Campaign Stormwreck Isle; Curse of Compass Rose (1-3)

Part 3 - Curse of the Compass Rose
View attachment 357_Promontory.mp3

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MAP:

Maps - D&D Beyond

www.dndbeyond.com

THE STORY SO FAR:

Stormwreck Isle: Journey to Stormwreck Isle (1-P)
Stormwreck Isle: Welcome to Dragon's Rest (1-1)
Stormwreck Isle: Spores of Seagrow Cave (1-2)​

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THE QUEST:

• The party seeks the wreck of the Compass Rose, a ship that went down decades ago and may be linked to the undead incursion.

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THE LOCATION:

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Local Party Map​

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THE PARTY:

ITEM GLOSSARY:

Image	Name	Value (per)	Weight (per)	Description
	Wind Spore Mushrooms​	30	0.06 lbs	A rare fungus with a unique magical property. When a creature squeezes a wind spore mushroom's cap, it releases a small cloud of spores. For 1 hour, the creature doesn't need to breathe, as the spores provide it with oxygen.
	Obsidian Chunk​	10	1 lb	An uncut opaque black gemstone.
	Heart Cap Mushrooms​	30	0.2 lbs	These mushrooms bear an unsettling resemblance to human hearts.
	Potion of Healing​	50	0.5 lbs	This potion's red liquid glimmers when agitated. You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion.
	A Fine Lute
	Boots of Elvenkind			While you wear these boots, your steps make no sound, regardless of the surface you are moving across. You also have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on moving silently.
	Spell Scroll of Command

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THE STORY CONTINUES:

Having departed from Dragon's Rest for the second time, your band of adventurers slowly make their way down the mountain paths towards the shore where you first landed. The journey is uneventful and peaceful, a welcome contrast to the carnage the party has faced since arriving on the island. Songbirds flutter across the path ahead of you as they dart back and forth between bushes, hunting the insects they harbor. Your walk down to the water does not take more than a half hour however, so the ramble through nature is fleeting.

Returning to the beach where you had fought the zombies, the party find the scene just as you left it. The battered corpses of the drowned sailors lay immobile where they were slain, the putrid grey flesh not appealing to any scavengers and having been left untouched. Your group moves cautiously past the bodies, one by one each battling the anxiety that the monsters will spring up again and attack.

The five of you convene on the short wooden dock. There is an old fishing net dangling over the edge and trailing in the water, where it appears to be tangled within a clump of seaweed. Several short lengths of aging rope are knotted here and there around the thick posts, some having been cut free in haste rather than untied. A rowboat not dissimilar to the one you arrived in is tethered to the dock, and you see a pair of oars laying across the seats. The boat appears big enough for 4 medium sized passengers.

North of your position, you can see a long spur of sharp rocks jutting from the ocean waves, extending several miles out.​

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INITIATIVE:
https://improvedinitiative.app/p/e88bk48y

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

((Y'all wanna goof off for some frozen halfling?

Well, there is actually something I wanted to do, but we'll see how proficient Jon is with murder before that. Something different. Nothing i have to do now or anything.))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

Zesty giggles at Moonsprout before watching Aims' and Nac take some significant damage. This steels his reserves and his desire to take out the Merrow increases. He draws his crossbow, and thanks to his new infusion, an arrow nocks itself into place. Zesty takes aim at the Merrow's head and looses the arrow.

Zesty fires his infused crossbow at Carl's dumb face.

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((That hit is gonna be close Maybe I shoulda fire bolt lol))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Zesty giggles at Moonsprout before watching Aims' and Nac take some significant damage. This steels his reserves and his desire to take out the Merrow increases. He draws his crossbow, and thanks to his new infusion, an arrow nocks itself into place. Zesty takes aim at the Merrow's head and looses the arrow.

Zesty fires his infused crossbow at Carl's dumb face.

((You'd have advantage on the attack roll from FF. So you can make it again.))

 

[Nac McWeeble]

((After Carl dropped the s-word, Nac won't stop until that fishman is dead I'm afraid..

))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((You'd have advantage on the attack roll from FF. So you can make it again.))

