Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #136 Into the Mere of the Dead Men.
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9063987" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 26px">Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</span></strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 22px">Session #116: </span></strong><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong>“We are the SWARM! We are LEGION! Shiver me TIMBERS! You are BANJAXED!”</strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p>Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 8</p><p>Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 8</p><p>New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 8</p><p>Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/1</p><p>Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 8</p><p></p><p><strong>DEAD PCs</strong></p><p><s>Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 </s>RIP</p><p></p><p><strong>NPCs</strong></p><p><s>Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) </s>RETIRED</p><p><s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*</p><p><s>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard </s>RETIRED</p><p>Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 (When we remember)</p><p>*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.</p><p></p><p><strong>Servants/Familiars</strong></p><p>Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks</p><p>Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">The Dark Squad’s to-do list-</span></strong></p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">An extraordinary meeting of the Saltmarsh Town Council, the Dark Squad are going to get hired to end the smuggling menace (see below), scheduled for 10th Flamerule.</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></p><p>This is session 116, and yet another cracker.</p><p></p><p>Well, at the end of the last one it had all calmed down a little, although this mostly since the wererats had fled (or else had hidden themselves somewhere) and the remaining rat swarms had all been slaughtered by the Dark Squad.</p><p></p><p>It’s at this point that Daktari and Newt become aware that something, or else a lot of somethings, are running around in their respective brains.</p><p></p><p>Newt really isn’t happy about this, and quickly aware that he’s having his thoughts read, perhaps even his memories flicked through, as if the scurrying somethings in his brain are searching for… who knows what.</p><p></p><p>The tabaxi starts shouting and making threats (to no one in particular) - it’s his go to move, and let’s be honest- after a hundred-and-whatever sessions, he’s getting pretty good at it.</p><p></p><p>Daktari is a little less forthright.</p><p></p><p>“It tickles! They are in my head-piece!”</p><p></p><p>Then comes the voice.</p><p></p><p>The voice can be heard by all of the PCs, directly into their brains- and as they quickly discover, they have the right to reply.</p><p></p><p>But first a word about the voice.</p><p></p><p>The wererats here, they’re Bonnie Bowspirit and her companions, halflings all- and they sound Oirish, that’s the DMs old skool comedy Irish accent.</p><p></p><p>“Howaya?”</p><p></p><p>“Top O’ the mornin’ to ya!”</p><p></p><p>“Wha’s the craic?”</p><p></p><p>That kind of nonsense.</p><p></p><p>Then the PCs met Rambles Shambles Bowspirit, or at least some sort of hologrammatic (magic) version of the wee fellow. Rambles is/was a halfling adventurer, ex-smuggler/pirate.</p><p></p><p>Hey! That sounds like Ramshambow’s backstory!</p><p></p><p>Anyway, Rambles’ voice was very excited Irish with added pirate slang.</p><p></p><p>“Howaya me hearties?”</p><p></p><p>And other nautical additives.</p><p></p><p>The new voice in the PCs head, well… I didn’t quite know where to go with it, and so I went for an (excitable) Dalek (Davros).</p><p></p><p>Now, try to do the next bit in your best gargling (vibrato) Dalek voice (forget the Oirish/Irish) but then add in a bunch of Irish & Pirate slang.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and shout every second or third word/phrase.</p><p></p><p>And when you are shouting get your screech/gargling-vibrato on.</p><p></p><p>“HOW-A-YA? We are Rambles Shambles Bowspirit- HOIST THE MAINSAIL! We are LEGION!”</p><p></p><p>A little later it all turns into capitals.</p><p></p><p>“WE HAVE BEEN HORNSWAGGLED! HORNSWAGGLED! WE ARE IN BITS!”