Escape from the Tomb of the Lizard King - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 41

Baylore returned to the others to the throne room. 

Baylore said, "Where did the mist go? He came in here and just disappered."

Alot said, "Maybe he went into that crypt over there."

Baylore and Brenna looked confused. They replied in unison, "What crypt? Wait- What??"

Alot was likewise confused, "The one behind the wall in the corner. And over there is the treasure room. Do you not see that?"

Baylore and Brenna replied, "NO???"

Alot looked at them, "It's right there- ZZZZZZZZKKK!" Alot froze, his last word drawing out in an extended electronic buzz before he went silent. He stood completely still, frozen like a statue.

"Damn it!" said Baylore, "Where was he talking about? Here?" He turned and searched the corner to the right of the altar.

Brenna pondered aloud, "I wonder if the memory wipe they did to him caused some kind of damage."

Baylore found a section of wall that opened, revealing a concealed door and a secret room behind the wall. Within was another large nest made of bamboo, reeds, and mud. 

The nest was filled with mist. The mist was coalescing into bone, sinew, and muscle, slowly reconstituting the physical form of the vampiric lizard-king Sakatha.

"Ah-hah!" exclaimed Baylore, "Found the bastard!"

CHAPTER 41

"ESCAPE FROM THE TOMB OF THE LIZARD KING"

The B-Team:

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

Finishing the Deed

Baylore wasted no time in dismantling the nest. He spread the dirt about and ripped the reeds and bamboo to shreds. The half-formed body of Sakatha disintegrated and the mist dissipated. 

Meanwhile Brenna searched every inch of the wall behind the altar but found nothing. Baylore returned and said, "I already searched behind the altar. Check that corner."

Moments later the pair had located another secret door. Behind this door was a thirty-foot corridor. The corridor was a dead end. At the far end of the corridor was a tapestry hung on the wall depicting an ancient demon. 

"Yeah-" pondered Baylore suspiciously. He picked up Aella's staff and carefully pushed the floor in front of him as he inched forward. Ten feet ahead of the end of the corridor the floor dropped away revealing a twenty-foot deep pit filled with spikes. 

Baylore turned to Brenna, "There's got to be another hidden door. Can you reach that tapestry somehow?"

Brenna rubbed her chin, "Wait!" she said, "I have an idea!"

Brenna returned to Aella and took a small cane fishing pole off her backpack. Brenna used the pole to hook the tapestry. She pulled it off the wall but the pair found no secret doors or switches. 

A closer inspection of the wall on the right revealed to Baylore another false wall. He removed the false wall and discovered another short corridor and a heavy iron door. He had to leap diagonally over the pit into the concealed corridor. Baylore opened the heavy iron door. 

He stepped back, "Brenna," he said, "You better get over here."

Brenna leaped across the pit and joined him. They stood in awe at the site before them - a room piled high with thousands of coins and ancient artifacts! 

Alot, still frozen in the throne room, returned to consciousness, "Hey! Where is everybody?"

"In here!"

Alot soon joined them in admiring the treasure. 

Rest

Baylore eventually found a means to reset and disable the pit trap, allowing him, along with Brenna and Alot, to drag their unconscious companions Bordar the dwarf and Aella the sorceress, as well as the body of their dead friend Bruma, into the treasure room. 

"We'll rest in here," said Baylore, "It's defensible and we can spend the time sorting and counting the coins and studying the artifacts."

There they spent several hours. Alot counted 8000 gold coins and 3000 platinum coins.

Baylore found a javelin of lightning, 23 silk packets of dust of disappearance, a bag of holding, and a crystal ball. Baylore picked up a ring and examined it. It radiated power and potential. Brenna saw him holding it. Baylore said, "Want this?"

Brenna examined it, "That's a ring of wishes! You're giving me a ring of wishes?"

Baylore held up his hand, "I already have a ring. Its only got one wish left. You'll be careful?"

"You got it!" She took the ring.

"That reminds me!" exclaimed Baylore. He left the room to find the body of Patriarch Ul-Lon.

Brenna found a powerful healing potion, and seven scrolls with scribed with holy prayers - "greater restoration", "protection from energy", "find the path", "raise dead", and three scrolls of "cure wound". She also found a spell-book written in a draconic code. 

Baylore returned with the smaller ring that matched the one he wore, "Got it."

Brenna read aloud the prayer to raise the dead. Bruma was restored to life. He woke coughing and wheezing. "Did it work? Am I a vampire?" he asked enthusiastically.

"No. You are not a vampire," admonished Brenna.

"Damn!" said Bruma. 

Escape

The treasure room was not made for comfort and it was challenging to find rest on the bare floor but the group managed to eventually get some sleep and recuperate. 

DM Note-

Whenever the group tries to take a long rest in an uncomfortable location - such as camping or sleeping on the hard floor - I require them to make a survival roll vs. 10. Things such as pillows and tents and cots can give Advantage on the roll. Inclement weather and howling ghosts and the like will give the roll Disadvantage. My players made the case that being unconscious from injury granted Advantage and I allowed it. Everyone succeeded and were able to benefit from the long rest.

While the others rested, Alot expelled the armor that had been previously integrated into his artificial body. The old armor fell to the floor in pieces. He then took the draconic plate armor once worn by Patriarch Ul-Lon and began merging with it. The armor integrated itself into Alot's design. Alot took on a dark black-green hue and parts of him began to resemble leathery dragon wings. The process took several hours. 

Baylore, Brenna, and Alot filled the others in on the outcome of the battle when they woke. The team prepared to make their exit from the tomb. 

They made their way to the secret dungeon where Sakatha kept over fifty captives chained to the walls in darkness. Brenna was able to calm them down and inform the captives that they were being freed. She also explained that they were deep underground in the middle of the Drowned Forest and that they first would have to escape past an army of lizard-man warriors. 

What followed was an exercise in crowd control as Brenna, Baylore, Bordar, Alot, and Aella corralled the throng of people - mostly humans but with a few halflings and even lizard-folk among them - out past the miniature cathedral where they had battled dozens of foes the day previous. The bodies remained where they had been slain save for the two priests who had been knocked unconscious by Baylore and forgotten. They were nowhere to be seen. 

The team led the humans up in a long train. They paused in the room of eternal refreshment to allow each of the captives to eat and drink at the service of the mosaic lizard-men. Afterwards Baylore gathered the captives together into three groups. Each group was told to link hands and hold onto a rope that was provided them. Then each group was sprinkled by a packet of dust of disappearance. Each group became invisible. 

