The Final Assault, Part 2 - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 47

Empress Seklaz drifted into the submerged throne room accompanied by her wave shaper and handmaidens. That disgusting piece of flotsam Baron Kepmak was sitting on the throne.

Baron Kepmak was laughing at some off-color joke told to him by one of his champions. He noticed the entrance of Seklaz, "Your highness, I assure you we will return your lost lobster to you in due time."

She hovered there for a moment, glaring at the four-armed baron. He looked at her as if wondering, "What else?"

She was already annoyed at the loss of Shern, her prized fighting lobster. Now the floundering idiot refused to vacate her chair.

Her words were measured but barely contained her growing annoyance. "You will vacate the throne for your empress."

Baron Kepmak finally realized his faux pas and bolted out of the throne made of corals and shells. He bowed apologetically as Seklaz moved to take his place. Her lip curled - it reeked of him. 

No matter. She was only here temporarily. Soon the combined forces of the sahuagin armies would converge on this stronghold. From here they would perform the ritual that would flood the entire coast. The surface dwellers would drown and her armies would quickly conquer the new territory. 

The priestesses had already demonstrated the power of the ritual in sinking the former lizard-folk stronghold which they now occupied by eighty feet. Soon they would complete the sinking of the island and begin capturing sacrifices for the greater ritual to come. 

A sahuagin warrior swam urgently into the throne room. "Your highness!" he blurted. 

Empress Seklaz glared at the warrior. The wave shaper chastised the warrior, "You will observe proper decorum!"

The warrior regained his composure and bowed. He waited to be recognized. The wave shaper said, "You may speak."

"Your highness, we are under attack. The surface scum attack from above while mer-folk, lizard-folk, and locathah attack the lower entrances underwater. An advance force of surface scum have gained entry through the outer and inner gate. Your highness - it appears to be the thieves who stole your lobster."

Empress Seklaz shot out of her throne. Her beady eyes flashed with anger. "You will kill the intruders at once!"

The warrior bowed and withdrew. 

Empress Seklaz looked at that oafish lout Kepmak, "Well? What are you standing around for? Go at once and defeat these intruders! Defend your stronghold, you idiot!"

CHAPTER 47

"THE FINAL ASSAULT, PART 2"

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.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright.  

DM Note-

The party had thirty rounds before the force from Saltmarsh arrived at the front gate. It was now round 11.

Never Split the Party

Craig Oxworth was alone in a dark hallway surrounded by hostile fish-men. A celestial maelstrom of tiny hammers swirled around him, protecting him, grinding away at any foe that approached him. He advanced down the corridor and the fish-men retreated from the vortex. 

Ahead of him in the darkness two fishmen collapsed. The silhouette of Captain Baylore briefly stood over their bodies before melding into the shadows. Suddenly Captain Baylore stood behind Oxworth.

"There's a whole bunch of sahuagin warriors in the room to the left. There's, like, maybe three waiting to ambush you in the room to the right. Be careful."

"Where are the others?" asked Craig.

Baylore looked behind them, "They're invisible and strung out behind you."

"Are we  still making a run to take out the leaders on the second level?"

"No. We'll never make it in time. The forces from Saltmarsh will be here in two minutes. Change of plans. We're going to take out as many sahuagin warriors up here as we can. Are we good with that?"

"Got it." 

Baylore turned to the empty hallway littered with the dead bodies of sahuagin, "Everybody hear that? Don't worry about a stealth mission. Take out as many sahuagin as you can! There's a bunch in the room to the left."

The other invisible members of the party voiced their assent. 

Baylore turned back to Craig, "Release your spiritual guardians. Let the others through so they can attack. They'll become visible and once you can see them you can pray for more spiritual protection from your crazy-ass god."

Craig nodded and the vortex of hammers vanished. 

Baylore and Craig were immediately shoved to the side as Bordar, the invisible dwarf berserker charged past screaming.

Baylore said, "That will keep him busy. Alot, wherever you are come with me. We're going back to the entrance to keep the way clear for the forces from Saltmarsh." 

Aella became visible, "What about me?"

Baylore pointed in the direction of the screaming battle-dwarf, "Go with him."

Into the Barracks

Bordar slammed into the wall of sahuagin fish-men, his twin axes hewing a path of bloody slaughter. The room was filled with over two dozen fish-men warriors. They swarmed towards the entrance, blocking Bordar's advance.

Aella cast a spell and a magical tidal wave rose up out of the stone floor and washed over the attacking sahuagin knocking many off their feet.

Craig Oxworth stepped behind Bordar and prayed to Saint Ogden, Chosen Defender of the Gates of Death. He was once again enveloped in a swirling cyclone of celestial hammers that chewed through any enemy that stayed too close to him. The cyclone of hammers helped clear the path for Bordar's advance. Bordar moved to the edge of the cyclone and engaged the enemy as they stood just outside its effects. A few valiant sahuagin charged through the cyclone to attack Craig only to fall before the holy defense.

They had slowly advanced thirty feet into the room before they heard a loud and ominous presence in the darkness on the far side of the large chamber. There was a brief flash of light from a spark generated by a javelin. For a split second they caught a glimpse of a massive four-armed sahuagin surrounded by a coterie of armored warriors. 

Manning the Gate

Back at the entrance, Captain Baylore saw that the portcullis was still down. The room was littered with nearly a dozen sahuagin bodies. A handful of sahuagin warriors were on the other side of the portcullis - trapped outside. The pirate captain examined the large capstan that raised and lowered the portcullis was heavy and would require some effort to work. 

"Alot, you here?"

A disembodied voice answered, "Right here."

"You raise the portcullis and I'll handle these guys as they come through."

"I can raise the portcullis," said another disembodied voice. It was Oceanus. "I would have raised it already but I was by myself. I didn't want to get swarmed by those guys."

"Okay, you raise the portcullis. Alot and I will deal with the sahuagin."

Baylore and Alot stood in front of the portcullis. Sahuagin were poking their spears between the bars at them. Alot once again became visible as he drew his short sword and stabbed back through the bars. The Sahuagin withdrew from the portcullis and away from Alots' attacks. 

The capstan began turning on its own as the invisible Oceanus went to work. The portcullis bars raised to knee-level.

Captain Baylore stepped away from the portcullis and disappeared into a shadow. He reappeared in the vestibule on the other side of the portcullis and engaged some of the sahuagin there. 

The portcullis was raised to chest height. Alot crawled underneath and engaged the sahuagin warriors. One warrior blocked Alot's attack and disengaged. The warrior ducked underneath the portcullis and pulled the quick-release pin that connected the capstan chain to the portcullis. The heavy iron portcullis slammed shut with a loud bang trapping Alot and Baylore in the vestibule.

Alot cursed, "God-DAMMIT!"

Baylore was fighting a sahuagin warrior in the back of the room, "Alot, do you got these?"

Alot, still annoyed at the warrior's subterfuge, sighed, "Yes. I got it."

Baylore backed into the darkness and reappeared back in the inner chamber on the other side of the portcullis. He quickly dispatched the warrior that released the chain. 

"I'm going back to help the others. You finish up here."

Baylore stepped backwards into shadow and was gone.

