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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8227203" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #039 Temporary Hit Points- the clue’s in the name.Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).Buggles (played by Stu) Male Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 3/Rogue Lvl 3New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 6Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 6Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 6NPCsDaktari Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 6<s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP**Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.Buggles’ undead servitorGwen Female Duergar Skeleton, in full-face helm and armour This is session 39, and here we go some more, we’re in the Underdark- and it’s dangerous, although the Dark Squad are staying safe, playing it cool, not getting involved in any potential contretemps situations.Real cool…It doesn’t last.And I know- the Dark Squad not just opening up with all that they’ve got, what’s that all about. I reckon they’ve all been replaced by doppelgangers. Pacifist doppelgangers at that.So, this is the last leg of their journey for day two in the dark- a series of long low and windy tunnels, half filled with mud and slip throughout, and with low ceilings at every turn. It’s a right royal pain in the backside, and is going to involve plenty of checks en route. Gerald, the bat (if you remember, Newt’s familiar) is therefore sent out for a scout around, although the wily DM is describing what Gerald is sensing- and pointedly not revealing the map.Newt is therefore trying the best he can to draw/work-out what lies ahead, and all of the passages just seem to lead to other passages- it’s not easy to figure the right way to go.However, the place seems to be safe- no enemies spotted, top work.Eventually Vinnie conjures a little Pass Without Trace and Ram, the danger man, leads the Dark Squad onwards.[Recon 100 XP]But, every now and then, there’s a sudden drumming or else clicking sound, Buggles hears it first, and then Vinnie tunes into it to. Something is quite definitely in here with the Dark Squad, at least that’s the conclusion drawn. Newt blasts fiery… well, he blasts randomly into the darkness ahead. Yes, he’s attacking the darkness (Can I have a Mountain Dew?). Apologies, that was a very old joke.But there’s nothing showing itself and believe me the PCs are looking everywhere- I mean everywhere, 32 perception checks later and the gang have made their way though another area of low passage and are into a slightly more open space.This larger sodden passage runs west to east, and with a twelve foot ceiling at it’s highest point, and it’s much wider- nearly twenty feet in places.But the ticking, or clicking, or drumming sound is still sounding from back in one of the low passage the PCs have already passed through.Vinnie and Buggles are now certain.There’s some consternation in the ranks however, this mainly due to the fact that no matter how many perception checks- nothing is spotted, only heard. The PCs zoom in on the sound- no problems, but they see nothing, just another low-ceilinged empty (save for the muck and the filth) passage.Vinnie is scrolling out loud through a list of potential enemies, mainly concentrating on those that are invisibility-enabled, or else critters that are able to camouflage themselves incredibly well. Or else the enemy is smaller, and hidden within the murk and the mud.Or else… but you get what’s going on here.Experienced players running through their back catalogues, trying to fathom what shape their next enemy will take.Just to make clear we’re over thirty minutes into the session already, nearer 45 minutes, the PCs are less than fifty feet into this map- actually much less, they’re probs only thirty feet in to the tunnels.Potential attacks are spotted around every corner, it’s slow going- so slow that Buggles, at the back of the crowd- and mostly keeping out of the chatter, starts up with his flute playing. Not exactly conducive combined with stealth checks, but… you get it, we’re at a crawl.Last week it was Buggles’ job to stir the pot, this week Vinnie (and others) are doing my work for me.Nice!So, this could take a while- if the Dark Squad keep this pace up, particularly as Newt remembers- Old Gorm said that it would take them at least an hour to get through these tight watery caverns.