C1. Sea-Lord's Palace: Like the walls protecting the Old City, the Sea Lord’s Palace is a symbol of the Sea Lord’s strength. Having housed every Sea Lord since nearly the founding of the city, it looms large in the minds of locals, who can only stare in wonder at the wealth and beauty contained within its walls.
History
One of the oldest structures in the city, the Sea Lord’s Palace is a physical symbol of the Sea Lord’s power and authority. Its construction was a costly undertaking that claimed numerous lives and incredible sums of gold. For years, work continued on this fortress-palace, and in the end, the lives lost and money spent proved worth it.
While structurally the same as it was when construction finished, the interior has undergone widespread renovation. Each new Sea Lord inspires a flurry of activity as city’s principal ruler makes his mark on this famous building. The extent of the changes varied with each Sea Lord’s taste—some being simple changes, light touches that improved upon the décor of the previous Sea Lord, and others gutting the place, pulling down walls, removing floors, and substituting gaudy or not-so-gaudy trappings. The place has lain empty since the death of Sea Lord Drac, giving it plenty of time to become shabby with neglect and disuse.
Description
The Sea Lord’s Palace stands at the heart of the Old City, by far the most impressive of all the administrative buildings in the area. Protected by a fifteen-foot-high stone wall topped with a row of sharpened iron spikes, the only access to the grounds is through the black iron gate that faces the street. A squad of four City Guards prevents access to all but those on official business with the Sea Lord. Those who linger are encouraged to move along by the guardsmen’s stout cudgels. Just beyond the gate are the palace grounds. It is immediately clear no expense has been spared, for the gardens are exquisite. Carefully manicured by a staff of a dozen gardeners, there are topiaries depicting sea dragons and other monsters all arranged around a large fountain of polished marble. Rows upon rows of aromatic flowers stand along the gravel pathways to reach hidden areas for private meetings or secret trysts. At the far end of the grounds behind the palace are the servants’ quarters where the household staff retires at the end of every day. There are dormitories for both men and women and larger quarters for married couples. In addition, there is a full kitchen and dining hall to accommodate the serving staff. The gardens may be fine, but the palace is the wonder. At five stories tall, it towers over the walls, granting an impressive view of the district. The palace was constructed in an octagonal shape from white stone imported at great expense. The roof comes to a sharp point along which lightning rods rise. At each of the roof’s corners are massive gargoyles that spew rainwater away from the foundation. Numerous windows offer expansive views of the gardens below, as well as the rest of the Old City. Though constructed to be comfortable, make no mistake—the palace is as much a fortress as it is a home. Inside, the décor is elaborate—walls covered in paper imported from the Continent, furniture shaped and crafted by the best woodworkers, and tapestries woven to capture the history of the city. In the halls are portraits of the past Sea Lords, presented in their best light, of course. The floors are all polished wood, except the ground floor, which is tiled in white-veined black marble. Even the doors are fine, made from stout oak but covered in gold leaf and ornate patterns. The Grand Ballroom dominates the ground floor. The ceiling rises up through the first floor—an impressive spectacle perfect for impressing visiting dignitaries. At the far end is a dais that holds chairs enough for each member of the Captains’ Council. Like the entrance, the floor is black marble. The rest of the ground floor consists of a massive library, sitting rooms for guests, and a modest audience chamber for personal meetings with the Sea Lord. The second and third floors contain the guest quarters, each a large and comfortable suite with a bedroom and sitting room. There are accommodations enough for twenty guests at a time. The fourth floor is the Sea Lord’s living quarters, featuring a dining hall, secondary kitchen, meeting rooms, and a small hall for private performances. Finally, the uppermost level has the sleeping quarters for important dignitaries and the Sea Lord’s family members.
Prominent NPCs
Captain Amos Shent: Amos is the head of the palace guard. He inherited that title after the death of Sea Lord Drac and his personal guards. He was formally awarded the title by the Captain's Council after he took a crossbow bolt in the chest while fending off rioters outside the Palace during the turmoil that followed Drac's death. His primary duties include commanding the palace guards, maintaining security, and protecting the Sea Lord. He makes regular circuits through the palace and randomly searches rooms, including those held by the servants.
Even though he is in his mid-fifties, Amos is a burly man with a thick, muscled frame. He’s short, just over five and a half feet tall, but he makes up for lack of height with his strength, determination, and no-nonsense disposition. His brown hair is graying, and he has bright blue eyes. He’s never without his breastplate—a piece of equipment he learned to appreciate when it took four hours to extract the bolt from his chest.
Carissa Fenwick: Joining the staff some twenty years ago, Carissa Fenwick is a force of nature. She is nominally in charge of the entire household and makes all decisions about hiring, firing, and assigning duties. Even the chamberlain, Tomas Fleetfoot, bows to her every command. Carissa does not judge the nature or actions of her employer, though she’s known to cluck her tongue with reproof when she learns of some wrongdoing. Carissa is in her late forties, and the years show. She is thin and tall and has a narrow face and pinched features. She keeps her black hair pulled back in a bun. She’s never seen out of uniform—a black dress with white cuffs and hem.
Thomas Fleetfoot: The Fleetfoot family has been running things in the Sea Lord’s Palace since the construction of the building by Captain Cromey, the second Sea Lord of Freeport. Tomas grew up within the walls of the palace and took over the operation of the home from his father, who retired after Anton Drac’s assassination. Tomas’s place was uncertain in the wake of Drac’s fall. Fearing he would somehow be implicated in Drac’s corruption, Tomas was more than cooperative with the Sea Lord’s Guard and the Captains’ Council, spilling every filthy secret he could about his master. As an unexpected consequence, it became clear Tomas knew far more about Freeport’s high society than anyone would have expected. Such a font of useful information would be wasted in the Tombs, so he was allowed to keep his post.
C2. City Guard Barracks: The Guardsmen’s Facilities is the headquarters of the Sea Lord’s Guard and Freeport Watch.
History
Of the three buildings that serve as the engines of government, the Guardsmen’s Facilities was the first constructed, but ensuring the city’s laws was not its original intent. Built shortly after the city was founded, the building served as the seat of the despots’ power. Those pirate captains with the most power and influence used this place to administer their brand of justice. Anyone who opposed them, broke the pirate’s code, or simply irritated them died horribly on the steps of this old building. This practice continued throughout Freeport’s golden age up until Captain Drac took the title of the first Sea Lord. To secure his power, Drac established the Sea Lord’s Guard to police the city streets and make certain his enemies had no chance of rising against him. Knowing the building’s sinister reputation, Drac made it the headquarters for the Guard.
Description
The only entrance into this somber building is through the main gate that faces Mollusk Street. Inside the gate is an iron portcullis that is closed at night, and a crew of veteran guards protects the gate. Though disciplined and cautious, they have a reputation for being sadistic. Should any problems arise, they can summon reinforcements in moments by blowing the signal whistles worn about their necks. Flanking the gate are two enormous towers that hold an entire company of guardsmen each. Armed with repeating crossbows, they are crack shots and quick to put down any they deem as trouble. These guardsmen protect the gate and walk the wall surrounding the fortress. During the day, the gate is swarmed with relatives of the prisoners, as well as curiosity seekers, preachers, petitioners, and protesters seeking entry. Citizens are not permitted to carry a weapon into the compound. Persons trying to do so are not permitted to enter. Should they persist, they are given a sound beating, and if not jailed, they are tossed out onto the street. Inside the headquarters are the barracks, dining hall, kitchens, infirmary, and training facilities. There are usually ten new recruits at any given time. Recruits are responsible for all of the cooking and cleaning in the building. There are also twenty members of the Sea Lord’s Guard stationed here, plus a sergeant, captain, and the commander. An armory located on the first floor holds weapons and armor for up to two hundred and fifty men. In addition to the standard-issue smash sticks, there are swords, spears, shields, bows, and crossbows here as well. Two guardsmen are on hand at all times to manage the inventory and dispense weapons and armor to those members of the Sea Lord’s Guard who need them. The second floor holds all the men, with private, single-room quarters for the sergeant and the captain. The commander has a separate wing, where there is an office, dining room, library, and bedroom. This wing is referred to by everyone as the Commissioner's Wing.
