards patrolling with massive dogs.
shrewdly tried to marry her off. He chose Enrisco Nirranor,
bastard son of the Brabakan shipping company dynasty,
Geraucis. The marriage would allow the de Vries family a basis
for their ships in the south. But Gylduria refused to sacrifice
her freedom for family politics and married her lover Karun The heroes find Svealinja in the storehouse, where several
on short notice, instead. This led to a loud argument with her employees with long lists walk among the shelves, taking
father, and the two have not spoken since. inventory. It would seem a window in the roof recently
She does not know her father is dead. If she learns broke; even as one person sweeps up the broken pieces,
about his death, she bursts into unrestrained tears and another hastily boards up the hole.
the heroes must calm her down before they can ask her
questions. Svealinja Watergaard
Alibi: As an illusionist, she was working during the Brief Description: late-40s; blonde-gray hair, tied up in
performance—until the accident happened. Afterward, an austere hairdo; dark, modest, crushed-velvet clothes;
she accompanied her husband to the temple of Peraine lace collar; thin glasses; masterly merchant.
and has not left his side since. Function: A false lead with a cross-reference to Thuan de
Attitude: 6 Vries.
Portrayal Tips: Act dismissive toward the heroes. You Background: Svealinja primarily deals in glass and
currently cannot worry about anything other than crystal goods. Because Sumudan seduced some of her
Karun’s condition. Act distressed and hysterical once you financiers from her, who decided they’d rather invest in
learn about the death of your father. his Uthuria venture, she lost her city council seat. Some
Important Stats: Willpower 9 (14/13/14), SPI 2 might see that as reason enough to declare him an enemy.
Nevertheless, she sees herself as an honorable merchant
If asked, Gylduria can rule out anyone seeing her at the and would never act otherwise. Last night, someone broke
counting house—after all, she was at Karun’s side the into her storehouse. She does not yet know what exactly
whole time. Whomever thinks they saw her there is was stolen.
mistaken. Alibi: She was at a meeting in the Wheel and Cup casino,
socializing with patricians and merchants (including the
She cannot imagine why anyone would want to murder Master of the City—Gwynn Willforth, and Director of the
her father. She rules out her brother—despite his HPNC—Alricilian Sandfort). She learned about the break-in
rebellion, Thuan knew his father meant well and would after midnight, which is when she left to come straight to
always support him. However, she can give the heroes her storehouse.
Thuan’s address. Attitude: 3—the heroes are a nuisance to her
Portrayal Tips: Act dismissive and cold: your current
If the heroes press her for an opinion about who the matters are more important and occupy all your time.
perpetrator could be, she is very cautious; but, she Sumudan’s fate is certainly a tragedy, but it does not really
eventually admits Svealinja Watergaard was quite upset interest you. React angrily if anyone suggests you were
when Sumudan turned some of her financiers away from involved.
her. Important Stats: Commerce 13 (16/14/13), Willpower 10
(16/14/13), SPI 2
The Rival
The merchant Svealinja Watergaard lost a lot of money It seems someone snuck past the guard last night, broke
and her seat on the city council because of Sumudan’s into the storehouse through the window in the roof,
actions last year. She is not happy about it. and stole a yet unknown number of goods. The thief
went undetected until attempting to make his escape—
The heroes won’t encounter her at the Watergaard that’s when the dog, Bello (Warhome bloodhound; blood
counting house (A05), but rather at the Watergaard encrusted head injury; SPI -1) grabbed the thief’s leg. The
storehouse (A06) in the Newhaven district. thief fought back, broke a crystal decanter on Bello’s head,
and ran away. The guard, Yulag (26; full beard; black
teeth; frizzy hair; loves dice games; hates the nightshift;
hides that he fell asleep at first; feels terrible about poor
Read Aloud or Paraphrase Bello’s injury; Willpower 3 (12/11/11), SPI 1; Attitude 4),
A tall, picket fence surrounds the yard where the brick storehouse describes the perpetrator in an unhelpful manner as a
stands. A large crane hoists heavy crates from a ship’s hold to man about the same age as him with wild, black hair, pale
the wharf; from there, employees with handcarts and packhorses skin, dark clothes, and a brown leather backpack. He says

the thief escaped down the canal in a boat. If the heroes
pressure him, he quickly admits he fell asleep and woke up
only after Bello was already chasing the thief. Read Aloud or Paraphrase
The murky, bubbling water sits in narrow waats, over which
wash lines hang like thick foliage. The sandy underground has
The nighttime intruder was Thuan de Vries, who partly swallowed the houses, causing them to lean dangerously
plans to pay his debts with the loot from the toward each other. Children wearing tattered clothes play in the
robbery (see page 37). alleys, where the smothering smells of garbage, fish, and tar fill
the air. Sudertown is a desolate place, full of abandoned hopes
and broken dreams.
The Employee
The storehouse worker, Torvon Snakkeling, had been stealing
goods from Sumudan for months. Sumudan subsequently
fired him last week, after having Torvon publicly beaten. Torvon Snakkeling and his family live on the fifth floor
Torvon vowed revenge. The reason Sumudan noticed of a tall, narrow apartment building. The heroes climb
the theft was because numerous goods—many from the the worn steps of the rickety stairway to find a rundown
first journey to Uthuria—disappeared suddenly from his den full of four screaming children and the overworked
storehouse. Zerline Snakkeling (26; brown, stringy hair; swollen
skin; loves tobacco; hates her drunk, good-for-nothing
husband; needs a new perspective; Willpower 6 (13/12/13),
- 2 crates of coffee SPI 2; Attitude 4). She, too, would love to know where
her husband is; she suspects he’s probably boozing away
-10 sacks of peanuts money they don’t have in the Seven Winds tavern.
-20 ounces amber The Seven Winds Tavern

-3 sacks cacao beans
The Seven Winds (Q2/P1/-) is a dark, dilapidated tavern
at Newhaven’s edge. Seafarers and stevedores meet here
at the end of the workday and drink away their meagre
The counting house supervisor, Nevinia Vardeen (see salaries. The furnishings are sparse and the beer watery.
page 24), can describe Torvon (large; broad shoulders; Still, more than a dozen sullen men turn their heads
bald; earring in his left earlobe; tattooed upper arms). questioningly when the heroes enter the tap room.
She knows Torvon lives in Sudertown, but does not know
exactly where. The men in the tavern immediately treat heroes with
a social status of 2 or higher, who do not have the
Torvon’s House advantage Socially Adaptable, with distrust. They voice
The heroes must find their way to Torvon, which requires quite unmistakably that they want nothing to do with
an Asking Around check. The check receives a penalty of such folks here. Even the innkeeper, Abelmir Sindern (72;
-2 without Nevinia’s information. The check interval is 3 curly, white hair; weather-beaten skin; crystal-blue eyes;
hours. loves sailors’ tales; hates bill-dodgers; needs someone to
remind Torvon to pay his tab; Willpower 7 (14/15/13), SPI
The following scene 2; Attitude 4), is aloof and dismissive.
starts late in the
afternoon and ends at There are many bald men with tattoos here, but none
If you want to shorten this fit Torvon’s description. The heroes can hear further
episode, the check receives night. If your heroes
are looking for Torvon rumors about Torvon here (see page 29) and finally learn
a penalty of -3 (or -1 with his whereabouts: Torvon just left; he was headed toward
Nevinia’s information) at a different time, you
might need to adapt the Dragon Pit (A08) (see page 32). But first, they must
and has a 6-hour interval. convince the sailors to reveal this information. Heroes who
In this case, the heroes’ the scene. Or, you can
change the Asking Around make Seduction, Fast-Talk, and Intimidation checks receive a
question, “Where can I find penalty of -1 for each of their status levels above Not Free (the
Torvon Snakkeling,” leads check interval, so the
heroes arrive at Torvon’s sailors’ base attitude levels are 5). Each hero who wishes
them directly to the scene to engage with the tavern-goers must make a cumulative
In the Dragon Pit, on page 32. apartment (A07) early in
the evening. check using one of these skills (2 minutes, 5 attempts).
A failed check causes the opposite party’s attitude to
decrease by 1 level. If their attitude sinks to 2 or less,
31
Use the Brawling Points
It is rather obvious they rules from In the Dragon Pit
conduct bloody boxing for the tavern brawl.
the men matches here, with bets
chase off taken before and during
the heroes or the fight. The fight ends
a tavern brawl only when one of the
ensues (use the opponents gives up or is
Brekker Band stats from no longer able to fight.
page 35 for the sailors).
Torvon is somewhere in the crowd. The heroes must make
In the Dragon Pit a cumulative group check (Perception (Search) -3 (5 minutes,
Torvon’s trail leads the heroes to an isolated any number of attempts), to find him. If successful, they
storehouse in Newhaven, where illegal fights take spot him just as he is about to leave through a back door
place. Grangor’s secret crime lord, Sylvin Brekker, is the with three friends.
proprietor; the heroes encounter his right-hand man,
Bram Ironjaw, here. The heroes must try to squeeze through the crowd to
catch Torvon before he leaves. To do so, each hero must
make a successful cumulative check using Body Control
Read Aloud or Paraphrase (Squirm) -2 (5 attempts). Otherwise, by the time they reach
Here, at the tip of a narrow peninsula, stands storehouse after the door through which Torvon and his companions left,
storehouse. Evening now lies over the quarter, and signs of life it is locked, and they must reopen it before they can follow
on the piers has come to almost a standstill. Occasionally, you him. This requires a cumulative check using Pick Locks
encounter prostitutes who await their customers in the half- (Bit Locks) +1 (any number of attempts). If the remaining
light of doorways. From afar, you can hear what sounds like heroes shield the one picking the lock, no one in the hall
dockworkers loading a ship. A beacon on a sandbank provides notices what they’re doing.
sparse light.
If the heroes intercept Torvon and his three companions
before they walk through the door, a scuffle ensues,
as Torvon doesn’t like being stopped by strangers (see
Torvon’s description on page 35). With the excitement
You approach a run-down storehouse, its door illuminated by of the spectators around them, it is quite likely non-
a fire burning agitatedly in a metal basket. You can see two participants end up involved in what turns into a large
brawny watchmen from a distance, and hear loud jeers from brawl (see Brawling Points rules, below).
inside.
Encounter with the Brekker Band
Heroes with a level 2 social status or less get past the Through the door, the heroes gain access to the back of
doormen without trouble. However, they eye heroes the storehouse. As they search the abandoned storehouse,
with higher statuses suspiciously; the heroes should they find a few open crates—the contents of which are
at least be able to explain why they are there. This probably used to run the fights in the front hall—and
requires a Persuasion, Fast-Talk, Seduction, or Disguise check come across writing rooms and supervisors’ offices.
with a penalty of -1 for each social status level above 2. The heroes can access the gallery via a ladder. Another
The doormen have Perception 5 (9/11/11), Willpower 4 door leads through a paneled wall, into an area rather
(12/11/10), and SPI 0. Their attitude toward people with obviously added on to the side of the storehouse that faces
a social status of 2 or less is level 5; for each social status the water. Perception (Spot) checks receive a -2 penalty and
level above 2, their attitude sinks by 1. If all else fails, the Stealth checks receive a +2 bonus, due to the noise.
heroes can climb the wall outside the storehouse and
enter through a window about 20 feet above street level. When the heroes reach the back of the hall, the following
scene unfolds before their eyes.
Once the heroes pass through the door, they enter a hall
where a ring is set up. A muscular woman with an eye-
patch actively beats on a man bleeding from multiple
lacerations. More than a hundred people fill the room. Read Aloud or Paraphrase
Some stand tightly packed around the ring, and the rest Lanterns illuminate the back section of the storehouse, where a
occupy a platform about 13 feet above. All cheer loudly for dozen rough-looking men cast long shadows on the walls. With
their favorite contender. their arms folded in front of their chests, they contemptuously
glare at a bound, frail-looking man in rags whom Torvon

Brawling Rules
Optional Rule
Injuries
The Core Rules do not differentiate between an opponent
Most brawls end only after one side has won;
killed by a weapon and one killed by a series of blows,
consequently, nearly everyone involved receives some
kicks, and head-butts in unarmed combat. Although
minor injuries. Use the following table to randomly
the damage received in a bar fight is typically not as
determine what happens to each participant. The
serious as that from a swordfight, participants may
percentage refers to the participants’ LP at the start
still reach 0 LP or lower at some point. This optional
of the brawl and determines how many actual LP each
rule is meant to simulate an exciting and action-
participant loses.
packed bar fight, not lead to anyone’s death—so, bar
fights using these rules are rarely fatal. It is far more
likely for someone to get knocked unconscious or lose 2D6 Injury (Total Loss of LP in %)
a few teeth instead. Therefore, these rules deliver less 2 Abrasion (10%)
damage than the standard combat rules.
3 Bloody Nose (10%)
Characters suffer Brawling Points (BP) from
successful attacks. BP function basically the 4 Sprained Hand (10%)
same way as DP, but at the end of a brawl, only a 5 Bruise (20%)
fraction of the DP turn out to be real. The majority
6 Scratch (20%)
are regained immediately after the fight ends.
After the fight ends, participants make an Injuries 7 One Black Eye (20%)
roll (see the Injuries Table, below) to determine the 8 Two Black Eyes (25%)
actual LP they lose from the brawl. 9 Laceration (25%)
Instead of receiving Pain at each LP threshold,
participants receive Stupor (one level of Stupor 10 Multiple Lacerations (33%)
each at three-quarters, one-half, one-quarter, and 11 Dislocated Finger / Broken Toe (33%)
5 or less LP). Those who gain the state incapacitated 12 Lost Tooth / Hair Torn Out / Gash (50%)
due to too many levels of Stupor are effectively
removed from the brawl. Participating in the Boxing Match
Calculate the percentage of LP regained at the If your players enjoy proving themselves in combat,
end of the fight, as well as the threshold values you can let the heroes participate in the boxing
of Stupor levels, from each participant’s current LP matches. The rules are simple and few: magic and
(NOT maximum LP) at the start of the brawl. weapons are prohibited; everything else goes. The
match lasts until one contender concedes or becomes
Example: A participant with a maximum LP of 32 has 20 LP incapacitated. A hero must win three fights to collect
when the brawl starts, and therefore receives Stupor levels the prize money (10 ducats). Use burgher or bandit
at 15, 10, and 5 LP. After the brawl, a roll of 4 on 2D6 on the stats from the Aventuria Almanac (pages 252-253) or
Injuries Table indicates an actual loss of only 10% of the LP. those of Bram Ironjaw’s thugs (page 35) for opponents.
Remember to calculate this loss from the LP (20, in this case) In later rounds, opponents should have fewer LP and
at the start of the brawl. Therefore, the participant loses 2 LP higher condition levels.
(10% of 20), and not 3 LP (10% of 32, rounded down to 3).
Snakkeling and a grim-looking woman just brought down a flight The giant man is the dreaded Bram Ironjaw (42; 6’5”;
of stairs from the floor above. The man falls to his knees in front square, shaved head; covered in scars; left earlobe missing;
of a bull-necked giant of a man with a square head—pleading brutal and cunning; hunted by the city guard, but never
for mercy—but the man meets his pleas with scornful laughter. caught; the Brekker Band’s enforcer; presumed leader and
“You know what happens to traitors!” he says, his deep, bass successor of Black Brekker, but in reality, only the right-
voice drowning out the jeers from the neighboring room. Two hand man to Black’s son, Sylvin Brekker, who acts silently
of his men place a thick mooring rope around the man. A third from the shadows; loves his moustache; hates resistance;
brings over a swinging crane hook while someone slides open needs someone to stop him when he’s in a rage), and the
the storehouse’s back wall. Beyond it, you see the waters of the heroes are about to witness how the feared Brekker Band
Yellow Phecadi mirroring the moonlight; a solitary rowboat bobs treats traitors. The victim, Merago (34, but looks 50;
up and down on the river. gray, shaggy hair; wrinkled skin; wispy; smells of sweat
and urine; Willpower 5 (13/13/13), SPI 2), is a beggar who
made the mistake of accepting payment to reveal the
thugs’ secrets to the guards.
33
If the heroes don’t act, the men chain Merago to the
crane hook, lift him up, and swing him out over the river.
They torture him by dunking him in the water a few
times before finally sending him to sleep with the fishes,
as they say—submerging him deep into the canal and
leaving him there. By the time they come back for these
victims’ bodies (if anyone does come back), the hook is
usually empty thanks to the hungry fish and crabs that
live in the harbor.
After they sink Merago, the gang disperses. Bram Ironjaw

and four of his men leave via boat; the rest (six people,
including Torvon) leave the storehouse through the
front entrance.
Combat
It is safest for the heroes to wait while the scene unfolds,
then follow Torvon and ambush him when he is alone
(the ambush requires a successful competitive Stealth
(Sneak/Hide) check against Torvon’s Perception; the
thug surrenders when he realizes he is outnumbered).
However, few heroes can watch a murder occur in front
of their eyes without intervening. So, they must act.
The eleven gang members plan to stick around until the
beggar drowns, which means the heroes must fight them
all at once to save him.
Two men operate the crane, which requires strenuous

lifting, while the rest watch. Then, the men turn a crank to
lower Merago into the water. The gang forgets about the
beggar if the heroes attack. If the heroes don’t pull him
out of the water within 15 CR, he drowns.
This scene shows the heroes who has control over

Grangor’s underworld, and how they deal with
bothersome traitors.
The heroes technically don’t have to save Merago

to solve the mystery, but if they do nothing, they
would be complicit in his murder. They should
succeed if they devise a good plan, if they don’t
mind Torvon escaping, or if the dice are on their
side. If they succeed, Merago might be able to
provide additional information about Torvon so
they can find him again. However, they also may
want to steer clear of the rest of the Brekker Band.