Alot dispatched the remaining sahuagin and returned to the portcullis.

Oceanus, now visible, said, "I can reattach the chain and raise it again. But it's going to take a little bit."

Alot took off his backpack and withdrew a crowbar, "Don't worry about it."

He took the crowbar to the portcullis and wedged it into the side. He was able to use the leverage of the crowbar to pop the portcullis out of its rails. The heavy iron gate fell to the floor. 

DM Note-

Alot's player said he used the crowbar to open the portcullis. He rolled well - with Advantage thanks to the crowbar - but my mind had trouble imagining how the crowbar helped. 

I asked Alot's player, "How would a crowbar help? It would only raise the portcullis a few inches. No wait, I got it." I started describing what I thought but I stopped myself. I turned it around, "Instead of me saying it, you describe it. You tell me how the crowbar opened the portcullis."

Alot's player was momentarily confused, "I'll be honest. I figured a good die roll would do the trick."

I said, "Yeah, but paint me a word picture. How did it help? I have an idea but let's hear yours."

I think its important to let players have some narrative control, especially when applying game mechanics to a situation that doesn't immediately make sense.

Alot's player stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. He described how the crowbar popped the gate out of its rails in the wall. I said, "Genius! Well done! That was better than my idea!"

My idea, BTW, was simply to bend the bars wide enough to allow someone to squeeze through. His idea was far superior. 

After disabling the portcullis Alot turned to the heavy stone doors of the main entrance. He used a hammer and some iron spikes to wedge the door permanently open. 

He took a look outside. He saw the boats carrying the forces of Saltmarsh approaching. They would be here in a little over a minute. 

Arrival of Kepmak

The large four-armed Baron Kepmak entered the barracks opposite the party. He walked slowly and cautiously into the room. He was accompanied by eight of his finest champions. He carried a javelin in one of his four hands that occasionally sparked and arced with the ground, briefly illuminating the monstrous sahuagin noble and the room still filled with over a dozen warriors. 

The warriors cleared a path in front of the baron. 

Bordar slew the last remaining sahuagin with which he was engaged. There was no one between him and the baron.

Bordar said to the others, "Hey, he's got a javelin of lightning too, just like mine!"

Craig said, "Bordar, that javelin of lightning IS yours."

Bordar looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Aella explained, "Remember when we were running away from this place yesterday? You threw your javelin but didn't pick it up. That is YOUR javelin of lightning - the one you left!"

Bordar's eyes narrowed in anger, "Oh, that sumbitch must PAY!"

Craig grabbed Bordar by the back of his collar, "Yeah, but right now, let's withdraw to the corridor and get some cover."

Baron Kepmak continued to approach.

Not a Good Round for Kepmak

Aella, Bordar, and Craig had withdrawn to the corridor. Captain Baylore came jogging down the corridor from the entrance, "What's going on?"

Craig darted across the opening to the barracks to the other side of the corridor. Baron Kepmak saw the dwarf and threw his javelin of lightning. 

He missed and the javelin stuck into the wall. 

DM Note-

Dammit! So disappointing!

Craig filled Captain Baylore in on what was going on, "There's a big guy in there and he looks tough."

Baylore made a quick glance around the corner to assess the situation. He rolled his eyes, "Is that all? Okay, follow my lead!"

Baylore withdrew into the darkness. Suddenly he stepped in front of Baron Kepmak and delivered a severe strike to the fish-man's solar plexus. 

Baron Kepmak staggered backwards. He stood still, unable to move or breathe. 

Baylore turned to the others and said, "He's all yours". He sauntered back to the corridor brushing off his hands.

Aella withdrew a scroll and opened it. Although she could see in the total darkness of the sahuagin lair her vision couldn't discern the words on the scroll. 

DM Note-

I ruled that you can't read in dim light. 

I swear I read that somewhere. Maybe 4th edition. I honestly can't find it now but I swear I remember it.

Aella's player cried foul and said that she could read in moonlight or dim firelight. I apologized and said my ruling stood. Even if its not RAW, its my interpretation and it makes it more interesting. 

Bordar was angry. He hurled both his magical axes - Fate and Fury - at the stunned baron. They missed and clanged to the floor. He reached to his back and withdrew a javelin.

It crackled to life with sparks of electricity.

DM Note-

Me: "Hey! I said you don't have your javelin of lightning. I was serious."

Bordar's Player: (chuckling) "Oh, but this is my OTHER javelin of lightning!"

Me: "I thought Alot had it!"

Alot's Player: "Nope, I gave mine to him after we escaped. He's legit."

Me: "Oh. Oh ho ho. That's awesome!"

Bordar pointed the javelin at Baron Kepmak. Lightning arced and danced off his hands.

It was enough light for Aella to read the scroll. She stepped forward and spoke aloud the incantation. Baron Kepmak, still stunned from Baylore's strike, became enveloped in magical force. He was held tight. 

Baron Kepmak's champions ran to his aid. They charged at Bordar but were unable to stop his throw.

Bordar hurled the javelin over the heads of the baron's champions. The javelin struck the baron. Lightning exploded and ran in a line back to Bordar's outstretched hands. 

Baron Kepmak shuddered and convulsed before falling to the floor dead. His charred corpse lay lifeless on the ground steaming.

Alot Covers the Flank

The Portcullis ran past Oceanus down a corridor leading to the armory room. The corridor was protected by two warriors armed with spears and two heavy fighters armed with hammers. Alot drew his own hammer and dove into the defenders. 

The four sahuagin defended their stronghold with a dedication and ferocity Alot had never before witnessed. His magical hammer was a blur of motion during the pitched battle with the four fish-men. 

The two hammer-wielding sahuagin put up the strongest defense. There they managed to hold Alot at bay for nearly an entire minute. 

Ultimately the four sahuagin lay on the floor dead but Alot had been brutally injured. His mechanical gears strained. His metal bones were fractured. Artificial blood ran out the gaps in his heavy draconic plate armor in iridescent rivulets. 

He paused for a moment to catch his breath. He heard a loud electric zap echo down the corridor ahead. Something big had happened. He regained his composure and ran towards the fight.

DM Note-

Alot has an Armor Class of 25. Let me repeat that for clarity: TWENTY-FIVE. Alot's player built him and has developed him over time as an experiment in maximizing armor class. 

I can only hit him with a natural twenty - or by warriors with advantage who have been blessed. He is nigh invulnerable and is unaccustomed to taking any damage whatsoever. 

Luckily, against enemies with less than their full hit points, sahuagin attack with advantage. 

Last week I did eight points of damage to Alot and he was still injured. Each sahuagin got two to three attack with advantage - so I got four to six chances to roll a natural twenty per sahuagin. 

This added up and I was able to score multiple hits against him! Every time I hit Alot I did a little dance in front of my computer and the other players came to enjoy my celebration.

Then I reduced Alot to half his maximum hit points - he was "bloodied". I was so excited! I did an extra-special celebratory dance! 

I bloodied Alot! Mister Twenty-Five Armor Class! Bloodied! 

I was so happy!

Victory

There was an audible gasp that swept through the ranks of the sahuagin warriors. Their leader, Baron Kepmak, was dead. They froze in panic. A few turned and fled.

