The Secrets of the Serpent's Tooth - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 70

The Sea Ghost set sail to Skyhorn Lighthouse to deliver their prisoner - the Marid known as Emir Farzad,  the Most Opulent and Pearlescent. The Emir regaled the crew with stories of his roguish exploits both within the City of Glass in the Elemental Plane of Water and across the lands of Oerth. But after a few hours of non-stop storytelling the Emir's tales became tiresome. 

They arrived at the lighthouse near sunset. They anchored their ship off shore and took the magical rowboat to the location above the site of the wrecked ship. The crew gathered together the treasure they agreed to return and, along with the emir, jumped overboard and descended three hundred feet to the bottom. There they found the concealed entrance to the grotto that led to the subterranean chamber of the marid. 

Within the grotto they encountered two triton guards. The tritons showed their medallions identifying them as inquisitors. They took custody of the emir and agreed to allow Alot and the rest of the crew to accompany them as far as the magical barrier in the marid's chambers.

The emir was resigned to his fate and seemed especially unhappy. He looked at Alot sullenly. Alot, remembering his agreement with the emir to speak on his behalf, asked the tritons what was to become of the emir. The tritons replied, "I believe the shah is planning to banish him to a domain of torment where he will writhe in agony for 1000 of your Oerth years."

The emir sighed.

Alot said, "Look, that seems harsh. Is there any way we can talk about this? I mean, the security measures that imprisoned the emir were really lax."

The triton shrugged, "As inquisitors, its our job to enforce the peace between Oerth and the Elemental Plane of Water. His sentence is an internal matter. You'd have to take it up with the shah of the City of Glass."

The emir shot Alot an angry look as the tritons pulled him through the slivery magical barrier.

Alot shrugged his armored shoulders, "Hey, I tried. Good luck!"

CHAPTER 70

"THE SECRETS OF THE SERPENT'S TOOTH"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Patriarch Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.
• Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
• Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.

DM Note-
There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. 

This week was mostly checking in on Saltmarsh, character book-keeping, and advancing the meta-plot as I transition into "the Styes." I've got some big plans for a campaign finale post-Styes. 

We also ended a little early this week because I was not adequately prepared for what I wanted to happen on the way to the Styes.

Sea Elf Warning

As the Sea Ghost sailed the coast of the Azure Sea in the direction of Seaton and Saltmarsh, they saw beside them an escort of a pod of dolphins carrying sea-elf knights. The sea elves threw grapples and climbed the lines to board the Sea Ghost. 

Corvid prepared for battle. Alot asked, "What are you doing?"

Corvid replied, "They boarded our ship without asking!" Alot held his hands out to calm the paladin's sword.

The sea elves were led by Anapos, a friend of the crew. Anapos requested permission from Captain Alot to board the vessel.  Alot gave his permission and looked knowingly at Corvid.

Anapos bowed to Aella, daughter of the sea elf King Pelagius, "Your highness." He then bowed to Cai'luin, "My lord."

He stood and addressed Aella, "Your highness, I am here to inform you and your crew that by order of the king's son, Prince Aegon, the area around which surface vessels may traverse in relation to the royal palace of Manaan has been enlarged. No vessel may come within  four leagues of the royal palace. Additionally, fishing by anyone from a surface vessel is hereby prohibited anywhere in the Bay of Javan."

He turned towards Cai'luin, ambassador of the tribe of Manaan to the village of Saltmarsh, "My lord, you are instructed to relay these restrictions to the town council of Saltmash."

Cai'luin did not relish the task. 

Alot said, "We thank you Anapos. We also have information for you. We have learned of a recent incident regarding the escape of many prisoners from a koalinth citadel. Be on the lookout for them. In addition, the events that led to the breakout may lead the koalinth to believe that the sea elves of Manaan were responsible and may seek an armed response. Please relay this to your king."

Anapos eyed Alot with suspicion, "I- I see. Very well. I will relay this information. We thank you for bringing us this warning. We will return right away. Now, if you please, chart a new course  to avoid the royal palace. " Anapos bowed to Aella and Cai'luin, saluted Alot and the others, and leaped overboard.

The Town Council of Saltmarsh

Upon their return to Saltmarsh, Cai'luin requested a meeting of the town council. With Baron Solmor still away at court in Niole Dra, the council met with Eliander Fireborn, Manistrad Copperlocks, Eda Oweland, and Aella. 

Cai'luin presented the new demands from Manaan. 

Eda Oweland exploded into a tirade of vulgar expletives. Her entire livelihood was based on fishing and the preserving of fish. Ending the fishing industry would destroy Saltmarsh! She motioned to ignore the edicts from Manaan and continue fishing.

Fireborn and Copperlocks were less alarmist. Copperlocks represented the interests of the dwarven mine east of town and cared little for the village's fishing heritage. She voted against Oweland's motion.

Fireborn was a retired soldier of the Royal Army and oversaw the town guard. He informed the others of some news he had recently received from Niole Dra - Baron Solmor had successfully lobbied for Saltmarsh to become a garrison and naval port. A fortress would be built and Saltmarsh would become more like Seaton. He was prepared to vote against Oweland's motion and allow fishing to suffer. 

With the baron at court, Oweland appealed to Aella to side with her for a tie vote to create a stalemate until the baron returned. 

Aella considered both sides but ultimately voted with Oweland to defy the edict from Manaan.

The vote was a tie so no resolution was carried.

The Loyal Quartermasters of Iuz

One morning Corvid paid a visit to the Loyal Quartermasters of Iuz to check on the status of a special order he had placed several weeks ago. He found the offices empty. He knocked on the door and opened it a crack. He heard hushed voices coming from the back where Captain Xendros conducted her secret business buying and selling magical items. 

He announced his presence and requested permission to enter.

Xendros requested a moment then invited him to the back room. Keledek the Ketan mage exited as he entered. The tall dark-skinned mage paid little attention to the ashen-grey Corvid. 

Corvid asked about the shop. Xendros explained that she had closed her shop and was moving to Port Torvin farther west. She said that events were soon to transpire that would make life difficult for her in Saltmarsh so she was moving to a town controlled by the Sea Princes.

Corvid asked about his order. Xendros produced a wrapped package containing a pair of winged boots. He paid her the large sum of gold he had borrowed from Aella and bade her farewell, promising to visit her in Port Torvin.

A Month in Saltmarsh

Over the next several weeks the officers of the Sea Ghost advanced their various agendas.

Captain Alot spent his time decoding the encrypted letters correspondence had found in the shack in Crabber's Cove. 

Aella used her savings to begin building a martial academy and training arena. 

Patriarch Craig and Corvid performed the duties of the Cult of the Raven King. More of the citizens of Saltmarsh were beginning to accept the new god as a member of the pantheon and offerings, gifts, and sacrifices to the guardian of the passage to the afterlife were increasing. 

Correspondence Decoded

Captain Alot spent his days in Eliander Fireborn's library poring over the encrypted correspondence. 

