The city of Rahbaud is peaceful and prosperous, sounds lovely until you realise its wealth is founded on the slave trade! However the slaves have had enough, and a revolt has broken out... As this adventure was produced in support of Alderac's Evil sourcebook, the party gets hired to quash the rebellion! Working in the service of Prince Sukhir Blackhammer, the Iron Fist of Law, they are tasked with stamping out the revolt and bringing the ringleaders to justice.

The DM Background gives a few more details on the opulent settlement and the origins of the revolt, which started amongst gladiators. Worse, a neighbouring kingdom promptly declared war in the guise of 'freeing the slaves' (although wiser heads claim it's because the nation is broke and the people are starving...). The Prince will lead Rahbaud's army against this invasion, while the party (with the help of the town guard) quell the revolt.

The adventure starts with the Prince summoning the party. It's up to you how he heard of them, and indeed where Rahbaud is within your campaign world (you can, of course, change its name!). He sends them off forthwith, with some 60 guardsmen, to begin their task. The centre of town is a full-blown riot - it's suggested that you run sample encounters rather than attempt to play the whole thing out - and the docks are on fire, threatening warehouses stuffed with trade goods from the known world... and several slave galleys whose crews are about to burn!

There's a lot to take in at once and decisions need to be made right away. A series of general locations are provided along with an overview map of town so you get an idea of where everything is. The leaders of the revolt are covered in some detail, and they have based themselves in the gladatorial arena... but the party will also have to track down a safe house where a prominent sympathiser is to be found, and a good final brawl is to be had.

The outcome notes assume the party's success in their mission, and makes the note that anyone who went wild will not prosper - ruthless murderers are of no use to the Prince. Those who bring the ringleaders of the revolt to what passes for justice will, however, be rewarded. Even though this is billed as an adventure for evil characters, it could as easily be presented as extremely lawful. Set aside modern ideas about the awfulness of slavery and treat it as maintaining the status quo, upholding law and order. You could twist this round if the party want to throw their lot in with the slaves instead, but it's not designed that way... although I see potential with devious parties who might pretend to serve the Prince yet aid the slaves instead, although things would go really badly for them if they were caught out!

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Reviewed: 2 November 2017