Those champions that were still engaged with Bordar, Craig, and Baylore at the entrance continued to fight. They fought to the death in search of vengeance for their fallen leader.

The champions in the room retreated slowly and covered the escape of the other sahuagin as they began to flee out the exit at the back of the room. So many were fleeing that they formed a clog at the exit.

Having defeated the champions at the entrance, Bordar and Baylore moved farther into the room. They allowed the champions to slowly cover the retreat. 

Baylore moved to the exit to the left that led to the armory. There he met Alot. 

The party was reunited. They could hear the shouts of armored fighting men charging past the vestibule at the main entrance. The sound of fighting in other chambers soon echoed down every corridor. 

Duke Obertus Feldren, Marshall of Seaton, and his daughter Lemundo charged into armory and barracks. Commander Fireborn, wearing the armor of an officer of Keoland, hobbled right behind them on his prosthetic leg.  

They met Captain Baylore and his crew and clasped hands. 

Captain Baylore and the crew of the Sea Ghost had been relieved. They had accomplished their mission and had cleared the way for an easy retaking of the lizard-folk stronghold.

The battle was won, they could rest.

To be Continued...

Final Outcome

Baron Kepmak defeated = 25 victory points

Opening the gate = 15 victory points

Blademaster Mahakat defeated = 10 victory points

Coral Smahsers, 5 points each x 8 = 40 victory points

Champions, 3 points each x 9 = 27 victory points

Warriors, 1 point each x 45! = 45 victory points

Total score = 162 victory points

The Final Assault , Part 1 - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 46

Oceanus emerged from the sea and climbed a ladder onto the docks of Saltmarsh. His people, the Sea Elves of Manaan, had been excluded from the Marsh Alliance due to the king's treachery but he was an honorary member of the Marsh Water tribe of lizard-folk. He had been given a reptile name. He was honor-bound to serve Princess Orthokent's alliance. King Pelagius could rot in Hell! 

He saw a ship approaching from the west, back lit by the setting sun. As it came closer he gritted his teeth in recognition - it was the Sea Ghost. He had once been assigned by King Pelagius to investigate the Sea Ghost due to its strange and mysterious journeys along the coast near his homeland. During his investigation he learned that the crew was smuggling weapons. He was captured and imprisoned in a small compartment on the ship. He cursed his time within the hold but remembered fondly meeting his fellow prisoner - the automaton Sentinel named Alot Aname. 

As the ship came into port Oceanus was relieved to see his friend Alot on the deck of the ship accompanied by Aella the storm sorceress - the half-elf eldest child of King Pelagius and therefore his future monarch. He had not seen them for several months - not since the king assassinated the koalinth delegate at the Marsh Games. The thought of his king's treachery once again brought shame to Oceanus.

Soldiers were waiting for the crew of the Sea Ghost. Alot and Aella, as well as their other new colleagues, were whisked away to a tall structure at the center of town. Oceanus hurried to catch up.

CHAPTER 46

"THE FINAL ASSAULT, PART 1"

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.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright.  

Special Guest Star:

• Oceanus - Neutral Good, Sea Elf and friend of Aella and Alot.

DM Note- 

A friend of mine is interested in using Roll20 so he asked if he could sit in on a game to see how it worked. He also wanted to play so I let him play Oceanus. 

Planning the Assault

Oceanus joined the crowd of warriors consisting of a mix of humans, lizard-folk, mer-folk, and locathah in the town hall. He watched as Princess Orthokent personally thanked Aella and Alot's and the crew of the Sea Ghost for their daring raid. She asked them what they learned.

They each took turns describing the layout of the stronghold - noting the changes the sahuagin had made since taking it from the lizard-folk. Captain Baylore of the Sea Ghost described the inhabitants he saw in each chamber. He listed the defenses and provided an estimate of the number of sahuagin troops on hand. Princess Orthokent asked about the location of the sahuagin empress. Baylore admitted that he didn't see the empress but indicated the location of the throne room occupied by the baron in charge of the base.

Princess Orthokent once again thanked them and turned the meeting over to Eliander Fireborn, commander of the allied forces. Eliander told the assembly that there was no time to lose. The alliance would set sail for the final assault at once. The forces of Keoland from Saltmarsh and Seaton would sail by ship and would attack the upper entrance across the causeway. The combined forces of the allied lizard-folk tribes, the locathah, and mer-folk would attack the lower entrance underwater. They would set sail immediately so that the assault could begin at dawn - when the nocturnal sahuagin normally slept.

Commander Fireborn said that the crew of the Sea Ghost had the most experience with the the interior of stronghold and asked Captain Baylore and the crew if they would lead the assault as an advance force. The remaining forces from Saltmarsh and Seaton would follow a few minutes behind. 

"Your mission will be to spend those minutes clearing a path for the invasion behind you. Kill as many of the enemy as you can. Target the higher ranking the sahuagin. The more damage we can do to their elites and their leaders the easier it will be for the rest of us during the assault."

Captain Baylore said it would be an honor but admitted that the entrance was protected by a thick stone door and a portcullis. It would be difficult to enter. 

Newly invested Baron Anders Solmor interrupted. He said he could help. He had recently acquired twelve magical potions - six that would render the drinker invisible and six that would turn the drinker  into a cloud of magical fog. He offered them to the crew to allow them entry. 

"But there are literally only five of you," noted Baron Solmor, "What about the sixth potions?"

"Give them to me!" said Oceanus from the crowd, "Let me join you in the assault! That is, if you'll have me!"

The crew of the Sea Ghost greeted Oceanus warmly and gave him a place in their party. 

The Assault Begins

The allied fleet, led by the Sea Ghost, sailed west that night along the coast of the Hool Marsh. The fleet anchored off shore from the tall rocky island stronghold of the sahuagin. Soon a floatilla of landing craft and long-boats carried over a hundred soldiers to the landing of the causeway that connected the shore to the above-water entrance. The allied forces established a base-camp and the landing of the causeway and formed up for their assault. 

DM Note-

Baylore's player told the others, "Okay, I have a plan." And he laid out his plan and listened to alternatives. His plan was agreed on and set into motion.

I later told him I thought his plan was going to be, "Okay, I have a plan. Everybody else stay out here. I'll be back in five minutes."

He said that WAS an option. 

I also pointed out that while in gaseous form they wouldn't be able to communicate with each other. Baylore said that he was carrying Shern the telepathic lobster and that as long as everyone stayed within ten feet Shern would act as a communications node. Baylore would transmit a visual image of what he wanted to Sher and Shern would share that with image with the other members of the party. 

I thought that was pretty inventive so I didn't spend a lot of time poking holes in it. 

The B-Team prepared to lead the way. They organized their formation and crossed the causeway. Once they were outside the stone door they each drank a magical potion. They turned into vaguely humanoid gaseous shapes and oozed through the cracks around the door. 

They found that the entrance had been reinforced with half a dozen sahuagin warriors and a commanding officer. The defenders marveled at the fog as it poured through the cracks and slithered towards the portcullis as if directed by some unseen force. They grabbed their spears and began jabbing at the gaseous shapes. 

