Pirates Campaign: The Prisoner of Al-Katras
A fantasy RPG campaign for Rolemaster and Midgard set in a pirates scenario.

Copyright Robert Wenner ©2001

Edited by Lowell R. Matthews for The Guild Companion

In this scenario, the PC's task is to free a prisoner from the notorious prison "Al-Katras."  The escape is further problematic because of the conflicts between the families around the old citadel and the unsure situation inside its walls.  There is also the strange mage Predoncal, who supports the prison's guards with magical means.

Al-Katras

Ten human guards (three are in the prison at any time), armed with light crossbows, whips, and shortswords, take care of the prison.  Three big dogs stroll around the yard.  They are used to detect Invisible intruders by smell and to stop escaping prisoners at night.  These dogs are not trained for combat.

Ground Floor

1.  Yard:  The ground consists mostly of packed earth and dirt forming a puddle at the gate.  The gate is made from heavy oak.  It is secured by a lock (the key is in the guard's room or is carried by Miacapnar or Predoncal) and a huge bar.  The yard is used for physical training (running in circles, push-ups, etc.), depending on the guard's choice.  A small part of the yard is separated from the other yard by a 3-m (10') high wooden fence.  Behind it is the gallows.  No one has been executed here in the last several years; the main reason for the presence of the gallows is to frighten the prisoners (or would-be prisoners).  Four doors lead into the main building, one into the tower.

2.  Storeroom:  In the tower's ground floor, various foodstuffs and firewood are stored.  Some tools are also kept here.  Stairs lead up.

3.  Quarters:  This room is quarters and common room for the guards.  Some tables and benches are the furniture and some hooks in the wall are used for capes and other clothing.  In the rear part of the room five beds line the wall.

4.  Laundry:  Some pieces of soap and some brushes are kept here, as well as three big barrels and other washing tools.  Some rope clotheslines and wooden clothespins are stored on a shelf.

5.  Ground Level Cells:  This big room is divided into five cells by iron bars.  The space between two bars is about 20 cm (7 3/4"), and each bar is 2 cm (3/4") thick.  Some doors lead to cells for solitary confinement.  Between the two entrances there is a guard's office.

6.  Guards' Room:  The small guards' room has a only tight high wall to the cells; it is the office for the guard on duty.  It contains a desk and a chair.  A duty roster is attached to the wall.  In the desk are keys to the various cells, chalk, candles, and flint and steel.

7.  Open Plan Cells:  In these cells live up to 10 prisoners.  The walls are lined with hard plank beds; a hammock is set up in a corner.  All prisoners own a spoon and a plate made from wood.  Some may also possess other personal stuff (see below).

8.  Solitary Confinement Cells:  With floor space of only 1 m² (11 ft²), these cells are not used very often; their only purpose is punishment.  Some mew prisoners may be kept here to break their wills.

9.  Corridor:  The corridor leads to stairs leading up to Room 10 and down to Room 14.

First Floor

10.  Corridor:  The corridor leads to some cells.

11.  Magicians' Cells:  These solitary confinement cells have specially secured walls with metal wires threaded between the bricks to make them impassable to magic energy or spells.  In these cells, spell-casters or people who are suspected of being able to use magic are imprisoned.

12.  Madmen's Cells:  These cells are the homes of prisoners gone mad or whom someone wants to go mad.  Violence and confrontations occur quite often here, and sometimes the losers' bodies are found the next day.  Many of those imprisoned here have been "guinea pigs" for some mage's experiments and have lost their minds in these experiments.  Others are to be used in later experiments.  Sometimes Predoncal has a need for such an assistant himself, but most times he charges other spell-users for such a human "guinea pig."  This is a very good source of income for Predoncal.

13.  Death Row:  People imprisoned here only see the daylight again when walking to the gallows.  Sometimes these cells are used for mental torture; prisoners are kept here to scare them.

14. Big Room Cells:  The big cells on the first floor are equal to those on the ground floor (Rooms 5 and 7).

Cellars

15.  Corridor:  Two doors lead from here to the torture chamber and the kitchen.  Torches on the wall provide flickering light.

16.  Torture Chamber:  The torture chamber is fully equipped with various pliers, wheels, coal pots, and of course a stretching device.

