Dark Squad in the Secrets of Saltmarsh
Session #095: Saltmarsh Shenanigans.
Dark Squad (in alphabetical order, no egos here).
Daktari/Dak (played by Haggis) Male Human Uthgardt Sky Pony Barbarian Lvl 8
New Tricks/Newt (played by Bear) Male Tabaxi Warlock Lvl 8
Nicholai Barbaros Kostyiev/Nicky (played by George) Male Dhampir Cleric of Twilight Lvl 8
Ramshambo/Ram (played by Kev) Male Half-Elf Rogue/Fighter Lvl 7/1
Vincenzo/Vinnie (played by Haggis) Male Shifter (Wildhunt) Druid Lvl 8
NPCs
Ubmo (played by Goonalan) Supreme Being Lvl 1 (When we remember)
*Trapped in the Land of the Bad Dead Ancestors.
Servants/Familiars
Gerald (Bat/Giant Bat) servant/mount of New Tricks
Owly (Owl) Vinnie’s familiar
The Dark Squad’s to-do list-
- Vinnie needs to be back for the next Saltmarsh Council meeting on the 1st Kythorn (June).
- Awaiting new answers to new questions from the priests at Fallowstone Holy, info will be sent to Saltmarsh for around the 10th of Kythorn (June).
- 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).
- Nightshade is in the Deep Dreadwood?
- Blackedge and the Goblin Stair?
- To join the Pact of the Wild Flame you need to find the hidden weapons left to fight Ashardalon, these are in a dragon-in-flight shaped barrow in Farrow Woods.
- 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.
- 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.
This is session 95, and actually an amalgam of two sessions, let me explain- I've accumulated quite a number of add-ons/DLCs etc. with my Fantasy Ground Unity VTT, and in the last big update something broke. I was getting yards of error messages when attempting to do all manner of formerly innocuous activities, like putting tokens on a map.
So, we did a little adventuring- getting the Dark Squad from Farhill Mine and back to Saltmarsh, and then we attempted to fix whatever was broken with FGU, I'm not very IT orientated. Confession- I've never owned a mobile phone, I don't own a TV, and the next most technologically advanced device in my office (after this desktop PC- now 10+ years old) is... looks around, well... there's nothing else technology wise in the room. Maybe the exercise bike, but the digital read-out on that stopped working last night, so... I've got an air-purifier? Does that count as tech?
Sorry, my life- so, FGU got (mostly) fixed, and we spent the rest of the session fine-combing the various PCs ditching out broken macros, fixing spells that don't work properly and... well, general maintenance. It's also mad the amount of crap that these fellows have hidden away in their PCs inventories. Newt's Chest of Horrors contains all manner of strange items- a preserved wight's hand, mandibles from a maw demon, and the grisly mementos of a dozen other enemies.
So, late spring cleaning.
Last bit on this- Fantasy Grounds Unity is great, the fixing proved to be easy- it was all a matter of me having missed various updates for a variety of the add-ons that we run, some of this not my fault- I bought the add-ons from the DMs Guild (or similar) but the updates were only available via the Fantasy Grounds Forge. But it all got sorted. I think I've mentioned this before- I'm not very good with technology, not frightened of it, just not as bothered/interested in it as I perhaps should be. Be assured, my (home) office is full of... books, now there's a technology I'm very at home with.
Back to the game/explanation.
And so last week's (two weeks ago now) mini session has been mashed in with this last session, I think I could have explained that much quicker.
Oh, and the fix stuff wot broke session was also the hottest day of the for-like-ever.
It was 41 degrees C in Lincolnshire, my home patch.
Farhill Mine...
The Dark Squad chat with Manistrad Copperlocks and her right-hand dwarf, Golf Kindle.
And while Farhill Mine is all running smoothly, better than smoothly they're on a hot silver streak down deep- the Dark Squad receive a little extra money from Manistrad for their previous work here, only 200gp but it's a pleasant surprise for the Squad.
But that's not all- Saltmarsh, for the dwarves of Farhill, has become a no-go area. Manistrad has even shut up the mining HQ they had set-up in the town. The dwarves only go to the place to collect shipments and supplies, otherwise- it's off-limits.
The reason- the towns folk regularly fling insults and worse, particularly on/around the docks area, the ill-feeling is building, threatening to spill over. Something must be done about it...
