The Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh #154 Arcadia Part 2. Dance! Dance!

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #147: Was That Supposed to Happen?

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 147, and the Dark Squad are still aboard the Empress of the Sea, and still fighting for their lives.

More of the same…

Ready?

But just to say having defeated Krell (Half-Orc Druid of Lolth) and his spider-friends, the Dark Squad were hoping for an easier time of it. Then they discovered the chest that they are looking for (it contains another maze button) in the bilges of the boat, and soon after were attacked by a dozen or so ghasts, who in truth didn’t stick around for long.

They also discovered that the chest weighs 400lbs and has no lock and no specific way of opening it, it seems to be a solid object. Closer investigation, by Ram, and there are three (maze button shaped) depressions/slots on the upper rear of the chest.

The Dark Squad have only got two maze buttons, although the two pygmy albino dwarves Vinnie rescued last week gave the druid a… well, not a maze button- just an object (made of stone) smoothed and shaped and etched to look exactly like a maze button.

After some heavy hinting, see last session’s write up, the PCs have figured out that they can use their two maze buttons, and the gifted replica maze button to open the chest.

They think.

Suckers.

You’ll see.

As they did.

It’s also worth mentioning that Newt- in his desire to do away with the undead bastard ghasts (he got surrounded very quickly), dropped a Synaptic Static spell on himself (and 4-5 ghasts) and duly failed his save. The terrifying (usually, he’s a bit quiet- meek and mild atm) tabaxi is -6 on most things atm. Also, the save to throw off the spell’s effects is a DC 17, and he’s -6 on his rolls remember.

I’ll save you the worry, he doesn’t make his save, the spell runs its full course- 10 turns.

Oh, and while I’m popping balloons- we’re still fighting at the end of this session too, so- it’s just another hefty portion of violence, who would have thunk it.

One last item on the agenda- at present something very large, the PCs think, is trying to tip or else roll-over the boat, and the various members of the Dark Squad are mostly in the bilges so… think washing machine.

Saves are being made- most turns from hereon in, or at least for a bit.

Go…

Fellowyn is closest to the exit, he dashes out of the cabin, while the boat is only rocking slightly and then leaps up to peer through the hole in the deck here, created by Daktari earlier, ostensibly to have a look what’s going on outside.

The creature- on the left, is eighty feet tall, it seems to be some sort of titanic slow moving (it undulates and shuffles on its myriad creeper lower limbs), ponderous, plant-like abomination. It’s massive vine/creeper/tentacle upper limbs (there are over a dozen of them) are clutching and scraping at the exterior of the ship- reaching around the vessel. Either trying to tip, infiltrate, or else crush the Empress of the Sea.

Possibly to crack it open to get at the squishy goodness that’s within.

Aka The Dark Squad.

The jungle also seems to have crept a lot closer to the boat and is continuing to close in- the only light present comes from the massive plant beast’s eyes, maw and just a circle of bright blue/white light up above- this is daylight, or else what’s left of it to see.

The jungle is looking to swallow/crush etc. the Empress of the Sea and the Dark Squad.

Just a brief word about the Squad- Vinnie/the Moonboar’s doing okay-ish; Ram is feeling a little better now- he just took a hefty beating mostly from a phase spider; Daktari has one rage left but is pretty much healed back to full; Fellowyn has just two spell slots left, he too has spent all of his healing.

Newt is pretty screwed: -6 on most things, one spell slot left, and on approx. 10 hit points- he did get healed almost to full but then the ghast’s got busy on him. As I said previously, he’s a little subdued atm. Not his usual shouty and threatening self. Shame.

The first comment in Discord this evening from Jim was taking bets on how long it’s going to be before Newt runs away.

So, and again, as I said last session- the main event has arrived.

Strap in.

The Tentacled Horror, in all of its glory- or else some of it. I started with a Nord Games monster of the same name and then just started adding, or else doubling stuff.

The creature makes yawning trilling sounds as it manoeuvres and investigates.

It’s incredibly ponderous to begin with (three tentacle attacks, +12 or so to hit, 2d6+something damage with a DC 18 Dex save to escape grapple et al). Note the creature speeds up as the fight goes on- gaining an additional attack every new turn.

By the end of the session, it is making ten attacks/turn, and with lots of other stuff going on too.

It’s the toughest creature, so far, on the Dark Squad’s adventures, certainly numbers-wise, but let’s see.

So, initial reactions to the Tentacled Horror are mostly negative. Fellowyn wants out- and away, and quickly.

But there’s the chest, and so…

Daktari manages at last to drag the 400lb chest out of the bilges, Ram gives his maze button to Vinnie (and then heads off upstairs to have a look at the Tentacled Terror for himself). The druid sticks the two maze buttons and the recently acquired replica in the three slots on the back of the chest, and…

The chest blinks out of existence.

Taking the Dark Squad’s two maze buttons with it.

Which only occurs to the assembled gawkers a minute or two later.

At which point Newt utters the title of this session.

“Was that supposed to happen?”

The answer to this question is of course no.

There is swearing.

A tremendous amount of swearing.

For a good long while.

Oh, and Ubdug has disappeared too.

Most odd.

A decision is made- abandoned ship, the Dark Squad also remember that without the maze buttons they can’t get back in/on Castle Argentriver, and so now they’re stuck in Chult.

In short- they’re screwed.

That got turned around rather quickly.

Vinnie cannot believe the present turn of events, and he thinks he knows how the DM’s mind works- the Moonboar therefore spends the next two turns heading back into the bilges in search of the chest- he figures it has just ported back to its original location.

It hasn’t.

Daktari has smashed through the hull/woodwork of the ship and is looking to get away, Fellowyn- on deck- is also trying to work out if the plant-thing maybe just wants to be friends. The creature is (again) very ponderous (just getting warmed up) all it has done so far is (repeatedly) tip the ship up a bit.

Newt on the lower deck has just kick started his flying broom- he’s off.

The Moonboar, in the image above, has just said something like-

“It cannot be zo!”

In his gruff, snorting, French accent- and is just about to dive back into the bilges in search of the chest again.

There’s a little more boat rocking from the beast- and then…

Ram makes his move.

Shadow of the Colossus style, the rogue leaps onto and then begins to climb up the now slightly faster but still flailing limbs of the great plant beast.

Fellowyn targets the thing. This image made everyone giggle- he's a big lad.

Then blasts it.

Note Fellowyn isn’t actually here on the map, he just wanted a picture of his PC next to a blood drop.

It can be killed.

Therefore… as Ram yells to the plant-thing, or maybe down to his colleagues-

“Time to die!”

This as he clambers up the plant titan, heading for its eyes.

Daktari rages for the last time, and in doing so gains a bonus action teleport manoeuvre courtesy of his wild magic, what a time to roll this power on the table.

The Tentacled Horror manages to grab Daktari and then flail and batter at Ram. It’s a DC 18 Dex save to avoid the grab- Ram never fails his save.

But then… blink and Daktari is ungrabbed in a trice, courtesy of his wild magic he teleports away.

“Bastard!”

The Moonboar/Vinnie has just ascertained that the chest is not back in the bilges of the Empress of the Sea.

The DM has screwed them over, he concludes.

Correct. But only a little… keep reading.

Let me catch you up, that pinkish line that’s between the Tentacle Horror and the boat, and slightly under the former’s token, is Newt’s (I think) newly conjured Wall of Fire- keep in mind that the wall is twenty feet high but on the ground- the deck of the boat here is just short of twenty feet above the marsh below, so the flames are not obscuring much.

The Tentacled Horror trills and shivers its disapproval but otherwise seems content to continue the fight.

It has a lot of hit points.

I mean… well, you’ll see.

Oh, and in the image above Newt has been grabbed by a tentacle- he was trying to escape on his flying broom (Jim wins his bet). Daktari has also been grabbed again.

Newt is looking peaky.

He’s been having a rough time of it of late, poor lamb.

The fighting goes on- I have skipped a good twenty pictures here because, well- this is what’s been happening.

Ram has just landed a Crit Sneak enhanced 49 damage whammo. He is however taking hits most turns however his saving throws are such that he’s never grabbed.

Daktari gets grabbed most turns, then he teleports away again and resumes his hacking at the beast- and he’s delivering big hits with his semi-broken power attack thing.

The Tentacled Horror is also taking bites out Daktari- although ‘bite’ is not quite right, the giant aberrant plant beast seems content to briefly shove grappled folk into its tentacled maw, suck on them a bit (for 1d10+6 bludgeoning) damage and then, still tentacle-grappled, pull the offending PC back out of its maw for closer examination.

Most odd.

Except the ‘bite’ attack has no to hit- it’s just extra damage and also instigates a DC 15 Con save- poison you see.

Daktari doesn’t ever fail this save.

The Moonboar? He gets grabbed a moment or two after clambering onto the Tentacled Horror, and seconds later popped into the great beast’s maw for a licking. It doesn’t help that he fails his save, every turn- and some turns more than once, from hereon after.

And so, between moments of being sucked like a lozenge by an eighty-foot tree bastard the Moonboar is not doing so well. The poison causes the sudden onset of insanity, with varying results- there’s a table.

For three turns or more the Moonboar takes to worshipping the great plant beast- making proclamations of love and adoration in his snorting French accent. He tries to flee in fear once- the plant pulls him straight back, while in-between times he lies maudlin and depressed in the beast’s clutches, unable to contemplate any action at all.

The insanity poison’s effect is in game turns- stunned plus roleplay this…

At the end of the session the Moonboar has made exactly zero attack rolls.

Fellowyn alternates between getting grabbed, getting free again, and doing his Bladesinger stuff. He’s harder to hit when he’s in full Bladesinger mode, and so he suffers less.

And Newt? Well, eventually he gets far enough away on his flying broom to hover, snarl and swear (quietly) while filling his face with potions of Greater Healing, he spends at least four turns doing this (and nothing else) this session.

Note the Tentacled Horror has a one-hundred-foot reach and pretty much unlimited tentacles, so… it’s not easy to get away.

But in the image above there are three blood drops on the beast- it’s officially bloodied, and Fellowyn has been counting the damage that the PCs have been putting out. He’s also noted that the Tentacled Horror is also regenerating, but at only ten hit points/turn that’s not really (atm) a concern. The Wizard thinks the enemy has at least 500 hit points, more likely nearer 600.

If only that were true.

Newt flies too close and gets grabbed again.

But hang on- Ram is off the plant beast, he’s back on the deck of the Empress of the Sea and running away- what’s going on here? Well, the rogue has spotted and heard something.

He is at present screaming at his companions to get away.

What has Ram heard and/or seen?

The noise- a reedy whistling sound that starts in the background and then inches its way towards the main stage.

Next turn the rest of the PCs are going to hear it too.

Ram looks up- there’s just a small circle of daylight up above, the rest is the black of the jungle reaching up and over to trap the PCs in remember.

And in the circle of light above is a little black dot.

The little black dot is not content with being a little black dot, it is getting bigger.

Someone (not very bright) shouts ‘Starfall’ which makes the DM grimace. Starfall- as discussed, a dozen or more times is going to happen back in the Mere of the Dead Men and is only instigated when the Dark Squad light the beacon at the Witch’s Tor.

