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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: 8788223" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #102: Where's My Pudding?</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p><strong>Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 8</strong></p><p><strong>Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 8</strong></p><p><strong>New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 8</strong></p><p><strong>Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/1</strong></p><p><strong>Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 8</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>DEAD PCs</strong></p><p><strong><s>Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 </s>RIP</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>NPCs</strong></p><p><strong><s>Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) </s>RETIRED</strong></p><p><strong><s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*</strong></p><p><strong><s>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard </s>RETIRED</strong></p><p><strong>Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 (When we remember) </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><strong></strong></p><p><strong>The Dark Squad’s to-do list-</strong></p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The De La Crane Manse is on The Leap, and Anders Solmor would like the Squad to check it out, it's also the ancestral home of the De La Crane family, and the Squad are looking for Antonio De La Crane- see below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Bonnie Bowspirit, grand-daughter of Rambles, will show the Squad to the missing halfling killer's tomb, on the 6th of Flamerule- see below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Find the other four Symbols of Ub, one was left in Deepbridge (Duergar fortress in the Underdark). The others need to be found, they belonged to- Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit (halfling killer from Lowhill), Antonio De La Crane (posh kid druid alchemist) & Giggles (crazy wood elf). All of these folk lived in the Saltmarsh region, the Dark Squad have found the De La Crane Manse (in the Dreadwood) and the De La Crane Crypt (in Saltmarsh Cemetary).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there any more, but a big red dragon is?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">To join the Pact of the Wild Flame prepare the Witch's Tor for the coming of the starfall, the Witch's Tor is in the Drowned Forest, in the Mere of the Dead Men.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">To join the Pact of the Wild Flame track down the last member of the Pact, a wild elf adventurer called Giggles- and finally put her spirit to rest, and also recover her maze button. Location unknown. SEE 2. ABOVE.</li> </ol><p></p><p>This is session 102, and relax.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262968[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>And here we all are, the Dark Squad have won the day- but at a price.</strong></p><p></p><p>Well, that was a close one, just to recap-</p><p></p><p>Nicky is dead.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie burned through both of his Moonboar wildshapes (and all of their hit points) and then out of spells entirely was reduced to six hit points.</p><p></p><p>Newt was out of warlock powers for the last three to four hours of the fight, he was also briefly unconscious (twice) of course, and was mostly just surviving on temporary hit points towards the end.</p><p></p><p>Daktari got down to five hit points at one point but all of the other members of the Squad found ways to keep the barbarian up and swinging. Dak was also on Exhaustion 2 for almost all of the fracas, so- tough going.</p><p></p><p>And Ram?</p><p></p><p>Ram lost one hit point.</p><p></p><p>You read that right.</p><p></p><p>One hit point.</p><p></p><p>One.</p><p></p><p>Hit.</p><p></p><p>Point.</p><p></p><p>My observation is, Ram does his own thing, that's not to say he doesn't help out- he killed a lot of stuff, and delivered healing potions (to Newt and Dak) when needed. That aside, Ram has a groove, and it's a narrow-ish groove (but again, that's not a bad thing), and he's very good at it. Very good.</p><p></p><p>We move on.</p><p></p><p>The above image shows the Dark Squad after almost exhausting their healing supplies, note Dak has gone to sleep already, he's knackered. The Squad have had a couple of hours rest here, but now Ram egged on by Newt is keen to investigate further.</p><p></p><p>Note prior to this there had been a vote- 2:2, I seem to remember, the question being- whether to take a long rest or not...</p><p></p><p>And Newt settles all draws, or else he usually finds someone (Ram) to do whatever he wants doing, he's a silver-tongued bastard when he needs to be.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262969[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Ram, eventually, gets the door open (it was locked and trapped)- it leads to the Master's room, the Squad correctly surmise. Note, there's another door to the right in the above image- it's locked, and barred, and has “DANGER!” chalked on it.