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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8402175" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #063: Ian With One 'I'Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).Daktari (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 7New Tricks (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 7Ramshambo (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue Lvl 7Vincenzo (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 7NPCsInverna Nightbreeze (played by Goonalan) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 7 (Sidekick)<s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*<s>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard</s> RETIRED*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.Servants/FamiliarsGerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New TricksOwly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiarThis is session 63, it was a cracker.The Dark Squad are in the process of trying to save Arty Swell, he's a murderer dontchya know, or at least he remembers stabbing Cali Brightsong. Vinnie has signed up to be Arty's Speaker (Lawyer) at the gnome alchemist's trial here in Squabblepot. The trial will take place in 72 hours, although that's down to 70 hours now.The PCs however have chosen to go for the 5,000 gp reward (see last session) and so they're trying to get this mystery solved in just 24 hours (they have 22 hours left).At present the guys are exploring Arty's secret lab, and Ram in particular is not happy about things- the doors down here are all locked and trapped, and the rogue- last session, was rolling low. The Dark Squad's mood, and their suspicions (about Arty) have also increased dramatically- at the end of the last session they discovered that there's a summoning chamber down here- but remember, as Newt said, the place hasn't be used for years.He's certain.That is until Humpty Far-Far-Away turns up within the pentagram, Humpty is a very polite gnome.[ATTACH=full]144053[/ATTACH]Master arrives.But before we get on just a word, this ones a bit all over the shop- mainly because player A was doing this, while player B was doing that- and if that wasn't bad enough, players C & D were also off doing something different. Also many of the chambers down here got repeat visits from the Dark Squad- to attempt to record all of their comings and goings, well... that's not for me. So, I've gathered some stuff up (by location) and kinda mashed the various bits together.Forgive me.And so, Humpty Far-Far-Away, here goes.The chatter starts up, and eventually... eventually (we go around the houses) Humpty Far-Far-Away turns out to be Humphrey Far-Fer-Nar, if you remember this fiendish fellow is (one of) Newt's demonic/devilsh (who knows which) patrons.So, here's the thing- Newt refers to Humpty as Master, he kow-tows (with the best of them) and is... for want of a better word, nice- like, all of the time (to Humpty). So, shocking is the new considerate and polite Newt that Daktari suspects that something terrible has happened to the normally terrifying tabaxi.“Why is Newt being so nice to da gnome? Newt say all gnomes should be in-sin-her... I mean, incin-air. He says all gnomes should burn! What is happening? Has Newt got infection?”Remember to deliver Daktari's lines in a dumb cod-Russian voice, that's what Jim does.[Newt's Master, the tabaxi is playing nice? 100 XP]Daktari rambles on, which leads to introductions- Humpty gets to meet the gang, the fiend is very polite during the small talk that follows, but eventually Newt gets his patron to himself.Humpty/Humphrey has news for his young padawan.So, while the remainder of the Dark Squad head off to do some more searching, Humpty and Newt chat- basically HR have been on to Humpty, and apparently he was a little rough on Newt during his first visit, it is therefore time for the Master to give something back.The fiend teaches Newt two new spells, actually two new cantrips- UNKNOWN, and Invisible Tiddles, and after that, well... a bit of a pep-talk for the warlock, a few suggestions with regard to party discipline, vis- kill one of the PCs and the rest will fall in line, that kind of thing, and... that's it. Humpty just wanted to pop by, he'll check in again some time soon, or at least he will if he has anything for the tabaxi to do.[ATTACH=full]144054[/ATTACH]Newt gets a little alone time with Humpty/Humphrey. The setting seems apposite.Newt is very happy, very enthusiastic- it has been a much better visit than the last time, and so best of friends- Master Humpty departs.[Newt meets Humpty/Humphrey again 400 XP]But while Newt was chatting the rest of the Dark Squad have been busy- another door in the lab complex has been opened, alas during the operation Ram took another hit from a poisoned dart, he's still not happy.The chamber revealed is a potion lab proper, with six cauldrons bubbling away. There are another two doors leading from this chamber (east and west), the place is given a cursory search- but then, after another break for more chatter, and Newt's return to the fold, the decision is made to start investigating/searching these areas properly.