Bruma scouted ahead outside the mausoleum. He checked on the army of lizard-men camped in the back of the cavern. He saw the two priests attempting to rouse the lizard-men to battle, urging them to rise up and defeat the infidels. The lizard-men could not understand the common speech of the priests so they simply watched them bewildered. 

Bruma returned and led the invisible party across the dry river-bed and towards the stairs to the exit. Bruma was careful to disable each of the traps set in the stairs to allow the captives to escape. 

The group next gathered in the altar room where the B-Team had fought trolls two days previous. Again Bruma scouted ahead, this time accompanied by Baylore.

The first thing Baylore and Bruma noticed was that the bodies of many of the slain enemies had been dragged away, leaving a trail of dried blood on the floor. The bodies had all been dragged towards the main hall where they had battled the main force of the brigands. Down one corridor Bruma and Baylore saw several wolves eating the body of some brigands. The wolves did not notice the pair as Bruma continued on and Baylore returned to the others.

In the main hall Bruma saw the two trolls who had survived and fled their previous battle feasting on the gathered corpses of the brigands. A large group of at least a dozen bullywugs were picking through the bodies looting weapons, armor, and equipment. 

Bruma returned to the main group to report what he had seen.

The team decided to abandon this compound and risk going past the trolls and bullywugs in the hope that neither side wished for a battle.

The captives were once again lined up in a long train and told to hold on to a rope. Bruma, Alot, and Bordar entered the main hall ahead of the train.  The trolls and bullywugs paused and looked at them. There was a moment of evaluation. 

Bruma said, "You can just keep doing whatever you are doing. We're leaving this place. There's no need for trouble. Do you understand?"

The trolls looked at each other, shrugged, and went back to consuming the flesh of the fallen brigands. The bullywugs paused and watched the train of exiting captives warily but took no offensive action. 

The train emerged from the secret entrance on the stone platform outside the lair of Aulicus. It was warm and humid. They were surrounded by miles of dangerous swamp. The captives were instructed not to go near any of the large pools of water, no matter how thirsty they might be. 

"Is that understood, Bordar?" Brenna said to the dwarf, pointedly.

"What?" was his defensive reply.

Luckily, the brigands and lizard-men had left a sufficient supply of rafts tied up outside the entrance to accommodate all of the escapees. 

Return to Burle

The fleet of rafts bearing the adventurers and escapees made its way through the black waters of the Drowned Forest. The journey too two days and six of the escapees died during the journey, but they eventually returned to dry land, setting foot in the ruins of Waycombe. 

From there the caravan made the day-long hike to the fortress-village of Burle. They stood on the far bank of the Janustream river and signaled for a ferry but none crossed. Baylore, Alot, Brenna, and Aella left the escapees with Bordar and Bruma and swam across the river. When they reached the dock on the far side they were met by a contingent of elven guards with weapons ready.

"State your business!"

Baylore explained in his brusque no-nonsense manner that they had returned from their successful mission to kill Sakatha the Lizard King and that they had freed dozens of captives. He reminded them that the ancient treant Wanderoot had approved of their mission.

"How do we that you haven't been mind controlled like the other infiltrators?"

"Because-" Baylore paused, "uh, That's a very good point, actually."

Brenna interceded, pleading on behalf of the freed escapees. 

The guards were moved by Brenna's plea so they sent a runner to summon Castellan Kiara Shadowbreaker who had recently returned from her mission into the Dreadwood.

Kiara, wearing full plate armor, approached the party. She recognized Alot and Aella immediately.

She greeted Alot warmly and inquired what happened to his party. The last time she had seen him he had the brain jellies and she was surprised that an automaton could suffer from such an affliction. She questioned him about his previous companions and was sad to learn of the fate of Marlin Whalerson, for whom she had great affection. 

Upon hearing Alot's account of recent events she ordered her men to take sufficient supplies across the river to build a temporary shelter for the escapees. She said that the B-Team and the escapees could enter the walls of the town during the day and while accompanied by a guard but that they must leave by sundown and spend the night in the shelter across the river until it can be verified that they were not under the thrall of the lizard king. 

The team agreed. 

While in Burle the team saw Captain Xendros, the demonspawn merchant from Saltmarsh. She greeted them warmly and inquired as to their current disposition. In turn she told them that she was escorting a shipment up the road to Maidenstone Keep. When asked if she had any magical items for sale, she apologized and explained that she never did business while traveling but that she would return to Saltmarsh in a few days. 

The team tried to visit the Tree Maiden Inn but were disappointed to learn it had been burned down by Sakatha's agents. 

The team spent the night across the river from Burle. The following morning they left the escapees with the guards of Burle and set off down the road towards Saltmarsh.

The Ballad of the B-Team

The party stopped at the Robin's Breast Inn for lunch. They entered the establishment with weapons drawn ready for battle. The innkeeper William Brightboy and the handful of farmers within suddenly became nervous, "Look now, we want no trouble."

"Oh, sorry." said Aella, "We're just so used to being ambushed here."

They sat down and had a fine lunch meal. The minstrel Pluck was absentmindedly strumming nearby. 

"Oy! You! You want a story? I've got a story for you!" said Brenna loudly, "Come here and I'll tell you about how we defeated Sakatha the Lizard King!"

Pluck's eyes widened and he pulled up a chair.

Brenna told him in exquisite detail about their mission, starting with Aella and the A-Team and their battle with Aulicus the Black Dragon and continuing when Aella and Alot recruited the B-Team. The minstrel was transfixed. Brenna told the minstrel how they rescued the Duke of Seaton and were subsequently sent by the duke to kill Sakatha. Pluck began purchasing flagons of ale for the party. She recounted their journey into the Drowned Forest and their battles with brigands and cultists and undead lizard warriors and mosaic lizard-men. The minstrel furiously took notes and asked clarifying questions. Brenna finally reached the climax of her story with the confrontation with the vampire lizard king himself and how they finally defeated the foul creature.

By the time Brenna was done the crowd of farmers had grown to include every wife and child living around the inn. The crowd laughed and cheered and applauded. Brenna's story had lasted into the afternoon. They left late and arrived back at Saltmarsh just before sundown.

They spent the next day in Saltmarsh before returning to Seaton. While in Saltmarsh they learned that Anders Solmore had been awarded the noble rank of baron by the king of Keoland. All the land within the newly formed barony of Saltmarsh now belonged to Baron Solmor. 

"Wait a minute!" said Aella incredulously, "Does that mean the house I bought no longer belongs to me?"

"Correct," said Brenna, "You are now a tenant. Welcome to the wonderful world feudalism!"

"Dammit! I just bought that house!"

"And now you owe rent! Hey, aren't you happy you helped make him a baron?"

