The Forsaken Sea-Mount - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 69

 

Corvid stood in a corridor somewhere within the Forsaken Sea-Mount, citadel of the aquatic hobgoblins known as Koalinth. He was hundreds of feet underwater, protected by his magical Cloak of the Manta Ray. He brandished his magical sword, Faithkeeper. The water was red with the blood of his fallen enemies. The bodies of slain koalinth and sharks drifted to the floor. 

Captain Alot and Cai'luin the bard had followed a fleeing koalinth into a side passage where they discovered more prisoners - merfolk, sea-elves, and locathah  - chained to a wall and forced to dig. 

Alot called out, "We have more prisoners to save!"

The main corridor ended at a metal door. An injured shark was trying to escape. 

Suddenly the door burst open. A dwarf wearing a skull mask and a wide-brimmed helmet adorned with dolphins smashed his war-pick into the shark's forehead, killing it. 

It was Patriarch Craig, High Priest of the Cult of Tristan.

"What are you doing?" growled the dwarf, "The exit is this way!"

CHAPTER 69

"THE FORSAKEN SEA-MOUNT"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

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

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

This week, I'm adapting a low-level adventure called the Secret of Forsaken Peak, Part 1: the Goblin Mine. I moved the entire mine to a sea-mount underwater. I replaced all the goblins with koalinth and all the worgs with hunter sharks. All the regular wolves became reef sharks. All the ogres became merrows. The bullette became chuul. The fire elemental became an earth elemental. References to dragons and Tiamat became kraken and Olhydra. Etc. I also increased all the traps from 1-4th level to 10th level, increasing their damage and DCs. 

Patriarch Craig's player had missed the previous week so he was never imprisoned. I wanted to introduce him into the story as quickly as  possible. Luckily, the other characters were right there at the exit - though they didn't know it. So I just had Patriarch Craig open the exit door and say "Hey! The exit is this way!" 

An Escape Delayed

Corvid said to Patriarch Craig, "Not yet! I've got to help Alot free some more prisoners."

A pair of ogre-sized merrow who had been standing guard outside the exit noticed Craig and threw their harpoons at him. One harpoon struck the dwarf. He grunted against the pain as the merrow tried to pull the chain to drag the dwarf towards him. Craig pulled the harpoon out and grit his teeth. The dwarven priest created a mystical hammer and sent it to fight the merrow.

"Well, hurry up!" he growled! 

Corvid swam into the mine where Alot was freeing the closest prisoner with a key taken from the prison guard during their own escape. Cai'luin was also in the mine, "Here come the guards!"

Corvid said, "I'll take care of them. Go help Craig, he's guarding the exit!"

Cai'luin gave a quick salute and swam into the corridor to assist Craig.

The underwater cavern was unlit but Corvid's magical darkvision made out several humanoid shapes and two large forms swimming towards him from the opposite side.

Cai'luin joined Craig at the exit, "I'm here to help. What's happening."

Craig pointed down the sloping passage, "Two merrow. Take care of them. I've got to do something."

Cai'luin played a tune on his lute and his eyes began to glow with bardic magic. Outside the exit the two merrow, plus two previously unseen koalinth guards, clutched their heads and writhed in pain. The two koalinth passed out from the ordeal.

Father Craig put his hands together in prayer, "I wish that Corvid was the Holy Avenger of Tristan."

Inside the cavern, Corvid was wreathed in light. His body stiffened and he floated off the ground. The currents swirled around him and his sword arm raised upward. The magic sword Faithkeeper disappeared in a glowing aura that illuminated the cavern and momentarily blinded the koalinth and the two massive crustacean chuul that were approaching. 

When the glow faded, Corvid held in his hands the Holy Avenging Sword of Tristan - he had become the living servant of his god's vengeance!

DM Note-

I totally described in the game as a anime-style magical girl transformation with billowing hair, swirling lights, and hovering rotating Corvid. 

After the light show dimmed, the koalinth and chuul continued their approach. 

Alot had just freed a mermaid prisoner, "You there. I'm need to fight off these attackers. If I give you the key will you free the others?"

The mermaid nodded enthusiastically. Alot gave her the key, "Good, get to it!" He turned and engaged the koalinth guards and chuuls that had swimmed up out of the gloom.

The mermaid avoided the incoming attacks and began freeing the other prisoners. Though the koalinth tried to stop her, Alot would interpose himself to stop them. 

Reinforcements come from the Rear

With one hand Aells held onto the manacles that bound her prisoner, the marid known as Emir Farzad. The emir struggled against her at every step and she was getting tired of it. She was followed by a throng of twelve fellow escapees - locathah, merfolk, and sea-elves. It was a slog trying to get down the corridor towards the exit. 

She heard the approach of more koalinth from behind them - reinforcements. She ordered the fellow escapees to get past her into the corridor. They began to swim around her. 

The reinforcements came into view. Aella's eyes glowed with crackling lightning as she summoned a storm that filled the entire passage leading to their corridor. All of the reinforcements were caught within it. The chaotic currents slammed them into each other and bolts of lightning struck the largest among them.

Craig ordered Cai'luin to help Aella. The bard swam past the prisoners to join the Sea Witch. He played a mystical note and the corridor, already engulfed by a powerful storm, exploded with the force of his Depth Charge spell. The reinforcements were decimated!

Craig swam to help Allea move the emir, saying, "Go assist the others. I'll help Aella with this jerk!" 

 

Meanwhile, Back in the Mine

The koalinth guards split into two groups - one group and one chuul against Alot and one group and one chuul against Corvid. Corvid held his new sword before him and called forth a vortex of mystical ravens that tore into the guards attacking him. 