[Initial attempts to get through the watery cavern passages 250 XP]Fear not dear reader- that doesn’t happen, I’m just getting them lined up, the enemies are about to arrive. And I chose this moment because, well… Vinnie, in his best Hicks voice (Aliens), at this point did the “they’re coming from the walls, man”, line.Although, at the time, he didn’t know that that’s exactly what was about to happen.Suddenly the Dark Squad are beset from both sides- and front and back, by leaping, stabbing and slicing kruthik. Just young/hatchlings mind, but it takes a while for the PCs to work out what’s going on here. The little buggers, like trapdoor spiders, launching themselves at the PCs from their myriad holes in the walls, and the ceiling. The holes, all of them, covered by thin skins of dirt- it’s an ideal ambush spot.They’re coming from the walls, man.There are very quickly a dozen or so kruthik young in the fight, Buggles gets critted, while Gwen takes multiple hits- note these two are last in the party marching order. Daktari manages to cut one of the alien-looking creatures down, Ram repeats the trick, but the little bastards have tough armour and are otherwise proving difficult to hit.[ATTACH=full]134401[/ATTACH]"They're coming out of the walls, man!" Gwen proves to be a Kruthik magnet.Gwen takes more hits (and she’s AC 19, and my dice are on fire), Ram gets clawed and sliced, Newt Belphegor blasts another kruthik dead.Buggles gets clawed, and… Gwen takes yet another pair of hits, she’s bloodied already- note Gwen, when summoned, has around 60 HP, she’s 30 HP down at the end of the first turn.Buggles is being remarkably calm.So, watching on from the DMs chair, it became obvious that there were three distinct parts to this fight. This bit, the start of it (obviously) was all ‘action’, and the PCs took a few hits (quite a few actually) but, well… the enemies are only little kruthik, and so they rolled with it and stuck to getting the job done.Vinnie conjures his shillelagh and gets into the melee- the brave fool, the druid smashes another kruthik hatchling down dead.But the attack is relentless, Ram gets critted again, and Gwen… she soaks up yet another pair of hits.Buggles however is a killing machine- trying to keep the kruthik from getting to Gwen. His Durgeddin the Black manufactured magical scimitar (formerly known as Slitheringhate, presently known as Mongoose) cuts deep- and seems to be doing a lot more damage than usual to the strange monstrosities. Two more kruthik hatchlings are sent to the void by the wood elf- both attacks are crits.Oh, and Buggles is on another crit run this session.Ram takes another hit, and very quickly the rogue is bloodied too, however he too manages to cut another enemy down.At which point however a much larger kruthik variant explodes through a wall and claws Newt repeatedly.[ATTACH=full]134402[/ATTACH]An Adult Kruthik makes it's appearance, seconds later it is on Newt like a cheap suit.There is yelping, a precursor to screaming- terror foreplay if you will.Note the young hatchlings have in effect attacked from the front and the rear of the PCs, causing the Dark Squad to bunch up, making them ideally situated for the larger adult kruthik(s) to get into action.Gwen takes another hit, it’s a crit- the duergar skeleton is down below 10 HP.Newt blasts another kruthik to shreds, Vinnie goes feral- assumes his shifter form, both the warlock and the druid need the temporary hit points.Buggles keeps critting and keeps killing.Daktari enters his rage, the barbarian is also close to being bloodied, he needs the resistance.It would be fare to say that at this point we, or rather- they, have entered the second phase of the fracas. I would caption this phase as- the struggle.A second adult kruthik tears its way through the wall opposite, and is now behind Newt, it rips into the tabaxi who is very quickly down to 10 or so hit points, the warlock’s hellish rebuke singes the beast but… still it comes on.Just to note around the VTT the player chatter has gone from-Buggles: “What the hell are these little buggers?”, this after seeing the kruthik image on the VTT.To-Ram: “They’re tough little buggers aren’t they?”To-Newt: “Don’t kill that one! Don’t kill that one! I need a few of the little buggers (hatchlings) left alive, so I can blast them to pieces and get some more temporary hit points!”It’s tense.Gwen gets critted again, she’s down to 3 HP.The raging Daktari comes to Newt’s aid- note the barbarian is being played by Bear tonight, Bear also plays Newt- again (as with last session), funny that.The first adult kruthik is cut down, with a hit- crit combo.Yep, Buggles again.Newt blasts another kruthik hatchling to pieces. Kerching! Ten more temporary HP from his Dark Ones Blessing.Alas, the warlock’s buffer doesn’t last long, they’re gone in an instant as the remaining adult kruthik manages to cut and tear the tabaxi a new one all over again.Kruthik’s man!Vinnie has seen enough- Vincen C. Bear gets his first bit of screen time. Note this is Vincen C. Bear, a cave bear, and ferocious with it (+8 to hit with his Durgeddin the Black manufactured insignia of claws enhanced attacks).