Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

All is quiet. The deathly chill is gone. The door to the east lay open. After the initial clatter of bones as the five undead creatures departed, there are no sounds. Boko's flaming sphere continues to burn silently. Peri, Kei, and Boko continue to concentrate on their spells. 

Weighing Gerrard's question for a moment first, everyone may now act. 

Dwal yells out

"That won't last long. We know what we're facin' down there. Why not pull back and come back when refreshed an' with a bit more provisions?" he asks. 

Gerrard:

”Aye, Brother Fiercehammer, we could use a rest and a perhaps some specialized spells to ward off…whatever that thing was,” agrees Gerrard, backing out of the room, watching carefully for any spirits that might emerge from the walls.

The young noble is hit by a wave of sadness, thinking to himself, “What will I do without Dwal’s wisdom to guide me when he leaves?”

Boko realizes that the room's gone quiet and she pokes her head in and confirms. She sends the flaming sphere down the passageway with a flick of her hand, trying to gauge whether it has made contact with anything. "Should we not confirm they will not just chase after us now that we have disturbed them?" she says to the others. "I have some stores left but not everything. I can at least play rearguard."

Kei 

An audible sigh of relief escapes his mouth. The undead seem to have left for now giving Kei time to think. At least the spell worked this time he muses. "Well done Brother!" he walks back up the hallway and pats Dwal on the shoulder as he passes. Unknowingly, Kei shares similar thoughts to Gerrard - Gruff bugger, but we'd be lost long ago if it weren't for him.

"If everyone is in agreement, I think we shut this door and rethink our plan. I'm all but spent and could do with a decent rest, but do we dare rest in the lion's den?" He continues in to the middle of the velvet room and waits for the group to gather (if they do).

"Once tha Holy energy hit 'em, they run off. But it doesn't last long. All I could do was ta give time fer a retreat ta get back and shut tha door." Dwal says. "I wouldn't wait too long ta find out the wheres an why-fores though, they'll be back soon enough. I am hoping since they ain't shed any of our blood they'll go back ta what they was doing as soon as we close it up." 

As the others step back, Boko steps forward, mentally pushing the flaming ball deeper into the tunnel.

The passage forks left and right and comes to a cul-de-sac 30 feet ahead. The stone brick construction is old but well-made, with smooth walls, floors, and 10-foot ceilings.
(They are also ten feet wide, so I stand corrected: When the time comes that you choose to enter them, the marching order may be in pairs, not single-file.)

Gerrard:

Waiting anxiously for Boko, Gerrard sheathes his Main Gauche and prepares to close the heavy door as soon as she has returned.

"Those spirits can go through walls, so we should be prepared for them to attack as soon as they recover from your display of holy power, right Brother Fiercehammer?  Or do you think there is something about their hidden temple that might contain them behind those walls?" asks Gerrard, looking anxiously at the walls and prepared for spirits to attack.

OOC:  Gerrard is having flashbacks to ghosts and being prematurely aged by one, so those of you with insight might notice his distraction/concern.

Dwal looks at Gerrard, a look of confusion on his face.

"Why are we not securing the door and moving back?" he asks a bit puzzled. 

Gerrard:

Even in his heightened state of distress, Gerrard has to smile at Dwal’s comment.  “I am sure they mean well, but people don’t always act as one recommends, Brother Fiercehammer,” as he indicates Peri and Boko still in the undead room.

OOC:  Readied action to close the door when everyone is out.

Boko tries first moving the flaming sphere to the left, and then to the right, in straight lines. She can’t see so these are blind movements of the sphere - probing and also tests to see if she hears any impact or reaction. Assuming none, she will move herself and the sphere out of the room, to join the team, keeping the sphere away from the living and ready to hit any dead that comes at them. Assuming nothing, she will ask what the defense will be when the ghosts and skeletons attack again. If asked why she didn’t immediately leave the room, she silently gestures at the sphere, and then the direction the ghosts went.

Sending the sphere south (the direction the undead undoubtedly fled), Boko immediately hears and feels a heavy, cracking boom, as of a substantial piece of masonry falling. Then, silence.

Finding she can still mentally manipulate the sphere, she sends it north, but senses nothing.

She retreats, as does Peri, and Gerrard shuts the heavy door. The group waits together in the velvet room.

Seconds pass, then minutes. Nothing. The undead do not reappear.

All is quiet.

The three spells (flaming sphere, slow, and most importantly, turn undead) ended a few minutes ago. All remains quiet. The stone door is closed but not yet secured (which would require a barricade or other means, as there is no lock or even a latch.) The curtains lay open. (Or did somebody intend to remove and keep them?)

Peri:

"We could sail across to Saltmarsh right now, but I'm not keen on crossin' the island in the dark. Might be some of the skeletons we've heard about were just sleepin' through the day. Kei, I hear you've got some magic dome spell? I'd love to see a demonstration about now."

Gerrard:

     “That’s a great idea, Master Fenwader, but we should protect the prisoners as well,” responds Gerrard.

”Does anyone have the arcane power to defend us against the soul-sucking damage from the undead, or should we just recover all our magical reserves overnight and go in hot, trying to destroy them before they can damage us too much?” asks the young noble.

"I am spent and need time to pray and meditate." Dwal says. "I ain't too sure we have enough power ta take on so many dark creatures unless we have some sort of plan." 

Kei 

"What? And leave the untold treasures behind?" He almost gasps at the first part of Peri's suggestion. With a smile he says "Yes, yes. I acquired the dome, as you put it, whilst you were dealing with the fallout if your drunken escapades." 

"The dome can support ten of us, so we can keep everyone together if you deem it appropriate, my Lord. I will need several minutes to raise the dome if we do decide it is the best plan." As he explains the limitations on his spell, he draws the curtains over the door as if they would provide a barrier to the undead lurking below.

"You never know, perhaps these drapes are holy or something" he shrugs if anyone questions his actions.

Boko quietly accepts the need for rest. It unnerves her to leave ghostly enemies that can move through walls where she can't see them, but she can't take them on all by herself, and her companions surely need some rest. "I will take the first watch, while you begin to replenish yourselves." She looks at the wall where the ghosts fled behind, but also spares a glance for the captives, who will also need watching. Having them within the dome unnerves her. "They could sleep outside the dome. Early warning system. Just a suggestion." She realizes Dwal likely will not accept this, but she suggests it nevertheless.

All remains quiet. The party continues to discuss how to rest and prepare.

• Does Kei raise his dome? In the velvet room, main room, outside, or where? Does everyone in the party rest inside?
• What about Bayleaf and the prisoners? Do you invite them in as well? And if not, do you open the barricade to interact with them?
• Are you securing the secret door beyond the buttoned curtain?
• Boko has volunteered the first watch. Who takes second and third?
• Any other preparations or activities you want to pursue?

Gerrard:

After securing the door and watching Kei reset the curtains, Gerrard responds, “I would keep the prisoners safe if we can, but block their escape so we are not left stranded with no boat here.  Still, sleeping next to evil cultists seems risky.  Master Kei, can you position the dome so that it blocks the door to the kitchen and traps the prisoners inside?  We can make them comfortable for the night and keep them from escaping with the dome’s magic, but we can easily move in and out ourselves.  What do you think?”