The guards abandoned Corvid to escape the aura of ravens and moved towards Alot. Corvid saw Cai'luin enter the cavern, "Help him. I'll go defend the rear in case more reinforcements come."

As soon as Corvid left the cavern of the mine, a chuul swam up and grabbed Cai'luin in its piercer. It shoved the bard into its tentacled mouth parts. Cai'luin's body shuddered as the poison coursed through him.

Alot finished off the guards and chuul menacing the prisoners. One guard threw down his harpoon and surrendered.  Alot ordered the guard to start freeing prisoners. The guard removed the shackles from a locathah. The emancipated locathah picked up the guard's harpoon and impaled his former oppressor. The guard writhed but survived. The locathah joined the other freed prisoners in escaping. The guard threw down the key and swam away.

With all the guards fleeing or dead, Alot helped the mermaid free the remaining prisoners. They soon made their escape out of the Forsaken Sea-mount. As they left, each prisoner went their separate ways, swimming off in random directions. 

The helpful mermaid stayed behind. Alot said, "You are free to go, if you wish!"

The mermaid replied, "You have freed me. I owe you a great debt! I will stay with you until you, too, are safe!"

"That's great!" said Alot, "What's your name?"

DM Note- quick stop at the random mermaid name generator.

"My name is Kala-Ek," she said.

The Ascent

The crew of the Sea Ghost gathered together outside the exit. They were at the bottom of the sea with a large sea-mount at their back. It was dark. There was a faint dim glow of daylight far above them. 

Alot looked around, "Where are we?"

Cai'luin, who possessed an innate sense of depth and pressure, said, "We're about six hundred feed down. Judging by the light I'd say it was mid-morning."

Alot nodded, "Which way do we go?"

Corvid said, "According to our original plan, the Sea Ghost should be sailing directly overhead right about now."

DM Note-

Before their imprisonment, I told each player that instead of spending their Inspiration point on Advantage, they could instead spend it for a story ret-con in the form of a "Flashback" in the style of Blades in the Dark. In the previous session Cai'luin's player used a flashback to say he had hidden the bag of holding strapped to his back under his shirt. In this session, Corvid's player used his to say that they had arranged for the ship to sail over this spot at this pre-arranged time - because escaping now was always a part of the plan!

The team began swimming straight up. Aella was slowed by Emir Fazad who struggled the entire way in an attempt to escape. The rest of the team slowed their ascent to stay close to Aella. Only Kala-Ek swam ahead of the others. 

At a depth of about 330 feet, the escapees could see the dark shapes of large sharks approaching from below. The sharks carried koalinth riders armed with harpoons and were accompanied by smaller sharks.

DM Note-

My original Roll20 battlemap quickly proved insufficient so I called for a break and quickly created a new battlemap representing all six hundred feet from bottom to surface with lines drawn every 30 feet. I put the escapees at a depth of 330 feet. I put the pursuers sixty feet or more beneath them at the edge of their Darkvision. Here's the screenshot of the whole thing zoomed way out. It kind of looked like a football field and this was the weekend before the Superbowl, so when I put the players back, I sang the little NFL theme and described the scene like a football commentator.

Patriarch Craig fell behind and told the others he'd catch up. Craig made a hand gesture and said a prayer to Tristan. A great whirlpool miraculously appeared in the midst of the pursuers. The whirlpool pummeled those caught within it and drew all those within twenty-five feet closer to it. 

DM Note-

I had so many bad guys on the board, this was a nightmare for me to have to roll saving throws and athletics skill checks for each one of them! 

A handful of sharks and koalinth swam around the whirlpool and got close to Patriarch Craig. Cai'luin fell back to help the dwarven priest, uttering arcane whispers of dissonance to cause some to flee. Aella cast chaos bolt spells at the pursuers as she continued to carry Emir Farzad.

Cai'luin swam down to Craig's side and summoned forth a swirling vortex of magical musical notes that slashed anyone that got near them. Corvid joined them, creating his own vortex of spiritual ravens.

Father Craig dismissed the whirlpool and drew forth the waters into a mighty current to propel himself and his fellow escapees up towards the surface, outdistancing the pursuers. Craig continued this until they were at the surface. Kala-Ek was propelled so quickly that she breached the surface and flew into the air thirty feet. 

The Sea Ghost was nearby and threw lines to the escapees as it sailed past. Father Craig reversed the current beneath them, pushing the advancing pursuers away towards the bottom of the sea.

This act created a magical depression in the sea. When it was released, it snapped back and the Sea Ghost rocked and bobbed. Everyone was by this time on board and sailing away. 

Alot asked Kala-Ek if she wished to accompany them. The mermaid smiled and waved, "I will swim next to until you reach your home port, but then I will bid my farewell!"

Alot waved back in thanks and admiration.

Craig stood next to him looking over the gunwhale, and signed, "I'm going to marry that girl someday!"

Alot did a double take at the dwarf in momentary confusion, then shook his head.

Emir Farzad asked Captain Alot what was to become of the marid. Alot explained that they were taking him back to Skyhorn Lighthouse where he would be turned over to the tritons.

Emir Farzad once again pleaded for his freedom, offering a wish in exchange for removing the manacles. 

Alot held firm, "No."

DM Note-

Though it did prompt a lively discussion among the players about what they might wish for.

Meanwhile, Back in the Forsaken Sea-Mount

In the chambers of Archmage Zrunkuc, the pursuers reported that they had lost the escapees and that, in fact, all the slaves and captives used in the mines had been freed. 

