Looking for Players Savage Worlds Fantasy Friday Nights

[Sammage]

Looking forward to Friday!

[Dershem]

I'm so looking forward to Friday!

[Mgrancey]

I am hoping that I don't get called out on Friday!

[Zenspeedstr]

Ahoy, Mates! Only two more wakeups to go-- time for Zen's weekly player recap:

Last time, in Savage Tides

Wherein the Companions learn the dangers of spoiled crab meat

Picking up in the aftermath of the battle against the zombie horde, the companions found themselves still trapped in the ruins of the former smuggling den beneath Parrot Island. Having two possible exits to the East and West, the party decided to check out the smaller door to the West first, for no other reason than that some of the Zombies had emerged from that door, and it was already standing open.

Passing through a short passageway, they entered an empty room with another door to the West. Beyond this door, they could hear the sounds of water lapping. The door opened into a large chamber with additional doors to the North and West. To the South was a cavernous opening through which sea water had entered the chamber, forming a tidal pool that filled about 1/3 of the room. It looked as if the cavern entry had once been used by the smugglers to bring in boats filled with goods, but the companions could see that a short way past the entrance the cavern had collapsed, blocking the exit. Floating in the pool face down was the body of a man.

The companions carefully skirted the edge of the pool, to investigate the other doors. One of the doors to the North was closed and seemed to be barricaded from within. They could see a light shining from beneath. After some debate, the party knocked at the door, only to have someone knock back from within, copying the same pattern. After a verbal exchange, they discovered that the man inside had been there for a couple of days. He claimed to have been hunting undead, and when facing insurmountable odds, had barricaded himself inside a small storage room. The newcomer agreed to join forces with the group in order to escape from the ruins, and immediately displayed divine casting ability by healing Greenie of the injuries he had sustained in the battle against the zombies.

Turning their attention to the body in the water, Deacon used Legerdemain to attempt to drag it to the shore where the companions could examine it in relative safety. The moment the body began to move, however, claws emerged from the water dragging it back down, as four Giant Crabs broke the surface of the pool. Fortunately, the creatures were not aggressive unless approached, and the party was able to avoid them.

The door to the West opened onto a rough passageway partially filled with seawater. Below the surface were treacherous rocks, slick with seaweed, that would make travel difficult. Adding to the danger were many poisonous sea urchins. A mis-step in the passage could prove deadly. The Companions therefore decided to explore their other options before trying their luck with the treacherous passageway, so they retraced their steps back to the large central room where they battled the zombie horde.

The double doors to the East led to a long passageway that opened into another water filled room. Water poured into the room from the East, and apparently was exiting somewhere, since the room did not appear to be filling with water. Floating in the water were the lifeless bodies of two more of the Giant Crabs. As the companions approached the pool to examine further, the (undead) Crabs suddenly animated and closed to attack. After a protracted and hard-fought battle, the party emerged victorious.

The entry and exit points for the seawater in the room proved to be far too small for the party to pass, so the Companions returned to the treacherous passageway once more.

After only a short distance, they encountered another group of four (normal) Giant Crabs. Due to the confines of the passageway, they were able to lure the creatures and fight them one at a time. Three of the creatures were slain, and one escaped. Continuing carefully down the passage, they came to another large flooded area, beyond which was a door that opened onto a small room. Inside the room they found the bloated and blackened corpse of a Dwarf dressed in leather armor. The armor appeared to be immune to the rot and corruption that was overtaking the rest of the body. Curled in one hand, the Dwarf held a scrap of parchment. On it was written:

"These bones once be Penkus, so if ye read this, I be dead, laid low by the sick put on me by that foul dead thing! Yet even as me flesh wracks, know t'was not the dead what brought my doom, but one I 'til recently called friend!

Vanthus Vanderboren! Your name fills me with bile! Spineless, treacherous cur! You left us here to die. You left ME here to die, after all what I done t'get ye into th' Lotus! Yer designs on the Lady of the Lotus be clear now, and with meself out th' way... ye doubtless move even now into power, slithering amid my vacancy like a hermit crab in a shell, or a cadaver worm to still-warm flesh. CURSE UPON YE!