</strong></p><p></p><p>This is the door that instigated the above vote.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262970[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>The Master's room is ransacked, and I mean ransacked- this after a spray of Detect Magic followed by the Ram trap finding tour, he finds a second trap here- the hard way, a blast of Magic Missiles to the torso.</strong></p><p></p><p>It hurts but not enough, besides- Ram still has plenty of healing left.</p><p></p><p>There's lots to find here, including the Master's spellbook, the bastard was an illusionist- well, that figures. The wizard also kept a scrawled diary, from the last few entries the Squad learn that the crew here have been ordered by 'the Captain', to wait for 'the ship'.</p><p></p><p>There's even notes for a signalling system, Ram makes sense of these, he spent a lot of years at sea remember, and always on the wrong side of the law.</p><p></p><p>There's also a collection of dirty poems (illustrated), this is passed to Daktari (by Newt, he likes handing out presents) in an effort to improve the barbarian's reading skills.</p><p></p><p>Daktari, point of fact, cannot read (or write) but he now has 18 Int, and so he's learning- and besides the pictures keep him amused.</p><p></p><p>“That is wrong way to put up shelf!”</p><p></p><p>The barbarian is very interested in DIY.</p><p></p><p>Note, throughout what follows (including the fighting- see later) Daktari (played by Jim) entertains us with a number of risqué limericks, for full authenticity these should be read aloud (by you) in Dak's dumbish (slow) cod Russian accent.</p><p></p><p>Begin-</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262971[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>And-</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262972[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>There, that's done- we'll move on.</p><p></p><p>So, the Dark Squad take another time out to talk through and make sense of the things that they have found in the Master's room, including a book of tide times for the Saltmarsh region. Ram also takes the time to read the last month or so of the Master's diary. The enemy wizard fellow is actually called Sanbalet, but he has adopted airs and graces, he thought himself a master, sorry- Master, illusionist- beyond compare. But as Ram said at the time, “he's dead now, so screw him.”</p><p></p><p>So, the upshot is- Ram thinks, the Master and his guys here are smugglers, and there's a lot of high-end goods in the caverns (and one of the guys before his demise confessed to being a smuggler). But, Ram thinks, this is a high level operation, and furthermore that the next boat is due sometime soon, best guess (tide & moon taken into consideration) is between the 14th & 18th of Flamerule (July), that's this month (it's the 2nd today).</p><p></p><p>Ram has a plan, and it involves being back here between the dates above- to meet the ship, Newt interrupts and rushes ahead to the end of his own plan, something about burning the smuggler's ship to the waterline. The tabaxi warlock is shouting again.</p><p></p><p>But Ram's plan is even better than that, and here it is, in all of its glory-</p><p></p><p>“I'm getting a ship this month.”</p><p></p><p>The rogue doesn't smile often, but reports come in of a smirk.</p><p></p><p>Then, back to the here and now, and specifically a door marked “DANGER!”, Newt (& Ram) want to take a look inside, and the warlock has a way of safely doing this. This after Ram discovers that the door has a keyhole (it's also locked).</p><p></p><p>Newt looking through the keyhole manifests Gerald his bat familiar in the room beyond the sealed door.</p><p></p><p>He's a clever lad.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262973[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>It's easier, of course, just to move Newt's token into the newly revealed chamber- particularly as the warlock is 'seeing' the chamber through Gerald's senses.</strong></p><p></p><p>There's an old once elaborate now smashed up large table, and... at least half-a-dozen skeletal bodies, some armoured- humanoids, best guess.</p><p></p><p>There are no other exits from the chamber, and nothing else of note.</p><p></p><p>Then Newt, and Vinnie, remember that when they were looking through a bunch of old books in one of the chambers above, in the manse, a fragment of paper fell out of one old tome, written on the scrap- “...beyond the skeletons...”</p><p></p><p>Then, however we get back to debating what to do next, because the Dark Squad are now convinced that the skeletons are going rise again should they open this door, and fighting... well, Vinnie and Daktari are still very broken.</p><p></p><p>Newt, however, is ready to rock and roll, and Ram's looking feisty.</p><p></p><p>He's getting a boat, apparently.</p><p></p><p>We get to debating/arguing, delete as appropriate.</p><p></p><p>Therefore, the DM (and George) chose this moment to blind-side the Dark Squad.