The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (SW)

Game Master Branding Opportunity

Not taking the time to look at everyone's character sheets, I don't know if anyone else has a ranged attack (other than the spellcasters, like Bolt).

"I should take the lead, so that I can throw my stars at oncoming enemies before they reach us."

Quresha positions herself towards the back of the group, to defend from dangers coming from the rear. After all, the fearsome howl had come from behind them.

Abandoning any attempt at stealth, Allysen rushes back to the others and ties her pack to one of the mules' harnesses. She didn't want it slowing her down if it came to a fight and Bizzle's idiotic shout made that much more likely.

Fool! Should learn to keep his cursed mouth shut! Now he's going to bring the entire dark on our heads

Allysen will be leading the first or second mule. She'll also be keeping an eye out for whatever trouble Bizzle has attracted. I also just want to note that Allysen's ire does not reflect my views. Personally, I thought Bizzle's actions were funny and well played considering the dice.

Isogaras smiles and claps Bizzle good-naturedly on the shoulder. "Somewhere in the Federated Suns there is an assault mech that is proud of you."

That said, Isagoras takes his place in line.

I'm find being anything but first. It looks like Lord Belros is rearmost, with Quresha 2nd to last. Then it looks like MWG is first, probably followed the BZ4-G Bizzle Gargantuan-Mech. I can be 3rd.

OK, so the marching order is as follows (from front to back):
1) Grakkus, 2) Moves with Grade + mule, 3) Allysen + mule, 4) Bizzle, 5) Isagoras + mule, 6) Abraham Silver, 7) Amelius + mule, 8) Queresha, 9) Lord Belros

How does that look?

The party quickly gathers their gear and grabs the leads of the mules. The who process takes less than a minute with Grakkus griping at you the entire time to hurry. From the tone in his voice it is clear that he is highly annoyed, and during the packing does not even look at the gnome.

"Come on, come on, grab your packs! No, no, don't just yank on the mule's lead, you'll never get him to move that way. You have to be gentle yet firm, show him who's boss. Hurry up, or we'll be troll food before nightfall!"

Once you are ready to go, Grakkus turns and holding a hooded lantern, he heads out of the well room as fast as he short dwarven legs will carry him.

So, with that bit of craziness, does Allysen notice anything else? What do the shadows whisper to her?

Lord Belros' ears perk up, then he speaks in calm but firm tone.

"I hear many sounds from far away. The beating of drums on many walls. And verminous speech. Let us make good speed to Saltmarsh."

I'd argue Bizzle would prefer being in the back or in the front, so I'd rather be at 2 or at 9. He's tough, buffed, and ashamed, so it only makes sense.

Bizzle's clearly red face shines in the cavern as the gnome hurls his massive backpack onto his back as if it is a toy. Rushing with surprising speed, he waits until everyone's passed, and with shame, takes his place in the back of the column, battleaxe at the ready. Ooh. You done messed it up this time, Baz., he thinks, occasionally giving a glance backwards to see what's responsible for the sounds, remaining thankfully quiet.

Notice & Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 2

MWG hears the sounds, but nothing of the drums or speech that Belros mentioned.

Belros steps asides and lets Bizzle past.

If he is that determined to make amends, I shall not stop him., Belros muses.

** spoiler omitted **

So, with that bit of craziness, does Allysen notice anything else? What do the shadows whisper to her?

With a roll like that you normally would be able to hear everything, but the echos of the caverns blue any fine detail in the sound. I'm afraid no more information can be cleaned from the noise, other than the fact that it's getting closer and you better get a move on.

OK, the new marching order then is:
1) Grakkus, 2) Moves with Grade + mule, 3) Allysen + mule, 4) Isagoras + mule, 5) Abraham Silver, 6) Amelius + mule, 7) Queresha, 8) Lord Belros, 9) Bizzle

I do believe that's correct.

"Well then let's be about it. I do not need to remind you of the cost of waiting had at Kazadum."

