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Previously on Call from the Deep
Starring:
Gotwald Ironhorn, level 7 minotaur Rune Knight Fighter
Mac, level 7 tortle Drakewarden Ranger
Savra Akkedis, level 7 lizardfolk School of Necromancy Wizard
Torrel, level 7 kenku Fathomless Warlock Pact of the Amulet/Fighter
The lizardfolk have been found. An alliance has been formed. Now they just needed a plan to infiltrate an underground island lair (now mostly underwater!) swarming with hundreds of sahuagin.
Their mission: rescue prisoners, assassinate leaders, and sever the connection between the mind flayers and the sahuagin.
This quest uses “The Final Enemy” module from Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Maps are provided by cartographer and patron, Bear Gardner.
The party spent a significant amount of time formalizing a plan to even get near the island. In trying to reach the castle of Thornhold outside the Red Rocks area, they were attacked by a nasty patrol of sahuagin.
Using their ship is out, but perhaps they can use it as a distraction?
And why not the lizardfolk? Their numbers are not what they were, but they can still muster about two dozen fighters, and they’re eager to help fight back against their conquerors.
Briefly returning to Thornhold, The party instruct Harley and the crew of their ship to sail back out and provide a boat-size distraction to the sahuagin, who seem eager to destroy any ships in the area.
Meanwhile, they will take to the sea near the coast, along with the lizardfolk. Mac casts pass without trace, and the group bunches up in a tight ball of stealthy swimming.
When the sahuagin go after the ship, the lizardfolk pull off the stealth zone and provide another layer of distraction, and safety for the ship.
It’s a risky move for the lizardfolk, but they have no complaints. The party only has to make a single group stealth check, and they’re soon right by the partially sunken island.
The tribe had provided the party with crude maps and possible entrances. A top-level balcony, now at sea level, had a sturdy door, while the main entrance, now completely underwater, featured a main gate portcullis and dozens of sahuagin milling about.
That left one good lead: an old staircase with openings that led outside the cave, about 80 feet below the surface.
Sure enough the spot was open and unguarded. The party swims inside. The stairs no longer existed, But a dark corridor leads inside (Area 61).
Savra had her cube of force to breath and protect her from water, and she had a summoned zombie hold her driftglobe for light.
With his superior runic darkvision, Gotwald swims ahead, making sure he was wearing his more flexible mariner’s armor.
They emerge through a broken wall into a jail cell. The body of a dead giant eel takes up most of the room, its thrashings having led to its death, and the dislodging of the hastily boarded wall (Area 50c).
The cell wis locked with a bronze bar that Gotwald and Mac carefully unlock. Beyond the cell they can hear the tortured wails of a humanoid creature, and the snickering of nearby sahuagin.
Thanks to Mac’s pass without trace, the party can launch a surprise attack on the guards, 2 sahuagin and a sahuagin deep diver (Area 50).
Mac’s scimitar of speed makes quick work of the regular sahuagin.
The deep diver proves a more formidable threat, however. The larger sahuagin has the light-lure of an angler fish on its head, and uses it to incapacitate Mac, ruining pass without trace.
Gotwald moves in to grapple the creature and the party descends upon it with sword and spell. It finally goes down, though not without viciously stabbing Gotwald with its glaive.
An odd fish-creature had been strapped to the rack. It’s a locathah named Borgas, who resembles a humanoid catfish. He’s friendly, despite the circumstances, and can speak Common.
Borgas explains that he’s merely a curious explorer, and he and his giant eel companion had been captured by the sahuagin.
He goes to check on Sasha as the party looks on sadly. The sight of the eel’s body causes him to wail all over again. He’s adamant about helping the party in their mission, and picks up one of the sahuagin’s spears.
He was brought in through the main entrance to the south, and recommends avoiding that area.
His only other companion in the dungeon was a triton, but he was recently taken to the arena. Could that be Harley’s partner, Kysh?
A giant sea horse is the only other current occupant in the dungeon. Before anyone can say anything, Savra opens the creature’s cell door!
The wild beast charges into her, forcing her to cast the shield spell to avoid its ram, then flees down the corridor, randomly turning east.
Well, that should provide some sort of distraction!
The southern corridor leads to a four-way intersection, with long hallways leading east and west.
To the south, the corridor ramps downward, ending in a huge arena covered by a quartz dome. Above the arena, a multi-tiered gallery holds dozens of cheering and jeering sahuagin.
In the arena floor, a triton armed with a trident struggles while wrapped inside the tentacle of a giant octopus!
MVPC – Mac
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