Infiltrators

A campaign from 2004.

The Characters:

Tracy Frost : Human Ranger

Jack Truden : Human Assassin

Niko Arcanian : Human Warrior

Khazka StoneBlood : Orcish Warrior (warlord)

Django Reijseger : Human Cleric

Rellig : Human Mage

The Background:

The dukes of Drannor came together recently to discuss what all their merchant guild leaders were saying: that in recent months, the loss-to-piracy rate of their exports to the south has increased, while the loss-to-piracy rate of imports from the south has decreased. Everyone knows that trade between the north and the south by either sea or land is hazardous, but the sudden shift is suspicious.

Rumors fly:

1) The mages of Sorcerors Isle are manipulating global commerce for their own unknown purposes. (totally false)

2) The northern merchants are falsely reporting losses in order to convince the Seven Dukes to add tariffs or cut off trade with the south. (totally false)

3) Durkin intends to build up its coffers (and diminish Drannor's) as part of preparations for full-scale invasion. They're coordinating payoffs to both the ocean pirates and the bandit hordes along Gamblers' Reach. A variation on this rumor claims Durkin's sneaky alliances with pirates, or Icelund, or Pendathoway. (totally false)

4)A group of giants has descended from the mountains above Gambler's Reach and have an organized strategy to extort riches from Drannor. (partially true)

Rumor #3 is of particular concern to the Seven Dukes of course and they met at a little known keep in the plains of Hilldebrandt several months ago to discuss it. Their confederacy is loose, but if the entire kingdom of Durkin is seeking to undermine trade relations and preparing for war, systems must be put in place to defend Drannor. First, they must confirm or rule out the rumors, and decide to put together a small team to ascertain the truth. A large force, or any direct confrontation or demands would be counterproductive – if the rumors of impending war are false, they don't want to damage relations with Durkin.

The truth:

The Org (of Lowenport and surrounding area) has decided to increase its riches and therefore influence by manipulating the north-south trade routes. They have a multi-pronged strategy:

By providing expensive 'insurance policies' to the merchants of the south, and then ensuring that the goods arrive unharmed. This additionally curries favor with wealthy southern merchants, who consequently defend the interests of the Org.
By buying out regional merchants and producers of the highest-profit goods destined for the markets of Drannor.
By an alliance with the clans of sea pirates to buy Northern goods at a guaranteed price, which can subsequently be sold locally at great profit. As such the Org has become (through their whole-owned businesses) the sole source for some Northern goods. Additionally they've provided various articles and equipment of sea warfare to the pirates to help them sink the occasional fortified foe, including devastating seige engine missiles developed in the forges of Zareph (“doom-iron”).
An Org missionary managed to convert a community of giants in the mountains above Gambler's Reach, who are organizing the bandit hordes to ignore more of the north-traveling caravans, and attack more of the south-traveling.

Aiding each prong of the strategy to great effect has been the unearthing of eyes of charming and rod of rulership which the leader of the Org, Grand Commodore Odwalla Nazarene, possesses at all times. The magic items were discovered by an Org missionary exploring a submerged temple miles off the coast.

The possession of these items are the key to the success of the Org's growth and manipulation of international commerce. In fact, the locals in Lowenport were beginning to grow weary of the Org's pretentious public ceremonies and administrators from Camlin were beginning to consider their forcible removal.

Possible directions for the team:

Gambler's Reach: Here they might witness raids by either land or sea.
Talk to and or travel with local merchants/caravan leaders: they'll be subjected to raids as above.
Open water – look for pirates
travel to Camlin and snoop around

Land raids will come in the form of giants and orcs working together. It'll be too many to overcome, but if they manage to talk to any of them, an orc could let it slip that they're expecting the 'brown brothers' (Org monks) to bring new slave girls soon, which they'll only receive if they've seized enough goods from the north. (Subquest could be to save some slave girls.)

Sea raids will involve catapults of burning pitch and rubble ahead at the party to throw everything into confusion and kill part of the caravan, followed by an onslaught of pirates in rowboats (with arrow shields). From the pirates they might learn that they're in a rush to meet their buyers to the south. They meet at an island 20 miles offshore.

Products exported from North to South: pitch, wool, beer & spirits, furs, fish, cheese, pickled vegetables, cloth, salt, jewelry, grain.

From South to North: spices, alloys, wine & rum, fine leather, dried fruits, nuts, honey, wax, jewelry, olive oil, weapons and armor, grains, art, fine items of wood, musical instruments, ceramics, Elven artisan creations, and all manner of expensive Eastern goods (carpets, glasswork, exotic spices, gems).

Duke of Cuthbert is middle-aged, ragged, curious/inquisitive, antagonistically extroverted, morose, of dreaming intellect, unforgiving, greedy, prone to lying, a bit foolhardy, immoral, and yet pious.