Warlord Tuuk became enraged. He picked up a harpoon and impaled the messenger for the bad news. The other koalinth soldiers retreated half a step. 

Tuuk turned to the archmage, "As I feared, this was a ruse orchestrated by the sea-elves of Manaan. The daughter of the King of Manaan, Princess Aella, was among them, as was the nephew of the king. First they killed Warlord Zradrog at the Lizard-man games. And now this. We cannot let this stand!"

Archmarge Zrunkuc sat in his ornate chair and templed his fingers. He was struggling to contain his calm. 

"The sea-elves of Manaan have stolen my marid and have robbed me of a wish. This is an act of war. Contact our allies. Prepare the armies. It is time to destroy the sea-elves once and for all. This. Is. WAR!" 

To Be Continued...

DM Note-

I did that little cut-scene at the end of the night and it was great. Alot's player was like, "Yeah, I figured this was coming" and indeed others mentioned it during the escape, "But," he continued, "That's a problem for future us!"

Merrow Mayhem - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 54

Relzagon slept with four other merrow in the cargo hold of a sunken ship, confident that the three guards she posted outside with two fighting sharks would be sufficient to defend their slumber from any interruption. 

Relzagon woke with a start as the water in half of the cargo hold suddenly drained away! Half of the cargo hold was now filled with air. A vertical wall of water divided the normally flooded hold from the air of the surface! One her merrow was caught in the air side. He gasped for a second as he woke up. He quickly moved over to the water-filled half of the hold.

Something odd was happening. She heard fighting outside the ship. Her warriors were engaged with intruders! The entire aft section of the wrecked ship was exposed to air. It was as if someone had lowered the surface of the ocean fifty feet, but only in a sharply defined area!

Suddenly the wall of air shifted further towards the bow, pushing Relzagon and her merrow warriors up against the bulkhead of the cargo hold. She heard the sound of battle and the screams of dying merrow. The wall of water moved further towards the bow. Now the entire hold was filled with air. The body of a massive shark fell on top of the grate in the ceiling of the hold, blocking their view of the action above. The shark flopped ineffectually before it was killed by a mighty blow and became still. Her warriors became nervous. She quickly ordered them to take up their harpoons and prepare for anything.

There was a moment of relative silence. She could hear surface dwellers speaking and walking over the deck of the rotten timbers of the deck. She signaled her warriors to be ready. Something heaved the shark off of the grate. Light poured into the cargo hold. A shadowy figure with glowing eyes loomed above. It reached down and lifted the wooden grate. 

It called out in the hideous language of the surface dwellers, "Hey! There's more merrow in here!"

CHAPTER 54

"MERROW MAYHEM"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

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

DM Note-

Still filling in the 8th level gap between the end of the Final Enemy and the beginning of Tammeraut's Fate with small mini-adventures. This time I decided to use the Merrow Scenario in the Wreck of the Marshall in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. It seems to me that my players always have more fun with these smaller adventures. 

Fight in the Hold

All five merrow hurled their harpoons at the armored figure above. The harpoons bounced uselessly off its impervious armor. The merrow warriors quickly pulled the chains attached to the harpoons and retrieved their weapons.

Suddenly a shadow loomed over the ship. Everyone looked up. Father Craig had created a void of air from the surface to the sea floor so that he could join his companions in battle. Unfortunately, he had done so underneath the bow of their ship, the Sea Ghost. The Sea Ghost now began to creep forward, threatening to crash down onto the wrecked ship on the sea floor which was now exposed to the air of the surface.

Alot looked up and said, in a moment of uncharacteristic panic, "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

Father Craig turned towards the Sea Ghost and held out his open hands. He reconfigured the shape and position of the zone of air so that less of the bow was exposed. This slowed the advance of the ship but did not stop its momentum. However, in doing so he had made water more accessible to the floundering merrow in the hold. 

Corvid leaped down from a nearby coral reef and entered the hold through a breach in the hull on the starboard side. The breach was too small for a merrow but just large enough for Corvid to gain entry. Corvid engaged with the leader of the merrow and one of the warriors. Corvid was pierced by a harpoon but not impaled.

One merrow warrior fled down the corridor towards the wall of water in the stern of the ship. Another merrow smashed into the port hull, bursting through and creating a large breach. A third merrow dragged himself across the dry ground with his hands towards the breach in an effort to reach the edge wall of air/water beyond.

Aella, still standing on the quarterdeck of the wrecked ship, heard the crash below and looked over the port railing. She saw the merrow bursting through. She waved her arms and created a magical tornado just outside the breach. The two escaping merrow were caught up in the maelstrom and found themselves unable to escape the high winds and battering debris.

Alot leaped down into the hold and chased after the merrow fleeing towards the stern. He was soon followed by Cai'luin who climbed down the ship's ladder into the hold and began to play his lute to provide some bardic encouragement to his companions. 

Corvid meted out divine vengeance against the two merrow that attacked him, quickly dispatching them. 

Aella, likewise, let her spell do the work of killing the two merrow trying to flee through the breach.

Meanwhile Alot caught up with the final merrow in a water-filled section of the wreck as the massive beast tried to smash an exit through the hull with his harpoon. He turned to face Alot too late as Alot swung an arc of bloody destruction onto the merrow, repeatedly smashing the merrow's skull with a large dragon-shaped hammer until the creature was dead. 

The Cave of Lost Souls

Corvid examined the ship's hold. A large marble statue of Saint Cuthbert lay tied down on its side. There was a door leading to a cabin towards the ship's bow. The ship's hull was badly breached on the port side where it crashed into the reef. Corvid spotted a cave in the coral. He entered the cave and soon came across a small cavern illuminated by green glowing phosphorescent coral. The cave was filled with air still from Father Craig's miracle. The air suddenly became supernaturally chill. 