DM Note-

I had four bits of escalating exposition. 

Each game week I had Alot's player make an Investigation check vs. a DC of 15. He made no progress on a week with a failed check. On a success I gave him the next bit of exposition.

After six weeks of decoding, Alot learned the following.

1. Captain Xendros can read the minds of everyone to whom she's sold a magic item and has been selling that information to the Serpent's Tooth, agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
2. The Serpent's Tooth made contact with Orgmond, a member of the Cult of Tiamat, who had escaped the Tomb of the Lizard King. He had in his possession the Draconomicon.
3. The Serpent's Tooth purchased the black dragon egg from Xendros.
4. On the eve of the solstice, the Serpent's Tooth will poison the royal court in Niole Dra. Orgmond will use the Draconomicon to resurrect the black dragon Aulicus. Aulicus will attack the garrison at Seaton while Ships from the Hold of the Sea Princes will take Saltmarsh, Angleburg, and Redshore. This is all scheduled and coordinated so that the dragon attack occurs on the night of the solstice moon when tides are high. 

DM Note-

In retrospect, I regret providing the last part of the plan. I should have kept that a secret and made it a big reveal AFTER the Styes. Now the Styes feels like a diversion.

It was now the end of Planting. The solstice occurred during the celebration of Midsummer in two months. 

Month	Common	Elven	Nomads	Season
Needfest
01	Fireseek	Diamondice	Tiger	Winter
02	Readying	Yellowillow	Bear	Spring
03	Coldeven	Snowflowers	Lion	Spring
Growfest
04	Planting	Blossoms	Frog	Low Summer
05	Flocktime	Violets	Turtle	Low Summer
06	Wealsun	Berrytime	Fox	Low Summer
Richfest (Midsummer)
07	Reaping	Goldfields	Snake	High Summer
08	Goodmonth	Sunflowers	Boar	High Summer
09	Harvester	Fruitfall	Squirrel	High Summer
Brewfest
10	Patchwall	Brightleaf	Hare	Autumn
11	Ready'reat	Tinklingice	Hawk	Autumn
12	Sunsebb	Lacysnows	Wolf	Winter

Set Sail for Poniard

The first item on the agenda was to finally make the upgrade to the ship he had been planning for months. Alot had heard of ship-builders in the city of Poniard to the south who could create magical figureheads that dispensed alchemical attacks that mimicked the breath of a dragon. He wanted to install a new figurehead on the Sea Ghost in the shape of a green dragon that attacked with deadly poison breath. He would take the Sea Ghost to Poniard to have this modification designed and installed.

Thus it was that six weeks after arriving in Saltmarsh Captain Alot was raising a new crew to set sail 40 leagues to Poniard. 

The new crew consisted of:

• Ramsay 'The Cook' Braxton
• Camille 'Relentless' Snape
• Doshie 'The Parrot' Panther
• Merrill 'Plank Walker' Beasant
• Will Wheaton 'Howler' Kidd
• Phebe 'Hideous' Bonney
• Jewell 'Hex' Salvodore
• Trenton 'Nightmare' Bradly
• Sterling 'Barnacle' Helton
• Geraldine 'Landlubber' Alistair - returning crew
• Maxwelle 'Rambling' Shell - female crab centaur - returning crew

The ship set sail for Poniard on the first day of the third week of Planting.

Right away they ran into trouble. 

Cai'luin had served as the ship's cook for several months. However, one member of the newly raised crew, Ramsay "The Cook" Braxton, knew his way around the ship's galley. Captain Alot decided to hold a cook-off.

DM Note-

I did some quick googling for D&D cook-off rules, and surprisingly there are several options! I decided to go with six tests, one against each of the six stats.

Preparation - Dexterity for chopping, Wisdom for knowing how to prep

Execution - Intelligence for knowing the recipe and instrucitons, Strength for stirring and mashing

Plating - Charisma for presentation, Constitution for not appearing tired

I then had Cai'luin and Ramsay roll off.

The two cooks were tasked to prepare the following meal: Pan-fried large flat buckwheat noodles with cat, tumeric and sharp cheddar on a bed of sauteed earthnut pea, sorrel and wolfberries. Served with moth bean soup, vodka and aged ricotta.

In the end, both cooks produced excellent meals resulting in a tie. Alot assigned Cai'luin as Head Cook and assigned Ramsay as his assistant. 

With Aella directing the wind into their sails and Craig controlling the waters around the ship their journey to Poniard would take 22 hours and would take them through the narrow ten mile straight past Monmurg, capital of the Hold of the Sea Princes under the control of the Scarlet Brotherhood, at around midnight.

The strait was treacherous not only for privateers of the Sea Princes, there were numerous shoals and reefs that, if struck, would damage their recently repaired hull. 

Would they make it through the strait?

To be Continued...

The Return of the Crab-omancer - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 67

 

Alot broke open the seal and removed the chains. He opened the cellar doors and descended the steps.

The cellar beneath the house was flooded and covered in algae. It smelled like rotting crab meat and dead fish. A pile of rubble lay at the bottom of the stairs. 

A pile of heavy stones were piled against the wall opposite the stairs. 

Alot reached the bottom of the stairs followed by Cai'luin, Corvid, and Father Craig. They spread out through the small cellar. The water was knee-deep. Alot moved to inspect the pile of stones against the wall. 

Suddenly the water erupted as over a dozen giant crab, each easily the same size as a man, burst out of their hiding places beneath the scum. Only they weren't ordinary giant crab - these crab were the tattered and decaying remains of long-dead crab animated by some unnamable power!

CHAPTER 67

"THE RETURN OF THE CRAB-OMANCER"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Patriarch Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.
• Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
• Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.

DM Note-
There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. This week, it's a player's choice adventure as the crew sails back to Saltmarsh and investigate the mysterious abandoned house in Crabber's Cove.

Also, this week I downloaded and installed Clownfish Voice Changer application which allows me to modify my voice using various electronic effects and add sound effects to Discord to enhance the NPC experience. It worked great for the Crab-omancer and got great reviews from the players.

The horrid crab-things clicked their claws and began to hiss. Then, to everyone's shock and horror, the hissing became a voice - a voice shared among all the crabs.

DM Note-

I pre-prepared several paragraphs of dialog for the crabs based on anticipated questions. I can't capture word-for-word what was said back and forth in the game but I can describe the gist of it.

"Visitors! It has been so long since I felt the presence of living souls so near! Tell me, visitors, have you come to free me from my eternal prison? Have you come to right the wrong inflicted upon poor Zenopus so long ago?"

The crew of the Sea Ghost looked at each other in confusion. Corvid finally glared at Alot as if to insinuate, "Okay - you're the captain!"

Alot introduced himself and his companions and asked the voice to identify itself.

