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Story Hour
The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #136 Into the Mere of the Dead Men.
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8237768" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #041 We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat. </strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p><strong>Buggles (played by Stu) Male Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 3/Rogue Lvl 3</strong></p><p><strong>New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 6</strong></p><p><strong>Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 6</strong></p><p><strong>Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 6</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>NPCs</strong></p><p><strong>Daktari Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 6</strong></p><p><strong><s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*</strong></p><p><strong>*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Buggles’ undead servitor</strong></p><p><strong>Gwen Female Duergar Skeleton, in full-face helm and armour </strong></p><p></p><p>This is session 41, and the secret duergar base has been discovered, and better still explored- via Hgraam, the Stone Giant’s, Dreamtime experience. The Dark Squad therefore have the time and inclination to attempt the treasure run that Old Gorm told them all about- and remember 50% of their findings will go to the amputee miner.</p><p></p><p>So, it’s all for a good cause.</p><p></p><p>That’s provided they actually find any treasure- they have directions, and so… it should be a doddle, for the Dark Squad.</p><p></p><p>Just to say ahead of this session I had a chat with Jim (playing Vinnie) at work, just to let him know that this one was going to be a walk in the park, and that we’d get all wrapped up with the Underdark and ready for the Saltmarsh experience in the session after.</p><p></p><p>Jim, wise man that he is, replied- ‘au contraire, we’ll find a way to make a mess of it.’</p><p></p><p>So, here it is- the mess of it.</p><p></p><p>Note, I had even sorted out a nice social encounter for the Dark Squad, for when they get back to Farhill Mine, because I thought we’d be through this next bit real easy.</p><p></p><p>Nope.</p><p></p><p>But ahead of time, it was their dice that broke it.</p><p></p><p>So, back in the fungal forest and it’s a new day- this after Ram took care of the giant crayfish that were investigating the Leomand’s Tiny Hut (LTH) last night. Rise and shine and onwards, ever onwards.</p><p></p><p>The reality is it’s three DC 12 checks, one of which needs to be Survival (all of which can be aided but no guidance) for the Dark Squad to find their way, following the river, to a narrow space and out of this massive fungus cavern. Each check to simulate an hour’s worth of travel, only… well, five checks later and the Dark Squad are still in the fungi jungle, and… lost, after the last two Survival checks turned up ‘1’s.</p><p></p><p>Well, I have/had a trio of random encounters at the ready for this kind of thing- punishment for rolling low. Note, I used one of my three pre-planned random encounters- the Black Pudding, earlier. Not because the PCs had done anything truly bad to trigger the attack, I just thought it would be fun to have the giant ooze pay a visit while they were huddled for the night in the LTH.</p><p></p><p>Therefore, random encounter number two- Trolls!</p><p></p><p>See the title of this instalment.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad are minding their own business, they’re lost- a bit, or else they’re not particularly paying attention, Vinnie is regaling his companions with helpful observations regarding the local flora. It’s… oh, I think boring just about covers the druid’s waffling, when of a sudden a troll ambusher attempts to swiftly clamber out of the river and charge on and into the midst of the surprised PCs. Only I rolled a ‘1’ too, and so the great beast contents itself with barely scrambling up the muddy bank and then raging and flailing its arms in the Dark Squad’s general direction.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135032[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Random Encounter #2 is go- Troll!</strong></p><p></p><p>Surprise round over.</p><p></p><p>Underwhelming.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers unleash hell, or else the rogues do now that they’ve got initiative, but then the giant terror claws Newt, and follows up with a claw- bite combo for the still pontificating Vinnie. Both attacks are hits, actually the claw is a high-damage-roll Crit, Vinnie takes 30-something damage and is very suddenly looking very peaky.</p><p></p><p>But the Dark Squad get into their stride, the troll is Belphegor fiery blasted, and stabbed some more by a variety of folk- Daktari, and the rogues again, and it’s Buggles that takes the creature down (with a Crit of his own).</p><p></p><p>But there’s a second troll in the fungal foliage nearby, and it’s just about to launch its attack when Buggles spots it and moves to defend his squishier comrades- that’s, Newt and Vinnie.</p><p></p><p>The second ambusher however will not be put off- it claws Buggles, and then lays into Newt- another claw- bite combo, and yet another Crit (total 30-something damage). The tabaxi warlock hits the deck- unconscious and bleeding out, although his last action is to mutter the words that launch his Hellish Rebuke.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135033[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Troll! Note Newt's token is turned on its side- indicating that once again Catkins is mid-dirt-nap.</strong></p><p></p><p>The troll screams as it burns.</p><p></p><p>It’s at this point that Buggles makes his declaration, here it is in all of its glory-</p><p></p><p><strong>We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat, and that’s a Buggles promise.</strong></p><p></p><p>Vinnie meantime assumes his more feral form (as Jim said at the time- ‘I need the temporary hit points’), and then cures the prostrate tabaxi (although Bear, playing Newt, argues against this action for a while- ‘no, leave me on the floor- it’s the safest place by far’).</p><p></p><p>This debate is only curtailed when the kindly DM let’s the tabaxi know that the salivating troll’s next action will be to grab Newt up and rush/dive/plunge into the river.</p><p></p><p>Goodbye Newt, either drowned or else eaten.