It was then that the intruders discovered that they were not impervious to harm while in their gaseous state. They could feel the stabbing spears and experienced the pain of being impaled even as the attacks caused no visible injury. 

The B-Team endured the attacks and pushed through to the portcullis. 

One through the portcullis the B-Team resumed solid form and fanned out. Craig and Aella took the right flank while Oceanus, Alot, and Bordar pushed forward to the left. Captain Baylore moved around the room at random, emerging from the shadows to attack individual sahuagin warriors. The team was unable to stop sahuagin guards stationed at the exits from escaping to warn their fellows. 

Captain Baylore and Bordar pushed down the corridor leading to the armory and held the line at a left turn in the corridor. The corridor contained another dozen guards who readied themselves behind cover in preparation for an attack. Aella and Bordar made tentative forays into the room but were attacked by the prepared defenders. 

DM Note-

I misread the rules for the Ready action. For some reason I thought it said:

Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger.

-and in my mind that included their full action - move and attack. 

So the defending sahuagin were hiding behind cover, moving out to attack, then moving back behind cover. The players did not like that so a stand-off developed and the players ultimately opted to back up and take a different route. 

After the game, I looked it up and the whole section reads:

Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. 

I apologized to the group for my error. As compensation I'll be awarding some additional victory points.

Meanwhile, back in the portcullis room, Craig said a prayer to Saint Ogden and was surrounded by a maelstrom of glowing hammers. Sahuagin backed away from him to avoid the spiritual attack but he moved around the room following them. A few hardy defenders charged Craig in an attempt to end his concentration but they failed. 

Alot was locked in deadly combat with the sahuagin commanding officer. The two traded blows but the officer was unable to do much to the heavily armored automaton. Alot ultimately defeated the officer with assistance from Oceanus'. 

Subterfuge

The defenders of the portcullis room were eventually defeated but reinforcements could be heard running down all three corridors that led into the room. Baylore ordered the others to form up and use the magical dust of disappearance to become invisible. 

"What about Craig?" said Alot.

"Don't worry about me!" said the dwarf, "I can't get close to you. You aren't exempt from my spiritual guardians! I'll drink my potion!"

The team retreated into the room and formed a tight group. Alot threw the packet of dust into the air. The sparkly dust fell upon them and they became invisible. 

Craig moved to the corridor to the right. Several sahuagin were blocking passage about thirty feet away. They retreated as Craig, surrounded by his spiritual whirlwind, advanced down the corridor. The others moved invisibly behind him. 

The defending guards from the armory moved into the portcullis room but were unable to locate any of the invisible intruders. They were soon joined by the second wave of sahuagin guards from the left corridor. 

The B-Team was now strung out down the corridor to the right but no one knew where the others were located. Captain Baylore was far out in front of the group - scouting ahead and locating sahuagin defenses. Craig was engaged with two defenders in the hallway. Bordar was moving stealthily down the corridor behind him followed by Alot and Oceanus. Aella was still making her way out of the Portcullis room as the defenders from the armory searched around for invisible invaders.

More defenders prepared for them.

To Be Continued...

DM Note-

I paused the game at round 10. The invasion began around 9pm. From 9pm - midnight we managed ten rounds of combat. 

I followed the book's instructions and didn't tell them how long they had before the assault began. However, by NOT telling them it removed the sense of urgency. As a result I told them after the session that they had used up 10 rounds of the total 30. That way they have a motivation to ignore the little guys and target the high scoring big bads.

And finally, I realized after the game that I absent-mindedly deleted some of the sahuagin tokens to clear room. I shouldn't have done that because they count towards the party score tally at the end. I'll just have to assign +2d4  points  at the end to accommodate the missing points.  

The Accidental Emancipation of a Psychic Lobster - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 45

The team had covered themselves in magic dust that made them invisible in order to covertly explore and map the stronghold of the sahuagin fish-men. 

Captain Baylore had just finished mapping the lowest level and returned to the group waiting for him on the second level. The dust had worn off and they were once again visible. They floated underwater cloaked in darkness. 

Baylore recounted all that he saw and Aella updated the maps given to the team by the lizard-folk based on Baylore's description.

Suddenly there was a clamor from down a nearby corridor. Some sahuagin were hissing and gurgling in alarm. They were swimming as fast as they could into the audience chamber. Whatever it was that upset him was urgent and very important.

Had the team been discovered? They did leave a lot of dead bodies at the entrance on the first level. 

They were about to find out.

CHAPTER 45

"THE ACCIDENTAL EMANCIPATION OF A PSYCHIC LOBSTER"

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.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright.  

The Way Out

It was obvious that a group of sahuagin had rushed to report something important to the four-armed leader in the nearby throne-room around the corner. No one in the party could speak the language of the sahuagin so they didn't know what was being reported.

"Are we discovered?" inquired Alot.

"I don't know," said Captain Baylore, "Its likely that someone discovered our little massacre at the entrance. Whatever, we got what we came fore. Let's get out of here. Aella, how do we get back to the entrance?"

"What about the secret escape tunnel?" said the half-elf sorceress.

"The what?"

"Its here on the lizard-folk map. Its down on the third level where you said the torture chamber was. Its closer to us than the entrance."

Captain Baylore considered the route, "I don't like it. There were a lot of sahuagin down there. We know for sure there weren't many on the first level. Lets go back the way we came."

They could breathe thanks to magic potions of water breathing. Captain Baylore and Aella each wore a magical cloak that resembled a manta ray. The cloaks propelled them through the water as if they were flying. As an automaton Alot had been modified to operate underwater. Bordar wore a magical ring that allowed them to swim quickly despite being a dwarf. Craig, unfortunately, had only the potion. He moved sluggishly through the water. Captain Baylore resorted to carrying the the dwarf to prevent him from slowing everyone else down.

With that the team retraced their path towards the stairs leading up to the first level. 

Battle at the Stairs

The gallery containing the stairs up had three sahuagin guards posted at each of the four entrances. Each unit of guards were also accompanied by an trained attack shark clad in battle armor. 

Baylore shouted, "Go! Go! Move fast! Get up the stairs! I'll stop them from getting reinforcements!" The pirate captain stepped into a shadow and mysteriously reappeared across the gallery next to one of the far pair of guards. 

The automaton warrior Alot joined the dwarf berserker Bordar in fighting the pair of guards at the entrance. 

The trio on the stairs and one each from each of the pairs at the flanking entrances rushed to join their companions in blocking the intruders from entering the room. One each of the remaining guards at each of the flanking entrances fled to get assistance while the last guard and one shark blocked the entrance in order to defend their flight. 

Baylore moved quickly and dispatched the guard blocking his path but it was too late. The fleeing guards had rounded the corner and were out of sight. 

"They're going to bring help. Let's go! Now!"

Craig said a prayer to Saint Ogden the dwarven defender of the dead. Suddenly the entire gallery drained of all water. Baylore could feel the water rushing past him. The gallery was wet but now filled with air. The amphibious sahuagin warriors had to balance themselves on the floor but soon regained their footing. Their attack sharks, however, flopped helplessly on the floor, their mouths gasping and gills flapping. 