"Don't care! Leaving now!"

Allysen puts her back into the work and does her best to keep up.

Fine with me. Let's get out of here!

Haunted by the strange sounds coming from far behind you, Grakkus quickly leads you out of the fountain room and down a narrow natural passage that descends gradually for 15 minutes before leveling out.

The caverns around you seem to tighten after that, their walls covered in phosphorescent that give off a dull red light.

The farther you get from the fountain room the more the strange sounds behind you die off until they can no longer be heard at all.

Who is carrying torches or lanterns? Grakkus is carrying one and there should be two more throughout the party: one toward the middle and one in the back. These don't have to be part of your inventory, as they were given to you by Grakkus and Amelius.

1d4 ⇒ 4 Notice (Total of 11)
1d4 ⇒ 4 X1
1d4 ⇒ 3 X2
1d6 ⇒ 4 WD

Brother Abraham visibly recoils at the sounds coming from down the corridor, and his impressive bulk moves more quickly than normal. His stomach sloshes from drinking too much water too fast, but he manages to keep up for now. He grabs hold of one of the offered torches with his main hand, and finally puts away his flail when he realizes he can hardly hold both in one hand and his shield in the other. He hurries along humming a hymn nervously to himself.

Lord Belros does not require much light to see, so he keeps sword and shield in hand as he jogs along.

He keeps listening for the sounds of pursuit.

"I don't like this place," Allysen states as her ears droop, "and I don't think they'd give up the chase that easily."

As much as I'd hate shoving torch duty to someone else, Bizzle isn't even considering it, as he's got darkvision.

As the sounds quiet down, Bizzle glances behind himself once more, then sighs a sigh of relief. Leaning the axe on his shoulder, he nods in silence at Allysen. It can't be all that bad, can it? Isn't the big thing gone?, the gnome thinks, hands wrapped around the battle-axe's sizeable hilt as he throws another glance at the back. Wiping his forehead, he continues staring in the darkness, but his mind travels to the sound of scratching metal a few hectic minutes back.

Notice: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Isagoras nods at Brother Silver, next to him, as the cleric holds aloft a light. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about it overmuch," he says, sagely. "The Retreat from Kabul also had a large, well-army group sojourning through a narrow crevasse, harassed by an unseen and dangerous foe. They had 16,000 people.

One of them did survive."

Concerned with drawing more attention, you move as quietly as you can through the twisting tunnels covered in phosphorescent fungi. Those leading the animals try your best to keep them quiet, which is easier said than done as the pack mules have a mind of their own. Despite the occasional snort or clomping of a hoof, however, the animals remain relatively subdued, as if even they are aware of what a loud noise may bring.

Just when you think you have heard the last of your pursuers, you hear a strange skittering noise coming from behind you, as if dozens of small feet are scampering over the tunnel floor. The sound is accompanied by squeaking.

At the rear of the caravan, Bizzle turns around in time to see a troop of multi-legged rodent-like creatures with enormous incisors barreling down the narrow corridor. Each is at least two feet tall at the shoulder, their beady eyes reflecting the dim phosphorescent light around you.

Combat

Initiative (in order):
Moves with Grace: 10 of Hearts
Rodent-like Creatures: 9 of Diamonds
Lord Sunwalker: 8 of Spades
Grakkus and Amelius: 7 of Spades
Father Silver: 7 of Clubs
Allysen: 6 of Hearts
Queresha: 6 of Clubs
Bizzle: 4 of Diamonds
Isagoras: 2 of Clubs

COMBAT MAP

Quick note: the mules will likely bolt if you let go of their reins (say, if you want to attack one of the creatures). One person (including the NPCs) may hold on to two without difficulty, but more require a Str check every round, or you lose 1d3 mules. Amelius (your employer) would be quite angry if you lost one of his mules carrying hundreds of gp worth of spices. Handing someone else the rein is a free action, however.

MWG hands Grakkus her mule's reins, and says tersely "Don't let go!".