The Heroes’ Options
Attack: Since the crane only requires two thugs to
Brekker Band Thug
operate it, the other nine thugs fight back, immediately.
COU 14 SGC 12 INT 13 CHA 12
The crane operators join the fight after 2 CR. If the
DEX 12 AGI 13 CON 14 STR 14
thugs don’t gain the upper hand within 5 CR, four of
LP 36 AE – KP – INI 14+1D6
them make sure Bram escapes on one of the boats.
SPI 2 DO 8 TOU 2 MOV 8
The thugs flee when they are at or below 50% of
Unarmed: AT 14 PA 8 DP 1D6 RE short
their LP, or when at least half of them have already
Brass Knuckles: AT 14 PA 8 DP 1D6+1 RE short
fled. Bram and four others flee on the boat; the rest
PRO/ENC: 0/0
attempt to exit through the boxing hall. If this path is
Disadvantage: Negative Trait (Quick Temper)
blocked, they dash upstairs, jump out the 20-foot high
Special Abilities: Alertness, Feint I, Forceful Blow I,
window into the river, and swim away.
Improved Dodge I
Ambush: An ambush forces the thugs to take cover.
Skills: Body Control 7, Feat of Strength 7, Intimidation 10,
They can’t fight back if they don’t know where the
Perception 6, Sailing 7, Self-Control 8, Stealth 9, Swimming
attack is coming from, so they try to flee, instead.
7, Willpower 6
Spells and Liturgical Chants: Much like an ambush,
Combat Behavior: The Brekker Band thugs like to
spells and liturgical chants surprise the thugs. If the
alternate their combat SA when they fight.
heroes use spells that cause the condition Fear II or
Escape: After suffering Pain II, or when at least half of
higher, the thugs try to escape.
them have already fled
Try to Capture Torvon: Torvon fights like the others.
Pain +1 at: 27 LP, 18 LP, 9 LP, and 5 LP or less
When fleeing, he first tries to exit through the main
Special: Bram Ironjaw has AGI 16, CON 18, and STR 16;
hall; if that fails, he sprints up the stairs and jumps
LP 43, AT 12, PA 10; causes +2 DP when Unarmed, +1 DP
into the river from a 20-foot high window.
with Brass Knuckles
Operate the Crane: When the fighting begins,
Skills: Feat of Strength 12, Intimidation 14, Self-Control 16
Merago hangs from the crane over the water. The
thugs want to prevent him from giving the heroes any
information, so they drop him into the river as soon
as they can. If the heroes don’t defeat both operators If the heroes concentrate on saving Merago, Torvon
simultaneously, they manage to submerse Merago in escapes.
the water. To raise the beggar back up to the surface,
the heroes must make a cumulative group check (Feat If the heroes manage to capture Torvon Snakkeling (31;
of Strength (Dragging & Pulling) -2 (1 CR, two people, any 6’2”; broad shoulders; bald; earring in his left ear; tattooed
number of attempts) to operate the crank. The heroes upper arms; brawny, but dim-witted; loves his wife, but
must achieve at least 6 QL within 1D6+5 CR, otherwise doesn’t know how to show her; hates alcohol, but is
the current sweeps Merago further away. Note that addicted to it; wants honest work, but is beholden to the
they need 10 QL to raise Merago up far enough to Brekker Band, Willpower 6 (14/13/12) SPI 2; Attitude 2),
breathe again. If they do not garner 10 QL within 15 he is surprised to hear of Sumudan de Vries’ death, and
CR, he drowns. swears he had nothing to do with it (true). He spent the
evening in question at the Red Lotus (24) brothel, a fact
The thugs try to keep the heroes away from the crane. If he wants to hide from his wife. The brothel employees can
the thugs somehow manage to interrupt a Feat of Strength confirm his alibi.
check, the heroes may continue where they left off with
their attempt to garner the required QL.
35
Seek and You
Shall Find
The Prodigal Son

Sooner or later, the heroes end up on the trail of Sumudan’s
wayward son, Thuan de Vries. Thuan’s apartment (A09)
is in a decrepit, half-timbered house on Kopp island. The
heroes can learn this from his sister, Gylduria, or from a
successful Asking Around check (9-hour interval).
Thuan had nothing to do with his father’s death; but,

unfortunately, he does not have an alibi he can share,
because he was busy breaking into Svealinja Watergaard’s
storehouse. Her watchdog bit him in the leg, giving him a
painful wound. He just barely got away, but not before the
guard saw him. Thuan now fears the merchant’s agents
are on his tail—as if he needed more problems—and he
believes the heroes are her agents.
Thuan broke in to the storehouse because he needs to find

a way to pay his gambling debts to the dubious financier,
Stordian Goudtand, who recently threatened to send the
Brekker Band’s debt collectors after Thuan. Two days ago,
during a heated argument, Thuan’s father said he would not
pay Thuan’s debts this time. So, Thuan decided to handle
it on his own. While he was out, Arn Knokenbreeker—sent
by Odina—entered Thuan’s apartment unseen and planted
the misleading clues there.
Thuan didn’t return to his apartment until morning, after

selling the stolen goods to a fence. He planned to settle
his debts with Goudtand later that day, after catching up
on a bit of sleep, but was surprised to discover someone
else already took care of it for him. Since he doesn’t know
his father is dead, he assumes Sumudan paid off his debts
after all. He decided to praise Phex for his unexpected
wealth by using it to gamble in the Wheel and Cup.
Depending on when the heroes decide to search for

Thuan, they either meet him in his apartment or the
casino. In either case, he makes a run for it, as he believes
these strangers are Svealinja Watergaard’s agents. Below
is Thuan’s description, followed by a description of his
apartment and the Wheel and Cup (page 39). The chase
begins on page 41.
36 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

Thuan de Vries is false; That night, Thuan broke into the Watergaard
Brief Description: Sumudan’s first-born son; 28; lousy storehouse, where the watchdog bit his leg).
merchant; competent troublemaker and drifter; has a Attitude: Initially a 3, but can raise to 7 or 8 once Thuan
problem with authority; currently limps on his right leg; notices the heroes believe him.
wild black hair; pale skin; dark circles under his eyes; dark, Portrayal Tips: Slouch in your chair, relax one arm on
practical leather clothes; a drunk with a strong preference the table while you raise the other and pretend to drink
for Wild Novadi (a Chababian brandy). a cup of brandy. Act cynical and bitter. Ignore outward
Motivation: (Subconscious) rebellion against his father appearances and judge everyone according to your
and authority, in general; in search of thrills; often needs opinion of them.
to avoid being hanged, which usually leads to an even Special: He limps on his right leg. If the heroes search
worse situation. his apartment, they easily find a counting house key, the
Agenda: None—Thuan lives in the moment, with no Uthuria log book, and the empty strongbox—the planted
thought of tomorrow. evidence was only half-heartedly hidden.
Function: Scapegoat, intended to divert the heroes’ Important Stats: See stat block on page 42
attention from the true cause of Sumudan’s death; the Fate Points: 3
heroes likely find his behavior suspicious. They should
first attempt to collect evidence proving his guilt, then “Money, money, money! That’s all anyone in this city thinks
discover they are following the wrong trail and attempt to about. They all think it sets them free—they don’t know how
prove Thuan’s innocence. addicted they are….”
Background: Thuan fell in with the wrong crowd when
he rebelled against his father’s strict education. He “You put on a uniform and think it gives you power, but it is all
drinks, gambles, and steals. The guard apprehended him just a facade supported by people who wish to remain ignorant!
numerous times, and each time his father paid his fine to Strip away the fine cloth and the pretention, however, and you
get him off the hook. Sometimes, Thuan allowed himself to always find a vulnerable soul underneath.”
be caught, merely to humiliate his father. His arrest record
contributes to his seeming guilt, and nobody believes his Thuan’s Apartment
story, even though he is innocent and had nothing to do
with his father’s death.
Alibi: He was home alone, where he drank a bottle of Wild
Novadi and went to sleep. He limps because he twisted his Read Aloud or Paraphrase
ankle yesterday when he was walking up the stairs (This Kopp island is a simple, grounded quarter, where narrow, half-
timbered houses lean toward each other for support. Clotheslines
hang suspended above the waats, and the cobblestone streets
echo with the mingled sounds of smiths hammering, carpenters
sawing, and chickens clucking. You’d never expect someone as
restless as Thuan de Vries to live here.
Thuan lives on the third floor of a narrow, half-timbered

house—above a seamstress’ workshop. A wooden flight
of stairs outside the building leads up to his apartment.
The unpleasant smell of feces and urine wafts up from the
adjacent pigpen.
The front door is made from sturdy timber, and it is locked.

The heroes must make a cumulative check (Pick Locks (Bit
Locks) +2; 3 attempts) to open it. The stairs are visible from
the street and from neighboring buildings; If the heroes
fail the check, someone notices them breaking in. The
same is true for the windows, covered by shutters, which
are easily seen from the waat. To enter through them, the
heroes must first make a Climbing (Walls) check and then
a cumulative check using Feat of Strength (all applications)
37
+3 or Pick Locks +1. After three failed attempts, someone like it might open a barn door. The round grip has a
notices the activity. ship’s silhouette with billowing sails punched out of it
(Streetwise: The picture resembles the merchant House
Inside the Apartment de Vries’ coat of arms; It is reasonable to assume the
The heroes don’t know what to expect inside Thuan’s key unlocks the counting house doors.)
apartment. You can use this uncertainty to create tension 9 QL: In a closed, unlocked chest, the heroes find
by lowering your voice when you read the following text, a few personal items: an intricately carved pipe, a
if you choose. Continue to keep your voice low until Thuan tinder box, a small box with a few gemstones (value:
runs or the heroes thoroughly explore the apartment. 3 ducats), and a skillfully bound duodecimo book,
full of handwriting. Between the pages of writing
are drawings of coastal regions (this is Captain Bredo
Siegenström’s log book, in which he describes the first
Read Aloud or Paraphrase passage to Uthuria ordered by Sumudan de Vries. A
Dim light peeks through the closed window shutters, throwing successful Perception (Spot) check -2 or Pick Locks (Bit
dark, striped patterns on the brightly painted walls. Dust dances Locks) check reveals damage to the wood around the
in the stagnant air. You carefully make your way through chest’s lock. It appears someone pried the chest open
discarded clothes, empty bottles, and crusty drinking cups, at some point).
holding your breath with every step as the creaking floorboards 10+ QL: Also in the chest is a wooden strongbox with
threaten to reveal you. ivory inlays (it once held the day’s earnings, which
were stolen from the counting house). The heroes
must open the fragile lock carefully with a Pick Locks
(Bit Locks) check -3. The box is empty.
Asking Around in the Neighborhood
Scenario A: Thuan is Home
Something is Rotten in the City of Grangor
Each player must make a Stealth (Sneak) check -2. For every
Of course, Arn Knokenbreeker planted this
failed check, Thuan makes a competitive Perception (Spot)
evidence in Thuan’s apartment. But, your heroes
check -5. Once he wakes, he immediately runs, jumps
don’t need to discover that at this moment. Let
through a window that opens onto the waat, and swings
them draw their own conclusions, and don’t force
across the canal on a clothesline. Thuan has the special
the information on them. The adventure continues
ability, Vigilance. When Surprised, he spends one Fate Point
either way, and it doesn’t matter if they suspect
to rid himself of the condition. He spends a second Fate
Thuan or start to doubt his guilt because the
Point to ensure he acts first, so he can escape.
evidence seemed too easy to find.
The chase begins on page 41.
Scenario B: The Apartment is Deserted

The heroes enter the apartment while Thuan is not home A middle-class neighborhood is an observant
(or, they return to explore it after he escapes). Thuan’s neighborhood: few things go unnoticed here. The
apartment is a mess; it looks like someone else broke in following people are the most likely candidates to share
already and searched the rooms. Finding anything of value information, but you can come up with other neighbors,
in all this chaos will prove difficult. Doing so requires a as well.
cumulative group check (Perception (Search/Spot) -3; 15 Lovisia Arkrohn (37; master tailor; owns the shop on the
minutes, any number of attempts), during which each hero first floor of Thuan’s apartment building and lives on the
may also make a one-time Empathy or Streetwise check. second floor; Thuan’s landlady; is disturbed by her renter’s
nightly activities, but would never throw him out because
The heroes can obtain the following information. of his father’s influence; Willpower 3 (13/13/13); SPI 2)
3 QL: Thuan seems to be drinking too much. They find Simona Durenald (74; white hair; wrinkled face; beady
empty bottles and decanters all over the apartment, eyes; lives in the house opposite Thuan’s apartment;
as well as empty cups that smell strongly of liquor loves to watch the street through her window; hates
(a successful Perception (Spot) check -1 reveals it is when there’s nothing interesting to see; urgently needs
Wild Novadi, the same brandy in the other glass on exciting, new observations to gossip about with her
Sumudan’s desk). friends; Willpower 4 (12/11/14), SPI 2)
6 QL: The heroes discover a large, 4-inch long bit key,
half-hidden under a discarded shirt. It is far too large
to fit any of the locks in the apartment; it looks more