((SHOOT! I forgot about advantage, lol. I'll roll another here just in case, but it may be worse lol))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((Yeah... take the other one...........................))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Zesty giggles at Moonsprout before watching Aims' and Nac take some significant damage. This steels his reserves and his desire to take out the Merrow increases. He draws his crossbow, and thanks to his new infusion, an arrow nocks itself into place. Zesty takes aim at the Merrow's head and looses the arrow.

Zesty fires his infused crossbow at Carl's dumb face.

---

Zesty Zapcrackle
@Jon​

|Your mark is hard to find, as you find your line of fire blocked partially by Nac. Carl's bulk is still partially obscured by the drunkenly-swaying dwarf, who's now literally hopping up and down mad. You pull your shot cautiously wide hoping not to hit your friend.

You squeeze the trigger.

The bolt careens through the air and zips past Carl's shoulder with a *twip*

You miss. |

---

---

Carl​

|"You can't hit ssssshit, dickeyesssss!" the merrow hisses.|

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((@Jawneh))

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

Aims looks at Moonsprout jump into the fray suddenly not to necessarily to help, but to try to stop him and everyone from attacking Carl. The sheer surprise had him lose concentration for a moment and cost him a jab right through his thigh. The pain wasn't much, but the emotional hit was something he wasn't ready for.

Halfling, you moron! What in the hells are you doing?!

Seeing how Carl was still slinging insults at everyone still pissed him off, but his usual bloodlust wasn't there for murder. Maybe thanks to Moonsprout's passiveness, but Aims was more eager to get himself back his prized alcohol one way or another than just chopping heads.

Aaaahhhh, to hells with all of this. Carl! Fuck you and your tuna breath! Get me my rotgut!

Aims drops his ax down and jumps at Carl with his fists held high, aiming squarely at his jaw to try to knock him unconscious.

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

((Oh yeah. Adv roll in case it crits.))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Aims looks at Moonsprout jump into the fray suddenly not to necessarily to help, but to try to stop him and everyone from attacking Carl. The sheer surprise had him lose concentration for a moment and cost him a jab right through his thigh. The pain wasn't much, but the emotional hit was something he wasn't ready for.

Halfling, you moron! What in the hells are you doing?!

Seeing how Carl was still slinging insults at everyone still pissed him off, but his usual bloodlust wasn't there for murder. Maybe thanks to Moonsprout's passiveness, but Aims was more eager to get himself back his prized alcohol one way or another than just chopping heads.

Aaaahhhh, to hells with all of this. Carl! Fuck you and your tuna breath! Get me my rotgut!

Aims drops his ax down and jumps at Carl with his fists held high, aiming squarely at his jaw to try to knock him unconscious.

---

Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd
@Jawneh​

|You're mad, bro. You're really mad. Your limbs begin to itch with the need to just smash, pent up rage just urging your fists to pummel something.

You step up on Carl and deck him, catching the surprised Merrow across the jaw with a crack.

((In your head, it looks like this))


Carl takes 6 points of damage.

Carl is starting to look pretty badly injured.|

---

((@Nae'blis))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

It's not too late to end this and save yourself, Carl!

((Just making banter here, Ben, not trying to waste my turn, if I get another, on an intimidation check, lol. Man I NEED to get another turn. I'm totally making a Family Matters joke!))

 

[Dungeon Master]

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Carl​

|"It'sssss not too late for your mother to ssssssswallow you."|

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[Zesty Zapcrackle]

Your mother was a barnacle-covered plank and your father's singing could scare away krakens! Your lineage is a maritime comedy even Davy Jones wouldn't touch!

 

[Dungeon Master]

Your mother was a barnacle-covered plank and your father's singing could scare away krakens! Your lineage is a maritime comedy even Davy Jones wouldn't touch!

---

Carl​

||

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[Nac McWeeble]

Nac looks at his bleeding arm, then he looks at Carl.

Oi, fucker. Heard yer girlfriend left ye fer a tadpole, 'cause ye couldnae satisfy her in the sack...

Nac jumps up, grabs Carl by the head fins and drives a knee up in his jaw and as a bonus action, still holding on to the fins, headbutts him in his ugly face

 

[Nac McWeeble]

((What in the fuck!? Double 1's!? ))

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

((Holy shit dude, that's amazing! In the worst possible way.))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((What in the fuck!? Double 1's!? ))

((It's Ben. He wanted to make sure we didn't just obliterate stupid Carl. He's rigged our dice.))

