4. Boatman's Black Market Hall
A Bazaar of Shadows
The Indoor Market Hall of Nulb is no innocent gathering of farmers and craftsmen. This is a shadowy bazaar—a place where masks are worn as often as blades, and every smile carries the scent of betrayal. Facing the village side of Nulb and operating under the unspoken blessing of the Temple of Elemental Evil, this market is where contraband breathes, and morality withers.
The hall connects to the Boatman’s Tavern via an internal door and includes large iron-bound oak doors facing the street for patrons. Inside, a mix of open-air stalls, curtained booths, and shelf-lined storage creates a chaotic maze of illicit commerce. Lanterns cast amber light across muddy flagstones, while incense and swamp smoke disguise the rot of desperation.
General Layout and Access
- Main Doors (Village Side): Two large, iron-bound oak doors provide access for patrons. Usually guarded by hired thugs who demand a visible weapon or bribe.
- Tavern Door: A connecting door leads into the Boatman’s Tavern, allowing fluid movement between drink and deal-making.
- Warehouse Access: A third reinforced door leads to the warehouse section, used for loading bulk shipments or smuggled goods.
Market Features
- Booth Rentals: Ramshackle booths, crates-as-counters, and curtain-shrouded tables line the hall. Merchants pay a 10% tithe to Lodriss for the privilege.
- General Supply Section: A corner of tall wooden shelves holds common goods—rope, rations, flint, tallow, torches, cheap weapons—sold without questions.
- Artifact Alley: A narrow row of stalls specializing in looted relics, cursed trinkets, and counterfeit holy items. Some of it is real. All of it is dangerous.
- The Shadow Nook: A curtained alcove where poisons, alchemical brews, and deadly flora are sold in hushed tones.
- Slave Cage (Hidden): Iron cages located in the warehouse, where a large door leads to the true holding area—beneath the floor. In the basement below lies a secret chamber, sealed with iron bars and guarded by a heavy lock lay the true prisoner chamber.
Atmosphere & Activity
- Smells: Iron, mold, alchemy smoke, sweet wine, leather, and blood.
- Sounds: Low bargaining, clinking chains, distant laughter, and the occasional crack of a whip.
- Guards: 4–6 thugs patrol, but violence is only stopped if it interferes with trade or profit.
- Light: Dim lanterns hang from rusted chains. Some corners are kept intentionally dark for illicit whispers.
First Steps into Nulb’s Black Market
The iron-bound oak doors groan as you push them inward, coughing on the sudden shift from open air to smoke-thick gloom. The hall is dim, stinking of mold and boiled leather, its floor smeared with old mud and unspoken things. Lanterns sway from rusted chains, casting crooked shadows across rows of stalls, curtained booths, and slouching patrons who eye you like carrion birds watching fresh meat.
Somewhere in the back, a hooded vendor whispers over a vial that glows blue. Another sharp-eyed figure tugs a covered crate toward a booth ringed with stolen dwarven steel. The sound of low bargaining buzzes like flies on a corpse.
But before you can step further— “Hold up.” Two figures peel away from a crate near the warehouse access—thugs in piecemeal leathers and stamped iron gorgets. One leans on a thick cudgel; the other drags a blade through a whetstone, slow and deliberate. They block your path, side by side, near a heavy door that reeks of rust and recent movement.
The first one jerks a thumb over his shoulder and smirks through crooked teeth. “New faces, yeah? No call to be wanderin’ back here just yet.”
His eyes slide over your weapons. He doesn’t look impressed. Just cautious. “Lodriss don’t like surprises. This ain't a village market—you don't browse unless someone vouches.”
The other one narrows his eyes, still stroking steel across stone. “Best find your coin and purpose fast, friend. Or go back to the tavern where folks bleed quieter.”
Somewhere in the back, a hooded vendor whispers over a vial that glows blue. Another sharp-eyed figure tugs a covered crate toward a booth ringed with stolen dwarven steel. The sound of low bargaining buzzes like flies on a corpse.
But before you can step further— “Hold up.” Two figures peel away from a crate near the warehouse access—thugs in piecemeal leathers and stamped iron gorgets. One leans on a thick cudgel; the other drags a blade through a whetstone, slow and deliberate. They block your path, side by side, near a heavy door that reeks of rust and recent movement.
