MouthyMerc's adaptation of Madripoor from the Web Wars Trilogy
Originally posted to an (deliberately) unspecified web gaming forum.
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Welcome to the island of Madripoor, where intrigue, subterfuge and double-dealing await your players’ characters at every turn.
This supplement is the first of a trilogy. The information and adventure included in this booklet can be used as a launching point into the next two parts, but each one can stand on its own. If you plan on running all three supplements it would be best if you run them in order since information in one is useful in the next one in the series.
This booklet describes the island nation of Madripoor, a country geographically in the northwestern Indonesian archipelago. Madripoor is also centerstage for countless intelligence operations, a hotbed of political and espionage intrigue. Included are descriptions of the major cities, ports, terrain types, people, customs… everything you will need to run a campaign. Madripoor is designed to be a place you can use over and over in your campaign. The PCs will find many friendly and unfriendly NPCs to interact with and each NPC description contains guidelines for how they will react to the PCs.
Next is a section that contains maps of Madripoor showing the major roadways and terrain types. Also, the maps depict major locations on the island and floorplans you can use for hotels, mansions, resorts, wharves and warehouses… places where spies go to collect information and generally get into trouble. The rest of the book presents an adventure to get the PCs started on the island. It will provide ample opportunity for you to introduce the various aspects of the island to the players.
Keep in mind, though, that Madripoor is a fictional island and that the most fun part of a fictional island is this: You can do anything you want with it. Have fun.
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The continued revamp...a lot of this was redone due to moving the island from the Caribbean to Indonesia. It also is not exactly the same as the one in the comics. It is also long.
First colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Madripoor was initially spared the hardcore trading tactics used elsewhere in the Indonesian islands. The Portuguese traders were more interested in setting up posts elsewhere. Instead, the Portuguese used the island merely as a way station for their trading fleets. Since so many ships were coming to the Indonesian islands in a quest for trade, they seldom stayed long at the island. Those that did, though, found a lush, green haven filled with spectacular beauty and plentiful resources.
Since it was largely ignored in these early years, pirates came to use the south coast of the island as a refuge between plundering voyages. Soon, though, both the English and the Dutch would start work to oust the Portuguese as the premier Indonesian traders. Trading posts would be taken from one group and then retaken back. The Dutch trading company, Vereenidge Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), would eventually gain the advantage.
Even then, the island was spared the cruelty Europeans offered others. The VOC was granted sovereign powers due to the slow communication between them and the Netherlands and used them to consolidate their holdings. During this, Madripoor was becoming the playground of the wealthy. After all, they couldn’t be expected to live on an island where actual work was going on.
The port was still busy as a major stop on the trade route in the 18th century, although the British would supplant the VOC as the major power in the region. Many former pirates and slaves found that they could make a life in the jungles either farming for sustenance or raising highly profitable cash crops such as coffee and tobacco. The authorities usually left them alone.
During the 19th century and into the early 20th century, the Dutch and English would continue to fight over trade in the region. Both, though, were also waging small wars with other countries, like Germany and Italy, in other parts of the world during this period. Small wars were being fought all over Indonesia, but rarely did they affect Madripoor. The island prospered both agriculturally and as a resort from the wars.
In the early 20th century, Indonesia would be affected by both the wars in Europe and, later, in the Pacific. During WWI, trade was almost completely stopped between Indonesia and Europe due to blockades. Trade did pick up with Japan and the United States, but not enough to fully compensate. After the war, trade started back up, but was again shut down as WWII began. This time, though, with Japan in the war also, all trade was practically shut down. In fact, Japan took control of all the resources it could during this period, expelling or sending into hiding, any other governments.
Madripoor has little, in comparison to the rest of Indonesia, in the way of resources, and so was determined to be of little value to the Japanese. Many Europeans escaped and went into hiding on the island. Only a small contingent of Japanese soldiers was left there to guard against trouble. So, Madripoor was able to escape the worst of the war.
After the war, Madripoor announced its plans to join the Republic of Indonesia, but there was strong opposition that split the government. Madripoor never joined the Republic. Instead it was thrown into five years of revolution. Still, the revolution wasn’t devastating. There were few riots in the streets. Instead the revolution took the form of jungle fighting and a number of coups. Finally it ended when a force of islanders, led by a young man named Baran, took over the government and ruled with an iron fist in a velvet glove for more than four decades. The young man, Baran, said he was descended from royalty and declared himself Prince. It was also said, in some quarters, that he was descended from pirates.
Prince Baran’s Government was careful to shield tourists from the “more unsightly” aspects of the island. A major part of the country’s economy was based on tourism and the resorts. The dissatisfied and impoverished were carefully kept out of sight, often by force. A negative image might have damaged the tourist trade, the very life-blood of Madripoor.
A symbiotic arrangement grew out of this. The resort owners would make sure the Prince’s government was well-paid and the government would make sure the owners were safe… especially from the government itself. Its capricious nature might inspire some official to launch a surprise inspection or a search for “subversives” which would hurt business.
By design of both the resort owners and the Prince’s government, the natives worked like animals and lived only slightly better. Shantytowns sprung up on the outskirts of the cities, far away from the view of tourists. Many worked the large remaining plantations for less than adequate wages for the owners who were, not surprisingly, good friends and backers of the government.
But it is a matter of historical record that no matter how much you beat a man down, he will maintain some spark of dignity that needs only some tinder to blaze forth. In the case of the impoverished natives of Madripoor, that tinder was Benny Dharmawijaya.
Dharmawijaya, a man descended from escaped slaves, was never one to just accept his lot in life. While he toiled in the fields gathering tobacco and coffee beans, he was always considering how to change the way things were and what could be done to turn Madripoor into the island paradise the posters and television commercials claimed it was. At night, by the fire in his shack, Dharmawijaya would read the books he “ borrowed” from the mansion house whenever he got a chance to do domestic chores or deliver supplies. He would devour the books from cover to cover, return them, and then “borrow” more. Some of the books on politics and philosophy were a little difficult for him to understand in the beginning, but his meager reading skills improved rapidly.
He began holding meetings with his fellow workers about how they were being oppressed by the regime and how they must do something about it. His co-workers wanted to stage an armed revolution and burn the rich people’s houses, but Dharmawijaya knew better. He had come to understand the teachings of Gandhi and Madison Avenue and he began making plans.
With an army of workers, Dharmawijaya engineered a series of work slowdowns. Days would go by where production was practically nil. And on every occasion when the military would try to intervene with clubs and force, Dharmawijaya was ready. He would arrange for the government to embarrass itself and back down. For instance, a foreign dignitary or a celebrity, whose driver took a wrong turn, would see what was going on. Or a tour bus, running a little behind schedule and trying to make up for lost time would come across the scene by chance.
Dharmawijaya also started a print campaign. At first, the local newspaper would not print his letters so photostatted copies began mysteriously appearing in hotel rooms and getting into foreign newspapers.
Dharmawijaya was an excellent persuader and his war of words soon gained worldwide fame. Pressure was brought to bear on Madripoor to hold free elections. After a few years, the government finally relented and allowed them, figuring they could control and fix the results.
But Dharmawijaya was not easily taken in by the government’s generosity. His next step, shortly before election day, was to invite the world media to watch the “new democracy in action.” So much attention was paid to the elections in the world press that there was no way for the government to rig them quickly enough.
Dharmawijaya was voted into office. Prince Baran discreetly left the island for sanctuary in a sympathetic Southeast Asian country.
The politically cynical predicted that within six months, Dharmawijaya would become as corrupt as his predecessors and as tyrannical. Dharmawijaya has been very careful, though. His decisions have always been for the betterment of the island and his people.
When the huge resort companies wanted to build hotels and casinos, Dharmawijaya agreed to let them build provided at least 60% of the employees were island natives and that within four years the owners would train islanders to assume at least 75% of the managerial positions. He did not let them build casinos, though. That he reserved as the province of the government.
Dharmawijaya set a strip of prime beach property along the island’s north shoreline aside and developers were allowed to bid for rights to lease the land for their hotels. Much of the island’s working capital is derived from these rent payments. He also expanded the commercial seaport to accommodate large tankers and freighters, turning Madripoor into one of the leading ports in Indonesia.
After four years of progress such as this, Dharmawijaya was re-elected by a landslide. He has served two terms and is now going into his third with no sign of loss of popularity among the citizens.
There are those, however, who would rather see a different form of government on Madripoor, even a return of Prince Baran. Dharmawijaya is aware of these factions, but like any legitimate head-of-state, he cannot legally do anything about them until they break the law.
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And here again is some more...
Madripoor is a democracy. The president is elected along with seven provisional governors that function both as of their territories and as a sort of congress. They along with the general of the army, each have one of eight equal votes on the affairs of state. The president breaks any ties.
