Unlike the barracks, this small room holds comfortable furnishings and appears to be well cared for.
A comfortable-looking bed in the northwest corner has a wooden locker at its foot. The locker is open and empty.
A small wooden table stands against the east wall, with a padded leather chair beside it. On the table, a brass three-branch candlestick with three burning candles provides the room with bright light. The candles, though not fresh, are far from spent.
Under the table is a secret compartment--a drawer, that looks like if it were closed it would be tough to spot. The drawer hangs open and is empty. It looks as though it is sized to hold several smaller books or perhaps one or two larger ones.
Under the table is a small wooden box and an unlit bullseye lantern with a movable shutter over the lens.
On a shelf above the table sit three books. In the northeast corner is a closed wooden wardrobe.
Well, s%!#. I think we missed our chance at some spoils.
Alisanne moves in to check out the books on the shelf. She'll inspect the box and lantern before moving on to the wardrobe.
The three books are:
1. A... Fully... Illustrated volume of Erotic Poetry.
2. A naval almanac listing tide times for the area of coast around Saltmarsh (a total of one hundred miles of coastline is covered)
3. The Demigod Iuz & His Minions: A Treatise, by Natasha The Dark. A sheet of parchment falls out of the third book. On the parchment are written some words in common in one column, and a second column with words written in the common alphabet but they look like gibberish. The Common words read things like, "Fight", "Lift", "Come", "Stop" and other similar command words.
The bullseye lantern is is excellent condition and nearly full of oil. The Box contains twelve candles, flint and steel, and a curious piece of parchment. On the parchment is written the following:
I - ...
II .-.-
III ---
In the wardrobe hangs a fancy oilskin duster coat. Floor length. MANY pockets in the sleeves. Exquisite condition. It is trimmed in iridescent green silk.
The books are very nice and may be valuable.
"Didn't those two we have in the cell say they moved operations to some caves below." Caelius mentions what he heard as he picks up the parchment. "What do you suppose this means?"
Alisanne tucks all three books into her backpack. She'll grab the lantern and the box. She'll don the duster.
I thought they'd said they used the caves to move the goods. Considering the lack of stuff, I think they got wind of what happened. Maybe they learned about the plea deal and our charter. Decided to skeedaddle rather than face us or the constabulary.
Baghotir is disappointed they're missing out on pirate loot, but it would have been tough to beat them all anyway in the shape the group was in, so it's just as well.
He'll move along to the next door as he says, "We should ask our prisoners what it means. They should be able to shed some light on the code."
"It's likely a cypher of some sort. Or it's a pattern for flashing light for the smugglers to see. Either way, the more we look about the more we have a chance to learn," Belwick says, not seeming worried. "Oh, and I don't think the treasure is lost. It's just been moved. We'll find it."
The baron then draws his dagger. Whispering a series of arcane words, he gestures over the blade of the weapon. Moments later it glows with a bright light.
As Alisanne picks up the lantern, Belwick notices that it has a moveable shutter over the lens.
The next room is a door barred from this side. The bar and door look as though something tried to break through from the other side and failed. There is a sign on the door that reads Danger!.
The southwest corner of the barracks room is where Jekka told you to find the secret door. It is marked on your map.
Alisanne heads over to the secret door and makes sure it's safe.
"Maybe we missed out.... but I wouldn't be surprised if we meet again. For now, we should be thorough, look for false bottoms, hidden caches and the lot." Once satisfied, Venn will open the secret door.
Position the party, please. I'll provide some narration in just a moment...
Alisanne... The oilskin duster fits perfectly. It's very nice. You're surprised it was left behind as it must have been expensive. Someone either was in a hurry or didn't think of it.
You all make your way over to the corner where Jekka identified and told you about the secret door. Ned protests, We're just going to leave that Danger room unexplored? There could be some good loot over that way! I thought we were adventurers. The shelves lining this corner swing out and then up--some items on the shelf are attached and meant to act as camoflauge. With the shelf that is not a shelf out of the way, the wall behind it can be pushed open. It reveals a set of carved stone stairs that descend into a natural cavern.
Torches line the walls and illuminate the passage that leads east. You can hear a loud voice barking orders in an unfamiliar accent, and you hear the sounds of human labor. The sea waves can also be heard here.
The natural cave slopes down towards the south. These passages must descend to the sea through the cliff.
Passages to the south west and south are dark. Only the passage leading east is illuminated.
Ned clears his throat, Ah... Maybe we should get out of here. Come back with a larger force. It sounds like, I dunno, a dozen men?