A training ground fronts the Guardsmen’s Facilities. The Sea Lord’s Guard drills here, marching in formation and running mock battles. This is also the place where duels may be fought between soldiers and old scores settled. The duels are supposed to be non-lethal, but from time to time “accidents” happen and a guardsman is retired permanently.
Prominent NPCs
Commissioner Enoch Holliver: A member of the Captains’ Council and the Commissioner of the Freeport Watch. As the captain of the Viridian Company of mercenaries, he had a storied career on the Continent before retiring to Freeport. Enoch Holliver is an imposing figure. He tops six feet and keeps his brown hair cut short in military style. He wears an unadorned uniform of the Freeport Watch and always carries a sword and dagger. Although approaching forty years of age he remains in impressive physical condition. Holliver appears to be a gruff and straightforward military man who always speaks his mind.
Captain Emery Shent: Second in command of the Sea Lord’s Guard is Captain Emery Shent. Despite rumors of his unspeakable tastes and diversions, Emery is a strict disciplinarian, and he has a reputation for brooking no nonsense among his men. Emery joined the ranks of the Sea Lord’s Guard over a decade ago. He distinguished himself by saving Milton Drac’s life as a young recruit, swiftly climbed the ranks, and eventually named captain by the new commander. While on business, he is the consummate professional, personally overseeing the drills and tactical training to convert his men into a fighting force equal to any Continental army. But off duty, it’s said his interests lie in the pleasures of the flesh, and more than one watchman has been paid to look the other way and keep their captain’s secrets safe. Emery Shent is a middle-aged man with thinning brown hair, craggy features, and pale blue eyes. He wears a thick moustache that droops down on either side of his mouth. Nearly always dressed in full uniform, he keeps his grey jacket pressed and his decorations polished. He keeps a saber in a scabbard at his side.
Sargent Ruben Carsdale: Beneath Emery Shent is the dreaded Sergeant Ruben Carsdale. He’s a crude, brute of a man famous for his volatile personality and his eagerness to resort to violence to get his point across. He rules through fear and fists, daring any man in the Sea Lord’s Guard to stand against him. However, Ruben changes his tune when in the presence of his betters. He becomes a simpering sycophant, eager to please his masters. Ruben Carsdale is short, thick, and hairy. At the start of his shift, his uniform is always clean and crisp, but after a few hours, it’s noticeably dark with sweat. He keeps a club in his belt and a sword in a scabbard at his side.
C3. City Hall: The second building in the Fortress of Justice compound is a building called the Courts. This is where justice is dealt from the benches of some of the most powerful individuals in the city—the judges. Long has Freeport’s criminal system been suspect, for what justice can be had in a town run by crooks? Over the life of the city, for every honest judge dedicated to the rule of law, there have been two on the take, selling their judgments to the lawyers.
History
About the same time as the Captains’ Council formed, work began on the Courts. Since no one wanted to fund the construction, the Courts were built from materials salvaged from old ruins, timber cut from the island’s forests, and boards harvested from ruined ships that washed up on the coasts around the city. Given the haphazard effort to build the place, it took almost a decade for the building to be finished enough to be used—though legends abound about collapsing floors, sagging ceilings, and crooked walls. The shoddy craftsmanship proved to be the structure’s undoing just ten years later when the entire building collapsed after a slight tremor, killing all the judges and a dozen lawyers. The second attempt at erecting the Courts saw a bit more funding pour in from undisclosed sources to ensure proper building construction—one worthy of such an important process. Even though almost half of the funds vanished into the pockets of politicians, enough remained to erect a grand, stone building. It would take another ten years for it to be completed, but when it was done, it rivaled the palace in terms of expense and grandeur.
Description
The Courts is a massive building constructed of imported Continental stone. It has a peaked roof on which is mounted a row of lightning rods. The face of the structure has a row of fifteen-foot-tall, narrow, stained glass windows that capture the likenesses of past Sea Lords and important citizens. A pair of towering bronze double doors at the top of a short flight of steps leads to its cavernous halls inside. Just beyond the doors is the main entrance, where a small staff of clerks and guards inspect each visitor and collect weapons. On the other side of the main entrance is a large hall with equally large doors set on either side. The floor here is polished mahogany, and in the center is a large statue of an unknown man on a horse, lit from above by a round skylight set in the roof. While the Courts building is open, which is only five days a week for five hours each day, people pack the halls. Lawyers meet with clients, while chained criminals stand glumly, awaiting their sentences. Clerks and servants scurry from cluster to cluster, taking notes, delivering messages, and filling the air with the din of their chatter.
Through the doors to either side of the great hall are two more hallways equipped with four more doors on the opposite sides. The smaller halls lead to courtrooms. The courtrooms to the south are used for criminal cases, while the ones to the north are for civil cases. Each courtroom is more or less identical. About a dozen benches form an aisle leading to a pair of tables, each with three or four chairs. At the far end of the courtroom is a high podium that towers over the entire room. The judge reaches a leather chair by climbing a set of steep steps. This a challenging proposition for a hale judge and positively impossible for the old ones. Many courtrooms have fantastic contraptions that involve a jumble of pulleys, ropes, and harnesses for hefting an elder justice to his seat. Behind the courtrooms are more halls, stairs, offices, and private rooms where a judge can hold private conferences with attorneys and their clients. It’s easy to get lost in these labyrinthine passages, and many a doddering judge has vanished only to be found months later, dead and partly devoured by the rats that seem to infest this place.
Prominent NPCs
Judge Horatio Jones: Horatio Jones had an esteemed career as a prosecutor. Famed for never making plea bargains, he was responsible for the interments of countless citizens in his time in Freeport. Milton Drac appointed Jones a judge about a decade ago. In this time, he’s developed a reputation for handing down outrageous punishments, requiring incredible reparations to the guilty. Those who don’t do as the judge demands are thrown in the Tombs until Judge Jones feels they’ve learned their lesson. Horatio believes strong punishments deter future crimes, and therefore, he metes stiff penalties to those he finds guilty. Judge Jones is in his forties and has thinning brown hair, fat jowls, and big eyes. He’s put on a few pounds and has a tendency to sweat a lot.
Judge Alistair Strummer: Another civil judge, Alistair Strummer is a radical who bucks tradition by handing out unusual sentences. Rather than ordering fines, incarceration, or death, he requires the convicted to perform tasks of backbreaking manual labor for the betterment of Freeport. Examples include painting warehouses, draining swamps, working in Bloodsalt, or scraping barnacles off the piers. Alistair’s methods may be unconventional, but most locals approve, seeing the improvements all over the city. Rather than paying the high costs of housing and feeding prisoners, they get something back from those who break the law. It’s not easy work, but it’s better than hanging, so most criminals in the city have nothing but good words for this judge and even watch out for him. Alistair is in his mid-fifties, thin, with narrow features and head of graying black hair. He has dark eyes and lined features. When he thinks, he tends to pucker his lips and tap them with his forefinger.
