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Session 03: Mystery Unraveling Report

Who is behind the bandits?

This report was assembled with the aid of Virion Sylvenne's Journal and Noot8's player notes.

General Summary

11700 AR, 10th of the 3rd moon

With the party grouped up again, Melody asks to investigate the final room - after using magic to heal Fishcod's broken rib. Fishcod steals a gun from the bandits, and they open the door. Behind it is an empty room, at the far end of which is anoher door, barred shut. Fishcod looks under the door. It's dark, but they can make out piles of something with a faint glint of gold. They open the bar, and through the little light spilling in, Mystan can make out dingy, dirty shadows in the corner. Six skeletons rise, each one with some of their bones missing or replaced with golden ribs, femurs, and joints!

Mystan immediatelly shuts the door, as the group realizes these were likely the bodies the Alchemist ordered. Instead, they opt to head straight to Saltmarsh

The group takes about an hour to get back, arriving in the afternoon. Ned is out could, but the woman is awake and struggling. They head straight to the jail, and the guards let us through. Virion winks at a guard, and Melody notices and is grossed out by Virion winking at the man. Not because he's male, but because he's a human. They decide to interrogate the woman first. They learn her name is "Eva" and discover that the Bluesons met their fate because they tresspassed. She knows Andri died in a fight, but that she just saw Isabella be put on a boat and never saw her come back. Eva refutes strongly the idea that the bandits are Sea Princes, claiming independence. She has never heard of Ned and has no idea who kidnapped him. At first she refuses to talk about her boss, but Virion gets fed up with Fishcod's good cop routine, and eventually Eva spills that the bandits are Sanbalet's gang. He's a human who likes to talk in the third person, and is a wizard. Eva has only worked with them for the better part of the past year, and revelas that Bob is a good guy but Jerry was a jackass. Furthermore, they learn about the boat schedule: rowboats leave from a cove under the cliff, accessible via a secret door on the southern wall. They recieve deliveres ever three weeks, and the next ship is due in two. The house is super creepy, and the weird voice thing just happens whenever the trapdoor is opened. Bob broke the stairs up to the attic,and the gang has no idea why the fireplace is so weird. Eva doesn't know what the deliveries are or who picks them up; they're large lumpy bundles wrapped in cloth of varying sizes. In exchange for all of this information, Virion secures Eva only a prison sentance, not being put to death. Specifically, 2.5 years of hard labor, minimum of 1 year in prison. For human trafficiking and murder in self defense, as well as smuggling!

After resting for a night (Viron sleeps in the Snapping Line again, Mystan in the Barracks, Fishcod in the woods, and Melody in the grove), they then interrogate Ned. He breaks under pressure much more quickly, and tells them a hooded and masked figure hired him to stop the party from discovering the smugglers. They know too much by knowning about the basement. Ned, a local, has no idea who hired him - just that he was paid in 100gp up front and 200gp was promised for afterwards. The masked figure was taller and older, and would tell bad jokes and then do this sort of coughing laughing thing. That detail makes Melody suspect Gellan Primewater, and even Virion is somewhat suspicious of Primewater given Ned's account.

Ned explains more of his predicament, he usually is hired for muscle or forgery, and he cannot set up a rendevous with his employer. They consider sending Ned to the seedier tavern in town, the Empty Net, but Eva points out that Sanbalet almost certainly didn't hire Ned, and that Sanbalet is still at the haunted house! Melody warns of assassination, and the party returns to the house.

While leaving the jail, they run into Anders Solmor and his tall, elderly butler Skerrin Wavechaser. They have a brief conversation, and inform the council of some of their findings. Skerrin wishes them luck.

The party then returns to the house, searching for the secret room. They enter the basement, only to find the other bandit bodies already have maggots. Each bed has footlockers at the end, but before Melody can start breaking into them, Virion finds the secret door and they begin to creep through the passageway, Mystan standing guard.

The cave is well lit, and they fail their stealth checks, finding themselves in a room with three humans (one weidling a firearm, the other a sword, the final one with no weapons) and a large hobgoblin with a sword. The first bandit shoots Virion and misses, reloading his gun afterwards. Melody then casts Sleep, knocking out the Hobgoblin. The unarmed man goes, and is revealed to be Sanbalet, who issues threats to the aprty in third person. Virion shrugs said threats off and leaps into battle, activiting his bladesong and dueling the enemy swordsman. Sanbalet casts Magic Missile, hitting Virion twice and Fishcod once. The enemy swordsman swings at Virion but he blocks, being a dramatic asshole the entire time. Fishcod fires "non magic missle", or a crossbow, and movves to cover. Mystan hears the sounds of battle and runs down the corridor, unable to do anything else. The scouts shoot Melody, who responds with a second Sleep, knocking out the swordsman and scout, Virion being unaffected as he is an elf. Virion sprints at one of the bandits who have joined the fight and knocks him out with a pommel to the face. Sanbalet casts Magic Missile again, this time targeting all his unconcious comrades to force the Sleep spell to be broken. They rise up, and the swordsman staggers over to flank Virion, stabbing him. The Hobgoblin misses, and Fishcod trades shots with the scout. Mystan enters the battle and casts Bane on the three enemies on Virion, affecting the Hobgoblin. The scout shoots Mystan, which is pointless due ot his armor. Melody gives Clover encouragment via Bardic Inspiration, while Virion fires magic missles, harming the Hobgoblin and Sanbalet, and killing the other bandit. Melody casts Sleep again, finally knocking out he Hobgoblin and Sanbalet. Melody and Virion bribe the scout, who flees, and then tie up the Hobgoblin (DC 20) and Sanbelt (DC 15). The party then levels up.

Rewards Granted

  • More firearms and ammunition.

Character(s) interacted with

Campaign
Ghosts of Saltmarsh Dungeons & Dragons 5e Campaign
Protagonists
Melody Rose Hazel Turen
Neutral Good Forest Gnome (Hermit)
Bard 3
12 / 18 HP
STR
8
DEX
16
CON
11
INT
8
WIS
13
CHA
18
Virion Sylvenne
C/N Wood Elf (Noble)
Wizard 2
7 / 12 HP
STR
12
DEX
16
CON
13
INT
16
WIS
14
CHA
14
Co'oquilan Mystan
Bronze Dragonborn (Acolyte)
Cleric 3
10 / 24 HP
STR
14
DEX
11
CON
14
INT
13
WIS
16
CHA
13
Fishcod
Report Date
06 Feb 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location


Cover image: Brightfalls_14.06 by Krivio
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