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262974[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn makes his entrance, that's him- top left. He's an old man (or something) wearing a dressing gown over a pair of tighty-whitie budgie-smugglers. Oh, and he's wearing a wizard's hat, and sports a wizard's long flowing white beard, and he's puffing merrily on a pipe.</strong></p><p></p><p>Later (when Fellowyn draws the blade) the Dark Squad note that he also wields a battered rapier.</p><p></p><p>Fellowyn's opening line is something like, “Is that you Antonio? What the hell has happened to the house, you've really let things go my friend?”</p><p></p><p>Which gets the various members of the Dark Squad interested.</p><p></p><p>However, Fellowyn's follow up sentence, on spotting the various members of the adventuring party, is- “Are you the hired help? I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Where's my pudding? I WANT my pudding!”</p><p></p><p>Over the course of the next twenty (extremely frustrating) minutes the Dark Squad learn, or else deduct, that Fellowyn is an elf (probably), he knew (knows?) Antonio De La Crane, he's an expert with blade and spell, he talks like an older/retired gentleman, he loses track of what he's saying all of the time, he's mad.</p><p></p><p>F'rinstance-</p><p></p><p>“Oh, yes! Yes, of course. Yes, indeedy-do, I know Antonio De La Crane, this is his house. See. And you're in it, so you must know Antonio too. I'm Fellowyn, Fellowyn Silverstream. I haven't seen you since, well... forever. Have you seen Antonio? Is he about? Is there pudding? I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Who are you people and why are you here (THREATENING- DRAWS RAPIER). Is it time for breakfast? (MOTIONS TO RAM) Garçon, the full works- with extra treacle, and make it snappy man, I'm absolutely famished. (FELLOWYN SUDDENLY STANDS) Antonio! ANTONIO? Where the hell is he? Off with his adventuring friends again, no doubt. (NOTICING THE DARK SQUAD ARE HERE) Oh, my manners, I'm Fellowyn Silverstream- dashing blade and bookish mage, what-what, charmed to meet you. I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Where are we?”</p><p></p><p>And then in the gawking silence that follows.</p><p></p><p>“Is there pudding?”</p><p></p><p>And so it goes, and for longer than you'd think possible.</p><p></p><p>And so the DM keeps dropping the in adventure time in the chat window- moving forward one hour at a time, and still Fellowyn is talking, saying everything... and nothing, only perhaps the shape or shadow of hidden things.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262975[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn knows/knew Antonio De La Crane, very well apparently, but alas he makes no sense.</strong></p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad make a variety of meals, chat, and then sleep the night- Fellowyn, well...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262976[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn, after lots more chatter, let's it all hang-out.</strong></p><p></p><p>Apparently George rendered these pictures, this is original art, which I certainly would not admit to.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262977[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>And then in the morning after breakfast, but with Fellowyn mostly still not making sense, Ram gets the “DANGER!” door open, but he's not going in.</strong></p><p></p><p>That's the purview of the new hire, Fellowyn is invited to demo his hot to trot skills with sword and blade, after all the old man keeps going on about them.</p><p></p><p>Note, it's Newt that makes the above deal with Fellowyn, tempts the old man into action.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262978[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>And then it goes semi-badly (for George) once again.</strong></p><p></p><p>The skeletons get up and into action, and the fellow with the bow stood on the ruined table manages to plug Fellowyn three times in a row. Then an armoured skeleton with a pike starts its dance of death, it too manages to skewer Fellowyn, and then seconds later- Ram, too.</p><p></p><p>Moments later it is discovered, by the players, that both bad guys have the use of a variety of Legendary Actions.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and Fellowyn, the expert with blade and spell, well...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262979[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn is reduced to six hit points in two turns, and now there's a third skeleton in the mix, and this fellow is armed (and armoured) with a longsword and a shield. The latter he clonks into old man Fellowyn's face.</strong></p><p></p><p>It seems the forgetful fellow has entered into combat with none of his spell assists running, not even Mage Armour.</p><p></p><p>And the third skeleton also possesses a few Legendary Actions.</p><p></p><p>Just a note, Jim (plays Vinnie and Daktari) at work prior to this session, he said something like- “I'm glad the fighting's over, that was a close one.”</p><p></p><p>My reply, “Over?”</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262980[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn panics and turns (polymorphs) into a giant scorpion.