Salt Hyms and Tidewelcoming Out of Character

All out of character responses and conversations belong here.

You have arrived at Saltmerrow with 250 silver pieces each in a small pouch. You are welcome to roam about the village or stay together. It is assumed you have bonded at least superficially on the ship El Canto del Cuervo (Raven's Song). The game is afoot. What will you do?

Visit Tavern to book a room and eat some tasty food, drink some ale, hear some rumors and ask if anyone is hiring.

Most definitely. Biscuit could use a nice drink or 10 and some female company.

Pickled Ray Spirits Menu

Pickled Ray Food Menu

That menu is amazing!

Thanks! Just enough atmosphere for Players to feel at home.

I've given you each some rumors ahead of time. These are what you hear as you take your repast. It's still about 7-ish pm and the sun is close to setting. You've seen several sunsets at sea by now and it never gets old. You look out over Sapphire Channel and understand now how deep blue the ocean is and how appropriate the name is.

Aplogies I have not learned to resize images for GP yet. Patience is appreciated.

What can Rell's symbol tell me about as a cleric?

Well since religion is your specialty, roll d20+INT+Modifer vs Target #10 or higher.

I'm rolling 1d20, since I don't know my int modifier, at least not the one based in S&W

Are we using the optional rule of S&W, in which the cleric has a spell slot in level 1 if Wisdom is 15+?

Sure, we can do that. I'm not against it. So let's add that in.

You are right to be suspicious. The symbol reminds you of Razh-Kalaa, one of the 9 Diversions whose alignment is Chaotic Evil.



You hold your judgement for these villagers seem sincere since they owe their livelyhood from the sea. The Ceremony of Tidewelcome is common enough for you to be familiar with it.

You will need to research a bit, by asking around, in order to get more information on Mother Hush and where the symbol comes from.

there is a threat to the people, what will you do?

why would a "creature on all fours coming out of water" be threat ? I wouldn't jump to conclusions too soon

Ok, they're screaming and running in fear. Maybe I didn't make it clear - my fault.

This is probably also not an option, is it?

You could, but you would have to get its attention and maneuver towards the boy in a semi circle.

@umbraldragon since only one dice is rolled (every player don't get to roll it) for initiative i would suggests here on PbP DM rolls both virtual dices one for enemy and one for players.

I actually did and got a (4).
Yes, I agree and it's good advice. I was wondering how to adjudicate this for the party. Does it come down to DEX or maybe the Fighter role. We should come up with a ruling on that and let that be our standard.

I think I underestimated you guys! LOL. That was quick.

K, I'm gonna make an EXP and Loot page to collect that type of data.

This has been a great game so far. I applaud your skills, sir.

Awe thanks!😊

Great DM

How much if any fishermen with knives we have in the scene?

you can make an estimate of about 5 or 6, but we've started the round, so I don't know how accurate you will be unless that's your action.

please let me know if I can also shoot my light crossbow twice. Can't find reason for lvl 1 PC to be able to do so, so I'm probably missing something

INITIATIVE AND ORDER OF BATTLE
When the party of adventurers comes into contact with enemies,
the order of events is as follows:

1. Check for Surprise: The Referee determines if a surprise roll
is required, and if so, both sides roll to see if they are surprised by
the sudden encounter. See below for details of the surprise roll.

2. Declare Spells: This is not an option for a group that was
surprised; they have to wait until the beginning of the next round.
See below for details of declaring spells.

3. Determine Initiative: Each side rolls a d6 and the side with
the highest result is the winner. One roll is made for each side,
not for each individual. If this is the first round and one group
was surprised, the other side gets to go first automatically, without
having to roll a die.

4. Movement and Missile Fire: Each combatant on the side
that won initiative may move, or may fire any missile weapons.
Then the losers of the initiative roll may move or fire missile
weapons.

5. Melee Combat and Spells: Each combatant on the side that
won initiative makes any melee attacks (if in melee range) or casts
spells. Spells take effect immediately. Spells cannot be cast if the
caster is in melee combat with enemies. Losers of the initiative then
make their attacks and cast spells.

6. The round is complete. Go back to step 2 (Declare Spells)
and repeat the process until the combat is finished.

I am going to save the melee attack for the following round, since movement is #4 and actual melee is #5.

Thanks. I'm just learning the system. Realized crossbow does +1 damage but is slower. Makes lot of sense, though mechanically looks like light crossbow was worst choice for me, but I just wanted to see my dwarf with one. Fixing damage on my charactersheet from 1d4+1 to 1d4+2 for the future attacks.