The system has worked so far. In general, every section of the island feels it is getting fair representation and while the entire island is not yet booming with wealth, there is progress being made.
The government welcomes visitors and tourists, but does not appreciate outsiders meddling in its affairs. It has rejected offers of aid from the United States and China and remains on friendly to neutral terms with both. There are no embassies on the island, though there are citizens of almost all nationalities scattered across the island.
Nor does Madripoor appreciate being used as a “playground” for espionage.
Due to its strategic location in an area that is rife with political intrigue, drug deals and various smuggling operations, Dharmawijaya has created an Intelligence service. The Ministry of Intelligence’s main job is to keep spies and foreign operatives out of the country and make sure that the government is not in danger from outside subversive forces.
The Ministry has very little to do internally. They check on visitors and are regularly sent reports from the police around the island. They gather and analyze the information and investigate when they feel a pattern of foreign influence emerges. Their aim at that point is to diffuse the influence as quickly as possible and remove it from the island.
The Ministry of Intelligence is not naïve, however. The Ministry knows that the major powers are interested in keeping an eye on what goes on on the island. So the government does tolerate a low level of activity on the island, agents who maintain a very low profile and just report back to their respective agencies as to what’s going on.
Benny Dharmawijaya, President
Sex: Male
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Madripooran
Native Language: Indonesian
Age: 38
12th-level pointman (NPC); CR 12. SZ M; v/wp 78/12; Init +5 (+5 class); Spd 30 ft.; Def 15 (+5 class); Atk: punch/kick +8 (1d3-1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Generous, versatility (10 skills), assistance (1/4 time), lead 5/session, tactics 3/session (+2 bonus), linguist +2, cold read 1/session, serendipity 1/session, intuition 1/session, SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Wil +13; Str 9, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 16; Skills: Bluff +22, Bureaucracy +18, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +22, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (Politics) +21, Knowledge (Philosophy) +21, Knowledge (Business) +21, Profession (Politician) +18, Sense Motive +18. Feats: Iron Will, Scholarly, Persuasive, Adv. Skill Mastery (Persuasive), Grand Skill Mastery (Persuasive). Gear: Any, if he wants (91 BP). Gadgets & Vehicles: Any, if he wants (9 GP).
Background: Much of Dharmawijaya’s background was covered in the history of Madripoor, above. He is a self-made, self-educated man with one fierce passion and loyalty: Madripoor.
His mother and sister live in a comfortable but unostentatious house outside of the capital and Dharmawijaya visits them frequently. (The mother and sister are given round-the-clock protection by the orders of the Ministry of Intelligence.)
There is no girlfriend or fiancée in Dharmawijaya’s life. He attends most state functions alone or with his advisors. He does not hate women by any stretch of the imagination. It is just that his obsession is the growth and well being of his country and that has no time for any romantic entanglements. Many of his countrymen do wish, though, that there were someone. General consensus is that it would make him a happier man.
Reactions: As he is very interested in the development of his country, Dharmawijaya will welcome anyone who promises to bring jobs and/or another source of income to Madripoor. But he is no fool. He does not want some huge conglomerate to come in and strip the island of its resources and then discard the empty shell.
He will enter into hard shrewd negotiations in order to get past the polite words into the actual intent of the business.
As far as spies go, he is passionate about not having them on the island, unless they have contacted his government and are working in cooperation with his own intelligence people. Otherwise, he views them as interlopers who are using his island because they think it is a quaint little backyard country whose sanctity and laws can be largely ignored.
Dharmawijaya holds the laws of his country sacred. He would turn any spies over to his courts for trial and deportation. He will also make sure that any spy gets the maximum local newspaper and wire service, negating their effectiveness as undercover agents.
Penelope Clavell, Minister of Intelligence
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Nationality: French
Native Language: French
Age: 36
14th-level faceman (NPC); CR 14. SZ M; v/wp 91/12; Init +13 (+11 class, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 20 (+8 class, +2 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +12 (1d6), Colt Defender +12 (1d12); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Adaptable, linguist +5, cold read 2/session, quick change 6/session, backup 3/session, fake it 3/session, 1,000 faces 1/session, bald-faced lie 1/session; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Wil +8; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 16; Skills: Bluff +13, Cultures +12, Diplomacy +15, Driver +10, Forgery +13, Gather Information +17, Innuendo +14, Knowledge (Madripoor) +15, Read Lips +15, Search +13, Sense Motive +16, Spot +12. Feats: Traceless, Field Operative, Martial Arts, Expertise, Sidestep, Weapon Finesse (Unarmed). Gear: Any (97 BP). Gadgets & Vehicles: Any (7 GP).
Background: Clavell was “deactivated” from the Security division of the SDECE (Societe de Documentation Exterieure et de Contre-Espionage), the French secret service, because she wouldn’t follow what she felt were questionable orders. She refused to lend aid to sabotaging a Greenpeace sailing ship. By some strange coincidence, just a few short weeks after the termination of her employment, information that led to exposure of the operation was leaked and hit the international media.
Since that time, Clavell has led a three-fold career. She has made a living as a legitimate bonded courier, delivering valuable items around the world. She has also simultaneously been an undercover intelligence courier, delivering computer disks and papers to remote, desolate corners of the world. Finally, she has acted as a freelance agent handling delicate missions that the hiring government would rather not have its name attached to.
Just prior to her coming to Madripoor, she had finished a mission in the Laos area of the Golden Triangle and was looking for a safe way out of the country. Like most missions in the Golden Triangle, it did not make her very popular with anyone and her life was in danger.
A representative of Dharmawijaya locate her and offered her diplomatic protection out of the country. Just the opportunity to pass unscathed past the Druglords agents made the offer appealing enough to Clavell at the time.
Dharmawijaya had done some investigating and was impressed with Clavell’s moral stand with the French. The post of Minister of Intelligence was open, and he was under great pressure to appoint a minister from within. His supporters felt he needed a loyal person in such an important post. Others, like the remaining supporters of Prince Baran, wanted their man in.
Dharmawijaya offered the post to Clavell. After the initial rounds of shock, outrage and yelling were over, Dharmawijaya calmly explained that he wanted someone without any loyalties in Indonesia except to the job. To Dharmawijaya, Clavell had proven herself incorruptible and “that, gentlemen, is that.”
There was some grumbling, but Clavell got the post. She has done such a splendid job it would be nearly impossible to maneuver her removal.
The Intelligence service is not very large. There are only about 12 field agents and they are sent out periodically to see what information they can gather. The real heart of the service is its role as a communications center. Though Madripoor does not actively seek relations with other countries, the intelligence service has linked up with every other country it could. There is a constant feed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States (although, most of the 400 sheets of information can be distilled to one page). There is also a link with Interpol (known as the European Filing Cabinet since it is only good for reference and not action). There are many other services linked to the island, plus news feeds from Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters, Tass and, of course, CNN. These are gone over carefully for the express purpose of cutting off any operations that might involve or affect Madripoor.
Reactions: Clavell has a very suspicious nature. When a new company or individual expresses interest in opening a factory or operation in Madripoor, it is her job to do an extensive background check and report to the president. She is ruthless and shameless when she is doing a check. She will go into the person’s history, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses … everything she can find from news clippings, covert interviews, and even eavesdropping on neighbors. She is so thorough and exacting because she has been infected with Dharmawijaya’s desire to keep Madripoor safe from outside influences, So she will often sound like a interrogator, even in polite conversation.
She will even test the moral fiber of a person by initiating sting operations and setting temptations (money, drugs, sex) out to see if the person takes the bait. She is credited (or blamed, depending on whom you talk to) with stopping the infiltration of American organized crime into the resorts by having one of her female operatives feign interest in a man who claimed to be representing a large hotel chain. Over a quiet dinner with lots of wine, the man tried to impress Clavell’s agent with tales of power and corruption. The entire conversation was played back for Dharmawijaya who had the man declared persona non grata and deported back to the United States.
Clavell will do the same (or worse) to discover everything about the PCs if they raise her suspicions so much as a millimeter.
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Here is some more for your viewing pleasure. It's a little shorter this time.
The people of Indonesia have some common features in the form of straight jet-black hair, large and liquid black eyes, flat noses and wide, toothy and charming smiles. Their complexions vary from a rich brown to a lovely golden tan. Unlike other inscrutable and impassive Orientals, the people of Indonesia are full of gaiety and restlessness, with free and open expressions. Because of the differences, many other oriental cultures look down on the Indonesians and treat them as untrustworthy and beneath them.
Many cultures have influenced Indonesia and its people. Millions of Indonesians originated from many ethnic groups and were influenced by the influx of peoples from China, Arabia, Indochina and Europe. Religions are also diversified, a major part of the population is Muslim, but Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians are found on many of the islands, including Madripoor.
