Locations in Albiele Town

The owner of this business, one of Albiele Town's two ship repairers (and its only ship builder) is known only as One Thumb (MAn; Ftr 3; LN), a nickname that refers to the fact he is missing his left thumb. This drawback hasn't stopped One Thumb, a quiet, hard-working individual, from becoming a very capable shipwright. Although the ship building portion of his business is only in its infancy, he is the repairer of choice for those stopping at Albiele Town (for those who can afford the steep prices he charges, at least).
The two storey part of this building is a large work shop. The interior of One Thumb's work shop is big enough to build the main body of a new ship (up to, and including, caravel size). One Thumb lives in a one-storey building that is attached to one side of the work shop. The whole building fronts directly onto the water and a dock area where ships receiving (or waiting to receive) One Thumb's attentions tie up.
One Thumb employs three other workers to help him in his work. He also hires guards for the ships at his dock, usually four per ship. The guards hiring fees are part of the bill and as such, there are as many guards as the ship's captain wishes to hire. One Thumb does not allow ship captain's to guard their ships with their own men (although it's a rare, and perhaps foolish, captain who leaves his or her ship totally unattended). These guards are usually hired from the Barracks.

The Port is Albiele Town's most popular establishment. It is a large, sprawling, one storey building that is both tavern and inn. The Port is owned and run by Rashad el-Hamil (MKh; Thf 7; LE). A skilled thief, he fled the city of Ariya after a bungled robbery left a distant cousin of the city's ruler dead. He tried his hand at piracy for a short time and eventually found his way to Albiele Town. Using the considerable wealth he had accumulated during his career as a thief, he built the Port and has added to it several times in the last 18 months. Rashad is also the head of Albiele Town?s fledgling thieves? guild (currently only three members strong). Rashad and his growing guild are described in more detail in Important Figures in Albiele Town#Pillars Of The Community.
Despite his long absence from the land of his birth, Rashad is still very much a Khinasi at heart, particularly when it comes to sayim, or ?face?. Also, he places a great deal of importance on eloquence, politeness and hospitality. Guests at the Port are given as personal treatment as possible, especially those who are renting rooms.
Rashad frowns very heavily on violence in the Port, and although he allows weapons inside, customers who start fights will very quickly be shown the door, and repeat offenders will not be allowed inside. Amazingly enough, patrons tend to behave themselves simply because the food and drink served at the Port are of very high quality and most do not want to risk being refused entry. Another potent reason not to get too rowdy is the ever present bouncers, who are in fact members of the Knights Of The Waves clan, and very few of the Port?s clientele will anger these dangerous fighters.
Prices at the Port tend to be about 200% those given in the PH. Almost any beverage from across Cerilia can be purchased at the Port, including some dwarven drinks that although very expensive, are very popular among the richer patrons. Considerable respect is given to those who can drink a single mug of the Port?s genuine dwarven ale (a very strong drink) and remain standing. Rashad gets most of his rarer drinks through the smuggling activities of the Ocean?s Wrath clan, but not even they know how he obtains his dwarven beverages.
There are two dozen rooms available for rent at the Port. They are small, but well-appointed, capable of sleeping two people in comfort. There are, however, two larger suites that each have two separate bedrooms and a small sitting room. The smaller rooms cost 1gp a night or 5gp per week. The suites are more expensive, costing a hefty 5gp per night or 30 gp per week. However, a suite rental price includes two meals a day served in private eating room as well as a personal servant fully versed in the art of hospitality as practiced by the Khinasi.

This plain building belongs to Gaelin (see the Farmhouse below). It is two storeys high and holds all manner of farming equipment. Gaelin keeps the large double doors to this building securely locked at all times. The lock is of excellent quality (-20% to all attempts to pick it). Other than the farming equipment, there is nothing of any real value in here.