17.  Kitchen:  This room is occupied by a big chimney with a huge iron cauldron on a heavy chain.  Some bowls and kitchen tools rest on shelves and tables.  Some steps lead down to the sewers.

18.  Sewer Entrance:  Here is an entrance to the sewers.  Garbage is just tossed into the murky waters.  As the sewer exit to the river is blocked by a grate, nobody is able to escape here.  Anybody trying will come to an abrupt end:  if moving to the river, the passage is blocked after 5 m (16') by a heavy iron grate; if moving away from the river, the diver reaches a impassable narrow passage after 20 m (66') (room 7 in the sewer map).

Tower

19.  Guards Room:  This tower level is used as a big guards' room.  Weapons and armor are kept here as well as the key to the prison's main gate and to all cells.  A big table and five chairs stand in the center of the room.  At any time at least one guard can be found here.  The heavy trap door leading down can be bolted from this side.  Two beds at the western wall stand beside a closet (containing clothes and uniforms for the guards).  A small chest is also hidden in the closet.  It contains the guards' personal items like coins, dice, etc.

20.  Corridor:  The corridor leads to the offices of Predoncal and Miacapnar.  A ladder and a trapdoor lead outside to the tower's top.

21.  Predoncal's Office:  This room is dominated by a huge desk burdened with magical tools and tomes.  Shelves on the walls contain other books and scrolls on various subjects.  The main desk drawer contains some headbands.  Imprisoned spell-casters (or prisoners Predoncal assumes to have magical abilities) are made to wear such a headband (see below for their powers).  Predoncal is here every day, but usually goes home at night (if there are no important experiments for him to make here).

22.  Miacapnar's Office:  This room looks quite similar to Predoncal's room.  Miacapnar has somewhat fewer books and his desk contains the guard's wages lists and accurate listings of prisoners.  The walls are decorated with the coats of armor of the most important families.  Miacapnar uses this room to do his job leading the prison.  For him, this job is but a job, and thus Miacapnar won't be here in the evening.

Some fishermen live at the riverside.  For some coins, they carry travelers in their boats over the river (there are also some bridges, but depending on the family ruling in that part of the town, these cost also).  The fishermen are in charge of the Boghet family, which controls this quarter.  The fishermen are supposed to take all items found in the river to Boghet and to guard the sewer pipes around Al-Katras.  If the found item doesn't come from the prison, the fishermen may keep it.  There is no way of getting into the prison from the river.  Some sewer pipes meet the river below the surface; most of them are way too small to allow a human to pass through.  The only possible sewer pipe ends after 5 m (16') at a big iron grate.  Behind the grate extends the kitchen sewer entrance in Al-Katras (see room 18).

Habits

Most of the time the prisoners sit in their cells, even though the doors are usually not locked (most guards choose to take bribes from Dodocap instead of worrying about escapes).  Escapes occur very seldom as Dodocap insists on his agreement on any escape.

Inside the prison there is a black market for:

