al-Sa'adat

Obtaining the Masks of No Breathing

They use masks carved in the likeness of an ancient king of the island. These masks when worn allows the wearer to breathe underwater. Visibility is good as the eyes are made overlarge. There is a town of Lizard men that live in the shallows near the S. end of the island. The masks were made at the command of the Ra'is of old to allow guards to actually stay in the water. They are equiped with crossbows altered to fire bolts that travel well underwater (spear guns).

The masks are the direct property of the Ra'is and will not be sold under any circumstances.
They party will have to steal them. There are a total of 21 currently in use. 2 more are worn only by the King and a minester when they parlay with the Lizard Men.
If the party can figure out another way to breathe water, let them. I don't think they have enough magic to go around.

The reef that surrounds the island is easily navigable, but there is no pilot. It is very dangerous to travel through without guidance, but can be done. The party could arrainge for a pilot if there is someone who will take a message to the mainland. This could be done by fishermen.

The Lizard men live in the coral caves that surround the channel. They like gold and jewels as much as the next sentient being, so for many years they either raided ships or held them for ransom. The Ra'is Ranma Ben Aziz who ruled 210 years ago comishioned the Masks of No Breathing from a Mage named Sa'amak'al. Using the masks, he was able to destroy the unity of the Lizard Man tribes and defeat them one at a time. In the years that follow, he uses the troop of Mask Guards to keep them in line. Origionally there were 25 masks, but 3 have been destroyed.

If the party suggests it, the Ra'is might be interested in a plan that will remove the Lizard Men forever. This is a major task as there are 730 in groups of 80 to 120 scattered in the coral caves around the channel that leads to the port.

Masud Jazayir
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Clustered west of the northern tip of the Nada al-Hazan chain is a group of islands known as the Masud Jazayir. The islands are the farthest outpost of Zakharan colonization in the Crowded Sea. The isles are low and rolling, marked by small streams from natural springs that wend down fertile vales. With such temptations,
the Masud Jazayir has quickly become the vanguard of Zakharan expansion. Small coastal settlements dot these islands. With careful irrigation, the islands yield a wide variety of produce from orchard and field almonds, sesame seeds, dates, sugar cane, grapes, pomegranates, citrons, figs, and cotton. Goats, sheep,
and a few cattle are raised for local use.
The settlements have not brought with them all the features of Zakharan life, however. Many of the islanders descend from outlaws, rebels, and malcontents seeking to escape the relatively rigid law of the mainland city-states. The concept of the Law as presented by the Loregiver is respected in theory.
Ask a man who owns his land and he will freely answer, inThe Grand Caliph, for truth and if he comes I will give it to him.l Thus the Law is flexed and bent to suit individual strains of the islanders.
Actions barely tolerated in other lands money-lending, blood feuds, excessive speech, public displays
of celebration, even occasional ichonestll piracy (i.e., not against your neighbors or anyone who can make
trouble) are somewhat the norm for the islanders.
Moralist priests find the Masudi to be abhorrent degenerates or rebellious troublemakers; the Masudi consider those of the Pantheon, in particular, to be pinch-faced toads.

Bandar al-Sa'adat..