Gaelin Vordhuine (MAn; Ftr 0; N) is the more recent of Albiele Town?s two farmers. He works a large plot of land behind his house with the aid of his two sons. Gaelin is originally from Osoerde but left the country after his wife was killed during the unpleasantness that saw Jaison Raenech become the unlawful ruler of that domain. Neither Gaelin nor his two sons are very forthcoming on exactly how they reached Albiele Island. The rumors range from stowing away on a ship leaving Osoerde that sailed for Albiele Town to Gaelin throwing himself in the Suidemiere after the death of his wife and somehow surviving to wash up on the eastern shores of Albiele Island. However it happened, Gaelin arrived alone in Albiele Town seven months ago and his sons (aged 18 and 22) joined him two months later.
Gaelin spends most of evenings in the Voyage?s End tavern, getting insensible as fast as possible. He is a very bitter and cynical man who sees very little joy in life. It is a standing joke among many of the town?s inhabitants that whenever Osmund?s (see 'Osmund's Farmhouse below) cows produce sour milk, ?Gaelin must have gone an? looked at ?em again?.

This two-storey building is the Albiele Town headquarters of the Sea Wraiths clan. From here they organize the plunder of the Old Hills? mineral wealth as well as meeting customers (of which there are an ever increasing number). The bottom floor of this building is stone and houses offices, storerooms and the clan?s treasure room. The top floor is constructed of wood and is where the clan?s captains make their home. Tuarim can usually be found here, but the clan?s other captains are either at the mining camp in the Old Hills (Captain Andrei and Ghaen) or sailing the southern seas (Draena). Full details on Tuarim can be found in Pillars of the Community, above.
A number of the clan?s members guard this building. The four guards at the front door stop everyone who wants to enter the building and asks their business. This is then checked with Tuarim (or one of his underlings if Tuarim is unavailable) before entry is granted. There are a total of ten more guards in various places around the building, and another ten that are off duty. Most of the off duty guards, however, will be elsewhere (at their favorite tavern, for example). The remainder of the clan members will be at the mining camp (except for Draena?s crew). Every week, those working as guards at the Old Hills Mining building head off to the mining camp and a group from the mining camp replace them.
Sea Wraith Member, Human Sailor (24): AC 7 (studded leather); MV 12; F1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 (longsword) or 1-4 (dagger); SZ M (5?-6? tall); ML Average (9); Int Average (8-10); AL LN, LE and CN; XP 15 each; MM 196.
When on guard duty, Sea Wraith clan members carry little more than a few copper pieces and some personal items.

This location is simply a shallow depression in the ground, about 30 feet across and 5 feet deep in the centre. A large amount of ash covers the central area of the bowl. Amongst the ashes are numerous heavily burnt objects that on closer inspection can be determined as human bones.
The Pyre is Albiele Town?s ?graveyard?. Anyone who dies in the town, whether from a bar fight that got out of hand, sickness or hung for violating the no-clan conflict law, is stripped (the Governor claims any equipment left on the body, which is not usually much), tossed into the Pyre and then burned. First time visitors to the Pyre notice a faint stench around the depression, but the locals and regulars have long since become used to the smell.

The name Battle Pit is a bit of a misnomer, considering that the 30 foot square ?pit? here is only 2 feet deep. The walls are lined with stone while the bottom remains uncovered dirt. As its name suggests, the Battle Pit is an arena of sorts. Fights here are organized by the Knights Of The Waves clan. The Knights keep a list of all those who wish to compete in the Pit, and usually schedule two combats per day (one just after midday and the other an hour or so after dusk).
Would-be fighters can either select an opponent (subject to approval by the Knights) or can have one randomly selected. Combats tend to be between opponents of fairly equal skill. Names for the next fight are announced at the end of each fight, usually amid great dramatics. Team combats are also held, although far less frequently. Note that several clan battle have taken place under the guise of these team battles.
Fights continue until the surrender or death of one of the combatants, although the winner is regarded with less respect if the loser dies (any fool can kill). Combatants can stipulate other victory conditions, but all involved parties must agree to the terms. Voluntarily leaving the Pit during a fight is considered surrender. Any non-magical weapon is able to be used during a fight, although some are organized as unarmed combats. Although the Knights don?t have any effective way to prevent the use of magic weapons, anyone found guilty of doing so publicly hanged by the Governor?s men. Likewise any use of magic spells that affects one of the combatants is an instant death sentence for the spellcaster, if discovered.
Those who do well in the Pit stand to win anywhere from 5gp a fight for a newcomer to 50gp for a veteran guaranteed to draw a decent betting crowd. Betting on Pit fights is one of the more popular activities in Albiele Town and the Knights of the Wave make a tidy profit from running the betting ring. The current champion of the Pit is Thor (MRj; F5; NE), a massive Rjurik warrior and Knights of the Waves member, a cruel man who delights in causing as much pain to his opponents as possible (he?s killed no less than three men in the Pit). More detail on Thor, usually just called ?Tiny?, is given in Pillars Of The Community.

