Archmage Halstead: The First Session

 [Excerpt from the memory stone "A Fallacy of Hope: Saltmarsh Session One"]

     You entered Saltmarsh from different places.  Abe and Elle had been in the town for a while, one working at the Snapping line and the other trying to find themselves.  Adamas and Leyash entered the town gates while traveling the area around Phandilin looking for work and a new start.  Abe was hired to work the town bash Thrown by Gellen and Elle agreed to attend to see him perform while Adamas and Leyash were drawn to the festivities by the music and laughter which seemed opposed to the town’s reputation.  The group mingled and met each other warily.  As they were talking, Gellen Primewater was showering the crowd in gifts from his balcony overlooking the docks.  Eventually they noticed a game being played at the edge of the party.  This game was called Claw Pong and a local group called the Black Blades was winning.  They accepted the challenge to play the blades thrown down by Gellen, and despite the efforts of a striking half-elf they won the game. 

   As the game ended, a scream was heard from the beach by the docks.  You rushed to investigate and found the body of a young woman that was wearing nothing but a burlap sack.  After closer investigation you found the body had rope burns on her wrists and ankles and strange what looked like claw marks on her upper shoulder.  Elle seemed disturbed by the body and Gellen approached form his house.  After conversing with the man, you learned this resembled the operating procedures of a past threat to the town called The Hold of the Sea Princes.  They had been driven off by the combined forces of Gauntlgrym and Neverwinter and not caused trouble in a while.    The group offered their services to Gellen, and he said they would be kept in mind, but the Council must be informed and to come to the meeting later that afternoon.  The group found out about a few of the buildings in Saltmarsh and procured a place to stay at the Snapping line owned by Hannah Rist.  Leyash struck up a conversation with her and learned that she liked quiet evenings at home reading and was known for her famous drink called claw wine that they had experienced at the game at Gellen’s party.  You paid her for rooms for a week’s stay. 

  The party then decided to check in with Anders Solmor , a man that Adamas and Leyash had gotten a note from on their way to town.  They were met by Skerrin who escorted them to a room and Anders eventually appeared.  The gregarious man told his cousin had heard of Leyash and Adamas and thought their interesting talents would be perfect for a job if they were willing to accept it.  He said his Cousin Darion a cleric of Lathander had disappeared about a week ago deciding to search for a young woman he had fallen heads over heals for that had been missing for about 2 weeks.  Anders had tried to convince him she would turn up knowing her shady reputation but not much else about her.  Darion insisted he would find her and redeem her.  You accepted the job and after finding a few things more out about the buildings in town you went to the council meeting.

    At the meeting the council of five Eda Oweland (A hard working, cursing, older woman who seemed to be the leader of the council), Gellen Primewater (The middle aged, charming man you had met at the Party), Anders Solmor (The young man who you just had left a meeting with and head of a large merchant fleet), Manistrad Copperlocks (A pragmatic female dwarf who was the head of the mining operation out of Thornhold), and Eliander Fireborn (a Righteous man who seemed to be the leader of the towns modest military forces).  The council debated back and forth over what to do where some of them seemed to favor the traditional approaches that had served Saltmarsh well from long ago and some seemed to favor the new progressive approach that was being brought by the dwarves and the new Lord’s Protector of Neverwinter who had taken over since his father’s untimely demise, Renaer Neverember.   After being vouched for by Anders you were asked to investigate the old haunted house on the bluffs outside of town that used to be owned by an alchemist and that some weird green lights were seen emanating from to see if there was any connection for pay of course.  You talked to an old pirate named Squeeg, where you learned of the screaming and ghosts he experienced as he decided to descend to the cellar of the house, and an old wreck called the escape that held the lore of an old silver fishing rod.

         You took a night’s rest after a busy opening day and left in the morning.  You were accompanied by many young members of the town on your way and they slowly peeled away as you approached the house.  You searched the outside of the house and fought some snakes at the well and giant weasels at the front porch.  You entered the house via the front door and searched the front half of the first floor finding a library with some tide times for Saltmarsh stuffed inside of a book.   You also found swarms of spiders inside fireplaces, various small loots, and even two dogs chained in a room seemingly guarding a trap door down.  You took the steps up to the upper floor and while searching found a room with a man tied up in it.  The rickety floor was noticed along with some tracks to the window.  You found scratch marks on the windowsill and after talking to the man he claimed to be Ned Shakeshaft a traveler who had sought refuge in the house and was hit on the back of his head on the lower floors and woke up tied up here.  You freed him and he said he would follow you instead of heading out.  You found his clothes and weapons in another room and an attic that although infested with stirges led you to a creepy sailor doll.   After falling down the steps and Ned trying to convince you to leave you searched the rest of the first floor finding a few centipedes and a map of the sea channels to the harbor of Saltmarsh. 