But the sentiment holds true.

A little black dot is indeed falling into the clearing in which the Dark Squad fight the Tentacled Horror. So, still fairly astute.

Then a sound like the end of the world- just after the cessation of the whistling, followed by smashing and crashing and…

The chest is back.

It smashes through the prow of the ship, collapsing all of the decks below and causing the boat to tip and stagger (pull a wheelie), seconds later Ram is sliding (in a semi-controlled) fashion towards the chest.

The chest is the same chest recently recovered from the bilges of the Empress of the Sea.

Identical.

Save for the fact that chest is now somewhere in the region of forty feet high, about the same in width- perhaps a little wider, and maybe thirty feet deep.

It’s a big chest.

The Dark Squad circle around the following, now much over-used here, phrase-

WTF?

KLONG!

Followed by…

KLONG!

There is something in the chest, best guess it wants out.

Keep in mind there’s still lots of fighting going on here- the Moonboar is still doolally, and many of the other PCs have taken a variety of beatings.

The Tentacled Horror is probably making seven or eight attacks per turn at the moment- tentacle grabs, tentacle smashes and sucky-licky tentacle maw ‘bites’.

About thirty minutes later, which is very much towards the end of the session we get to here-

It’s going down. Daktari delivers another 57 damage, and he’s raging, power attacking and Hasted atm.

It’s also worth remarking-

Ram is critically wounded, so rare is this George (playing Fellowyn) takes a screenshot.

Also, the PCs are starting to fret because if you look back at the last image of the Tentacled Horror up above then you’ll note that all four blood drops are filled in, that means that the things is 75% dead.

Well, it’s at this point that one of the PCs notices that now only three of the four blood drops are filled in.

The creature is regenerating (or something else) at a much (much) greater rate- oddly it has been doing this for the last few turns, it’s only now that the PCs have noticed it.

The Tentacled Horror is actually growing but shh… the PCs have not (until now) figured this out.

I’ve been hinting at it- point of fact I’ve been telling them, but they’ve been pretty busy with ongoing events, so I’ll forgive them for missing this.

The Tentacled Horror’s hit point maximum is increasing by quite a chunk every turn.

Then one more-

KLONG

And then a hero arrives to save the day.

Mega-Ubdug, the Zeromaker.

Do you see that clutch of D4’s in the top left corner of the image above- Mega-Ubdug has just entered Windmill Rage- that’s four attacks/turn and at 10d4+4 bludgeoning each time.

Mega-Ubdug is a thirty-foot-tall Transformer-style battle robot.

Screaming in his Dalek-like annoying voice-

“I am the Zeromaker!”

“I am the Supreme Being!”

Mega-Ubdug in action, and you’ll note the Tentacled Horror has no longer got all four filled-in blood drops.

But not for long…

The Dark Squad are rallying, and now they’re all on song (except for the Moonboar- he’s still completely out of it).

We’re in sight of the finish line.

But that’s the end of the session.

More fun next time, although Kev’s not with us for the next session so it’s the Alt Game next Tuesday (24th), and then back to the Dark Squad the week after.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #148: Button Up.

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 148, and the Dark Squad are blah-blah the Empress of the Sea, blah-blah fighting for their lives.

More of the same then…

It’s a short one but not without its moments of panic.

Here’s the Tentacled Horror in all of its glory.

Newt (on his flying broom) has at last managed to get far enough away to be able to blast the beast from a distance and not get grabbed by its 100-foot long reaching tentacles. Newt is very low on hit points, but that’s been the case for maybe 3-4 sessions now.

Ram is on the deck of the ship, using his bow to great effect, he too is really not very well.

The Moonboar is completely out of it- he did nothing at all last session except worship the Tentacled Horror. He is, to all intents and purposes, Stunned and temporarily insane. So, not great.

Fellowyn and Daktari are doing the Shadow of the Colossus thing, clambering over/around the great plant beast and stabbing/blasting it. They too are both low on hit points.

Oh…

That’s Mega-Ubdug. He’s screaming “I am the Zeromaker” in his dalek-like voice and windmilling (10d4+4 bludgeoning damage, two attacks/turn) the Horror.

Here’s a better picture of the set up.

The Dark Squad are doing it, but keep in mind that the Tentacled Horror has been ‘growing’ (adding 100 more hit points to its maximum) for the last four turns- but now this power is all used up. It’s pretty much spent- although it’s also just made twelve attacks on its last turn.

Note the Dark Squad have noticed that the jungle around the Tentacled Horror is dying, the creature is some sort of despoiler, it’s sucking the life out of the nearby vegetation.

But we’re close to the end now, although…

Then Daktari gets grabbed, crushed a bit, and then licked- and now the Sky Pony barbarian is also subject to the same temporary insanity as Vinnie/Moonboar.

The barbarian is also now critically wounded.

Ram, on the cantered deck (it’s now at 45 degrees) of the Empress of Sea, is making his bow attacks count.

Here’s both of Jim’s PCs, the poison affecting the Moonboar has just caused him to go blind, a side effect of the toxin- just to make clear if he makes his save next turn then the blindness is gone but he’s still insane. If he fails his save next turn then… he gets another deleterious effect, things get worse for him.

The Moonboar and Daktari pay no further part in what follows- they are insane (and worse) throughout.

So, we’re down to just three PCs in the fight.

Keep in mind that the Tentacled Horror is still trying to share out its dozen or so attacks but now it has only four targets, although it continues to lick and slaver over the Moonboar and Daktari every turn. The three remaining PCs and Mega-Ubdug therefore take the majority of the beating that follows.

Ram is not doing well, if it wasn’t for his- a) Uncanny Dodge, and b) the fact that he keeps making the Dex save to avoid being grabbed up and licked by the Tentacle Horror, well… he’d be insane or dead by now.

Ram has never failed this save, and he was the first into the fight, he’s been making DC 18 Dex saves, sometimes two or three/turn, for the past fifteen or so turns.

Fellowyn is less fortunate. He’s dying. Crushed by a tentacle.

Just to say around the table at this point there’s still a degree of confidence, this because the DM has been telling the PCs each turn how much damage, so far, they have done to the Tentacled Horror.

“786 hit points damage done.”

“812”

“981”

And its at this point that the Dark Squad are certain- not far to go, they figure the DM has given the creature exactly 1,000 hit points.

It’s the kind of thing he/I would do.

Apparently.

So, there’s a point when Fellowyn has a choice, attack- or else get away, and he’s on six hit points again, so getting away is a definite option, but the creature- the collective wisdom is, has only 19 hit points left-

1000 – 981 = 19.

So, Fellowyn sticks around and keeps fighting, he delivers maybe 22 hit points damage this turn, and… the Tentacled Horror still lives.

The black mood hits hard.

Newt keeps up a steady chant throughout-

“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no…”

I gave the Tentacled Horror 1,014 hit points, just because of the above.

So, just after crushing Fellowyn (see above) the Horror finally succumbs to damage inflicted by Newt’s ongoing Wall of Fire.

The tabaxi warlock spends the next thirty or so seconds screaming obscenities and uttering foul oaths- while constantly bigging himself up. Alas he is approx. 150 feet away from the fight during his tirade time (and when Bear shouts his microphone cuts out), and so all the other PCs can see is Newt crazily flapping his arms, gesticulating wildly while just managing to hang onto his flying broom.

But then Fellowyn (although he’s unconscious of course) works out what comes next.

What goes up must come down.

Note the further up the Tentacled Horror’s token the PC is, the further they are away from the ground.

The Tentacled Horror, in its dying moment, seems to implode- it’s outer skin/bark instantly hardens, atrophies, and the strain of keeping itself up- the sudden weight on its brittle exoskeleton is too much.

It shatters and collapses.

Sending Mega-Ubdug, the Moonboar, Daktari and the Fellowyn tumbling.

Although to a soft-ish landing in the swamp.

Note the insanity affecting the Moonboar and Daktari is instantly gone. Although Vinnie is still blind.

Then its falling damage.

It’s a hard landing.

Daktari survives by the skin of his teeth, he’s down to two hit points. Fellowyn on the other hand is dying some more, but- thanks to Ram screaming and letting folk know that the wizard is down and dying, the blinded (still) Moonboar manages to get to the eladrin and heal him a little, enough to curtail the death saves.

That got close.

It required a very good roll from the blind Moonboar to find the body of the broken wizard, he rolls a ‘20’.

We got very close to another new PC for George.

Then…

The massive chest that crushed the front of the ship, and from which Mega-Ubdug emerged, well… it shrinks back to its former size.

Then Mega-Ubdug disappears.

We’ll get back to the chest in a minute or two.

Then… at long last, rest.

Although it’s only a brief rest because the PCs have remembered that they are up against the clock here, the longer they spend outside of Castle Argentriver the greater the chance that they are somehow ‘changed’ on their return to reality, see previous for a fuller explanation.

So, after just enough healing to keep on going we get to here.

Although, the Moonboar takes a while to have a look at the remains of the Tentacled Horror, the creature is some sort of alien aberration, and by alien the druid means not of/from Faerun.

“It iz a cree-chure from beyond ze starz!”

He grunts at his colleagues, although nobody else is much bothered about this fact.

Perhaps they should be.

We get on.

The chest, within which is the object of this adventure- another maze button.

Keep in mind in the image above the reality is the chest is in the swamp/jungle, the ship’s prow has been crushed (when the mega-chest landed on it).

So, first thing of note the chest now has a base and a lid- it can now be opened.

Next thing to note, after scrabbling around in the swamp close to where it landed the Dark Squad recover their two maze buttons, and the fake maze button given to Vinnie by the albino dwarves. They used these three items to open the chest remember.

Next thing to note- and this is an odd one.

The chest was incredibly heavy, 400lbs- Daktari was struggling to shift it, and he’s by far the strongest member of the group.

Well, the chest is no longer heavy, I mean it weighs about thirty or forty pounds- it’s a sturdy, solid metal object, so… the weight is about right now.

The Squad figure this out when they shift the object onto higher and drier ground.

Then, very gingerly, and after more checks they open it.

Inside is another chest.

I small-ish sea chest, as used by a sailor.

The smaller chest is removed from the larger, which takes some doing- the smaller chest weighs, well- 400lbs. It’s heavy.

Odd that.

Fellowyn, smart lad, figures it out- the big chest is a Chest of Holding, of some sort. He’s right, he often is.

So, the sea chest has some markings on it, and its locked, and according to Ram quite definitely trapped- some sort of mechanism protecting the lock.

The markings are quickly identified by Ram.

In translation-

Propery of Rambles Shambles Bowspirit. Stay Out!

This is Rambles'/the Swarm’s chest.

The one they have been looking for.

Ram spends some time, and then rolls something like- 17, 19 & 20 in sequence.

The trap is found, identified and disarmed, then- click- the sea chest is open.

The chest is full of gold coins.

Full to the brim.

It’s a lot of gold.

Later the Dark Squad will count the haul, just short of 10,000gp.

