DARK CONTINENT: CENTRAL STATION

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The river is not navigable to Central Station, so a week of portage is in order. The road is well trod, but was dangerous even before the revolt. The caravan arrives at a large, dirty, and wild town, Central Station. It is the safest place in the Interior for colonials from the revolt, but not from each other. It is a dangerous place.


CHARACTER GOALS
The group needs make its way to Central Station and then hire a boat to get up river. The revolt has made it difficult to find captains willing to take a fare at any price. The group also needs to meet with the Owner of the Dagger Inn to get information and their next contact.


CARAVAN
Tramping off alone down the path to Central Station is not recommended. At least a guide is necessary. The safest option is to travel with a caravan. The group may either buy their way in or offer their services as guards for the trip. Their travel permit papers will be asked for.

The caravan will go by several estates and native villages, all abandoned. There are no set encounters here. However, there should be daily attacks by natives, the 13, colonial bandit gangs, and even wild animals. None of these should be particularly lethal in and of themselves (the 13 will not fight to the death here), but there should be a steady attrition of men and resources. By the end of this trek, the players should be convinced that the Interior is a dangerous, un-welcoming place.


SOLDIER TOWN
This large walled town is well guarded with many troops. Those manning their posts are alert and suspicious. The characters will simply be just another band of colonial mercenaries and therefore not raise any undue concern, as long as they have their travel papers. Inside, the attitude is much more relaxed, if not drunk and disorderly. The town is crowded with anxious refugees, greedy merchants, mercenaries spoiling for a fight, and natives trying not to attract any attention. There are actually fewer natives here than colonials. It is unpleasant and uncomfortable everywhere within. DM’s are encouraged to embellish on this theme as they wish.


MEETINGS
The Dagger Inn and Meade House is the largest inn in town and easy to spot. There are a bunch of beehives in the back of the building to make the honey for the meade. Weapons and armor are checked at the door, but fighting is somewhat encouraged. If the group needs reinforcements or replacements, there will be plenty of options here. However, there will be a constant buzz in the air about Kurtz. He is revered here, so the party best not divulge their real mission, only mentioning that they are joining up with him.

Getting the Owner’s attention behind the bar is easy. The characters will need to name drop and show some proof that they know the Baron, before he’ll want to talk business in the back. The Owner basically knows just about everything going on the colony. Go ahead and drop some hints about things to come. The Owner will give the group their next contact just before they leave. He can recommend only one ship for the characters’ transit up river.

At this time, there’s a single independent ship captain willing to go up river. The Captain asks for a hefty price to be paid up front (and to see their travel papers). His boat is stuck in the river at low tide and needs money for repairs, which is the only reason he’s taking the job. The characters are going to have to cool their heels for a week or two waiting on the boat.


AMUSEMENTS
While they’re waiting, the group should have several options for finding trouble.

A posse is being formed to hunt down a wounded member of the 13 in the jungle. A reward is offered for capture. Smells like a trap.

There is already a captured member of the 13 being held in a pit-fighting arena. Contenders are unarmored and given only blunt instruments to fight with, and no magic allowed. You have to last four rounds to claim the prize money, which consists of all the entry fees paid up to this point. So far, there have been no winners, just a couple of accidental fatalities.

A circus comes to town. (WTF!) They have been invited by the idiot Manager of the station (who was also behind the posse and the pit-fighting). This is, of course, a rouse by one of the 13 to break out any of his comrades who have been captured. The Manager is not working for the enemy. He just isn’t taking the rebellion seriously.

The nearly famous Eldorado Exploration Company frequents the Inn. They are looking for some muscle to check out a possible gold deposit to claim it. They are offering an impressive share of any loot. The 13 have been passing out fake treasure maps to lead greedy fools into ambushes. The Eldorado Exploration Company will run at the first sign of combat. (The group may be meeting these losers again at the next station.) There should be some actual treasure to be had in the way of magic items and such, if the party makes it out of the trap.


BOUNTY
Just to remind the group that their characters are in fact wanted men, this would be a good place for an attack by a group of bounty hunters. It should be right before they plan to leave. The hunters will be attacking the party by non-lethal means. The group will need to work fast and be very circumspect to avoid the authorities getting involved in any fight. The bounty hunters might settle for capturing one or two characters and trying to leave town with them (the bounty has to be paid by the colonial governor), in which case a rescue mission will be in order.