HalfOrc HalfBiscuit
Adventurer
Just out of interest, do none of the players speak French, or were they just roleplaying ignorance of what was being said?
The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #148 Button Up!
- Thread starter Goonalan
- Start date
None of the players speak French, neither does the DM.
I picked up a bit of German and a little Italian back when I was in the forces, but only just enough to order/ask for things, and that was a lifetime ago.
I'm 99.9% certain that the players don't have any language other than English.
Cheers goonalan
I picked up a bit of German and a little Italian back when I was in the forces, but only just enough to order/ask for things, and that was a lifetime ago.
I'm 99.9% certain that the players don't have any language other than English.
Cheers goonalan
Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #142a: Six Months in Castle Argentriver.
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9
Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9
DEAD PCs
NPCs
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (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
Archimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- 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 Cemetery).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, 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.
I think I said previously that odd might happen. Well, here it is- or else the start of it.
But before we start here’s the prophecy the PCs are working on atm (again)-
“I am Kolven, and I am forever.
Seek the witch’s tor,
In the lair of the drowned ones,
But beware the demon’s spore.
Find the time.
Return again with the star fall,
To reclaim the power.”
Well, and this is for the players, you’ve found the time.
That’s what I said- ‘you’ve found the time’, at the end of the last session write up. In this session the Dark Squad discover what that statement means.
To begin with, here we are-
Castle Argentriver, it’s an odd place.
So, the voice here (speaking French = ancient elven) has told the PCs that Argentriver exists outside of the ‘silver stream’ of time.
Note, the voice is a message, by which I mean it is not a conversation. The voice has it’s say and that’s that.
The Dark Squad understand from this that any time they spend here does not count (literally) back in their reality, the point being the moment they get back to the Mere of the Dead Men then… it will be the same time as they left.
No time will have passed.
The Dark Squad are correct in their conclusion.
But that’s not all of it- as they, eventually, discover.
So, the Dark Squad have taken a beating in the last fight (which took nearly two sessions to play out) and their trip through the Mere of the Dead Men has not been without hazard. The various resources they stocked up on back in Saltmarsh are spent- they’re down to just a few healing potions, and nothing more curative. They have also accumulated a clutch of other things that they want to do- some of it downtime-related.
And so… Castle Argentriver represents an excellent opportunity.
It starts with the discovery that the castle provides- food here is plentiful, and if a PC fancies a steak, then, in the kitchen or else in the dining chamber- depending on the PCs location, a well-prepared steak, with suitable nourishing accompaniments, appears.
The food is delicious, and as stated- plentiful.
Newt has his own bowl, and it’s always brimming with fresh tuna.
I kid you not, that’s how Newt eats.
Then Fellowyn goes looking for wood (it’s not a joke)- he fancies building something, and then he needs paper, and then… and whatever it is (mundane) that Fellowyn wants- he finds just the item he needs on his wanders through the Castle.
Obviously, this revelation, when Fellowyn lets his colleagues know about it, is very swiftly abused.
It doesn’t work.
Newt’s attempt to occupy the master bedroom in the castle, and to turn it into his lair- complete with hanging (rattling) chains, dripping blood, and the sound of people moaning and screaming in pain. Alas, in the morning he awakes to discover his new bedroom strung with hundreds of paperchains and with oodles of glitter, as if in preparation for a jolly Christmas party, and the soundtrack. A sort of Andean/Peruvian pan flute muzak-version of Kenny Logins’ ‘Footloose’. So, fairly hell-ish. The tune is on permanent repeat.
Argentriver Castle has an ethics policy, or something similar- it seems.
Or else the spiteful DM has to get his kicks where and when he can.
The Dark Squad, while discovering how things work in the castle, begin to get into their groove, and… get on to some downtime activities.
And so…
Who is I? Ram’s Investigations.
Ram, it needs to be said, struggles- a little, with time spent in the castle, of all the PCs Ram is the least able to just turn off.
He spends the first three months on his own, in and about his room, his only companion a rat. Ram, or else- Were-Ram is the spawn (in a way) of the Swarm, sorry… The Swarm. So, there’s a part of this that’s a voyage of discovery, and there’s another part of this that’s about increasing his powers. Ram spends three months trying, mostly in vain, to observe and learn from his rat companions- and in doing so- he seeks to learn to communicate with rats, or else to work out what the rat is thinking about.
The Swarm, you may remember, has the ability to charm and control masses (lots of swarms) of rats.
The Swarm can also read, and manipulate, minds.
Ram wants some of that.
Over the three months Ram develops a empathy with rats, and to be clear- Ram encounters and/or experiences a new (and different) rat every day. He doesn’t kill the rats- let me also make clear, it’s just that every day a seemingly different rat is ready and waiting for him to interact with- the castle provides. But that’s the limit of his work- to be absolutely clear, Ram’s rolls are bad.
Not shockingly bad, he learns a little- and gains a tenuous understanding, but… it’s a bit of a bust, but very nice flavour.
Ram therefore decides to spend the next three months investigating a variety of topics- mostly to do with the Duergar, Hgraam- the very odd Stone Dreamwalker the Dark Squad encountered in the Underdark, this all the way back at the beginning of their adventures here in the Saltmarsh region. Back when they were working with/for Manistrad Copperlocks at Farhill Mine.
The reason for this interest- plot, the Duergar have two of the maze buttons (Symbols of Ub), at least the Dark Squad think this… Also, Ram is doing some groundwork for a bit of character development that’s coming up the road- when he gets to level 10.
But here’s the thing. Ram is not built for this kind of activity- his skills are all combat/rogue-based, he can be persuasive but, study- it’s not his bag.
Ram makes five checks in the three months, the results of which determine the outcomes of his downtime activities- a clutch of different skills can be employed. Regardless, Ram’s highest adjusted roll is a ‘7’.
Note this is how things work for all of the PCs.
Ram’s second three months in Castle Argentriver are therefore also a bust, although… the rogue is starting to suspect something, and in these three months he comes out of his room more often, in fact by the end of six months he’s spending lots of time with Vincenzo.
The two, it could be said, are in cahoots.
Vinnie has also figured something out- but we’ll get to this when we get to Vinnie’s downtime activities here.
And so, next up… Daktari montage.
The Undisputed Master of Blade & Sorcereryness/Sauciness.
First the reason- Daktari, almost by mistake/accident was gifted a headband of intellect (the DM thought it would be funny), the Sky Pony barbarian now has an Intelligence of 19, at least when he puts the headband on (he never takes it off). Just for info the headband looks similar to the one made famous by Bjorn Borg, the world-beating tennis star of yesteryear.
Daktari is rocking a similar look, although keep in mind he’s now in his 50’s and paunchy.
Lovely hair though.
Daktari is therefore giving up his barbarian berserker path (or whatever it’s called) and switching to the path of wild magic (or whatever it’s called). He’s also swapping out his martial adept skill/power and changing to great weapon master, and… mostly retiring Shatterspike (his first love magical longsword) and switching to his Dragonslaying Greatsword. Both weapons were made by Durgeddin the Black, or as he’s now known- Ub.
To make clear, I have no idea what any of the above powers do- the last time I read the player’s handbook was… 3rd edition? Mebs. Jim, however, is very informed, and so he lets me know.
So, Daktari is becoming a wizard. Sorta. Only with a big sword.