Two supernatural figures appeared before Corvid. They were the ghosts of two nuns of Saint Cuthbert who died as the ship sank - Sister Calimara and Sister Alina. They told Corvid that the ship sank when the harpies song overwhelmed the senses of the crew. The two sisters, along with the high priest and another priest, tried to save the ship but the crew locked them in a cabin below decks in the stern of the ship. Thus did they perish when the ship struck the reef. 

The two sisters implored Corvid to recover their remains and inter them in sacred ground at a temple of Saint Cuthbert. They warned him that should he refuse to do so he would be cursed for eternity. 

Corvid, himself a living avatar of the god of death and guardian of the gates to the afterlife, agreed to the task.

Corvid went directly to the aft section of the ship which was outside the area of Father Craig's miraculous zone of air. There were two doors - both were reinforced with iron bars. He chose the door on the right. It was locked shut. He shoved and kicked and the door broke off its frame. Within he found the remains of four individuals wearing the habits and robes of nuns and priests of Saint Cuthbert. He gathered them up and placed them on the door for transport. In one of the robes he found a jade amulet in the shape of a cross within two concentric circles - the symbol of Saint Cuthbert.

Bess the Crab

While Corvid gathered the remains of the dead, Cai'luin explored one of the cabins amidships. The center of the lower deck was still exposed to air. Cai'luin opened the door and a woman's voice cried, "Oy! Can't a girl get a little privacy while she's taking her nap?"

Cai'luin immediately blurted, "Oh, sorry!" and closed the door. Then he realized there was no one in the room. He paused to consider this before reopening the door and looking more closely. The room was covered waist high in detritus and broken wood. He said, "I'm sorry to bother you, but is someone in here?"

The flotsam and jetsam shifted and a humongous crab emerged, its claws held high.The crab said, "Of course there's someone in here! I'm in here! And I was trying to get some sleep, if you don't mind! It's bad enough with those fishy brutes lying around, you lot 'ave to come in here and start smashing things up and rifling through a girl's belongings!"

Cai'luin became suspicious, "And you are?"

"My name's Bess! I live here." Bess explained that she was given intelligence by a song from a bard named Clergol. He sang a hymn of Saint Cuthbert that was so beautiful that she miraculously gained a soul! "You, uh, you got a lute there. You wouldn't happen to be a bard would you?"

"Well yes I am," replied Cai'luin. 

"You wouldn't happen to know any hymns of Saint Cuthbert, would you?" inquired Bess.

"I think I remember a few from the bardic college." Cai'luin played a hymn dedicated to the saint.

"Oh, yes," declared Bess, "I think you and I are going to be VERY good friends!"

DM Note-

I voiced Bess as close as I could to Phoebe Waller-Bridge from Fleabag.

The Iron Door

Captain Alot asked his crew, "Anyone found any treasure yet?"

Craig said, "No." Cai'luin, still playing his lute to an enamored giant crab, shook his head. Corvid hauled a collection of wet bones towards the breach in the hull.

Alot considered the iron door in the stern section of the cargo deck. He examined the door closely. It was a reinforced door, the kind used to protect valuable cargo. He ran his two-fingered mechanical hands around it. He took out a crowbar and tried to wedge it open using his super-human strength. It wouldn't budge. He tried again but it was stuck fast. He rubbed his metal chin. 

Corvid, exiting through the breach in the hull, said, "Forget about it. Come with me up to the island. The ghosts said there might be treasure up there.

Alot said,  "Ghosts? There's ghosts?" and followed Corvid up to the island. 

Aella, still standing on the deck, called out, "Hey! Wait for me!"

The Iron Cobra

Father Craig opened the door leading to the cabin in the bow of the ship. Within he found a shrine dedicated to Saint Cuthbert. A large painting on a wood panel the size of a door was placed up against the very inside-bow of the ship. He looked around but found nothing. 

He called out to Cai'luin, "Come up here! I need you to check something out!"

Cai'luin entered the cabin followed by Bess the crab. 

"Who's that?" inquired Craig.

"Oh, that's Bess," replied Cai'luin, casually.

"You stay away from me elven pritt'y-boy, dwarfie! He's mine!" Bess waved her snapping claws around menacingly. 

Father Craig narrowed his eyes menacingly, "You'd be very nice with some butter and garlic."

"Wotch it!" she said. The two inched closer together.

Cai'luin separated them, "Father Craig, what did you need?"

"I think there's something hidden behind that shrine. I'd like you to take a look."

"I will, now if YOU could please go search the cargo hold, I would appreciate it."

Craig nodded and left the room, glaring at Bess as he departed.

"Thought he'd never leave," said the crab.

Cai'luin rolled his eyes and turned to examine the panel. 

Bess told him that the passengers on the ship all worshipped Saint Cuthbert and made this shrine during their voyage. She said, "Now what was it they used to say about that shrine?" She rubbed her maxilliped mouthparts with her claw as someone might rub their chin trying to remember something important.

The sea-elf bard found a hidden latch and the panel opened wide like a door, revealing a small niche. The niche contained a circular depression about nine inches wide where a disk or amulet might be placed.

The inside of the panel contained a large mirror. Cai'luin caught a glimpse of himself as he was about to close the panel. 

Instead of his own reflection he saw a segmented iron hooded cobra! The iron cobra launched itself out of the mirror and attacked Cai'luin's face. Cai'luin cried out in alarm as he staggered back, the iron cobra's metal fangs had pierced the flesh on his face. He threw the thing onto the deck and drew his rapier.