"(click)(click) I am the wizard, Zenopus. I lived in the tower built upon the hill across the Janustream. I was imprisoned here via the treachery of that fiend, Keledek! Keledek! My own apprentice! Now I seek only to escape! Escape so that I may impart my vengeance upon that traitorous Ketan!" (click)(click)" 

Alot asked, "Where are you?"

The crabs replied, "(click)(click) "I am at this time imprisoned in the chamber beyond. Bound here by a curse." (click)(click) "I seek your aid, brave heroes. Your assistance can free me of this baleful imprecation. Have you any interest in providing aid to a victim of insidious malfeseance? "

Alot looked to his companions for advice. Corvid replied, "Hey, I am all about the vengeance. So count me in!"

Cai'luin looked aghast, "You can't seriously be thinking of setting him free?"

Alot looked to the priest, "Patriarch Craig?"

Patriarch Craig replied, "Well, we don't like Keledek."

Cai'luin interrupted, "Okay, sure, we set this guy free and he kills Keledek. Then what? He'll be worse!"

The crabs interjected, "(click)(click) If my freedom alone is insufficient cause to help me, if my vengeance against the loathsome wizard does not persuade you to my cause, then I offer this further inducement. In my lonely imprisonment here I hear the comings and goings of those in the domicile above me. I sense their presence. I hear them through my servants. I know of the Scarlet Brotherhood and their agent the Serpent's Tooth. I am privy to all his clandestine encounters. Free me and I will tell you anything you want to know of his cunning schemes and machinations (click)(click) (click)(click) "

Corvid closed his eyes and tried to detect the presence of the undead, demons, or devils. The crabs around him were undead but that was all he could sense. 

Corvid told the others, "The crabs are obviously undead. I can't get a sense for anything behind the wall."

DM Note-

Divine Sense

Class: Paladin

The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestia⁠l, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity (the vampi⁠re Count Strahd von Zarovich, for instance). Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.

The key part there - THAT IS NOT BEHIND TOTAL COVER. So Corvid could not use Divine Sense on anything behind a wall.

So I told Corvid's player, "You are surrounded by undead crab, but the chamber beyond would be behind total cover and not visible by your sense."

The crabs replied in unison, "(click)(click) These wretches? These are but my loyal homunculi. I created them, you see, to protect and defend me in case Keledek ever returned! They serve me. But like me they are bound to this place." 

Alot asked, "So, how would we get you out?"

"(click)(click) The stones. The stones imprison me in this wretched cell. Remove the stones so that I may become free once more."

Alot once more looked at the others. Corvid and Craig shrugged. Cai'luin sighed and resigned himself to releasing the elder evil.

Alot and Corvid moved aside the stones revealing a plain door. It was unlocked.

They opened the door and found a small room, flooded like the rest of the cellar. In the center of the room was a square stone slab. On top of the slab was a crab - bleached white but otherwise ordinary.

The crabs in the previous room became excited. "(click)(click) Excellent. See that crab there? The pale crab sitting upon the stone slab? That is I! I am confined to this pitiable form! Slay me! Crush me with your hammer! Stab me with your sword! Break me in half like the pitiable crab I am! End my life so that the spell might be broken and I LIVE AGAIN! I will be free to wreak my terrible vengeance upon those who have wronged me!" 

 

"No", said Alot, "We have freed you. First you'll tell us about the Scarlet Brotherhood."

The crabs then spoke, "Of course."

Zenopus, speaking through the crabs, told the crew everything he had overheard in the abandoned house above. He told them that the agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood in Saltmarsh was known as the Serpent's Tooth and this his true identity was Skerrin Wavechaser, butler to Anders Solmor. He told them that the Scarlet Brotherhood wished to destabilize the monarchy in Keoland and sow discord in order to mount strikes against several coastal fortresses - including Seaton - just like they did in Monmurg. 

They also wished to cause disruption to the undersea nations. To that end the Serpent's Tooth orchestrated a failed assassination attempt against King Pelagius of the sea-elf kingdom of Manaan in an effort to turn the sea elves against the surface kingdoms. 

He also told them that Skerrin had accompanied Baron Solmor to the capital city of Niole Dra to attend the royal court for the summer - where he planned to poison the royal family and blame it on agents of Iuz. 

"Now, strike me down! Free me!"

"Wait!" said Cai'luin, "First you have to promise - you have to swear on something you hold dear that you will cause no harm, directly or indirectly to any resident of Saltmarsh - other than Keledek, and that you will allow no harm to be done to a resident of Saltmarsh by any being or creature you create or control."

"Fine! I promise by my darkest magics!"

Cai'luin, satisfied, allowed Alot to proceed.

Zenopus became even more excited, "Yes! Do it! Kill me! Free me! Hurry! Kill me now! Crush me! Destroy me!"

DM Note-

I really thought that would give them more pause, but apparently not.

"Wait!" said Patriarch Craig. The priest said a prayer and a brilliant light radiated from his shield, bathing the dank chamber in the light of day.

Zenopus faltered, "Wait! What?"

Alot crushed the crab with his hammer.

The crab disappeared in a puff of magical smoke, reappearing as a naked muscular man with pale wet green skin, covered in kelp. He had long stringy hair and a greasy unkempt beard. He bared his teeth and recoiled from Craig's miraculous daylight, "Agh! Put it away!" He held out his bony clawed hand towards Alot, "You! Do as I command!"

For a moment, Alot felt like helping the wizard, but he shook off the sensation and said, "No."

Zenopus hissed his displeasure.

Cai'luin played a strum on his lute and Zenopus recoiled in horror into the farthest corner. Alot smashed him with his hammer as he fled.

Zenopus became enraged, "This is treachery! You will all pay!" He darted towards Cai'luin. Alot gave chase, smashing him repeatedly with his magical hammer. Craig swung his dwarven war-pick into Zenopus. The wizard collapsed, disappearing into a puff of green mist. The green mist, in turn, began to sparkle and dissipate under the daylight. It soon vanished and was gone. 

DM Note-

ONE ROUND!

They defeated my tough vampire encounter in ONE STINKING ROUND! Stupid Daylight spell. 

In truth, this entire encounter was built to allow them to use the Scrolls of Daylight they got a million years ago. Unfortunately, Aella's player had to miss this session and she carried the scrolls. Of course, Patriarch Craig is tenth level and he can cast that now. 

If it hadn't have been for Daylight, that would have been a MUCH different encounter!

In retrospect, I should have just let Zenopus peacefully leave and get his revenge on Keledek and have the player characters face him later. 

"Huh" said Alot, "Who knew he was a vampire?"

Corvid raised his hand.

The giant crabs in the cellar quickly retreated from Patriarch Craig's daylight. Continuous exposure caused them to shrink and wither and eventually crumble. The crew exited the cellar of the abandoned house in Crabber's Cove. The crabs that swarmed the house, that once moved in unison, were now ordinary crabs. 

After they left, Corvid used a mending orison to repair the seal of Saint Cuthbert so that no one would know of their entry into the cellar. This might be useful for spying on the agents of the Crimson Brotherhood in the future.

