Pirate's Lair

A wall of thorny bushes surrounds a settlement of thatched huts. Three wooden watchtowers rise above the village. The pirates' sloop is beached nearby unless they are out raiding.   These pirates are mainlanders rather than natives. Their population includes nonhumans, as well as evil spellcasters.   Adventure Hook: Several natives are being held in huts (see area 7c), possibly including the village chief’s missing brother Doran. Rescuing those prisoners and returning them to Tanaroa earns the characters the gratitude of the chief. They gain standing with the tribe as high as that of the chief’s advisors. In addition to a feast in their honor, the characters receive free food and lodging for up to ten days in the village.   Creatures: The pirates are human warriors using scimitars (slashing damage), and half of them have light crossbows (ranged 80 ft./320 ft.; 1d8 + 1 piercing damage). Six pirates are elite warriors (Strength 14; 18 hp) who use longswords (+3 to hit; 1d8 + 2 slashing damage) and wear chainmail (AC 16), but none of these warriors has a crossbow. The pirate leader is the equivalent of a war chief (22 hp), but he wears chainmail and uses a shield (AC 17), and wields Fimbric (+4 to hit; 1d8 + 3 slashing damage). The layout of the village is designed so that the party can fight the pirates in smaller groups of about four to six at a time. A general alarm brings numerous pirates down on the group and is likely to be deadly. Pirate Names: You can use these names for pirates the characters talk to: Alain, Ana, Benn, Brandis, Donn, Eliza, Erik, Gregg, Gwenn, Jonn, Keira, Kris, Luusi, Marc, Mikal, Miri, Pieter, Regdar, Quinn, Samm, Shawna, Stasi, Thom, Wil, and Zanne. 7a. Towers This wooden tower is about 20 feet tall. A ladder leads up to a half–walled platform that has a roof of palm fronds. Six pirates garrison each tower, night and day. 7b.Outrigger Canoes Four 20-­‐foot-­‐long outrigger canoes with collapsible masts are beached here unless the pirates are out raiding. In that case, seven pirates sail in each canoe, with the leader in one of them. Remaining pirates guard the lair. While the pirates are ashore, they store the oars and sails from their boats in different huts (see 7c). 7c. Huts These circular grass huts are roofed with palm fronds. Creatures: Each unmarked hut houses two pirates. Inhabited huts, other than those marked “C,” have fire pits and lanterns. At night, the pirates sleep. By day, some wander about the camp while others are out raiding. All the pirates in the area respond if an alarm is raised. C: These prison huts each house 2d4 captives. The prisoners are shackled to the walls (DC 13 Dexterity to pick the shackles’ locks). S: This uninhabited hut smells of tar from the outside and holds supplies. Ropes, tools, food, buckets of tar, spare weapons, canoe oars, and other gear are kept here. L: This hut belongs to the pirate leader, who is here unless the pirates are raiding. Inside is locked wood cabinet that holds the outrigger sails. The leader wields Fimbric, wears a waterwalking ring, and carries the keys to the iron box in area 7d and the prisoner shackles in the prison huts. Fimbric Although this longsword’s blade is metallic, it is veined like marble. Dwarven runes lightly etched into the blade spell out the sword’s name, Fimbric. It was forged for a prospector named Alrika of Stonehill, who made a minor name for herself a hundred years ago by locating several mines rich in gold, silver, and gems. Property: This weapon is a +1 longsword. If commanded to find precious raw mineral ore, the blade makes a sound like ringing steel if such ore is within 100 feet. The wielder gains the benefit of the feather fall spell up to three times per day. If the wielder falls from a height of 10 feet or more without commanding the sword to suppress this effect, the sword automatically activates the spell. Ring of Waterwalking This silver ring is scribed around the exterior with notches that resemble stylized waves. When the ring’s wearer moves adjacent to or into a body of water at least 5 feet in diameter, the notches animate, seeming to sweep around the ring. Property: The ring’s wearer can move on the surface of water or similar liquids as if on solid ground for up to 10 minutes per day, in increments of 1 minute. 7d. Loot Cave A natural cave opens in the hillside. Light (Day): Dim light from the cave mouth. Creatures: Six pirates guard the cave entrance. Secret Door (DC 13 Intelligence check to find): This door leads to area 7e, the narrow passageway shown on the map. Treasure: Inside a locked iron box (DC 13 Dexterity check to unlock) are 2,000 cp, 5,000 sp, 1,000 ep, 17 gems (100 gp each), and a scroll case containing a scroll of shield. 7e. Escape Tunnel A circular tunnel around 5 feet wide and tall has been hewn through the cave wall beyond the secret door. This dark tunnel winds through the hills for about 500 feet, opening into a series of natural caverns that are underwater at high tide (20 percent chance). These caverns might serve as a way for characters to reach other areas of the island more safely than by overland travel. The details are left to your imagination. 7f. Wall This 5-­‐foot wall of wicked thorn bushes and rocks surrounds the camp on every side besides the beach. The wall is 5 feet tall and 5 feet thick. A creature that enters or starts its turn in the thorny wall takes 1d4 – 2 piercing damage. The wall is immune to piercing damage, poison damage, psychic damage, and all conditions. It cannot be moved, except at your discretion, and it is resistant to damage other than fire damage and slashing damage. If the wall takes 25 damage in any one place, an opening large enough for any Medium or smaller creature to move through is created