Bess pointed at Cai'luin with her claw, "That was it! Something about 'beware he who is vain' or something like that!"

Father Craig came running in. He brought his mallet down onto the cobra. The iron cobra was fixated on Cai'luin. The mechanical snake continued to bite the bard over and over again. Cai'luin, for his part, was unable to pierce the iron carapace of the iron cobra. Father Craig shouted, "Are you okay? Have you been poisoned?"

Cai'luin grit his teeth. "Not yet! WHY- WON'T- THIS- DAMNED- THING- DIE??!!" he spat as he continued to stab at the mechanical guardian with no success. Father Craig brought his mallet down and finally destroyed the creature.

Cai'luin glanced in the mirror. He could now see his own reflection. He shot an exasperated look at Bess, "Maybe next time try to remember a little sooner!" 

Salvage

Father Craig knew his zone of air wouldn't last much longer so he and Cai'luin returned to the Sea Ghost and allowed the sea to once more cover wreckage of the Marshall.

The crew that were able to breathe underwater spent the next several hours spent recovering all they could from the wreck. On the island of the harpies they were able to find a holy symbol of St. Cuthbert made with gold and sapphires worth 150 gp, a jasper gem worth 50 g), a piece of obsidian worth 10 gp, a tiger eye worth 10 gp, 12 platinum coins, 164 gold coins, 641 silver coins, 320 electrum coins, and over a thousand copper coins which they left on the beach.

The crew rigged a block and tackle system to raise the statue of Saint Cuthbert from the hold. Father Craig assisted by controlling the water to help direct the statue and lift it onto the deck. Their plan was to return the remains and the statue to the temple of Saint Cuthbert in Seaton. The ghost nuns, visible only to Corvid, nodded their stern approval.

Aella, wearing her magical gauntlets of ogre power, was able to force open the stuck door in the cargo hold. They recovered fifteen sealed boxes. They brought them onto the deck and opened one. Within was a dozen copies of the book St. Cuthbert and Common Sense, a short book used to explain the tenets of the deity's faith to nonbelievers, as well as a small golden statuette of Saint Cuthbert intended to purchase the favor of local chieftains and tribal leaders.

The crew also recovered the shrine to Saint Cuthbert. Corvid, upon learning of the mirror, explained that he had found a jade amulet in the shape of the symbol of Saint Cuthbert that would fit it perfectly. He said that the mirror was likely a miraculous device that allowed the priests to perform scrying spells. 

Return to Saltmarsh

The Sea Ghost returned to Saltmarsh, arriving a few hours after sunset. The city was dark and its townsfolk had gone to bed. Aella spent the night in her house on the hill. She allowed Cai'luin and Bess to sleep in a guest room. Father Craig and Corvid returned to their quarters in the clergy house they had purchased. Alot returned to his gazebo on the site of the mansion he was building to replace the former residence of the smuggler Gellan Primewater that had burned down over a year ago. There he stood, motionless, for the rest of the night.

The Runaround

The following morning, the crew of the Sea Ghost began unloading the cargo of vegetables they had picked up in Niole Dra. Captain Alot, Aella, Father Craig, Corvid, and Cai'luin reported to the mansion of Baron Anders Solmor to report on the success of their mission to the capital and receive their payment.

They were met at the entrance by Skerrin, Baron Solmor's butler and secretary. Skerrin informed them that the baron was too busy to speak with them. The crew provided Skerrin with the receipt proving delivery of the baron's gift to the king by the allotted deadline.  They also reported that they had destroyed the Vengeful Tempest which had terrorized the Azure Sea. 

Skerrin sniffed with disdain and demanded proof of the destruction of the ship. Alot said that they had the figurehead of the ship - a red dragon, as well as a book that belonged to the ship's captain. Skerrin demanded to see it. Alot said that those were back on the ship but assured him he could bring it.

Skerrin rolled his eyes, "Very well. It seems you have met the terms of your agreement. Bring the proof to receive your compensation."

Alot said, "Okay, we'll be right back."

"Not HERE! Take it to the baron's warehouse. Be there in two hours. I will need time to prepare the payment. Three thousand gold pieces."

"Each." said Alot.

"What?"

"Three thousand gold pieces. EACH. That was the arrangement." The other crewmembers nodded.

Skerrin paused, "Are you sure? That seems like a lot."

"I'm sure you wrote it down."

Skerrin had them wait while he retrieved his ledger. 

Skerrin sighed, "It seems you are correct. But only for three of you."

"What?" said Alot.

"The arrangement was made between the baron and Commander Fireborn and you, you, and you," said the secretary, pointing at Alot, Aella, and Father Craig.

"Fine. Plus five thousand for the Vengeful Tempest. That was the deal."

Skerrin once again checked his book. He sighed.

"I will verify the agreement and bring you the appropriate amount in two hours. If you are late, you forfeit your reward."

"We'll be there!"

The Note

Alot and Corvid returned to the ship to deliver the prizes to the appropriate warehouse at the appropriate time for the appropriate payment. 

Aella and Cai'luin were walking back to her house to check on Bess when Aella noticed a folded piece of paper in her pocket. She opened it. It said, in fresh ink, "I know a secret way into Manaan. Meet me at the Empty Net at Midnight and I will tell you. Come Alone. Ask the bartender for the Serpent's Tooth."

She looked around but no one was nearby. She showed the note to Cai'luin. He read it and said, "Do you think its a trap?"

She replied, "Of course it is."

He looked at her, "Are you going to go anyway?"