The Portuguese brought with them the architecture of Europe, which dominates the island. The Dutch brought their language, an educational system, and the judicial process. The Europeans also brought the arms and firepower that suppressed the natives and insured their control. Madripoor is now a mish-mash of influence from many cultures. Both urban and rural life has been affected. Especially with advent of the Internet and small portable satellite TV dishes.
The predominant influence on the islanders today is television from the United States. The younger Madripoorans, just like their counterparts around the world, strive to emulate their TV heroes, musical idols and fashion models.
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To continue...
This section describes the basic terrain types on the island. Included are NPCs typical of the people who live in those areas and Chase Hazards you may want to implement. You can pick and choose which hazards to use when a chase ensues in the particular terrain. Also mentioned are the common types of chases that can occur in the terrain.
Sometime back in its dim geological past, Madripoor was at least twice as large as it is now. Like most islands in Indonesia, it is of volcanic origin. The young island was covered with airborne seeds and was an ideal resting spot for migratory birds until its surface evolved into a deep layer of fertile topsoil.
Then the southern half of the island sunk back into the sea. The magnificent cliffs that boaters gaze at in rapt admiration and spend countless rolls of film photographing are a direct result of this ancient geological event. In addition to being a spectacular sight, these cliffs have helped save the island from sustaining major damage from typhoons. The storms usually strike from the southeast and much of their fury is spent battering the durable rock, sparing the cities and farms the full force of the Indonesian storms.
The cliff is not extremely difficult to climb. It is anywhere from 100 to 175 feet high and its jagged edge has some excellent hand holds for bare rock climbing. Anyone using mountaineering equipment will have an easier and faster time of it, though. Of course, during a storm or hurricane you should apply negative modifiers as you see fit.
The cliffs mark the highest point of Madripoor’s Cahyadi Mountains. The roads through the mountains are considered treacherous with many hairpin curves. At the time of their construction it was easier to build more road than to try to carve a pathway out of the rock. The view along the roads is scenic, but only for passengers. Drivers usually white-knuckle the trip at very sedate speeds, eyes glued to the road to watch for the next curve.
Despite the driving problems (or maybe because of them) a number of wealthy Madripoorans and foreigners have gone to much expense and trouble to have luxurious homes built on (and sometimes into) the mountainside. Generally, the higher on the mountain the greater the cost of a house or estate.
During the summer, the mountains are a popular tourist spot. The offshore breezes serve to cool off the mountains on this otherwise very hot island.
NPCs in the Mountains
Lady Aleida Van Keuren
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Nationality: British
Native Language: English
Age: ?
4th-level civilian (NPC); CR 1. SZ M; v/wp 10/13; Init +2 (+2 class); Spd 30 ft.; Def 12 (+2 class); Atk: punch/kick +1 (1d3-1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Wil +5; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 20; Skills: Appraise +8, Cultures +10, Diplomacy +12, Gather Information +12, Sense Motive +10. Feats: The Look, Silver Tongue. Gear: Fashionable and expensive items. Gadgets & Vehicles: Many vehicles including a yacht.
Background: In the island’s social circles, the one question never asked on the island of Madripoor is the age of Lady Aleida. People stopped asking and just kept marveling years ago. They know she has lived on the island for more than 20 years, staying on after her husband died ten years ago.
Lord Van Keuren was owner of a shipping company that handled most of the tobacco and coffee exported from the island. He was well-loved by his workers and the government since he always made certain that he gave back as much to Madripoor as he got from it. He was one of the first men to hire islanders for key positions in a company. Soon Madripoorans manned virtually his entire company on the island. He built a house on the mountains at the top of the cliffs and relocated here with his attractive, adoring wife Aleida.
Lord Van Keuren died tragically and unexpectedly. He and her ladyship were out sailing when a fire started belowdecks. His lordship was so concerned with the fire that he failed to see the coral reef and the ship crashed. His lordship’s clothes caught fire and he and his wife went overboard for two days and two nights. Lady Aleida miraculously survived the ordeal. His Lordship did not.
When help arrived they discovered that his lordship had died from his burns shortly after going overboard. Still the widow refused to accept her loss. She spent some time in the hospital until she was determined to be well adjusted, but she was never quite the same again.
While most people would have gone into seclusion, her ladyship went to the other extreme. She became a social animal…a social wildcat to be exact. She started having parties that would last for days and romances that lasted only slightly longer. She would start to see a man, get bored with him very quickly, and move on so rapidly that polite circles began to talk.
Always a very handsome woman, her ladyship went on an extended vacation and came back looking ten to fifteen years younger. Her plastic surgery scars are barely noticeable. Now she exercises and constantly diets and visits a Swiss clinic once a year for further fitness training.
She is a person living in the fast lane. She spends her days at the estate or on her 150’ cruiser docked at the resort harbor.
Reactions: Any good-looking male PC will certainly get here ladyship’s attention. On the other hand, any young, attractive female will only earn her disdain.
If her ladyship likes a young man, he can become something akin to a charm on her bracelet. She will exhibit him at all her parties and any parties she attends and introduce him around as “a dear, dear boy who’s helping me through a tough time.”
She knows everyone who lives on The Cliff, as the neighborhood of mansions and millionaires is called, and is a favorite party guest. Because of this, she can be very useful in getting a PC invited to an otherwise exclusive party.
Martin Lebecque
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Nationality: United States
Native Language: English
Age: 43
10th-level snoop (NPC); CR 10. SZ M; v/wp 45/10; Init +7 (+6 class, +Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 19 (+8 class, +1 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +6 (1d3+1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Astute, flawless search, intuition 1/session, jury-rig +5, back door x2, intelligence analysis, comb the streets, master cracker 1/session; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Wil +8; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 14; Skills: Appraise +16, Bureaucracy +13, Computers +18, Concentration +15, Cryptography +16, Diplomacy +14, Electronics +15, Gather Information +15, Read Lips +15, Search +13, Sense Motive +15, Surveillance +15. Feats: Mark, Mathematical Genius, Advanced Skill Mastery (Mathematical Genius), False Start. Gear: Any (70 BP). Gadgets & Vehicles: Any (10 GP).
Background: All characters will know who Martin Lebecque is. It was in all the newspapers how he ran a confidence game so shrewd that he can’t be arrested for it.
What it boiled down to was offering to sell secrets to the Chinese while acting as a consultant with an American aerospace company. He got a couple of million dollars for information that never materialized. When the FBI went to pick him up, they couldn’t find the plans. The Chinese didn’t want to become implicated in such a well-publicized case, so they couldn’t retrieve their money. Lebecque was let free because of the lack of evidence against him.
He’s had an exceptionally luxurious lifestyle since then.
He took a big risk which has paid off and since then has set up a network of technology thieves who gather information, plans and specifications for him which he sells to the highest bidder. He is always very careful to keep several steps removed from the deal and never to culminate one on Madripoor.
On the island there is talk of his shady past, but he is very careful not to break the law or embarrass the government. All deals are signed, sealed and delivered in some other spot. As he puts it: “A smart animal doesn’t mess where he eats.”
Reaction: Lebecque will at first be suspicious of anyone he suspects is an agent for any country or organization. He surrounds his house with bodyguards and guard dogs. However, he can be reasoned with… especially if it ultimately means a profit.
Lebecque is a prime source of information about the island, the surrounding island nations and Indochina. He knows about almost every drug deal, gun sale and planned revolution. He is somehow connected with most of them, anyway. He is also careful about leaving the island. He is not wanted by any country, but he knows that several countries would love to “detain” him for a few days to ask a few questions. If you have some point of information you’d like the PCs to have, you can use Lebecque.
Chases in the Mountains
Many roads now cut through the mountains allowing access to the many estates. Travel on foot or by vehicle is easily done. Any water is in fast moving streams and is too shallow and narrow to travel on with any boat.
Some general game rules that are in effect during chases in the mountains follow:
Terrain type: Tight only
Common chase types: Ground & foot
Initial starting speeds: ¼ the fastest vehicle/person
Maneuver modifiers: Driver of the vehicle with the higher handling receives a +1 speed bonus to maneuver checks
Obstacle chance: 1 on a d4
Obstacle DC: 24
Obstacle types
A. Hairpin Thrills
The vehicles must negotiate past some hairpin turns in the road.
B. Rocky Road
Rocks and boulders have fallen on the road and all but block passage.
C. Too Big for Its Bridges
The bridge that used to span this gap is out, but you can jump it, maybe.
D. Fancy Meeting You Here
Up ahead of you is a tourist bus or car taking up most of the road and you must get around it.
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This was originally the swamp section, but I thought the idea of a jungle would be better for Indonesia.
A majority of the island of Madripoor is covered with jungle. Due to receiving most of the rainfall on the island, the jungle on the east coast is particularly thick. This jungle does not have an official name, but is well known for the many wild cats that prowl it.