</p><p></p><p>That sort of thing.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, we’ll get to what gets said to who and by whom, and the this and that a bit later. The impasse here is the voice belongs to Rambles Shambles Bowspirit and he is… the rats? Maybe. Maybe something else. The Dark Squad are unsure (for a bit) and besides Rambles is making threats- he wants their maze button/Symbol of Ub.</p><p></p><p>It’s at this point that the guy’s figure that they are quite a way into this adventure, and very specifically- quite a way into this dungeon. Retreat isn’t really an option.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289677[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Then the bad guys turn up, in force- blocking all exits, there are another four or five rat swarms, and maybe a few less wererats.</strong></p><p></p><p>There’s a lot of back and forth, but again- more of this later.</p><p></p><p>Then, Vinnie has a clever idea. He has been using the Symbol of Ub to guide him through the dungeon so far, it points- he thinks, to the nearest other Symbol of Ub. Keep in mind this is a working theory.</p><p></p><p>Well, proven- perhaps. Vinnie concentrates hard on His Symbol of Ub, and…</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289678[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>It points him straight at the swarm of rats before him.</strong></p><p></p><p>Rambles Shambles Bowspirit is… a swarm of rats?</p><p></p><p>That can’t be right.</p><p></p><p>Can it?</p><p></p><p>Meantime- more chatter going on, and while the delay continues the Dark Squad are as unobtrusively as they can necking potions, healing potions all of ‘em.</p><p></p><p>Then, and we’re an hour into the session at this point, Vinnie brings the conversation to a sudden conclusion by blasting a Moonbeam down on the swarm of rats that is Rambles. Because as well as hurting a Moonbeam causes a shape-changer to assume its natural form, I hate it when the players start reading up on their spells/powers (I actually don’t, at all- I applaud this, do more of it- pretty please).</p><p></p><p>And so, within the Moonbeam are-</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289679[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p><strong>And then one of the players says- “I’ve seen them before…”</strong></p><p></p><p>And they have, this exact same Swarm of Cranium Rats, all the way back when they were en route to the tomb/last resting place of Randall the Black, the first member of the Eyes in the Night that the Dark Squad tracked down.</p><p></p><p>Rambles, as he puts it-</p><p></p><p>“We are the SWARM! We are LEGION! Shiver me TIMBERS! You are BANJAXED!”</p><p></p><p>Then, well… we’re fighting again.</p><p></p><p>Great Chiggley (the Tanarruk) is still around, but not for long.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289680[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Fighting, fighting, fighting…</strong></p><p></p><p>But the Dark Squad have the upper hand now, or else they are all (nearly) healed up (Fellowyn was still bloodied when it kicked off again) and rather oddly all the PCs get initiative over all of their opponents.</p><p></p><p>An already wounded wererat gets cut down rather quickly, and now the other wererats are trying to get away.</p><p></p><p>The Rambles swarm vacated the melee only moments after it got out of the Moonbeam.</p><p></p><p>In short… six or so turns of combat and a few more rat swarms are decimated, save for the dead wererat all the other bad guys get away.</p><p></p><p>Moments before the last swarm falls and… Great Chiggley departs, with Daktari wishing the demon ‘all the best in you are future endeavours.’ Which is nice.</p><p></p><p>Later Newt spends several (shouted) moments wondering why it was that Great Chiggley preferred to ‘work for’ Daktari rather than Newt (the Magnificent). The tabaxi simply cannot fathom the reason for this very odd behaviour.</p><p></p><p>Daktari’s reply-</p><p></p><p>“It is call Respeck. Having great hair is also Billy bonus.”</p><p></p><p>Eventually.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289681[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Glamping in the dungeon.</strong></p><p></p><p>And here’s the chat at last, the conversation that took place between the Dark Squad and the Swarm, or at least all the latest news.