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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8780668" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #101:  Ram's Revenge.Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 8New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 8Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/1Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 8NPCs<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>RETIREDUbmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 (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">The De La Crane Manse is on The Leap, and Anders Solmor would like the Squad to check it out, it's also the ancestral home of the De La Crane family, and the Squad are looking for Antonio De La Crane- see below.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Bonnie Bowspirit, grand-daughter of Rambles, will show the Squad to the missing halfling killer's tomb, on the 6th of Flamerule- see below.</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 Cemetary).</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 101, and we're still fighting, in fact spoiler alert- the fracas that started at the end of session #99 continues to its conclusion here, and we only got it finished by going thirty or so minutes over time.So, last we left the Dark Squad they were battling their way through a mob of human thugs and toughs, although a few of the enemies were also adept at the sneak attacks, and so the going is slow. It doesn't help that the Dark Squad expended a lot of ordinance fighting illusory snake swarms at the start of this to-do.At present Vinnie is the Moonboar, but middling-low on hit points and almost out of spells- he's also missing a lot of his hits but has a Fire Shield running, so he's spreading the joy; Daktari has Exhaustion 2 and has taken a beating, and his second to last Rage is just about to end. Nicky is almost through his spells, he too has taken a good kicking- the Dhampir is at present flying around with his Spectral (Vampire) Guardians surrounding him, he's pale-faced, fangs extended and feeding on the villains (and in the process terrifying them). Nicky is pissed. Newt has been out of warlock powers for hours now, he spends the majority of this session hiding and blasting- back to Newt of old. Although not all of this session, later he will attempt to stir the Dark Squad into further action with a Churchillian speech (but see later). Ram? Well, Ram has taken just one point of damage. Ram is a man entirely in control of his destiny, his ability to get both 'in' and 'out' of trouble is becoming legendary, the swashbuckling rogue is a terror, ghosting in to slash and stab, and as quickly retreating to find cover, out of the way of whatever bad things the enemies attempt to serve up next. He is however rolling low quite a lot.So, back to it.[ATTACH=full]262335[/ATTACH]And here we are again, the Dark Squad have been attacked from the rear, and have therefore abandoned the cavern passages to the south and have started to hunt down their new enemies. Note, there's a fresh bad guy arriving from the north east, firing his hand crossbow as he arrives.[ATTACH=full]262336[/ATTACH]But the Dark Squad swiftly turn this situation around, and moments later the same new enemy is fleeing back up the stairs with Ram and Nicky in pursuit, and... between the pair they convince the 'smuggler' to surrender.Oddly, and pretty much at the same time, back down stairs in the basement Vinnie also convinces another one of the sneaky hand crossbow firing bad guy smugglers to surrender too. Alas, at this point a whole new batch of enemies begin swarming in from the cavern tunnels, more smugglers, more tough guys, and oh look! There's a hefty (seven foot tall) thickset bugbear wielding a club as big as Daktari.The Moonboar can also hear someone shouting orders to the large goblinoid, someone back in the cavern passages to the south.Note, prior to this the Dark Squad have had maybe ten seconds to chat with their two new captives, in summary they learn- they're smugglers (but the real deal, these are the pros), their boss is called 'the Master', and he's a wizard or caster of some sort.Further note, both prisoners are knocked out- the Squad don't have time to tie up these fellows.Then, however, the bad guys start arriving again...[ATTACH=full]262337[/ATTACH]The bugbear hits hard, and by the sound of things there are more enemies on the way.It's at this point that some members of the Dark Squad start wondering whether they should ship-out, flee this place.But Newt is having none of it, although it's not yet time for his stirring speech.[ATTACH=full]262338[/ATTACH]It's also at this point that someone wrenches open a trapdoor above the stairs that lead into the barracks here (just south of Newt) and another enemy emerges from here, rushing down the stairs- hand crossbow pinging. Oh, but you can't see Nicky? That's because the dhampir is fighting another tough smuggler in the pantry, back up the stairs from the wine cellar.The fight is getting spread out again.[ATTACH=full]262339[/ATTACH]But Nicky isn't built for going toe-to-toe with a guy that's swinging both a longsword and a shortsword in a swirling bloody pattern, the cleric retreats- at speed. The heavily armoured fellow facing him swears (repeatedly) that he's going to end 'the vampire', he pursues the priest of Twilight at all cost.You'll note the Moonboar is getting busy with it over in the south west corner of the barracks here. But how come he seems to have healed a lot of damage- he's back down to one blood drop in the image above. Vinnie has had to drop out of Moonboar mode, and then re-initiate, this after getting dropped down to less than ten HP.So, the druid is using his second (and last) Wildshape.However, Vinnie is also sporting his Fire Shield and so while he's taking hits his attackers are getting hurt too.[ATTACH=full]262340[/ATTACH]Then the Master suddenly appears (he was Invisible), he's a tall thin robed fellow with the mandatory 'evil genius' goatee, he makes a maniacal proclamation or two and then frazzles Daktari and the still flying Nicky with a Lightning Bolt (and I rolled 38 damage on 8d6).Nicky fails his save and soaks up the lot.You'll note there are now three of the hefty bugbears in the chamber, and these trio take a lot of stopping- and with 100+ hit points each, although they keep on bloody missing.Newt is generally issuing bold statements, and blasting, although most all of this is achieved whilst hiding behind the stone stair well. Note the very bloody smuggler here is unconscious. The remarkable thing about the end of that last statement is the fact that Newt doesn't kill this guy just for the temporary hit points.