She looked back at him, "Of course I am. Are you coming with me?"

Cai'luin smiled, "Of course I am!"

The Raven's Message

Meanwhile, suspecting treachery, Father Craig bought his magical silver raven figurine to life. He gave the raven a brief message to deliver to Baron Solmor inquiring about his safety and requesting a face to face meeting at the town council chambers at noon.

A few minutes later the raven returned from its mission and relayed that the baron was busy but would be happy to meet with Father Craig. It would literally be the best thing about his day.

Father Craig and Corvid went to the council chamber. The baron failed to appear. A short time after noon a messenger boy from the village ran up and reported that the baron was too busy to join them. He said something about remembering his schedule right after sending the raven back and hoping for the raven to return to provide an update, but the raven never returned. Whatever that meant. He apologized on behalf of the baron. 

Father Craig told the boy to relay his understanding to the baron and paid the boy a silver piece, five times the usual amount for the boy's service.

A Visit to the Loyal Quartermasters of Iuz

That afternoon, flush with coin after receiving their payment, the crew paid a visit to the devil-touched Captain Xendros at the Loyal Quartermasters of Iuz. 

Captain Xendros was her usual cheerful self, happily greeting the crew as friends and asking about their adventures.

"Did you deliver your cargo to the capital in time for the king's birthday?"

"How did you destroy the Vengeful Tempest?"

"Where are you going to take the statue of Saint Cuthbert?"

"Are you willing to sell the magical Javelin of Lightning you recovered from Captain Morgana?"

It soon became apparent that Xendros possessed knowledge beyond what reputation and scuttlebutt would know. Captain Alot asked her how she knew all these things.

"Oh, you know, words get around." she quickly changed the subject, "Now, would you like to see my current inventory?"

They paid her fee and she allowed them entrance into her special storage room containing her assortment of magical items for sale. 

They purchased a few items and left - except for Father Craig and Cai'luin who stayed behind to inquire about her ability to obtain special order items.

DM Note-

I had been allowing my group to make special orders through Captain Xendros for a while. Upon re-reading her chapter that night I discovered that she can only special order items from Table F and G. Well, that was a HUGE restriction. Father Craig really wanted a Cloak of the Manta Ray, which had been previously available but was no longer in her catalog. So those two players spent some time looking over what was available on those tables to see what they could use. 

The Empty Net

That night, Aella took her companions - Captain Alot, Father Craig, Corvid, and Cai'luin - to the Empty Net, the seedy inn on pilings over the Kingfisher river. The Empty Net was a den of thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats. Aella was a member of the town council. She and her companions were responsible for the downfall of Gellan Primewater and his smuggling organization. She was also responsible for Anders Solmor becoming a baron and bringing the attention of the king's tax collectors to Saltmarsh. The last time she and her friends had come to the bar over a year ago, there was a brawl and several men died.

Needless to say, when Aella entered the inn without any hint of costume or discretion, all conversation stopped and every patron stared at her in contempt.

Aella cleared her throat. The bartender, a burly thug named Kreb Shenker, spat on the floor, "What do ye want?"

Aella approached the bar and said, "I'm here to see the Serpent's Tooth."

Kreb said, "You were supposed to come alone. They'll have to stay down here."

Aella looked at Cai'luin and the others and nodded. She turned back to Kreb, "Very well."

Kreb led her behind a curtain to a concealed door. The door led up a flight of narrow stairs to a small room with a bare table and two chairs. The walls were lined with heavy burgundy curtains. A hoarse voice said, "Greetings princess. Please have a seat."

She sat down. 

A hooded figure in thick red robes emerged from a curtain. It sat in the other chair. Red gloved hands pulled back the hood just enough to reveal that the figure wore a silver mask concealing his entire face. The mask was carved to resemble a snake's head with fangs. 

"Hello, your highness. I have information that can help you."

To be continued...

The Wreck of the Marshall - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 53

 

Nearly a week had passed since the crew of the Sea Ghost defeated the music elementals and closed the gate through which they had emerged. The crew were hailed as heroes. They were given an audience with King Skotti of Keoland and were celebrated in his court. 

It was there that they learned that there was an ambassador from the sea-elf kingdom of Manaan located in Niole Dra. Aella, illegitimate daughter of King Pelagius of Manaan, requested a meeting with the ambassador.

The crew found the embassy in a three-story building near the king's palace. The embassy was guarded by two of the king's guards. After an introduction by her "herald", Cai'luin, himself a nephew to King Pelagius, the guards escorted the crew to the ambassador.

They were brought into an office with a large window with a view of the palace a few hundred feet away. The office was a made from a rich dark wood and smelled of parchment and ink. On one wall were several bookshelves lined with books and ledgers. On the other wall was pinned dozens of maps and charts 

In front of the window was a desk, a large plant, and a globe of Oerth. Behind the desk sat the ambassador.

The first to enter was their escort who announced their arrival. Cai'luin, wearing his finest regalia, then entered and loudly proclaimed the presence of Princess Aella, heir apparent of the monarchy of Manaan. The ambassador shot up from his chair. Aella, wearing a beautiful silk outfit from Ket, entered followed by Alot - who as an automaton wore no clothing, Father Craig in his formal raiment, and Corvid - wearing leather pants with a massive black belt buckle and no shirt. 

The ambassador's chair fell over backwards.

"My princess, my friends, it is so wonderful to see all of you!"

It was Oceanus.

CHAPTER 53

"THE WRECK OF THE MARSHALL"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

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

DM Note-

Still filling in the 8th level gap between the end of the Final Enemy and the beginning of Tammeraut's Fate with small mini-adventures. This time I decided to use the Merrow Scenario in the Wreck of the Marshall in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. It seems to me that my players always have more fun with these smaller adventures. 