 

Baylore's Secret Plan

The team returned to Seaton and reported their success to the duke. The duke paid them their reward of 2,500 gold pieces each.

Once they had finished their report to the duke, Baylore told the others he had to depart to oversee his "project". Before he left, he wanted to know if anyone else wanted to invest in it.

"What is it?" inquired Brenna.

"Okay, I can tell you all about it now. But it's a secret. Bordar, do you understand, IT'S A SECRET!"

Bordar grumbled at the accusation.

Baylore explained, "Right. Well, after we broke up the secret pirate bank or whatever you call it on Leper Island and after we busted Gellan Primewater's little scheme in Seaton, I had an idea. I asked the duke if I could take over the operation on Leper Island, set it up as a haven for smugglers and pirates. In exchange, I would keep him informed on what's going on - you know - feed him information on who's smuggling what for who - who's working for the Sea Princes - that sort of thing. 

"He agreed, with a few provisions. Anyway, I'm now ready to hire some workers to start rebuilding the monastery on Leper Island. Its going to be our new base of operations. We've all got a nice bit of coin now. I'm offering you a chance to invest as partners. Who's in?"

"Of course I'm in, captain." said Brenna,

"Perfect. Anybody else?" inquired Baylore.

To be Continued...

The Eternal Lizard King - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 40

Bruma opened the trap door revealing a ladder and a set of stairs. He could smell incense and burning braziers. He dropped down onto the landing and surveyed the stairs. His keen senses could tell that a ten foot section of steps were rigged as a trigger of some kind. He took out his set of thieving tools and wedged a small piece of metal into one of the steps to disable the trigger. 

He called back to the others, "Trap disarmed."

Baylore, shaking off his brain jellies and catching up, replied, "Great. You first."

Bruma rolled his eyes and cautiously descended the stairs.

The stairs retracted and created a slide. The slide was magically greased and he slid sixty feet to the bottom. The landing at the bottom split open to reveal a twenty foot deep pit filled with spikes. Bruma fell awkwardly onto the spikes. 

Baylore tied himself off to the others behind him and slid down to the edge of the pit. He dropped a rope down. Bruma caught it and Baylore helped him climb out. They opened the bronze double-doors on the far end of the landing to find a vestibule with two burning braziers. On the far wall of the vestibule was another set of bronze double-doors carved with bas-relief signs of the funeral and burial of Sakatha the Lizard King. 

Using ropes the party carefully descended the greased stairs and crossed the open pit. They gathered in the vestibule to catch their breath. Patriarch Ul-Lon provided healing prayers to Bruma.

Bruma and Baylore thought they heard something in the next room. They shushed the others and listened carefully. They could hear rhythmic chanting and hissing and a loud voice reciting a ritual in Draconic. The voice called for the blessing of Tiamat - the Mother of All Dragons - in the conversion of this sacrifice into a holy warrior of her cause. 

Alot had just sat down to rest when Bruma turned and urgently whispered, "No time to rest! We've got to act! Now!"

The party prepared themselves for action and readied themselves at the door. Bruma and Bordar threw open the door.

They saw before them a T-shaped room  like a miniature cathedral lit by dozens of candles on pillars. In the nave in front of them were a dozen lizard-men adorned in the face-paint of Sakatha. At the end of the room was an altar. In front of the altar were two bound human prisoners. Behind the altar was a male human in a purple robe with green tabard - apparently a high priest. He had a beared and held a chalice in his raised hands. On his left was a bulky male human wearing a silk robe over his scale-mail armor. On his right was a slight human mail in silk robes. All three bore the symbol of the five-headed dragon. To two flanking transepts were occupied by a dozen human cultists wearing dark red silk robes. 

The high priest shouted, "Intruders! You dare interrupt this holy ceremony? KILL THE INFIDELS! FEAST UPON THEIR FOUL FLESH!"

 

CHAPTER 40

"THE ETERNAL LIZARD KING"

The B-Team:

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

The Hard Fight

Baylore threw a quick magical bolt of fire at the high priest but missed. Bruma darted into the room and quickly dispatched several lizard-men.

Bordar stepped into the room and hurled his magical Javelin of Lightning at the high priest. The javelin missed its intended target and stuck into the wall behind the high priest. Bordar spoke the activation command and a bolt of lightning shot out of his fingers towards the javelin. The bolt leaped from lizard-man to lizard-man in a line towards the javelin. 

Brenna shouted in desperation, "Bordar! What about the prisoner?"

Bordar spun around, wild-eyed, "The WHAT??"

Brenna pointed angrily at the bound prisoner forced to kneel before the altar. The prisoner had been in the path of the lightning bolt. The prisoner lay on his side- electrocuted and dead.

Bordar cursed his  inattention, "Fuuuu- I didn't see him there!"

Brenna chastised him, "BE MORE CAREFUL!"

Brenna then cast a magical fireball spell into the midst of the lizard-men. The spell burst into a fiery explosion that briefly illuminated the entire room.

Aella channeled her innate elemental power and caused a magical wave of water to appear out of the stone floor and crash down onto the priests and several of the cultists in the wing to the left. 

Alot drew his shortsword and charged into the center of the room, engaging the lizard-men who survived the fireball.

The lizard-men swarmed Alot and Bruma, clubbing them with obsidian-tipped weapons and spiked shields made of giant tortoise shell. 

The lesser priest to the high priest's right moved to the left wing and said an evil prayer of sanctuary for his master. The priest on his left said a prayer and a maelstrom of small infernal dragons swarmed around him and the the lizard-men protecting the high priest. The dragons ripped into the remaining prisoner, killing her instantly.

The high priest waved his hand towards the vestibule and said a curse in the Draconic language. A pillar of flame burst from ceiling to floor and engulfed Aella, Bordar, Baylore, and Patriarch Ul-Lon.

Bordar brandished his twin magical axes - Smite and Fury - and charged up the left flank of the room. He engaged a group of cultists led by an assassin - one of the same assassins who had attacked them in Burle! Only now the assassins sported small dragon wings from their shoulder blades which they used to fly from point to point within the room. Bordar said, "Hey, that's new!" before he was surrounded by his foes and set upon with scimitars!

Brenna began channeling her innate magical healing abilities towards keeping her companions alive. 

Aella, meanwhile, created another tidal wave against the right flank.

The water and wind from the two crashing tidal waves had extinguished all the candles in the far end of the room by the altar. The entire back end of the room was cast into darkness. As every member of the B-Team possessed the ability to see in the dark - through either natural or magical means - this darkness proved little impediment. The priests and cultists, however, were now at a disadvantage.