</p><p></p><p>Newt decides that healing would be great, and he’s suddenly very, very grateful.</p><p></p><p>The druid dares to go further, he scurries away from the troll- taunting it and drawing its ire. Vinnie suffers an opportunity attack so that the now conscious Newt can- “get away mes amis, and zen blast zis ‘orrible monster wiz your fire!”</p><p></p><p>Daktari (played by Jim = Vinnie) rages and gets into tearing up the troll with Shatterspike, while Newt does as he instructed- gets back on his feet, staggers away from the fracas, and then blasts the troll with a hit-crit, and plenty more fire.</p><p></p><p>The rogues set to their work, more hits and Buggles with another Crit, but the beast ignores the pain and instead tears a fresh hole in Daktari.</p><p></p><p>But the fight is already won, although it takes another frustrating turn to play out after a slew of swings, spells and misses. Eventually, a Produce Flame from Vinnie, followed by more Daktari fury finishes the second enemy off.</p><p></p><p>Note Newt is… I think the word apoplectic would just about cover it, he takes to incinerating the troll remains- caterwauling, making threats and… well, being very Newt about things.</p><p></p><p>Buggles repeats his declaration once more-</p><p></p><p><strong>We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat, and that’s a Buggles promise.</strong></p><p></p><p>After a brief discussion the Dark Squad discover that a ‘Buggles promise’ is worth, by the wood elf’s own admission- “nada, absolutely nothing.”</p><p></p><p>[Troll encounter 3600 XP]</p><p></p><p>But the Dark Squad, some of them, are already pretty beat up, Newt certainly needs to rest and so another hour is spent in a new LTH by the fungus riverbank.</p><p></p><p>Note, it’s also at this point that Buggles finally discovers that the LTH is conjured by Newt, and not found by the tabaxi (see last session). I, your friendly DM, ask how the wood elf reacts to this revelation.</p><p></p><p>Stu, playing Buggles, states that he simply pretends that he knew this all along, but secretly Buggles is sore amazed by the warlock’s talents.</p><p></p><p>They’re all playing remarkably nicely this evening, although…</p><p></p><p>Then, after the short rest and subsequent healing (with Newt still not back to full having spent all his Hit Dice), the Dark Squad have a difference of opinion. Buggles has found troll tracks leading away from the ambush site and so he wants to investigate further. Newt, wants more than anything to do the same, he capers for a while whilst describing the various methods by which he is going to destroy the baby trolls that he suspects will be found in the ambusher’s lair (clue- all methods of destruction involve fire).</p><p></p><p>Vinnie and Ram both make clear that the sensible choice would be to press on, “ze Underdark is proving to be extremely dan-jerus, n’est pas?”</p><p></p><p>It circles for a bit until Buggles remembers that the deciding vote should go to Daktari, who according to the magnanimous Jim, is also keen to check out the trolls lair.</p><p></p><p>The troll tracks are followed and a cavern, eventually, found. Note- eventually, a DC 12 Survival check was required to do so, cue more low rolls.</p><p></p><p>The cavern lair is cautiously investigated, the remains of other troll victims and a few coins and associated treasures are found.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135034[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>The Troll's lair is empty- save a little treasure, keep in mind in-game the cautious rogues took at least fifteen minutes, and made a variety of checks, creeping forward slowly- one square at a time, before finally declaring the place to be safe. It fills my heart with joy to know that they are scared.</strong></p><p></p><p>[The Troll’s lair 250 XP]</p><p></p><p>So, we’re back to the riverbank, and.. at last, after some better rolls, the Dark Squad find their way out of the fungus forest- they’re still following the river, and now wading through the shallows into dark and winding tunnels.</p><p></p><p>Note this section required just one more DC 12 Survival check to navigate, although I obviously described the terrain and had the PCs work out how they were coping with the environment, but… yet more low checks follow. Including another pair of really low rolls- a ‘2’, followed by a, ‘1’.</p><p></p><p>What’s a DM to do?</p><p></p><p>So, the secret here is the PCs can make these checks with advantage, by aiding each other, but they keep forgetting to do so, and…</p><p></p><p>They need another lesson.</p><p></p><p>[Not finding the way, again 200 XP]</p><p></p><p>I send the players on a break, grab out another map from my Underdark folder and set up the next/last random encounter, while they’re off peeing and/or refreshing drinks (probably not at the same time).</p><p></p><p>The river passage therefore leads into a much larger watery chamber, and… it’s at this point it becomes very obvious that the Dark Squad are going to have to swim through the deeps here, and they’re really not keen.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie however ruins the moment by casting Water Walk, on himself and all of his comrades.</p><p></p><p>The bastard, he keeps changing out his spells- by which I mean he does this legitimately, during a long rest, but he seems to be adept at second guessing me.</p><p></p><p>[Vinnie is a water walking bastard 250 XP]</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad cautiously- very, very cautiously, I mean some of the slowest movement on a VTT map you are ever likely to see, they traverse the chamber- walking on the water, neat.</p><p></p><p>The PCs/players think the threat is going to come from the water, well- it’s really not, this is a massive high-ceilinged chamber, the water/terrain was just the thing to slow them down. The threat comes from above- gargoyles lair in the massive stony chamber.</p><p></p><p>The elemental foes begin the encounter hiding among the dotted stalagmites, Ram- now three-quarters of the way across the pool spots the first of the beasts and screams a warning as the creature swoops down.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135036[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Gargoyle! There are a lot of ambush predators down here...</strong></p><p></p><p>Vinnie becomes Vincen G Squeezy Snake, a huge constrictor, and bites the flying attacker as it dives towards the adventurers, Buggles also wings the creature with his magical bow.