Ambassador Oceanus

Alot and Aella exchanged greetings with their old friend Oceanus. Oceanus likewise paid his respects to Cai'luin, nephew to King Pelagius and member of the royal house of Manaan. He greeted Father Craig, whom he had met previously at the Lizardfolk Games and the assault on the sahuagin fortress. He was introduced to Corvid, whom he had not yet met.

Aella and Alot asked Oceanus how he was doing. They had become concerned when they learned that Oceanus had been exiled from the Monarchy of Manaan by King Pelagius after Oceanus defied the king's orders and helped Princess Orthokent's coalition against the sahuagin. Oceanus had been hailed as a hero by the coalition so the king tempered his punishment and assigned Oceanus as ambassador far away from the sea. In addition, Oceanus had no staff or guard. He was all alone in this strange city far from home. His orders were to establish trade between Manaan and the kingdom of Keoland. Oceanus admitted that he had as yet been unsuccessful.

Aella and Alot promised to leverage their newfound status as friends of the court of Keoland to arrange a meeting between Oceanus and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other ministers of state. Oceanus became effulgent with gratitude.

Oceanus expressed how impressed he was that Aella carried with her the Trident of Manaan, the magical weapon that was once carried by King Manaan, her great-grandfather. Aella informed Oceanus that the trident was why they had come today. She had heard that the trident imbued special magical powers upon the descendants of Manaan but that only druids could unlock its secrets. She was hoping to find a druid who could unlock it without having to travel to the undersea city of Manaan and possibly confront her half-siblings who wished to do her harm.

Oceanus confirmed her suspicion. He told her that the bearer of the trident, should they be the descendant of Manaan, would be immune to magic! Only the druids knew the secret rituals to bind the trident to its wielder. The druids of the kelp forests of Manaan were notoriously reclusive and never left the safety of their grove. She would need to go to the grove. There was no other way. 

Aella asked Oceanus if he could send a communication to the druids to let them know of her intention so that should she ever go there it would not be a surprise. Oceanus agreed. 

DM Note-

Aella's player was desperately trying to find an alternative way to activate the secret powers of the trident without having to go to the Kingdom of Manaan. I told her, as Oceanus, "No, I'm sorry. There's no way to get around it. It's not like the entire campaign from the very first session hasn't been leading up to that moment or anything."

Recruitment

Before leaving Niole Dra, Aella and Cai'luin made good her promise to arrange a meeting between Oceanus and the Chancellor of the Exchequer while Alot and Father Craig recruited new crew for the Sea Ghost. 

Being 225 miles inland, their pool for recruitment was limited. The new recruits included:

1. Elston 'One Eye' Derane - a half-cyclops lookout.
2. Maxwelle 'Rambling' Shell - a crab centaur
3. Christena 'Riot' Thackeray - an anti-social anarchist
4. Geraldine 'Landlubber' Alistair - a farmer with no nautical experience

With their crew complement now at eleven and the festivities of the King's Birthday celebration winding down the Sea Ghost set sail down the Sheldomar river towards the Azure Sea.

DM Note-

Alot's player asked about taking on a cargo for their return trip to Saltmarsh. I was unprepared for that question. I quickly looked through the DMG and Ghosts of Saltmarsh for any random cargo tables are Traveller-style rules for transporting cargo but could find none. I did a quick internet search and could only find rules and tables for Traveller and Star Wars. We had to let it go but I told him I'd be ready for the question next time. 

Sailing Home

The Sea Ghost set sail down the Sheldomar river assisted by Father Craig's miraculous control of water and Aella's magical control of winds. It took four days to navigate the shoals and fords of the river to arrive at the port city of Gradsul. 

The next day they ventured forth into the Azure Sea following the coastal trade route along the coast. On the way they noticed a large pod of whales breaching the surface as if trying to escape the ocean. It was definitely odd and a continuation of the strange occurrences they witnessed on the way to Gradsul.

As they  neared Redshore and Angler Island, instead of turning west towards Seaton and Saltmarsh, Captain Alot took the ship to the southeast. 

"Where are we headed, Captain?" inquired Cai'luin.

"The treasure map we got from the storm giants. It shows a map of the local sea with instructions to find the Wreck of the Marshall. It said to go to the Tyrant's Rocks. There we need to find Harpy Island. The wreck should be located nearby."

"And there's treasure?" asked the sea elf.

"There should be. The Marshall was a ship transporting a cargo of golden idols of St. Cuthbert. It disappeared before it ever reached its destination. If these instructions are accurate, then we should find the treasure."

Tyrant's Rocks

The area known as Tyrant's Rocks are a shoal of rocks and coral reefs that make travel to the Holds of the Sea Princes difficult. The rocky shoals have protected the Sea Princes and the city of Monmurg for generations. Many Kings of Keoland have sent ships to their dooms in foolhardy attempts to attack the Sea Princes, thus the name.

Alot took extra caution navigating the safe passages and narrow lanes in search of the "Island of the Harpies".

DM Note-

Alot failed his navigation roll and got lost so according to the DMG they spent 1d6 hours navigating back to the last known hex. Luckily he only lost two hours. He failed again and lost four hours. He finally made his navigation roll and found the Island of the Harpies, six hours later than planned.

The Island of the Harpies

The ship's lookout spied an small island ahead , no more than fifty feet across, populated with what appeared to be large birds with human heads. Once the ship sailed within three hundred feet of the island they could hear haunting music. 

