Ghosts of Saltmarsh by Dylanthalas

Kulogall - Your contributions add verisimilitude to the tale and you play a convincing Xolo as a counterpoint to Elwyn. The locals are mightily impressed with your beer breathing trick, though more than one foolish land-kin almost drown themselves attempting to breathe their own drinks. After the night has wound down, you head upstairs to find your shared room and the rest you were looking for.

Gorik - Daveth holds his hands out to you in a placating gesture, "Easy big fella, you're ok. We're in Saltmarsh. You seemed pretty out of it but you followed along so we figured you wanted to come with. You're free to leave at any time, though we were glad to have your help. If you plan on heading out and you need coin or supplies, let me talk to the others before you go. I'm sure we can help you out with that. Otherwise, welcome to Saltmarsh!"

Wake enjoyed the back-slapping and congratulations early on and quickly finished his meal. He slipped out and retired upstairs about 3/4 of the way through the performance. The weariness was catching up with him and he didn’t feel as heroic as the tale that was being spun. He urgently felt the need for meditation and prayer before he could put this day behind him. He silently waved to the friends who noticed him leave the room.

Ariana drinks slowly, passively enjoying the revelry. When Kulogall and Wake retire, Ariana finishes her ale and also retires to her room to meditate and sleep.

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that." Ruby replies after hearing their story but chages the topic once she is asked about her own family. She waits for them to finish their food before walking them up the stairs. She will sit down on a chair, using her cloak as a cover and let the two siblings sleep in the bed. "Maybe we can find them a place to stay tommorow." She thinks o herself before going to sleep.

Elwyn is not nearly as cautious as he maybe should be over this beauty turning up so conveniently at the Wicker Goat, but he is curious over her and will try to find out a little bit about her during their playful banter, such as where she is from, spicing this with a generous amount of compliments about her beauty. (Auto failing any insight checks here ;-). "Apollonia, I'm afraid I have just happened to have the privilege to accompany the real heroes of Saltmarsh, but for you I would face the ***** Queen herself." Elwyn says, only half joking, being a bit of a romantic and already deeply in love again. Anything short of her claiming to be a devil worshipper from Baldur's gate Elwyn would graciously escort her to her room at the Snapping Line, continuing to be at her service until dawn if need be.

"Thank you Daveth. I seemed to be beside me'self. My many thanks to you all." *Gorik stands firm and confident. "My pursuits for justice find me in Saltmarsh but I am indeed few on coin and supplies. I think I will seek out labor to gather supplies I need to return home. It is there I will find the answers I seek." Gorik looks around to find the exit while observing people all around looking for his kind. Perception: 7

Leaning into Daveth: "Please, send my regards to these heroes of the cave. I would not have survived without their keen sense of combat and survival. I am forever in their debt. Should they ever need soldier at their side, Gorik Scalebane shall offer his sword..." Looking down at the metal butter knife acquired in the cave, Gorik scrunches the scales on his face while turning the blade and examining it closely in disgust. "Uh... just not this sword, no one should have to offer this sword unless they aim to offer it to a blacksmith for raw material. It appears my first quest is to find quarters to rest and then get work, perhaps with a blacksmith to get a real weapon." Gorik looks for the exit, offers his salutations, and begins his exit with determination.

Elwyn - Apollonia's fur trimmed cloak flaps in the wind and she huddles close to you as you walk leisurely through the night. You hear a pair of drunken fisherman stumbling along and arguing in a good natured way over the best way to cook a sea bass. The moon is big and bright tonight and Apollonia steps over to the railing lining a bit of cliff facing the sea. She stands and admires the view with her head on your chest. She looks up to you and gives you a kiss, then runs her hand through your hair and pulls your head toward her neck. She whispers in your ear, "Lord Blarglutton sends his regards..." and drives a dagger deeply between your ribs. You hear heavy footfalls coming your way and feel the hands of the "fishermen" take hold of you and toss you over the railing and into the sea below.

Attack: 18 Damage: 6

Please make a CON Saving Throw.

Gorik - There don't appear to be any other Dragonborn in the tavern and the front door is easily accessible from where you are. Daveth says, "I could pay for cot in the common room for you if you'd like."

Elwyn Con save: 17

Elwyn - The drow poison (injury) now in your system quickly goes to work. You aren't even able to cry out as you plummet and hit the icy water below with a SPLASH. You sink like a stone and just before you're rendered unconscious you see an immense shape moving slowly through the water toward you...

"Does this mean you won't need me to escort you back to your room then? Well at least Lord Blarglutton gave me a lovely sendoff." Quickly goes through Elwyns mind as he falls down into the sea below. As the icy water envelopes him he feels...safe.