</p><p></p><p>Note Vinnie made a monster knowledge check to discern that magic weapons were needed to damage these creatures (significantly), however he neglected to share this information with his colleagues before his wildshape transformation.</p><p></p><p>So, many of the following attacks made by the PCs are with whatever weapon they have in hand, rather than optimised- it’s not until later on in the fight that it becomes apparent to all that magic weapons are the way to go.</p><p></p><p>I do so enjoy it when it’s the PCs doing the fighting, rather than the players- who unlike their characters have read a variety of monster manuals cover-to-cover, and in some cases for a number of iterations/editions.</p><p></p><p>So, the first gargoyle takes its ire out of Vince G, and my dice are on fire- another hit and another Crit, and Squeezy Snake is already bloodied and beyond.</p><p></p><p>It doesn’t help matters that over the next ten or so seconds another pair of hidden gargoyles glide down from their high stone ledges and come crashing into the fight.</p><p></p><p>Daktari takes hits, including another Crit, while Squeezy gets punished some more.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and the PCs are swinging and missing plenty.</p><p></p><p>That is until dangerman Ram gets his mojo back, the ex-pirate rogue decides to use the coils of Vincen G Squeezy as a platform- he runs/leaps up the huge constrictor’s body until he is balanced on the great reptile’s head, and once there ideally placed to unleash his melee attacks.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135037[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>"Keep your head still!" Ram screams at Vincen G Squeezy Snake, and then stamps his foot down hard. Alas the giant constrictor does not have access to vocal chords, therefore his thoughts about being used as an elevated-platform/cherry-picker remain unknown.</strong></p><p></p><p>Note he’s having to make acrobatics checks to achieve this/stay in place.</p><p></p><p>As reported in the chat window-</p><p></p><p>Newt: SNAKE RIDE!</p><p></p><p>Cool beanz, bro.</p><p></p><p>The already wounded gargoyle gets sliced, and left heavily wounded- it wants away, particularly as Newt, seconds later, fiery blasts it.</p><p></p><p>Buggles heads over to help Daktari with the gargoyle on and about him, but the barbarian is soon in full swing with Shatterspike, his magical longsword. The second gargoyle therefore also takes a beating, and is soon after bloodied, and then critically wounded, until eventually- it’s smashed to pieces.</p><p></p><p>One down.</p><p></p><p>Ram remains balanced on Squeezy’s head, and keeps cutting- although the rogue is also taking hits, alas the huge snake is mostly off-target.</p><p></p><p>Note Ram and Vincen G Squeezy are atm fighting two of the gargoyle attackers, the other is engaged with Daktari and Buggles, with Newt scurrying around and taking pot shots.</p><p></p><p>Soon after a badly wounded gargoyle manages somehow to successfully flee the scene- getting away from Ram & Squeezy. At which point however a fourth gargoyle makes itself known by clattering full pelt into Newt, clawing and biting the tabaxi to bloodied in an instant.</p><p></p><p>Two down/fled, but still two gargoyles left in the fight.</p><p></p><p>The tabaxi is back to yowling, hissing and cursing, Newt flees- and avoids another hit, he then turns and starts blasting the stony bastard that was threatening him.</p><p></p><p>The warlock is ranting up a storm.</p><p></p><p>Note, Bear- playing Newt, stops the action for a moment every now and then to deliver his hissed threats/rants. Alas, almost every time, his mic seems to zone out mainly when the warlock’s voice reaches fever pitch.</p><p></p><p>“You would dare to [HISS- SILENCE] me! I will destroy you with my [HISS- SILENCE] and my {HISS- SILENCE] until your [HISS- SILENCE] is [HISS- SILENCE].”</p><p></p><p>At which point Bear/Newt usually leaves a (real) silence, a pause (I think) for us- his audience, to (possibly) applaud him.</p><p></p><p>What usually follows these tirades is a version of the following-</p><p></p><p>“Did you get that?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Nope!”</p><p>Stu/Buggles laughing, followed by, “Hardly any of it, but it sounded terrifying!”</p><p>“I heard him say something about ‘pyjamas’?”</p><p>“I got that too!”</p><p></p><p>Note, for the full effect some/all of the above should be said at the same time.</p><p></p><p>By which time Newt has already launched into his next tirade, or else has set about repeating the last one.</p><p></p><p>But, back to the action…</p><p></p><p>The gargoyle facing down Ram and Squeezy, now badly wounded, also attempts to flee the fight but is plucked out of the air by Vincen G, and soon after wrapped in the giant constrictor’s coils.</p><p></p><p>Buggles and Daktari follow Ram’s lead and climb up onto the huge snake’s body, and then begin wailing on the restrained gargoyle there- smashing it to pieces, just as it’s about the escape Vincen’s crushing coils.</p><p></p><p>The last of the stony bastards figures very quickly that this encounter is over- it too gets the hell out of dodge, and the wounded Newt is happy to watch it depart.</p><p></p><p>Encounter over.</p><p></p><p>Although when I say Newt is happy to let the last gargoyle depart-</p><p></p><p>“I will destroy you with my [HISS- SILENCE] and my {HISS- SILENCE] until your [HISS- SILENCE] is [HISS- SILENCE].”</p><p></p><p>And we go again with the “What did he just say?” for a while.</p><p></p><p>[Gargoyles 1800 XP]</p><p></p><p>But now the Dark Squad want to get on- they’re right royally fed up with today- it’s been tough going, and for much too long.</p><p></p><p>Just a note, back at the start Old Gorm told the guys that the treasure was about half-a-days travel off the beaten path, well- by the time the adventurers make it out of the river passage they’ve been nine hours on the trail already today.</p><p></p><p>From the directions Old Gorm gave them, they reckon, they’ve still got at least two or three more hours of travel to go. But, they’re knackered, and hurt some more. It is therefore time for another night in the Underdark, the LTH is pitched in a virulent green cavern- with the river flowing through it, and it’s another very large space, narrow but perhaps half-a-mile, long, maybe.</p><p></p><p>So, rest- and remarkably none of the PCs are suffering from exhaustion.