Keep in mind I am very sparing with the treasure; this represents my typical reward for two to three medium sized adventures- about 15-20 or so sessions of play.

It’s a lot, a lot.

But here’s the thing- the PCs are looking for a Maze Button, and so they dive in- but then something moves in the chest.

There’s something in there- stirring the gold, and…

Daktari grabs into the golden hoard and drags out… Ubdug.

Ubdug has the third Maze Button in his other hand, he/it hands it over to Daktari.

Success.

The PCs however are keen to get away, as is the DM- keep in mind they have to roll lots of Wisdom saving throws, and all succeed in the same turn, in order to summon and re-enter Castle Argentriver.

It took them two hours to exit the Castle last time.

It takes ten minutes to achieve this time around, it’s much easier with three Maze Buttons.

We get to here.

Which is where we need to be.

Because that’s the end of the session.

Oh, but just to say on re-entering Castle Argentriver all of the PCs have to roll a percentile dice, there is a 4% chance that something about them has changed- 4% because the PCs sojourn in the jungle/swamp of Chult lasted for four hours.

And…

No takers, Daktari comes close- he rolled a 06. Close, but I promise you I’m going to get one of them before the end… just you wait and see.

More fun next time, including a new incarnation of Ubmo/Ubdug to look forward to.

Although next week (8th) it’s the Alt Game (no George), the week after (15th) is a week off, and then on the 22nd we’re back to the Dark Squad.

See my e-mail for what comes next and the Xmas Warhammer RPG game.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

Well done for getting the PCs right down to the wire.

I got one of my (12th level) party members down to single figures last session, but it's the closest I've been for a while. I clearly need to up my game.

 

[Goonalan]

Mega-Ubdug, an explanation.​

I feel the need to explain...

Every now and then I ask the PCs 'What's going on here?', just to see what they are thinking- about the plot/story etc.

The oft repeated answer involves, and this from all of the players, that we are working towards some epic finale involving a giant dragon/snake/primordial/god versus the Dark Squad either inside, or else fighting alongside, some titanic robot/transformer type creature-

Mega-Ubdug!

Of late they've been getting obsessed with the coming of the Mega-Ubdug.

So, the last fight put paid to that idea, I got fed up with them going on about the robot/transformer thing.

That's not it. That's not where we are going, and so players- think again.

That's all the giant robot (I'm 99% sure- never say never) you are getting.

Oh, and just to say after the fight above the players were, for the first time for a long time, suitably cowed, there was a lot of- 'that was...', followed by a trailing into silence. Or else a few choice swear words.

They really didn't like the Tentacled Horror, and I think from this side of the DM screen that was about the fact that the fight, even at the end, was just getting harder. I enjoyed their reaction immensely, it felt like my reward.

Cheers Goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #149: To the Witch’s Tor.

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 149, and the Dark Squad are having a fine old time of it, to begin with…

In the previous sessions they defeated the Tentacled Horror (an alien aberrant, Vinnie later confirms- after study) and have since nipped back on board their time travelling and newly acquired abode- Castle Argentriver.

And keep in mind that time doesn’t exist here, or else- it does, but the clocks here are somehow not connected to the clocks back in the real world, and so… none of the time here actually counts for/to anything.

Yeah, that’s right- so far behind are we with the actual plot/story et al I, the benign (mostly) DM, has had to introduce a time-bending magical thingummybob just to get us back on track-ish.

Fingers-crossed.

So, the Dark Squad- back in the castle, and first off, they meet up with…

Ub-Pam.

Ub-Pam is quickly identified by Fellowyn as a Pentadrone, a five armed/fronded/eyed/legged/etc. Modron.

Ub-Pam is voiced by the great Pam Ayres, Vogons beware.

Ub-Pam therefore speaks in a soft dithering Oxfordshire accent, and always in rhyming couplets (but nothing too saucy), often employing odd-sounding word endings- used to leap the rhyming gap or else hammer the point home (see the great Mark E. Smith-ahh for the masterclass).

“Oi, loiks tha look ov yew Dak-tar-Eeee,
We shud go monster huntin tergevver, on Sar-far-Reee!”

More remarkably I managed to keep this nonsense up for about twenty or so minutes, at least until we got onto the next bit of tonight’s offering.

At some point, and it’s Newt that spots it, Ub-Pam lets slip that she’s working for, in her words ‘the Concordant Divinity’, for the life of me I can’t remember what I rhymed with ‘divinity’.

Infinity? Maybe.

Newt hounds Ub-Pam for a very short while about this verbal slip- who is the Concordant Divinity? But and this is often the case, Newt digs for info (usually from harmless NPCs) in the most violent, monstrous and threatening manner possible. It begins with threats of immolation and gets less wholesome from there… the result, most often, is whichever NPC is suffering this barrage is instantly taken under the wing of one of the other members of the Dark Squad.

Most often it’s Vinnie that interrupts and attempts to rescue whatever NPC that is being harangued by Newt.

Therefore, Newt’s interrogations, very mostly, come to naught.

It saves me a lot of work because quite often he asks very good questions.

Ub-Pam is bunking up with Daktari, he’s the holder of newly acquired, the third, maze button- and so Ub-Pam will be there for the big haired barbarian from hereon in.

That’s nice.

And so, we move on, after intros-

The Dark Squad have a few downtime things they want to do, although in truth that boils down to the following- Vinnie gets cooking in his alchemy lab, brewing potions; while the rest of the Dark Squad scream and shout (possibly under Vinnie’s door) their specific requirements re: potions. As REM put it- ‘everyone hurts’, and the Tentacled Horror put it best of all. The Dark Squad (some of them) have gone real deep on their resources.

The druid/pharmacist is therefore put to work.

Then, and keep in mind that these sessions are generally 3.5 hours long, then… we spend two long hours shopping.

To make clear, the Dark Squad have got an entire Bag of Holding full of stuff to sell, they’ve been accumulating, and… the chest (found in the bilges of the Empress of the Sea) that had the third maze button in it, also contained 10,000gp. This represents more money than the PCs have ever had, conjure me a sentence with the following words in it- ‘pockets’, and ‘burning’, and ‘holes’.

Of course they go shopping, and of course they take two hours to do it.

Although that’s not entirely true.

Ram wants for nothing, and so there’s nothing that he wants. Ram therefore does other stuff- he stays aboard the castle.

The rest of the Dark Squad descend upon Waterdeep and do the shopping/wild thing.

There are no pictures to accompany this section of tonight’s activity, needless to say- the Squad- sell, sell, sell! Followed by- buy, buy, buy!

By the time the gang get back on board Castle Argentriver, I think, Daktari and Fellowyn are back to being broke again.

Note, the Dark Squad have to roll again- a percentage dice, every time they get back on board Castle Argentriver. There’s a 1% chance for every hour they’ve been away that something about them will have changed on their return- a strange twist of time thing.

Well, Fellowyn was ashore the longest- nine hours spent shopping, and so he has a 9% chance of some unalterable change, and he rolled a ‘11’, close but no cigar. But every time I’m making certain that the players are very aware. If this goes wrong, I am going to mess with their PCs something awful (potentially- the dice will decide).

Then, at long last, we head to the Witch’s Tor, the next step on the time-travelling tour.

Note, they were supposed to be doing the Goblin Stare/Stair next, but that got voted down in favour of the Witch’s Tor.

Shhh…. It’s starting.

At bloody last.

The Witch’s Tor is… foggy doesn’t cover it- and keep in mind this is a still image, in game the thick fog bank moves across the screen in a suffocating blanket.

Also, the PCs Darkvision has been dialed down to 20 feet, so- they can’t see much.

They’ve got their Rary’s talk-to-each-other-in-your-head-space spell going on, I forget what it’s called.

Ram is, of course, sent ahead- and sending back a commentary- but he’s taking his time, going slow- very cautious.

The fog/mist/whatever is wet and all encompassing, underfoot is soft wet and green- mostly lush grass, although there’s also lots of broken stone- it’s a rock formation and it’s going up, it’s a tor.

Who would have guessed it.

Ram does a little climbing, up a series of ledges- he’s heading to the top.

There’s something up there.

A trio of standing stones, and some form of inscribed magic circle.

The rest of the Dark Squad, by hook or by crook, make their way up to the top of the Witch’s Tor.

Oh, but let’s just take a step back for a moment, before heading here the DM (back on Castle Argentriver) asked the players the following question-

“What’s at the Witch’s Tor? Why are you going there? To do what?”

The answers took a while, but… they had 50% plus of most everything.

In precis-

The Witch’s Tor is some ancient elven constructed redoubt, with a beacon, a beacon to signal what is alas unknown, except to say that lighting the beacon will summon/cause the star to fall (or starfall). The starfall is a good thing- it’s part of the plan- possibly Ub’s plan, and the PCs know where the star will fall- they’ve been to the very spot in the Mere of the Dead Men.

The Witch’s Tor is something to do with the Pact of the Flame elves- they built it, perhaps. The Pact of the Flame were an ancient elven group/organisation which may have been a precursor (or something similar) to the Dark Squad (and its myriad variants).

They’re certainly something to do with what’s going on here.

The big plot thing. The story.

Lastly, a couple of folk (Sehanine Moonbow, Goddess & Sauriv, the old Lizardman) have both warned the Squad that the Witch’s Tor is (or was) the home to either a very nasty wizard, or else some very nasty magic.

So, be warned.

Back to the here and then, with the Dark Squad on the Witch’s Tor.

They’ve been investigating the magic circle, standing stones, and the surrounds, and in summary-

Things sound funny up here- when the Dark Squad talk out loud there’s a dull echo of everything that they say. The echo rather oddly- and suddenly, on the second/third/fourth/fifth repeat- cuts off, sometimes mid-word.

Next, the magic within the circle is dead- inert, defunct- it ain’t working.

There is however a repeated line of ancient flowery elven script worked into one of the rings of the circle.

It says, after a good ten minutes spent by a variety of folk investigating, transcribing and then translating-

Time is a River.

The Dark Squad are intrigued- they delve further and make more skill checks.

They soon discover that there’s another line of the same flowery ancient elven text, the writing however is much much smaller- and therefore much much more difficult to read, transcribe, etc.

The Dark Squad are however dedicated- it takes a lot of rolling to get to the following, there are six phrases written below the repeated ‘Time is a River’.

The phrases are-

The river can be forded many times.

The river can be swum, up or down water.

The river flows to all places and all times.

The river is everywhere, and everywhen.

The river is the truth but only for the moment.

Beware! There are crocodiles in the river.

Keep in mind the above cost the Dark Squad another forty or so minutes off-Castle, and so their various imagined (or otherwise) meanings are considered, for a good long while.

“Time iz a reevur, n’est pas? We kan cross time, we kan move back an fort- it iz talkin about ze Castle Argentriver, I am sur-ten.” Vinnie is convinced, there’s a lot of head nodding going on.

Note, the thing about crocodiles is… it just makes the Dark Squad (mostly Newt) mad every time they are mentioned.

And so, I just want to take a moment, or else to lodge a few questions in a player (or two’s) brain/s.

