Bruma the Tracker - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 35

Bruma knelt and examined the tracks in the mud. There were five humanoids - the party he had been tracking since entering the Drowned Forest. The tracks led away from a nearby shrine and into a tunnel dug into the side of a low hill surrounded by trees and rocks - very uncommon for the swampy Drowned Forest.

Bruma was a swamp guide. He was a hunter and a tracker and he was very familiar with both the Hool Marsh and the Drowned Forest. For years he led smugglers from upriver and inland through the Drowned Forest to the base camp in the Hool Marsh and down to one of the several drop sites on the coast - either at the abandoned house, the old lizardfolk lair, or the sea caves beneath the Tower of Zenopus. Several months ago, the smugglers and bandits abandoned the base camp. All smuggling stopped.

The leaders of the Organization had learned that the smugglers and bandits had joined the growing army of someone named Sakatha. Sakatha was the name of a lizard-king who had united all the tribes of the Hool Marsh and, with the help of a black dragon named Aulicus, fought a war against the knights of Keoland over a hundred years ago. All they knew was that Sakatha had a secret base somewhere in the Drowned Forest.

The Organization hired Bruma to locate the secret base and kill Sakatha.

Bruma managed to find two former smugglers who now served Sakatha. They each had a pallid complexion and a glazed vacant look similar to someone suffering brain jellies. When interrogated about the location of Sakatha's lair, they offered to lead Bruma to a secret entrance.

They led Bruma down a spit of land. Right away Bruma noticed another group had traveled this same route ahead of him. There were five humanoids - four humans and a dwarf. He found a campsite - two days old - where they had fought off four animated trees. He passed through an area that had been scoured by a tidal wave the day before. He followed their tracks to a stone platform - a shrine to a black dragon - where they had camped the night previous. Now their tracks led into a tunnel and descended stone stairs. He dismissed his guides.

He descended the stairs into an underground grotto - a cave and waterfall. He heard fighting down a nearby passage. The passage descended sharply. He carefully climbed down the slope. He was in a stone room built by intelligent hands. The smell of rotting flesh and decay was oppressive. Bruma covered his nose with his gloved hand. He hid behind a nearby wall and covertly observed those who entered before him. The fighting was over. The party was discussing what to do next. He heard them open a door.

There was more fighting. Something was alive - or at least active - in these stone rooms. Bruma knew not if these people were potentially allies or enemies. He decided to watch for now.

CHAPTER 35

"BRUMA THE TRACKER"

The B-Team:

• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, Deck Sorceress of the Sea Ghost.
• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Bosun of the Sea Ghost.
• Captain Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk), Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Brenna "The Sea Witch" Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler, First Mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.

Introducing:

• Bruma - Neutral Good Human Swamp Guide (Ranger) for the smuggling cartel known as "the Organization", given a mission to find and kill Sakatha the Lizard King.

Ghouls in the Dark

The B-Team was standing in a subterranean room flooded shin-deep in fetid water. Three dead ghouls were piled in a corner. There were three ancient doors. The B-Team gathered in front of one of the doors and prepared to open it.

Baylore grabbed Alot, "Hold still." The pirate captain held his palm over the automaton's visual sensors. Suddenly Alot could see through the gloom of the chamber. Objects hidden within deep shadows were now dimly visible.  Baylore pointed at Alot's face, "Stop complaining about it being dark."

Alot turned back around and opened the door. He was immediately met with a slavering ghoul. Several more ghouls could be seen in the dark room beyond. Alot stabbed the ghoul and moved into the room followed by Bordar the dwarf and Baylore.

The room beyond was likewise flooded. It was small, fifteen feet by twenty feet at most, with a hallway in the far corner and two doors on the right wall. The left wall looked collapsed and the floor was covered in a pile of rubble, as if the ghouls had been digging through the walls.

One ghoul turned and fled down the short hall and around a corner, sloshing through the shallow water.

Bordar said, "It's running away! They can't do that! Can they do that?" He gave chase around the corner.

Baylore shouted, "Bordar, wait!" but it was too late.

Bordar followed the ghoul past some more collapsed rubble, across another smaller flooded chamber around the corner, and through a doorway. He was immediately attacked by two ghouls waiting on either side of the door as well as a larger humanoid, similar to the ghouls but whose skin was covered in fine tattoos. The creature emitted a foul odor that could curdle milk. Bordar held his arm before his nose and cursed.

Baylore and Alot arrived in the room behind Bordar. Baylore pointed into the room and caused a magical bonfire to appear under the feet of the tattooed creature.

Bordar dispatched a ghoul next to him and the pallid stench creature immediately moved out of the fire and stood atop his fallen comrade.

Bordar and Alot, fighting from the entrance to the small alcove, soon defeated both creatures. Baylore allowed the bonfire to disappear.

Bordar emerged victorious while Alot stopped to investigate the excavated wall. Baylore heard talking back in the original room. He heard an unknown voice.

He called out, "Everything okay back there?"

An Introduction
Aella and Brenna remained in the original room. They watched through the doorway as the others cut a viscous swatch through the ghouls and disappeared around the corner.

Bruma cautiously emerged from his hiding place behind the corner near the entrance, "Hello."

Aella looked confused by this new intruder. Brenna spun around. Upon seeing the human she stood straight and glowered, "Who the feck are yew?"

The intruder held up his hands and introduced himself, "I am Bruma."

Brenna said, "Aella, keep me covered." She pointed Hearthspoon at the newcomer, "YOU! You're here to kill the Lizard King?"

Bruma replied, "That's my plan. Why are you here?"

Brenna said, "We're here to do the same and avenge my fallen brothers, who were killed by an agent of the Lizard King. You know he might be a lich, correct?"

"Ye-ssss?" lied Bruma, unconvincingly.

Brenna walked uncomfortably close to Bruma, "If you're here to help, then move ahead and get in the fight." She pointed Hearthspoon in his face, "You make any sudden moves, I will burn you down!"

Bruma smiled, "As you wish, mi-lady."

One of the two other doors slowly opened behind them. A pale gaunt humanoid with sharpened teeth and skin covered in fine tattoos emerged and attacked! The humanoid emitted a foul stench that turned the stomach.

Baylore called out from the far room, "Everything okay back there?"

Aella replied that they were under attack.

Brenna and Aella immediately turned and cast their signature spells at their attacker - chill touch and chaos bolt! It lunged for Brenna and its smell caused her to dry heave but she quickly recovered.

Bruna swung a massive sword and cut down the pallid creature.

Brenna stood up and straightened her coat, "Well, I guess you're okay then."

Baylore came running around the corner only to see that the battle was already concluded. "Who's that?"

Brenna informed him, "That's Bruma. He's here to kill the Lizard King."

Baylore looked at Bruma, assessing him, "Huh. Okay. Come on. Quit farting around back here."

Siren Diabla
They opened the door and were met with a terrible stench, worse than that of the tattooed ghouls. Beyond the door was a short set of stairs that ascended into a dry room.  The chamber was fifteen feet wide and 35 feet long with an alcove on the left wall with an elevated platform like a kind of stage. The room had a tall vaulted ceiling supported by four columns. In the center of the stage was a throne made of human bones and skulls. Sitting on the throne was a gruesome female humanoid with waxy greenish skin. She had the gaunt body and bloated stomach of a victim of famine. Her face was covered in leathery wrinkles. Her yellow eyes bulged out. Her hair was like long white strands of corn silk. Her massive hands and feet ended in long bony fingers and toes with talon-like claws.  She smiled, revealing a mouth with jagged teeth, many missing. Black drool dripped from her mirthless grin.

