Everyone in the party had a first name starting with "A". Everyone but Marlin, that is. It wasn't planned. It's just the way it worked out. As a result the party had taken to calling themselves the "A-Team".
The A-Team had removed the corrupting shard of crystal that had transformed a crocodile into a bloodthirsty mutant called Thousand Teeth the Devourer. The mutant crocodile had been terrorizing a tribe of lizard-folk refugees displaced from their home by the evil fish men known as Sahuagin. Now the team was returning to the temporary lizard-folk stronghold with the strange alien crystal as proof of their efforts to help the tribe. They also had three severed lizard-man heads in a duffel bag. They had no plans to show the heads to Princess Orthokent, leader of the lizard-folk tribe. Even though the heads belonged to degenerate lizard-men who belonged to a different tribe, they liked the princess and had no desire to cause her offense.
Once they were outside the subterranean stronghold of the lizardfolk, Marlin stuffed the bag, already swarming with marsh flies, into some tall grass. They'd pick that up later. It was approaching midday.
CHAPTER 7
"THREE HEADS IN A DUFFEL BAG"
The A-Team:- Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Sorceress from Ket. (Absent)
- Annor Whalerson - Neutral Good, Human Marine and Fighter from Saltmarsh. (Absent)
- Marlin Whalerson - Neutral Good, Human Seeker and Rogue.
- Auric Ravenson - Neutral Good, Human (?) Shipwright and Cleric.
- Alot Aname - Warforged Soldier and Fighter
The Decision
Upon their return, the A-Team was escorted to the audience chamber. Princess Orthokent was preparing to speak.
Princess Orthokent greeted the "man-people" warmly, an uncommon trait for the lizard-folk and part of the reason the A-Team respected her. She told them that her warrior Aryte had told her about their mission and asked them how it went.
Marlin and Auric recounted the tale of their adventure. They made a special point to mention that the "sacred beast" was alive and unharmed and that it had been corrupted by a mysterious alien crystal shard. Marlin used a minor cantrip to levitate the shard out of the pouch in which it was safely carried. It displayed it without touching it or allowing others to touch it.
Princess Orthokent was fascinated by the tale, as were the leaders of her warrior caste and Minister Sauriv. Even a few of the shamans were reluctantly impressed.
The princess then announced it was time for her decision. The previous day, she had misinterpreted a personal offer of help from Marlin as an overture of alliance from the human town of Saltmarsh against the Sahuagin. She had told them then that she would consider the offer and give her decision today at midday. Although Marlin and Auric discovered the miscommunication and had an opportunity to flee, they soon learned of threat posed to Saltmarsh by the Sahuagin and were convinced by Minister Sauriv to turn the miscommunication into an actual alliance between the town and the lizard-folk.
The princess announced to her gathered court that she would indeed seek an alliance with the "Man-People". In fact, she was so impressed by the diplomatic efforts made by the A-Team that she decided to make them honorary members of the tribe. From this day forward, among the tribe ruled by Orthokent, Alot Aname would be known as "Aryte-Litrix the War-Armor", Marlin Whalerson would be known as "Usk the Iron-Willed", and Auric Ravenson would be known as "Vutha the Black".
DM Note-
This was the idea of one of the players. They knew I had a table of random names and personalities so they demanded I give them lizard-folk names and personalities, so I rolled for each of them. They even took it to the next level. When among the lizard-folk, the players started role-playing their new lizard-folk personalities. Auric, aka "Vutha the Black", saw only two kinds of humanoids - lizard-folk and "meat". Marlin, aka "Usk the Iron-Willed", started using metaphors without knowing what a metaphor was. It was hilarious.
The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent getting to know each other and celebrating the new members of the tribe. The A-Team spent the night in the storage room.
Journey Back to Saltmarsh
The princess assigned two elite lizard-man warriors to escort the party back to Saltmarsh to make an offer of alliance. It was the same lizard-men that were captured aboard the Sea-Ghost a week ago. They had been interviewed by the town council before they were set free so they were known among the council members. The group set out in the morning on the eight-to-ten hour trek through the marsh to Saltmarsh.
Marlin retrieved his bag of heads from its hiding place. They were beginning to stink and the lizard-men envoys took immediate notice. Marlin explained and tried to apologize. The lizard-men made it clear that the heads belonged to a rival tribe of degenerates and that their death carried no significance. Marlin, Auric, and Alot breathed a collective sigh of relief.
