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The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #137 Into the Mere of the Dead Men Part 2.
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<blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8380031" data-attributes="member: 16069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Session #060b: Fast Goat to Squabblepot.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).</strong></p><p><strong>Daktari (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong>New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong>Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong>Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 7</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>NPCs</strong></p><p><strong>Inverna Nightbreeze (played by Goonalan) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 7 (Sidekick)</strong></p><p><strong><s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*</strong></p><p><s><strong>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard</strong></s><strong> RETIRED</strong></p><p><strong>*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Servants/Familiars</strong></p><p><strong>Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks</strong></p><p><strong>Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar</strong></p><p></p><p>This is session 60b, and only a short one as real life was afoot, although there's two parts to the write up of this session- this is the second bit, obviously.</p><p></p><p>We're adventuring again- Cpl Fiddlesticks and Sgt Dibbledob of the Squabblepot Guard have delivered a letter to Vinnie, the druid's friend and potion-making mentor- Arty Swell. has been accused of murder. The poor fellow wants Vinnie and the Dark Squad to help him, to save him, to investigate the matter.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie and the Dark Squad to the rescue, as always.</p><p></p><p>Also, and this one is for the players, there's a hefty chunk of plot to be found in here.</p><p></p><p>But here's the thing, and as explained to the Dark Squad by Sgt Dibbledob- Squabblepot is a closed burrow- this means that the gnome-warren is hidden, and strangers are not allowed to enter- usually. Arty's naming of Vinnie (& the Squad) to investigate/speak in his defence has proven to be the exception to this rule. The Dark Squad are going to be allowed in.</p><p></p><p>However, the burrow, Dibbledob further explains, can only be reached by a secret/hidden portal in the Dreadwood, and it's quite a way into the very dangerous forest, and time is of the essence.</p><p></p><p>The gnome guards however have come prepared, therefore soon after the Dark Squad get their collective gear together, and then make their way to the nearest point of the Dreadwood. There they rendezvous with their new gnome friends, who have the perfect answer to the transport problem- giant goats, slightly magical giant goats at that.</p><p></p><p>So, next up the Dark Squad get a crash course (excuse the pun) in how to ride a giant goat.</p><p></p><p>Note, these were the beasts Vinnie spotted in the Dreadwood, while out picking his herbs last evening.</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad therefore spend an hour or more figuring out how to ride/control their new mounts, this activity however involves a trio of skill checks- during which at least two inspiration points (for re-rolls) get spent- the players are very keen. The results of these three checks generates the PCs Ride: Giant Goat skill.</p><p></p><p>As stated, all of the players/PCs do the very best they can to make sure their Ride: Giant Goat skill is high.</p><p></p><p>Just to say Vinnie and Daktari get the best results, the worst- Inverna, the new hire sidekick.</p><p></p><p>Then, as always, the naming of the giant goats-</p><p></p><p>Inverna rides Big Vern.</p><p>Ram rides Spartacus.</p><p>Vinnie rides Vin Van Goat.</p><p>Daktari rides Horny Pony, and last but by no means least-</p><p>Newt rides Belphegoat.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]142567[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Get cha' motor runnin'! Head out on the highway! Looking for adventure. In whatever comes your way! Yeah, Vinnie gonna make it happen. Take yer goat in a love embrace. Fire all Newt's spells at once and, watch the tabaxi explode in to space...</strong></p><p></p><p>Next, there are a bunch of rules that need to be explained to the players- including how Goat Control Checks work, how to use the giant goat's speed boost, and also how to turn the giant goat's magical headlights on (they're in the horns).</p><p></p><p>[Giant Goat Riding for beginners 500 XP]</p><p></p><p>Why all of the above you ask, well I'll tell you...</p><p></p><p>After three to four hours of unmolested riding fast through the Dreadwood, en route to the portal- and with the mounted Dark Squad following Cpl Fiddlesticks and Sgt Dibbledob, the company are all the way to the final rush.</p><p></p><p>Sgt Dibbledob rears his mount, and then points towards the track ahead-</p><p></p><p>“All routes lead to the portal, this is the final dash- a race to the finish?”</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad heartily agree, Cpl Fiddlesticks sets the bet- 10gp for each rider in the pot- winner takes the lot.</p><p></p><p>Note, Newt has to borrow money from Daktari to pay his stake, I love it when 7th level characters have got no money. I'm doing my job.</p><p></p><p>Then- “Charge!”</p><p></p><p>Although, a final warning from Sgt Dibbledob- “Careful now lads, that bitch Nightshade has sent her orcs into the woods hereabouts. Last one across the bridge stinks like a goblin's armpit!”</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]142568[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Gentlemen! Start your goats!</strong></p><p></p><p>And we're off...