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Time can be cruel, however. Warfare, corruption,
famine, and natural disaster ruined many who loved the
Island of Pleasures, and as their resources dwindled,
so did this once-magnificent district. But even as for-
tune turned and the region rebuilt from devastation, the
Island of Pleasures became an unneeded luxury. New
people called the district home: poor, desperate folk
crowded beneath fallen gables in hovels tattooed by mil-
dew and damp rot. On their heels came folk whose trade
was scorned elsewhere. Alchemists fouled the air and
water with poisonous concoctions from failed experi-
ments. Sweat-shop ma nu factories set up in the Styes
and aJI but enslaved their desperate workers. Tanners
and millers and dyers and butchers invaded the district,
scraping every penny out of their businesses with no
concern over the impact their toxic operations had on
their neighbors or the environment. The district bears
little evidence of its former glory as it daily sinks deeper
into the muck.RESIDENTS AND POLITICS
The current population of the Styes is a little under
twelve thousand residents, but they're packed into an
area that might house half that number in a more pros-
perous settlement. Four-fifths of the district's residents
are human, with the remainder split between gnomes,
dwarves, haltlings, half-ores, half-elves, and a smatter-
ing of other humanoids.
The Styes is ruled by a group of four corrupt officials
called "the council." The four councillors are Mr. Dory
(see appendix C), Rashlen (NE male elf assassin), Sliris
(NE female wererat), and Thornwell (LE female human
mage; a lso see "Thornwell's Offer," above). The district
is policed by a poorly trained militia consisting of some
two hundred guards (LE humans) led by ten officers
(LE human bandit captains) and one commander (LE
human veteran). The militia patrols in groups of at least
ten, for their own protection more than anything. Larger
groups of twenty or more usually include an officer.
Un less you used Thornwell as a hook, the only coun-
cillor who takes an active role in this adventure is Mr.
Dory. Anyone who talks of Dory describes him as a
longtime resident of the Styes and a wealthy warehouse
owner, and mentions the tragic skin condition that re-
quires the councillor to take regular immersion in water
for relief.
The rest of the councillors are occupied with other
concerns. If one of their fellow councillors is slain, how-
ever, or the balance of power in the Styes is seriously
upset, the surviving councillors will almost certainly
make sure that the characters responsible don't get to
walk away from the district. The timing and details of
their revenge are left up to you.STYES ENCOUNTERS
The adventure presents only those encounters and
events that drive the plot, but any character who spends
time in the Styes is bound to have additional unpleas-
ant interactions. As the characters are exploring and
following up leads, feel free to spice up their time in the
district with one of the following encounters.Cll\l'rfRS lHESIYESSTYES ENCOUNTERS
d6 Encounte.r
The characters are swarmed by 3d6 urchins (com-
moners), who beg for coins and food, offer t heir
services as guides or baggage porters, or pluck c lum-
sily at the characters' unsecured items. The young
urchins can be hired as unreliable guides or for any
simple job for l cp each, but they run away the mo-
ment they're paid.
2 A pack of 2d6 beggars (commoners) gathers around
the characters. Each cries out loudly for alms, food,
or spare clothing. Though the beggars aren't thieves,
some of them clutch at the characters' sleeves and
hands in a way that might be misinterpreted as at-
tempts at picking a pocket or purse. If they're given
food or a few coins, any of the beggars can answer
basic questions about the Styes and specific locations
in the district.
3 A group of 2d6 pickpockets (spies) gathers around
the characters, appearing to be beggars but trying to
s teal anything they can from pouches and backpacks.
Any pickpocket that snatches something flees into
the crowd, while the others get in the way to prevent
pursuit. Attacking or killing an unarmed p ickpo cket
gets the characters in trouble with the law. It also
guarantees that they are bedeviled by vengeful pick-
pockets everywhere they go in the Styes.
4 A pair of shills (commoners) in fine clothes approach
the characters with guarantees that they know where
to find the best deals on food, drink, rooms, potions,
merchandise, magic items, or absolutely anything
else. The shills lead characters to shops and inns
that pay them a kickback, so prices are actually 5 to
l 0 percent higher than normal-and the quality of
goods is typically subpar. If the shills are chased away
with threats or violence, they look for opportunities
to cause trouble later.
5 A militia patrol (seven guards and one ba ndit captain)
approaches the characters to demand t hey pay an en-
trance tax of 10 gp each-a simple shakedown of out-
of-towners. The "tax" can be negotiated down to 5 gp
per character. If they are paid, the m ilitia members
laugh and stroll away. If the characters attack, the
m ilitia retreat if any of them are killed or at the end o f
the second round of combat. If any militia members
are killed, the characters are immediately attacked
by any other militia patrols they encounter, and they
get no cooperation from any member of the militia in
their investigation (including Constable Jute).
6 A press gang (two veterans and eight t h ugs) attempts
to kidnap the characters and sell them as deckhands
to the captain of an under-crewed ship. This attack
might happen openly, or the gang might wait until the
characters are separated or sleeping before attacking.
They have no qualms about following the party to (or
entering) their seedy lodgings.