Shah Javad Khorasani, Eye of the Tempest and Lord of the Thousand and One Bright Pearls

The next day was a cool and sunny spring morning - a sharp contrast to the late season chill of the previous day. The crew of the Sea Ghost were down at the docks making preparations to sail to Niole Dra. 

There was a sudden commotion as a great swelling of water approached the docks from the sea. It was as if a low hill of water was pushing its way towards the docks. The sailors, longshoremen, stevedores, and fishers fled from their boats to shore as the mass of water split off two smaller masses.

The mass of water in the center rose higher and higher until it was twenty feet high and forty feet across. It engulfed the end of the center dock while the two smaller masses covered the ends of the docks to the left and right. The ships and boats tied to the docks rocked under the swell. 

The three masses of water drained away, leaving behind several humanoid figures. In the center group stood a lavender humanoid, twenty feet tall, wearing fabulous jewelry and adornments. The giant wore a living sea snake around his neck as a necklace and a living sea snake around his right wrist as a bracelet. He carried a trisula - a kind of curved trident. He looked regal and imperious. He was accompanied by two armored water elementals. Before him stood four tritons. The flanking groups consisted of an armored water elemental and two tritons each. 

The invaders surveyed their surroundings. They did not appear to be openly hostile yet they also did not seem to be particularly friendly.

The giant spoke in a voice that shook the sea, "Citizens of Oerth! I am Shah Javad Khorasani, Eye of the Tempest and Lord of the Thousand and One Bright Pearls, Ruler of the City of Glass. I come seeking the miscreants that did deprive me of my prisoner, the marid known as Emir Farzad the Most Pearlescent and Opulent, from his cell beneath the Skyhorn Lighthouse. Come! Show yourself so that I might demand my retribution!"

Alot stepped forward, "Yes, we did that."

Corvid asked surreptitiously, "We did?"

Alot waved him back, "Yeah, I think so."

The Shah Javad Khorasani looked down at Alot, "I demand the return of my prisoner and the return of the treasure taken from my fountain - a value equal to five thousand and five hundred of your gold coins! In addition to this, once the previous demands are met, I demand as punishment that you be executed for your crimes!"

The head triton turned to look at the Shah, "You magnificence, we are here to adjudicate your claim and to negotiate a fair settlement. We will now hear from the defendants."

The triton approached Alot. Alot and the others showed the triton their badges indicating their status as honorary triton inquisitors. The triton accepted these badges. He had met them during the incident at Skyhhorn Lighthouse several months previous.

"What say you to these charges?"

Alot replied, "We did free - (pause) - that person you said. We also took your treasure. At the time we had assumed it had been abandoned. We apologize for the error. We will return to you your prisoner and your treasure - but we will not accept our execution."

The head triton turned to the Shah. The Shah considered this, "Fine! I find your counter-offer acceptable. Return to me my prisoner and my treasure within a full cycle of your primary moon and I will be satisfied. However, if by that time I do not have my prisoner and my treasure, I will destroy you and will raze this village and this entire coast!"

The triton inquisitor grimaced at the Shah. "You can raze this village! Not the entire coast!"

The Shah rolled his great eyes, "FINE! This village then!"

Alot said, "Agreed. Where is this prisoner now?"

The triton inquisitor shrugged, "If we knew that, he'd be in custody."

Patriarch Craig said, "Don't worry, I know how to find him."

Alot nodded, "Okay, how do we catch him? Won't he just teleport away?"

The Shah took the snake from around his arm and transformed them into a pair of golden manacles, "Take this. Bind his arms in these manacles and he will be unable to use his powers and so that you can return him to me."

"Got it!" said Alot.

The Shah said, "I leave you now! I will return in one fully cycle of your primary moon! BEWARE MY RETURN!"

The triton inquisitor ordered his fellow tritons to follow the Shah and his armored elemental warriors back into the sea. Before the inquisitor dove off the dock, he turned and gave a friendly salute to Alot and the crew, as if to say, "See you later!" He returned to the sea and disappeared.

The Deck of Many Things

That night, Captain Alot went into the bow of the Sea Ghost to consult with the magical mirror of Saint Cuthbert - a holy relic that had been salvaged from the Wreck of the Marshall. He gave the proper honors to Saint Cuthbert and asked the mirror to show him  the current location of Emir Farzad the Most Pearlescent and Opulent. 

Captain Alot saw the marid in a cramped stone holding cell, underwater, behind bars. His hands were bound by golden manacles. He was being addressed by a koalinth wizard from outside the cell. The wizard told the marid that he was to remain a prisoner of the koalinth for a year - at which point the only way to gain his freedom would be to grant the wizard a wish. There was no point in trying to escape, the magical manacles bound him and prevented his escape. Only he, Zrunkuc The Red, 

Archmage of the Koalinth, could grant him his freedom! The marid looked sad. Zrunkuc smiled and turned away, leaving the marid to stew in his loneliness. 

Captain Alot returned to the others and told them what he saw. They were sitting around a table at a local inn and talking about a deck of cards that Cai'luin always carried with him. 

No one knew where the koalinth prison might be. Captain Alot said, "I know who might - Princess Orthokent. They invited the koalinth to join their coalition. She must know how to contact them. We'll consult with Princess Orthokent. Wait. What are you doing?"

"We're trying to decide what to do with this deck of cards." said Cai'luin.

"Yes, and-?" said Alot.

"It's not just any deck. This is a magical deck. It's called the Deck of Many Things. Drawing a card from this deck can bring fabulous wealth."

"Or it can kill you and erase any evidence that you ever existed." grumbled Corvid.

Alot joined the lively debate about whether to use the Deck of Many Things. 

DM Note-

No, seriously. The players have been debating this since they got the deck back at Skyhorn Lighthouse. Tonight they debated it for a full forty minutes. They'd commit to using it, only to back away at the last minute. We've drawn from the deck in other campaigns. The results had a habit of ending campaigns. People got too rich. People died suddenly. People lost all their wealth. 

I tried making a rollable table in Roll20 to simulate drawing from the deck. It made them interested. But it didn't have the tactile effect I wanted. 

So I quickly purchased a pre-made Deck of Many Things from the Roll20 Marketplace for $7.99. 

Once the actual deck was on the virtual table, once they could see an actual thing to draw cards from, the players were hooked. 

Cai'luin finally said, "Enough talk! I draw!"

He drew the Star. He suddenly felt even MORE charismatic and likable!

DM Note- +2 to one stat.

Corvid said, "Fine! Me too!" He drew Ruin and Jester. 

DM Note- Corvid lost all his non-magical belongings. Jester grants you +10,000 XP. We're not tracking XP so I just let him level up. 

Patriarch Craig drew the Euryale and the Moon. 

DM Note- Craig now suffers -2 to all Saving Throws but got 1 Wish. 

Alot said, "No. I won't." Then, after a long pause, he drew the Star and the Key. A gleaming magical long-sword appeared on the table.