</p><p></p><p>A quiet night?</p><p></p><p>Nope, if a jokes worth doing- well, three times is the cure.</p><p></p><p>So, it’s during Buggles’ watch (as always) that the inhabitants of the cave come home to roost. Apposite- roost. The inhabitants of the cave are about a million bats. Just cave bats mind, but… the air above the river, and then the ceiling, are over the course of the next few hours, clogged/swathed with hundreds of thousands of the little critters.</p><p></p><p>The bats eventually settle down to rest.</p><p></p><p>Note Buggles wakes a few of his companions up just to share around the blame, but- the bat’s can’t get in and… they’ll figure out what comes next in the morning.</p><p></p><p>However, the bats are still in situ eight hours later when the LTH fades, but at this point the Dark Squad have already sussed out their strategy- they’re going to sneak there way past the creatures, and Vinnie (the swiss army knife of elemental/environmental magic) has already cast Pass Without Trace on the gang.</p><p></p><p>The outcome is never in doubt, although I get the guys to make plenty of checks, and there are even a few close calls here and there.</p><p></p><p>But, the bats are avoided.</p><p></p><p>[Bat avoidance techniques 400 XP]</p><p></p><p><strong>Note there was a completely different map for the bat cavern- alas, possibly because there was no fighting, no-one thought to take a screen-shot. Bad Dark Squad!</strong></p><p></p><p>Which brings us at last- after a few more checks, including a successful DC 12 Survival- made with advantage, see- a learning moment, and the Dark Squad make it to, well… to the treasure, maybe.</p><p></p><p>Let me take a moment to explain, the PCs were told by Old Gorm that he and Harfnag had found treasure in the river within this chamber, they had also found the source of the river (and the treasure) but… it looked dangerous.</p><p></p><p>So, before the PCs is a scree slope up against a high stone wall- the terminus of the cavern, it’s a dead end. Although the scree here isn’t pebbles and gravel, it is actually comprised of very large boulders- and the river rushes through and out of this mess of stone. But there’s a way in. By which I mean the heaviest flow of the river water spills out of a natural pipe, a bore hole- or else a hollowed out passage through the fallen stones.</p><p></p><p>The treasure is in there…</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad take a good while to investigate, they figure they’ve got maybe a sixty foot crawl through a three foot diameter passage, half-submerged, and with the force of the water trying to eject them from the crawlspace.</p><p></p><p>I’d like to take a moment to tell you about the arguing, the fretting, the sass and recriminations when the PCs/players learn that the treasure isn’t just simply awaiting their collection.</p><p></p><p>I’d like to do that but I can’t.</p><p></p><p>Less than a minute after I finish describing the layout of this puzzle, Vinnie is Vincen G. Octopod, and with rope in tentacle he is making the terrifying crawl into a walk in the park.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie Octopod squeegees his way down sixty feet of crawlspace and into a semi-submerged cavern chamber, his colleagues are semi-hauled through to join him.</p><p></p><p>So, where are we?</p><p></p><p>In a cavern chamber over thirty feet wide in places, and about half that high- at this point (at the entrance) two thirds filled with crystal clear water (ten feet deep). There are the skeletal remain of creatures- humanoids, on the floor of the cavern, and many more of them ahead.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135040[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Note the rogues have swum on ahead and are perched on a stack of rocks that reach up and out of the water. Further note, later on Ram finds the chest tucked in a cranny at the base of this stone outcropping- see later.</strong></p><p></p><p>The cavern curves around, and… happily, slopes upwards- soon after the Dark Squad are wading rather than swimming. There are many more bodies here, all skeletal- all look to be warriors (possibly humans?). A lot of the bodies, various PCs notice (and then take) have treasure on them, or else nearby. Rotten coin purses with their contents spilled out, amulets, jewellery etc.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad continue on and discover the body of a heavily armoured knight- or similar, complete with rusted platemail and an equally tarnished greatsword.</p><p></p><p>This body is a little away from all of the others.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]135041[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>This doesn't look good! There follows fifteen to twenty minutes of fruitless checks as the Dark Squad fret and pontificate about what bad thing is going to happen next. That is until Buggles puts his football boots on- read on. </strong></p><p></p><p>This final figure/body spooks several of the adventurers, attempts are therefore made to discern whether this is some terrible monster, but… how exactly to do this, and so no new information is available.</p><p></p><p>The threat however diminishes somewhat when Buggles kicks the head off the dead knight.</p><p></p><p>Nothing happens.</p><p></p><p>So, the Dark Squad get to looting, and there are a few coins, a few gems, and a few other miscellaneous treasures- all of which are shoved into Vinnie’s bag of holding.</p><p></p><p>But that’s all there is, and so the PCs are still nosing around, checking the walls, investigating the water’s flow, looking for anything concealed or hidden etc.</p><p></p><p>“Well, how did they die?” Buggles voices the Dark Squad’s until this moment unspoken concern, while pointing at all of the dead folk in the cavern.</p><p></p><p>More investigations follow- many of the ancient bodies here, it seems, suffered violent deaths- they were hacked apart.</p><p></p><p>But still nothing happens.</p><p></p><p>There are three waterfalls that spill into the chamber, constantly topping the place up, and feeding the underground river beyond this cavern. Newt and Vinnie G Octopod are looking for tide lines- does this place flood, is that it?</p><p></p><p>[Lots of investigations 500 XP]</p><p></p><p>Time passes.</p><p></p><p>Then Ram, still investigating places, finds a very expensive looking chest- just a flash of gold at first, wedged in a hidey-hole under the water. Vinnie G helps to drag the box out, and after a thorough once over- no traps, the rogue opens the receptacle, but… it’s empty.