You tried the trap door but it would not budge.  You went down the stairs Squeeg told you about and tripped a trap that emitted a loud wail and the image of a ghost coming up the stairs.  In the wine cellar you found the Body of Darion in beat up Plate Mail and after some searching a secret lever that swung the fireplace into the next room.  As you entered the room you were assailed by three bandits behind a flipped table launching arrows and bolts at you.  After seeking cover and eventually getting the upper hand and dropping two of the bandits the third rushed to the wall and through a secret door that closed behind him.  You searched for a while to find a way to open it eventually succeeding.    When you opened the door, you found it opening into a cavern complex that you decided against investigating.  You searched the room that had contained the door and found a decent money stash at the foot of the ten beds in the room.  You also found a nicely taken care of Bedroom that seemed to be the room of a wizard as you found his spellbook.  You found some commands written in goblinoid that had translations, a lantern, and Morse code message.  The was also a door marked with beware and sealed shut with a wooden bar.  Feeling beat up you decided to collect Darion’s body and head back to town to inform them of the threat to Saltmarsh feeling you had done what you were hired to do and found information required.  On the way to get Darion you fought off some Rot Grubs and Ned attacked from behind.  You knocked Ned unconscious and carried the armor and Ned back to town.

    You put Ned in the hand of the Local guard which could not believe that he would be involved but agreed to hold them till they got more information.  You returned to Anders who was visibly upset at the loss of Darion and collected your payment.  He agreed that you could have the armor although it would need much repair to be usable as long as you did not dishonor it.  You brought news to the council of the threat and Eliander agreed to increase the watch of the gates and harbor and were told they would investigate for signs of a ship and get back to you.  You went to get a good night’s sleep at the line and recover.  The next morning Leyash again talked to Ms. Rist and although disappointed that she was just friendly got ready for the day.  You noticed the streets bustling and working your way through the town to head back to the house to clear the caverns. 

    You picked up town guards Jack and Joe and headed back to the house to clear the caverns.  You reached the house and descended into the cellar.  You fought a vicious battle with skeletons and the old undead form of the Alchemist in the room that had been barred.  You found a bag of holding and a stone that as not identified.  You found various items of gold another spellbook, and a book that seemed to require further study to secure its secrets.  You then went to investigate the caverns but found them to be empty.  It seemed like they had been evacuated and you found evidence of a small boat being dragged from a room in the caverns to the open sea.  Disappointed you headed back to town.

     Once you returned, you found that Ned had escaped the jail after hitting the guard over the head with his breakfast tray and stealing the keys.  Investigating Ned’s escape, you talked to Captain Xendros who seemed to have magic to offer and a certain allure.  She assured you she could procure for you what you desired aboard her ship for the appropriate fees.  She also told you of Winston who might know of any shady doings in town.  You went by a wizard’s tower and worked your way north to Winston’s shop.  After banter back and forth and some subtle threats thrown each way you seemed to get the feeling that his dealings were overlooked by the authorities and he said that while not implying he helped, that maybe the brother of the Whitecrag that had been executed for smuggling and stealing last week, had given Ned refuge in the Mere of Dead men.  You decided to set out to investigate.  You entered the mere and after traveling for a while found a y intersection in the road, Wagon ruts were on one side of the y and foot traffic on the other.  You followed the foot traffic and after traveling for a little while found where the land almost formed two small island masses connected by a path.  You were ambushed after failing to sneak through by four needle blights and two vine blights.  After a tough fight and Adamas dropping to the ground the monstrosities were defeated.  You tried healing Adamas to no effect and came to the conclusion he had passed to the light.  You set camp for the night to rest and watched over his body.  At some point when you turned back to his body it had disappeared and the nights watch was coming to an end.

This is where we will continue the adventures of the strangers!!