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Story Hour
The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #134 Are We the Baddies?
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8634938" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Twilight Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #088: The Twilight Squad New Hires.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The Twilight Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p><strong>Big Man (played by George) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1</strong></p><p><strong>Dave McTiernan (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1</strong></p><p><strong>Grumpy Slagg (played by Kev) Male Dwarf Monk Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong>Halibert Shambles (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong>Juanita Branch-Withers (played by Kev) Female Forest Gnome Wizard Lvl 1</strong></p><p><strong>Nancy Female (played by George) Human Cleric of the Sea (Poseidon & Umberlee) Lvl 2 </strong></p><p><strong>Porthole Slagg (played by the DM & Haggis) Male Dwarf Barbarian Lvl 2</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>And I bet you are thinking... what the bloody hell is going on here.</strong></p><p></p><p>Well, as it turns out for the next six weeks or so Haggis/Jim (who plays Vinnie & Daktari from the Dark Squad) is rehearsing, and then starring, in a play. Therefore he's only available after 10-ish on a Tuesday night, or indeed almost any night.</p><p></p><p>So, we're playing the Twilight Squad, and there are new hires. The three remaining players- Bear, George & Kev were given carte blanche to go and roll up a new PC for themselves, anything they liked- although, they could co-ordinate, if they wanted to.</p><p></p><p>They chose not to, although that's not a slight- I like that.</p><p></p><p>The Twilight Squad's new hires are, after a little chat with their player/wranglers for a bit of back story-</p><p></p><p><strong>Big Man (played by George) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1</strong></p><p></p><p>Big Man, who actually has a name but... no one uses it, because Big Man is a stooped male human four feet eight inches tall, but he looks smaller, who is as wide as he is tall. He wields a halberd, which makes him look kinda-odd, what with him being such a shorty. He dresses badly, everything he wears is ill-fitting (too big) and very second hand, he's also a bit wild-looking, mostly unwashed and mostly smells of drunk. Big Man was raised by gnomes, it's a long story... apparently. Although being raised by a close-knit and peaceable community of little folk has not had the desired affect, none of his surrogate family and friends were particularly sad to see Big Man leave the burrow on his naming day. Aged 35 (gnomes live longer than humans, remember) Big Man was unleashed on an unsuspecting world, he very quickly graduated towards bars (he likes a drink he has discovered) and once ensconced within bars he has majored in brawling. For the first thirty-five years of Big Man's life he has been... well, the big... man! Discovering, aged 35 and a few days, that he is in fact- a very small man, has tipped him over the edge. Big Man is angry, a lot of the time, and in particular with anyone he has to look up to. He's spent the last two years either brawling in the streets (with a little jail time) or else fighting in various mercenary outfits- mostly against the greenskins.</p><p></p><p>The Twilight Squad found Big Man drunk and obnoxious, having just taken another beating, in a back alley in Burle.</p><p></p><p>Big Man is played by George.</p><p></p><p><strong>Dave McTiernan (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1</strong></p><p></p><p>Dave McTiernan is not a young man any more (he's in his 40's), and he's had enough of the mean streets of Burle, he served in the town watch for the last twenty-something years. Dave is a tough and nasty looking human, his clothes and his armour all show signs of dedicated service- although they're in good repair. The McTiernan family are famous in the Burle town watch, Dave's dad- Doug (Mad Doug), was till his dying day (not so long ago) also a watchman. All of Dave's brothers- Derek, Dan, Dom, Damian, Dean, Dudley and Desmond also serve in the watch. The McTiernan's are, for want of a better word, a gang- an armed and very dangerous gang, it also helps that they're the law.</p><p></p><p>Dave however has done with that, he figures there's more money to be made enforcing the law elsewhere. Dave has kept his Burle town watch badge, and expended his jurisdiction massively. He uses his badge in conjunction with his silver-tongue, and hulking menace, to enforce a new type of law, he calls it Dave's Law.</p><p></p><p>Dave is played by Bear.</p><p></p><p>Lastly...</p><p></p><p><strong>Juanita Branch-Withers (played by Kev) Female Forest Gnome Wizard Lvl 1</strong></p><p></p><p>Juanita Branch-Withers is a small wizened witch like female forest gnome, small even for her race. She has spent the most of her life surviving in the Mere of the Dead Men- not an easy task but she's been at it for a while- she's 163 years old. She's an outsider even to her people- who think her a little outre even for them, she's just too witchy. Juanita has fore-sworn manners and when the swearing starts she gives as good as she gets, she's a feisty one- think female snarky/sweary Yoda- “Off naughty word you can!”