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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: 8302974" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #050b Found ‘em.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p><strong>New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong>Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong>Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>NPCs</strong></p><p><strong>Daktari (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong><s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*</strong></p><p><strong>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard</strong></p><p><strong>*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Servants/Familiars</strong></p><p><strong>Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks</strong></p><p><strong>Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar</strong></p><p></p><p>This is session 50b and the Dark Squad have the bit between their teeth, so they’re on the road again- next stop is Westor’s Logging Camp in the Dreadwood, that’s a four- or five-hour journey, on horse.</p><p></p><p>And so it goes, with the Dark Squad making good time by spurring their mounts on for the last hour of the journey…</p><p></p><p>But what’s this, on the logging road ahead a boar rushes out of the vegetation to cross the thoroughfare, and then another boar- only the second boar stops- turns, and then stands in the middle of the track and glares at the oncoming Dark Squad.</p><p></p><p>That is until Ram, leading the posse, pulls his horse and then the rest of the gang up short- the rogue calls Vinnie forward, the druid dismounts and heads to the rogue’s side.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138215[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Left to right, top to bottom- the big map with the Dark Squad token closing in on the Logging Camp, a Half-Orc Talos worshipper (less than friendly), picture of the logging road heading into the Dreadwood, and finally- the encounter (map) is about to begin with a blast.</strong></p><p></p><p>“You can talk to it?” Ram enquires and nods at the staring boar still stood in the middle of the track, perhaps sixty or so feet ahead. Vinnie nods, and then makes ready to try, but his endeavour is interrupted. The boar suddenly shapes into a robed half-orc, scarred and adorned with talismans, tattoos and symbols. Clearly this fellow is another adherent of Talos, this fact confirmed less than a second later when the horror blasts a Lightning Bolt into Vinnie, Ram & Carruthers (that’s Ram’s horse).</p><p></p><p>Remarkably Carruthers survives the ordeal, although the stallion is reduced to 1 HP, the stoic animal then makes the DM imposed saving throw to flee/shuck Ram, as I say- stoic beast is Carruthers. These are the moments that RPG games are made of- Carruthers surviving a Lightning Bolt has just made him a hose with character.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, Vinnie gets well and truly blasted- he’s bloodied in an instant, Ram fares a little better.</p><p></p><p>So, the Dark Squad have found what they are looking for- that didn’t take long!</p><p></p><p>It therefore kicks off, although… it gets messy.</p><p></p><p>Ram, with a readied action and then first in initiative fires two arrows into the half-orc enemy, the nasty snarling fellow seems unconcerned. The rogue slouches off his horse (Carruthers) and rushes towards the foe.</p><p></p><p>Alas it’s not as easy as all that- a boar rushes out of the undergrowth and slams into Ram’s side, and now the rogue is just about bloodied too. Obviously, the impact also stops Ram in his tracks, almost knocks him off his feet.</p><p></p><p>A second later a charging Daktari, also dismounted, is held up the same way- except this time the barbarian gets stopped in his tracks by a giant boar rushing out of the wilds.</p><p></p><p>Leaving the Talos-adherent half-orc still cackling and watching on. Note, the fellow is also a good fifty to sixty feet away from the adventurers.</p><p></p><p>Newt moves up, the tabaxi is on horseback still- his all black mount is called, wait for it…</p><p></p><p>It’s worth the wait.</p><p></p><p>His horse is called…</p><p></p><p>Black Death!</p><p></p><p>Classy.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, Newt nudges Black Death forward and then begins hexing and blasting the newly arrived giant boar.</p><p></p><p>The way ahead is blocked by this foe.</p><p></p><p>Meantime yet another boar charges out of the wilds and slams into Ram from the other side, the rogue sprawls in the dirt- now bloodied and prone.