M1. Plaza of Gold: The Plaza of Gold is the centerpiece of Freeport, an open space within the Merchant District in which the wealthy meet or simply strut about to be seen. During the day, the place is a bustle of activity as people rush back and forth on one sort of business or another. It’s rare to watch for long without seeing some aristocrat or merchant sweeping along Wave Street with a retinue of underlings and bodyguards. On fine evenings, the plaza is filled with the same sorts of people, now engaged not in business but pleasure. They flit back and forth between lavish private dinner parties and events at the Freeport Opera House, or frequent one of the many gourmet restaurants or exclusive clubs. Temporary stalls—little more than wheeled merchandise carts—are scattered throughout the Plaza, selling imported food and luxury goods to the district’s residents. Unlike the other markets in Freeport, selling items in the Plaza of Gold requires a permit from the city, and these are handed out only to those who can establish their bonafides (and pay the exorbitant cost).
History
The Plaza of Gold is one of the oldest areas in Freeport, outside of the Old City itself. It’s the hub around which the Merchant District was built, back in the era of the fourth Sea Lord. Actually, the Fountain of Fortune came first; the Plaza formed around the fountain, the Merchant District formed around the Plaza, and Freeport’s fortunes formed around the Merchant District. This is the moneyed heart of the city—beautiful, wealthy, and for the most part empty. No one lives in the Plaza; they only pass through it.
Description The Plaza of Gold is a wide, cobbled space on a broad hill, the highest place in the city—and yes, the wealthy do look down on the rest of the city from here. Many avenues and lanes lead off from the Plaza, along which can be found expensive stores and luxurious cafes. The most notable feature is the Fountain of Fortune—carved from marble, thirty feet wide, surrounded by a circular seating area. The fountain’s marble sculpture depicts the Goddess Myrival standing on the crow’s nest of a ship’s rigging that stabs out from the center of the fountain’s base. Merfolk surrounding the rigging hold gilded pitchers, from which waters stream in the four cardinal directions. Myrival holds aloft a golden trident, out of which a continuous spray jets up and then cascades down into the fountain’s base. Local legend has it that the fountain is enchanted, and that anyone who throws a coin into it may be granted a stroke of good fortune at some point in the day.
Prominent NPCs
Emma Butley: A charming and loquacious fifteen-year-old girl, Emma sells fruit, especially grapes and apricots, from a mobile pushcart around the Plaza. Most of the fruit she sells is imported from the Mark or Torf, and she has to charge high enough prices to cover those charged by the agents who buy from the importers in the the Harbor District. However, she has a winning sales patter, and never seems to have any difficulty in selling her cartloads to the wealthy locals.
Kyrga Stonefoot: A former messenger in her dwarven homeland, Stonefoot was run out after she let slip a jest that nearly started a war. She found herself in Freeport, and despised the place immediately. Still it was the best she could hope for, so she looked for a way to market her skills. Since she was a dwarf, few people would hire her to do what she did in her former home, so she turned to pulling a rickshaw to make ends meet. It turned out she was good at the job, being fluent in seven languages and faster than one might think thanks to a pair of enchanted boots. After many years of this, her employer went out of business. Kyrga had enough influence to start her own endeavor: The Stonefoot Rickshaw Company. Competition remains fierce, but her rivals have begun to see her and her people as a serious threat to their own livelihood.
Eudokia Kasovar: Not all of Freeport’s hidden cults are bent on the annihilation of the city or the world. Founded by Eudokia Kasovar nearly a decade ago, the Cult of the Dragon’s Blood’s tenets are simple. They believe dragons were the first sentient race, and when humanity awoke from their primitive origins, the dragons came forward and blessed a few, infusing their blood with that of their own. Over the eons, the bloodlines have run pure, passed down from generation to generation. Eudokia believes, after a particularly strong revelation, these select few mortals chosen were the inheritors of the future and that it is her role to gather the elect for some grand occasion. While uncertain of what this future is or what it means to be the inheritor of it, her frequent visions guide her in selecting those touched by the dragons, which has led to the slow and constant growth of her cult in the Old City.