Alisanne whispers, The "Danger" door with undead of some sort behind it you're ok with, but a dozen smugglers has you quaking? You're a strange man, Ned.
Staying close to the wall, Alisanne sneaks forward to see if anything immediately threatens.
Ned whispers, maybe a little too loudly Eh... If I wanted to hide my good stuff and come back for it, I'd do just what they did. Put it behind a door and leave some dumb myth behind...
You creep forward. Nothing jumps out at you.
Room's not going anywhere, Ned.
Alisanne creeps forward, motioning for the others to follow.
You see movement in the cave ahead a the end. It's brighter in there as well.
Ned ask you, What do you see?
Baghotir, battleaxe at the ready, closes with Alisanne, though he stays back as he knows how noisy he is. He gets close enough to rush forward though when they get to the pirates.
He's eager for battle with the scallywags!
disadvantage
Group stealth check... Party succeeds if at least half the party does. I can roll for anyone unable to.
Botting...
or
The talking stops. All goes still.
You all hear a voice speaking in what can only be called an outrageous accent, and it says 'Allo! Welcome! I think we have some guests, mais non? I am speaking to you, interlopers! Sneak-Thieves! Blades in The Dark! Who is it that disrupts the plans of the Great Sanbalet? Will they deal or will they cross swords? LALAINEPLUDYO!
Venn curls hips lips in and clenches his jaw as he looks up at the ceiling, "A+&*~$$ of Vecna." He relaxes his face and raises his eyebrows as if to say to his teammates "Someone want to try talking, or do we commence with the violence?"
Caelius makes sure to keep his blade sheathed momentarily. "I just arrived in town so I am not familiar with the Great Sanbalet. What do you deal in?"
A villainous chuckle echos off of the cavern walls.
Ooooooh, Sanbalet is a dealer of death. A Master of Ze Mysterious! A... Mehjishien! But parehaps you are wise enough. Leave now. And Sanbalet will spare your meager lives. Forget this place. Go and fish ze seas. Mmmm... It is a good life, non? Come closer and you will learn just how deep is za trouble you are in, mon ami.
Belwick considers the sounds of men, remembering that Jekka warned them of Illusory magic. A spell that suggests inflated numbers is just the sort of thing a clever magician might do.
The voice is NOT an illusion, Belwick. Sanbalet's voice is real and coming from the east.
The sounds of hustling and movement that you heard until just a few moments ago was also real as far as you can tell.
Considering, he decides that leveling the playing feel (artificially) is in order. Quietly he works through the gestures of an illusion, adding the sound of shuffling feet and the odd cough to make the party seem bigger than it is.
"I'm afraid we won't be backing down." Baghotir urges the others forward. If they're too afraid, he'll push through them and lead. "We've been hired by the town see, and you and your kind ain't welcome here any more."
"There doesn't need to be any killing. Just come along peacefully like and let's sort it all out in town, shall we?"
He wants to get to where he can just see the other(s) for he fears some sort of subterfuge. But he tries not to completely expose himself either in case there are a dozen archers around the corner.
Clever--But you cannot fool Sanbalet! Be aware, mes amis. They have magic of their own!
Taking the liberty of an intimidate check for Baghotir...
he hears uncertain feet shuffling east, and more uncertain feet shuffling to the south.
Baghotir creeps to the front so he can get a look... And sees nothing ahead. The passageway turns south, out of view. This doesn't match Jekka's map. There should be a chamber directly to the east.
Stay there, Dwarf! No further or you will not leave this cavern alive. Nor will any who turn against Sanbalet, mes ami. Stand your ground or face me.
Placing her trust in Jekka, Alisanne picks up a couple of stones from the cave floor. She moves up past Baghotir and tosses the stones at the "eastern cave wall". She then continues into the small alcove there.
Hearing of the unlawful behavior Caelius draws his blade. "I am Caelius with the Saltmarsh Guards and you have just threatened our lives. Lay down your arms and noone has to get hurt." He looks to the others. "Find a way through."
Alisanne's stone flies through the eastern wall, and makes no noise as it passes through it. A moment later you hear the stone hit the floor.
Initiative:
1. Ned (22)
2. Hobgoblin (20)
3. Alisanne (17)
4. Sanbalet (17)
5. Bandit (14)
6. Venn (11)
7. Scout (10)
8. Belwick (8)
9. Baghotir (7)
10. Caelius (6)
Ned advances around the corner and takes the dodge action. His eyes dart around looking for danger. In a loud whisper, Where are they?