Rumors About Thuan The Wheel and Cup (Q5/P5/-) is a fancy casino, primarily
The heroes can learn the following about Thuan from visited by traveling nobles and merchants. Local merchants
Lovisia, Simona, or both. and patricians also use the house for business meetings
“That one is a rapscallion and scallywag, never did an and to celebrate business deals. Several pageboys guard
honest days’ work in his life. But his father pays on time, the entrance to guarantee no riffraff enters. If needed, they
that’s why he still lives here.” (+) (both) request aid from several more finely dressed protectors,
“If he isn’t here, then he’s probably squandering his money who treat troublemakers in a far less noble manner.
away in the Wheel and Cup. No idea where he gets the Inside the Casino
money—I guess it is probably better I don’t know.” (+)
(both)
“Tidiness? He doesn’t know the meaning of the word. That Fine Feathers Make Fine Birds
apartment is a pigsty.” (+) (Lovisia) Wearing the right sort of clothes is the basic
“It can’t be any kind of respectable business that he does. requirement for entry here. The heroes should at
He’s often up in the middle of the night and then sleeps long least dress like lesser nobles (see Core Rules, page
into the day.” (+) (both) 375) and act in such manner, as well. Every hero
“Just yesterday, he came back late and stumbled over his with a social status below 3 (see Core Rules, page
mess in the dark. Probably drunk again, the boozehound. 338) must first make an Etiquette (Fashion) check to
Someday, he’s going to break his neck.” (-) (Lovisia; she determine how to dress. They receive a QL/2 bonus
unknowingly heard Arn Knokenbreeker breaking into to their subsequent Disguise (Costuming) check,
Thuan’s apartment) which receives a penalty of -1 for each status level
“And then there’s all his strange friends. They come below 3 the hero must overcome. Heroes can assist
over late at night, they’re loud, and they wake the whole their companions in the same way.
neighborhood when they leave. Scoundrels, all of them—if
you ask me.” (+/-) (both) The pageboys at the entrance scrutinize every
“If you ask me, he’s selling intoxicating herbs or some such. unfamiliar guest with a critical eye (Perception 5
That’s the reason so many people come by at odd hours.” (-) (11/12/12)). If they have reason to distrust the
(both) heroes, they ask questions about their names and
“Just last night, someone was at his door. Looked like a origins. Only a successful Etiquette (Manners) check,
doorman or dockworker; I sure wouldn’t want to meet his sort with a penalty of -1 for every level of social status
at night. We really put up with a lot, having a neighbor like below 3, helps here. However, if the characters
Thuan.” (+/-) (Simona; she saw Arn during the break-in. think to try it, this check receives a QL/2 bonus
Since she could only make out his silhouette, she could from a competitive Fast-Talk (Manipulation) check
not see Arn meddling with the lock. From her point of against the pageboys’ Willpower (SR 4, (11/12/10)).
view, Thuan let him in at some point.)
Heroes with a social status of 3 or higher do not
In the Wheel and Cup Casino need to make an Etiquette check unless they want
It is easy for the heroes to learn that Thuan visits the to help Disguise others, in which case, their Disguise
Wheel and Cup casino almost every day. Thuan’s sister and check receives a QL/2 bonus from their routine
neighbors freely give them this information, as do most Etiquette check.
other people they ask.
Read Aloud or Paraphrase

Not far from the temple of Phex, and directly on the Longwaat, Read Aloud or Paraphrase
lies the famous Wheel and Cup casino. Pageboys in red velvet Hundreds of candles and lights bathe the room’s golden fabric
uniforms receive affluent guests on the landing of a flight of wallpaper with a dim, festive glow. The dark red carpet swallows
stairs covered with red carpets, or directly at the waat on a the sounds of pageboys running here and there, and emphasizes
landing stage illuminated by numerous lanterns. The drawn the abrupt jumping and clattering of ivory balls rolling around
curtains keep anyone from peeking inside through the high inside a bronze cauldron. From time to time, loud cheers of joy
glass windows, protecting the guests’ privacy. The only time break the tense silence.
you might be able to steal a quick look at the establishment’s
palazzi-like interior is when the large, swinging door opens to let
a fortune-seeker in or out.
39
The heroes enter a festive hall with various games of social status of 1
chance going on at numerous tables. At one table, a casino or 2 should make
employee tosses a ball into a spinning wheel of fortune regular Etiquette
at regular intervals; meanwhile, the players place their (Manners) checks.
bets on which number they believe the ball will land. The
casino also offers assorted card games, including several The Moneylender
variants of boltan, and dice games. Wherever people gather to gamble,
others will try to take advantage of them.
Inside the casino, it is equally important the heroes don’t Private and professional money lenders in the
draw attention to themselves by behaving improperly— Wheel and Cup gladly help guests who find themselves
though, often, the deeper the person in question’s coin without enough kreutzers by giving them generous
purse, the better tolerated their antics. Heroes with a credits—at hefty interest rates. The more reputable among
them—such as Helaria from the Stipenbrink family, and
employees of the Northland Bank—ask for collateral.
A Friendly Game Won’t Do Any Harm… But others, such as Stordian Goudtand (38; shoulder-
Though the heroes came to the Wheel and Cup for length, stringy hair; narrow, sunken-in face; gold incisors;
an entirely different reason, they have the rare charming smile; loves to make deals—with interest; hates
opportunity to increase their wealth here… or people who speak badly about his business; always on the
gamble it away. To play a game, the heroes must lookout for new debtors; Commerce 8 (13/13/13), Gambling
first exchange their money for chips at the rate of 10 (13/13/13), Willpower 6 (13/13/13); SPI 2), willingly
1 silverthaler per chip (the basic stake for every provide loans without collateral. It is said, however, that
game). Then, they can choose where they want to the money Goudtand lends belongs to the Brekker Band,
spend their chips. not himself—and the Brekker Band collects by hook or by
crook, regardless of whether the borrower can pay the
If your group prefers to play out games of chance at usurious interest.
the table instead of simulating them with checks,
you can use Poker cards to simulate boltan, or play Typical Guests
some of your favorite dice games. (Starting on page The heroes can encounter the following guests in the
23 of The Dark Eye: Inns & Taverns supplement, we casino. These are only suggestions—you may add to this
introduce several dice games you can play directly list as you like.
at the gaming table). Adalida Melior (46; dark hair; piercing, blue eyes;
merchant and passionate boltan player; calm and
Otherwise, use the following rules for dice and card inscrutable; Gambling 10 (13/13/14); Attitude 5)
games. Faizal ibn Rizwan (34; black hair; dark skin; black
moustache; long-distance trader from Khunchom; spends
To play a dice game, participants each roll a his money hand over fist; passionate gambler with the
Gambling (Dice Games) check (10-minute interval). courage to take high risks; does not speak Garethi well;
After a pre-determined number of rounds, they often receives annoyed looks due to his enthusiasm, but
compare their results to those of the other most overlook it—along with his occasional rudeness—
participants. Whoever has the highest QL wins all because he’s wealthy; Gambling 12 (11/11/9); Attitude 4)
the other players’ stakes. In the case of one or more Gardean Gazpacho (22; dark, blond hair; soft facial
ties, whoever rolls highest on 1D6 wins. features; mischievous smile; hails from Kuslik; not as
interested in gambling as he is in finding a rich benefactor;
Card games require a cumulative Gambling (Card Gambling 4 (10/10/12), Seduction 8 (13/14/14); Attitude 5)
Games) check (1 minute, number of players Lutea Slagerbeek (28; black hair; scar on her cheek; nice
depends on game (11 for boltan)). Players roll clothes, though they are worn and old; broad shoulders;
simultaneously, and raise the stakes after each brawny; former imman player who now gambles away her
partial check (the players continue to raise until modest fortune, daily; addicted to gambling—the more
they fold or agree to a new stake). If more than one aggressively she plays, the more she loses; particularly
player achieves 10 QL in the same round, the player enjoys dice games; Gambling 6 (10/10/9); Attitude 4)
with the highest total QL wins.
Scenes in the Wheel and Cup
Due to the enormous temptation, heroes with You may introduce the following while the heroes are in
Negative Trait (Gambling Addiction) must make a the casino.
Willpower check -3 to stop gambling. A loud scream suddenly pierces the air, and everyone

stops in their tracks, shocked. Faizal ibn Rizwan just Paid in Full
won a large sum of money. Exuberantly, he hugs the If the heroes ask Stordian about Thuan’s debts, they
perplexed employees, kisses some of them on their learn the debts were paid that morning. A courier
cheeks, and thanks them profusely in broken Garethi. brought him a Northland Bank promissory note for
Afterward, the house treats all of the guests to a free 108 ducats and 3 silverthalers to repay Thuan’s debts.
drink. Stordian assumes Thuan’s father paid off the debts—
(Only if Thuan is not present): Adalida Melior argues after all, “Daddy always pays”—and he’s pleased with the
with an employee at the till. She wishes to exchange a profit, as Thuan’s debts only amounted to 89 ducats. The
de Vries share certificate worth more than 50 ducats heroes might notice the sum Stordian received roughly
for more chips. Exchanging share certificates in this corresponds to the stolen day’s earnings, making it look
manner has never been questioned before; but now, like Thuan killed his father to pay Stordian the money.
when she has no other money on her, they refuse. They may be even more suspicious if they found the
The de Vries’ shares are currently experiencing great empty strongbox in Thuan’s apartment.
fluctuations, but she continues trying to find someone
in the casino willing to exchange chips for it… However, they should find it strange that Thuan paid
Stordian the entire amount, when he could have kept
Option A: Thuan is Not Here about 20 ducats for himself. Naturally, Odina is behind
this—she wanted to direct suspicion toward Thuan, but
Rumors About Thuan
did not know exactly how much he owed Stordian.
Thuan is a frequent Wheel and Cup visitor; the heroes can
learn quite a bit about him while he’s not around (for
If the heroes want to investigate the origin of the
further rumors about Thuan, see page 29).
promissory note, they must visit the Northland Bank
“You must be really unlucky, to not find Thuan here. He’s
(page 57).
here all the time.” (+)
“His father gives him a handsome sum, and he’ll gamble
here instead of getting into mischief elsewhere.” (-)
“Thuan’s father doesn’t approve of gambling and won’t give The heroes should avoid attempting to grab Thuan
him one kreutzer for it. Everyone here knows it—that’s why inside the casino without first informing the staff of
none of the reputable moneylenders will give him credit.” (+) their intentions and convincing them their actions are
“Only Stordian loans money to Thuan. But I’d stay away justified. Thuan is a regular visitor, and the proprietors
from that fellow; he lends dirty money. And the methods he feel responsible for their guests. This could quickly lead
employs to get it back are criminal. It is a miracle Thuan still to a situation in which the heroes must face the casino’s
has all his fingernails.” (+) bouncers (for stats, see Brekker Band Thugs on page 35)
“Thuan is deeply in debt to Stordian. No wonder he doesn’t while Thuan escapes.
dare show his face here. If Stordian finds him, even Thuan’s
handsome smile won’t help this time.” (+/-) You can resolve this scene with roleplaying or let your
players make a cumulative group check with Perception
Option B: Thuan is Present (Search) -2 (they may also use Stealth instead of Perception).
Thuan is completely caught up in a game of boltan when If they achieve 6 QL, they locate Thuan and must simply
the heroes enter the casino. How the scene unfolds depends make their way toward him without being noticed. Thuan
on the heroes’ instincts. Even though Thuan is distracted makes one Perception check -2 (SR 8, (13/13/13)) for each
(his Perception checks receive a penalty of -2), he does not check made by the group of heroes. If successful, Thuan
feel entirely safe—especially after the burglary last night spots them and runs away.
almost failed. He keeps an eye out during his game, and
if he notices a large group of people looking around the On the Run
casino or watching him, he becomes suspicious and tries Once the heroes find Thuan, a fast-paced chase is
to get away. inevitable. The troublemaker believes the heroes are
Svealinja Watergaard’s agents, and he is afraid he’ll be
The heroes must use their skills wisely: if they remain brought to justice for his burglary last night.
inconspicuous, split up, and avoid asking suspicious
questions, Thuan’s checks receive a penalty of -4. The While on the run, Thuan tries to do anything but run,
heroes might even take advantage of the casino’s dim since the watchdog’s bite from the burglary reduces his
light when using Stealth. On the other hand, it is easier for movement (MOV 7). To make up for this, he avoids open
Thuan to escape when fighting a single hero rather than a terrain and instead chooses a route where his low MOV
whole group of them. doesn’t have as much impact.
41
In-Game Chase Mechanics
Thuan de Vries
This chase basically follows the procedure described
COU 13 SGC 13 INT 13 CHA 13
in the Core Rules, page 349, except that, during the
DEX 12 AGI 13 CON 12 STR 13
chase, the heroes must use the skill corresponding to
LP 30 AE - KP - INI 13+1D6
the current movement type—such as Climbing, Sailing,
SPI 2 DO 7 TOU 1 MOV 8
or Swimming. The checks for these skills replace the
Fate Points 3
Body Control (Running) checks normally used in a chase.
Social Status: Free
Languages: Native tongue Garethi III,
Furthermore, the chase takes place in a crowded city,
Thorwalian I
not an open space. This means the heroes frequently
Scripts: Kuslik Signs
meet obstacles they must overcome or avoid, which
Advantages: Good Looks I
costs them time and limits their movement. Modify
Disadvantages: Negative Trait (Curiosity, Gambling
their checks according to each obstacle.
Addiction), Personality Flaw (Spoiled)
Special Abilities: Feint I, Vigilance
Instead of the usual 5 CR, the chase lasts longer—
Combat Techniques: Brawling 12
how much longer depends on the obstacle(s). After
Unarmed: AT 13 PA 7 DP 1D6 RE short
at least 5 CR, change the required movement type by
Dagger: AT 13 PA 7 DP 1D6+1 RE short
introducing new scenery. The chase ends when the
PRO/ENC 0/0
heroes corner Thuan, though he succeeds in coming
Skills
out of the last stretch of the hunt unharmed, as there
Physical: Body Control 6, Carousing 9, Climbing 6, Feat of
are more than 80 feet between him and the heroes.
Strength 5, Stealth 10
Social: Disguise 6, Empathy 4, Etiquette 6, Fast-Talk 7,
Persuasion 5, Seduction 7, Streetwise 10, Willpower 6
Nature: Orienting 7
Knowledge: Religions 4
Craft: Commerce 6, Driving 7, Sailing 7
Option A: Thuan Flees from His Apartment Equipment: Dagger
Escape from the Apartment Combat Behavior: He attempts to avoid combat
Out the Window (1 CR) (Thuan isn’t afraid to fight, but he would rather run
If Thuan realizes the heroes are in his apartment, he and stay alive). If forced to fight, he uses his fists and
doesn’t hesitate to open the shutters and jump out a feints; he uses the dagger only in an emergency.
window, then use a clothesline to climb over the canal. Escape: At Pain I
The initial distance between Thuan and the heroes is Pain +1 at: 23 LP, 15 LP, 8 LP, and 5 LP or less
30 feet. Everyone makes Body Control (Running) checks;
however, because of the mess in the apartment, the
heroes may add only MOV x 0.75 to their SR.