 

[Nac McWeeble]

((It's Ben. He wanted to make sure we didn't just obliterate stupid Carl. He's rigged our dice.))

((

))

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

((Short's going to obliterate Moonsprout next turn! It's happening! ))

 

[Dungeon Master]

((

))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Nac looks at his bleeding arm, then he looks at Carl.

Oi, fucker. Heard yer girlfriend left ye fer a tadpole, 'cause ye couldnae satisfy her in the sack...

Nac jumps up, grabs Carl by the head fins and drives a knee up in his jaw and as a bonus action, still holding on to the fins, headbutts him in his ugly face

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Nac McWeeble
@Nae'blis​

|You leap towards Carl, fingers finding purchase around his slimy face-flaps. You grasp tightly and ram your knee up into his scaly underbelly, causing him to cough and spray a little water from his nose.



The Merrow howls in frustration.

You deal 5 points of damage to Carl.

You grin as you squeeze his fins tighter and throw your skull forward to impact the Merrow head-on.

You kiss Carl. |

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---

Carl​

||

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Nac McWeeble
@Nae'blis​

| You stagger backwards, head-over-heels for Carl, falling prone on the ground. |

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((@A Pineap-Alu-zer))

 

[Short Order]

Maybe if you all stopped trying to hug and kiss him we'd be done with this now and splitting the gold already! Hope you all can stay alive! MORTAL KOMBAT

Short order casts Ice knife

 

[Short Order]

((probably not enough, but enough to make it interesting for all of you who will likely take the damage from me!))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Maybe if you all stopped trying to hug and kiss him we'd be done with this now and splitting the gold already! Hope you all can stay alive! MORTAL KOMBAT

Short order casts Ice knife

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Short Order
@A Pineap-Alu-zer​

|So anyway, you start blastin'

The ice knife hits Carl for 2 piercing damage.

The blade explodes, damaging everyone nearby.



Carl takes 6 points of cold damage.
Aims'Orreh takes 6 points of cold damage
Nac takes 6 points of cold damage.
Moonsprout takes 6 points of cold damage. |

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((@Smacktard))

 

[Short Order]

((Might want to flee for you life lol))

 

[Moonsprout Beandirt]

Moonsprout runs from Carl and cowers behind Aims. While running, he sings Brave Brave Ser Moonsprout, Bravely Ran Away

This gives Aims bardic inspiration

Sorry Carl! I tried, but y'know, you went right to trying to murderize my friends.

 

[Dungeon Master]

---

Carl​

||

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[Zesty Zapcrackle]

Listen Captain America, you ARE America's Asshole, but we're still going to kill you and take the gold we found. Finders keepers, muthasucka!

((@Ben - Is Faerie Fire ending now? I think that's been 10 rounds.))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Moonsprout runs from Carl and cowers behind Aims. While running, he sings Brave Brave Ser Moonsprout, Bravely Ran Away

This gives Aims bardic inspiration

Sorry Carl! I tried, but y'know, you went right to trying to murderize my friends.

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Moonsprout Beandirt
@Smacktard​

|You run, you sing. You do your thing.

|

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Carl​

| The purple glow fades from arond Carl as the Faerie Fire magic dissipates. ((@Jon thanks for the reminder.))



Carl grabs hold of Nac's bare foot as he tumbles backwards, and crunches down on the outer side of it with his powerful jaws. In an instant, Nac feels the Merrow's teeth puncture his skin, slide through the meaty part of his sole, and shatter through the bone, biting clean through.

Carl eats the monk's little toe.

Nac takes 7 points of damage.

"Ssssssssssnack sssssized!"

Carl laughs in deep gutteral heaves. He rises on his tail, looming over Nac laying prone on the ground, and coils a length of chain around his forearm. This rusted iron length is connected to the fiendish harpoon in Carl's hands, which he draws back readying to strike. The merrow sneers and throws the harpoon forward.



But not at Nac. The projectile travels the short distance between Carl and Short Order, and slams straight through the Gnome's shoulder, the barbed ends burying themselves in his tissue.

Short Order takes 10 points of damage.

"GET OVER HERE!"

The abyssal creature roars triumphantly and hauls on the chain attached to the harpoon, pulling the gnome off his feet and through the air 5 feet to land right next to the merrow, between Nac and Aims.

|

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((@Jon))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

I didn't know scorpions were aquatic...

