Rhennee Barge (3.5e Encounter)

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Encounter: Rhennee Barge

• CR variable
• Integration A barge floating on a river or a lake, usable as transport, thieves den or damsel in distress
• Prep Time Depending on usage, short to moderate
• Play Time Short, but may be extended

Introduction

This encounter describes in some detail a barge of the Rhennee folk described in the World of Greyhawk fantasy setting, but can be used in any setting near a river or a lake.

You can use this encounter easily to give your players a more detailed travel description than "you travel down the river for five days", maybe adding random encounter with some Scrags or other river monster. Or allow a female character to give some quick-witted reply to a macho Rhennee and maybe leave a lasting impression, maybe on his face. :-)

With a bit more work on your side, your players could find the barge in some trouble, being attacked by monsters or harassed by some port authorities, and the players can earn themselves some friends. And friends are not considered to be outsiders!

Another variant could be that the Rhennee act according to the prejudices and have stolen a valuable item or kidnapped a wealthy merchant. Or are even in league with a more sinister force.

If a character has become friends with a Rhennee family (which should not be a too easy task!), the family's barge can be a welcome refuge, because authorities and even criminals will think twice before boarding a barge and incurring the lasting wrath of all Rhennee in the area. Also most barges have several well hidden compartments.

Background

The Rhennee folk belong to a culture that highly values friendships and clan loyalties, but every outsider is considered fair game. They are no slavers, and unprovoked murder of outsiders is frowned upon, but no Rhennee will think bad of other Rhennee if they lie, cheat, steal or deceive outsiders.

They also have a concept of property that differs significantly from that of most other people. Personal property are the things which are carried on person or stored at the person's resting place. Each family runs its own barge, and all family property is carried on the barge. Everything else is considered common good and everyone may take from it whatever is needed.

Obviously this often leads to conflicts with people of other cultures, which in turn leads to distrust and discrimination even against the bigger share of the Rhennee which have learned that, even if they do not understand the outsider's rules, life is often easier if they follow them nonetheless. At least most of the time. As the outsiders do themselves.

The Ship

Rhennee river barge

The barge presented here has raised platforms on fore and aft, on each of which a ballista is mounted for defense. The center holds a wooden shelter with a flat roof. The roof is used as lookout, the shelter holds the hammocks of the family members.

The freight room below the main deck is only around 2.5 feet high and can be accessed by hatchways in front of and behind the shelter. Near the bow there is a fake wooden wall which conceals a secret compartment just big enough for a medium sized creature to cower in. This compartment is also accessible by two loose boards in the floor of the veth's room. Those boards are usually hidden below a carpet.

Below the platforms are two more comfortable rooms. Usually the more spacious one in the aft is reserved for the patriarch, who is called bargewright, while the one in front is the home of the family's wise woman, called veth, and her aides.

The benches behind the shelter allow the ship to be rowed if necessary.

NPCs

Trajan, Rhennee bargewright

CR 8

	Male fighter 5/rogue 3
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	0/Listen +4, Spot +4
AC	14, touch 10, flat-footed 14
hp	34 (8 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+4/+4/+4
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+7/+10
Abilities	Str 17, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 14
Advancement	—

Bogdan, Rhennee mate

CR 3

	Male warrior 3
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	0/Listen +5, Spot +5
AC	12, touch 10, flat-footed 12
hp	26 (3 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+6/+1/+4
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+3/+6
Abilities	Str 16, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 10
Advancement	—

Nandru, Rhennee champion

CR 6

	Male fighter 3/rogue 3
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	+4/Listen +8, Spot +2
AC	18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp	29 (6 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+5/+8/+2
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+5/+7
Abilities	Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 9
Advancement	—

Ligia, Rhennee veth

CR 6

	Female sorcerer 4/rogue 2
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	+4/Listen +6, Spot +6
AC	10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp	13 (6 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	0/+4/+7
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+3/+2
Spells Known	(CL 4th): 2nd (4/day)—Tasha's Hideous Laughter (DC 16) 1st (7/day)—Cause Fear, Charm Person, Sleep (all DC 15) 0 (6/day)—Detect Poison, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue (all DC 14)
Abilities	Str 9, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 19
Feats	Craft Wonderous Item, Improved initiative, Iron Will, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Hand Crossbow, Martial Weapon Proficiency: Short Sword
Skills	Appraise+10, Bluff+12, Concentration+3, Craft (Alchemy) +6, Diplomacy +14, Heal+9, Intimidate+6, SRD:Listen +6, Sleight of Hand+10, Spellcraft+6, Spot+6
Advancement	—

Rhennee have a very patriarchic culture and most women have a status of "valued property" or worse. The major exception are their wise women, called vetha. Every family has one of them as a trusted advisor, and though a veth will never give orders to a bargewright, only very few bargewrights will ignore an advice given by one of them.