[ATTACH=full]134403[/ATTACH]Vincen C. Bear, hardly a roaring success...Jim, playing Vinnie, talks up his new beast- “Watch this!”Too much, too soon.He misses repeatedly, and then spends an inspiration point to roll lower still.Gwen, still standing (just) crits, but fails to kill, a kruthik hatchling.Remarkably this effort gets a very loud cheer.That’s a sign, they’re fretting.Buggles goes tonto mode (two more crits) and cuts down two more hatchlings.The PCs ragged cheers however are soon curtailed, as the kruthik hive lord smashes an eight foot circular opening in the northern wall, and then spews a steady stream of acid into the densest group of flailing adventurers.[ATTACH=full]134404[/ATTACH]The Dark Squad get hosed (with aceeeed!). Note Kruthik top right, they're pleasant looking buggers ain't they?Gwen is destroyed, Gerald- Newt’s bat familiar- same as.Vincen C. Bear is reduced from full to 8 HP, and is left standing in a steaming acid puddle, rendered almost furless by the scathing blast.Newt is down to 2 HP, and with no temporary buffer to help him.It goes quiet around the VTT.Although someone, I’m not sure who it was, keeps whispering the F-word on Discord.We have now entered phase three of the fight, for the want of a better word let’s call this phase- survival.Daktari charges directly into the hive lord, and gets busy with it (actually the ‘it’ the barbarian is busy with is mostly missing)- note the barbarian is already beyond bloodied.The last remaining adult kruthik stabs and slices at Vincen C. Bear, and the great grizzly beast is down to 1 HP.Hardly a bravura showing for his debut- he landed one attack from seven, although it was a crit.Newt blasts the last but one of the young kruthik dead- and then breathes a sigh of relief, ten more temporary hit points.Buggles, with yet another crit, cuts down the second, and last, adult kruthik.The hive lord meantime recharges its acid spray (first time) and does it all over again.Ah!There it is- the sound of screaming over the VTT.Newt is back down to 2 HP (temporary hit points buffer gone again- they don’t last long do they?), Daktari’s HP are in the mid-teens, but the barbarian is going nowhere- death or glory, he just keeps swinging and more often than not (latterly) hitting the hive lord.Note the players can see the HP bar on the kruthik hive lord, about this point Stu (playing Buggles) had this to say-“It’s not gone down much has it?”Jim (playing Vinnie) replies- “I was just thinking that!”Followed (both, in chorus) by a big conjoined sigh.Vinnie de-wildshapes back to shifter form- the cave bear thing just wasn’t working out, the druid flings a little fire (produce flame) and then retreats. Newt does something remarkably similar- fiery blasts and then away. The pair don’t want to get anywhere near the hive lord.Note the kruthik hive lord is using the tunnel it created to hide in, retreating after each of its attacks, a little way further back each time- drawing the adventurers in.Buggles joins Daktari in the thick of the action, and with yet another crit (his sixth of this fight, he crits on 19+).[ATTACH=full]134405[/ATTACH]Daktari & Buggles go toe-to-toe with the terrible Kruthik, Ram awaits Buggles' call- the pair are swopping in and out of the fracas. Meantime Newt and Vinnie do their best to dodge into sight of the Hive Lord- fire their spells at the hard to hit big bad, and then in the next instant get the hell out of dodge. A fairly accurate summary of the Dark Squad's tactics in most every fight.And we’re back to the hive lord again in the combat tracker, and Fantasy Grounds auto rolls for the monstrosities acid spray recharge, and what do you know- it’s a ‘6’.The acid comes again, but alas only Buggles and Daktari are now in range- the wood elf is bloodied, at last, while Daktari alas is down below 10 HP. What’s worse the barbarian is now swinging and missing- even spending inspiration points to miss some more.Newt also misses with a pair of Belphegor’s fiery blasts, the tabaxi then has to use his feline agility to get away from the tunnel entrance, he can’t get hit again.But then, at last, Vinnie drops a faerie fire on the hive lord- and that makes all the difference.Buggles hits- crits, he’s terrorising the nasty bugger, the hive lords retreats some