</p><p></p><p>To begin with the Rat Swarm is indeed Rambles Shambles Bowspirit, ex-member of the Eyes in the Night. There’s lots of chat about the other members of the Eyes in the Night- Randall the Black (Gnome Sorcerer), Antonio De La Crane (Human Druid/Alchemist), Giggles (Wood Elf Ranger/Killer) and Ub (Dwarf Fighter?). Rambles knows his stuff.</p><p></p><p>However, a lot of the initial chatter is quite adversarial, it seems the Rambles Swarm wants the Dark Squad’s Symbol of Ub.</p><p></p><p>The Rambles Swarm claims to already possess two Symbols of Ub- Rambles Shambles Bowspirit’s button (of course), and Antonio De La Crane’s button- stolen by Rambles at some point in the last two hundred years.</p><p></p><p>So, the stakes have just been upped.</p><p></p><p>There are three Symbols of Ub to be claimed here… perhaps.</p><p></p><p>Keep in mind this is what the Swarm is saying, there’s no proof, although Vinnie’s Symbol of Ub perhaps points to the fact that there’s another Symbol of Ub here, most likely being carried by the Rambles Swarm.</p><p></p><p>Next, more revelations…</p><p></p><p>There are five Symbols of Ub, according to the Rambles Swarm, Ub had a maze button too… the Dark Squad had been working on the theory that there were just four buttons to be found.</p><p></p><p>Also…</p><p></p><p>The Rambles Swarm knows where the other two missing buttons are.</p><p></p><p>To be clear, five buttons-</p><p></p><p>Ub’s button- carried by Vinnie</p><p>Rambles’ button- Rambles Swarm</p><p>Antonio’s button- Rambles Swarm</p><p>Randall’s button- held by the Duergar, exact location unknown.</p><p>Giggles’ button- UNKNOWN</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad try, but fail, to learn the location of Giggles’ button, they however think- after their chat, that the Rambles Swarm knows where all of the buttons are.</p><p></p><p>It seems the Rambles Swarm has been very busy.</p><p></p><p>Then…</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad learn that there was a traitor in the Eyes in the Night, Randall the Black discussed this with the PCs also. Randall thought the traitor was Rambles Shambles Bowspirit.</p><p></p><p>To be clear the traitor, whoever it was, sold the Eyes in the Night out to the Duergar, whose attack (two hundred years ago) signaled the end of the Eyes in the Night.</p><p></p><p>Drum roll…</p><p></p><p>The traitor, according to the Rambles Swarm was/is Giggles- the crazy killer wood elf.</p><p></p><p>Her and her brother…</p><p></p><p><strong>Buggles!</strong></p><p></p><p>This revelation elicits a lot of reaction (and hissing from the players around the VTT), particularly when the Dark Squad remember that Gwen, Buggles’ dwarven skeleton warrior companion, was not in fact a dwarf- she was a duergar, in life.</p><p></p><p>So, there’s nearly forty minutes of this conversation with the Rambles Swarm, before we get back to fighting again, there’s another thirty minutes more chatter in Newt’s Tiny Hut after the fracas.</p><p></p><p>And keep in mind that the Dark Squad don’t achieve all of the above info for free, they have to tell their story to earn it.</p><p></p><p>The Rambles Swarm and the Dark Squad exchange a little info, in short.</p><p></p><p>The chatter in the Hut continues for a little while longer, we’ve been away from D&D for a bit and so the Dark Squad, and Newt in particular, wants a bit of a recap.</p><p></p><p>Just to note, Bear who plays Newt writes a lot of this stuff down- everything that sounds important in-game. Just before we shifted to WFRP he stated that he had filled one notebook already, A4 100+ pages, so- it’s complicated.</p><p></p><p>But here’s the working theory the PCs/players come up with-</p><p></p><p>The Time of Ash is coming- this is an end of world event; it may involve a titanic dragon/serpent like creature, who might be called Ashardalon.</p><p></p><p>Ub is a dwarf/elemental/fallen god/something else and he’s somehow trying to prevent the Time of Ash.</p><p></p><p>Every two hundred years or so a bunch of adventuring folk pop-up with a name like the Eyes in the Night or the Dark Squad and are tasked to collect the Symbols of Ub, and then do something… who knows what, in order to prevent the Time of Ash.</p><p></p><p>Also, the Pact of the Flame- a 30,000-year-old secret society of (Wood?) Elves is somehow involved in all of this, and with preventing the Time of Ash.</p><p></p><p>Maybe.