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Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
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Previously on Call from the Deep
Starring:
Gotwald Ironhorn, level 9 minotaur Rune Knight Fighter
Mac, level 9 tortle Drakewarden Ranger/Rogue
Savra Akkedis, level 9 lizardfolk School of Necromancy Wizard
Torrel, level 9 kenku Fathomless Warlock Pact of the Amulet/Fighter
The party finished their post-battle short rest, realizing Mac is nowhere in sight. The entrance to the barrow is still blocked by a stone slab, and after many embarrassing STR checks, they finally crack it open enough to squeeze inside, and down a spiral staircase into Ironhand’s Cairn.
In the antechamber, Torrel activates his gem of brightness to light the darkness, finding a pair of stone statues flanking a hallway (I1).
The statues each carry a bowl with a single wooden token inside. The party’s not sure what to make of it.
Gotwald steps into the corridor, only to to pierce his hooves on magically hidden spikes.
The party goes through a process of trial and error for the spike trap, trying to determine relationship between the statues and the spikes (turns out, taking a wooden token is the key to traveling safely, but they never figure it out).
Ultimately they break down one of the statues, and drag it over the hallway. Brute force for the win!
Meanwhile Mac and the Storm Maiden’s pirate crew have made it to the final tomb of Thelgaar Ironhand (I5), a large sarcophagus at the end of a long chamber.
The Storm Maiden removes her glove and places a hand on the sarcophagus. A spectral warrior appears (Sword Wraith Commander), recognizing her as kinfolk, but explains that she must prove herself worthy of the treasures within. Several more ghostly fighters materialize (Sword Wraith Warriors) and the pirates are forced to defend themselves!
The rest of the party enters a three-way junction in the middle of the tomb. With still no sign of Mac, they check out the western room (I2) which holds a shrine to the god of war, Tempus. A plaque asks supplicants to prove their worth.
Savra, recognizing the statue, eagerly goads Gotwald into placing his hand near the plaque. He does so, and it begins to glow. After a moment, four ghostly warriors spawn (Phantom Warriors) ready to test the party!
Two simultaneous yet completely separate combat encounters! And both with ghost-warriors, though different statblocks.
To avoid dragging through DM-only combat, the DM montages though the NPCs battling each other, with the exception of the Storm Maiden and the boss Commander, and anything involving Mac.
Though the pirates outnumber the ghosts, they lack magical weapons, making both sides suffer wounds.
The Storm Maiden is locked in combat with the powerful Commander, while Mac helps the crew defeat some warriors. A nasty critical hit from the Commander’s bonus attack nearly downs Mac (1 hp!) prompting him to help finish off the ghost.
Meanwhile, in the other ghost battle, Savra and Torrel are forced to use restraint and not unleash their signature big AOE attack spells within tight quarters. Torrel bashes with his tentacle arm, while Savra unleashes a chromatic orb and toll the dead spells.
But it’s really Savra’s one remaining zombie that steps up. It’s no Mac, but it does manage to hit with every single attack!
Poor deformed Gotwald doesn’t embiggen, but he manages to land blow after blow despite his cursed disadvantage. On the other hand, the phantom warriors also connect with half their hits, cutting deep wounds into Gotwald and Torrel.
With the final warrior defeated, Gotwald glows and receives a special blessing: the ability to cast compelled duel three times.
They see the underground river in the crumbling hole, but opt not to jump in. Back in the junction, Gotwald checks out the empty room to the east (I3). He steps on the pressure plate, activating the gas-and-fire trap. Savra has a chance to react, but opts to duck and cover, and warns Gotwald to do the same.
An explosion of fire damage burns him, but he can take it.
The explosion is heard by Mac as he lands the killing blow on the Commander. He warns The Storm Maiden that his former party may have found their way inside, as the party finally makes their way south, and sees a dead body float by on the river (the pirate killed by the cloaker earlier), as well as the rope dangling from the cliff.
A booming voice rings out, telling the Commander to stand down, as Thelgaar himself manifests above his sarcophagus. He grants the Storm Maiden his treasures — if she returns them once her quest is fulfilled.
She plans on presenting the treasures to Tentrix, and in return, increasing her status among the Black Armada, ultimately using the resources to exact revenge upon the Luskans who tried to kill her before.
They open the sarcophagus, and The Storm Maiden grabs the armor, the greataxe, and a box with a picture of a boat.
Mac recasts pass without trace to get them out of there, but as they crest the cliff, they spot the party crossing the river, and Gotwald already on the rope.
The Storm Maiden and her crew aren’t in good shape after the battle they just fought. Mac hisses to the pirate wizard for ideas, and the wizard casts fog cloud to cover their escape.
They begin silently and swiftly jumping into the river, but the splashing sound alerts Savra. Without knowing what’s causing it, she casts entangle from a spell scroll, wrapping up one of the pirates, as Mac and the Storm Maiden jump down.
It seems a dramatic showdown is inevitable…
MVPC – Mac
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