The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (SW)

Game Master Branding Opportunity

"The scoundrels are driven off at least.", says Belros as he moves to retrieve his dagger.

"An Inn? It sounds a far happier prospect than leaving this place to remain as a base for smugglers and their ilk."

"An inn? Hmmm. Quite," Isagoras muses as he follows along. "'twould certainly save us the trouble of moving the spirits. And then 'twould be stocked from the outset.

Though if we mean to remain here overlong we must needs deal with that poor hedge at some point."

"I think we've got bigger problems, like half the floor upstairs is rotting away and the roof is full of holes," Allysen says as she returns and gathers up the bolts of cloth.

"Besides. Aren't we a little off the main path for an inn?"

"Bah! Such things are but the work of finding a good contractor...or the right spell.

And recall where we are. People will go out of their way if you have something better and different for cheaper that doesn't already smell like fish."

"And how are we to pay for the services of such a fine carpenter or mage?"

"Also, doesn't this house have a legend of being haunted or cursed or something? Not many people are going to want to stay in such an inn..."

"Perhaps it could be a selling point? But it has been a while since I delved into matters of commerce."

The group moves from the storage chamber through the passageway to to the south. It remains a natural cave with the normal widenings and narrowings, but always sloping downward. Sand increases as you travel south until you are walking on a sand-covered floor.

The passage leads into a cave which opens directly to the sea. The tide is out at present and there is little water in the cave, but there is an obvious high water mark which in places is 3' above the floor. Pulled up onto the sloping cave floor is a small boat - perhaps large enough for eight men - with oars, a step-down mast and a neatly furled sail. A rope tied to the bow has been weighed down by a large boulder which serves as an anchor.

Eight men stand next to the boat dressed in leather armor and with broadswords drawn. They are dressed as common sailors and do not look happy to see you, and look as if they have been filling the boat with various goods.

A voice shouts out from somewhere near them: "You have come to the end of the line, thieves. Turn back now or face certain death."

You're located about 40 feet from the armed men.

Lord Belros has sword and shield drawn.

"Be ye allies of the sorcerer and gnolls?", he retorts, clearly in no mood for these smuggler's nonsense.

Intimidation: 1d4 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 1
Skill ace!: 1d4 ⇒ 1

*5* for intimidation

"A rational offer. Unfortunately, our group does not take good advice without a fight. Most certainly you consort with gnolls, which is a heinous strike against your character. Unless I miss my guess, my friends here will choose to dispense with pleasantries. So instead, how about you throw down your weapons and surrender immediately and then tell us what you're doing here, and we let you live."

Cast Deflection on the Party 3PP (+5 addl recipients)

Faith: 1d10 ⇒ 91d6 ⇒ 1 That's a raise.

While the rest of the participants in this latest engagement react, Wolfram jumps the action and casts a spell on his entire party. Suddenly, all of us begin to flicker, as if disappearing temporarily from existence.

Once cast, foes must subtract 2 from attack rolls directed at the user (or 4 with a raise).

"Maybe we should make sure that it isn't haunted first? Maybe?"

Allysen gives Belros and Isagoras a pleading look and pointedly not bringing up the pond and the footsteps going around it or the rot grubs and other creepy-crawlies they'd found.

"Besides, I don't know about all of you, but I'm not much of an entertainer," she adds, hoping that this would persuade them.

About the only jobs she could do are working as a maid or the cook, and now I've got images of her in a barmaid's outfit looking ready to die of embarrassment.

"I think we've killed almost everything that was haunting it..." Isagoras muses. "And bards are easy to get. Most will work for drinks and tips. Maybe a bowl of soup. So I hear."

As the several sailors call out their bravado, Isagoras chuckles. "I say, wait a moment. You are calling us thieves? Really? So you can say that you've paid the king's duty on all those goods you are clandestinely loading onto a rickety skiff in a lonesome cave? By the Seven Powers I think the very weight of the irony might crush me to death."

Let's just pretend that previous post of my happened before we went down the passage.

Of Bards and Barmaids
"Please, no bards," Allysen begs as they begin following the passage. She leaves the bolts of cloth behind, not wanting to risk ruining them. "I haven't good experiences with bards. There was one that wouldn't take no for an answer when I was working in a tavern as a serving girl. Things got a little out of hand when he walked in on me while I was changing. Then there was the one that joined a caravan I was working as a cook for. She didn't seem to believe me when I said I wasn't interested and then whined to the caravan master when I give her a shiner after she tried to 'show me a good time.' That's not mentioning all of the times I've been teased, groped, and slobbered over."

