YARTAR

1. City Gates – (Journal Entry #6) The guards stop the party as they try to pass through the city gates. Once the party has explored the town, the guards let them leave.
2. The Inn of the Glowing Gem – (Journal Entry #5) This is where the party begins the game. Be sure to have the party’s spell casters memorize spells before beginning the adventure.
3. The Tired Traveller Tavern – You can fight in the taverns to gain experience and treasure.
4. The Yartar Armory – The party should buy weapons and armor here .
5. Hall of Training – Characters, including NPCs like Krevish, can train to advance levels here.
6. City Guard Post – The guards direct the party to the riverboat rentals, and inform them that ships sailing the Trackless Sea depart from a pier in Luskan.
7. Vault of Yartar – This is where the party can store any items or money they acquire but don’t want to carry around . Later in the game the party acquires a magical card and may access treasure left here from other vaults in Silverymoon and Neverwinter; until then this vault is open but the others are closed.
8. Waterbaron House – (Journal Entry #9) This is the home of the Waterbaron, the leader of Yartar. He tells the party about some of the problems troubling the region.
9. Temple of Tymora – Here, for a fee, the party can raise dead characters, heal wounds, cure poison and turn stoned characters back to flesh.
10. City Guard Headquarters – These are the barracks for the City Guard.
11. Frydhazes’ Shop of Unusual items – Here you can purchase Holy Water, Silver Mirrors and Flasks of Oil.
12. Barge Buildings – (Journal Entry #11) These are large barge building shops set beside the river.
13. Boat Rentals – The party can rent boats at almost all towns and cities in the Savage Frontier. Most of the rental fee is a deposit on the boat, and if the party returns the vessel safely, even at a different town, the deposit is refunded . Boats allow the party to travel on the rivers on the Wilderness Map. Travelling by boat is one of the safest ways to get around, since wandering monsters rarely attack parties on the river. This boat rental shop is closed until the party has explored some of the town.
14. Northwaters Fish Market – (Journal Entry #4) Business here is slow due to the Trolls and Orcs gathering in the area.
15. Dessarin Boat Repair – (Journal Entry #3) Owner mentions finding 3 boats that displayed evidence of having been under attack.
16. Three Rivers Festhall – This is a secret Kraken hideout, but at the start of the game it looks like any other tavern . After the party has gained the Ring of Reversal they are attacked here by Kraken Spies.
17. Back Rooms of the Festhall – There is a 50% chance that a Kraken captain and a small group of Kraken spies are in either of these places . Defeating them once removes them from both places forever.
18. Residential Area – These areas are where the citizens of Yartar live.
19. General Vaalgamon – (Journal Entry #2) Dark riders gallop past the party the first time they go here. One of the riders is Vaalgamon, the Zhentarim general dispatched to organize the invasion of the Savage Frontier.

20. Krevish (Quest) – (Journal Entry #21) At one of these locations, the party has a chance to help a small, terrified man cornered by bandits. If the party doesn’t help the man and the bandits sprint away, the party may see them again . If the party helps the man, the bandits turn and attack. The man the party saves is named Krevish. If the party accepts him, he can travel with them for the rest of the game.

He fights on the side of the party in the battle with the bandits. Use a Sleep spell to stop the bandits, catching as many of them as possible in its 3×3 square area. Don’t let any party members be caught in the spell’s range, or they are put to sleep as well . The Sleep spell is the most important weapon in the early part of the game. If two party members can use magic-user spells they should both memorize it. After the battle, grab the bandits’ money and items. The party can sell the items for cash at the weapons shop.

After the party defeats the bandits, Krevish offers to help them find work. If the party accepts the offer, he leads them to his Captain. If the party refuses his offer they can change their minds by going to Krevish’s house at location 21. The Captain offers the party the chance to go to Nesme and destroy an evil cleric who is causing trouble there. If the party accepts the mission the Captain leaves.

If the party doesn’t accept they have to fight the Krakens to get out of this room. In either case, Krevish offers to come with the party. If the party accepts Krevish, buy plenty of arrows for him and keep him in the back row of the party. From time to time during the course of the game Krevish gives hints or suggestions. In each case he is telling the truth or giving good advice. If the party rejects Krevish, they can still add him to the party by visiting his house at location 21.

Hint On Strategy for NPCs: Krevish and the characters Erek, Jagaerda and Muthtur (all of whom can help the party for a while) operate under computer control in battles . Make sure that Krevish and other NPCs have their bows readied, have plenty of arrows, and are placed in the back row of the party. If NPCs run out of arrows they charge ahead and attack the enemy, sometimes endangering both themselves and the party.

21. Krevish’s House – Come here if the party rejected either offer he made and they now want to accept him.
22. Captain’s Quarters – (Journal Entry #25) This is where the party meets the Captain after accepting Krevish’s offer

Synopsis: Yartar is the party’s first home base. As a centrally located crossroads town it is called the “hub of the Savage Frontier.”The party should visit here regularly to buy equipment, train characters, heal wounds, etc. Such services are also available in a number of other major towns and cities scattered across the map, but Yartar always seems to be “on the way” to wherever the party is going.