To th' one what reads this. If ye have any honor or vengeance in yer soul, know that Vanthus must die. He dwells in the lap o' th' Lotus, below th' Taxidermist's Hall. Seek him there, but 'fore he dies he must ken it were Penkus what undid him and guides yer killing blow.

And if, by some cruel spite of fate, it be ye what read this, Vanthus, know with certainty I wait for ye in Hell, where I intend t' rival the pit itself in yer torment!"

Behind the body of Penkus, the party discovered a secret room containing three sea-chests. From the chests, they recovered 9 PP, 7 GP, 90 SP, and 547 CP, plus a Potion of Water Breathing, a vial of Last Chance Salve, and a Gem of Earth Elemental Summoning. The group also collected the belongings of Penkus, including his enchanted Leather armor, and a Rapier.

There was a passage at the bottom of the flooded room. Greenie explored it for a distance, but it seemed to go on for a long way, and began to narrow. Not knowing if it would be wide enough to permit passage, how far they would have to travel underwater, or what dangers might await them on the other side, the companions decided to instead use the Earth Elemental to dig an escape tunnel to the surface. As they emerged from the ruins, a quick search of the area revealed no sign of Vanthus, although they found the spot he had been hiding in ambush when they arrived. Their rented boat had been sabotaged-- the hull pierced full of holes. Deciding to risk it, they managed to limp to the North shore, thanks to the sailing proficiency of Bartholomew, and the bailing proficiency of the remainder of the party.

Greenie and Mal carried the boat overland from there, and the companions left it at "It Still Floats," along with a note promising to return and settle up with the proprietor. They then hurried back to the Vanderboren estate, where they found things (somewhat surprisingly) all seemingly still in order.

The players all earned their first Advance! And there was much rejoicing...

[Dershem]

your forgot meeting the new member of the group! But Great recap!

[Zenspeedstr]

your forgot meeting the new member of the group! But Great recap!

Nah, he's in there. I just spoke of him in vague terms because he's still somewhat of a mystery to the party. I'm sure he will feature more prominently in my next recap.

[Dershem]

That's what I get for reading on a phone!

[Zenspeedstr]

It must be Wednesday-- I can already hear the dice calling.

Recap

Last time, in Savage Tides

The Party experiments with Craft Beer

It was in the earliest hours of the morning that the companions returned to the Vanderboren Estate. They were greeted at the door to the mansion by Kora Whistlegap, the mistress' Halfling assistant, having been roused from slumber by the party's arrival. Kora ushered them inside, explaining that Lavinia had been worried for their safety when they hadn't promptly returned, and that she would be eager to see them in the morning. Kora left them to freshen up and get some rest after their harrowing ordeal, and bid them good night. The party did some exploring of the bottom two floors of the house before turning in themselves.

Kora called them to breakfast mid-morning the following day. Lavinia joined them and greeted the party's newest member, Sankhur Igeen-- the man they met in the ruins beneath Parrot Island. She welcomed Sankhur into the company and thanked him for his aid in bringing the companions back safely. Slowly at first, the companions began to relate the sad tale of her brother and his betrayal at the ruins, finally showing her the scrap of parchment they retrieved from Penkus' dead grasp. Lavinia took the news with sadness, pleading with them to bring her brother back alive-- believing that she could still reach him in spite of everything he had done.

The only real clue the party had to Vanthus' whereabouts was from Penkus' note-- indicating that the lair of the leader of the Lotus Dragons, the Lady Lotus, was below the Taxidermists' Hall located in Sasserine's Azure District. Searching for some sort of excuse to justify their visit to the Taxidermists' Hall, the companions remembered the remains of the Rhadogessa, the spider-like creature with clawed arms they dispatched aboard the Blue Nixie. They had kept the creature's body, in hopes of profiting from it, leaving it aboard the ship. Hoping that the carcass was still intact enough to be stuffed and mounted, with breakfast concluded, they made their way to the docks in the Merchant District in hopes of securing the Rhadogessa's remains.