• Food:  Who gets how much food when?  This is either influenced by bribing a guard or the prisoners coming around with the daily ration.  Another way is pouring the victim's food on the floor (accidentally or by using force).  Special food is only available by bribing a guard; in rare cases, the prisoners working in the kitchen may also gain better food.  Most guards think of better food as the guards' income and won't tolerate others making money in this area.
• Knives/Daggers:  These are available without any problems.  Dodocap keeps an eye on those owning weapons; he takes care they won't work against him, so only those Dodocap trusts will get a weapon.
• Drugs:  These can be bought in various kinds and qualities.  Exotic drugs are expensive and it may take some time to get them.  A (water) pipe may be necessary to consume the drug.  It can also be bought.
• Dice/cards:  These are sold freely (and may be loaded or marked).  Most prisoners gamble for money.
• Other Items:  Parchment, ink, pipes, wire, lockpicks, candles, etc., are also available, either from guards or other prisoners who have purchased these before.
• Working in the Kitchen:  This is a special task.  Prisoners working in the kitchen or officially giving food to the other prisoners may keep some food for trading and change the size of other prisoners' rations.  Most importantly, those working in the kitchen have access to the sewer and thus may get items in or out the prison secretly (see below).
• Working in the Laundry:  This position is similar to working in the kitchen.  It is the key position for sending messages to other prisoners without any guard noticing.  Messages are just traded off with the clothes.  Now and then a small item may also be sent this way.
• Working in the Yard:  This is not considered a favored position as it almost always involves extreme physical training.  Prisoners get the yard work bought by other prisoners as revenge or harassment.  Thus, there are days with only one prisoner working in the yard.
• Brawling/Protection:  Muscles vary in price depending on the power of the hired bodyguard.  Brawling results in a black eye or some bruises.  Severe wounds are rare; they would require Uncle Dodocap's confirmation, and he will not easy give it to avoid raising the suspicions of Miacapnar or Predoncal.
• Other Harassment:  Various other forms of harassment delivered by the guards include:  no/less food, solitary confinement cells, whipping, working in the yard, a night in the madmen's quarters, etc.
• Being Moved to Another Cell:  This can be positive as well as negative, depending on the new cell.  There are few limitations on the new cell (madmen's cells, magicians' cells, solitary confinement), but usually people return to their former cell after a few days (especially if they came to a special cell).  With enough money it may take some days, though.
• Removal of the Headband:  This is a very expensive wish as Predoncal will not tolerate spell casters without the headband.  Maybe a guard will remove the headband temporarily (while Predoncal is not in the prison).  Dodocap's permission and help is required to persuade the guard.
• Escape:  The only request even more difficult than removal of the headband.  Dodocap must see personal benefit in the escape to agree.  The prisoner to escape may not be a political prisoner as in such a case Dodocap will not take such a risk.
• Internal Message:  A oral message is almost always delivered by the next laundry service.  Written messages are assumed to be items.
• Message Out:  Guards get oral messages out for prisoners.  Secret messages may also be delivered to other people than the intended receiver.  This can be avoided by higher payment or a notorious receiver.  Written messages are treated as items.
• Item Out:  Getting items of the prison may be done via the sewers or by handing it to a guard.  When sending messages by the sewers, waterproof packaging is advised.  This way of sending information is complicated as it requires greater cooperation from people outside to catch the item (see below).
• Item In:  Handled as Item Out.
• Keys:  These are special items. Cell keys allow changing the cell, escapes, or private meetings between prisoners.  The main gate key is not available.  Keys are traded as other special items but are more expensive and not available to all prisoners.
• Visitors:  These require cooperation from the guards and good timing (Predoncal must have left the prison).  Important political prisoners may not be visited.  All visitors require Dodocap to agree.  Visitors may not bring in items, especially weapons.

Special Items

• Headbands:  Predoncal's headbands are decorated with magical symbols and create an additional 100 ESF (which cannot be reduced by the Transcend Armor skill) to all spells.  The creator of the headbands notices any spell-casting attempt.  The headbands have an intricate lock (Sheer Folly [–50] Pick Lock maneuver) and (ordinarily) cannot be removed without the key.

Estoleo

Political Situation

The city's quarters are ruled by the families.  Each family controls its area and collects money ("protection taxes") from those living in their area.  Some families have a strong mutual dislike and wage their little wars over the years; many families have lost members to the vendettas.  With a family's power, the size of its controlled area grows.  Most families would like to expand at their neighbors' cost.  Most normal people don't care for the families' little wars; it doesn't matter to them to whom they have to pay.  If the claims are too high, people may ask another family for help, which will in many cases be used as the reason for a new family war.  Each family has its own coat of arms, which will be recognized by almost all people from Estoleo (or even the whole of Corua).  These coats of arms can especially be found at district borders and are placed as carvings in door frames, patterns in the cobbles, or paintings on walls.

Al-Katras is somewhat untouched by the family rivalries and claims.  Miacapnar has to respond to the council only, and no family chief would dare demand that the prison be under his control.  This is not because of the high walls or guards, but because of the special meaning the prison has.  To avoid open violence, or even open provocation against another family, many families bribe some judges and have the annoying family member incarcerated in Al-Katras.  This won't result in a bloody vendetta, but moves the victim out of the way for some time or cuts a deep hole in the family's finances.  For this reason, Al-Katras has to be independent/neutral and all tries of controlling the prison will fail because of the resistance of various other families.  On the other hand, the neutrality of the prison has also been used to get important family members to a safe place before a vendetta starts—sued by his own cousins, young Massio spent almost three month in the prison while his family enlarged their quarter by violence.  Massio was somewhat upset, but looking back, it might have saved his life—four other family members didn't survive the expansion.

