Port Nyanzaru

Port Nyanzaru is a tropical city under the blazing sun. The familiar sounds of a harbor - creaking ropes, slapping waves, heavy barrels rolling across cobblestones - mingle with voices shouting and cursing in an unfamiliar language filled with clicks, inhalations, and singsongy words that make it sound almost musical. The aroma of unfamiliar spices and tropical fruit mixes with the wharf-side smells of fish, tar, and canvas.

Beyond all that, Port Nyanzaru is an explosion of color. Buildings are painted in bright shades of blue, green, orange, and salmon pink, or their walls are adorned with murals portraying giant reptiles and mythical heroes. Every building sports baskets and clay urns of colorful flowers or is draped in leafy, flowering vines. Minstrels in bright clothing adorned with feathers and shells perform on street corners. Multicolored pennants and sun awnings flutter atop the city walls. A crowd of children dressed in feathered hats and capes races past you, squealing in delighted terror as a street performer costumed as a big-toothed lizard stomps and roars behind them. The whole city seems to be bustling, sweating, laughing, swearing, and singing.

Some of Port Nyanzaru's notable features are:

- Port Nyanzaru is particularly hot and humid
- Medium and Large dinosaurs are used as beasts of burden to haul two-wheeled carts, to hoist heavy loads on cranes, and to tow boats along the canals.
- Dinosaurs compete in weekly races through the streets. These brightly painted racing dinosaurs are fast, vicious, and barely under their riders' control.
- Flowers, green plants, and vines grow everywhere, seeming to spring out of the building stones themselves. The profusion of greenery needs constant tending to prevent roots and shoots from damaging buildings or tile roofs.
- The city's defensive walls and towers are topped with colorful awnings to shield guards from the sun and rain.
- All streets within the city walls are paved with cobblestones or flagstones, and they have deep rain gutters as much as 2 feet wide. Residents of Port Nyanzaru pay little attention to any but the heaviest deluge.
- Tabaxi minstrels wander the streets, performing for anyone who tosses them a few coins.
- Walls divide the city into districts, and the open archways above the streets are painted with murals of dinosaurs, mountains, and mythic heroes.
- Crumbling ancient buildings covered with vines and lichens indicate the city's great age.
- The ground floors of most buildings are made of stucco-covered stone and have tiny windows to keep out the heat at street level. The upper floors have bamboo or thatch walls with enormous windows to let in the breeze, under broad thatched or tiled eaves. All buildings are richly decorated with paint, ivy, and vivid flowers. Some are painted in symmetrical, geometric patterns of straight lines and sharp angles, while others portray animals, monsters, landscapes, and heroes in a stylized manner unique to Chult. Where space permits, buildings traditionally include a walled yard or garden.
- All the city's water comes from rain, so every building has a cistern or wooden barrels to catch water running off the roof. Every public square is built around a fountain or rain basin. With so much water running downhill, Chultans also make excellent use of water-driven mechanical gadgets. Many buildings have water wheels built into their cisterns. Rainwater running through spouts or channels turns the wheel, which pumps water into pools, turns millstones, powers bellows or lathes or saws, or accomplishes any other labor-saving or amusing task Chultan engineers can dream up.

Lodging

- When the group arrives, Syndra Silvermane will be staying at Wakanga's place.
- The two main choices for the group are the Thundering Lizard or Kaya's House of Repose. Both inns are located near the Red Bazaar (area 18).