Upon nearing the Office of the Harbor Master and It Still Floats, the companions discovered that the docks were in chaos. A large crowd had formed, and people were shouting and talking excitedly. Stopping acquaintances to ask what was going on, they discovered that there had been a double-homicide-- the owner of It Still Floats had his throat cut, and the Harbor Master had been eviscerated. A note was found outside the shop, saying "Here's yer boat-- now sleep with the fishes." It was signed "Bart." Nearby there was a broken hook and a bloody knife. Authorities were looking for a one-armed pirate who formerly sailed with the Crimson Fleet-- a man who went by the name of "Mad Bart." Bartholomew suspected his old enemies the Kellani Family might be involved in the frame job. After all, it was the Kellanis who stood to gain control of the docks with the death of the Harbor Master.

The companions helped Bart assemble a crude disguise and he disappeared into the crowd. Someone slipped a note into Greenie's pocket, warning the party that they are being watched and that the Lotus would brook no further interference. Left with few options and no obvious way to clear Bart's name, the group decided to proceed with their morning's plans and to deal with the murder charges another day. Slipping into The Sailing Fish tavern, they waited for the crowd at the docks to disperse, and then made their way to the Blue Nixie.

They found the ship just as they had left it. Three days' rot had taken its toll on the Rhadogessa and the other dead animals in the hold, and a powerful stench assailed them as they boarded. The head of the beast was mostly still intact, and they decided they should still be able to have it mounted. Severing it from the corpse, they took it along with them to the Taxidermist's Hall back in the Azure District.

The Taxidermist was an agreeable fellow by the name of Niemen. Two stuffed Lions were on display in the showroom-- examples of his work. The party produced the Rhadogessa's head and began to haggle with the owner over the cost of having it stuffed and mounted. He also offered to buy the head from them, if they wanted to part with it. While the negotiations were underway, Greenie managed to slip down the hallway unnoticed to explore the rest of the shop.

The shop proved to be rather pedestrian, but in one hallway Greenie discovered a secret door operated by a pressure plate. Behind the door was another short hallway leading to a ladder going down. Confident that he had located the entrance to the Lotus' lair, Greenie was returning to the companions when he inadvertently tripped an alarm. Bells sounded in the shop. Niemen dropped the pretense of being a simple merchant and attacked the party. Greenie attempted to grapple him, but Niemen was able to shout out a command to the stuffed lions, which came to life and joined the fight.

Niemen (now revealed to be a Wizard) managed to free himself enough to attack Greenie with a Force Bolt. He got in a lucky shot, and the bolt ripped Greenie apart-- almost killing him instantly. Fortunately, Sankhur was able to use divine healing on him in time to save his life. The party then focused their attacks on Niemen, and quickly took him down. The minute that Niemen lost consciousness, the lions became inert once more. Deacon used Elemental Manipulation to burn them to ash. The companions drug Niemen into a storeroom and revived him for questioning. Not wanting to die, he offered intel on the Lotus Dragons in exchange for his life.

Niemen sketched out a crude map of the complex, and told the party that the Lady Lotus is a skilled fighter with two pets-- a Lion and a Worg. She also has two lieutenants – Kersh, and Rufio. In addition, there are normally 10-12 members within the complex, plus a cook named Churtle-- a female Kobold who cooks for them and brews knockout poisons made from sea urchin venom. Niemen believed that Churtle could be turned into an ally because the Lotus members pick on her and mistreat her. Niemen also knew about the murders on the docks, and said that they had been the work of the Lotus and that the guild had also tried to frame Bart and implicate the party. He warned that there would be no possibility of a peaceful resolution, as the Lotus Dragons considered themselves at war with the companions.

Having obtained all the intel they could from Niemen, the party bound him and locked him inside a crate, which they chained shut, promising to release him if his information proved true. They then descended into the complex-- their rough plan was to locate and attempt to recruit the cook, who they believed might have additional inside information.