This way a clever veth can be the true leader of the family, using the bargewright as a figurehead. But, indeed, most of the time bargewright and verth have the common goal of the family's welfare.

If you are using the barge as an evil adversary, it is well possible that the veth is the person behind all of it.

Most of the time a veth is an older woman (40+) and often has one or two younger assistants who are being prepared to take over the position once.

For outsiders Ligia will act as a fortune teller, selling them charms and love potions. If she thinks she'll get away with it, she'll hand out worthless junk, but she also has lesser amulets of luck and elixiers of love in her storage.

Sabina, Veth assistant

CR 3

	Female sorcerer 1/rogue 2
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	6/Listen +1, Spot +1
AC	14, touch 12, flat-footed 12
hp	9 (3 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	-1/+5/+3
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+1/+1
Abilities	Str 10, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 18
Advancement	—

Luca, family member

CR 2

	Male rogue 2
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	+1/Listen -1, Spot -1
AC	12, touch 11, flat-footed 11
hp	12 (2 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+1/+3/-1
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+1/+1
Abilities	Str 6, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 9, Cha 13
Advancement	—

Izabela, family member

CR 1

	Female rogue 1
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	+1/Listen -2, Spot -2
AC	11, touch 11, flat-footed 10
hp	6 (1 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+1/+3/-2
Speed	30 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+0/+0
Abilities	Str 9, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 13
Advancement	—

Isabela is Trajan's wife. Though Rhennee do not follow the concept of lifelong marriage, or marriage at all, the relationship between Trajan and Izabela is not much different to a traditional, male dominated marriage.

Aurica, family member

CR —

	Female
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	{{{init}}}/Listen {{{listen}}}, Spot {{{spot}}}
AC	{{{ac}}}, touch {{{touch}}}, flat-footed {{{flat}}}
hp	{{{hp}}} ({{{hd}}} HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	{{{fort}}}/{{{ref}}}/{{{will}}}
Speed	{{{spd}}}
Base Atk/Grp	{{{bab}}}/{{{grp}}}
Abilities	Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —
Advancement	—

Dorin, family member

CR —

	Male
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	{{{init}}}/Listen {{{listen}}}, Spot {{{spot}}}
AC	{{{ac}}}, touch {{{touch}}}, flat-footed {{{flat}}}
hp	{{{hp}}} ({{{hd}}} HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	{{{fort}}}/{{{ref}}}/{{{will}}}
Speed	{{{spd}}}
Base Atk/Grp	{{{bab}}}/{{{grp}}}
Abilities	Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —
Advancement	—

Jan, youth

CR —

	Male
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	{{{init}}}/Listen {{{listen}}}, Spot {{{spot}}}
AC	{{{ac}}}, touch {{{touch}}}, flat-footed {{{flat}}}
hp	{{{hp}}} ({{{hd}}} HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	{{{fort}}}/{{{ref}}}/{{{will}}}
Speed	{{{spd}}}
Base Atk/Grp	{{{bab}}}/{{{grp}}}
Abilities	Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —
Advancement	—

Stela, child

CR —

	Female
	N Medium humanoid
Init/Senses	{{{init}}}/Listen {{{listen}}}, Spot {{{spot}}}
AC	{{{ac}}}, touch {{{touch}}}, flat-footed {{{flat}}}
hp	{{{hp}}} ({{{hd}}} HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	{{{fort}}}/{{{ref}}}/{{{will}}}
Speed	{{{spd}}}
Base Atk/Grp	{{{bab}}}/{{{grp}}}
Abilities	Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —
Advancement	—

Tactics

ToDo

Treasure

ToDo

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