Judge Charlene Rhodes: Judge Rhodes, a new justice appointed at the same time as the current Sea Lord, is something of a maverick. She’s more interested in defining Freeport society than in upholding the law. It’s a well-known fact she has a grudge against magic users, and when such an individual is brought before her, she hands out stiff penalties. The same intolerance extends to the various religious institutions, and some claim she has priests arrested on trumped up charges just to harass them. Charlene is in her mid-thirties. She has long, brown hair that she pulls up in a bun. Stern countenance, narrow eyes, and a tendency to scowl make this otherwise attractive woman thoroughly unpleasant.
Judge Shamus McGowan: Judge McGowan is alarmed by the terrible overcrowding of Freeport’s prison and is attempting to find other ways keep violent criminals away from society. Those found guilty in Judge McGowan’s courtroom are forcibly deported, sent to the Hulks, or marooned on one of the many tiny islands around Freeport.
Shamus is a gaunt man in his late sixties. His reedy voice shakes when he speaks, and he always appears on the verge of collapsing into frightened tears. He has thin, gray hair and sallow features. A few of the guards place bets on when the old man will keel over.
Judge Alfred Ubu: Also known as “Bloody” Judge Ubu, this justice is a spectacularly flamboyant psychopath and sadist. He’s particularly fond of sentencing criminals to death in horrible—though very creative—ways. There is the standard beheading and hanging, as well as drowning, immolation, and dismemberment. Judge Ubu was one of the many corrupt officials to flourish under Milton Drac. Commissioner Williams sought to remove him from office, but the judge had very powerful friends on the Captains’ Council.
Although Alfred is thin, he has pleasant features, a quick smile, and a disturbing habit of chuckling when he hands out his sentences. When not in dark judges’ robes, he wears clothes cut in the latest fashions.
Judge Frederick Drent: Another newcomer, Frederick Drent is about as corrupt as they come. Soft Frederick—as the crime lords call him—has never given a significant punishment to anyone affiliated with Freeport’s numerous crime lords. Community service, token fines, and stern reproofs are the extent of his judgments. Of course, this never applies to minor criminals, petty thieves, or dishonest merchants. Judge Drent is especially harsh with these poor souls, condemning them to stints in the Hulks as a means to conceal the rather obvious fact he’s on the take. Attempts to expose Drent’s corruption have all been for naught. He’s well insulated from his enemies, thanks to the toughs supplied by his employers. In addition, those employers grease the necessary palms in high places, which has so far prevented any action against him by the Captains' Council. Drent is a man in his middle years. He has widely spaced features, greasy red hair, and freckled skin. He speaks with a lisp and is rumored to have disturbing hedonistic impulses that can only be calmed by the most depraved bordellos in the city.
C4. Tombs: Sometimes even the most brilliant lawyer can’t keep a crook from going to jail. The main prison in Freeport is located inside the Fortress of Justice and is known throughout the city as the Tombs. They’ll tell you the building got its nickname because it was based on an elaborate mausoleum from the Jungle Lands, but the denizens of the underworld know differently. Many criminals who end up in the Tombs are never heard from again.
History
As a city founded by cutthroats and criminals, the question about what to do with the assorted scum that don’t abide by Freeport’s simple laws was an important one. While the city was a haven for expatriates and their ilk, it wasn’t acceptable for people do as they wanted—the city would collapse into anarchy. So, to deal with undesirables, Francisco had a compound constructed to lock away the folks that couldn’t function within the bounds of Freeport’s loose laws.
In the centuries that followed, the Tombs, as they’ve come to be called, have developed quite a reputation. Having held psychopaths, murderers, rapists, slavers, and countless other repellent individuals, the Tombs have welcomed countless members of Freeport’s criminals, interring them to a wretched fate in a dripping cell. Those who wind up here are rarely seen or heard from again, as if they were swallowed up by the fetid darkness. Disease, rats, and even other prisoners can snuff out a life quite quickly, but there are whispers of terrible things that stalk the alleys between cells in the dark of night, dragging their meals bodily through the slots in the door and leaving a mess of bloody meat and echoes of screams.
Description
The building is solid brick. There’s a main floor above ground, with bars on all the windows, and reinforced walls that are three feet thick. The roof of the building is shaped like a ziggurat—it has no real reason for its appearance except to look massive and foreboding. The first floor is the headquarters for the jailer and guards. There’s also a mess hall, kitchen, larder, and chapel to the God of Penitence. Small groups of prisoners are taken here daily to hear sermons, sing hymns, and pray for forgiveness. The prison cells are located on two levels underground. There are sixty cells on each floor, each cell approximately eight feet by six feet. Each can hold three prisoners, but most hold several more. The walls of the cells are constructed of large, stone blocks. With a lot of hard work, persistence, and some sort of digging tool, these heavy blocks can be loosened. Prisoners are fed twice a day with meals slipped through the small slots at the bottom of the cell doors. Some popular menu items—gruel, boiled bones, stale bread crusts, and fish head soup. Meals are served with a small cup of dirty water. Many prisoners go hungry, and some have even died of starvation. Other ways to die inside the Tombs include death by venomous vermin, food poisoning, succumbing to disease, and being murdered by your fellow cellmates. Prisoners kill each other over food, scraps of clothing, insults, vendettas, and grudges—or sometimes for no reason at all.
The Tombs are riddled with cunningly concealed tunnels. These passages range from cramped shafts leading nowhere, to elaborate avenues enabling a prisoner to either escape or keep in contact with his criminal allies. The Sea Lord’s Guard has done its best to brick up these routes, but most prisoners know of at least one passage. Unfortunately, the destination of these tunnels varies a great deal. Some lead to the sewers or other locations in the city, while others end abruptly, old stains signifying the fate of the would-be escapee. Perhaps the worst passages are those with no end that wind deeper and deeper into the earth. Only the most desperate would take these tunnels, for prisoners are quick to recount tales of those lost to the depths who vanished with a stifled scream.
Prominent NPCs
Alten Redfield: The Ghastly Guest, as he was known, is one of Freeport’s most notorious killers. He led a campaign of terror, striking down citizens at random. The fact that his murders had no patterns, no motives, made it nearly impossible for the Watch to catch him. In fact, he was never captured; he turned himself in with no explanation as to why he did what he did or why he turned himself in. Those in adjacent cells claim Redfeld whispers prayers to someone or something in the dead of night. Gaunt and having big green eyes and a head full of wispy, gray hair, Alten seems unassuming enough. He’s dressed in clean prisoner’s garb and spends his days sitting on a stool, staring into space.
Greminy Greeg: Greminy Greeg (male human) is among the worst criminals in recent memory. He began his career as one of Freeport’s most notorious criminals by stalking the streets of Drac’s End, raping and murdering prostitutes, both male and female. The remains were so thoroughly violated that, in most cases, the Watch would have to wait for someone to be reported missing before they could identify the bodies. To make matters worse, there were never any witnesses. The murderer simply vanished without a trace.