Aella wasted no time. She waved her hands and arms in complex arcane movements and a tsunami wave rose up out of the sea and washed the island, knocking many of the winged beasts out of their treetop perch before they could take flight.

Cai'luin followed up with a rapid strum on his lute and a massive explosion of water and air slammed the island. The two surviving harpies looked confused by the sudden explosions of water. They took flight away from the island. One sang its siren song in the hopes of pacifying the incoming attackers. Half the crew became hypnotized by the harpy's enchanting song. Father Craig ran around the deck gathering up the affected crew before they could hurl themselves overboard. 

 

Corvid pointed his finger at the singing harpy and a thin bolt of fire struck the creature. It screeched and fell dead into the sea. The other harpy flew away.

Wreck of the Marshall

Alot and Father Craig boarded the ship's boat and went to search the small island, landing on the far side with a sandy beach. 

Corvid donned his magical cloak of the manta ray. He, Aella, and Cai'luin jumped off the side of the ship into the water. 

The water was blue and clear. Fifty feet below they could see the wreck of a rotting cargo ship resting on the rocky bottom.  Swimming nearby were two massive sharks. Accompanying the sharks were three large creatures with torsos, arms, and heads like aquatic ogres and the lower body of giant eel-like fish. Their faces were covered in fins and long barbels like a catfish. 

The mer-ogres shouted, in Aquan, "Lookit! A Sea-Elf! Gettim!"

Corvid had already swam close to the island so Aella swam as quickly as she could to join him but without a magical cloak of her own she could not catch up. Cai'luin wasted no time. He strummed his lute underwater.

There was an explosion!

Depth Charge!

Alot and Craig were pulling the boat up onto the sandy shore when the water around the Sea Ghost erupted in white foam and spray. Some kind of underwater explosion had caused the sea around the ship to heave upwards. The ship momentarily bobbed as sea-water rained down. 

Alot cried, "What was THAT?!"  He dropped the boat onto the shore, ran up onto the rocks, and dove into the water.

Craig sighed. Of all the officers of the Sea Ghost, he was the only one who could not survive underwater. He prayed for a miracle and was blessed with the ability to part the water. He created a dry path down off the island and around. 

DM Note-

I had two maps in Roll20- one for above water and one for underwater. I only moved the underwater character tokens to the underwater map so the above water players could see what was going on but had no token to control. Once they knew something was up I moved their tokens to the underwater map. 

Also, Cai'luin's "Fireball" spell does force damage instead of fire damage. He describes it as a "water-ball explosion" and calls it "Water-hammer." 

When I said it exploded underwater and looked like a depth charge exploding, I said, "Oh! Oh! You should call your spell 'Depth Charge'!" and he said, "That's even better!" So that's the spell's name now.

Under the Sea

Underwater, two mer-ogres, also known as "merrows", and one giant shark ganged up on Aella just above the quarter-deck of the wrecked ship. One of the merrows used his harpoon attached to a chain to grab Aella and draw her back as she tried to escape. Cai'luin hovered above the poop deck and continued to case his bardic spells using his lute. 

Corvid was fighting the thrid merrow and his pet shark on the other side of the ship. Alot swam quickly to provide aid. 

Father Craig ran around the island on wet ground suddenly exposed to air surrounded by canyon-walls of made of water.  He saw Aella getting worked over by two merrow so he offered a prayer to St. Ogden and reconfigured the shape of the water.

Exposed to Air

Father Craig pushed the water back, creating a cube of air 100-feet on a side. The entire area was exposed to the air above. The bow of the Sea Ghost stuck out into the air and the ship teetered precariously. 

The two merrow fighting Aella were suddenly in mid-air. One fell onto the deck while the other began to plummet. He caught himself on the side of the deck of the wrecked ship and pulled himself onto the deck!

The shark, however, had been momentarily disengaged from the fight and was swimming in the water around the cube of air. 

The merrow fighting Corvid fell to the ground on the other side of the ship landing on the ground with a wet splat! The shark fell onto the shelf of rock. Alot dropped onto the shelf and crushed the shark with his magical draconic hammer. 

The two merrow lifted themselves off the deck of the ship and reared up awkwardly. One stabbed at Aella with his harpoon, killing her. He bit her head with his shark-like teeth and she fell to the deck unconscious. 

Father Craig moved quickly, saying a prayer of healing that revived Aella from the brink of death. 

Aella dashed to the mid-deck She and Cai'luin continued to fight the merrow using chaos spells and depth-charges. They were eventually successful in dispatching the two merrow.

Father Craig, meanwhile, had repositioned his cube of air to encompass more of the wrecked ship. This time he managed to envelop the swimming shark in air and deposit it flopping and gasping impotently onto the deck of the ship. Father Craig then prayed for the appearance of a spiritual hammer to eliminate the surviving merrow crawling away on the ground. 

The Deck Below

Once all of the attackers had been eliminated, the officers of the Sea Ghost prepared to enter the wreck of the Marshall. Cai'luin explored the cabins beneath the poop deck but found them empty. Aella positioned herself near a gaping rend in the hull of the ship towards the port stern. Corvid stood on the rocks above a massive rend in the starboard stern. 

Alot killed the shark on the deck and heaved its dead bulk off of the entry into the hold.

He opened the gate-like hatch cover and looked into the cargo hold. Like the rest of the ship, it was exposed to air. In the hold was a massive marble statue of St. Cuthbert, patron god of the army of Keoland. Around the edge of the hold, clutching to the walls and confused by the sudden introduction of air to their hiding place, were four additional merrow.

They were very confused and very angry.

To be Continued...