The high priest was badly injured. He reached under the altar and a section of the wall behind him shifted. The high priest disappeared into the opening and the wall closed behind him. 

Baylore immediately stepped into a nearby shadow. He mysteriously reappeared next to the armored priest and punched him several times. The priest lost his concentration and the vortex of dragons disappeared.

 To counter the disadvantage imposed by the darkness the unarmored dragon-priest prayed for light. A glowing orb miraculously appeared in the center of the room. The back of the room was once again fully illuminated.

Bruma faced difficulty fighting to many fanatics.  The assassin took a deep breath and exhaled a caustic spray of acid.  This proved too much for Bruma and he fell before their combined onslaught.

Baylore punched the armored dragon-priest into unconsciousness and put down a few more lizard-men before rushing to Bruma's aid. Likewise did Brenna use her healing magic to save the fallen ranger.

Alot had become bogged down fighting the remaining lizard-men near the entrance.  

Bordar continued pushing forward on the left flank.  The unarmored dragon-priest on the left flank surrounded himself with a vortex of infernal dragons - a tactic that gave Bordar some pause.

Aella sent a chaos bolt at the dragon-priest which caused him to lose his concentration. The vortex disappeared. 

The dragon-priest turned and fled towards the rear of the left wing. Baylore shadow-stepped and intercepted him. A few quick nerve strikes and the dragon-priest was unconscious.

The assassins were soon eliminated followed by the cultists. All that remained were a few lizard-man holdouts and they too were ultimately defeated.

The Trapped Escape Door

The enemies had been defeated. The high priest had escaped. While everyone else was using healing magic, saying prayers, or drinking potions, Baylore and Bruma studied the door and the altar. Bruma identified a small aperture that would release an arrow at anyone standing in front of the altar. Baylore saw three levers in the altar. 

"Which lever is it?" pondered Baylore.

Bordar walked up and pulled the center lever, "This one!"

Baylore stared in disbelief at the dwarf's recklessness.

The wall opened behind them. 

Bordar looked defiant. Baylore sighed. 

Bruma carefully explored the corridor. There was a four-way intersection. The corridor beyond eventually turned right. He moved to the intersection and saw a closed door to the right. The corridor to the left ended in another older door. He signaled the others. 

Baylore advanced down the corridor to the right turn. He could hear the sounds of wretched moaning and wailing and smell dank human sweat in the corner. No doubt the corner concealed a hidden door. The passage to the right ended at a door. 

Bordar and Alot, meanwhile, had decided to wait in the main room until the way was clear. Confident there were no traps, they slowly moved up towards Baylore.

Bruma became impatient. He opened the door in front of him and found himself in an alchemical study. Glass containers of some dark liquid were being converted into another liquid through dark processes. There was another door on the left. He opened the door.

Sakatha - the Lizard King! 

Bruma saw a room clad in red and black marble. On the far wall was a large altar. Atop the altar was some kind of primitive nest made of reeds and twigs. The next was large enough for an adult man to lie in. In front of the altar-nest was a stone throne adorned with carvings of gruesome gargoyle faces. Sitting in the throne was a tall lizard-man with pale ash-grey scales. The lizard-man wore a golden crown adorned with jewels and carried a golden scepter - both very human symbols of rulership. He wore a red cape and a red wrap around his waist. A large bird skull was hung around his neck on a golden chain. The lizard-king's mouth was pulled back revealing hideously large protruding fangs - like those of a tiger. His chin and torso were covered with dried blood.

DM Note-

The phrase I used was "He looks like a toddler who had just eaten spaghetti with marinara."

Standing next to the loathsome creature was the high priest. The high priest turned around to face Bruma.

He turned his head an hissed with a voice that sounded like broken glass, "Welcome, Bruma. Close the door. Come hither. Take your place next to me." He gestured with a clawed hand for Bruma to join him.

Bruma was overcome. His will faltered. He calmly and obediently closed and barred the door and joined the lizard king.

The lizard king smiled and sang his fangs into Bruma's willing neck.

Baylore burst into the throne room through the other door and saw Sakatha the Lizard-King feasting upon Bruma the ranger. He immediately rushed in and punched Sakatha in the face. The lizard-king retaliated with his trident. 

Aella came around the corner and cast a witch-bolt spell at Sakatha. The spell created a sustained arc of lightning-like electricity between the sorceress and the lizard-king. Sakatha ignored them all and continued to feed upon the helpless Bruma.

Brenna threw open the door Bruma had closed. She ran inside and touched the high priest Modrin with electrified hands. The high priest fell to the ground dead.

Alot followed Brenna into the room and attacked Sakatha. 

Sakatha released Bruma and cast a lightning bolt spell towards Bruma, Aella, and Bordar. Bruma fell to the floor, dying.

What followed was an arduous battle whereby the Lizard-King moved and counter-attacked nearly every blow set upon him. Bordar continued attacking the vampiric lizard-king with his magical axes. Baylore unleashed multiple punches and strikes. Aella cast chaos bolt spells. Alot attacked with his magical short sword. Brenna would point her magical fingers at the lizard-king and create deafening magical tolling bells. 

Sakatha maneuvered around the room, unhinged his reptilian jaws, and opened his mouth wide. A black cloud poured forth and spread into the room and out into the hall. The cloud covered Bruma's unconscious body, Baylore, Alot, Bordar, Aella, and Patriarch Ul-Lon who stood nervously out of view in the hall. Everyone within the cloud began coughing and retching as they felt their life draining. Bordar and Ul-Lon both fell to the floor, dying. 

Baylore reacted quickly, striking Sakatha multiple times as hard as he could. Sakatha winced but the final blow was enough to distract the lizard-king. He turned his attention to Baylore and the magical cloud quickly dissipated. 

The remaining combatants surrounded Sakatha and were eventually able to defeat him. Aella cast a fire bolt spell at the vampire and he burst into flames. He screamed and immediately dissipated into a noxious cloud. 

A Mad Chase

Baylore pointed at the hazy fog and shouted, "Follow it! He's going to try to find his resting place! Don't let it get away!"

The cloud moved as if pushed by a breeze. It blew into the laboratory room and down the corridor to the far door. Aella and Baylore gave chase.

Alot paused to see to Bordar's unconscious body. Bordar was gravely injured but not yet dead. The automaton sentinel was able to stabilize the dying dwarf. Alot took out a healing potion and tried to pour it into Bordar's mouth, but the unconscious dwarf simply coughed it up and the rest dribbled into his beard and onto the floor.