Ra'is. ia Head, ld a title of respect, often used for those who hold civil posts.
Ruler: Ra'is Mahmud Ben Aziz (he/m/T/mr/11) rules al-Sa'adat with a relaxed yet unquestioned grip. Given the morality of the region, the qadi's decisions are often convenient some would say corrupt but
Mahmud knows just who to keep happy in the town. Mahmud would deny any wrong-doing on his part it's just that he approaches justice as another business, selling the law to those who can pay.
The Court: Since Mahmud has many interests, he cannot attend to every little matter of town administration. He has created several posts to handle the day-to-day affairs. Naturally, he would only entrust these to family members. There is his brother Karim Ben Aziz (he/m/F/a/8), captain of the marketplace guard (whose guardsmen are all sons, nephews, and cousins of the Aziz); his widowed daughter Halima (he/f/T/mr/5), town bookkeeper; and Aasim (e/m/W/sh/7), his brother-in-law, who inspects all cargoes at the wharf. Like Mahmud, these officials view their posts as a business meant to enrich the Aziz family.
Population: An average of 800, although this number varies greatly with the coming and going of the trading seasons.
Distinguishing Features of the Populace: Two features mark an outlander from the citizens of al-Sa'adat. The obvious one is speech. The Masudi have a passionate love of words and, thus, never approach any conversation directly and to the point. ioHow are you?lo becomes ieHail, my brother, on this gracious day that Fate has created and sent to entertain us, including myself, least of all beings, while surely you must be richer than I to be out on this fine day? Haggling for them is more than just business it is a chance to show off one's artistic skill.
The second distinguishing feature, while not as overt, is a trait of personality. For the Masudi of al-Sa'adat, all life is business and all business is pleasure. Making deals is more than a way of making money it is a reason for existence. Furthermore, a sharp deal or a hard bargain can earn a man fame and reputation. The Masudi judge according to the cleverness of one's haggling.
Major Products: Trade goods of all types.
Armed Forces: The citizens can be mustered into an effective militia of 100 soldiers. They are practiced
at defending the port from sporadic pirate raids. The militia is backed by a cadre of assorted wizards (lvl 3-
6), eight in all, who work for the merchants of al-Sa'adat and the eight priests of the small temples in
town.
Other Important Individuals: Al-Sa'adat is a way point for many travelers and adventurers of the Crowded Sea. Thus, there is always a good chance that someone of fame or notoriety may be temporarily residing here. Of permanent and semi-permanent residents, the most infamous is certainly Ghunayya of the Rose Petal (h/f/F/c/12), the pirate queen. Captain of a ship sometimes called the Djinni's Flower, sometimes the Floating Rose, Ghunayya is a semi-legitimate privateer who does not raid indiscriminately. Instead, she sells her skills as a pirate to cities and nations throughout Zakhara. Armed with the appropriate letters of marque, she raids the ships of her employers' rivals, dumps the cargoes in al-Sa'adat's marketplace, and keeps 50% of the profits. The rest is magically shipped out to her employers. By wisely spreading her wealth throughout the town, she has become a ierespectablell citizen at least so long as she is successful.
Noted Features of the Town: It is said of al-Sa'adat, like it is said of many places, that here is a market where a man can buy anything. The claim is more true here than most; gems, gold, silver, and magic all pass through the port's stalls. Is there nothing that cannot be bought or sold by the merchants of al-Sa'adat? One local legend maintains that here the gods themselves come in disguise to trade for the souls of the living. Another maintains that Anwar the Fool bought the secret of Shulifan, the Caliphate of Gold, from a merchant here. Was he swindled? Perhaps, but no one has ever seen Anwar begging in the streets since.
Bandar al-Sa'adat, the Crossroad of Trade, is the center of the ungoverned Masud frontier and the
meeting point of two major trade routes. From the east come ships bearing the iron and silver of Harab, and
spices from Bariya; from the south come exotic treasures from wild and unexplored lands. It is to Bandar Sa'adat, the gateway to civilized lands, that the sailors converge to refit and celebrate.
Because of this, the large and powerful merchants of the Pearl Cities and great Huzuz herself have set up shop here to buy up the choicest items brought in the ships. Each major merchant house maintains its own caravansary (a combination traveler's inn and warehouse) for visiting captains. The caravansaries are stout, well-protected compounds, a scattering of small forts rising above the rest of al-Sa'adat. The towns shoreline is lined with piers, wharfs, and quays. Those owned by the town are fine, solid affairs of stone, with cranes and porters in abundance.
Berthing fees, paid to the Ben Aziz, are high: 2-5% of the cargoes' value. Farther to the edges the piers
become rickety affairs, and the berthing fees drop accordingly.
Typically a ship owner will deal with the same merchant house from year to year, berthing with regularity at the same pier unless angered or lured away by offers of better deals. Once sold, the goods are carried back by ships that sail only from al-Sa'adat to the Golden Gulf and back again, a practice known as intrading the short roadld among the merchant community. Indeed, many of the captains who ply the Crowded
Sea never once carry their cargoes to the Golden Gulf. Instead, they off-load all their goods in al-Sa'adat.
Although most of a ship's goods are hauled to the caravansary, a few items always manage to reach the
Swallows' Bazaar (named after the birds that roost under the nearby eaves). As a result, the town has a
thriving marketplace. Though Bandar al-Sa'adat has the appearance of an outlying backwater, this facade
conceals vast fortunes of both legal and questionable means.