Eudokia has managed to build a small following of loyal cultists. They meet in the cellar belonging to the first cultist she converted, a smallish man named Jozan Feg. In every case, before meeting the high priestess, these members had no idea about their ability to work magic. The surprise and delight becomes a heavy sense of responsibility and a willingness to believe whatever Eudokia says. The Cult of the Dragon’s Blood has made some effort to lure members of the Wizards’ Guild but to no effect. They must be cautious, for those who rebuff their advances have reported to the guild, and there are suspicions that Eudokia is either mad or is the plaything of some darker power. Now that Tarmon is on the Captains’ Council, Eudokia has advised her fellow cultists to lay low for now.
M2. The Marina: Situated at the watery end of Wave Street, the Marina features the best-kept docks in all of Freeport. Most of the slips here are built only for smaller boats, mostly yachts, not the cargo-carrying ships that pull in at the piers along the rest of Freeport’s shoreline. However, a bigger ship could dock at two or three different spots.
The docking fees here are literally ten times what they are in other parts of town. While the prices are exorbitant, the services rendered are almost worth it. The simple fact that the costs keep the riff-raff out of the area is reason enough for most of the Marina’s patrons to keep their boats here.
History
When Freeport was first founded, every ship owner, rich or poor, moored her craft at the Harbor District. That kind of egalitarian situation didn’t sit well at all with the rising upper/merchant class of the city; they wanted to feel superior to other sailors, with their own exclusive docking facilities. The Marina is perfect, as physically (and financially) removed as possible from the fishing scows and pirate schooners on the wharves. Most vessels in the Marina are used for pleasure, rather than shipping or piracy; those captains who actually sail for a reason still berth at the Harbor District.
Description
Located at the far northern edge of Freeport, the Marina consists of several piers cut off from the rest of the island by a tall, wrought iron fence topped with vicious spikes (and allegedly bearing magical alarms). This is one place where the Merchant District’s lighting system doesn’t reach; at night, the lamplight reaches only a short distance into the Marina, and the ships bob in darkness. The Marina is guarded twenty-four hours a day by a team of twelve guards. Two stand at the sole gate into the Marina at all times, while another two or three patrol the waterfront. Because of the poor lighting, the guards carry torches as they patrol.
Prominent NPCs
Wilmario: Wilmario is the Marina’s dock master, a striking individual with long hair and bright, green eyes. Before retiring from active sailing to take up his current position, Wilmario spent fifty years plying the trade lanes around Freeport as the best-known first mate a captain could ever want. Everything about him speaks of the sea. There’s little that he doesn’t know about boats of any kind.
Rex Nash: While residents of the Merchant District own most of the boats in the Marina, a few people actually live on their ships full time. The most notorious of these is Rex Nash, a well- known womanizer who resides on a double-masted schooner called the Waveroller. A wealthy rake, Rex made his fortune as a swashbuckling adventurer before deciding to retire at the tender age of thirty. He shares his space with a series of beautiful women of all races, plus his manservant Nang, who is both a skilled martial artist and an excellent bartender.
M3. Merchant's Guildhall: (the Exchange) The Merchants’ Guild is one of the most powerful organizations in town, rivaling even the Captains’ Council, so it is fiting that the building is the largest in the city. While the councilors may hold the reigns of political power in the city, the true economic might of Freeport is in the collective hands of the merchants.
The Merchants’ Guildhouse is a club for every merchant in town, and membership is compulsory. To sell anything legally from a shop or stand in Freeport, you must be a member of the Merchants’ Guild. The fees for this run on a sliding scale, usually amounting to two percent of a merchant’s annual income.
What do merchants get for that fee? Not much, in the poorer districts; you’re in the club, but not particularly welcome at the clubhouse or the parties of the wealthy. More and more of the smaller merchants are getting fed up with the guild’s monopoly on trading rights, and are looking for options—whether that means relocating to Libertyville, trading on the black market, or simply refusing to pay. The guild is still healthy, but it’s not as stable as it used to be, and the most powerful members are starting to bicker over control of the organization.
History
While Freeport had traders and shopkeepers even before the days of Drac and Francisco, the guild didn’t emerge as a force in the city until the reign of the fourth Sea Lord, the rise of the middle class and the construction of the Merchant District. In the wake of Marquetta’s “Back Alley War” with the Thieves’ Guild, a delegation from the growing Merchant’s Guild persuaded the Council that regulation of trade would stabilize the city, force out thieves and fences, and put money back in the Council’s depleted coffers. It didn’t drive out the black market (if anything it encouraged it), but it did make for a stable business environment—and made the guild wealthy and powerful to boot.