Seeing as there's a long line of people between me and the rodents, do I have to move to get a clear shot? If so, moving 6". Then she draws back her arm, throws it forward, and a throwing star leaves her fingertips :

Focus & Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 5

If range and/or darkness penalties don't drop the 5 below a 4, she hits one of them, doing

Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9

Seeing as there's a long line of people between me and the rodents, do I have to move to get a clear shot? If so, moving 6". Then she draws back her arm, throws it forward, and a throwing star leaves her fingertips :

MWG, can you see the map? There's nowhere you can move 6" and have a clear shot at one of the creatures. You'll have to run, which increases your Pace by 1d6", but gives you a -2 to all actions that turn.

Quresha turns at the sound and almost freezes. The claustrophobia of the tunnels was already getting to her, and now they were going to fight in these cramped spaces? But a duty was a duty, and the Al-Akbar devotee straps her shield to her arms and takes up her spear, stepping up next to the gnome.

"We can try to hold them here! Stand ready!"

With that brief, but inspiring speech, she murmurs a few words as she invokes al-Akbar's protection unto her companion.

Faith & Wild: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + (6) = 13
Wild Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Bizzle gains 4 armor from Protection.

With that brief, but inspiring speech, she murmurs a few words as she invokes al-Akbar's protection unto her companion.

Queresha, your action does not happen until after MWG and the creature's actions are resolved. We can keep your action and your rolls and resolve them when it's your turn, if you like, but will have to move you back to your starting position for now.

Apologies, I wasn't paying attention to the initiative order.

Sorry, I missed the map link in the above post.

MWG runs :

Running: 1d6 ⇒ 1

This is one of my pet peeves about SW - why, when I'm *running*, should I only increase my pace by 1? Ok, in a crowded tight cave tunnel maybe I can see it, but when you're on open ground it makes no sense. I've house-ruled it to you move 3 on a result of 1 or a 2.

And takes no other actions.

Map updated.

COMBAT ROUND 1

The enormous rodent-like creatures come streaming down the narrow corridor. Even though only four are in view, it is clear that more are coming down the corridor. Most simply move past Bizzle at a fast pace, attacking Moves with Grace and Lord Sunwalker, while others focus on the gnome.

They attack with a frenzy, and seem to be focusing more on your legs than other parts of your body.

Attack vs. Moves with Grace: 1d6 ⇒ 5, miss
Attack vs. Lord Sunwalker: 1d6 ⇒ 4, miss
Attack vs. Bizzle #1: 1d6 ⇒ 1, miss
Attack vs. Bizzle #2: 1d6 ⇒ 4, miss

SIDE NOTE: MWG, I believe your Parry score is 6 and not 7. If you are adding +1 from Martial Artist, I believe that only applies to attack rolls and does not affect your Parry score.

The party is up (including Moves with Grace)!

The gnome's hairs raise as the creatures rush past him. "Go away, rat things!", he cries out. Staring the creature that lashed at him, eye to eye, Bizzle roars out, burrowing his axe into the rat-beast's skull with a bone-wracking sound. "You picked the wrong caravan! Run, run!", the gnome's battlecries echo in the tunnels, alongside the mules' braying and the creature's snarls.

Fighting+Wild: 1d10 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (5) = 6
Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (8, 6) = 14 That's probably a raise.

That's probably a raise.

Yup, the creature's head goes smoosh just as you described. Map updated.

Allysen hops over the mule she is guiding as she lets out some slack in the leads. Her other hand stretches out with the palm facing the creature facing Moves with Grace. Shadows condense and congeal with an inaudible thrumming of the air. Motes of darkness drink in the light around them as the air just in front of her palm turns black. The thrumming reaches a crescendo, threatening to tear apart Allysen's hand, then all is quiet for just a bare instant before the tunnels fill with a dreadful whistling as shards of black iron streak out from where the shadows had been collecting in Allysen's palm. Unfortunately, in her efforts to avoid hitting her allies or the increasingly panicky mule, she almost certainly missed her target.