There’s been a lot of talk about a man and a crocodile, and some chat about the pair crossing a river. The man carrying the crocodile. That all got said pretty much at the start of this story- in the Dark Squad’s second adventure.

There’s been a lot more about the ‘man and the crocodile’ ever since, it’s a recurring theme and/or image.

There’s probably a reason for it.

What would a man look like carrying a crocodile?

Man’s legs- crocodile head/upper body.

Maybe.

What does Ashardalon look like?

Nine foot tall, a cross between an elf and a dragon.

With elf/humanoid legs, and a dragon or else, a scaled/reptilian face and upper body.

Just an idea I’m putting out there.

Oh, and crossing a river… something to do with time?

Just things to consider.

Back to the session-

Then, after a lot more chatter Fellowyn rolls something like ‘28’ on one of his checks- note Fellowyn’s skill checks are on fire all night, lots of big scores- anyway, Fellowyn delves into ancient elven history and comes up with a plan.

It’s as simple as this- there’s a way into the tor, because- there must be a complex beneath the tor. That’s where the magic is, that’s where they need to go to get the beacon lit.

Here’s a strange picture.

Vinnie is sat cross-legged by the inert ancient stone circle; he’s mumbling his way through the ten-minute incantation that is his Commune with Nature ritual.

He’s going to find the way into the tor.

Newt puts up with this nonsense for exactly thirty seconds, and then gets onto his flying broom and screams about the tor in random bursts yelling the following.

“It’s bound to be on the bloody map… spread out and search you donkeys!”

His logic is faultless.

Newt finds an obviously man-made, there’s brickwork down there, depression and in there he can see a stone door- leading into the tor.

Vinnie has only just finished the first ying-yang of his ritual.

Just a brief note- it took a lot longer than you’d thing to find the way in, for a while my screen just looked like the Dark Squad are recreating a spooky looking/Halloween flight of the bumble bee(s).

The Dark Squad discover a way down into the delve.

Here they all are- and I’ve turned the fog machine off.

There’s a little investigation of the exterior, and what do you know- Fellowyn’s dice are on fire.

So, here’s the first/next oddity- the building work is here to buttress the tor, it’s ancient- oddly in good-ish repair (or else very well made), but- and here’s the stranger- it’s dwarven workmanship. Fellowyn’s certain.

Dun-Dun-Derr.

Then Daktari ricks his shoulder.

He did the run-up, shoulder-charge thing- this after Ram ascertains that the door here is neither trapped, nor locked, but is however a hefty slab of stone and difficult to open.

Daktari is defeated by a door.

Fellowyn gets it open.

DC 12. For info, all the doors are.

It’s a tomb. Ram, as ever, leads the way in.

To here. There are two more stone doors (going south) in the corridor ahead.

Just to say it’s ancient and much worn dressed stone, although there’s a layer of dirt and grime on everything. It’s dry in here- slightly oddly as it’s very wet outside. There are a few spider webs (all small), a lot of scattered broken bone (elven, Vinnie checks) and… it’s as quiet as the grave.

That is until the Thud!

With an oddly much louder echo.

Which brings all the adventurers to a halt.

The sound has no discernible source, except to say it came from somewhere ahead, somewhere not explored yet.

A little later there’s a grinding noise (with accompanying echo), and yes- as Daktari discovers (the hard way)-

The grinding noise was the entrance door closing behind the Dark Squad. That’s Daktari’s second shoulder-charge ‘1’ in a row. The big barbarian has just dislocated his shoulder.

Note the -2 on the above check was after his first injury.

Fellowyn, I think, gets the outer door back open.

DC 12. For info, all the doors are.

Back to Ram, and after much checking of the doors in the passage.

Daktari lets Ram take over door opening duties for a while.

The big barbarian is not having a good day, he is bringing great shame upon himself/his clan/etc.

We’re in.

A tomb, with exotic flowery patterns- barely visible inlay and ornamentation- in the walls and the floor, as spotted and explained by Fellowyn, after another great roll, all very ancient and elven- it all fits (except for the obviously dwarven stonework).

This chamber however has two surprises for the Dark Squad to discover, or else for them to deliver unto themselves.

While Daktari is getting a little healing, and his shoulder popped back into its socket, Newt rushes into the chamber- having spotted the sarcophagus, and knocking Ram aside en route, somehow in his haste he manages to dislodge a broken portion of the tomb’s stone lid, which falls into the dust filled sarcophagi. The tabaxi is engulfed in dust, and left coughing and choking, and for a while hidden from sight in the unleashed cloud.

Alas the coughing and spluttering doesn’t go away.

The Dark Squad have been trying to keep quiet (mostly) to this point, hence them using telepathy to communicate. Well, that goes out of the window, a moment after being healed by Vinnie, Newt starts shouting threats and then Eldritch Blasts the ancient sarcophagi into chunks.

It’s at this point the PCs remember the sound/echo thing that has been going.

The echoed sound of the explosion is horrendous.

Fellowyn fails his saving throw.

His ear drums burst.

He’s deaf.

There is arguing, although most of it swearing and threats in telepathic, and a little player on player.

To be clear, there were no traps in this room.

This was/is an empty room.

The events that transpired?

100% Dark Squad.

Of course, I took advantage of the situation- but that’s my job.

We move on.

It takes Daktari three double-footed kick attempts to get the door here open.

I’m letting him make the check for the doors with his Athletics skill, that’s +8.

DC 12. For info, all the doors are.

The chamber within contains a quickly identified ceremonial fire pit, a statue of a nine-foot-tall creature that’s a cross between an elf and a dragon, like a very tall and thin dragonborn- it looks exactly like Ashardalon in fact.

There’s another stone door to the east.

Investigations are much quieter now- Vinnie has seen to Newt’s cough and Fellowyn’s deafness with a bit of Lesser Restoration for both.

Fellowyn examines the statue- it’s a statue, as described, it’s not made to move- not jointed, and not an obvious trap.

It is however the spit of Ashardalon.

Ram, listening at the other door in the chamber can hear either a whispering sound, or else something very similar- like a robe being dragged along the ground- a shushing noise.

The rogue checks the portal over, as quickly as he can, and then with Fellowyn’s help (Daktari refuses and then looks downcast) gets it open.

Another tomb, three more sarcophagi, with another stone door- to the north, this portal is already open.

The Squad move in after a series of checks, there’s always a series of checks- except when Newt gets involved, and right now he’s keeping up the rear.

Then quickly Ram goes out of the opened door, moving as quickly as he can, he thinks he’s tailing someone, perhaps…

Another corridor, heading south, and down.

But that’s the end of the session, we only had an hour or so in the Witch’s Tor, more of this- and I’m looking forward to this bit- have been for a while, next time.

That said- no George next week (29th) and so we’re at the Alt Game, back to the Dark Squad on the 5th Nov.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

Bonus points for having an NPC based on Pam Ayres.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #150: I am the Chosen One!

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 EXPLODED
Ub-Pam (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 3
*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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 150, and the Dark Squad are in the Witch’s Tor, they have a beacon to light here- it’s all part of the prophecy, also- there’s bad magic here, or else a very mad/bad wizard, either way- it’s not safe.

Caution has been the Dark Squad’s watch word so far, although… well, Ram keeps hearing things, stone doors keep closing- and closed doors are proving difficult to open (DC 12) just ask Daktari he managed three ‘1’s in last weeks sessions, and more misses than hits with the rest of his attempts. Also, well- there are noises here- whispering sounds, footsteps (perhaps), Thuds! Of course, it also doesn’t help matters that Newt is for want of a better word- frustrated, things have been blowed up, and at times- the tabaxi is raging.

But y’know, nothing new to report.

The Dark Squad go on, following Ram- the long passage descends steep stone stairs into darkness.

Oh, and we’re 150 sessions in so, well, that’s nice- in game no-one remembered and/or noticed.

Down the end of the passage is another stone door, one of a pair, however one of the portals is open- Ram investigates.

There’s a sudden gust of wind which seems to rush out of the open portal ahead and blast its way up the stairs, stirring up dirt and debris and in its swift passage leaving Vinnie and Daktari blinded, but only temporarily- dust in their eyes, just a little water to clear the affected orbs, and…

But the Dark Squad are back to being on edge.

Good.

There are two chambers at the bottom of the stairs, a four pillared high-ceilinged hall, and… another chamber- both are dusty, old (ancient) and empty.

The Squad are not happy.

There are no doors that they have not opened en route to this point, which means of course the search for hidden things begins here.

Keep in mind the Squad are on the clock here.

Twenty or so minutes later and the Squad are heading back up the stairs the only thing discovered are that bones scattered around the chambers here were all killed in action- they suffered, lots of cuts and slashes, lots of breaks.

They were fighting for their lives.

Fellowyn worked this one out and had the smarts to ask the right questions. His dice, at least for his skill checks, are rolling high again.

Back up the stairs- everyone is searching for hidden doors, except Newt- he’s bought himself a crowbar, he’s in the process of grave robbing.

Although there’s nothing much except splintered bone and dust to find in the various sarcophagi.

But then they (Fellowyn) find a secret door, and Daktari- first go, gets it open. Another chamber, and another fire bowl- this one much larger than the first.

There’s another stone door to the south in the newly discovered chamber, and soon after- apres a series of skill checks and then some shoving…

They’re in. That’s nice. The ornately carved and ornamented table is made of stone, as are the chairs.

There’s another pair of stone doors- open to the west.

Investigations take place, while other members of the Squad stand watch.

The symbols on the table are for the most part unknown to the Squad, although Fellowyn states confidently that they are elven in origin, ancient beyond the counting and likely… something to do with the Pact of the Flame.

Although there’s a symbol of a great eye in the centerpiece.

Newt thinks Zypop [Sigh][POP!] may be involved.

A short while later, while the rest of the Squad are about their work (making checks and snooping), the tabaxi squats upon the ancient trestle and takes ten minutes to commune with the Watcher- Zypop, who with a single word confirms his presence (or former presence) in this place.

Zypop is watching.

Has been watching here for a very long time- or so it seems.

But while that’s all going on Ram has discovered another Ashardalon-shaped statue (nine-foot-tall skinny elf-cum-dragon = dragonborn). He’s also convinced that the passage to the statue is trapped- most likely a floor trap.

The rogue is worried enough to ask one of the spider-climbing duo (Daktari or Vinnie) to go check it out.

Daktari obliges entering spider-stance and scooching along the wall, he gets face-to-face with the statue and- it blinks, or else stone eyes become real eyes become stone eyes once again.

The barbarian is unnerved. He reports right back to Ram, but he doesn’t like it…

It would be fair to assume at this point that the Dark Squad don’t like the Witch’s Tor.

Nothing keeps on happening.

Ram is convinced that the Squad’s progress is being monitored, that there’s something or someone either just a little ahead of them- preparing the way, or else there are more secrets here- more tunnels. Either way- the Squad is being observed, he’s certain of it.

We go on…

There’s another door further down the wide passage, beyond the second statue.

Ram checks it and gets the portal open, he’s moving a little more quickly now, although still taking care.

Note, there’s no book (open or otherwise) on the sarcophagi ahead.

