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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: 8838048" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #106: Die! Die! Die! YOU BASTARD, DIE!</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">The smuggler's ship will be turning up sometime between the 14th and 17th of Flamerule, the Dark Squad (and particularly Ram) are keen to meet the vessel, particularly Ram- why, because as the rogue said- “I'm getting a boat.”</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>This is session 106, the Dark Squad are situated down in the Choke (the confluence of the Dunwater River and the Sea of Swords) within a ruined lighthouse, latterly re-purposed for Talos related activities. The adventurers have seen off a flight of harpies but are at present struggling (really struggling) to kill the half-orc priest of Talos here (Moesko). This fellow started off with a few Lightning Bolts, then a Thunder Blast, before transforming into a strange Moonboar/Wereboar type creature, at which point he started butting folk in the face.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267966[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>At present Daktari & Vinnie (as the Moonboar) have Moesko grappled, restrained (manacled around his ankles) and are dunking the gnarly priest of Talos in a water butt- they're trying to drown the poor fellow.</strong></p><p></p><p>The issue being... well, Moesko doesn't die.</p><p></p><p>It looks like he's about to pass over, and then... he shakes it off- the moment is gone and Moesko fights on, and early on in this session and the half-orc terror suddenly starts hitting again- including Dak with a Crit headbutt to the face (accompanied by great damage roll).</p><p></p><p>Things are not exactly going to plan for the Dark Squad- see the title of this instalment, this kind of thing gets shouted a lot, and by a variety of folk.</p><p></p><p>Apparently, it's frustrating- you don't say.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267967[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>George (playing Fellowyn) helps us to visualise this titanic struggle. Just in case you are unsure, that's (left to right) Vinnie (as the Moonboar), Moesko- half-orc Talos priest & Daktari- badly beaten and exhausted barbarian (with great hair).</strong></p><p></p><p>Excellent work George, I'll not kill Fellowyn for at least five more sessions, you've earned that much.</p><p></p><p>Meantime, while all of this is going on Ram is upstairs in the tower of the lighthouse- where the light is, only the light here isn't a light. Within the upper chamber is a ten foot wide metal bowl (where the fire/light should go) filled with a blue/purple liquid which seems to exude lightning.</p><p></p><p>Remember Talos is the god of storms.</p><p></p><p>Ram is trying to empty the bowl, he's not sure why- but it's something to do. Over the course of the next few turns the rogue enlarges the hole he has made in the metal bowl, a little while later and the liquid is pouring out.</p><p></p><p>And we go back and forth for a while, and when I say a while, I mean maybe another ten to twelve turns, with Moesko not dying- landing a hit every now and then, and the Dark Squad maintaining their grapple, and... racking their brains for some way to kill this half-orc bastard.</p><p></p><p>But then they figure it.</p><p></p><p>Newt and Fellowyn get involved, the pair manage to cut, rend and tear Moesko's strange armour from him. I described Moesko's attire (right back at the start of this) to the PCs thusly- he's wearing a gimp suit, only it seems to be made from the stitched together hides of a dozen or more octopi, tentacles still attached. It's not a pleasant sight.</p><p></p><p>Well, well... the scarred body of Moesko is revealed beneath the gimp suit, the oddity being there's a fist shape hole where the half-orc's heart should be.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad do the maths very quickly-</p><p></p><p>Moesko has no heart + he cannot be killed = find the heart & destroy it.</p><p></p><p>Note, last session, and on a couple of occasions towards the end I asked all of the players involved in the fracas with the half-orc to make Perception/Insight checks, I was looking for a '20', something to allow me to give them a clue- to get them to the missing heart, but nothing. The PCs were (seemingly) content just to try new and different ways to kill the fellow, so... I left them to it.</p><p></p><p>But the secret is out.</p><p></p><p>Find the heart and destroy it.</p><p></p><p>Newt and Fellowyn are on it- although the bladesinger's Haste (et al) has ended and so he's back to being a doddering old dude.</p><p></p><p>The pair cannot find the heart, not even outside in the harpy's tree- which Newt climbs, such is the desperation- Newt hates climbing, jumping etc.</p><p></p><p>But the heart is in the bowl upstairs at the top of the lighthouse, it takes a while- until most of the liquid has drained away, but it's a biggish heart- and beating away.