"What is that?" asked Craig.

"Don't know." said Alot. I'll tell you tomorrow.

DM Note- Alot got +2 to one stat and a random rare or better magical weapon. Alot's player doesn't know what it is yet - because I hadn't decided until just now. I'll tell the player at tomorrow's game so you all will just have to wait until next week to find out.

Corvid said, "Well, that could have been worse."

The Citadel of Princess Orthokent

The Sea Ghost set sail the next day. They sailed west towards the citadel of the Princess Orthokent. They were met by sea-sentries as they approached. They immediately recognized Alot as an honorary member of the Marshwater tribe. They called him by his Lizard-folk name Aryte Litrix and welcomed him home.

The ship was allowed to anchor near the entrance to the citadel. Alot was allowed to enter but the others would have to stay with the ship.

Princess Orthokent was busy so Alot was unable to speak with her directly. He was, however, able to consult with Sauriv, the lizard-man scholar. Alot asked Sauriv about the koalinth and where he might find them - specifically Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth.

Sauriv told Alot where he might find the Koalinth Archmage. It was inside a sea-mount to the south, just northeast of the city of Monmurg. He warned Alot not to share this information with any sea elves and that he should blindfold Cai'luin to prevent his knowledge of the location. If the sea-elves were to learn of the location of the koalinth stronghold, it would mean war.

In addition, Sauriv said that the koalinth would not allow any surface ships near their sea-mount. They needed to approach by stealth or in a small boat. 

Alot thanked the learned lizard-man and returned to his ship.

Alot set a course south towards the location indicated by Sauriv. Late that night, Alot produced a small box that magically unfolded into a medium-sized boat. He and the other officers boarded the magical boat and left the Sea Ghost behind with orders to sail away and return the following day. 

Alot and his companions rowed the magical boat for several hours through the late night waters. 

Cai'luin, blindfolded, asked, "Are we close?"

Alot looked around at the endless expanse of sea, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

DM Note- Alot failed his navigation check.

A few more hours later, there was a loud thump as something large bumped against the hull of their boat. There was another bump. Several goblinoids covered in sea-weed and barnacles popped their heads out of the water.

"Hyoo-mans! You are not welcome in this waters! You will leave!""

Alot said, "We wish to speak with Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth to negotiate the release of a prisoner."

"No! You will leave or you will be our prisoners!"

Corvid, Craig, and Alot leaned in to huddle. Corvid said, "Hey, aren't we trying to break into their prison anyway? They'll take us right to him."

Alot said, "I'm still hoping we can negotiate or something. I say we go with them."

With nodding heads, they agreed. Alot told the koalinth, "We surrender! Take us to your leader!"

The koalinth was confused for a moment. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Surrender all your weapons! We take you prisoner!"

Alot shrugged, "Okay."

Cai'luin, still blindfolded, said, "What's happening?"

To be Continued...

The Mystery of Crabber's Cove - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 66

After having successfully escorted the merchant Genevieve de Guare and her crew back to the free city of Nessermouth the crew was rewarded with one-tenth the value of the recovered cargo and received a special bonus of 5000 gold coins from Genevieve. Father Craig likewise returned the lost items to the trader named Davus Raal and secured the freedom of the dwarf Morley Tobe. 

Morley Tobe expressed his undying gratitude to Father Craig and promised to give up smuggling for a living. He was so impressed with Father Craig and Corvid that the dwarf pledged his life to the service of the Raven King. Father Craig performed a ceremony to invest the dwarf as a priest, granting him insights into the mysteries of the faith. 

The Sea Ghost set sail, stopping briefly in Scant before heading off across the sea to Saltmarsh.

Five days later, the Sea Ghost sailed into port at the small fishing village, more then a month after they left. Wellgar Brinehanded, priest of the sea god Procan, was standing at the dock as they arrived. It was Wellgar that sent them on their mission to Firewatch Island to check on the status of the priest's longtime friend. 

They relayed the news that nearly all the hermits at the island had been killed by sea zombies in the service of Orcus. It was fortuitous that Wellgar sent them, for although they arrived too late to save the hermits, they were able to stop a larger-scale attempt by the forces of Orcus to invade the mainland. Only then did they give Wellgar the sad news. Alas, the reason Wellgar lost contact with his friend was because his friend Marwen had passed away from natural causes several days before the zombie attack. 

Wellgar began to tear up, saddened at the loss of his longtime friend and long-distance companion. 

"Truly," he said, "'Tis a miracle of Procan. For although my good friend passed, it was his passing that prompted me to send you, and you were able to save the mainland from a greater threat. Praise be to Procan!"

CHAPTER 66

"THE MYSTERY OF CRABBER'S COVE"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.  
• Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
• Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.

DM Note-

There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. This week, it's a player's choice adventure as the crew sails back to Saltmarsh and investigate the mysterious abandoned house in Crabber's Cove. 

Also, Father Craig's player was back in the hospital for more surgery to remove an infection after his cancer surgery. Despite having surgery earlier that day, he joined us to play D&D online from his hospital bed!

Life in Saltmarsh

The crew disembarked from the Sea Ghost. Captain Alot Aname returned to the gazebo he had built on the cleared land where once stood Gellan Primewater's mansion before it burned down. There he stood all night. He had an idea - he would build a theater. 

Father Craig and Corvid returned home to the House of the Raven King. They were glad to hear that the nuns had served the town well in preparing the dead for their judgement and that the villagers of Saltmarsh had begun to accept and embrace this new god from foreign lands. 

Cai'luin walked through town with the intent of playing his lute for the patrons at the Snapping Line when he was intercepted by Eda Oweland of the town council. Eda complained to Cai'luin that the sea elves of Manaan had widened their no-fishing zone and prohibited her boats from fishing near their castle. She demanded access to those waters and continued to insult Cai'luin and his people. 

Cai'luin asked what the town council thought and she complained that since Baron Solmor had left to spend the summer in the capital in the king's court, and Aella having been gone over a month at sea, the council had been reduced to herself, Commander Fireborn, and Manistrad Copperlocks. Copperlocks didn't care for the fishers of Saltmarsh and Fireborn thought they were all smugglers, so they voted down any resolution she proposed. She demanded Cai'luin do something about this situation!

Cai'luin assured her he would take care of the situation.

The next day several of the crew met to inventory the treasures from their recent adventures and apportion the spoils. Afterwards they paid a visit the Quartermasters of Iuz to see if Captain Xendros had any magic items for sale. 

The Old House

In the afternoon, Cai'luin asked for help from the others. He told them about the mysterious crab at the abandoned house in Crabber's Cove. When he first came ashore in Saltmarsh he had encountered a crab that seemed to beckon him towards the house. When he spoke to the crab, the crab responded, "Free me!" He became unnerved and left the area, but now he wanted to gather the group and investigate the house.

