Paused - Ghosts of Saltmarsh - The Story So Far

It was a long road to Saltmarsh Village, it was late, and the weather was rather chilly. However there was a lot going on. 

From the Spine of The World, A Goliath has made her way to Our Lady of Silver, a temple to Selune, the building seems quiet, too oddly silent for her liking, feeling like there was someone she was supposed to assist and guide. Perhaps it will help and calm the inner storm of voices she has carried around for so long.

Around the Baldur's Gate area, a sell-sword Fighter was asked to assist with ensuring an event at one of the taverns went smoothly, in case of any drunken brawling. Brawling is easy to understand, a family betrayal is not.

From the Dale Lands, a Human Paladin, who had heard of a fun battle of strength, wrestling event happening, whilst always keeping her eyes peeled for wicked creatures that are in desperate need of smiting. Grateful that she no longer has to work for her last boss anymore, thankful for the happy, and maybe a little bloody, accident that happened.

From the Noxidome Settlement, an Aasimar Wrestler (Barbarian) who on search for a foe from his recent past that caused so much pain. A wrestling spot was in need, and as luck would have it he felt able to fill in the shoes. Ready to bring joy to the masses.

From the Pirate Isles, A Tiefling Rogue/ Monk figure sneaking into town was able to slip unnoticed, heading towards her mark, someone who would be wrestling. And yet, she felt a pull to a temple she'd never been to before. And yet her feet felt like they knew the way, that she had to go there. Perhaps she is slowly starting to allow herself to become independent instead of a mindless spy or assassin for the group she grew up in.

These stangers are about to meet each other, and soon to form the party Thornleaf, and to make their deities, Lliira, Selune, and Tyr proud of what they will accomplish, be proud of their followers, and the influence that they begin to have in the world around them.

It was a busy day for our intrepid adventures, as they gathered information before heading out, and already getting a taste for how friendly this wild region really is.

Setting ablaze a couple of trees.

And then they came to the Saltmarsh House, where - with a writ for this particular quest, to aid with the law - find out what is happening there.

The party were able to help a loyal Wraith rescue his friend, whose Fear capabilities were being amplified to make the house seem more dangerous than it truly was, which was keeping the smuggling that was happening below the house, go without a hitch. That was until the party came and actively dealt with the bandit group under the mage Sanbalet's thumb.

...

After the party had a long rest in the caverns and finished off making some skeletons return back to peace including the Alchemical Skeleton who had an interesting and mysterious stone.

Thornleaf left behind their member Havi who would look after the house.

Including to deal with the hole on the upstairs corner that didn't fare well against a small meteorite that crashed past on the night of Selune shining her full face upon the world.

The party collected loot, as well as captured prisoners (including the release of the Wraiths friend to take home to the Court of Shadows). And they began to make their way back to the village.

Not long stepping out in the mist very early in the morning, was the sight of two figures whom could just, just be seen below.

One figure that looked alot like the Dwarf who was seen earlier imprisoned in the Jail's at the village. And another figure who looked tall, slender and was trying to lose her capture.

The party got down the cliff haphazardly to make haste to reach the shore.

By that time the Dwarf and the other figure were in a strangely designed dingy boat, slowly rowing out.

But this was not the tale of a villain who recaptured their prisoner.

Oh no..

This was when the Dwarf, that turned out to be a Doppelganger received a swift death, the last of its life flicking between the figures of who it had once copied, and then sank to the bottom of the sea, in its burning down dingy. Thanks to Truth and her Tiefling's Hellish Rebuke.

Only Truth saw what the Doppelganger had been, a Dwarf, and a Black Dragonborn, a Skeleton Alchemist, as well as a humanoid wearing an outfit with bells on, before reverting back to its true form.

The party came together on the beach, greeting the freed woman that Truth seemed to know. Her name was Jia, and she was starting to call Truth "Mei", before acclimating to "Truth".

