Summary: 01/20/2018

A confrontation with the Commander of the Saltmarsh garrison ends in a fine being paid by Reinhard and the Laughing Moons.
Aust continues his plans on forming a Thieves' Guild in the port town.
The party now riding a steam-battle wagon - courtesy of the Captain - rides to their tower. Enroute, a group of giants and ogres think they have easy pickings but the versatile party battle and defeat all except one of the stone giants.
Arrival at the Warlocks Tower. The party is surprised to see a small village has sprung up. With the stand-off over due to the Knights retreating far to the North, the Imperium has moved in. A silver mine draws many looking for work and more. A tent city as well as a number of buildings are all around the broken down tower.
One of the 50 Cardinals that report to the Emperor resides in a building near there now. An audience proves this to be an old adversary - once a Countess. She actually and surprisingly is quite helpful to the party, allowing her foreman and crews to be accessible to the party for rebuilding the tower and a small tavern/inn.

Discussions with the Warlock and other members of the guild are brief - the party are on a quest to defeat the "Chained one!"
A surprise guest - somehow able to breach the protective shield the warlock has raised around the tower - is a merchant by the name of "Thurr Tyyne" (pronounced "thirteen" or 13)
He has a few items for sale, his best seller is "Thurr Tyyne's Green flaming red pickles"! These  - if cooked correctly - are infused with a VERY random magic effect. Some seems to be temporary, some more permanent! A interesting ring of illusion is purchased..

Aust was turned into a baby!
Arjun grew bat wings!
Aust lost his shadow!
Reinhard got X-RAY vision! (some great laughs and some scary moments occur... don't look under troopers clothing!)
Nanfoodle  gets rainbow eyes
Nanfoodle then gets a blue rabbit that croaks like a frog and smells like a dog
Rurrick.. cannot recall what effect happened here..
Captain bought 20 pickles, but did not use any!

Traveling onward to the Golden Citadel
Reinhard learns how to use the skull of scrying and looks for his father - seems to be a slave in Waterdeep
Nanfoodle scrys for his father as well - a writer in a round tower room sitting with a 1/2 orc.

The Laughing Moons arrive at Dead Man's cove where the Imperium it seems to have entrenched themselves. After some antics - more red pickles with green flames - cooking and eating (gotta luv rolling d1000!) the Commander of the garrison reluctantly agrees to allow the party to enter and sends a group of support troopers with them.
Traveling the river in 2 boats, they battle and nearly defeat a tentacled monstrosity.. one trooper cut in half. "it'll be back in a few weeks.." an old timer guard advises. Aust offers to raise the trooper, but the Sergeant declines.. for now.

Traveling old pathways and tunnels brings back memories to the party. They go to where they 1st learned of the King of the Golden Citadel.. and find a secret door they had missed last time they went this way! A careful search reveals many traps on the 6 sarcophagi (or WAS it 5? or 4???) It seems the 6th tomb was for a servant. Rurick's hammer seems to have some information on this.. the servant killed the family! Spoooky...After some traps dealt with and looting and moral dilemmas about looting a child's tomb.. the final 6th 6th tomb is cracked open.. Aust reaches in with his sword and a black swirling engulfs his arm and then him.. a save versus death is FAILED..

Cliffhanger!

NOTE: I was reminded by Aust that Rurrick had no head! The headless dwarf. Invisible...
Also, Nanfoodle was "Rocket-butt" for a short while.. lost some pants.. and then got giant feet and lost some boots!

Summary 01/13/2018

Summary from 13/01/2018

Reinhard is raised from the dead by Aust.. then the party packs up from visiting the Oracle of Tears and heads towards Saltmarsh.

Enroute, a group of Knights of Ivory chance upon them. A cat notices the werewolf - Reinhard. After an exchange of words, the Knights demand to take Reinhard to be 'fixed' of this curse. The party readily agrees.. after Reinhard first admits wanting to try and control the curse. The Knights chain-up Reinhard and throw him on the back of a saddle and head North to NeverWinter.

The party returns to Saltmarsh. As they travel they see the forces of the Knights heading North by land and sea. In town, the Laughing Moons stay at the only inn - the Sputtering Fireball Inn. Interaction with the innkeeper and Aust comes to the realization his Black Diamond contact is the owner innkeeper - Azek.

Aust performs with a  fellow bard.. learning a new song..

Meanwhile Reinhard is bundled North - PASSING NeverWinter! The Knights advise they are going to the 'Castle'. Reinhard is torn in wanting to find out about the Castle, and potential death. So decides to transform to a wolf and escape. Heads South to find his friends.

Aust and Azek discuss the potential in forming a Black Diamond guild in Saltmarsh. The news comes of a rival guild seemed to be setup at the Temple to Lawful Good Heronious down by the docks and beach. This guild is rumoured to be from NeverWinter and in league with the Knights. The head priest Father Tonn - has to be 'removed'.

The Admiral's fleet has departed North, so the party's task to gather intel on the Knights strengths and defences is told to the 1/2 Orc Commander Rhaka. Morthos and Aust come to a mutually beneficial it seems arrangement. Possible work in the future. Back to the inn. Nanfoodle has interaction with Azek a somewhat bumbling  retired mage.. possibly some option to trade spells...?

Aust interacts with a local fisherman outside the temple gathering some intel..

The next day, Reinhard with only a loincloth and his magic items in a saddlebags is back (minus one magic cloak)!

There is some discussion about how and what to do about the Temple. The party decides to head out - without Reinhard - to deal with the rival guild.

After some discussion with Father Tonn a minor battle breaks out and the priest (?) is defeated as is his acolyte.

The Imperium appears onsite due to the commotion -  a Giant skeleton summoned by the acolyte has this effect - and rounds up the group for questioning.

Up at Imperium HQ the party is questioned by Commander Rhaka. It seems she is aware Reinhard is a werewolf! "Drop your weapons. This must be dealt with." Guards raise weapons towards the party.

The weapons start to clatter to the ground when all of the sudden:

• Nanfoodle casts blink!
• Counterspell from a priest/mage (?) officer!
• Nanfoodle cast blink again! The gnome disappears!
• Commander Rhaka frowns. Turning to the party and Aust. "Tell your friend to come back or you all die."
• Aust sends a message to Nanfoodle..

CLIFFHANGER!

9 days until the Festival of the Twins (dual moon Eclipse) - the Octad airship to arrive..

Nanfoodle, you notice on the scroll the the symbol of the OCTAD has changed.. a 2nd school SIGIL has disappeared! The school of Enchantment.