They reached the estuary of the Janustream river. They sent Alot ahead of group on the ferry and waited for the next one. They wanted Alot to warn the town of the incoming lizard-men envoys to avoid any further miscommunications or misinterpretations. The last thing they wanted now was for the envoys to be killed by the guards.
The ferry returned and they crossed. The sun was setting and it would be dark by the time they arrived in Saltmarsh.
To their surprise, when they reached the gate, the guards sent a runner ahead to alert the council of their arrival. The town council was holding a special session to hear what happened and to meet with the envoys.
The Town Council
The A-Team and the two lizard-men envoys were brought before a closed-door meeting of the town council. Eliander Fireborn, the former military commander and leader of the town guard, viewed the lizard-folk with suspicion. Eda Oweland, who had planned to build a dock on the site of the temporary lizard-folk stronghold, gazed upon the envoys with grim contempt. Anders Solmor, the young and naive scion of the Solmor shipping company, was curious and excited. The remaining members of the council, Gellan Primewater, the wealthy owner of a shipping company, and Manistrad Copperlocks, the dwarven proprietor of a mining concern and agent of the King of Keoland, seemed bored and disinterested.
Eliander banged the gavel and demanded that the A-Team reveal what they learned during their secret mission - Why were these reptilian monsters purchasing weapons from smugglers? Anders stepped to the podium and took the gavel, gently reminding Eliander that this was not a military trkibunal and that, in fact, Anders was the council chairperson and would call sessions into order. It took a moment for Eliander to realize his mistake. The former military commander apologized and yielded the gavel. Anders called the session into order and more politely asked the A-Team for their full report.
Marlin and Auric provided a detailed account of their mission. They told the council that Princess Orthokent had no violent intentions towards Saltmarsh or any other human settlement. She had not invaded the stronghold, they were refugees who were forced to flee their home by the Sahuagin. The Sahuagin were expanding and posed a dangerous threat to all the aquatic tribes out at sea as well as any human settlement along the coast. They were purchasing weapons to defend their temporary home from further Sahuagin attacks. To that end, they were building an alliance with the aquatic tribes - the Merfolk, the Locathah, and even the dreaded Koalinth. Not only would they provide for mutual defense, they would one day drive the Sahuagin out of the lizard-folk home. Princess Orthokent had not sought an alliance with the human settlements because she knew the humans would be predisposed to reject her offer. However, her encounter with the members of the A-Team had convinced her that an alliance with humanity was worth pursuing. So she had sent her envoys.
The two lizard-men envoys corroborated the tale and made an official offer of alliance. Oceanus the Sea-Elf stepped in and asked to speak. Marlin and Auric, knowing that Oceanus was against any alliance including the Koalinth, dreaded enemy of the sea-elves, looked warily at each other.
The council recognized Oceanus. Oceanus made a counter-offer. He suggested instead an alliance with the Sea-Elves against the Koalinth. Auric, Marlin, and Alot quickly grabbed Oceanus and pulled him aside, apologizing to the council for the interruption. Alot took Oceanus outside wo that he could not ruin the alliance.
The council deliberated. Eliander was convinced but was worried about the Koalinth. Anders was enthusiastic. Gellan, whose company relied upon safe oceanic trade, was convinced. Manistrad characteristically abstained while Eda maintained her vehement opposition to the proposal.
The council had voted to accept the offer of an alliance. They would meet tomorrow to work out the details.
Oceanus Bids Farewell
After the council was adjourned, Oceanus met with the other members of the A-Team. He told them that entering into an alliance with the Koalinth was a mistake and bad things would happen. He also told them that now that his mission was complete, he would return to his undersea home and report to his prince. He bade them farewell and told them that he hoped to see them again in the future. With that, he walked across the streets towards the pier. He turned one last time and waved before he dove into the water.
Never Negotiate with a Wizard
It was hours after nightfall and most of the townsfolk of Saltmarsh were retiring to their homes. The A-Team crossed the Sharkfin Bridge heading for the Whaler house. At the door to the Whaler house, Marlin told the others he had some business to attend to and that he would see them in the morning. He kept walking into the night and up the hill overlooking the peninsula.
It was hours after nightfall and most of the townsfolk of Saltmarsh were retiring to their homes. The A-Team crossed the Sharkfin Bridge heading for the Whaler house. At the door to the Whaler house, Marlin told the others he had some business to attend to and that he would see them in the morning. He kept walking into the night and up the hill overlooking the peninsula.