</p><p></p><p>There’s lots of other stuff going on too, and a variety of other enemies that are perhaps working to ensure that the Time of Ash happens- Talos worshippers seem to be in sure supply, although there are other factions in play.</p><p></p><p>That seems to be about it.</p><p></p><p>Then, back to adventuring.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289682[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Twenty minutes later, Ram is leading the PCs on- through the maze of rooms and corridors, see the blue squares- they’re trapped areas- Ram has been very busy.</strong></p><p></p><p>Then a few more undead turn up…</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289683[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>There are a pair of dwarven skeletons armed with crossbows in a corridor to the south of Newt in this image. This pair just keep on rotating spots and firing.</strong></p><p></p><p>Also, to the north you’ll note there’s a zombie ogre heading the PCs way, well… Ubmo has something to say about that, the Supreme Being fires a Lightning Bolt into the undead brute.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289684[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>To the north the PCs get into the zombie ogre, to the south Newt goes chasing the crossbow firing skeletons and, in the process, gets trapped in the corridor when another pair of dwarf skeletons emerge from a previously unseen chamber and start beating on the sorcerer.</strong></p><p></p><p>The tabaxi starts shouting, and moments later Ram is racing to the rescue.</p><p></p><p>But here’s the thing- this is just a bunch more undead.</p><p></p><p>It’s not very testing.</p><p></p><p>That is until the first wererat pops up and sinks a poisoned crossbow bolt into Daktari, and then another.</p><p></p><p>Just to make clear, these here wererats are a little bit lively, they have good ACs, lots of hit points (100+ each), two attacks (at least) and both their crossbow bolts and blades are poisoned (4d6 save for half). Oh, and like Ram, they have a Cunning Action to disengage/dash/hide, and their shape-changing move is also just a bonus action.</p><p></p><p>So, Dak gets shot, and he’s not happy about it, particularly as moments later the wererat that shot him scurries quickly out of sight, around a corner and away.</p><p></p><p>Fellowyn, who is just about out of spells, hits the barbarian with his last Haste, and now Daktari is in hot pursuit.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289685[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Note, Dak is moving at 160 feet/turn (double move) but he still can’t find the wererat that shot him. Note Ram to the south, finishing off the last of the undead.</strong></p><p></p><p>But Daktari is still in the hunt…</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289686[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>See those highlighted squares in the corridor, they are canvas (coloured to look like stone) covered traps- all of which Daktari has located, the hard way.</strong></p><p></p><p>Beneath each stretched canvas is a one-foot-deep depression filled with spikes, not a lot of damage from each but now the barbarian has disadvantage on his Dex Skills & Saves. Note, Ram fell afoul of one of these traps in a previous session, he’s also at disadvantage, as above.</p><p></p><p>Daktari, see the above image, spots the last wererat fleeing the scene, the creature is in giant rat form.</p><p></p><p>The Sky Pony barbarian rushes on…</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289687[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>And finds the pit trap- which is also filled with spikes and is a good ten feet deep.</strong></p><p></p><p>The only upside being the wererat he’s chasing also fails his save and plunges into the pit.</p><p></p><p>It’s all going off.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]289688[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Particularly when yet another wererat turns up and sinks two poisonous crossbow bolts into Fellowyn, the bladesinger is back down to approx. ten hit points.</strong></p><p></p><p>But that’s all we had time for.</p><p></p><p>A long chat with the Rambles Swarm, a bit of fighting- one wererat killed (and a bunch of rat swarms), a rest- with more chat, more exploration and then here we go again.