[ATTACH=full]144055[/ATTACH]Arty's Potion Lab, at last.The potion making lab however, after an extensive search, has no secrets to reveal, save for the fact that the cauldrons on the boil contain the makings of the following potions- Climbing, Fire Breath, Greater Healing, Growth, an Elixir of Health & Mind Reading. All of these recipes can be finished off by someone competent in alchemy (like Vinnie) but to do so will, of course, take time (and accompanying skill checks).[Investigating Arty's potion lab et al 200 XP]Note, some of the above information is gathered a little later (remember I said we went back and forth here) when Newt realises that he actually has a ritual version of Comprehend Languages written in his Book of Shadows. This he duly performs to enable him to read gnomish. The various notes found in the potion chamber are, of course, all written in the tongue- as are lots of other texts hereabouts.The door to the west of this chamber is opened, miraculously without triggering the poison dart traps- the chamber beyond is another lab come store room, it too is searched thoroughly and a bunch more alchemical goods discovered, including antitoxins, vials of acid, alchemical fire, and a clutch of healing potions.Ram necks three of the healing potions straight down, he figures Arty owes him. Newt drinks the remaining two draughts a little while later.[More searching 200 XP]The locked door east out of the potion lab also turns out to be trapped (and locked again) Ram, of course, discovers this the hard way- the rogue is momentarily engulfed in a burning poisonous mist which spews from the door's locking mechanism.Note, Ram's dice- at least when it came to the traps in here were again, pretty much, broken. A little later on Vinnie casts Fox's Cunning on the half-elf rogue, this in an attempt to boost his skill checks, but even with advantage the rogue's dice rolls were really low. At one point he made five checks with advantage in a short space of time, and the highest roll... a '5', just one- the other nine rolls including a double '1' for one of his checks (with advantage) were all below four.Regardless, and so beyond the northern door is Arty's bedroom- which is a little more untidy than the rest of the complex, but here's the really odd thing- the rough stone walls of the chamber are covered in graffiti- the same short phrase written in gnomish again and again. Although the graffiti only covers the area of the walls a gnome could reach- and it's all in Arty's handwriting.[ATTACH=full]144056[/ATTACH]I'd like to show you a picture of the labs/storeroom to the west- through the door, but I can't. I'd also like to show you a picture of Arty's bedrooms to the east- but I can't, no pictures exist of either area. I have a couple more of this room however, if you're interested. Get a few more shots in guys- all of the rooms if you can, and shout me if I'm burbling on, there's always time to take another screenshot.It's at this point Newt actually discovers he can ritually cast Comprehend Languages, and so does so, the much applied and repeated gnomish phrase on the walls reads-[Newt learns to read gnomish 100 XP]Ian with one 'I'.Most odd.But now the Dark Squad are having a collective idea, or else their putting together a myriad scrambled thoughts.Let Vinnie explain-“I believe Monsieur Swell 'az 'ad his mind bent by sum invading cree-chure, ooz name iz- E-an (Ian). Furthermore, E-an (Ian) 'az but one eye, p'rhaps.”[Ian with one 'I' 250 XP]There follows yet more chatter as we briefly revisit the Newt calling Humpty Master conversation, Newt is put on the spot- mostly by Vinnie.“What iz go-ing on wiz yew an 'umpty?The warlock patiently explains-“We have an arrangement, that's all I can say about the matter.”To which Daktari, listening in, responds-“But you call him Master!”Newt's reply-“Yes, [Sigh] that's the arrangement.”As it turns out, and as you already know, Humpty/Humphrey is one of Newt's patrons, an uber-fiend of some sort- although he doesn't know which variety, but... here's the clincher, Newt insists- Humpty is a really great guy.That's all the warlock's telling.[Humpty is Newt's Master 100 XP]Arty's bedroom is thoroughly searched- Ram finds a hefty chest under the gnome's bed, and duly unleashes another pair of poisoned darts as he fails (yet) again to spot and/or neutralise the trap. Remarkably both darts miss their intended targets (Ram & Newt) which was a shame for this DM as the poison on these beauties would have rendered either (both) of the PCs unconscious if they had hit.Damn shame.Just to say, Ram never stops trying- he's triggering traps left right and centre, but always he keeps coming back for more.Within the chest- lots of money and gems (over 3,000gp in a variety of denominations) and a bunch of very old love letters to Arty from his long dead wife- Shalli.[Ram finds Arty's fortune 100 XP]The money?The chest is locked back shut- virgo intacta.At some point during the above investigations, Newt- for a giggle, summons his Invisible Tiddles. Basically the cantrip sorta replicates Unseen Servant, save the summoned helper is a petulant (sometimes bored) cat. Newt convinces Tiddles to 'playfully' attack Vinnie, the druid bugs out for only a little while trying to work out what's occurring. Newt however explains his latest cantrip, and then promises the druid that Tiddles will prove her/his worth.