. Juanita dresses badly- her clothing is for camouflage, dirt is positively encouraged. Juanita joined the Twilight Squad, and not the other way around, one minute she wasn't there and then suddenly while in camp by the road to Burle the adventurers found that they had a an aged female gnome sat at their fire. Juanita hasn't disclosed much to her new colleagues, only that she will be joining them, at least for a while, on their adventures. None of the other PCs had the bottle to say 'no' to her, or indeed to ask any other pertinent questions of the dirty wizened gnome.</p><p></p><p>Who knows what Juanita is up to?</p><p></p><p>Juanita is played by Kev, my bro.</p><p></p><p>Oh, last bit- Porthole Slagg will be botted by me until Jim (also known as Haggis) gets into the game, again because of his rehearsals et al that wont be until the last hour of every session.</p><p></p><p>Oh, do you remember this- </p><p></p><p><strong>The Dark Squad’s to-do list-</strong></p><p></p><p>Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?</p><p></p><p>The above task has been on the Dark Squad's to-do list for like, well... forever. In truth it was a section of the present Dark Squad mega-adventure that I designed for Buggles to enjoy.</p><p></p><p>Also, Buggles received a prophecy from one of the Dead Bad Ancestors, it was-</p><p></p><p>Ancestor #5-</p><p>“<strong>I am Golcanz and I am forgotten.</strong></p><p><strong>The answer you seek [Golcanz looks directly at Buggles] is at the bottom of the Goblin’s stair/stare.”</strong></p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad had a chat about the prophecies and came up with the following for this one-</p><p></p><p><strong>This is all about Gwen, Buggles is certain- he's going to find all about his Skeleton companion at the bottom of the Goblin's Stair.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The Goblin's Stair being either a staircase of some sort, the piercing gaze of a Goblin- possibly a statue of a Goblin, or else a stair made from Goblins- dead or alive. </strong></p><p></p><p>Since this time the Dark Squad have further learned that the Goblin Stair is the name of the Goblin King's lair, it's situated in the Dreadwood, possibly near to Blackedge (a small village).</p><p></p><p>Therefore the Dark Squad have passed the above info onto the Twilight Squad, who have taken up the task.</p><p></p><p>Then... well, we begin.</p><p></p><p>Although the first ninety minutes of the session are spent rolling up the player's new PCs' Big Man, Dave McTiernan & Juanita Branch-Withers, and also levelling up the existing members of the Twilight Squad- Grump & Porthole Slagg, Halibert Shambles and his would-be (not) girlfriend, Nancy. This last bunch are now all level two.</p><p></p><p>This then is session 88, and we're on it, and some of us are drinking.</p><p></p><p>But, there's lots of chatter to be had in this one, the first stop on the trip is the Falcon's Nest, the Twilight Squad meet with the Falcon and from her learn all that they can about the Goblin's Stair. Which is- it's the lair of the Goblin King, it's near Blackedge (both of which they knew already) and the more pertinent fact- there's a gnome in Blackedge called Rasshold Sharp, he's a curmudgeon, but here's the thing, he was a prisoner of the Goblin King for over a year, and he knows where the entrance to the Goblin Stair is.</p><p></p><p>The Twilight Squad also learn that there's a standing bounty (paid by the Falcon) for killing goblins, to collect on this they need to return with the severed hands of the goblins that they have slaughtered. This then is also a competition- between the players, every time they kill a goblin (deliver the killing blow) then a goblin hand will appear in their inventory (put their by the saintly DM). It's a bit gamer but we were stuck for something to do with Jim/Haggis being unavailable and I already had this bit built.</p><p></p><p>So, to Blackedge, and the journey is without incident, although the Twilight Squad- now that we're in-game proper take a good thirty minutes to introduce themselves (the new PCs) to each other. Thirty minutes because Big Man is constantly in search of an argument, while Juanita gives as good as she gets, and Dave is a sweary bully.</p><p></p><p>The original members of the Twilight Squad, Halibert in particular, are worried that the new hires are a little bit spicy.</p><p></p><p>“I don't like these new folk, Nancy gel! They're all mouthy buggers, and lummy but they like their swears!”</p><p></p><p>Halibert, played by Bear, used to be a cockney chimneysweep.</p><p></p><p>So, Blackedge. It's a small place- a fortified village on the forested slopes of Blacktop (a cliff/hill/tor), and ideally situated for defence. The settlement is guarded by a dozen-or-so members of the militia, and home to two hundred or so souls. It features a slightly up-market but rambling and dilapidated Inn (the Black Dragon), a fortified three storey watch building, a smithy and a general store called- 'Sharp's Store'.