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138216[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>The Half-Orc Talos adherent is another fifty of so feet up the map, laughing his cock off at the car crash Dark Squad.</strong></p><p></p><p>That got nasty quickly for some of the guys.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie quickly transforms into Vincen G Squeezy, a huge constrictor if you remember- seconds later and the giant boar is grabbed up and being crushed by the massive serpent- threat mostly ended.</p><p></p><p>Meantime the lightning throwing half-orc swiftly shape-changes back into boar form, snorts once and then dashes off into the forest.</p><p></p><p>However, at this point the screams start- lots of screams and shouts, the sound of terror, and fear, and very definitely people suffering. The screams are coming from further up the track.</p><p></p><p>Ram scrambles to his feet and cuts down one of the two boars that are attempting to gore him. Daktari however is making for the end zone- he rushes by the rogue, and off this map and onto the next…</p><p></p><p>A logging camp- with a ring of tents and a series of lumber piles, by a slow-moving river. Half-a-dozen or so hefty male humans, armed with axes (what else?) are circled around a huge terrifying insect-like creature, which seems to have burrowed into the middle of the camp.</p><p></p><p>The creature is an ankheg, a large specimen.</p><p></p><p>But back on the muddy track-</p><p></p><p>Tarbin Tul gets to Carruthers and heals the horse- Ram is very grateful.</p><p></p><p>Newt Fiery Blasts the giant boar, still being held secure by Vincen G Squeezy- the creature at last ceases it struggles, dead. The great snake drops its prey and attempts to snatch up the last boar in the fight, the one menacing Ram- but alas to no avail.</p><p></p><p>Ram, moments later takes the second boar down, this while Newt still mounted on Black Death charges forward along the road and into the logging camp, the rest of the Dark Squad make their way forward as quickly as they can.</p><p></p><p>Note Tarbin Tul also gets to Ram with a Healing Word, and then with another a little later- the bard also gathers the mounts and secures them.</p><p></p><p>[Boars and a Half-Orc Talos adherent (briefly) 550 XP]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138217[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>"Come on, Squeezy!" Vincen slithers forward a little further. Meantime two ankhegs get into it with Daktari and the loggers, with a running Ram and a Black Death (that's not his real token- see later) riding Newt on the way.</strong></p><p></p><p>Back at the logging camp Daktari rages and rushes to attack the nearest ankheg- that’s right, nearest ankheg- there are now two of the big buggers, a second having just burst from a heaving hole in the turf.</p><p></p><p>The loggers are up for the fight, their axes swing but they also suffer- one of the ankheg’s grabs up a logger in its mandibles- chews and bites the screaming woodsman clean in two, and in a spray of gore.</p><p></p><p>Newt arrives on Black Death and starts blasting- ankheg carapace shatters and flies.</p><p></p><p>Ram, at last arrives on the scene, having changed back to his bow- he shoots the nearest ankheg and leaves it critically wounded (with a big bag of sneak attack).</p><p></p><p>Daktari’s is still raging and still hacking- the big barbarian decapitates an ankheg as it bends down to grab him- dead, and then goes rushing to menace the remaining ankheg. Bloodying the beast with Shatterspike, his magical longsword.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138218[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Squeezy (Wheezy) is on his way- but the cavalry have arrived- note Daktari has just finished off the first ankheg and is about to try to make a running jump down the ridge to get to the second. He's always so very eager to get to the fight. </strong></p><p></p><p>At which point however the third ankheg arrives on the scene- surging up through the turf directly before Newt and Black Death, the giant insect beast savages (and kills in an instant) Newt’s mount.</p><p></p><p>Just to note, seven seconds prior to the above event Bear (playing Newt) stops play to inform the DM that he has just put a new token for Black Death in Discord.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138219[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Black Death, the token arrived in my Discord & in-box around seven seconds before the beast got savaged to acid-flavoured death by an ankheg, there's a lesson there.</strong></p><p></p><p>The thing about fate, I have noticed, is that if you tempt it, well… a metaphorical knee to the groin soon follows- and so it proves.