Ideas for campaigns/quests around slavers and pirates

[der_kluge]

In my campaign, the PCs will need to find a boat east. I intend to make this hard (given their current out of the way location), but the nearest city might have a ship that is a slave ship which, for the right price, will agree to take them east. They might definitely figure out that the ship is not exactly on the up and up, but I'll allude to them being maybe more smugglers, or something like that.

Eventually, this will take them to a "slaver's bay" type of location - I envision an island with an entire town devoted to all things evil - smuggling, pirates, slavery, etc. Essentially a Lawful Evil town where even though it's populated with thugs, murderers and thieves, there is a certain order because the town's existence serves all their needs. Here there are active slave auctions, fence actively sell stolen items, etc.

My players might (might!!) have a problem with this. But as they'll be 5th level, won't exactly be in a position to do much about it.


At any rate, I'm wondering if people have any suggestions for ideas or modules, maps, blogs, or whatever, around this concept. Any thing I can add to this to help flesh it out a bit more will be helpful.

 

[Eltab]

Slave ships will smell from a distance like a big crowd that all need a bath. (Based on the movie Amazing Grace, chronicling William Wilburforce's efforts to outlaw slavery in Great Britain.) Drop this clue; maybe the PCs will get it.

You might look for material about Mintarn and the Nelanther Islands, in FR. They both are supposed to be home for raiders. The 3e and 4e Forgotten Realms Campaign Guides discuss this briefly, which may help you a bit.

 

[Imaculata]

This reminds me of a conversation that one of my players had with a slavetrader. The slavetrader was trading Kturgian slaves, and the Kturgians aren't exactly loved in my campaign, because of all the Kturgian pirate attacks.

The slavetrader argued that a life of slavery was actually best for the Kturgian slaves, because if they were set free they would surely return to piracy. And if imprisoned, they would surely not be treated well. At least as slaves, they could serve the war efforts of the country against Kturgia. He also argued that if he stopped selling slaves, a much worse slavetrader would surely take his place.

Anyway, you could very well write a chain of quests around a character who wants to put an end to slavery. Either by eliminating the biggest slavetraders in the region, or by employing the players to free slaves. And its always interesting to throw in some morally gray characters (as I did) that sell slaves, and yet are not terrible evil people. And what if the slaves are a group of people that everyone hates, such as drow or orcs?

 

[Eltab]

If the PCs somehow manage to liberate a large group of slaves without being torn to pieces by them immediately afterwards, they could unleash the howling masses on their former tormentors (the slave traders).
Poetic Justice !

 

[Gilladian]

I think the Freeport modules/city might have the feel you want. Also, maybe Vornheim could be useful as a generator.