</p><p></p><p>It’s a war of attrition going on here, although there’s one other factor that I have so far neglected to tell you about thus far.</p><p></p><p>The Rambles Swarm wants the Dark Squad’s Symbol of Ub, that’s a given.</p><p></p><p>The PCs spent a lot of time during their chat with the Rambles Swarm trying to make clear- they (the Dark Squad) are trying to achieve the same goal as The Eyes in the Night. In precis- we are on the same side as you.</p><p></p><p>Well, the Swarm didn’t entirely disagree with this summary of the situation, the Swarm therefore made a back-up proposition, which was-</p><p></p><p>Remember to go full Dalek for this and shout it out.</p><p></p><p>“JOIN US! JOIN THE SWARM!”</p><p></p><p>The PCs have, so far, neglected to explore this option, they’re not sure what joining the Swarm entails but they don’t like the sound of it.</p><p></p><p>A further note- the PCs have enough XP to advance to Level 9, they passed this mark even before we started with the WFRP. That said they have been in this here tomb since midway through session #112. That was nearly five hours ago, it’s only just gone midday, the Dark Squad need to survive another ten or so hours (possibly more) so that they can take another Extended Rest (and Level Up etc.). Keeping that in mind-</p><p></p><p>Ram is pretty much okay; he always stays out of trouble.</p><p></p><p>Fellowyn has less than 10 hit points, no HD left to spend, no healing potions, and very few spells left.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie is also doing okay, but he too is almost through his spells.</p><p></p><p>Newt regains his powers on a short rest, but he’s almost through his HD.</p><p></p><p>Daktari is almost out of everything- no Rages, no HD.</p><p></p><p>So, we’re into it.</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: 9063987, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B][SIZE=7]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=6]Session #116: [/SIZE][/B][SIZE=6][B]“We are the SWARM! We are LEGION! Shiver me TIMBERS! You are BANJAXED!”[/B][/SIZE] [B]Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).[/B] 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 [B]DEAD PCs[/B] [S]Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 [/S]RIP [B]NPCs[/B] [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. [B]Servants/Familiars[/B] Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar [B][SIZE=5]The Dark Squad’s to-do list-[/SIZE][/B] [LIST=1] [*]An extraordinary meeting of the Saltmarsh Town Council, the Dark Squad are going to get hired to end the smuggling menace (see below), scheduled for 10th Flamerule. [*]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 116, and yet another cracker. Well, at the end of the last one it had all calmed down a little, although this mostly since the wererats had fled (or else had hidden themselves somewhere) and the remaining rat swarms had all been slaughtered by the Dark Squad. It’s at this point that Daktari and Newt become aware that something, or else a lot of somethings, are running around in their respective brains. Newt really isn’t happy about this, and quickly aware that he’s having his thoughts read, perhaps even his memories flicked through, as if the scurrying somethings in his brain are searching for… who knows what. The tabaxi starts shouting and making threats (to no one in particular) - it’s his go to move, and let’s be honest- after a hundred-and-whatever sessions, he’s getting pretty good at it. Daktari is a little less forthright. “It tickles! They are in my head-piece!” Then comes the voice. The voice can be heard by all of the PCs, directly into their brains- and as they quickly discover, they have the right to reply. But first a word about the voice. The wererats here, they’re Bonnie Bowspirit and her companions, halflings all- and they sound Oirish, that’s the DMs old skool comedy Irish accent. “Howaya?” “Top O’ the mornin’ to ya!” “Wha’s the craic?” That kind of nonsense. Then the PCs met Rambles Shambles Bowspirit, or at least some sort of hologrammatic (magic) version of the wee fellow. Rambles is/was a halfling adventurer, ex-smuggler/pirate. Hey! That sounds like Ramshambow’s backstory! Anyway, Rambles’ voice was very excited Irish with added pirate slang. “Howaya me hearties?” And other nautical additives. The new voice in the PCs head, well… I didn’t quite know where to go with it, and so I