Thuan must make a Feat of Strength check +2 to throw (Climbing (Walls) check, no movement, 2 CR; fail = loss
open the window shutter. Otherwise, he loses 1 CR of 1 CR, botch = fall).
and the heroes apprehend him. While the heroes are on the ground, use the chase
rules found in the Core Rules, page 349 for checks (Body
Over the Waat (3 CR) Control (Running) + MOV).
Thuan swings hand-over-hand along a clothesline over Thuan knocks over passersby (Heroes are at -2 MOV
the waat. as they try to avoid stepping on people).
Everyone makes a Climbing check +2 or an Acrobatics Using Feat of Strength, Thuan drags passersby into
(Balance) check -2; MOV/2. the heroes’ path (loss of 1 CR; Heroes can use Feat
The heroes must follow Thuan single-file, and have of Strength (Pushing & Bending or Dragging & Pulling)
almost no time to decide the order in which they checks to try to move the people out of their way, but
climb. If the players do not choose immediately, they lose 1 CR).
act in INI order and Thuan gains a lead of 1 CR. Each Thuan kicks out a market stall’s legs (-2 MOV), and
subsequent hero to exit through the window follows the vendor’s fish suddenly cover the ground, turning
Thuan at an additional 1 CR lag, unless they find an it into a slippery mess (to avoid, heroes can use Body
alternative way to chase him. Swimming or Running are Control (Jumping) checks, but must long-jump at least
possibilities. Running requires 5 Body Control (Running) four yards. Fail = stumble, make a Body Control (Balance)
checks. Every failed check must be repeated and costs check to keep from falling; loss of 1 CR. Fail again =
an extra CR. Once successful, the hero stands on the fall, loss of 2 CR).
other side of the waat, in front of the house Thuan is
climbing toward. On the Boat (1+5 CR)
Heroes who fail a Climbing check don’t fall into the Thuan tosses a gondolier into the water (Feat of Strength,
water, they merely move slowly (MOV/4). Heroes 1 CR) and paddles out into the lagoon (Sailing +1; the boat
only fall into the water if they botch. has MOV 10).
The heroes must first untie another boat (Ropes (Knots)
On the Rooftops (5+1 CR) check -1; one check/CR).
Thuan climbs up to the roof so he can continue his flight After they get a boat untied, they can follow Thuan
on the city rooftops. with a Sailing (Chases) check +1.
To get onto the roof, the heroes must make a Climbing If the heroes don’t catch up with Thuan within 5 CR,
(Walls) check (this does not close the distance). If a hero he gets out of range and escapes.
fails a check, they must repeat it in the following CR.
Heroes who swam or ran first must make two Climbing Option B: Thuan Flees from the Casino
(Walls) checks to get onto the roof.
Flight from the Casino
Once on the roof, Thuan and the heroes alternate
If Thuan notices the heroes before they see him, the
between running across steep roofs and jumping over
distance between them is 40 feet.
gaping street openings for 5 CR. To do so, they must make
Thuan overturns the gaming table (Feat of Strength
alternating Body Control (Balance) checks +3 (MOV/2), and
-2) and the chips go flying. Nearby gamblers grab at
Body Control (Jumping) checks +2 (full MOV).
them, greedily. The heroes have MOV/2 for their next
If a hero fails a check, they fall, receive no MOV
three Body Control (Running) checks.
bonuses, and must spend the next CR getting back to
The heroes must make five checks, total.
their feet.
A botch means the hero falls from a height of 10 yards
If Thuan notices the heroes only after they’re right next
(see Core Rules, page 340) and takes full damage. If
to him, he uses two Fate Points to throw the hero closest
the hero uses a Fate Point, they fall into a waat and
to him into the boltan table (one Fate Point to act first,
sustain DP/4 (ignoring PRO). However, they also lose
another for the competitive Feat of Strength check). The
3 CR because they must swim back to land and climb
chips fly off the table and greedy gamblers grab at them,
up to the roof again.
burying the hero (the hero must make a Feat of Strength
(Lifting) or Body Control (Squirm) check -1, 1 check/CR, to
Through the Streets (5+1 CR)
get free). The other heroes are 1D6+2 yards away from
In one fluid motion, Thuan slides down a drainpipe onto
Thuan. They must make a Body Control (Jumping) check to
the street below (Body Control (Acrobatics) -2, no movement;
sidestep the gamblers (-2 MOV; Fail = loss of 1 CR).
fail = loss of 1 CR, botch = fall). Afterward, he runs down
This part of the chase lasts a total of 5 CR, meaning
the street (5 CR).
Thuan has 5 Body Control checks to get some distance
If the heroes want to follow him, they can either slide
between him and the heroes.
down the drainpipe, as well, or climb down the wall
43
On the Boat (1+5 CR) Naturally, Thuan sticks to his version of the story (see
Thuan tries to steal a boat from the casino’s landing stage. his alibi) and denies every claim. You can play this scene
To do so, he must make a successful Ropes (Knots) check through or resolve it via competitive checks. Depending on
(1 check/CR). Afterward, he has 5 CR to try to escape the whether Thuan speaks truth or lies, use Persuasion or Fast-
heroes (Sailing +2). The boat has base MOV 10; in quiet Talk (Manipulation or Subterfuge) checks for him. The heroes
waters, it has MOV 15. can try to determine whether he is lying with Empathy (Sense
The heroes can follow Thuan in another boat (they Deception) checks. Alternatively, the heroes can attempt
must first make a Ropes (Knots) check, 1 check/CR) to use Fast-Talk, Intimidation (Interrogation or Threats),
using Sailing (Chases) +2. Persuasion, or Seduction to convince Thuan to confess or tell
They can also choose to follow Thuan on land using the truth (which is not the same thing, in this case). Thuan
Body Control (Running) checks. The heroes must reacts with momentary surprise if the heroes confront him
overtake Thuan and jump onto his boat from a bridge with the evidence from his apartment (an Empathy check
(free action, Body Control (Jumping) check -1; Fail = fall shows his surprise), but he tries not to let it deter him. He
into the water) or lower themselves from a bridge believes the heroes are bluffing with their accusations, and
and pull him off the boat (to do this, they must have accuses them of lying. If the heroes insist the evidence is
enough of a head start to use 1 CR for a Body Control real, Thuan claims someone planted it on him.
(Acrobatics) check. Afterward, they must lift Thuan up
with a competitive Feat of Strength (Dragging & Pulling) Thuan acts even more surprised if the heroes mention
check. If they fail, Thuan falls into the water and they his father’s death, and must make a successful Self-Control
must continue the chase while swimming). check to keep his composure. Even if he succeeds, the
The heroes can also swim to follow Thuan. This heroes notice his surprise with an Empathy check +1. He
requires a Swimming (Chases) check (1 check/CR). In the was unaware of the event until this moment.
still waters of the waats, the heroes have MOV x 1.5.
It makes no difference to the plot whether the heroes
On the Rooftops believe Thuan, but if your gaming group typically uses
If he cannot escape in the boat, Thuan leaves the boat and such rules, you can use Roleplaying Social Conflicts (see page
climbs up the wall of a house. This requires two successful 8) against them at this point to convince them of Thuan’s
Climbing (Walls) checks (1 check/CR). innocence.
After the first check, Thaun is no longer in range of
his pursuers on the water. They must follow him onto The Lad Speaks the Truth!
the rooftops to catch him. If the heroes believe Thuan, they are faced with a problem.
Heroes who followed Thuan on land can catch up with Their entire investigation up to this point focused on
him here. After a successful check, they are in the same Thuan de Vries as the guilty party. If they now believe he
CR as Thuan. They need only a successful Climbing is innocent, they must start over completely and build a
(Walls) check to follow him onto the roof. They can new case. Apparently, someone else was involved; that’s
also try to circumvent his rooftop escape by making a the only explanation for
competitive Feat of Strength (Dragging & Pulling) check how evidence from the
against Thuan’s Body Control (Squirm) check, both of crime scene found its way
At this point, the heroes
which cost 1 CR. into Thuan’s apartment.
may have some, or all, of the
If Thuan makes it to the roof, continue the chase using And who paid off Thuan’s
following evidence against
the content in the option On the Rooftops on page 43. debts from the counting
Thuan: the nearly empty
house’s earnings? It
glass of Wild Novadi in his
Got You, Knave! appears someone wanted
father’s writing room; the
After the heroes catch Thuan, they’ll likely interrogate to frame him.
locked counting house and
him and confront him with their evidence.
the counting house key
The heroes can revisit
found in his apartment;
Thuan’s alibi and attitude toward the heroes is listed on Stordian Goudtand (page
the log book and empty
page 37. If the heroes met with Svealinja Watergaard, 40) or Thuan’s neighbors
strongbox found in his
they should notice the similarities between Thuan and (page 38) for clarification.
apartment; his suddenly
the description of her burglar at some point during their Before they embark on
settled gambling debts,
interrogation. If they discover the truth, it exonerates him, another wild goose chase,
which were just about the
as Thuan could not rob the merchant’s storehouse and you should continue with
same as the amount stolen;
murder his father in the counting house at the same time. The Dead Man from the Waat,
his flight from the heroes;
on page 49, which might
and his overheard argument
set them on a new trail.
with his father.

A quick verdict creates
Or, perhaps the heroes remember their promise to inform The guards’ attitudes toward tension for the heroes.
Odina about any new developments (see On the Culprit’s the heroes start at 3, and They have barely left the
Trail, on page 46). can either be negatively garrison when they realize
or positively affected by they may have suspected
Thuan is thankful the heroes believe him, and supports the quality of the heroes’ the wrong person. But
them in any way he can. Thuan is no stranger to Grangor arguments. To change the guards won’t believe
or its criminal underworld. From now on, the heroes their attitudes, each hero Thuan’s innocence now,
receive a +2 bonus whenever they Ask Around in the city. participating in the check not after all the effort
can choose to suspend the the heroes expended to
Tell It to the Judge! check for one round and convince them otherwise.
If the heroes don’t believe Thuan, a Law (Horasian Empire) try instead to improve the If the heroes want to
check +4 tells them they must hand Thuan over to the guards’ attitudes with a one- make up for their mistake,
guard, since he is a murder suspect. time check, using Fast-Talk they need to find proof of
(Manipulation or Sweet-Talk) Thuan’s innocence, and
In the guard’s garrison (26), a sinister-looking building -2 or Seduction (Flirting) -2. must do so quickly. The
with Garetian-style lancet windows, they meet up with This distracts the guards, clock is ticking. Adjust
Adaon Makkelijk and Gilmon de Traach (see page 23) once keeping them from making the execution time to the
more. They find the guards resting their feet on their their competitive check for heroes’ progress so they
desks, telling each other dirty jokes, and consuming yet that round. However, their can prevent Thaun’s death
more coffee. attitude only increases by just in the nick of time.
1, and the heroes cannot
Both guards still believe Sumudan’s death was clearly a increase their attitude level
suicide and regard the heroes’ tenacity as a nuisance. They beyond 5 in this manner.
know Thuan quite well; and, while they would love to have
locked him up for several offenses long ago, they don’t For every argument they present that emphasizes Thuan’s
believe he has it in him to murder his father. The know- guilt, the heroes receive a +1 bonus to their check. Thus,
it-all heroes presenting Thuan as the most likely murder the more evidence they present against him, the easier it
suspect greatly amuses them. Their amusement quickly should be to convince the guards of his guilt.
turns to anger, though, if the heroes refuse to amend their
report—even after the guards’ rebuke. Convincing the If the Heroes Succeed: The guards lock Thuan in the city
guards requires a bit of persuasion. prison (27), and the townspeople—full of admiration—
openly praise the heroes. Even the guards abandon their
It is best to play out this scene by exchanging arguments initial arrogance and show the heroes some respect.
with your players. Let your players explain why they The Grangorers are pleased the heroes solved the case
believe Thuan murdered his father—his motivation for so quickly; and, since the evidence against Thuan is
doing so and the incriminating evidence they found. This compelling, they hope to have a verdict in just a few days.
way, you can find out which information is still fresh in This can mean only one thing: Thuan will die by drowning
their minds and pose questions about irregularities for in the Hangmanwaat.
which they do not yet have answers—for instance, who
paid Thuan’s debts, since he says he didn’t—making them If the Heroes Fail: If they are unable to convince Adaon
rethink their position. and Gilmon of Thuan’s guilt, and the guards set Thuan free
and recommend the heroes keep their noses out of guard
This scene’s outcome is entirely open; so, if you prefer, business from now on, as they clearly have no idea what
you can decide it with checks. You can do this after a bit of true detective work entails. Thuan goes into hiding and
discussion to end the scene in a friendly manner—neither uses his contacts to make the heroes’ lives difficult. Many
the heroes nor the guards could sway one another—or, you local scoundrels’ attitudes toward the heroes decrease by
can skip the discussion and jump straight to the checks. 1, and the heroes’ Asking Around checks in the city receive
a -1 penalty from now on.
Have the heroes make a cumulative group check
(Persuasion (Debate) -4; 2 minutes, 3 heroes, any number of
attempts) against Adaon and Gilmon’s cumulative group
check (Willpower (Resist Persuasion); 2 minutes, any number
of attempts). The first group to reach 10 QL, wins.
45
On the Culprit’s Trail
Whether the heroes suspect they were on the wrong trail QL 2: The board shows de Vries’ name. It looks like his
all along, or smugly believe justice was served, they likely shares were steadily increasing in price, then fell suddenly
end up talking to Odina Hortemann—Sumudan’s old friend the day the news of Sumudan’s death broke. Since then,
who asked them to give her and the other shareholders a the share price seems subject to unpredictable jumps.
report the following day (see page 27). If needed, you can QL 3+: The share price fluctuations seem to directly
remind your heroes of their promise. relate to the share’s credibility. The riskier the property
document, the higher the fluctuations—and the potential
Should they decide not to go see Odina and the shareholders profit a person can make. Cunda—the Grangoran merchant
for any reason, The Dead Man from the Waat (page 49) should house—seems to have more stable property documents
give them a new trail to follow—continuing the adventure than long-distance trade companies, even though an
before your players get bored with fruitless investigations. entity the size of HPNC promises a certain amount of loss
insurance.
The Shareholders

Embedded in a row of noble, burgher houses, lies the quite
unremarkable House of the Traveling Salesman—the local
temple of Phex. It is a tall, sandstone building, with a peaked roof
and nine steps leading up to decorative columns.
As you enter the building, the wild disorder of excited shouts

from multiple voices and the hectic ringing of a bell greets you.
Dozens of men and women gather around an enclosed plateau,
wildly flailing papers about and yelling seemingly arbitrary
numbers to the Blessed Ones in gray robes up on the plateau.
With great composure, the Blessed Ones listen to the numbers,
then motion to the crowd to accept additional offers. Then, they
ring a large hand bell and exchange the owner’s papers for other
papers or heavy bags. In the background, a novice climbs a large
ladder to a chalkboard containing an oversized chart, to which
he adds another number to an already lengthy list.
It is so loud in here, you can hardly hear your own voices.
The heroes enter the heart of the temple of Phex, the large
trading hall in which numerous businesses and shipping
companies conduct daily trade from one hour of Phex to
the other (9am to 9pm). The Blessed Ones of Phex on the
plateau calmly take the merchants’ offers and auction
them off to the highest bidder. If no higher offer is made
after a brief time, they ring the bell—sealing the deal.
Afterward, one of the novices writes the purchase price
on the large table and the new stock price is set.
Commerce or Math check

QL 1: People trade a lot of property documents here. The
board shows each share’s price for the last seven days.
Many shares’ prices seem to remain quite constant, while
the prices of others fluctuate greatly.

