DMJ's Skull & Shackles

Game Master Jonasty1031

Adventure and danger on the high seas! Can you claim your own Pirate destiny in the Shackles?

Current Map


PC's current status:

Young Tully:
  • HP 28/28
  • AC 18

Ko'ulu:

  • HP 31/31 normally
  • AC 17

Xanxan Gimblewabe:

  • HP 32/32
  • AC 17

Tylos Vielent:

  • HP 20/20
  • AC 12

Callum Carnvegas:

  • HP 37/37
  • AC 17

Jirobo the Storm Crow:

  • HP 27/27
  • AC 15

Crew of the Black Queen's Mercy:
  • Ambrose "Fishguts" Kroop(male human): ship's cook and former drunkard, seems to have sobered up under new management
  • Sandara Quinn(female human): priestess(Cleric) of Besmara
  • Rosie Cusswell(female halfling): filthy-mouthed woman with a sense of humor to match
  • Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone(male gnome): an egotistical womanizer who has come to terms with the fact that he's got some work to being a "true" pirate
  • "Badger" Medlar(female half-elf): older woman who shaves her gray hair into stripes
  • Fipps Chumlett(male human): still a fat bald bully although he's kept himself quiet through the transition of leadership, seeming to only care that he has a berth
  • Maheem(male human)(rigger): a big Rahadoumi man with a permanent scowl, although it's started to fade now that Callum is one of his new bosses
  • Jaundiced Jape(male half-orc): a mute, humorless, greedy half-orc with a large scar across his throat, while having sided with Plugg, he seems just as fine with following your current leadership
  • Aretta Bansion(female human): her attitude has certainly improved with the new owners and while she still has a pair of big ears on her the former harlot now turned pirate seems happy enough
  • Silas Odres(male human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Volia Jesop(female human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Steel-soled Stevon(male human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Joliar Nesol(male human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Mort Livingson(male human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Victoria Helsni(female human): one of the captured Rahadoumi sailors
  • Rodan Lika(male human): recruited in Rickety's Squibs
  • Cassan Viani(male human): recruited in Rickety's Squibs
  • Sado Arni(male human): recruited in Rickety's Squibs
  • Haysha Rachar(female human): recruited in Rickety's Squibs
  • Jola Manamar(female halfling): recruited in Rickety's Squibs
  • Liaanne B'elin(female human): recruited in Rickety's Squibs

Generic Crew Stat Block (ignore default equipment)

The NPC's you've met on your adventures:

  • Rickety Hake(male human): "owner" and operator of Rickety's Squibs, a small hidden village of sorts that is used by pirates to squib ships
  • Barnabas Harrigan(male human): evil and brutal captain of the Wormwood
  • Cut-Throat Grok(female half-orc): Quartermaster of the Wormwood
  • Peppery Longfarthing(female human): Sailingmaster of the Wormwood
  • Patch Patchsalt(female gnome): Boatswain's mate of the Wormwood
  • Riaris Krine(female human): Master Gunner of the Wormwood
  • Kipper(male human): gunner's mate of the Wormwood
  • Owlbear Hartshorn(male human): sailor on the Wormwood, giant of a man but a little simple
  • Crimson "Cog" Cogward(male human): sailor on the Wormwood, violent loner who actually volunteered for the ship
  • "Ratline" Rattsberger(male halfling): sailor on the Wormwood, ratfaced halfing that's missing 3 fingers
  • Barefoot Samms Toppin(female human): sailor on the Wormwood, Sodden lands woman who never wears shoes
  • Jak Scrimshaw(male human): sailor on the Wormwood, young man known for his talent at making scrimshaw
  • Giffer Tibbs(female gnome): sailor on the Wormwood, a rather bedraggled woman who only has one eye
  • Shivikah(female human): sailor on the Wormwood, a tall Mwangi woman
  • Tilly Brackett(female human): sailor on the Wormwood, a joker who likes her rum
  • Slippery Syl Lonegan(female human): sailor on the Wormwood, an aggressive woman who doesn't appear to like dancing

The Black Queen's Mercy:

Three masted Sailing Ship (see S&S Player's Guide pg 25 for base details)
AC: 2; Hardness: 5
HP: 1620 (sails 360)
Base Save: +6
Max speed: 90ft(wind); Acceleration: 30ft
CMB: +8; CMD: +18
Ramming Damage: 8d8
Propulsion: wind or current
Sailing Check: Profession(sailor)
Control Device: steering wheel
Means of Propulsion: 90 squares of sails(three masts)
Optimal Crew Complement(no penalties): 20
Decks: 3
Cargo/Passengers: 150 tons/120 passengers
Armament: 2 light ballistas(Sterncastle)
Enhancements: Broad Rudder(+1 to sailing checks), Rapid Deploy Sails(+1 to sailing checks)

Ship Map 1

Ship Map 2

Ship Locations(refer to map for code):

  • B1 - Main Deck: two 10-foot square hatches sit in the deck forward of the main mast and open into the middle hold, with a set of step stairs leading to the hold as well
  • B2 - Foredeck: rises 10 feet above the main deck, ship's nameplate is fastened to the outer hull
  • B3 - Aft Deck: sits 10 feet above the main deck, with stairs leading up to an even high deck behind the mizzenmast; the ship's wheel stands before the rail overlooking the main deck
  • B4 - Sterncastle: high deck sits behind the mizzenmast 20 feet above the main deck, a pair of light ballistas sits on this deck, there's a box at the foot of them that contains 12 ballista bolts
  • B5 - Ship's Boats: two ship's boats hang from davits, a cutter and a gig (see S&S Player's guide); requires 3 DC 10 Prof(sailor) or Dex checks to launch, each one taking a full round action
  • B6 - Officer's Quarters:
  • B6a - Officer's Storage:
  • B7 - Captain's Cabin: rear wall contains four gilt-framed windows that rise the full height of the room, the doors out to the main deck have Good locks on them
  • B7a - Captain's Storage: the small rooms don't have doors but rather sliding walls that can be removed to form a large table
  • B8 - Middle Deck and Armory: currently empty although the weapon racks only need to be filled to make this a working armory
  • B9 - Crew Berths:
  • B10 - Galley: Kroop's domain, in the corner is a derrick that stands next to a trapdoor in the secure storage(B13), locked with a huge Good padlock, derrick can be raised/lowered as a full round action, can hoist up to 200 lbs.
  • B11 - Cook's Cabin: Kroop's space
  • B12 - Main Hold: currently empty after being looted, trap door near the main mast leads to the bilges that contain two pumps
  • B13 - Secure Storage: currently empty, door to area has Good lock

