The City of Sasserine

Sasserine is perched on the edge of the known world, the last stop before the endless expanse of the Amedio Jungle. It is a hub of trade, and home to more than fifteen thousand souls, a bastion of civilization in a realm haunted by piracy, disease, violent weather, and monsters.
Sasserine is located at the westenmost edge of the Amedio Jungle, nestled in a sheltered harbor. Most travelers come to Sasserine via ship, as overland routes are fraught with peril. From the sea, Sasserine isn't much to look at; two rugged cliffs of stone jut from the coastline, their faces home to seahawks and gulls but little else. Then a vast rent in the cliff slides into view, its summit crowned by the shattered remnants of an immense stone bridge. Sailing between the slowly eroding pylons that once supported the bridge above, a visitor passes from the open sea into a thriving harbor of commerce, whaling, and intrigue. Certainly the smell of the city is breathtaking - a tremendous riot of exotic spices, smoke, humanity, and sewage that assaults the senses. Perfumes and scented candles are popular commodities in Sasserine.
Sasserine is split into seven distinct districts, each with its own personality. These districts are separated by inner walls, by networks of canals or rivers, or simply by age. Friendly competition between the districts is common, especially during festivals, yet the citizens of Sasserine do not hesitate to come to each other's aid. Perched at the edge of civilization, Sasserine is (and always has been) often the target of assault from land and sea; pirates of the Crimson Fleet, the navy of the Scarlet Brotherhood, the frog-like bullywugs of the surrounding marshland, and even gangs of ogres and giants from the nearby mountains keep the city on constant alert, yet to date the fiercely proud city has fallen to the enemy only once, and even then only through the act of the cities most notorious traitor.

Sasserine City Districts

The Azure District

Azure District is Sasserine's true waterfront. Consisting of two sections, Azure District also houses the majority of the city's slums and lowerclass citizens, although they aren't quite as desperate a catch as those forced to live in Shadowshore. The western section of Azure District is primarily concerned with the city's internal waterways, while the eastern section is home to the city's booming whaling industry.

Azure District's representative nobles are the Islarans. The family has held the post of harbormaster for many generations, although rumor holds  that old Keltar Islaran's getting on in years and none of his children particularly want the job when he passes on. Rumors also hold that the Kellani family has designs on this post, but with relations between these two families being as choppy as they are these days, it's unlikely that such a transfer will occur while old Keltar still lives.

The Champion’s District

Champion's District towers over Sasserine's western skyline, a district of soldiers, gladiators, mercenaries, and warriors who follow in the footsteps of the city's first lord-mayor, a priest of Kord named Teraknian. Champion's District has a notso-friendly relationship with the Noble District, and citizens see themselves as the true and rightful leaders of the city.

Champion's District's representative nobles are the Lorchesters, old blood who have been established in Sasserine nearly from the city's foundation. The family's patriarch, Neldrak Lorchester, is generally thought to be a bit too scheming for his own good. The Lorchesters have recently clashed with Cudgel District's Taskerhill family over ownership of Thunder River Lumber. Closer to home, they've been at odds with another Champion's District noble family, the Toregsons. Rumor holds that the source of the conflict between the Lorchesters and the Toregsons has something to do with the Smith's  Guild.

Also of note in Champion's District is the Scarlet Embassy. This relatively new structure is the home of one Anteki Alresian, an ambassador to the sinister and (some would say) untrustworthy Scarlet Brotherhood. Anteki's presence in the city, and in Champion's District, has been nothing but positive on the surface-he's donated a fair amount of resources to public works, and the Embassy has an open door policy for visitors. Still, rumors abound that the Embassy is nothing more than a front used by the Scarlet Brotherhood to lull Sasserine into a false sense of security for a Brotherhood assault from the sea.

The Cudgel District

Cudgel District is primarily a residential district. Due to the vigilance of the local watch and the church of St. Cuthbert, it's also the safest district in Sasserine. The citizens of Cudgel District know this, yet they are not a soft people; they remain ever vigilant to the threat of attack from without in the form of bullywugs or pirates, or from within in the form of thieves and traitors.