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]157136[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>George's wrap-around screens. That's Blacktop, looking up from Blackedge- shown next right. Then the regional map, the Twilight Squad are on the edge of the Dreadwood. Reprobates, far right- not an indication of their political leanings.</strong></p><p></p><p>Big Man quickly finds the bar of the Black Dragon Inn, he gets three pints inside him and then tries to play the giddy-goat, but none of the locals want anything to do with the short and sweary menace.</p><p></p><p>Dave McTiernan checks in with the local watch, the McTiernan name has made it to Blackedge it seems, he's welcomed (cautiously) by the local militia.</p><p></p><p>Juanita spends her time talking to various dogs that she meets wandering the streets of the village, and then when folk think this strange she curses and/or swears at them.</p><p></p><p>The original members of the Twilight Squad meantime head for Sharp's Stores and soon after, after the spending of money (ostensibly for drink = bribery) they get to chat with Rasshold Sharp in the backroom of his now 'closed for afternoon drinking' store. Rasshold is, as stated earlier, a curmudgeonly (and sharp) fellow- but money, as is often the case, talks. Rasshold breaks off the telling of his story- my escape from the Goblin Stair, every few minutes to demand more silver and gold...</p><p></p><p>And so it goes.</p><p></p><p>Although, Big Man doesn't last long in the conversation, he keeps pronouncing naughty word Sharp's name incorrectly, funny that. Big Man spends most of the evening sitting in the street, drinking and grumbling to himself.</p><p></p><p>However, the rest of the Twilight Squad learn-</p><p></p><p>The way to the Goblin Stair, it's on the back edge of Blacktop (a tor/craggy summit), only accessible via two ravines that snake around to the rear of the rocky Blacktop, the rest is cliffs.</p><p></p><p>Alas both of the ravines are patrolled by Forest Goblins in the pay of the Goblin King, but also beholden to their mistresses- the hags of the Deep Dreadwood.</p><p></p><p>There's a path up to the summit of Blacktop at the rear, it leads up to a rickety wooden bridge that spans a fast-flowing stream. The Twilight Squad need to make their way here, and then follow the stream down into a dell, it's a climb (down).</p><p></p><p>Down in the dell- keep following the stream, all the way to the crenelated battlements of a tower, which- very oddly, pokes through the earth. Just to make clear- the rest of the tower, Rasshold Sharp eventually explains (after he's been paid some more), seems to have sunk into the stone of Blacktop.</p><p></p><p>So, follow the stream through a rotten trapdoor into the tower, but watch out because there are lots of nasty goblins down here, and keep going- all the way down to the fifth level of the tower.</p><p></p><p>Rasshold makes clear that they'll know this place because there are a pair of latrines in a circular chamber on this level of the tower. He spent the best part of a tenday hiding in one of them.</p><p></p><p>One of the walls of the tower here has been smashed open (from without), the cavern tunnel exits into the goblin's lair proper, and continues on to a cavern called Garbelgut's Palace. Garbelgut is lord here, a massively fat (and tough) goblin chief. Rasshold served as his prisoner (and jester) for nearly a year.</p><p></p><p>But here's the thing, the Twilight Squad also eventually learn, the Goblin Stair itself is below this place, descend the tower until it's final level- keep following the stream. The Goblin Stair is down there, Rasshold finally confesses.</p><p></p><p>Truth be told Rasshold Sharp has never been to the Goblin Stair proper, only to Garbelgut's Palace, but it's down there- and so he says- 'it's terrible to behold'. But he's never actually seen the place, so what does he know.</p><p></p><p>So, the Twilight Squad- once they're in the tower, can if they chose sneak (or fight) they're way all the way down to the Goblin Stair, although that would leave them with an entire goblin tribe (Garbelgut's) at their back. Or else- stop off at Garbelgut's Palace and take the scum down there before descending to the Goblin Stair.</p><p></p><p>The DM has this to say-</p><p></p><p>The further you descend the tougher the encounters get.</p><p></p><p>That's it, that's the story.</p><p></p><p>Except that Juanita also manages to prize a little extra info out of Rasshold, just for herself, but I'll not share that here.</p><p></p><p>The Twilight Squad therefore are heading into the Dreadwood, to the northernmost ravine, in the morning. Dave manages to blag a room in the militia house for the adventurers to spend the night, although several of the PCs chose to stay at the Black Dragon Inn.</p><p></p><p>Then, the next day- bright and early, to adventure.</p><p></p><p>But, let me make this clear- there are seven PCs in game, four first level and three second. I wrote (and populated) this adventure for the Dark Squad when they were level 5-ish. I could swap out a lot of the encounters but, nah!</p><p></p><p>And so, the Twilight Squad have some new rules to help them, they are-</p><p></p><p>1) All PCs have a new REACTION ACTION, so when a bad guy reveals themselves a Player/PC that sees and/or is aware of the event says "I react to that", whoever says it first gets it and can then take a single action- to move, attack, or whatever.