Unfortunately for the Merchants’ Guild, there’s no official mechanism for enforcing their monopoly on merchant licensing in Freeport. The City Guard enforce the law, not the guild, and most days the Guard are more interested in catching thieves and muggers than in serving a small fine on a baker who’s selling unlicensed pumpernickel. So when the guild hears about a rebel merchant, they have to take matters into their own hands.
For several years, guild- master Torsten Roth had a secret agreement with the Joy Boys, a group of disaffected young aristocrats who fancied themselves gangsters. Roth diverted guild funds to the Joy Boys and their leader Mendor Van Kasker; in return, they would beat up, terrorize, and intimidate merchants that refused to cooperate with guild demands. Only Roth, Van Kasker, and his closest lieutenants knew about the arrangement. The Joy Boys only enforced guild business outside the Merchant District, maintaining a lower profile close to home.
But the Joy Boys are no more; the gang disbanded after seven members died during the Great Green Fire, a terrible tragedy that struck the Merchant District to its core. Mendor Van Kasker went into hiding until recently, the guild lost its secret enforcement arm, and every week another merchant decides it’s worth the risk of a fine and lets her membership lapse. The rot is setting in, and the most powerful merchants are constantly debating what can be done to set things right.
Description
The Merchant’s Guildhall is a sprawling, luxurious manor, set on the slopes of a low hill, and surrounded by thick walls and tall bronze gates. Guards patrol the well-manicured grounds at all times, and only allow entry to merchants with current membership (and their guests). While some of the wealthier members of the guild would like to consider the manor their own private club, the building is actually open to any active members in town. The Guildhall’s interior is richly appointed, featuring a smoking room, a well-stocked bar, and a gourmet restaurant, as well as a private bathhouse and several meeting and discussion rooms. Members of the guild and their honored guests are welcome to avail themselves of the facilities at any time. However, those who cause a disturbance risk being barred from the establishment or even having their guild membership revoked—a harsh punishment, as it robs a merchant of her ability to operate legally in Freeport.
Prominent NPCs
Torsten Roth: Torsten Roth is forty-five, well-dressed, and one of the richest men in Freeport. He is head of both the Merchant's Guild and the powerful Roth family (with interests in mining, fine wines, and exotic goods). He’s also an annoying, self- aggrandizing, condescending snob who thinks most people (including his fellow guild members) are beneath him. He has plenty of money, but what he wants more is political power—power that could make him even richer. Several years ago, to this end, he publicly aided and supported Milton Drac in the hopes of being elected to the Captains’ Council. That proved to be a big mistake, and he lost a significant amount of influence after Drac’s fall from grace. He’s still angry about that.
Jessapine Holimon: Tall, ethereally beautiful, and as tenacious as a pit bull, Jessapine Holimon (female half-elf journeyman) has worked hard for years to reach her current level of success (unlike a certain rich-born guildmaster). She is the most successful importer and retailer of women’s clothing in Freeport, and the daughters of the guild leaders wouldn’t purchase their gowns from anyone else in town. Jessapine is quite influential within the guild, and she is convinced Torsten Roth is leading it on the road to ruin. Could she lead it back to glory? Well, it’s worth finding out. Currently she’s consolidating her political support within the guild, but she wants to follow that up by taking Roth down a peg or two. All she needs is evidence that he’s been up to no good.
Captain Marcus Roberts: A popular member of the Captains’ Council, Marcus Roberts is very much the face of Freeport to the world. As captain of the Black Dragon, he was a notorious rogue and famous privateer who managed to escape certain death time and again. Having served on the council for almost seventeen years, he is considered a fixture by most locals. He may be in his mid-fifties, but he acts as if he’s in his twenties, laying on the charm whenever he encounters a young woman. The life of every party, he’s flamboyant, entertaining, blessed with a quick wit and sharp tongue that makes him popular wherever he goes. Despite his often-licentious behavior, he is honorable and takes his position very seriously.
Nathaniel Grymes: A relatively new member to the Captains’ Council, Grymes is a successful merchant who won his seat through the weight of his considerable fortunes. Although he now must consider all of Freeport in his decisions, it’s quite clear he favors the Merchant District in that he places their interests first in all things. Rumor has it that he secretly runs an extensive smuggling ring on the Continent. He demurs when asked directly about his illicit connections, but there are whispers of drugs, strange substances, and dangerous relics from foreign lands. His enemies even go so far as to say that he has connections to slave traders from Torf, though none would dare speak such accusations openly.