Zesty is taken a little back by the sheer force of the Merrow and the damage he is doing to the party. The time for games is coming to a close. Zesty moves slightly south and east to clear line of sight from Nac.

He chants in Elvish as a red swirling ball of fire picks up size and heat in the artificer's right hand. As the fire ball reaches its apex in size Zesty fires it straight at Carl, with the hopes of cooking his scaley ass.

Zesty moves southeast (2 blocks south, one block east) and casts Fire Ball cantrip at Stupid Carl.

((

))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((Ok, seriously getting pissed at my hit rolls... it's really not even funny anymore. Sorry, guys. That one is likely to lead directly to one of you getting killed.))

 

[Moonsprout Beandirt]

((Ok, seriously getting pissed at my hit rolls... it's really not even funny anymore. Sorry, guys. That one is likely to lead directly to one of you getting killed.))

((Welp, it was nice knowing y'all))

 

[Dungeon Master]

I didn't know scorpions were aquatic...

Zesty is taken a little back by the sheer force of the Merrow and the damage he is doing to the party. The time for games is coming to a close. Zesty moves slightly south and east to clear line of sight from Nac.

He chants in Elvish as a red swirling ball of fire picks up size and heat in the artificer's right hand. As the fire ball reaches its apex in size Zesty fires it straight at Carl, with the hopes of cooking his scaley ass.

Zesty moves southeast (2 blocks south, one block east) and casts Fire Ball cantrip at Stupid Carl.

((

))

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Zesty Zapcrackle
@Jon​

|

You kindle the magic within you, summoning flame to your hand that dances and projects light around the cave. You focus it into a searing mote and cast it forth at Carl.

|

---

---

Carl​

| Your spell misses.

"I'm over here, ssssssniper."

|

---

((@Jawneh))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((

))

 

[Dungeon Master]

((

))

((Maybe you should go invent yourself some better dice.

I kid, but you legit could do something along those lines.))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((I would love to get to building better die. Not sure how that'll help my rolls here though lol. It really is frustrating legit having two turns and BOTH attacks completely whiff while everyone is dying. I'm legit the reason we're likely going to lose someone... and that's a tough pill for me to swallow. I'm completely useless.))

 

[Dungeon Master]

((I would love to get to building better die. Not sure how that'll help my rolls here though lol. It really is frustrating legit having two turns and BOTH attacks completely whiff while everyone is dying. I'm legit the reason we're likely going to lose someone... and that's a tough pill for me to swallow. I'm completely useless.))

((Two things;

1. No one is likely to just die. There's still the whole "bleeding out" state where you can still be revived, even after hitting 0hp. Unless you take a huge hit that just one-shots you.
2. You again set up Faerie Fire that meant a lot of the attacks everyone else made didn't whiff. It's frustrating that your own roles haven't played out, but you're far from being useless.

Let's lean in on the artificer stuff, though. I'm sure there's a lot of cool stuff we could come up with, as long as you don't suck at the rolls to build it. ))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

as long as you don't suck at the rolls to build it.

(( ... ))

 

[Dungeon Master]

(( ... ))

((It's OK buddy just build better dice for those rolls! ))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((It's OK buddy just build better dice for those rolls! ))

((As an artificer can I build something that adds +10 to all my hit rolls? ))

 

[Dungeon Master]

((As an artificer can I build something that adds +10 to all my hit rolls? ))

((If you can roleplay bullshit your way through making me think something would work, and/or pass a high-as-fuck DC skill check... maybe?))

 

[Short Order]

((I also can possibly start doing more bonus actions to get some more damage in on turns like that last one...after the boom of the ice would I have been able to come in with my quarterstaff for two weapon fighting and done a 1d8 damage on top of it?))

 

[Dungeon Master]

((I also can possibly start doing more bonus actions to get some more damage in on turns like that last one...after the boom of the ice would I have been able to come in with my quarterstaff for two weapon fighting and done a 1d8 damage on top of it?))

((No. You can't cast a spell and attack with a weapon in the same turn. Your "two weapon fighting" means if you're holding two weapons and attack with the main-hand, you can get a bonus attack with the off-hand. You do not get to just make bonus attacks willy-nilly.))