The Great Con If the heroes want to follow one of Odina’s agents, they
Odina’s agents ( the albino, Tristoban Goldstick; Alborn must first make a competitive Stealth (Hide) check against
Patara, the man with the red beard; and Remira ter Haien, the agent’s Perception (Spot) (SR 6, (11/13/13)). Afterward, a
the bald woman) are here, attempting to sell her share form of passive chase ensues (see Core Rules, page 349) using
certificates a few at a time. While Tristoban acts as her seller, Streetwise (Shadowing) instead of Body Control (Running). The
the other two prevent a collapse in the stock’s value by distance between the heroes and the agent at the beginning
making offers slightly above the starting price—and buying of the chase is 10 yards. If the distance increases to more than
the certificates if need be. The following day, Tristoban 18 yards over 5 CR, the heroes lose track of the agent they are
offers the same shares back to the market at asking price—a pursuing. In addition to their Streetwise (Shadowing) check,
minor loss Odina gladly accepts. They repeat this process the agents make a Perception (Spot) check (SR 6, (11/13/10))
every day. each CR, with a bonus of +1 for their Area Knowledge. If they
notice their pursuers, they begin to purposefully hide in dark
The heroes should notice this process during the scene, corners or crowds of people to try to lose the heroes. Once
but they may not find it strange. However, even the an agent notices the heroes, every check the heroes make
observation can lead them to suspect something and receives a penalty of -1 for the remainder of the chase.
they may decide to tail the three. Of course, Odina’s
agents are prepared to ward off suspicion—they’re A hero ready to invest about 6 hours shadowing the agents
staying in three different inns: Tristoban stays in the can discover Tristoban meeting with the others to retrieve the
Vinsalter Court (A10) inn (Q6/P6/B40), Alborn in the shares. If the heroes achieve a net QL of at least 2 using relevant
Blue Phecadi (A02) hotel (Q5/P5/B35), and Remira in Social skills against the agents’ Willpower (SR 7, (12/13/10), SPI
The Corner (A11) hotel (Q4/P5/B18). 2), the three divulge their employer and her motivation.
Perception (Spot) check me emphasize how devastating that would be for all of us.
Panicked selling will ruin the stock price, causing not only
QL 1: Arn Knokenbreeker, Odina’s brawny bodyguard,
the seller, but the rest of us to lose our money. We must
stands back a bit from the traders, in a corridor. He
remain calm. Lord Boron has called Sumudan to his side,
watches the business transactions with a stony gaze; it
but Sumudan’s legacy is still on its way to us. Soon, it will
seems he is waiting for someone or something.
reach Grangor and reward those guided by reason instead
QL 2: Up front, at the plateau, you hear them call out the
of their feelings.”
name de Vries. A wealthy-looking man with conspicuous
white hair and light eyes (an albino) offers an entire stack
A murmur runs through the hall. It seems the patrician’s words
of share certificates—worth well over the 100-ducat value
do not convince everyone. Quite a few here fear they will lose
being asked. Initially, no one seems to want to purchase
everything if they hold onto their shares much longer.
them; you hear whispers about it being too risky. Just
when it seems like the shares may sell at that price, a man
with a red beard speaks up and offers 110 ducats: “The fleet
arrives soon… these shares will be worth five times that.” A bald
woman also enters the bidding, and the price of the shares Arguments in Favor of Selling the Shares
swiftly rises until they sell for 188 ducats. “How do we know there’s not a connection between
QL 3+: Neither the man with the red beard nor the bald Sumudan’s death and the venture?”
woman win the bid. After their initial bids, they withdrew “Has anyone heard from the fleet recently? What if it doesn’t
from the bidding competition. return, after all?”
“We have the month of Efferd. Soon, the winter storms will
Crisis Meeting start. I may wait another week, but I’m starting to lose hope
these ships will ever arrive in Grangor intact.”
Odina Hortemann and the other shareholders meet in a From Odina’s perspective, the heroes enter the room
luxuriously-furnished side hall to discuss their current situation. just in time. She interrupts the murmuring doubters and
About two dozen merchants—both patricians and simple introduces the heroes to the shareholders. She tells them
craftsmen who spent their entire life’s savings on a share of she asked the heroes to shed light on the circumstances
Sumudan de Vries’ venture—sit around a large table, practically surrounding Sumudan’s death. All eyes are now on the
fuming as they listen intently to Odina’s attempts to appease heroes, as Odina asks them to share the progress they’ve
them. made in their investigation.
“Please, ladies and gentlemen!” Odina says, “Considering Example Shareholders

the current situation, I understand you’re all thinking Murak Kaarstett (62; gray hair; bulging stomach;
about selling your shares as quickly as possible. But, let expensive, velvet clothes; heavy breath; sweaty forehead;
47
merchant) is nervous, but hesitant—he’s afraid to lose his Odina hopes the heroes followed the trail she laid out and
money, so he tries to persuade himself and others that have arrived to proclaim the verdict in the de Vries’ murder
there are good reasons not to sell their shares immediately. case. If the shareholders discover the merchant’s death was
He does not dare take the first step, though, as he does because of a tragic turn within his own family, she believes
not want to be the only one to suffer losses. Willpower 5 they’ll be reassured and hold on to their shares.
(11/13/14), SPI 2
Othonia ter Brook (37; long, black hair; icy gaze; patrician She does not expect the possibility the heroes could doubt
daughter from a wealthy shipping company dynasty; this theory and suspect someone is trying to frame Thuan.
the de Vries fleet sailed alongside ships belonging to her If the heroes announce their theory here, thereby publicly
family) fears the loss of her family’s ships. She insists stabbing her in the back, she is all the more surprised.
Sumudan’s death cannot be related in any way to the On the other hand, the heroes’ doubts arouse the
Uthuria fleet. The fleet will return soon—it must. Willpower shareholders’ interest, and they barrage the heroes with
8 (14/13/13), SPI 2 detailed questions about their evidence and their theories.
Rahyanis Laevigata (44; blonde hair; determined; mage) After all, there may be a clue in all this information as to
invested a considerable amount of her wealth in de Vries’ whether they should keep or sell their shares. Play out this
shares. Despite this, she is in favor of selling them. Her scene much like the scene with the guards: quizzing your
fatalistic attitude is, “If the ship you’re sailing on has a leak, players about their theories and knowledge and posing
you’d better get off the ship!” Willpower 10 (14/14/14), SPI 2 questions to which they don’t yet have answers.
Vero Finesmith (52; short, salt-and-pepper hair,
moustache; leather apron; pale face, with beads of sweat on Two options are likely here, as follows.
his forehead; master carpenter; guided by options, sways If the heroes believe Thuan is guilty: This pleases
between extremes) took out a Odina. The other shareholders want to hear more about
loan against his workshop for how Thuan accomplished this deed (this is a good
Since other shareholders the chance to gain a fortune. opportunity to plant doubts in your players’ theories). The
also are quite surprised He’ll be bankrupt if the shares shareholders then say a joyous goodbye to the heroes, and
to hear someone is trying lose their worth. Willpower 4 Odina gratefully rewards them with 10 ducats each (which
to frame Thuan for his (11/12/12), SPI 1 she insidiously pays them in de Vries share certificates).
father’s murder, you should If the heroes doubt Thuan is guilty: This surprises
not allow your players to the shareholders, who become even more interested in
make an Empathy check to solving the circumstances surrounding this case. They
detect Odina’s surprise. This offer to pay the heroes 10 ducats each if the heroes
would mark her surprise as solve the case on their behalf. Until the heroes resolve
something unusual, raising this crisis, the shareholders promise to meet here daily
suspicion. so the heroes always know where to find them.

The Dead Man from the Waat The players likely recall seeing a similar jacket numerous
Location: South Grangor, Sudertown, or Newhaven times before—for example, on the de Vries’ counting house
manager, Tadeo Agtstone. The merchant house’s freight
This scene marks the adventure’s decisive turning point. boxes also display this symbol, as did the box they found
Whether the heroes believe Thuan is guilty up to this in Thuan’s apartment. If the heroes don’t remember it on
point or have already begun to look for another suspect, their own, have them make a check using Perception (Spot)
the sudden reappearance of Darion Pekhebber’s body sets +3 or Streetwise (Asking Around or Judging Location) +3. If
the heroes (back) on the right track. they succeed, they remember where they saw the symbol
before. Alternatively, the heroes overhear someone in the
Ordinarily, this event would occur shortly after the heroes crowd say in hushed tones that the symbol on his jacket
give their report to the shareholders. However, you may means this man worked for the merchant house de Vries.
also use this event to put your heroes back on the right
track and prevent frustration if they get sidetracked It seems Nesro Aicher, the fisherman at the canal bank,
earlier and do not know how to continue. just pulled a merchant house officer’s body from the
water. If the heroes question him, he points to his fishing
boat and tells them he noticed an unusual resistance while
trying to raise anchor. When he tugged on the anchor
chain, the body floated up in front of him.
People in the street suddenly begin to speak in hushed tones and
Examining the Body
push toward the canal bank closest to you, where a large crowd
The officer’s body is strangely deformed and has taken on
is already forming. Many gasp and cover their mouths; others
a faint, blue color. His arms are tied to his upper body with
mutter, uneasily.
a mooring rope, expertly knotted. Apparently, he did not
land in the canal by accident.
Then, you see the bloated corpse—and the man attempting to
fish it from the canal. The dead man has thick mooring ropes
Ropes check +3
wrapped around his arms and hips. Clearly, he had no chance to
escape his wet grave. His black jacket—with bronze buttons and QL 1: The mooring rope’s end is frayed and hangs down,
a ship with bloated sails in front of a rising sun embroidered on loosely.
the left side—is quite striking against his pale skin. QL 2: It seems the rope ripped apart here.
QL 3+: A heavy object tied to the rope probably pulled the
dead man underwater. When the fisherman raised his
anchor, he tore the rope and pulled the body back to the
surface.
49
Treat Wounds check The way in which the murderer disposed of Darion’s
body is not the only obvious trail the heroes can follow.
QL 1: The dead man’s skin is pale blue and bloated. There
The officer’s jacket is much more conspicuous, as it leads
are many darker blue spots below the skin’s surface and
to the merchant house de Vries. The counting house
on his face, which is noticeably swollen. He also has blood
manager, Tadeo Agtstone, can identify the dead man;
encrusted in several places.
much to his surprise, it is Darion Pekhebber—an officer
QL 2: The body shows signs of trauma. His many bruises
with the Uthuria fleet! If he is in Grangor, the fleet should
indicate the man was beaten with bare fists or a blunt
be here, as well.
object before he died. Also, his incisors are missing.
QL 3: If a hero examines the body more closely, smaller
fractures and chipped bones become apparent, particularly The Brekker Band
in the man’s face. It is uncertain, however, whether the Optional Content
man was already dead when he entered the waat.
QL 4+: No water issues from the man’s body when someone After Aicher pulls the dead Pekhebber from the waat, eye-
presses on his stomach and chest multiple times. This witnesses conclude the Brekker Band must be behind the
means he was already dead and no longer breathing when murder. It is possible the heroes already witnessed how
he entered the water. Bram Ironjaw and his henchmen deal with their enemies;
therefore, they may want to pay these thugs another
visit. To discover more, they have two options: they can
In this case, for once, the Brekker Band is not visit their old friend, Torvon Snakkeling, or return to the
involved. This trail is a red herring, which the heroes Dragon Pit.
soon find out if they follow up on it. Following this
trail leads them to the optional scene The Brekker If you want to shorten the following section, you can have
Band (see page 33), in which the heroes can foil the your heroes make a few Asking Around checks and provide
thugs’ plans, but not get any closer to the truth. them the same information they would learn in these next
two scenes.
In fact, Arn Knokenbreeker killed Darion Pekhebber
and tried to make the murder look like the Brekker Well, If It Isn’t Our Old Friend!
Band’s work. However, unlike their victims, Depending on the time of day, the heroes find Torvon
Pekhebber was dead before he was dumped into the (see page 35) in his apartment or the Seven Winds tavern
waat. With a bit of effort, the heroes can discover this (page 32). His current attitude level toward the heroes
is an attempt to frame the Brekker Band, provided and willingness to help depends on the outcome of their
they are not blinded by their first impressions. previous encounter.
Have the heroes make a cumulative group check using

Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Seduction (2 minutes,
7 attempts, up to 3 heroes) against Torvon’s cumulative
A New, Hot Trail? Willpower check (SR 6; see page 35 for further stats).
If they played through The Employee (page 31) plot line, Whenever the heroes achieve more QL than Torvon, share
the heroes may draw parallels to Bram Ironjaw and the one of the following pieces of information.
Brekker Band. After all, those thugs wanted to (or did) Torvon doesn’t know anything about Bram Ironjaw
bury poor Merago in the waat. But, even if you didn’t play killing one of Sumudan de Vries’ officers: “But, even if I
this plot line, or if your heroes don’t recall it, it is by no did, you’ve seen how they deal with traitors.”
means secret knowledge hidden from them for long. Even He recommends the heroes steer clear of Bram Ironjaw
while they stand around the body, the onlookers begin to and not get mixed up in his business: “There’s a reason
whisper fearfully. Everyone knows how the Brekker Band the guards haven’t caught him, despite all the bounties on
deals with traitors and enemies. his head.”
Back in the Dragon Pit

The avenue down which the adventure continues The Dragon Pit (see page 32) is always crowded in the evening.
depends on which trail your heroes pursue, as To find anything or anyone in here, the heroes must make
follows. a cumulative group check using Streetwise (Asking Around)
The heroes can investigate the Brekker (10 minutes, 7 attempts, any number of heroes). The check
Band (see page 33). receives a penalty of -1 for each participating hero with
They can attempt to reconstruct Darion a social status higher than 2, and a bonus of +1 for each
Pekhebber’s last night alive (see page 51). participating hero with a social status of 1. Each hero can
replace Streetwise with either Empathy, Fast-Talk, Intimidation,

Persuasion, or Seduction once during the cumulative check. QL 6: “From Uthuria, really? I heard he came from Brabak. Must
A botch turns the mood in the Dragon Pit abruptly foul, and have been shipwrecked or something. Poor bastard!”
any hero who failed the check ends up in the middle of a QL 7: “I don’t know what he has to do with the Brekker Band….
vicious brawl (use the Brawling Points rules on page 33 and He paid for the prostitute, in any case.”
the Brekker Band Thug stats on page 35). QL 8: “He smelled like booze and was so depressing, he even
made the prostitutes cranky.”
The heroes can learn the following information about QL 9: “I’m sure he went drinking again, afterward.”
Darion in the Dragon Pit. QL 10: “I’ll be surprised if Ironjaw had something to do with his
death. He sends only his own people to sleep with the fishes.”
QL 4: “I heard the dead man was an officer with de Vries.”
QL 5: “He came back from Uthuria and went to the Red Lotus
first thing to find a prostitute. Apparently, they have ugly women
in Uthuria.”
Darion’s Last Night

