Session 1: Arrival to Saltmarsh Report
General Summary
Moonday 3 Reaping
You've spent the last several days confined within The Snapping Line awaiting evaluation by the town council. As you enter the meeting hall a dwarf with fiery red hair is fed up that her dwarves refuse to pass it unless the sun shines clearly and you hear Manistrad Copperlocks - Played by Jaime state "It's a danger that we must raze to the ground."
An elderly lady, Eda Oweland - played by Tahlia, responds in a practiced voice, "Manistrad we can't use town resources like this. The roads between Saltmarsh and your mine are beyond the town's concerns."
An elderly gentleman, Gellan Primewater - played by Adam, nods agreement with Eda and states "You have to understand that the town has responsibilities first to our citizens. Perhaps you should consider hiring dwarven soldiers as escorts for your miners?"
While a young adult, Anders Solmor - played by Nancy, disagrees "Helping our citizens by maintaining the security within a short walk is our duty and it's improper for us to push this trouble off to someone else."
Copperlocks seizes on this by adding, "King Skotti expects all persons, regions, and townships to actively support royal decrees and that includes my mine!"
At this point, the guard introduces each of you in turn. Karia - a young lady with elven features with grey skin and pink eyes. Narsherekir - a short halfling that with bright inquisitive eyes. Leeroy - a very tall man that with a genuine smile. Mina - a woman cloaked with brown plaited hair cascading out of her cloak. Kyra - defiant as a tielfling with her tail twitching side to side.
Oweland scoffs, "Great more petitioners from the king. I wonder how much these drifters will deplete from our barely sufficient resources."
Capt Eliander Fireborn speaks up, "Councillors, we still have the problem with the house on the hill. Have we made progress with it? No? Then perhaps we can solve two issues with one action. What if they volunteer to explore the house? This then resolves Manistrad's issue and gives us an idea of who they are."
Copperlocks responds nervously, "Can we trust these nobodies? They don't look very capable."
Oweland counters "How is this conserving the town's resources? They're still draining our resources."
Solmor consults with Skerrin Waverchaser, his butler, then adds "Right! How does this bring the town up? Let alone resolve the issue with the mine?"
Fireborn replies, "It's simple either they return having done something to resolve the house and it's ummm issues or they don't return and they are no longer using the town's resources. Either way, we've at least solved something."
"Well I'd rather they just raze the whole damn house to the ground, but if they can figure out why the damned thing is haunted and make it stop, then it's no whiskers off my beard, and they can keep anything they find in there" replies Copperlocks.
"And I assume they'll just do this out of the goodness of their hearts," Oweland sarcastically responds. "This still takes away needed resources for the town. How do you propose getting around that? After all that place has been abandoned nearly twenty years so I can't imagine anything of value there."
Capt Fireborn calmly explains, "We don't need to offer them town gold or materials. How about two weeks of room and board at The Snapping Line if they return? Would that work?" Primewater interjects, "Eda, if they fail then perhaps the king will stop sending us these irritating outsiders, and if they succeed lodging for a couple weeks would be a small price to pay to" Seeing Oweland grudgingly nod, he continues, "Then in that case, all in favor?"
With all councillors voting aye, this group of stragglers is given two days to make progress with the house and instruction is given to Hanna Rist that each of you will have the bill picked up by Saltmarsh, within reason of course.
Nar inquires, "But why would your God grant you healing powers unless it was meant that you would heal anyone that is injured? Aren't you anyone?"
Surprised by the logic of the whimsical halfling, Mina smiles, "Why you must be right!" and quickly chants a prayer to Istus for healing.
With our heroes first battle won, most of the group then notices a covered well with small mammal bones outside it on the east side of the house and moves to investigate while Mina scours for medicinal plants. Upon reaching the well, Nar looks over the edge and sees shafts of light peeking through that strike the walls of the well. She can tell that there is water down there but can't see anything else, so tosses a few pebbles downward to hear them splash. Finding nothing of interest, Nar moves toward a door in the east side of the house while Karia remarks that Mina went around the west side. Shrugging, Nar examines the door listening for any sounds within as Leeroy reaches over her head and opens it. Dust cakes the exposed 15 ft hallway and the group moves toward a new door on the right.
As Nar studies for traps and sounds, she hears the creaking of a door behind her. Spinning to face the upcoming danger, she sees that Mina has just opened the front door about 60 feet away. Mina rapidly joins the group as this door at the rear of the house opens upon a small kitchen. Karia moves to search the cold iron oven as Mina moves to search the sink and cupboard and Leeroy beelines for the stairs leading upward. Then Mina screams an alert as giant centipedes stream out of the sink. The heroes quickly advance upon the centipedes dispatching them with ease before regrouping and confirming that the kitchen is empty.
Proceeding up the stairs, the group comes upon a landing. Mina looks at the window above the stairs and wonders how she saw a shadow cross in front of it since there is no floor there. Shrugging it off, the party moves southward down the corridor to the first door on the left where they discover a pile of clothing that's in good condition and a chest that only contains musty socks. Proceeding to the next room on the east side of the house, they another room in shambles with nothing that holds their interest. They pass through the foyer before turning right and head west to the first door on the left and enter what was once a master bedroom that has since decayed. Opening the wardrobe they discover a pair of cracked leather boots and a ragged stained cloak. Neither interests the party so they proceed further west to the next bedroom that has an actual bed within it, but little else besides rodent scat and cobwebs.