</p><p></p><p>Example-</p><p></p><p>A wolf breaks from hiding and rushes twenty feet at PC#1, but PC#2 shouts "I react to that" first. PC#2, who already has bow in hand shoots at the wolf but misses. PC#1, shouts "I react to that" and then runs away from the wolf, or readies an attack to slice the wolf as soon as it gets into range- or does whatever it wants with its REACTION.</p><p></p><p>Note in the above example other PCs can obviously also react, but... you get one reaction/turn- it only renews after you have completed your next turn.</p><p></p><p>I'll keep track of who has a REACTION to spend, but I suggest you do too for your PCs.</p><p></p><p>So, new rule 1)- called Reaction Action event for all PCs.</p><p></p><p>2) If you kill an enemy you go again, which means- reduce an enemy to 0 HP or below and you immediately get another ACTION that you must use immediately- to move, or to attack again (if another enemy is in range), or... whatever.</p><p></p><p>Note if you kill five enemies on your turn then you only get one immediate ACTION to spend, not five. Always just one extra ACTION.</p><p></p><p>But, if you take your immediate ACTION and you kill another enemy, well... then you get another immediate ACTION, there is no maximum- so keep going.</p><p></p><p>Also note, if you kill an enemy on your REACTION ACTION, then... same, go again, as above.</p><p></p><p>So, new rule 2)- Kill and you go again.</p><p></p><p>3) Battlefield promotions, as soon as you overcome all of the enemies in an encounter then I'll drop the XP on your PCs. If you have enough XP to level up then... SHOUT OUT! Because when you do you immediately level up your PC there and then and... they get an immediate LONG REST and all of their abilities and spells are back etc. Note, this applies just to the PC/s that have levelled up- not all PCs, a gift from the gods.</p><p></p><p>So, new rule 3) Level up for recharge.</p><p></p><p>4) INSPIRATION POINTS for the win- all PCs start with two Inspiration Points, you can use them for pretty much anything, including- </p><p></p><p>to regain a (first level) spell slot already used,</p><p>to take another action,</p><p>to re-roll a bad dice,</p><p>to give advantage to self,</p><p>to use a healing surge (spend one recovery HD immediately), and...</p><p>to take another REACTION.</p><p></p><p>At the end of every completed encounter the PCs will receive another Inspiration Point, so always spend at least one point in every encounter.</p><p></p><p>New rule 4) Inspiration Points FTW.</p><p></p><p>Last new rule.</p><p></p><p>5) Describe the action/outcome for bonuses to hit, skills checks, damage or whatever roll you like.</p><p></p><p>Not so much role-play as narrative.</p><p></p><p>Example #1- PC #1 says "I stab the goblin."</p><p>DM says- "Roll to hit."</p><p></p><p>Example #2- PC #2 says "I yell- 'naughty word you fatso' (in goblin) at the goblin and then when it's dithering/getting angry I gut him like a squealing pig."</p><p>DM says- "Roll to hit, at +2."</p><p></p><p>Example #3- PC #3 says "I ready an action, as soon as that goblin sniper pops his head out I shoot him in the face- blood goes everywhere causing him to stand up disorientated, wander about and fall off the cliff."</p><p>DM says- "Nice, roll to hit with advantage, and if you hit it's a crit."</p><p></p><p>So, the gods are smiling on the Twilight Squad, but they're also going to be very much out of their depth, let's see how it goes.</p><p></p><p>And so...</p><p></p><p>Well, at midday the Twilight Squad enter the northern ravine, and soon after are ambushed by a trio of forest goblins, and a pair of mangy wolves. But here's the thing, at the end of the session we've only just concluded the goblin's surprise turn.</p><p></p><p>Just to make clear- that's not because we got bogged down with the above new rules, we only had ten minutes for the start of the ambush, there was a lot of chatter this evening, and when Haggis finally arrived in game all of the other players were keen to show Jim their (not very) shiny new PCs.</p><p></p><p>And so, the fight, briefly-</p><p></p><p>Three forest goblin shooters (with bows) have emerged from the undergrowth, all three up on ledges to either side of the lower ravine path, Grumpy & Porthole Slagg have both been shot and wounded, although both have retaliated in kind, as have nearly all members of the Twilight Squad. After great dice rolls two of the forest goblin shooters are dead. The third goblin ambusher has retreated into cover. Also, a pair of mangy wolves have emerged from the foliage, one is immediately spotted by the gnome witch/wizard, and hit by Juanita's Chill Touch (and killed), the second is still snarling and trying to bite Dave McTiernan.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]157137[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Porthole gets shot, a moment and a CRIT later and the forest goblin shooter is dead. There's a mangy dead wolf in the foliage, it didn't even make it out of the long grasses- Juanita killed it.</strong></p><p></p><p>The REACTION ACTIONS are working well.