M4. The Gilt Club: The Gilt Club is the exclusive club the Merchants’ Guildhouse, associated as it with the filthy workings of actual commerce (decidedly close to real work, don’t you know), could never manage to be. The annual dues for membership in the Gilt Club are so expensive as to be far beyond the grasp of all but the wealthiest people in town. Nonetheless, membership is technically open to any and all, even those beyond Freeport’s borders—but to become a member of the Gilt Club, you have to be invited. The standard procedure is for a current member to bring along a prospective member as a guest for an evening. This gives the other members a chance to see if the prospective member is “Gilt Club material”. If they approve of the newcomer, an offer to join can be extended. Few who are afforded the opportunity—and who can afford the opportunity—turn it down.
History
Although based in Freeport, the Gilt Club was established by wealthy noblemen from the Continent, aristocrats with far more money to burn than even the most successful pirate, who wanted a place where they could relax in opulence when visiting the city. The Gilt Club is governed by the entire membership, which elects a president to serve for one year at a time. Millant Lefevre has been the president for the past seventeen years. Most members feel that the extremely cultured elf lends an atmosphere of propriety, culture, and exclusivity that the club was lacking in the past.
Description
The exterior of the Gilt Club is surprisingly low-key. Yes, it’s a large and well-appointed manor house, but there are several of those in the Merchant District. A closer inspection reveals just how strongly built the house is, and how well guarded. As for the inside, the Gilt Club is more lavishly outfitted than an emperor’s castle; it makes the Sea Lord’s Palace look like a cheap shanty in Slums District. The floors are all polished wood or marble. The walls are paneled with the finest woods, decorated with intricate marquetry. Every bit of metal seems to be of the finest gold, keeping the place true to its name. The bar here stocks only the best ales, liquors, and wines. The kitchen features dishes from the best chef in the islands. Special cigars are hand-rolled for the members of the club.
Prominent NPCs
Millant Lefevre: The president of the Club. Lefevre is an unusually tall elf, and is well known around the District for his superb manners and impeccable dress sense. He is always perfectly turned out, and does more than any of his members to keep up the high standards associated with his Club. His dedication in this area has made him very popular, and he has not faced any serious challengers for his title.
M5. The Blue Goddess; (INN) The Blue Goddess is the finest inn in town. It overlooks the Marina and one of the most scenic vistas of Freeport Harbor. The Inn is designed as a private estate, surrounded by stone walls and iron gates. In the plaza in front of the inn is a 12-foot tall statue of Goddess S’Thar, carved from a giant slab of pale blue chalcedony. The main lobby is open to the air during the pleasant seasons, only shuttered up during the rainy season or for hurricanes.
History
A powerful noble family founded the inn long ago, and has maintained a tradition of only hiring skilled halflings as staff. A quiet and reserved steely-eyed man named Chilton Weathersby operates the Blue Goddess, and rules the inn with nan irom fist. he knows everything that goes on, and his staff is entirely made up of skilled halfings. The Brandydales have overseen the operation of this establishment since its founding shortly after the Fountain of Fortune was installed in the Plaza of Gold. They are well known, not only for their legendary hospitality but also for their discretion. What happens inside the walls of the Blue Goddess stays within those walls—at least if the Brandydales have anything to say about it.
Description
The Blue Goddess is an expansive, beautifully designed manor house overlooking the sea, with many windows and balconies. While it may seem open and airy, it is in fact one of the most well guarded places in the city. The hotel employs a dozen skilled mercenary guards, and many of the residents keep their own personal bodyguards on the premises with them.
Inside the ornate stone walls, the Blue Goddess features elegant, lavishly appointed rooms and luxurious living. Prices range from the merely expensive for a private room to utterly exorbitant for a full suite. Each room is decorated only with items of the highest quality and the latest styles. The wealthy from all around the region literally flock to the place as one of the most exclusive getaways around. The fact that Freeport still has a rough-and-tumble reputation only adds to the allure, especially among aristocrats who like to slum with real cutthroats—while closely watched by their bodyguards, of course. In reality, few of the hotel’s guests ever wander outside of the Merchant District.