</p><p></p><p>So, the track is long- it should take approx. twenty turns to get to the finish line. There are multiple routes to the bridge, and with hazards aplenty en route. Furthermore any roll of '1', by any of the members of the Dark Squad (including Inverna), will cause the (otherwise beatific) DM to unleash a few orcs into play. Also, and keep this very much in mind- the PCs are racing each other to the end, some of them (all of them) are very competitive.</p><p></p><p>Very competitive.</p><p></p><p>But we only get one turn into the Wild Goat Race, then we're out of time for the session, I did say it was a short one.</p><p></p><p>The one turn of action however is very eventful, and more inspiration points get spent, and by the time the session ends Ram is (possibly) just ahead. The rogue has so far (in one turn, remember) managed to steer his mount, Spartacus, around/beneath a falling tree (as it falls) and then avoided another fallen log.</p><p></p><p>Vinnie is in second place (probably), he has avoided the same hazards as Ram but then taken a different route, racing Vin Van Goat into a wild leaf swarm/storm (not a monster, a hazard). The druid is struggling to see the track ahead.</p><p></p><p>Newt and Daktari have gone a completely different route altogether, the only hazard the pair have encountered is the goat chicane, the tabaxi- an angry rider (his Ride: Giant Goat skill is mostly Intimidate) manages to steer Belphegoat through the hazard. Alas Daktari overcooks the exit corner and the barbarian's giant goat, Horny Pony, spins off into a tree.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]142569[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>Newt hangs on around the goat chicane, and then gets shot by an Orc- don't roll a '1' kids.</strong></p><p></p><p>But Newt rolled a '1' in there, and then spent an inspiration point to re-roll it.</p><p></p><p>But, I'm having that first '1'.</p><p></p><p>So, things are further complicated for this pair when a duo of orc archers start taking pot shots at them- Newt takes a hit, but then reacts by conjuring his Mirror Images- effectively there are now four identical tabaxi warlocks perched on the back of Belphegoat.</p><p></p><p>Daktari has to make a DC 18 Goat Control Check at the start of his next turn just to steer Horny Pony out of the tree he's lodged in, and the orcs are not going to stop shooting.</p><p></p><p>Inverna is taking the same route as Vinnie, alas the elven warrior is struggling- certainly in comparison with her new compatriots, she has not yet managed to control her charging beast- Big Vern.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]142570[/ATTACH]</p><p><strong>The Wild Goat Race is under way, note Daktari and Horny Goat are in a tree. Note in this pic I've turned the option on so that the N/PCs can see each other, rather than just their own darkvision-enabled line of sight. Also note the two gnomes and their mounts are not on the map because... well, that'd be too much work, and besides the PCs just want to beat each other to the end (and come first).</strong></p><p></p><p>But that's all we have time for this evening.</p><p></p><p>[Wild Goat Race, hazards faced so far 300 XP]</p><p></p><p>The Dark Squad’s to-do list reads a little like this-</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Win the Wild Goat Race.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Save Arty Swell.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> To the Moon Pool.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Goblins in the Dreadwood.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Nightshade in the Dreadwood.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> To Blackedge, find the Goblin Stair.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Return to Fallowstone Holy for answers- the Witch’s Tor & the Pact of the Flame. </li> </ol><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: 8380031, member: 16069"] [CENTER][B]Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh[/B][/CENTER] [B]Session #060b: Fast Goat to Squabblepot. Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here). Daktari (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 7 New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 7 Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 7 Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 7 NPCs Inverna Nightbreeze (played by Goonalan) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 7 (Sidekick) [S]Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 [/S]RIP*[/B] [S][B]Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard[/B][/S][B] RETIRED *Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors. Servants/Familiars Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar[/B] This is session 60b, and only a short one as real life was afoot, although there's two parts to the write up of this session- this is the second bit, obviously. We're adventuring again- Cpl Fiddlesticks and Sgt Dibbledob of the Squabblepot Guard have delivered a letter to Vinnie, the druid's friend and potion-making mentor- Arty Swell. has been accused of murder. The poor fellow wants Vinnie and the Dark Squad to help him, to save him, to investigate the matter. Vinnie and the Dark Squad to the rescue, as always. Also, and this one is for the players, there's a hefty chunk of plot to be found in here. But here's the thing, and as explained to the Dark Squad by Sgt Dibbledob- Squabblepot is a closed burrow- this means that the gnome-warren is hidden, and strangers are not allowed to enter- usually. Arty's naming of Vinnie (& the Squad) to investigate/speak in his defence has proven to be the exception to this rule. The Dark Squad are going to be allowed in. However, the burrow, Dibbledob further explains, can only be reached by a secret/hidden portal in the Dreadwood, and it's quite a way into the very dangerous forest, and time is of the essence. The gnome guards however have come prepared, therefore soon after the Dark Squad get their collective gear together, and then make their way to the nearest point of the Dreadwood. There