Double check rules. I found following
When using missiles to attack into a melee, it usually is not possible to choose which participant (opponent or friend) will receive the attack; the Referee will determine this randomly

Does it mean that in round 2 when enemy get into melee with some fisherman and we user bows/crossbows we could as well kill fisherman? Or would it only happen when enemy reach the shooter?

This is if you fire INTO an existing melee. Single targets are yours to choose from.

Example:
Fisherman 1 is 30 feet from Sharkman 1. Sharkman 1 has ended his movement, thus cannot use missile weapons this round.
PC 1 can fire at Sharkman in the movement and melee phase without accidentally hitting Fisherman 1.

Example 2:
Fisherman 1 and Sharkman 1 are in melee. PC1 can fire into that conflict, but may accidentally hit the Fisherman due to the unpredictable nature of melee combat.

But because enemy win initiative r2 they will move before we shoot. So I am waiting their move before announcing my missile attack or not. Did I miss som6?

In the example? If so, yes, they move OR missile before any melee attacks, then you move OR missile.

In our game, they did not win initiative.

Now I'm totally confused


Does roll 4 loose roll to 3?

Mole has a Dex bonus for missile fire that can be added to the Initiative roll, that bonus ties you. This is a house rule I forgot to mention. My apologies. I usually run with PCs win ties. Just makes it easier, unless you want to do a simulataneous initiative. That can get tricky, so I only do this when playing by post.

Good to know. Thanks.
Since at least I am not aware of enemy dex, I would be really thankful if in future combats DM would state explicitly who wins initiative for phase 4.
Thanks.

I will do that.

I'd like to get some clarity on the current scene. Are all other PCs around Mole and experience conversation with sea Elves? I was about to suggest Sea elves meet the rest of the PCs, but if they are around I will not need to do that

We are down from 6 to 2 characters and I would like to ask if it would be possible to consider recruiting more players to the game.
The heading on the game page say module is for 4-6 PCs.
As a player I prefer at least 3 players to have proper character relationship development as part of the story

I agree, recruitment at this time would be good and it doesn't really take long to make new characters.

Any penalties for using bows under water?

nah, no penalties, they are streamlined like a speargun shaft.

Hmm...doesn't sound realistic. I guess it's true, but I've used a speargun before and it shoots pretty far and fast underwater. Enough to stab a man.

I don't mind S&W to be unrealistic.

By the way, what' s a pretty far for you? On a quick interntet search I found
and some poeple respond that up to 15 is OK.

I am good with whatever the referee decides. I don’t expect too much realism out of my fantasy RPGs. Haha. Just game consistency.

Can we meet halfway and say...half distance?

I'm good with no penalty. Good with half. I didn't want to argue ruling here.
I just tried to defend my in game decision for PC to leave his crossbow on land.

I agree. I see the sense in it. NP

@umbraldragon to avoid wrong posting from me, could you confirm it is time now for players to attack? Or should re roll inititive first and what do we do if we roll less that 6?


Just for flavor - do you ind to share details of the enemy what are we fighting with? Is that Driftkin a physical entity or a ghost that leaves nothing behind when destroyed?
How do they attack? Do they touch with their ghostly arms, trying to bite, ...?
Thanks.

Sibilants of the Drowned Shoal - Driftkin - appear at first as spectral reef-fish: glassy, translucent bodies barely refracting moonlight as they glide through salt marshes and tidal estuaries. But when night falls over a seaside hamlet unprotected by reef-wardens or ancestral rites, the shoal converges. Their forms shift—now opalescent skinned, spindly and shriveled like drown victims dragged from the reef. They hiss and click in unison, though their sounds are perceived more as pressure in the ears than audible noise.

Like their riverbound cousins, they bite and feed on the fallen, a 5% chance to cause bleeding damage—1d4 hp lost slowly over time. Victims describe a sensation of being listened to by the sea itself as the blood drains.
Though not undead, they can be turned as ghouls, but their connection to the silence of the deep makes it harder to banish them. On a successful turning attempt, only 1d6 of the shoal are affected, and only if they fail a Saving Throw vs. Spells. Those who flee return to the water and will not rise again near that settlement for 2d6+6 nights, drawn away by currents of unmaking.

I made these for the adventure and they appear as fish when in the water and humanoid forms on land. Same stats.

Players it's your turn to attack.

Just in case want to clarify my silence. I've earlier declared my PC moved away to search the rest of the ship while Varos spends his 10+10 minutes trying to unlock the doors. So I guess my PC is not in the scene right now. Let me know if I should consider he is there instead.

Search vault if possible or through the Aft to merchants quarters if only access to vault is through first mate's

Biscuit is with him.

We heared that, didn't we?

Yes

I'm so sorry but I did miss what or where is the Daggerwake? Is it the first mate's room?

The Daggerwake is the name of the ship you are on/in