The first one jerks a thumb over his shoulder and smirks through crooked teeth. “New faces, yeah? No call to be wanderin’ back here just yet.”
His eyes slide over your weapons. He doesn’t look impressed. Just cautious. “Lodriss don’t like surprises. This ain't a village market—you don't browse unless someone vouches.”
The other one narrows his eyes, still stroking steel across stone. “Best find your coin and purpose fast, friend. Or go back to the tavern where folks bleed quieter.”
Insight Check (DC 12):
They’re not trying to start a fight—they’re asserting control. Newcomers get one warning. Push too hard, and things escalate.
Dialogue Options:
- Polite Deference: “We’re here to trade—no trouble.” (Disarms suspicion, they offer directions.)
- Name-drop Lodriss or Selentis: “We were sent by someone upstairs.” (Roll with Advantage; may grant access.)
- Bluff Check (DC 15): Claim to be meeting a vendor (e.g., Tarn, Myra).
- Push Past or Threaten: Triggers combat or nearby guards call for backup.
Plot Hooks
- A Temple relic is for sale, but cursed. Can the party break the enchantment—or use it?
- A noble’s kidnapped heir is hidden in the slave cage.
- A rival buyer offers double the coin to sabotage a Crimson Reaper sale.
- Lodriss offers the party a “favor”—but it comes with binding terms.
Black Market Seller Quotes: “Where’d you get this?”
- “Let’s just say it fell off a wagon—straight into opportunity.”
- “Came downriver on a barge with no name and fewer questions.”
- “From a merchant who didn’t value it enough to keep breathing.”
- “Found it in a ruin, next to a skeleton that looked surprised.”
- “Gifted by a friend… after a bit of convincing.”
- “A noble left it behind while running for his life. Very generous fellow.”
- “Came through Captain Tolub’s hands—so you know it’s authentic.”
- “Temple tithe that didn’t quite make it to the altar, if you catch my meaning.”
- “Recovered from a caravan that got lost just south of Hommlet.”
- “Traded it for secrets. You wouldn’t want the other half of the deal.”
- “I sell what’s left behind when the brave forget they’re mortal.”
- “Some things just... wash ashore, and we make use of them.”
Closing Mood: Whispered Deals in the Dark
In the Market Hall, every deal has layers. The coin buys the goods, but the price is always greater: allegiance, silence, or damnation. Those who linger too long leave poorer—or changed. And Lodriss always remembers a face.
d10 Common Loot – Wagon Guards & Sailor Gear
| Roll | Looted Weapon or Armor |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bundle of 3 shortbows with frayed bowstrings and 20 mismatched arrows. |
| 2 | Four chipped scimitars bundled in burlap, stained with salt and rust. |
| 3 | Two dented chain shirts (human-sized), patched with scrap metal. |
| 4 | Set of 6 boarding axes engraved with merchant sigils. |
| 5 | Crate of iron-banded wooden shields, some bearing painted caravan emblems. |
| 6 | Five daggers in sailor-style belts—greasy, but well-balanced. |
| 7 | Three spears with rotted leather grips and cracked ash wood shafts. |
| 8 | Two studded leather jerkins, stained with sweat, wine, and blood. |
| 9 | Collection of 8 crude crossbow bolts and a single hand crossbow with a cracked string. |
| 10 | One scale mail vest, tarnished and ill-fitting, with initials scratched in the backplate. |
Boatman's Tavern main level by 3orcs
Boatman’s Black Market by 3orcs
Patrons and Factions
- Lodriss – Market Matron: Once a camp follower, now a ruthless broker of stolen dreams. She watches from her second-floor balcony, tracking debts and whispers with the patience of a spider.
- Her quarters are heavily locked, filled with ledgers, bribes, and blackmail.
- She rarely interferes—unless her cut is threatened.
- The Crimson Reapers: The brigand gang fences goods and recruits talent in the market. Their sigil appears in hidden carvings near select booths.
- Captain Tolub’s Pirates: Use the market to offload plunder from upriver raids—Velunese wines, dwarven weapons, and sea jewels from unknown isles.
- Cult Merchants: Disguised followers of the Elder Elemental Eye offer “blessed” charms or elemental relics. Some booths serve as contact points for Temple initiates.
Type
Marketplace
Parent Location
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Contested By
Sample Merchants and Items
- “Tarn the Toothless” – Sells potions of dubious origin. May offer black lotus poison for the right coin.