</strong></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262981[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Daktari barges his way into the action, and yet another skeleton gets up to meet the barbarian's rush. Although the Squad have now managed to take the tough one with the pike down, good work from Fellowyn (in scorpion form)- he grabs the undead bugger and then holds it out for his new found comrades to smash to pieces.</strong></p><p></p><p>But it's still not going super-well, Daktari is back to raging, and he's taking hits- in one turn I land three Crits on the barbarian.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]262982[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fellowyn retreats to think about things, he's still only got six hit points left.</strong></p><p></p><p>As debuts go...</p><p></p><p>Well, this one went.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie is back to being the Moonboar (it's a new day remember) and both skeletons in the picture have been knocked prone.</p><p></p><p>But that's all we had time for this session- keep in mind there was a lot of good stuff in the Master's room (although no magic items save the spell book and a few potions), also plenty of the other enemies had bits and pieces of treasure, and... Fellowyn really did hold court for a while.</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: 8788223, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #102: Where's My Pudding? Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here). Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 8 Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 8 New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 8 Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/1 Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 8 DEAD PCs [S]Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 [/S]RIP NPCs [S]Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) [/S]RETIRED [S]Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 [/S]RIP* [S]Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard [/S]RETIRED Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 (When we remember) *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 The Dark Squad’s to-do list-[/B] [LIST=1] [*]The De La Crane Manse is on The Leap, and Anders Solmor would like the Squad to check it out, it's also the ancestral home of the De La Crane family, and the Squad are looking for Antonio De La Crane- see below. [*]Bonnie Bowspirit, grand-daughter of Rambles, will show the Squad to the missing halfling killer's tomb, on the 6th of Flamerule- see below. [*]Find the other four Symbols of Ub, one was left in Deepbridge (Duergar fortress in the Underdark). The others need to be found, they belonged to- Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit (halfling killer from Lowhill), Antonio De La Crane (posh kid druid alchemist) & Giggles (crazy wood elf). All of these folk lived in the Saltmarsh region, the Dark Squad have found the De La Crane Manse (in the Dreadwood) and the De La Crane Crypt (in Saltmarsh Cemetary). [*]Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there any more, but a big red dragon is? [*]Blackedge and the Goblin Stair? [*]To join the Pact of the Wild Flame prepare the Witch's Tor for the coming of the starfall, the Witch's Tor is in the Drowned Forest, in the Mere of the Dead Men. [*]To join the Pact of the Wild Flame track down the last member of the Pact, a wild elf adventurer called Giggles- and finally put her spirit to rest, and also recover her maze button. Location unknown. SEE 2. ABOVE. [/LIST] This is session 102, and relax. [ATTACH type="full"]262968[/ATTACH] [B]And here we all are, the Dark Squad have won the day- but at a price.[/B] Well, that was a close one, just to recap- Nicky is dead. Vinnie burned through both of his Moonboar wildshapes (and all of their hit points) and then out of spells entirely was reduced to six hit points. Newt was out of warlock powers for the last three to four hours of the fight, he was also briefly unconscious (twice) of course, and was mostly just surviving on temporary hit points towards the end. Daktari got down to five hit points at one point but all of the other members of the Squad found ways to keep the barbarian up and swinging. Dak was also on Exhaustion 2 for almost all of the fracas, so- tough going. And Ram? Ram lost one hit point. You read that right. One hit point. One. Hit. Point. My observation is, Ram does his own thing, that's not to say he doesn't help out- he killed a lot of stuff, and delivered healing potions (to Newt and Dak) when needed. That aside, Ram has a groove, and it's a narrow-ish groove (but again, that's not a bad thing), and he's very good at it. Very good. We move on. The above image shows the Dark Squad after almost exhausting their healing supplies, note Dak has gone to sleep already, he's knackered. The Squad have had a couple of hours rest here, but now Ram egged on by Newt is keen to investigate further. Note prior to this there had been a vote- 2:2, I seem to remember, the question being- whether to take a long rest or not... And Newt settles all draws, or else he usually finds someone (Ram) to do whatever he wants doing, he's a silver-tongued bastard when he needs to be. [ATTACH type="full"]262969[/ATTACH] [B]Ram, eventually, gets the door open (it was locked and trapped)- it leads to the Master's room, the Squad correctly surmise. Note, there's another door to the right in the above image- it's locked, and barred, and has “DANGER!” chalked on it.