went for an (excitable) Dalek (Davros). Now, try to do the next bit in your best gargling (vibrato) Dalek voice (forget the Oirish/Irish) but then add in a bunch of Irish & Pirate slang. Oh, and shout every second or third word/phrase. And when you are shouting get your screech/gargling-vibrato on. “HOW-A-YA? We are Rambles Shambles Bowspirit- HOIST THE MAINSAIL! We are LEGION!” A little later it all turns into capitals. “WE HAVE BEEN HORNSWAGGLED! HORNSWAGGLED! WE ARE IN BITS!” That sort of thing. Anyway, we’ll get to what gets said to who and by whom, and the this and that a bit later. The impasse here is the voice belongs to Rambles Shambles Bowspirit and he is… the rats? Maybe. Maybe something else. The Dark Squad are unsure (for a bit) and besides Rambles is making threats- he wants their maze button/Symbol of Ub. It’s at this point that the guy’s figure that they are quite a way into this adventure, and very specifically- quite a way into this dungeon. Retreat isn’t really an option. [ATTACH type="full"]289677[/ATTACH] [B]Then the bad guys turn up, in force- blocking all exits, there are another four or five rat swarms, and maybe a few less wererats.[/B] There’s a lot of back and forth, but again- more of this later. Then, Vinnie has a clever idea. He has been using the Symbol of Ub to guide him through the dungeon so far, it points- he thinks, to the nearest other Symbol of Ub. Keep in mind this is a working theory. Well, proven- perhaps. Vinnie concentrates hard on His Symbol of Ub, and… [ATTACH type="full"]289678[/ATTACH] [B]It points him straight at the swarm of rats before him.[/B] Rambles Shambles Bowspirit is… a swarm of rats? That can’t be right. Can it? Meantime- more chatter going on, and while the delay continues the Dark Squad are as unobtrusively as they can necking potions, healing potions all of ‘em. Then, and we’re an hour into the session at this point, Vinnie brings the conversation to a sudden conclusion by blasting a Moonbeam down on the swarm of rats that is Rambles. Because as well as hurting a Moonbeam causes a shape-changer to assume its natural form, I hate it when the players start reading up on their spells/powers (I actually don’t, at all- I applaud this, do more of it- pretty please). And so, within the Moonbeam are- [ATTACH type="full"]289679[/ATTACH] [B]And then one of the players says- “I’ve seen them before…”[/B] And they have, this exact same Swarm of Cranium Rats, all the way back when they were en route to the tomb/last resting place of Randall the Black, the first member of the Eyes in the Night that the Dark Squad tracked down. Rambles, as he puts it- “We are the SWARM! We are LEGION! Shiver me TIMBERS! You are BANJAXED!” Then, well… we’re fighting again. Great Chiggley (the Tanarruk) is still around, but not for long. [ATTACH type="full"]289680[/ATTACH] [B]Fighting, fighting, fighting…[/B] But the Dark Squad have the upper hand now, or else they are all (nearly) healed up (Fellowyn was still bloodied when it kicked off again) and rather oddly all the PCs get initiative over all of their opponents. An already wounded wererat gets cut down rather quickly, and now the other wererats are trying to get away. The Rambles swarm vacated the melee only moments after it got out of the Moonbeam. In short… six or so turns of combat and a few more rat swarms are decimated, save for the dead wererat all the other bad guys get away. Moments before the last swarm falls and… Great Chiggley departs, with Daktari wishing the demon ‘all the best in you are future endeavours.’ Which is nice. Later Newt spends several (shouted) moments wondering why it was that Great Chiggley preferred to ‘work for’ Daktari rather than Newt (the Magnificent). The tabaxi simply cannot fathom the reason for this very odd behaviour. Daktari’s reply- “It is call Respeck. Having great hair is also Billy bonus.” Eventually. [ATTACH type="full"]289681[/ATTACH] [B]Glamping in the dungeon.