Alot and Bordar finally pushed their way into the air-filled gallery. They soon had the sahuagin routed but they could see more of them approaching down the corridors. The fleeing guards grabbed their attack sharks and carried them to the wall of water so that they might survive.

DM Note-

The players liked that touch. They appreciated that the sahuagin cared about their shark pets or at least appreciated the time and effort that went into training them.

Captain Baylore instructed the others to wait for a moment. He wanted to check the room above before they ascended the stairs. He stealthily took a quick look. The room still contained nearly a dozen slaves chained together and digging at a rock wall. The room was guarded by half a dozen sahuagin, a commander, and a priestess. The sound of the digging tools ringing off stone was loud enough to mask the recent battle at the foot of the stairs. 

He returned and gathered everyone together. He told them his plan.

The Unfinished Room

Captain Baylore stealthily advanced up the stairs. He closed his eyes in concentration and the area around the top of the stairs was plunged into a cloud of inky blackness which blinded the sahuagin.

At that moment, the rest of the team crept up the stairs behind him. Craig released the pocket of air and allowed the water to rush back into the gallery below. He then said another prayer and the entire gallery became engulfed in a great whirlpool. Any creature that entered the gallery had to fight the chaotic current of the maelstrom. 

The team held hands and gathered together. Bordar poured a packet of Dust of Disappearance over the assembled team and they became invisible. Together they climbed the stairs as a group. the level above was above the water line. They were all dripping wet but were no longer underwater.

Baylore dispelled the darkness surrounding them. The sahuagin had surrounded the darkness with spears at the ready but were surprised to find no intruders! Unfortunately, the exit was still blocked. 

Baylore broke away from the huddled group. He stepped into a shadow and mysteriously re-emerged near a sahuagin who appeared to be a priestess of some kind. Baylore was now visible and his sudden appearance caused great alarm among the Sahuagin. His plan was to draw the guards away from the door so that the others could exit. 

Baylore pointed towards the stairs and the illusion of Bordar the dwarf came bursting into the room. The illusory dwarf charged the sahuagin near Baylore. 

Several sahuagin rushed Baylore and the illusory Bordar. The illusion vanished. The priestess was forced to disengage from Baylore while the other guards attacked.

Then Alot and the real Bordar attacked the guards at the exit and the plan fell apart. 

Instead of being patient waiting in stealth for an opening, everyone abandoned their invisibility by attacking or casting spells. Baylore cursed.

Aealla called forth a magical tidal wave that crashed into the sahuagin guarding the door. This caused her to become visible. The half-elf was surrounded and was quickly overwhelmed. She was blocked on all sides and she was having difficulty avoiding the sahuagin spears. 

One of the guards at the exit slipped away to go get help, opening a path through to the corridor.

Alot shouted back to Aella, "Do you need me to help?"

The disembodied voide of Craig the dwarf, the only member of the team still invisible, ran past Alot into the corridor beyond, "No, she's got it. Watch this."

Aella cowered with her arms over her head. Suddenly lightning began to crackle around her. The sahuagin paused in their attack and backed up. The storm sorceress slowly stood up, wreathed in lightning, he eyes glowing with energy. She was angry.

Aella disappeared in a peal of thunder and a cloud of steam. Great arcs of lightning struck down all the enemies surrounding her. They fell to the ground dead. Aella simultaneously appeared in another peal of thunder behind Craig. 

Alot stared in disbelief. 

Craig said, "I knew it." He said a prayer of healing and became visible. "How are you feeling?"

Aella gave the dwarf a high five, "Much better! Let's go!"

Bordar and Alot, having defeated the guards at the door, hesitated. Alot asked the captain if he needed any help with the others.

Baylore's voice revealed his frustration, "Do whatever you want! I'm done giving orders! If you're not going to follow the plan and go you might as well just kill these guys. I don't care!"

Alot got the hint and joined the others in the corridor.

Bordar said, "Do you have any packets? We need to become invisible again."

Baylore disengaged from the sahuagin and rejoined his team.

Alot, still uncertain about the path ahead, continued to ask questions, "Which way should we go? That way towards the second guard post or back the way we came? What are we doing? Should we wait for the captain?"

Baylore glared at the automaton, "Whatever! Just sprinkle the damn dust!"

Alot sprinkled the team with another packet of dust and they became invisible. Immediately afterwards the pursuing sahuagin came around the corner. They had to decide go left or right? They chose the path to the left, abandoning the corridor with the invisible intruders. 

DM Note-

I rolled randomly which route the guards would take. They chose the wrong one.

The Exit

The party, once again invisible and holding on to each other's hands to stay together, followed Aella's lead down the corridor and towards the guard room where they entered the stronghold. 

As they neared the room they could see two sahuagin standing guard at the entrance. They could hear others around the corner within the room. 

The team paused to work out their strategy.

Bordar said, "Right! I'm charging in!" and began stomping off the wrong way.

Baylore quickly grabbed the invisible dwarf and hissed, "Bordar! The other way!"

There was a pause followed by, "Ah, got it. Let's go!"

There was the stomping of boots as Bordar and Alot charged the two guards blocking the entrance, losing their invisibility as they attacked. 

The room was filled with nearly ten sahuagin who quickly converged on the entrance to block their escape. 

Bordar threw his javelin of lightning across the room at the commander. He spoke the command word and a bolt of lightning danced from the commander, his two lieutenants, and two guards, to his outstretched hand. 

Alot and Bordar fought a hard slog through the defenders trying to block their escape. The rest of the team was hampered by being trapped behind them in the corridor beyond

They eventually opened a hole through the choke point and moved into the room where they could engage with the sahuagin commander. 

The portcullis leading to the exit was closed. It would have to be opened for any chance of escape.

The bodies of fallen sahuagin were piling onto the floor but the commander and his remaining two lieutenants put up a hard fight but were eventually defeated.

The Great Escape

The sound of wet feet slapping on the stone floors could be heard from two of the corridors leading to the room. Reinforcements were coming. 

Captain Baylore reiterated the need to escape through the closed portcullis. Alot and Craig both tried to lift the portcullis but failed. Bordar began turning the large crank that raised the portcullis but the going was slow. 

The reinforcements arrived - a dozen fresh sahuagin guards accompanied by two priestesses. 

Bordar had raised the portcullis just enough to crawl before he was paralyzed by a dark prayer uttered by a sahuagin priestess.

Alot, Craig, and Aella crawled beneath the portcullis and made their way to the partially submerged causeway. 

Baylore grabbed the immobilized Bordar and dragged him under the portcullis. 

They were pursued by two guards. Baylore held the guards at bay while Bordar regained control of his body and joined the others just outside the exit.

Bordar shouted, "Quickly! Who's got a packet of dust?"

Craig replied, "I do, but the Captain's not with us!"

Captain Baylore shouted, "Don't worry about me! Use the dust and go!"

Craig sprinkled dust on the gathered group. They became invisible. Thanks to the potions they drank earlier they could still breathe water so they dove into the sea. 

Baylore disengaged from the guards and dove into the water. Thanks to his magical mata ray cloak the sahuagin pursuers had no chance of catching him. 