Scouting ahead of the group, Greenie made his way through the complex, following Niemen's map. Meeting no resistance, he eventually came to the dining area, where 3 Lotus members were eating. Greenie waited for them to finish, hoping that they would return to the barracks area. One eventually did, but the other two remained to play dice. Returning to the party, Greenie brought Deacon along in an attempt to quickly dispatch the two guards before they could raise an alarm. Greenie killed one with a savage kick, and Deacon fairly disintegrated the second one with a well-placed Cinder Bolt. The rest of the party joined them and together they dumped the guards' remains into a large barrel of ale that stood in a corner.

They found Churtle in the kitchen, and were able to recruit her through kindness, the promise of freedom, and a little bit of money. Churtle prepared a poisoned stew for the guards and also provided the companions with two vials of the urchin venom. Churtle told the companions that the Lotus were holding two prisoners in cells to the North-- a "nice lady" and a "little boy." She also told them that Vanthus was not currently in the complex, but up in the city with his "other girlfriend." The party decided to make freeing the prisoners their first order of business. Escorting Churtle to the Taxidermist's shop, they told her to hide and wait for them.

Making their way North to the cells, they found and freed Captain Amelia Vencale, and her cabin boy, Tavey. The Captain wanted payback on her captors, and insisted on joining the raid. Tavey went along as well, faithfully following his Captain wherever she led.

Slipping silently into the barracks, the companions got the drop on the Lotus members within, drugging them and slitting their throats. Knowing that there were more Lotus members in the training room/reception hall with the Lady Lotus, they waited. Soon the guards came to the dining area and ate the drugged stew. When they were safely unconscious, the companions dispatched them as well, and stashed their bodies out of sight along with the remains of their companions in the Ale barrel. Having cleared out most of the complex, the group made preparations for the final confrontation with the Lady Lotus and her lieutenants.

The party members earned their second advance!

Looking forward to this week's game!

[Dershem]

I love these it helps keep things fresh when I am doing my prep work on Thursday’s! Plus they are great to read!

[Zenspeedstr]

Running a bit late tonight, but here's the recap from last week's session.

Recap

Last time, in Savage Tides

A twist of the plot; settling old scores

Completing their preparations for the final confrontation with the mysterious Lady Lotus, the companions posted Tavey the cabin boy and Presto, Deacon's cat, in the hallway to watch the unexplored areas of the complex to make sure that they would not be flanked by additional forces in the battle. Greenie continued to act as party scout, stealthing ahead in order to try to maintain an element of surprise.

The first door opened onto the Lady Lotus' throne room and training area. Apart from a throne situated on a low dais, and racks of weapons lining the walls, the room was empty. There was one additional exit to the East. The party pressed on, carefully listening at doors as they went.

The next room was an antechamber with a door to the North-- seemingly a guard room of some sort. Inside the room was a table and a chair. On top of the table was a deck of playing cards. Like the Throne Room, this room was also devoid of occupants.

The door to the North opened onto a short L-shaped corridor with two doors at the end. The door to the South revealed a small pantry filled with dishes, pots, and pans. The door East led to a larger room. Hay was strewn on the floor, and there were heavy chains attached to the flagstones. To the North was another small pantry filled with animal food. The room was obviously a place where the Lady Lotus chained her pets when they were not in the Kennels.

A door to the East opened onto a larger room. In the center of the room was a round table and four chairs. On the wall was a large map of Sasserine pinned with red, blue, and gold flags. The party noted that there was a red flag pinned to the Vanderboren Estate, and a blue one affixed to the Kolanni Estate. A note on the map read: “Vanthus, handle this now.” The note was written in Aquan, which Greenie could read. The room also contained a chalkboard listing ships coming into and out of Sasserine, noting which had been attacked and which were tied to the Crimson Fleet. Finally, there was a note containing a list of names. The companions' names were all on the list, along with various nobles including Lavinia. The Harbor Master's name was also on the list, and chillingly, had been lined out. There was a winch located in the Northwest corner of the room, and another door to the East.