[/B] And here’s the chat at last, the conversation that took place between the Dark Squad and the Swarm, or at least all the latest news. To begin with the Rat Swarm is indeed Rambles Shambles Bowspirit, ex-member of the Eyes in the Night. There’s lots of chat about the other members of the Eyes in the Night- Randall the Black (Gnome Sorcerer), Antonio De La Crane (Human Druid/Alchemist), Giggles (Wood Elf Ranger/Killer) and Ub (Dwarf Fighter?). Rambles knows his stuff. However, a lot of the initial chatter is quite adversarial, it seems the Rambles Swarm wants the Dark Squad’s Symbol of Ub. The Rambles Swarm claims to already possess two Symbols of Ub- Rambles Shambles Bowspirit’s button (of course), and Antonio De La Crane’s button- stolen by Rambles at some point in the last two hundred years. So, the stakes have just been upped. There are three Symbols of Ub to be claimed here… perhaps. Keep in mind this is what the Swarm is saying, there’s no proof, although Vinnie’s Symbol of Ub perhaps points to the fact that there’s another Symbol of Ub here, most likely being carried by the Rambles Swarm. Next, more revelations… There are five Symbols of Ub, according to the Rambles Swarm, Ub had a maze button too… the Dark Squad had been working on the theory that there were just four buttons to be found. Also… The Rambles Swarm knows where the other two missing buttons are. To be clear, five buttons- Ub’s button- carried by Vinnie Rambles’ button- Rambles Swarm Antonio’s button- Rambles Swarm Randall’s button- held by the Duergar, exact location unknown. Giggles’ button- UNKNOWN The Dark Squad try, but fail, to learn the location of Giggles’ button, they however think- after their chat, that the Rambles Swarm knows where all of the buttons are. It seems the Rambles Swarm has been very busy. Then… The Dark Squad learn that there was a traitor in the Eyes in the Night, Randall the Black discussed this with the PCs also. Randall thought the traitor was Rambles Shambles Bowspirit. To be clear the traitor, whoever it was, sold the Eyes in the Night out to the Duergar, whose attack (two hundred years ago) signaled the end of the Eyes in the Night. Drum roll… The traitor, according to the Rambles Swarm was/is Giggles- the crazy killer wood elf. Her and her brother… [B]Buggles![/B] This revelation elicits a lot of reaction (and hissing from the players around the VTT), particularly when the Dark Squad remember that Gwen, Buggles’ dwarven skeleton warrior companion, was not in fact a dwarf- she was a duergar, in life. So, there’s nearly forty minutes of this conversation with the Rambles Swarm, before we get back to fighting again, there’s another thirty minutes more chatter in Newt’s Tiny Hut after the fracas. And keep in mind that the Dark Squad don’t achieve all of the above info for free, they have to tell their story to earn it. The Rambles Swarm and the Dark Squad exchange a little info, in short. The chatter in the Hut continues for a little while longer, we’ve been away from D&D for a bit and so the Dark Squad, and Newt in particular, wants a bit of a recap. Just to note, Bear who plays Newt writes a lot of this stuff down- everything that sounds important in-game. Just before we shifted to WFRP he stated that he had filled one notebook already, A4 100+ pages, so- it’s complicated. But here’s the working theory the PCs/players come up with- The Time of Ash is coming- this is an end of world event; it may involve a titanic dragon/serpent like creature, who might be called Ashardalon. Ub is a dwarf/elemental/fallen god/something else and he’s somehow trying to prevent the Time of Ash. Every two hundred years or so a bunch of adventuring folk pop-up with a name like the Eyes in the Night or the Dark Squad and are tasked to collect the Symbols of Ub, and then do something… who knows what, in order to prevent the Time of Ash. Also, the Pact of the Flame- a 30,000-year-old secret society of (Wood?) Elves is somehow involved in all of this, and with preventing the Time of Ash. Maybe. There’s lots of other stuff going on too, and a variety of other enemies that are perhaps working to ensure that the Time of Ash happens- Talos worshippers seem to be in sure supply, although there are other factions in play. That seems to be about it. Then, back to adventuring. [ATTACH type="full"]289682[/ATTACH] [B]Twenty minutes later, Ram is leading the PCs on- through the maze of rooms and corridors, see the blue squares- they’re trapped areas- Ram has been very busy.[/B] Then a few more undead turn up… [ATTACH type="full"]289683[/ATTACH] [B]There are a pair of dwarven skeletons armed with crossbows in a corridor to the south of Newt in this image. This pair just keep on rotating spots and firing.