"Yes probably for the best. We know what the hauntings were now."

"We can deal.with the skeletons when we return, after some more preparation "

"Agreed."

Hands Cass the spell book.

Wanting to study the book later, Cassandra put the book in her satchel and went to gather their miscreant mob of ruffians

Will join Cass in leading this group back to town, collecting Ned as well.

Since you only have two horses, you get back to town late.

However, once back, the town council is woken out of their beds, astonished at your success so far.

Some intense interrogations (not of you (well, I mean, sure, of you, but that's not the intense part. That's more a falling-all-over-themselves-grateful interrogation, if you can even call it an interrogation)) happen.

By the next morning, the town council is ready for a new meeting with you...

THE POST-INTERROGATION FACTS:

1. Ned has told all. Ned was indeed "planted" at the house, on short notice, by a prominent merchant in Saltmarsh-- who was also on the town council! Said town council member has now been relieved of his duties.

The Town Council member in question was secretly a receiver of the smugglers’ contraband.

Ned is not really a rogue adventurer, he's a straight-up assassin. Ned’s task was simply to do his utmost to prevent the two brave adventurers from learning about the smuggling operation, and generally to try to lead them to abandon their mission. However, his fear for his own skin was such that he only attempted assassination as a last resort. The merchant former-town-council-member was the one who whacked Ned over the head for realism (and then tied him up and hid his clothes).

2. Unfortunately for the merchant, he didn't know how to contact the smugglers on short notice — Pomeroy (the smugglers’ leader) always initiates their infrequent meetings, and never arranges for them to take place in the House. Thus the merchant knew the smugglers’ base was accessed somewhere in the House but had never been able to find it. Planting the assassin in one of the upstairs rooms was the best plan he could conceive at short notice.

3. Pomeroy is, in fact, the name of the spellcaster you captured. Using mostly magic, he enchanted the two cavemen to come and work for him as his heavy-lifting bodyguards. Living in a cave and being given regular food and drink just for lifting things was a pretty easy lifestyle for them, but they'll surely be headed back home by now (all they have to do is look at the stars or just the sun, and they'll know to head northeast).

4. The town council is very pleased with Cassandra and Lil (to list in alphabetical order)... but they want more. They want the ship that's been smuggling this stuff in, too. So, they want to hire you for another job-- sneaking onto the ship the next time it comes back-- which should be tonight.

Even if the smugglers have reported the adventurers, they wouldn't know that Pomeroy has been captured, nor that the cavemen were defeated and vanished. So the ship will surely come back tonight to check-- and we have the lantern signals that will assure it that everything's fine now!

Will Lil and Cassandra take on this new (or old-but-expanded) mission?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:52, Mon 12 June 2023.

Cassandra looked at Lil, smiling at their job well done, and raised an eyebrow as if t9 say "well, we were going back anyway, might as well get paid for it, eh?"

"Aye but we need to work out what we might get from all this. It would be nice to have a ship again under my command."

They are willing to give Lil the ship outright, if it can be successfully captured.

Lil's eyes sparkled and a smile came to her lips, "Ye got yourself a deal."

She then looked to Cass, "Hope you are able to learn some magic from that book."

Cassandra will suggest getting a meal to refresh themselves,  and she can study the book.   They can also shop for more equipment

OOC:  was there a bounty for the thieves?  and can they go through the other loot?

The grateful Town Council votes to give Cassandra and Lil 500 gold each for uncovering this smuggling ring-- and an extra 500 each for capturing Pomeroy, especially.

You will also be allowed to keep any and all treasure you found in the house (and under it)-- except for the contraband items, but the town will give you full value for those (well, minus the 25% excise fees).

The town will also give you 500 each if you are successful in capturing the smuggling ship, plus any treasure you find on the ship, plus the ship itself.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:54, Tue 13 June 2023.

Cassandra smiles as she accepts the offer, and goes with Lil to plan

The Council has access to local men from a part-time corps of "excise officers." The proposal is therefore that as soon as an approaching vessel is spotted, the Cassandra and Lil should perform the actual task of boarding... although if they want, two excise men can go with them for added support.

(We would need men to help sail a ship, unless it is small, like the one the four got away on.)

So we will hire a crew. We will certainly be ok in boarding and taking the ship.

That's no problem-- but there have only been two volunteers to help you actually board the ship.

If you capture the ship successfully, then afterward, there'll be no shortage of excise men to signal who will come and help you sail it back to Hanging Tree (or Rose Harbor, if you want). You can then get a crew from (either of those places).

((YAY Lil is excited))

I guess we are selling the earing, we should keep the potions and spell book.

OOC:   I'm presuming we can get the ship underway with just the four of us.
(Though that might be getting presumptuous)

Lil will think about boarding an enemy ship and so bought gaff hooks and a rope ladder.
She visited the alchemists for some of those pots of sticky goo, that could be used on the enemy ship crew. It could be scrubbed away after.

"Cass, we really have to nail this, anything you think we need ?"

Cassandra looked through thr Spellbook, looking for useful magic
"Some magic to put people to sleep or otherwise immobilize them would be good. "
OOC:

14:03, Today: Cassandra Everquill rolled 37 using 1d100 with rolls of 37.  Mage 65  study Spellbook






FIGHTER: 65
--ROGUE: 45
--MAGE: 65==>60
--PRIEST: 50

"Yeah sleep would let us capture them too, good idea."

I'll let you choose:

--color spray: temporarily blinds targets

--detect illusion: does what it says

--wall of fog: makes an up-to-20-foot long, up-to-10-feet-high (about 2 feet thick) wall of fog for 2d4 rounds

--invisibility: does what it says for 1 person: you, or someone right next to you. Wears off if you attack or cast another spell. Lasts 1 hour unless you end it sooner.

--magic mouth: this is what was used to make the spooky voices in the house, but you can use it to leave messages for other people, or whatever.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:51, Wed 14 June 2023.

(Oh those are all nice. I like the invisibility thing.)

OOC:   if Lil goes with Invisibility, I'll take Color spray.  Always liked that spell

08:53, Today: Lethal Lil rolled 4 using 1d100 with rolls of 4.  Researching Invisibility.
Success !!! rolled less then 5 !!!

Mage 30--> 40


This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Wed 14 June 2023.