It wasn’t long before Greeg’s unholy cravings took a turn for the worse. Leaving Drac’s End, he moved into the Merchant District and set his sights on harvesting the fresh youth loitering there. Never particular about gender, Greeg stalked the sons and daughters of Freeport’s elite, racking up a dreadful body count and paralyzing the upper class with fear. The Sea Lord, feeling pressure from the council among others in the city, spared no expense to track him down and even paid the Wizards’ Guild handsomely to locate the villain. In spite of their best efforts, none could identify the killer. The nature of the crimes aside, what made his capture so appalling was Greeg’s position as a beloved priest of Suel. Noted for his work with children and his life-long efforts to ease the suffering of the poor, the fact that such a virtuous man could in fact be a ruthless killer and sexual predator appalled the city. He was to be hanged, but his temple paid enough gold to have him imprisoned indefinitely. Greeg’s sentence was to be put in the Hulks, but for some reason, perhaps a hidden ally, he has remained in the Tombs instead. Greeg is a corpulent man with moist lips and small, piggish eyes. He has fat jowls and greasy hair. Time as a prisoner has not been kind to him, and he’s sick with a number of diseases. Greeg has paid for his crimes several times over, since the other prisoners in the Tombs visit their own brand of justice on this wretch.
Marius Edgel: Easily one of the Tombs’ oldest residents, Marius Edgel has survived in this inhospitable prison for almost a decade. At the peak of his career as a notorious crime lord, he managed upwards of a dozen operations, including smuggling, extortion, larceny, and even murder. In particular, Marius managed a small circle of assassins in Freeport and on the Continent, and several high profile assassinations fell squarely on his shoulders. The Continent’s efforts to extradite the man had all failed since Freeport had no intention of turning over one of their citizens, so a team of killers came for Marius instead. After thwarting eight attempts on his life, Marius realized he could not continue to run his business on the “outside,” so he voluntarily turned himself in. Although he’s nearly sixty, Marius is in great shape. He has short brown hair and brown eyes
C5. Marquee Moon: (TAVERN) There are a number of taverns and pubs scattered throughout the Old City. They make a good business catering to the politicians, lawyers, and guards, offering food, drink, and places where the powerful can meet privately and negotiate deals. Of course, these establishments are all of varying quality, and at the bottom of the heap is the Marquis Moon.
History
The Marquis Moon has had a seedy reputation almost since it opened its doors for business. It offered accommodations to those who needed a discreet place to conduct business, which made the place popular with the movers and shakers in the city as they could negotiate secret deals without attracting undue attention. Unfortunately, its value as a political haven quickly evaporated as a series of scandals erupted with the Marquis Moon at the center. The Marquis Moon reinvented itself as a flophouse with lodging rented by the hour. Those with coin could buy rooms for extended periods, and those who wanted a few moments of carnal pleasure in the comforts of a room—instead of a piss-soaked alley—could rent one. The Marquis Moon has served a number of famous locals, offering apartments to those leading double lives. Milos, a serpent person and cultist, paid handsomely for lodgings here for a time and transformed a shabby room into a well-appointed chamber that contained the tools of his trade and countless volumes of occult lore.
The owner eventually died, and the Marquis Moon passed to his worthless son, Ficca, who was more concerned with using his rooms than actually running the business.
Description
This sagging brick building has seen better days. Positioned between two larger tenement buildings and tucked away on a side street, it is easily overlooked by passers-by, which is just the way its patrons like it. The building is two stories and roofed with old ceramic tiles. Occasionally, one slips free and shatters on the cobbles below—regulars keep an eye upturned to avoid the often painful precipitation. A thick stone slab serves as the step up to a grimy wooden door set with a single window filled with expensive blue glass. A sign hangs overtop, featuring a painting of a lascivious noblewoman straddling a crescent moon.
The interior is little better. A large central room holds several tables surrounded by mismatched chairs. The floor is wooden, though years of accumulated filth conceal all but a few nails that poke up through the muck. Running against the back wall is a bar where Ficca spends most of his time.
A narrow flight of stone steps winds up to a long hall that forms the spine of the second floor. Lined with numbered doors, from which issue suspicious grunts and moans along with the occasional tittering laugh, the place stinks of smoke, excrement, sweat, and desperation. Beyond each door is a shabby room equipped with a mattress, table, honey pot, and a tattered rug. A few rooms have wardrobes, while others have basins and pitchers filled with impossibly foul water. None of these rooms have windows—or rather they once did but were bricked up at some point.
Prominent NPCs
Ficca: The owner of the Marquis Moon is a rather foolish young man who has a tendency to scowl and mutter. Disinterested in most things, he spends his time picking his nose and paying the cheapest whore available to entertain him behind the bar. If he has any redeeming qualities, they have yet to be revealed. He wears brown breeches splattered with suspicious stains. His shirt is little better, marred as it is by the leavings of his last meals.
Xander Kovac: Although the city watch and the Sea Lord’s Guard before them were loath to admit it, Tovac is the best detective in the city. With a keen mind, sharp eyes, and infallible skills of perception, he has personally solved dozens of crimes, ranging from simple thefts to horrible murders. He used to be a investigator with the Guard, but the recent turmoil found Tovac suddenly out of a job. He now takes private cases and occasionally snoops into police business to remind them he’s still the best.
Sesamin Anders: A tall, well-groomed half-orc, Anders has become one of the city's better-known lawyers. She was born in one of the small villages in the center of the island, and grew up in an orc den that was eventually destroyed by forces from Turtleback Ferry. She was brought back to town by those forces, and adopted by a paladin who had led a company of the raiders. She quickly showed herself to be smarter than most of her kind, and eventually came to Freeport to attend the Academy. After that, she joined the bar, and has developed a very solid reputation.
C6. The Bathhouse: For those with delicate sensibilities, there are few places in Freeport where a sod can scrub off the salt of the sea, wipe off the traces of his last encounter in an alley, and soak away his cares and concerns. Freeport stinks, it’s true; however, people eventually get tired of their own curious odors, and when they do, Ilvana and her baths are ready to take their pennies.
History
The Baths are one of Freeport’s oldest bathhouses and one of the only ones present in the Old City. Established during the city’s early days, it languished for generations as an oddity, a novelty affordable only to Freeport’s elite. In fact, all sorts of whispers and rumors grew up around this place. Some claimed strange men with stranger habits haunted the waters, lying in wait to give the bathers a pinch where they least wanted or expected it. Others said the waters were fouled, and those who spent time in them were bound to find worms in their stool.
Despite the superstitions, the Baths somehow survived long enough for an enterprising elven maid named Ilvana to purchase it. From out of nowhere, Ilvana took charge, cleaned the place up, kicked out the lascivious folks that used the place to make filthy deals in the saunas, and turned the business around. She put her engineering skills to good use and refurbished and renovated the place in a matter of months. She devised a system of coal-fired boilers and steam pipes to offer hot baths for the first time. The luxury of a hot soak was a novelty to the cutthroats and freebooters of the port but one they took to with great pleasure. Since she’s taken ownership, the sordid history of Freeport’s Baths has become a thing of the past. Attorneys come here between sessions to negotiate deals and meet new clients. Members of the Captains’ Council enjoy the atmosphere and indulge in the comforts only such a place can offer. And much to the amazement of the locals, it seems Ilvana actually runs an honest shop.
Description
There are two separate public baths and about a dozen private baths (reservations required). The cheapest baths are in the East Bath, while the West Bath offers a relaxing environment and has drinks and massages available for additional fees. The private baths are much pricier, and there’s no limit on how much they can cost—depending on the other services requested. For the right price, a private bath can turn into a catered party with attendants, musicians, and discreet companionship.