they rendezvous with their new gnome friends, who have the perfect answer to the transport problem- giant goats, slightly magical giant goats at that. So, next up the Dark Squad get a crash course (excuse the pun) in how to ride a giant goat. Note, these were the beasts Vinnie spotted in the Dreadwood, while out picking his herbs last evening. The Dark Squad therefore spend an hour or more figuring out how to ride/control their new mounts, this activity however involves a trio of skill checks- during which at least two inspiration points (for re-rolls) get spent- the players are very keen. The results of these three checks generates the PCs Ride: Giant Goat skill. As stated, all of the players/PCs do the very best they can to make sure their Ride: Giant Goat skill is high. Just to say Vinnie and Daktari get the best results, the worst- Inverna, the new hire sidekick. Then, as always, the naming of the giant goats- Inverna rides Big Vern. Ram rides Spartacus. Vinnie rides Vin Van Goat. Daktari rides Horny Pony, and last but by no means least- Newt rides Belphegoat. [ATTACH type="full"]142567[/ATTACH] [B]Get cha' motor runnin'! Head out on the highway! Looking for adventure. In whatever comes your way! Yeah, Vinnie gonna make it happen. Take yer goat in a love embrace. Fire all Newt's spells at once and, watch the tabaxi explode in to space...[/B] Next, there are a bunch of rules that need to be explained to the players- including how Goat Control Checks work, how to use the giant goat's speed boost, and also how to turn the giant goat's magical headlights on (they're in the horns). [Giant Goat Riding for beginners 500 XP] Why all of the above you ask, well I'll tell you... After three to four hours of unmolested riding fast through the Dreadwood, en route to the portal- and with the mounted Dark Squad following Cpl Fiddlesticks and Sgt Dibbledob, the company are all the way to the final rush. Sgt Dibbledob rears his mount, and then points towards the track ahead- “All routes lead to the portal, this is the final dash- a race to the finish?” The Dark Squad heartily agree, Cpl Fiddlesticks sets the bet- 10gp for each rider in the pot- winner takes the lot. Note, Newt has to borrow money from Daktari to pay his stake, I love it when 7th level characters have got no money. I'm doing my job. Then- “Charge!” Although, a final warning from Sgt Dibbledob- “Careful now lads, that bitch Nightshade has sent her orcs into the woods hereabouts. Last one across the bridge stinks like a goblin's armpit!” [ATTACH type="full"]142568[/ATTACH] [B]Gentlemen! Start your goats![/B] And we're off... So, the track is long- it should take approx. twenty turns to get to the finish line. There are multiple routes to the bridge, and with hazards aplenty en route. Furthermore any roll of '1', by any of the members of the Dark Squad (including Inverna), will cause the (otherwise beatific) DM to unleash a few orcs into play. Also, and keep this very much in mind- the PCs are racing each other to the end, some of them (all of them) are very competitive. Very competitive. But we only get one turn into the Wild Goat Race, then we're out of time for the session, I did say it was a short one. The one turn of action however is very eventful, and more inspiration points get spent, and by the time the session ends Ram is (possibly) just ahead. The rogue has so far (in one turn, remember) managed to steer his mount, Spartacus, around/beneath a falling tree (as it falls) and then avoided another fallen log. Vinnie is in second place (probably), he has avoided the same hazards as Ram but then taken a different route, racing Vin Van Goat into a wild leaf swarm/storm (not a monster, a hazard). The druid is struggling to see the track ahead. Newt and Daktari have gone a completely different route altogether, the only hazard the pair have encountered is the goat chicane, the tabaxi- an angry rider (his Ride: Giant Goat skill is mostly Intimidate) manages to steer Belphegoat through the hazard. Alas Daktari overcooks the exit corner and the barbarian's giant goat, Horny Pony, spins off into a tree. [ATTACH type="full"]142569[/ATTACH] [B]Newt hangs on around the goat chicane, and then gets shot by an Orc- don't roll a '1' kids.[/B] But Newt rolled a '1' in there, and then spent an inspiration point to re-roll it. But, I'm having that first '1'. So, things are further complicated for this pair when a duo of orc archers start taking pot shots at them- Newt takes a hit, but then reacts by conjuring his Mirror Images- effectively there are now four identical tabaxi warlocks perched on the back of Belphegoat. Daktari has to make a DC 18 Goat Control Check at the start of his next turn just to steer Horny Pony out of the tree he's lodged in, and the orcs are not going to stop shooting. Inverna is taking the same route as Vinnie, alas the elven warrior is struggling- certainly in comparison with her new compatriots, she has not yet managed to control her charging beast- Big Vern. [ATTACH type="full"]142570[/ATTACH] [B]The Wild Goat Race is under way, note Daktari and Horny Goat are in a tree. Note in this pic I've turned the option on so that the N/PCs can see each other, rather than just their own darkvision-enabled line of sight. Also note the two gnomes and their mounts are not on the map because... well, that'd be too much work, and besides the PCs just want to beat each other to the end (and come first).[/B] But that's all we have time for this evening. [Wild Goat Race, hazards faced so far 300 XP] The Dark Squad’s to-do list reads a little like this- [LIST=1] [*] Win the Wild Goat Race. [*] Save Arty Swell. [*] To the Moon Pool. [*] Goblins in the Dreadwood. [*] Nightshade in the Dreadwood. [*] To Blackedge, find the Goblin Stair. [*] Return to Fallowstone Holy for answers- the Witch’s Tor & the Pact of the Flame. [/LIST] 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 #137 Into the Mere of the Dead Men Part 2.
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