Yes Saltmarsh Loves Me

 Since I thought I might be better about adding some pics (and now that I told the rest of the crew about this blogger site feel free to post your own), I'm dropping in just a few snaps from what can only be considered a wildly successful return to Roadside Attraction Saltmarsh adventuring.  I know a recap will come someday after Halstead happily ignores D&D for a while to recharge. Highlights for me the player included the home cooked meals so we could pretend to be grown ups, Ellie clearing out the lampreys and saving us from TPK near the cauldron of elementals, and (though Adamas wasn't thrilled) Lilly drawing her line in the proverbial sand with the gods (which was made more enjoyable for me by the fact that she also confessed to hating the beach).  Still, I don't know if anything will top the hamster ball of arcane doom (bead of force) and Lleyash's inspired humbling of another caster through sorcery and counterspell goodness.  Playing Abe, my favorite momen...

So the Wizlards we recently "invited ourselves" into Keledek's tower, which is to say that Ellie did her bampf magic up to a window and we all did some solid street music nearby.  Lleyash is getting pretty good with his big stick and Adamas humored us by playing his oddly carved armor with some spoons. Que no importa un pepino pq some Kraken Priest also knows the bampf trick and lights up Adamas like the Solstice before I steal the very helm from his head.  Instead of letting us save him, Adamas inexplicably asks Lleyash to end his life and grab on.... Mystic temples, small gnome girls from small hamlets, turf wars with the Gods of Fury themselves.  I have seen many things and walked many roads, but this was something altogether odd.  No tener ni pies ni cabeza.  An amulet for the champion of The Storm Lord or Bitch Queen or some other force equally repugnant gets picked up by a waif barely old enough to be out on her own.  To what end?  At what c...

 After watching Adamas' effort to recruit the Kill Devil Corps, I've seen some common screening questions time and again.....

The strangers traveled home on the Ghost and as they were traveling decided to call themselves the Wizlards of the Coast.  The Ghost was towed home by Xendros and the Shadow Dancer.  They made it home after their visit to the escape with no further problems upon which they docked the Ghost at Gellen’s pier which had an open spot.  Gellen and Tylsaria met them at the docks and congratulated them upon their overwhelming success upon which Gellen said he would set up a council meeting in the morning.  Adamus and Ellie stayed at the ship while Abe wooed Tylsaria with success and they disappeared to Gellen’s mansion to have a tumble in the sheets.  They also learned that while they were gone there was some unrest in Saltmarsh and uneasiness in the streets at night and that the Mafera’s blacksmith shop had been assaulted by some thugs wearing hoods and they had made off with about 1000 GP worth of material and money.    In the morning the party decided to do...

  My music she grows more potent.  Each string on this new guitar pulses into the arcane ether.  The vibrations they sing in my soul.  And, if the legends of the muse Etefan are true, the rhythm is going to get you. Our return to Saltmarsh brought forth many gifts.  The town gave us use of the ship, we we have called the Kraken Chaser.  The townsfolk, in whispers or proclamations, call us the “Wizlards of the Coast”.  Maybe it’s the fact that we paraded lizardfolk through the town square just a day or so after almost blowing it up.   Adamas has taken it on himself to recruit all of the pretty women of the town to crew the Chaser.  Cannot say if the parrot is huring or helping him here.  On that note, Tylsaria is confused by my advances so perhaps a parrot is what I need. We need to crew with six officers and 20 crew.  Since we don’t know who to trust in the town, it’s a risky undertaking.  Fearing for her safety, Lleyash c...

  From Trollback past Daggerfall through Waterdeep they came The bard late in his years still chasing his fame Sunset’s shadow once-bright elf the dark did claim In Saltmarsh came one, came all, came all In Saltmarsh the storm did fall   Of east winds ‘cross High Road through the thick fens came boldly A sea elf through Phandelin with magics untold   He from the heavens a bright shield and moustache of gold In Saltmarsh came one, came all, came all In Saltmarsh the storm did fall   In the Year of Three Ships Sailing Wizlards themselves did take to sea Always Striving Never Failing Waves on the shores of history   Will Torm nod, Mystra smile should they answer the call Village streets full of shadow, village maidens in thrall Will you take up their banner should Marius fall In Saltmarsh came one, came all, came all In Saltmarsh the storm did fall…. The haunting they ended tho villians they fled  To damp swamp and hid...