The Thornleaf party walk back along the path, leaving the coastline, and head back to the village.

The party had been managing to deal with the wickedness of the Saltmarsh House, being affected since they had entered by all types of madness, but luckily after freeing the Fear Smith Exansa, she had passed on to them her small vial of her blood, to help with their inflictions caused by the Bane's necklace made to amplify her Fear abilities.

The Party think it best to go to "Our Lady of Silver", with Jia disguised thanks to Axel.

After passing a guard with the correct code to show that they are safe to pass, which was in thanks to Havi who had split up to give information to the Jailor Kraddock Stonehorn, before making way to the Saltmarsh House.

At the temple, the party met with Head Priest Wellgar Brinehanded, and was able to give them rest for free due to Larealla being under the same deity Selune, and the Head Priest assisted with removing the madnesses of the group.

The Head Priest still looked very small and alone, as when Larealla, and when Truth met the Head Priest it was a greeting of fear.

As a strange Alchemical Skeleton figure was running amuck in the sacred temple, slaughtering the two clergy of Brinehanded's.

Brinehanded felt terrified, unable to get to his weapon, only able to write a message "HELP", before getting onto the temple's ground's to hide in a bush.

After the Head Priest helps the party, everyone adjourns to get some long needed rest.

After the party woke up they had planned to to to the Council to hand over the criminal bandits.

Rossi noticed a fiend hidden as a bird in the Council Hall, but it managed to fly away mixing with the others in there.

It was very busy and the party learnt that this was typical to have a large meeting on the 1st of every 10 day.

There were aspersions cast and a sense of unpleasantness between the Loyalists and the Traditionalists.

How that the Loyalists were having dangerous working conditions causing to begin closing the mine due to potential saubetage. And if they can't make enough profit than they would no longer meet the terms agreed upon to allow them to stay and allow outsiders the potential opportunities to meet and gain trade, or be able to be landlords. They'd have to transfer, and many Dwarves, would be unhappy to move after settling.

The Traditionalists are worried that the docks are also seemingly having problems, rumours of the sound of jingles as damage is being down, causing Councillor Solmor's combat fleet to be unable to be finished and aid in giving the Village protection on sea from the potential dangers of Luskan due to its unlawful attitudes.

Not to mention that fish have been harder to catch, causing the locals to worry about food stocks and that Saltmarsh Village trade with outsiders that have a heavy export of fish to their settlements would break the contract and cause lack of respect and be able to share resources and homes.

Of the Councillors,

Traditionalists

Councillor Eda Oweland (Fishing Industry)

Councillor Gellan Primewater (Sea trade operations, and Leader of Hosting and Festivities)

Loyalists from Baldur's Gate

Councillor Manistrad Copperlocks, (Mining operations and Loyalist landlord)

Captain of the Guard and Councillor Eliander Fireborn, (Training and ordering the small amount of town guards, and improving Route safety, and tends to be used by Primewater to help decorate around the village too.

Neutral and tie council tie breaker,

Councillor Anders Solmor (Sea defense).most times accompanied by his trusted butler.

However it is Jailor Kraddock Stonehorn who is in charge of carrying out punishments and has a small set of guards that are for the use of the Jail and Barracks, aiding Fireborn to share their prison guards for the pursuit of escaped convicts at large.

Councillor Primewater was getting irate as they felt as if his reputation was being tarnished and did not recognise Ned on first meeting.

The Jailor Kraddock, also an Order of The Gauntlet, before taking all of the criminals to the jail had spoken with Rossi about deciding how best her idea of doing Zone of Truth, considering that within the Faction that is normally left for the higher ups, and that Jailor Kraddock would give an answer the next day after the Greenfr Festival.

As well as the Council making the same decision regarding the discussions of the Smuggling operation, back at the Saltmarsh House too.

Upon leaving, the party went to have a short rest at the Wicker Goat tavern and to look at attuning to the new items that they had come across.

Then they left and headed to the Green Grass Festival........

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