As they fled a priestess shouted at them in Common, "Thieves! Intruders! Flee! Flee! But know you this! You have stolen the Empress' prize fighting Lobster! For this crime you will find no rest, no peace, no succor until it is returned unharmed! The Empress will have her vengeance!" 

To be Continued...

Next week- The Assault on the Stronghold!

The Stronghold of the Sahuagin - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 44

Aella, the half-elf storm sorceress, shook her head as she emerged from the "Brain Jellies". She was in an underground corridor that reeked of fish. Alot and Bordar were peering around a corner anxiously watching a corridor with weapons ready. "Where are we? What's going on?"

Craig Oxworth, the dwarven shipwright, held his finger to his lips, "We're infiltratin' the stronghold of the sahuagin - the one what used to be the home of the lizard-folk. Its pretty empty so far. Here are some maps the lizard-folk gave us. They're very incomplete. This corridor here now links up to this room and there are some new rooms here."

Aella looked at the crude maps and rolled her eyes, "These are garbage. Give me that quill. Where's Captain Baylore?"

"He's scoutin' ahead. He's the stealthy one so he goes ahead to the end of the corridor and comes back to get us if its safe."

Aella shot Craig a suspicious look, "If it's SAFE?"

"Yeah. This is a scoutin' mission. We're not supposed to start killin' everything if we can help it. We're supposed t' revised the map, make a note of how many soldiers and leaders they got, and get get the info back to Saltmarsh so the assault can begin proper. If we're discovered, it could jeopardize the whole thing."

Aella looked out into the dark. Captain Baylore was returning. "Then what does the Captain need us for? He could probably accomplish this mission better by himself."

CHAPTER 44

"THE STRONGHOLD OF THE SAHUAGIN"

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.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright.  

Level One

Captain Baylore briefed the rest of the team on what he saw before exploring another corridor. He encountered the sound of digging tools hitting stone and the strong aromas of lizard, orc, and fish. He paused to briefly inspect a room on the right filled with supplies before looking around the corner to the left. He found a dozen slaves - mostly orcs and lizard-folk - digging and expanding an unfinished chamber. They were being supervised by a handful of sahuagin fish-men. He spotted a set of descending stairs behind a low wall.

Down another corridor he spotted another guard post. He could make out a portcullis just beyond

He retreated and conferred with the team. They had sufficient packets of the magical dust of disappearance that they could all slip past. However, they had no idea what to expect.

They decided to finish exploring this level before they descended to the next. They retraced their steps and looped back around. They took a previously unexplored corridor with three unoccupied officers quarters. The corridor eventually connected with the guard post with the portcullis. 

After further conference it was decided that Captain Baylore would descend to the second level alone in order to scout ahead. 

Level Two

Bordar sprinkled Baylore with some more magical dust and the pirate captain disappeared. He easily slipped past the overseers and workers and descended the stairs. 

To his surprise the level below them was flooded. 

He drew the hood of his magical Cloak of the Manta Ray over head head and descended into the water. The cloak not only allowed him to survive underwater without the need to breathe, it propelled him effortlessly through the water like its namesake.

He quickly scouted around the corridors at the bottom of the stairs. He put on a magic ring he had acquired from the Loyal Quartermasters of Iuz. The ring allowed him to see through objects like doors or boxes. He noted some occupied officers' quarters and a staging area where a group of sahuagin fish-men were preparing to go on patrol. Down another corridor he found a large temple where a group of priestesses were performing a ritual to appease a massive two-headed shark. 

Shern the Lobster

Baylore looked into a side room and saw that it was filled with coral, anemones, starfish, and other small sea life. He was prepared to move on when he sensed a presence within his mind.

"Hello there" said the voice inside his head, a strange voice that was not his own. He visualized a mental picture of himself entering the room. 

Baylore paused and examined the room, "Uh, hello?"

Baylore engaged in a kind of conversation with the alien voice within his head. A few thought were communicated as a kind of language mixed with mental images.

"Uh, what are you?" inquired Baylore.

"I don't know. I call myself Shern. What are you? I can't see you." was the reply.

"I am invisible. My name is Baylore. I am a human. Could you maybe come forward?"

A large lobster crawled into the center of the room and considered Baylore. Baylore thought, "
Don't be alarmed, I'm going to pick you up. Are you Shern?"

"I am." was the reply. 

Baylore asked, "Where did you come from?"

Shern replied with images of his memory at sea. The lobster then shared his memories of being captured by the sahuagin and forced to fight other lobsters for their entertainment. Shern's memories recounted how he escaped and made his way to this room where he had been hiding. 

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" inquired Baylore.

"Escape," replied Shern. 

"You bet, little buddy.  I'm going to put you in this sack. You will be safe and hidden. Is that okay?"

"Yes."

Baylore put Shern in a bag and quickly returned to report to the others. 

Aella, Bordar, and Craig each drank a magic potion that allowed them to breathe normally underwater. Alot was a mechanical automaton and had no need to breathe. They sprinkled invisibility powder on themselves and sneaked past the guard to descend the stairs. 

The rest of the team was much slower than Baylore underwater so the captain struck off down a corridor on the other side of the temple while the others took a different corridor to the right. 

A Close Call

Since the team was invisible, they each held onto the belt of the person in front of them as Aella led the way. 

The corridor revealed another barracks where a group of sahuagin soldiers were preparing to go on patrol. The patrol began to exit the room towards the corridor in which the team stood! 

Aella turned and urgently whispered to her invisible companions, "Get back! Quickly!" They scrambled invisibly back down the corridor as fast as they could. Craig the dwarf whispered in a panic, "Wait! Wait!" Aella grabbed the invisible dwarf and carried him down the corridor. Her magical ring of swimming propelled her and her dwarven cargo faster than the dwarf could manage on his own.

The two sahuagin in the front rank of the formation held up their webbed hands to pause the procession. There was some kind of commotion and some cavitation created by the fleeing intruders but their invisibility shielded them from view. 

The two sahuagin scanned the corridor. Unable to spot anything else unusual they eventually proceeded towards the stairs down which the team had descended.

DM Note-

The patrol was going up to level one but the players didn't know that. As they quickly retreated I asked them which way they wanted to retreat. Luckily they chose the corridor to the right because the patrol took the left towards the stairs. Not only that but the two sahuagin scanning the corridor each made perception checks but rolled miserably! 

Once the procession has passed Baylore checked in with the others. He told Aella what he had found so she could update the map. 

The team proceeded down a corridor to the right. A long corridor branched to the left. A set of stairs descended ahead of them.

Baylore told the others to wait while he explored the corridor to the right. He found a side room filled with armored attack sharks and kept going. He entered a long dining hall. He could hear noises down the large corridor to the right. 

He peeked within and saw a large ornate chamber - an audience hall or throne room. A muscular four-armed sahuagin sat upon the throne hearing the burbling and hissing entreaties of a bowing supplicant before him. Baylore didn't need to know the language to know someone was begging for forgiveness. 

Baylore noted the number of guards and armored attack sharks in the wings of the room and returned to the others. 

Baylore told the others to wait here. He would descend the to the level beneath them and map the entire level.