She laughed a rasping dry laugh.

"Welcome. Come in, come in. You are guests of Siren Diabla. Might I offer you a meal? Or have you come for some of Siren Diabla's special elixir? Be not shy, there is plenty to share."

Alot walked forward slowly, cautiously, "Hello. We don't want any elixir, but thank you." The others entered the room behind him.

"Oh!" the creature rasped, "Then you were sent to me by the servants of Sakatha. A gift from the Lizard King. How nice of him. His servants send me so many tasty gifts. Please, come in. Are you hungry? I have a table prepared. Please, join me for dinner."

Alot paused, "May.. be? Listen, what do you mean by 'offerings'?"

Bruma said, "Enough talk!" and stormed the stage.

Siren Diabla smiled and disappeared!

Bruma stopped short, "Where'd she go?"

Everyone scanned the room carefully. Baylore closed his eyes and listened. He could feel the air disturbances of everyone in the room. "She's over there! She's by that stairway over there!"

Bordar and Alot swarmed that spot and swung wildly, hoping to hit the invisible target. Bordar felt one of his attacks strike flesh!

Baylore asked, "Did you get her?"

Bordar moved into the empty space, "Where'd she go?"

DM Note- 
Per ordinary rules, Baylore used an action to make a Perception check compared to the Hag's Stealth check made with Advantage. That allowed him to locate the space she occupied, so he pointed it out to the others. They attacked that space with Disadvantage. 

HOWEVER - I re-read the hag's invisibility and it says she can only be detected using magical means. I told this to the players and said "You got one round. From now on, she's totally invisible." I also boosted her hit points a smidge to make up for the mistake. 

Siren Diabla reappeared on the stage. She pointed her long bony clawed finger at Alot, "You! You should become a tiny mouse!" Alot's body began to warp and contort. Alot fought back and threw off her spell. She spat at him! "Curses!"

Aella cast a Witch Bolt spell at the hag and missed. The electric arc shot across the room and exploded against the wall.

Bordar stamped his magical boots and bounded across the room. He ricocheted from the wall and propelled himself onto the skeletal throne. He brought his axes down onto the hag. Baylore rushed over and pummeled her with a rapid fire assault of fists. Bruma charged at her with his greatsword. He ran her through, pinning her against the wall.

The hag gasped in pain. Her eyes closed and her face drooped. She then smiled and looked up at the three warriors surrounding her. She began to laugh.

"You- you are all fools! You think defeating me will lead you to the Lizard King. You are so mistaken! You will not find what you seek here. Only I knew the truth! Now you'll never find the Lizard King!" With a final laugh that trailed off into echo, she disintegrated into a mix of mud and dust and black ichor.

"Everybody okay?" asked Baylore, looking around at the others.

"I think so. What is that SMELL?" replied Bordar.

"It's coming from the room down those stairs. Alot, you take point. Everybody ready?"

DM Note-
In retrospect, I should have went with Lightning Bolt. For some reason, I thought Lightning Bolt was a ranged attack. It turned out that it's a Dexterity Save. I regret my choice.

The Catoblepas
Alot descended the short set of stairs into another flooded chamber. This chamber was supported by four columns. Another alcove on the left wall contained a raised stage. The stage was covered in coins, gems, and fancy art objects.

Baylore directed Alot to step back. Baylore created a minor illusion of Alot to walk across the room to the stage, hoping anyone hiding would attack the illusion. The illusion walked across the water and onto the stage without incident.

Alot reentered the room and walked a few feet through the flooded water before he felt his foot on the edge of a drop-off. He paused. The water was black and covered in floating detritus. He knelt down and looked under the water.

He saw a ten foot wide by fifteen foot long pit dug into the floor. Two thirds of the pit was occupied by a massive body like that of a hippo. A long tail ending in a heavy club was coiled against the body. The long whip-like neck terminated in a massive head of what looked like a gruesome wildebeest with curled tusks like a warthog.  The hideous head lay heavy on the floor of the pit, its  thin neck looked incapable of lifting it. The head struggled to turn over and cast a glowing eye at Alot.

Alot pulled his head out of the water and shouted, "NOPE!"

Baylore stood against the wall to let the others past, "Go! Go! Go! Get in there and surround it. I've got a plan!"

Baylore, Brenna, and Aella ran in and positioned themselves around the pit in the center of the room. The smell in the room was atrocious. They fought back the urge to vomit.

Baylore made a gesture with his hands and threw a ball of inky blackness into the room. The entire chamber was cast in darkness. Nothing could be seen!

DM Note-
I turned off everyone's vision in Roll20. All players were staring at a black screen. They players were actually impressed and said it added to the epic feel of the fight.

Alot shouted, "We can't see!"

"That's a catoblepas! If it looks at you you're toast! That thing's huge and can't move! You don't have to see it to attack it! Kill it while it can't see you!"

Everyone heard the water slosh as the catoblepas raised its heavy head from the water. Its long tail lifted the massive club and slammed it down next to Baylore.

Baylore shouted, "Did you hear that? You could hear that thing smash the stone! That barely  missed me!"

Bruma, still upstairs in the previous room, looked down the stairs, "What's going on? Why is it so dark?"

Baylore's voice called back, "Just get down here and kill this thing!"

Alot dropped to one knee and stabbed his short sword into the hippo-like torso in the water. He then used his shield to try to shove it back.

Bordar brought his axes Smite and Fury down onto the creature's neck.

Bruma fired his bow blindly into the center of all the thrashing water, hoping to hit - whatever it was. He never saw his target.

Brenna jumped onto the catoblepas' back, riding it like a bucking horse. She magically electrified her hands and tried to touch the creature but managed only to grasp at darkness.

Aella created a magical snowstorm of ice and pellets to batter the catoblepas. She heard Brenna cry in pain and annoyance. She had unknowingly included her teammate in the attack!

Baylore punched blindly into the water. Bordar chopped at what he hoped with either the tail or the neck.

The tail swung around again and slammed into Bordar, knocking him against the wall. Bordar grunted with an "oof!"

Bruma loosed more arrows. Two hit stone, one landed in flesh, "Did I hit it?"

Baylore unleashed several punched into the side of what he hoped was the creature's head. He heard bone crack and the head and tail fall heavily to the floor. The body slumped and the water ceased to froth.

Bruma asked, "Was it me? Did I kill it?"

Baylore dispelled his magical darkness. The catoblepas lay motionless in the middle of the room. "Sure. Why not."

The Treasure

To Baylore's horror, in the light of Brenna's torch the vast majority of the coins turned out to be copper. "Forget that crap here."

Aella said, "Yeah, but look!" She held up a coin of white metal, "There's platinum mixed in. We've got to separate it out."

Baylore groaned and rolled his eyes.

The party spent the next hour moving the treasure out of the flooded chamber and back up to the hag's throne room where it was dry and the horrid stench of dead catoblepas was less offensive.

They separated the platinum coins from the copper, dug out the gemstones, and assessed their other findings.

• In all they had acquired:
• 90 platinum coins
• an Alexandrite gemstone worth 800 gp
• a Jasper gemstone worth 70 gp
• a Jet  gemstone worth 110 gp
• a Moss Agate  worth 12 gp
• a Banded Agate Statue of a Chimera worth 1900 gp
• a decorative Silver Shield  worth 1000 gp
• a Magic Wand that looked like a small arrow

Baylore placed all the treasure within his magical bag of holding.