Cudgel District's representative nobles are the Taskerhills. Although they're hardly the oldest noble family in Sasserine, the Taskerhills are easily the richest. Their ownership of Thunder River Lumber has ensured a constant inflow of profit for hundreds of years. The current patriarch of this noble family is a  man named Kalmadar Taskerhill. A recent scandal involving his older brother, a noble of the nearby city of Cauldron, has done some unfortunate damage to the family name, and Kalmadar's primary concern today is to repair this damage in any way he can. As a result, he's been spending a lot of time away from home visiting his brother's family.

Although St. Cuthbert's the official religion of Cudgel District, a smaller shrine has been attracting a fair amount of attention lately. This is the mysterious Church of the Whirling Fury, located in northern Cudgel District on the aptly named Fury Street. The front doors of this church bear a set of chains fixed with a padlock, and there are no windows in the church's stone walls. Locals say they've seen people entering and exiting the church using silver keys to unlock the chains, but no one's been brave enough to investigate further. Rumors of demon worship, live sacrifices, and worse circulate about the church, yet the priests of St. Cuthbert remain curiously close-lipped about the matter. Father Ruphus Laro of St. Cuthbert says only that he's keeping his eye on the Church of Whirling Fury, but that it does not pose a threat to the city.

The people of Cudgel District are a watchful, laconic lot. They have little patience or tolerance for the rough and coarse lifestyle led by most adventurers. Merchants, innkeepers, and bartenders in Cudgel District often charge up to 200% over normal prices for customers dressed like adventurers (typified by openly wearing weapons or armor).

The Merchant District

Sasserine's heart, and perhaps even its soul, is lodged firmly in Merchant District. The first district most visitors reach, it's often the only one they need ever explore. Merchant District shops run the gamut from simple grocers to specialized buildings like potion emporiums, dagger sellers, exotic pet dealers, and magic item bazaars.

Merchant District's representative nobility are the Arabanis. Lady Anwyn Arabani is an eccentric noblewoman who has a strange  fascination with drow, and even claims to have drow ancestors (although her relatively pale skin would indicate otherwise). She's quite popular, as she goes above and beyond to ensure the people of Merchant District have fair representation in the Dawn Council. She entertains many suitors, but has yet to settle on a single person to share her estate.

The Noble District

Noble District has traditionally been thought of as the city's ruling district, even though Castle Teraknian isn't technically a part of this district. Yet Sasserine's trust in its rulers has been shaken (see Sasserine's History below), and nowhere is that loss of faith more evident than in this district. Today, the citizens of Noble District spend too much time bickering with those of Champion's District and trying to organize their district into a self-sustaining society. Idle talk of seceding from Sasserine is commonplace in Noble District bars. The other districts increasingly view the Noble District as a place of decadence and vanity, and eagerly await the district's fall under its own excesses. 

Noble District's representative nobility is the Lidu family. With the end of the Teraknian family line over 100 years ago, the Lidus became the oldest noble family in the city. The family patriarch, Worrin Lidu, is a kind-hearted noble who may be too gentle and forgiving to succeed in Sasserine as a successful noble. His major concern today seems to be the reconciliation of the churches of Wee Jas and Kord.

Sasserine's History
No district is more aware of Sasserine's history than the citizens of Noble District. The city was founded over 700 years ago, in the year -124 cy by pilgrims from the north. This group was led by a visionary cleric of Wee Jas named Sasserine who died on the island now known as Ancestor Island in the heroic act of defending the pilgrims from a black dragon named Zelkarune. Sasserine's lover, a man named Teraknian, founded the city in her honor. Over the next several centuries the city experienced phenomenal growth, during which a line of rulers descended from Teraknian ruled Sasserine in conjunction with advice from the churches of Wee Jas and Kord. In the year of 480 cy, Lord Mayor Orren Teraknian ruled the city-a rule that allowed for no shades of gray. For the first time in centuries, the church of Wee Jas was stripped of its power as fabricated charges of devil-worshiping saw to the arrest, imprisonment, and even execution of its faithful. Just as Orren's rule became unbearable, a great fleet of ships arrived-epresentatives of the Hold of the Sea Princes to the north. Promising an end to Orren's cruel rule, the invaders were aided in their assault on the city from within as the citizens rose up in rebellion. Orren Teraknian was overthrown and the Sea Princes claimed Sasserine as their own. Over the century to come, Sasserine's resources were savaged. The Sea Princes kept Sasserine a secret from the rest of the world, hoping to hide the valuable port from invaders by destroying any references to it they could find. Spies infiltrated cartographer guilds and libraries throughout the world, altering maps and sea charts with magic. Ship captains who knew the route to the city were bought off or murdered. Sasserine suff ered in these 100 years, but the underlying spirit of her citizens did not die. Their prayers were finally answered in 584 cy, when the Scarlet Brotherhood assassinated nearly all of the Sea Princes. The resulting turmoil threw Sasserine into chaos. Without the support of their homeland, the leaders of the city were overthrown in a fortnight. In the decade since their freedom, the people of Sasserine have rebuilt their city with astonishing success.