Like the Port (5, above), Voyage?s End is a relatively quiet tavern, although it has none of the taste and elegance of the Port. Rather, it is a quiet place as it patrons tend to be the more permanent residents of Albiele Town. Voyage?s End offers a pretty simple range of drinks at fairly cheap prices (80%-100% of normal).
It is owned and run by an aging pirate named Mieve (FA; F4; N) whose only desire in life is to run Voyage?s End and tell her very large stock of sea stories to anyone who is willing to listen (including several supposed encounters with the Seadrake). If befriended, Mieve can be an absolute gold mine of information about almost anything found in the Straits of Aerele and the Suidemiere. In particular she knows a lot about the various pirate clans. Despite her age (she is 56), Mieve still has her wits about her and rarely misses a thing.

This is definitely not a quiet place. In fact, it vies with Albiele?s Pride (16, below) for the greater number of fights each week. Even during the day, this place is usually busy, with pirates from any number of clans drinking, gambling and fighting. The owner of the tavern, one Riegon Ghaelen (MA; F0; NG), has installed long benches and tables that are all secured the floor to prevent them from being used as impromptu weapons during bar fights.
The Bounty of the Sea has four private booths, each with room for eight people. These booths cost 5 sp per hour. The ales and wines at this tavern are of passable quality, although the prices are a bit steep (150% of normal). However, the Bounty of the Sea does provide some very nice, if simple, meals at normal prices, primarily of fish caught in the waters around Albiele Island. There is a separate dining room where customers can eat in a little more peace and quiet than is usually evidenced in the tavern?s common room.
Riegon has four other permanent staff, including a cook. During busy periods he takes on extra staff as necessary. He also hires two Knights Of The Waves clan members from the Barracks (19, below) as bouncers.

A large pair of double doors is the only entry into this two-storey high building. It is the private warehouse of the Oceans? Wrath clan (they have a public warehouse as well, see Public Warehouse , below). Here they store a huge variety of items that they have bought (or stolen) and which are eventually shipped all over Southern Anuire and beyond.
Eight members of the Oceans? Wrath clan are always on guard here. No-one is allowed into the building unless they are accompanied by an Oceans? Wrath clan captain or have the written authorization of one.
Oceans? Wrath Member, Human Sailor (8): AC 4 (chain mail and medium shield); MV 12; F1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 (shortsword) or 1-4 (dagger); SZ M (5?-6? tall); ML Average (9); Int Average (8-10); AL LN, N and CE; XP 15 each; MM 196.
These clan members carry no valuables will on guard duty. One of them carries the keys necessary to open the two locks, which are of superior quality (-40% to all attempts to pick them), that secure the main doors.