Important Families

Boghet

As the taxes collected from fishermen are quite low, Davin Boghet is somewhat jealous if anybody tries using his second money source, Al-Katras.  Boghet doesn't allow anybody to enter the sewers and watches over all contacts the prison guards may have (they get some payment from him as well).  Everything done in Al-Katras, such as smuggling, escapes, treatment, hiring new guards, etc., should be controlled by the Boghet family as far as Davin is concerned.  Most other families respect Davin Boghet's claim on the trade/exchange with Al-Katras, but no one will allow Boghet to take influence on the prison's internal affairs.  If the PC's work against Boghet (i.e., they ignore his claims), they will attract trouble.

Lowell's Suggestions for Other Families

1.  Bassam Al-Said:  Controls the Upper Docks Quarter upstream of Al-Katras; dominates trade in canvas, pitch, and other ship necessities.  Badge:  Fouled anchor (an anchor with a rope tangled around it).  Livery:  blue and white.  Arms:  Azure semé of reef knots argent, an anchor fouled also argent, meaning a blue shield scattered with small white knotted ropes and bearing an anchor with a rope tangled around it in white.  The cousins Bassam (1) and Izzadin (2) Al-Said hate each other but stop short of open vendetta, fearing the curse of the kinslayer.

2.  Izzadin Al-Said:  Controls the Lower Docks Quarter downstream of Al-Katras; dominates trade in marine carpentry.  Badge:  Fouled anchor (an anchor with a rope tangled around it).  Livery:  blue and white.  Arms:  Azure semé of reef knots argent, an anchor fouled also argent, meaning a blue shield scattered with small white knotted ropes and bearing an anchor with a rope tangled around it in white.  The cousins Bassam (1) and Izzadin (2) Al-Said hate each other but stop short of open vendetta, fearing the curse of the kinslayer.

3.  Suleimah Kuhulein:  Controls the Al-Kuhul Quarter of brewers and distillers; dominates trade in alcoholic beverages and medicines.  Badge:  cluster of grapes.  Livery:  purple and gold.  Arms:  Purpure bezanty, on a pale engrailed Or, three clusters of grapes slipped and leaved proper, meaning a purple shield strewn with gold coins and bearing a gold vertical stripe (|) with a sawtooth edge, bearing in turn three clusters of grapes, each showing part of the stem and a few leaves, all in natural colors (i.e., purple and green).  Kuhulein tries to avoid the personal vendetta with Amiralein (11), but is often forced to defend himself.

4.  Isha Arav'ein:  Controls the Horse Quarter of horse and camel merchants; dominates trade in horses, camels, and oxen.  Badge:  "The White Stallion," a white stallion rearing.  Livery:  white and black.  Arms:  Sable semé-de-lis argent, a stallion forcené also argent, meaning a black shield scattered with white fleurs-de-lis (stylized lily flowers) and bearing a white stallion rearing for combat.  Arav'ein (4), Hussein (6), and Azzam (8) all hate each other but are usually forced to cooperate on their mutual interests.

5.  Davin Boghet:  Controls the Al-Katras Quarter of riverside fishermen and merchants.  Dominates the fish market and smuggling within Al-Katras Prison.  Badge:  tomato.  Livery:  red, white, and green.  Arms:  Argent, a tomato plant eradicated, flowered, and fructed proper, meaning a white shield with an uprooted tomato plant bearing flowers and fruit, all in their natural colors.  Boghet actively works against the Al-Saids (1 and 2) as he would like to control the whole waterfront.