The Realization
Baylore returned to the treasure room. He searched the back wall of the raised platform for a secret door or false wall but found none.

Bruma pondered, "What did the hag mean when she said only she knew the truth and that we'd never find the Lizard King?"

Baylore replied, "I have no idea and I don't care. There's no secret entrance in here, lets try the next room. Everybody form up!"

Alot once again assumed his position on point. He opened the door that led into the next chamber.

The chamber beyond was another long flooded room with a high vaulted ceiling supported by four columns. There was a breach in the wall near the ceiling across the room to the left through which water poured. The far corner of the room was covered in rubble from a collapsed part of the ceiling.  The smell of death and decay was oppressive. Piled in the center of the room were the half-eaten remains of dozens of dead bodies - mostly human. Bits of cloth indicated the livery of the knights of the Kingdom of Keoland - specifically from the keep at Burle.

Baylore examined the remains, "Who are these guys?"

Alot said, "They're from an expeditionary force sent from Burle a few months ago."

Baylore found a journal that detailed the expedition. The journal revealed that they were sent to find the camp of the brigands that were raiding caravans on the road. They tracked the brigands to the town of Waycombe. They found a guide who said he knew where the brigands camped and offered to lead them through the Drowned Forest. The final entry said that the expedition followed a long strip of boggy land to a rocky island and found an entrance to a subterranean lair.

Upon hearing this Bruma pondered, "I don't think there is a secret entrance."

Baylore looked annoyed, "Why?"

Bruma explained, "I was led here by two guides also. I think its a misdirect. How did you find this place?"

Alot said, "I made myself a map. Aella and I found Sakatha's lair and defeated the dragon Aulicus. We were captured but escaped. I assume."

"You assume?"

"Well, I had pretty bad brain jellies at the time. I don't have any memory of escaping or drawing this map."

"The two guides who led me here had brain jellies. I think these so-called helpful maps and guides were actually leading people to the hag instead of the Lizard King! I don't think there IS a secret entrance!"

Baylore seemed perturbed, "Well, we're going to check every inch of this gods-damned place just in case!"

Baylore stepped into a shadow and reappeared through the breach in the chamber at the top of the waterfall. The chamber was tall  and natural, covered in stalactites and stalagmites. He looked around and saw a stream that flowed from a waterfall to the right to over another waterfall to the left and disappeared. He deduced that the water flowed from the chamber through which they had entered the catacombs. He returned and reported his findings.

Bruma climbed a steep bank near the rubble. The ceiling collapse exposed a hole through which the party crawled. They found themselves back in the cave entrance to the catacombs.

Aella said, "We've been here."  She consulted the map she'd been making, "There's still these two unexplored spaces which are probably rooms. Lets go back and check them out."

DM Note-
I said, "Wait, have you been mapping??"

Aella's player said "Yep" and quickly uploaded a picture of her map to Discord.

I said, "<<sniff>> I'm so proud of you!"

They returned to the room of half-eaten corpses and opened the door.

They entered into a room with a collapsed wall covered in fungi and lichen. As they entered one of the larger mushrooms began wailing like an injured child. The scream was deafening.

Baylore quickly shredded the mushroom and the wailing stopped. They passed through the door on the wall to the left and found themselves back in the second ghoul chamber.

Aella said, "Right. I think there's a room here and one here."

The first room was a small chamber from which emerged the tattooed ghoul. It was empty.

The next room contained some more trapped ghouls. The hideous creatures were quickly dispatched.

Baylore sighed with resignation, "I don't think there's a secret entrance. What do we do now?"

Bruma said, "The two guys who led me here can't be far. I say we track them down."

The Confirmation
While the rest of the party made a camp in the lair of the hag, Baylore and Bruma followed the tracks of the two guides.

They quickly found them only a quarter of a mile away burning an animal sacrifice to the altar of Aulicus.

Bruma and Baylore captured and interrogated them. Like the other human servants of Sakatha, they had the vacant look of someone with brain jellies. The prisoners could offered no information.

However, Bruma asked Baylore, "Why are they offering sacrifices to this shrine?"

Baylore replied, "Aella and Alot say they worship the black dragon as some kind of god. They said it guarded Sakatha's lair."

Bruma pondered this, "I know this swamp, and I think I know where this is. There's a big island near here where a black dragon lived. I always avoided that place because - you know - black dragon."

"Could you find it?"

"Absolutely. We'll need a boat or a raft."

To be Continued...

DM Note-
I retconned the ending from the original. In the actual game, the captured prisoners spilled the beans and revealed the location of the hideout. Bruma then cut the ham-strings of one of the prisoners and kept the other to lead them.

I looked at Bruma's character sheet and said, "Neutral GOOD? Mutilating a helpless captive is not the act of a good character!"
Bruma's player said, "It's justified if the enemy serves evil."

I called BS, but I try not to get into debates about the philosophy of D&D alignment DURING D&D, so I let it go.

The reason I retconned it had nothing to do with that however - I forgot the brigands had brain jellies and wouldn't be able to respond to interrogation even if they wanted.

Anyway, What do YOU think, Internet? The prisoner was a brigand who's being mind-controlled. Is it okay for a "Good" aligned character to assume he's evil and cut his hamstrings and leave him to die in a dangerous swamp?

The Vengeance of the Drowned Forest - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 34

It was dark in the Drowned Forest. The air was thick and humid. The night was alive with the sounds of birds, insects, and reptiles. Alot and Bordar sat watch while the others slept. A campfire cast a warm glow.

Suddenly a nearby tree twisted and slammed its heavy branches down onto the sleeping form of Baylore the pirate. The branch missed. Baylore woke with a start. The pirate rolled onto his side and was on his feet in a flash. Without hesitation he punched the tree that attacked him as hard as he could!

CHAPTER 34

"THE VENGEANCE OF THE DROWNED FOREST"

The B-Team:

• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, Deck Sorceress of the Sea Ghost.
• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Bosun of the Sea Ghost.
• Captain Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk), Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Brenna "The Sea Witch" Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler, First Mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.

Trees in the Night
Soon Brenna was awake and helping Baylore, Bordar, and Alot fight off the four animated trees that has shambled into their campsite in the dark. Aella rolled over and continued dozing.

Alot stabbed the tree with his short sword but had little effect on its woody trunk. Bordar swung his two magic axes in a flashing arc and chopped the trees into firewood!  Brenna cast spells of acid and cold at the trees.

The sound of battle around her finally woke Aella from her slumber. Baylore pointed at the ground beneath a tree close to him and a massive bonfire magically erupted at its roots. The tree shuffled away but Aella quickly followed up with a bonfire of her own.

Soon all four animated trees were destroyed and on fire. It was still early in the evening and the team returned to their rest.

The Effigy of Excrement
When dawn came the B-Team gathered up their gear and continued down the path illustrated on Alot's hand-drawn map. From Baylore's reconnaissance the previous day they knew that the source of the terrible smell ahead was a massive effigy of the black dragon Aulicus made of animal feces. As they approached the effigy they could see that the path narrowed to a series of small islands connected by primitive bridges and fallen trees. On the largest island was the effigy of excrement. The smell was terrible and Aella fought back the urge to gag. The sky was dark with swarms of fat black biting flies.

Brenna asked, "Well, should we swim around or go up the middle?"

The team conferred and Baylore summarized, "Up the middle."

Aella put up her hand, "Wait, I have an idea."