The Dark Squad keep moving on, into the newly revealed small but otherwise (and typically) empty chamber.

There are two more stone doors to open here.

The first leads into another mostly empty chamber. Keep in mind the sarcophagi are being investigated, or at least looked at, just to make sure there’s nothing to distinguish them from the myriad the Squad have seen of these so far.

Newt also attempts to open maybe one in four of them.

They all contain the ancient and sometimes crumbled to dust remains of dead elves.

But then…

The swearing begins.

The sarcophagi in here is around twelve feet long, six feet wide- six feet high and ornately done with a dragon-head design, it is etched and carved with a myriad decorations.

It has six very hefty looking sealed metal hasps securing the lid shut.

Hang on…

The sarcophagus looks exactly like the one in the Sunless Citadel, the one the Dark Squad opened, and unleashed Ashardalon into the world.

Same size, same design, same hasps.

Only this one looks newer, or else better preserved.

Oh, but Fellowyn wasn’t with the Squad at the time and so Newt helps out.

“Yes, we opened it- unleashed a world-ending dragon creature and started the ball rolling on the apocalypse. So, what of it?”

The tabaxi continues, mostly shouting now…

“Now, get this bloody thing open…”

And as good as his word the warlock grabs out his crowbar and sets to it.

This while all the other members (mostly) of the Dark Squad scream at Newt to stop.

Note nobody is wrestling the crowbar from Newt for the simple reason that even with it he’s unable to even budge the first hasp.

The Dark Squad have got a minute, at least, to figure out what best to say to put Newt off his present course.

Although…

Ram is all for it.

“Beep it! Let’s get it open, if the apocalypse is due then what worse can happen. Two apocalypses? Screw that- open it.”

It’s an odd partnership, Newt and Ram.

Oh, there’s another statue of Ashardalon in the chamber- watching the Dark Squad bicker.

The aforementioned (bickering) goes on a while.

Until we get to here-

Newt has climbed onto the sarcophagi, having been unable to remove even one of the hasps- and he’s been trying real hard, with no help from his friends. The tabaxi is at present swearing, shouting and stamping on the stone bier.

It goes something like this-

“Come on out you miserable bastard? You think I’m frightened of you! I’m not frightened of you! I AM NEWT THE MAGNIFICENT! I WILL BE YOUR GOD! ALL OF YOU!”

I don’t remember the actual words that got said, but those will suffice.

I remember laughing a lot.

Oh, and Ram is tucked in the corner there, bow at the ready just waiting for something bad to happen.

The rest of the Squad are mostly investigating the great sarcophagi while trying to avoid Newt’s dancing/stamping feet.

They’ve moved on- they’re getting on with their lives.

However, everyone taking skill checks (except Fellowyn) is making very hard work of it.

Thank heavens for Fellowyn and his magic dice.

In the midst of all the decoration, and scroll work and adornment, hidden away, are incised three words of ancient elven- the tongue the PCs have been hearing (the whispers in the Mere of the Dead Men) and reading (in the magic circle above).

The three words are-

“Find the Pedestal.”

Fellowyn is convinced- this is a message left for them, or else for all of the various incarnations of the Dark Squad.

A little later convinces the rest of the members of the Squad, although not before Daktari has a five-minute staring contest with the latest statue of Ashardalon.

Also, and this happens a good way into the bickering, the Dark Squad discover there’s another stone door on the southern section of the eastern wall.

To here…

Another statue of Ashardalon, more sarcophagi but no more exits.

Now they’re stuck again.

The Dark Squad stop here to bicker some more- there follows maybe ten minutes of the ‘what to do next for the best’ debate.

The results in- if we can’t find a secret door in these two chambers then… it’s open the sarcophagi time.

Eventually it is agreed.

It’s a plan.

Ram finds the secret door maybe fifteen seconds after the ten-minute bicker and debate to agree the above plan.

The plan worked is the best that can be said.

Beyond the secret door is another chamber- more sarcophagi and yet another stone door, which Ram gets open and beyond…

In an alcove in the newly revealed chamber is… oh look, a large stone pedestal.

Then, we spend another ten minutes working out who amongst the various members of the Dark Squad has learned enough along the way to be able to read and translate Ancient Elven. I’ve added it as an additional language in Fantasy Grounds, to save time.

As soon as this is done Fellowyn steps onto the pedestal.

And slowly, as if drawn by a mad man on a giant etch-a-sketch lines appear on the far wall.

The lines draw a very crude picture.

Or else the DM does.

The picture shows the pedestal topped by a “?” symbol, written in Ancient Elven.

The Dark Squad are very good at this game.

At least that’s what they tell me.

They need to put something (or someone) on the pedestal.

Newt thinks the answer is Newt.

The tabaxi therefore drags Fellowyn off the spot and climbs aboard, while waving his arms aloft and shouting-

“It’s me! I am the Chosen One!”

More etch-a-sketch text appears on the back wall, the picture of the pedestal replaced.

It says-

In translation.

Seconds later, after Newt eventually steps off the pedestal the original image reappears- a picture of the pedestal topped by an (ancient elven) question mark.

Ten seconds later, after some shoving, Daktari gets onto the pedestal, arms aloft.

“It iz I. I am the Sky-Man-Pony!”

See the image above. Alas, another fail.

At which point, having ticked off the idiots (did I say that), the grown-ups have a proper think about things.

About 1.5 seconds later Fellowyn says-

“Why not put one of the maze buttons on the pedestal?”

Ram fishes his out and then does so.

The image on the wall changes again- more elven text, spelling out the word-

“Correct”

Then another image appears.

FIRE PIT! Is the consensus, at which point pretty much all members of the Dark Squad rush off to try and find one of the fire pits- there were two of them in here, inside the subterranean bit of the tor.

Note the PCs have not been up the corridor to the north of the pedestal yet, and so they follow another secret passage which deposits them back in the chamber with the massive circular stone table in it.

They rush on, to here-

Daktari has oil, Vinnie has fire.

The large fire pit is lit.

Nothing happens.

The Dark Squad stand about looking at each other for maybe ten seconds until someone shouts-

“Pedestal!”

And off they go again, running all the way back to…

“Correct”

And then another image.

The smaller fire pit, although no-one remembers where this is.

Also, Newt’s very annoyed right now because he suggested they light both fire pits just a moment ago.

Actually, everyone is loving this bit.

There’s a lot of giggling and running around on Fantasy Grounds going on.

That should have been a clue.

Happy PCs.

You know what comes next.

Oh, and one last bit- when the PCs first encountered the fire pits here I described them, of course, but also stated that they were the kind of things that they had seen before, mainly used in temples and the like as part of rituals and/or sacrifices.

When I recapped the last session (at the start of this one) I made sure I repeated the above again.

Here’s the second (smaller) fire pit, having been fired up by Fellowyn and Vinnie.

At which point the air shimmers (all around the PCs) slightly and there follows the sound of several (a lot of) dull THUMPS.

The last THUMP spawns this feller.

So, standing between Fellowyn and Daktari is a three-foot tall grey skinned (with cuts, bruises, wounds, spikes, scars and other intrusions or protrusions) humanoid. The creature’s frame is skeletally thin, starved. It screams- part terror, part joy.

Although, the creature’s screams are not vocalized, the screams are just/only in the PCs heads.

The screaming, which becomes giggling- then gargling- then back to screaming, doesn’t hurt at all- but it is annoying.

The small creature is happy to caper and dance on the spot while this is going on.

This is doubly annoying because George (who plays Fellowyn) is doing the soundtrack, and he finds a terrifying scream repeat track on whatever the sound thing he uses (Syrinscape?).

Newt has had enough- he goes mental.

Other folks are very suspicious- note the creature cannot be identified (yet, several PCs try- but not all) and it’s not attacking- only capering and delighting, and psychically bombarding them with terror and glee.

Newt grabs and begins to throttle the little bastard.

The screaming doesn’t stop.

The creature bites Newt’s arm.

And then as the rest of the Squad start up shouting and/or attacking, a multi-legged terror swoops down from the ceiling and absolutely guts Daktari.

The humanoid-centipede abomination, while still clinging to the ceiling makes six attacks at the barbarian- they’re all hits, and two of them are crits.

Worse to come- along with the terrible slashing wounds Daktari is bombarded with repeated viewings of the creature’s claws and talons going in- the gore shots of him being ripped apart, on a looped tape, from the creatures POV plays in the barbarian’s head.

Along with all of the screaming and giggling from the little guy.

Daktari takes a lot of psychic damage- nearly as much as the physical damage.

The barbarian goes from just short of full hit points (stone doors can hit hard) to about ten. Here he is- on his way down.

Check out Daktari’s life bar- on the right of his token.

Daktari is broken, and a gibbering wreck.

Then the multilegged abomination scuttles away, in a flash, back out of the chamber, still on the ceiling (flat to it)- and before any of the Dark Squad can even react to events.

Note, that’s Ub-Pam on the map, the modron is oblivious to the arrival of the new enemy on the ceiling above her.

That all happened pretty fast.

Next?

Mostly screaming and shouting.

Oh, and swearing.

Then there is fighting, and running around, and a lot more in the way psychic screaming events.

Two more of the small silent screaming humanoids turn up, and then Daktari and Ram eventually get to attacking the ceiling clinging bastard. Note Ub-Pam was destroyed by the ceiling scuttler seconds before the above image was taken.

Oh, and the creature on the ceiling also made a stealth attempt to hide at the end of its previous turn, and so at first, it’s only Ram that’s actually able to keep a track of it.

Although he’s relaying information about where the thing is using the party telepathy channel.

But then, after eviscerating Ub-Pam, the Star Spawn (as identified by Fellowyn, but that’s all he knows) is easily spotted- it rolled a ‘1’ on its next stealth check.

Daktari after sinking a potion or two (and raging), and Ram, therefore make it to the fight.

Although, when they attempt to swing at the ceiling scuttler the screams of the nearby smaller Star Spawn just increase and put them off their attacks (all at disadvantage).

The ceiling Star Spawn therefore easily survives the Dark Squad onslaught.

But then, yet another of the smaller terrors waddles into the chamber and climbs up into the fire in the larger fire pit, and… FOOF! The fire’s out, and the creature’s dead.

The Dark Squad go all in- too soon.

Fellowyn summons a Spirit Slaadi (called ‘Pop Noogle’) and yet…

Mere seconds later and all of the Star Spawn are gone- their departure accompanied, as was their arrival, by a series of ear-popping, air-shimmering, dull thuds.

The PCs are… let’s just say less than happy, they trudge back to the pedestal and…

“Fail”

At which point, and we’re over time already for this session, the Dark Squad work a few things out.

First off, the ritual needs to start again- another PC must place a maze button on the pedestal, and then light the fire pits in the right order, and then the Star Spawn will, most likely, come back.

They (the Star Spawn) are here to disrupt the ritual/ceremony.

Or else kill the Dark Squad.

Note, Fellowyn has given you a name for these creatures- Star Spawn, aberrant outsiders from beyond space and time, but no more than that. There’s a couple more of you that could make checks here- after all, anyone can roll a ‘20’.

