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Previously on Call from the Deep
Starring:
Gotwald Ironhorn, level 2 minotaur Fighter
Mac, level 2 tortle Ranger
Savra Akkedis, level 2 lizardfolk School of Necromancy Wizard
Torrel, level 2 kenku Fathomless Warlock
Thanks to some fortunate timing, both Mac and Savra reach the hidden cellar-turned-barracks at the same time from two different entrances (Area 21).
As the hidden fireplace slides aside to reveal the large room, Ned is forced to spring into action.
The formerly whimpering ally produces a shortsword, leaps down the stairs, and literally stabs Torrel in the back! He downs the kenku with a second strike, muttering that they should’ve left well enough alone.
As he runs back upstairs he yells into the barracks: “We’ve got company, warn Sanbalet!”
The Zoo Crew is shocked by the betrayal. Gotwald rushes over to stabilize Torrel, but lacks the healing to get him on his feet. Mac and Savra begin flinging arrows and spells into the room, as a trio of enemies draw weapons.
One of the smugglers retreats to a corner of the room even while firing his crossbow. It looks like he’s trying to flee via the wall. The party realizes an enemy escaping to warn others would be a problem, and Gotwald charges from across the room — and misses.
An arrow to the head ends another smuggler while Savra and Gotwald finish off the one in the corner.
The longbow wielding smuggler quickly surrenders as Gotwald walks up to her. She claims they have some healing supplies in Sanbalet’s quarters nearby, but the boss is currently working elsewhere (while glancing at the corner wall).
Mac moves to investigate the suspicious wall. Savra and Gotwald open some of the chests in the room belonging to the bandits, finding some silver and gold coins.
In Sanbalet’s quarters (Area 22), the party finds some books, more loot, and a parchment keeping track of recent shipments and goods.
This group aren’t pirates; they’re smugglers, but they definitely work with pirates in offloading stolen goods.
Gotwald had a traumatic experience with pirates. Enraged by this discovery, he knocks the disarmed woman unconscious.
The parchment also reveals some increasingly strange meetups with ships paying money for weapons. The most recent captain never even spoke, smelled weird, and had an overall creepy vibe.
A nearby door is barred from this side. Before knocking her out, their captive had mentioned something about undead in that room.
After a short rest (and finally healing poor Torrel), an excited Savra lifts the bar, opensthe door, and strides inside.
The large, dark room is filled with bones, which soon animate into half a dozen skeletons (Area 23)!
Savra casts Tasha’s caustic brew, nailing half of them with acid, but she immediately loses concentration as they advance.
Gotwald carefully pulls her out of the fray and marches in, while Torrel summons his spectral tentacle.
Mac fires an arrow from across the room, exploding a skeleton, but keeps his attention on the wall. He finally finds the hidden switch, opens the door, and sees a lit, natural tunnel leading to a dank cavern.
He yells back at the others, then brazenly steps into the tunnel.
The rest of the party has their hands full with the remaining skeletons.
A part of the wall shimmers and disappears, revealing a skeletal alchemist wearing a wizard hat in robes. It hisses threats as it hurls vials of acid at Gotwald.
Torrel springs into the room to unleash a thunderwave (Gotwald is more than fine with the friendly fire), while Savra slaps down the “Tubular Bells” with multiple casts of toll the dead.
Gotwald focuses on the skeletal alchemist, even grappling and grabbing him back into the skeleton room (Area 24).
As the party wraps up the skeletons, Mac is off on his own.
The tortle delves into the dark caverns, douses his torch, and attempts to sneak. He narrowly dodges a patch of acidic green slime that drops from the ceiling (Area 25).
As he rounds a corner, however, he runs face-to-face with a trio of smugglers (Area 26). The group was resting, but are now fully alert thanks to the noise made earlier.
Thinking quickly, Mac convinces them that he’s with Ned, and that the intruders are indeed attacking them.
The thin ruse actually works (success on disadvantage, contested Deception check!). The smugglers, all wielding longbows, rush back to the tunnel.
Seeing an opening, Mac shoots one in the back of the head, killing them instantly. The other two scream and aim at Mac. One arrow lodges into Mac, but he manages to unleash his own, killing another in a single strike.
Back in the cellar, the others finally put the last skeleton to rest. There’s a myriad of interesting loot on the alchemist, and back in his secret lab. But Mac’s been missing, last seen stepping through a secret wall and yelling back.
They rush over to the secret door, while deeper in the caverns the rest of the smuggling team has been alerted to intruders.
MVPC – Mac
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