To find Darion Pekhebber’s true killer, the heroes must In the tavern named for a famous imman exclamation, a
succeed at reconstructing the last few hours of the rough, hostile mood greets the heroes. They do not like
officer’s life. As they only have a few bits of information, strangers in the Murder Him. No, the Eagles players and
they probably won’t have much choice but to do things their most faithful fans much prefer to be among their
the hard way and Ask Around in the city. The heroes are own, so they are free to drown their frustrations about the
also pressed for time if they made sure Thuan is going to increasingly rare games with cheap booze and relive stories
meet the hangman in a few days. about the good old days. This is evident by the interior
decorations, as well: pennants and banners with the Grangor
The heroes quickly ascertain the man’s identity, as they Eagles emblem decorate the sparse walls next to shelves
have a reliable point of reference in his jacket. Thus, their containing trophies in all shapes and sizes. Imman sticks
Asking Around checks receive a +5 bonus (1-hour interval). made from sturdy ash wood also hang on the walls, crossed
The question of Darion’s last known location, however, like sabers, and old goalpost nets hang from the ceiling. The
is more difficult to establish. The heroes can try giving tables and chairs are made from plain timber; closer looks
Darion’s description when they Ask Around to find out who reveal they were not all made by the same carpenter. It
last saw him. There is no penalty to such a check, but it has seems one or two were replaced at some point.
an 9-hour interval and provides the following information.
QL 2: Darion arrived in Grangor the day before Sumudan’s Typical Patrons

death. The heroes don’t encounter Arn Knokenbreeker
QL 3: He arrived on a ship from Brabak. here, but other patrons are present.
QL 6: A gondolier took him to Old Grangor—close to the de
Vries counting house—and then to South Grangor. Lip-Lente (27; broad shoulders; muscular upper
QL 10: Someone saw Darion in the Murder Him tavern the body; arms like a young birch tree; thick, scarred
evening before Sumudan’s death. upper lip; former imman player; loves the game;
hates her dreary life; desperately needs someone
The Favorite Tavern to keep Rahja-Raime away from her; Willpower 5
(14/13/13), SPI 1)
Rahja-Raime (called Rimaldo; 36; shoulder-
Read Aloud or Paraphrase length, curly hair; beer belly that always pokes
Tall apartment buildings throw long shadows onto a crooked out the bottom of his greasy shirt; never without
brickhouse built right next to the river. Listless waves wash against a beer stein in hand; alcoholic day laborer whose
the wooden landing pier with a smack, greedily licking at the soggy life is all about imman; knows the final score of
beams on which the tavern was built. Light pours through the slats every game by heart and worships the players like
of the closed shutters and you hear the echoes of crude jeering inside. gods, especially Lente—with whom he is smitten;
Willpower 4 (13/13/13), SPI 2)
A warm haze of sweat and beer greets you as you step into the Silent Silvio (52; unkempt; smells of sweat;
notorious tavern. A dozen or so pairs of eyes turn to scrutinize limps; out-of-work drunkard who comes here to
you, silently asking what you want here. try to forget his life. Not interested in imman, or
anything, really; only wants some peace and quiet)
51
Heroes with a social status of 1 or 2 who enter the bar Rumors About Arn
must earn the trust of those present (Attitude 3); if their “Arn used to be a wild bull; now he’s just a tame ox.
social status is at least 3, the bargoers treat them with That odious patrician now controls his leash.” (+)
awkward politeness (Etiquette (Manners); SR 2 (9/11/10); “Really? You’ve never heard of Arn Knokenbreeker?
Attitude 7), hoping to gain lucrative employment as a The best captain the Eagles ever had! It is a real
bodyguard. Otherwise, they keep away from such people— shame you don’t see him playing anymore.” (matter
their worlds are too different, and they do not like pushy of opinion)
behavior here (Attitude 3). “He used to come in here every day; but now,
working for the Hortemann woman takes up most of
Shorten this process by having the mood turn sour his time.” (+)
before the players make the check. “That wretched traitor! He can get lost! Suddenly
To help avoid the brawl, increase the players’ we’re no longer good enough for him? He’s mooning
number of attempts to succeed on the cumulative about with that vile patrician. I think he honestly
check. believes she’ll marry him one day.” (+/-)
“The officer seemed to spoil Arn’s mood. He became
C’mon, Spit it Out! What the Patrons Know quiet and restless and left the tavern right after the
The patrons know enough to set the heroes on the stranger.” (+/-)
right trail. However, they won’t readily disclose it
to strangers. They get annoyed quickly and meet
Bar Fight!
persistent questioning with brute force.
At some point, the mood turns sour and the heroes find
themselves in a rowdy brawl—during which no single
Have the players make a cumulative group check
piece of furniture remains intact. Encourage the heroes to
using Fast-Talk (5 minutes, any number of heroes,
make use of items in their environment—they can throw
3 attempts), which receives a +2 bonus or a -2
dishes and hit their opponents over the head with chairs.
penalty, depending on the patrons’ initial attitudes
Naturally, it won’t be long before the bargoers grab the
toward the heroes (see above). Once, during the
imman sticks from the wall, as they know how to use them
cumulative check, a hero can replace Fast-Talk with
quite well.
another appropriate skill. After three attempts, the
mood turns sour and the heroes find themselves in
The heroes face (12 minus the QL from their cumulative
a rough tavern brawl, unless they are content to
group check) enemies. The rest of the bar patrons either
leave with the information they already possess.
Result
QL 2: Many of those present remember the officer, who Imman Players and Fans
came here that evening to drown his sorrows in alcohol— COU 14 SGC 12 INT 13 CHA 11
they always remember unfamiliar faces here. DEX 12 AGI 14 CON 14 STR 14
QL 4: No one really paid much attention to him, but they LP 36 AE – KP – INI 14+1D6
remember that Arn Knokenbreeker, the Eagles’ captain, SPI 2 TOU 2 DO 8 MOV 8
sat next to him for a while. Unarmed: AT 14 PA 8 DP 1D6 RE short
QL 6: The officer might have said something about a Imman Stick (Cudgel): AT 14 PA 6 DP 1D6+1 RE short
shipwreck. He seemed like he’d been through a lot. PRO/ENC: 0/0
QL 8: The officer’s yammering seemed to annoy Arn, who Advantages/Disadvantages: Negative Trait (Short
looked momentarily as though he might punch the officer. Temper)
QL 9: The innkeeper, Ulanio (63; white curly hair; Special Abilities: Alertness, Feint I, Forceful Blow I,
moustache; tattooed, hairy arms; eye-patch; Willpower Improved Dodge I
6 (12/13/14), SPI 2) is still Skills: Body Control 8, Feat of Strength 9, Intimidation 10,
angry. The officer left at some Perception 5 Sailing 4, Self-Control 7, Stealth 5, Swimming 4,
point to relieve himself and Willpower 6
The intent is for the Combat Behavior: The imman players and their fans
heroes’ fists to do the never returned, even though
he owed the innkeeper more prefer to attack a single opponent in greater numbers.
talking. After the brawl, They use whatever weapons they can find, such as
they receive the missing than a ducat for his drinks.
QL 10: Arn left shortly chairs and beer steins, and prefer to attack from behind.
pieces of information Escape: After losing 50% LP; or, not at all, if using BP
from their overwhelmed afterward and also didn’t
return. Pain +1 at: 27 LP, 18 LP, 9 LP, and 5 LP and less
opponents.

run away or watch from the sidelines and bet on the fight’s Instead of using actual LP, you can use the Brawling
outcome. The brawl ends when the heroes defeat all their Points rules from page 33. This way, combat causes
opponents, or the opponents run away. The heroes earn only partial damage and won’t weaken the heroes
so much respect during the fight, the other bargoers too much before the final showdown.
(or their defeated opponents) answer any remaining
questions they have. The items in the list below are everyday items that are
quite unsuitable as weapons. They follow improvised
If you want to make the fight more difficult for weapons rules (improvised ranged weapons follow the
your players, involve more patrons. same rules as improvised close-combat weapons, but
whereas close-combat weapons botch on an AT or PA roll
of 19-20, ranged weapons botch on an RC roll of 19-20).
Improvised Close-Combat Weapon Rules
Name Combat Technique DP P+T AT/PA mod RE
Bottle (i) Impact Weapons 1D6+1 STR 16 -1/-3 short
Note: Cracks after one attack, causing +1 DP and -1 PA thereafter
Chair (i) Impact Weapons 1D6+3 STR 15 -2/-2 medium
Note: Breaks after one attack
Chair Leg (i) Impact Weapons 1D6+2 STR 14 -1/-3 medium
Table (i) Impact Weapons 1D6+4 STR 17 -4/-1 medium
Note: Breaks after one attack; Prerequisite: Strength 14
Improvised Ranged Weapon Rules

Name Combat Technique DP Reload Time RA
Apple / Small Stone (i) Thrown Weapons 1D3 1 action 2/4/8
Beer Stein (i) Thrown Weapons 1D3+1 1 action 2/4/8
Note: Shatters after one attack
Crockery (i) Thrown Weapons 1D3+1 1 action 2/4/8
Vase (i) Thrown Weapons 1D3+1 1 action 2/4/8
53
No Plaintiff,
No Judge
After the brawl in the Murder Him, the heroes hit the
adventure’s home stretch. They learn the following facts
from tracing the murdered officer Pekhebber’s trail to the
imman tavern.
Pekhebber had an encounter with Arn Knokenbreeker

in the Murder Him.
Shortly after Pekhebber left the tavern, Knokenbreeker
left, as well.
Arn Knokenbreeker happens to be Odina Hortemann’s
bodyguard.
Pekhebber was part of Sumudan de Vries’ second
fleet to Uthuria, whose return the Grangorers eagerly
await. The fleet has not yet arrived in Grangor.
No one in the counting house knew Pekhebber was in
town.
Pekhebber took a gondola to the de Vries counting
house or its vicinity.
Pekhebber drank a lot of alcohol and seemed quite
depressed.
Pekhebber arrived in Grangor on a ship from Brabak.
Arn Knokenbreeker should now be the heroes’ most likely

suspect for Pekhebber’s murder. He was angrily talking
with Pekhebber and the two of them left the tavern almost
simultaneously. The fact that he is Odina Hortemann’s
bodyguard, who never leaves her side, should seem odd
to the heroes, as it means he is connected to Sumudan de
Vries’ death, as well.
Odina Hortemann and Arn Knokenbreeker should now

become the focus of the heroes’ investigation. They
have a concrete suspicion, but they must still prove
their theory, which happens in the section The Prime
Suspect, on page 55.
The fact that Pekhebber was in Grangor should also cause

the heroes to pause and think. Why would a member
of the Uthuria fleet reach Grangor ahead of the fleet’s
return, and why would he allegedly come from Brabak?
For now, the heroes must speculate about these clues; and
their speculation is likely to become even more passionate
in the next scene.
The Market Crier

The next time the heroes travel through the city, perhaps
in search of Odina or Arn, play through the following
scene.
54 One Dead in Grangor – No Plaintiff, No Judge

A young merchant, Horun Goldstick (24; short, blond of coffee, 10 sacks of peanuts, 20 ounces of amber, and
hair; artificial smile; has a salesman’s charm; Attitude 5), 3 sacks of cacao beans—all of which, he claims, are
rings a hand bell to get attention. With his arms spread fresh from Uthuria.
wide, he gestures toward his shop, ambitiously promising Horun tells the heroes the Uthuria fleet sailed into a
passersby only here can they purchase goods fresh from heavy storm and is undergoing repairs in Brabak. This
distant Uthuria. As proof of his statements, he offers hot freight was sent as a taste of what’s to come and as
cups of coffee at his shop’s entrance. proof of its imminent return. It arrived in Grangor
yesterday (an Empathy (Sense Deception) check shows
Since the heroes recently discovered at least one person Horun is not lying—he believes what he says).
from the Uthuria fleet already returned to Grangor If the heroes played through The Employee plot line,
(Darion Pekhebber), they may want to investigate the they may notice these are the exact goods—in the
shopkeeper’s claims. Or, they might assume the Uthuria exact amounts—Torvon Snakkeling stole from
fleet’s crew mutinied and sold the goods on the black Sumudan de Vries’ storehouse.
market. However, the shopkeeper’s claims are more
fantasy than reality, as follows. Odina’s employees purchased the goods on the black
The shopkeeper is one of the Hortemanns’ employees. market; she now has one of her employees sell them in
With a Perception (Spot) check +1, the heroes discover one of her stores to encourage rumors that Sumudan’s
the Hortemanns’ emblem (a thick H in front of a red fleet will soon return. She attempts to remain as close
circle) in numerous places throughout the store. to the truth as possible.
Horun purchased his goods from the Hortemann
counting house, as usual. This ploy has the intended effect: news spreads quickly
If the heroes press him for answers (competitive check throughout the city, there are soon long lines outside
using Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Seduction Horun’s store, and the de Vries stock value rises.
against Horun’s Willpower (SR 6, (12/10/10)), Horun
tells them exactly what goods he has for sale: 2 crates
The Prime Suspect

After meeting Horun the market crier, the heroes should It is not necessary to have all the answers; however, the
no longer have any doubt about Odina’s involvement heroes must do quite a bit of convincing, which is easier
in the case. But, they can’t prove it—at least, not yet. the more information they have.
However, they collected much evidence during their
investigation they may need to revisit, now that they have
It is important for your players to be able to put the
a new theory. It could be prudent to revisit old locations
adventure’s background in the right context at this
and ask new questions.
point. Therefore, you should not make things too
difficult for them. This adventure can’t cover every
To obtain solid evidence against Odina and Arn and close
detail your players might question; but, as the GM,
the case, the heroes need to find answers to the following
you have all the relevant information. Thus, you
questions.
should resolve all trails your players want to follow,
using a simple Asking Around check if they are false
Where did Arn Knokenbreeker go after he left the
trails. This way, your players don’t spend too much
Murder Him? (page 55)
time on fruitless investigations. If your heroes get
Where did the villa Hortemann acquire goods from
stuck, you can always use Fate Points to give them
Uthuria? (page 56)
clues (see the optional rules for Using Fate Points, on
Where was Odina Hortemann the evening Sumudan
page 6).
de Vries died? (page 56)
Can Odina and Arn be placed at the counting house
the night Sumudan died? (page 57)
Did Odina and Arn plant evidence on Thuan de Vries? Finding Witnesses to the Officer’s Murder
(page 57) To accuse Arn Knokenbreeker of Darion Pekhebber’s
Who paid Thuan’s debt? (page 57) murder, the heroes need one more crucial clue in the form
Was Sumudan’s death a suicide? (page 58) of a witness. Even though Arn was careful to avoid getting
caught when he dumped the body in the water, witnesses
If the heroes find answers to most of these questions, they still saw him near where the body was found, around the
can thwart Odina’s plans (see Odina’s Downfall, page 58). time of Darion’s death.
55
Odina accidently dipped
her sleeve in the ink spot
If the heroes express interest in this detail, call for an the bustling counting house, Sumudan left on his desk
Asking Around check at -2 (3 hours). Luckily, as imman talking to an older maid. after writing his farewell
captain, Knokenbreeker is well-known in the city, so any The blouse has a large, black note. If the heroes talk to
information they receive is rather precise, as follows. ink stain on the sleeve. She the maids, they can find
QL 6: A witness saw Arn Knokenbreeker on the night in tells the older maid she has out the exact date Odina
question, at the time in question. already washed the blouse brought them the blouse
QL 10: The witness, Ingalf, saw Arn kick Darion while he three times, but the spot with the ink spot. The spot
was lying on the ground. Ingalf quickly walked by, as he simply won’t come out. is a (well-hidden) piece of
did not want any trouble. evidence proving Odina
Investigating the Counting was at the crime scene. It
House is the icing on the cake,
Possible Witnesses When the heroes inquire evidence-wise, but the
Lorynda Glass—glassworker about the items from Uthuria heroes don’t need it to
Tonia Bock—gondolier (questionable integrity) Horun Goldstick said he convict the guilty parties.
Ingalf Kalamal—helmsman and member of the purchased here, everyone
Helmsmen’s Guild they speak to pretends to
know nothing about it. With
a cumulative (group) check using Fast-Talk -1 (5 minutes,
The Villa Hortemann 5 attempts, any number of heroes), the heroes finally get
The villa Hortemann (A12) lies on the Northwaat in Old
a counting house employee to tell them the goods did not
Grangor. With a small, interior courtyard, an integrated
recently arrive from Uthuria, but came from the black
counting house, and a large balcony opening onto the
market. Also, the merchant house de Vries’ emblem was
waat, it is the epitome of a Grangoran patrician house.
still on all the goods, so they had to repack the goods
before they could resell them. The informant can also tell
The heroes might come here for any number of reasons.
the heroes exactly how much of each came through the
After the encounter with the market crier, they may wish
storehouse, which corresponds to the amounts Torvon
to discover the origin of the alleged Uthuria goods. Or,
Snakkeling stole from Sumudan de Vries (see The Employee
they might decide to go directly to Odina herself to ask
on page 31).
her a few questions about her whereabouts on the night
of Sumudan’s death.
Catching Arn
Once the heroes uncover Arn’s involvement in the events,
The Ink Spot
they’ll likely want to meet with Odina to demand she
The first time the heroes visit the Hortemann villa, they
turn him over to the authorities. They find both Odina
see a young maid carrying a silk blouse and wearing a
and Arn in the counting house, but Odina refuses to hand
worried expression on her face. She is some distance from
Odina Lies! performance, she left during the intermission; therefore,

It does not matter whether the heroes trust Odina or she is unaware there was a serious accident during the
believe she is lying—they have a genuine problem. As a second act and the performance ended early.
patrician, Odina’s testimony carries more weight than all
the heroes’ witnesses put together—which a successful Odina could crack under pressure if the heroes ask her about
Law (Horasian Empire) check +3 can tell them. If they want the performance and confront her lack of knowledge. But,
to convict Arn (and Odina), they’ll need hard evidence. with a successful Law (Horasian Empire) check +3, they realize
they should not do so in her counting house with no other
First, they must disprove Odina’s alibi. Then, they can witnesses. To denounce someone of Odina’s status, they
at least corner Arn, who has no way to refute any of the need witnesses with good reputations—ideally, locals whose
collected witness statements. Secondly, they must prove words carry weight. Thus, the heroes should reveal what they
Odina was at the crime scene the night Sumudan died. know only in the presence of members of high society (for
The only way to charge Odina for her crimes, despite her instance, during another shareholders’ meeting). Until then,
status, is to establish a credible link between her and the they should continue to collect evidence to support their case
counting house that night. against Odina.
Cracking Odina’s Alibi If you think your heroes already have the necessary
If your heroes played through the scene, The Daughter information to convict Odina and close the case, you can
(page 28), they already have all the necessary information omit this scene and jump straight to Odina’s Downfall on
to prove Odina is lying. Even though Odina attended the page 58.