Crossing back through the foyer, Leeroy hears the cracking of floorboards and just manages to hang onto the edge as the wood planks fall out beneath him. Pulling himself upward, he's able to gain his footing and then help the others across with some rope. They pass the stairs heading toward the front door and peek into the next room. Standing in the doorway, Nar sees glinting from the lone fireplace and moves to inspect it with Karia keeping her company when suddenly both of them feel a swarm of spiders crawling and biting them. It's a long hard fight partially because the group has ineffective weapons against the small creatures and aren't able to swing appropriately for fear of harming their teammates. However, the party does prevail and debates resting a bit to recover from the wounds the swarms inflicted.
Within Saltmarsh
After leaving the council hall, you are allowed to wander Saltmarsh. Leeroy gets directions to go south around the corner to The Dwarven Anvil. Where he quickly negotiates with Mafera Forgefind to sharpen his halberd. Karia heads across Sharkfin Bridge to Empty Net and meets Kreb Shenker who insinuates that she's not welcome here being as refined as she is. Meanwhile, Mina and Kyra wander into the Weekly Market that happens on every Earthday. Kyra talks with Stavehand who runs a woodworker stall. He grudgingly approves of her work, but then states that she should head down to the docks implying that she should leave Saltmarsh. The evening ends in The Snapping Line with Narsherekir performing for the patrons with her lute. While she had been hoping for tips, the local crowd instead kept her in her cups with gifts of Claw Wine.The House on the Hill
The next morning starts with Mina and Leeroy immediately hitting the road as dawn breaks while Kyra and Karia enjoy a light repast. Roughly thirty minutes later, Nar stumbles down the stairs and hurries after Mina and Leeroy. Karia pushes her plate away stating, "I guess we should join them". After walking the morning away, the entire group leaves the eastward road and start walking up toward the decrepit and defaced mansion, they come upon a six foot high wall that apparently surrounds the grounds. Mina and Leeroy push through the gate to reach a garden beyond. As they inspect the overgrown weeds, 4 weasels scurry out from this massively overgrown rose bush. Karia immediately rushes through the gate and stands ready with Mina as Leeroy swings his halberd and cleaves one of the weasels in twain. Kyra staying out of reach beyond the grounds, pulls out a tiny bell and tolls it, but none of the weasels hear it. Nar then slips into the grounds and expertly swishes her rapier ripping the side of a weasel. Finally, Mina reacts by attacking the closest weasel dropping it. The two remaining weasels gnaw at Mina catching her exposed flesh along her legs. Karia responds quickly and between her and Leeroy, the final weasels are subdued. Mina stands there in shock, stating "it must be Istus's will that I die upon this quest."Nar inquires, "But why would your God grant you healing powers unless it was meant that you would heal anyone that is injured? Aren't you anyone?"
Surprised by the logic of the whimsical halfling, Mina smiles, "Why you must be right!" and quickly chants a prayer to Istus for healing.
With our heroes first battle won, most of the group then notices a covered well with small mammal bones outside it on the east side of the house and moves to investigate while Mina scours for medicinal plants. Upon reaching the well, Nar looks over the edge and sees shafts of light peeking through that strike the walls of the well. She can tell that there is water down there but can't see anything else, so tosses a few pebbles downward to hear them splash. Finding nothing of interest, Nar moves toward a door in the east side of the house while Karia remarks that Mina went around the west side. Shrugging, Nar examines the door listening for any sounds within as Leeroy reaches over her head and opens it. Dust cakes the exposed 15 ft hallway and the group moves toward a new door on the right.
As Nar studies for traps and sounds, she hears the creaking of a door behind her. Spinning to face the upcoming danger, she sees that Mina has just opened the front door about 60 feet away. Mina rapidly joins the group as this door at the rear of the house opens upon a small kitchen. Karia moves to search the cold iron oven as Mina moves to search the sink and cupboard and Leeroy beelines for the stairs leading upward. Then Mina screams an alert as giant centipedes stream out of the sink. The heroes quickly advance upon the centipedes dispatching them with ease before regrouping and confirming that the kitchen is empty.
Proceeding up the stairs, the group comes upon a landing. Mina looks at the window above the stairs and wonders how she saw a shadow cross in front of it since there is no floor there. Shrugging it off, the party moves southward down the corridor to the first door on the left where they discover a pile of clothing that's in good condition and a chest that only contains musty socks. Proceeding to the next room on the east side of the house, they another room in shambles with nothing that holds their interest. They pass through the foyer before turning right and head west to the first door on the left and enter what was once a master bedroom that has since decayed. Opening the wardrobe they discover a pair of cracked leather boots and a ragged stained cloak. Neither interests the party so they proceed further west to the next bedroom that has an actual bed within it, but little else besides rodent scat and cobwebs.
Crossing back through the foyer, Leeroy hears the cracking of floorboards and just manages to hang onto the edge as the wood planks fall out beneath him. Pulling himself upward, he's able to gain his footing and then help the others across with some rope. They pass the stairs heading toward the front door and peek into the next room. Standing in the doorway, Nar sees glinting from the lone fireplace and moves to inspect it with Karia keeping her company when suddenly both of them feel a swarm of spiders crawling and biting them. It's a long hard fight partially because the group has ineffective weapons against the small creatures and aren't able to swing appropriately for fear of harming their teammates. However, the party does prevail and debates resting a bit to recover from the wounds the swarms inflicted.
Missions/Quests Completed
Defeated 4 weasels
