Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9286897" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #128: The Secret Mr. Timpkins.Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 9Fellowyn Silverstream (played by George) Male Eladrin Wizard Bladesinger Lvl 9New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 9Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/2Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 9DEAD PCs<s>Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 </s>RIPNPCs<s>Inverna Nightbreeze (played by George) Female Wood Elf Fighter Lvl 8 (Sidekick) </s>RETIRED<s>Garumn Male Mountain Dwarf Paladin of Moradin Lvl 5 </s>RIP*<s>Tarbin Tul (played by goonalan) Male Human Bard </s>RETIRED<s>Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1</s> EXPLODEDUbdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2 (When we remember)*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.Servants/FamiliarsGerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New TricksOwly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiarThe Dark Squad’s to-do list-<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">An extraordinary meeting of the Saltmarsh Town Council, the Dark Squad are going to get hired to end the smuggling menace (see below), scheduled for 10th Flamerule.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The smuggler's ship will be turning up sometime between the 14th and 17th of Flamerule, the Dark Squad (and particularly Ram) are keen to meet the vessel, particularly Ram- why, because as the rogue said- “I'm getting a boat.”</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">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).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood- except she's not there anymore, but a big red dragon is?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">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.</li> </ol>This is session 128, and here’s some more.[ATTACH=full]351123[/ATTACH]Here’s the big picture, note Ram and Ubdug are situated beneath, and therefore unseen, in the shadow of the large eye tentacle.Newt is gone- disappeared, and the rest of the guys are out of all their stuff (more or less) and fighting for their lives.Oh well.[ATTACH=full]351126[/ATTACH]Here’s a better picture of everyone. Except Newt.[ATTACH=full]351127[/ATTACH]Fighting, fighting… fighting.[ATTACH=full]351128[/ATTACH]Fighting, fighting, fighting. Note Daktari has just taken a Thunderstopper- the Kraken Priest basically sets off a Thunderstorm/Blast in the barbarian’s heart. I can’t remember the actual power, and whether I made it up or not, but it was 5d10 Thunder damage and then some extras.Jim, very soon after, said- ‘I think Dak might die!”But he doesn’t.[ATTACH=full]351129[/ATTACH]Fellowyn for the win.One Polymorph spell later and we have Daky Kong.Replete with around 160 hit points.Note the MVP (Fellowyn) did his thing and then got the hell out of dodge. The Master of Blade & Song is learning to be the plain old Master of Magic. Clever Magic to be precise.But I know what you are thinking.So, am I.[ATTACH=full]351130[/ATTACH]Here’s Newt.He’s on the bottom of the ocean.The very bottom-bottom.In what was once a very fine undersea settlement of some kind, the place is deserted, however.His Flying Broom isn’t working.Now at this point I want to declare my hand.I was certain, as in 100% certain (not that certainty has gradations) that Newt did not have any items that would allow him to breath underwater.What I didn’t account for was him buying a Potion of Water Breathing in his very last shopping trip to Saltmarsh.So, Newt swigs his potion and lives.That was so far away from my intention.But hey-ho, we live (alas) and learn.Newt goes for a swim-plod, he hates water- remember, and he’s not the world’s best swimmer (he’s a big cat/pussy remember).Anyway…[ATTACH=full]351131[/ATTACH]Oh, look there’s an ancient stone structure on the bottom of the sea here, a temple of some sort, but… that’s not helping- Newt’s colleagues’ meantime are fighting for their lives.Newt continues his swim.[ATTACH=full]351132[/ATTACH]They are very big shells, the Warlock takes a moment to examine the very big shells, and then remembers… his colleagues are fighting for their lives.[ATTACH=full]351133[/ATTACH]Very big shells indeed, and a pile of ancient sunken boats and galleons, and a mountain of… stuff.Fighting for their lives.[ATTACH=full]351134[/ATTACH]Under the sea, under the sea. Darling it's better. Down where it's wetter. Hmm-Hm-Hmm-HM.[ATTACH=full]351135[/ATTACH]Newt pootles.[ATTACH=full]351136[/ATTACH]Ah, yes. Normal service is resumed.I think Newt screamed “Crikey!” at this point- it may have been a different word but, you get the gist.Where were we?[ATTACH=full]351137[/ATTACH]In truth Newt’s colleagues are doing fine, although the Kraken Priest is no push over- Daky Kong has just got tagged for another 5d10 Thunder damage.But Newt.[ATTACH=full]351138[/ATTACH]Newt’s chatting with the Leviathan, or as he will be known to Newt from this moment on-“I”, the single letter, the toll of the unfathomed depths, floods Newt’s tiny fizzing brain with its reverberating sound. Causing the tabaxi to wriggle-writhe and shudder.“I am the secret Mr. Timpkins.”[ATTACH=full]351139[/ATTACH]Newt shuddering.The secret Mr Timpkins steadies Newt’s St. Vitus dance (by grasping him with one of its titanic tentacles), and then when the tabaxi is somewhat better calmed, the Leviathan plucks out one of the warlock’s eyeballs- and eats it.I think I rolled 3d20 damage here. D20s so rarely get a trot out damage-wise, I thought it would be a nice/instructional change-up.Newt’s bleeding ocular orifice is not situations vacant for too long.The Leviathan cracks its maw again and another floating eyeball flutters and bobs its way out- the swimming oracle locates the braced Newt and zooms straight to the spot.There’s a noise, two noises.A sigh, as if from on high- and at the same time from all around.Followed by a PoP!Newt’s new eye is in place.Newt and the secret Mr. Timpkins chat a while.Newt does lickspittle hard.