The crew marched down towards Crabber's Cove towards sunset. It was the last gasp of the month of Coldeven. The sky was gloomy and the temperature barely made it above 45 degrees. Now it was getting dark and the wind from the ocean rattled the ancient dead trees of Crabber's Cove. 

The last three houses down by the pebbly beach had been abandoned decades ago. They stood empty and dark. Crabs wandered the tall dry beach grass. No crabbers came near this place. There were stories that anyone who entered these houses would disappear - never to be seen again. 

Free Me!

The last house was encrusted in thousands of crab. As the team cautiously approached the house, the crabs moved towards them. Cai'luin could hear them hiss in unison, "Free me! Free me from my eternal prison!"

Cai'luin tried to communicate with the crabs but to no avail. He could understand them but they could not understand him.

The team went around the outside of the house and noticed an entrance to a cellar. The entrance was chained close and bound by a metallic disk - a holy symbol of Saint Cuthbert. The disk offered no security - it could be easily broken. It was more of a symbolic seal - a holy warning to anyone who might break the seal.

The team then went back around to the front of the old house to investigate the interior. On their way in Cai'luin noticed dry boot prints on the wooden porch going into the front door. He knelt down and looked more closely. There were several sets of prints but one type of boot caught his eye - it was not the working-class boot of a sailor or fisherman - it was the boot of someone of refinement - an expensive pair of boots. He recognized the boot print. It belonged to the boots worn by Skerrin Wavechaser - personal butler of Baron Anders Solmor and suspected agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood.

They entered the old house. The door opened easily and there were no cobwebs covering the threshold - indicating frequent use. Inside they found a few old chairs and a bare table. The table showed signs of melted wax from a candle. 

Cai'luin looked around the room. Dozens of crabs crawled over the floor. One of the crabs clutched a silver key in one of its claws. Cai'luin snatched it away.

Captain Alot inspected the fireplace. There was always a loose brick concealing something important in the fireplace. As expected, he found a loose brick. Within the hidden compartment was a valise filled with hundreds of letters. He removed the letters to inspect them. Their wax seals had been broken. They were all written in code. 

He glanced over them. Several of the letters had notes scrawled in a different hand-writing. One of hte notes was a name he recognized - Yrsa Bjorndottir - the mother of Annor and Marlin Whalerson - along with a date - the day she died! 

DM Note-

Dun-Dun-DUUUNNN!!

Remember them??

Good Old Bess

By this time it was cold and dark outside and the wind was causing the drafty old house to creak and shudder. Alot placed the letters in his magical bag of holding and the crew went back outside to the cellar entrance.

Corvid looked at the seal, "Well, its obviously some kind of magical ward, right?"

Cai'luin nervously backed away, "You mean, like a fireball?" He retreated to a distance of thirty feet and hid behind one of the dead trees.

Father Craig rolled his eyes and prayed over the seal for ten minutes. When he was finished, he said, "It's not going to explode, you baby! Come on!"

Cai'luin returned from his hiding place, straightening his tunic, "Well, better safe than sorry."

Alot said, "Okay then, shall I open it?" He reached out to break the seal.

A familiar voice called out from behind them, "Wait, boss! Don't open it!" 

Cai'luin recognized the voice immediately, "Bess! What are you doing here?"

It was Bess, the intelligent and sassy giant crab with a crush on the pretty elf-boy. Bess explained that she felt a mysterious pull to this house. A force within the house was trying to take control of her but the power of Saint Cuthbert, the god that gave her intelligence, prevented it. Something in the house wanted her to help them break the seal. However, Saint Cuthbert wanted her to stop them from breaking the seal. 

Cai'luin sympathized with his friend but assured her that they would deal with whatever it was that was bound by the seal. They would take care of this and protect the town. He asked her to wait behind the dead tree and they'd be back soon. She reluctantly agreed. 

Alot broke open the seal and removed the chains. He opened the cellar doors and descended the steps.

The cellar beneath the house was flooded and covered in algae. It smelled like rotting crab meat and dead fish. A pile of rubble lay at the bottom of the stairs. 

A pile of heavy stones were piled against the wall opposite the stairs. 

Alot reached the bottom of the stairs followed by Cai'luin, Corvid, and Father Craig. They spread out through the small cellar. The water was knee-deep. Alot moved to inspect the pile of stones against the wall. 

Suddenly the water erupted as over a dozen giant crab, each easily the same size as a man, burst out of their hiding places beneath the scum. Only they weren't ordinary giant crab - these crab were the tattered and decaying remains of long-dead crab animated by some unnamable power!

To be Continued...!

The Wellspring - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 57

 

The emir opened the door to the passage leading to the Wellspring, "You'll find what you seek down that corridor. Now if you will excuse me, I must test something."

With a flick of his wrist, there was a flurry of bubbles in the center of the room. The bubbles dissipated to reveal Father Craig, the dwarven priest of Tristin. Father Craig's eyes bulged in confusion and he inhaled a big gulp of seawater. He began to choke.

"Oops! Just a moment!" With another flick of his wrist a bubble of air appeared around Father Craig's head. Father Craig took some deep breaths, "There, that should do him for about an hour. Anyway, this is my gift to you, my way of saying thanks for disabling the barrier that kept me a prisoner in these chambers."

Captain Alot blurted, "Wait! What about-"

The emir smiled and said, "Ta ta!" and with a flick of his piscine wrists, he disappeared into a burst of tiny bubbles. 

Father Craig stared around the room in bewildered shock, "Uh, what just happened?"

CHAPTER 57

"THE WELLSPRING"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
• Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf  Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.  
• Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
• Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.

DM Note-

Still filling in the 8th level gap between the end of the Final Enemy and the beginning of Tammeraut's Fate with small mini-adventures. I gave my players the option of which storyline they wanted to follow and they chose the story that led to the Corruption of Skyhorn Lighthouse. It seems to me that my players always have more fun with these smaller adventures. 

Father Craig's player had missed the last two sessions because he was, oh, you know, FIGHTING CANCER! So when he felt better and wanted to play I was faced with a challenge - how to include Father Craig. Father Craig was back on the ship and Father Craig is the only member of the party without a means to adventure underwater. I, of course, had no wish to exclude him but I didn't know how to INCLUDE him either. So I hand-waved it - literally by having the marid wave his hand - and said a genie did it! 

The Wellspring

A fifteen foot wide corridor stretched before them. Visibility was limited at the far end by overlapping blades of kelp. Captain Alot and Corvid pushed through the kelp into the chamber beyond. 

They found a wide marble room adorned with statues of mermaids. Shoals of small bioluminescent fish swam lazily throughout the room giving it a strange bluish-green glow. A large sphere of swirling elemental energy hovered above the floor on the far wall. At the center of the sphere, occupying it like a bird in a nest, was a mass of black writhing tentacles with a single glowing red eye at its center. The floor beneath the swirling energy and mass of black tentacles was a spiraling distortion. Black tendrils of tar separated from the tentacled thing only to disappear down into the distortion like being sucked down into a drain. 