Aella cast a spell and summoned forth a massive wave of water. The magical tidal wave washed over the effigy, washing it away and scattering the swarm of flies into a dozen smaller swarms.

Baylore said, "Okay, everybody run. Don't stop unless you have to."

The team sprinted across the primitive bridge and across the island. They flies warmed around their heads, biting them and slowing them down. Baylore, Aella, and Bordar were preparing to run through a large group of flies when Brenna shouted, "Stop!"

They paused while Brenna cast a spell from her magical harpoon "Hearth spoon". A mote of fire flew out and exploded into a sphere of flame directly in front of the trio, singing their faces but eliminating many of the flies.

DM Note- If a swarm of flies was within twenty feet of a player character, the swarm would move towards that player character. If there were no targets within twenty feet, I rolled 1d8 and randomly moved the swarm twenty feet in that direction. 

A mass of flies swarmed Baylore. Aella shouted, "Do you need me to help?"

Baylore replied, "No! You're already injured and still recovering from being dead. I'm attracting them to me. You run and don't stop!"

Brenna was covered by a heavy swarm of biting flies and was falling behind. Alot offered to help her but she said, "I've got a plan! Go!" She dove into the murky water of the Drowned Forest and began to swim. She hoped to avoid the flies by staying under the water. Unfortunately she felt some small fish begin to swim around her, "Dammit!" she thought, "flesh-eating quippers!"

She quickly climbed out of the water to avoid the quippers. She saw Bordar covered in flies. Baylore, Alot and Aella had already escaped the area. The dwarf shouted, "I'm keeping them off you! Go!"

Aella paused in her flight. She asked Baylore, "Should I help?"

Baylore shouted, "No! They! Are! Fine! Just go!"

Once all the others were a safe distance away, Bordar used his magical boots to run at a surprising speed for a dwarf and escape the flies.

The Interrupted Rest
Once they were a quarter mile away the team decided to stop and rest. As they sat down for a breather they failed to notice the spongy heads of large mushrooms the size of children that surrounded them. The mushrooms began emitting a sound, at first like the crying of a child, then a loud wail like the bleating of a small animal in distress.

Baylore said, "Shit, it's not safe here. We should move on."

They aborted their rest and continued on their journey.

The Stone Idol
The party followed the map through the Flooded Forest. The going was difficult. The terrain was flooded and difficult to navigate. It took an hour to advance a mere quarter of a mile.

As they neared what the map told them was their destination, they spotted some smoke over the trees to the southwest. It was on the edge of a large island with a few dozen feet of elevation at its center - hardly a hill  but a veritable mountain in this lowland flooded terrain.

They arrived at the site of the smoke two hours later. It was a large stone platform. At the center was a stone shrine to Aulicus - built by human hands! A nearby stone bowl contained the ashen remains of a burned offering given up in sacrifice to the draconic god.

The party searched for an entrance to a subterranean lair but found nothing. The platform had a solid foundation. They searched the surrounding terrain within a few dozen feet of the platform but found only human footprints.

They concluded that an offering must be given to the god so they set about hunting and fishing the nearby area. They brought back game and fish and burned them in the stone brazier but nothing happened.

The sun was setting so they decided to camp on the stone platform. Baylore said, "Well, this was a waste of time. We're heading back tomorrow."

DM Note-
The platform was an unfortunately placed random encounter. I rolled random encounters for the day ahead of the game and got #3 on the Drowned Forest Oddity table.

Visible from half a mile away, smoke rises from a shrine built on large stones and dedicated to Semuanya, god of the lizardfolk. 

I just swapped out Semuanya for Aulicus. I thought my players would think its nothing and move on. I even said, "It's not important, I don't even need a map for it."

But my mistake was in placing it too near the actual destination which was in the next hex over. They were CERTAIN the entrance was within the platform. I tried to play it cool and roll with it but I could hear the frustration in their voices.

When Baylore's player suggested heading back, I nearly panicked. I was asking so many leading questions!

Brenna's player said she went hunting. So I asked specifically, "Where do you go hunting? How far away do you go?" But the player got paranoid and said she stayed closed to camp. UGH! 

I eventually gave sufficient hints, "The island is bigger than the other islands and rises a few dozen feet towards the center." that Brenna's player finally said, "Hey, I have an idea. Let me go check out the surrounding area before we leave."

Brenna's player later told me that he didn't think the destination on the map lined up with the platform, so he had his suspicions. 

The Secret Entrance
The night passed uneventfully. The next morning everyone packed up for the return trip to Waycombe. Brenna looked towards the rise at the center of the large island on which they stood.

"I've got an idea. Wait here. I'll be back in a little bit."

She headed west. The ground became dryer and easier to navigate. A quarter of a mile inland she found a small entrance into the side of a forested rocky slope.

"Ah-HAH!" she proclaimed, "I thought so!"

She returned to report her finding to the others. Instead of returning to Waycombe they went went towards the entrance.

The B-Team descended the stairs. They found themselves standing in a dark cave. The sound of rushing water from a nearby subterranean waterfall was deafening. Water dripped from stalactites onto the rocky ground. It was completely dark beyond the bottom of the stairs.

Baylore looked around. He, Aella, and Bordar could see well enough in the gloom but Alot and Brenna would be blind. "Alot, can you hold a torch?"

Alot held up his shield and his magical short sword, "Nope. I need them both."

He asked Brenna and Aella, "Do either of you know any light spells?"

They both shook their heads. Aella said, "No way. That would be useful."

Brenna added, "What do you think we are, wizards? We're sorcerers! We can't cast utility spells!"

Baylore sighed in frustration.

Brenna said, "Okay, fine! Alot, light a torch and give it to me. I'll carry it."

DM Note-
I made Brenna's token a source of light in Roll20.

The party cautiously explored the cave. They estimated the danger of the waterfall and the swiftness of the current. Aella said, "Hey, there's a passage over here that slopes down sharply!"

They descended the slope and entered a flooded room supported by four pillars. The water was ankle deep and smelled like rotting meat. In the corner of the room Alot saw a pallid misshapen humanoid with waxy skin, fangs, and long claws.

"Ghoul!" said Bordar, "We'd sometimes find them in the deep parts of abandoned mines!"

Before the ghoul even noticed their approach Brenna had sent the icy hand of a Chill Touch spell to freeze the ghoul. Baylore pointed a finger at the undead creature and a mote of fire shot across the room, striking the ghoul. The ghoul was quickly dispatched.

To their horror two additional ghouls were lurking in the far corners of the room. The ghouls rushed towards Alot and Bordar in the front. Alot dispatched one and moved around the second. Bordar attacked the second with his axes Smite and Fury. Aella, Baylore, and Brenna finished off the final ghoul with fire bolts and chilled touches.

They were in a flooded subterranean room with three doors.

To Be Continued...

Bloodshed in Burle - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 33

After surviving the ambush at the Robin's Breast Inn, the B-Team continued to Burle on their way to the Drowned Forest.

They arrived in Burle in the late afternoon. Burle is a small farming community built around a fortified keep. The community represents an alliance between the knights of Keoland and the elves and fey of the Dreadwood known as the Wild Flame Pact. Together the alliance defends the region against the incursions of the cults of elemental evil as well as the bandits of the Hool marsh. The keep of Burle sits atop a hill with a commanding view of the nearby Silverstand forest, the Janustream river, and the miles of farmland  that separate it from the Dreadwood. At the center of town is a massive oak tree, hundreds of feet tall, named Wander Root. Wander Root is the subject of veneration by a group of druids. Indeed, unlike many walled cities, Burle encourages the growth of trees and undergrowth within its walls. As a result the interior of Burle resembles a wooded park.

