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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9629021" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #157: To The Goblin Stair- at bloody last!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> EXPLODED<s>Ubdug (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 2</s> EXPLODEDUb-Pam (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 3*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 157 and it was a hoot- eventually, although hardly very taxing for the Dark Squad, but maybe that’s why it started to get fun.The Dark Squad are in catch up mode, at bloody last, the Goblin Stair has been on their things to do list since… I’d say around session #40. I’ve just looked back- Hgraam, the hippy-dippy Stone Giant told the Dark Squad about the Goblin Stair in… session #40. One of the prophecies, catalogued in session #29, also pointed the PCs to the Goblin Stair; but in session #40 Hgraam made it real clear- you need to go to the Goblin Stair.Session #40 happened in March 2021, so… some water has passed beneath this bridge since then.In the intervening period the Squad have learned quite a lot about the Goblin Stair (I’ve been mentioning it frequently- funny that), including-Where it is? In the Darkwood, head to the top of Blacktop, situated near the village of Blackedge. Blacktop is a large hill-cum-rocky scarp. Be aware, Forest Goblins guard the route to the Stair they were told.How to get in? Follow the trail up towards the summit of Blacktop, you’ll see a cave just before the summit- a fresh flowing stream crosses the path and tumbles into a beautiful dell, head down there. Hidden within the trees is a circle of ancient crenelations, as if from atop a tower or castle. The river flows into the stair, there’s also a trapdoor. Go in.Who guards the place? Goblins, lots of goblins. Cave Goblins in the ‘Tower’, and Hill Goblins below, in the Goblin Stair proper.What’s inside? The ‘Tower’. Half-a-dozen or so interlocked levels of small rooms and chambers. Follow the stream’s descent in the ‘Tower’. There are Cave Goblins here- lots of them, and their king- Garblegut, who guards the way to the Goblin Stair proper. Garblegut’s Palace, the King’s abode, was the former prison of a gnome called Rasshold, who told the PCs (for a hefty price) all of the above.And below Garblegut’s Palace, still following the river, is- the actual Goblin Stair- a massive goblin lair, presumably.However, the Squad have also learned that they will be meeting the Duergar at the bottom of the Goblin’s Stair, and very specifically the Duergar Deep King- whoever he is.Sehanine Moonbow said that they must keep their oath to the Deep King, so- chatter is involved.The PCs have also been told that the Deep King will show them the door (made by Tracticus Halfpipe) beyond the door is the ‘empty room vessel’, which translates into (the PCs think) a ‘spaceship’.The Deep King will also have another Maze Button for them, maybe more than one.Oh, and within the empty room vessel/spaceship are the bad Modrons. These need to be destroyed…So, and as always, there’s plenty going on.But here’s the thing- I wrote and fitted out the Goblin Stair when the PCs were just scratching level 6, or thereabouts (I’ve just checked back- they had just got to Level 6). And… well, confession time, I’ve not revisited it since. The encounters here- at least at the beginning, start at CR 1. Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy.The PCs are level 9 and gnarly with it.The entire of this session is therefore taken up with the PCs hiking up to the top of Blacktop, this is the place that their time-travelling magical Castle Argentriver has deposited them. And, yes, of course the castle could have just dropped them off at the top of the Goblin Stair proper- it moves through time and space, but… I wouldn’t get to run these encounters. This fact was pointed out by several players at the start of the session- ‘we could just skip all this.’ Fellowyn, to begin with, was particularly truculent, but- whisper this- I like truculent best of all.So, what happened here to brighten everyone’s mood, well…Newt did.And, a bit, the fact that the goblins were so easy to kill.And their (the PCs) egos.Newt, if you remember, is a maniac. He is however a maniac who collects souls- for his various dark masters, and to power his own nefarious schemes. He revels in the blasting of squishy folk (with souls), he delights in it.Newt is in his element, right from the get-go.So, throughout what follows Newt is on his Flying Broom zooping about maybe 50 or so feet in the air, unleashing a variety of nasty things at weak and feeble gobbos.Who mostly react to his spells by exploding.He is loving this.His soul counter is clocking up hits like never before.And so maybe three turns into the action and Newt’s unbridled delight- and keep in mind that on his turn he is speechifying, mwha-ha-ha-ing, and generally letting rip with some of his darker delights- his future deification, ‘you will all worship me!’, ‘the world will know…’, ‘I am your glorious/magnificent…’ etc. etc.Volume 11.Newt is the cat that has got the cream.It’s Vinnie that gets it first-“Zis is not right- Kill zer Goblins! Kill zem all! We must prevent Newt from claiming zer souls!”It’s not the greatest motivational speech ever but the results are startling, and particularly so because at this point the PCs have realized that the goblins really do not stand a chance against them.Soon after-Vinnie becomes the Moonboar and starts charging into the goblins to lay waste.Fellowyn is full on Bladesinging, AC 27 (with his Shield, which he uses frequently) and he’s going for it blade and song style. Later on he even gets the Fireball out (I think, from memory).Daktari is running up cliff faces in his Slippers of Spider-Climbing and then ripping through the goblins- with Power Attack etc., and Ram- well, he just does Ram. In truth Ram and Dak were pretty much full-throttle from turn two, they got into their acts pretty quickly- no extra motivation needed.It quickly becomes a race to the top.Oh, and in the first map I think I dropped in 12 different goblin encounters, all stolen from a 5e splat-book- Revenge of the Horde, I think, CR 1 rising to CR 4. My point being- lots of goblins. Lots and lots of ‘em.Now, at last, some pictures- but please keep in mind the images don’t do justice, from turn three all of the PCs are making speeches (except Ram) and generally acting the giddy goat.None of them however even get close to the madness that is Newt.[ATTACH=full]401570[/ATTACH]The start of the trail, a pair of wolves and some goblin snipers with bows (or blowpipes- later on).Dak: “Wolves!”Vin: “Zey are only littul wuns- kill zem gently, or else scare zem away- Shoo! Shoo! Bad dog-ee!”Newt: “AAAAAGGGHHHHHH! DIEEEEEEE! DIEEEE!”[ATTACH=full]401571[/ATTACH]A bit further up the trail.Vin: “Zis is too e-zee, zis is crewl!”Fellowyn: “We should skip this- get back in the castle and then head straight to the top!”Newt: “YES! YES! I EXPLODE YOU! AND YOU! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”Vin: “Zis is not right- Kill zer Goblins! Kill zem all! We must prevent Newt from claiming zere souls!”[ATTACH=full]401572[/ATTACH]This appears in Discord.[ATTACH=full]401573[/ATTACH]Newt is fifty feet in the air, a pack of wolves are snarling and leaping at him from below- because he is constantly taunting them- swooping down to get close etc.Newt: “THIS IS THE LIFE!”Dak: “I am Daktari! Now die!”Newt: “I AM THE CHOSEN ONE!”Fellowyn: “Guard up, old chap- come on- you were close that time, that would have hit AC 21, just one short of me having to use my Shield.”Newt: “YESSSSSS! YESSSSSS! YOU WILL AL KNEEL BEFORE ME!”[ATTACH=full]401574[/ATTACH]The Crazy Goblin (top of the screen) turns out to be a Shaman/Witch Doctor type. Don’t fret- he doesn’t last long. He does however try to mess with Newt. Big mistake.Newt: “YOU WOULD ATTACK ME!Vin: “Zis is ridiculous! Ee iz ridiculous!”Newt: “ME!”Dak: “Let us go at speed Ub-Pam, yet another goblin appears that we must will slaughter! For I am Daktari! The hair-apparent!”Newt: “DIEEEEEEEE! DIEEEEEEEEE!”[ATTACH=full]401575[/ATTACH]A worthy opponent arrives, well worthy-ish, conjured by the Crazy Goblin.Dak: “This is it Ub-Pam, they will sing stories about zis fight in the halls of our grandmothers!”Newt: “I AM THE SUPREME BEING!”Vin: “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH! SNORT! SNORT!” Becomes the Moonboar.Newt: “FIRE! FIRE! BURN! BURN!”Dak: “Watch out for the squeezy Ub-Pam, be on your mettle!”Newt: “OH YES! OH VERY YES INDEED!”Fellowyn: “Dirty creature. Dirty! Die!”Newt: “I AM IMMORTALLLLLLLLL!”[ATTACH=full]401576[/ATTACH]The circle denotes the location of the first Fireball of this evening, I think.Newt: “YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!”Newt: “FIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRREEEEEEEEE!”Newt: “BUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRNNNN!”[ATTACH=full]401577[/ATTACH]Newt is now racing up the path (at altitude- about fifty feet up) and flushing the enemies out as he goes.Newt: “YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!”Newt: “FIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRREEEEEEEEE!”Newt: “BUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRNNNN!”Other people are saying other things, of course, but the above is pretty much all I (and anyone else for that matter) remembers. It was a loud and steady flow of yelled invective at this point.