[ATTACH=full]262341[/ATTACH]Enter the Supreme Being to save the day. Ubmo comes flying down the stairs beeping furiously, and to ragged cheers.It's at this point that we remember that Ubmo is not in the fight, and so... here he is. The binary speaking modron flies down the stairs and the DM rolls a 1d4 to see what Ubmo's attack is going to be (he uses his powers at random).The DM rolls a '4'.Jim/Vinnie starts cheering.Jim/Vinnie knows that '4' is a Lightning Bolt, and so Ubmo positions himself and...[ATTACH=full]262342[/ATTACH]Is swiftly torn apart by Nicky's Vampire-style Spectral Guardians. See those two circles on the map, well- when you put them down they get in the way of other folk moving their PCs etc. and so we just put them to the side. One of them is Nicky's Spirit Guardians...RIP Ubmo, and no Lightning Bolt.The DM enjoyed that immensely.Note, the Vampire Spiritual Guardians also account for both unconscious prisoners that the Dark Squad have taken, they're dead too.[ATTACH=full]262343[/ATTACH]And then, bad things happen.In quick succession the following events occur-The tough guy smuggler that has been chasing Nicky for the last maybe six or seven turns gets to the dhampir and cuts him down.Nicky is flying, although only a few feet in the air (the ceiling is about twelve feet above here) he therefore falls unconscious and then falls out of the air- and hard to the ground, but for only three points of damage.But that's a Death Saved failed.Seconds later Nicky rolls and fails another Death Save.This is suddenly getting very tricky.[ATTACH=full]262344[/ATTACH]You'll further note that the Moonboar is gone, and Vinnie is back, and only just clutching on to life- the druid is down to maybe six hit points, he's halfway up the entirely enclosed stairs.This after yet another Lightning Bolt from the Master.The druid wants to go home.However, Newt climbs on the table and starts making threats.So, as stated before, Newt is played by Ben, and when Ben is voicing Newt, and Newt is angry and pissed, and loud- well, Ben's microphone cuts out, repeatedly.It's a marvelous piece of comedy, every time, because Ben forgets it happens- and obviously this is a big role-play moment for him- every time, and yet-“Mighty Bel... and SHAME! For I am... and... and... with my fiery... and...FOREVER!”The bit we get to hear is great, but I've no idea what any of it means.Anyway, the point is- Newt's going nowhere, he's fighting until the bitter end.Then, see all the yellow targeted enemies on the image above, well... Daktari has a Necklace of Fireballs, the barbarian flings a bead into the far wall of the chamber and very suddenly the Master has just two badly wounded bugbears to cover his retreat, all other enemies are burned to death in the fiery blast.Newt approves wholeheartedly.Note, there's also a plan to get Nicky back on his feet.But that doesn't work.[ATTACH=full]262345[/ATTACH]Then... the Master, the enemy wizard, casts a Shatter spell into the largest wedge of the Dark Squad left standing, alas that's also the end of Nicky, that's him- the skull nestled behind Daktari.Three failed Death Saves.He's done.Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8 is DEAD.There's a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, sack cloth and ashes- that kind of thing.But... It ain't over yet.The fight that is.[ATTACH=full]262346[/ATTACH]The Dark Squad are only just hanging on, although there are only two enemies left here- note the Master, badly wounded, has already exited running back into the passages to the south.In the next few moments both bugbears are cut down, Vinnie gets to the fallen Nicky but there's nothing the druid can do, he doesn't have the components he needs to cast Revivify (I think that was the discussion, I didn't get too involved). Although there were a lot of angry voices (not from George) as Nicky departs all for the want of 300gp of diamond dust (or some such).Vinnie is all for grabbing Nicky's body and getting the hell out of dodge right now, but then Ram has a speech of his own, although it's not a speech as much as a muttered reply. It goes like this-“I'm off to kill the wizard. You do what you like.”[ATTACH=full]262347[/ATTACH]And with that the rogue ducks out of the chamber, hustling down the steps into the torch-lit cavern passages, Newt (grinning) following after.“Yeah! Get 'em Ram!” Newt offers, and then seconds later- as the fast moving Ram goes full stealth the warlock is suddenly left alone in the caverns.“Ram? Ram?”But Ram's in stealth mode, and so- no reply.Newt is very suddenly a little less confident.And then even less so...[ATTACH=full]262348[/ATTACH]See Ram, he's following an invisible wizard, and doing rather well, by which I mean his passive perception is high, and the Master's stealth rolls are low. Newt however, the warlock took the wrong path and has had to quickly employ his tabaxi shuffle (Feline Agility), the cavern he's exiting was home to a whole a number of patches of Green Slime, several of which tried to drip on him.Daktari is just heading in, keep in mind he's still Exhaustion 2, and so plodding.Vinnie is staying with the fallen Nicky, he makes a very nice speech (although there's no-one there to hear it) and then says a few prayers.[ATTACH=full]262349[/ATTACH]Here's the bigger picture.Where's the wizard? Where's the Master?He's invisible but is also trying to push the small sail boat ten feet ahead of Ram out to sea.Ram knows where to aim his next attack with Deadend (his magical rapier) and sure enough...[ATTACH=full]262350[/ATTACH]Here's the Master, having just failed his concentration check.Invisibility over.But that's not enough.[ATTACH=full]262351[/ATTACH]The Master dives into the sea, desperate to get away.But Ram's not having that, and the rogue is wearing his magical Mariner's armour.Then Ram misses both of his attacks.There is cursing.[ATTACH=full]262352[/ATTACH]But then Newt and Daktari dive into the sea too. Newt Blasts (but mostly misses) while Daktari is much more accurate with his javelins.The Master has had enough, he surrenders.Or else turns and mimes the act to Ram- he's underwater and holding his breath remember.But the rogue is having none of it.He guts the Master.Dead.Revenge.And that was all we got up to in this one.Stay safe and well you lovely people.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.Oh, and George's new PC is already made, unless he changes his mind again.</blockquote>

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