Prominent NPCs
Ilvana: This enterprising elf-maid came to Freeport to forget her past. Haunted by the memories of her past—the goblins that spilled through the cracks of her peoples’ defenses—she came to this cutthroat city to find a new life. What she found was a filthy city filled with filthier inhabitants. At every turn, she was reminded of the stench of the goblin blood that stained her hands, and she felt as if she could never be clean. So, purchasing the bathhouse seemed a natural choice. After a decade of owning the business, she’s made a small fortune catering to Freeport’s finest. She’s made a few contacts with high-priced courtesans for extra services and spent a good deal of coin on masseuses, massage oils, herbs, and incenses to make the place classy and to distance it from the den of iniquity it once was. She succeeded. Standing just over six feet tall Ilvana is ravishing, dwarf with long golden hair, sharp features. Her body is curvy and attractive. It’s whispered the Sea-lord himself has gained her affections, and the tow are carrying on an affair.
C7. Argyle’s Curio Shop: One of the Old City’s best-kept secrets. Buried in a dark corner of this district, the Shop, as it’s known, holds some of Freeport’s strangest treasures. Adventurers frequently come here to sell oddities, art objects, and the more esoteric goods they pick up during their exploits.
History
The Shop has been in business for at least two decades, catering to Freeport’s most discerning customers, though no one knows with certainty when exactly it opened. Most people believe it’s always been there, tucked away in a darkened corner of the Old City. In truth, McGill opened his doors nearly thirty years ago, with a shop full of uncanny items that range from common junk to the potent artifacts that would be banned if anyone of consequence had an idea that such goods were within the walls of the city’s center.
Description
Standing two-stories tall and drenched in shadows cast by the high wall against which it stands, it sits between two large buildings—a brothel and an old factory. A sign hangs out front, painted with a single, enigmatic word: “Shop.” The darkness inside makes the exterior look bright and sunny by comparison. Judging by the dust, the thick curtains drawn over the lone window haven’t been moved in years. Much could probably be said of the majority of the room’s contents. But then, looks can be deceiving. It is difficult to know where to look first, as there appears to be absolutely no rhyme or reason to the manner in which the items are placed—or thrown, in some cases. Argyle does not deal in everyday, pedestrian items such as weapons or armor, but the more esoteric the item in question, the more likely it is Argyle either has it or knows where to get it. While he may not have a magical ring or wand, chances are there is an item that serves the same purpose; the shop contains an enchanted belt buckle, a charmed ship in a bottle, and even a pair of magical socks. The price Argyle charges for his curios is extravagant, but since there is nowhere else in Freeport that sells anything like them, he is free to charge what he likes.
Prominent NPCs
Argyle McGill: Most days, McGill sits behind his desk, almost completely obscured by piles of scrolls. It’s clear from looking at him he was a man of the sea at one time, likely many years ago. He wears his hair long, and his face is deeply lined. His eyes are perpetually narrowed from decades of squinting at something far off in the distance. His natural hair color may have been black, but there’s too much gray shot through it now to be completely sure. His hands are as weather-beaten as his face, yet they show absolutely no signs of shaking, and his grip is quite firm. Whenever Argyle receives a new guest (he can uncannily recall if someone has been in before, even if it was many years ago), he waits to get out of his chair until they’ve had a chance to acclimate to the gloom. He introduces himself, makes a bit of small talk, and asks if they’re looking for something in particular. If they hadn’t guessed it already, newcomers to the shop will recognize Argyle’s seaman past by his tendency to begin every few sentences with a drawling “Yarr.”
C8. Wizard's Guildhall: Some thirty years ago, a cabal of wizards selected Freeport as their new home. It was a glorious event, celebrated with much fanfare and ebullient spectacles, all of which left their mark on the imagination of Freeport’s citizens. With pride, Freeport accepted the wizards, believing they were somehow safer, somehow protected by the sheltering hands of these learned men and women.
History
locals remember the founding of the Wizards’ Guild vividly. Pyrotechnics filled the sky, immaculately clad djinn flew through the streets waving shimmering banners, and dozens of waterspouts exploded in the harbor in tribute to the power of wizardry. Stories of its marvels are still recounted in taverns across Freeport. The guild has a great degree of latitude, enjoying far more freedom than other citizens do. To ensure the continuation of their agreeable relationship, the guild provides its services to the city’s government for free or at a drastically reduced price. For instance, the wooden Warehouse that houses the Office of Public Records in the Warehouse District is filled to the rafters with piles of extremely flammable paper. The guild maintains a series of wards to suppress fire and prevent it from going up like a tinderbox if someone were to drop a torch. Additionally, the guild has agreed to participate fully in any defense of the city from outside invaders. So long as the guild is willing to assist the city in its public, and sometime not-so-public, needs, the wizards are free to do as they please.
Description
The Wizards’ Guild is a large, marble building that stands in the center of the Old City, towering over the Street of Dreams. Its spotless marble walls encircle the compound, pierced once by a pair of two large bronze doors. Flashing arcane glyphs shine forth from the surface, reminding all that approach of the power contained within, as well as serving as the only warning the wizards are willing to give to thieves. Just inside is a public area—the only one in fact. It is an airy atrium with a high ceiling fitted with skylights. Mute guards, whom few believe are human, prevent access to the recesses of the building and bar the way of any who dare to enter without the express approval of a guild member. Not even the Sea Lord can enter without the permission of Tarmon or Thorgrim, the guild’s Lord Defender. The chambers so zealously guarded are mostly laboratories and apartments for guild members and apprentices. The real treasure, however, is its arcane library. Whispers of strange pocket worlds and doorways that lead to far-flung lands occasionally filter out of the place, but Tarmon assures any who query these “extra-dimensional” spaces merely serve to contain the guild’s most treasured possessions.
Prominent NPCs
Tarmon: Tarmon is the founder and High Wizard of Freeport’s Wizards’ Guild. He’s also a member of the Captains’ Council, making him the first wizard to ever serve in this role. He has enormous magical power and that has helped him build up political power as well. The High Wizard is easily one of the most influential men in Freeport.
Many of Freeport’s success stories revolved around immigrants who came to the city and made good. Tarmon was born in Freeport and the city is in his blood. He never knew who his father was and his mother died of a pox when he was but five years old. Left to make his own way on the streets, the young orphan did what was necessary to survive. He was aided by great mental acuity and a knack for figuring things out. By watching carnival spellcasters, he was able to figure out how to start small fires. This brought him to the attention of Tibalt Ten-Fingers, a wizard from the Continent. Tibalt took the boy as an apprentice and trained him the art of magic. Tibalt was not a kindly master. He worked his apprentices hard and treated them worse than slaves. He drills were effective, though, and Tarmon blossomed into a gifted young wizard. He left Tibalt as soon as he could and traveled extensively on the Continent and beyond. When he finally returned to the city of his birth, he was worldly and experienced. During the reign of Antonio Drac, Tarmon tried to stay out of politics. He was an advisor to the Captains’ Council but he did not take sides in its machinations. When the truth of Drac’s madness was revealed, Tarmon realized he had made a mistake. The city had come perilously close to utter ruination and he had done nothing. So it was, with Liam Blackhammer’s help, he put himself forward to become a member of the Captains’ Council.
Tarmon is tall with brown hair and eyes. He favors long flowing red robes bound by a golden belt. He walks with the aid of a gnarled, old, wooded staff, but this is largely for show. His magic keeps him vigorous despite his advanced age but he feigns a bit of frailty to more easily manipulate those around him. Very few people really know Tarmon. He appears to be a kindly and knowledgeable old wizard. His magic has aided the city greatly in the past, such as during the Great Green Fire, so locals tend to think well of him.