During its long history, many Europeans who stayed on the island have went in to the jungle to hunt the many types of leopards or even the small population of tigers. Many of these cats tried to move to other parts of the island to get away from the many hunters. When this started happening with more frequency, the government put a halt on all hunting of the cats. This was one of the few humane actions of Prince Baran’s government that the population applauded him for. Baran knew full well, though, that the cats were more valuable alive than dead. The jungle area was turned into a national refuge and law now protects the cats. This does not stop some entrepreneurs, risking life and limb, from setting up illegal hunts for the big cats.
Any adventures in the jungle can have the characters running into these jungle cats.
Madripooran Leopards (Animal); CR 2. SZ M; v/wp 19/15; Init +6 (+2 natural, +4 Dex); Spd 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; Def 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural); Atk: bite +6 (1d6+3), 2 claws +1 (1d3+1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d3+1; SQ Scent; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Wil +2; Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +11, Hide +9*, Listen +6, Move Silently +9, Spot +6. Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite, claw).
Combat:
Pounce (Ex): If a leopard leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the leopard must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A leopard that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+6 melee) with its hind legs for 1d3+1 damage each. If the leopard pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.
Skills: Leopards receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +12.
Madripooran Tigers (Animal); CR 4. SZ L; v/wp 45/17; Init +6 (+4 natural, +2 Dex); Spd 40 ft.; Def 14 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural); Atk: 2 claws +9 (1d8+6), bite +4 (2d6+3); Face 1 square by 2 squares; Reach 1 square; SA Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d3+1; SQ --; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Wil +3; Str 23, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Skills: Balance +6, Hide +5*, Listen +3, Move Silently +9, Spot +3, Swim +11. Feats: --.
Combat:
Pounce (Ex): If a tiger leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the tiger must hit with its bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A tiger that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+9 melee) with its hind legs for 1d8+3 damage each. If the tiger pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.
Skills: Tigers receive a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.
Recently, some of the native residents of the jungle have found a sideline in allowing drug smugglers and other criminals to use the jungle as a rest stop. The Shinta river cuts right through the jungle to the coastline and boats laden with contraband are pulled upriver and quickly guided to secluded areas of forest where the authorities cannot find them. The smugglers get a rest and supplies and are on their way, minus some gold, which is the best form of payment.
Clavell has sent a few people into investigate. Many were never seen again. A part of one agent floated out of the river into the sea in one well-publicized embarrassment for the government.
The residents of the jungle are a very proud people. They are descendants of the original slaves and pirates of the 18th and 19th century ships that sailed through the area. The jungle is a place where only the strong survive. Any residents the characters encounter should have slightly higher physical attributes than the average citizen. As stated above, there are some residents who have gone into business with smugglers. Most natives keep to themselves and don’t bother with the rest of the island. They have their own set of laws based on their needs and survival. No one trespasses on another’s property or possessions, and they consider all outsiders to be interlopers.
The jungle natives admire honesty and are expert hagglers and like nothing better than to indulge in spirited negotiations. Even if a native feels he is being underpaid, he will be content if he feels he was cheated through “honest haggling.” Like most people living in an isolated environment, they put a lot of stock in promises and debts.
“Lie to me once and you may never lie to another again” goes the jungle native saying, referring to their quaint practice of dealing with liars by introducing them to hungry leopards. Also, they do not want to owe anyone anything. A jungle native in debt is not his own boss and he will attempt to repay a loan or kindness as quickly as possible. Be warned, however. He is equally eager to repay a wrong done to him.
NPCs in the Jungle
Hamdani
Sex: Male
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Madripooran
Native Language: Indonesian
Age: 28
6th-level wheelman/2nd-level pointman (NPC); CR 8. SZ M; v/wp 74/16; Init +8 (+5 class, +3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 18 (+5 class, +3 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +11 (1d3+4), hunting knife +11 (1d6+4); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Custom ride, daredevil, lucky, kick start 1/session, familiarity +1, elbow grease +2, assistance (1/2 time); SV Fort +7, Ref +9, Wil +3; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +8, Boating +14, Driver +14, Handle Animal +5, Hide +10, Intimidate +12, Mechanics +11, Move Silently +10, Pilot +6, Spot +7, Survival +10, Swim +11. Feats: Speed Demon, One Hand on the Wheel…, Great Fortitude, Stealthy, Track. Gear: 66 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 5(5) GP.
Background: Just from his physical prowess described above, it’s easy to see that Hamdani is someone you’d want on your side in the jungle. Failing that, you certainly don’t want him against you.
Hamdani can trace his ancestry back directly to the slaves who jumped ship. He is proud of his heritage and the fact that he is a free man. Hamdani is different from most jungle natives in that he is not averse to travelling to the city and is often selected to go and get supplies once a month in a battered pick-up truck.
In the city, this heavily muscled man is quite a sight. He does get admiring glances from the women and it is believed that that is the main reason he does not mind making trips to town. He has the grace of a jungle cat and always looks like he is on his guard, the result of growing up in the jungle. His stealth is a great help in his chosen profession.
Hamdani is a poacher.
Many people in the jungle think he poaches for fun because he is reputed to go after the leopards and tigers armed only with his hunting knife.
Though he looks imposing, his neighbors in the jungle swear by his gentleness and good nature. He is always willing to lend a hand to a friend and help people in distress. He is just as ready to mete out justice where he sees fit and punish people who would hurt him, his family or his friends.
He is an admirer of courage and honesty and is a shrewd judge of character. He would prefer a truthful enemy to a lying friend.
Reaction: Hamdani can be a great aid to the characters. He knows the jungle well and can lead them to the best hiding places or to anyone the characters seek. He can also get them easily lost so they wander about for days until the unforgiving jungle swallows them up, never to be seen again.
The characters cannot buy off Hamdani. Better they try to fight him to win his trust and friendship since he knows anyone who would take him on has to have a brave soul.
The Miko
Sex: Female
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Japanese
Native Language: Japanese
Age: 60
14th-level telepath (NPC); CR 14. SZ M; v/wp 49/7; Init +10 (+11 class, -1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 15 (+6 class, -1 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +5 (1d3-2); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA Psionics; SQ Sensitive, force of will 2/session, psychic escape (+3), blind spot 1/session, mind wipe, evasion (1/2 damage on failed Ref save, never flat-footed); SV Fort +5, Ref +11, Wil +12; Str 6, Dex 9, Con 7, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 18; Skills: Concentration +13, Diplomacy +14, First Aid +11, Handle Animal +10, Knowledge (Herbs) +13, Sense Motive +14. Feats ESP Basics, Imprint Basics, Intuitive Basics, ESP Mastery, Connection Junction, Intuitive Mastery, Imprint Mastery, Premonition Junction, Expanded Horizons. Psionic Skills: Clairsentience +22, Empathy +23, Psychometry +22, Project Thought +22, Telempathy +22, Precognition +22. Gear: 102 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 10 GP.
Background: The Miko is an old woman who is seen as a holistic healer or a witch woman, depending on who you talk to. Of Japanese descent, she came to the island, and this jungle, many years ago. She is a product of a rogue Japanese clan experimenting with ESP and telepathy. This clan thought themselves to be ninjas and her to be a Miko, a type of Japanese sorceress.
As a small child, Mama was found to have extraordinary abilities and was taken away from her parents by the clan. She studied for many years gaining insight into her abilities. When the Miko was in her early twenties, she was able to effect her escape from what was essentially her prison and, eventually, from Japan. The Japanese clan looked for her for many years before giving up. Although, they would still be interested in knowing where she is, they are not actively looking for her anymore. She eventually ended up on Madripoor and went into hiding in the jungle.
The Miko set up her home in a shack deep in the jungle, far away from prying eyes. The natives, already used to keeping to themselves, let her be. She has skills in healing and herbs and trades on these skills with the other jungle natives. The natives have also come to realize that she has some supernatural abilities. Many natives, though, will seek her out for her sage advice. It is said that she can see into the hearts of men and she has been known to refuse to help to certain individuals. These people have usually been found to be criminal or evil in some way, later.
Even though the Miko keeps to herself, she still seems to always know what is going on on the island. It is almost as though she was able to see what was going on miles away from her. She never seems to be surprised when someone shows up on her doorstep.
The Miko does have a pet albino tiger. Many natives feel it is the avatar of some spirit or god she made a deal with.. It is usually always by her side.
Reaction: If the characters are operating in the jungle, they may want or need the Miko’s special kind of help. Whether it is healing or supernatural help, the Miko is willing to give it if she feels the characters are honest and true.
If the characters scoff at her or her abilities, she will send them away and never give them help. The Miko does not take will to people like this and will have them removed as quickly as possible.
Chases in the Jungle
There are few roads through the jungle. Vehicles can traverse what few roads there are. The Shinta river cuts through the river and any boat of large size or smaller can travel along it. Nothing larger than this can get in there. Otherwise, the only way to get around is on foot or horseback.