The sun was setting as the B-Team approached Burle. The first thing they noticed was that the buildings outside the city walls were abandoned and several of them had been burned down to the foundation. The crops were left in the field. No one was outside the walls. The town still appeared to be inhabited. Indeed the town appeared to be locked down for a siege, yet no besieging forces could be seen and no evidence of one having had existed could be found. 

The B-Team passed by the abandoned Tree Maiden Inn and arrived outside the East Gate. The gate was closed. Elven guards stood atop the walls. No one called to greet them.

Alot called out and requested entry. No one answered.

A voice called to them from the nearby Tree Maiden Inn, "Hey. Hey. Over here. They're not going to let you in. Its getting dark. It's not safe out here. Come inside. Alot, I have something to give you."

It was Busby, the last refugee from Waycombe. 

CHAPTER 33

"BLOODSHED IN BURLE"

The B-Team:

• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, Deck Sorceress of the Sea Ghost.
• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Bosun of the Sea Ghost.
• Captain Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk), Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Brenna "The Sea Witch" Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler, First Mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.

Busby

"Alot, Aella, it is good to see you again," said the innkeeper from Waycombe, "Come in. Here, let me get you a drink."

Aella asked for a cider while Alot declined. Brenna ordered a rum, Baylore a whisky, and Bordar an ale. 

Aella apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't remember you." 

"No surprise," replied Busby, "When we first met you had a bad case of the brain jellies. I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Busby. I was the last one out of Waycombe. I met you and Alot and your other companions the day I left. That was a little over two months ago now. You were headed into the Drowned Forest looking for Sakatha. I'm sorry about what happened to your companions."

Busby answered what questions he could about Burle. He said that people started disappearing about a month ago. Entire households just vanished, both within and outside the town walls. Watches were increased but then the night watch-men began disappearing! Farmers and villagers retreated into the town gates and the town was locked up. Those who tried to shelter in their homes were burned out. A few witnesses said they saw humans - some were bandits from the Hool Marsh, some were soldiers from the first expedition from Burle, some were those who had been recently kidnapped! All had pallid ashen skin and this glazed look on their faces. It was Waycombe all over again! 

"So far I've managed to stay hidden and safe." Busby said, "You're welcome to stay here tonight. But you best set a watch."

Alot said, "No need to set a watch. I'll stand sentinel."

"That reminds me!" said Busby, "You gave me something the last time you and Aella came through Burle."

"We did WHAT?" said Aella.

"Yeah, about a week after you went into the Drowned Forest in fact. You and Alot came out. You BOTH had the brain jellies! You didn't talk much. You were on your way back to Saltmarsh. But you gave me something, Alot. Hold on." Busby went to a cupboard and retrieved a folded piece of parchment. "Here, you gave me this. It's addressed to YOU!"

He handed Alot the folded parchment. Indeed, it said "TO ALOT" in Alot's own handwriting. Alot opened it. It was a map, drawn by his own hand, with notes in his own handwriting. He had no memory of having made it. The map indicated a route from Waycombe to something called the "Secret Entrance". 

DM Note-

I had the map uploaded as a handout in Roll20 but only I could see it. When Busby handed it to Alot, I changed its visibility to Alot. When Alot decided to share it with everyone, I changed the visibility to All Players.

Killers in the Night

That night the B-Team took rest in the abandoned Tree Maiden Inn. Busby took the room of the former innkeeper. Bordar took a room and Aella took another room. Baylore and Brenna dozed in chairs by the fireplace in the dining hall. Alot lit several candles in the dining hall and stood in silent watch. 

Several hours before dawn, dark figures crept through the bushes outside the inn. One carefully opened a window into Bordar's room and silently climbed inside. Two opened the main entrance and crept up behind Alot. A fourth entered through the rear entrance and silently moved in on Brenna. A fifth went around the building towards Aella's window. 

The dark figure in Bordar's room stood over the sleeping dwarf, raised its short sword, and brought it down twice! The viscous stabbing failed to kill Bordar outright. The dwarf cried out in pain and quickly rolled off his bed. He called out the alarm and grabbed his two magic axes from their position on a table on the other side of the room. 

Alot spun around just in time to see the two assailants. they were clad in dark clothing and had long scarves wrapped around their heads and necks to conceal their faces. Their eyes had a glazed lifeless quality. The two intruders attacked the automaton but failed to penetrate his durable armor. Alot eliminated one foe while the other fled down a darkened hallway. 

Baylore sprang from his chair and ran to Bordar's aid. Baylore threw open the door to Bordar's room. Bordar's attacker wore similar clothing to the ones in the dining room. Bordar and Baylore cornered and quickly defeated the intruder. 

Alot followed his fleeting attacker into a darkened room. He stood their in the darkness, unable to see any target, waiting for his opponent to reveal himself by attacking in the dark. The attack never came. His opponent had fled into the night. He returned to the main room. 

Despite the fighting around her, Brenna remained asleep in her chair. She eventually heard the clamor of battle and jumped out of her chair. However, she was alone in the room. All the fighting seemed to be in other rooms. Before she could rush to join her allies, an unnoticed intruder sneaked up behind her and stabbed her in the side. 

DM Note-

Sleeping PCs must make a Perception skill check vs. 10 to wake up. If they're asleep in a dark room with the doors closed, the roll is made with Disadvantage. If someone called out the alarm, nudges them awake, or if they're in a room surrounded by combat, the roll is made with Advantage. 

Brenna screamed and turned. She cast a spell and the room reverberated with the gonging of a massive bell. The intruder covered his ears but was still shaken to his core.  Hearing the bell, Baylore and Bordar came running into the room. Likewise did Alot return. The intruder, realizing he had failed and was not outnumbered, turned and fled through the rear exit. Bordar threw both his axes at the fleeing intruder but missed. His axes lodged themselves in the wall behind the bar. 

Meanwhile, Aella continued to sleep in her room. Unbeknownst to her, an intruder had climbed into her room through the window. The intruder stabbed her in her bed! Before she knew what was happening, the intruder had retreated back out through the window. 

Aella burst out of bed, covered in her own blood. She took a deep breath and surveyed her surroundings. She was still alive but badly injured. She looked out the open window in order to see her intruder. 

The intruder had been waiting for this! The intruder stabbed her again in the neck. She fell down limp onto the window sill. The intruder grabbed her hair and sliced her throat. The intruder turned and saw one of his brethren emerge from a back door with Baylore close behind.

DM Note-

Aella's player said "I'm down" and I was prepared for my assassin to let go and move away. But Baylore's player demands a harder edge to his games. He knew my assassin had one attack left. He said, "Don't you dare move away! Finish the job! He's a killer! He'd finish the job!" and I said, "You're absolutely right." (roll with Advantage against a helpless enemy) "Aella, take some more damage and automatically fail two death saves!" 

Baylore's player was pleased.

Baylore chased the intruder out of the back door. He caught up to the intruder and punched him several times. The intruder fell to the ground unconscious. 

Baylore thought he heard another over by the window to Aella's room. Although Baylore had excellent night vision, it was too far away to make out clearly. He ran forward and saw Aella lying lifeless in the windowsill. There was no sign of her killer.

Back inside, Alot inspected one of the dead intruders. His eyes had been smeared with some kind of magical salve - no doubt some alchemical ointment that allowed the intruders to see in the dark.