DM Note-

Alot's player wanted to administer a healing potion to the unconscious Bordar. I told him he could not do that. A character has to be conscious to drink and swallow the potion. An unconscious person can't drink. Alot's player expressed annoyance and challenged me on this rule. His challenge was based on decades of play through multiple editions. Yes- in previous editions and in previous years we had always allowed characters to administer healing potions to unconscious characters. We debated it a little but a) it was already very late, b) I was by this time becoming very impatient for reasons I'll explain in a minute. I abruptly shut it down with a "This is how I've always run it in Fifth edition and this is my ruling." 

At the time I thought I remembered reading one of the designers backing me up on this issue. However, looking it up now, Jeremy Crawford said on Twitter that another character COULD administer a healing potion to an unconscious character. 

Yes, page 138 of the DMG says that drinking a potion or administering a potion to another character requires an action. 

So, in spite of the suggestion above, I'm sticking with my ruling of you must be conscious to drink and swallow a healing potion. I want players to be aware of their healing potions in combat. Drink them BEFORE you go down, or after the fight. So even if its my house rule, that's my reasoning. 

Aella and Baylore followed the fleeing mist through the door. Within was a round room with five old wooden coffins- four arranged equidistant and one in the center. The mist was hovering over the center coffin. 

Aella used her magical gifts to create a bon-fire atop the center coffin. The cloud immediately fled back the way it came, passing through Baylore and Aella. 

The Bride of Sakatha

To everyone's surprise, the burning lid of the center casket burst out from within. A withered lizard-folk corpse screamed at the indignity of being set ablaze while it lied in deathly slumber. 

DM Note-

I described the sound was the combination of a pig having been grabbed by its rear legs and the air being released from a pressure cooker.

The dessicated reptilian vampire was obviously some kind of hideous undead consort to Sakatha. It bared its fangs and threw itself towards the ceiling of the hall. It clung there, defying all gravity and logic, and began to skitter on all fours along the ceiling like a hideous crab or spider. 

Aella staggered in revulsion as the undead bride of Sakatha launched itself at the sorceress. It grabbed Aella and bit into her neck whereupon it began drinking her blood. Aella fell limp in the creature's grasp.

Brenna rushed to Aella's aid, throwing multiple Chill Touch spells at the creature. The bride released Aella and attacked Brenna. 

Meanwhile, Baylore continued to chase the mist up and down each hallway, into and out of every room. Baylore eventually lost track of it as it passed through the laboratory and into the throne room. Unable to locate the mist Baylore decided to rejoin Brenna in fighting the bride. 

By this time Alot had determined that Bruma could not be saved and joined Baylore.

Baylore and Brenna quickly dispatched the vampire queen while Alot rushed to save the dying Aella.

An Awkward Ending

Alot dragged the unconscious Aella into the throne room and arranged her with the still unconscious Bordar. He separated the partially exsanguinated and electricity-burned corpse of Bruma from the others. He laid Bruma next to the dead corpse of Patriarch Ul-Lon. Alot lingered a bit to stare at the fine plate armore Ul-Lon wore. 

Brenna explored the concealed door that Baylore discovered earlier. It led to a cell protected by a massive iron door locked from the outside. Beyond the door she heard the wretched wails of human captives. She could smell their sweat and feces and vomit. 

Brenna called Alot to assist her. Alot opened the door. The pair surveyed the room beyond using their magical darkvision.

They saw a long stone room with dozens of bound captives chained to the walls and to each other. They were starving and left to wallow in their own filth. The captives shrank away from the doorway, unable to see in the darkness and fearful that their captors had returned.

Brenna and Alot backed away. 

Baylore, meanwhile, had explored the passage beyond the crypt of the brides of Sakatha. It was a dead-end. He found a lever and pulled it. A section of wall slid open to reveal the large T-shaped room where they had fought before. The unconscious body of the unarmored dragon-priest lay on the floor in front of him.

Baylore returned to the others to the throne room. 

Baylore said, "Where did the mist go? He came in here and just disappered."

Alot said, "Maybe he went into that crypt over there."

Baylore and Brenna looked confused. They replied in unison, "What crypt? Wait- What??"

Alot was likewise confused, "The one behind the wall in the corner. And over there is the treasure room. Do you not see that?"

Baylore and Brenna replied, "NO???"

To Be Continued...

Rage-Quit!

By this time it was nearly 1:30am. We usually play until 11:30 at the latest. The Sakatha fight didn't even start until 10:30. I even considered pausing and picking up next week but I wanted them to defeat Sakatha! 

They defeated Sakatha by like 12:30 and I was hoping they'd stop and let the mist go. I really just wanted them to search Sakatha's throne room and find the secret doors. I didn't expect them to start a Tom and Jerry style madcap chase through the halls of the crypt following the mist. I figured we'd do this until the mist got a chance to hide and we'd stop the night. Then Aella woke up the bride.

I should have stopped it THEN, but I made the mistake of keeping it going. By this point I was COMMITTED to having them search the throne either find Sakatha's crypt or his treasure. I really wanted to end on that high note. So I played out the fight. 

After defeating the bride, they kept DICKING AROUND! I was trying to hint that they should search the throne room without making it sound like I was hinting. So I kept it going. But it was very late. They were tired too. They weren't thinking straight either. 

Then Alot's player suggested searching the crypt and treasure room. The other players were confused. *I* was confused. Alot's player explained that he could see all the hidden stuff. It's like the visibility-blocking walls in Roll-20 weren't working for him. 

I became very angry. I was planning on a big finish with a big reveal of either the burial crypt or the treasure. I had become INVESTED! That was now ruined!

I cursed. I cursed quite a bit. I was tired and angry and frustrated. Alot's player apologized profusely. I said, "No! Fuck it! I'm done! Bye!" 

I rage-quit Roll20. I shut down Discord. I threw my headphones onto my desk. I stormed off to bed cursing and mumbling. I had angry dreams that night and I was still angry when I got up in the morning. I felt shitty and annoyed all weekend. 

Monday I felt better and I sent an apology email to my players:

First, I apologize for rage-quitting Friday night. I was hoping to to end with either the discovery of the treasure or the discovery of the crypt. When [Alot's Player] said he could see both on his screen, I got very angry with Roll20 for ruining the reveal. 

Plus it was way too late. I should have ended as soon as you defeated Sakatha. I didn't expect it to turn immediately into a Tom and Jerry chase scene with the mist.  That kept it going, then you woke up the Bride of Sakatha, and once again I should have ended it. But my sleep-deprived brain had become fixated on ending with the discovery of the treasure or the crypt at that point.

Anyway, I've figured out a way to integrate the bug that allowed [Alot's Player] to see the secrets into the story. We're all good and I hope you'll all come back next Friday for BOOK-KEEPING: THE RPG!