He walked up to the tower of the wizard Keledek. The door opened before he arrived. He entered and found an empty room. The sound of some large simian creature wailed in anger from upstairs. He heard Keledek curse in a strange unknown language then a loud sound "ZAP!" The simian screeched in pain and became obediently silent.
A moment later Keledek, the brown skinned illusionist from exotic Ket, descended the stairs wiping his hands with a towel. He apologized for the distraction. Without further preamble, he ordered Marlin to give him the shard.
Marlin, who had hoped to surprise his mentor with the find, was taken aback by the wizard's foreknowledge. He used a cantrip to levitate the shard out of its pouch.
"What is it?" asked the pupil.
Keledek examined it, "It is a shard of the fabled crystal of the Alchemists of Hool! Legend says that a group of alchemists once lived in a tower in the Hool Marsh, though this was hundreds of years ago and it wasn't a swamp then. The legend says that they created a crystal the size of a man's forearm that was infused with powerful magical properties. They could use the crystal to warp life and reshape it to their will. They used the crystal to create all manner of strange chimeric beasts. It's not clear why it happened but one day it exploded, destroying the tower and shattering the crystal. Its shards were strewn a league in every direction. The location of the tower has since been lost. Where did you say you found this shard?"
"Lodged in the throat of a crocodile," was Marlin's reply.
"Would you be able to return to this place?" inquired Keledek.
"Assuredly," said Marlin.
"Then you have also found the general location of the tower of the Alchemists of Hool. It would be located within one league of where you found the shard. I know a specific use for the crystal's magical properties, but this small shard is insufficient for my needs. I need you to go back to where you found this shard and search for others. I need at least nine more like this one! Thank you for bringing this to me!"
"Not so fast!" interjected Marlin, "You have to pay for this!"
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INSOLENCE?!" demanded Keledek, "I am your master! You are my apprentice! You will do as I say!" Keledek's eyes narrowed, "or has our tutelary arrangement come to an end?"
"No. I am simply renegotiating our arrangement. I am no longer a simple dock rat who will clean your house and dispose of you refuse. I have special skills now and my skills come at a premium. I demand five hundred gold pieces for that shard!"
Keledek's eyes grew wide and rage. His chin quivered. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He broke the tension with a hearty laugh and a wide smile.
"Ah! Very good! You are learning! As you wish. I will pay you but only 300 gold pieces for the shard, as well as three hundred gold pieces for each shard of equal size thereafter."
"Five. Hundred."
Keledek held his chin in contemplation. His eyes narrowed. "Three hundred and I will give you a special gift."
"Depends on the gift?" Marlin said, warily.
"It will be worth it." Keledek assured him.
After some brief consideration, Marlin agreed.
"Excellent," said Keledek, "When next you see Gellan Primewater. Tell him I said it was time. That is all."
"Wait, what?" Marlin was confused.
"I SAID THAT IS ALL! YOU MAY LEAVE NOW, PUPIL!" bellowed Keledek in a rage. The door threw itself open and Keledek held out his hand towards the doorway palm up to make the message clear.
Eda Oweland Won't Pay
The next day the warforged guardian Alot Aname sought out Eda Oweland in order to claim the bounty on lizard-man heads she had promised Aella. He carried the sack containing three putrid rotting heads to the docks and found Eda in the fishmongers plant. He found her giving orders to a boat captain. She looked confused and annoyed by the approach of this random stranger, "What the fuck do you want?"
Alot indicated the sack in his hands and told her he was here to collect on the bounty she had promised. The boat captain gave her a look of concern. Eda swore, "Fuck the gods!" She dismissed the captain and led Alot to a small office with a window overlooking the Azure sea. "That arrangement was a gods damned secret!" She finally noticed the sack of heads, "Wait, does that bag contain severed fucking heads? Did you bring the cocksucking heads HERE? You fucking idiot!"
Alot was dispassionate and spoke in a monotone, "You will pay ten gold pieces per head like you promised."
"WHAT? I won't!"
"You will pay ten gold pieces per head like your promised."
The foul-mouthed owner of a fleet of fishing boats closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I won't! Look, A - My fucking offer was to that foreign girl, not to you. B - My offer was intended to drive the cold-blooded bastards out of that grotto. I wanted to build a damned dock there. Your fucking group not only failed to drive them out, you made a gods-damned ALLIANCE with the scaly fuckers! I won't pay!"