Like… Gandalf?
That can’t be right.
Just for info Daktari’s damage rolls with Shatterspike are legendary- he always hits, pretty much everything he attacks, he’s always raging- and furious, and frenzied, and… he rolls ‘1’ damage (plus bonuses) quite a lot. Some would say about 50% of the time, but the laws of probability may have something to say about that.
So, montage-
It starts with the hirsute barbarian strapped to a chair- bound with buckles and all manner of other restraints, more remarkably Daktari appears contented.
He nods, and grins. He looks like he is concentrating- it’s a new look, he’s still working on it.
In the background a white coated Vincenzo moves from alembic to bubbling retort as he concocts.
Next, Daktari’s head tipped right back- mouth agape, and with a huge funnel- the size and shape of the speaker on an ancient gramophone- inserted.
Then the pouring in of multi-hued, bubbling, steaming, icy, oily and unctuous unction’s.
Daktari bulges and explodes within, changing colour, shape and form with each new application.
The atmosphere goes from clinical and ordered laboratory-style, to Mandelbrot meets Dali rush of colours, shapes and sounds. Daktari, like Timothy Leary, is expanding and exploring the contours of his own new velour-lined mind.
“I is full of stars!” He whispers to himself, while panting heavily.
His eyes are like spaghetti.
Jump cut to a dojo.
Or else a large store cupboard with all the trash piled in one corner.
Daktari and Fellowyn are doing what look to be strange (off-world) calisthenics (in bullet-time, now and then), a lot of it gravity defying- and yet the wizened, bathrobe and y-front wearing wizard (Fellowyn) is clearly more than capable of all manner of strange and stretchy activities.
As is his Paduan, Daktari.
The physical exercises are intershot with moments of utter stillness, as the two old geezers sit zen-like big buddha style, serene and untrammeled, as if on some high scarp contemplating an entire continent within their purview.
And not sitting buck-naked, sweaty, cross legged, and tackle out in the middle of the dinning room table, which- alas, is the reality.
Lunches and dinners are skipped by the other members of the Dark Squad.
Over the course of the montage- exercise, then stillness, then exercise, then… Daktari starts dressing like Fellowyn.
At the end (of this bit) both Fellowyn and Dak are simply adorned- bathrobe and y-fronts.
Then- lets speed this up. Daktari says goodbye to Shatterspike in a very moving ceremony-
“It is not yew. It is me! I have grow. Our relationship haz change. I still respeck you but I need two hands for my weapon now. It iz grow, as I am grow.”
He then declares himself the ‘undisputed master of sword and sauciness/sorcereryness’.
Remember, in cod Russian if you please, and loud and heartfelt if you can manage it.
Note, the rest of the Dark Squad are invited to The Shedding of Shatterspike ceremony, it’s at this point that they come to understand that Daktari has also abandoned his trousers.
Just to say that between fighting one of the most complained about (and therefore talked about) things is Fellowyn’s semi-nudity. Now there are two of them. Although Fellowyn makes it worse for himself by constantly reminding folk that he is a skinny old man in his underpants (and an open flapping bathrobe)- he also does a lot of yoga.
But on to Vincenzo.
The Mad Alchemist, Vinnie gets to work- and then thinking.
Vinnie spends six months solid making potions, and then when he gets done with the potion’s he knows the formulas for, he starts looking up new recipes, for new potions.
It’s as simple as that.
In six months, he manages to brew fifteen potions of Greater Healing (three per PC), five elixirs of health (one each- the PCs like these, they make the bad stuff go away), and five potions of fire breath (one each- again, this is a PC fave- bonus action fire breath, you’ve got to love that action).
Then, with more hard study and book learning, he works out how to make a potion of hill giant strength, and then he makes two of them- undistributed, as of yet.
Vinnie is in his element. He’s also helping out lots of other folk with their schemes- as and when he’s needed.
And in months four to six, he and Ram become boon companions. The pair, they discover, have questions- to which they both seek the answers.
It goes a little like this, very simply put-
If Castle Argentriver is outside of time, where is it actually physically located?
The answer arising is- in its own demi-plane exercised from mundane reality.
But that’s only half the answer, because the next thing to ask is, obviously- where is the demi-plane actually physically located?
The answer, guessed at- at first, and then later confirmed is this-
The demi-plane, and therefore Castle Argentriver, is beyond the realms of time and space.
It is nowhere.
And thus- obviously- everywhere.
Potentially.
And at any time.
The point being, and this is the conclusion of Vinnie and Ram’s musings (and study).
Castle Argentriver is a time (and space) machine.
The implication being- if the Dark Squad can learn to control Castle Argentriver then, they can pop out of it anywhere…
And anywhen.
Which gets a near ovation at the gaming table.
The old ones are the best.
There is laughter. The players are happy.
There’s obviously more to this but, for now- we’ll leave it be, we’ll come back to it in the future (or the past), let’s get back to the Dark Squad’s six-month schemes.
Newt’s World Domination (NewWorldDom.Com) Kickstarter.
The tabaxi warlock spends six months pursuing the same task- to lift himself to godhood, sorry- Godhood, or the Godhead- if you prefer the phrase.
Initial thoughts involve the skimming of souls- like coin-shaving, Newt intends to pare a little off each soul he sends to Belphegor (and Humphrey Far-Fer-Nar) and so he can make a secret repository of soul power all for himself.
The next step to this, of course, would be to develop some sort of pyramid scheme (Worshippers? Perhaps) who can also supply him with a steady flow of life-essence.
Avenues are explored. Morality and ethics are not a consideration.
So, six months at the books, and when needed consulting with both Fellowyn and Vincenzo, Newt’s prepared to concede that there’s some stuff that this pair know more about.
Just to make clear, Fellowyn- in his schemes (we’ve not got to him yet) discovered very early on that he could think about books that he would like to read and- hey presto, the very same tomes were in the castle’s otherwise meagre library. The books seem to be transient; they disappear from the shelves just as soon as they are read, or else finished with. Thinking about them again brings them back to the shelves the day after.
So, Newt has access to some eldritch tomes, nothing magical or truly sinister- although he has some of this sort of stuff of his own in his bag of holding.
The tabaxi makes his plans, and they are good plans, point of fact over the six months Newt makes ten different skill checks as he’s about his task. Three of them are Crits.
He has a scheme, or at least the start of something.
He needs a very skilled tattooist, someone capable of creating a complex magical symbol (yet to be devised) on his face. Then to embed the powers needed for the warlock to suck the departing souls of the fallen directly into his fanged maw.
He’s a walking cat/tiger, remember- he’s a tabaxi.
Fresh Souls, Newt believes- taste like tuna. Delicious.
Newt (or else Bear) will be working on some of the details of this scheme, revealed hopefully in the coming sessions, or else when he remembers.
His other priority, atm, is the marketing- natch- he’s got to nail the message and then get it out there.
I am Newt the Magnificent, I am your (new) God!
Obviously not as overt, or as gauche, as the statement above, the messaging- he completely understands- is the most important part of the sell.
In translation- Newt has no desire to interact with the plot or story, he’s writing his own narrative.
I heart Newt.
We move on, to…
Fellowyn Hates Getting His Feet Wet.