This building sees service as a rentable warehouse. The interior of the building is divided into a number of rooms varying in size from 10 foot square to 30 foot square. The building is owned and operated by the Oceans? Wrath clan. Customers can purchase a room to store whatever goods they wish. It is most often used by the various businesses of Albiele Town to store extra supplies and by the few people who export goods off the island.
Each ?room? of the warehouse is lockable and there is only one key to each door (given to the customer when the room is rented), or so the Oceans? Wrath clan assures its customers. In reality, the clan has a copy of each key, although they do not make a habit of searching through their customers goods. They do not take bribes to discover what customers are storing because if word got out about such a deal, it would lose them a lot of business.
The warehouse is guarded at all times by four members of the Oceans? Wrath clan. The guards will only let those who display a proper key (they are all uniquely marked) into the building and one of the guards always accompanies any customers inside the building (although not inside the customer?s rented room).
Oceans? Wrath Member, Human Sailor (4): AC 4 (chain mail and medium shield); MV 12; F1; hp 5 each; THAC0 20; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 (shortsword) or 1-4 (dagger); SZ M (5?-6? tall); ML Average (9); Int Average (8-10); AL LN, N and CE; XP 15 each; MM 196.
None of these guards carries any valuables with them. One of the guards carries the key required to unlock the entrance to the warehouse. The lock is of good quality (normal chance to pick it).

Albiele?s Pride is as old as Albiele Town itself, although the building is in its second incarnation. The original tavern was burnt down in the fire which almost totally destroyed Albiele Town five years ago (see ?And The Law, above). The original owner and twenty patrons where killed in the conflagration. The tavern was rebuilt on top of the ruins of the original two months later, by its current owner - Mern (MHlf; Pr 8, The Cold Rider; CE).
Unlike most (if not all) other halflings, Mern has no descriptive last name (or at least he isn?t admitting to one). This has gone pretty much unnoticed in Albiele Town, as the other inhabitants know very little, if anything, about halflings. Mern has a very dark past (and, possibly, and even darker future). He is described in more detail in Pillars Of The Community, above.
From the outside, this building almost seems to lurk, hugging the ground as if preparing to pounce. People without business inside tend to avoid going near the place or if that?s not possible, walk quickly past. A subtle menace seems to hang around the tavern, nothing really discernible though, just a feeling of unease.
The interior of the tavern is a dark, poorly lit place that seems to attract the more violent of Albiele Town?s inhabitants and visitors (?Tiny?, for example, does his drinking here). Although the Bounty Of The Sea (12, above) is just as rowdy, Albiele?s Pride is a lot more dangerous, with numerous deaths every month. Mern?s prices here are low (75% normal), and are a good reflection of the quality of food and drink to be had here. He runs the place alone.

Like Albiele?s Pride (15, above), the Sea Stores has been around since Albiele Town?s humble beginnings 17 years ago. Unlike the tavern, the Sea Stores was not burnt down in the fire five years ago, and so ranks as second oldest building in the town. Only the Governor?s Residence (3, above) is older and even then not by much. The Sea Stores has, however, been expanded rather significantly since its initial construction.
As it name suggests, the Sea Stores is the town?s general store. It currently owned by Halmied Traen (MA; F2; LE), the store?s third owner. Halmied is a smooth-talking, black haired man whose short size is far from indicative of his avarice. As far as Halmied is concerned, anything is for sale, and there is nothing he will not trade in. Halmied, through his close contacts with the Oceans? Wrath clan, also acts as a small-time fence.
Anything from Table 44: Equipment in PH can be bought here for about 130% of the listed price. Any unusual items (as determined by the DM) can cost anywhere up to 200% the prices given in the PH. If the DM decides that a particular item is not in stock, it should take less than a week for Halmied to get it in. Anyone looking for truly rare or unique items is probably better off talking to either the Oceans? Wrath clan (see 17, below) or Trevan Borhaen?s Fencing and Smuggling operation (see 23, below).

This waterfront building, and the dock which it faces onto, is the headquarters for the Oceans? Wrath clan?s smuggling organization. The building is two storeys high and made entirely of stone. The clan runs its operation out of the first floor with the second floor taken up by the clan captains? rooms and quarters for the other members of the clan. The building also has a basement level which only Ibrahim and Aeric have keys to enter. Behind a number of securely locked, secret doors in this underground level is the clan?s accumulated wealth (the exact amount of which is the subject of many a discussion in Albiele Town?s taverns, but all agree it is a very large amount).
Aeric is most likely to be out on smuggling runs, but Ibrahim can usually be found here. Hidden away in Ibrahim?s office is the clan?s greatest treasure - lists of bribed officials of domains throughout the greater part of Anuire as well as the western half of Khinasi. It is through these bought officials that Oceans? Wrath is able to move almost any item to anywhere in south-western Cerilia.
Many of the other pirate clans of the southern seas make smuggling runs for this clan as a means of extra income. This has put the Oceans? Wrath clan in the enviable position of being too valuable to threaten. This security, however, is founded on the fact that this is the only clan with access to so many Anuirean and Khinasi ports. If they were to lose that advantage (if their lists of bribed officials was stolen, for example), the Oceans? Wrath clan would be in real strife.