</p><p></p><p>Big Man meantime has taken a few wounds- he was trying to climb up one of the scarps in the ravine to get at the retreating goblin shooter, he didn't make it ('1') and so is sprawled in a heap in the dirt, clutching his elbow and swearing up a storm.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]157138[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Big Man fails to clamber up, and falls on his arse... two dead forest goblin shooters, a dead mangy wolf- and another snapping at Dave McTiernan.</strong></p><p></p><p>But that's all we had time for, as I say- there really was a lot of chatter in this one, in particular the new PCs introducing themselves and then repeatedly falling out with the original members of the Twilight Squad, and each other, and anyone other NPCs that they encountered.</p><p></p><p>More fighting- lots more fighting, believe me, next time, although the next session isn't until Tuesday 24th May.</p><p></p><p>Stay safe and well you lovely people.</p><p></p><p>Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 8634938, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Twilight Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #088: The Twilight Squad New Hires. The Twilight Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here). Big Man (played by George) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1 Dave McTiernan (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1 Grumpy Slagg (played by Kev) Male Dwarf Monk Lvl 2 Halibert Shambles (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 2 Juanita Branch-Withers (played by Kev) Female Forest Gnome Wizard Lvl 1 Nancy Female (played by George) Human Cleric of the Sea (Poseidon & Umberlee) Lvl 2 Porthole Slagg (played by the DM & Haggis) Male Dwarf Barbarian Lvl 2 And I bet you are thinking... what the bloody hell is going on here.[/B] Well, as it turns out for the next six weeks or so Haggis/Jim (who plays Vinnie & Daktari from the Dark Squad) is rehearsing, and then starring, in a play. Therefore he's only available after 10-ish on a Tuesday night, or indeed almost any night. So, we're playing the Twilight Squad, and there are new hires. The three remaining players- Bear, George & Kev were given carte blanche to go and roll up a new PC for themselves, anything they liked- although, they could co-ordinate, if they wanted to. They chose not to, although that's not a slight- I like that. The Twilight Squad's new hires are, after a little chat with their player/wranglers for a bit of back story- [B]Big Man (played by George) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1[/B] Big Man, who actually has a name but... no one uses it, because Big Man is a stooped male human four feet eight inches tall, but he looks smaller, who is as wide as he is tall. He wields a halberd, which makes him look kinda-odd, what with him being such a shorty. He dresses badly, everything he wears is ill-fitting (too big) and very second hand, he's also a bit wild-looking, mostly unwashed and mostly smells of drunk. Big Man was raised by gnomes, it's a long story... apparently. Although being raised by a close-knit and peaceable community of little folk has not had the desired affect, none of his surrogate family and friends were particularly sad to see Big Man leave the burrow on his naming day. Aged 35 (gnomes live longer than humans, remember) Big Man was unleashed on an unsuspecting world, he very quickly graduated towards bars (he likes a drink he has discovered) and once ensconced within bars he has majored in brawling. For the first thirty-five years of Big Man's life he has been... well, the big... man! Discovering, aged 35 and a few days, that he is in fact- a very small man, has tipped him over the edge. Big Man is angry, a lot of the time, and in particular with anyone he has to look up to. He's spent the last two years either brawling in the streets (with a little jail time) or else fighting in various mercenary outfits- mostly against the greenskins. The Twilight Squad found Big Man drunk and obnoxious, having just taken another beating, in a back alley in Burle. Big Man is played by George. [B]Dave McTiernan (played by Bear) Male Human Fighter Lvl 1[/B] Dave McTiernan is not a young man any more (he's in his 40's), and he's had enough of the mean streets of Burle, he served in the town watch for the last twenty-something years. Dave is a tough and nasty looking human, his clothes and his armour all show signs of dedicated service- although they're in good repair. The McTiernan family are famous in the Burle town watch, Dave's dad- Doug (Mad Doug), was till his dying day (not so long ago) also a watchman. All of Dave's brothers- Derek, Dan, Dom, Damian, Dean, Dudley and Desmond also serve in the watch. The McTiernan's are, for want of a better word, a gang- an armed and very dangerous gang, it also helps that they're the law. Dave however has done with that, he figures there's more money to be made enforcing the law elsewhere. Dave has kept his Burle town watch badge, and expended his jurisdiction massively. He uses his badge in conjunction with his silver-tongue, and hulking menace, to enforce a new type of law, he calls it Dave's Law. Dave is played by Bear. Lastly... [B]Juanita Branch-Withers (played by Kev) Female Forest Gnome Wizard Lvl 1[/B] Juanita Branch-Withers is a small wizened witch like female forest gnome, small even for her race. She has spent the most of her life surviving in the Mere of the Dead Men- not an easy task but she's been at it for a while- she's 163 years old. She's an outsider even to her people- who think her a little outre even for them, she's just too witchy. Juanita has fore-sworn manners and when the swearing starts she gives as good as she gets, she's a feisty one- think female snarky/sweary Yoda- “Off naughty word you can!”