[Invisible Tiddles 100 XP]We move on, eventually.Next stop is a thorough search of Arty's library, the Dark Squad spend the best part of an hour trying to find any more clues to the present mystery- they don't. They do however find three hidden things, number one- Vinnie locates a spellbook (Arty's) the druid recognises this for what it is, and so hides it away back on the bookshelves in an effort to prevent Newt from stealing it.Number two- Daktari finds a box of very old woodcut printed gnome pornography, nobody wants to see that. And lastly, Ram- locates half-a-dozen recipes and formulas for a selection of potions, which obviously could be of benefit to Vinnie, who is learning to be an alchemist, remember- Arty's supposed to be teaching him.The druid, magnanimous to the last, requests that Ram hide the recipes again, he's so noble.We move on, this time for a thorough search of the summoning chamber, although this doesn't take too  long as the place, as stated previously, hasn't been used (or kept clean) for decades. The contents of the chamber are therefore either rotten, broken, of just plain junk. Newt, of course, snaffles about a dozen 'esoteric' object d'art, you know the sort of thing- a painted 'demon' skull (actually a hedgehog), a jar of orc testicles, a jar of assorted eyes, similar except ears, and half-a-dozen coasters bearing the legend “Asmodeus is my Homeboy” written in infernal. That sort of thing.Then... the last door, which- deep breath- miraculously Ram gets open without poisoning himself (or anyone else) and beyond is a garden, or else a subterranean garden, for which read a damp and grotty cave full of fungi.Cue the maestro- Vinnie got this.And then some.So, the druid takes charge, and keep in mind some of the fungus down here has a little bioluminescence going on, and is likewise not adverse to randomly exuding dense clouds of spores- it's all a bit... grubby (possibly hazardous).But Vinnie, remember him, well this morning he chose to take the spell Speak with Plants.Note, Vinnie is a clever one- or else Jim who plays Vinnie is, anytime we go somewhere different- the forest, the underdark, the... wherever- well, he's always tinkering with his spells, taking a punt on something that might prove to be useful.Top work Jim.So, Speak with Plants- thirty seconds later and a whole host of fungi, including Felix, Frederick, Fanny, Fiona, Forsyth and Finton are all clamouring to talk with the druid. A series of questions follow, all of which alas are answered in the negative by the fungi chorus- no new information, that is until the following gets asked-[ATTACH=full]144057[/ATTACH]The Fun-guy's strain to point their bodies towards the 'magic curtain', for which read illusionary terrain.“'Ave any cree-chures ozzer zan uz been in zis chambre recently, in zer last 24 hourz?”“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS, ViNNNNNie!!”[Vinnie asks the right question 100 XP]Continued questioning, Vinnie's on a roll, and the druid learns that the one-eyed creepy crawly- the fungi-folk's name for the particular creature that visited this chamber not so very long ago.It's just about at this point that Newt, and then Daktari, start getting whispered message which just seem to pop (or rather, are heard) into their brains.The messages are not complimentary, they're threats...Vinnie's earlier description of events is really starting to sound like a goer... so, all the Dark Squad need to do, they believe, is to chase down Ian with one 'I', or at least get the body of the beast back to the surface, the rest is story.Keep in mind the Dark Squad (& Vinnie) know that they are going to be subject to truth telling spells as part of Arty's trial.So, Vinnie presses on with his information gathering, he gets a physical description of the one-eyed creepy crawler from his fungi-friends.Ian, with one 'I', as it turns out (because it must be him) is described as being about Vinnie's height and size, although the hunched creature has but one massive eye in its head. The ocular enemy also exhibits a fang-filled mouth, and savagely clawed hands and feet.It's at this point the Vinnie/Jim declares he knows what the monster is, only... he can't remember what it's called...Shame.Conversation with the Fun-guys continues for a while, the plant-folk even (very slowly) shape their bodies to indicate where the 'magic curtain'  is. The 'magic curtain' is of course the illusion that covers another exit from this chamber, the route the Ian with one 'I' took...Now the Dark Squad are really getting places, and they're after Ian (with one 'I').Although, “PLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEESE DON'T LEAVE USSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!”Vinnie is in demand.Frederick fungus screams- “TAAAAAAKE ME WITH YOU VINNNNNNNNIE!”“NOOOOOOO! TAKE MEEEEEEEEE!” Squeals Fiona fungus.And so the set up is complete for another of Vinnie's speeches, in this one he declares himself brother/sister to all fungi, the finale a rousing- Viva La Fungi![The Fun-guys 400 XP]The druid is cheered and exulted as he leaves the room... Although, as always, it's Ram that's sent into the illusion-covered passage first, and therefore it's Ram who follows the stairs down and into yet another cellar chamber, this one full of rotten crates and barrels and a constantly moving carpet of rats.There are also lights down here... although, after a little stealthy creeping, Ram discovers that the torches here are magical- continual lights. The rest of the place... an ancient ruin.