- “Grey Myra” – A pale-eyed woman dealing in cursed idols and elemental trinkets.
- “Orven’s Odds” – Fences stolen noble jewelry from Dyvers and Verbobonc. His booth always has a curtain.
Black Market Thug of Nulb
Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 14 (+2) DEX 12 (+1) CON 13 (+1)
INT 9 (–1) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Str +4, Int +1
Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +2
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks.
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.
Menacing Glare (Recharge 5–6). The thug locks eyes with one creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
Tactics. These thugs rarely start a fight unless commanded. They use Menacing Glare to intimidate before combat. If outnumbered, they fall back and call for reinforcements from Lodriss’s warehouse crew.
d100 Black Market Loot Table – Nulb Indoor Market Hall
| Roll | Black Market Loot Item |
|---|---|
| 01 | Crate of half-rotted cabbages stamped with the seal of Verbobonc Market. |
| 02 | Barrel of swamp-grog labeled “Healing Elixir – Do Not Shake.” |
| 03 | Bundle of five spears looted from a village militia. |
| 04 | Stolen alchemist’s kit with a cracked alembic and a powder-blackened glove. |
| 05 | Sack of coal hiding three knives with silver pommels. |
| 06 | Tattered ledger showing bribes paid to a Verbobonc toll station. |
| 07 | Chest of stolen Dyvers jewelry—mostly fake, but one piece glows faintly. |
| 08 | Enchanted playing cards from a riverboat thief—one card whispers names. |
| 09 | Noblewoman’s silk slippers, embroidered with pearls and mud-stained. |
| 10 | Set of three cracked but usable lanterns wrapped in temple rags. |
| 11 | Crate of smoked trout—half wormy, half well-spiced. |
| 12 | Folded House Milinous battle standard, bloodstained and torn. |
| 13 | Set of forged shipping papers for Mol caravans. |
| 14 | Pirate’s spyglass, lenses fogged but enchanted to see heat. |
| 15 | Bag of broken lockpicks and a rolled parchment of safehouse codes. |
| 16 | Dented iron helm bearing the crest of a missing Verbobonc knight. |
| 17 | Basket of onions and dried turnips hiding two daggers inside. |
| 18 | Stack of banned seditious broadsheets from Dyvers. |
| 19 | Vial of ghost orchid oil—used in rare poisons. |
| 20 | Set of noblewoman’s hairpins shaped like ravens, one is silver and enchanted. |
| 21 | Wooden chest filled with noble birth records, many forged. |
| 22 | Crate labeled “Honeycakes” containing alchemical flasks. |
| 23 | Half-broken lute painted with sea serpents and fake gems. |
| 24 | Ragged servant uniform with hidden inside pocket containing a bloodstained ring. |
| 25 | Bar of scented soap molded with the crest of House Krivaltis. |
| 26 | Dwarf-forged axe wrapped in moss cloth, blade nicked but enchanted. |
| 27 | Sack of dyed wool marked for Celene—obviously raided. |
| 28 | Rolled-up portrait of a Verbobonc magistrate defaced with charcoal. |
| 29 | Thieves’ guild tokens stamped with strange runes. |
| 30 | Box of wedding rings and signets, many pried from cold fingers. |
| 31 | Rusted chainmail buried under a false-bottom fruit crate. |
| 32 | Ledger of bribes owed by Crimson Reaper lieutenants. |
| 33 | Tiny iron lockbox that rattles… but never opens. |
| 34 | Set of broken slave collars bearing Temple brands. |
| 35 | Crate of swamp beetle carapaces used in potioncraft. |
| 36 | Wand made of driftwood, crackling with latent elemental energy. |
| 37 | Wooden idol of an elemental fire god—cracked and bleeding soot. |
| 38 | Noble’s ledger showing caravan manifests—half of them missing. |
| 39 | Child’s toy chest holding scrolls marked “Temple Inventory.” |
| 40 | Velvet-lined box of noble earrings—one whispers names at night. |
| 41 | Rotten grain sack hiding a golden chalice with ruby inlay (stolen). |
| 42 | Map showing Temple supply routes sketched over religious parchment. |
| 43 | Basket of fish bones with a single ring of water-breathing. |