This was the Wellspring the sea-genie spoke of- the source of elemental energy that powered the lighthouse keeper's chalice. Some dark being had infested the Wellspring and was using its energy to magically disrupt weather around the lighthouse. 

Four slack-jawed drowned sailors stood guard over the tentacled thing. They drew their cutlasses and advanced!

Aella cast a Witch Bolt spell and a streak of lightning struck the tentacled mass. To her surprise, her spell destroyed it! 

The thralls continued to advance, however, and engaged Corvid and Alot in hand-to-hand combat. One of the four moved through the kelp to attack Aella and Father Craig on the group's flank. 

A small tiny mass of tentacles began to reform within the center of the elemental vortex. Corvid's supernatural senses detected a dark shape moving behind the kelp. He informed the others. 

Sensing that its ruse had been discovered, the Corruption abandoned its illusion and moved through the kelp. It extended dark elastic tentacles that wrapped around and bound Aella and Father Craig. One of the tentacles began to drain Father Craig of his life energy. The Corruption seemed to feed off it like a psychic vampire.

Father Craig prayed to Saint Ogden and summoned forth a spiritual hammer which crushed the skull of the thrall attacking him. Father Craig then trained the magical hammer to attack the Corruption.

Cai'luin moved to the left side of the corridor and cast a bardic spell into the kelp. The spell exploded with thunderous force, clearing away the kelp and revealing the full form of the Corruption. 

DM Note-

Cai'luin's "fireball" spell is called "Depth Charge" and does force damage instead of fire damage.

The Corruption lashed out another tentacle which wrapped around Cai'luin. In response, Bess crawled past Father Craig and grabbed the Corruption in her pincers. 

Alot dispatched the thrall and moved to attack the Corruption. Corvid had more difficulty and continued to hold off the thralls on his flank. Corvid eventually defeated the final thrall and moved to assist Alot.

Between Corvid's magical sword, Alot's magical dragon-hammer, Aella's magical trident, and Father Craig's holy hammers, the team soon had the tentacled horror on the defensive. Father Craig prayed and summoned forth a massive maelstrom of spiritual hammers which swarmed the mass and pummeled it into oblivion. 

The Corruption was destroyed and the dark disruption beneath the Wellspring disappeared. The Wellspring once again glowed with pure elemental energy. 

The Guardian of the Well

The crew exited the chamber of the Wellspring and returned to the foyer. As they were preparing to leave, Captain Alot paused and took a look at the well filled with treasure. 

He raised his three-fingered mechanical hand and said, "Everybody hold up a second." He stared at the well in contemplation.

An inscription on the well in Aquan read, "Pay tribute to your master, Shah Javad Khorasani, Eye of the Tempest and Lords of the Thousand and One Bright Pearls". The well was filled to the brim in jewels and platinum.

He turned to the others, "How does everyone feel about taking all that treasure? I mean, its just sitting there."

Corvid replied dryly, "You have to know its some kind of trap."

Alot dismissed the thought with a wave, "Yes, yes, but we can handle it."

Corvid shrugged, "Alright."

Corvid, Father Craig, and Alot positioned themselves near the well. Father Craig summoned forth a swirling vortex of hammers and positioned a spiritual hammer near the well. 

Alot reached in and took out a handful of gems.

Suddenly the gems rose out of the well, suspended within a whirlpool. The mass of coins and gems formed a roughly humanoid shape. 

Cai'luin began hurling well-craft insults. Corvid struck at the treasure with his magical sword. The animated treasure took a pummeling from Father Craig's maelstrom of hammers. Aella pointed her trident at the animated treasure and cast a lightning bolt spell. 

The swirling animated mass of treasure enveloped Alot. Alot resisted and was shoved backward against the wall. 

Corvid stepped back, raised his magical sword, and prepared to strike. He threw himself forward and plunged the magic sword into the center of the elemental guardian. The guardian shuddered.

DM Note-

Corvid rolled a critical hit. 19 damage. Plus smite for another 29 damage. Yowch!

Father Craig followed up by smashing the elemental guardian with his war-pick "Dwarven Blood Bond". 

Aella created a magical bonfire beneath the creature. The bonfire, fueled by pure magic, was able to burn despite being completely underwater, though its effect was lessened by being submerged. Additionally, its effect on the guardian created from the elemental plane of water was further reduced.

Alot, who had initially drawn the ire of the guardian, finished it off with his magical dragon-headed warhammer. 

The Apparatus of Kwalish

The elemental was defeated and the coins and gems exploded throughout the room. It was going to take a while to gather up all the treasure. 

Father Craig, worried about the duration of the emir's magical air bubble, said he would return to the surface while the others cleaned up. Alot told him the exit was through that hole in the floor and a straight shot out. Bess said, "Don't worry, Cappum. I'll show him the way out!"

Father Craig eyed the giant crab with suspicion. Bess led Father Craig down the hole in the floor and into the coral caves. There she said, "Well, So long! Don't come back!" and she re-entered the passage and left Craig alone in the caves. 

DM Note-

I moved Father Craig's character onto the coral cave map and said "Where do you go?" Father Craig's player had no idea. "Straight Shot" indeed. 

As he navigated and explored the coral caves looking for an exit, Father Craig ran into a mermaid carrying some crates in her arms. When he called out to her she dropped the crates and prepared to flee. 

Father Craig said that he meant her no harm. He only needed to know how to exit the caves.

The mermaid paused and said she'd show him in exchange for the silver raven amulet he wore around his neck - the symbol of his faith in the Raven King. Father Craig declined but offered instead a potion of invisibility. The mermaid agreed!

The mermaid introduced herself as Silvana of the Orca clan and led him towards the exit. Once they reached the wrecked ship, she returned bade him farewell and returned to her legitimate salvage.

Father Craig swam up onto the deck of the sunken ship where he saw the strange iron cylinder with crab-like mechanical legs and mechanical pincers. Its rear hatch was open.

Captain Alot had mentioned this machine. Craig entered the cylinder and used his ability to control water to create a pocket of air within the cockpit. He closed the hatch. 

Before him were ten levers. He began testing levers. This one opened and closed window shutters. This one extended and retracted the claws. This one opened the hatch and allowed water to flood the compartment! 

After closing and resealing the hatch, Craig discovered which levers caused the vehicle to ascend and swim. He returned to the surface.

Exonerating the Lighthouse Keeper

Father Craig's apparatus bobbed on the surface a few hundred feet from the rocky shore from Skyhorn Island. Father Craig directed the apparatus to swim to shore where it navigated the rocks using its crab-like feet. 

A few minutes later he was joined by Alot, Corvid, Aella, Cai'luin, and Bess. Aella sent a fire-bolt spell into the sky as a signal flare to summon the Sea Ghost. 

The signal also summoned the attention of the tritons guarding the island. The triton guards, along with Argos, the triton who had earlier helped the Sea Ghost, asked Alot if they were successful. 