</p><p></p><p>Ram stabs it.</p><p></p><p>It stops beating- dead.</p><p></p><p>Lots of things happen at once.</p><p></p><p>But let's back up for a moment, in the rounds prior to this Vinnie (as the Moonboar) has been whispering sweet nothing's to Moesko, while he and Dak have had him in their grasp.</p><p></p><p>“It does not 'ave to end zis way, mes amis?”</p><p></p><p>&</p><p></p><p>“Cease yer strugg-ell! Let us speak in peace...”</p><p></p><p>He's always trying to save the souls of the damned and/or lost.</p><p></p><p>But throughout the druid's diatribe the priest of Talos has just continued to struggle and fight on, only stopping once to whisper his reply-</p><p></p><p>“The storm is coming.”</p><p></p><p>And then, at the last, when Ram stabs the newly revealed heart above- Moesko dies, but with a smile on his face.</p><p></p><p>And outside, sitting in the harpy's tree, Newt gets to see the show.</p><p></p><p>The area surrounding the Tower of Storms is suddenly bathed in daylight, or so it seems, as the clouds above part as a single gigantic bolt of lightning, as broad and bold as the lighthouse itself, slams down into the building and destroys it.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267968[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Almost.</strong></p><p></p><p>Newt, Dak & Vinnie are reduced to single digit hit points (I think it was 16d8 damage, but I rolled lowish = 44 lightning damage, and there were plenty of failed saves).</p><p></p><p>Upstairs, Fellowyn is down and dying, while Ram somehow manages to dive under the now wrenched-free-of-its-mooring metal bowl, the rogue (wouldn't you know it) avoids all hurt.</p><p></p><p>Then the tower sways and begins its collapse.</p><p></p><p>To make clear, the Tower of Storms is on Initiative '0' and it has a 44% chance of collapsing every turn, 44 lightning damage remember.</p><p></p><p>Lots of things happen at once.</p><p></p><p>Again.</p><p></p><p>Or still.</p><p></p><p>Newt and Ram start screaming-</p><p></p><p>“It's collapsing- GET OUT!”</p><p></p><p>That kind of thing.</p><p></p><p>Ram (at the top of the tower) dives over to the fallen Fellowyn and empties a Potion of Healing into the bladesinger, and then screams in his face (see above) before rushing off down the stairs leaving the doddering mortally wounded old man to his fate.</p><p></p><p>Down below the various other members of the Dark Squad rush to escape.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267969[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Daktari is broken TM, he is however also in spider stance and scuttling down the cliffs here.</strong></p><p></p><p>No, the area outside of the tower is still bathed in a glowing furze from the previous massive electrical discharge, winds swirl and gust- sucked in and out, while the tower itself leans and totters, small sections of masonry peel away and plunge- either into the sea or into the cluster of buildings below.</p><p></p><p>“GET OUT!”</p><p></p><p>Gets repeated, a lot.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267970[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>I said there was a 44% chance for the tower to collapse, well- first roll is an '89', no collapse.</strong></p><p></p><p>Note, Fellowyn (see the image above) has climbed out of the top storey of the tower and is clinging on, trying to work out which way the building is going to topple, at which point he's going to leap clear while casting a Featherfall spell on himself.</p><p></p><p>Well, that's the plan.</p><p></p><p>Mad as a box of frogs.</p><p></p><p>But we love him.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267971[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Second collapse check and I roll '93', and still the tower doesn't fall.</strong></p><p></p><p>The DM confidently states- another roll of 90+ and the Tower of Storms stays standing.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad are still mid-scarper, Vinnie- as the Moonboar, is leading the fleeing manoeuvre, he is therefore the first to arrive at the broken shell of a boat that is inhabited by Lady Miraal (who is a very nasty ghost-remember).</p><p></p><p>The screaming spectral elf snarls and claws at Vinnie's face, reminding the Moonboar (by screaming in his face) of their deal- “MY CONCH SHELL?”</p><p></p><p>And the strangest thing is its actually Vinnie that has the shell, he took it from Moesko when he and Dak were grappling the half-orc bastard, and so... he hands the beautiful shell over, and the spirit harridan turns in an instant into a beautifully sensual spirit lovely, who with a smile that could melt hearts departs this place.</p><p></p><p>Note while this is going on, and during the scramble to escape, both Ram and Newt have both managed to conjure '1's on their respective Athletics checks, the pair were trying to find short cuts down the rocky slopes hereabouts, in order to outpace the toppling tower.</p><p></p><p>Both '1's result in falling face plants (and prone conditions- and a little hurt) Ram is a touch embarrassed, but Newt's 'little damage' is enough to leave him on just one hit point.