I should have been posting some of these along the way but here is SOME of the fun that has convinced me I'm never going to try to make models and battlemaps this fun.   Maybe I can outsource to Halstead Kelley Enterprises Whitecrag Hideout and Mike's Beverage Cart :) Misdirection is the sincerest form of flattery Back from COVID after Halstead has built the whole city Sunken treasure and a fishing pole Gnolls attacking the farm.  Ellie killing everyone. EDIT: Mike also just sent a few snaps of the Tavern.  Here's one that reinforces the point....  

 

 The mighty DM told us to ponder what we would want to do at level 4 in preparation for the November session.  Hopping onto DNDB, I opened my character sheet and immediately fell down a rabbit hole.  Who cares about level 4 when we should be exploring new character art icons?  Specifically, animated gifs for my bard!  The 8-bit beach dude was the obvious winner for me. As an aside, Lleyash quickly got into the fun and his may be even better.  In related news, I need to remember to ask the crew if they have a good piece or two of reference art on how they really see their characters.  I'd provided the artist with some images as well as physical write ups Notable mentions from my art search below.

Abe ponders : As we limp back towards Saltmarsh and Ellie she is trying not to kill the rest of us while making poisons, we might reflect on all of our [limited] adventures and consider a name.  We've made some enemies so perhaps we've made some friends now, too no? - it's clear we'll be having each others backs for some time. I'm sure others will have better ideas but here's my head dump.  Ship names are stronger than crew names. Ship Name candidates from Abe: The Morning Wood Goldblade's Revenge   (for the dead girl we found on the first day) Enterprise (mostly because Archmage Rob says we get to find crew.  I see Uhura and Bones and....) Several were in the "also ran" category.  Carribean Queen, Black Freighter (from Watchmen) (cuz once you go.... nevermind), Black Treasurer (from Ffafhrd), The Blue Nixie, Intruder   Crew Name candidates from Abe: Also rans were Trouble Brewing Company LLC and Three Men and a Little Lady.  The only nota...

  The strangers started their day out after the assassination attempt on the Saltmarsh Council.  Some hostilities seemed to be resolved and the party looted the raiders of the town as they watched the Sea Ghost limp out to sea.  They found some various weapons, mariners’ armor, a magical mace, Sanbalet’s special pipes, and some loose coins.  The strangers debated whether to pursue the Sea Ghost immediately or let the ship come to them at a later date.  Gellen upon overhearing their conversation suggested maybe talking to Xendros whose ship the shadow dancer was at his docks.  Since she had stumbled upon the Ghost once before and seemed to have a way with knowing where smugglers might hide a ship that was damaged maybe they would be able to track the Ghost.  They went and talked to Xendros at her shop, where she once again reminded them that she was more than willing to deal in items of the non-mundane and that her inventory changed weekly.  Adamas...

  The Other End of the Telescope I can see las oejas al lobo.  A certain, for the wolf is looking at me. Two days ago I was cut down from Ned short sword at the Whitecrag camp.  My new friends left me dead a while to think about it, and I'm certain I don't like it. Today I died twice more, as a fireball did not respect my hiding place and when I so bravely rushed out to raise the fallen Lleyash from the ground. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  Andando con pies de plomo.  For all my swagger, I am failing.  We are foundering and sinking and unlike the others I am over my head.  Not waving but drowning. Frightening, no? But I am a shantyman.  Still, I am of service.  This crew I was certain would fray and fail is now rallying around Lleyash in his best attempts with Hannah.  melón.  His best line tonight after an attack at the door?  " Does the danger excite you ?" Adamas did his best to help with a wet kitten....