Side Quests

- (Emerald Enclave, Harpers) Find Artus Cimber: The daughter of Artus wants the group to find Artus, but there's more to this than it seems. A half·elf named Xandala (see appendix D) approaches the characters and claims to be Artus Cimber's daughter. Feigning worry, she asks the characters to help her find him. Artus can't be found using magic, but Xandala has heard that Artus left the city with a reptilian man who doesn't talk and smells funny. Both were last seen heading into the jungle. Xandala wants the Leaves of Green in Artus's possession, but she doesn't share this with the characters. Summerwise, Xandala's pet pseudodragon, thinks the quest for the leaves is too dangerous but has given up trying to talk sense into its mistress. Good-aligned characters might be able to turn Summerwise against Xandala, or at least get information from it that they can use to thwart Xandala's plan or to aid Artus.(Lord's Alliance) Help the Lords' Alliance: If the group can make an accurate map of the locations of two ruins, they get a sailing ship. Lerek Dashlynd (LN male llluskan human spy), an agent of the Lords' Alliance, offers to trade a sailing ship for an accurate map of Chult that shows the exact location of the ruins of Nangalore and Orolunga. Lerek represents wealthy Waterdhavian interests, and the offer is genuine. If the characters present such a map, Lerek has a cleric cast augury before agreeing to buy it, to make sure he's not buying a fake. Once he's convinced that the map is genuine, Lerek arranges to have the promised ship arrive in 10 days.
- (Order of the Gauntlet) Escort a Priest to Camp Vengeance: Undril Silvertusk (LG female half-orc priest of Torm) is a representative of the Order of the Gauntlet and newly arrived in Port Nyanzaru. She needs to deliver herself plus a packet of dispatches from her superiors to Commander Niles Breakbone at Camp Vengeance. Undril was led to believe she could simply buy a horse in the city and ride to the camp, but now that she sees the terrain and conditions, that's clearly not possible. She hopes to join any expedition headed up the River Soshenstar. Undril is quite attached to her chain shirt, but she's not unreasonable when presented with good arguments for shedding the armor. If characters gain Undril's respect, she'll intercede strongly on their behalf if any difficulties arise with Commander Breakbone (as they're likely to, as discussed in chapter 2).
- (Zhentarim) Create a Distraction at Fort Beluarian: Escort a spy to a jungle fort and create a distraction while the spy steals information. Rokah (N male Chultan human spy) works for the Zhentarim. The Zhents believe that pirates have formed an alliance with the Flaming Fist. Rokah has orders to infiltrate Fort Beluarian and find proof so that the Zhentarirn can blackmail the fort's commander. He asks the adventurers to escort him safely to the fort and create a distraction so that he can ransack the commander's quarters. As a reward, Rokah offers to cover the cost of a charter of exploration (50 gp), which the characters will almost certainly need if they want to avoid future confrontations with the Flaming Fist. Rokah also offers to introduce the characters to two wilderness guides - a pair tabaxi siblings named River Mist and Flask of Wine and pay the guides' fees.
- Collect a Debt: Beat up a gladiator. K'lahu (N female Chultan human thug), a bookie who takes bets at Executioner's Run (see area 3), asks the adventurers to come with her as she collects a debt. The pay is 10 percent of whatever is collected on the 500 gp debt, which is owed by a man named Taban (N male Chultan human gladiator). Taban refuses to pay anything until he's beaten down to 20 or fewer hit points, whereupon he offers up a pouch containing 10x 50 gp gemstones. Ashamed by his defeat and eager to redeem himself, Taban offers to join the party as a follower, demanding no pay for the duration of the adventure.

Explore the Aldani Basin: Go see if there is a base full of wizards here. lnete (LG female Chultan human acolyte of Savras) has had disturbing visions of red-robed wizards operating a secret base somewhere in the Aldani Basin. The head of her temple, Grandfather Zitembe, has too many other things on his mind, but he's given lnete permission to investigate. lnete would like to accompany the characters' expedition for safety, if characters are heading toward or through that region. She'll provide her own food and supplies, and "donate" another 100 gp to the expedition's expenses. She insists on stopping by the temple of Savras to gather her belongings and urges the characters to come along. If they do, the characters can meet Grandfather Zitembe (see area 7).