</p><p></p><p>Newt is apoplectic.</p><p></p><p>He does however manage to safely roll off and away from his dying mount.</p><p></p><p>At which point the fourth, and largest, ankheg breaches- this beast is not only bigger (and tougher) but also sports a triple lightning bolt etched into its crown.</p><p></p><p>The creature roars (or whatever it is that ankhegs do, only much louder than usual), lurches forward mouth and jaws open and spews a lightning bolt into Newt and Ram, the former is (partially- saved) blasted while the rogue evades all hurt.</p><p></p><p>The bastard.</p><p></p><p>Tarbin Tul gets another Healing Word into Ram.</p><p></p><p>Newt has seen enough- he drops a Fireball, but the effect while very briefly terrifying is fairly underwhelming, both ankhegs within the spell’s compass are burnt but unconcerned.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138220[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Apres the Fireball, the ankhegs are not even that bothered, like- whatevs!</strong></p><p></p><p>Meantime Daktari and the loggers manage to take down the second badly wounded ankheg, there’s just two left- the pair that have just arrived to the fight.</p><p></p><p>Vincen G Squeezy at last manages to slither into the logging camp- he’s a surprisingly slow-moving massive reptile. The huge constrictor grabs, squeezes and grapples the lightning firing ankheg alpha.</p><p></p><p>We’re going all Ray Harryhausen again.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]138221[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Squeezy's here! And he's pissed off!</strong></p><p></p><p>Vincen G Squeezy is thirty feet long and quite a girth, while the lightning spewing ankheg alpha stands a dozen or more feet tall.</p><p></p><p>Daktari and his axe-wielding new buddies also come rushing to the fight.</p><p></p><p>The other (normal) ankheg is also now heavily wounded.</p><p></p><p>Ram gets his blades out and starts stabbing at the ankheg alpha being restrained by Squeezy and soon after the creature is critically wounded.</p><p></p><p>Daktari adds to the beat’s troubles by flinging two javelins into the brute.</p><p></p><p>The (normal) ankheg spews acid and Daktari and one of the loggers are left screaming, the ankheg alpha meanwhile tears at Vincen G Squeezy- bloodying and blasting with crackling lightning the shapeshifting druid.</p><p></p><p>Tarbin Tul however quickly has another Healing Word for Squeezy.</p><p></p><p>Newt gets some distance from the fight and then fires another Fiery Blast into the ankheg alpha- the beast shatters and explodes, spraying the area with gore and ichor.</p><p></p><p>The warlock’s second Fiery Blast repeats the trick with the last remaining ankheg.</p><p></p><p>The fight is won.</p><p></p><p>Bugger, there was some screaming and shouting for a little while with this one.</p><p></p><p>[Ankheg attack on the logging camp 2225 XP]</p><p></p><p>The loggers are exhausted, and slightly panicked, and concerned about the loss of their fallen comrade, there’s nothing however to be done for the fellow- he was bitten clean in two.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers do what they can to remedy the situation, although Newt spends quite a lot of the time making sure people never forget his contribution to the victory-</p><p></p><p>Newt: NEWT SMASHES TWO ANKHEGS IN A SINGLE ROUND!</p><p></p><p>The tabaxi, it seems, has forgotten about Black Death already.</p><p></p><p>Over the course of the next few hours the Dark Squad tidy up the logging camp, get a rest and do a little healing (accompanied by Tarbon Tul’s Song of Rest). While doing so they take the time to ask a few questions of the loggers. Then, off the back of the logger’s answers, they search the camp and fine some very odd devices.</p><p></p><p>Hidden in one of the log piles are four dark and twisted corn dolls, or something very similar, the odd objects seem to pulse. Later it is discovered that within each corn doll (or voodoo style-device) is a still beating heart.</p><p></p><p>The discovery causes a little consternation, and therefore necessitates a score more questions and skill checks.</p><p></p><p>The final theory is the corn dolls were placed in the camp sometime during the day- the loggers leave the place unattended while they go to work. The devices were placed in the camp by the half-orc Talos adherent spotted earlier on the track, and then activated in some way to draw the ankhegs to the spot.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad are not happy about this, they’re going to find these bastards and make them pay, and now they have a trail to follow- the one left by the half-orc that battled them on the track here earlier..