The Shadowshore

Although relatively small, Shadowshore is perhaps the most notorious of Sasserine's districts. This strip of land nestled in the shadow of Champion's District has long been a haven for thieves, thugs, and criminals of all kind. Generally, the only people who live here are those poor enough that their homes hold no attraction to thieves or those who can ably protect their property by wit or muscle. The city watch has all but given up on Shadowshore, and as long as nothing particularly destructive arises from the district (such as fires or riots) they generally leave it to govern itself. 

The representative noble of Shadowshore changes more often than any other, as the post is traditionally held by the family (or even the individual) strong enough to protect it from his enemies. Currently, the holder of this title is Emil Dracktus-certainly an assumed name. Rumor holds that the Dawn Council would rather have someone less crude and more reliable in this post. Someone like Vico Bevenin of the Amedio Trading Concern, perhaps. Yet for now, no one (Vico included) has made a move on Emil.

The Black Market
While Sasserine's markets and shops feature a wide range of goods and services, some are not offered in the light of day. Those seeking hard drugs, dangerous animals, evil magic, slaves, or cheap (and probably stolen) goods won't find them for sale in sight of the city watch. Yet this does not mean these goods and services aren't for sale.

Sasserine has a strong black market, with venues located in all seven districts. In order to gain access to the black market, a character must first make a DC 20 Gather Information check to learn the current location of that district's black market. In Azure District and Shadowshore, this is only a DC 15 Gather Information check, while in Champion's or Noble District, it's a DC 25 check. The black market is all but supressed in Cudgel District-it's a DC 30 Gather Information check to find an outlet there. Failing this check by 5 or more indicates that the district watch hears of the character's interests in obtaining illegal goods and services; the results of this failure depend upon the nature of that district's watch.

Although the black market has no restrictions on the type of its goods or services, it is still bound by Sasserine's gold piece limit of 40,000. A character who wishes to buy something in excess of this value must either travel to a larger city or enlist the aid of an agent or importer to have the item purchased and delivered from elsewhere. An agent typically charges a 5% finder's fee for such services.

Thieves' Guilds
A staple of most large cities, Sasserine is unusual in that it currently does not host a large, well-organized thieves' guild. In the years before the Sea Princes took hold of the city, a guild known as the Artful Parrots was Sasserine's largest band of robbers, cutpurses, and criminals. The Artful Parrots were also among the first victims of the Sea Princes, and within a year of their rule beginning, this guild had been obliterated completely.

During the Sea Prince rule, oppressive laws made thieves' guilds impossible to form. Now that Sasserine has regained her independance, though, the city is seeing a renaissance of organized crime. At this point, the dozens of small guilds are more interested in fighting each other for dominance, and the city watch keeps a wary eye on the activites of these groups but does little to intervene as long as they don't endanger the city's citizens. Word on the street, however, is that one group in particular has managed to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with-the Lotus Dragons. While the Lotus Dragons, if indeed they do exist, have yet to make their presence known to the city watch and civilians of Sasserine, the fact that minor guild activity has been tapering off over the last year lends validity to these rumors.

The Sunrise District

Like Cudgel District, Sunrise is primarily residential. Yet the citizens of Sunrise are generally a bit better-off than their neighbors, in no small part due to the fact that many of them have stakes in the numerous plantations that  dot the region surrounding Sasserine.