</p><p></p><p>And then I roll for the Tower of Storms again- see the image above, chat window- top left, and I roll a '99'.</p><p></p><p>Bloody hell, the tower stops its wicked dance, it stops tottering, the lightning furze fades and some semblance of reality returns.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad watch and wait for a short while, they're blowing hard- a little (very little) healing gets shared around.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]267972[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Then, after an hour in Newt's Tiny Hut, and a little more healing, although Daktari, Newt and Fellowyn are all out of Healing HD, the Dark Squad very cautiously explore the tower.</strong></p><p></p><p>There's treasure to find, coin and gems but nothing interesting or exciting, save perhaps a dozen or so books that were kept in the Talos temple, these too are taken.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad are done, more remarkably they find their way back in the rowing boat from the island and all the way back to the smuggler's caves beneath the ancient ruin of the De La Crane manse. This after a '20' Survival check from Vinnie, the Moonboar clearly remembers the route, even in the mist and fog (and darkness, it's now nighttime).</p><p></p><p>It's just past midnight when the Dark Squad lay down their weary heads to rest, this in the former bunkroom of the smugglers, tomorrow (the 4th of Flamerule) they'll head back to Saltmarsh and report back in.</p><p></p><p>But now, well... this is a short session, the last hour is devoted to installing Foundry on my PC, which takes more than the sixty minutes allotted, but we're getting there- WFRP to follow.</p><p></p><p>With that in mind, for the Players- next session, back to Saltmarsh, you all have some stuff to do- get ready for your meeting with Bonnie Bowspirit, she's going to show you the way into the tomb of her great grampa- Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit. But once we're happy with this then I'd like to try a little more Foundry time, and get your characters built and ready to roll.</p><p></p><p>Stay safe and well you lovely people.</p><p></p><p>Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</p><p></p><p>PS Sorry for the break in proceedings, the reason- my PC died, completely and then got raised from the dead, briefly, before expiring again. It has now (but whisper this) been resurrected, although I suspect that very little of it is actually any part of my old PC, regardless (fingers-crossed) we're back.</p><p></p><p>Next session is on Tuesday 29th, although Ram will be absent- we're just going to be doing a couple of days in Saltmarsh, reporting back and then getting ready for the Squad's next adventure- into the tomb of Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit. That's scheduled for the evening of the 6th of Flamerule, it's the morning of the 4th when we get back to it with you waking in the manse.</p><p></p><p>Then, we'll be installing Foundry (again) and making your WFRP PCs, I want to get a session of WFRP in before Christmas, if possible, let's see how we get on.</p><p></p><p>Love you all lots, and it's good to be back (not that we were away for long).</p><p></p><p>Cheers goonalan.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Goonalan, post: 8838048, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #106: Die! Die! Die! YOU BASTARD, DIE! 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. [*]The smuggler's ship will be turning up sometime between the 14th and 17th of Flamerule, the Dark Squad (and particularly Ram) are keen to meet the vessel, particularly Ram- why, because as the rogue said- “I'm getting a boat.” [*]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 106, the Dark Squad are situated down in the Choke (the confluence of the Dunwater River and the Sea of Swords) within a ruined lighthouse, latterly re-purposed for Talos related activities. The adventurers have seen off a flight of harpies but are at present struggling (really struggling) to kill the half-orc priest of Talos here (Moesko). This fellow started off with a few Lightning Bolts, then a Thunder Blast, before transforming into a strange Moonboar/Wereboar type creature, at which point he started butting folk in the face. [ATTACH type="full"]267966[/ATTACH] [B]At present Daktari & Vinnie (as the Moonboar) have Moesko grappled, restrained (manacled around his ankles) and are dunking the gnarly priest of Talos in a water butt- they're trying to drown the poor fellow.[/B] The issue being... well, Moesko doesn't die. It looks like he's about to pass over, and then... he shakes it off- the moment is gone and Moesko fights on, and early on in this session and the half-orc terror suddenly starts hitting again- including Dak with a Crit headbutt to the face (accompanied by great damage roll). Things are not exactly going to plan for the Dark Squad- see the title of this instalment, this kind of thing gets shouted a lot, and by a variety of folk. Apparently, it's frustrating- you don't say. [ATTACH type="full"]267967[/ATTACH] [B]George (playing Fellowyn) helps us to visualise this titanic struggle. Just in case you are unsure, that's (left to right) Vinnie (as the Moonboar), Moesko- half-orc Talos priest & Daktari- badly beaten and exhausted barbarian (with great hair).