Yep, that in essence is the reason for this- Fellowyn, atm, is having to ride piggyback on Newt’s flying broom, neither party are particularly happy with this. The pair had a brief love-in with one of the earlier fights- when they both started behaving (and speaking) like second world war (English) fighter pilots- as portrayed in films-
“Bandits at nine o’ clock, old chum.”
“Strafe them.”
“Tally ho!”
That kind of nonsense, but- of late, well… Newt just kicks Fellowyn off the broom, mostly at low altitude (so far) and then zooms off to do his thing. This ever since the DM ruled that with two of them on the broom then the flying device’s capabilities are somewhat limited.
Newt accepts no limitations.
Basically, Fellowyn was, in the tabaxi’s own words- ‘slowing me down, old man’. He therefore had to go.
I think Newt has a problem with making friends, he doesn’t really understand what friends are for.
Anyway, back to Fellowyn.
He makes a boat.
That’s underselling it.
Fellowyn makes a Fan-boat, I think that’s what they are called- one of them swamp boats with the great big fan on the back that skims the water, and at speed.
So, six months in and we have the body of the boat, we have the prow- metal, and the structure (and engineering) for the fan- and the connecting parts to make things work, and steer the thing etc.
Fellowyn has also, in the time, taught Archimedes (his scruffy owl familiar) how to intone the ritual for the spell Floating Disc- only a specialised version of the spell which lifts the hull- but mainly the prow- of the craft out of the water. Archimedes is trained to incant the ritual on repeat. The craft has a strange (USB-like) slot for the owl. Most odd.
At the end of the six months the boat is physically complete, it only lacks motive force- propulsion.
And so…
Fellowyn, with a little help from Vincenzo, is now in contract negotiations with an air elemental that the druid knows- Joe Blow. The sticking point atm- JB wants something valuable and ‘cool’ as payment for his year-long service.
Fellowyn is at present trying to figure out what would be valuable and ‘cool’ in the eyes/senses of an air elemental.
And that my friend is pretty much what happened in the first six months in Castle Argentriver. Odd.
But there’s some more of this to come…
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #142b: Six More Months in Castle Argentriver.
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9
Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9
DEAD PCs
NPCs
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (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
Archimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- 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 Cemetery).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, 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.
This is session 142b, and more of the same… only, well- you’ll see.
And apologies in advance, it’s a long one- and with just one (I think) picture in it.
So, the big secret gets out- Vinnie and Ram have been making enquiries and… Castle Argentriver, potentially, is a time and space machine/vehicle. In short, if the Dark Squad can figure out how to control it- well, the world (and other places) is their bivalve mollusc (oyster). They can go where and when they please, or else- well, something like that.
And so, the entire gang are now on the task- to figure out how Castle Argentriver works.
The answer (which takes just short of six months to arrive at) is both obvious, and problematic.
The answer involves the maze buttons, the Symbols of Ub.
Of course.
When the PCs first arrived at the Castle they had to trace the maze on their buttons, or any maze really (because only two of the Dark Squad have maze buttons), while all the while thinking about… well, the Castle (initially in a very non-specific way, at the time remember the Dark Squad had not seen the Castle, they’d only been told about it by the whispering voice in the Mere).
The Dark Squad had problems getting through whatever planar barrier exists between reality and Castle Argentriver. While they were tracing their various mazes, I had the PCs make (numerous) wisdom saves.
It took a while for all of them to get to the Castle.
Because they kept rolling low and the DCs were high. The PCs didn’t figure the whys and wherefores of this at the time.
So, the maze buttons can be used control and move the Castle through space and time.
It seems.
The issue the Dark Squad are facing is this- the Castle works best when all of its inhabitants possess a maze button/Symbol of Ub.
In fact, the presumption is- all members of the adventuring party in the Castle have maze buttons, how else could they have got to the Castle.
It further becomes apparent that not only is controlling the Castle problematic, as complicated is the procedure for disembarking… and should they want to- getting back aboard the Castle.
All these activities involve using the maze buttons (and making more wisdom saves- the DCs very high because…) of which the Dark Squad have only two.
Bugger.
It takes the Dark Squad six months- and a lot of checks, some of them with high DCs, most of them needing multiple successes, to figure all the above out. But they get there, although mainly because they have time on their hands.
But that’s not all- it seems that Castle Argentriver is not supposed to be anything more than a stop-over, a one-off away from the world chance to get rested and ready for what comes next…
Using the Castle as a time and space machine has another drawback, as discovered during their research.
If a person exits Castle Argentriver and, for example, does a brief bit of adventuring- let’s say they spend six hours at some heroic task, if and when they step back aboard Castle Argentriver then… they (the individual PC) lose six hours from their lives. Six hours of memories, experiences, of… everything, anything, something?
So, this is the DM making things clear.
There is a 1% chance/hour spent outside the Castle that some change (minor or major- as determined by the DM, and another dice roll) will take place if you get back on board Castle Argentriver.
The longer you are away from the Castle, the greater the chance that something about you changes.
The change could be something simple- for instance a small change to the PCs appearance, or accent, or mannerisms, or… well, we’ll figure it out.
The change, if you roll really badly, could be significant.
Vinnie could re-enter the Castle after a brief excursion and discover that everything about him is the same- except that he is no longer a 9th level druid, devoted to Celune; he is instead a 9th level warlock- devoted to some foul demon, and just like his favourite puddy-tat, New Tricks.
So, things can go wrong.
Particularly if you don’t have five maze buttons.
To make clear-
The more maze buttons you have, the more/better control you have over Castle Argentriver.
And if you have an increased control over Castle Argentriver, there’s less chance that a PC will suffer some sort of change when they get back aboard the time-machine.
From all of which the Dark Squad further conclude- as the chatter spirals, the owner/maker of Castle Argentriver must be a creature or being blessed with a very long lifespan.
Or else it must have full and absolute control over the Castle.
Because, if the original owner/maker of Castle Argentriver had significantly abused its time and space moving abilities, and failed a few saving throws along the way… well, they’d be a very old, and very confused individual by now.
Probably.
Possibly.
They might even forget to wear their trousers.
Every now and then.
But we go on…
So, that’s not all- while the Dark Squad are about this task- figuring things out, they happen to stumble upon this message. Which was, they are certain, intended to be played to them as and when they disembark the Castle.
Here it is, with translation, and interspersed with the various Dark Squad discussions it generates.
Apologies, we’re in the land of plot and story atm.
Vous êtes de retour, bien
You are back, good.
J'ai pensé profiter de ce moment, de cette rencontre, pour m'assurer de votre cap.
I thought I would use this moment, this meeting, to make certain your course.
Mais d’abord un récapitulatif de ce que vous savez.
But first a recap of what you know.
Which is handy.
Ashardalon, le rejeton bâtard d'Ub et du Grand Serpent, est à l'étranger et la course est en cours.
Ashardalon, the bastard spawn of Ub and the Great Serpent, is abroad and the race is running.
WTF?
There follows a good twenty minutes of sometimes heated discussion with regards to the nature of Ashardalon, and also the meaning of the words- ‘bastard spawn’.
Is the voice saying that Ashardalon is the child produced by the union of Ub and the Great Serpent?
The chatter rattles on for quite a while- although in no particular direction. I think the Dark Squad were just collectively caught out by this revelation.