</p><p></p><p>Funny how that worked out.</p><p></p><p>But that’s all we have time for this evening, and the Dark Squad are in the hunt.</p><p></p><p>Just to say, and as I said to the guys at the end of the session- a lot of what came before this was me settling the PCs in to the region (and me building it in the background). So, now I’m ready for them- and it’s time for some of the plot (et al) to get going.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad’s to-do list reads a little like this-</p><p></p><p>1) Westor’s Logging Camp.</p><p></p><p>2) Track the half-orc/boar to its lair?</p><p></p><p>3) DESTROY!</p><p></p><p>4) Back to the Falcon?</p><p></p><p>5) Goblins in the Dreadwood.</p><p></p><p>6) Nightshade in the Dreadwood.</p><p></p><p>7) To Blackedge, find the Goblin Stair</p><p></p><p>8) Return to Fallowstone Holy for answers- the Witch’s Tor & the Pact of the Flame.</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: 8302974, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #050b Found ‘em. Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here). New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 7 Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 7 Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 7 NPCs Daktari (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 7 [S]Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 [/S]RIP* Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard *Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors. Servants/Familiars Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar[/B] This is session 50b and the Dark Squad have the bit between their teeth, so they’re on the road again- next stop is Westor’s Logging Camp in the Dreadwood, that’s a four- or five-hour journey, on horse. And so it goes, with the Dark Squad making good time by spurring their mounts on for the last hour of the journey… But what’s this, on the logging road ahead a boar rushes out of the vegetation to cross the thoroughfare, and then another boar- only the second boar stops- turns, and then stands in the middle of the track and glares at the oncoming Dark Squad. That is until Ram, leading the posse, pulls his horse and then the rest of the gang up short- the rogue calls Vinnie forward, the druid dismounts and heads to the rogue’s side. [ATTACH type="full"]138215[/ATTACH] [B]Left to right, top to bottom- the big map with the Dark Squad token closing in on the Logging Camp, a Half-Orc Talos worshipper (less than friendly), picture of the logging road heading into the Dreadwood, and finally- the encounter (map) is about to begin with a blast.[/B] “You can talk to it?” Ram enquires and nods at the staring boar still stood in the middle of the track, perhaps sixty or so feet ahead. Vinnie nods, and then makes ready to try, but his endeavour is interrupted. The boar suddenly shapes into a robed half-orc, scarred and adorned with talismans, tattoos and symbols. Clearly this fellow is another adherent of Talos, this fact confirmed less than a second later when the horror blasts a Lightning Bolt into Vinnie, Ram & Carruthers (that’s Ram’s horse). Remarkably Carruthers survives the ordeal, although the stallion is reduced to 1 HP, the stoic animal then makes the DM imposed saving throw to flee/shuck Ram, as I say- stoic beast is Carruthers. These are the moments that RPG games are made of- Carruthers surviving a Lightning Bolt has just made him a hose with character. Anyway, Vinnie gets well and truly blasted- he’s bloodied in an instant, Ram fares a little better. So, the Dark Squad have found what they are looking for- that didn’t take long! It therefore kicks off, although… it gets messy. Ram, with a readied action and then first in initiative fires two arrows into the half-orc enemy, the nasty snarling fellow seems unconcerned. The rogue slouches off his horse (Carruthers) and rushes towards the foe. Alas it’s not as easy as all that- a boar rushes out of the undergrowth and slams into Ram’s side, and now the rogue is just about bloodied too. Obviously, the impact also stops Ram in his tracks, almost knocks him off his feet. A second later a charging Daktari, also dismounted, is held up the same way- except this time the barbarian gets stopped in his tracks by a giant boar rushing out of the wilds. Leaving the Talos-adherent half-orc still cackling and watching on. Note, the fellow is also a good fifty to sixty feet away from the adventurers. Newt moves up, the tabaxi is on horseback still- his all black mount is called, wait for it… It’s worth the wait. His horse is called… Black Death! Classy. Anyway, Newt nudges Black Death forward and then begins hexing and blasting the newly arrived giant boar. The way ahead is blocked by this foe. Meantime yet another boar charges out of the wilds and slams into Ram from the other side, the rogue sprawls in the dirt- now bloodied and prone. [ATTACH type="full"]138216[/ATTACH] [B]The Half-Orc Talos adherent is another fifty of so feet up the map, laughing his cock off at the car crash Dark Squad.