more- and, at last, its bloodied and beyond. At which point, and for the rest of the fight, the kruthik fails to recharge it’s acid spray.The creature is much less effective with its claws and mandibles.Buggles and Ram take to dodging in and out of the tunnel- making room for each other (and with their sneak attacks), while Daktari just stands there and takes it.Although he doesn’t have to take much- the kruthik hive lord only hits one more time in the next two turns.Remarkably it’s the barbarian that eventually smashes Shatterspike, his magical longsword, through the skull and brain of the kruthik hive lord.There is woo-hooing, and at last I can call a break and go and pee.That went to the wire, and took ninety minutes to play out.[Kruthik ambush 3100 XP]The Dark Squad are semi-broken, there therefore follows a scramble for healing, and then… resignation, they really do need to take a short rest- here in the tunnels, which is not optimum.The rogues in the meantime locate the central area of the kruthik’s lair, there’s a little treasure to be had here, but… not a lot.The adventurers eventually find a defensible location and hole-up there for an hour or two.Note Newt and Daktari, even after spending all of their healing surges, are still not back to full.Then, yet another hour in the dark and the slippery tunnels- and a few more checks, but the Dark Squad eventually scramble their way through the muddy passages and, at last, back out into a much more navigable/traversable Underdark passage.Ram silently scouts out a suitable resting place, a serviceable cave just a little way further along the passage (after a ‘20’ survival check, and they deserved a break).Newt pumps up his Leomund’s Tiny Hut and the gang shuffle inside for the night, and remarkably there are no interruptions during their recovery period. Note the Dark Squad, of course, set watches- and all of them manage to make their exhaustion checks, which were made slightly more difficult because of the extra energy they had expended.But tomorrow’s a new day… although, but we’ll get to that.[A well-earned rest 200 XP]So, day three in the dark- and they should get to the duergar bridge today, there- that’s something to look forward to.But to begin with the Dark Squad take a moment to get their bearings, and then… they get on with their journey and a little while later get lost, although only briefly- just for an hour or so. They’re descending quite quickly here, they’re going deep, just as Old Gorm warned them.[ATTACH=full]134406[/ATTACH]"Down Down Deeper, and Down!" As the ancient prayer to Dumathoin goes, you know the one- "Get Down Deeper and Down!" Remember it? Nearly five hours into todays delve the Dark Squad enter a much large cavern- a massive cavern, a single stone span, maybe five or so feet wide, bridges a chasm that seems to descend forever. Although a brief investigation elicits the fact that there’s a mist within the yawning opening, and a grinding noise- every now and then, coming from the same direction.The DM makes it clear, I hope, down is a long long way to fall.[ATTACH=full]134407[/ATTACH]"Down Down Deeper, and Down!" It's a catchy tune.[To the abyss cavern 200 XP]The Dark Squad therefore rope up before attempting the span- and because Old Gorm advised them too, or else the DM did in the guise of Old Gorm just to see if they would. All goes well- and they’re quickly across the stone bridge, then on into a maze of caves but… Buggles, don’t ask me why, decides to lighten the mood with yet another flute solo.This event happens soon after a voice is heard, coming from the chasm- alas none of the Dark Squad can understand the language being spoke, nor can they identify what manner of creature that is speaking.Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, flute solo.And it’s a ‘25’ on the wood elf’s Musical Instrument check, a haunting melody.Which, moments later is repeated, and again the noise is coming from somewhere down in the chasm, although at this point Ram has made his way through the mess of caves here and discovered that the chasm is ahead, as well as behind.There’s another narrow stone span bridging the chasm ahead too.And soon after there’s more strange chatter coming from the depths.Newt has a breakdown, I can’t think of another explanation for it.The tabaxi races to the edge of the chasm, capers on the spot while hissing and screeching something about ‘vowing to bow down to the great master of the depths’, honestly- the warlock is a fiend-tart.Not content with having sold his soul twice already…But then whatever it is in the depths starts parroting Newt’s words back to him, and in the tabaxi’s sibilant voice.It’s getting weird.I said it would.Although Vinnie is now listing creatures (potential enemies) that have mimicry in their effects package.And then weirder still- the voice comes again, but it’s a different voice- but it has something to say, something very… interesting.