Brenna checked on Busby. Busby was still asleep in the innkeeper's room. The room was designed to be insulated from the noise of a rowdy inn. Brenna woke Busby and told him what happened.

Baylore dragged his prisoner into the inn and tied him to a chair. To his dismay, the prisoner had the same vacant stare as someone with the brain jellies - just like their attackers at the Robin's Breast Inn. 

Baylore asked Busby if the other attackers that harassed Burle dressed or acted like these. Busby said they did not. Busby said that those were run of the mill bandits and farmers. Not trained assassins like these. 

Baylore looked at the others.

"This was not random. This was a hit. We're still being targeted."

Aella's Body
No one could go back to sleep. They all sat in the main room until dawn. No one spoke. Aella's body lay on the floor nearby.

Baylore broke the silence, "What are we going to do with Aella's body?"

Brenna said, "I have heard that some priests can bring murder victims back from the dead. But they have to be very powerful priests. The priests in Seaton couldn't even perform a divination. I doubt there's anyone in Burle would could do it."

Busby shook his head, "You're right. There are a few local priests but nothing like that."

Baylore suggested, "Maybe not a priests, but I think druids can bring people back to life."

Brenna said, "Well, they can reincarnate people, bring their souls back into new bodies. You don't have to be a very powerful druid to do that I think."

Busby said, "There's a whole circle of druids in Burle. It's part of that town's whole tree thing."

Baylore said, "Then maybe there's a druid in  Burle who can reincarnate her."

Alot said, "If we can get in."

Baylore agreed, "If we can get in."

Wander Root
At dawn they took Aella's corpse to the gates of Burle. They were once again met by elven guards atop the walls. The elven guards expressed condolences for their loss but once again denied the party entry.

Alot tried to persuade them, explaining that Aella was on a quest to stop Sakatha. The guards remained unconvinced.

Baylore stepped forward, holding Aella's body, and shouted at the guards, demanding to be let in.

"If you want this to stop, you'll help us! Let us in!"

The guard was shaken and began to reiterate his orders but was interrupted by a booming voice like the sound of thunder from the center of the town. The voice was like the breaking of a tree trunk accented by the wind through the leaves. It spoke an elvish word with a bass tenor that shook the ground and vibrated the bones. The elvish guard froze and looked back. The guard quivered in his chastisement.

The voice continued, more measured but still thunderous.

The guard nodded and issued commands to those around him. Moments later the gate was open and the portcullis raised.

The guard said, "The great Wander Root has spoken on your behalf and has granted you entry. He requests your presence."

The team was led into the village of Burle. Inside the walls were huddled families living in tents on the street - refugees from the farms outside the walls. Dozens of people lined the street to watch the newcomers. The team walked to a park in the center of town which was dominated by a mountainous oak tree. The oak tree was surrounded by robed druids, aspirants, and ovates.

The oak tree twisted and presented a wooden face that resembled an wizened human male.

The oak tree spoke in heavily accented common speech. Its voice was deep and sonorous with an edge that sounded like wind through a leafy canopy. "Welcome to Burle. I am Wander Oak. I am Archdruid of the Circle of the Flame Pact. Aella's mission and her sacrifice is known to me. Place your fallen comrade before me."

Brenna asked, "Can you reincarnate her?"

The face on the tree looked bemused, "Yes. But I can also return her to life. Which would you prefer?"

Baylore responded, "We wish to return her to life, please."

Brenna muttered under her breath, "I was really hoping to see what she'd return as."

Alot shushed her.

Wander Oak informed the team that a sacrifice was required. They would need to provide the druids with a diamond of great value. They searched through their belongings and found a necklace taken from the vault on Leper Island. "Will this do?"

They gave the necklace to Wander Oak who took it in one of the spindly ends of a long thick branch. The great animated oak tree closed its wooden eyes and began chanting a ritual. The ring of druids joined him. The long branch reached down and the spindly ends touched Aella's body like tiny fingers. The ends began to glow.

The ritual lasted for an hour. And its end the glow became a blinding flash. The chanting abruptly stopped. The diamond necklace was gone. Aella took a deep desperate inhalation as if she just emerged from the water. Her wounds were healed. She was alive.

Alot, Baylore, and Brenna rushed to her side and helped her up.

Alot asked, "How are you feeling?"

Aella replied that she felt weak and tired, not all there.

Brenna asked, "Are you able to travel?"

Alot suggested, "No! We should rest a few days."

Brenna glared at Alot, "We may not HAVE a few days!"

Aella assured them, "No, I can travel. Lets go. I'll probably be fine by the time we get to Waycombe."

Baylore addressed Wander Root, "Thank you!"

The gargantuan tree twisted back to its original position and once again became a mighty oak.

The Drowned Forest
The B-Team set off immediately towards Waycombe, the village on the edge of the Drowned Forest that was destroyed by Sakatha's thugs over two months ago.

The four hour hike from Burle to Waycobe was uneventful. They arrived in the ruins of Waycombe just after noon.

DM Note-
The PCs were placed onto a map at the edge of the Drowned Forest with "Fog of War" turned on. From their vantage point in Waycombe they could see the forests around them. 

Aella looked around and looked at the map, "I think we should go this way. Those trees over there correspond with this part of the map."

DM Note-
I was so proud of Aella's player for spotting that (sniff). 

Alot said, "Okay, let's go."

Baylore cautioned, "Wait, you don't remember drawing this map. What if it points to a trap?"

Alot paused, "Is there any other alternative?"

Brenna said, "What about this Stephen DeMannis guy you two keep talking about? Who's he?"

Aella said, "He's a crazy guy who led us there the first time. I don't even know if he's still alive."

Brenna replied, "Well, let's go see?"

Aella said, "I- really don't think he'd be much help. His route was basically backtracking the route he used when he escaped Sakatha. It went all over the place and took us several days. Plus he eats bugs. He's really not very reliable."

Alot added, "I say we see where this map goes."

Brenna shrugged, "Okay."

After hiking two miles through the forest on dry land for an hour the team reached the edge of the drowned forest. Ahead of them the forest narrowed into a thin finger of muddy land covered in trees.

The Drowned Forest was a maze of muddy strips of land covered in thickets and trees separated by narrow channels of murky brown water. The route they took last time used a raft to navigate through the water-ways. The route outlined on the map led the team down the narrow forested islands. The ground was at best muddy and submerged under up to three feet of fetid water at worst. The going was slow. They were barely able to manage a quarter-mile of progress for every hour of arduous hiking through sticky mud and dense overgrowth.

DM Note-
Each hex represented a quarter mile. As they moved from hex to hex, I would reveal every hex around them on Roll20. I pre-rolled random encounters and when they would occur. It was simply a matter of where would they occur.

Late in the afternoon the party encountered an atrocious smell. The smell seemed to come from the strip of land before them.

Baylore told the others to wait here while he scouted it out.

Baylore struck out on his own to reconnoiter. He cautiously crept through the thickets and trees. He could hear a strange buzzing that permeated the air like bass electricity. He finally reached an clearing. The trees had been torn out of the mud by the roots creating an open area sixty feet in diameter. At the center of the clearing was a massive pile of animal dung. The skies were dark with clouds of flies.

The pile of animal dung was at least twenty feet high and twenty feet around.

It was shaped into the crude form of a black dragon!

Baylore returned to the others and reported what he saw. There was no way around it. They would have to go past the giant effigy of dung or they'd have to swim.

But first, the sun was going down. They'd set camp and tackle it in the morning.

To be Continued...