Prominent NPCs
Chilton: (Human male) Chilton Weathersby has been the Concierge of the Blue Goddess for more than thirty years. He’s seen it all, he likes to boast—but only in the comfort of his own quarters, talking to his closest aides In public, he is the soul of discretion, and does almost anything to protect the privacy and comfort of his guests. That includes illegal and immoral acts, if needs be, and his guests know it—and pay richly for that extra level of service. Decades of covering up for the rich and powerful have left their mark on Chilton, who feels little pity or empathy for those disadvantaged by his guests’… little accidents. It would take a great deal to shock Chilton’s sense of outrage back to life—and take very little, perhaps, to deaden his conscience to the point where he becomes as monstrous as some of his patrons.
Lady Sylvia Rymark: The rooms in the Blue Goddess are literally fit for a king, and visiting royalty of all sorts have stayed here over the centuries—not all of their own free will. In fact, there is one ruler currently residing in exile in the hotel. Lady Sylvia Rymark, a former Baroness in Eldara, who fled to Freeport after her family was exiled by Eldaran King Avery Irazadi for cruelly putting down a peasant uprising. While no longer in charge of her ancestral homelands, she managed to abscond with enough of the Barony’s treasuries to live out her exile in style. Lady Sylvia has been a guest at the Blue Goddess for nearly ten years now, and has no plans to ever leave Freeport, which is not to say that she’s not getting bored. She welcomes novelty and excitement, and may pay adventurers to tell her of their exploits. She may also be prepared to hire agents to protect her interests; some of the rhetoric coming from the streets of Freeport reminds her of the revolutionary peasants of her former homeland, and the last thing she wants is to be rousted from her place of safety.
M6. Freeport Theatre: One of Freeport’s few bastions of cultural enlightenment, the opera house is a magnificent place for experiencing all sorts of entertainment. It hosts not just operas but also a variety of stage shows, from concerts to plays and everything in between. Prices for the shows vary widely; the wealthy can afford the best boxes, while the middle classes can vie for a spot in the nosebleed sections. A wide cross-section of Freeport’s inhabitants attend the shows, making this one of the few places where the wealthiest members of the community can rub shoulders with the less fortunate without fear of some kind of clash. People come here to be entertained, after all, not to rob or pick fights with each other.
History
A consortium of aristocrats built the Freeport Opera House just over a hundred years ago in an effort to bring some semblance of culture to Freeport. The Sea Lord at the time commissioned a brand-new opera from one of the greatest composers of the day, Fiarella Donadrien. This ancient elven songstress poured so much of her heart and soul into the composition that she died shortly after its first performance. Ever since, every time Donadrien’s masterpiece was played in the opera house, her ghost returned to listen to the tune. During the show, the ghost would hide backstage, swept up in the majesty of the notes; after the show was over, she would remain for a day and invariably kill a person or two involved in the opera’s production.
The 100th anniversary of the Opera House’s construction was to have featured performances of Donadrien’s opera every night for a month, surely dooming the city to a cultural bloodbath. Desperate to prevent a disaster, the opera house’s director at the time, Gorsky Glitterlights, had the Opera House exorcised and the ghost laid to rest. But before the commemorative performances could begin, Freeport erupted in the Succession Riots; Gorsky was killed in the riots, the Opera House closed its doors for several months, and the anniversary passed without any performances. The Opera House reopened under a new director, actor Rickard Burbage, and since, it has focused less on opera and more on theater. But recently, the House’s patrons have indicated that they’d like to see a greater emphasis on opera at, well, the Opera House, and Burbage has sulkily fallen into line. The delayed anniversary performance of Donadrien’s opera is due to take place quite soon, and promises to be one of the cultural and social highlights of the season.
Description
The Theatre is an imposing three-story construction, featuring an altogether unnecessary array of gables, turrets, parapets, buttresses, cornices, and the occasional stone gargoyle. No amount of theatrical excess was too much for the original builders, and overly sensitive foreign architects have been known to weep in horror upon seeing the building. Large double doors at the front allow patrons to enter, while several doors at the back lead down alleys to convenient taverns and hotels. A massive chandelier dominates the interior of the building, hanging above the stage and the orchestra pit. Box seats are arrayed along the sides of the auditorium, while cheaper seats line up from the pit nearly to the ceiling. Behind the stage are catwalks, cramped spaces for stagehands to manipulate props and the curtain, a few dressing rooms, and (it’s rumored) numerous secret doors and passages riddling the building and even leading to the roof.