“My glorious Master! I am unworthy of…”Newt and the secret Mr. Timpkins cut a deal.Here’s the essence of it.The Leviathan is a primordial being.The Leviathan works for [Sigh!]-[PoP!]- as does Newt, of course, they are therefore on the same side.The Leviathan has been summoned by the Talos worshippers to destroy Saltmarsh.The Leviathan cannot destroy Saltmarsh.[Sigh!]-[PoP!] insists not.Therefore Newt (in a few moments time) must successfully (and convincingly) play the part of a tyrannical power mad magic of the gods enhanced spell-slinging lunatic.And save the day.He must singlehandedly save Saltmarsh by mortally wounding the Leviathan, causing it to flee.The Leviathan will limp off badly wounded, swearing Newt’s destruction. and from then on assume the position of spy in the enemy (Talos) camp.He will be, the secret Mr Timpkins.I swear it all makes perfect sense to me.Newt’s okay with the performance thing.Ranting megalomaniac- check!Spell slinging lunatic- double-check.Grandstanding, loud-mouthed, oafish buffoon- double your money![ATTACH=full]351142[/ATTACH]Back on the docks, the storm has hit- the great tentacles are starting to make a show of tearing things apart.They’re in action now.[ATTACH=full]351143[/ATTACH]Remember Ram and Ubdug, their newfound love and respect thing, no- me neither, they’re so last session. The pair are still fighting, still trying to beat down the Myrmidon.Blimey but the weather has come in.[ATTACH=full]351144[/ATTACH]Daky Kong is too tuff! The Kraken Priest is dead.[ATTACH=full]351145[/ATTACH]What’s happening here? Daky Kong having killed the Kraken Priest then uses the fishy-feller’s body as a missile against the Myrmidon. A hit, but no cigar.And then…Well Newt comes back, back on his Broom of Flying, and so he whizzes around a bit- shouting the odds a lot, and blasting away two or so of the towering tentacles every turn, and…Do you know, there’s not one picture of any of this on Discord.What does that say about Newt’s status here… that must be hard to take.Just to note, and I’ve said this before, when Newt goes off on one- Bear, giving voice to Newt, generally starts screaming down his microphone at us/all-and-sundry. The thing is… his microphone cuts out a lot when he does this, I mean for the end of every sentence.We’ve been at this the best part of three years, I still have no idea what he’s saying- but he says it a lot, and it sounds very vehement.So, that’s nice.Get it all out.The rest then was the finale, and Ben did a fine rendition of psychopathic Newt, but- well, there’s nothing new to tell, or to hear.For info Newt was also channeling a variety of ongoing illusions (although very minor) to enhance his shots, also to equip himself with a booming voice so that he could (un)successfully narrate his victory show.Not sure who he thinks he’s narrating too/for, the only fools that aren’t out of the storm, away from the docks (and the Leviathan) and the death and destruction, are… the Dark Squad.But Newt narrates every incident, and it’s a fine show- culminating in the Leviathan lurching/doggie-paddling away to fight another day, swearing vengeance in primordial as it departs back to the depths.The storm also heads back out to sea.Saltmarsh is saved.The rest… the rest was mostly more chatter.To note.The Dark Squad somewhat battered and broken have saved the day- they are lauded to the high heavens by the various people of Saltmarsh, including by the three Council members, who are now all very aware that the Dark Squad are the heroes of the town.All three of the councilors, it becomes quickly apparent, are a little weary of the Dark Squad’s sudden fame.There’s more to this but maybe next time.Obviously, the Squad finish up their Council Meeting, and then move on to interrogating the Talos worshipping half-orc archer that Fellowyn compelled to hand herself over to the Watch. The Squad learn a few things, including the fact that Talos is working for the prophecy- the Time of Shadow is coming. Keep in mind the archer is a flunky, so no great details- more that the storm is coming.The half-orc is executed soon after.[ATTACH=full]351146[/ATTACH]In the meantime, and we are still killing time here, waiting for Ram’s boat to come in. Anyway- Daktari is back to moneylending, he’s in accountant mode.Fellowyn is out of cash again, and already owes Daktari a chunk of change, but now everyone needs more healing, they expended quite a lot of stuff either during or else while running between the fights in the last few sessions.So, the bank of Daktari (in cod-Russian please)-“So, please sitting down, Mr Fellowyn. I have look your accounts and had special word with manager. I think we can do good deal today!”Fellowyn gets his money, I forget what it was for.[ATTACH=full]351147[/ATTACH]Wheelies?Ram, and others, are concerned that Ubdug is missing out on the upgrades here.Wheelies are the suggestion.Ubdug is very loud but only a little obnoxious as he patiently explains (again) that he is… “THE SUPREME BEING!” Basically, he doesn’t need an upgrade.He cannot be upgraded he’s… the SUPREME BEING!Then Ram explains what wheelies are.Ubdug wants a pair.And the rest of the session was spent rolling up some extra characters for another little thing I might have going on.And that’s what we got up to, I had a great time.Then it’s a week off and then we’re back again (tomorrow, the 12th). It’s time for Ram’s boat.Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

Verification