They're the pirates who don't do anything!
"They work with gnolls, and gnolls are bad guys that only work with bad guys, right? So if they are bad guys, then we kinda have to take care of them, don't we," Allysen asks as she readies her sword. "besides, maybe we can get a better boat and turn this into our home!"

I feel like I've kinda lost Allysen's focus. It's a little difficult to nail her down after that long break.

"Now, comrades, let's not jump to conclusions."

Turning to the sailors she says " We are not thieves, merely adventurers and explorers. If you are working with a mage who has some gnolls with him, you should know that they have been dispatched by us. If you wish to leave in that boat, while leaving ALL your goods behind, we could be persuaded to not harm you. But if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get, and you WILL lose."

Persuasion & Wild: 1d4 ⇒ 11d6 ⇒ 5

This is probably the most MWG has said in one time since you've known her...

The smugglers look at each other and slowly start backing toward the boat, seemingly a lot a lot less confident than they were before.

The voice you heard before, which you think must be the invisible wizard, interrupts their slow departure.

"What? You're running? Some smugglers you are! You're going to let them have all of our hard-earned merchandise without a fight?"

After a short grunt of frustration from the invisible magic-user, you begin to hear magical words of power being spoken.

Initiative

Everyone is within a move of a smuggler. The enemy wizard still is invisible.

MWG: Ace of Diamonds
Enemy Wizard: 10 of Diamonds
Allysen: 10 of Hearts
Smugglers: 8 of Clubs
Katherine: 7 of Diamonds
Isagoras: 6 of Clubs
Belros Sunwalker: 4 of Clubs
Wolfram: 2 of Hearts

Spells in efffect: Wolfram's Deflection

Just MWG up for the party then?

Looks that way. This is probably gonna bite.

Just MWG up for the party then?

Yes, first MWG, then the wizard, then Allysen, then the smugglers, then everyone else.

*braces self*

@ MWG and Ally: You may want to do something, either Ranged or Defense, that keeps you close by. Otherwise you'll be swarmed. Just keep that in mind.

Then: "We could make it work. Besides, bards aren't all bad," Katherine states, unwilling to let the subject drop.

Now: Katherine readies herself for the inevitable attack.

Maybe I can spook 'em? I've got an illusion power. ;)

Then:

"Maybe, but I haven't been lucky enough to meet one that didn't want to get up my skirt or in my pants," Allysen concedes, partially. "Besides, it's not good for me to stay in a place too long."

I'll GMPC MWG if she hasn't posted by tomorrow.

Sorry, work got in the way.
GM BrOp - is there a map in Google Docs for this?

MWG tries to spot the invisible person :
Notice & Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 3 No luck

MWG raises her hand, and makes a throwing motion towards one of the smugglers, and a shuriken appears apparently from out of nowhere and flies toward him :

Athletics & Wild: 1d8 ⇒ 51d6 ⇒ 6
Wild ACE!: 1d6 ⇒ 2 = 8, a Raise

Doing
Damage+Raise: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 6) = 17
Damage ACE! ACE!: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5 = 22 I think he's dead...

The shuriken strikes him square in the chest, splattering his guts all over his comrades.

14/15 PP

Sorry, work got in the way.

GM BrOp - is there a map in Google Docs for this?

Er, not yet. Also, since the shuriken is a spell, you use your Focus still for attack rolls, FYI. I'll keep your rolls for now.

The magical shuriken takes out a smuggler as the invisible wizard completes his spell. 1d10 ⇒ 91d6 ⇒ 2

All of you are gripped with an intense sense of panic. Everyone must make a Spirit check at -2 (since he got a raise). If you fail the roll, roll 1d20+2 for the effect.

After everyone resolves their Fear check, it will be Allysen's turn, then the smugglers.

Spirit -2: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -11d6 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Spirit: 1d10 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -11d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1 Wow.

F&~# me: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Good luck!

Doomed bros high-five!

Due to fear, Lord Belros is Distracted until the end of his next turn (-2 on all trait rolls). Wolfram, unfortunately, develops a Minor Phobia Hindrance associated with this encounter.

Spirit: 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2 Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Blast and bebother his Raise!

Result: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Katherine is Panicked, and must move at her full Pace away from the combat; she is also Shaken.

Spirit: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 21d6 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4 *6*
ACE!: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Oh GM, who doth plot our course with twisted cunning, is the wizard visible, now? :)

Oh GM, who doth plot our course with twisted cunning, is the wizard visible, now? :)

Nope, this isn't Pathfinder :)

Darn.