Point two.

The Star Spawn’s arrival and departure was accompanied by the shimmering air and ear-popping thuds.

You heard about a dozen thuds accompany the Star Spawn’s departure.

And a single thud accompanied the arrival of the first small Star Spawn into the tor.

Therefore, you figure, there must be around a dozen enemies left.

A dozen!

One of them almost put Daktari down in a turn (with advantage/surprise admittedly).

Last bit- point three, and this was well worked out-

“Wrong!”

“Fail!”

“Game Over!”

“Try Again in your next Life Cycle.”

“Thank you for Playing.”

Has been the order of the day for Newt, then Daktari, and now Ram.

The Dark Squad have only two goes left at this- there’s only Vinnie and Fellowyn left to make an attempt.

Good luck, you are going to need it.

And that was the end of the session- more of this sort of thing next week (12th).

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #151: The Dark Squad’s First Plan.

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 151, and the Dark Squad are still in the Witch’s Tor, they still have a beacon to light here.

They are however, atm, stuck.

Or else, last week Daktari got attacked by a Star Spawn ceiling creeper (actual identity unknown) and reduced to 10 hit points in one turn. Ub-Pam (and she’s much tougher than previous incarnations of the Supreme Being- with over 50 HP) also got destroyed in seconds, and the ritual (lighting fire pits etc.) was easily curtailed by the Star Spawn.

Things went badly-ish.

Also, the Squad have worked out that they have only two more attempts to get this thing right.

Or else that’s their initial thinking.

So, first thing’s first- bickering.

Basically, Vinnie is of the opinion that the Squad should retreat, strategize (back on Castle Argentriver) and then return here with new spells, refreshed and ready to go.

Fellowyn is also in favour.

Newt is against it- and all other forms of weakness (like planning and resting).

The arguments go back and forth for… well, it was certainly over an hour, and keep in mind (this to every DM everywhere) if you just leave the PCs to stew (quite often) they do a lot of the work for you.

At the end of the bickering hour (or so) the aforementioned ceiling crawling Star Spawn has developed (possibly) a dozen extra powers- teleportation (possibly), invisibility (possibly), six attacks every turn (possibly), etc.

They do the work for you.

So, and eventually, we get to here-

Back on-board Castle Argentriver.

Hang on!

What’s happened to Fellowyn?

Has the Wizard done something different with his hair?

Fellowyn, just prior to getting back on-board Castle Argentriver.

Afterwards…

The Eladrin is now a Drow.

Somehow this makes him look even more Papa Smurf.

To make clear, the PCs were in the Witch’s Tor for four hours- that’s a 4% that the DM is going to mess with your PC if and when they you get back aboard the Castle/Time Machine.

George (playing Fellowyn) rolls ‘04’.

Oh dear.

In truth the old geezer takes the change in his stride.

And yes, we changed all of his racial traits etc.

The rest of the Dark Squad only briefly remark upon the change, although now they’re all (the players) getting a little more concerned about their future rolls- they don’t like the idea of the DM messing with their beloved PCs.

Some of them are getting very het up.

Then, the first ever meeting of the Dark Squad planning committee.

No really, in game none of us can remember the Squad ever doing this before, a five minute- we need to get to X, or kill Y- sure, I’ve heard that before, but not this… Not a group-think full blown strategy summit.

And so, another thirty or so minutes are spent drafting the plan- and keep in mind the plan has intricacies, it needs to because the bad guys can teleport, turn invisible, etc. Then a brief shopping trip- back to Waterdeep for a much-needed scroll- Wall of Stone, I think.

Which, of course, also requires more rolls for the PCs doing the shopping once they get back on-board the Castle again.

And so, eventually, we get back to here.

But here’s the thing- here is yesterday.

That may require a little clarification.

The PCs, with a little help from the DM- basically I kept shouting at them ‘a Time Machine’, work it out.

If they turn the dial on Castle Argentriver for the day before they arrived at the Witch’s Tor then… they’ll still have all five attempts to complete the ritual.

That’s what all the clues were about in the magic circle- and other places. You can get on and off time, you can be two places at once- sorta.

So, respawn.

Fellowyn puts a maze button (Ram’s) on the pedestal.

The image appears on the far wall- light the first/large fire pit.

Check, but what’s that? That’s a Wall of Stone which has been left to become permanent, and the triple thick bits are the doorways to the north- both have been sealed shut.

Anything beyond the doorways is blocked, unless the creatures can teleport.

Spoiler Alert! They can’t.

They can’t turn invisible either.

Also, they don’t have six attacks per turn, the ceiling Star Spawn have a six attack Action but it’s on a recharge and the power itself only does the big-hit damage if the creature has advantage on its attacks.

So, these guys are v. tough, and can be nasty, but… well, we’ll see.

Back to the Wall of Stone.

Alas beyond one of the northern portals is the exit- the way out of the tor.

But that’s in the plan.

The Dark Squad have Shatterspike, a magical sword that cuts through stone, basically they’ve packed the can-opener.

Therefore, the only way in or out of the three chambers that hold the fire pits is through the door to the south, the one that Daktari is guarding.

Then, after a bit of buffing- and the readying of actions, and…

Both fire pits have newly conjured Walls of Fire in them- their damage inflicting fiery goodness pointing inwards, of course.

To make clear, the only way to put out the fire pits and disrupt the ritual now requires the Star Spawn to extinguish the Walls of Fire.

Or at least one of them.

That’s my task.

Then- when the second Wall of Fire springs into life-

Oh, but Gerald (Newt’s bat familiar) has been left to watch the pedestal- to see what happens next, what’s the next part of the ritual.

Note, Gerald is a tiny bat, he’s a big token (shown above) because that makes him easier to grab and move about.

Go…

Shimmer in the air, series of dull thuds and-

The Star Spawn arrive- and keep in mind that they too have refreshed, so any the PCs killed previously are no longer dead.

Time cuts both ways.

There are initially three of the creatures in the chambers, the first- a little three-foot-high aberrant goblin-like psychic screamer is slapped to death by Ub-Pam- five attacks, way to go.

Oh, and just to say- Ub-Pam is back, and in style.

Remember Pam Ayres it to the max.

“An’ so into combat we go again, Daktar-iiiiii.
I am Ub-Pam, your metal Matahar-iiiii.
An’ you are my stallion, my raging Ferrar-iiiiii.
Now let’s chop these bastards up into, Calamar-iiiii.”

I had a stash of Ub-Pam’s this week.

Anyway, in the opening moments the ceiling crawling Star Spawn- in the corner, gets slowed and shot at a bit.

But not much.

Keep in mind the instigators of the two Walls of Fire (Vinnie and Newt) are trying to stay out of trouble here, neither of them wants to take damage and then have to make concentration checks.

Moments later Gerald makes a friend.

Or rather, he doesn’t.

The other little screaming Star Spawn attempts to put a fire pit out.

But is consumed by the Wall of Fire.

It gets to fighting.

To here…

Right then, the slowed ceiling Star Spawn is quickly killed (actually not that quickly, these things are pretty tough). Both Daktari and Ub-Pam have both just been sliced and diced by another ceiling Star Spawn (with ‘26’ Stealth)- however it then scampers away to hide (badly- ‘1’) on the ceiling just to the north.

Just to note these things have a terrifying six attack routine (with extra 2d6 psychic damage on each hit if circumstances permit) but it’s on a recharge.

What’s that drawing- well, that’s the chest, the chest that the Dark Squad recovered from the Empress of the Sea, the one that required them to insert three maze buttons into it, the chest that can resize to massive (and shrink to a very small chest), it’s a chest of holding too.

Fellowyn identified it in seconds.

This is the image that Newt sees through Gerald’s eyes- drawn on the wall across from the pedestal, this is the next stage of the ritual.

Note, Newt is sharing this info with his friends thanks to their Rary’s Telephonic Whatnot.

And so…

The chest needs to be put on the pedestal.

Note, it also requires Newt use his action to see this, to use Gerald’s senses.

Fellowyn, as it happens, has the chest in his backpack.

But…

The Star Spawn are not giving this up. Oh, and at this point Ram is quite certain that there are more Star Spawn through the northern door here- which is sealed by the Wall of Stone atm.

The Moonboar and Newt are still trying to stay away from the rough stuff, they’re still concentrating on their respective Walls of Fire.

Ub-Pam is down (again) and Daktari is getting hammered (again).

In fact, the barbarian is just about to drop, he can’t take another hit.

Therefore, Fellowyn has to get into the fight- get to Daktari, grab him and then dimension door the pair back to safety.

While Newt fills the newly vacated far chamber with his synaptic static.

Which is also the moment the PCs discover that the Star Spawn are immune to psychic damage.

Which Fellowyn also mentioned earlier.

There is swearing.

However, the Star Spawn failing their saves are debilitated by the spell’s effects (-6 on lots of stuff).

Meantime tiny Gerald disengages- flaps and flees for his life and is eventually caught up with, his escape route blocked off, by his newfound Star Spawn friend.

Moments later Gerald disengages and flee/flaps all the way back to the pedestal- alas the Star Spawn can never catch Gerald this way, and the DM knows it- so, the Star Spawn heads off to kill the Dark Squad instead.

Here we all are again.

As it turns out there were quite a few of the Star Spawn ceiling crawlers.

But then…

Newt blasts one of the little Star Spawns into (and through) the Wall of Fire on the large fire pit, more importantly after all the damage dice have been rolled- it survives.

So, thanks for that.

This however is actually the last round of combat for the night, the end of the session.

Although…

At the very last moment (initiative something like ‘3’) there’s a shimmering in the air and another dislocated THUD! A transparent-skinned Ogre-sized Star Spawn (presumably) materializes in the midst of the PCs and starts flailing- in quick succession Fellowyn, Newt, the Moonboar and Ram all take a beating.

All of them except for Ram are knocked prone by the flailing gorilla-sized Star Spawn.

The ferocious creature yawps, screams and bellows like a mini (but not so mini) King Kong.

But that’s where we leave it, for next time.

I think the plan is working.

Depends on what that little Star Spawn screamer inside the Wall of Fire does next.

We’ll see.

Alt game next week- 19th, George is working, then back to the Dark Squad on the 26th.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #152a: Better/Worse- it’s all relative.

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
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 (to be updated, when we find the time)-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 152a, and the Dark Squad are still in the Witch’s Tor, they still have a beacon to light here.

They have a plan, however.

Don’t knock it- it’s there first one.

And it seems to be very mostly working.

That can’t be right.

Here goes…

Both of the ritual braziers depicted (left and right) are swathed in flames- Walls of Fire, conjured by Vinnie and Newt respectively. They need to stay lit for the rest of the ceremony to work.

All entrances to the north of the set of rooms depicted above have been sealed off with a Wall of Stone, made permanent- Fellowyn’s handiwork.

There are lots of Star Spawn trying (and doing not so bad, so far) to kill the Squad.

There’s even a member of the Star Spawn community inside one of the ritual braziers- blasted through the Wall of Fire there by Newt, the brazier on the right. The Star Spawn survived this ordeal (only just) and… well, the last time the PCs tried to complete the ritual here a similar Star Spawn sacrificed its life to extinguish the flame in this same brazier.