The self-styled Lady Felicia (FA; T2; An, tainted, 10; CN) owns and operates this communal living building. It is an oddly designed building that has clearly been added to a number of times without any real attention to the building?s overall appearance. Some sections of it are even more than one storey high. However odd the building may appear, however, it is certainly less odd than its owner.
Lady Felicia claims to be the daughter of none other than Veladan Avan, the father of the current Prince of Avanil. More to the point, she claims to be the oldest child of the previous Prince and that she is the rightful ruler of Avanil. Obviously her claims are met with a great deal of skepticism by all and sundry but that won?t stop her from talking about it for hours on end. Given half a chance, she?ll go on about how she was raised in secret, unaware of the Avanese blood flowing in her veins and how through a chance reunion with one of childhood nurses she discovered the truth. She doesn?t seem to actually want to be the ruler of Avanil (ie. she isn?t trying to raise an army to oust the ?wrongful ruler?), she just seems to like telling anyone she can trap in a corner all about it. Other than this one quirk she seems a very nice, bright person, oddly out of place in the rough environment of Albiele Town.
There are a small number of individual rooms available here, but the majority of the accommodation consists of large rooms that can sleep anywhere up to ten people each. The hostel also provides meals, available for 3 sp each and served in a large dining hall. Lady Felicia does not sell any drinks here, so most of her customers frequent either the nearby Port (5, above) or the Bounty Of The Sea (12, above), depending on their preferred environment and company. Although the Albiele?s Pride tavern (15, above) is actually closer than the Port, few of Felicia?s customers visit the place, due to its unsavory, and often unstable, clientele.
Accommodation at Lady Felicia?s hostel is 2 sp per night or 5 sp per night for one of the individual rooms. Each bed has a lockable chest for storing belongings. Lady Felicia and her five helpers (including two cooks) live in the second storey sections. The hostel is usually at least half full and often fills totally up.

Grunason (MBr; F0; LE) runs this business, the less expensive of Albiele Town?s two ship repairers. Grunason is a thin man, with a receding hairline and an appetite for money. Most people intensely dislike the grasping Brecht, but few will deride his knowledge of ships and his ability to repair them. Eight rough, dangerous men, all but one of whom have been exiled from their pirate clans for various wrongdoings, work full time for Grunason and he hires more hands if necessary.
Grunason is a budding extortionist, hoping to bolster his business by threatening prospective customers with his crew of thugs/helpers to ensure they don?t take their money to One Thumb (see 1, above).
The shop itself is an L shaped wooden building. Most of its two-storey interior is devoted to a large workshop where the repair work is done. Unlike One Thumb, Grunason prefers to do all repairs inside his shop and has designed a rail system that allows ships to be moved out of the water and into his workshop. Only in truly unusual situations (if someone was to offer an extraordinarily large bribe, for example) will Grunason agree to work on ships that are moored at the docks in front of his shop (he owns the docks). Unlike One Thumb, however, Grunason will not hire guards to ensure the security of client?s ships at his docks. Such concerns are for the captain of the ship.
Grunason?s Helpers, Human Thug (8): AC 7 (studded leather armour); MV 12; F2; hp 14; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 + 1; SA +1 to melee damage rolls due to Str/Mus; SZ M (5?-6½? tall); ML 12 (Steady); Int Low to Average (6-10); XP 65 each; MM 196.