Some general game rules that are in effect during chases in the jungle follow:
Terrain type: Close or Tight
Common chase types: Ground, foot or water
Initial starting speeds: ½ of the fastest vehicles maximum MPH (Close) or ¼ of the fastest vehicle’s maximum MPH (Tight)
Maneuver modifiers: No modifiers (Close) or driver of the vehicle with the higher handling receives a +1 speed bonus to maneuver checks (Tight)
Obstacle chance: 1 in d6 (Close) or 1 in d4 (Tight)
Obstacle DC: 18 (Close) or 24 (Tight)
Obstacle types:
A. Tree Crossing
Trees block your path and you must go over or around.
B. End of the Path
The path or road you are on ends and you must change terrain to tight, if its not already.
C. River Break
The path ends at the river and you must jump it to carry on.
D. Tiger, Tiger
An encounter with one of the jungles denizens which you must avoid.
E. The Root of the Problem
Roots stick up from everywhere trying to trip you up.
F. Rock Bottom
In the water, you don’t always see the rocks that can rip out the bottom of your craft.
G. Road to Somewhere
You have found a road or path to somewhere. Change terrain to close unless it already is.
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To continue...
The beaches along Madripoor’s eastern shore lead onto some of the richest fishing waters in the South China Sea. Fishermen casting nets or heading out early in the morning in search of their livelihood settled them long ago.
When resort developers were allowed to build along the north beaches, they complained about the amount of work those beaches would require to be made marketably beautiful, They suggested that they be given the right to buy the land along the eastern beaches which were naturally bright, pristine and scenic. The government refused.
Dharmawijaya argued that he would not allow his citizens to be dispossessed and lose their livelihood just to make life easier for foreigners. If the developers wished to build on Madripoor, they were welcome, but they would have to improve the rocky north coastline. It was not lost on anyone that such improvements would be a permanent boon to the island, even when the developers left many years down the road.
This left the east coastline undisturbed to the present day. The people here are fisherman, many with small homes with docks. Only those seeking solitude and absolute privacy make the east beaches their vacation spot. There is little to do all day except to loll about on the sands watching the fishing boats head out early in the morning and return in the late afternoon.
The fishermen own boats of all sizes. They have fifty-foot boats with crews and large nets. There is also the occasional day cruiser, loaded with tourist fishermen and executives from the island’s capitol Madripoor. The local fisherman also charter their smaller cruisers for the sport fishermen who want to go out and battle the large fish and pretend they are sharing a true experience with the ghosts of past fishermen.
The locals also cluck their tongues in confusion. Fishing is an exhausting, backbreaking way to make a living and these tourists do it for fun. There must be something in the city’s water supply that makes them crazy, they figure. Other boats go out searching for shells. A large lightning whelk can bring almost $100 from the shops in Madripoor where the tourists buy them to take home as souvenirs.
After watching the boats go out, the vacationers can float in the clear ocean waters or go surf fishing. They might also walk through the small villages. There are few 21st century distractions here. There are no nightclubs, although there are bars scattered along the coast.
At night, without the neon, office buildings, clusters of cars or other ambient light sources to filter them out, the stars provide a light show that can be watched for hours. The black sky scattered with thousands of glistening diamonds has provided a backdrop for many a romantic liaison.
And a few illegal ones.
Since the government banned the development of the east beach it has become a favorite spot for smugglers and others who would rather have their activities go unnoticed. It is an impossible job to patrol the almost 100 private and public docks dotting the coast. And many a boat has come in at night, without running lights, to drop off its cargo of drugs, gold, emeralds or even refugees.
The island is only a switching station or refueling point for the contraband. Most of the refugees are also on their way to some other dreamland with streets paved with gold. But some have found their journey ending along the east coast where they carry their own weight, they find a community willing to accept outsiders who mind their own business and do not ask for charity.
The natives tolerate tourists so long as they do not display a condescending attitude or start prying with a lot of questions. They are particularly offended by the kinds of questions a secret agent would ask. However, the players’ characters can find allies here and can hire boats for any sort of ocean-going mission.
NPCs of the East Beaches
Johan
Sex: Male
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Indonesian
Native Language: Indonesian
Age: 32
10th-level wheelman (NPC); CR 10. SZ M; v/wp 95/17; Init +9 (+6 class, +3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 19 (+6 class, +3 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +11 (1d3+1), Winchester Supreme Field Shotgun +13 (5d4); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Custom ride, daredevil, lucky, kick start 1/session, familiarity +2, elbow grease +4, soup her up (25%); SV Fort +4, Ref +10, Wil +5; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10; Skills: Balance +13, Boating +16, Driver +13, Mechanics +13, Spot +12, Swim +14. Feats: One Hand on the Wheel…, Wave Runner, Firm Hand, Oversteer, Baby It, “Hold Together Baby!”, Endurance. Gear: Winchester Supreme Field Shotgun 27 BP left. Gadgets & Vehicles: Fishing boat 7(6) GP left.
Indah Wanita (6 Gadget Points)
Fishing boat. SZ: Huge; Hnd: +2; Spd: 80 ft.; MPH: 8/16; Def: 8; WP: 75; Hrd: 3
Modifications: Autopilot, Hidden Compartment, Improved Handling.
Background: Life is a great joke to Johan. He is always smiling, always kind, and always helpful. He has the same smile whether he is playing with a small child or sending a vicious drug dealer to a watery grave. Johan has set himself up as protector of his little fishing village.
Johan grew up in the village. While a teen, his parents died in a fire that destroyed his home and all his family’s possessions. Johan did not accept charity from the neighbors. Instead he would work to earn their offers of food, clothing and shelter.
With a strong back and almost tireless energy, he became a favorite with local fishermen. Whenever they needed an extra hand to pull in a heavy catch or handle the wheel for a rich tourist, they always sought out Johan first.
Old Sonny, owner of the 27-foot inboard Indah Wanita, came closest to being a surrogate father to Johan. Old Sonny taught Johan the ways of navigating by the stars, by his ears and by his nose. He also revealed the locations of the best fishing spots that kept the tourists returning to the Indah Wanita even though Old Sonny charged higher fees than any other captain did.
When Old Sonny died, Johan was the only one surprised to find he was the old man’s sole heir. Over the years, Johan worked hard not to tarnish the image or reputation of the Indah Wanita. He also promised that he would help the people of his village. He felt for them a deep kinship, for opening their hearts and homes to him when he needed it most.
Whenever someone is in need, Johan hears of it and is there to help whether it is an anonymous donation or the toil of his muscular frame. He is the unofficial mayor of the town and can rally and unite the people far more efficiently than any politician or priest. He also makes sure his village is untainted with drugs.
The other fishermen in the village have occasionally helped smugglers bring in gold, jewels or refugees. Their rationalization was that it was relatively harmless. But then the Golden Triangle druglords started bringing in a lot of dollars for very little work, immoral dollars that Johan could not allow to continue.
The villagers might have continued to look the other way or cooperating, but the first of the drug smugglers were from the Chinese tongs. Ruthless, almost savage, men, whose expensive clothes look out of place, they came into the village looking for a safe haven. Flashing a lot of money and jewels, they were very welcome… until they decided they wanted to take something.
Utami was a lovely young woman who caught the eye of one of the Chinese. She politely refused, which sent the Chinese man into a rage. That night, Utami disappeared. Johan went looking for her. He came back without her, and without his ever-present smile. The villagers knew she was dead and that Johan had found the body.
The next night, the Chinese all disappeared. The next day, Johan’s smile returned.
Reaction: Johan is always outwardly friendly and may even become friends with the characters so long as they present no danger to the villagers.
He will eagerly join with any characters that say they are fighting drug smuggling. He can also rally a fleet of 20 or so boats to provide characters with a task force.
Guideng An
Sex: Female
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Chinese
Native Language: Chinese
Age: 28
6th-level pointman (NPC); CR 6. SZ M; v/wp 33/10; Init +4 (+2 class, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 14 (+2 class, +2 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +3 (1d3-1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Generous, assistance (½ time), lead 2/session, tactics 1/session, backup 1/session; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Wil +10; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 10, Int15 , Wis 16, Cha 15; Skills: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, First Aid +12, Gather Information +11, Hide +11, Move Silently +11, Sense Motive +12, Swim +10. Feats: Iron Will, Old Debts, Traceless. Gear: 68 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 4 GP.
Background: You have never seen hate until you mention China in Guideng’s presence.
She comes by her hate honestly. She grew up in China and is well versed in the travesties of justice perpetrated there by the government.
Her father was arrested and thrown into jail. She has not seen him since and does not know if he is still alive. Her mother was beaten by soldiers in front of her when she was only 11.
She became part of the resistance in China and, with the help of benefactors in the United States, made the government very uncomfortable by helping refugees escape the country to America.