[/B] That got nasty quickly for some of the guys. Vinnie quickly transforms into Vincen G Squeezy, a huge constrictor if you remember- seconds later and the giant boar is grabbed up and being crushed by the massive serpent- threat mostly ended. Meantime the lightning throwing half-orc swiftly shape-changes back into boar form, snorts once and then dashes off into the forest. However, at this point the screams start- lots of screams and shouts, the sound of terror, and fear, and very definitely people suffering. The screams are coming from further up the track. Ram scrambles to his feet and cuts down one of the two boars that are attempting to gore him. Daktari however is making for the end zone- he rushes by the rogue, and off this map and onto the next… A logging camp- with a ring of tents and a series of lumber piles, by a slow-moving river. Half-a-dozen or so hefty male humans, armed with axes (what else?) are circled around a huge terrifying insect-like creature, which seems to have burrowed into the middle of the camp. The creature is an ankheg, a large specimen. But back on the muddy track- Tarbin Tul gets to Carruthers and heals the horse- Ram is very grateful. Newt Fiery Blasts the giant boar, still being held secure by Vincen G Squeezy- the creature at last ceases it struggles, dead. The great snake drops its prey and attempts to snatch up the last boar in the fight, the one menacing Ram- but alas to no avail. Ram, moments later takes the second boar down, this while Newt still mounted on Black Death charges forward along the road and into the logging camp, the rest of the Dark Squad make their way forward as quickly as they can. Note Tarbin Tul also gets to Ram with a Healing Word, and then with another a little later- the bard also gathers the mounts and secures them. [Boars and a Half-Orc Talos adherent (briefly) 550 XP] [ATTACH type="full"]138217[/ATTACH] [B]"Come on, Squeezy!" Vincen slithers forward a little further. Meantime two ankhegs get into it with Daktari and the loggers, with a running Ram and a Black Death (that's not his real token- see later) riding Newt on the way.[/B] Back at the logging camp Daktari rages and rushes to attack the nearest ankheg- that’s right, nearest ankheg- there are now two of the big buggers, a second having just burst from a heaving hole in the turf. The loggers are up for the fight, their axes swing but they also suffer- one of the ankheg’s grabs up a logger in its mandibles- chews and bites the screaming woodsman clean in two, and in a spray of gore. Newt arrives on Black Death and starts blasting- ankheg carapace shatters and flies. Ram, at last arrives on the scene, having changed back to his bow- he shoots the nearest ankheg and leaves it critically wounded (with a big bag of sneak attack). Daktari’s is still raging and still hacking- the big barbarian decapitates an ankheg as it bends down to grab him- dead, and then goes rushing to menace the remaining ankheg. Bloodying the beast with Shatterspike, his magical longsword. [ATTACH type="full"]138218[/ATTACH] [B]Squeezy (Wheezy) is on his way- but the cavalry have arrived- note Daktari has just finished off the first ankheg and is about to try to make a running jump down the ridge to get to the second. He's always so very eager to get to the fight. [/B] At which point however the third ankheg arrives on the scene- surging up through the turf directly before Newt and Black Death, the giant insect beast savages (and kills in an instant) Newt’s mount. Just to note, seven seconds prior to the above event Bear (playing Newt) stops play to inform the DM that he has just put a new token for Black Death in Discord. [ATTACH type="full"]138219[/ATTACH] [B]Black Death, the token arrived in my Discord & in-box around seven seconds before the beast got savaged to acid-flavoured death by an ankheg, there's a lesson there.