Eventually, we go on…
Les Stormchasers et les Deathwatchers cherchent votre fin, ils seront avec vous jusqu'à la fin, à moins que vous ne puissiez mettre fin à leurs intérêts plus tôt.
The Stormchasers and the Deathwatchers seek your end, they will be with you until the end- unless you can end their interests early.
Check, and there follows yet another discussion- all the Dark Squad know who the ‘Les Stormshasers’ are, they’re the bastard Talos worshippers that have been dogging their tracks for quite a while now.
But… ‘les Deathwatchers’, takes a little more chatter- Vincenzo remembers the vampire spawn, Skeel- all the way back in session #78.
Then they collectively remember that they have just fought a metric ton of undead, a necrotic gas breathing Chimera called Ashbreath, with an assassin/rogue type rider, and various deathmask wearing flunkies. The assassin/rogue leader, when questioned, said she served ‘Death.’
The clues were out there.
So, ‘les Stormchasers’ and ‘les Deathwatchers’- check, the Dark Squad are aware they’ve not been making friends.
We move on.
Ils recherchent le chaos et l'ombre qu'apporte le Grand Serpent. Ils veulent la fin.
They seek the chaos and the shadow that the Great Serpent brings. They want the end.
That’s nice- you’ve got to have goals/hopes/dreams.
Les cinq boutons du labyrinthe, un chacun que vous utilisez, vous amènent ici et vous emmènent jusqu'au bout. Sans cela, vous êtes perdu. Ils vous protègent même maintenant.
The five maze buttons, one each that you wield now, brought you here and take you to the end. Without these you are lost. They keep you safe even now.
Ah, and this is the part in which it starts to dawn on the Squad, that, well… we should be further on with this…
Le sixième bouton reste à trouver.
The sixth button is still to find.
Got it- find the first five buttons, one for each PC. The sixth button is to be found later…
Souvenez-vous des paroles que le Roi des Profondeurs vous a adressées au bas de l'escalier du gobelin.
Remember the Deepking's words to you at the bottom of the Goblin's Stair.
WTF?
Only…
It goes a little like this from the players after the translation of the sentence above.
“Which one was the Deepking?”
“He said at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair.”
“What was that goblin chief called all the way back in the Sunless Citadel?”
“He said at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair.”
“It was a hobgoblin chief in the Sunless Citadel, and the kobolds…”
“What was his name?”
“He said at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair.”
“Did the mad gnome at the end of the big long one for the alchemist, the one with the gnomes- Arty something. What was the bad guy at the end of that called?”
“He said at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair.”
This conversation rattles on, and goes in circles, for a good ten more minutes, until…
“He said at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair.”
“We’ve not done the Goblin Stair- that’s the one we keep putting off.”
Then silence for ten seconds, and…
“Oh… bugger.”
So, there’s a Deepking at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair, and the Dark Squad are going to have a chat with him, and… well, promise him something (see below). That’s nice.
But we go on, or else the message does-
Vous devez lui tenir votre promesse.
You must keep your promise to him.
To make clear- the promise you have not (yet) made to the Deepking, well… you must keep your word (although you’ve obviously not given your word yet so you’ve no idea what your word is... about/for/something).
This time thing- it’s complicated.
So, that’s easy to understand.
Les démons sous la saumure ont été vaincus - et le repaire des Stormchasers trouvé - vous devez tous les détruire.
The devils from beneath the briny have been defeated- and the Stormchasers lair found- you must destroy them all.
“Bugger… we’ve not done this yet either.”
Mais la tâche à accomplir est très importante, assurez-vous de bien vous reposer avant de vous y lancer.
But the task in hand is all important, make sure you rest well before you attempt it.
Allumez la balise du Witch's Tor, marquez l'endroit sur votre carte - vous devrez revenir ici lorsque la marée descendra.
Light the beacon at the Witch's Tor, mark the place on your map- you will need to return here when the tide goes out.
Après votre deuxième visite au Tor, l'étoile tombera.
After your second visit to the Tor the Star will Fall.
Vous trouverez le Sky Pony dans la Mere, vous connaîtrez l'endroit. Vous l'aurez ressenti. C'est fermé.
You will find the Sky Pony in the Mere, you will know the place. You will have felt it. It is close.
The above translation produces a very special moment for Daktari.
Daktari, it is official, is getting a (Sky) Pony.
The Dark Squad know where this place is (where the Star will Fall), only… it was a few weeks ago and now they’re not so sure. Where was it the Squad saw/imagined a star (or something similar) falling from the sky?
Bugger.
I hope they made a note on their map.
C'est précisément pour cette raison que le château d'Argentriver a été construit ici.
Castle Argentriver was built here for that very reason.
So, the Star Fall is close by.
Alors...
Then...
Vous devez me trouver, vous aurez besoin d'un bateau, d'un voilier, je suis perdu, je suis prisonnier, ils me possèdent maintenant.
You must find me, you'll need a boat- a sailing ship, I am lost- I am prisoner, they own me now.
Sauvez-moi, l'un de vous est... connu de moi, il doit utiliser son bouton. Pensez à votre maison, Argentriver.
Save me, one of you is... known to me, he or she must use their button. Think of home, Argentriver.
The Dark Squad figure that Fellowyn Silverstream needs a maze button, Silverstream = Argentriver, so there’s a rescue mission- at sea or else involving sea travel- sometime in their future.
The message goes on-
Oh...
Oh...
Attends... j'ai presque oublié...
Wait... I almost forgot...
L'homme.
The Man.
L'Homme et le Crocodile, vous devez trouver les mains pour ouvrir la porte. Ub a laissé quelque chose pour toi là-bas... même moi, je ne le sais pas.
The Man and the Crocodile, you must find the hands- to open the door. Ub left something for you there... not even I know.
L’Homme et le Crocodile est d’une importance vitale.
The Man and the Crocodile is vitally important.
Tu peux le trouver....
You can find it....
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
Bugger.
The Man and the Crocodile is vitally important, it seems.
Then the tape ran out… or else, well- the message ended.
So, after all of the above there begins a much larger discussion.
In essence it is this- where (and when) do we want to in Castle Argentriver?
This turns out to a long, and at times- seemingly, very random discussion.
The first suggestion is, of course, for the Dark Squad to go all the way back to the Sunless Citadel and not open the sarcophagi that contained Ashardalon, but…
The DM has an answer to this.
In the event of the above the Dark Squad, when they disembark Castle Argentriver, will manifest (back in the Mere of Dead Men, or wherever) and find themselves stood next to another adventuring party, with very similar looking/sounding members who did let Ashardalon out of the sarcophagi…
Let’s roll for your new PCs.
The point being- the DM will reward clever suggestions as to what to do with Castle Argentriver, suggestions that move us forward with the plot/story. Attempts to re-rail the plot will not be allowed, unless you can outsmart me, or else… it’s just more fun (your suggestion).
So, the Dark Squad have a time and space machine that requires maze buttons to use (easily/easier).
The solution then is obvious… go and get the other maze buttons.
DM Interlude.
Why am I doing this, you ask?
The solution then is obvious… go and get the other maze buttons.
DM Interlude Ends.
Are we all on the same page, good- let us proceed.
Although, as it turns out Castle Argentriver is not going anywhere else just yet the Dark Squad still have more downtime style activities that they wish to pursue.