[ATTACH=full]144058[/ATTACH]Another cellar/basement?Although, let's try the tracking trick again, and so Vinnie, Inverna and Daktari get to work- strating at the bottom of the stairs trying to figure if anyone has been this way recently... they have, as indicated by the muddy clawed footprints. It seems the creature was sometimes moving as a biped, other times as a quadruped. But that's not the real revelation, the real revelation is the footsteps lead directly to a blank wall, which mere seconds later Ram has revealed as a secret door- by levering the portal open.[Beyond the secret door 250 XP]Ram to the fore, trackers following after, the Dark Squad ready themselves for a moment, and then head on in- the place is flagged floors and worked stone, but subject to seismic activity- the stone passages twisted and broken in places, and always- swarms of rats, which flee from the adventurers approach.The trail goes on, eventually leading into a series of ten foot wide corridors- there are multiple ways to go, although... there are sounds of activity, a sudden THUMP to the far east. Ram leads his companions on, down a flight of broken stairs and into a high(-ish) ceilinged storeroom.[ATTACH=full]144059[/ATTACH]It's a ruin down here- following Ian's tracks into the dark.There are lots of rats here.Lots and lots... the place is searched, although... the rats are not happy about that- they swarm, but that doesn't last long as the Dark Squad unleash just a flicker of their power, but then- once the swarm has dispersed, the adventurers retreat quickly out of the chamber.[ATTACH=full]144060[/ATTACH]Rats![Disperse the rats 100 XP]The THUMP heard earlier was the sound of the far side of the ancient storeroom collapsing a little more, the place is unsafe.And so, if a tricks worth doing- the Dark Squad retrace their steps to the exit into this area and set the trackers, once more, to their task.Ian (with one 'I') went down the eastern passage, but then turned south and exited through a pair of wedged only-just-open badly rusted iron doors.[Lots of excellent tracking 350 XP]The area beyond the doors sticks stinks of sulphur, and the flagged and worked stone is gone- this is a cave, and the passage descends rapidly, over thirty feet down in less than half that distance along, a series of wonky ledges and scree.The going gets tough, but the Dark Squad are equal to it, and passage leads on- always cantered at a steep angle, heading down to a small boiling pool of sulphurous liquid that smokes and roils, and boy- is it hot down here.[The sulphurous cavern 200 XP][ATTACH=full]144061[/ATTACH]Sulphurous boiling pool ahead, just to say I've added an effect so that the water wobbles and waves- cool beanz on FGU, not so hot on a still.Again, Ian's tracks are located and then followed- the new oddity being Ian, it seems can climb walls- the tracks (after a couple of great checks) evidence that Ian spider climbed around and over the stinking pool. The Dark Squad, of course, realise that they are going to have to repeat this feet.But here's the thing, it's at this point that Jim/Vinnie has his lightbulb moment-“Nothic, Ian iz a nothic- a clawed aberrant, it can read zer memories of itz victimz! Sacre-bleu, we muzt cap-chure zis beast, or kill it and bring itz corpse to zer tri-al!”[Ian with one 'I' is a Nothic 400 XP]So, here's something else to think about, the terrain ahead looks to be difficult- and there's every indication that it is going to continue to be difficult ahead. Therefore there's another decision that needs to be made by the Dark Squad.And if you've not worked it out this is your friendly DM letting you know.If you want to go back to Squabblepot, to finish off your re-creation of Arty's last journey, or else to interview any of the other gnomes that witnessed the events of that evening, or if you have some supplementary questions for the accused, then... this is your opportunity.The terrain ahead will make your swift return to the surface difficult, be smart- if you have things to do back in Squabblepot, well- now is the time, I promise.But that's all for this week.Oh, nineteen hours to go to claim the big reward.The Dark Squad’s to-do list reads a little like this-<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    Find Ian with one 'I'    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    Save (the bastard) Arty Swell (maybe).    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    To the Moon Pool.    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    Goblins in the Dreadwood.    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    Nightshade in the Dreadwood.    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    To Blackedge, find the Goblin Stair.    </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">    Return to Fallowstone Holy for answers- the Witch’s Tor & the Pact of    the Flame. </li> </ol>And just a reminder to the players- there's plot to be had in here, you just have to find it.Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

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