Alisanne is up.
The wall ahead is an illusion. Archers on the other side with Sanbelat, Alisanne calls out to the others.
Oswald, Jekka sends her regards. She's hoping you make it out ok.
Alisanne then begins singing a lullaby to help their odds.
She then ducks into the alcove.
OSWALD!? JEKK--THAT IS SANBALET'S COAT! I WILL STRIP IT FROM YOUR DEAD CORPSE!
The party sees Baghotir blasted with magical bolts of force!
of force damage.
TRAITORS AND BASTARDS ALL! ALL WILL FEEL SANBALET'S WRATH!
Baghotir is down, FYI.
Bot, as per slack...
Venn believes in Alisanne and runs full speed through the rockface... And finds himself in a well-lit chamber beyond, facing down Sanbalet and his archer assistant. A Hobgoblin and a dirty person in leathers sleep next to each other in the entryway, the magical slumber stronger than the ambient noise of the battle.
The party, having seen Venn run through the wall, know it to be an illusion. It sort of fades, and is both there and not there. It no longer obscures vision.
For the party:
This cavern, like the passage leading to it, is well lit by torches held in simple iron brackets around the walls. You can see five small bolts of cloth stacked against the wall to your left, and to your right are eight small casks in a neat row.
Spoiler Revealed for all: "The Eastern Wall is an illusion. The wall is there, but no longer obscuring your vision. Beyond the wall you see a dirty young woman with a crossbow wearing leathers standing next to a Hobgoblin warrior wearing heavy chainmail, armed with a wicked looking serrated longsword and a tower shield. A longbow is slung on it's back. Beyond them, an archer in all black aims a longbow at you. Next to the archer in black is a man with a shaved head and eyes so green you can see them from here and they almost glow. He has a hoop earring and the fingers of his left hand are extended and twitching in a sort of game of cat's cradle. in his right he holds a dagger. He wears a long black oilcloak."
The Hob and the woman with a crossbow are asleep.
The archer in black withdraws from Venn's reach to get a bow shot at her next opportunity.
Belwick is up.
Belwick nods in the direction of the ranger he spots, then moves forward to keep up with Venn. He stops just shy of the illusion.
Before he can even react, Baghotir is cut down. He drops to the floor flopping like a fish, his eagerness for battle replaced by the pain of war.
HP 0/10, AC: 20
- - -
Well that was a quick campaign. If I understand it right, I'm dead.
Not dead. But you are Mostly dead.
Seeing one of the men advance on Baghotir, Caelius slings his handaxe across the open area at the thug. "Stay away from him!" He glances down at the dwarf's prone and bleeding form. I hope he is still alive...
HP 12/12
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Short Rest Die 1/1
We lost a little in translation there. Trying to sort it out via Slack.
While Caelius picks a target for me...
Ned sees to Baghotir's wounds. He takes out a strange packet and holds it to the dwarf's head. and stabilizes the unconscious dwarf. He speaks, and makes some kind of gesture over him:
Ned moves closer to the action and takes the dodge cunning action.
While one Hobgoblin sleeps and dreams of disciplined ranks of conquering Hobs, another comes barrelling up the side passage.
Alisanne?
Seeing that Baghotir has been seen to, Alisanne steps out of the alcove. She moves up behind her friends and bestows the grace of the fey on them.
Venn will have a chance for it, as Sanbalet reaches into a pocket and brings out a pinch of powder. He tosses it towards Venn and swings his arm about in a wide arc.
Oh, mais oui. J'adore les classiques! HOCUS POCUS!
The entire chamber is filled with rainbows , and Venn is blinded for a turn.
Two more bandits follow up behind the hob in the south. They take the dodge action.
Venn is up.
Grunting in frustration at the spell, Venn takes a step towards Sanbalet and swings his mighty blade in a wide arc, hoping to catch the man:
for
Sanbalet screams and nearly falls. It is a miracle he is still alive.
I spit at you, Venn! Famous Pirate Killer! Kill him!
The Archer takes aim... Moving away and risking the attack because Venn is blind. ... 17 hits. Venn takes and again... 13 Hits.
"Have at you, trickster! You're days are done!" Belwick says before working through the arcane gestures to fling a bolt of fire at Sanbalet.
Sanbalet takes the bolt, his face now scarred by burns. But he stands.
Caelius draws his longsword as he advances to the south. "More of them this way, I'll hold them off from this side!"
HP 12/12
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Short Rest Die 1/1