These activities ended abruptly when soldiers broke into her home, destroyed it and took her prisoner. She was interrogated for many days and has terrible marks of torture on her feet. For what seemed an eternity, her soles were beaten with a split bamboo rod in hopes she would reveal her allies and give up her entire network.
She never broke, and word of her integrity and bravery soon made her a martyr to her fellow countrymen. This caused a problem for the government who wanted to be rid of her, but did not want to raise her to the level of sainthood in the eyes of the people.
Wishing to discredit her, they came up with an elaborate scheme to make it look as if she had decided to cooperate. The government staged raids across the countryside and disseminated misinformation that Guideng had given them the information. The plan called for her to be found dead of a drug overdose dressed in fine clothes in an expensive hotel with cash and drugs around. Even if it did not totally destroy her image, it would certainly tarnish the halo the people placed around her.
The raids went off and Guideng was taken to the hotel, but the government had failed to take her compatriots into account. They ambushed the guards and escaped in the transport vehicle to the coast. There they had a boat waiting to get her away from China. Guideng was taken to Madripoor left with friends there who nursed her back to full health.
Guideng found that she was tired of the fighting and the experiences of prison and torture made her reluctant to return to China. Her friends convinced her she did not have to. They would spread rumors that she had escaped the prison. She would become a living symbol of the resistance and inspire others. She could remain on Madripoor and operate a clearinghouse for Chinese refugees.
She agreed, but with a shamed heart. She did not take the suggestion because of a sense of duty, but out of emotional exhaustion and the loss of her fighting spirit. She carries with her the feelings of guilt over the fact that she no longer has the fervor of a revolutionary and would very gladly disappear to start a quiet ordinary life somewhere else. But she still has a sense of duty and responsibility. So she meets the occasional boat and helps refugee families find their way to new homes.
Reactions: Guideng would much rather be left alone than get involved in any mission the players’ characters are on. You should play her as almost a tragic figure, wallowing in her own world of guilt and self-pity, unwilling to help the characters unless they can do some heavy-duty convincing.
Any attempt to convince her to help will be at a –4 circumstance modifier to the Diplomacy check.
She can, though, put the characters in touch with gunrunners, smugglers and assorted underworld types around the island. She can also help them escape through her refugee underground railroad. Should the characters manage to involve Guideng in a plot, its culmination might potentially bring her out of her rut and back into the revolutionary forefront.
Chases in the East Beaches
The East Beaches have many small fishing villages and roads in between. Many boats also move up and down the coast in the water. During the day it can be very busy but at night everything slows right down.
Terrain type: Open or Close
Common chase types: Ground, foot or water
Initial starting speeds: ¾ of the fastest vehicle’s maximum MPH (Open) or ½ of the fastest vehicle’s maximum MPH (Close)
Maneuver modifiers: The vehicle with the fastest maximum MPH receives a +2 speed modifier to maneuver checks (open) or none (Close)
Obstacle chance: 1 in d10 (Open) or 1 in d6 (Close)
Obstacle DC: 12 (Open) or 18 (Close)
Obstacle types
A. The Net Result
Watch out for the nets left out to dry.
B. Child’s Play
Children are playing directly in your path.
C. Catch of the Day
This man in your way seems very proud of his catch.
D. No Bridge Over Troubled Waters
The bridge is out but you can jump it.
E. Happy Hour
These drunken fools are crossing directly into your path.
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Trailing off the island, like the tail of a reversed letter “Q”, are the Acauda Isles. As South China Sea isles go, they are not very spectacular. In fact, many are not much larger than a baseball field. But some are large enough to support vegetation and they are a favorite picnic spot for tourists and boaters who want maximum privacy.
Some of the islands are even large enough that the government offered them for sale to private owners. There are a few that sport beach cottages or houses, but they require their own generators and fresh water must be caught in cisterns and stored in tanks or , delivered from the mainland.
At the end of the Acauda Isles is Dragão Isle, largest of the key islands. It is covered with dense undergrowth and has a very nasty reputation. Madripoorans avoid it all costs. It is said that people who have visited it are not seen again. Fisherman will not even offer it as an option to their tourist parties.
It is rumored that a dragon-worshipping cult holds their secret rites of worship and human sacrifice there. In actuality, not much is known about the island… for now.
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Madripoor’s capital city is named after the island itself. Like most large cities, Madripoor has a variety of districts, each one offering a unique personality to entice tourists searching for anything from highbrow culture to low-class thrills.
Capitol Square houses the government buildings including the president’s house. The Parliament building also features an excellent museum that displays local art and a pictorial history of Madripoor. It also has a large collection of native artifacts and relics.
Orchid Park, located on the edge of the business district, is a favorite place for working people to take lunch and for tourists to admire the collection of local flora in the Amsterdam Gardens. The garden boasts a carpet of brightly colored flowers the year round. It takes a team of 20 skilled gardeners to keep the gardens at the peak of their splendor.
The business district boasts some very elaborate and modern buildings, but the tallest is only 12 stories. Fear of high-force typhoons has kept the height of buildings down. The city’s offices are mostly trading companies that deal in Southeast Asia. They chose Madripoor as their base because of the fair tax laws, the sacrosanct nature of Madripoor’s banks and the perceived stability of the government compared with other nations in Southeast Asia.
Beyond its business center, Madripoor City has many more faces to offer its visitors.
Glitter Street
The Avenue Ponce de Leon has earned its nickname of Glitter Street. For five blocks, tourists can enter a veritable Oz of fun and entertainment. It is the heart of the entertainment district and rivals New York City’s Broadway for dazzling marquees and brightly lit displays.
Here tourists can enjoy professional theater of high calibre, or a revue that rivals the Folies Bergere in Paris. They can choose to dine in sumptuous splendor or in elegant coziness.
Glitter Street was created especially for the tourists. They can walk the street bar hopping or just for an interesting stroll. Men and women in formal or eveningwear is a common sight on the sidewalks of nearby Lindo Park. On a night with a full moon, the park has inspired many a man to pop the question and many a woman to accept, both blushing in the soft, Indonesian moonlight.
Restaurants
Madripoor’s cuisine is one of the most varied in the Far East. Made up of dishes from Southeast Asia along with adapted culinary traditions from Great Britain, Portugal and Scandinavia, Madripoor has a mix and match approach to cooking that is uniquely its own.
Most dishes are heavily spiced, a tradition from the days when foodstuffs had to be shipped in and there fore salted, dried or pickled to preserve them. Allspice, ginger, pepper, lemon juice, cumin and other native and imported spices are blended to create Madripoor’s distinctive cuisine.
Meals often start out with heavily spiced and delicious pickled herring. Seafood like shrimps, crayfish and mako shark can be ordered deep-fried, barbecued or broiled, ready for dipping in any one of several native sauces.
Another island favorite is, of course, the ubiquitous conch (pronounced conk). This shellfish shows up in appetizers, soups, main and side dishes or all by itself on a bed of rice and sprayed with lemon juice or tabasco for the adventurous.
Most dishes are made with seafood, prepared to be incredibly fresh and tasty. Often a patron can choose his dinner while it still swims in a tank.
O Lugar: This restaurant offers the finest in nouvelle cuisine, which means the portions are delicious but very small. The ambiance is one of crystal and dark mahogany. The chandeliers create a thousand pinpoints of lights on the walls, ceilings and patrons. After nine, the lights are dimmed and late diners can share quiet moments to the accompaniment of a string quartet or a pianist.
The Major’s Garden: Well (if not imaginatively) named, this restaurant is owned by Colonel and Mrs. Parkhurst. The Colonel spent his early military years in Indonesia and when he and his wife retired, they sold their belongings and moved to Madripoor. The restaurant does not serve a large crowd. It has only 20 tables dispersed throughout a garden setting of lush flowers and tropical plants. Mrs. Parkhurst tends the garden and she will be more than happy to give any interested patron a guided tour.
New World Inn: Though its name sounds rustic, the New World Inn is actually quite fashionable. This renovated townhouse features several dining rooms with only three or four tables each. Specials are available every day and the wine cellar is well stocked.
Nightclubs
Everything from Las Vegas splash to bistro calm is available along Glitter Street.
The theaters run performances of plays as soon as the rights become available. Many big-name stars tread upon the boards down here since often their expenses are paid on top of their salaries. They also get to enjoy one of the top tourist resorts of Indonesia.
Nightclubs run the gamut from the enormous, with floor shows, revues, bands and dancing, to the intimate, with one song stylist and piano touching every emotional chord in the house.
The Golden Fleece: Sometimes described as bright, splashy, and loud and a whole lot of fun, the Golden Fleece is recognized worldwide. The dance revue in the large main room occupies three stages placed strategically so no one has a bad seat. The center can be used for dancing or, when raised, as a center stage for the main attraction whether it is an internationally known singer, musical group or comic. Off the main room are smaller, quieter rooms, each with its own bar and tables, where patrons can go if they wish to engage in conversation or just escape the noise for a few moments.
