Portown's fresh water comes from a
number of wells, which themselves are fed by the underground river
known to exist from the original dungeon map by J. Eric Holmes. The
only other available source of freshwater is the small pond behind
the bath house in the model. The bath house uses water from this pond
for the baths. The owner of the bath house has asked Lord Baron
Krindell (Sir Travis in Pinnell's module) to prohibit others from
using the pond's waters. Krindell has declared that these waters are
for all to use – because the bath house refused to pay his price in
exchange for sole use. Since this is the only bath house in town and
water is not abundant, most residents rarely bathe. The wealthier
residents sometimes do and sometimes even visit the bath house, but
the usual customers there are sailors who have just arrived in port
and received their wages and share. As a result, the wealthy tend to
go only when there is not a ship in port. Residents instead visit the
markets to buy perfumes and personal scents.
This question about the source of fresh
water leads to another question: where does the, um, “not-so-fresh”
water go?
Into the sewer of course, but where
does the sewer water go? The Portown sewers were built over top of
the ruins of the old city. From there, none know.
How does all this lead to an
adventure...?
“ENOUGH! Speak plainly!” commanded
Thal Krindell, Lord Baron of Portown.
“I will speak as commanded milord,”
said Yorell, the travelling mystic and magician. “But none save the
Lord Baron himself can know what he will hear,” he added
stingingly. Before anyone could speak of his impertinence he went on.
“From where comes the water that the
people of Montydo (Portown, see below*) draw from their wells? From
what unknown aquifer flows this stream?” he asked of the assembled
hall. Playing to the crowd, he asked, “To where do your sewers
flow? And how can you know when there are none left alive that saw
them builded?” He paused to allow these questions to sink in.
“Montydo was built on top of an
older city...a much older
city. Its sewers lie on top of the streets of its older sister, and
into them flow the wastes of your townsfolk. Down these ruined
streets to what sewers there once were, and on to where none can
say.”
“So you say!”
yelled out Tymos, the baron's most senior retainer and captain of his
guard. The man glanced at the Lord Baron, then quickly hung his head
and looked to the floor, evidently in fear of some reprimand.
“You would
speak, Tymos?” asked the Lord Baron.
The man kneeled.
“Forgive my outburst, milord! It grieves me to stand witness as
this charlatan weaves a tapestry of lies and midwifery, as if to
beguile you!”
“Then you shall
put your questions to him, and I shall listen.” Tymos turned and
smiled with venom.
“You say that
there are none left alive who saw the sewers built. How then know you
where they run? Save that your undertaker knows not his work!”
“You
need not believe me about where your sewers run,” said Yorell, “nor
upon that which your city is builded. Are not the sewers there? Who
among you has seen such building, such stonework? And where, Captain,
do the sewer waters go?”
“I have not been
in the habit of frequenting sewers, magician,” said Tymos,
spitefully.
“Nor I,” said
Yorell, laughing. “Neither am I a lich.” Then, this to the Lord
Baron: “If you know not where comes your water, you know not what
you drink, milord. If you know not where your sewers go, might they
not go to and come from the same place?
“I have
travelled far,” he continued speaking to the room, “and heard
tales from other cities, and other towns, that your sister city lies
beneath you. Swallowed up she was, by sea and earth, together with
her people and her riches. Now, you and your people eat and sleep
over them all, and in the morning empty your chamber pots into their
streets. Pray her sewers do not come full, lest your own city be
swallowed by your own refuse.”
Krindell sat back
in his plush hair, in thought. He had perked up at the mention of
riches. “And you seek leave to explore the filth filled sewers in
service to the people of Montydo?”
“I, alone,
wouldn't dare. There are also stories of Zenopus...” At the mention
of the name, a shadow seemed to cross the faces of those in the room.
Yet, in the Lord
Baron's face was reflected the signs of a strategy, fast forming.
“Tymos, you will take two men and accompany our friend Yorell here,
and report back to me.”
Tymos made move to
object, but catching his lord's eye, subsided in submission.
It was decided.
Later, as the
castle slept, Tymos met Yorell in the darkened hall.
“An equal share,
then?” asked Tymos.
“Fool! Clever as
was our intrigue today, think not that Krindell is besotted! He sent
you to watch me, do you think that he will not send another to watch
us both? Nay, we must see that the portion we bring him is large
enough to rest his suspicions, and divide the rest between us.
Perhaps, the journey will become treacherous though, hmm? Were the
two us alone to survive and return, we could divide the portions as
we see fit, hiding our shares and stealing back to collect them at
our leisure. But for Krindell's portion, amongst we two, equal
shares.”
“On the morrow,
then?”
“On the morrow,
at the Green Dragon. And rest well, for we will have need of more
than our greed to sustain us.”
And as they parted, they knew not that they were overheard by one hidden in the shadows...
So, a greedy lord,
a pair of conspirators, a shadowy figure... Of course one wouldn't
read this to the players, except perhaps as an epilogue.
You will have to
design the sewers, but I see these as about four to five feet wide, perhaps
six feet high covered with a tightly fitted stone arch, running
roughly east to west. Side sewers would contribute to the main line,
most in the form of a 3 foot diameter pipe. The Cloaca Maxima in Rome
is much larger, so this fits in terms of technology. I imagine the
sewers to be at a slightly greater depth than the first level of
Holmes' Sample Dungeon. The second level of the Holmes dungeon would
be about the same level as the sewers, with the third level being the
first joint level. This is consistent with Holmes' split level dungeon ideas.
Holmes Dungeon Sewer
I ---
II Sewer, first level below sea level
III Upper Ruins
The
sewer level should include holes in the earth where water pours into
the the upper ruins. This should be a fair drop, perhaps a cascade.
The upper ruins should be full of raw sewage, and Portown's favorite
son: rats. No really worthwhile treasure should be found until a
significant depth is reached, and there should be real danger in
taking it.
Our friend, Tymos,
will be bringing two men with him (one of them a spy for the Lord
Baron), so of course Yorell will feel outnumbered. He will hire PC's
from the 'Dragon. Somewhere along the line treachery will occur, but
will it be Tymos and Yorell killing or abandoning the rest, or will
the conspirators turn on each other? What of the shadowy figure? A
thief perhaps, or maybe a spy for the Order of Daegon? Will anyone
return from the depths of this suburb of Y'ha-nthlei...?
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