“Garblegutts Palace, at the top of the stair!” Delivered in the snarling tones of the goblin tongue, and here’s the thing- Daktari understands it, and repeats it- to Buggles.[ATTACH=full]134408[/ATTACH]Note the red squares indicate the guessed at (Perception checks) locations of the various voices/sounds that the Dark Squad have heard. So, there's more than one of these things...He’s looking for ‘the goblin stair’, see the prophecies earlier.The wood elf makes a note, but still… what’s going on here?Just to say- this fight- it’s coming, like the last fight, it took a bit of setting up.At this point however the Dark Squad are staying safe in the caverns, not quite sure what to do next, and so a trio of the mimics go looking for them.The mimics are gazers.Daktari spots the first of them when he’s hit by its frost ray.[ATTACH=full]134410[/ATTACH]A pair of Gazers about to be discovered.Note a gazer is like a very small- tiny, beholder, only with just four eyestalks.Obviously nowhere near as powerful as a beholder, CR ½.But, and here’s why- the PCs didn’t know this, at least for a little while- the Dark Squad very briefly think they have spotted a beholder (or variant). Which caused a little consternation.However, Ram gets into action and fires and arrow into the first gazer on the scene, which bursts like a puss filled balloon.Two more of the tiny floating monstrosities are spotted, but the pair swiftly descend back down into the chasm and out of sight.Vinnie therefore makes an executive decision-“Monsieur Shambow, I suggest we ow you zay- beat feet, and right quickleee!”The Dark Squad attempt to hot foot it across the last remaining rocky span, alas it’s at this point that the PCs remember they are all still roped together (or else they are now roped in two groups).The crossing of the bridge goes poorly, particularly when Ram leading the way gets attacked by yet a different gazer which lurches up and out of the mist. The rogue is swiftly dazed and then telekinetically shoved (almost) off the narrow bridge, he’s left hanging on by his fingertips.[ATTACH=full]134411[/ATTACH]Note Ram's token is turned on its side- that's the sign, short hand in game for 'man down!', or else PC in trouble deep. Just to say that was a 20d6 damage fall right there...That doesn’t last however, the agile ex-smuggler scrambles back onto the stone bridge.While Newt blasts the gazer to pieces.Note there are more gazers here, in the mist- and they take it turns to shout/mimic things they have heard- I, your wily DM, have a random language table and a random things to shout table too. Unfortunately, nothing else that gets said over the course of what follows is understandable to any of the PCs.Back to it…Ram gets across the bridge, grabs his bow out and shoots dead another gazer.Vinnie quickly conjures a fog cloud, and that just about does it- the remaining gazer’s get lost turned around in the now much thicker haze.The (rope) entangled Dark Squad members manage, at last, to drag themselves across the very narrow bridge- although as they get to the other side two things happen.[Gazer attack 600 XP]The first, yet another gazer appears from the cavern the PCs just exited- it screams incoherently and is just about to unleash its eye ray attacks when…The second thing happens.The gazer is hit by a stone boulder about the size Vinnie’s head, the odd enemy splats into the cavern wall- destroyed, such is the force of the throw.The Dark Squad turn to see an eighteen foot tall stone giant clambering up the wall of the chasm, out of the mist, and to their location.“I am Hgraam. Quickly, people of the dream, run on to where it is safe.”The giant grins and gestures very friendly like towards the caverns ahead, and remarkably none of the Dark Squad demur, or even stop to question it.As Buggles said at the time. “Oh, he’s very nice.”[ATTACH=full]134412[/ATTACH]Hgraam, 18 ft. tall Stone Giant- V. Nice, according to Buggles, well- that's me reassured, if Buggles says he's alright- what could possibly go wrong?But that’s about all we got up to.Some more of this kind of thing, no doubt, next time when we get to meet Hgraam.Yet another cracker, but I’m already looking forward to the next one, and I’m still not certain what’s going to be in it yet.Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

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