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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9382874" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #139: Into the Mere of the Dead Men Part 4.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 familiarArchimedes (very scruffy & old, Owl) Fellowyn’s familiar.The Dark Squad’s to-do list-<ol> <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 139, the Dark Squad are in the Mere of Dead Men, still- this is the morning of their fourth day in the swamp, and the guys are just recovering from a Froghemoth attack.[ATTACH=full]368653[/ATTACH]Here we all are again, in Newt’s Tiny Hut- which he has toned down a little, keep in mind Newt controls the soundtrack and the general atmos (lighting etc.) of his Tiny Hut. Previously he entertained folks within with a soundscape of screeches, maniacal cackles and a myriad other spooky sounds, this has changed significantly, it’s a mixture of Muzak and whale song at present, Newt’s mellowed- he’s gone all New Age.So, the Dark Squad have had the crap kicked out of them, and it takes a short while for Ram to… well, become Ram again- Were-Ram is a little more on-edge than the much more somnambulant rogue.There are investigations, after rest- the carriage hasn’t been in the swamp long- only a few days, it has livery and emblems that make the Squad think that it is ‘foreign’, possibly oriental- Shou. Something very big and with massive, clawed talons, it seems, picked up the carriage and dropped it here in the Mere- a very big dragon! Possibly.There’s a whole lot of treasure within the cab, mostly in a variety of sacks and other, sturdier, containers- no magic, but lots of stuff that can be sold.Keep in mind the Squad have three Bags of Holding between them (actually two bags and a chest of holding).Eventually, after a bunch more chatter- we go on, although the Squad have a problem now, they are now very much behind the pace. Best guess they aren’t going to get to the Witch’s Tor until the five days are up- breaking their covenant with the Lizardfolk.Note the Squad committed to undergo the tribal tradition of Sunda, this in an attempt to make amends for their nearly-genocide of the lizardfolk tribe. So, Sunda means surviving in the Mere of the Dead Men and then coming home quickly and safely. Basically, the test is to walk/travel for five days out into the Mere- as far as the initiate can go, and then to return to the lair in just four days. The Squad, to complete Sunda successfully, need to be back to the lair before dawn in nine days.They’re half-a-day behind schedule, after some interruptions en route, and then some bad checks today.[ATTACH=full]368654[/ATTACH]So, when there’s suddenly a great glowing light to the north, way off the trail (miles away)- the Dark Squad stop and fret.Newt wants to investigate this phenomenon, he thinks the source of the light is magical, but his colleagues are less keen- Fellowyn, with some great checks, offers a variety of other swamp-based natural phenomena as explanation for the light.However, and throughout the discussion, the light to the north pulses, every now and then.[ATTACH=full]368655[/ATTACH]Eventually the decision is made- the Dark Squad go on, ignore the light- mark the spot on their map, but… they go on- and at pace. They’re going to travel late into the evening, at least that’s the plan, to try to make up lost time. But, not too much- Ram is of the opinion that whatever awaits them at the Witch’s Tor is going to be nasty, they don’t want to get there and be suffering from Exhaustion etc.The Dark Squad trudge on, although- Newt’s on his flying broom- with Fellowyn riding pillion, Vinnie and Daktari are on summoned Spectral Mounts, and Ram is Water Walking. So, not a whole lot of trudging going on.[ATTACH=full]368656[/ATTACH]We get to here, and here turns out to be a very odd place.Note, the weather has improved as the Squad have continued their journey towards the Witch’s Tor, in fact the whole Mere has started to look… well, less nasty. To make clear- the fog and the mist has lifted somewhat, the swamp appears more natural- less spooky; the sun is even visible every now and then. The water, and the flora and the fauna has likewise become less slimy, dirty, dark and/or suspicious.It's very odd. Things are becoming more ‘normal’, less terror-filled spooky place.But back to the image above- odd.The Squad pass into a huge forest, or else a water-filled mangrove like forest- only the mangrove-like trees are titanic, the smallest a hundred feet tall.So, back again to the image above- apropos absolutely nothing Daktari, Newt and Fellowyn scatter- running screaming away from their colleagues. The three can see the (massive) fireball that’s about to crash down into the area.Specifically, the area that the Dark Squad are at present inhabiting.Newt kicks Fellowyn off his broom and then zooms off to hide behind a tree; Fellowyn- doing a lot of shouting half-wades/jumps away and then dives beneath the water to escape the flame. Daktari is watching- he thinks- the sun falling into Faerun, the barbarian stands open mouthed; and then a moment later- after the fireball hits, the brave barbarian runs screaming back into the conflagration in an attempt to rescue his companions from the flames.Ram is entirely consumed in the fiery impact, Vincenzo burned black, Fellowyn screams his “Nooooooooooooooooo!”, while Newt begins offering an obituary (of sorts) to the newly departed, and then…[ATTACH=full]368657[/ATTACH]Newt flies down to hide behind the massive bole/root of a tree; Fellowyn is submerged, and Daktari has just attempted (and failed) to save Ram- or at least to drag him out of the way of the conflagration. The rogue just side-stepped the screaming lunatic barbarian.There is no fireball, no flame, no injury- no harm; the world- and the Mere, is as exactly as it was, I mean, as it is.The trees are still massive, the water clear- and warm, there are fishes, and (water) foul, and other signs of ‘normal’ life, and…What was that all about?The three were convinced.And for a while after… still convinced.