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The Saltmarsh Campaign Journal |
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The Saltmarsh Campaign Journal |
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May 15, 1200: The campaign begins as Kackarot, Aleasha, Piccolo, Alis, and Trunks enter Saltmarsh and look for work. While visiting a local bar, the party happens upon the town drunk Robert Burns who, after a little inducement in the form of a few ales, tells the party of a haunted house a few miles up the old coast road. He tells the story of how he wandered through the house's backdoor in search of food and money. Then diverted by the prospect of free wine in the cellar stared down the stairs and heard ghostly shrieks and piercing wails. He confesses to running for this life.
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February 7, 1202: After a less than victorious journey to the Sahuagin lair, the party has returned home to lick their wounds and report their find to Councilman Bowels. The party has determined that the Lizardman's claim of being driven from their home by Sahuagin is apparently true. This information, however, did not come without a hefty price. A price that included the loss of Legelois, the promising elven archer, Jackamo's ship "The Sidewinder", the Sidewinder's crew, several of Saltmarsh's finest marines, and a delegation of lizardmen led by an old Lizardman Shaman. While everyone expected the Sahuagin to be a dangerous foe, no one expected the threat to be this great. Jackamo reported that at least 75 Sahuagin were involved in the attack on his vessel and the party reports to killing 20 or so of the vile creatures. In addition, the party's inability to survive underwater makes a battle against the Sahuagin even that more dangerous. While the town council debates on the next course of action, several of the party members are busy with their own activities. Kackarot has traveled to Seaton to purchase supplies for the new laboratory he is building. Kackarot estimates that he'll be gone about 10 days gathering supplies. Jubae has traveled to Seaton to meet with his trainer and advance to the next level. Jubae's training will last 4 weeks and the journey to Seaton will take him about a day each way. Lothar has traveled to Burle to meet with his trainers and gain levels in several classes. Lothar's training will last 8 weeks and the journey to Burle will take him about a day each. Cole and Luke have been busy basking in their new found wealth. Killik has traveled to Seaton to meet with his trainers and gain levels in several classes. Killik's training will last 6 weeks and the journey to Seaton will take him about a day each way. After a conversation with Councilman Bowles, Aleasha has discovered that a pair of trained ferrets are for sell at Denmar's Animal hut in the city of Badwell. However, due to the recent crisis, Denmar is not willing to send theses valuable animal without first receiving payment. Finally there is Piccolo who woke to discover that his hammer was missing.
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April 9, 1202:The party consisting of Grimior, Jubae, Lothar, Aleasha, Kackarot, Oceanus, and Luke sail to the Sahuagin lair. Using the party's ship, "The Sea Ghost", Jackamo and crew drop off the party and retreat to a safe distance so the party can investigate and the ship will be safe from attack. The mission turns out to be a quick one as the party finds a hidden stash of magic items and treasure. April 21, 1202:The party returns to Saltmarsh to identify magic items and report their progress. Councilman Bowles is pleased as it seems the party may have discovered a way to battle the Sahuagin. April 22, 1202:In a surprise move, the party's talented wizard, Kackarot, leaves the group for unknown reasons. April 23, 1202:While having dinner at the Councilman Bowels, the party meets a new ally, a Samurai named Sonja. While getting to know Sonja, Piccolo is invited to join a group of 5 warriors to discuss matters of mutual importance. April 25, 1202:The party consisting of Grimior, Jubae, Lothar, Aleasha, Oceanus, and a new ally Sonja, sail to the Sahuagin lair. Fully two days from the Sahuagin lair, the ship is greeted by a delegation of Sahuagin who claim their Chieftain wants peace. Not being sure of the Sahuagin's intentions, the party mounts a recon mission to gather information about the Sahuagin. The mission gathers little information and the party decides to return to Saltmarsh to discuss matters with Councilman Bowles.
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May 7, 1202: Hearing that the Sahuagin may be interested in settling matters peacefully, an emergency council meeting is called. After much heated discission against such a ruling, a majority vote overrides Councilman Bowel's arguement against peace as the council decides to see what terms the Sahuagin may be willing to offer. May 9, 1202: With their ship stocked with supplies, party gets ready to set sail, once again, to the Sahuagin lair. This time they have a special visitor as Councilman Bowles decides to accompany the party and talk peace face to face with the Sahuagin Chieftain. May 14, 1202: The delegation from Saltmarsh arrives at the Sahuagin's Lair. After some discussion as to who should accompany the Councilman into the lair, the party decides they will all go. In addition, Jackamo opts to accompany the group in this important undertaking. Having been given potions of Water Breathing, the Sahuagin lead the party into a huge throne room, several levels under water, where the Sahuagin Chieftain awaits. After a few moments, the Sahuagin Chieftain's motives become clear as the door are sealed and the delegation trapped. After a fierce battle, Jubae, Piccolo, Lothar, and Grimior manage to escape the trap. Aleasha escapes also, but looses her right arm in an attack by the Sahuagin's trained shark. While the group rejoices over their escape, a vale of sadness falls upon them, as they realize that Oceanus, Sonja, Councilman Bowles, and Jackamo did not survive the trap. May 26, 1202: The party returns to Saltmarsh with bad news.