6.  Ismail Hussein:  Controls the Blood Quarter of livestock merchants, slaughterhouses, and butchers; dominates trade in cattle, sheep, goats, and meat products.  Badge:  "The Rose Bull," a red bull's face with a white rose on the forehead.  Livery:  red and ermine (white with black spots).  Arms:  Ermine, a bull's face gules charged upon the forehead with a rose argent, meaning a white shield scattered with black spots (representing ermine fur) bearing a bull's face with a white rose on its forehead.  Arav'ein (4), Hussein (6), and Azzam (8) all hate each other but are usually forced to cooperate on their mutual interests.

7.  Salah Al-Dib:  Controls the Bread Quarter of grain merchants; dominates trade in grain, flour, and other basic necessities.  Badge:  garb (sheaf of wheat).  Livery:  gold and black.  Arms:  Sable, a chevron engrailed between three garbs Or, meaning a black shield bearing a chevron (^ shape) with a sawtooth edge and three bound sheaves of wheat, all in gold.

8.  Imrakh Azzam:  Controls the Spice Quarter of spice merchants; dominates the spice trade and much of the overland transportation.  Badge:  mint leaf.  Livery:  green, white, and gold.  Arms:  Argent semé of mint leaves vert, a wheel Or, meaning a white shield strewn with green mint leaves and bearing a gold wagon wheel (eight spokes).  Arav'ein (4), Hussein (6), and Azzam (8) all hate each other but are usually forced to cooperate on their mutual interests.

9.  Izzim Dru'ein:  Controls the Silk Quarter of silk craftsmen and merchants.  Dominates the larger cloth trade.  Badge:  silver butterfly.  Livery:  green and white.  Arms:  Argent, on a bend vert, three butterflies volant of the first, meaning a white shield with a green stripe from upper left to lower right (\) bearing three white butterflies.

10.  Daoud Al-Khor:  Controls the Gold Quarter of precious metals smiths and merchants.  Dominates the metals trade.  Badge:  sun-in-splendor.  Livery:  gold and blue.  Arms:  Azure, a chevron inverted, in chief the sun in his splendor Or, meaning a blue shield with a gold inverted chevron (V shape) and the golden sun with rays, figured with a human face.  Has a natural rivalry and vendetta with Amiralein (11).

11.  Akhat Amiralein:  Controls the Ruby Quarter of jewelers and jewel merchants.  Dominates the lucrative gem and jewel trade and has many other diversified interests.  Badge:  cornucopia (horn of plenty).  Livery:  red and gold.  Arms:  Gules bezanty, a cornucopia Or, meaning a red shield strewn with gold coins and bearing a large horn of plenty, also gold.  Has a natural rivalry and vendetta with Al-Khor (10) and a personal vendetta with Kuhulein (3).

The Sewers

Most sewer pipes are made from carved stone, but sometimes pipes made from clay have also been used.  The ceiling is usually about 1.5 m (5') high and the floor is almost everywhere covered by knee-deep wastewater.  Smaller tubes of 10 cm (4") to 40 cm (15 3/4") in diameter carry more waste to the main system.  As the sewers were built by the Valians several hundred years ago, some places have broken down and are unsound.  The whole sewer system smells terrible beyond belief.

The sewers are frequently used by the Boghet family to transport items and messages into the prison.

1.  Abandoned Post:  Here lived a sewer guard some years ago.  The house is empty since the man died and Boghet takes care to have only his trusted sewer guards live in the hut.

2.  Entry:  This small hut contains nothing but a hole in the floor and a ladder leading down.  On a board beside the door are a lamp and flint and steel.

3.  Sewer Guard:  Here lives the old sewer guard Irom.  The old man has some problems with his left leg and cannot walk normally.  He will be seldom found in the sewers, but Boghet doesn't care about this as he wants only a few people in the sewers.  Irom has known the sewers for years and will gladly tell some old sewer stories ("I remember that winter 15 years ago!  The sewers were blocked and we stood there trying to remove the blockade—with the muddy waters just below our chins!  That was some rush as the sewage finally got away!  Flushed the old Cinopi's hat away!").

4.  Small Tube:  From a hole in the wall a smaller tube joins the main tunnel.  The small tube's diameter is 30 cm (12") and in irregular intervals some sewage drips from the tube.

5.  Big Cave:  This natural cave was used in the sewer design to collect larger amounts of sewage in case of a blockade.  There is a trapdoor in the ceiling through which the sewage could be removed in the worst case of blockade.