Prominent NPCs
Rikard Burbage: Rickard Burbage was the most popular actor in Freeport before taking on the position of Theatre director. There are days he regrets that; taking responsibility for an entire theater is far more work than simply being the flamboyant center of attention. He’s compensated for this by commissioning, directing, and of course having starred in several plays and musical works since becoming director. The renewed focus on serious opera (of all things!) will take the spotlight off him, which has made Burbage increasingly irritable as the date for the anniversary show draws near. Burbage is a skilled actor, singer, and all-around performer, but his true passion is for seducing the wives and daughters of Freeport’s nobility. His personal charisma is formidable, and he backs up his romantic skills with a small talent for magic and enchantment. Behind the swashbuckling and seductive exterior, though, is a cold, callous heart that craves only fame, wealth, and adulation.
M7. The Black Pearl: (INN) A fixture in the Merchant District for many years, This well-kept inn is quite luxurious, but cannot compete with the Blue Goddess in sheer opulence. Meanwhile, the less wealthy visitors and residents of the Merchant District have taken advantage of its food and lodgings regularly. The inn is almost always sold out when a popular troupe is playing the Freeport Theatre, located down the street.
History
The inn was started as a nobleman’s private mansion, but after his premature death, Mauricio, a cunning local merchant bought it and converted inot the Black pearl. His business skills have paid off, because of all the theatre business he gets regularly.
Description The Pearl is a three-story, well made stone and timber building, with solid walls and a grey slate roof. The inn is decorated with many theatrical motifs, such as masks and costumes.
Prominent NPCs
Mauricio: Maurice, a thin man with long, just-graying hair, is a skilled and personable owner and inn-keepr. He has been a fixture at the Black Pearl for more than twenty years. He is quiet and reserved, keeping mostly ot himself, and hardly ever socializes with the guests.
Portia Gallowgrange: A quietly intelligent halfling noted for her impeccable self-control, Portia has been employed as the maitre d’ at Maurice’s for several years now, and almost all the clientele agree that she’s one of the most pleasant, organized, and charming professionals they’ve ever met. She knows all the regular and semi-regular customers by name, and has become something of a fixture in the District.
M8. Van Kasker Estate: Located at 100 Wave Avenue, just off Wave Street, this comfortable townhouse seems little different from any others in the neighborhood. But locals still gossip about how the former tenant was brutally murdered several years ago, and discuss the charisma and ambitions of the new occupants.
History
“Checkered” doesn’t even begin to describe the recent history of what is now known as Van Kasker Manor. It served for many years as home to Councilor Verlaine, the powerful and wealthy head of the Captains’ Council. Verlaine was an ally of Milton Drac, but the mad Sea Lord had no loyalty for his underling; when it suited his needs, he butchered Verlaine and his servants, and then tried to pin the blame for the crime on his enemies. After Verlaine’s death and Drac’s downfall, the house at 100 Wave Avenue sat vacant for a time. Realizing it might take months or longer for a relative to come forward and claim Verlaine’s estate, young aristocrat Mendor Van Kasker and his gang, the Joy Boys, decided to make the place their headquarters in the meantime. None of them actually lived here; they simply made it their hangout and bullied their servants into keeping it clean. When Marilyn Van Kasker became a Councilor, the last thing she wanted was a disreputable cousin embarrassing her or causing shame to her family. She pulled a few strings with the Office of Public Records and had the townhouse signed over to Mendor’s name. She also made it clear he either needed to reform his thuggish ways or (at the very least) be as circumspect as possible about his activities. Mendor chose the latter; he spent most of his time lounging around the newly named Van Kasker Manor, while the Joy Boys became increasingly active in the Warehouse District, the the Harbor District, and Drac’s End.
When the Joy Boys disbanded after the Great Green Fire, Mendor went into hiding from his enemies and his cousin’s displeasure. For the last few years, he’s lived a (relatively) quiet life, only leaving the Manor on rare occasions, his dreams of ruling Freeport’s underworld gone up in smoke. However, he has lately rediscovered his zest for life, and has again begun to hold parties for the local aristocratic youth.
Description
The Van Kasker estate is a well-built two-story townhouse on a small block of land, situated behind an iron fence and a gardened lawn. A few well-paid servants (employed directly by Councilor Marilise) keep the grounds tidy and make occasional reports to their mistress about what her cousin is up to. Mendor is aware of this, and makes sure to keep the worst of his activities secret. The interior of the townhouse is well appointed, but not exceptionally so; Van Kasker and his cronies like comfortable surroundings, but their tastes really aren’t that well developed. This is for the best,as really good furnishings would not stand up well to the constant parties, bad table manners, and occasional temper tantrums of Mendor and his wealthy friends.