AQUATIC ENCOUNTERS

Salt Water Surface	Salt Water Depths	Fresh Water Surface	Fresh Water Depths
2 Shark, giant 3 Depths encounter 4 Ghost ship 5 Pahari 6 Giant, reef or island 7 Dolphin or whale 8 Seaweed or strangleweed 9 Shark or barracuda 10 Fisherman 11 Merchant 12 Pirates, small boats 13 Warship 14 Pirates, large ship 15 Turtle, giant sea 16 Hazard (navigational) 17 Crocodile, giant 18 Aerial encounter 19 DM's Special 20 DM's Special	2 Shark, giant 3 Squid, giant 4 Shark 5 Nereid 6 Sea hag 7 Giant, reef 8 Lacedon 9 Ray, manta 10 Fish school 11 Fish school 12 Hippocampus 13 Octopus, giant 14 Anenome, giant sea 15 Snake, sea 16 Pahari 17 Barracuda 18 Giant, reef 19 DM's Special 20 DM's Special	2 Depths encounter 3 Aerial encounter 4 Snake, giant constrictor 5 Crocodile, giant 6 Naga, water 7 Hazard (navigational) 8 Pirate, small boats 9 Fisherman 10 Merchant 11 Crocodile, normal 12 Seaweed 13 Bunyip 14 Water weird 15 Turtle, giant snapping 16 Spider, giant water 17 Hippopotamus 18 Crocodile, giant 19 DM's Special 20 DM's Special	2 Snake, giant constrictor 3 Sea weed or strangleweed 4 Crocodile, giant 5 Crab or crayfish, giant 6 Fish school 7 Fish school 8 Turtle, giant snapping 9 Eel, giant 10 Bunyip 11 Heway 12 Lacedon 13 Naga, water 14 Genie, marid 15 Nereid 16 Zin 17 Sea hag 18 Water weird 19 DM's Special 20 DM's Special

Aerial Land, or Depths Encounters: Roll on the appropriate table. If the encounter is not suitable, then none occurs.
Surface encounters: Unintelligent monsters are 75% likely to be driven off by flaming oil nearby, 90% if actually burned by it. Large amounts of food thrown overboard are 50% likely to end such an encounter.
Fish School: This is a large group of one type of fish, the aquatic version of herd animals. They usually do not attack, unless commanded by magical means. If panicked, they might mill about, obstructing vision and movement. If large enough, they might cause buffeting damage (1-2 to 1-8, depending on size).
Ghost Ship: This is a lost ship, manned by undead. Although it can be seen at any time, it will usually attack only at night, when its masters are at full power. Roll percentile dice once for the crew and once for their leaders.

Crew:	Leaders:
01-40 = 10-40 skeletons; 41-80 = 10-40 zombies; 81-00 = 10-30 lacedons.	01-30 = 1-3 spectres; 31-60 = 1-2 ghosts; 61-90 = 1-2 vampires; 91-00 = 1 lich.