Sunrise's representative noble family is the Knowlern family. Unlike the nobles of the other districts, the Knowlerns are elves. Lord Aniphastus Knowlern and his family have taken the preservation of the region's wildlands to heart, and the foundation of Sunrise's Standing Stone Park is one of their proudest achievements.

The Player Characters

Revus Zacharias – A human fighter, born Patchwall 6, 566 CY. After a tumultuous early life, Revus recently came to Sasserine to join Zelkarune's Horns to test himself in combat in the arena.
Ima Beutfukew – A deep halfling ninja, born Flocktime 28, 561 CY. Came to Sasserine from the Amedio jungle on behest of his masters to infiltrate the Dawn Council, the current leadership of the city.
Keth – A half-orc rogue, born Goodmonth 24, 574 CY. Growing up in Sasserine’s waterfront, Keth was working on the docks in the Sasserine harbor when the campaign began.
Kull – A human monk, born Harvester 14, 574 CY. Kull’s past is cloaked in uncertainty. He is currently affiliated with the Scarlet Brotherhood (junior member with no benefits).
Doc – A human cleric of Pelor, born Ready’reat 15, 572 CY. Doc grew up in Sasserine and was a devout follower of the faith of Pelor. At the beginning of the campaign Doc was a Witchwarden applicant and lay servant in the Dawn House, the local church of Pelor.
Quinton – A grey elf wizard, born Coldeven 4, 461CY. Quinton was born and raised in Sasserine and showed a talent for magic from an early age. At the start of the campaign he was affliated with the Witch Wardens (applicant at start of campaign), the local guild for the study and practice of magic.

Note: The character sheet for each character can be viewed by clicking on their name. The calendar for the World of Greyhawk, where the campaign takes place can be viewed online by clicking right here.

Player Character Affiliations

As a citizen of Sasserine, your character may also belong to one of several organizations or affiliations based in the city. The Player's Handbook II introduced rules for affiliations and for tracking your rank and benefits from membership. Issue #348 of Dragon details six new affiliations based in the city of Sasserine in the first installment of "Savage Tidings," a series of articles designed to augment the Savage Tide Adventure Path with new player options and advice on running the campaign. These six affiliations, in brief, are as follows-if one of them sounds particularly appealing to your character, speak to your DM about starting the campaign as a member of the affiliation.

Church of the Whirling Fury
Perhaps the most mysterious of the six affiliations presented here, the Church of the Whirling Fury is in fact a semi-secret group of like-minded souls who seek to oppose the advance of demonic influences into the the Material Plane while at the same time venerating their patron, the eladrin paragon Gwynharwyf (Book of Exalted Deeds 155). They keep their presence in Sasserine subtle, operating on the theory that to openly oppose such dangerous forces invites open retaliation-much better to gather information and strike with the advantage of surprise. The church of the Whirling Fury accepts members of all vocations and skills, although their doctrines tend to preach "all for the greater good." As such, they often find themselves operating on the shady side of the law. Barbarians, clerics, and rangers are the best suited classes for this affiliation.

Dawn Council
The ruling nobles of Sasserine are known as the Dawn Council, yet in truth this affiliation comprises all of the minor nobles, sages, scribes, clerks, and others who help in the daily business of administration of the city. The Sasserine city watch is controled by the Dawn Council, and the seven official churches have much invested in this group as well. Beyond Sasserine's walls, agents of the Dawn Council function as ambassadors, emissaries, missionaries, or even spies. Bards, clerics, fighters, and paladins are the best suited classes for this affiliation.

Scarlet Brotherhood
While the Scarlet Brotherhood itself is notorious for harboring assassins, spies, and worse, their presence in Sasserine has taken an unusual turn with the establishment of the Scarlet Embassy. This group proposes to seek less violent interactions with other nations. Recent attempts to manipulate numerous nations were a tremendous drain on the Brotherhood. Of course, many believe that the establishment of the Scarlet Embassy is merely a new stage in the Brotherhood's nefarious attempt to rule the world from within. Only members of this affiliation know the group's plans for sure-and even they may not see the whole truth of what the mysterious leaders of the Brotherhood intend. Bards, monks, and rogues are the best suited classes for this affiliation.

