Youappearinatropicalcityundertheblazingsun.The
familiarsoundsofaharbor—creakingropes,slapping
waves,heavybarrelsrollingacrosscobblestones—
minglewithvoicesshoutingandcursinginan
unfamiliarlanguagefilledwithclicks,inhalations,and
singsongywordsthatmakeitsoundalmostmusical.
Thearomaofunfamiliarspicesandtropicalfruitmixes
withthewharfsidesmellsoffish,tar,andcanvas.Beyondallthat,PortNyanzaruisanexplosionofcolor.
Buildingsarepaintedinbrightshadesofblue,green,
orange,andsalmonpink,ortheirwallsareadornedwith
muralsportrayinggiantreptilesandmythicalheroes.
Everybuildingsportsbasketsandclayurnsofcolorful
flowersorisdrapedinleafy,floweringvines.Minstrels
inbrightclothingadornedwithfeathersandshells
performonstreetcorners.Multicoloredpennantsand
sunawningsflutteratopthecitywalls.Acrowdof
childrendressedinfeatheredhatsandcapesracespast
you,squealingindelightedterrorasastreetperformer
costumedasabig-toothedlizardstompsandroars
behindthem.Thewholecityseemstobebustling,
sweating,laughing,swearing,andsinging.Syndrarecommendsthatthecharacterssecureroomsfor
themselvesateithertheThunderingLizard(ifthey’relooking
foraraucoustime)orKaya’sHouseofRepose(iftheywanta
goodnight’ssleep).BothinnsarelocatedneartheRedBazaar
(area 18 ).Meanwhile,Syndraheadstothevillaofthe
merchantprinceWakangaO’tamu.Theresheintendstostay
fortheremainderoftheadventure.Ifthecharactersexpress
interestinaccompanyingher,she’smorethanhappyto
introducethemtoWakanga(see“MerchantPrinces”).
WhendescribingthesightsandsoundsofPortNyanzaru,
emphasizetheheat,thehumidity,theexoticsoundsandsmells,
andotheruniqueaspectsofPortNyanzaru.Someofitsnotable
featuresaredescribedhereafter:
MediumandLargedinosaursareusedasbeastsof
burdentohaultwo-wheeledcarts,tohoistheavyloads
oncranes,andtotowboatsalongthecanals.
Dinosaurscompeteinweeklyracesthroughthestreets.
Thesebrightlypaintedracingdinosaursarefast,vicious,
andbarelyundertheirriders’control.
Flowers,greenplants,andvinesgroweverywhere,
seemingtospringoutofthebuildingstonesthemselves.
Theprofusionofgreeneryneedsconstanttendingto
preventrootsandshootsfromdamagingbuildingsortile
roofs.
Thecity’sdefensivewallsandtowersaretoppedwith
colorfulawningstoshieldguardsfromthesunandrain.
Allstreetswithinthecitywallsarepavedwith
cobblestonesorflagstones,andtheyhavedeeprain
guttersasmuchas 2 feetwide.ResidentsofPort
Nyanzarupaylittleattentiontoanybuttheheaviest
deluge.
Tabaximinstrelswanderthestreets,performingfor
anyonewhotossesthemafewcoins.
Wallsdividethecityintodistricts,andtheopen
archwaysabovethestreetsarepaintedwithmuralsof
dinosaurs,mountains,andmythicheroes.
Crumblingancientbuildingscoveredwithvinesand
lichensindicatethecity’sgreatage.
Thegroundfloorsofmostbuildingsaremadeofstucco-
coveredstoneandhavetinywindowstokeepouttheheatat
streetlevel.Theupperfloorshavebambooorthatchwalls
withenormouswindowstoletinthebreeze,underbroad
thatchedortiledeaves.Allbuildingsarerichlydecoratedwith
paint,ivy,andvividflowers.Somearepaintedinsymmetrical,
geometricpatternsofstraightlinesandsharpangles,while
othersportrayanimals,monsters,landscapes,andheroesina
stylizedmanneruniquetoChult.Wherespacepermits,
buildingstraditionallyincludeawalledyardorgarden.
Allthecity’swatercomesfromrain,soeverybuildinghas
acisternorwoodenbarrelstocatchwaterrunningofftheroof.
Everypublicsquareisbuiltaroundafountainorrainbasin.
Withsomuchwaterrunningdownhill,Chultansalsomake
excellentuseofwater-drivenmechanicalgadgets.Many
buildingshavewaterwheelsbuiltintotheircisterns.
Rainwaterrunningthroughspoutsorchannelsturnsthe
wheel,whichpumpswaterintopools,turnsmillstones,
powersbellowsorlathesorsaws,oraccomplishesanyother
labor-savingoramusingtaskChultanengineerscandreamup.SideQuests.........................................................................................................................................................................................
AsthecharactersexplorePortNyanzaru,theymight
encounterNPCswhoneedtheirhelp.Giventheurgencyof
theirmission,charactersmightbereluctanttotakeonside
quests.Theyareundernoobligationtocompletethem;
however,completingasidequestcanleadtounexpected
rewardsanddiscoveries.
Introduceasmanyorasfewofthesesidequestsasyou
like.TheNPCswhotriggerthemcanbeencounteredanywhere
withinthecity.Ifyoucan’tdecidewhichsidequesttochoose,
rollad 10.
1. CollectaDebt.K’lahu(NfemaleChultanhuman
thug),abookiewhotakesbetsatExecutioner’sRun(seearea
3 ),askstheadventurerstocomewithherasshecollectsa
debt.Thepayis 10 percentofwhateveriscollectedonthe 500
gpdebt,whichisowedbyamannamedTaban(Nmale
Chultanhumangladiator).Tabanrefusestopayanythinguntil
he’sbeatendownto 20 orfewerhitpoints,whereuponhe
offersupapouchcontainingten 50 gpgemstones.Ashamedby
hisdefeatandeagertoredeemhimself,Tabanofferstojoin
thepartyasafollower,demandingnopayforthedurationof
theadventure.
2. CreateaDistractionatFortBeluarian.Rokah(N
maleChultanhumanspy)worksfortheZhentarim.The
Zhentsbelievethatpirateshaveformedanalliancewiththe
FlamingFist.RokahhasorderstoinfiltrateFortBeluarianand
findproofsothattheZhentarimcanblackmailthefort’s
commander.Heaskstheadventurerstoescorthimsafelyto
thefortandcreateadistractionsothathecanransackthe
commander’squarters.Asareward,Rokahofferstocoverthe
costofacharterofexploration( 50 gp),whichthecharacters
willalmostcertainlyneediftheywanttoavoidfuture
confrontationswiththeFlamingFist.Rokahalsooffersto
introducethecharacterstotwowildernessguides—apair
tabaxisiblingsnamedRiverMistandFlaskofWine(see
“FindingaGuide”)—andpaytheguides’fees.
3. EscortaPriesttoCampVengeance.Undril
Silvertusk(LGfemalehalf-orcpriestofTormwithdarkvision
outtoarangeof 60 feet)isarepresentativeoftheOrderofthe
GauntletandnewlyarrivedinPortNyanzaru.Sheneedsto
deliverherselfplusapacketofdispatchesfromhersuperiors
toCommanderNilesBreakboneatCampVengeance.Undril
wasledtobelieveshecouldsimplybuyahorseinthecityand
ridetothecamp,butnowthatsheseestheterrainand
conditions,that’sclearlynotpossible.Shehopestojoinany