Allysen, seeing her friends flee for their lives and not seeing any wizard to practice turning into a pin cushion decides that a big, scary illusion will have to do. Maybe if she puts enough into it, it'll frighten even the wizard.

Spellcasting (The Shade's Brush, Sound, Strong, 6 PP): 1d6 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 4 *4*

Pulling and tugging on the shadows along the ceiling above, Allysen crafts something from her nightmares, A shadowy demon with eyes of violet flame and and a tongue that wreathed in purple fire. The crackling of the strange flames sounds supernaturally loud and oddly hollow all at once. As the appearation speaks, the voice sounds disjointed, harmonious, high and shrill, low and gravelly, and smooth as velvet all at once.

-

-

"M͇̝͕̰͈̦̽̽́̏̑̃̽́̋͛ō̷̢̧͔͖̤̥̬͕͚̆́̄̓̅̽͌͟ṙ̢̨̘̗̰̣͌͒͆̏̿̓̀̕͢t̴̡̛̗̦̖͖̺̊͐̅̔̊̃͑â̒̍ ̸̨̡̳͎̯͓̫̖̄̀͛̌͒͂͘͢l̵͔͇̰̮̫̜͂̊͋͑̃̄̽̍͢͡͝ş̤̞͎̥̓̅͊̓͛̚?̻̗̩̥̻̌̔̾̔̊̐̀̇͑ O̷̡͇̙̦̝̪̝͋͂̒̔̆͗̽͝h̼͚̳͓͎̅̏̔̉́ w͉̟̝̖̬̳͈͌̈́̀̂͑̅͠͡ͅh̡̫̲͙̥͍͋͌̑͆͊͟͞ȁ̴̫̜̮̳̝̰͗͐̐͆̐t̶͓̰̜͉̩̘͓̩̃́̾̉͂͋͜͡ f̖̜̻̻͈̂͑̄̿̒̅ȗ̴̢̲͔̹͓̌̒͛̊͘͜͟͞ͅͅn̵̡͈̖͎̻̄͑͊́̀̈͘͟͡͡͞!̴̼̰̠͔̗͚̿̍̓̾̏̐͠ Į̧̧̪̬̯̽́̓̓͠t̴̜͎̗̳̬̭̽̐̉͑͜͠ h̴̗͈͓̮͐́̎͒̀̚͜͟͠ą̷͍̲̻̬̳̦͔̥̂̊͛̾̃̉s̨̼̖̳̤͍̖͂͗̔̑͘͡͠ b̴̨̧͖̦̜̮̘͔̘̞͋̉͋̈̃̅́̽̃͠ē̵̛̫̯̜̬̼̪̹̝̤̉̐͋͂̓̅̇͘e̸̛̺̭̼̯̞̫͈͊̽͒̆̆̓̐̅̚n͉͖̺̙̿́̀̋̚̕͘͞ ̮̼͇̯ a̶̩̯̬͓͉͉̖̓͂͒̈́͠͝g̸̢̧̺͙̝̗̭̗͕̮̑̀̓͋̅͑͛̀͌̒ȩ̴̧͖͚̫̤̓͑̎̈̇̏͌͌͠s̛̬͍̺̣͙̝̻̟̖͂̔̌̔͢͠͝ t̡̠̼͕̬̀̀̀͗͘͢͠o̶̧͚̣̯̖͈͙̪̤͗̅̑͋̉͌̽̚̚o̸̖̻̮̳͎͍̥̩͐͌̂͒̚̚ ļ̪͕̼̺̬̰̠̉̅̅͌̈́̚ö̵̧̡̧͕̤͔̬͙̭́́̓̋́̍́̉̋͝n̵̢̖̱̼̱͍̫̉̔̾̈́͗̇̀̚͢͠ǧ̨͇̟̰̖̤̘̼̗͆̉̍͆̊̅̓̚͞ ̱ ş̛̜̤͈̻̺̄̾̇̏i͚̯͇̼̞͉̠̎̇̒̿͂͌͢͟ņ̶̠͇͓̻̩͐̆̀͛̆͑c̖̩̦̼̘͔͂́̈́̀̏̚͜͜͡ẻ̸͚̜̻͖̀̿̂͂͗͢͡ I̮͔͖̙̰͇͆͌͢͡͡͝ h̵̢̠͇͈̻̤̣̋͐̐͠͡ȧ̰̣̥͉̜̞̥͕̎̓͛͑͂̀̕v̷̢̛̭̞̮͖̙̗̪̮̈́̌̓͋͆e̡̨̨̘̫̬̲̬͎̐͊̐̓̽̇̾̚̕̚ ḩ̵̯̫̹̯̩͔̒͛̾͗̓̚a̬̯̬̖̥̝̅͌͂̌̈ͅḑ̖͍̪̔͐̆̾̔̚͟ t̢̺̹̫͈̤͕̠̋̆̍̊̓͊͑̌͘̚͢ŏ̵̢̨͇̤̗͈̲͂͘͟͢͝͝y̷̨̨̺͍̖͎̥̋͑́̐͘͞s̡̛̟̟̠̣̺̖̹͚̍̈́̿̄̎͢ t̟̰͎̰͕͌̌́͞͝o͙̞̹̱̬̬̺͑̀͋̂̕̕͜ p̦̯̲͇̮̪̺̙̟͔͐͂̌̊̔̏ĺ̷̼͚̖͚̘̖͛̃̽̚ͅa̷̠̻̠͇̬̝͙̺̺̯̅̀̂̄͌̔́̒̚̚y̢̼̺̹̹̤͐̅̈́̿̌͝͞ w̧͖̯͔̼͗͂̇̑̓̀̚͡i̧̭̠͉̮̣̋̾̏̽̈́͛̄̚t̴̮͓̲̭̃̈̅̂̊͗͜͠͝͠͠h̨̺͇̜̪̦͖̓̉̅̃̔̕̕͜͞.̦͒́̏̓͌̏̍͌͂͊ ̮̫̝̱̥͢ W̧̨̝͓̗̻̣̔͐̌̊̑͑̄͜͢͡h̸̢̺̝̠̰̙̻͚͆̐̓̓̉͗̀ȍ̦͉̤̤͐̅͛͘͜ w͇̹̠̲͐̃̏̾͐́͜a̵̛̩̱̰̤͖͚̜̫͈̤͑́̓̆̄͘͝ṉ̵̢̩͇͇̲̾̅͗̅͠ṱ̷̢͎̘̼̹̯̏́̌͆̆̅̉̕̕͢s̮͍̞̱̽͑̽̓͗͞ ̨̗͚͓͓ ť̰̠̖̗͇̗̽̄̈̏̉͑̀̕ŏ̵̦̜͚̂̂̉̍͢͢ b̯̟̫̤͎̯̀̐̀̓̋̀̉̀̀͠ē̛͓͚̤͖̦̯̔͗͗͆̿̕͟ f̷̤͔͇̭͇̈́̄̀̑̓͘͜͝ǐ̸͎̞̣̪̞͗́̍͐̕͟͡r͔͖̟̫̯̩̘̬̅́̎̌̉̏̔ṡ̪͕͕̪͒̉̇͑͐͊̏͛͜t̥͚̲̣̥̬̂͒̈̂̆͋͟ ̭̙͟?̢̲̟̤̗̳͚̟͙̑͑̿̅̓̍̀"