At the start of the game the party should immediately rest and memorize spells, buy weapons and armor in the store, and then explore the town. There are many secrets throughout the Savage Frontier, put the party in Search mode and keep it there throughout the game so that they don’t miss anything.

In any case, they cannot leave immediately due town alarm about trolls in the area. Many useful pieces of information can be learned from talking with various shopkeepers here in Yartar.

Resting: The party can rest in Yartar only at the Inn.

Returning to Yartar: Later in the game the party acquires the Ring of Reversal. If the party comes back through Yartar with the Ring of Reversal, they are ambushed by the Kraken Society on their way out of town. If the party comes back to Yartar with the ring, don’t try to leave the town until the game has been saved and the party is fully healed and has memorized their spells.

Wandering Monsters: If the party has acquired the Ring of Reversal and has not yet cleared Sub-Yartar, Kraken agents may attack them on the main streets of the town. Once Sub-Yartar has been cleared, there are 2 more such attacks by stragglers, after which the party is safe from attack in Yartar

Objective: Find and help Krevish who has been attacked by barbarians so you can leave town.

Starting location: The party starts in this town. There are no magical items or Statuettes here. You start in the Inn, which is the only place the part can rest, so memorize all spells before exiting. I recommended having the Magic Users memorize “Sleep” spells, while the Clerics should memorize “Bless” and “Cure Light Wounds” spells. Alter the position your characters so your fighters are at top of the list and arrange the rest so that the spell casters are at the bottom of the list. When you are done, save the game and go to the Armory.

Armor: At the Armory, you should have about 210 Platinum Pieces (1050gp). Exchange rate is 5 Gold Pieces per 1 Platinum Piece. Have your fighters and multi-class spell-casters (and Cleric) purchase Splint Mail (AC6, 80gp), this will drop their AC from 6 to 0. Add a shield and those characters should now be at AC-1. Have your thief purchase Leather Armor to retain his backstab ability.

Weapons: Purchase Long Swords (1d8, 15gp) for the fighters and multi-class spell-casters. Pure clerics should start with a flail and pure magic users should start with a Quarterstaff. You should have enough gold for all the armor, shields and weapons. Purchase a few Long Bows with the money left over and a Staff Sling for the Cleric to provide range attacks.

Experience: There are 2 taverns in town – The Tired Traveller Tavern and The Three Rivers Festhall. You can elect to fight in either to gain experience and treasure.

Quests: Per your conversation with the Waterbaron, it appears he is the one to commission quests. However, he will report there are no available quests at the moment, and to check around the city. There are 3 locations labeled “20”. This is where you can get your first quest. This is the only quest in Yartar. See the Events tab for more detail about this quest.

Leaving: Go to the inn and heal, memorize spells, especially detect magic to prepare for the next stage.

In 1361 DR, Baron Alahar Khaumfros attempted to further a plot to provoke the Lords’ Alliance (particularly Waterdeep) to war against Ruathym on behalf of the Kraken Society and Luskan. He was foiled in his attempt when Liriel Baenre, Fyodor, and Caladorn Cassalanter discovered the plot.

In 1491 DR, Yartarans were abducted by the elemental cults for conversion or sacrifice. These were mostly people who would not be missed; the poor and drunkards. The victims were held in the Temple of Howling Hatred. Members of the Hand of Yartar acquired a devastation orb from the Lord Protector of Triboar’s vault. They attempted to auction it off to the highest bidder. Lord Khaspere Drylund, a member of the Kraken Society, sought to bribe or blackmail corrupt officials to support his efforts to become the next Waterbaron.

The population had grown to the point that older structures were torn down and new, taller, buildings needed to be erected, some as high as four stories. The city was connected by a fortified bridge wide enough to accommodate two wagons with room to spare to a citadel on the west bank. There, the Evermoor Way (linking Triboar and Silverymoon) crossed the Surbrin. Yartar was a crossroads trading town, so it was always bustling with caravans entering and leaving its walls.

It was renown as a place for merchants, smugglers, mercenaries, and spies from all over the North to meet and conduct business. The Surbrin Trail ran north from the city through the hills on the other side of the Dessarin Valley toward the ruins of Nesmé. The trail hugged the eastern bank of the River Surbrin rather than enter the Evermoors. Yartaran soldiers patrolled the road.

During the three years between Shieldmeet, Yartar would host the Hiring Fair on a field north of the city. This event would draw thousands of outcasts, wanderers, barbarians, criminals, and adventurers from the surrounding area to sell their labor to farmers, merchants, nobles, and anyone else that may have needed workers or bodyguards. It was common for adventuring bands to form at the fair.

1 – City Gates

2 – Inn of the Glowing Gem

3 – The Tired Traveller Tavern

4 – The Yartar Armory

5 – Hall of Training

6 – City Guard Post

7 – Vault of Yartar

8 – Waterbaron House

9 – Temple of Tymora

10 – City Guard Headquarters

11 – Frydhazes’ Shop

12 – Barge Building Shops

13 – Boat Rentals

14 – Northwaters Fish Market

15 – Dessarin Boat Repair

16 – Three Rivers Festhall

17 – Festhall Backrooms

19 – General Vaalgamon

20 – Krevish

22 – Captain’s Quarters

Evil Cleric

JOURNAL ENTRY 2
The Black-Robed Riders:

We backed up against the stone buttress at the end of the bridge, waiting to see what frightened everyone so badly.