Oh, one last thing- Bear, playing Newt, said- we need our sports almanac, obviously referencing the movie/franchise Back to the Future.
The DM said- I already gave you a sports almanac.
Go back to the prophesies, here, in session 29b.
Here’s the text-
Ancestor #4-
“I am Spetznaz, and I am the mercenary.
When three-and-a-half bells sound,
Put one hundred crowns,
On the one with the big nose.”
So, the one with the big nose is going to win the three thirty… somewhere, and most likely somewhere the PCs are going to be sometime in the future.
Funny how that happened.
If you are interested, in the first part (142a) bit of this session Ram was trying to investigate the Duergar and Hgraam, the strange stone giant the Dark Squad met in the Underdark. That all happened back in session #40.
At the end of session #40 the PCs had a vision.
Here it is, exactly as it appeared back then in the write up-
"What's that?" asks Buggles. "That's a tor", Vinnie replies, sagely. He's not wrong.
It’s the Witch’s Tor, the Dark Squad’s present quest.
Funny that.
More of this kind of idiocy next time.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
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I've been halfheartedly learning it for the last few years, but only in the tiny incriments my brain can focus on it
I'm not very good
Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #143a: Three Months More in Castle Argentriver.
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9
Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9
DEAD PCs
NPCs
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (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
Archimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- 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 Cemetery).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, 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.
This is session 143a, and- hopefully- the last of the downtime stuff, or at least at the end of this session the Dark Squad are back in action, although… only just.
So, the last three months (maybe) of downtime- which will seem like no time at all when the Dark Squad exit Castle Argentriver- because it will be no time at all, in the PCs version of reality.
Now, onto the actual downtime activities.
Ram Tries Again.
Ram’s last study efforts were a complete bust, or else all of his various skill checks were low- all sub-10, and so we try again.
Ram is doing a little flavour here, for his character, he has plans for later levels (I think). He’s also trying to figure out an old problem/conundrum, which has been bothering some of the PCs for quite a while.
Back in the early days, when the PCs were working at Farhill Mine the Dark Squad went venturing in the Underdark, in search of treasure and duergar. They found both, although the grey dwarves were thoroughly investigated with a little help from Hgraam, a strange stone giant wanderer/hippy the Squad encountered all the way back in session 40.
This section is about Runes, and as I say- a bit of character development, although…
Ram starts rolling very high for his checks, and so he uncovers a whole lot more info than he expected, more than just a bit of flavour.
Hgraam is an agent of some sort of stone giant monastic order, or else something similar, the followers of this order (name unknown) seek to catalogue all the decisions that matter in the world/universe/reality. Hgraam’s job, it now seems to Ram- from his study, is to observe people and catalogue the events that shape the narrative of the world/reality.
Reading around the subject- with books supplied by the Castle, Ram further learns that this unnamed society of stone giants is said to have some great subterranean library cataloguing everything important that has come to pass- for all time. Or else… that’s the implication.
Critics (Ram does some more reading around) even suggest that the stone giants may play a part in shaping reality- helping some narratives along, when they coincide with their own vision/ethics. Whatever they are.
Most odd.
Just to make clear, Hgraam exchanged gifts with the Dark Squad- allowing the PCs to take anything they wanted from the giant’s bag (mundane items) in exchange for something personal (but of no value) to be given to the stone giant.
Note, all of the PCs present completed the exchange.
The items exchanged, Ram is now certain, would enable Hgraam (most likely) to scry or track the members of the Squad.
Bugger.
Maybe.
Ram also discovers a little more about the duergar in the region, it seems that they built a number of guard stations/ small fortresses (like Deepbridge, which the PCs visited with help from Hgraam) beneath the Dreadwood some time in the dim distant past. These stations have been in existence for centuries, perhaps even millennia, although… no one seems to know why they were constructed in the first place- they seem to guard nothing, they mark no border, or else… the duergar have no industry here, just a series of seemingly randomly placed fortresses.
He also, of course, learns a significant amount about Runes, which was his primary topic of investigation, specifically Rune Magic- as practiced by a number of races including the dwarves (and the duergar) and the giants, particularly, as it transpires- stone giants. Funny that.
Ram tastes success.
It tastes like cheese.
Here's a wererat remember.
We move on.
Nuddy Daktari gets a High Score.
Daktari spends three months in a meditative state, or else something similar- his montage sequence (see previously) has now moved on from the physical to a mental journey of the mind.
Oddly, anyone observing Daktari during this time would see the following, although at times they’d be hard-pushed to keep watching, anyway, here’s the image-
Naked Daktari (naturally, Fellowyn has made a big impression) save for his wizard’s hat (which is only the brim bit of the hat- Dak the ripped the rest (the pointy-bit) off his wizard hat off so that his ‘hair could breathe more deliciously’, his words).
Dak is sat down.
Hands outstretched before him, and always in action- as if manipulating some sort of invisible controller/device- a steering wheel?
Squirming and shuffling in his seat constantly, sometimes throwing himself hard left- hard right, mirroring the gestures made by his hands.
Eyes tight shut.
Oh, and making noises- constantly.
“Mrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… P’chow! P’chow! P’chow!”
“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…”
“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.”
“Kudda Kudda Kudda, Bokow BOKOW.”
“Pweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”
That kind of thing, only at times more so.
Daktari is, the 21st century observer would suggest, playing a video game- possibly an FPS, or else a driving game, maybe a bit of both…
For three months.
In between snack times when he gorges himself naked on the kind of food (conjured by the Castle) that bees prefer.
Sugary.
Although nobody stays around to watch this performance- the naked eating of sugary things.
At the end of this time, and after some superb rolls- Daktari is ready for the arrival of the Sky Pony. He is, as he states at the end of his sojourn (in a cod-Russian accent if you please)-
“I am stoked! For it is rad! Maaaan!”
Daktari is a practitioner of wild magic, say it how it is- ‘Daktari is Wizard’ and the undisputed Master of Blade and Spell.
Which brings us to Vinnie.
Vinnie Makes the Boat Go.
Vinnie does two things in his three months, the first is to co-ordinate the hiring of Joe Blow (JB), an air elemental (of no little renown) who is in contract negotiations to become the propulsion device for Fellowyn’s fanboat.
Negotiations go remarkably well, particularly when Vinnie meets (exceeds) JB’s demands for something ‘cool’ in the way of a uniform.
I present to you-
The air elemental’s pyjamas- wacky waving inflatable tubeman.
The guy on the right, I think- the fellow on the left must be an adherent.
JB gets hired, if you build it (Fellowyn) JB will come.
Good work Vinnie.
The second part of Vinnie’s investigations doesn’t go so well, initially, the druid is trying to figure out a bit more about the connection he shares with Celune, and his Moonboar form.
I think he wants more.
Anyway, there follows some bad dice rolls followed by some good dice rolls and so- it all sort of balances out.
Vinnie’s investigations conclude with the following.
If he wants to know/discover more about his Moonboar form et al then he needs to see his boss, he needs to visit with Celune.
I don’t think Jim (playing Vinnie) got what I was saying with the above.
Let me try one more time.
The words I actually said to Vinnie/Jim were- in game.
‘You need to go and see Celune, again.’
One of the words in the above sentence is a lie- sort of.
That deceitful word is… DRUM ROLL… ‘again’.
Because…
You have met Celune already.
You have a time and space machine.