Help a Dyeing Man: The group has 10 days to kill a certain dude. Omala (N male Chultan human commoner) is a master colorist at the Dye Works (area 23). He recently bought some dancing monkey fruit on the black market and used them to make and sell dye. Shortly thereafter, he received an iron token from the Ytepka Society - a grim warning. He wishes to atone for his crime and seeks an audience with Kwayothe, the merchant prince who controls the legal sale of fruit. Fearing for his life, Omala asks the adventurers to accompany him to Goldenthrone {see area 4), where he plans to beg for Kwayothe's forgiveness. He has no money to offer the characters as a reward. Kwayothe is wilting to forgive Omala's lapse in judgment provided the characters agree to kill a man named Shago within the next 10 days - no questions asked - and speak of the deed to no one. Kwayothe tells them that Shago works as a guide out of Fort Beluarian. If the characters fail in this task, Kwayothe has Omala sentenced to Executioner's Run (see area 3) for his crime.Hunt Pirates: Take out 3 pirate ships and capture the captains. The harbormaster, Zindar (see area 13 and appendix D), is a secret member of the Ytepka Society. He knows that three pirate captains are attacking merchant ships heading to and from the Bay of Chult. The pirate ships are called the Dragonfang, the Emerald Eye, and the Stirge. Zindar has permission from the merchant princes to offer a bounty of 2,000 gp for each pirate ship that is captured and brought into port, and a bonus 500 gp for the capture of each pirate captain.
- Save an Innocent Man: Help a guy survive a public fight with 2 velociraptors without being noticed by the crowd. Belym (LG male Chultan human commoner) is distraught because his husband, Draza (LG male Chultan commoner), has been sentenced to Executioner's Run for stealing. Belym asserts that his husband was a victim of mistaken identity and sentenced without a proper hearing or trial. He's been unable to persuade anyone in authority that Draza is innocent. He'll give the characters 25 sp (all his savings) if they can help Draza from the sidelines so he survives the run. Draza is about to be thrown into the pit with a pair of velociraptors, so the characters must act quickly. Both the authorities and the gamblers take a dim view of interference.
- Seek Wisdom at Orolunga: The group is mysteriously directed to speak to a seer who lives south of Mbala. Eshek (NG male Chuitan human acolyte of Savras) stumbles up to the characters in the street and whlspers, "Speak to the wise guardian of Orolunga, east of Mbala. She can direct you to that which you seek." Then he collapses, unconscious. When he awakens moments later, Eshek has no memory of the last 12 hours aside from a driving need to find people matching the characters' descriptions. He's as puzzled by what just happened as the characters probably are, but he'll help them however he can. At the very least, he knows where Mbala is from speaking to porters who've been to Camp Vengeance.

Laws and Punishments

- (pg 29)
- The court is not corrupt
- Slavery is frowned upon
- Murder is illegal, but you can purchase a "sanction" for 150 gp+ that allows you to whack someone.

Things to Do

- Buying a Special Item: You can get pretty much everything in the PH.
- Downtime Activity (10 days): Buying from the Princes
  - - While the merchant princes are happy to sell the items over which they hold monopoly, doing so can be time consuming. Characters wishing to purchase goods from the merchant princes must spend 10 downtime days arranging a meeting, negotiating prices, and coordinating for impartial intermediaries to accept, transfer gold during the transaction. At the end of the ten days, you may make one purchase — either a single permanent magic item, or up to their limit in other items (see, below). Additionally, the following merchant princes have the following modifications to their entries:
    - Ekene-Afa. This Merchant Prince has a small selection of magic items readily available for a modest price. These items can’t be traded and the permanent magic items increases the character’s magic item count by one. The character may purchase a single item or no more than 10 pieces of +1 ammunition in a single transaction before she refuses the character further service.
      - (50 gp per piece, max 10 in one transaction) +1 ammunition
      - (450 gp) +1 wooden shield
    - (500 gp) +1 flint dagger or +1 yklwa
      - A yklwa (pronounced YICK-ul-wah) is a simple melee weapon that is the traditional weapon of Chultan warriors. A yklwa consists of a 3-foot wooden shaft with a steel or stone blade up to 18 inches long. It costs 1 gp, and it deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Although it has the thrown weapon property, the yklwa is not well balanced for throwing (range 10/30 ft.). The merchant prince Ekene-Afa controls the sale of yklwas in Port Nyanzaru.