[/B] This is the door that instigated the above vote. [ATTACH type="full"]262970[/ATTACH] [B]The Master's room is ransacked, and I mean ransacked- this after a spray of Detect Magic followed by the Ram trap finding tour, he finds a second trap here- the hard way, a blast of Magic Missiles to the torso.[/B] It hurts but not enough, besides- Ram still has plenty of healing left. There's lots to find here, including the Master's spellbook, the bastard was an illusionist- well, that figures. The wizard also kept a scrawled diary, from the last few entries the Squad learn that the crew here have been ordered by 'the Captain', to wait for 'the ship'. There's even notes for a signalling system, Ram makes sense of these, he spent a lot of years at sea remember, and always on the wrong side of the law. There's also a collection of dirty poems (illustrated), this is passed to Daktari (by Newt, he likes handing out presents) in an effort to improve the barbarian's reading skills. Daktari, point of fact, cannot read (or write) but he now has 18 Int, and so he's learning- and besides the pictures keep him amused. “That is wrong way to put up shelf!” The barbarian is very interested in DIY. Note, throughout what follows (including the fighting- see later) Daktari (played by Jim) entertains us with a number of risqué limericks, for full authenticity these should be read aloud (by you) in Dak's dumbish (slow) cod Russian accent. Begin- [ATTACH type="full"]262971[/ATTACH] And- [ATTACH type="full"]262972[/ATTACH] There, that's done- we'll move on. So, the Dark Squad take another time out to talk through and make sense of the things that they have found in the Master's room, including a book of tide times for the Saltmarsh region. Ram also takes the time to read the last month or so of the Master's diary. The enemy wizard fellow is actually called Sanbalet, but he has adopted airs and graces, he thought himself a master, sorry- Master, illusionist- beyond compare. But as Ram said at the time, “he's dead now, so screw him.” So, the upshot is- Ram thinks, the Master and his guys here are smugglers, and there's a lot of high-end goods in the caverns (and one of the guys before his demise confessed to being a smuggler). But, Ram thinks, this is a high level operation, and furthermore that the next boat is due sometime soon, best guess (tide & moon taken into consideration) is between the 14th & 18th of Flamerule (July), that's this month (it's the 2nd today). Ram has a plan, and it involves being back here between the dates above- to meet the ship, Newt interrupts and rushes ahead to the end of his own plan, something about burning the smuggler's ship to the waterline. The tabaxi warlock is shouting again. But Ram's plan is even better than that, and here it is, in all of its glory- “I'm getting a ship this month.” The rogue doesn't smile often, but reports come in of a smirk. Then, back to the here and now, and specifically a door marked “DANGER!”, Newt (& Ram) want to take a look inside, and the warlock has a way of safely doing this. This after Ram discovers that the door has a keyhole (it's also locked). Newt looking through the keyhole manifests Gerald his bat familiar in the room beyond the sealed door. He's a clever lad. [ATTACH type="full"]262973[/ATTACH] [B]It's easier, of course, just to move Newt's token into the newly revealed chamber- particularly as the warlock is 'seeing' the chamber through Gerald's senses.[/B] There's an old once elaborate now smashed up large table, and... at least half-a-dozen skeletal bodies, some armoured- humanoids, best guess. There are no other exits from the chamber, and nothing else of note. Then Newt, and Vinnie, remember that when they were looking through a bunch of old books in one of the chambers above, in the manse, a fragment of paper fell out of one old tome, written on the scrap- “...beyond the skeletons...” Then, however we get back to debating what to do next, because the Dark Squad are now convinced that the skeletons are going rise again should they open this door, and fighting... well, Vinnie and Daktari are still very broken. Newt, however, is ready to rock and roll, and Ram's looking feisty. He's getting a boat, apparently. We get to debating/arguing, delete as appropriate. Therefore, the DM (and George) chose this moment to blind-side the Dark Squad. [ATTACH type="full"]262974[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn makes his entrance, that's him- top left. He's an old man (or something) wearing a dressing gown over a pair of tighty-whitie budgie-smugglers. Oh, and he's wearing a wizard's hat, and sports a wizard's long flowing white beard, and he's puffing merrily on a pipe.