I’ll leave you to figure the rest out.
Which brings us to Newt.
New Tricks is the Message.
Ben (often called Bear), who plays Newt, has some homework- he needs graphics and gimmicks, and a tag line, and, well… he needs a message.
This for his world domination/pyramid scheme.
Newt is all over the marketing, and as we all know from our own lives- with organised religion (or similar) then the message is everything.
Newt’s rolls for this section are, I think the word magnificent applies. His lowest, with bonuses, is an ‘18’, all the rest are ‘20’ plus.
So, we- the players and the DM, attempt to provide a little help.
And just to note Newt’s opening statement to us- his little focus group, is-
Empowering Individuality
So, that’s nice.
My attempt gets laughed at.
Vinnie offers the following statement-
"Power now, Pay Later."
Which, with crafting plays out to-
Power. Justice. Fire.
Although it too is swiftly rejected, by Newt. He’s not about fire, Belphegor is.
Newt gets the focus group back on track with his own suggestion.
Just to say the consensus at the table is- evil wears a suit.
Although the above offering is also cast aside because, well… it’s just Newt, and money, and the stench of fear and death, or else it’s lesser cousin- threat.
What’s to draw folk in.
Fellowyn powers through to-
Weakness is a choice
Which Newt likes, for a good long while, but it’s perhaps too brazen- also, he wants his followers weak and cowed (for the most part) so…
Think again.
This one gets a chuckle, although again- Newt’s devotees are very Newt-like, and so…
It fails the brief.
Newt meantime steers the room back in the right direction with-
N - Never Alone
E - Everyone Is Welcome
W - Wherever You Are
T - The Power Is Inside You
Which is genius, only…
There are always doubters in the room.
N: Never jump over liquids
E: Everyone wants to murder everyone
W: What I want is what you want
T: Total omnipotence
Which Vinnie comes up with about seven seconds later.
So, less genius than we first thought.
That’s a little more like it, the table likes the clamor, but again… could it be a little more inclusive.
The one audience member we can see seems to be wild-eyed unshaven moron.
Is that the demographic?
Don’t get me wrong, here in Faerun that represents a fairly large slice of pie.
But…
He who has the youth… as all good dictators know.
And Newt is looking sharp.
Although again… the audience, Newt- who is coming up with all of these, is still fixated on a tabaxi/cat-positive audience.
The pyramid on the page is also a little on the nose.
Or is it brazen?
Brazen is good.
And so, to the winner, for now-
Newt is bigger, better, and more devilishly handsome. His followers are also doing quite well for themselves. The pyramid is present- but symbols add mystery, and that built to last forever feel.
Also, money talks, and as in the picture- it’s to be admired, cradled even.
I particularly like the eye above the pyramid, in a pyramid of its own, someone is watching- always watching.
The fact that the eye seems to be shining from, or else illuminating, Newt’s groin is perhaps just a happy coincidence.
Who are the dark little figures (cast in shadow- being watched by the eye) that scurry around the base of the pyramid?
Well, if you have to ask… one of them must be you.
Newt’s scheme is progressing well, and he- the DM has stated, has got some good dice rolls stored up for when he gets the whole thing up and running.
For which, remember, he needs magical facial tattoos imbued with the power to convert the souls of those the tabaxi gorges on into the power of Godhood, or else the power of… well, just POWER!
Just to make clear- Newt’s rolls were so good I devoted ten minutes and everyone in for the above scheming.
In game Vinnie, Ram, Daktari and Fellowyn have no idea what Newt is working on.
Although he is strutting around the place with a big cheesy grin on his face much of the time.
Newt’s favourite subject is, after all, Newt.
Fellowyn’s Feet Are Never Going to Get Wet Again.
Here it is, or else we are between two images atm, or else George who plays Fellowyn is-
Pedal to the metal grandad.
Or else my favourite-
Which has much more Gumbo.
So, that’s it- Fellowyn’s last three months are spent fashioning the propulsion system for the craft, and then a bit of instruction for his new elemental friend- JB. Then, after the judicious use of an Inspiration Point or two, the rolls are all good and the job is done.
Fellowyn has a fanboat.
And that’s three months more in Castle Argentriver.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
carborundum
Adventurer
Awesome stuff! It's amazing how things have changed in the recently as far as AI is concerned. It's gotten so as you can whip out a quick prompt in the time it takes to select a meme gif . Our group chats, and character sheets, are so much better illustrated these days
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I have almost no idea what you are talking about, but- my players are a little better educated- obviously, or else Bear (Newt) and George (Fellowyn) are.Awesome stuff! It's amazing how things have changed in the recent future as far as AI is concerned. It's gotten so as you can whip out a quick prompt in the time it takes to select a meme gif . Our group chats, and character sheets, are so much better illustrated these days
They AI'ed the above pictures- and that's as much as I understand of it.
Thanks goonalan.
Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #143b: Krello!
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9
Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9
DEAD PCs
NPCs
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (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
Archimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- 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 Cemetery).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, 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.
This is session 143b, and then the Dark Squad point Castle Argentriver in the direction of the Empress of the Sea and…
It takes hours.
Hours of tracing the maze on their maze buttons- for those that have them- that’s just Vinnie & Ram.
Hours of tracing mental mazes, or scribbled mazes, or imagined mazes, or… whatever, for those without buttons.
To make clear- all of the PCs need to make a DC 16 Wisdom Save in the same turn, this to make the Castle go, as it were.
Anyone with a maze button has advantage on this roll.
It therefore takes a while.
Kev, playing Ram, does the maths- if each attempt takes 10 minutes to play out (and it does) then the laws of probability state, and this after going through everyone’s Wisdom Save bonuses, and factoring in Advantage on the rolls for Ram & Vinnie, that it should work on or around the 25th attempt, or else the result will happen 4% of the time.
There’s a way on Fantasy Grounds to roll all of the PCs saves with just one click.
And so, we do that.
A lot.
All DC 16 and above on the 22nd go.
To make clear- that took just under four hours (three hours forty minutes) to get done.
If the PCs get another maze button then the DC drops to 14, and then there will be three PCs with buttons, and therefore with advantage on their rolls.
So, Castle Argentriver opens its doors and the Dark Squad step onto the deck of the Empress of the Sea.
Just to remind you the Empress of the Sea set sail from Saltmarsh nearly 200 years ago, in the bilges of the boat Rambles Shambles Bowspirit aka The Swarm secreted a chest inside of which is the maze button he stole from Antonio De La Crane. Who had, according to Rambles, gone mad and started consorting with the dead, and doing other very creepy things.
So, there’s a maze button in a chest in the bilges of the Empress of the Sea.
Last bit- every hour the PCs spend in this space and time is an hour that is erased (randomly) from their lives. This could cause issues- for every hour spent here there is a 1% chance that on their return to Castle Argentriver something about the character will have changed.
Changed? How changed?
If a PC finds themselves ‘changed’ then they get to roll a % dice, the higher the roll- the greater the ‘change’. Subject, naturally, to the DMs whims.
So, it’s not without risk- this visit to the Empress of the Sea, oh- and keep in mind it could take them another four hours to get back on board the Castle- tracing their mazes again.
So, here’s the Empress of the Sea.