. Juanita dresses badly- her clothing is for camouflage, dirt is positively encouraged. Juanita joined the Twilight Squad, and not the other way around, one minute she wasn't there and then suddenly while in camp by the road to Burle the adventurers found that they had a an aged female gnome sat at their fire. Juanita hasn't disclosed much to her new colleagues, only that she will be joining them, at least for a while, on their adventures. None of the other PCs had the bottle to say 'no' to her, or indeed to ask any other pertinent questions of the dirty wizened gnome. Who knows what Juanita is up to? Juanita is played by Kev, my bro. Oh, last bit- Porthole Slagg will be botted by me until Jim (also known as Haggis) gets into the game, again because of his rehearsals et al that wont be until the last hour of every session. Oh, do you remember this- [B]The Dark Squad’s to-do list-[/B] Blackedge and the Goblin Stair? The above task has been on the Dark Squad's to-do list for like, well... forever. In truth it was a section of the present Dark Squad mega-adventure that I designed for Buggles to enjoy. Also, Buggles received a prophecy from one of the Dead Bad Ancestors, it was- Ancestor #5- “[B]I am Golcanz and I am forgotten. The answer you seek [Golcanz looks directly at Buggles] is at the bottom of the Goblin’s stair/stare.”[/B] The Dark Squad had a chat about the prophecies and came up with the following for this one- [B]This is all about Gwen, Buggles is certain- he's going to find all about his Skeleton companion at the bottom of the Goblin's Stair. The Goblin's Stair being either a staircase of some sort, the piercing gaze of a Goblin- possibly a statue of a Goblin, or else a stair made from Goblins- dead or alive. [/B] Since this time the Dark Squad have further learned that the Goblin Stair is the name of the Goblin King's lair, it's situated in the Dreadwood, possibly near to Blackedge (a small village). Therefore the Dark Squad have passed the above info onto the Twilight Squad, who have taken up the task. Then... well, we begin. Although the first ninety minutes of the session are spent rolling up the player's new PCs' Big Man, Dave McTiernan & Juanita Branch-Withers, and also levelling up the existing members of the Twilight Squad- Grump & Porthole Slagg, Halibert Shambles and his would-be (not) girlfriend, Nancy. This last bunch are now all level two. This then is session 88, and we're on it, and some of us are drinking. But, there's lots of chatter to be had in this one, the first stop on the trip is the Falcon's Nest, the Twilight Squad meet with the Falcon and from her learn all that they can about the Goblin's Stair. Which is- it's the lair of the Goblin King, it's near Blackedge (both of which they knew already) and the more pertinent fact- there's a gnome in Blackedge called Rasshold Sharp, he's a curmudgeon, but here's the thing, he was a prisoner of the Goblin King for over a year, and he knows where the entrance to the Goblin Stair is. The Twilight Squad also learn that there's a standing bounty (paid by the Falcon) for killing goblins, to collect on this they need to return with the severed hands of the goblins that they have slaughtered. This then is also a competition- between the players, every time they kill a goblin (deliver the killing blow) then a goblin hand will appear in their inventory (put their by the saintly DM). It's a bit gamer but we were stuck for something to do with Jim/Haggis being unavailable and I already had this bit built. So, to Blackedge, and the journey is without incident, although the Twilight Squad- now that we're in-game proper take a good thirty minutes to introduce themselves (the new PCs) to each other. Thirty minutes because Big Man is constantly in search of an argument, while Juanita gives as good as she gets, and Dave is a sweary bully. The original members of the Twilight Squad, Halibert in particular, are worried that the new hires are a little bit spicy. “I don't like these new folk, Nancy gel! They're all mouthy buggers, and lummy but they like their swears!” Halibert, played by Bear, used to be a cockney chimneysweep. So, Blackedge. It's a small place- a fortified village on the forested slopes of Blacktop (a cliff/hill/tor), and ideally situated for defence. The settlement is guarded by a dozen-or-so members of the militia, and home to two hundred or so souls. It features a slightly up-market but rambling and dilapidated Inn (the Black Dragon), a fortified three storey watch building, a smithy and a general store called- 'Sharp's Store'. [ATTACH type="full"]157136[/ATTACH] [B]George's wrap-around screens. That's Blacktop, looking up from Blackedge- shown next right. Then the regional map, the Twilight Squad are on the edge of the Dreadwood. Reprobates, far right- not an indication of their political leanings.