</p><p></p><p>Ram, in frustration, goes searching for a false bottom or hidden compartment, seconds into the procedure and the rogue’s hand passes clean through the bottom of the chest and into… well, a large space- a large space filled (nearly to the brim) with coins.</p><p></p><p>Ram grabs out a handful.</p><p></p><p>Mostly copper, but there are also a few silver, and a gold coin in his fist.</p><p></p><p>[Ram finds the chest 250 XP]</p><p></p><p>Newt identifies the chest, it’s a chest of holding- like the bag, and it’s full.</p><p></p><p>While the warlock is at his ritual Ram continues to fish around inside the extra-dimensional space, fetching out more coins, and… then… eventually, something else, a rug? Or a blanket? Or else… the rogue drags out a beautiful fur trimmed cloak with a velvet lining, and with gold and silver stitching.</p><p></p><p>It looks a lot like the cloak that Newt used to possess, the one that Humphrey Far-Fer-Nar confiscated from him. Newt has been going on and on about the loss of his magical cloak ever since his fiendish squeeze took it from him.</p><p></p><p>So, ahead of the inevitable detect magic/identify spell- because this revelation also signals the end of this week’s action, yes- it’s a +1 Cloak of Protection.</p><p></p><p>But what else is in the chest, maybe next session we’ll get to find out?</p><p></p><p>Maybe next week we’ll also get out of the Underdark, I bloody hope so, but we’ll see.</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: 8237768, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #041 We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat. Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here). Buggles (played by Stu) Male Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 3/Rogue Lvl 3 New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 6 Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 6 Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 6 NPCs Daktari Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 6 [S]Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 [/S]RIP* *Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors. Buggles’ undead servitor Gwen Female Duergar Skeleton, in full-face helm and armour [/B] This is session 41, and the secret duergar base has been discovered, and better still explored- via Hgraam, the Stone Giant’s, Dreamtime experience. The Dark Squad therefore have the time and inclination to attempt the treasure run that Old Gorm told them all about- and remember 50% of their findings will go to the amputee miner. So, it’s all for a good cause. That’s provided they actually find any treasure- they have directions, and so… it should be a doddle, for the Dark Squad. Just to say ahead of this session I had a chat with Jim (playing Vinnie) at work, just to let him know that this one was going to be a walk in the park, and that we’d get all wrapped up with the Underdark and ready for the Saltmarsh experience in the session after. Jim, wise man that he is, replied- ‘au contraire, we’ll find a way to make a mess of it.’ So, here it is- the mess of it. Note, I had even sorted out a nice social encounter for the Dark Squad, for when they get back to Farhill Mine, because I thought we’d be through this next bit real easy. Nope. But ahead of time, it was their dice that broke it. So, back in the fungal forest and it’s a new day- this after Ram took care of the giant crayfish that were investigating the Leomand’s Tiny Hut (LTH) last night. Rise and shine and onwards, ever onwards. The reality is it’s three DC 12 checks, one of which needs to be Survival (all of which can be aided but no guidance) for the Dark Squad to find their way, following the river, to a narrow space and out of this massive fungus cavern. Each check to simulate an hour’s worth of travel, only… well, five checks later and the Dark Squad are still in the fungi jungle, and… lost, after the last two Survival checks turned up ‘1’s. Well, I have/had a trio of random encounters at the ready for this kind of thing- punishment for rolling low. Note, I used one of my three pre-planned random encounters- the Black Pudding, earlier. Not because the PCs had done anything truly bad to trigger the attack, I just thought it would be fun to have the giant ooze pay a visit while they were huddled for the night in the LTH. Therefore, random encounter number two- Trolls! See the title of this instalment. The Dark Squad are minding their own business, they’re lost- a bit, or else they’re not particularly paying attention, Vinnie is regaling his companions with helpful observations regarding the local flora. It’s… oh, I think boring just about covers the druid’s waffling, when of a sudden a troll ambusher attempts to swiftly clamber out of the river and charge on and into the midst of the surprised PCs. Only I rolled a ‘1’ too, and so the great beast contents itself with barely scrambling up the muddy bank and then raging and flailing its arms in the Dark Squad’s general direction. [ATTACH type="full"]135032[/ATTACH] [B]Random Encounter #2 is go- Troll![/B] Surprise round over. Underwhelming. The adventurers unleash hell, or else the rogues do now that they’ve got initiative, but then the giant terror claws Newt, and follows up with a claw- bite combo for the still pontificating Vinnie. Both attacks are hits, actually the claw is a high-damage-roll Crit, Vinnie takes 30-something damage and is very suddenly looking very peaky. But the Dark Squad get into their stride, the troll is Belphegor fiery blasted, and stabbed some more by a variety of folk- Daktari, and the rogues again, and it’s Buggles that takes the creature down (with a Crit of his own). But there’s a second troll in the fungal foliage nearby, and it’s just about to launch its attack when Buggles spots it and moves to defend his squishier comrades- that’s, Newt and Vinnie. The second ambusher however will not be put off- it claws Buggles, and then lays into Newt- another claw- bite combo, and yet another Crit (total 30-something damage). The tabaxi warlock hits the deck- unconscious and bleeding out, although his last action is to mutter the words that launch his Hellish Rebuke. [ATTACH type="full"]135033[/ATTACH] [B]Troll! Note Newt's token is turned on its side- indicating that once again Catkins is mid-dirt-nap.