[ATTACH=full]368658[/ATTACH]More chatter follows, and a fair few associated checks- remarkably the Dark Squad detective their way through this one. Ram questions the three that shared the fiery vision and determines exactly where the fireball would have gone into the Mere.Then, with a bit of Water Breathing, the rogue goes diving and searching in the spot- he finds nothing untoward.Fellowyn, you see, has figured it out- he, Dak, and Newt have just had a vision- a vision of the future. If they had been seeing the past, he works out, Ram would have found something with his aquatic search.Then Newt chimes in-“Seek the Witch’s Tor,In the lair of the drowned ones,Beware the Demon’s sport,Find the time.Return again with the star fall,To reclaim the power.”So, the Dark Squad have just seen where the star falls.Well, and this is the DM speaking- that worked.The Dark Squad go on- after marking the spot on their map.[ATTACH=full]368659[/ATTACH]To here.Dry land, a clearing in a forest- ruined buildings ahead.Note, the phrase above, ‘a forest’, the thing is… not the watery mangrove-like forest the Dark Squad were, a moment ago, walking through.Not the Mere of the Dead Men.And… when the Dark Squad look behind them- there is no Mere of Dead Men, there’s just a forest. A very normal looking forest- temperate zone, wind in the trees- birdsong, no swamp- nothing at all swampy in fact.Something has happened.The Dark Squad make a variety of checks, cast a spell or two, and… WTF just happened.Newt is getting tetchy; he hates it when reality plays tricks on him. The warlock therefore kicks Fellowyn off his flying broom (he does this a lot) and zooms on ahead- straight to the ruins.[ATTACH=full]368660[/ATTACH]He gets to here.The pleasant forest clearing has been replaced, or else the field and forest- and ruins, are still present, but the atmosphere has changed dramatically. The thick mist and fog is back, the ground is dead- or else lifeless, it is cold- freezing cold, ice in the fur type cold. And there are birds- flocks and flocks of big black birds- ravens, waiting- watching, arrayed on the skyline of the ruins ahead.Thousands of them.[ATTACH=full]368661[/ATTACH]Lots of ravens that squark wildly and then very quickly take flight, swarming towards Newt.Note, back in the forest/ruins clearing with the rest of the Dark Squad- Newt has disappeared, of course.There’s a brief moment for discourse as the remainder of the Squad alternatively threaten not to follow Newt’s charge, and/or continue to bemoan their lot.Then, all of them, charge forward into the unknown.[ATTACH=full]368662[/ATTACH]The rest of the Dark Squad arrive just in time to see Newt being mobbed by Swarms of Ravens, and with more birds on the way- at one point there are six swarms trying to peck past his defences.There is fighting, although until Newt descends to ground level, the rest of the Squad are having to be the artillery.[ATTACH=full]368664[/ATTACH]More of this.[ATTACH=full]368665[/ATTACH]Newt goes for the big guns- Synaptic Static, he hates having stuff surround him/get in his space.That’s why I do it.A lot.[ATTACH=full]368667[/ATTACH]There are a dozen or so swarms, and they pretty much all head straight for Newt.Then, as the fight is just about won- Newt zooms off again- full speed- to the ruins.And…Zoop![ATTACH=full]368670[/ATTACH]Newt disappears again.And his Darkvision is not much use to him here- or so it seems.This is the same place- Newt can see the same features, but the air/fog/mist is very oppressive here, there is no light here.Not yet.Back with the rest of the Dark Squad and we almost get to a vote-“Let’s just turn around, let’s leave him…” I’ll not say whose line it was because as soon as it gets delivered two more voices chorus the following- “I was going to say that!”Ram, eventually, rushes after Newt, swearing and saying some really unpleasant things about the warlock as he reluctantly departs.Note, Fellowyn has reminded folk that the whispered voice that has been visiting them most evenings in the Mere has urged them to go to the “Castle beyond the Birds”.Well, that was the birds.Ram rushes forward and…[ATTACH=full]368671[/ATTACH]Well, it’s an improvement.[ATTACH=full]368672[/ATTACH]Moments later the rest of the Squad rush through.[ATTACH=full]368673[/ATTACH]Then the dead start to arrive. Note Newt spots his comrades light, that’s right- the Squad are scrambling for light spells (and the like, Ram has a glow sphere), flying back to his friends he spots a zombie ogre en route to the fracas.That’s not great.[ATTACH=full]368674[/ATTACH]More of the same, and the Dark Squad are discovering (the hard way) that the elven zombies deliver multiple attacks all with added necrotic damage.They’re also pretty tough.[ATTACH=full]368675[/ATTACH]Fellowyn arrives and summons Sydalg- his eye monster friend, it gets to blasting, but there are plenty of enemies and… the Dark Squad can’t see them- until they step into their limited light.And that’s where we end the session, it was another good one.Alt Game on the 25th, George is away- I think.Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

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