Hey! Weren't the Dark Squad originally hired by Gundren Rockseeker to smooth/improve relations between Farhill Mine and Saltmarsh, I think so?
So, slaughtering gargantuan undead dragons is all very well, Manistrad explains, but it doesn't help the mine.
The Dark Squad are set their task.
And so off they go to Saltmarsh.
Here it is...
Saltmarsh, in all its glory.
Keep in mind that Nicky has never seen Saltmarsh before, and the so the rest of the crew are talking him through the sites and sounds of the town.
The first of which is a crowd of what look to be fisher folk who are assailing (only verbally mind) the Watch House, Vinnie investigates briefly (with his Saltmarsh Councillor hat on) and discovers that the irate folk are protesting the fact that six fishing boat captains are languishing in gaol, charged with smuggling.
Eventually Vinnie disperses the mob, like every politician, he hands out gold to the crowd and pays them off, promising that he will look into this matter at the next council meeting (tomorrow night).
We move on with the tour.
Sharkfin Bridge, another Saltmarsh highlight.
The Squad know that any Elf (or Half-Elf) that passes over the bridge feels... well, a bit queasy, Buggles and Ram have both been affected by this in the past. Nicky feels nothing, but when the Dark Squad tell him about the Pact of the Flame text that is visible through the rotting brickwork on the underside of the central span of the bridge. Well, Nicky investigates- alas this causes much consternation with the common folk here, mainly because the spider climbing Dhampir just walks over the side of the bridge- sticking to the surface as he goes, obviously.
The folk in Saltmarsh are clearly not used to seeing this kind of thing, although the terror is lessened somewhat when Nicky's voice echoes up from below.
“I thay, it's swimply marv-ell-us!”
Nicholai sounds a lot like a simpering, lisping, wet ninny.
Eventually we move on.
And after another twenty minutes or so of intros to various folk and places that the Dark Squad have previously visited et al, it's back to the Dark Squad house.
The house needs an airing, Newt's room is a little stinky- it could be the dead cat. Note, Nicky is given Buggles' old room.
And that was pretty much all we did in the first mini-session, except to also go through some Downtime activity ideas, because the deal is Bear (who plays Newt) is away for the next three weeks. Therefore, the rest of the Squad is going to do a little investigating (and other things) in Saltmarsh, as well as a few Downtime projects.
Newt's Downtime activity, and keep in mind the Squad are going to be spending the next month in town, well... where do I start-
I know what you are thinking, I'm thinking it too. Apostrophe!
Alas, that's all I can tell you about how, or why, or... anything, really. We'll play out Newt's Downtime School of Magic activities when he gets back from his holi-bobs.
It's not going to be good.
I will be very surprised if there are not casualties.
Keep in mind that Newt thinks that proper magic (his magic- which mostly involves fire and terror) is only doled out to mortals that pledge their allegiance (and souls) to fiery (or silver-tongued) demons and devils.
So, the curriculum at Newt the Magnificent's Magnificent School of Magic may need a little close-scrutiny.
But that was all they did in the mini session.
Then, the week after, the Squad (without Newt) swing into action.
Oh, and the Squad also get paid by Winston, the halfling fence/shop-owner that the adventurers send all their treasure item finds to, just over 400gp each.
That's the “Faithful Quartermasters”, the local 'curiosity shop', proprietor Captain Xanderos, a female tiefling in piratical attire.
Over the course of the next month Nicholai acquires a +1 Shield, while Ram eventually gets his hands on (after some low rolls) a +1 Longbow, we're using the Downtime rules here. Alas the above transactions also prove to be expensive (bad rolls), and soon after Nicky is left with 3gp to spend for the rest of the month (only 20 days left of it).
Vinnie, again with his Saltmarsh Councillor hat on, heads out onto the streets to get the low down, the vox populi- nobody on the docks has a kind word to say about the dwarves of Farhill, also the catch is down for the year (the dwarves are to blame), the docks are not getting the investments needed- things are falling apart (the dwarves are to blame), and the Council favours the dwarves (the dwarves are to blame), and, of course... six good honest fishing boat captains are languishing in gaol (the dwarves are to blame).
The docksiders are very unhappy (the dwarves are to blame).
Remarkably (after several great rolls, including a '20') Vinnie, accompanied by Daktari (that's worth mentioning), finds himself spending time in the back room of The Broken Net, with Kreb Shenk.
Kreb is the voice of the people.