Must be a Slow Day - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 32

Baylore bent over and took the magic ring off the finger of Captain Horatio Vile. He held it in his hand. He looked at Marik. He looked at the ring. With this ring he could control Marik Feldren. He'd have to kill Duke Obertus Feldren. He looked at Obertus. The only other people in the room were Baylore's allies. He held the ring between his fingers. Guards were coming. If he was going to do anything, he'd have to act fast.

CHAPTER 32

"MUST BE A SLOW DAY"

The B-Team:

• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket.
• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater.
• Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk). 
• Brenna Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), on a quest to rescue the son of the leader of his clan.

Two Weeks in Seaton
Baylore slipped the ring into a pocket. He then took advantage of Marik Feldren's momentary confusion to take the ring's matching companion off the nobleman's finger. The two magic rings formed a set - a master ring and a slave ring. Whoever wore the slave ring was under the complete control of whoever wore the master ring. Baylore discreetly tucked them away for future use.

He checked on the body of Captain Horatio Vile. He was still alive.

Palace guards soon arrived in the throne room.

There was much shock and confusion regarding the seeming resurrection of the Duke Obertus and the overthrow of the usurper, Duke Marik. Everything was eventually made clear by the Obertus' daughter, Lemundo, and verified by the divine insights of priests of Heironeous.

For their help in restoring him to his position, Duke Obertus Feldren rewarded each member of the B-Team with one thousand gold pieces as well as ownership of a recently confiscated ship called the Sea Ghost. There was some discussion among the team regarding who should occupy each of the ship's positions. Baylore assumed the role of captain with the consensus of nearly the entire team - only Alot dissented but he accepted the result. Brenna "The Sea Witch" was chosen as first mate while  Alot took on the role of bosun, though it was agreed that either Alot or Brenna could easily switch between their positions. Aella would be the ship's deck wizard. Bordar, as a dwarf and therefore ill-adapted to a life at sea, would occupy the role of "ballast" in the ship's bilge.

The subsequent two weeks were a blur as those loyal to Marik - both as part of his original plot to usurp Obertus and as part of his abrupt shift towards alliance with Gellan Primewater - were identified and punished. The mercenaries, pirates, and brigands who had made themselves at home in Seaton during the latter abrupt shift quickly abandoned the city, though they managed to do some looting and pillaging on their way out. The rule of law and order is quickly reestablished in Seaton.

Duke Obertus recalled many of the dismissed sailors and soldiers in order to re-man and re-equip the ships of the navy that had sat empty in the Axe River. Marik was imprisoned along with Captain Horatio Vile. Vile was tried and sentenced to execution. His sentence was to be carried out in six weeks.

Bordar Graniteshaper escorted Dorgan Forgetender back to their dwarven home. Bordar's mission was a success though Dorgan, the spoiled son of the clan leader who had abandoned his dwarven heritage an an attempt to become more like his human hosts in Seaton, complained of Bordar's attitude and actions. Though Bordar was secretly praised and thanked by the elderly clan leader,  the leader had no choice but to banish Bordar from the clan as punishment as a political move to appease his son.  With nowhere else to go, Bordar took his meager belongings and headed to Seaton.

Brenna Myrasdottir went to the temple of Heironeous and offered her services as a healer and miracle worker. Her manner and bearing caused the conservative priests of Heironeous to deny her offer but politely suggest she might offer her services to the sailors down by the docks. This she did and she spent several days healing the injured.

Brenna also explored many of the abandoned and recently looted buildings and homes of Seaton. She chose a nice empty villa on the east side of town and made herself comfortable.

Brenna spent her nights seeking the insight and wisdom of the only source of knowledge she respects - old sailors. She wanted to know why this accursed swallow was constantly flying around her head. The sailors had never heard of such a thing but suggested that the priests of Heironeous could pray to remove any curse that might be afflicting her.

Brenna repressed her pride and went back to the temple. They told her that the prayers would be said in exchange for a donation to the temple of 80 gold coins and a sacrifice of 25 goats. She provided the donation and the priests performed the rituals and sacrifices. When they were done, the annoying swallow was still there. She screamed in frustration and stormed out.

She spent the next week drowning her sorrows in the seediest dive in Seaton. There she became friends with a boorish rogue named Hobbes "the Cruel" Indigo who, despite his name, always wore gold.

DM Note-
We use the down-time rules in Xanathar's Guide. Brenna spent a week doing research. Since she wanted to do it in bars with old sailors, I allowed her to make a Charisma roll instead of Intelligence. She spent the second week carousing - she earned one new allied contact. 

I used the following websites to randomly generate the NPCs on the fly.

Personality: http://marnok.com/content/_adventure/101npcs.php
Names: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/

Aella spent a week seeking sources of knowledge in Seaton. She wished to know more about her father, the king of the Sea Elves. Unfortunately, none of the sages were willing to speak with her. Lemundo found Aella feeling depressed at her lack of progress. Lemundo cheered Aella up by reminding her that, technically, she was a princess and was to be treated as such by the court of the duke. Lemundo dressed Aella in attire appropriate for a princess and invited her to several parties as the high-born and wealthy merchants of Seaton returned from their brief exile.

Aella made three new friends. She met Lord Westland, who was charming yet careless, though he expressed some extremist political views. She enjoyed the company of Lady Moontha, who needed a staff to walk. She was learned and articulate and enjoyed a good debate. And finally she met and tolerated Lord Woodchild who was greedy and hard-hearted with a taste for exotic food.

DM Note-
Aella spent her first week doing research to no avail. She spent her second week carousing and made three allied contacts.

Alot Aname, legendary Sentinel from olden days, offered his service to Duke Obertus Feldren. Alot aided in the reestablishment of law and order in Seaton since many of the town guard had been dismissed. Alot helped to root out pirates and mercenaries who had come to Seaton in the two months prior to Marik's downfall. In the second week he was called upon to remove a "Sea Witch" who had illegally taken up residence in a villa in the eastern part of town.

DM Note-
The players got excited when I said, "A 'Sea Witch' was occupying a villa." They loved it and were ready for that adventure. I then said, "You find Brenna." and they were disappointed. Although, they started called Brenna "the Sea Witch".  

Baylore, for the most part, was little seen in Seaton. When he was seen in town he was aloof and mysterious, telling no one where he had been or what he was doing.

DM Note-
Baylore's player sent me a whisper with his idea. I said sure but with a condition. He said "Sold!" I won't reveal what he was doing here in order to save the surprise for the other players. 

A funny moment came when I told the others that Baylore had been out of Seaton for much of the two weeks. Bordar's player laughed and said, "I can only imagine all the whispers [Baylore's player] was sending to you."

Baylore's player and I both laughed. Baylore's player said, "You're not wrong!"

An Audience with the Duke

After two weeks, the members of the B-Team were summoned to an audience with Duke Obertus Feldren about a job.

The night before their audience, Bordar returned to Seaton and found Brenna tending to the sick on the docks. Bordar explained the situation that led to his banishment. Brenna told Bordar that they were to be summoned to an audience with the duke about a job and suggested that Bordar join them.

The next day the B-Team were meeting with Duke Obertus Feldren. He said that he had heard rumors of the return of the lizard king Sakatha to the Drowned Forest. Lemundo had told him that Aella and Alot had once gone into the Drowned Forest and defeated the black dragon Aulicus and that they had barely survived the encounter while the rest of their companions had died.