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

Everything has gone bananas. Short is blasting everyone with collateral damage, Zesty is taunting Carl to extremes and dropping the ball when it matters, Moonsprout is.... Well, just Moonsprout actually, but now also Nac has decided to join in on it all with him?! Aims is just very confused now. Raging and confused never mixed well.

Nac... What the hells dude? Is this some new kind of murder kink? I don't just can't even with ARRRRGH!

YOU DID THIS CARL SO FUCK OFF ARLEADY!

Aims goes back in, quickly trying to process where Merrows' balls are, and aiming a devastating ball crushing hook where he thinks they are. Not to kill, but to shock him unconscious.

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

Zesty is taunting Carl to extremes and dropping the ball when it matters

((This is what hurts. Bad rolls make role playing just... not fun. I'm closer to becoming a complete mute and and just putting up rolls... because getting embarrassed all the time is no fun... especially with as much time between turns. Once is amusing and funny... But this often is seriously dejecting.))

 

[Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd]

((This is what hurts. Bad rolls make role playing just... not fun. I'm closer to becoming a complete mute and and just putting up rolls... because getting embarrassed all the time is no fun... especially with as much time between turns. Once is amusing and funny... But this often is seriously dejecting.))

((Nothing to be embarrassed about. It's not like you (currently) have any way of affecting your rolls. It ebbs and flows. Even if you have more ebb than flow. Just got to wait for your turn to shine. The dice rule the game, but don't let them rule you.

And you can't beat Nae's double 1. Now he's into fishmen, is hopelessly enamored on the ground and that dude had already called him short!))

 

[Dungeon Master]

Everything has gone bananas. Short is blasting everyone with collateral damage, Zesty is taunting Carl to extremes and dropping the ball when it matters, Moonsprout is.... Well, just Moonsprout actually, but now also Nac has decided to join in on it all with him?! Aims is just very confused now. Raging and confused never mixed well.

Nac... What the hells dude? Is this some new kind of murder kink? I don't just can't even with ARRRRGH!

YOU DID THIS CARL SO FUCK OFF ARLEADY!

Aims goes back in, quickly trying to process where Merrows' balls are, and aiming a devastating ball crushing hook where he thinks they are. Not to kill, but to shock him unconscious.

---

Aims'Orreh Mwuh'Bwadd
@Jawneh​

| Your brain tells you to strike between the legs, but the twisted abyssal merman has no legs that part... Your mind reels, how could this be? Battle tactics strategize that all foes are weakest in the testicle region.

You don't care. Carl is a dick. If he is the dick, then balls must be just a little lower...



Somehow, your fists find fishy phallus and you smack Carl in what turns out to be his cock-area. You have no idea how, he's a scaly man-fish. You're not trying to see his downstairs-mix-up.

There's a thick thud as the blow lands.

You deal 6 bludgeoning damage to Carl. |

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---

Carl​

|





|

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((@Nae'blis

Remember you're prone, so if you're going to stand up it'll cost you 1/2 of your movement speed/amount for that turn.))

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((This is what hurts. Bad rolls make role playing just... not fun. I'm closer to becoming a complete mute and and just putting up rolls... because getting embarrassed all the time is no fun... especially with as much time between turns. Once is amusing and funny... But this often is seriously dejecting.))

((Yeah, this isn't what I wanted at all and something I worried about earlier when it was the skill-checks that weren't going right. It feels crappy, but I still feel you're contributing more than enough to the campaign in general. And it'll all come out in the wash. Eventually you'll get your amazing streak of rolls and feel like a mini-god.

And I'd say that Aims taunt was just in character, so don't take it to heart. Zesty can take it to heart, but might as well play out those feelings in the game. Lean into the inter-party dynamic of why you just always have to hurt each other.

At least you're not actively trying to hallucinate off of every fungus on the island, or becoming known as a sociopath who has complete disregard for their friend's safety.))

 

[Zesty Zapcrackle]

((FWIW I am not taking what’s said to heart. It was more a note of I can’t do any fun taunting if I’m just going to miss every time. Like I say something… then whiff… then “haha you suck.” Like if I can’t say anything without just being a laughingstock then what’s the points of any rp?

I’m fine overall. It just sucks waiting so long for another crack at retribution and feeling like I’m contributing. Ya know? ))