-

-

It looks around the cavern, taking in everything and eyeing the boat with a look of mingled lust and hunger. The flame shrouded tongue licks fangs of blackest obsidian as if fixates on the weakest looking of the smugglers.

-

-

"Ỹ̨̰͓̫̹̰͖͒̉̾͑́̾̅͘͜͞o̡̻͓̤̼̗̠̍̄͊̔̄͑̿͛͢͟͞u̥̼̬͖͚̜̫̇̿͂͑̆̒̚͜ w̷̝̜͚̯̫̗̞̩̞̑̍͊̌̆̑̔̐̀͘i̢̛̛̪̹̞͔̭͔̽͐̄̄͒͘̚ͅl̥̝̟͆̏̀̌̀̐͞ͅͅl͎͔̗̺̄͋̊̆͆̕͟͟͡ d̵͖̦͚̤̩̣̆͌̃̑̓̈͢͝͡ǫ̲̟̮͇̍̀̎̉͞ n̢̨̞̟̥̘̖̹̱̋̒͐̾̇ḭ̡̜̹̱̣̫̟̍͐͑͛̓͊͘c̺̟̪̻̫̗̗̼̼͋̊̄͗͊̍̃͠e̵̙̭̤͋͆͑̆̋͢͢͝͡l͕̅͆̒̀̑̄̔͗͟͞ ̟̦̦y̮̤͚̣̲͑̀͐̽̉͜͜͝͞!̣̗͉͙͉̠͓͓̺́̔̅͊͑́́̕̕͘"

-

-

The illusion cast, Allysen backs into the tunnel, readying herself to flee if she needed to as she readied her bow.