All friends together. That's nice, this must be the role-playing bit of RPGs that people told me about.
Let's just take a moment. The Broken Net is a brigand/pirate/fisherfolk/scumbag tavern, proprietor the big surly racist- Kreb Shenk. The last Squad member to venture here was Ram, he fled when the good folk started throwing things (from tankards to knives) at his head.
So, Councillor Delvino (Vinnie, remember) has a pleasant chat- he can be incredibly eloquent when he wants to be. The racist Shenk plays his part well, he doesn't hate dwarves as much as hanker for the good times of old, before the money grubbing sawn off dirt diggers hit town. He's a patriot, and a traditionalist.
Vinnie and Daktari are invited back to the Net, any time- there'll always be a drink behind the bar for the pair.
Note, Vinnie is taking the temperature at this point, he's not offering the cure.
Then...
That's the Saltmarsh Town Hall, which can only mean one thing...
TINSEL CANNONS EXPLODE!
RAZZAMATAZZ MUSIC BEGINS!
COUNCIL MEETING!
ACTION!
Order!
There's a lot about potholes, then a major investigation as to the benefits (or otherwise) of implementing a single cart flow system between Tappits Lane and Stroop Avenue, leading to Furrow's End.
Daktari has plus five on his filibuster.
But I'm prevaricating, the good folk in the open council session are actually pretty incensed.
There's a lot of chatter, and I mean- a lot of chatter, in this bit and the closed council session that follows, maybe ninety minutes to two hours of play. Including daring swooping emotionally charged speeches by the young Councillor Delvino. Although, for every piece of eloquence from the stalwart Druid the DM, in the guise of various NPC folk- but mostly Councillor Anders Solmor, has a repost, and as arrogant as it is to write this- the DM, and Anders, scores more hits than the Druid.
But we'll get to that.
So, the big discussions are about the following-
The fishing captains/smugglers in gaol.
The dock folk's hatred of the dwarves of Farhill.
Obvious, ain't it.
About 75% of the citizens at the open session want the fishing captains freed, new investment in traditional enterprises (fishing) and, ultimately, for the council to bar the dwarves from the town- or some less/more violent version of the same.
One other important point to note from the open session of the Council- a well-meaning and concerned citizen of Saltmarsh reports to the authorities that he (or possibly she) has heard rumours that an illegal (and very possibly nefarious) unlicensed magic school may be opening its doors (in an effort to corrupt the youth) in the town.
The level of consternation increases.
Nice work!
I wonder who that well-meaning and concerned citizen could have been, whoever it was I am certain that their conscience is clear.
We move on.
To the closed session of the Council, and there's a vote- after approx. forty minutes of speeches (including a potted history of the fishing families of Saltmarsh), back and forth.
Just to remind ourselves the Saltmarsh council consists of-
Eda Oweland (Chair, and from a traditional fishing family and with ten generations in Saltmarsh)
Gellen Primewater (from a fishing family, same as Eda)
Anders Solmor (from a fishing family- same as Eda, latterly turned entrepreneur)
Eliander Fireborn (Head of the Watch, an outsider although in-post for eight years)
Vincenzo Delvino (Farhill Mine representative, in-post one month, has spent six days (in total) in Saltmarsh)
There's plenty of discussion about what to do to ease the tensions in the town- the fisher folk versus the dwarves, Vinnie (and others) will attempt to build some bridges- note all of this chatter is very positive.
That is until we get to the issue of the arrested fishing boat captains/smugglers, and there's the aforementioned back and forth between Vinnie and Anders (and Eliander, briefly- see below), and it's heated at times.
Eliander Fireborn is so insulted by the usually silver-tongued Vinnie's words- basically, Vinnie states, Eliander isn't up to the job- it's a little nicer than that, but not by a lot, that the Watch leader walks out of the meeting.
So, after the speeches there's the voting.
Vinnie wants the fishing boat captains/smugglers to be let out of gaol and made to serve the town in order to pay off their debts/taxes, alas the vote goes against him, but it's a close call- Gellan Primewater is on the Druid's side, but no-one else is convinced.
Then, more chatter until the end of the meeting, as the remaining councillors question Vinnie about the Dark Squad's activities in the last month, alas a lot of the adventurer's tale is severely/entirely redacted. There's no mention of fighting undead gargantuan dragons, or trips into space.
Eda Oweland wants to know when Vinnie is going to get a proper job.