Although in the image above- ignore the fellows exploring- they’re not present, and the vessel itself is not pulling a wheelie, as depicted- it’s in the water, listing to port a little- but not much. There are no holes in the side of the vessel, the boat- while no longer intact, is still solid/whole.
Oh, and there’s not much water here- the ship is located in a swamp.
The Empress of the Sea however is quite definitely a Shou merchant ship, of high quality (a very long time ago), it is covered in vines and thick vegetation. It has been here for a while.
Here?
The PCs are on the bridge of the ship when they step out of Castle Argentriver, the environment is swampy, misty, wet… and full of life.
Birds call wildly, and loudly- butterflies, flies and other wingy-things, some bursting with colour- others tiny and annoying.
They’re in a swamp, a swamp full of life.
But where are they?
The Dark Squad search their brains and make a few rolls.
Now, foolishly, what happened next here is one of the players, I forget which, said wouldn’t it be mad if they were still in the Mere of the Dead Men (the original location of Castle Argentriver).
That they had spent a year in the Castle learning how to move it through space and time… and they end up a couple of miles up the road from where they started.
That would be a devilish thing for a DM to do.
Fiendish.
I only wish I had thought of it.
Then a pair of PCs make checks and their rolls are garbage- a ‘1’ and a ‘3’ plus (not very good) bonuses from memory- but I get the PCs to roll ‘in the tower’ on Fantasy Grounds, and so only I can see the result of their rolls.
So, they are indeed in the Mere of the Dead Men, about a dozen miles to the east of where they started their journey.
There is delight, followed by incredulity, followed by giggling- the genius of the DM etc.
I spin this out for a while, until Vinnie- not convinced, I keep telling the PCs how warm it is here, and that it is bursting with life, and it was never warm in the Mere of the Dead Men, foetid and stinky- check, but not hot. It was full of life, but not this sort of life- the Mere was full of danger.
Vinnie rolls a ‘20’, and he’s a druid and stacked with bonuses and so when he says-
“Mes amis, we ar not in ze Mere, we ar in Chult!”
Which brings on a little more in the way of consternation- particularly for Newt, his family fled Chult a long time ago. He’s never been here… but he’s heard stories.
The conversation trickles on for a little while- the wonders of Chult, and for wonders read ‘dangers’, the primary of those- dinosaurs.
The Dark Squad are on their guard.
Although not expecting the invitation, a voice- gruff, deep and male, comes from below, from somewhere within the body of the ship, the voice drifting out through the barred hatch (much overgrown) leading down into the hold.
The voice says-
“Come on down, I have been waiting for you.”
Vinnie asks-
“Whoo ar yew?”
“Krell” comes the voice, the word fired right back- although without any hint of malice.
And that’s all the voice says, apart from repeating versions of his first request-
“Come on down, I have been waiting for you.”
Here we all are, but keep in mind I don’t have a map that exactly matches the ship that I was looking for, so… imagination please. It’s Shou, covered in vines- not in the sea, in a swamp, but otherwise- this map will do.
But here’s the thing-
When the PCs first arrived, they were under orders from Ram. The rogue’s orders- “shut up for a bit when we get there, let me listen…”
And so, it comes to pass. Everyone stays silent and listens when they first arrive on the bridge of the vessel.
It’s Ram that hears it. Ram’s rogue-skills (including Perception) are pilled high, he has nothing else, however.
Anyway, there’s someone, or something, moving in the chamber below the area indicated in the image above. Ram rolled a ‘20’.
The PCs are prevaricating.
Note Ram is in silent mode here.
Eventually Daktari rips the hatch open, which takes a moment, and then drops into the passageway below.
The passageway is swathed in webs, with every surface also covered in creeping vines.
There’s an open door ahead, into a chamber- a light present there.
Standing in the chamber is a very sturdy looking half-orc, with a flying snake nestled on his shoulder.
This is Krell.
“I am Krell, I have been expecting you… although, you are late.”
Daktari doesn’t know quite what to say.
Krell.
The rest of the Dark Squad, or else almost all of them- keep reading, enter the passage through the hatch- Daktari helping them down, and tearing away some of the vines and webs.
There are a lot of spiders here.
They seem to be everywhere.
I said almost all of the Dark Squad.
Here we all are again. Note Ram is behind Krell- how did he do that? First off, he observed that there were lots of holes in the deck of the ship, and then after another good roll he managed to find a loose board or two.
I ruled that if he wanted to get below then he would have to remove another board and be incredibly quiet about it.
Ram rolled two checks- one to remove the boards- all good, and the silent-thing, he rolls another ‘20’, I think that’s a ‘32’ with bonuses.
So, Ram drops down behind Krell, and watches his colleagues, although not even they know that he is there.
Oh, but Krell is…
The two webbed upside-down humanoids, that sway slightly every now and then- well, they don’t inspire trust.
Neither, up close, does Krell.
The Dark Squad and Krell chat a while, it’s all fairly amicable.
Krell is not that chatty.
Krell, it is discovered, works for Lolth.
His job title alas is undisclosed.
He refers, and defers, to his Mistress in all things.
Lolth wants a button.
To be clear- a maze button, just one.
Either the one in the chest that sits within the bilges of this vessel, or else one of the buttons that the PCs carry- Vinnie or Ram.
Krell, and Lolth- it is presumed, are prepared to make a deal.
Krell gives the PCs a glimpse of the contents of the chest on the table.
It is chock full of very shiny and very valuable looking things.
Krell, on behalf of Lolth, also offers power.
Magical power, or else a blessing from his Mistress.
It’s all very tempting, only- and for some reason, my usual lever- Newt, is not playing ball.
Neither Ram nor Vinnie are for giving up their buttons.
The next button, we discovered a few turns past- we rolled dice to see who will get the next one, will belong to Daktari.
So, he’s not for giving his button up either.
Then, it gets tetchy or else…
Krell attempts to hose a bunch of the Dark Squad with an Insect Plague.
Note the big chest full of nice things on the table next to Krell, and… the summoning circle- which seems to be active.
In truth Newt went apoplectic at one point in the discussion above. This mainly because Bear went off to get a drink and hadn’t worked out that Krell was not the guardian of the maze button they are here to find.
Newt spent a couple of minutes issuing apoplectic and apocalyptic threats to Krell, unless he hands over the button. Which is of course in the chest, in the bilges- as previously advertised.
Anyway- the warlock finishes his tirade by complementing Krell on the décor, he ‘absolutely adores’ the twitching bodies and the summoning circle, they scream good times, again- according to the mad tabaxi.
So, where were we?
Oh yes, Insect Plague.
Well, that doesn’t work.
Krell was suspicious from the get-go, and so Fellowyn has already let the DM know- if he looks like he’s casting, I’m Counterspelling.
I make Fellowyn roll to see Krell starting his spell, he rolls ‘25’ on his perception check, and then enough to make Krell’s fifth level spell fizzle out before it even gets going.
But…
Ready?
That’s the end of the session.
No really, not contrived- we were 10 past and one of the guy’s was up early on the morrow.
Players- we are doing the Catch the Pidgin game on the 13th (Kev’s away), and then back to this one on the 20th.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #144: Along Came A Spider (or two).
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9
Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9
DEAD PCs
NPCs
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (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
Archimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- 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 Cemetery).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, 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.
This is session 144, and the Dark Squad are aboard the Empress of the Sea, which as it turns out is in a swamp, or else a particularly marshy jungle… in Chult.