Also, ya'll level up. 

Next week- Mopping Up!

The Mausoleum - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 39

Despite being holed up within the abandoned warren in a cavern deep beneath the Drowned Forest, the B-Team was able to find rest and regain their strength. When they emerged from their hideout they could still make out the camp fires of the lizard-men army positioned on the other side of the cavern. 

Baylore looked away into a random direction with a glazed look upon his face. He had the brain jellies. As a result of the magic ring that bonded him to Baylore's mental control, Patriarch Ul-Lon was likewise afflicted. Brenna rolled her eyes. She deftly removed the magic ring from Baylore's finger and slipped it onto her own. Ul-Lon staggered for a moment as his mind re-adjusted. As he regained his composure Brenna said, "Hey, follow us, okay?" 

Ul-Lon replied, "Of course!"

The party crossed the dry riverbed, careful to retrace their previous steps in order to avoid the illusions concealing acid pit traps. Eventually they stood before the entrance to the marble mausoleum. The mausoleum was a truncated pyramid, twenty feet tall with a thin memorial obelisk on its roof. The entrance consisted of two heavy brass doors, each twelve feet tall and five feet wide. The doors were adorned with bas relief panels containing images of Sakatha the lizard king and Aulicus, an horde of heavy armored lizardfolk, and their battles against the humans who opposed them. Some panels displayed images of dozens of humans impaled on pikes or struck down by lightning. The final images told how the victorious Sakatha mysteriously died. His slaves were so distraught that they constructed the mausoleum that stood before them. The final image showed his subjects and slaves kowtowing before the mausoleum in reverent awe and revealed that Sakatha would one day return. 

There was no handle on the door. Bruma pushed on it. It did not open. Alot took out his crowbar and tried to pry it open but with no success. Bordar even struck it with his axe but the door was unscathed.

Brenna shrugged, "Anybody know how to open this thing?"

CHAPTER 39

"THE MAUSOLEUM"

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.
• Brenna "The Sea Witch" Myrasdottir - Chaotic Good Human Sailor and Divine Soul Sorceress, long-lost daughter of Whaler, First Mate of the Sea Ghost.
• Bordar Graniteshaper - Lawful Good Dwarven Bearer of Grudges (Barbarian), exiled from his clan, Ballast of the Sea Ghost.
• Bruma - Neutral Good Human Swamp Guide (Ranger) for the smuggling cartel known as "the Organization", given a mission to find and kill Sakatha the Lizard King.

Brain Jellies

• Captain Baylore - Neutral Human Pirate and Pugilist (Monk), Captain of the Sea Ghost.

The Entrance

"Ul-Lon, any ideas?" asked Brenna.

"No, I'm sorry," he replied.

"Don't you remember his story while we were resting? He was forbidden from coming down here," explained Alot.

DM Note-

Alot's player was one of the few who read the story I sent out before the game.

"I bet we have to kneel or say something," offered Bruma.

Bruma and Brenna examined the bas relief images on the door more carefully. Taking a cue from the final image they knelt down in front of the door and touched the ground with their foreheads. The others followed suit. Brenna said, "All praise Sakatha."

The doors opened.

DM Note-

The actual phrase in the book is "Open in the name of Sakatha, the Great King!" but there was no way they'd ever get that. So- close enough.

The Hall of Traps

Through the entrance they found three passages - one to the left, one straight ahead, and one to the right. Each passage terminated in a door. The doors on the left and right were set at an angle that was parallel with the outer-walls of the triangle-shaped mausoleum. 

Bordar, Aella, and Alot carelessly strode to the door on the left with little regard for circumspection. Bruma called out, "No! Wait! It might be-"

The floor opened beneath their feet. Alot and Bordar quickly retreated to safety but Aella screamed as she fell into a twenty foot deep pit filled with spikes. As she turned around to look up she saw that the ceiling was descending! 

Alot quickly dropped his rope into the pit so that Aella could climb out. Aella pulled herself out of the pit just as the ceiling - a huge block of solid marble - descended into the pit. The top of the block stopped flush with the rest of the floor. 

Everyone looked at each other in an attempt to figure out who was going to cross the block and open the door. Bordar looked at Brenna.

Brenna replied, "Oh no! The second I walk onto the block, it will rise back up and squash me into the ceiling. Let's try the other door."

Bruma grabbed Alot's rope and tied one end around his waist. He told Alot to keep it taught. Bruma used his sword scabbard to tap the floor in front of the other door. It seemed solid enough. He walked up to the door and examined it. 

Suddenly the floor gave way. Bruma began to fall but was pulled aside by Alot. The ceiling descended into the pit just as had happened on the previous door. 

Bruma asked, "Anyone else want to try the third door?"

The question was met with awkward silence. 

Brenna finally said, "Fine, let's go into the first door."  

Bruma crossed the top of the ceiling block and tried the door. It opened. 

Hall of War

Within he found a gallery. The room was long like a corridor and ten feet wide. It was magically illuminated with diffuse indirect light. Along the outside wall was a mosaic mural depicting the lizard king leading a force of ten lizard-man warriors against four hill-giants. The mosaic figures were life-sized - the hill-giant mosaics stood fifteen to twenty feet tall and nearly reached the ceiling. 

Bruma described what he saw and moved towards the center of the gallery. Brenna said, "Be careful. Those mosaics will probably come to life or something."

Nothing dangerous happened. Convinced of the room's safety the rest of the team entered behind Bruma. 

Mosaic Hill Giants

Brenna and Bruma were convinced that there had to be a secret door so they spent several minutes checking every inch of the inner and outer walls.

After ten minutes had passed, the entrance to the gallery slammed shut. To the great surprise of exactly no one the mosaic tiles of the hill giants game to life. They emerged from the wall and formed life-sized mosaic simulacra of hill-giants armed with tree trunks for clubs. 

DM Note-

The players oohed and ahed at my custom-made mosaic tokens.

Bruma sprang into instant action. He slashed his heavy two-handed sword into the nearest hill giant. The ranger was a whirlwind of action as he followed up with additional strikes. In no time at all the giant collapsed into a pile of inert colored tiles onto the floor. 

Aella followed up with a continuous arc of lightning into the next hill giant. Bordar attacked in turn with his twin magical axes "Rage" and "Fury". 

Alot was pinned in by the brutes. A tree trunk slammed into the automaton warrior, throwing him against the wall. Alot counterattacked with his magical shortsword.

Patriarch Ul-Lon prayed to the dragons and conjured a celestial spear that hovered in the air and stabbed at the nearest mosaic hill giant. 

The battle was heated but brief. The hill giants were quickly overcome and reduced to piles of lifeless glass and ceramic tiles.