Although each inhabitant of and visitor to Albiele Town has their own religious affiliation, the Sea Lady is the town?s only temple. It is devoted to the worship of Nesirie and is part of the Eastern Temple of Nesirie (ETN for short), based in Aerenwe. This temple essentially gives the ETN a TEMPLE (0) holding in Albiele Island (which is technically a PROVINCE (1) of Mieres).
Unlike other branches of the ETN, worship at the Sea Lady tends to focus solely on Nesirie?s aspect as goddess of the sea. Her other role as the Lady of Mourning is rarely remembered among those who come to the Sea Lady to ask Nesirie?s blessing on an upcoming voyage.
Gaeran Totin (MA; P4, Nesirie; Ma, minor, 17; N) is the temple?s sole priest but he is assisted in his duties by two novices (MA and FA; P1, Nesirie and F0, LN and N). Gaeran is described in more detail in Pillars Of The Community, above. The temple itself consists of two separate parts. The first is an open bowl-shaped depression surrounded by thin columns carved with images of the sea and Nesirie. The depression is always kept filled with sea water and it is here that Gaeran performs all public services and blessings.
The other part of the temple complex is a single storey building that sprawls in a rough semicircle behind the columned pool. This building is constructed in gentle curves and corners which combine to almost make the building seem to flow. It is easily the most beautiful building on the island. Gaeran and his two novices have their private quarters here. There is also a smaller, roofed version of the pool outside where Gaeran performs personal ceremonies. The interior temple is also used for important private services (divining the weather or for the blessing of an unusually generous client are two examples).
Gaeran has begun to assemble a library of sea-related literature (maps, sea and sky charts, ship logs, etc) that is available for anyone to peruse for free, although most of those who avail themselves of this information leave a small donation.
Unknown to anyone but himself and his two novices, Gaeran has also gathered a small number of far more interesting papers. These valuable items include treasure maps, legends of powerful items lost during and after the War of Shadow and even some records of the Basarji?s journey across the Sea of Dragons two thousand years ago. This small but growing cache is secreted in a tiny cellar that can only be reached via a well hidden trapdoor in Gaeran?s bedroom. Many of the aged parchments kept there have been magically preserved so as to be immune to the ravages of time as well as the elements through a process known only to Gaeran (he created it himself).

The Land?s Berth tavern and inn is a fairly new addition to Albiele Town, having only been in business for three months. Despite that, however, it is already popular with many due to its lively atmosphere and affordable prices. The Land?s Berth is run by Thoern Dhaenal (MA; F3; CG), a native of Seaward, capital of Mieres. Thoern was forced to flee the city of his birth after becoming an innocent victim in the escalating guild battle between Arron Vaumel (Governor of Mieres) and Orthien Tane (head of the Southern Anuire Shipping and Imports guild). After being ruined by the competing guildlords, Thoern fled to Albiele Town to start anew. Thoern is a friendly, outgoing man, with an absolute antipathy towards authority of any kind, but he has to force himself to turn a blind eye to the often immoral behavior of the town?s inhabitants and visitors.
The Land?s Berth is actually two buildings connected by a roofed stone path. The smaller of the two buildings is the tavern, where Thoern, his wife and their two children cook all manner of tasty dishes for their customers. While Thoern doesn?t have quite the variety of beverages offered at the Port (5, above), the ones he does have are far more reasonably priced (around 120% of PH prices). Meals here are varied and can cost anywhere from 2 to 5 sp. They are all of good quality, however, and come in portions large enough to satisfy the biggest hunger. Low stakes gambling is available in the Land?s Berth tavern on most nights and fights are fairly rare (and those patrons who are feeling belligerent usually take their quarrels outside).
The other, larger building houses the guest quarters. There are a total of 22 rooms, 20 of which are capable of sleeping two people comfortably while the remaining two are communal rooms, each able to fit ten people. The smaller rooms are available for 5 sp per night (or 25 sp per week) and the communal rooms cost 15 sp per night (or 60 sp per week). Meals are not included in these prices.