[/B] Also, to the north you’ll note there’s a zombie ogre heading the PCs way, well… Ubmo has something to say about that, the Supreme Being fires a Lightning Bolt into the undead brute. [ATTACH type="full"]289684[/ATTACH] [B]To the north the PCs get into the zombie ogre, to the south Newt goes chasing the crossbow firing skeletons and, in the process, gets trapped in the corridor when another pair of dwarf skeletons emerge from a previously unseen chamber and start beating on the sorcerer.[/B] The tabaxi starts shouting, and moments later Ram is racing to the rescue. But here’s the thing- this is just a bunch more undead. It’s not very testing. That is until the first wererat pops up and sinks a poisoned crossbow bolt into Daktari, and then another. Just to make clear, these here wererats are a little bit lively, they have good ACs, lots of hit points (100+ each), two attacks (at least) and both their crossbow bolts and blades are poisoned (4d6 save for half). Oh, and like Ram, they have a Cunning Action to disengage/dash/hide, and their shape-changing move is also just a bonus action. So, Dak gets shot, and he’s not happy about it, particularly as moments later the wererat that shot him scurries quickly out of sight, around a corner and away. Fellowyn, who is just about out of spells, hits the barbarian with his last Haste, and now Daktari is in hot pursuit. [ATTACH type="full"]289685[/ATTACH] [B]Note, Dak is moving at 160 feet/turn (double move) but he still can’t find the wererat that shot him. Note Ram to the south, finishing off the last of the undead.[/B] But Daktari is still in the hunt… [ATTACH type="full"]289686[/ATTACH] [B]See those highlighted squares in the corridor, they are canvas (coloured to look like stone) covered traps- all of which Daktari has located, the hard way.[/B] Beneath each stretched canvas is a one-foot-deep depression filled with spikes, not a lot of damage from each but now the barbarian has disadvantage on his Dex Skills & Saves. Note, Ram fell afoul of one of these traps in a previous session, he’s also at disadvantage, as above. Daktari, see the above image, spots the last wererat fleeing the scene, the creature is in giant rat form. The Sky Pony barbarian rushes on… [ATTACH type="full"]289687[/ATTACH] [B]And finds the pit trap- which is also filled with spikes and is a good ten feet deep.[/B] The only upside being the wererat he’s chasing also fails his save and plunges into the pit. It’s all going off. [ATTACH type="full"]289688[/ATTACH] [B]Particularly when yet another wererat turns up and sinks two poisonous crossbow bolts into Fellowyn, the bladesinger is back down to approx. ten hit points.[/B] But that’s all we had time for. A long chat with the Rambles Swarm, a bit of fighting- one wererat killed (and a bunch of rat swarms), a rest- with more chat, more exploration and then here we go again. It’s a war of attrition going on here, although there’s one other factor that I have so far neglected to tell you about thus far. The Rambles Swarm wants the Dark Squad’s Symbol of Ub, that’s a given. The PCs spent a lot of time during their chat with the Rambles Swarm trying to make clear- they (the Dark Squad) are trying to achieve the same goal as The Eyes in the Night. In precis- we are on the same side as you. Well, the Swarm didn’t entirely disagree with this summary of the situation, the Swarm therefore made a back-up proposition, which was- Remember to go full Dalek for this and shout it out. “JOIN US! JOIN THE SWARM!” The PCs have, so far, neglected to explore this option, they’re not sure what joining the Swarm entails but they don’t like the sound of it. A further note- the PCs have enough XP to advance to Level 9, they passed this mark even before we started with the WFRP. That said they have been in this here tomb since midway through session #112. That was nearly five hours ago, it’s only just gone midday, the Dark Squad need to survive another ten or so hours (possibly more) so that they can take another Extended Rest (and Level Up etc.). Keeping that in mind- Ram is pretty much okay; he always stays out of trouble. Fellowyn has less than 10 hit points, no HD left to spend, no healing potions, and very few spells left. Vinnie is also doing okay, but he too is almost through his spells. Newt regains his powers on a short rest, but he’s almost through his HD. Daktari is almost out of everything- no Rages, no HD. So, we’re into it. Stay safe and well you lovely people. Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #136 Into the Mere of the Dead Men.
Top