ACTIONS:
- Moving a little closer.
- Casting Daggers from the Dark for 1 Power Point.

Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9

By the way, this is not something Allysen would have shared with the others, but the situation is desperate enough for her to jump to using it.

Quresha shudders in revulsion as the furry creatures rush towards them and start snapping at their legs. Unslinging her spear, she jabs at the closest one.

Fighting & Wild: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (1) = 5
Damage: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (6) = 7

Brother Silver doesn't realize that he's holding his breath until he is forced to take anew one. The darkness, the noise the unfamiliar and cramped surroundings... this was not his strength.

Brother Silver thrusts the torch at the beast in front of Moves with Grace hoping to distract the beast, more than trying to hit him. Attempting to aid another...

"I'm here to help with healing or fighting if needed". He whispers to her.

The ground between Isagoras and the enemy is quickly occupied by his hardy and energetic allies, and he finds no opening for him to either attack the rodents, or to fear attack himself.

To aid as best he can, he gathers up whatever reins to animals that are in danger of not being given enough security, and simply waits for victory.

"One might feel rather like the Persians at Thermopylae," he muses.

Lord Belros seems offended that such creatures would come after them.

"Perish, vermin!", he angrily says as he strikes out with his blade!

Fighting, Short Sword vs rat south of him: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Die: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Fighting Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 5

11

Damage: 1d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + (3) + (5) = 13

I don't have access to my pdfs this weekend but doesn't a raise add 1d6 damage? Please correct me if I'm incorrect.

COMBAT ROUND 1 CONT.

Allysen has both a mule and Moves With Grace between her and her target. Since she doesn't want to damage either of her companions, she errs on the side of caution. Unfortunately, her missiles of dark iron impact in the walls of the cavern, deeply embedding themselves. (Creature had cover, giving Allysen a -2 on the Spellcasting check; miss)

Queresha stabs at the nearest rodent-like creature, but the remarkably quick animal jumps aside at the last moment. (miss)

Brother Silver waves his torch around, but not being close enough to them, the creatures ignore him. (That could have worked if you had been in melee. You could have distracted the creature, giving it a -2 on its next attack, with a successful Fighting check.)

Lord Sunwalker strikes at the nearest creature and nearly cuts it in half with his sharp elven blade. (Yes, a raise in the attack roll gives you a bonus +1d6 in damage, no matter how many raises you roll.)

Amelius pulls hard on the lead of his mule, grabbing another as he rushes them away from your attackers. "Keep them busy while we move the mules to safety," he shouts over his shoulder as he heads toward Grakkus. "If they start to overwhelm you, don't forget you can always retreat!"

Moves with Grace gets her Round 2 action, then the creatures will attack again.

Um, GM BrOp, I hate to be picky, but the RAW way of initiative (at least in SWD) is to re-deal cards each round. I ran some simulations once, and if you don't re-order the actions, the person who always acts first has a 10% better chance of success (because their opponent may end up Shaken and unable to act that round)!

Oh, duh. Sorry.

Initiative Round 2
Allysen: Joker! (+1 group Bennie pool)
Amelius and Grakkus: Ace of spades
Brother Silver: Ace of diamonds
Quresha: Queen of hearts
Isagoras: Queen of clubs
Bizzle: 9 of clubs
Lord Sunwalker: 8 of diamonds
Moves with Grace: 8 of clubs
Creatures: 5 of spades

So, everyone goes before the creatures. Don't wait for Amelius and Grakkus, as they are both taking non-combat actions plus movement.

Whoo! +2 on all checks and damage this round. :D I think I'm going to do something a little crazy this round. Going to try leaping over the rat to avoid getting bit, Attacking it with her shortsword, then blasting the next on in line with magic. That's three actions, so -4 to all checks, but I also get a +2, so I only take -2. As always, the second die is the wild die. +3 to rolls on the first rat due to ganging up on him. I didn't think to look before making the rolls, so GM's call on whether or not I can get that second bennie back.