[/B] The troll screams as it burns. It’s at this point that Buggles makes his declaration, here it is in all of its glory- [B]We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat, and that’s a Buggles promise.[/B] Vinnie meantime assumes his more feral form (as Jim said at the time- ‘I need the temporary hit points’), and then cures the prostrate tabaxi (although Bear, playing Newt, argues against this action for a while- ‘no, leave me on the floor- it’s the safest place by far’). This debate is only curtailed when the kindly DM let’s the tabaxi know that the salivating troll’s next action will be to grab Newt up and rush/dive/plunge into the river. Goodbye Newt, either drowned or else eaten. Newt decides that healing would be great, and he’s suddenly very, very grateful. The druid dares to go further, he scurries away from the troll- taunting it and drawing its ire. Vinnie suffers an opportunity attack so that the now conscious Newt can- “get away mes amis, and zen blast zis ‘orrible monster wiz your fire!” Daktari (played by Jim = Vinnie) rages and gets into tearing up the troll with Shatterspike, while Newt does as he instructed- gets back on his feet, staggers away from the fracas, and then blasts the troll with a hit-crit, and plenty more fire. The rogues set to their work, more hits and Buggles with another Crit, but the beast ignores the pain and instead tears a fresh hole in Daktari. But the fight is already won, although it takes another frustrating turn to play out after a slew of swings, spells and misses. Eventually, a Produce Flame from Vinnie, followed by more Daktari fury finishes the second enemy off. Note Newt is… I think the word apoplectic would just about cover it, he takes to incinerating the troll remains- caterwauling, making threats and… well, being very Newt about things. Buggles repeats his declaration once more- [B]We Will Never Let A Troll Take Our Cat, and that’s a Buggles promise.[/B] After a brief discussion the Dark Squad discover that a ‘Buggles promise’ is worth, by the wood elf’s own admission- “nada, absolutely nothing.” [Troll encounter 3600 XP] But the Dark Squad, some of them, are already pretty beat up, Newt certainly needs to rest and so another hour is spent in a new LTH by the fungus riverbank. Note, it’s also at this point that Buggles finally discovers that the LTH is conjured by Newt, and not found by the tabaxi (see last session). I, your friendly DM, ask how the wood elf reacts to this revelation. Stu, playing Buggles, states that he simply pretends that he knew this all along, but secretly Buggles is sore amazed by the warlock’s talents. They’re all playing remarkably nicely this evening, although… Then, after the short rest and subsequent healing (with Newt still not back to full having spent all his Hit Dice), the Dark Squad have a difference of opinion. Buggles has found troll tracks leading away from the ambush site and so he wants to investigate further. Newt, wants more than anything to do the same, he capers for a while whilst describing the various methods by which he is going to destroy the baby trolls that he suspects will be found in the ambusher’s lair (clue- all methods of destruction involve fire). Vinnie and Ram both make clear that the sensible choice would be to press on, “ze Underdark is proving to be extremely dan-jerus, n’est pas?” It circles for a bit until Buggles remembers that the deciding vote should go to Daktari, who according to the magnanimous Jim, is also keen to check out the trolls lair. The troll tracks are followed and a cavern, eventually, found. Note- eventually, a DC 12 Survival check was required to do so, cue more low rolls. The cavern lair is cautiously investigated, the remains of other troll victims and a few coins and associated treasures are found. [ATTACH type="full"]135034[/ATTACH] [B]The Troll's lair is empty- save a little treasure, keep in mind in-game the cautious rogues took at least fifteen minutes, and made a variety of checks, creeping forward slowly- one square at a time, before finally declaring the place to be safe. It fills my heart with joy to know that they are scared.[/B] [The Troll’s lair 250 XP] So, we’re back to the riverbank, and.. at last, after some better rolls, the Dark Squad find their way out of the fungus forest- they’re still following the river, and now wading through the shallows into dark and winding tunnels. Note this section required just one more DC 12 Survival check to navigate, although I obviously described the terrain and had the PCs work out how they were coping with the environment, but… yet more low checks follow. Including another pair of really low rolls- a ‘2’, followed by a, ‘1’. What’s a DM to do? So, the secret here is the PCs can make these checks with advantage, by aiding each other, but they keep forgetting to do so, and… They need another lesson. [Not finding the way, again 200 XP] I send the players on a break, grab out another map from my Underdark folder and set up the next/last random encounter, while they’re off peeing and/or refreshing drinks (probably not at the same time). The river passage therefore leads into a much larger watery chamber, and… it’s at this point it becomes very obvious that the Dark Squad are going to have to swim through the deeps here, and they’re really not keen. Vinnie however ruins the moment by casting Water Walk, on himself and all of his comrades. The bastard, he keeps changing out his spells- by which I mean he does this legitimately, during a long rest, but he seems to be adept at second guessing me. [Vinnie is a water walking bastard 250 XP] The Dark Squad cautiously- very, very cautiously, I mean some of the slowest movement on a VTT map you are ever likely to see, they traverse the chamber- walking on the water, neat. The PCs/players think the threat is going to come from the water, well- it’s really not, this is a massive high-ceilinged chamber, the water/terrain was just the thing to slow them down. The threat comes from above- gargoyles lair in the massive stony chamber. The elemental foes begin the encounter hiding among the dotted stalagmites, Ram- now three-quarters of the way across the pool spots the first of the beasts and screams a warning as the creature swoops down. [ATTACH type="full"]135036[/ATTACH] [B]Gargoyle! There are a lot of ambush predators down here...