The Eastern door opened onto a fifty foot long narrow corridor that terminated in another door. Listening at the door, Greenie could hear animal sounds from within, along with the ringing of footsteps as of someone walking. Before the party had time to make any plans, the door suddenly swung open. Beyond the door was a narrow rectangular chamber. Gut Tugger, Lady Lotus' Dire Wolf, was positioned South of the Entrance, and Cruncher, her Lion, was just North of the door. Rufio, her lieutenant, had flung open the door, and he made an acrobatic roll out of the door across the room, quickly disappearing from sight.

The battle was hampered by the close quarters, but the Companions made the best of it. Mal took a hit that left him momentarily shaken but unharmed. As he collected himself he felt the familiar Berserker rage seize him, and he gave himself over to it. Sankhur had Blessed the party-- raising their vigor in case the Lotus tried to use the urchin poisons against them. Mal, Greenie, and Bart, along with some assistance from Captain Amelia, were able to take out the two pets. Rufio re-emerged from the doorway, but was not able to make any effective attacks. The Lady Lotus entered shortly thereafter, revealing herself to be none other than Rowen Kellani herself. Taking two shots at her old enemy Bart and missing both times, Rowan then withdrew her blades and entered into Melee combat. Satisfyingly, Bart and Amelia were able to put her down. The fighters were able to shake Rufio, and Deacon moved into position to finish him off with another Firebolt.

Rowan was not quite dead, and the party wished to question her. Mal wanted her dead. When it became clear that his companions were willing to attempt to physically restrain him from killing her, Mal grudgingly capitulated-- slaking his bloodlust instead on her lieutenant Rufio.

Disarming and binding Rowan, the group explored the rest of the vast lair of the Lotus Dragons. Under Rowan's bed, they discovered a bundle of letters from Vanthus. A letter from 2 days before the fire that killed the elder Vanderborens read:

“...My parents have grown soft. I'm not worried in the slightest that they suspect anything, my delicate flower. The funds you've trusted me with have been more than enough to pay off the local guards, the harbor watch, and the ship's crew to say nothing about the new cargo. Hell... they even offered to help load the barrels! Of course, I didn't tell them what was inside-- I'm sure they'd sing a different song if they knew just how much Alchemists' Fire we loaded into the hold of my father's new plaything. I'll be following the ship's progress for a few days to make sure the fire does the trick, so you'll not be seeing me for at least half a week. Keep your bed warm for me!”

Another letter from 3 days after the fire:

“It's unbelievable! Sure, she's the eldest sibling, but she knows nothing of life! She spent the last half of her childhood in Thenalar learning how to fold napkins and play the violin, for Hell's sake! It just goes to show you how insane my parents really were... leaving everything in her care like that! Whatever. She'll need the house to live off of, I suppose. Lavinia's not a bad lass, really... I kind of miss our time together, to tell the truth. Think she'd be interested in joining the Lotus? I doubt it. And anyway, a second Vanderboren tragedy might get too many people curious. No, for now, whatever's in the vault will have to do...”

And finally, a letter from two days before the party assaulted the Lotus' lair:

“... I really wish you could have been there, my little dragin, to see their faces before I closed the door! Lavinia's never going to get anywhere hiring fools like them. I wonder if they've found Penkus yet? I hope they didn't die too quickly.
In any case, on to the purpose of this letter. Brissa's in the other room, getting ready for a night out on the town, so I'll have to be quick. Remember that thing she hinted about to me? About the pirates who were supposedly using Kraken's Cove as a base for their smuggling operation? Turns out she wasn't spinning tales-- I've heard that they'll be arriving within the week with a particularly rich cargo. I'll bring her with me on the pretext of joining up with them, get their guard down, and when they're not expecting it my men'll light the ships on fire! It'll be a simple task to pluck the treasure from the water once all those fools are dead. Should be more than enough to make up for what we lost when Lavinia inherited rather than me.
I tell you... burning people to death on their own boats? It's the best way to make money yet. Wish I'd thought of it years ago!”

Behind a secret door in Rowan's bedroom was a treasure room containing three large chests. One of the chests was filled with gems marked with the Vanderboren family crest. (continued)