- - Ifan Talro’a. Animals purchased from this merchant prince aren’t available as familiars.
    - - (100 gp) Flying monkey, giant lizard, or hadrosaurus
      - (250 gp) Ankylosaurus, deinonychus, or (to Zhentarim) flying snake
      - (500 gp) Triceratops

- - - Jessamine. This soft-spoken Merchant Prince sells some of the most potent poisons in Faerûn. However, she is discriminating in her dealings. Characters may purchase no more than 2,000 gp worth of goods in a single transaction before she refuses the character further service.
    - Wakanga O’tamu. This charismatic Merchant Prince sells potions and scrolls, but he frowns on those who might deny others the opportunity to enjoy his wares. Characters may purchase 750 gp worth of potions and scrolls in a single transaction before he refuses further the character service. The scrolls contain only spells found in the PHB. If the characters complete Wakanga’s quest, the returned item in question is removed from the character’s magic item count, and the characters may choose spells from the PHB once their levels have been determined, as normal.
      - (80 gp) Potion, common
      - (300 gp) Potion, uncommon
    - (100 gp) Spell scroll, 1st-level
    - (550 gp) Spell scroll, 2nd-level

- 18. Red Bazaar

- - (pg 32) Insect Repellent Vial of salve is 1 gp for 20 applications, lasts for 24 hours. Block of Incense is 1sp, lasts for 8 hours, 20-foot radius.
    - - Neither kind of repellent protects against giant insects or the vile swarms of insects.
      - A block of incense sells for 1 sp. When lit, it burns for 8 hours and repels normal insects within a 20-foot-radius centered on it.
      - A gourd or vial of salve, which sells for 1 gp, contains 20 applications of odorless grease. One application protects its wearer again st normal insects for 24 hours. The salve is waterproof so it doesn't wash off in rain.

- - - (pg 32) Rain Catcher 1 gp Tarp and frame that can catch and hold up to 8 gallons of water.
    - (pg 32) Tej 2 sp for a 1 gallon cask, a mug for 4 cp. Fermented drink made from honey. Kwayothe sells this stuff.

- 6. Grand Souk

- - Heavy armor is rare. Heavy armor costs 3x the normal price. If the character makes a DC 15 persuasion check, it's 2x. Armor prices are on PH pg 145.
    - (pg 31) Canoe 50 gp Max speed of 2 mph. Stats of a rowboat (DMG pg 119).
    - (pg 32) Yklwa 1 gp A spear that does d8 damage.

- Black Market: Using the black market in Tiryiki Anchorage or Malar's Throat requires a DC 15 Deception check. Black Market prices are 1d4+2 times more expensive!

Dinosaur Racing
- - A race day has three races:
    - Race for four-legged beasts, muzzled. Ankylosaurs, triceratopses and dimetrodons.
    - Race for two-legged beasts, muzzled. Mostly hadrosauruses and deinonychuses.
    - "Unchained": All dinosaurs that run. No muzzles. These races are where you are most likely to see young allosauruses and tyrannosauruses. Dinosaurs within 50 feet can attack each other.
  - Betting: Ranges from 1 cp to 500 gp
    - If you're not playing out the races, roll on the chart on page 32.
    - Losers who don't pay up are tracked down by d4+1 thugs or gladiators.
  - (pg 33) Racing. The book talks about heroes who don't race. I would guess most characters will want to take part. It seems tricky to effectively cut from the race to the heroes watching the race. The book suggests letting those players control NPC racers. Here's how dinosaur racing works:
    - This is abstract. The first racer to get 300 feet (points) wins.
    - Riders can't attack or be attacked.
    - No initiative rolls?! There are still rounds, though.
    - Each round, every rider makes an Animal Handling check.
    - Look at the chart on page 32. Each dinosaur has a different DC. If you succeed, you gain its speed (the first number) in points.
    - So, for an allosaurus, you need to roll a 16. If you do, you gain 50 points. Once you have 300, you win.
    - Lashing Your Dinosaur: If you "lash" or whip your dinosaur, you make your animal handling check with advantage. If you succeed, you use the second speed number. If you fail by 5 or more, the dinosaur goes berserk and is out of the race. The dinosaur must make a DC 10 Con check. If it fails, it is at half speed for the rest of the race.