[/B] Vinnie becomes Vincen G Squeezy Snake, a huge constrictor, and bites the flying attacker as it dives towards the adventurers, Buggles also wings the creature with his magical bow. Note Vinnie made a monster knowledge check to discern that magic weapons were needed to damage these creatures (significantly), however he neglected to share this information with his colleagues before his wildshape transformation. So, many of the following attacks made by the PCs are with whatever weapon they have in hand, rather than optimised- it’s not until later on in the fight that it becomes apparent to all that magic weapons are the way to go. I do so enjoy it when it’s the PCs doing the fighting, rather than the players- who unlike their characters have read a variety of monster manuals cover-to-cover, and in some cases for a number of iterations/editions. So, the first gargoyle takes its ire out of Vince G, and my dice are on fire- another hit and another Crit, and Squeezy Snake is already bloodied and beyond. It doesn’t help matters that over the next ten or so seconds another pair of hidden gargoyles glide down from their high stone ledges and come crashing into the fight. Daktari takes hits, including another Crit, while Squeezy gets punished some more. Oh, and the PCs are swinging and missing plenty. That is until dangerman Ram gets his mojo back, the ex-pirate rogue decides to use the coils of Vincen G Squeezy as a platform- he runs/leaps up the huge constrictor’s body until he is balanced on the great reptile’s head, and once there ideally placed to unleash his melee attacks. [ATTACH type="full"]135037[/ATTACH] [B]"Keep your head still!" Ram screams at Vincen G Squeezy Snake, and then stamps his foot down hard. Alas the giant constrictor does not have access to vocal chords, therefore his thoughts about being used as an elevated-platform/cherry-picker remain unknown.[/B] Note he’s having to make acrobatics checks to achieve this/stay in place. As reported in the chat window- Newt: SNAKE RIDE! Cool beanz, bro. The already wounded gargoyle gets sliced, and left heavily wounded- it wants away, particularly as Newt, seconds later, fiery blasts it. Buggles heads over to help Daktari with the gargoyle on and about him, but the barbarian is soon in full swing with Shatterspike, his magical longsword. The second gargoyle therefore also takes a beating, and is soon after bloodied, and then critically wounded, until eventually- it’s smashed to pieces. One down. Ram remains balanced on Squeezy’s head, and keeps cutting- although the rogue is also taking hits, alas the huge snake is mostly off-target. Note Ram and Vincen G Squeezy are atm fighting two of the gargoyle attackers, the other is engaged with Daktari and Buggles, with Newt scurrying around and taking pot shots. Soon after a badly wounded gargoyle manages somehow to successfully flee the scene- getting away from Ram & Squeezy. At which point however a fourth gargoyle makes itself known by clattering full pelt into Newt, clawing and biting the tabaxi to bloodied in an instant. Two down/fled, but still two gargoyles left in the fight. The tabaxi is back to yowling, hissing and cursing, Newt flees- and avoids another hit, he then turns and starts blasting the stony bastard that was threatening him. The warlock is ranting up a storm. Note, Bear- playing Newt, stops the action for a moment every now and then to deliver his hissed threats/rants. Alas, almost every time, his mic seems to zone out mainly when the warlock’s voice reaches fever pitch. “You would dare to [HISS- SILENCE] me! I will destroy you with my [HISS- SILENCE] and my {HISS- SILENCE] until your [HISS- SILENCE] is [HISS- SILENCE].” At which point Bear/Newt usually leaves a (real) silence, a pause (I think) for us- his audience, to (possibly) applaud him. What usually follows these tirades is a version of the following- “Did you get that?” “No.” “Nope!” Stu/Buggles laughing, followed by, “Hardly any of it, but it sounded terrifying!” “I heard him say something about ‘pyjamas’?” “I got that too!” Note, for the full effect some/all of the above should be said at the same time. By which time Newt has already launched into his next tirade, or else has set about repeating the last one. But, back to the action… The gargoyle facing down Ram and Squeezy, now badly wounded, also attempts to flee the fight but is plucked out of the air by Vincen G, and soon after wrapped in the giant constrictor’s coils. Buggles and Daktari follow Ram’s lead and climb up onto the huge snake’s body, and then begin wailing on the restrained gargoyle there- smashing it to pieces, just as it’s about the escape Vincen’s crushing coils. The last of the stony bastards figures very quickly that this encounter is over- it too gets the hell out of dodge, and the wounded Newt is happy to watch it depart. Encounter over. Although when I say Newt is happy to let the last gargoyle depart- “I will destroy you with my [HISS- SILENCE] and my {HISS- SILENCE] until your [HISS- SILENCE] is [HISS- SILENCE].” And we go again with the “What did he just say?” for a while. [Gargoyles 1800 XP] But now the Dark Squad want to get on- they’re right royally fed up with today- it’s been tough going, and for much too long. Just a note, back at the start Old Gorm told the guys that the treasure was about half-a-days travel off the beaten path, well- by the time the adventurers make it out of the river passage they’ve been nine hours on the trail already today. From the directions Old Gorm gave them, they reckon, they’ve still got at least two or three more hours of travel to go. But, they’re knackered, and hurt some more. It is therefore time for another night in the Underdark, the LTH is pitched in a virulent green cavern- with the river flowing through it, and it’s another very large space, narrow but perhaps half-a-mile, long, maybe. So, rest- and remarkably none of the PCs are suffering from exhaustion. A quiet night? Nope, if a jokes worth doing- well, three times is the cure. So, it’s during Buggles’ watch (as always) that the inhabitants of the cave come home to roost. Apposite- roost. The inhabitants of the cave are about a million bats. Just cave bats mind, but… the air above the river, and then the ceiling, are over the course of the next few hours, clogged/swathed with hundreds of thousands of the little critters. The bats eventually settle down to rest. Note Buggles wakes a few of his companions up just to share around the blame, but- the bat’s can’t get in and… they’ll figure out what comes next in the morning. However, the bats are still in situ eight hours later when the LTH fades, but at this point the Dark Squad have already sussed out their strategy- they’re going to sneak there way past the creatures, and