2.

5 TAKEN
Taken (Odd Jobs 2.5), is an adventure for 4 6 Player
Characters of 1st-level. It is intended to be a side
trek adventure to help the PCs gain useful knowledge and experience in the Countdown to Armageddon campaign.
This commission is being offered by Gustav
Hoffman, a woodcutter
from the nearby village
of Denbruck. He is
currently staying at the
Rusty Dragon inn.
Gustav is in Brookshire
on behalf of Denbruck
in hopes of negotiating
a lumber contract with
the Oldenhallers. His
16-year-old daughter,
Mina, accompanied the
logger to town for the
first time. Gustav left her in their room at the Rusty
Dragon while he met with Belven Oldenhaller but
when he returned, she had disappeared. He's been
desperately searching the town for three days, but
there has been no sign. The reward offered is 25 gp;
all the grieving father has left with him.

The Maiden True

Mina, curious about Brookshire, snuck off to explore
on her own before her (over-protective) father returned
from his meeting. Alas, she didn't get very far before
she ran afoul of some crewman from The Maiden
True, a Saragozen pirate ship, docked incognito in the
harbour. Crewed by a rag-tag band of cut-throats
calling themselves the, Encorcheurs (Bandits; MM,
p. 343) and captained by a black-hearted villian
named, Stavros (Bandit Captain; MM, p. 344), The
Maiden True has been quietly raiding the eastern
coast of Haven for weeks. She has a hold full of
unfortunate souls bound for a Majipoori slave market,
never to be heard from again. Mina Hoffman a rare
beauty with golden hair and flawless ivory skin
wandered by a pair of the pirates on shore-leave and
was a prize far too tempting for them to pass up. They
snatched her with ease and, for the past three days,
she has been chained up in the ship's hold.

Finding Mina
One logical place for the adventurers to start is the
Rusty Dragon, itself. Both the inn's owner, Julietta Bertelo, and her headman, Rudolf Grasser were on site

the day that Mina vanished. Grasser a dirty old man

remembers the beautiful Mina and could be
cohersed into helping. A successful DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check (with Advantage if the interrogator
is a female with a 13+ Charisma or if they offer 5+ gp)
will get him to spill the beans. Grasser saw Mina leave
the 'Dragon barely a half-hour after her father and
headed toward the Brookshire Boutique.
***
Hilde Korvaski is the owner/proprietress of the Brookshire Boutique, one the more exclusive mercantiles
in the city. A handsome middle-aged woman with irongrey hair and piercing blue eyes, Hilde is very direct in
her dealings with people and doesn't suffer fools. If
they question her about Mina Hoffman, the PCs will
have to pass a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check or
a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check. (Hilde doesn't
intimidate easily!) If successful, she will remember that
a young, strikingly beautiful girl did wander into her
shop a few days ago. Eventhough she didn't buy anything, the girl seemed to be enjoying looking around
so much that Hilde didn't have the heart to shoo her
out. When the girl did leave, however, Hilde noticed
that it looked like two men were following her. Hilde
didn't get a good look at the men herself, but she did
notice that a local guttersnipe a young orphan-boy
named, Talen loitering about that same time.
***
Talen, an eleven-year-old half-elf, is a local pickpocket
(see, Spy: MM, p. 349) who works the docks. A nondiscript orphan, Talen tends to fade into the background (a boon in his profession); that, coupled with
his eidetic memory, makes him an excellent source of
information. An hour or two of searching will flush him
out. Talen is only too happy to share what he knows
for a price. A gratuity of 2 gp will buy the PCs a DC 15
Charisma (Persuaison) check to learn what the boy
knows. For every extra Gold Crown offered to Talen,
lower the DC by 5; thus, a 5+ gp bribe is an automatic
success. Talen informs the PCs that, while he didn't
see any abduction, he did notice that the two men
following the girl wore red sashes around their waists.
Later on, he saw two other men (wearing identical
sashes) enter the Fatman's Feedbag.
***
The 'Feedbag is one of Brookshire's most notorious
taverns; just the place an Encorcheur would be found
drinking. As (mis)fortune would have it, six (6) of the
rogues are drinking here tonight. If confronted, they
will deny everything and invite the PCs to get lost. If
pressed, they will draw blades and fight. If defeated
and interrogated, a captured pirate will reveal that
Mina is on their docked ship, The Maiden True, which
is scheduled to depart at midnight.

2.5 TAKEN
The Maiden True
A captured Encorcheur can lead the party to the
'Maiden. As most of the pirates are enjoying their last
night on land, the ship has only a skeleton crew. Note:
If the PCs arrive after midnight, it will be too late.
AREA 1 SHIP'S CABIN
Also known as the Quarterdeck, it is a raised, open
deck at the stern. The ships wheel is here, along with
a small davit for a ships boat.
AREA 2 OFFICER'S CABINS
These tiny cabins are the private rooms of the ships
officers. Usually, there is only a hammock and a sea
chest present as furnishings.
AREA 3 SMALL CABINS
Most of the ships crew sleeps here, although in good
weather some crew-members prefer to sleep on the
open decks. There is a dozen cramped bunks here.
AREA 4 STORAGE
(In order) Ships Office: All the ships paperwork is kept
here, including cargo manifests, pay records, and the
ships pay-chest (DC 15 Dexterity check to open);
inside is 25 gp). Wardroom: The captain and his officers take their meals here. Sail Locker: Spare sails,
canvas, and sewing gear is stored here, as well as
plenty of lines, firewood, and heavy tools. Chain
Locker: The ships anchor chain is stored here.
AREA 5 STAVRO'S CABIN
The largest and most comfortable cabin on the ship is
still quite cramped by most standards. Inside are
Stavros' clothes and personal effects. A successful DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal a false bottom in his footlocker; inside is his personal treasure:
25 gp and 50 sp.
AREA 6 MAIN/SLAVE HOLD
Most of the ships cargo is stowed here, as well as
provisions (including as many casks of fresh water as
will fit). This space serves as the main cargo hold, as
well as the crews mess deck. Crew-members take
their meals sitting on whatever cargo is convenient.
There are 30 malnourished and bedraggled men and
women chained to the deck planks here, including
Mina Hoffman.