A moment later they appeared, two riders in long, black robes with hoods that hid their faces. They came around the corner behind the Temple of Tymora, crossed the town square and pounded past us at the gallop.We turned and watched the guards stand back as the two raced through the gates and out of the city.

Slowly, the people in the square resumed their activities. Only now, they were all in a hurry to be somewhere else.

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 3
The Boat Repairman’s Story:

“Well, funny you should ask. See these three boats over here! I found them just last week, one by one, washed up on the sand bar outside town.

“See those holes in the sides! I patched ‘ern up. Time were arrows in them, lots of’ em. Plenty of blood on the floorboards, too, but I cleaned that all up.

“Haven’t found any boats like that north of town, but I’ve been looking. Maybe going north on the river’s safer than going east.

Til fix ’em up and sell ’em. It gives me the shivers thinking about what happened to the people that were in ’em, but. .. the people who buy ’em will never know. What they don’t know won’t hurt ’em.”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 4
The Fisherman’s Story:

The large fish market was almost empty, although the lingering smell of the place told of better days.

“How d’you like my sign!” the fisherman asked us, proudly. “Carved it m’self, y’know! ‘Course, could do it better. Maybe now’d be a good time t’try. What with all the talk o’ trolls and orcs and all, fishermen ain’t goin’ far up river. Ain’t bringin’ back much, neither.

“Good time for wood carvin’,” he sighed sadly. “Bad time for sellin’ fish.”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 5
The Stolen Rewards:

A curse upon their filthy heads! They’ve taken all we had, stolen everything save the clothes on our backs!

“More! More for everyone!” the waitress cried out at the tavern last night. We looked at each other, shame-faced at having fallen for so old a trick. Someone slipped a little something in our food and we slept like contented babes while the bandits stole us blind!

All the gold earned on our last mission is gone. We endured those dangers, did our jobs and now are left with empty pockets! Our heads could have festooned the end of an orcsish pike… all for nothing!

They even took my fine magical sword with the gold braided handle, the one I used to slay the griffon at Longsaddle last winter. What I would give to have it one more time, if only to skewer the slime who committed this atrocity!

We still have the tiny purse of coins I kept beneath my pillow. There isn’t much, but it will be enough to buy new weapons and a few supplies. We need to find a new sponsor or a new mission quick!Yt to earn the money we need to live.

Whatever mission we next accept, we will have a second quest to complete as well: to catch these thieves and exact payment for last night!

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 6
The Guards at Yartar:

“We’ve been ordered that no one be allowed to leave the city for the rest of the day. Travellers from the north report that many bands of trolls have been seen there, and some have been observed close to Yartar.”

‘These alerts normally don’t last very long. If there’s anything you need to buy at any of the stores here in town, this is a good time to do it.”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 9
The Waterbaron’s Welcome:

“Welcome, adventurers! I regret that all of your treasure and possessions have been stolen. If the City Guards should recover any of your items they will be returned to you.

“I also understand that you are in need of a commission, but I have nothing for you at this time. However, Yartar is a busy town filled with many people from all corners of the Realms. Perhaps in the streets you will find someone in need of help during these troubled times.”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 11
The Bargebuilder’s Story:

“I hope this panic about armies of orcs and trolls ends soon. We usually build two barges a month here. Now no one wants to send goods up river unless they have to, and we have no new orders.

“The river going east was always danger­ ous, but now going south is bad, too. Of course, the High Forest is still far more dangerous than any other place in this part of the Realms.”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 21
Krevish’s Story:

“You know, I’d sure love to do something for you guys! If you’re looking for work I have some friends here in Yartar who hire adventurers all the time and maybe they have something you could do and that way you could get back on your feet again and I would’ve helped you and I would’ve repaid you for saving my life and we’d be friends and wouldn’t that be great!”

 

JOURNAL ENTRY 25:
The Meeting Beneath Yartar:

The man looked us over for a moment, not at all sure whether he liked the idea that Krevish had brought our party to his secret lair.

“It’s all right, Captain!” Krevish piped up enthusiastically. “They saved my life! They didn’t have to do it, they could have just kept on walking, but they stopped and risked their lives to save mine and that was really nice of them and that’s why you really ought to give them a chance to carry out a mission for us because they’ve really earned a chance I think, don’t you!”

The Captain rolled his eyes. “All right, Krevish, all right!” he sighed. “If you’ll just be quiet I’ll give them a chance.”

“As you know” he told us, “the Temples of Bane are dedicated to the advancement of Evil in the Realms. One cleric of Bane in the town of Nesme, up the river to the north of here, has been causing great disruptions in that city.

“We believe that to save Nesme from civil war he must be stopped. If you can find the Banite Cleric, and carry out this mission, you will have proven yourselves to be as valuable as Krevish here says you are. Well…almost as valuable, anyway.”