[/B] Excellent work George, I'll not kill Fellowyn for at least five more sessions, you've earned that much. Meantime, while all of this is going on Ram is upstairs in the tower of the lighthouse- where the light is, only the light here isn't a light. Within the upper chamber is a ten foot wide metal bowl (where the fire/light should go) filled with a blue/purple liquid which seems to exude lightning. Remember Talos is the god of storms. Ram is trying to empty the bowl, he's not sure why- but it's something to do. Over the course of the next few turns the rogue enlarges the hole he has made in the metal bowl, a little while later and the liquid is pouring out. And we go back and forth for a while, and when I say a while, I mean maybe another ten to twelve turns, with Moesko not dying- landing a hit every now and then, and the Dark Squad maintaining their grapple, and... racking their brains for some way to kill this half-orc bastard. But then they figure it. Newt and Fellowyn get involved, the pair manage to cut, rend and tear Moesko's strange armour from him. I described Moesko's attire (right back at the start of this) to the PCs thusly- he's wearing a gimp suit, only it seems to be made from the stitched together hides of a dozen or more octopi, tentacles still attached. It's not a pleasant sight. Well, well... the scarred body of Moesko is revealed beneath the gimp suit, the oddity being there's a fist shape hole where the half-orc's heart should be. The Dark Squad do the maths very quickly- Moesko has no heart + he cannot be killed = find the heart & destroy it. Note, last session, and on a couple of occasions towards the end I asked all of the players involved in the fracas with the half-orc to make Perception/Insight checks, I was looking for a '20', something to allow me to give them a clue- to get them to the missing heart, but nothing. The PCs were (seemingly) content just to try new and different ways to kill the fellow, so... I left them to it. But the secret is out. Find the heart and destroy it. Newt and Fellowyn are on it- although the bladesinger's Haste (et al) has ended and so he's back to being a doddering old dude. The pair cannot find the heart, not even outside in the harpy's tree- which Newt climbs, such is the desperation- Newt hates climbing, jumping etc. But the heart is in the bowl upstairs at the top of the lighthouse, it takes a while- until most of the liquid has drained away, but it's a biggish heart- and beating away. Ram stabs it. It stops beating- dead. Lots of things happen at once. But let's back up for a moment, in the rounds prior to this Vinnie (as the Moonboar) has been whispering sweet nothing's to Moesko, while he and Dak have had him in their grasp. “It does not 'ave to end zis way, mes amis?” & “Cease yer strugg-ell! Let us speak in peace...” He's always trying to save the souls of the damned and/or lost. But throughout the druid's diatribe the priest of Talos has just continued to struggle and fight on, only stopping once to whisper his reply- “The storm is coming.” And then, at the last, when Ram stabs the newly revealed heart above- Moesko dies, but with a smile on his face. And outside, sitting in the harpy's tree, Newt gets to see the show. The area surrounding the Tower of Storms is suddenly bathed in daylight, or so it seems, as the clouds above part as a single gigantic bolt of lightning, as broad and bold as the lighthouse itself, slams down into the building and destroys it. [ATTACH type="full"]267968[/ATTACH] [B]Almost.[/B] Newt, Dak & Vinnie are reduced to single digit hit points (I think it was 16d8 damage, but I rolled lowish = 44 lightning damage, and there were plenty of failed saves). Upstairs, Fellowyn is down and dying, while Ram somehow manages to dive under the now wrenched-free-of-its-mooring metal bowl, the rogue (wouldn't you know it) avoids all hurt. Then the tower sways and begins its collapse. To make clear, the Tower of Storms is on Initiative '0' and it has a 44% chance of collapsing every turn, 44 lightning damage remember. Lots of things happen at once. Again. Or still. Newt and Ram start screaming- “It's collapsing- GET OUT!” That kind of thing. Ram (at the top of the tower) dives over to the fallen Fellowyn and empties a Potion of Healing into the bladesinger, and then screams in his face (see above) before rushing off down the stairs leaving the doddering mortally wounded old man to his fate. Down below the various other members of the Dark Squad rush to escape. [ATTACH type="full"]267969[/ATTACH] [B]Daktari is broken TM, he is however also in spider stance and scuttling down the cliffs here.