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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9731156" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dark Squad in the Secrets of SaltmarshSession #164: The Goblin Stair Part 3- MORE OF THE SAME!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 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 recover her maze button. Location unknown. SEE 2. ABOVE.</li> </ol>This is session 164 and the same as last session, only more so.I think I’ve said that before.Just one sentence for introduction- the Dark Squad are on the Goblin Stair, on the fourth level down (I think), they must get to the bottom, and they’ve just discovered that there are more stairs down here. There must be another level below this.Shame then that some of them have just spaffed their biggish spells, thinking this was the finale.Newt is spent- nothing in the tank save cantrips, Fellowyn & Vinnie have a couple of high-level spell slots left each, but nothing much else.The other point being they must clear each level in just five turns (including the surprise turn) for the Dark Squad to retain surprise for when they visit the next level down.Thirty seconds to clear a level is all they get.[ATTACH=full]414586[/ATTACH]Here we all are- with lots of goblins dead already.And this is just going to be the same as the previous incarnations here, a bunch of pictures and a tiny amount of text.No plot, or else much in the way of extraneous chatter.[ATTACH=full]414587[/ATTACH]The attack continues, we’re out of the surprise round at last.But…[ATTACH=full]414588[/ATTACH]There’s an awful lot of missing going on. Nobody can remember the last time Ram missed all his attacks, it just doesn’t happen.The goblin warriors are encased in plate armour, and with shields- AC 20 each, and there are at least fifteen of them here on this level. Not many hit points- maybe 30 or so each, and a crap attack, but- they’re very annoying.[ATTACH=full]414589[/ATTACH]Then the wild bores are released and… well, that doesn’t go the way the goblins hoped, two of the large beasts charge out of their cages and trample the goblins (including a goblin alchemist- in a mo). The other two boars charge into the nearest PCs.But keep in mind that the Dark Squad are as tough as old boots.[ATTACH=full]414590[/ATTACH]That’s the one officer, a Scrofa (giant wild boar) tramples to death the lone goblin alchemist down here (his token is beneath the indicated boar). The goblin alchemists, the Dark Squad have discovered, throw potions which unleash hallucinogenic, or else poisonous gases.They’re not popular- the Dark Squad exterminate them as soon as they’re spotted usually.Newt meantime zoops around on his flying broom, he usually targets the archers first- anything that’s likely to shoot at him or compromise his air-domination.[ATTACH=full]414591[/ATTACH]Here’s the mix, pretty much all of the goblins left on this level are making their way (running and screaming) towards this fight.Well, almost all of them.[ATTACH=full]414592[/ATTACH]Down south Fellowyn (Bladesinging and AC 25+) is getting swamped, it’s not that he’s particularly taking hits, it’s just that his damage output is not enough to winnow down the mob. Newt is trying to help but, he soon gets bored and zooms off to find out goblins that are already very bloodied. Keep in mind Newt is accumulating souls to send to his warlock masters, he’s also looking for kills to steal.Ram is also helping, but… that doesn’t last. See later.[ATTACH=full]414593[/ATTACH]Hoof to Groin, it’s the Moonboar’s favourite attack.[ATTACH=full]414594[/ATTACH]The goblin champions, and there are at least half-a-dozen of them, have three attacks/turn each with their spiked chains.Ram is starting to soak up hits, and…Time is running out.[ATTACH=full]414595[/ATTACH]Here we all are.It’s about this point that Fellowyn figures what has to happen next (or else very soon) for the Dark Squad to get this level done quickly.[ATTACH=full]414596[/ATTACH]Ram is getting swamped; the rogue is quickly bloodied.And so…Fellowyn and Newt take a bunch of opportunity attacks to exit from their respective fracas’, and to rush to the north.Two fights become one, as the goblins- lots of ‘em follow.And a turn later.[ATTACH=full]414597[/ATTACH]Suck it up (fellow members of the Dark Squad) as Fellowyn flings an enhanced Fireball into the mix, this when almost all of the remaining goblins have made it over to the fight.[ATTACH=full]414598[/ATTACH]Only two goblins survive the very brief inferno, and one of them wasn't in the fireball.[ATTACH=full]414599[/ATTACH]The pair stay alive for… maybe one or two seconds longer.The Dark Squad complete the level in approx. 4.95 turns. Just in time.Surprise retained.[ATTACH=full]414600[/ATTACH]Fellowyn is the first down the stairs, and… this is a throne room, a good way ahead- sitting on an elaborate (skull-adorned, natch) throne is a massive ogre.But this is the surprise turn.And so, it’s time for lots of goblins to die.[ATTACH=full]414601[/ATTACH]Daktari, as it turns out, managed to acquire another Necklace of Fireballs, this during the PCs last shopping trip while aboard Castle Argentriver. I forgot all about this fact- Daktari hadn’t although he paid through the nose for the item and it only has four beads to fling- here goes the first of them.[ATTACH=full]414602[/ATTACH]BOOM! Etc.Goblins die, although- there are a lot (a lot) of goblins here.[ATTACH=full]414603[/ATTACH]A lot of goblins, and keep in mind this is still the surprise turn, so I’ve not had chance to activate any of the goblins that are present out of sight (as it were).[ATTACH=full]414604[/ATTACH]Here’s the big boss and his senior management team.Why am I showing you these guys?Keep reading.Here’s the last image of the session.[ATTACH=full]414605[/ATTACH]The eagle-eyed amongst you can perhaps make out the location of the Moonboar, well… the next thing that happens is the Moonboar charges even closer to the throne and then unleashes a Confusion spell.Targeting the ogre boss and a large portion of his command team.All enemies fail their saves.But note, there’s a second massive ogre emerging from the chamber to the east (along with a few more giant boars).It will, of course, go right to the wire.Oh, and there’s another set of stairs down here- in the northeast corner, a narrow stairway.There’s another level to go.The Dark Squad may have to do some of this the hard way (again), they have four more turns to get it done- if they want to retain surprise for when they descend to the next levelSee you next time.That said, I’ve got another write up on the go, it can be found here-<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/d-d-5e-not-kots-5a-dragon-castle-enc-6.712348/" target="_blank">[D&D 5e] Not KotS 5a Dragon Castle. (Enc#6) | EN World D&D & Tabletop RPG News & Reviews</a>It’s a 5e version (sorta) of Keep on the Shadowfell, and lots of fun.Stay safe and well.Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.</blockquote>

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