He wanted to hire them to go back. He was too busy rebuilding the forces of Seaton to send any kind of military force to deal with the situation. He hoped that a small strike force could eliminate Sakatha which would, in turn, dissolve the growing army of followers he was amassing. He offered them each 2500 gold upon the successful completion of their mission: kill Sakatha and any other leaders of his bandit army and otherwise disrupt his forces.

The team took the mission.

"Also," added the duke, "I hear something about some inter-tribal games the lizardfolk are organizing near Saltmarsh. Given my friendship with King Kosj, I'd love to know more. Find out what you can."

An Afternoon in Saltmarsh
The next morning the B-Team assembled before the notice board in the center of Seaton and, having not yet assembled a full crew for the Sea Ghost, began their overland walk to Saltmarsh. The day was humid but otherwise sunny and warm and the trek was uneventful.

It was a seven hour walk from Seaton to Saltmarsh and they arrived in the mid-afternoon. The first place they visited upon their return was the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz. They paid the "membership fee" and Captain Xendros escorted the group into her secret back room. Alot inquired about the magical shield he had ordered two weeks prior. Captain Xendros apologized and said her sources were still looking for one but admonished the automaton to be patient. The others inspected her current inventory but found nothing to their liking.

Aella walked over to the Fishmonger Plant to ask Eda Oweland about the Lizardfolk games. She found Eda sitting on a chair smoking a long-necked pipe, an open jug of rum lay in her lap. Eda was unusually idle. None of her workers could be seen in the plant.

Aella attempted to get Eda's attention. Eda responded, "Oh, it's you lot!"

Aella asked if she knew anything about the lizardfolk games. Eda squinted one eye and spit, "Those fucking scalies! I'll tell you about their fucking games! Their fucking games are keeping me from putting my boats in a prime fishing spot! If it weren't for those fucking gods-be-damned games I'd be bringing in a bumper catch, and from right in me own back yard! But oh no! That little cold-blooded princess decides to play some kind of game! So for that, Eliander fucking Fireborn orders me to dock me fucking boats and stay out of her fucking way! SO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FUCKING SCALIE FRIENDS, MISSY! You and your cold-blooded mates can GO FUCK YOURSELVES WITH AN ANCHOR!"

Aella held out her hands and backed away slowly.

When she rejoined the others they asked if she had learned anything. She said, "No. I suddenly remembered, 'Oh right. She's a racist!'".

The team went up the hill to Eliander Fireborn's house. The inquired about the games. Eliander said that Princess Orthokent had arranged the games as a way to recruit more lizardfolk tribes to attack the Sahuagin and regain their home. She sent five invitations to me here. According to the invitations, it looks like the games will be held just off the coast of the cliffs beneath the tower of Zenopus at something called a 'Warthalkeel'.  The invitations also came with five bottles of what I'm told is potions of water breathing. I'm too old for this and have only one leg. No one else in town was willing to attend. If you want these invitations, you're welcome to take them. But know that you'll be representing Saltmarsh, so be on your best behavior!"

They took the invitations, "When are the games?"

"In three weeks."

Baylore looked Aella, "Plenty of time."

DM Note-
Prior to the session I asked my players what they wanted to do and gave them several options. The group decided to finish Tomb of the Lizard King, though there was some interest in the lizardfolk games. So I prepared for the Tomb and didn't do much prep for the games. While in Saltmarsh they suddenly became interested in that plotline. I scrambled to shift gears, read up on that mini-adventure, and prepare something for Roll20. Alot's player eventually said, "Hey, don't worry about it. Lets just say its in a few weeks and we can do it on the way back. That will give you more time to prepare." I thanked him profusely and we carried on. 

Must be a Slow Day
The team spent the night in Saltmarsh. The next morning they gathered together near the north gate and began their trek up the road towards Burle.

They arrived at the bridge over the small Dreadwood River at around noon. They decided to stop in at the Robin's Breast Inn to get some lunch.

They walked in and found the establishment empty.

"Huh," said Aella as she walked in to secure a table, "It must be a slow day."

Baylore became suspicious. He moved behind the bar to look more closely. There were half-full mugs and tankards on the table. There was cooked pork in a big pot by the bar. The fire was still going. Yet there was no innkeeper. There were no patrons.

There was no sign of a fight. Not a chair was out of place. It was like everyone was hiding.

Brenna looked out the back door. She saw the houses of the farmers nearby. There were no farmers. No children. Yet animals were still safe in their pens. Wood fire smoke rose from chimneys.

Suddenly two groups of men armed with maces and crossbows emerged from hiding places behind the inn. One group charged Alot and Bordar at the front entrance with two attackers hanging back and readying crossbows. The second group charged Brenna at the back where two attackers likewise hid behind tree trunks with crossbows.

Several of the thugs swarmed Brenna at the back door, smashing her over the head with their maces. In response, Brenna cast a spell and the small sparrow flying around her head magically split into thousands, then tens of thousands, of glowing blue birds. The mass of blue birds swarmed around her like a tempest, pecking and tearing at everything around her. The birds ripped into her opponents but spared Baylore who came running to her aid.

Baylore punched his way through the door, knocking out one of his opponents unconscious while the other was ripped to shreds by Brenna's celestial sparrows. Brenna moved outside, engulfing one of the crossbowmen within her swarm then the other while Baylore finished them off.

Meanwhile, Alot and Bordar engaged four thugs in the front entrance. Aella moved behind them and did her best to send chaos bolts between her allies towards her enemies outside. Likewise the crossbowmen took careful aim to avoid targeting their allies.

Brenna moved over to a nearby window. A firebolt spell smashed through the glass as she sent the attack spell outside towards one of the crossbowmen.

Alot and Border eventually defeated their enemies. One of the crossbowmen turned and fled. Alot gave chase and cut him down with his short sword.

In the distance, Alot saw a lizard man covered in dried mud indicating allegiance to the lizard king Sakatha standing on the bridge over the river. The lizard man had been observing the proceedings. Now that the battle was over, the lizardman dove into the water and swam away.

The Implication
Baylore tied up their prisoner and propped him up on a chair. Upon regaining consciousness the prisoner proved of little help. He stared glassy eyed into the distance. The prisoner behaved as if he had brain jellies. Unusually ,these thugs seemed to be able to fight despite their brain jellies. 

Brenna whispered something to Baylore.

Baylore replied, "No, I don't want to waste it on something trivial."

She urged him again and he acquiesced. Baylore produced the two magic rings. He put the master ring on his finger and the slave ring on the prisoner.

The prisoner still had brain jellies but was now under Baylore's complete control.

"Well, that didn't work."

Bordar interrupted, "Wait, maybe he can be useful. How much weight can he carry?"

Baylore reprimanded the dwarf, "No!" and took the ring off the prisoner.

The tavern keeper and his wife Robin soon returned to check on their tavern. They told the team that the thugs had arrived less than an hour before they arrived and had ordered them and the rest of the town to remain hidden. He reported that these thugs and brigands seemed vacant and distant yet no less threatening.

This meant that the thugs knew the B-Team was coming and was able to predict their arrival to within the hour. They were being monitored remotely. Perhaps a scrying spell or some other sort of divination.

"Or perhaps," said Brenna, eyeing Aella and Alot suspiciously, "perhaps its one of us."

"What do you mean?" asked Alot.

"Well, you said it when we first met you," explained Brenna, "Do you remember how you escaped the Lizard King?"

"No," admitted Aella.

"Do either of you remember the entire month afterward?" pressed Brenna.

There was a moment of strained silence.

Alot said, "Oh. Oh shit."

To be Continued...