Allysen is burning 6 Power Points on this illusion. 3 for the base power, +1 to make it have sound, +2 to make it strong. Smarts rolls to disbelieve are at -2. It sticks around for 5 rounds before going poof.

Spirit!: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3
WILD Spirit!: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Confound!
T3h PH34R!: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

I assume Wolfram is also panicked and running away. Recommendation for a relevant minor phobia?

Spirit & Wild: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 11d6 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2 Fail

Table: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

I assume Wolfram is also panicked and running away. Recommendation for a relevant minor phobia?

Wizards!

Wolfram Argyle wrote:

I assume Wolfram is also panicked and running away. Recommendation for a relevant minor phobia?

Wizards!

Agreed!!

GM, can Allysen book it if more than two don't fall for her illusion?
Also, Wolfram's phobia should definitely be wizards! It'll be hilarious to see him get twitchy around Isagoras!

That was a joke. Having a phobia of Wizards would mean that every trait role I make while Isagoras is in the party has a -2 penalty. I might as well make a new character at that point.

Moves with Grace quails with supernatural fear, while Isagoras steels himself as best he can, but fears for his life. (MWG is Vulnerable until the end of her next round, while Isagoras gains the Hesitant Hindrance for the rest of the encounter.)

Allysen's illusion attempts to spook the smugglers, and while they first look nervous, they quickly see through the illusion and advance on the party. Allysen decides that she'd prefer to survive and flees out of the cavern, retreating back to the tunnels under the haunted house.

Smuggler attacks Wolfram: 1d6 - 4 ⇒ (3) - 4 = -1, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5, miss
Smuggler attacks Belros: 1d6 - 4 ⇒ (1) - 4 = -3, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9, miss
Smuggler attacks Belros: 1d6 - 4 ⇒ (5) - 4 = 1, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9, miss
Smuggler attacks Isagoras: 1d6 - 4 ⇒ (2) - 4 = -2, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12, miss
Smuggler attacks MWG: 1d6 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (6) - 4 + 2 = 4, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4, 4+4=8, hit, but damage does not exceed Toughness; Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Smuggler attacks MWG: 1d6 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) - 4 + 2 = 1, Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11, miss

Magical effects: Wolfram's Deflection (-4), MWG is Vulnerable, Isagoras is Hesitant, Lord Belros is Distracted, Katherine is Panicked, and Wolfram has the Phobia)

Map updated

Katherine, Isagoras, Belros, and Wolfram are up!

"YAARGGHH!!", Belros yells, uncharacteristically loudly, as he wildly slashes at the smuggler attacking Isagoras!

Short Sword vs Smuggler, distracted: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -11d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

Oof.

Assuming Wolfram gains some phobia hindrance but no other consequences...

The Reverend blinks hard, wondering what it is he is suddenly so afraid of. While he comes to terms with this new condition, he reacts to the attack by the smuggler, striking him with a Bolt of holy blue flame!

Casting Bolt, 1PP

Faith: 1d10 ⇒ 81d6 ⇒ 6 + Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 5 = 11, assuming Raise
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 5) = 10

Katherine, shame-facedly, turns and runs for her life! She heads out of the cavern and back towards the secret door to the cellar.

Isagoras fights through his brain gone all fuzzy and tries to share his Confusion with the smuggler horde.

3 pts for medium burst radius

Sorcery!: 1d10 ⇒ 5
WILD Sorcery!: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Smarts save or be Distracted and Vulnerable.

Retcon, Allysen doesn't run. I thought that she was about to be the only one in the room.

Agility: 1d10 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 5 *5* Trying to avoid getting hit while she gets into position.

Fighting (Shortsword) v. The guy up in Wolfram and Belros' faces: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 51d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 *11* Maybe a raise? I keep forgetting I get +1 against enemies that are normal sized since I'm such a tiny half-elf.
ACE: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Damage (Raise?): 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 1) + (3) = 8

Allysen, seeing her illusion fail lets it mock the sailors as she dodges around to get into the action. She sweeps up beside the bandit and stabs at him with her sword.

"Sorry the demon's fake, but the sword's plenty real," she says with a cheery tone and smile.

Retcon

Allysen, your spell was your main action this round and since you didn't declare a Multi-action, you can't do anything major (but you can move).

Oh. Dang. I thought we were in a new round. It's been a crazy week at work. I think I really have lost my marbles this time. :P

Oh. Dang. I thought we were in a new round. It's been a crazy week at work. I think I really have lost my marbles this time. :P

Just at work? Seems like the entire world's gone insane.