[/B] Big Man quickly finds the bar of the Black Dragon Inn, he gets three pints inside him and then tries to play the giddy-goat, but none of the locals want anything to do with the short and sweary menace. Dave McTiernan checks in with the local watch, the McTiernan name has made it to Blackedge it seems, he's welcomed (cautiously) by the local militia. Juanita spends her time talking to various dogs that she meets wandering the streets of the village, and then when folk think this strange she curses and/or swears at them. The original members of the Twilight Squad meantime head for Sharp's Stores and soon after, after the spending of money (ostensibly for drink = bribery) they get to chat with Rasshold Sharp in the backroom of his now 'closed for afternoon drinking' store. Rasshold is, as stated earlier, a curmudgeonly (and sharp) fellow- but money, as is often the case, talks. Rasshold breaks off the telling of his story- my escape from the Goblin Stair, every few minutes to demand more silver and gold... And so it goes. Although, Big Man doesn't last long in the conversation, he keeps pronouncing naughty word Sharp's name incorrectly, funny that. Big Man spends most of the evening sitting in the street, drinking and grumbling to himself. However, the rest of the Twilight Squad learn- The way to the Goblin Stair, it's on the back edge of Blacktop (a tor/craggy summit), only accessible via two ravines that snake around to the rear of the rocky Blacktop, the rest is cliffs. Alas both of the ravines are patrolled by Forest Goblins in the pay of the Goblin King, but also beholden to their mistresses- the hags of the Deep Dreadwood. There's a path up to the summit of Blacktop at the rear, it leads up to a rickety wooden bridge that spans a fast-flowing stream. The Twilight Squad need to make their way here, and then follow the stream down into a dell, it's a climb (down). Down in the dell- keep following the stream, all the way to the crenelated battlements of a tower, which- very oddly, pokes through the earth. Just to make clear- the rest of the tower, Rasshold Sharp eventually explains (after he's been paid some more), seems to have sunk into the stone of Blacktop. So, follow the stream through a rotten trapdoor into the tower, but watch out because there are lots of nasty goblins down here, and keep going- all the way down to the fifth level of the tower. Rasshold makes clear that they'll know this place because there are a pair of latrines in a circular chamber on this level of the tower. He spent the best part of a tenday hiding in one of them. One of the walls of the tower here has been smashed open (from without), the cavern tunnel exits into the goblin's lair proper, and continues on to a cavern called Garbelgut's Palace. Garbelgut is lord here, a massively fat (and tough) goblin chief. Rasshold served as his prisoner (and jester) for nearly a year. But here's the thing, the Twilight Squad also eventually learn, the Goblin Stair itself is below this place, descend the tower until it's final level- keep following the stream. The Goblin Stair is down there, Rasshold finally confesses. Truth be told Rasshold Sharp has never been to the Goblin Stair proper, only to Garbelgut's Palace, but it's down there- and so he says- 'it's terrible to behold'. But he's never actually seen the place, so what does he know. So, the Twilight Squad- once they're in the tower, can if they chose sneak (or fight) they're way all the way down to the Goblin Stair, although that would leave them with an entire goblin tribe (Garbelgut's) at their back. Or else- stop off at Garbelgut's Palace and take the scum down there before descending to the Goblin Stair. The DM has this to say- The further you descend the tougher the encounters get. That's it, that's the story. Except that Juanita also manages to prize a little extra info out of Rasshold, just for herself, but I'll not share that here. The Twilight Squad therefore are heading into the Dreadwood, to the northernmost ravine, in the morning. Dave manages to blag a room in the militia house for the adventurers to spend the night, although several of the PCs chose to stay at the Black Dragon Inn. Then, the next day- bright and early, to adventure. But, let me make this clear- there are seven PCs in game, four first level and three second. I wrote (and populated) this adventure for the Dark Squad when they were level 5-ish. I could swap out a lot of the encounters but, nah! And so, the Twilight Squad have some new rules to help them, they are- 1) All PCs have a new REACTION ACTION, so when a bad guy reveals themselves a Player/PC that sees and/or is aware of the event says "I react to that", whoever says it first gets it and can then take a single action- to move, attack, or whatever. Example- A wolf breaks from hiding and rushes twenty feet at PC#1, but PC#2 shouts "I react to that" first. PC#2, who already has bow in hand shoots at the wolf but misses. PC#1, shouts "I react to that" and then runs away from the wolf, or readies an attack to slice the wolf as soon as it gets into range- or does whatever it wants with its REACTION. Note in the above example other PCs can