Arn over to the heroes. She acts as though their eyewitness someone interrupted Sumudan shortly after he finished
reports are the trumped-up accusations of drunk sailors writing something; otherwise, it is likely he would have
and nostalgic imman players, and provides an alibi for removed the spot. The heroes might also remember
Arn: he accompanied her to the King Khadan Hall on the Odina’s white shirt had an ink spot if they saw the maid
night in question, to guard her seat while she watched with it at the villa Hortemann.
the performance of The Flying Bornlander. As evidence,
she shows the heroes her entry ticket. There were no However, it may prove more fruitful to the heroes to
witnesses, as she was alone in the box. If the heroes find revisit the neighbors (see The Neighborhood, page 28) rather
this odd, she informs them she supports the hall of arts than the crime scene. If they suspect Arn and Odina were
as a patron and, because of her dedication, those who run in the counting house that night, they could ask Captain
the hall invite her to visit on a regular basis. She does not Tonia ter Grachten once more exactly what she saw. Since
always invite a guest to accompany her. the heroes can rule out the possibility the captain saw
Gylduria de Vries and her husband (either because they
Deciphering Odina: A substantial portion of Odina’s visited King Khadan Hall and know Gylduria’s husband was
statement is truth. The only lie is that Arn was there, too, in an accident that night, or because they played through
guarding her seat. If the heroes doubt her statement, ask the scene entitled The Daughter), Captain Tonia can provide
for a competitive check using Fast-Talk (Manipulation) +1 an acceptable description of Arn and Odina—if the heroes
against Odina’s Empathy (Sense Deception). Keep your roll ask her the right questions. Captain Tonia also has a good
for Odina hidden, stating only the result of the check—if reputation, which is useful for convicting Odina.
the heroes’ QL is higher than Odina’s, they are certain she’s
lying. If they lose the check, they see no signs that Odina Who Framed Thuan?
is lying (though this does not mean they must believe her If the heroes no longer believe Thuan killed his father
statement). and instead suspect Arn and Odina, they must also find
evidence to prove the patrician and her bodyguard
Investigating the Opera House framed Thuan. To do so, they could Ask Around in Thuan’s
For a description of the opera house, see page 12. The neighborhood again, or try to figure out who paid Thuan’s
King Khadan Hall has not yet begun to resume operations. debts.
Workmen are still trying to rebuild the damaged stage.
The heroes might be able to find someone who remembers Nosy Neighbors
Odina leaving the performance early that night. Perhaps If the heroes didn’t question Thuan’s neighbors on their
Siranja Biret (see page 28) remembers seeing Odina; or first visit to his apartment (page 37), then now is the time
the pageboy, Thallian Ackerman (24; hair slicked back to do so. Simona Durenald’s observation about Thuan’s
neatly with pomade; good posture; nasal voice; loves visitor should, at the very least, give the heroes pause.
his profession; hates stingy, unfriendly guests; needs Simona’s description fits Arn Knokenbreeker, precisely.
additional income because the opera house has closed; If the heroes now know Thuan was not home on the
Willpower 8 (14/14/14), SPI 2), who was Odina’s server night in question because he was breaking into Svealinja
that evening. He remembers the patrician ordered a Watergaard’s storehouse, they might conclude someone
bottle of Golden Cliffs Aurora (a tart, red wine). However, broke into Thuan’s apartment.
when he went to deliver the wine to her shortly after the
intermission, she was gone. A box office employee, Thuan’s Account
Arnica Jolen, says she saw Odina and her bodyguard leave If your heroes spoke with the shady moneylender, Stordian
the hall during the intermission. Goudtand, in the Wheel and Cup tavern (page 39), then they
know someone paid Thuan’s gambling debts. It is possible
If you wish to resolve this research using a check, have they also know the repaid sum roughly corresponds to the
your players make a cumulative (group) check using either amount stolen from the counting house. However, finding
Streetwise (Asking Around) +2 or Etiquette +2 (5 minutes) to out who used the money to pay Thuan’s debts is far more
determine who can provide the information they need. difficult a task. The Northland Bank’s policy prohibits
them from revealing who used the money to purchase the
Back to the de Vries Counting House promissory note (they call this banking secrecy).
Once the heroes can refute Odina’s alibi, they must find
evidence proving the patrician and her bodyguard were in Jucaro Damotil, a Northland Bank employee, starts out
the counting house on the night of the crime. with attitude level 5 (+/- any advantages or disadvantages)
toward the heroes. He is not willing to disclose an official
They may find the dried ink smudge on Sumudan’s writing secret to the heroes until his attitude reaches level 9. All
desk in the merchant house suspicious. It could indicate Fast-Talk, Persuasion, and Seduction checks meant to force
Jucaro to reveal what he knows (see page 9) receive a
57
penalty equal to the difference between Jucaro’s current What the Heroes Find Out
attitude level toward the heroes and level 9. Furthermore, The heroes can learn the following facts from Jucaro if
Jucaro can make a Willpower check (SR 7 (11/13/12), SPI they manage to sufficiently raise his attitude toward them
2) to attempt to resist their manipulation. This means the and gain his trust.
heroes might end up wasting their time here; however, Odina Hortemann deposited 108 ducats and 3
the following actions provide bonuses to their checks. silverthalers the day after Sumudan’s death. She
then told the bank to send a promissory note for this
The heroes can attempt to change Jucaro’s attitude (see amount to the moneylender, Stordian Goudtand, to
page 8) by each making a competitive check using their repay Thuan de Vries’ debts.
preferred skill (Fast-Talk, Persuasion, or Seduction). The Sumudan’s own debt amounted to more than five
checks don’t receive initial penalties, but if Jucaro realizes figures. He used many credits to outfit his current
the heroes are together, then each additional attempt to voyage to Uthuria. Furthermore, he didn’t take out
influence his attitude receives a cumulative penalty of -1 any insurance on the fleet—probably because of his
(this means the next attempt receives a penalty of -1, the lack of funds. Sumudan would have gone bankrupt if
attempt after that receives a penalty of -2, the attempt the fleet didn’t return.
after that receives a penalty of -3, and so on). If the check
is successful, then his attitude increases by the net QL Did Sumudan, In Fact, Commit Suicide?
(limit of 2) to a maximum of 7. If the heroes learn Sumudan was in debt and would be
The heroes can use spells and liturgical chants to bankrupt if he lost his fleet, they may decide the theory the
make their Social skill checks easier. It is also possible merchant committed suicide could be right, after all. They
to cast Bannbaladin (see Core Rules, page 288) to change might already suspect the Uthuria fleet isn’t returning if
Jucaro’s attitude. they did any research into Darion Pekhebber’s murder.
Jucaro’s attitude is automatically 1 higher when dealing
with Blessed Ones other than Blessed Ones of Phex. With this knowledge, the heroes can probably reconstruct
If the heroes have gained Thuan’s trust, he can appear a reasonable course of events. But, to be certain, they must
before Jucaro as Sumudan’s heir. The bank employee confront Odina. It is still quite possible she killed Sumudan;
discloses information to Thuan far more readily than but, at the very least, she framed an innocent man and
to the heroes. Additional checks receive a +2 bonus. committed stock market fraud. Therefore, after they gather
their evidence, the heroes must confront the antagonist.
Odina’s Downfall
To convict Odina, the heroes need the following This information is not necessary to convict Odina, but it
information. can provide the heroes with important allies for the final
Odina does not have a solid alibi. She says she was at confrontation.
the King Khadan Hall that night, but she left the opera
house early. Presenting the Evidence
Odina was seen at the crime scene, near the time of No matter what the heroes find out about Odina, the
Sumudan’s death. patrician’s social status is too high to convict her on
She planted false evidence on Thuan. circumstantial evidence. The heroes need a confession
Odina invested a lot of money in Sumudan’s voyage proffered in front of witnesses with good reputations and
to Uthuria (they can learn this of equal or higher status than Odina’s.
information from rumors about
The heroes may have Odina, from other investors, Luckily, Odina still regularly meets with the other
promised to share their or from Odina herself; This can shareholders. This provides the heroes the opportunity to
findings, anyway (see The help the heroes understand disclose their investigation results in front of people with
Shareholders, on page 46). Odina’s motivation). an equally high social status and accuse the patrician.
If not, it is likely Thuan is
currently imprisoned. This Furthermore, the heroes
is another a good reason to may have discovered Odina’s Read Aloud or Paraphrase
share their findings with henchmen selling de Vries While you’re still a long way off, you hear furious voices that soon
all the shareholders—the shares in her name and rigging drown out the chaos in the temple of Phex’s main hall. It is obvious
merchant’s son won’t be bids to attempt to raise prices. the shareholders’ nerves are getting raw in the side room.
freed unless the heroes can
solve the entire case.

A man says, “The share price hasn’t been this high in hero reacts to a question, expanding the accusation, they
months. I say we go sell everything, immediately. A bird can make a check and add their QL to the group’s total
in the hand is worth two in the bush.” QL. If the heroes achieve 10 QL total in this manner, they
convince the shareholders of their theory and Odina
Odina reprimands him in a calm voice, saying “My dear makes a complete confession.
Kaarstett. Surely, you’ve heard: a taste of our waiting
riches has already arrived. The rest will follow, once the Odina vehemently rejects the allegation that she killed
fleet repairs are completed in Brabak.” Sumudan or had him killed. When she confesses to her crimes,
she mentions Sumudan’s farewell note—which is in her vault.
Another shareholder chimes in, saying, “That taste is nothing She is also adamant that she never asked Arn to kill Darion
more than a few sacks of peanuts and a bit of coffee. That Pekhebber; rather, Arn presented her a fait accompli.
doesn’t really give us any information about what the
ships might bring. I say, let’s sell—before we end up with Arn angrily grinds his teeth at Odina’s betrayal; but, Odina
empty cargo holds and empty coin bags.” prevents him from leaving by placing her hand on his
chest to calm him. She has one remaining idea to save
This may be the perfect time to shed some light on the matter…. them from the noose.
A Matter of Negotiation
Odina’s confession should close the case, but the patrician
has one, final scheme. Before the heroes arrest her, she
Much like their last visit, the heroes find two dozen addresses the shareholders.
shareholders—as well as Odina and Arn—in the salon.
Because the situation is tense, it is not difficult for the
heroes to get everyone’s attention. In their current
situation, the shareholders are desperate for news to help Read Aloud or Paraphrase
facilitate their decision to keep or sell their shares. Outrage spreads through the hall as soon as Odina confesses
her lies. The merchants nervously and frantically talk amongst
The Confession themselves. “Outrageous!”, someone says. “Scandal!”, yells
By way of the shareholders, you can ask your players to another. The merchants’ faces reveal their obvious panic—you
present their chain of proof, backing Odina into a corner. see beads of sweat forming on even the seemingly unconcerned
Moderate their speech by asking questions like the mage’s forehead.
following, forcing them to present their chain of proof in
the correct order. With determination, Odina raises her hands in the air and yells
What is their main theory? (Arn and Odina used above the din,“Yes, it is all true!” The hall immediately falls
Sumudan’s suicide to their advantage? Arn and Odina silent, and she continues. “I found Sumudan dead in the
murdered Sumudan and/or Darion Pekhebber?) courtyard. After reading his farewell letter, it became clear
Can they refute Odina’s alibi? to me our shares wouldn’t be worth a single kreutzer if the
Can they prove Odina was at the crime scene? public learned why he took his own life. I staged his murder
All the evidence points to Thuan… Can they prove to stall for time. I invented fake shipments, started rumors,
otherwise? and led you down the garden path so I had time to sell my
What would Odina gain from her deception? shares in secret. For that, I am truly sorry, my friends.”
For sample shareholder information about Murak Outraged people almost shout her down, but Odina raises her
Kaarstett, Othonia ter Broock, Rahyanis Laevigata, and voice, saying, “All is not lost! There is still a chance we may
Vero Finesmith, see page 48. all leave this house as winners!” She unexpectedly points at
you, saying, “These people are the only ones besides us who
Naturally, Odina dismisses the heroes’ accusations (“You know the truth. If each of us gave them only a fraction of
have no proof of that!”), and presents her alibi. This should our shares, the truth would never have to leave this room.
prompt the heroes to present evidence to support their I’m certain that—together—we can still find a way to make
theory. The key to destroying Odina’s alibi lies in asking a profit in this situation. What do you think?”
her about the second act of The Flying Bornlander on the
night in question. Because she left the performance during She watches the shareholders questioningly as whispers start to
the intermission, she doesn’t know about the accident, spread around the room. Her calculating gaze then focuses on
which reveals her lie. you for an uncomfortably long time.
If you like, you can also have your players make a

cumulative group check using Persuasion. Each time a
59
It quickly becomes clear the merchants prefer a small convincing the heroes’ arguments. The heroes start out facing
sacrifice over the risk of losing everything. Characters with a 12 opponents in total; For each QL they achieve on their
strong moral code might be quite shocked at how quickly the cumulative group check, they convince one opponent to back
merchants seem willing to forget Odina’s disgraceful deeds. down (to a minimum of 5 opponents).
Greed Versus Morals One Last Battle

The shareholders make the heroes an offer. On average, each Battle eventually ensues in the temple of Phex’s side room.
shareholder is willing to give the heroes shares worth 5 ducats, Odina, Arn, and a handful of merchants—capable of pretty
which amounts to 100 ducats the heroes can split amongst much anything—refuse to let the heroes leave. The heroes
themselves. Naturally, considering their current situation, face opponents who may not be great fighters, but have the
the shareholders are willing to negotiate. The players can advantage of being armed. Heroes who aren’t trained in
make a cumulative group check using Commerce (Haggling) (5 ways to quickly disarm or overcome their opponents may
minutes, 5 attempts, any number of heroes) and receive a +1 find the furniture offers them a chance to still put up a fight
bonus if they present good arguments. If the heroes reject the (of course, their opponents can also use such tactics).
offer because of their moral integrity, the shareholders see it Take the rapiers off the wall—takes 2 actions
as a negotiation tactic and increase their offer. Take the two-lilies off the wall—takes 3 actions
Use a book to Parry—a thick book from the shelf can
In the end, they should offer the heroes (depending on the take a few hits—Brawling PA; consider the person
heroes’ check results) between 500 and 3,000 ducats. If the holding the book armed).
heroes do not accept the bribe at this point, they’ll need a Throw a book—Thrown Weapons, RT 1, DP special, RA
good argument to sway the majority. The heroes’ resistance 4/8/12 (see Core Rules, page 372). Hits do not cause
may convince about half the shareholders that the plan they DP, but the target must make a Self-Control (Ignore
were discussing is wrong; the other half, including Othonia Distractions) check +2 or the book interrupts their
ter Brook, refuse to accept No for an answer. For them, it is longer action.
all about the money—for the rest, their entire existence. Throw the bust—A chest-high column holds a marble
Therefore, they won’t allow the heroes to leave until they bust of a portly merchant. Thrown Weapons, RT 1, DP
accept the bribe. The shareholders use weapons to enforce 1D6+2, RA 3/6/9 (see Core Rules, page 372; check has a
their demands, if needed (as burghers, they are armed). penalty of -2).
Roll the column—The attacker must make a Feat
If violence seems likely, the heroes need a good plan. With of Strength (Pushing & Bending) check (two actions);
a cumulative group check using Persuasion (Debate), they can their opponent must make a successful Body Control
attempt to make the greedy merchants rethink their ways. (Jumping) check -1 or receive the state prone.
Certain individuals, such as the reluctant Murak Kaarstett, are Drop the chandelier—A heavy crystal chandelier, which
easier to convince in this manner. Others, such as Othonia ter can be lowered with a rope, hangs above the negotiation
Brook, Rahyanis Laevigata, and Vero Finesmith, are so consumed table. If the heroes loosen the rope (Ropes (Knots) check -2;
with greed they won’t come to their senses no matter how 1 action) or cut it (5 structure points; see Core Rules, page