A Casa do Tigre: One step through the door of A Casa is like stepping back in time. The main attraction is jazz played by Madripoor Blue, the house quartet, often ably assisted by a female vocalist. The mood is subdued. People come here not for a boisterous time, but to enjoy the music and the atmosphere. No food is served, but the drinks are generous and those requiring them are prepared with the island’s fresh fruit juices.
The French Twist: If there is anything in Madripoor that can be termed a “singles establishment,” the French Twist is it. Young tourists and islanders come here to dance to the latest pop and rock hits played by the DJ. Conversation is impossible against the onslaught of loud music, essential to the club’s “pick-up” atmosphere.
Of course, the local police know that Glitter Street is one of the city’s treasures. They simply make sure that the streets are safe. There are police walking patrols on every block. Of course, they are dressed in their finest dress uniforms for the benefit of the tourists.
The police presence makes Glitter Street significantly safer than A Selva.
A Selva
It wouldn’t be entirely fair to say that the section of Madripoor City called A Selva is deadly to anyone who enters. But anyone who intrigued enough to investigate this colorful part of town would be well advised to tread cautiously and keep one hand on their wallet.
There’s no way to keep a red-light district from developing in any large city and Madripoor is no exception. A Selvo is the crime-ridden section of the city, but certain elements are drawn to it like a magnet.
To venture into the back alleys and dark side streets is foolhardy and even the natives avoid them like the plague. There in the shadows lurk muggers, drug sellers and others who would rob or even kill any tourist who turns his back.
But there is also the clubs. These clubs thrive on the reputation of A Selva to bring in the curious and adventurous. They hire the largest bouncers and enforce maximum security to make sure their patrons are as safe as possible, but fights regularly break out and the police are nightly called to the area to restore order.
Nightclubs
The Broken Shell: The Shell typifies the bar/nightclub on the wrong side of town. Though once quite attractive, the building has seen years of neglect and is merely a shell of its former self. The patrons are all local toughs, fishermen, smugglers, and other criminals, excluded from the finer tourist establishments by patrols of the police and sometimes soldiers. The underworld elements rarely make a fuss, however. The police are content to contain them here and let them go about their undoubtedly illegal activities away from the tourist trade.
The Broken Shell is reputed to be the place to visit when in the market for drugs, illegal trade items, hired muscle, or even a hit man. No questions are asked, but anyone who isn’t a regular patron should go about his business and then quickly leave. The regulars might easily take a mind to beat up any unwanted outsiders.
NPCs in A Selva
Maximillian O’Rourke
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian/Oriental
Nationality: Irish
Native Language: English
Age: 45
4th-level faceman (NPC); CR 4. SZ M; v/wp 30/14; Init +2 (+3 class, -1 Dex); Spd 15 ft.; Def 11 (+2 class, -1 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +4 (1d3+1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Adaptable, linguist +3, Cold read 1/day, backup 1/session; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Wil +3; Str 12, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 18; Skills: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Gather Information +11, Search +9, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of hand +6, Sport (Football) +6, Spot +8. Feats: Charmer, The Look. Gear: 72 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 2 GP.
Background: For a man in a wheelchair, he gets around pretty well. However, he rarely leaves his nightclub in the A Selva district, a club he has had especially renovated to allow him complete access.
Of a Black Irish father and Indonesian mother, O’Rourke looks much as any other islander does. His father emigrated to Indonesia to escape British soldiers interested in his part in the bombing of a fleet of army trucks.
O’Rourke grew up in an Indonesian environment with an Irish heritage. He was well read in James Joyce and could sing old folk songs in faultless Indonesian. When he was in his teens the strapping young lad found a new hero in Ernest Hemingway. He read of the pure, clean deeds that men do and the magnificent, clean thrill of living with danger and conquering nature.
He became fascinated with deep-sea fishing and spent summers crewing for a fishing boat. He would have been very happy spending the rest of his days on the sea, but his father intervened. He had O’Rourke apply to the best American universities. The smart young man got into one of the Ivy League schools, though mainly to fulfill their requirement of minority students.
Then he went out for football.
The years at sea had developed O’Rourke’s muscular body and made him very adept and quick. By his sophomore year, he had several pro teams looking at him with great interest. They wanted to sign him immediately, but O’Rourke’s father insisted he finish his education.
Out of college, he signed with a Midwest team and became a national star as a halfback. His was a glorious career and he became a media favorite. He worked the brogue accent that was almost real and, combined with his oriental looks and charm, made him a perfect TV guest and interviewee.
Then, when his career was at its zenith, there was disaster. On a fishing trip into the South China Sea, his boat was caught in a storm and dashed on one of the small islands in the Acauda Isles. O’Rourke held onto the unconscious skipper of the boat with one hand while clinging to the rock with the other. The skipper made it through with only a concussion and pneumonia. O’Rourke had shattered a nerve junction at the base of his spine when he hit the rocks. From that time on, he was confined to a wheelchair.
He never returned to the United States and had no desire to go back to his father. He had his business manager sell most of his interests and bought a nightclub on Madripoor. With the same charm that he exuded over the TV cameras, he won over the tourists and the local newspaper. They covered his club’s opening with a fanfare usually reserved for visiting dignitaries.
He kept the Hemingway-inspired façade of macho and good humor going and is today hailed as being a brave man beset by unfortunate circumstances. Virtually everyone is his friend.
Privately, though, O’Rourke is bitter. He feels cheated out of his best years and uses the island and his nightclub as a retreat where he controls everything and no one can interfere with his self-pity.
Reactions: O’Rourke knows most people in A Selva and hears many rumors. If the characters ever have an investigation in this area, it is very likely they will be directed to O’Rourke.
He will share information, to a point. To win the man’s confidence will require some expert role-playing on your part and perceptiveness from your players. You will have to play O’Rourke as being happy-go-lucky and unconcerned about everything but him. If the players have their characters talk about his accident, you must get the players (Sense Motive checks all around, DC 18) to notice that talking about the accident bothers him.
If the characters confront him about the accident and stand up to O’Rourke about his selfish attitude, make a Will save opposing a character’s Diplomacy roll. If it fails, then the character has gotten through and broken through the defenses. If the character is smart enough not to exploit this weakness, he will have a friend for life, a source of information and a safe house in A Selva.
Catharina de Groot
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Nationality: Denmark
Native Language: Dutch
Age: 26
2nd-level civilian (NPC); CR 1/2. SZ M; v/wp 5/10; Init +3 (+1 class, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 13 (+1 class, +2 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +0 (1d3-1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ None; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Wil +3; Str 9, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 17; Skills: Appraise +5, Bluff +8, Cultures +4, Languages +3, Swim +4. Feats: Silver Tongue. Gear: 55 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 1 GP.
Background: Maybe Catharina de Groot could have avoided her fate. Maybe if she had been brighter. Maybe if she had been less wild. But it happened and now she is living with it the best she can.
de Groot’s parents were from a wealthy Copenhagen family. But the mansion in the city became just another prison for the bored, beautiful young lady. Maybe everything came too easily for her. She whizzed through school, making honor rolls without even trying. She was very popular because of her looks and breeding. She never suffered from lack of male attention.
Maybe at that point in her life Catharina needed more of a challenge. She found one on a trip to Indonesia. There she met Cristoval. He was rough and aloof, not like the other boys back home who fawned over her. He was swarthy and handsome. He was certainly not a smooth operator. Worse, though, he openly stared and admired the young blond. She was used to males being shy and uncertain around her.
Something akin to the childish urge to play in the mud drew her to Cristoval. The challenge to conquer someone who was so strong mixed Freudianly with the urge to be protected by this mysterious man with the strong body and tattoo.
Because she was always used to being in control, she never recognized the symptoms of losing that control. During her vacation, Cristoval carefully isolated her from her friends. They spent long days in the country. She was caught up in the macho mystique Cristoval exuded. Here was someone who would protect her and keep her from harm.
When it came time to return to Copenhagen, Catharina cashed in her ticket to stay with Cristoval. That’s when he introduced her to his friends.
A yacht party, with lots of beautiful people and lots of powerful drinks set the stage for the next step in her fall. Cristoval made sure her drinks were made from the high-proof liquor. When she awoke, she was in a cabin on the boat with only a dim recollection of the night before. The party was over and all the guests, including Cristoval, were gone. The owner of the boat, Kinzo Ishida, explained the situation.
Cristoval owed him a lot of money. When they came on board, he told Cristoval he would forgive all debts in exchange for his blond woman. Cristoval never thought twice. To get out from under his debts he would give Kinzo anything.
