headandcutsdowntherightsideofitsfaceandchestto
belowitsrightwing.
IfAzakaStormfang(seechapter 1 )iswiththegroup,
consideraddingmorepterafolktothefight;sheswingsthe
balanceheavilyinfavoroftheattackers.Additionalpterafolk
circlehighoverheadandcanjointhefrayatanytime.
Pterafolkwon’thesitatetoshoveacharacterwhofoolishly
standsattheedgeofthetower.Theycanjumpfromthetower,
circlearoundonthewing,andusetheirdiveattackstogreat
advantage.
Firefinger’sbeaconisamagicalplumeoffirethatputsout
tremendousheat.Anycreaturethatstartsitsturnwithin 10
feetoftheflametakes 10 ( 3 d 6 )firedamage.Anycreaturethat
enterstheflameorstartsitsturntheretakes 35 ( 10 d 6 )fire
damage.Asuccessfuldispelmagic(DC 17 )castontheflame
dispelsit.
Treasure.Insidethetowerarecrudenestsandfourmoldy
woodenchests.Thechestsaren’tlocked.Alltogether,they
hold 2 , 000 cp, 730 sp,fourgemstones( 50 gpeach),andaspell
scrollofcommunewithnature.Oneofthechestsalsocontains
acloth-wrapped,woodenmaskresemblingastylizedtiger’s
face.ThisisAzaka’smaskofthebeast(seeappendixC).Ifshe’s
withthecharacters,sheclaimsitimmediately.
FortBeluarian
TheflagofBaldur’sGatefliesoverthiswooden
stockade.Thewholestructuresitsatopa 10 - foothillock,
thesidesofwhichareshavedverticallytomakethem
steepanddifficulttoclimb.Thefort’smaingatefaces
west.Ontheeastsideofthestockade,atallkeepholds
acommandingviewofthesurroundingwilderness.FortBeluarian’selevationandlackofaditchallowsthestockadetodrainwelleveninheavyrain.Thefort(map 2. 7 )is
garrisonedbyFlamingFistmercenaries.Immensewealth
passesthroughFortBeluarian—enoughtomakethenobles
andmerchantsofBaldur’sGaterichbeyondthedreamsof
avarice.
CommandingFortBeluarianisalawfulevilFlamingFist
blaze(major)namedLiaraPortyr(seeappendixD),who
answersdirectlytoGrandDukeUlderRavengardofBaldur’s
Gate.Liarais 47 yearsoldandhasheldherpostforthepast
threeyears.Toher,apostinginChultfeelslikeatestofmettle,
buttomanyofhersubordinates,itfeelslikebanishment.The
garrisonconsistsofacastellannamedGrutaHalsdottir(LN
femaleIlluskanhumanknight),threecorporals(veterans),
andfifty-fourprivates(guards).Thegarrisonoperatesin
threeeight-hourshifts,withonecorporal(gauntlet)and
eighteenprivates(fists)ondutyduringeachshift.
Unknowntoherboss,Liaraisinleaguewithpiratesbased
outofJahakaAnchorageandearnsatidyprofitfromtheir
exploits.Liara’sspiesinPortNyanzarufurnishherwithship
manifestsanddepartureschedules,whichshepassestothe
piratesviaasendingstone;thepiratecaptainZaroumAl-
Saryakholdsthematchingstone(see“JahakaAnchorage").
Becauseoftheirarrangement,thepiratesagreedtoPortyr’s
demandthattheyneverattackshipsflyingtheflagofBaldur’s
Gate.Liarareceivesacutofthepirate’sprofits,someofwhich
goestowardpayingbonusestohergarrisontokeepthe
soldiershappy.
Althoughshe’savillainofsorts,LiaraPortyrhasnoreason
tobeanenemytothecharacters.Shespendsmostofhertime
managingthesecurityofherstronghold,goingoverfield
reports,andsiftingthroughreportsfromherspiesinPort
Nyanzaru.Sheadmiresadventurers,andaslongasthe
charactersdonothingtoantagonizeher,shecanprovidethem
withusefuladviceandmaterialaidagainstthemyriadthreats
lurkinginthejungle.
Liaraispuzzledbyreportscomingfromherpatrolstothe
south.They’vecrossedthetrailsoflargecreaturesinthe
junglethatdon’tmatchanythingknowntoliveinChult.Ifthe
charactersareplanningtoexploretheregionbetweentheeast
coastandtheRiverTiryki,orthey’vealreadybeenthereand
seenanythingunusual,she’dbegratefulforanylighttheycan
shedonthemystery.(Herpatrolsareseeingsignsofthefrost
giantssearchingforArtusCimber.)
GiventhatBaldur’sGateisamemberoftheLords’Alliance,
itshouldsurprisenoonethatahandfulofallianceoperatives
aresprinkledthroughthegarrison.TheEmeraldEnclavehas
expertguidesstationedhereaswell.Oneofthem,adruid
namedQawasha(see“FindingaGuide”),comeshighly
recommended.
ThemainreasonadventurershaveforvisitingFort
Beluarianistobuya“charterofexploration.”Baldur’sGate
laysclaimtoeverythingeastoftheMistcliffandnorthof
Kitcher’sInlet,andnowthatMezroispickedclean,it’strying
toextenditsclaimsouthtoRefugeBay.Noone(includingthe
merchantprincesofPortNyanzaru)hastheforceinChultto
disputethisclaim.Sowithinitsterritory,theFlamingFistdoes
asitpleases,includingdemandingthatexplorersbuycharters.
AchartergrantspermissiontotheholdertoexploreChultand
plunderitsriches,buthalfofanexpedition’sproceedsand
discoveriesmustbeturnedovertotheFlamingFist.The
chartercosts 50 gp,whichistreatedasadownpaymentonthe
splitofprofits.Inaddition,thosewhobuyachartercanhire
uptosixFlamingFistmercenaries(guards)toaccompany
themfortheveryreasonablerateof 1 gppertendayeach.It’s