Alot said that they were and that they had obtained evidence that exonerated the lighthouse keeper. 

The tritons brought Alot and the crew into the lighthouse to make his case before the synod. 

There Alot produced Captain Hadad's book and cutlass. He explained that Captain Hadad had tapped into a source of elemental energy beneath the island. He said that Captain Hadad had been mind-controlled by some dark Corruption. Captain Hadad believed he was resurrecting his dead wife when in fact he was allowing the Corruption to harness the elemental energy and spread chaos. 

DM Note-

I asked Alot's player how much he planned to tell the magistrate.

Alot's player said, "I tell them EVERYTHING!" He paused a beat and quickly added, "-wait!"

I laughed so hard at that. 

Alot chose not to mention the marid that was imprisoned beneath the island and left out the part where the team had freed the marid from its imprisonment. He likewise chose to omit that the magical chalice that the Lucien lighthouse keeper believed allowed him to control the seas and weather was just a conduit for the elemental energy node beneath the lighthouse that was given as a wedding gift to the Lucien's ancestor upon his marriage to the daughter of a marid lord. 

The synod found the evidence and testimony compelling and exonerated Lucien the lighthouse keeper of any transgression. For their role in this business, the synod awarded the crew of the Sea Ghost with the title of Honorary Triton Inquisitors along with badges. 

Eventually the Sea Ghost, having seen the signal flare, returned to the island and moored at the sole dock. The crew spent the night there and prepared to sail home to Saltmarsh the next day.

Return to Saltmarsh

The Sea Ghost returned to Saltmarsh the following day, arriving in the late afternoon. Father Craig spent several hours studying the apparatus. He determined that it was badly damaged and would require repair. 

As the ship arrived in Saltmarsh, they were met on the dock by Captain Xendros - the devil-spawn trader from Iuz and secret dealer in magical artifacts. Xendros had in the past repeatedly told the team that she was very interested in obtaining a mechanical vehicle known as the Apparatus of Kwalish. How she knew that they now had one was a mystery.

"She's scrying on us," concluded Corvid.

"Obviously," agreed Alot. 

Captain Xendros greeted them warmly and immediately asked if the team had found an Apparatus of Kwalish. Captain Alot deferred to Father Craig. 

Craig hesitated but finally admitted that, yes, they had found one.

Captain Xendros reiterated her offer - in exchange for the Apparatus she would offer the crew up to five lesser magical items or one greater magical item. 

Craig asked what she had to offer. 

Xendros narrowed her eyes and replied with a grin, "What do you want?"

Craig became impatient, "No, tell me what you have."

DM Note-

Now it was MY turn to become impatient. My players didn't know what to ask for so they wanted me to just give them a list. I didn't HAVE a list. Corvid's player said, "Just roll randomly."

I became frustrated, "There isn't a random table for Very Rare items. Magic items are listed by rarity."

I soon found a list of all Very Rare items but it was too much to pick from. But my players were wheedling me about it so I pasted the list to an Excel spreadsheet and threw a numbered list next to it. There were 75 items. 

I typed "/r d75" in Roll20 and got a result.

Craig's player said no. 

I tried again. Craig's player said no again. 

I was starting to become more annoyed and a little angry. 

Xendros gritted her teeth, "Fine. how about an Ioun Stone of Absoption?"

Craig said, "Pass. What else?"

Xendros narrowed her eyes, "A magic belt that gives you the strength of a frost giant?"

Craig still said no. 

"How about a cloak of the Manta Ray, you've always said you wanted one of those!"

Craig replied, "You said you couldn't get those."

Xendros said, "Give me the Apparatus and I'll find one for you."

Craig thought about it, "No. Never mind. The apparatus is not for sale." He turned and left to find the alchemist. He had 

Xendros stood on the dock, fuming.

The Sunken City

The Sea Ghost did not tarry in Saltmarsh long. Father Craig got the local dwarven blacksmith to inspect the Apparatus. The blacksmith said that the repair of such a device was beyond his ability. Craig needed a master artificer. He estimated it would probably cost three thousand gold coins to repair. 

Afterwards, Craig visited Angela and Rosalee's Herbs, Potions, and Teas to procure some potions of water breathing. 

On the next morning the ship and its crew set sail for the royal castle of King Pelagius of Manaan. 

DM Note-

My players asked "How far away is Manaan?" 

I pointed on the local Saltmarsh map, "It's right there."

They replied, incredulously, "Seriously? That's like barely twenty miles away! We thought it was weeks of sailing!"

I said, "Nope, If it were an island, you could see it from Saltmarsh."

They sailed within a few miles of the underwater castle. Once they were near, but not too near, Alot, Aella, Corvid, Craig, and Cai'luin jumped overboard. Bess was ordered to stay on the ship. Father Craig piloted the Apparatus. He would save his potions for an emergency. The Sea Ghost would sail in a wide circle and await their signal to return. 

Manaan was a castle built at the center of a coral atoll. The atoll had grown atop the ruins of an ancient Suloise city. The sea elves of the castle maintained a kelp forest for several miles around the atoll. 

The crew descended through the depths to the sea floor. They trudged across the sea floor for several hours until they reached the kelp forest. 

After navigating through the forest they found the ruins of the sunken city outside the wall of coral that formed the atoll. They eventually located the ruined temple and found the warped stick which, when turned, revealed a secret entrance.

To their dismay, what they thought would be a straight shot under the coral was the entrance to a labyrinth.

The Labyrinth

Alot and Aella led the way, choosing a passage to the right. The passage turned a corner to the left, then left again, then to the right. 

As they proceeded down a straight corridor, Aella and Alot blundered into an invisible gelatinous mass! Aella managed to jump back but Alot became trapped within the transparent gelatin.

Corvid stepped forward and thrust his magical sword into the gelatinous cube. The cube burst, spilling its acidic contents onto the floor along with Alot. 

DM Note-

Critical hit! 20 points slashing plus 35 points of smite! 

Grey Oozes

After a few more twists and turns and dead ends, the party entered a chamber with a pile of coins and treasures in the center of the room. Alot strode forth and the grey stone floor came alive and attacked him with a viscous pseudopod.  In addition, psychic waves emanated from the floor attacking the minds of those nearby. 

Corvid and Alot began stabbing and pummeling the writhing floor while Aella cast magical rays of frost, coating the submerged floor with small icicles. 

Eventually the putty-like floor was killed and the party was able to collect a few thousand copper and silver pices, 110 gp, an Iron Chime worth 25 gp, Leather Boots with Fine Steel Buckles  worth 25 gp, a Rabbit Fur Mask worth 25 gp, a Rabbit Fur Pouch worth 25 gp, and a Potion of Healing.

Another Cube

The party continued their exploration of the labyrinth.  Aella held her trident out in front of her as she advanced down the long straight hallway. She came into contact with some invisible force. It formed a clear pseudopod and attacked! 

To be Continued...