This building houses the only real competitor to the smuggling operations of the Oceans? Wrath clan. While most of the pirate clans in the Suidemiere and the Straits of Aerele dabble in smuggling to some degree or another, the Oceans? Wrath clan and the Fencing and Smuggling business between them control the majority of naval smuggling activity in southern Anuire. Fencing and Smuggling is run by an Anuirean named Trevan Borhaen (MA; T5; LE).
Trevan arrived in Albiele Town a little over a year ago and set up the Fencing and Smuggling operation about a month later. He specializes in moving and selling rare or unique items. His list of contacts throughout Anuire, and to a lesser extent Khinasi and Brechtür, who are willing to purchase valuable items without worrying about the legality of the sale is impressive, to say the least. Trevan often hires adventures and mercenaries to plunder tombs and ruins for valuable artifacts in return for a portion of the sale price.
Trevan usually hires ships from the various pirate clans of the southern seas (not just the ones who have some sort of permanent presence in Albiele Town) to move his merchandise around. He offers quite substantial fees for this service and has little trouble with pirates keeping his goods for themselves due to the unsettling fact that pirates who have tried this in the past unfailingly turn up dead in short order. Also, Trevan pays some of the region?s less lawful merchants to move goods that need to reach Brechtür and Rjurik (and very occasionally, Vosgaard) as the pirate clans of the southern seas are unwilling to sail so far from their territory.
The building which Trevan operates his business out of is surprisingly small, consisting only of well appointed living quarters set over a similarly expensively decorated office. A carefully concealed and trapped trapdoor (a Type N poison coats the trapdoor?s handle) on the first floor leads to a small cellar where the smuggler stores his merchandise as well as his own considerable personal wealth. The numerous chests and boxes which hold Trevan?s goods are all dangerously, in some cases lethally, trapped.

This building and its companion forge (see 25, below) belong to the Governor. Although the primary function of the Armory is to provide weapons and armor for the Governor?s troops, it also operates as a business in its own right, selling its high quality goods to all comers.
Any standard Cerilian weapon or armour can be purchased from the Armory, although weapons and armor from non-Anuirean cultures (as well as obviously rare items like full plate mail and two-handed swords) often have to be made to order. Prices at the Armory are high, averaging 200% of normal cost, but anything purchased from the Armory is of superior quality, gaining a +1 bonus on all item saving throws). Many of the pirates of the southern seas purchase their weapons from the Armory (those that can afford the steep prices at least).
The Armory is guarded at all times by six of the Governor?s troops. These guards keep a close eye all customers and visitors. Also, all weapons must be surrendered before entering the Armory.
Guard - Human Soldier, F2 (6): AC 4 (chain mail and medium shield); MV 12; F2; hp 10 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 2-8 (broadsword) or 2-7 (light quarrel); SZ M (5'-6' tall); ML Elite (14); Int Average (10); AL LN and LE; XP 65 each; MM 196.
These guards do not carry valuables while on duty, keeping them instead at their quarters at the Governor?s Residence (see 3, above).

This ring and clang of metal on metal barely ceases to emanate from this compact building which houses Albiele Town?s only forge. Weapons and armor made here either go to equip the Governor?s troops or are made available for purchase at the Armory (24, above). The forge is run by Markov Steeleye (MV; F5; LE), a brutish looking Vos warrior who has been working forges for most of his 38 years. He rarely takes of his heavy leather apron (which gives him an AC of 8) and his arms are heavily scarred from burns too numerous to count.
Markov added ?Steeleye? to his name when an attack on the nameless Vos village in which he grew up and learned the art of smithing left him totally blinded in his right eye. Some years later he had the eye removed and replaced with an enchanted steel ball created by a Vos wizard for which Markov had performed several valuable services. The magics on Markov?s steel eye allow him to see perfectly as well as giving him infravision to a distance of 60 feet. Markov has learned to use his infravision to aid him in his craft and he is now an expert at reading the temperatures in heated metal. This ability combined with a knowledge of what temperatures provide the best strengths, enables Markov to produce almost dwarven quality items.
Markov is a bully at heart, harassing those he feels are weaker than him. He is aided in his work by four apprentices, who cop a lot of Markov?s cruelty. Despite their dislike for their teacher, they are fast becoming skilled blacksmiths under Markov?s critical gaze.
The guards at the Armory keep a careful eye on Markov and the forge, turning away the too curious.