[/B] The thing about fate, I have noticed, is that if you tempt it, well… a metaphorical knee to the groin soon follows- and so it proves. Newt is apoplectic. He does however manage to safely roll off and away from his dying mount. At which point the fourth, and largest, ankheg breaches- this beast is not only bigger (and tougher) but also sports a triple lightning bolt etched into its crown. The creature roars (or whatever it is that ankhegs do, only much louder than usual), lurches forward mouth and jaws open and spews a lightning bolt into Newt and Ram, the former is (partially- saved) blasted while the rogue evades all hurt. The bastard. Tarbin Tul gets another Healing Word into Ram. Newt has seen enough- he drops a Fireball, but the effect while very briefly terrifying is fairly underwhelming, both ankhegs within the spell’s compass are burnt but unconcerned. [ATTACH type="full"]138220[/ATTACH] [B]Apres the Fireball, the ankhegs are not even that bothered, like- whatevs![/B] Meantime Daktari and the loggers manage to take down the second badly wounded ankheg, there’s just two left- the pair that have just arrived to the fight. Vincen G Squeezy at last manages to slither into the logging camp- he’s a surprisingly slow-moving massive reptile. The huge constrictor grabs, squeezes and grapples the lightning firing ankheg alpha. We’re going all Ray Harryhausen again. [ATTACH type="full"]138221[/ATTACH] [B]Squeezy's here! And he's pissed off![/B] Vincen G Squeezy is thirty feet long and quite a girth, while the lightning spewing ankheg alpha stands a dozen or more feet tall. Daktari and his axe-wielding new buddies also come rushing to the fight. The other (normal) ankheg is also now heavily wounded. Ram gets his blades out and starts stabbing at the ankheg alpha being restrained by Squeezy and soon after the creature is critically wounded. Daktari adds to the beat’s troubles by flinging two javelins into the brute. The (normal) ankheg spews acid and Daktari and one of the loggers are left screaming, the ankheg alpha meanwhile tears at Vincen G Squeezy- bloodying and blasting with crackling lightning the shapeshifting druid. Tarbin Tul however quickly has another Healing Word for Squeezy. Newt gets some distance from the fight and then fires another Fiery Blast into the ankheg alpha- the beast shatters and explodes, spraying the area with gore and ichor. The warlock’s second Fiery Blast repeats the trick with the last remaining ankheg. The fight is won. Bugger, there was some screaming and shouting for a little while with this one. [Ankheg attack on the logging camp 2225 XP] The loggers are exhausted, and slightly panicked, and concerned about the loss of their fallen comrade, there’s nothing however to be done for the fellow- he was bitten clean in two. The adventurers do what they can to remedy the situation, although Newt spends quite a lot of the time making sure people never forget his contribution to the victory- Newt: NEWT SMASHES TWO ANKHEGS IN A SINGLE ROUND! The tabaxi, it seems, has forgotten about Black Death already. Over the course of the next few hours the Dark Squad tidy up the logging camp, get a rest and do a little healing (accompanied by Tarbon Tul’s Song of Rest). While doing so they take the time to ask a few questions of the loggers. Then, off the back of the logger’s answers, they search the camp and fine some very odd devices. Hidden in one of the log piles are four dark and twisted corn dolls, or something very similar, the odd objects seem to pulse. Later it is discovered that within each corn doll (or voodoo style-device) is a still beating heart. The discovery causes a little consternation, and therefore necessitates a score more questions and skill checks. The final theory is the corn dolls were placed in the camp sometime during the day- the loggers leave the place unattended while they go to work. The devices were placed in the camp by the half-orc Talos adherent spotted earlier on the track, and then activated in some way to draw the ankhegs to the spot. The Dark Squad are not happy about this, they’re going to find these bastards and make them pay, and now they have a trail to follow- the one left by the half-orc that battled them on the track here earlier.. Funny how that worked out. But that’s all we have time for this evening, and the Dark Squad are in the hunt. Just to say, and as I said to the guys at the end of the session- a lot of what came before this was me settling the PCs in to the region (and me building it in the background). So, now I’m ready for them- and it’s time for some of the plot (et al) to get going. The Dark Squad’s to-do list reads a little like this- 1) Westor’s Logging Camp. 2) Track the half-orc/boar to its lair? 3) DESTROY! 4) Back to the Falcon? 5) Goblins in the Dreadwood. 6) Nightshade in the Dreadwood. 7) To Blackedge, find the Goblin Stair 8) Return to Fallowstone Holy for answers- the Witch’s Tor & the Pact of the Flame. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan. 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The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #136 Into the Mere of the Dead Men.
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