Thorgrim, Lord Defender of the Wizards' Guild: Thorgrim is responsible for the security of the Guild. He is a tall, powerfully built man with a thick mane of flaming red hair, usually seen with his greatsword strapped to his back. He does not say much, but is capable of powerful fits of anger if he feels his fellow wizards are under threat
C9. House of Serenity: Freeport has no shortage of brothels. From the filthy alleys in Slums District to the flophouses in the the Harbor District, there is an outlet for just about every vice. Among these pleasure dens, one stands at the fore—the House of Serenity. This bordello specifically caters to Freeport’s elite, offering the finest courtesans for those with coin enough to sample their delights. This is no place for the rude and uncultured; it is a retreat for those of discerning tastes.
History
The House of Serenity has been serving Freeport’s elite for years. In this time, it has emerged as one of the most prominent brothels in the city, whose fame has spread far beyond. Sailors dream of spending a night in this place, while travelers come from far away lands to sample its delights. The fact that the Serenity House survived almost complete destruction during the Succession Riots is a testimony to its power and success, as well as those of money who would not see the House fade into history.
Description
The renovated and rebuilt Serenity House is just as inconspicuous as the old one. Nothing about its façade indicates its purpose or what its four walls contain. Three stories tall, it occupies the corner of Main and High Streets. The external walls are polished sandstone fitted with numerous windows on all sides. Terracotta tiles roof the building, and each corner features a cherubic angel that drains the rainwater from the gutters by showering the streets with its delightful streams. Once inside, there’s no mistaking this place for anything other than a bordello. The interior is soft and inviting. Statues of scantily clad beautiful men and women fill the entrance, looking down on the patterned floor with mischievous expressions. Archways on either side lead to entertaining rooms where affections are as free-flowing as the wine. These rooms are where the courtesans await their guests, offering their talents to any with the coin to spend and the libido to sate. At the far end of the hall is a dramatic staircase leading to a balcony lined with doors that open into the private bedchambers. Twin staircases head up from here to the top level, which holds offices, sleeping quarters for the staff, and storerooms. A night in the House of Serenity costs a great deal. The prices place it well out of the range of most sea dogs, and the majority of the House’s clientele come from the wealthy men from the Merchant District too timid to venture into the flesh-pits of Slums District. Members of the merchant’s guards save up several weeks of pay for a single night in the House of Serenity. It is substantially safer and cleaner than Freeport’s other bordellos, as well as a cultural cut above. The ladies and men that dwell within are more accurately termed courtesans than prostitutes. The pleasures offered by the House of Serenity are of the standard nature. Companionship, conversation, a pleasant meal, some light entertainment (singing or dancing), and physical intimacy with the woman (or man) of one’s choice are the House’s fare. House management heavily disapproves of activities beyond those. Those seeking more outré physical pleasures are advised to take their perversions to Dreaming Street.
Prominent NPCs
Sylvia Rathrow: All of the Serenity House’s success comes from one woman—Sylvia Rathrow. Almost thirty years ago, she began her career as a common whore in Slums District, picking up clients at her regular haunts on Dreaming Street. She was different from the other women, though; she had ambition. She may not have been as pretty as the other prostitutes, but she had a sly wit, keen mind, and legendary skills. Over the years, she gained a sizable pool of clients who were both wealthy and influential, and she was able to convince them to fund the opening of her own brothel, far away from the dangerous warrens of Slums District. They agreed, and she opened the House of Serenity. Her business was so successful she was able to pay off her debts in less than a year and fill her stables with the best companions money could buy. In the years she’s run the Serenity House, she has spared no expense in recruiting the very best women and men. She pays local priests to screen the staff to ensure everyone who works for her is hale and healthy. To encourage her employees to go above the call of duty, Sylvia pays well and, more importantly, takes care of those who retire from the Serenity House. Anyone who works until they are no longer viable can continue working here in the kitchens, laundry, or keeping the rooms clean. And those who retire receive a small pension to pay for their room and board for years after they leave. As a result, Sylvia has her pick of the best in the city, and some even say beyond. Sylvia has aged gracefully. Never beautiful, she does have pleasant, if a bit plain, features. Her once auburn hair is mostly gray, and care lines have appeared around her mouth and eyes. Although she is advancing in years, she cuts a fine figure and wears clothing that emphasizes her good qualities.
Lexi: A beautiful young woman and talented courtesan, Lexi is a popular girl at the Serenity House. The reason is simple. She augments her skills with magic, subtly altering her appearance, voice, and her clients’ moods. Lexi didn’t choose this life, and while she recognizes it’s far improved over her stint in her abusive father’s brothel on Dreaming Street, she yearns for more.
C10. The Keelhauler: (TAVERN) An embarrassing and disreputable tavern, the Keelhauler is a haunt favored by pirates and nobles alike. The tavern sits in a backstreet corner near the Old City District’s Harbor gate, and has always been the first tavern reached from there. Consequently, it has always attracted a rough crowd. This has generally been tolerated as it keeps those customers from getting further into the Old City and disrupting the classier establishments there.
History
The Keelhauler has been around for decades. This is longer than most such cheap taverns endure for, and this longevity has given it a reputation. Many sailors make a point of stopping in here each time their ship returns to the city. Rumor holds that the inn was once the closest tavern to the docks before the establishment of the the Harbor District district, but nobody has been able to confirm that. The inn changes hands regularly, as various gangs fight for control of this valuable foothold in the Old City. Despite this, the building itself has never been seriously damaged.
Description
The Keelhauler is an unspectacular, three-floored wooden structure set amid the row houses of the Old City. The exterior is left more or less undecorated, except for a time-worn painting of a pirate ship set above the door. Inside, it features a bizarre collection of random items donated by returning sailors, many of them damaged in subsequent fights.
Prominent NPCs
Rentan Yager: A powerfully built, surprisingly charismatic man, Yager is the current proprietor of the inn. He frequently dresses in the uniform of a soldier of Amador, for reasons nobody quite understands (he grew up in Freeport, and has never left Skull Island). He took over the inn in the wake of the last gang war a few years ago, and generally runs a tight ship. He has less tolerance for violence than most previous owners, and consequently maintains a better staffed security force.
Captain Jacob Lydon: Lydon is a tall fat man, with a mouthful of brown rotting teeth, squinty eyes, and patchy hair on his head. His chin is always covered with stubble and he reeks of cheap rum. He tries to keep up his appearance to fit his station and sometimes buys expensive clothes from the Street of Dreams, but no matter how much coin he spends, he almost always comes off looking shabby, as if he just washed up on the shore. Loud, boisterous, crass, and every bit the pirate he always was, Lydon is a colorful character with simple tastes and grand ambitions. He spends his money on drinking, smoking, and loose women. He made his name as the captain of a pirate ship known as The Gambit. A reckless freebooter, he sailed all the seas of the world, following up any lead for treasure no matter how mysterious or dangerous. Sometimes these ventures paid off; most times, they didn’t. But in every case, he always came home to Freeport with a new bloodcurdling tale of the high seas with which to regale his audience. Now, he aspires to be named to the Captains' Council, and will take any available opportunity to lobby for that role. He has not yet made enough influential friends, but is popular among the ordinary people of the city.
C11. The Black Rose: (TAVERN) Merchant princes often dine here, and hold private meetings during the day. At night, their children come to drink, dance and meet one another. Located almost exactly in the middle of the Old City and easily accessible from the Merchant District, the Rose has become the most famous inn in the district.