Prominent NPCs
Marilyn Van Kasker: After the death of her brother in the fall of Milton Drac, Marilyn took his seat (Freeport custom holds that a dead Councilor's seat goes to his heir unless the Council specifically vetoes it). At six feet tall, Marilyn is a tall and statuesque woman. She has long, curly black hair, full lips, and piercing grey eyes. She spurns ostentation and dons the garb of a swashbuckler, rather than a noblewoman’s gowns. She wears a magical rapier named Reaver wherever she goes, and has shown locals that she knows how to use it on several occasions. This blade was forged long ago to fight the city’s pirates but was taken as a battle trophy by one of Freeport’s captains. Her father came into possession of the sword some years ago, and she inherited it.
Maric Van Kasker: Marilyn’s cousin, and the usual inhabitant of the Manor while she is attending Council functions. Maric Van Kasker is a wiry man in his late twenties. He was always considered quite handsome, but nowadays his feral, intense expression and yellow-hazel eyes are both disturbing and unnaturally compelling. He wears expensive, well-tailored clothing, but sometimes neglects to change it for days on end, leaving his finery tattered and dirty.
Walter Dalloway: Walter Dalloway is a typical friend of Mendor. The dissolute fourth son of a large banking family, Walter felt little pressure from his family to enter the family business, marry well, or do well at his studies. He spent his teens drinking, whoring, and learning aristocratic swordsmanship, and now yearns to do something with those skills—something unpleasant. Handsome, well-dressed, and remarkably free of manners, Walter is regarded as something of an embarrassment by the rest of his family.
Vikki Tarjay: The only daughter of one of Freeport’s richest textiles merchants. Vikki is about 22 years old, and quite attractive. She always dresses well, and has superb manners when she feels like using them. She is one of the most desired party attendees in the city, and her presence at the Manor has done much to raise Mendor's profile among other members of the aristocracy.
M9. Gemcutters Guildhall: Not all the jewelry in Freeport was plundered from ships by freebooters bearing dubious “Letters of Marque.” Freeport has its own jewel-and metal-craft industry, adept at turning out glittering creations to rival anything on the Continent. There aren’t many jewelers or gemcutters in Freeport, but they are among the wealthiest people in the city. Their guildhouse is located in the Merchant District, and is where many of them do their actual work and store the vast bulk of their raw metals and jewels.
History
The guild was founded over fifty years ago by the jewelers of the city, who until that time had simply been part of the Guild of Craftsmen. With far greater security concerns than their erstwhile fellows—carpenters didn’t tend to get robbed twice each week by every pirate in Slums District—the jewelers decided to form their own separate guild, and to base themselves far from the dangerous parts of Freeport. The Merchant District was happy to extend its hospitality to the gemcutters. The guild established itself, elected Dirwin “Nimblefingers” Arnig as their guildmaster (a position he has retained ever since), hired a lot of guards, and got back to work. Now their guild is one of the wealthiest groups in Freeport, although it doesn’t tend to do much with that fortune; the gemcutters prefer to work and invest, rather than get involved in politics or social agendas.
Description
Somewhat out of place in the fine streets of the Merchant District, the Jewelers’ Guildhouse is a low, boxy building with little ornamentation. There are few doors and windows, and those that exist are heavily barred. A high wall with iron spikes at the top circles the building, patrolled by guards day and night; a single gate allows access.
Unlike the luxury of the Merchants’ Guildhouse, the jewelers’ headquarters is all business. The bulk of the guildhouse’s interior is taken up by a large, common workshop in which the guild members can work. In the center of the workshop, a massive vault holds a fortune in both raw materials and finished goods. The vault is triple-locked and features a security system that floods the whole workshop in poisonous gas if triggered. The place is also under the constant protection of a dozen well-trained guards. Apart from the workshop and vault, the guildhouse also holds a dining room and kitchen, some offices and storage rooms, and quarters where a few members can sleep if they wish (Dirwin Arnig is a permanent resident). Most guild members spend only a day or two here each week. They prefer to be in their shops whenever possible, selling their goods and making money.
