For details about the playable race, see the tortle entry in the races page.
Tortle Guides
The following tortle NPCs can be added to the list of guides available for hire in Chult. One of the tortle guides, Kwilgok, works for the merchant prince Jobal in Port Nyanzaru. The others, Eeyal and Mudgraw, are freelancers operating out of Fort Beluarian and Ahoyhoy, respectively.
Eeyal
Prerequisite: tortle guide (fort beluarian)
When the characters meet Eeyal, give them handout A.
Eeyal is a tortle who wears goggles that she crafted for herself to protect her eyes against volcanic ash. It took her almost a year, but she traveled from the Snout of Omgar to Fort Beluarian on foot, crossing Chult through rough mountains, dense jungles, and undead-infested territory. She’s seen Lake Luo, the garden palace of Nangalore, the gorge of Ataaz Muhahah, and the ruins of Mezro. She even found a shipwreck in the jungle (the wreck of the Narwhal) and befriended a weretiger that lives there.
A skilled artisan, Eeyal carries a set of smith’s tools and a set of tinker’s tools. She also owns a climber’s kit, a healer’s kit, and a dungeoneer’s pack. This equipment is hooked to a specially crafted leather harness attached to Eeyal’s shell. Eeyal claims to have the right tool for every contingency and is so protective of her gear that she insists on carrying it all herself.
Eeyal is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 420 pounds.
Although she’s only 17 years old, her demeanor is comparable to that of a much older, much wiser tortle. She chooses her words carefully and doesn’t take unnecessary risks. As she walks through the jungle, she uses her quarterstaff to poke and prod ahead of her, fully aware that traps and snares come in many forms.
If the characters hire Eeyal, she recommends that they also purchase a charter of exploration before leaving Fort Beluarian. Eeyal expects to run into Flaming Fist patrols, and such meetings can turn sour in a hurry if one doesn’t carry the necessary paperwork.
Frightened of subterranean places, Eeyal won’t voluntarily travel underground unless there’s no other alternative.
Eeyal is trustworthy and charges 5 gp per day. She also offers a discount rate of 40 gp for a tenday, but the payment must be made up front and is non-refundable.
Kwilgok
Prerequisite: tortle guide (port nyanzaru)
When the characters meet Kwilgok, give them handout B.
Three years ago, a trade ship visited the tortle fort of Ahoyhoy, and Kwilgok was able to book passage on it. In Port Nyanzaru, he discovered a world like no other. He found work repairing docks and, within a year, had enough coin to buy a used ankylosaurus, which he rode in several high-stakes dinosaur races. He lost more than he won but caught the eye of the merchant prince Jobal, who convinced him there was more profit in wilderness exploration. Kwilgok the tortle became a guide and, like all legitimate guides in Port Nyanzaru, gives a slice of his earnings to Jobal.
Kwilgok travels with a cantankerous ankylosaurus named Deadly Treasure. The tortle rides in a howdah on the ankylosaurus’s back and guides the beast using a 10-foot pole with succulent leaves tied to one end. Although he doesn’t allow others to ride the beast, many would-be explorers are so impressed by the dinosaur that they’re happy to pay Kwilgok’s fee of 6 gp per day, with payment for 30 days up front.
Although he’s an able and honest guide, Kwilgok won’t stick his neck out for his employers. He gets steady work because of his easy-going demeanor and his willingness to lead an expedition to any corner of Chult. He has traveled up the River Soshenstar many times and knows the Aldani Basin and the surrounding region quite well. He’s also led expeditions to Orolunga, though he’s never encountered the elusive oracle rumored to dwell there. One place he’d rather not revisit is Dangwaru, the Typhoon Palace. When he was young, Kwilgok decided on a lark to explore the ruins and encountered evil shadows there. The shadows nearly spelled his doom, but he managed to flee the palace in a weakened state. The shadows still haunt Kwilgok’s dreams, and he has no wish to face them again.
Kwilgok is 26 years old, stands just shy of 6 feet tall, and weighs 450 pounds.
Mudgraw
Prerequisite: tortle druid guide (ahoyhoy)
When the characters meet Mudgraw, give them handout C. Characters who visit the tortle fort of Ahoyhoy can secure Mudgraw as a guide. Convinced that he is a natural leader, Mudgraw likes to bellow and be heard, and he never admits to being wrong, even when he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The tortle druid can’t pass up a good adventure and is willing to travel off the island. He has previously led expeditions to Omu, Shilku, and the Heart of Ubtao. It’s been five years since he last visited the Heart; consequently, he knows nothing about its current inhabitants.
Mudgraw’s only visit to Omu, three years ago, ended in disaster. He and a company of human treasure-hunters from the city of Athkatla were ambushed by yuan-ti, and Mudgraw was forced to abandon his companions. He hid in a ruin that was once a shrine to the god Ubtao, was transfixed by the maze-like imagery on the walls, and found a wooden holy symbol left behind by the shrine’s previous inhabitants. He believes that Ubtao helped him escape the city and now wears the holy symbol around his neck. He regrets abandoning the expedition and prefers not to speak of it. One of his favorite new sayings is, “Life is a maze.” Mudgraw uses it whenever he’s vexed or when he has information he’d rather not divulge.
Mudgraw is 44 years old, stands 6 feet tall, and weighs 480 pounds. He charges 5 gp per day but will waive his fee if he is given the chance to lead another expedition to Omu. Mudgraw sees any such expedition as an opportunity for atonement.