[/B] Later (when Fellowyn draws the blade) the Dark Squad note that he also wields a battered rapier. Fellowyn's opening line is something like, “Is that you Antonio? What the hell has happened to the house, you've really let things go my friend?” Which gets the various members of the Dark Squad interested. However, Fellowyn's follow up sentence, on spotting the various members of the adventuring party, is- “Are you the hired help? I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Where's my pudding? I WANT my pudding!” Over the course of the next twenty (extremely frustrating) minutes the Dark Squad learn, or else deduct, that Fellowyn is an elf (probably), he knew (knows?) Antonio De La Crane, he's an expert with blade and spell, he talks like an older/retired gentleman, he loses track of what he's saying all of the time, he's mad. F'rinstance- “Oh, yes! Yes, of course. Yes, indeedy-do, I know Antonio De La Crane, this is his house. See. And you're in it, so you must know Antonio too. I'm Fellowyn, Fellowyn Silverstream. I haven't seen you since, well... forever. Have you seen Antonio? Is he about? Is there pudding? I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Who are you people and why are you here (THREATENING- DRAWS RAPIER). Is it time for breakfast? (MOTIONS TO RAM) Garçon, the full works- with extra treacle, and make it snappy man, I'm absolutely famished. (FELLOWYN SUDDENLY STANDS) Antonio! ANTONIO? Where the hell is he? Off with his adventuring friends again, no doubt. (NOTICING THE DARK SQUAD ARE HERE) Oh, my manners, I'm Fellowyn Silverstream- dashing blade and bookish mage, what-what, charmed to meet you. I'm six-hundred-and-thirty-four-years-of-age. Where are we?” And then in the gawking silence that follows. “Is there pudding?” And so it goes, and for longer than you'd think possible. And so the DM keeps dropping the in adventure time in the chat window- moving forward one hour at a time, and still Fellowyn is talking, saying everything... and nothing, only perhaps the shape or shadow of hidden things. [ATTACH type="full"]262975[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn knows/knew Antonio De La Crane, very well apparently, but alas he makes no sense.[/B] The Dark Squad make a variety of meals, chat, and then sleep the night- Fellowyn, well... [ATTACH type="full"]262976[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn, after lots more chatter, let's it all hang-out.[/B] Apparently George rendered these pictures, this is original art, which I certainly would not admit to. [ATTACH type="full"]262977[/ATTACH] [B]And then in the morning after breakfast, but with Fellowyn mostly still not making sense, Ram gets the “DANGER!” door open, but he's not going in.[/B] That's the purview of the new hire, Fellowyn is invited to demo his hot to trot skills with sword and blade, after all the old man keeps going on about them. Note, it's Newt that makes the above deal with Fellowyn, tempts the old man into action. [ATTACH type="full"]262978[/ATTACH] [B]And then it goes semi-badly (for George) once again.[/B] The skeletons get up and into action, and the fellow with the bow stood on the ruined table manages to plug Fellowyn three times in a row. Then an armoured skeleton with a pike starts its dance of death, it too manages to skewer Fellowyn, and then seconds later- Ram, too. Moments later it is discovered, by the players, that both bad guys have the use of a variety of Legendary Actions. Oh, and Fellowyn, the expert with blade and spell, well... [ATTACH type="full"]262979[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn is reduced to six hit points in two turns, and now there's a third skeleton in the mix, and this fellow is armed (and armoured) with a longsword and a shield. The latter he clonks into old man Fellowyn's face.[/B] It seems the forgetful fellow has entered into combat with none of his spell assists running, not even Mage Armour. And the third skeleton also possesses a few Legendary Actions. Just a note, Jim (plays Vinnie and Daktari) at work prior to this session, he said something like- “I'm glad the fighting's over, that was a close one.” My reply, “Over?” [ATTACH type="full"]262980[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn panics and turns (polymorphs) into a giant scorpion.[/B] [ATTACH type="full"]262981[/ATTACH] [B]Daktari barges his way into the action, and yet another skeleton gets up to meet the barbarian's rush. Although the Squad have now managed to take the tough one with the pike down, good work from Fellowyn (in scorpion form)- he grabs the undead bugger and then holds it out for his new found comrades to smash to pieces.[/B] But it's still not going super-well, Daktari is back to raging, and he's taking hits- in one turn I land three Crits on the barbarian. [ATTACH type="full"]262982[/ATTACH] [B]Fellowyn retreats to think about things, he's still only got six hit points left.[/B] As debuts go... Well, this one went. Vinnie is back to being the Moonboar (it's a new day remember) and both skeletons in the picture have been knocked prone. But that's all we had time for this session- keep in mind there was a lot of good stuff in the Master's room (although no magic items save the spell book and a few potions), also plenty of the other enemies had bits and pieces of treasure, and... Fellowyn really did hold court for a while. 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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