Prominent NPCs
Dirwin Arnig: A tiny wizened creature that seems to be all wrinkles and eyes. Those eyes see a lot, though, whether through a jeweler’s loupe or in the halls of the Captains’ Council. He is a stickler for guidelines, tradition, and protocol, and has a deserved reputation for painstaking honesty and honor. Arnig spends almost every day at the guildhouse, polishing and cutting gems, eschewing such fripperies as running a store or having a social life; the only things that pry him from his work are the unwelcome responsibilities of a Councilor. The last few years have been harsh and tumultuous ones, and Arnig would like nothing better than to retire from the Council and devote his sunset years to
mastering the minutiae of gemcutting.
M10. La Masquerade: (BROTHEL) has been on the cutting edge of high society life in the Merchant District. Founded by a mysterious countess from an even more mysterious land, it has enjoyed great success in this posh quarter for its elegance, permissiveness, and, above all, discretion. While many clamor for the chance to sample its delights and set aside their own prohibitions, the Salon is exclusive and entry is granted only to those who can pay the steep fee required.
History
As alluring as it is mysterious, La Masquerade opened for business about seven years ago. The Salon promised a place for the elite people of the Merchant District to unwind, relax, and indulge whatever vices they might have. Since the Salon demands a great deal of gold for entry, only the most powerful locals could have a hope of getting inside, but those that have spoken of their time here vow every lord spent was worth it.
Description
La Masquerade is a large manor house situated on Wave Avenue. Dark curtains hang in every window, adding to the mysterious atmosphere that leads many to speculate about just what exactly goes on inside. On the three nights of the week the place is open for business, two masked guards stand out front, their chests naked and glistening with scented oil, collecting the astounding fees required to spend just a single evening within the Salon. Their masks, depicting snarling beasts, as along with the cruel scimitars that hang from red sashes cinched around their waists are usually enough to deter the unwelcome from trying to force their way inside.
La Masquerade’s interior is the pinnacle of elegance, with a manicured garden, numerous balconies, and dozens of exquisitely furnished rooms each offering varying degrees of privacy. A staff of men and women, naked but for the smiling masks adorning their faces, attend the guests, seeing to their every whim, but able to fade into the background should they be so required. To gain entry into the Salon, a person must arrive already masked, and give a small fortune to the guards in the front of the building.
Prominent NPCs
Countess D'Amberville: The Salon’s founder is the Countess. She claims to come from a distant and equally shrouded land, but rarely speaks of it. Rumors swirl about her. Some claim she is in exile from her homeland, while others say she fled the madness of her family. It has even been whispered she was a Sacred Virgin, but a masked man seduced her, leading to her being cast out from her order. According to this tale, she requires her guests to wear masks to honor the memory of her masked paramour, who was slain by the vengeful warriors of her church. The Countess neither confirms nor denies the truth of these stories, using the secrecy of her past to enhance the allure of her establishment. Presiding over the Salon, the Countess is renowned for her quick wit, seductive eyes, and impeccable sense of style. She floats from room to room, charming her guests and ensuring her clientele are satisfied with the conversation as well as the fine liquors her servants offer. As she makes her rounds, she’s privy to many rumors, and she sometimes catches wind of things she shouldn’t. Luckily for her patrons, the Countess is as discrete as she is appealing.
M11. The Last Call: (TAVERN) the cheapest and rowdiest tavern in the Merchant District. It sits immediately next to the local Watch precinct house, and is frequented mainly by Watchmen. Servants and other domestic employees from the northern areas of the District also come here, as it is one of the few places that they can reliably afford.
History
The inn was set up shortly after the Watch precinct was established. The local merchants noted quickly that the guards would smuggle drinks into the station, and this frequently left them less than ideally effective. On the other hand, nobody wanted them patronizing any of the merchants' drinking spots. To get around this problem, the Gilt Club decided to set up an inn specifically to cater to the Watchmen. This solution has been effective, and has allowed the merchants to control the level of drinking by the local Watch.
Description
The building is a solid wooden structure. While the Gilt Club members do not care overly for the comfort of the humble guards who frequent the Port, they do care about the appearance of their District. For this reason, they did spend a few coins on ensuring that the structure fits in with the neighboring buildings. Inside, it is simply furnished, with an unremarkable barroom and a reasonable selection of ales on hand.
Prominent NPCs
Tal Ingersoll: The owner of the Last Call. Ingersoll works for the Gilt Club, and understands that his job is to keep the customers happy enough that they don't cause any trouble while at the same time spending no more money than is absolutely necessary. He is good at this balance, and hopes that his success will soon allow him to return to working at the Club. Tips are a little more generous there, after all…