Mosaic Lizard-Men

Before the party could celebrate, however, the ten lizard-men pictured within the mosaic came to life and emerged from the wall to attack the party. 

The lizard-men were spread out but soon grouped up into three scrums - one on Alot, one of Bruma adn Bordar, and one on Aella, Brenna, and Ul-Lon. 

Ul-Lon slapped his hands together in prayer and was surrounded by a swirling tempest of glowing green miniature dragons. The dragons ripped into the animated mosaic lizard-men while the warrior-priest's celestial dragon-spear continued to fight alongside Bruma.

After a pitched battle the heroes of the B-Team ultimately defeated the last of the mosaic lizard-men. 

The Mosaic King

As the last mosaic lizard-man collapsed into inanimate tiles Bruma called out to the others, "Form up on the lizard-king, he's coming out next!"

As if on cue, the mosaic lizard-king turned and loosed an arrow at Brenna. The mosaic arrow missed so the lizard-king picked up his trident and stepped out of the wall to do battle. 

The team followed Bruma's plan and surrounded the lizard king. The animated mosaic was quickly defeated and fell into lifeless shards of glass and ceramic. 

Still convinced there was some hidden secret to be found Bruma said, "I have an idea!"

He stepped into the wall. Bruma became a flat image on a bare mosaic landscape. He could feel his dimensionless body becoming hardened so he forced himself out of the wall. With a great effort he escaped the wall and was once again himself. 

GM Note-

Bruma's player said "I have an idea" and stepped into the wall. I thought it was clever so I went with it. I let him be that way for a bit then pointed out that I only went with it because it was clever. There was nothing to the wall and it was an ill-conceived idea anyway because he wasn't a mosaic.

Soon after defeating the lizard-king and saving Bruma from existence as a magical painting, the mosaic tiles started to slowly slide towards the wall. Brenna said, "Alright, the room is resetting. Everybody out!"

Spear Trap

After a brief discussion regarding into which room to go next the party decided to take the center corridor believing that anything important would be in the center of the triangle and not the edges. 

Bruma cautiously approached and examined the door. It was a bronze door like the others. The floor did not give way and he could find no indication of a trap. Bruma returned to report his findings.

Despite Bruma's assessment Bordar was wary. The dwarf strode forth and opened the door.

Poison-tipped spears shot out of the walls to the left and right. Bordar's natural danger sense allowed him to avoid the spears and his dwarven resistance gave him immunity to their poisoned coating. 

"Well, that wasn't so bad!"

DM Note-

I almost fucked this one up. The original module called for ten spears to shoot out. The conversion suggested the following:

Spear Trap (p. 26): Triggered by an unlocked door at the end of the central hallway. Will shoot a number of spears determined by the GM. ... When the spear trap is triggered by simply opening the unlocked door, spears will be fired through holes in the wall on either side of the corridor. ...  A creature within range standing in front of the trap takes 2d10 piercing damage on a failed DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or half as much on a successful one (limited by the number of spears). A creature struck takes 1d10 poison damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour.

So I originally rolled 1d10 to see how many spears attacked and had Bordar's player make saving throws against each one. I rolled NINE spears! Bordar's Danger Sense allowed him to save with Advantage but even so he failed five rolls! I rolled a lot of damage and Bordar's player had steeled himself for Bordar's death. 

But I thought, "That can't be right." 

I shouldn't have rolled the 1d10 spears. That was a mistake. The trap should just have been an "area" attack. 2d10 damage on a failed save, half on a successful save. I had Bordar's player re-roll his Dexterity saving throw with Advantage, which he made. He took half of 11 points from the 2d10 and then rolled his Constitution saving throw with Advantage, which he EASILY made. Though I just noticed he should have taken another 1d10 poison (halved) anyway. 

The Eternal Feast

The party entered into a triangular room. At the center of the room was a long table with twelve chairs. The chair at the far end of the table was a large wooden chair like a throne with a massive turtle shell as its back. The walls were decorated with mosaics of fifty lizard-men slaves bearing platters of food and jugs of wine. 

The party entered the room and looked around. Alot went to the far corner of the room and searched for hidden doors or passages. Bruma looked under the table and found a trap door in the floor. 

Ten minutes after the party entered the room the mosaics came to life. Five of the lizard men peeled off from the wall and set the table with food, delicacies, and wines. One of the lizard-men spoke in common tongue, "Greetings, guests of the Great King. Welcome to the eternal feast. Please, let us serve you." Chairs were withdrawn for the party members to sit.

Brenna and Patriarch Ul-Lon sat at the table and tasted the food. It was real and delicious and filling. The two enjoyed the hospitality of the lizard-men hosts and the hosts were happy to serve.

Bordar and Aella held up their hands in abstinence. The hosts became insistent, pointing out that it was impolite to refuse the hospitality of the Great King. 

Bruma went to the edge of the table and enlisted Bordar's aid, "Let's move this table out of the way."

As they started sliding the table the hosts became belligerent. They threw down their food and bared their sharpened mosaic teeth in menacing hisses. They threw themselves against the guests, biting and ripping and slashing with their reptilian teeth and claws made of ceramic and glass! 

Brenna coughed her wind back into her cup, "What did I do?"

The mosaic simulacra of the five hosts were immediately destroyed. But no sooner had the original five hosts been defeated that another five emerged from the wall and attacked. 

As the fight dragged on more mosaic lizard-men emerged from the wall one by one. The party had trouble keeping up and eventually the room was filled with lizard-men. The lizard-men formed scrums around each member of the B-Team which prevented them from coming to each other's aid.

Ultimately the mosaic lizard-men hosts proved no match for the B-Team. Once there were no more mosaics on the wall the lizard-men found themselves without reinforcements and were eventually destroyed.

The party stood atop piles of lifeless mosaic tiles and assessed their situation. The food on the table dissolved into nothingness.

Bruma wondered aloud, "Do the cultists have to fight off mosaic lizard-men every time they use the trap door???"

Brenna replied, "THEY probably stop and eat the food! None of this would have happened if we'd have just been polite. Sometimes we can be TOO paranoid I think. Maybe next time we should just try to be nice for once." 

Bruma sneered at Brenna with disdain as he and Bordar moved the table. Bruma opened the trap door revealing a ladder and a set of stairs. He could smell incense and burning braziers. 

To be Continued...

The Story of Patriarch Ul-Lon

I was once a warrior-priest of Heironeous in Seaton. I was always fascinated by dragons and I was tasked with protecting an ancient book called Liber Draconis - the Book of Dragons. Although I was its sworn protector I was forbidden from ever reading the book. 