Level Three

Baylore looked into the room below and saw a sahuagin wizard and severl officers. Several sahuagin dozed as they floated within a small forest of long kelp. 

Baylore mysteriously appeared from a shadow on the far side of the room. He looked into an adjacent room and found a cage with two large fighting fish. Shern asked Baylore to free them but Baylore apologized and said he'd come back for them.

Baylore once again disappeared into a shadow and reappeared near the exit. He was still invisible for now. He knew he had only a few minutes so he had to move fast.

He stepped from shadow to shadow, disappearing and reappearing, all while invisible. He utilized his magic ring of X-Ray vision to peer through the door, note the contents of a room, and quickly move on.

He spied a dungeon to his right. He saw a locathah prisoner being tortured.

Baylore silently said to himself, "Sorry guy. You're not why I'm here."

He continued to move. He found a chamber filled with attack sharks and some stairs ascending to level two. 

He swam back and heard cheering down a side corridor to his left. He took a quick look. It was a large arena hollowed out of the rock in a diamond shape. Dozens of sahuagin were watching two warriors settling a dispute. He quickly dipped back and continued down the corridor.

He made a note of a barracks with six soldiers and two spell-casters. He then found a guard post with a closed portcullis. The guard post was sparsely manned. Baylore simply disappeared into the darkness and reappeared from a shadow on the far side of the portcullis.

Baylore came across a massive unfinished chamber with a long terrace. The limited visibility of his dark-vision allowed to see only a few dozen sahuagin sleeping in kelp beds but he could sense that the room was much larger. 

Uncertain how much time he had left before the dust of disappearance wore off, he retraced his steps and rejoined his companions on the second level.

Intruder Alert

The dust had worn off by the time he returned and everyone was now visible. They floated in the water at the top of the stairs leading down to the third level. 

Baylore recounted all that he saw and Aella updated the maps given to the team by the lizard-folk based on Baylore's description.

Suddenly there was a clamor from down a nearby corridor. Some sahuagin were hissing and gurgling in alarm. They were swimming as fast as they could into the audience chamber. Whatever it was that upset him was urgent and very important.

Had the team been discovered? They did leave a lot of dead bodies at the entrance on the first level. 

They were about to find out.

To be Continued...

DM Note-

Only later did I see that the doors in the complex were three inches thick and made of stone. That's too thick for Baylore's ring of X-Ray vision. Oh well.

Baylore pretty much soloed this entire dungeon. He's got the best stealth, the Cloak of the Manta Ray, and can teleport through shadows as a bonus action. The others were holding him back. 

I was worried the other players would become bored. I allowed Aella's player to continue mapping while Baylore explored. The maps above are what she compiled. I later told the other players about my concern and at least one of them said Baylore going on his own was their decision as a group and it made the most sense so they had no problem with it.

We're taking July 3rd off but we'll be back in two weeks with the escape from the Stronghold of the Sahuagin!  

The Final Enemy - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 43

The closing ceremonies of the Inaugural Games of the Aquatic Alliance were a muted somber affair. The event had not had the effect that Princess Orthokent intended. She had hoped to strengthen her fragile alliance. However, due to the murder of the koalinth delegation by the quessari sea elves of the tribe of Manaan, she was instead forced to sever ties with her hopeful allies the quessari and had lost valuable military support from the fearsome koalinth. The remaining factions - the merfolk, locathah, bullywugs, and other lizardfolk tribes, had become uneasy. 

In the weeks after the games the crew of the Sea Ghost had returned to their daily lives. Captain Baylore oversaw the completion of the repairs of the ruined abbey on Leper Island. Although it had dispensed with the pretense of being a monastery of cloistered monks of Procan it still served it long-time purpose - a place where smugglers and pirates could fence their stolen wares. In his spare time he completed his study of poisons and the use of a poisoner's kit. 

Two months after the closing ceremonies Captain Baylore received a summons. The services of his crew had been requested by the newly appointed Baron of Saltmarsh - Anders Solmor. 

The crew of the Sea Ghost sailed to the nearby town of Saltmarsh. When they arrived they were surprised to find a contingent of merfolk warriors and locathah hunters in the Kingfisher river. There were also several camps of lizardfolk outside of town representing various clans from the Hool Marsh and the Drowned Forest. 

Inside the town council hall was gathered representatives from each of the factions plus several military generals from Seaton, Captain of the Saltmarsh town guard Eliander Fireborn, Duke Obertus Feldren, Baron Anders Solmor, Gil, spokesperson for the locathah, King Gulpa'Gor of the Bullywugs, King Lir of the Merfolk, King Kosj of the Marsh Water clan of lizardfolk, and his daughter Princess Orthokent - ruler of the Marsh Water clan.

Baron Solmor thanked them for coming. He told them that Princess Orthokent had gathered everyone together to make an announcement. 

The room hushed as she stepped forward and began.

 “The Sahuagin have made a critical error and the time for our attack has come.

The information brought to us by the bullywug spies pinpoint the exact date the sahuagin are planning a full scale invasion of the Azure sea.

We also know that the accommodations for their massing forces  are not yet operational. The sahuagin forces have not yet arrived  and the unfinished fortress is relatively unprotected.

But most importantly of all, we've learnt that the Empress of the Sahuagin herself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of her fortress." 

She paused to speak the next words with appropriate gravity, "Many bullywugs died to bring us this information." 

CHAPTER 43

"THE FINAL ENEMY"

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.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright.  

The Plan

Princess Orthokent took a deep contemplative breath. She stepped aside and gestured to Captain Eliander Fireborn, "Captain Fireborn, please.”

Eliander Fireborn hobbled forward, his wooden leg clunking on the floor, "As you know, sahuagin invaded and occupied the former home of the Marsh Water tribe, displacing Princess Orthokent and her -ahem- people. That home was a rocky island in the estuary of the Javan river thirty miles to the west. For the past few months the sahuagin then used the island as a base from which to harass shipping in the region.  A few weeks ago the harassment stopped. Their forces disappeared.

"The bullywug spies confirmed our suspicions. The sahuagin forces had withdrawn to the island. In addition, we have learned that sahuagin from across the Azure sea and beyond have been summoned to the island. They will arrive in a few weeks time. 

"In addition, two weeks ago there was a massive earthquake centered on the island. The entire island sank eighty feet! This was obviously some dark magic that partially submerged the island. They are preparing for something. We believe they are massing for a full scale attack 

"We must attack the sahuagin fortress before their forces are allowed to gather. The time has come and we are planning our own attack. What we don't know is how many forces are currently gathered within the fortress and where we should target our forces. 

"That's where you come in. We need you to infiltrate the sahuagin fortress. Once inside you have four objectives.

1. Determine the strength of the sahuagin force: how many warriors. lieutenants. and other battle-ready troops are present.
2. Locate important areas within the fortress: where are the warriors barracked. the officers quartered, and the leaders housed.
3. Discover any significant defensive measures: traps, areas readied specifically for defense, and other dangers the attacking force must avoid or overcome.
4. Discover how advanced the sahuagin preparations are and when they might mount their first attack.

"Ambassador Sauriv will brief you on what the lizardfolk can tell you about the stronghold."