One of the few buildings in Albiele Town made entirely of stone, this single storey building is built right up against the town?s northern cliff. It is owned by the Governor and as such is guarded at all times by four of his men. The building?s only door is kept locked at all times and only the Secretary, the Captain of the Guard and the Governor himself have a key. The lock is of masterful quality (-60% to pick lock attempts). The building is actually totally empty except for a locked secret door in the back wall (also with a masterful quality lock) that leads into a series of caverns (see 27, below) carved into the cliff which the building is built up against.
The secret door is opened by depressing an unmarked stone set five feet to the right of the door and three feet off the ground. However, the stone cannot be depressed unless the correct key is inserted into a seemingly inconspicuous crack to the immediate right of the stone and turned clockwise through a full revolution. Again, only the Governor, the Secretary and the Captain of the Guard have a key for this inner door.
Guard - Human Soldier, F2 (4): AC 4 (chain mail and medium shield); MV 12; F2; hp 12 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 2-8 (broadsword) or 2-7 (light quarrel); SZ M (5'-6' tall); ML Elite (14); Int Average (10); AL LN and LE; XP 65 each; MM 196.
These guards do not carry any valuables on them while on duty.

This series of caverns has been carved out from the rock of the northern cliff. A large passageway leads 90 feet directly into the cliff. Off this main corridor, a number of other, smaller corridors lead to large caverns. Each cavern is home to large quantities of food and equipment, stored here by the Governor in the event of the people of Albiele Town needing a place to hide (if someone was to successfully invade the town, for example). Two of the caverns are filled with numerous rough cots, providing sleeping room for over 200 people. Also, one of the storage caverns has a natural fresh water spring. There is enough food and other supplies here to keep 200 people alive for over a month, longer if the food is carefully rationed.
Beyond the caverns, the main passage grows thinner until it is barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. This tunnel continues to wind through the rock of the island until it finally comes to the surface near a small stream at the western end of the island, just inside Albiele Wood (the tunnel?s exit is marked with an X on Map ?: Albiele Island).

This farm is run by Osmund (MRj; F3; N), an aging man of Rjuven descent. He arrived in Albiele Town only three months after word began to get around of its existence. Osmund is well liked by many of the town?s inhabitants and visitors, particularly for his habit of never judging anyone other than himself. He grows several varieties of grain as well as keeping a small herd of cows and an even smaller flock of sheep. He also has a fast expanding orchard, currently the town?s only one.
When not working his fields and animals, Osmund enjoys an ale and a pipe in comfort at the Port where he has a reserved seat in the common room near one of that establishment?s fireplaces. He is there most evenings and it is not uncommon to see a group of hard-bitten pirates and smugglers sitting and standing around Osmund?s chair, listening in rapt attention as he spins a highly adventuresome tale of some fictitious character. Despite his penchant for telling tall tales, however, Osmund has seen and heard a lot in his many years and knows more about old naval battles and captains and even older sea legends than perhaps any other person in the southern seas. He is more than willingly to impart his knowledge in return for a mug or two of good ale.

It is important that the DM realize that Albiele Town?s size is far from indicative of its population. True, the town only has about 100 permanent residents. There are also 150 or so semi-permanent residents (the Knights of the Waves members training at the Barracks, for example). However, in addition to the permanent and semi-permanent residents, there are usually upwards of 300 visitors to the town, the majority of which are pirate clan members in town for some shore leave or, more likely, for supplies and ship repairs. So despite its small size, Albiele Town?s streets are always full with people and its harbor is full of anchored and docked ships.
When the players are in Albiele Town, this crowding should be strongly emphasized. The players should get the impression of this town being full of bustle and activity, not just a small collection of buildings on an almost empty island in the Straits of Aerele.