So, that’s the number one problem atm.

Problem two is there’s another Star Spawn ceiling scuttler (who are really not nice) in with the Squad, somewhere- it rolled a ‘20’ on its stealth check last turn, the PCs saw it briefly before it disappeared into the shadows on the ceiling… somewhere.

Problem three is the next stage of the ritual, the Dark Squad have divined (with help from Gerald, Newt’s bat familiar) is to deposit the magical size-changing (bag of holding- style) chest that the Squad found on the Empress of the Sea in Chult on the pedestal. The pedestal, alas, is way to the south of their present position. Fellowyn has this item in his pack.

Problems, problems, problems.

So, we begin with a hero.

Ram dives through the Wall of Fire and into the eastern brazier, kills the little screaming Star Spawn there and then…

Dives back out again.

Alas the shock of it all, the rogue is down to maybe a dozen-or-so hit points, is enough to send him over the edge. Ram fails his save, and… here’s Were-Ram.

He’s not happy, his fur is singed to buggery.

Moments later there’s yet another unhappy customer.

The ceiling crawling Star Spawn shows up next. Fully charged and on the rampage.

Six attacks later and Daktari is down and dying and Ram, sorry- Were-Ram, is down to maybe three (at most) hit points.

There’s a lot of noise around the VTT, mostly one word repeated- it’s not a pleasant word that is being repeated- like profanity hiccups.

Oh, and the Star Spawn ceiling scuttler, after laying low the PCs, scuttles off again, back into the shadows- Stealth 20+. Although the PCs see the creature head south, out of the chamber.

This fact turns out to be very important later.

The Moonboar gets to Were-Ram with a healing potion and force feeds it to the lycanthrope rogue, and then a Healing Word for Daktari.

There, not so bad.

There’s a lot of chatter going on here- courtesy of the fact that they have their Rary’s Headsets on, I allow it- but the air waves (while the fight is going on) are buzzing.

I love it when they’re scrambling.

The question being explored (mostly, there are lots) is- are we screwed already? Is this it?

The answer, of course, is no.

Not yet.

Fellowyn divides the room. With a Wall of Force this time, and in truth no-one knew this was coming. George, playing Fellowyn, had not shared this tactic with the masses.

There is joy.

The Wall of Force neatly cuts off all the Dark Squad’s enemies, all of them- the hard to spot Star Spawn ceiling scuttler went south, they are safe.

Safe to heal.

More chatter- how long does the Wall of Force last? Someone fetches the answer- an hour.

An hour to heal up- joy is unconfined.

Or at least for a very short while.

The DM asks- how long does a Wall of Fire last?

I’ll save you the suspense- it’s a minute.

So, the DM helpfully points out- “it occurs to Newt and Vinnie that their Walls of Fire will both cease to be in just three turns from now.”

That’s eighteen seconds.

The profanity hiccups return, only they’re clearly contagious- now everyone has them.

New plan- same as the old plan except the Squad have three turns (or maybe more, see the plan) to-

1. Heal Daktari and Were-Ram, as much as possible.
2. Get stuff (oil and torches) ready to throw into the braziers to keep the fires burning.
3. Kill all the bad people.
4. Then get the chest onto the pedestal (dependent on point 2 above).

It sounds easy when you say it like that.

The above plan is drawn up while the PCs (still in initiative) take it in turns to force feed potions of healing (and the like) into Daktari and then Ram.

The pair have never been so popular.

Fellowyn drops the Wall of Force, note several members of the Squad have readied actions at this point too, and Dak & Ram are back in business.

It goes bonkers for a short while.

In the western room Daktari, Were-Ram, Newt and a now enlarged (slapping machine- like a spinning top with added slaps) Ub-Pam are in action and keeping the now identified Star Spawn Hulk at bay.

While in the eastern room the now fully charged (again) Star Spawn ceiling scuttler lets loose on Fellowyn, more remarkably the Wizard is bladesinging, and with a Shield spell is AC something-like-27.

Fellowyn, I think, saves the day, but is still reduced from just about full to maybe 15 or so hit points. He soaks up all six attacks.

Daktari goes all in- Power Attack, Reckless, Raging, blah, blah, blah. He hits hard.

The Star Spawn Hulk keeps on giving too. Newt survives a Crit, and the subsequent concentration check.

Were-Ram has the last laugh.

And then…

It’s a pile on, the remainder of the Star Spawn are mopped up, the ceiling scuttler proves to be tough but it fails to recharge its super-attack power and can’t get into hiding again- having rolled miserably last time too.

When the fighting stops- all enemies deceased, the PCs have six seconds to get ready to feed whatever they have in the way of fuel into the braziers to keep them alight when the Walls of Fire go out.

Meantime, a newly Hasted Fellowyn is off and running- off to deposit the chest onto the pedestal here. Gerald has been fluttering around the pedestal for the last minute or so, while the chaos has been unfolding.

And then…

Both braziers are kept burning- a mixture of oil, fire and torches, flung into the mix just as the Walls of Fire are about to go out. The ritual goes on.

Some of the players, at this point, are getting giggly- a bit light-headed.

They’re doing it.

Although…

So, after Fellowyn put the magic-shrinking-expanding chest on the pedestal, it disappears, and a new drawing appears on the far wall, as previous- the next part of the ritual is… to open the dragon sarcophagus.

The sarcophagus that looks exactly like the one that the Dark Squad opened at pretty much the beginning of their adventures, which unleashed Ashardalon upon the world (and started their quest).

That sarcophagus.

The one that Newt wanted/tried to open when they first discovered it here, on their first trip through the tor.

Newt was obviously persuaded to cease and desist in his first effort to open the dragon sarcophagus, not because of the honeyed words of his boon companions, it was down to the fact that his strength is appalling, and he had made a half-a-dozen rolls, broke his crowbar twice (broken- Mended- broken again), and… well, for all of his efforts he’d made not a mark on the thing.

Well, opening it is the next stage of the ritual.

Crazy-legs Fellowyn, still Hasted, finds the spot.

And the fires in the braziers are still burning, and will continue to burn unaided for minutes- at least, and so-

Here come the rest of the Squad.

Note, the sarcophagus is held shut by six metal hasps- DC 18 Strength to open each, and well- they’re on it.

Fellowyn gets the first one done, moments later the huffing Daktari springs another.

Soon after, because DC 18 isn’t easy to roll, it gets to this-

They’re all on it.

So, let’s just take a moment- gaze at the above image and imagine the following conversation, oh and keep in mind that Newt is aiding Fellowyn (still Hasted- two actions every turn) and has even given the ancient Drow (formerly Eladrin) use of his (now fixed again) crowbar. Newt generally doesn’t share anything- except his opinions.

So, the talk-

“I told you Vincenzo! I told you we had to open the thing! Apocalypse or no- the future lies within. [To Fellowyn] Now heave, you decrepit spell-mumbling old fool!” Newt mostly shouts and screams.

“Eh. What! Why the hell are we doing this- I thought you said that a very bad thing happened the last time you opened one of these?” Fellowyn, not present for the first sarcophagus opening, is unsure.

“I have a bad feeling about zis! A tres tres bad feeling.” The Moonboar snorts and grunts, and frets.

“Just get it done.” Ram hisses as he strains.

And this goes on for a while, and because we’ve just been doing exciting things (combat et al) then we’re still initiative, and so we stay in initiative- the PCs taking it in turns to roll to spring a hasp and making sometimes fevered conversation.

But Ram is not big on conversation, and the Moonboar is riffing on the ‘I have a bad feeling about zis’ motif, and pretty hard.

And so, for humour we have to rely on Newt and Fellowyn.

“YES! PULL! PULL! You tiresome ancient elven fool! Let us welcome with open arms the glorious terror that will emerge from within. Let us embrace the end times…”

Newt screams in Fellowyn’s ear- remember Newt is aiding Fellowyn in this endeavor, I envisage the seven-foot-tall puma-like Newt gripping the ancient skinny mage around his waist (like in ‘The Enormous Turnip’), and pulling with all his (little) might.

Fellowyn strains, heaves, and then cottons on to what Newt has just said…

“What? I mean- what did you say? Embrace the what now? Glorious whatdidyasay! Are we…”

SPUNG!

And another hasp flies off.

So, I said it takes a time to get this done- in point of fact of the six hasps on the sarcophagi Fellowyn, Daktari and then Ub-Pam account for the first three. In pretty much the first two turns of trying.

The last three come off one at a time- one every turn, and always it’s the combo of Fellowyn & Newt that manage it.

By the time we get to the last hasp.

“YES! BRING THE ENDTIMES! BRING THE DARKNESS! UNMAKE IT ALL! UNMAKE IT ALL! MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY!”

Newt has reached rapture.

While Fellowyn…

“Look, all I’m saying is when we get a chance can we PLEASE have a chat about the fact that we seem to sharing breakfast every morning with… [Fellowyn nods behind him to indicate the still straining/screaming Newt] I mean, are we absolutely certain he’s not the actual enemy we SHOULD be defeating?”

A grunting Moonboar snorts a brief reply.

“He iz jus excitable, it ‘appens a lot at zuch times, mon ami. You get used to it. Event-too-ally.”

Fellowyn splutters and-

SPUNG!

The last hasp is off.

Now, just before this happened, I asked the players to tell me what they thought would happen next- the results, a 50/50 split, either a gateway into/to space/Tao (or similar), or- Ashardalon is coming back.

So, let me take a moment to confuse the players- if they read this. Both answers are sort-of right.

However, what happens next- as the last hasp flies off and ricochets past a gurning Newt’s ecstatic head, is...

Nothing.

Save there’s a tiny thudding sound and the lid of the sarcophagus seems to settle further down into/onto its coffin/plinth.

Then, when Newt has stopped shouting, in the silence that follows there’s a sound- a gentle hiss.

Ram spots it, the thin seal between the lid and the base, air is being sucked into this space.

“Wait!” He shouts and then, because he’s a very smart lad, he grabs out his immovable rod.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttt!” That’s time slowing down.

Only it doesn’t because, as in the image above, Newt dodges back- fires up a Belphegor Blast and before Ram has finished his warning the lid of the sarcophagus is, or else a section of it is, obliterated.

The warlock will have his climax.

As it were.

Then, everything happens at once- at a million miles an hour, but really/painfully slowly.

Reality (the Dark Squad included) is stretched and sucked head-first into the newly opened void.

Into the yawping sarcophagus.

Everything except for Ram- who is left clutching on to his immovable rod, watching the stone of the floor, the walls, the ceiling and all of his friends, all of it/them- shape and bend, and then hurtle into the sarcophagus.

Ram, who is being stretched beyond- well, beyond reality, profanity hiccups once, and then presses the button again on his immovable rod.

He too plunges into the void.

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.

 

[Goonalan]

Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh​

Session #152b: The Narrator.