The wizened lizard-man sage known as Sauriv unfurled a crudely drawn diagram onto a table.

"The fortress was once our home before the sahuagin drove us out. When we left it consisted of a series of natural passages and caves honeycombing the interior of the island. Our home occupied a three-level cave system inside a rocky island. All three levels were once above water. Whatever lowered the island seems to have flooded it. Only the top level is now visible above the water. The main entrance to the top level is now a large cave that faces the seacoast. The two other entrances are now submerged."

Baron Solmor spoke, "This is a dangerous mission that will require you to be circumspect and discreet. Get in, accomplish the objectives, and come back and report. If you succeed, our attack will have a much stronger chance of success. As a reward, I am prepared to offer you the land on which Gellan Primewater's house once stood. You will own it outright, rent-free, to do with what you wish. So, what do you say? Are you in?"

Alot's eyes got wide, "Did you say 'rent free?'"

Captain Baylore showed no hesitation, "We're in."

The Mission Begins

The Sea Ghost set sail the following day. It was just over 32 miles to the site of the island fortress and the Sea Ghost would arrive after only six and a half hours of sailing. They set anchor east near the coast, out of sight of the island. 

Just after nightfall Captain Baylore, First Mate Alot Aname, Deck Wizard Aella, Bosun Craig Oxworth, and Bordar the ship's ballast, set out in a rowboat. They had hoped to catch the sahuagin while they were sleeping.

They put aground on the shore. To their surprise they found a causeway leading from the shore to the island fortress. The stone causeway rose just a few feet above the waves and was unpatrolled. 

They gathered close together and Baylore sprinkled a packet of magical disappearing dust over them. The now invisible group crossed the causeway to the island fortress.

They stood outside the double doors made of heavy steel. There was a small opening where someone inside could look out. It was covered by a sliding hatch on the inside. 

Baylore threw himself against the door and made a sound like an injured animal. 

The hatch slid open and an inhuman being within peered out to investigate. 

The creature within saw nothing. 

Baylore made the sound again. This time he maneuvered just to the right of the door.

The door opened as the sahuagin fish-man within popped its squamous head out to take a better look.

Assault

Baylore disappeared into a shadow and reappeared out of a wall inside the room. He was standing near a large gong suspended from the ceiling. A hammer lay against the wall nearby. 

Baylore surreptitiously picked up and concealed the hammer. 

Alot and Bordar moved stealthily into the room and towards the the corridor in the rear. They found their way blocked by an iron portcullis.

A large sahuagin fish-man, clearly the leader, stopped what he was doing and looked around suspiciously. He barked a hissing gurgling order to the others in the room and they suddenly fell quiet. He sniffed the air and held out his trident in a wary stance. He moved towards Alot and Bordar.

DM Note-

The leader was suspicious of the door and was looking around. Alot and Bordar made Dexterity (Stealth) checks with Advantage. Bordar got a 16 and Alot got 13 - his heavy armor cancelled out the Advantage. The leader rolled a Wisdom (Perception) check of 23. 

The sahuagin leader pointed at the general area of the intruders and hissed orders.  

Alot and Bordar emerged from the protection of their invisibility and attacked the leader. They made their stand with their backs to the portcullis as half a dozen fish-man warriors combined on their position. 

A heavyset sahuagin fish-man in the corner reached down for the hammer to bang the gong but it was missing. He frantically looked around for the missing hammer.

Craig blocked the entrance and said a prayer to Saint Ogden. A maelstrom of hammers appeared around him as several sahuagin fish-men rushed his position. The hammers pummeled them but a heavy-set sahuagin armed with a warhammer landed a strong blow onto Craig. The blow rattled the dwarf and he lost his concentration. He, too, was soon swarmed by sahuagin.

A sahuagin guard in the room beyond the iron portcullis rushed  to attack Alot and Bordar with his trident. A second guard pulled a lever on the wall and a weighted net dropped onto the corridor. Alot and Bordar quickly stepped aside and the net fell to the floor. 

Suddenly Baylore appeared from the gloom behind the guards. How he managed to get past the portcullis was a mystery. With the blinding speed of a trained pugilist he quickly dispatched the guards. 

Craig was doing his best to say prayers of healing for his comrades but he was having difficulty defending himself against the multiple attackers.

Alot and Bordar waged a ferocious battle against their assailants - one of whom was larger than the others and clearly their leader. Eventually, one by one, they defeated their foes and were able to come to Craig's aid.

Seeing that the battle had turned, one of the heavy-set sahuagin fighting Craig at the entrance turned and fled, diving into the water. 

Baylore quickly looked at the mechanism that raised the portcullis. It would take too long. He stepped out of sight and reappeared from a shadow outside the fortress. Baylore pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and the sides of the cloak flared out like a leathery manta ray. 

The pirate captain dove into the water and sped like an aquatic dart towards the fleeing sahuagin. 

The sahuagin turned to face his foe but a few quick strikes from Baylore were sufficient to render him unconscious.

Baylore emerged from the water carrying the unconscious sahuagin. The others were dragging the bodies into the outer guard room. Alot took his dagger and quickly dispatched any survivors by severing their spines at the neck. 

The team closed the outer door and the portcullis and hoped no one would find the dead sahuagin within. 

A Cautious Exploration

The team worked out a system for carefully exploring the complex. 

First, they covered themselves with more magical dust of disappearance. 

Second, Baylore would scout ahead. If the way was clear, he would slowly tap the wall and the others would join him. They would tap the wall indicating their presence. Then he would scout out the next section. 

To their surprise, the complex was not the network of raw caves described by the lizard-folk. The passage was straight and smooth showing finished work by skilled workers.

As they explored to the left they found an empty room used as temporary storage. Digging and finishing tools were left propped up against the wall. 

In the far distance Baylore could hear the faint sound metal tools ringing against stone indicating digging. He had difficulty placing from which direction it came. 

The team took another corridor and found themselves in a large empty room supported by pillars. Several smaller cells were attached to the room. A passage led into an attached room filled with racks of hundreds of weapons - obviously meant for the coming attack. 

Alot and Baylore struggled to think of some way they could sabotage or otherwise dispose of the weapons. Anything they could think of would be too noisy or take too long. They considered dumping them into the sea but they knew the aquatic sahuagin would simply recover them. Thus they reluctantly left the weapons for now. 

DM Note- 

By this time it was near midnight and they weren't getting close to a good action cliffhanger. So I called it a night. So, um, I guess-

To be Continued.. 

DM Note-

Okay, I want to talk about Room 4.

Dark green tiles cover the walls and floor of this room. Many lidless coffers rest against the walls, though there are none near the northern wall west of the archway. One of the coffers glows, its blue light filling the room. 

A sledgehammer is propped against the northern wall.

Like most of the rooms on this level, this one has already been allocated to an eventual occupant (in this case, another champion currently quartered in area 60). The sledgehammer is one of the construction workers' tools.

What the heck is the glowing blue light that fills the room? I can't find anything else like it in the module. It bugged the shit out of me because I knew the players would want to know if it was important.

I wound up just saying it was a jar of bio-luminescent liquid which could be used as an underwater light source.