There was a moment of silence as Alot contemplated Eda's argument.
The next day the warforged guardian Alot Aname sought out Eda Oweland in order to claim the bounty on lizard-man heads she had promised Aella. He carried the sack containing three putrid rotting heads to the docks and found Eda in the fishmongers plant. He found her giving orders to a boat captain. She looked confused and annoyed by the approach of this random stranger, "What the fuck do you want?"
Alot indicated the sack in his hands and told her he was here to collect on the bounty she had promised. The boat captain gave her a look of concern. Eda swore, "Fuck the gods!" She dismissed the captain and led Alot to a small office with a window overlooking the Azure sea. "That arrangement was a gods damned secret!" She finally noticed the sack of heads, "Wait, does that bag contain severed fucking heads? Did you bring the cocksucking heads HERE? You fucking idiot!"
Alot was dispassionate and spoke in a monotone, "You will pay ten gold pieces per head like you promised."
"WHAT? I won't!"
"You will pay ten gold pieces per head like your promised."
The foul-mouthed owner of a fleet of fishing boats closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I won't! Look, A - My fucking offer was to that foreign girl, not to you. B - My offer was intended to drive the cold-blooded bastards out of that grotto. I wanted to build a damned dock there. Your fucking group not only failed to drive them out, you made a gods-damned ALLIANCE with the scaly fuckers! I won't pay!"
There was a moment of silence as Alot contemplated Eda's argument.
"You will pay ten gold pieces per head like your promised."
"I'm going to get some boys to escort you the fuck out! You better be gone when I get back!" She stormed out of the office and slammed the door.
Alot hesitated for a moment. He then took one of the putrid heads and placed it inside a storage cabinet. "I'll just leave this here as a sign of our good will." he said to himself. He left the building before she could return.
Alot left the fishmonger's plant. While dumping the two remaining rancid heads off the pier, he ran into Amnesia who had been spending the past few days trying to investigate her mysterious past but with no luck.
Gellan Primewater has a Job for Marlin
Around mid-morning, Gellan Primewater summoned Marlin for a private meeting. The wealthy importer and exporter had sponsored Marlin's membership in "the Organization", a secret cabal of smugglers in Saltmarsh.
Gellan told Marlin that Punketah the sea-wizard had escaped the gaol. He had simply disappeared. The gaoler walked in one morning and the wizard was gone. The cell was still locked. Marlin expressed disbelief for he had given Punketah's spellbook to Keledek and without his spellbook, Punketah wouldn't be able to study his spells. Gellan leaned back and his chair with a knowing smile and held his hands out palms up and shrugged. "Look, if you're worried about vendetta, don't worry. If the Sea-Wizard is a member of the Organization, he is forbidden from killing another member of the Organization without permission. He'd have to ask permission from his sponsor who'd then ask permission from me."
Marlin scoffed, "I wasn't worried about that. That guy's a loser!"
Gellan then said, "Before I get to the matter at hand, I have a question." Gellan asked Marlin if he thought his friends and companions would make good recruits into "the Organization". Marlin rubbed his chin and thought about it. He admitted he didn't think they'd be good recruits at this time.
"That's too bad," replied Gellan, "That's going to make this next part more complicated. I have a job for you."
Gellan said that he had a special product being brought to Saltmarsh for export. The item couldn't come through Burle so he had it sent to friends of his in the Hool Marshes. He simply needed to have someone go to his friends' camp and pick it up and bring it back to Saltmarsh.
"How big is this item?" inquired Marlin.
"Hmm.. let's see. How big is your magical bag of holding?" replied Gellan pointedly.
Realization dawned on Marlin that this item needed to be smuggled into Saltmarsh, "I see. Got it."
Around mid-morning, Gellan Primewater summoned Marlin for a private meeting. The wealthy importer and exporter had sponsored Marlin's membership in "the Organization", a secret cabal of smugglers in Saltmarsh.