[ATTACH=full]401578[/ATTACH]They’re all dead, or else fled.I call a break, Newt/Bear needs to calm down, and get a drink- his throat is raw.That was 60 or 70, maybe more- I’m not going back to count, goblins- plus ancillary bad creatures, in less than ten turns.Oh, and the area at the bottom of the valley depicted above was strewn with traps- the PCs found one of these early doors and then took to the hill/ledges.Then, we go again- only slightly different, a bit tougher this time- but not much.[ATTACH=full]401579[/ATTACH]There’s a cave just the other side of the bridge/stream, the stream leads down into… a dell.Easy life.[ATTACH=full]401580[/ATTACH]Newt’s still up on his broom, with goblins on the cliff above- firing down- they’re hard to hit from below.Not so easy life.[ATTACH=full]401581[/ATTACH]Daktari runs up the cliff to confront the goblins there, and… it has to be seen to be believed- three attacks with advantage- no hits.[ATTACH=full]401582[/ATTACH]It seems both of Jim’s PCs are having a bad day. This map is also full of traps.Newt is still full voice and loving life.Newt: “YOU ALL LOOK SO SMALL FROM UP HERE. SO VERY VERY SMALL!”[ATTACH=full]401583[/ATTACH]The PCs spot this fellow.Dak: “LOOK! THE LOOT GOBLIN! GET THE LOOT GOBLIN!”It isn’t the ‘Loot Goblin’ it’s a trap-setting goblin, as the PCs discover at the end, but for a while-Dak: “DON’T LET THE LOOT GOBLIN ESCAPE, HE WILL HAVE MUCH TREASURE!”They do fine work just left on their own at times.[ATTACH=full]401584[/ATTACH]If you are reading this while at work- firstly, well done; secondly- get some panpipe or elevator music on the headphones (or the theme from the Gallery on Take Heart)- then really shout out all of the lines/voices, scare the crap out of your co-workers. You’re sitting on your own for lunch today, again.[ATTACH=full]401585[/ATTACH]Ram’s doing his bit, ‘damage exceeds hit point by 28’.[ATTACH=full]401586[/ATTACH]I have two (or was it three) Crazy Goblins for this mob, here’s the extent of the Spike Growth, or was it Entangle. It didn’t last long, ten seconds later and (I forget which) Fellowyn had Counterspelled/Dispelled it, or else- and more likely, someone (probs Newt) blasted the heck out of the Shaman wot cast it.[ATTACH=full]401587[/ATTACH]Yep, only it was Fellowyn with another Fireball, or similar.[ATTACH=full]401588[/ATTACH]And now the Goblin Crazies, I think there was another three of them at least in the encounters here, are trying Hold Person spells on Newt, he’s not best pleased, according to his narrative he’s a deity in the making.[ATTACH=full]401589[/ATTACH]Lots more wolves come running around the corner, attacking the Dark Squad from the rear, but again… they are not all that, and the Squad are now up to speed.[ATTACH=full]401590[/ATTACH]Newt drops into the last Goblin Crazy’s Spirit Guardians- mostly just to make his point and then blasts the poor bugger off the cliff.Meantime a very large Worg has exited the cave ahead- it doesn’t last long- I think Daktari put it down in a turn.[ATTACH=full]401591[/ATTACH]Ram gets blow-piped and poisoned. He’s not best pleased.And eventually we get to the end, the few enemies remaining either attempt to flee the scene or else foolishly make their last stand.All the fighting is over.We’re ten minutes out from the end of the session, and so- after a very brief bout of healing-[ATTACH=full]401592[/ATTACH]Fellowyn Dimension Doors (I think) the group down to the dell- finding a few more traps on landing, and then they follow the fast-running silver stream to a set of crenelations, which look to be part of a buried tower, or some other form of castle- certainly it’s a battlement of some sort.How did whatever the structure is, come to be situated here?Just to note there were something like 30 or 40 trap symbols on the map here (unseen by the players until they found them)- the PCs discovered half-a-dozen or more of them- the hard way, but again, they either made their saves or else suffered some minor consequence.Here’s the way in.[ATTACH=full]401593[/ATTACH]That’s Ram looking down the trapdoor from above, into a darkened, sodden and mouldy chamber below, the river flooding through the break in the stone above and rushing on- gargling down the stairs.But that’s for next time.Sorry, lots of pictures- all action, and a rush to get this one posted.Stay safe and well.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

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