Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Boko has been trying to watch the elf for signs of deceit, getting a sense of if he is lying when he says he will do what Dwal says.

Insight: 19

”Yes, if this sellsword is to be free to act on his own then he is your charge, Dwal. Your responsibility. You will answer for any deceit he inflicts upon us.”

Peri:

Peri, having settled into a reasonably comfortable spot among the piled-up sacks, tried to get into the right state of mind to recharge his Ki. The bickering over what to do with the sellsword makes that all but impossible. Grumbling to himself about "Shoulda just skewered him," and "no good deed goin' unpunished," he finally chimes in.

"You two need to stop questioning each other's bloody stupid honor! Nobody's lettin' anybody off cuz they want cheap labor or a pile of gold. Well, except maybe Kei -- no offense intended." He shoots the bard a wink to show he's joking. "This dope claims he just hired on to train some folks, not knowin' they were 'End-of-the-worlders.' Maybe that's true; maybe not. But we're here tryin' to free a guy with much the same story. Now, I say we lock those two up in the kitchen, and like Boko says, if Dwal wants to vouch for Basil then he's responsible for him."

Kei 

The to and fro between Gerrard and Dwal is beginning to grate on Kei's nerves also. "Clearly this place is rubbing off on all of us. How about Dwal and I look after Barry. You have my word for what it's worth that he'll remain with us." He looks at Bayleaf "I have been in his situation and given the choice of sailing solo from this place or taking a chance that proving ones worth to a noble who pledges to speak on ones behalf, I think he's smart enough not to double cross us. Plus, depending how things go, he may even end up with more gold than these cultists were offering." He lets the last words hang in the air as if tempting Bayleaf.

While it's difficult to tell for certain, Boko senses no obvious signs of bald-face lying from the greasy bard. Rather, he seems like he'll likely agree to anything to save his skin right now.

Sensing his fate being discussed, Bayleaf speaks up. "How about a song? I have a fiddle in my bedroll, if you didn't already help yourself to it." He glances at Kei's boots. "A healing song. We could all use a little care. It'll make us all feel a little better. You game?"

Gerrard:

”Agreed,” says Gerrard, weary of the conversation himself.  He gets the two prisoners into the kitchen and invites Peri to make good with his suggestion about the coals.  Making sure their bonds and gags are tight enough to prevent escape and spellcasting, but loose enough not to cause damage over the few hours the party is likely to be gone, Gerrard leaves them in the room and throws the deadbolt.

Moving the table over to further block the kitchen door, Gerrard goes to sit and bandage his own wounds, preparing to rest and recharge his own stamina before heading into the unknown once more.

Dwal remains calm. 

"I would ask what crime he has committed? What deeds do you point to that he has done? Being associated by some nefarious folk? If that's yer logic then by tha same logic you're responsible fer all the sick, poor, an starvin' I saw in Seaton." Dwal states.
Dwal pauses before he continues.
"I already plan ta keep an eye on 'em and do not trust him. If he proves his worth then I'll stand before tha council on his behalf. If not then they can judge him as they see fit."
Dwal pauses again and takes a breath.
"This has been a hard decision but, if I survive this an' get back ta Saltmarsh I'll be going on my way."

Dwal turns and goes back to guarding the prisoners.

Gerrard:

Turning on Dwal, Gerrard says, ”Indeed, that is the question we must answer before the one who appoints himself as judge would pass either sentence or pardon.  You speak in riddles, Dwal!  Setting free a man who fights alongside evil cultists for the promise of coin or labor is the province of corrupt guards of my hometown, and sentencing a man because he has associated evil cultists but committed no crimes of his own is like me starving the citizens of my hometown?”

Taking a step forward, Gerrard exclaims, “I have done neither of these foul misdeeds of which you accuse me!  I merely wish him to be treated fairly as the other prisoners are—neither condemned unjustly or freed unwisely without a proper hearing before the authorities!  If you are going to accuse me of something, accuse me for a position I have taken, not some creative way to impugn my honor.”

Standing tall, he says, “It seems to me that you are setting up imaginary positions you claim I have taken just so you can belittle me and distract me from what you are doing—maneuvering as you see fit and d**n what anyone else thinks!”

”I will no longer play your game.  No matter who they claim to be, the three prisoners before me are either worshippers of an evil god or their willing associates, and until they are judged by the proper authorities, they will be held as prisoners and treated fairly!  For all we know, this elf could be their leader and has been skillfully lying to us this whole time!  Now let us bind Bayleaf along with the others and when—and if—he is found not guilty by the authorities you may make whatever arrangement you see fit with him,” says Gerrard, fire in his eyes.

To Boko, Kei, and Peri, he says in a more subdued tone, “I have been consistent in this matter, and I do not wish to alienate any of you, but if you find my presence unwelcome, I will leave the group upon our arrival back at Saltmarsh, whether it makes any difference in Dwal’s decision or not.”