Vinnie (the swiss army knife of elemental/environmental magic) has already cast Pass Without Trace on the gang. The outcome is never in doubt, although I get the guys to make plenty of checks, and there are even a few close calls here and there. But, the bats are avoided. [Bat avoidance techniques 400 XP] [B]Note there was a completely different map for the bat cavern- alas, possibly because there was no fighting, no-one thought to take a screen-shot. Bad Dark Squad![/B] Which brings us at last- after a few more checks, including a successful DC 12 Survival- made with advantage, see- a learning moment, and the Dark Squad make it to, well… to the treasure, maybe. Let me take a moment to explain, the PCs were told by Old Gorm that he and Harfnag had found treasure in the river within this chamber, they had also found the source of the river (and the treasure) but… it looked dangerous. So, before the PCs is a scree slope up against a high stone wall- the terminus of the cavern, it’s a dead end. Although the scree here isn’t pebbles and gravel, it is actually comprised of very large boulders- and the river rushes through and out of this mess of stone. But there’s a way in. By which I mean the heaviest flow of the river water spills out of a natural pipe, a bore hole- or else a hollowed out passage through the fallen stones. The treasure is in there… The Dark Squad take a good while to investigate, they figure they’ve got maybe a sixty foot crawl through a three foot diameter passage, half-submerged, and with the force of the water trying to eject them from the crawlspace. I’d like to take a moment to tell you about the arguing, the fretting, the sass and recriminations when the PCs/players learn that the treasure isn’t just simply awaiting their collection. I’d like to do that but I can’t. Less than a minute after I finish describing the layout of this puzzle, Vinnie is Vincen G. Octopod, and with rope in tentacle he is making the terrifying crawl into a walk in the park. Vinnie Octopod squeegees his way down sixty feet of crawlspace and into a semi-submerged cavern chamber, his colleagues are semi-hauled through to join him. So, where are we? In a cavern chamber over thirty feet wide in places, and about half that high- at this point (at the entrance) two thirds filled with crystal clear water (ten feet deep). There are the skeletal remain of creatures- humanoids, on the floor of the cavern, and many more of them ahead. [ATTACH type="full"]135040[/ATTACH] [B]Note the rogues have swum on ahead and are perched on a stack of rocks that reach up and out of the water. Further note, later on Ram finds the chest tucked in a cranny at the base of this stone outcropping- see later.[/B] The cavern curves around, and… happily, slopes upwards- soon after the Dark Squad are wading rather than swimming. There are many more bodies here, all skeletal- all look to be warriors (possibly humans?). A lot of the bodies, various PCs notice (and then take) have treasure on them, or else nearby. Rotten coin purses with their contents spilled out, amulets, jewellery etc. The Dark Squad continue on and discover the body of a heavily armoured knight- or similar, complete with rusted platemail and an equally tarnished greatsword. This body is a little away from all of the others. [ATTACH type="full"]135041[/ATTACH] [B]This doesn't look good! There follows fifteen to twenty minutes of fruitless checks as the Dark Squad fret and pontificate about what bad thing is going to happen next. That is until Buggles puts his football boots on- read on. [/B] This final figure/body spooks several of the adventurers, attempts are therefore made to discern whether this is some terrible monster, but… how exactly to do this, and so no new information is available. The threat however diminishes somewhat when Buggles kicks the head off the dead knight. Nothing happens. So, the Dark Squad get to looting, and there are a few coins, a few gems, and a few other miscellaneous treasures- all of which are shoved into Vinnie’s bag of holding. But that’s all there is, and so the PCs are still nosing around, checking the walls, investigating the water’s flow, looking for anything concealed or hidden etc. “Well, how did they die?” Buggles voices the Dark Squad’s until this moment unspoken concern, while pointing at all of the dead folk in the cavern. More investigations follow- many of the ancient bodies here, it seems, suffered violent deaths- they were hacked apart. But still nothing happens. There are three waterfalls that spill into the chamber, constantly topping the place up, and feeding the underground river beyond this cavern. Newt and Vinnie G Octopod are looking for tide lines- does this place flood, is that it? [Lots of investigations 500 XP] Time passes. Then Ram, still investigating places, finds a very expensive looking chest- just a flash of gold at first, wedged in a hidey-hole under the water. Vinnie G helps to drag the box out, and after a thorough once over- no traps, the rogue opens the receptacle, but… it’s empty. Ram, in frustration, goes searching for a false bottom or hidden compartment, seconds into the procedure and the rogue’s hand passes clean through the bottom of the chest and into… well, a large space- a large space filled (nearly to the brim) with coins. Ram grabs out a handful. Mostly copper, but there are also a few silver, and a gold coin in his fist. [Ram finds the chest 250 XP] Newt identifies the chest, it’s a chest of holding- like the bag, and it’s full. While the warlock is at his ritual Ram continues to fish around inside the extra-dimensional space, fetching out more coins, and… then… eventually, something else, a rug? Or a blanket? Or else… the rogue drags out a beautiful fur trimmed cloak with a velvet lining, and with gold and silver stitching. It looks a lot like the cloak that Newt used to possess, the one that Humphrey Far-Fer-Nar confiscated from him. Newt has been going on and on about the loss of his magical cloak ever since his fiendish squeeze took it from him. So, ahead of the inevitable detect magic/identify spell- because this revelation also signals the end of this week’s action, yes- it’s a +1 Cloak of Protection. But what else is in the chest, maybe next session we’ll get to find out? Maybe next week we’ll also get out of the Underdark, I bloody hope so, but we’ll see. 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 #136 Into the Mere of the Dead Men.
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