Regional Map

Regional Map Key:
  • Red Dot: PC's current location

Recruiting new crew:
Recruiting new members to the crew while in port takes 1 day of activity along with a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check, DC 20 regardless. Success recruits 1d4+2 new recruits to the ship.

You can get a max of 2 successful recruitment checks per port visit, with the second one not receiving the +2 mod, and then you have to leave and come back at a later time to "reset the attempts".

Plunder System:
Basic idea to keep in mind: An approximation of valuable but non-useful cargo. 1 point of plunder = 1,000gp (base) and takes up 10 tons of cargo capacity, unless stated otherwise.

Other Specific info to note:
[list]

  • Plunder final sale value will be dependent on the size of the port you are trying to sell it in, the smaller the port the less you'll likely receive.
  • Selling it requires a PC to spend 1 full day in port trading and allows for 1 point of plunder to be sold for gold.
  • A PC may attempt to increase the amount they receive for the 1 point of Plunder by making a skill check (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Prof: merchant), consulting the Plunder Table.
  • Plunder table.
  • Plunder may also be used to purchase/increase your Infamy score, see Infamy section for details.
  • Infamy (& Disrepute) System:

    Current Infamy score: 4
    Current Disrepute points: 4

    Basic idea: Infamy measures your fame/infamy amongst the Shackles and represents how fearsome of a pirate you are seen as. Your reputation. Disrepute are the points that can be spent for certain actions, bonuses, etc; "the group's actual ability to cash in on its fame". Your Infamy score is the sum total of all the Disrepute you've earned throughout the game, it never really decreases and it's kind of an overall tracking number for your reputation. Disrepute points will flucuate as you earn them and spend them.

    Infamy/Disrepute rules:

    • A few things are required to gain Infamy: an audience, a deed to tell about, and a flair for storytelling.
    • To gain Infamy, the PC's must moor their ship at a port for 1 full day and the PC determined to be the "main storyteller" must spend this time on shore carousing and boasting of infamous deeds. The PC will then make an "Infamy Check" (either Bluff, Intimidate, or Perform check) to gauge the effectiveness of their telling.
    • The DC of the Infamy Check is 15 + twice the group's APL.
    • On a succeful check, the group's Infamy and Disrepute both increase by +1, and by an additional +1 for ever 5 points the check exceeds the DC by, up to a maximum of +3.
    • On a failed check, the scores are unchanged and the day is simply wasted.
    • Infamy/Disrepute by Port: No matter how impressionable or drunk the crowd, no one wants to hear the same story twice. You may only gain a maximum of 5 points of Infamy/Disrepute in a given port per Infamy Threshold, see below.
    • All benefits from reaching a given Infamy Threshold are cumulative.
    • Plunder and Infamy/Disrepute: Plunder can be used in 2 ways towards Infamy/Disrepute. 1) Before making an Infamy check, the PC's can spend 1 point of Plunder to add a +2 to their Infamy check that day. You may spend as much Plunder as you like to increase the bonus, it is possible to "buy" your fame. 2) If an Infamy check is failed, the PC's can choose to spend 3 points of Plunder to allow for an immediate reroll of the Infamy check. A reroll attempt can only be made once per day and the Plunder is lost even if the reroll fails. Some people just aren't impressed no matter how much money you throw around.
    • Disrepute may be spent on Impositions once the PC's have reached the appropriate Infamy Threshold.

    Infamy Threshold Titles/Rewards and available Impositions.

    Disgraceful(10+ Infamy): PC's may choose one favored port, and gain +2 bonus to all Infamy checks in that port. Disgraceful Impositions may be purchased.

    • Impositions to be listed upon threshold reached.

    Despicable(20+ Infamy): Once per week, the PC's can sacrifice a prisoner or crew member to immediately gain 1d3 points of Disrepute. This sacrifice is always fatal and returning the victim to life results in the loss of 1d6 points of Disrepute. Despicable Impositions may be purchased.

    • Impositions to be listed upon threshold reached.

    Notorious(30+ Infamy): PC's may choose a second favored port, and gain +2 bonus to all Infamy checks in that port. The first favored port now grants a +4 to Infamy checks. Notorious Impositions may be purchased. Disgraceful Impositions may be purchased at half price (rounded down).

    • Impositions to be listed upon threshold reached.

    Loathsome(40+ Infamy): PC's gain a +5 bonus on all skill checks to sell Plunder. Loathsome Impositions may be purchased. Despicable Impositions may be purchased at half price (rounded down).

    • Impositions to be listed upon threshold reached.

    Vile(55+ Infamy): PC's may choose a third favored port, and gain +2 bonus to all Infamy checks in that port. The first favored port now grants a +6 to Infamy checks and the second a +4. Vile Impositions may be purchased. Notorious Impositions may be purchased at half price (rounded down). Disgraceful Impositions are free.

    • Impositions to be listed upon threshold reached.