A heavy, iron-banded door swings inward, releasing a breath of cold incense. Crimson carpets hush your steps as candlelight flickers along the walls, glinting off polished skulls and gilded sigils of Iuz.

Velvet curtains whisper aside, revealing a low chamber layered in silk pillows around a tall, bubbling hookah. Sweet perfumed smoke coils through the air, briefly forming grinning, demonic shapes before dissolving into shadow.

Atmosphere.

The air is cool, perfumed, and faintly oppressive—as if the room itself is listening. Shadows in the corners seem to stretch or tremble whenever Iuz’s name is spoken aloud.

Guarding Skulls.

Two green-hued skulls mounted above the entrance serve as arcane sentinels attuned to Captain Xendros. If anyone enters without her consent, they emit a low hum only she can hear, alerting her instantly.

• Arcana (DC 15): The skulls bear alarm and scrying enchantments, allowing brief remote observation of the room.

Hookah of Devotion.

The hookah releases a soothing, intoxicating aroma that lowers defenses.

• Effect: A creature that inhales the smoke must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (as charm person) for 1 hour.

• Xendros uses it during “private discussions” to soften resistance and guide initiates toward devotion to Iuz.

A tidy chamber greets you. Shelves and cubbies line the walls, packed with tightly rolled scrolls arranged in near-obsessive order. A broad mahogany desk dominates the center, its surface claimed by a detailed nautical chart of Javan Bay. Compasses, dividers, and ledgers sit precisely aligned.

The room smells faintly of ink and sea salt. Everything speaks of discipline and control.

Scrolls & Ledgers
Most documents are routine trade records—fish manifests, shipping contracts, delivery schedules.

• DC 12 Investigation: The records are penned in flawless Keoish script and stamped with the official seal of the Saltmarsh council.

Nautical Chart
The chart traces routes from Saltmarsh across the Azure Sea toward northern ports loyal to Iuz.

• DC 14 Investigation: A faint secondary trade line branches south toward Port Torvin in Sea Princes territory, marked with an unfamiliar merchant sigil—subtle, but intentional.

• DC 16 Insight: The careful concealment suggests calculated secrecy, not oversight.

Hidden Compartment
A false bottom beneath the central drawer (DC 15 Perception or Investigation) conceals:

• A sealed letter marked with black wax bearing the sigil of Iuz (orders written in Infernal).

• A small brass holy symbol—a skull within a sunburst—used by clergy of Iuz. While carried, it grants advantage on Constitution saving throws.

A warm chamber opens before you. A single red leather chair faces a crackling hearth, smoke and spiced rum scenting the air. Behind it, a polished oak shelf displays bottles of deep amber and crimson—rare vintages labeled in foreign script. Firelight catches the glass, casting the room in shifting reds and golds.

Captain Xendros retreats here for solitude—to review coded reports, reflect on her missions, or savor her private rum collection. It is one of the few places she allows herself to relax.

Rum Collection

• DC 12 Investigation: The bottles originate from distant ports—some Keoish, others clearly smuggled from Sea Princes territory.

• DC 15 Perception or Arcana: Each bottle holds a faint red sediment that slowly swirls through the liquor.

Infernal Infusion.
The rums are infused with Fire Demon Ghost Pepper, Xendros’s personal blend—whispered to contain a drop of her own blood.

Tasting Effect: A creature that drinks must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw.

• Failure: Takes 1d6 fire damage as the liquid scorches throat and lungs.

• Success: The heat settles into a lingering warmth, leaving a faint infernal aftertaste.

Xendros claims it “burns away weakness and sharpens the mind.”

Hidden Note
The largest bottle—an ornate decanter with a ruby stopper—conceals a strip of parchment within its label. Written in Infernal, it details one of Xendros’s three missions from Iuz.