Catharina tried to rebel, but the boat was out at sea and she had no escape. Kinzo treated her like a prisoner, She turned to drinking and drugs to numb her nerves. Finally, when she had lost almost all her dignity, she gave in and become the quiet, compliant hostess for Kinzo. She never complained when she found out he was a smuggler or when he would show her off to his cronies.
In time, Kinzo became bored with his compliant, somnambulistic toy and eventually put her ashore.
Knowing her family would never forgive her or accept the things she had done and had become, Catharina stayed in the islands. She had learned to survive by her wits and became an island hopper. She travels in the twilight world of crime. Never quite getting involved in the actual dirty work, but using her looks and wiles to get information that she sells to interested parties. Sometimes she is hired to get close to a particular person and find out what they are up to.
Reaction: de Groot is a callused person. She has very low self-esteem and measures her worth by how much people will pay her. Her first meeting with a character could be under these conditions.
For example, a villain, suspicious of the characters, could hire de Groot to befriend one of them. She arranges to meet the character either on the beach or in a bar and feigns affection and interest. She will keep tabs on the character and report whatever she finds out to the villain.
She could also work for the characters. She has no particular loyalty. If the characters are kind to her, she will laugh at what she perceives to be their naivete. “Everybody’s for sale,” she’ll say, “you just have to find the right price.”
Though she may be beyond redemption, de Groot could be a continuing NPC in your campaign. With her method of earning money, she could turn up almost anywhere in the world if you see fit.
Su-fei Tung
Sex: Female
Race: Oriental
Nationality: Chinese
Native Language: Chinese
Age: 49
8th-level fixer/4th-level pointman (NPC); CR 12. SZ M; v/wp 46/9; Init +7 (+5 class, +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Def 20 (+8 class, +2 Dex); Atk: punch/kick +8 (1d3-1); Face 1 square; Reach 1 square; SA None; SQ Dexterous, procure, evasion (no damage on save), sneak attack +3d6, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to Defense), skill mastery, uncanny dodge (can’t be flanked), assistance (1/2 time), lead 1/session, tactics 1/session; SV Fort +6, Ref +11, Wil +11; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 14; Skills: Appraise +21, Bluff +17, Bureaucracy +9, Computer +11, Diplomacy +9, Forgery +21, Gather Information +11, Hide +17, Innuendo +17, Languages +6, Listen +8, Move Silently +17, Open Lock +17, Search +15, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +13. Feats: Master Fence, Career Operative, Iron Will, False Start, Sidestep. Gear: 70 BP. Gadgets & Vehicles: 11 GP.
Background: Born into a noble family line that met disaster when the people’s revolution took control, Tung has never quite forgiven the world for what she considers a major injustice. Her royal status was abruptly and illegally taken away. To maintain a lifestyle to which she had always wanted to grow accustomed, Tung turned to profitable crime, including blackmail, pandering and drug smuggling. She had some dealings with the Tong and the Yakuza, but they experienced a falling out.
It seems that Tung’s accountants and the Tong’s and the Yakuza’s all disagreed over how much money was being made. The Tong blamed the Yakuza and vice versa. Neither one blamed Tung though she was, in fact, guilty. She got away with over five million dollars worth of gems and raw opium, embezzled from the Tong and Yakuza.
Now she controls a major heroin and jewelry smuggling route between Southeast Asia and Australia. From her luxurious apartment, hidden behind the façade of a crumbling tenement, she still moves people around like chess pieces, always attaining her desired goals.
Reaction: Madame Tung jealously protects little empire and will not be happy if anyone tries to muscle in. She is strictly small potatoes and if threatened by a larger organization, will gladly join forces with the characters to fight it. However, the characters should be careful since once they have outlived their usefulness, Tung will attempt to have them killed.
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Well, this will be the last one. I'm working on the adventure now and going to run it to make sure it seems OK. If it is, all this may end up on a site. We'll see.
Once upon a time there was a volcano that pushed up out of the sea and then died. A few eons later another volcano burst forth about 15 miles to the south. The ensuing earthquake caused the first volcano to sink almost to sea level and one wall of the crater to open creating an almost perfectly round, well protected and very deep bay.
Eons later, pirates discovered this wonderful protected harbor and claimed it for their own. But the pirates were soon gone under the guns of the Portuguese and Dutch and the harbor became a favorite place for pleasure boats to lie at anchor.
It was simply a matter of time before the island paradise drew the attention of vacationers and businessmen alike. Soon came a marina, then hotels and clubs, until today Refúgio Bay is one of the foremost tourist resort areas in Indonesia.
The bay can accommodate ships of almost any size, though an aircraft carrier would have a little difficulty. It has become a favored spot for people who are cruising the South China Sea and looking for an idyllic place to drop anchor and enjoy some of the most modern entertainment and hotel facilities in the world.
The government, of course, runs the casino and turns a tidy profit on the proceeds. It also offers special deals to the hotels. The hotel guests get reduced passes to the casino and the casino gets prominent mention in all the hotel’s promotion materials.
There is also the Refúgio Bay Country Club with a full eighteen-hole golf course, tennis, and sport’s club facilities. People who maintain homes in the Bay area get a discount membership while visitors and tourists can buy a short-term membership.
If the people get tired of the hotels and their Las Vegas-style shows, they can always stroll down to the Madripoor Center for the Arts. This four-building complex offers concerts, plays and art galleries to please the senses.
Hotels
The Shoreman House: In all the world’s great cities you can find a Shoreman House. They are known for offering comfortable accommodations at a reasonable price. The food and service are slightly above the norm and its proximity to the beach makes it a very attractive package for the traveler who wants to experience a pleasant vacation without losing his shirt.
The Flying Dutchman: The most expensive hotel on the island is worth every penny. The rooms are luxurious in the extreme. The penthouse, with views of both the bay and the sea, is positively sumptuous. The nouvelle cuisine is magnificent and the hotel often features special menus celebrating particular cuisines from around the world. The hotel is the centerpiece for the annual Pirates’ Regatta when sailboats from all over Indonesia come to unfurl sails and join in a magnificent display of sailing encircling the island. The Flying Dutchman is also known for it’s marvelous terrace, which is made of different colored stones that form a large abstract mosaic that can be admired from the penthouse.
Restaurants
Refúgio Bay also has some of the finest restaurants on Madripoor, which is saying a lot considering the consistently high quality of the restaurants around the island.
Island Princess: With a menu that changes daily based on the freshest catch, the Island Princess has become a favorite with natives and tourists alike. The main dining room is entirely glass enclosed, including part of the ceiling. The 270-degree view allows earlybirds and latenighters to admire the sunrise with their breakfast and to savor the sunset along with their dinner,
Neptune’s Favorite: Decorated with nautical scenes and tons of statuary carved from coral, this restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere that many enjoy. The outdoor café welcomes swimmers and sunbathers directly from the beach.
Clubs
The Reef: Featuring a disc jockey playing the latest dance tunes, this club appeals to the younger crowd. Friday and Saturday afternoons are TeenTime when boys and girls under 18 are allowed in to dance. No alcohol is served during this time.
The Glass Surf: If you can make it to the bar on a crowded night, you’ll see where the club gets its name. Behind the bar is a magnificent glass sculpture of crashing surf. Unfortunately, the management has decided that it wasn’t pretty enough on its own and have placed colored lights behind and below the sculpture. The lights go on and off in time to the music. The crowd ranges from 18 to 30, who come in to listen to the disc jockey or to live bands. Currently, reggae star Bobby Markham is performing.
Chases in Madripoor City and Refúgio Bay
Chases in these cities will be in very tight quarters for the most part. Both cities teem with people, both tourists and natives. Much care will have to be taken in the cities to avoid any collateral damage.
Terrain type: Close or Tight
Common chase types: Ground or foot
Initial starting speeds: ½ of the fastest vehicles maximum MPH (Close) or ¼ of the fastest vehicle’s maximum MPH (Tight)
Maneuver modifiers: No modifiers (Close) or driver of the vehicle with the higher handling receives a +1 speed bonus to maneuver checks (Tight)
Obstacle chance: 1 in d6 (Close) or 1 in d4 (Tight)
Obstacle DC: 18 (Close) or 24 (Tight)
Obstacle types
A. Model Behavior
A group of models doing a photo shoot is directly in you path. Try to avoid them.
B. A Head for Fruit
Avoid the native woman carrying the basket on her head.
C. Cast off
There is a boat at the end of this dead end dock. Maybe you can jump onto the boat.
D. What’s in Store
You’ve found a store. Roll d6:
1-Souvenir Shop
2-Boutique
3-Salon
4-Antique/Music Box
5-Rare Books
6-Sports Shop
E. Shuttle Space
It looks like a large metal centipede, but it is a bus for transporting tourists and it’s in your way.
F. Bunches of Fun
A bunch of tourists are in your path. Roll d6:
1-Beach types
2-Senior Citizens
3-Young lovers
4-Camera Freaks
5-Businessmen
6-School Children