Odina Hortemann PRO/ENC 0/0
COU 14 SGC 15 INT 13 CHA 14 Skills
DEX 12 AGI 13 CON 12 STR 12 Physical: Body Control 3, Climbing 3, Feat
LP 29 AE - KP - INI 14+1D6 of Strength 4, Stealth 7
SPI 2 DO 7 TOU 1 MOV 8 Social: Empathy 12, Etiquette 11, Fast-Talk
Fate Points 3 12, Persuasion 6, Seduction 7, Streetwise 10,
Social Standing: Free Willpower 10
Languages: Native tongue Garethi III, Thorwalian I Nature: Orienting 6
Scripts: Kuslik Signs Knowledge: Religions 5
Advantages: Inspire Confidence Craft: Commerce 14, Sailing 5, Vehicles 7
Disadvantages: Negative Trait (Curiosity) Equipment: Dagger, rapier (other merchants normally
Special Abilities: Feint I, Keep at Distance I (see use foils)
Aventuria Compendium, page 153), Headlock (see Aventuria Combat Behavior: Odina tries to avoid combat; she hasn’t
Compendium, Page 152) killed anyone yet, and is not yet guilty of a serious crime.
Combat Techniques: Brawling 12 When forced to fight, she’ll uses her fists and, if needed,
Unarmed: AT 10 PA 5 DP 1D6 RE short feints; she uses her dagger only in an extreme emergency.
Dagger: AT 10 PA 5 DP 1D6+1 RE short Escape: At Pain I; she yields at Pain III or if she’s backed
Rapier: AT 11 PA 5 DP 1D6+3 RE medium into a corner
Pain +1 at: 22 LP, 15 LP, 7 LP, and 5 LP or less
Arn Knokenbreeker Unarmed: AT 15 PA 9 DP 1D6+2 RE short

COU 13 SGC 9 INT 13 CHA 13 Cudgel: AT 15 PA 7 DP 1D6+4 RE medium
DEX 12 AGI 15 CON 14 STR 16 PRO/ENC 0/0
LP 40 AE - KP - INI 14+1D6 Skills
SPI 1 DO 7 TOU 3 MOV 8 Physical: Body Control 11, Carousing 9, Climbing 8, Feat of
Fate Points 1 Strength 13, Stealth 8
Social Standing: Free Social: Empathy 5, Etiquette 4, Fast-Talk 7, Intimidation 14,
Languages: Native tongue Garethi III Seduction 5, Streetwise 10, Willpower 6
Scripts: Kuslik Signs Nature: Orienting 6
Advantages: Rugged Fighter Knowledge: Religions 4
Disadvantages: Negative Trait (Short Temper) Craft: Commerce 4, Sailing 8, Vehicles 6
Special Abilities: Bornlandish Brawling (see Aventuria Equipment: Imman stick, which he uses as a cudgel
Compendium, Page 156), Feint I, Forceful Blow I+II, Combat Behavior: Arn viciously lashes out against his
Headlock (see Aventuria Compendium, Page 152), Low opponents. He primarily uses Forceful Blow with his
Blow (see Aventuria Compendium, Page 163), Master of cudgel. He knows he must eliminate the witnesses or he
Improvised Weapons (see Aventuria Compendium, Page is a dead man.
153), Protector (see Aventuria Compendium, Page 154) Escape: At Pain III
Combat Techniques: Brawling 14, Impact Weapons 14 Pain +1 at: 30 LP, 20 LP, 10 LP, and 5 LP or less
Typical Shareholder PRO/ENC 0/0

COU 12 SGC 14 INT 13 CHA 13 Skills: Body Control 4, Commerce 10, Feat of Strength 4,
DEX 12 AGI 13 CON 12 STR 12 Intimidation 5, Perception 6, Sailing 6, Self-Control 8, Stealth
LP 29 AE - KP - INI 13+1D6 10, Swimming 7, Willpower 7
SPI 2 DO 8 TOU 2 MOV 8 Combat Behavior: The shareholders are not
Advantages/Disadvantages: Individual, for example, experienced fighters; they try to gang up on a single
Negative Trait (Stinginess) or Personality Flaw (Envy, opponent. Sometimes, they use feints.
Vanity) Escape: At Pain II
Special Abilities: Bornlandish Brawling (see Aventuria Pain +1 at: 22 LP, 15 LP, 7 LP, and 5 LP or less
Compendium, Page 156), Feint I Special: Rahyanis the mage also has 34 AE and primarily
Unarmed: AT 11 PA 6 DP 1D6 RE short uses the spells Armatrutz (SR 8), Blinding Flash (SR 10),
Dagger: AT 11 PA 6 DP 1D6+1 RE short and Ignifaxius (SR 9) in combat.
Foil: AT 11 PA 5 DP 1D6+2 RE medium
61
349), the chandelier drops. It is large enough to hit 2-3 opponents manage to Parry, they receive no damage, but
targets directly below it. To avoid the chandelier, make are still thrown backward 1D3 yards. If the opponents
a successful Body Control (Combat Maneuvers or Jumping) successfully Dodge or use shields to defend, they avoid
check. If this check fails, roll 1D6: on a 1-2, suffer 1D6+4 being thrown backward and do not sustain DP.
DP; on a 3-4, receive the state prone; on a 5-6, receive the Tear down the drapes: The heavy, floor-length velvet
state bound until the end of the next CR. drapes bury anyone without the strength of an ox
Swing on the chandelier: A hero can grab onto the beneath them. The heroes can tear down one of the
chandelier with a daring jump from the balcony drapes to attempt to hinder their enemies (requires 1
(requires 1 action to make a Body Control (Jumping) check). action). The drapes are 6.5 yards long—large enough
Afterward, the hero has two options, as follows. to fall on several opponents at once—and pulling them
If they manage to grab the rope, they can swing in down requires a successful Feat of Strength (Dragging
any direction, but must stay within range (requires 1 & Pulling) check with a penalty of -1. If the heroes
action); their range depends on the rope’s length and succeed, everyone standing under the drapes must
the environment. To reach a destination on the same or make a Body Control (Combat Maneuvers) check, with
a lower level, the hero must make a Body Control (Combat a penalty of QL/2 from the Feat of Strength (Dragging
Maneuvers) check with a penalty of -2. To swing to a higher & Pulling) check. Each opponent who fails the Body
destination, the hero must also make a Climbing check Control (Combat Maneuvers) checks must roll 1D6: on
(this requires 1 additional action). If they fail the check, a 1-2, the opponent suffers the state prone; on a 3-4,
they don’t make it and use up their action(s); however, the opponent suffers the state cramped until the end
they may try again in the next CR. of the next CR; on a 5-6, the opponent suffers the state
If the hero wants to hang from the chandelier and hit bound until the end of the next CR.
or kick their opponents, they must make a Brawling AT To make this scene more difficult for the heroes,
(no base or special maneuvers) with a penalty of -2. If increase the number of opponents. Perhaps they
the hero fails the check, falling damage applies (the are not able to convince enough of the shareholders
amount corresponds to the situation; see Core Rules, to refrain from their nefarious deeds.
page 340). If the opponents do not defend against the If you don’t believe the heroes can face such
attack successfully, they sustain 1D6+1 DP, are thrown numbers, the upstanding shareholders in the group
backward 1D3 yards, and suffer the state prone. If the can join the heroes’ side before or during the fight.
Conclusion
Naturally, a fight in the temple of Phex does not go Luckily, before the guards can arrest the heroes, the
unnoticed. The heroes scarcely defeat their opponents merchants who chose to remain on the sidelines or side with
before a few Blessed Ones and guards—among them, Adaon the heroes during the fight speak up and settle the matter.
and Gilmon—enter the meeting room. The heroes could be
in quite a predicament, especially if they just attacked or
killed some of the most renown burghers in Grangor.

What Happens to…
…Thuan?
The heroes’ investigation and the merchants’ statements
clear up the circumstances surrounding Sumudan de Vries’
death. The heroes and guards find Sumudan’s farewell letter
in Odina Hortemann’s safe, in which he describes his financial
position after the fleet sank, and his regrets at betraying
his creditors’ trust. He could not live with the shame of
bankruptcy and the responsibility of losing honorable
merchants’ fortunes; thus, he decided to end his life.
Because Sumudan’s death is ruled a suicide, Thuan is

completely exonerated (and set free, if he was arrested).
Nevertheless, tough times await the young man. His
father’s fortune has become a gigantic pile of debt.
Sumudan’s property is distributed among his creditors,
meaning Thuan and his sister must now fend for
themselves.
…the Villains?
If Arn Knokenbreeker survives the fight with the heroes,
he faces capital punishment for the murder of Darion
Pekhebber. He won’t be in the city prison for long,
as the guards have evidence against him, including
witness statements from upstanding burghers. The
in Grangor goes through a brief period of upheaval—the
sentence is passed rather quickly, so his execution in the
failure of the de Vries shares affects other debt security
Hangmanwaat takes place on the next Praios day.
owners, as other bonds are no longer covered, either. But,
after a few days, the turmoil passes and the majority of
The merchants who took up arms against the heroes are
Grangorers do not even remember it happened.
also charged with committing a serious crime. The mage,
Rahyanis, and the master carpenter, Finesmith, face the
Shrewd heroes might be able to sell their de Vries share
same fate as Arn. Wealthier merchants, such as Othonia ter
certificates before the huge crash. The price may be
Brook, can afford good advocates, who appeal their death-
subject to major fluctuations; but, with Phex’s blessing,
sentence by arguing that no one died from their use of
they can still get a good deal. A Gambling (Betting Games)
these weapons, after all. Therefore, their sentence includes
check gives a QL/2 bonus to a subsequent Commerce
paying severe fines, facing humiliating punishment in the
(Haggling) check. The Commerce check’s QL simulates how
Hangmanwaat (the guards immerse them in the water),
well a hero performs on the Grangoran stock market floor.
and—depending on their status—duty in the navy.
…the Heroes?
Unless Odina actively interfered in the fight, the only
The guards celebrate the heroes for their actions. Even
crime of which she is convicted is that of casting suspicion
Adaon and Gilmon admit they never would have figured
on Thuan. She is sentenced to pay a hefty fine; which puts
out the circumstances surrounding these events—though,
her on the verge of bankruptcy when coupled with her
they never tire of mentioning they said it was a suicide
losses from the de Vries shares. Like the other merchants,
from the start.
she suffers the humiliation of being submersed in the
Hangmanwaat’s stinking slurry, which is pretty much a
The Master of the City, Gwynn Willforth (late-50s; 6’1”;
societal death sentence.
graying, blond hair; stout), awards the heroes a burgher
letter, which allows them to henceforth bring their
If you like, Odina can reappear as a villain out for revenge
weapons and armor into the city.
in a later adventure.
In any case, the heroes receive the rewards the lawful
…the Share Certificates?
merchants and Tadeo Agtstone promised them, plus they
Less than one hour after the events in the temple of Phex,
receive 10 AP for solving Sumudan’s death. They earn
the value of the de Vries shares plummets, financially
another 5 AP for each side scenario (The Daughter, The
ruining everyone who still holds shares. The stock market
Rival, and The Employee) they completed.
63
One Death in Grangor
by Marco Findeisen
Sumudan de Vries made a risky investment in a trading

voyage to the exotic southern continent of Uthuria, and his
gamble paid off. Almost overnight, the daring young merchant
became one of the richest men in Grangor and gained the
admiration of his peers, the respect of the city’s patricians, and
the blessing of Phex. His new-found fame even secured him a place
in high society and gave him a taste of real political power. His
next business venture promised to make him a legend. His sudden
murder shocked the whole community.
The search for Sumudan's killer leads the heroes from splendid counting
houses and patricians’ palaces to the seedy taverns and dark tenement
blocks that crowd the city’s less-desirable canals. After a harrowing chase,
the suspect finally ends up in chains, but the facts don’t add up. While the city
looks forward to a speedy execution, the heroes must race to solve
a convoluted mystery and put an end to all the troubles
that started with one death in Grangor.
A TDE adventure for 1 GM and 3-5 players

who enjoy hard-boiled detective stories
Genre: Detective Story

Prerequisites: Interest in criminology
and social interaction; a strong right hook
when weapons are unavailable; few or no
exotic characters
Location: Grangor
Date: Efferd, from 1038 FB
Complexity (Players/GM): low/medium
Suggested Character Experience Level:
Experienced
Useful Skills www.ulisses-us.com

Social Skills: US25314EPDF
Combat:
Physical Skills:
Living History:
You need the Core Rules, the Aventuria

Almanac, and the Aventuria Compendium to
run this adventure. This book includes all
other information needed for play, such
as maps, handouts, and stats.

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Attitude Attitude Quality Levels and Actions (Examples)

Level 7 The target feels deep trust toward the

Managing Editor Managing Editor

Rules Design Editors

Art Director Copyright © 2018 by Ulisses Spiele GmbH, Waldems.

Level Quality Price

Rumors: When the heroes try to gather information,

4 One Death in Grangor

Search for Clues: Rules for Asking Around

6 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

Search for Clues: Rules for Using Social Skills

All Social checks gain a bonus of +1 for each attitude level

The GM decides a NPC’s initial attitude toward a player

8 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

10 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

12 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

14 One Death in Grangor – Introduction

Idea #1: The Old Friend

Suggested NPC: Menzel Brohm (late 40s; 5’8”; dark,

The Aventurian Herald is the free support magazine

16 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

18 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

20 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

Background they instantly become witnesses to a heated spectacle.

22 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

24 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

26 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

The Initial Investigation

28 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

This is a reference to Bram Ironjaw. See

30 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

-20 ounces amber The Seven Winds Tavern

32 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

After they sink Merago, the gang disperses. Bram Ironjaw

Two men operate the crane, which requires strenuous

This scene shows the heroes who has control over

The heroes technically don’t have to save Merago

34 One Death in Grangor – Death Pays All Debts

The Prodigal Son

Thuan had nothing to do with his father’s death; but,

Thuan broke in to the storehouse because he needs to find

Thuan didn’t return to his apartment until morning, after

Depending on when the heroes decide to search for

36 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

Thuan lives on the third floor of a narrow, half-timbered

The front door is made from sturdy timber, and it is locked.

Scenario B: The Apartment is Deserted

38 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

Read Aloud or Paraphrase

40 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

42 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

44 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

Read Aloud or Paraphrase

As you enter the building, the wild disorder of excited shouts

It is so loud in here, you can hardly hear your own voices.

Commerce or Math check

46 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

“Please, ladies and gentlemen!” Odina says, “Considering Example Shareholders

48 One Death in Grangor – Seek and You Shall Find

Have the heroes make a cumulative group check using