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(The Vile Runes. Part 1) October 12, 1204: At the request of Sandish Moore, the mayor of New Moret, a party consisting of Kackarot, Cryxx, Trunks, Piccolo, Lothar, and Aleasha travel to New Moret to investigate a strange phenomena occurring about 2 days travel from the village. Where once the remains of Vile Runes castle stood, now only a strange door remains floating about a foot above the ground where the center of the castle once stood. In addition, the ground around the door has begin a transformation from dirt and grass to brimstone and sulfur. Guards stationed near the area, tell the party that demonic creatures have been seen around the door apparently acting as guards.  Without wasting time, the party approaches the door and are quickly attacked by 2 Canaloths; but these creatures are no match for Kackarot's spells, Lothar's arrows, and Cryxx's holy blade. Opening the door, the party finds a set of dull gray stairs that lead into the darkness.  With Piccolo in the lead, the party descends the dull gray stars. After about 50 feet, they arrive at a vaulted chamber some 30 foot square with dull gray walls that are engraved with glyphs, sigils, and runes. Carved into the ceiling are leering frescoes of demon-like creatures. In each corner, the party sees large statues; each about 8 ft tall and made of iron. Each statue is that of a tall, hideously deformed man in rotting clothing. His head is that of a ram deformed by disease; his mouth foams and matted wool and be seen pulling away from the flesh. There are boils and blisters over exposed skin, and his flesh is pulled taut over his bones. Each statue holds a flaming black urn that belches smoke and fire casting an eerie glow to the chamber. As the party enters the chamber, the urns erupt, each belching forth a Cinder Swarm. With Aleasha, casting spells from the hall, Lothar firing arrows into swarm, the remaining party member fight the Cinder Swarms at close quarters. Kackarot finds it difficult to cast spells while being burnt and battered by the swarms, Trunks erupts into flames, but Piccolo, and Cryxx fight through the flames to defeat the swarms. Although the party has suffered a great deal of damage, Aleasha heals the group so they can continue the adventure. Off to the right, the party finds a heavy oak door with bronze hardware. They open the door to find a natural cavern that has been roughly worked to enlarge it. The air here is very warm and humid and littered on the floor and there some old buckets. Along the east wall, the party finds a stream that runs the length of the chamber. The water enters through a passage from the north and exits through a passage to the south. In the northeast corner of the room is small pool of water bubbling and churning water about 10 feet in diameter. To investigate the pool, Cryxx uses his Crystal Parrot to swims in the pool and report his find. The parrot enters the pool, Cryxx feels an image of pain, and the parrot never returns. To investigate further, Piccolo uses his Helm of Underwater Action. He swims to the bottom of the pool and finds himself on the plane of Hades in a lake teaming with Piscoloths. While he puts up a good fight, Piccolo is devoured by the creatures and never returns from the pool. After about an hour, Aleasha communes with Athena to see if Piccolo is alright. She discovers that he has been killed. After much discussion, it is decided that a True Resurrection is needed to bring back their fallen friend. The party returns to Saltmarsh to get 25,000 gp's in diamonds to cast the spell, Aleasha casts the True Resurrection spell and Piccolo returns with a horrific story of being eaten alive by hundreds of Piscoloths. October 14, 1204: The party returns to the Vile Runes and discovers 2 more Canaloths guarding the floating door. Lothar begins firing arrows at the creatures as Kackarot blasts them with spell after spell. The Canaloths are defeated and the party goes back down the stairs to the Vaulted Chamber. From the Vaulted Chamber the party takes a passage to the east and after a few turns comes to a locked door. A voice from the other side tells the group that the room is the lab of Vadal Gallaer, a half-fiend Sell Weaver who will not open the door for fear the party will kill him. After some bantering, the party decides to leave Vadal to his work and continue their exploration mission elsewere. From Vadal's lab, the party discovers a long rectangular room. In the center of the room, they see a blood red granite pedestal about 5 ft tall and about 3 ft in diameter. Floating above the pedestal in a crackling purple globe is a white stone about 6 inches in diameter. Before the party can investigate, they are attacked by 3 powerful Nycaloths. To complicate matter further, the globe and the pedestal are encased in a blue field of energy. Every once in a while, sparks of energy can be seen arcing from the stone into the globe.
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