Encounters

It's easy to overlook page 193, which has a bunch of fun encounters you can use in Port Nyanzaru. Make sure to check it out!

Locations

The city is divided into sections, some of which are outside the city walls.

Old City

This area has 3 ruined ziggurats and people living in bamboo huts.

- 1. Beggars' Palace (pg 18): There are shops and bamboo tenements on the two larger ziggurats.
- 2. Executioner's Run (pg 18): Criminals are thrown in this dinosaur pit. Those who escape win their freedom. Crowds gather and bet on these events.
  - In Encounters in Port Nyanzaru, there is a scenario where a dude falls in and the group has to save him.
- 3. Refuse Pit (pg 20): People throw their garbage in here. There are otyughs (MM pg 248) at the bottom.
  - In Encounters in Port Nyanzaru, there's a scenario set here involving an otyugh that is tricking people into coming into the pit.

Merchants' Ward

(pg 20): Upper class area full of shops.

- 4. Goldenthrone (pg 20): Guarded by 8 gladiators (MM pg 345). The Merchant Princes run Port Nyanzaru from this place. If you show up to meet with a prince, there is a 1 in 6 chance they are there. If they are, you'll have to wait d3 hours to meet them.
- 5. Merchant Prince's Villa (pg 20): There are details on each individual villa on pg 27. Here they are:
- Merchants
  - - Ekene-Afa: Lots of caged squawking parrots. Paintings, shields and weapon hanging on the walls.
    - Ifan Talro'a: Flying snakes swoop around freely. Displays of relics obtained from ruins.
    - Jessamine: Walls and pillars painted with colorful serpents, decorative serpent-themed fountains.
    - Jobal: Silk draperies, mounted heads of beasts.
    - Kwayothe: Reeks of perfume. There are bowls of fruit for you. Oil lamps and braziers are always lit.
    - Wakanga: Lit with continual flame spells. Magic music plays throughout (easy listening?). Doors are arcane locked (PH pg 215. Flying swords (MM pg 20) and rugs of smothering (MM pg 20) abound.
    - Zhanthi: Standing suit of gold-plated armor, bejeweled skulls of Zhanthi's ancestors.
    - Villa(pg 27) 1. Entryway: d4+1 gladiators (MM pg 346).
    - (pg 28) 5. Garden: Has rare plants (see pg 205).
    - (pg 28) 7. Sauna: fire elemental (MM pg 125)
    - (pg 28) 8. Bath: They hold meetings in the bath. You should probably squeeze that in if you can (bring a squeegee).
    - (pg 29) 10. Library: Full of mythical romance novels. Let's whip some up:
      - Death Betrayed: The Raven Queen and Nerull story.
      - The Brimstone Angel: Faridah and Lorcan.
      - From the Moathouse With Love: Rufus and Burne (from the Village of Hommlet).
      - I, Strahd: Strahd, Tatyana and Sergei.
      - Abyssal Passions: Grazz't and Iggwilv.
      - Crustaceans of Love: The many suitors of Blipdoolpoolp.
      - Hell's Fury: The story of the love triangle between Glasya, Levistus, and Naome (Glasya's mother).
      - Dark Deeds: Lolth and Corellon.
      - Caged Yearning: Shemeshka the Marauder and A'kin the Friendly Fiend.
      - I Love You, Me: The tale of one ettin's erotic awakening.DC 15 Investigation Check reveals books on Chultan lore, which can be used to help direct players.
    - 12. Master Suite: Treasure chart is on DMG page 137. You might want to roll this ahead of time to keep thing moving.
      - If there's jewelry, it's in a lockbox that requires a DC 15 thievery check to open.
    - 13. Guard Room: d4+1 gladiators (MM pg 346).