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
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 RIP

NPCs
Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) RETIRED
Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 RIP*
Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard RETIRED
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 EXPLODED
Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 EXPLODED
Ub-Pam (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 3
*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-

1. 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).
2. Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?
3. Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
4. 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.
5. 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 152b, and the Dark Squad are no longer in the Witch’s Tor (maybe, we’ll see), and they still have a beacon to light (maybe).

The Dark Squad are, at present, collectively and individually falling out/through/off reality.

There is blackness.

The whooshing of movement- very specifically, falling.

The twinkle of lights, here and there- the twinkles however elongate and stretch until it’s a kaleidoscope of colours and patterns, and then…

Ram holds his breath.

His heart thumping in his chest.

Someone, somewhere is shouting- “Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

He thinks it might be Daktari.

Then…

Six embarrassingly quiet/dull thuds.

And the Dark Squad have landed.

Reality coalesces into things and stuff.

Here they are.

The Squad’s Rary’s Telephonic Device-spell is still working, and so it takes only seconds for the six members of the Dark Squad community to figure out that they are situated in an ancient cell (or two)- both with open doors, and most likely not too far apart.

When and where they are however…

That’s a mystery yet to be solved.

Time to explore, which means- of course, Ram’s up.

The rogue, creepy-creepy, gets everyone together for a whispered conversation, and some healing for Fellowyn.

Consensus is, atm, it looks familiar this place- and yet, no one has a scooby where they’re at.

And so, with Ram to the fore, we go on.

And now things are both more and less familiar. Vinnie is certain (for a while) that they’ve been here before or else somewhere very similar.

I buy my maps from the same five or six places so, they’ll probably look similar- some of them.

Oh, and all the drawings and etchings on the floor (they continue onto the walls and ceilings) it’s Fellowyn (again) that figures this out.

“It’s stars and planets, old boy. The movements of the heavens- in space, and… time. There’s some jolly difficult maths going on here. Whoever worked this stuff out was a very smart fellow.”

But that’s not all, soon after there’s a voice- a soft, female- possibly elven voice, and it’s narrating.

Ah, one of those scenes.

The Dark Squad do a lot of listening, a little bit of thinking- not too much, a lot of spit-balling ideas, and with a lot of chatter amongst themselves in between, trying still to bridge/leap the gaps as the narrator goes on.

They quickly figure that the narrator stops talking when they stop exploring, and so… they explore some more.

Here we all are again, a bit more spread out, the Dark Squad are of the opinion that this place is safe, empty… dead.

This place is ancient- properly ancient, things fall apart at the slightest/lightest touch, but in its day… this would have been a suitable lair for a mad scientist or three (or more), it’s stocked with everything they would need.

In the above image the Moonboar and Fellowyn are examining the time-ruined contents of an alchemy lab to beat all others- there’s everything in here.

Oh, but back to the elven voice, the narrator, here goes-

“We elves have, in our way, manufactured our own downfall. Perhaps even the downfall of all Faerun.”

“The dwarves, in their damp holes mither, scurry and say- 'be wary, don't dig too deep', truth be told we should have learned from them.”

“This then is something in the way of a confession, I pray you listen to what I have to say, and judge 'the elves' none too harshly.”

“The Pact of the Flame, in its later years- when the dragons had been subdued- or else the war with them was at a stalemate, well... they're interests wandered.”

“And keep in mind these were some of the foremost elven minds of their time, and kind- wizards, sorcerers, and adventurers with a myriad skills and interests.”

“They built this place, or else one of them did.”

Keep in mind the narration is being doled out a slow pace, a stanza or two at a time.

Daktari, Newt & Ram discover a (once) plushily appointed meeting chamber.

It even has its own orrery.

Newt has wanted an orrery to call his own for ages, it’s a shame this one is nine feet tall and made of rusted, falling-apart, iron work.

A little later Newt meets up again with Vincenzo, the two have had the same idea, although for different reasons, but nevertheless, here it is- the idea, as voiced by Newt-

“Ah. Vinnie, I’ve had an idea- we should get back aboard the time travelling castle-thingy and come back here when it was all up and running. Kill whoever we find here and take all their stuff, some of this loot is potentially magnificent. Fit for a king, or a God!”

Newt preens, he’s thinking about himself again, he often does.

But the narrator has much more to say.

Also, keep in mind the Dark Squad (mostly Newt, sometimes Fellowyn, and once or twice Vinnie) are prone to shouting answers and/or questions back at the narrator, as she unfolds the story.

It’s always about them.

“The Pact of the Flame’s new interests were manifold, but primary amongst them was their exploration of the heavens, and the stars, and the spheres of the great beyond.”

“They struggled for centuries to find a way to visit these far worlds- they tried in vain for a generation or more, and that for the elves is a very long time.”

“And over time the far unexplored places they dreamed of became an obsession. And so unable to go there they did the next best thing.”

“They built a beacon.”

“This place.”

“In the hope that whatever was out there would notice them, would see their signal.”

“And thus, they called out to the great beyond.”

The Dark Squad are beginning to appreciate the narrative, they like a good bit of story every now and then- it helps them make sense of things, obviously.

Ram finds the library, more books than he’s ever seen. Floor to ceiling, all of them ruined.

But there’s still more story to be told.

“And the great beyond answered.”

“Imagine their delight.”

“You have seen, and perhaps even been, to a place in a far-flung future. A place in which strange technology is every day, a place filled with bright lights and yet hidden by gloom and torrential rain. A place patrolled, and ruled over, by a great world-spanning wyrm.”

“Do you remember this place, on your journey?”

The Dark Squad nod and murmur their ascent.

“You were reacquainted with your friend Buggles there, oh and his duergar friend- what was her name?”

The Dark Squad are asked another question.

This then isn’t a narration, as much as an interview, or else an interactive story- the Dark Squad need to play their part.

But yes- the Squad remember the future place, and Buggles being there, and his duergar companion- Gwen.

Although let’s just take a brief moment right here. You remember Gwen right, the armoured skeleton summoned by the black whistle- Nightcaller, all the way back in the PCs first adventure- in the Sunless Citadel.

Gwen, who the PCs later came to learn was, in life, named- Gwendawr Blackheart, Scourge of the Black Sea, the Duergar Pirate Queen.

That Gwen.

I must have mentioned the above for a reason, the reason however now escapes me, still- worth knowing.

We, and the narrator/speaker move on.

“Do you remember this?”

The Dark Squad nod some more.

“That is the future you fight to avoid.”

“The Pact of the Flame called out and the Great Wyrm answered.”

“Dendar the Night Serpent.”

“Faerun would have, should have, fallen...”

“But then, at the very last moment... an enterprising young dwarf (at least he looked like a dwarf, a small pale-skinned fellow, a pygmy, a runt) well, he somehow 'arrived' to save the day.”

“Odd that Ub should just happen by.”

Fellowyn finds an audience chamber, or perhaps even a throne room. Oddly, he takes a seat, the chair doesn’t collapse- everything else has… the chair Fellowyn sits on doesn’t, it takes the strain.

I guess the ancient elven wizard must just be lucky that way.

The narrator has yet more to say, and I’m still parcelling this stuff out.

“And now Ub’s plan unfolds every two hundred or so years a group of reckless heroes (and the like) are somehow drawn into this mystery.”

“And hope, and the fate of all of Faerun rides with them.”

“For a while...”

“If the heroes are defeated somehow, but the end times have not yet been triggered, then... nothing happens, Faerun holds its breath and waits for the next incarnation, for the prophecy to come around again.”

“But if the heroes go undefeated.”

“And continue to go undefeated...”

“Then the pale dwarf's great scheme rolls on, the threat all the while increasing, the stakes getting higher all the time.”

“There will come a point, yet to be reached, when your failure or else demise will no longer be enough.”

“Your deaths will serve only to bring about the coming of the Night Serpent, and then Faerun, as we know it, will be no more.”

“You have seen this future.”

“And so, know this, every step that you take forward increases the threat to Faerun- tread carefully my friends.”

“A goddess asks this of you.”

“The end time we call Ashardalon, Dendar too we call Ashardalon- it means the Time of Ash, or the Ashbringer- when the great fire comes to burn down the world.”

“When all is lost.”

“And so, know that each of you have my blessing. Whatever choice you make.”

“You may each call upon my service but once, each of you.”

“A boon, and to the limit of my power.”

“Any questions?”

But at this point we have got to here.

Sehanine Moonbow, back to see the Dark Squad- the narrator.

The Dark Squad either ask questions, or else for Vinnie & Fellowyn- fawn a lot and then ask questions.

Sehanine has the answers, but it’s exactly as the goddess explained it above- every two hundred years or so this prophecy goes around again, a bunch of heroes pop up and do what they can to put it all to bed for a while- fail, and… it all goes around again.

The implication made very clear after the Q&A with Sehanine is, the Dark Squad are getting to the point of no return. They still, however, have a choice- walk away/fail/die before the cut-off point and everything is okay, until the next time.

It’s also worth stating at this point that none of the other adventurers that have run this course have made it to the point of no return, they can’t have- Faerun is still here, and not a technologically advanced dystopian nightmare/dictatorship.

And so, if the Dark Squad go on, keep winning the good fight then from the point of no return onwards, well, there’s no return- for Faerun, for anyone, Dendar the Night Serpent, Swallower-of-Worlds, is on his way- and the future dystopia (with goblins) will come to pass.

There’s a lot of frank discussion, but here’s the thing- the Dark Squad are in it to win it, they’re all on board.

Oh, and the point of no return- is when the Pale Dwarf turns up.

The Pale Dwarf, the Squad figure is Ub- a small albino dwarf. Sounds just right.

FTW, the Dark Squad re-pledge themselves to the cause. Bring on the end-times.

And that, after the discussion is over, is pretty much what we got up to.

Oh, but Vinnie beseeches Sehanine to increase the powers of the Moonboar, and spends his ‘boon’ asking for the favour.

Which is odd, because this scene- apart from the story portion (above), was going to be about improving the Moonboar’s stats/powers, Jim playing Vinnie/the Moonboar asked for this to happen about six months ago. I keep notes- at the time I told him to ask again the next time he met with Sehanine, and so here we are.

And Vinnie just spent his ‘boon’ to get what I was going to be giving him anyway. Makes me smile. In truth, the Moonboar has gained a few new extra powers- what with him spending his boon and all.

Final bit, before her departure, Sehanine offers a few more words-

“When you are ready to leave here climb the stairs.”

“When you get back to the Witch's Tor the Beacon will have already been lit, the call will have gone out- the countdown to the starfall will have begun, and... the Night Serpent will begin to stir.”

“Remember, when the pale dwarf returns the Time of Ash will have begun. that is the point of no return... do you understand what I have said?”

Nods.

“Then, again, I wish you good luck and a goddess' speed.”

“Oh. but before I forget, this place is named after the Pact of the Flame wizard that created it. Remember that- it is most important. It is key.”

And she’s gone.

Several members of the Squad are nigh-on certain that they know the name of the crazy wizard that built this place and then lit a beacon to bring Dendar the Night Serpent, and the other alien creatures from beyond the stars, all to Faerun.

I wonder who they could be thinking of?

Stay safe and well you lovely people.

Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.