The Seekers
The Seekers have a presence in nearly every major city in the world, yet few know of their existance. A group of treasure-seeking adventurers at best, or a nefarious organization of thieves and grave-robbers at worst, the Seekers themselves are a loosely-knit group of explorers, adventuring scholars, and fortune hunters who scour the world for ancient secrets and lost magic for personal gain and profit. All character classes are equally suited for this affiliation.

Witchwardens
Sasserine's mage's guild was founded by a priest-mage of Wee Jas many centuries ago, but today the Witchwardens have become more secular. Their members study magic in all its forms, seeking to discover new spells or recover forgotten lore from ancient ruins across the world. They are charged with the defense of the city against magical threats, and many of their members have ties to the city's high society. Bards, sorcerers, and wizards are best suited for this affiliation.

Zelkarune's Horns
Based in the Champion's District where, among other things, they manage the hugely popular events in the Sasserine Arena, Zelkarune's Horns consists of gladiators, big-game hunters, mercenaries, and explorers of the surrounding wildlands. Beyond Sasserine's walls, members of the Horns often operate alone (or as members of small groups), seeking new creatures to populate arena fights or merely looking for adventure and treasure to further their own (and by extension, the Horns') fame and glory. Barbarians, fighters, rangers, and rogues are best suited for this affiliation.

The Story So Far …

Earthday, Fireseek 20, 597
Temp 62/48F , Clear Sky, None, Wind 6
The PCs are each approached separately by Kora Whistlegap (LG female halfling expert 3), a servant of Lavina Vanderborn. She hands them each a note and informs them that Lavina Vanderboren requests their attendance at Vanderboren Manor, on Festival Street and Blue Skink Lane in the Merchant's District the following evening. The letter does not reveal specifics of what Lavina wants to discuss or how she learned of the PCs, though it does mention she knows of each of their 'unique skills'. 

Freeday, Fireseek 21, 597
Temp. 59/48 F, Clear Sky, None, Wind 4
The campaign begins as the adventurers meet with Lavina Vanderboren and learn of the trouble she is having financially. She tasks them with recovering her ship (The Blue Nixie) and her father's signet ring. The PCs are mostly happy to oblige, though Ima holds the final decision to help back by demanding payment up front. A compromise is reached when Lavina explains that she doesn't have the funds to pay up front, but offers an extra 50 gp per person upon successful completion of the task.
   The group wastes no time in determining a course of action. They quickly determine the current location of the ship by gathering information about it's current situation and general information about the Vanderborens. The group splits up with Ima and Kull scouting the ship and the others attempting to gather more pertinen t information about the state of affairs aboard the Blue Nixie and drinking copious amounts of alchohol.
    They 'borrow' a pair of small boats and row out to the Blue Nixie. They negotiate their way onboard the ship with blu ffs and diplomacy while Ima and Kull attempt to board secretly. The negotiations almost fail when Kull is spotted, but some fast talking saves the day. After boarding, however, the situation turns violent when a bluff goes awry and the leader of the pirates, Soller Vark orders his men to attack . A fierce battle ensues which sees a number of the party almost killed. With the healing support of Doc, the combat prowess of Revus, Doc and Keth, and Quinton's sorcery the fight is won with a few remaining pirates jumping ship and making off witht the boats the party had 'borrowed'.
    During the fight and immediately following, the PCs had become aware of commotion below decks. Upon investigation the source was found to be a vicious spider-like creature known as a Rhagodessa. The creature attacked the PCs almost immediately upon their descent knocking Ima unconscious. The fight was joined by most of the rest of the party and though there were a number of other casualties, eventually the group won the day.
    The ship was finally searched and though not much loot was found, they were able to successfully recover Lavina's lost harboring payment as well as her father's signet ring. The PCs lowered the ship's rowboats to the water and made their way back to Lavina's estate to inform her of their success, where they stayed the night.