6.  Old Flood Gate:  The wall here shows a strange form—on each side are three pillars built from bricks.  Nowadays these pillars don't have any meaning, but they were intended to serve as a set of floodgates (the wooden gate was removed long ago).  Other floodgates are not accessible anymore.

7.  Broken-In Room:  This room has a dry pavement and can thus be encircled without getting dirty.  About 20 rats live in this room and will defend their territory if threatened.  They will first try to scare any intruder away by high screaming (which may attract other people and/or creatures in the sewers) and then bite.  At the end of the room the ceiling is broken down, blocking the exit.  There is a current showing that the exit is not totally blocked, but digging does no good here as further rocks and earth will come down if other rocks are removed.

8.  Alcove:  In this 20 × 30 × 10 cm (8" × 12" × 4") alcove some burnt down candles can be found.  In the about 2 m (6'7") high ceiling there is a passageway leading to a closed entrance to the sewers.  The little room is used as a hiding place and storeroom by the Boghet family.  Here can be found some candles, flint and steel, chalk, and two tin document containers.  Some meters next to the alcove is a small tube leading away from the main tunnel which leads to Al-Katras.  Boghet family members use this alcove as hiding place if they hear someone else in the sewers and try to spy on the intruder.

9. Big Room:  This room was used as a buffer (as Room 5) but it has no trapdoor in the ceiling.

NPC's

• Miacapnar:  The official boss (warden) of Al-Katras.  He doesn't care about the families and their vendettas and reports only to the city council.  He is politically neutral and listens in case of doubt to the voice of gold.  Miacapnar is 50 years old and content with his job and career.  He has a good secure income and doesn't have to fear a painful death in a vendetta.  Miacapnar decides on everything in the prison, as from which peasants to buy food, etc., but doesn't really care and orders only in special cases (i.e., if someone has bribed him to buy from another merchant).  Miacapnar knows about Dodocap and some of his activities, but doesn't care about them, as he underestimates Dodocap.  He will only react if the chaos gets too big.
• Predoncal:  Miacapnar's assistant is a 46-year-old Mentalist.  His task is to magically enhance security in Al-Katras.  He uses his spells ("Mind Control" and other Open Mentalism) to determine if a new prisoner is capable of spell-casting.  If Predoncal is suspicious, the prisoner has to wear a headband (see above) and will be placed in a magicians' cell (Room 11).  Predoncal is, like Miacapnar, content with his work, as he can get some prisoners for magical experiments and as he has power over prisoners and guards as well.  Predoncal knows about Dodocap's activities, as Miacapnar does, but doesn't feel responsible for intervening as long as Miacapnar doesn't.
• "Uncle" Dodocap:  One of the oldest prisoners, he is the unofficial boss of Al-Katras.  As "godfather" of the prison, he demands money and services from other prisoners and controls the black market.  Buying or selling items as well as special treatment are bought under his influence.  He has several bodyguards to enforce his wishes.  Dodocap also pays many of the prison guards on a regular basis.  The main rule Dodocap teaches each new prisoner is to never hurt a guard, as this is the basis for Dodocap's business; he needs a good relationship between guards and prisoners.  Dodocap is convinced that he is the mightiest man in the prison; he believes that he is even more powerful than Miacapnar and even Predoncal.  If he wanted to, he could bring Al-Katras into disrepute by telling some rumors and by mysterious murder.  By that, Miacapnar would get some trouble with the families and the council.  A revolt in the prison would do that as well.  As Miacapnar and Predoncal don't care for Dodocap, he is in fact the most powerful man in the prison's daily life.

Adventures Around Al-Katras

A PC coming from Corua or even Estoleo can be an advantage as well as a disadvantage.  The PC may know something about the political situation and some families in Estoleo.  He may recognize quarter borders more easily and he may have friends or even a family to support him.  Problems arise if the PC comes from a higher family, as he may make other families suspicious.  The Boghet family won't be happy if their young Clionvin and his friends have been caught in the sewers once again....

• Information on using this scenario in the Pirates Campaign
• Previous scenario in the Pirates Campaign (The Merchant's Daughter)
• Next scenario in the campaign (The Flying Valian)