Hazard (navigational): This can ground or damage a vessel that does not have a pilot familiar with the waters. Such hazards such as sandbars and submerged logs often change position. They can be circumvented by rolling a successful navigation proficiency check.
Pirates, small ships: This encounter involves 1-6 small vessels, ranging in size from small launches and outrigger canoes to barijahs. The ships are crammed with a total of 20-120 seafaring thieves and fighters of 1st-3rd levels, led by four 4th level mates, a 6th level lieutenant, and an 8th level captain (10% chance for a 6th-
9th level wizard). Common pirates wear leather armor; leaders wear chain mail. All are armed with knives and swords; 25% also carry bows, 50% spears, and 25% pole arms.
Pirates, large ship: This encounter involves either a drommond (40%), great galley (40%), or galleon (20%). The ship is crammed with 100-300 seafaring thieves and fighters of 1st-4th levels, led by four 5th level mates, a 7th level lieutenant, and a 10th level captain. There is a 40% chance for a 7th-10th level wizard and/or
priest (check for each). Common pirates wear studded leather armor; leaders wear chain mail and shield. All are armed with knives and swords; 50% also carry bows, 25% spears, and 25% pole arms. The ship is further armed with 0-3 ballistas and catapults.
Seaweed: This includes both floating masses of weed and beds at the bottom. The former slow ships by 50%. The latter are 30-300' high and reduce vision to 10 feet. Both provide 40% chance for another encounter if entered.

	From the Monster PDF Files
Monster Compendium A2 Giant Jellyfish Floating Eye Hetfish Masher Verme Dragon-kin Sea Wyrm Brine Dragon Dinosaur Aquatic Darktenticles Fiend Folio Crabman Flawder Mantari Monsterous compendium Aquatic Elf Golden Ammonite Greyhawk Monsters Giant Dragonfly Sea Snail Sea Sprite Giant Sea Turtle	Monster Compendium A3 Bunyip Cildabrin Giant Moray Eel Ixitxachitl Giant Sea Anemone Childeren of the Sea Children of the Land (same as of the sea, but start as sea humans) Giant Clam Brain Coral Coral Worm Dolphin-Athasian Fish, Ascallion Fish, Athasian - Kreel, Puddingfish, Shark, Skyfish Fish, Deep Ocean - Angler Fish, Death Minnow, Gulper, Viperfish Fish, Tropical - Grouper, Morena, Porcupine Fish, Electric Eel Giant Gulper Eel Octojelly Octohide Sea Demon Sea Hermit Sea Glutton Sea Worm Squid, Squark Giant Sunstar	Monster Manual 2 Afanc Giant Catfish Tennodontosaurus Dustdigger Froghemoth Grippli Kraken Seawolf Narwhale Aquatic Ogre Selkie (Sealmen) Verme
	From Main Monster Pages
Barracuda Barracuda-Fish Carp_Giant Catfish_Giant-Fish Eel_Electric Eel-Fish Electric_Eel-Fish Fish Giant_Eel-Fish Giant_Pike-Fish Giant_Piranha-Fish Giant_Seahorse-Fish Giant_Shark-Fish Lamprey_Land-Fish Manta_Ray-Fish Marine_Eel-Fish Pike_Giant-Fish Piranha-Fish Pungi_Ray-Fish Quipper-Fish Seahorse_Giant-Fish Shark_Giant-Fish Shark-Fish Sting_Ray-Fish Weed Weed_Eel-Fish Sea_Cow Sea_Creatures	Giant_Sea_Turtle Giant_Snapping_Turtle Ogre_Aquatic_Merrow_Young Ogre_Aquatic_Merrow_Females Giant_Sea_Turtle Giant_Portuguese_Man-O-War Electric_Marine_Eel Giant_Catfish Giant_Sea_Horse Electric_Eel Eel,_Weed Giant_Otter Pirate-Buccaneer Giant_Eel Leech_Swarm Saltwater_Troll Giant_Leech Giant_Squid Sea_Sprite_Sprite Giant_Crab_Crustacean Ogre,_Merrow-Water Giant_Whale Sea,_Giant_Snake Crocodile Sea_Lion Crocodile,_Giant	Octopus_Giant Dolphin Elemental_Water-Kin Nereid-Elemental_Water-Kin Water_Weird-Elemental_Water-Kin Crustacean_Giant Giant_Crab-Crustacean_Giant Giant_Crayfish-Crustacean_Giant Squid_Giant Water_Elemental Elf,_Aquatic Kuo-Toa Malenti-Elf_Aquatic Sea_Elf-Elf_Aquatic Otter-Mammal_Small Sea_Otter-Mammal_Small Sea_Sprite