obviously also react, but... you get one reaction/turn- it only renews after you have completed your next turn. I'll keep track of who has a REACTION to spend, but I suggest you do too for your PCs. So, new rule 1)- called Reaction Action event for all PCs. 2) If you kill an enemy you go again, which means- reduce an enemy to 0 HP or below and you immediately get another ACTION that you must use immediately- to move, or to attack again (if another enemy is in range), or... whatever. Note if you kill five enemies on your turn then you only get one immediate ACTION to spend, not five. Always just one extra ACTION. But, if you take your immediate ACTION and you kill another enemy, well... then you get another immediate ACTION, there is no maximum- so keep going. Also note, if you kill an enemy on your REACTION ACTION, then... same, go again, as above. So, new rule 2)- Kill and you go again. 3) Battlefield promotions, as soon as you overcome all of the enemies in an encounter then I'll drop the XP on your PCs. If you have enough XP to level up then... SHOUT OUT! Because when you do you immediately level up your PC there and then and... they get an immediate LONG REST and all of their abilities and spells are back etc. Note, this applies just to the PC/s that have levelled up- not all PCs, a gift from the gods. So, new rule 3) Level up for recharge. 4) INSPIRATION POINTS for the win- all PCs start with two Inspiration Points, you can use them for pretty much anything, including- to regain a (first level) spell slot already used, to take another action, to re-roll a bad dice, to give advantage to self, to use a healing surge (spend one recovery HD immediately), and... to take another REACTION. At the end of every completed encounter the PCs will receive another Inspiration Point, so always spend at least one point in every encounter. New rule 4) Inspiration Points FTW. Last new rule. 5) Describe the action/outcome for bonuses to hit, skills checks, damage or whatever roll you like. Not so much role-play as narrative. Example #1- PC #1 says "I stab the goblin." DM says- "Roll to hit." Example #2- PC #2 says "I yell- 'naughty word you fatso' (in goblin) at the goblin and then when it's dithering/getting angry I gut him like a squealing pig." DM says- "Roll to hit, at +2." Example #3- PC #3 says "I ready an action, as soon as that goblin sniper pops his head out I shoot him in the face- blood goes everywhere causing him to stand up disorientated, wander about and fall off the cliff." DM says- "Nice, roll to hit with advantage, and if you hit it's a crit." So, the gods are smiling on the Twilight Squad, but they're also going to be very much out of their depth, let's see how it goes. And so... Well, at midday the Twilight Squad enter the northern ravine, and soon after are ambushed by a trio of forest goblins, and a pair of mangy wolves. But here's the thing, at the end of the session we've only just concluded the goblin's surprise turn. Just to make clear- that's not because we got bogged down with the above new rules, we only had ten minutes for the start of the ambush, there was a lot of chatter this evening, and when Haggis finally arrived in game all of the other players were keen to show Jim their (not very) shiny new PCs. And so, the fight, briefly- Three forest goblin shooters (with bows) have emerged from the undergrowth, all three up on ledges to either side of the lower ravine path, Grumpy & Porthole Slagg have both been shot and wounded, although both have retaliated in kind, as have nearly all members of the Twilight Squad. After great dice rolls two of the forest goblin shooters are dead. The third goblin ambusher has retreated into cover. Also, a pair of mangy wolves have emerged from the foliage, one is immediately spotted by the gnome witch/wizard, and hit by Juanita's Chill Touch (and killed), the second is still snarling and trying to bite Dave McTiernan. [ATTACH type="full"]157137[/ATTACH] [B]Porthole gets shot, a moment and a CRIT later and the forest goblin shooter is dead. There's a mangy dead wolf in the foliage, it didn't even make it out of the long grasses- Juanita killed it.[/B] The REACTION ACTIONS are working well. Big Man meantime has taken a few wounds- he was trying to climb up one of the scarps in the ravine to get at the retreating goblin shooter, he didn't make it ('1') and so is sprawled in a heap in the dirt, clutching his elbow and swearing up a storm. [ATTACH type="full"]157138[/ATTACH] [B]Big Man fails to clamber up, and falls on his arse... two dead forest goblin shooters, a dead mangy wolf- and another snapping at Dave McTiernan.[/B] But that's all we had time for, as I say- there really was a lot of chatter in this one, in particular the new PCs introducing themselves and then repeatedly falling out with the original members of the Twilight Squad, and each other, and anyone other NPCs that they encountered. More fighting- lots more fighting, believe me, next time, although the next session isn't until Tuesday 24th May. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan. [/QUOTE]
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The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #134 Are We the Baddies?
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