Before retiring to bed, Ariana approaches Gorik and speaks to him above the din of the revelry in the tavern. "It was impressive to see you enter battle and attack that magic user even while being as hungry and exhausted as I imagine you were. As you attacked, you said slavery will never happen here again or something like that. You know, the group is planning to investigate the slavers operation further; try to truly end it. I'm sure the group would be happy to have you join us in that effort. After a good night's rest, of course." She smiles.

Elwyn - You float weightlessly in icy cold water... All is dark... In every direction you look only darkness can be seen... You aren't sure which direction is up and which is down... Suddenly, a deep bass rumble vibrates the water around you... You feel something impossibly large pass before you in the water, spinning you around in its wake... The bass sound rumbles again and you can feel it in your chest... Something large and slick slides across your front, spinning you around again... The same large object wraps around you, a tentacle as thick as a tree with fanged suckers as large as dinner plates... The grip is firm but not crushing and you feel yourself pulled through the dark waters... A golden line appears in the dark... It grows, stretching into a massive golden yellow orb with a black hourglass shape in the center... The hourglass flicks left and right, then centers upon you and you realize you're being observed by a massive faintly glowing eye... The bass note rumbles again, fathomlessly deep and powerful... The tentacle releases you, sliding around you, setting you spinning once again... The tip of the tentacle presses gently against you, arresting your movement and the bass note rumbles, this time the note climbs an octave at its end almost... As if in question... You peer into the huge eye and gasp in sudden understanding as a language previously unknown to you suddenly manifests in your mind... Alive..? You nod in agreement and the eye blinks, Good... Pleased... The creature senses your confusion and the bass note rumbles again, You... Slarkrethel pet... You... Amuse Slarkrethel...  You nod again in understanding and the eye blinks again, Pet... Be more careful... Slarkrethel enjoy observing pet deeds... Pet go now... Slarkrethel hungry... Must feed... The eye blinks once, then shuts, plunging all into darkness once more. You feel yourself being pushed through the water very quickly and suddenly you surface, launching several feet into the air before landing back in the sea with a splash. You can see the lights of Saltmarsh roughly a mile away and the beginnings of a sunrise lighting the sky.

Looking to Ariana, Gorik replies, "Do you think the slavers have knowledge of my capture? Maybe they were hired? Maybe they bought me into slavery. It would be worthwhile to consider how I came to end up in that cave especially when I was feasting among my people."

"Oh, you again." Elwyn thinks as the enormous tentacled entity grabs him. He just nods along as the entity tries to communicate, not in a position to do anything else really.

As Elwyn sees the lights of Saltmarsh he sighs a breath of relief and starts swimming. If possible he would try to sneak into his bed at the Wicker Goat and lay low until Apollonia has left Saltmarsh to report to Lord Blarglutton that Elwyn sleeps with the fishes.

All - It is well past sunrise when you all gather in the tap room of The Wicker Goat. The barmaids go about sweeping and wiping up any messes left over from the night before, pausing to lean on brooms and over soap suds while they stifle their yawns. Flo and Jet are already finishing their breakfast and tell you all they plan on looking for work aboard the ships at the docks. "Lara said if we can't find work on a ship, Hana could probably use some help over at The Snapping Line." Flo says before guzzling down a mug of milk. Jet practically inhales the rest of his fried potatoes and says, "I really hope we can find work on a ship. I don't wanna scrub floors and make beds..." A nearby barmaid gives him a look, but he doesn't seem to notice. The two thank you all again before heading out to find work together. Lara comes by to take any orders you might have, her pretty smile lingering on Daveth, whose cheeks turn red as he suddenly take great interest in one of many knots in the wooden table. After any orders are placed she heads back to the kitchen. The day is yours.

As likely the last person Elwyn joins the others in the taproom, uncharacteristically quiet, contemplating the events of last night. As he notices Lara and Daveth he's about to warn him about the dangers of flirting, but then he just leans back and smiles, ordering a big beakfast from Lara, to catch up after last nights exercises. "So, Kulogall, what's our next move. Just wait and go back to the haunted house to signal for the slavers accomplices or should we try to find other work while we wait? Oh, yes, we are supposed to swing by Captain Eliander regarding that council meeting, right? Perhaps this council will need us for more heroic adventuring?"

"I think we should meet up with the Captain this morning.  Interrogation of my brother might provide the answers to some of the questions that we have.  Then likely we will head back to the house.  By the way Elwyn, you are looking a little tired this morning, a little worn out from the events of last night?  How did it go?  That lady last night looked like she was very interested in you, I saw her giving all of the telltale signs of mating behavior."  Kulogall focuses hard and then gives an awkward wink at Elwyn.

"Oh, that..." Elwyn starts hesitantly "...umm, yes, lovely as she was let's just say she dumped me and gave me a hard cool off long before it got around to any mating mate. She was an excellent company until then though." He finishes with a weak smile at Kulogall. "So, over to the Captain's office then?" Elwyn says, quickly changing the subject and finishing up his breakfast, ready to leave.