[/B] No, the area outside of the tower is still bathed in a glowing furze from the previous massive electrical discharge, winds swirl and gust- sucked in and out, while the tower itself leans and totters, small sections of masonry peel away and plunge- either into the sea or into the cluster of buildings below. “GET OUT!” Gets repeated, a lot. [ATTACH type="full"]267970[/ATTACH] [B]I said there was a 44% chance for the tower to collapse, well- first roll is an '89', no collapse.[/B] Note, Fellowyn (see the image above) has climbed out of the top storey of the tower and is clinging on, trying to work out which way the building is going to topple, at which point he's going to leap clear while casting a Featherfall spell on himself. Well, that's the plan. Mad as a box of frogs. But we love him. [ATTACH type="full"]267971[/ATTACH] [B]Second collapse check and I roll '93', and still the tower doesn't fall.[/B] The DM confidently states- another roll of 90+ and the Tower of Storms stays standing. The Dark Squad are still mid-scarper, Vinnie- as the Moonboar, is leading the fleeing manoeuvre, he is therefore the first to arrive at the broken shell of a boat that is inhabited by Lady Miraal (who is a very nasty ghost-remember). The screaming spectral elf snarls and claws at Vinnie's face, reminding the Moonboar (by screaming in his face) of their deal- “MY CONCH SHELL?” And the strangest thing is its actually Vinnie that has the shell, he took it from Moesko when he and Dak were grappling the half-orc bastard, and so... he hands the beautiful shell over, and the spirit harridan turns in an instant into a beautifully sensual spirit lovely, who with a smile that could melt hearts departs this place. Note while this is going on, and during the scramble to escape, both Ram and Newt have both managed to conjure '1's on their respective Athletics checks, the pair were trying to find short cuts down the rocky slopes hereabouts, in order to outpace the toppling tower. Both '1's result in falling face plants (and prone conditions- and a little hurt) Ram is a touch embarrassed, but Newt's 'little damage' is enough to leave him on just one hit point. And then I roll for the Tower of Storms again- see the image above, chat window- top left, and I roll a '99'. Bloody hell, the tower stops its wicked dance, it stops tottering, the lightning furze fades and some semblance of reality returns. The Dark Squad watch and wait for a short while, they're blowing hard- a little (very little) healing gets shared around. [ATTACH type="full"]267972[/ATTACH] [B]Then, after an hour in Newt's Tiny Hut, and a little more healing, although Daktari, Newt and Fellowyn are all out of Healing HD, the Dark Squad very cautiously explore the tower.[/B] There's treasure to find, coin and gems but nothing interesting or exciting, save perhaps a dozen or so books that were kept in the Talos temple, these too are taken. The Dark Squad are done, more remarkably they find their way back in the rowing boat from the island and all the way back to the smuggler's caves beneath the ancient ruin of the De La Crane manse. This after a '20' Survival check from Vinnie, the Moonboar clearly remembers the route, even in the mist and fog (and darkness, it's now nighttime). It's just past midnight when the Dark Squad lay down their weary heads to rest, this in the former bunkroom of the smugglers, tomorrow (the 4th of Flamerule) they'll head back to Saltmarsh and report back in. But now, well... this is a short session, the last hour is devoted to installing Foundry on my PC, which takes more than the sixty minutes allotted, but we're getting there- WFRP to follow. With that in mind, for the Players- next session, back to Saltmarsh, you all have some stuff to do- get ready for your meeting with Bonnie Bowspirit, she's going to show you the way into the tomb of her great grampa- Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit. But once we're happy with this then I'd like to try a little more Foundry time, and get your characters built and ready to roll. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan. PS Sorry for the break in proceedings, the reason- my PC died, completely and then got raised from the dead, briefly, before expiring again. It has now (but whisper this) been resurrected, although I suspect that very little of it is actually any part of my old PC, regardless (fingers-crossed) we're back. Next session is on Tuesday 29th, although Ram will be absent- we're just going to be doing a couple of days in Saltmarsh, reporting back and then getting ready for the Squad's next adventure- into the tomb of Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit. That's scheduled for the evening of the 6th of Flamerule, it's the morning of the 4th when we get back to it with you waking in the manse. Then, we'll be installing Foundry (again) and making your WFRP PCs, I want to get a session of WFRP in before Christmas, if possible, let's see how we get on. Love you all lots, and it's good to be back (not that we were away for long). Cheers 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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