6. Grand Souk (pg 20): You can buy almost anything in the PH here. No elephants.
7. Temple of Savras (pg 20): Savras is a god of wizards/fortune tellers.
- - Head Priest: Grandfather Zitembe (priest MM pg 348).
  - When the group first meets Zitembe, he is arguing with three members of the Zhentarim (assassins MM pg 343). Zitembe shoos them away. Zitembe can use his magic to locate Omu.
8. Temple of Gond (pg 21): Popular among crafters. There is a huge fountain here that has water jets that create amazing shapes.
9. Temple of Sune (pg 21): Accessible by boat or causeway, an illusion make it look like the roof hovers in the air. When you first go there and meet the clergy, make a Cha check DC 15. Success: You're accepted. Fail: You get pity for being unattractive.
10. Jewel Market: Sells jewels and luxury items. Lots of guards (MM pg 347) and spies (MM pg 349).

Harbor Ward

You can book passage on the Brazen Pegasus for 10 gp/day (for the whole group).

- 11. Royal Docks (pg 22): Exclusively used by the rich and fabulous.
- 12. Statue (pg 22): This is Na N'buso, an "ancient king". The statue was made 5 years ago and it is meant to impress outsiders.
- 13. Harbormaster's Office (pg 22): Outside of this building is a bulletin board that lists the available guides (see pg 33). Zindar is a half-gold dragon who watches over the harbor. His stats are on page 239.
- 14. Lighthouse (pg 22): It can make colored smoke that can be seen from far away.
- 15. Fort Nyanzaru (pg 22): It has a chain that can block the harbor. It's got stuff:
  - 2 ballistas: Ballista: +6 to hit, 16 (3d10) damage. It takes an action to load, an action to aim, and an action to fire.
  - 1 noble (MM pg 348).
  - 4 veterans (MM pg 350).
  - 40 guards (MM pg 347).
- 16. Warehouse District (pg 22): Ships are towed by dinosaurs.
- 17. Dry Dock (pg 22): Ships get repaired here. Dinosaurs pull ships out of the water.

Market Ward

Middle class area with shops and tradesfolk.

- Inns:
  - The Thundering Lizard: 5 sp/night, raucous clientele. You might want to have someone mention that a tabaxi minstrel disappeared fairly recently. His name is Pottery Shard. He is a prisoner of the yuan-ti (pg 118).
  - Kaya's House of Repose: 1 gp/night, nice place, quiet.
- 18. Red Bazaar (pg 23): You can buy dinosaur meat (!), vegetables, fruit, tej (fermented honey), insect repellent, rain catchers, etc.
- 19. Fish Market (pg 23): Prices are higher in the morning.
- 20. Grand Coliseum (pg 23): Statues of legendary gladiators line tops of the walls. There are events every day. There are some awesome events detailed in City on the Edge.
- 21. Hall of Gold (pg 23): Temple to Waukeen, goddess of trade and wealth. It is also a major bank. Run by Sibonseni, Mother of Prosperity (priest MM pg 348) she is very popular. When she travels in the streets, she's carried in a sedan chair and accompanied by drummers and dancers.
- 22. Public Bathhouse (pg 24): Run by priests of Sune. There is no charge, but a donation is requested. A masseuse costs 2d10 sp.
- 23. Dye Works (pg 24): Brightly dyed clothing is available here.

Malar's Throat

Buildings on either side of a ravine, connected by rope bridges.

- 24. Temple of Tymora (pg 24): This is where the people of Malar's Throat flee to when zombies attack.
- The Satchel Shop: Run by Abwale Capaning who works with Grungs.

Tiryiki Anchorage

Home to animal trainers, river folk and unsavory types. This is where most dinosaurs are trained.

- 25. Dinosaur Pens: Dinosaurs trained for street racing are stabled here.

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