Allysen hands off the reins to Isagoras before running up and vaulting over Abraham and Moves with Grace to land on the other side of the rat they were fighting. Her sword darts out, looking for its neck. Even as she stabs at the first rat, her other hand is swinging out to the next rat in line as motes of darkness gather in her palm. The magic, though, is unstable and Allysen winces as a sharp crack echoes in the tunnels as the gathering darkness shatters.

Athletics: 9
Athletics: 1d8 ⇒ 71d6 ⇒ 6
Atheletics Ace #1: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Fight: 6 Damage: 9
Fight: 1d6 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 3 Spending a bennie to reroll.
Fight: 1d6 ⇒ 21d6 ⇒ 5 Spending a bennie to reroll.
Fight: 1d6 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 1

Spellcasting: 1
Spellcasting: 1d6 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 3 Spending the last bennie to reroll.
Spellcasting: 1d6 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 2 Welp, that's embarrassing.

Damage for the Fight roll above: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 2) + 2 = 9

The gnome rises his axe away from the rat's body, then slams it into the next creature's flank. At the last minute, the creature lashes forwards, so that the handle, rather than the bloodied blade, strikes its side.

Fighting: 1d10 ⇒ 6
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Damage: 2d10 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 Womp, womp.

They had one of the creatures cornered amongst themselves now, so Quresha stabs at it again with her spear. As Amelius calls out, she instinctively glances over her shoulder at him, and almost impales her own foot in the process. "Damn it! Focus!" she admonishes herself.

Fighting & Wild: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (2) = 3
Damage: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (4) = 6

Quresha - you're adding the dice when you should be taking the better of the two separate rolls. You can do that in a post by typing
{dice=Fighting & Wild}d6; d6{/dice}
(changing the {}'s to []'s, of course). You do this for all rolls *except* Damage rolls (ok, and Running only gets one die).
Also, you get a "Gang-Up" bonus for having multiple people attacking the same creature. In SWD, it was +1 per extra person, so you'd add 3 to the rolls ("d6+3; d6+3"). I seem to recall reading that they've changed in SWADE, so GM BrOp will have to clarify that.

For the future, I believe that readying a weapon in SWADE is a Free Action now - GM BrOp, please correct me if I'm wrong.

MWG attacks the rat in front of her with her boot :
Fighting+1+Gang-Up & Wild: 1d8 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 3 = 91d6 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 3 = 6

and does
Damage: 1d6 + 1d4 ⇒ (5) + (3) = 8

If by chance a 9 is a Raise :
Extra Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2 = 10

"There will be no need for retreat. It appears our group can handle a few rats!", quips Lord Belros as he stabs at the verminous creature near him.

Fighting, Short Sword vs rat south-east of him: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Die: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Fighting + Ace: 6 + 1d6 ⇒ 6 + (6) = 12
Fighting + 2nd Ace: 6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ 6 + 6 + (2) = 14

Damage with raise: 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 1) + (5) = 7

Seeing the front line packed with capable fighters, Isagoras busies himself keeping the mules from breaking and running.

Seeing a hole that would allow him to hit on one of the rats, Abraham gathers his courage and steps into the gap, swinging his heavy flail.

1d4 ⇒ 2 Fighting
1d6 ⇒ 5 WD

1d6 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) + (4) = 7 Damage

As you are stomping them into the ground, I'll call this fight ... COMBAT OVER!

The last remaining rat-like creatures flee back into the darkness from whence they came, screeching out in pain and terror. After the sound of their passing subsides, silence once again returns to the narrow underground passage.

As Lord Belros wipes his blade clean, he comments:

"And that is that. Let us press on before other vermin come for the dead rats."

Allysen grabs the reins of the mule she was guarding and hopes no one asks about the magic she was flinging.

That was foolish of me. I need to be more careful about who sees that magic, she thinks as she draws her cloak closer.