| 44 | Alchemy pouch with labeled vials: 'Paralysis', 'Love Draught', 'Night Oil'. |
| 45 | Metal urn etched with elemental glyphs (warm to touch). |
| 46 | Flask of fine elven brandy—real and worth 200gp. |
| 47 | Bundle of confiscated spell scrolls (roll 1d4, random 1st–2nd level spells). |
| 48 | Box of tallow candles—three shaped like kneeling priests. |
| 49 | Set of silk scarves with secret maps sewn in faded threads. |
| 50 | Pirate's weather-worn logbook with slaver entries and coded names. |
| 51 | Net sack of rusted manacles and hooded prisoner masks. |
| 52 | Gold-plated armlet inlaid with fire opals—marked “Gift from Prince J.” |
| 53 | Silver chain bearing an obsidian pendant of the Elder Elemental Eye. |
| 54 | Crate of cheese wheels hiding a concealed blade trap. |
| 55 | Lantern that glows green only in the presence of clerics. |
| 56 | Pair of matching daggers with sea serpent hilts—used in rituals. |
| 57 | Urn of fine pipeweed and narcotic blackleaf. |
| 58 | Stolen painting of Lady Elinor Asbury (cut from its frame). |
| 59 | Iron-shod cudgel engraved “Justice” in crude letters—clearly stolen. |
| 60 | Satchel of platinum pieces marked with a forgotten dynasty’s face. |
| 61 | Half-dozen merchant crates sealed and never opened. |
| 62 | Bundle of silk veils enchanted to conceal alignment. |
| 63 | Gnarled staff with waterlogged runes and Temple scent. |
| 64 | Sack of eyeballs in brine—labeled “Witnesses.” |
| 65 | Bundle of ship ledgers sealed with Tolub's private mark. |
| 66 | Jewelry box holding 3 temple-crafted rings, one cursed. |
| 67 | Small wood statue of a weeping knight (whispers when touched). |
| 68 | Set of trade agreements in three languages—signed by traitors. |
| 69 | Satchel of preserved food supplies taken from a relief wagon. |
| 70 | Leather case holding tiny bones carved into tarot shapes. |
| 71 | Thief’s bandolier with throwing daggers and shadowglass vials. |
| 72 | Scroll bound in baronial ribbon—lists 12 noble house names. |
| 73 | Moldy tome on elemental pacts, with 3 pages torn out. |
| 74 | Emerald-set choker once worn by a Verbobonc lady-in-waiting. |
| 75 | Crimson scarf drenched in perfume and blood—tied to a memory curse. |
| 76 | Blackened crown of a river king cult, with sapphires removed. |
| 77 | Pair of small steel-toed boots, enchanted to walk silently. |
| 78 | Mirror framed in gold—cracks show shifting faces. |
| 79 | Fire-stained heraldic cloak of a Verbobonc knight, torn in battle. |
| 80 | Wood crate full of splintered shields, one with a hidden message. |
| 81 | Oilskin pouch containing coins and a marriage contract. |
| 82 | Pair of twin rings (sending stones), one cracked. |
| 83 | Slaver’s neckchain of brass links and hidden needles. |
| 84 | Scroll of magical branding for Temple acolytes. |
| 85 | Chalice of black glass, filled with crimson candlewax. |
| 86 | Sealed bottle of sea-salt ink for invisible tattoos. |
| 87 | Packet of soil from the Emridy battlefield, faintly glowing. |
| 88 | Crate of animal pelts marked for noble shipment—now flea-ridden. |
| 89 | A single black glove that never casts a shadow. |
| 90 | Box of trinkets taken from children—dolls, toys, carved animals. |
| 91 | Thin silver tiara with elemental flames etched inside—resonates in fire. |
| 92 | Bundle of prisoner intake scrolls with bloody thumbprints. |
| 93 | Merchant’s personal ring returned and enchanted to track him. |
| 94 | Satchel of six coin purses—five empty, one filled with lead tokens. |
| 95 | Rusted sword labeled “For Captain Vesrek” still in shipping wrap. |
| 96 | Parcel of temple uniforms stitched for youth-sized wearers. |
| 97 | Sealed jar of swamp leeches enchanted to extract memories. |
| 98 | Wax-sealed journal with a noble’s confessions—very damning. |
| 99 | Wrapped bundle of enchanted throwing knives that hum when blood is nearby. |
| 100 | Jeweled amulet made from melted Temple relics, pulses with unholy warmth. |
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