That’s nice.
What isn’t nice is Krell.
Although he tries.
Krell is beloved of Lolth, he says as much- repeatedly. Krell has come to bargain with the PCs for a maze button- Lolth wants one, it seems.
Initial negotiations are fraught-
“Give now, or I kill you… I kill you real bad!”
Was, I think, how Krell put it- this after the Dark Squad said no to riches and/or power in exchange for one of their maze buttons, then… well, there was a mishap with an Insect Plague spell (swiftly followed by Fellowyn’s readied Counterspell) and, well… it gets fractious.
Here we all are again. Krell’s Insect Plague spell has just failed and fizzled out.
Then…
Krell unleashes an Entangle spell and then disappears, oh and giant trapdoor spider scurries out of hiding and sinks its jaws into Newt’s backside.
Newt is one or two down from ‘happy’.
The new improved Daktari (now with added greatsword, wild magic and some sort of power attack thingy- he does a shed load of damage when he hits) and Ram take out the first giant spider, only for a second to show up.
Fellowyn gets knocked prone, and then bitten by the aforementioned additional spider- he therefore grabs ahold of Newt’s ankle and Misty Steps up and onto the ship’s deck.
And there’s Krell to greet them. “Krello!”
Newt and Fellowyn go commando- they both find cover and start blasting.
At which point…
Krell’s special friend turns up, and bites Newt who is now not very happy at all.
To note, a little later the PCs figure that the newly revealed spider is of the Phase variety, they only get a brief glimpse of the arachnid, however, keep reading.
Also note, Newt is now so infuriated that from this point on we (me and the other players) can no longer tell what Bear playing Newt is yelling pretty much most of the time. There’s a lot of energy and invective (I think) so… he’s not happy.
And then this happens.
Newt manages to cast Blindness on both Krell and his special spider-friend. The pair, naturally, fail their saves.
A little later the pair duly disappear.
And thereafter continue to make saving throws in order for the Blindness to go away.
Krell makes his save and is back in the action in the last 45 or so minutes of the session.
At the end of the session Krell’s special spider-friend is still not back in the fight- he/she/it is still making, and failing, saves.
Bugger.
But what follows is a delight.
To make clear, a delight- for me.
Let me enlighten.
Newt and Fellowyn’s screams (of delight?) bring the rest of the gang running, or else the Moonboar Misty Steps up onto the deck and…
Swarms of spiders are boiling out of the woodwork and are nibbling on the druid’s companions.
On the lower deck of the ship Ram, Daktari (New Improved) and Ubdug are making their way up to their colleagues, only…
Spiders! Actually, ettercaps- a pair of them either bungee- web- jumping into attack, or else they’re filling the stairs up with webs.
Daktari gets webbed, and bitten, and clawed- he too is furious.
Raging.
And here we all are again. The Moonboar has just bust into the forward cabin- he’s chasing after the disappeared Krell, who may have gone down the stairs in here, or else- he’s disappeared again and is now somewhere else on the ship.
Newt and Fellowyn, in the image above, are still blasting spider swarms. While right at the bottom of the picture you can see the rest of the gang coming up the stairs into the aft cabin, in which the ettercaps lair.
Bear playing Newt update- we can no longer make out anything that he is saying at all.
In the above sentence scratch the word ‘saying’ out and replace it with ‘screaming’.
Why?
Newt is being eaten by spiders. Very lots of them, as you can see he’s bloodied already.
And while that’s all happening at the back of the boat…
Another very pleasantly appointed cabin, and within it yet another giant spider- -which is very quickly destroyed by Ram and a very irate Ubdug.
And yes, that’s an altar/shrine dedicated to Lolth, and scattered around the chamber are the viscera and remains of… well, it seems Krell has not been idle.
But where’s the Moonboar I bet you are asking yourselves.
Vinnie/the Moonboar (still in pursuit of Krell) descends again into the hold/lower decks of the ship, and... yet more spiders, and an ettercap, pay the druid a visit.
And now Vinnie, it seems, is a little less than pleased.
Here he is making his way back through the boat again- now why he went in this direction is absolutely beyond me. He is basically running through the same section of the boat as he was in previously. By which I mean to say- he has not ventured into the forward/northern lower deck of the ship.
Point of fact none of the PCs have ventured into this half of the lower deck.
Everyone has run past it at least once- Vinnie here is on his second circuit.
It’s an oddity to me.
Anyway, see the image above- the Moonboar is charging through the webs and vines, being pursued by various spider-related bad guys.
Then, Krell makes his save, and…
Here we go again.
Newt only just (Dark Ones Own Luck) avoids being Feebleminded.
It’s at this point that the Dark Squad decide that Krell deserves a little more respect.
Although Newt is still just crazy sweary apoplectic.
Oh, and back in the cabin at the rear of the ship-
Everyone is having fun.
Even Fellowyn, who is still up on the deck.
He’s made lots of new friends.
Just to make clear if the creature appears on the map- as above- not in a square but on an intercise then that means they are in the same square as the creature they’re overlapping.
Fellowyn is basically a moving pillar of spiders.
Here’s the thing though- Fellowyn is an extremely agile (for his age) bladesinger, with a great AC. Fellowyn seems to barely notice his newfound spidery friends. I think I managed to hit him only once.
Newt on the other hand…
Newt attempts to blast some of the swarms on Fellowyn using his Belphegor’s Fiery Hide (a version of Fire Shield- he was granted this after delivering 100 fresh souls to Belphegor), this by running through the bladesinger’s square and generating opportunity attacks.
Semi-successful.
Semi-successful because a) Newt had forgotten at this point that he was low on hit points (and had no temporary hit points either)- he hasn’t killed anything yet; and b) he had also forgotten that the spider swarms are dishing out 2d6 damage/hit.
The DM rolls high for damage, and Newt gets bitten a lot, he’s soon down to just about 10 hit points.
Swarms burn.
Oh, but why is Newt attacking swarms of spiders? Where’s Krell?
Exactly, the half-orc just disappeared again.
Meanwhile…
The Moonboar hits the spider things chasing him with a Cone of Cold, they die in their droves, and yet…
Back on the main deck of the Empress of the Sea and there are still more swarms of spiders turning up…
Daktari has been swarmed too, although Fellowyn and Newt are now blasting swarms off themselves.
And that my friends was about three-and-a-half hours of running around with added interludes of craziness, and sprinkled with moments of sweary madness (thanks Bear/Newt).
Krell has taken a couple of hits- nothing major. He’s failed a variety of concentration saves however and has been stripped of his various power-ups.
The phase spider hasn’t been back, it still hasn’t passed its save, it is therefore still in the ethereal plane.
And… more of the same next time, probably.
Note, when Krell appeared again (no longer Blind), then he was much chattier.
“We should talk about dis, let us cease our struggle!”
Krell sounds a lot like Daktari, just so you know.
But the Dark Squad are having none of it- they chat back but, well… it’s not so much chatter as insults (from Newt) and threats from some of the others- or else calls for Krell (and his minions) to cease their struggle first.
But there’s not much sign of that happening, and keep in mind there’s a section of the ship that the Dark Squad has not explored, and… I’ve been holding back a bit on the spiders, so…
Very probably some more of this next session, which is this Tuesday coming (27th).
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
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