Gellan told Marlin that Punketah the sea-wizard had escaped the gaol. He had simply disappeared. The gaoler walked in one morning and the wizard was gone. The cell was still locked. Marlin expressed disbelief for he had given Punketah's spellbook to Keledek and without his spellbook, Punketah wouldn't be able to study his spells. Gellan leaned back and his chair with a knowing smile and held his hands out palms up and shrugged. "Look, if you're worried about vendetta, don't worry. If the Sea-Wizard is a member of the Organization, he is forbidden from killing another member of the Organization without permission. He'd have to ask permission from his sponsor who'd then ask permission from me."
Marlin scoffed, "I wasn't worried about that. That guy's a loser!"
Gellan then said, "Before I get to the matter at hand, I have a question." Gellan asked Marlin if he thought his friends and companions would make good recruits into "the Organization". Marlin rubbed his chin and thought about it. He admitted he didn't think they'd be good recruits at this time.
"That's too bad," replied Gellan, "That's going to make this next part more complicated. I have a job for you."
Gellan said that he had a special product being brought to Saltmarsh for export. The item couldn't come through Burle so he had it sent to friends of his in the Hool Marshes. He simply needed to have someone go to his friends' camp and pick it up and bring it back to Saltmarsh.
"How big is this item?" inquired Marlin.
"Hmm.. let's see. How big is your magical bag of holding?" replied Gellan pointedly.
Realization dawned on Marlin that this item needed to be smuggled into Saltmarsh, "I see. Got it."
"You can find these friends by traveling up the Dunwater river until you encounter a large chain that spans the entire river."
As Marlin was preparing to leave, he suddenly remembered, "Oh, Keledek told me to tell you it was time. Whatever that means."
"Oh, interesting. Excellent."
"What does that mean?" inquired Marlin.
"Son, it means that when you get back, you get to see our little secret beneath the Tower of Zenopus."
Marlin's heart skipped a beat.
Sahuagin Ambush!
Marlin told the others about the mission - Buy a boat and row up the Dunwater river to retrieve a package. To that end they purchased a longboat, a large eight person rowboat. The A-Team, including Amnesia, set out from Saltmarsh the next morning, sailing west along the coast towards the Dunwater river. The trip would take roughly eight hours.
After seven hours of rowing, they were within sight of the Dunwater river and the rocky prominence containing the lizard-folk stronghold. Amnesia stood up and pointed into the water around the boat, "Fish-men!"
Six fish-men with bluish-green scaly skin surrounded the boat and attacked its occupants with long spears. Each spear was tipped with a strange fork-like head like a frog gig. They were Sahuagin!
The six sahuagin climbed onto the boat and did hand-to-hand battle with its occupants. Amnesia maneuvered around to the stern of the boat to avoid attacks while Marlin slipped forward. Alot took the brunt of the attacks but hewed two or three of the sea-devils. Auric stepped forward and raised his arms in an appeal to Tristan, the God of the Dead, to grant them divine aid. Suddenly a swarm of ravens appeared from thin air, flying around the boat, circling fast and faster to create a whirlwind of beaks and black feathers. The talons and beaks of the celestial birds tore and rent the flesh of the Sahuagin in the boat and they were soon defeated.
There was a brief moment of peace when suddenly the boat was slammed by some kind of force followed immediately by another. Two muscular sahuagin were using large stone mallets to hammer the rear of the boat in an attempt to smash the wood and cause it to sink. Auric directed the birds to dive below the water. The immaterial birds were not impeded by the ocean waves and were soon pecking and devouring at the submerged opponents.
While they were distracted by the assailants to aft, another attacker had stealthily climbed onto the bow of the boat. This sahuagin looked like a humanoid angler fish with smooth black skin and a long glowing bulb that dangled like an ornament from the top of the fish-man's head. Although the fish-man was being pecked and torn by the swirling whirlwind of ravens, he withstood the onslaught and faced the occupants of the boat as if it wished to deliver a message.
Everyone was held transfixed for a moment by the swaying bulb as it flashed a strange luminescence. The fish-man spoke in a strange gurgling voice, "I have a message to all who dwell above. Retreat inland. The sea and all that touches the sea belongs to the sahuagin!"
The fish-thing grimaced at the wounds still being inflicted by the swarm of ravens and dove back into the sea.
The boat continued to the banks of the Dunwater river. They pulled their boat ashore and sought shelter for the night within the stronghold of the lizard-folk.
The next morning they thanked their hosts and went down to their long-boat. It was smashed to splinters, destroyed by stone mallets.
The party exhaled a collective sigh of frustration at their lack of foresight. Next time they'd haul the boat farther inland.
To be Continued...
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