Starday, Fireseek 22, 597
Temp. 58/47 F, Clear Sky, None, Wind 11
Awakened early in the morning by Lavina's servant, Kora Whistlegap, the party partook of breakfast at the Vanderboren estate and discussed what they had found aboard the ship with Lavina. Lavina thanked them and requested the help her further by accompanying her to her families vault under Castle Teraknian. The PCs consented and they all made their way across the city to visit the castle.
  At the castle they learned that Lavina's brother, Vanthus who the PCs had learned about earlier from Lavina as well as gather information checks made in the Merchant District, had already been to the family vault on a number of ocaissions. This upset the party almost as much as it did Lavina as it called into question her ability to pay them what was owed for their services so far. Never the less, they descended to the lower level to investigate what, if any wealth remained in the Vanderboren vault.
    The vault, once opened with Lavina's father's signet ring was found to be small and decorated with symbols of the Seekers Guild. A lone guardian moved to attack when unfamiliar people entered the antechamber, and though the guardian was a challenging opponent, it was eventually placeted by a bold display of the family signet ring. Upon inspection, a secret door was found leading into the vault proper.
    Inside the treasure room the PCs were faced with a puzzling combination lock built into a pillar in the center of the small room. With the help of a clue  discovered along with the signet ring along with the murals depicted on the walls of the vault the party was able to crack the lock revealing a number of alcoves containing chests and coffers. To the dismay of all, most of the chests were empty of all but a few scattered coins. However, in the last alcove a couple undisturbed chests were found containing coins, gems, debt ledgers, and personal documents written in Sylvan.
    Lavina made good on her promise to compensate the party for their help and offered the promise of additional payment if they would consent to remain in her employ. The group agreed and she gave them their next task - find her brother Vanthus and return him to Vanderboren Manor in hopes that she could talk some sense into him. She has not given up hope that he can be returned to his old good natured self. She gave the party a bit of information to go on, and set them on their way.
    The remainder of the day was spent around the city asking around about Vanthus' current status and whereabouts. Little useful information was revealed however, and the PCs spent the night out drinking and returned to the Blue Nixie for the night to bed down.

Sunday, Fireseek 23, 597
Temp. 63/55 F, Cloudy, Heavy Rain, Wind 25
Awaking early in the morning the PCs set about town to continue their investigation into Vanthus Vanderboren's current whereabouts. Their initial inquiries were fruitless, but eventually they recieved information in the Shadowshore district informing about his alliance with someone named Penkus, a notorious figure known for his temper, and pointing them to the 'It Still Floats!' boat shop.
    The group headed to the boat shop as it was closing for the night to speak to the proprietor, an dwarf named Panchi. Initially indifferent to their plight, Panchi was eventually convinced to disclose what he knew about Vanthus and Penkus after the PCs agreed to purchase some equipment from him, though the situation was complicated somewhat by Ima's hostility toward the owner and his disrespect for his wares. After Ima was removed from the shop and the rest of the group purchased a number of items, Panchi revealed that he recently sold a skiff and a load of lamp oil to the suspects in question and observed them sailing west after the sale was made.
    Their business done, the group with the exception of Ima made their way to a local pub to determine their next course of action. Remaining behind, Ima waited for the shopkeep to close for the night and leave, after which he snuck back to the shop and cut loose from their moorings a number of boats owned by Panchi. Meanwhile, the rest of the group, while drinking at the bar, was approached by a grungy half-elf who introduced himself as Shefton Rosk. Shefton claimed to know the whereabouts of Vanthus Vandorboren and related that, for a fee, he could divulge this information to the party.
    After some questioning, it was decided that Shefton was on the level and the party paid him what he was asking for the information. Further, they paid an additional wage for Shefton to ferry them and accompany them to the very spot Vanthus was hiding out -  an abandoned, underground smuggler's base on Parrot Island.
    A short boat ride to the island and a walk up an overgrown trail to a clearing in the center of the island revealed a trapdoor leading down into darkness. One by one, Shefton included at the insistence of Revus, the party descended the rope into the darkness. After the last PC was down, however, Vanthus revealed his trap and after cutting the rope and shouting jeers down at the now trapped adventurers, he closed the trap door above them and rolled boulders atop it, sealing them in the dark tunnels below.