History
The Black Rose was founded only a few years ago. Errund established it shortly after his arrival, seeing that the Old City lacked a luxurious inn to compete with those in the Merchant District. He bought a large townhouse from a merchant going through some financial difficulties, and set up his inn. His skills as a chef and a party organizer quickly brought the Rose a high profile, and it has only gained in fame since then.
Description
The Black Rose occupies an old townhouse in the heart of the Old City. The building is a solid stone structure, featuring columns made of marble imported from Condor. Errund has painted a series of black roses on the front of the structure, and keeps a small garden immediately in front of it. Inside, he has cleared out interior walls to produce a greater dining area, and has spent as much as he can afford to equip his tavern with the best furnishings possible.
Prominent NPCs
Nalis Errund: Errund is a suave, smooth man who arrived in the city from Seaport a few years ago. He has obviously been a restaurateur for a very long time, and is extremely comfortable in the role. He has an eye for good staff, and runs a tight ship. He makes a point of getting to know his many prominent guests, but also of never being visibly starstruck or subservient. He loves to talk about his dream of retiring to a small estate in the countryside, but nobody takes him seriously.
Admiral Hrothy: An expatriate from Amador, Hrothy retired to Freeport after he became too old to command a fleet at sea. He proudly admits to having sunk a number of Freeport’s ships in his time, but he hopes folk don’t hold it against him. His noble birth, good looks, and unimpeachable manners make him a popular figure with most of Freeport’s upper crust, and he’s often seen at parties, regaling guests with his fabulous stories of daring battles against the scum of the seas (not all of them from Freeport…).
Liam Blackhammer: Blackhammer has been a member of the Captains’ Council for almost twenty years. He joined the council to represent the poor and destitute, and rose as something of a champion of the people. Stubborn as a mule, this veteran inspires little affection among the council, but his years of experience gives his words more weight than they might otherwise warrant.
C12. The Devilfish: (TAVERN) A fine restaurant, the Devilfish has been a favorite haunt of every Sea Lord since its inception. The Devilfish sits directly opposite the Black Rose, and was the favored restaurant of much of the Old City until its arrival. It is still markedly cheaper than its newer rival, and derives much of its business from workers in the government buildings in and around the Fortress of Justice.
History
The Devilfish has been around for several decades, although it has passed through multiple owners and the occasional name change. It was founded by an immigrant halfling from Eroth, whose skill as a chef attracted a steady supply of wealthy and famous customers in the evenings. During the day, his apprentices cooked cheaper and simpler fare for everyone else. His successors have generally kept to this approach, and have made plenty of money doing so.
Description
The Devilfish is a well-maintained old building, made mostly of local stone. The structure is no architectural masterpiece, but it features a superbly designed interior finished with expensive wood and wallhangings. The smells of cooking constantly permeate the building and drift into the street outside.
Prominent NPCs
Jessul Karnest: The current owner of the Devilfish. Karnest is a perpetually well-dressed, invariably polite middle-aged woman, who inherited the restaurant after the death of her husband a few years ago. She is not a cook, but takes great pleasure in the opportunities to meet important people. She does not really understand the restaurant business, and some customers say that the Devilfish is declining under her management.
Celeste D'Arran: Daughter of a wealthy merchant who owned a fleet of ships that carried goods throughout the region, Celeste had the best education and all the comforts money could buy. She used these advantages to spend much of her youth traveling the world, visiting all manner of strange and wonderful places. Now, she has become one of the Old City's more visible socialites, especially interested in opportunities to host dinners in honor of guests from abroad.
C13. Wizard's Pouch: This tiny shop seems to be bigger inside than out. Catering to Freeport's Wizards, the Wizard's Pouch sells strange ingredients useful only to spellcasters. This unusual emporium has been in business for many years, and the local citizens have become almost inured to the occasional explosions and strange-smelling clouds that come out of it.
History
Olaf Gudenfal founded the Wizard's Pouch shortly after he came to the city. He is a graduate of the Academy in Seaport, and spent several subsequent years working aboard several different ships to satisfy his desire to learn about the world. This experience made him several close friends within the city's trading community, and he uses this to acquire the sometimes bizarre items required by the magically inclined.
Description
The Wizard's Pouch occupies a small, almost ramshackle wooden building in the heart of the Old City. The building is generally avoided by most of those who live nearby, despite the fact that there has never actually been a serious accident. Inside, the structure seems to have more space than it should. Olaf has never admitted if this is actually the case, or if it is merely a trick of the eye. Regardless, it carries an impressive range of magical supplies, and Olaf has the contacts to acquire special items if needed.
Prominent NPCs
Olaf Gudenfal: Gudenfal is a short man, built more powerfully than most expect for a wizard. He dresses in the robes that most wizards do, as he feels it is important to give the correct impression. He has a reasonably friendly demeanor, though some people think he is hiding something. He has been accused of supplying ingredients for cult rituals, but so far nobody has been able to prove the charge.
C14. Torhens’ Brewery: (TAVERN) Many visitors to the Old City assume that this is a tavern when they see the name and the keg sitting on the road outside, but it is actually a successful apothecary. It sits in a corner of the district, tucked up against the southwestern wall. It has become perhaps the best-known such store in the city, and people from all walks of life will visit in search of treatment for all manner of medical conditions.
History
The building originally was a brewery, noted for its thick, hearty ales. However, the owner retired and moved to a house in the Eastern District. When Towart bought the building, she did not have enough money available to pay for new signs. She planned to, but by the time she had saved up the necessary coins, the incongruous name and decorations had become part of the store's reputation. She decided to keep them as they are, and enjoys the occasional confused sailor wandering in looking for a drink.
Description
As befits a former tavern, the Brewery is a solid structure, designed to be able to survive fights and other such unpleasantness. Inside, Towart has cleaned it up and closed off much of the former barroom to serve as her storage space. The relatively small space left inside the door houses her showroom, where she always has a collection of herbs, slaves and potions to show.
Prominent NPCs
Torhen: (male Gnome) Torhen is small and frail, but he does not suffer fools gladly, but is always willing to talk to those who are genuinely looking for her help and willing to pay a fair price for it. She grew up in a village north of the city, the daughter of a Black Arrow ranger, and spent much of her childhood working with the local druids. She fled to Freeport after ogres raided her village, and consequently is known to give discounts on her supplies to those planning to adventure in areas of the island known to contain ogres.
C15. Exotic Imports: This small shop sells exotic imports from all over the world. It is famed for its extraordinary selection of artistic and religious artifacts, as well as a substantial number of jewels and clothes. Occasionally, it will even have magical items available, though these tend to be minor (and often don't really work as intended). Rumor holds that the store has a relationship with a number of pirate captains to obtain its stock, though no-one will admit this.
History
Sargat founded the store after he retired from life as a ship captain. He had traveled all over the known world, and had collected a large number of friends among the city's various naval communities. He decided to set up a store to keep busy during his retirement. Initially, his plan was simply to sell a small supply of offbeat items given to him by his various friends, but he discovered he is a skilled salesman, and business has quickly expanded.
Description
The store sits in a nice, roomy old building near the northern gate in the Old City walls. The outside is nondescript, as Sargat has never quite gotten around to renovating it. Inside, the main display room is filled with the store's wide range of random items, with a locked back room that is rumored to hold the more valuable items.