We all do, Eda. We all do.
Then, more Downtime and more investigations as the month slips by, oh and after a bit of investigation and some skill checks, and spell casting, Vinnie has his Mummy Rot style curse removed.
So, some more Downtime stuff-
Vincenzo sets up his alchemy lab, and using the recipes he gained from Arty Swell, he gets to potion making, and he makes a bunch of them- topping up his comrades supplies.
Nicholai in the meantime, and with a little help from Vinnie, gets to spend a tenday in the Saltmarsh Town Council archives. Note, Vinnie greases the palm of a clerk- Dickie Vagabond, in order to make this happen.
Nicky is searching local records for any mention of people and organisations that the Dark Squad are at present involved with, ostensibly- Ub, the Pact of the Flame, any of the previous incarnations of the Dark Squad- including the previous mob that adventured here two centuries past- Randall the Black (mad gnome warlock), Rambles 'Shambles' Bowspirit (halfling killer from Lowhill), Antonio De La Crane (posh kid druid alchemist) & Giggles (crazy wood elf).
After his time at the Town Hall Nicky goes to talk (and visit) with Krag, he's the sexton of the Saltmarsh Cemetery, and also the local historian.
Nicky learns the following from the Twon Hall archives- Rambles Bowspirit (nearly 200 years ago) was charged with the murder of Antonio De La Crane, alas the halfling escaped justice by fleeing aboard a merchant ship called The Empress of the Sea.
But... in Saltmarsh cometary, and more specifically, in the De La Crane crypt there (the Dark Squad have been here before) are the sarcophagi of all of the members of the De La Crane family, only the tomb of Antonio De La Crane has never been sealed, it's empty.
The De La Crane family, Krag explains, faded to nothing- they were reduced to penury, only their tombs remain- their holdings, fortune and favour all fled.
Great work from Nicky.
Vinnie also takes a meeting with Dickie Vagabond, his new pet clerk, and sets him to his task, he wants Dickie to put in the over time and go through the classified archive and find the location of the De La Crane manse. The Dark Squad are searching for this place, but here's the thing, Dickie- as it turns out has a conscience, or else the information he discovers is so sensitive that Vinnie has, in the end, to attend a very hush-hush meeting with the senior clerk in the Snapping Line Inn, and then persuade and pay through the nose for Dickie's big reveal.
In the shadows at the Snapping Line Inn, secret meetings and bags of cash- Vinnie is really taking to local politics.
But, here's the red hot secret.
The De La Crane manse was bought by Petra Solmor (deceased mother of Anders Solmor) about fifty years ago, it is situated on the headland known as The Leap, a series of high cliffs to the south of Saltmarsh on the estuary of the Dunwater River.
See the Dark Squad token on the map, and south is to the left, that's where the De La Crane, now Solmor, manse is.
Note, The Choke is a delta at the entrance to the Dunwater River, a series of mangrove-like tidal islands, and across The Choke, well- that's the Mere of Dead Men.
Also note, Ram does other stuff while the above is going on- including commissioning a local artist to come up with a drawing of Buggles and Gwen (remember that pair). The half-elven rogue (and the Dark Squad) are now/still seeking to locate this duo, funny how that all came about.
The local artist of note is Kiorna Kester, she runs the leather-goods store, and is also an expert skinner and tanner. This is the lady that Newt visits, and freaks out, regularly- usually the tabaxi has the hand/face/tongue/scrotum of something nasty that he would like making into a plush or a bean-bag (or similar). This is also the lady that Buggles (& Gwen) freaked out when they visited the store, and so when Ram turns up, alas there's nothing the rogue can do to persuade Kiorna to revisit the memory of Buggles' first visit. But eventually he finds someone else to do his drawings.
Remember Kev (who plays Ram) your doing the drawing.
Ram, however is also keen to visit the nearby halfling village of Lowhill, the former home of Rambles Bowspirit, he'll be leading this expedition in the next session.
Last piece of news.
One evening, after all of the above has happened, Councillor Vincenzo Delvino returns to the Dark Squad's abode to discover a letter waiting for him, he and his companions are invited to visit with Anders Solmor at his home, for dinner...
But that's for the next session.
Reminder no game on the 2nd, more investigations on the 9th, and Bear/Newt will be back on the 16th- at which point you'll be adventuring again.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Cheers the Dark Squad and goonalan.