One day I met and befriended a scholar named Mordrin and his friends Orgmond and Thalon. I soon became very good friends with Mordrin and his companions for they shared my fascination with and knowledge about dragons. Indeed, as scholars their knowledge far exceeded my own.

Mordrin knew all about the Liber Draconis. He told me that the book was filled not only with information about the different breeds of dragons, their capabilities and weaknesses, their cultures and customs, it revealed their true power! You see - he told me that dragons were in fact manifestations of godlike power! No, it is true! 

Mordrin told me that the book could unlock secrets of power for those who study it. 

Mordrin told me that the book could teach us to communicate with the spirits of dragons long dead, and that they could reveal even more secrets hidden within!

Mordrin said that the book contained prayers and rituals useful for invoking the powers of the dragon spirits through a living dragon that could act as a conduit. You see, Mordrin knew much about these draconic spirits. He and his companions were already well versed in the secret rituals to invoke the power of the dragons. He said that those who knew the secrets could one day become dragons themselves! He offered to teach me.

Mordrin’s offer intrigued me. I became obsessed with it. I wanted badly to become a dragon. Mordrin offered me an invitation but said I had to first pass an initiation. I had to steal the Liber Draconis. 

Thus did I steal the book and abandon my holy vows! Mordrin said I had passed the first test on my path to invoking the power of the dragons.

Mordrin, Ogmond, Thalon, and I fled Seaton. We needed a living dragon to serve as our conduit to the spirits. Mordrin knew that the black dragon Aulicus had survived the war against Sakatha over a hundred years ago so we sought him out. Aulicus was old and injured. He could no longer fly and leaving his lair was difficult. But even in his elder infirmity he was a truly magnificent specimen! 

The tribes of lizard-men who lived in the Drowned Forest worshiped him as a god, but theirs was a primitive totemic awe of a powerful being. They brought him offerings and sacrifices which kept him fed and happy. The lizard-men did not revere the dragon spirits the way we did.  

We found Aulicus and were afraid he would consume our flesh as was his right. But he spared us. He saw in us useful supplicants - for we possessed the Liber Draconis. Aulicus wanted us to use a ritual within the book to transfer his soul into an unhatched dragon’s egg. He would be reborn! He made us an offer - he would spare our lives and act as our spiritual conduit if we could perform the ritual. 

So it was that we moved into the ancient underground temple complex located beneath the lair of Aulicus. This was a year ago. I was tasked with procuring supplies for the ritual so I left our new home and traveled about, gathering what we needed. Along the way I acquired more books and more information. I even recruited several new members into our order. 

When I returned Mordrin informed me of grave news. Mordrin, Orgmond, and Thalon now served a being known as Sakatha. 

You see, the lair of Aulicus was located at the entrance to an ancient underground temple complex  built by a sophisticated culture of reptilians in ancient times - a kingdom from which modern lizard-folk are but primitive descendants. 

Located far beneath this complex was a mausoleum containing the remains of Sakatha - a monument built by his slaves after his death over a hundred years ago. 

Mordrin said that Sakatha was still alive and that he sought revenge against the descendants of those who defeated him. Sakatha wished to build an army and once again rule over the region as a king - not a leader of a tribe of lizard-folk, but as a true human king!

Mordrin said that I was to continue my work in reincarnating Aulicus. I would train and initiate my new recruits. We would study the Liber Draconis and perform rituals to the dragon spirits. We built a new shrine on a nearby island to offer burnt sacrifices to the dragon spirits.  I even managed to locate the unhatched egg of a black dragon. Unfortunately the smugglers who were to deliver it to me stole it. 

Aulicus united the disparate tribes of lizard-folk who worshiped him and tasked them with retrieving the stolen egg - he called it his heir. Aulicus instructed his lizard-folk worshipers to follow the command of Sakatha as their new leader. Any tribal leader who resisted was overthrown or assassinated.

Meanwhile Mordrin began building an army for Aulicus. He hired mercenaries initially. He took the mercenaries down into the lower levels - the areas belonging to Sakatha - the areas from which I was forbidden to enter. The mercenaries returned with ashen complexions and glazed stares. They served Sakatha blindly. The mercenaries increased their ranks by raiding and capturing the bandits who dwelled within the Hool Marsh.  They too were converted into thralls of Sakatha. I never really got along with the mercenaries or the thralls. They lived in barracks near the entrance to the complex. Perhaps you encountered them? 

Mordrin needed to equip his growing army so he began raiding the caravans and selling the stolen goods to the smugglers in Saltmarsh in exchange for weapons and armor.

Two months ago - during the height of the raids on the caravans - he learned that the Merchant Guild of Saltmarsh was planning on hiring someone to investigate the raids. I’m not sure how he learned this. I believe he has gained access to some method of scrying upon far away people or places. Mordrin took one of my acolytes and converted him into a thrall. He then armed the acolyte with a magical gemstone - a gemstone empowered with a prayer that would strike dragon-flame down upon the infidel. The acolyte was to take the gemstone and use it to destroy Anders Solmor - descendant of one of the villains who overthrew Sakatha. 

The attempt to mete out draconic justice apparently failed. The merchant guild hired some vile assassins. Aulicus sent some of the lizard-men who served Sakatha to intercept these assassins at the Dreadwood River bridge. When that failed Mordrin assigned some thralls to misdirect them towards the hag Siren Diabla. Indeed any thrall captured by the enemy was instructed to do the same. That ploy likewise failed. The assassins were able to find a guide - a thrall from one of the local villages that managed to escape Mordrin’s “process” - and managed to gain entry into the lair of Aulicus. 

Aulicus defeated them, of course, killing all but two. But great Aulicus was weary and he finally succumbed to death. Mordrin’s soldiers managed to capture the two survivors - the metal man and the half-elf sorceress. They were converted into thralls and allowed to return to Saltmarsh. There they would act as spies and provocateurs. 

Eventually the caravans stopped so Mordrin turned to raiding the villages surrounding the Drowned Forest, taking prisoners and turning them too into thralls of Sakatha. He purchased magical armor and weapons for the captains and lieutenants of his small army from the devil woman in Saltmarsh. We have also used some of the prisoners as sacrifices to the dragon spirits. We have lost our physical conduit so only the offering of human souls will appease them now. We have also lost our control over the lizard-folk tribes of the Drowned Forest. Those still loyal to Sakatha were taken into the lower levels.

Thus far I and my acolytes have been spared from the secret process that creates the thralls. Indeed, Mordrin has forbidden me from delving deeper into the complex. Whether it is to protect me from Sakatha or to protect Mordrin’s power I do not know.