Prominent NPCs
Dirvan Sargat: While he is obviously getting on in years, Sargat still has the powerful build of the sailor he used to be. He spent most of his life as a captain, working for a variety of employers in many different parts of the world. He eventually retired to his favorite city, and opened the store to give himself something to do. Somewhat to his surprise, he discovered a talent for salesmanship, and he has come to greatly enjoy the interaction with his customers.
C16. Tarwins tailors: A popular clothier, Tirwn's has become perhaps the favorite tailor for Freeport's more prominent citizens. Most of the city's merchant princes own an item or two made here, and it has become something of a status symbol for others to have something custom-fitted at the store. Originally noted as a manufacturer of nautical gear, the store has steadily branched out into more conventional clothing to suit the tastes of its wealthy customers.
History
Tarwin's has been around for nearly a decade. Tirwin founded it after arriving in the city, and initially specialized in making clothes for captains and other naval officers. He quickly developed a reputation for making unusually stylish outfits, and particularly for being much better than the city's other tailors at working with the more exotic fabrics sailors brought in. As a result, he began to get work from richer clients, and his reputation has only grown since then.
Description
Tarwin recently bought a larger building, sitting just across the street from the Sea Lord's Palace. This used to be a small mansion, and it offers more space for Tirwin to accommodate his staff and collection of colorful fabrics. He has not yet finished the job of reworking the building, and so neither the inside nor the outside has yet been properly cleaned up and redecorated.
Prominent NPCs
Tarwin: Tarwin is a slightly-built man of indeterminate age. He is friendly enough to his customers, but it is always obvious that he is looking to end a conversation as quickly as possible so that he can get on with the next thing he needs to do. He started the store after arriving in the city from Arnonia, where is family had served as tailors for generations. The skills he had inherited made him notably superior to most of his competition in the city, a fact that has allowed him to build his reputation as quickly as he has.
Alcindar: A dwarf who grew up in human society after his parents were killed by orcs, Alcindar is invariably superbly dressed and well-groomed. He pities the long, tangled beards and lack of bathing so often associated with his race, a fact that does not endear him to them. He inherited his adoptive parents' craft, and has become the most skilled of Tarwin's staff. Many Council members specifically request his services for their formal outfits.
C17. The Matchlock: this shop specializes in selling firearms. It is currently the only seller of such weapons and the ammunition they need in the city. The store sells guns made mostly by the dwarven craftsmen from Kolters Gunsmiths, and these are as good as those that can be found anywhere. The problem, of course, is that gunpowder can only be made stable with alchemical additives found in Kendar. Somehow, The Matchlock is able to secure a supply of these, though exactly how is not clear to most.
History
The Matchlock has only been around for a couple of years. In that time, it has developed a reputation as a source of well-made guns and dependable ammunition for them, but also for prices that make it difficult for most people to acquire one. Despite (or perhaps because of) this, a growing number of people want to own a gun, even if only as an easily visible indication of their wealth and knowledge of the latest trends and developments.
Description
The Matchlock occupies a stout, solid stone building near the gate to the Eastern District. Outside, it features a large barrel designed to resemble a powder keg set just outside the front door, as well as a sculpted pistol hanging over the door. Inside, the building features a smallish main showroom for customers to examine the currently available weapons. Off to one side, a narrow shooting range allows those rich enough to afford the ammunition to learn to shoot with the guidance of the staff.
Prominent NPCs
Niles Chaman: An unusually cheerful dwarf, Chaman runs the Matchlock. He plays a large role in the manufacture and repair of the guns sold by the store, and is always willing to give shooting lessons to those customers that can afford the ammunition. He grew up in the city, a member of its small dwarven community, and learned how to make guns while living with relatives in Coral Reef. Running the store has made him a relatively wealthy man, and he has become a prominent supporter of the town's temple to Utua.
C18. The Shy Maid: (BROTHEL) A minor brothel, this place languishes in the shadow of the House of Serenity. It sits in a relative corner of the Old City, near the gate to the the Harbor District and just down the road from the Keelhaul tavern. Unlike the more expensive establishments in the district, it caters primarily to sailors and other guests from the the Harbor District, who believe that a brothel in the Old City will be safer than one of the dives nearer the quays.
History
The Maid has not been around for long. It was set up only a couple of years ago, after Daris left the House of Serenity in somewhat unclear circumstances. He set up a competing establishment, but does not have the budget to seriously compete with hos former employers, and so makes do with attracting what custom he can from the the Harbor District and the Eastern District.
Description
The building that houses the brothel was originally a storeroom used by several local storekeepers as a temporary repository for their merchandise, and it has not yet been seriously cleaned up. The exterior still looks exactly as it did before, while inside, only the bedrooms have been properly set up. The rest of the building is messy, smelly and rat-infested.
Prominent NPCs
Mickey Daris: A smooth-talking man who is always well-dressed, Daris still comes across as somewhat sleazy. He is the owner of the establishment, set up after he left his job as an assistant manager at the House of Serenity. He would like to raise his new venture to the prominent position occupied by the House, but has a very long way to go.
C19. The Eccentric Society (PRIVATE CLUB) This is a private club for the Old City's elite, Guests are attended to by nude servants and plied with fine foods, liquors and company as desired. This club has been around for a long time, and has become the favorite place for the wealthiest inhabitants of the district, and many from the rest of the city, to meet and dine. Many of the city's greatest business deals have been concluded inside this establishment.
History
The Club has existed for nearly a century. It was originally founded by a group of merchants looking for a private place to meet and discuss possible deals, and first met in borrowed space inside the Fortress of Justice. After a while, they realized they needed a building of their own to guarantee security and privacy, and they bought an old tenement house to tear down and rebuild. Since then, the Club has occupied its current building, and has done everything in its power to keep a low public profile.
Description
The Club occupies a well-built but discreet stone building set against the wall in the northeastern corner of the Old City. The outside of the building reflects the organization's desire for minimal attention, as it shows no sign of the wealth and power of its inhabitants. Inside, the furnishings are uniformly luxurious and expensive, featuring all manner of imported materials and artworks. An extensive staff of servants ensures that the needs of all guests are immediately met.
Prominent NPCs
Falen Jenn: Jenn runs the Club. He is a quiet, dignified man, who takes great pride in ensuring everything is running as smoothly as possible. He grew up in the city, and came to work for the Club as a teenager. He eventually rose to his current position, and understands well the importance of always remaining neutral in the disputes between the Club's many powerful members. He makes a point of keeping his own personality as hidden as possible, and of never letting on that he knows anything at all about the discussions that take place within.
Captain Garth Varellion: Captain of the Christina, Garth Varellion had designs on the Sea Lord’s seat, as he could see no better candidate. Far too shallow and self-absorbed to do much of anything except take care of himself, he had few supporters. Add to this his old ties to the Drac family, his claim to be the next Sea Lord met with jeers of derision and laughter. Varellion has withdrawn ever since, simmering with hate and plotting to improve his tarnished image.
Captain Hector Torian: About seven years ago, the pirate captain of the Sea Ghost retired from the sea to seek a new life as a politician. Having sailed the seas for over thirty years, Torian learned to take life less seriously and is a fun-loving, generous man, traits uncommon for the notoriously criminal Captains’ Council. Torian supported Milton Drac to the end, despite the cost and excess that went into the Lighthouse, because he felt that he owed his career to the Sea Lord. With Drac’s madness revealed, Hector remained true to the family despite the flaws in the man, and voted against repealing the Law of Succession as he worked to find an heir. To this day, he clings to the hope that a viable heir will appear one day.