"Oh, my new friends," chimes in the elven bard, his hair still a greasy mess from Peri's oil, mixed with his own blood from the fight. "Let's not bicker about who killed whom and who worships what. Let's not fight about who will bind whom, and honor and authorities and judges and whatnot! That'll be an excellent discussion for tomorrow. The cultists are defeated! I promised a song tonight and a song I shall play." He skitters nervously to the room to the left of the stairwell to fetch his fiddle from his bedroll, a cheap wooden fiddle with a mismatched neck. He begins to play. Performance: 13

It's not bad. He sings a bawdy and ridiculous tavern song about an armless and legless orc king.
(His tune includes an arcane benefit: You will regain an extra 1d6 hit points if you spend any Hit Dice to regain hit points at the end of a short rest, presuming that is what you choose to take now.)

Peri:

Having made his one attempt to defuse the tension between the two, Peri decides to settle back into his nest of sacks and stay out of it. After all, it's not my quarterdeck. He pulls out his pipe and lights up, and listens to the song. They go a long way to restoring some peace in his heart. ((Hit Die: 8 + 4)) "Not bad, Barley. Got a pipe? Pull up over here and I'll tell you about Toktok the Goblin King. Maybe you can make a song out of it?" He tries to pull the bard out of the middle of the brewing argument. In the end, he really doesn't care whether the man is locked up or comes along under Dwal and Kei's guard; either way he'll meet his fate in Saltmarsh. He had wanted to ask Dwal about his decision to leave, but no way is he going to wade into the middle of that!

Dwal listens to the tune and appreciates its magic. 

regain: 2

As for Gerrard, Dwal says nothing and keeps his own council. 

Boko make eye contact during the short rest with Kei and Peri, softly widening her eyes and microscopically raising her eyebrows.

Hit dice: 34 (4 hit dice) plus 2 from song of rest

Gerrard:

Resting warily, Gerrard waits for the others to consider what he has said, giving them the time and space to think it over.

Spending 2 HD:  12

Kei 

Mum and dad are fighting again he thinks to himself. He looks at the despondent group. "Come on guys. I really think it's the evil in this place that's grating on everyone's nerves" he speaks plainly in an uncommon moment of sincerity. "Dwal, your strong will has helped Peri and I temper our impulsiveness. Don't let that same will be the thing that makes you leave us" he turns to Gerrard. "Gerrard, your nobility has rubbed off on even me! For some reason I don't feel as big of a need to fleece every pocket that walks past." He sighs heavily as the seriousness of the discussion puts him in an uncomfortable position. "Both of you must do what you must, but know it will be to the detriment of our group if even one of you move on."

Returning to his normal self "If you make me choose, I won't be choosing either one of you. I will choose me and best suits my goals. I couldn't care less if these folk die here or swim to shore and live a full life. I'm more interested in what's down that hallway." He walks off to sit and rest, secretly hoping his words would mend the feud.

"The only feasible choices are the people who can be allies to address these cults and make your towns tenable places to inhabit. If they want to remove themselves as choices, that is  their business. They seem capable, if a bit difficult, so it would be a shame." Boko says, binding her wounds and resting with Kei and Peri, listening to Bayleaf singing.

A quiet and uneventful hour passes, but a tense malaise continues to fill the air. Nevertheless, you all may receive the benefits of a short rest (plus the extra d6.)

The cards woman says nothing. The gagged old man remains quiet as well.

Bayleaf, sensing that his presence is causing a stressful rift, volunteers to remain behind. "I'll remove myself. You can lock me up in the kitchen while you conclude your business here. I can cook you all some dinner if you like." He smiles broadly, hopefully. 

Gerrard:

Shrugging to get some of the tension out of his shoulders, Gerrard is surprised when Bayleaf volunteers a solution.  He wouldn't be bound like the other prisoners, but he HAD proven much more cooperative--not that the young noble trusted his intuition about people who reminded him of the obsequious court followers, blowing with the wind in their alligences.

"Works for me," says Gerrard, standing up and stretching, then waiting for Bayleaf to do as he suggests, and finally shutting him in with the other prisoners as securely as he is able.  "Shall we continue?" he asks.

Kei 

The smell of Seagull loaf breaks him from his daydream. He snaps back to present only to find he'd been absent mindedly drawing cards from his deck. Infront of him lay a cross pattern of cards with only one right way up - the Fool. "Hmm. Must be a sign" he mutters as he picks up the cards. As he touches the Fool card an image dances through his mind.

"Let's be off then. As a group I hope" his words hang heavy in the air as the tension seems to have not eased.

Spirits roll 8

Unless Dwal or others object, the prisoners are moved into the kitchen with an unbound and unarmed Bayleaf.

Unless Peri changes his mind, he moves to extinguish the hot coals with the dishwater. (But not without light objections from Bayleaf. "You sure? I can cook some supper!") There is still an oil lantern hanging on the kitchen wall, unlit.

The exterior deadbolt on the kitchen door is small but appears secure. (Was there talk of reinforcing it with barrels or furniture?)

And then... where to?

Dwal doesn't object.

Gerrard:

Taking the oil lantern from the room, Gerrard says to Bayleaf, “You have been given more leeway than the other prisoners because of your renunciation of the mad god and Brother Fiercehammer’s wishes.  Do not abuse this freedom.”

Once the room is set and Peri has undertaken his additional security actions, Gerrard closes and locks the door, dragging the table over in front of it, then piling some barrels and a few hard metal items on the furniture such that opening the kitchen door will cause quite a loud clanging of falling items.

”Shall we go?” he asks the rest of the party.